by Jami Gray
Yeah, he was damn attractive, but she had worked with other good-looking men and hadn’t felt the need to share something so personal, so painful. This man was different. His opinion mattered, because when she was with him, she wanted to be more than what she was. In him, she saw a glimpse of what she once hoped to be, before life threw her detours. She wasn’t ready to put a halo on him, but the fact he knew exactly who he was and where he stood, drew her like a magnet. He made her feel safe, and that scared the crap out of her.
She cleared her suddenly dry throat. “I’m not sorry I told you.” She dropped her gaze to her hands clenched in her lap. “I actually wanted to tell you. I could never figure out when.”
He gave an inelegant snort. “Any time after the initial meeting with Mulcahy would’ve been nice.”
“Right,” her sarcasm was so thick she could have smacked him with it. “Because telling the hunter his prey is sitting right next to him is always a healthy choice.”
His mouth thinned in anger at her flippant reply.
She sighed. “I messed up. I screwed up whatever partnership we had and for that I’m really sorry.” Even to her own ears, her voice sounded wistful. “Strangely enough, I like working with you. I don’t know how to fix this, but for once, I actually want to.”
“I don’t know if it can be fixed,” his serious voice made her eyes burn. “If we were partners, you shouldn’t have left me in the dark on this. It makes me wonder what other secrets you’re hiding.”
Her laugh was strained. “I could sit here and tell you, ‘I’m not hiding anything’, but you wouldn’t believe me. I get it.” She paused, took a breath, and gave him a bit more. “The thing is, Gavin, these ‘secrets’ I have? Some of them are secrets even to me. Can you understand that?”
He stopped at a light. Before she could react, he reached out and grabbed her chin between his fingers. Forcing her to meet his penetrating gaze, he leaned forward until his breath fanned over her parted lips. “Maybe I can, but if I’m going to get through this with you, you need to start facing things. Can you do that?”
Her heart stopped. Staring into his eyes, she realized he knew exactly what he was asking of her. The real question was, did she have the courage to take the journey, with him? The blaring of a car broke the moment. He muttered a curse under his breath and drove through the intersection.
The silence wasn’t so heavy now, but expectation still rode the air. She clenched her fists and kept her voice low, “I can’t make any guarantees, but I can try.”
His fierce smile was her only answer.
Chapter Nineteen
As Gavin pulled up to the valet in front of the beautifully lit Governor Hotel in the heart of downtown Portland, Raine took in the ornate exterior. Built in the early nineteen hundreds, the landmark hotel exuded a quiet elegance now lost in some of the more modern buildings. It was a perfect setting for Talbot’s fundraiser.
Gavin opened her door, offering her a hand out. She grasped his warm palm, letting him assist her out of the car. After handing his keys to the valet, he wordlessly offered his arm.
Gently placing her hand above his wrist, she savored the warmth rising from his skin through his clothing. His glamour lent his face a cold, glowing arrogance. It made those around them stop what they were doing and watch them cross the entryway. She set her face to mirror his aloofness. Alexi told her once it was the emotionless mask that had to be behind the old tales of the Shining Ones, those who preyed on the poor defenseless mortals.
Inside the lobby ornate ceilings soared high above their heads. She couldn’t help but admire the exquisite Italian Renaissance craftsmanship, while Gavin led her toward the elevators. They approached the Heritage Ballroom and heard the din of voices and soft music, accompanying the tings and clinks of crystal, wafting through the double doors. The entryway framed a picture of Portland’s elite. Dressed in a dazzling rainbow of colors and adorned with priceless gems, the impressive crowd glided underneath thirty-foot ceilings held aloft by detailed columns and raised panels.
Two burly men in tuxes stood on either side of the door, guarding the wealthy from the peons. At Gavin and Raine’s approach, they straightened. Catching a combination of fear and awe crossing their faces before they managed to mask it, she laughed silently. It was amazing how jumpy mortals got when one of the Fey got a little shine on.
Gavin handed their invitation to the man on his left without looking at him. Within the Kyn community, the Fey were notoriously good at playing the aristocrat. Gavin did it better than most.
The guard read over the invitation, then checked it against the clipboard resting on the stand next to him. He cleared his throat, his voice almost painfully deep, “Thank you, sir. Enjoy your evening.”
Gavin nodded, still watching the room in front of them as he pulled her forward.
A small, nervous looking young man appeared to their right to take their coats. She began removing her long coat. Her fingers brushed Gavin’s as he held her coat steady so she could pull free. The small electric tingle when they touched pulled her gaze to his. There was a small flame hidden deep in the green shadows, indicating the momentary connection was not one sided.
“Thank you,” her voice was husky.
He raised her hand as she pulled it free from the last sleeve, and brushed his lips lightly across her knuckles. “You’re welcome.”
She fought to keep her mask in place. Shit! It wasn’t fair. He rattled her cage with ease. Pushing her heightened awareness of the disturbingly, sexy man next to her behind a thick mental door, she locked it down. She wasn’t here to jump his bones. She was here to do a job. Despite their tentative peace, the sting of his comments on the way to Mayson’s was too fresh. Tonight they had to find out what Talbot knew.
Speak of the devil. She caught sight of Jonah Talbot’s tall figure weaving through the crowd as he made his way across the room to them. Sensing her slight stiffening stance Gavin turned to see who caused it. Watching the blond man headed their way he leaned his head over to hers and asked in an undertone, “Is that Talbot?”
She turned to look up at him, which put her mouth within inches of his. “Yes.”
His eyes narrowed slightly, burning sharp. “When did you meet him?”
Her mind blanked for a second and the realization hit when she recalled what she hadn’t told Gavin days ago. “That meeting I interrupted with Mulcahy a few days back? It was with him.”
Gavin searched her face for a few moments longer, then straightened and faced the approaching man. As the crowd ebbed and flowed around Talbot, she noticed the striking redhead attached to his arm. Raine and Gavin stood still, waiting for Talbot to reach them.
His blue eyes were shining with excitement as he held out his hand to Gavin. “I’m so glad Mr. Mulcahy was able to find someone to come in his place.”
Gavin shook the proffered hand. “He sends his apologies. I’m Gavin Durand and this is Raine McCord.”
Talbot’s smile grew. “Ah yes, Ms. McCord, I believe we’ve met earlier.”
She gave him her hand with a cool smile. “We have, yes, Mr. Talbot. You have a lovely gathering here.” Pulling her hand back as soon as was polite, she placed it over her other hand still resting on Gavin’s arm. What she wanted to do was scrub it off, but she refrained.
The redhead gave Raine an assessing look. Her pale green eyes tried for unimpressed but failed miserably. When she turned to Gavin’s dramatic figure, an avaricious light entered her eyes. She must have tugged on Talbot’s arm, because he looked at her, his smile cooling at whatever he read in her face.
His look was a little less friendly, and Raine got the impression he was not very happy with his companion. “My apologies, may I introduce Dr. Eden Lawson? She’s the head of our research staff.”
Gavin took her proffered hand, laying on a brief touch of lips before dropping it gently. “A pleasure.”
“Jonah mentioned you two were with Taliesin Security.” Cooly polite, Eden flicked
a glance at Raine, but it was if she was unable to tear her gaze away from Gavin. “We’re so glad to have your support tonight.”
“Mr. Mulcahy asked if we would review your pending projects to see if there was one which rose above the rest,” Raine said, hoping to break Eden’s fascinated stare. “Taliesin is always happy to lend our support to worthy causes.” And bring down those not so worthy. Not able to say the last part out loud, it made her feel better just to think it.
“I’d be more than happy to run over those projects with you both a little later tonight,” Talbot’s smooth voice cut in. “For now, Eden and I must welcome some more guests. Until later?”
“That would be fine, Mr. Talbot,” Gavin responded.
The two Kyn watched the human couple move on to the next set of guests. Gavin looked down at Raine. “Shall we?” He motioned toward the bar located on the other side of the milling crowd.
She nodded, letting him lead her out onto the floor.
Moving through the scattered groups whispers blew like a faint wind at their backs. The two of them drew stares as they glided across the floor. An itch started up between her shoulder blades. Gavin must have noticed her reaction because he covered her hand still lying on his arm and gave it a small squeeze.
She never liked formal gatherings, and this was proving to be no exception. The small viciously polite conversations, the edged barbs, and the insincere observations, was like fighting with invisible, edged blades made out of words and hidden expressions. She found comfort in the fact, that unlike a Kyn gathering, this one should remain fairly bloodless.
A few feet away from the bar, an older couple intercepted them. The man stood a couple of inches shorter than Gavin, but his straight-backed posture and dress uniform were a clear indication of his military status. His face held the polite mask, which seemed to be the norm for such get-togethers. Brown hair, silvered at the temples, was in the short cut favored by most military men. Sharp hazel eyes did a quick assessment of her and Gavin.
On his arm was a fine boned, gracefully poised woman whose ash blonde hair and smoky blue eyes made her a picture of feminine contrast. An actual smile accompanied the delicate hand held out to Gavin, her voice smooth and warm. “Hello, I’m Erica Cawley and this is my husband, General Mathew Cawley.”
Gavin bent over her proffered hand. “Gavin Durand, and this is Raine McCord.”
As Erica pulled her hand back, a slight blush tinted her cheeks a pale rose.
Raine inclined her head in acknowledgement and smothered the sigh begging to escape as another female became flustered with Gavin’s attention. She needed to remember to tell him to tone it down next time he got his shine on. It was like he turned into the pied piper of women—and that was not a good thing.
The general’s mellow baritone cut through his wife’s slight pause. “Mr. Durand, Ms. McCord, a pleasure to meet you.” He tilted his head slightly, his gaze sharpening as he studied her. “My apologies, Ms. McCord. Have we met before?”
“Not that I’m aware of, general.” Mentally donning her armor, she entered the game. Cawley could very well know exactly who she and Gavin were and what they truly represented.
His intense regard strengthened her suspicions. “Perhaps I’ve had dealings with your company?”
“It’s possible,” Gavin interjected smoothly. “Taliesin Security works closely with various military personnel.”
She caught the flash of comprehension in the general’s face. Oh yeah, the man knew exactly who he was dealing with. “Taliesin Security, the security specialists?”
“Yes sir,” Raine kept her voice friendly and pleasant.
Cawley shifted his stance slightly, subtly placing his wife behind him, but Raine caught the movement. The general’s voice cooled, “I’ve heard of your company.”
“Good things, I hope,” Gavin responded.
Cawley shrugged. “Depends on who’s listening. Taliesin has quite the reputation.” He threw out the bait, and Raine gritted her teeth. They had no choice but to stick this out.
Reminding herself of the role she played, she forced her voice to remain calm and unconcerned, “Reputations are sometimes blown out of proportion. Professional jealousy runs rampant in every industry.”
His expression gave nothing away. “Very true. Rumors say Taliesin employs some very rare and unusual talent.”
Her smile never faltered, and she laughed lightly. “Rare and unusual talent? I suppose our employees could be seen as rare. We try our best to lure the top minds to our company. I would say a combination of excellent training and highly honed skills can set our employees apart, but,” she shared a look with Gavin, before turning back to Cawley, “I’m not sure what you mean by unusual.”
Something unpleasant drifted through the older male’s gaze. “I’ve heard a couple of stories surrounding a small elite group known to only a few at your company. They exist to take on cases others refuse.”
Her heart skipped a beat, and she was grateful the Cawley’s were human and couldn’t hear it. Her mind worked furiously. How had he heard of the Wraiths?
Gavin’s laugh almost startled Raine. “I’m not sure who you’ve been talking to, but I wouldn’t put too much credence in their tales.” If she hadn’t known him so well, she would have been fooled by the light grin. “Our company specializes in security jobs. We protect everything from bodies to objects. We turn away business on a daily basis. Obviously someone is desperately digging for any mud to fling in our direction.”
Turning away, the general snagged a drink from a passing waiter before responding. “Perhaps you’re right.” He raised his gaze to Gavin’s as he took a sip. “Rumors generally come from those who wished they were true.”
Gavin’s smile remained unruffled. “True. Unfortunately, in this instance, they would be sadly disappointed.”
The men reminded Raine of two large dogs at a standoff.
“So General, Mrs. Cawley,” she stepped into the slight silence. “What brings you out to the Talbot Foundation fundraiser?”
Erica’s eyes lit up. “The foundation has made tremendous headway into developing possible cures for various illnesses. Something I follow closely with my own charity work.”
“Really?” Gavin asked. “Which work is that?”
Erica seemed to falter under his attention, but she pulled herself together, apparently intent on sharing her own passion. “I work with various health care organizations in trying to find solutions to the variety of birth defects and illnesses endangering our children. It’s an important cause, and one Mr. Talbot has helped out many times in the past. Without supporters like him, these causes would be lost and the children abandoned.”
Raine realized Erica Cawley was a modern day crusader, one of those rare people who actually believed in her charity work. Her conviction showed in the burning intensity of her blue eyes and the fervor of the faithful, echoing in her voice.
A small flicker of resentment flared to life inside Raine. Why was it the truly devoted people tended to be conned more easily? If, when, she silently corrected herself, Talbot was brought down, this fair haired woman would be one of those left behind to pick up the pieces. At least she’ll still be human and in one piece, though. The quick slice from the cutting thought stilled Raine’s breath for a second. Ideals, unlike a person’s sense of self, could be rebuilt. Those who fell under Talbot’s experiments were truly the lost ones.
“A worthy cause,” Gavin’s voice brought Raine back to the conversation. “The children are blessed to have such a protector as yourself on their side.”
“Thank you.” The pale pink returned to Erica’s face.
Her husband touched her arm and turned to Gavin and Raine. “Our apologies, but unfortunately I’m required to mingle with a few others. If you’ll excuse us?” Taking their leave, the Cawleys moved away. Raine and Gavin watched them weave their way through the ballroom.
Gavin bent his head toward her, while his arm wrapped around her waist, �
�Shall we dance?” At her nod, he took her out on the dance floor.
Dancing with Gavin was easy, her body followed his lead naturally. Swaying in his arms, she tilted her head up and kept her voice soft so surrounding couples wouldn’t hear their conversation. “Where do you think the general heard that little tidbit?”
His jaw tightened fractionally as he moved his head closer to hers. To the other partygoers it would look intimate, when in reality he was shielding their conversation. When he answered, his voice sent shivers down her spine, “I don’t know, but I don’t like it.”
Neither did she. The Wraiths weren’t known to the mortal world. Even within the Kyn, the Wraiths were not a commonly held belief. Mulcahy made certain no one really knew how strong the Wraiths were. They were Taliesin’s secret weapons and one of the most closely guarded Kyn secrets. The fact that a human military chief heard tales worried her. Especially since the rumor was more fact than fiction.
She turned her face into Gavin’s neck until his familiar woodsy scent filled her senses. There was only one way Cawley could have heard the stories. “We have a traitor in the Wraiths,” the words came out on a mere breath of sound.
His arms tightened around her in acknowledgement.
They both knew when Mulcahy found out, things would get dangerous, real quick. If the traitor was a Wraith and working with Talbot, the threat to the Kyn community had increased dramatically. The only good news was it dropped their suspect pool to ten, instead of the whole Kyn community.
Gavin slowed and then stopped, drawing her out of her thoughts with a light touch to her chin, gently tilting it up. The drone of music and voices seemed to drop into silence as she felt herself falling into those shards of jade. His thumb rasped across her lower lip, once, twice until deep inside a coil of tension drew tight.
She closed her eyes in an attempt to regain her control. It took a few seconds before she felt strong enough to open them.
