Venom And Vice

8

Technically, the hospital’s call hadn’t been a mistake. I had died, but Merlin had saved me by making me Fae. I’d told Mom and Dad the call was a mistake to help explain away my miraculous recovery. Had Merlin not shown up to save me, my parents would still be grieving. Well, s**t. Deflated, I slumped into one of the bar chairs at the kitchen island. I wasn’t a fan of handing out free passes, but rejecting him now would be plain heartless. He was making an effort to connect, and as far as I knew, he hadn’t relapsed once since rehab. Allowing him a visit wasn’t the same as sweeping the past under the rug. Would it be so terrible to indulge him this once? He wasn’t always so horrible, remember? Things hadn’t gotten bad until I was around twelve years old. Before that, I’d adored my dad. That had made his fall from grace that much more painful. I spent years desperately hoping to get my daddy back before I finally faced reality. I was terrified of putting him back on that pedestal only to watch him fall again. But this is one little visit. Surely, that won’t kill you. I sighed heavily. “Yeah, okay. I suppose I can put some thought into when would be a good time for a visit.” “That would be great,” he quickly replied. His palpable relief fed the guilt that now had me squirming in my seat. “I better get going, Dad, but thanks for calling.” “Take care, Ashley.” “You, too,” I said in a small voice before hanging up. Dropping my head back, I sucked in another lungful of air and closed my eyes. “Sounds like you’ll be expecting company soon.” I lurched from my seat, knocking the bar chair to the ground in my hasty retreat. An unfamiliar man sat on my living room sofa as though he were an invited guest. He lifted his hands to assure me he wasn’t a threat, but the gesture was ineffective. Every muscle in my body was coiled in alarm. “Who the hell are you, and how did you get in here?” The door to my apartment had been locked. He must have traced inside, which meant he was Fae, but he was most certainly not one of the Huntsmen. I clutched my phone tightly, debating who I could call for help. “Please, don’t be frightened,” he said calmly. “My name is Merlin, and I apologize profusely for my unexpected intrusion.” “Merlin?” I whispered, my lips parting in awe. The Merlin? The man who had saved my life? The man who had theoretically given me Fae powers and started Becca and me on this strange new journey? “You’re Merlin?” I asked incredulously. His smile twitched with amusement. “I am.” I was going to have words with Rebecca. She’d failed to tell me the great Fae sorcerer was a total hottie. I’d envisioned a modern-day version of Gandalf, but this man bore nothing in common with the fictional wizard. Merlin looked as if he were no older than forty with perfectly styled white-blond hair and eyes so pale blue I would have assumed they were colored contacts had he been anyone else. He was youthful and fit, dressed in an expensive suit, and gave away absolutely no hint of his vast powers. He could easily have been a Norwegian businessman out for a day of sightseeing. I stared unabashedly, completely entranced. Merlin chuckled. “I’ve been remiss in my introductions. I should never have taken so long to pay you a visit, but I’ve been exceedingly preoccupied elsewhere. And while I wish we had the time to acquaint ourselves now, I’m afraid we are on somewhat of a deadline. Rebecca will be meeting with Guinevere shortly, and I believe it would be prudent if we were present for that conversation.” In that instant, a pounding fist rattled the door. I looked between Merlin and the door, unsure what to do. He nodded once. “Best to let him in.” I got the sense he knew exactly who was on the other side of the door. Sliding the deadbolt, I opened the door to Casek, who looked like he’d sprinted up all four flights of stairs. He immediately barged inside, positioning himself between my guest and me. A second later, two more Huntsmen joined us, remaining close behind me. “What business do you have here that justifies circumventing our wards?” Casek’s threat was inherent in his voice, black and sharp as polished steel. “It’s good to see you, Caz.” Merlin bowed his head. “As you are probably aware, Rebecca and Lochlan are on their way to the palace. I believe it would be best if Ashley and I joined them.” I side-stepped Casek as Merlin spoke so that I could remain a part of the conversation. My eyes danced between them, especially curious at Casek’s behavior. Merlin acted as though the two were on good terms, yet every aspect of Casek’s demeanor called that assumption into question. “If that’s the case,” Casek responded coolly, “then I’ll accompany you two.” Merlin gave a tight, wary smile. “I’m afraid that won’t work. You see, this endeavor will be sensitive as it is, and the more threatened Guin feels, the more resistance we shall encounter. It would be best if you waited here. I promise Ashley will come to no harm.” His assurance struck me as odd. As if Casek cared what happened to me. Though he’d likely be in trouble with Lochlan should I have ended up in danger, but only because Becca would be upset. Casek himself would probably breathe easier if I disappeared forever. The surly Fae warrior exhaled slowly. “I don’t like this, but I doubt I have much of a choice, do I?” Merlin c****d a single white brow. “Fine,” Casek growled. “But she’d better come back unharmed. She was left in my care, and I take my oaths seriously. If you break my trust, I will find you. I don’t care how powerful you are.” My shoulders tensed at the overt threat, but Merlin merely bowed respectfully and walked to my side. He held out his elbow as if we were in a Victorian-era romance, and he was escorting me to my carriage. I followed his lead and clasped his arm. The moment we touched, our surroundings disappeared.