Never More (17 page)

Raven hovered over her, bracing on his hands as he fucked her, his gaze darting between her face and her breasts and the hand she had between her thighs.

When she began to tremble, the orgasm so close she could taste it, he pulled out.

“What?”

He flipped her over onto her hands and knees, pushing her head down until her forehead rested on the pillow. He spread her knees apart, and for a second all she felt was the cool air on her overheated pussy.

With a groan he thrust home, the stretch of him inside her tight almost to the point of pain. She wiggled until she could reach her clit again, stroking in time to his thrusts, backing into him until all she heard was the sound of flesh meeting flesh.

This time when the orgasm overcame her she almost lost her balance, her body unable to remain in position as her muscles locked and her vision went white. Her toes curled as her pussy spasmed around him, the sensation so intense she thought she might black out.

She barely managed to stay on her knees as he continued to fuck her through her orgasm, his panting breaths and low moans indicating how close he was to achieving his own ecstasy. She held tight as he finally reached his own peak, the wet heat of him filling her as he came.

With a sigh she flopped down, pulling herself off of him until she was a sweaty, tangled mess on the sheets.

“You okay?” he panted, his gaze filled with concern.

She couldn’t speak yet, so instead she gave him a weak thumbs-up.

He chuckled and carefully lowered himself onto her. If they stayed like that, they’d be permanently stuck together.

She wasn’t sure she cared.

“Wow.”

She grinned and nodded. That had been intense, one of the best orgasms of her life.

“Think we can do that again?”

Two thumbs-up.

He laughed. “Sounds like a plan to me.”

She nodded, giggling when he tickled her side. “Stop it!”

“I love that sound,” he sighed happily.

“What sound?” She closed her eyes, content just to be there with him.

“Your laugh.” He kissed her shoulder, just above the raven, then pressed his forehead to her shoulder. “It makes me believe again.”

She held herself still, unwilling to break the spell those brief, heartfelt words had woven around her.

When he reached for her hand, she wove their fingers together and held on while they drifted off to sleep.

Chapter Seventeen

“All right. I managed to trace that call you were talking about.” Li followed Robin and Raven into the collapsed building.

Raven wasn’t looking forward to this. This time they knew what they were searching for, but with the damage the White Court investigators had done to the crime scene, plus the building’s collapse, it was going to be a nightmare to find it. “And?”

“The number was warded against tracing.” Li rubbed his forehead wearily. “I’ve got a headache, but I’ve also got a location for you.”

“Where?” Because as soon as they were done here, he was going to pay a visit to that location and beat the crap out of any fae he found there.

“Topeka.”

Raven stared at Li as Robin began rummaging through the debris. “Kansas?”

Li nodded. “And Hoboken, New Jersey. And Redmond, Washington. And London, England. Hong Kong, China. Glasgow, Scotland. Palermo, Sicily, etc., etc. Damn number was all over the map.”

“Where didn’t it go to?”

Li pointed to the ground. “Here.”

Raven sighed. Damn it. He’d hoped Li would be able to find Sayyid through the number, but it didn’t look like that was going to happen. Whoever had blocked the number had done so effectively. “All right. Then we do this the hard way.”

“Sorry, man. Wish I could have found it. I’ll keep working on it, see if I can narrow it to one specific place.”

Raven placed his hand on Li’s shoulder. “You did good. I appreciate it.”

Li grinned. “You’re welcome.”

The two men followed Robin’s lead, sifting through the trashed house, hoping that the White Court investigators hadn’t touched what the three of them were seeking. “Tell me about the murder.”

“Head removed, feathers, single slice. Same as the others, only she was covered in dust and debris and almost crushed by the roof of the place. We’re the only ones who know the feathers were planted.”

Raven stopped. “So she was here when I took care of that death trap.”

“Did you check any of the rooms?” Li kicked over what was once a dining table, now nothing but scrap.

“No. I didn’t go into any room with a closed door once I realized the place was booby-trapped.” And that had killed someone innocent.

“And the only trap you found was the one you dismantled.” Robin was staring at where the cubbyhole under the stairs had been, the place where the death trap had been placed. “I’m thinking the two traps were connected.”

“So it was my presence, my unraveling the trap, that set off the second one.”

Robin gestured toward the ruined staircase. “I would hazard a guess and say Lady Sybil was resting in her room upstairs, unaware that a trap even existed. Had you entered the room, you would have seen nothing, for she was inside her own little trap, unaware her life would soon end.”

“Then we need to investigate those rooms.” Raven picked up a broken bit of mirror. “Or what’s left of them.”

“I will tend to things down here,” Robin directed. “You and Red will check upstairs. Look for the link point between this sigil and the other. Once found, report back.”

“Yes, sir,” Li responded, heading for the stairs.

Raven nodded once and followed the gremlin. He had to fly over certain portions where the steps were gone. Li, on the other hand, bounded from one broken step to the next with ease, like a goat climbing a mountain. When they reached the top, they realized two of the bedrooms were completely gone, collapsed to ground level.

That left three bedrooms and a partial attic to explore. And one of those bedrooms was the one Raven had seen the illusionary Sayyid in. “I’m checking that room first.” He pointed to the end of the hall. “That’s where the Sayyid illusion was.”

“Think that was the trigger point?” Li stared at it, his eyes glazing over as they did when he sought out electrical lines. “I’m not getting anything. The power here was cut off long ago.”

“I do, but we’ll check the other rooms just to be sure.”

“Want me to go with you?” Li was staring at the attic, his expression confused. “Raven?”

“Yeah?” He was edging toward Sayyid’s room, ready to get on with this.

“I think you need to come with me.” Li grabbed his arm and jumped, the two of them landing in the attic with ease. “Come on.”

Raven allowed Li to tug on him. Now he knew how Amanda felt. “What’s up here?”

Li stood in the middle of what was left of the attic floor, scowling down at a battered, moth-eaten rug. “Take a look.”

Raven pushed at the rug with his toe until he’d uncovered the edge of a ragged chalk line. “Shit.”

“That’s not all.” Li pointed to the pattern on the rug. “This rug is definitely of brownie make, but look at the pattern.”

Raven looked at the pattern for the first time, studying it carefully. Once all of the colors and swirls came together, it was obvious what he was really looking at. “Is that a Sidhe coat of arms?”

“The McQueen coat of arms, to be exact.” Li ran his fingers over the lines. Some of them glowed at his touch, but very few of those glowing lines touched one another. “I think this was the trigger point.”

Raven peeked over the edge of the floor. “Then she was more than likely in…” Ah, there it was, and it was
not
the Sayyid bedroom, as he’d expected. “That bedroom.”

They slipped down to the second floor and cautiously opened the door to the bedroom indicated.

Inside was chaos, more than the damaged floor below. Blood was splattered everywhere, nothing like the pristine crime scenes they’d seen at the last two murders. “What the hell?”

Li looked just as astonished as Raven felt. “I have no fucking clue. None of this was in the initial reports.”

“Don’t go in the room.” Raven eyed it suspiciously. There was something off about the whole thing. He sniffed the air, the scent of death overpowering everything else. “Are you sure this was the murder room?”

“It’s directly below the symbol.”

Hmm. Raven ran his finger absentmindedly down the doorjamb. “All of the other scenes of death were almost completely clean. A bloodstained rug, no real spatter. Contained, rather than this.”

“He didn’t have time to set it up properly.” Li glanced upward. “Or something smudged his sigil, and it didn’t work the way it was supposed to.”

“You think she might have fought back?” Li cautiously stepped into the room despite Raven’s immediate protest.

When nothing happened Raven heaved a sigh of relief. “Asshole. You scared ten feathers off me.”

Li ignored him and continued on his cautious journey into the room. “Dried blood everywhere. Spray pattern indicates she was standing…” Li placed his feet halfway to the door. “Here.”

Raven entered the room. He glanced toward each wall and upward, finding what he was seeking on the ceiling. “Look.” A single gray bit of chalk, a couple cobwebs and six stars, drawn graffiti-style, were over the spot where Lady Sybil met her end. “That chalk, just like the other murders.”

“But not quite centered over where I’m standing.” Li adjusted, standing directly under the gray chalk. “There.”

Raven grimaced. “But how did that change this scene?”

“The angle of attack, maybe? Or his cleaning service didn’t get here before the building collapsed?”

“I don’t think Merry Maids deals with murder.” Raven paced the room, looking for any hints as to the murder weapon. “More importantly, where’s the weapon?”

Li began searching. “There’s no fireplace.”

“The single lamp is broken, but the shade was made of fabric, not glass or metal.” Raven glanced toward the bed. “I doubt the bed was used, even if it is iron.”

“No, the last two places had…” Li glanced up. “The light fixture.”

“Huh?” Raven glanced up, only then aware that there was indeed a missing light fixture. “But there’s no broken glass under our feet and no metal.”

“If the White Court took it, they have the murder weapon in their hands.” Li rubbed his chin. “Nothing in their reports indicates that they have it though.”

“It’s possible they might be burying evidence that doesn’t point to me.” Raven wouldn’t put it past the White Queen. She had the Raven Lord in her sights and wasn’t going to let him off her hook that easily.

Li nodded. “Then we need to discover what’s in their possession.”

“And how do you suggest we do that?”

Li began to hum the
Mission Impossible
theme under his breath.

“What are you two up to?” Robin poked his head into the room, staring at Li with a puzzled frown.

Raven shared an amused glance with Li, and soon both of them were humming the tune.

Robin’s eyebrows went up. “You two are not running off to have fun without me.”

“Of course not,” Raven crooned.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Li yawned.

Robin shook his head. “Silly boys,” he sighed sadly. “As if I couldn’t find you wherever you go, and punish you for your disobedience.”

“Disobedience?” Raven pointed a finger at himself, hoping he got his outraged innocence expression just right. “Us?”

“You wound us. Truly.” Li held his hands to his chest, looking sad.

Robin just waved his hand, and suddenly they were on the Dunne farm once more. “Don’t test me, children. You won’t like it if you do.”

They were still protesting their innocence as they made their way up the front steps. From the way Robin’s lips kept twitching in amusement, they weren’t fooling him one little bit.

“Okay.” Amanda set down the binder. “We have one more DJ to interview, then we’re done.”

“And we have the photographer, right?” Michaela’s eyes were round with worry. “We got confirmation from him this morning?”

Amanda nodded absently. “Yup. He confirmed via email, and his credentials check out. Duncan says this guy’s done fae weddings before, so there’s nothing to worry about.” The Sidhe had been a blessing, giving her names to call and allowing her to use not only his name but Jaden’s as well. She’d barely met Jaden; the man had disappeared soon after she arrived, and for some reason Duncan wouldn’t say where he was. He must work for Robin, doing whatever it was the king’s enforcers did. She wasn’t going to question it any further.

It was just a shame they hadn’t spent any time together. Michaela made him sound like a trip and a half of fun.

“I think we’re done.” Amanda stared at the paperwork, amazed she’d managed to pull it off. Admittedly, she’d had a fuck-ton of help, but still. “We’re ready for you to get hitched.”

Michaela squee’d and put her arms around Amanda’s neck, hugging her tightly. “We couldn’t have done it without you.”

“You’re welcome.” Amanda patted her back and tried desperately to take a breath. “Can I breathe now?”

“Oh. Sorry.” Michaela let go, laughing when Amanda took a huge lungful of air. “You’re funny.”

“Thanks. I think.” Amanda tucked a blonde curl behind her ear. Raven, Robin and Li were off doing their thing again, and now that the wedding plans were complete, all Amanda had to do was stay on top of things and make sure no disasters happened.

She almost laughed in despair. Sure, things would go smoothly. Everything would come off without a hitch.

And Raven would turn out to be just a normal guy with a weird bird fetish.

“Are you okay? You look weird, like you have to laugh and fart at the same time.”

Amanda shook her head, driving away all thoughts of children with teeny weenie wieners. “I’m fine. Just wondering when Raven will be back.”

Music suddenly poured into the room, and Ruby came in, dancing joyfully. “Please tell me you’re done.”

Amanda and Michaela looked at each other. Michaela looked confused, but Amanda knew what Ruby was up to. She grinned, her toes tapping to the beat. “We’re done.”

“Then come on, guys! Let’s dance!”

Ruby pulled Amanda to her feet, dancing into the living room with her. Michaela quickly joined them, yelling for Melissa and Akane.

When the two women walked in, they stared at the three of them as if they were insane. “Dance, guys!”

Amanda laughed, feeling free. She loved dancing, loved that feeling of letting loose, letting her body just take over and move to the beat. It relaxed her, eased her tensions. It was something she did every once in a while, especially after a hard day’s work. She’d turn up the tunes and dance until she was covered in sweat.

Ruby had often been there when Amanda needed to let loose. She must have seen Amanda’s tension and figured out the best way to let it back out was to do what Amanda would have done at home.

Melissa was be-bopping all over the place, spazzing out but clearly enjoying the hell out of the whole thing. Akane was grinning as she watched them, bouncing from foot to foot and rubbing her belly. Ruby, of course, was moving from person to person, her expression sunny. And Michaela was almost as frantic as Melissa, but less…spaztastic.

Amanda watched them all, making sure everyone stayed within the cleared area, especially Akane and Melissa. While Akane wasn’t moving much, she was pregnant, and Amanda didn’t want anything to happen to her.

Melissa looked like she was going to take a header into the coffee table at any moment. Amanda carefully moved her out of the way. Melissa seemed to barely notice her as she continued to convulse, causing Amanda to remain in front of the coffee table just in case.

When Akane caught her eye and winked, Amanda realized she wasn’t the only one watching carefully over the others. She, too, had corralled a dancing Ruby, forcing her to get closer to Michaela, who was off in her own little world.

When Aileen entered the room and joined them without a word, Amanda laughed. The Sidhe lady had some moves on her, putting the rest of them to shame.

When the song ended, they clapped, Aileen bowing and blushing until the next song started up.

Arms were suddenly wrapped around her waist. “Is this a private party, or can anyone join in?”

Amanda’s smile turned wicked. Raven was back.

She slid out of his arms, dancing around him. “I don’t know. Think you can keep up?”

He began dancing around her, his moves smooth and sure, matching her almost step for step. He faltered only once when the music changed and so did her steps, but he picked it up rapidly. She threw her head back and laughed, picking up the pace when the music did, slowing down to touch his fingers, his hair.