Chapter Fifteen

 

 

 

“What am I supposed to do?”

Dracen slowed and crouched on the tree branch when she heard Calida’s voice. She couldn’t see her, though. Her sign shifted and she allowed a tanto to slip into her hand.

Whatever the response, she couldn’t make it out.

“I don’t know if I can do this.” There were tears in her voice.

With a frown, Dracen jumped down to the ground and gazed about. She could see a small shimmering area and headed toward it. Barely discernible to the naked eye, she checked to see if she could spot a trap. Nothing. With a slight shrug, she made up her mind.

Reaching out with her hand, she touched the shimmery space and her fingers vanished. This is new. Never one to back away from things, she progressed forward, her sword in her left hand by the time she fully stepped through. She paused—the forest had given way to a clearing with close-cut grass, stone benches and a fountain with statues.

The centerpiece was a woman walking. Average height and curvaceous, she appeared damn near ethereal. Silver hair that hung past her butt, a one-piece bodysuit and the pearlescent hue that stood out against the dark skin, all combining to create someone she recognized.

She knew where she was instantly. Lian’s private area. Never got here this way before. Off to the left, Calida sat on a stone bench. When she saw Dracen, Calida shot to her feet, eyes wide.

“I didn’t see you come in.”

“Who were you talking to?” she asked, not retreating with her weapons.

“Myself,” she said, not meeting her gaze.

A lie. Everything screamed that, but she let it go since her sign didn’t seem all that upset. “What are you doing here?”

She shrugged and sat back on the bench. “I come here to think. Lian said he didn’t mind. I didn’t think anyone else came here to this place, Tiarnán said you all left it alone because it was Lian’s.”

Lian had a place. News that in itself wasn’t that shocking, but to hear that Calida not only did, but visited and considered this place her own, while the other Guardians didn’t, came as a bit of one. She gazed about, sure they weren’t alone, but she couldn’t sense any malice.

Dracen circled the bench Calida sat upon, unsure what she looked for. “You come here a lot?”

Calida picked some blades of the sweet-scented grass and wove it together into a braid. “When I want to be away from Tiarnán. This is the one place he mostly leaves me alone at.”

Dracen walked to the fountain and made her way around it this time. Incredibly crafted, it made Lana appear as if she were alive, even though it was made of stone. Her kindness radiated beyond the stillness of her likeness.

Calida moved to her side. “She was a beautiful woman.”

“Yes.” Dracen stared at the water, marveling at how crystal clear it was, especially as this resided in the middle of a forest. Then again, this was Lian’s woman. She cut her gaze to Calida. The woman appeared the most relaxed she’d seen her. What right does she have to be in a place I don’t go to?

“I asked him, you know. About my being here. He said I was welcome any time.”

That stung a bit but she struggled to contain her irritation, grinding her jaw. “I see.” That was all she could manage. Staring at the arms on the statue, she noticed the cuff around Lana’s right wrist. It looked identical to the one Lian wore. On her left hand she had a wedding band. Also the same as him, that knot.

“You are nervous around me,” Dracen stated, sitting on the edge. “Why?”

“I don’t feel I’ll never measure up to you. Not in Tiarnán’s eyes.”

“You’ve already surpassed me. He loves you.” She attempted a small smile only to fall short. “In fact he’s out there now, searching for you.”

“I left him before.”

Dracen narrowed her gaze, protective of her foster brother. “Why?”

She sat as well and trailed her fingers in the clear liquid. “I was second. He pushed me aside, only partially listening, but when it came to you, he was all ears.” She shrugged. “I don’t know why I’m telling you this.”

Dracen wasn’t sure either. They’d had a small chat before but nothing more than a name exchange and welcome to the vineyard.

“He has a big-brother complex.” Her smile came easier this time as memories resurfaced. “We met in court. I was crying and he has always been protective since.”

“To hear him talk, you’ve never cried.”

“Not sure why that would be.”

She crossed her arms and stared at the ground. “He loves you.”

“And I him. He’s my brother. Nothing between us other than that. Never has been.”

“I was so jealous.”

“I know.”

Her gaze snapped to Dracen. “How? How did you know?”

“I could say, I’m a Guardian. But basically, women’s intuition. The flames dotting your hair when you looked at me also helped.”

She shook her head. “I feel so damn petty. But I couldn’t let go.”

Dracen crouched before her. “Listen to me, Calida. Tiarnán and I will always be close, but believe me when I say there is nothing more important to him than you.”

“How can you be so certain of that?” She made a small moue. “I mean, I know he said he would leave here and come with me, but I kind of chalked that up to him wanting me out of the dress I was in.”

“He’s a man of very few words to most people. He means what he says, but more than that, I know because it’s that way with me and Luc. Tiarnán would give it all up for you, whatever it took to make you happy and keep you safe.”

“But—oh God, I know I sound petty—how do you know this?”

Dracen stood and looked at the statue. “Lian said he knew Lana was the one, he didn’t want to accept it until something happened, she quoted something which only confirmed that which he’d already known. All the other Guardians have said the same thing. I was skeptical, but when I saw Luc he pushed through the cold wall around me that would have made me take him to a hospital and leave him there. Instead I carried him back to my cabin and took care of him. I just knew it was the thing to do.” She reached out only to draw her hand back at the last moment before actually making contact with the statue. “The way he almost lost you is going to make his protective streak even more intense.”

“I don’t know what to do anymore.”

Those words drew her attention from the lifelike piece of art. “In terms of what?”

“Everything. I’m changing.”

She picked up on the fear in her voice. “We all are.” Dracen sat beside her on the stone. “Look, none of us know what’s going to happen. We’re all changing and now that the parts are all together, we don’t know when it’s going to happen either. It could be now or not for another few years.”

Calida scratched the inside of her wrist. “It’s a bit overwhelming.”

“I think it’s supposed to be. To weed out those who can’t handle it.”

“What if I can’t?”

“You’re his mate, you were strong enough when they picked you to offset his harshness. Look, we don’t know one another well and I’m not very good with the girly talk, but let me just say this. You’re perfect for him. He loves you more than anything in this world and I bet you ten to one he’s within a hundred yards of here, trying to figure out where you went.”

“I know where she went.” Tiarnán’s deep voice broke into their small world.

Dracen sent her a look, not all that shocked to hear him. “You know, sometimes a woman just needs time away.”

“And you, Dray?” Luc’s rumble filled the air.

Warmth hit her and she hid her whimper. There wasn’t any way for her to describe what his voice did to her insides. She lifted her head to see him striding across the grass toward her at Tiarnán’s side.

Both men moved with a grace that took her breath away, but Luc did something way more to her. From the gasp Calida emitted, her reaction to the other Guardian was similar.

Luc stopped in front of her and tipped up her chin. She arched an eyebrow. “We need to talk about that call from my father.”

“Right, the weapons.” She wasn’t going to address the women his father had spoken about—they didn’t matter in the scheme of life. Luc was hers, she knew that with supreme confidence.

Luc filled Tiarnán in while she replayed what she’d heard on her end. Danvers. It hit her. “I remember,” she bit off, surging to her feet.

“What?” they asked.

“Danvers. I remember. I have to go.” She took a step only to find her arm locked in Luc’s grasp.

“Tired of you running off and leaving me, babe.”

“Come on then. I hope you’re getting faster.”

“What are you thinking, Dracen?”

She looked to her brother. “I have to talk to someone.”

He scowled but she ignored him, looking back to Luc. “Let’s go.” They ran, leaving the other two there. She was more than confident Tiarnán wouldn’t leave Calida there alone to keep up with them.

Luc was fast, she couldn’t argue that, and they moved as one to the door leading down into the dungeon. As they hit the bottom floor, he let out a low whistle. “Seriously? A dungeon?”

She looked at him and said, “This is not full of terrorists, so don’t get close.”

“Got it. I’m just the observer.”

They walked in and she focused on the lone prisoner in the room, caged behind bars and anger stamped all over her features.

“Hello, Haley,” she said in silky smooth voice.

“Bitch.”

 

Luc looked around the stone room. Seriously, they have a fucking dungeon here? What else does this place have? He focused on the woman behind the bars. Her expression one of hatred and a coldness he hadn’t seen in anyone in a very long time.

“I’m going to give you one chance, Haley,” Dracen said, moving toward the door. “Tell me about Danvers.”

“How’s this for an answer, go fuck yourself.” She grabbed her crotch and spat at Dracen, who didn’t move.

Unease skated up his spine when, all of a sudden, the dragon wings of smoke exploded from Dracen’s back as she opened the door.

“I gave you your chance,” she uttered.

Haley glared. “My father will come for me. I hear you’re like me. Cale told me you have demon blood in you as well. Better be careful, you’ll be in here beside me before you know it.”

“Oh trust me,” she purred. “Hara will get your body back. Piece by every loving fucking piece. And I’m nothing like you, I don’t fuck up on a job. When I go to kill someone, I do it.” She stepped inside fully and pursued Haley, who, despite not wanting to give any ground by her expression, moved until the wall stopped her. Mist swirled around them and another of those unholy screams filled the air.

This ain’t good.

He ran in. “Dracen!”

Once he neared her he drew up short—she had Haley held up in the air, feet off the floor. Streaks of red and silver pulsed along Dracen’s skin—and on the wings of the dragon—as she gripped the woman who was now obviously dead, blood running from her eyes, nose and mouth.

“Dracen,” he snapped.

She turned her head to look at him, and for a second he didn’t recognize her, the hatred blazing in her expression contorting her to something else. She bared her teeth and opened her hand, dropping Haley to the floor.

His heart pounded hard. He moved closer and reached out to cup her face with both hands. Her rage pulsed along his skin and he held her gaze, doing what he’d done before to allow the anger to slide from her into him. He locked his knees to keep upright from the force of what hit him. As it flowed from her to him, he saw her once again as his Dray.

She shook her head and jerked back. “What did you do?”

He tightened his grip, refusing to allow her freedom. “What I will always do so you don’t have to carry that.”

It swirled around inside him before finally being cornered and shoved into a box. He swore sparks jumped between them.

“So,” a voice said from outside the cell. “How’s it work if she’s dead then, exactly?”

“Fuck you, Cale,” Dracen said, color coming back to her skin and her sign settling. She made another attempt to move away from Luc but he shook his head.

“Not happening. Are you okay?”

“I know who Danvers is.” She turned her attention to the five Guardians outside the cell. “Joseph Danvers is the son-in-law to SecNav.”

Something passed between all of them before Aminta and Tiarnán branched off and left. He released her face but obtained possession of her hand. They walked to the door and she glared at Cale before walking by him. Luc dropped her hand and punched Cale in the face before continuing on. It hurt like hell, but felt even more satisfying.

He might very well have just made an enemy right there but he didn’t give a damn. As they walked up the stairs, he ignored the commotion behind him. “What’s going on?” he asked as they turned a corner.

“Aminta’s readying the jet and we’re going after Danvers.” She wiped her hand below her nose as if she believed it was bleeding, for she checked the skin after.

“When are we leaving?” She slanted a glance at him. “Don’t you fucking think you’re going anywhere without me, Dray. If I have to cuff us together so be it, but we’re in this together.” Until he knew more about what was going on, he wasn’t about to let her be without him.

She didn’t argue, just picked up the pace and hurried outside to jog across the grounds to where Tiarnán waited in a vehicle. She vaulted into the back and he followed suit, immediately after which Tiarnán took off, wheels kicking up pebbles.

The easily distinguishable whirr of engines made him smile and he jumped out when they screeched to a stop at the hangar. The plane was black, sleek, and the familiar tingle he got before a mission alighted his nerves. He immediately loped up the steps.

Tiarnán and Dracen followed suit.

“Cale should come,” the tiger was saying.

“No. He doesn’t want to be around me. If you feel the same, then get out. I can take what I need from him without you.” She gestured in his direction. “Luc’s with me.”

“He’s not a Guardian.”

“No, he’s not,” she conceded. “But he is my mate and apparently keeps me in balance.”

“Want to tell me what the fuck that was about you killing her like that?”

“Nope. She deserved to die. We all knew it, there was no point in keeping her alive any longer. Now you can send her body to Hara and piss him off even more.”

Luc leaned forward as they took off. “Look at me, Dracen.”

She listened and he stared at her eyes. He moved back some loose strands of hair and focused on the one eye that was like one of his. The gray was again darker again.

“We need to learn what’s going on here with you.”

“With us,” she amended.

Tiarnán listened without commenting.

“About two hours,” Aminta said, voice piping in over the speaker.

“I thought you said SecNav.” He took Dracen’s hand in his, thumb skimming the back.

“I did, but Danvers lives in Utah.”

“How do you know he’s home?”

“Edmond.”

Luc shook his head, forgetting they communicated much faster than others. “Right. And had he been elsewhere, we’d be going there.”

“Of course.” Her expression softened. “Are you okay?”

He kissed her palm. “I told you, I can handle it.” He stood. “Now, where are there some weapons for me on this plane?”

“Back by the bathroom.”

He left them alone and opened the panel exposing the array of weapons. As he armed himself, he continued to look up the plane and watch her interaction with her fellow Guardian. Luc wasn’t a fool—seeing her as he had in the cell had freaked him the fuck out. In the lines of her face, he’d seen the creatures they were after and fighting.

A possessive growl rose within his chest when he watched the man touch her face. Luc swallowed it down, but it didn’t stop the emotion from racing through him. Strapping on a leg holster, he shoved in the Desert Eagle after making sure it was loaded.

This should be interesting. Ran a lot, had sex in the woods, ran some more, went to a dungeon, and am now going to another situation. A shower would be nice, but I guess it’s going to have to wait.

He walked back to his seat and joined them. They were both relaxed and he stretched out, reclining his chair. A smile lifted his lips when she took his hand, twining their fingers.