by Donna Grant
Henry had told himself those same things, and they didn’t sound any better coming from his sister.
Esther sighed loudly. “You wanted a reason to be useful to those at Dreagan. You are. More than ever before. Why isn’t that enough?”
“I don’t know,” he whispered.
“I can’t help you if I don’t know what’s causing all of this. Tell me if you know. And if you don’t, then maybe you need to step away from this map and take a look at yourself.”
Henry swallowed and looked her way. “We still know so little about our past. We don’t know why we were given new identities and adopted.”
“And we may never know. Don’t get me wrong, I desire the truth. But it doesn’t change what I know in here,” Esther said and placed her hand on his chest over his heart. “We were born for so much more than normal lives. I thought my fate lay with MI5, but now I realize I hadn’t uncovered my true self yet.”
Henry took her hand and held it between his. “Being Nikolai’s mate? Or being the TruthSeeker?”
“Both. No one said it had to be one or the other.”
“And what if we discover things about our past that are … undesirable?”
Esther shrugged. “So? No one is perfect, and lest you forget, we had no control over those who came before us. But our ancestors paved this road we’re on. I’m ready to walk it. But I can’t do it alone. We work as a pair. That’s how it’s meant to be.”
Henry swung his gaze back to the map. “I know what my role is in this room. If I walk out of it, if I embrace being the JusticeBringer, I don’t know what awaits me.”
“Neither do I.”
“But you have Nikolai.”
“I also have you.” She tugged at his hand, gaining his attention. Then she smiled. “And you have me.”
He knew she was right, though it still didn’t make everything better. But he knew he couldn’t run from things anymore. Once Esther had learned of their heritage and told him, dreams of finding justice for those who sought it against Druids had plagued him.
Esther’s fingers tightened on his. “It’s going to be okay, you know. But you have to leave this room every once in a while.”
It was his sister’s way of telling him that he wasn’t needed to track down the weapon. How could he be? He didn’t have magic that could find it. The Kings did.
Henry frowned then. If anyone could find it, Con could. Why then wasn’t the King of Dragon Kings using his magic to locate whoever had stolen the weapon?
“What is it?” Esther asked, a frown marring her brow. “You’ve thought of something. I can see it in your face.”
Henry pulled her against him and hugged her tightly before walking around her. “Thank you for the talk. You helped me see something I didn’t before.”
“And that is?” she called as he strode to the door.
Henry opened it and walked out to find Con. He’d tell Esther later.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Con didn’t look up from his desk as he signed one of a dozen documents for the day. Henry’s glare didn’t bother him. Con was used to the mortal wearing a constant frown over the past few months.
But the moment Henry closed the office door, Con set aside his Montblanc pen and lifted his gaze. By the tightness of Henry’s face, there was something important the man wished to discuss.
Henry had done much for the Dragon Kings. So even if Con didn’t want to take the time to talk to the mortal, he would. He owed Henry at least that much.
Con pushed back his chair and walked to the sideboard where he poured two glasses of whisky. His enhanced hearing caught the sound of Henry’s light steps on the rug as he walked toward him. Con added more to each of their tumblers before he put the top back in the decanter.
“What’s on your mind?” Con turned and offered the human a glass.
Henry took it without answering, draining it in one swallow. He didn’t look at Con when he set the tumbler down on the sideboard and made his way to a chair.
Once Henry lowered himself into the seat, Con hesitated. Henry’s jaw was set in a way that alerted Con to the fact that whatever he was about to learn wouldn’t please him. Then again, not much discussed in his office did.
He blew out a breath and returned to his desk, forgetting about the tumbler of whisky waiting for him. Con sank back in his chair and crossed an ankle over his knee. The list of problems and Dreagan’s enemies continued to grow, and it weighed heavily upon him.
It was a burden he’d readily accepted the moment he became King of Dragon Kings. And while sometimes—most times—he struggled under the weight of it all, he wouldn’t change a thing.
“It’s better to just say it,” Con said. “Sitting there trying to find the words to voice whatever is on your mind will only make it harder.”
Henry swallowed, and for the first time since entering the office, his gaze met Con’s. For a long minute, Con stared into Henry’s hazel eyes. It was easy to see why the mortal had been such a valued spy for MI5. Henry kept his secrets close and his emotions guarded. But Con had come to know him well over the last several months.
Henry never gave up. Once he had the bit in his mouth about something, he didn’t let go until he got whatever he was after. Be it man, Fae, or anything else.
“You know where the weapon is,” Henry stated.
Con set the tumbler on his desk, noting Henry’s refined British accent. But it was also the carefully worded statement and even tone that got his notice. “Nay, I doona.”
“But you could find it.”
“There are many answers I could give to such a statement.”
Henry raised a brow. “How about the truth?”
“Why should I give it to you?” Con demanded.
“Because I’ve been working closely with everyone here. First, keeping track of the Dark Fae. But why?”
It was Con’s turn to raise a brow. “Why did I want you looking for the Dark?”
“Why did you take my help when I offered it? The truth, if you please.”
“I’m offended you’d believe I give you anything but honesty.”
Henry issued a small snort. “We both know how carefully you word things.”
“Just as you did when you made your claim just now.”
“I’m not blaming you,” Henry continued. “I know you have to tread cautiously with all the threads that you hold.”
Con lowered his foot to the floor. “I like you, Henry. I didna want to. Banan told me how valuable an asset you were, and I didna believe him. At first. But it quickly became apparent to everyone that day you aided us with Jane, and then again with Kellan and Denae, that we could use your help.”
“Because of my contacts with MI5.”
“Because you know mortals. We’ve spent so long hiding and shying away from them that we forgot to learn about your kind.”
Henry glanced to the side. “Ulrik knows us humans better than I do.”
“That’s debatable. But, he’s a Dragon King.”
“There’s also the fact that you have several women here who could do my job. Especially my sister.”
So that’s what this was about. Con should’ve recognized the issue. “Everyone at Dreagan brings something different to the table, be they Dragon Kings, Fae, or mortal. You are a valued member. If we have no’ made that clear, then I’ll rectify that immediately.”
“I admit, I often wonder why I’m here. I’m no fool. I know I bring very little in the way of help.”
“That isna true.”
Henry gave Con a flat look. “You’re not only immortal, you also have magic. And money. There isn’t anything you can’t get if you want it.”
“If we wanted to act like that, then we would. But we doona. We have more finesse.”
“I realized that. Then I thought perhaps you wanted me because of Rhi. Or, should I say, my infatuation with her.”
Con watched the mortal carefully. He wasn’t fooled by Henry’s calm tone. While he might
call it an infatuation, Con knew from experience how susceptible humans were to the Fae. Especially one like Rhi.
But Con didn’t call Henry out on the lie. Instead, he folded his hands in his lap and waited.
It didn’t take long.
Henry looked around the office. “I didn’t come here to talk about Rhi.”
“Good.” It was a topic Con didn’t want to discuss.
Henry’s gaze swung back to him. “I came to talk about the weapon.”
“What about it?”
“Why you have allowed me to believe that you wanted me to track it. Ryder could do it in his sleep.”
Con briefly looked at his hands. “That isna exactly true. Ryder could find the weapon in a heartbeat if I gave him the information he needed to locate it.”
“Why haven’t you?”
“Every person who has ever taken a position of power accepts the secrets that go along with it. The weapon is one of them. Just because it’s gone doesna mean that I’m able to tell the other Kings what kind of weapon it is.”
Henry shook his head, his face lined with confusion. “Why not?”
“Many reasons.”
“Is that why you came to me?”
Con nodded once. “I knew I could give you what little information I had, and you would take it and make it work. Which, I might add, you have.”
“Ryder could have done the same.”
“Aye. And in the process, discovered what the weapon is.”
Henry shifted his head slightly. “And I’m not smart enough to figure out what it is?”
“Oh, you most definitely could. And you no doubt will.”
Henry’s face clouded with confusion. “I don’t understand.”
Con looked at the whisky decanter on the sideboard. “It’s my job to know anyone associated with Dreagan. Be they Dragon Kings, mates, or friends. I know you, Henry. You’re a good man. One of the best of your species. I knew there was something more to you than met the eye, and now that we know you’re the JusticeBringer, it makes sense.”
“So, you want me here because of my Druid association? You realize I have no magic, right?”
Con shot him a quick grin. “If I valued magic so highly, do you no’ think the Kings would use it more than we do? I believe our magic is so great because we doona turn to it for everything.”
“I came here to tell you that I knew you could find the weapon yourself. How did we get on this conversation?”
“It’s needed to be said for some time. I wanted to give you space after your visit to Eigg. Esther has embraced her new role. You, however, are still having difficulty with yours.”
Henry ran a hand down his face wearily. “It’s a lot to take in.”
“I can only imagine.”
“Do you want me to find the weapon?”
Con knew this was his chance to put an end to things before they went too far. Every time he started to, something stopped him. And, somehow, it was because of Henry.
When Henry first helped the Kings, Con hadn’t known how deeply the mortal would become involved with Dreagan. And now, years later, he knew that Henry wasn’t there by accident. The mortal was destined to play an important role—and somehow Con didn’t think it was only because the man was the JusticeBringer.
“I’ve tasked you with a critical mission,” Con told him.
Henry gave him a flat look. “That isn’t an answer.”
“It is. When you locate it, because you will, come to me. And only me. Doona tell anyone else.”
“Of course.” Henry slowly rose to his feet and walked toward the door.
“And, Henry,” Con called. “You are part of this family.”
The mortal shot him a smile over his shoulder. When Henry opened the door and left, his steps were lighter. It was too bad Con couldn’t say the same about his own.
* * *
Everywhere she looked, everything she did made Claire think about sex.
Actually, sex with V.
What was wrong with her? She enjoyed pleasure as much as the next woman, but it was as if she were suddenly addicted to one man.
She dropped her head on her desk, her lunch forgotten. No matter how many of her toys she’d used the night before, none of them had given her the fulfillment V had. And while her orgasm had been nice, it was lacking.
“You feeling all right?” Sophie asked as she walked past.
Claire jerked upright. “Yep. I’m good.”
“You sure?” Sophie looked at her over her shoulder after putting away a file. “You look a little tired.”
“I didn’t get much sleep last night.” That seemed to be a recurring theme of late.
“Calvin?” Sophie faced her and put her hand on her hip. “Is that pig still texting you?”
Claire shook her head. “No, no. As I told you when you came back from the meeting, Calvin is history.”
“I think that was a smart move.”
“Yeah.” The real question was had it been smart to go out with V? Or to get into the water naked with him? Or to let him touch her and kiss her? Or to—
“Claire?”
She jerked at her name being shouted. When she blinked, Sophie was leaning on her desk, her face inches away.
Sophie’s eyes narrowed. “You’re thinking about someone. I’m betting it’s who you went out with the night before. The one you don’t want to share with me.”
“Maybe,” Claire said and leaned back in her chair. She heard the hint of hurt in her friend’s voice, and she didn’t want to make it worse by saying that she was definitely thinking about the man from her date. Because then Sophie would start hounding her about who it was.
Sophie sat on the corner of the desk and laughed. “For many years, I lived vicariously through you.”
“And look at you now.” Claire tried not to sound jealous or bitter, but she thought that maybe a little of it seeped into her voice.
Sophie’s face crumbled. “Claire, I—”
“Please, don’t,” Claire hurried to tell Sophie. “I’m just feeling depressed right now. I didn’t mean to take it out on you. Forget about it. I’ll be right as rain tomorrow.”
“Will you?”
“Yes.” Believing something was half the battle. Wasn’t it? At least Claire hoped it was.
Sophie smiled. “We have a light afternoon. Why don’t you take the rest of it off?”
“We can barely run the clinic with the two of us. It’ll be insane for you to do it by yourself.”
“No’ if I’m here,” Darius stated as he walked into the room. “Sophie’s right. Take the afternoon off. You deserve it.”
Claire almost argued with them, but she had yet to win when they both stood against her. She gathered her purse and got to her feet. “I guess I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Bye,” Sophie called cheerfully. “Get some rest and do something just for you! Oh, and make sure and read the new post from the (Mis)Adventures of a Dating Failure so we can talk about it later.”
“Will do!” Claire shouted as she left.
After Claire had gotten into her car and backed out of the parking lot, she knew she didn’t want to go home. Maybe it was time she pampered herself a little. Just as Sophie had suggested. It had been a while, and self-care always made her feel better.
Not that she expected it to work miracles this time, but every little bit helped.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
A spa day. That’s exactly what she needed. Claire didn’t mind driving the twenty minutes to reach the spa that she and Sophie had found a few months earlier. She pulled into the parking lot and hurriedly made her way into the building.
As soon as she walked in, the calming music instantly put her at ease. The woman behind the desk smiled in welcome. Within minutes, Claire was directed to a separate room where the lights were dimmed. She had barely sat down before another woman came to get her.
The facial was nice, and Claire enjoyed the hour of someone pampering her skin.
But it was the ninety-minute massage that was really what she needed. Her mind wandered as the masseuse worked her magic unknotting muscles and easing aches Claire hadn’t known she had.
Unfortunately, it came to an end all too soon. She reluctantly dressed, all the while wondering if she could get another hour. But she ended up walking from the room to the last part of her self-care—a manicure and pedicure.
Claire was directed by yet another woman to a station where there were hundreds of colors of polish to choose from. She looked at them, trying to figure out which color called to her the most.
“You can pick more than one.”
The sound of the Irish brogue caught her attention. Claire turned her head to see the woman beside her. She was utterly breathtaking. Black hair, silver eyes, and a perfectly shaped body in an outfit that would make anyone envious.
Claire realized she was staring and promptly put a smile on her face. Then she couldn’t remember what the woman had said. “I’m sorry?”
The woman laughed and jerked her chin to the rows of polish. “You can have them put more than one color on your nails. It doesn’t cost more.”
“Oh.” Claire nodded. “I didn’t know that. I always have the hardest time picking a color.”
“Really?” The woman’s full lips—in a perfect shade of light pink that Claire couldn’t ever seem to find—lifted in a grin. “I love choosing colors.”
Claire made herself look away before the poor woman thought she was coming on to her. “Perhaps you should pick mine.”
Before Claire could blink, three colors were plunked into her hand. She looked askance at the woman. “Um … that was easy for you.”
“Hi. I’m Rhi, by the way.”
She faced the Irish woman and said, “I’m Claire.”
“You look as though you’ve had a day of pampering,” Rhi said.
Claire chuckled. “I had a facial, which is why I’m without makeup. Then a massage. Now, I’m about to get my nails done.”