Tempest in Disguise (Darkest Faerie Tale Series Book 1) Read online

  “Is this your house, ma’am?”

  She nodded.

  “Do you know what happened?”

  Shaking her head no, she tried to swallow the lump in the back of her throat, but failed.

  “Are you injured?”

  Mya held her palm up. The one she used to try and open the front door. Her tender flesh started blistering. She didn’t have to worry about it scarring, not with the radiant skin the Aos sí were blessed with, but she felt too banged up physically and emotionally to heal herself.

  The Captain whistled over his shoulder. “Medic.”

  An EMT jumped out of an ambulance, carrying a toolbox of some sort with him. He jogged over to Mya. “Looks like you burned your hand pretty bad. We’ll get you taken care of. How’s your breathing, your lungs? Did you inhale smoke?”

  Mya nodded.

  “She hasn’t spoken a word yet. I think she’s in a bit of shock,” the Captain observed.

  Wasn’t he putting it mildly?

  She followed the EMT on wobbly legs as he led her to the back of the ambulance. A female medic popped up beside Mya and placed an oxygen mask over her face. In a whoosh, she inhaled fresh, clean, pure air. Her lungs hacked as she fought to breathe and phlegm worked its way up her throat.

  After sucking in oxygen for what felt like hours, she could breathe normally again. The male EMT bandaged her hand up nicely and it didn’t hurt any longer. Maybe the burn finally healed.

  The Captain walked up to her. “Can you tell me how the house caught on fire?”

  “I—” Mya coughed clearing her throat. She swallowed to soothe the burning pain at the back of her throat. “I was sleeping. I smelled the smoke first. It came through the vents and electrical outlets.” What should she tell him next? As an Aos sí, she would be unable to tell a lie, but the truth sounded so—so fake. She could spin an untruth, but how would it help her situation right then? Instead, she opted to keep her statements brief. “I think the fire started in the walls, maybe the roof. I’m not really sure. I just grabbed that stuff.” She waved a hand to the crate and other things on the grass. “And got out before the house collapsed.” There…she didn’t really get too detailed, making her sound looney.

  He broadened his stance and crossed his arms over his chest. “I’ve never see a house burn like this before. Were there chemicals in the attic? In the house?”

  “No. Not that I’m aware of.”

  “I’m going to need you to sit tight for a while. We’re waiting for the Fire Investigator to get over here. He’s going to have some questions in regards to arson.”

  “Arson? Wait!” She grabbed his forearm, pausing as she remembered the man wearing a hoodie who’d run into the spare bedroom. “Yes. There was somebody in my house, wearing black pants and a hoodie. I never saw their face, but based on the body shape, it could’ve been a man. I think he jumped out of the window from that bedroom.” She pointed at the rubble on the ground and pursed her lips. “Well, a bedroom in that area. Oh, and the closet doors had been closed. I went back in to get my mother’s ring and somebody closed the doors while I was still in there.”

  “Was that before he jumped out of the window in the other bedroom?” He widened his stance.

  “Umm…?” She hadn’t really witnessed him going out the window did she? “I followed him into the room. I didn’t see him and the window was open. I guess I assumed he jumped.”

  “So, you’re telling me someone could have possibly been in your home after I asked you the first time?” The Captain’s voice rose with a steady anger. “We could have been trying to save someone’s life who may now be dead.”

  She matched his infuriating tone. “Someone set my house on fire while I was sleeping and you’re trying to hold me responsible for them? Well, I guess you can forget the fact that someone was trying to kill me!” Mya exhaled in a huff. The audacity of this man.

  The Captain turned his head and glanced over his shoulder. “Looks like our Fire Investigator has arrived and you have some explaining to do, missy.”

  A big black, Ford truck pulled up behind the ambulance. The driver side door swung open and a man with dark hair, dressed in a blue set of coveralls hopped out, carrying a baseball hat. As he slammed the door he stared at the house, his mouth gaped in surprise and then his gaze swung around to her. Sexy blue, penetrating eyes met hers. As blue as the sky and she found herself lost in them, floating.

  Her heart did a flip. Unlike the old and cranky guy in front of her, this man was younger and well-built—gorgeous. The coveralls didn’t hide the rock hard shape of his muscles as she caught the Fire Investigator title over his left pectoral. He ran a hand through his onyx colored hair and she slid her bottom lip through her teeth. Something about him screamed with a raw seductiveness.

  His boots slapped heavily on the pavement as he quickly made his way to her, nudging the Captain to the side. “Are you okay?” The concern in his voice was evident while he checked her body out for damage and inspected her hand. He rubbed the skin above her wrist in a circular motion, and shivers danced down her arm, the caress so familiar. On the left side of his face, a scar ran down the length of his square jaw.

  She inhaled in a quick burst. He was an Unseelie and, oh—how she remembered the heady fragrance coming off him. “You?” she hissed.

  He grabbed her shoulders in a tight grip. “Mya, are you okay? What happened?”

  As he said her name, the world spun. He is the man from last night. He had access to her house the night before—and entered—in more ways than one.

  Heat stung her cheeks with shame at what she’d done with him, with this monster. “You. You broke into my house and burned it down,” she yelled. “Arrest him,” she commanded to the Captain.

  “Mya.” The Fire Investigator ground his teeth and grabbed her elbow, pulling her along the sidewalk away from the fire crew and EMT’s.

  “Let go of me.” She yanked her arm back, out of his hold.

  His large body pressed up against hers like a wall, his legs between hers as he stalked forward, forcing her further down the sidewalk. “I did not set your house on fire.” His large thighs kept pushing her backwards. “You will not say one more word.”

  Having him on top of her like this nearly unraveled her control. “I’m going to tell them what you did,” she said trying to push against him, but it was like advancing on a brick barricade.

  “They won’t believe you. Hell, they’d probably have the police haul you off.” The muscles in his jaw ticked. “Because if you tell them about last night, I’ll let them know what transpired between the two of us and even you couldn’t get out of that one.”

  All of the blood rushed from her head. She stopped fighting against him. “You wouldn’t.”

  He casually put on the baseball hat he’d been holding. “I would.”

  “I’ll deny it.”

  “Can you, Mya? You can’t lie. How will you dance around the fact that you let me take your body?”

  She swallowed. A slow burn built up in her chest and cheeks, no doubt turning her red.

  “Mmm. Or, how about how you let me spank you?”

  “I.” She couldn’t even think as memories of the night before assaulted her. How much she desired him. How his body, now flush against hers—bent her to his will. “I won’t let you get away with this.”

  “I didn’t set your house on fire.” No untruth could be detected in such a forward statement.

  Mya cocked her head to the side. “Were you in my house this morning? And don’t give me a yes or no answer. Say it in a complete sentence.”

  “I was not in your house this morning. I left last night after we…” A sexy smirk made his scar look dangerous and his eyes heated with a dark hunger when his gaze lowered to her chest.

  She tried to ignore the roiling inferno stirring inside of her. “Do you know who did this?”

  “No, I don’t know who set your house on fire. But, if you let me do my job wildflower, I will.”
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  Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. Why did this man unsettle her so much? He showed up out of nowhere and her world literally turned upside down. “Why do you keep calling me that?”

  “What?” he asked as if he had no clue about the nickname he’d given her.

  “Wildflower.”

  He brushed her jawline with the back of his fingers. “You’re wild and unruly—but beautiful and strong—exotic, willing to survive any type of element thrown your way.”

  Goosebumps tickled along her flesh. Damn, his way with words made her feel so exposed to him.

  A blue BMW sped up to the curb and screeched to a halt. Gavin jumped out of his car, ruffling a hand through his sandy blond hair. “Mya, are you okay? Took me longer to get here than I thought.”

  Damn Gavin and his timing. She finally got answers out of—what was his name anyway? “Thanks for coming.” She took a few steps back from the investigator.

  Testosterone heightened the tension in the air as Gavin walked up to them and quickly threw an arm around her shoulder—separating her further from the sexy stranger. His hold seemed too possessive and she wiggled out of it, despite his charmingly handsome good looks.

  Apparently, Gavin didn’t like how she escaped him, so he grabbed Mya’s wrists and bent over bringing them face to face. He narrowed his hazel eyes on her. “What happened? Has this asshole Unseelie hurt you?” As a tried and true Seelie, Gavin always despised the Unseelies.

  She peeked around Gavin’s arm to the other man.

  The investigator puffed up like a male peacock ready to fight, pushing his shoulders back, and standing erect. He looked so powerful and strong standing there, intimidating her in all the right places.

  “No,” she answered Gavin while eyeing the stranger. “He’s the Arson Investigator.”

  “You’ve gotta be kidding me.” Gavin straightened, shuffling his hands through his disheveled hair, and shot the guy a nasty look. “Looks like he’s trying to do more than investigate. Why don’t you stick to your day job, you Unseelie prick?”

  Mya let out an exasperated sigh. “Gavin, please. He’s only trying to help.”

  “Don’t you dare trust him, Mya. He might look honest all dressed up in his jumpsuit, but I know first-hand, he’ll try to ruin you. I mean he’s got a scar. Have you ever heard of an Aos sí unable to heal themselves?”

  The investigator cleared his throat with a hint of anger, growling low in warning at the end.

  “Look, by law he’s the fire investigator, I have to speak with him. It’s not like I can just make the house disappear with magick. Can you give us a second, please?”

  Gavin glared at the other man and gave him the, I’m watching you gesture with his fingers. “I’ll be waiting for you right over there, Mya, and when you’re finished darlin’, we’ll head back to my place. I’ll take care of you.” He walked past them, never removing his gaze.

  Really? Did he have to make it sound like they were together? She’d met Gavin five years ago when he tutored her in the college math courses she took in order to obtain her Art History degree. They stayed close after she graduated. Gavin may have been her friend for years, but his caveman act made Mya’s nerves fray. Add the sensuous man standing in front of her who seduced her the night before and yeah, everything suddenly became even more awkward.

  “Is he your boyfriend?” the investigator asked in a clipped tone.

  Jealous much? She ran her fingers through her long hair, trying to weave through the tangles with her fingers. “No. He’s a friend.”

  After Gavin wrapped his arms around her, she realized how much she wanted him, the unknown man to hold her, to comfort her—the one who seemed to capture her in one fell swoop. Not Gavin. So stupid really—she didn’t even know him. He’d kept the lights off last night if that wasn’t weird enough. Why? Why wouldn’t he reveal himself? Now, she stood face to face with him in broad daylight after he saw the most intimate parts of her. “What’s your name?”

  He stepped in closer to her. “Cole.”

  Mya exhaled in a rush, welcoming the nearness of him, but craved more—a hold, a hug, anything. “Cole,” she tested his name on her lips. “Cole, what?” she asked, with every intention of googling the shit out of his name.

  “Cole Delgleish.”

  A warning bell sounded in her head, telling her to flee for her life. She’d heard the name before. It held power and seemed famous for some reason, despite it being an uncommon surname. No. No way. Her knees nearly gave out and she slapped a hand over her mouth. An Elder of the high council—the Unseelie Court!

  Oh, hell fire, what had she done? She’d slept with an Elder on the opposing court? Even though she hailed from the noble class of the Aos sí caste, being with an Elder on the enemy’s side is an act punishable by death. All of the blood froze in her body and she fought the dizziness, swaying to the side.

  “Wildflower, our secret is safe with me.” Cole couldn’t lie, but his words didn’t comfort her.

  Because of her background, because of her hybrid blood, her place in the court was already volatile, even though the Elders were the only ones who knew the truth about her. Her mother insisted she follow in her father’s footsteps as a Seelie. She’d made Mya integrate herself in the Seelie Court, to give her a place of belonging.

  Oh yes, the Seelies would have Mya’s head—literally—if they found out what she did with Cole. Fear stabbed her gut, radiating out, churning her stomach. “You did this to me.” Waves of hot and cold whipped across her flesh. Her upside-down world imploded around her.

  Boom!

  “You slept with me on purpose to trap me.” Damn her wicked Unseelie side for falling prey to his schemes and giving in to him.

  “No, Mya, I’m trying to help you.” Liar. He must have spun an untruth in there somewhere.

  All of the agony, all of the heartache stemming from losing her parent’s house, losing the past, swirled around her like the wind. Sharp blasts of cold whipped her skin and sucked her into a black vortex.

  Cole grabbed her shoulders and shook her. “Mya, stay with me. I want to help you. That’s why I came.”

  Snapping back into the moment, she clenched her fists, steeling her emotions and jutted her chin. “Then, you better find the bastard who did this.”

  “Absolutely.” His eyes glimmered with satisfaction.

  Anger seeped into her soul. This man betrayed her in more than one way already. She needed to get out of here, away from him. She backed away on the sidewalk toward Gavin until she turned around and rushed away.

  “Mya. We still need to talk.”

  She stopped and looked over her shoulder. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

  “As the Arson Investigator, I have to interview you to find out exactly what happened. You’ll have to come in for questioning.”

  “Like hell.” She glared at him.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Cole scrubbed a hand over his jaw. The stubble there jabbed at his palm, but he welcomed the subtle pain as he felt his scar. He didn’t like the way Gavin stared at Mya or the fact she would be going home with him. Gavin was the worst of the Seelies. Those self-righteous pricks.

  After all, Cole knew first hand—the scar always a reminder of the past. Despite what happened decades ago, Mya belonged to him, not that filthy Seelie. He stalked back toward her, catching her arm before she got into Gavin’s car.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” she yelled as she slapped his hand away.

  “If you won’t come in for questioning, then we’ll do it now.”

  She ground her teeth together. “No. I’m tired and I’m pissed. Have a little respect.”

  “Obstructing an investigation is grounds for arrest. And trust me Mya, I have no problems arresting you right here. Right now.” What he wouldn’t do to see his feisty redhead locked up in his cuffs.

  She gave him a deadpan stare. “Then call me tomorrow and I’ll be happy to cooperate.” Mya got into the car and slamme
d the door.

  Her hybrid essence would probably be the death of him—damn her temper matched her fiery hair.

  “Delgleish,” his investigative partner yelled from the debris, bringing Cole’s attention back to the matter at hand. “You need to come check this out.”

  Cole strode over in his rubber boots to the remains. “What’s up, Tom?”

  Tom nodded to a foamy like substance oozing from the outer walls. “Some type of chemical.” He snapped pictures of the evidence. “Do you think it could be insulation?”

  “I’m not sure.” Cole leaned down while pulling his nitro gloves from his thigh pocket and put them on to poke at the foam. “The substance was definitely sprayed behind the sheetrock like insulation is, but there are colors swirled in it. Insulation is usually one solid color. ”

  “Might be an oxidizer to fuel the fire? The Captain said the fire started in between the walls, according to the homeowner.”

  “But, why set a house on fire in such a strange pattern?” Cole never witnessed a house go up in flames basically, the opposite of nature. The house had been tampered with. Somebody is definitely after Mya.

  “I don’t know. This whole fucking scene is bizarre. I mean the house imploded on itself.”

  “Agreed.” Aos sí had magick, but they couldn’t manufacture chemicals with it. As Fae, they possessed the ability to manipulate inanimate objects, but hell, why not turn the stove on or something? Unless, the suspect wasn’t from either court, perhaps even human. Either way, whoever did this setup had to have adequate access to Mya’s home to get everything prepared.

  “I’ll collect the evidence to send to the labs,” Tom said,

  “How did the fire stay so contained before the house burst inwards?” Cole stood up and stared at a small piece of a wall, still standing near the fireplace. He moved over to it. Something about the way the paint trickled down like liquid from the sheetrock caught his attention. “Tom, come look at this. The fire stayed contained on the inside somehow. Be sure to take what’s left of the wall into the lab.” Maybe this evidence would shed some light on what happened.