“You mean, unlike the Corpse Bloom Queen, who lends a wild card element you might not describe as exhilarating?”
His lip curled in a half smile, allowing a peek of fang to show through. “How was your meeting? I’ve only heard snippets.”
“Pure sunshine and roses. We should all do a group date sometime.”
“Good to hear. Will you sit next to me at the movie?”
Even putting the whole vampire thing aside, Fallon couldn’t imagine Reign – well-tailored suits and so sexual men and women fell to their knees in front of him – surrounded by popcorn and sitting in sticky chairs. Still, she said, “Sure, as long as you get me the Spellbook. I’ll even let you hold my hand.”
“Tempting.” In a deliberate sweep, his gaze traveled at slow speed over her, from her face to where her neck met shoulder. From there, it caressed its way down to the hand hanging at her side – A hand she took no notice of until this moment, and now fought to keep still.
It was a mistake to let down her guard and play with him, one she needed to rectify now. Stripping the humor from her voice, Fallon said, “Problem is, Merc isn’t keeping the book. It’s going to auction, and while we haven’t been able to pin down a buyer’s list, I can name a dozen people neither of us would be happy to know they got their hands on it.”
“That’s what we’re meeting under? The enemy of my enemy reasoning?”
Fallon shrugged. “Strange that a book which can cause as much mayhem and destruction as this one can is useless to necromancers. More than that, it will hurt your kind beyond even what it can do to us. If you’re smart, you’ll want it in our hands, since you know we won’t sacrifice a continent in the hopes of getting rid of you. You can’t make the same claim about some other factions. Unfortunately for me, that line of reasoning means you are the most trustworthy–” and not for gods or money could Fallon hold back the snort that followed that word “–person I can ask to help me get it back.”
He inclined his head, the move touché. “And payment?”
“Mutual benefit not enough?”
Now Reign began to move, a slow, circular pattern that had Fallon straightening from the wall and had her wary senses sharpening to pinpoint readiness. “While you make a compelling argument, the fact is there are others beyond the Guild who I would entrust the Spellbook to with full belief they either could not or would not use it against my kind, and indeed, they would be very generous in their thanks should we deliver the Spellbook to them.”
“And what kind of thanks would sway you to our side?”
Reign stopped a hairsbreadth from her, all pale skin and burning red eyes. “Are you willing to deliver on my price?”
Bravado was what this situation called for, and no one would know whether it was real or faked. “Nice try, Master Vampire, but I never agree without details.”
“I ask for nothing unreasonable, merely…” and here he paused, lowering his face to hers, close enough his breath brushed across her lips. “I wish to touch Tenro.”
The vein in her neck pulsed, so hard that even though his eyes never left hers, Fallon could not convince herself he hadn’t noticed. “There has to be something else.”
“You heard my price. Will you pay it?”
“And if I do?”
“Those under my control will deliver the Spellbook to your control. Now, may I?”
“Do not allow this!”
Her tongue begged to be let free to swipe over her mouth, but Fallon pushed back against her body, brought her breath and heartbeat under control, deadened her eyes into careful amusement and detached observation. “I won’t stop you.”
Without touching her, he ran his hand over the contour of her face, the curve of her neck, down her shoulder, to reach behind her for the sword.
Tenro glowed red. Magic pulsated in violent shock, and Reign fell back under the attack, shielding himself in instinctive motion before turning back to face Fallon.
Triumph glowed in those deep red eyes, and his smile showed every inch of white fang within that seductive mouth.
Weariness fell over Fallon, further battering her ruined defenses. But not here. She couldn’t fall apart here. With practiced nonchalance, she turned and walked to the door, calling over her shoulder, “I expect the Spellbook soon.”
It took two steps to notice Laire in the doorway, a puzzled look in her eye. Not now, not…now. Fallon pushed past without waiting to see if Laire followed, heading for the elevator, heading anywhere away from here.
Chapter Twenty-Four
‡
“I don’t want to hear…I couldn’t care less…Just fuckin’ do it!!!” Hadrien flung the phone away from him in disgust before falling on the bed.