You manipulative piece of shit.
“I see.” I nod, clapping a friendly hand over his shoulder as we head back out.
No, fae cannot lie.
Unfortunately for him, humans and gargoyles can—and some of us are quite good at it, too.
The only thing fae about me is a curse I’m desperate to break and a glamour designed to make the rest of the world—supernatural and mundane alike—believe a pretty little lie rather than what their own instincts are so plainly telling them.
“Don’t hesitate to reach out again if I can be of any more assistance,” I say as we walk back down the hall to the foyer. “Oh, and I realize the timing isn’t quite right at the moment, but I do hope the invitation to see the Cerridwen Codex still stands. I’d very much like to peruse the text.”
His eyes dart to the ceiling, then right back to me, so quickly I’m not even sure he realizes he did it. “Yes, maybe… maybe another time. It’s still being authenticated, and I’ve got my hands full with Hunter’s missing bride. You understand.”
“Of course. Thanks again for the tea.”
He forces a smile and shakes my hand, then shows me to the door, not even realizing his little tell gave meexactlywhat I came for tonight.
Confirmation.
The Codex isn’t at his office downtown or in any of the coven meeting houses he’s got scattered across the city. It’s right here in his home, somewhere on the second or third floor.
And as soon as we have the opportunity, we’re going to bloody take it from him.
Chapter Twenty-Four
JUDE
Thing about humans—magical and mundane alike—is they’ve got this insane sense of self-preservation. Admirable quality, that. They don’t even think about their odds of survival. First sign of a credible threat, they fight or they run.
And when all else fails, when they’re down and out with no escape and no help on the way, they beg.
But this girl?
I wait for her fight-or-flight to kick in. Wait for the panic to seize her heart like an iron fist. Wait for her to realize what a right terrible idea this is and thrash and scream and claw her way to freedom.
But the little scarecrow merely watches me with those bright blue-green eyes, curious as ever.
Fascinating…
“You know, scarecrow, most people—when immobilized beneath a clawed, fanged predator three times their size—have the good sense to freak the fuck out.”
She smiles and slides her hands up my arms, curling her delicate fingers around my biceps. “Is this the part where I’m supposed to run from the monster in the closet?”
“Well, now that the monster is in yourbed, I thought I’d atleastget a whimper of fear out of you.” I push up on my arms, hovering just above her and wondering what it would feel like to wrench apart those creamy thighs and—
“Stay,” she whispers. Her hands move to my face, slowly threading into my hair. “I’m not scared, Jude. I want you to stay with me.”
Goosebumps prickle across my scalp, and holy fuck… there’s nowayI’m turning down a request like that. “You’re a very naughty girl, Westlyn Avery.”
“Am I?” She slides her hands up to my horns, stroking them with a light scrape of her fingernails that sends shock waves of pleasure straight down to my balls. I’m rock hard between her thighs, nothing separating us but my loincloth and her panties.
The white ones with the pink bow. My favorite fucking pair.
I bring a hand up to cup her arse, dipping my thumb under the lacy edge that curves around the front of her thigh.
She parts her mouth. A soft moan slips free.
“All those nights at the window,” I whisper. “Gazing out into the darkness, wondering if anyone was gazing back.”
