Dark Dealings Read online

  She gave him a silent nod, unclipped her cloak and sat. He continued to read. He wasn’t questioning her lateness. She let her gaze wander over his face, gilded by the morning sun. He was beautiful, with a smooth perfection she never tired to look at. He belonged to her.

  “You’re to scout the outer town today. There’s evidence of thieves in the city. Bodies have turned up. Husks. Covered in bite marks. You’re to liaise with the Guard, report to them as well as to me.” He ran his hands over his hair and sank back. The leather of his chair groaned. “We believe that the dead have been identified...so we could be safe from them gaining access to the palace using the skin of their victims.”

  Ava held back a wince. It was little wonder that everyone shied away from her. “How many victims?”

  “Four.”

  “And their trades?”

  “A knife-grinder, a pothawker, a dustman and a challoner.”

  Ava frowned. “The unnoticed, people in the shadows, in the crowd.” The faceless people who could slip even into the palace, where their skills were needed. “And there are no others?”

  “Not that the Left Hand can find.” Reist paused. “Not yet anyway.”

  Ava stared at the desk, tracing out the grain of the wood, focusing her thoughts. It hit her that she’d have to report to Heyerdar. Fuck.

  “Ava?”

  She jerked her head up, feeling the heat in her face. “What?”

  “You have a problem?”

  You’re fucking someone who isn’t me. She pulled her thoughts in, glad he couldn’t read them. She tilted her head, trying to see if her illusion or Fallon’s dream had affected him...but nothing was obvious. He was calm, no hint of tiredness around his eyes or pulling at his skin. Though Reist could go days without sleep, so that was no sign. She remembered his question. “No, no problem.” She could test him though. “Who do I report to in the Guard?”

  “This has the highest priority.” Reist looked down at his scroll and Ava resisted the urge to lift her eyebrows. His eyes narrowed, but he wasn’t reading from the thin parchment. Reist had an excellent memory. His action was a delay. “Captain Nahum Heyerdar.”

  His voice took on an odd note with Heyerdar’s last name, something strained. Nothing obvious, but as the elemental had pointed out, the Institute paid for her ears. Had Fallon woken with the captain’s name on her lips? Worse—or better, said it in a moment of passion?

  Ava pressed her lips together to stop the wicked smile. “The elemental.”

  “Yes.” Reist dropped the scroll. Now there was a pinch of unease around his eyes. “Elementals are old magic. They don’t bind themselves to the same rules as high magic users.” His expression changed to something she couldn’t quite read, something that appeared to be caution with a hint of...was that concern? His hand lifted as if to point to her, but he picked up a pen instead. “He has no love for mages.”

  One particular mage, no. Again, more unsaid words. The lack of honesty with Reist was new and she didn’t like it. She winced and let him think it was a reaction to his words. “I’m not a mage.”

  “No.” He was still holding something back. A slight flush colored his cheeks. “You are...untouched.”

  The memory of Heyerdar’s mouth, his body, the hard dig of his fingers into her hips, surged over her. The laugh burst out unexpectedly. “Hardly!”

  Reist sat forward. “Who?”

  She hesitated and tried to tamp down the little excited flutter in her belly. That sharp edge to his voice? Was that a touch of jealousy? “We share most things, but I’m not comfortable...” She twisted in her seat and looked down for a brief second. She caught his expression when she looked up. Shock. Not jealousy, just plain disbelief. Why was this man twisted around her heart? His reaction stung her into speaking. “Am I not allowed to be touched?”

  He blinked. Twice. “Your life is your own...”

  “But?”

  The mask fall over his features, professional and calm. “Heyerdar is dangerous. He likes to manipulate people, use them. Your—” his fingers did wave at her now, “—experience...will protect you from his worse aspects, but never trust him.”

  “How can I work with him if I can’t trust him?”

  “Professionally, you can. Don’t step beyond that boundary.”

  Had she missed something? Had whatever happened between Reist and Heyerdar escaped even her? Or had Fallon said why she’d run from the elemental? A fist tightened in her gut. Ava had existed in a happy state of ignorance. Now, she had to push...and force herself to say the damn woman’s name. “Does this lack of trust concern you and Mage Braith?”

  He frowned and sank back into his chair again. “No. Our arrangement is...amicable.”

  “Amicable?” That was a bloody odd word to call the way they’d been groping each other the night before.

  A smile touched his mouth. “As with you, it’s not something I’m comfortable sharing.”

  Ava shrugged, letting the action cover her unease. Her life—beyond her work—was a mess. “So I’m to report to the captain this morning. I head out into the town after? Pick up what I can find about these murders?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you want me to report back tonight?” She stood and swung on her cloak, lifting her hood to shadow her face.

  He nodded. “This has become your priority. We can’t allow thieves to penetrate the palace or the Institute.” A smile cut his mouth, familiar, conspiratorial, and it stabbed at Ava with the reminder of what she couldn’t have. “Excluding you, naturally.”

  “Thank you for the exception.” She turned to the door and stopped. “Heyerdar is expecting me?”

  “A runner caught him before dawn.”

  “He’s still alive?”

  Reist snorted. “Just. Though the boy is probably still shaking.”

  His chair scraped back and Ava’s heart missed a beat. The taste of her fantasy burned in her mouth, in her thoughts, and she had to will herself to stillness. Reist’s hands fell on her shoulders. Ava bit at the inside of her cheek to stop the escaping gasp. Had it worked already? Too many of her own emotions, her own interest, stopped her from viewing the situation clearly.

  “Ava.”

  Reist’s voice was soft and had that familiar trace to it, the touch of ease and humor. It always made her want to turn into his arms, bury her face against his neck and inhale his scent. Bastard.

  “You know I’m curious. Is it someone in the Institute?”

  She closed her eyes. She couldn’t admit who had touched her or how far—or not—it had gone. Making up a lie would just drop her into more trouble. “It’s private.”

  His hands stilled and her chest tightened at the slow slide of them away from her body. “He’s serious?”

  Was that relief in his voice? Was he glad she was palmed off to some unknown man so that she wasn’t mooning over him? Ava wanted to groan. Everything about them, him, her, was fucked up.

  “A serious secret man?” She heard the smile in his voice and hated the way it eased the tight pain in her chest. “And if anyone could keep him secret it would be you.”

  “True.” She turned to face him. Her gaze flicked over the perfection of his face touched by sunlight. She itched to tease back the strand of dark hair that fell across his forehead. He’d been her friend, her only friend, for too many years. She couldn’t let that go. “Grab food with me tomorrow? I’ll be on time.”

  “Breakfast on the balcony.”

  “You bring the food.”

  “I always do.”

  Her mouth twitched upwards. “Now I must face the lion.”

  “The lion?”

  “Heyerdar. Tall, muscled, that mane of blond hair, golden eyes. Looks permanently...hungry.” Her smile felt suddenly forced as his touch and taste flo
oded her again. Taking magic the old way had never brought indigestion. She stepped back at Reist’s narrowed look. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

  “You have to tell me if anything happens.”

  “Concerned for me?”

  “As your friend and as your master, I have to be made aware. There are some experiences Heyerdar cannot seek out. Thankfully—” a wry smile twisted his mouth, “—it doesn’t apply to you. Still...”

  Friend and master...but not for much longer. “I will let you know.” She nodded. “I’ll come back for the eighth hour.”

  “Ava.” His hands flexed but didn’t lift from his sides. He moved forward one step, and his body blocked the shaft of sunlight breaking through the thin window, dropping them both into shadow. His scent—warm, familiar with the hint of soap and herbs—wrapped around her. “Be careful of him.”

  “I think I’m safe.”

  His finger touched her temple, running in a slow line to her jaw. Ava didn’t breathe, didn’t move. Reist didn’t do touching, not like that. “I know his passions.” His voice was little above a murmur. “Fallon...” He pressed his lips together. Yes, the less he said about her the better. “Remember what I said.” He stepped back and his hand balled into a fist. “He’s a conduit for old magic, more animal than man, remember that.”

  Ava stared at him. Did he know? Guilt ran hot through her veins. Did he already know what she’d done? Had Fallon worked it out? Fuck.

  She grabbed at her sense. He couldn’t. If he had he, as her master, would have to bring her up before the council for sex magic. He couldn’t ignore it. “I’m a thief. A soul-stealer, remember? I’m sure he’ll be able to resist me in the short time I’m in his office.”

  He nodded. “Tomorrow you tell me all about your secret man.”

  “Reist...” She tugged at the door and slipped through the narrow gap. “I’ll see you later.”

  Ava had to escape. What had happened in there? Reist had touched her. Her own fingers followed the path of his down her face and she felt the ghost of his touch. Maybe she wouldn’t have to take much more of Heyerdar’s power. Maybe a sliver of her and the reminder to Fallon of what she was missing would be all the shove they needed.

  And wouldn’t that be completely unlike her life?

  She slipped through shadows, following the stairs and paths and narrow corridors to the palace. And she needed her breakfast. Hunger spun around her, hot in the air, taunting her thief, pushing at the control Heyerdar’s power had brought her the night before. She doubted the man would willingly offer up his body and his magic to sate her morning cravings.

  For over a thousand years the Institute had butted up against the emperor’s first home, a dark menacing shadow of archaic stone compared to the marble and gilt of the palace. It was meant to be that way. Mages refused to allow interfering emperors to gild the Institute. They wanted the reminder of their ancient power to be...obvious.

  In all too short a time, Ava stood outside the door to Heyerdar’s office, her hand lifted, knuckles ready to knock. It had too much of an echo of the night before, though this entrance hall was clad in white marble and had the morning sun slanting across the stone floor. The brightness seemed wrong for Heyerdar somehow, even though he also drew power from the sun. His chambers in the lowest levels of the Institute fitted him, allowing him to connect to the earth, the stone, the seams of metal cutting through quartz.

  She closed her eyes, denying the tug of his world. None of his power or need had remained with her. Practically all of it had pushed back onto Fallon, onto the memory of his touch, his taste, the feel of him under her skin.

  Ava pressed her lips together. In that moment, she wasn’t certain whose skin he was under. Old magic was fearsome. It had been the first lesson she learned in the Institute, her second being to stay away from the man living in the lower levels. She was a thief. She’d never been that good with rules and law. It was too late to regret that now.

  Her knuckles rapped against the thick wood before she became lost in the memory of him again.

  A young guard pulled back the door, the wood sliding over a groove worn into the stone. He frowned at her. “Push your hood back.”

  Ava did as she was asked. He didn’t trust the shadows that shifted across her face. They were natural, something about her empty soul. She belonged to the darkness. “Highest Mage Reist sent me. I have an appointment with Captain Heyerdar.”

  His frown deepened, lining his smooth forehead. “Really?”

  “Corporal, let her in and make yourself scarce.” Heyerdar’s voice, deep and with that familiar hint of irritation, echoed out into the long corridor.

  The young guard waved her in and silently left, pulling the heavy door shut behind him.

  Ava stood, her hands linked loosely before her, and let her sense take in the unfamiliar room. More sunlight cut through the long slices of the windows, thick glass making the room glow. The chamber was sparse, only a desk and heavy chairs in the center and a row of cupboards along one wall.

  Heyerdar stood before the blackened fireplace in the dark leather tunic and breeches of a plain guard. Sunlight touched him, and the gold and copper in his hair gleamed. There was a sleek, animal beauty to him and it hit her that she’d only ever seen him in daylight naked.

  “Don’t try your tricks on me here, thief.”

  “I’m here to work, Captain.” She couldn’t let her thief provide her calm. It wanted Heyerdar. She could feel the push of darkness, the need for her to close the short distance between them and press her body up against his. To consume him. “Reist said there were thieves in the city.”

  “As of this morning there were four.” His golden gaze raked down over her cloak. “Take that off.”

  “What?”

  “The cloak.”

  “Captain...”

  “I’m the Left Hand of the Emperor.” A twist of a smile touched his mouth. “You obey me as you do the Right Hand.”

  Ava pushed through the buttons and caught her cloak before it slipped from her shoulders. She stood still, keeping her breathing even as Heyerdar stalked around her. He ran his fingers along her shoulder, his palm wrapping around her upper arm.

  He squeezed. “There’s muscle there.”

  Ava held down the wince as his heavy hand pressed against the blackening bruises he’d left the night before.

  “Not much, though. You can wear the messenger’s uniform.”

  “What?”

  Heyerdar let out a slow breath. “I don’t intend to make it well known that you’re in my service.” His delay on the last word forced her glare and his smile grew. “So I’ll put you in uniform, make you invisible.”

  “I’m a thief. I’m already invisible.”

  “Make you unimportant, then.” He took her cloak and threw it across a chair. He waved his hand to the door. “Quartermaster, now.”

  “It would be easier to move through the city as myself.” Ava kept her words controlled. Reist had never dictated how she performed her job, not for a long time. “I know what’s required.”

  “You’re not working for him. You’re working for me.” He pulled open the heavy door and grabbed her arm. He frowned as she winced. “What?”

  “Bruises.” She bit out the word and held his gaze, saw the memory flicker there.

  His hand eased but he didn’t let go. He pulled her behind him. “I’m not used to women with so little stamina.”

  Ava gritted her teeth, fighting the rise of emptiness that wanted to pull every last thread from the man and leave him a husk on the marble floor. Because she could. She was a fucking thief and a thief knew no master, knew no end, she could take him, devour and consume him—

  Heyerdar shoved her up against the marble wall. Her feet dangled. “You want to take me?” His voice was a low growl, his bre
ath hot over her open mouth. “Make me a husk like the bodies in vaults?” His eyes gleamed gold. “Try.”

  His mouth took hers, his tongue sure and ruthless, his body hard against hers. She couldn’t move. He pinned her to the cool wall. But her empty soul hungered and grabbed for the power that burned in his body. She pulled him in. The fierce clash of their mouths, the heat, the need for more of him wrapped around the golden surge of his power into her.

  His thigh pressed hard against her sex. Her belly throbbed, the low ache thudding with her pulse. They were supposed to be discreet, a secret, but she wanted him, wanted him to take her hard and fast up against the wall. Uncaring. Brazen.

  Fuck, this wasn’t her. This was her thief.

  Ava ripped her mouth from his. The loss of him and his rich flow of magic broke a low moan from her. She closed her eyes.

  “See?” His fast breaths eased and he ran his teeth over her swollen lower lip. “You don’t fuck with me, little girl.”

  “Put me down.”

  He released her in a slow slide until her feet touched the floor, but he rubbed his thigh against her, playing her traitorous body. The heat, the want, still pulsed hard through every nerve. The thief inside of her was only somewhat sated.

  Heyerdar ran his finger over her lips. “What else haven’t you done with this mouth?”

  A spark of lust burned his golden eyes and Ava cursed the moment she thought using Heyerdar to pull in Reist was a good plan. That wasn’t her thinking. That was the dark part of her that didn’t think anything of using her body to grab its goal. Reist. She was using him to make Reist see sense. She just had to hope she wasn’t broken before he did.

  “That was not a part of the deal.” She pushed away from him and strode down the marble corridor.

  Heyerdar caught up with her and dropped his hand to the bottom of her spine, his fingertips drawing tight patterns. They warmed her. She couldn’t fight it. “I’m not going to deny to anyone that I’m going to have you.”

  Ava blinked, his declaration causing a sudden riot in her blood. Anger and a fierce need that caught her breath. She forgot all her guile. “Have me?”