Noble Blood

Jaden shrugged, faking a nonchalance he didn’t feel. The urge to run his hand over that stubbled jaw was almost irresistible. “Then I move on to the next one.” He smiled. “You always knew the baby bird would someday fly the nest, old man.”

The slow smile that crossed Duncan’s face sent a shiver of fear down his spine. The last time Duncan had smiled like that…well. The man he’d smiled like that over was finally walking again, wasn’t he? “We’ll see.” Duncan shifted, his expression easing. “The case?”

Jaden settled into his usual seat in front of Duncan’s desk. He wondered if Ian had set it back up or if Duncan had. “Rumor has it some of the Malmaynes are edging toward the Black.”

He shielded his eyes from the sudden burst of silver light that shone from the Malmayne lord. “Henri.”

“Care to tone that down? You’d give spotlights hissy fits.” Jaden blinked rapidly, trying to adjust his eyes. “I see spots before my eyes,” he muttered, ignoring Duncan’s chuckle. “Geez, old man. Calm down.” The name Henri finally registered. Henri was the worst sort of toady and firmly of the belief that a Sidhe’s shit didn’t stink. He was also a raging bigot. He bet Henri was horrified that even someone with Leo’s polluted blood almost married into the pure Malmayne bloodline.

No, that wasn’t right. Henri had tried to get Leo to somehow mate into the Malmayne clan. Was almost insistent about it, in fact.

What the fuck was going on? At this rate he’d need a flowchart to keep track of the crazies and their plots.

“I still don’t know how they think they’re going to manage to get Leo to fulfill the marriage contract considering the man’s already true bonded to Ruby. Besides, the only female Malmayne candidate is dead unless we start looking at the cousins.”

“You’re true bonded to Moira. That should have been enough to fulfill the contract, even in their eyes, since you’re head of the clan and Moira is a direct descendant of Aileen.” Jaden rubbed his chin, thinking. He ignored the speculative gleam in Duncan’s eyes since, really? The man was acting fucking weird. Had he figured out that Jaden had taken a little joy ride through his sex life? “So, what? You think they might have another contender to bring forward?” Another Deranged Darling would just make his day. Give him something to sink his teeth into.

“I don’t see how. The contract was between the heads of both families. Aileen has no other descendants and I have no interest in Leo or Shane. Kaitlynn…well. Enough said there.”

Jaden waved his hand. “Of course you have no interest in them. They’re men.” Duncan’s body jerked, but Jaden ignored it, instead focusing on whatever the rest of the Malmayne clan was up to. “So, how often has Henri the Horrible been by?”

“Three visits so far.” Duncan leaned forward, his hands on the edge of the desk, his body bowed over Jaden’s form in the chair, an angry gleam in his eye. “How did the Hob find out that my clan might be leaning toward the Black?”

Jaden opened his mouth to reply, but found he couldn’t. Duncan smelled so good. “I have no idea. He comes to me, tells me to check things out. He’s never been wrong before.” He shrugged. “I know that the Blades aren’t just about muscle. It’s possible he’s using gremlins to track their online movements. He might have even gotten a pooka on the inside. I’m not sure, but from what you’ve told me since I came back his information seems to be right on the money.”

“So you go where he tells you and do what he tells you?”

Jaden eyed his bond brother with jaded eyes. “Sure. It’s not that different from my old job.”

Anger flitted across Duncan’s face before it settled into an expressionless mask. “I have not seen nor have I accepted your resignation.” His gaze darted behind Jaden to the door. “Have I?”

“Nope.” Moira joined her mate on the edge of the desk, the two of them staring down at him. Jaden bit back a grin. They had the audacity to double-team him, knowing he was a Blade? “Last I heard Jaden was still a Malmayne.”

Jaden snorted. Duncan might have accepted him all those years ago but none of the rest of the clan had. He was the furthest thing from a Malmayne it was possible to get. “I’m no more a Malmayne than Ian is.”

At that moment Ian chose to enter the office, pushing a tray of food. “Welcome home, Master Jaden.”

Jaden’s head thumped against the back of the chair. Ian treated him like he was one of the Malmaynes when no one else did. As far as Ian was concerned, Duncan’s blood bond with him superseded any other petty concerns such as DNA and Black Court taint. Duncan had declared him one of the clan; therefore, as far as Ian was concerned, Jaden was. “Hey, Ian. How’s it going?”

The man’s smile would light up anyone’s day. “Very well, sir, for the most part.”

“Ian, if you hear anything about the rest of the clan being unhappy, or perhaps plotting something against Duncan or Moira, I want you to bring it straight to me.”

“Of course, sir. I remember your previous instructions.”

Jaden winced. Damn it. Now Duncan was going to ask him questions he really didn’t want to answer. “Yeah, thanks.”

Ian quickly changed the subject, showing the man realized his mistake. “I have some of your favorite dishes, Master Jaden. Mrs. Pagett was quite pleased to hear you had returned.”

Jaden laughed. “I’m sure she was.”

“Did she lock up the cookies?”

Jaden shared a look with Duncan, one full of fond memories. Jaden had a thing for homemade chocolate chip cookies. Mrs. Pagett had a thing for keeping his greedy paws out of her cookie jars. So far Jaden had won most of the battles but the feisty fairy had insisted that one day she would win the war.

“Yes, she did, my lord. And she swore this time Master Jaden would not get the better of her.” Ian finished laying out the plates on the coffee table in front of the large leather sofa. “If you require anything else, my lord, please ring.”

“Thank you, Ian, that looks wonderful. Thank Mrs. Pagett for me, will you?”

“Of course, my lord. I’ll make sure you aren’t disturbed.”

Duncan shook his head as the fae wheeled the now empty cart back out of the office, shutting the door behind him. “How the hell does he do that?”

“What?” Moira looked confused.

“Know that I want privacy.”

Jaden smirked. “He’s a brownie, a house sprite. How can he not? Their very nature is to serve their master’s needs.”

“Hmph.” Duncan turned his attention back to Jaden. “What previous instructions had you given him?”

Jaden leaned back in his chair. “I’m in charge of your personal security, remember? If anything and I mean anything, looks like it might cause you to get a paper cut I want to know about it.” He gestured toward Moira. “Those orders now include Lady Malmayne.”

Moira was watching him through narrowed eyes. “All right. You’re here to investigate the Malmaynes. They’re making a pain of themselves but so far the only thing they’ve done is try to set aside Duncan’s Claim on me and Leo’s true bond. What are our options?”

Jaden blinked. Claim? He sat up straight, both feet planting themselves on the floor. “You two haven’t finished bonding yet?”

They shared a look that confused the hell out of him. Moira answered him first. “No, not yet.”

He was stunned. “Why not? If you two complete the bonding then Henri and his friends don’t have a leg to stand on! What’s left to do?”

“The Claiming is complete, but we still need to do the Vow and the Binding.” Moira’s expression was mischievous, but Duncan looked deadly serious.

“We can’t complete the ritual.” Duncan held up his hand, forestalling Jaden’s instant protest. “There are things you don’t understand yet. We’ll get into them later. But for now, completing the bond isn’t possible.”

Jaden was now fiercely worried. He didn’t understand why they hadn’t completed a ceremony they were both eager for.

Unless…

He stood, suddenly terrified. Duncan’s weary face suddenly took on ominous meaning. His eyes drifted automatically to the new silver in Duncan’s golden hair. “Is one of you ill?” He gestured toward those fine, terrifying