him with a love he’d craved for so long that he’d forgotten what it felt like to be happy. To be content.
As soon as this demon was dealt with, provided he survived, he was quitting La Guardia Segreta and going home. They wouldn’t be thrilled about it, but they’d taken everything from him so he really didn’t give a shit either way.
But first, he had a demon to see to.
He held onto the elfin for as long as he could. The feel of her both alleviating the agony inside him and aggravating it. He wanted more of her. Ached for more of her.
“We have loved her for so long,” Rune said.
“I know.” Rune had loved her through him. He’d known it for years.
“This demon will not be easily defeated.”
“Are they ever?” Quentin asked.
“It will kill you to get to us.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
“Precisely. You must release us. You must hand us over. We can be the distraction you need to get the upper hand.”
“Fuck off.”
“It’s the only way.”
“It’s too dangerous.”
“The demon is too fast, even for you.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“I call ’em like I see ’em, human.”
“And how many of you will die in the process?”
“How many of you will die if we do not stop it?”
In all the years Rune had been hitching a ride, Quentin never knew exactly who he was talking to. The leader, surely. But what was his name?
“Don’t go there, human.”
Unfortunately, he couldn’t have a single fucking thought without the whole of Rune knowing about it.
“Exactly. So, stop thinking and kiss her again.”
Quentin laughed. His relationship with the elfin could get awkward. Ménage à million. They’d have to deal with that later. For now, he asked anyway. “What’s your name?”
“What do you mean? We are Rune.”
He pulled Amber tighter. “If this goes south, I’d like to know who I’ve been talking to all this time.”
“You’ve been talking to Rune. We are one. We’re like the Borg that way.”
“Really? Star Trek references?”
“Really. Star Trek references.”
Okay, then. It would have to do for now. They had to get on with this before someone accidentally freed the demon. He loosened his hold, and Amber leaned back, her gaze so full of love it physically hurt. She had changed so much, and yet not at all. He brushed a thumb over her bow-shaped lips, and she leaned in and kissed him. He buried his hands in her hair and tilted his head to deepen the kiss. To breathe her in. To memorize her taste.
When she finished the kiss with several soft pecks over his face and drew back, a look of guilt had shadowed her features. “I’m sorry. About raking through your memories like that.”
“Don’t be. They’ve been left to their own devices for far too long. They probably needed to be raked. Maybe even weeded.”
She laughed softly. “Are you ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.”
He pulled on an old canvas windbreaker and pushed the sleeves up to his elbows. A windbreaker with deep pockets that had been preloaded with black salt. She shrugged into the same jacket she’d worn before.
“I have a hoodie in there somewhere.”
“No,” she said, hugging the jacket to her. “I like this one.”
“The rip down the center does give it that, what did you call it, hobo look?”
She giggled, the sound like sparkling water, and kissed him on the cheek. The fact that he’d never heard her giggle before today broke his heart. He’d been missing out.
“Let’s go kick some demon ass,” she said.
“Yeah, you get to stay in the truck, Rambo.”
“What? I’m the one who told you about Sarah.”
“You can help with her. Maybe knowing why all of this is happening will give us an edge. But when I have to face the demon, I need to know you’re safe. Thinking otherwise will only distract me.”
She blinked as she considered his words. “I guess. I certainly can’t move like you can. But maybe it won’t come to that. Maybe we can stop it through the website or whatever they’re using to learn how to summon it, which, seriously, what the hell?”
“Maybe,” he said, not believing that for a minute. “But I do agree. What the hell?”
“Can I bring the crossbow?”
“No.”
They went back inside the Tavern and spotted their table. Kyle had come back in, and both he and Dora sat there, but the lunch crowd had cleared out. Most of them, anyway. The man in the Hawaiian shirt was still there, reading a paper.
Dora waved excitedly.
Kyle sent him a glare and asked.