Demon Dark (22 page)

Anyway, this keen sense of helplessness that bordered on wildness was akin to someone repeatedly jabbing me in the ribcage.

I jammed the heel of my palm in my eyes, I rubbed vigorously, and yawned until my jaw cracked.

My groggy mind filled with images, and my body went on high alert, swamped with the dread I d felt before I had fallen into my deep slumber. These feelings didn t run rampant for too long since I was distracted by Breandan s nuzzling of my neck. The warmth this caused contrasted horribly with the tumult of emotion my encounter with Cael had left me with. Breandan s arm curled around my middle moved so his hand splayed over my stomach. He turned me over onto my back and kissed me soundly before I could think to ask what had happened.

I turned my head away, determined to say something, but he beat me to it.

As much as I love watching you sleep and pressing sweet kisses to your face,

he said.

I much prefer this.

He crushed his mouth to mine. Ah, what the hell. I energetically embraced him back, planting my arms on his shoulders to pull him closer. I was thoroughly involved, but picked up on that desperate urgency.

When he broke away to kiss my neck, I tugged on his pointed ear.

Nice try, but it won t work so you can stop now.

He stilled. I could almost hear the cogs turning in his mind. With a soft groan, he dropped his forehead to my chest. Rolling my eyes, I prodded his back until he shifted down. On his stomach, he settled himself between my knees and scowled at my navel.

I used the time to subtly look him over for any serious injury.

His plan had been a daft yet noble one. Distract me so I didn t ask after Cael, and didn t demand we head back to the Wyld to help fight his attack.

My wings were spread out behind me, and I was grateful for the lack of pain. The searing agony of Cael tearing it was burned into my memory, and I wouldn t have liked to wake to the damage. However, this alone implied I had been asleep for some time, and, I sensed though Breandan had thought up a scheme to distract me that we were not far from Wyld land.

I smoothed a fingertip over the ear I d yanked.

That went wrong fast didn t it?

His scowl turned into a murderous glare, and I sensed of some the anger he hid from the bond.

It could have been worse,

he ground out.

We could be dead.

Oooh. Yup, he was majorly pissed.

Lucky us,

I grumbled.

We are never going back to that city,

Breandan said flatly.

Ever.

I laughed weakly. I had no reason to protest that command. I leaned up and tentatively flexed my wing. Ah, a small ache but the pain wasn t all that bad.

I healed. How long have I been asleep?

Three days.

Bloody hell. Only a spell would have made me sleep that long. I swallowed hard thinking of all that could have happened in that time.

Cael?

Breandan sighed.

He has the amulets, and he reached the Wyld last night.

Terror gripped me. The emotion was intense and near choking me.

With the Nest?

And his Coven.

That sounds ominous.

I exhaled, the reality of the horror creeping over me in breathtaking clarity.

How bad?

From his answers so far, I knew Breandan had scouted closer to the Wyld. I also knew that he had done so in preparation of my waking, just like he had taken the time to carry me back here as I slept off Cael s spell.

I cannot get too close. The witches would sense my magic, and so would my brother. From what I ve seen & there are many still alive and still fighting. The witches attack during the day and the vampires at night. It s a very effective campaign. Something only a lunatic would think up. I will never understand why madness lends its possessor such cunning.

I sucked in a breath, struggling for the same outward calm as him. I briefly hesitated before voicing my next question,

Do you think they ll win without us?

My brother is a good battle lord. His instincts are matchless, and he has been preparing for an attack for many months. From what I can see, he fares well enough.

His puzzled tone had me nervous.

That s a good thing, isn t it?

Yes.

When it became clear no further insight into his thoughts was forthcoming, I glowered at him, and made a and motion with my hands.

Then why do you sound so worried?

He paused and scrubbed a hand across his scalp, no longer hiding the confusion from his expression.

Cael holds a power unlike anything I have ever seen. My magical and fighting skill pales in comparison to his, so I do not understand &.

I picked up on his train of thought.

How Lochlann and the others are doing so well? Maybe their combined strength is enough?

Breandan eased back and rested his wrists on his knees, motioning with his hands.

Though fairy Knights are skilled they are few and far between. We are a peaceful people, and few of those Knights become warriors like Conall and Lochlann. The ability to channel the Source is even rarer.

You ve explained to me before that magical ability that advanced is rare. But they also have Ana, Daphne s fighting skill, not to mention the shifters

Cael brought an entire Nest of vampires and his Coven.

Uhuh. They re powerful enough to be a real challenge to us,

I said slowly, catching up to where his thoughts led.

So why did Cael need to come himself?

Exactly. At first, I thought the grimoire lead him here, but up until now, Cael has been happy to let others do his killing for him. You may not have noticed, though your brother is quite insane, he does not kill on a whim. Oh, he lashes out in anger and makes those who displease him feel pain, but I have yet to see one person die by his hand.

He smiled oddly.

He reminds me of you.

I gaped at him.

I m not a killer.

I know, Rae-love. That wasn t what I meant.

Disgruntled, I let that one go.

What your saying in the roundabout way you do, is that his actions are out of character,

I simplified.

For no apparent reason. Oh!

My mind finally made it to the same place he was.

So I guess the question is why? What is he looking for down here that s made him change the way he does things?

Breandan shook his head.

Not looking, he s already found it. He even knows it s exact location since he sent the humans in to discover it for him. He s come to use it.

The grimoire.

No. He could have sent his people for that, and I believe he did when the humans attacked us. He had to come here. He has my brother fighting the vampires and witches, but I think it s nothing but one of his distractions.

Understanding dawned on me.

He needed to come to the Wyld, he physically needed to be here.

I slapped a palm to my forehead.

Sacred ground, a place of power.

The thought of Cael being this close to so much untapped raw magic sent large doses of panic to my heart.

It thudded so hard I feared permanent damage.

I could scarcely believe Cael would take his insanity so far, but after talking to him and seeing how steeped in his self-pity he was, I suppose it wasn t that much of a stretch to believe he would be self-indulgent enough to destroy an entire Wyld because he had mother issues. I d always thought I had a little too much selfishness in me, but Cael won for biggest narcissist hands down. We all had issues, I had tons, but I didn t go around destroying peoples homes, and massacring thousands of people. The amount of rage it would take to keep up such a single-minded pursuit of revenge was exhausting just to think about. Worse, it was completely misplaced.

Cael had a right to be pissed off. I too was furious over what Sorcha and Nyal did to our family, and I had been lost by accident. Cael had been tossed away and shunned. He was going to be seriously twisted after surviving such a harsh life. Regardless, he d taken it beyond too far. Even I shut up and stop complaining when things got serious.

It seemed my baby brother had failed to grow up, and he needed a meticulous ass kicking. After what he did to my wing, and all the trouble he had caused me, it would be my pleasure to be the one to deliver said ass-kicking too.

And I knew Breandan had already come to these same conclusions, and that was why he had tried to sidetrack me. His protection of me didn t make me feel smothered or boxed in, but cherished. Some of the anger I d been holding onto for a few of his deceptions dissipated, but I still had questions. I needed to hear the answers before our lives were thrust back into danger.

How could you do that to me?

I asked, and smoothed a hand over his brow.

How could you keep the knowledge Cael was my brother?

This was not a conversation he wanted to have, but like me, he sensed we needed to grab this chance to clear the air between us. He shifted up and pulled me onto his lap.

After what seemed an age of him fiddling with the ends of my hair, he sighed.

I suppose now is as good as any other time to talk,

he started dryly.

I have long wanted us to be alone so we could learn more of each other but there always seems to be impending doom or not enough time to really express and say all that should be said.

His brows plunged.

You are most difficult to keep safe, Rae-love. Trouble finds you, and I am afraid of what will happen they day our fortune runs out.

That is sooo not fair.

Don t take it badly, I regret nothing, not a moment. There s always pain and always a battle to fight. I like fighting your battles.

There won t always be battles to fight,

I argued, not liking how doom and gloom he sounded. It was too close to my own pessimistic outlook.

At least, there better not be, or I m giving up.

He chuckled.

Right now we are important though I am sure you forget it as often as I. In a few years time, after all has come and gone, we shall be less than important. It s the way of things. Eventually, we will be able to fade away and live our life together in happiness with nothing to fear. These struggles we face are temporary, a fleeting moment in time we must endure for the rewards afterwards.

He inhaled deeply.

I didn t tell you about Cael because you would have figured it out in your own time, and because I was told it was best you do so. I too can be selfish, Rae. I didn t want to be the one to tell you and see that flash of pain in your eyes. I wanted to spare myself that pain. I would say sorry, but that would be a lie. I m not sorry for keeping all of this away from you as long as I could.

I understood, completely.

What if this is it?

I whispered, awed he had such unwavering faith that we would be happy one day.

You have to admit there s a chance our life will always be this way.

Why must I?

I m the Priestess and you are, well, you re you. You have this whole arrogance thing that makes me think you d fight your own shadow if it looked at me the wrong way.

I worried my lip.

Do you really think the Tribe will accept us in time? They all know we re bonded now, and I saw how scared the fairies looked at the Meet.

It will not be as bad as you think. Either they will accept us or we will leave.

He shrugged.

You re my home. We could stay with Byron s Pride for a time. They are fond of you, and I earned much of their respect in our plans to rescue you from Temple.

He frowned then.

Speaking of which, we must discuss your actions that lead to your capture.

Shifting on his lap, I idly plucked at the grass. Why did I constantly find myself in situations that resulted in someone scolding me?

Why don t we shelve that one for another time?

I suggested meekly.

Considering we re going to be going up against Cael and his minions, I think we should make plans about the future. It ll give me something to hold onto when I feel like running away screaming.

Breandan snorted a laugh and I beamed at him, even though it wasn t my intention to be funny.

Well, if you must know I would like us to handfast at the first opportunity.

I eyed him.

That sounds awfully permanent and official and like it would be & public.

He nodded happily.

It s a binding sanctified by the High Lord.

I stifled the urge to burst out laughing, and pat him like he d told a good joke.

Do you really think he ll let us get away with that?

There is no getting away with it. We are mated and bonded by magic. There is no reason but tradition for Lochlann to stand in our way, and even that is nothing in the face of the connection that ties us together.

His face darkened.

I will not stand back and watch him hold your hand and pretend you are his. I plan to live a long life with you at my side. We will watch our friends and family grow old. We will have a home, high up on the boughs of ClanTree, so we can see the stars at night and watch the purple dawns. We will have children, girls as stubborn and beautiful as their mother.

He ran his finger down the bridge of my nose and traced the seams of my lips.

Boys as courageous and strong.