To Kill a Fae (Hollowcliff Detectives Book 1)
Page 21
“She lost her mind, cookie,” the Cap explained. “We had to send her to an insane asylum. She kept blabbing about the end of days, and how darkness was coming for her.”
Mera and Asherath exchanged a knowing glance. Bast played tricks with the mind, Mera had seen it when he’d scrambled with Sara’s roommate’s memories, so he must’ve done something to Lisandra.
Mera missed and feared that bastard at the same time, which was insane, but she couldn’t deal with that right now. At least Lisandra wasn’t dead.
Was her current fate any better, though?
Captain Asherath clapped his hands. “Are you ready to get back on the saddle, as you humans say, Detective Maurea?” He stepped aside and showed her the door. “I could use the help of Hollowcliff’s top detectives.”
Mera gingerly stood, and the Cap made a move to help her, but stopped midway. This was how Ruth had raised her; always observant yet giving Mera space to do her own thing; to follow her own path.
“I’m ready,” she assured, knowing it might be a lie.
She stepped out into the Tir Na Nog precinct, which was packed with police force from every borough.
When they saw her, they started clapping.
It was awkward. The last thing she and Bast deserved was applause.
“May I steal my partner for a moment?” Bast’s voice rang from behind, and Mera stilled.
Hell, her entire body froze, but she forced herself to turn around.
Bast stood beside Captain Asherath, and he seemed… different, somehow. Still impossibly handsome, but his piercing blue eyes lacked their usual playfulness.
He avoided staring directly at Mera, and she hated how much that hurt.
“Of course,” Captain Asherath said, putting a gentle hand on the Cap’s shoulder. “Ruth, we have much to discuss about ongoing cases.”
“We sure do.” The Cap kissed Mera’s forehead. “See you later, cookie.”
They left her there, inside a packed precinct with her partner slash mass-murderer. Mera had never felt lonelier or more vulnerable than right then.
“I guess everything worked out,” she told him as she studied her own feet.
“Yeah.” Bast took Mera’s arm gently, and led her to an empty corridor near the elevator. A muscle jumped in his jaw, his profile harder than stone.
“Kitten, I couldn’t let them live,” he whispered once they were alone. “It was either you or them, and I made my choice.”
Kitten…
Perhaps not all was lost between them.
Perhaps, everything was.
“They couldn’t fight back.” Her tone sounded helpless and weak. Mera gritted her teeth. “I never took you for a coward, Bast.”
He shrugged, either ignoring the insult or faking nonchalance. “If you were so appalled, you should’ve released them from the macabre sooner.”
“I know!” Glancing around, she made sure she hadn’t drawn any attention. “I have no clue why it took me so long to release them,” she whispered. “I guess a part of me wanted to protect you. Then I realized you didn’t need protection at all.” She slapped his arm, angry for caring about that monumental dickwart.
He frowned at her, as if she were a puzzle he couldn’t decipher. “Mera, I was right, and you know it.” He silenced himself, when some vampires walked past them. Bast flicked his hand and the sounds around them waned. “This should give us some privacy.”
“You’re not a cop,” she snapped. “Not on my book. Cops don’t mass-murder people without remorse.”
He winced as if the words had been blades slashing at him. “Not without remorse. Never without remorse.”
Mera swallowed dry. As much as she hated admitting it, she shared the responsibility with Bast for the massacre. If she had run away, as he’d asked her to, he wouldn’t have needed to kill all the witnesses—and messed with Lisandra’s head.
Grunting in annoyance, he crossed his arms. “If you want an apology, you won’t get one. I did what I had to do.”
“Why?” she blurted. “Why go to such lengths to protect me?” She stepped forward, facing him the way of a bull about to charge. “You wouldn’t have killed so many faeries just for anyone.”
“Not for anyone, no.” He shrugged. “But I guess having a powerful akritana in the palm of my hand could be beneficial. Everyone fears your people for a reason.” He blew a whistle. “What you can do…”
Mera stepped back, words failing her. That’s why he’d saved her life. Not because he cared⸺maybe he never did.
Bast wanted to use her.
For what?
“Oh, you sneaky bastard.” She poked his chest, anger scorching her from the inside. “If you think—”
“I don’t think. I know. Hate it all you want, kitten, but we’re in this together. You crash, I crash.” His hooded eyes watched her, and a soft grin hooked on the left side of his cheek. He flicked a string of her hair between his fingers and leaned closer.
Mera should’ve stepped back, but damn it, she still loved the proximity. Even if she should’ve known better.
“There’s also that thing you told me,” he whispered with a low, sensual tone that made desire pool inside her.
She hated him. She hated him so much.
“What thing?”
“You’ll remember it eventually, I suppose,” he said, his gaze luring her in, obliterating her will to step away. “In the meantime, we should investigate Poseidon and his connection to Sara Hyland.”
Mera blinked, finally free of his pull.
“Yes.” She cleared her throat and stepped back. “Someone from Atlantea got Sara Hyland pregnant. Zachary was there to kill her, probably with magic, but they glamoured him into drowning her instead.”
Bast nodded. “How is that any different from killing her another way?”
“It isn’t. I think they wanted to watch it and make sure she was dead. Zachary mentioned seeing a drone, but he’d dismissed it as losing his mind.” She shook her head. “How could a drone have glamoured him? It has no magic. And to top it up, Poseidon isn’t real.”
“Which means we might have a maniac who thinks he’s a god on our hands.” Bast blew air through his lips. “Great.”
Mera didn’t want to work another case with this deceiving asshole, but she didn’t have a choice.
You crash, I crash… Partner.
“We must be careful on this one,” he urged. “We have to make sure none of it links back to you.”
“Why would it?” She slammed her hands on her waist. “I don’t know any maniacs with gigantic egos. Oh, wait.” She gave him a ferocious grin.
Bast rolled his eyes and was ready for a comeback when someone spoke from behind him.
“Sebastian?”
Bast’s spine snapped straight, shock taking over his face. Slowly, he turned around to face a faerie clad in a long dress of the finest black silk. Glittering diamonds attached to the fabric made it resemble the night sky.
The fae wore a long dark veil on her head, which she pulled back to show her face.
Her pale skin contrasted with her black attire, and her hair was the color of the moon, like Bast’s. They also shared the same high cheekbones and straight nose, but their eyes were different. Hers was a deep pink that made her seem more otherworldly than usual for a faerie.
“Amma?” he muttered, like he couldn’t believe she was there. As if making sure she wasn’t a dream.
Amma. It meant mom, which differed from mother. Amma was informal and implied love. Imma, Mother, implied… detachment. Fear and respect.
That particular lesson in Faeish, Mera would never forget.
“Sebastian,” she croaked, holding back tears. “Your father is dead.”
“I heard. What are you doing here?”
Bast took her in his arms, the woman small and frail against his tall, strong frame. He rested a hand over the top of her head, the gentleness making the killer, death bringer, seem vulnerable and kind.
But he wouldn’t fool Mera. Not anymore.
“You didn’t come to the funeral.” The fae let out a muffled sob against his chest.
“I had my reasons, amma,” he quietly confessed.
His mother let herself cry for a moment, then took a deep breath, slowly recomposing. She wiped tears from her cheeks, her pink eyes glistening. “I understand. The bird flies his own path…” She stared at no point in particular.
“Amma?” Bast asked, and his mother seemed to blink back into herself. “What’s wrong?”
“I… I need your help.” She sniffed, her eyes a bit hollow. Like only half of her was really there. “Someone murdered him.”
“Father died of natural causes,” Bast spoke softly, the way one would when speaking to a child. “That’s what the report said, remember?”
When did he find time to read a report about his father’s death? Perhaps Bast cared more about him than he let others see.
Not that Mera gave a shit.
She hated her partner, even if sympathy for his loss pushed its way through that red, burning layer she’d wrapped around her heart.
“No, Sebastian. The Night King was murdered,” his mother whispered, glancing around to make sure no one had listened. “And you must bring his killer to justice.”
Find out what happens next in TO KILL A KING, book 2 of the Hollowcliff Detectives series.
If you enjoyed this book, do consider leaving a review. They make an author's day!
You can also join the Wildlings to get a FREE copy of BLESSED LIGHT, an urban fantasy romance novel.
An Exclusive Gift
Join the Wildlings to keep up to date with the latest on C.S. Wilde and participate in amazing giveaways. Also, you’ll get a FREE copy of BLESSED LIGHT, an urban fantasy romance novel!
If you already have your copy of TO KILL A KING, book 2 of the Hollowcliff Detectives series,
don't forget to check out C.S. Wilde’s bestselling Urban Fantasy Romance series,
BLESSED FURY
Out now!
Click here to buy it on Amazon
Be sure to check out C.S. Wilde’s Sci-fi Romance series,
FROM THE STARS
Out now!
Click here to buy it on Amazon
Thanks for reading!
**Choose which book you want next!**
Ratings help me determine which series I’ll prioritize, so if you can’t wait for the next book in this series, leave a review and show your love. The sequel to TO KILL A FAE is coming soon, but production on the third instalment only begins once we reach thirty reviews on this book.
I never leave series unfinished, but your input will determine how quickly I’ll start working on the next book.
That’s right: YOU get to choose which books come next by leaving a review.
Yay!
Another aspect that helps me decide which books come next is sales. So if you acquired this book through piracy, make sure to buy your copy.
Piracy is not only a crime punishable by fines and federal imprisonment, but it also ensures that no more books in this series will be written.
Piracy ruins books. It ruins authors too. And that’s not cool at all.
* * *
Keep up to date with the latest news and release dates by joining C.S. Wilde’s mailing list
* * *
And if you want to discuss all things Mera and Bast, join the Wildlings or follow C.S. Wilde on Facebook!
Also by C.S. Wilde
Hollowcliff Detectives:
TO KILL A FAE
TO KILL A KING
TO KILL THE DEAD
* * *
Angels of Fate Series:
BLESSED LIGHT(Angels of Fate Prequel)
BLESSED FURY (Angels of Fate book 1)
CURSED DARKNESS (Angels of Fate book 2)
BOOK 3 (Coming in 2020)
* * *
Science Fiction Romance:
FROM THE STARS (The Dimensions series book 1)
BEYOND THE STARS (The Dimensions series book 2)
ACROSS THE STARS (The Dimensions series book 3)
The Dimensions Series Boxset (Get book 1 for free with the boxset)
* * *
Urban Fantasy Romance:
SWORD WITCH
* * *
Paranormal Thriller Adventure:
A COURTROOM OF ASHES
Acknowledgments
A huge thanks to my book cover designer, Juan at Covers by Juan, and my brilliant editors Christina Walker at Supernatural Editing, and Stephany Wallace.
Another huge thanks to my husband, which comes as no surprise to him since I thank him in all my books. Without him, none of these stories would ever see the light of day.
Shout out to my beta readers and ARC reviewers who have shown this book so much love. You all kick major ass.
Lastly, thank you, reader, who at this point is getting extra points for making it all the way here. I hope you enjoyed reading this story. Also, if it weren’t for you, this book would be simply words scrambled on a bunch of pages, so thank you for letting me bring these characters to life in your head. Which is creepy and slightly invasive if you think about it, but still pretty awesome.
About the Author
C. S. Wilde wrote her first Fantasy novel when she was eight. That book was absolutely terrible, but her mother told her it was awesome, so she kept writing.
Now a grown up (though many will beg to differ), C. S. Wilde writes about fantastic worlds, love stories larger than life and epic battles.
She also, quite obviously, sucks at writing an author bio. She finds it awkward that she must write this in the third person and hopes you won’t notice.
* * *
For up to date promotions and release dates of upcoming books, sign up for the latest news at www.cswilde.com. You can also connect on twitter via @thatcswilde or on facebook at C.S. Wilde.
You can also join the Wildlings, C.S. Wilde’s exclusive Facebook group.
Contents
Join the Wildlings
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
An Exclusive Gift
Blessed Fury
From the Stars
Thanks for reading!
Also by C.S. Wilde
Acknowledgments
About the Author