And hope he’ll be alive so he can do that.
Kylian waggled a finger. “Think positive. I will be.”
Rolling his eyes, Brett retorted, “You have to teach me how to block my thoughts.”
“I will, once you’ve made the move to Denver.”
Brett grinned. “Bribery to make sure I do it?”
“Whatever works.” Kylian stood. “Okay, I should get out of here. I have things I need to do to prepare for tonight. I’ll let you know as soon as it’s over.”
“Please do. I’d like to know your job offer will still be available tomorrow.”
“It will be, I promise.”
* * * *
It was almost one A.M. when Kylian was finally able to call Brett. “I’m alive. The Slayer isn’t,” he said as soon as Brett answered.
“Fantastic.” Brett hesitated, elated at the outcome but…“And you’re unscathed, I hope.”
Kylian chuckled. “There’s a ten-dollar word, and yes, relatively so. A few minor scratches but they’re already healing.”
“Elves can do that?” Brett asked in surprise.
“Yes.” There was a brief pause on Kylian’s end, during which Brett could hear someone talking in the background. Kylian replied, “All right,” to them, then asked Brett, “Do you want me to stop by so you can check me out in person?”
“Uh. That won’t be necessary. I believe you.”
“Then I’ll see you in the morning. I did say I’d take you to Denver so you could find a place to live.”
“Sure. What time?”
“Ten?”
“That works. I’m glad you came out the victor.”
“You doubted I would?” Kylian replied, sounding both amused and maybe a bit upset.
Brett blew out a breath before admitting, “I had a couple of dreams where things didn’t end well. I kept telling myself I’m not a psychic, but…”
“Damned good thing you’re not.” Kylian chuckled. “So you’ve been dreaming about me?”
“I…umm. You and elves and shifters and it’s probably because I suddenly feel like I’ve been thrown into some sort of urban fantasy and it’s my mind’s way of coping and…yeah.”
Laughing now, Kylian replied, “Quite understandable. How about next time, though, you dream of me winning. Okay? And on that note, I’m heading to bed. I’m beyond exhausted. I’ll see you in a few hours.”
“I’ll be here,” Brett said, before they hung up.
Now he’s going to start wondering if adding me to his team is such a good idea after all. Way to go, idiot. With a sigh, he went back to what he’d been doing before Kylian’s call, which was getting ready for bed.
* * * *
“Did you dream of me again,” Kylian asked after Brett let him into the apartment the next morning.
“No,” Brett replied, looking flustered. “I slept without dreaming, for the first time since I met you.”
“Good. I suspect that means you really are getting used to the idea there’s more out there than just humans.”
“I’d better be, since I’m going to be working for you.”
Kylian shook his head. “Not for—with. We’re all equals as far as I’m concerned. Nominally I run the organization because someone has to have the final word at times.”
“That makes sense.”
“It does in my book. Okay, are you ready to travel?”
Brett patted his pockets to be certain he had everything, asking as he did, “Will I need a jacket?”
“It might be a good idea. It may be April, but it’s been known to snow in Denver in May.”
“Jesus. Are you kidding?”
“Nope.”
Brett grabbed a jacket, locked up when they were out of the apartment, and followed Kylian down to his car. “Where are we going?” Brett asked.
“For a walk in the park. City Park, to be specific.”
“Sure. Why not?”
Twenty minutes later, they were strolling down a path in the Couturie Forest in the center of the park. They’d just crossed over a foot bridge when Kylian turned off the path into the surrounding trees. A moment later, they were standing under a strangely bent tree with a rocky, almost cave-like formation beside it. Kylian gripped Brett’s forearm, leading him forward.
* * * *
“Holy hell,” Brett exclaimed seconds later. They were on top of a low, stony hill overlooking a small park. It was surrounded on all sides by trees—although not enough of them to hide them, as far as Brett was concerned. The sky was a clear blue, the air felt thin and cool—a vast difference from New Orleans.
“What if someone had been here when we arrived?”
“That’s why I cast an invisibility spell over us,” Kylian replied.
Brett looked at him. “I can see you.”
“Because you’re within the spell.” Kylian dropped it since there was no one around, telling Brett that he’d done so.
“Okay. So we’re here. How do we get to…wherever?”
“My car. It’s in a long-term parking garage.” Kylian gestured to a building across the street. “Wherever would be my office first, so we can do a search for available apartments that meet your criteria.”
As they drove, Brett could see mountains off in the distance ahead of them, still capped with snow. “Tell me that’s not where we’re going,” he said, pointing to them.
“Not even close. If we were, I’d have used a door in the center of them.”
A few minutes later, Kylian pulled into a small parking lot next to what looked, to Brett, to be if not a mansion at least close to one. “This is your headquarters?”
“You bet.” Kylian led the way into a spacious entryway with a gleaming parquet floor. Through arches off it, Brett could see what would pass for living and dining rooms, if this was a home. They were carpeted, large and airy, with comfortable looking chairs and sofas in one of them and an impressive dining table with eight chairs in the other. In a third room, he saw a massive oak desk along one wall, with matching file cabinets and book cases. A state-of-the-art computer with all the peripherals sat on the desk. A long staircase with an ornate wooden banister led from the entryway up to, Kylian told him, the second and third floors.
“More offices up there?” Brett asked.
“Two, plus living quarters,” Kylian replied. “For times when some of my people have to come to town for meetings. You can use one of the bedrooms if you want, until we find you a place of your own.” As they talked, he walked into the office, gesturing for Brett to take one of the chairs at the desk. He took the other, booting up the computer.
For the next hour, they searched a real estate database for anything that Brett thought might work for him. He found three and contacted the building managers to let them know he wanted to see them. The first two, while nice enough, didn’t do much for him as far as their atmosphere was concerned.
Then they walked into the third one and Brett knew he’d found his new home. The main area was built on an open floor plan with a loft above the kitchen area that could serve as his bedroom. There was a second, large bedroom behind the main room that would work very well as his studio. The manager told him the building had been built in 1896 as a mercantile exchange. The original timbered ceiling beams were there, the walls were exposed brick and concrete, and the floors were carpeted. Tall windows, reaching almost to the fifteen-foot ceiling, looked out over the city on two sides, and filled the space with natural light.
“What do you think?” Brett asked Kylian.
“What I think doesn’t matter. You’re the one who’ll be living here. I will say it’s not your run-of-the-mill apartment. It has character.”
“Exactly. And it’s right off the downtown area which will make it easier for my potential clients to find me. Another plus is that it has its own parking lot.”
Brett told the manager he wanted it, which entailed his filling out reams of paperwork. The manager told him that he would call Brett the next day t
o let him know if he could have the apartment. “At which point, we’ll need first and last month’s rent, and your signature on the lease.”
“Of course. I look forward to hearing from you.”
When Brett and Kylian got back to the car, Kylian asked, “Would you like a tour of the city?”
“You don’t have other things you need to do?”
“Nothing that can’t wait.”
“Then, sure.”
A couple of hours later, Brett felt as if he’d seen every inch of Denver, although he knew that was far from the case. Therefore, when Kylian said they should call it a day and get some dinner, Brett was all for the idea. Kylian suggested an Italian restaurant in one of the many arts districts.
* * * *
“Do you like my city?” Kylian asked, sipping his wine as they waited for their meals to arrive.
“Yes. What I’ve seen of it so far. It’s a hell of a lot different from New Orleans. Once I get settled in, I’ll explore it in more depth—on foot.”
“You’re a walker?”
“Whenever possible,” Brett replied. “It’s the best way to get to know a place and the people.”
“Hmm. You’re making it sound like you’ve lived several places. Why did I think you’ve always been in New Orleans?”
“I grew up there, but I went away to school, then moved around a bit until I decided I’d rather live in NOLA than anywhere else.”
Kylian frowned. “That doesn’t bode well for you staying here for any length of time.”
“Not true. I can create my art anywhere, so that’s not a factor. However, I have a reason to live here now—not in NOLA. You need me close at hand when something goes down that requires your attention.”
“It’s going to be a big change for you.” Kylian grinned. “We have actual seasons, among other things.”
“And snow.” Brett gave a mock shiver. “I think I can deal. Why did you end up here?”
“Location, location, location, to quote realtors. I like that it’s close to the mountains, although I wouldn’t be caught dead on a pair of skis. I lived here way back in time—when Emile was on the police force—and fell in love with the city. So when I had to move my headquarters, I came back here.”
Leaning back, Brett studied Kylian. “How long ago was that?”
“The first time? Eighteen thirty. When I returned? About fifteen years ago.”
Brett sucked in a breath. “How long have you been running the agency?”
Kylian smiled. “A long time. I started it in the late seventeen-hundreds.”
“Damn. That makes you at least…” He frowned. “Two hundred and fifty.”
“Try twice that,” Kylian replied.
Brett whistled softly. “And Emile?”
“He’s only two hundred.”
“I am definitely going to be the baby in the organization. I’m barely thirty-two.”
“Really? I had you pegged at late twenties.”
“I wish. No, I don’t, actually. At this point, I’ve made a name for myself, so I don’t have to struggle to make the rent the way I used to.”
“I thought that was why you did the sketches for tourists.”
Brett nodded, waiting for the waitress to set their meals down and leave before saying, “It started out that way. I do it now because I enjoy getting out and meeting people. It gives me a break from my real job.”
“That’s how you think of your paintings?”
“Sure. I love creating them, but it’s still a job that keeps a roof over my head and food on the table. Now I have a question, if you don’t mind. Do you—at least as far as the people you meet are concerned—have an occupation to explain your headquarters, and probably the fancy place you live?”
Kylian laughed. “Not fancy. I’ve got a small home not too far from here. As for my headquarters, I guess you didn’t see the sign by the front door. I run an international travel agency with a large complement of employees who work with business clients to set up meetings and conferences in various parts of the world, and then get the client’s people to and from wherever and housed while they’re there.”
“That must be profitable.”
“It is, which helps pay the people who work with me doing what we really do. Before you ask, you’ll be pulling down a salary as well.”
Brett frowned. “How will you explain that, since I’m an artist? I don’t see that as something your ‘firm’ would need.”
“You’ll be our artistic consultant. I’m sure we can figure out what that will entail, on paper. Perhaps something to do with our advertising, or coming up with tours of museums and such in various cities, as part of the recreation package for our clients’ employees.”
“I’m not sure…”
“It’s a cover, to explain why I’m paying you.”
“Okay. So your travel agency definitely is for real, not just a front.”
“Of course it is. Even, God help me, down to paying taxes and renewing my business licenses every year.”
“Ouch.”
“Big ouch.”
At that point, they stopped talking to eat. When the meal was finished, Kylian insisted on paying for it. “Call it a welcoming dinner.”
“Thanks. Now we can walk it off while we check out the galleries in the area.”
“Not sure we’ll be getting all that much exercise since they’re all on this block and the next.”
“Show me,” Brett replied, so Kylian did. Some of the artwork was excellent. Some, Brett equated to what he saw way too often in galleries in New Orleans catering to the tourist trade. Not horrible, but not worth the asking price. “But then, I’m prejudiced, I suppose,” he told Kylian after giving his opinion on one painting. “I prefer something that won’t be purchased because it matches a living room wall.”
Kylian snorted with amusement. “I’m with you on that.”
The evening wound down with a stop for coffee before they returned to Kylian’s offices. He took Brett up to one of the bedrooms on the second floor, which was more of a two-room suite. “There are toiletries in the bathroom, and pajamas in the dresser, if you’re the kind of man who wears them,” Kylian said. “Feel free to raid the bookshelves downstairs.”
“I have the feeling I’m going to shower and hit the bed. This has been a long, very interesting day, and right now, I’m ready to sleep.”
“Just don’t have any more dreams of me,” Kylian replied with a wink.
If I do…Brett quickly changed his thoughts to how he’d arrange the move from New Orleans to Denver. He didn’t know if Kylian would prone to reading his mind—he certainly hoped that was something he didn’t do unless the situation warranted—but he wasn’t taking any chances.
“Walk down with me, so you can lock up,” Kylian suggested, which Brett did. Then he went up to get ready for bed. As he did, he finished the thought he’d had earlier. If I do dream of him, it won’t be violent, like the last ones. Not by a long shot. He knew his mind shouldn’t be going there, given the differences between them. Major differences with no way to overcome them. But damn, he’s one sexy male. Something I didn’t really notice until today. Not that I’ll let him know. I wonder if elves can be gay. I am not asking him. He chuckled. No coming on to the boss, no matter what. And damn it, he’d better teach me how to block my thoughts before I think something I shouldn’t and he picks up on it. Or…
He took out his phone, got onto the web, and began searching. It took him a while to find something that might work for him. He concentrated until he saw an egg-shaped shield with him inside. He imagined it hardening so that none of his thoughts could leave it. According to the site, he should reinforce the shield once a day. Now all I have to do is believe this is possible, which shouldn’t be too hard. After all, I believe in elves and shifters, now. Vampires and ghosts, I’m not so sure about despite what Kylian said, but I suppose there’s nothing that says they don’t exist.
With that, he turned off his phone, got in
to bed, and spent the next few minutes creating then taking down his shield until he felt he had the hang of it. At that point, exhaustion took over and he fell into a dreamless sleep.
Chapter 6
The manager for the apartment building called Brett first thing the following morning to tell him that the apartment was his as soon as he came by to pay first and last and sign the contract.
When Kylian showed up at nine, Brett told him the good news.
“Great. Let’s get that done. Then I’ll take you back to New Orleans.”
They did, after which they returned to the door in the park and moments later were in New Orleans. When they arrived at Brett’s present apartment, Kylian asked if Brett wanted help with his packing up his things.
“Thanks, but no. It’ll take me forever to decide what goes and what stays.” Brett laughed. “I don’t think you want to sit around while I dither.”
“I could if you need me, but it would probably make you even more dithery.”
And too distracted knowing you’re here and watching. Brett immediately hoped the shield he’d constructed worked. Not that he has any reason to try and read me at the moment, but still. Apparently it did, or else Kylian hadn’t been probing, because he asked how long Brett thought it would be before he returned to Denver.
“With luck, I should be back within the week. Once I figure out what I am bringing with me, I’ll rent a truck with a hitch for my car. I think the drive itself will take less than a day.”
“All right. I’ll see you then, and call when you arrive.”
“I will.”
After Kylian took off, Brett made breakfast since he hadn’t eaten when he got up. Then he set to work figuring out how much of his stuff would go with him and how much was extraneous junk he’d managed to collect that he didn’t need.
It took him most of the week to pack. He also contacted clients and the gallery where he sometimes showed his work, to tell them he was leaving the city. After that, he got in touch the management and utility companies to tell them he was vacating the apartment as of the end of the week. The final thing on his agenda was calling the few friends he had to say goodbye. A couple of them offered to help him pack up the truck, to which he readily agreed.
Kylian and Brett Page 5
