Blind Destiny: Grimm's Circle, Book 7 [retail mobi]

by Shiloh Walker

  “You sure as hell are in a bitchy mood,” she said as she brushed around him.

  Bitchy. He ran his tongue around his teeth and breathed in the scent of her. His palms itched. His blood pulsed in his veins, so hot and heavy. Hunger was an ache in his veins and he wanted to touch, wanted it so much he could hardly stand it.

  Bitchy? She didn’t know the half of it.

  “What are we looking for?” she asked.

  He tried not to notice how her voice hitched a little halfway through, tried not to think about the way her breath caught and how he could sense the pain riding her.

  “Something is tainting this town. It’s not demonic, but it’s enough that it hurts people.” He crouched down and snapped his fingers, waiting for Krell. He smelled rot in the air—rotting wood, the carcasses of dead animals, dust, mold. “Look around, boy.”

  Krell made a rumble in his throat, not quite a growl, not quite a bark, and then padded off. Luc could hear him snuffling and moving around. Keeping himself locked in his own mind for now, he listened only. He could hear Sina.

  “What is he doing?”

  Luc closed his eyes.

  She was standing too damn close, and moving closer. Staying where he was, he pulled a knife from his pocket and placed it on the ground, twirling it by the tip. He’d have to sharpen it again, but it was better if he stayed focused on something. On anything.

  “He’s checking to make sure everything is stable,” Luc said, visualizing the blade in his mind. If he tried hard enough, he could almost imagine how the blade would look if he held it, could imagine holding it as he fought—

  “Stable.” Sina snorted. “This place is a veritable death trap.”

  “Yes. Which is why I’d rather he look around and have an idea where I shouldn’t step before I go blundering around on rotted boards and falling through to land on my arse,” Luc said.

  “Why don’t you just look through his eyes all the time?”

  Sighing, Luc closed his hand around the blade and lifted his hand to his head. Resting his brow on his fist, he said, “For one, even the dog might like his privacy every now and then. He’s my friend, not just a tool. Also, it’s not as easy to judge that when I’m looking through his eyes. It’s better for me to have an idea of the lay of the land before I go plowing in.”

  “You’re angry.”

  “Oh, fuck this,” he swore, unfolding his legs and rising to his feet. He shoved the blade back into his sheath and then crossed his arms over his chest. “No. I’m not angry. I’m tired and I want this assignment done. You obviously aren’t pleased to be working with me so I’d just as soon relieve you of the burden of my presence as soon as earthly possible.”

  “I…” Sina sighed. “Luc, I don’t have a problem working with you. You’re more tolerable than most people, at least. I’m just not much of a team player.”

  “I never would have noticed.”

  Krell barked, a single sharp sound. Luc nodded. “It’s safe enough.” He turned away and started toward the dog, throwing out a link and merging his mind with Krell’s as he did so. It gave him the disconcerting view of watching himself approach and over his shoulder, he saw Sina, eyeing him with a peculiar expression on her face.

  She looked sad, he thought.

  Sad. Maybe even lonely.

  It was almost enough to make him think that Will hadn’t been entirely off base. Maybe Will hadn’t been jerking his chain.

  But Luc knew better than think that.

  Life hadn’t exactly been kind to him over the centuries. He didn’t expect that to change any time soon.

  We were inside there a lot longer than I liked.

  The very feel of the house clung to me when we left, like cobwebs on my skin.

  “That was a waste of time,” Luc muttered.

  I glanced over at him. “What did you expect to find?”

  One shoulder rose in a shrug. “I don’t know. One of the books, maybe?”

  “We’d feel those.”

  “We don’t always.” He continued to walk, taking a circuitous route, even though most of the people who had gathered outside earlier had finally faded away.

  A few were still gathered in knots, though, talking quietly. One older lady was leaning against the man next to her and sobbing. I could barely make out her broken, hoarse cries.

  “Georgios…where is little Georgios? Where is my baby?”

  Georgios…her baby.

  I stiffened and turned my head toward her. Stared. Georgios—

  “The woman who died…was she the only one in the house, Luc?”

  He kept on walking. Over his shoulder, he said, “Yes.”

  Torn, I looked back at the woman. My baby.

  Who was she crying about?

  “We need to figure out what…”

  But Luc hadn’t even slowed down.

  Glaring at his back, I went after him.

  Arrogant son-of-a-bitch.

  I caught up with him on the second level of the hotel, just a few feet from our door. I could have caught him quicker, but that might have gotten me noticed and that wasn’t exactly something we strived to do. It was actually supposed to be the opposite.

  “I think we need to figure out who the old woman is crying about,” I said to his back.

  Luc unlocked the door.

  “It’s not necessary,” he said as he went inside. Once there, he took Krell off the leash.

  Shit. I knew what that meant, although… “Damn it, Luc, if it’s a kid, we need to get back out there and find out what’s going on. He could be hurt or in danger, and we need to know.”

  Luc ignored me, dropping down on the floor to play with his dog.

  Krell was an amazing animal, but he was still an animal, one who worked rather hard. One thing I’d already noticed—once that leash came off, the dog was no longer working and he took advantage of it. Butting his head up against Luc’s chest, he growled low in his throat, odd little noises that made him sound like he was trying to talk.

  I glared at the two of them. “Do I have go back out there by myself?”

  “No.” Luc reached into his pocket and pulled something out—it look like a piece of jerky or something. He tossed it to Krell and the dog snatched it out of the air and trotted over to lie by the window, flopping down with a pleased little doggie sigh. Luc remained where he was, sprawled on the ground, long, denim-clad legs stretched in front of him, the faded cotton of his black T-shirt riding up just a little and baring the plane of his flat belly.

  I had the appalling image of me pouncing on him like Krell had.

  Damn it. I needed to pull myself together.

  “Why shouldn’t we be out there?” I demanded.

  “Because I already know where the boy is.” Luc lay back on the floor and flung an arm over his eyes. “Will has him.”

  Then he blew out a sigh and lapsed into silence.

  “Will?”

  He didn’t answer me.

  I swear, the man had a penchant for ignoring me that really, really pissed me off at times. Stalking over to him, I kicked him in the leg. “Sleeping Beauty, I just asked you a question.”

  He didn’t bother moving his arm. “Wrong fairy tale, Snow White. I’m the stupid prince who tried to climb up a stone tower and fell down, ended up having my eyes pierced by thorns or some such nonsense. Yes. Will. You know, the stoic, white-haired bastard who likes to boss all of us around and talk in cryptic little bits of speech that make no sense to us mere underlings? I found the boy on the beach, came to the conclusion that he was in danger and called Will. After about fifteen minutes of having him blast me mentally, I told him he could either get the boy and keep him safe, or I’d keep my ass on the beach until he did. He decided he’d rather get the job done so he came for the boy.”

  Now he lowered his arm and when I saw the inhuman beauty of those blue eyes, it was like a punch to the heart. As he came to his feet, I backed away then I could have kicked myself. Damn it, what I was doing?r />
  Of course, he couldn’t see it, and Krell was off gnawing away on his treat, and I hadn’t made any noise, but it was the point of the matter.

  “Now, was there anything else, Snow White?” he asked, his voice silky and cool, but under it, there was a threat of something. Something I couldn’t quite understand. This wasn’t like Luc. Luc was ever the gentleman. Always so kind and polite, even when he was pissed. Hell, I’d see him apologize to some of the possessed we’d taken down before. It wasn’t the demon he apologized to, but the mortal who still lurked inside. Luc never seemed to lapse on the manners front.

  Except he was lapsing now.

  He was being something of an ass as he took a step in my direction, then another, and another until he stood just a few inches away.

  “Don’t call me that,” I snapped.

  When he eased even closer, I jerked my hands up. That was a mistake, because I was touching him now. Through the thin cloth of his shirt, I could feel his heartbeat slamming against my hands—fast and hard. Too fast, too hard. Our hearts didn’t move at the same rhythm of a human’s. Not unless something had us worked up, at least. His skin felt hot, incredibly hot.

  Long-fingered hands closed around my wrists. “I’m tired. I want a shower. A meal. A nap,” Luc murmured, tugging my hands down.

  As he leaned in, I could feel the rhythm of my own heart ratcheting up a bit. Okay. A lot. Too much, until I was almost lightheaded from it. When he pressed his lips to my ear, I had to swallow a moan. “If you’re done trying to educate me, Snow White, I’m going to go shower.”

  As he moved away, I swallowed and closed my eyes. Dragging my hands through my hair, I managed to stumble over to the bed. As the door shut behind him, I thought about yelling at him, “Don’t call me that.”

  But what was the point?

  As he was stripping out of his clothes, Luc wondered if maybe Will was right.

  As much as he hated to consider that idea—it was a matter of principle, really—he had to consider it, because either he was losing his mind, or he’d felt something very, very much like his own hunger just a few minutes ago.

  The problem wasn’t her hunger, though.

  And he knew it.

  Broodingly, he made his way over to the shower, swearing when he accidentally bumped into the wall. If he’d been here a few more days, it wouldn’t have happened. Or maybe it would have. Buildings weren’t like living creatures and they didn’t give off the vibes he used to paint a mental picture, but he could acclimate after a few days and rarely bumped into anything anymore.

  Just another thing to sour his already black mood, although it was nothing compared to what really had him troubled.

  And it wasn’t even Sina.

  She had him pissed, she had him horny, and if he was around her too long, he suspected she’d leave him hurting.

  The bigger problem was what was going on out there in the village, a problem he couldn’t untangle.

  Need to clear my mind, he thought as he turned on the shower, adjusting the spray until it came down in a hot, pulsating blast. This was another one of the pleasures of modern life. Showers. Hot, long showers. He loved them. Plain and simple, loved them.

  If the water would hold out, he could just stand in there long enough to clear his mind.

  That would be ideal.

  Blanking his mind, he braced his hands on the tile wall and dipped his head, letting the water pound on his neck and back, groaning in pleasure.

  Need to—

  A tingle danced along his flesh. Buzzed through his mind.

  Familiar.

  Slowly, he lifted his head.

  Water dripped off his cheeks, nose and chin, but he didn’t move as he tried to remember the placement, everything in the bathroom. The hotel was worn and rundown, but clean. Nicer than he’d expected, really, considering how the outside had looked.

  Somebody had done some updates on recently and they tried to cater to younger couples.

  There were mirrors all over the fucking bathroom.

  Mirrors.

  And as he stood there, the tingling on his flesh grew more intense and in the very back of his mind, he felt a warmth.

  Sina used mirrors. The way he used Krell’s eyes, although her ability wasn’t anywhere as keen as his. Whether it was the inanimate object, whether it was because she didn’t practice as much as he did, or what.

  Watching me, Snow White?

  The idea might have unsettled him at some other time.

  But just then, he was feeling just a little mean. Shoving away from the wall, he eased back, bracing himself against the tile. As the water continued to pour down around him, he rested a hand down his belly.

  He’d been frozen in a state of semi-arousal ever since he’d touched her. Semi no longer applied. His cock pulsed, ached, throbbed and as he stroked his hand down, the damn thing twitched and jerked, like a dog just waiting to be touched.

  Closing his hand around his length, he dragged his hand up. Down.

  Imagined it was her.

  Violent, almost painful need twisted through him and he groaned. She’d hear…and he didn’t care. She wanted to watch him, she might as well hear what she was doing to him.

  She’d be as wet, slick and warm as the water beating down on him. He’d already tasted her, felt her. If he closed his eyes, he could picture it. But he didn’t. He fixed his sightless gaze on one of the mirrors, knowing she was watching, wanting her to feel like he was staring right back at her.

  Harder. Faster. He fisted himself, squeezing as he neared the head, moving his hips a little, his breathing coming in harsh, ragged gasps. It was torturous pleasure, doing this, but one he was used to. It had been an age, lifetimes, since he’d taken a woman. This was the only relief he knew and he knew it well.

  But now, it wasn’t enough.

  He wanted her, wanted her like he wanted to breathe.

  Wanted her more—he was pretty certain he could survive if he stopped breathing for a good long while.

  Wanted her the way he wanted his sight back. Wanted her because he thought maybe, just maybe, she could make him feel whole. And he hadn’t felt like that in too long.

  I stared at the mirror, stared at him.

  I didn’t see myself.

  Through the steam and the water, I could see him, watching as he stroked himself, his eyes fixed…and it felt as though he watched me. Licking my lips, I clutched at the bedclothes beneath me and told myself to stay.

  I wasn’t going to get up.

  I wasn’t going to go in there.

  I wasn’t going to keep watching.

  But I couldn’t make myself look away either.

  As he worked himself closer and closer to climax, I almost came myself, and it was nearly painful, the need cramping through me.

  I wanted that man. Needed him.

  But it wasn’t enough to have him, and I knew I could.

  I wanted him for so much more. I loved him. He was still in love with his beloved princess. Maybe I didn’t deserve a happy ending, but I’d be damned if I tormented myself with that.

  Faster and faster, his hand moved, almost frenzied and then he moved his other one, reaching between his legs and cupping his sac. I groaned and then I bit my lip to make myself be quiet. Crossing my legs to fight against the ache there, I watched. Watched as the swollen head of his cock disappeared inside his fist. Watched as he stroked back down. There was nothing elegant or polite about him now. Just hunger. Raw, primal hunger and it was killing me.

  When he came, a harsh growl rumbled out of his chest and I found myself licking my lips, wishing I’d just said the hell with it and gone in there. I could have been on my knees in front of him and taking him in my mouth as he came, instead of out here alone, with the hunger an ache in my belly.

  “Sina…”

  I tensed.

  He was still stroking himself, slower now. So much slower.

  “Didn’t anybody ever tell you it’s not polite to spy on
people?” he murmured.

  Then he lifted a hand and licked his thumb.

  Startled, I snapped the connection to the mirror.

  Shit. He’d known I was watching…?

  Groaning, I flopped back on the bed and rolled onto my side, facing away from the bathroom as embarrassment stained my cheeks red. He’d caught me spying—

  I needed to get out of here.

  Jackknifing upright, I came off the bed.

  I’d made it three steps before the bathroom door opened.

  Luc stood there with a towel around his hips. Water glistened in his hair, rolled in drops down his shoulders, caught in the light dusting of hair on his chest.

  “Going somewhere?” he asked.

  “Ah…” I snapped my mouth shut. I was not at a loss for words. Not around him. Not around anybody.

  Except I very much was.

  He came prowling toward me. “What is it with you, Sina?” he asked, stopping, yet again, just a little too close. “You seem determined to push me away and you keep everybody at a distance, then you do things like…”

  His words trailed off.

  “Like what?”

  Damn it. I should have stayed silent.

  “Like what you just did.” He flashed me a decidedly devilish smile. “You really shouldn’t do things like that, unless you want to push a man to his breaking point.”

  I backed away and turned around. I needed distance, needed to do something to busy my hands. There. The little kitchenette. He’d said he wanted a meal, hadn’t he? All right, then. I’d make him one. I could have a few minutes to compose myself, I could give him a peace offering. And I could get away from him.

  Reaching for the caustic humor that always served me well, I pointed out, “Luc, my dear, you don’t have a breaking point. Haven’t we already established you are just about the epitome of the knight gallant?”

  Behind me, there was silence.

  Tense, edged moments of silence.

  “No breaking point.”

  Then he moved.

  I was leaning against the counter, going through the meager foodstuffs we’d picked up and then I was trapped. Trapped between him—his mostly naked body—and the counter.