“If you want snacks, you’re better off buying your own and stashing them in your room. Kira creates the shopping list using Viktor’s budget, and we do the shopping. Money for anything additional we want has to come out of our own pockets, and there’s no guarantee she won’t toss it if we put it in the kitchen. She’s all about whole foods.”
“I like her. She works hard and has a way with Hunter. Maybe it’ll help for him to bond with someone else who doesn’t talk. She has a keen intellect and no trouble communicating what she wants.”
Gem played with the ends of her sleeves. “Do you think he’ll ever talk?”
“Maybe. Life is harder when you can’t or won’t communicate with the rest of the world, but it’s not impossible.” Switch inhaled deeply and sighed. “It doesn’t mean he won’t become a good man.”
“But how will he earn a living? Sensors working with law enforcement have to communicate. Even if he chooses sensory exchange, he won’t be able to communicate with his customers.”
“I’d be highly surprised if he uses his Sensor gifts to make a living. Sensory exchange isn’t something every kid dreams of doing when they grow up. There are only so many jobs with the higher authority, and the sensory market is saturated. Relics have more opportunities, so he’s got a choice. He’s a smart kid, and I think he’ll be fine as long as the people he loves make him feel like he’s enough just as he is.”
Gem leaned back. “So we should stop trying to make him talk?”
Switch tapped his ear. “He listens to everyone. Every comment you make about it will chip away at his self-esteem. Leave that to his father and me. He whispers, so he’s not mute. And it’s not going to hinder his learning. We’re working on his letters and doing a lot of reading. He loves books. He also loves climbing, so I’m going to ask Shepherd what he thinks about buying special harness equipment and taking him into the rock-climbing room. I think he’s been in there a few times already, but gearing him up and setting a goal might build his confidence.”
“He’s braver than I am.”
“Just remember, he might look like a little kid who’s not paying attention, but Hunter is very observant. Scarily so. Be careful what you say around him and also what you feel. He doesn’t always wear those gloves around the house. Sensors his age aren’t supposed to be familiar with complex emotions, but he is.”
Gem frowned and glanced into the empty gathering room. “That has to do with the man who raised him. He was a monster.”
“I hope that monster got what he had coming to him.”
“He did.”
When the music shut off, Gem and Switch looked toward the door. The hinges creaked as it opened, and Niko emerged, covered in sweat.
“Behold! He lives,” Gem announced.
Niko wiped his flushed face. “Is something the matter?”
“I wanted to see if you’ve heard from Viktor.”
Switch eased out of his seat. “That’s my cue. I’ll be in the courtyard working on my tan if anyone needs me. Hunter won’t be awake for another hour. I’ve got to get his lesson plans ready for next week,” he said, talking to himself as he swaggered out of the room.
Niko headed to the dining table and picked up one of the water bottles he must have placed there. After gulping down the contents of two of them, he collected the plastic and headed for the kitchen. He was panting as if he’d run a marathon, but after a few deep breaths, his breathing regulated. Gem followed him into the kitchen and admired the clean space.
“I sure am glad we don’t have to cook anymore,” she mused, having flashbacks of kitchen fires and dirty dishes.
Niko dropped the bottles into the recycling bin and closed the pantry door. “Viktor called this morning. They still haven’t found Kallisto, but Claude picked up a scent trail at the scene, and they’re tracking him. Kallisto has no money or contacts. Cyrus didn’t like working with others, and when he made exceptions, he didn’t want his men getting involved. It’s going to be hard for Kallisto to get out of the city if that’s what he has in mind.”
“Where on earth are they staying? I hope they’re not sleeping on the streets.”
“Viktor booked rooms at a hotel in the heart of the city. That gives them a central meeting place. Kallisto knows the higher authority put a bounty on his head because of the men he killed during his escape, so he won’t be going out in the day.”
Gem followed Niko toward the front of the house while watching beads of sweat sliding down his back in rivulets. “Couldn’t he just kill a human and steal their car?”
“Anything is possible. But without a valid alias and ID, he risks human law enforcement pulling him over in a stolen car that’s connected to a dead body. He would have no one to bail him out except for the higher authority. But if he grows desperate, he might decide to risk it.”
“What else did Viktor say?”
When Niko neared the stairs, he reached out until his hand found the wide stone railing, then he started ascending the steps. “They’ve been asking around, and there have been a few sightings. If Kallisto still has his long braid, he’ll stand out. They have a good chance of finding him, especially as he grows more impulsive and desperate to know what happened to his brothers. He never made it to the apartment. It’s located on the opposite side of the city from where he was traveling.”
“How do they know he didn’t go there?”
“The tape that the cleaners put across the door was still in place. Viktor thinks he’s heading that way, so he gave Christian the exciting task of waiting in there in case he shows up.”
Gem hopped onto the landing and skipped ahead of Niko. “I bet Christian just hates sitting on his behind.”
“It depends,” Niko countered, retaining his slow pace. “He worked as a guard for many years. If anyone has patience, it’s Christian Poe.”
When she reached the second floor, she pivoted right and headed toward Niko’s room. To conserve supplies, Kira only lit candles during the day in the windowless halls. Keystone had incredible architecture with its high ceilings and arched hallways. Whoever had built it had paid attention to the details. The stones in the floor were flat and even, and the sculpted railings were exquisite. Some of the statues were a little creepy, and Keystone felt more like a castle than a home. Maybe the previous owners came from the Old World or were royalty. Gem had heard about purebloods among Shifters.
Gem lollygagged until Niko caught up. To avoid slamming into walls or flying over banisters, Niko rarely flashed in the house, but he had no trouble navigating his way around the mansion. He let his hand run along the wall and probably counted the doors he passed to know his location.
When they reached his bedroom, she leaned against the outside wall.
He turned the knob. “Come in.”
“I thought you were going to shower.”
“I am. But we haven’t finished our conversation.”
Gem folded her arms. “I’m not showering with you.”
He threw back his head and laughed. Gem loved it when something genuinely tickled Niko and he couldn’t control his laughter. He always apologized for the outbursts, which was endearing but so unnecessary.