Faye

 

The floor seemed to buckle as I took a step back and Andrei Zima’s entire musculature tensed. But I couldn’t process it. The world had turned upside down.

Dean Whimby was Andrei Zima.

Andrei Zima, the top Shifter of Anubis agent, the nemesis of Soraya and the cousin of Roy. The spy and the secret-keeper. The dangerous, talented, and favorite son of the Zima family.

This is what I get for making a friend, I thought bitterly.

His voice was no longer posh and British, but a low, rough growl, accented with Russian. The easy and open demeanor had been replaced by something inscrutable and dark.

I’d thought he was a handsome British man with a shared love of the same sports.

I’d thought he was a friend.

I’d been played.

Andrei? a voice in my head screamed. Andrei freakin’ Zima?!

I was getting dizzier by the second, but a brief flash of pride went through me. He was one of the best. At least it had taken the top dog to sniff me out.

“It was easy to find you, you know,” he said carelessly, still sitting and flicking a piece of paper through his fingers. My heart deflated in my chest. “For me, that is. You’ve done a good job of covering your tracks. Bravo.”

Eyes falling to his broad shoulders, I realized why he’d never worn anything except elbow length shirts and wetsuit tops. Shifter tattoos decorated his upper arms and shoulders. As he moved, I caught a glimpse of the tiger stripes wrapping across his deltoid and I sucked in a breath.

That’s right. Andrei Zima was a white tiger.

Oh, I was screwed.

The shadows fell across his sharp, chiseled face and made his bright green eyes all the more piercing. He was gorgeous, with dark, wavy black hair, a scruffy beard, and full lips. His nose was strong and proud. Dean was cute, but Andrei sizzled.

At least I’ll be killed by a hot shifter, I thought wryly.

Neither of us said anything as I waited for him to make a move. But Andrei just sat there and kept smirking in this infuriating way. As though he were enjoying himself.

Soraya, you were right about this asshole, I thought.

My heart squeezed and shoulders slumped as I realized I’d never get to tell her that.

“What are you waiting for?” I asked, unable to take the stand-off another second.

“I want to see what you are going to do, Knight,” he said, eyes flicking over me.

“I know we’ve never met, but I know enough about you to know what I’m up against,” I said.

Andrei looked disappointed and my stomach clenched. Did he want a fight?

“You’re giving up so soon?” he asked. “That is not the Faye Knight I’ve heard so much about. The one that Roy idolizes as a big sister.”

I sucked in a breath, Roy’s name like a slap to the face. “How dare–”

“And the daughter of such prominent shifters,” he said, holding up the piece of paper and I saw the light glint off of it. It wasn't paper, it was a photograph – the one photograph I usually kept with me – of my parents and me at the beach not long before they died.

“You bastard,” I said in a low voice.

“I do not mean to be,” Andrei said with a shrug. “But I do not want you to run and I know what you value. This is merely leverage. You’ll get it back.”

I clenched my fists. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Think about it,” came the cryptic response.

“You want something from me,” I said slowly. “You’ve had plenty of chances to kill me this week and you did not.” My heart leaped. “Does this mean someone at the Order is looking out for me?”

Andrei grinned. “But of course. Me.”

“What?” I asked, my face contorting in disgust before I could help myself.

“You shouldn’t believe everything Soraya Lafi says about me,” he said, sounding put out.

First Roy, now Soraya. My eyes closed for a moment. “So, why didn’t you kill me?”

He cocked his head. “Oh, no, it is my turn. Why did you fake your death?”

My lips thinned. “That is a long story. One I’m not sure I should trust you with.”

“You’re not dead yet,” he pointed out. “And I didn’t kill you because you are innocent.” I stared at him and Andrei tapped the side of his head. “I know these things.”

“How?” I asked, bewildered.

Andrei’s smile became utterly enigmatic. “I saw your face.”

I swallowed, then took let out a long breath and said, “There are traitors in the Order.”

Tensing, I waited for the fallout and argument, but Andrei simply raised an eyebrow.

“You know?” I gasped. “Have they been accounted for? Has…?” Then I stopped myself. If they had, then Andrei wouldn’t be here. Only the TLO knew I was alive.

“As you have quickly guessed, no,” Andrei said, his voice becoming serious. “They are lying low right now because of events that happened a few weeks ago in Boston.”

Suddenly I was starving for news. “What? What happened? Is everyone okay?”

He studied me, looking satisfied. He had me where he wanted me. “I have a lot I could tell you, Faye.”

I waited expectantly, but he wasn’t forthcoming. “And?”

“And I will tell you what you want to know, but you have to help me understand what is going on. The TLO doesn’t have its traitors find a way to influence the Heads of the Order to kill one agent unless that agent poses a serious threat.” Damn, he was quick. “What do you know?”

I thought about the secret weighing on my soul, the face I’d seen in the woods, the words I’d overheard, and the terrible, dark deeds planned. It would be such a relief to unburden them all.

“I can’t tell you that,” I said. “I don’t know you, Dean.” I paused as Andrei smiled slightly. “What was that all about? You spent six full days just messing with me?”

“I spent six days assessing and learning all about you,” he said, eyes roaming around the room. “Like it or not, Faye, the moment I decided not to end your life, our fates became entwined.”

Suddenly he stood up and came to stand in front of me. Andrei was close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off his skin and I swallowed. He was too damn tall.

“I’ve been doing fine on my own,” I muttered.

He ignored that. “Whatever is to happen next, we must decide it together.”

Looking up at him, I could see the trademark Zima arrogance in his face, but also something gentler. His green eyes were steady on mine and I shook my head.

“I don’t know what you mean,” I whispered.

“You’re not alone anymore,” Andrei said simply.

With that, he stepped back and held out his hand. Staring from his hand to his face, I weighed my options. I could try to fight him – I could try to run. Or I could try to trust him.

Slowly, I reached out and we shook hands.

“I meant what I said – it is nice to finally meet you,” Andrei said lightly, as he let my hand go.

Part of me was screaming that this was too good to be true, but I nodded.

“How are–”? I began to ask and then I bit off my tongue.

“No more questions tonight,” Andrei said. “I have some things to take care of. To buy us time to get off this island and to New Zealand. Then we can fly you home.

A shiver ran over me. Home.

The word was almost too sweet to bear.

Andrei was walking past me – he was leaving and I turned to stare at him. “That’s it? It’s that simple?” I asked him incredulously. “You’re just going to help me?”

“Faye,” Andrei said, turning and giving me an oddly sweet smile, one that reminded me of Roy. “I know you’ve been through hell, but you’re still a Shifter of Anubis. And we protect our own.”