A Midsummer Night's Scream (The Dulcie O'Neil Series Book 7) (5 page)

Knight shook his head. “Jax is too high profile. It would be impossible to hide him. And he was very up front about all the hits he knows are out on him. Regardless of what I might think, we have to take him seriously.”

“If he has a hit out on him, or multiple hits, that has to mean he spilled information to you, right?”

Knight nodded. “Yes, of course. But whether or not that information is valid is another question. So far, we have yet to validate anything that comes out of his mouth.”

“So you think he’s lying?”

“We shall see.” He smiled at me and secured the tendril of hair he’d been playing with behind my ear. “In the meantime, we have to take any threats to his safety seriously. That’s why I decided to bring him to Splendor. It won’t be as easy to find him here as in the Netherworld.”

I just nodded, unsure how to interpret the information. “For how long?”

Knight shrugged. “Not sure yet. Maybe a couple of days.”

I just nodded as I remembered the large man with the dimpled smile who was now calling our jail home. “So I got the feeling that Jax is a Loki like you?”

“I thought you weren’t able to detect my species?” Knight replied with a raised eyebrow of suspicion aimed at me.

Cocking my head to the side, I stared at his well-defined pecs for a few seconds before I started snaking my fingers down his chest. “I can’t detect your species,” I admitted finally. “But based on my inability to place him, I figured that meant he was a Loki, just like you. That and you guys look like you could be twins, well bodily anyway,” I glanced back up at him and smiled to say I was proud of myself and my powers of deduction.

“Twins?” he asked with a frown. “Should I take that to mean you thought he was good looking?”

I shrugged, feeling my smile widening because I suddenly wanted nothing more than to stoke the fires of his jealousy. “Well, yeah,” I started. “I mean, come on, he’s obviously a handsome guy.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah, really.”

“Uh huh,” he continued as he reached over and gripping me around my middle, started tickling my sides. “I’d love to know how hot you think he is.”

“I,” I started amid giggles as I fought to emancipate myself. “I…think…he’s…really….hot!”

“Tell me more!” he responded with a chuckle as he released my sides and gripped my feet.

“No!” I yelled at him. “Not my feet! They’re way too ticklish.” But he didn’t release me right away. “Come on, Knight, I’m being serious. Not my feet!”

“So am I,” he answered with a frown as he perched his fingers over the bottoms of my feet threateningly. “Tell me how hot Jax is again.”

“He’s not as hot as you are,” I replied immediately.

“Getting better,” he said with a grin as he ran his index finger down the center of my foot and caused me to wiggle against him in an attempt to free myself.

“He’s nowhere near as hot as you are!” I continued, feeling like I was begging for my life. But he must not have been satisfied with my response because he continued to tease me with his finger. “You’re the hottest guy I’ve ever seen!” I said with another laugh. “No one can compare to you!”

Knight smiled more broadly at me as he released my foot and I breathed out a sigh of relief. Then he gripped me by the arms and pulled me into the warmth of his chest, wrapping his arms around me while I snuggled against him.

“How do you know Jax?” I asked.

“He was in my training class way back when.”

“So you know each other pretty well?”

“We used to,” he corrected me. “Then, somewhere along the line, he got mixed up with the wrong crowd. I didn’t hear from him for a good few years—probably while he was making a name for himself in the street potions business.”

I nodded, but lacking any more to say on that topic, I dropped it. “When do you have to go back?” I asked, although I was dreading his answer. It felt so natural and right to have his huge, warm body pressed up against mine. Having him here with me now made me wonder how I’d managed to make it through all of those nights by myself.

“In the morning,” he answered with a heartfelt sigh.

“I figured.” I was unable to mask the disappointment in my tone and, instead, focused my attention on the huge scar that bisected half his chest. It was from a tangle with a werewolf that had happened long before I’d ever met him.

“I’m sorry, Dulce,” he started. “Once everything over there calms down, I’ll be able to come back here permanently. It’ll probably be no more than a couple of months.”

“I know,” I said quickly, not wanting to sound like a nagging girlfriend. “I’m not upset. I know how busy you are and how important this is for all of us.” I glanced up at him and smiled. “Don’t worry about me, okay?”

“Of course I worry about you, Dulce,” he answered and pulled me in even closer. “There isn’t a day that goes by when you aren’t uppermost on my mind.” He exhaled deeply. “But this is just one of those things that we both have to deal with.”

“I know,” I said with a slight smile to tell him he didn’t have to explain anything further.

“I appreciate your patience more than you know,” he continued. “And I want nothing more than to get back here as quickly as I can. You must realize that.”

“I do,” I said, resting my head against his chest and inhaling as deeply as I could. Then, with a yawn, I unwittingly closed my eyes, feeling so at home in his large arms.

THREE

The next morning wasn’t easy for me.

I woke up, and immediately rolled over, hoping to find Knight’s warm body right beside me. Instead, I found nothing but empty space, only the stark whiteness of the sheets greeting me. Yep, Knight was already gone.

I sighed my despondency and tried to ignore the boulder that was already taking shape in the pit of my stomach. How long would I have to wait now until I saw him again? Another two months? Three? Four? Six?

I shook my head as I dreaded the upcoming days and weeks and possible months that I’d have to endure alone. I wasn’t even sure how I’d managed to make it through the last two months. In a way, seeing him made his absence hurt even more; the blatant vacancy I felt without him made things exponentially worse.

Dulcie, stop acting like a lovesick dumbass!
I scolded myself.
Your life was fine before Knight came into it, and it will be fine until you see him again. Stop feeling sorry for yourself! Get a move on! You’ve got a full day ahead of you!

I sat up and noticed a folded piece of paper on Knight’s pillow. I reached for it and, unfolding it, read:

Dulce, I’m sorry I had to leave so early—Caressa texted me with an emergency meeting. I didn’t want to wake you when you were sleeping like an angel. Be back as soon as I can. I love you
.
–K.

I folded it in half again and clutched it to my chest, feeling a smile breaking out on my face.

“I love you too, Knight,” I said out loud.

I was half hoping that one of his never ending Loki skills might include the ability to hear his girlfriend’s voice despite being in another dimension. But when I received no response, I figured that was one trait that wasn’t in his arsenal. Bummer.

Even though the note from Knight warmed my spirits a little bit, it was still outweighed by the emptiness that claimed me as soon as I realized Knight was gone. I exhaled and forced myself to get up. Then I threw on a pair of tan cargo pants and an old Duran Duran T-shirt that was nearly threadbare, I’d washed it so many times. Even though I was headed to Headquarters, I didn’t feel like dressing the part. That was another perk to being the boss—wearing what I wanted.

But then thoughts of Headquarters led to thoughts of Knight and what had happened the last time I’d been inside his office and I started getting depressed all over again. As soon as my pity party started again, I nipped the feelings right in the bud, forcing them right out of my head. Depressing thoughts had no place in my life. I had a job to do—get to Headquarters and find out as much as I could about this Jax character.

So now, you’re basically no more than a glorified babysitter
. That miserable voice, the one that always states the obvious, started in my head again.

I’ve got a job to do and that’s the end of it,
I snapped back with as much authority as I could muster. I was pleased to find that my alternate self had no come back.

After I got dressed, I made Knight’s bed before running/walking through the hallway that led to the front door. The faster I left his home, the easier it would be to focus on other things. Once I was outside, I breathed a sigh of relief. Then locking his front door, I banished the persistent doubt of when I’d be inside his townhouse again to the darkest recesses of my mind. I could only hope it would be sometime in the very near future.

After I left Knight’s place, I drove back to my crappy, little apartment. I had to feed my dog, Blue, as well as take him for a walk. Yes, I wasn’t supposed to have a dog; my apartment wasn’t exactly dog friendly. But luckily for me, being on the ground floor, I actually had a small yard, never mind it was all cement. And even more lucky for me, I was a fairy which meant I was able to magick special wards around the place so my nosy neighbors and my landlord had no clue I was breaking any tenant rules.

After I fed Blue and took him for a much-needed walk, I was ready to head into the office so I could interrogate our newest prisoner. But as soon as Blue was back in his yard, he became very aware that I was on my way out again. He started whining and pawing at the slider screen, looking completely depressed and pathetic.

“Seriously, dude?” I asked as he whined and stared at me, cocking his head to the side. “Come on, Blue, don’t make that face!” After another few seconds, I was jelly. “Ugh!” I said in exasperation, throwing my hands in the air and starting for the slider door. I was no more than a pushover where the yellow Labrador was concerned. “You can come with me to work today, but only if you’re on your best behavior!” I warned him. I opened the door and let him inside the house again. He simply looked up at me with those bright brown eyes before trotting happily to the front door, where he retrieved his leash from the doorknob. I clipped it to his collar and we headed out for the Denali.

After securing him into his doggie seat belt in the backseat, I rolled the window down so he could poke his head out, and we were off. It took me a little bit longer than ten minutes to make it to Headquarters because I didn’t drive as quickly, or as recklessly, when Blue was in the car. Maybe it was just my maternal instincts coming out … Well, for my dog anyway.

“Remember our deal, Blue,” I said as I parked the Denali outside Headquarters. “You need to be a good boy today, got it? Otherwise, Mommy can’t bring you back to work with her again.”

Blue just looked up at me innocently while his tail wreaked havoc on the interior of the car, leaving coarse, yellow hairs all over the black leather upholstery. I frowned and figured I’d have to get the Denali washed sooner rather than later.

I unbuckled Blue and got him out of the car; then we trotted up to the front doors and allowed ourselves inside. Elsie, the receptionist, nearly jumped out of her seat when she saw us.

“Blue!” she called out before immediately coming around to the front of her desk. She pushed her thick, black glasses back onto her long, narrow nose, and crouched down on her knees. Enveloping Blue in a huge hug, she didn’t appear to mind at all when he whipped her with his thick, wagging tail. “I missed you, boy!” she said in her unnaturally high-pitched voice. She reached behind her where she kept doggie treats in a jar on top of her desk. Popping off the top and selecting one, she handed it to the very appreciative dog.

“Good morning to you too, Elsie,” I said, pretending to be offended.

“Oh, hi, Dulce,” she answered as she glanced up at me for a second or so with a quick smile. “Sorry, I just get very excited whenever I get to see your adorable little boy!” The eardrum-splitting, high pitch of her voice steadily increased. I briefly worried all the glass in the office might shatter and come crashing down around us.

“Else, if you aren’t busy this morning, would you mind dog sitting?” I asked. I was grateful, for once, that Knight wasn’t around; because this never would have flown with him. Knight wasn’t exactly the
sure!-you-can-bring-your-dog-to-work
kind of boss. Especially when said dog was given to me by my previous boss who also happened to be my ex love interest.

“No problem!” Elsie almost sang, reaching for Blue’s leash, which I eagerly handed to her.

“Thanks, Else,” I called over my shoulder as I started down the hallway. Thoughts of my ex-boss, Quillan, were already occupying my mind.

Even though Quill and I were now good friends, there was a time in the not-so-distant past when I’d wished he and I could have been something else, something more. And he’d felt the same. Then, a cyclone, who went by the name of Knight Vander, stormed into my life. After him, no other men could compare.

I later learned that Quill had been serving as my father’s right-hand man all along, unbeknownst to me. In the end, Quill, however, did come clean about all of it. He even sided against my father; but as far as I was concerned, the damage was already done. Even if Knight hadn’t been in the picture, I could never have given myself to Quill fully, not after knowing his past. But that was all a moot point now. Both Quill and I had found people who made us happy. Now, we were no longer in each other’s sights.

As with Knight, I hadn’t seen Quill in a couple of months eother. He was also stationed in the Netherworld, helping to set up the new order. And he and Knight weren’t the only ones. Christina Sabbiondo, Knight’s second in command, and also Quill’s girlfriend, was actively planning for the new Netherworld, along with my very good friend, Dia Robinson.

Dia had been the head of the ANC in Moon, here on the Earthly plane, before business in the Netherworld drew her there. I was the only one, well, Sam and I, were the only ones stuck here with not a hell of a lot to do and all day to do it in.

Not that I was complaining …

“Morning, Sam!” I called out as I passed by her desk. I aimed straight for the break room, where I could already smell a fresh pot of coffee brewing. Coffee was the one benefit of the morning that compensated for the fact that I was awake.

“Morning, Dulce,” Sam said as she came up behind me. I could hear her heels clicking on the tiles in the break room. I never understood why Sam bothered with heels; she was already so damn tall. Not to mention how uncomfortable heels could be. I always opted for tennis shoes because in my line of work, they could mean the difference between life and death. If you aren’t able to run, you’re as good as dead …

“I brought Blue with me to work today,” I said as I rescued my mug from the sink.

“I saw that,” Sam responded. She watched me inspect the mug to make sure whatever was previously living in the bottom of it wasn’t life-threatening. But growing ever more suspicious of the gunk in the bottom, I decided to wash it.

“Good thing Knight isn’t here,” Sam continued. “I doubt he’d be too happy to see Blue.”

“Yeah, I was thinking the same thing,” I agreed before rinsing out the suds in the mug and drying it. The coffee was ready so I poured myself a cup and gave my best friend a broad smile as I added cream and sugar until the coffee was the color of caramel. “How are you?” I asked.

“Probably not as good as you are,” she answered with a quick smile and a knowing expression. “I heard Knight came into town last night?”

I smiled more broadly at the memory of our evening. “Yes, he did.”

“No wonder you look like a giddy schoolgirl this morning.”

“Oh, stop!” I said, waving her away with an embarrassed smile, which I then hid behind my mug as I attempted to take a sip of the hot coffee. At her insistent grin, I realized there was something she wasn’t telling me. “Okay, out with it! What’s that smile all about?”

“You aren’t the only one who is giddy this morning,” she announced.

“Really?” I asked as I took another sip of coffee. “And who is the very lucky man?”

A blush stole across her cheeks as she leaned against the refrigerator and crossed her arms against her chest. “His name is Jordan and he’s this cop I met at Starbucks a week or so ago.”

“Wow, look at you! And what is he?”

“He’s human,” she said with a sigh that belied her disappointment. I immediately felt my shackles rise because I’d had a long relationship with a human once and it hadn’t led anywhere good. In fact, I regretted it completely.

“Does he know you’re a witch?” I asked.

She frowned and then shook her head, her expression one of concern. “Not exactly.”

“Be careful, Sam,” I said as I inhaled deeply. “Remember my whole situation with Jack, the shithead. You know not all humans accept us.”

“I know,” she answered immediately. “And it’s not like I think I’ll ever see him again. I mean, he’s cute and what not, but I wouldn’t be that bummed out if he didn’t call me again.”

“You sure?” I asked as I eyed her, trying to decipher if she was being honest with me, well, and herself, for that matter.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she insisted and then shrugged. “Sometimes a girl just has to get a little bit of action, you know? I mean, I don’t want my fun parts to shrink up and fall off due to disuse.”

I laughed and nodded. “Amen to that!”

“Speaking of, was your reunion everything you hoped it would be?” she asked. Her expression told me she wanted to hear all of the juicy details.

“Everything and more,” I answered instantly. Then, with a sigh, I remembered the part about waking up alone this morning. “And then he had to go back to the Netherworld.”

“He’ll be back, Dulce, you know that,” Sam said in her best understanding voice. When it came to sympathy, Sam could have written volumes.

“I know, but that doesn’t make it any less difficult.” Sam nodded and I could tell she was searching for another subject to lighten my mood.

Luckily for her, I was ready to help her. “Listen, Sam, I can’t really talk at the moment because the reason Knight came by last night was to drop off a very high-profile prisoner who will be spending some time with us.” Then I remembered why Knight brought Jax to Splendor rather than letting him do his time in a Netherworld prison. “Oh, and keep this all on the DL because it’s very hush-hush,” I added, knowing that I could trust Sam to keep any and all information to herself.

“I’ll zip my lips,” she said, pretending to do just that.

“Thanks,” I answered with a hurried smile as I walked past her, being careful not to spill my coffee on the way. “Anyway, I’ve gotta go find out what this guy’s story is,” I said with a quick, apologetic smile. “But let’s catch up over lunch today? I’m dying to get all the juicy information about your cop.”