AN HOUR LATER AND back home, Shay sank further into the pillows and tugged the comforter higher around her bare shoulders as she waited. The bedroom—our bedroom—was cozy in the soft light from the single lamp. She debated lowering the shades, then decided not to, wanting to enjoy the starlight.
Down the hall, Bann was grumbling at Cor to stop mucking about with that pup and get his arse in bed and under the blanket. Right. Now. The metal crate clanged a few moments later. Voices murmured softly, then morphed into the whisper of bare feet on the wood floor.
Bann appeared. “It’s like having two puppies.” He paused and studied Shay, then closed the door with a soft snick.
“Or two boys. Not much different, if you ask me. By the way, I left a jar of sláinte brew on the counter.” She watched as Bann unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it in the general direction of the chair in the corner next to the dresser. Even if we don’t buy that house, we’re going to need new furniture in this one, she mused absently. A bigger dresser, to start with. Half of his clothes are still in his duffle bag.
Her musings died away when he unzipped his pants and slid both jeans and underwear off in one movement and kicked them aside. Naked except for his torc, he disappeared into the bathroom; Shay could hear him urinating, followed by a flush and the sink running. He reappeared, holding a damp washcloth. The scent of the nettle potion drifted around the room. Leaning a shoulder on the doorframe, Bann pressed the cloth against his left palm, letting the healing brew work its magic. A crease marred his forehead.
“Shay, I’ve been thinking and—”
“I know. And I know what you’re going to say.”
Bann snorted. “No doubt.” He tossed the cloth onto the counter and turned off the bathroom light. Blowing on the cut, he walked over to the bed, scratching a cheek more south than north with his other hand, then slid under the sheets with a groan of satisfaction.
“Let me see that cut.” Taking his hand, she examined it, then nodded. “Good.” She let go and snuggled closer, relishing the contrast between the cool night air and the warmth of Bann’s body next to hers. “You’re thinking about what Gideon Lir said. About going after the shapeshifter. Fine. I’m hunting with you and that’s that.”
He reached over and clicked off the lamp, then shifted to his side. Fingering a lock of her hair, he wound it between his fingers as he spoke. “But what if something should happen to both of us? What about Cor?”
“Good point. You stay home with the kid and I’ll go kick some god booty.”
Bann’s lips twitched. “Ye’re a stubborn one, Shay Doyle.”
“Look who’s talking.” She reached over and tapped his torc. “You should’ve had a pair of mules put on the endcaps, instead of horses.”
“These are not just horses, I’ll have ye know.” Bann pushed her down and shifted over on top of her, resting his weight on his forearms, lips inches from Shay’s.
“They’re not?” Shay could feel his manhood against her thigh. Hot and heavy and growing thicker, and oh, so eager.
“Not at all.” His breath ghosted along her cheek. “They are stallions. Males in the prime of their lives.”
“How prime?”
“Enough to prime yer pump, woman.” Before Shay could say anything, his lips were on hers.
He tasted faintly of pork and beer and mint toothpaste. And desire. And love. Sliding his lips along hers, he took his time mapping her mouth, exploring its hills and valleys. His tongue flicked out, then stabbed and probed, silently demanding her surrender. Shay resisted at first, enjoying a bit of power play. Knowing Bann enjoyed it, too.
As the kiss deepened, Shay slid her palms along his back to his buttocks. She loosened her grip as he left her mouth and scooted down her body, his lips level with a breast. He nuzzled it, then took her nipple in his mouth, letting it tighten and swell before he began suckling. One hand stole down to the inside of her thigh; calloused fingertips stroked vulnerable flesh.
Desire so strong it hurt surged through Shay, blossomed from her center to the ends of her limbs, making her want to both spread her legs wider and to roll him over and mount him.
The latter seemed like it would be more fun.
“Bann, love.” She took his head between her hands and lifted it enough to make eye contact; in the starlight, his were half-lidded and drunk with lust. “On your back.”
As he obeyed, she leaned over and fished out a condom from the nightstand. When he started to take it from her, she held it out of reach. “I’ll take care of you.”
“I best do it, darlin’,” Bann said, his voice tight. As he prepared himself, Shay couldn’t help smiling at his jaw-clenched concentration.
“What are you thinking about?” she teased.
“Car maintenance,” he said, a little breathless.
“Well, whatever gets the job done.”
“This is supposed to be a passionate moment.” Bann tossed the wrapper in the small trashcan, then lay back and reached for her, trying to draw her closer. “Come here, woman.”
She captured his hands. “You just hold your horses.”
Bann blinked. “You did not say that.”
“Looks like I did. My bad.”
They both burst out laughing.
The next morning, a knock on the door jerked her out of a sleep made bottomless by too much rich food and alcohol, not enough water, and just the right amount of sex. Peeling open an eyelid, she saw that the bed next to her was empty. How did he do that without waking me up? She opened the other eye. Well, he is a Knight and a hunter, a voice in her head replied.
She sat up and tucked the covers around her, making sure nothing showed that would freak out an eight-year-old—make that a nine-year-old—boy, then smoothed her hair back from her face. “Come in, Cor.”
“How did you know it was me?” Cor slipped into the room, still dressed in the T-shirt and sweats he had slept in, and with a half-eaten slice of toast in one hand. A smear of jam decorated one cheek like strawberry woad. He carried a mug of coffee in his other hand.
“Process of elimination.”
“What’s that mean?” He handed the cup to her, then raced around to the other side and climbed up on the mattress. Sitting cross-legged on Bann’s side, he stuffed the rest of the slice in his mouth and wiped his fingers on his shirt.
“It means there are only three others in this house. Your dad wouldn’t have knocked. Sam doesn’t have hands.” She grinned at Cor’s giggle. “So, by process of elimination, the only one who would have knocked is you.”
“Oh.” Flinging himself backwards, he spread his arms and legs wide. “I wish my bed was this big.”
“I’ll bet. Where’s your dad?”
“Cor!” Bann’s voice boomed from the kitchen. “Your pup just messed!”
“Coming!” Cor stood up, bounced twice to gain altitude, then launched himself off the mattress and bolted out of the room.
Taking advantage of the moment, Shay rose and slipped into the bathroom to dress—pajama pants and a hoodie, and socks against the chill of the morning. After pulling her hair back into a ponytail, she grabbed her cooling coffee and headed for the kitchen.
A barefoot Bann was leaning against the counter, eyes thoughtful. Dressed in his most battered jeans with the knees ripped out and a faded T-shirt declaring “You’ve Got a Friend in Pennsylvania,” he was sipping from his favorite mug as he watched Cor dry the floor. On the other side of the sliding door, Sam paced back and forth, wanting in. His whining was muted by the glass.
Noticing the telltale crease between Bann’s dark brows, Shay frowned herself. “What’s wrong?” She walked over and opened the back door. Sam made a beeline for Cor.
The man started to speak, then paused. “Son, go make your bed and get dressed.”
“What about breakfast?”
“We’ll eat afterwards. Go.” Boy and pup disappeared. He waited a beat, then lowered his voice. “I’m not sure how successful we’ll be searching for Cernunnos this time without Max. The shapeshifter could be anywhere between here and the foothills near Hugh and Ann’s.”
“True. But if Cor really did see the shapeshifter last night instead of a coyote,” Shay pointed out, “then at least we have a starting place. He had to have left some prints.”
“If we’re lucky.” He took another sip. “I want to find his lair before he regains his former strength. The sooner we know where he is denned up, the sooner we can decide the best way to kill him.”
“So this is more of a reconnaissance mission than a hunt?”
“Yes, unless the opportunity presents itself.”
“In that case, do you want James and Rory to come along? You know they’ll feel left out if we don’t invite them.”
“That they would.” He thought a moment. “Four is sufficient—I’m counting on speed and stealth.”
“What about Hugh and Ann?”
“After the meeting last night, I’d feel better if I didn’t put the clan leaders’ lives in danger any more than is necessary. I spoke with them about it before we left. Although Hugh was not happy, Ann agreed with me.”
She plucked her cell from the charger. “Right. I’ll see if the boys can meet us at Hugh’s in a couple of hours. I hope he has enough iron weapons to arm us all.” As she waited for her cousin to answer, she nodded toward the hall. “Meanwhile, Cor can hang out and play with Neill since Sean and Jenny are staying a few more days.”
“Cor will like that—he spends too much time with adults. And your mother? Will she be staying, too?”
“She will.”
“Oh.”
Shay chuckled at Bann’s carefully neutral face.
Two hours later, Shay was standing in the middle of Ann’s kitchen, hands fisted by her sides to prevent herself from strangling her mother. “Considering all the hunting you’ve done, or rather, not done, I really don’t see how you can say that, Mom.” The word meant the woman who birthed her. The tone implied something else.
Isobel crossed her arms over her chest. “There is a difference, Shay Doyle, between a casual morning’s hunt of some goblins, and facing a god! If that man really cared for you—”
Shay ground her molars together. “His name is Bann.”
“—he wouldn’t be placing you in danger.”
Realizing her mother wasn’t bothering to keep her voice down, Shay took her elbow and pulled her to the far end of the kitchen. “Look. I understand that you have some issues with Bann. But I really wish you’d move past them and get to know him, and Cor, before you make any more judgments.”
At that moment, Neill and Cor trotted into the kitchen and made a beeline for the refrigerator. Cor flashed a grin at her.
Hoping he hadn’t heard their conversation, Shay pasted a smile on her face. “What are you guys up to?”
“Snack.” Neill opened the fridge.
After a few minutes of discussion, they selected a couple of cheese sticks. Using them as knives, they began poking each other even as they raced out of the room. Shay noticed with pride that Cor scored two hits on Neill before they disappeared. Their voices faded, but not before Shay heard Cor shout at Neill to “eat bronze, ye manky beast.”
“See?” She waved a hand at the empty doorway. “Won’t it be nice for Neill to have a cousin—”
“Step-cousin,” Isobel corrected.
“—a cousin his own age,” Shay said through gritted teeth. “Jeez, why are you being this way?”
Isobel lifted her eyebrows. “Because I have the right to worry about my children. Your father died hunting a simple-minded goblin. And you want to take on a shapeshifter, just because that man—”
“His name is Bann!” Spit flew from Shay’s mouth.
At that moment, the man in question appeared in the doorway, carrying his iron knife, the blade as long as his forearm. He nodded politely to the women and headed for the drawer where Hugh stored his whetstone and oil. A moment later, the room was filled with the sweesh-sweesh of iron on oiled stone. Shay’s heart sank when he spoke, eyes fixed on his task.
“My apologies for overhearing your conversation.” Sweesh-sweesh. “But, Shay, I must admit that I agree with your mother—it would be best if you stayed safe behind these walls and minded Cor while I hunt Cernunnos.”
For a moment, Shay couldn’t speak. Betrayal swelled in her throat, trapping the words behind it. What the hell? How can he side with her? It didn’t help when her mother turned to her with a smirk of triumph. “You can’t be serious—”
“In fact,” Bann continued, eyes fixed on his task, “I’ve decided to make some necessary changes, since we’re to be wed. For certain, you will cease being a Healer.”
Shay’s jaw sagged. Shock made her dim-witted.
“Wait.” Isobel’s glee faded. “You…you want Shay to give up her profession?”
“She’ll not have time for it, as she’ll be busy caring for our home and children.” Bann paused and held up the knife, eyes narrowed as he examined the edge of the blade. “There’s no need for her to work outside the house.”
Shay finally figured out how to get her brain and mouth to work. But before she could speak, her mother jumped in. No surprise there.
“A bit extreme, wouldn’t you say? My daughter has worked hard to become as skilled as she is, and we need a Healer. More than that, it’s who she is.”
Retrieving her voice from wherever it had stepped out for coffee, Shay bit down on each word. “How dare you—”
“You said yourself, Isobel Doyle.” Bann overrode Shay. Again. Which was really starting to piss her off. “That if I really cared about my betrothed, I would do everything in my power to keep her safe. I am simply agreeing with you. That is why I will not allow her to step foot out of our home without me to guard her.”
“There’s a wide difference,” Isobel said, “between safeguarding and stifling. She needs to have a life outside of her marriage.”
“Excuse me!” Shay waved her hand between them. “In case you two haven’t noticed, I’m standing right. Here. And I don’t appreciate being talked about like I’m a house plant.”
Bann stilled. He laid his knife on the counter in a studied manner, wiped his hands on his jeans, then turned. Something in his stance and the expression on his face made Shay hold back her next words.
“Aye, you’re right. There is a difference between safeguarding and stifling.” He locked eyes with Isobel. “Which is why I will never stand in her way, but I will always stand by her side.”
Isobel’s lips tightened. “You think you’re the clever one—twisting my words around. You know what I meant. A fancy speech is not going to keep her safe.” Without another word, she stalked out of the kitchen.