by Autumn Dawn
“What will happen to Bijo?” Xera asked, changing the subject.
“I imagine he’ll get off lightly. He’s just a kid, and it sounds like his family was threatened. The thing with Kiyl was self-defense. We all saw.”
Xera grimaced and looked aside.
Tough, fearless Xera. She had been the one to get sick earlier, when she’d seen their enemy’s head ripped off. She was apparently strong but not hardened. For her sake, Blue hoped she’d never see worse.
“I’m going to check on Brandy,” she said, rising. Brandy was surely fast asleep and oblivious, but Xera was compulsive about keeping an eye on her.
Gem set her tea aside and snuggled down into her husband’s arms. “I’m getting a kink in my back,” she remarked. “Maybe it would be easier to take a nap. You could leave the communicator beside the bed.” She gave Blue a hopeful look. She wanted to comfort him.
He smiled into her hair. “Is that code, or do you really want to nap?”
She sat up and scowled.
He laughed. “I was just joking!”
She rolled her eyes and led him to her room.
Epilogue
It was two weeks after the episode with Kiyl that Azor again stopped into The Spark for a visit with Blue and Gem. Not that he entered the private rooms for the family. His preferred method of visiting was to come to the taproom and order an ice water, then wait for either of his friends to seek him out. While still reserved, he didn’t let his part in the prior investigation surrounding The Spark keep him from socializing with them when he chose.
His mouth curved faintly upward as Gem slid into the chair next to him. “Gem,” he said. “Please tell your cook to stop sending baskets of food to my apartment. My roommate has begun to ask embarrassing questions.”
Gem exhaled in amusement. “You should ask him personally. I don’t want to be seen as the bad guy. Ever since Zsak took that assignment off-world, Jamir has been at loose ends. He doesn’t know who to cook for, besides our guests. I warn you, he can be stubborn.”
Azor eyed her. “Hm. Maybe I can redirect him. The SWAT team might appreciate a few baskets of goodies.”
Gem laughed. “Good luck!”
He allowed a half smile, then sobered. “I assume you’ve heard the news about Cirrus? The jury returned a guilty verdict. He’s going to be serving some time doing hard labor in the mines. His assets have also been seized by the Polaris government. They’re to be sold at auction soon.”
Gem shook her head. “All his art, his house…I almost feel sorry for him.”
Blue sent her a skeptical look.
“Yeah, maybe not,” she agreed. “He had it coming.”
She sighed and remarked to the others, “Did you hear that Blue and I are moving out to the farm for a while? He’s calling it a honeymoon, but I think he just wants to see what’s going on out there with his own eyes. That, and I think he’d like to get away from here for a bit.”
Azor nodded. “Your sister Brandy will be in charge, then? I guess you should be glad she’s under house arrest, because it gives you someone to keep an eye on the place so that you and Blue can get away. To…work on your gardening skills.” He gave her a knowing grin.
Gem gave him a look, surprised at the detective’s teasing. “Yes. Plus, I think it’ll be good for her to get some experience being in charge alone. Nineteen’s not so bad a time to start, especially not when you teethed on a business. Besides, she could use the confidence after all that happened. And since Jaq and Tam Rasheed are here, and I’m just a stone’s throw away…Well, you didn’t think I’d take my hands entirely off the wheel, did you?”
“No. I suppose you want something for Xera to come back to eventually.”
Gem lifted a shoulder and shrugged. The gesture was somewhat sad. “Xera, come back? She may never. Who knows where she’ll go or whom she’ll meet in the GE? I just hope…Well, I just hope she ends up happy.”
“She’s not the sort to give up until she is,” Azor replied.
Blue slid onto the barstool next to his wife. “Hey, Azor! You going to visit us on the farm?” he asked. He looked excited to go.
Azor gave his ex-colleague a sardonic look. “Am I invited?”
“Sure. Just come ready to work,” Blue warned. “There’ll always be something to do out there.”
“I can see I’m going to want to rush right out.” Azor glanced around and then admitted, “I heard your sister finally got out of her chair.”
Gem smiled, giving a laugh of pure pleasure. “Yes! And thank God! I was ready to strangle her. She’s such a crank when she’s laid up. Speaking of which, how are you?” She looked embarrassed that she hadn’t asked earlier, but Azor knew it wasn’t from lack of concern. There was so much going on in her life, between her family, the inn and their new property, he was amazed she kept track of anything.
“I’ll be back to work tomorrow,” he admitted. “It would have been sooner, but my commander forced me to take the time off.” He fought to hide his annoyance.
Blue rested an arm on the back of his wife’s chair. He couldn’t hide a small grin as he said, “Now, that’s just cruel for a workaholic like yourself.”
Azor grunted and stood to go. He was a little stiff.
Blue stood with him, and he surprised Azor by clasping his forearm and giving a firm shake. “Stop in from time to time,” he requested. His voice was full of unspoken emotion. “Seriously. You never know what we might have going on.”
Gem huffed in dismay. “I don’t doubt that. But no more adventures, please.”
Blue put his arm around her. “Blame your dad. He never should have named this place The Spark. It was just asking for trouble.”
“I’ll tell him when I see him next,” Gem replied, her voice a little tart. But then she stepped close and surprised Azor with a hug. “Thanks for everything.”
A flush of bronze swept his cheekbones. “Um. Yes. I’ve got to go.” He fled at a fast walk.
Blue glanced at his wife and laughed. “You’re going to ruin the old boy,” he observed. “I don’t think he’s been hugged since he was in nappies.”
“He has potential,” Gem replied stoutly, and there was a teasing glint in her eye.
Blue pulled his beloved close and whispered in her ear, “Not as much as I do.” He wanted her always to remember that.
“Maybe you should prove it,” she whispered back, and she bit him.
Blue growled and led her toward the door. The inn wasn’t the only thing around here that was trouble. The Spark had indeed led to a fire. It had started with a clandestine drug-smuggling operation and grown into assassination attempts and kidnapping, but it had also led to him finding the love of his life. There was no question that their passion was a blaze that a lifetime of lovemaking would never put out. There was nowhere else in the galaxy that he’d rather be.
Acknowledgments
I want to thank my editor, for his determination to keep the cell phones and the speed dial in our century where they belong. Also my agent, for the guidance.
And thank you, John, for letting me keep the van warm in the garage, even though you’re the one who has to drive to work at -50 below. It’s so much easier to type when my fingers aren’t frozen.
Other Love Spell books by Autumn Dawn:
NO WORDS ALONE
Copyright
LOVE SPELL®
June 2009
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Copyright © 2009 by Autumn Dawn
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