My face was still aflame on our way to the hotel.

Arthur usually dropped nicknames this way and that whenever he was in a light mood. But that was new. Amanda had a massive grin on her face that she didn't even bother concealing when we left.

Now, sitting in the car next to Arthur, I debated bringing up the subject of terms of endearments in front of others. I looked in the rearview mirror. Yep. Marianno was still very much in the backseat. The discussion would have to wait. Maybe forever.

"Why did we bring only Marianno?" I asked. I glanced in the mirror. "No offense, Marianno."

"None taken." He winked.

"Going there with an army of my men right after the attack will not make a good show of power," Arthur replied, driving with one hand. The other was resting on the back of my seat. Even though the headrest was between us, the back of my neck was covered in goosebumps. Arthur continued, "Marianno alone will suffice. His gift is a bonus."

Right. Being able to pick up on thoughts and memories, if Marianno met someone involved in summoning the demons, he might know.

We lapsed into silence. Arthur's fingers touched my shoulder. I glanced at him. He had a small, barely there smile on his face. My hand was on the knife sheath strapped to my thigh.

Our surroundings changed from the dark woods to calm suburbs. The car merged with the light traffic.

"About the bond..." he said.

I glanced in the mirror and shot Arthur a look. Really? He was doing this here?

"What about it?"

"I'll open it, on one condition."

"Oh, you will open it. Condition or not."

"And how do you propose to convince me to open it?"

"Who said anything about convincing?" I asked. "My idea was more along the lines of a rope and knives."

"Kinky," he mumbled.

"Ugh.. you know what I mean."

"Mhm."

"Anyway, you will open the bond. The question is, will you leave it open? all the time? Even when you feel like your darkass mood will wither my fragile maiden heart?"

A cough from the backseat. Arthur sighed. "Elle..."

"Arthur..."

I looked out the window. Traffic was growing heavier even though it was early in the morning.

Marianno cleared his throat from the backseat. "How about a compromise?"

We both glanced at him. A compromise? Hmm...

"Okay. So, you're cloaking your true self from the bond because you think I can't handle it. And you only have a problem with opening the bond when your control over that cloak is shaky. Correct?"

He gave a reluctant nod.

"How about this?" I said. "When you feel your control over the cloak slip, You should let me experience it. Let me experience the bond with no cloak, get a taste of it. If I can't handle it, then you can close the bond. If I can, well, then, there will no problem whatsoever in leaving the bond open."

He didn't like it. I could tell. His jaw ticked.

"It is a reasonable solution. Right, Marianno?" I asked.

"Uh- I think the weather is lovely tonight."

I chuckled. Right. Now he didn't want to get involved. The area around shifted from residential to large buildings.

Arthur kept quiet. He was deep in thought. So I was patient and I let him work through matters in his head.

But patience was never my strong suit. After a few minutes, I asked, "So, Arthur? Do we have a deal?"

"You have a deal if you agree to my condition, which you didn't even hear," he said, taking a right turn. He stopped the car in front of a metallic gate that guarded a historic-style looking building. It was a fancy hotel.

We got out. A valet materialized and took the car keys from Arthur. We faced the massive building. Its light brown stone facade was illuminated by projectors. Hundreds of long windows lined, covered in intricate black lattice.

"I'll go ahead and find Noah," Marianno said, going up the stone steps to the glass revolving door.

"So what's the condition?" I asked.

"I want to know about the two years you spent on your own," Arthur said. "After Robert died, and before you went to live with humans."

"Oh." I blinked. I hadn't expected that.

Sure, those two years were the most difficult time in my life so far. The idea of sharing them with anyone else made me feel extremely vulnerable. But the fact was, nothing really happened during those two years.

"Are you sure that's all you want?" I frowned. "I mean, I think the deal is a little bit unbalanced."

"Are you offering something else?" he asked with a smile that dimpled his cheek. Oh, how I missed that smile.

I rolled my eyes and walked ahead.

"I don't think it's unbalanced," he said, walking up the steps beside me. "Those two years... you will be giving me part of your life."

"Still, it's a small price to pay in order to leave the bond open at all times," I gave him a pointed look. "That is what we're negotiating, right?"

He sighed and stopped. I stopped a step ahead of him and turned to face him. I was almost on eye level with him. Almost.

He brushed his hand over mine. A fleeting touch that brushed my very soul.

"I realized...I have this gift, the bond," he said. "The only way to cherish it is to let it grow, to nurture it. I can't do that if I shut it out everytime I lose control.

"And you were right. I was being a coward. I still am. I'm afraid you will be scared once you see the real me. Once you see the darkness that comes with the power that I hold."

"I already see the real you," I told him. "The magnitude of your power, everything that comes with it... you being part demon, that doesn't scare me. It's part of who you are. I'm not afraid of you, Arthur. I'm not going to run off. I'm not that easy to scare off."

He smiled. "Lucky me."

"Of course, you are," I said, lifting my chin. "So, do we have a deal, then?"

"Deal," he held out his hand. I slid my hand into his.

It was warm. Instead of shaking it, he tugged me towards him. I barely stopped myself from face planting on his chest.

"What are you-"

"Shh."

He hugged me, his arms strong and unyielding around me. I drank in his scent like a starved beast.

And suddenly, the bond opened. Someone reached inside my chest and tore open my heart, shoving a spear of light in it. It was painful and sweet and breathtaking. My heart raced. I sucked in a breath, and Arthur was with me again. I could feel him just as I did before. But his presence was clearer, his emotions more pronounced.

It took seconds for my heartbeat to stabilize. The bond filled the void inside me, and I was no longer alone. I looked up at Arthur. The bond was normal, nothing unusual travelled through it.

"Don't close it again," I told him. "Even when you get into one of your dark moods."

"Dark moods."

"Yeah, I don't know what to call them. Just don't close it again, even if your cloak slips. You promised."

"I will not."

"Good."

"Good."

I was extremely aware of him. His arms and his chest and his heat, and the intense emotions that mirrored the look in his eyes.

I cleared my throat, suddenly dry, and stepped back. He didn't let me. I raised my brow. He lowered his lips to my ear. "Remember your end of the deal."

"I do," I whispered, then twisted out of his hold before I did something very inappropriate in public. I strode firmly towards the door, aware Arthur must be feeling everything I was trying to hide. "Let's go!"

Arthur chuckled, a flare of amusement lightened the heated bond. I smiled. I did miss feeling him.

— — — — —

I felt very out of place in the fancy hotel. My sweatshirt and jeans certainly did not belong here, and people, especially humans, gave me a wide berth. It must be the sword strapped to my hips. Or the knife sheaths on my thighs. I smiled. I should've brought the crossbow.

Arthur, on the other hand, looked very at home. Even in a t-shirt and jeans, he looked like he owned the place, lounging on one of the sofas in the reception hall. Maybe he did own the place, for all I knew.

Everyone else vacated this specific seating arrangement, but no one pretended not to stare.

"You forgot your invisibility hat," I told Arthur as a couple of humans passed by, whispering furiously about Arthur.

"What hat?" he asked, his legs propped on the small glass table between us.

"The one you used back home to hide your identity," I said. A group of women stood by the reception desk. They were around my age, dressed for a wild night out. I wondered briefly, had I been human, would I have had a bunch of girlfriends? Would I have gone out on weekend night? Or would I have stayed tucked in?

The girls abandoned their station near the reception desk and came closer, standing by a column nearby. A normal human wouldn't have picked up on their conversation, but my senses were no longer those of a human.

They were also American, so it was easier to focus on their speech rather than the gibberish French around the hall.

"... gosh he looks so much hotter in person."

I pulled a knife out of my sheath and flicked it. The blade glittered beautifully under the light of the massive chandeliers overhead. Arthur's amusement flared.

"I know!" another replied, her voice high in excitement. "Who would've thought that we'd meet him here! Hey, you think he's here alone?"

Alone? What was I, chopped liver?

"There's someone with him," one said. "A girl."

"A girl?" another snorted. "Yeah, I think she must be working for him or something. Did you see her face?"

It was my turn to be amused. Did the scars bother me? Sure, they did. But not to the point where I'd crawl into some hole and hide until they disappeared.

Besides, from an immortal's point of view, the scars were proof that I'd gone through hell and survived. Immortals respected strength. Humans, on the other hand, were too shallow to see the scars as anything but a physical deformity. At least these humans.

"She must be working for him or something," the girl continued. "Should we talk to him?"

"Are you insane?" her friend replied. "You can't just walk up to one of the Five-"

"We're not going to get a chance like this-"

"Wait, at least let me take a picture of him before you go get yourself embarrassed or killed."

There was a long pause. "He's not going to kill me..."

I bit my lip. They were very entertaining. I wished I could look at them, but they'd probably scurry away. Instead, I grinned at Arthur.

In a second, the knife was no longer in my hand. I sent it sailing through the air between us.

There was a gasp from the girls as the knife stopped an inch in front of Arthur's forehead.

"Showoff," I mumbled.

The corners of his eyes crinkled. He plucked the hovering knife and threw it to me. I caught it and put it back in its place, resisting the urge to turn and point it at the human females. Rising, he offered his hand. "Noah is here."

I let him pull me to my feet. He snaked an arm around my waist and pressed his lips to my temple.

The women said something, but they were moving away. Their voices got lost in the background noise.

I chuckled. "Okay, I think they got it."

"I don't know," he said, his breath warming my temple. "I think we should give them more proof."

"Yeah. No. We're in public," I said, pushing his forehead when he dipped his head.

He grinned. "So as soon as we're in private-"

"Here's Noah!" I said, waving the werewolf over. He raised his hand in acknowledgement and closed the distance between us with Marianno by his side.

"You had visitors," Noah said.

"You heard already?" I asked.

"News travels fast," he said. "Especially when there's visual evidence of it."

"You've seen the video already?" I asked. It hadn't even been two hours since Amanda got the idea. She worked fast.

"My brother showed it to me," Noah said. "I believe the video's been making the rounds on the internet. The immortals are as surprised as the humans, I guess."

"Surprised?" Marianno asked with a smile.

"Scared, might be a better word," Noah said.

"Freaked out, more like it." I said.

Noah nodded. "The two of you together... I think you have become the one thing that all immortals are wary of."

I didn't know whether that was a good thing or a bad thing. But I did know that people would think twice before attacking us, if Noah's judgment was to be trusted.

Noah clasped his hands behind his back and fixed me with his amber gaze. "How are you doing?"

"After being starved of blood and almost tearing Charles' throat out after you set me up?" I grinned. "Good."

I was being petty. But Noah took it in good strides. He looked sheepish. Or as sheepish as he could look.

"I would say I'm sorry..."

"But you would do it all over again."

He gave a firm nod. He looked at Arthur. "Would you like to go up to my room? It's more private."

"Here will do," Arthur said, sitting down. "I want to discuss something with you."

I sat down next to Arthur. Marianno and Noah took the sofa across from us. It was the same size as ours, but with the two men sitting in it, it looked smaller.

Arthur got straight to the point. "Elle and I will be going to Ireland in a few days."

Noah nodded.

"I want you to come with us," Arthur replied.

Noah leaned back against the couch and cocked his head to the side. "Why?"

"Elle and I are invited-"

"I was invited," I said. "Arthur just invited himself."

"If you think I'll let you go there on your own, you must get your head checked," Arthur said. I rolled my eyes. He turned to Noah. "I will be taking Charles and Marianno with me. The rest of my company will be going back home to take care of some business."

Amanda wasn't coming along? My heart turned heavy. I would miss having her around. Somehow she had turned into an anchor I could count on whenever things were difficult, on an emotional level.

"Having a shapeshifter in our rank will be quite useful," Arthur continued.

"And you trust me enough to have me by your side on enemy territory?"

"I trust you enough to have you train my mate," Arthur said. "And I trust your sense of honour."

Noah rubbed his chin. "I've been away from my pack for long enough, already..."

"Of course, should you agree to come along, you will be compensated in any form you like." Arthur added.

That had Noah's attention. He narrowed his eyes. "Anything?"

Arthur nodded. Noah stayed quiet for some time, his amber eyes turning brighter, if that was even possible. Then he nodded. "Alright. I will, however, hold on to that compensation for later."

"Perfect," Arthur said right as a familiar presence made me turn my head. It was my father, Amelia and a man I vaguely recognized from seeing around in Venus' castle.

Arthur rose. "Let us go greet our future host."

Orion saw us and adjusted his path to meet us halfway. Marianno lingered behind us, standing at attention like a guard.

The man with my father was a witch, an old and powerful one. He made my senses tingle in wariness. His features hinted at a Southeast Asian ethnicity, with slanted dark eyes and silky black hair. He stood taller than my father, with a leaner build and sharper features.

"Amelia," Arthur bowed his head slightly towards my father's consort, then nodded at the two men. "Orion, Taro."

"Arthur, it's a surprise seeing you here," Orion said.

"I had some business with Noah," Arthur said.

Orion nodded and looked at me. "Are you alright? I heard about the attack."

"Perfect," I said, not liking the way my flesh pebbled under the attention of the witch.

"Oh, I saw the video," Amelia said with a smile. "You handled it quite well, indeed."

"Taro, I don't believe you've met my daughter, Elle."

"I haven't had the opportunity," the witch said, his voice low and soothing, and his accent a perfect American English.

"Taro Takahashi is the head of the most prominent coven in Asia," Arthur said. "He's also the current president of the witch community in the world."

Aha. As the president, he must be under heavy suspicion from Arthur and company about the gate fiasco. The witches were blamed for not noticing when the fabric developed chasms big enough to let in strong demons.

"A pleasure," I said.

"I haven't seen much of you either, Taro," Arthur said, turning his attention to the witch. I could feel his sudden interest through the bond, so predatory and focused.

"We do meet during the council meetings," Taro replied.

"Ah, yes. I was hoping for a more private meeting." Arthur turned slightly and gestured Marianno closer. "Have you met Marianno?"

Taro smiled. "Yes, the infamous Marianno." Taro turned to Arthur after barely a glance at Marianno. "I heard you made some people quite upset recently, with your man prodding around."

"Is that so?" Arthur said. "But if they have nothing to hide, then why worry?"

"Don't we all have secrets?" Taro said.

"We do. But our secrets usually do not pertain to schemes of plunging the world into the darkness," Arthur said. "We don't intend to let that happen. If it is at the cost of other people's privacy, so be it."

I wasn't entirely sure I was on board with Arthur's statement. There were some lines that must not be crossed. But that was an argument I would not win anytime soon, especially since his sister, Venus, was going to do what Marianno did whether Arthur agreed or not.

"Even your own?" Taro shot back.

Arthur chuckled. "I assure you, if I had any plans to open another gate, it would have been done ages ago."

"And we're supposed to take your word for it," Taro said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Arthur did not like that. There was a thread of annoyance through the bond, though he did not show it. He smiled. "Yes. That is precisely what you are supposed to do."

And that did not please Taro. His expression tightened infinitesimally. Orion cleared his throat and pulled the conversation away to safer subjects. Yet the tension did not disappear. It was several minutes later when Taro excused himself to go back to his suite.

Marianno gave Arthur a firm nod when Taro disappeared in the elevator. What was that about?

"The council will end the session the day after tomorrow," Orion told me. "When will you come home?"

I sighed. There was no use in reminding him that Ireland wasn't home. "As soon as possible, I guess," I said, then gestured to Noah and added. "You don't mind if I bring along some friends, do you?"

"Not at all," Orion said. "They're welcome."

"Are you still coming, Lord Arthur?" Amelia asked.

"Of course."

She smiled gracefully. "You are most welcome. I expect you will find your stay in Ireland very pleasing."

"I expect so." Arthur nodded.

After a few more words, Orion and Amelia bid us goodnight and left the hotel. Apparently, they were staying in their own residence in Paris.

As soon as my father and his consort disappeared from our sight, Arthur turned to Marianno. "What is it?"

"I snooped around in Taro's thoughts," Marianno grinned. "Martin Malone."

My magic roared in my veins. Uncle Robert's lifeless eyes took over my mind, and all of a sudden, I could hear the heartbeat of every person in the lobby. I could smell their blood. But there was only one person whose blood I was interested in.

I strode to the elevator.



---- ---- ----

Thoughts?

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Much love!

M.B.