Nine Shillings

Weak Spots

London - 1842

I paced back and forth in front of the fire, hands hot with energy. Bran frowned at the contents of a ladies' magazine, Josef had the singed one in his hands but his gaze was following me as if he was watching badminton.

'She obviously left them for you to find.' Josef flipped the magazine shut and tossed it on the table beside him. 'She knows your temper.'

'My temper?' I shot back. 'My temper has nothing to do with this, arsehole.'

He rested his elbow on the arm of the chair and his chin in his hand. 'She can't know what I am.'

'It doesn't matter whether she knows what you are if she's like me then she can see your power.' Energy sparked between my fingers and I closed my fists to quench it. 'Your power is blinding. When you gave me some I couldn't find the bottom.'

'I won't risk you to protect myself,' he said. 'I love you.'

'I'll take the risk, Josef.' I stopped pacing. 'I love you.' I crossed to the drinks cabinet and poured three whiskeys.

Bran peered over the top of the magazine he was reading. 'I'm glad you two go that off your chests.'

We both looked at him.

His gaze flicked between us. 'I... I mean for two people who can read other people so well you're remarkably obtuse about yourselves.'

'I can't argue.' Josef took one of the whiskeys from me and clinked it with mine.

'Makes a change.' I bent towards him and straightened his cravat.

He grinned and kissed my temple. I wafted him away.

'Is this how people see us?' Bran asked, scowling at the magazine.

Josef and I turned to him.

'I thought people were laughing at me but...' He raised the magazine. '"Mrs O'Connor has surely won herself a prize in Mr O'Connor, not once did the rugged Irishman leave her side during the evening, and what he lacked in sartorial sense was surely more than compensated for in his ever-present look of love and affection. No man is more handsome than one so openly in love."'

Josef and I looked at each other.

'I am biased about the handsome bit,' I said.

Josef shrugged. 'Anyone who couldn't tell how much Bran loves you is a fool.'

'Good point.'

Josef smiled. 'Oh, so you do think I make good points.'

I smiled and brushed one of his waistcoat buttons with my fingertip. 'Only occasionally.'

He touched his forehead to mine and I caressed his face.

Bran set the magazine on the small table beside his chair and rubbed the bridge of his nose like he had a headache. 'Now we know how she found her victims, I never thought of it.'

I crossed to Bran and offered him a whiskey. 'How could I have spent so much of my life around another changeling and not known?'

Bran took the glass and downed the whiskey in one; never a good sign, he was a firm believer that a good whiskey should be sipped.

Josef came up behind me. 'Because you didn't know you were one. Because she didn't know she was one. Because like attracts like.' He caressed his fingers down my spine

I glanced back at him then at Bran; they were more alike than they realised. I had to admit Josef and I were alike in some ways too.

'If she wants energy then we have honey for a trap,' Bran said to the fire. 'I'm not as powerful as Josef but –'

I put my finger to his lips. 'We're not using you as bait.'

'Bait gets eaten,' Josef said, examining the inside of his glass.

'So we're going to let her carry on killing people?' Bran asked.

'And what happens when she takes all your power?' I straddled his lap. 'Do you think she'll stop? Assuming it works who knows how strong it will make her.'

'I trust you.'

I nuzzled his nose. 'Trust isn't always enough, Brandon.'

'There's still a possibility this is all a distraction.' Josef dropped into the other armchair. 'While we're protecting each other, we're not looking for her.'

'Then she's a fool.' I traced Bran's jaw. 'The best way to protect our family is to find her and stop her.'

'And how do we do that if we can't use me as bait?' Bran asked.

'I haven't figured out how to find her yet, but I will.' I kissed his nose. 'You definitely need distance from the situation.'

'You don't need to protect me, Charlotte.'

'I need you to watch my back,'

Bran frowned at me.

'What are you thinking?' Josef asked.

'I'm not sure yet.' I got off Bran's lap. 'London's a big place, we'll need a way to find Tessa.'

Josef made a vexed sound and sipped his drink.

'Have you got a better idea?' I spread my fingers against his chest.

He gave the bookcase an annoyed look as if it had offended him.

I slipped my fingertips inside his shirt. 'Don't worry, I'm ninety percent sure Freyja won't harm me. She likes me.'

He put his hand over mine. 'She used to like me.'

'You really know how to reassure a person.'

He chuckled.

'Freyja won't hurt Charlotte,' Bran said to his knees. 'As long as you're a mystery you're interesting, as you get older there are fewer mysteries left.'

'Hm, bodes well for a detective business.' I kissed Josef softly. 'Try not to look so grim, I'm no naive girl.'

He caught the back of my neck and pressed his forehead to mine. 'I know you're devious, Freyja's just had more centuries to practice.'

'And her ego is her weakness.'

'And what's Tessa's weakness?'

I played my fingers through his beard at his chin. 'She wants to live, more than anything.'

'And how can we beat the desire for life?'

I met his gaze. 'Sometimes you have to be prepared to die.'