Hell's Belle

by Marie Castle

  Jacq straightened, browsing the photos silently. “How long has Mynx been following Fera?” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

  Aunt Helena was likely upstairs, sleeping soundly, but I knew that Jacq was being quiet more to set the tone for our discussion than for fear that we’d awaken my aunt. After this evening’s events, my heart wanted to treat Jacq with kid gloves. Maybe she needed to do the same for me.

  I stirred the milk and watched her in the window’s reflection. “Since Fera gave me the case. She was certain someone was following her. Nicodemus has been so careful, always one step ahead of the Council—I knew she had to be right. After our meeting, anyone following Fera would have known my face, so I asked Mynx to do the honors while we continued our end, searching for Isabella. My gut said catching Fera’s tail would lead us to Nicodemus faster than anything else considering how well he hides his tracks. It hasn’t yet but I’m hopeful. Mynx’s surveillance led her to Carlisle and his helpers, and Carlisle’s given us the location of Nicodemus’s next vessel, Brittan. Nicodemus will put someone to watch Brittan before grabbing her. We follow that person back to him.”

  Jacq smiled, but looked puzzled. “It’s a good plan, but how did Mynx breach Fera’s anti-locator spells? The sheriff is very good at what she does.”

  “A modified GPS tracker. It didn’t so much breach the spell as go around it. Mynx is also very good at what she does.” I smiled but it slipped away as I added, “Since my mom’s disappearance we all carry one.” Mine was currently attached to a suppression amulet strung around my neck. It rested near the cold spot that was my heart.

  “Mynx won’t catch Fera a second time,” Jacq challenged lightly.

  Remembering D’s declaration that the two had run off together, I murmured to the milk, “Perhaps Fera’s already good and caught.”

  “Perhaps, but not by me,” Jacq said very seriously, watching me intently. “About this…” She pointed to the photo of her and Fera kissing. “It isn’t what it looks like. We knew we were being watched and tried to be discreet in our exchange of information.”

  “I know. I figured that out when Fera ran after Mynx faster than a redneck going to a mud flap sale.” I added the sugar and cocoa to the now steaming milk, ignoring her snorted laugh. “Anyway, you don’t owe me an explanation. We’ve danced and, as my late-Grams might’ve said, ‘exchanged long looks.’ But I don’t have any hold on you.” I stirred the cocoa then turned to face her. It was imperative that Jacq understand. Every woman has her pride. I’d recently brought mine out and dusted it off, but it was too soon to see how well it would hold up under a full-blown assault. I leaned back against the counter, bracing my hands on the cool tile.

  “It matters what you think about this.” Jacq gestured at the empty air between us. “You’re right, we don’t have a hold on each other, but…” She paused. “When this is over, I hope…” She stopped again and cleared her throat. For the first time since I’d met the thrilling, often infuriating detective, there was a slight flush to her cheeks that had nothing to do with exercise and good health. I frowned. Could she be sick?

  “Do you have a fever?” I stepped to Jacq and felt her forehead. She was awfully hot. Realizing what I’d done, I dropped my hand and stepped back. The woman didn’t need mothering. Still, she had a way of neutralizing my good sense.

  “No,” Jacq growled softly, and a shiver ran down my spine.

  I stepped farther back, bumping into the stove. The smell of warm milk and sweet chocolate roused me. I turned and lowered the stove’s temp, half-smiling as Jacq let out a loud breath.

  She said, “I’m not sick…I’m nervous. You, cher, don’t have the patent on blushing…just yet,” she teased.

  From over my shoulder, I mock glared at her. The resulting smile and one obstinate dimple took any sting out of the comment. Then I realized what she’d said.

  “Nervous?” I squeaked, spinning to face her, suddenly smiling at the humor of it. I couldn’t resist teasing back. “Are you sure? I don’t usually make people nervous unless I have a knife to their throat or a Taser to their balls.” I had to stop a little thrill as I considered why I might make her nervous. Jacq’s confession was confusing. But more confusing was my reaction. It had changed drastically in the last few days. The fact that I no longer cared as much about my previous objections was sobering, and I forced myself to hold tighter to those reasons. I’d almost forgotten that there could never be anything beyond friendship between us. A warm smile and a hot body wouldn’t remove the fact that I wanted love and a future that couldn’t happen with an immortal. But I couldn’t resist one more humorous poke at the big bad blushing policewoman. “And I haven’t pulled any weapons on you since the night we met.”

  Jacq chuckled. “Cate?”

  “Hmm?” I cut the heat off and turned again to look at her. All traces of laughter were gone.

  “You’re very distracting.”

  My eyebrows rose. “I try my best.” We smiled. I grabbed two ceramic mugs.

  “You’re distracting, but I haven’t forgotten what I wanted to say.”

  The words were low. A sudden shiver of anticipation ran throughout me. I met Jacq’s eyes. Everything was forgotten but the pure longing there.

  “When this is all over, I hope you’ll have a hold on me and me on you.” She leaned toward me, trying to bridge the gap between us yet fighting to allow me the distance I needed. I found myself holding my breath, waiting for the words I saw forming on her lips. “What I’m trying to say is that I want to date you.”

  “You want to date me?” My voice was soft, my shock so great that I nearly whispered.

  My low words seemed to hang in the air. The house shifted, creaking in the silence that followed. I wasn’t sure what I’d been expecting, but that wasn’t it. The fires of hell or a row with my ex-husband might not have been able to melt my frozen soul and warm my cold heart, but five minutes with Jacq was moving me from icicles to puddles. There was nearly none of that cold shell, which had been protecting me, left. And this woman’s words had just caused another piece to break away.

  “Don’t sound so surprised.” Jacq smiled. This time the smile reached her smoky eyes, transforming the shy suitor into the confident, flirtatious immortal I’d first met. She stood, inching closer with each spoken word. “You’re beautiful…smart…and drive everyone around you nuts.” She stopped less than a foot away. At my look, she grinned and leaned toward me. “I mean that in a good way, cher. Why? Isn’t date the proper term?”

  I shook my head mutely.

  “We could go out. Dinner? I know you like to dance.” Jacq’s smile widened, crinkling her eyes.

  At each offer, another chink in my frigid armor fell. We were suddenly standing too close, her heat and scent wrapping around me. I grabbed the cocoa and cups, sidling to the sink. I poured the hot liquid, put the cups down, then rinsed away the drops that my shaking hands had spilled, putting off my response for as long as possible.

  The woman was bloody asking me out.

  I bit my bottom lip then turned to Jacq, passing a steaming mug. She stood near the stove, staring at me. Waiting. Always waiting. I looked into her eyes and nearly drowned in the rioting emotions, finally free, reflected therein. Lost, I set the mug down on the counter before I spilled it and ended the night with one more embarrassment.

  “No. Yes. I mean…” Stammering, I turned back to the sink, not able to look at her. Her thoughts were so often hidden. Now Jacq’s stark honesty, her earnest eagerness, were difficult to see. I felt like someone living in a clouded world experiencing her first sunny day. I was in need of some sunshades. Or Slone shades. I almost giggled at the absurdity, my mind retreating to a safer, more surreal place. But as much as I wanted, it couldn’t stay there. I forced myself to consider her question.

  We were from two very different worlds. How could someone like me pair with someone like her? It no longer seemed important that she was a woman when there were much larger issues. Like
the fact that when I eventually became a silver-haired woman dying in my bed, Jacq would still look as young and beautiful as she did today. The idea of her sitting beside me, holding my withered, frail hand in her young, strong one as I passed into the next life was more than I could bear.

  “How old are you, Jacqueline Slone, peacemaker, Council operative…mystery extraordinaire?” Trying for humor, I forced the words past a tight throat and looked at her. Jacq’s lips parted in surprise. It was a small opening but enough to draw my eyes for a moment. Even when my heart was breaking, I found her attractive. When she finally answered, it was my turn to be taken aback.

  Jacq watched me with worried eyes. “I was born over six hundred years ago.”

  I sucked in a breath. That was much older than I’d expected.

  Only the truth would do, but it still hurt to say out loud. Saying the words made them more real. “I’m twenty-nine. I’ll live to be about a hundred and fifty…assuming some lucky bail jumper or evil overlord wannabe like Nicodemus doesn’t take me out before then.” I turned my face toward the window. Tears threatened to bubble over. Why was I crying? We’d met only days ago. Yet, all the pain from the day that had been hidden in my icy fortress—the sorrow of hurting Luke, the desolation of learning so much had been hidden from me by the women I’d trusted most—all of it threatened to pour out. “I can’t offer you anything but a date.” My voice barely hinted at the moisture building in my eyes.

  Jacq moved until she stood beside me. Laying her hand over mine, she leaned forward until she could see my face. I didn’t recognize the emotion brimming in her eyes. Her voice was soft but strong, “There’s no guarantee I’ll live forever or that you won’t live longer. That doesn’t matter right now. I’ve been alone for centuries.”

  I looked at her. Jacq smiled, but it didn’t remove the sadness in her eyes. I felt our connection again. It had grown, and with that growth part of her sadness had become my own. I was willing to bear more, if she was willing to share. It wasn’t good to be alone for so long. Three years had been hard on me. How hard must it be to endure more than three hundred? Her next words echoed my thoughts.

  “Forever’s not everything the romantics make it to be. Besides…” Jacq grabbed my hand, pulling it to her lips for a chaste kiss. The warm tingle as her magic brushed the skin above my knuckles was becoming a wonderfully pleasant craving. “I’m asking for only one night.” She paused, clasping my hand between hers. “We’ll decide what comes after.”

  With her words, the last piece of ice defending my heart shattered. It started with one tear. Then another. Soon, I began to cry in earnest. The crying gradually became large, racking, breath-stealing sobs. Porcelain clinked as Jacq moved our cocoa away from the counter’s edge. Then her warm arms encircled me, muffling my cries against her shoulder, ruining her beautiful cream top. That thought made me cry harder.

  “Shh, Cate.” Jacq made soft cooing noises. “If the thought of dating me upsets you so, I won’t ask again.”

  “No!” My muffled protest was ardent.

  Jacq lifted my chin, brushing aside the tears that continued to fall. “Then why?” Her words were soft but thick as she ran a soothing hand up and down my back. Her own eyes were now glistening.

  Please don’t let me make her cry. I would come completely unglued if that happened. “Can we just say that I’ve had a shitty day and leave it at that?” The pain was washing away with the tears, and I didn’t want to bring it back by sharing all the sordid details. I tried for a smile, which I almost felt. It must have worked because Jacq laughed softly.

  “Yes, we can leave it at that…for now. But I hope one day, you’ll tell me.”

  I nodded, releasing a massive yawn. I wasn’t going to make it through that talk about me, Luke, and our marriage tonight. Tears still flowed down my cheeks. I swiped them away but they kept coming. I was too blasted tired to turn the spigots off. Too tired to even feel embarrassed. The river of tears would either have to run its course or run dry, whichever came first.

  “Come on. You’re exhausted.” Jacq put her arms around my waist and began to guide me out of the kitchen. “Let me help you upstairs.”

  I should have protested, but I was feeling wobbly. “What about your cocoa?” My mind was becoming muddled, but this seemed vaguely important.

  “We’ll have cocoa another night.” She half-carried me up the stairs.

  My legs felt leaden. I was crashing in the worst way. “Oookay. We’ll have it when I bake your cake.” We were nearly to my room, but I didn’t care anymore. It was nice and warm against her side.

  “You’re going to bake me a cake?” Jacq’s voice was surprised and excited.

  Food must really do it for her. I almost groaned at the thought of what I could do with her and a bowl of chocolate icing. Too bad I was so tired. “Yes, a big chocolate one,” my words were slightly garbled, “to say thank you for keeping the cat out of my bed.”

  She pulled back my white comforter then eased me out of my leather pants and boots and onto the mattress. As she turned away, I had one coherent thought. I didn’t want to be alone tonight. “Jacq?”

  “Yes, cher?” Voice hushed, she stood at the threshold. I looked at her with slitted eyes. In the dark, she was only a vague silhouette. A silhouette that glowed faintly.

  “Stay.” I scooted over, patting the empty spot. “Stay with me.” There was power in a word, and like earlier this evening, I would change the course of my life with only one: “Please.” My drawl, which thickened when I was tired or excited, stretched the word into a near moan.

  “Always, all you ever have to do is ask,” Jacq whispered as she moved back into the room.

  I blinked twice, trying to comprehend what she’d meant, but it was too much for my tired mind to grasp. As she came to me, she loosened the cream top, then her pants, laying both over the suede love seat. I could just make out a pair of rose-colored tight-cut boy shorts and matching sleeveless shell. I turned on my side, and Jacq slipped in behind me. Her arm wrapped snuggly around my stomach. We fit together perfectly. I began to drift in the warm cocoon of tingles created as her body touched mine nearly from top to bottom.

  “Jacq?” I barely breathed her name, feeling more than hearing her hummed reply. My voice drifted in and out. “You said one night?” I could manage that. It wasn’t like a person could lose their heart in that span of time anyway.

  Her lips brushed my neck before answering, “Yes, cher, one night. One date.” Her breath fluttered my hair as she rested her head behind mine. “One chance.”

  I smiled, feeling a fraction lighter. The last tear I’d cry tonight trickled down my cheek. Just as I fell asleep, I gave her my answer. “Okay, it’s a date.” I drifted into dreams with the sound of her still whispering something that sounded suspiciously like French in my ear.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “If at first you don’t succeed, shoot the man that got in your way. Then try, try again.”

  —Iris (Risa) Legion

  Day Eight

  I arched, muscles straining, stretching. My arms spread through the sheets, but they were cool and empty. Had it been another dream? No. I turned my head and breathed deep. The scent of sage and sandalwood lingered, trapped in the pillow’s cotton, along with a head-shaped indention, confirming my memories. I rolled over, stretching again. The sun was bright even behind the closed golden drapes. It was time to get up. The last part of the evening was hazy, but I clearly remembered agreeing to go on a date with Jacq.

  I pushed my face into the pillow, muffling my groan. Why had I agreed to that? A date would only be trouble. I’d already hurt Luke. I didn’t need anyone else’s feelings on my conscience. Not that I was so wonderful that after one date she’d fall madly in love with me. No, when all was said and done, she’d walk away, and life here would continue on like it always had. I rolled off the bed and my feet hit the old hardwood’s chill, my thoughts far colder.

  I took a quick shower, braided my hair,
and returned a missed call from Mynx. Then I dressed for war. Mynx and Fera were headed to locate and observe Brittan, Nicodemus’s next target. Jacq and I would join them later. We didn’t expect Nicodemus to try and grab Brittan for another few days, but I wanted all bases covered. There would be someone watching the girl twenty-four-seven. In no shape or form was Brittan to be involved. But I did wish for a way to lure Nicodemus out. A fight on his turf was not appealing. I’d been on the receiving end of too many traps lately. There had to be a way to turn the tables.

  There were a slew of hours between now and the meet with Mynx, so it wasn’t necessary to run around my house with whip, sword and stun guns. But I had that feeling again. Trouble was on the way, and I wanted to be prepared.

  I stepped out of my bedroom and immediately collided with a wet, towel-clad Jacq. The woman was built like a brick house. I hit her solid frame and bounced backward. At my startled “Uff,” she grabbed me with one arm. Fortunately, the other kept her towel firmly closed. When I’d been thinking about turning tables, I hadn’t meant seeing Jacq in a bath cloth-draped position similar to the one she’d caught me in two days ago. Don’t get me wrong—I wasn’t complaining. Her nearly black wet hair was slicked back from her face. I took one deep breath of her delicious smell, felt her damp heat seeping into my light green cargo pants and matching T-shirt, then stepped back.

  “I—” I said.

  “Sorry—” Jacq said.

  We laughed. “You first.” I pointed at Jacq who, for once, looked completely open. The shields that hid her from the world were missing. Maybe she took them off when she removed her clothes. Like a good little scientist my mind wanted to experiment with that hypothesis. I immediately shut my Dr. Frankendelacy mode down.