Restraint (The Revelation Series Book 2) (11 page)

He prowls
toward me, his eyes never wavering. “You’re unharmed.” It wasn’t a question.

Seeing the confusion and wor
ry on his face, I’m rendered speechless and simply nod my agreement. My lack of speech isn’t helping Asher’s composure.

Meticulously
, he scans my body, heating it with his gaze. “I almost beat the door down. Your heart rate was just through the roof. Are you frightened?”

My eyes
shift and land on Gage.
Crap
. Asher thought my increased heartbeats were caused from fear and not Gage’s intimate touch. My mouth is now dry. I just shake my head.

The vein in Asher’s neck
begins to pulsate. He’s mistaken my silence for being afraid as he turns his anger on Gage. “Did you hurt her?”

Gage just
taunts him with a smirk. “If she said she isn’t hurt, then no.”

“If you
laid a hand on her, I will kill you,” Asher spits out, walking toward Gage in a threatening manner.

Gage
stands straighter, ready for the attack. “Do your worst, old friend.”

Shaking
off the crazy in my head, I race over and get between them, facing Asher. “Stop.” It comes out as a whispered plea. I place my palms on Asher’s chest. “He didn’t hurt me, Asher.” I look behind me as Gage’s face softens.

I
swing my gaze back to Asher. His eyes are narrowed, watching the nonverbal interaction between Gage and I. “We’re leaving,” he orders coldly as he grabs my wrists and pulls me to him.

Knowing I’
m in serious trouble, I try to back away, allowing some space between us.

“Asher
—” I begin, but he cuts me off and interlaces one of my hands with his in a vice grip.

“Now
, Eve,” he snarls before turning his furious stare to Gage. With his free hand, he points a finger at him. “If you come within an inch of her again, I will not hesitate to end your existence.” He growls with finality to his tone.

Gage smirks, apparently amused
by Asher’s demeanor. “That’s for Eve to decide, not you. Do I need to remind you that humans have free will, Asher? As much as you hate it, she’s her own person and will decide her own path. No matter what crap you are trying to get her to believe or how sound your bond is. She’ll make her own decisions. Including those about me,” Gage says as if bored with the standoff, but there is an underlining warning to his voice.

“
Qu
í
an-mán
í
ú
por lem, í ku an-in
ú
dur,” Asher roars out.

Gage gives him a pointed look.
“Lem-de an-wí
s
dur
ú
re kat ante ám
o
ku ulem hiúman, in-saengkt.”

Asher
yanks my hand forward. “We’re leaving now.”

“Wait, Asher. J
ust give me a moment,” I say, trying to pull my hand out of his grasp without success. I turn to Gage. “I’m not sure what you two just spit at one another in your secret gargoyle language, but thank you for saving me from Saraphina. I appreciate your protection.”

“My pleasure, love
,” Gage answers.

My eyes slide to Asher
’s then back to Gage. “Also, thank you for not turning me over to Deacon tonight. I’ll remember your kindness.”

Gage’s eyes
grow cold as his light grey wings snap out of his back. “Gres-po
r
ku ágra-lem, rap.”

Confused
with his sudden change in demeanor and curious as to why he is speaking to me in Garish, I stand there, mouth agape and watching him.

“Let’s go
,” Asher orders, pulling me gently toward the door.

“Gage?”
I question in a shaky whisper.

“Leave
with your protector.” It’s all he says before walking down the hallway and slamming a door, shutting me out.

“What the hell just happened?” I ask in
puzzlement.

“Nothing
that isn’t typical Gage behavior.” Asher ushers me out of the loft and back to England.

***

As soon as we enter the manor,
I see the rest of the clan pacing the sitting room and instantly I want to turn around and run right back out. Standing in front of me are four glowering gargoyles with their black wings out, blue eyes glowing and their fists clenched at their sides.
Crap.
My eyes automatically land on one really ticked off panther whose mesmerizing eyes are scowling so bright they put the sun to shame.

I
take in a deep breath, pondering just how much trouble I’m in this time. If Asher’s expression is any indication, I’m screwed. Abby turns and storms toward me.

“
Eve! By the grace.” She pulls me into a tight hug. “I’m so sorry McKenna and I didn’t get to you in time. We rushed to the lake as soon as we heard the ice crack but that manipulative selkie put up spell barriers we couldn’t immediately break. By the time I was able to pull the energy to break the enchantment, Gage had already snagged you.” Abby blurts out the apology, in what seems like one breath, while tensing her grip on me. “I’m so beyond sorry.”

“
Let go. I can’t breathe,” I plead.
Damn gargoyle strength.

“
Oops, sorry. I forget you’re human sometimes.” She releases me as I pull air into my lungs, allowing the blood to rush back through my body.

“
Shit, cutie. I’m so glad to see you. We’re so very sorry. I assure you it won’t happen again,” Callan offers with a bear hug of his own.

“
It’s not your fault, it’s mine,” I explain.

“You
’re damn right it’s your fault. You know better than to go anywhere without a protector with you, Eve. By the grace, do you always have to make this assignment so fucking difficult?” McKenna’s head looks like it might explode off her body.

“Asher was there and I was on the property
, McKenna. I had no idea I would get attacked on the grounds. I assumed the charms were up,” I shoot back.

“
They were. I just didn’t extend them to the water. I had no idea Saraphina’s reach was to the lake,” Abby says, her voice laced with guilt. “They’re up now.”

“It
’s all right, baby. You did good,” Callan consoles before placing a light kiss to her temple.

“It
doesn’t matter how it happened. The point is we failed our task of keeping Eve safe. The responsibility falls on all of us, including Asher and myself. There won’t be a next time, because we’ve put precautions in place that will prevent another issue. Your protection is our first priority, Eve,” Keegan assures formally.

I swallow
, feeling guilty I’ve caused so much trouble. My eyes shift to the large black panther silently prowling back and forth in the room. Fiona’s eyes lock onto mine and soften for the briefest moment before she ushers the rest of the clan out of the room, leaving only Asher and I.

Sighing
, I turn to face him. His expression is guarded and irritated. I hold my hands up in surrender. “Look, I know you’re pissed and I’m sorry. I had no idea Gage was around or that Saraphina was in the lake.”

In
an attempt to avoid, he focuses on the wall behind me. “You’re right, Eve. I am mad.” He exhales heavily and runs his hands through his hair and over the back of his neck. “Just, not at you. I’m fucking angry with myself and the clan for underestimating both the demonic legion and Gage Gallagher.”

“Ash
—” I’m cut off before I can finish.

His eyes drop
to mine and they’re blanketed with regret. “Once again, because my concentration was elsewhere, I didn’t pick up on the presence of Godry, Saraphina or Gage. It won’t happen again. From this point on, I assure you that my single-mindedness, when it comes to you, will be your safety and my job. Period.” The warning is stern and leaves no room for doubt.

I can’t explain why, but at his declaration, I fe
el my heart shatter into a million tiny fragments. “It’s not your fault. I know you would do everything in your power to protect me. You’ve already proven that to me,” I assure him.

The intensity in his gaze
scares me. “I would. Everything and anything in my power, siren.”

“
Asher?” I whisper, moving toward him, not wanting this between us.

He
doesn’t answer. Instead, he turns and walks out of the room without a backwards glance.

“
I’m glad ta see ye’re all right, lass.” Fiona’s voice is gentle as it floats in from behind me.

“
Define all right,” I state without turning, deflated and focused on where Asher was standing a moment ago.

Fiona is quiet
, which forces me to turn around. The stealthy woman moved to the couch where she’s sitting elegantly, her eyes twinkling at me. I swear if she were still shifted, her tail would be swaying and she’d be purring. Amused at my thoughts, she motions to the empty area next to her and I sit. She smiles maternally at me and brushes my hair back like my aunt used to do when I was sick.

“
Ye’re a strong-willed lass. Ye have ta be. Yer future, ‘tis filled with greatness if ye choose ta embrace it,” she offers.

“I feel like no matter what I do, I keep making the wrong decisions.
No one understands the weight of this. It’s not just my life in the balance here. If I choose to trust the wrong people or take the incorrect path, everything could disappear. I can’t afford distractions. I did that once and someone I cared very much for died. Maybe…just maybe I’m not the right person to be a redeemer,” I tell her, hoping she’ll understand. Fiona turns her focus to the fire, considering my words.

We sit in
comfortable silence for a long time before she speaks, breaking my reverie. “A person dat truly luvs ye, lass, will neveh stop believin’ in ye, and will never let ye go, no matter how hard da situation.”

My gaze slides to hers. “
That’s where you’re wrong. Asher doesn’t love me. He’s bonded to me as my protector and anything he thought he might have felt for me is simply because of the link. Nothing more. He was hired to guard me while I ascend and fulfill my destiny. I’m a job to him.” I’m sulking like a child.

She lets out a jolly laugh. “
Lass, if I thought fer one second dat ye actually believe dat ta be true, I wouldn’t be sittin’ here wit ye. Ye’re young, and young people say and do foolish things in da name of luv. Dat ‘tis da beauty of young luv. Doesn’t make it any less true or real. Asher, aye he’s complicated, no question. But make no mistake, ‘tis dat lad’s heart pullin’ him ta ye, not da silly bond.”

I look down
. “I wish I could believe that. Regardless of what we think we might be feeling, we both have a job to do and it’s apparent love isn’t part of our destiny.”

Fiona stands and cups my cheeks affectionately before planting a
light kiss on my head. “I wish ye both could see dat ye’re each other’s destiny.” With that, she leaves me to stare into the fire as it lulls me.

I’m standing on the jagged wall of rocks. My white dress flows around my body like cascading water. My bare feet are sore from the sharp edges of the rock formation. I look around in bewilderment. I’ve had this dream in the past. I know I have. The unmoving trees project their anger at the approach of a stranger, just like before.

The forest’s eyes
watch me. The dark spirits scrutinize, waiting in anticipation of my arrival. I sense their excitement. Once again, I hear their Welsh murmurs. “Cartref merch Croeso duw,” they speak softly. Welcoming me home. This time, I know better. I’m not home.

The gloomy and lifeless
castle appears to me. I stare at it in apprehension. My heart pounds with each movement forward. I know what he wants. He wants me. Without me, all is lost for him and his dark army. I scan the forest, aware this time of who he is and the danger I’m in.

I take a step toward the
fortress then another and another. Each footstep takes me further and further away from Asher. My eyes close in silent prayer that I’m not too late.

I try
to focus on whom I need to save. Beginning my descent down the uneven path, I faintly hear Asher’s voice drifting to me, floating like a feather on the air that caresses my soul.

“
Come back to me, siren,” he whispers on the wind.

“I can’t
,” I answer in a quiet voice, placing my hand over my heart to ease the ache of not being with him.

This is my fate
and he can’t be part of it. After what happened, I have to protect him and the London clan at all costs.

Focused, I keep moving toward the castle. The voice on the wind
reaches me again. “I will protect you, always,” he promises.

I believe
him. I know he’ll come for me.