Page 26 of Close Quarter
They rearranged the chairs so they sat close together. Rhys sat between the two.
"Now." Jarek's thumb stroked the top of Rhys's hand. "Who are you waiting for?"
Sharp spikes rattled against Rhys's lungs when he tried not to inhale, struggled not to speak.
Still, it came out. "Silas."
"Silas?"
"Quint." Speaking the word felt as though he'd been crushed into and then dragged over broken glass.
Radmila's laugh rang out. "He's rearranged his name."
Jarek smiled, displaying a mouth full of teeth that werewrong. Every last one was pointed, like a saw blade. "And do you know where Silas is?"
That question, at least, Rhys was willing to answer. "No."
"When will he return?"
"By first light." Because vampires--and that must be what these two were--couldn't stand sunlight. But it was dark now, and Silas was not here.
Why wasn't Silas here?
"Of course," Jarek murmured. He brought Rhys's hand to his mouth and licked it. "You're absolutely delightful. So full of fear." He turned Rhys's hand over, scraped those razor teeth over his wrist, and then bit.
Jarek's mouth felt like acid burning through his flesh. Rhys couldn't even scream. An instant later, the pain diminished. Jarek pulled away.
Bite marks and blood, but a wound so small it looked like a kitten's nip. If that was what a small bite felt like, Rhys would never survive a real one.
"Now," Jarek said. "Give your other hand to Radmila."
God no.But he did as he was told.
Radmila bit him as Jarek had, to the same effect. By the end, he took air in short gasps. When she released his hand, she said something to Jarek in a language Rhys didn't understand. He laughed in response.
Jarek ran a finger down Rhys's neck. "Do you know what your friend Silas Quint is?"
The answer tore its way out of Rhys's throat even as Rhys tried to pull away from Jarek's touch. "Fae."
"And did the fae tell you what you are?"
"I don't--" What he was? Dredges of dinner conversation surfaced. "He said I was fairly unique in the world."
Radmila snorted.
Jarek clicked his tongue. "Now, now. The pixie told him the truth."
"As far as that goes." Her hand encircled his wrist. "I want more of him."
"Yes," Jarek said. "But not here." He rose and pulled Rhys up as well. "Don't worry. Your fae will join you soon enough."
Radmila stood and snaked her arm around Rhys's. "It's a lovely night for a stroll on the deck."
They walked him toward the dark glass of the outer door, which slid open as they approached.
The night air was breezy and cool, heavy with the smell of the ocean. A sliver of moon hung over the water, casting white onto the inky black of the water. It would have been beautiful had he not been strung between two vampires. Where was Silas? He was supposed to be hunting these things!
"I almost want to let you run," Jarek whispered into his ear. "Just to taste your hope die."
