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P andora hated it when this kind of thing happened. Because she was a solo act, she often attracted folks who were up to no good. She used contracts and cashed the payments as soon as she could, transferring the funds into a safe spot before anyone could reverse them.

She turned around and headed for the side of the building where the air vent was and parked. She turned into mist and climbed up the side of the building, moving through the air vents and waiting inside the vent to the boardroom with tendrils just outside the boardroom in the hallway vents.

The men slid into the building silently and charged toward the boardroom. She could see them in the building, and anyone who saw them was knocked out with some sort of spray.

She waited until they got outside the boardroom, and then she gave them a touch of their own medicine. The thugs dropped to the ground as she pushed chloroform past their masks and into their nostrils.

She held them down in her fog while the men in the boardroom reacted and opened the door to find a dozen unconscious thugs tangled in a thick mist.

As the gathered men stared at the unconscious ones, she pulled her fog back and remained watching. Mr. Sorrow looked at them and barked a laugh. She actually sent them?

The men from the meeting opened their jackets and disarmed the interlopers. Pandora watched and waited until one of the men was slapped awake, and when he realized he was surrounded, he disgorged the name of his employer.

Pandora sighed. It was the same name as her client, via the lawyer. She couldn t speak in this form, but she said, Well, fuck.

She pulled back and tried to exit the building, but her entryway was blocked. She flowed through the building, trying to find a way out, and they were all blocked.

Double fuck.

She started to get irritated and swarmed back to the boardroom, knocking out everyone in the building as she went. She swirled past the men and focused on whispering, Out.

One of the dark elves swayed, Out.

Out. Out, out, out, outoutoutoutout. She chanted it over and over as she swirled in frustration.

The others grabbed at her, but their hands passed through the mist. Mr. Sorrow reached for her, and her wrist solidified under his hand. Fucking hell!

He blinked and grinned as the effect spread, and she had to decide what to look like when he was looking at her. She went for Elite omega.

She solidified and put her other hand on her hip. What?

He blinked but didn t let go. Now that she was focusing on him, she noticed the dark brown skin, thick black hair, a glittering pair of black ear studs, and eyes so dark brown they were nearly black. His shoulders were wider than hers, he was about the same height in his alpha form, and she scowled at him. Let go.

Why were you here?

I don t like being used as a driver, so I have knocked out the inhabitants of the club. When I am gone, everyone will wake up. She smiled.

Who are you?

Me? Pandora.

His jaw went slack, and he stepped back but didn t let her go. Pandora? Where did you get that name?

My great-grandmother. Why?

I... knew a girl named Pandora.

Oh. Yeah. She was short, and she was crying a lot before they threw her off the cliff. She said it calmly. I am what happened next. Well, the fog was. It was years before I could pull myself together. She had to know. You didn t kill me, did you?

His eyes were wide with shock. What? I would never. None of the dark Elite would hurt one of our omegas.

So, it was a light Elite. I remember the red eyes as he was strangling me. She smiled slightly. I took him with me. He did not stick the landing.

You died.

I guess, then I got better. She smiled. I went from beta to omega during the fall, and when I landed, I was fog. She flexed her fingers. Let me go.

His grip loosened, but he didn t let her go.

She looked around. Where is your illusive girlfriend?

He looked around with a frown. I don t know. Our third made her for me.

Whoa. Our? I died, dude. That severed our link.

He looked at his hand on hers, keeping her solid. I think it was paused, not broken.

You were gone. It was gone. She shrugged. Well, if you guys aren t in danger, I am gonna take off. Don t forget the cake. It s pretty good.

The men on the floor were cuffed together. Pandora blinked. Wait, does everyone in a strip club travel with handcuffs?

Mr. Sorrow said, Zip ties. Handy for when we need to deliver folks to the police.

You don t take em home, right?

Are you interested?

Idle curiosity. I am usually a bit more removed from restraint activities. I don t like it. She scowled.

He stared at her. I heard you. Outoutoutout.

Yes. I don t have a lot of language skills as fog.

Mr. Sorrow looked to the others. Do you have this?

The other alphas that she had left upright nodded. We ve got this. A cheerful blonde grinned. Save us some cake.

Mr. Sorrow eased her out of the hallway and closed the door to the boardroom.

Pandora tilted her head. What do you want?

He stared at her and then shrugged his shoulders, taking the form of a dark Elite. What do you think I want?

She cocked her head the other way. Cake? A hug? A winning lottery ticket?

He paused. A hug is close.

I am not a very good hugger. I get bored halfway through.

You are really Pandora?

According to myth and legend.

He grinned. You sound like her. She curled up against me and shivered after they threw her down. I pushed through the crowd to catch you.

His free hand tucked her hair behind her ear.

She tugged her left arm and glared at him. Lemmee go.

No, I don t think I will.

You have to. I need to go home and work on my speech.

Speech?

Tomorrow is my goddaughter s career day, and her mother is busy, so I am the other choice. I have to make a speech and deal with children. She shrugged. This was a last-minute assignment.

She stared at him and realized something. You aren t right.

He paused and then smiled. You remember.

When they came to take me away, you changed.

I did. His smile was slow.

She sighed. Enough playing. I have places to be.

Your beta body isn t an exact match.

No. I had to build it from memory. I look pretty damn good for someone who is over thirty.

He looked at her and blinked. How old were you at the Stronghold?

I turned twenty-two there. They snagged me before my birthday.

He stared. You looked like a teen.

Yeah, well, it is a good way to weed out creeps.

Do you still have that form?

Mostly. I didn t have photos of myself until recently, as in earlier today. I can make my face match now. She paused. So, when you had the little me sitting on your knee...

He sighed. It s complicated, but it was a suggestion so that I didn t go mad.

Did it work?

Surprisingly, it did. Our third mentioned it.

We aren t connected anymore. A friend of mine was rejected by her mates, and she got sick for a really long time. The way she describes things is how I feel, so my guess was that you had rejected me to cut the tie before I died.

His eyes widened. Never.

Well, whatever. I was living fog trapped in a room with a corpse who wasn t getting any fresher. I needed my own logic to stay sane.

He brushed her hair back again. How did you get out?

The cave shook, and the wall cracked. I got out then. It took me a day to get myself out through the small hole, but I managed it. She grimaced. I really do have to go. Give me your phone.

He paused. Why?

So, I can give you my number and can get going. This wasn t scheduled for like, ever.

He reached with his free hand, pulled his phone out of a jacket pocket, and unlocked his phone for her. She went to contacts and put herself into his phone as Pandora with her public email and her phone number.

There. That is how to get hold of me.

He took the phone and sent her a text. It didn t send.

It did. My phone is in my car. Cells don t like being made into fog. Trust me on that.

He smiled. So, you want me to trust that you will be in contact with me?

Walk me to my car, and I will show you the phone.

He pulled her in close and murmured, I don t want to let you go.

You have ninety seconds, and I start fighting to get loose. My anxiety is rising, and when that happens, people end up as blood splatters on the walls.

He didn t release her, but his hand flexed.

I will walk you to your car.

He opened the door, and she sent a tendril out to pick up the cake. He laughed. What are you doing?

You guys aren t going to eat it, and I like this flavour, or I wouldn t have picked it. She smiled.

He released her arm and took the cake out of her clutches. The cake stays.

Fine. Let s get going. It looks like the club is up and running again.

Right. He set the cake back on the table and took her hand, leading her out of the office and down the hall.

Is this your club?

No. I am the general manager, and I run audits.

Entertaining.

Not really, but it keeps me busy.

She nodded. So, how long have you been out?

Just shy of ten years. We were trapped in there for... a while after I saw you last. He squeezed her hand.

Pandora looked at where her hand was solid in his.

So, you are a private investigator?

Yup. And cake decorator when needed and baker and other stuff.

What other stuff?

I will discuss things with you another time. Call me and set up a meeting that isn t tomorrow.

He chuckled. Like dating?

Um. No. Just like talking. I don t know you. You don t know me. Hell, I don t know me, but someone I met recognized me from my previous occupation.

Before you were taken to the Stronghold?

Yup. I haven t had time to Google myself, but Teyval found me fairly easily.

He blinked. You have met other dark Elite?

My friends and I had lunch at Halor Denith, and his pack was there. So, my friend flickered, and introductions between me and Myrtle ensued.

You go there often?

Meh. My friends like it, so we go every month or so. I am more of a burger and fries kind of girl. She shrugged. Don t get me wrong. The food is good there, but it is a little on the weird side for me.

No wonder Myrtle was drawn to you.

Oh, shoot. I am supposed to meet with her as well. She s going to call me later in the week. No offense, but I promised my time to her first.

They walked past the doorman who had led her in. She glided out the door, and Mr. Sorrow walked with her.

Her car was parked sideways and still running. Oops. I guess I was in a hurry.

Mr. Sorrow tried to open her car door, but it was locked. That s awkward.

Not really. If you let go of my hand, I will just flow back into the car.

He looked at their joined hands. I don t want to.

I am in the city, you have my number, and I saw you memorizing my license plate. So, I am going to go and get some sleep so I don t fall on my ass in front of a group of tweens.

He looked at her, and his eyes glowed red and gold. You are not leaving me?

Do you need me to text you every eight hours?

He grinned. Yes. Please.

Fine. It is going to be one word of dubious taste.

He nodded. Got it. I am still reeling with the fact that you are alive.

Right. So, let go of my hand so I can get in my car and get home to read a book with my goddaughter and make some s mores.

You have family?

Sort of. They came and got me out of a pond. Long story that we can discuss later.

He smiled hopefully. There will be a later?

There will be a later. She patted his chest. No one likes a needy chick, Mr. Sorrow.

His expression was astonished as he leaned down and his forehead touched hers. Interesting point, Pandora. Text me from your car, or you don t move.

He released her, and she collapsed into fog and returned into her car through the tiny tubes in the door seam. Once she was in the car, she formed her beta self and grabbed her phone. He was standing in front of her car with his arms crossed.

She texted him one word. He checked his phone and inclined his head. He stepped aside, and she was on her way.

* * * *

K nur looked at his phone and grinned. Micropenis was the word of the day. She was irritated, and he had gotten under her skin. He looked at the word again. Not by much, though. He was losing his touch.

He looked at his phone and smiled as he took a screenshot. He was going to start a collection.

Knur sent a text to their third, Zhin. She s alive, Zhin. I have met her, and she stopped that stalker of mine from coming for me.

Have you finally snapped?

Ask Teyval if he met Pandora today. He grinned and headed back to the club, returning to the boardroom where the others were settling in and eyeing the cake. He served himself a slice and got a bite.

He closed his eyes and sighed happily. It was really good. Not too sweet, a bright blast of raspberry, waves of sweet cream and dark chocolate.

He glanced at the others and nodded. Go ahead.

The others quickly dished out the slices, and then there was silence with the occasional groan.

Knur opened his eyes and got a second piece. His plate was already empty; he had been eating on automatic. This time, he savoured the piece and smiled at the image of the text.

The staff manager asked, You are smiling? You rarely smile.

Knur sighed and kept eating but slowly to savour the layers that blended into a very pleasant sensation. I met my mate today. She s alive.

The room was silent.

Knur, we heard her fall, we saw her die.

Her other form is fog.

The men stared at him, understanding flaring in their eyes.

Knur smiled as his phone went nuts. Zhin was pelting questions at him, and Knur started laughing. Zhin had shared his name in the human world. Sorrow for losing their mate days after meeting her and being helpless to save her.

He typed in, Guess we need to find her a house? He sent surveillance camera images of Pandora in both her forms.

She doesn t look the same.

She was made of mist for a few years. She doesn t remember her own face. She had to guess. She remembers falling with the male holding her and remembers that he did not stick the landing, in her words.

That sounds like her.

He explained his demand that she contact him every eight hours, and he shared the starting text.

I am crying. That s her. I thought she was gone.

She is back. Are you still willing to be her mate?

Of course. Right. We need a list. I am good at lists. When can I see her?

She has a speaking engagement at her goddaughter s school. It s career day. She is meeting with Teyval s mate the day after. So, we could seek her out tomorrow night?

That sounds like she won t be expecting us.

She won t. I put a psychic tracer on her. I admit to being out of practice, but I can feel her.

Zhin said, I will have listings ready for us. What is our budget?

Whatever it takes. She survived for us; we are not going to cut corners.

Understood. Something nice, roomy, but not tacky, and suitable for children in the long run.

That s it.

Heh. I am going shopping. We have a mate again.

We have a mate again.