Dark Alpha's Embrace (17 page)

He glanced behind him at the door. “I hope you know how to use those weapons, River, because you may well need them. Unless,” he paused, letting the silence lengthen until she wanted to scream. “Unless you join me.”

Was he serious? He couldn’t be serious. She looked into his silver eyes, which were clear and focused. Shit. He was serious. “I’ll pass.”

“You don’t even know what I offer.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

He raised a brow. “You aided the Reapers.”

“So?”

“That was your first mistake. Let’s not make another. You do want to live, don’t you? I can make sure the Dark who’ve been hunting you stop. I can also make sure no other Fae—Dark or Light—bother your family ever again. In other words, River, I’m offering you a normal future like every other mortal has. Go out and find a man, get married, have children, and whatever it is that happens next.”

She understood then what Maureen had always known—River wasn’t meant for normal. She needed the atypical, the unusual. The magical.

She needed Kyran and the crazy life of a Reaper.

“As I said, I’ll pass,” River repeated.

Bran shrugged one shoulder. “Then let me put it in simpler terms. Help me first get the books and then translate them, or die.”

“There is nothing on this realm or another that could convince me to help you.”

“That’s too bad.” He stepped to the side, turning so that he half-faced the front door. “I’m sure this is where you expect the Reapers to come and help you, but I’ve ensured they can’t get through my field around the house.”

River swallowed, attempting to dispel the terror that began to grip her. There were too many Dark for her and Kyran to take down by themselves.

It wouldn’t do any good to tell Kyran to remain veiled or even to leave, because he wouldn’t. He would stand beside her no matter what.

She felt a presence beside her. Kyran. It gave her the courage to take a deep breath and widen her stance. There was no room for fear in battle. She needed a clear mind, focused entirely on her opponents.

And it was time to get the show on the road.

“Are you done talking?” River asked. “Because I can’t take another word out of your mouth.”

Bran simply smiled. In a blink, two Dark at the doorway rushed her. River lifted her sword, holding it with both hands as she stopped one of their blades above her head.

She then spun, using her weapon to block a blast of magic. While the two Dark were surprised at her ability, she used that time to slice open the neck of one and pierce the heart of the other.

They fell to the floor before disintegrating and floating away in the wind.

“You certainly move like a Fae,” Bran said. He jerked his chin to a Dark who pushed through the group at the door. “Is this who you saw at the library, Searlas?”

Searlas looked her up and down. “I’d say no, but it’s the tilt of her chin I recognize.”

“I never imagined a different hairstyle, dowdy clothes, and glasses could change an appearance so much,” Bran said. He bowed his head to her. “You did a good job. It’s really too bad you have to die.”

River felt anything but confident, yet she had to make Bran think she was. “If I do, who will read the books?”

“I’ve no doubt Cael already had you translate them. I’ll simply find the translations.”

“And if I told him something wrong perhaps?” she asked innocently. “I mean, they’re Reapers. What if I wanted to ensure they had to continue to protect me?”

Bran burst out laughing. “Well, you keep surprising me. It’s too bad I have a toy of my own right now, or I’d take you with me. Besides, I think you’re buying yourself time.”

“I’m not. I really did tell them three things that were wrong. I did it to make sure they keep protecting me from the Fae hunting me.”

Bran strode to her and gripped her chin roughly in his fingers. He stared into her eyes for a long time before he murmured, “I’ll be damned.”

She let out a shaky breath when he released her. River was shocked he’d actually believed her lie. Then again, she was growing desperate. Battling two Dark that she surprised with her skills was one thing, but if she had to fight more, she wasn’t sure she’d win.

Her left hand fisted at her side to keep from covering her stomach protectively. She had a child to fight for.

A large hand covered her fisted one. Kyran was still veiled, but he was letting her know he was there. A small squeeze of his hand told her it was time to finish the battle.

She stood straighter as she glared at Bran. It was time to mess with him a bit before he was killed. After all he’d done to the Reapers, he deserved no less.

“Tell me what the three things are,” Bran demanded.

River gave him a flat look. “Do I appear that dim-witted? I not only read each of those thirty languages, I know which parts I erroneously told the Reapers. You can kill me and attempt to steal the translations, which I might add isn’t going to happen. But even if by some stroke of luck you manage it, you’ll never know which three parts are wrong. They could be the very things you need.”

“You tell me this as if you’re proposing to help me. I’ve already made that offer.”

“It does appear that way, doesn’t it?” she said with a small nod. “I just wanted to get your hopes up for minute. I’m not going to help you in any way.”

Bran’s lips peeled back in a sneer as he bellowed and released three blasts of magic in quick succession. River pivoted away in time to see Kyran unveil himself and block each of the bubbles of magic.

The Dark outside the lodge began to yell and pour into the house. River readied her sword and faced those coming at her.

Chapter Twenty-one

Kyran wanted to remain focused on Bran, but with the sheer number of Dark descending upon them, he couldn’t. He’d done his best to alert the others to what was going on, but he had no idea if his call reached them.

If Bran had locked River to this location, then shielded it so no one else could get in, it was a damn good thing Kyran hadn’t left to get the others. He might not have gotten back in to help River.

He stood back-to-back with his woman as they fought the onslaught of Dark. He heard her wince and looked over to find her limping from a wound of magic on her leg.

Just like the scourge that he was, Bran moved away to watch the battle instead of engaging Kyran as they’d begun.

“Coward!” Kyran yelled at Bran.

Bran merely chuckled. “Who’ll be alive when this is all over? It won’t be you.”

“Want to bet on that?” asked Cael as he suddenly appeared next to Bran.

Bran’s face contorted with fury as he launched himself at Cael. Kyran wanted to watch the two of them go at it, but he turned his attention to River.

They stood side by side and fought as Fintan and Eoghan made their way to them. Kyran caught a glimpse of Baylon and Jordyn, as well as Talin.

There was a violent bellow that drew everyone’s attention. Kyran saw that Bran’s gaze was riveted on Jordyn. When she noticed, she gave him a wink and a smile.

That’s all it took to get the fighting started again. Kyran could see that River had more than one wound. He wasn’t sure of her healing abilities yet, and the thought of her in any kind of pain left him breathless.

Then there was the child growing inside her.

“Kyran,” Fintan said.

Kyran wrapped his arms around River and spun her away as Fintan took out a Dark and Eoghan killed two more who were intent on killing River.

“Get her out of here,” Fintan said angrily.

River pushed out of his arms and looked into Kyran’s face. “I can help. You need me.”

Before he could answer, she lunged and sunk her sword into a Dark coming up behind Kyran. He shot her a quick smile as they went back to fighting.

This time it was the Reapers who’d gotten an upper hand with the Dark. Bran hadn’t brought as many because he thought he planned well enough to only need a few, and it was going to cost him heavily.

When Kyran next looked up, there were only six Dark left alive while Cael and Bran continued to battle it out. River stood beside Kyran, breathing heavily as the others took care of the remaining Dark.

“Cael will win, right?” River asked.

Kyran snorted. “Of course.”

In a matter of moments, Cael had Bran on the floor, pounding his face with punches. He was getting ready to end it with a surge of power to Bran’s face when Kyran heard River’s intake of breath.

He looked over in time to see a Dark rush through the door toward Cael. Kyran could only watch in amazement as River threw her dagger, embedding it deep in the Dark’s spine. With a gargled sound, he crumbled to ash.

Kyran slid his gaze to Cael to find him looking at River with surprise. Unfortunately, Kyran’s shout of warning to Cael was too late as Bran used Cael’s momentary lapse of attention to his advantage.

There was a loud boom as smoke billowed everywhere and the house vibrated to the very foundation. As one, the Reapers quickly approached Cael, clearing the smoke with magic.

They found Cael unconscious and Bran leaning over him with a dagger, getting ready to plunge it in Cael’s heart. Eoghan growled and lunged for Bran. But by the time Eoghan reached him, Bran had teleported away.

“He can’t be gone,” River said as she looked around. “Tell me Bran didn’t get away.”

Talin kicked at a chair that was knocked on its side. “He’s clever.”

“And a coward,” Kyran added.

Fintan grunted. “Most definitely that.”

Cael sat up, shaking his head to clear it. He propped one foot on the floor and draped an arm over his knee. “Bastard got away again, didn’t he?”

“Aye,” Jordyn mumbled. “We were so close.”

“And he was close last time,” Baylon said.

Kyran wrapped an arm around River. “Had my message not reached you, he would’ve killed both of us.”

“What message?” Talin asked.

Kyran frowned. “If you didn’t get my call, how did you know?”

“When you and River didn’t follow us, we knew something was wrong,” Baylon said.

Fintan crossed his arms over his chest. “We arrived back here to find Dark and a spell blocking us from entering.”

“So how did you get in?” River asked.

Cael smiled as he climbed to his feet. “We’re Reapers. Bran may be able to cast some impressive spells, but you get all of us together, and we can usually break through any type of magic.”

“We heard him talking for a bit,” Talin said. “River, you’ve got a healthy dose of courage.”

Eoghan walked to River and stopped when he stood before her. He took her hand in his and gave her a nod before he walked out of the lodge.

River looked to Kyran who said, “That’s his way of letting you know he thanks you for what you did, and also appreciates your courage.”

“Wow,” she said and smiled.

Cael looked around as if searching for Bran. “We need to get out of here.”

“And go where?” Jordyn asked.

Fintan dropped his arms. “Anywhere but here.”

“We’ll meet up soon,” Cael said.

Kyran didn’t have to be told twice. He slid his hand into River’s and teleported away.

Cael waited until everyone was gone before he walked out of the hunting lodge to find Eoghan standing in the moonlight next to a stone wall that surrounded the property.

“Was it luck or skill that got us out of this tonight?” Cael asked him.

Eoghan glanced at him, but didn’t answer.

“Aye. A little of both. Had there been more Dark Fae, we wouldn’t have won.”

“Who says we did?”

Cael looked at Eoghan when he spoke. “Everyone is alive. Bran didn’t get to any of us.”

This time Eoghan remained as silent as he usually was.

Cael blew out a harsh breath and raked his hand through his hair. “I nearly had him. I took my concentration off him for just a second. That’s all he needed to get away. How many more chances will I have to do that again?”

Eoghan shook his head slowly.

“I didn’t think so either. So I lost my chance. Now he knows Jordyn is alive, that we have the books, and that River can translate them. Just once I’d like to keep a secret from him.”

Eoghan leaned forward and rested his hands on the stones. He looked out over the rolling landscape covered in shadows chased away only by the meager light of the moon.

“I think Kyran is in love with River.”

Eoghan looked at him over his shoulder and smiled as he nodded.

“She saved my life.”

Eoghan issued a small grunt.

“Kyran and Talin were right. She has great skill with a weapon.”

Without a sound, Eoghan turned back to the scenery.

Cael clapped him on the back. “We need to find a new place for everyone. Somewhere Bran won’t think of. Somewhere we can remain for as long as needed.”

Eoghan straightened and put his hand on Cael. In a blink they were standing on an island. Cael looked around at the large concrete structures surrounding him. Upon inspection, the isle couldn’t be more than about one hundred meters by two hundred meters.

Across the dark waters he could see the lights of the mainland. “Edinburgh,” he said when he recognized the silhouette of some buildings.

Eoghan walked down a path deeper into the buildings. But Cael had already seen all he needed. This was a perfect location, near to the city but away from the humans. It also afforded them a way to protect it so no Dark could easily stumble upon them.

Cael followed the trail Eoghan had taken and found him within one of the buildings. “This is perfect. I’ll begin calling the others here. Start setting up the magic to keep the Dark out.”

Eoghan gave a nod and walked away. Cael watched his friend. He missed the man Eoghan used to be. But circumstances changed people, and it had left a permanent scar upon Eoghan that was never going to heal.

The other Reapers might find love, but Cael knew he and Eoghan would remain alone. Eoghan because no one would replace what had been lost.

And him because he couldn’t have the one he wanted.

Cael turned and stopped in his tracks when he found Erith standing in the doorway. He couldn’t see her face because of the shadows, but he knew every curve.