Air of Seduction (Elemental Enforcers #3)

Chapter 3

Payton

His words slam into me, but they aren’t the reason my heart is bouncing in my chest like a rabbit on meth. It’s the feel of his hard body against mine and the intensity in his mesmerizing turquoise gaze.

If he told me to sink to my knees right now and take his cock out, I would probably do it just to be able to keep staring into his eyes.

His Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows. Then the arm he has wrapped tightly around me falls away, and he takes a step back. “We have to locate them first.”

I blink at him in confusion. Several seconds go by before his words make sense.

“Yes, of course.” I nod, looking away, only to meet the stern gaze of the other man. Markus, Ronan’s boss, I remind myself and back up a couple of steps to put more distance between me and the man who’s got my brain short-circuiting and my heart trying to jump out of my chest.

“I might know where they are.”

My gaze slides to the man suddenly standing in the doorway. He’s blond and just as big as the other two. It must be something in the water in this building, because they don’t look similar enough to be closely related. But then I could be wrong.

Ronan and Markus turn toward the third man when he walks into the room.

“What have you found out?” Ronan stuffs his hands into his pockets.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me?” The blond man gives me a warm smile. “I don’t think we’ve met.”

“My apologies.” Ronan glances my way. “This is Payton. Her best friend, Olivia, is the woman who’s been observed with Barry Wilson, and according to Payton, she’s not with him by choice.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” The blond man’s brows furrow. “I’m Aidan, and you can rest assured we’ll do everything we can to save your friend from that asshole.”

“Thank you. And I’ll be right there when you do.” I return his smile, but I know it doesn’t possess the same warmth as the one he just gave me. Ronan has conceded to let me tag along, but I don’t know if I can trust him yet, let alone the other two.

Aidan’s eyebrows rise, and he looks at Ronan, who nods in response to the silent question.

“I see.” The warm smile is back on Aidan’s face when his gaze returns to me. “Then I guess you’ll be part of the planning. I’ve already told my cook to make us some breakfast. Let’s meet down in the dining room in twenty minutes.” He doesn’t wait for a reply before he turns on his heel and leaves the room.

A moment later Markus walks out the door, as well, and I find myself alone with Ronan again.

“So, you’re not the only one who’s not a vampire.” It’s not a question as much as a statement. I don’t expect him to answer me or explain. He’s already made it clear he doesn’t want to give me any details.

Although, he did reveal that he healed me. But as far as I know, vampires can do that, as well, so he might not have felt it necessary to keep that a secret, even if he’s something else.

“No, I’m not.” He turns to face me. “But I’d appreciate it if you didn’t distribute that information. We like to stay under the radar, both when it comes to humans and other supernaturals.”

“Other supernaturals.” I taste the words. They imply that there are several kinds, and I can’t help but wonder which of the other fairy-tale creatures I’ve heard about that are more than just a tale.

I lick my bottom lip as I study Ronan’s striking appearance. There’s nothing about his looks that gives me any indication of what he is. But then the vampires I’ve met look human too.

It’s not important what he is, though, I remind myself. What’s important is that he can help me rescue Olivia. “So, this Barry Wilson, he’s kidnapped women before?”

Ronan lets out a sigh and turns his head to stare toward the window at the other end of the room. “Not as far as we know, no. Apparently he used to be a nice guy, if a little socially inept. Women shied away from him, until someone convinced him there was another way to get a girlfriend.”

Raking his fingers through his white-blond hair, he turns back to me. “The bathroom is through there if you want to freshen up before breakfast.” He indicates a door next to the couch I woke up on.

There’s no mistaking his statement for anything other than a dismissal. But it would be nice to freshen up a bit, so I don’t call him out on it.

***

Ronan

Her full red lips press into a hard line as she heads toward the bathroom. She knows my words were more than a kind offer.

I silently swear as I move over to the window. My conscience is poking at me to apologize to her for being cold and abrasive. After all, she just wants her best friend back and is doing what she can to make that happen. And the fact that she wants to know what we are is nothing more than prudent in her position.

But my lingering attraction to her has me scrambling for purchase. I want to help her, but at the same time, I need to keep my distance. It would be better for everyone if I escorted her outside and told her to leave. Except I know she would seek out trouble as soon as I took my eyes off her.

I shake my head slowly while my thoughts go back to another time and place. To a village not far from Paris, and a small woman with a big heart.

Patricia. She offered me shelter while I hunted a band of rogue shifters that had been praying on her village for months. But her kindness ended up costing her dearly. While I searched for the last one of them to end his miserable life, he entered her home and took her life. And when I finally realized where he was, it was too late, and she was gone forever.

Some of the meaningfulness of my work as an enforcer died with her, and I’ve never managed to resurrect it. Because what’s the point of working so hard to rid the world of bad guys, when the good ones die anyway? Whatever we do, it’s never enough to save them all.

I give Payton a tight smile when she walks out of the bathroom a few minutes later. Without saying anything, I head for the door and indicate for her to follow.

Just like I was counting on, there are others already in the dining room when we arrive. Lucas and Erica are seated at the table, but they get to their feet as soon as we walk into the room.

“Payton, this is Lucas and Erica. They’re my colleagues just like Aidan and his…Ingrid.” I almost said mate, but thankfully, I stopped myself in time.

My hand brushes against Payton’s back, but I quickly snatch it away when I realize what I’m doing. “The woman Kate saw with Barry Wilson is Payton’s best friend, Olivia. I’ve promised Payton that she can join us when we approach Barry.”

Lucas looks concerned, and he opens his mouth, probably to issue a warning like Markus, Aidan, and I have already done before him. But Erica is quicker.

“Acting like a true friend. I like that.” Erica steps forward with a warm smile on her face. “Nice to meet you, Payton.”

“Nice to meet you too.” Payton’s smile is warm, unlike any of the reluctant smiles she’s given the rest of us.

I find myself struggling to pull my gaze away from her beautiful face. And I can’t help but wish she would give me a smile like that. But I’ll need to earn it first. Perhaps if I’m the one to rescue her best friend, I’ll be rewarded with a warm smile that makes her dark-brown eyes shine.

“Good. You’re already here.” Aidan and Ingrid walk into the room with Markus right behind. Lyn, the only vampire on our team, has gone to bed for the day and won’t be joining us.

Ingrid doesn’t hesitate to approach Payton. “I’m Ingrid. I understand you’ll be joining us today.”

“Us,” Aidan grumbles behind her, his eyebrows pushing together in a disgruntled frown. “I wish you would stay here where you’re safe.”

“Not a chance. I’m not staying here, worrying about you, while you’re out there facing danger.” Ingrid smiles at Payton. “Don’t mind him. He just likes to be in control, that’s all.”

Payton chuckles, and the low, seductive sound glides over my skin like a caress and makes my cock twitch with interest.

Her features smooth into a serious expression. “I’m Payton, and I’ll be joining you to get my friend back. Although I think Ronan would prefer it if I didn’t.” She throws me a glance with one eyebrow raised in challenge.

My neutral expression stays in place—barely. She’s correct, but I’ve already told her she can join us, and I won’t go back on my word.

“Please take a seat.” Aidan puts his hand on the small of Ingrid’s back and moves toward the end of the table. “Maria will be along shortly with the food, and we have plenty to discuss while we wait.”

I let the couples and Markus find their seats, before I show Payton to the vacant chair to Erica’s left. After pulling it out for her to sit, I take the seat next to her.

“Callum called me.” Aidan leans back in his chair where he’s sitting at the head of the table. His gaze glides around to each of us in turn. “He and Vamika have worked their computer magic and found out where Barry Wilson is staying. Or at least the vampire spent the day there yesterday. Callum texted me the address. It’s a place in Hackney.”

Payton’s body tenses next to me, like she’s getting ready to get up and leave right now. Her lips press together, and I get the feeling she’s struggling to stop herself from demanding the address.

Thankfully, Aidan doesn’t give us the details and saves me the trouble of restraining Payton until we have decided on a plan and are ready to go together.

“That’s not all they managed to find out, though.”

My gaze travels back to Aidan when he lets us wait for a few seconds.

A grin spreads across his face. “They managed to identify one of the master’s trusted servants, who was on the plane with him from Long Island to London. The guy owns a property in South London, and he was spotted near there last night about an hour after we party-crashed the master’s ceremony in Highgate cemetery.”

“Any signs of the master in that area?” Markus leans forward and puts his forearms on the table as he stares at Aidan.

The man at the head of the table shakes his head. “No, but Callum and Vamika aren’t done going through all the material they’ve gathered yet. Something might turn up.”

“Which means it’s a place we should check while it’s daylight.” Lucas reaches out and takes Erica’s hand in his. “If we’re lucky we might end this today.”

“If we do, Lyn will be disappointed she wasn’t there to participate.” Markus’s expression is blank, not revealing any emotions. “But she’ll be happy he’s gone. We just have to make sure it’s really him we kill this time, and not one of his devoted servants who’s happy to die in his stead.”

Most of the people around the table nod and murmur their agreement, including me. The fact that the master is alive at all came as a shock to the whole team. We thought we killed him centuries ago.

But what is even more shocking is that the master has waited this long to start his reign of terror again. There must be a reason for biding his time that we haven’t discovered yet. And I fear we won’t like it when we do.

The sound of a cart rattling its way down the corridor toward us brings the conversation to a stop. Aidan’s staff can be trusted, but we don’t share any more details with them than strictly necessary, both for their safety and ours. What they don’t know, they can’t be forced to share.

Maria smiles when she pushes the cart into the room. “Good morning.”