Enacting Revenge

by Erin R Flynn

  I gave him a smile to let him know it was the right answer and adjusted his collar. Another quick kiss and I went back to Brax who gave me a curious look as the next song started. Instead, I thanked him for the selection of sushi he had waiting for me, obviously having thought of me.

  He seemed more focused behind us instead of the performance, and after a moment I realized Hunt was standing in a security position again but closer to us so Brax could hear him. He was warning the angel about the games played.

  Interesting. I wouldn’t have thought they would play so well together. Then again, they both seemed to have the goal of making me look good and helping me above anything else.

  “Now you understand,” I murmured when he focused on me again. “And I will say that’s nothing compared to other things we’ve done.”

  “I’m glad you had fun,” he said after a few moments, leaning in and giving me a soft kiss.

  Smart angel.

  I let him keep his arm around me, his hand touching my skin, for the rest of dinner and the performance. Maybe we could make it through this tribunal without any huge issues or drama?

  Yeah, right.

  6

  “Dance with me?” I asked Brax, glad when he smiled and stood. He held his hand out, and I accepted, letting him pull me to my feet and guide me out onto the dance floor. Now that the performance was over, we had an enchanter playing DJ, and he put on something perfect for us. I gave the guy a wink and focused on my date.

  Brax was smooth, but I could see the hesitation in his aura as if he didn’t dance often. I pressed myself closer, and he smiled at me, his arm securing me there. The whole dance we just stared at each other, and when the song finished, I realized something.

  “I don’t get anything off of you. You said you couldn’t read my mind, but I didn’t realize I wasn’t catching anything from you either.”

  “It’s wonderful, isn’t it?” he murmured, leaning down. I kissed him back but found myself nervous. He smiled, probably feeling the tension. “Yes, we’ll actually have to learn to trust each other instead of getting the answers. Which is why I said you were worth going slow with.”

  “You don’t just like me because of that, right?” I checked, feeling way younger and naive in the moment.

  He smirked at me. “No, you are a goddess, and there are many, many reasons I’m interested.” He kissed me again. “Do you only like me because you can’t hear in my head?”

  “No, it makes me want to run because I’ve only been burned when I didn’t know how to do that.” I snorted, thinking of Hunt. “I’ve been burned when I could. It seems stupid and dangerous to even consider it.”

  “Then I have a few days of being your date to change your mind,” he chuckled deeply. “Dessert?”

  “Always.” I smiled when he laughed and let him lead me over to the huge tables of all kinds of posh desserts I knew Keegan had ordered from all over the place. The array of them was astounding, and I knew he’d had lots of fun finding them and new places for us to try. I chose several individual mouse cakes along with fun looking tarts and a few pieces of fancy cake.

  “I love your appetite,” Brax chuckled.

  I gave him a curious glance as we sat down, taking care of my train so I didn’t yank down my skirt. “I would think I’m too close to the other side for you to even consider.”

  He gave a soft, deep chuckle as he shook his head. “You truly thought this was all a farce and an angel was keeping you close because we need you?”

  “Yes,” I confirmed, not sure if he was asking or just stating it.

  He leaned in and cupped my cheek. “I’m a man first, Soraya. Yes, I’m an angel, and I’m on the side of Heaven and the gods or god and saints, but you are far from evil. You have survived a lot of darkness, but you are not darkness. Not at all, as you still would stop and help a puppy that was crying. You are full of good even when you dole out justice and vengeance.”

  “I would help this matter even without one of you getting so close to me. Does that change your answer to want to get to know me more?”

  “No,” he said firmly as he held out a bite of his cake for me. Heat filled his eyes as he watched me enjoy it. “I’m glad I get to spend this week with you while they’re spoiling you.”

  I raised an eyebrow as I turned to my overflowing plates. “I’ve had many men comment that being a glutton is unladylike and a flaw I should fix.”

  He snorted. “Then they were idiots who didn’t understand how enchanter power works or too sexist to remember we’re not human and you need the calories.” He smirked at me when he tried his own cake. “Personally I love watching it and how happy it makes you. Plus, I look forward to making sure your body is in the absolute best of shape and getting the workout it needs.”

  Wow, so angels were smooth beyond dancing. Or at least this angel. I shook off my female reaction to swoon a bit and remembered it was the time to stand on level footing.

  “If you could keep up. I’m known for tiring men out with my vast appetite and interests.”

  He leaned in and brushed his lips against my ear. “I know. I can’t read your mind, but I can Hunt’s. I’m not sure I’ve ever been jealous of a wolf before, but I am now.”

  I almost invited him to join us but found myself pausing. I couldn’t hear his mind. I had no idea if this was real or not. Plus, I didn’t get involved. It was what kept me safe. People had others to answer to and people to put before me.

  Always.

  “I don’t keep anyone,” I warned him. “Even if you take your time and whatever seduction plan to truly date instead of simple fun, you need to understand I won’t mate or keep a man. Not ever.”

  He gave a shrug like that was fine, but I saw the challenge in his eyes. “I can’t ever be a normal man in your life anyways. I’m an angel, and there’s not much I can even tell you, but I’m called away often. All I’m asking is to spend time with you, get to know you. Not a fling during a case or someone who you go to for sex. I want us to have sex and lots of it, but to be more than that.”

  “I don’t date.” I snorted. “Do you really think an angel and the Enchantress will just have dinner at a restaurant? Go see a movie?”

  He didn’t answer as I ate. “No, I would think that too bland for either of us. I would think a picnic on a deserted island. Go swim with sharks and see the deepest reefs because we can. Let’s go play with penguins, or I can let you channel me to refreeze some polar ice caps since I’m not allowed to fix damage done to the planet by humans but you can. How about we make love on the Eiffel Tower?”

  “You’re trouble,” I mumbled, wanting all of that and more. Some small, very stupid part of me wanted that, hoped I could still have it.

  And hope was a dangerous thing every damn day of the week.

  “Have you ever courted a woman?” I asked, frowning as I realized those were all really, really good suggestions.

  “No,” he chuckled, shaking his head. “I admit I am so far out of my depth I went to a few of my sisters and asked for guidance.” He reached over and wiped a bit of mousse on my lip, licking it off his thumb. “I have lived as you have, believing attachments stupid and painful. And then I find this truly divine creature barely noting me but focused on the problems we face. Then you’re more intrigued with my feathers and wings.

  “I was dumbfounded. I was struck completely stupid with how different and wonderful you were. And when you smiled at me, I felt much more than my body react to seeing a beautiful woman I wanted to bed.” He gave me an impish smile. “But yes, I would love to court you. Thank you for suggesting it.”

  I opened my mouth but then closed it. “Brat.”

  “Only with you it seems.”

  I wasn’t sure I bought that.

  “Well, I’ll leave it to you to try and change my mind. I look forward to seeing what you come up with.”

  He might have said more, but David, a hawk elder, approached us and asked me to dance. I slapped on a smile and let h
im lead me to the dance floor where several others were enjoying the music as well.

  I raised an eyebrow at him when he held me tightly and his hand immediately went to my ass.

  “You look amazing, Soraya,” he murmured, leaning in so we were but a breath away.

  “Thank you, David.” I smirked at him. “Are you really so silly to make a play when my date, who’s an angel, is not thirty feet from us?”

  “You’re a woman who will never settle for only one man,” he replied easily… Except the way he said it made it clear he thought me easy.

  “That doesn’t mean I just accept anyone,” I purred, moving his hand off my ass. “How are the hawks holding up to learn about Colin? I had some come after me in Japan, but I was merciful and let them cool off in the ocean instead of killing them for interfering in a tribunal.”

  He frowned. “One died from that. A shark got him.”

  “They all deserved death for trying to interfere with a tribunal,” I reminded him. “How did one die from a shark? Most natural animals do not like shifters and wouldn’t dare screw with one.”

  He cleared his throat. “He shifted to try and fly but couldn’t with how wet he was, and the shark must have thought it an easy meal.”

  “Oh brother,” I drawled. “That’s not on me.”

  “No, of course not,” he quickly agreed before clearing his throat again. “I spoke with Jerome, and I would like to outline a plan with you to help. Say breakfast in my room?”

  I immediately sent a pulse to Hunt’s collar. This was getting into sticky territory. Moving David’s hand off my ass was different than him saying he wanted sex for his help. Plus, he was just ignoring my original question, so I was losing my patience fast, and I tended to blow up instead of handle things well.

  “I don’t think my date and hostess of all of this needs to offer herself for your desires when you should be handling the situation already as an elder,” Brax said firmly from behind me. “And she is not stupid enough to ever let you get pictures of her on her knees for you so you can drive up the prices on her to cover those up.”

  I gave David a horrified look. “Really, David? I could erase whatever pictures, and all you would have done was make me an enemy. Haven’t the hawks started enough shit recently?

  “I’ve saved over a dozen kettles from practically starving by financing farms and greenhouses to work with us. I gave them help, and now some are trying to strong arm me. I could have hired them as employees forever, but I was kind. Maybe I should stop being kind to the hawks?”

  “I think I should ask my siblings to speak to these groups,” Brax said as he took my hand out of David’s, clearly saying the dance was over. “Would that be considered a nice courting gift?”

  “No,” I snickered. “We’re barely dating, and you wish to send your family to handle my business? No, that sounds more like a loud declaration you’ll be taking over if we mate.”

  He frowned. “That wasn’t what I meant.”

  “I believe that,” I said after a moment, reading his aura and seeing the hurt in his eyes. “You just have a lot to learn.”

  “Clearly,” he grumbled and then gave David a hard look. “So you were saying you were planning on making some calls tonight to make sure your kettles understood how important your relationship with Soraya is? I think I’ll join this tour tomorrow of some of the farms and greenhouses.”

  “That would be better,” I mumbled, knowing he could hear me.

  I let Brax lead me off the dance floor to get more treats. I danced a few more times with other elders or their seconds to be polite. I saw Brax do the same, which was smart as most would think the angel was too full of himself to associate with supes given I’d never heard of any seeing one. There was some more naughty elder fun that I didn’t participate in. I rode the line a lot around elders.

  I didn’t want to be the one who was always at the table nor never at the table. I didn’t want to get too close nor seem like there was a reason I didn’t get to know any of them. It was a hard dance to master, but I’d spent centuries working on it, and honestly, Brax and Hunt did a good job helping me and keeping it all easy and civil.

  Note to self: bringing a powerful date and a pet was definitely the way to skate through elder events and tribunals.

  “Shall we retire?” Brax asked when the night was wrapping up and most everyone had found someone to share their bed.

  “Well, it’s time to go, but it’s cute you think my day is over,” I chuckled, getting to my feet. I headed over to the dessert table and asked one of the enchanters cleaning up if she could have a selection waiting for me at the front desk from the table I’d not even gotten to yet. I boxed up a different selection in the name of making peace before turning back to both men. “You’re welcome to join me, or this is where I say goodnight.”

  “My collar’s tied to you?” Hunt checked, nodding when I did.

  Brax gave us a curious look but agreed to come with as well. I popped us over to the factory handling the batches of border spell for Peru, glad when they had two full vats ready for me and the finished spell loaded up in the huge containers we were using. I bespelled the mixture and then ‘ported us over to the nest to deliver the next amount. For some reason, as long as the mixture was enclosed, it didn’t mind being teleported.

  Which was great because it was a pain in the ass in every other way.

  Several of the nest were already up and having coffee in the dining room. I set down the large box of goodies for them. “All the teeth in this nest are sweet, so I figured none of you would complain with fancy dessert.”

  “Not when you wear that to deliver them,” Andrew muttered, glancing behind me. “We know the dog. Who’s the guy matching you?”

  “My date for the event.”

  His eyebrow went up. “The angel?”

  “I forgot you knew,” I sighed. “It’s late for us, Andrew. I dropped off the next batch of spell to go in the rods for Peru. I have more to do.”

  “Victor wanted to meet the angel.”

  “I’m not going anywhere,” Brax said firmly before I could reply. “I’m sure we’ll have another chance to catch him. Soraya’s been running around all day and needs rest.”

  “Thank you, but my mouth works just fine to answer on my own,” I told Brax.

  “I was just trying to help.”

  “Of course you were, love,” I chuckled, waving to the vampires before popping us away. I actually brought us back to The Resort since I’d forgotten something. I found my seal for the barrier spell—the same one I had going in Chicago—and knelt on it, activating it so everyone was protected.

  “How draining is that spell and to have two of them going?” Hunt asked, glancing between the seal and me when I finished.

  I shrugged. “How much you’ve been eating helped. Honestly, I’m shocked how much having you tied to me helps at times. Maybe that’s why I don’t kick you when I should?”

  He snorted. “Yeah, what you do is far from kicking me.”

  I popped us over to Peru and adjusted the spell a bit, as I wanted to change the plan. For now, I wanted the jars and spell to fix the land and get it back to its original fertileness, but after that I was thinking there might be something better to do instead of simply letting it grow wild. Why not use it? It would still clean the air and do everything the rain forest should do, even more so with my magic, so why not be smarter about it?

  Once back at Chicago, I pumped some more energy into the barrier so it wouldn’t weaken when I slept. There were several things I had to handle at the warehouse and at PI, but then I grabbed my nummies and brought my dates up to my apartment. I started a fire and made some large floor pillows appear.

  Brax caught on and took the box from me as he helped me sit. Hunt knelt and took off my shoes, his hands feeling like heaven as he rubbed my sore feet. When they took off their jackets and ties, I used my power to take out all the pins in my hair and let it down. I turned so I was half lying on
Brax and he was lounging on me like we were making a yin and yang symbol.

  We started in on the box while Hunt went to get wine and napkins. He came back and poured a glass for each of us and sat so I was leaning more on him, the three of us forming a sort of circle.

  “Are you comfortable?” Hunt checked as he played with my hair.

  “The top pulls at my neck a bit since I have breasts for it to hold up,” I teased. His fingers moved to the ties. “Do you really want to undress me around another man?”

  “Yes because you’ll still allow me to touch you,” he murmured, kissing my neck as he took off my top. “You said you’re going slow with him, and I can too.”

  I flinched at what was in his tone. “That’s not what we are, Hunt, and I really won’t keep a traitor.”

  “I know. I just meant you need the night off and to be treasured.”

  I shrugged, not sure what he meant, but with how he kissed my neck and played with my hair, I might have agreed to just about anything. When Brax ran his hand over my legs as he sipped his wine and eyed me over with heat, I thought he’d jump at the chance to touch me.

  But he didn’t. He appreciated the chance to get to see me topless. That was enough for him, and even Hunt since he didn’t try to touch either. I finished my wine, and he took my glass from me. I unzipped the skirt and shimmied out of it, lying naked for their viewing pleasure as they touched me gently.

  Once all the treats were gone, I gave Brax a soft, tired smile. “I believe you promised if I got naked I could sleep on your feathers.” I glanced up at Hunt, thinking about what he’d said to Theo. “Why don’t you let out your wolf and he can snuggle with me since he’s all soft and fluffy too?”

  Shock flashed in his eyes, and he nodded. “I can’t hold it all night, but yeah, that sounds nice.”

  Brax stood and helped me up. I took care of the fire with my power and put everything else away, including the dress since I’d really liked it. I led them to my bedroom, Brax making a few comments about the art on the walls.