My Dangerous Pleasure (8 page)

Maddy put down her pencil and folded her hands on top of the desk. “That’s one of the effects of the magic he used to remove and alter your memories.”

“So I’m told.”

Harsh said, “I know it doesn’t feel right to you yet, but I’m sure Maddy will confirm it’s best if you use your real name.”

“I know.” Something akin to panic flickered in Emily’s eyes, and he went back to feeling sorry for her. “I am trying. I’ve remembered a few more things since the baby was born. Little things. Mostly about my parents and Gray.”

Gray was Emily’s sister, now an assassin bound to Durian, who was, in turn, bound to Nikodemus, the same demon warlord Harsh served. As did Maddy. She picked up the pencil. The
tap, tap, tap
of the eraser on the folders in front of her started back up.

Emily sipped her water, then placed the tumbler on the glass coffee table in front of her. “I’m sure you two weren’t expecting to talk about my personal issues.”

“I’ll let Harsh start,” Maddy said. “He’s been working with Nikodemus and can tell us both about the politics involved.” She gave Emily a quick grin. “Luckily, that’s not my area of expertise. I’m here to tell you about your legal situation and answer any questions you might have about that.”

“Thank you,” Emily said.

“If you stay here,” Harsh said, “and you are welcome to do so, you need to make a decision about an oath of fealty.”

Among the kin, swearing fealty to a warlord was customary. The kin aligned themselves with warlords in return for his, or in rare cases, her, protection. The warlord drew power and standing from his sworn fiends. While Nikodemus permitted unaligned kin in his territory and even worked with them on occasion, the magekind were another matter. If they worked for him or got involved with his sworn fiends, he required an oath of fealty from them. No exceptions.

Emily licked her lips. “My understanding is that the oath would be required. Is that not correct?”

“In your case, an oath would be required if you elect to stay in Nikodemus’s territory, yes.” Christ, she was beautiful. “But you don’t have to swear yourself to Nikodemus.”

Emily’s eyebrows lifted, but it was Maddy who said, “What?”

He shifted so he had a better view of Maddy, but he addressed Emily. “Nikodemus has authorized me to tell you that he would find it acceptable if you swore yourself to Durian or to Kynan Aijan.”

Maddy’s pencil stopped tapping. Kynan Aijan was one of Nikodemus’s sworn fiends, a warlord himself, sure, but one with issues. Huge issues. Not to mention some kind of history with Maddy that no one ever talked about.

Harsh cleared his throat. He wasn’t sure how much Emily knew about the kin’s practice of swearing fealty to a warlord. “He felt that since your sister is sworn to Durian, you might find that a more comfortable choice. However, Nikodemus is aware of your relationship with Kynan. If you swear fealty to Kynan, that would be acceptable to him, too.”

“How soon do I need to decide?”

“Not immediately. A month, perhaps. Nikodemus is also aware that your son is quite young. He has young ones of his own. In case you’re wondering, should you decide to swear fealty, the protection extended to you extends to your son so long as he is your dependent.”

“What about Ian?”

Ian was the young boy her husband had abducted and who was, at present, still with Emily while they waited, and hoped, for his mother to recover from what Christophe had done to her. “Him too.”

“Tell him I appreciate his patience.” She put her hands on the couch on either side of her legs and leaned forward. “I’ll let you know my decision.”

“Unless you decide to swear fealty to Nikodemus, that won’t be necessary. He’ll know the moment you’re sworn. Otherwise, I’ll be happy to put you in contact with Nikodemus.”

She watched him for a moment. She wasn’t pulling any magic, but there was power in her gaze. “Thank you.”

“I’ll turn things over to Maddy, then.”

Emily looked at the other woman. “Am I going to jail?”

Maddy snapped out of whatever funk she’d been in. “No.”

“Why not? I killed my husband.”

“I’m sure you’re aware,” Maddy said, “that your husband’s death was a complicated matter.”

Emily laughed, and God, what that did to her face. Harsh envied Kynan. “Murder isn’t complicated.”

“Nevertheless,” Maddy said, “he was a mage, and your actions that night saved a lot of lives.”

“I don’t remember my husband as an evil man.” She lifted a hand. “I’ve been told what he had planned for my sister and poor Ian, but that’s not the man I thought I was married to.” Her eyes teared up. Briefly, she put a hand over her mouth, and they waited for her to gather herself. “I’m sorry. Do go on, Maddy.”

Harsh restrained his urge to stroke her shoulder. “With respect to the magekind and warlords, it was not possible to suppress your involvement in his death. It would have been a disaster for all of us if one of the demonkind had been blamed. There would almost certainly have been war.” He met Emily’s gaze. “It was beyond convenient for Nikodemus that you were the one to kill Christophe.”

“If everyone knows, why haven’t I been arrested?”

From the desk, Maddy said, “As far as the civilian world is concerned, Christophe’s death has been ruled a murder that occurred in the course of a home invasion by a person or persons unknown.”

“Not so far from the truth,” Harsh said. As he now knew, Maddy and a few others, including Kynan, had been there the night Emily killed her husband. Durian, one of Nikodemus’s assassins, had gone there to retrieve Gray, who had been taken mageheld by Christophe in a violation of the peace agreement Nikodemus had forged with the magekind living in his territory. Given the current fragility of relations between the demonkind and the magekind, whatever her personal justification, Emily dit Menart had done Nikodemus a favor by killing Christophe that night.

Maddy filled the awkward silence. “You’re his widow, and you and your son are his only living relatives.”

She didn’t react to that. Harsh left her to her thoughts. Maddy did the same. Eventually, Emily said, “My son might not be Christophe’s.”

“Legally,” Maddy said, “he is. You were his wife. The child is presumed his.” She waved a perfectly manicured hand. “In any event, there’s no one left to dispute paternity. Not that it would matter.”

“Let me be clear,” Emily said in freezing tones. “I have no recollection of having sexual relations with anyone but Christophe during our marriage. But, considering that he intended to have one of his magehelds impregnate my sister, why wouldn’t he have done the same to me? And wiped my memory of it.” Harsh heard the tiniest break in her voice, but her features were serene. “Why should I assume Christophe is my son’s father?”

“If he wasn’t,” Maddy said, “why would he marry you?”

She answered quickly, which was interesting. “He liked beautiful things.”

“Forgive me, Emily,” Harsh said, “but he could have had you without marrying you.”

Maddy glared at him before returning her attention to Emily. “Do you want a paternity test? I can arrange it.”

“I don’t care who his father is.” She spoke with cold certainty. “Not for an instant. He’s my son, and I love him. Whether any of you accept him or not. Whether his father was a mage or a demon or some stranger off the street.”

Harsh glanced away until he was sure his face would reveal nothing of his emotions. “Nikodemus accepts you, Emily. You and your son. Ian as well. Neither Maddy nor I would be here with you now if the three of you did not have his full support.” They would know, one day, whether the boy was magekind or demonkind or simply human. Harsh hoped to see him grow up in a world where the answer did not matter. In fact, he was counting on it. “Whatever the truth may be.”

Maddy got the conversation back on track. “I can represent to you, Emily, that you are the only woman Christophe ever married. In this century or the last.”

“Bully for me,” she said.

Maddy and Harsh exchanged a glance. “From a legal standpoint,” Maddy said, “you inherit everything. There is a substantial estate here in California. Harsh is still tracking down the European assets, but you should expect them to be substantial.”

“Define
substantial
.”

Maddy delivered the news with nonchalance. “Several hundred million at least. Euros.”

Harsh knew that kind of money considerably changed her options. She wouldn’t be dependent on Nikodemus’s good will, for example. With Christophe’s fortune, she could live anywhere she wanted to.

“Christophe had more than four hundred years to amass and preserve his fortune,” Harsh said. “Legally or otherwise.” Emily frowned at that, but he continued. “He was not a fool about his money or the manner in which it might be protected as the years passed and he continued to live.”

“I want it in a trust for my son. And for Ian.” She met Maddy’s eyes. “Can you do that for me?”

“Of course. With a decent income for you.” Maddy’s voice softened. “I’m going to insist on that. You deserve that much.”

She replied in a cool voice. “You can’t make me spend it.”

“You’re right about that.” Maddy sighed. “No one can make you spend the money. But either way, you need to designate an executor in case something happens to you. Someone needs the authority to administer and protect the assets in the trust and to care for your son and Ian. My recommendation is to have Nikodemus or Harsh or both administer the trust, as it’s likely they’ll outlive you. Depending on your son’s heritage, they might outlive him as well. As for a guardian for the boys, I assume you’ll want to name your sister or perhaps your parents.”

She answered without hesitation. “Kynan.”

Maddy opened her mouth to object but stopped herself. “Have you and Kynan spoken about that?”

“We have.” From her stolid expression, Harsh surmised Emily was well aware of Kynan’s reputation for mayhem. “I want him to be an executor, too.”

“He’s not… stable,” Maddy said.

Harsh silently applauded the way Emily stared down Maddy.

“I trust him,” Emily said. “Completely. It’s not my problem if you don’t.”

“Kynan Aijan,” Harsh said in a low voice, “has his issues. We all know that.” He wasn’t sure how much Maddy or even Emily knew about Kynan’s past, and he wasn’t about to discuss what specifics he knew. “But I assure you he would not agree to raise anyone’s child unless he meant to do so honorably.”

Maddy wasn’t having any of it. “You don’t know him, Harsh.”

“But I do,” Emily said. She was calm, but there was steel in her words. “At this point, perhaps better than you. In any event, it is not your decision.” She closed her eyes, and while they were closed, her shoulders relaxed. When her eyes opened, she looked at Maddy. “I am aware of his past. I shouldn’t say this, but I will. Kynan and I have talked about his feelings for you. He told me enough about what happened that I understand more than you think.” She hesitated. “I’m sorry. On his behalf, I’m sorry.” Then she threw Maddy a bone. “If you’d like to add Nikodemus to the trust administrators, please do.”

Maddy didn’t say anything right away. She stared at the folders in front of her. “I’ll make inquiries, but I don’t anticipate there will be any difficulties with that.”

Emily stood. “Is that all?”

“I’ll draw up some papers and send them to you for review.” Maddy came out from behind the desk. “I think you should have another lawyer look over the documents that get filed in the human legal system.”

Emily looked at Harsh. “Is there anyone you recommend?”

“I trust Maddy, but give me a day or two and I’ll give you some names.”

“Thank you again.” She headed for the door.

“Emily.” Harsh stood, too. “Do you have a few moments for me?”

Maddy looked up from the folders she was sliding into a maroon leather briefcase. Emily ignored her, and so did Harsh.

“Of course.”

“Well, then.” Maddy snapped closed her briefcase. “If you don’t have any questions for me, Emily, I’ll be on my way.”

“None right now. Thank you. I appreciate your assistance.”

“All in a day’s work. Here’s my card. Please, feel free to call or e-mail if you have any questions.”

She took the card. “Thank you.”

When Maddy was gone, Emily sat down again. “If you’re going to take me to task for what I said to Maddy, don’t. It was uncalled for.” She smiled so sadly that Harsh’s heart broke for her. She hesitated, and he waited for her to finish her thought. “Who knows?” She smiled, and this time it was not so sad. “Perhaps I’ll get to keep him.”

Harsh stayed on his feet. He acknowledged what she said with a nod. What could he say that would make any difference? “I have information about your life with Christophe that may answer some of your questions.”

“Ah. I’d like to have Kynan here, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course.”

“I need to feed my son, too.” She slid a cell phone from the pocket of her jeans. “It seems ridiculous to call someone who’s just upstairs, doesn’t it?”

“Modern technology.”

“It’s me,” she said after dialing. “How is he?” She waited. “He’s hungry.” She smiled softly, a smile that was meant for Kynan. “Can you come down with him? Harsh has something he wants to tell me in private, and I’d rather not hear it alone.”

Ah. Yes. She was making sure Kynan knew Maddy wasn’t there. Whatever had gone on between Kynan and Maddy, it wasn’t over yet, and Emily knew it.

She put away the phone. “He’ll be right down.”

He didn’t know what to say to that. She was with Kynan Aijan, for pity’s sake.

She ignored his awkward loss of words. “Most of the time I know I don’t love him. And then there are times, like now, when I think, if things were different, I could. It makes me sad to think I’ve met the right man at the wrong time in both our lives.”

“Relationships take time.”

She didn’t answer because the door to the office opened and Kynan Aijan walked in with a cloth diaper over his shoulder and Emily’s son in his arms. Recognition robbed him of the words he should have had for Kynan.

Emily dit Menart’s son was a genetic hybrid. Part demon and part mage, which was supposed to be impossible. Just like Harsh himself.