Lilly closed her eyes, expecting there to be some sort of flash or rush of air. But instead there was nothing and then when she opened her eyes she was no longer in the foyer of Cypher’s home.
“Uh, Peri, I thought Cypher told you to take me to the airport,” Lilly said slowly as she looked around.
“You must not know me very well if you think that I always do what those bossy, arrogant supernatural men tell me to do. I mean, where would the fun in that be?”
“That sounds like something Jen would say,” Lilly smiled.
“Well if she does, it’s because she learned it from me.” Peri’s voice was full of her usual haughtiness.
“Whatever you say, Peri fairy.”
“I’m going to let that slide since your boyfriend just gave you the boot. Now, come on, let's go find your offspring and her cronies.”
Decebel knocked on Dr. Cynthia Steele’s door. He had debated for half an hour whether or not he should speak with her about his dilemma and finally decided that it was the best option he had. He wasn’t sure how Cynthia was going to respond to his admission, but he knew that as her Alpha he could command her to keep her silence if need be.
The door opened and Cynthia’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Decebel,” she said carefully, “is Jen alright? Do you need me to come and check on her?”
Decebel shook his head. “She is fine. I’ve come here to speak to you about something that has to do with me,” he paused and then amended, “well it has to do with both myself and my mate, but I do not want her to know that I have come to see you. I also must insist that everything that is said in this room tonight stays between you and me. Is that clear?”
Cynthia nodded as she stepped aside so that he could enter.
“What can I do for you,” she asked as she motioned him to a chair, which he did not take.
Decebel rubbed the back of his neck and Cynthia noticed then that his face was lined with worry and his eyes a little brighter than she liked. She waited patiently, not wanting to provoke an already agitated Alpha.
“I need something to keep Jennifer from being able to enter my mind while I sleep.”
Out of all the things that she thought he would say, that was definitely not one of them.
“I don’t know of any sort of human medicine that would do that, Alpha. Why haven’t you sought out Rachel or Sally?” Cynthia attempted to keep her voice as calm and clinical as possible.
“This is something that I cannot trust them with. Their loyalty to my mate will overrule their loyalty to me.”
“What about Peri?” she asked.
Decebel’s jaw clenched. As he breathed out, the air forced through his gritted teeth made an eerie snake-like sound. “Do you really think I can trust a fae who would rather skin us males than look at us?”
Cynthia nodded. “Good point.”
They were both quiet for several minutes. Cynthia wracked her brain for some way to help Decebel. He was obviously very distressed about something and if it had to do with Jen then he would be relentless until he found a solution. Then it hit her. She grabbed her cell phone and began texting quickly. She thanked the Great Luna that all of the females in their group had exchanged numbers.
“What are you doing?” he growled.
Cynthia held up a finger and hoped that he wouldn’t bite it off. She pressed the send button and then looked up at him.
“I realize that whatever it is that you are dealing with is sensitive and private. The person I just asked to come can be trusted. Please trust me.”
Decebel could see the sincerity in the doctor’s eyes. Though he didn’t really want to trust her, what other choice did he have?
“Fine.”
Just as the word was out of his lips, Elle appeared next to Cynthia. She glanced from Cynthia to Decebel and huffed. “This is going to be bad isn’t it?” she asked.
Decebel looked at Cynthia with tight lips and a raised brow. It was very much a look that said what the hell doc?
“You say I can trust her?”