She smiled, wiping tears of mirth from her eyes, wondering how she could have missed the shimmer of goodness within him. “I’m rather fond of books. What things do you like?”
He smoothed over her question with a teasing shake of his head. “Miss Blackwell, you should be cowering in fear. You’re headed to an unnamed location with a complete stranger.” His tone was flat and serious but the corner of his mouth twitched with appreciation.
“I wouldn’t say you’re a stranger, Lord Reeves. Indeed, there are some ways in which you know me much better than anyone else.”
The flirtation in her voice was a surprise. She blushed prettily when his eyes left her eyes and traveled down to her lips. “Yes, well, that was poorly done of me. I’m truly sorry.”
Shifting nervously would have made her look foolish so she ducked her head slightly, forcing him to look into her eyes again. “Why are you sorry?” She brought up a hand when he would have listed his sins. “Yes, given the choice, I would never have wanted anyone to see me in such a state…but being embarrassed is much more manageable than being ravaged, in my book.”
Shock flashed in his eyes and Olyve smiled. “I can’t even begin to express my gratitude. You’ve saved me a number of times recently…and you wouldn’t have had to, had I heeded the warnings of my family members.”
James flinched at the reminded that Andrew was a blood relative. “It must be difficult; knowing that someone you loved is capable of such evil.”
She shrugged casually but the action didn’t hide the hurt she was harboring. “People are people, no matter whether they share blood or not. There is never any guarantee that any of us will do the right thing when given the chance.”
“That’s a terrible lesson for someone so young and beautiful to know.”
It was Olyve’s turn to flinch. A sheepish grin spread across her face. “You know, I’m not all that young. According to the ton, I’m well past my prime.”
James shrugged, reaching across the space that separated them to drag a lock of her hair away from her face. “Well, that just goes to show how foolish people can be.”
The butterflies came back in full force, dancing a fast waltz across her abdomen. She coughed delicately into her hands. “Yes. I suppose it does.”
It was the first real laugh she’d heard from him and Olyve marveled at the way the simple sound managed to make him seem even more handsome. Before she could discern what he was about, he leaned forward and pulled her down by her shoulders. His mouth brushed lightly against hers, a kiss unlike any of the others they had shared. This one was pure and simple, tasting of laughter and sunshine.
He quickly released her, sitting backward with an easy grin on his face. “I apologize. I shouldn’t abuse our situation so completely.”
She scoffed even as her already hot cheeks blazed deeper. “Yes, you look contrite.”
His grin widened before falling away gradually. When he questioned her this time, the way he spoke was light and friendly. They could have been exchanging household gossip for all of the ease he injected into his words. “How did you get tangled up in all of this anyway? You don’t strike me as the sleuthing type.”
She may have taken offense to his assumption, but he was right. That didn’t mean she was going to tell him so. She carefully considered her options before answering. Andrew had already told him more than he should have. The Blackwells were a family that wanted to remain shrouded in mystery. It went against everything she’d grown up believing to simply tell him what he was asking.
Her hesitation spoke volumes to James. “I understand. With all that has happened I suppose it’s difficult to trust anyone.” He shifted slightly, pulling out the hilt end of his blade. A depression at the base of the blade in the shape of a single flame caught her eyes. “You see this symbol? It means that I am an operative of the Crown. My duty is to locate and free the young women who have gone missing. For me, there is more at stake here…personally.”
She knew he wasn’t a criminal. Curiosity brightened the blue of Olyve’s eyes. “Personally?”
“Not so fast, Miss Blackwell. I offered my information in the sense of trust. You will have to reciprocate for me to continue. Already you have more information than you should as a civilian.”
Nodded, Olyve scooted forward, realizing if she wanted to stop her cousin she would need help. This man could provide just that. Besides, he had already earned her trust. She had no reason to deny him at this point. “Everything Andrew said about the Blackwell family is true. We each have a power that manifests itself when we’re children.”
She expected him to react with disbelief. Instead, his dark head nodded, accepting what she said as fact without so much of a batted eye. “What was Whittock talking about when he said he wanted to steal the energy from the girls?”
Olyve winced. “A lot of us train our abilities to be stronger. You can strengthen and shape them. You heard what I can do. Well, Andrew wasn’t always this way. As a child, he had had the ability to sense stress. He could boost confidence within a person…but then he decided he didn’t want to use his power anymore.” She sat back, closing her eyes. No one had known what would happen if one of them refused to use their gifts. They’d assumed and ignored too much. “I think it twisted him. Or maybe he twisted it, I don’t know.”
“And now you’re saying his power doesn’t work the way it should?” James kept his prodding gentle.
Olyve let a tiny laugh slip past her throat. “Oh no, it’s your turn. Why did you save me that day at the train station?”
“Because I had to.” When it looked like she would question him further, he continued. “I can’t explain it. I was following the assassin, thought he might be working with Andrew. I was going to gather information and turn away, but the moment I saw you…I had to protect you.”
She frowned a little before nodding. She didn’t bother to open her eyes when she whispered her own admission. “I think I know what you mean…” the blush she seemed to permanently wear around him deepened. “I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind since the first time I saw you. I feel drawn to you in a way I can’t begin to describe, let alone explain.”
James pressed his hand to his chest, trying to relieve some of the unexpected pressure there. He swallowed twice before he could get his next question out. “What does he want?”
A ghost of a smile flashed across her face before blonde eyebrows drew together. “You heard him. He wants to take on my father.”
“Is your father really so strong?”
She could have refused to answer him, as he’d already gotten his question resolved, but weariness sapped her interest in the barter. “Every generation, there is one Auberon. This person is always the leader of the family, based on some criterion that none of us are aware of. All that we know is that he or she is born with a special mark. An Auberon’s powers manifests fully with a crown of information. As if filled with some unseen energy, they find themselves entrusted with all the secrets and artifacts of the Blackwell family. My father is the Auberon of this lifetime. He is the most powerful of all of us.”
James made a low sound of acknowledgement. “So, Andrew is after his position or knowledge. But why did he need your power in order to do this? I’m not entirely sure what you have to do with this.”
He sat in silence for several minutes before realizing that she was fast asleep. A soft smile spread across his face, even as his mind raced with questions unanswered. If there was one thing he knew without a doubt in all of this, it was that she was his.
There was no part of his life untouched by the influence of technology and science. The weapons he created were one of a kind, the sort of battle gear that could change the future of a nation. His brother, Cyril, was a world renowned builder of automatons. His work lay in everything from toys to personal bots. But Olyve was different.
She was true magic: both by virtue of her family and how she made him feel.
No matter what happened,
he had every intention of keeping her.
Chapter Seven
“Wha–” Olyve woke with the kind of jolt that instantly lets you know that you’re late for something important. Blonde curls clung to her sweating skin and her heart thudded with deep, painful resonation against her chest. Fully alert, she rolled off the modest bed she couldn’t remember getting into and took in her surroundings.
A large window with a seat offered her a view of barren trees, heavy with snow. Icicles dangled from their weary branches, sparkling in the red light of dusk. She took a moment to marvel at the smog-free sky, watching warm oranges bleed into reds without the heavy taint of the ever-present sickly gray.
A cheerful fire warmed her back and she didn’t miss the fact that her clothing had been changed. She now sported a different pair of brown trousers. A tan vest stretched across her chest over a cream colored men’s shirt. A frilly cravat tickled her nose.
She breathed a sigh of thanks. Her gloves were still on.
Upon further inspection she decided the room was rather nice, probably the only sleeping quarters in a small cabin. She frowned at the thought but couldn’t deny the wooden walls that stretched up toward the ceiling.
“Andrew shouldn’t be able to afford something like this.” She murmured the thought to herself before biting her tongue. “Of course he could buy something as coveted as a wooded property…he’s dealing in blood.”
A knock at the door didn’t wait for permission to enter. James shuffled into the room holding a tray with steaming bowls and cups. His clothing was stained with blots of black oil, something she made a mental note to ask him about later.
“Oh. I see you’re awake.” He left the door open, offering her a view of a large space decorated by gaudy mounted animal heads. “Did you sleep well?”
She ignored his question. “Where are we?”
James took his time setting the food down before he answered her. A little table sat in front of a low, uneven lounge. “Sit. Eat. You must be half starved.”
She opened her mouth to protest but her stomach had other plans. It exuded a loud growl, demanding attention. Embarrassed, Olyve shut her mouth and sank onto the plush surface. She began to put food in her mouth without care to what it was. When he was eating as well, she counted his bites before deciding it was acceptable to ask again. “Where are we?”
“Obviously, we’re several hours out of the city. I believe Lord Whittock was trying to get us as far away from him as possible.”
She bobbed her head between bites. “That makes sense. Even with the Orb, my father would know something was up if he felt my energy twice.”
James took a sip of his tea before sighing. “What does this have to do with you, Olyve? I never got an answer to that.”
She swallowed even though there was nothing in her mouth. Her eyes immediately dropped, unwilling to see his expression as she struggled to tell him. “I don’t…what about you, James? You said this was personal. How so?”
He was silent for so long that she risked a peek up at him. She found him staring out the window, an intricate bullet between his fingers. A chain hung from the flattened end of it, looped through a hole made specifically for that purpose.
“Your cousin has someone who is important to me amongst his captives.” He met her eyes and the weight of his worry crashed into her. “There’s a little girl who put her trust in me and she’s out there somewhere, scared and alone.”
“Is…is that something of hers?”
James smiled at the concern in her voice. “It’s something that belongs to both of us. It’s a bullet that gives her peace of mind. She sent it to me, just as she promised. I told her that if she ever needed me, if she was in trouble in any way, to send this and I would come find her. I can’t let her down, Olyve. I just can’t.”
She nodded her understanding, using her tongue to moisten her suddenly dry lips. “There are partitions in my mind. They keep my power at bay. Behind one of those barriers, I think I have the ability to manipulate memories. To tear them away while I absorb them.”
James kept his face decidedly neutral. “And that is what your cousin currently has the ability to do?”
“Yes.”
“If he does that, what happens?”
Olyve tried to shrug her shoulders. “Remember what I said about the Auberon? My cousin is probably after the artifacts. They are exceptionally powerful, James. He could do some real damage with them.”
James continued to eat while he filtered this new information. He wondered if the Monarchy was aware of the power of the Blackwell family. “Will your father be able to stop him?”
“I don’t know. No one knows exactly what my father can do, but even he has his limits.” She bit down on one worried nail. “The thing is…if he is summoned, that will mean that the girls have already been killed.”
He sucked in a dangerous breath. “Then it’s up to us to keep your cousin from getting that far. Can you call for help? He mentioned something about a Lodestar?”
“Yes, it’s an inner beacon of light that keeps all of us connected, but the Orb blocks the Lodestar. We could try to steal and destroy it, but then Andrew would know something was happening.”
“Besides that, the fact that you’re cut off also gives us the element of surprise. He won’t be expecting us to crash his party. If we get rid of the Orb he will be able to tell you’re coming, is that right?”
He shocked her into smiling. “Yes, that is right as well. You really are a quick study. Why aren’t you running away screaming, given the whole situation?”
James shrugged. “Losing my composure wouldn’t make it any less true. It would only hinder what we have to do and we don’t have the time to waste.”
Olyve tilted her head back and laughed. “So it’s smarter to simply go with the flow.”
“Exactly.”
They finished eating in thoughtful silence and Olyve let her mind wander. Closing her eyes, she let out a little gasp of sharp surprise.
The first images that flooded her mind were that of his hands and mouth pressed to the white flesh of her breasts. Her face reddened, but not with the humiliation, she should have been feeling.
She felt wicked and aching. Wanton.
She loosened the cravat at her neck, suddenly unbelievably hot. She shot quick glances toward her companion, marveling at the way his mouth moved while he chewed, his strong jaw flexing with intent. She wondered if he wanted to kiss her as badly as she wanted to kiss him.
His voice cut through the silence, startling her from her naughty thoughts. “Can you do it?”
Her eyes immediately fell back to his mouth. Was he asking her if she could kiss him? “Can I do what?”
Dark brows drew upward and he shook the bullet that he was holding out. “Can you use this to find out where he is?”
Olyve mentally shook her head, clearing out the lust that filled it. What was happening to her? She couldn’t concentrate at all while around him. “I don’t…think so. When did she send it to you? I can only see history directly tied to the object.”
He held it out eagerly. “She may have been with Andrew when she sent it to me.”
Olyve worried her lip for several moments before finally nodding grudgingly. “I’ll do my best.”
The item he held out seemed to vibrate with pleasure when she turned to look at it. She heard James’s sharp intake of breath but he was already fading away from her focus.
A green aura licked at the surface of the bullet. It was an easy, if not eager history, begging for her Sight. She tugged off her gloves, waiting for her nails to match before she reached out. The aura didn’t wait for her to connect with the cold metal. It leapt up to meet her skin, flooding her mind and pores with the past.
Nestled in the chamber of a revolver, the bullet absorbed the sweat soaked fear of the man carrying it.
“Where is she, where is she?” He chanted, moving among a crowd of empty boxes. The dark warehouse he was in smelled of
musk and salt, an overwhelming stench that made it hard to breathe. The eerie quiet in the small space shattered with the high pitched wails of a broken heart.
The child cried out mournfully, sure that she was going to die. Her voice dripped with pain and James knew she was probably bleeding. The man who had taken her, a monster with a taste for children, was moving through the same maze of boxes and mildew, trying to get to her before he could manage to save her.
A blood curdling scream pierced the air and James cursed under his breath. The boxes finally gave way to a small clearing, covered with filthy wool blankets. The girl dangled in the arms of her mad captor, her dirty feet barely reaching the bottom of his abdomen.
“Stay back, spook. I know you’re out there and I’m not letting her go. I’ll kill her first.”
James crouched in the shadows, grinding his teeth. The little girl couldn’t have been more than five, her big brown eyes filled with tears and terror. The crow’s nest of her hair was haphazardly done in red pigtails, bobbing uselessly as she fought her much larger assailant.
James cast his voice upward, knowing that it would be scattered throughout the space. “Don’t do anything foolish, Teele. The girl is an innocent here. Why not just let her go and come quietly?”
The cornered man spun in a circle too quickly for James to get the shot off, but the bullet was well aware of his desperation. This monster had already hurt three little girls, and he had done it using technology James had given him for missions. He knew he was going to hang and if James couldn’t stop him, he was probably going to kill this one out of spite.
A frisson of awareness crawled up his spine. While he had been looking around for a vantage point, the girl had managed to find him, despite the darkness. James watched Teele searched in vain, sure that the darkness continued to hide him well. The girl’s eyes never wavered.
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