The Devil You Know (12 page)

Unfortunately, it was time for my meeting. Grudgingly, almost reverently, I closed the book.
Exstinguere.
Magic again shimmered as the spell settled over the tome. With regret, I watched the beautiful phoenix silently caw once, mourning its loss of freedom. Then it disappeared, hidden once more within the leather. For a second, my chest hurt. With my thumb, I rubbed the book’s cover, feeling nothing more than cool cowhide. Something so beautiful should never be bound away to live in darkness.

I left the kitchen, heading to my meeting with Fera and Gem, taking my tea and the book with me. This immortal bird of flame and fire, of sunlight and ash, wasn’t gone. Soon, I would again light her world and she would be reborn.

I only hoped she could return the favor.

Chapter Seven

“Tickle me pink and set my hair on fire. I think we’ve got a winner.”

—From Buck Leroux’s Wedding Vows

“Exactly how do you plan on breaking into a secure facility full of dead bodies and getting yourself and the cor—” Gentling her tone, Fera cut her eyes to Gem, who occupied the other chair. They occupied the den’s brown leather armchairs. “My apologies, how do you plan to get yourself and the late Mr. Roskov out without being caught? His autopsy is in seven days. That’s not much time for making plans.”

I sat on the old cream-striped couch, glad Jacq wasn’t back to hear my answer. For the same reason, I was glad Aunt Helena and Nana were in the kitchen preparing for our dinner guests’ arrival. Gem nodded, acknowledging Fera’s courtesy, but didn’t speak.

“Simple.” I gave the grieving daughter’s worried face a reassuring smile before turning back to the curious sheriff. “You’re going to kill me. Then I’ll fit right in.”

As expected, Fera’s smile slipped. “No. Fucking. Way. Jacqueline would have my hide.” She tossed her multicolored hair over her shoulder, rested an ankle across her knee, and scowled.

Behind me, a husky voice growled, “You may be assured of that.”

It was my turn to be surprised. I hadn’t sensed Jacq’s return. She strode briskly into the room, eased herself onto the old couch, and slid her hand into mine. The determined set of her jaw and the warm brush of her magic against mine made something low in my belly clench.

“Don’t worry.” I gave Jacq a quick smile and squeezed her hand but kept talking to Fera and Gem, trying to put my reactions aside until a more appropriate time. I could sense Jacq wasn’t overly concerned. She knew I had a plan…just not what it was. “I don’t mean kill me, literally. I was thinking more one of the Fae’s famous stasis spells with a bit of a twist.”

“Oh, well,” Fera threw her hands up, “that makes it just fine then. Those things are dangerous and not even legal.”

Gem remained quiet, but her eyes flicked from woman to woman.

I said, “They’re only dangerous if done by someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing. That wouldn’t be the case here, correct?”

Fera’s silent, stony expression was answer enough.

“And they’re not legal
or
illegal.” I gave the now glowering Fera a pointed look. “The humans have to know about it, for them to ban it, and I sort of noticed there were quite a few things the Fae didn’t disclose when they took their place as America’s newest royalty.”

Jacq cleared her throat, her thoughts saying I’d inadvertently touched a sore subject. Though I wasn’t sure what I’d said to make Fera so red-faced.

“Maybe,” Fera slowly emphasized her words, “
some
hide
some
things.” Her eyes cut briefly to Gem. “You know as well as I that much of what is hidden is done so by the Council’s decree, and that it’s for the humans’ as well as the Fae’s protection.” Eyes blazing with anger, she said strongly, “Even so, I’ll help you…only so you don’t land your ass in my jail. Babysitting you for a few days, much less a few decades, would drive me insane.” She turned sympathetic eyes to Jacq. A look passed between the two, and I elbowed my stubborn, chivalrous…suddenly unhelpful…protector.

Belatedly, Jacq chimed in, “She’s not that bad. Really.” The response was halfhearted, but I smiled at her, giving my detective an A for effort if not enthusiasm.

“Thanks, honeybunches.” At my overly sweet words, Fera snorted and Jacq made a strangled sound in her throat. The serious Gem barely held in a chuckle. I ignored it all. “Now, back to business. We’ll have to wait and finalize everything once the agency’s newest employee arrives tomorrow.” Jacq and Fera both arched a brow, which I also ignored. “Until then, first things first. Gem, how are you at driving a stick shift?”

Gemini’s only request (other than asking for help in the gargantuan feat of getting her father’s body away from the cryogenics lab where the Council had stashed it) was that she be involved directly with the planning and actual mission. No doubt she was skilled, but I was leery about taking an unknown entity on a job. So we’d reached a compromise. Gem would provide my exit.

Finding something funny in my question, Gem actually smiled, showing her fangs. “I’m a fair enough driver.”

Gem hadn’t said much since her arrival, and this was the first I’d seen of her smile today. At the meeting’s beginning, Fera and I had joked with her over coffee and Aunt Helena’s lemon bars. Gem had warmed briefly when explaining her father’s romance to her Turkish nomad mother. But it was as if Domini Roskov’s ghost sat by his daughter’s side, the bitter chill of his ethereal presence invading her soul, because though her tone had often been light, the darkness had never left her eyes. I understood this too well. Gem could never be truly happy until she had put her father to rest.

“And what exactly will she be driving?” Fera’s impertinent question interrupted my melancholy musings. “I seem to have noticed,” she made air quotes then crossed her arms, “that your truck is in no condition for travel.”

I winced. My grandpa’s old Silverado was definitely in no shape for driving on the road and certainly not for transporting a dead body…or in this case, bodies. But I had this covered.

“Patience, grasshopper. You do your share. I’ll do mine. The Council will get what they need. And everything will work out just perfectly.”
Or so I hope.
I still didn’t put it past Fera to get more info and then try to arrest me. I was keeping her on a strict need-to-know basis with the understanding that there was very little she
needed
to know.

Jacq rested her head against her other hand and stretched out her long muscular legs. I moved our joined hands to her hard thigh, giving the hot trouser-clad limb a brief pat before turning to the others to go over our timeframe. Jacq was smart to make herself comfortable.

I was just getting warmed up.

* * *

Jacq and I were spending a moment alone in the den before our guests arrived. Fera had invited herself to dinner, but until then she was thankfully off somewhere finding something to amuse herself with. I’d neglected to mention our dinner guests’ identities and looked forward to Fera’s reaction when she realized she was having biscuits and gravy with demons.

When Nana had found out Gem was lodging in a hotel, she’d invited her to stay at the house. Gem was now on her way back to NOLA to check out and retrieve her luggage. She had tried to argue otherwise but had given in when faced with my grandmother’s staunch civility. I hadn’t said a word—it was safer that way. Besides, with Rom in the nursery, Gem in the guest room, Brit in my mom’s room, and our new secretary taking the rooms above the agency offices, that left only my room for Jacq, which was just fine with me. There were other rooms and the attic, but they hadn’t been used in some time and were not ready for guests. My bright phoenix had already made it clear she was on vacation and would not leave until I kicked her from the house. Not surprisingly, I seemed incapable of doing that.

“That went well,” I said softly.

Jacq smiled and slipped closer on the couch. Her warm arm went around me, and I rested my head on her shoulder, sighing in happiness. She nuzzled my neck, murmuring, “Uh, hmm. Very well. Now care to share what you’re up to?”

I turned my lips to meet hers, brushing them gently several times before sinking into a slow sensual kiss. The den door was open, so I didn’t want to give my family a free show. But we were slouched low enough, the old cream-striped couch’s back hiding us, that I thought they wouldn’t see…too much. I withdrew my lips, regrettably needing to breathe. “And spoil the surprise?”

Jacq’s eyes crinkled as she laughed softly, flashing that one dimple. “There won’t be any surprises left if you move your hand any higher.”

Blood rushed to my face as I realized the hand I’d rested on her leg had been moving up her inner thigh, leisurely making its way closer and closer toward forbidden territory. I stilled my hand but didn’t move it, instead squeezing her tight muscles, feeling them jump beneath my touch.

“Cate,” Jacq growled, “you’re asking for trouble.”

I brought my lips back to hers, whispering as our mouths were an inch apart, “Maybe I am. Or maybe I’ve already found it. Are you complaining?” I smiled and kissed her, tugging gently on her lower lip before darting my tongue into her mouth, just as quickly pulling back, waiting for her response.

Jacq blinked several times, her stormy eyes hazy with desire. “Never.” She pushed me back, her body pressing mine into the couch. Her lips again met mine, this time in a more demanding assault. Her hot hand slipped under my shirt and spread across my belly, pulling at the phoenix piercing in my navel. I’d consistently worn it instead of an everyday stud. The strange urge to so blatantly wear my totem at all times had been confusing, until I’d seen Jacq’s tattoo. She tugged and the pull went lower.

My back bowed upward before falling back to the couch. Moaning softly, I panted out, “Now, who’s looking for trouble?”

Jacq moved her hot lips to my neck, her teeth grazing the sensitive skin below my ear before softly saying, “Ah, but that’s the difference between us, my love. Trouble found me all on its own.”

With the “my love,” my mouth popped open but no words came out. She brought her lips back to hover above mine, her gaze nearly black with want locked with mine. Magic arced between us, an almost visible heatwave in the air. I watched as all of her restraint and good intentions seemed to melt away, replaced with an all-consuming hunger. My mouth went dry. I whimpered as my own hunger rose to the surface. My demon beast paced her cage restlessly as she too felt Jacq’s call.

“Trouble found me,” Jacq said. “You found me. But I’ll be damned if I’ll release either of you anytime soon.” Smoky eyes smoldering, Jacq made an almost inhuman growling sound of hunger, and I gasped as her hard mouth found mine, no longer soft and gentle but rough and commanding. No longer asking but taking.

In the words of a not-so-famous general, “When faced with unassailable forces, sometimes you simply must throw up the white flag, set out the good china, and invite the enemy into your bed. That is the only truly Southern thing to do.” If there was one thing I knew, it was how to be a true Southerner.

As Jacq’s hot hands moved higher, spreading across my ribs before moving behind my back, pulling me tightly to her body, I threaded my fingers in her hair, held her lips tightly to my own, and began to wave my white flag in earnest. There was no time to find a bed, but you could bet that with company coming the good china was already on the table. The rest we would simply have to improvise.

We lost track of everything but the heat building between us. Slowly, my hands slid from Jacq’s hair, down her jaw, between her breasts, and across her stomach to her belt. Jacq groaned. I kissed her, stealing the sound even as I loosened her belt. Her body moved slowly above mine with just enough pressure to hint at what was coming. Our mouths fused together over and over again, stoking our fires higher and higher. Countless minutes passed. Her smoky eyes watched as my fingers snicked the zipper on her pants downward. Desire had completely fogged my brain and I suspected Jacq’s as well, because we both jumped when a knock sounded at the den’s open door.

Fortunately for me, as I was lying below my love, my jump was merely a convulsion of startled limbs. However Jacq, thinking my family was about to discover us in a most indelicate situation, broke our kiss and rolled to the side, sacrificing her dignity for mine.

Unfortunately, there was nowhere for her to go but down.

Jacq landed on the hard floor with a painful-sounding thud and lay there, panting, mock-scowling as I laughed. The painfully tight muscles in my abdomen jerked with each soft chuckle. Having felt our visitor’s magical resonance, I knew it wasn’t my family, so I took the time to lean over and kiss Jacq briefly on the lips. She eyed me, bemused and a little chagrined. I needed to inform her soon that my family knew about us. Otherwise, next time the chivalrous woman might roll off something higher up and crack her head. Then we’d be a fine concussed pair.

Suppressing my mirth, I lifted my red face above the couch’s back to see an embarrassed Brittan standing in the doorway.

She cleared her throat. “Nana asked me to give you a message. She didn’t want to disturb your…uh,” Brit coughed, “business meeting. There was a call. Your company and their escorts left NOLA early thanks to the heavy cloud cover. They should be here right after sunset. Someone named Seth thought you might want to know.”

I looked to the window, noticing the unusually early darkness. “Thank you, yes.” I smiled, my embarrassment slipping away.

Brit began to leave but hesitated. That’s when I noticed the sheathed sword she clutched tightly. I hadn’t seen Brit with the blade since the events with Nicodemus.

“Brit, did you want to talk?” I asked, looking to Jacq, who’d righted her clothes and now stood beside me.

Sensing my thoughts, Jacq bent and kissed me on the temple. “I’m going for a run and to check the wards. I’ll see you at dinner.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, barely restraining a grin, and flicked a finger across her loose belt buckle. Jacq reached down and cinched the belt, searing me with a look that made my toes tingle. It said payback was a bitch, one I was sure to enjoy. She strode away confidently, stopping only to murmur reassurance to Brittan on her way out.