Iron and Magic (The Iron Covenant, #1)

by Ilona Andrews

“We’re in France.

Elara reached over, picked up a folder from the desk, and held it in front of her so only her eyes were visible. “What are you doing?” “Waiting for your head to explode. I don’t want to miss it, but I don’t want to be splattered with gore.”

“If I chop off your head, will it grow back?” Elara spun around and almost ran into Hugh. He loomed over her, his eyes dark, his face cold. A man that large shouldn’t have moved that quietly. “I don’t know,” she said, keeping her voice iced over. “We could do an experiment. You try chopping off my head and I’ll try to chop off yours. We’ll see who’s left standing.” A spark flashed in the depths of his blue irises. “Tempting.” “Isn’t it? You just have to tell me which head you want chopped off, the top one or the one you usually think with.”

“I don’t believe you.” “Wait.” She held up her hand. “Let me check if I care.” Hugh glared at her. “No,” she said. “Apparently, I don’t. It’s good that we got that straightened out.”

Hugh made a low noise in his throat. If humans could growl, it would sound just like that. She gave him a sweet smile. Any sweeter and you could spread it on toast. “Use your words.”

“Too bad it took you so long,” Hugh said. “You missed a stirring performance, complete with emotional appeals to my better nature. Apparently, my wife wants me to save Aberdine for the babies.” She pictured him exploding into bloody mist. No. Too quick.

“How does it feel?” Nez asked. “Well, doctor, it feels sore and tingly.”