Somehow, I plastered a smile on my face. "Oh, hello there," I said in a cheery tone. "How are you?"
Mab frowned. "This is one of my private bathrooms. You're not supposed to be in here."
The Fire elemental's voice was soft, breathy, with just a hint of a rasp, like silk rubbing together. But there was far more power and menace in her light tone than in any else's voice I'd ever heard. At the sound, I felt that strange, primal sensation surge through me again. Enemy, that little voice muttered in the back of my head. Enemy, enemy, enemy.
But I tuned out the voice, widened my eyes, and put on my best oh-no-I-just-totally-fucked-up face. Then I gasped. "Oh, I'm so sorry, sugar. I just didn't know. Nobody told me, you see, and this is my very first time here at one of your parties."
Mab stared at me, her eyes dark and thoughtful. Her gaze went to the fuchsia lipstick in my hand, then moved down my body. Her eyes lingered on the damp spots on the front of my dress. "What are you doing in here?"
"Oh, just freshening up a bit. Lot of competition out there tonight. Girl's got to look her best at one of these things."
The Fire elemental stepped farther into the bathroom.
I gave her another smile, leaned forward, and reapplied my lipstick. Mab just stood there, staring at me in the mirror. She might be able to intimidate everyone else in Ashland with her hard stare, but not me. But that didn't mean I was going to do something stupid, like insult the Fire elemental to her face in her own bathroom - with Jake McAllister's cooling body lying ten feet to my right.
Antagonizing Jonah McAllister in my own restaurant was one thing. So was killing his son after he threatened to rape and murder me. But Mab - Mab was different. If only for the simple fact that I didn't know which one of us would come out on top in a fight. But one of us would die, and I didn't want it to be me. I had promises to keep to the Foxes, promises I wouldn't be able to fulfill if I got into a battle with Mab.
So I kept my eyes on my own face and not hers. But in my peripheral vision, I could see the magic glimmering in her eyes. Unlike Jake McAllister, Mab's eyes didn't turn red when she reached for her Fire magic. If anything, they got darker, blacker, until they seemed to suck the light out of the room. Mab was also one of those elementals who leaked power. Well, more like radiated in her case. I could feel her Fire magic pouring off her. It pricked at my skin like a thousand hot, tiny needles.
"What's that on your dress?" Mab asked. "Those spots?"
I capped my lipstick and slid it back into my purse.
My fingers brushed the hilt of my silverstone knife, but I didn't reach for it. Killing a punk like Jake McAllister was one thing. He was reckless, stupid, sloppy. But Mab Monroe was the most dangerous woman in Ashland. I had no doubt she could fry me alive with her magic before I even got the weapon out of my purse.
So I closed the tiny bag, turned to face her, and widened my smile. "Well, you see, that's why I came in here in the first place. The gentleman I was with got a little too... excited about things. A real early bird, if you know what I mean."
I let out a laugh. Mab didn't join in.
"Anyway, I came in here to mop up some of the damage, before I made the rounds to see if any other gentlemen were interested in my services this evening."
Mab's black eyes never left mine. "And who might this gentleman be? This... early bird?"
I forced out another laugh. "Oh, sugar, I didn't ask his name. That was at the top of your list of rules."
She was silent for a few seconds, thinking about my answer. "And what might your name be?"
"Why, Candy, of course, because I'm supersweet."
Disgust flashed across Mab's face. Evidently, she didn't like hookers with cheesy names. But her reaction gave me an idea as to how I could escape this inquisition.
I wet my lips and stepped forward. For a moment, I toyed with the heart-and-arrow rune on my velvet choker, drawing Mab's attention to it. Her eyes flicked to the rune, then back up to mine. I stepped forward and reached for a piece of her hair that had fallen forward over her shoulder.
I immediately regretted the move, because holding onto to Mab's hair felt like rubbing a lit match between my fingers. I half-expected my skin to start blistering from the sensation.
Still, I gave no sign I could sense her elemental magic.
Instead, I rubbed her lock of hair, curled it around my finger, and pushed it back over her shoulder. I let my fingers linger on her shoulder a moment longer than would be considered polite, then drew my arm back. My fingertips, my whole hand, felt like they were on fire. Somehow, I managed not to look at them.
"You know, I'm here this evening to service the guests any way they'd like," I said in a breathy tone. "And since this is your party, I'd be more than happy to make myself available to you, Miz Monroe. For however long you'd like. Any way you'd like."
For the first time, something like amusement sparked in Mab's eyes. "You're very bold, aren't you?"
I gave her a delicate shrug and a lascivious grin, making sure to wet my lips with my tongue again. "You have to be, in this line of work."
Mab's black gaze moved down my body again, this time with more prurient interest. She gave a regretful 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 always keep my business and pleasure separate."
I stuck my lower lip out and pouted. "Too bad. Well, if you change your mind, I'll be around. All night long."
I batted my eyes at her. Mab raised an eyebrow, but the corners of her lips turned up into what I assumed was a smile. I couldn't tell if I'd amused her or if she was just mocking me, but I didn't care to stick around and find out.
"Well, if you'll excuse me, I really do need to get back to work," I said. "Mix and mingle and all that."
"Of course," Mab murmured.
I made a move to step around her. But Mab Monroe shifted ever so slightly, so that my body brushed up against hers on my way to the door. Again, her magic washed over me, so hot it seemed as if my dress had burst into flames. But evidently Mab liked what she felt because her smile widened. I gave her another lascivious wink and kept going, even though my stomach clenched at the feel of her magic pricking my skin, even harder and hotter this time, as if I'd aroused her.
I'd just made it to the door when Mab called out to me again.
"Have we met before, Candy?" she asked. "For some reason, you look familiar."
I turned and shook my head. "I don't think so, and I surely would have remembered meeting you, Miz Monroe.