tell me what the note said.”
“It said ‘Have a nice day.’” She heard her windshield crack, and winced. “Fine. Whoever sent them thinks I make their heart burn. So I guess I have a new secret admirer.”
His eyes turned to chrome. “Not for long.” He took out his mobile and pressed one number before lifting it to his ear. “Garcia? Roses were delivered to my
sygkenis
at the station. Contact the florist; I want the name and address of the man who paid for them. Yes. By sunset.” He switched off the phone and gazed down at her. “You will leave this to me.”
“Dwyer is dead.” Saying the name of the man who had harassed her, assaulted her, stalked her, and ultimately ended her human life made her feel sick. But Lucan had endured worse at the hands of a former friend turned Brethren agent. “So is Leigh. Don’t let the past play games with your head.”
“Such sweet concern.” Lucan put his hands on her waist and lifted her up to his eye level. “I daresay you do love me.”
“Oh, yeah.” She linked her arms around his neck. “Now take me home, my man, and I’ll show you how much.”
Chapter 5
“S o Richard offers rule of Ireland in exchange for some lost baubles. If I’d known that was the sole requirement, I’d never have crossed the pond.” Lucan rolled up the summons Jamys Durand had given him and passed it to Burke. “I thank you for delivering it. Shall I have young Chris drive you back to the airport?”
Jamys hesitated. To remain in South Florida long enough to search for the Emeralds of Eternity, he would have to request permission for an extended visit. Lucan would want to know why, and if he told him the truth, it would probably result in a call to Thierry Durand. The moment Jamys’s father discovered his son had joined the quest for the lost gems, he would order him back to North Carolina.
A warm hand touched the back of his. “With your permission, Suzerain, Lord Durand would like to stay for a few days,” Christian Lang said. “He’s been looking forward to spending some time with you and your lady and his friends among the household.”
“Has he?” Lucan eyed the girl.
Jamys hid his surprise and inclined his head in agreement.
“Still having trouble getting the words out?” A glimmer of sympathy warmed the suzerain’s silvery eyes. “Well, we’ve plenty of mortals around the place to help you with that. Chris, since you’re already acquainted with Jamys, you can look after him while he’s here.” He rose from his chair. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go collect my
sygkenis
before she spends the whole of the night filling out police forms in triplicate.”
“My lord, perhaps you should text her first,” Burke said as he followed Lucan out of the room.
At last Jamys was alone with Chris, and he turned his hand to catch hers as he projected his thoughts.
What have they done to you?
“Done? Nothing.” She lowered her voice before she added, “I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t have jumped in like that, but I got the feeling you didn’t want to play twenty questions.”
I don’t mean that.
He looked at her dark brown hair, which she wore in a sleek twist, and then all over her face, which had been made up with sheer, neutral cosmetics but no longer sported any piercings. The only jewelry she wore, in fact, was two blue pearl studs in her ears and a short, matching strand around her throat.
Why do you look like this?
She glanced down at the front of her tailored navy blue suit. “This is what I wear to work.” Her lips curved in an impersonal smile as she extracted her hand from his. “Would you like a tour of the stronghold? The suzerain has made quite a few changes since your last visit.”
Jamys had no interest in going anywhere until Chris gave him some answers. Somehow during the three years they had been apart, Lucan and his
sygkenis
had turned the rebellious, fiercely loyal girl he had known into this polite, cool stranger. If he
“It said ‘Have a nice day.’” She heard her windshield crack, and winced. “Fine. Whoever sent them thinks I make their heart burn. So I guess I have a new secret admirer.”
His eyes turned to chrome. “Not for long.” He took out his mobile and pressed one number before lifting it to his ear. “Garcia? Roses were delivered to my
sygkenis
at the station. Contact the florist; I want the name and address of the man who paid for them. Yes. By sunset.” He switched off the phone and gazed down at her. “You will leave this to me.”
“Dwyer is dead.” Saying the name of the man who had harassed her, assaulted her, stalked her, and ultimately ended her human life made her feel sick. But Lucan had endured worse at the hands of a former friend turned Brethren agent. “So is Leigh. Don’t let the past play games with your head.”
“Such sweet concern.” Lucan put his hands on her waist and lifted her up to his eye level. “I daresay you do love me.”
“Oh, yeah.” She linked her arms around his neck. “Now take me home, my man, and I’ll show you how much.”
Chapter 5
“S o Richard offers rule of Ireland in exchange for some lost baubles. If I’d known that was the sole requirement, I’d never have crossed the pond.” Lucan rolled up the summons Jamys Durand had given him and passed it to Burke. “I thank you for delivering it. Shall I have young Chris drive you back to the airport?”
Jamys hesitated. To remain in South Florida long enough to search for the Emeralds of Eternity, he would have to request permission for an extended visit. Lucan would want to know why, and if he told him the truth, it would probably result in a call to Thierry Durand. The moment Jamys’s father discovered his son had joined the quest for the lost gems, he would order him back to North Carolina.
A warm hand touched the back of his. “With your permission, Suzerain, Lord Durand would like to stay for a few days,” Christian Lang said. “He’s been looking forward to spending some time with you and your lady and his friends among the household.”
“Has he?” Lucan eyed the girl.
Jamys hid his surprise and inclined his head in agreement.
“Still having trouble getting the words out?” A glimmer of sympathy warmed the suzerain’s silvery eyes. “Well, we’ve plenty of mortals around the place to help you with that. Chris, since you’re already acquainted with Jamys, you can look after him while he’s here.” He rose from his chair. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go collect my
sygkenis
before she spends the whole of the night filling out police forms in triplicate.”
“My lord, perhaps you should text her first,” Burke said as he followed Lucan out of the room.
At last Jamys was alone with Chris, and he turned his hand to catch hers as he projected his thoughts.
What have they done to you?
“Done? Nothing.” She lowered her voice before she added, “I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t have jumped in like that, but I got the feeling you didn’t want to play twenty questions.”
I don’t mean that.
He looked at her dark brown hair, which she wore in a sleek twist, and then all over her face, which had been made up with sheer, neutral cosmetics but no longer sported any piercings. The only jewelry she wore, in fact, was two blue pearl studs in her ears and a short, matching strand around her throat.
Why do you look like this?
She glanced down at the front of her tailored navy blue suit. “This is what I wear to work.” Her lips curved in an impersonal smile as she extracted her hand from his. “Would you like a tour of the stronghold? The suzerain has made quite a few changes since your last visit.”
Jamys had no interest in going anywhere until Chris gave him some answers. Somehow during the three years they had been apart, Lucan and his
sygkenis
had turned the rebellious, fiercely loyal girl he had known into this polite, cool stranger. If he
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