by R. J. Blain
I stared at the jacuzzi in the bathroom longingly, sighed, and sat down on the bed to rub at my aching ankles. While I wanted to soak, I had left instructions with the hotel to leave champagne, cheese, and strawberries next to the jacuzzi. If her behavior in all three of the restaurants we had stopped at was any indication, she didn’t go out often, let alone indulge in any real luxuries.
It wasn’t much, but maybe the gesture would help her forget what had happened to her pack for a little while.
“There’s a jacuzzi if you want to soak.”
Evelyn spun from the window. “There’s a jacuzzi?”
Her breathless voice sent shivers racing through me. I nodded to the bathroom, which wasn’t much smaller than the cheap motel room we had shared the night before. She crossed to it in a hurry, shucking off her jacket as she went. I caught it before it hit the ground. Her shirt followed, and I was so busy trying not to look at her I didn’t notice her throwing it at me. It landed on my head. Grabbing her shirt, I took it and her jacket to the closet in the suite’s small foyer.
To my relief, she closed the bathroom door behind her.
“There’s champagne and strawberries in here, Jackson!”
“My, my,” I replied, unable to smother my chuckle.
“Jackson, there’s a whole bottle and two glasses. Join me!”
Laughing in earnest, I shook my head despite knowing she couldn’t see me. “That’s like a cat asking a mouse to dinner, Miss Evelyn. Enjoy your bath.”
“Spoilsport.”
After I heard the water start running, I sat on the edge of the bed, pulling my cell out of my pocket.
Evelyn opened the door to pout at me, thrusting a filled champagne flute in my direction. “At least have a glass if you won’t join me.”
I accepted the flute and raised it to her. “That I can do, ma’am. Take your time. I’ll have my turn after you.”
“You could join me, you know. There’s plenty of room for two.”
I wanted to, but satisfying my lusty desires wouldn’t do either one of us any good. “Alas, I must decline, Miss Evelyn, but thank you. I have a cruise to book for us while you enjoy your soak.” I smiled at her, making a shooing gesture with my phone.
“You won’t get any strawberries,” she warned.
“Not even one?” I mimicked her pout before taking a sip of the champagne and setting the flute on the nightstand beside the bed.
“Maybe one. I’ll think about it.” She vanished back into the bathroom.
For a long moment, I stared at the closed door, listening to Evelyn splash, keenly aware of her invitation. Any other man probably would have accepted. With her sultry voice, the sprinkling of freckles over her nose, and her rich auburn hair, she was already a rung above most other women. Add in her toned body, which she had gone out of her way to make sure I got a good look at on more than one occasion, and I felt the fool for rejecting her advances.
If I wanted her, all I had to do was ask, and that bothered me almost as much as my awareness of what I was missing with my refusals. Lust was not a solid foundation for a relationship of any sort.
I sighed and dialed a number before holding my cell to my ear.
“Smith.” My friend’s voice rumbled in what I recognized as annoyance.
I bet he thought I was a telemarketer, which made me grin. “Zachary, it’s Jackson. I need a favor.” If the captain of a cruise ship operating a Miami to Canada line couldn’t get me up north, no one could.
There was a long pause. “Huh. Never thought a dead man would call me. That’s a new one. Rumor has it you got blasted to bits courtesy of a flubbed op, Boss.” Zachary’s tone deepened, and I couldn’t tell if he was relieved or disappointed at my survival. One day I’d figure him out.
“I’d like to keep it that way. A young lady and I need a ride to Canada. Are you still running those cruises up to Potato Land?”
“Potato Land?” My friend burst into laughter. “Sure am, Boss. Next cruise out of Miami leaves port on Wednesday morning. What kind of suites do you need?” I heard the clacking of a keyboard in the background.
Wednesday was as ideal as I could hope for. We’d have to hole up in the suite for a day, checking out late at night fringing on early morning, long after sane people had gone to bed. “Best you have.”
“Two cabins?”
“One.”
The typing stopped. “One?”
“One,” I confirmed in a firm voice.
“You and a young lady will be sharing a suite?” The curiosity in Zachary’s voice made me wince. I reached for my champagne, taking a sip as I considered how best to address his question.
“Your reaction is the exact reason we will be sharing a suite. I want to make it to Canada without anyone knowing we’ve made the trip,” I replied, somehow managing to keep my tone even. If my friend sensed any discomfort on my part, he’d never let it lie. He would haunt me until my dying day, ready and willing to tease me over my unwillingness to spend extended time with most women. “No one would believe I’d share a room with anyone, let alone a woman.”
“It’s been five years, Jackson. Suzanne wouldn’t want you to be alone like this. She wouldn’t care if you started seeing someone.”
“I care,” I whispered.
“I know you do. That’s part of why I like you. If she’s interested, let this young lady of yours have her way with you. It’ll do you some good.” Zachary’s voice lightened with his laughter. “I have you booked into a suite. Good job not getting yourself killed, by the way. I don’t know how you pulled it off, but whatever you did, it was pretty damned convincing.”
I glanced at my hand, which was healing far better than I thought possible. While there were scabs, and lots of them, it no longer looked like I had been subjected to a cheese grater. “I’ll tell you in person,” I promised.
While Zachary was a part of the Inquisition, he was a Normal. His parents had been witches, and much to their relief, none of their children had developed any powers. It made my friend perfect for my needs. He knew I was involved and wouldn’t say a word to anyone.
It kept us both alive and off the Inquisition’s radar, for the most part.
“You better, or I’ll be coming to your suite and beating it out of you,” Zachary replied.
“I’m a man of my word. What time will you want us at the docks?”
“Three in the morning. I’ll board you as crew. Pack light. Text me your lady’s measurements. I’ll make arrangements for clothing for you. Do you have any cargo you want to bring on board?”
“Yeah, she’s got a motorcycle.”
“Make and model?”
“BMW R 1200 GS. It’s brand new.”
Zachary chuckled. “I’ll have the serial scrubbed and get Canadian tags registered, along with an ID for her once you’re both on board. Lay low in the meantime, Jackson. Stay in your room and enjoy room service until Wednesday morning. The entire network is hot over your death. Make so much as a single peep, and everyone will know you’re still among the living.” There was a long pause, and I heard my friend sigh. “I don’t know what’s going on, but play it safe.”
With a wince, I murmured an acknowledgment of Zachary’s warning. Most Inquisitors didn’t know the identity of the Shadow Pope, and my friend numbered among them. He’d find out on Wednesday, though. Still, Zachary wouldn’t sell me out; it’d ruin us both. At forty-five, the captain had been around long enough to understand the risks we took each and every day.
“You’re great, Zach. Thanks a lot. What will I owe you?”
“We’ll talk business once you’re on board. Call me if you need anything.”
“Will do. Thanks.” I hung up, tossing my phone onto the nightstand. I took a long swig of the champagne before reaching for the bag. Pajamas weren’t a normal part of my attire, but I had bought us both a set for the trip. I wore mine. Evelyn, on the other hand, pretended like hers didn’t exist. I set the flannels on the dresser while waiting for my
turn in the jacuzzi.
I fell asleep, still dressed in my suit, long before the Fenerec finished her bath.
~~*~~
One half of me was cold while the other half was warm. Grumbling at the inevitable reality of spring in Florida, I groped for the lost blanket and found the gentle curves of a woman instead. Sucking in a breath, I lurched upright. Evelyn was sprawled over me, her hands clutching at my arm in her effort to prevent my escape.
To both my relief and surprise, she was wearing her pajamas. She had left the top buttons undone, and I forgot about how cold I was as I got a good look at her.
Suzanne had been pretty, and I missed her dearly, but Evelyn was the sort of woman I had spent most of my adolescence dreaming about. Closing my eyes, I groaned and wondered how I had managed to get myself into such a situation. The hotel room had two beds, both of which were large and comfortable. The single conclusion I came up with set my heart to racing.
She had wanted to curl up next to me, and I couldn’t even begin to guess as to why.
I was far too aware of her pressed against me for my own good. Hating myself for not accepting her offers, I wiggled out from beneath her. She smiled sleepily, her fingers clutching my arm. Her hair spilled over her face, making my fingers itch from the desire to brush back her auburn locks and discover if they were as soft as they looked.
By the time I managed to escape her hold on me, I was sweating and didn’t want to leave. Before she could get a grasp on me again, I fled to the bathroom to take a cold shower. The chill cut into me, and I grimaced at my extensive collection of bumps, bruises, and healing cuts. Evelyn’s bites were healing well, to my relief. I didn’t even need a bandage anymore, though I’d wear one anyway.
What I needed was a long soak in the jacuzzi. After making certain I had locked the door, I indulged in bubbles, salts, and oils, submerging to my chin so the jets could massage away my soreness. Evelyn warbled a wordless complaint. A few moments later, she knocked at the bathroom door.
“Jackson?”
“What is it, Miss Evelyn?”
“Can I order room service?”
I somehow managed not to laugh at her. Of all of the things I had been told about Fenerec, the information about their relentless hunger had proved the most accurate. “Get whatever you want.”
“Would you like anything?”
“Sure, thanks. I’m not picky; get me whatever you’re having.” If Evelyn ordered too much, I didn’t care, especially if it removed the half-starved look she got at the restaurants. As an added bonus, if I let her eat her fill, it lowered my chance of ending up on the menu. I flushed and muttered curses under my breath. She didn’t want me on that sort of menu, and I wasn’t entirely convinced I minded her hunting me.
“Okay. Thanks, Jackson!” She sounded far too happy over something like ordering room service.
My frustrations welled up. I sank beneath the water, blowing bubbles as I sighed. When I surfaced, I wiped the suds off my face.
At the rate I was going, I’d need another cold shower before I could face her. Once again, I felt like a stupid fool for denying her when I wanted her probably as much as she seemed to want me. Until I knew her better, until I could commit to her as much as she deserved, I couldn’t do anything, no matter how much I desired her.
I was poised to lose my mind. A woman like Evelyn deserved better. Maybe it was her Fenerec nature making her want to keep me company—I certainly couldn’t imagine why else she would want me.
The death of her pack was partially my responsibility; I hadn’t exactly protested their execution. Maybe the Fenerec had been killed before the Inquisitors arrived, but I had agreed to drive the truck. I agreed with the fact Fenerec couldn’t be allowed to prey on unsuspecting Normals visiting Oconee National Forest.
My thoughts proved equal to being doused with a bucket of ice water.
Evelyn needed her own kind, not someone like me.
I drained the tub and toweled off, grumbling to myself. When I was almost finished dressing, a knock announced the arrival of room service. After the heat of the bath, I left my dress shirt open, compounding my rumpled appearance. I would need to shave before I met with Zachary tomorrow morning.
I never met with my fellow smugglers while sporting stubble or beard. I could count the times I let anyone see me without having freshly shaved on one hand, excepting Suzanne.
When I emerged from the bathroom, Evelyn was setting two plates on the room’s lone table. Lunch proved far more modest than my expectations, and I doubted a hamburger would satisfy her for more than an hour or two before she was ready to forage for something else to eat. With an impish grin, she waved a bottle of wine at me.
“Do you like red?” she asked, and without waiting for my answer, she poured two glasses.
“I don’t mind it.” With a tired groan, I collapsed onto one of the armchairs. “Good morning.”
“Afternoon,” she corrected, chuckling. “What do you like, if not red wine?” Instead of devouring her hamburger with silent intensity as she had in the restaurants, she sipped her wine, watching me.
I took up my glass, taking the time to breathe in the wine before sipping it. I didn’t usually care about the price tags of wines, but there was always something amusing about a good cheap bottle. “I used to drink Scotch.”
A good Islay had been my drink of choice before I had met Suzanne. Alcohol had frightened her, and for good reason. I had dutifully bowed to her apprehension, avoiding it unless necessary. She had understood business—within reason. After her death, I had stopped drinking in public when my friends and fellow Inquisitors had taken to introducing me to women.
Without fail, they had all shared too many similarities with my Suzanne.
Evelyn took another sip of her wine. “You smell sad. Why?”
I sucked in a breath. It felt like I stood on a precipice. If I told her the truth, I’d share things with her I hadn’t with anyone else, not even my twin brother. I couldn’t think of a reason not to tell her, so I sighed and replied, “My wife died five years ago. She didn’t like alcohol.”
Biting her lip as though afraid she’d committed a great offense, the Fenerec watched me. “The wine reminded you of her. I’m sorry. I picked a cheap bottle because I didn’t know if you’d like it.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong,” I reassured her, taking a drink to soothe my rattled nerves. The small amount of alcohol and my lack of lunch was already going to my head. I set the glass aside and nibbled at my hamburger. “Before I met Suzanne, wine on a date was the norm for me. Candlelit dinners, the works. I haven’t been interested in dating someone. The ladies I’ve met since her death have been forced on me thanks to pitying friends, and they deserve better than that.”
So did Evelyn, but I was too much of a coward to say it.
Her smile was sad as she lifted her glass in a toast. “To your wife then. She was one exceptionally lucky woman.”
The toast took me by surprise. Unable to think of a single thing to say, I tapped my glass to hers. The crystal chimed.
Wine was a funny thing. I never could tell what made a wine expensive or good. They all tasted similar to me. While there were undertones unique to each bottle, it was always the sweet bitterness I noticed.
“You’re like a Fenerec, aren’t you? Most humans and witches don’t understand what it is to give a life oath. But you do.” Evelyn sounded so pleased that I looked up from my glass. A smile softened her eyes. “I like that.”
“Once we’re in Canada, Miss Evelyn, I recommend that you stay as far from me as possible. I’ll lead the Inquisition straight to you. But you’re right, I suppose. I haven’t considered anyone new.”
I hadn’t, at least, until she had blasted her way into my life. I finished off my glass of wine and set it aside.
Evelyn refilled my glass, pushing it back to me. She topped hers off as well, making a displeased noise at the ravaged state of the bottle. “I’ll be the one to decide that. W
e need to get to Canada first. And anyway, maybe that’s a risk I’m willing to take.”
The intensity of her gaze and the way she straightened purposefully in her chair sent shivers running through me. I drew several deep breaths to calm myself. Focusing on business would let me regain control over myself, so I said, “We’re booked on a cruise leaving tomorrow morning. We’ll lay low. My contact will provide ID and get us to Prince Edward Island. Once we’ve set sail, I’ll arrange for a flight west.” I stood, retrieving my phone from the nightstand, opening a text to Zachary as I returned to my seat. “There’s some information I need from you, if you don’t mind.”
“Information?”
I thrust my phone at her. “We’re going on a cruise. Formal attire is required. Could you please text your measurements to this number?”
Evelyn arched her eyebrow at me, and I felt my face burn. A soft smile curved her lips as she reached out and took the phone. Shaking her head and laughing, she went to work, pausing now and then to glance at me over the top of my cell. The ping of an incoming text warned me of trouble, but I couldn’t bring myself to snatch the device back. Her impish grin returned as she sent a message back.
“Once we’re in Canada and you’re safe with a pack, I’ll have your motorcycle freighted to you. It’ll need to be scrubbed with new serials and registration, which takes a bit of time. I’ll have your bike paid off anonymously so your credit rating isn’t damaged.”
“I paid for it in cash,” she replied without looking up from my cell. After sending several more messages, she slipped my phone into her pocket. “He’ll have more questions soon.”
“Wonderful,” I muttered under my breath. The last thing I wanted was Zachary conspiring with Evelyn. I didn’t need anyone to tell me the pair would likely cause me a great deal of trouble. While Zachary hadn’t pushed any women in my direction, he was the most vocal of my associates regarding his belief I needed to find someone new.
He’d take one look at Evelyn and begin matchmaking whether or not I wanted him to.