âCan we ever stop being agents?â Jack asked suddenly. âTruly?â
Lark froze, her lips millimeters from his. âWhy not?â
âI never know whatâs real with you.â
Slowly, Lark tipped her chin to see his face. Jackâs expressionâor what she could see of itâwas thoughtful. The shades had to go. Sliding upward, she pulled off his sunglasses and kissed him.
The effect was instant. His fingers tangled in her hair, drawing her close. Larkâs pulse began to pound, a giddy pleasure tingling through her body. The warm electricity coursing in her veins found a home low in her belly at the same time his fingers slid beneath her shirt, seeking out the lacy edges of her bra. Her fingers curled in the soft cotton of his sweater, gathering bunches of the fabric as she leaned in, savoring his flavor.
âDoes it feel like Iâm seducing you for nefarious reasons?â Jack asked.
âYouâve done it before.â
Alone we can do so little.
Together we can do so much.
âHelen Keller
Prologue
Fairy tales often begin with humans making foolish choices, and this is no exception.
Long ago, three princes lived in a kingdom on the north shore of the Mediterranean Sea: Vidon, Marcari and their youngest brother, known as Silverhand. The best of the three, Silverhand became a knight and went to the Holy Land during the first war of the Crusades.
In time, he returned with a fortune in gems, planning to share it with his brothers. Unexpectedlyâor perhaps notâSilverhand was murdered as he slept and the treasure was stolen. Vidon and Marcari quickly accused one another of the crime and so began a war between brothers that split the country in two.
It was not just a war of humansâthe brothers dragged the Night World into their affairs. The Dark Fey fought for Vidon, the Light Fey for Marcari. Vampires and werewolves also did battle for one side or the other, and the slaughter was epic.
Vidon blamed the carnage on the supernatural creatures, even though he had himself enlisted their aid. He demanded his knights swear vengeance upon them, and so Vidonâs realm became a nation of slayers.
However, Marcari took responsibility for his all-too-human greed. Recognizing his sense of honor, the vampires pledged him their service. They became La Compagnie des Morts, or the Company of the Dead. So it was that the Kingdom of Marcari became a refuge for the supernatural, who were forever hunted by their enemies, the Knights of Vidon.
But the one thing everyone could agree on was that the Dark Fey had to go. Under the leadership of their queen, they had committed crimes of war that sickened even the werewolves. A spell was cast to lock the Dark Queen and her people behind magical gates, and they were banished from the mortal realms forevermore.
Or not. You never know with fairies.
Fast forward to the present day when Crown Prince Kyle of Vidon proposed marriage to Princess Amelie, the only child of the reigning king of Marcari. Here, nine centuries and many, many generations later, was a chance for peace between the two nations.
Needless to say, the Dark Queen and her exiled clan were not invited to the wedding. In fact, most had forgotten she still lived.
That was not wise.
Chapter 1
Manhattan Early May
âEnemy agents are coming to kill you,â Jack Anderson said, sarcasm leaking into his tone. âDo you think you might want some help with that?â
âDonât exaggerate. Itâs nothing I canât handle.â Jessica Lark sat behind her desk. At the moment she was glad to have the heavy piece of furniture between her and Jack. If she touched him or smelled the clean, spicy scent of his skin, she would surely lose her nerve. Whether as a lover or as an operative, Jack was a formidable presence.