Page 21 of Knight of the Sword

Toby shook his head quickly, his face pale. No doubt he was remembering some of the special tortures he’d endured in the past. Caldwell looked at him steadily, his hatred smoldering just beneath the surface. Baylor almost laughed. Caldwell had taken a branding a few months ago rather than be shagged by a couple of Baylor’s bodyguards. In truth, Baylor admired Caldwell’s standing up to him, although he would never let him know it. “Well?” he asked.

“Nope.” Caldwell answered. “I think everyone here understands you. I disabled the doc’s car and offered to give her a ride home. Your remote webcam is now installed inside her living room.”

Baylor turned to Toby. “And for once, did you get something right the first time?”

Toby gulped, but managed not to look away. “Yes, sir. I gave her the dragon keychain with the GPS chip inside. Anytime she has those keys, we can track her.”

“Good.” Baylor gestured to the bed where Carl was groaning. “See what you saved yourself from?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And you, my pet.” Baylor walked over to Morgan on the small settee and fondled her breasts through the thin material of her low-cut blouse. “You looked a bit glum when you got here. Are you going to tell me you weren’t successful?”

“I got in,” she said. “I’m her Girl Friday now, and the audio bug is under her desk.”

“Then why so glum? You know I reward you well for doing what you’re told.”

Morgan tossed her ebony hair back. “That damn bitch has Michael wrapped around her finger!”

“Forget the damn warlock. I’ll have Caldwell kill him once we find the Sword.”

“No! Don’t harm Michael! He’s—” She stopped, her expression telling Baylor that she knew she had said too much. “Kill the bitch instead.”

“I might.” Baylor shrugged. “We’ve got everything in place. The next time that dragon is sighted, I am sure Mr. Landon will let me know. Isn’t that so?” he asked, not turning to look at the man, but he heard the faint, “Yes, sir,” that he needed. “Caldwell, ingratiate yourself with that idiot Smith. He’s bound to have the second riddle somewhere. Work on Sophie Cameron, too. You said she likes to fence? Do something with that.”

Caldwell grinned. “Oh, I intend to.”

“No drugs this time. Even though it was Ramsey who messed up your plans with Sara, we don’t know that the warlock didn’t find out about that little incident.”

“No drugs.”

“Good. Toby, get that story published. I may need for you to go back and get more details.” Baylor opened the bedstand drawer and pulled out a business card. “This is an editor who owes me a favor. Call him.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And Morgan. You truly are my eyes and ears in that office. The Cameron woman might have a copy of the riddle. See if you can find it for me, won’t you, sweetness?”

“If it’s there, I’ll find it.”

“If you do, I might even let you play with your warlock boy.” He watched her face light up for a mere fraction of a second before she carefully schooled her expression. Morgan might just make a good pupil of his, after all.

Lucifer’s horns! He needed some humans he could actually trust…if such a thing could be done. His drug cartels were becoming unruly, fighting amongst themselves and killing too many people. How many times had he told the warlords that a country would submit to being running by corruption if the common folk didn’t fear for their daily lives?

All the bickering was slowing his profit margin, as well. The terrorist training camps he sponsored were clamoring for more money and more recruits. With all the attention on securing the borders, even Baylor was having a hard time of it. Once the Sword was his, all that would change. Evil and corruption would rule the world.

Meanwhile, he might just need to have a talk with Lucifer. The white dragon hadn’t answered his call.

Chapter Six

It had taken every bit of centuries-old willpower to keep from touching Sophie when he opened her car door, but Michael had managed it. Even now, two nights later, he could still smell the fresh, herbal cologne she wore, and more importantly, the actual scent that was her essence seemed to linger in the air about him.

He couldn’t remember any woman having such a tenacious hold on him—not the married one who’d almost gotten him killed so long ago nor the beauty who had healed him afterwards. The irony in this situation was that Sophie didn’t even care. She was totally oblivious to his usual charm, and the few times he’d tried to mind-touch, her emotional shields were firmly up. That was unusual in itself.

Michael parked his sports car in the caleche parking lot near the lake and got out. The Sisterhood Circle was meeting tonight, the first full moon after Beltane, and he would be joining them to counter-balance the feminine energy of their magic. He took his white Druid’s robe out of the trunk and wondered what Sophie would say if she knew what he really was. By the Goddess, he would love to initiate her into their rites, especially that of Hieros Gamos—the Sacred Marriage that “married” ancient Celtic kings to their lands through a sexual ritual with a priestess of the Goddess. In times past, onlookers would then choose partners and couple as well, adding their sexual and spiritual energy to that of the Rite to guarantee bountiful harvests.

Michael had a distinct feeling that sex with Sophie would be a spiritual high as well as a physical one. He couldn’t deny that he would love every moment of touching her, stroking his hands over her, slowly undressing her and savoring the feel of her full breasts in his hands. But more than pure lust, he knew that the power of his magic would connect them if he actually completed the act. It would be Hieros Gamos in its own way.

With a start, he realized Brianna Frazier was standing beside him. Almost guiltily, he wondered how long she had been standing there. Brianna was their Seer, and his aura must have been flaming red with his lustful thoughts.