Master of Desire (Merlin's Legacy #6) - Angela Knight Page 0,34

can turn into seven feet of werewolf and eat anyone who pisses you off. Not that I would, but I like having options.”

“What. The hell. Did she say?” Conal demanded through clenched teeth, his eyes frigid with rage.

Essus lowered his voice. “That it couldn’t be more than a fling because you wouldn’t want a litter. Then the other one speculated you were into animal rescue.”

“No, I’m not.” His voice hadn’t lowered whatsoever. Everyone in the room could hear him as he turned and caught the back of Helena’s head in one hand, staring into her eyes, his stare direct, demanding. “I want a woman who is brilliant, courageous and dedicated to saving people who need saving.” He smiled, slow and sensual. “You.”

As Helena stared at him in mortified astonishment, he took her mouth in a blazing kiss. After a frozen minute, the heat of his mouth ignited her Burning Moon hunger like a match to gasoline. She began to kiss him back, one hand instinctively fisting in his shirt as their tongues swirled, lips pressing, stroking.

For one wild moment, she wanted to crawl in his lap. She could smell the arousal rolling off him in dark, delicious waves, rich and male as sandalwood. Driving her hunger higher. At the same time, the solely human part of her writhed, acutely aware of the watching Changelings and the amused Sidhe staring at them from across the table. Even as he fought a grin, Birk shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Probably getting a hard-on from all the pheromones. God knew she was getting incredibly wet.

When Conal drew back at last, he gave her a hot, glittering smile. “Siobhan doesn’t have a prayer against you.” He turned to Maireade, who looked as mortified as Helena felt. Gesturing at their untouched meal, he said, “Have this boxed up and delivered to the penthouse, please. We’ll eat it later.”

When he started to reach for his wallet, the Brounie made a warding gesture. “There’s no charge. Conal, I’m so…”

He gave her a reassuring smile, probably in reaction to her obvious misery. “You can’t control what bigots choose to do in your establishment.”

“Oh, yes, I can,” Mairead growled. “Those bitches aren’t getting back in the door. Ever. Call in your order and I’ll have a fresh meal prepared and delivered.”

“Thanks.” Conal rose, taking Helena’s hand and pulling her to her feet. “We’ll call around noon and order something.” He gave Helena a deliberately hot smile. “We’re going to be… busy for a while.” The two of them strode out past the watching Changelings, Essus glaring from her shoulder. Helena maintained her best FBI face all the way out the door, not sure who she was more pissed at: the bitch sisters, Conal, Essus or herself. All of them had embarrassed the fuck out of her.

She was mentally composing an epic chewing-out for at least some of her targets when Conal said, “Well, that didn’t go exactly as I planned, but Siobhan will hear all about it.” He sounded grimly satisfied.

Forgetting her fury, Helena stared at him. “That kiss -- the thing about Siobhan. That was an act?”

“Oh, I meant every word. But it also served a purpose, because Birk is one of Siobhan’s spies. He was kicked out of her court fifty years ago, and he’s been looking for a way back into her good graces ever since.”

Helena stared at him. Judging by the ice in his eyes, he hated Birk, yet there’d been no sign of it in his behavior at all. “I thought you said he was your father’s partner.”

“He was. But backstabbing is an art form with the Sidhe.” Conal’s tone iced. “That one in particular.”

A chill rolled over her. Not so much at Birk’s betrayal -- he was right about Sidhe backstabbing -- as the way Conal had fooled her so completely. “I could have sworn the two of you were good friends.”

“I used to think we were. Birk swore Siobhan would take us in and protect us from Ansgar. Even convinced Dad that her nasty reputation was exaggerated.” His jaw hardened. “It wasn’t.”

“Why do you think Maeve surrounds herself with her menagerie instead of other Sidhe?” Liam put in from his holster. “She got sick of all the backstabbing centuries ago. Kicked every last Fairy right the hell out and started adopting strays. Sort of like a cat lady, but with tigers.”

Essus snorted. “You’d know. You owe your life to Maeve’s tender heart. Cachamwri wanted to kill you and have done with it.”

“Oh,