why we were all so obviously ogling his body on-screen. But leave it to my sisters to make it even more awkward.
“We were just admiring your work,” said Violet unabashedly, her chin on top of her folded arms on the back of the couch. Did she just bat her eyelashes?
Clara sat on the arm of the sofa, her scarf-skirt billowing around her legs. “You’re very talented,” she said sincerely. “I’ve seen quite a few Bollywood movies, but not any of yours. Until now. And you have a beautiful voice.” Clara sighed heavily like a lovesick schoolgirl, which only made me groan.
“Actually,” he added, “I’m lip-syncing another singer. None of the actors are actually the singers.”
“Well, you lip-sync prettily,” said Clara, her cheeks pink.
“Thank you?”
“And move prettily,” mumbled Livvy.
Clara slapped Livvy’s arm, which made me want to hug my sweetest sister. How could they be so embarrassing?
Devraj didn’t appear ashamed at all. If anything, he seemed quite pleased. Especially when he swiveled his dark gaze back to me. I hoped like mad that no perspiration glistened on my forehead because I could feel myself sweating from this entire episode. Then I noticed Jules beside him, frowning as usual, and Ruben, biting his bottom lip to hold in a laugh.
“Did you enjoy the performance?” he teased.
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. I was speechless with humiliation.
Then Devraj eased closer. I wanted to step back because his intimate proximity wasn’t what I needed right now. I schooled my features into nonchalance, the exact opposite of how I was feeling. Then I gulped hard against the dawning realization of what the scintillating emotion buzzing through my body and tingling along my skin was. Attraction. Intense, sweat-inducing, bone-melting attraction.
“Are you all right?” he asked, concern pinching his brow.
No. I was definitely not.
I nodded stiffly, clearing my throat and my frantic, runaway thoughts. “Fine.”
“We need you to come with us.” His expression sobered as he glanced toward Jules.
My eldest sister nodded.
“What’s going on?” asked Livvy.
“We’ll tell you later,” said Jules. “Right now, I need Isadora.”
“Oh, come on,” complained Violet. “I hate it when you patronize us.”
Jules rolled her eyes. “There’s just no time for your one-million-and-one questions. We’ll have more information later tonight.”
“We need to go,” said Ruben.
That’s how I found myself ushered from one of life’s most embarrassing moments out the door toward Ruben’s car. I froze on the sidewalk when I realized Jules wasn’t driving, my heart doing somersaults for a new reason now.
Too many emotions! I needed to get back to my quiet life of gardening and making herb bundles. I needed to hide in my greenhouse and burn a bonfire of calming incense.
“It’s okay,” said Jules at my side, giving my hand a comforting squeeze. She whispered low, “Ruben is a good driver. We’re going to St. Catherine’s.”
I knew Ruben was a safe driver. But no one could explain that to my phobia of driving and cars. It was just one of those things.
“I could drive us,” she offered.
I glanced over at Devraj holding the door open to the backseat for me and watching me with a quizzical frown.
No. I needed to be a big girl about this.
I gave Jules a little smile. “I’ll be fine. The hospital is close.”
Then I walked over and slid into the backseat, Devraj sliding in beside me just as Jules was about to from the other side. She was forced to round the trunk to the front passenger seat.
Trying like hell to ignore the heat radiating off of Devraj sitting next to me as Ruben drove away, I finally asked, “What’s going on?”
Jules twisted around to peer over the front seat. “Devraj and Ruben found Emma Thomas and brought her to St. Catherine Memorial. The doctors won’t know what’s causing her organ failure other than dehydration. They won’t be able to treat her quickly enough if she’s been bled too long. She’ll need a strong Conduit.”
I curled my fingers in my lap and leaned back against the seat, thankful for something else to occupy my mind and body. Something besides my spike of fear of riding in this car. And definitely something besides the traces of lust that still lingered and charged my skin. I mean, I’d have to be a zombie not to react to Devraj’s acting skills.
“I see.” Then I closed my eyes. “I’ll prepare now. Wake me when we arrive.”
Then I slid my eyes closed and began sucking energy from the air, the night, and the electrified city as we sped