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He looked up and a grin split his rugged features. He still looked like a Vanhelsing reject in his dark clothes and with his ever-present belt of vials and charms slung around his thick waist. I had no idea why he should look so damned hot, but he did. I might have brain damage.

  He shoved a lock of dishwater-blond hair out of his face and glanced down at the book, which was open to a page of weird hand-drawn symbols. His mismatched eyes met mine, the purple and gold dancing with the joy of cracking some musty old code. His steampunk goggles—which he used to see and magnify magical energies—were dangling around his neck, and his stocky, muscle-bound form was completely at odds with his current librarian mode.

  "I've never seen anything like it," he said in his gravelly voice. "It's a fusion of magic. Someone was studying how to interlace mage magic with demonic magic."

  I arched a brow. "You mean, like you did when you branded us all?" I held up my arm in illustration, showing off the tracking rune he had placed there. Permanently.

  He gave me a shit-eating grin and closed the book with a thump, releasing a cloud of iron-laced dust from the gremlin skin. "Exactly. I knew the mage guild was withholding information from us. But this is just…. Fuckers were afraid we'd find a way to undo the mage bind. I guarantee it." His eyes glinted with the thought of sweet revenge. "Too bad there's now a free mage who knows all their little secrets. One who, thanks to a pushy gryphon, will soon have access to students of his own."

  Halstad hadn't really talked much about it, but I got the impression it meant a lot to him, to be able to get at least some kids free from the mage guild and teach them how to live real lives, out here in the free world. And with this new knowledge, well…if one of those students just happened to go off and break the mage guild, that wasn’t Halstad’s fault.

  I’d have to talk to White’s sneaky assistant to make sure the right legal paperwork was in place to protect Halstad from the post-apocalyptic fallout of that happy little eventuality. But it was worth it to see Halstad’s smile—big, and genuine, and at ease, for once.

  I put down the book I was holding and stepped closer to him, reaching out to rasp my fingers over his day-old stubble. "You're welcome."

  He put his own book aside and grabbed my hand, turning it to press a kiss over the junction of wrist and palm, right over my pulse. I still wasn't used to this…the way the surly mage could turn sweet out of nowhere. "I'm sure I'll find some way to make it up to you," he rumbled, glancing up at me through thick blond lashes.

  I leaned down and pressed my lips to his, falling into that crazy, dizzying flood of magic and power and presence that was Halstad. My grumpy mage was damned alluring, when he wanted to be. He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me closer, pressing us together from thigh to chest. I felt the heat of him through our clothes, pulsing alongside his magic.

  Lacing my fingers through his messy waves, I ruined his loose ponytail, setting his hair tumbling around his square jaw. He tasted like that sensation you get after a good thunderstorm—something like nature and ozone. Fuck me, I needed to get him into bed. Like, yesterday.

  He drew on my own innate magic, sending power dancing down my nerve endings toward him, then back, drawing his own magic along with it like a receding wave, until it coiled low in my belly. I groaned and pushed him against the tall counter by the cash register. He was strong enough to resist, but he let me shove him, all those mounds of muscle going pliant under my hands, slamming up against the wood with a grunt that turned into a groan as I ground against him.

  The bells over the shop door tinkled and the mage went rigid—and not in that fun sort of way. The magic moment was broken. Again. I straightened as Halstad snatched up his book and headed back into his lair.

  I watched him go, letting out a sigh. There was so much fucking chemistry between us I felt like I was about to combust. Then he'd up and run away. I frowned after him. Had something wounded him? My own past trauma colored everything, making fear tingle through my gut. What was Halstad afraid of?

  I turned back to the door to find Oisin sending me sly sideways glances as he hung up his coat. My fae was beautiful as always, dressed in ridiculous pin-striped, skinny-legged pants and a gray sweater that looked as soft as clouds. He wore his hair in a short braid. It was growing every day, in typical fae fashion, and I longed to go over there and give it a yank when I saw the dangerous glint in his hard emerald eyes.

  He smirked, and I took in the fact that he wasn't alone.

  "Just put your things there, dove, no one will bother them in this place." His smooth, lilting voice was directed at the awkward, tomboyish teenage girl who stood on the stoop behind him.

  I stared at the fae.

  Derek fucking White had tasked us with protecting this random kid. Then as an additional favor, he asked us to make friends with her. I had no fucking clue what the demon was up to. It was bound to be something horrible. But we really did need his help getting papers and homes for the passel of misplaced siren crosses I'd dragged back with me after our last adventure.

  So I was fucked.

  But what the hell was Oisin doing?

  He waved the girl forward, not fazed when she refused to part with her fleece jacket or her over-stuffed messenger bag. "See?" he said, gesturing at the bookstore. "What did I tell you? Isn't this place perfect? Nerd heaven!"

  The girl's big, hazel eyes took in the wall-to-wall chaos that was our packed, outdated bookstore. Her gaze landed on Hisashi's corner, where he'd dragged in some old thrift-store furniture and low cushions and set up all his fortune telling and occult stuff. Then she glanced at me and I tried to pack away my resting murder face.

  "You're back early," I said to Oisin. He was supposed to be guarding this chick from some sort of unidentified danger that White wouldn't elaborate on. Not taking her sightseeing.

  He smiled at me, his plush lips turning up in a wicked way that promised mischief. "Troy," he said, taking the girl by the hand and making her turn a fascinating shade of fire engine red. "Meet my dear friend, Gesa. She owns the bookshop. So you can talk books with her anytime you want!"

  I took the girl's hand and shook it. "Nice to meet you."

  I slid a glance Oisin's way. What the actual fuck?

  He winked and breezed past me. "Is there coffee, darling?"

  "On the warmer," I muttered. I watched him go, while wishing I had laser beam eyes so I could fry his ass. He'd just brought me a teenager and dumped her on me.

  The girl shifted awkwardly. "You own the store?"

  I tried to look non-threatening. The kid was so mousy I was afraid if I moved too fast, she'd dart out the door never to be seen again. "Uh…yeah. Sort of. It's complicated." I waved my hand to dismiss that whole mess. Technically, it was Oisin's building. But if he wanted to tell her I owned it, fine.

  "Cool." She shifted onto her toes and back down, rocking anxiously.

  "So, it sounds like you're a reader?" I said, trying to keep a straight face. She was a complete book nerd. I'd stalked her long enough to know that much. Kid spent more time reading than anyone I'd ever met.

  She nodded and gave me a timid smile. Her teeth were even and white, if a bit blocky. She pushed her thick-rimmed purple glasses up her nose and tugged nervously at a strand of her brown bob. "Yeah. I told Oisin I was getting bored with what's available at the little library in town and he said I should come check this place out."

  I took a slow breath. "Oh? How did you meet Oisin?"

  She was already eying the occult section like it was a display of candy in front of a fat kid. "Hmm? Oh, Oisin? I met him at the park by my house one day." She flicked her eyes toward me and…yep, there it was again. Her cheeks were flaming. "He's nice, I guess. We talk sometimes."

  I kept from laughing. Somehow. Oh my Gods, the fae was such a walking cock. Flirting with a teenager to get her to come back to the bookshop so he could get out of guard duty? That was a new low. I was never going to let him live this down.

  Oisin flitted back in with
a coffee mug in each hand. He handed one to me and the other to our guest. "Have a look around," he said, waving a graceful hand at the books.

  She took her coffee and ducked her head. "Thanks." Then she was gone, lost in book land.

  I sipped my coffee and glanced at Oisin. "You're such a…fae."

  He smiled indulgently. "Thank you."

  I elbowed him. "That wasn't a compliment. And if you make her cry when you break her heart, I'm not dealing with it. That's all you!"

  He rolled his eyes. "White wants you to befriend his little project, doesn't he?"

  I nodded.

  "So hurry up and make friends with her. Then we won't have to spend so much time out there freezing our bits off and dying of boredom while we stalk her. Summer will come to this frozen little burg eventually. And I refuse to put up with sunburn from standing on the street spying." He brushed the back of his hand over his smooth white cheek. “I might get freckles,” he said in horror.

  I snorted into my coffee cup. "How the hell do I make friends with a teenage girl?"

  He lifted one shoulder in a half-shrug as if to say "not my problem."

  I bumped my hip into his side. "Jackass."

  He slipped an arm around my back, pulling us together as he leaned against me. "Don't think I didn't see you cozying up to your new pet, darling. I might have to be nice to him, but I don't have to like it."

  I turned to look down at the little terror. So this was revenge. "Seriously? Still?"

  He gave me a feral smile. "So? How is he? I hear mages can do all sorts of little tricks with their magic. Does he have a big magic wand? Did he make your nipples shoot sparkles when you came?"

  I leaned down as if to whisper in his ear. But instead, I bit down on the pointy tip, which was currently hidden by glamour. "Are you sure you aren't just jealous?" I growled. "Want a mage of your very own?"

  He hissed as I tugged on the erogenous zone. "Never."

  I patted his ass, then turned back to the counter as our guest approached. "Gryphon," I reminded him, tapping the side of my head. "You just…lied."

  He huffed, but turned to the girl. Troy. What kind of name was that for a chick? "Find something interesting, dove?"

  She held out a book about oracles through history. "I haven't seen this one yet. But there isn't a sticker on it." She turned her doe eyes to me. "Can you tell me how much it is?"

  I took the book, but it was plucked out of my hands before I could flip it over to look at the bar code.

  "That one's not for sale," Hisashi's deep voice said from behind me. He came behind the counter and leaned his elbows over it, slouching as he dangled the book from his big hands. "Sorry, I must have left it there when I was reading the other day."

  His blue eyes took in Troy, and he smiled, all harmless and affable as he held out a hand. "Hi. I'm Hisashi."

  She did that blushing thing again, but she took the proffered hand and shook it. "Troy. Do you know where I can get a copy of that?" she said, gesturing at the book he held.

  Hisashi straightened. "Troy? That's an unusual name for a girl."

  She pulled at her hair, then visibly made herself stop fidgeting. "Troya," she said with a bitter laugh. "My parents were historians with a weird sense of humor. I don't think they realized what an awful name it was."

  Hisashi handed her the book. "It's a cool name. Unique. Did I hear you say you're a friend of Oisin's?"

  She glanced at the fae and nodded.

  "Then keep the book," the fox said easily. "You can just give it back when you're done. It's good stuff. You'll have to tell me what you think once you read it."

  She chewed on her bottom lip, then stuffed the book into her messenger bag. "Thanks. That's really cool of you."

  He shrugged, stuffing his big hands into his faded Pokémon hoodie. He was glamoured, so he just looked really pale and blond. I frowned when I realized the father of my unborn babies looked almost as young as the teenage girl. "No problem," he was saying, in that easy voice. "Hey, if you're into that kind of thing, come over here and I'll show you something awesome."

  I watched in wonder and a little bit of horror as Hisashi channeled his inner teenager—which was about ten years closer to him than mine was—and charmed the fuck out of the kid. I suddenly felt very, very old.

  Oisin picked up my coffee mug. "See. Best idea I've had in a while." He took a sip of my fucking coffee and closed his eyes. "Gods," he breathed, wearing the same face he made when someone was sucking his cock, "Con is amazing."

  I snatched my coffee from him and took a drink, savoring the flavors of caramel and snarky fae. "Stop it."

  He glanced at me with an innocent look. "Stop what, darling?"

  I growled.

  He stretched, all lean, lithe grace and hidden, deadly power. "Hisashi's busy. Con's getting ready for work. I wish the kraken was here to help me make you stop glaring. But unfortunately, you're stuck with only me."

  I let out a breath. Gods. Fae were such degenerates.

  Not that I disagreed with him.

  "I wish she was here too," I muttered. "And not just because you're a walking cock."

  He smiled and reached up to ruffle my hair fondly. "She'll be back soon, gryphon. Stop your growling and pacing. Nothing would keep our kraken away from us for long. You know that."

  I scowled. I did know that. But it had only been a week, and it felt like a year. Kai was laid back. She wasn't as attention-seeking as Oisin. But still, I could feel the lack of her presence, her energy, every day. She held us together in her own way, making us refocus when we got too serious, showing us how not to sweat the small stuff and reminding us to live in the moment.

  And now I sounded like a fucking Hallmark card. Ugh.

  I had just emailed Kai this morning, and she answered from siren central. Kai herself told me to stop fussing. And yet, here I was, thinking of the million ways Kai's trip could go wrong.

  Damn it, Oisin was right. I needed to chill the fuck out.

  "I think there's something I need your help with in the back," I said, setting my coffee aside. I really needed to stop pouting. And I knew a great way to do that.

  Hisashi glanced our way, arching one glamoured platinum brow, as Troy chatted away at him about crystal balls and divination. One corner of his mouth twitched when I turned Oisin and shoved him toward the hallway.

  The fae laughed as I tugged his braid, pulling his head back so I could silence that wicked mouth with my own. "You were going to make me stop glaring?" I said against his soft lips.

  He drew away and headed toward the stairs. "It's an awfully big job, darling. But I'll see what I can do, hmm?"

  Chapter 4

  Oisin was as good as his word. I was pretty sure it was impossible to glare with your face buried in a fur rug while a beautiful, wickedly skilled fae was fucking you senseless.

  He ran his graceful hands down my sides, squeezing my hips as he pressed deeper, murmuring elvish endearments in a voice like the wind through the trees. His magic danced over my skin, and my gryphon side was torn between pleasure and the need to dominate him, to prove he was ours. I spit out the mouthful of faux fur I had going on and turned my head to look at him over my shoulder when he added a finger to the mix.

  He grinned at me when I growled. "Shh…wouldn't want your new friend downstairs to hear us."

  Okay, so it was possible to glare in this situation. "Not my fault," I said, sucking in a breath as he pushed forward again, his finger stretching my ass open as his dick hit something inside me that made me go rigid with a sudden burst of tingling pleasure at the odd invasion.

  He smirked at me, his high cheekbones and the tips of his pointed ears flushed and eyes sparkling. He was enjoying the idea of getting caught, the pervert.

  I pressed my head to the rug and gasped at the dual sensations flooding me.

  "Steady gryphon," Oisin purred, never breaking his rhythm.

  The bedroom door clicked open and closed, and I felt the cool caress of mi
sty otherworld magic. "Finally," Oisin said on a rush of breath that belied his supposed control. "I didn't think you'd make it in time."

  Big hands smoothed up my back and clothes rustled. Then Hisashi was pulling me away from Oisin, trailing soft kisses along my neck and breasts as he pulled me over to straddle him. Both his cocks were rock hard. "Damned kid wouldn't stop talking about books and ancient oracles. And I knew you two were up here fucking. I sicced her on Halstad, since he’s too dumb to follow you."

  I laughed at the idea of the surly, anti-social mage entertaining the book nerd. "You're just mean."

  He gave me a lopsided grin. "His fault for not finishing what he started earlier."

  I groaned. Had everyone been watching me make out with—and get rejected by—Halstad?

  Oisin moved up behind me, straddling Hisashi's long legs. "Less talking," he purred, smoothing his hands over my ass. I agreed.

  Hisashi eased one thick cock into me, and I sighed happily. It was crystal clear what Oisin had been prepping me for. I leaned forward a bit in invitation and the fae slid his slick, lubed-up cock into my ass. He went slowly, Hisashi holding still while Oisin worked his way into my body with the skill born of hundreds of years of practice.

  If you would have asked me about this a year ago, I would have said hard pass. But that was before I knew what it was like to have two of my pride inside me at once.

  Hisashi moved and I threw my head back, completely at their mercy. Big hands covered my breasts, kneading and squeezing. Oisin snaked a hand around to stroke my clit as they lit up every nerve fiber in my body. I groaned, swallowing back a shout as I came, clenching around them.

  Oisin pulled me upright, back toward him a bit, then sank his teeth into my shoulder, meeting Hisashi's eyes. "Now that she's warmed up, let's get started, shall we?"

  Hisashi closed his eyes for a minute, swallowing hard, his Adam's apple working in the long, white column of his throat. His silvery eyes met mine as he answered Oisin. "I don't want to break her, Oisin. Gods."

  I had no clue what they were going on about now, but I didn't fucking care. I trusted Oisin to play my body like an instrument he'd owned all his life. His skill as master manipulator was impressive outside the bedroom, but it was nothing compared to the way he could orchestrate pleasure.