Helen’s gears ground.
I looked back at her. “Thanks. I’ll need it.”
A wet nose wiggled its way in between my boot and pants. I reached down, giving Dusty’s head a pat. I hadn’t realized it had followed me down. “I’ll be back soon.”
I walked from the office. No one stopped me on my way to the square or fell into step with me. Xazier was right: I was a schmuck. I’d done this for Hawk and them, and they hadn’t wanted me to.
No, that wasn’t entirely true. I hadn’t done it just for them. I’d done it for me, for Xest, this magical place that had made me finally come alive. I’d done it because it was the right thing to do. I didn’t want to die knowing I hadn’t stepped up, left it all on the field, when it counted. If everyone else thought my actions had been a mistake, or couldn’t come to terms with it, I’d accept that because my motives had been pure.
Xazier was waiting for me, smiling. He glanced at my outfit. “That won’t do for where we’re going, but I’ll take care of it.” He held out his arm and we were in a nightclub. I didn’t know where, but it felt distinctly European.
The place was so dark and crowded that our appearance out of thin air was barely glanced at.
My outfit was replaced by a velvet dress with one shoulder bare and a hem that nearly grazed my hip before descending on the other side to barely respectable. And again, the most useless little straps of leather held spikes onto my feet, as if he were hoping I’d fall and die on the next set of steps we encountered.
He motioned us toward a roped-off corner where a booth awaited us. A bottle of iced bubbly was on the table in front of it.
He poured me a glass of champagne, not bothering to ask if I wanted one. I took it, knowing I couldn’t let myself have more than a sip or two. At least here, it would be hard to talk with the music blaring so loudly.
He leaned back in the booth beside me, and suddenly our small little area quieted. Everyone else kept on dancing as if we were alone in our quiet spot.
“I heard there was an incident, but you seem well. I’m glad.” He smiled, his human facade looking perfect.
“It wasn’t much of anything.” I would’ve loved to know who his sources in Xest were, not that there’d be a short supply when half the place wanted me dead.
“You know I could help you if you let me. I wouldn’t take over Xest. We could form a partnership of sorts, but a partner who wouldn’t try to control you and then abandon you.” He leaned in closer, laying his arm along the back of the booth behind my shoulders. “I can be very loyal to people who are worthy, and you, my dear, are most certainly worthy. I would treat you the way you deserve, unlike some others.”
“Something to think about.” I tipped my glass in his direction before taking another sip of champagne. I wouldn’t lose any sleep thinking over his offer. I’d spend more effort in counting my sips, knowing I couldn’t have too many.
“Have you made any progress? Word is you haven’t. I’m hearing you don’t even have a plan. Making a deal with me would be a way to save Xest. You want that, don’t you?”
“We’ll figure something out.” Did he have someone on the inside, or was it blatantly obvious to everyone in Xest that we were a lost cause?
“This deal won’t be on the table forever. There’ll be a price to pay for making me wait until the end. Would it really be that bad to work with me? Forget all that nonsense you’ve heard in Rest about hell and roasting bodies. Truth is we’re simply another plane of existence, no different than Xest.”
“As I said, I’ll need some time to consider it.”
“Some, yes.” He sipped his champagne. “So how did this attack the other day happen? I heard it was fairly vicious.”
“It wasn’t that bad.” He’d probably salivate if he heard the details, and tonight was bad enough already.
“No one was there to help you? Curious, because I’ve heard Hawk is personally guarding some witch named…” He shook his head. “I can’t remember the name. All I heard is she makes candy or some other frivolous thing. Some bit of fluff, from what they say, but I guess she must be important to warrant his attention.”
Had to hand it to Xazier. He was a master at pushing my buttons and obliterating self-esteem. I took another few sips then let him refill my glass. I wasn’t going to make it through this night without liquid help.
The office was dark when I got back, but this time it wasn’t empty. Hawk was waiting, standing in the door of the back room. Whatever the situation was with Gillian, he still cared enough to see if I made it back alive. No matter my mixed feelings, I was relieved to not be alone for a few moments. Meetings with Xazier left a chill in my blood that was hard to shed.
I let the jacket slide off my shoulder and then hung it, fully aware of how my new outfit clung to me. Had to give Xazier credit. He definitely knew how to bring out the best of my features. I certainly didn’t look like the tomboy I’d always been. After our meetings, I came back looking like my much more sophisticated twin sister who oozed sex appeal and confidence.
Hawk took in every inch, making no attempt to hide the perusal. “Nice outfit.”
His tone didn’t have anything nice or civil about it. It was nearly primal. If I was exuding sex, he was meeting it with pure testosterone.
He straightened from where he was leaning and walked closer, his nostrils flaring as he took in my scent. I might rival him with magic, perhaps beat him out in certain areas, but he had senses I’d never match.
“You shouldn’t let him touch you. You don’t know what he’s capable of.”
“I don’t think he meant to,” I said, remembering the way Xazier’s arm lay across the top of the booth behind me. How many times had his hand grazed my shoulder while he talked?
“Trust me, it was completely intentional. Don’t let him twist you up, Tippi. I know him. I know how he operates.”
He was standing as close as Xazier had, but when Hawk was near me like this, I had a hard time keeping my heartbeat steady, my breathing regular—thinking at all became a problem.
He dipped his head lower, toward my bare shoulder, his lips a hair away from grazing my skin. He brought his hand up, his touch hotter than normal as it moved along the skin that Xazier had brushed. I wasn’t sure what Hawk was doing, but the chill of Xazier was slowly melting away, and for that reason I couldn’t bring myself to stop him.
He feathered his hand down over my arm before moving it back. I’d never thought of the arm or shoulder as an erogenous zone until now, as his fingers moved over me, working its way back along the crook of my neck.
My head dropped back. “He didn’t touch there,” I said, in case there was a purpose to this I didn’t know.
“I like to be thorough,” he said as his hand continued until it was at the back of my neck, and then at the base of my skull, threading into my hair, tugging at it until it fell from its loose ponytail, slipping down about my shoulders.
I couldn’t get control of my breathing or the thudding in my chest. It didn’t matter if we were barely talking or if I thought I hated him. I wanted him to touch me, kiss me. I couldn’t bring myself to make the first move toward him, but all I wanted was to feel his hands on me. If Xazier had made me feel even a touch of this, I shuddered at what I might’ve already given away. I’d probably be setting up shop in hell right now.