Chapter 24

His glass, practically empty at this point, would not be touched again. The drink was heavy and warm in his stomach sending a fuzzy sensation through his veins. The back of his throat stung as though he’d swallowed a bee and his tongue suddenly felt like sandpaper.

Truth serum. A witch’s concoction and he’d drunk it down thinking it was some well-aged wine. Horror struck him first when the woman who sat with them had said it. His witch’s face reflected much the same. Her lowered brows and twisted frown gave way to the sheen of fear in her eyes and her full lips parted on a trembling breath.

Her full beautiful lips. The bottom half of her mouth was so rounded all he could think about was taking a bite.

The serum had addled his brain. Great.

Remis had been taught for as long as he could remember that witches, while mostly myth and fable at this point, were horrible monstrous beings. Aside from the promise of death that came with his wolf, he’d only seen so far how humans were the true monsters, but questioning the truth of the world and being secretly fed a serum that would not allow him to lie was quite a different thing.

“Let’s start this again, shall we? My name is Kindred. What is your name?” Kindred motioned toward him.

His name was an easy answer to give but the words still felt as if she’d pulled them out of him with the quick yank of an invisible string. “Nikremis Archibald Lexmore. My friends just call me Remis.”

Kindred smiled and lines appeared across her cheeks and around her sparkling gray eyes. “Remis. And you?” Another sweep of her hand toward his captor.

He leaned forward as eager to hear her answers as Kindred. Wolf, as he’d taken to calling her, spoke little of herself and her intentions to drag him along on whatever fate they’d found themselves intertwined in. This was his chance for answers, to maybe understand her and the role he was meant to play. The widening of her eyes was telling that she’d also come to this same realization.

“Meira Eve Spektor.” She gave Remis a sideways glance. “Just Meira.”

Meira. Eve. Spektor.

Meira.

He repeated the name over and over in his head and found himself wanting to try it out on his lips. To taste it in the way his mind kept wanting to taste her. A lovely name, one that suited the beautiful, strong, and wicked woman next to him.

“Do you intend to harm the witch or anyone in this town?” Kindred asked.

Meira sighed, leaned back in her seat, and said, “No.”

Kindred looked to him and much to his surprise words he’d hardly even recognized as his own were spilling out. “There is one particular asshole who was rude to Meira that I’ve considered teaching a few manners with my fist.”

He wasn’t sure how it was possible but Meira’s wide eyes widened a fraction more until all the white was visible around her pretty green irises. Though saying her name felt like he’d somehow earned a high honor, he had to hold himself back from slapping a hand across his mouth. Getting the truth from Meira might be enticing, but being forced to speak only in truths might become his next nightmare.

A chuckle left Kindred. The woman nodded along, amusement playing over her weathered features. “There are several in this town that I’ve thought about doing that exact same thing to. If you want to keep hidden while you’re here though I’d refrain. Terrible men with horrid opinions often have terrible friends who’ll fight tooth and nail for their honor.”

Of course, Remis wasn’t really going to punch the stranger. He didn’t even realize that he’d truly contemplated the idea until it had been forced out of him. With his healing shoulder and body weary from all the travel he was in no condition to be fighting. Fuck, his nose was still bruised and slightly swollen.

“What do you need the witch for?” the old woman pushed.

Meira’s face scrunched in as if she’d rather keep the words to herself. Her cheeks turned a dark shade of crimson before she gasped for air. “I need help recovering my memories and—” She bared her teeth. “And I need to learn about the huntress curse.”

She’d lost her memories? She didn’t know about the huntress curse? Perhaps it was more alarming not to just be in the presence of a witch but to be with one who was incompetent. If she didn’t know what and how this curse worked…well that might explain why he wasn’t dead yet.

Instantly, Kindred’s attention shifted to Meira’s gloved hands and then to Remis’ hastily wrapped one. “I see.” She cleared her throat. “I can arrange that. However, tonight is a night for lovers and celebrations as we honor the holiday so you will have to wait until tomorrow.” Kindred offered a sad smile. “For the time being, I suggest you stay and maybe get to know each other better. If you need a place to stay, the stairwell beside the bar will take you upstairs where there are two available rooms. It’ll cost you but they’re the best you’ll be getting on a night like tonight.”

“Will they cost coin or some other form of currency?” Meira’s mouth ticked down.

“Coin only this time.” Kindred winked. “I’ll have Stauci bring you over some dinner too.” With that, she rose from the table, returned her chair to its rightful position, and headed back behind the counter.

The room was filled with the chatter of other patrons and the clinking of glasses. Occasionally, laughter would rise and fall like a crashing wave. Still, all of it felt distant from the little corner where he sat with Meira. She stared down at her hands.

This was his chance to ask her everything he’d tried to before and he’d get more than just placating answers; he’d get the truth. Perhaps Kindred was in the market of performing miracles. He mulled his questions over in his head while he sat without speaking for several long minutes. He’d have to be the one to break the silence. He doubted she’d be keen to start spilling all her secrets.

“Meira Eve Spektor was it?” He tapped a finger against the table. She watched the movement. “Does it even out the playing field now that I know what to call you?”

“Not at all, Nikremis Archibald Lexmore.” She snorted. “What a terrible middle name.”

His hand went straight to his heart as though she’d stabbed him in the chest with the words. “It’s a family name.”

One slender brow of hers lifted ever so slightly. She was beautifully cast in the soft glow of the lone dying candle at their back. And he so badly wanted to tell her how gorgeous she was. He could feel the way the serum was lulling him into a sense of safety as though he could say anything now and there would be no consequence to it at all, but there would be consequences and some things were better left unsaid if he could manage it.

Meira leaned back in her seat. “It’s probably better if we don’t talk.”

“So you don’t have to tell me the truth?”

She nodded.

“That is unfortunate,” he whispered, holding her evergreen stare. “I have so many questions.”

“You talk too much,” she snapped back, stiffening ever so slightly as though she didn’t mean to say that, but she didn’t apologize, only held his gaze with her chin held high.

“And what else do you think about me, Meira?”

A crease formed between her brows. “Quit saying my name like that.”

“Like what?” He was edging toward her, wanting to be near enough to feel her breath on his skin. Their knees brushed under the table.

“Like it’s a delicacy.” Her voice was soft and low.

“You enjoy it though. Don’t you?”

She nodded. Frowned. Still, she leaned toward him.

“What else do you think about me, Meira?” he asked again and her cheeks flamed red.

“You’re not as charming as you think you are. You’re arrogant. Sometimes incredibly annoying. And—” Her mouth formed a straight line.

“And…” He curled a finger under her jaw and tipped her face up to him. He wanted to drown in the emerald color of her eyes.

“And you’re a second away from losing your fingers if you don’t get your hand off me.”

He laughed under his breath and dropped his hand, but didn’t put any more room between them. If he gave in to the want inside of him all he’d have to do is close the inch of space that separated their lips.

Whatever she wanted to say, there were other truths that she could use to get around saying it. He’d wonder what it was she refused to tell him for the rest of his life.

“Why did you put this curse on me?” Remis asked softly.

There it was. The big terrible question.

She shook her head gently, her nose scrunching ever so slightly. “I don’t know.”

His chair swayed, the legs wobbly, as he dared put his body close enough that their legs were practically intertwined now. “You don’t know? Why?”

Long lashes brushed her cheeks as she closed her eyes. “I woke up without…without my memories, and with this damn thing on my hand.” Her eyes snapped open and she pulled her glove free to reveal the scar-like mark upon her palm. “And the need to get to you. But no. I do not know why. Time is a great and terrible resource to play with and my memories haven’t caught back up with me yet.”

Remis stared down at that mark, the one that tied them together. On her delicate hand, it didn’t look quite as threatening or daunting. Then again, she was the huntress and not the one being hunted. Her skin was calloused and riddled with scars, the eye was just another to match the rest. He reached out and brushed a finger along the design. One brief touch of her skin was enough to make his pants feel suddenly tight. With the tip of his finger, he drew a line up to her slender wrist and teased underneath the hem of her sleeve. He swore he saw her lashes flutter.

“You remember nothing?” he asked.

Admittedly, his knowledge of witches was small and stained by the stories Emperor Grandith had spread or fogged in long-ago memories. Did what she had said mean that she’d somehow moved through time itself? This only led to more questions.

“I remember some things.”

“Like what?”

Meira flexed her hands against the table before pulling them into her lap and slipping her glove back into place. She refused eye contact as she spoke. “I”ve seen you. First when I woke, the moment you looked down at the mark for the first time. Then in another memory, we were in the woods talking.” She straightened. Scowled. “Then I saw us at a celebration, near the woods.” Her entire face scrunched and she tilted her head side to side. “Dragons, this serum. We were kissing. Touching.”

Now this was a particularly new and exciting development.

“Kissing?” Remis smiled. Meira made a noise somewhere between a breath and a laugh. “None of those memories sound much like any reason to want to kill me.”

“I’m inclined to agree. However, I wouldn’t have let myself get marked and ruin my entire life unless there was a reason worth risking it all for.”

In some other time, some other life, he supposed, they’d been together; it made sense now the attraction he felt despite the circumstance.

“Does that mean you find me handsome?”

Even in the shadows, he could make out the sudden darkening of her cheeks. It only made him smile wider as he leaned in closer to hear her answer. She might refuse to find him charming or shrug out of his attempts at flirting but she’d not be able to outrun this.

“Yes, though I think you know that.” Her breath smelled as sweet as the wine. “Now you’re just being cruel.”

“If it’s any consolation, I’ve found you quite enthralling since the first time I saw you.”

Her head tilted back, those long braids practically reaching the seat, and let out a laugh. The sound sent his heart thundering and he drew closer still as if he’d be able to soak her laugh in. But she stopped almost as abruptly as she started and her features quickly fell.

“You can’t be serious.”

“I am under the same spell as you. Truth serum and all.” Speaking all these little thoughts he’d kept to himself was a never-ending relief. The more he spoke the less the weight pinned him down. He was practically floating at this point.

“Oh.” She blinked several times.

“You’re surprised?”

“Shouldn’t you be afraid of me? Not attracted?”

Remis hummed his laugh. “Maybe there is something fundamentally wrong with me. Maybe I like being chased by beautiful women clad in leather and curves I could sink my teeth into.”

Remis didn’t just find himself thinking how intense it was to be hunted by a woman such as her; he also thought he might like to do a little chasing himself. The chair legs scraped against the floor as he dragged himself closer still. He could almost feel the heat that came from the perfect little juncture between her legs.

“Meira…” he whispered and swore she shuddered. His mouth so near her lips brushed against her cheek.

She stood. Her chair toppled and cracked loudly against the floor. Remis tipped his head to follow her. “I’m going to find those rooms she spoke of.”

“I’ll walk you.”

Both gloved hands were held in front of her. “No. Stay. Eat.”

She wasn’t getting away that easy. Remis sighed and stood from the seat, taking his time pushing his chair in before motioning for her to lead the way. Silence stretched for a few brief minutes as she took to the stairs.

“I never thought you might be the type to run.” He slid his hands into his pockets as he stepped out onto the second floor. Meira’s hands were already trying the first door. The knob jingled as she tried to twist it open but it remained locked and she groaned.

“I’m not running, I just don’t want to talk about me anymore,” she hissed through clenched teeth, hardly giving him another glance before she was pulling at another locked door.

Brick by brick the witch put up her metaphorical defenses. Closed herself off to the heat that sparked in the space between them. This was his chance to understand, to get close to her, to save himself from whatever this curse had brought down upon them. Despite what she’d confessed to remembering, it meant little if they remained strangers. Even as terrified of his fate as he was, he found himself curious as to what a romance with this witch might be. Did she love as fiercely as she fought?

“Do you not like that you remember us together in…in another future…is that right?” Remis asked, hating that she was pulling away as he wished to be near.

Hand on yet another locked knob, Meira let her head rest against the door. He framed her body in, his hands gripping the door frame as she turned around and looked him dead in the eye.

“It’s confusing to love a stranger.”

Love?

Blood drained from his body and went straight to the growing length in his trousers.