Warriors of Poseidon 06 - Atlantis Betrayed

lowered her back to her feet. “I won’t apologize for kissing you,” he said, his voice rough. “I plan to kiss you again, as soon as I get you alone, so let me know now if you don’t want me to do so.”
    Her cheeks felt like they were on fire. Damn the man for making her blush so often. “I—I’ll take that under advisement,” she said, stepping back and casting a quick glance down at her gown to make sure nothing was out of order as she heard Declan and Hopkins in the hallway.
    Atlantis Betrayed – Warriors of Poseidon 06
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    He grinned. “You look beautiful, Princess. Nothing out of place.”
    He, on the other hand, had a bit of a problem. She glanced down again. Make that a big problem. He caught her looking and laughed out loud, which didn’t help the blushing at all. Still with his back to the hallway entrance, he whipped his tuxedo jacket off and held it in front of the large erection currently tenting the front of his pants. However, that left exposed the sheaths for the multiple daggers that crossed his chest front and center.
    “Nice accessories,” she said.
    “Never leave home without them.”
    Declan burst into the foyer, holding something tiny and metallic in front of him. “Right, sis, I’ve got you covered. I’m going to wire you so we’ll be able to hear everything you hear. We can record, too, so you and Christophe can go over the conversations later and catch anything you might have missed.”
    “Bad idea,” Christophe said. “First, what do you expect to hear at the charity deal? Criminal pomposity?
    Second, electricity and Atlantean magic don’t like each other. I was counting on it to short out the security system in the Jewel House, as a matter of fact.”
    Fiona looked at him in disbelief. “That was your plan? Stand around and hope for electrical failure?”
    He tugged at his tie and looked anywhere but at her. “There was a little more to it than that.”
    “Like what?”
    He grinned, and for just an instant, she could see the boy he must have been. “I hadn’t actually gotten that far yet. You see, I ran into this gorgeous ninja—”
    “I think we can all figure out the rest,” Hopkins said dryly. “Will your electrical malfunction issue interfere with Fiona’s microphone, as well? If we were to give you the equipment for her to wear later in the evening?”
    Christophe shrugged. “I don’t know. If I stay away from her, which I won’t; if I refrain from using magic all night, which I won’t; if all the fates are in our favor, which they never are—”
    Declan groaned. “What happens? Will it short out and electrocute her? This is such a tiny mike, you’d more than likely only be shocked, Fee, not actually electrocuted.”
    “That’s reassuring,” she said, glad she’d taken the extra-strength headache powder. “Just give it to me.
    If it shorts out and somebody notices me jump, I’ll claim I’ve been goosed.”
    Christophe gave her the oddest look. “Goosed?”
    “Pinched.”
    He shook his head. “Just when I think I’ve gotten a handle on current colloquialisms. Also, if anyone gooses you, I’ll cut his arm off for him, since Hopkins was kind enough to find me a tuxedo with room for my daggers.”
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    Declan made quick work of showing Fiona how to attach the tiny mike so she could do it later. “Do you want the receiver, too, so you can hear us?”
    Christophe answered for her. “No, she does not. We’ll be able to handle it without instructions from here, but thanks.”
    She started to reply, but he held up a hand and then pointed at the door. “We’ve got company.”
    The door chimes rang, and all three of them stared at the door and then back at Christophe.
    He shrugged. “It’s a friend. He’s going to hang out with Declan tonight and keep an eye out for any trouble that might have followed us home.”
    Hopkins opened the door and Denal, standing just outside, bowed deeply. “Denal of Atlantis at your service, sir.”
    “Brilliant. Another one,” Hopkins said, standing aside and gesturing him in. “Is there any reason we should trust this young man with Declan?”
    Denal’s eyes widened. “I would give my own life to protect this human, my lord.”
    “I’m no lord, I’m the butler,” Hopkins retorted, but Fiona could see him sizing up this new person in their lives.
    For some reason, Denal reminded her of Declan—all fresh-faced youth with a