Lupi 04 - Night Season

they sang to work magic. “You’ve spell-locked your gold?”
    A whiff of disdain drifted through her mind. Mika thought it was a stupid question.
    She put four of the scales in a tidy pile next to the open container of gold dust and made sure Mika knew which one she was…well, not exactly keeping, since it was still Mika’s. Reserving for Cullen to use tomorrow.
    Now that he had his missing scales safely locked away, Mika apparently felt chatty. He settled his body into a cozy loop and looked at her. You are going to the realm you call Edge?
    â€œI think so,” she said
    Do not tell anyone there your secret name.
    â€œUh—humans don’t have secret names.”
    Of course you do. Most of you do not live long enough to learn them. I think you will receive yours soon, but perhaps you will not know it.
    Mika may have said something privately to Cullen then, because Cullen chuckled. Cynna heard the question he asked about the Edge delegation but didn’t really pay attention. She was too busy yawning. The last of her adrenaline rush was gone, and she could barely keep her eyes open. She was happy to let Cullen do the talking.
    When she woke up, the air was pearly with early light, her head was in Cullen’s lap, and his lips were skimming hers.
    By the time she’d blinked herself awake, he’d straightened. Involuntarily she ran her tongue over her lips, tasting him. She sat up quickly. “Why did you let me sleep so long?”
    â€œYou were tired. I wasn’t, and Mika was in a talkative mood.”
    â€œI like sleeping in a bed.” She ran her hands through the short spikes of her hair. “What did you two talk about?”
    â€œEdge, mostly. He wants us to remember that demons are composite beings.”
    They were, of course, since they retained something of everything and everyone they ate. But what did that have to do with anything? “Why?”
    Cullen shrugged.
    She frowned, not liking the way she felt. Pouty. Messy. With morning mouth, no doubt. His breath had smelled fresh. Did lupi even heal bad breath? That would be so not fair. “Where’s Mika?” Cynna asked, noticing belatedly that they were alone.
    â€œBreakfast. He moves quietly when he wants to. You should know that I haven’t been with anyone since we did the dirty in that hotel room.”
    â€œYou what?” Sex. He meant he hadn’t had sex. What kind of subject was that to bring up when she had morning breath? “Why not? I mean—why did you tell me that?”
    He shrugged and rose, unwinding himself as fluidly as Mika had moved last night. “That sort of thing matters to many women. I thought it might to you.”
    â€œIt doesn’t.” And then, because she couldn’t stop herself: “It’s been five weeks.”
    One corner of his mouth crooked up. “I suspect you have a seriously inflated notion of my randiness. When I was younger, maybe…hell, definitely. But I’m nearly sixty now, and not interested in constantly dipping my wick for no other reason than to get it wet.”
    Sixty. She kept forgetting that. He looked her age. “Yeah, I’ve noticed what a mushy romantic you’ve become in your dotage.”
    â€œThat’s me. Mushy as hell. Come on.” He held out a hand. “You can buy me breakfast.”
    Cynna bought him breakfast. She rolled her eyes when their waitress nearly killed herself getting to the table—Cullen had that effect on women. On some men, too. She asked him what Mika had told him about Edge, and they discussed the spell he’d perform soon.
    And all the while she kept hearing, “I haven’t been with anyone since you.” The words had woken something sharp and hungry and silent in her, something she wanted no part of. But it refused to go back to sleep.

NINE
    S HORTLY before nine o’clock the next morning, Cullen was back at the big, ugly block of a building in an underground office with an old metal desk for company.
    No one had threatened him with a strip search this time. He’d taken his clothes off all on his own.
    Cullen’s original training was Wiccan; he felt more comfortable going sky-clad when working a powerful spell. He could have worn a robe, but the bloody things were a pain to launder properly since they had to be cleaned of more than physical dirt. Naked was easier. If the sight of his bare ass upset anyone…well, a man