by Kirk, A
Stomach fluttering, I dropped and hunched against a bookcase then peeked through the volumes. A shadow slunk a couple rows over. I wiped my sweaty palm on my jeans and tightened the grip on the flashlight.
A demon? No, because then my Divinicus senses would be tingling. In theory anyway.
Rose? Wasn’t sure. Flint’s ghost? These days, it was possible.
Anyway you sliced it — just hoped I didn’t bleed — this was turning into a very…
“—bad, bad idea.” I whispered the end of my scary thought because hearing the sound of my voice was supposed to make me feel better. Still waiting for that to kick in.
I hunkered low and backed up. Slowly. If I could make it to the secret door —
A hand clamped on my shoulder. I screamed.
Chapter Forty-Six
I threw an elbow back. It connected. I heard a grunt, then turned with a kick to his side. Came back for a punch, the flashlight gripped in my hand for extra power. He blocked, caught my wrist and twisted. The flashlight clattered on the shelf behind me. He slammed me back against the bookcase, my body pinned by the length of his, one of his hands holding my wrists above my head.
“Nice. But faster follow through next time.”
“Ayden!” I wheezed. “What in the wormy alien world are you doing here?!”
“I’m not even going to pretend I understand that reference. But hey, you attacked me.” The glow of the fallen flashlight highlighted his sly grin. “Gotta say. It was kind of hot. Ready for round two? Or shall we take a break.” He nuzzled my neck. “You smell so good. I vote break.”
“Oh, no.” I shoved him off. “You don’t get to do that ‘I’m so sexy and adorable you can’t be mad at me’ thing.”
His look turned to pleasurable astonishment. “You think I’m sexy and adorable?”
“No!” I lied, then slammed my palms into his chest. Ow.
His grin widened. “Oh, no. You said it. You meant it. You can’t take it back.”
“Get away. Go away.” I grabbed my flashlight and stormed off toward the Flint section.
Ayden groaned and followed me. “No, this is good news. Besides, I’m not letting you walk away again. Let me explain, because earlier, at your house, that wasn’t what I meant.”
“Don’t worry, I got the message.”
I came to the door at the entrance to the Flint section, yanked on the handle and pushed. Then thumped into the door. Of course it was locked. I tried Luna’s key. Didn’t work. Ugh! Life clearly didn’t want to give me the satisfaction of a dramatic exit, ending with slamming a door in Ayden’s face.
I knelt, withdrew my lock picking set and got to work. Diving into a serial killer’s maze promised to be a lot more fun than letting my heart fall to pieces.
Ayden leaned against the doorframe. “You know how our emotions are tied to our supernatural ability.”
“You get angry, you catch fire. I’ve seen it. Old news. Leave.”
I paused my work to shove him, but he just sidestepped and paced a half-circle around me. He swallowed audibly before continuing.
“Not just angry. Any intense emotion. Most of which I’ve trained extensively to deal with, but this particular…circumstance hasn’t come up before, and I don’t want to hurt you.”
“What circumstance would make you hurt me?”
He wiped a hand down his face and muttered into his hand something I couldn’t decipher. Then he smiled so tight it was almost a grimace.
“When I want you, when things get hot between us, I get…” He lifted his hands in front of himself, and they burst into flames.
I felt the heat from his hands, caught the burning scent. There was a beat of silence. Then as the last pin on the lock pinged to unlatch the door, gears of logic clicked into place inside my brain.
I stood, dropping my tools as I let out a long, expansive, “Ohhhh. Huh. So you’ve been avoiding being alone with me because—”
“Because I have a hard time controlling myself when I’m around you.” He jerked his fiery hands to emphasize the point. “Got it?”
Yes. Yes, I believe I did. As I processed the news, a warm feeling trickled over me, healing together some of those fissures in my heart. I felt myself smiling.
“Anyway…” Ayden, actually blushing, snuffed out his hands and leaned against the frame again, looking equal parts uncomfortable and relieved. “Enough about that. Let’s get back to me being sexy and adorable.”
“Not a chance,” I said. “You should have told me.” Yeah, Aurora, because you’re always so upfront about everything. Shut up, Aurora. No, you shut up. “Why are you here?”
“So glad you asked,” he said with a sly wink before hurrying off.
“How did you find me?”
“Please,” he said with disdain from somewhere in the shadows. “One, you had that look in your eye.” He sauntered back into the light carrying two metal traveler coffee mugs and handed me a shiny lavender one. “And two, Matthias told you not to. So, of course, you’d head for the caves via the library’s secret door. I made coffee, drove over, waited outside your house, and followed you on your bike.”
I hated being so predictable.
“So you’re here to stop me?” Uh-oh. I’d have to ditch him. Make a run to the secret door. But first, I needed an energy boost. I clutched the warm mug and took a sip. Yum. “Is this—?”
“Your favorite? Why, yes it is.” He clinked his mug against mine, looking very pleased with himself. “White chocolate raspberry with extra whipped cream. I made it with the new machine. Jamie gave me the recipe.”
“Jamie, the cute blonde who giggles every time you walk in?”
He raised a brow. “Jealousy? That’s promising.” He tipped his mug in a gesture of triumph. “But I only know her as Jamie, the kindly barista who helped me impress my girlfriend. In a bold move of creative genius, I added a pinch of freshly ground cinnamon —did you know it came in sticks? — and sprinkled white chocolate shavings on top. What do you think?”
That this guy couldn’t be for real. But I took another sip and said, “Bold, creative genius paid off.”
“Excellent,” he beamed. “And no, I am not here to stop you. Simply lend support in my official bodyguard capacity.”
My expression was wary. “Then you should’ve offered me a ride. I was freezing my butt off on that bike.”
“Your backside looked perfect…ly fine.” From under his thick lashes, he gave me a mischievous look. “I made a point to watch closely. It’s one of my favorite parts of your body to guard. Along with your chest, let me add, before I get accused of further neglect.”
I rubbed my eyes to help cover the blush. “No excuse. Should’ve picked me up.”
“And miss all the sexy intrigue? Not a chance.” He reached to trace a finger along my jaw. The gesture was unexpected and hit me like an electric charge. I choked and almost snorted coffee. A smile tugged at his mouth. “I love this secret late night meeting in the romantic library.”
I swallowed down the coffee snot and smirked. “I was getting a more creepy vibe.”
“Work with me.” He glanced around and turned his voice all smooth and mysterious. “Bathed in a magical glow, you overwhelm me with your stunning beauty, making me forget all reason and lending just the right atmosphere to bear my soul and entice you into a compromising position.”
“Or set me on fire.”
He sighed with dramatic disappointment. “You’re not helping me set the mood. I have so much to teach you.”
I rolled my eyes. “Bring it, oh masterful one.”
“Bring it?” He cocked a brow. “Wow. That’s almost on par with your earlier use of the term ‘strumpet’. But I’ll have to ‘bring it’ another time.” He leaned in and slowly brought his mouth to hover over mine. He spoke in a low rumble that slithered fire underneath my skin. “Because as much as I’d love to kiss you, right now, deeply and ever so thoroughly...” He brushed back my hair and stroked my cheek softly. “I�
��ve learned my lesson. Slow is the name of the game. We’ve got all the time in the world. And I plan to take advantage of it.” He licked his lips, his voice husky and full of promise. “Very big advantage. Later.”
He dropped a light kiss on my forehead then swung open the door to the Flint section and strolled toward the back, swirling his mug.
Waiting in the doorway, I breathed in deep then exhaled to clear my head, trying to steady…everything. As I watched him move with such easygoing grace, well, let’s just say that speaking of backsides, I was a serious fan.
I found myself staring.
“Quit ogling me, Lahey,” Ayden ordered over his shoulder. “We’ll deal with your licentious thoughts later. Right now, we’re burning daylight, and first period waits for no one. Follow me.”
I laughed. Follow him? Not a problem.
“By the way,” he paused to sip his coffee, “you said the tunnels won’t hurt you, but I’m Mandatum, so how do you plan to keep them from trying to kill me?”
Oh, right. That might be a problem.
Chapter Forty-Seven
In the Flint section, I climbed to the upper level shelf and pulled books aside to uncover the spiral. “When the flaming spikeballs attacked, I told them to stop, and they just did, so I’m thinking that same strategy will work if they come after yo— Whoa!” I shrieked. “What are you doing?”
“Helping you up,” Ayden said.
I looked down. “No. You’re grabbing my butt.”
“No,” Ayden said mildly, “I’m simply providing support. This would be grabbing your butt.” His hands moved. I squealed. He grinned. “See the difference?”
I pursed my lips. “Ayden.”
“Fine.” He hauled himself up beside me and latched his arms around my waist.
I frowned. “What now?”
“I’m just making sure you don’t go through without me this time.”
“I’m not sure this is a great idea. What if the voice doesn’t listen this time? Or something else attacks?”
“You’ll save me and demand sexual favors in return. Or so I hope.” He jerked his chin toward the wall. “Let’s go, lusty wench.”
Smiling despite my trepidation, I hovered my hand over the double spiral. Felt heat. Goosebumps on my skin. A rush of air, and this time I actually saw the bookshelf and wall swing back into darkness. A click-clank and that web of metal tentacles shot out, wrapped around us both, and whooshed us through.
We were dumped on our feet into darkness as the door closed, but lamps quickly sprung to life illuminating the dank, musty tunnel.
“Nice work,” Ayden looked impressed.
Sally Security’s voice echoed off the walls, “Mandatum intruder.”
“Or not,” I told Ayden, then shoved him behind me and shouted, “There is no intruder!” A flaming spikeball puffed to life. “Stand down! About face! Cease! Desist! Abort!”
The spikey fireball started its chainsaw rotations. Ayden reached from behind me, arms bracketing each side of my face, his palms facing out toward the threat, and produced a band of fire. It connected from one hand to the other, blocking me from the attack. I felt the heat on my face and smelled the burn.
“Get down!” he ordered.
“No!” I grabbed his wrists and shoved his arms out wide. Breaking the ribbon of fire. “Scrub the mission!”
The spikey ball shot toward us. Ayden’s hand grabbed the back of my hoodie and started to sweep my feet out from under me, ready to blast Flint’s mini fire grenade.
I screamed at the faceless woman. “Terminate! Do it…now!”
The fireball skidded to a stop in front of me, snuffed out, and dropped to the floor with a whiny ping. Lucky, since I had cleaned out my repertoire of clichéd halt commands. I kept myself between Ayden and the fireball as it collapsed into a small, smooth orb, and rolled toward us. I kicked it, but it skittered right back. Irritating. But at least it wasn’t attacking anymore.
“See,” I said, “I can protect you for a change.”
Ayden spun me around and grabbed my jacket, pulling forward to lay his mouth firmly on mine. The kiss was deep and deliberate, jumbling my thoughts, stealing my sanity. Then he stepped back, breathing hard, hair tumbled over his forehead, chocolate eyes shimmering with mischief.
I stared, swallowed hard. “What was that?”
“Partial payback on your lecherous demands for saving my life.” He adjusted his jacket. “But the rest will have to wait. I’m here on bodyguard duty so quit trying to seduce me and let’s get to work.” He saluted. “Lead the way.”
Lips still tingling from the…vigorous contact, I glanced around the empty tunnels before picking up the deactivated spikeball still following me around and shoving it in my pocket.
Ignoring Ayden’s questioning look, I said, “Right. Give me a minute to remember,” or come up with it in the first place, “all the details of my super safe and sane plan.”
He raised his hands in supplication. “No hurry. I’m just the muscle, here to follow orders.”
“If only.” Although I had to admit, the muscle was pretty sweet.
“Try me.” He bowed in a courtly fashion. “Give me a command.”
Kiss me you fool! Oh, wait. He’d covered that. Not that we couldn’t go there again but — stay on track, Aurora.
Take off your shirt! Yeah, my hormones were raging.
I sighed and scratched my head. “Can you whistle?”
Chapter Forty-Eight
Ayden’s hands rested lightly on my thighs. “Your super safe and sane plan was to wander the tunnels of a serial killer riding his pet demon?” His hand moved over the bulge of the spikey ball in my front pocket. “And his mini firebombs?”
I sighed. “Last I checked, bodyguards are the strong and silent type.”
At Ayden’s whistle, Fido, my trusty centimole demon, had come scuttling at hyper-drive. I almost didn’t dodge the enthusiastically slurpy doggie lick she swung my way.
Now, Ayden and I were atop her neck, tucked behind the snapping antennae in a convenient cove just big enough for a couple of people to sit in safely, as long as they had a loose meaning of the word safe. He’d slung my backpack over his shoulder so he could scoot close behind me and give directions using the map on his phone. I steered by pulling on Fido’s antennae. So far, so good.
She bustled along with ease and purpose, smooth as a monorail, Victorian lamps illuminating a few seconds before we reached them to light our way. I was darn proud of myself.
“We’re not wandering,” I reminded him. “We’re going to that gap Blake talked about. Be patient.”
“I’m nothing but,” he assured me then slid his arms around my waist. His warm body pressed close.
“So, uh, this…fire issue. Is it normal?”
I felt him smile against the nape of my neck. “Actually, it’s very common in our circles— the Mandatum. It’s just never come up for me before. But now that it has, I’m getting help.”
“What kind of help?”
He took a moment to answer, fidgeting uncomfortably behind me. “In learning how to control it so when I’m around you, in a certain way…assuming you’re interested, then I won’t hurt you. So when I’ve been off somewhere, unavailable, that’s where I’ve been.”
My mouth opened and closed a few times. “To, like, a therapist?”
“Not exactly.” He let out a long breath. “It’s someone who’s been through this before and successfully controlled it.”
“Is it Bancroft?” I was dying at the thought that he’d been talking to a priest about us, but would a priest have this problem? Maybe he hadn’t always been a priest.
Ayden snorted. “He wouldn’t help. Like your aunt, he’d be happy for another reason to keep me away from you.”
“What does he have against me? And what is up with the two of them working together?”
“Nothing. And I don’t know. From his end, he’s being protective.” Ayden said. “Historically, hunters and
civilians getting close is risky for both sides. Exposure for us, physically dangerous for them—”
Fido banked a sharp right. Ayden’s arms squeezed me in a rib-breaking grip. When she stopped short, we jerked forward then back.
My voice echoed in the darkness, “Now we’ll make some progress.”
The lights in the room started ca-chunking, lighting the space to reveal…
A dead end. Great.
Ayden dropped his chin on my shoulder. “Nice work.”
I flicked him an irritated look. “Blake said it might be hidden.”
He shrugged and swung off Fido, then reached for me, guiding my decent so I slid against him with aching slowness. When my feet finally touched down, our bodies were flush against each other, and I was finding it way hotter in the cold, damp cave than I expected.
I wiped my brow. “Guess we’d better start searching.”
“Right,” he said, his voice raspy. “For those spirals that literally open doors for you.” He turned away and surveyed the room. “Any ideas where to start, Lady Croft?”
Before I could provide an answer—not that I had one—my mind careened out of my body as a vision took over.
Wind rushed through my ears, then died out into an unnatural silence. Fido and Ayden became smaller as I flew backwards, retracing our steps. The walls blurred into a haze of brown shades. Then jagged streaks of quicksilver shimmered as I drifted to a stop. The streaks consolidated into round orbs.
Eyes of silver. Menacing. Moving up and down as an entire pack of not-quite hellhounds barreled toward me.
Flaming spike spheres spit from the lamps, rocketing toward at least a few dozen dog demons. But just before the orbs made impact, the hounds dropped into the ground, as if the rocky earth was nothing more than swamp water. The spheres exploded like grenades against the stone, turning the tunnel into a warzone. Dust clouded, chunks flew, leaving burnt black craters in the ground, but the demons were untouched. Bursting out of the ground several feet away, they kept running.