Malek crouched down beside Sabine in the alley and studied her profile. Part of him was surprised he'd been able to convince her to allow him to accompany her. Everything about her was fascinating. Each time he got a glimpse of one of her pointed ears hidden underneath her hair, he wanted to trace its graceful slope with his finger. She smelled incredible too, like the forest and moonlight.

His reaction to kissing her had also surprised him. He'd been ready to forego years of tutelage and preparation within seconds of having his hands on her. Releasing her had been more difficult than he'd expected.

She glanced over at him with cheeks that were still slightly flushed. With her silvery hair loose around her face and sparkling lavender eyes, he couldn't help but stare. She was exquisite. Unfortunately, judging by Dax's earlier reaction, the guild leader also thought so. He was getting some mixed information about their relationship though. She didn't appear quite as enamored with Dax.

"It's the building up ahead on the right," he said, slipping into the language of the Fae. It had set her off guard before, and part of him wanted to see how she'd respond again.

"Which floor does he live on?" she asked in the same tongue, leaning forward to get a better look.

He paused in surprise, her pronunciation making her normally sultry voice even more captivating. At the very least, one of her parents was Fae. Her inflection with those two words was completely natural. She turned to look at him, a small frown on her face.

He cleared his throat, trying to focus again on her question. Having her so close made it difficult to form any coherent thoughts. "His living quarters take up the entire top floor."

She nodded. "I don't see any other guards other than the ones we already passed. Dax probably hasn't moved his people into position yet. We'll need to hurry before that happens."

"Right." Malek moved forward and away from her, even though all he wanted to do was get her alone. If he had his way, he'd take her back to his ship and spend the next several hours getting lost in her, breathing in her scent and exploring her delectable body. The Fae's ability to charm and seduce was legendary, but he hadn't believed the talent would be so potent in anyone with a shared heritage.

He walked up the steps toward Terrance's building and led Sabine inside. There were three floors in this building, and it overlooked the ocean. The area was a bit run-down compared to the more affluent areas of the city, but the view was spectacular. Malek gripped the rickety banister and started climbing the stairs. Sabine's footsteps behind him were completely silent, so much so that he kept checking to make sure she was following him.

They'd closed the door to Terrance's apartment when they left earlier, but Javyn hadn't bothered to lock it. Malek opened it to find nothing had changed. The apartment was still in shambles, making it obvious the entire living quarters had been thoroughly searched. Sabine moved into the room and swept her gaze over the furnishings. Books and cushions had been tossed around, and papers littered the floor. Her frown deepened, and he followed her into the room, curious to learn what she'd hoped to find.

Sabine trailed her fingers over a table, her tactile exploration making him wonder what it would be like to have her hands on him. He'd noticed she'd done the same thing when she'd been in his room earlier. It was an endearing quality, but it might be more than that. Some magic users could read energies through touch. If that was one of Sabine's talents, it could be extraordinarily useful depending on how powerful it was.

She crossed the room, stopping at a small bar area. He turned to see what had caught her attention, but it was simply a bottle of a very expensive dwarven ale. Sabine picked it up and studied the hand-drawn label.

"Have you tried that?"

She nodded and placed the dwarven ale back on the bar. "Yes. It's a bit of out of place here though."

Malek studied the rest of the bottles on the bar. Most of them had been opened, and there were a few homegrown liquors. She was right; such a costly brew didn't quite fit in with the rest of the selection. Malek picked up the bottle in question, but it was still sealed. Unusual, but it hadn't been here long.

"It's a shame to let this go to waste," he murmured, debating whether to take it with him.

Her mouth twitched in a smile. "We can't have that, can we?"

He chuckled. "It would be a travesty. What are the chances I can convince you to share a glass with me?"

She tilted her head, and the tip of a pointed ear peeked through her hair. "It's not really to my taste."

He nodded, unsurprised by her admission. "You prefer Faerie wine, right? I happen to have another case of that on my ship. You have my word none of those have been drugged."

Sabine arched her brow. "You have me intrigued, Captain. Is it safe to assume Dax acquired the wine from you?"

"Indeed, but I can assure you I had no knowledge about what he planned to do," Malek said with a frown. If he had known, he would have put a stop to it. "I picked up a couple of cases from a merchant in Karga after I left the dwarven city. Dax took one of those cases off my hands."

Sabine studied him thoughtfully and took a step toward him, closing the distance between them. "Dwarven ale is difficult to come by too. Did you bring any of that with you?"

"Actually, yes," Malek admitted, trying to recount how many cases he'd offloaded since he arrived. "I'll have to check my inventory lists, but I know we brought several crates to shore. Dax received one of them, and I believe he handled the distribution of the rest."

Sabine reached for the bottle in his hand, her fingers brushing against his. "When was it distributed?"

"The items were moved to a warehouse the first day we arrived in port."

"When did you arrive? The night we met?"

He shook his head, unsure where she was going with her inquiries. "We arrived the day before, but Dax wasn't available to meet with us then. My first mate, Levin, made the arrangements to distribute the goods with the dockmaster. He's the one who agreed to coordinate an introduction to meet with Dax so we could secure Akros as a regular trading port."

She tapped the cork on the bottle. "Could this bottle have come from your supply?"

"It's possible. Why? What are you thinking?"

Sabine gave a halfhearted shrug and moved away to investigate the rest of the apartment. His eyes narrowed slightly, watching as she moved throughout the room.

She disappeared into the bedroom, and Malek followed her. Clothing was strewn around the room; even the mattress had been cut open and searched. A bookshelf was toppled on its side with the contents scattered on the ground. Sabine walked the length of the room, paused at the wall, and then turned back around. Her footsteps were silent, but she almost seemed to be listening for something as she moved toward him.

Running her hand along the wall, she paused at a corner and took a step backward. She stared at the wall for several heartbeats before bending down and touching the floorboards.

With a frown, he put the bottle on the messy dresser. "Did you find something?"

"There's something here," she said, crawling along the floor and pressing down. Her fingers located a knot in the wood, and she pulled up a loose floorboard. Reaching into the dark hole, she withdrew a small book.

"What is that?"

She turned the pages and frowned. "I'm not sure."

"May I?" he asked, and she offered it to him.

It was a small leather-bound book that appeared more like a ledger than a notebook. Symbols, numbers, and seemingly random letters were scribbled inside. The handwriting was atrocious, but he'd seen coded entries like this before. "It's a ledger written in code."

"You know what it means?" She moved closer to him.

He leaned over to show her the different columns. "If he's running a gambling hall, these could be people who owe him money. I believe the first column may represent a date. The next set would be the name of the person, and the last is probably the amount they're up or down."

Sabine frowned. "Is Riven on that list?"

"It's possible. Figuring out which entry belongs to him might be the key to unlocking the rest of the code."

She lifted her gaze, and he was taken aback once again. Her eyes were the palest of blues, but in the right light, the lavender deepened. It made her appear even more Fae-like. She placed her hand on his arm, and the mark on his arm warmed as though it recognized her. "Do you know how to break the code?"

He paused, wondering whether she would agree to accept his help. She hadn't been willing to accept the kaleidoscope as a gift, much to his disappointment. If he had any hope of convincing her to trust him, he needed to make it clear there was no obligation in return. Otherwise, she'd likely cut him out of her investigation. "I enjoy solving these types of puzzles. I've seen enough of these codes that I can probably decipher it, but it'll take some time."

She gave him a small smile, drawing his attention back to her mouth. The urge to kiss her again was overwhelming. This woman was going to drive him to the edge of all distraction. Sabine looked up into his eyes. "Perhaps you'll share with me what you learn."

"I'd be happy to keep you updated on my progress," he offered, fully prepared to spend however many hours it would take if he could keep that look in her eyes.

Her hand stayed on his arm as she studied the room again. He wasn't in a hurry for her to pull away, so he remained still.

"I don't think there's anything else here," she said and closed her eyes for a moment.

He could feel the slightest brush of her magic move outward and sweep across the room. The warding medallion on his neck prevented most magic from directly affecting him, but he'd never been more inclined to yank it off so he could experience the full scope of her power.

He cleared his throat, forcing himself to bury his desires. "You've found more in only a handful of minutes than we did when we searched earlier. We wrongly assumed whoever searched this apartment had already found what they were looking for. I'm wondering if you might have better luck at the gambling hall."

Sabine pulled her hand away and tucked her hair behind her ear. "I might, but not until tomorrow evening. Dax will likely order his people to search the gambling hall and his home more thoroughly if Terrance doesn't show up soon. We should probably leave before they arrive."

Malek placed the ledger in his pocket and picked up the bottle of dwarven ale again. Unable to resist touching her, he placed his hand on her back and led her toward the door. She looked up at him but didn't make any move to pull away. He needed to go for a dip in the ocean to cool off after tonight.

They headed downstairs together, and she halted right at the door. Leaning into him, she whispered, "We need to see if there's a back exit. I just saw one of Dax's men."

Malek frowned and studied the downstairs of the small lobby. There wasn't another exit as far as he could tell. He handed the bottle of ale to Sabine. "Take this and meet me in the alley where we kissed. I'll go distract him for you."

She bit her lip again, and he nearly groaned at the sight. The ocean swim might not be enough to distract himself. He leaned in close and whispered, "I won't say no to another kiss for my efforts in keeping your presence hidden."

Her mouth curved in an amused smile. "That can be arranged."

He grinned, shoved his hands in his pockets, and whistled a tune as he walked out the front door. The possibility of having to deal with an enraged demon had never been more attractive. Malek had the feeling another kiss from Sabine would definitely be worth the cost and so much more.

* * *

Sabine barely resisted the urge to laugh. Malek was a little too charming. Even if he hadn't suggested it, she wanted to kiss him again to see if the first time had been a fluke. She had the feeling their next kiss would only fuel the flames even hotter.

She ducked down as he headed out the door as though he was simply out for a pleasant stroll. Dax's man would probably recognize him and ask him why he was here, but his presence would be easier to explain than hers. He should be safe enough as long as Dax didn't learn Malek was helping her. Making sure to stay within the shadows, she slipped out the door and headed for the alley.

Malek joined her only a few minutes later. She offered him the bottle of ale, and he took it with a mock bow. "I'd ask for my kiss now, but it's probably not a good idea to stay here. I'm not sure if Dax's man believed my excuses."

She gave him a teasing smile. "Then we'll have to see about settling my debt when we're alone."

His eyes sparkled. "You won't hear any complaints from me. Shall we?"

Sabine tucked her hair behind her ear and led him back toward Dax's territory and the tavern. If Dax or any of his men saw her from this point onward, it wouldn't matter. She might not be able to lie, but it wouldn't be difficult to lead them to assume their meeting was simply a coincidence.

Thankfully, she'd managed to get some information from Terrance's home, but it had raised more questions than answers. If Malek managed to decipher that notebook, it might lead her to the person who had hired him. Her only other option was to go through Dax again, but she wasn't inclined to ask him for any favors.

"How long have you and Dax known each other?"

She frowned. Normally, she wouldn't answer such personal questions, but Malek had earned the right to know some truths. "Several years. I met him when I came to the city."

"Where are you from originally?"

Sabine shook her head, refusing to answer the question. Even if she trusted him, the truth was too dangerous to share. "Our past may shape who we are, but it doesn't define us."

"Fair enough," he murmured, keeping pace with her as they walked down the mostly empty streets. It was only an hour or so before dawn; people would be waking up soon. "Some of Dax's men tried to warn me away from you. I was under the impression the two of you were involved."

Sabine frowned at him, suddenly wary. "You were asking about me?"

Malek hesitated. "In a manner of speaking. The night we met, Pozgil mentioned Dax tortured and killed the last man who was interested in you. Then, earlier this evening, Javyn suggested it would be beneficial to keep my distance from you. He indicated Dax would have an issue with it."

She sighed. Some of Dax's men were bigger gossips than the fishwives who gathered at the docks. Javyn was usually more discreet, but he probably thought he was protecting Dax and her by warning Malek away. Pozgil, on the other hand, was typical of most goblins and relished stirring up trouble. If Pozgil wasn't careful, Dax would toss him into Martha's stewpot and eat him for lunch.

"The goblin was talking about Cristof, but he wasn't killed because he was interested in me. Dax caught him stealing from him. He's always dealt with traitors harshly."

"Ah, so it's safe to assume I should avoid listening to rumors?"

Sabine paused and turned to face Malek. "That would be wise, but I'd like to give you another bit of advice too."

He arched his brow. "I'm listening."

"Don't underestimate Dax. He's smart and ruthless, and not even my mark on your wrist will protect you for long. Tread lightly around him, Malek."

Malek's lips twitched into a hint of a smile. "You believe I need protection?"

She glanced down the street to make sure it was empty before looking up at him. "You claim you've come to Akros to establish a profitable trading route, but no one comes to this city to secure a fortune. Everyone's either searching for something or hoping to forget something. As long as you're claiming anything different, Dax will never trust you."

He studied her for a long time. "Why are you here, Sabine?"

"I'd like to forget," she murmured and lowered her gaze. There were so many things better left forgotten, but her past was reluctant to release her from her chains.

"Hey," Malek said gently and touched her arm. She lifted her head, somewhat surprised by the genuine remorse in his eyes. "I'm sorry if my question upset you. I didn't realize it was a painful subject."

Sabine nodded. "You may want to be careful asking too many questions in Akros. You have few allies here, and you'll have even less if Dax decides you're trouble. I won't be able to help you if that happens."

Reaching out, she touched the mark on Malek's wrist and infused it with more of her magic. It flared to life briefly before dimming again. Malek wasn't shy about asking her probing questions, and it would be better for both of them if she allowed him to walk away now. Even though it was the smart decision, she couldn't bring herself to part ways with him permanently yet.

Gesturing down the street, she said, "Take this street to the end and then turn left. The tavern will be at the end of the road. You should be able to find it without much trouble. I'd take you there myself, but it would be better for me to stay away for now."

Malek placed his hand over hers, his touch searing her like a brand. "When can I see you again?"

She smiled, unable to hide her pleasure at the question. Before she could respond, he tensed and looked at something over her shoulder. His hand flew to the hilt of his knife, but Sabine took a step toward him. Placing her hand against his chest, she urged, "It's all right. He's a friend."

He paused and arched his brow. "Are you sure? I'm not getting particularly friendly vibes."

Her smile deepened, and she glanced behind her. Bane was hidden in the shadows, but she knew he was there and waiting for her. It was curious Malek had also sensed his presence and one more indicator the enigmatic ship captain had magical inclinations.

"Yes, but I should go before he gets impatient. I need to tell him about Terrance."

Malek frowned. "Very well, but I would like to see you again."

She bit her lip, feeling the steady beat of his heart underneath her fingertips. It wasn't smart, but she wanted to see him again too. "A friend of mine is an herbalist with a shop not far from here. I use her workshop to create the poisons I use for my weapons."

"Esmelle?"

Sabine tilted her head, regarding him with surprise. "You know her?"

"We met earlier tonight. She helped create an antidote for Dax."

"Ah," she murmured, making a mental to note to ask Esmelle what she'd thought about Malek. "Her shop is called Witch's Brew. I'll be there in the afternoon, if you'd like to meet me."

Malek reached down and captured her hand. Raising it, he brushed a soft kiss against it. "Until tomorrow."

Charmed by the gesture, she smiled. "May peace walk with you even in your dreams, Malek."

Turning away, she headed toward the demon waiting in the shadows. Bane stepped into the light as she approached. He smirked and nodded toward Malek. "New conquest? The kiss on your hand was a nice touch."

"Behave," she said, continuing to walk down the street.

Bane chuckled and fell into step beside her. "I'm surprised my brother hasn't killed him yet. We both know how Dax feels about competition."

She made a noncommittal noise. Dax was probably counting down the minutes until she lost interest in Malek. "I've marked him. Dax will leave him alone for now."

"Or try to find a way around your mark," Bane muttered with a hint of a growl in his tone, indicating he wasn't pleased she'd marked Malek either. "What do you know about this stranger? And why the hell would you mark him?"

She gave him a sharp look. "I'm not discussing him with you."

"Very well. I'm assuming you're on your way to Esme's shop. We need to discuss a few other things, like the people hunting you."

She nodded and continued heading in that direction, more than a little weary. She needed to get some rest before she collapsed. "Yes, but we can talk inside. Dax has people watching the outside of Esme's shop, and I'd rather they not hear what we discuss. If you go around back, I'll lower the wards for you so you can slip over the wall."

"That won't be necessary. My men chased Dax's people away from Esme's shop earlier. After I got your message, I assumed you'd be heading here tonight" Bane gestured toward an alley where he had someone standing watch. She didn't recognize the person, but she wasn't as familiar with Bane's people.

Sabine blew out a breath and muttered, "Great. More trouble. Dax is going to love that."

"I can handle my brother." Bane put his hand on her lower back to lead her toward Esmelle's front door.

Sabine traced a pattern on the door and infused it with her magic. The warding shimmered with a bluish light before falling away. Witch magic typically flared blue when it was triggered or deactivated. She didn't quite understand why various colors were associated with different types of magic, but most people couldn't see them. They might catch a trace of light or a shimmer in the air, but not much else.

Pushing open the door, she led Bane inside the warm and inviting shop. It didn't matter what time she showed up; Esmelle always seemed to know when to expect her.

The fire had been banked, but it provided enough warmth in the shop to eliminate the worst of the night's chill. Sabine pulled off her cloak and hung it on the hook. Esmelle had left a pot of tea on the counter with a note.

Sabine picked up the message and smiled at the handwritten script.

Don't argue. Just drink the damn tea.

It figured. Esmelle might be human, but she was also a rather talented witch who enjoyed dabbling in charms and elixirs. Unfortunately, that meant Sabine was frequently volunteered to be a test subject in Esmelle's creations. Her friend meant well, but Sabine tried to escape from Esmelle's experiments whenever possible. Her magic was much better than her cooking and brewing abilities, which could be quite harrowing at times.

Lifting the top of the teapot, Sabine inhaled and then wrinkled her nose at the pungent aroma. Apparently, Esmelle was worried about the effects of Dax stealing her magic earlier. In addition to a magical enhancement herb, she also caught a faint whiff of another plant that encouraged relaxation. The two herbs were in direct contrast to each other, not only with their intent but also with their flavors.

Sabine motioned for Bane to carry the pot while she picked up a jar of mint and two cups. If she had to drink the foul concoction, Bane could suffer too.

"I'm not drinking that," Bane said, warily eyeing the two cups she'd grabbed.

She headed up the stairs toward her room, trusting he'd follow her. "I'm going to add some mint."

"I've tasted Esme's brews. You don't have enough mint in that little jar to cover up the taste. Maybe not even in her entire garden."

She grinned and pushed open one of the doors at the top of the stairs. "Don't be a baby. You'll hurt Esme's feelings."

"At least I won't be hurling my guts out," Bane muttered, walking into the bedroom Sabine used on occasion. She didn't stay at the shop all the time, but often enough Esmelle had offered her a private bedroom. Sabine suspected Esmelle would prefer if she moved in permanently, but she wasn't willing to endanger her friend. Too many people might be inclined to hurt Esmelle if they knew how much Sabine adored the human witch.

"That happened once, and she's gotten a lot better." Sabine motioned for him to place the teapot on the dresser. She opened the jar of mint and doctored the tea to mask the worst of the taste. Leaving it to steep, she put her loose hairpins on the dresser and then sat on the edge of the bed to pull off her boots.

Bane wandered over, picked up one of Sabine's hairpins, and studied it. "Are you going to tell me why you're not wearing these tonight? You don't normally keep your hair down."

"I do when your brother's being a pain in the ass," she muttered and started pulling off the rest of her weapons.

He arched his brow. "What did Dax do now?"

"The bastard drugged me."

Bane's mouth twitched in a smile, and she glared at him. He chuckled and held up his hands in surrender. "Dax has never been the most tactful. Did you hurt him?"

She snorted. "I got to test out a new poison made from sewer rats. Even with Esme's antidote, he's going to be uncomfortable for a few days."

Bane laughed. "You're good for him, I'll give you that much. He'll think twice about doing that again."

She made a noise of agreement and placed her throwing knives on the small table beside her bed. "He knows I went to see you last night."

"Is that so?"

Sabine stood and walked back over to the teapot. She poured each of them a cup and then walked over to Bane. Offering it to him, she said, "You need to talk to him, Bane. I'm getting tired of being caught in the middle of your argument. The more time passes, the harder it will be to resolve."

Bane took the cup and sniffed it but made no move to drink it. He placed it back on the dresser. "What did you learn about the attack?"

She narrowed her eyes at his refusal to discuss Dax. It was tempting to throw one of her poisoned blades at the brother standing in front of her. They needed to fix this mess before she strangled both of them.

Perhaps part of their argument was her fault, but she'd made her decision out of necessity. Unlike Dax, Bane had the ability to manipulate someone's lifeforce. He typically used that ability to steal someone's life, making him a very effective assassin. But they'd found his magic could also be used in reverse. It was much more difficult to heal using demonic magic, but they'd found it worked better if he carried her mark and was sworn to protect her.

Dax hadn't been pleased when he'd learned about it, and it was still a point of contention between them. The knowledge his brother could live aboveground due to her protection mark chafed. If she had known it would cause so many problems between the brothers, she might have reconsidered her decision. Bane didn't seem to have the same controlling tendencies as Dax, which was the main reason she'd agreed in the first place. Although, she suspected Bane was simply better at hiding the worst of his demonic traits. May the gods save her from volatile demons and the headaches they created.

Irritated by the whole mess, she snapped, "Don't push me tonight, Bane. I'm exhausted, and I've had a rough few days. Drink your damn tea or get the hell out of my room."

His amber eyes flashed silver for a second before they faded. He wasn't as quick to temper as Dax, but she'd had it with both of them. She waited, tapping her foot impatiently, and arched her brow at him.

He held her gaze and picked up the tea, took a drink, and grimaced. Placing the cup back on the dresser, he crossed his arms over his chest and glared at her, as though daring her to challenge him further.

She wouldn't. Someone could only push a demon so far, even one as even-tempered as Bane.

Sabine took a sip from her cup and wrinkled her nose. It wasn't horrible, but Bane was right; it was barely palatable. She'd have to talk to Esme again about masking some of the more offensive herbs.

Placing her cup on the dresser, she pulled open one of the drawers to find an oversized shirt to wear to sleep.

"Last week, Dax asked me to reach out to some of my contacts to see if I could get any information for him. He was interested in some strange happenings with the local politicians over the past two months. Money has been changing hands, and there's been a heavier presence of armed guards in certain key areas around the city."

Bane arched his brow. "I've heard similar complaints from some of my men. It's made moving unseen a bit more difficult. Do you know why?"

She hesitated. "Not exactly. I've only begun putting bits and pieces together, but most of this is supposition. Some of Edvar's street kids heard rumors about a cache of ancient artifacts that was recently discovered in one of the catacombs under the city."

Bane snorted. "Let me guess, my brother wants to steal them?"

She smiled and nodded. "Most likely. At the very least, he wants to know what they found. Dax believes they've hired mercenaries to help guard the items, but they keep moving them around. So far, everyone's been tight-lipped about it. His contacts in the city guard don't even know what they're hiding."

"How is this related to the attack on you?"

Sabine picked up her tea and took another sip. "I contacted Thomas, the owner of a nearby general store, and asked him to arrange a meeting with an informant in the city council's office."

Bane frowned. "Thomas? Dax's fence? What does he know about the city council?"

She shrugged. "Nothing, but his cousin works as a clerk for the city council. When I stopped at the general store, I didn't realize one of Dax's men was in the backroom unloading some merchandise that had arrived by ship. Riven overheard my conversation about the planned meet. He told someone named Terrance where I was going to be. I believe Terrance orchestrated the attack, but I don't know if he was ultimately responsible."

Bane scowled. "I've met Terrance. Dax allowed him to set up a gambling hall not far from the docks. If he's the one responsible for this, I'll handle him."

Sabine frowned and started unfastening the laces of her shirt. It seemed as though everyone else knew about Terrance, except for her. She'd wanted to put some space between her and Dax, so she'd decided to take a step back from some of Dax's dealings. Now she wondered if that had been a mistake.

"Terrance is missing, and Dax has people searching for him. How much contact did you have with him?"

Bane leaned against the wall, watching as she pulled off her shirt. Nudity was common enough amongst her people and his, but Bane had already slipped once the other day by kissing her. She arched her brow at him, and he grinned.

"You can't blame me for looking, little one. A beautiful woman should always be admired. But to answer your question, I had very little interaction with Terrance. He hired us to kill someone a few weeks ago, and it's possible that's how he came into contact with one of my men. Naphor was assigned to the task."

Sabine frowned and pulled on her nightshirt. Naphor had been the man from the alley with the tattoo, indicating his allegiance to Bane and the assassin's guild. Everyone who wore one celebrated the dark masters, those gods who were responsible for death, revenge, and chaos. Bane had his own version of the tattoo on one of his arms, and it was an easy way to identify others who followed their credo.

"You don't normally talk to me about your assassination contracts."

"No, and I'm not giving you details. But in this case, you need to know the connection between my people and Terrance."

She nodded and reached down to unfasten and slip off her pants. "Do I need to know who the target was?"

"Not right now. I'm investigating any connection to you, but I don't believe there is one. It wasn't a difficult target, which was why one of my newer recruits was tasked with killing the mark."

Sabine tucked her loose hair behind her ear. "There might be another possibility. Your feud with Dax isn't a secret, and most people believe I'm the reason for it. I think it's interesting Terrance hired one of Dax's men for information about me, and then he hired one of your men to kill me."

Bane straightened. "You believe someone's trying to play us against each other?"

Walking back over to the bed, she opened the drawer of the nightstand and withdrew the iron dagger she'd collected from Naphor. Even through the leather sheath, the cold iron warmed her skin enough to make it uncomfortable. Direct contact would burn her; not even water would quench the flames. "It's a possibility, but he had this."

She offered the knife to Bane, and his eyes flashed silver once again. This time, they stayed that way for almost a full minute while he tried to get himself under control. She waited, knowing his anger wasn't directed at her, but it wasn't a good idea to push him too far in this state. Dax's temper was explosive and immediate, but Bane's could be much more dangerous when it was fully unleashed.

Bane exhaled slowly and gripped the knife. "Someone knows who you are."

"Or suspects, yes." She folded down the blankets in the bed. "Many people believe I'm more Fae than human, so this may be a coincidence. It could even have been part of the payment. Iron weapons are rare, even here in a city where the metal can be more easily tolerated."

"Did you tell Dax about this?"

She climbed into bed and looked up at Bane. His eyes had returned to normal, but it wouldn't take much to set him off again. "Not yet. I planned on telling him tonight before he decided to be an ass. If someone is hoping to take advantage of your disagreement, it's up to both of you to resolve it."

Bane's jaw clenched, and she sighed. It was too late at night to deal with a brooding over-protective demon. The sun was going to rise soon, and she needed to get some rest before Esmelle's clients started showing up.

"I'm going to bed. Are you staying or leaving?"

He was quiet for a long time. "I'd like to stay for a bit."

"All right," she said and listened to him remove some of his weapons.

Bane wouldn't fall asleep, but he'd stay with her long enough until she did. Demons didn't love the same way as humans or other magical races, but she knew he cared about her. Bane was worried about what she'd shared, but the real reason he would remain was a little more practical: he simply needed access to her magic. It fueled him enough to enhance his senses and allow him more mobility aboveground, but he didn't like being dependent upon it.

Any form of intimacy, even small touches and caresses, helped strengthen their connection through the mark on his wrist. It allowed him to go longer periods of time without having direct access to her. Part of the reason Dax wanted Bane to stay away from her was because Dax wanted Bane's mark to fade. Stupid, jealous demons. If Dax would quit trying to control and manipulate every situation involving her, Sabine might consider marking him too. Instead, she was the equivalent of a shiny toy both demons wanted to possess.

Bane slid into bed beside her, and she scooted over next to him. He was always so warm, like a giant heater. Wrapping his arm around her, he pulled her closer. "I'm putting guards on you around the clock, little one. I have a handful of people who are loyal and beyond reproach. They'll be the ones to watch over you."

Resting her head on his chest, she said, "Just don't get angry when I lose them. You know how I feel about people tracking me."

Bane ran his hand down her back and murmured, "Fair enough. Will you tell me about the man from earlier?"

Sabine yawned. "His name's Malek. And no, you're not allowed to kill him either."

"I wouldn't ask permission," he said with a chuckle and kissed her hair. "If you won't tell me anything more, go to sleep."

"You didn't tell me what else you learned," she grumbled, closing her eyes and burrowing deeper against his side.

"Nothing much. It'll keep. We'll talk more after you've had a chance to rest."

"All right," she whispered, thinking back to the events that happened earlier. Something still troubled her, and she wouldn't be able to sleep until she got an answer. She opened her eyes again. "Where did you get the dwarven ale you were drinking the other night?"

He arched his brow. "The one you barely touched?" When she nodded, he frowned. "I'll have to check with Evo. He managed to acquire a case from a smuggler."

"Was it a full case?"

Bane frowned. "I'm not sure. Why?"

"I went to Terrance's home earlier tonight. He had a bottle of the same ale. Malek mentioned it was rare and took the bottle with him. I'm wondering if it came from the same case."

Bane narrowed his eyes. "You need to tell me more about this Malek. If he had a hand in this—"

"I don't believe he's responsible for the attack," she interrupted, refusing to let him continue with that line of thought.

If Malek had meant her any harm, she wouldn't have been able to mark him with protective magic. The mark wasn't working quite right, but she should have been able to sense malicious intent. That was part of the reason she'd done it, but she didn't intend to admit that to either Bane or Dax. They had a habit of killing off any perceived threats, regardless of whether they were real or not.

Sending a calming wave of her power over Bane, she continued, "Malek's a smuggler. That's how Dax managed to drug me earlier. He used a bottle of Faerie wine from Malek's supplies. The dwarven ale we found may have originated from the same shipment, but I don't believe Malek had anything to do with the attack."

Bane caressed her back, sliding his hand under her shirt to touch her bare skin. "When did he arrive in town?"

"The day before the attack," she admitted, cuddling against Bane once more. "Dax let him sit at the docks for a full day before granting him an audience."

"Of course. Dax always enjoys lording over his subjects," Bane muttered and then sighed. "Get some sleep, little one. I suspect you're going to need it."