accessed through an Otherworld realm of the dead.
“This question is easy,” I said. “No death gods, just access to your information network. I need to find someone by the name of Inari. I think she’s fae.”
“THE Inari?” he asked. “As in, Inari, queen of the kitsuni?”
“Um, yeah, I guess so,” I said.
“Count me out, princess,” he said. “Inari and me, we have a history. I learned a lesson from my time with the kitsuni queen.”
“What lesson is that?” I asked.
“Don’t date chicks with nine tails,” he said.
Torn scampered up the fire escape and onto the roof of a neighboring building. I’d gotten all I could from the cat sidhe for one day. It was time to head home.
Time.
I bit my lip and pulled out my phone with shaking hands. Torn had said that time in the Otherworlds moved at a different pace from the mortal realm. How long had I been gone? I checked the time and date and let out the breath I’d been holding. I’d only lost six hours in Mag Mell. My human friends were still alive.
The downside? I was late for my date with Ceff.
I’d hoped to pay Jenna a visit at the dojo. I needed to see about scheduling a date to begin training again. I couldn’t afford to get rusty, not now that I’d be spending the summer solstice breaking into the home of a death god.
I didn’t have time now for a trip to the dojo, but at least I could give the Hunter a call. I squeezed the bridge of my nose, a headache building behind my eyes, and punched in Jenna’s number. The Hunter answered on the first ring. There was nothing wrong with that girl’s reflexes.
“You on a new job already?” she asked. “Jinx said you were on bed rest all week.”
Jenna sounded out of breath and her words were interspersed with the clanging of metal against metal. The Hunter was talking on the phone while sparring. Show off.
“No, I’m taking it easy,” I said. “Just working on something personal at the moment.”
“You need someone to provide backup?” she asked.
I heard a loud thwap and a grunt and the ringing of metal ceased. Jenna had struck a victory against her opponent while chatting with me on the phone. The pint sized redhead made being a badass look easy.
“No, I’m good,” I said.
“No thanks necessary,” she said. “I’ll add the cost of the blades to next month’s training.”
That was Jenna, always practical.
“So I can return next month?” I asked.
“Sure,” she said. “Stop by next week and we’ll try running you through some drills. Once I assess where you’re at with your recovery, I can give you some flows to practice as homework. Last thing you need is to stiffen up or lose muscle tone.”
“Thanks, Jenna,” I said.
“Anytime,” she said. “And Ivy? Try not to get bitten by anymore lamias?”
“Don’t worry, I won’t,” I said.
That was one promise that I hoped I could keep.
Chapter 37
I trudged up the steps to my apartment and paused on the landing outside the door. My body felt heavy and I took a deep breath, fighting the tightness in my chest. I didn’t relish the prospect of keeping secrets from Jinx.
Holding information back from Jenna was easy. There are some things that fae, even half-breeds, don’t share with Hunters. But not telling Jinx about my father’s key and my search for the door to Faerie felt like a terrible lie of omission. I pushed open the door to the loft with a bitter taste on my tongue.
I looked around the loft, listening for movement in any of the back rooms, and smiled. Jinx was nowhere in sight. Ceff was preparing food in the kitchen and Jinx had apparently gone out. I wouldn’t have to face my roommate just yet.
I tossed my jacket over the back of the couch and strode to where Ceff was holding two empty glasses.
“Champagne?” he asked.
“Hell yes,” I said.
“Bad day?” he asked.
“The worst,” I said.
I explained about the visit with my mother, our trip to the hospital, the key my father left me, Kaye’s instruction to keep the whole thing quiet, and Torn’s trick to learn of the key’s existence.
“So now I have to secretly plan how to breach the gates of Tech Duinn, break into a death god’s house, and find a door hidden in his hearth,” I said. “If the key opens the door, then I’ll have to bring my investigation of my father’s whereabouts to Faerie.”
“Not tonight you don’t,” Ceff said. “You’ve visited the Otherworld and had a breakthrough in the relationship with your mother. You can begin your planning tomorrow. Tonight we dine.”
Ceff waved a hand at the plates and silverware he’d set out on the bar. Candles were lit and placed around the apartment. He’d even bought flowers and arranged them in a vase set between the two place settings.
The smell of roasted meat and vegetables made my mouth water. My stomach growled and I realized I’d missed lunch while in Mag Mell. Dinner sounded fabulous, but first I needed to freshen up.
“Do I have time for a shower?” I asked.
“That depends,” he said. “How much time do we need?”
Ceff’s eyes began to glow and warmth spread to my belly. I licked my lips and kicked off my boots. Dinner could wait. I started walking toward Ceff, the heat rippling off my skin making the room shimmer.
“An hour,” I said. “Maybe more.”
Ceff turned off the oven and leaned in close. Water swirled around his body and a champagne bottle burst open behind him. Ceff lifted me onto the counter, pressing his lips against my own. When our lips met the visions of Ceff’s memories came streaming through me, but, this time, they were gone in a flash.
I shed a tear when I experienced Ceff’s torture at the
My breath caught as cool droplets of water and champagne skimmed across my heated skin. Ceff smiled and pulled me closer. This time when we kissed his lips pressed hard with need. Ceff opened his lips and his tongue searched my mouth with the same urgency as the rivulets of moisture which now explored my body.
I moaned and Ceff smiled against my lips. The flames of my wisp blood rose and heat flared. The dozens of liquid fingers disappeared, filling the room with steam.
“Need more water,” he said.
Ceff lifted me off the counter and strode out of the kitchen. He carried me into the shower and I forgot all about secret keys, deadly missions, and death gods.
Chapter 38
This morning Ceff returned to the sea. He’d stayed a week while mourning the loss of
