Elemental Assassin 02 - Web of Lies

son after he threatened Mab frowned. “This is one of my private bathrooms. to rape and murder me. But Mab—Mab was different. If You’re not supposed to be in here.”
    only for the simple fact that I didn’t know which one of The Fire elemental’s voice was soft, breathy, with just us would come out on top in a fight. But one of us would a hint of a rasp, like silk rubbing together. But there was die, and I didn’t want it to be me. I had promises to keep far more power and menace in her light tone than in any to the Foxes, promises I wouldn’t be able to fulfill if I got else’s voice I’d ever heard. At the sound, I felt that strange, into a battle with Mab.
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    So I kept my eyes on my own face and not hers. But She was silent for a few seconds, thinking about my in my peripheral vision, I could see the magic glimmering answer. “And what might your name be?”
    in her eyes. Unlike Jake McAllister, Mab’s eyes didn’t turn
    “Why, Candy, of course, because I’m supersweet.”
    red when she reached for her Fire magic. If anything, they Disgust flashed across Mab’s face. Evidently, she didn’t got darker, blacker, until they seemed to suck the light like hookers with cheesy names. But her reaction gave me out of the room. Mab was also one of those elementals an idea as to how I could escape this inquisition. who leaked power. Well, more like radiated in her case. I I wet my lips and stepped forward. For a moment, I could feel her Fire magic pouring off her. It pricked at my toyed with the heart-and-arrow rune on my velvet choker, skin like a thousand hot, tiny needles.
    drawing Mab’s attention to it. Her eyes flicked to the rune,
    “What’s that on your dress?” Mab asked. “Those then back up to mine. I stepped forward and reached for a spots?”
    piece of her hair that had fallen forward over her shoulder. I capped my lipstick and slid it back into my purse. I immediately regretted the move, because holding onto to My fingers brushed the hilt of my silverstone knife, but Mab’s hair felt like rubbing a lit match between my fingers. I I didn’t reach for it. Killing a punk like Jake McAllister half-expected my skin to start blistering from the sensation. was one thing. He was reckless, stupid, sloppy. But Mab Still, I gave no sign I could sense her elemental magic. Monroe was the most dangerous woman in Ashland. I Instead, I rubbed her lock of hair, curled it around my had no doubt she could fry me alive with her magic befinger, and pushed it back over her shoulder. I let my finfore I even got the weapon out of my purse. gers linger on her shoulder a moment longer than would So I closed the tiny bag, turned to face her, and widbe considered polite, then drew my arm back. My fingerened my smile. “Well, you see, that’s why I came in here tips, my whole hand, felt like they were on fire. Somehow, in the first place. The gentleman I was with got a little I managed not to look at them.
    too . . . excited about things. A real early bird, if you
    “You know, I’m here this evening to service the guests know what I mean.”
    any way they’d like,” I said in a breathy tone. “And since I let out a laugh. Mab didn’t join in.
    this is your party, I’d be more than happy to make myself
    “Anyway, I came in here to mop up some of the damavailable to you, Miz Monroe. For however long you’d age, before I made the rounds to see if any other gentlelike. Any way you’d like.”
    men were interested in my services this evening.”
    For the first time, something like amusement sparked Mab’s black eyes never left mine. “And who might this in Mab’s eyes. “You’re very bold, aren’t you?”
    gentleman be? This . . . early bird?”
    I gave her a delicate shrug and a lascivious grin, makI forced out another laugh. “oh, sugar, I didn’t ask his ing sure to wet my lips with my tongue again. “You have name. That was at the top of your list of rules.”
    to be, in this line of work.”
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    Mab’s black gaze moved down my body again, this I gave her another smile before I ducked out into the time with more prurient interest. She gave a regretful hallway.
    shake of her head. “As tempting as your offer is, Candy, I’m afraid I don’t indulge like that at my own functions. I Somehow, I forced myself to