Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 113319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Damn him. If he didn’t keep his distance, he would ruin everything.
She grabbed the top of the screen in a rush and tensed, ready to slam it down.
Another tear fell.
She glanced to the side, wiping it away. Her resolve cracked.
We have to stop meeting like this, she typed.
The cursor blinked. She stared at it, wondering if he was sleeping. If he’d gotten tired of waiting for her to return.
I’ll meet any way you want. Next time maybe I’ll stay for a while so I can see you in person. I need to collect on that promise.
She frowned at the screen, wiping away another tear. What promise??
Your kiss held a promise. I’m eager to collect.
He meant the kiss in Kingsley’s territory after she’d taken him down on his porch.
She rolled her eyes. I wasn’t in my right mind.
Not ready yet? No problem. I’ve got time.
She tapped her fingers against the desk, not sure what else to say, knowing she couldn’t say much. She wanted to ask after the crew but was worried it would hurt too much. Nothing could be said about her life, because it was all work and no play right now. She barely even baked, working feverishly to close the gaps in knowledge that had formed between the time they’d stepped away from the mage world and now. There was so much happening, so many secret deals and improbable alliances.
Momar had a firm, solid hold on the majority of it, but there were cracks. There were fragile areas. It was those areas they had to burrow into and exploit while also driving holes anywhere else they could. They had a lot of work to do. Dirty work.
Hell, maybe they had a lot of cars to collect. They’d probably need to get a garage, and her new hobby would become learning about automobiles, where once it had been knowing the ins and outs of watches.
She’d just decided it would be safe to ask after a coffee recipe, something she knew Tristan liked creating for Mr. Tom, when green words flashed across the screen.
Those flowers are called Queen of the Night tulips. I didn’t know that when I went to purchase them. They grabbed my eye because they reminded me of your haunting beauty. Of your ability to stand out. After learning the name, I figured they were perfect. Get some sleep, little monster. When you need to talk, I’m here. If you need help, I’ll come. No exceptions.
Him and his “no exceptions.” Clearly he didn’t know what she was up to.
He would soon enough. He’d learn what a real monster looked like.
She sighed, thought about typing goodnight, and then reached to close the computer down. Before she could, one more message came in.
By the way, your bed is too small. My wings don’t fit. Get a larger one when you settle into your next residence. I’ll bang you against the wall, no problem, but we do have to sleep sometime.
She narrowed her eyes at the computer before turning slowly to look at her bed, made crisply like usual. Nothing was out of place.
Slowly, knowing a smile was threatening, she pulled back the sheet and bent to sniff. His mouthwatering cologne hit her immediately, followed by his special and unique fragrance, wood and amber.
“That little…” She pulled it back more. His scent was everywhere. “Bastard,” she whispered, laughing to herself.
She crossed back to the computer.
Have fun pining. You’re never going to get a taste.
The green rectangle bleeped. Then: Liar.
Her smile stretched. She finally closed down the computer. He was insufferable, but if she’d stuck around, she probably would have succumbed to his charm. She did like them dangerous. And hot. And holy hell, he smelled good.
She stripped and slipped into bed. His smell reminded her of Ivy House. Of a really bright point in an otherwise shadowy life.
It smelled like…home. She wondered how long it would take to fade away, and if her memories would fade away with it.
Regardless, she needed to get her head in the game. They couldn’t allow for distractions. Her focus had to be acute. They needed to be vigilant if they hoped to survive long enough to reach the end.
TWO
Jessie
“Edgar, I get what you’re saying,” I attempted to explain patiently, “but we cannot have violent attack flowers hidden within the wood. We have hikers that accidentally come through here.”
“We wouldn’t have hikers for very much longer.”
I stared at him.
He stared back at me, blinking far less than I was.
My patience waned. “We can’t randomly kill hikers, Edgar. We have to share this town with non-magical people. Murder is against the Dick laws, remember? And it’s morally bankrupt. I know we’ve dabbled in a lot of gray areas when dealing with the mages—”
“I wouldn’t call torturing and then killing the enemy for information morally gray so much as mostly heinous…” He put up a finger. “And that is okay, because they are the enemy. Much like trespassing hikers.”