Page 141

M arjani unlaced her combat boots and set them on the floor, frowning.

What was up with Adric? He’d acted odd all day. Calling meetings, visiting all the dens. At supper, he’d been almost sentimental, telling stories about when they were children, and then later, he’d actually pulled her aside to say how happy he was to see things with Fane were working out.

And when she’d boxed up some shrimp étouffée for him, he’d turned it down. Her brother never turned down food. The man hated to cook.

If she didn’t know better, she’d think he was leaving town. But he wouldn’t go anywhere without informing his second, would he?

Fane wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her nape. The jagged gold half-heart that hung from his neck pressed against her spine. She wore the other half—his mate gift to her—on a leather cord along with her quartz.

Long, clever fingers teased her nipples. “Did I tell you how hot you look in this tight little shirt?”

Pleasure slid down her spine. She told herself that Adric wouldn’t do anything in the next few hours, and turned in Fane’s arms.

“I don’t believe you did.” She threaded her fingers into his silky blond hair and heaved a sigh. “Mate with a man, and he starts taking you for granted.”

He had the most gorgeous summer-blue eyes, made even more stunning by the dark brows and lashes framing them. Now the blue heated. “Oh, I’ll take you all right.”

Swinging her into his arms, he tossed her on the bed and followed her down. The T-shirt was deftly removed along with the rest of her clothes. She was still chuckling when his mouth covered her sex.

But she passed an uneasy night, gut churning, her Gift for strategy working overtime. Sometimes she knew what someone was going to do almost before they did.

Just before dawn, she bolted upright in the bed. “That ass . He’s going after the prince.”

Fane rolled over, his corn-silk hair tumbling around his bare shoulders. “Adric?” he mumbled sleepily.

“Who else?” She tapped her quartz, tried to raise him.

No response.

Which was suspicious in itself. Her brother always answered her calls.

“I’ll kill him,” she growled. “I swear to the Mother Goddess herself, I’ll stick a knife in his big, fat ego.”

She shoved off the cloud-soft feather comforter—Fane’s purchase, not hers, although her cat was rapidly getting used to such creature comforts—and stalked down the hall to the bathroom.

She was back in under a minute. As she jerked on her clothes, Fane rose naked from the bed and headed to the bathroom himself. For once, she barely noticed his lean, beautiful body, just sent him a distracted glance as she slid an iron dagger into a sheathe in her boot.

When he returned, he reached for a pair of slim black jeans. “I’m coming with you.”

Damn, she loved him. The man had her back—always. But she shook her head. “It’s better if I talk to him alone.”

“Then I’ll wait for you outside.” He pulled on a cashmere sweater. “I’m not letting you out there alone. The night fae have you in their sights.”

She sheathed a second dagger in her other boot—her mate-gift from Fane—and laced the boot. Her custom-made iron switchblade was already in her pocket.

“They haven’t caught me yet.” She rose on her toes to kiss him. “And the sun will be up soon.”

He caught her arm. “I’m not asking your permission, Jani. You’re not going without me.”

She narrowed her eyes. Her easy-going mate rarely put his foot down, but when he did, he was as immovable as a boulder. A large, house-sized boulder.

However, she was the Baltimore second and Fane was now a clan member.

Which meant she outranked him, although his place in the hierarchy was…

fluid. On the other hand, was it worth a fight?

She hadn’t been mated long, but she was learning compromise was key, especially with two people as different as her and Fane.

“I’ll only follow you anyway,” he added.

She expelled a breath. “I’m leaving in two minutes.”

The corner of his mouth lifted. “I’m a wayfarer, love. I’ll be waiting on the surface.” There was a blur of motion, and then their bedroom door opened and she was alone in the room.

Her lips twitched. Sometimes she forgot how fast he was.

She grabbed her leather jacket. Time to stop her brother before he did something stupid.