Embrace Me At Dawn (3 page)

“
Go on,” Bram demanded.

“
Mathias has tried to put that genie back in the bottle, but he can’t do it alone.”

As the ramifications of Shock’s visit sank in, everyone froze. Felicia didn’t refute him. Anka merely gaped. How was it possible that she’d lived with this man, yet knew nothing of this revelation? Then again, Shock had never been one to share. Plus, they’d hardly spoken—or anything else—of late.

Their last coupling had been so rushed. Shock had barely touched her, instead just unzipping his leathers and shoving his cock inside. It had taken everything inside her not to push him away, but she’d needed energy as badly as he had—and the guilt for being in his bed was still festering in her heart. Sharing Shock’s sheets at this point shouldn’t matter. But with every moment, she’d thought of Lucan—and barely managed to hold her tears at bay until Shock had forced an orgasm from her and groaned out in completion. Then he’d immediately zipped up and left her sprawled in their bed.

Though hidden behind his sunglasses, Shock turned his eyes on her now. Anka felt his gaze sharpen, as if he was dissecting her.
Crap
! He knew exactly what she was thinking. She winced and intentionally turned her thoughts to the situation at hand.

Bram narrowed his eyes at Shock. “Are you telling me that Mathias wants
our
help to end Morganna?”

“
What do you think? Either the bitch will go on the sort of rampage that will bring human authorities down around magickind’s ears or she’ll come after you and your sister with every twisted trick she’s got. Deal with those issues yourselves or help Mathias kill her. Your choice.”

“
No, there’s another.” Lucan surged at Shock, shoving his face directly into the other wizard’s. “You and your boss have cooked up this elaborate scheme to lead us into a trap and straight to our demise. That would leave Mathias and Morganna free to live creepily ever after, with you as their trusted advisor.”

Shock stared back at Lucan as if the barb hadn’t bothered him a bit, but Anka sensed the fury he barely kept on its leash. A moment later, he wrapped an arm around her waist. Horror spread over her as she realized he was publicly staking his claim on her—in front of Lucan. Her gaze flew to her former mate’s, and his blue eyes turned hard. Shame and guilt doused Anka. She looked away.

“
Bitter much?” Shock taunted.

The two caustic words barely left his mouth before all hell broke loose. Lucan rushed Shock with a growl that said he was going to tear the big wizard’s head off. Shock roared in response, pushing her behind him, readying to fight like he was going to enjoy it. Duke hustled Felicia away, teleporting out.

Anka jumped between Lucan and Shock. It wasn’t like her former mate to lose his temper so quickly. Sabelle had more than hinted that Lucan wasn’t himself anymore. Anka’s heart wept with concern. She didn’t dare hope that longing for her had put him on edge. She didn’t know how to make him understand the hows or whys of the past three months. And now that she’d graced the bed of his enemy willingly, she doubted he’d want to hear them. She only wanted him well and happy, and it hurt deeply to know he’d find those things without her.

Both wizards urged her out of their way, then charged at one another again. Thankfully Bram stepped between them this time and threw a force field between both, keeping them apart.

“
I have precious little energy for this shit, children,” Bram groused. “The clock is ticking down until Morganna’s next trick, whatever that may be. I have no mate to replenish me. We can’t afford this fighting amongst ourselves.”

Lucan drew in a deep, shuddering breath, jaw clenched, eyes narrowed. God, she’d rarely seen him so angry. But with a roll of his wide shoulders, he backed away, still looking murderous. She wished she could help him. Shock clenched a meaty fist at his side but dropped an expression onto his face that looked to all the world like he didn’t give a fuck. Anka knew better, and she had a feeling she’d have to deal with whatever was eating at him soon.

After a long pause, Bram finally dropped his hands and the force fields. After a sharp glance at both, he nodded. “Shock, you can tell Mathias we’ll consider his request. I’m not ready to commit to anything.”

“
Are you out of your fucking mind?” Shock looked at Bram as if someone had beaten the Doomsday Brethren’s leader with a stupid stick. “Do you have any bloody idea what else Morganna can do to expose us while you sit with your thumb up your arse?”

Bram grabbed Shock’s leather jacket with one hand. “I don’t trust you for shit. And I’m hardly sitting around with my thumb up my arse. This isn’t just my decision; it’s everyone’s. I’m not making a move until I talk to them all, so you can run along and tell your boss that once we’ve talked, I’ll be in touch.”

Shock looked like he wanted to argue, but he jerked out of Bram’s hold and straightened his jacket with a shrug. “Stupid fuck. More deaths will be on your conscience.”

“
I’m tired of your shit. Get off my property.” Bram tossed his head in the direction of the gate.

Anka bit her lip. She wanted to ask Bram if he could live with those deaths, but before she could, Shock growled, grabbing her arm. “Let’s go.”

“
She stays here,” Bram demanded. “She came to me for a favor, and I haven’t heard it yet. I’ll do that now.”

Shock’s gaze bounced between her and Bram. Anka thought of anything and everything other than the topic of her business with Bram. She felt him probe into her mind with a hard shove. It hurt, and she glared at him and winced, raising her hand to her abused forehead.

Lucan charged over to Anka, hovering protectively. “You’re hurting her. Get the hell out of her head!”

After a moment’s hesitation, Shock shrugged. “I’ll figure it out when I fuck her later.”

With a hard slap of his hand on her backside that tingled across her skin and fired her nerve endings, Shock walked away and left the grounds with a slam of the gate before teleporting out.

Lucan stared at her like he didn’t understand. No, like he didn’t know her at all. Having him near brought out the very worst in Shock, and Anka wished to hell the floor would open up and swallow her whole. The silence almost weighed too much for her slender shoulders. God, what must her former mate be thinking? She drew in a deep breath and shook the thought away. Lucan was no longer her concern—even if she missed him until insanity seemed just a breath away.

“
Why are you with him?” Lucan demanded.

There was nothing she could say that he’d truly understand. Certainly nothing that would change their situation. So she remained mute.

“
Goddamn it! If it’s for protection, you’re deluding yourself. Mathias knows exactly where to find you. If he wants you again, Shock won’t be able to stop him.”

Likely so. But Mathias didn’t really want her, merely to weaken the Doomsday Brethren. He’d nearly driven Lucan mad with mate mourning after forcibly severing her bond with him. She couldn’t risk Mathias targeting Lucan again. She alone had healed him from that terrible, mad state. It had cost her nearly every bit of her magic. Neither of them would survive that again.

She forced herself to face Bram, square her shoulders, and look him in the eyes. “You know what I want. I’m sure Sabelle has told you.”

“
Goddamn it, Bram. No!” Lucan snapped.

Bram turned a gaze to his friend. “Go get the others. We have bigger matters to discuss.”

“
This matter is vital to us all. Having Anka fighting with us will affect the entire group.”

“
You more than the rest. And still, this isn’t your decision. Go.”

Lucan whipped his gaze to her, jaw clenched. “Anka…”

She swallowed. She wanted to soothe him, reach out and brush back his too-long hair, caress his troubled brow. Their past, this…thing still between them, it couldn’t matter anymore.

Resolutely, she ignored him.

He cursed a blue streak, grabbing a chair in one hand and flinging it across the lawn as he made for the house with giant stomping steps. At the door, he paused, staring a hole through her. “We’re not done with this conversation, Anka.”

She didn’t look his way. “Yes, we are.”

A pause. She felt his rage building. Then she heard him curse again. The door slammed. She and Bram were finally alone. Anka clasped her hands together to keep them from visibly shaking.

Bram raised a brow at her. “Certainly you can see that you fighting with us will present obstacles.”

“
I’m determined. That bastard Mathias took
everything
from me. My life, my mate, my dignity, my sense of security. He tortured me. He tortured Lucan. I deserve revenge.”

“
The Doomsday Brethren isn’t here for your personal vendetta.”

The truth stung. “You need more wands, both to destroy him and bring about Morganna’s demise. You need strong magic and fighters who will not waver when things become difficult. I’ve already endured the worst Mathias can give me. He can’t possibly hurt me more.”

“
Is that what you think?” Bram challenged.

“
I think you can’t afford to be picky. You must contend with two of the most evil villains to ever disgrace magickind, and you think to fight them with six wizards of varying abilities and a human? Really?” She cut Bram with a skeptical stare. “At the very least, I think you need to consider that Tynan’s death leaves a hole among the ranks that I could fill.”

Bram hesitated. “As long as we understand that the greater good of the mission and magickind comes before your revenge, I’ll let you in.”

She cocked her head at him. “You were always going to accept me, weren’t you?”

A smile played at his lips. “Probably. I had to hear you argue your side to see if you were dedicated enough to take the hard work this will require.”

“
Sneaky bastard.” She smiled. It was hard to stay mad at Bram.

“
I’ve heard that before,” he drawled. “I’ve got a few conditions before I’ll allow you to join this fight, however.”

And this was where Bram could truly trip her up. He was a master negotiator, and all she wanted was to jump in and rip out Mathias’s throat now. “What?”

“
You must appear every morning with the sun for training. You’ll learn to fight in every way Marrok and I insist. You’ll stay each day until we release you. No complaints. It’s hard, sweaty work, and this is no time to worry about your hair.”

“
I’m not vain,” she protested.

“
No,” he agreed. “But I guarantee you’ll never work harder in your life. Marrok is relentless, and I encourage it. We don’t have the advantage of a bigger fighting force or the element of surprise. We have to be better prepared.”

“
I’ll be here every day, as long as you need me to be.”

“
What will Shock say to that?”

“
Nothing. I moved out. I don’t even think he knows it. Sabelle said I could adopt a spare bedroom here.”

“
No. That’s another condition. You return to Shock.”

“
What
?” She would have thought that Bram would applaud her for leaving a man no one liked or trusted.

“
You’re going to need energy far more frequently. He’ll give it to you.”

Anka hesitated. She remembered those first few days after the formation of the Doomsday Brethren. Lucan had returned home from Marrok’s drills completely exhausted. He’d tumbled her into bed every evening, spending hours working her body into a sweet froth of need, then making love to her until they’d both been brimming and smiling. They’d fallen asleep in exhaustion, curled up around one another. Those had been some troubling days, but ones of great personal happiness, so filled with Lucan and his need for her.