Mercy Burns (Myth and Magic 2)

If they got your phone number, an inner voice whispered, then they can get your brother’s address.

Fear swirled, but I stomped on it firmly. Even if they did have a hotline to my mom, I doubted she’d give them Trae’s address, which meant I was safe enough here for the moment. But the thought of losing my defender still filled me with an odd sort of fear.

“I’ll be fine,” I said, more to myself than Damon.

He studied me for a moment, and the tension I’d sensed in him earlier sharpened to an awareness that was all sexual. It thrummed through the night, and burned through me. Gleamed in his dark eyes.

I couldn’t ignore that awareness, no matter how much I might have wanted to.

He leaned forward until his face was near mine and his mouth was so close I could taste his breath against my lips. It was warm and dry and it drew me even closer, until our lips were almost touching.

“Thank you,” he said softly, and then he kissed me. Lightly, sweetly.

I closed my eyes, gently moving into the kiss. Savoring the contact. Wanting more and yet, at the same time, fearing it.

And oh, it was so good. So delicious that my body hummed in response and my legs felt weak.

But it ended all too soon. By the time I’d opened my eyes again, Death had disappeared into the foggy darkness.

Chapter Five

The first thing I did when I got upstairs was to phone work to tell them I’d need a new ID card when I got back in another week or so. I couldn’t do much about my driver’s license—I’d have to show up at the DMV office to fix that, and right now I couldn’t take that risk.

With that done, I headed to the kitchen to grab something to eat. Food might not help fuel the fires, but I hadn’t eaten since breakfast and I was hungry enough to eat a horse. Not that I would have unless really pushed. Their meat tended to be too gamey for me, although many dragons consider them a delicacy.

Luckily for my stomach, my brother kept a far better stock of food than I usually did, so the fridge was full of the good stuff. Several thick beef sandwiches later, I had finally settled the uneasy rumblings in my belly. After rechecking that all the doors were locked, I headed to bed and slept the sleep of the semidrugged—although even the remnants of the drugs had not been strong enough to stop me reliving the moments of the crash, over and over.

It was well after ten when I woke. I dragged myself into the shower, washing away the grit of sleep and the last vestiges of the dreams, then grabbed some coffee and headed over to my brother’s desk and laptop.

I found the card Angus had given me and googled his business. His website came up straight away. I clicked on the link and was confronted by a smiling picture of my kidnapper.

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sp; I picked up my coffee cup and leaned back in the chair, sipping the steaming liquid as I contemplated his image. Damon had warned me off going after our kidnappers, but I wasn’t going to get the answers I needed by doing that. And I very much doubted he was going to return and explain what was going on—especially given he’d been more than a little recalcitrant about the reasons he was there in the first place.

Besides, I had a friend to avenge and a soul to save. And while sitting here in my brother’s house might be safer, it wasn’t what I needed to do.

Angus had known about the accident—he’d obviously been sent information about me before our meeting—and he’d been talking to the man who had driven the truck, so he obviously knew a whole lot more than I did. I just needed to find out what.

It would probably be a good idea to find out more about Damon, too—just in case our paths crossed again. I reached for the phone and quickly dialed Leith’s direct number.

“Phoenix Investigations, Leith Nichols speaking.”

His usually mellow speech had taken on a formal note, and I couldn’t help smiling. “And don’t you sound mighty professional today, my friend.”

“Hey, babe, how you doing?” His voice relaxed into the easygoing tones I was used to.

“I’m doing fine,” I said, as I opened the glass door to the small side balcony and stepped outside. The sunlight wrapped around me, warming me, fueling me. I closed my eyes and resisted the urge to hum with pleasure. “But I was wondering if you could do a few favors for me.”

“You already owe me dinner. This could bring breakfast into the equation as well.”

I grinned. I’d known Leith for nine years, and he’d been trying to get into my bed for eight and a half of those. Trouble was, he wasn’t serious, and we both knew it. I think if I ever did say yes, he’d actually run a mile the other way rather than risk ruining a wonderful friendship.

Mind you, I had no doubt he’d be a damn fine lover. He just wasn’t the right lover for me.

“I don’t mind buying you breakfast, but there won’t be bed before it.”

“Damn, woman, you spoil all my fun.”