group members like white on rice, but they didn’t know shit. The manager said Talis canceled all the California concerts and left them a pile of money before vanishing. We checked the bus terminal, train station, and airlines,but didn’t find you or Talis.”
“Private plane.” Artemis half-turned and ran a hand along the spines of several books. The titles dealt with metaphysical science. “I was drugged the whole trip, woke up in a place in the mountains.”
“Interpol issued a red notice on Talis Kehk the minute you both disappeared. Nepal, huh? The US doesn’t have extradition with that country. Got the name of a nearby city? I can roust the local gendarmes to rescue you.”
Artemis glanced over his shoulder at Talis, who was watching him with a small smile on his perfect lips. “No idea. Rach… I’m okay. Talis won’t hurt me. He tells me he didn’t murder those young men.”
There was a long pause. “Do you believe him?”
“I’m… investigating the possibilities.” Talis grinned and blew him a kiss. Flushing, Artemis turned away. “I’ll know soon… a few weeks.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Her outrage and surprise were clear. “A few weeks? Jesus.” She huffed out a breath. “He’s not forcing you to say this? You’re not reading from a script?”
“I’m not being forced to say anything.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Sit tight, reassure my mother, tell Numbnuts I’ll be back, and if Talis is guilty, I’m bringing him with me.”
“Will do. Can you call me again? In a week or so?”
“If I can.” Artemis ended the call and set the phone down. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” Rising, Talis held out a hand. “Can we go to bed now? I’m tired.”
A
RTEMIS wasn’t sure what to expect when Talis slid into bed next to him, but despite erect dicks, Talis insisted on sleep. He curled himself around Artemis with a soft sigh.
“I have more questions,” Artemis said, letting himself relax. He was not as uneasy as he might have been with the blond man pressed so warmly against him. Talis felt good there. He felt right , and damn, he sure smelled good.
“Tomorrow, ask me anything you like, but now I must rest.” He slid an arm loosely around Artemis’s waist. “More people in need arrive tomorrow, and I must be ready.”
Talis was asleep in minutes; Artemis could tell by his breathing. But he stayed awake a while, wondering why he was so comfortable with a murder suspect. If he was honest with himself, he wanted very much to prove that Talis was not a killer. His attraction to the man had not abated one bit despite his being drugged and kidnapped and flown halfway around the world. While the cop in him was still on high alert, that voice had faded, replaced by a part of him he had long neglected: a man who enjoyed doing simple things with someone he loved. Artemis had not been able to indulge his “real” self for so long that he was surprised it still existed. Even with Richard, Artemis had been the cop 90 percent of the time, and in the end, it had mitigated their breakup. Thinking back, he couldn’t fault Richard for leaving; the little time Artemis had been home he’d spent at his desk, going over his cases. Rarely had he taken a night off, and now he could see this had doomed them. My fault, damn it. I took him for granted and he got sick of it.
Here, in a canopied bed far from home and everything familiar, Artemis felt like he was coming back to himself after a long journey. It scared him, but it was also thrilling. Maybe Talis was right. Maybe they were soul mates.
He instantly snorted at the thought. Total bullshit, but there was no denying that beyond the burning physical attraction he felt for Talis was a deeper connection he was only now becoming aware of.
He should be as pissed at Talis now as he had been when he’d first awakened here, but he wasn’t. He should be withdrawn and hard edged and suspicious of a man that was also a bird… but he
“Private plane.” Artemis half-turned and ran a hand along the spines of several books. The titles dealt with metaphysical science. “I was drugged the whole trip, woke up in a place in the mountains.”
“Interpol issued a red notice on Talis Kehk the minute you both disappeared. Nepal, huh? The US doesn’t have extradition with that country. Got the name of a nearby city? I can roust the local gendarmes to rescue you.”
Artemis glanced over his shoulder at Talis, who was watching him with a small smile on his perfect lips. “No idea. Rach… I’m okay. Talis won’t hurt me. He tells me he didn’t murder those young men.”
There was a long pause. “Do you believe him?”
“I’m… investigating the possibilities.” Talis grinned and blew him a kiss. Flushing, Artemis turned away. “I’ll know soon… a few weeks.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Her outrage and surprise were clear. “A few weeks? Jesus.” She huffed out a breath. “He’s not forcing you to say this? You’re not reading from a script?”
“I’m not being forced to say anything.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Sit tight, reassure my mother, tell Numbnuts I’ll be back, and if Talis is guilty, I’m bringing him with me.”
“Will do. Can you call me again? In a week or so?”
“If I can.” Artemis ended the call and set the phone down. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” Rising, Talis held out a hand. “Can we go to bed now? I’m tired.”
A
RTEMIS wasn’t sure what to expect when Talis slid into bed next to him, but despite erect dicks, Talis insisted on sleep. He curled himself around Artemis with a soft sigh.
“I have more questions,” Artemis said, letting himself relax. He was not as uneasy as he might have been with the blond man pressed so warmly against him. Talis felt good there. He felt right , and damn, he sure smelled good.
“Tomorrow, ask me anything you like, but now I must rest.” He slid an arm loosely around Artemis’s waist. “More people in need arrive tomorrow, and I must be ready.”
Talis was asleep in minutes; Artemis could tell by his breathing. But he stayed awake a while, wondering why he was so comfortable with a murder suspect. If he was honest with himself, he wanted very much to prove that Talis was not a killer. His attraction to the man had not abated one bit despite his being drugged and kidnapped and flown halfway around the world. While the cop in him was still on high alert, that voice had faded, replaced by a part of him he had long neglected: a man who enjoyed doing simple things with someone he loved. Artemis had not been able to indulge his “real” self for so long that he was surprised it still existed. Even with Richard, Artemis had been the cop 90 percent of the time, and in the end, it had mitigated their breakup. Thinking back, he couldn’t fault Richard for leaving; the little time Artemis had been home he’d spent at his desk, going over his cases. Rarely had he taken a night off, and now he could see this had doomed them. My fault, damn it. I took him for granted and he got sick of it.
Here, in a canopied bed far from home and everything familiar, Artemis felt like he was coming back to himself after a long journey. It scared him, but it was also thrilling. Maybe Talis was right. Maybe they were soul mates.
He instantly snorted at the thought. Total bullshit, but there was no denying that beyond the burning physical attraction he felt for Talis was a deeper connection he was only now becoming aware of.
He should be as pissed at Talis now as he had been when he’d first awakened here, but he wasn’t. He should be withdrawn and hard edged and suspicious of a man that was also a bird… but he
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