by KJ Baker
Raven cocked his head at me. “What’s wrong?”
“Wrong?” I replied, my voice a little shrill. “What could possibly be wrong? Oh god! I’ll get ten years for this!”
“You do not have to come with me. Stay here. I can handle this alone.”
I was damned sure he could. No doubt stealing from a museum was a piece of cake for somebody like him, but I found myself shaking my head.
“No. We had a deal, remember? We’re in this together.”
I can’t risk losing you.
What? Where the hell had that thought come from?
He watched me a moment longer and then nodded. “Okay.”
Raven spent the next couple of hours sharpening his knives. I couldn’t settle. I paced around the room, watched TV, paced some more. The time dragged slowly, the hands on the clock hardly seeming to have moved at all every time I glanced at them. But Raven finally rose from his seat, put his knives away, and announced that it was time.
We left the motel and climbed into the car. It was only a short drive to the museum, but all the way there, I was excruciatingly aware of his nearness. He said nothing, and I busied myself with staring out of the window, watching the streets roll by.
He parked up and together we crossed the parking lot to the museum entrance. It was busy, with people streaming through the entrance. They were mostly families, and I cursed inwardly as I realized it was the school break. Perfect. A building full of children and possibly two savage Fae killers. Three savage Fae killers, I corrected as I remembered Raven sharpening his knives.
We took our places in the line in the foyer and I realized that anyone seeing us would probably think us a normal couple out for the day.
I almost laughed aloud at that thought.
Finally, we reached the ticket booth. My heart pounded in my chest as I handed over some money. Surely, the woman would take one look at us and know what we were up to? I’d never done anything like this in my life. Surely, my guilt would be plastered across my face?
But she merely handed over the tickets, smiled, and told me to have a nice day. I stammered out a reply then, with Raven at my side, entered the museum.
RAVEN
I struggled to keep a snarl off my face as we walked into the museum. The whole place seethed with mortals—many of them children. The soldier in me assessed the situation in an instant. This was not good. Way too much chance of collateral damage. Perhaps Asha had been right. Maybe we should have broken in and stolen the map, but my earlier arguments were sound. Even so, the sight of so many people set my hair on end and sent a cold trickle of dread down my spine. I did not want mortals to get hurt in this.
The Galadri would have no such compunction.
“Let’s find the map and get out of here,” I growled. “If we’re lucky, the Galadri aren’t here yet. I suggest we get out before they arrive.”
I walked off and then stopped when I realized Asha wasn’t following. I turned back to find her struggling to unfold a large pamphlet.
“What are you doing?”
“It’s a map of the place. Or do you just want to wander around until we find it?”
I said nothing, scanning the area as Asha checked the map. Children were clustered in the shop, pestering their parents for treats, and a group of adolescent students were gathered around a guide who was explaining something about the architecture of the building. Security guards stood at intervals, keeping an eye on everybody. I turned slowly, taking in every inch. There was no sign of the Galadri.
“Here it is,” Asha said triumphantly, tapping the map. “This way.”
She led the way out of the foyer and into the museum proper. Thankfully, the crowds began to thin a little but I didn’t relax my guard. My knives felt cold and reassuringly sharp where they rested in the belt beneath my shirt.
Asha’s expression was determined, with no trace of fear. I wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or worried about that. She should be afraid. The Galadri had tried to kill her once. They would not hesitate to do so again.
My hands curled into fists and I had to clamp my teeth together to keep an animal growl from escaping my throat. I would not let anything hurt Asha. Anything. I would kill anyone who tried. My thoughts strayed back to what had happened last night. The connection that had flared between us had been so intense it had bordered on pain. Beautiful, delicious pain.
Even now, as she walked by my side, I could sense her without having to look at her. I felt her heart thumping in her chest. I felt the way her hair brushed against her shoulders. I tasted the scent of her in the air, a deep, alluring musk.
Focus, damn you, I growled at myself. No soldier could afford such distractions, especially with so much at stake.
We padded silently down a long gallery with glass cases along both walls. Inside were relics from the mortals’ ancient past. I recognized clay tablets with Egyptian hieroglyphics, marble busts from Roman temples. But they were not what we were after.
At the end of the gallery Asha paused, peered at the map, and then set off again. “Down here. It should be at the end.”
I moved ahead of her, indicating for her to stay behind me. I threw my senses wide, alert for any sign of threat as we moved down the corridor and stepped into a square room at the end.
It was empty save for a single glass case in the exact center of the room and two security guards talking quietly in the corner.
Asha hurried over to the case. “This is it!” she breathed, running her hands over the glass. “The Atlas of Thoth. My god, Raven, look at it! It’s amazing!”
I flicked my gaze over the manuscript. It was made from papyrus and was larger than I expected. Symbols covered the page in neat rows. The information plaque attached to the case said that nobody had been able to decipher the language and that, because it didn’t correspond to any known Egyptian hieroglyphs, archeologists thought it an early form of Mesopotamian cuneiform.
“Grab it and let’s get out of here,” I said in a low voice.
Asha scowled at me. “Just like that? If you hadn’t noticed, it’s in a case! How am I supposed to get it out?”
I glided over to the fire alarm attached to the wall and rammed my elbow into the glass. A shrill howl sounded through the building.
The security guards turned towards us. “Hey! What are you—”
“There’s nothing to worry about, gentlemen,” I said, slamming the full force of my glamor at them. “It’s just a drill. You knew that though, didn’t you? You’ll go and line up outside with everyone else. Everything is under control.”
The security guards blinked. “It’s just a drill, remember?” one of them said to his companion.
“Sure,” the other replied. “We’ll go and line up outside with everyone else. It’s all under control.”
They strode out, leaving Asha and I alone in the room. “Keep a look out,” I instructed her.
She nodded and moved over to the door, sticking her head into the corridor. “All clear.”
I approached the glass case, gathered my magic, and raised my fist.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” said a cold voice.
I spun. Shezl stood in the doorway. His hand was clamped around Asha’s throat and he had a gun resting against her temple.
“Step away from the map or this bitch dies.”
Chapter 8
ASHA
I hadn’t heard him. I hadn’t seen him. Blond had appeared out of nowhere and grabbed me. As easily as that, I was bested. Fear and anger coursed through me in equal measure. I was supposed to be on lookout! Fat lot of use I was!
Cold seeped into my skin from where Blond’s fingers were fastened around my neck like a steel vise. His grip wasn’t hard enough to hurt, but hard enough that I dare not move. I’d seen his strength. I had no doubt he could snap my neck like kindling.
Raven’s lilac eyes were fixed on Blond: a predator preparing to strike. He took a silent step forward. “Let her go. Now.”
&
nbsp; “I don’t think so,” Blond said, pressing the gun harder against my temple. “Not another step.” There was a click as he flicked the safety off. “You know I’ll do it.”
Raven froze. His eyes found mine and a chill slid down my spine. They were full of something I’d never thought to see there: fear.
He looked around slowly. “Where is Taviel?”
“Watching your little bitch’s apartment,” Blond hissed. “We thought she might be stupid enough to go back there. Besides, it doesn’t take two of us to deal with you, Seelie. Now step back!”
“All right,” Raven breathed, holding up his hands and taking a step back. “You win. Don’t hurt her.”
“Wise move.” Blond cocked his head as he regarded Raven. “Although I admit to being a little confused. Why do you care about this woman? She’s only a mortal. If you want to have a little fun whilst you’re here, there are plenty more where she came from. Whores are as plentiful as grains of sand in this Fates-forsaken hole.”
Raven’s lip curled in a snarl and a flash of fury blazed in his eyes. “You will not call her that again.” His voice was chilling in its calmness. “If you do, I will tear your throat out.”
Blond stared at Raven in silence for a moment and then burst into laughter. His body shook with mirth, although his grip around my neck didn’t slacken. “The mighty King Arion, Lord of the Shadow Court, infatuated with a mortal! By the Fates! I couldn’t have written it any better!”
I started. What? Had I just heard that right? King Arion? Raven was a king?
Raven took a step closer, but Blond pressed the gun against my temple so hard it dug into my skin. I swallowed down a whimper of fear.
“Ah-ah. Back away,” Blond told him. “Take the map out of the case and toss it over here.”
Raven glanced from Blond to me. Then, slowly, he turned to the glass case.
“Don’t do it!” I yelled at him. “Don’t give him what he wants!”
“Quiet!” Blond hissed. His grip tightened painfully around my throat, choking off my words.
Raven glanced at the map. Then he raised his head and met my gaze over the intervening space. Something crackled in the air between us and that awareness I had of him, ever present, roared into life. I could feel the heat of him, his raw fury, his tenuous grip on his self-control. I could feel a turbulent roil of emotions emanating from him: anger, fear. But beneath this lay something else, the thing that was straining his grip on his feelings: a deep, primal need to protect. And it was focussed on me.
Words suddenly flowered in my mind. No, not words. Ideas. A language spoken in images. Raven stared at me, unblinking, as images flooded my mind.
And suddenly, I knew what to do. I gave a tiny, almost imperceptible nod.
Raven rammed his elbow into the glass case, which shattered with a high-pitched tinkling noise. Immediately a shrill security alarm added its scream to the fire alarm. Raven reached inside, ignoring the jagged glass that tore at his arm, and pulled out the map.
Then he spun, tossed it towards Blond who snatched at it, slackening his grip on my neck for an instant.
A word bloomed in my head. Now.
I rammed my elbow into Blond’s chest with all my strength. It took him by surprise and he doubled over, the gun tumbling from his grasp. I kicked it away just as Raven grabbed me by the wrist and shoved me behind him.
Blond recovered in less than a heartbeat. He snarled at Raven, his face a twisted mask of contempt.
“Fool!” he hissed. “She will be your downfall! You are weak, Arion.”
Raven attacked, moving so fast I barely registered the movement. Suddenly Blond staggered back, blood gushing from a gash across his cheek. A blade glinted in Raven’s hand although I’d not seen him draw it.
Blond wiped away the blood and then sprang at Raven, a silver knife appearing in his fist.
Raven parried the blow and the two Fae were suddenly a whirling mass of blades, the room filled with the clang of clashing metal. Back and forth they fought, whirling and striking so rapidly I couldn’t follow it all.
My heart was in my mouth. My pulse thundered so hard I felt light-headed. Raven. Oh, my god, Raven! I had to help him, but I had no idea what to do. If I went anywhere near that whirl of flashing blades I was dead. Like Blond said, I was only a weak mortal.
My lips pressed into a tight, flat line at that thought. Sure, I was mortal. But that did not mean I was weak. Okay, so I couldn’t use brawn against Blond. That meant I had to use my brains instead.
I tried frantically to come up with a plan as I watched them fight. Raven’s fighting skill was astounding. Nobody should be able to move that fast. But Blond matched him. For every thrust Raven made, Blond parried the blow. For every landed kick and punch, Blond came back with one of his own. This couldn’t go on forever. Sooner or later, one of them would falter.
I glanced around the room desperately, then up at the ceiling. An idea came to me, one that just might work.
I scrambled over to the center of the room where the remains of the glass case still stood on its pedestal. I swept aside the glass with the arm of my jacket and then clambered up onto the pedestal. Grabbing my purse, I rummaged around until I found what I needed: a box of matches.
Raven and Blond fought not more than ten paces from me. If they should knock me off the pedestal... Raven glanced at me and seemed to realize what I was up to. He increased his ferocity, driving Blond back towards the far end of the room.
My hands were shaking so badly I could hardly hold the match, but I eventually managed to get a spark. Shielding the tiny flame with one hand, I climbed up on tiptoes and held the flame against one of the many sensors embedded in the ceiling.
For a moment, nothing happened. Come on! I thought, heart thumping. Come on!
Then the sprinkler system exploded into action, a torrent of freezing water bursting from the ceiling and cascading down on the room. My trick worked. Blond gasped in shock as the cold water hit him and hesitated for a heartbeat.
That was enough for Raven. He spun, landing a roundhouse kick into Blond’s midriff, sending the man staggering back. The map skittered out of his hand and rolled across the floor. I pounced on the map, holding it protectively against my chest.
Blond was already back on his feet. “Nice trick,” he growled at me. He wiped the back of his hand across his forehead and then launched himself after me, fingers clawing for the map.
Raven slammed into him, taking them both crashing to the floor. With a yelp, I scrambled away. I pulled my cell phone from my pocket and scrolled through until I found what I needed, shielding it from the falling water with one hand. Laying the map flat on the floor, I worked quickly, one eye on Raven and Blond. They were back on their feet, stalking each other like cats. Raven had a bruise forming under one eye and the gash across Blond’s cheek slowly leaked blood.
I finished with my cell phone just as the sprinkler system cut out. I grabbed the map with one hand, struck another match with the other, and held them up for Blond to see.
“Hey!” I yelled at him. “Is this what you’re after? Then why don’t you come and get it?”
Blond turned to look at me. With a gulp, I pressed the match against the edge of the map and after a few seconds the papyrus took flame. It went up in a whoosh, and I dropped it to the floor, part of me twisting in aguish at having to destroy something so irreplaceable.
“No!” Blond howled. His face contorted into a mask of fury and he leapt at me.
I screamed as he came at me, knowing there was no time to duck out of the way. In my peripheral vision I saw a blur of movement to my left and a silver knife suddenly thudded into Blond’s chest. He staggered to his knees in front of me, his eyes blazing with hatred. His shirt was quickly turning crimson.
“You...don’t know what you’ve done,” he gasped, one arm clawing towards me. Then he collapsed face-first onto the floor.
I stared down at him, my heart thundering. Oh no. No. No. No. I staggered
back, shaking, and my legs were suddenly too weak to hold me up. I started to fall, but suddenly Raven was there, catching me.
“It’s all right,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around me. “I’ve got you.”
I clung to him, burying my head in his shoulder as I shook uncontrollably.
Raven pushed me to arm’s length, examining me critically. “Did he hurt you?”
I glanced at Blond’s lifeless body lying on the floor. I gulped. “No. I’m not hurt.”
Raven breathed out slowly. I reached up to brush my fingers lightly over the bruise on his cheek. Our connection flared to life again, and despite our dire situation, a hot ache of need lit inside me.
“Asha, listen—” Raven began.
“Stand up and put your hands where we can see them. You are both under arrest,” said a voice, cutting easily through the whine of the alarm.
My stomach sank and I looked over my shoulder to see several cops spilling into the room. Raven rose smoothly to his feet and pulled me up after him.
I swallowed thickly, heart racing. “Listen, officer, we can explain—”
“I said put your hands where I can see them!”
I spread my hands wide. The cops had guns pointing at us. My gaze slid to Blond’s body on the floor and the smashed glass case in the middle of the room.
Oh shit. We were in serious trouble.
Raven watched the cops calmly. He did not seem afraid, which was more than could be said for me. My heart slammed against my ribs. I was about to be arrested for murder and robbery! Oh hell. Oh, bloody hell.
Raven turned to look at me. “Do you trust me?” he asked in a low voice.
“I...yes...”
He nodded. Then, before I could react, he threw himself at me, taking us both hurtling to the floor. But before we hit the hard tiles, he yelled something in the Fae language and instead of hitting the ground, I felt myself falling through nothingness. Nausea twisted my stomach and I heard the yelling of the cops and the pop of gun fire just as the room around us disappeared.
