Memories of Dara darted through my head. I wasn’t sure why I’d even wasted my time with her. Maybe it had been boredom, but more likely it was pity. She’d lost her husband, yet she was stuck taking notes in that room day after day. Had he left her so little she couldn’t even take the time to grieve? I’d never planned to let anything intimate happen between us. I didn’t play around with witches. We were too different—it would never work. But her facial expressions had been so amusing that I’d entertained myself by sending her flirtatious looks. I didn’t want to be sitting through those proceedings any more than she did. I was in a bad place, disillusioned by the evil humans had managed to amass without the help of supernaturals. Maybe they weren’t worth saving anyway. I knew in my heart that wasn’t true, but distracting myself with a witch wouldn’t hurt them. It wouldn’t hurt anyone. At least that’s what I told myself back then. I had no excuse for my behavior. I was far too old to be playing those sorts of games, but sometimes we do the unexplainable. I’d never told the others about Dara—too embarrassed to admit I’d been used.

“He’s not quite the right color. Are you sure this is going to work?” Dara walked around me, leaving plenty of room. She was tense; I could practically feel her fear. Unlike Veronica, she was afraid of me. That might work to my advantage later.

“It’s going to work. He’s close enough. Besides I have a plan to make his color more pure.” Veronica flipped her hair off her shoulder. “You should know me well enough not to doubt me.” There was a warning in her words that was not lost on Dara.

Dara stepped away from me. “I’m not doubting you. I’m just making sure we aren’t acting prematurely.”

“That’s very wise.” The human robot broke his silence. “Very wise, Dara.”

“Thank you, darling.” She cooed in his ear. “I am glad you agree.” She ran her hands up and down his chest.

He didn’t seem to notice the way she touched him. She had to have been using very strong magic. “I will always agree with you because you are always right.”

Veronica grinned. “I want one of these. He’d be far superior to my Sol.”

“I still don’t understand what you ever saw in him. Was it just that he was a Seer?”

“No, it was more than that.” Veronica sighed. “It’s hard to explain. Love is that way, isn’t it?”

Love? What the hell did that monster know about love? The only thing she understood was hate.

“It is.” Dara took a seat on the stool Veronica had vacated. “And to think I thought I might love that one.” She pointed to me. “Oh all right, I didn’t really think so. I thought about it though. About what it would be like to fall for someone practically immortal. I knew I’d never be his true mate so I wouldn’t get his longevity, but it didn’t mean I didn’t daydream about it sometimes.”

Daydream? I had to be the one dreaming. Were they seriously having some messed up type of girl talk with all of this going on? Things were getting weirder and weirder.

“Men.” Veronica shook her head. “Can’t live with them, can’t live without them.”

“We can live without them, but then life is less satisfying.” Dara’s eyes ran up and down Daniel’s body.

“I can’t wait to see her face.” Veronica cackled again. “Talk about satisfaction.”

“Oh yes.” Dara laughed. “Little does she know what’s coming.”

Neither of the women needed to tell me who they were referring to. I knew it from the cruel smiles on their lips. I wanted to believe Hailey was somewhere safe and far away from Veronica, but I knew it wasn’t true. No sense trying to delude myself.

“Hopefully she’ll quickly join our cause. We could do great things once we have our third.”

“Agreed. But what if she doesn’t agree?” Dara crossed her legs.

“We kill her.”

I felt fire well up deep inside my chest. It rose, moving into my throat and then out, sending flames across the room, scorching the stone walls and floor as I struggled to control it. This was a different flame—hotter, wider, and completely separate from me. I needed to stop. The burning inside my chest was getting worse. Then it stopped as quickly as it started.

“Wyatt!” Veronica snapped. “Is that any way to behave in front of company? If you aren’t careful I will have to do what I warned you about.”

“Hurt her? Torture her in front of him?” A look of pleasure crossed Dara’s face. Once again I asked myself what I could have possibly seen in her.

Veronica grinned. “Among other things.”

Dara laughed. “I love the way you think, Veronica.”

“There’s a reason we work so well together.”

“Yes, there is.” Dara jumped to her feet. “Will you ever turn him back into a man? I wonder if I’d still find him as attractive now that I’m older and wiser.”

Veronica watched me. “He’s still a very attractive man. I understand why she wants him. Of course, we have plenty of other things to offer her if his appeal isn’t enough to hold her interest.”

“You think she cares for him more than she cares for the queen? I’ve heard they are close.”

“She’s destined to be his mate. Their connection must run deep. You know how rare it is for a Drago to mate.”

“That’s true.” Dara pursed her lips. “What have you told him so far?”

“Him?” Veronica pointed at me as if Dara could have been talking about anyone else. “Almost nothing. Why tell him anything? He has to do anything I say anyway.” Her eyes twinkled. She was enjoying her power over me.

“True, but maybe he has something to add to the plan?” Dara laughed. “I’m only kidding.”

“When is Randolf arriving?” Veronica edged toward the doorway.

“Any minute now.” Dara walked over to examine the damage caused by the flame. “I hope he’s happy enough with what you’ve done.”

“There’s no pure emerald anymore. It’s not my fault Randolph killed him. Wyatt is close enough.”

“I suppose.” Dara turned from the wall. “And if he doesn’t work we can always get rid of him.”

No emerald anymore? I tried to understand what they were talking about. I brushed away my anger at Dara’s comments. They didn’t matter. Getting to Hailey before they hurt her was the most important. Even more important than shifting back to my normal self.