Chapter 10
OLLIE
Iwatched the clean-up from my bedroom window overlooking the driveway, blue lights of witchcop vehicles flashing.
Feeling sorry for myself, I languished in another round of heavy defeat, the warmth of Isaac’s healing a cozy cuddle inside me. Like hot chocolate for the soul, and the only positive thing in this bedroom right now.
Man, a defeatist feeling wasn’t productive. But I couldn’t help it. I’d been as useful as wet leaves for a fire. I should’ve been more prepared. More damn capable at my job.
I scratched at my stubble, wanting to be down there with the army of witchcops who’d shown up to help defeat the giant shade and its minions.
They’d taken the creature down as it flew over the sea, launching a tirade of bangle spells and gunfire at it.
It broke apart over the water, its smaller companions going down seconds later.
And there’d been no deaths. The witchcops who’d had their energy drained were all recovering in hospital, according to the Brambles.
Riley had cast the protection spell by himself again, the mansion safe once more with fresh witchcops outside.
Yeah, safe until those crystal shades struck again. The fae woman was behind it, packing some serious power to break through our defenses from the other side of a different world, as well as manipulate the Hecate Crystals.
We weren’t dealing with any regular baddie here. She played on a different level, making Marcus look like a puppy.
A puppy with a set of iron grills, maybe.
To top things off, there’d been people lurking close by when things went down, possibly having filmed the incident. No one had been caught yet, but if someone had recorded it, this could blow up big time.
Were they drawn by the recent witchcop presence? Or just tourists wanting to see the famous house, happening upon the action?
Either was bad, and there were people on the case to nip things in the bud ASAP.
I needed a hot chocolate to go with the sensation inside me. A mug of the sugary good stuff always helped make me feel better.
I threw on a white vest and some blue jeans and headed out of my room.
After Isaac saved my life, Mum insisted I rest, despite feeling like a million quid. I couldn’t sit in this room anymore. Even making a hot chocolate would be better than sitting in my own mental mire.
I reached the kitchen, getting to work on my hot chocolate.
Jake appeared a minute after I started heating the milk.
“Hello, you,” he said, pale face etched with exhaustion, wearing a red hoodie and black trackies.
“I thought you’d gone home,” I returned. “But hi. Want some hot chocolate?”
“Sounds good. Yes, please.” He ran his fingers through his dark hair. “I’m crashing here tonight. Your mum insisted.”
I stirred the milk. “She can be pretty insistent.”
“Good thing I have spare clothes here,” he added. He tugged at his threads, lips cocking into his trademark cheeky smile.
Mum always kept some clothes here for him in case of emergencies.
I added dark chocolate shavings to the saucepan along with demerara sugar, bringing everything together.
Jake leaned on the worktop beside me, his arms folded. “What a night.”
“I’ll say.”
“Smells good,” he said nonchalantly.
I’d known Jake long enough now to know whenever he spoke like that, it meant he was thinking hard on something else.
“What’s up?” I asked.
His single blue eye narrowed as he stared ahead. “It’s Dean.”
Of course it was. “What about him?”
He released the biggest sigh. “Your mum’s worried about him becoming a target.” A vein pulsed in his neck. “She’s considering offering him a room here.”
I mean, there were eighty rooms here. Plenty of space for a useful fae to move in, but I kept it to myself.
“Can you imagine it?” he continued. “Us under the same roof? Impossible, right? One of us would end up going out a window.”
I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or groan. “Sounds a bit extreme.”
He dropped his arms, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. “I didn’t mean that. I’m just…confused. Why couldn’t he stay away from Coldharbour like he was supposed to?”
“Because we needed him to fix the solar diamond,” I countered, the hot chocolate thickening up.
Isaac…
The Sun had saved me. According to Aaron, he’d sprang into action straight away, not even thinking about it. Vaulted over the fence, moved like a bat out of hell to save me.
Isaac. Isaac. Isaac.
His face filled my mind, his voice ringing gently in my ears. I scowled down at the saucepan, furious at myself for the softness I felt over him.
Why couldn’t I be grateful, but at a distance? You know, professional? I lived here and worked with him, and that was the extent of it. I didn’t need to be thinking about how good he smelled or wondering what outfit he might be wearing next time I saw him.
What happened to his clothes irking me? Why would I give a crap about any of this? I didn’t care about fashion. I didn’t care about him outside of wanting him to stay alive to do his job.
But, but, but…
Guilt cramped in my chest.
Why are you so cold? You know you like him.
Isaac always had a smile for me, a special kind of sunlight just for me. At least, it seemed that way. From the moment we met, his face lit up whenever our eyes met. A part of me did for him, too, on the inside. But I quickly killed it each time because no good would ever come from it.
But the sparks…
Think with the head, not with the heart or the dick. A new motto to live by, a rule to guard myself with. Especially around pampered princes.
He saved you…
He isn’t like Ben…
I cleared my throat, taking the hot chocolate off the heat. “Is Dean still staying at The Coral?”
“He is,” Jake answered.
“Pretty pricy.” The hotel just behind Rainbow Mile was the most expensive and luxurious place to stay in the city. We’d had a few celebrities stay there over the years.
Had Isaac ever stayed there before he learned about himself? I couldn’t remember.
Ignoring my inner ramblings, I grabbed some mugs and poured out the beverage.
“He can afford it,” Jake answered. “He’s sort of loaded.”
“Right.”
“But your mum’s right to worry. I’m worried. If someone puts two and two together about him…” He dipped his head.
I handed him his drink. “I’m sorry you’re going through this.”
He took the mug of velvety choccie goodness. “Thanks, mate. I’ll be okay. I really need to hash things out with him. Clear the air properly. If he’s gonna be in my life again, it doesn’t need to be awkward.”
I nodded slowly, hands wrapped around the warm mug. “Positive steps.”
“I…I still love him. I think I always will. But…how can we ever be together again after…” He stopped, sipping his drink.
“I’m here if you want to talk,” I offered.
He’d only chatted about his history once before with me and Mum in the mansion living room after he lost his eye. Poured his heart out, then pulled up the drawbridge after that. Made us swear to never bring it up again with anyone.
We took a vow of silence. Mum even went as far as to pretend she didn’t really know they had a romantic history, which always made me laugh.
Poor Jake. I could tell he missed Dean, but also saw his pain.
Dean always worked as Jake’s secret backup, like Jake did with us. One day, they were out on a mission in an abandoned factory, investigating a lead on some shadow witches who’d kidnapped a goblin family from their home.
A fight broke out, and a situation arose where Dean hesitated. Just for a second, but enough for Jake to get hit with a spell and sent careening across the factory floor. He hit a jagged piece of metal, which gouged out his left eye.
I couldn’t even imagine it. Yikes.
Dean’s hesitation also caused the death the goblin mother. The others were saved, but Jake suffered a breakdown over it, ending his relationship with his fae lover.
Such a sad situation.
Jake held up his mug. “This is banging.”
“Thanks. It’s a specialty of mine.”
“Good one to have.”
He looked so sad. My heart went out to him, big time. Loving someone so much only for things to go wrong was like taking a bullet.
I hoped they could work things out, though. Dean made a terrible mistake, changing Jake’s life massively, but what did he want now that time had passed? His man back? To move on with the love of his life back on his arm?
I’d ask him one day.
“Want to do something?” I asked, not wanting to waste any time thinking about my ex.
“Like what?” he wondered, licking chocolate from his lips.
“Watch a film?”
He checked his watch. “It’s midnight.”
“And?”
He grinned. “Film me up, matey.” His brows pinched together in a frown. “Sorry, that sounded really porny.”
“No judgment, Mr. Winter. No judgment.”