Liz lifted her mug of coffee to her lips, sipping the robust brew. She had the self-control, but Kieran was impulsive, hotheaded, and downright irresistible when he wanted to be. If he leveled his full attention her way, all the ironclad determination in the world wouldn’t hold out against his storm.
The RV came to a halt with a shudder, startling Liz out of her contemplation.
“Why the sudden stop?” Renn called from the far back in the bunks. The man half hung out of the top bunk, his hairier than average leg dangling off the side. As he slipped off, his tendency to sleep in the nude sent Trevor’s eyes rolling. Liz had stopped being phased by most things around this crew.
“Cover your shit up, Renn. No one wants to see it,” Trevor called to him before pouring himself a cup of coffee.
“I can think of plenty who’ve taken an interest.” Renn waggled his brows as he grinned, making his way over to his trunk of clothes. Trevor’s focus returned to his overfull cup.
Liz chugged the remainder in her mug and hopped up to see what Jett messed around with, since he’d stopped drag racing them down the highway. As she made her way to the front of the bus, Kieran stalked back, passing her. He didn’t look at her once while they brushed by each other, a storm cloud brewing around him. Liz gritted her teeth. Of course he’d make things as awkward as possible between them rather than slipping on his big boy panties and playing nice. She marched her way up to see Jett.
“Why’re we stopping early, sweet pea?” Liz asked, leaning against the driver’s seat. The worn leather crinkled as she leaned into it, warm from Jett sitting in the spot while he drove for the past hours and from the sun beaming in through the rolled-down windows. He’d cranked the music up, acid jazz no one else listened to.
“Kieran and I are making a quick stop. We’re paying a friend a visit.” The wicked gleam in Jett’s eyes implied the person they’d be visiting was not just a woman but one he’d known or wanted to know carnally. Not like him sleeping around shocked anyone.
Liz folded her arms across her chest. “Let me guess—you’re tracking intel on Ky’s big brother. And you thought you’d head there without me?”
“Isn’t it best for you to stay incognito in our territory? You didn’t want to draw any unnecessary attention to your abilities.” Jett shut off the RV and turned to face her.
She let out a sigh. He was right, except by working for the boys she’d placed herself in their world—not like she’d ever been able to escape it. “What I want isn’t going to stop Ky’s brother from making me a target if he figures out I’m the one human in the bunch, and an oddity at that. So right now, my survival needs include getting this mess tied up as quick as possible. Besides, the bartender at the last gig knew about the fae who spray-painted the message, and more than that, he acted like he knew what I was.”
Jett’s gaze sharpened as he swiveled around to face her. “What bartender?”
Liz winked. “You were too busy plowing whatever treasure you plundered from the audience to have this chat. The fae bartender called me ballsy for one of my kind to make a public appearance around your kind. If others know what I am, Ky might not be the only one bringing trouble to the band.”
“You think he’s the one who left the message on the wall?” Jett asked, resting his palms on his knees as he looked at her. “Shit, Lizzie, did he tell you what he meant by ‘your kind?’”
Liz shook her head. “I asked—but he threatened me to scram before I could get answers. He worked back there before you guys went on set, and I lingered by the bar the entire time.” She heaved a sigh and cast a glance to the far side of the RV. “So let me join you. I don’t like being on the outs while fae are slinking around your shows.”
Jett met her eyes and nodded.
Though, she didn’t need to question if Jett would let her join—after all, they’d become partners in crime and fast. Kieran might put up a stink, but if he kept mouthing off like an idiot, he could go shove it.
Jett reached out and smacked her ass. “Go get ready. We’re heading out in a few.”
She rolled her eyes as she made sure to walk real slowly down the aisle, swinging her hips side to side. “Calm your tits, sweetheart.”
Trevor and Kieran both sat in the kitchen working on their mugs of coffee and not talking to each other, drama that better solve itself fast before it infected the rest of the band. Renn walked out, a fresh pair of baggy cargoes on and a tight tee defining his abs all too well. Liz gave him a lazy salute as she made her way to her cot in the back and rummaged under for fresh clothes. They were going to need to hit a laundromat soon.
Reaching under into her suitcase, she tugged out a couple of non-crinkled items—her light green leggings and a brown tee reaching mid-thigh. It’d have to do. She slipped on her clothes and cinched a thick black belt around her waist to add some flair to the ensemble. After tossing her combat boots on, she stretched her arms over her head and walked out to join the rest of the gang.
Jett joined them at the table, and the twelve-cup coffeemaker that had been full mere minutes ago emptied out.
“Ready steady, babe?” Jett asked, looking up as she entered.
Kieran tilted his head to the side. “Thought you and I were going, Jett?”
Jett shrugged. “Nancy Drew here wanted a spin at things, since she’s dealing with strange fae cropping up at our gigs.” He gave her a pointed look, the ‘you should have told us’ payback she should’ve seen coming.
“What strange fae?” Kieran’s voice sharpened as he focused his full attention on her.
“Bartender wasn’t human,” Liz said with a shrug. “He told me ‘my kind’ weren’t welcome around so many fae. I’ve got the feeling wherever my abilities come from, they’re about to drag me into more trouble than I’m prepared to deal with.”
“Why didn’t you say something?” Accusation flashed in his eyes. To be fair, they sat talking all night until she’d fallen asleep. While the other guys were out carousing, she could’ve told Kieran.
She scratched her nape, finding the floor fascinating. “The stuff with your brother took precedence. I didn’t think it was important enough to bring up.” Getting her hopes up without ever receiving answers hurt too much to mention. At least it did yesterday, when it was still so fresh.
Kieran took a deep breath in an obvious effort to control his temper, since his eyes were blazing. “Your safety takes precedence,” he said, his voice low.
“Come on now, doll,” Trevor said, cutting through the tension between her and Kieran. “You know you could’ve interrupted us at any point to share this information. If he threatened you, he could have very well been one of the assholes looking to cause problems for Ky.”
Jett clapped a hand on her shoulder. “All right, enough scrutiny for the time being. The three of us are heading to Perfect Percolation.”
Kieran turned to face Trevor and Renn. “You guys mind food duty?”
Renn nodded as he walked past them and hopped off the bus, his shoes slapping the pavement. “Hurry up, Trev,” he called.
Trevor paused for a moment and met Kieran’s eyes. “We’re going to get all seafood to piss you off. You know that, right?” His lips quirked as he fought with his smile.
Letting out a snort, Kieran gave his friend a shove. “You asshole, pick up some real food while you’re out.” A smile lit his face as he shook his head, and like that, their quarrel blew over. Despite Kieran’s short temper, he moved past things as fast as a summer storm. And the man didn’t hold grudges—when he’d gotten over whatever they squabbled about, he meant it. Liz admired the simplicity. She held onto things long past their expiration date and half the time didn’t voice most of the shit that pissed her off.
Liz stretched her arms over her head as she stepped off of the bus, glad to be out of the stale scent of coffee, Axe body spray, and the remnants of cigarette smoke Kieran always tried to hide from Renn. Out here, the scent of the sea permeated the cool air, and strong breezes gu
sted through the city.
“So tell me why I bothered making coffee if we were going to stop at another coffee shop?” she asked, lifting a brow at Jett.
“Because one cup isn’t enough,” Kieran said, taking the lead as they stepped to the winding sidewalk lined by dozens of storefronts. She tossed a hand up to wave goodbye as Renn and Trevor jogged in the opposite direction, heading to the nearest grocery mart.
“Save the jingle for the commercials.” Liz shook her head while they walked past the wide open windows of a brightly-lit salon, and the orange and green overhang of one of the fad vegan restaurants. The pale gray sidewalk beneath was clean from flattened gum, crumpled Burger King cups, and spent cigarettes. Despite the familiarity of the RV, Liz loved when they got a chance to stretch their legs and wander. While they’d crossed the country in the time she’d been with the boys, she’d barely gotten a chance to explore the landscape since she headed out to arrange their shows every night.
“Jessa makes a mean cappuccino,” Jett said as he shielded his eyes from how the sun refracted against the windows and parked cars. “But we’re more there for the company than what she provides.”
“And how do you know her?” Liz asked, half-afraid to know the answer.
“Kieran’s ex-girlfriend, so she used to hang around the band a lot,” Jett said, picking up the pace. “She was an absolute doll, and we were mad at him forever when they split up.”
Liz’s stomach squeezed, even though she had no reason for a response. Kieran dated plenty of women before and would date plenty more in the future. Just because he got a little flirty with her didn’t mean she stood out from the lineup.
“Yeah, I learned the hard way incubi shouldn’t date their own kind.” Kieran scratched the back of his head while they walked along. “Total sweetheart, but hell, we started fighting in a fierce way.”
“Someone fight with you?” Liz let out her mock surprise. “Never.”
He gave her the side eye before responding. “Yeah, dating someone so similar was a powder keg waiting to happen. Besides the fact we both need to feed off of others, not our kind, didn’t help in the slightest. After a little while, we were both starving and surly.”
“So why are we paying her a visit again?” Liz ran a hand through her tangled hair, realizing she hadn’t bothered tugging a comb through it yet this morning.
“Because her place is a fae hotspot.” Kieran slipped his hands into his pockets while they walked along. “If you want information or to get a pulse on the happenings in Court without attending the events, this is one of the places where all the dirty gossip flies.”
“So you can get wind of what the hell your brother might be up to.” Liz finished the thought. “Well then, let’s get ourselves some fae-bulous coffee.”
Jett stopped in his tracks and leveled a look at her. “That pun was criminal, Liz.”
The grin she’d been holding out blossomed on her face at the same time Kieran busted up laughing. His shoulders shook, and as fast, the awkward tension from this morning evaporated. Liz shared a wry grin with him as their eyes locked.
“There it is,” Jett called from paces ahead of them. He pointed up the block where a chalkboard sign decorated with flowers and fancy script spelling Perfect Percolation sat right out front of the café. Already, the buzzing in her head reached a crescendo point. Outside, a hulking minotaur hunched over a keyboard, his large figure near breaking the chair he sat in. A lamia leaned back in her seat, holding a mug of tea in both hands as her serpentine tail curled around the bottom of the table. To the average passerby, they’d see a businesswoman and a college student, nothing out of the ordinary, but the power of glamour veiled the mythical world from the modern day.
This concentration of fae almost always spelled bad news. Unlike other humans, who were food to the fae, once any monsters took notice of her unique abilities, she became a pet to be acquired and no step closer to finding others of her kind. Yet here she entered the fray on a soiree to meet with Kieran’s ex. Somehow, what once seemed reasonable morphed into the worst idea ever.
“Let’s get ourselves some answers,” Kieran said, taking the lead as he opened the door. A tinkling bell signaled their entry. Liz swallowed hard. No time like the present. Before the door swung shut, she darted in, entering Perfect Percolation, news hub of the creatures that go bump in the night.
Chapter Six
The scent of roasted coffee hit Kieran’s nose once they stepped inside the café. Behind the counter, a tall woman moved at lightning speed, pivoting around to tamp espresso and then whipping to her other side to turn off the hissing knob causing the foam to froth. She must have been a new employee of Jessa’s, because he didn’t recognize her. While they’d come here in search of his ex-girlfriend, he wouldn’t mind if she happened to be out of town for the day—or maybe even the month. Sure, their breakup hadn’t been car bomb bad, but it had also been complicated and something he wanted to leave in the past.
“Kieran, is that you?” An incredulous voice came from the swinging door leading to the café storeroom. Looked like luck wasn’t on his side today.
“And me, babe,” Jett said, crossing the distance between them and enclosing Jessa in a fierce embrace. His ex remained the same knockout as ever—lush black hair curling into soft waves around her shoulders, brown doe eyes, and skin skating the shade of coffee with cream. She’d lured many a man in with those looks, though attractiveness for a succubus and incubus wasn’t anything shocking—a simple matter of survival.
Liz rested her elbow against the counter, processing Jessa with a cursory scan. Even in the presence of his striking ex though, Liz stole center stage, like she had since they met. The intelligence sparking behind those hazel eyes of hers was something extraordinary. Besides, with her sanguine grace and the sensuality oozing from her, she could compete with a succubus, hands down. Her lips pressed together in a firm line, and she stood a bit taller before marching up to Jessa and offering her hand.
“And who’s this?” Jessa broke away from Jett, eyeing Liz’s hand with disdain. “Don’t tell me you brought your lunch into my café.”
Kieran bristled at the accusation, on edge at the rendezvous. But before he opened his mouth, Liz took command.
“We’re here to get a goddamn cup of coffee and have a quick chat. If my being a human offends you, get over it. Because I’m not leaving until I’ve got some answers to our current problem.” Liz retracted her hand at once as it curled into a fist. Her tone remained cool and calm, but iron branded those words all the same.
Jessa blinked before bursting out into laughter. A couple of patrons maneuvered around them as they made their way to the tables in the back, since their crew stood squat in the middle of the café.
Kieran lifted a brow, surprised by the reaction.
“You’ve got some spunk, girlie.” She reached out and grabbed Liz’s fist, wrapping her palms around it. The energy shifted around there—Jessa tried to use her ability to try and make nice. She was in for a rude awakening.
“Neither the pretty appearance or any succubus voodoo will work on me, so don’t waste your time.” Liz yanked her hand away and gave her a look brimming with confidence.
Kieran couldn’t help the amused smirk rising to his face.
Jessa stepped back a few paces, and her skin paled a shade. “What is someone like you doing with them?”
He didn’t miss the fear in her eyes, or the knowing there. His ex was hiding something, and Kieran wanted to know what.
Jett reached over, squeezing Liz’s shoulder. “Our manager’s a couple shades different than the average human. Now let’s not waste time arguing. Why don’t you sit and have a cup of coffee with us?”
Kieran stepped to the counter, ordering three cappuccinos before anyone voiced an opinion. The woman behind the counter readjusted her square-rimmed glasses before diving into the fray. Scales on her arms glinted under the yellowed lighting as she set to work whipping up their beverages.
Kieran didn’t miss the way Jess’s gaze swung his way—eye-fucking would put it lightly.
“You kept in shape,” she purred, placing a hand on his arm.
Kieran heaved a sigh. He had zero interest in the woman, so he didn’t bother responding. Unlike Jett and Renn, he was a shit liar and two steps worse at concealing his feelings. “How’s business been?” he asked, skipping the comment altogether.
“Busy with the Mossfeather soiree on the horizon. The number of people who’ve swung by hoping to score an invite is embarrassing. Sometimes it pays to know the upper echelons of the Court.” She grabbed a mug of green tea from behind the canisters along the counter and sashayed over to an empty table, claiming her seat. Jett jerked a head at the hand-off counter where three cappuccinos waited with perfect cream and tan swirls.
“Thanks, J,” Kieran said as he snagged his cup from Jett and strode over to take a seat at the table. The other two followed seconds later. Though Liz maintained a placid mask, tension emanated off her in droves. He also didn’t miss how she glanced between Jessa and him, though jealousy of any sort was wishful thinking on his part. A couple of stares lingered their way, most of them focused on Liz as the odd human out in the all-fae café. With the glamour buzzing through this place from the frequent flyer miles folks racked up, most humans got a disinclination to walk inside, a foreboding feeling that sent them traveling to some other coffee shop.
Kieran took a sip of his cappuccino, savoring the sweetness before turning his attention to Jessa. “Happen to hear if my esteemed family will be attending the event?”
“Oh, like Larsen, your heartbreaker of a brother?” She quirked an eyebrow, knowing who he angled for. While his parents had written him out, his brother maintained a healthy loathing for Kieran’s choices and didn’t miss an opportunity to rub in his failures. Gem of a family he came from.
“He’s been leaving his calling card all around town, begging me to come play.” Kieran didn’t try to keep the growl out of his voice. “The usual nag, to align, align, align.”
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