Time and the repeated feeding of the same fear were required to create something like the bonelovers or the death rollers, and while It could create access points for humans to stumble into, even lethal creatures were at a disadvantage in a city.
But this delightful fear of a phantom predator. This didn’t require one of Its creatures, didn’t require an access point that would be noticed and, possibly, reported to whatever Landscaper provided the bedrock for this part of the city. This predator could be nurtured in dozens of hearts through the twilight of waking dreams—something that, when manifested, was nothing more than sounds and a glimpse of something lurking in the shadows, not quite seen. A phantom that did nothing more than nurture fear. Except when It did the hunting. Then there would be blood and pain and terror. But perhaps not death. Not always death. Because the ones who survived would be crippled by fear, would smear the streets with those feelings and help smother the Light.
A phantom predator.
Could changing this part of Kendall into a dark hunting ground really be that easy?
Yesssss.
Doreen looked out the window of her room at the boardinghouse. It was a respectable location for a single lady, the cabbie had assured her. And it was respectable. Gentility on a strict budget. The room was clean, as were the sheets, but the quality of the furniture and linens was little better than what she’d had at home. And she wanted more. So much more. Deserved more.
She’d always thought the Magician would be her meal ticket out of Foggy Downs. She’d even been willing to give him sex in exchange for taking her with him on the road. Not that the bastard had appreciated the offer.
She wouldn’t have stayed with Michael. Stay with a man who didn’t have two coins to rub together half the time? Oh, no. She wasn’t interested in someone who couldn’t buy her pretty things.
In the end, though, the Magician had been her meal ticket. If she’d known accusing him of being what he was would get Shaney mad enough to empty the till to pay for her coach passage out of Foggy Downs, she would have made the accusation long ago.
It had embarrassed Shaney’s wife beyond shaming that everyone in the village, even the most pinchpenny among them, had tossed a coin or two into a hat to help with expenses. Some of the shops had donated toiletries or other bits and pieces for “luck on the journey.”
She wasn’t fooled for a tinker’s minute. They’d rather be rid of her, who lived and worked among them, than chance having the Magician avoid the village on his wanderings.
So be it. It had gotten her here, hadn’t it? A boardinghouse around the docks would have let her squeeze out her coins a bit longer, but she wouldn’t find the kind of man she was looking for around the docks. She wasn’t interested in humping behind the shed anymore. That had never gotten her more than winks added to a generous tip, which she’d more than earned with most of those dolts. No, she would find a gentleman who would appreciate her beauty and set her up in style with a little house of her own and fine clothes.
Before she had to pinch her pennies, she would find a man who would give her what she deserved.
Michael raised his mug and took a healthy swallow of ale. Crossing over from Sanctuary to the Den of Iniquity was a jolt for mind and heart—more so, he figured, than a person would experience coming from an ordinary place like Aurora or Kendall or even Foggy Downs. The Den and Sanctuary both made him want to take out his whistle and play along with the music he could hear in the land, but the tunes were so different.
As were the men who lived in those places. He glanced at the table where Yoshani was talking to Nadia and her husband Jeb, then looked at the man sitting at the table with him.
“So when do we have this strategy session?” Michael asked.
“When Glorianna gets done primping and decides to join us,” Sebastian replied, giving him an edgy look out of those sharp green eyes.
Time to change the subject, since he really didn’t want Sebastian thinking too long or too hard about why Glorianna might be primping. If primping was, indeed, the reason she’d asked Sebastian for the key to his room in the bordello.
Primping was good, wasn’t it? It meant a woman wanted to attract a man. Or arouse a man. Or…Maybe he should borrow the room key and do a little primping himself if…
He looked into Sebastian’s eyes and knew it was really time to think about something besides primping and Glorianna and what could be done behind locked doors in a bordello.
So he focused on Teaser, who seemed to be having some kind of “discussion” with Lynnea.
“What’s he doing?” Michael asked, raising his chin to indicate the pair, who looked like they were going to start throwing more than words at any moment.
Sebastian glanced at his wife and friend. “He’s learning how to be more human.”
Michael cocked his head but he was only catching the tone and not the actual words. “Sounds like a cranky older brother to me.”
Sebastian gave him a bland look. “He’s learning how to be human.” He waited until Michael was swallowing a mouthful of ale before adding, “He’s using you as a role model.”
“Ripe bastard,” Michael said when he stopped choking.
Sebastian bared his teeth in an insincere smile. Then his expression froze. His eyes heated. He pushed back his chair—and Lee dropped into the other chair at the table and said, “Mother says if you do the stupid thing you’re thinking of doing, you will have to apologize three times to every woman in our family—and the apologies will include flowers, candy, and groveling—before there is even a chance of you being forgiven.”
“But…” A noise rumbled up from Sebastian’s chest that didn’t sound remotely human. “Did she explain—”
“She’s my mother and your auntie,” Lee said. “She doesn’t need to explain anything.”
Since Sebastian looked ready to choke, Michael focused on the street to figure out what had caused that reaction. All he saw was Glorianna.
All he saw was Glorianna.
A dark skirt and a dark jacket with embroidery at the neckline and cuffs. A light shirt. Her hair up in a simple knot. Lovely to look at on the surface. But under the lady-attending-a-luncheon clothes, she moved as Woman. Potent. Primal. Sexual.
“Lady’s mercy,” he whispered. Then he looked beyond her, though it pained him to take his eyes off her as she crossed the street and moved toward him—and saw what had set Sebastian on edge.
Saw the difference between human men and incubi.
The human men, coming to the Den for something more tasty than the women they knew, glanced at Glorianna and looked away, seeing someone too much like them to be of interest. The incubi stopped in their tracks, entranced by the prey. This was the kind of woman whose emotions and desires would be a feast for them, whether they were dream lovers or physical lovers.
Then she got to the edge of the courtyard and looked back at them, and they realized who—and what—she was. All of them scurried away, nervous now about showing interest in Belladonna, who might not find their interest appealing.
“What’s wrong with them?” Glorianna asked, turning back to the table. The tiny frown line between her eyes deepened as she studied Sebastian. “What’s wrong with you?”
“He swallowed something that didn’t agree with him,” Michael said, keeping his face bland but letting his voice ring with amusement. Which was a fine bit of work since just looking at her stirred up a messy stew of wants and needs that were neither bland nor amusing.
“Watch your step, Magician,” Sebastian growled. “We paid the Merry Makers two goats for you, which is something we can rectify by giving you back to be the second course.”