Dark Dealings (16 page)

That would explain the floating calm of the man and his lack of ambition. It was illegal in the Civil Service, for those very reasons. Ava’s gaze dropped to his hands. The striations on his nails were marked. Fuck, he was a recent and heavy user. Palban had to be an idiot to miss the signs.

“I remember something about a Madam Ross. Her family stretched back decades.” A smile lifted Clay’s mouth, and he folded his hands together. “I believe Madam Lunete was her great-niece.”

He’d caught her looking. For ingesting the drug, his stipend was gone. She had to wonder if, with that amount of powdered bluewood in his brain, he cared enough to try to evade his fate.

It was doubtful they’d learn any more from the man, and Ava had to stop herself from catching her fingers in her hair. They were turning up more bodies with no way to track down the thieves. She had only that vague sense of hunger, which, given that it was a strong part of her nature, couldn’t be relied on to find anyone.

Heyerdar nodded to Clay. “Have the information on her sent to my office.” He turned on his heel. Ava tagged after him. Behind them the soft shuffle of parchment started up again, and she pinched at the bridge of her nose. Yet more nothing.

Heyerdar pulled the heavy door and it closed with a soft burst of air. “Anything?”

“My only twitch was his extreme lack of ambition. Brought on by bluewood addiction. Palban must be fucking irritating to work for.”

Heyerdar growled. “That’s what that scent was.” He let out a heavy sigh. “I’ll have the Guard pull him in. Bring him up on charges. We’re trying to find murderers and we lift a rock on a corrupt minor official.”

Ava stared up at him. The mage-light from the nearby wall sconce burned steady over his perfection. “You can’t see into his thoughts?”

“I’d have to fuck him.” He pulled a face, his eyes gleaming. “He’s not my type. Too calm.”

Ava ignored him. “You said cockiness and greed catches a thief? If this fourth thief, Ehren, wants something different, where are the other three? The ones that wallow in what they are.”

“Thieves are hard to track. Impossible. The three will surface again. They’re having fun.”

“And more will die.”

Heyerdar frowned. “We can do what we do. I have every man out hunting.” He pulled in a slow breath. “And Reist will have to have his people on
proper
alert now that one of his own has fallen.”

Ava knew she should argue, should try to defend Reist, but Heyerdar was right. Reist was slow in his reactions to something so serious. And she hated the little thought at the back of her head. The one that continued to whisper that Reist could be involved, could be
behind
the thieves in the city. Behind all this death. “So on to Zara Tore.”

She turned from the narrow corridor. “What I don’t understand is why they’ve killed who they have—”

Hands grabbed her, one at her throat the other at her hip. Thin and hard. The impression of a moment, before magic seared over her in a blistering white rush.

Heyerdar’s shout followed her into the darkness.

Chapter Fourteen

Dragon gill burned against her tongue, acrid yet strangely sweet. The air around her was silent and Ava put a hand over her face, her mouth parched. A cot was soft under her back and the walls were cool and damp. The familiar scent of the stone, laced thinly with old magic, teased her.

She wasn’t in the palace, nor the Institute...but somewhere in between. The air tasted similar to the tunnels surrounding the vaults. Moving her hips, she found the weight of her sword gone.
This
was why she had hidden blades. But Heyerdar wasn’t there to scold. That fact twisted tight in her chest.

Was this where the thieves were hiding? And what did they want with her? Did they really want to know how she controlled the dark thief within her? How she wasn’t a fucked-up mess? A smile stretched her mouth. Too late, she already was.

Ava pressed her hand to the wall and opened her soul to the faint streaks of magic chasing through the rock. It wasn’t enough, and only deepened the hunger in her flesh.

“Not much point in that.”

Ava willed herself to stillness. There was a shape pushing against the darkness, no more than three feet from her bed. He hadn’t been there a moment ago. He felt...familiar. She held down a curse.
Ehren.

“I can still see you.” Humor edged his voice, and anger curled in her gut. He thought this was funny?

“What do you want?” White light seared away the shadows and Ava hissed. She shrank back against the wall. “What the fuck is that?”

“An unexpected benefit.”

The light dimmed. Ehren had dropped a thin cloth over a small glass ball in his hand. A pang of hunger hit her so hard she almost groaned. Magic. Blistering, beautiful high magic. She could almost taste it...and it too tasted familiar. She gagged. “Narve.”

He glanced up and the flickering light gleamed against the white column of his throat. “They’re already working on breaking my connection to her. But some instinct drew her power from me. Protected her in this.” He stroked a finger over the cloth, and the magic within swirled and rippled but didn’t fade. He wasn’t eating.

Ava frowned. Clay had said something about chambers...but that wasn’t important. “What do you want?”

“How do you stop yourself from succumbing to the thief?” He sighed and his finger stilled. “The need to pull in what remains of this woman is tearing at me.” He shook his head. “It’s been too long. I came here thinking...” He looked up. “How do you do it?”

Heyerdar was right. He was hunting for control. “And if I tell you? What then?”

Ehren wet his lips. He stared down at the ball of magic in his hand, and light moved across his face and in his dark brown eyes. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”

“At least twelve people are dead. All accidents?”

His head snapped up and something flashed through his eyes. Was that what her thief looked like, a streak of hollow blackness? “Words forced me.”

“Who spoke them over you?”

Ehren opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Cords in his neck strained, and his face flushed red. His teeth snapped shut. He swore.

“It would be too easy, wouldn’t it?” Ava swung her legs to the floor. She’d never gone up against another thief. “If you could say.”

Ehren’s gaze narrowed. “Stay where you are.” His fingers flexed around the glass chamber. “The mage was a mistake. I regret her death. But don’t confuse my regret for weakness.” He took a step closer to her. Ava remembered to breathe, to stay loose and ready. “What’s kept the thief in you at bay?”

“Not being with other thieves?”

Ehren leaned in. The flicker of heat from the chamber taunted her, pushing at the control he thought she had. “You don’t have your mage to protect you now.”

Wood splintered and a wild roar burst across the room. Ehren jerked back. The glass ball flew into the air and Ava scrambled to catch it. It hit her palm, stinging, but she pulled it against her chest and pushed out a panicked breath.

“No. She has me.” Heyerdar pinned Ehren to the wall, his hand tight around his throat. The stones sloshed, and already the thief’s shoulders were sinking into the wall. Magic burned around Heyerdar, hot and wild, and the sudden swell to pull it and him into her body rioted through her. Not now. Now she had to stop him burying their only lead in cold stone.

“Captain.” She touched his arm, the muscle strained and hard under her fingertips. He gritted his teeth. “We need him alive.”

His head snapped to her and the molten fire in his eyes held her. Fury burned. “Did he touch you?”

Her gaze darted to the hand at Ehren’s throat. His knuckles whitened and the thief gagged. The liquid stone slipped over the man’s shoulders, and Ava shivered. “No.” Heyerdar’s grip eased. “No, I don’t think so.”

Heyerdar’s jaw tightened and his attention snapped back to the thief half-buried in the wall. “You touch her?”

Ehren swallowed, his face darkening. He groaned and twisted his neck against Heyerdar’s harsh fingers. His lips parted and formed the word
no.

“Heyerdar.” Her fingers pressed into hard muscle and she pulled slivers of his magic into herself. It slid hot and wanted under her skin. Her breathing deepened and Heyerdar’s own chest hitched. He let go of Ehren, but the wall held him firm.

The captain stepped back from the wall, pulling her with him. He frowned at the chamber in her hand. His fingers skimmed over it, wrinkling the protecting cloth, and the magical light inside moved to his touch. “Lene Narve,” he murmured. “He didn’t eat her.”

“How did you find me?”

His gaze fixed on her, and the fury died away but the molten gold still held her. “I always know where you are.” He pressed his thumb to her parted lips, and magic seared her skin. She drew it in with her breath and her ache for him only increased. A dark smile touched his mouth. “Yes, he kept his dick to himself.”

Ava winced. “Is that all you think about?”

His smile deepened and she didn’t want to see his beauty. “Yes.”

Ava turned away from Heyerdar before she pulled more of his magic into her body. “Ehren, where are the others?”

Rock had grown across his abdomen down to his feet, caught his upper arms so that his forearms jutted from the wall. He leaned his head against the smoothed curve of the rehardened stone and pushed out a long breath. “I don’t know.” His fingers stretched and dribbles of rock and dust worked free of the wall. “I haven’t seen them for days.”

“You just thought you’d grab me.”

Ehren frowned. “It’s him. He gives you control.” His body strained against the hold of the rock, and his skin flushed at the effort. “How long?” His gaze moved over her, quick and assessing. “You had sex with him recently...but you’ve had control longer.” A disbelieving smile touched his mouth. “
Elementals?
So fucking easy.” Laughter broke from him, but he hissed and caught his breath. He twisted against the stone that held him. “But there are no elementals. Not anymore.”

“I disagree.”

Zarand stood in the hole the captain had blown in the wall. Heyerdar’s sword flashed and he pushed Ava behind him. A thin light shrouded his brother, weaving around him like marsh mist.

Heyerdar growled. “I told you—”

“That you’d kill me.” Zarand shrugged. His focus moved to Ehren caught in the rock. His jaw clenched and something lit his dark eyes. A slow burn of anger. “But he’s mine.”

Heyerdar’s fingers flexed around his sword. “What?”

“Just like she’s yours.” Zarand moved towards the trapped thief. “I’ve been looking for you for a long time.”

Ehren frowned. His cheeks flushed, the deepening redness revealed under the light that wrapped around Zarand. He blinked. “
What?
”

Zarand ran his finger along the edge of Ehren’s jaw, and a flicker of magic traced across his bristled skin. The thief drew on a startled breath, his eyes wide. His hands clenched into fists and he strained against the hold of the rock. More cracked away, dark splinters chasing up through the stone.

“You want control.” Zarand’s voice was a low murmur, and his fingers stroked the column of Ehren’s throat, teasing in more strengthening magic. And something else. Something sweeter. The first flicker of desire tingled across Ava’s own skin and pulsed low in her belly. “I can give you that.”

Ehren swore under his breath. His chest heaved and more rock cracked away, almost freeing him. Zarand put a hand to his shoulder, supporting him, and the thief groaned. Zarand echoed him. Heyerdar’s brother was right. There was a bond between elementals and thieves.

“No. He’s
mine.
” Heyerdar sheathed his sword. “He’s wanted by the Crown.”

Zarand’s dark gaze slid to his brother. He stepped closer to Ehren, and the hunger in the thief stained the air. “He’s wanted by me.”

More stone fell away and Zarand caught Ehren as he fell forward. For a long moment the thief rested his head against the other man’s throat, and magic spilled over him.

“You want more?” Zarand’s mouth touched his ear and Ehren shivered. Hunger lapped from him, his soul opening under the invitation of the elemental whose large hand skimmed his spine. The trail of magic sank into the other man’s flesh. Zarand’s voice was little more than a raw whisper. “I can give you everything. I
will
give you everything.”

Ava closed her eyes, denying her own want. Heyerdar’s hand tightened on her arm and he pushed his own magic into her hungry soul. She didn’t want it. Not like this. He made a mockery of the bond forming before them.

“What do you know, little thief?”

The derision in Heyerdar’s voice snapped at her and she tried to pull free of him. He turned and a hard hand found her hip, holding her. The chamber of Narve’s magic dug into her chest and she winced, the temptation to consume what was left of the mage strong.

“Nothing.” Fuck, she wanted out of this room. Heyerdar’s brother—a man from her own past—and a thief who’d killed so many were getting what they needed, wanted. Whereas she had a man who fucked her for his own pleasure, and one who would soon fuck her from obligation.

Heyerdar took the covered chamber and dropped it onto the cot. Its light rolled. But before she could hunger after it, he turned her to him and pressed his erection against her belly. The charge of energies in the small shadowed room was affecting him too. “He’ll want the pull of hunger. Just like me. It’s as sweet as feeding is to you.”

Heyerdar wanted her only for that reason. She knew that. Still...a small part of her was bitter. Zarand wanted more. It was there in the way his fingers threaded through Ehren’s white-blond hair, tilting his head back. Ehren’s mouth parted in invitation. The look of adoration on the elemental’s face twisted her heart.

“Do you want this, Ehren Carrsen?” The low rumble of Zarand’s voice prickled her skin, and something about the question was familiar. His teeth grazed Ehren’s bottom lip and the exhalation of magic glistened. “You can walk away.”

“Is this all I have to do? Fuck you?”

“Once I have you, you’ll have only me. You have anyone else...” Zarand’s eyes shone like jet, black and endless, and he released the man. A smile cut his mouth as Ehren swayed towards him. “Or anyone else has you...then this association is over. Old magic. It’s particular.”

Ehren sucked in a breath and blinked. He ran his hand through his tangled hair and shot a glance at Heyerdar. “And you’ll just let me go?”

Heyerdar snorted. “No.”

“Nahum—”

“He’s killed—or helped to kill—twelve people.”

“The mage was an accident. I didn’t mean to take her life. But it was me or her.” Ehren focused on the chamber on the cot. “She wouldn’t back down. Wouldn’t listen. Then the fucking Words kicked in...”

“Words?” Zarand’s heavy hand dropped onto Ehren’s shoulder. Magic slipped over to sink into his body, and the slight thief swayed. “Then I have a deal for you, Nahum. I remove the Words from him. In return we leave. Deal?”

Ava nodded. “He could tell us who spoke those Words over him.”

Heyerdar swore. “He’s a murderer.”

She laughed. “Aren’t we all? Old magic is death.”

He stroked a thumb across her cheek and the thin strands of his magic, always there, sank into her skin, making her warm and filling her with want. “If I let you go, you can never come back.”

Ava’s chest tightened. He was letting her go? What? Why? The rush that hit her when she realized he was talking to Ehren and Zarand almost dropped her to the cot. She couldn’t give up her addiction to Heyerdar. Not yet.

The captain looked to his brother. “And no more strays dumped here.”

Zarand straightened and the brightness of his magic wreathed around him. He stood behind Ehren and the slip and slide of his energies rolled over the man. A large hand gripped the thief’s shoulder to steady him. Possibly to steady both of them. He put out his free hand. “Deal.”

Heyerdar frowned at it and took it. He shook once. “Deal.” With a nod, he pushed Ava towards the gaping hole in the wall.

“What...?”

“You want to stay and watch?”

She blinked. “He’s going to...? They’re...?
Here?
”

Heyerdar gave a short laugh. “Did you think a kiss and a grope could break the mages’ Words?”

He moved her down the corridor, the glow of his magic lighting the narrow tunnel. The feel of old magic and the heavy weight of rock and earth pressed against her. The first threads of Zarand’s magic slipped through the air. Ehren’s soft, breathless moan followed. Her belly tightened. The air shimmered with lust, and the swift riot of need caught her.

“Are...are we like that?” Ava hated the hesitation in her voice. She shouldn’t have started down this path with Heyerdar, but right then she couldn’t give it up. Not when she’d seen the need spiraling out from Zarand, felt the rise of it from Ehren in the air she pulled into her body.

Heyerdar pushed her back against the cold wall. He loomed over his, his face flickering with the light of his magic. “No.” His hand cupped her jaw and his thumb stroked across her lips, parting her mouth. His low voice filled the silence. “No, we’ll never be like them.”