The League of Skull & Bones

by MJ Fletcher

  I stripped off my nightshirt and turned the water on as hot as I could stand and slipped into the shower. I placed my hands on the white tiles and dropped my head forward, letting the showerhead spray soak my hair. I reached down and grabbed a purple bottle of shampoo and flipped open the top and lifted it to my face, inhaling the scent of lavender.

  I wanted to smell nice for my date tonight, which couldn’t get here fast enough for me.

  I washed out my hair a couple of times and scrubbed myself until I figured there were only skin and scars left and nothing else. I turned the shower knob, shutting off the water and pulled the curtain aside, yanked a towel off the heating rack, and wrapped it around myself.

  I walked out of the bathroom and found my phone buzzing on the nightstand and picked it up, recognizing the number. I touched the screen and answered the call. “Hello.”

  “Hey, Jess,” Edgar spoke in a hushed tone.

  “What’s up, Edgar?”

  We hadn’t had a chance to speak since I’d finished my mission and I knew Edgar always had his ear to the ground with information.

  “I wanted to give you a call and let you know that there is some movement on getting LaReina released from custody until she can be tried for crimes against the Guild. I thought you should know.”

  “Are you sure about that? I haven’t heard anything from my Gran. Who the hell is doing this?”

  “Remember Winslow? He apparently is working with Nyla and advocating on her behalf.”

  “That weasel bastard,” I said.

  “I think he has been working with her the whole time.”

  “Just perfect,” I said, “we need to inform Gran.”

  “I already sent her a message.”

  “First thing tomorrow, I’ll start looking into Winslow. Are they really going to release LaReina? Gran must be trying to stop it,” I said knowing she had to be upset over it.

  “She’s fighting it, but the charges against LaReina are pretty thin and some feel that she should be free in the meantime. Seeing how much this involved you, I wanted to make sure you heard about it right away.”

  “Thanks, Edgar. I should have killed that bitch when I had the chance,” I said.

  “Perhaps, but I think you should tread carefully. LaReina still has friends in the Guild and you know this isn’t over yet. Keep your guard up.”

  Edgar was right. I should have known LaReina wouldn’t give up so easily. I needed to be on guard and make sure nothing happened to the device in the meantime. I crossed the room, sliding the phone between my shoulder and face, and as we chatted I rifled through my drawers until I found my belt. I unsnapped the clasps and opened my pocket dimension and saw the device. I didn’t remove it and could still feel the pull of its power.

  “Have you spoken to Slade?” I asked Edgar.

  “Last night. Why?”

  “I need to get in touch with him,” I said.

  “Is it important?”

  “Very,” I said. The device was still powerful, and I didn’t want to attempt touching it or turning it off while it was still attempting to connect with the Artifact. Slade was the only one I knew and trusted enough to get near it and try to turn it off. I should have taken care of it sooner, but I had been so busy wrapping up League business that it had slipped my mind.

  I snapped the belt closed once again and placed it on my dresser. As soon as I got in touch with Slade, this was my priority.

  “I’ll contact him and tell him to get in touch with you right away,” Edgar said.

  “Good,” I nodded though Edgar couldn’t see me.

  “Anything else I should know about?” he asked.

  “Not that I can think of at the moment.”

  I didn’t want to mention the Grimm or my concerns about Merric. LaReina and Nyla had been right about one thing, this was a much different world I was dealing with, and I had to be realistic about it.

  “Let me know whatever you need,” Edgar said.

  “Thanks, I will and I appreciate it. I’ll talk to you soon.” I pulled the phone away and tapped the screen, ending the call. It was time to forget my troubles for a while and relax for a bit before I got ready for my date night, and I intended to make it one I wouldn’t soon forget.

  Chapter 61

  The knock on the door made me jump. I stood and slipped my hands over the strapless cobalt blue dress I had chosen. It was a bold choice for me, since it made some of my more prominent scars visible. I figured if I was going to move on with my life, I needed to accept who I am and not who I used to be. I glanced at myself in the mirror for one last quick inspection. My blond hair shined and fell in sexy waves along the sides of my face. My makeup was mostly a dusting, nothing heavy, though I had splurged with my lipstick—dark red. .

  I looked myself over in the mirror and nodded in approval and reached over, grabbing the heels I’d picked to match the outfit and slipped into them. I took one last fortifying breath and walked down the stairs and headed for the door.

  I paused a moment, and with a wide smile I turned the knob and opened the door.

  Ronan Sparrow smiled back at me, holding a bottle of wine in his one hand. His dark grey suit was accented by a Catalina blue shirt and dark tie. He was clean shaven and smelled divine, making me want to gobble him up right there and then.

  “Hello, gorgeous,” he said in a low, sexy British accent, which only made him more enticing.

  I wondered if he had any idea how lucky he was about to get tonight since I was aiming to give him a few surprises.

  “I’m almost ready,” I said as I turned away from him and walked back into the loft. What can I say? I had to show my butt off in this outstanding dress.

  Take your time,” he said as he entered and swung the door closed behind him. “I don’t mind the view.”

  “You getting cheeky with me, Ronan?” I asked as I grabbed the jacket I intended to wear.

  “Not as much as I would like to,” he said. “It’s raining out.”

  The rain was coming down in in a fine mist against the windows, creating a blurry image of the city, like some impressionist painting.

  “We can portal close to the restaurant,” I suggested.

  “Or we could stay in,” he counted with a wicked grin.

  “What would we do?” I asked innocently.

  He lifted the bottle of wine, holding it out to me. “We could start with a few drinks.”

  I tossed my jacket over the back of the couch and waved my hand over my dress. “And who is going to appreciate my beautiful outfit if we stay in?”

  “I certainly will.”

  “The corkscrew is in the drawer by the sink, and while you do that I’ll see what I can make us.”

  I pulled open the fridge and looked over the meager food I had and smiled when I saw the vegetables and thawed chicken. I grabbed them and tossed them onto the counter, then I opened the cabinets and began pulling out cooking supplies.

  Ronan twisted the cork screw into the bottle and pulled out the cork. He slid his fingers over the stems of two wine glasses hanging from my wine rack and turned them over on the counter, filling both with just enough red wine.

  “What is it?” I asked as he handed me the glass, and I lifted it to my nose and sniffed the strong aroma. I rolled it around in the glass and took a sip of the strong wine.

  “Châteauneuf-du-Pape a Pinot Noir, what do you think?”

  “It’s earthy with some real pop. I like it,” I said as I placed the glass on the counter next to my cutting board. “You know anything about cooking?”

  “Not a thing I’m afraid,” he said.

  “So no then.” I laughed and he smirked at me. “Take the vegetables and rinse them off in the sink.”

  I pushed the vegetables over to him, and he slid his jacket off and placed it over the back of one of the dining room chairs. He rolled up his sleeves and got to work on cleaning the vegetables.

  “I didn’t know you could cook?” he said.

 
; “You don’t know everything about me.” I sliced the chicken into cubes and pushed them to the side, then scrubbed my hands good before sorting through spices, and last I grabbed a bottle of olive oil.

  “How’d you learn?”

  “My grandmother taught me. After my parents accident I went to live with her. I was always hiding in my room and feeling sorry for myself. She wasn’t having any of that. She dragged me out and made me help her with dinner. Every day we were together in that kitchen cooking. It became one of my favorite parts of the day.”

  I smiled at the memory of my grandmother shouting out things for me to do as I rushed around trying to keep up. Never realizing, I was learning how to cook. By the time I was a teenager, I could make most of the meals myself that I had so often helped her with and sometimes I had done just that. But I still loved when we cooked together.

  I grabbed my wine glass and took another sip as I continued to prepare our dinner. This wasn’t what I had pictured for our night out, but in some way—many ways—I thought this was better.

  “Your grandmother is a strong woman.”

  “All the women in my family are,” I said.

  “So I’ve heard, and I appreciate strong women.”

  “We’ll see about that,” I said.

  “Will we now?”

  “Later, for now we pay attention to what we’re doing.” I laughed as I noticed the way he looked me over with those sexy eyes. I reluctantly waved my hand back to the vegetables, and he, just as reluctantly, returned to work.

  It took some time, but we prepared a nice meal and had it ready in less than an hour. We moved to the dinner table and drank our wine and ate, laughing and talking the entire time. Before I knew it we were finished and putting the dishes in the dishwasher.

  “It seems we finished the bottle,” he said holding up the empty bottle of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

  “I’ve got others.” I nodded toward my half full wine rack and he pulled out another bottle and set to work uncorking it. He yanked out the cork and quickly refilled our glasses.

  I kicked off my heels and walked from the dinner table and slipped down on the couch. Ronan crossed the room and stood looking out over the cityscape as the rained poured down.

  “I hear you’re returning to work for the Council,” he said.

  “Yes, Slade and I are getting paired back up for a new mission. And you?”

  “I’m still hunting down Nyla, though from all the reports I’m getting she is still on the run. What followers she had are either in hiding or keeping very quiet.”

  “We won,” I said lifting my wine glass in celebration and taking another drink.

  “It would seem,” he said.

  “You don’t seem convinced.”

  “I feel like something is missing,” he said.

  I knew what he was talking about. I felt like I had overlooked something or was missing a piece of the puzzle. “Maybe we did miss something, but for the moment it’s resolved. We can move on with our lives.”

  “True.” He moved away from the window and placed his glass on the coffee table and stopped right in front of me.

  I glanced up at him and the steamy look in his eyes had the edges of my mouth turning up ever so slightly. “What?”

  “We’re no longer partners and there’s no one hunting you.”

  “True,” I said.

  “Then there isn’t any reason we can’t really enjoy our date.” He sat down beside me, and his fingers teased at the edges of my dress, and I smiled and didn’t stop him. The touch of his hand on my leg was magical sending shivers up my spine. I pushed out a low breath and trembled as he slipped his fingers under the hem of my dress and further up along my thighs.

  A tremor ran throughout my body and for a moment I wondered what the hell I was doing. His hands found my scars and I froze, nervous about his reaction, but I didn’t pull away. He pushed my dress up as his hands continued to brush over my thighs, and then he leaned into me. His lips found mine and he quickly and skillfully devoured them in a kiss along with my senses. I slid my hands around his neck and pulled him against me. Our bodies met and warmth spread throughout me—I wanted him now.

  My fingers went to work, yanking his tie off and tossing it across the room. I tore at his shirt, ripping the buttons open and sliding my hands over his hard chest. I shifted them around to his back and dug my nails in, yanking him against me as hard as I could.

  He gripped the bottom of my dress and pulled it up, his fingers finding the edges of my panties. He hooked his thumb into them and pulled them off in one fluid motion. A moan escaped my lips and his hands found their way between my legs. He tormented and teased me, and I nearly hopped off the couch from the pleasure that shot through me, but his body kept me in place, and I moaned in anticipation of more.

  I found my way to his belt and pulled at it, unbuckling it and undoing the button on his slacks, pushing them down. He kicked off his shoes and I slid my fingers under the edge of his remaining clothes, and he shuddered as my fingertips traced along his stomach and below his waist.

  “I can tease too,” I whispered between kisses.

  “I don’t intend to tease you much longer,” he said.

  He grabbed the bottom of my dress once more only this time he pulled it up and off me in one swift motion. I stood before him wearing only my red bra, feeling exposed and vulnerable.

  The scars that covered my taunt body were on full display, and he looked down at me not with disgust, but hunger. My heart soared with relief and joy and I surrendered completely to him.

  “I want you,” I whispered.

  With strong hands he lifted me off the couch and pulled me flat against him. I wrapped my legs around him and looped my arms around his neck, then buried my face in his neck kissing and nipping at his warm skin.

  He carried me up the stairs and we collapsed on the bed together.

  He was on top of me, his weight leaning into me as his hands found my wrists, and he hauled my arms above my head and held me in place. He entered me then and I cried out in pleasure. It felt good and it felt right. And I was relieved that I had finally trusted him and myself.

  He hovered over me, looking down as he rode my body and I enjoyed every thrust and gesture. His eyes took all of me in and for once I didn’t care about a man seeing what had happened to my body or how badly scarred I’d become.

  He stopped staring at my tattoos and leaned down and kissed each softly. A spark of energy shot out as he did, and I shuddered uncontrollably.

  I couldn’t control myself and gave in to the pleasure of the moment as a climax built deep within me. It exploded outward, rocking my body as he slammed into me harder. It washed over me like a wave of water downing me in its wake.

  I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him against me as I trembled involuntarily. His body shook and his back arched as he finished in my arms. I held him against my naked body and tried to slow my ragged breathing.

  “Was that what you had in mind?” I asked.

  “Very close,” he replied with a laugh.

  He slid off me and stood arching his back, and I looked over his toned and tanned body, and smiled. “Want to do it again?” I asked playfully.

  “Yes, but a bit more wine first.” He laughed and trotted down the stairs.

  I leaned back in my bed and couldn’t stop myself from smiling. I had let someone get close again and I hadn’t freaked out when he saw my scars and either had he. I was making progress after all.

  Ronan came back up the stairs holding two full wine glasses. He had on his pants and shoes again, and I looked at them and raised an eyebrow. He handed me the glass and I pulled myself up in bed, smiling.

  “I didn’t want to stand around with everything hanging out.” He grinned.

  “You’re shy after what we just did?” I laughed.

  “Only trying to be respectful,” he said as he leaned against my dresser and took a sip of wine.

  “Perhaps I should get dressed,�
� I said suddenly feeling a bit vulnerable.

  He shook his head. “Not at all.” He placed his wine glass down on the dresser and his fingers brushed over my belt. He picked it up and showed it to me. “Is this what I think it is?”

  “Yup,” I said and placed my wine glass on the floor beside the foot of the bed.

  “Didn’t you send it to Slade yet?”

  “No, it’s been too crazy.”

  His fingers worked over the button and it popped open. I immediately felt the pull of the device on the Artifact. I’d forgotten I’d given him access to my personal dimension when we’d escaped the garage.

  “Be careful, it’s still active,” I warned.

  “Damn, I can’t believe this.” He slid his hand into the dimension and lifted the device out.

  My vision shifted as the full power of the device sought out the Artifact and hit me. I pushed myself up on my elbows and my head swam.

  “Ronan, put it away,” I said.

  He looked at me, and then looked back to the device. A grin spread across his face and his eyes narrowed. “Why would I want to do that?”

  Chapter 62

  “What?”

  I clenched the blankets, trying to grab hold of anything that could steady me. Ronan was only a few feet away from me, but the distance seemed like miles.

  The device was fully attached to the Artifact. I could feel it working its way into my very essence. Voices were screaming in my head, and I knew it was the Grimm. We were in danger and I couldn’t focus enough to do anything—I’d been betrayed.

  “You know I really thought you were going to catch on at some point. I mean LaReina was a great patsy, but I was sure that you’d figure out that it was me feeding Nyla information.” He flipped open the device and two leather straps unfurled with small buckles on either side.

  “Traitor,” I spit as I tried to push myself up, but the dizziness was too much, and I fell back on the bed.

  “Call me whatever you like, but you’re only a pawn, Jess. When Nyla and I cooked up a way to get her on the Council and me leadership of the League, I knew it was a long shot. It all, of course, rested on getting the Artifact from you. I thought I was done for when you got this device from Mr. Slade. But bless LaReina, she knew there was someone working against her in the League so she let you keep it.”