Page 108 of Chain Me

Dmitri visibly shrank into his chair. “I will remain on my absolute best behavior.” He returned to the depths of his newspaper, but I didn’t miss the devious tilt to his mouth.

“She’ll be fine,” Dublin insisted before changing the subject. “Now. What did you learn?”

Dmitri rolled up his paper and set it aside entirely. “Despite my unwilling accomplice, we were able to make some headway to my connections,” he murmured. “You probably don’t want to know the details. Something involving a cursed negligee… Regardless, we did discover one kernel of information.”

Dublin’s eyes flashed and narrowed. With just a few lethal nuances in his expression, he made impatience into an art form. “And?”

“Our quarry lies in Leon, not far from here,” Dmitri admitted. “It’s a fitting hiding place, the rural wilds of France. Rumor has it she’s made her home amongst the witches who still dwell there. Though it could be an elaborate ruse and she could be living under a bridge in some city in the States. You know how she loved her mind games.”

My head was spinning.Witches.Quarry. France.

“Who are you talking about?”

The two men shared a look.

“Answers, my dear,” Dmitri finally said. “As to your…condition.” He nodded toward my stomach. “From the very witch who may have set it into motion, so to speak.”

Answers.I looked to Dublin and he said nothing. His jaw was clenched, his eyes thoughtful.

Licking my lips, I asked, “How do we find her?”

“Well, we hunt her down,” Dmitri said wryly.

Dublin, however, didn’t seem convinced. He paced, his eyes focused on a section of the wall. “How accurate is this information?” he demanded of Dmitri.

The vampire shrugged. “You’d have to ask dearest Yuliana of that. I’m sure you won’t trustmyassurances—”

“It’s true.” Yulia appeared in the doorway of the room, her arms crossed. I’d never seen her so cold, her eyes frozen over, devoid of emotion. “I made sure of it. But I can recognize embellishment as well. There is every possibility we’re being misled. After all, to stay undetected for centuries, I’m sure Adara has taken the proper precautions.”

Dublin nodded once and met her gaze. “Thank you.”

Yulia said nothing, but she didn’t storm off again, either.

“So.” Dmitri clapped his hands once and rose gallantly to his feet. “When do we leave? An adventure, how exciting—”

“Who said anything about you coming?” Dublin shot him a look that made even his cheerful façade crack a bit.

“Ah, but remember my price, Dublin.” He fingered the white pocket square accenting his breast. “My assistance has not come cheaply. Think of it as a loan I expect to be repaid in full. Besides.” He shrugged. “You don’t even like witches, apart from the person whose name I am forbidden to mention. Especiallyher—”

“Fine,” Dublin snapped. “We’ll leave in the morning.”

Dmitri beamed. “Oh, excellent!”

Yulia crossed her arms, her gaze fixed on the wall—coincidentally avoiding both men in the process. “Am I still under your command,master?” she inquired coldly.

“I would like you to stay,” Dublin admitted. “As my friend—”

She stormed from the room. Dmitri snickered, fiddling with his paper once more—until a glowering stare from Dublin made him lurch to his feet.

“I suppose I will excuse myself as well,” he simpered while exiting the room.

I sat there awkwardly, drawing my knees to my chest. “You’ve royally pissed her off,” I remarked. I racked my brain, but I doubted I’d ever seen her frown, let alone furious.

“For good reason,” he admitted. “I’ve never invoked her contract against her before now.” He sighed and drew himself up to his full height, his jaw set in determination. “But she won’t stay angry for long.”

“What is her past with Dmitri?” I wondered. Though did I really want to know? On the surface, the other vampire seemed more mischievous than vicious. But even I knew that appearances could be deceiving.

In his own way, the vampire seemed more than matched with Dublin in the potential for sowing chaos and pain.