Skin Deep

CHAPTER 38

LAURA SPIT SEDIMENT out of her mouth. Cries and moaning filled the air. A cool breeze swirled through the gaping hole in the roof. She staggered to the center of the floor. Cress lay on her side, eyes closed, hiding those disturbing dark eyes. Laura laid a gentle hand on her, as Cress had done for her so many times. Her essence was faint, but there. She was alive. Instinctively, fine purple filaments waved up from Cress’s skin to suck greedily at Laura’s body essence. Relieved and revolted, Laura withdrew her hand.

A phalanx of Danann security agents swarmed through the dome, a brilliant indigo light plunging through their ranks. The edges of Terryn’s indigo wings burned white with speed. He landed and gathered Cress in his arms. Laura met his eyes for a fraction of second, saw pain and fear before he leaped into the air and vanished in a smear of blue light.

“Laura!” Sinclair swept her into his arms and kissed her. Kissed her lips, her cheeks, her eyes. She laughed, kissing him back, running her hands up behind his head. He hugged her, and she let him, tucking her face into the side of his neck.

Slowly, the memory of where they were-and who she was-came back to her. She still wore the Mariel glamour. She released him and adjusted her jumpsuit with an embarrassed smile. She cleared her throat. “It’s good to see you, too, Officer Sinclair.”

He laughed and shook his head. “My apologies, Agent Tate. I don’t know what came over me.”

The smile faded from her face as she took in the scene behind him. Bodies lay everywhere amid the debris. She sensed pain and horror and relief. Orrin ap Rhys stood among the worst injured, directing the security forces. Laura’s heart skipped a beat as she recognized Resha Dunne lying facedown on the floor. She hurried to his side, relieved to see the spark of life in him as she neared. He stirred, lifting his head off the floor. She helped him up.

He rubbed at his mouth. “I need a drink of water.”

Laura straightened his tie. “This is nice. Hermиs?” she asked.

He gave her look of utter bafflement as she walked away.

Sinclair grabbed her arm. “We have a problem.”

She followed the direction of his nod. Foyle stood near the gate entrance to the main floor. “That’s not Foyle.”

Laura narrowed her eyes at the man. He was too far away for her sensing field. “What do you mean?”

“I know Foyle’s shape. That’s not him. Besides, he was too wounded to stand,” Sinclair said.

Laura moved closer, saw there was no blood on Foyle anymore. Sinclair was right. Foyle’s essence hummed with power. Not human. It wasn’t Foyle. The man turned away from the scene and walked toward the exit. Laura ran after him and grabbed his shoulder. “Hold it!”

Foyle yanked away from her. “Unhand me!”

She blocked his way. “I don’t think so.”

He drew himself up. “I am Captain Aaron Foyle. Get out of my way.”

Laura wrenched the man’s shirt open to reveal a small gem on a gold chain. She tore the glamour off him. Foyle’s face shifted and blurred away as narrow, indigo wings swept upward. Laura fashioned a blade of essence in her hand.

“You’re not getting away this time, asshole.”

She plunged the blade into Alfrey’s head, and he dropped like a stone.