Clearance took an hour. An hour of shitty office coffee and silence, because they’d left Azren and me alone, but like hell was I saying anything that could incriminate us, because even the walls in this place probably had ears.

Azren paced like a caged animal, his movements fluid like silk. He’d shucked off his jacket, leaving his biceps bare, and the tight, thin fabric of his T left little to the imagination; every ripple and shift of muscle was a mesmerizing distraction that made even the machine coffee taste bearable. He raked a hand through his hair, tousling the locks into the just-got-out-of-bed look that made my fingers ache to touch him, to slide through those silken strands and cup the nape of his neck, and—

He speared me with his gaze, pinning me to the spot with the power of his regard. Inky shadows ate at his irises, and for a moment, it was as if he’d touched me, a brush along my cheek, feather-light but definitely followed by a push that tested the barriers I’d been erecting and struggling to hold in place for the past week. What was that and why was my heart pounding?

“Wila?” He sounded confused.

I shook my head. “Later.”

Why was I attracted to the guys who were off limits? And why was the attraction always that little bit too intense? This thing between Azren and me, it was weird and unnatural and out of my control.

The door opened but it wasn’t Loraine that entered, it was Hon and Leo. They took the two seats opposite me, but Azren remained standing. He was getting antsy. It was in the set of his jaw and the curl of his fingers eager to make a fist. But he was putting on a good show.

“I’m going to cut to the chase because we don’t have much time,” Hon said. “You’re just going to have to suspend disbelief and listen until I’m done.”

I nodded. “Shoot.”

She pulled a device from her pocket. It looked like a phone, but then she placed it on the table and tapped it. A projection appeared above us, a galaxy filled with stars and planets, but wait, this wasn’t our solar system.

“This is the Platos system.” She tapped the phone thing again and the image switched to focus on a star. She zoomed in, and nope, not a star, a space station. A fucking massive one. “This is Gateway, my home and place of employ.”

Was she expecting me to believe that she came from space? That she was an alien? Barnaby’s words came to mind. He’d said the metal wasn’t of this world.

“Okay, so you come from another part of the galaxy.”

She smiled and shook her head. “It’s a little more complicated than that. We come from another universe entirely.”

“Have you heard of the multiverse theory?” Leo asked.

My conversation with Barnaby came to mind. “A friend may have mentioned it to me, yeah.”

“Well it’s not just a theory. It’s a fact, and we’re proof.”

“Let me explain,” Hon said. “Think of the multiverse as billions of realities existing side by side by side. Now imagine that some shift, some anomaly, causes them to collide, here and there, and when this happens, thinnings are created—breaches which allow beings to cross between realities. Imagine the damage that could be done if the wrong people were to make these journeys. Imagine how time and space could be corrupted.”

Yeah, I was imagining it, and it sent a chill through my veins. “But you don’t let that happen.”

She gave me a close-lipped smile. “Damn straight, we don’t. Gateway monitors and intervenes where necessary. We make sure the balance is maintained. In some cases, we’re able to close the thinning, but in others, where it isn’t possible, we try to reach out to the inhabitants and build a relationship with them. We have operatives from all over the multiverse working for Gateway or with Gateway at the highest levels of authority.”

So, this was why we’d needed clearance. “And these metal machines are from another universe?”

“Yes. We’ve been tracking them for months. They’re dangerous and they’re on a mission to collect DNA.”

“What for?”

Her expression clouded. “We’re not sure. But we’ve been tasked to eliminate them.”

“So these thinnings ... are they in space?”

“Not always,” Leo said. “Sometimes they can be found on land or over sea. Sometimes they lead to a spot in space, other times directly to another planet.”

“If we don’t eliminate the Genisi, their presence here could affect your future, even your past. The longer we stay here, the longer they stay, the more of an imprint they leave on your history and timeline. Not to mention the fact that your people are in danger. The Genisi don’t always leave their subjects alive.”

My mind was reeling with this new information, with this opening up of my world. That there was more out there, so much more. It made our existence seem miniscule.

“Now you know the truth. Will you help us?”

I locked gazes with her. “Damn straight I will.”

It was late, almost midnight, but Noir was in my kitchen dressed in his pajamas and drinking hot cocoa—he’d brought his own. Pajamas and cocoa. Okay, brain was fried. Man, was I wired from earlier and probably shouldn’t be drinking cola, but I was in need of the fizz. Azren was out again, riding through the night, probably recovering from being cooped up in a tiny room for several hours. The beast needed space. I was cooped up until it was time to play bait. We couldn’t risk the metal monsters finding me before it was time, but Azren wasn’t one to be caged. Hound was asleep in the lounge, his huge body curled up on the rug. He’d been hovering outside when I’d returned and refused to go in. It had taken a while for it to click that he was trying not to set off the wards. He’d been unconscious the last time we’d carried him through, but it seemed that he could sense the wards just fine now that he was conscious. Noir had adjusted the wards to recognize Hound. All it had taken was a little blood, which the huge dog had allowed me to take without a fuss.

“The trap’s set for tomorrow night.” I sipped my drink and then belched.

Noir arched a brow and then shook his head as if despairing of me.

“At least it’s coming from the top end,” Trevor said dryly. “You should hear her after a curry.”

My neck heated. “Um, Trev, TMI.”

“What does that one mean again?” Trevor asked.

He was still getting his head around all the modern abbreviations. “Never mind.”

Noir cleared his throat. “Miss Bastion, maybe we can get back to the plan?”

Urgh, there he was with the Miss Bastion again. “Wila, remember. Miss Bastion sounds so formal, and heck, I just belched at you. Surely we’re past the formal.”

He bit back a smile. “I find you utterly refreshing.”

“Well, thank you.” I took another sip of my fizzy beverage. “Wait, that was a compliment, right?”

He chuckled. “Yes, Miss Bastion, it was, and I’ll start calling you by your first name when you call me by mine.”

Touché. “Fine, Adam.”

His lips tilted in a half-smile. “Okay, Wila.”

Trevor huffed. “Can we get on with the laying out of the plan, please?”

I tore my gaze from Noir’s baby blues. “The plan is to go for a stroll by the old football stadium and wait to be attacked. The Collective will have their elite team on site, as well as the Gateway operatives.”

The old stadium had been closed for decades, and the council had plans for renovating it and building new homes, but as of yet, nothing had come of the plans. It had become another derelict place from the time before—a time when humans inhabited the city, a time when games had mattered.

Noir pursed his lips. “I’m still wrapping my head around the whole multiverse concept being more than just a theory.”

He wasn’t the only one. “It’s kind of crazy. But it makes sense that there’s more to ... everything. I mean, I’m not so arrogant to think we’re all there is.”

“True.”

“Plus, Loraine Vincent taking on board the Lost problem is a huge weight off our shoulders.”

He grinned, and the action lit up his face. “And you managed to keep my name out of it.”

“I did indeed.”

He tilted his head to the side. “You are pretty amazing, Wila. You know that?”

“It’s one of the things they’ll be putting on my gravestone.”

He chuckled but sobered quickly. “It’s still a risky plan. I wish I could be there with you.”

“I’ll be fine. I’ll have eyes on me and Azren as muscle.”

Noir sobered. “You’re lucky Loraine bought your story about him.”

“I can be very conniving, I mean convincing.”

He let out a bark of laughter and then ducked his head as if surprised by his reaction. When he spoke next, his voice was low. “There isn’t much time till the lunar eclipse. I’m worried about you.”

Anxiety flared to life in my chest. “Don’t be. Azren and I have a plan. I have a map of the undercity, and once this alien metal monster problem is wrapped up, we’re headed underground for some reconnaissance. If the Shedim are there—and I’m sure they are, because where else could they be hiding—then we’ll find them.”

“I’m coming with you.”

A few weeks back I’d have rejected this offer, but so much had changed since then. “Thank you.”

I was partway up the stairs when the front door opened and Azren breezed in. His hair was mussed up from the ride, and his eyes were bright. He paused in the foyer and looked up.

“You’re still awake,” he said.

“Yeah. Noir dropped round and I filled him in on what’s been going on.”

“This late?”

Was there an insinuation in his tone? “I called him up, and he came over.”

“Just like that.”

His tone made me want to grit my teeth. “Yeah, just like that.” I came down a step. “You have a problem with that?”

His lip curled derisively. “No. It’s none of my concern who you fuck.”

His words were a slap, and it was impossible not to flinch, but once the shock was over, anger flooded my veins. “What the fuck is your problem?”

He pressed his lips together and tucked in his chin. His dark hair fell across his forehead, and he brushed it back, almost angrily.

A strange cocktail of annoyance and disappointment churned in my chest. “Hey, I asked you a bloody question.”

He ran a hand over his face and shook his head. “Nothing. Nothing is wrong with me.” He raised his head, and the fire bled out of his eyes. “I’m tired.” He climbed the steps and brushed past me.

“I thought you didn’t sleep?” I called up after him, still smarting from his words.

He didn’t respond.

What the heck was his issue? Bloody Shedim and their ragey emotions. I turned to head up the steps and froze as awareness skittered over my scalp. Someone else was here. Someone had slipped through the wards. Noir had already been here, and there was only one other person who could get about without using a damned door.

My heart skipped a beat and then went into overdrive as I padded back down the stairs and hovered in the foyer. He was here. I could feel it. My feet took me to the office, and gooseflesh skipped across my skin.

I paused in the doorway, my hand on the smooth wood of the frame. “You came back.”

Valance turned slowly to face me, moonlight highlighting his aquiline features. His hair was raked back, as if he’d run his hand repeatedly through the chestnut locks, his jeans rode low on his hips, and his shirt had an extra button undone, exposing the V of his collarbone and the flat planes at the tops of his pectorals. It was almost as if clothes had been an afterthought.

He’d tried to feed off my soul. I should feel fear, anxiety, something negative, but there was nothing but relief that he was back.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly.

I stepped into the room and the air beside me shifted, signaling Gilbert’s presence.

Valance must have felt it too, because his mouth tightened. “I’m not here to hurt her. I wouldn’t do that. Not intentionally.”

His words were saturated with sincerity. “I know. I know you didn’t mean it. Gilbert’s just concerned.” I turned my head to the side where Gilbert was standing. “I’ll be okay, Gil.”

His disapproval was a vibration in the air, but I needed Valance to know we were okay, that he hadn’t irreparably damaged our relationship.

“I won’t be getting close enough for any lip-locking action.” The words were directed at Gilbert, but I fixed my eyes on Valance when I said them. The air rifled through my hair, followed by a pressure on my shoulder as Gilbert passed by, and then he was gone—although, knowing him, he wouldn’t go far.

Valance’s brow cleared, and his shoulders dropped slightly.

“You missed all the fun while you were away.” I kept my tone light, taking a few more steps into the room. “We kicked some Lost arse and then we got hauled into The Collective HQ and were forced to sign a non-disclosure agreement. Oh, and we have metal aliens hunting in our city.”

His brows shot up. “It looks like I have some catching up to do, then.”

“Yeah, you do.” I was a couple of feet away from him now, far enough to be clear of his personal space, but close enough to taste him in the air, honey and almonds. A sharp stab of longing speared me, accompanied by the memory of his mouth on mine, of his tongue licking the inside of my mouth, and his lips sucking on my tongue.

Valance swallowed hard. “Miss Bastion, whatever you’re thinking, you need to stop.”

I exhaled through my nose, squeezing my eyes shut to dispel the images, but the darkness of my lids merely served to intensify the sensations my body was recalling.

“Wila, please.”

“Why did you do that? Why did you slip?”

“I didn’t.”

I opened my eyes. “You were feeding off me.”

“I was kissing you. I was kissing you like I’d kiss a Draconi female, but you’re not Draconi. So things got out of control.”

I was so confused. “You feed off your Draconi lovers?”

“No, when Draconi make love they open a circuit where they share their soul, their very essence, with their lover. It’s a most intimate act and ...” He looked away.

“And?”

He blew out a breath. “Reserved for mated Draconi.” His words were clipped, edged with shame.

His words sank in and heat rose up in my throat, stalling my tongue. Yes, he’d mentioned this circuit once before when he’d explained the Draconi females’ polyamorous relationships.

He peered at me cautiously. “I can’t explain why it happened. Believe me, I’ve mulled it over.”

He’d been kissing me. No. Not just kissing me, he’d been kissing me like he’d kiss his Draconi mate. I took another step toward him, and he tensed, his eyes flaring. No, don’t look into them, but like hell was that possible when my body was in control, when all I wanted to do was look inside and see and understand whatever it was that was drawing us together.

He held up a hand as if to ward me off, and yet when he spoke his tone was begging me to come closer. “Wila ...”

I bridged the gap between us, throat tight, heart clawing at my ribcage. Experiment, this was just an experiment to see if ... to see ...

I lifted my chin. “See, we’re good.” My tone was husky, wanton.

His gaze dropped to my mouth. “Yes, we’re good.”

I licked my lips. “No urges.” I was playing with fucking fire, and the thrill was a pulse between my thighs that ached to be stroked.

His chest was rising and falling erratically. “No urges.” His words were more a growl than anything else, and then he stepped away, turning his back on me. “You should fill me in on what I’ve missed.” His voice sounded oddly strained.

The tension dropped a notch, still live, still there, but no longer an irresistible force.

I clasped my hands together to give them something to do aside from reach for him. “I was just about to have some tea.” Which was a lie. “You want to join me?”

He turned back to me and blinked slowly, his dragon eyes catching the moonlight and sending a shiver up my spine, but not fear. There would never be fear again because the kiss had changed the dynamic.

“Why aren’t you afraid?” He reached for me, thought better of it, and dropped his hand to his side, curling it into a fist.

“Honestly, I don’t know.”

“You were about to go to bed.”

“Maybe.” I bit my lower lip.

“But you’ll stay up with me?”

I shrugged, feigning casual, when all the time my pulse was a little too fast. “You’re part of the team, and you need to know what’s been going on.”

“Tea is ready.” Gilbert’s voice was right beside me, loud and clear. Yep, someone had been eavesdropping.

Valance’s expression shuttered and then his lips curved in his familiar cocky smile. In fact, his whole demeanor shifted to loose-limbed and relaxed. He’d donned the persona he presented to the rest of the world—the devil-may-care facade. The lump was back in my throat as realization bloomed. I’d just connected with the real Valance, and damn, I’d liked it.

I climbed down the steps into the basement. “I’m so fucked.”

“Not yet, you’re not,” the voice said in amusement.

“Can you be serious for one goddamn minute?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you.”

At least he didn’t sound sad today. I preferred the bantering voice to the reflective one—probably because it made me feel less guilty for not letting him out.

“Well?” He sounded like he was reclining, relaxed, and ready to listen to my woes.

I winced. “I think I have a thing for Valance.”

“Uh-huh.”

“And Azren.”

“Riiight.”

“And you already know how I feel about Tay.”

“Yes, we’ve had this conversation, Wila. I told you what you needed to do and you said some pretty hurtful things to me.” There was a definite pout to his tone.

I paced the floor, flashlight in hand, just in case the lights went out. “I’m a hussy. That’s what I am. A goddamn hussy.”

“Is goddamn the new fuck now?”

“I need to sleep on it.”

“Oh, babe. You need to do more than sleep on it,” the voice said snidely.

“You’re sick, you know that?”

“Am I?”

Was he? Oh, man. My head was all fuzzy from lack of sleep, and my skin itched as if it was too tight, but my emotions were out of the box, bouncing around like crazy jumping beans. Valance and Azren and Tay, oh my, Valance and Azren and Tay, oh my. And if that wasn’t enough, I was pretty sure my body was changing, not in the boobs and hair-in-special-places way, but in the hey my hands and feet are getting bigger way. Freak much? It had to be something to do with my parentage; shame there was no way of knowing what that was. Being abandoned outside The Gables as a baby meant there were no clues as to where I’d come from.

I blew out a breath and stared at my new shoes. “I had to buy larger boots.”

“Really?”

“They either shrank or my feet grew. Weird, huh?”

“Is it?” He didn’t sound impressed. “Go to bed, Wila.”

And there was that resigned tone again. I blinked at the metal door. This was the first time he’d initiated the end of the conversation.

I crossed my arms. “Hey, wait a second. This isn’t how this works. You’re supposed to try to convince me to let you out and then I take my leave, usually slamming the door on your final words.”

“Are you going to let me out?”

I made for the stairs. “Like hell.”