Chapter 19

19

T hat evening, they all sat around Flynt's scarred kitchen table, eating the steak and stout pie with mashed potatoes and vegetables that Eiline had wanted her father to make.

It was weird for Vanth to see them interacting together, and it caused a small twinge of jealousy too. How different would his childhood have been if he had someone like Flynt in his life? His mother had never dated; there had been no father figure at any time.

He didn't have the awe and respect for the old male mages like the citadel wanted their students to have toward them, which pissed them off no end. He would always go to the women mages and teachers first before them. They were better at magic anyway.

Flynt had obviously missed Eiline too, and even though the fae lived long, he had been hurt by her absence as well. Vanth had helped him get wood and make food and had tried not to feel like a wide-eyed, intimidated kid the whole time.

Elektra and his mother hadn't found anything useful yet either.

"I know it's in there. I think I just need to be in the room and have some time to search," Eiline said, pulling Vanth back to the conversation. "It will come back to me."

"We can't stay hiding in Faerie. Lazarus could still have some of the reapers alive," Elektra said. She looked at Vanth. All the bright, playful fire he had seen in her eyes in the training room had been snuffed out. He didn't like that one fucking bit. "You should stay here with your family and keep looking for the spell. They want you two, not me. I'll return to Inferno tomorrow and track down where Lazarus is hiding."

"No fucking way. You're not going back there alone," Vanth growled.

"You're not her boss, kid," Flynt said mildly from the end of the table. "Best you remember that."

"I'm not trying to be her boss. I'm trying to be her backup. Mom can stay here and search. I'm no use here," Vanth argued. "I know Inferno. From its dirty underbelly to the top of the shining citadels. A lot of people owe me favors, and it's about time I called them in."

Elektra didn't say anything. She just turned back to her food and let them argue it out.

"If Lazarus gets you, love, he has won," Eiline said. She reached across the table and squeezed his hand. "You understand that, don't you? Us finding the mending spell won't mean a damn thing if you're not alive to cast it."

"I know that, but I won't hide out here when I can be useful. Lazarus doesn't want me dead. Clara was trying to recruit me before his goons attacked." Vanth looked at his mother and grandfather. "You guys aren't the boss of me either. Just in case you needed the reminder."

Flynt huffed out a laugh. "He's as stubborn as you, little flower. Sleep on it for the night, Tarael. Make a decision in the morning when you're clear."

Vanth knew that the argument was over for the time being. He wasn't about to let Elektra out of his sight for a moment. Lazarus wanted reapers for his spells, and Vanth was going to do everything he could to make sure the fucker never laid a hand on her.

Elektra had barely looked at him since she had come into the kitchen. He didn't know what had changed in the time they had been apart. Was she regretting kissing him that badly? Fuck, it was only a kiss and some light groping. She had been into it at the time, so what did he do wrong?

Vanth wasn't going to ask her or try to kiss her again while he was in his grandfather's house. He knew how good fae hearing was. He would wait until they got back to Inferno and then corner her. Or pin her down. Preferably on his bed with no clothes on.

Elektra and Vanth washed up as Eiline and Flynt walked back to the living room to sit by the fire.

"Can I ask you something?" Elektra asked, handing him a soapy plate.

"Sure," he replied. He rinsed it in the scalding water before drying it.

"Why the dancing?" Elektra's cheeks flushed red, and he wanted to kiss them. "When I first tracked you down, I watched you."

"Stalker."

"I needed to see that pendant hadn't led me to the wrong person." Elektra blew a stray curl back from her face as she continued washing dishes. "I saw you dancing with a whole room of shades. I thought that the pendant had really fucked up."

Vanth grinned. "Sorry I wasn't what you expected, princess. If you must know, the dancing is a way for me to burn off magical excess."

"What do you mean?" she pressed.

"I get a build-up sometimes. That night I had accidently taken the magic still stored in the reaper at the morgue. It was driving me crazy because it had nowhere to go," Vanth explained. "When stuff like that happens, I get the ghosts together, and we have a dance party. They siphon off the excess power that's making me crazy." He nudged her with his shoulder. "And it's fun. You know, fun? Some ghosts barely remember who they are, but they hear the music, and it triggers something. They can't help but get involved. Even the super grumpy ones."

Elektra stopped washing and stared through the window and out at the night-blooming garden. "I honestly don't know if I'm impressed or horrified right now. One of the first things you learn at the temple is to never let a shade feed off you. Ever. And you just do it for fun?"

"I suppose at the temple, you're constantly using your power, so it probably makes it so you don't get the magical build-up in the same way," Vanth replied. "I live in a big city. I didn't want my magic to explode because it built up too much. It seemed like the most benign way to get rid of it."

Elektra started washing the dishes again. "I suppose when you put it that way, it makes sense. The shades seemed to be really enjoying it. I still think they need to be moved on."

"They will when they are ready. Once they remember why they are lingering to begin with, I try to help them with their unfinished business. They move on after that, or I help them. I don't have a fancy sickle blade to do it. I just use my magic to help." Vanth grinned. "I'm actually terrified to find out why Cecelia is hanging about."

Elektra smiled, the first one of the night. "As long as it's not to try and kill you to become alive again, I'm sure you'll be okay."

Vanth shook his head."Knowing her, she'll try and make me kill someone."

"Would you do it?"

"I suppose it depends on the person. Cecilia died a long time ago. Everyone she could want revenge on would be dead anyway," Vanth replied. He didn't mention that he had killed people for ghosts before.

Some of them, like the serial killer, deserved to die. He always made sure that they were guilty first, but he had done it. Elektra didn't ask him further questions. She already knew that about him. She also wasn't trying to lecture him about it or run in the opposite direction. That acceptance turned him the fuck on more than her gorgeous body or her wicked mouth.

Vanth knew something had changed between them since the training room. It hung like an ax between them. It was driving him crazy, but magic had taught him how to be patient. He would let Elektra work out whatever was going through her head. And then, when they were alone again, he would just have to tie her down and not let her go until she told him.