Thief: X (17 page)

“Demons aren’t meant to be heroes.”

“But can you imagine if you were the first? The first demon hero?” I could see him thinking about how he could spin it in the demon world,

“I suppose I could do it. I’m dressing him for a ball in an hour. Maybe I could sneak a looksy then? Ummmmm.” He was rubbing his chin, which meant I had him, hook, line and sinker.

“I’m sure men and women would fight to spend time with you.”

“Ok, I’ll do it. If I go now I can pick out his outfit early and free up some time.”

“Thank you.” I smiled and then in a dramatic poof he was gone and then he came back again,

“Oh, don’t think I don’t know what you’ve just done but I’m sure a pair of limited edition Jimmy Choo’s will make up for your deceit. Let me know if this sparkles.” I wanted to ask what when in a puff of pink and sparkly smoke he disappeared.

“Yeah it does.” I laughed.

“Xan?” Wasn’t I the wanted one tonight?

“Marshall.”

“I thought you wanted to talk?”

“I do. I think you’ll need to sit for this.”

Usually I just came out with whatever needed to be said, but this time my tongue was drier than the Sierra Desert and my mouth had forgotten how to form words. I knew he was going to blame himself for his daughter’s kidnapping and there was nothing I could do. I decided it was best to just come out with it,

“You’re a changeling.”

“A what?”

“A changeling.”

“I heard that and still don’t know what it means for me or my daughter.”

“You’re not technically human.”

“Of course I am. My parents were human and so am I, being their son.” He laughed and usually it was the sweetest sound but this time it hurt. I was about to shatter all his illusions,

“They’re not your parents.”

“Come on Xan, I’m not stupid. My mom’s in Florida and I’ve listened for years when she tells everyone she was in labour with me for three days and just as she was giving in I decided to make an appearance. How can she not be my mother?”

“Because it wasn’t you she gave birth to.” Why did everything have to be so difficult?

“Right, of course. How much have you had to drink?” I rubbed my head because it was starting to pound thanks to Marshall’s naivety,

“Urgh, this isn’t working! Look, thirty seven years ago there was this massive coo in the Elven Highlands. That’s where the ruling families of Fairy lived. It was a massacre. A complete blood bath, orchestrated by the Elk to take control. Everyone thought the ruling families had all died but there were rumours.”

“Is this another tall tale?”

“Please Marshall, just listen.” For the first time in years I was trying to be sincere. I hadn’t even realised I was holding his hand on the table,

“You’re being serious?” He questioned for me to nod,

“There’d always been this rumour that the babies had been saved. You see, elves are only fertile for a short period, once a decade and so they always give birth at the same time. When the castles were raided they apparently didn’t find any. Nurseries stocked full, but no babies,”

“So what happened to them?” And that right there was the million dollar question,

“Their nannies hid them in plain sight. They swapped them for human babies and gave them loving parents.”

“But I don’t have pointy ears.”

“It’s illusion. Cosmetic changes in infants are easy enough to do.”

“What happened to the babies that were swapped?”

“I don’t know. Some say they returned to the Highlands with them and others say…”

“They were disposed of?” Marshall looked white as I nodded, “I’m sorry but I just don’t believe it. I was a non-believer until you came along. Surely if I was a
changeling
I wouldn’t have been?”

“That was the point. The whole plan was a success and the royal lines were protected. Yeah you and the others had no idea, but your bloodline would eventually be called on.”

“Nope, still don’t believe it.” He rubbed his fingers over the top of his ears. I knew the moment he started to believe the illusion would shatter and from his reaction so did he,

“I take it you’re carrying your gun?”

“Of course.” He smiled and patted at the hip holster,

“Ok, place it on the table.” He looked puzzled but did as I said. I’d been wondering about it since the moment I’d seen it,

“Why does it have an ivory handle?” He looked at me but was silent, “I’m guessing you have an intolerance to some metals. If exposed for a long time you get a rash or start itching. Did you buy it or did you find it somewhere?”

“When my dad died, I was clearing out his study and there it was in a small wooden box. He was a Texas Ranger too and I thought he’d been given it at some point in his career. I’ve kept it with me ever since.”

“Did it have a tree carved in the lid?” He nodded at my question, “I thought as much. The gun’s enchanted. I’m surprised it’s a gun but they say elven weapons are what you need them to be. It was sent to you, it’s yours and you’ll never lose it. When we were in that hell of a prison didn’t you notice every shot hit true and actually did more damage than anyone else.”

“I was a little busy to notice anything other than not to die.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I laughed, “The fact is, you’re an elf Marshall and a royal one at that.”

“Then there’s what the Librarian said about the unknown elf. Naturally, we thought it was Clockwork but what if it was you. You followed him here and would show up in her records. The fact you had no idea you’re a changeling hid your origin and bloodline. It’s too much of a coincidence Marshall and I learned a very long time ago there’s no such thing.”

“I’m sorry but all this is bull shit. Yeah I accept there’s this whole other world in the shadows but I’m human. I have a mother, a daughter…”

“A daughter that’s an elven half breed.”

“My daughter is human!”

“Your daughter was taken because she has royal, elven blood because
you
are a changeling!”

“You’re only saying this because you want me tangled up in
your
world. Don’t think I haven’t noticed how you look at me.” Oh no he didn’t!

“
My
world? As I recall you came to me. I wanted nothing whatsoever to do with this mess but oh, freakin no. I don’t care if you’re human, demon or a bloody elf. As for the way I look at you? You must be seeing things because there’s no way in hell I’d fall for a guy that was so egocentric he can’t see the truth when it slaps him in the face. Just remember I never asked for any of this. None of it. Not even my sin eater side.” I pushed out the booth and stormed out.

I’d let way more out than I wanted to. At least he had the illusion of being human for so long. I’d never had that gift. I was a sin eater and a scion of Cain. I was born this way, whether I accepted it or not. I knew Marshall was going to be difficult. Reality was sometimes the hardest thing to believe but the thought of him thinking I was lying to keep him close to me made my blood boil. Yeah he was attractive, you had to be blind not think that but if he thought…urgh men!

“Hello love.” Dorian stepped out of the shadows. As always, he was immaculately dressed in a grey pin stripped suit, with his cane tucked under his arm, “You look a little frustrated?”

“Piss off Dorian, I’m not in the mood.” I stormed past him and head for my house,

“At least allow me to walk you home. You never know what dangers lurk on a night like this.”

“The only thing lurking is you.” I laughed,

“Exactly love.”

I was trying to ignore him but he followed next to me anyway. I’d finally reached my front door and cooled off a little,

“Coffee?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

Dorian headed for the living room, while I made the coffee. I poured a very large shot of whiskey in mine and headed back,

“So why were you lurking?” I handed him his coffee and I sat on the sofa, curling my legs around me,

“I was waiting for you. I heard about your driving mishap.”

“I don’t call having Betty’s brakes cut a ‘mishap’. Someone was trying to kill us. I see you managed to get to your tailor.”

“And a fine suit it is. It’s not exactly custom but one can’t expect a perfect suit to be made in a couple of hours. Have you ever thought about us?” Where the hell had that just come from?

“In what way?”

“You know after our brief affair.”

“Oh get over yourself Dorian. It wasn’t an ‘affair’. It was sex, and if I remember correctly, you did a runner. I woke up and you’d gone. Vanished. Not even a goodbye note.”

“And I’ll be eternally sorry for that. Business suddenly came up and I had to be somewhere else pretty sharpish.”

“Doesn’t really excuse your behaviour though does it? You’d chased me for weeks and when I finally thought there could be something more between us you vanished. That isn’t a relationship Dorian, it’s a one night stand and I won’t complicate my life with either anymore.”

“I assure you it was more than a one night stand to me. It was one of the reasons I came back. I needed to see how you were and I couldn’t find the right words to say sorry.”

“Are you sorry?”

“Of course I am. I wouldn’t be here now if I wasn’t.”

“There’s always a motive behind your actions. I don’t think you’ll ever change and that’s why I can’t trust you.” I sighed and took a sip of coffee. The burn of the alcohol hit my throat and I coughed,

“Are you ok?” Dorian put his mug down and looked at me concerned,

“Just choking on nothing. It’s my speciality.” I smiled,

“You need to unwind, take some time out for yourself…”

“The problem is, I’m running out of time.”

“How about I give you one of my famous shoulder rubs. I bet you’re all tense and knotted up?” I did have the weight of the world on my shoulders,

“The last time you touched me we ended up in bed together.”

“Would that be so bad?

“I can’t cope with anymore drama Dorian, seriously.”

“We could be friends with benefits? No emotional strings, just two adults enjoying each other’s company and getting pleasure from each other in the process.”

“I dunno. Things are a little manic and I don’t want to start something…” He looked at me and took the mug from my hand, placing it on the table,

“At least let me rub those shoulders for you.” He turned me around until my back faced him and started to knead the aching muscles.

He was right, this week had taken its toll on my body and my muscles melted under his hands. For once my brain wasn’t processing things a mile a minute and I sank into the oblivion that was Dorian. I hadn’t even noticed when his lips started to kiss my neck but I was now locked in his sexual thrall. I was so used to the pain in my body, the contrasting pleasure always made me want to run away but this time I wanted the escape. Maybe friends with benefits could work?

I didn’t stop him as he slipped off my clothes and I definitely didn’t stop him from stripping. Dorian’s body could have been sculpted out of marble, a work of art that was meant to be looked at and admired. He was athletic with just the right amount of muscle to define every ab. This was a man that literally made women weak at the knees and he was standing in front of me. There was nothing as sexy as a man fully aroused who wanted you. My libido kicked in full force. The stress of everything that had happened had suddenly turned into a different type of energy as we crashed into the sofa. Hands, lips and bodies coaxing out as much pleasure as we could from each other. Dorian was definitely a man of experience and I was melting from the heat.

Each thrust of his body had me teetering on the edge of oblivion and I wanted to give in and fall. He was perfect in every way, so why couldn’t I get Marshall out of my head? He was the complete opposite of Dorian. Rough around the edges and a soul as bright as the sun. He was too good for me to corrupt him, even though I’d started to want him even more. The second he realised I was no good for him he’d leave. There was no point even trying anyway, there was no way I was going to be the ‘other woman’ in a marriage, although the thought of rope, Stetsons and Marshall was a little too much to handle.

My body broke apart as my orgasm hit. Adram had been right; I really had needed to get laid. I was lying in utter bliss as my body pulsed with pleasure. Marshall had become a distant memory in the haze but the bliss was soon obliterated by a shattering pain in my chest. I opened my eyes to see Dorian panting over me with his sword exposed from his cane and stabbed through my heart,

“I’m so sorry Xan, they have my portrait…”

“You son of a bitch!” I yelled trying to move but his sword had gone through me, my sofa and wedged itself in the floor. Dorian scrambled off me obviously trying to comprehend why I wasn’t dead. He was back to his soulless self in an instant and pulled a small dagger from the hilt of the sword, stabbing it hard through my eye.

“Just stay dead Xan. It’s better for everyone.” This time I did.