by Keri Arthur
He laughed. “Back at you, sis. See you next weekend.”
“You want me to pick you up?”
He hesitated. “No. I’m not sure yet what time my flight is, so I’ll catch a cab—”
“That’ll cost a fortune.”
“And neither of us are poor.” He hesitated, and then added more seriously, “Be wary of the Blackbird. They possess a magnetism that can be hard to resist, but it’s nothing more than a part of their game. A means to an end. Their end goal is always the protection of the crown and nothing—and no one—else matters.”
His verbalization of my own doubts had unease deepening. “Thanks for the warning, but I do have to ask … how come you know so much about them?”
“Mo isn’t the only Uhtric scholar in town, no matter what she claims. The Okoro and Aquitaine bloodlines have been intermingled for centuries and their library is vast.”
Something else I didn’t know. “Does it have lineage records? Because it might be a good place for us to search for—”
“Leave it to the Blackbirds,” he cut in. “That is, after all, what they live for.”
“Max, I was attacked. First by demons, and then by a dark elf.” And more worryingly, the dark elf had actually stated I would not escape “them” again. He might now be dead, but the “them” were not. “I’m not going to sit idly by and let those bastards have a third go at me. I want to know what the hell is going on.”
Max grunted. It was not a happy sound. “Then at least wait until I get—”
“No.”
“Gwen, be sensible—”
“Not when my life is on the line, brother.”
He swore. “Just be careful then. Keep in the light and remember, these bastards don’t give up once they’ve got their mind set on a kill.”
“I’m always careful.”
He grunted. “See you in a week, then.”
“You will.”
I hung up and shoved my phone onto the coffee table. After drinking my tea, I headed downstairs to tidy up the store and get a few things ready for tomorrow’s opening. As night closed in, Mo sent me a text saying they were still covering up the mess and that we’d talk more tomorrow.
With Luc obviously also not coming, I headed upstairs to get ready for my night out.
“Hey, babe.” Ginny brushed a kiss on my cheek, then perched on the stool beside me. “This place is rocking tonight.”
“That’s hardly surprising—there’re only two pubs open tonight.”
And only The Marquis had The Seagulls playing—a three-piece rock group that had become a firm favorite with the pub’s patrons. The result was a packed bar and the doors being closed early thanks to safety concerns. Ginny, who was—as usual—late, had undoubtedly only gotten in because Mia had left word with the door staff.
“True, but it leaves little enough room for dancing. Where’s Mia?”
“Getting hot and heavy with Jonny.”
“Seriously?” Her head whipped around, sending the long length of her plaited black hair flying and forcing me to lean back to avoid getting smacked in the face. “She must be desperate, poor woman.”
I laughed and motioned at the bartender. He nodded, and three seconds later, Ginny had her favorite drink—a whiskey on the rocks—sitting in front of her. It paid to be best friends with the owner’s daughter.
She took a sip and sighed in appreciation. “There’s nothing finer than Chivas Regal.” She paused. “Except maybe a hot man serving me Chivas Regal, and they’re few and far between in this town.”
“A truer word has never been spoken. What’s been happening?”
She wrinkled her nose. “Mom’s been making ‘it’s about time’ noises again.”
I snorted. I adored my aunt, but she was a total homebody who’d married at seventeen and had her first child at eighteen. She really couldn’t understand why Ginny wasn’t following in her footsteps. “And what did you say this time?”
“That if she was so intent on seeing me married and pregnant, there’s a rather nice but totally human sergeant in my division that I quite fancy.”
I laughed. “Oh, to have been a fly on the wall.”
Ginny’s grin was decidedly devilish. “Yeah. I might even go out with said sergeant, just to give her conniptions. So, who or what has upset your equilibrium?”
I drank some bubbly. “What makes you think something has?”
“Aside from the fact you just avoided answering the question, you mean?” She made a circular motion toward my torso. “It’s all those tension vibes you’re radiating.”
While Ginny hadn’t inherited the family’s ability to control storms, she was sensitive to any and all fluctuations in the air, and could track people, animals, or even vehicles via the lingering swirls of color and currents that followed their movement. Which was why she worked at the major crimes unit as a specialist detective.
I grimaced. “It’s been a rough day.”
She leaned forward, her dark eyes sparkling with interest. “Really? Feel free to unleash on your cousin—she has the shoulders to handle it.”
I smiled. Ginny was all of five feet one and petite in build … but woe betide anyone who mistook either for weakness.
I gave her the bare bones basics and she blinked several times before saying, “Well, shit.”
“Yeah.” I gulped down my bubbly and then motioned for another.
“What’s Mo planning to do?”
I shrugged. “Find the heirs, for a start. Then I suppose we’ll need to figure out which one of them is trying to erase records of the others.”
Ginny wrinkled her nose. “And why you’ve suddenly become a target. I mean, really, that makes no sense.”
“No.” I smiled my thanks at the bartender as he delivered my drink. “Although Max did make an interesting observation—that the Okoros and the Aquitaine bloodlines have been intermingled for centuries.”
“Which still doesn’t explain why they’re after you. I mean, you’re female.”
“Huh, who’d have guessed that? It’s not like I have any giveaway bits.”
My voice was dry, and she grinned. “All of which are kinda hard to miss in that dress you’re almost wearing. The blue really suits you, by the way.”
“Thanks.” I raised my glass and clicked it against hers. “It could simply be a matter of me currently being the last of the De Montforts who’s tending the sword—and the weakest. They’re not likely to go after Mo—even demons have better sense than that.”
“True.” She sipped her whiskey. “It’s also true that the mixing of our line with the Aquitaines hasn’t done a goddamn thing for his human heirs.”
“Yes, but it still leaves the possibility that an Okoro could be one of the heirs.”
“You’ve met my brothers—do any of them seem likely to hold royal blood to you?”
I laughed. “Well, no. I’m thinking more a different branch of the Okoro tree.”
Especially given that if one of Ainslyn’s Okoros did have royal blood, however small a fraction, Mo would have mentioned it. She might not have had a reason to do so in the past, but today had changed all that.
“Possibly.” Ginny’s expression was thoughtful. “I could look in the family bible—that’s where all the births and deaths have been recorded over the centuries. I might find something there.”
“That would be great.” Mo might have already asked, but it didn’t hurt to double up.
“And now,” Ginny said. “Let’s move on to a more important subject—the gorgeous Blackbird.”
I raised an eyebrow. “I never said he was gorgeous.”
“You didn’t have to. Your vibes got all hot and bothered just mentioning him.”
I grinned. “Okay, so he is gorgeous, but like me he does not.”
“Then you’re not expecting to see him again?”
“Oh, I will, probably tomorrow, given he’s chasing after Max.”
“Huh.” The devilish light entered her eyes aga
in. “I might just pop around … I’m in need of some new soaps.”
“Which will do you absolutely no good. According to Max, Blackbirds aren’t interested in anyone or anything except achieving their aims.”
“Yes, but they must have sex sometimes—otherwise the line would have died out by now.”
“Also true.” I grinned. “It’ll be interesting to see if he has the same magnetic effect on you as he does me.”
“Magnetic effect?” another voice cut in. “Who?”
“No male in this room, that’s for sure,” I replied.
Mia squished between the two of us and vaguely waved a hand. Her drink of choice—a Brewdog Beer—was swiftly delivered, an action that was met by heated grumbling from those standing nearby. Mia flashed them an unrepentant grin and raised her beer, adding, “It’s just one of the many benefits of your folks owning the bar.”
“And can I just add,” Ginny said, “there’s nothing magnetic about you right now, dear Mia. You’re all red and sweaty.”
“Dancing does that to a girl. You should try it sometime—it might get the happy juices flowing.”
“If they’re flowing for someone like Jonny, count me out.”
“I’ll have you know he’s damn good—”
“No, stop right there,” Ginny cut in. “I do not need those images invading my brain.”
Mia grinned. At five-ten, she was two inches taller than me, with blue-gray eyes, short brown hair, and a slender build. “Ladies, this is the one night a year we can truly let our hair down—so to speak—so get out onto the dance floor and damn well relax.”
With that, she drained her beer, grabbed Ginny’s hand, and dragged her off the barstool. Ginny yelped and reached for me, and the two of us were pulled only a little unwillingly onto the dance floor. Where, it had to be said, much fun was had over the next few hours.
Midnight had come and gone when a muscular pair of arms slid around my waist and then pulled me back against a body that was hard and firm. As uninvited lips brushed my neck, I thrust back hard with my elbow.
There was a deep “oomph” and the arms fell away. I swung around, ready to unleash verbally, and then blinked in surprise.
“Tris?”
“Yeah.” He straightened and rubbed his solar plexus. “Some welcome home there, Gwenny.”
I laughed and bounded into his arms. He caught me with another “oomph,” a sound that was lost as our lips met and I kissed him with all the hunger and frustration that had built up over the last few months.
“My, my,” he said eventually, his golden eyes sparkling with heat and desire. “I think someone missed me.”
“You have no idea.” I kissed him again, this time quickly, then released him and tugged my dress back down my thighs. “What brings you back home?”
“Work.”
“And are you staying at your parents’ place?”
“Not when I have every intention of having loud and vigorous sex with my ex.” He glanced past me. “Hey, ladies, nice to see you again. Mind if I steal your girl away for a few hours?”
Ginny’s eyes twinkled wickedly. “If it’s only for a few hours, she’s going to be mighty disappointed.”
Tris laughed and wrapped an arm around my waist. “Shall we catch up for lunch tomorrow? My treat?”
Mia frowned and placed the back of her hand against his forehead. “He is running a bit of a temperature …”
Tris laughed again and swatted her hand away. “It’s not that rare.”
“Oh, it is,” Ginny replied. “Work must be good.”
“I landed a big contract a few weeks ago,” he said. “I can afford it now.”
“You’re a Chen,” Mia said dryly. “You could afford the moon if you wanted it.”
“My parents’ money is not mine.” There was an odd edge in his tone that had me frowning. “Anyway, does The Bean Fairy at one o’clock suit everyone?”
“We should be over the worst of our hangovers by then,” Ginny said. “Have fun, kiddies.”
He nodded and swept me away. After paying my bill and grabbing my coat, I tucked my arm through his and said, “Is there yet another problem with your parents?”
He grimaced. “It’s nothing more than the usual.”
“Surely they can’t be disappointed now that you’ve landed a good job?”
“They’re Chens. I could marry into the royal family and they’d still think Leon would have done better.” He shrugged. “But let’s not spoil the mood. I’ve missed you.”
“Really? Because you’ve got a funny way of showing it.”
“I’ve been busy—”
“Not a worthy excuse.”
“It is when you’re doing nothing more than working or sleeping.”
I raised my eyebrows, a grin twitching my lips. “No time for sex?”
“None at all.” His expression was sorrowful but somewhat countered by the glimmer in his eyes.
No time for sex, my ass. “So that whole hard and fast comment—”
“Was no exaggeration.”
“Huh.” I studied the street for a moment. “Where are you staying?”
“At The Cherry Tree.”
Which happened to be nice and close. “I suggest we hurry along then.”
“I do like your thinking.”
It only took a few minutes to get to his room, but we didn’t make it to the bed. Hell, we barely made it past the door. He slammed it shut, then pushed me against it, his mouth claiming mine, his kiss as demanding as his touch, setting me aflame and making me ache with desire in a matter of seconds. I moaned, a sound that drew a deep growl from the back of his throat, and a heartbeat later, my dress and underclothing were on the floor. I tore off his shirt, undid his trousers, my fingers shaking with the force of my need. With another growl, he lifted me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist and drove him inside, but there was no pause to enjoy the utter perfection of that moment. He was moving, thrusting, and it was all heat and urgent desperation. Desire built, and built, until my body was so tightly wound it felt ready to shatter. Then my orgasm hit, and I was shaking, groaning, and shuddering. A heartbeat later, he came.
When I was capable of speaking again, I rested my forehead against his and chuckled softly. “I think it’s safe to say we both needed that.”
“Yes.” He hesitated. “You’re still protected, aren’t you?”
I pulled back a little to look at him. “It’s a little late to be asking that.”
“Yeah.” He didn’t in the least look repentant. “Sorry.”
“As it happens, I am. Little Chens running around my feet isn’t something I want right now.” Or ever, if I was at all honest. I loved him as a friend, and I certainly enjoyed his company sexually, but that was it. That indefinable something—a connection that was far more than mere physical attraction, even if that was initially part of it—was missing.
Said connection hadn’t been missing when it came to Luc …
I shoved the thought away and dropped a kiss on the tip of Tris’s nose. “Shall we take this to the bed?”
“Sounds like a plan.”
He carried me over, placed me down, and then leapt onto the bed beside me, almost bouncing me off in the process. He laughed and pulled me close again. “Prepare to be further ravished, my dear friend.”
There was little talking for the rest of the night. And while I thoroughly enjoyed every moment, part of me—a tiny, probably overcritical part—couldn’t help but notice the differences in him. He was more physical—his lovemaking more dominant and even a little rougher—than usual, and I had to wonder why. Was it simply a matter of the time we’d spent apart deepening the already obvious differences between us? Or was there something else behind the change? I didn’t know, but it did disconcert me.
I finally fell asleep just on dawn, and woke to the soft rumble of traffic some hours later. I opened a bleary eye and looked around the room. It was a typical hotel room—a window overlooking the street to
the right, a bathroom to the left, a little desk and chair on one side of the door, and a small wooden wardrobe on the other.
“Tris?” I said softly.
No answer came. I frowned and squished down the pillows to look at the clock. It was nearly eleven. I should have been at the bookstore an hour ago. I groaned, then flung the covers off and padded naked and shivering into the bathroom. There, stuck to one edge of the mirror, was a note.
Got an emergency call from work earlier, it said. Won’t make lunch, will ring you later.
I tugged the note free then tossed it into the bin. I wasn’t entirely surprised he’d backed out of lunch. Tris was many things, but he’d never been overly generous when it came to money. He had good reason, of course. His parents adored his elder brother and doted on his youngest—who, at ten, was twenty-one years younger—but Tris had inherited his mother’s ability for personal magic rather than the more prestigious Chen control of earth. Nothing he did had ever been good enough—which, perhaps, explained the anger I’d sensed in him last night.
Perhaps.
I took a quick shower then got dressed, collected my shoes, and walked home barefoot. My feet were frozen by the time I arrived, but better that than having blisters all over them. The shoes were divine, but they were not designed to walk any sort of distance.
I pushed through the front door. Mo was replenishing the soap near the cash register and said, without looking around, “Go warm those feet, then make us both a sandwich and a cup of tea.”
I nodded. “How did things go at the tower?”
“Updates later. Your feet are a strange blue-white—go warm them before you get a chill or something.”
I’d long gotten over wondering how she knew such things without actually looking around. “I’m hardier than that.”
“You’ll need to be.”
“Another of those statements you won’t explain. You are so annoying sometimes.”
“I’m your grandmother. It’s part of the job description.” She finally looked around, her smile wide. “And hey, at least I’m not nagging you to get married and produce wee bairns.”
I snorted. “No, but I daresay only because you’re too busy bemoaning my lack of sex.”