“Is this another incident concerning the war between the Fae?” I had no idea what percentage of cases he worked on were focused on cleaning up that mess. I hoped not too many, given it seemed to be a pretty bloody business.
“Well, the client is Fae, but it’s not concerning an altercation with the other side. I’m not clear what it is yet, but it always helps to have another pair of ears.” Herne glanced at the clock. “He’ll be here in about forty minutes. Meanwhile, why don’t you go read through the transcripts that Yutani gave us. Probably a good idea to comb them for any information we can get.”
I looked around. “Should I use the break room?”
Herne rolled his eyes. “I can’t believe I haven’t assigned you an office yet. My bad. Excuse me, I really didn’t mean to neglect that.” He motioned for me to follow him down the hall from the break room. “The first door to the left is Yutani and Talia’s office. They share the same room because they both are computer savvy and do bulk of our research. The second is empty. The one on the right end is open and better than the other.”
I pointed to the door between the break room and the office he had just gestured to. “What about that one? Is that Viktor’s office?”
“That’s the armory. Viktor doesn’t have an office. He’s usually out in the field, so he makes do with the break room most of the time.”
He opened the door and ushered me in. I glanced around the room. It was cozy, though not so small that I’d feel claustrophobic. The window looked out onto the street, and the hardwood floors were in good condition. A desk sat against one wall, with a standard office chair in front of it. To the left beneath the window was a secondary desk, and on the left wall was a filing cabinet and a bookshelf, as well as an extra chair. All in all, it was almost as big as my living room, which wasn’t saying much. But it felt comfortable, and protected.
I walked over to the window and pulled aside the blinds, glancing out. The gloom had lifted for the moment, and I saw a rare glimpse of sun. I opened the curtains and sunlight filled the room, giving it a whole new atmosphere.
“This will be fine.” I leaned against the edge of the window, staring up at the sky. “Well, blue sky. We don’t see that often this time of year.”
Herne joined me, closing his eyes as the sunlight hit his face.
“You’re right,” he said softly, as he opened his eyes again. We were standing inches apart, and he was staring down into my face. His breath washed over me like silk.
I froze, unable to move or to think, caught up in the energy that seemed to wrap around us every time we were within arm’s reach of each other. I wanted to know what it felt like to have him wrap his arms around me, but I was afraid to move. I was afraid I was misreading his signals, and part of me was afraid that I wasn’t misreading him.
“What are you thinking?” His voice was soft.
I shivered, shaking my head. “I don’t seem to be thinking clearly at all.”
Just then, Yutani peeked around the door. “I found something you might want to see.” He paused, glancing at the two of us. “Am I interrupting?”
Herne let out a soft sigh, then shook his head. “No, I was just getting Ember settled in her new office.” And with that, he broke away, clearing his throat. “What did you find?”
“It has nothing to do with this case, but it’s an answer to something we were looking at a week ago. The Harstein affair?”
Herne’s expression suddenly shifted into business mode. “Oh, right. Show me.” Pausing, he turned back to me. “Why don’t you get settled here and arrange things the way you like. I’ll see you in my office in about half an hour to meet with the new client.”
As he closed the door behind him, I wondered if I had been imagining everything. Or maybe Herne just had the ability to categorize parts of his life when he needed to. One way or another, I felt like I had been doused with a bucket of cold water.
Frustrated, I sat down at the desk and pulled open the drawers. There was nothing to personalize them, but I found paper and pens, all the usual office supplies, and a laptop computer. I pulled it out and opened it up, but I didn’t know the password so I couldn’t log in. Restless, I crossed to the window and stared out, crossing my arms over my chest.
What did I want from Herne? I wasn’t sure of the answer. I was so attracted to him, and yet —the memory of my dead boyfriends played through my mind like some deranged merry-go-round. But Herne was the son of a god, as I had noted to Angel, and somehow I doubted that whatever curse I seemed to be under would cast its deadly effect on him.
Just then my phone rang, and I glanced at the Caller ID. Speak of the devil, it was Ray Fontaine. “Hey Ray, how are you?”
“I’m fine. I still haven’t figured out what broke into my storeroom, but we haven’t had any trouble since I hired a witch to strengthen the wards on my building. I just…” He paused, then slowly added, “I just miss you. I wanted to talk, to ask how you were doing. I saw the news about Angel—well, her house. She okay? What about her brother? I imagine they were probably pretty shaken up.”
“Shaken up is right.” I couldn’t tell him about DJ, so I just added, “Angel found a new place to stay.” I suddenly realized that I couldn’t tell him any more than that. As much as I liked Ray, I had no idea who he was friends with. The world suddenly seemed like a mishmash of enemies out there, unseen and unplanned for.
“What are you doing tonight?”
I could sense that it was more than just a casual inquiry.
“Ray, you know I can’t date you. You know why. I wish I could, but you’d be in danger.”
“What is it that kills your boyfriends? I know you aren’t a succubus.”
Surprised that Ray even knew about succubi, I laughed. “No, I’m not a succubus. Sometimes I wouldn’t mind being one, but I’m not. I’m just dangerous to get mixed up with, it seems.” I paused, wondering if that was an appropriate thing to say.
“How long did you see them?”
“Leland I saw for three months. Robert only lasted two weeks.”
“I know this is an indelicate question, but I wonder if it might play into things. Were they the only men you ever slept with?”
I froze. There was something off about his question. The last thing I felt like talking about with Ray was my sex life.
“Ray, I’m thirty years old. I’ve had my share of lovers. That has nothing to do with the matter.”
“Oh.” His voice was so soft for a moment I almost didn’t hear him speak. Then, he added, “So how many partners are we talking?”
And there it was. The hint of judgment that somehow, I knew would be there. Ray liked to be first. First in business, first at snapping up new technology and gadgets when they came out. And I had the feeling he wanted to be first in the bed as well. I had never talked to him about my sex life before I broke it off, but I had always had the suspicion that he hoped I was a virgin.
“Do you really want to go there? Considering that we’re no longer together?”
“Why, are you afraid to tell me? Afraid I’ll think you’re a slut?” He paused, then added, “I’m sorry. I’m being boorish. It’s just…I’ve been thinking about you since I saw you the other day. I miss you. Are you sure you won’t consider going out with me again? I know you consider yourself a jinx, but what if the other guys were a fluke? What if Robert and Leland were actually coincidences? That goblin that hurt me could have attacked me even if you hadn’t taken me along with you.”
I closed my eyes, rubbing my forehead. I didn’t want to deal with this right now. It had been a mistake reconnecting with Ray, and I should have known better.
“Ray, don’t do this. Trust me, I just know that you’d be in danger. And let’s face it, we’re very different people. You’re a baker, a damned good one—the best, even. And I’m…” I paused. I wasn’t sure what to say.
“I know you think you live a more rough-and-tumble life than I do. But that doesn’t mean I’m soft. Or that I can’t take care of myself, if that’s what you’re afraid of.”