by KJ Baker
Cold hard logic said that this mission was the priority. If the Sun Court got hold of the Orb of Tir, they would win the war. I had to stop them, whatever the cost. But cold hard logic played little part in the roiling emotions that went through me at the thought of my people alone and defenseless.
Not alone, I reminded myself. Hawk and Ffion will take care of them.
I forced myself to breathe out and unclench my fists.
Pushing away from the door, I padded along the walkway and then took the steps down to the parking lot two at a time. The motel room might be clear of enemies but that didn’t mean I was going to take any chances. I paced the perimeter of the motel grounds, the parking lot, and then around the far side where the back of the motel gave out onto woodland. I slipped between the trees, as fleet as a shadow, senses thrown wide for the slightest hint of danger.
I found none. There was no sign of the Galadri.
Satisfied, I hunkered down behind the wide trunk of an ash tree, seated myself on the cool, damp earth and placed my hand flat against the ground. Closing my eyes, I sent my awareness spiraling downward, through the twisting network of life that suffused the forest floor, a network of which mortals were ignorant.
I became aware of the consciousness of the tree towering above me, glowing green to my etheric sight, I began to discern the life-forces of the myriad other creatures that dwelled within the forest as tiny pin-pricks of light.
But they were not what I was searching for.
I sent my awareness deeper, deeper into the earth. Here the shimmering veins grew larger, merging into a vast pool of light like a mirror, and into this mirror, I spoke.
Hawk, can you hear me?
Through the tiny tendrils that connect the mortal realm to the Summerlands, I sensed him become aware of me.
Arion? Where are you?
I winced. I hated it when he used my real name, even when it was just the two of us.
Still in the mortal realm. Has a portal been opened recently? Any indication that the Galadri have returned?
No. Nothing and Ffion has been monitoring the Veil closely. Anything comes through, she’ll know about it.
I breathed a sigh of relief. Good. I still had a chance to stop them.
But, Arion? Hawk’s voice, normally so full of humor, sounded worried. You need to get back here as soon as you can. There’s talk of the Moon Court falling to the Unseelie. We need you here.
My stomach clenched. Fates take it, the Unseelie had taken advantage of my absence. If the Moon Court fell, they would have a clear path to the Court of Shadow.
My next words came hard. I can’t return, I told Hawk. Not yet. The Galadri have the Orb of Tir but I have their portal cube so they can’t return to the Summerlands. I’m tracking them now and plan to take the orb back. You have to hold out until then.
We’ll hold, he said, determination throbbing in the link between us. We’ll hold for as long as you need us to.
Then Fates be with you, my brother.
With that, I ended the connection. I leaned back against the tree trunk, breathing deeply. The pull of the Summerlands was strong. It hummed in my blood, calling me home.
Not yet, I told myself. Not yet. But soon.
Climbing to my feet, I completed my circuit of the motel and returned to the room I shared with Asha but I didn’t go inside. I hesitated with my hand on the door handle then took my hand away. I could hear nothing from within. Was she asleep?
An image flashed into my head: long silky hair spilling across a pillow, her creamy skin pressed against mine, a moan escaping her throat as she writhed beneath me, her legs wrapped around my hips...
Heat shot straight to my groin and it took all of my self-control not to walk into that room and claim her. Instead, I backed away from the door, left her be, and seated myself on the balcony, back against the wall. From here, I had a perfect view of anyone approaching across the parking lot. Nobody could get to Asha without coming through me first.
I settled into that trance-like state of awareness that I always did when hunting. Outer distractions fell away. Peripheral sounds disappeared. All of my focus was on one thing: any threat coming at Asha Grant.
I don’t know how long had passed—hours probably by the position of the sun—but I was so focused on everything ahead of me that I didn’t register the sound when the door suddenly opened behind me.
An unexpected touch settled on my shoulder. Startled, I reacted instinctively. I whirled, grabbing what I thought was my assailant, and throwing them over the balcony railing. In that moment, in that infinitesimal instant between heartbeats, I registered a pair of bright green eyes, wide with fear, and I realized it wasn’t an assailant at all.
It was Asha.
Her arms pin-wheeled as she desperately tried to grab hold of something.
Then she fell.
All of this registered in a millisecond. Horror swept through me. A cold, hard fear made my thoughts go blank.
I jumped after her. Less than a second into the fall I teleported, reappearing just below her as she came hurtling towards the ground. Throwing out my arms, I caught her before she could slam into the hard tarmac of the parking lot. The force of the impact sent us both sprawling and I wrapped my arms around her, shielding her with my body.
For a second or two I just lay there, stunned by what I had almost done, hearing nothing but the roar of blood in my ears and the pounding of my heart. Only when my ragged breathing had started to slow, did I release my tight grip on her. I found her staring up at me, eyes wide with panic.
I swallowed thickly. “I’m sorry,” I croaked, my voice rasping in my throat. “Are you all right?”
ASHA
“Are you all right?”
The question seemed ludicrous. I’d never experienced such fear as what I had a moment ago. As Raven had spun towards me, the expression on his face had been terrifying. Utterly empty of emotion. The face of a killer.
Then he’d thrown me and I’d fallen, and in that instant, I’d known I was going to die. But I didn’t slam into the tarmac as expected. Bones didn’t shatter. Blackness didn’t consume me.
I fell into Raven’s arms instead.
It all happened so quickly that I barely had time to register any of it. And now he was staring down at me with those purple eyes and asking if I was okay.
His arms around me were as strong as steel and he held me so tightly that I was pressed against his hard, sculpted chest. His dark hair fell forward to tickle my face.
I didn’t answer his question. I just stared up at him, knowing suddenly how a fly felt when caught in a spider’s web. I didn’t move. I couldn’t move. Raven’s gaze held me trapped. Then, without thinking, I reached up and placed my hand against the side of his face.
As my skin touched his, something exploded inside me. Electricity shot right through my body, sending my pulse racing and my heart hammering. Raven’s eyes widened and he gasped, pulling away from my touch.
But it was too late.
As the sensation of electricity faded I became painfully aware of him. I heard the tiny hiss of his breath as it left his body, I saw the way the breeze stirred his hair, I smelt his scent, clean and powerful like sandalwood.
And a longing, a need, swelled in my chest. A need only this man could satisfy.
I blinked. What the hell was happening?
With an effort of will, I pushed away from him, scooting back a few inches, putting a gap between us.
I scrubbed a hand through my hair then rubbed my arms although I wasn’t cold. Even with the gap between us, I was still agonizingly aware of him. If I closed my eyes, I felt sure I could pinpoint exactly where he was, even from miles away.
He watched me steadily, saying nothing, but something flickered in his eyes that made heat uncoil in my belly. I ignored it. I was flustered, confused, and a little frightened so I resorted to what I usually did in these situations: attack.
“What the hell was that?” I snapped.
<
br /> He held his hands out, placating. “I’m sorry. You startled me.”
“So you threw me off the balcony? Holy shit, Raven! Should I give you a warning every time I come within ten paces? What will you do the next time I startle you?”
“There won’t be a next time,” he replied. “Not now. Not now we...” He trailed off and that heat came into his eyes again.
My cheeks flushed and I looked away. Now that we what? Was he referring to the strange connection that had flared to life between us? Was he aware of me like I was of him?
It made no sense.
I clambered to my feet and took an unsteady step back. I was surprised to find I wasn’t injured. Raven had shielded me from the fall with his body and rather than feeling any pain, all I felt was a strange kind of energy.
Raven rose smoothly. He too appeared uninjured. He didn’t approach me, and for that I was grateful. I didn’t know how I would react if he came near me now. Slap him? Or melt into his arms?
“Asha, this is important,” he said, looking me over critically. “Are you sure you’re not hurt?”
“I’m fine.”
Actually, I was more than fine. I felt as refreshed as though I’d had the best night’s sleep ever. And, was I imagining it, or did the sky seem a little bluer than before? Did the leaves seem a more vivid green?
Raven nodded, letting out a slow breath. “Good. That’s good.” A faint smile crooked his lips. “I don’t often say I’m sorry. Will you accept my apology?”
The air between us felt heavy, laced with something I could not explain. I took another step back, trying to put more distance between us.
“Apology accepted,” I muttered.
I turned away from him and bolted up the steps to the room two at a time. Once inside, I rushed into the bathroom and locked the door. I leaned on the sink and stared at myself in the mirror, my breathing rapid and uneven. Oh heck. What was going on?
After a minute or two, I heard the outer door open as Raven entered the room. Although I couldn’t see him, I could feel him as he pulled up a chair by the window and stared out. I could sense his presence as surely as rain before a thunderstorm.
I stared at my reflection. What the hell was happening to me? I looked the same: still plain old Asha Grant. Same auburn hair, same face with its too-small nose and ridiculous freckles. I looked the same, but I didn’t feel the same. I felt...I had no words to describe it. All I knew was that it somehow centered on the man outside.
I splashed water on my face and breathed deeply for several minutes until I had some semblance of control over myself. Only then did I open the bathroom door and walk into the room. I deliberately didn’t look at Raven as I crossed to the bed, climbed in, and rolled onto my side, facing away from him. It was early evening—too early for sleep really considering I’d already napped for most of the afternoon– but rather that than have to face Raven.
My heart thumped against my ribs as I sensed him watching me. My thoughts spun in a confusing tangle, hoping he would stay away, hoping he would come closer, hoping he would take me in his arms, hoping he would leave me be.
“Asha,” he said softly, his voice a deep rumble. “We need to talk.”
I didn’t reply. I squeezed my eyes shut instead.
Don’t come over here, my thoughts went. Please come over. Stay away from me. Put your arms around me again.
He said nothing and I imagined the pensive expression on his face as he decided what to do. Then the chair creaked as he turned away, resuming his vigil at the window.
I didn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed. Perhaps a confusing tangle of both. I kept my eyes closed, praying for sleep to take me, but with Raven so close, his presence making my every nerve tingle, I knew it was going to be a long, long night.
Chapter 7
RAVEN
I watched Asha sleep.
She looked peaceful, with no creases of worry marring her forehead. She’d shifted onto her back, one arm thrown across the bed, her hair spilling out across the pillow in auburn waves. Her breasts rose and fell with her breathing, pushing seductively against the sheet that covered her.
Desire coursed through me, causing a painful swelling in my groin, and I had to fight the urge to go over there and brush away a stray strand of hair that had fallen across her face.
That would be a very, very bad idea.
If I touched her right now, I didn’t know if I would be able to control myself. And the worst thing? I knew Asha wanted me as badly as I wanted her—that had been plain from her scent as she’d gotten into bed and the way she’d refused to look at me.
But she didn’t understand what was happening to her, not in the way I did. And I couldn’t explain. If I told her the truth, it would destroy the life she’d built for herself. I could not allow that. She’d never asked to get mixed up in my troubles. She had already lost so much because of my kind. I could not take more, no matter how much I wanted to. So I stayed exactly where I was and let her sleep.
I kept vigil all night, staring out of the window and leaving the room at intervals to scout the area. I found nothing untoward. Perhaps the Galadri hadn’t detected my use of magic when I’d teleported to catch Asha. Perhaps they weren’t in town at all. Perhaps...
So many questions.
Dawn had begun to light the horizon when I rose from my seat by the window and padded to the door. I opened it silently and then paused on the threshold, looking back at Asha.
Sunlight fell across her face, making the golden strands in her otherwise red hair sparkle. Fates, she was beautiful. More beautiful than anything I’d ever seen.
Slipping out, I pulled the door silently shut behind me.
ASHA
I was awoken by a smell. It took a moment for it to register through my muzzy thoughts. Was that...bacon? And sausages?
I blinked my eyes open and lay for a moment staring at the ceiling. I’d slept soundly and now I felt refreshed and...hungry.
Raising my head, I saw Raven standing by the window, taking items out of a brown paper takeaway bag and arranging them onto plastic plates.
“Morning,” he said without turning. “I hope you’re hungry. I think I bought a little too much.”
How did he do that? I’d said not a word, made not a sound, and he still knew I was watching him.
I sat up, rubbing at my eyes. “I’m starving. Is that a bacon and egg muffin?”
He glanced over his shoulder and smiled. “And sausage, beans, croissants and coffee. Come get it while it’s hot.”
He held out a plate and I scooted forward to take it, nodding my thanks. I sat cross-legged on the end of the bed, plate in my lap, and tucked in. I was ravenous.
Raven, I noticed, didn’t take any food. He seated himself on a chair in the corner—as far away from me as possible—and sipped coffee from a takeaway cup.
“Not hungry?”
He shook his head. There were dark circles under his eyes. Had he slept at all? Did Fae even need sleep in the same way humans did? There was so much I didn’t know about him.
I raised my coffee in salute. “Breakfast in bed, eh? I could get used to this.”
He only gave a small smile in response. I focused on eating my breakfast and finishing my coffee, finally scrunching up the wrapper and throwing it in the bin. When I’d finished, Raven leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. I could still feel him, his presence sending tingles along my skin.
“Asha,” he said in his deep rumble. “We need to discuss what happened last night.”
I looked up and our gazes locked. I surged to my feet. “You know what? I need a shower.”
I hurried into the bathroom. I most definitely did not want to talk about what happened last night. Going there was dangerous. If I explored my growing attraction to him—an attraction that scared the hell out of me—there was no knowing where it would lead. Or, more accurately, I did know where it would lead and that was the dangerous part.
So I ran
a shower and stepped beneath it, allowing the hot water to wash away my worries, if only for a little while. I took my time getting ready. I washed my hair and scrubbed myself thoroughly. I brushed my teeth, dried my hair, did my best to look presentable even though in my mad dash from the shop I’d not brought any make-up with me and I would kill for some hair straighteners right now.
When I stepped back into the room Raven was seated by the window with his back to me. A rhythmic sound filled the room, a steady scrape, scrape, scrape.
Stepping closer, I saw several wicked looking knives laid out on the table in front of him. He was busy sharpening each of them with some sort of whetstone.
A shiver passed through me. This was for real. There was every chance Raven might need to use those knives today. I licked my lips.
“The museum opens at ten,” I said. “That gives us a little while to figure out what we’re going to do.”
He picked up one of the knives and tossed it so that it spun in the air, then caught it by the handle. He nodded his satisfaction, tucked it into his belt, and began sharpening the next one.
“We go in when it opens,” he replied.
“Just like that? We just walk in with everyone else? Wouldn’t it be better to...you know...break in whilst there’s nobody there?”
Breaking and entering was definitely not something I indulged in, but with Raven’s skills we could probably be in and out before anyone even noticed.
He set the knife down and turned to me. “The museum isn’t like your shop. Your security was weak. The museum’s will not be. If we broke in, we’d have to face security guards, alarms and fail-safes, and Fates knows what else. This way we can grab what we need and go. If we’re lucky, they won’t have any idea who’s taken it. The last thing we need is the police on our tail.”
I swallowed. The police? Oh god. The reality of my situation sank in. I was about to walk into a museum and steal an ancient artifact from right under their noses. I was going to become a criminal. My grandmother would be appalled. Jeez, I was appalled! But what choice did I have? There was no other way to stop the Galadri from wreaking havoc on my world.