by Deanna Chase
“Hmm.” Halston made a note and glanced at me. “Rhoswen, what do you think?”
I did my very best to appear nonplussed, but I wasn’t known for my poker face. I unclenched my jaw and sent Phoebe a mental death glare. “I suppose there could be someone loyal to Felton who is trying to get revenge for his untimely disappearance. I was his target at the time.” Felton was the prior Void director who’d used Orange Influence to illegally control my aunt and one of Allcot’s witches. He’d been exposed after he’d tried to have me locked up and used as a lab rat. Allcot had him killed shortly after I’d escaped.
“Yes. I had that thought as well.” She stood. “I have what I need here. After we interrogate your attacker, I’ll be in touch. Thank you for your cooperation.”
Phoebe bounced to her feet, startling Link, and he let out a tiny growl. As he scanned the room, his protective snarl turned sheepish. I couldn’t help but chuckle.
I stood. “Director, I’m afraid this isn’t an isolated incident. Is it possible to get a detail to watch my store? My employees are human and not equipped to deal with any Void business.”
She tilted her head, regarding me. “I don’t think that’s necessary. You seemed to be the target, and we have the suspect in custody. For the time being, I’d rather play this close to our vest. If we send in security, questions will be asked.”
Foreboding gnawed at the lining of my stomach. She’d dismissed the safety of my employees. What if she was just as bad as Felton had been? Was she the one who’d sent the gunman after me? Did the plan to utilize me run much deeper through the Void than we’d suspected? And Phoebe had put her on the trail of my brother. Jesus mother freakin’ crap on toast. I’d have quit the Void right then on sheer suspicion if I wasn’t magically bound to them for another two and a half years.
“So you think my attacker did this sometime last night or early this morning, then?” I waved a hand around the room.
“That’s the simplest explanation. And the simplest is usually the correct one.” She got to her feet. “I’ll be on my way. Good luck, agents.” She swept out the side door, her frizzy hair bouncing with each step.
I glared at Phoebe as Link paced around her.
“What?” she asked. “Why are you so pissed? Link looks like he’s ready to tear my head off.”
My one-hundred-fifty-pound wolf had his teeth bared and was eyeballing Phoebe like she was a rare piece of steak that had just been snatched from him.
“Why did you bring up Beau?” I demanded.
“Why not?” She swept a pile of paper into the trash basket beside my desk.
I crossed the room and locked the door that led into the shop. This wasn’t a conversation for others’ ears. Once I was settled behind my desk, I turned hard eyes on her. “You know why not. If the director goes digging around and finds out about the ability I inherited from Beau, I could be right back where I was last week. In a cage.”
She frowned. “If I hadn’t brought it up, she might start to think there’s something to cover up. It’s an unknown in your past, Wil. It’s the first thing an agent would look at. That’s basic Void knowledge.”
“And I didn’t go to the Academy, right? So I wouldn’t know that? Is that what you’re saying?” I kicked at the debris near my feet. My only skill was sensing vampires. It was my job to alert the agents when vampires were around, not to fight them myself. I didn’t need Academy training for that.
“What?” She turned to me, shock clear in her wide blue eyes. “That is not at all what I said. I was only trying to defuse the situation and buy us more time to figure out who’s behind this. There’s a very good possibility she’ll find out anyway once interrogations begin. Your attacker is human. If he works for Asher, he could know all the details of Beau’s death. How much can he stand before he spills it all? And if we pretend there isn’t anything suspicious and the Void uncovers something about him, we can’t have you looking like you withheld information. That’s an offense that will get you prison time. You know this.”
Shit. I was way too wound up. I took a deep, steadying breath. “Sorry. You’re right, of course. I might be shell-shocked. It’s been a bad day.”
She turned a sympathetic smile on me. “As a Void agent, it was bound to happen sometime. Just be glad you have a kickass partner.”
Link’s head came up and he appeared to raise one eyebrow in her direction. I couldn’t help the laugh bubbling from my lips. “Very humble, Phoebs. I think Link’s wondering how there’s enough space in this room for all three of us with that ego of yours.”
She grinned. “No one ever accused me of being modest.”
Chapter 3
With my back bare and the skirt hugging my hips, the gorgeous plum dress molded to my body perfectly. I ran a hand over my long hair, smoothing it to the side as butterflies took up residence in my stomach.
Five more minutes and Talisen would arrive. Our first date. This wouldn’t be any normal first date, either. We’d known each other almost our whole lives. This was the start of a whole new chapter in our relationship. How do you go from being best friends to casual dating? You don’t. It’s a full-on commitment.
Shoes. I needed shoes. I rarely wore heels. In my line of work, it wasn’t called for. But when I did, I went all out. Four-inch stilettos in shimmery silver matched the nail polish on my toes.
“Holy fuck, Wil. What are you trying to do, kill the guy?” Phoebe leaned against my doorframe, eyeing me appreciatively. “That dress is hot.”
A slow smile spread on my lips. “Tal has seen me dressed up before.”
She snorted. “But not when you were on his menu.”
My grin widened and heat crawled up my neck. Oh goodness, was I on his menu this evening? Would he be thinking we’d end up back at his new place? Was I ready for that? Images of his large hands skimming lightly over my skin flashed through my mind. My entire body started to tingle. It was a good thing I wasn’t wearing a lot of clothing because it suddenly got very warm in my room.
“Of course, anything could happen after your meeting with Allcot,” she whispered in my ear, mindful of any lingering bugs, and wrinkled her nose in disgust. Being that he was as ruthless as he was power hungry, Eadric wasn’t exactly her favorite vampire.
Dammit. She had to bring that up. Talisen was going to be pissed.
On the first floor, the front door banged open with a deafening crash. “Willow!” Talisen’s frantic voice floated up the stairs, followed by boots pounding on the wooden steps.
“Uh oh. He must’ve heard what happened.” Phoebe grimaced and ducked out of my room. “Hey, Tal,” I heard her say.
“Phoebe, where is she?” His voice was full of fear, and I found myself moving swiftly toward the hall in my four-inch heels.
I peeked around the doorframe. “Tal?”
The tension in his face vanished as obvious relief washed over him. He swept me in his arms and let out a barely audible sigh. “Jesus, Wil. I heard there was a shooting that involved a faery. And all the reports led back to you.”
I hugged him tightly, burying my face in his shoulder. Goddess, it was good to be safe in his arms. “I’m fine. Especially now that you’re here.”
His hold tightened around me. “Want to tell me about it?”
I let out a humorless chuckle. “Sure. Some stalker pulled a gun. Phoebs took him out. And then I bought a dress.”
“Thank you, Phoebe. Try not go anywhere without her ever again.”
I smiled into his shoulder. “I had the same thought, but we might want to leave her home tonight.”
“Good point. Wait, you bought a dress?” He pulled back, holding me at arm’s length. His forest-green eyes darkened with desire as his gaze traveled the length of my body. He let out a slow, appreciative whistle. “Nice dress.”
“You like it then?” I stared up at him, taking in his corded, muscular frame. Male fae are not blessed with wings. Instead, they are gifted with the ability to climb almost anything.
His years of exploring the redwood forests helped him fill out his black sports coat and dark denim jeans better than the average guy. At six foot four with his sun-lightened auburn hair, he was gorgeous.
“Like? I’m not sure that’s the word I’d use.” He traced his fingers down my neck, leaving a trail of shivers in his wake. Then his fingers dug into my arms and he pulled me close, his lips inches from mine.
My breath caught and I brought my hands up to his chest, lightly running my fingers over his hard planes. “What are you waiting for?”
His gaze shifted from my lips to my eyes and then back to my mouth. Nervous anticipation made me bite down on my lower lip.
“What are you trying to do to me? I’m supposed to be taking you to dinner, and right now all I can think about is ripping that torturous dress off you and locking you in this room all night.” His hands relaxed as they moved up over my bare arms.
I closed my eyes, reveling in his gentle but firm caress. Tal was a healer. His touch was more familiar to me than anyone’s. But this was the first night we’d ever allowed ourselves to experience each other without friendship boundaries. I wanted him to lock my door, take me to bed, and spend the evening uncovering my secret desires. But he couldn’t. I had an appointment at Cryrique. And if I didn’t show up, I knew damn well Allcot would send someone to find us.
In my heels, all it took was the tilt of my head and my lips were on Talisen’s. A tiny, strangled moan escaped from him as his tongue pressed into my mouth, barely brushing against mine.
A shiver ran down my back and straight to the tips of my wings. Long-suppressed desire consumed me, and when his arms came around me, I melted against him, our bodies so close I could feel the hard outline of his excitement. Tal’s hands shifted to frame my face as he deepened the kiss, greedily taking what he’d waited so long for.
When he finally pulled back we were both breathless. He chuckled and his eyes gleamed with mischief. “Try that again and we likely won’t make it to dinner.”
My entire body urged me to take his lower lip between my teeth. I almost did it, too, but then took a hesitant step back.
His smile broadened. “Saving something for later?”
“I went through a lot of trouble to get this dress. It deserves to be shown off.”
Stepping closer, he reached out and traced a finger along the fabric tied around my neck.
My knees wobbled and I was certain I was going to melt right there beneath his touch. Damn that felt good. I had to get a grip on myself.
“Off is a perfect way to describe what should come next,” he said.
“Tal!” I laughed and batted his hand away. “We have somewhere to be.”
“Dinner can be eaten anywhere.” He glanced at my queen-sized bed nestled in my magical oak. “I’m thinking bedroom picnic.”
His tone had shifted from playful to husky, and I had no doubt he was testing to see how far I’d let him go. Instead of answering, I sidestepped him, grabbed my clutch purse off the desk, and glided out the door.
His dramatic, exaggerated sigh made me giggle as I descended the stairs. We were going to have a tough time keeping our hands to ourselves. I wasn’t sure how long Tal had wanted me, but the underlying passion I harbored for him had been brewing for the better part of eight years.
Just as I reached the bottom step, Link, back in Shih Tzu form, scurried out of Phoebe’s room with a patent red pump clutched in his jaws.
“Goddammit, dog. Drop that right this instant!” Phoebe tore out of the room with her other shoe in her hand. As soon as she spotted him, the second pump flew and bounced off Link’s small head. He yelped and cowered behind the living room couch.
“What the hell, Phoebs?” I glared at her. “You could’ve put his eye out.”
She stomped across the living room and grabbed both shoes. “If he steals one more thing from my room, his eyes are the last thing he’ll need to worry about.”
Link darted between her feet and lay down between Talisen and me.
“Hey there, buddy.” Talisen bent to pick him up. My dog half-whined, half-yelped in excitement and proceeded to lap his tongue over Tal’s face.
I gave Tal a pained look. “You’re not helping.”
He grinned and continued to let Link love him all over.
“This is so not cool.” Phoebe stomped past us. “He’s a year old now. He shouldn’t be stealing my shit.”
I closed my eyes, praying for patience. “I can’t make him not steal your shoes. The best we can do is remove the temptation. Can you try keeping your door shut?” This wasn’t the first time we’d had this conversation.
Phoebe paused in her doorway and glared at Talisen and Link. “I did, but the little bastard snuck in while I was going out.” She glanced at me, a scowl still on her face. “That’s a robe, three pairs of shoes, and one Victoria’s Secret bra you owe me now.”
“I’m good for it.”
She took a deep breath, visibly trying to calm herself. “I know.” She disappeared into her room and then popped her head back out. “Call me the moment you leave the hotel.”
A slow smile spread over Tal’s face. “The hotel?”
Shit. Thanks, Phoebs.
“Oh. You haven’t told him yet.” Phoebe grimaced. “Oops.” With an apologetic glance, she closed her door on us.
Tal set Link down and straightened. His expressive eyes roamed over me once again, sparking with heat. That expression, the one of pure love and lust, just about brought me to my knees. He reached out, took my hand in his, and gently twisted me around so my back was to him. Slipping his arms around my middle, his warm lips met my neck, sending another shiver down my spine. “Do you have a surprise for me?” he whispered in my ear.
“Umm.” I pulled away and turned to face him, biting my lip. “Not a good one.”
His hands fell to his sides. He stared down at me with concern in his expressive eyes. “What is it?”
I let out a breath and took his hand gently in mine. “Let’s go outside.”
His brow furrowed.
“Trust me.”
Nodding once, he snapped his fingers and Link stood at attention, ready to follow us wherever we went.
On the way out, I grabbed a light sweater to combat any overzealous air-conditioning later in the evening. The three of us walked in silence down the front path and then crossed the street to Coliseum Square Park.
Link lifted his head and sniffed deeply. He turned right then left. Satisfied there wasn’t a threat, he curled up on my toes.
“Willow?” Tal stared down at me in the darkness. “What’s going on?”
Just say it. “David came to see me today.”
“The vampire wants you to meet him at a hotel?” he asked, anger vibrating in his tone. “Have you lost your mind?”
A chill swept over my body. Tal never spoke to me like that. Had he just turned into a possessive alpha male right in front of my eyes? I took a step back and placed my hands on my hips. “Could you calm down? It’s not like—”
“He has no business speaking to you, and you sure as hell shouldn’t be meeting him at a hotel. And tonight of all nights…” A flash of something close to pain flickered through his eyes. He blinked and the anger was back full force, but he didn’t say anything else.
I gave him a moment to cool off and then in a quiet voice said, “There’s concern the house is bugged. That’s why I brought you out here. And I only saw David today because Allcot sent him to warn me that not only am I being followed, but it’s likely I’m being watched as well. Phoebe is working on a sweep of the house, but she needs to get another witch in there to help her. If anyone managed to break in, then he or she was skilled enough they could have planted bugs Phoebe can’t detect.” I took a deep breath. “And the meeting is with Allcot, not David. He was just the messenger.”
Tal didn’t move, then he dropped his chin to his chest. “Jesus.” He glanced up. “Sorry, babe. I was a dick.”
I smiled be
cause it was true. As long as Allcot was protecting my nephew, I would be in contact with him. Tal knew that and would have to be okay with it. “Trust me?”
“Yes.” He pulled me into his arms.
“Then act like it.”
“I’ll do my best.”
***
Located in the heart of the French Quarter, the Hotel La Blanchet had a nefarious reputation from days past. It’s rumored the establishment was used for everything from a brothel to slave quarters for human women who were kept around as vamp food.
These days, vampires got their blood by frequenting food banks with willing participants or they employed private donors. No doubt Allcot had an entire team at both his personal residence and his various businesses. I glanced around, wondering if any of the high-class barflies propped up on barstools were really blood hostesses. Most likely.
It wasn’t my policy to take Link on a date, but walking into vampire territory with a volatile fae was more than I thought I could handle on my own. Understandably, Talisen was not happy to be sharing me with anyone, especially not Allcot or David, who was bound to be present.
I pursed my lips and prayed Link didn’t take a bite out of anyone. He was already vibrating with nervous energy. I squeezed Tal’s arm. “Can you rein in your anger a little? Link is going to lose it at any moment.”
Tal glanced down at the pacing Shih Tzu. “Yeah, sorry.” He took a deep breath and murmured soothing words to Link. The dog froze mid-step and planted his rear between us.
David appeared and nodded for us to follow him. He led us to a quiet corner of the bar and pulled a chair out for me. “Have a seat. Eadric will call for us as soon as he’s free.”
I stared at the chair and then raised one eyebrow in David’s direction. “I thought we had an appointment.”
“You do. Have a seat and I’ll get you a drink.” He ignored both Talisen and Link.
I didn’t sit or look at the drink menu. “I’d like a bowl of water for Link, a citrus margarita for myself and,” I said, nodding at Tal, “a beer for Tal. Abita Amber, I think.”