off your coat.”
Kaderil did as he was told, peeling off the leather jacket with hands damp with sweat, then dropped it at his feet. To his surprise, the dark-haired man picked up the piece of clothing and ran his hands over it briskly.
“Shake his hand, Jack,” one of the others said pointedly. The man’s words sent tension twisting through Kaderil’s already taut muscles. Like the Esri, Sitheen could have any of an infinite array of gifts. What magic did the man possess that was about to be turned against him?
As the dark-haired man handed him back his jacket, he thrust out his hand. “I’m Jack Hallihan.”
Kaderil had no choice. He wiped his damp palm on his jeans and extended his hand. As the distance between them closed, he felt an odd tingling along the surface of his skin. Magic, but of a kind he’d never before encountered. Not magic so much as the promise of it.
As their hands made contact, an odd jolt shot up Kaderil’s arm. Not painful, not exactly. But neither was it pleasant. An electric jolt, his borrowed thoughts told him, though he knew he’d never experienced such.
“Kade Smith.” Kaderil’s tone was unfriendly and wary, but he couldn’t do a thing about it. Probably any man’s would be the same under the circumstances, human or Esri.
Jack grasped his hand longer than was customary, then released him and went silent. His gaze turned distant as if he were listening to something no one else could hear. The others waited with an air of expectation that had Kaderil’s heart pounding. Somehow Jack Hallihan could identify an Esri.
“A mix of human and Esri blood like the rest of us,” Jack said, finally. “Though he has a lot more magic.”
“So he’s Sitheen?” the second man prompted.
“Yes. And a damn strong one.”
Kaderil stared at him. The human, Jack, was wrong. He was not Sitheen. Either the man had no true gift or he was lying. Kaderil knew he had a small amount of human blood running through his veins, but he was Esri and immortal.
“What did you do?” he demanded. “Why do you think you know the mix of my blood?”
A low chuckle rumbled from Jack’s throat, a sound of honest, if wry, humor. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. Sorry for the theatrics. I’m not sure how much Autumn told you, but we’re dealing with an enemy of unknown abilities. We can’t be too careful.”
Jack’s voice had lost its tightness. As he spoke, warmth slowly replaced the chill. Unless the human was a skilled actor, it seemed he believed his assertion that Kaderil was Sitheen. Human.
Kaderil’s knees nearly buckled with relief. Whatever the man’s gift, it had failed. The tightness began to seep out of his muscles. The first step of his mission appeared to be complete, but he would be a fool to take these humans for granted again.
The remaining torches went out, the harsh light replaced by the soft glow of man-made illumination. An electric lantern, his borrowed knowledge told him. He could finally see beyond the ring of fire and his gaze sought Autumn. He found her standing in the shadows, watching him, her expression one of misery.
“I’m sorry,” she mouthed.
Oddly, just seeing her calmed him until he could breathe again.
His attention was snatched back to the circle as the two other men joined Jack. The pair possessed a similarity of facial features that spoke of close relation, though they were built dissimilarly. The taller, more muscular of the two stepped forward. His hair was light and short, his expression friendly.
“I’m Charlie Rand. Welcome to the team.” He gave an admiring grin as he met Kade’s gaze. “How did the NBA miss you?”
The third man stepped forward. “I’m Harrison Rand.” No expression crossed his serious face, but when he said “Welcome,” acceptance warmed his eyes.
They were too close, but he forced himself to stay where he was, to accept their attention. He must pretend to be human. A nice human.
The soft thud of Jack’s palm landed on his shoulder and he tensed for the burst of pain before his mind reminded him he was with humans now, not Zander. “Autumn says you’ve had some dreams about my wife.”
Autumn entered the circle cast by the lamplight, easing the feeling of constriction in his chest. The woman with her, a tall blonde, approached him without fear.
“Welcome, Kade. I’m Larsen Vale…Larsen Hallihan.” She threw Jack an apologetic smile. “We just got married. I’m still not quite used to the name change.” She held out her hand to him, a smile of genuine welcome on her face. “You’re one of us, now.”
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