As much as it irked him to allow the man up, Eadric figured it would go a long way to convincing Amorette to be on his side.
If she weren’t so stubborn, they could have been out of there ages ago. If she didn’t walk straight into the middle of a war she knew nothing about, he wouldn’t have to take her personal security into his own hands.
Eadric authorized the visitor and set the tablet down again. “It shouldn’t take him long. Would you care to make introductions? After all, you are our mutual acquaintance, are you not?”
Amorette rolled her eyes, but she didn’t say no.
In fact, she was much too quiet today. At their previous meetings, she had been nothing if not sass and snappy comebacks. Either the concussion had more effect than she let on, or the woman was plotting something. Eadric would bet money on the latter. Which meant he needed to keep an eye on her.
The knock on the door was harried this time. The man on the other side didn’t wait for an answer before he pushed it open. The sheer relief on his face spoke volumes more than anything he could have said.
If Eadric learned anything in his many years of life, it was how to read a person like an open book. This man was no different from the others he met over the years. Still, Eadric knew his own fallibility, so he remained silent. For now.
“Mi Amor...” The man rushed to Amorette’s side. “Are you okay? They told me something happened. Do you know who attacked you?” His fingers stroked her cheeks and shoulders, as if he had a claim to her.
Eadric didn’t take time to examine why that rose his blood pressure.
Amorette shook her head. “I didn’t get a good look at him.”
“She isn’t safe out in the open by herself.” Eadric wanted desperately to put his desk between his person and the two across from him. His body begged for a defensive shield, but he wouldn’t back down. “I’ve generously offered to house her at my home until such a time as it’s safe again.”
“What? Absolutely not.” The man stood to his full height. “I strongly object. She’s perfectly safe staying with me.”
Eadric blinked once. So that’s where she was staying. With the stupid friend with the sports car. Somehow, the prior evening made more sense once he knew that. No wonder this man came to her rescue like a knight in shining armor. “Fine. You can stay too.” Eadric leveled his gaze at the younger man. “If it will make you feel better.”
“It won’t. She doesn’t need to stay with some egotistical sociopath like you to be safe.”
“Hunter.” Amorette’s voice broke on a squeak.
Eadric didn’t recognize the tone since he hadn’t heard it before, but it seemed like it might work in his favor. If he played his cards right.
“I don’t think you have the power to speak on her behalf. Amorette is nothing if not independent.” He didn’t dare shoot a look in her direction, lest it ruin his chances.
“Well, I’m speaking for her. No thanks. She’s not camping out at your place.” Hunter folded his own arms in a weak impersonation of the imperious presence Eadric carried like a second skin.
“Um, excuse me?” Amorette shot to her feet and marched her way between the two men. Her eyes flashed with that fire Eadric was fast growing accustomed to. “First of all, much as I loathe to admit it, he’s right and I am an independent woman. Which means I can make my own decisions. I don’t need you telling me where to live or what’s most beneficial for my safety.” She spun sideways to face Eadric. “You want to take my protection into your own hands? Fine. I owe you for everything I accused you of. Let’s try it. You did a pretty good job in the alley, so...” she shrugged.
If Eadric wasn’t mistaken, that was a blush that rose in her cheeks. As if she remembered something specific and liked it a little too much. He smirked and shot a look over her head at Hunter.
A solid, steely glare met his gaze. “I guess she and I are moving in. When do you want us?”
“You can bring your things this afternoon. I’ll have someone meet you to assign rooms. He’s moving in too. A kind of... friend.” Eadric couldn’t help but feel self-satisfied with this turn of events.
Better be careful, his mind warned him. He didn’t know these people he was letting into his home. He didn’t know who they worked for or what their destinies were. He would have to be cautious not to ruin everything he worked so hard to build. Which might be much easier said than done.
Still, for the sake of the marked girl, he would give it a try. Because she wasn’t just marked. It appeared she was hunted. And, as even Eadric knew, it all boiled down to his fault.
“IS IT TRUE?” THE EAGER young follower skipped a step to keep up with his senior.
The Benefactor dipped his head once. “I saw it myself.”
“Then we should make preparations. Do something. She could be the one.” The follower came to a stuttering halt beside a wide table. “We should take preemptive measures. Do we know where she lives? Works? Visits?”
A soft chuckle echoed against the wooden surface before them. The Benefactor rested his fingertips against the tabletop and leaned forward to study the images there. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We have eyes on her and everyone in her vicinity. Nothing will slip past us this time. We have the upper hand, yes?”
“Yes, sir.” The follower glanced at the intel scattered miscellaneously across the tabletop. “Are you sure he’s the one? We’ve caught so many through our history. Is he...?”
“He is. Trust me.” The Benefactor rolled his shoulders back.
It had been decades since he had the displeasure of seeing this face. Too long and yet not long enough. This face knew his, knew the pain of life and the harrow of time. Sadly, he didn’t understand. But he would.
One mistake cost The Benefactor the only thing he ever wanted, and it would cost this face the same. It wasn’t enough to find a way to finish him off. This pain went much deeper than that.
AMORETTE DRAGGED ONE fingernail over another, a nervous habit she never did manage to break. It was a miracle Eadric let her come back to Hunter’s apartment to gather her things. She half expected him to drag her back to his home and lock her away, but no. Eadric politely assured her someone would be there to show them to their rooms. It was almost too formal, too good to be true.
“You don’t have to do this, you know,” Hunter assured from beside her.
Amorette shot him a glare and shook her head. “I gave him my word. He seems nice enough. It won’t hurt to stay here for a while, until my life calms down.”
Eadric's home looked different in the daytime. Less menacing, but more imposing. Last time she was here, Amorette didn’t take time to count the floors, but there were three. It was, in truth, a mansion, replete with a locked gate. In the distance, some large breed of dog barked loudly.
Even though she had all the codes to get in and out of the property, something still felt cold and empty. Like a tower sealed from the elements. Like a prison sealed away from time.
Curiosity drove Amorette to open the car door and step onto the packed gravel. Despite its age and intimidating height, the manse was beautiful. The yard, too. Whoever looked after it maintained its natural beauty well. Amorette looked forward to exploring, given the time.
“Did he give you the code for the front door?” Hunter appeared beside her, his hands shoved into his pockets.
Amorette shook her head. “But there’s another car here. So whoever our third housemate is, they’re inside, right?” She shot Hunter a smile more confident than she felt.
Hunter sighed and reached forward to ring the doorbell, muttering all the while. Something about why Amorette was so stubborn, or something of the sort.
Amorette rolled her eyes and waited for someone to answer the door. She and Hunter would be talking later, for sure.
How did he think he had the right to boss her around like this? It wasn’t like he stood up for her when it really mattered.
The door opened.
Amorette turned
. “Y... You?”
Doon grinned and bowed with a flourish. “At your service. Please come in.” He took a step back from the door.
Amorette stared at him. “I don’t... understand.”
“You don’t need to, trust me. It’s probably better if you don’t. Oh, hey, grumpy.” Doon waved a hand at Hunter. “I see your mood hasn’t improved. Man. If I had known we’d always be meeting on these terms, I wouldn’t have introduced myself in the first place.”
“You still seem like an idiot to me.” Hunter bumped his shoulder into Doon’s as he shoved past him.
Amorette sighed. “Sorry about him. I think you were really nice to give up the stuff you bought for your friend. Is he doing better?”
“What friend?” Doon scratched the back of his neck. “Oh. Uh... yeah.” He grabbed Amorette’s elbow to steer her inside, then closed the door. It locked with a click and a beep.
The inside of the house was as lavish as the outside, but in a different way. Some aspects remained classic, like dark wood and crown molding. Others were modern, like the open floor-plan and stainless steel accents. Somehow, it said more about its owner than Amorette thought possible.
“Oh, I’ve been meaning to ask!” Amorette spun to face Doon. “I never have caught his name.”
“Who? Mister Hawkmore?”
“Oh. Is that what it is?” Amorette nodded and turned once more to study the main floor living and dining areas. “He has good taste. I’ve always wanted to live somewhere like this.”
“He’s not your best buddy or anything. Why are you so chatty?” Hunter muttered the complaint from his spot on one of the sofas.
“Ignore him. He’s been in a bad mood all day.” Amorette folded her hands behind her back. “So where do I go?”
Doon laughed and offered an arm to her. “Well, my lady, let me give you the map to your new paradise. Seriously, you won’t regret moving in once you see this room. I mean... I knew he’d set it up nicely but he really outdid himself this time.”
“Who did?” Amorette slid her arm through Doon’s. At this point, he was better company than the man moping on the couch. If that’s all Hunter could do right now, she didn’t want to be around him. “Mr. Hawkmore?”
Doon nodded. “Of course. He has a lot of hobbies. I’m telling you, even I can’t keep up with the man and I’m... younger.” He cleared his throat as they started up the stairs. “So, obviously I talk a lot. If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. You can usually find me in the kitchen, I like to eat all his food.”
Amorette laughed at the sheer absurdity of it. If she didn’t know better, she would think Mr. Hawkmore was Doon’s guardian or something. They certainly seemed like family.
“It’s so coincidental that you ventured into the Nook and then the park. Isn’t it such a small world?”
“Small world? Uh... yes.” Doon raised his eyes heavenward as he took a breath. “Anyway, this room... it’s one of his best works, I’m positive.” Doon led her down the third-floor hall and shoved open a thick wooden door.
Amorette’s eyes went wide. There was no way. The room was larger than all the bedrooms at her old house, combined. A king-sized bed sat against the opposite wall, covered in a blanket that held all kinds of bright colors. Yellow drapes adorned windows that let in plenty of light. A desk sat against one wall, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves on the other. It was almost perfect, in every way that counted.
“There’s no way he did this in two hours!” Amorette spun on Doon. “What’s going on here?”
“Trust me, he did it in an hour and a half. I’ve had people coming in and out of here like ants at a farm.” Doon shrugged his shoulders and looked around the room. “Oh, which reminds me. He had them leave a gift on the desk. It’s for the door.”
Amorette tipped her head, sizing up the man beside her. These guys didn’t seem normal, but who was she to define normal? It seemed a bit much, but she wasn’t going to object to yet another gift in the span of a week.
Amorette skipped to the desk and ran her fingers over the box lid, inscribed with her name.
This present, she didn’t have to unwrap. She lifted the lid.
“Jingle bells!” Amorette reached into the box and snatched the bells to inspect them. The very top held a plaque with her name, the bells descending from it in a cascade of chimes. “I love them!”
She looked back just in time to see Doon’s pleased smile. It seemed to her that there was something deeper and more meaningful behind the expression, but she didn’t want to hurt her brain trying to figure it out. If she played her cards right, Doon would tell her on his own. Just like he’d tell her why he had really been at the park that night.
“I’ll let you get settled. Don’t worry about your things. I’ll bring them up.” Doon stepped back into the hallway. “Oh, and your friend is down the hall. As soon as I can convince him to come up, I will. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of him. If you hear shouting, ignore it.”
“Shouting?” Amorette turned to tell him not to do anything too harsh, but Doon had already left.
She shook her head at the crazy man. He would be a handful, she could tell.
Usually, people thought Amorette was juvenile. She had nothing on Doon. Amorette somehow knew she and Doon would be great friends. He spoke to the free spirit inside her. Besides, she had some sleuthing to do on Melodia’s behalf.
Amorette hung the bells on the door and closed it. They jingled merrily along their way.
There was so much to see and explore in this room. Amorette considered what she wanted to do first and finally settled on the most obvious. She took a running start and leaped onto the bed.
“It’s so soft!” Amorette squealed and burrowed under the blankets against the sheets and mattress.
How Mr. Hawkmore knew what kind of mattress to buy or what kind of colors to use, Amorette may never know. At this point, she didn’t care. Everything was too good to be true. If this was a dream, she never wanted to wake from it.
“THEY ARRIVED?” EADRIC shot up from his chair. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt so nervous about... well... anything. Some part of him needed the girl to be safe, even if he couldn’t stand her little friend.
Doon sighed. “Yeah, they’re here. The girl’s in her room and the other kid is moping. You know, I don’t think I like him.”
Strange, how Doon’s sentiments echoed his own. Eadric couldn’t quite place what irked him so much about Amorette’s friend. He’d been trying to identify it since the moment he laid eyes on him.
“Keep an eye on him. Where did we put him again?”
“He’s down the hall from her.”
Oh, yes. Now Eadric remembered. It was a wise decision to let them remain close, but he still didn’t like it. There was a look in that boy’s eyes that said he thought he had a claim on her. Considering what Eadric knew, there was little to no chance of that.
“What should I feed the kids for dinner?” Doon asked with a chuckle.
Eadric rolled his eyes and settled back in his chair again. “We can order something if you’ve cleaned the refrigerator again.”
“Of course I cleaned the refrigerator. Who keeps mincemeat pies and leg of lamb in their fridge? You’re not exactly subtle.”
“There hasn’t been need to be subtle. I rarely have visitors.”
“Yeah, we’re going to talk about that one too. I cannot... no. I refuse to work for a hermit such as yourself. It’s called growth and you need it. To grow up. Wow, I’m really not making sense. This is your fault.”
“How is this my fault?” Eadric scrubbed his palm against his forehead. He never asked for this kind of stress. What had he done to deserve this situation?
“Look, I’m not saying I know how it’s your fault, I’m just saying it is.” A pause on the other end of the line. “Seriously? Who keeps a tanker of ale? Where did you even get this? Why is it labeled? Did you need to be reminded?”
“Does it matter?” Eadric
snapped back.
Doon sighed again. “And once again I’ve become the parent. I swear, Mr. Hawkmore, you’re worse than my grandfather. Don’t tell him I said that.”
“Excuse me, I have a phone call to make.” Eadric smirked, even though he knew Doon couldn’t see him. Telling on Doon to Otto would be so much more fun than taking care of the kid himself.
“Don’t you dare! Mister Hawkmore! No! Please. Please, I beg of you don’t—”
Eadric hung up before the boy had any time to argue further. He had no intentions of calling Otto just yet, but it sounded pleasant, the idea of making Doon squirm. A little payback for all the things Doon put him through on a daily basis. The small things had a way of making a large impact on one’s happiness. Besides, Eadric needed the distraction for a bit. Until he finally managed to muster up the courage to go home.
In hindsight, though the security on his land was the best money could buy, inviting Amorette and Hunter into his home hadn’t been especially well thought through. For the first time in over a century, he had acted on impulse. Eadric couldn’t even say when or why he made the decision, just that he needed to have her where he could keep an eye on her.
It wasn’t often he met someone with the mark. In fact, he’d only met three in his lifetime. All were long gone. Even Codex, as he knew them, had gone years without sign of another. Eadric often thought the marked no longer existed. It wasn’t until he met the woman with fire in her eyes and warmth in her heart that he started to believe in their existence once more.
Amorette was a rare specimen, which might explain many of the incidents going on in her life. There were too many unanswered questions when it came to her. Eadric knew he needed to go home and have a chat with her, but part of him didn’t want to get too close. Not now. Not ever. He couldn’t afford what it might cost.
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