There was a black limo waiting just a block down from Mac's. Marcone headed straight for it, assured that Harry would follow, which he did. In a rather dazed manner.
Hendricks got out and opened the door for Marcone to get in while Dresden managed to get the door on the other side open, just to spite Hendricks. Marcone tried not to roll his eyes, but the quick, silent exchange with Hendricks relayed as much. The bodyguard did roll his eyes and gave a barely audible grunt of annoyance.
"Home," John only said as his right hand man glanced at him from the driver's seat.
The engine started and the car smoothly pulled out into traffic. Looking at the man beside him, Marcone reached over and curled his fingers around one wrist, squeezing gently. The touch seemed to startle Harry, which told Marcone just how far gone his partner was.
Meeting a legend could do that to a man, especially a wizard who had just met the most legendary of them all.
"Harry," he murmured.
The dark eyes blinked and Dresden looked a bit shell-shocked and gray.
"Merlin," Harry whispered, voice rough. "The Merlin! The first… the original! The most powerful wizard to ever have lived…!"
"And is still alive today," John supplied unhelpfully.
He deliberately projected a laid back ease as if they had only gone out to lunch and not met up with one of the most legendary figures in magical and mundane history.
"Merlin, John!"
"Yes, you already said so."
"He's alive and he came looking for us!"
"I was there, in case you have forgotten. I met the man." Dark brows rose.
Harry raked his fingers through his hair, eyes almost wild.
If Marcone concentrated, he thought he could almost feel echoes of the agitation inside him. It was faint, definitely not him, and it was a strange churning.
"Harry."
He hadn't let go of Harry's wrist, tightening his hold; anchoring He looked into Dresden's eyes, a calm well, so very much in control.
"We made a powerful ally."
Both men hadn't really said it, but the implication had been there. John Marcone was a business man and he could read between the lines, heard hidden meanings, and he understood small gestures and innocently phrased sentences. Yes, Merlin and Arthur couldn't reappear and openly ally themselves with a Freeholding Lord and a wizard whom the White Council suspected had one foot in the dark side all the time. The information they had volunteered about the connection between wizard and shield had been invaluable already.
Marcone had filed it all away to memory and he would follow up on that information, dig deeper into what they were now.
"How did he find you?" Dresden suddenly asked.
He hadn't tried to extricate his wrist and John rubbed a gentle thumb over the soft skin of the wrist's inside.
"Mr. Emris approached me outside Executive Priority, extending an invitation to talk to him, his partner and yourself at Mac's"
"So you just… did?"
He gave Harry a little smile, relaying just how normal this was for him now. "I had an open slot on my timetable."
Dresden snorted. "He could have been up to something."
"He was."
It got him a groan.
"Experience told me that I wanted to talk to him."
"He could have abducted you!"
"Harry, trust me that my instincts in that regard are rather good. You might have noticed that there is something about him, something that doesn't ring any alarms."
Dresden visibly fought with himself. He finally let it go and slumped back against the seat, head dropping against the headrest.
"Now what?"
"Business as usual."
"After we met Merlin and Arthur?"
Marcone raised his eyebrows. "What do you want us to do?"
"I…" Harry fell silent, visibly struggling.
"They disappeared centuries ago, staying hidden unless they wanted to be seen, and until today I doubt they wanted that," John pointed out.
There was a stubborn line forming between Harry's eyes. "But…"
"We were given a great honor, Mr. Dresden."
"Yeah, but…"
"You really won't let it go," he sighed and gave him a pointed look.
"I wish I could."
"Not in your nature."
Harry scrubbed his free hand over his face. "Maybe if I sleep over it. A few dozen times. Just… Merlin, John!"
"Yes. You said so. Repeatedly."
"Asshole!"
John chuckled and raised the wrist he had trapped, kissing the hand. It startled Harry, as it always did when Marcone decided on a little PDA, even if the PDA was inside a car with tinted windows. Touch meant showing the connection, meant weakness, meant liability. There had never been an intimate or too friendly touch outside the privacy of their home. Marcone kept his professional distance and Harry wasn't particularly used to any form of public displays. Since they were keeping their relationship out of public eye, and in John's case the interested public, it wasn't all too hard for him.
"Yes, Merlin," he murmured. "Considering who else you have met, gone up against, or had fight on your side, I'm surprised by your reaction. I think the social media would call it fangirling."
Harry glared at him and Marcone smirked. The fire in those eyes burned away the shock, made him look more alive, and there was a light flush working into the paleness.
"Oh shuddup."
John grinned and released the wrist, instead interlacing their fingers. They were still at least twenty to thirty minutes away from their home. Traffic was moderate, but due to construction, Hendricks had to weave along different routes.
They spent the rest of the drive in silence, John physically anchoring his wizard while Harry's mind was whirling through whatever scenarios he was running. He would get over his meeting with Merlin, just like Marcone had. While it had been a special kind of meeting, it wasn't by far the most outstanding he, a mortal mundane human, had had either.
"He said we have a much stronger connection than normal," Dresden broke the silence as they walked into the townhouse, closing the door behind themselves.
"Yes, I heard him. I was there."
It got him another glare. John smiled, letting amusement disarm the glare. Harry muttered something under his breath.
"I believe what he implied was that you went about it the wrong way, then did a sharp turn, took a few detours, and just before you crashed and burned, you finally acknowledged what you had all along."
"Yes, thank you for the summary, class," Harry growled.
Marcone raised his eyebrows. "You are exceptionally bad at accepting things, Harry Dresden. Even offers made where a return isn't expected. You don't trust easily. You were manipulated too often. Your mentor tried to turn you into something you never were and never could be. It was instinct on your part to expect this to happen each and every time." He held the wide, brown eyes, trying to ignore the pain deep inside, how Harry had stiffened.
But he felt the whisper of the magic. It was there and it was reaching for him. It wasn't dark or dangerous, sharp or cutting. It was gentle and actually trying to draw him closer.
So Marcone stepped right up to the taller man, smiling softly.
"You trusted me to have your back on your cases. You trusted me to give you information and not sell you out. You knew I protect those I consider mine, of my city. That's what built this. It wove together before you realized what I am to you, Harry Dresden, and that's why we are what we are right now. It's why we are stronger than others, why I don't give a damn what anyone believes you or I are. We forged this together, faster and stronger than even Merlin and Arthur themselves." His voice was almost rough now, emotions bleeding into every word. John was absolutely open. "I have you and won't let you go. You are mine. All of you. Never to be shared. You're mine and you belong to me. I can feel it in your magic, how you mirror it. I can feel you, Harry. I want you and I want this."
Dresden stood still for a long moment, processing the possessive, protective and so soul-deep words. He stared into John's eyes and Marcone let him read whatever he was looking for. Finally he curled his fingers into John's lapels and drew him into a hard, needy kiss. Marcone didn't fight it, went with the flow, and the magical energy licked all over them, surrounded them, barely visible but so sensitive and real. He held on to Harry's hips, let his hands slide over them, along his sides, to his back.
Yes, they might have done this in a too complicated fashion, but that was Harry Dresden, Wizard for Hire, for you.
xxXxxxxXxxxxXxxxxXxxxxXxxxxXxxxxXxxxxXxx
Sometimes it just didn't pay to get up. Be it in the morning or the late afternoon, or even at night when he had slept the day.
No, it didn't pay off.
Then there were days when the crappy morning turned into a really interesting afternoon. Or night.
The sound of explosions tore through the darkness, orange balls of fire blooming within the large, abandoned warehouse and blowing out the smeared, grimy windows. Shards rained down onto the streets, bouncing off the gleaming concrete.
Rain pounded onto the pavement, drowning the noise a little, dousing the dark figures moving quickly into the warehouse. Thunder rumbled in the distance, lightning followed bright and hot against the black sky.
Shots fired sounded.
There were howls and screams that finally turned into whelps and then silence.
It was over within an hour. The noise had died down abruptly, a few shadowy shapes running away, only to be brought down by those waiting outside; waiting patiently for anyone making a run for it.
"Runners down," the watcher on the roof said softly into the mic.
"Affirmative," came the reply.
Inside the warehouse, blood stained the ground. Various bodies lay around, none of them human. The humans who had been collaborating with the supernatural elements intent on setting up their own operation in Chicago were unconscious or barely conscious.
A heavily armed black-clad figure walked slowly among the bodies, checking for signs of life. John Marcone looked over to where a certain wizard looked through various boxes, pulling out bags filled with pills and powders.
"Do we have everything?" he asked calmly.
Harry nodded, face a mask of anger and barely contained disgust. The air around him felt wild and stormy, a tight coil of fierce energy still deep inside him. Marcone turned to the three men who were securing the area.
"Get them out of here."
The human scum was dragged off and would be left for the police.
"Your turn, Mr. Dresden," he said with a sharp smile.
"With pleasure," Harry muttered.
A fire burned within those dark eyes, dangerous and volatile and very, very lethal.
xxXxx
The warehouse explosion made it to the news and would later be ruled a gas leak and faulty wiring. It eradicated all trace and evidence, burning so hot and intense as only a magical fire could. One called forth by a wizard.
xxXxx
Of course, Murphy didn't believe a single word and grilled Harry until he caved and gave her the real deal behind it all.
xxXxx
"I hate drug runners," Harry muttered when he came home in the morning. It was already past sunrise, the world had woken up and was taking note of the explosion in the warehouse district. "The mundane and the faerie kind. Especially the latter. All those components are highly illegal in the wizarding world."
Marcone raised an eyebrow as he watched him. Like Dresden, he hadn't been to bed yet and he had already worked on rearranging his schedule for today, though important meetings would be attended. Thankfully, nothing on the agenda was absolutely important. A lot of paperwork and some emails, but no personal attendance was required.
There had been no casualties on his side and no one had more than a bruise or a scrape. Even Harry had come out of it without a scratch, which was remarkable all by itself.
"Which makes them all the more desirable and probably potent."
It got him a glare. Harry balled his hands into fists, jaw so tightly clenched, Marcone feared he might crack a molar. "Of course they are desirable! Dragon's blood? Do you have any idea what it takes to draw blood from an actual dragon?"
It had been what might be called a joint operation. There had been rumors about drugs flooding into the city, from a source that wasn't controlled or approved by Marcone, and then the magical component had popped up. A supernatural angle that brought in Harry, who had been far from pleased with either. Drugs were bad enough, but faeries made things complicated, dangerous and potentially explosive in the end.
Well, yeah, he had blown up stuff and set the rest on fire.
"It might have been attained legally," Marcone remarked wryly.
It got him a grimace. "Yeah, right. I've only ever met one dragon and I don't want to do so again. Same goes for some of the other stuff."
John watched the other man, the lithe lines, the tension tightening muscles and playing across his skin like a shadow. He let Harry pace, let him rant, mutter and glare at whatever got in his way. Yes, the runners had been dealing with a lot of exotic parts, powders and fluids. According to Harry there had been body parts and pieces of various creatures, not just blood. And Marcone knew that to attain body parts meant death or mutilation.
"Harry," he finally said quietly. Calm and cool and dark.
Dresden stopped and blinked. He looked both wired and exhausted.
"We got them. They are dead and their mortal associates will spend a long time behind bars. You also tore down some prime real estate in the process, which enables me to rebuild and renovate." He smirked. "Cheaply, I have to say. You did most of the work."
It got him a snort, but Harry plopped down on the couch. "Happy to help," he grumbled.
Marcone chuckled and joined him. He leaned forward and, after a moment of giving Harry the chance to stop him, kissed him. Harry responded after a second, then grew a little more enthusiastic. It was slow, it was intense, it was wonderful, and it was them.
No hurry.
Marcone felt the tight knot of magical energy within Harry, an energy that was both terrifying and fascinating in one. It expanded, enveloped them, the wizard still very high strung and full of adrenaline and anger.
Chicago was safe again. The upstarts had been erased, as had been their little business. All in a night's work.
"We might have done one of the Courts a favor, too," John murmured with a grin.
Dresden snorted inelegantly. The magic was still licking around him. "I wouldn't bet on finding a link to either Court."
"It was warning enough. A statement of force and power."
He grunted.
"Your power, Mr. Dresden. A lot of it." He pushed the other man back and straddled him, lips twisting into a hungry smile.
"You are a kinky bastard, Marcone."
"I don't see you protesting." The voice was rough, slightly jagged at the edge, and slightly more sensual than before.
The next kiss was more intense, almost overpowering in its strength, and John fought back as good as he got. It was like a small war for dominance and suddenly Harry relented, almost surrendering.
xxXxx
Making out with a wizard who was still radiating magic like Harry did, who was still furious about what had happened, what he had had to fight against and what he had done, made for an adventure that John enjoyed a lot. He knew they wouldn't be disturbed for a while, that Gard and Hendricks were handling everything else that might come up.
Marcone was taking care of his partner, who needed to blow off some steam after the whole operation. And John was very much on board with how to accomplish that.
xxXxx
"Breakfast?" Marcone asked as he ran gentle, calming caresses over the warm skin.
Harry hummed, sounding interested. He usually was when it came to food. "I'd be in," he mumbled.
John pressed a kiss against one shoulder and got up, smiling down at the so relaxed looking, very much naked wizard.
"Shower, then we'll see about feeding you, Mr. Dresden. After last night's fireworks I suspect you'll eat half the menu."
Harry grinned, pushing himself up on his elbows. "You're buying?"
"Wouldn't want your broke ass to cover breakfast bills."
"Hey!"
Marcone chuckled. "I always pay for services rendered. In your case that payment is in food. I should add hazard pay, but blowing up my properties seems to be just another day for you."
Harry grimaced. But he got up and headed for the shower, still absolutely and unashamedly naked, much to Marcone's enjoyment.