Chapter 12

Grey

I rose and walked to the door. A series of bells hung alongside the wall, and I pulled the one that corresponded to my second's station—I hoped.

A few moments later, a faint knock sounded at the door. I opened it, and a slim, middle-aged man stood there. His fair hair was swept neatly off his forehead, and his suit was immaculately pressed, the buckles on his shoes shining brilliantly.

Recognition flared.

"My lord." He bowed.

"Clarence." I stepped back, gesturing for him to enter. I waved toward Carrow. "Please meet Madam Clifton. She is visiting for a short while."

Clarence's eyes shot toward her and widened for the briefest moment.

He was surprised that a woman was here, of course. I rarely allowed women into my chambers, now or in the present.

Clarence turned toward me. "What can I do for you, my lord? Was the club not satisfactory tonight?"

"I am looking for information about a woman. The housekeeper of Councilor Rasla, I believe. An older woman with…" I looked toward Carrow.

She filled in the details. "With brilliant blue eyes."

Clarence nodded, his own eyes brightening. "Ah, yes. Mrs. Birch-Cleve. She recently left her post, I believe."

Of course. I remembered now. Clarence had been an insatiable gossip, which had proved extremely useful for me in the past. He'd kept tabs on the goings-on in the houses of all the Council members and important people in town.

"Would you know where to find this Mrs. Birch-Cleve?" I asked.

Clarence nodded. "I'm sure I could find her quite quickly, my lord."

"Thank you." We'd need a bit more time to plan. "Could you please bring us a late meal?"

He bowed. "Of course. It will be here momentarily."

He disappeared quickly and quietly. I turned to Carrow. "That's our woman. We can visit her tomorrow morning."

Carrow nodded, frowning. "Would the Devil of Darkvale normally visit a housekeeper?"

"No, excellent point." I tapped a finger to my lips. "Perhaps it's better if she comes here. But how? She'd likely be too afraid to visit me."

"I have just the thing." Carrow reached into her pocket and withdrew a small object, holding it out to me. "This is Councilor Rasla's seal. We can send her a letter using it. She'll think she's returning to her employer."

"Excellent." I looked around my rooms. "She should not visit here. I'd hate to confuse the past version of myself if someone mentions her visit."

Carrow nodded. "What's a neutral meeting point in old Guild City?"

"The Mages' coffee shop. We can get a private room there."

"Perfect."

I stood and went to the writing desk in the corner, drawing out a piece of paper and a quill. It took a moment to become adjusted to the quill again. Damn, pens were superior. I composed a short letter to the housekeeper. When I finished, Carrow handed me the seal.

It came as second nature to find the wax and flame, creating a hot puddle on the folded parchment. I pressed the seal into it, then handed it back to Carrow. "That should do it."

A knock sounded at the door, and I went to answer it, the letter in my hand.

Clarence stood at the door, a maid at his side. Each carried a tray, and I permitted them entrance. They placed their burdens on the large table near the bookshelf, and the maid curtsied and scurried out.

Clarence looked at me. "Will that be all, my lord?"

I handed him the letter. "See that this is delivered to the housekeeper and let me know when it is done."

He nodded and took the note, then strode from the room.

I turned toward Carrow. "Now, we wait."

Her stomach grumbled faintly, and she pressed a hand to it. "Good, because I'm famished. What did you eat back then? Or…back now."

"Let's see." I strode to the table and removed the silver tops from the trays, revealing cuts of meat, vegetables, potatoes, and some form of unrecognizable pie. "Looks close enough to modern food that I think you'll be satisfied."

Carrow grinned. "I'm just glad it's not eel pie."

"There's no promising that." I pointed to the pie. "But I doubt it is eel. I've never fancied it."

"Thank God."

We ate in silence. Every moment that passed tightened the air with tension. Once we'd finished, I rose and went to the bedroom. There used to be a bathtub that would magically fill itself.

I found it in front of the fireplace, just as I'd expected. The tub was filling with water, the clear, steaming liquid rising with every second.

I turned back to the main living room and went to the door, spotting Carrow as she stood. "There's a bath here, if you like."

"Oh, that would be amazing. We haven't been here long, but I feel filthy."

I left the room, giving her privacy.

The bookshelf called to me, and I strolled to it, selecting a volume at random. As soon as I sat down on the couch to read, I heard the first splash.

Images of Carrow in the bath, her golden skin bathed by firelight, flashed in my mind.

I looked down at the brown leather book. Suddenly, it was laughable that I might be able to distract myself with seventeenth-century literature when Carrow was naked in the other room.

I tilted my head back, staring at the ceiling. How was I going to bear this?

"Grey?" Her voice filtered out from the bedroom. "Do you want to join me?"

Yes.

"The tub is very large," she said.

I drew in an unsteady breath. Most of my brain cells seemed to have perished as soon as I began thinking of Carrow in the bath. The few that had survived did their best to sort out whether it was wise to join her.

We'd been trying to avoid the thing between us, but why?

The curse had already sunk its hooks into us.

Unable to help myself, I rose and walked to the door, leaning against it so that I could see Carrow.

As I'd expected, she lounged in the bath, the water lapping at her collarbones. It was a bloody large bathtub, sufficient for at least two. I didn't recall using it with others while I'd lived here initially, but the sight of Carrow made my blood run hot.

"Join me?" she asked.

"I'm not sure it's wise." My voice sounded raspy to my own ears.

"I think we're already in trouble," she said. "If we're going to survive this, we will. If we aren't, we won't. But I think, tonight…" She shrugged, the gesture nonchalant despite the heat in her eyes. "Seems worth it."

Fates, did it ever.

"I don't want to think about the terrible things to come," she said. "And if this is all we're going to get, then I want it."

I did, too. So badly. Desire surged inside me, making me go uncomfortably hard.

And she was right. Terrible things were coming. We'd try to stop them, but we might not manage.

I didn't want to waste tonight.

I stripped off my shirt. Her gaze moved over me, heating more with every second. My blood rushed through my veins, and my muscles tightened.

Being surrounded by evidence of my past only highlighted how lucky I was to have her. Everything had been so dark for so long.

And now she was here. Light.

Last time we'd been together, we'd been in a dream. It had still been real, somehow. A product of her magic. But there had been a vaguely filmy quality about it.

This was clear as day, and it made it all the more intense.

I kicked off my boots and stripped out of the rest of my clothing, trembling slightly. I stepped into the bath, the water warm and welcoming. She smiled up at me, pulling me down to join her. Heat enveloped me, and she climbed onto my lap.

"Grey," she whispered, wrapping her legs around me.

I groaned, fitting her tight against me. Impossible warmth and softness. I crushed my mouth to hers, wanting to absorb every inch of her. Her scent wrapped around me, lavender and lovely. I drew my mouth from hers, running it down her damp neck.

She still tasted slightly of sweat, the faintest tang of salt. I lapped at it, my fangs growing longer at the scent of her blood beneath her skin. The beast inside me roared, wanted to bite. To drink.

I shuddered and drew back. She whimpered her disappointment.

"Too dangerous," I murmured, moving my mouth lower, to her breasts.

Her disappointment turned to pleasure as I swept my tongue over the soft skin of her chest. She clutched my head tightly, holding me to her as she moved her hips, seeking my hardness with her softness.

"Please, Grey. I don't want to wait anymore." The desperation in her voice made my heart race.

I didn't want to, either. Couldn't.

I reached between us, finding the softness there, wanting to know she was ready.

"Now." She clutched at my shoulders.

I fitted myself to her flesh, moving slowly as I sank into her. Every inch was heaven. She surrounded me—her body, her scent, her moans, her magic. I lost myself in her, wanting to live inside this moment forever.

Finally, she tightened around me, crying out against my ear. Her pleasure dragged me over the edge.