“When you arrived, you said ‘you’re not going to believe where we have to go to find the next book’. What’s so special about Fort Worth?”
I ignored the fact that he’d been eavesdropping and had more than likely heard the rest of our conversation, parts of which involved him, and explained, “Maybe I should rephrase that. What I should have said is you’re not going to believe who has the book, although, now that I think about it, either statement would work equally well.” Raven and Connor looked at me expectantly and I continued. “Getting hold of this grimoire is going to be near-on impossible, I’m sure. It’s with the Fae. And not just any Fae. Roland said the book is in the possession of the prince of the Seelie Court. It looks like a trip to the Fae realm might be in the cards.”
Raven gasped and a low growl ripped from Connor’s throat. “You’re not going!” he declared, jumping to his feet and glaring at Raven. He paced around the sofa and ran a hand through his hair before returning to Raven’s side. “And before you say anything, I know you don’t need my permission to do anything, but you’ve also got to know that I’m deadly serious about this. You. Are. Not. Going.”
Connor’s tone left no room for misinterpretation, but when Raven’s shoulders slumped, I raised my eyebrows, surprised she’d given in to his demand so easily.
“Connor’s right,” she said, her tone as defeated as her expression. “I can’t go, Ash.”
Breathing a sigh of relief, Connor retook his seat next. He reached out and grabbed Raven’s hand, pulling it into his lap and covering it with both of his. He stroked her knuckles with his thumb.
I nodded slowly. “Okay. You mind telling me why not?”
Raven groaned. “Have you ever had any dealings with the Fae?”
I thought for a moment before replying. “Sure, I’ve come up against one or two in my time.” I’d faced several Fae, in fact. They were formidable opponents, but they weren’t unbeatable. I couldn’t understand why Raven looked so afraid after hearing the news.
“And how did they…affect you?” she asked.
I frowned, studying her. “I’m not sure I understand what you mean.”
“Their magic,” Raven elaborated. “Are they able to glamour you in the same way a vampire can control a human?”
I stared at her for a beat. “Their glamour doesn’t work on me—it doesn’t work on any hunters.”
“Wrong,” she breathed. “It works on me.”
The already uneasy feeling in my stomach worsened when Raven went on to explain about an experience she’d had with a Fae while searching for her partner, Matt. Malaki had come to her rescue when she’d fallen under the Fae’s spell, and because of his intervention, Raven had owed him a debt of gratitude. That was one of the reasons she’d had to find the grimoire in the first place—that and Malaki’s promise to tell her where Matt was being held if she helped him locate the book. We both knew it would have been impossible to turn Malaki down regardless of his intervention. You didn’t get on the wrong side of angels.
When Raven finished telling me her story, I was as resolute as Connor.
“There’s absolutely no way you can come to Fort Worth with me. It would be too dangerous for you.”
I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. Unlike Raven, I didn’t work with a partner. I hunted alone and I’d always preferred it that way. It was safer. I figured it was better to look after number one than to develop an emotional attachment to someone who could very well get you killed. But the truth was I liked Raven and though I might not have admitted it aloud, I’d been looking forward to having someone around to talk to on this job—someone to keep me company. Sometimes I got lonely on the road—always moving around from city to city. We were discouraged from making friends with ‘civilians’ because they could be used against us. We rolled into town, we did what we had to do and we got out. The more invisible we could make ourselves, the better.
When I’d first left the training academy and began to hunt, the loneliness hadn’t bothered me. Back then I’d insisted on working alone because I’d wanted to prove I was competent. I’d always been comfortable with my own company. But in the past couple of years, that had started to change. I’d begun to re-evaluate the decisions I’d made and I could definitely see the allure of having someone along for the ride—someone you trusted implicitly.
Raven’s story had seriously wigged me out. It made me question if there was a Fae out there who could affect me in the same way that Raven had been affected. All the Fae I’d come up against had never been able to glamour me, but that didn’t mean none of them could. Each Fae was unique. They all had their own strengths and abilities so you never knew what you were going up against until they showed you their magic.
“I’m calling in a favour,” Raven said after a short pause for thought. “I’m gonna get a replacement to go with you. You can’t do this alone.”
I opened my mouth to object, but closed it just as quickly. I trusted Raven’s judgement. She wouldn’t send me up to Fort Worth with just anybody and this job was going to be difficult enough already. I’d known that the second Roland had told me about it.
“A favour?” I queried. “Why not call the Council for help? They must have someone they can pair with me.”
Raven shook her head. “I’ve hunted with this man before. He’s the best there is. Matt got injured pretty badly about five years ago and he had to take a couple of months off. The Council partnered me temporarily with Mitch Rakowski. He’s good, Ash. He doesn’t work anymore, but he owes me a favour. He’ll do this for me and I’ll sleep easier knowing you aren’t going up there alone.”
I nodded my acquiescence and tried not to think about the danger that awaited me in Fort Worth. Vampires and werewolves I could take out in my sleep, but Fae? I didn’t know what I was walking into or how many there would be. And I was particularly worried about their ‘talents’. That was without the added worry of a demon showing up to claim the book.
“Okay, fine, make the call,” I conceded.
It seemed like a logical idea at the time, but when Raven retrieved her cell and punched in a number, I chanced a glance at Connor. His wary expression made me feel suddenly nervous and I wondered if I would live to regret my hasty decision. Before I got the chance to ask Raven why Mitch didn’t hunt anymore, she was already deep in conversation with the mystery man.
Chapter Two
Mitch had told Raven he’d pick me up in the parking lot of a diner called Ivy’s. I was having second thoughts about the whole idea. I was used to being independent and I’d have preferred to take my own car, but Raven and Connor had convinced me to go up there with Mitch. I’d given in, but it ticked me off that this man who I’d yet to meet was already laying down the law. As soon as I met this Mitch I was gonna throw down some ground rules of my own. I appreciated his help, but this was my assignment and if he thought he was going to be in the driver’s seat for the entire mission then he could think again.
Raven dropped me off in the parking lot, but she didn’t hang around to wait for Mitch. She was heading straight to an appointment with Neal, her handler from the Hunters’ Council. I could tell that Raven was nervous about the meeting so I didn’t bombard her with too many questions about Mitch. She trusted him and that was good enough for me—for the time being at least. Anything I needed to know about him I could find out myself, and if Mitch wasn’t forthcoming, I’d call Roland to get the scoop.
Standing outside the diner, I watched the cars come and go, checking my watch every couple of minutes. Mitch was nearly fifteen minutes late and I was becoming more and more impatient. I’d decided to give him another five minutes and if he didn’t show, screw him. I’d hunted alone for nearly ten years and although this job was out of my comfort zone, it was just another job. I needed to remember that.
I’d reached the end of my patience and was just about to call a cab to take me home so that I could pick up my car when the low growl of a motorcycle reached my ears. I turned t
o see a shiny black and chrome Harley slide into a space a few feet away from me.
Even through the leathers the rider wore, I could tell he had a strong, powerful body that looked lean and solid, full of muscle. After switching off the bike, he leaned it on its kick rest, took off his helmet and shook out his thick, dark brown hair. He scanned the parking lot then his head turned slowly and the sexiest chocolate brown eyes I’d ever seen came to rest on me.
Holy crap, he was hot. No, scratch that, he was smoking hot. His gaze raked over my body and I felt the look as deeply as if it was a physical caress. Instantly my nipples hardened to firm peaks and a delightful shiver ran down my spine. I pulled in a few deep breaths in an effort to slow my racing heart. The biker grinned and the expression dazzled me, knocking all the air out of my lungs.
“Well, hello, beautiful,” he drawled, giving me another once-over. When he zeroed in on my slim thighs I couldn’t decide if I was happy I’d chosen to wear my favourite faded denim mini skirt and black cowboy boots or completely mortified. His voice was a deep rumble and I imagined him growling out my name as he thrust between my legs with wild abandon.
Shaking the thought from my mind, I swallowed then opened my mouth to reply, but he hadn’t finished speaking.
“Name’s Mitch. I sure wish I had time to stop and shoot the shit, sweet cheeks, but I’m heading out of town and I’ll be gone a while. How about you give me your number and I’ll give you a call when I get back?”
A few things occurred to me at once. This was Mitch Rakowski, the hunter I was going to have to spend time with in Fort Worth. That in itself was a disaster waiting to happen. How could I concentrate on the job with someone like him driving me to distraction? The second thing I realised was that he was riding a motorcycle and if he thought I was getting on the back of that thing and travelling all the way up to Fort Worth on it, he was sorely mistaken. Thirdly, how could he be so presumptuous? I was standing outside a diner alone, but I could have been waiting for my boyfriend or husband to come out after paying our check. I hadn’t been that obvious when I’d checked him out. Lastly, I realised, he obviously didn’t know who I was. I stared at him a beat, letting his words permeate then my anger began to set in.
“Did you just call me sweet cheeks?”
A low rumbling chuckle escaped his throat and he swung his leg over the bike and stepped off, placing his helmet on the seat. When he stood up to his full height, I almost swallowed my tongue. Jesus, he was huge. Okay he wasn’t abnormally large, but he was at least six feet and compared to my five foot five frame, that was tall. He opened his mouth to say something, but this time I wasn’t done.
I glared at him. “Mitch as in Mitch Rakowski, Raven’s friend?” When his eyes widened in surprise I knew my presumption was spot on.
His eyes narrowed. “You’re shitting me. You’re the hunter?” His eyes travelled the length of my short, petite frame again and when his scowl deepened, I could feel my fury build.
“And a damn good one,” I bit out. I looked over my shoulder to ensure no one was listening then I let rip. “Listen up, Mitch, because I’m only going to say this once. I hunt alone, always. Agreeing to let you tag along was purely to placate Raven because I didn’t want her to worry that she was leaving me high and dry.” Well, that was mostly true. I decided to leave out the part in which I thought I might be in over my head. “I might be shorter than other hunters, but I assure you I’m equally as lethal. If you want to test out that theory then please, by all means, call me sweet cheeks one more time.”
Mitch’s glare softened and then he did something that pissed me off even more. He threw his head back and let out a loud guffaw, the mirth shaking his tall, annoyingly impressive frame. I stared at him, eyes wide. The frosty, bitchy tone I’d always used as a defence mechanism usually did the trick. It had zero effect on Mitch.
“I can see this is going to be interesting,” he remarked after his humour had subsided.
I folded my arms over my chest then quickly uncrossed them when I realised the action made my boobs look twice their size and forced them to spill out of my vest, something Mitch ‘eagle eyes’ Rakowski didn’t fail to notice and home in on. He might be hot, but he was clearly a dick, therefore I chose to dislike him on principle. I’d be the first to admit that confidence was sexy, but arrogance? Oh, hell no.
I tapped my boot-clad foot on the ground and balled my hands into fists as I intensified my glare. “And there’s something else you need to get straight before I go anywhere with you.”
His mouth curved up into the sexiest damn grin I’d ever set eyes on and he nodded for me to continue. I had to get this out so that he was under no illusions about what was going to happen between us in Fort Worth, namely nothing.
“If you think you are going to ‘tap this’, or whatever the hell expression men like you use for hooking up, then you’ll be waiting a long damn time. We’re going to Fort Worth and we’re going to bring back the book, hopefully quickly and painlessly. When we get back, it’s game over. This is a working arrangement. Nothing more. Are we clear?”
Mitch stalked forward a few paces, his dark brown gaze intent. He stopped just inches away from me and I tried to ignore the heady scent of him as he leaned farther into my personal space.
“I saw the way you were checking me out, sweet cheeks, and I can’t say as I blame you. Bet you’ve never had a man like me in your bed, but get this. I’ll give it two days before you are in fact crawling under my sheets and when you get there, you are gonna be begging me to ‘tap that’. And only after you’ve begged me repeatedly will I finally give you what you want, are we clear?”
I ignored the all-over shiver and opened my mouth so wide I was surprised my jaw didn’t lock. “You did not just say that.”
“Babe,” he drawled. “We both know it’s gonna happen.”
I sucked in a sharp breath. “You’re unbelievable!”
“I know,” he said around another sexy, but annoying-as-all-get-out grin. “But, baby, you ain’t seen nothing yet.” He nodded to his Harley. “You ready?”
“I’m not going all the way to Fort Worth on that thing.” I squared my shoulders and jutted out my chin.
Mitch’s eyebrows rose. “You got something against bikes?” He shook his head then raked his gaze over my face, his grin broadening. “Don’t tell me you don’t like having all that power between your legs, sweet cheeks, because that wouldn’t bode well for all the things I’m gonna do to you after you’ve begged me to take you.”
I was stunned into silence and I was never at a loss for words. In defiance, I picked up my backpack, threw it over my shoulder then strode to the Harley. I thrust out my chin as I straddled the bike and warned him again, “Do not call me sweet cheeks!”
His low, rumbling chuckle started up again as he came back to his bike. “As sexy and inviting as those perfect fucking legs of yours look, baby, I’m gonna have to ask you to change your clothes. I might be a safe rider, but I’m not the only person on the road. I’d feel a whole hell of a lot better if you were wearing the right gear. I know somewhere we can kit you out before we hit the highway.” He took off his jacket and tossed it at me.
“Put that on.” He grabbed his helmet then shoved it unceremoniously on my head before sliding smoothly onto the seat in front of me. “Might wanna put your arms around me and hold on tight. It’s gonna be a bumpy ride.”
I growled.
Mitch laughed harder.
This job was sure to be agony of the highest order. Getting glamoured, tortured and possibly killed by Fae didn’t seem like such a bad thing anymore.
* * * *
No sooner had we pulled away from the diner parking lot than we were cruising into the compound of a bike shop which sold everything a biker could possibly need and then some. Inside I was indeed ‘kitted out’. I got a helmet, a cool black leather jacket complete with back and elbow armour which fit like it had been custom-made for me and a pair of faded, low-slung jeans which
were totally hot and too good to pass up. After trying them on in the fitting room, I kept them on.
Mitch insisted on paying for everything. I thought about arguing, but seeing as he was the one who wanted to travel up to Fort Worth on his Harley, I relented and let him pay. Besides, it wasn’t like I was going to use all the stuff when we got back from Fort Worth, apart from the jeans which I was going to wear at every given opportunity—hell, I’d sleep in them if I could. I knew I’d been right about the jeans when I stepped out of the fitting room and Mitch couldn’t keep his eyes off my ass.
As soon as we were done with the bike shop, I figured we’d hit the road, but Mitch insisted we stop by his condo to discuss what I knew about the grimoire. He was doing a lot of insisting and we hadn’t even made it out of Austin. This didn’t bode well for our working relationship, but I decided to bite my tongue and save arguing for something that mattered. I did glare at him when he told me we were going to his place, convinced it was some sort of ploy to get in my pants. As it turned out, I shouldn’t have worried. When we arrived, someone was waiting for us outside Mitch’s front door. The man turned as we neared and a groan slipped free from my lips.
“Malaki,” Mitch greeted tersely.
The angel gave a manly jerk of his chin then turned his gaze on me. “Ashley. How lovely to see you again.” His eyes roamed over my attire. “Like the jeans,” he commented, his lips lifting into a smirk which was so darn effective I’m sure it would have made most women fall at his feet and offer to have his babies. I, fortunately, wasn’t most women.
Malaki had black, spiky hair with neon pink tips. His ears were adorned with a collection of studs and loops. On his right earlobe was a silver cuff in the shape of a skull. He wore a black fitted T-shirt and skin-tight black leather pants. A chain hung from one of the belt loops and disappeared into a back pocket of the pants. He had leather cuffs on each wrist and a pair of kick-ass heavy boots on his feet. His face was handsome, chiselled with angular features and full, pink lips. And I kid you not, he was wearing eyeliner. He looked like a rock sex God. Unfortunately, I’d had the experience of meeting him once before. It hadn’t been pleasant.
A Fae in Fort Worth Page 2
