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Bloody hell. Quinn frowned as he peered out the cabin window as the Learjet parked after landing at New Orleans Lakefront Airport. This put them closer to downtown than if they’d flown into the major international hub.

Rain pounded the exterior from a nonstop downpour. A weather front was moving across New Orleans, which could take only so much water at any given time since the city was actually below sea level.

Quinn lifted a rain poncho he’d retrieved from the flight attendant and offered Reese a hand to stand. “Go time.”

“I’m ready.”  She popped up from the sofa, eyes alert. Everything about her said she was on edge, but obviously, nothing would hold her back.

“We’ll likely be drenched even with umbrellas.” Lifting the clear poncho above her head, he straightened it until the plastic covered enough to satisfy him. This was a change.

He’d spent most of the flight thinking about pulling clothes off of Reese. If she knew that, she’d probably unleash her demon energy on him.

She stepped away. “Thank you. You’ll make Phoedra a great dad.”

Considering how he’d failed her so far, he shouldn’t welcome that vote of confidence, but he did. “I owe it to Kizira to do my best.” 

Reese’s face fell for a second, then she gave him an empty smile. “Yes, you do.” Then she got busy gathering up the magazine she’d been reading and returning it to the end table.

What had he said to draw that odd reaction?

He’d spent too much time watching Reese, and not enough of that time looking closely. But the woman could sigh and pull his attention away from everything except her bright blue eyes and sweet mouth.  

She’d entered the bathroom a roughed-up ragamuffin and stepped out looking too perfect for what she’d been through. Every time she turned her head, the light would catch on red highlights in her brown hair as it flared in soft waves around her face. It was damn distracting.

Now his gaze traced over the perfect shape of her mouth. He itched to run his fingers along those soft cheeks and that lovely figure, clearly evident even in a blouse and jeans that were a bit too large.

Quinn pinched the bridge of his nose. If he kept taking stock of her natural assets, and there were plenty, his own jeans wouldn’t fit.

As it was, he’d have to stand here a minute or he’d give away the direction of his thoughts the second her gaze landed on his straining zipper.

Reese had intrigued him from their first meeting, but once she left, he’d never expected to see her again. Quinn rarely found himself caught unprepared, but this intense attraction had thrown him off his game.

The fact remained, he’d been caught up in his own issues, and failed to really listen to her or to look beyond the surface.

Unacceptable.

“What’s wrong, Quinn?”

“Nothing.” Lie. Nothing other than me standing here lusting after you like a sailor on his first shore leave.

He had no business thinking of Reese that way.

If he were being honest, he’d tell Reese how much he’d missed her once she vanished in Atlanta, but he still didn’t even know who she really was. He’d been angry when she’d looked at him with disappointment and pointed out that Phoedra had never met him, but what else was she to think at that moment?

Reese could have brushed him off and still blamed him for being a deadbeat dog, getting Kizira pregnant, then failing to accept his part in Phoedra’s birth, but Reese had accepted his explanation. She’d believed what he said.

That trust meant something to him.

And she thought he should be with Phoedra even though Kizira had hidden his child from him.

That kind of support made him feel like he could be the father Phoedra deserved.

And someone Reese would not run from again.

Still, now that he’d started paying more attention, he’d caught disappointment hovering in Reese’s face.

He would get to the bottom of that soon.

Rain that had been battering the fuselage settled down to a steady shower by the time they were close to deplaning. Quinn had requested a car to be waiting with their packed luggage in the trunk. He spotted a black limo on the tarmac with lights on and wipers flipping back and forth. Nice to see something would go right.

When he looked around for Reese, she had moved to an open spot in the cabin. He watched as she did a couple of quick stretches, punches and calf kicks. Was she practicing a form of personal defense?

He’d like to stand here for hours enjoying that view of her backside, but they needed to head out. “What are you doing?”

Jumping around and landing in a stance with her hands up, she replied, “Making sure I can move in this outfit.”

“You’re not fighting anyone.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do at this moment. We’re only going to a hotel.”

She stood all the way up. “What happened to seeing the ...” She looked past him at the cockpit area and finished, “The you-know-who person we’re here to see.”

“I told you I have to arrange a meeting first and I can’t do that until I’m in his hotel.”

“Can’t you just tell him what’s at stake and get in to see him right away?”

“If I could, I would be taking a helicopter instead of ground transportation.” With a casual glance at the flight attendant, he suggested, “Let’s continue this conversation in the car.”

She nodded and let it go until their flight attendant had produced a huge umbrella and walked them over to the limo. Once inside and with the privacy window raised, Reese started in. “I don’t understand. Why do we have to waste time checking in?”

Quinn would have thrown everything under the sun at the wizard if he believed it would shave even ten minutes of waiting, but he knew better. “He lives here in New Orleans, but on a different realm. He deals with no one unless they are in his hotel first.”

“It’s a portal to his realm?”

“Yes.”  Quinn left it at that because explaining more would take too much time. It was a complicated affair, working with the Keith. “If I enter sounding desperate, the Keith might make me wait days instead of hours to meet him. It all depends upon what he feels will place him in the most favorable negotiating position once we meet.”

She pushed her hands into her hair, muttering, “The Keith, the Keith.” Glancing at Quinn she asked, “Is that his only name? The Keith?”

“Yes.”

“Why? That sounds ridiculous.”

“It’s a sign of respect and something that has been passed down from the old clans in Scotland. For example, the laird of the MacDonald clan would be called the Macdonald. See?”

“Good grief. How does New Orleans contain his ego?” Reese must not have wanted a reply, because she then asked, “Why would he be a jerk about just helping you find Phoedra?”

“Because this isn’t his problem and he owes me no favors. If anything, I’ll end up owing him a favor no matter what I pay, and it won’t be one that can be resolved with cash. But first he has to determine if I’m worthy of his aid. I’ve had business dealings in Europe with some of his family, but I’ve never met the Keith in person and I’ve heard stories about how he runs the Louisiana preternatural community.”

“Is he a member of VIPER?”

“No. When the VIPER coalition formed, they spread far and wide, but they had to make allowances for those who were already in place and considered grandfathered in. As long as no conflict arises, VIPER and these isolated independent groups keep the equivalent of a gentleman’s agreement. Basically they don’t bother each other.”

She shoved her elbow on the door support and leaned her head against her hand. “Does anyone have all this hierarchy and political division crap written down somewhere?”

“Not that I know of and I doubt anyone would want it in print. In the preternatural world, your currency is in who you know more than what you know.”  Quinn didn’t know the Keith that well, but he did know the Inchkeith family and hoped that would benefit him when it came time to negotiate. “Beyond that, it’s all about how well you know who you’re dealing with, and writing down how each person operates would constitute rules. All the players from deities to wizards to trolls abhor rules.”

“Good grief. I’m glad I don’t have to live with all these politics.”

“You would if VIPER knew about you, but you’ve managed to remain off their radar. How is that, Reese?”

She pointed at her chest. “Demon blood, remember? I’m the complete opposite of whatever royal line you hail from.”

“Royal line? Why would you think that’s my background?”

Her shoulders went up in a careless move. “You’re the North American Belador Maistir. Kizira was a Medb priestess, daughter to the queen. Shoot, now that I think about it, that has to make Phoedra some kind of princess.”  Reese smiled. “Phoedra will love that.”

He was as far from royalty as the old guy they’d just passed who was pulling an empty aluminum can from a sidewalk trashcan, oblivious to the rain.

“Where are we going?” Reese asked before Quinn could return to their conversation.

“Maison du Keith.”

She interpreted, “Home of the Keith? Just in case someone doesn’t realize it’s his hotel?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, yeah, no major ego there. Why do I get the feeling this isn’t going to be a normal hotel stay?”

“Because it won’t be.”

They pulled up in front of the Inchkeith wizard’s elegant hotel in the French Quarter. Quinn had gained invitation to Maison du Keith on the way here. That had required creativity on his part.

Visitors suffered no crime within a block of this place, in any direction.

Human criminals unaware of the wizard’s property became ill as soon as they entered the space and turned worse with each step, which forced them to do an about-face and leave.

That took a hell of a load of majik to maintain.

Reese’s gaze jumped everywhere. “Can anyone stay here?”

“No. You must be invited and, by all means, please be on your best behavior. The Keith’s word and rule is without question once we step inside.” He put his hand on her arm, drawing her eyes back to him. “I can send you back to the airport in this car and have that same Lear take you home, plus have a car waiting at the other end. All you have to do is say so and tell me where you need to go.”

“No. Like you said, we’re a team. I’m not bailing on you.”

She’d humbled him again.

His heart did a happy dance that she was staying, but his conscience had to accept a new load of guilt. This was not a safe place for Reese, but Quinn knew the quickest way to get answers on anything preternatural that came through this city was through the Keith.

The driver opened the door on Reese’s side.

About to exit, she hesitated and turned back. “How exactly did we get invited?”

“I sent a message to pique the Keith’s curiosity enough to open his doors. His people sent word of a hotel reservation, so we’ve gotten past the first step.”

“Way to go, Quinn.”  She stepped out and was immediately shielded by two black umbrellas with the hotel name on them.

He hoped pricking the Keith’s curiosity turned out in their favor. If the wizard didn’t care for Quinn’s message, he had no idea what awaited him and Reese. Rumors floated about a mage who had visited last year, supposedly looking for aid in a land battle in Europe, and no one had seen him since.

That’s why Quinn would have preferred to meet the wizard without Reese, but the invitation came back for Quinn plus one. He had not mentioned anyone traveling with him.

The Keith had impressive intelligence resources.

No point in arguing with Reese. Once she made up her mind, Quinn would have to tie her up and leave her, which he couldn’t bring himself to do.

Outside the limo, her mood visibly perked up from being fawned over by Maison du Keith’s staff.

Quinn slid out and put his hand at her back, leading Reese to the covered entrance where he paused to remove her poncho and hand it off.

“Shouldn’t we keep that?” she asked.

He leaned close to her ear. “We have officially entered an interim area. You won’t need a shield from weather. If you did, it would vanish if our host did not want you dry.”

She nodded solemnly, then whispered, “Not in Kansas anymore. Got it.” 

His gut turned into a pretzel, warning him about bringing Reese here. Quinn couldn’t use telepathy, kinetics or any other power inside the hotel. No contact with Beladors.

Not even access by phone.

Quinn had agreed to those terms just to be allowed to enter.

If the Keith deemed him worthy of an audience and it didn’t go well, Quinn would offer to secure Reese’s freedom at the loss of his.

Now to find out just what went on inside this place.