Shadow Kissed 03 - Shadowman

approached the door and put an eye to the peephole. The warped figure of a woman, white blond hair in a loose ponytail, was moving away down the hall.
    Talia. Had to be.
    Layla jerked open the door.
    Talia turned. She was midway down the long corridor to the elevator. “I’m so sorry if I woke you.”
    Her voice was like her knock: soft, tentative, kind. Layla shook her head to say, No, I was still awake , but the words themselves were caught in an incredible tightening of her throat. The late-night hush of the hall roared in her ears. Her sight wavered with the vertigo of an out-of-body dream. Talia.
    â€œI saw your light and thought maybe . . .”
    All Layla could do was nod. Yes, any time. I’ve wanted to talk to you for so long.
    Talia approached, a nervous half smile winking in her eyes. Khan’s eyes.
    Seems like forever. Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you. Layla’s mind reeled. Talia blurred in her vision and Layla fought to swallow an unreasonable sob.
    â€œI’m Talia Thorne. Mind if I come in?” Talia’s tone had a note of apology. “The days get so crazy around here that we might not have a moment alone tomorrow.”
    Layla swiped at her tears, snuffling, and trying to laugh at herself. “Don’t know what’s come over me.” She held the door wide. “Please, come in.” Talia was so pretty. So very pretty. Her eyes—they were more exquisite than she had ever imagined. And she was here. Right now. Layla gestured to the kitchenette. “Can I get you anything?”
    Talia’s smile grew. “I’m good, thanks. And I only have a minute. The babies are restless tonight. I just wanted to say hi and introduce myself. Couldn’t wait until morning.”
    All the questions Layla had stored in her mind about the wraiths and Segue and Thorne Industries became jumbled in her spinning head. This was the interview of her life, and all she wanted to do was cry. And hug a strange woman. And cry some more. What was the matter with her?
    â€œI hear you’ve had a big day. Why don’t you sit down?” Talia made a show of glancing around. “Every light’s on in the place, so I expect you’re as terrified as I was my first night here.”
    Layla lowered herself onto the red sofa that faced the small fireplace. “Scared out of my mind.”
    Talia laughed. “You’ll get used to it. The east wing isn’t haunted, so you should be able to rest easy here. West wing, on the other hand . . . well, it stays quiet when I’m around. Ghosts don’t like me much.”
    â€œThe little girl ghost doesn’t like me much either.”
    â€œThen we already have something in common. Why don’t we find out what else?” Talia took a seat next to her, her brow furrowed, then leaned over to pull something from Layla’s pant leg. She lifted a Post-it. “What is Custo?” she read.
    Layla held her breath. She didn’t want her story to break the moment. Her story didn’t matter at all. This was what was important; she knew that now. Not some stupid story. Talia.
    â€œAn angel,” Talia answered. “And I mean that literally. As in from the Hereafter. Don’t let his rough edges fool you.”
    Angel. Talia’s answers were just as absurd as Khan’s were about magic. About Shadow. How could she believe? Considering the day, how could she not?
    â€œWraiths?” Layla croaked.
    â€œRegular people who gave up their souls for immortality. My father accidentally let something bad into the world, and I took care of it a couple years back. Segue mostly now hunts and kills the remaining wraiths, though”— big sigh —“they seem to be reorganizing now, gaining momentum. I should warn you: Segue is not the safest place these days.”
    The whole world wasn’t safe with those creatures on the prowl.
    â€œAnd what is Khan?” How can he do all the things he can do? Why do I feel so strange when I’m with him?
    Talia’s expression sobered. “Custo and the wraiths—and ghosts, for that matter—all have their origins in humanity, but Khan is of an altogether different race. Khan is fae.”
    Fae. The word had a lot of meanings, but Talia had to be referring to an abbreviation of fairy. More fantasy stuff. Magic.
    But, if what Talia said was true, the fae existed. And if Khan was fae, then Talia had to be,