Текст книги "Burning Blood"

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Chapter Fifty-Two

LUCIEN SHOVED PAST UNCLE WEN AND BROKE into a run.

Leaping down the two steps, he bolted around the central tree, flew over the lip of the circular exit, and vanished in the time it took me to suck in a breath.

Oh shit.

Dillon.

Dillon was here.

In Lucien’s domain.

Not good.

Not good at all.

“Lucien!” I flew after him, wincing as the pavers bruised me. I was barefoot but at least I was dressed. However, each breezy stride kindly reminded me I wasn’t wearing underwear. “Lucien! Get back here!”

I ran as fast as I could, following his scent of burning cedar and smouldering amber. The tether around my heart tugged, leading me through the labyrinth of corridors.

I glanced at Whisper who appeared beside me, keeping pace with a lazy lope. “You’re as much of a nightmare as he is.”

He just rolled his eyes as if I should’ve known better.

I mean...I knew introducing Lucien and Dillon wouldn’t come without its risks but...how had Dillon found me so fast? My phone was still dead because I’d left my rucksack behind and I didn’t have my charger—

A loud shout tore through the estate.

“LUCIEN!” I ran harder. “Don’t hurt him!”

Whisper shot forward, leaping through another round gateway leading toward the main courtyard. Memories of the staff all bowing to Lucien as the returning prince hovered like ghosts in my periphery.

Charging after the giant cat, I skidded to a stop and almost had a heart attack. Standing in the middle of the courtyard with its curved roofs, carved pillars, and glowing lanterns, the two most important men in my life prepared to go to war.

“Rook!” Dillon broke toward me the moment our eyes met. “You’re actually alive!”

All those wild goose chases I’d put him through. All the weeks where he’d catch me at some resort, only to lose me the moment his back was turned. It wasn’t that I went out of my way to make his life hell...just that whenever I was around him, I couldn’t stop suffering the guilt and sorrow of running away from everything.

“Did I say you could look at her?” Lucien grabbed Dillon by the front of his black jacket, hauling him off his feet.

Oh shit.

Smoke appeared from his shoulder blades, preparing to flare into those incredible fire-etched wings that appeared whenever we slept together. My heart squeezed in panic as I glanced around the empty courtyard.

If the staff saw.

If Lucien lost his temper—

“Put me down, you lunatic!” Dillon hooked his foot around Lucien’s knee and twisted in a karate-type move that sent Lucien buckling.

With a snarl, Lucien let him go, tripping backward and finding his balance.

It gave Dillon just enough time to dart away and curl his fists, ready for a fight.

The two men squared off against each other.

More smoke pulsed from Lucien’s back—not enough to be completely clear it was from him but enough that I rushed closer. “Okay, okay, how about everyone just calms down?”

Locking eyes with me, Lucien hissed, “Why does he think he has the right to take you away from me?”

“Because you’ve been keeping her hostage!” Dillon snapped.

“Leave,” Lucien spat, heat dancing around his body. “Before I make you.”

“You’re going to be sorry you threatened me, asshole.” Dillon smiled tightly then flicked his hand in a come-hither motion. “Go on then. Make me. I’d love to see you try.”

“Lucien, don’t. Dillon...” I shot him a scowl. “Also don’t.”

“He started it.” Dillon pointed at Lucien.

Lucien bared his teeth and Whisper joined in the fight with a pillar-rattling roar.

Great. If the staff had been sleeping, they weren’t anymore.

“Rook. Come here,” Dillon commanded in his best pissed-off voice. “Let me make sure this asshole hasn’t hurt you.”

“He hasn’t hurt me.” I stayed right next to Lucien as the fire grew hotter beneath his skin.

“I’ll be the judge of that.” Dillon strode toward me and I wouldn’t put it past him to scoop me up like a bag of dirty laundry, toss me over his shoulder, and haul me out of Ashfall Cliff kicking and screaming.

Almost as if Lucien heard my thoughts, tiny flames gathered around his fingers. “I won’t tell you again,” he seethed. “Leave.”

“Let her come with me and I’ll leave right now.”

“She’s not going anywhere with you.”

Whisper snarled as if he agreed with his slightly deranged master.

“See? That just confirms what I think of you.” Dillon narrowed his eyes. “What the fuck do you want? Why did you kidnap her? Who are you working for?”

“Leave!” Lucien trembled as he fought for control. “I won’t ask again.”

“I told you. Let her leave with me and—”

“She’ll never go with you.”

“Ah see, that’s where you’re wrong.” Dillon smirked. “You’re playing with fire, asshole. I’ve already summoned backup and when they get here, they’ll—”

“You’re right.” Lucien cut in with a tight smile. “I am playing with fire. Want to find out what I can do without backup?” His smouldering fist came up. That scarlet ring of warning appeared around his pupils.

Okay, this had gone on long enough.

“Lucien.” Hugging his arm, I yanked his body toward me. “Calm down.”

He staggered a little, catching my eyes. “But he’s trying to take you away from me.” The scarlet ring around his pupils flickered and I saw what this was really about.

Fear.

Animalistic fear that’d rotted his soul, thanks to spending every day of the past two decades on his own.

His arm burned beneath my fingers as he whispered for my ears only. “I’ve finally found you. I finally have you, and I’ll kill him if he tries to take you away from me.” Fire ignited around his collar as if he’d kicked the furnace door down inside him. The marble pavers cracked beneath his feet.

For the first time since I’d lost my pendant, I slipped into the icy ocean that now existed within my heart—a glittering lake that promised infinite power if I only asked.

And so, I asked.

I gave myself over to the overwhelming feelings that made me human—feelings that’d always granted such agony—and arrowed all of them into Lucien.

He shuddered as a web of ice enveloped him, lacing over his clothes, his hair, his face—swallowing his fire and stealing his rage.

For a second, he just stared at me with relief and awe, then snatched me into his arms and buried his face in my hair. “See? What the fuck would I do without you, huh?”

He didn’t seem to care Dillon was watching. Didn’t seem aware of anything apart from the bond as it yanked so, so hard between us.

My heart answered every furious throb of his and I shivered as his emotions bled into me. Hot spikes of jealousy. Sharp stings of loss. Powerlessness of being trapped for so long. All wrapped up in horror of what he was capable of if I wasn’t there to stop him.

“It’s okay.” I wrapped my arms around his waist and squeezed. “I’m not going anywhere, alright? He can’t make me do anything I don’t want to do, and I don’t want to leave you.” Pulling away a little, I reached up and cupped his cheeks, his skin so hot. “You will never be trapped again. And you can control it.”

Whisper twined around us as Lucien slowly nodded.

But the moment was ruined as Dillon cleared his throat and Lucien stiffened all over again. His temper flared as he grabbed my wrist and jerked me behind him.

I scowled at his overprotection but as long as he touched me—as long as I touched him...we’d be fine. Cancelled out. Nullified. Normal.

Peeling Lucien’s hand off my wrist, he frowned as I wove my fingers through his and moved to his side instead.

I could tell he didn’t like it.

But...tough luck.

Dillon was here because of me.

And despite my questions about his loyalties—despite my nervousness at everything that’d happened—he was still my friend and protector.

“Hi, Dil.” I plastered on a sunny smile, all while squeezing Lucien’s hand to behave. “Fancy seeing you here.”

“If you dare ‘Hi, Dil’ me again, I swear I’ll put you over my knee.” Dillon stepped toward me, his eyes locking onto mine and completely discounting Lucien and the panther.

Lucien bordered a bonfire again as Dillon swept his gaze over me—from head to toe, inspecting every inch like I was a car he was thinking of purchasing. “No wounds that I can see. No broken bones. No blindness or muteness or any reason whatsoever that you couldn’t pick up the goddamn phone and CALL me.”

“Careful.” Lucien bared his teeth. “Yell at her and you won’t have a tongue.”

He was a little bit terrifying and frighteningly gorgeous, and I really shouldn’t be so turned on by his jealousy.

Dillon spread his hands in a dramatic shrug. “Where have you been, Rook?” He took another step toward us—looking like he wanted to touch me—to make sure I was truly okay.

But a low growl from Lucien stopped that nonsense.

Whisper slinked forward, his shoulders low as if getting ready to pounce.

“Don’t you start, kitty cat,” I warned. “Dillon is a friend, not a snack.”

“Speak for yourself.” A trickle of heat flowed from Lucien’s body into mine. “He might end up being breakfast.”

Whisper snorted as if he was in on the joke and made a big show of revealing his fangs.

“You two.” I elbowed Lucien. “Stop trying to terrify my bodyguard.”

Dillon—to his credit—didn’t even seem surprised to see a full-grown panther acting like a guard dog. Then again...he had been in the Snowflake Corp labs, so I supposed he was used to it.

Before I could apologise for making him worry, Dillon reeled off more questions. “What are you doing here, Rook? What even is this place? Do you know how hard it was to even get here? If you didn’t pay me so well, I would’ve given up right around the fifth rickety bus ride.”

Dillon looked exactly the same—broad-shouldered, white-blond, and dressed head to toe in tactical black. His arctic-blue eyes could see a threat a million miles away, and his black jacket had more pockets and hidden weapons than most undercover agents.

Playing meek—just like he would expect me to—I gave him a sheepish smile. “I didn’t mean to give you such a fright. I’ll give you a bonus. How about that?”

“I don’t want your money, you idiot. I just want you to obey me at least once in your life and allow me to do my job.”

“Obey you?” Lucien grew hotter by the minute. “Call her an idiot again and see what happens.”

“Can you just bugger off?” Dillon snapped. “I want to talk to Rook alone. I have questions.”

“The only way I’ll leave her anywhere near you is if you’re dead.”

“Lucien...” I shook my head with an exasperated sigh. “Stop it.”

“From where I’m standing, you’re the reason she’s been missing for two months.” Dillon stood to his full height, glaring Lucien down. “You’re the problem. Not me.”

Testosterone thickened in the air.

Great.

Awesome.

This was going so well.

“Look.” I smiled. “Let’s all calm down and—”

“Come here, Rook.” Dillon had the stupidity to hold out his hand, expecting me to go to him. To put my hand in his in front of the very man who’d captured my heart and had a little arson problem.

Lucien’s eyes glimmered with ember shards. “My patience is running out where you’re concerned. Leave.”

“Not without Rook!”

Lucien sniffed as if he’d happily send Dillon flying off the cliff.

Whisper snorted as if he’d happily turn Dillon into a late-night snack.

And me...I was just happy a battle hadn’t broken out, even though we were going around in circles.

Dillon suddenly tipped his head back as if all the stress of chasing after me became too much. “Ugh, I’m too old for a pissing contest. You owe me a raise, Elara Snowflake. A big one.”

“And you were doing so well.” I scowled. “You just had to ruin it with the pseudonym jab.”

“Anything to get you to listen to me.” Dillon chuckled, sounding far too familiar. My heart flinched because...I’d always felt so safe around him. It hurt far too much to think our relationship might be a lie.

Dillon scrubbed his face. “Seeing as we’re not getting anywhere, is there a bar around here? I could really use a drink.” Glancing around the gorgeous courtyard, he added, “You’re determined to turn me into an alcoholic before I’m forty.”

“Get out of my home,” Lucien hissed. “Now.”

Dillon crossed his arms, spreading his legs wide just in case Lucien pounced again. “I’m not leaving until I’ve spoken with Rook. Alone. Give her to me.”

“Give her to you?” Lucien smirked with such feral intensity, my knees wobbled. “Why the fuck would I hand her over to someone who was late. Someone who claimed he wanted to protect her yet failed.”

“I got there as fast as I could.” Dillon winced. “And when I did...I found bodies, blood, and her rucksack. I thought she’d been murdered and cut up into tiny pieces.” Taking a step toward me, genuine fear filled his blue eyes. “It looked like a back-alley surgery had taken place. I thought someone had stolen your organs. I couldn’t find you. Couldn’t find a single fucking trace. Your phone didn’t connect. You’d left no note. It was like you’d been butchered and vanished into thin air.”

“My point exactly.” Lucien shrugged. “You failed her and she doesn’t need you anymore because she has something better.” His lips twisted into a sneer. “She has me.”

Pushing up his cuffs, Dillon charged forward. “Listen here, you egomaniac. I haven’t slept in days. I’ve been on more planes and buses than I can count. And I’m this fucking close to losing my temper. Let me talk to my client and—”

“If you dare try to take her away from me, I’ll turn you into a fillet steak for my cat.” Lucien stormed forward and snatched Dillon by the jacket.

“Get the hell off me!” Dillon smashed the edge of his hand over Lucien’s wrist with trained precision, forcing him to let him go.

Lucien tripped backward, shaking out his hand. “Whisper, get rid of this nuisance for me.”

“Wait.” I jumped forward. “Whisper, don’t—”

The panther’s tail puffed into a bristle brush, preparing to obey.

“Whisper, listen to me.” I darted in front of him. “Stop it.”

“Do it,” Lucien commanded. “Kill him.”

Dillon’s eyes popped out of his head. “You’re crazy!”

“Whisper. Don’t you dare.” Spinning to face Dillon, I flinched. “How did you find me? If you couldn’t track my phone and you just admitted you had no way to track me then...how?” My voice started loud but ended soft because...I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted the answer.

Did he track my blood?

Was there something else inside me that meant I could be followed...

“Hang on.” Dillon narrowed his eyes. “Why do I get the feeling you’re not happy I’m here?”

“Answer her question,” Lucien commanded, coming to my side and wrapping a burning arm around my waist. “And then we’ll see if we want to answer any of yours.”

“Fine.” Dillon sniffed. “I found the owner of Misty Meadows B&B. She kindly let me sit through all the security footage—for a fee, of course—and I saw a road train of black SUVs pull up sometime in the night. They left with you.” His eyes pinned on me.

Lucien chuckled coldly. “You expect me to believe you were able to find this location thanks to a licence plate? Do you have any idea who those people were? There’s no fucking way they would’ve told you where—”

“They were Sovereign Retrieval, and yes, they did tell me because Rook has a lifetime account and when I noticed she’d been kidnapped by a man who also had access to their services, they were obviously a little concerned. They refused to tell me anything about who took her but agreed to give the last location where Rook had been seen. And...here I am.”

Silence settled like a bomb waiting to go off.

Lucien glanced at me tucked under his arm, questions in his eyes. “Did you know you had an account with them?”

I shook my head. “Nope.”

“Why does she have an account with them?” he asked Dillon.

“Because she’s the heiress to Snowflake Corp. Because she’s the prized daughter of the Snowdons. Because...” He swallowed hard.

“Because?” I asked, my heart pinching.

“Because...” He shrugged as if he’d been carrying a heavy weight for years. “You’re...special.”

“Special?” I wrinkled my nose. “Special how?”

His gaze shot to Lucien’s. They had a staring competition before Dillon said, “I think you know why she’s so special and if you do...then, I really need that fucking drink.”

The air temperature in the courtyard turned hotter than the tropics. Whisper looked like he’d happily commit murder and my heart raced so hard it hurt.

But then Lucien just nodded and waved at the open-air corridor leading into darkness. “Fine. After you.”

Dillon scowled. “Does your hospitality include a promise that I’ll still be alive come morning?”

Lucien smiled. “Time will tell, won’t it?”

Dillon looked at me and the depth of secrets in his eyes undid me.

So there was something he’d been keeping from me.

He knew I was different all along, and he’d watched me suffer headache after headache, catching me so many times as my own system knocked me unconscious.

Bitter betrayal flooded my mouth as I stalked toward him and stabbed a finger into his powerful, muscular chest. “Tell me. Right now.”

But he merely grabbed my hand in his calloused one and squeezed. “I think we both need a drink for that conversation, little flight-risk. Shall we?”

I didn’t have time to answer before he dragged me back to Lucien, let me go when Whisper roared, and marched into Ashfall Cliff like he was headed to the gallows.

Chapter Fifty-Three

“WHAT IS THIS PLACE?” I ASKED as Lucien slammed open the double doors, leading into a pavilion. Outside, it looked like a shrine with neatly tended magnolia trees and two empty rocking chairs. Inside, it was lived-in and homely.

Letting me go, Lucien flicked a switch, flooding the space with soft light. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves kept watch over a large rosewood desk. A maroon silk rug rested on the floor, while a tan leather couch and two matching chairs waited by one of the large circular windows.

“This is my father’s study,” Lucien said quietly, guiding me toward the couch and sitting hard as if his knees suddenly gave out. I went to sit next to him, but he jerked me down, placing me on his lap.

My arm automatically looped around his neck for balance. “Eh, what are you doing?”

He locked his arm around me as I tried to scramble off. He rested his other hand possessively on my thigh. “Don’t let go of me,” he murmured into my ear as Dillon stepped into the office, his eyes darting everywhere, no doubt seeking exits and weapons. “I’m doing my best to stay in control but...with you close, I have a much better chance of not killing him.”

My eyes whipped to Lucien’s as he pulled back.

The bond between us flared bright.

His arm tightened around me as if he knew I could feel him, his forehead pressing to mine as he sagged into me.

I couldn’t stop it.

Couldn’t hide it even as Dillon took the chair next to the couch and sucked in a breath as my hair froze with crystals and my skin turned pale, pale blue. The frigid temperature of my blood sank into the scorching burn of Lucien, cooling him, soothing him, blaring all my secrets.

The padding of heavy paws announced Whisper’s arrival. His whiskers flared as he snarled at Dillon, prowled like a liquid shadow to the couch, then sat proudly at Lucien’s feet.

Tension rippled down Lucien’s thighs as he snapped, “Go on then. Speak.”

“About that drink?” Dillon never looked away.

“You’ll get one when you’ve explained. So...explain.”

“I think I should be saying that to you.” He waved at us, arching his eyebrow at me sitting on Lucien’s lap.

I tried to slip off and sit on the couch like an adult, but Lucien just held me tighter. “We owe you nothing and you’ll get nothing.”

Dillon didn’t speak for a long moment. “Fine. But first...I need a few answers from you, Rook. Just to put my mind at rest. Then I’ll submit to whatever inquisition you have in mind.”

Lucien’s grip tightened. A wisp of his jealousy bled through the bond.

“Alright,” I said softly. “What...what do you want to know?”

“Everything.” His face fell but his eyes stayed wary. “Were you truly just playing your usual games of chase or were you trying to run away from me?”

So, we were going straight to the hard stuff. Good to know.

I shrugged helplessly. “I have no idea what I should say to that.”

“Just tell me the truth.” Dillon narrowed his eyes. “Tell me everything that happened since I last heard from you in Koh Lanta. I’d only just arrived when I realised you were already gone. Were you trapped? Are you mad at me? Are you alright? Just...tell me you’ve been safe for the past eight weeks, and I’ll drop it.”

“Sorry for making you worry again.” I fell into familiar patterns, half-contrite, half-smug. “And I’m sorry for the hassle of the past ten years.”

He rolled his eyes with a groan. “You truly are driving me to drink, you know that, right?” He gave me one last search—his trained eye hunting out any injuries.

He wouldn’t find any (thanks to Lucien’s blood). He didn’t need to know about Cinderkeep (not yet, anyway). And...God, I wanted him to be on my side.

“Looks like you’re still in one piece. Nice dress by the way—way better than those scruffy shorts you usually travel in.” He yawned and slouched with a great sigh, releasing the past two months of hunting me. “Okay, I’ll stop fretting. However...you can expect an expensive therapist bill next time you go MIA.”

My heart warmed. His eyes softened.

Seemed I wasn’t the only one affected by the years between us.

Glancing around the room, his gaze lit up as he spied a row of earthen jars on a sideboard by the library.

Pushing off the chair with a heavy groan, he clomped in black boots to the side table, snagged a jar, uncorked the wooden stopper, sniffed it, and took a long swig.

Lucien turned fiery beneath me, but I merely shook my head.

No matter what secrets Dillon had, I technically did owe him a drink.

Many in fact.

Bringing his pilfered beverage back to join us, Dillon sat in an exhausted sprawl and cheers-ed me with the bottle. “To you, Elara freaking Snowflake.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re such a pain in my ass.”

“I’m a pain in the ass?” He snorted, taking another mouthful. “I haven’t slept in weeks, thanks to you.” Grumbling under his breath, he added, “If only I’d known what I was getting into being your personal security. I would’ve—”

“Locked her in a cage and thrown away the key?” Lucien cut in, his own experience tempering his words.

Dillon froze. “Excuse me?”

“Would’ve made your life a hell of a lot easier, rather than chasing after something so special, huh?”

“She’s not something, asshole. She’s someone.”

“To me she is.” Lucien nodded. “To Whisper she is. But to you and those you work for? I’m not so sure.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means—”

“Lucien.” Pressing my mouth to his ear, I whispered, “You’re smoking.”

With a soft growl, Lucien clung to me as if I could dampen the fire threatening to break out of his skin.

Dillon’s temper landed on me. “You know what...just tell me what you’re hiding, Rook. I know something’s happened.” His eyes narrowed. “You’re wary of me. And...I feel like I’ve let you down. Do you hate me because I wasn’t there to protect you?”

“She had me,” Lucien snapped. “I was there.”

“Yes, and that’s the problem.” Dillon narrowed his eyes. “You’re the problem.”

“How do you know that pear wine you’re drinking isn’t poisoned?” Lucien smiled.

Dillon scowled at the bottle then drank again as if he was too tired to care.

I thought I could do this.

I thought I could be brave but...

“Can I trust you, Dil?” I asked quietly.

He sat bolt upright. “What sort of question is that?”

“We’ve been together for over a decade. Are you loyal to me or are you loyal to Snowflake Corp?”

“You are Snowflake Corp.”

“Just answer the question.”

Lucien burned again and my body sent an automatic blanket of snow his way. He pressed a gentle kiss against my neck, shocking me stupid.

Dillon scowled.

I caught Lucien’s eyes and everything caught alight.

Our first meeting.

Our first conversation.

Our first touch, first kiss, first thrust.

He’d freed me from so much pain.

Captured my heart with so much belonging.

I could do this.

If Dillon hurt me, Lucien would heal me.

I would be brave.

Twisting on Lucien’s lap to face Dillon, I focused entirely on my bodyguard. “I’ve trusted you like the grumpy brother I never had. I secretly loved having you chase me because I knew that no matter where I was or how bad the pain got, you were only hours away to help me. You’ve held me through some of the worst attacks. You’ve travelled with me to some of the most remote locations. And I’ve never once felt like I was just a job to you. So I need you to tell me the truth, Dil. I need to know whatever it is that you’re hiding because...the thought that you’ve been lying to me all this time hurts far, far too much.”

Silence fell.

Dillon never looked away from me. It took an age before he nodded. “Fine.” Finishing the wine, he placed the empty jar on the coffee table and shifted to the edge of the chair. “I’ll be straight with you. I’ll tell you everything because...I agree. It’s about damn time we had this conversation.”

I swallowed hard.

“Before your parents died, I did have different reasons for guarding you.” He frowned, dropping his stare to the floor. “No matter where you went or what you did, I was tasked in reporting everything back. They wanted to know who you saw, what mood you were in, if anything unusual happened.” The sentence lingered in the air, heavy and loud.

He caught my eyes again. “However, when your parents passed away, no one came for the reports I’d grown used to compiling. No one paid any attention to me. Frank Lampton gave me carte blanche to do whatever was necessary to protect you and I think the rest of them forgot I was even on the payroll.” His voice softened. “So if you’re asking me if I’ve reported where you’ve been, who you’ve met, and the differences in you, my answer is no. I haven’t. And I wouldn’t. Not now.”

Sinking back against the tan leather seat, he added, “I’ve grown incredibly fond of you, Rook. You’re a pain in my ass and I miss sleeping in my own bed but...I would never betray you.”

“Why?” Lucien growled. “If you’re so used to spying on her, why would you turn a blind eye when things are obviously not quite right with her.” He smiled thinly. “And don’t think I didn’t notice your interest when she helped calm me down. I know you saw her frosting. Are you honestly going to sit there and tell me you wouldn’t sell her out?”

The question was eerily close to the one he’d asked me the first time he’d slept in my bed—after he’d stumbled into my pavilion in Cinderkeep and used me to take away his pain.

Exhaling heavily, Dillon shook his head. “No, I wouldn’t. Not just because Rook has always been special, but because...she seems to have found someone who’s similar to herself.”

“That doesn’t answer my question,” Lucien snapped.

“Money doesn’t matter that much to me,” Dillon replied with a weary shrug. “So there isn’t a figure that would make me blab. Besides, I’m not the nosy type, especially about things I don’t understand. I’m...superstitious in that way. There will always be things in this world that don’t make sense and...the huldufólk have proven that there are unexplainable forces that you just don’t mess with.”

“Hulldoo folk?” Lucien asked.

“Huldufólk. Back home in Iceland, you don’t build on certain sites. Don’t dig where the ground feels wrong—”

Lucien scoffed lightly.

Dillon didn’t find it funny. “Laugh all you want, but when machinery keeps failing in the same spot and livestock refuse to go near a certain hillside...you learn to leave certain things alone and respect what you can’t explain.” Arching his chin at me, he added softly, “I’ve learned to respect Rook in the same way.”

His eyes narrowed on me. “If you’re doubting my loyalty then let me assure you, I’m not trying to keep you safe for any other reason than I like you. Alive. Besides.” He stretched out his legs, his black boots crossing at the ankles. “If you died, I’d be unemployed. And after you? I’d be bored to fucking tears guarding anyone else.”

I laughed a little.

Lucien’s jaw flexed.

Whisper never took his eyes off Dillon.

“I have a question.” Dillon pointed at the panther. “Is that thing going to eat me the moment I turn my back?”

“That thing is the least of your problems.” Lucien’s fire kindled again.

“Easy,” I whispered, resting my hand on his arm that was slung arrogantly over my legs.

He glowered at me before visibly restraining himself.

“Now that I’ve answered your questions...is there somewhere I can crash?” Dillon yawned. “I’m exhausted.”

“Eh...about that.” I shot a wary look at Lucien before saying, “Perhaps it would be best if you headed home? You could take some time off and—”

“No way.” Dillon snapped upright. “If you’re planning on hanging around here for a bit then I’ll stay.”

“But—”

“Give me a chance to actually do my job and protect you, Rook. I’m staying.”

“Before you invite yourself into my home,” Lucien said softly, leaning forward to cage me in his arms. “It’s my turn to ask a question.”

“Fine.” Dillon sniffed. “What is it?”

Lucien smiled like a man about to unleash hell. “Are you in love with her?”

“Excuse me?” Dillon’s eyebrows flew up.

“Are you in love with her?” Lucien went fatally still.

My heart pounded. I already knew the answer. There was nothing—

“I love her,” Dillon said plainly.

What?!

The room turned blisteringly hot as Lucien turned into a human incense burner.

“I love her,” Dillon repeated like an idiot. “But...not in the way you’re implying.” His blue gaze fell on mine, softening with affection. “I love her like a pesky sister. I love her because she’s become my only family. And—”

His eyes dropped to my throat.

He blanched. “Rook...where’s your necklace?”