Dark Flame (Flame 3)

“I was careful. I held my cloak tight. I figured if he couldn’t see me in his own place of business, he wouldn’t be able to detect my presence in the dark of night.”

He felt his desire for her rise, a tide within him that wanted to flood his entire being. But he held it in check. Besides, nothing about her demeanor spoke of her interest in him.

She was all business.

The drinks arrived and he brought the cool glass to his lips. Gulping a solid swig of scotch helped. Juliet sipped her mai-tai through a narrow red straw.

“So, what’s this proposition?”

Her dark blue eyes lit up, and she leaned forward, but sent the words into his mind. I want to take down Roche’s empire.

He frowned. You’re kidding.

Nope. She wagged her head back and forth. Not even a little. Listen, Brann, I’ve had time to think everything over during the past week. I know I’ve offended you badly because of what I did. But as I said before, I don’t regret it. I can’t.

Her attitude wasn’t warming him at all.

She continued, I feel as though what I gained from being with you in terms of an increase and even shift in alter power has been worth it. Of course I didn’t go into the relationship thinking I’d be gaining a vampire persona, or anything like that. I just wanted to be with you.

But the result has astounded me. She set her drink on the table. Until I met you, I thought I had to just keep my head down.

But I know that’s not true anymore. In fact, I think it’s just the opposite, especially since Roche has been trying to mess with me in my dreams.

His temper fired up. “You mean he’s still after you?”

“Yep.”

“Why didn’t you call me?”

She lowered her chin. We should stay in telepathy, don’t you think?

He agreed. But why didn’t you call me, Juliet? I told you I would protect you.

I know. And actually, this is part of the reason I came to you tonight. Roche’s recent attempt to gain control of me only recently happened over the last few days. When I was waking up, I couldn’t remember a single dream and that’s not like me at all. And I had a headache. In addition, the fae part of me knew he was hovering around my dreamglide, trying to find another way in.

He’s still after me, and that won’t change. But once I realized what he was doing, I knew it wasn’t enough to play defense anymore. You know, Emma and Vaughn took that horrible wizard down. I don’t remember his name.

Brannick did. He helped carry several frightened young teenage girls out of the bastard’s underground labyrinth. Loghry. His name was Loghry.

That’s right. She sipped her mai-tai again. But it got me to thinking that maybe you and I coming together wasn’t just an accident or a random lustful act on my part. Even if we can’t be together romantically, maybe we can form a team. Maybe you and I can help fix what has gone so horribly wrong in Five Bridges.

He thought for a moment. A force for good.

She nodded slowly. And that’s my proposition. A partnership, maybe even a very secret one that no one knows about, something just between you and me. And completely on the down-low, the way you run your tunnel rescue system.

Brannick eased back in his seat and stared at Juliet. Now that he had all the memories from their time together in the dreamglide, he could look back at them whenever he wanted.

Juliet was right. She wasn’t the same person that had broken into his dreams and taken him in her dreamglide. She might have come after him out of her loneliness, but she’d found something of far greater value, a strength of purpose that hadn’t been there before.

The question was, should he engage in this kind of partnership with her?

~ ~ ~

Juliet felt the wall Brannick had built between them as though if she extended her hand, she’d hit cement. She felt nothing warm and affectionate coming from him at all.

However, she had no expectation of a relationship with him, and she’d meant every word she’d said. She wanted a working partnership, a duo of shared powers, for the purpose of re-shaping Five Bridges. Nothing more.

Brannick might not know it, but she wouldn’t leave the White Flame without getting him on board. Besides, he’d quit his job. On a really basic level, they were in exactly the same place.