They unfocus.

My own gaze goes to Des, who’s settled himself in a nearby chair. With one booted foot, he’s tilted the seat so it rests on its two back legs.

When he catches me staring, the edge of his mouth curls up. He begins to levitate himself and the chair, entertaining me like he used to when I was a teenager.

I begin to snicker.

“Eyes on me,” the seer says gently.

My attention returns to Collin. The two of us stare at one another for a long time. Long enough to make me shift in my seat and for this to feel awkward. Long enough for me to vividly visualize those body shots.

It takes another minute, and then Collin begins to speak. “I see another entity shadowing you, slipping into your consciousness when it has a chance—what can do that?” the seer murmurs to himself. “This is no incubus … this is … no earthly being. It will continue to haunt you. It wants to … I’m not sure. It wants you—enchantress.”

That name. I tense.

Des’s chair lands harshly.

Now Collin closes his eyes. Seconds pass, and his breathing seems to slow.

This feels like it’s going off script …

The seer’s eyes snap open.

I rear back. I know the creature staring behind those eyes.

This is no seer. Not anymore.

He begins to speak. “Hurry enchantress, you’re running out of time.”

I try to pull my hands free, but Collin’s grip tightens.

“I’ll devour you slowly, your life is mine.”

The corner of Collin’s mouth curls up into a sinister smile. “So flee from me, for once I’m through, I’ll be freeing myself and coming for you.”

The seer drops my hands, coughing and rubbing his throat. When he glances up again, the Thief is no longer in his eyes.

“What the fuck was that?” he rasps.

I’m shivering, and not just from apprehension. The room’s grown cold and dark.

Des steps out from the shadows. “That was a creature in need of extermination,” he says, helping me off the couch. “What else did you foresee?” he asks, staring at Collin.

The seer clears his throat, still rubbing at it. “I saw darkness and death, and something about it was … aware. Whatever that shit was, it’s closing in on her,” he says, nodding to me. “If no one stops that thing … then it will get ahold of her. And in that case,” Collin looks at me apologetically. “Death is not what you should worry about.”

Death is not what you should worry about.

That should be the Thief’s slogan. I’ve already seen that when it comes to this monster, there are other brutally twisted things he can do that circumnavigate death.

And now my mind conjures up all sorts of impossible things that are worse than death.

See, this is what I mean about wanting to have a normal life. Normal people don’t have to worry about things worse than simply dying.

Collin rolls his shirtsleeve up just as one of the two black lines disappears from his skin.

“That was really all you wanted?” he asks.

“Would you like me to take more?” The darkness still hasn’t lifted.

“No—no,” the seer rushes to say.

“Then I’ll be around,” Des says. “And professional tip: try to keep your dick in your pants during the workday. It’s bad for business.”

Desmond puts a hand on my back. “Ready to go, cherub?” he says, his voice gentling for me.

I nod.

More than ready.

Collin reaches a hand out, presumably to shake Des’s. The Bargainer looks down at it with mild distaste.

Instead of taking the seer’s hand, a black business card manifests between Des’s fingers. “You know how this works. We’re not fucking chums. Give my card to a friend in a tight place, or don’t, but don’t forget where we stand. You still have a favor left.”

I guess that’s as close as the Bargainer ever gets to his nicer clients.

Collin takes the card from Des, and that should be the end of things.

It’s not.

Maybe Collin is cocksure, or curious, or maybe he just wants to make a point, but at the last minute he grasps Des’s hand anyway, forcing the Bargainer into a hostage handshake.

The moment Collin’s skin comes in contact with my mate’s, the seer sucks in a breath, his eyes unfocusing.

Me thinks someone else is getting their fortune read …

Next to me, Des’s form flickers. One second Collin has him in a handshake, and in the next Des grabs the seer by the throat.

He slams Collin back against the wall. “I’m sorry, but I don’t remember asking you to fucking read my future,” the Bargainer says calmly. There’s nothing to give away his simmering anger—no shadows, no outline of wings—nothing.

Collin pries at Des’s fingers uselessly, but the more their skin comes into contact, the worse off the seer appears to be. Collin’s eyes roll back, his breath choking. His body spasms once, twice.

I step forward. “Des, what are you doing?” I ask, alarmed.

He frowns at the seer. “Nothing.” As if to prove his point, the Bargainer releases the man.

Collin crumples to the ground, his body weak and shaking. He moans, his eyelids fluttering. He coughs. “Bargainer—”

The Night King stares impassively at him. “You pull that stunt again, you’ll lose those fingers one by one.”

Des glances over at me. “Ready, cherub?”

Uh … “Yep.”

Des places a hand on my back and leads me to the door.

“Wait,” Collin calls out from behind us.

The Bargainer doesn’t slow.

“There’s something you should know,” the seer says, his voice hoarse. “The darkness … the darkness will betray you.”

Chapter 24

We don’t speak until we’re a block away from the building.

“How would you like a beer?” the Bargainer finally says.

“Des.” It’s barely a whisper.

“I need a beer.”

“Des.” I stop. I feel like I can’t catch my breath. “You can’t just pretend the last ten minutes didn’t happen.”

The Bargainer mutters something under his breath. He turns to me, his hair looking like snow against the grey London backdrop.

“Callie, nothing is going to happen to me.” He sounds so sure of himself. Like he’s impervious to harm.

I want to shake him. “That seer said the darkness would betray you, Des!”

“The seer is a little prick who got too big for his breeches.”

Why is he not listening? “He looked into your future!”

“Callie.” He takes my hand, rolling my engagement ring a little. (Always have to be wearing a piece of the Bargainer’s jewelry.) “It’s alright. I’m not discounting Collin’s words. What will come to pass will come to pass, but you need to trust in me. Can you do that?”

No. Ugh, yes.

“It feels like I just got you back.” I glance down at my feet before looking at the Bargainer again. “I can’t lose you twice.”

“Who said anything about losing me?” Des asks. “Don’t let your mind play tricks on you now, love. Betrayal is not the same as death.”

I take a deep breath. He’s right. Begrudgingly I nod.

“You good?” Des asks.

Nope. Not really.

“I want those body shots.”