Page 88 of Reaper’s Curse

Chace’s jaw muscle feathered. “I was overcome with a heavy sense that matters that might concern me were being discussed.”

24

Scents and sounds accosted me on a whole new level now. I’d been trying to find balance with my awakening soul hunter senses when the strong whiff of crisp snow had drawn my attention to the activity in the pub above me.

Through the din of the lunchtime crowd, I recognized Winter’s voice: distinct, noble, self-important. The prince had exchanged a mere handful of words with Aoes before the two retreated to what I had always presumed was Aoes’s quarters at the back far corner of the building.

Assuming my heightened awareness was the gift of the hunter part, I hadn’t required the aid of the many vision scopes and sound tubes available in my place of lodging to track the male’s movements through the rooms above.

Since confronting the males and stepping into Aoes’s quarters, Raven’s scent had slammed into me and rammed up my nose. Every muscle tightened in response. She wasn’t present, but her unique aroma smothered Winter.

Shoving Aoes aside and the door open, I stepped deeper into the room.

He huffed. “Come on in, why don’t you.”

I ignored the pub manager, my sights tight on Winter. In several long strides, I stalked across the room toward the prince. The royal stiffened, his body jerking as if wishing to retreat, while his facial expression refused to show signs of weakness.

Until…

Winter’s eyes widened and nostrils flared, albeit slightly, and was he…sweating? Oh yeah. The prick was afraid, as he rightly should be, because whatever I was, I was created to hunt. At present, my prey cowered in a chair before me.

Winter grabbed at an ugly iron bracelet locked around his wrist, struggling to break it free. I barely spared the accessory a consideration or a glance.

I lurched forward, bundled Winter’s shirt in my clutch, and dragged his upper body close, placing the insufferable jerk’s face mere inches from my own.

Sniffing deeply, I took in every last scent clinging to him. Snow and pine and artic wind were Winter’s personal perfume, smudged with many other smells: other people with whom he’d recently come in contact, the food he’d enjoyed, a whole lot of liquor lingering from days ago, and…there she was…

Raven.

Jasmine and lilies, vanilla and cinnamon, sandalwood with a hint of citrus. Spicy and sweet, the myriad of aromas I identified as Raven’s clung to Winter’s skin.

Not his clothing but his skin.

“What have you done to her?” A growl in my throat darkened my voice. “If you’ve hurt her, so help me―”

“Raven?” Winter’s back straightened, and his chin tipped up. “I haven’t done anything to her.”

“You lie.” I inched my face closer, the words seething from my lips.

Aoes grabbed at my shoulder and tugged. “Back off, Ace. Give the gent some space.”

“Don’t.” I shoved Aoes away with one hand, heard him stumble, but didn’t divert my attention to discover where or how Aoes landed.

Instead, I sniffed Winter again, this time more subtly, zeroing in on only the scents that belonged to Raven. A fresh, light balm mixed with carrion clung from earlier that morning. Winter had clearly interacted on some level with her before coming to the pub.

The carrion suggested that she might have already received my crow-delivered message at that point. The nuances in that aromatic exchange suggested casual exposure, yet were tinted with apprehension, anxiety.

“You saw her this morning,” I said.

Winter didn’t respond. He merely glared at me. I wasn’t the least bit intimidated. I took another whiff, diving deeper into my investigation and Raven’s personal perfume.

The smells I regarded were older but more intense: irritation, curiosity, interest…arousal. Anger. Fear. And something else. Something distinctly death in origin. Her reaper’s magic?

My nostrils flared, and a growl ripped through my throat. “What have you done?”

Winter tugged at the iron bracelet as his eyes flashed a brilliant blue. No doubt the prince’s magic. “What makes you think I’ve done anything?”

“I can smell it on you. Smell her on you,” I said between gritted teeth.