Page 90 of Hybrid Heroics

She observed me watching her, waiting for my reaction to the flip of her switch. Her smile never faltered, though.

“And?” I repeated, prompting her to answer.

In a chilling, dead voice, she said, “The fight will either be too easy to be bothered with, or more difficult than some of us anticipated. But dinner is going to be divine.”

Thursday, June 25th

Evening

The clock on the wall read five minutes until seven o’clock. I was numb, though I acted giddy with anticipation. Franklin understood, even shared my mood… But that was where the list stopped.

My guys had sensed the change within me and taken it in stride. They didn’t push me, didn’t argue, which was… Something to think about later. That didn’t mean they were excited to be holed up in the basement with my parents, Franklin, and my hellhounds.

I would take no risks with Alric so close until I knew he only had his sights set on me.

Everything from here on out would test my improv skills, push me to mock the emotions I needed to sell the charade.

Once the fight started, he would understand my circus, but he would be dead long before he could use it against me.

“Are you sure he’ll show up?” Novak asked, his mental voice strained through the protective ward around the basement room.

“Yes.”

I didn’t need to elaborate any more than that. Alric would show up, of that I had no doubts.

If I hadn’t kicked him out of my mind, I might worry that he was stuck. Finding his body would have been a thrilling scavenger hunt, but killing him while he wasn’t responsive or conscious wouldn’t have been fun.

As soon as the clock struck seven, the doorbell rang. And I greeted my next victim with a Stepford Wives kind of smile. Except I had skipped the kitten heels, opting for my power pumps. Something about Alric looking up to make eye contact made the petty version of me ecstatic.

Still, I pushed her down.

“You knew I was coming?” he asked, surprise raising his brows.

“Of course I did,” I answered warmly, stepping aside to let him in. “Welcome to my home. The dining room is this way.”

I held my hand out to the left, walking him beyond the sitting area to the fully prepared table.

“I sense my sister nearby,” Alric mentioned, appraising the spread of food.

“I’m sure she’s around here somewhere,” I replied, noncommittal, but not quite disinterested. “She’s not here for you, though.”

He grinned, charming me as he pulled my chair out. “Isn’t she?”

“Don’t flatter yourself. You’re not her problem anymore. You.” I pointed at him as he took his seat. “You’re my problem.”

“I see you have a camera in here,” Alric commented, changing the subject as he motioned to the corner at my back with his fork.

“Oh? Caught that, did you?” I waved my hand dismissively, watching him take his first bite. “A couple of weeks ago, we had a few uninvited guests. Some break-ins, you know? Nothing too big. Nothing we couldn’t handle.”

“That’s made you paranoid?” he guessed, observing me pick at my fruit.

I snorted, reaching for my wine glass as I confessed, “I hooked the security system up to some monitors in another room. Amelia is watching this conversation.”

“I’m sure Sam and Rig wouldn’t allow her within the same state as me if it weren’t for their daughter,” he informed me, his tone thick with condescension. “Amelia won’t sit idly while you try to kill me. So, what are you playing at?”

“Haven’t you heard?” I asked conspiratorially. “All I do is play.”

“And you cook?” he mused, humming as he took another bite. “You’ve prepared such a lovely meal.”