Selis wasn’t afraid. Not in the way she thought she’d be. If anything, it made her more certain:
Lucian wasn’t the type to blindly follow orders.
If he suspected foul play, he’d burn the whole system to the ground to get to the truth—if he could be convinced.
And right now, she was his best—and maybe only—thread pulling toward the real enemy.
"So . . . does this an we’re a team now? In finding this Erald vampire?" Selis asked with a hopeful grin, her eyes glinting in the low candlelight.
Lucian didn’t answer right away. He stared at her—hard. So hard that she genuinely thought he was deciding whether to team up with her . . . or snap her neck on the spot.
Selis felt her lungs tighten. This is it. He’s going to say I’m too much trouble and put down like a wounded horse.
But then Lucian let out a tired sigh. "For now, only the two of us know about Erald. If I want to find her faster, I’ll need another set of eyes and ears."
Selis blinked. Did she just rope in THE Lucian Ashford? The infamous vampire hunter captain with a blade sharper than his tongue?
Her face lit up. "Great!"
"Keep your voice down," Lucian muttered as he turned and sank back onto the bed. "Do you want the guards to co running again?"
Selis imdiately slapped both hands over her mouth and tiptoed closer, only to see that he had already shut his eyes, drifting off again like she hadn’t just scread victory five seconds ago.
". . . Aren’t you worried I might stab you while you’re like that?" she whispered, narrowing her eyes playfully.
"With your level of strength?" Lucian said without opening his eyes. "I doubt the blade would break skin."
Selis gaped. "Hey! I’ll have you know I once killed a vampire with nothing but a broken spoon!"
Lucian cracked one eye open. "Was the vampire already dead?"
Selis shut her mouth, pouting. She honestly couldn’t rember.
After a beat of silence, she shifted awkwardly. "Sooo . . . should I just . . . stay here? With you?"
Lucian groaned softly and rubbed his forehead. "Unless you want to get caught and sabotage the whole plan, then yes. Stay put and keep your mouth shut."
"Right," Selis nodded, then imdiately tilted her head, her lips curling mischievously. "So what do you want to do here? Wipe your sweat? Feed you soup? Hold your hand while you recover? Maybe a gentle massage? Your feet? Your back? Or . . ."
She licked her lips and leaned in close, winking. "Your whole body?"
Lucian’s eyes snapped open, his stare like a dagger made of pure disdain. "What I want is for you to shut your mouth and pretend you’re part of the air I don’t want to breathe. Or I’ll silence you myself."
Selis blinked. "Right. Got it. Quiet. Like air. Air doesn’t talk. Air doesn’t flirt. Air doesn’t make suggestive offers . . . "
Lucian narrowed his eyes further.
Selis raised her hands in surrender and backed away slowly like she was defusing a bomb. "I’m air. Floating. Silent. Graceful."
She slid down to sit cross-legged against the wall, muttering under her breath, "Really judgntal air."
"What was that?" Lucian’s voice cut through the room like a blade.
"Nothing! Just . . . air sounds." She mid wind whooshing with her hands.
Lucian shook his head and muttered sothing like, "Why . . ." before pulling the blanket over his head.
And for a mont, Selis just sat there, staring at the ceiling.
Sohow, she’d managed to team up with Lucian Ashford. And sohow, she hadn’t been stabbed yet.
Progress.
====
Selis wasn’t sure how she got here—one minute she was sneaking around under a blanket, and the next she was sitting stiffly beside Lucian in front of the highest-ranking vampire hunters in the entire corps.
She kept her hands folded, back straight, and eyes forward as if good posture might sohow save her from imdiate execution.
anwhile, Lucian looked like he’d just co back from a nap and was now delivering a weather report.
"She’s a new vampire hunter," he said, voice serious as his face. "But she has potential. I’m recruiting her into my command, effective imdiately."
That statent dropped like a bloody stake in the center of the war table.
The room, filled with cold-eyed warriors and bloated bureaucrats, collectively raised their eyebrows.
"The Crimson Unit is made up of elites," one of them said with disdain, arms crossed. "And you’re bringing in a fresh recruit?"
"That would be unfair to the others who’ve trained for years to earn a spot."
"I’m afraid she’ll only slow you down, Captain," another added, trying to sound respectful but failing. It ca out like soone politely suggesting Lucian had a brain tumor.
Lucian didn’t blink. "Are you questioning my decisions?"
A silence fell so hard and fast, Selis was almost impressed. Even the chandeliers seed to stop swinging.
One man—portly, smug, and wearing enough rings to start a jewelry store—chuckled darkly, leaning back with the kind of confidence that only ca from having the political immunity of three noble bloodlines and zero combat ability.
"Co now, Captain," he said with a smirk, rubbing his chin. "You don’t have to justify yourself to us. We’re all n here. Well—except for the few ladies, no offense."
He glanced at the won in the room, as if they should thank him for acknowledging their existence. "We understand. You’re a man too. Even with your reputation of hating won and avoiding relationships . . . well, n have needs. And this little pretty thing—" he gestured toward Selis "—she’s a real looker. A rare gem nowadays, hmm?"
Selis gave him a slow, cold smile. Her fingers twitched with the urge to extend a very specific finger in his direction, but she figured she’d rather not die in this room.
Before she could respond, a crack echoed through the chamber as soone slamd their palm against the stone table.
Tessa Carlston—the only woman in the room who could pull off a pristine uniform and a death glare at the sa ti—rose to her feet.
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