Chapter Eight
When I woke a couple of hours later, the headache had settled into something deep and relentless, like a vice clamped around my skull.
Warm arms encircled me, and I recognised the scent around me instantly. Robbie.
I relaxed against him and kept my eyes closed. ‘Hey,’ I said.
He pressed a gentle kiss to my temple. ‘Hey. Loki summoned me. Apparently you’re nursing one hell of a headache.’
‘Yeah. I got Amber to scry the vampyr’s image from my mind, and now I regret my choices.’
‘I’ve got some Common medicine. It helps more than potions, or so I’m told.’ He reached out to his duffel bag, grabbed some tablets, and passed them to me along with some water.
I took them. At this point, I’d eat a spider if someone told me it would help the grinding agony in my head.
Loki trilled and pressed his head to my hand. Again, the agony lessened.
‘Thanks, buddy,’ I murmured. ‘That helps.’
He hopped up to the cushion next to me and closed his eyes too. Helping me was tiring him.
I stayed in the dark and quiet for another hour. The medicine – and Loki – definitely helped, and I was left with a more manageable headache.
I was contemplating getting into my jammies and settling in for the night, regardless of the time, when my phone burst to life.
Kate Potter calling.
Panic thrummed. She didn’t usually call me outside of work. Though perhaps she didn’t know I was off work? I swiped to answer. ‘Hey, Kate. Are you okay?’
‘No,’ she said, voice full of panic. ‘I kicked Beth out with the dogs, and then I told Troy to come ’round for dinner for us to try this date-thing again.
I panicked and said I would cook. Now there’s suddenly all this pressure and I am freaking out.
And I thought, you know what would make this less pressured?
If this was a double date. Will you and Robbie come?
I made enough lasagne for an army. I’m just …
totally losing it. I’m not ready for any physical stuff.
Up until yesterday, I thought my yearning was unrequited.
I haven’t had time to adjust. What if he comes expecting to … you know, sleep over?’
I bit back a sigh. ‘When is he due around?’
‘In an hour, at eight. Can you come?’ She sounded desperate.
‘Sure,’ I said. ‘We’ll be there. See you soon.’
She gave a scream of relief, making me wince. ‘Oh my goodness, you’re the best! Thank you!’
I hung up and let out a low groan.
‘What did you do?’ Robbie asked, amused.
‘I agreed for us to go on a double date.’
‘When?’
‘In an hour.’
It was his turn to groan. ‘Stacy, you’re in pain.’
‘I’m fine.’ I pushed myself up from the covers. ‘But I definitely need a shower to make myself presentable. You’ve got spare clothes in that duffel bag of yours, right?’
‘Yeah, but not dinner-out suitable.’
‘It’s dinner-in, at Kate’s house. You’ll be fine.’ I slid out of the bed, pounding head and all, and padded to the shower.
An hour later we were idling outside of Kate’s house. We were five minutes early. No sign of Troy’s truck yet.
‘Let’s go in,’ I decided. ‘Give her five minutes to settle. See if we can do anything.’
‘Sure.’
We got out of the car. Loki had stayed at home, too tired to come with us, which made me feel more than a little guilty.
Even with the distance between us, his quiet affection rose through the bond, softly scolding me for my guilt.
We rang the doorbell and Kate answered, looking like she was half a minute away from hyperventilating.
‘Okay,’ I said. ‘Let’s get you a glass of bubbles. Robbie bought a bottle.’
As always, Robbie dominated the space, even in the spacious kitchen we hovered in. He held out the bottle of Bollinger to Kate, and a smile broke out across her features.
‘Oh, how lovely! Thank you so much.’
With a new task to do, Kate settled a little. She popped the cork and poured us each a flute of champagne.
She took a big gulp of hers and asked, ‘How do I look?’
‘Beautiful,’ I said. And she did. Her riotous curls were piled on top of her head in an updo I would never be able to accomplish in a million years, but she made it look effortless.
Her lips were painted a bright red, and her diamanté-studded glasses brought the bling.
She also wore a beautiful green dress that hugged her figure in all the right ways.
‘I’m nervous,’ she confessed.
‘You shouldn’t be,’ Robbie said. ‘You look great.’
She beamed at him and said with a warm laugh, ‘You can visit again.’
The doorbell chimed and I winced at the sound. My head was still throbbing, but for Kate, I’d grit my teeth and bear it.
She went to answer the door, and I heard her breathless explanation that Robbie and I had dropped by and she’d invited us to stay for dinner. If Troy was bothered by that explanation, he didn’t show it, a warm smile on his face as he walked in.
He touched his hand to his chest and gave Robbie a decent bow. ‘My honour to meet you, High King Krieg.’
Robbie raised an eyebrow. ‘We’ve met before. At one of your father’s events.’
Troy’s smile didn’t falter. ‘Of course, but only briefly. It’ll be wonderful to get to know you more.’ Then he turned to me and gave me a similar bow. ‘Inspector. Good to see you.’
‘Call me Stacy, please.’ The last thing Kate wanted was an air of formality for the whole dinner.
‘Sure. I’ll do my best. Something smells wonderful,’ Troy commented to Kate.
‘I made lasagne,’ Kate admitted with a shy smile. ‘I hope you like Italian food.’
‘I love it,’ Troy confirmed. ‘Can I help you serve?’
‘Oh no. You three go and sit down. I’ll bring plates through in a minute.’ She gestured us into the dining room and we sat around the modern glass table.
Her cat, Harry, twined around my ankles, purring softly before going onto Robbie and doing the same, greeting all the interlopers. He went to Troy and hissed, a full-bodied, furious sound, hair on end, spine arched.
‘Cats don’t tend to like me,’ Troy confessed. ‘It’s a mer thing.’
The cat stalked out of the room, gone to complain to Kate of the new person in his house that he patently did not like.
‘So,’ I said as I took another sip of my bubbles. ‘I know you work for your father, but what is it you actually do?’
‘Whatever he wants me to do,’ he said with a laugh. ‘It can vary a lot. I’m a jack of all trades really, fitting in wherever Father needs me.’
Kate came in carrying two plates piled high with lasagne and garlic bread. She set them down in front of the men and then returned with two other plates more modest in serving. From the smells, I could tell I would have preferred a man-sized helping. I adored lasagne.
‘I’m sorry,’ Kate suddenly said. ‘I didn’t check anyone’s dietary requirements.’
‘None for me,’ I assured her.
‘Nor me,’ Robbie said.
‘I’m easy,’ Troy confirmed. ‘As long as it has meat in it, I’m sold.’
‘Meat or fish,’ Kate corrected. ‘You said you like fish?’
‘Oh yes, of course. I meant fish too.’
‘I was going to cook fish today,’ she admitted, ‘since it’s your favourite, but Beth usually cooks our fish because I tend to overcook it. No one wants dry fish.’
‘I’m sure you cook it to perfection,’ Troy murmured smoothly.
‘This will be wonderful,’ I said.
And it was. We dug in with gusto, making small talk as we all shovelled food in. My head still throbbed, but I was definitely feeling better for eating.
‘Kate,’ I said as I sat back, full with an empty plate before me. ‘You’re a domestic goddess. That was amazing.’
‘Hardly!’ She laughed. ‘Sticking with the Italian theme, I made tiramisu for dessert.’
Troy let out a low groan and said, ‘Marry me now.’
Kate gave an awkward chuckle and disappeared into the kitchen to bring out the dessert.
She’d done a magnificent job of balancing the flavours, and the tiramisu had just the right edge of coffee. I devoured my portion and went in for seconds.
After dessert, we retired to the sitting room. I looked at Kate and pointedly at the door. Did she want us to leave?
She shook her head minutely, so I settled on the sofa for some after-dinner conversation.
‘Are you okay, Stacy?’ Kate asked solicitously. ‘I’ve seen you wince a time or two.’
‘I have a headache,’ I admitted.
She half-rose. ‘Oh no! Let me get you a potion.’
‘I’m fine,’ I said. ‘It’s from scrying. A potion won’t touch the sides, unfortunately. But it’s been a few hours and I’m honestly feeling much better.’ I was, but that’s only because I’d started at utterly miserable and had progressed to pitifully sulky.
‘Scrying?’ Kate asked in concern. ‘What happened?’
‘Oh, no big deal. I got attacked by a vampyr.’
Troy let out a whistle. ‘How’s the vampyr?’
‘True-dead.’ I gave an apologetic shrug. ‘Sorry. It’s not really appropriate evening talk, is it?’
‘He had it coming, I’d say,’ Troy said admiringly. ‘Only a fool would come swinging at you, Inspector.’
Something in his tone set off alarm bells. Whether it was the tone of his Inspector or the note of familiarity … I started to wonder.
‘Let’s not talk of such things,’ I said instead. ‘Troy, let’s talk about you. I was actually talking to a friend of mine about you. Jack Hansen. He said you two are friendly, you play football together?’
Troy’s smile didn’t falter. ‘That’s right. How is Jack?’
I smiled even as my gut clenched. ‘He’s good. He’s recovered well from the accident.’
‘Right. Terrible business.’
Robbie changed the subject away from mangling accidents and we chatted quietly for another hour until Kate started to yawn.
‘We should go,’ I said. ‘It’s late. Troy, we’ll walk you to your car.’
Troy blinked. ‘There’s no need.’
‘Of course there is. There was a murder on Kate’s lawn just yesterday. Please, the Inspector in me won’t let you walk alone. Robbie and I will see you to your car.’ My tone made it clear I’d brook no argument.
‘How kind of you.’ He stood fluidly and turned to Kate. ‘It’s been a wonderful evening.’ Taking her hand, he bowed low over it and kissed the back of it gently. ‘I would love to do it again sometime.’
Kate’s smile was relaxed and open, nerves having settled hours ago. ‘Me too. I’d love that.’
We took our leave and walked Troy to his car. Then we watched him motor off.
‘We have a problem,’ I said to Robbie.
‘I know. That’s not Troy Fairglass.’