Read Online Noble Blood by Dana Marie Bell - Free Book Online Page A

Sidhe other than what Duncan and the Insane Malmaynes had taught him? Maybe Duncan had some kind of exhibitionism fetish he’d never bothered to tell his best friend about, or he was reliving his afternoon delight with Moira. “Is Moira in danger?”
    The heat died in Duncan’s eyes, to be replaced with that iron determination Jaden knew so well. It was that determination mixed with the man’s compassionate heart that had gotten Jaden out of that alleyway alive all those years ago. “So far there has been talk of discontent over my mating, but no real threats. Not yet, anyway.”
    Compassionate Duncan might be, but no one had ever claimed he was stupid. “It’s a matter of time, then.”
    “Yes.”
    Jaden ran his hands through his hair. “There’s something you need to know.”
    Duncan nodded, like he’d been expecting Jaden to say something like that.
    “I’m a Blade.”
    Duncan’s whole body tensed. Jaden could hear his heartbeat speed up. “What?”
    “I’m one of Oberon’s Blades. I’ve been working some cases for The Hob for the last two months.” Longer than that, really, but what Duncan didn’t know couldn’t get Jaden’s ass kicked.
    Duncan’s jaw was working again. He was going to owe his dentist a fortune if he kept that up. “And now?”
    Jaden bit the bullet. If things were bad enough that Moira was on the verge of being threatened then Duncan needed to know. “I’m here on a case.”
    Duncan’s eyes closed. “After the case is over? Will you stay?”
    Jaden shrugged, faking a nonchalance he didn’t feel. The urge to run his hand over that stubbled jaw was almost irresistible. “Then I move on to the next one.” He smiled. “You always knew the baby bird would someday fly the nest, old man.”
    The slow smile that crossed Duncan’s face sent a shiver of fear down his spine. The last time Duncan had smiled like that…well. The man he’d smiled like that over was finally walking again, wasn’t he? “We’ll see.” Duncan shifted, his expression easing. “The case?”
    Jaden settled into his usual seat in front of Duncan’s desk. He wondered if Ian had set it back up or if Duncan had. “Rumor has it some of the Malmaynes are edging toward the Black.”
    He shielded his eyes from the sudden burst of silver light that shone from the Malmayne lord. “Henri.”
    “Care to tone that down? You’d give spotlights hissy fits.” Jaden blinked rapidly, trying to adjust his eyes. “I see spots before my eyes,” he muttered, ignoring Duncan’s chuckle. “Geez, old man. Calm down.” The name Henri finally registered. Henri was the worst sort of toady and firmly of the belief that a Sidhe’s shit didn’t stink. He was also a raging bigot. He bet Henri was horrified that even someone with Leo’s polluted blood almost married into the pure Malmayne bloodline.
    No, that wasn’t right. Henri had tried to get Leo to somehow mate into the Malmayne clan. Was almost insistent about it, in fact.
    What the fuck was going on? At this rate he’d need a flowchart to keep track of the crazies and their plots.
    “I still don’t know how they think they’re going to manage to get Leo to fulfill the marriage contract considering the man’s already true bonded to Ruby. Besides, the only female Malmayne candidate is dead unless we start looking at the cousins.”
    “You’re true bonded to Moira. That should have been enough to fulfill the contract, even in their eyes, since you’re head of the clan and Moira is a direct descendant of Aileen.” Jaden rubbed his chin, thinking. He ignored the speculative gleam in Duncan’s eyes since, really? The man was acting fucking weird. Had he figured out that Jaden had taken a little joy ride through his sex life? “So, what? You think they might have another contender to bring forward?” Another Deranged Darling would just make his day. Give him something to sink his teeth into.
    “I don’t see how. The contract was between the heads of both