Deception (16 page)

It lifted its broadsword above its head.

Dorian thrust his sword between the beast’s legs.

Black blood oozed from the wound. It stared blankly with the sword still raised.

The malleus tumbled to the ground, and Dorian rolled to the left to avoid being crushed.

Lillian’s battle cry filtered through the mêlée. Unable to spare his sword to help her, it was good to hear her fierce cry.

As hard as they fought, and as many as they managed to kill, more marched toward them.

Dorian fought his way closer to Lillian. Her red hair had come free and whipped around with every stunning move she made.

She grinned at him, but it looked more like a snarl.

He sliced through the guts of a trebox, then another.

His heart tightened as he put his back to hers just as they had done earlier. He screamed above the melee, “Together.”

Another trebox dove headfirst toward him.

A swift turn to the left gave Lillian the perfect angle to lop its head off and send it rolling down the gutter.

One after the other, they killed until Dorian’s legs wobbled with exhaustion. “I’m sorry, Lilly. I had much bigger plans for us.”

“This is exactly how I thought I would end.”

With one blade raised and the other thrust forward, she sliced the throat of a trebox who ventured too close, then sliced down, taking off the hand of a second.

Dorian jabbed his sword into the belly of a malleus, but it kept coming, pushing him back into Lillian. He stumbled.

The demon’s thick hands wrapped around his throat.

He struck out, but connected with nothing. Spots of dark and light flooded his vision. The sound of the battle faded, leaving only the rushing blood to his ears.

The hands went slack around his neck, and he drew breath as the malleus toppled to the side. He rubbed his bruised flesh. Steel against steel and gunshot filled the narrow alley, and a human hand came into Dorian’s blurred view. He followed the offer up to the grinning face of Angus Fletcher.

“Quite a crowd you’ve drawn, Lambert. I had no idea you were so popular.”

“Thanks for the help.” Dorian pulled his sword from the belly of the now headless malleus.

A trebox rushed toward them and both men stabbed, one high and one low.

The demon’s mouth still open in its battle cry, it dropped without another sound.

“You’ll get my bill.” Fletcher rushed into the fray.

At least fifteen humans battled the demons in the street. Fletcher’s men fought better than expected for street thugs. A few used pistols, but most fought with knives and swords.

Lillian warred several yards away. Her knives were not quite as high as usual, and her face was ashen. Still, she fought on.

Dorian sliced the sword hand from a malleus. Blood splattered his face before he could finish the beast with a dagger to the throat. He thrust his blade through the heart of a trebox that stood between him and Lillian.

The demon’s eyes went wide before it crumbled to the ground.

Everything was still. Demon bodies littered the street. Men stood huffing for breath.

“Dorian,” Lillian yelled. She rushed into his arms. “I thought I had lost you.”

Pure joy swallowed him up. This was worth fighting for. “You nearly had. If Fletch had not shown up when he did, my lights would have surely gone out.”

Angus picked his way across the street to them. He shook his head and brushed filth from his torn jacket. “I really hate these demons. Muck up a good night’s work. I had plans, you know, and they didn’t include saving you two.”

Lillian said, “It is much appreciated, Mr. Fletcher.”

“As I told Lambert, you will be getting my bill.” His sardonic grin returned.

“Do you have a billiards table at your club, Mr. Fletcher?”

He registered wide-eyed surprise before he returned to mocking. “Are you suggesting a wager to work off your debt, Miss Dellacourt?”

“Perhaps. If the odds are good.”

“I promise you I give excellent odds. I run a very fair establishment.”

“Then it will depend on what you want to expunge my debt.”

Dorian stepped forward. He didn’t like where this conversation was going. Saving his life amounted to nothing if the hoodlum went too far.

Fletcher looked from Lillian to him and shook his head. “Alas, what I truly want is no longer available. I can see from the set of his lordship’s jaw, the lady is taken. However, a monetary arrangement can always be worked out. I will be very fair as the pleasure of seeing you play has piqued my curiosity to the point of giddiness.”

“I will let you know when I am available to settle the debt, Mr. Fletcher. As you can see, I am quite busy at the moment.”

“I have never seen a woman play billiards. Is it commonplace in England?”

“Not as common as it ought to be.”

“Your fighting skills are remarkable, Miss Dellacourt. I shall not underestimate you at the table. You two look done in. My men will clear the street.” Fletcher held out his hand, and she shook it.

“Thank you.”

Dorian shook his hand. He narrowed his eyes on Fletcher’s and gripped tighter than necessary. “I will not forget you saved my life, but do not test me, my friend.”

Fletcher’s grin widened. “I would not think of it. I can see what is what.”

Dorian didn’t believe him, but he nodded. He offered Lillian his arm. They walked several blocks away from the battleground. “I think it is safe to say, demons have infiltrated Edinburgh.”

“Indeed.”

“That was more than we bargained for.” They turned a corner heading toward his home. It was over a mile long walk, but he’d never walked the streets so far at night.

“It is very strange. Two attacks on hunters in as many days. Demons rarely go on the offensive.”

“You think they have information about our movements?” The few streetlights guttered, and he guided her around a row of shrubbery. The city was different after dark, more serene as well as dangerous.

“Not only that. I think we are getting close to uncovering something the master wants kept a secret. But my real concern is they know what we are doing and when. How do they know?” Excitement brimmed in her voice.

“Are you saying we have a spy for the master within The Company?”

“I do not know, but I think we need to be more careful about who knows our movements. Only you and I can know what is happening in the archives.”

“How many people know what we are trying to do?”

Lillian draped both hands around his arm. “Cullum, Tybee, and the witch. Reece, Belinda, and Gabriel assume I am still after information on her father.”

“And are you?”

She smiled. “I will not bother to deny I believe the earl has played a part in bringing the world to the state it is in today. Still, I accept our goal is to find out how to close gates and where to find them.

“I think it’s safe to say Cullum is not a spy. He could have disassembled The Company long ago if he wanted to.”

“I can guarantee Reece and Belinda are loyal to the cause.”

The remaining names on the list ticked through his mind. “I cannot imagine Gabriel Thurston doing anything to put his family in more danger.”

“It will behoove us to keep a close watch on the remaining suspects, but also to allow for the possibility that we have missed something or someone.”

The moon climbed high, and the streets glimmered from an earlier shower. It was late and the homes were all dark. He was delighted with how reasonable she was. In spite of her personal dislike for Shafton, she’d thought the problem through and did what best served their cause.

She broke the silence. “I’m sorry the fantasy day was ruined, though I cannot say I’m surprised.”

“It is not ruined.”

“Oh, you planned to fight demons during your fantasy day of living a normal life? I suppose you also planned to be strangled nearly to death by a malleus?”

“This is our life, Lilly. And I am still with you.”

They turned another corner and were on the street where he lived.

“Tomorrow we should go back and investigate the passages under the city,” she said.

“We should have gone tonight.”

“We had victims to get to safety. Speaking of which, where will your driver take the women?”

“To the castle. Tybee will know what to do. He will return them to their families tomorrow if they are well enough. If not, The Company will send them to Dr. Barns in London. I must talk to Cullum about adding another doctor to the staff here in Edinburgh now that we know we have a serious infestation.”

“Will you write to Cullum about our discovery?”

“I believe he will return to Edinburgh tomorrow.”

“Then we shall go together and tell him our discoveries thus far.”

His townhouse was a welcomed sight. He ordered baths and headed upstairs. Lillian said good night and turned toward the guest room.

Lillian washed her face, cleaned her blades, and disarmed herself. It was always a relief to remove the weight of all the knives she carried. If only she could unload the feeling of doom hovering over her shoulder, maybe she’d sleep.

Tomorrow they could go back to the archives and maybe find something to give them some direction.

The loud knock at her bedroom door startled her. “Yes.”

Alice poked her head in. “We have your bath ready, miss.”

“Oh? All right.” Dorian must have ordered her a bath as well. She was grateful. It might be nice to sooth her muscles and bruises and wash off the night’s events.

Two footmen carried in a large copper tub followed by an army of servants with water to fill the vessel. Guilt over making so many people work so hard on her behalf washed over her. Dorian might be used to this kind of pampering, but Lillian was not comfortable with it.

The maid who had knocked added a touch of oil to the water. Vanilla and lilac scented steam wafted from the bath, permeated the air, making the bath too delicious to resist.

“Do you require help, miss?”

“No. Thank you. I can manage.”

A footman pulled a chair close to the tub and the maid placed towels, a robe, soap and a cloth on it.

They left Lillian alone.

She shed her clothes and placed one foot over the edge of the tub. Another knock at the door stopped her. She grabbed the robe and wrapped herself up. “Yes?”

Dorian opened the door and strode in wearing a robe. He closed and bolted the door behind him.

Pounding heart aside, she was astounded he had come to her. He’d given no inkling he wanted to spend the night with her when they’d arrived at the townhouse. In fact, he’d been cool as he ordered his staff around and said goodnight at the top of the stairs.

“I thought we might bathe together if you have no objections.”

“Objections?” The idea of washing Dorian and having him wash her filled her mind, and her nipples tightened against the silky fabric.

“I canceled my own bath in favor of one for you. It seemed cruel to make the staff fill two at such a late hour. I believe we are still within the one-day parameters you set, Lilly. May I stay?”

Her throat tightened to a point where no words pushed through. Even after seeing her in battle, he still wanted her. The relief flooding her was a complete surprise. Why did she care? She was a hunter first. Wasn’t she?

Since words failed her, she untied her robe and let it puddle on the floor.

He gave her naked form his full attention.

She stepped into the tub and sank into the warm water.

His arousal was clear even before he dropped his robe and crossed to the tub. Sliding forward, she allowed him to climb in behind her and settle his legs around hers. His arousal pressed against her bottom, and he embraced her.

It was the most erotic moment of Lillian’s life, and she leaned back against his hard chest and closed her eyes. “What will the servants think?”

“That we are bathing together.” He kissed the top of her head.

“Dorian?”

“Do you care what they think?”

“No, but you should. Servants talk to those in other houses who pass information along to their employers.”

“My servants will be discreet. Do not fret, Lilly. What we do here in my house, will remain within these walls.”

Why did she care? Her own reputation had never meant a thing to her. Dorian was a grown man; he could take care of himself. If he did not care about rumors, then why should she? Still, it took an effort to push aside the worry and relax into the moment.

His hands slid along her arms, down her abdomen, climbed up, and cupped her breasts, which rose above the waterline. When he pinched her sensitive buds, all worry over servants flew from her. Nothing mattered but the pleasure he provided and finding more of the same.

She arched against his hands, pressing her butt against his shaft, and elicited a deep moan from him.

He lathered the soap and cloth, suds seeping through his fingers and falling to the water. His hands had brought her to the height of rapture and had killed with great skill. He slid the cloth along her torso, over her breasts, along her neck and down her arms. Everywhere he touched burned with need, and she couldn’t help wiggling against him.

Long fingers caressed and washed as he went. He nibbled on her earlobe and gasps escaped her lips. She turned her head into the kiss, wanting more, needing more. Beneath the water, he washed lower still until his hand pressed between her legs. With one hand, he washed and with the other, he lightly touched the nub at her center. He circled it and rubbed until she cried out and bucked against his hands.

She rolled over, splayed her chest across his, and dragged herself up and wrapped her hands around his neck. The cloth disappeared into the bath water. She plunged her tongue into his mouth.

He gripped her behind and pulled her along his shaft. Water sloshed over the sides of the tub.

Lillian vibrated with desire.

His fingers slid along the crease of her backside, sending jolts of pleasure through her. It would never be enough in the confines of the bath. She stood between his legs. “We need to get out of this.”

Water dripped down her body. Her hair made a curtain in front of her face, blocking out everything but him. She struggled to catch her breath.