Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 10

and studied Luke before he answered. "You just learned firsthand about the healing power of nightwalker blood." He gestured to the shelves. "You can read all these books a million times over, doesn't mean you will ever know as much as you can about our races. Someone squealed to the wrong person, or somebody saw something, I don't really know. All I know is that I have American Federal agents on my trail and because I'm not in a colony I'm easy pickings."
    "Why? Do they want to make you a lab rat and study you?"
    Charlie nodded. "I think so. I haven't seen them here in London, but that blonde bitch?"
    "The one who called off her wolves?"
    "Yeah, she's neck deep in conspiracy shit back home. There's some mixed-species supernatural who's supposed to bring balance to world. Or kill us all, I don't know which. I stay out of politics. Margo might not know the FBI is following me, but in her mind the location of a nightwalker without a colony could be valuable intel to barter for something she wanted for the Cause."
    Luke sniffed in amusement.
    Oh, Betty, you wise old gal….
    This evening had turned into one surprise after another, every little detail falling into place.
    He climbed a few steps up the ladder to retrieve an old tome. A book of prophesy Betty's grandmother had given her. Taking the fragile book from the shelf, Luke leafed through it as he descended. When he found what he sought, he read the passage aloud:
    "And there will come a time when a child will be born of a creature of the night and a creature of the earth. This child will have the spirit of the wind and the soul of fire. He will hold the balance of the races in his right hand, and the key to destroy them in his left."
    Those words rendered Charlie speechless.
    "This is a grimoire," Luke explained. "A witch's spell book. Betty gave it to me after she took me to get the tattoo. She said to keep it safe. When she got killed, her flat had been ransacked. They must've been looking for this. I inherited her things and figured since the people who killed her never found what they were looking for, it would be safe to put the grimoire back in the collection. Not much good it would do them anyway, without the other half."
    "The other half?"
    He showed Charlie the back of the book where the binding had been torn. "Aye, the grimoire was made by the Jameson sisters, Betty's ancestors. They knew the danger the prophesy represented and the threat this child could pose to the balance of the universe. So they tore it in half, dividing the spell to find the child. One sister went to America but her part of the book was lost during the Salem witch hunts. The other book was passed on, eventually finding its way into Betty's hands. And now mine."
    Charlie sniffed. "Maybe it's a good thing the other half is lost. I don't like the idea of anyone using the spell. I never thought the prophesy was true, but then again, the grimoire in your hands isn't supposed to exist either."
    "If it didn't exist, then how would people know of the prophesy?" Luke asked, a grin tugging at his mouth.
    Charlie made a sarcastic face. "All right, you got a point, smart ass. But seriously, Luke, people would kill you for that book without a second thought. I'm going to pretend I've never seen it and if I were you, I would burn it."
    Luke's head shot up. "Did you just tell me to burn it?"
    "Yes. Then forget all about the stupid prophesy," Charlie reiterated, getting impassioned. "If you don't want these kids you care for getting hurt then you want the grimoire as far away from here as possible."
    How could all of this be happening? Too much of tonight could be a coincidence, but Luke had to know for sure. "Why are you helping me?"
    Charlie shrugged irritably. "I don't know. Why did you show me that book? I could have just killed you and taken it. Started my own colony of nightwalkers bent on taking over the world."
    Climbing the ladder, Luke chuckled and replaced the book on the shelf. "You won't kill me."
    "How do you know?" Charlie got in his face when he stepped down.
    Rather than be scared of the powerful creature, Luke's pulse raced at his show of dominance. He felt overpowered, but safe. Protected. And Charlie's proximity made it difficult to think. The memories of feeding from him, kissing him, feeling him in his arms made him warm all over. He forced a cleansing breath. "The same way you know you can trust me."
    He scowled, cross at something. "Oh yeah?"
    "Yeah."
    "Then trust me when I