Curse And Craving

52

“Hey, Ronan. What are you doing out here?” I stopped a few feet away and peered at him cautiously. “I wanted to see you.” Lifting himself away from the wall, he emitted an unsettling vibe, and his stare was frighteningly intense. “Care if we walk and talk? I’m pretty chilly out here.” Anything I could do to get us closer to the museum and safety. “I don't want to talk around others. I just want you.” His voice was a desperate growl. “Ronan, I don’t want a relationship right now. Plus, you lied to me. You implied things that weren't true about Lochlan, and that's not okay.” He snarled at Lochlan’s name, making me flinch. Was this the same man who’d been so funny and thoughtful during our time together? How had he hidden his true nature so thoroughly? “You know you mean nothing to him, right?” His lips lifted in a sneer. “He’s only using you for information. I’m the one who’s tried to help you. I’m the one who’s tried to be your friend. And what do I get? The grand brush-off? Maybe you’re one of those girls who likes to be treated like s**t. Is that what gets you off?” His words were a blow to the gut, and I gasped for air. How dare he talk to me like that! I reared back and slapped him as hard as I could. Hands trembling with rage, I stood my ground and said what would hurt him the most. “You’re just scared Lochlan is better than you, and you know what? He is,” I hissed. Fury sparked in his copper eyes. He grabbed my arm in a painful grip and yanked me close, but before he could spew a vicious reply, he froze. Instead, his brow furrowed, and his gaze traveled back and forth in shock from my left eye to my right and back. Had my eyes gone black? s**t. s**t. s**t. I didn’t know what had happened, but I needed to get out of there. I yanked my wrist from his grip and tore off toward the museum. By some small miracle, he didn’t chase after me. AS IF MY headache hadn't been bad enough before, the incident with Ronan and the run into work had my head pulsing angrily. Cat wasn't in yet, and it was just as well—I was not fit company for anyone. I trudged to my office, hoping I could make it through the morning without vomiting. When lunchtime neared, and some pain relievers had helped rein in my headache, I went downstairs to talk to Cat. In my search to determine if I was safe to leave Ireland, I felt it imperative to learn more about the man who had started me down this path. “How's it going, Cat?” “Hey, Becca! Whoa, what in the name of Mary and Joseph happened to you?” she asked, wide-eyed. “That bad?” “You look like my aunt Moira after she gets herself langered on the black stuff.” “I have no idea what you just said.” “Drunk on Guinness. My aunt's got a nasty problem. After a particularly long night out, she looks a bit like death the next day,” she explained, not holding any punches. “Super. Thanks for that,” I responded dryly. “Oh, don't be cranky. You're not as bad as her. I’m just saying I can tell you aren't well.” “I'm sorry, you're right. I've got a headache from hell, but I didn't want to miss work. And I wanted to ask you something.” She leaned in with interest. “What's your question?” “What do you know about Merlin?” She sat back, lips pursed in thought. “He's very old and powerful.” “I gathered that much.” “Give me a second, will you? He had a twin sister, Queen Mab. When he fell in love, Mab became insanely jealous of his lover. She kidn*pped the Fae woman, and it took him years to figure out who had done it. He had to kill Mab to get his lover back, but by then, it was too late for the woman.” “That sounds like something you'd hear on a soap opera. I wonder what kind of weird relationship he and his sister had for her to be jealous of his lover.” “No idea, that’s just the legend I was taught as a child. I would assume they were close since they were twins. The Fae don’t have many children, and I’ve never heard of another set of twins. Though our knowledge is limited.” “I suppose if you live forever, it’s better not to have many children. Otherwise, the Fae population would be staggering. Do you know anything else about him?” “Our stories say that he's a bit of a hermit, but that's about it.” “I was told Mab was extremely powerful and that she ruled the Unseelie. I’m guessing he must be unbelievably strong to have killed her.” “I thought we established you already knew how powerful he was,” she poked teasingly. “Yes, but there's a difference between powerful and god-like.” “Don't be daft. They’re all too powerful for their own good. We’re but gnats to them. Does it matter to a gnat if it's a car or a truck that runs over it? No, it's just dead. Powerful or god-like, either way, they can kill us just as easily.” I smirked wryly at the young woman. “All right, I get your point.” She arched a brow. Pulling back from the counter, I sighed with a glance toward the stairs. “Well, if you think of anything else about Merlin, let me know.” “Happy to.” In the elevator, I thought about the mysterious Merlin and his purpose for giving me the necklace. Would he be angry that I had removed it? If he was so powerful, why didn't he end the war himself? I exited the elevator to the fourth floor and found Lochlan standing against the opposite wall. “Oh, hey. What are you doing here? Did you get my text?” His lips curved up in an uncharacteristic smile as he pulled away from the wall. “I wanted to check on you. Is that a problem?” “Uh, no. Just wasn’t expecting you. I ran into Ronan this morning. You were right. Something’s not right about him. He scared me.” “He’s a member of the Hunt. He won’t hurt you,” he offered absently, eyes drifting down the length of my body.