“But you said your sister doesn’t leave her physical body,” said Tanner.
“She said it’s a little like putting shoes on over socks.”
“I’m assuming that, in this metaphor, the shoes represent the other person’s mind.”
“Yes, and the socks represent her body. She slips into another mind while still wearing her body, but her consciousness is divided. Shit, that’s not making things much clearer, is it?”
“How difficult is it to use the ability?” asked Devon.
“According to Lydia, it’s a lot harder than it sounds, and it’s a huge drain on the psyche,” said Hunter. “In my opinion, utilizing it is just not worth the trouble when it will leave you feeling weak and tired. It’s not even a particularly useful ability anyway. More like a parlor trick.”
Devon tilted her head. “So it’s not like possessing someone?”
“No, because you can’t fully take control. Lydia can get people to move their limbs, but she can’t make them do anything complex like drive a car—that would require her to get a deep grip on their brain. But she can use them as a conduit. Like they’re a cell phone. And they’ll have no memory of her doing it.”
Devon blinked. “No memory at all?”
“None,” replied Hunter.
“So,” began Jolene, picking up her mug of tea. “Sheridan could have been telling the truth. If he was used as a conduit, he’d have had no recollection of any deals he might have made with Maddox.”
“But why Sheridan?” asked Adam. “Why do you think he was chosen to be the conduit?”
It was Ciaran who answered. “Maybe Asa’s little friend went to the Damned wanting to talk with Maddox and then chose a random patron to speak through. Sheridan said he was a regular at the Damned.”
“I guess that makes sense,” said Adam. “But why didn’t he—whoever he is—go back to Maddox when he wanted to hire someone to kidnap Devon?”
Leaning against the countertop, Beck pursed his lips. “Maybe he worried that Maddox would do just as he said he’d do—contact Knox with the info in exchange for a favor. Especially since he initially lied that his interest in Devon was as a potential breeding partner.”
“Whatever the case,” began Devon, “we know it was Sheridan who physically requested the dossier on me. Now we need to find out who used him to do it.”
Tanner rolled back his shoulders, wanting to shake off the restlessness that had gripped him tight. His hunting instincts were badgering at him, dissatisfied because his prey hadn’t yet been tracked. And while the identity of said prey remained a mystery, Devon wasn’t safe. That infuriated his hound.
The demon didn’t much like how Adam was fussing over her either. Tanner had always thought it petty that people could be jealous of how close their partners were to their anchors. But he could admit that it did bug him to know that Adam had innate rights to Devon; bugged Tanner that she needed another male, even if it were only on a psychic level.
He looked at Hunter. “Asa’s friend killed Sheridan after using him as a conduit. How did he do that? Is it part and parcel of that ability?”
Hunter lifted his shoulders. “If extremely powerful, someone could theoretically rupture a mind as he withdrew from it.”
“Are you still planning to speak with Lockwood, Jolene?” Ciaran asked her.
“Yes,” Jolene replied. “If he did broker the deal, it’s unlikely he can tell us anything about Asa’s friend unless said friend didn’t speak to him through a conduit … but Lockwood can certainly entertain me by dying an excruciatingly painful death for making the mistake of fucking Devon over like that.” She lifted a brow at Devon. “Will tomorrow work for you? I’m thinking we should pay him a visit at his office.”
“Sounds good to me,” said Devon. “The sooner we question him, the better. What time were you thinking?”
“Early afternoon, right after lunch. There’s something satisfying about making someone so nauseated with pain that they vomit their last meal all over themselves.”
“I had hoped that Asa’s friend would back off from you and try to find another way of manipulating Finn,” Adam said to Devon, giving her shoulder a comforting squeeze. “But if the bastard said, ‘we’ll meet soon,’ he’s obviously not done trying to get his hands on you.”
Tanner’s jaw tightened. “No one’s getting their hands on her. I’ll kill anyone who tries.”
Adam gave him a considering look. “Yeah, I think you would.” He gave a short nod. “Good.” Adam pinched Devon’s lips shut when