“I’ll see you in a couple hours. Tell everyone to wait. I’ll be back before quitting time anyway, so I’ll be able to drive them back to the office. Ember, never doubt that I love you. Never doubt that I value your safety over my own.”
And I knew right then that we had come to a turning point in our relationship. The promise ring on my finger felt very real now.
Chapter Nine
After Herne had returned and taken everyone back to the office, Angel and I slumped at the table.
“This has been one hell of a day,” I said.
“The end of an era, when you think about it. The end of ever worrying about Ray again.” Angel toyed with a piece of pizza crust that was still on her plate. “In a way, he’s the last connection to your love life before Herne.”
She was right. I’d had bad luck in love until meeting Herne. Two of my lovers died, and their deaths had been connected to me in one way or another. After I realized I was getting serious with Ray, I had called off the relationship, worried for his safety. And now, all of that was done and gone.
“It really does feel like we’re living an entirely different life than we were a year ago. You were in a dead-end job, and I was freelancing.”
Angel shrugged. “And I still had DJ with me. I miss him, Ember. I know he’s better off where he is, but I miss him.”
DJ was Angel’s little brother—actually her half-brother. When we had gone to work for the Wild Hunt, DJ had been put into foster care with a shifter family. Though it had originally been for his own safety, the move had turned out to be a good thing all the way around. Unlike Angel, DJ was half–wolf shifter. Living with Cooper’s family meant that he was learning how to make his way as a shifter in the world.
DJ was a brilliant boy. He had inherited his father’s blood, but thankfully, not his father’s attitude. DeWayne didn’t know for certain that DJ was his. He didn’t even know whether Mama J. had borne a boy or a girl, and we intended to keep it that way. DeWayne was a lazy, moneygrubbing leech who had up and run the moment Mama J. told him she was pregnant. He had never contacted her again. When Mama J. had died, Angel had taken over the care of her little brother.
Cooper and his family treated DJ as one of their own, and they took care of him. He was safely tucked away from being a target by any enemies we might have, and he was receiving opportunities that she never could have given him on her own.
“I know you miss him. You’ll be able to visit him on spring break, though. That’s not too far off—a month and a half. Has he texted you lately?”
Part of Angel’s angst also came from the fact that the more DJ assimilated into his new life, the less frequently he contacted her. Oh, he still texted her every morning and every evening, but he didn’t seem to need her as much.
“This morning as usual. And yeah, I’m visiting him on spring break. Cooper said the family’s going on a camping trip, and I’m welcome to go along. So, as much as I don’t like camping, I’m still tagging along so I can see my brother. His birthday’s coming up next month. I’m not sure what to buy him, so I’m going to contact Cooper tonight. I don’t know what DJ needs or even wants now. I know he’s gotten into parkour, and Cooper’s enrolled him into a karate program, but other than that…” She drifted off, looking forlorn.
“You know this is best for him,” I said, taking her hand. “You know that DJ is better off with a shifter family. You can give him all the love in the world, but you can’t teach him how to handle life as a shifter. And when puberty hits, you know you wouldn’t be able to manage the changes. You know how wolf shifters get at that time.”
I hated having to reality-check her, but sometimes, it helped to have a friend pointing out the obvious. Sometimes we all needed a reminder of the obvious.
She tossed the pizza crust back on her plate and pushed it away.
“I know. And I know he loves me, and I know we’ll always be brother and sister. Just, sometimes, it isn’t easy. Okay, I’m going to clean up the kitchen, and then I think I’ll run over to Rafé’s. Now that we know that Ray’s been caught, we don’t have to worry about him coming back. Did you call the insurance company yet?”
I shook my head. “I decided to save that for tomorrow. I really don’t have much energy today, at least not for anything like that. What a mess. I guess tomorrow, we look for contractors to start getting a bid for repairing the house. We can’t leave the damage for long.”
“At least the fire didn’t burn through the walls, and it didn’t destroy anything vital. Have you thought about what to do to thank Joffrey?”
“Actually, yes I have.” I began to clear the table. “What do you think about getting him a gift certificate to one of the local nurseries? You know how much he loves his gardens, and how he’s always admiring the space we have. That way, come spring, he can go hog wild and buy all the plants he wants. You know he’s on a fixed income.”
Joffrey was disabled. While I wasn’t sure what was wrong with him—I didn’t want to ask unless he felt comfortable opening up about it—whatever the problem, it kept him homebound most of the time. He was in his mid-forties, and Turvey was his only companion as far as I could tell. The little terrier was a mop dog, cute and overly friendly. Joffrey had his groceries delivered, and we seldom saw him leave the neighborhood. He took a walk every day past our house and up the block, then cut across the street to Discovery Park. We lived opposite the mammoth park, which made it nice when we wanted to go out for a walk.
“That’s a wonderful idea,” Angel said. “I can drop by there on my way to Rafé’s tonight. How much do we want to spend? A couple hundred?”
“Joffrey saved our house and Mr. Rumblebutt. Make it five hundred. I can add in the extra if you don’t have it.”
She smiled then. “Okay, I’ll pick it up tonight and a card as well. We can give it to him tomorrow.” Angel gathered up the paper plates and the pizza boxes, taking them out to the trash. I washed the table, and rinsed out the mugs. As I turned around, pressing against the counter, Mr. Rumblebutt came winding around my ankles and I scooped him up into my arms.
“I need you to be safe, buddy. You and Angel are my best friends, and I need both of you. You hear me?” I nuzzled his fur, and he began to purr and knead against my chest, making biscuits for all he was worth. As Angel returned from taking out the trash, I let him down and he scampered off. I heard the jingle of one of his toys in the living room. I glanced at Angel, who was sorting through her purse.
“Today is just one more example of why DJ needs to be with Cooper. Mr. Rumblebutt could have been killed. If you had been here, you could have been killed. Unfortunately, anybody we love runs a certain risk of danger.”
She looked up from sorting through her things. “You’re right. I know. I just get lonely for him. But I’d rather have him safe in a place where I know he’s being looked after than run the risk of having him with me. When he grows up, he can make the decision to move back here if he wants. All right, I’m ready to go. Are you sure you don’t want me to stay until Herne gets back?”
I shook my head. “Ray’s been captured. He’s in Annwn now. The fire’s out, the house is safe. Go ahead and enjoy yourself. Are you coming home before work tomorrow?”
“No, I’ll probably stay the night. I’ll see you at work in the morning. Call me if you need anything.” She gave me a tight hug before she left. “Be safe, sister.”
“You too. Love you, Ange.” Nobody else used the nickname with her except for me. I waved as she headed out the door.
As I wandered into the living room, feeling slightly at loose ends, I caught sight of a crow outside the slider, sitting on the side patio. It was staring at me intently, and I reached out trying to connect with it. But before I could, a Steller’s jay landed on the porch and screeched at the crow, and they both took to the air, screeching at each other with much flapping of wings. Feeling disconcerted, I made sure the door was locked, and then closed the blinds that covered the sliding glass doors. I
t had been one hell of a day, and I was grateful it was over, but I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen next.
When Herne returned, he was carrying a bouquet of roses, and a very large box of chocolates. He handed them to me, stroking my hair back from my face as he kissed me.
“I thought you could use something to cheer you up. I know yesterday and today have both been rough.” He stripped off his jacket, hanging it on the back of the chair. As he stretched, the muscles rippled through his shirt, and the sight of him took my breath away. He was wearing black jeans, and a thin, V-neck sweater the color of new spring leaves. He had let his hair down, and it swept down his back, grazing his shoulder blades. It was getting longer, I thought, and it reminded me of a wheat field on a summer’s morning. I set the candy and roses down and slid my arms around him.
“Kiss me. I need you.” I searched his eyes, hungry for something I couldn’t quite identify.
He wrapped his arms around me, his lips meeting mine, and I lost myself in the sensation of his warmth and his musky smell, and the feeling of him holding me tight and safe. He said nothing, but swept me up in his arms and carried me toward the stairs. I draped an arm around his neck, holding on as he carried me into my bedroom. He set me down on the bed and I laid back as he pressed against me, once again his lips meeting mine in an impassioned kiss.
I tugged his sweater out of his jeans, and he sat up, sliding it off and tossing it on the floor. I pulled off my shirt, adding it to the pile and then straddled his lap, my breasts pressing against his chest. He wrapped his arms around my waist and I met his lips with mine again, kissing deep, wanting more.
I was hungry for him, aching as I felt him press hard against his jeans. In a fever, I pushed him back against the bed, still kissing him. I lay against his length and he wrapped his arms around me, rolling me over to slide between my legs. He leaned down and took one of my nipples in his lips, worrying it, sucking hard—so hard it almost hurt. His eyes were glowing as he looked into my eyes. He straightened up, sitting back, his knees pressing against my lower legs.
“Take off your jeans,” he said in a throaty voice. “I want you. I want to be inside you.”
I caught my breath, scrambling to obey, pulling my legs out from beneath him as I swung over the bed and stood. I kicked off my shoes, then unbuckled my belt, and pushed my jeans and panties down to my ankles where I stepped out of them.
Herne watched me with hungry eyes. Then he, too, stood and unbuckled his belt, sliding it out from the loops in his jeans. He tossed it to the side. I dropped to my knees in front of him, and he gave me a sly smile as I reached up to unzip his pants.
As I lowered his jeans over his massive thighs, he sprang up, hard and waiting for my tongue. I gripped his shaft in my hand, barely able to close my fingers around it, and then licked my lips, bringing them toward the tip of his penis. He reached down, gently running his fingers through my hair as I formed an O with my mouth and then slid his cock between my lips. I ran my tongue along the ridges that veined his shaft. He moaned, dropping his head back as I worked him, feeling him pulse between my lips.
I sucked him hard and long, nibbling on him, gently catching the head with my teeth and ever so gently scraping his length. The drops of pre-cum were salty in my mouth, and I moaned, too full with him to say more.
He withdrew and leaned over. Placing his hands under my arms, he lifted me up.
Herne with the glittering eyes…Herne with the sensual mouth…
He firmly walked me backward, then gently pushed me down on the bed and motioned for me to spread my legs. As he knelt between them, he spread my lower lips with his fingers, circling me with his tongue, first slowly then quicker as I began to pant. He drove all thoughts away from me, leaving only sensation as he laved me with his tongue, and all the cares of the day fell away under his ministrations.
And then it felt as though we were in a field of tall grass, with the smells of apples and cinnamon around us, and I swore I could feel sunlight on my face as my desire quickened.
A moment later, a ripple hit me, spreading in concentric rings throughout my body, widening to pull me under the rising wave. As I climaxed, I let out a loud cry, and burst into tears, not knowing why I was crying.
Herne gave me a moment to center myself, then slid inside me, his girth filling me so full I wanted to cry out again. He took away every ache in my body as he drove himself inside me again and again, thrusting with a single-minded focus.
I wrapped my arms around his chest, pulling him to me, and then he turned over so I was astride him, on top, with him still inside me. I rode him hard, leaning down to press my lips against his chest. I bit him gently, nipping lightly, as I continued to ride him. He let out a loud groan, and I could tell he was near.
“Come for me,” I whispered, staring into his eyes, my hands on his shoulders as I held him down. I swiveled my hips as his eyes flashed, little strokes of lightning forking through them.
“Come for me,” I said again, quickening my pace. I felt myself building again, and the realization that I could bring a god to climax swept through me like a wave of power and I leaned my head back, laughing with wonder.
At that moment, Herne stiffened, grabbing hold of my waist as he cried out, bellowing like the King Stag he was. He came, and the sight of him coming brought me to orgasm once again. I arched my back, crying out, mingling my voice with his even as our bodies were joined.
As our cries echoed, then faded away, I caught my breath and slumped forward against his chest with him still inside of me. I had never felt so desirable, or loved as this moment.
He wrapped his arms around me, still inside me. Holding me tightly against him, we lay like that as the evening shadows deepened around us. Outside, the rain began to beat a tattoo against the window. But we were safe, inside and warm, and right then, that was all I could hope for.
Chapter Ten
The next morning, after we ate breakfast and showered, I fed Mr. Rumblebutt and we headed for the office. We drove separately, because Herne had plans for the evening.
We arrived early, thanks to Herne, so I called the insurance company about my house. I was surprised by how quickly it went. It only took me twenty minutes to open a claim, after waiting for fifteen minutes for them to get around to me. But then it was done, and the claim was open, and now I just had to get the reports from the fire marshal and Officer Downey. Relieved to have that task out of the way, I headed toward the reception room where Angel was just coming out of the elevator, Talia behind her.
“I called the insurance company,” I told Angel. “If you could call Officer Downey and the fire marshal today and get the reports from them, I’d appreciate it.” I gave her the claim information, so she could tell them where to send the reports.
She was about to answer when we heard a loud shout from back by the offices. As we hurried down the hall, Yutani came racing out of the office he shared with Talia.
“I think I’ve got it!” He held up Nalcops’s laptop. “I think I found the files—and by ‘found,’ I mean I can gain access to them. There was a trap set on them, but I managed to circumnavigate it. Let’s meet in the break room in about ten minutes to go over what I found.” Without waiting for a response, he turned and headed back to his office.
Talia shook her head, grinning. “Well, score one for Yutani. Ember, tell the boss, please. I’ll go start the coffee, and I’ll let Viktor know.”
I hurried over to Herne’s office, knocking briefly before I opened the door. “Yutani’s found a way to access the files on Nalcops’s laptop. He wants us to meet him in the break room in about ten minutes.”
“Really? Wonderful! Let’s hope he finds something useful that will help us.” Herne stood and tossed the file folder he’d been looking through back on his desk. “I’ll be there in a moment.”
I nodded, shutting the door behind me. When we were at work, we tried to keep as professional as possible, although that hadn’t prevented several trys
ts in his office after the workday was over, or the occasional kiss. Luckily, nobody minded. And luckily, Herne ran the agency so it was his call.
By the time we were all gathered in the break room, Yutani had set up a projector so that he could project from the laptop onto the screen. That way he wouldn’t have to keep passing the laptop around so we could see everything.
“I sent you all copies of these files, and I urge you to keep them in a protected place on your computer. While I keep our IT security system locked down, the Tuathan Brotherhood seems to be extremely savvy when it comes to tech, and I wouldn’t put it past them to have a couple of black hat hackers on staff. I’ll create a hidden, encrypted folder on your computers, and we’ll lock them down with passwords.”
I let out a slow whistle under my breath. “This must be pretty sensitive stuff.”
Yutani flashed me a dark smile. “Let’s just put it this way—I found the break we’ve been looking for. And the Tuathan Brotherhood sure as hell isn’t going to want anybody knowing what I’ve found. This is make-it or break-it information, and we’ll have to act fast because I’m not certain whether they have any tracking that would show I managed to infiltrate private files.”
“Then let’s get on with it,” Herne said. “If we’re on borrowed time, we don’t have any to waste.”
Yutani fiddled with his laptop and then we saw the picture of a folder come up on the screen. The printing on the front read The Manifesto of Longlear.
“What the hell is Longlear?” Viktor asked.
“I haven’t had a chance to read the manifesto in its entirety. It’s at least one hundred pages long and filled with a lot of incoherent ramblings, just like most terrorists’ manifestos. However, what I have read has confirmed this is Nuanda’s personal crusade. And I found out his background.”
“Longlear,” Herne said softly. “I know that name from somewhere. I think I heard it in Annwn.”
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