I don't own these characters, they are from the awesome world of Kim Harrison!

This story is set after Black Magic Sanction so **Spoiler Warning** if you haven't read it.

Chapter 1

The only sound was the clock ticking above the TV. Rachel looked around her living room, taking in the faces surrounding her as she sat on Ivy's comfortable suede couch. Trent Kalamack, elf and multi-millionaire businessman sat next to her, close but with a small gap so that their thighs weren't touching.

He was looking casual today, not wearing the thousand dollar suits Rachel was used to seeing him in. The blue knit sweater and pale blue shirt were cut close to his body showing his broad shoulders and narrow waist. His brand new jeans barely creased and hugging his butt. A wisp of white blonde chest hair peeked through the unbutton shirt collar giving a hint at what lay underneath his clothes. Rachel admired how good he looked, especially from behind when she had escorted Trent and Quen inside the church that she, Ivy and Jenks shared. As usual, he smelt like cinnamon and fresh grass, intoxicating her so much she had to stop herself from leaning closer for a better smell. On the couch next to him, Trent set down an old looking, leather bound book he had brought in with him.

Next to Rachel stood Ivy, her roommate filling the air around her with her nervous vampire hormones that smelled like incense. Trent's bodyguard Quen was mirroring Ivy's position next to Trent. Both the living vampire and black magic using elf wearing all black clothes and worried looks on their faces. On the matching chair opposite them, a very pregnant Ceri sat, barefoot and in a flowing purple and gold dress, waiting for them to start, Rachel noticed she was starting to tense her jaw and frown, finding the former elf princesses impatience amusing. And rounding out the group, Jenks, Rachel and Ivy's business partner was pacing a small path on Ceri's shoulder, his pixy wings still, mumbling quiet curses at Tink and clearly not happy with what was about to happen.

It's taken 3 weeks of negotiations to get us here today.

3 weeks of negotiations back and forth between her and Trent. Most of the delay was due to arguing from Ivy and Jenks about what they could and could not do. Everyone thought this was a bad idea but had given up trying to talk Rachel out of it. She wanted to know more about her and Trent's childhood friendship and so apparently did Trent. He had immediately agreed to organise a second Pandora charm after the first one almost killed her. Trent had clearly had nothing to do with the spell misaligning, she still hadn't seen his other bodyguard Jonathon since that scare. She was too reluctant to ask what fate he had met with.

Trent glanced at Rachel, relieved they were about to remember some memories from their childhood. Not even he had all of his memories intact thanks to his fathers penchant for lacing drinking water with memory blocking inhibitors. He respected her friends for making the negotiations so difficult, they obviously had her best interests at heart and would do anything to protect her. It was little wonder after all she had been through with her recent spate of ex-lovers, all of whom confused him, so varied, no common trait amongst any of them. Especially that Sparagmos bastard, who had sold her out to several demons and the Coven of Moral and Ethical Standards, Trent's investigating team were closely following his trail and he hoped he could dispose of him soon for Rachel's sake.

Trent wondered who would do the same for him? Who would stand up for him, seek vengeance on his behalf, look out for his interests? He and Quen were close, the man had practically raised him after his parents had died. However the pox-scarred elf and Ceri were expecting their first child soon and they would become Quen's priority, at least for a while. Both Quen and Jonathon were the closest thing to family Trent had, and Maggie. The bubbly, comforting cook had been with his family since before he was born and she was the one person he openly was himself around and could admit to loving.

Next to Trent sat the only other person he wanted to love. He glanced at her, taking in her frizzy, curly red hair, her redwood scent and black halter-top with rumpled jeans. She looked fantastic, not meticulously primped and styled like the other women he'd met and consorted with. Rachel didn't seem to have any discernable clothing style, throwing on whatever clothing was handy obviously. Her whole outfit probably cost less than his cashmere socks.

And yet she was the only woman he'd met who made his pulse race, his blood flowing around his body to stop right at his groin. Gods the woman could make him hard with a look, a scent or just hearing her voice.

How does this woman make me feel so turned on and yet so inadequate?

Most women he met fawned over him, heaping compliments about his voice, physique and business prowess. Some just wanted to take him to bed for the novelty, all wanted his money, name and lifestyle. Rachel didn't seem to care for any of that, most of the time she didn't seem to care for him at all. And it drove him crazy.

He peeked at her, while pretending to brush lint off his jeans. Rachel gave a small smile to Ivy and Jenks apparently reassuring everything would be ok. Of course it would, he had taken every step necessary to make this charm safe after what happened last time. Trent's jaw clenched as her redwood scent wafted over him. How he wanted her in his arms, in his bed. To kiss her until their lips were red and swollen, to strip her clothes off and watch her ride him until they were exhausted, sweaty and weak from orgasm. So often, he had sat through boring business meetings and client presentations while picturing her in his bed, on his desk or even in the horse stables, going hard and fast against the stall doors with the scent of sex, hay and dirt heavy in the air.

Trent's giving me that look again.

Every time they were together, his eyes would crinkle and his jaw clenching. Trent blinked suddenly and looked away, Quen gave a little smile and Rachel wondered what was up with them both. We have to get this underway before she gets caught checking out his abs or butt or leaning in for a closer sniff.

"Ok, everyone knows what they can and can't do" Rachel stated, looking around.

"Trent and I will use the charm and no one but Ceri can intervene during that time, unless she decides otherwise. Thank you for being our overseer Ceri, in case anything weird happens… Again".

Ivy snorted and glared at Trent, clearly ready to slap the elf into the next year if anything happened to Rachel this time.

Trent reached into his pocket and brought out the Pandora charm. It was a long, thin clump of black horsehair with bits of silver running through it.

From Tulpa, thought Rachel.

Along it was intricately braided knots that would release a memory when they were unwound. This charm was much longer that the last one, making Rachel guess it probably 10 inches or so. Trent gestured for Rachel to take his hands, they had to hold the charm in their entwined hands and be touching for the duration of the spell for it to work. This charm was more complicated than the first and would allow them to share each other's memories.

"You ready Morgan?" Trent asked, looking her straight in the eyes.

Rachel blinked and inhaled "Ready as I'm every going be". They started unpicking the first knot and closed their eyes.

Warmth rose up from around them, the scent of leaves, dirt and horses filling their nostrils.

"Its picking up from the same memory as last time" Rachel murmured.

"Yes" Trent replied, " I thought we should pick up where you left off".

Rachel opened her eyes again, seeing the world hazy from her concussion affected, chronically ill, twelve-year-old eyes. She looked at Trent, seeing him as the awkward, gangly fourteen year old he was at the time. She was on a stretcher being carried to the camps infirmary by two of the camp staff. At least the Make-A-Wish camp had a fully fitted out, hospital grade infirmary that Rachel now knew was paid for by the Kalamack family's illegal bio-drug manufacturing and brimstone trade.

Trent was whispering to her that she would be ok and that he was so sorry. Rachel could see he was horrified and upset about what had happened to her, clearly blaming himself for her fall. Trent's tear filled, red-rimmed, green eyes looked into Rachel's as they shuffled through the forest.

Even with the fall, that was the most exciting thing I've ever done, Rachel thought.

After they arrived at the infirmary, Trent was shooed outside of the examination room, where he waited for Jonathon's arrival and the impending dressing down that was coming. As expected, Jonathon was furious when he arrived, Rachel gasping at the look of disgust on his face as he lowered his voice and snarled at Trent for being stupid and endangering both their lives.

"Your father and I told you that girl is dangerous Trenton, you are to stay away from her, you do not need to be consorting with people like her. She is beneath your stature!"

With his face closed and blank, Trent stared at Jonathon, but why is she dangerous? Both their fathers were close friends and worked together frequently. He'd seen them many times walking through the offices and grounds of Kalamack Industries together.

Yet this man's daughter was supposed to be dangerous to him? At the moment she looked like the chronically ill twelve year old she was and all he wanted was to run inside and find out how she was.

Gods, I hope she's ok, we should go riding together properly when she's better.