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For some reason, Connor wasn’t bothered at all, probably because he knew Iris as well as he did. And she hadn’t shot him though she could have. As a TPS officer, and in the employ of the Five Bridges central government, she had more clout under Tribunal law. It would have been her word against Crescent authority as to what happened. Witches lied all the time, so he had to give her this: She chose to act on what she actually saw.
He respected her for it.
“I’m sure you’ve been thinking about what happened on Sentinel Bridge. Have you uncovered a possible connection between us?”
She shook her head. “No, but there must be something we share in common. I’m just not seeing it. I’ve never actually met you before tonight. I mean I know who you are, and I’ve seen you dozens of times at various crime scenes, but I don’t know any of the Crescent Border Patrol officers.”
He nodded, thinking. “And do you usually work near Sentinel Bridge or west Crescent Territory?”
“Rarely. If anything, my assignments involve Savage.” The shifters in their province had chosen the right name. Humans who went wolf entered a wild reckless world, more than even vampires. But they tended to fight between packs as opposed to lashing out at witches or vampires. They left the fae and dead-talkers alone as well.
He nodded, but his gaze once more slid over to the exposed parts of her thighs. In response, she crossed her knees. Without warning, his desire for her shot through his skull once more, heating up his groin. His fantasies had been vivid as hell and one of them had involved putting his hands right where one knee rested over the other and easing her legs apart.
He turned away from her and cleared his throat. It would do no good to give his lust free rein right now.
~ ~ ~
Iris’s cheeks were warm but it had nothing to do with embarrassment. She’d basically caught Connor lusting after her and despite their strange shared situation, she liked it. Craved it.
She tried to remind herself that he was a vampire, the enemy of her kind. But right now, all she saw was a man, wearing a snug tank, his tats exposed over muscular shoulders and a flat six-pack that had her fingers itching to touch him. He also wore the BP standard issue black leathers, which did not help her craving. He’d settled his sword, wrist guards and Glock on the table next to her own pile.
She put a hand to her chest, aware her heartrate had just spiked. The proximity was killing her and it was time, if possible, to create some physical distance. “I should be getting back to HQ. I need to let Donaldson know I’m still alive.”
The permanent line between Connor’s brows deepened. “But what if he’s part of this, Iris? Everyone knows he’s on the take and you already said he requested you. It’s possible he was directly involved in the assassination attempt since the Trib has the ability to shut any of the bridges down. If he’s involved, he might be under some obligation to send someone else after you.”
She rubbed her forehead. “You’re right. Someone got to him.”
“We need to figure out what’s going on here before we split up. And as it happens, I have a lead.”
He told her about Gary Smith, who Iris knew was called Big Nuts behind Gary’s back. She’d seen him several times and knew exactly why he’d earned the nickname. He had the biggest balls she’d ever seen and for some reason enjoyed showing them off.
He also owned a sex club that featured overweight women called House of Big Sex.
“Why Big Nuts?”
He smiled, probably because she had no problem using Gary’s nickname, as horribly descriptive as it was. “Tammy said she owed him for some blood flame. He’s the one who sent her out to Amado.”
Once more, her gaze moved from Connor’s left shoulder to his right. He was a physically powerful man and was probably her best chance of surviving the night, whatever path it took.
When she’d first realized Connor had started visiting her home, hovering above her garden while she worked in it, she’d searched him on the net. She found out he’d worked as an engineer and had built over fifty of the bridges throughout Shadow and Crescent.
She remembered being stunned to learn that a vampire had created anything useful. The fae were the real workers of Five Bridges as well as
the dead-talkers. Maybe that was the moment she knew she was in trouble with him.
“Iris, there’s one thing I’d like to know. I’m fully aware that most witches wouldn’t get this close to a vampire without engaging an enthralling spell. Why haven’t you tried one of your witchy trips on me? Tried to control me?”
She rarely talked about these things, about her craft or her philosophy of being a witch. But it seemed appropriate now. “Mostly, I don’t believe in it.”
“Could you do it, though? Do you have that level of skill and power?”
“I do.” A shot of fear went through her. “But please don’t tell anyone.”
He frowned. “Why not?”
“There are dark forces in Elegance among the various more powerful covens. Witches who practice the dark arts summon power from evil spiritual elements that have taken root in Five Bridges. These women, and a few wizards, don’t hesitate to use their gifts to enslave witches of power like me.”
He cocked his head. “Is that why you live such a solitary existence?”
