Arcane Solutions (10 page)

Logan smiled back.
“If you're going for a polite brush-off, forget it. I'm curious now.”

“
I'm kind of breaking and entering here.”

His smile broadened.
“You're just entering if the lock still works.”

“
It does, but I don't want you to get into any trouble.”

“
There's no alarm, so no cops. They stick to the outer edges around here, unless an alarm goes off. No trouble.” With a shrug, he edged past to walk into the building.

“
Okay, fine.” I followed him inside. It was a storeroom, completely empty of anything but a healthy layer of dust. “Damn.”

“
I take it dirt isn't what you were hoping for.” The shifter joined me in the middle of the room.

“
No, it's a book.” I huffed, turning in a circle to look around again. “Man, see what I mean about psychic abilities being a--”

The floor cracked underneath our feet, and we looked at each other with widened eyes. Before I could grab his arm, there was a roar as it gave way. I just managed to break my fall with a cushion of thicker air, but rolled down the pile of debris and hit what felt like concrete. Logan quietly called my name from somewhere above.
“Discord? Are you all right?”

Sitting up, I waved at the glimmering dust swirling around my face and coughed before answering.
“Yeah, I think so. Wasn't expecting that.”

Sliding noises followed his low chuckle, and he appeared, crouching at my side.
“It smells like vampires down here.”

“
Great.” Did we land in the Barrows? The dust was settling enough to show the source of the weak light. Safety lights, recessed in rough stone walls.

“
They're not my favorite people either. Are you sure you're all right?” Logan partially rose, settling on one knee.

“
Nothing's broken, but I bet I have some terrific bruises on the way. Are you okay?” Having accepted his help, I hated the feeling of responsibility that crashed down on me for putting him in a dangerous situation.

Logan grinned, his teeth a faint gleam.
“I landed on my feet.”

“
Cat thing, huh? Do you have nine lives too?” Taking the hand he stuck out in offer, I climbed to my feet while he smoothly rose to his.

“
Some would say so.” A faint purr seemed to underline his voice. Releasing my hand, he glanced up. “The way we came in is out of reach.”

It was rather high overhead.
“And the noise might bring unwanted guests.” Turning to survey the tunnel ahead, I sighed. “Well, guess...”

A flare of light in my mind, tracking ability wide-awake and eagerly pointing the way. I took two steps before halting.
“Um, look, this is the way I need to go. I'll teleport us up so that you can go home or whatever, and come back down.”

Logan had followed me. Quietly sniffing the air, he shook his head.
“I offered my help. I'll go with you.”

“
I really, seriously, appreciate it, but I'm getting paid to do this.”

“
That's fine. I'm curious.” He shot a sideways grin at me. “It's the cat in me.”

A giggle escaped before I could suppress it.
“Well, okay.”

We began walking, the dim light enough to keep me from smacking into any walls at turns. The air was damp and chilly, not helping the rising nervousness I was feeling.

Logan's presence did. The shifter moved silently, perfectly calm and at home in the semi-darkness. I was grateful for his continued companionship, because it was spooky as hell down here.

We weren't moving fast, but that was fine. Sneaky was the goal. The corridor was leading steadily downward, which I took to mean that we were near the Barrows, if not actually in them.

Everything was going great, until another corner appeared. Taking it brought me face-to-face with a vampire, and
You!
smacked my brain with the force of a speeding train.

Back peddling, I bumped into Logan. He snarled as the vamp blurred into motion, stepping forward. The vampire casually slung him aside. A white hand sped toward my face, and sent me flying.

I heard a loud crack, saw Logan leaping onto the vampire's back and then nothing.

***

Darkness and a soft vibration on one side of my body were the first things I became aware of upon regaining consciousness. Next were a pair of arms around me, and the discovery that I was in someone's lap. “Discord?”

I groaned in response, suddenly aware that my head was killing me. The events that had led to the pain surfaced.
“I feel horrible.”

Logan chuckled.
“You remember saying you’d scream and faint?”

“
Yeah.”

“
You forgot to scream.”

I could smell the thick, coppery tang of blood all around, drawing in a breath to giggle.
“Sorry. Am I bleeding?”

“
No, that's me. He and two others kicked my ass,” the shifter admitted, sounding rueful.

Remorse took over.
“I am so sorry. How badly are you hurt?”

“
I volunteered, remember? Besides, I’ve already healed.” After a pause, he said, “He seemed to know you.”

“
He did?” The vampire hadn’t looked familiar to me, being one of those broody looking Heathcliff types teenaged girls freaked out over. I vaguely recalled lace streaming from the wrist of the hand that had slapped the hell out of me. My jaw hurt.

“
He knew your name.”

“
Did you happen to catch his?”

“
Yeah. Lord Derrick.” Logan re-adjusted his hold slightly. We were silent for a few minutes. “I guess I should’ve brought my cell phone.”

“
Oh. Mine’s in my right jacket pocket. Let’s try for the cavalry.” A head full of jagged glass wasn't the easiest thing to concentrate through, so my attempt at fishing the phone out failed.

Logan took over the task.
“No signal.”

“
Of course not. That would be too easy, right?” I sighed. “Okay, let me see if I can’t fix my head enough to teleport us out of here.”

“
Sure.” The soft vibration began again, and I realized the shifter was quietly purring. It was a soothing sound.

Speeding up the healing process is an ability I like, since I'm not a big fan of pain. It requires a lot of energy though, so my plan was to dull the pain to something bearable for now. I could finish it later, once we were safely away. Cradled against Logan's chest, my eyes closed and his soft, raspy purr rolling over me in a comforting blanket of sound, I monitored my energy level with care once the healing began.

An hour slowly passed. I was aware of Logan sniffing my hair from time to time, in between my gloomy thoughts.

Man, Nick was going to be pissed I'd taken off on my own again. I felt bad about that, but probably not as bad as I should’ve felt.

Eventually, the blinding agony ricocheting around my skull decreased to a dull ache. Sighing in relief, I lifted my head from his shoulder. “Okay, I'm going to try teleporting us now.”

“
Do we need to stand up?” Logan asked, shifting under me a bit.

“
Let's not.” I gathered a handful of his shirt. It was soft from repeated washing. “Here goes nothing.”

Fresh air whispered of green things surviving despite the concrete city hemming them in. Yells over a thumping bass beat sounded in the distance.
“Oh, my head.” I lowered it back to Logan's shoulder with a groan. “Please tell me we're by my car.”

“
If your car is an '81 root beer brown metallic 280ZX in cherry condition, then we're by your car,” he replied. “It’s a nice car.”

“
Thanks. The keys are in my left jacket pocket. I need to call a friend to come get me.” I was in no shape to drive, unwilling even to open my eyes.

“
Okay.” He slid an arm under my legs and began to rise.

“
Ow, I...” was as far as I got before passing out.

Thirteen

I woke in Kate’s guest bedroom, with Percy standing watch, perched on the headboard above me. Not the first time I’d woken there. The lacy bedspread was softer than it looked, and she’d once sworn on her favorite shoes that the heavy wooden bed frame with its tall spindle posts wasn’t a relic from a convent. I still had my doubts. The walls were wine red, and a potted pineapple sage held court in the deep windowsill.

A low rumble of conversation leaked through the crack of the slightly open door, so I strained to listen.

“Calm down.” It was Damian's voice, uncharacteristically sharp in tone. “He can't explain if you keep interrupting him, Nick.”

“
She'll be fine,” David's soothing voice followed up. I wondered who he was trying to calm down, Damian or Nick? “In fact, by morning you'll never know that she was injured.”

Nick’s voice was a snarl.
“I want to know how the hell her skull was cracked and what the...”

“
This male posturing is becoming tedious.” Kate cut off Nick’s tirade better than a knife would. It sounded like I needed to get up and out there before a fight broke out.

Percy twisted his head to look at me upside down as I sat up. My head still ached, but the smell of David's favorite salve and greasy fingertips assured me one of them had magically tended to my injury. Holding my arm out, I told the parrot,
“Come on, bird brain.”

“
Be nice. Percy loves Cordi,” he loudly scolded, ruining any chance of making a surprise appearance. I scowled at him while he stepped onto my forearm. “Cordi, Cordi, Cor...”

Wincing, I pinched his beak shut.
“Shh. Cordi's head still hurts.”

Percy's answer was a muffled croon. I let go of his beak and shuffled to the door, then out into the short hallway, catching a glimpse of Kate’s closed bedroom door. All eyes were pointed my direction, waiting for my emergence.

Logan sat in the plum-colored easy chair, dusty and with dried blood down one side of his face and neck. More spots dotted his shirt, jeans, and tee.

“
You guys couldn't let him clean up a little?”

“
We were a bit more concerned with your skull,” Kate snapped. I shooed Percy off my arm and noticed that she was pouring coffee. The woman had a complete coffee service in fragile china, plain white with silver edging. She even had snowy linen napkins at hand.

A check of the Black Forest chalet cuckoo clock showed the time at almost 2 AM. Talk about prepared for anything.

“It feels much better. Thanks, guys.” I took in Nick’s angry glare, as he stood at one side of Logan's seat. Damian stood at the other, and it appeared to me that he was ready to interpose himself between the two shifters.

Logan seemed perfectly at ease, offering a slight smile when I met his eyes.
“I really appreciate all of your help. Are you all right?”

“
Good to go.” He shrugged. “You sure you're okay?”

“
Much better.”

“
What the hell happened? What were you thinking, going out there alone?” Nick took three quick strides, coming to a halt directly in front of me and blocking my view of everyone else.

“
Shh. Cordi's head still hurts,” Percy announced from his perch on the back of the sofa. Nick threw a flat, disgusted look over his shoulder, but lowered his voice.

“
What happened? Where'd you meet him?”

“
Okay, he has a name. It's Logan Sayer.” I poked a finger at his chest. “A couple of punks tried to jump me.”

“
Which she didn't need any help with,” Logan remarked. “She had that under control, but I didn't know that at first.”

“
Right. He offered to help me find what I was looking for, and he did. Only the floor collapsed, dumping us into the Barrows, or somewhere close.” I paused for air. “Can I sit down?”

“
Oh, yeah. Sorry.” Nick took my arm, the anger fading to just concern as he led me to the chaise. Once I was in place, he sat on the edge, shooting Logan a dark look while draping first a chenille throw, then his arm over my legs.

The other shifter took up the story.
“We couldn't get out the same way, and Discord said she needed to go into the tunnel, so I went with her.”

“
We ended up running into a vampire. Derrick the vampire. He slapped me into a wall, and Logan jumped him, but that's where I went out.”

“
I got my ass kicked,” Logan said, shrugging. “He had a couple of his guys drag us to a cell and lock us in.”

“
Which is where I came to.” I rubbed my forehead with careful fingers before accepting the cup of coffee Kate finally parted with. Ah, coffee. A mild analgesic, plus the warmth and caffeine helped ward off the testosterone poisoning the air.

“
She teleported us out, but I guess with her being injured, that was too much. She told me where her keys were and that she needed to call one of you before passing out.” He smiled at me. “It was easy to figure out who to call.”

David’s number was listed under ‘Witch ER’.

“See?” Damian frowned at Nick, who grimaced.

“
Sorry.” It wasn't heartfelt, but Logan accepted it with a grave nod.

“
No problem.”

Damian volunteered to give Logan a lift home. David muttered another spell over me while smearing more of his magical salve onto the lump at the back of my skull.

Kate offered cupcakes, but everyone declined, and then Nick announced that he was taking me home. It was a silent drive, the shifter's emotions tamped down tight. I gave up worrying about it and dozed off before we even left her street.

“
Cordi, we're here.” His voice roused me. “Come on, I want to get you in bed.”

“
Are you still mad?” I let him help me out of the truck and hitched up Kate’s throw so it wouldn’t trail on the ground.

“
Yes.”

“
If you're going to yell, you can just go home. I don't feel like dealing with it tonight, bub.”

“
I'm not going to yell,” Nick promised. “We can talk about it in the morning.”

“
Maybe I don't want to talk about it,” I grumbled, leaning on his arm as we began walking. He didn't respond, not until we were in my apartment with the door locked behind us.

“
First, I was hired to keep you in one piece. I can't do my job if you keep taking off without me. Second, I really like you, Cordi. I don't want you to be hurt.” Nick wrapped his arms around me, gazing into my eyes. “I want you to be safe.”

“
I'm a private investigator who deals with the supernatural. Safe isn't a given in this line of work.”

He sighed.
“I know, and it's driving me crazy. You drive me crazy too.”

“
My scent drives you crazy. That's what you said the other night.” I wanted to lie down. “My head hurts.”

Nick released me, following closely as I headed for my bedroom. I collapsed on the bed, unwilling to bend to remove my boots or deal with getting undressed. Working quietly, he pulled them off and helped me out of my jacket.
“Do you want a night gown or something?”

“
I don't have one.” I slept nude, or sometimes in just my panties. During the winter, I usually added a tee.

“
Okay.” He unbuttoned my jeans.

“
What are you doing?”

“
Helping you get comfortable so that you can sleep.” Peeling my jeans off, he moved to my shirt. “Sit up, Cordi. Do you want anything to drink or eat?”

“
No, just sleep.”

“
Okay.” Once I was free of everything but panties, he tucked me under the covers and moved to the other side of the bed. Stealthy rustling sounded.

“
What are you doing now?”

“
Undressing. I'm staying here, in case you need something. David said I have to wake you up a few times too.” A second later, his warm body was next to mine under the covers. Cuddling close, Nick softly sighed. “Go to sleep, Cordi. You'll feel better in the morning.”

I did after a long while. For some reason, I kept expecting him to start purring.

Fourteen

The next morning, he dropped me at the office and went home to change clothes. I discovered Thorandryll waiting in the reception area, watching Kate growl into the phone while taking a message.
“Hi. I don't really have any progress to report at this time.”

“
I've purchased a cell phone.” The elf fished an expensive model out of a jacket pocket. He was wearing a charcoal gray suit today, teamed with a faintly silver shirt made of what I suspected was spinner silk. Spinners were a rare species of arachnid carefully shepherded by elves. “I came to leave the number with you.”

He could have called. It would’ve been easier.
“Cool.” At my gesture, he followed me into my office. “I did get a lead last night, but no results to show for it. Cell phones work in faerie mounds?”

“
Yes.” Crossing to my desk, he selected a pen and wrote the number down on a notepad. Deciding something needed saying about the episode in his library, I shut the door.

“
My empathic ability must have gone a little haywire the other day.”

Turning, his eyes captured mine.
“Is that what is known as the ‘logical explanation’?”

Caution seemed like a good idea, especially when I realized looking away was impossible.
“How would you explain it?”

“
You're a beautiful young woman, Miss Jones. We enjoy beauty.” A smile played over his lips.

“
So what, you go around groping strangers a lot?”

“
Of course not, and I'd hardly describe what passed between us as 'groping'.” Smile gone, he took a step toward me. “Did you not enjoy the experience? You were quick to accept the part Alleryn designated for you.”

The question caused a few seconds of replay. Remembering his taste, which was warm sunlight and spring breezes, heat uncurled down low.
“That's beside the point.”

“
Is it?” How the hell had he gotten so close? There was barely a foot of space between us, and a definite dampening sensation happening in my jeans. Damn it, was he using glamour on me?

“
Yeah, it is. You wanted discretion, and that seemed the best way to be discreet.” Contrary to my intentions, the response lacked even a tiny bit of the
I wasn’t impressed
I had tried to infuse it with. Bringing up the matter had been a mistake. Somehow, I managed to find the doorknob. “I'll call you if I have anything to report.”

“
Miss Jones...” I sidestepped as he moved even closer, yanking the door open, and was surprised to discover Logan standing outside. Thorandryll frowned and moved slightly back.

“
Hey. What are you doing here?”

“
I wanted to see you, after last night.” Ignoring the elf, he smiled and held up my car keys. “And I kind of forgot to leave these.”

Bad me, I let that ‘last night’ hang there and develop implications while I returned his smile with interest. The elf deserved it. But Logan…I was pleased to see him, and he deserved truth more than Thorandryll needed his arrogance aerated. I accepted the keys.
“Lump's gone, and my skull's in one piece again.”

“
You were injured?” Thorandryll asked, a hand rising as though he intended to touch me.

Logan answered.
“She was slammed into a wall by an unhappy vampire.”

“
Vampires are involved?” The elf’s brows drew together. “You failed to mention that.”

“
Because I’m not certain they’re involved in your case. Yet.” My explanation seemed to satisfy him.

Thorandryll dropped his hand and nodded.
“Very well. I look forward to our next meeting, Miss Jones.”

“
I hope I'll have better progress to report then.” My smile froze in place upon meeting his gaze, and I sort of lost track of time until Logan shifted his weight while clearing his throat and the elf blinked.

“
Until then.” With a faint smile, Thorandryll left my office. Logan, having silently moved out of the way, turned to gaze after him.

“
Have a seat. Would you like some coffee?”

“
Sure.” He chose a chair while I went to the sideboard to start some.

“
It'll take a few minutes.” Keeping my hands busy with setting out cups, and silently blessing the shifter's arrival, I started when he spoke.

“
Is he the one whose book you're looking for? Or should I not ask?”