vain. She had detected no sign of Navarre. Had he grown strong enough to cloak his presence from the one who had made him? If so, he was more dangerous than she had imagined.
She waited until Adrianna closed the shop, then materialized in front of the woman's startled gaze.
"Good evening, my dear," Shaylyn said, pleased by the very real fear she read in the girl's eyes.
"Wh-what do you want?"
"Want? What makes you think I want anything?"
Adrianna took a step backward, intimidated by the fearful glow in the other woman's eyes, by the evil that radiated from her like smoke from a fire.
"You needn't be afraid," Shaylyn said, backing Adrianna into a corner. "I mean you no harm."
"Of course you are! You needn't worry. I just wanted to see him for a few days. Navarre and I are old friends. Very old friends."
Adrianna cowered against the wall, her gaze trapped in the web of Shaylyn's stare.
"Nothing to be afraid of," Shaylyn purred as she took Adrianna's hand in hers. "Such lovely hands," she mused, rolling up the sleeve of Adrianna's sweater. "Such smooth skin. Nothing at all to be afraid of, my dear. We're going to be good friends, you and I."
"Friends," Adrianna repeated.
"Yes," Shaylyn said. "Relax, Adrianna. It will be over in a moment, and you will remember nothing save that I came here to ask for your friendship."
"My friendship." Adrianna felt a sharp prick as Shaylyn bent over the bend of her elbow.
"That's right, my dear. We're going to be good friends now, aren't we?"
Adrianna blinked at the other woman, then shook her head. "I'm sorry, did you say something?"
"Only that I must be going. I'm so glad we've cleared things up between us. Give my love to Navarre when you see him."
"Yes, I will."
"And tell him I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to see him again, but I've decided to go to Paris. My plane leaves at seven."
"Seven."
"That's right."
"I'll tell him," Adrianna said, but she was talking to the air. The woman was already gone.
"She said what?"
"She said to tell you she was going to Paris, and that she was sorry she didn't get a chance to say good-bye."
Navarre frowned. Could it possibly be true? Had Shaylyn really left town? It seemed unlikely, and yet... "Did she say anything about coming back?"
"No." Adrianna smiled up at him. "I missed you today."
"I missed you, too."
"I'm going to get a cup of coffee," she said, taking him by the hand and walking down the hallway toward the kitchen. "Would you like a glass of wine?"
Navarre nodded. Sitting down at the table, he watched Adrianna move about the tiny kitchen. After pouring him a glass of wine, she microwaved a cup of instant coffee, then sat down at the table across from him.
"So," he said, his gaze intent upon her face, "what did you do today?"
Adrianna shrugged. "Nothing much. It was slow for a Friday. Have you given any more thought to what we talked about the other night?''
"You mean my becoming human again?"
"Uh-huh."
"No. I'm not sure it's something I want."
"Oh." She looked away, but not before he saw the hurt, the disappointment, in her eyes.
"Annie..."
"Maybe we'd better stop seeing each other."
"Annie!"
She shook her head, annoyed by the tears that filled her eyes. "I can't just be your lover, Navarre. I want something more out of a relationship than just...just sex."
"Dammit, Annie, we have more than that, and you know it."
"I know." She looked up at him then, her eyes dark with tears. "But I'm going to grow old. What then? How will you feel when I start to look like your mother?''
"Annie, dammit, Annie, I..."
"I couldn't stand that, Navarre. I'd rather end it now."
Navarre stood up, his hands clenched at his sides. She was right, he thought bitterly. It was better to end it now, before she got hurt.
"Good-bye, Adrianna," he said quietly.
She stared after him, too numb to think, and then a voice echoed inside her mind, sharp and demanding. You little fool! Don't let him go. Tell him you love him, that you want to be like him. Ask him to show you where he sleeps. Tell him you want the Dark Gift so that you can be his forever .
His hand was at the front door, reaching for the latch, when he heard Adriana's voice calling his name.
"Navarre! Navarre! Wait, don't go!"
He turned around, opening his arms to catch her as she flew down the hallway toward