"Why?"
He sweeps his eyes up and down my body. "Because Paris has some fine restaurants and eating with a beautiful woman makes the experience much more enjoyable."
I scoff and tighten my jacket around me, feeling exposed. "Your wager was more interesting than meaningless compliments."
"Everyone likes compliments. We're an egotistical species."
"Fae? Or human?" The breeze picks up and sends my hair floating into the air.
"Both. Do you not consider yourself human in some ways? Most of us were based on humans, after all."
I shiver at the cold slicing through the wool of my coat. "Humans have more freedom."
"Do they? Aren't they too shackled by chance and genetics and nurture?"
"I guess to some extent." I look past him to the city laid out at our feet. The city that made me and broke me and healed me.
He steps back into my eye-line and cuts me off from the Paris streets until all I see is him. "You're unrecognizable from the fictional Belle. So is your friend, Bo. The only reason I am and Hatter is, is because we chose to. We have the freedom to choose just like the humans. Things that happen to them haunt the rest of their lives just like ours."
"Yes, but we have to live with it a lot longer." I don't mean my voice to come out quite so vulnerable and despondent.
He reaches out to brush a strand of hair from my face, his finger brushing against my cheek. "True. But we also have more time to grow stronger from it."
I peer up at him. "Are you stronger because of your past?"
"In some ways. In others, I still have room for growth."
"You're strangely self-aware for a mercenary." It's been a long time since I've connected with someone like this, talked with someone like this. Bo and I used to have these types of discussions all the time, but since she's been back we've been too busy chasing monsters and running our side businesses for idle debates.
"And you are just as brilliant as I remember. You're wasted as a Librarian."
"What did I say about compliments?" I shuffle my feet. Compliments are so often manipulations and lies and empty gestures. I prefer hard truths. Even painful ones.
"I assumed you'd prefer ones about your brains than your looks."
"I don't prefer either."
His voice quiets, turns husky. "Then, how does a person show you they're interested?"
"Speaking plainly."
He's so close again, but not a centimeter of him touches me. "So, you want me to tell you exactly how temping I find you? You want me to tell you I want to have you right here on this rooftop and I could give a damn about buying you dinner? You want me to tell you I want to spend the rest of the day and night devouring you and arguing philosophy with you?"
I gulp and smother a shiver, one not from the cold day. "Yes. I don't understand subtext very well."
"What do you want?" He stares at my mouth, like he's considering kissing me.
I lick my lips and clear my throat. "I want to find the princes and Pan and kill them. And then spend three days celebrating with you."
"You think three days will be enough?"
My hands grip my scarf like it's a lifeline. "You're the one who just wanted today and tonight."
"Oh, Belle. That will just be the foreplay." A cocky smirk twists his lips.
I step away from him, his scent is messing with my brain and I can't afford to be foggy right now. "I need to ask Cinderella if they can see us." I pull out my phone and send her a text.
She responds immediately. "She can't see anything. I guess she's been staring at the feeds, waiting for him to show up again." I text her back to let her know we saw ten cameras from here.
There are twelve.
Damn.
"We both lost. There are twelve cameras."
"Where?" He's back to being all business. He searches her place with the binoculars again.
My phone beeps again. "One is on the roof and one is on the other gate corner."
"I've got them."
I text her back. One mystery solved. Though it doesn't really help us. I text Red and tell her to get the security company out here to hide more and better.
"There's something I need to tell you."
Those words never bode well. "All right."
"I know where the dragon has been hunting at night."
Before I can punch him or yell at him, he grabs me and shoves me into a closet.
Chapter 15
I stumble over a mop and bucket. Cleaning supplies? "What are you doing?"
He slaps a hand over my mouth and presses my body into the wall with his. "Shhh. I saw Charming."
I smack his hand away. "Which one?" There are three. Though technically, the Beast isn't really a Charming.
He bends down until his mouth is level with my ear. "August."
"Where?" My pulse speeds up and my hands search for weapons.
"On the street below." He plasters himself even closer to me until I can feel every hard muscle on his chest.
My breath hitches and I try to focus. But after his earlier words, it's difficult. "And we're hiding, why?"
"Because he's probably coming up here."
"Exactly. We can arrest him." I try to push him off me.
He doesn't budge. "Do you want to arrest him or follow him?"
"Arrest him. He'll talk." I'll make sure of it. I'll even let Cinderella do the honors.
"Fine. But if he sees us up here, he might use whatever relic they've got to slip away."
"Which is exactly what he'll use to return to wherever they're hiding. He's a spoiled prince. He won't walk or take a filthy cab when he can just teleport. There won't be a trail to follow."
His head sinks to my shoulder, the scent of leather and steel and spice replacing the stench of bleach. "Dammit. You're right."
"I know." This might be our only shot. And if he does slip away, at least he'll think twice before coming here again.
He finally steps back from me, though he keeps one hand on my waist as he cracks open the door to peer outside.
I reach my hand out to the mop and bucket, my magic washing over them. The bucket rolls over to the door and Dantès opens it wider so they can slip outside.
His lips quirk. "What exactly are you planning? To clean him into submission?"
"No. But they can certainly trip him and beat on him a little to distract him until we get out there."
"Brilliant." His hand tightens on my waist.
"I know."
"What if he doesn't come up here?"
"I sent Cinderella a message. Her guards will handle him if he breaches the gate." I hope.
Based on his snort, Dantès isn't as certain either. "When did you send the message?"
"While you had me pinned against the wall."
His teeth flash in the dim light. "Not exactly the type of pinning I'd planned to do to you."
"Stop flirting with me." I move him out of the way so I can see through the crack in the door.
"Why?"
"Because we need to focus. And be quiet so he doesn't hear us."
"I can think of a way for us to be quiet." He really needs to stop whispering in my ear. It's way too distracting and makes my skin buzz.
"Not the way I do it."
He groans, his forehead falling against my shoulder. I shove him off me and grip my gun. Dantès stills and peers over my shoulder.
August has arrived.
He's dressed in different clothes than he wore in the video. Where he found a designer suit, I don't want to know. And those gold boots are ridiculous. He peers over the edge, a snide smile on his face as he stares at Cinderella's house.
No sign of the relic. No bulges in his fitted suit. It must be small. I should shoot him right from here, but we need answers. The bucket rolls on towards him. I barely breathe, not wanting to give the slightest hint he's being watched. Dantès is a silent and reassuring presence at my side. I've seen him fight. There's few who could beat him.
I wish I knew what his power is.
Maybe he's like Jackie, and has supernatural fighting abilities. His skills aren't exactly natural.
The mop and bucket reach August and the mop leaps from the bucket, slapping August in the back of the head with grungy, gray, dripping strands. He shrieks and turns around, flapping his hands at the mop. I take grim pleasure in the dirty water dripping down his neck, staining his pristine clothes.
Dantès and I burst from the closet as the bucket rolls into August’s ankles. He trips but remains upright, his eyes widening at the sight of us.
He knocks the mop aside and kicks the bucket across the roof. My fingers graze his suit jacket right as he leaps over the edge.
Chapter 16
He's gone. Vanished. Dammit.
Frustration explodes from me in a string of at least fifty curse words in ten different languages.
Dantès leans his arms on the railing and peers over the edge. "Well, that didn't work as well as we hoped."
I growl, pacing back and forth behind him. "Not at all. And trailing him wouldn't have worked either. I know what the relic is."
"What is it?" He spins on his heel to face me.
I rub the back of my neck. "The bloody seven league boots."
"I thought they were in a Library?"
"So did I." My pacing stalls. "Wait, how do you know that?"
"I'm the Count of Monte Cristo."
I roll my eyes. "That was slightly amusing the first time you said it, but now it's just annoying."
"I'll make sure I keep repeating it then."
"Your friendship with Hatter is making more and more sense every time you open your mouth." I shake my head. "Stop side-tracking me. I have to call Lydia and see how a relic went missing from under her nose." The boots have been in the Welsh Library for decades.
Edmond's words from before explode back into my mind. "What did you mean earlier about the dragon?"
"I found its hunting ground. It'll probably return tonight."
My mouth gapes open. "What? Why did you wait until now to tell me?"
He's completely unrepentant. "Because there's nothing to be done about it until tonight. I didn't want your people out there trampling around and leaving their scents behind."
I fold my arms to keep from strangling him. "You do realize Red transforms into a wolf. Her scent wouldn't leave any suspicious scents. And my people don't tramp. They know what they're doing and so do I."
"I know, Belle. But I also thought you might not want them to know."
My face contorts. "Why wouldn't I?"
He tosses his hands into the air. "Because they're drowning you with protection. Which you don't need. I know how well you fight. You saved my life years ago."
"I remember. And you repaid me by not joining the FTA when I asked." I squat down beside the mop and bucket and unanimate them.
"And I never will." He smiles down at me.
I stand back up and head for the door. There's nothing more to be done here. Cinderella is warned, hopefully August won't come back.
"They won't be able to stop me from going tonight. They may argue with me, but if I say I'm going, they'll accept it."
He follows me down the steps, our footsteps loud in the narrow stairwell. "Why, because you're Head Librarian? All the more reason for them to get you to stay safe."
I toss an annoyed glare over my shoulder. "No, because every single one of those people have gone through the fire with me. I don't trust easy, but they all have mine. Isn't Hatter your friend?"
We're back outside on the street. I turn towards home, mind racing with all the things I need to do, all the new information trying to find its place in the mire of everything else we know.
He falls into step beside me. "He is. But I also know his habit of protecting his friends despite their wishes." He isn't seeing me or Paris anymore. He's seeing another time. There's a story attached to that comment and I want to know it.
"Why is your friendship such a secret? I've known both of you for...I don't know how many years. I've worked closely with Hatter since the mid-20th century." Secrets make me suspicious. It's something Bo and I shared and made us such good partners. We were both determined to uncover them.
He grabs my arm and keeps me from stepping off the sidewalk into oncoming traffic. "Careful. Hatter mentioned you have a habit of this."
"I have more important things on my mind than boring things like traffic patterns and lights." I wave a hand in the air.
Dantès shakes his head. "You need a keeper."
"You offering?" I pull my arm from his grip.
He peeks at me from hooded eyes. "I'm certainly tempted."
"You were about to tell me why your friendship with Hatter is a secret." I want to know.
He looks away. "My fault. If it came out how close we are, people would assume my allegiance lies with the FTA."
"What is your problem with the FTA?" I can't help but take offense. It has its problems, but I still believe in it.
"I don't get paid if people don't believe I'm impartial. I don't have anything against your organization. You do good work for Fae. What I don't like are the close tabs you keep on us all. The files you keep on our powers and abilities and whereabouts."
I frown. "We don't share the information with the human government."
He puts out an arm to stop me at a red pedestrian light. "I know. But you do realize, the FTA is its own form of government."
"And you think we shouldn't have one? We shouldn't have people keeping the peace between humans and Fae? We shouldn't go after Fae who are rampaging and killing and kidnapping and stalking? We shouldn't have prisons specifically designed to keep them because human prisons would be useless? You don't think we should have some kind of laws and rules so the whole world doesn't end up like the US? You think all Fae should just roam free with no one but humans to clean up the chaos and devastation we have a tendency to leave behind? Some of our powers are so strong, no human would stand a chance. Even with their new and fancy weapons. Not without terrible casualties. You don't think we should give newly awoken Fae guidance and help and jobs and a purpose? We don't force Fae into the FTA. We offer. If they decline, they're free to make their lives elsewhere as long as they stay out of trouble. But most Fae enjoy the stability and safety of being involved. They like working with their own kind because when you get too attached to humans, you get to watch them grow old and die. Or like Bo, you fall in love with one. That was painful enough to watch and it wasn't even really my family. But yes, please explain to me how the big, bad FTA is a corrupt government. Why are you laughing?" I stop in the middle of the sidewalk to glare at him.
It takes him a moment to get himself under control. "I told you I wanted to spend the day and night debating with you. This is why. I love how passionate you get when you talk about something you care about. It's glorious to behold."
I'm a little short of breath. It's been a while since I went on a tangent like this. Everyone else refuses to argue with me anymore because I always win.
"And I really don't have any problems with the FTA. I still have no desire to have a boss or co-workers. You work with plenty of Fae who are unaligned. Why do you want me so badly?"
I stop outside my shop. "I wanted you years ago. I haven't tried to hire you in decades. Right now, I'm more interested in Cinderella's security. They're impressive."
He clasps his hands to his heart. "Cruel woman."
"Are you coming in?"
"No, I have some preparations to make. I'll be back in an hour or so." He waits until I'm inside before heading back to wherever he's staying.
Chapter 17
Bo almost knocks me over with the force of her hug when I walk through the door. "Where the hell have you been?"
I struggle to breathe, wrapped in her tight grip. "I was with Dantès. You know that."
She steps back and puts her hands on her hips. "Why didn't you call?"
"I didn't realize I needed to check i
n, Mother." I'm confused. We weren't gone that long.
Bo growls. "When you have the bloody Beast after you, it might be the courteous thing to do."
"I was only gone for a couple hours. And I messaged you the information."
Bo rubs circles in her temples with her pointer fingers. "Look, I get it. You're independent and you can take care of yourself in a fight and you have trouble understanding common manners. But when your life is in danger and you're gone longer than expected, it would be nice if you could send a message. Or at least, answer your bloody phone."
I glance helplessly at Hatter. "I'm sorry?"
He eases Bo away from me. "She's safe, love. She's okay. I told you Edmond had her back."
Bo jerks away from Hatter's hands and stomps from the room, the doors upstairs slamming in her wake.
"What is going on with her? She's not usually this...." I trail off.
Hatter pats my shoulder. "She loves you more than she loves anyone. Probably even me. She's already lost so much, I think the thought of losing you is more than she can bear. Especially now that she has you back."
"But she's the one who left." I don't understand.
"Not because she didn't love you. It's because she was afraid she'd have to watch more people she loves die."
"But we're Fae. We'd be back." I never really understood the logic of her choice. Her disappearing for decades and running somewhere else and changing into someone else every time she grew to comfortable didn't keep us safe. And it didn't stop her from missing us.
Sadness wells in his eyes. "When you're heartbroken, logic isn't always a high priority. You do whatever it takes to make it hurt less."
I guess it makes sense. I threw myself into a job I now am beginning to hate to prove I'm no longer the naïve girl who believed her father would protect her. I rose high and fast to keep my mind too busy to remember.
Everyone has their own brand of running.
Light bulbs flash in my head. "I know what Pan is after."
Chapter 18
I rush for my white board and uncap a marker, scribbling Pan's actions on the squeaky surface. I feel the others gathering at my back to watch as I mutter to myself and tack up photos and reports from my files, drawing lines to connect them.
Charm (Black Sheep of Faery Book 3) Page 6
