Ring of ruin, p.12
Ring of Ruin, page 12
part #1 of BOOK THREE Series
I couldn’t help smiling. “Only because you’d have no chance of getting back into my bed if I were.”
“You cut me to the core.”
Which wasn’t an actual denial.
As the car slid to a halt at the top of the lane that ran down to our tavern, I said, “You’ll contact me once you know anything about the photo or get confirmation of our victim’s ID?”
“Only if you promise to keep me similarly updated.”
“I will.”
He nodded. “Remain vigilant. Don’t be taking any undue risks.”
I resisted the urge to kiss his cheek goodbye—old habits were surprisingly hard to shake—and climbed out. Darby rang as I started walking toward the tavern.
“Hey,” I said. “Congrats on finally getting Lugh into bed.”
There was a slight pause. “He told you? I’m shocked, given the riot act he read me about saying too much. Well, riot act might be too dramatic, but you know what I mean.”
I did. “I know exactly which of my brother’s buttons to push. Glad he’s finally woken up to the good thing you are.”
“So am I.” I could hear the laughter bubbling through her voice. “Not sure how much longer I could have hung around waiting for the man to get a clue. What time are you coming over?”
“I’ve still got stuff to do at the tavern, so I’m not sure yet. Why?”
“I need to know whether to make dinner for two or for three.”
“I have a date with Eljin tonight, remember?”
“I obviously hadn’t, but excellent news all the same.” She paused, and I could almost hear the wicked wheels turning. “So, is tonight the night you sex that man senseless?”
I laughed. “Depends on how well the dinner goes, I’m thinking.”
“Given you’ve already met the man for coffee and for after-dinner drinks, you must have some idea on whether he’s a worthwhile pursuit.”
“You make him sound like a piece of meat.”
“Cynwrig’s the meat, and a juicy piece he is too. But while dark elves are sexual heaven, they will never be long-term. Eljin, however, is a very different proposition.”
Very true. “There’s definitely chemistry between us, but I’m torn between taking it slow and jumping into a relationship feet-first, so to speak.”
“As someone who has suffered through an extremely long build up to a relationship, I suggest feet first all the way.”
I laughed. “I wasn’t intending to string him along for years, just a few weeks.”
“Why?” she asked bluntly.
“I don’t know.”
“You do. I know you do.”
I sighed. It was pointless lying to her when she’d known me for so long now that she could tell a lie sight unseen, from just the sound of my voice.
“I jumped straight into a relationship with Mathi and I’m doing the same thing with Cynwrig. I just thought maybe it would be better to take a different path with Eljin.”
“Again, why? When you have sex doesn’t matter in the long term. What does is whether you’re compatible in bed and out. You might as well enjoy yourself, my friend, while you’re discovering the latter.”
“True enough, I guess.”
“Then go out there and fuck that man so senseless he won’t even think of bedding the many other desperate pixie women hunting him down.”
I laughed again. “I’m thinking you just don’t want me home too early this evening and spoil your seduction plans.”
“I’m thinking more of your brother. He’s still adjusting to an elf’s lack of modesty and inhibitions.”
“I’ll ring the doorbell when I’m coming in, just to give you—or rather, him—fair warning.”
“Excellent. But if you’re here before midnight, I will be very disappointed. And you’re not to spend all that time simply talking to the man. I mean, you’re an Aodhán pixie. Get it together, woman.”
And with an evil sort of laugh, she hung up.
I shoved my phone away, punched in the rear door’s keycode, and headed into the tavern. Ingrid glanced around as I entered the main bar. “There was a woman in here looking for you earlier.”
“Who? Did you get her name?”
“No, but she was short and very untidy looking. Seemed to have a bird nest in her hair.”
I grinned. It could only be Beira, and she probably did have a nest. She was certainly well past caring what we mere mortal folk thought of her.
“Did she leave a message?”
“No, but she muttered something about you needing to pay more attention to the wind and that she would be back.”
Which would undoubtedly have been said in a threatening manner. Beira didn’t have much patience for politeness. “Thanks. I’ll see if I can contact her, but if she happens to drop by again, tell her I’m staying over at Lugh’s for the foreseeable future.”
She nodded. “Probably wise, given what’s happened upstairs and everything else that’s been going on. I’m surprised Mathi didn’t offer his bed, though.”
I laughed. “I daresay he would have, had he even the slightest hope of it being accepted.”
Ingrid’s grin was a toothy thing. “You keep that determination. You deserve better than the likes of him.”
Yes I did, but right now, the supply of good men definitely outstripped demand. Which reminded me... I glanced at my watch. It was close to five, which gave me just over two hours to get ready for my date.
Plenty of time.
I really, really should have known better than to tempt fate like that.
I was halfway up the stairs when the Eye surged to life, its pulse of power so fierce and unexpected that I stumbled, hitting my knees hard on the next stair nosing. I swore, pushed back up, and somehow made it the rest of the way up the stairs before the force of the vision became so strong, it picked me up and washed me away.
To where was a question I couldn’t answer. There was nothing but darkness and a vast unending feeling of emptiness. And yet this place was not uninhabited. There were forces here, forces that were both of this world and not. It reminded me a little of the confluence and perhaps even the library, both of which existed in a place beyond ours, but there was a fiercer energy here, and it was one that spoke of the unbridled fury contained within storms.
I received your message.
The voice was low but thunderous, as sharp as the crack of lightning and yet as soothing as summer rain.
This was the master of all storms. The being who stood above all the other gods and goddesses whose elements were the wild winds and weather.
You are a godling rather than a full blood, it continued. You will never fully house that which you can call down. Your flesh is not strong enough.
Which is basically what Beira had already said. Then why was I told to seek the confluence if control was never possible?
It was said perhaps a little too sharply considering who—what—I was facing, but I was getting a little sick of being sent on useless quests.
Especially when my own were going nowhere fast.
The word impossible never entered my vocabulary. Curb your impatience, young godling.
I didn’t reply. The last thing I needed was to be booted back into reality before I got any sort of answer.
It will be no easy road you undertake, and it will be dangerous. This I understand you have already discovered.
I certainly had. If not for Beira leeching the heat from my body, my insides would have boiled away.
The answer will lie in using a conductor to both call down and disperse the storms.
But how do I disperse it? I asked. Why does the heat of lightning remain within me even after I have redirected its force elsewhere?
As one of flesh, you would need to be earthed, otherwise that which has not been dispersed will remain within.
How do I earth myself? Is it simply a matter of being barefoot, or is it more involved than that?
Being shod or not will make no difference, and you already possess the means with which to earth. Practice, young godling, and never call down more than you can safely disperse.
With that warning ringing in my ears, I fell back to the real world, finding myself on the floor and shaking so hard my teeth rattled. I drew my knees up close to my chest and hugged them close, trying to slow my breathing and ease the painful pounding of my heart.
It took what seemed forever.
Eventually, I pushed upright and walked over to the kitchen to pour myself a large whiskey. It burned all the way down, but I definitely felt better mentally, if not physically, afterward.
I glanced at my phone to see how much time had passed and swore loudly. Conversing with the master of storms might have seemed to have taken only a few minutes but I now had less than twenty to shower, dress, and get over to the restaurant where I was meeting Eljin.
I was, needless to say, late.
The Grill was one of the newer restaurants to enter the already fierce battle for Deva’s dining elite, and its twist was using wild and farmed meats and goods from within the region. It was yet another one I’d been meaning to try and hadn’t gotten around to, although it wasn’t necessary to book months in advance, as you had to with some of the more established ones these days.
The maître d' took my coat, handed me a ticket, and then led me through the warmly lit room decorated in rich woods and deep greens.
Eljin rose as we approached, his gaze slowly skimming my length and coming up appreciative. Darby’s words had definitely been ringing in my ears when I’d chosen this outfit. Though the dress was a simple silk the same frosty green as my eyes, it lovingly skimmed my curves before gently falling to my feet. The appearance of modesty, however, was voided by the high splits either side that were only a couple inches away from being indecent. But in this lighting, it didn’t matter.
“You made it.” His voice held just enough of a French accent to be sexy. “I was beginning to wonder if I’d been stood up, despite what your brother said.”
The maître d' pulled out the seat opposite Eljin. I smiled my thanks, tucked my dress underneath me, and sat down. “And what did he say? I dread to think, especially after all the years I’ve spent attempting to set him up with my best friend. He sees your arrival as an opportunity to get some revenge.”
Eljin’s laugh was warm, rich, and decidedly sexy. “He has no need to push me into dating you, Bethany, and I would hope you feel the same.”
A smile teased my lips. “You do know there’s a dearth of eligible pixie males in Deva, don’t you?”
He laughed again. “Yes, and it has made for some interesting conversations.”
“Women throwing themselves at your feet?”
“Twice, in fact. The machinations have been fascinating.” He leaned back in the chair, the soft light behind him setting his longish mahogany hair ablaze. “It would not be an understatement to say some have been far more blatant about what they wish to do with me than others.”
“And do you find women who are forthright about their wants a turn-off or turn-on?”
“Oh, definitely the latter.” He paused, the darker specks in his golden eyes making it appear as if they were flickering with heat. “What about yourself?”
“I’m afraid I’m not into women, so if you’re having visions of a ménage à trois, you’re going to be disappointed.”
His smile was decidedly rakish. “Not a thought that had crossed my mind.”
“Happy to hear that.”
The waiter reappeared with menus. After a brief discussion, we decided on a lovely pinot noir and then ordered our food. The waiter collected the menus and disappeared again.
I leaned forward and crossed my arms on the table. It was a position that revealed perhaps a little too much of my breasts, but if I was worried about showing too much skin, I certainly wouldn’t have chosen a dress designed for seduction. If the hungry gleam so visible in his lovely golden eyes was anything to go by, it was definitely working.
“How was your first day at work? Did Lugh give you any guidance, or did he drop you feet first in the thick of things and walk away?”
Eljin smiled. “Would it surprise you if I said the latter?”
“Not at all.”
He waited until the waiter had opened our bottle and poured our drinks, then added, “Monsieur Rogan is an odd man, don’t you think?”
“He’s very dedicated to the museum, to the detriment of all else.”
“Obsessive,” he said, with a nod. “Has there been some trauma in his past?”
“Not that I’m aware of,” I said, a little surprised. “Why?”
He hesitated. “I mentioned, did I not, that my sister had second sight?” When I nodded, he continued, “While I unfortunately don’t possess that particular gift, the men of our line do have the capacity to ‘read’ people. Its strength works to varying degrees, depending on who is being read, but it generally allows us to get some sense of their past, their dreams, their character, and their motivations. In Rogan I sense a great sadness, one that he has never recovered from.”
“You couldn’t tell what caused it?”
He hesitated, frowning a little. “He lost someone, but it was a long time ago. I wasn’t close enough long enough to feel out more.”
Interesting. “So, it’s a form of telepathy?”
“Nothing as concrete as that. Your thoughts and your mind are perfectly safe from me.”
“But not my body, I would hope.”
His eyes gleamed and he raised his glass. “May that which already sings between us develop into something exceptional.”
Amen to that. I lightly clinked my glass against his. “What do you read about me?”
He didn’t immediately answer, but his gaze burned into mine and became a little unfocused.
“There is a fierceness within you that is almost otherworldly, something rare and beautiful, but seen by too few.” His gaze deepened, drawing me in, making me feel like I was drowning in a shimmering pool of gold. “You hunger for answers but also fear them. You want what you cannot have, and you are haunted by sadness that remains unacknowledged. You also fear that you will never be as strong or as happy as your mother once was.”
Which was a fucking accurate reading. Almost scarily so.
He blinked and refocused. “How did I go?”
“It was a little too close to the bone, in many respects.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Why so?”
“I barely know you, and yet you have the inner me pinpointed almost perfectly.”
His slow, sensual smile had desire trembling through me, though it was perhaps accompanied by a touch of nervousness. Which was weird, given I’d had no such reaction with Cynwrig, and he definitely had been a stranger when I’d fallen into bed with him. At least Eljin and I had taken the time to know each other first.
“Perhaps,” he said softly, “we could take a step or two toward solving that inequity tonight?”
I licked my lips a little nervously, a movement his gaze followed, and then nodded.
He smiled again and the conversation moved on, flowing easily over dinner and dessert. It was close to ten when he leaned back in the chair and said casually, “Do you wish coffee here, or would you like to come back to my place and have a nightcap?”
He was giving me an out if I wished one. I didn’t.
I nevertheless pretended to think about it for a couple of seconds first. “A nightcap would be lovely.”
He immediately motioned for the bill, and once it had been paid, we collected our coats and headed out into the blustery night.
“Can you walk in those heels, or shall we catch a cab?”
I smiled. “Walk. It’s not that far from here, presuming you’re still in the same apartment.”
“I am, because I’ve not been able to find something that suits my needs as well.” He shrugged lightly, a move that was somehow elegant and sensual. “I have in fact approached the owner with an outrageous offer, and I’m currently waiting to hear if they’ve accepted it.”
He caught my hand and we casually strolled along the street, Deva alive and noisy all around us and yet having little impact on the comfortable bubble of silence that surrounded us.
His apartment was the penthouse suite of a lovely old red-brick church that had retained all its beams and original windows when it had been converted into five apartments a few years ago. It was located within walking distance to the river and the museum, and also happened to be close to the tavern.
Which would be handy for both of us if things progressed as I hoped.
Eljin punched in the door code and then led me up the chrome-and-glass staircase to the top floor. Once inside, he took my coat and hung it in the closet.
“Would you like a coffee, sherry, or port?”
“Port, please.”
“Excellent choice.” He smiled, pressed a hand against my spine, and gently ushered me into the main room. It was a large, double-height expanse, with the lovely old oak trusses painted white to give the room an even airier feeling. Their song, though muted, was rich and warm, a consequence of being one of the few churches that had undergone major renovations without major destruction. On the street side of the building there were two beautifully simple stained windows and, at the other end of the room, a compact but well-equipped kitchen. Beside this was a chrome-and-glass staircase that wound up to the loft bedroom.
“I can see why you want to buy this apartment,” I said. “It’s truly beautiful.”
“But not as beautiful as the woman who now stands within it.”
“Smooth,” I said with a smile.
“But true, nonetheless.”
He raised my hand to his lips, kissed my fingers, then released them. “Please, take a seat while I make our drinks. Would you like some music?”
“Yes.” I sat down on one of the two-person sofas and crossed my legs, revealing an indecently long length of leg.
His gaze slowly skimmed upward, then rose to meet mine. He knew, as I now knew, how this night would end.
While he put on some music—something soft and bluesy—I sent a quick text to Lugh, telling him not to worry if I didn’t appear tonight. He knew I was with Eljin, of course, but better to confirm the fact I was safe than having him worry I’d been kidnapped after dinner or something. Darby did not need her man distracted when she’d only just snared him.
