Free Succubus Revealed by Richelle Mead

specifically? What did you talk about? What did they say to you?”
    I was growing increasingly uncomfortable at his intensity. “They were teasing me about my job,” I said.
    “Jerome too?”
    “Of course. He said me being an elf was an embarrassment and that I should do something else.” A shocking thought hit me. “Roman . . . you don’t think Jerome requested the transfer, did you? Could he really be that upset with me? That embarrassed?”
    “I don’t know,” admitted Roman. He absentmindedly ran a hand through his curling dark hair. “It’s possible. Some of the weirdness might be explained away if Jerome was trying to hide that he initiated all this. But then, it’s not like any of your other friends are exactly normal. If something was going to embarrass Jerome enough to get rid of an employee, I kind of feel like there would have been a lot of other opportunities before you. Anything else come up?”
    “I asked them about—” I hesitated. The topic was still sensitive for me. It was hard to mention to Roman, and I could hardly believe I’d had the guts to bring it up to the gang that night. Roman caught my uncertainty and pounced. “What? What else? What did you ask them about?”
    I waited a few more moments and then decided to tell him. It couldn’t hurt, and besides, for all I knew, Roman had mentioned my name to Seth.
    “About a month ago, when we were in bed, Seth called me Letha when he was half-asleep. When I asked him how he knew that name, he couldn’t remember. He couldn’t even remember calling me that. So, I asked the group that night if any of them had told my name to Seth.”
    “And?”
    “And they all said no. Cody didn’t even know my name. I got berated for being melodramatic again, and the general consensus was that Seth had just overheard it from me or someone else and forgotten.”
    Roman was silent, which was almost more unnerving than him grilling me. I straightened up and nudged him.
    “Hey, you didn’t tell Seth, did you?”
    “Huh? No.” He frowned, caught up in his own thoughts. “What did Jerome think? Did he concur with that theory?”
    “Yes. He thought me bringing it up was a total waste of time and didn’t hesitate to tell me. He was so bored by it that he started talking about bowling instead.”
    “That’s when he told you about the bowling team? The bowling team that came out of nowhere?”
    “Yeah. . . .” Now I was frowning. It was clear that Roman’s thoughts were running off to a place I wasn’t at or able to follow. “Why? What are you thinking? Is this related somehow?”
    “I don’t know,” he said at last. He stood up and paced the living room a couple of times. “I need to think about this. I need to ask some questions. What are you going to do now?”
    I rose as well and stretched, suddenly feeling weary. “I need to talk to Seth. I have to tell him what happened. And I suppose . . .” I made a face. “If I do have to go to Las Vegas, this weekend is the time to do it.”
    “So you don’t miss bowling practice?” teased Roman.
    “That, and I have it off from work. Seth’s pretty tied up with his family in town, which makes it another good time to go. Although . . . it’d kind of be nice if he went with me. I mean, if he was going to think about moving, he could check it out too.” Yet, again, that worry returned to me: how could I ask Seth to abandon Terry and Andrea?
    “Actually,” said Roman, humor vanishing, “I think it’s best he doesn’t go.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because whatever the reasons, something’s just not right about this. I don’t know what’s waiting for you in Las Vegas. Maybe nothing. But I just feel like there’s a larger hand in all of this, guiding it, and that it’s safest for Seth if you don’t drag him into immortal drama.” Roman’s face softened. “I’m actually not thrilled about you facing it alone, but I’m not sure me walking into a hotbed of immortal activity is so smart