Blue Flames

Chapter 50

My face was still aflame on our way to the hotel.

Arthur usually dropped nicknames this way and that whenever he was in a light mood. But that was new. Amanda had a massive grin on her face that she didn't even bother concealing when we left.

Now, sitting in the car next to Arthur, I debated bringing up the subject of terms of endearments in front of others. I looked in the rearview mirror. Yep. Marianno was still very much in the backseat. The discussion would have to wait. Maybe forever.

"Why did we bring only Marianno?" I asked. I glanced in the mirror. "No offense, Marianno."

"None taken." He winked.

"Going there with an army of my men right after the attack will not make a good show of power," Arthur replied, driving with one hand. The other was resting on the back of my seat. Even though the headrest was between us, the back of my neck was covered in goosebumps. Arthur continued, "Marianno alone will suffice. His gift is a bonus."

Right. Being able to pick up on thoughts and memories, if Marianno met someone involved in summoning the demons, he might know.

We lapsed into silence. Arthur's fingers touched my shoulder. I glanced at him. He had a small, barely there smile on his face. My hand was on the knife sheath strapped to my thigh.

Our surroundings changed from the dark woods to calm suburbs. The car merged with the light traffic.

"About the bond..." he said.

I glanced in the mirror and shot Arthur a look. Really? He was doing this here?

"What about it?"

"I'll open it, on one condition."

"Oh, you will open it. Condition or not."

"And how do you propose to convince me to open it?"

"Who said anything about convincing?" I asked. "My idea was more along the lines of a rope and knives."

"Kinky," he mumbled.

"Ugh.. you know what I mean."

"Mhm."

"Anyway, you will open the bond. The question is, will you leave it open? all the time? Even when you feel like your darkass mood will wither my fragile maiden heart?"

A cough from the backseat. Arthur sighed. "Elle..."

"Arthur..."

I looked out the window. Traffic was growing heavier even though it was early in the morning.

Marianno cleared his throat from the backseat. "How about a compromise?"

We both glanced at him. A compromise? Hmm...

"Okay. So, you're cloaking your true self from the bond because you think I can't handle it. And you only have a problem with opening the bond when your control over that cloak is shaky. Correct?"

He gave a reluctant nod.

"How about this?" I said. "When you feel your control over the cloak slip, You should let me experience it. Let me experience the bond with no cloak, get a taste of it. If I can't handle it, then you can close the bond. If I can, well, then, there will no problem whatsoever in leaving the bond open."

He didn't like it. I could tell. His jaw ticked.

"It is a reasonable solution. Right, Marianno?" I asked.

"Uh- I think the weather is lovely tonight."

I chuckled. Right. Now he didn't want to get involved. The area around shifted from residential to large buildings.