A warmth filled her heart. It was a strange, wonderful feeling to have others in her life that actually cared about her.
It had been so long.
“Thank you, Levet, it was very thoughtful of you,” she whispered softly, ducking her head to dig into the small feast in an effort to hide her expression.
Easily sensing her tightly wound emotions, Levet settled close to her side, his wings brushing her back in a comforting motion.
“Ah well, I am French. I know how to make a lady happy.”
Continuing to eat, Anna shot her companion a swift glance. “Are there a lot of gargoyles in France?”
“Europe is littered with them.” Levet made a rude noise. “Thankfully few of them are willing to leave their Guilds to come to America.”
“Guilds?”
“It is our clan, or family if you prefer.”
Anna struggled with the image of a family of gargoyles sitting around watching TV and eating popcorn.
Wow.
“You don’t have a Guild here?”
Levet shifted, his hands clenched. “I am not allowed in any Guilds. Gargoyles have little sympathy for those who are…different.”
Anna abruptly set aside her plate, a wave of painful compassion washing through her.
She knew all about not fitting in.
Anywhere.
“Yeah,” she muttered. “Neither do humans.”
The gray eyes lost their hard glitter. “So we are both without a Guild.”
“Yes, it would seem we are.”
“It is not pleasant to be alone.” He tilted his head to one side. “But, I have found Shay who has taken me into her family. Perhaps Cezar will offer you a place as well.”
Anna’s breath tangled in her throat. Oh…God. She couldn’t allow herself to think of an eternity with Cezar. Or the thought of being surrounded by those who thought of her as family.
Not after she had devoted so many years to accepting that she would always be alone.
Hope was the most dangerous thing in the world.
“Levet…” Anna abruptly stiffened, alarm bells ringing through her mind as she caught the unmistakable scent of apples. “Do you smell that?”
Levet gave a nervous nod. “Oui. Fairies.”
“Shit.”
Chapter 16
Anna squeezed her eyes shut, ridiculously praying that the scent would simply disappear. She’d had a bellyful of fairies. In fact, if she never had to deal with another fairy or imp or deranged queen again in her life, she would be a happy, happy woman.
Of course the scent didn’t disappear.
It spread to fill the entire barn.
Hell, why should her luck turn now?
Wrenching open her eyes at the sound of footsteps, Anna met Levet’s worried gaze and with a grimace stretched out on the grimy boards and began wiggling her way to the edge of the loft.
“There is no use in hiding, Anna Randal,” a soft, female voice called out just as Anna reached her destination. “I know you are here.”
Peeking over the edge of the loft, Anna sucked in a sharp breath, her fear replaced with sharp, horrified disbelief as she caught sight of the dark-haired woman who stood in the center of the barn.
She knew that perfect pale skin and the dark, mocking eyes. And that scent…apples.
“Oh my God,” she husked, her entire body trembling. “Sybil? But you’re…”
“Dead?” the woman taunted, her perfectly manicured hand reaching up to pat her perfectly styled hair.
Anna blinked. And then she blinked again. The woman didn’t look like she had just crawled from her grave. There wasn’t so much as a speck of dirt on her pressed khakis and knit shirt. Surely there should be some sign of her recent demise?
This had to be a trick.
It had to be.
“She is dead,” Anna rasped.
The woman’s grating laugh echoed through the barn. “Do you fear she might have come back from the grave? That she intends to haunt you for killing her?”
“I didn’t kill her.”
The dark eyes flashed with pure hatred. “Oh, Morgana might have struck the deadly blow, but it was because of you that she was trapped in that cell and unable to defend herself. You are responsible for her death. Now it’s time for you to pay.”
Stuck in a sense of unreality, Anna remained frozen in place rather than running for life and limb.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
“Who are you?”
“I am Clara, Sybil’s sister.” Her lips twisted as understanding dawned in Anna’s eyes. A twin. Of course. “She called to me as she was dying. She pleaded for me to seek revenge from those responsible. And that is exactly what I intend to do.”
Anna’s stomach rolled at the memory of Sybil lying on the cot, stone-cold dead. She felt horrible that the fairy had died.
But not horrible enough to allow herself to be killed in retribution.
With an effort, she forced herself to a kneeling position and glared down at the woman who was the most recent threat in a very long line.
“How did you find me?”
“Actually, I have Morgana to thank for this golden opportunity.”
She heard the sudden flap of Levet’s wings. It echoed the rapid flutter of her heart.
“She knows I’m here?”
“Not specifically here, although she knows that you managed to escape from her portal to somewhere between her rotting farmhouse and Chicago. She called for her faithful subjects to go in search of you, but unlike the rest of the fairies I had a secret weapon.”
Secret weapon?
What was she, the Pentagon?
“And what’s that?”
“I once saw you in a courtroom in L.A. when I was visiting Sybil. I will never forget your face…or your scent,” she replied, her smile smug. “I knew that if I came across your trail I could find you. Of course, I wasted far too much time beginning my search so close to Chicago. I never dreamed you would nearly be upon Morgana’s doorstep.”
Anna’s heart gave another unpleasant flutter. Just how close was Morgana?
Doorstep didn’t sound good.
Shoving aside the nasty thought to worry about later, Anna concentrated on the fairy below.
“So you found me.” She narrowed her gaze. “Now what?”
Clara smiled with cold amusement. “Ah, a woman who likes to cut to the chase. I don’t know whether to be impressed or laugh at your stupidity.”
“I know which,” Levet muttered at her side.
Flashing the gargoyle a warning frown, Anna returned her attention to Clara.