Of course, he was showing me his personal history with Jazmine. He’d been a regular guy, or so it seemed. But some unholy experiment, courtesy of Jazmine and her supporters, changed David from a normal looking man into the hideously-hooded, bald creature still hovering a few feet away.
“They killed those of us who didn’t shift into mutant form. They are creating a mutant army, changing humans. Jazmine and Martin are using the earliest recorded fae magic to change the mutants. They can now shift at will, without the full moon. If they recover the coins, they will hold a key to immortality. Those of us with fae blood, turn into this.” David dropped his head. “You must stop them, Chloe. Join with your mate. United, you will unveil a powerful magic.”
“Fae blood? Magic?” Great, more mythical mysteries, but that still didn’t answer the one burning question I needed answered. “David, how did Jazmine find me …?”
***
Chapter 38
“Wake up! Chloe!” a shrill whisper whistled through my mind, knocking me from my sleep-induced vision and almost off my bunk.
Grabbing the thin blanket, I pushed up into a sitting position and found myself facing a wide-eyed Connie. Deb was snoring obscenely, her book flopped open over her face, several pages fluttering as she exhaled.
I was annoyed by Connie’s interruption. I needed to learn more from David but had no idea when he’d reappear. “So, now you’ll talk to me?” I whispered, sounding harsher than intended.
“Sorry about earlier, but I couldn’t risk it. Jazmine and her flunkies are psychotic at best.”
I couldn’t agree more with her judgment, and I was relieved she hadn’t taken my negative reaction to heart. I could use an ally in this Godforsaken place.
“So you know her real name too? Everyone else calls her The Mistress,” I hissed Jazmine’s pathetic, pornographic title, hating the way the words polluted my mouth.
Mistress of Misery and Mayhem fit our captor like a well-tailored suit. I envisioned greeting her with the title next time she materialized.
Connie inched closer, prompting me to do the same, until we were both teetering perilously close to the edges of our cots. Deb chose that moment to groan and then take a haphazard swipe at her blanket before returning to her snoring session.
Right now, it was crucial that we avoid waking our roommate. Connie seemed to agree as she maneuvered off her bed with great skill, pillow and blanked tucked under her arm.
Adjusting my weight, I followed her example and joined her on the floor by the dressers. I attempted to cocoon myself in my lone blanket, making sure I had a clear view of the sleeping, snoring beauty.
“Don’t worry; you’ll know if she wakes up. The engine will stop roaring.” Connie smirked.
I was beginning to like the fresh-faced blonde. She seemed to have the sarcastic routine down.
Not sure how much time we had before Deb emerged from dreamland, I fired off several questions I’d been dying to ask anyone with answers. “What is this place and why are you here? I think I know why they want me, but what about the rest of the women? And, Jazmine, how do you know her name?”
“This is an old, abandoned high school. All I know is it’s on an Indian reservation somewhere in Northern Washington.”
The school’s location made sense in light of what I’d learned at yesterday’s board meeting. Picturing Zane sent a fresh stab of longing through my core.
“As for our mysterious mistress …” Connie, unaware of my inner torment, glanced at Deb before continuing. “She showed up at the specialty bridal store where I work, about three weeks ago; said she was planning the wedding of the century. That’s what they all say.
Anyway, I smelled what she was right away. I was surprised she’d chosen to frequent a mutant-owned shop, being a purebred and all. We helped her pick out a gown, and then she returned a week later to check on its progress even though we’d given her a pickup date.”
I seethed at the thought of Jazmine planning a wedding to my husband. My. Husband. Thoughts of Zane threatened to generate a river of tears, something I didn’t have time to indulge. Swallowing hard, I met Connie’s eyes.
“You okay?” she asked.
“Nothing that I can’t deal with. Please … go on.”
“Well, like I said, she came back unannounced with two of her boy toys. Sensing danger, but not sure what to do, I did my best to please her. She still needed her bridesmaid dresses.