"Voodoo?"
"Well, I mean, technically, they're still Fae. Why aren't they using Magic?"
Anger flashed through Thorn's mind. Calling the Fallen Fae, even dark, Unseelie Fae was outrageous. It went against everything the Order stood for. "They. Are. Not. Fae," Thorn replied through gritted teeth.
"But they kinda are. Technically," Mercury said, unperturbed.
"You are on thin ice with this, Guardian."
"I mean no offence. I don't like surprises. Accessing the servers and finding a big 'fuck you, we got our voodoo on,' would really piss me off."
In a weird way, Mercury actually made sense, but the Fallen were cursed. If Vampire Magic was fading, then the Fallen had no hope. Thorn ran his hand through his black hair. "Some things are just easier without magic. We've digitised a lot of our records, why wouldn't they? Why do you think we all carry mobiles? I'd be waiting a bloody long time trying to get telepathic messages through that thick head of yours."
Thorn gave a little chuckle, hoping to move off the subject, but the laugh faded as he saw Mercury wince. He had no idea what he'd said to upset the guy, but he'd clearly hit a nerve. "What's the matter now?"
Mercury returned to his screen. "Nothin'. Just something Ryver said."
It was Thorn's turn to wince, though he really hoped he was just wincing on the inside. Ryver's telepathy was a great asset. It also scared the crap out of everyone, Thorn included. Holy Mother of Fae knew what secrets that boy kept. Or how many. Thorn wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer, but he had to ask anyway. "Something Ryver said about what?"
"Nothin'."
Thorn cocked an eyebrow. "Sailing close to the wind tonight, aren't we?"
Mercury swallowed. "I'm not being insubordinate. For once, Ryver literally said nothin'."
Cool relief swept through Thorn. Ryver and Lena were close and he wasn't naive enough to think that Ryver didn't know at least a little of what was going on. Didn't mean he wanted the whole damned Order talking about it though.
"Maybe he didn't have anything to say. Ryver's a pretty quiet kid when he wants to be."
"Or when he's been ordered to be."
Well, well, well. "Kaden?"
"Yes, Sir," Mercury replied, a frustrated tick forming in his jaw.
"Kaden keeps secrets; it's his job. Why the mood?"
"Because this time it's serious. And it affects all of us."
"And you know this, how?"
"Because I know Ryver, and this, whatever this is, is really botherin' him. Being asked to keep secrets from his brethren. It ain't right."
Thorn felt a little guilty. Mercury was right to be concerned, but until Thorn worked out what the hell he was going to do, there was really no point in upsetting the apple cart. "You're just going to have to ask Kaden, I'm afraid."
"Ask Kaden what?" The Keeper of the Watch strode through the open door.
The guy looked exhausted as he went over to his desk and sank into the chair behind it. Thorn took one look at Kaden and knew now was not the time for Mercury to pry. He just hoped Mercury could take a hint. A mumbled "it don't matter," proved their Quartermaster could still be discreet when he wanted to be.
"So, how was the trip?" Thorn asked.
"Oh you know, fine and dandy. Marin sends his love."
"I'll bet he does," Mercury said
Kaden ignored him. "Any luck with charts for House Clayden?"
Thorn held his hands up. "Give me a chance, Kaden. I got here five minutes before you."
"What chart are we lookin' for?" Mercury asked.
"We need all the paperwork for House Clayden," Kaden said, still slouched in his chair.
"Ah. So we're talkin' actual paper, not digital," Mercury said. "Guess I'd better call for some back up then." He reached for his phone.
Whilst Mercury was busy rounding up the troops, Thorn perched on the end of Kaden's battered, old desk. Not wanting to be overheard he mouthed, "What did Marin have to say about Lena?"
Kaden looked straight past him "Hey Mercury? Fetch us a couple of beers."
Mercury was still on the phone, but gave Kaden a salute before heading out.
"You ever think of just installing a beer fridge down here?" Thorn asked.
Kaden gave a small smile. "Yeah, but then I'd never leave."
Never a truer word spoken.
Kaden pushed his hair out of his eyes. "Listen, Marin says he didn't know Lena or her parents when she was a child."
"And Vance?"
"He knew them and, I quote, 'paid particular attention to their welfare'."
That didn't sound good. The thought of anyone paying particular attention to Lena made Thorn's blood boil. The fact that they were talking about a Vampire whose actions were reprehensible even before he Fell? It didn't bear thinking about.
"You believe him?"
"Yes and no. I can't say he's actually lying, but I don't think he told me everything either. You know the bastard kept me waiting for over an hour? Span me some crap about attending to business. Pouring over papers in the library. And not just to piss me off either. He was searching for something before I even got there. Once he knew I was on site, he got frantic, throwing stuff around, going from one end of the room to the other."
"What was he looking for?"
Kaden shrugged. "I see people, Thorn. Not things."
"Yeah, I know," Thorn conceded. He had to ask anyway. Just in case. “What about Eden?”
“Clayden did ask them for assistance and a meeting was arranged. By the time they got there, House Clayden had been abandoned. Marin never saw them again.”
Thorn nodded. “And Vance?”
“Who knows what that evil piece of shit got up to. I don't think even Marin really knows.”
“But he suspects?”
The Keeper of the Watch shook his head. “He didn't say as much, but Vance did Fall just after Eden was taken.”
“Can't be a coincidence.”
“I doubt it.”
“So, where does this leave us?” Thorn asked.
“Back at House Clayden.”
Kaden gave a heavy sigh and pushed his hair out of his eyes. Jesus the guy looked knackered. His blue eyes lacked their usual lustre and dark circles had formed beneath them. The cheekbones that usually made the Keeper of the Watch handsome, now razored through his pale skin and made him look gaunt.
Thorn's brow knitted. Kaden was never tired. The man was a machine. "Kaden, are you alright?"
Kaden looked surprised by the question, but whatever answer he might have given was swallowed by the raucous arrival of the rest of the team. Thorn watched the four of them jostling around as they bundled through the doorway. And his heart sank.
He kept looking at the open door, waiting for that familiar footfall. Waiting for the boys to move aside so he'd see the flash of blue in that raven hair. But it never came. Lena wasn't there.
All at once it was hard to breathe. A sense of loss overwhelmed him and he was glad he was sitting down. He risked a glance at Kaden whose face grew tense with concern.
Kaden frowned at him, rising from his chair, and mouthed "Are you okay?"
Thorn couldn't answer, his throat tight and dry. He just nodded, wobbled to his feet and walked with slow, deliberate steps towards the door. If he rushed, Kaden would see him stagger rather than walk and then he'd try and help him. Thorn couldn't have that. Not in front of the boys who were all currently pretending to read various bits of parchment.
He just needed to get the fuck out of there.
Against all reason, all logic, and all rational thought, there was only one place Thorn wanted — no, needed — to be.
Chapter 27
Lena smiled for the first time in what felt like a millennium. Soraya may insist on wearing pink every bloody day, which was idiotic, but even Lena had to admit the Princess was a frigging genius.
She slurped down the last of the blood boxes Soraya had given her and felt instantly better. She had no idea what th
e additional supplements Soraya had mentioned were, but frankly she didn't care, and she'd stopped listening anyway. There was no pain. Not even a dull ache.
Lena didn't realise how tense she'd been until she felt her muscles relax. Bit by bit, like a tightly wound coil unfurling, her body went lax. Lying on her bed, she felt like a cat; languid and fluid. Rather than the drug induced haze she experienced the last time Soraya had helped her, this time she was fully content. It was the best she'd felt in forever.
So good in fact, that she decided to head down to the Command Centre. She was Steward of the Watch after all; she ought to get back in the game. Quickly.
If she knew Skylar and Mercury, they were already bitching about her recent no-shows. Yeah, well, she'd show them. Grinning to herself, she pulled on her uniform, complete with new epaulettes, and went in search of her boots.
Without any real clue as to how he got there, Thorn found himself outside Lena's room. Again.
He could sense her through the antique wood, moving around. To his surprise, he couldn't feel any of the pain he'd sensed yesterday. She was like a new woman.
Without having to think about it, he realised she was completely relaxed. Happy even. He couldn't help but smile at the thought. The involuntary action confused him for a second until he realised that he really cared whether Lena was happy or not. His own happiness relied on hers.
Holy fuck!
The new revelation put him in two minds whether he should stay or go. He hovered in the hallway like some school boy, wondering what he should do. He made up his mind to go in and then changed both the conviction and his direction of travel so many times, he was effectively just pacing the corridor.
What the hell are you doing, Thorn?
In the end, his heart ruled his head. He turned back and headed to Lena's door. This time, he didn't hesitate and reached for the handle.
Lena found a pair of boots. She had no idea where her beloved Doc Martins had got to, but she was in too much of a hurry to look any more. The pair she had now took an age to get on.
Lena grinned at the thought. The twenty buckles up each boot were totally worth it. With a chunky heel and the last buckle just below her knee, they looked amazing. They were definitely her second favourite pair. More than ready to face the music she pulled open the door and marched straight into a brick wall.
As she bounced back into the room, she realised she hadn't actually walked into a wall. Not literally at least, though it was easy to compare six-foot-seven-inches of muscle with solid brick.
"Thorn!" As she said his name, she felt a liquid heat within her, a wetness pooling between her thighs.
"Lena," he started to reply, but his words seemed to fail him. He looked lost.
Lena stepped closer. "Is everything alright?"
Thorn's golden eyes shone as they searched her face. A small smile spread across that beautiful mouth, as if he'd found the answer to his question. Those eyes bore straight into her, but she saw nothing but pure delight in them. She found herself smiling back at him.
Lena was truly beautiful when she smiled. All the harshness of the warrior in her disappeared and left behind a stunning woman. As she smiled, Thorn closed the door and took another step towards her. His heart rejoiced when she echoed the gesture.
Somehow, he felt connected to her. He could sense her emotions better than ever and was relieved at the lack of fear she showed. She felt only concern for him. Yet, beneath the concern, her body betrayed her true feelings, feelings that sent his own body into overdrive.
She wanted him.
Sweet cinnamon and exotic spices overwhelmed him as he closed the distance between them. Staring into her midnight-blue eyes, he reached for her dark hair. She'd tied it in a messy pony-tail, but he tugged at the band and released her raven tresses so he could run his fingers through them.
Lena stood amazed at the look on Thorn's face as he untied her hair and ran his hand through her locks. Somewhere, at the back of her mind she was grateful that for once her hair was clean and shiny and tangle-free so he could enjoy it all the more.
Her heart soared as he buried his hand in her hair and bought it up to his nose and inhaled. The groan he let out as he dropped the lock sent shivers through her. She was almost undone altogether when he spoke, his voice like gravel. "Holy Mother of Fae, Lena. You have no idea what you do to me."
Lena flashed him what she knew was a wicked grin. She felt more connected to him than ever. She felt his presence more keenly, felt his emotions as if they were her own. She could feel his courage within her and all her paranoia and years of worry disappeared. His words just confirmed what, in her heart, she already knew; his need was just as great and as painful as hers.
And the knowledge empowered her.
Thorn waited.
That grin of hers gave him hope, but he knew he had to let her take the lead. The next move had to be hers. A dangerous lioness, Lena couldn't be coerced, couldn't be forced. Which was why Thorn thought his heart might actually explode when she stepped into him, ran her hands up his washboard abs, over his pecs and into the curls at the nape of his neck.
Mischief sparkled in her blue eyes as she gazed up at him, that wicked grin still planted on her lips. "Tell me what I do to you," she demanded.
Momentarily stunned, his mouth flapped about in amazement at her brazenness. Lena's grin just broadened, showing her amusement at his total lack of finesse. You're an idiot, Thorn Blackwood.
He took a deep breath. He had a feeling he was only ever going to get one chance at getting this right. Without saying a word, he grasped her hips and pulled her against him. He had been in a state of almost constant arousal for days, but now he was with her, he was rock hard. Lena responded with a gasp as their bodies made contact.
Holy Mother of Fae! In the haze of the past days and weeks, Lena had almost forgotten what Thorn felt like. Now, pressed against him, she knew. She could feel his hard cock against her belly, revelled in the way her breasts felt crushed against his immense chest.
When Thorn leant down to whisper in her ear, the shiver that went through her was so profound it nearly sent her over the edge. "Would you like me to show you what you do to me, Lena?"
"Oh God, yes!"
His hands moved from her hips to clutch her backside. He squeezed and Lena shivered again. His right hand continued its journey to her thigh, where he hooked her leg up and settled his palm behind her knee. The movement served to widen her stance and when he pushed himself closer, Lena almost shouted his name.
They fit together perfectly. Thorn swivelled his hips, rubbing his erection against her core. The seam of her trousers added extra friction so that her clit felt each delicious movement and Lena couldn't help but whimper.
Thorn revelled in Lena's reaction to him. She clung to him, her hands still buried in the hair at the nape of his neck. He relished the little whimper she gave as he moved against her, felt privileged as her grip tightened.
He kept one hand behind her knee but moved the other up her body. His fingers danced along her ribcage and traced the side of her breast. It took all of his self-control not to linger there, but he couldn't, wouldn't, rush this. He continued his journey up her trembling body, stopping to run his fingers over her collarbone.
He marvelled at how feminine and delicate the curve of her neck looked against his broad hand. He smiled as she leaned into his palm and her raven hair flowed over his fingers. He traced her jaw with the rough pad of his thumb as she looked up at him. By all that's Seelie, she's beautiful.
Romance mixed with pure need as he felt her heart skip a beat, reminding him that her very life force flowed beneath his fingertips. The thought both thrilled and terrified him.
Pushing his gut-wrenching need for her aside, he pulled her hips closer whilst bending over her so she released her grip on him and fell backwards. Still supporting her neck, Lena stretched out before him like the lioness he knew her to be. She never took her eyes off him, not for one second.
As Lena stared up at Thorn's white-hot eyes, a sort of borrowed courage settled within her. It felt different to her own, but she was grateful for it. This new connection between the two of them strengthened her, made her bold.
She wiggled her hips and delighted in the hiss Thorn gave in return. His strong arm pulled her upright again and his lips claimed hers. He pulled on her bottom lip, his fangs scraping on the delicate flesh there. She waited for the fear to descend, but it never came. The delicious sensation of Thorn's kiss took over, demanding she give it her full attention.
Lena closed her eyes and sank into Thorn, giving herself over to the need within her. Her tongue danced with his, and sweet, masculine spices enveloped her; she moaned against his broad mouth. The kiss deepened and Thorn's strong fingers speared through her hair. She met him with everything she had, tasting, exploring. She felt his fangs again and ran her tongue over the razor-sharp tip of one. Thorn hissed and broke away.
Lena felt bereft.
Thorn breathed hard and heavy as he nuzzled Lena's neck. Jesus Fucking Christ. That thing she did with his fangs knocked him for six and he needed time to breathe. And wasn't that just the problem?
Exquisite cinnamon laced every breath he took and his mouth was now just millimetres away from Lena's carotid. He could feel the thump, thump, thump of her heartbeat against his lips, beating out an irresistible song, just for him.
He laid a chaste kiss on her neck, not daring to linger there any longer. He pulled back and looked into her hooded eyes.
She smiled back at him. "Don't stop now."
She was playing a dangerous game, yet he couldn't resist playing it with her. "I don't intend to," he growled as he released her leg. Placing both his hands on her derriere he pulled her up his body. His heart skipped a beat as she rewarded him by wrapping her strong legs around his waist.
Lena felt small and feminine wrapped around this male. His strong hands held her with no effort at all. He moved towards her bed and adjusted his hold on her to free his right hand, pulling her in for another kiss.
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