Magic Edge (11 page)

It was signed with a big, cursive S. In red. Alex shook her head. Crazy assassin.

“What’s in there?” she asked Logan, pointing at the cage.

“Some spare furniture.”

“All that…” She waved at the sign. “…for a few pieces of furniture?”

“It’s not about the furniture. It’s about the image. The day people think they can mess with my things will be the end of my career. No one wants to hire an assassin people aren’t afraid of.”

“You have a good relationship with your neighbors, do you?”

He shrugged. “They don’t bother me.”

In other words, they were all scared shitless of him.

“On the other hand,” he said. “No one would dare attack this building. Even the monsters know to stay away.”

“Just one of the perks of living in the same building as a notorious assassin?”

“Are you always this sarcastic?”

“Of course.”

He didn’t smile, but she could tell he really wanted to. “Well, it is one of your more endearing qualities.”

“Along with slashing monsters.”

“I do love a woman who can decapitate an enormous sea slug.”

“It was a sea serpent.”

He reached over and patted her arm. “Sure it was, sweetheart.”

As his hand slid down to her fingertips, her pulse prickled against her skin. This time, he did smile—and it was a knowing sort of smile. Her heart was pounding hard and heavy, her head spinning with crazy thoughts.

She swung open the door and jumped out of the car. Being so close to him was…unnerving. Yeah, that was the word. Not thrilling. And most definitely not tempting. Assassins weren’t tempting. They were scary. Scary and crazy.

“So, I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said awkwardly, not looking back at him as she headed for the door.

“Alex.”

He was right beside her. Too close. Again. She could feel the heat evaporating off his body.

“I have to go.”

“Wait,” he said, grabbing her wrist.

She spun around, trying not to see him.

“How am I going to make it up all those stairs in my
condition
?” he asked, drawing out the last word. His face was perfectly serious, but there was just something about his aura… Amusement?

“You seem fine. And there’s an elevator.” She tried to pry his hand off her wrist—and failed. He had an iron grip. “Let go.”

“Why?”

He was playing games with her. And playing with an assassin was a really bad idea.

“Either you let go, or I will draw my sword and make you let go,” she said.

He laughed, releasing her arm. “We’re not as different as you tell yourself we are.”

“Goodnight, Logan.”

“You need to see me safely home.
All
the way home. Doctor’s orders.”

“I don’t think Daisy meant I had to tuck you into your bed for the night.”

He pulled out his phone. “Shall we ask her?”

“No.” Daisy would probably say she had, in fact, meant just that. Pixies got a kick out of playing silly tricks like that.

Alex headed for the elevator and pressed the button. The sooner this was over with, the better.

“Which floor?” she asked as they walked inside the elevator.

“Top.”

Penthouse suite. Of course. She hit the top button. The smooth hum of the climbing elevator filled the empty silence. Alex tried to stand still—and not to fidget. Across the very tiny cabin, the assassin was watching her like she was his next target.

“So,” she said quickly. “How do you know Daisy?”

The gleam in his eyes didn’t die down, even as he responded, “Daisy and I go way back. I met her years ago, back when I first arrived in Zurich. I came here to take on my first job as an assassin.”

“How did it go?”

“Not well. I really didn’t know anything back then. I got pretty badly torn up.”

“More than today?”

“Yes, a lot more than today. Daisy fixed me up. She told me how stupid I’d been. She said I was physically strong, but I acted dumb. I didn’t like her very much for that, but it was what I needed to hear. In my line of work, an overinflated ego is essentially a death sentence.”

She snorted. “You realize your ego is bigger than anyone’s, right?”

“That’s not ego. It’s fact. I know precisely what I can and cannot do. I just happen to be able to do a lot more than basically anyone.”

“Right. Just give me a chance to fight you after I haven’t been tied up in chains all night, and we’ll see who comes up on top.”

“I’d love to have you come up on top, darling.”

The look in his eyes almost made her turn away, but she was too stubborn to lose a staring contest with an assassin. Especially that assassin.

“I’ll bring my sword,” she said, tapping her fingers across her arms.

“I’ll bring my knives.” A smile slid across his lips. “Or would you prefer to grapple without our weapons.”

And without our clothes.
She could almost hear the unsaid suggestion lingering on his lips. She wished he would just say it outright, so she could punch him in the face. But an assassin never attacked directly. He slid past your defenses, his movements unseen until it was too late.

The elevator doors opened, and she hopped out. She took only two steps before the hallway ended in a door. Logan’s hand brushed past her hip, and she jumped.

“Relax, hun. I’m just opening the door.” He slid his key into the lock.

“What happened next with Daisy?” she asked, forcing her spiraling thoughts back on track.

He swung the door open, then waved her inside. “After she fixed me up, she told me where I needed to go to learn how to not get myself killed.”

“Where?”

“Have you heard of the Veiled?”

“It’s an order of assassins.”

“It’s
the
order of assassins.” He trailed her into the apartment and flipped on the lights. “The best assassins in the world. I trained under them for several years, then returned to Europe to work as an independent assassin.”

“Where are they?”

“Far away,” he said vaguely. “I’m sworn to secrecy. I cannot reveal the location of their base.” He walked toward the kitchen. “Would you like something to drink?”

Alex stared out of his living room window. They were high above the city. Below, white and yellow lights stretched out like a twinkling carpet, hugging the shores of the lake. As dark as black ice, the water looked almost peaceful—if only she hadn’t known about the monsters lurking beneath the surface.

Logan’s living room was no less spectacular than the view. A border of leafy gold and red details surrounded the edges of the glossy marble floors. The furniture was a classy mix of leather and wood, and there were enough gadgets to fill an electronics store.

“Alex?”

She turned around to find him standing there with a glass of pale pink liquid in his hand.

“Thirsty?” he asked.

“What is it?”

He handed her the glass. “Water with strawberry and peppermint.”

“Is that all?” She sniffed the drink. It smelled sweet and minty.

“No, I’m trying to drug you.” He rolled his eyes. “Of course that’s all. You have real trust issues, don’t you?”

“Oh, forgive my caution,” she growled. “I woke up this morning after being drugged and chained down in an old warehouse.”

“I didn’t drug you. It was the bartender from Impulse.”

“Who’s dead now, so I can’t even confirm that he did it.”

“Are you questioning my honor?”

“Are you questioning my intelligence?” she shot back. “Because forgive me if I don’t take the word of an assassin when he claims he didn’t kill someone.”

“Have I given you any reason not to trust me?”

“You chained me up.”

He sighed. “Besides that.”

“Besides that? Do you ever listen to yourself talk? You chained me up all night in a freaking factory, you psychopath.”

“You passed out. I got you out of Impulse before Hugh or anyone else tried to kill you.”

“And the chains?”

“You sure are crotchety, aren’t you? Just so you know, you didn’t spend the night in chains. You slept on a sofa. And when you started to wake up, I put you in the chains so you wouldn’t attack me.”

“You could have just brought me home.”

“And have you believe I tried to poison you?” he said. “I wanted to work with you, which could only happen if you agreed to speak with me.”

“So you decided to force a conversation by tying me up?”

He frowned. “Well, when you put it like that, of course it sounds bad.”

“There is no other way to put it!”

“Will it help if I apologize?”

“That depends on what you say.”

“Alexandria Dering, please allow me to express my deepest remorse for restraining you for my own selfish purposes. I hereby swear to never tie you up again—” He grinned. “—without your permission.”

“Very pretty apology,” she told him.

“Do you accept it?”

“Fine. Whatever.”

She took a sip of her drink. The taste of peppermint chased strawberry across her tongue. It was good. She took another sip, looking around the apartment.

“Being an assassin sure must pay well,” she commented.

He slipped off his jacket, tossing it onto the sofa. “It does.”

Alex kept her eyes up—and far, far away from his body. Corded muscle, taunt and hard, stretched across his body, pressing against his shirt. Every line, every curve and dip, was etched into the skintight fabric.

“I could use a partner,” he said. “Interested?”

Yes, please. Wait, no.
Alex shook her head. So much for not looking at him.

As she met his smile, she decided two things. Firstly, there was something indecent in that smile. And secondly—more troubling—that she liked it. She set her glass down and started to back away before she could do something really stupid. Like even more stupid than going home with an assassin.

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay?” he asked, following her.

“I’m sure.”

Then she opened the door and ran out.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Reckless

ALEX HURRIED HOME and went straight to bed. But she couldn’t escape the assassin. He followed her into her dreams.

She stood barefoot on Logan’s roof terrace, looking down at the twinkling city lights as she sipped strawberry-peppermint water. She was dressed in a tennis skirt and a thin tank top. For some strange reason, she wasn’t wearing underwear. Or a bra.

A cool breeze slid across her skin, shooting icicles to every tip of her body. She shivered.

“Cold?”

Strong, warm arms embraced her from behind. She leaned back into the assassin, resting her head on his bare chest.

“No,” she said.

A chuckle rumbled deep in his chest. “Alex.” He turned her around to face him. “You’re being reckless again.”

“By spending time with you?”

“Yes.” His hand caressed her jaw, following the line down her neck. “Assassins are dangerous.” His fingers massaged the back of her head, slowly working her hair free of the ponytail.

“Mmm.”

“We’re a bad influence.” He kissed her softly, his lips teasing hers before pulling away.

She arched forward, following him. “I know.”

“Alex.” He inhaled deeply. “You aren’t wearing any underwear.”

“How do you know?”

“Enhanced senses, remember?” He took another deep breath. “You should know better than to taunt an assassin.”

Alex’s breath hiccuped as his hands slid down her butt.

“We always rise to the challenge.” He slipped one hand between her legs and drew a burning line down the inside of her thigh.

“Logan,” she moaned, willing him to move his hand back up.

“We don’t shy away, don’t hesitate.”

“But you do tease.”

His green eyes flashed. “Yes. Oh, Alex, you can’t even imagine how much I want you.”

The barrier holding back her magic crackled as it began to fracture. “Sure…I can.”

“You want me too,” he said smugly.

Molten magic bubbled beneath her skin like magma.

“Say it.”

“I want you,” she admitted. Her magic thumped and burned, trying to break past the crumbling barrier. “Now are you going to kiss me or what?”

“Oh, I’m going to do so much more than kiss you, darling.” His lips brushed against her neck. “You thought this was teasing? Seduction is a six-course meal, and this was only the appetizer.”

Alex’s pulse spiked as he kissed the inside of her wrist. Her blood was burning in her veins.

“I have all night,” he said with a leisurely smile. “And I’m going to string you up so tight that a single touch will make you explode.”

She leaned in and bit him on the lip. A crimson drop dangled from his mouth, daring her to lick it. She didn’t even try to resist it.

“Alex,” he growled.

She could feel the desire pouring off of him like magic. She bit him again. Roaring, he slammed her against the window. His hands tore at her clothes, impatient and unchecked.

“How long have you been thinking about me?” he asked, tossing her shirt off the balcony.

She pressed herself against him. Magic poured down her arms, supercharging every nerve in her body.

He leaned back, evading her lips. “How long?”

“Logan,” she protested and dropped her head.

He balanced a finger beneath her chin and pushed up until she met his eyes. “Alex, how long?”

“Since we fought that pack of werewolves.”

A satisfied smile cut across his lips. “So the first day we met.”

“Yes.”

“Good. The first step is admitting it to yourself.”

“The first step? The first step to wh—”

His kiss swallowed her words; his touch overrode her mind. And as his hands slid beneath her skirt, her magic exploded. Light and color clashed and erupted in a dizzying array of fireworks that popped her ears and scorched her blood.