Arcane Solutions (Discord Jones)

by Gayla Drummond

  Yeah, I guess. Nick's good looks had paled during the meeting with Thorandryll, but the effect would wear off, at least until I met with the elf again. It was just a side effect of seeing what amounts to male perfection.

  A menu was shoved into my face right then by a surly looking waitress. My guess was that being a vampire hadn't turned out the way she thought it would. From what I’d learned, it seldom did.

  We ordered and there was nothing to do but stare around or make small talk. I chose small talk. “What made you take the job?”

  “Babysitting you?” Nick grinned, his eyes sliding from me to the door and back. “It sounded interesting. I've never met a psychic before.”

  I scowled. “How about we say 'being my partner'?”

  “A promotion already? Okay, sure.” He laughed. It was a nice laugh.

  “What were you doing before?”

  “I’ve done some bouncing for a few clubs.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Great. Being a PI isn't all about throwing people around, you know.”

  “I do have a brain, Jones, and I'm a wolf. We're natural hunters.” His grin said that I’d failed to offend him. The scowling vamp waitress returned with our food just then. After she'd dropped the plates in front of us, he asked, “How did you end up as a PI?”

  “By accident. This smells good.” The steak, medium rare and smoking hot with a side of marinated, grilled mushrooms, grabbed my full attention. “Let's eat and get back to work.”

  “Sure.” With that, our mouths were busy with food rather than conversation. I kept an eye on Jo while we ate. The auburn-haired witch was having an intense-looking conversation with the vampire. He seemed to have lost interest in her neck, pointing out various things in the book they were studying.

  Once lunch was disposed of, Nick excused himself for a trip to the Gents' Room. I decided to wait for him outside, and do a little scanning for any thoughts about Zoe.

  Concentrating on that, I didn't notice the vampire approaching until he blocked my view. “Looking for someone?”

  “Yeah.” You couldn't trust them, but sometimes vamps could be informative.

  He smiled. “Male or female?”

  “A girl.”

  “Perhaps I can change your mind?” He moved, a quick blur, and semi-embraced me, pinning my arms while carefully avoiding the cross. He was obviously old and smart enough to know what it could do. Ugh, he wanted a donor. Then he tightened his hold, and it was easy to tell that he'd already fed. Sex was what he had in mind.

  I shuddered in revulsion. “No thanks, bub. I’m not into necrophilia.”

  “I can give you pleasure you've never dreamed of,” he murmured, voice silky smooth as he stared into my eyes. He was trying to cloud my mind, but wasn’t powerful enough to.

  “I said no thanks.”

  “I enjoy challenges.”

  “Yeah? Enjoy this.” I head butted him, smashing his nose and knocking myself a little cross-eyed. The vampire stumbled backward, before disappearing as Nick grabbed him and threw him clean across the street.

  “Are you all right?”

  Blinking, I forced a scowl. “I totally had that under control.”

  “Uh-huh. How many fingers am I holding up?” The shifter raised his hand.

  “Two?” It was a lucky guess.

  “I guess your skull's in one piece.” He shook his head. “That wasn't the best...”

  “We need to get back to work,” I interrupted, not needing a lecture that head butting a vamp was a bad idea. The burgeoning headache was enough information on that subject. “Come on.”

  Grinning, Nick turned me around before I completed my first step. “This way, Jones.”

  “Hmph.”

  ***

  The lack of luck in scanning an estate almost made me turn to look through the gates we were walking past. The two vampires standing guard kept me from acting on the impulse. I waited until we reached the end of the block before grabbing Nick's arm. “I couldn’t get anything from this one.”

  “What do you want to do?” He didn't look around, gaining points in my book.

  “I need to stay close, but not be obvious, to try again.”

  “How close?”

  “Right here is good.” The street wasn't one of the well-traveled ones, so there wasn't much in the way of a crowd to hide in. Just a few couples, pausing at intervals to snap photos. If I'd been alone, stepping around the corner out of sight would've been my first choice.

  But I wasn't alone and that was too far to go.

  Nick's intent gaze was making me nervous. “I have an idea, but it requires touching.”

  Suspicious, I asked, “What is it?”

  He grinned and took a step toward me. I backed away and he followed, until the stone wall blocked further retreat. Placing his hands on it just beside my shoulders, the shifter began lowering his head.

  “What the hell are you doing?” I hissed, hands moving to flatten over his soft blue polo and hard chest muscles.

  “Providing cover for you to do your thing.” His breath tickled my neck and he sniffed at my hair. “So get busy, Jones.”

  Keeping my hands where they were to preserve the few inches of space between our bodies, I closed my eyes and focused.

  Mmm resonated from Nick. A vague image of a wolf rolling in grass flashed across my mind. The shifter apparently really liked my shampoo, pulling in a deeper breath while burying his nose in my hair.

  Forcing myself to ignore him, I tried scanning again. If Zoe was inside, and held against her will, I could bring in reinforcements. Damian was a detective with the city police, not just a stake-carving warlock.

  If she was there, I couldn't teleport to her without seeing where she was. Taking Nick in with me, then both of them out would be exhausting. I had to be in contact to teleport them, which wasn't a problem where the shifter was concerned.

  His nose was traversing a downward path through my hair. I jumped when his lips brushed my ear, and goose bumps exploded on my arms.

  “Sorry.” It was a mumble.

  Bored. I latched onto the thought. Tracing it back with as light a touch as possible, I gleaned enough information to know that the estate was that of a vampire lord named Derrick, and my contact was a volunteer blood donor.

  A soft groan from Nick broke my concentration. I jumped again at the feel of his lips on the side of my neck. He leaned into my hands, trying to push closer, one of his rising to my jaw.

  “Dude.” The whisper didn't register on him, because his other hand slid between rough stone and my lower back. “Hey.”

  Want. His thought was guttural, barely coherent. I prepared to blast him with a firm Back off!, but a completely overwhelming wave of lust flooded my mind the second I created a crack in my shield.

  My hands moved up and around his neck, my head turning as if drawn by a magnet. He growled, lips eagerly covering mine, tongue flickering over my bottom lip.

  Mine parted, while my arms curled around his neck to pull him closer. A deep rumble vibrating his chest, Nick pressed against me. One of his legs ended up between mine, his thigh claiming a firm place against my groin.

  He was hard, grinding an impressive feeling bulge against me while sliding his tongue in to tangle with mine. I suddenly remembered how much I liked kissing.

  The connection to the blood donor forgotten, every bit of my attention locked solely on Nick.

  Want he insisted, fingers trapping locks of my hair. Images flooded my mind, full of moonlight and trees. Want. It was a soft whine, pleading for permission.

  A fraction of a second before granting it, I jerked as Who's there? roared through my mind. Nick froze as I gasped and tensed.

  Who are you? came next, trailed by icy cold diving down the connection forged with the blood donor. The shifter pulled his mouth away enough to speak. “What is it?”

  “We have to leave.” I slammed my mental shield closed just in time. Stepping back, he caught my hand and dragged me around the corn
er.

  I teleported us above, onto the street right next to my car. Shaking free of his grip and hurrying around to the driver's side, I unlocked the doors and practically dove inside.

  Dusk was falling, painting the sky a hazy gray. I did not intend to be anywhere near the Barrows when the owner of that cold power came above ground, hunting for me.

  Vampires are scary enough. Those with powers similar to mine are about a hundred times scarier. They’ve had centuries to perfect their control, while I have less than half a decade under my belt.

  The engine purred to life at the turn of the key. A quick look around showed the way was clear to pull away from the curb. Seatbelt clicked into place, Nick leaned and groped for mine. His face was close enough that his breath warmed skin gone cool from fear. I let go of the steering wheel with one hand when he pulled the belt across. Another click and he straightened. “What happened?”

  Fear has a tendency to make me bitchy. “We almost got caught, thanks to your idea of cover, that's what happened.”

  “Caught by whom?”

  “I don't know. Maybe a vamp named Derrick. That's who owns the estate.” I shot through a red light, but the shifter didn't notice. He was too busy watching me.

  “You're shaking. Pull over.”

  “Hell no! We're too close to the Barrows.” Shaking my head sent brown strands flying. I wanted safety, now. Safety was the office or home, both heavily warded. The office was closer, but the idea of leaving for home after full dark made me shudder. “Do you think those two guards got a good look at our faces?”

  “No,” Nick answered, just as his fingers made a surprise landing on the nape of my neck and began gently kneading the tenseness away. Want. It was barely audible and tinged with that pleading note. I wasn't sure he was aware of it, so didn't say anything. He glanced out the windshield. “Where are we headed?”

  “Away from the Barrows.”

  “You're really spooked.”

  “Quick on the uptake, aren’t you?” Terrified was a more apt description.

  “It's one of my gifts.” He grinned, not offended by my snarky response. “So this Derrick is scary?”

  “I have never felt that kind of mental power from a vamp before.” Shivering, I scowled at the truck ahead of us.

  “Very scary,” Nick amended.

  “Friggin' terrifying,” I corrected, relaxing a bit more. The gentle massage was rubbing the sharp edge of fear away. “I'll drop you off at the office, and then I'm going home.”

  His fingers went still. The need to say something about the kissy-face episode became important. “Um...”

  Nick pulled his hand away, facing forward at the street ahead. It was probably my imagination that he looked disappointed.

  On the other hand, maybe not, since a sneaky glance at his lap gave evidence to support the disappointed theory. Recalling the strength of his lust, I bit my lip and dragged my attention back to driving.

  I don’t like being alone after a bad scare. While I could call and arrange a stay-over with Kate, Ronnie, or Jo, they don’t really fit the bill for clinging to. Neither did David or Damian, both having steady relationships.

  Nick looked perfect for clinging to, yet he was a stranger.

  But man, it had been a while.

  Busy turning my choices over, I was startled when the shifter spoke. “I thought we were going to the office?”

  I recognized the parking lot of my apartment complex. “Well, damn.”

  “This is where you live?” The disappointment was gone when I glanced at his face.

  “Yeah. “ Oh, what the hell. “Look, I...”

  “Had a big scare and don't want to be alone?” Nick nailed it in one guess. I felt heat begin creeping up my neck.

  “Yeah.”

  He smiled, not looking at me. “I'm open to hanging out for a while.”

  Four

  Unacceptable to modern women everywhere as it might be, being tucked safely in my apartment behind wards with a big, strong man for company made me feel much better.

  The shifter prowled around the living room, checking out my DVD collection while I pulled out dinner-making supplies after having checked the shimmer that represented Zoe. Still golden. I was elbow-deep in preparing a massive lasagna when Nick joined me in the kitchen. “Need any help?”

  “No, I've got it. There's beer in the fridge if you want one.”

  “Thanks. One for you?”

  “Yeah, please.” He pulled two out, opened them both, and placed mine on the counter.

  “Nice place. You watch a lot of movies.”

  “I stay home a lot when I'm not working.” I scattered the last of the grated cheese over the top of the lasagna and sidestepped to wash my hands.

  “Why?”

  “Being around people all the time is kind of draining. I have to recharge.” I’d learned to put the constant buzz of other minds into the background, but it still leeched my energy away.

  Leaning a hip against the counter, Nick took a drink of his beer while I put the baking dish into the oven. “Is my being here interfering with your recharging?”

  “No. One or even a few people aren’t a problem.” I was trying to figure out the rest of the evening. The shifter hadn't leaked anything for me to go by. It’d been a few months since my last relationship’s end.

  Realizing Nick was staring, and that I was doing the same to the oven's door, I snagged my beer and took a swig, which tickled my tongue and throat with cold-sharpened bubbles. “You want to pick out a movie? We can eat in the living room.”

  “Sounds good,” he agreed, pushing away from the counter and sauntering toward the archway separating the two rooms. I watched him, or rather, his butt, before shaking my head and preparing a salad.

  ***

  Meal over, dishes in the dishwasher, and movie halfway finished, I kept checking out Nick from the corner of my eye. He sprawled at the opposite end of the sofa, looking comfortable and totally absorbed in The Matrix. I was anything but absorbed and comfortable.

  Send him home or ask him to stay? If he did stay, couch, or bed? Sex or no sex? If yes, then what? We'd be working together.

  Damn it! I forced my attention back to the TV, admitting there were too many complications to think through. Besides, I had no idea how shifters handled such matters. Was sex with humans an entirely casual thing for them?

  Nick moved, picking up his third beer of the evening. Without taking his eyes from the screen, he asked, “Am I staying the night?”

  Caught by surprise, I responded without thinking. “Do you want to?”

  “Yeah. But the question is do you want me to?” He took another drink of his beer.

  Watching the line of his neck, the seal of his lips round the rim of the bottle, I swallowed a sudden mouthful of drool. “Um, yeah?”

  The corner of his mouth quirked. “Then I’m staying. Next question: am I allowed to call you Cordi?”

  “Um, yeah?” I sounded like a broken record.

  “Last question. Can I touch you?”

  “Please do.” From the smile that blazed into existence, I had the distinct impression sex was in my immediate future. Yay!

  “Good, because I certainly want to.” He finally turned his head, meeting my eyes. His were more gold than brown and I forgot how to breathe for a few seconds, gazing into them. Smile fading, he confided in a low voice, “Your scent's been driving me crazy all damn day.”

  I had to clear my throat. “It has?”

  “Yeah.” The beer bottle clinked as he set it aside before moving to close the space between us. Our faces were only inches apart when he said, “Scent's very important.”

  “Oh.” I was mesmerized as his eyes changed further, gold spilling from around the pupils, to flush away every trace of brown.

  “So is taste,” he breathed, mouth descending upon mine. All the cons I'd thought of went flying straight out of my head as Want growled out from his mind. Oh, hell yes.

  Nick slid off th
e sofa without quite ending the kiss, to kneel on the floor. His hands ran up my thighs, then down, thumbs firm along the insides. When he stood, it was after wrapping an arm around me, and lifting me off the couch. The lack of effort required and my feet not touching the floor reminded me that he wasn't a regular guy.

  “Wait,” I mumbled, pulling away from his mouth.

  “For what?” Nick tried for a second kiss, but I turned my head away.

  “You're a shifter.”

  Releasing me, he took a step back, brows lowering and a frown beginning to grow. “I thought that wasn't a problem?”

  “It's not, but I don't know much about shifters. I mean, I know you're a lot stronger and can change into an animal.”

  His expression smoothed out. “Yes, but I won't shift or hurt you.”

  “Okay, but that’s not really what I was worried about. Um, you do know about safe sex, right?” I tried not to blush, but failed miserably. Doing was better than talking in my book. Yet talking meant less chance of confusion. Even though I was on the pill and religious about taking it every day, condoms were necessary. “I’m on the Pill, but I don’t do bareback.”

  Nick slowly smiled. “Yes, I know about safe sex and I have a condom.”

  Moving into his arms, I buried my red-hot face into his t-shirt. “Okay, good. Sorry.”

  “No problem.” He kissed the top of my head. “Where were we?”

  “Uh...here?” Raising my head, I kissed him and he again picked me up, snugging my legs around his waist. When he turned toward the hallway, I broke the kiss. “Wait.”

  “Okay. Why?”

  “Need to turn the TV off.” Freeing a hand from around his neck, I pointed at the remote control. Nick sighed, but walked over and picked it up. Hitting the power button, he replaced it.

  “There. Anything else, or can we go get naked now?”

  I wiggled at the thought, and the feel of him pressed tight to my groin. “Is the door locked?”

  “Let's check.” Having 130 pounds hanging from him evidently wasn't a problem. Nick strode over to the door and tested the locks, one hand splayed across my lower back. “Yes.”