I threw my body at Niki, knowing he’d catch me. “True, but that just makes you all the more entertaining.” I bopped his nose with a clawed finger before drawing away. Niki’s flushed cheeks were my reward.
“Come on.” I grabbed his hand, tugging him from the stool he’d fallen asleep on. “I’ll tell you what I learned while you feed me.”
“You have an endless pit in there.”
I patted my growling belly. “Keir thinks there’s a monster living inside.” I poked my belly. “I think he was joking.” One never knew with Keir.
“I’ve got spaghetti and some frozen garlic bread. That will have to do.” Niki didn’t wait for me to answer. He began pulling out pots, filling one with water and setting it to boil before preheating his oven. Niki checked the time before saying, “Cilla should be here in about an hour. Maybe less.”
“Good. That’ll be enough time to eat and spill my collected beans.”
Again, with the single raised eyebrow. Did Niki know how sexy that was? Was he taunting me or was it little more than reflex. I liked to think he was intentionally flirting. Verbally saying nothing, Niki went to his pantry and grabbed a jar of sauce. I was a little surprised he didn’t make his own. Then again, I’d yet to see Niki do much cooking.
A bowl of apples sat in the center of the island. I grabbed one and quickly munched it to its core. Niki stood there, leaning against the counter as he watched me devour my snack.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone consume an apple that quickly.”
“What can I say? I’m terribly efficient.”
Niki grunted. “I highly doubt that. Regardless, are you sated enough to start talking?”
I grabbed another apple, took a slower bite, and asked, “Do you known anyone by the name of Raiden or Bailor?”
The effect was immediate. Niki’s body tensed and his blackened fingertips clenched. A Deep, grooved, V formed between his eyes. “Alister Raiden and Valmont Bailor. Both warlocks, nearly as old as Stefan Danzig.”
I took another bite of apple while vigorously nodding. “That tracks. I’m not certain how Raiden figures in, but it seems thisBailor asshat was the warlock that gave Cilla the willies. He’s also the one that fucked with your charms. By the way, there are three more out there that Bailor managed to screw with.” I took yet another bite as I watched Niki absorbed that information. I kept my posture casual but inside, I was wound as tight as a spring. I had no idea what Niki’s reaction would be. Would the rage hit him like it had in the hospital? Was I about to be gifted with another magical meal?
Magic swirled around Niki, sparking along his fingertips. Eyes wide and full of anticipation, I waited to see what he’d do with it. I wasn’t certain if I was disappointed or not when Niki seemed to regain enough control that myserviceswouldn’t be necessary.
“Three more.” Icy cold clung to those two words.
I nodded. “If Danzig’s conversation with Raiden is to be believed and I see no reason why we should doubt it.”
“Damn it!” Niki turned and more magic sparked. His fingers fisted and his body vibrated. “Which charms?”
“I have no idea.”
Niki slammed his hand onto the counter. I’ll give the stone surface this, it didn’t so much as crack. “They could be anywhere, with anyone.”
I tilted my head, expressing something I’d considered on the way here. “Wouldn’t you already know? I mean, wouldn’t someone have already used them?”
Running his fingers through his hair, Niki shook his head. “Not necessarily. It depends on what they wanted the charm for. It could even be a gift for someone else.”
“Oh.” I hadn’t thought of that and deflated a little. I’d kind of hoped that since there was no one else on the radar, that the questionable charms hadn’t been sold yet. “Can you track them?”
“No. I never saw a need to add that to the charms. You can be damn certain future charms will have that added feature.” Niki leaned heavily on the counter, the pot of now boiling water forgotten.
Slipping off my stool, I wound my way around the island and eased in beside my warlock. My tails slid around his back and down his legs, cradling him in fluffy softness and warmth. “It may not be as bad as it seems.”
The noise escaping Niki’s throat was more animalistic than understandable verbiage. “Or it could be worse.” The tightness coiling Niki’s muscles relaxed as his shoulders slumped. “This is… I can’t even properly describe what this feels like. The charms I make are an extension of myself. They are the product of decades of hard work, honing my craft. They are more than a point of pride. I know how foolish this sounds, and believe me, no charm could ever compare to Erasmus, but each one is like a mini creation. They carry a piece of me. Knowing that another warlock has tampered with them—that they’ve been desecrated in this way… it is a violation.” Niki shivered and my tails wrapped around him all the tighter.
Disassociating my body, I translocated to the counter in front of Niki. Sitting, I wrapped my legs and tails around him while cupping his chin in my hands. “We will figure this out.” I leaned forward, rubbing my nose along his cheek and sliding down his neck, inhaling Niki’s unique scent. “Kitsune’s do not make promises lightly and you have mine.”
Niki’s deep exhale blew across my ear, shifting the light fur tufts at the end and sending shivers down my back. “I do not understand why you care.”
“You don’t need to understand. All you need to do is accept it.”For now.
Seventeen
