Bounty Hunter (The Black Tulip Chronicles #1)

46. Vera

Chapter 46

Vera

W e stop outside the doors to our rooms after another unique fae supper—this one a much smaller affair which, mercifully, hadn’t included a round of fights or any challenges. I’m wondering if he’s going to try to kiss me again and what I should do if he does. He seemed preoccupied most of the evening, broody even. I’m working for him now, and my rule book is screaming that I should keep a professional relationship. I decide it’s best if I head straight to my room and not leave any opportunities for this forbidden relationship to develop further.

Once we reach the top of the staircase, I keep my focus on the fancy curved handle of my door instead of the expensive fae scent Mama Tina gave him. It’s had me distracted all night. My hand closes over the chilled metal, and I throw a quick, “goodnight,” over my shoulder.

“One thing, Vera.”

When I look over my shoulder and up into his dark blue eyes, I see something I can’t name, but oddly, there are bells of warning clanging in my head. It’s foreign when I’ve always felt solid safety with Ikar. I tentatively turn around, but confusingly, I would rather dart into my room than linger here with him because, somehow, I am sure the intensity there has nothing to do with the physical. I shift backward and turn the knob behind my back again, intending to tell him that I’m too tired and we’ll talk tomorrow, but he steps forward, matching my retreat with his advance.

“I learned something today.” His voice is deep and smooth. Pensive.

“Hmmm? That’s interesting. You’ll have to share it with me tomorrow.” Or not. Because something about the look in his eyes says that maybe I don’t want to know. I smile and start to turn toward my door, but he steps closer again, and there’s nowhere for me to go but against the wall. He braces a hand beside my head and leans in, almost as if he intends to kiss me. I don’t know whether to feel like a lover or prey right now. But instead of my lips, his five o’clock shadow brushes my cheek gently, and I feel his lips nearly graze my ear. The hint of expensive, masculine scent lingers, and my breath hitches as skittering chills race across my skin. This is torture.

“The fae potion didn’t heal me,” he whispers beside my ear.

I stop breathing. His proximity causes tingles to run down my body, or maybe it’s fear. What exactly is he implying?

“Care to explain? Or shall I do it for you?” Delightful shivers run through my body, though the words should have me running.

I swallow. He waits.

How does he know? My brain screams to run, but my body wants to stay right where it is. Body wins.

“It did.” My voice is too breathless.

He chuckles deliciously, brushes his lips against my neck once, and then pulls away and looks straight into my eyes. The shadows of the hallway have him looking dark and dangerous and much too attractive.

“You want to do it this way?” He waits patiently for a moment, but I don’t reply. “Okay.” He continues in that deep, silky, dangerous voice that I’m finding I really like. “You’re a Healer.” His eyes search mine, waiting for confirmation, but I mask everything.

I breathe a premature sigh of relief. He doesn’t realize that healing goes with Tulips. But then dread sinks like a rock in my stomach because it’s only a matter of time before he realizes that Originators are never Healers, and my secret will be out.

“Who told you this? They’re crazy.” I laugh lightly.

With his free hand, he pulls something from his pocket and holds it up between two fingers for me to see—the fae potion bottle. My hands shake, and I press them against my clothing so he doesn’t notice. I should have buried it when I had the chance.

“The fae king was kind enough to give me a little lesson on fae potions.” He drops the bottle back in his pocket and steps back. “He confirmed that not one potion has stayed potent when taken out of this realm recently.” He raises an eyebrow at me, waiting for an explanation, but he’s not getting one from me. Also, I thought they hated each other, and now he tells me he had a civil conversation with the fae king? I’m all sorts of confused.

“Sounds like something you need to discuss further with the fae, I have nothing to do with the potency of their potions, but I did pour it on your leg, and it helped.” Not a lot, but maybe a bit. Is that still a lie? It’s certainly not an answer to his question. My brain is misfiring and tired, and I know I can’t handle much more of this before all my secrets gush out into the open. I can’t have that .

An intensity simmers in his eyes, maybe even a hint of desperation. “You’re a Healer, just tell me yes or no.”

“Okay, fine, yes. I’m a Healer.” Sort of . I add in my mind so it doesn’t feel like so much of a lie. I smile in a somewhat normal way as I push a finger lightly against the muscles of his chest, and he respectfully steps back, but there’s a knowing, confident sort of smirk on his face. I worry that I have, indeed, made myself prey. What began as a seemingly straightforward arrest-turned-business-deal has become even more tangled and confusing. I don’t want to lie more than I already have, but I can’t tell him the rest. Ever. Especially now that it sounds like he’s friends with one of the low kings somehow. For being so serious and overconfident, he makes friends easier than I do. I’d sulk about that for a moment, but I need to escape from this dangerous, and somehow very heady, conversation.

As I’m about to attempt another exit, he leans in again, his nose practically nuzzled into my neck, and then ever so slowly leaves a scorching trail of the lightest, heat-inducing kisses I’ve ever experienced up to my jaw. I don’t know what his plan is, but I will not be seduced. In the next moment, my breath is shaky, and all I know is that, criminal or not, soldier, whatever he is—I want him. I try to resist and fail miserably.

I turn my head, and my lips find his, a perfect balance of warm, soft, and firm as he leads us into a realm all our own. I slide my hands around his sides and pull myself closer as his gently slide across my jawline and back into my hair, tilting my head for a better angle to deepen our kiss. That fae scent mixes perfect with the leather and musk that always clings to him, the hardness of the strength beneath my hands, his lips against mine, the light scratch of a day’s whiskers against my skin. Him. He’s intoxicating. He pulls back and presses his forehead to mine, and I notice with wicked delight that his breathing is nearly as heavy as my own. I want to grab the lapels of his jacket and drag him into my room, tell him every secret I’ve ever had, wake up beside him in the morning, revel in the safety of his presence that I’ve gotten so attached to.

But I don’t. I’ve completely forgotten why I’m out here, and now all I want is him.

He steps back, eyes still matching the desire I feel and whispers a rough goodnight. He enters his room without a backward glance.

I’m thoroughly dazed and somehow stumble my way into my room, slip out of my dress and heels, and lay in bed. I replay the evening, wondering who he really is. He seemed to have enjoyed our kiss as much as I had, but he seemed like he needed to know if I was a Healer. Is he playing me? Why does it matter if I am or not? I wonder if he has fae blood. He’s too good at these games. I flip over in frustration.

The next morning, I don my new clothing and take a moment to inspect it in the mirror. It’s been a very long time since I’ve worn something as feminine and form-fitting as this for work. It feels good. It helps that Mama Tina bought it for me since I’m too cheap to spend anything on decent clothing myself. Besides, I couldn’t afford these on my own right now. If my clothes hadn’t been stolen by the shifters, I may have just stuck with those, dirty and ripped as they were. For so long, I’ve hidden beneath men’s clothing. Trying to be small, unnoticed, and to be honest, uncaring about my appearance. Being mistaken for a boy at times has its benefits in my line of work. But something has changed. When Mama Tina joined me to buy clothes, I expected to hate it. It’s been years since I’ve let her buy me anything. This time, I was immediately drooling over this outfit. Now that it’s on, I feel more like myself than I have in years, and I find I don’t miss my over-large clothing anymore. Not only that, I have two more outfits already folded neatly in my pack.

I head down the stairs. We have our things packed and ready to leave by the door. Neither of us mentions the kiss from the night before, but I can hardly look at him without blushing. If I don’t pull it together pretty quick, Mama Tina is going to end up in the know, and that’s the last thing I want.

Ikar and I end up at the door for one more round of goodbyes. Mama Tina leans forward to hug me, and I wrap my arms tight around her, her light floral scent surrounding me. I inhale deeply and squeeze her a little tighter before I let go, savoring her familiarity and motherly sort of love. When we finally step apart, she turns to Ikar with a sparkle in her eye and hugs him, whispering something in his ear that has him chuckling and nodding.

Mama Tina turns back toward me and lifts a questioning arched brow. I realize she’s waiting for the money to send to the Tulips. I never told her my decision.

I lean toward her, give her one more quick hug, and whisper, “Use the money I left to pay for Renna’s dues. I won’t be paying them any longer for myself.”

I can tell she wants to know more, to ask questions, but she smiles widely. I try not to let that approval buoy me so much. I made this decision for me and me alone. And though I don’t need her approval, it’s nice to see that she’s pleased with my decision.

I glance at Ikar and see questions in his gaze. I forget he has his magic back, and he may have heard, but I act as if nothing out of the normal has happened .

Renna steps forward next and I squeeze her hard. “I left the money. Use it for your bracelet, okay?” I whisper.

She nods. “Be careful, Vera.” She eyes Ikar for a moment over my shoulder and then returns her attention to me. “And thank you. You’ve given me more than I can ever hope to return.”

“Sisters by magic,” I whisper with a grin, as I hug her again before I step back and grab my new pack.

We throw out a few more goodbyes, and I quickly wipe away a few stray tears. It’s always difficult to be away. And then we’re off. Only another two days to the High Kingdom, and hopefully Rhosse and Darvy are waiting for us, alive and well.

Rupi finishes devouring the pile of seeds, tiny worms, and nuts a maid has left on her fancy perch in the sitting room, then she swoops to land on my shoulder as we walk out the door.

Usually, she acts a little down when we leave Mama Tina’s. She is never better fed than when we’re there, but this time, she seems happy to be on our way, chirping cheerfully as we stroll through the complex and beautiful fae city. I soak up the depth of color and smell here. Colors appear deeper, beautiful aromas clearer, and sounds of the forest as a true symphony. As soon as we step through the realm door, the world will seem muted, as if the fae stole half the world’s beauty and doubled their own.

Ikar pulls me from my thoughts. “I think meeting your family was a complete success,” he says with a confident grin and a swagger in his step. We’ve left the fae now and are entering forests shared between kingdoms. We see occasional travelers and fully expect the rest of our trip to be uneventful. I appreciate the reprieve before we enter the Lucent Mountains for the job I accepted.

I look at him, attempting to gauge if he is joking or not.

“Which part was the most successful?” I hold up my fingers one by one as I list off. “Getting into a fight with my ex-boyfriend at the dinner party? Getting caught about to kiss by Mama Tina? Or, lying to the fae about being a criminal so you’ll never be welcome there as anything else?” I wait for his reply.

“All of the above.” He grins proudly. “I’ve only had a chance to fight a fae once before, so this one went better than expected.” He rolls his shoulders like he’s anticipating another challenge in the near future. “I’m sure they’ll welcome me again.” He’s never sounded more confident.

I saw the way he was so readily accepted, so this time I don’t argue with him.

While we walk, I let the reality of my decision sink in. I’m leaving with half the savings I had, as I left the rest with Mama Tina to pay Renna’s dues. At least Renna will be safe with the fae, and happy. She deserves it.

And while I feel a new sense of freedom, I also feel terrified that I messed up. My parents sacrificed so much to keep me safe and keep the dues paid. They, and the Tulips, have stressed the importance of that protection since I can remember. And now I have simply decided to set aside years of warnings and sacrifice. Apart from that, I never considered when the protection of the bracelet will lapse. One month? Two? A few days? Yesterday? I’ve never been able to remove the bracelet, its charm ensuring it won’t fall off or be removed. Now that I haven’t paid, I test it with a strong pull. It holds, so I suppose it’s still working. It’ll probably fall off when the money should have arrived to Tatania and it doesn’t, but how should I know? I have the strongest urge to turn back and shove the money into Mama Tina’s hands and go back to living my life the way I always have. I don’t realize how fast I’m walking, how my fists are clenched, or how fast my breathing has become until Ikar speaks up.

“What is it?” Ikar asks, looking concerned.

I hesitate, not sure how much to share. “Have you ever done something that seems like the right thing, but most would say is wrong?”

Ikar looks at me intently, that guardedness fills his eyes again. “Yes, many times.”

“Did it turn out okay?”

“Most of the time, yes.” He speaks slowly now. “My current situation, I have yet to know.”

“What is your situation? I know you’re searching for a flower. Then what?”

“Then I have to find a person.” I can practically see his strong shoulders sag beneath the weight of it as the words leave his mouth.

He’s not being evasive at all, and he’s no longer smiling. It’s duty I see in the set of his face and shoulders. What does that mean? I’m not sure if I want to know more, but the decision is out of my hands when Ikar jumps into talking about maps and how many days we have left to get to Moneyre, where instead of him being dropped off with the officials, we will be searching for Darvy and Rhosse. My mind still spins thinking of how plans have changed. I can no longer claim Ikar as my criminal . It’s almost become a term of endearment, and I snicker to myself, considering if I should continue to use it. But then I stop laughing as I realize I still don’t even know what Ikar is . I feel as if I know him so well when I hardly know him at all. And here I’ve contracted to work with him.

Not all mercenaries are criminals. Just most of them . Is that what he is? I’ve already decided he’s not one of the Tulip killers, so while I worry for the safety of my sisters, I know no harm will come from him. What is he, then?

“What exactly is your profession if you’re not a Class A criminal?” I ask, almost afraid to hear the answer.

He considers for a long moment. “Are you sure you want me to tell you?” he asks with a questioning brow. “Because we can complete this mission without you ever knowing.”

He’s being quite serious, and now I’m even more scared. But what could be worse than a Class A criminal?

I nod.

“I’m a high-ranking officer in the High King’s army.”

I swallow tightly, trying to school my features. Worse. Definitely worse.

To be continued in The Black Tulip Chronicles Book Two: Queen of the Night

Coming in 2025

Continue reading for a sneak peek of the first chapter...

*Author reserves the right to make any necessary changes to the first chapter and title prior to publishing “Queen of the Night.”