Artistic Vision tgc-3

by Dana Marie Bell

  “Maybe he feels free to do so knowing Henri and the girls are in New York.”

  Akane and Etienne stared at Shane. “How do you know that?”

  “I ran into them there briefly. I didn’t stick around to chat, though. They were kind of irritated with me.” Shane shrugged. “It might have been the face full of slush that did it.”

  Akane opened her mouth to ask, then closed it again. She did not want to know. She turned back to Etienne, ignoring Shane’s amusement. She’d have to find out from Robin if any Blades in New York were keeping an eye on the trio. “What did you learn?”

  “Not much. He is perturbed by Henri’s insistence on obtaining Leo Dunne’s seed. He believes he overheard something that may mean Henri is planning another move on Ruby Dunne. But that was all I got before he began to suspect something was wrong.”

  “Shit.” Shane moved to Akane’s side, firmly putting himself in the situation. She wanted to tell him to back the fuck off, but Ruby was special. All the Dunnes adored the human Leo had mated, and with good reason. She took everything the fae had thrown at her in stride, never losing herself in what had to seem a strange, crazy world to the mundane female. She’d even managed to make Robin a good friend, a rare deed. If Robin found out Ruby was in danger once more, he’d pull out all the stops and never even tell her about it.

  There would be bloodshed in the Black Court, starting with Henri Malmayne. And Robin would be far from subtle about it.

  “Have they officially become Black Court? I thought they were still White, if only technically.”

  She was surprised Shane was the one who asked. She’d assumed the Malmaynes had gone Black, but if their allegiance was underground it might explain why the few good Malmaynes had remained with their clan. There were probably a few who did not approve of Henri’s plans for the clan, but she bet there’d be more who would if they knew about them.

  “No. Glorianna has issued no proclamations to that effect. She’s still investigating the allegations on her own, and she’s let stand her pronouncement of Henri as their lord.” Etienne rubbed his hand through his long, dark hair. “Which means we could trip over her agents at any moment.”

  “Or worse, find ourselves fighting them.”

  “We don’t know who they are or what angle they’re taking. This could be bad.”

  “My darlings, leave Glorianna to me.”

  Akane jumped. She should have caught that wild, intense scent before the man spoke, but Robin had a way of creeping up on even the most sensitive noses. She turned to face her boss, her expression deliberately bland. “Good evening, Robin.”

  Robin Goodfellow, aka Puck, aka the Hob, one of the scariest men on the planet, was a tall, slender man with the wiry build and broad shoulders of a swimmer. He had waist-length, red hair that danced around him in a fiery halo, and laughing blue eyes in a face that would have made Michelangelo weep. The Hob was dressed tonight in a caramel-colored silk shirt that complemented his bright hair and tight leather pants that showcased his slim build. Leather boots completed the look. He looked like a fairy-tale prince with a modern twist, and he reveled in it. The Hob smiled at her, green fire flashing in his eyes.

  “Good evening, Akane. Shane.”

  Shane smiled back, totally at ease with Robin’s presence. “Hey, Robin. I’m sorry about that. I didn’t know she was working. Blame me for any screw-ups back there. If she’d told me, I wouldn’t have interfered.”

  Robin looked up at Shane through his lashes. “Truly? You could have stood by and watched as your—”

  “I. Am. Not. His. Mate.” Akane poked Jethro in the chest with each hissed word. She was getting tired of repeating herself.

  “Whatever you say, darlin’,” Shane drawled back. He caught hold of her hand and held it there against his chest. “You’re just my sweetie, right?” And he gave her the biggest, most gooberish grin she’d ever seen on a person’s face.

  Gods, he was so good at looking stupid it was frightening, especially since he was one of the cagiest men she’d ever met. She looked over at Robin, desperately trying to hide the panic growing inside her. “Can I kill him now?”

  Robin threw his head back and laughed.

  Shane just shook his head, his grin lightening to something much more natural. “Robin, if there’s anything I can do to help, let me know.”

  She didn’t like the speculation in Robin’s eyes. She didn’t like it one little bit. She spoke without thinking, protecting him. “He’s not Blade material.”

  That green fire flashed in Robin’s eyes once more. “I believe I am the best judge of that.”

  The gentle rebuke was made more chilling by the green light that refused to leave Robin’s face. Akane bowed low, baring her neck, eyes respectfully downcast. “My apologies, my lord.”

  She waited, head bowed, for either the blow or the caress. She breathed a sigh of relief when Robin’s hand tangled in her curls. “Forgiven, of course. One must make allowances when mates are involved.”

  She lifted her head once more. “You’re so certain of that?” She was careful to keep any challenge from her voice. Robin’s temperament could be volatile; she didn’t want to test the levels of his affection for her.

  He tilted her face up with one black-nailed finger. “Of course.” He winked at her, the green fire gone, once more the laughing rogue rather than Oberon’s personal Blade. “Am I ever wrong?”

  She bit her tongue until it bled.

  Robin nodded as if she’d agreed with him whole-heartedly. “Very well then. Shane, I’ll keep your offer in mind. For now, we know that Tristan is less than pleased with his Malmayne cousins.”

  Shane’s fists clenched. “And Henri is thinking of harming Ruby.”

  Every light bulb in the parking lot burst, plunging them into darkness. Robin’s voice floated out of the darkness, mildly curious. “I’m sorry. What was that again?”

  The only light now was from passing cars, and Akane was grateful for it. She didn’t want to see Robin’s face just then. The last time he’d used that particular tone of voice they hadn’t even been able to identify the body via DNA. The Hob had managed to tear even that apart in his rage. She inched closer to Shane, placing herself between him and Robin, knowing even as she did so it would do no good.

  Apparently Robin was very fond of the human female.

  Etienne spoke after an audible gulp. “Tristan overheard something that leads him to believe Henri’s planning on making a move on Ruby Dunne, something that would force Leo’s hand and give them what they want.”

  “Ah.” The soft sigh Robin gave sounded sweet and gentle. “Then Ruby, above all, must be protected. Akane, you and Etienne will continue to court Tristan. Shane, I may require your assistance, but for now, allow Akane to protect you.” When Shane made a sound of protest Robin’s eyes glowed, bright enough to see, eerie enough to raise goose bumps on her arms. “Shane, you are still a child of Dunne and therefore in possible danger. Allow my Blade to do her job, if you please.”

  Shane bowed beside her. “As you wish.”

  Robin’s hand reached out and patted Shane’s cheek. “Good. You all know what you must do.” A gust of wind kicked up, swirling around Robin in a mini tornado, and yet his voice was as clear as ever. “And so do I.” With that, the Hob disappeared. The wind died down. The only sounds in the parking lot now were the breathing of the three remaining fae.

  Akane’s damn knees had gone weak. If Robin had lost it, Shane could have died. Her reaction to that thought was something she was going to have to think long and hard about. The knowledge that she’d been willing to place herself between Shane and Robin-fucking-Goodfellow was life altering. “That went well.”

  Etienne touched her shoulder. “Indeed. We still breathe.”

  Shane blew out a breath, possibly just to prove he could. Robin had that effect on people. “He does know how to make an exit, doesn’t he?”

  She refused to join Etienne in his slightly hysterical giggles. A w
oman had her pride, after all.

  When they got back to the farm, cars were parked out front. Shane grinned. His mother had managed to pull it off, and Shane couldn’t be more pleased. It was one more step in giving Akane the family she so desperately craved, even if she didn’t understand why.

  It was enough that he did. He had no problems sharing his family with his future mate. Hell, he wanted her to claim them as her own, because they’d already begun to claim her.

  “What’s going on?”

  He opened the car door and helped her out, hiding his smile as her covetous glance ran over Bumblebee. The bright yellow Corvette had caught her eye immediately. The low growl in her throat when she realized it belonged to him had been priceless. Since she’d flown to the bar rather than trust her Boxster in the parking lot, he’d been more than happy to give her a ride home, and she’d loved every minute of it. He’d opened up the muscle car on the road, letting the roar of the engine and the sounds of the wind drown out the need for conversation. “Let’s find out.”

  He led her up to the front porch, noting her frown when she recognized Duncan’s M6 and Leo’s brand new Land Rover. “Wonder what they’re doing here? You think Robin contacted them?”

  He almost laughed, keeping a straight face with difficulty. “You mean about Henri and his probable villainous intent to harm Ruby?”

  She glared at him. She did that a lot, but this time was different. She was eyeing him like she didn’t quite know what to make of him and it was freaking her the fuck out.

  “Yeah.”

  “Maybe.” He opened the front door, enjoying her gasp of surprise. “Then again, maybe not.”

  Over the green sofa in the living room, his mother had strung a Happy Birthday banner. Food, drink and presents littered every available surface. Family filled the air with chatter and laughter, warming the happy home even further.

  “Akane! Happy birthday.” Ruby, Leo’s bubbly mate, darted out from the shelter of her man’s arms and gave Akane a hug.

  Akane, red-faced, startled and wisps of smoke curling out her nostrils, hugged Ruby back. “Thank you.”

  “Let them in from the cold, child.” Aileen gently rebuked Ruby, who blushed and pulled away from Akane.

  “Sorry. Here, let me get your coats.” Ruby shut the door and gathered their coats while Moira gave Akane a hug. Jaden and Duncan watched their female through warm, loving eyes, their own hands clasped together, dark skin twined with fair.

  Jaden Blackthorn’s Native American heritage was evident in his long, black hair and eyes, the shape of his jaw and his dusky skin. Duncan Malmayne-Blackthorn was as fair as his male mate was dark, with golden blond hair and pale gray eyes. Shane’s red-haired sister was like a flame between them, dancing back and forth with a touch here, a caress there, keeping her men grounded. It warmed Shane’s heart to see how close they’d become. She’d nearly lost both of them, one to mate sickness and the other to self doubt, and still hadn’t quite gotten over that. None of them had realized how deep the bond between Duncan and Jaden was until Jaden had left for weeks, nearly destroying both Duncan and Moira in the process. If Jaden had understood what his absence would do to his lovers he never would have left them, but he had, and Duncan still bore the marks in the silver that now dotted the golden mop of hair Jaden was busy playing with. He laughed when Duncan pushed his hands away with an annoyed grunt, but Shane caught the amusement Duncan tried to hide.

  “Happy birthday, Akane.” Jaden gave Akane a hug of his own, lifting the dragoness off her feet and twirling her around, much to Moira’s obvious disgust.

  Shane wasn’t worried about Jaden. He was Akane’s usual partner, working with her on the cases Robin assigned them, but he’d been so busy setting up his newly minted clan he hadn’t been able to assist her recently. His presence in Nebraska must mean that his business in Colorado had been happily concluded. Shane could only hope so. He trusted Jaden to guard Akane’s back much more than that Etienne guy. The Sidhe might have been dumpster diving in Tristan Malmayne’s head but his beady eyes had been glued to Akane’s thighs.

  Seriously. What the fuck kind of name was Etienne?

  “Thanks, Jade.” Akane gave Jaden a peck on the cheek, and that did bother Shane. She’d yet to kiss him voluntarily.

  The rest of the family offered their birthday wishes, and soon they were digging into the mountain of food Aileen had made. Shane found himself tucked in the corner, a plate in one hand and a glass of wine in the other, watching indulgently as his father tried to get Akane to eat asparagus tips. It was like watching him trying to feed Moira Brussel sprouts when she’d been four. Akane was making that same stinky doo-doo face Moira had made way back then.

  “She seems happy enough.”

  Shane was very proud of the fact that he didn’t jump at the sound of that rich, laughing voice. “I hope so, since I plan on her living here for the rest of her natural life.” He turned to smile at the red-headed man leaning in the window. An amazing feat, since the window had been closed not a moment before, Shane hadn’t heard it open, and for some reason the cold winter air wasn’t coming into the house. But that was what you got when the Hob decided to drop in for supper.

  The Hob stepped in through the open window, closing it silently behind him. “Is that so?” His head tilted, the gesture somehow inhuman, almost birdlike. “What does she think of that?”

  Shane shrugged. “She’s mine, and I’m here.” He held out his plate, the sandwich on it untouched. “Food?”

  Robin took the plate with a small bow. “Thank you.”

  While Robin ate his ham and cheese sandwich Shane took a moment to study him. Something about Robin had his fingers twitching. Just out of reach was the vision he’d had earlier, one that became stronger each time he met the Hob. With a gasp he realized what was meant to be in the center of the storm his vision kept showing him, and the knowledge left him dazed.

  “Are you all right?”

  Shane nodded, too stunned to speak. He needed to get to his workspace. He needed to go now. The vision was riding him hard, demanding completion before it would leave him be. “Yeah.” He handed his drink to Robin. “I have to go.” He signaled his mother and she nodded. She understood what the look on his face meant, and where he’d be for the foreseeable future. She’d let everyone know if they asked. His family would take care of him until it was over.

  “Shane.”

  He blinked and stared at Robin, his vision superimposed over the slender figure of the man himself. “Yes?”

  Robin studied him, his brows slowly rising. “Take care. It’s cold out.”

  “Cold out.” His eyes darted longingly toward the door. “Yes.”

  He allowed Robin to steer him toward the doorway. The Hob thrust Shane’s coat in his hands. He blinked down at it, not really seeing it at all. “I have to go.”

  “Yes, you do.” Robin led him out the front door, the cold no bother for the Hob. The chill wind plastered the caramel-colored silk shirt to his skin but Robin didn’t even shiver. He watched silently as Shane made his way to his studio, those sharp blue eyes catching everything Shane did.

  Once inside the building, Shane turned to face him. “Thank you.”

  “You are most welcome.” Robin looked around, curiosity in his gaze. “May I look around?”

  Shane nodded, already changing into his coveralls, his vision overriding everything else, even common courtesy. It would be a while before he emerged again, and he’d be more than exhausted when he was done.

  Worst of all, when it was over he’d need to call the Seer. If what he was seeing was correct, the world was in for one hell of a ride.

  Robin Goodfellow perched on a rafter and looked down on Shane Joloun Dunne. He’d been around those with the Sight often enough to know a vision trance when he saw one, but what surprised him was the way Shane went about bringing his visions to life. The man’s hair gleamed with sweat as he worked the forge, purifying silver ore, bending brass and coppe
r to his will. His hands were steady, his touch strong yet delicate as he took glass and molded it, twisted it until he was finally satisfied with shape and hue. His eyes had been, and still were, clouded with visions. Despite that, he’d looked at Robin as if seeing into the Hob without the terror Robin often encountered. If Robin were inclined toward men, it would be such a one who might win his empty, lonely heart.

  But Robin knew himself well. Even while wearing the form of a female he was, deep down, a lover of all things feminine. The thought of taking a male lover was, while not exactly repulsive, something that simply did not occur to him. Robin longed for soft, feminine flesh and warm, loving hands. Hands that would caress him, ease the burden on his weary soul. He desired eyes that would see into him without fear, a mind willing to know him, accept him for everything he was. All he wished from life was a soft place to land, a gentle touch, and an acceptance that was beyond most. To find such a thing would be wondrous indeed.

  He smiled as he watched the eldest Dunne child through bright eyes. Leo Dunne had found such a one, and little Ruby was a delight to the Hob’s heart. She greeted him with glee, hugged him in welcome, and offered him that safe, soft place he yearned for. Had she not been truebonded, he might have been tempted to steal her from the Sidhe lord. But alas, Ruby was forever beyond him, bound by ties of love, soul mated to the man the gods had decreed was hers and hers alone.

  And Robin was happy for them. To know such a woman existed and had found her fae mate gave him a hope he’d long since given up on.

  Robin held himself perfectly still as Shane sighed wearily. He could tell whatever visions drove the man had almost been purged, but Shane, it seemed, had one last thing to do. One last bit to add to one of the sculptures he’d worked madly on all night, driven to near insanity by what only he could see. Robin wasn’t sure what the sculptures meant, but Shane did, and Robin was determined to find out what.