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Except now? Every step around this place was a sore little reminder of how he used my body to keep whatever was deep inside him in check. Or maybe it was hidden. I wanted to find out what ate away at him.
“I’m going to the ladies’ room. You good?” Rylee asked. I nodded as I studied one of the sculptures.
“Yeah. I’m good. I’ll wait right here.”
I glanced over my shoulder and saw two sets of eyes watching us. Two big guys in pretty suits shadowed us even with all the extra security.
“The Tweedles won’t let me go anywhere anyway.”
She giggled.
“You get used to it. I’m just excited to have you around. I’ve always wanted a sister, and if I’d ever been asked, I’d have picked you.”
I blinked at the admission. Not that she hadn’t said things like she loved having a neighbor and a girl to hang out with. But sister? I never imagined asking out the big guy would have led me here.
“Sister?” I choked out.
Her response was a little smile that I swear looked like she knew something I didn’t.
“I don’t think Xander’s the settle down and white picket fence type,” I quickly added.
She shrugged.
“Not all dreams are white picket fences. Mine happens to be a fortress with a man that comes home to me and looks at me like I’m his sun, moon, stars, and obsession.”
She patted my arm and headed toward a small hall where the bathroom must have been. One Tweedle moved to follow her while the other stood right where he was.
“Whatever,” I said to myself. I looked at the guns, chains, what I’d have guessed were brass knuckles, and a myriad of other items. I looked closer to see delicate little needles long since removed from the syringes, making whiskers of some kind of large cat. Mountain lion? I needed to go to a zoo and broaden my sad little horizons.
I snorted at the idea of Xander doing something so normal. Yeah, probably not. Maybe I could donate a scalpel or bone saw from some of my favorite victims as they came in. I sighed at the idea that I was busy making plans for an unsure future.
“Interesting, isn’t it?” said a male voice.
I turned to him and froze. It was that hauntingly familiar mask.
I could see the guy's lips and roughly make out his eyes, but for the most part, I couldn’t see past the mask. I shook it off because the chill running down my spine said it wasn’t a good idea to give anything away.
Instead I hid behind my own mask and all its glamour and pearls that hung down, obscuring nearly all of my face. Rylee’s has been equally concealing.
“I… Yes… Beautiful. I wonder how they make it all look so real.” Small talk. I hated it but I could do it.
The man was tall, and I had to look up to see him clearly, but I still wanted to figure out why the mask stood out to me. His odd little almost choke caught my attention.
“My dear woman. You don’t believe these to be fake? I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge how clean our streets are in this part of the city. Not a needle, spoon, or tossed aside lighter to be found. A stark contrast to other more unsavory parts.”
Absentmindedly I nodded, still stuck on the mask. The Spectors did seem to keep their part of the city clean.
“I never realized. The Arcane Alchemist is a humanitarian then?” I didn’t react much, playing the dumb bimbo with finesse. I didn’t even flinch when the back of this hand grazed my arm.
“Oh, sweet innocent little girl. That’s far from the truth. Don’t let their pretty illusions fool you. Now, be so kind and tell me, why have I never seen you at these events before?”
I scoffed. “Innocent little girl? Pardon me old man.” He wasn’t old, or at least his hair was still lush and dark.
His hand grabbed my arm, but I didn’t even have a chance to use the couple of moves Xander and Zeiden had been showing me. My self-defense lessons longed to be used, and yet the big, burly Tweedle ripped him away.
“Do not touch what isn’t yours, sir.”
The guy’s eyes flicked over me and back at the guard.
