“This is the best wine I’ve ever tasted. I’m afraid to ask how much a bottle of this sells for.” He wouldn’t tell her the bottle he’d opened would have easily sold for a half-million dollars. Smiling to himself, he made a mental note to have the Quans’ extensive wine collection packed and shipped to Cleveland and Vienna’s new home, less the few bottles he would consider a finder’s and handling fee.
“Don’t worry about the cost. All you need to do is enjoy the burst of flavor as the sweet, liquid pleasure washes over your tongue. Savor the gift of the grapes that have been waiting a very long time to hear those sweet moans you are making.” He almost laughed at the subtle stiffening of her spine. For a woman as accomplished as Asia Adler, observations—even casual ones—were carefully scrutinized to determine if they were criticisms or compliments. “Those sweet sounds tease and tempt in ways you cannot possibly imagine, Cara. It’s easy to see why newly mated shapeshifters stay locked in their suites so long.” Leaning down, Franklin kissed the tip of her nose, inhaling her scent and praying enough blood would stay above his waist to keep him vertical.
“Tell me about your plans before we get too distracted.” Asia paused as her hand caressed the inside of his thigh, the tip of her thumb brushing along the underside of his testicles. Fuck, the woman was lethal. She smiled when he sucked in a quick breath before continuing, “I can’t think of anything aside from how much I want you.” For several seconds Franklin was too stunned to respond.
This was the first time Asia had openly admitted being attracted to him. He knew she wanted him as much as he wanted her, but true to her profession, she’d generally managed to keep her expression entirely neutral. It wasn’t hard to understand her success in boardroom negotiations as well as the courtroom.
“Some Doms would consider that topping from the bottom, Cara. I prefer to view it as flirting, which I appreciate more than you know.” He was adept at ignoring flirtatious behavior; after all, he’d been dealing with it for longer than the average lifespan of non-magicals.
Franklin had always been considered aloof for good reason—as an only child, his parents believed education was the key to success, so they kept him mired in textbooks anytime he wasn’t taking part in some prearranged enrichment exercise. The only thing they’d failed to give him was their attention.
“It’s always nice to be appreciated.” The teasing tone of her voice made him smile. Every time they were together, he noticed she relaxed a bit more, and the attraction between them grew exponentially. “The plans?”
She brought him back to the moment, the sparkling mischief in her eyes a clear indication she was amused. Damn, he needed to rein in his wandering mind—Asia Adler would be a challenge to keep up with on his best day. Life will never be dull with my Cara.
An hour later, they’d made their first sweep through the house without Asia sensing anything out of the ordinary. She’d been distracted by the house itself—the Persian rugs, paintings by several Masters, he was surprised weren’t in museums, and more antiques than he’d ever seen in a private residence.
“Let’s try an experiment, Cara.” With a wave of his hand, a length of black silk draped over his fingers. Stepping behind her, Franklin pulled the blindfold over her eyes as his lips whispered against the warm shell of her ear. “I want you to focus on what you’re feeling, rather than what you see, pet. We’ll save this soft strip of silk and enjoy a long session of sensation play later, but for now, focus your mind on the vibrations surrounding you. You’re what the magical community refers to as a sensitive. You’ll be able to tell if the magic is white or dark if you allow yourself to tune into the subtle differences in the vibrations.”
Her mind was spinning as she tried to make sense of everything he’d just said. Franklin deliberately waited until her eyes were covered before giving her the first of the many hints he would drop about her skills.
“Hints? Do you really think that’s necessary?”
Franklin laughed out loud. Damn, he really needed to step up his game or risk revealing far more than he was ready to disclose.
“You’re right. I’ll be more direct, hints are probably not the most effective way to communicate with you. For now, let’s tackle the issue of identifying any lingering magical signatures?”
“I assume you are telling me magic has a fingerprint, or maybe it’s more like the voice of a writer—individual and identifiable.”
Yes, indeed, hints were never going to work with this woman. She was not only a remarkably accomplished professional woman, but Asia was also insightful with a hefty dose of common sense thrown in for good measure. Tucking her hand into the crook of his arm, Franklin began leading her slowly up and down the halls of the Quan mansion.
Asia was surprised how comfortable she felt walking blindfolded beside Franklin. Gone were all the insecurities she’d experienced during scenes when a Dom she played with covered her eyes. She could think of a variety of excuses for the anxiety she’d felt during those scenes, but none of them mattered. If there was one thing her parents had always stressed, it was the importance of honesty. Because our family is unique, you won’t always be free to be completely honest with the people in your life, but you should always strive to remain honest with yourself. Her mother’s sweet voice whispered through her mind, sending goosebumps racing over the surface of her skin.
“They taught you well, Cara. You were blessed to have them in your life. Their loss was felt by many.” She realized they were no longer walking, and hearing Franklin say he’d known both her parents made her smile. When they’d discussed her mother and father’s deaths, Franklin agreed the circumstances were questionable at the very least and had promised to petition the magical communities governing board for a formal inquiry.
“I’ve already spoken with the Council, and they are discussing the pros and cons of sending someone back in time to see what they can learn.” When she gasped and tried to reach for the blindfold, he caught her hand. “Yes, we can do that, but the traveler won’t be able to interfere. The magicals with time travel gifts are highly ethical and understand the burden of changing the past—even the smallest interference has a huge effect on the future. I want you to think this through, Cara. Finding out what happened isn’t going to change the outcome, and it will be impossible to hold anyone legally accountable.”
“Let me think about it. If they were murdered, knowing who is responsible might help me protect my family from future attacks. But knowing and not being able to seek justice is a recipe for a life spent in anger. I don’t want to be bitter, it serves no purpose.” She appreciated the council’s wisdom stalling a decision.
“I have so much to learn. It’s humbling because I thought my mom and dad prepared me. All those late nights, sitting around the kitchen table, listening as the two of them recounted shifter history, and not once did they mention there were others or how we are all linked together in some sort of magical continuum. There are so many others with truly remarkable abilities… how could they not share something so significant?” The feelings of anger she’d experienced when her parents died resurfaced with such a force, it stole her breath for several seconds until she felt Franklin slide his palm beneath her hair to wrap around the back of her neck.