Dark Alpha's Embrace (16 page)

Erith felt blood run down between her fingers before it dropped to the ground.

“I’m going to help whether you wish it or not. This … hiccup … in your magic could be all Bran needs to attack you. And win. I won’t let that happen.”

She released the branch and turned her back to Cael. His words affected her too deeply. If she didn’t get away now, she might answer him.

Erith stilled. Someone was behind her, close enough she could feel the heat from his body. She knew his scent of cedar and rain. Her eyes closed as she imagined allowing herself to lean back against his hard chest, to have his arms come around her and hold her tight.

“You can’t run from me,” Cael said.

Her gaze snapped open. Run? She wasn’t running—not yet anyway. Erith turned to face him, shocked to discover how close he was. She had to tilt her head up to look into his face. “I’m dealing with this.”

A small frown formed briefly. “Is it so hard to admit you might need help?”

“I’ve always been alone, Cael. I’ve done everything myself. Why would that change now?”

“Because I’m offering. You don’t have to do it all alone.”

She most certainly did, especially since she wanted nothing more than his help because she was terrified of what was happening to her.

He took a step back, his silver eyes going cold. “If you change your mind, you know where to find me.”

The moment he was gone she wanted to call him back. She began to turn when a figure caught her eye. She found Seamus leaning a shoulder against the open doorway of the tower, his hands in his pants pockets.

“Ignoring it won’t make it go away,” he said.

Erith shot him a look. “What are you going on about?”

“Your feelings for Cael.” Seamus then straightened and turned on his heel to disappear inside the tower.

She was going to have to find some other place to put him, because she missed her solitude.

*   *   *

Kyran remained as near to River as he could. Leaving the caves was the right thing to do, but he couldn’t dispel the feeling that something was about to happen. And by something, he meant someone—Bran.

The hunting lodge Talin and Baylon located wasn’t as roomy as anything they had before, but it was their only choice.

“Something isn’t right,” Kyran said.

Fintan stood by one of the windows looking out. “Aye.”

“Cael wants to stay close to Edinburgh. We found this,” Baylon stated.

Talin grunted and jerked his chin to Baylon. “Only because every time we thought we found a place, we’d see a Dark.”

Kyran’s gut clenched. “We need to leave. Now.”

“And go where?” Jordyn asked. “We’re protected here.”

“Nay.” Kyran strode to the front of the house and looked out one of the windows. “We need to leave.”

River looked nervously around. “Why? What’s going on?”

“I’ve a bad feeling about this place,” he explained.

Fintan turned from the window and crossed his arms over his chest. “The longer I’m here, the more I feel I need to leave.”

“There’s one other place,” Talin said as he looked at Baylon.

But Baylon was shaking his head. “Bran will know to look for us there.”

“How do you know he didn’t lead us here?” Fintan asked. “You say the places you checked you saw Dark. This was all that was left open for us that was secluded and near the city.”

Eoghan strode into the room and pointed to Fintan and Talin before motioning to the doors. Kyran took River’s arm and pulled her with him as he moved her to a wall.

“Are we under attack?” she asked.

Kyran shrugged. “Possibly.”

“I need my dagger.”

He turned his head to her, ready to tell her that she needed to stay put. Bran would hit them on all sides, and Kyran couldn’t be everywhere at once. River had trained for years with her weapon. She knew how to use it, as she’d already proven.

Kyran held out his hand and her blade appeared. Her eyes widened as she took it from him.

“I wondered where it went.”

He gave her a wink. “I found it on the bed and put it away until you needed it.”

“Did you?” she asked with a sly look. “What do you mean by ‘put away’?”

“With magic. It’s where all our weapons go when we aren’t using them.”

River gave a small shake of her head. “Of course that’s what happens.”

Kyran then thought of his sister’s sword. He called for it, then handed it to River. “It’s bigger than your dagger, but the weight will feel the same.”

“It’s beautiful,” she said in amazement as she turned the sword one way, then the other to look at the blade. “Thank you.”

Kyran watched as she strapped the dagger’s sheath along her outer thigh and tucked the blade in place. She then began to walk around the room thrusting, turning, and lunging with the sword.

She was a natural warrior. Had she been born a Fae, no doubt she’d be in the Fae army. Her skills were that good. Even with only a small portion of Fae blood within her, she moved as if she were full-bloodied Fae.

Kyran reached out and snagged her arm when she turned, tugging her against him. Her pale blue eyes were alight with pleasure. He smoothed his hand over her dark locks, amazed that he had such a connection.

“What is it?” she asked.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen, but stay near me. Bran will try and separate you from the rest of us. So be vigilant.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

“We’ll be outnumbered, and these Dark have as much strength as we do.”

“Great,” she mumbled.

Kyran grinned. “I’ve seen you fight, remember? I know how lethal you are. We need you.”

“We?”

“I,” he corrected. “I need you.”

Her gaze softened. He bent and pressed his mouth to hers, intending only to give her a quick kiss. Then he felt the softness of her lips. Her tongue licked at his mouth.

With a groan, he tightened his arms around her and kissed her passionately, fervently. His senses came alive at her taste, and his body craved to be inside her once more.

It was Fintan’s cursing that broke through Kyran’s haze of desire. He ended the kiss and lifted his head.

“Get the women,” Talin shouted as he teleported out.

A moment later, Eoghan and Fintan were gone as well. Kyran held out his hand for River as Baylon and Jordyn vanished. Kyran gave River a nod and teleported.

Except they didn’t leave. He looked at River and tried again, but nothing happened. It felt as if he were tied down, unable to get away.

River released him. “Try now.”

“I’m not leaving you.” It didn’t matter if he could teleport without her or not, he wasn’t going to.

“Get away. Fight another day,” she urged.

Kyran shook his head. “We stand together.”

“Just try it.”

He sighed, but did as she asked. Sure enough, he was able to get away and return to her.

“I knew it,” she said.

Kyran blew out a harsh breath. “Bran’s done something to keep you locked in one place.”

“Perhaps it isn’t me exactly, but this house.”

Kyran ran a hand down his face. Of course it was the house. They had been tricked into going there, but because Bran wanted River.

She took his hand and swallowed hard. “I have to tell you something.”

“All right.” By the way she gripped his hand and the apprehension in her gaze, he wasn’t so sure he wanted to know.

“I was going to tell you. You have to know that. I just didn’t want to do it during all of this. Once Bran was taken care of, I’d have told you.”

“Told me what,” he urged.

River fretfully licked her lips. “Death visited me.”

Kyran felt as if he’d been kicked in the stomach.

“She was beautiful and nice,” River said.

“What did she say?”

River shrugged. “She asked what I saw in the future.”

When River didn’t continue, Kyran held on to his patience. “And?”

“I’m carrying your child.”

Kyran blinked, unsure if he’d heard her correctly. Then it penetrated his mind. His child was growing within River. His child.

Their baby.

He smiled and gathered River in his arms. “Are you sure?”

“Death certainly was.”

Kyran released River, his smile fading. There would be time to celebrate later. Right now he needed to prepare for Bran. He looked at River. “Ready for this?”

“With you by my side I could face anything,” she said as she lifted her chin and adjusted her grip on the sword.

Kyran had never been more proud of anyone in his life than he was of River. She was his woman, his lover … his.

Nothing was going to come between them.

Chapter Twenty

River wished her hand would stop shaking. She wished her entire body would stop trembling, but the thought of Bran and his Dark army closing in on her shot that right to hell.

The weight of the sword in her hand gave her a smidgen of comfort. She wasn’t used to fighting with a longer blade, but Kyran was right, it weighed the same as the dagger—and that she knew very well.

If something happened and she lost the sword, her dagger was waiting. River wouldn’t go down without a fight. It wasn’t just herself she was protecting, it was her unborn babe.

No one—not human or Fae—was going to harm her child.

“Do you trust me?”

She turned her head to Kyran. “Yes.”

His smile melted her heart. “I love you.”

The words barely penetrated her mind before he vanished. River knew he’d only veiled himself, but still. He hadn’t given her time to respond to his declaration. A part of her wanted to tell him right then of her feelings.

But her heart urged her to wait. She wanted to look into his red eyes and see the love shining there before she said the words.

“You’re going to pay for that later,” she told the room.

She had no idea where Kyran was, but she knew he hadn’t left her. He wasn’t that kind of man.

The door to the hunting lodge opened slowly to reveal a tall Fae. His silver eyes were trained on her, and the wind ruffled the black locks that fell to his jaw.

He was gorgeous with his wide lips, cheekbones that could cut marble, and fine body. All Fae were stunning, but he had confidence and anger that gave him an edge.

Bran.

Behind him stood two Dark with red eyes glittering with a need to kill.

River lifted her chin, waiting for him to make the first move. She should’ve known Bran was the kind who liked to make an entrance. He stood staring at her a long time before he took two steps inside.

“They actually left you,” he said with a smile.

River didn’t bother to reply. The others had left, but only because they didn’t know she was trapped. Kyran, however, was there. River couldn’t wait until Kyran made himself known. All this with Bran could end that night.

Bran chuckled and shook his head as he walked around her. River remained facing the door, her gaze on the numerous Dark Fae waiting to be allowed entrance into the lodge to kill her.

“I’m shocked,” Bran said as he came to stand right behind her. He leaned over her shoulder. “This is unlike Cael.”

River had to bite her tongue not to respond. Let Bran come to his own conclusions. She’d learn more that way than by lashing out and telling him to go bugger himself.

“Tell me, River, are they planning an attack?”

She glanced at him. It bothered her that he knew her name.

“Oh, I’ve learned a great deal about you besides your name,” he said as he came to stand in front of her. His hands were clasped behind his back. “I know it was a Dark who got your ancestor’s belly full with a child. I know that Dark fell in love with her.”

Now that was something River hadn’t known.

“It’s too bad there wasn’t a happy ending to the story.” Bran’s gaze searched her face. “The Dark was killed, thereby starting the continual hunting of your family. The fact it is another Dark family entirely who hunts and kills your line is fascinating.”

He was so close River could drive the sword into his gut. If only it were that easy. Bran probably expected her to do exactly that. So she’d wait, biding her time.

“I know you’re the last of your line,” Bran continued. “I’m guessing by how you’ve lived your life you intend to end things so your line can’t carry on.”

Anyone who knew her story could figure that out. She returned his stare, giving her face just enough of a bored expression to make him narrow his gaze.

“We’ll get back to that in a moment.” Bran briefly looked at the floor, his lips turning up in a smile. “I also know of the books. Give them to me.”

She held out her empty hand and looked around the lodge.

The smile dropped as he stepped closer. “I know they’re not here. Tell me where they are.”

“Death has them,” she readily told him. Then it was her turn to smile as his cheeks blotched red with his anger.

“It hasn’t taken me much to learn all there is to know of you and your family, River. I also did a bit of digging on the books. Do you know most Fae believe the books are nothing more than a myth? Much like the Reapers.”

Could she kill him now? She didn’t want to hear anything else he had to say.

“There are a few who have stories about the Thirty. That’s how the books are referred to. The Thirty. Not very original, I agree, but then again, does it really matter?”

The fact he smiled at his own stupid joke made her want to gag.

Bran refused to let her look away. “It seems each of the books was written in a different language created by each of the thirty families. All of which are no longer spoken.”

Dammit. He’d figured out why she was with the Reapers. It was one thing she’d wanted to keep from him, but she should’ve known he’d discover it, just as Kyran and the others had.

“I’d stake my life on the fact you can read all of them,” Bran said with a pleased smile.

The response on her tongue was to tell him to fuck off, which would only anger him. Not what she wanted quite yet.

“You’ve nothing to say?” he asked.

River blinked and sighed sarcastically.

Bran looked down and noticed her weapons. “Are those yours?”

“I have them, don’t I?” Damn. She really needed to keep her mouth shut.