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“Ow!” He lost his balance, let go of me, arms swinging, and I caught his jacket just as he was about to plummet. My hand brushed the familiar plastic packet. Unbelievable.
I yanked him into the room, swiping the packet of maps from the waistband of his leather pants. The effort nearly dropped me to my knees. I struggled not to fall and growled. “You stole the maps again?
Do you have a death wish?”
He blew some blood out of his nose. “I can’t fucking believe it. Busted my nose twice in one day. You owe me for this.” He surged to his feet and lunged at me.
And stopped when Slayer’s blade made contact with his chest. I was weak but I was still fast. “Who are you, what are you doing here, who is Hood, why does he want Julie, and where is Julie’s mother?”
“Is that all?” He wiped the red smudge off his lip with the back of his hand.
“Yes. No. Why is the cauldron important, where did it go, how is Morrigan involved, where do you go when you disappear, and why do you keep stealing the maps? Okay, now that’s everything.”
He pushed a little against Slayer. “I see now. You just want me for my mind. Who’s Hood?”
“White robe, tentacles?”
His eyes lit up. “I tell you what, you put the maps right there on the bed. On the count of three, we each grab them. If you win, I’ll tell you who he is. If I win, I’ll get you.”
“Me?”
He winked. “Cute bow, by the way.”
I glanced down. Sure enough, my robe had come open. The whole world now knew I had a bow on my panties.
I pulled my robe closed. “You get me for how long? Forever?”
He gave me an appraising stare. “No offense, but you’re not that hot. There are other fish in the sea. A night will do.”
I had to give it to him, to flatter and insult a woman in one proposition took talent. “No disappearing into the mist to grab the maps?”
He raised his hands. “Fine, fine.”
“Swear on Morrigan’s name that you’ll pay up if I win.”
It was a gamble. I watched for his reaction and got it: he hesitated. To him, Morrigan’s name carried weight, which meant she was likely to be his patron goddess.
“I swear by Morrighan to uphold the bargain.” He pronounced Morrigan oddly, which was probably the right way to say her name.