that. “I’ll listen.”
“Anything you need, though, ask.” Dane kissed his temple. “Anything. I’m at your service.” They were naked and marked with the stains of sex and sweat, but there was something formal lurking in Dane’s words, and he held Lindsay a little tighter.
“Thank you.”
Lindsay was beginning to understand, without knowing how, what that tone meant. He could sense it under his skin. He’d heard it when Noah spoke to Cyrus. He’d felt it when he spoke to the barre and it fell into his hand.
Something was shifting, like Cyrus had picked up a weight and moved it from one pan of a scale to the other. Whatever it was, it was already done. Lindsay closed his eyes and pressed his cheek to Dane’s shoulder. The pressure this deep in the world of magic made it hard to breathe sometimes.
They had a date planned for a few days from now. It would be a welcome escape to the surface of things. Time to breathe.
Chapter Three
Whomever Cyrus was waiting for, Lindsay wanted to thank her. The few months since Cyrus moved them to Atlantic City had been a revelation— this was how life was supposed to be. Safe, and comfortable.
For the first time in his life, he felt like everyone else. The irony that he’d only gotten to this point by failing to be “cured” of his magic didn’t escape him.
Their first date had come out of the blue. Lindsay was sitting across the table from Dane at a lovely French restaurant, trying to decide between the scallops and the salmon, before he grasped that this wasn’t part of his training. Dane didn’t laugh at him—well, not much. Lindsay had been too smitten with the entire notion to be even a bit offended.
Tonight, they were off to a classic burlesque revue. He’d been reassured that real burlesque wasn’t all strippers and feathers. Lindsay was sure Dane would get a great deal out of feathers and fishnets and flashing breasts, but he wouldn’t be getting anything out of Lindsay later if Lindsay had to sit through that .
Dane hadn’t disappointed him yet. Not once. Lindsay looked up as they were led to their seats and found luminous feral eyes on him. Always. The smile Dane gave him felt like a kiss. Lindsay had no idea how to be this happy. He was making it up as he went along, guided by Dane’s good example.
The lights in the hall dimmed, and they were completely anonymous in the crowd, just another couple waiting to see the show. No one looked twice at them. Locals never came to these shows and tourists were more self-absorbed than most people. Even without an illusion to hide them—Lindsay couldn’t bear to use one and Dane never asked him to—they were as safe as they ever were.
In the dark, Dane slid his arm around Lindsay and pulled his chair close. Safe and together. Lindsay let his head rest on Dane’s shoulder as the stage lights came up.
The opening act was a comedian with bushy hair and a penchant for jokes that hinged on a knowledge of popular culture Lindsay didn’t have. He turned his attention to watching other people’s reactions to the humor instead, and found himself fascinated by the way some of them were only pretending to be amused.
The tightness at the corners of their mouths and the shift of their eyes told him it wasn’t real. They laughed along with everyone else, but it was as much an illusion as Lindsay’s magic.
Before the comedian had quite cleared the stage, a fog started creeping into Lindsay’s mind. He pushed it back to keep from losing himself to his magic. He hadn’t had trouble holding Noah’s mind before, but nightmarish flashes slipped in now, threatening to overwhelm him.
When he reached for Noah to check on him, fear and rage and the taste of someone else’s magic on Noah’s mind filled Lindsay up until he could hardly breathe.
“Something’s wrong .” They couldn’t get out of here fast enough. Lindsay’s heart was racing, and not just from Noah’s distress. He’d left Noah alone and
“Anything you need, though, ask.” Dane kissed his temple. “Anything. I’m at your service.” They were naked and marked with the stains of sex and sweat, but there was something formal lurking in Dane’s words, and he held Lindsay a little tighter.
“Thank you.”
Lindsay was beginning to understand, without knowing how, what that tone meant. He could sense it under his skin. He’d heard it when Noah spoke to Cyrus. He’d felt it when he spoke to the barre and it fell into his hand.
Something was shifting, like Cyrus had picked up a weight and moved it from one pan of a scale to the other. Whatever it was, it was already done. Lindsay closed his eyes and pressed his cheek to Dane’s shoulder. The pressure this deep in the world of magic made it hard to breathe sometimes.
They had a date planned for a few days from now. It would be a welcome escape to the surface of things. Time to breathe.
Chapter Three
Whomever Cyrus was waiting for, Lindsay wanted to thank her. The few months since Cyrus moved them to Atlantic City had been a revelation— this was how life was supposed to be. Safe, and comfortable.
For the first time in his life, he felt like everyone else. The irony that he’d only gotten to this point by failing to be “cured” of his magic didn’t escape him.
Their first date had come out of the blue. Lindsay was sitting across the table from Dane at a lovely French restaurant, trying to decide between the scallops and the salmon, before he grasped that this wasn’t part of his training. Dane didn’t laugh at him—well, not much. Lindsay had been too smitten with the entire notion to be even a bit offended.
Tonight, they were off to a classic burlesque revue. He’d been reassured that real burlesque wasn’t all strippers and feathers. Lindsay was sure Dane would get a great deal out of feathers and fishnets and flashing breasts, but he wouldn’t be getting anything out of Lindsay later if Lindsay had to sit through that .
Dane hadn’t disappointed him yet. Not once. Lindsay looked up as they were led to their seats and found luminous feral eyes on him. Always. The smile Dane gave him felt like a kiss. Lindsay had no idea how to be this happy. He was making it up as he went along, guided by Dane’s good example.
The lights in the hall dimmed, and they were completely anonymous in the crowd, just another couple waiting to see the show. No one looked twice at them. Locals never came to these shows and tourists were more self-absorbed than most people. Even without an illusion to hide them—Lindsay couldn’t bear to use one and Dane never asked him to—they were as safe as they ever were.
In the dark, Dane slid his arm around Lindsay and pulled his chair close. Safe and together. Lindsay let his head rest on Dane’s shoulder as the stage lights came up.
The opening act was a comedian with bushy hair and a penchant for jokes that hinged on a knowledge of popular culture Lindsay didn’t have. He turned his attention to watching other people’s reactions to the humor instead, and found himself fascinated by the way some of them were only pretending to be amused.
The tightness at the corners of their mouths and the shift of their eyes told him it wasn’t real. They laughed along with everyone else, but it was as much an illusion as Lindsay’s magic.
Before the comedian had quite cleared the stage, a fog started creeping into Lindsay’s mind. He pushed it back to keep from losing himself to his magic. He hadn’t had trouble holding Noah’s mind before, but nightmarish flashes slipped in now, threatening to overwhelm him.
When he reached for Noah to check on him, fear and rage and the taste of someone else’s magic on Noah’s mind filled Lindsay up until he could hardly breathe.
“Something’s wrong .” They couldn’t get out of here fast enough. Lindsay’s heart was racing, and not just from Noah’s distress. He’d left Noah alone and
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