I poked him in the ribs and watched as he jumped.
He caught my wrist before I could poke him again. I settled for making a face at him. “Will isn’t cruel. He’s just… Well, he’s Will.”
He’d been a lover, once. One of only a handful. For the past century, the only man who’d shared my bed was Ren, and that was because Ren expected nothing of me. Nothing but the pleasure we could find in lovemaking. He never asked of my past, never asked for any promises.
Safe.
That was Ren.
He was safe.
Curling back against him, I rested my head on his shoulder and murmured, “I’m tired, Ren.”
“Then rest, Princess. Just rest.”
It was nearing noon when Ren finally crawled out of bed.
It had taken Elle hours to fall asleep and he’d waited until she slumbered deep before he’d allowed himself any rest.
He was still groggy, still tired, but he wouldn’t sleep anymore. Not today. Next to him, Elle was lost in a dreamless sleep. As he pressed his lips to her brow, he closed his eyes and breathed in the soft, warm scent of her. She sighed, her mouth puckering in a faint frown. When he went to pull away, all she did was curl into a ball in the center of the bed.
Without him.
He sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed at his chest, trying not to let it bother him, how easily she turned away from him. He couldn’t hold her tight—that would only send her running from him. All he ever could do was be there when she came to him. He kept waiting for her to come and want more—more, as he wanted more.
After nearly a century, he was still waiting.
But he’d wait another five centuries if he must. Ten. Until the end of time.
You can wait until you rot and it won’t matter.
He ignored the sarcastic voice in the back of his mind. He didn’t need the reminders—he already knew he was wasting his time. He just wasn’t ready to admit it. Not now. Not in five centuries. Not in ten.
The medallion around his neck weighed heavy. The heat of it had pulled him from his own dreams and, as he sat there, it became hotter and hotter. It would continue to do that until it scorched his flesh, and although it was already miserably uncomfortable, he wasn’t jumping to answer that arse-licker’s call, not until he had some coffee in him.
Coffee—ambrosia as far as he was concerned.
He didn’t manage to get that cup before he was interrupted.
From behind, he saw the flash of light but he didn’t turn. He didn’t like the bastard, not one bit.
I came awake to feel the air around me buzzing.
That hum of energy was familiar, one I’ve felt dozens, hundreds, perhaps even a thousand times over the years.
Will.
I rolled my eyes as I climbed out of bed. After stretching, I grabbed the sheet from the bed. As I headed for the bedroom door, I wrapped it around my body, holding the edges in a knot between my breasts.
Will and Ren had never gotten along, but then again, few people rarely got along with Will. He seemed to prefer it that way.
I could hear them talking, Ren’s voice, low and angry, followed by a flat, unemotional one.
“It’s too early for this,” I muttered, not bothering to glance at the clock. I didn’t care if it was one in the morning or one in the afternoon. If I have just climbed out of bed, it’s too early. I needed time to wake up and I needed time to clear the cobwebs from my mind.
A must, especially if I was going to have to play referee between the two men.
The room went silent, but it was followed by a rise in the energy. It crackled in the air, snapped. I could feel the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.
Will was leaving—the energy always mounted just before he disappeared in his pretty little circle of light.
I reached the doorway just in time to see Ren turn to me. He gave me a crooked smile and took one step in my direction. If he hadn’t had his back turned to the circle of light, he would have seen Will’s hand move, grabbing him by the neck, the same way one might grab a small puppy.
Ren’s eyes widened and he swore, but before he could pull away, Will jerked and he disappeared in the circle of light. It blinked out of existence.
Leaving me alone.
I gaped at the spot where Ren had been only seconds ago.
“Damn it, Will, what are you doing?”
There was no answer and I narrowed my eyes. I damn well knew he could hear me. I reached up and closed my hand around the medallion at my neck. He could hear me—he might not be here physically, but I could feel him, which meant part of him still lingered.
Damn it, he’d answer me.
I focused my thoughts and projected towards Will. “Damn it, what are you doing?”
Ren has another engagement, Elle.
“Like hell,” I snapped. “I need backup here—I can’t handle this mess all alone.”
You aren’t alone. You have backup.
I stiffened as Michael’s image flashed through my mind. Not quite the backup I’d wanted.
He’s as capable as Ren. More.
My shoulders slumped and I closed my eyes. Yes. I had no doubts of that—I’m sure Michael is very capable. That’s how he is.
But that didn’t mean I wanted him at my back.
Why do you worry about having him at your back? Do you truly think he’d harm you?
“I… No. No, I know he wouldn’t hurt me.”
Would he betray you? Risk you?
I scowled and shoved a hand through my tangled hair. “No, damn it. It’s not working with him that’s the problem. It’s being near him. I…I can’t do this, Will.”
You can.
I wrapped my arms around myself, one fist still tangled in the sheet I had wrapped around my body. Huddling in on myself, I shook my head and said, “I can’t. Just being around him hurts.”
You’ve hurt every day, ever since you left him, Elle. That will not change, not until you deal with it. Work with him—deal with him—and get on with your life.
His presence faded and now I was truly alone.
Alone with nothing but my own thoughts, dark, heavy and cold.
“What in the bloody hell do you think you’re doing?” Ren snarled the moment he could.
It wasn’t until after the words left his mouth that he realized where he was—where they were.
Hovering in the air. Hundreds, maybe even thousands of feet.
It was painfully cold, the wind slapping at him, slicing into his naked body like a thousand tiny blades.
Will stood just a few feet away—stood—like there was solid ground beneath his feet instead of hundreds and hundreds of feet of nothingness.
Warily, Ren moved his foot. Yes—it felt rather solid under him, but he wasn’t fooled.
“Where are we?”
Will glanced down, and when he looked back up there was a hint of a smile in his eyes. “That’s Lake Erie down there.”
Lake Erie.
Half-paralyzed with fear, Ren looked down and then jerked his eyes back up, focusing on Will’s ageless face. He’d rather look at the bastard in front of him than at the water so far, far below.
“Why in the hell are we floating in mid-air above Lake Erie? You bastard, do you want somebody to see us?”
Will’s mouth quirked—it was almost a full-out laugh for him. “You know as well as I that if I do not wish to be seen, we will not be seen.” He glanced down and then back at Ren. “Up here, I’m quite certain I have your undivided attention.”
Well, that was certainly true.
“What do you want?”
Will shrugged. “What I want rarely plays into things. I do what I must…as do you, Thom.”
“Don’t call me that,” Ren bit off. “If you’re in the mood for games, you’ll have to find somebody else to play with. Elle needs me.”
Now a real smile curled Will’s mouth, but it was a bitter, unhappy one. “Elle doesn’t need you.”
“
She wouldn’t agree.” He gave Will a sly smile. “She came to me, asked me to come. She does need me.”
Will just stared at him, his gaze emotionless. The wind whipped his snow-white hair around his smooth, unlined face, blew it into dark, dark eyes. Will didn’t even seem to notice.
“Right then, if you’ll just send me back, I’ll get back to work.”
“No.”
Something about the way Will was watching him put his back up, but Ren would be damned if he let the bastard see how unnerved he was. Of course, he had a right to be unnerved—to say the least. He didn’t have a stitch of clothes on his bare ass, he was hovering in mid-air and the freakiest man in the world was getting ready to jerk him into one of his mind games. He could tell.
But Ren wasn’t in the mood to play.
At least, not on Will’s terms.
Meeting Will’s gaze, he gave him a wide grin and threw out his arms. “Come on, mate. I’m a bit cold, you know. Why don’t you and me go back to the cabin, at least long enough to get dressed. Besides, we can’t just…ah…float around in the clouds all day.”
“Don’t bother playing good-natured, daft old Thomas. The act doesn’t work on me, boy.” An unholy light danced in Will’s eyes and he murmured, “Perhaps you’ve forgotten, but I was there back when it wasn’t exactly an act.”
Ren crossed his arms over his chest. “Oh, no. I haven’t forgotten. But bloody hell, if you need a word with me, you can do it somewhere other than here.”
“Here is as good as anywhere.” Will shrugged. “But so be it. I’ll send you off to your next assignment.”
Ren narrowed his eyes. “I’m not doing another assignment…not while Elle needs me.”
“She doesn’t though. And you know it.” Will looked away. “She doesn’t need you. She doesn’t need me. There’s only one man she does need and it’s high time she admitted it.”
CHAPTER FOUR
“I’m in hell.” Michael turned away from the window, forcing himself not to stare at Elle as she sauntered towards his condo.
She was alone…again.
Alone. And in a matter of seconds, she would be alone in the condo with him.
He didn’t know whether to be glad of that fact or terrified.
“Don’t be either. Just think about the job,” he muttered.
It had been a bad, bad idea agreeing to let her come here to pick him up before they headed to the club this time.
Being alone with her was a bad, bad idea, period.
As much as he hated Ren, it was easier to do the job when he was there providing a buffer.
The first night at the club, when it had been the three of them, had been the easiest, even if he had spent much of it torn between rage and other messy emotions he couldn’t quite define.
Having Ren around had made it possible for Michael to keep some measure of control. Now he had only his own strength to rely on because he couldn’t count on Ren’s presence. The other Grimm likely wouldn’t be back—Elle had said he’d been called away to another job, so they were on their own.
At least for the time being.
For now, he’d have to rely on his own strength, his own control to get through this. And that was a fucking laugh, because he had no control with Elle. None. No control, no strength, no tact, no sense. Nothing but need.
And in a few minutes, he’d be alone in this little condo with nothing but her…and his desperate, dark needs.
“Don’t think about that. Think about the club. Think about the succubi and the incubi. You’ve got your hands full with them. There is no time to dwell on personal matters.” Michael pinched the bridge of his nose and muttered, “Not that there is any sort of personal matter between us.”
No. He’d ruined that.
All he had was this job…and the hope that he could protect her.
They’d decided it would look better if they arrived together instead of just meeting there. Elle wanted to drive and Michael imagined it was probably so she could take off running whenever she chose.
It had seemed a logical idea at the time, but now the logic wasn’t quite so clear. Especially since she was now on the porch. They were still separated by brick and mortar, but he could feel how close she was.
In a moment, she’d been in here, and they would be alone.
Alone with Elle. It was enough to make logic, control and sanity fly out the window.
The condo, perched on the edge of Lake Erie, was reclusive, remote and relatively private. It would take forty-five minutes to get to the club.
As she knocked, Michael stomped over to the bar and poured himself a snifter of brandy. He waited until he took the first sip before responding.
“Come in.” He remained where he was, staring into the cut crystal, swirling the amber liquid around. Better, he thought, better to study the pricey liquor than to look at her.
“Well, aren’t you in a happy mood today?” Elle drawled, her voice low and mocking.
Michael flicked a glance her way and took another drink. Not a sip though. He knocked it back, slammed the snifter on the counter and poured himself another drink. He belted that one just as quickly and grimaced as it burned its way down his throat. He was tempted to go for a third drink, but instead set the snifter on the bar and folded his arms over his chest.
Elle sauntered up to stand beside him, and from the corner of his eye, he could see the smirk on her face. She lifted his glass, sniffed it and then, with a shrug, helped herself to a drink of her own. Michael had to turn away when she closed her eyes as she sipped. It was either that or risk pouncing on her like a slobbering fool. She’d be dealing with enough of that later on.
“You don’t know how to treat good liquor,” Elle said from behind him. She gave a happy sigh and took another sip.
Michael glanced over his shoulder at her. Looking at her proved to be a mistake. Because one quick glance was not enough. Like a puppet on a string, he found himself turning around before he even realized he was doing it.
His voice edgy, he bit off, “If I was in the mind to savor, I’d savor. Right now, I’m more of a mind to get good and drunk.”
“Can you get drunk?”
“If I put my mind to it, yes, I imagine I can.”
“Hmm. Why don’t you put your mind to getting this job done instead?” Elle cocked a golden brow at him, still holding the snifter to her lips. They were slicked wine-red again—wine-red that matched the short silk sheath she wore. It covered her ass, barely. She wore no bra, and through that silk, he could see the outline of her nipples.
Oh, I’m definitely in hell.
“Where did the leather and lace go?” he asked.
“Leather’s hot,” Elle replied. She glanced down at her dress and then up at him. She smiled as she took another sip of her brandy. “What, don’t I look slutty enough?”
Michael clenched his jaw. “You don’t look like a slut.”
“Oh, I most certainly look like a slut. But that just means I’ll blend in.” She smirked as she studied his clothes. He was all in black again, a black silk shirt and tailored black trousers.
Under her breath, Elle said, “Tsk. Tsk. Here I am looking nice and slutty, and you look like royalty, Prince Charming.” Her voice was mocking.
Michael narrowed his eyes at her. “You know, Elle, I really don’t care for that name.”
With an unrepentant grin, she said, “I figured as much.”
Then her face sobered, and she gestured to his clothing. “Seriously, Michael. You don’t blend. We’re going to a sex club, for crying out loud. We’re not going to the opera.”
“There is no opera here,” he replied. He glanced down at his clothes and then at hers. “I’ll leave you to play dress up, darling. I will go as I am and play the indulgent lover.”
She’d been getting ready to take another sip, but she paused, the crystal pressed against her lips. “Indulgent lover?” she echoed.
“It works as well as anything else,” he said. He shr
ugged, gathering his hair in his hand, securing it in a tail at his nape. “You’re the lovely woman with a wicked streak and I’m just a besotted fool who’ll do anything to keep you happy.”
Something flashed in her blue eyes. Carefully, she set the snifter aside and smoothed a hand down her silk-covered side. “Well, this will be interesting. We both get to do some role-playing. I get to pretend to be a slut, and you get to pretend to be besotted.”
It was a role Michael could play easily enough. After all, he had only been living that way for three hundred years. Silently, he laughed at himself. “Just call me a method actor.”
He was in a weird mood tonight, that was for sure. I let him drive.
We had both rented little luxury condos on the lake, although I do admit, Michael had more of the luxury than mine. Cut crystal. Hand-carved doors. Thick, plush carpet, white as snow. His place was a little palace.
I went for the rustic look. The little log cabin was comfy and simple. Suited me fine.
It hadn’t surprise me to find him out here. I had to be out here, far from town. I needed it. I had to get away from people every now and then because their presence weighed on me too much. I swear, if I could have chosen the one gift I’d received after I made the Choice, it would’ve been anything but the one I received.
I’m called a reflector. Basically, its empathy coupled with the ability to reflect one’s emotions back at them. Can you imagine what it’s like, being able to feel other people, their emotions, their losses, their heartbreaks? I can shut it off, but it’s not wise to keep shields up all the time.
And it doesn’t feel good.
Sometimes those shields are almost too confining. It’s like living out your life in bubble wrap.
Curious, I glanced at him. Up until four days ago, Michael and I had never worked together before. Matter of fact, I went out of my way to avoid him. Up until tonight, the powers that be had seen fit to let me do it.
Up until he showed up in the parking lot at the club four nights ago, I hadn’t seen him in more than three hundred years.
The last time I’d seen him was in London, almost a year to the day after my rather…unfortunate…demise.
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