Page 26 of A Taste of Bliss

“Wraiths don’t deal in souls that way, Bliss,” he says with a slight frown, as if he’s disappointed I don’t know that. “All I need is for you to collect something for me.”

I raise my brows at him. “Oh, is that all? And this something, would it be, oh say, I don’t know… illegal?” I try to get my legs to stand up, but they won’t. I sit back, crossing my arms and scowling at the wraith, attempting to act as if my heart isn’t hammering in my chest. A wraith? I’ve heard rumors that fae sometimes still summon them. That even after the fae council banished them, they found ways back into this realm. I never knew if I believed that or not, but I guess now I have proof. And if everything I know about wraiths is true, I need to get the hell out of here.

He seems to know where my thoughts have gone. “No harm shall come to you at my hands, Bliss.” He unbuttons the middle button on his shirt jacket and relaxes back into the bench more. “If you agree, you can have everything you’ve ever wanted. Being a water nymph would suit you. You and your bond can retire to some coastal town together and you’d never need to be powerless a day in your life.”

Since I’m stuck here, I allow my curiosity to run away from me, distracting me from my fear and helping me bide my time until he releases me. “And what would I need to collect?”

He holds up a finger. “That I cannot tell you just yet. But I can tell you who you’d need to collect it from.”

“It sounds an awful lot like I’d need to steal something illegal from someone.”

A grin teases his lips again. “Not illegal. Something powerful. Something he will willingly part from, I think.”

“He?”

His grin widens. “Wrath.”

“Wrath?”Wrath? He doesn’t mean— “You mean Wrath from Voracious Maw?”

Dylan—if that’s even his name—nods. “The one and only.”

“Why?”

“He has something I need. And I think you’re the perfect person to get it.” What does that mean?

I shake my head. If I say no, am I even walking out of this hallway? “Why don’t you steal it?” Yeah, why doesn’t he? A wraith this powerful, it shouldn’t be a problem.

“All will be revealed in time, Bliss.”

“The fuck it will. I’m not doing it. Besides, you want me to steal something from a guy in an anonymous band? Unless you know his identity, how would I even get close enough?”

Dylan’s small grin grows wider and he leans in as if he’s sharing a secret. “This is exactly why you’re perfect for it. Voracious Maw will be at the Alchemy Festival. It’s the perfect place to rub elbows with other bands. And I know of just the band. Goddess’ Trance. You can resume your position as their manager. It’ll give you all the access you need to meet Wrath and get close enough to him to get what I need.”

I notice the wraith has loosened up his magic on my legs, so I stand up. “Well, sorry to let you down, but I’m not on speaking terms with my sister. Too bad. You’ll have to find someone else.” It’s not totally a lie. I’m mad at her and ignoring her texts, at least for the day.

“Hmm,” the wraith mutters, standing with me. “No, that is not ideal. I’d suggest you get back on speaking terms, then.”

“I haven’t agreed to this, remember? Besides, my sister’s band isn’t even going to that festival.”

“Don’t worry about that part,” Dylan says with a wave of his hand. “Take a day, think it over.” The bench we sat on disappears and the wraith walks down the hall, opposite to the way the festivities are being held. “But Bliss, if you think the fae council will be able to fix your bond, you’re sorely mistaken. They do not care about your bond. And even if they did, the magic affixed to your bond is stronger than they know how to deal with.”

“How do I know you’re not the one interfering?”

He shrugs. “I am not. But if I was, then maybe it would be wise to accept my bargain.”

With that he vanishes from sight, leaving the hallway empty aside from me. Oddly, every picture, every vase, every piece of overly expensive ornamentation that decorated the hallway is also gone. Has he taken it all with him?

“Bliss?” Liz’s voice calls from the other direction. I spin around, seeing my aunt and a man with graying hair walk into the now empty hallway. It’s almost as if the wraith knew they’d be approaching.

Liz and I meet in the middle. “You ready to go home?” she asks me. I nod, not trusting myself to speak just yet. The man turns this way and that as his eyes take in everything missing from the space.

“What the bloody hell?” the man splutters, looking at me. “Where did all the furniture and decor go?”

Liz throws him a glare. “What do you mean?”

“There were paintings and side tables. Vases.” He spins around and walks a few steps down the hall, as if he could view the hallway from a different angle and all would be back in its place.

I shrug. “I don’t know. I was just looking for my aunt.”