our table. Once we'd placed our orders, I added, "I don't know a whole lot about men with wings, I'm afraid."
She smiled. "You know more than me, though. Or rather, Quinn does."
I raised an eyebrow. "So Dia's father was an Aedh?"
"If that's what you call one of those men with wings, then yes."
"I didn't even know they still existed," I murmured. "How the hell did you even meet him?"
She smiled again, but there was suddenly something haunted in her eyes. "Sometimes there are personal bonuses when you talk to the spirit world."
"And personal costs?" I said softly.
"Yeah." She grimaced. "I might have got my daughter, but I saw my death. It's not pretty."
"But you have the Fravadin to protect you."
"There are some things that not even the Fravadin can conquer."
As evidenced by the fact that Misha - her clone brother - had been murdered despite the protection of his own Fravardin.
I studied her for a moment, concerned. "It's not going to be soon, is it?"
"No. Risa will be well grown by the time it happens."
"At least that's something." Although it would be hell to live with that knowledge. Personally, I'd rather not know. "So how does one go about meeting one of the elusive Aedh?"
"I met mine in a bar." She shrugged. "One night, and I was pregnant."
"And you haven't seen him since?"
"No, but Risa's talents are growing at an extraordinary rate. She needs more guidance than I can give her."
"Which is where Quinn comes in."
"Yes." Her gaze swept my face. "Do you think he will mind?"
I didn't think kids were on Quinn's list of top ten things to experience, but he hadn't actually been adverse to the idea of my kid coming into his life, so maybe my vampire was getting accustomed to the idea. "I'll ask and find out."
"Thank you." She squeezed my hand, and some of the tension riding her shoulders seemed to dissipate. "Now, how can I help you?"
Now that the moment had arrived to talk about Kye, I suddenly found myself reluctant to do so. As if keeping him secret would make the situation any better. With a wry smile at my own stupid avoidance, I said, "You know about the beheadings?"
"I think you'd have to be living in a sealed box not to know about them." She crossed her arms on the table. "That's the case you're investigating?"
"Yes, unfortunately." I smiled a thank you up at the waitress as she deposited our drinks and banana cake.
Risa appeared from nowhere, clambering over her mother in her haste to get to her Coke. With the straw in her mouth and her chubby cheeks glowing, she looked a picture of bliss as she downed her drink.
I spooned a mouthful of the luscious cake and probably had a similar look of bliss on my face. "We really haven't got a lot to go on, but we need to get this case solved - and fast."
"Before the vampire and the humans start taking aim at each other, no doubt."
"Preferably, yes. Although it's not actually humans doing the killing, but another vampire."
Dia raised a pale eyebrow. "Really? That's not what the papers are saying."
"Which is why you should never believe everything you read."
She frowned. "Why hasn't the information been released? It would surely diffuse the situation."
"We only just discovered it. I dare say Jack will make a press conference his next priority."
"But you still need a quick solve, just in case the public decide not to believe what is printed?"
"Exactly." I took another bite of cake. "Right now, I have no concrete clues and I'm willing to give anything a try."
Surprise flitted through her bright eyes. "Meaning you're willing to let me give you a reading?"
I hesitated. I might be discussing the case, but I'd really come here to sound her out about Kye. And letting her do a reading might just reveal a whole lot more about my soul mate than I really wanted to know. And yet, what choice did I have? If she could find something useful to stop these murders, then uncovering more about Kye was a small price to pay. "Usual restrictions apply. I do not want to know what the future holds."
"You know I can't always control where the visions go."
"I know. I just don't want to hear the nitty-gritty details of just what might happen to my love-life in my future." I waved the spoon at her. "I'd rather muddle along at my own speed."
"I can understand, given the future I've been shown."