My Dangerous Pleasure by Carolyn Jewel

Author:Carolyn Jewel [Jewel, Carolyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: FIC027020
ISBN: 9780446582698
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: 2011-05-31T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 20

Iskander took his seat. Paisley looked determined, but that didn’t mean she understood how her life was going to change if she went through with this. She’d be on the inside of the life he lived instead of outside of it. Not that he was thinking long-term about Paisley, except maybe he was. She already knew more than she was supposed to about the kin. More important, he’d now twice seen her free kin whose lives had been trapped by the magekind. Twice.

“What I need from you,” Nikodemus told Paisley, “is an oath of fealty. It’s not a normal promise. I’m talking about one that’s magically binding on us both. There are consequences if I don’t keep up my side of the oath, just like there are consequences if you don’t keep up your side.” He explained a warlord’s duty to protect and deal fairly with those sworn to him and that she’d be required to support him and do nothing to harm his interests.

Paisley would be safer if she was sworn to Nikodemus. If something happened to him, she’d be taken care of.

“Make sense?” Nikodemus said to her.

She said, “Sure.”

“Good. That’s really good. Fuck me over—pardon my French—and your broken oath to me could end up seriously damaging you. I can’t promise you’d recover if that happens. On the other hand, if I screw you over, the oath breaks and you’re free of me and any consequences.” He waited so she could think things over, then said, “Questions?”

Paisley looked at Iskander. This had to be her decision. “You’re sworn to him?” she asked.

“Yes,” Iskander said. “You don’t have to do this, if you don’t want to.”

“I’ve heard the screaming.” She turned back to the warlord. “All right.”

“I need you to say you agree.”

“I agree.”

The blood exchange that cemented the oath was over quickly. As soon as it settled into place, Iskander’s tension eased. He hadn’t realized until now how much he wanted this result. Paisley was safe now. She had him and Nikodemus on her side. He put an arm around her waist and kissed the top of her head. “You’re one of the cool kids now,” he said.

She laughed, and that made Nikodemus and Carson relax, too. She grabbed Iskander’s hand, her fingers tightening around his, and he squeezed back.

“Late last night,” Nikodemus said, “Carson got an interesting call. Sweetheart, you want to tell them about it?” He winked at Paisley. “Better if she tells this part.”

Carson sat straighter. “Rasmus Kessler called the number we give out so that other kin can contact us for help or let us know they want to swear fealty to Nikodemus.”

“That number’s everywhere,” Iskander said. No more worrying about what was okay to say in front of her or how much to tell her. Paisley was one of them now. “We pass it out like candy.”

“Not the issue,” Carson said. “The issue is that he called at all. Even more important, he was barely coherent. I’ve met Rasmus, and I almost didn’t recognize his voice.

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