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More sleep is out of the question for what little remains of the night, so I end up back at the office earlier than planned, with a strong coffee in one hand and a donut in the other. It might be a cliché breakfast for a cop, but hot, sugar-coated and jam-filled donuts are a treat I only allow myself once in a while.
Today, I need a treat, and I have to suppress a delighted moan as I bite into the dough through the sugary crust, and strawberry jam oozes into my mouth.
The supe technicians—known within the division as the techies—are already at work, testing some new evidence that came in from the crime scene last night. I watch them for a while, finishing my breakfast and listening to their friendly back and forth banter. It seems as if nothing ground-breaking has been uncovered in the lab at this point, so I wander back to my corner office and prepare for the team briefing.
Luc Durand texts me just before nine. Morning boss, confirming another medallion found at the scene last night. Clutched in the hand of one of the vics. Purple trace, so techies should calibrate it this morning. Have a good day.
The briefing proceeds smoothly, and I stare around the room at my team, pride filling me at the eclectic mix of species who all work so well together. About half are human, and the rest are made up of shifters—a couple of weres, a panther, and a bear—plus a handful of witches and wizards. Two fae from the Summer Court are slated to join our team soon, but they will be the first of any fae to join us, other than me. The three vamps on the team are likely tucked up in bed somewhere.
The team make-up could be a disaster waiting to happen, but it isn’t. We are all dedicated to our common cause of ensuring justice for victims of crime, no matter who they are, and I stare around at the sea of faces, knowing I can rely on each and every one of them. I start the briefing with a word of thanks for their loyalty and enthusiasm, before going around the room to hear from each member so we can pool our knowledge and plan next steps.
Nothing new arises, until one of the techies—a human named Jeb—pops his head into the briefing room just before we finish.
“Got it!” His voice is excited. “It’s a match with the trace on that bracelet the dead necro was holding. The one brought in last week.”
Even though I hoped for something like this, the news is unexpected. I jump to my feet, my heart speeding up, as a hum of excitement ripples through the room. “Fantastic, Jeb! So, now that it’s matched—”
“Now that we’ve matched it exactly, we’ll have a much better chance of figuring out how one device controls the other, and once we do that, we might be able to create an app that senses the same pattern of activity around the city. Even, before it happens, not just at the time of a piloted attack.”
“An app?”
“Well, a charm, I guess. But we can place it into an app that the teams can load up onto their phones.” He grins. “Trust me, boss.”
“I do trust you, Jeb. I trust everyone here in the room.” I think about what he’s said for a moment. “So, we might not be able to stop the attacks altogether—yet—but this will give us a chance to sense them when they’re just gearing up to happen? If we can get there quickly...oh, this is fantastic news. Well done.”
“Thank you, boss. Can I...?” He gestures, and I nod.
“Of course. Get back to it, and let me know the second you come up with anything more.”
He disappears back out the door, and I let the buzz of hopeful chatter continue for a minute or two before I dismiss the team. They all need something positive to focus on. We’ve been on this case so long without a breakthrough. This development—while minor at the moment—is still a significant step forward, and if we can start to predict where attacks might take place...
I head back to my office with a large grin decorating my face. A grin that falters and disappears when I see the two tall fae waiting outside my door. Damn!
“I forgot I was meeting the two of you. Okay, come on in.”
Tarrien has a serious expression on his face. Rhodri appears aloof. I try not to meet the prince’s eyes as I sweep past, though his fresh scent rises in my nostrils and I can feel the heat emanating from his body. My system kicks into overdrive, as does my imagination, which I try to tamp down.
I do not want to remember what His Royal Highness looks like when he’s just about to orgasm.
I do not want my traitorous woman bits to start aching every time he enters the room.
Heat warms my cheeks and I take my time shuffling around behind the desk, before finally gesturing them to sit.
Tarrien accepts my invitation. Rhodri remains standing, his hands tucked behind his back and a thin-lipped expression causing his already prominent cheekbones to seem even more defined than before.
Man, he is so handsome, despite the icy look in his eyes as he studies a spot somewhere above my head. I guess physical beauty is an advantage that comes with being a royal fae.
“Okay then, what’ve you got?” I direct my question to Tarrien, who opens his mouth to answer. But he is beaten to it by Rhodri.
“You first, this time,” the prince says. “What do you have, Inspector?”
I try hard not to grind my teeth, and instead attempt a smile. Both men blink and recoil slightly, so I’m not sure I succeed in imparting pleasantness. I consider what to share, and decide there’s no harm in letting them know what we’ve just discovered.
“Right, well, we’ve managed to identify a pairing in a bracelet and a medallion, both found with purple trace magic at violent crime scenes. This is good news—may even lead to being able to predict where an attack might happen next.”
Tarrien’s face lights up, and even Rhodri relaxes noticeably. Finally, he steps forward and takes the empty chair in front of my desk.
“That is good news,” he says, in a tone noticeably warmer than before. “Tarrien, share your news with the Inspector, if you will.”
The Inspector? So, clearly, we are not back on first name terms just yet. But then Tarrien speaks and I forget my issues with Rhodri.
“My father contacted me,” Tarrien says. “It’s the first time since his exile many years ago that anyone in our family has heard from him.”
“What?” My eyebrows shoot up, and I lean forward, my mind racing. “How did he contact you?”
“He projected, through a mirror. I think he might have been trying for a while to get a hold of me, but I’ve been staying with Indigo in her apartment, and it is fully protected. It was only when I was waiting for her to finish a performance that I happened to be in her theater dressing room.”
I gasp. “Oh, we need to—”
“All sorted,” Tarrien cuts across me. “I now have better protections in place over the theater, too.”
I nod, thankful. I may be reluctant to engage with my banshee siblings or fully embrace my fae heritage, but they are still family, and as such, I could not bear to see either of them harmed.
“He spoke to you through Indie’s dressing room mirror? What did he say? What does he want?”
“Information,” Tarrien says flatly.
Rhodri clears his throat and I turn my attention his way. He seems to have forgotten his annoyance toward me, at least for the moment. His eyes are bright with enthusiasm as he says, “I think we can use this to our advantage.”
This time my smile is genuine. “Exactly what I was thinking.”
Rhodri blinks, and we stare at each other for a long moment as if unsure how we should behave with each other. Indeed, I don’t know how to catalogue the emotions he raises within me. One moment I want to punch his supercilious nose, and the next, I can’t imagine anything I want more than his wickedly sexy lips feasting on my most intimate of places.
Butterflies rise in my belly and I clench my fists together on the desk top, determined not to release a betraying moan or groan.
After an uncomfortable pause, in which Rhodri’s eyes rest on my clenched fists and change from clear blue to a deep cerulean, Tarrien coughs. The sound interrupts whatever is between the prince and me.
“Father seemed very interested in what was uncovered in the Badlands,” Tarrien says. “He wanted to know whether there are any significant investigations into the abominations. On top of that, he started sounding me out about what sort of protections might be in place for Indigo and Aleah, if any. It was all very casual and innocent-sounding, couched between queries about how Mother and the rest of the family is faring, but it is far from innocent.”
“Indeed.” I lean back in my chair and study the ceiling, thinking hard. If we can somehow lure Targon out... “It sounds as if he’s still interested in capturing a banshee for himself, or for his so-called queen. What if you use me as bait?”
“That could work,” Tarrien says.
At the same moment, Rhodri says, “Absolutely not!”
I bring my gaze down to the prince and stare hard at him. “Why not?”
“Yes, why not, Rhodri? If Father and Rhiannon are after banshee blood, for whatever reason, then using Maewen to find them is an excellent idea.” He falters at Rhodri’s glare. “Isn’t it?”
“It is far too dangerous for Maewen.” Rhodri’s tone is full of indignation.
“She’s a cop. She’s trained—”
“Look at what almost happened to Indigo. You should know better than to risk Indie’s sister to potentially the same fate, Tarrien. You know the power my mother and your father wield. How dark it is. Shame on you.”
“I’m merely agreeing with Maewen. I don’t think—”
“Maewen is still a ban—”
“Guys, please.” I hold up a hand. “Put them away. Tarrien is right. I am a police officer and I have been trained for dangerous situations. Not only that, but I have a whole team—hell, a whole department—behind me on this.”
“Put what away?” Rhodri asks.
I roll my eyes and point at his groin. Tarrien snickers. Rhodri looks down at himself, and when he lifts his head, his cheeks are a satisfying pink.
My lips quirk. I didn’t expect to enjoy teasing him so much. Clearly, he has not spent as much time as his warrior friend here in the human realm, at least, not to the level where he can fully understand all the nuances of human behavior. I have to admit it is rather fun making a royal fae prince blush.
He scowls and shifts in the chair.
I take the opportunity to add, “It isn’t up to either of you to say whether I do this or not. It’s up to me. And I say, yes. It’s actually a good idea, if I do say so myself. We know they’re behind this, but we don’t know where they are located, at present. If we can lure them out...yes. Let’s do it.”
Rhodri’s gaze turns frosty. “But—”
“No buts. Can you contact him again, Tarrien?”
“I believe so. He provided an incantation that I can use if and when I’m ready to reach out to him. He said if I use the incantation, he’ll know it and be in touch.”
“Good.” My mind races, trying to figure out what we might need to set this up. “Can you let slip that you’re also guarding another of Indigo’s sisters? As in, me? Maybe let him know you’re having a hard time of it due to my job in SUDAP. Nothing more than that at this stage, otherwise he’ll know he’s being played.”
Tarrien nods, as Rhodri says, “I still think this is a bad idea. A very bad idea. Your father might be driven by his infatuation with my mother, Tarrien, but Rhiannon...” He shakes his head. “My mother has a darkness in her that terrifies even me. I saw it many times, when I was young, but I didn’t fully understand the extent of it until recently. She is evil, and I do not want to put you in evil’s way, Maewen. Please reconsider.”
Why is Rhodri so invested in my welfare? By his stiff manner, I am certain he is not used to pleading his case. I guess, as a fae prince, he usually just states what he wants and others make it happen. The knowledge that he seems to have my wellbeing at heart softens my response.
“Don’t you think it’s time we stop this carnage, Rho?”
I don’t mean to use the shortened version of his name. It just slips out naturally, and I only realize I’ve done it when Tarrien’s brows rise and he shoots a curious look between the prince and me.
Rhodri ignores his warrior, keeping his gaze steady on me. I try a small smile, and see the beginnings of wry acceptance in his eyes.
“It has been going on far too long,” I add. “At this moment I can’t think of another way to draw them out. Can you?”
Silence fills my office, and Rhodri’s lips tighten. But he doesn’t say any more about vetoing the plan, and eventually I nod.
“Right. So, Tarrien, you contact your dad and set things in motion, and I’ll brief the team here at my end to be ready to go. Let me know as soon as you hear back.”
I stand up, assuming they’ll immediately head off back to Faerie. Tarrien touches his ring and silver light from the resultant portal materializes in the office.
Rhodri jerks his head. “You go. I’ll meet you back at the palace, Tarrien. My quarters.”
Tarrien nods and disappears. Rhodri folds his arms and stares at me.
“I don’t want anything to happen to you, Mae. I was angry with you, earlier, for wanting to deny your fae heritage. I still don’t understand that. But I...” He pauses and a frown appears fleetingly on his face. “I find myself liking you, more than I want to. More than I ever expected to. And the thought of someone—especially my own mother—draining your lifeblood, is one I cannot tolerate. I do not wish any harm to come to you. Not if I can help it. But I don’t really know how to protect you. You seem far too independent to need protection, even when I want to provide it.”
My cheeks warm at his words. He likes me? More than he wants to? I should be offended at that, but I’m not, because I know exactly what he means.
“I like you too, Rho.” I lift my lips in a brief grin. “Far more than I expected to. But I’m a grown woman, and like I said earlier, I’m very good at taking care of myself.”
Rhodri doesn’t reply.
I shrug. “Always have been. I love that you want to protect me—no one has really ever offered that before and it makes me feel valued—but I truly don’t need it. I’m happy to be bait, and lure them out, if it means another step toward ending this nightmare. I have no intention of letting things get far enough to actually risk life. Either mine, or anyone else’s.”
Acting on instinct, I step around the desk toward him, reaching out to rest a hand on his folded forearms. The muscles ripple beneath my fingers, as if in response to my touch. It is almost as if electricity passes between us every time we’re near one another. Is that because he’s royal? Or fae? Or is it simply pheromones?
I’ve had lovers before—very occasional ones, due to my focus on career—but I’ve never felt this sense of physical connection with anyone.
My belly clenches as his scent rises around me. What is that scent? It isn’t like anything I’ve ever experienced on a mortal guy. It invades my system until all I can think about is pressing up against him. Losing myself in his embrace. My body shifts almost of its own accord and I lean into him. He unfolds his arms and holds my upper arms, his hands caressing gently up and down. Tendrils of desire squirrel through me.
I clear my throat, trying to bring things back to the matter at hand. “I’ll be fine. And we’ll get them, soon. I feel it in my bones.”
He cups my chin, looking deep into my eyes, and warmth spirals out from his touch. “In your bones? That’s your fae power, speaking to you, Mae. Let it free, and you might find it helps rather than hinders you in the future.”
He bends his head, until his lips just graze my hair. “I will allow you to do this, if you agree to let me be part of the team backing you up.”
Allow? A laugh bubbles up and out before I can stop it. Yeah, no, mate.
I open my mouth to speak and he tilts up my face. God, that wicked grin of his is so sexy. My denial withers away to nothing.
“This is not negotiable,” he says. “I know my mother better than most. I can be of immense value in this operation. I feel it. In my bones.”
Before I can become annoyed about having my own words thrown back at me, he leans in and captures my lips in a brief, gentle kiss. Thoughts fly away as my whole body lights up with need. I think his hand brushes the back of my neck, causing a shiver to run down my spine. Or is that from the kiss, feather-light and yet, so full of promise?
Then he breaks off the kiss, stepping back and away. I feel a strange sense of loss.
He shoots me a crooked grin. “See you again soon, Inspector Maewen Jones.”
He disappears in a spectacular blaze of silver light, leaving me torn between laughter, annoyance, and simmering desire as the imprint of his lips on mine remain long after he has vanished.
I consider the plan we’ve decided upon, trying to work out solutions to all possible scenarios.
Bait. With the royal heir to Winter Faerie’s throne trailing after me. What could possibly go wrong?
