MAILAH AND LUCSON DIDN'T TALK FOR A WHILE.
The road widened gradually, the forest thinning into rolling hills and stubborn clusters of cypress trees that looked as though they'd been standing guard for centuries. Gravel gave way to cracked asphalt, sunlight filtering through broken cloud cover and warming the uneven road.
Mailah broke first.
"So," she said, hands shoved into her jacket pockets, her voice casual in the way people got right before asking something very much not casual. "When you feed… is it just whoever happens to be nearby?"
Lucson didn't slow. Didn't turn his head. "No."
That was it. Just no.
Mailah rolled her eyes. "That was incredibly detailed. Thank you."
A corner of his mouth twitched. "You're welcome."
She tried again. "Do you… lure people? Like—" she gestured vaguely, miming something between flirting and hypnosis, "—do the whole mysterious demon magnet thing so they admire you more and then you siphon it off?"
