Born in Blood (The Sentinels #1)(20)

His ego was big enough, thank you very much.

“A kiss for now,” he corrected, his voice gruff.

“And later?”

He pressed his lips to the edge of her mouth before lifting his head.

“I want ... everything,” he whispered in warning.

They were standing there, staring at one another in emotion-charged silence when the sound of approaching footsteps had them both turning to the door.

Once again it was Mel. The healer had clearly broken some rule that demanded community service. Not unusual for a young, impetuous man who’d barely left his teens. And he wasn’t a bit pleased with his duty of carrying messages.

Especially when that duty included playing servant in front of an aggressive male norm.

He glared toward Duncan. “The Mave wants to see you in her office.”

“Good news travels fast,” Duncan muttered.

Callie grimaced. Nothing happened in Valhalla that escaped the Mave’s attention. And a call from the human police chief would have hit her radar at record speed.

“Would you rather speak to her alone?” she asked.

“Hell no.”

There was a snicker from Mel, as if he’d never wet his pants when the Mave called him to her office.

“I’ll show our visitor to the Mave,” she informed the young man.

He sent Duncan another glare. “Should I alert the dungeons they’re about to have a guest?”

“Enough,” Callie said in dismissal, waiting until Mel turned to stroll down the hallway before leading Duncan in the opposite direction.

She kept the pace brisk, but there was no missing the cold, suspicious glances that followed their path.

“Friendly bunch.”

“As friendly as your fellow cops would be if I strolled into the station house,” she pointed out in low tones.

“Touché,” he muttered.

“This way.” Callie turned the corner, headed directly for the Mave’s office. It wasn’t until they were standing in the small alcove directly in front of her door that she realized Duncan was dragging his feet. Halting, she glanced over her shoulder in confusion. “What’s wrong?”

“I’ve heard a lot of rumors about your leader,” he confessed.

“Which rumors would those be, Sergeant O’Conner?” the Mave asked as she pulled open the door to offer Duncan a serene smile. “The one that claims I have actual horns and a tail? Or my personal favorite, the one that suggests I’m nothing more than a myth? Like the Wizard of Oz?”

Chapter Six

Duncan was accustomed to shoving his size twelve foot into his mouth.

It was one of his few talents.

But he wasn’t used to being struck speechless.

Holy shit. He felt like he’d been kicked by a mule as he caught his first glimpse of the mysterious Mave of Valhalla.

It wasn’t just that she was drop dead gorgeous. He had a distinct preference for flame-haired pixies with eyes of sapphires. Or that she displayed her witch’s mark with obvious pride. It was dark enough to warn even a thick-skulled norm that she had enough magic to turn them into something nasty if they didn’t keep their prejudices to themselves.

No, it was simply the power of her presence.

It was etched onto the pale, perfect oval of a face. In the storm gray eyes. And flickered in the aura only his gaze could detect.

Even if he didn’t know a damned thing about this woman, he would realize she was a force of nature.

“Good god,” he breathed.

“Not quite, Sergeant O’Conner,” she murmured as she stepped back and waved an arm toward the black and white room behind her. “Will you come in?”

Awkwardly moving past her slender form, he headed toward the nearest chair. “I’m sorry,” he muttered.

“Trust me, I’ve heard worse.” The Mave crossed to stand beside the large desk where a fully loaded tea tray was waiting. “Refreshment?”

“No.” Callie stepped next to him, elbowing him in the ribs to remind him of his manners. “Thank you,” he tagged on lamely, dropping into the leather seat.

Callie took the one next to him while the Mave slid into her seat behind the desk, her gaze on the young diviner.

“Callie, how are you feeling?”

“Fine.”

“No headaches?”

“None.”

“Good.” The gray eyes shifted toward Duncan. “I heard that you had a telephone call from your chief?”

Refusing to answer wasn’t an option. Not beneath that unnerving gaze.

“Leah’s body is missing.”

Something darkened the gray eyes. Not the shock he’d been expecting, but ... unease?

“Missing?”

“Yes.”

“Negligence or theft?”

He shrugged, wise enough not to take offense at the blunt question. “No one knows for sure.”

“But your chief suspects that a high-blood was involved?”

He swallowed a groan. Why had he insisted on traveling to Valhalla? It should be Molinari sitting in this chair being grilled by the Mave.

Talk about a clash of the Titans.

Now he was forced to choose his words with care. “She’s just covering all the bases.”

A wry smile twisted her lips. “Very diplomatic, Sergeant.”