Page 75 of Nexus

“Dragons can understand all spells. Even ones that are written in foreign languages,” he explained.

“What does it say?”

Rolling it back up, he tucked it into an inner pocket of his jacket. “It would be safer for us all if you don’t know,” he replied, then checked his watch. “Dawn will arrive soon. I’m sure you all need to rest.”

“I could sleep for a week,” Ruen muttered.

“Me, too,” I agreed and we all stood up.

“Where will Aurora be staying?” Drake asked in a tone that was a little too casual.

“With me, for now,” I decided, not liking the way he was looking at her. His eyes were glittering as if she was treasure he coveted. Aurora nodded and crowded in close to me, taking my hand again.

“I’m sure I’ll be seeing you again soon,” Lord Gilden said with his eyes locked on my new friend. It was a relief to step back into the elevator and for the door to slide shut.

Chapter Fifty-Five

RUEN’S CAR WAS STILL parked at my apartment. The shifters drove us to my building and dropped us off. “I guess I’ll see you when the next job comes up,” I said as the vampire trudged over to his ride.

“Or when Lord Gilden sends us to the next realm of the underworld,” he said dourly.

Aurora lifted her hand to wave at him. He almost smiled, then nodded and climbed into his car. “Is he always this sad in your realm?” she asked when he drove out of the lot. He was keen to return to his apartment in the silver tower before the sun rose.

“You think he’s sad?” I asked, tugging on her hand to get her to follow me inside. She still hadn’t let go of me and was showing no signs of doing so. “I just thought he was a bit of a douchebag.”

“He was very different in the underworld,” she pointed out. “At least, he was after he’d fed.”

“Drake doesn’t let Ruen feed very often,” I whispered, just in case any of the beings in my building were awake. Most of them were home, sleeping after a long night of working.

“Why not?” she whispered back.

I shrugged, then pushed the call button for the elevator. “After watching him go nuts and murder so many guards and slaughter so many animals, I’m starting to think he might be mentally unstable.”

“I’ve never met a vampire from your world before, so I have nothing to compare him to,” Aurora said. “The ones from the underworld aren’t as morose as he is.”

“I’ve found the hungry ones are always miserable,” I said, then grimaced at the memory of four leeches begging to lick blood off me. “They’ll do anything for blood, no matter how degrading it is.”

She shuddered as if I’d triggered a horrible memory. “I’ve met many beings who will do anything for the pleasure I can give them. They would sell their souls just for a taste of it.”

“We really need to talk,” I said as the elevator carried us to my floor. “But not here. The walls have ears.”

She looked around in fear. “Where? I don’t see any.”

“It’s just an expression,” I said, trying not to laugh. “It means there are a lot of people around who might overhear us. Their hearing can be really sharp.”

“Oh,” she said and her cheeks darkened a bit in embarrassment. “I have a lot to learn.”

“I’ll teach you everything you need to know,” I assured her, leading her to the door at the end of the hallway. “What did you want to say when Drake took the scroll from me?” I asked. My keys had survived the trip to and from the underworld, thankfully.

“The magic flared as soon as he touched it,” she replied. “It was almost like it recognized his touch.”

“He can use magic, so maybe it was just reacting to his ability,” I said as I pushed the door open. My apartment was dusty and slightly musty from being unoccupied for a couple of weeks. The first thing I did was to take my phone off its charger. “You can take a shower if you like,” I told my guest. There was no need to show her around. She could see the entire apartment at a glance.

“What’s a shower?” she queried.

I put off the call I needed to make long enough to grab her a towel, a fresh t-shirt and to show her how to use the shower. I instructed her on how much shampoo and conditioner to use and gave her a washcloth and bodywash.

Closing the bathroom door to give her some privacy, I called my mom. She answered straight away. “Saige?” she asked, voice trembling with emotion. “Is that you?”