Enlightened [Sexual Magic 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (6 page)

She looked back and smiled. “Yes. Photography is a hobby of mine.”

Mason stopped to examine a picture of a night scene of a fountain. Snow gathered at the fountain’s base, and ice shards and crystallized stalactites littered the concrete edges. The photo caught the half-frozen, half-slush of water as it spilled from the top tier and struggled downward, illuminated from below by a hazy blast of light.

He gave her a warm smile. “More than a hobby, I’d say. These are exquisite.”

“Thank you.”

They made their way into the living room. The motif was chic black furniture topped with tall, luxurious cushions in a cream fabric that looked decadent. A wide, sturdy-looking black coffee table hung low to the ground, and scattered along its surface were a few photography magazines and a white laptop computer. Across the room stood a tall entertainment center filled with a flat-panel television, DVD player, and a state-of-the-art stereo system.

Candles and throw pillows in burgundy added a dimension that made it feel even more welcoming.

Every inch of the space exuded sensuality and an invitation to touch and stroke. Emma was a very tactile woman. Excellent.

A light mewl sounded from his right, and he turned, coming face-to-muzzle with a dark gray cat. She sat on the dining room table, her light-amber gaze piercing. Her ears twitched, her nose wiggled, and she lifted a paw in his direction as she sniffed the air. In one graceful motion, she leapt from the table, landed soundlessly, and stalked his direction. She sat at his feet, tipped her head up, and swatted his leg.

“That’s Halo,” Emma said, a note of relieved surprise in her voice. “She’s usually very standoffish. Heck, she’s been known to bite if a stranger gets too close.”

Griff squatted and held out his hand. The cat purred so loudly she sounded like a train coming down the tracks. She rose, arched her back, and rubbed her whiskers along his outstretched fingers. Then she wove between his legs and headed for Mason, where she repeated the ritual.

Griff rose and studied Emma, who watched her cat with absolute surprise.

“Wow, that is just so incredible,” she finally murmured. “I’ve never seen her take to anyone so fast.”

He smiled. “We’re likable guys, I guess. They say animals have a sixth sense about them.”

Emma looked at him, and a frown formed on her pretty brow. “Yeah, I should have taken that into account.”

“What?”

She waved a hand. “Nothing. A misguided attempt at a dating life. Halo hated the last one.”

“I see.” He didn’t remember anything in the file about her dating.

“Please, sit down.”

She settled into one of the chairs facing the sofa where he and Mason had parked themselves. Griff realized he still held the quarters and extended them to her. “I don’t want you under any false assumptions, Miss Haskins. Your friend, Joel, did not send us here.”

She stiffened, and wariness reemerged in her eyes.

He held up his hand. “Please, just take a moment and listen, all right? This might get a little unbelievable, but it’s true. Mason and I are a team. We work for a group called the Council, which, for lack of a better explanation, looks after the sexual needs and desires of people around the world. We are their instruments, and we’re called Enrichers.”

Her expression went from wary to scoffing in a nanosecond.

Her lips pursed, and her eyes narrowed to slits. “You’re right, it’s unbelievable.”

This part of the program was always the most difficult. Ordinary folk just didn’t believe in magic anymore. “But it’s the truth. Thursday night you stood before the fountain—the very one in that photograph on the wall—and asked for help and guidance. We’re here to give it to you. If you accept.” He held out the quarters again.

She didn’t take them. “What about Joel?”

“Had nothing to do with this.” Griff shrugged. “He’s all right, though. We were told to relay that information to you. Perhaps you should call him and verify what I’m telling you. He did not send us nor did he give us the coins. Clarissa—that’s our boss—said to tell you it was a glancing blow.”

“What? Someone hit him?” Emma’s face tightened, and she lifted the phone, pointing it at them. “Is that why he didn’t call me this weekend?”

He saw the confusion mingle with burgeoning acceptance in her expression. “Go ahead, Miss Haskins, call him.”

She bit her lip, sucking at it with a soft, wet sound that rocked his cock further. Hell, he’d had a hard-on from the moment she’d popped out of her doorway.

Finally she nodded. “I don’t know why I’m even buying one second of this ridiculousness, and believe me, I still have questions.” But she lifted the phone, dialed a number, and within seconds was speaking low into the receiver. Her eyes widened, and she shot to her feet.

“Oh my God, are you okay? Why didn’t you tell me? Did you call the police? Ryan?”

Griff shared a concerned look with Mason, and both men rose, but she waved them away.

“For Pete’s sake, Joel, a freaking trip to the toy store is not as important as you are. I would have come over immediately.”

Her concern played over her face, and Griff found himself squashing the urge to gather her up in his arms.

“Fine, tell Ryan to take good care of you. I’ll come by tomorrow and see you. No, everything’s fine here. Well, Charles stopped by earlier, but didn’t stay long.”

Who the hell was Charles?

Emma clutched the phone and spoke softly and with great fervor. Griff sloughed off the question of Charles—he would have the Council investigate that—and sat forward to listen unabashedly.

“Listen, Joel, I have a weird question for you. Remember those coins I tossed in the fountain?”

She colored lightly and cupped a hand over the phone. Griff leaned in, a grin on his face.

“Uh, you didn’t happen to grab them, did you?”

“No? You’re sure?” Her green eyes flicked to Griff, holding his. He saw the dawning in her gaze, the subtle set of tension threading her shoulders. “Okay, then. Next question. Do you know two guys named Mason and Griffin?”

Her throat worked, and she rubbed her palm over her forehead. “Damn, I was afraid you were going to say that. You’re sure? Not messing with me?”

Griff leaned back on the couch and propped one ankle on his knee, grin widening by the moment. He was enjoying her revelation.

But he was more intrigued by the pulses of excitement she displayed. He didn’t need Mason’s amp abilities to feel her emotions.

“Well, they sort of showed up on my doorstep, and oh damn, you are not going to believe me. Hell,
I
don’t believe it.”

He chuckled and shook his head. Emma gave him a piercing glare. Griff winked back.

“They say they’re here to fulfill my wish.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “You know, the one about my, uh, desires?”

Suddenly she stiffened. “What?” Her tone rose with panic. “No, no, no. You are not coming over. No, Ryan can’t come either. Listen, Joel, if you didn’t give them the coins, and you don’t know them, the only thing left is the truth. You know that whole thing about however improbable, blah, blah, blah?”

She sucked in a deep breath, eyes now locked with Griff’s. He saw the decision in her eyes, saw the commitment she was about to make to herself and to them.

Damned if he didn’t get excited as hell. His cock rose and butted the zipper on his jeans. He shifted on the couch.

“Why?”

“Oh.”

He frowned at the one-sided conversation and lifted a brow in question, but she ignored him. His finger twitched on his thigh. Too bad they hadn’t gone over any rules yet or that would be a lovely indiscretion over which to tan her sweet round ass with his palm.

She sighed and rose. “Fine.”

Emma extended the phone to Griff. “Joel wants to talk to you.”

He looked at her, the handset, then back at her as he took it. “Hello?”

“Who the hell are you?” A man’s sharp voice whipped through the line.

Griff took no offense, having expected this very reaction. Hell, he would have worried more if her friend didn’t act defensive. As succinctly as he could, he repeated his story to Joel. To his credit, the man listened without much interruption.

“So, that’s why we’re here. To protect her,” Griff said.

A long sigh rattled the line. “I don’t believe this shit.”

“Neither did she,” he said with a chuckle.

“Look, my boyfriend is a cop with homicide. If you hurt her at all, you’ll pay. You got me?”

“Of course,” Griff said smoothly. “I want this to be comfortable for all of us. You, obviously aware of her nature, will be her safety. Are you agreeable to that?”

“Yes, of course.” His tone was no longer mulish, smoothing more into grudging acceptance.

“Excellent. I’m sure Emma has a scanner. Mason and I will scan our driver’s licenses and email them to you right now. You can have your partner look us up, okay?”

The silence was broken by a soft snort. “Damn right, I will. I still think I should come over,” Joel groused.

“Not necessary,” Griff said. Last thing he wanted was another distraction. “Let us send you the info. How long will it take?”

“I don’t know. An hour or so, probably.”

“If it makes you feel better, Mason and I will leave until you run us. We’ll only come back after you give the okay.”

Emma squeaked and appeared in front of him. Annoyance clouded her delicate features. She shook her head and held out a hand for the phone.

“One second, Joel.” He grinned as he gave her the phone.

She turned and stomped into the kitchen.

“What’s up?” Mason asked. He had the cat in his arms.

Griff rubbed her between the ears, and her eyes drifted closed in bliss. “Getting the okay from her safety.”

“Ah.”

Emma reappeared, face flushed and triumph gleaming in her eyes. “Okay, that’s taken care of.”

She stabbed at the phone and tucked it into her jeans pocket, exhaling sharply.

“Is everything okay, Miss Haskins?” Griff asked, pitching his voice low.

She stared at him for a long quiet, moment. “Joel was attacked Thursday night after I left the parking lot. No idea who did it.” She dropped back into her chair. “Said some jerk just clocked him on the head and left him there.” A frown marred her brow. “I thought I saw him in his car. Saw him leave. Oh, why didn’t I make sure?”

Griff saw the self-castigation begin and sought to head it off. “He was being gentlemanly by seeing you to your car, correct?”

“Yes.”

He smiled. “Then he would not have allowed you to see him to his.”

She gave a half-chuckle. “Yeah, you’re right on that one.” She raked a hand through her hair, and it all came tumbling out of the bun and flowed around her shoulders like a river of the finest Swiss chocolate. “He confirmed he did not send you but that he’s perfectly fine.” She lifted a brow. “So, my only other option is to believe your story.”

“’Fraid so,” Mason said. He scooted nearer on the couch. “You did make that wish in the fountain, didn’t you? Tossed in those very coins?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Have you mentioned that stop to anyone else? Anyone besides Joel?”

“No.”

“Would he tell your secrets? To anyone?”

“Absolutely not.” Her tone became adamant.

Mason shifted on the couch and took her hand. “Then yes, you have no other option but to believe us. You asked for a special kind of help, Miss Haskins, and here we are to show you the way.
Safely
,” he said, stressing the word.

Griff stood, walked to them, and crouched in front of her. “Miss Haskins, we are here because the Council is concerned for you and the way you are going about your research into the lifestyle.”

Her cheeks flamed a delightful shade of red. Griff immediately wondered if her ass would turn the same color. He cleared his throat and sought to regain his customary single-mindedness. What was it about this woman that caused him to stray from his purpose? To forget his job?

Amusement crept over him, and he cut a scathing “shut up” to Mason. The glee lessened, but didn’t leave. A new sensation filled him—uncertainty. It threw him for a moment. Within seconds, though, he also felt the soft thrum of passion coming to life. He sensed the tentative hope coupled with the darkness of fear.

He nodded at Mason, and again the emotions faded.

Emma sat on the couch, still and straight, though her fingers knotted together between her legs. The blush still covered her cheeks, but she didn’t back down. “Why is this Council so interested in me? How did they even
know
about me? And just what is an Enricher, anyway?”

He hesitated, wondering how much to tell her. Like diving into the world of kink, too much, too soon could be either distracting or disastrous. Neither of which he wanted. He opted for a glossed-over version of the truth.

“The Council has contacts all over the world. Various lines of communication.”

“Like a sexual big brother?”

He chuckled. “A fair assessment. As to why they are so interested in you, I think it’s because you’re leaving so many things open. So many topics are still on your checklists. Someone with less than pure intentions is bound to find you sooner or later, and the Council doesn’t want that to happen.”

“Damn it,” she muttered. “I just filled that stuff out two days ago.”

“But you’ve been online and searching for a few months, haven’t you?”

“Well, yeah, but it was just research.” A small guilty expression darted across her face. “I did have a chat with one guy, but I never told him my real name or anything.”

“Let us guide you, Miss Haskins. We are both very experienced in this area.”

“What about my last question? What’s an Enricher?”

He shared a look with Mason who shrugged. “That’s a little more difficult to explain.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Try. Hard.”

He lifted a brow. “I’ll excuse that tone this time, Emma. But not again.”

Her throat worked, but her eyes remained fixed on his, demand clear.

Griff found his control slipping again. Jaw clamped against the urge to shock that look right off her face, he sighed. “I am telling you the truth, all right?” He didn’t wait for her agreement. “Enrichers are magically enhanced and most often in pairs. Our powers are symbiotic. It’s what makes us unique and perfect for certain assignments. Like this one.”