Jack's eyes narrowed, because he was clearly getting too good at reading my mind or my "I should never play poker" face. "Tess, no—"
"Mr. Mackenzie, you're welcome to come to lunch with us, but only if you're on your best behavior," I said in a rush, before Jack could stop me. "Absolutely no stabbing."
"I'd be delighted, and I promise," he said, all but purring, which was strange for an eagle shifter. "And, please, call me Logan."
"You're not coming," Jack told him, the tone of his voice so implacable I began to have doubts about my rash invitation.
Logan took a deep breath, dropped the flirtatious act and looked Jack in the eye. "I'm not here to cause you any trouble, Shepherd. I need your help."
"I don't care—"
"The Fae have Iona."
Jack froze for a long moment and then blew out a breath. "You should have led with that," he said quietly. "What happened? When did they take her?"
I studied the pain carved into Logan's face and then glanced up at Jack, to see the concern on his. "Who's Iona?"
"My baby sister," Logan said. "She's twenty-two."
"You said you were the only shifter in your family, so she's, um, just a plain-vanilla human?"
"Like you?" His lips quirked at the edges. "No. She's a dream walker. She can—"
"Travel into a person's dreams when they're sleeping," I said. "I know. I've never met one, though. And I'm not plain vanilla, either, which is why I won't shake your hand."
I needed to get over the urge to apologize for or explain not shaking hands, but it was on my list somewhere after "learn to park properly" and before "take singing lessons."
"The Fae prize that talent," Jack said. "But how did they know?"
Logan had been studying me since my "not plain vanilla" comment, but now he looked at Jack, his blue eyes darkening nearly to black with pain. "She offered herself to them. To serve them for a year and a day, to get me out of debt to the High Court."
Jack whistled. "That's a Bargain. She can't get out of that, even if they wanted to release her, and they never would. Both sides are held to the terms of a Bargain. You know that."
I could hear the capital "B" when Jack said Bargain. I had an enchanted music box I'd gotten through a Bargain I never should have made. It showed up in inconvenient places—all on its own—and played inappropriate music, and I had no idea how I'd ever get rid of it. My friend Molly was keeping it for me now—she was a musician, and the box and Molly seemed to entertain each other.
"The year and a day ended last week, but Iona never came home. Our mum is beside herself with worry. And everyone I've asked has found someplace else they needed to be, fast. I don't know what's going on, Jack, and I don't know anybody else I can ask." Logan's hands clenched into fists at his sides. "Look. I know you have no reason to help me, and every reason to throw me out. But please. For my sister."
Jack closed his eyes for a few seconds and then, shoulders slumping, blew out a breath. "Yeah. For Iona. I'll make some calls. Where are you staying?"
Logan held his arms out, palms up. "Is there a hotel?"
Lunch was one thing. Manners or no manners, I wasn't inviting a strange man with stabbing history to stay in my spare room, so I decided I didn't need to be in this conversation anymore.
I was also uncomfortably aware that a tiny part of me was wondering who Iona had been to Jack, that he was so willing to overlook his obvious antagonism toward Logan, but I didn't have time for jealousy.
"Okay, well, it has been interesting to meet you, Mr. Mac, um, Logan. I need to go home and pick up my pies on the way to Aunt Ruby's, so I'll leave you two to discuss…whatever you need to discuss. Bye."
Jack followed me to my car and opened the door for me. "Are you okay to drive? That looked like a serious headache starting up, Tess."
I touched his cheek and smiled, although the pain hadn't gone away. It wasn't sharp anymore, but a dull, thudding ache was still making itself at home in my skull. I didn't like it one bit. "I'll find some Tylenol or something at home and get some water. I'm probably just dehydrated and hungry. See you at Aunt Ruby's. And you know you're welcome to bring Logan, if you need to talk about this more at lunch."
Jack was shaking his head before I even finished my sentence. "Definitely not. I'll get rid of him and be on my way. Drive safely."
He bent to kiss me, but I inadvertently flinched away, a spike of pain striking as he came close.
"Sorry. My head isn't happy at all. I'd better get going."
"Are you sure you don't need me to drive you?"
