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“You will be safe. While in this building, no demon will be able to detect your presence.”
“Wait, you can cast illusions on a place?”
“Some Flamma can.”
He smiled. My heart fluttered. I wish he’d smile more often. On second thought, I was glad he didn’t.
“What do you mean by some? Why not all?”
“The power of using illusion depends upon the strength of the user.”
“So, I’m guessing that hiding whole buildings takes a pretty powerful user.”
“Correct.” His steady gaze pinned me in place, dropping to my mouth before skating away. When a flame of heat crawled up my neck, he quickly stepped out and came around to open my door.
“Guess that makes me a lucky girl that you wandered into Tartarus that night,” I said as we came to a stop outside the door of the duplex.
He grew very quiet and still, gazing down at me. Unreadable thoughts flitted behind heavy-lidded eyes. When he spoke, his deep voice had dipped another octave.
“Do not go anywhere alone outside of this house, Genevieve.” His command was serious, his voice rumbling with danger. “Do you understand me?”
Ordinarily, I didn’t let guys order me around like that, but my survival instincts told me to simply nod in agreement. So I did.
The deep frown creasing his brow softened a fraction. “I’ll see you at noon on Monday.”
I nodded again. The curtains by the door fluttered. I ducked my head and skirted past him. After bolting the lock behind me, I spun around to find Mindy propped on the sofa with a stupid-wide grin plastered on her face.
“O! M! G!Whowas that? Was that him? Was that the guy from the club? He issohot. No, he’s beyond hot! What happened? Where did you see him again?”
She spat out a string of questions. When she finally paused to suck air into her little lungs, I attempted to explain.
“Yes, that was the guy. I was—”
Her squeal pierced my ears. “Did y’all have sex? Please tell me you did!”
“No! Geez, Mindy, I just met the guy!”
“Well, I know, but damn, did you look at him? It’s likeVampire Diariesshowing up on your doorstep.”
“There’s no such thing as vampires, Mindy.” And who did I sound like right now?
“You’re right,” she said, perking up with a devilish smile, “but he isdefinitelyreal.”
I sat down on the loveseat, wincing as the bandage rubbed the stitches.
“Oh no. Are you okay? Does your stomach hurt or something?”
“Actually, I was mugged right outside the dojo.”
“You’re kidding!”
I’d already come up with this excuse, an easy one for her to believe. Mindy and I’d been mugged once during Mardi Gras.
We had wandered too far from our group on Canal Street to find a bathroom. Finding an available restroom in New Orleans during Mardi Gras was like scouring the Sahara searching for a swimming pool. Of course, we turned down a remote alley in our ridiculous nothing-can-harm-me, life-is-perfect giddiness. What can I say? We were sixteen and reckless and stupid. This scruffy-looking guy pushed us into a niche in the wall and demanded money. I checked to see if he had a gun. He didn’t. I grabbed Mindy’s hand and ran. He chased us until we reached the next street, where tons of people milled up and down.
Till the other night at Tartarus, that was my first and only brush with death. Sadly, I sensed there would be more in my future.
“Yeah,” I continued. “I locked up the dojo for Dad, and this guy jumped out of nowhere. In the struggle, he cut me. Luckily, Jude came and ran the guy off.”
