The Hob

by Dana Marie Bell

  Not that it mattered for much longer. Robin had made it more than clear that he expected her to move to Colorado, to his home. She couldn’t blame him. While she loved her life in Philadelphia, she was now the spouse of one of the most powerful fae in the world. And hadn’t that been a long, intriguing conversation? Who knew there were brownies, sylphs, leprechauns and Sidhe running around, living normal, everyday lives?

  Her family was going to love this. If she got to explain it. She wasn’t certain how Robin, let alone Oberon, would handle the Extons when they descended on Colorado.

  And she was mortal, which she knew was making Robin’s protective instincts go into overdrive. There were things in this world she couldn’t fight back against, McNeil being one of them. If one of those Black Court fae got their hands on her, they’d use her against Robin. No, it was safer for her to move to him, where he had safeguards in place, than to force him to move to her.

  She would miss her friends and being so close to her family, but Robin was worth anything.

  “Where is the mortuary?”

  Michaela punched the button on the elevator and waited quietly. She couldn’t answer him with all the people around. It might be early evening, but the hospital still had staff, patients and visitors ready to leave for the day. But she couldn’t hide the smile threatening to overtake her. His disgusted, put-upon voice was just too cute.

  He’d called Shane, who’d told him that Michaela had to go back with him to Philadelphia. In fact, he’d gone one better. He’d convinced Robin to allow Michaela to be the one to get into the hospital records and check out the names of the chewed-on bodies brought in from the Delaware River. Once she had the data they needed, she was to send everything she had over to someone named Big Red, who would dig further than Michaela’s limited access would allow.

  Without Michaela’s assistance, the search Big Red would have to conduct would be far too widespread and take too long to do a lick of good. The river could have carried them beyond the SS United States; if so, they might not even be in her hospital’s records, but it would give Red a starting point. Red had even told them that he could use that entry point in the hospital’s computers to jump from coroner’s office to coroner’s office. Michaela was glad to help, even if what she was doing was illegal. No human cop could deal with a monster like McNeil. Robin and his Blades were the only ones who could, and this was the first step in establishing McNeil’s hunting grounds.

  McNeil needed to be stopped now, and Michaela was going to help do so. She was totally willing to do her part. McNeil was a man-eating, creepy-ass monster, and she hoped she never came face-to-face with him again.

  The elevator arrived and Michaela stepped in, followed by her invisible lover. “Remember, do nothing foolish.”

  She kept the smile on her face even though it was becoming increasingly difficult. The mini lectures had started the moment her scrubs went on and hadn’t let up once. Hell, he hadn’t even made fun of her lavender Hello Kitty scrubs.

  If he didn’t knock it off, he was going to learn all about her mighty fists of death, damn it.

  “Hell and damnation.”

  “What?” Michaela glanced around as she stepped off the elevator and onto her floor. Her best bet at getting to a terminal would be here.

  “I think I saw McNeil.”

  “Crap.” Why was he there? He had no business being around sick children. “Robin, you need to get him gone.”

  The snarl she received in reply was inhuman, full of rage.

  “Robin, the kids. Please.”

  She felt a brush of wind, Robin’s anger and fear manifesting as he sped away. The familiar sense of his presence was gone, leaving her alone and vulnerable.

  Michaela mentally shook herself. Alone, maybe, but far from vulnerable. She’d taken care of herself long before Robin entered her life. She could do so again.

  She hoped.

  Maybe.

  Hell, who was she kidding? There was some scary-ass shit out there, and if Robin didn’t get back to her as soon as possible she really was going to freak the hell out and give McGrabby something to fire her over.

  She made her way to one of the nurse’s terminals, exchanging quick greetings with the nurse on duty, and began typing. She just hoped it wasn’t obvious how badly her hands were shaking.

  “Michaela, I didn’t know you were on duty today.”

  Crap. “I’m not. I’m just checking up on a patient.”

  “Who?”

  Michaela had an answer ready. “You remember that guy Will and Ed brought into emergency a couple of days ago?”

  “The guy who wanted to be called Snod?”

  “That’s the one.”

  “Hasn’t he been discharged?”

  Michaela paused, her fingers still on the keys. “Really? He was pretty injured.”

  “I don’t know, but that’s what I heard.”

  “I’m going to check anyway. If he’s still here I’m going to go visit him.”

  “Just don’t let Dick see you. You know how he is. He catches you on the computer during off hours, he won’t just fire you. He’ll try and have your license revoked.” The nurse grimaced. “Of course, he’ll offer you an out, if you’ll just go quietly to his office and lock the door.”

  Michaela shuddered, glad Robin hadn’t heard that. She might hate Dick, but she didn’t want him dead, and she got the impression Robin wouldn’t tolerate Dick’s grabby ways. “I bet if we all got together and complained to the higher–ups they’d have to do something about him. It’s sexual harassment, damn it.”

  “What is?”

  Michaela glanced up, startled to find herself almost nose to nose with Raven MacSweeney. “Um. Raven. Hi.”

  He smirked. “Hi. I missed you today. You never showed up at the convention.”

  Her one concession to Robin’s fears, and her own. Damn it, she’d really wanted to go, too. “I was busy.”

  “Indeed?” He leaned against the counter, smiling at her like she was his whole world. “With whom?”

  “Not now, Raven. Please.” She began typing again. She didn’t have much time, and odds were good Robin would be back any minute. She couldn’t be found looking up records she wasn’t supposed to. As it was, if anyone checked, they’d be able to see she’d logged in and what records she’d accessed.

  Hell, she was going to quit anyway. As protective as Robin was she didn’t see herself continuing as a nurse, even in Colorado, unless they had fae-only hospitals.

  Besides, if she stayed here and McGrabby made another pass at her, Robin would probably hand him his ass on a silver platter. Literally.

  “Aren’t you going to introduce me?” The nurse batted her lashes at Raven, but Raven barely noticed her.

  “Raven, Lynn. Lynn, Raven.”

  “Hi, Raven.” Michaela almost gagged when the on-duty nurse, Lynn, cranked out an overly sweet tone. Raven was a looker, but there was no need to fall all over him like that.

  “Pleased to meet you.” From Raven’s tone he was a liar. He sounded far from pleased.

  Michaela quickly followed the instructions Big Red had sent to Robin. While the files transferred, she jotted down her own list of names and dates. It couldn’t hurt to have a physical backup, just in case.

  She got as much information to Red as she dared before shutting down the search and looking up Snod’s charts. “Huh. You’re right. He was discharged.” With a clean bill of health, no less. How had he…?

  Oh. He must be one of the fae. Unless werewolves were real too. All the romance novels said they healed super fast.

  “Told you.”

  “Oh, well. I hope he does okay out there.” She hadn’t pressed charges, so the cops wouldn’t be after him. But after that odd pledge, she had to wonder if he was like Robin, one of the fae. She was willing to bet that he was, and that she hadn’t seen the last of him.

  Robin would be thrilled. Not. He was far more possessive than anyone she’d ever been with.

/>   Michaela moved out from behind the counter, pleased that she’d managed to avoid Dick’s attention. “I’ll see you later, Lynn, and thanks.”

  “You too, Michaela.”

  Raven grabbed hold of her arm. “Come with me.”

  “What—?”

  “Now.”

  Michaela tugged on her arm, but he had it in an iron grip. Raven pulled her to a deserted hallway. “What the hell are you doing?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Crap. Was Raven fae, and if so, was he working with McNeil? But he couldn’t be. He’d protected her from McNeil, and she still had the sense that Raven wouldn’t truly hurt her.

  Michaela gasped as Raven, eyes glowing a familiar, vicious green, slammed her into the wall. “You know nothing of the affairs you have meddled with. Do you understand the danger you have placed yourself in?” He reached into her scrubs pocket and pulled out the list of names. “McNeil will make a meal of you without a second thought.”

  “I can take care of myself.” She scowled up at the big brute and ripped the paper back out of his hands. Really, what was it with these guys and ordering her around? She was getting tired of it.

  “Can you?” Raven loomed over her, his hands on the wall just above her head, closing her in. One of his knees was bent, pinning her in place. “Can you truly?”

  Michaela nodded and pressed a single-serving box of Cheerios into his groin. She always carried them with her to tempt the appetites of the kids who were allowed solid food but whose appetite was off due to medication. “My Taser to your balls says I can.”

  Raven, eyes wide, jumped back, freeing her.

  “Made you look!” And Michaela took off like the hounds of hell were on her heels.

  Considering everything else she’d learned that day, maybe they were.

  “Damn it.” She heard the pounding of his footfalls, knew he was after her. She rounded the corner at speed, her nurse’s shoes squeaking on the linoleum. “Michaela!” She darted for the elevator, gasping in surprise when he appeared in front of her in a swirl of black smoke. “Stop running, damn it.”

  “Stop trying to scare me, asshole.”

  He snarled. “You think McNeil gives you even two seconds to be scared? He’ll eviscerate you and feed on your entrails.” Raven began to stalk forward, but Michaela stood her ground. “He’ll strip the skin from your bones. He will make you suffer, if only because it will hurt Robin and me. There will be nothing you can do about it, because you’re frail.”

  “I am not frail.”

  “You are mortal. To us, you are like an easily broken pane of glass.” He cupped her cheek. “It would kill me if something happened to you.”

  She took a deep breath. “I’m with Robin.”

  He closed his eyes, the pain in his expression gone almost before it appeared. “I know.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “But it would still kill me.”

  She debated whether or not to tell him about Shane Dunne’s warning, but before she could decide warm arms wrapped around her from behind. “What would kill you, hmm?”

  Raven stepped back as Robin staked his claim on Michaela. “You should have been guarding her more closely. Do you know what she was doing? What the consequences could be?”

  Robin nodded. “Yes, and I voiced my objections. However, she’s knocked hours, if not days, off of my gremlin’s research time.”

  Raven grunted. “Your initial purpose in being here was to save Prince Evan. Why not concentrate on that?”

  “We both know she is up to something more than the kidnapping of a White Court prince, Raven.”

  “Who is she?”

  Raven looked uncomfortable. “No one you will ever meet, if I have my say.” His gaze returned to Robin, his expression resolute. “She is, but I’m not sure what.” He glared at the arm around Michaela’s waist. “McNeil is here for some reason unknown to me. It’s possible it has to do with her orders, or it could be something else entirely. Either way, you should take Michaela to safety.”

  “An excellent idea.”

  Michaela found herself once more wrapped up in dark smoke. Only this time they landed in Kael’s living room.

  Kael jumped with a startled shout, clutching his chest when he realized who was there. “Damn it, Robin. You almost gave me a heart attack.”

  Robin laughed. “I think you will live.”

  Kael stood and bowed extravagantly to Michaela, much to her amusement. “Nice to see you again, Lady Goodfellow.”

  She snickered. “It’s the lavender Hello Kitty scrubs, isn’t it?”

  Kael’s eyes twinkled. “What can I say? They’re very lady-like.” He flopped back down on the sofa with a grin.

  “Wait. How did you know Robin and I had…?” She looked up at Robin. “What did you call it again?”

  “Bonded, my dear. You are my truebond.”

  She ignored Kael’s hissed-in breath. “So how did you know?”

  “When Oberon welcomed you and declared you Lady Goodfellow, all the Gray Court felt it.”

  “Oh.”

  “Kael, we’ll be moving on Prince Evan soon. Also, the High King has declared McNeil’s life forfeit.”

  Kael grimaced and shot Michaela a quick glance. “Um, Robin—”

  “She knows at least part of it.”

  Kael relaxed.

  “I know you’re here to rescue a prince, and that McNeil is a cannibal. Anything else, feel free to explain it.” She flopped down next to Kael and went boneless. “I’m bushed.”

  “Poor sweetie. Bondings can take a lot out of you, especially when you’re human. Or so I’ve heard.” Kael patted her arm sympathetically, ignoring Robin’s annoyed hiss.

  Michaela laid her head on Kael’s shoulder. “I hope to God there is a Fae for Dummies book.”

  Robin rolled his eyes as Kael shot him a smug look. “You’ll be fine.”

  “Indeed, Ruby was out for days after Leo bound her.” Robin joined them on the sofa and pulled Michaela into his arms. She switched to Robin’s much more comfy shoulder.

  The affection in Robin’s tone had her ears perking up. “Who is Ruby?”

  “Someone dear to me.” Robin pressed a kiss to her forehead, instantly reassuring her. “She is family to me, much as Duncan, Moira and Jaden are.”

  “And she is mortal, just like you. Only now, because she bonded with a Sidhe, she shares in his lifespan. She’ll live as long as her truebond, Leo Dunne, does.” Kael grinned. “It was a huge scandal in the White Court for a while. Everyone thought he’d be bonded to a Malmayne.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  Robin snuggled her like an overgrown, half-asleep puppy. He was a cuddler, it seemed, though from the shocked look on Kael’s face that wasn’t always true.

  She could live with that.

  “An arranged marriage was set up between the Jolouns and the Malmaynes, one that would have benefited both sides had it come to fruition. It was arranged by Armand Joloun, the father of Aileen Joloun-Dunne, making it near impossible for the Jolouns to back away from the deal without losing face with the Court.” Robin ran his hand down her arm with a contented purr. “Which is part of why, when Aileen Joloun met her truebond, Sean Dunne, everything became, as they say, screwed up.”

  “Like I said. Totally scandalous. A high court Sidhe female, promised to another, ran off with some low–born Irish leprechaun. It was the talk of the Court for years. Totally eclipsed my aunt’s marriage to the queen’s brother.”

  “Did it?” Michaela’s head was starting to hurt. She had a lot to learn, it seemed.

  “Oh yeah. Uncle Edmond was the talk of the court for almost a century. Then Aileen Joloun defied her parent’s wishes to marry some low-born fae without a drop of noble blood. At least Aunt Trisha had some noble blood, even if she was a pooka.” Kael made a face. “And they still treat them both like dirt at court functions.”

  “Things will be better for them once they join the Gray.”

  Kael nodde
d at Robin’s words, but he didn’t look convinced.

  Robin began toying with the ends of Michaela’s hair. “At first, Aileen had no real objection. After all, Duncan Malmayne is a fairly attractive man, wealthy and powerful.”

  Michaela twisted in Robin’s arms until she was staring up at him. “Wait, the Duncan? Our Duncan?” Robin nodded, looking pleased for some reason. “The blond who’s mated to Moira and Jaden?” Now she was definitely getting confused.

  “Yes. Duncan is five hundred years old, and at the time of the contract was well under his father’s rule. He was not a clan lord, merely the heir, and thus subject to the whims of his lord.” Robin settled her back down, stroking her back.

  “Oh.”

  Apparently she looked as confused as she felt, because Kael muffled a laugh. “When Aileen broke the contract and ran off with her leprechaun, the Malmaynes were furious. Duncan didn’t care one way or the other; in fact, I hear he wished them well.”

  “But a contract was in place, and had to be honored.” Robin gave an elegant shrug. “So it was the children of Aileen and Sean Dunne who would eventually be forced to fulfill it, whether they wished it so or not.”

  “Which they did, as Duncan and Moira are also truebonded. Now that ceremony, I hear, was quite the sight.”

  “What about Jaden?”

  “He is truebonded to both, and as he was the first to bond the three of them together, they took his name, Blackthorn.” Robin grinned. “And their Sidhe bonding ceremony was, indeed, a sight to behold.”

  “So Duncan and Moira married into Jaden’s family. Got it.” She didn’t, not really, but she figured she could get more out of Moira later.

  “However, before all that happened, the Malmaynes demanded that Leo be the one to bond with one of their females and fulfill the marriage contract. Leo refused, because by then he’d already met Ruby, and knew she was his truebond.” Kael sighed. “The women of the Court were shocked when he refused to enter a tribond and fulfill the contract. ‘After all, my dears, his mate is human.’” Kael sniffed disdainfully. She had the feeling he was mimicking someone specific, someone he had little respect for.