Artistic Vision

could taste it.

Shane was panting. He was fucking her so hard she could hear the loud slap of their bodies.

Then Shane flicked the tip of her horn over and over again, sending her screaming over the edge. Her wings ignited at the force of the orgasm, the glow lighting the room behind her.

Shane yelled, his lights dancing around them, sparks landing on her skin as his Sidhe half once more Claimed her. He came, following her into ecstasy as she watched, still reeling from the strength of her own orgasm.

Finally it was over. Akane collapsed on top of Shane, the sound her gasps joining his.

“We need to buy more white lace.”

She began to laugh.

“I’m serious.” She could hear the humor in his voice, but was too tired to lift her head from his shoulder. “I know someone who can make an entire gown out of the stuff.”

“We’d never leave the bedroom.”

He tilted her head up. “Your point?”

“I have to go.”

Shane paused, his hand still on his zipper. They’d gotten dressed much more quickly than he would have liked, but she was right. She had a job to do, and he’d delayed her longer than he’d meant to. “Let me come with you.”

Her brows rose. “How would we do that?”

“I can sit and have tea with Ruby and Leo while you do your fly-bys.”

She rolled her eyes.

“I could ride you over there.”

If he hadn’t sounded so falsely innocent her mind might not have dropped right into the gutter. As it was she was getting visions of a different sort of aerial acrobatics than the ones Robin had in mind. “I’m working.”

His hand hovered over the tattoo for just a second before it dropped with a sigh. “Damn. Trumped my ace.” He shook his head. “Curses. Foiled again.”

She ventured close and hoped he wasn’t faking it. She really did need to boogie. “Give me a kiss before I go?”

His eyes went wide before he swooped down, capturing her mouth, laying claim to it in no uncertain terms. He released her with a sigh. “Remember your mother’s warning. Be careful.”

She licked her lips. How long his taste would linger there? He hoped it stayed forever. “I will.”

“Promise?”

She crossed her heart. “Promise. Do me a favor and have Sal guard you while you sleep, okay? Jaden’s still sleeping off whatever Duncan and Moira did to him, and I want to make sure you’re safe while I’m gone.”

“I will. I promise.”

She gave him one last kiss before flying out the door, her dragon eager to take flight. Shane watched his mate take off and sighed. Damn. He’d known she had to obey Robin, but what was about to come would break her heart. She would know she could have prevented it. Worse, she’d understand he’d allowed it to happen. He almost stroked the tattoo, but by doing so he might cause her flight to falter or, worse, call her back. It was too late now to stop what was coming anyway. If this didn’t happen the way he’d foreseen it the entire prophecy would mean nothing. He had to let things follow their course, or Oberon’s future would be beyond grim.

Akane was going to kill him when she found out.

Heart racing, he shut the outer lights of the studio. He conveniently “forgot” to summon Sal, unwilling to risk the salamander. He couldn’t allow Akane’s pet to be hurt in any way. She loved that silly salamander.

Shane walked through the workspace of his studio, past the display space, and found himself standing outside the vault. It took but a moment to unlock it before he swung the door open.

Here was a treasure trove of unfinished pieces and unrealized visions, things circumstances had forced to come to naught. Precious and semi-precious stones, balls of silver and gold and the occasional bit of cold iron, anathema to any of Sidhe blood, were thrown into bins and across surfaces like discarded Tinker toys. Shane, like most with Sidhe blood, had to wear special gloves whenever he worked with iron or run the risk of serious damage. He walked past several of the unfinished statues before finding the one he sought, the one that had once more begun to dance behind his eyes after talking with Tristan. He pulled the sheet off the piece and sighed.

No. Akane was not going to like this one little bit. But he wasn’t leaving this vision out for her eyes.

Shane pulled the piece out and brought it to his workbench, intent on finishing as much as possible before it was too late.

Akane flew over the Dunne estate three times before coming in for a landing. Nothing seemed out of place. None of her senses tingled. The place seemed well defended. Leo had even shown her some of the tricks up his unique sleeves. His ability to use the land to amplify his Sidhe mind powers was amazing. No wonder he’d been able to sneak up on Kaitlynn and her guards. He’d been able to enter all of their minds, erasing his image and that of Duncan from their sight until he was past the security cameras and down in Kaitlynn’s dungeon.

Then, looking a little green around the gills, Leo had shown her the spot where he’d killed the vampire Jeremy West and saved his true bond. Akane was impressed, but understood on several levels why Robin had never tried to recruit the Sidhe into the Blades. With his powers Leo was phenomenally strong, but only on his own land.

Add in the fact that the man had no stomach for bloodshed, and his usefulness as a Blade would be severely limited. He didn’t seem to have any of the specialized skills that would keep him out of combat the way Red did, or the healing abilities of the nymphs. No, he was just a Sidhe with a little something extra, not enough for Robin to pull into the fold.

She found Robin watching over Leo, who was holding a sleeping Ruby. The human was curled up in the living room on a red velvet sofa in front of the fireplace. The way Leo’s face softened as he gazed at his sleeping bondmate, tender yet fierce, reminded Akane of the way Shane had looked at her. That same expression had adorned Shane’s face more than once when he watched Akane, but she hadn’t wanted to admit to herself that it was there, let alone what it could mean.

The truly scary part was the way Robin watched Ruby with that same look. Was the Hob in love with Leo’s mate?

Robin nodded in welcome, the tender expression smoothing out to his normal, cheerful look. “She’s as safe as we can make her.”

“What about Shane?” Leo’s voice was soft in deference to his sleeping bondmate.

Akane shrugged, but something deep inside her squirmed. She wasn’t entirely comfortable being away from Shane. “Sal and your father are standing guard.”

“Dad has to sleep sometimes. He’s running the farm and guarding Shane. He’s going to run out of juice soon.”

Akane sighed. “We can call for reinforcements if you like, but if we do that we’re less likely to draw the Malmaynes out of hiding.” She fingered the puzzle box in her coat pocket and wished she could bring it out to play with. She needed to remain vigilant, but the golden toy called to her, Solve me, Akane! Solve me!

She was going to kill Shane. He should have known better than to give a dragon a puzzle. Her fingers stroked over it again, feeling the lines and grooves of its carving. She’d never hand the puzzle box over to anyone else, even after she solved it.

“And your father has declared his desire to see this war ended.” Robin leaned his head back against his seat. If Akane didn’t know better she’d swear the Hob was weary, but Robin was like the fucking Energizer bunny. He kept going and going until whatever needed doing was done.

“I can’t help thinking that they’re not going to make a move until they’re good and ready.” Leo stroked his wife’s hair, careful not to wake her. “We have to keep her safe.”

“I gather, since Kaitlynn’s scheme didn’t work, that Ruby was unwilling to share?” A Sidhe lord could take a second spouse despite a bond, but only if his bondmate agreed. Otherwise the bond itself would protect the Sidhe,