had high cheekbones, a long straight nose and a jaw that seemed a stranger to a razor. He was the epitome of male beauty, but the air of danger about him told Taer he was more than just a pretty boy. “Who are you, Little Girl?” he demanded.
She stared defiantly and remained silent. She had no idea whether she could trust this guy. She wasn’t about to spill all her secrets to him, even if he was one of the handsomest males she had ever laid eyes on.
His top lip twitched. “Little Girl it is then.”
Dick.
Taer gritted her teeth, staring at him from under her dark lashes.
Sinking back in his chair, the elf rested his forearms on the table and let out a deep breath. Taer caught his scent, the aroma of spicy cinnamon getting tangled in her nostrils.
“Do you know who I am?” he asked.
Taer shook her head. “No idea.”
“My name is Aubrey.”
“Is that supposed to mean something to me?” Taer retorted bitingly.
He chuckled at her outburst. She glowered back at him, balling her hands into fists.
“Let’s say, for argument’s sake, that this Boston guild master is someone I’m familiar with. Why would I give you anything?”
“ Why? ” she replied sharply. Aubrey arched one pale brow at her. “He owes me money,” she lied. Taer waited for him to call bullshit, but he said nothing. “I always collect on my debts.”
His lips lifted in a pleasantly bland smile. “He must owe you a great deal.”
You got that fucking right.
Taer looked at the scarred tabletop so he wouldn’t see the rage and pain simmering within her. He wouldn’t answer her question, so she wouldn’t answer his. They were at an impasse. She met his eyes once more, hoping all he could see now was her determination.
His finger began tapping the table, rhythmically drumming out a steady pattern. “Where can I find you if I hear anything about this … Mare?” Although it didn’t show on his face, there was definitely amusement in his voice.
Taer didn’t know how to respond. She could lie, but what would be the point of that? She was well protected at the Eye. Nobody could fade in or out of the building. “Odin’s Eye,” she replied.
His eyebrow arched again. “With the Valkyries?” She nodded. “How interesting,” he said, studying her carefully.
Not enjoying being scrutinized so closely, Taer glanced at the gold face of his expensive watch, seeing that it was close to dawn. She stood up, Aubrey’s eyes following her movements. “Where are you going?” he asked congenially.
“I’m leaving.”
She didn’t wait to hear what else the light elf had to say. She wasn’t even sure she should have told him as much as she had, but desperation can drive people to do rash and stupid things.
Taer faded back to the club just as the sun was rising. Slipping inside the back door after punching in the code to the new security system, she rode the elevator back up to the apartment. It was still quiet as she closed the apartment door behind her, but as she stepped into her room, she could hear Korvain stirring.
Changing into her pajamas, Taer crawled into bed, being careful not to wake Eir. A few moments later, Korvain rapped on the door softly and stuck his head in. She could feel his gaze on her, checking to see that she was all right. The seconds passed, but just as he was about to leave, Taer spoke.
“I’m awake.”
He paused. “Did you sleep at all last night?”
“Like a baby,” she lied. Taer threw the covers back and slid off the mattress. “When can we start training?”
Korvain frowned at her, but before he could protest, she cut him off.
“Look, I slept all through the night and I ate dinner last night. I’ve done everything you’ve asked.”
Korvain glowered at her but agreed, saying, “Get changed and I’ll meet you downstairs.”
Chapter 8
Mason had been lying in bed, staring at the brushstrokes on the ceiling for at least the last four hours. He’d woken from the same dream that always
She stared defiantly and remained silent. She had no idea whether she could trust this guy. She wasn’t about to spill all her secrets to him, even if he was one of the handsomest males she had ever laid eyes on.
His top lip twitched. “Little Girl it is then.”
Dick.
Taer gritted her teeth, staring at him from under her dark lashes.
Sinking back in his chair, the elf rested his forearms on the table and let out a deep breath. Taer caught his scent, the aroma of spicy cinnamon getting tangled in her nostrils.
“Do you know who I am?” he asked.
Taer shook her head. “No idea.”
“My name is Aubrey.”
“Is that supposed to mean something to me?” Taer retorted bitingly.
He chuckled at her outburst. She glowered back at him, balling her hands into fists.
“Let’s say, for argument’s sake, that this Boston guild master is someone I’m familiar with. Why would I give you anything?”
“ Why? ” she replied sharply. Aubrey arched one pale brow at her. “He owes me money,” she lied. Taer waited for him to call bullshit, but he said nothing. “I always collect on my debts.”
His lips lifted in a pleasantly bland smile. “He must owe you a great deal.”
You got that fucking right.
Taer looked at the scarred tabletop so he wouldn’t see the rage and pain simmering within her. He wouldn’t answer her question, so she wouldn’t answer his. They were at an impasse. She met his eyes once more, hoping all he could see now was her determination.
His finger began tapping the table, rhythmically drumming out a steady pattern. “Where can I find you if I hear anything about this … Mare?” Although it didn’t show on his face, there was definitely amusement in his voice.
Taer didn’t know how to respond. She could lie, but what would be the point of that? She was well protected at the Eye. Nobody could fade in or out of the building. “Odin’s Eye,” she replied.
His eyebrow arched again. “With the Valkyries?” She nodded. “How interesting,” he said, studying her carefully.
Not enjoying being scrutinized so closely, Taer glanced at the gold face of his expensive watch, seeing that it was close to dawn. She stood up, Aubrey’s eyes following her movements. “Where are you going?” he asked congenially.
“I’m leaving.”
She didn’t wait to hear what else the light elf had to say. She wasn’t even sure she should have told him as much as she had, but desperation can drive people to do rash and stupid things.
Taer faded back to the club just as the sun was rising. Slipping inside the back door after punching in the code to the new security system, she rode the elevator back up to the apartment. It was still quiet as she closed the apartment door behind her, but as she stepped into her room, she could hear Korvain stirring.
Changing into her pajamas, Taer crawled into bed, being careful not to wake Eir. A few moments later, Korvain rapped on the door softly and stuck his head in. She could feel his gaze on her, checking to see that she was all right. The seconds passed, but just as he was about to leave, Taer spoke.
“I’m awake.”
He paused. “Did you sleep at all last night?”
“Like a baby,” she lied. Taer threw the covers back and slid off the mattress. “When can we start training?”
Korvain frowned at her, but before he could protest, she cut him off.
“Look, I slept all through the night and I ate dinner last night. I’ve done everything you’ve asked.”
Korvain glowered at her but agreed, saying, “Get changed and I’ll meet you downstairs.”
Chapter 8
Mason had been lying in bed, staring at the brushstrokes on the ceiling for at least the last four hours. He’d woken from the same dream that always
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