Chapter 21

Stepping into the kitchen, Remi stopped and watched Berk mumbling under his breath as he peeled potatoes. Usually, he was humming and brighter than anyone should be at this time of day.

Darien brushed by her and went over to the coffee pot.

Berk lifted his head and gave her an exasperated look. “He’s lucky I didn’t bite him.” He waved the paring knife in the air. “Pounding on the door like some lunatic before the sun’s up.” He cut the potato with jerky movements, letting it drop into the bowl. “I don’t know what he wants, but I had to step away before I hurt him,” he stiffened before looking at her, his eyes moving up and down her slowly. Raising one eyebrow, he glanced at Darien getting coffee and then exhaled loudly. “If Kyran expects breakfast today, he’ll be cooking it himself.” He growled. “Especially now that I know he not only ruined my chi for the day but interrupted other things as well.”

Remi felt her cheeks flush.

Darien handed her a cup of coffee while looking over at Berk; he smirked before lifting his own cup to take a sip. “We’ll tell him, Berk.”

Berk made a sound of annoyance and glanced at Darien out of the corner of his eye. “You do that.”

Going out into the café, Remi sent Kyran a hesitant look.

He sighed loudly. “I think I pissed off your cook.” He grimaced. “He threatened to give me a colonoscopy with a spatula.”

Darien chuckled quietly from behind her. “That’s an image I could have done without before breakfast.”

Grabbing the coffee pot from behind the counter, Remi set it under the brewer and filled the basket with coffee before turning around. “What’s going on?”

Kyran leaned on the counter and looked at her for a few seconds. “They found your accountant.”

“Dead?” Darien asked quietly.

Nodding, Kyran rubbed a hand over his face. “Yeah. Same as the others.”

Setting her cup down, Remi leaned back against the counter and wrapped her arms around her waist, staring at the floor.

“You didn’t come here before dawn just to tell us that,” Darien said, moving over to wrap his arm around her shoulder. She looked back at Kyran.

“No. I wanted…”

“Good morning.” Pascal appeared in the kitchen door. He raised his eyebrows at Kyran and then moved aside so a tall, dark-haired woman could slip passed him. She looked up at him, her cheeks flushing slightly as she smiled.

No one said a word as he walked her to the door and unlocked it. Stepping aside to avoid the dim light of dawn as she opened it and went outside. Locking the door again, Pascal turned to look at Kyran. “You were saying?”

“Oh, joy, a pre-dawn meeting.” Attis came out of the kitchen holding a bottle of blood. “I should stay up more often.” He went over and sat beside Kyran. “Judging by the tension rolling off you, I’m guessing you’re here for more than coffee.”

Kyran nodded. “I came to tell Remi we found the accountant.”

“Hmm.” Pascal came around behind the counter and went over to the fridge to get some blood, “and he’s dead.” It wasn’t a question. Leaning back while he waited for the microwave, he looked at Remi and then gave Darien an amused look. With a smile that told her he could smell sex on them, he took the bottle out of the microwave and drank without comment.

Attis slid a cup of coffee across the counter to Kyran. He nodded his thanks.

“I wanted to warn you, well, actually, Randell told me to come and warn you that he had to report the deaths to the para council.”

Darien dropped his arm from around her shoulders and went over to stand in front of Kyran. “Why?”

Kyran looked up from his cup. “The tests finally came back on the first few bodies found, and there were traces of magic.”

“Shit.” Darien stepped back and crossed his arms over his chest.

“I don’t understand.” Remi looked from Kyran to Darien.

Sighing, Darien looked up from the floor. “If magic was involved with a death, the para council has to be informed.” He waved a hand at Kyran. “Normal cops don’t stand a chance on their own.”

“So,” Remi stepped over and leaned on the counter, “the para council will be taking over?” She’d only heard of this council. All mentions of it had always been tinged with fear and apprehension.

Kyran nodded.

Attis groaned. “There goes the neighborhood.”

The sound of the bottle hitting the counter made her turn and look at Pascal.

Pascal looked like he blanched, as odd as that was for a vampire. “I respectfully request a leave of absence, Boss?” He looked at her, his eyes wide.

Remi frowned; Pascal never referred to her as boss. She looked over at Attis, who was close to collapsing as he held in a laugh. Giving Pascal a wary look, she shook her head. “Denied.”

His shoulders slumped as he placed his hands on his hips and looked at the floor, and sighed loudly.

“Am I missing something?” She looked at Darien, who raised his hands. He had no idea either.

Attis moved down the counter, attempting to keep his laughing under control. He cleared his throat a few times. “I do believe Pascal’s ex is on the Para council.”

“More like a stalker,” Pascal muttered.

Attis sputtered again, laughing quietly.

Rolling his eyes, Pascal glared at him. “I’m glad you are amused by my suffering, old friend.” He waved his hand around with a dramatic flair. “I can’t believe I spent six decades outrunning her, and now she’s coming here.”

“No means no.” Berk quipped on his way by, a grin covering his face.

Pascal snarled in his direction. “No, doesn’t work on Elissia, or Elaine, or whatever she calls herself now.”

Almost amused by seeing the always-composed Pascal out of sorts, Remi leaned on the bar and shrugged. “Why not?”

“She’s a lot older than Pascal,” Attis started laughing again and waved his hand in apology as he moved down the bar to calm down.

“Really?” Darien smirked and looked at Pascal.

Pascal sighed and gave Darien a pleading look. “You don’t understand.” He whined. “With her, I discovered everything I don’t like about sex, and I thought I was open to anything up until that point.”

Darien lowered his head, his shoulders shaking gently. Remi knew he was laughing now, and it took all she had to keep a straight face. “There’s a killer out there, Pascal. If they can stop them, we don’t have a choice.” His eyes pleaded with her. “Not to sound like too much like one of the guys here.” She paused until all eyes looked at her, “but I guess you’ll have to take one for the team.” Turning, she picked up her cup and focused on her coffee before she started laughing. Behind her, she could hear the snickers along with Pascal’s cursing in several languages if she wasn’t mistaken.

“When will they be here?” Clearing his throat after he said it, Darien reached around her for his coffee.

“Tomorrow,” Kyran said quietly.

The sound of a door closing had Remi turn. All heads were looking in the direction of the kitchen door, and Pascal was nowhere to be seen.

“Well, he’s going to be charming to work with,” Attis mumbled as he moved by her. “I’ll see you tonight.” Whistling softly, he went into the kitchen.

Berk came back from pulling the blinds up. Kyran spun on the stool and looked at him. “I’m sorry for startling you, Berk.”

Berk’s hazel eyes moved over Kyran, studying him silently, and then he let out a loud sigh. “Don’t do it again.” He waved a hand toward the kitchen. “Come on, I’ll make you breakfast.”

Remi watched them leave and then turned to look at Darien. He stood there, his eyes moving over her as he sipped his coffee. Just the way he was looking at her sent a shiver of awareness through her as she remembered his yellow eyes looking down at her earlier. “I should go upstairs and see how many crashed here last night.”

Setting the cup down, he closed the distance between them in a second and blocked her from moving from behind the counter. She backed up until the counter was against her back. He moved closer and caged her in, placing a hand on the counter on either side. “It wasn’t a mistake,” he said softly, “or a fluke.” His dark eyes held hers so she couldn’t look away from him.

“H-how do you know?” She swallowed, her eyes flicked to his lips and then back to his eyes.

Leaning forward, he spoke quietly beside her ear. “Because I still want you, I’m not even touching you, and you’re shaking Remi. I can feel it.”

A shiver went through her; she wasn’t going to deny it because that would be a lie. “So.”

Lifting his head, he grinned down at her. “No regrets, Álainn.” He brushed his lips over hers once and then again before stepping back.

She stood there for a few seconds and then remembered to breathe. Watching him move back to pick up his coffee, she exhaled slowly. “We are going to have to talk about it.”

Taking a sip, he lowered the cup and nodded. “I know.” Setting the cup down, he came back over and cupped the back of her head, crushing her mouth with his before she had a chance to react. His lips moved over hers as if he tasted her over and over. With each stroke of his tongue against hers, more heat pooled between her thighs. Then as abruptly as it had begun, he stopped and straightened. “Just not now. I need a nap, and you have to get this place going for the day.”

Gripping the front of his shirt to help keep her balance, she nodded and stood, looking up into his dark eyes. He did look tired; with everything that had gone on, she’d forgotten how much the forced change took out of him. “Go get some rest, Darien.”

He looked at her mouth again and then inhaled, a lopsided grin appearing on his face. “If you don’t want every para with a heightened sense of smell to know what we were doing, you might want to fit a quick shower into your morning.” Chuckling, he stepped back and winked at her. “You reek of sex, A ghrá.”

Her cheeks heated. “Go.” She watched him leave and then fanned her face, huffing out a breath to calm down.

Berk leaned his head out the door and grinned at her. “It’s about damn time,” he whispered, “and I want details ASAP.” He winked and then ducked back into the kitchen.

Covering her face, Remi closed her eyes. What had she done? As if things weren’t complicated enough in her world right now, she’d just slept with her best friend. Worse than that, she didn’t regret it, if her body’s reaction was any indication, she’d do it again given the chance. Groaning, she dropped her hands and picked up her coffee.

Four hours later, Remi rested her head on her arms slumped at her desk.

“You want to tell us why you’re one breath from a breakdown today?”

Turning her head, she looked at Nadine and Iris standing in the doorway. Nadine raised an eyebrow at her.

“Besides the dead bodies, the para council, and all of us being confined to secure locations around the clock,” Iris said with a smirk on her face.

Nadine nodded. “Yeah, after all that.” She studied her for a moment. “You look like you’re off in space and about to un-tether at any second.”

Iris gave Naddy a wide-eyed look.

“Sorry,” she shrugged, “hubby has me watching this space program.”

“How romantic,” Iris purred, her voice heavy with sarcasm.

Sitting up, Remi turned the chair, so she was facing them. “I did something I probably shouldn’t have,” she frowned, “Okay, I shouldn’t have.”

“Really?” Iris said with a sarcastic flair in her tone. “Do tell.”

“The last time you thought you did something you shouldn’t have was when you slept with that hottie shifter who was stranded in town until his car was fixed.” Nadine came in and sat on the filing cabinet. “That was almost a year ago now, right after asshat.”

Iris nodded. “Who did you sleep with this time?”

Remi looked from Iris’s animated expression to Nadine’s expectant one and groaned. “Darien.”

“Yes. Finally.” Iris pumped her fist in the air. “I swear it was getting pretty sad watching him follow you around with his tail between his legs. If you…”

Nadine kicked her foot to stop her. “When? It was the full moon last night.”

“This morning.” Remi slumped down further in the chair. “I slept in his bed so the girls could have mine last night…”

“Does this mean we don’t have to tippy-toe around now?” Iris asked.

Nadine glared at her.

“What are you talking about?” Remi shook her head and looked from one to the other.

“Ignore her,” Nadine said firmly. “There’s nothing wrong with what happened, Rem…”

Remi sat forward. “We work together. My number one rule is…”

“We know all about your rule, boss lady, and it’s silly. I’ve seen the way he grabs you and kisses you.” She snorted. “I don’t know how you’re not a puddle at his feet when he does that.” Iris crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe.

Nadine turned her soft blue eyes on Remi. “What did Darien say?”

Leaning back in the chair, she looked up at the ceiling. “That it wasn’t a mistake, but Kyran showed up with the news about the accountant and the council, so we didn’t get a chance to discuss it.”

Deanne came around the corner behind Iris. “Can one of you give us a hand? A large group just came through the door.”

Nadine and Remi both looked at Iris, and she sighed. “Fine, I’m coming.” Shoving away from the frame, she waited for Deanne to leave. “If you ask me, I say ride that body as often as possible.” She gave Remi a cheeky smile, “Because there is nothing bad about it.”

Remi’s mind went to places she had been struggling all morning to control. Places that involved Darien, his body, and hers.

“She does have a way with words,” Nadine said with a smirk after she left.

“I’m worried, Naddy. I think Darien has really been struggling with his wolf lately, and I’m not sure what to do.”

Remi watched Nadine sigh silently and then study the floor for several seconds. “The only difficulty Darien has with his controlling his wolf has to do with you, Remi.” She sighed loudly this time, “And you need to sit him down, tie him if you have to, and get him to talk.” She stood up. “It’s long overdue. Trust me.”

That feeling of missing something hit Remi again. “I constantly feel like I missed a memo around here lately.”

Nadine nodded and stood there looking at her for a moment. “Darien has the answers for that too.”

“Wonderful.” Remi turned and flipped on the computer so she could do the paperwork she’d come back to finish. “Then I guess Wolfman and I are going to have to have a long chat.”

“Don’t let him off easy, Rem. He’s been a very bad wolf.” Nadine smirked at her and left the office.