More than either of us currently suspects, Azriel commented.
Suspicion gains us nothing, I replied, despite the fact that my own thoughts were careening along the same line. And just because he wants the Raziq erased doesn’t mean he can’t be trusted. Hell, I’m sure you wouldn’t mind it one little bit if the Raziq no longer existed.
I returned my gaze to Lucian. “Last time we saw each other, you were intending to hunt down information about the tracker the Raziq placed in me. Is that why you were waiting at our place?”
The anger in him faded, but didn’t completely disappear. It remained in the edge in his voice, in the fierceness of his gaze.
It was a fierceness that had me trembling, because it wasn’t entirely anger. Lust burned in the deeper recesses of his eyes, and it was growing stronger by the moment.
I might be tired, I might have the mother of all headaches developing thanks to Amaya and the events of the day so far, but it seemed even that wasn’t enough to stop the growing hum of desire.
Although it wasn’t like I had many other options with which to satisfy my needs. With Azriel intent on remaining a monk, my only other possibilities were Jak—the man who not only betrayed the trust I’d placed in him by writing a newspaper article about my mother that basically called her a fraud who lied about her background, but who broke my heart in the process—or I could head down to Franklin’s, a private wolf club where I was a long-term member. And while I did have a regular partner there, his touch had lost some of its appeal since Lucian and Azriel had come into my life.
A smile teased Lucian’s lips. Despite his claim to the contrary, he was obviously catching at least some of my thoughts. I tugged my hand free from his and strode toward my car.
He was back beside me in a heartbeat. “In answer to your question, yes, I have been researching ways to mute the tracker, and yes, I was at your home to discuss one possibility.”
I opened the car door but didn’t climb in. “And what is the possibility?”
“A dark sorcerer, but not one who uses blood magic.”
“Any sorcerer who trades with darkness is not a wise choice,” Azriel said. Though his voice retained its usual even tone, his distaste and annoyance still shivered through me.
Which was odd. It was almost as if the chi connection had somehow deepened, allowing me greater access to the ebb and flow of his emotions. And from what I’d gathered, that shouldn’t have been the case.
Unless it was a sign that assimilation was a whole lot closer than we’d presumed.
No.
I glanced at him. If it’s not assimilation, then what is it?
He gave me the mental equivalent of a shrug and my annoyance surged. Some things, it seemed, would never change.
“We haven’t even had the chance to explore our options with the Brindle witches yet,” I said to Lucian.
And since they were some of the most powerful witches in the land, you’d have to think they should be able to come up with something.
“What you bear in your heart is unlike anything the Brindle witches have seen before,” Lucian commented. “It is Aedh in origin, and their magic far exceeds anything ever seen here on earth.”
“By that logic,” Azriel said, before I could even open my mouth, “a dark sorcerer will be of as little use as the Brindle witches.”
Lucian gave him a somewhat scathing glance. “Except that witches rely on natural magic, whereas a dark sorcerer uses the magic of this world and the other. In this case, that is probably as close as we’ll ever get to Aedh-strength magic.”
“Which does not mean we should discount other options without even exploring them.” Azriel’s voice held a dangerous edge. “Risa, you cannot—”
“We have to at least talk to this sorcerer,” I cut in firmly even as trepidation crawled across my skin. I’d heard too many of Ilianna’s stories to ever be comfortable in the presence of a dark sorcerer. “Even if we do nothing with the information he gives us.”
“At least someone in this little group has some common sense,” Lucian said. “I’ve arranged a meeting for this evening.”
“I’m working at the café until eleven.”
He shrugged. “Shall I pick you up, or would you prefer to meet us there?”
“The latter.” I didn’t want to be reliant on him to get back home, simply because that was one sure way to end up in his bed rather than alone in mine. Amusement teased his lips again. I added, somewhat crossly, “I thought you could only read my thoughts during sex?”
“That is mostly true.”
Azriel snorted softly. I ignored him and said, “Define ‘mostly.’”