with a ham and cheese sandwich, and a cup of luke-warm tea. He placed it on the bedside table and pointed at the sandwich. "Sorry, there was nothing else in the fridge. I don't think anyone here's ever going shopping, what with them being vampires."
"It's fine, don't worry. I'm not usually spoiled for choice." I eyed the white bread hungrily, waiting for him to leave again, but he didn't seem to harbor that thought.
"Mind if I stay?"
I peered at him surprised, not sure that I really wanted him to watch me eat. "Sure."
"Great." He slumped down on the other side of the bed, leaving a bit of distance between us, for which I was grateful. As much as I fancied him, pushy guys always put me off. I grabbed my sandwich and started chewing, paying attention to doing it slow and graceful. The cheese tasted old but it was still edible. In fact, hungry as I was, I thought it was the most amazing meal I had lately.
"You know what really bugs me?" Thrain continued without waiting for my answer. "I think you know way more than you let on."
"What makes you say that?" I asked.
He crossed his arms over his chest and turned his gaze to the ceiling as though the answer might just magically appear. "I've spent my whole life among humans and know they're usually more careful and distrusting than you. You strike me as—" He waved his hand about, searching for the right word.
"Accepting?" Smiling, I took another bite of my sandwich.
"I was thinking more in the line of reckless."
"That's my middle name. How did you guess?"
Propping up on his elbow, he rolled on his side, grinning. A glint appeared in his green gaze. His long lashes threw moving shadows across his cheeks. I bit my lip as I took in the soft contour of his mouth, wishing he would kiss me. Then I realized, kissing wasn't an option when I knew nothing about him. "Do you have a surname?" I asked.
"We don't have one. But when I mingle with humans I tend to call myself Thrain Harnett."
I stared at him, mesmerized. "My name's Sofia Romanov."
He nodded, amused. "I know that, Sofia. I also know that you were born in Moscow on the first of May and that you turned nineteen last spring. You have the most amazing voice I have ever heard, but you want to go to drama school before making it big."
Gee, the guy knew a lot about me. I wondered how he had found out. "Stalking much?" The thought should've scared me, but it didn't. Coming from him, I found it flattering. It meant he was interested.
He laughed. "Just once or twice."
"You were at my last gig." I sat up, the sandwich forgotten. I remembered the guy with the hood covering most of his face. He had been there for an instant, and then disappeared right before my eyes. I had no idea how he had done it, but he was good, I had to give him that.
"I loved Harried. Maybe you'll sing it for me one day."
"Maybe." I looked away shyly. I was glad I didn't see him in the crowd because I might have ended up forgetting my lyrics. "Why didn't you talk to me?"
"I—" His hand inched closer until our fingers touched. A tiny spark flew between us. He laughed but didn't pull back. "Did you see that?" I nodded, ready to insist he give me an answer. "Okay, why didn't I? I don't know."
My brows shot up. "You don't know?"
"I didn't think this would ever go beyond being just a job. And then I heard you sing and I forgot everything else." His fingers closed around mine. The warm fuzzy feeling in my stomach grew stronger. I felt strangely lightheaded but tried to maintain my cool. He continued, "Your voice impeded all sense of reasoning. Cass was—busy, and I figured I'd find you later. But you left for Brazil. Once there, I couldn't pick up your trail."
"I wonder why."
"I'm thinking magic. Something concealed your presence, until it broke."
My thoughts wandered back to the hotel room. "Maybe something inside the room."
He shook his head. "No. It was on you, otherwise I could've tracked you once you left the room."
"Like something to carry around?"
"Maybe jewelry?" Thrain asked.
My mind started to put two and two together. Realization dawned on me. He gave me a silver pendant recently, but I didn't bring it with me. And the clothes I wore were my