by Jamie Craig
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MOSAIC MOON
by
JAMIE CRAIG
Amber Quill Press, LLC
http://www.amberquill.com
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Mosaic Moon
An Amber Quill Press Book
This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author's imagination, or have been used fictitiously.
Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.
Amber Quill Press, LLC
http://www.amberquill.com
http://www.amberheat.com
http://www.amber-allure.com
All rights reserved.
No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review.
Copyright © 2007 by Pepper Espinoza & Vivien Dean
ISBN 978-1-60272-128-9
Cover Art © 2007 Trace Edward Zaber
Layout and Formatting
Provided by: Elemental Alchemy
Published in the United States of America
Also by Jamie Craig
Keeping Time
Master Of Obsidian
Unveiled
Chapter 1
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This was not how he'd imagined spending his Friday night. There was no case hanging over their heads, the summer weather was surprisingly pleasant, and all Gideon Keel wanted was to take his lover down to Navy Pier and enjoy a nice, relaxing blues concert at the Skyline Stage. It wasn't much. In fact, he thought it was pretty damn easy, considering what he could have been doing. How many other vampires were ripping up downtown right at that moment? Too many to make Gideon comfortable. And he wasn't one of them.
Instead, he was in the back seat of Jesse's Cherokee Chief--relegated there by his own propriety because he wasn't about to make Emma sit in the back with the blood stains and scattered weapons--listening to Jesse and Emma chatter on and on about the estate sale they were going to. Normally, he liked these kinds of things; some of his best acquisitions came from sales conducted by ignorant surviving relatives. But they weren't even going to this one for their own sake. This was about paying a debt. A debt to someone who didn't even like Gideon.
And worse, all they were going to buy were books.
He could have stayed behind. When Jesse had brought up Michelle's request, Gideon's first instinct was to let him go on his own. If Michelle wanted their tab clear by sending Jess on a book-buying mission, it was no skin off Gideon's nose. Until he thought about it a little bit more.
Jesse Madding. Cambridge graduate. The biggest bibliophile this side of the Atlantic. With Gideon's money at an estate sale featuring one of Chicago's largest collections of rare books.
Not going was out of the question.
At least Emma had come along as well. When Emma was around, Gideon wasn't a captive audience for all of Jesse's excited babbling.
"So why exactly isn't Michelle going to this sale herself?" Gideon asked. It was getting a little tiresome being left out of the conversation. And the faint smell of blood that clung to the back seat was making his stomach growl.
"Big date," Emma answered.
"It's not a date," Jesse said quickly, looking over his shoulder to address Gideon. "She's meeting an antiques dealer tonight. An old friend of hers. He's only going to be in town tonight, and they've got some business."
"Is that what the kids are calling it these days?" Emma asked.
Jesse sent her a disapproving glance.
She shifted in her seat so that she could talk to both men at the same time. "She's been talking about this night for two weeks now." Her dark eyes danced with merriment, and her mouth curved into a sly smile in spite of Jesse's deepening frown. "Apparently, she and this Sam Grune used to have a thing, and they haven't seen each other in years. And you know what they say about history."
"Isn't the word 'doomed' usually in that saying?" Gideon joked. He hesitated, something about what she'd said niggling in the back of his mind. "Wait. Did you say Sam Grune?"
Her brows shot up. "Do you know him?"
"No." It was an honest answer. "But I know of him. I didn't know he and Michelle were old friends."
"He helped her when she first opened the store," Jess explained. "He actually donated most of the books that made up her stock at first. But I assure you, they're just friends."
Emma looked pointedly at Jesse. "You are not telling me that because she just so happens to have a thing for that lady down the street, it means she can't be interested in a male friend as well."
This was far more interesting than listening to them talk about books, Gideon decided. "Yeah, Jess," he said, leaning forward to rest his arms on the back of the front seat. "Since when are you so uptight about slapping sexual labels on people?"
Jesse sighed. "Since the night she grilled me on my sexuality. Let's just say, I know more about her preferences and kinks than I really need to."
Gideon grimaced. Discussing Michelle's kinks was worse than books. "Well, it's a good thing for me you're not nearly as narrow-minded as she is," he said as he settled back in his seat.
"Are you suggesting that I made an exception to my regular preferences for you?" Jesse asked.
"No, I'm saying Sangre wouldn't be nearly as much fun if you didn't like women, too."
"You have sex with women at Sangre?" Emma asked.
"Well...sure. I mean, it happens. Sometimes," Jesse said, without looking at her.
It was on the tip of his tongue to point out that he spent more time between Monique's legs at Sangre than any other vamp in the joint other than Gideon, but the sudden heat from both bodies in the front seat made him pause. Emma was still watching Jesse with fascination, but now there was the unmistakable staccato of her heart added to the mix. And Jesse was doing everything he could not to look at her. It was hard to tell whether it was Emma's empathic abilities picking up on Jesse's desire or something of her own. Gideon wasn't going to risk getting that gamble wrong.
"Are we there yet?" he said instead, looking out the window. "The sooner we get this done, the sooner I can get something to eat."
"In about ten minutes," Jesse answered. "Why didn't you eat something before we left?"
"Are you going to buy anything tonight?" Emma asked, facing Gideon. "The catalogue Michelle gave us looked really interesting."
The glow of the streetlights they passed cast her normally dark-blonde hair in silver, and for a moment, Gideon savored her porcelain beauty. Though she had started out as a client Jesse was determined to save, Emma had slid into their insular lives effortlessly, finding a niche that seemed to have been carved just for her. Calling her a friend felt inadequate. She had been there--done too much--for such a simple term to suffice. For Jesse, she was a companion, sharing interests, sharing humor, drawing him back into a world of light when he'd spent so much time with Gideon in the dark. For Gideon, however, she was a reminder of what he'd spent so many years trying to escape. She had been so lonely when they'd first met her. It was a guilty pleasure to be able to strip her of that.
"My sole purpose here tonight is to make sure Jesse doesn't bankrupt the business," he said. "So if this is your clever way to get me lost in a different room while he spends a small fortune on books we don't need, you're out of luck."
"Gideon, I resent that," Jesse said. "I have a much better plan in mind."
"It better involve lots and lots of blow jobs then."
He could hear Jesse's frown in his voice. "Well, it does. Am I getting that predictable?"
"No, it just means you're smart
enough to know the only thing that'll work to distract me."
"See," Jesse said, "I told you I had this under control."
Emma nodded. "So are you going to try to get your hands on that first edition you were talking about?"
The conversation lapsed into a round of taunts and teases that had Gideon relaxed by the time they reached their destination. He had to wait until they were out of the car before climbing out himself--and he really had to talk to Jesse about getting a four-door vehicle one of these days--but Emma looped her arm through his the moment he closed the door behind him, smiling up at Gideon as they followed Jesse up to the sprawling house.
"You really should get something for yourself," she said. "You never do."
"I don't need anything."
"Who said it had to be about need?"
"Gideon is usually pretty comfortable with taking what he wants, too," Jesse threw over his shoulder before he slipped into the house.
Gideon only shrugged and led Emma after him. Once they were inside, Jesse was all business. He went directly to the library, pulling a list out of his pocket as he walked. Gideon couldn't help but wince when he saw there were columns on both sides of the paper. He fervently hoped Michelle did not truly expect Jesse to leave with that many books. His hopes took a mighty blow when Jesse grabbed a box and started to load it up.
"Emma, do you remember what she said about the Harper? First edition only? Because it's not here."
She frowned. "It's supposed to be." A tiny elderly man sitting at a desk out in the hall caught her eye, and she extricated herself from Gideon's arm. "I'll go ask. Maybe somebody got it already."
The second she was out of sight, Gideon stepped behind Jesse, pressing him into the thick shelves. "So when do I get your mouth on my cock?" he murmured, nuzzling Jesse's ear.
Jesse's pulse immediately quickened, but he didn't visibly react. "As soon as you can find a private corner?"
"And what if I don't want it to be private?"
"Well, I'm not going to suck your cock in front of all these nice people," Jesse murmured. "Do you want to go to the club tonight?"
He was stopped from answering by Emma's return, but instead of moving away, he simply shifted so that he wasn't pressed quite so close to Jesse's ass.
"They sold it already." Her eyes flickered for a moment to Gideon. "You're not really letting him stop you from getting Michelle's books, are you?" she said to Jess.
"We're negotiating," Jesse answered easily. He picked up a leather bound book and passed it to her. "We'll get this edition. If she doesn't want it, I'll just take it to the office."
"If it's not a first edition, that means it's cheap, right?" When Jesse didn't answer, Gideon sighed and sat on the edge of a nearby table. "Why do I think this is going to be a very long night?"
* * * *
"Very long" translated to three hours and two, very heavy boxes, carefully stowed in the back of Jesse's car. Only one of them was for Michelle. Gideon was doing his best not to think about how much money Jesse had actually spent. The only good thing to come out of all this was that now their tab at Michelle's book store was officially clear.
Gideon came around the back of the car to see Jesse and Emma standing under a streetlight, going over the list one last time. "Are you sure you don't want the kitchen sink?" he asked dryly. "I think there's still room."
"It was a nice kitchen sink," Emma said.
"It really was. I know I don't need ornate faucets, but I think I want them now."
"It would have looked better in silver."
Jesse shrugged. "The gold matched the..." His voice trailed as he caught the annoyed expression on Gideon's face. "No, I think we're done here."
"Good. I'm hungry." He looked to Emma. "Do you have a taste for anything in particular? We can go back to the office and order it in."
Though the night hid the color in her face, Gideon felt the flush of embarrassment crawl over her skin. "I can't, actually. I have other plans."
The smile that Jesse had been wearing since buying the books faded. "We better get you home then. I'd hate to be the reason you're late for your date."
Gideon opened the passenger door and climbed in, watching Jesse guide Emma away from the sidewalk. His hand remained in the small of her back until she slid onto the seat, and though she smiled up at him, Jesse's wasn't quite as quick.
"So," Gideon said, after Jess had pulled away from the house, "is Ethan going to be mad we kept you out until all hours?"
Mention of the other man's name made Jesse's hand tighten on the wheel, but if she noticed, Emma gave no outward sign. "No, he knew it would be a late night. And it's not like either of us have to go to work in the morning."
"I thought you were going to check out that new magic shop with me," Jesse said.
"Oh, I thought we were going in the afternoon."
Jesse shrugged.
"We can still go," Emma said. "I'll just have Ethan drop me off at the office."
"Great." Gideon didn't know if Emma was picking up on Jesse's feelings about that, but Gideon didn't have to be an empath to know that Jesse was less than thrilled with the suggestion. "Gideon has a meeting with a client tomorrow around eleven, so I thought maybe we could go to lunch afterward."
"At the new Greek place? Ethan mentioned he wanted to try that. Maybe he'd like to come along."
Every time she mentioned Ethan's name, Gideon felt the thud of Jesse's heart get stronger. Jess might not be aware of it, but he was sure Emma wasn't. Ever since she'd started training with the other empath to learn how to control her abilities, she'd announced she was going to do everything she could to give them their privacy by not reading them. It was one reason why she was so much freer with touching them than she ever used to be. Emma no longer feared the emotional jolt that came from physical contact.
He glanced at the hard set of Jesse's jaw. Sometimes he wondered if closing them off was necessarily a good thing.
"I'm going to need you back at the office after my meeting," he said. It was a lie, but he didn't want to be on the receiving end of Jesse's bad mood when he came back from having lunch with both Emma and Ethan. "Sorry, Em."
"I guess I'll have to take a rain check," Jesse said, with a note of apology in his voice. He almost sounded genuinely sorry. Almost.
"I'll bring you a gyro," Emma promised amiably. "Ethan's taking me to a dance club tonight. He said I need to practice being in large, highly-charged crowds."
"You don't think that's going to be too much?"
"No. I think I'm ready for it." She frowned. "Why? Don't you think I'm ready for it?"
"Oh no," Jesse assured her quickly. "I think you're more than ready."
It sounded to Gideon like Ethan wanted to get Emma juiced up in order to take advantage of her heightened state, but he refrained from posing his theory aloud. It wouldn't do anybody any good. And it wasn't like Emma couldn't see whoever she wished. Even if sleeping with the man who was supposed to be helping her sounded like a textbook definition of conflict of interest to Gideon.
"If it gets too much for you, I want you to come over," Gideon said.
She turned to look back at him, and her smile warmed the cool moonlight. "Yes, Daddy."
Jesse made a funny choking sound, and the wheel jerked suddenly. His eyes darted nervously to Emma and he muttered, "Damned dogs."
"Everything okay?" Emma asked.
"Yeah, fine."
Gideon turned his head to hide his smile. There weren't dogs, just vivid memories of some of his and Jesse's games. He had a sudden certainty that he knew exactly what they were going to be doing once they got home.
When they reached Emma's apartment building, she stopped Jess from killing the engine by reaching across and resting her small hand on his forearm. "It's okay," she said and nodded toward the outline of a man approaching in the headlights. "Ethan's already here."
Ethan opened Emma's door wearing the big smile that Jesse always referred to as shit-eating-grin-nu
mber-twelve. He greeted Emma with a kiss to the cheek, and then extended his hand to Jesse.
"It's good to see you, Jess. I keep telling Emma that we need to invite you for dinner."
"Yes, we'll have to do that," Jesse said, shaking his hand politely.
Ethan nodded at Gideon. "And how have you been?"
Gideon's gaze was unwavering. "I'm hungry."
Jesse's lips twisted into a smile and his shoulders shook with a silent chuckle.
Ethan's smile faltered. "We better get going, Emma."
Emma leaned across and planted a friendly kiss on Jesse's cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow morning. Have a good night."
"You, too. Be careful."
"I'll take care of her," Ethan promised as he took her hand and helped her out of the Jeep.
Gideon waited until the pair was headed back to Ethan's car, his arm curled protectively around her waist, before climbing into the front seat. "Tell me again why I can't eat him," he complained, once the door was shut safely against being overheard.
"Because being a prick isn't technically a crime," Jesse muttered. "Thanks, by the way. Every time Emma invites him to lunch, I lose my appetite."
"Maybe you should stop giving her the choice of bringing him."
Jesse stared at him like his second head had sprouted a third eye. "How am I supposed to do that? I can't dictate who she spends time with. I don't have the right to tell her how she can spend time with her...friends."
"Have you tried telling her how you feel? Because she's not bothering to figure it out for herself these days."
"How I feel about what? Ethan?" Jesse shrugged. "Look, it won't do any good. If nothing else, she needs him right now. I certainly don't know how to help her."
"Who said anything about helping her?" Sometimes Gideon wondered how such a smart guy like Jesse could be so blind. "All I'm saying is that Emma is important to us. And she's made it clear we're important to her. Look, she even rearranged her schedule as soon as she realized you expected her in the morning. She's not going to appreciate us not telling her how we feel."
