Chapter 23

My chest ached as I descended the steps to the ground floor of the chapter house. It was almost ten in the morning, and no one had woken me.

I stopped to catch my breath, clutching the banister for support. How much blood had Ezekiel taken last night? Too much, obviously.

“Orina!” Ordell bounded up the steps and scooped me into his arms. “You need to rest.”

I leaned my head against his pectoral, grateful for the assist. “I need food. Protein. Lots of it.”

“I’ll bring you up a tray.”

“I’m not an invalid. Just tapped out. I’ll be fine after I eat. I have work to do.”

“You’ll take the day off.”

I poked his chest. “You’re not the boss of me.”

“No. But I can always call your boss and tell them that?—”

“Fine!” I bumped his pectoral with my cheek, resisting the urge to nuzzle. “I’ll take the day off. Happy?”

He exhaled sharply. “No, Orina, I’m far from happy.” We descended. “Ezekiel broke three of your ribs, and I was too slow to stop him, too weak to get him off you despite his desiccation.”

“But you did stop him. We’re good. Stop fussing.”

He halted suddenly, and I looked up to find him watching me with a tormented expression.

“You don’t get it, Orina. You almost died. Your throat…He mauled it. It took everything Merry had to stop you bleeding out, and—” His voice cracked. “I couldn’t stop him. If not for the amulet…”

I reached up to touch the bandage on my neck. It felt sore but nothing major. “I’m good now. Everything is okay.”

“You don’t remember?”

There were bits and pieces from last night. The impression of pain, the residue of panic, but the rest was shrouded in fog. “No. Not really.”

“Just as well.”

He carried me as if I was made of glass, dropping kisses on my head along the way.

It felt too good to be cared for this way. “Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t pure human?”

“Does it matter?”

“No.”

“Exactly. It’s not something Hemlock and I feel the need to advertise.”

“Can I ask…what…what are you? Faeblood?” Most humans that weren’t fully human had a little faeblood in their family tree.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Which means you don’t want to talk about it.”

“You’re a smart woman.”

It bugged me not to know, but pushing him was pointless, so I relaxed against him, biting back a smile. “Ordell Singer, are you trying to get me all intrigued about you?”

His chuckle was a warm vibration against me. “You got me.”

I reached up on impulse to stroke his beard, silken and soft, and he emitted a sound, part growl, part purr, that shot straight to the apex of my thighs. “You like being touched like that?” My voice came out a little breathless.

He met my gaze with dark stormy eyes. “It’s an engine starter for sure, angel.”

I swallowed to moisten my suddenly dry mouth. “Oh.”

“Yeah. Oh.”

That look, that fucking piercing look that made me want to strip naked and give myself to him, had my lungs struggling to function.

I dropped my gaze. “I’m sorry.”

His sigh pressed against my side. “You need steaks,” he said. “Chicken. Lentils. I’ll help Haiden cook. You’re going to be fine.” He kissed my head again. “Relax, Orina. We’re good.”

But I wasn’t good, I was sweetly aching in places I shouldn’t be, and the way his thumb was caressing the bare skin of my arm was making it impossible to think straight.

We needed a mood changer. “Is Ezekiel all right?”

“He’s fine,” he bit out, ducking through the door into the corridor. “He got what he needed.”

“Look, I’m not his number one fan, but even I can’t be pissed at him over this. It’s not like he did it on purpose. Someone tried to take him out of the picture. We need to find out who.”

“I know.” We entered the kitchen to find Edwin and Padma sitting on either side of Merry, who was sobbing, head in her hands.

Ordell kicked out a chair and set me down, and the three looked over, but my attention went to Merry. “Hey, you…You okay?”

She stared blankly at me. “You must be the new recruit.”

My heart sank. “Yeah. I am.”

“We just filled her in,” Edwin said. He didn’t add ‘again,’ but I heard it anyway.

Padma shook her head. “I can’t keep doing this.”

“And you think this is fun for me?” Merry cried. “How many times? How many times have I forgotten?”

“Too many,” Padma said.

“You need to write it down,” Ordell said. “Everything that happens going forward, in your own words. Write it down in a journal, and if you forget, then read it and remember. Not just events but feelings.”

“That’s an amazing idea,” Edwin said. “Why didn’t we think of that?”

Merry offered Ordell a shaky smile. “Thank you. ” Then to me, “You’re hurt? The bandage on your neck…” Her eyes went round. “Were you bitten?”

“I’m fine. You healed me.”

“I did?”

“Yes,” we all said in unison.

“Oh…good.” Merry blinked down at her teacup, looking lost and small, and my heart ached for her.

“You’re amazing, Merry. And you and I were becoming friends. We can do it again.”

She offered me a shy smile. “Yeah, yeah we can.”

I jerked my chin up at Edwin. “Are you okay? I’m so sorry I got dragged away like that.”

“Not your fault. And I’m fine. Hemlock got us to the clinic in plenty of time. We were more worried about you.”

“Everyone is fine,” Padma said. “And we’re going to stay that way because we’re gonna look out for one another.”

Haiden clomped into the room carrying a rolled-up note and handed it to me. “Raven came.”

I rolled it out and read the neat script.

Dear Miss Lighthart,

In light of recent events, it would be safer for you to reside at the castle. I fear parading as my companion may have placed a target on your back. My enemies will use any tactic to control me. They do not realize how little your life means to me. But it seems that I am temporarily in your debt.

The west wing is yours. The east is out of bounds.

E.H.T.

I handed the note to Ordell. “Well, that saves me trying to coerce him.”

“Can I see?” Edwin took the note from Ordell. “Wow, he offers protection and insults you at the same time. Nice.”

“No…” Padma said. “He wants you close so you can protect him. You and the hunters. He knows that you’re safe with us.”

“She has a point,” Ordell said. “We don’t have to go.”

“I think it’s best that we do. At least until I get a handle on how to manage him and figure out who poisoned him. But I’ll be at the office as usual. We have cases to solve.”

“You won’t be solving any cases if you don’t get your strength up,” Haiden said. “Goodness knows what kind of food they’ll serve at the castle.” He tutted.

I didn’t have the heart to tell him about the feast we’d been served, and to be fair, I had no idea if that was a one-off kinda meal, just for show.

“If the food sucks, then I’ll get Godor to fly me over for supper.”

“Who’s Godor?” Merry asked.

Padma sighed, but Edwin smiled kindly at her. “I’ll fill you in later.”

The mysteries were piling up. Padma’s nightly excursion, the missing supernaturals, all the cold cases, and now someone was out to get Ezekiel. The latter I’d totally strike off my give a fuck list if I could.

“We should go to the parade and get some cake,” Merry said. “Show Orina our hangout.” She looked across at me sharply. “Unless we’ve already done that?”

I shook my head. “We planned to, but never got around to it.”

“Fine,” Padma said. “But not today. Today Orina needs to recharge.” She gave me a pointed look. Then to the others, “But we need to go into New Town to work our missing ghoul case.”

“Okay,” Merry said. “Now I am intrigued.”

The look Padma gave me told me it was going to be a long day.

I couldn’t recallthe last time I’d curled up in bed with a book. Just as well I’d thought to bring a couple with me. The afternoon sun made patches in the rug, filling the room with dancing motes of light and creating a safe haven.

I’d miss this room when I left for the castle. The thought of sleeping in the Gothic monstrosity didn’t appeal. It would be dark and cold, and Ezekiel would be there. At least I’d have Ordell and Hemlock with me. As my Order assigned protectors, they needed to stay close to me.

When the Order gave me the mission, I’d been too stunned to think straight. Then once I’d accepted, because saying no wasn’t an option and they knew it, my first question had been to ask why Ezekiel slept so much. I’d been told that was classified. Then I’d asked why we couldn’t just kill him if he was so dangerous, only to be told he couldn’t be killed. So naturally my next question had been, why does he need protecting, then?

Micah had shrugged, looking as flummoxed as I felt. But now it made sense. Ezekiel might be king, but this territory was run by the houses, and there were vampires who would do anything to ensure he didn’t interfere with that. He was probably only tolerated because of tradition, something vampires were big on, and the fact he could physically make them bow with his power also helped to keep them subservient. But like Laudon had said, the world was changing, and someone didn’t want Ezekiel to interfere with those changes…but what were the changes? And should I put Laudon on my suspect list? Damn straight. Him and a string of others…

Yes…the vampires wanting Ezekiel back in his coffin was understandable, but the question remained as to why the Order cared what the vampires did to Ezekiel.

A soft knock at my door interrupted my thoughts.

“Come in.”

I sat up straighter at the sight of Hemlock.

He closed the door softly behind him and stood staring at me. He looked good today. Casual, in a T-shirt and low-rise jeans, but his hair was mussed as if he’d been running his fingers through it, and his eyes were bloodshot as if he hadn’t slept. The fog in the back of my mind stirred. Wait…he’d been there last night. He’d begged me to hold on and…his voice…Humming. Soothing…

He’d sung to me. “Hey…”

“How are you feeling?”

He’d called me kitten… “Better.”

He tucked his hands into his pockets, shoulders rising and bunching in that awkward way that told me he wasn’t sure what to say or why he was even here. “Ordell told me about Ezekiel’s note.”

“Yeah?”

He blew out a breath. “Well. Okay. I’ll see you later.” He reached for the door handle.

“Hemlock?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for last night.”

His jaw tensed. “I didn’t do anything.”

“Yeah, you did.” I remembered it clearly now. His leather and cedar scent, the way he’d held me, the sound of his voice and the melody he’d hummed.

His throat bobbed. “You remember?”

I nodded, and our gazes locked with a zing that I felt in my solar plexus.

“Merry said you’d forget…the tincture…”

“You wanted me to forget?” His expression was answer enough. “Why?”

“I don’t care either way.”

He was lying. I wanted to call him out on it, but another question that had been burning a path through my mind sprang from my lips instead. “Why do you do it? Why do you hurt yourself?” I knew as soon as the words left my mouth that I’d overstepped.

Shutters came down over his expression. “Why don’t you mind your own damn business.” He tore open the door and stormed out.

I exhaled and flopped back against the headboard. Ordell I understood. He made his intentions crystal clear. There was no second-guessing with him, but Hemlock…The man was a mystery, and unfortunately, I loved mysteries.