Page 103 of Wicked Bonds

He chuckled, his lips leaving hers to kiss a path to her ear. “It’s good for the body and…”

A vision of Balthazar’s living room had him trailing off with a frown. He’d locked the door, which meant whoever was currently in the house had either misted in or purposely ignored the cleardo not entersign.

“What is it?” she asked.

“Someone’s here,” he muttered, sliding out of her. “I’ll go handle it. You stay here.” He opened up a nearby drawer to pull on a pair of flannel pants and didn’t bother with a shirt. “This won’t take long.”

Famous last words.

Because the moment he stepped into the hallway, he knew this wasn’t going to be quick.

Vera stood leaning against the wall, her navy wings flared around her. “We should talk.”

He arched a brow. “Who’s with you?” Because it was that person’s vision he was seeing inside his mind, not hers.

Osiris stepped into view, his expression giving nothing away. “So compelling you to see an image does work. Good to know.”

Issac frowned, not liking that development at all.Aya. You’re going to want to find your clothes.

Already on it,she told him.

“Why are you here?” he demanded.

“I only followed Vera in for an update, which she’s just provided. Has Stas given any more thought to her training?”

“No,” Aya answered as she stepped into the hallway behind Issac. She’d pulled on a pair of sleep shorts and a tank top. “I’m still working with Stark and my mom. And it’s only been a few days.”

“Has it?” Osiris considered that for a moment. “Well.” He shrugged, glancing at Vera. “Until our next update, then.” He disappeared in a breath, leaving the three of them in the hallway.

“You’re providing updates to him now?” Aya sounded as incredulous as Issac felt.

“There’s a lot you don’t know,” Vera said, sounding tired.

“Yeah, I’m getting that,” Stas replied. “And you disappearing after Iceland doesn’t help matters.”

Vera pinched her lips to the side. “I was following a strand of a memory that I found in Patreel’s mind.”

“Patreel?” Aya repeated.

“One of the tracker Seraphim pursuing Leela and Balthazar. I had to alter his remembrance of what happened in Iceland, and while doing that, I… I found something.” Vera palmed the back of her neck, her stance and expression the most uncomfortable Issac had seen in her.

Not that he knew her well, but she certainly appeared to be exhausted and perhaps a bit overwhelmed.

“What did you find?” he wondered out loud.

Vera’s wings disappeared as she turned fully corporeal, her irises shifting from blue-green to silver.

She blinked once. Twice. Yet her gaze remained unfocused as though she couldn’t seem to find her current reality.

“Brazil wasn’t the first time Balthazar and Leela met,” she whispered, more to herself than to them. “They’ve… they’ve known each other for a very long time.” She cleared her throat, her gaze locking on his. “Issac, they’ve known each other for over three thousand years.”

Chapter20

Leela

The savory aromaof garlic graced the night air, leaving a palpable hunger in its wake.

Mmm. This was heaven.