The Hob (The Gray Court 4) (20 page)

“Hey, that’s… Never mind. There’s something I need to tell you.”

“Hmm?” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. He did not care for the way her voice shook.

“I… I’m here with someone else.”

He pressed his face into her hair and smiled. He’d made the tiara disappear. His bondmate would wear true gems, not paste and glass. “Ringo won’t mind, my sweet.”

She looked up at him, and her expression was so full of sorrow he wanted to kick his own ass for making her feel even a moment’s pain. “But I do. I feel like I’m cheating on him when I’m with you, and I feel like I’m doing the same when I’m with him.”

“And this bothers you.” When she nodded, he sighed. “If I give you my word that Ringo has no objection, will you take it?”

She shook her head. “I can’t. Not until I speak with him.”

He pulled her even closer. “You’re an honorable woman, Michaela Exton.” And far too good for the likes of him.

“I’m attracted to you both, and I don’t know what to do about it.”

He placed his finger under her chin and tilted her face up to his. Even without the tiara, she still looked like a queen. “May I make a suggestion?”

“Sure.”

He chuckled. “No need to look as if you’re facing the firing squad, my sweet. My suggestion is this. Meet with Ringo for breakfast tomorrow. Tell him, as you’ve told me, how you feel. I believe you’ll find that your problems are solved if you do so.” He pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “In fact, I know so.”

“Okay.”

“Robin. May I cut in?”

Robin hesitated at the sound of Oberon’s voice. How had he missed his king’s entrance to the ball? For all his talk that no one mattered more than Michaela, Oberon was his to protect as well.

Michaela winked up at him. “Sure, but which one of you is going to lead?”

Robin quirked a brow at her, but before he could respond Michaela was whisked from his arms by Raven. “Indeed. You two make a lovely couple. Don’t you think so, Michaela?”

“Um…” Michaela’s gaze bounced between Raven, Robin and Oberon. She shrugged. “They match.”

Robin looked at his king’s outfit and grinned. “Indeed, we do.” Although as far as Robin was concerned, his outfit was much more chic than Oberon’s. The High King’s suit was pale gray, with a darker gray shirt and pale tie. He hadn’t even bothered to try and mimic the fae the way the humans had. To the mortals present, he was just an extraordinary-looking man in a business suit.

To the fae present, he was the most powerful man in the room bar none. Not even Robin commanded the respect Oberon did. Gloriana and Titannia could posture and pose all they wished. Neither Queen could compare to Oberon, in looks, grace, strength or integrity.

Robin started as Raven whisked Michaela away into the crowd. This was not good. His attention was divided between his truebond and his king. He was torn, for the first time in his long history as Oberon’s Blade. Not even in the golden years, when Oberon and Titannia had first wed and been blissfully happy, had Robin felt torn in his duty. Always, Oberon had been his first and last concern.

Now Michaela had taken that spot, and Robin was lost.

“Calm down, my Hob. From what I can see, she is safe.”

He scowled as Raven twirled Robin’s truebond. “Raven may not harm her, but he might seduce her.”

Oberon chuckled. “I’m not certain she’s willing to be seduced. At least, not by the Fear Dearc.” Oberon’s eyes narrowed. “Speaking of whom, did you know he was your son?”

Robin winced. “No, my liege. Not until just recently.” He had much to tell Oberon, and not much time to do it in. Already the urge to rip Michaela from Raven’s grasp was strong. Before long, he would be forced to go to her.

“She is unclaimed and vulnerable. That is why you chafe so, my Hob.”

Robin bowed his head. “As you say.”

“Speak with me. Tell me what is happening with the delegation. What have you learned? Has the boy been discovered?”

“No, unfortunately. Kael is in Raven’s room, hoping to overhear something. Duncan has had little luck keeping the delegation on track.”

“And why is that?”

Robin followed Oberon back to the Blackthorn table, but more than half his attention was on Michaela. “Cecelia Malmayne is refusing to deal with him, and the rest of the delegation is refusing to speak without their leader, Raven, present. Raven, however, has other things on his mind than the return of a prince.” He made a disgusted noise in the back of his throat as Raven dipped a laughing Michaela. “Feh.”

“Would you have me speak with him?”

Robin turned his attention back to Oberon at the lethal menace in his king’s voice. It always startled him, the knowledge that Oberon would protect him, the Hob. Robin would lay down his life for his king, and not just because he was his ruler. Oberon was his best friend and, until the Dunnes, his only family.

Now he’d claimed Jaden as blood kin, and had a son and a bondmate to worry over. “No.” He took a deep breath, praying Oberon understood. “I want to offer him a place in the Court.”

Oberon’s stunned expression lasted only a second. “I see.”

“No, but you will.” And when Robin told Oberon what was going on with Titannia and his children, Oberon would, indeed, see all too well.

“That was fun.” Michaela giggled as Raven swept her in a circle.

“It was. We should dance more often.”

Raven’s expression was full of heat, but Michaela’s fire was reserved for Ringo and Robin. Reluctantly, she pulled away, unwilling to hurt someone she was coming to think of as a friend. “I should get back to Robin.”

“Why? He’s still busy with Oberon.”

Michaela snorted a laugh. “Oberon.”

Raven’s answering grin was wicked. “Yes, Oberon.”

She snickered. “Good one. Next you’ll tell me Titannia is here too.”

“Gods, I hope not.” Raven’s easy–going expression morphed into one of concern. “I’d kill her myself before I let her near you.”

Michaela blinked. “Murder’s illegal, you know.”

“So are a lot of other things, my sweet.” Raven cupped her cheek. “If I had my way, they would never touch you.”

“MacSweeney. So this is where you’ve been hiding.”

Michaela felt Raven stiffen beside her. “McNeil.”

“Introduce me, MacSweeney.”

“Over my dead body, McNeil.”

“That can be arranged.” The dark-haired, dark-eyed monster turned his attention to her, and Michaela shook. She had no doubts that man standing before her was a killer. “Since my friend is being so reluctant to introduce us, allow me to introduce myself. Lawrence McNeil, at your service.”

The faint hint of a playful Scots burr in his voice couldn’t hide the evil lurking inside him. She could see it clear as day, like a dark miasma over his soul. When he went to take her hand, Michaela made sure both hers were curled around Raven’s arm. “Charmed.”

McNeil’s brows rose but the smile didn’t falter. “Perhaps you’ll grace me with a dance.”

When rainbow-farting monkeys flew out of her butt. “Perhaps.”

His gaze darted to something behind her, and his grin took on an edge that had her wanting to dart behind Raven for protection. “I see you’ve met Robin Goodfellow and Oberon.”

What was it with these guys? It wasn’t as if the real Oberon…was…

She refused to look behind her. If she did, the snake might strike. “Yup.”

The brief disgust on his face was banished by a smile that had probably made more than one woman cream her panties. It left Michaela utterly terrified. “I can see why you enjoy chasing her through the convention, MacSweeney. She’s delightfully quiet. I like that in my women.”

Raven pushed Michaela behind him and growled. She could feel his hair literally standing on end. “Go, McNeil, before I lose my temper.”

“A human, MacSweeney? Really? Might as well fuck an ape.” He laughed, and Michaela felt faint. “Although I must admit, she looks quite tasty.”

Raven’s arm moved so quickly it was a blur, but it left behind four bloody gashes on McNeil’s cheek. “Stay away from her.”

The cold, ruthless tone of Raven’s voice should have frightened her, but it didn’t. Raven was defending her, and she knew without a shadow of a doubt that he would kill McNeil before he could lay a hand on her.

McNeil wiped the blood away from his cheek and licked it from his fingers. “You’re going to regret that.”

She curled her fingers in the back of Raven’s shirt. She wanted Robin, and she wanted this sick fuck to
go away
.

Warm arms encircled her from behind. “Is there a problem, my sweet?”

Michaela relaxed in Robin’s hold and let go of Raven’s shirt. She turned in his arms and pressed her face into the side of his neck, whispering, “He’s evil. I think he’s going to hurt Raven.”

“I saw.” Robin pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “McNeil. Never a pleasure.”

“I could say the same. The girl. Is she yours, or Raven’s?” The laugh McNeil let loose had Michaela clutching at Robin and shaking in her shoes. “Not that it matters.”

“It does.” Michaela looked up to find Robin grinning at McNeil, fangs very much in evidence. She didn’t remember seeing those before. “You know not the danger you court if you seek to harm her.” Michaela gasped. Were those claws digging into her side? Before she could look, Robin pressed her head against his chest, holding her firmly to him. “I would think twice before acting on your hunger. The consequences would be…unfortunate.”

The pleasant tone of Robin’s voice didn’t fool her for one moment. If McNeil so much as touched her, Robin would tear him apart. And from the growl Raven was letting loose, that was only if he didn’t get to McNeil first.

“I see.” McNeil sighed, but Michaela wasn’t buying it. The dude was serial killer creepy, and she hoped she never saw him again. “Perhaps we’ll meet again, Miss Exton. Until then, think of me.”

“Not on my worst day.” Michaela snuggled closer to Robin. He would keep her safe from the creepy guy. She waited until McNeil had moved away before she whimpered. “Robin?”

“Yes, my sweet?” He stroked her hair, attempting to soothe her, but it didn’t work. Nothing could.

“How did creepy guy know my last name?”

“Fuck.” Raven immediately moved in front of her, blocking her from McNeil’s view. “Robin, I—”

“Calm yourself, Raven. I am aware it wasn’t you.”

“Then who?” That cold lethality was back in Raven’s voice.

Robin’s hand continued to stroke her hair. “I have no idea.”

Chapter Sixteen

He waited patiently by the door of his apartment, listening for Michaela’s return. She’d called “Ringo” after the ball, arranging to meet him for breakfast immediately after her shift. Robin, anticipating her call, had readily agreed. After all, today he would claim his truebond, binding her to him for all eternity.

He hoped.

Hell and damnation, he had no idea if what he wished for was even possible. He was the only one of his kind. For all that he wanted her with every breath in his body, there was a chance that he would have but a scant handful of decades with her before the breath left her body. There was no one else to ask if what he sought to do was even within his power. But Robin would trust himself, and his bond with Michaela. He would know what to do when the time came.

He hoped.

Robin sighed. He was almost as nervous as he had been the first time he’d taken a step on new, shaky legs. In truth, his legs were almost that shaky again.

The elevator dinged, and Robin had the door open so fast he was surprised it was still on its hinges.

She grinned as soon as she saw him. “Ringo.”

Robin fought to keep the smile on his face. Today, she would learn the truth of things, and Ringo would disappear into the ether. “How was work?” Robin asked, leaning casually against the doorjamb. He bit back a grin as he watched her limp down the hall and waited for the fireworks.

“Meh. It was all right. I’ve had worse.”

Robin blinked in confusion as he compared what she’d said to what Jaden had told him. The vampire had followed her to and from work, keeping her safe while Robin consulted with Oberon. He’d called Robin, concerned over what had occurred. He’d feared McNeil was fucking with Robin’s truebond.

Robin was already a heartbeat away from ending McNeil’s life. If in truth he’d made Michaela miserable, then it would be a pure pleasure to act on his impulse, Oberon’s orders notwithstanding. Oberon wanted him to wait until Prince Evan was secure before killing McNeil. Robin wanted the threat to his truebond eliminated immediately. And make no mistake, McNeil had threatened Michaela. Whether he hoped to score against Raven or Robin did not matter. He was planning on using Michaela against them, and that was something Robin would end him over.

The litany of misfortune Jaden had listed over the phone concerned even Robin. Michaela’s car wouldn’t start, despite having just been repaired, and had to be towed to the nearest garage. She’d gotten to work two hours late and been told by her boss that the Jell–O in the cafeteria stood a better chance of a promotion than she did. Someone put salt in the sugar bowl by the coffee machine and she’d been blamed for it. It had something to do with poisoning her boss, whom Jaden laughingly told him Michaela had nicknamed Dick McGrabbyhands.