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15

Glamour

The second Gavin mentioned Glamour, the fae-owned club, Harry mentally pictured some pretty horrific images. Cramped, crowded spaces. Loud, pulsing music. People grinding against each other in ways usually reserved for naked bedroom activities.

This was a hundred times worse.

She didn’t do clubs like this even when she’d been in her clubbing phase, much preferring to dance in her and Cass’s living room, their remote-control mirror ball flickering from the ceiling and creating an entertaining light show for the squealing little girl hanging on to their legs.

Not to mention, the comfy clothes.

Goddess, she missed her comfy clothes right now.

A warm hand settled low on her exposed back and she tried—and failed—not to startle despite knowing to whom it belonged. Jax’s warm heat wrapped around her as he guided them through the sea of bodies.

“You okay?” His mouth brushed the shell of her ear, close enough to be heard over the pulsing music.

“Just peachy. We’re here to ask a favor of an old fae who evidently likes breaking his boredom by requesting his guests perform like puppets for his entertainment, and I get to do it while feeling I’m about to expose a butt or a boob if I make any abrupt movements.”

Not to mention this was really the first time they’d spoken more than a simple greeting since he picked her up an hour ago. While Lenny, Elodie, and Grace had primped, plucked, and perfumed her as if this was a real date despite her protests, she’d felt like an anvil hung over her head, prepping for the awkward silence to come. And she hadn’t been wrong. They’d shared not more than a few sneaking glances… until now.

“So in other words, you’ve never been better,” Jax joked dryly. “Great. Me, too. I just absolutely fucking love putting myself in the center of attention.”

Harry snorted. “If Gavin’s friend hates him as much as he claims, then maybe he should’ve been the one to come and get his attention.” She glanced through the sea of gyrating bodies. “Because I’m not so sure we’d get it even if we got naked and actually did what these people are mimicking.”

Jax’s heated gaze warmed a path right to the thong Elodie had strong-armed her into because “You absolutely cannot have panty lines with this dress.” Maybe mentioning sex around the man she’d been picturing naked since returning to Fates Haven wasn’t the brightest move… but she couldn’t help wondering.

Thirteen years to change.

To harden.

To…

Jax’s low chuckle rumbled through her body as he leaned close, lips brushing her ear. “Keep thinking whatever you’re thinking, sweet pea, and I don’t think it’ll take much for us to get our host’s attention.”

Her head snapped toward him. A big mistake. His mouth, less than an inch away from hers, twitched knowingly. “It’s not polite to go around sniffing people.”

“I’m not sniffing, baby. I’m just breathing normally. It’s not my fault that your arousal is like damn catnip to my mountain lion.”

Choosing to ignore both her dampening pseudo underwear and her now racing heart, she glanced around the crowded club and mentally cursed. There was no way they’d get the owner’s attention in this madhouse.

Large overhead strobe lights flickered and beamed throughout the otherwise dark open dance floor; and on one end, a DJ took center stage, a wide screen at her back as she head bobbed to the music. People were packed shoulder to shoulder on the main floor, and the second floor behind its railing didn’t look any less cramped.

Harry didn’t know this many people lived in freaking Denver.

“Over there.” Jax ran his hand up her arm and nudged her chin to the third-floor wall of mirrors artfully slanted out toward the crowd and up to the high vaulted ceiling. “Gavin said this guy likes to be entertained, right? No better place to do it than behind one-way mirrors where you can see out but no one can see in. How much do you want to bet that our fae is hiding in his office up there?”

“Nothing because you’re probably right. But that will make it that much more difficult to get his attention. I honestly think we could both strip and he probably wouldn’t bat an eye.” Feeling Jax’s gaze on her, she added, “And, no, I’m not willing to test that theory.”

Lips twitching, he shrugged. “Just an idea.”

“A bad one, so let’s start thinking a bit more out of the box.”

“Well, we’re definitely sticking out a bit right now by the fact we’re not dancing,” Jax said dryly.

Harry scanned the room, and he was right. A few people nearby glanced their way, giving them up-and-down perusals. When she looked back to Jax, he held his hand out for her.

Bad idea after bad idea…

She took it, sliding her hand over his callus-roughened palm. His fingers wrapped around hers snuggly, his other hand dropping to her lower hip as he guided her close. All moisture in Harry’s mouth dried instantly.

This was a necessary evil. The only lead they had that could possibly get answers for Grace. She’d do anything for that kid, even if that meant subjecting herself and her body to the sweet, sweet torture of being pressed up against Jaxon Atwood.

Jax sighed softly, the sound pulling her gaze to his. “What?”

“Could you look a little less like someone is ripping off your fingernails with rusty pliers?” Jax’s light tone contrasted with his tense expression.

She relaxed her shoulders with a sigh. “Sorry. There’s just a lot riding on this. Grace was practically beaming hope from every orifice earlier today, and I really want this to give us something to work with. Anything. And then there’s…”

“There’s what?” His gaze roved over her face as he watched her intently.

Him. This. Us.

“This isn’t the time for that discussion,” Harry murmured, forcing her gaze away from his. A chicken tactic? For sure. Also needed if she had any hope of this harebrained plan working.

The hand on her hip slowly slid its way around her back, leaving a goose bump trail in its wake. Jax gently flexed his fingers on her bare skin while the hand holding hers did the same, silently asking a question and awaiting her answer.

Her gaze found his and everything else fell away. All her hesitancy. All her reservations. Every single reason why this wasn’t a good idea. Harry shifted deeper into his arms and was quickly enveloped by the heat radiating off his body. She let out a contented hum as it blanketed her, sending an inviting warmth from her toes to her nose.

Jax guided their bodies into a slow sway, one much slower than the gyrating bodies around them but a hell of a lot more intimate. She slid her hand over his broad shoulder and behind his neck, fingers playing with the soft hair at his nape. Jax released a faint noise before he slowly dragged her even closer, both arms now wrapped around her waist.

Not even a piece of paper could fit between them, their bodies flush, and Jax’s leg finding its way between her feet to fit her even closer. She fixed her gaze at the base of his throat and willed her breathing to slow, but it didn’t work, doing the opposite the second his palm cupped her cheek and tilted her face toward his.

The gold-flecked gaze of his inner mountain lion looked back at her, the color flickering from its typical stormy gray. There was a lot of emotion swimming in that look, way too much for her to interpret without assistance.

Jax brushed his thumb over her bottom lip, his gaze dropping to watch the action. “You have no fucking clue what you’re doing to me right now, sweet pea.”

“I think I have a little bit of an idea.” With every sway of their bodies, the telltale hardness of an erection brushed against her stomach. Goddess knew her little scrap of underwear was already beyond saving.

Fingers flexing around his nape, she slowly lifted to her toes. Jax took the silent hint and dropped his head until their lips were mere inches apart. She wanted his mouth on hers more than she wanted her next breath.

“Jax…”

An annoyed cough interrupted the moment. “The two of you need to come with me.”

Jax pulled back with a growl, swallowing it when he recognized one of the bouncers from the entrance. The guy was dressed in all black with mirrored sunglasses and could’ve doubled as a Secret Service agent on his off time.

“And why is that? In case you didn’t realize, I’m having a moment with my girl here,” Jax ground out, playing the annoyed club patron.

Hearing him use the term “my girl,” despite this being their game plan, sent a little zip through Harry, but she quickly toned it down. This was what they’d hoped to happen. They’d been singled out, and they hadn’t even had to resort to a striptease on a tabletop.

“Relax, babe.” She amped up her smile, leaning fully into his arms as she turned toward the bouncer. “Do you mind telling me why? We haven’t done anything wrong, have we? We’ve just been enjoying our time at one of our favorite clubs.”

“Actually, I do mind. With me. Now.” Not bothering to clarify or make sure they followed, he turned, his large body parting the crowd without even trying.

“I think we found someone even less personable than you,” Harry joked. She stepped to follow, but Jax’s hand caught hers.

“I’m not so sure about this.”

“What’s not to be sure about? This is what we wanted.”

He shot a conflicted glance to the departing security. “I know, but—”

“No but s. This guy has potential answers to questions about Grace, or at least where we might be able to find them. I’m not not following. You can stay here if you’d like.”

Jax growled, his grip tightening. “You are not going up there alone.”

She smiled sweetly. “I am if you don’t follow.”

Summoning a small magical gust, she broke his hold easily and followed the bouncer through the massive crowd. Jax caught up to her just as Agent Bouncer pointed to an elevator tucked in the far corner. The elevator screamed rich elegance with upholstered walls and gold fixtures that would’ve looked expensive even on baroque furniture.

Agent Bouncer gestured them inside and after hitting the button on the wall, stepped out and left them alone for the ride up.

The tension in the small space rose as they did; and when the doors opened, Harry sucked in a breath. “Holy crap.”

Jax’s arm was back around her waist. “Gavin said the fae love nature. Guess he wasn’t wrong.”

Nothing was natural about the magical scene in front of them, an ethereal garden in the heart of a Denver club. There wasn’t a single sign of the industrial hot spot, no walls or the steel accents of the downstairs decor. Only a clear, dark purple sky with twinkling stars and an entire parade of flowers.

So many vividly colored flowers.

A butterfly flapped across Harry’s face to land on a golden sky-reaching oak, and the moment it did, all its butterfly friends followed, covering the tree until it looked to be one rippling entity. Every color was bold and eye-popping, and so damn bright it almost hurt to look at any one thing for longer than a few seconds.

“Come in. Come in. Pull up a mossy pad and have a seat,” a deep voice urged. “I don’t bite… unless asked.”

Jax’s hand tightened on her hip as they stepped into the garden wonderland. A faint shimmer melted across the sky. It took a moment to realize that was the window peering down into the club. A man, who couldn’t have been older than his early twenties, lay back on what looked to be a hovering cloud lounger.

Everything about him sparkled from his diamond-encrusted skin to the musical ballad of his voice. His long dark intricately braided hair fell far past his shoulders, hitting close to his waist if he’d been standing.

He smiled as they approached, taking equal time to eye them each up and down before fixing his gaze on her.

“I haven’t come across one of you in a long time.” His vibrant smile was almost blinding.

“Um… a witch?” Harry asked, confused.

“Sure. Let’s go with that.” He leaned back in his seat, drinking from a golden goblet. “So what brings a witch and her shifter lover to my club?”

“Oh, we’re not…” Harry’s denial trailed off as the fae looked her way. “We were looking for someplace to have a good time and was told this was the place to be.”

The fae chuckled. “Let me take a wild guess and say that this is the first time you’ve encountered someone such as myself. Uh-uh.” He held up a hand when she opened her mouth to speak. “It wasn’t a question. Since I haven’t had the pleasure of interacting with someone such as you in an age and a half, I’d like to offer you one bit of advice.”

Harry frowned. That was the second time he’d said that.

Jax’s fingers flexed on her hip, a gentle reminder for her not to blow this all to hell, or to be closer if this all went to hell and they had to make a quick escape.

“And that would be?” she asked.

“Don’t lie to a fae.” His smile faded and he snapped his fingers, poofing away his drink as he stood and turned toward them. “We can sense a lie better than we can sense a supernatural, and in case you were wondering, that’s rather well.”

He flickered, creating an illusionary effect that had Harry second-guessing everything… and that’s when she realized he wore a glamour, and it wasn’t just on him but their surroundings, too.

“Wouldn’t you say that pretending to be something you’re not is a form of lying?” she asked daringly. “Because unless I’m mistaken, your hair isn’t really that sleek and shiny, and we’re definitely not standing in the middle of a butterfly garden.”

He paused a moment before breaking into peals of laughter, humor lighting up his eyes. “Oh, how I have missed your kind. So abrupt. No filter.”

He waved his hand, and in an instant, everything around them disappeared. The lush, vivid colors of the garden turned into a mahogany-rich office, complete with bookshelves and a massive desk built for a king. And the fae in front of them definitely wasn’t twenty-one years old.

Long gray hair speckled with a dust of pepper hung to his waist and gone was the silky twinkling suit. He wore jeans and a T-shirt advertising a local rock band. He looked to be in his fifties, but from what she remembered, looks didn’t mean much with the fae. Someone who looked twenty could very well be four hundred. If this guy appeared to be in his fifties, she shuddered to think of his age.

“Since we’re obviously friendly enough to point out each other’s lies,” the fae began, “I suppose we should exchange names. I’m Tomlyn. My friends call me Tommy, so you should most definitely call me Tomlyn.”

Jax spoke first. “I’m Jaxon Atwood. Alpha to the Rocky Mountain Pack. And this is Harlow Pierce.”

“Pierce.” Tomlyn rubbed the gray beard covering his jaw. “Interesting… any relation to that delightful witch who lives in that little town down the road a ways? Nora?”

Harry narrowed her eyes, taken off guard at the mention of her aunt’s name. “Maybe.”

The fae smirked. “Definitely interesting. So, Alpha Atwood… and Harlow. What really brought you into my club tonight?”

Harry exchanged a look with Jax, him giving her a supportive nod. They’d talked about best approaches with Gavin, but now she was second-guessing everything.

“We’re looking for information on a fae shifter, and were hoping that a fae with your status might be able to point us in the right direction.” There, flattery initiated… without lying.

Tomlyn smirked, basking in the compliment. “And let’s just say that I actually do know this shifter for whom you’re looking. Why should I tell you anything about them, much less their whereabouts? I shouldn’t need to remind you that the fae who remained here after the portal closures did so for a reason. As a whole, they’re not people who want to be found.”

“I understand that, but I’ve also read that the fae value family, both blood and found.”

Tomlyn’s eyes widened, but he quickly recovered, masking his interest. “Are you saying that you’re looking for family, little witch?”

“I’m saying I’m looking for a family member of a member of my family.”

He sat at his desk, kicking his booted feet on it. “And I reiterate, the fae who have remained on this side of the portals did so for a reason. It’s not my right to expose their whereabouts if they do not wish their whereabouts to be known.”

Patience shattered, Harry stepped closer, dropping her hands on Tomlyn’s desk and ignored Jax’s murmured warning. “I’m not really up to playing games, Tommy. It’s been a really long couple of years. I need to find someone, and I think you have the knowledge to, at the very least, point me in the right direction.”

Tomlyn stared at her, face devoid of emotion. “I like you, Harlow Pierce. That doesn’t mean I can help you, but I like you. And because I like you, I will give you one more little nugget of information.”

“Which is?”

“There are no documented fae shifters this side of the portals.”

Harry digested the information before swallowing a string of curses. “There are no fae shifters.”

“None. And as you pointed out, I am fairly in the know when it comes to this realm’s fae population.”

“Is it possible that—”

“No. No shifter remained, because to do so would risk their second self becoming unstable and unpredictable. Uncontrollable. For a shifter to be cut off from the land would be a fate worse than death. So, no, little witch. No shifters remained behind after the closures.”

Harry sent a frustrated look toward Jax, feeling all her earlier hope melt away. They’d been so damn sure…

“But”—Tomlyn paused for dramatic effect—“you should know that the fae are a very resilient bunch.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Jax asked tersely.

“It means, Alpha Atwood, that there is always a workaround when it comes to dealing with a fae.”

Harry’s hope resurfaced. “So you’re saying that maybe one stayed?”

“No. I’m saying that I wouldn’t put it past a fae to find a way to return. But as I said before, it couldn’t be for long periods. They would need to return to Faerie or risk losing themselves. What is the name of this shifter for whom you search?”

“Luke.”

He drilled her with an expectant look.

Harry sighed. “Yeah, I know. It’s not a lot to go on, but that’s all I have. Luke. ”

“Not a very fae name, no doubt an alias or a very simplified version of their real name. You know not of what kind of fae shifter he is?”

“Honestly? We don’t even know if we’re looking for a fae shifter. It’s just that we’ve ruled out everything else.”

Tomlyn nodded thoughtfully. “Because of my infatuation with your kind, Harlow Pierce, I will do you another favor, but only if you grant me two in return.”

“That seems a little imbalanced, don’t you think?”

Jax cleared his throat. “Harry, no.”

She ignored his warning. “And what are these favors? And what will I get for doing them?”

“I will lend you a book in my possession—one to be used to search for the answers to your questions and no others—if you agree to grant me two things. The first, a future favor yet-to-be-named.”

“And the second?”

“The two of you participating in a little game for me. Right now.”

“Yeah, you can forget that.” Jax took hold of Harry’s arm, no doubt prepped to carry her from the club if need be.

“What game?” she asked.

“Harry,” he warned.

“What game?”

“A simple one that from what I hear, many in this realm play at some point in their childhood. I believe they call it Two Truths and a Lie.”

“And this future favor?”

He shrugged. “There’s nothing of which you can do for me right now, but I believe that may at some point in time, change. As for the game, it’s a simple one. I’ve always been fascinated with the inability of people in this realm to pick out a falsehood.”

“And this book will give us answers?”

“It will not tell you who it is you’re looking for, but perhaps it will guide you in their approximate direction.”

Harry digested the information, already knowing she’d do it if it meant getting answers. “Fine. Two Truths and Lie.” She turned to Jax. “One: I cry over commercials. Two: I’m mistrustful of anyone who eats ketchup on eggs. And three: Die Hard is not a Christmas movie no matter what anyone says.”

Jax’s lips twitched, but Tomlyn groaned. “Maybe I didn’t make myself clear enough. These truths and a lie must be deep, raw, and heartrending. Anything less won’t be accepted. Again. And make me feel the angst that has been pouring off the two of you since you stepped into my club.”

Deep. Raw. And heartrending.

Jax caught her gaze with his. “You really want to do this?”

“We need answers, Jax. Grace needs answers.”

He nodded grimly, looking resigned and pissed off as he quickly tossed a smirking Tomlyn a hard glare. “One: after you left Fates Haven, I stopped counting how many times I went looking for you after the tenth failed try. Two: the day you left, you took a piece of me with you and I haven’t felt whole since. And three: it may have taken me a while, but I’m finally ready to move on with my life.”

Silence blanketed the room, the only sound her own racing heartbeat. Jax kept his gaze fixed on her, his breathing nearly as ragged as her own.

“Jax…” she whispered.

“Now that’s how you play!” Tomlyn clapped his hands joyously. “I know the lie! Pick one, Harlow Pierce!”

She didn’t need to guess. Pain lined every inch of Jax’s face, so potent it may as well be her own. “N-number three.”

Tomlyn cheered again. “Very well done. Now, it’s your turn to list two truths and a lie, Harry. Let’s see if your mountain lion is as good at picking out the falsehood as you were.”

She winced as she swallowed the lump in her throat. “One: there isn’t a day that has gone by in thirteen years that I didn’t regret leaving Fates Haven and everyone in it. Two: I left a piece of myself behind when I left Fates Haven, and I also haven’t felt whole since. And three: I don’t have nightly fantasies about what our lives would be like right now if I’d stayed.”

Harry held Jax’s gaze and refused to look away. To the chorus of Tomlyn’s chuckles, Jax stepped close, his hand cupping her cheek.

“Number three,” he answered in a soft whisper.

“Very well done,” Tomlyn complimented. “I suppose that will have to do… and now for my end of that bargain.”

With a wave of his hand, an old, leather-bound book appeared on his desk. It took Herculean effort for Jax and Harry to part and refocus on the old fae.

“For your fact-finding purposes, my dear.” Tomlyn held the thick book out to her and paused before setting it in her hands. “And do I have your promise that in payment for this loan, one future favor yet to be named?”

“As long as that favor doesn’t include harming anyone or performing anything illegal in both the supernatural and human worlds, then yes,” Harry agreed.

The old fae nodded, gently resting the book in her hands. It was a lot lighter than it looked, something she suspected was magically related. “I should warn you… keep the knowledge of your possession of that tome to only those who you literally trust with your life. There are those within fae society who would kill to keep the secrets that you may find in that book.”

“Noted.” Harry nodded to the fae, careful not to thank him as per Gavin’s orders. To give thanks implies a debt owed. “Should we bring it back here when we’re done?”

He waved his hand in dismissal. “The book will find its way back here once you’re finished. No need to physically return it. Now that the business side of things is finished… would the two of you like to be my esteemed guests for the evening?”

“That’s a generous offer, Tomlyn, but I think we’re heading back to Fates Haven for some light reading… and answer finding.”

“Then be gone with you, Harlow Pierce and Alpha Jaxon Atwood. I sincerely hope you find the answers to your questions and find your elusive fae shifter.”

The elevator doors opened. On their way down, Harry was a blended mix of an entirely different set of emotions and only a fraction of them had to do with the book in her hands.

That game…

Or more specifically, Jax’s choices for his truths and lie…

Her first instinct was to dismiss them, but the fae would’ve easily—and gladly—called out any additional lies had he sensed in them, which meant that every syllable had been true. Just like the words she repeated back to him.

The closer they got to Jax’s truck, the more the nerves won out, exacerbated by the silence. When Jax opened the passenger- side door, she dropped her hand on top of his.

They both looked where they touched. Neither spoke or moved for what felt like a million heartbeats.

Embarrassment flooded her, and she pulled back, but Jax’s fingers caught hers and her gaze snapped to his.

The heat in his eyes nearly melted her right on the spot, imprisoning her. “Did you mean it? Did you mean what you said during that damn game?”

Harry swallowed a large lump in her throat. “Pretty sure Tomlyn would’ve called me out on it if I didn’t, don’t you think?”

“You spent thirteen years thinking that Elodie and I were Fated…” Jax’s chest heaved.

“And…?”

“And you still dreamed about a future in Fates Haven? Our future?” He eased her back against the side of his truck, one large hand propped by her head. “Answer me, sweet pea. No bullshit. No runaround.”

“Every night,” she admitted breathlessly. “It was the one constant in my life after leaving.”

Jax’s gaze drifted all over her face, dropping to her mouth, where she unconsciously licked her lips. “Every night.”

“Without fail. You’re not the only one who felt like a piece of themselves has been missing, Jax… assuming what you said back there was true.”

“Pretty sure Tomlyn would’ve called me out on it if it wasn’t, don’t you think?” He volleyed her own words back at her, whispering them as his mouth coasted a breath above the shell of her ear.

Harry sighed, eyes closing as she let out an involuntary whimper. “Jax. Please.”

“Please what, sweet pea?” His hand cupped her chin, gently steering her face toward his. “I need to hear the words, Harlow. In explicit detail.”

“Kiss me.” Her need overrode every other thought.

“Do you want me to only kiss you?”

She shook her head.

“What else do you want, baby?” Jax’s golden gaze searched hers.

“You. I want you .”

Harry lost track of time; and for a moment, she thought she’d asked for too much. She wouldn’t blame him for keeping his distance, for being unwilling to take that chance.

Jax dipped his head with aching slowness, the anticipation of what was to come killing her in small increments. Afraid to move for fear she’d wake up and find this was all a dream, she held her breath until the first tender caress of his lips over hers… and then when his mouth came in for a deeper exploration, she could breathe for the first time in forever.

They moved as one, mouths crashing together in a searingly hot give and take, bodies flush together and tongues dancing; it felt like she’d taken her first big gulp of air in thirteen years. Jax pressed her firmer against the side of the truck and Harry angled her body, eagerly dragging him as close as possible. It wasn’t close enough, and she signaled her displeasure with a small groan.

“Your place or mine?” Jax temporarily pulled his mouth from hers only to trail it along the length of her neck in a series of nips and caresses.

“Yours.” Harry fisted her fingers through his hair and brought his mouth back. “And I’ll use my descry magic to make sure there are no speed traps along the way.”

Jax’s mouth pulled up into a smirk. “Love the way you think.”

His big hands gripped her waist and easily deposited her in the passenger seat, and while he made his way around to the driver’s side, Harry sent a silent thank-you to the goddess that Elodie had forced her into the barely there sexy panties.