Dark Dealings by Kim Knox Read Free Book Online Page A

hair. He’d tilt his head, drop the scroll and stand in one fluid moment. In less than a heartbeat, he’d be around the ancient wooden desk. Nerves backed her away until her spine hit the door. Reist caught his fingers in her hair, jerked her head back and then...
    Ava swallowed and willed her breathing to slow. She stared at the flickering light of the candle. She only tasted Heyerdar. Felt his strength, his heat, the raw burn of him. Why had Fallon involved herself with an elemental?
    She scrubbed her hands over her face and stared at the mark on her palm. It was almost invisible against the lines of her hand. Heyerdar had given her a sated moment. Catching her fingers in her hair, she hunted for her nightgown and crawled into her cot. The heavy blankets were a comforting weight and she twisted against the rush mattress. A quick breath blew out the candle, and darkness settled again.
    Ava thumped her pillow. She’d broken so many rules in such a short space of time. A single day. Turning to the wall, she frowned. She was living up to her reputation as a thief, a creature without conscience. But she couldn’t walk away from Reist without trying everything she could to make the lump-headed man see sense. And he would see it—a fist tightened in her chest—even if she had to fuck the elemental to do it.

Chapter Four
    Ava splashed water on her face and failed to feel awake. Her eyes were raw and sandy and her thoughts clouded. Dreams had plagued her. Hot, disturbing visions of Reist, of Fallon, of Heyerdar, caught in wild tangles of limbs, mouths and fingers.
    She shivered and denied the illicit thrill the images ran through her body. She pressed the towel to her face. One kiss and she was imagining an orgy. Not that Heyerdar would share. Another shiver ran over her. He wouldn’t share anything.
    A shaft of morning sunlight crept across her open window. She winced. She was late. In one way that was a good thing. Seeing Heyerdar welcoming the sun, every inch of his luscious skin exposed to the light, would’ve run fire through her flesh. She didn’t need Reist seeing that reaction. Not if she was going to be there for him when Fallon left.
    She threw on clothes, stamped into her boots and grabbed her cloak. Breakfast would have to wait until after her meeting with Reist.
    She flew down the twists and turns of numerous corridors and up the tight stairwell to Reist’s chamber. At the heavy, closed door, she stopped and drew in calming breaths. She pushed her hood back and straightened her hair. Not that it would make any difference. Her lack of sleep no doubt made her look like the recently-dug-up dead.
    She rapped her knuckles against the wood, waited five heartbeats and lifted the latch. Her thief-mask settled over her face. No emotion, just professional courtesy. That morning she needed it and, thanks to Heyerdar, it came easily.
    Sunlight striped the flagstone floor, the warmth of it touching her face. She squinted, finding Reist at his desk. The meeting of the Higher Mages had finished only a few hours before, but he’d never missed one of their appointments. Another stupid thing to drive in hope.
    “I overslept. I apologize.”
    Reist looked up. “Morning, Ava.” He pointed to the wooden chair set before his desk. “Sit, please.”
    She gave him a silent nod, unclipped her cloak and sat. He continued to read. He wasn’t questioning her lateness. She let her gaze wander over his face, gilded by the morning sun. He was beautiful, with a smooth perfection she never tired to look at. He belonged to her.
    “You’re to scout the outer town today. There’s evidence of thieves in the city. Bodies have turned up. Husks. Covered in bite marks. You’re to liaise with the Guard, report to them as well as to me.” He ran his hands over his hair and sank back. The leather of his chair groaned. “We believe that the dead have been identified...so we could be safe from them gaining access to the palace using the skin