Page 177 of Blood Day

He nodded and allowed the door to open a little wider to reveal the mess he’d left on the floor.

“I need some help cleaning up.” He glanced over his shoulder at the lifeless female on the carpet. “Can you handle the paperwork while I take care of the body?” Some of the turquoise had bled back into his irises by the time he looked back at me. “I’d like to have this sorted before Silvano arrives.”

Fuck.

What is it?Lily asked, sensing my shock.

I blocked her before she could see the events in my mind. She might not have been close friends with Emine, but she’d cared for the woman.

The last thing I wanted was for Lily to learn about the other woman’s death through our mental connection.

Besides, I had a much more important problem to deal with now.

Because Khalid had just made it clear that he’d been working with Silvano the entire time.

Emine’s dead.

It was all a ruse. A clever ploy to gain my trust. And I stupidly fell into his trap because I thought we shared a common desire—to keep our humans alive.

Fuck.

Khalid’s lips curled as though he could see the puzzle pieces coming together in my mind. “You didn’t think your maker’s arrival was a secret, did you?”

“I wasn’t aware that he’d called you.”

“Ah, so you came to tell me?” His grin grew when I didn’t respond. “How loyal.”

My fingers curled into fists as my mind warred with what to do.

Kill Khalid?

Run?

Try to get to Lily and disappear?

I could teleport and?—

“Don’t,” Khalid warned. Against what, I wasn’t sure.

But I hated that he seemed to be able to read me so easily. It made me wary and even more uncertain of how to proceed.

Perhaps playing along was my best option.

At least temporarily.

“Just fill out the paperwork,” he said. “Include whatever you need to enter for Lily, as I assume she’s already back at the university.” He gave me a look that spoke volumes about his uncanny ability to see several steps ahead. “When you’re done, we’ll talk.”

Chapter 37

Lily

Cedric?I whispered.Is everything okay?

I focused on the ceiling above me, waiting for a reply that I already knew wouldn’t arrive.

Cedric had blocked me shortly after leaving me here. Which I’d known he would do—he’d mentioned he would need to cut me off once his maker arrived—but I’d expected Cedric to check in or send me signs that everything was still okay.

The fact that he hadn’t made me wonder if something had happened.