Authors: Cindy Spencer Pape
“What the hell is
she
doing here?” Aidan growled as he followed Elise in the door. “Novak?”
Greg shrugged. “She insisted.”
“I have offered myself into custody until this is finished.” The woman spoke primly, her spine rigid and her expression stoic. “While I may not believe that those of mixed blood should be allowed to sit on the council, I do not condone killing people over it as my uncle did and I most certainly do
not
make war on children or assist those who do. I request that you have me locked away until my cousin Oswald and his henchmen are apprehended, so that you may be sure I had nothing to do with any of this.”
Elise exhaled a silent whistle. This must be Aidan’s former secretary, Fianna Meadows—the traitor inside Aidan’s household who had almost gotten Aidan, Ric and Meagan killed in a booby-trapped portal. Elise had heard that the woman had been stripped of her powers and was working as a waitress for the Novak brothers, but they’d never met.
Aidan had paused to deliberate the woman’s offer before he nodded. “Wallis, escort our
guest
to the guards’ detention cells.”
One of the guards reached out to grab Fianna and haul her to her feet, but Greg intervened, zipping between the guard and the prisoner so fast Elise barely saw him move. “Hey. Remember she came in on her own.”
“True.” Aidan raised one dark eyebrow at the snarling werewolf. “The queen has some detention rooms she reserves for high-level prisoners. They’re quite comfortable. See that she’s placed in one of those and given plenty to eat and drink.”
Wallis shrugged. “If you wish, my lord.”
Fianna nodded and stood, her head bowed. “Thank you, Lord Green Oak.” She didn’t even glance at Greg, but her fair skin flushed as her body leaned toward his. He reached up a hand toward Fianna then pulled it back just before he touched her.
“Before you go, Fianna, can you think of where your cousin might be keeping his hostages? We know they’re not at the Le Faire estate.” Aidan smiled politely at the woman.
The blonde lifted her head and pressed her lips together. “Any of his followers might have offered up a home with a dungeon.” She listed a handful of possible names. “But if he’s truly working with a djinni, the prison could be anywhere, in either realm. I’m sorry.”
Aidan nodded his thanks.
“One more thing.” Fianna paused midstep. “It wasn’t my uncle who used blood magic to foul the portal. I don’t know who did. My uncle isn’t strong enough in that kind of magic, and he brought in his accomplice cloaked so I never saw his face. I believe it may have been Oswald, but it could have been anyone, even someone here at court. Any portals they direct you to may prove deadly.”
“Thank you for the reminder.” Aidan’s tone was almost gentle. “Wallis? Please be sure she’s comfortable before you leave her.”
“Yes, sir.” Wallis pointed at the two guards. “Let’s go, boys.”
“Lord Rose will meet you at the queen’s portal,” Aidan told the guards. “Wallis, I need you back here in three hours. Meanwhile, stop and chat with some of the guardsmen, see if you can learn anything new.”
“Understood, my lord.” Wallis saluted and ushered the others out of the apartment.
Aidan turned to the rest of his team. “You’re all sure you want to do this? It
is
likely to be dangerous.”
“We’re sure.” The dark-haired woman wore a black leather jacket, motorcycle boots and a scarlet T-shirt over a pair of ragged jeans. Her grin was feral. “The boys and I haven’t had a chance to run and hunt as a pack in…a while.”
“My cousin Lana Novak.” Greg smiled fondly at the woman. “She’s a force of nature in her own right. Lana, meet Aidan Greene and Elise Sutton. You know Ric.”
Lana held out her hand to Elise. Her heavily made up brown eyes were kind as they shook hands. “I am so, so sorry. I promise, we’re going to get your daughter back.”
She shook hands with Aidan as well, giving him a wicked grin and a wink. “Damn, honey, why didn’t Thornhill ever bring you into the club?” Her cousins and Ric laughed, breaking up some of the tension.
Aidan and Elise took seats, then Toby spoke up. “We brought flak vests for everyone who can’t change into a wolf or conjure chain mail. Swords and revolvers. The mage over there says he can silence our mounts and our weapons, give us the element of surprise.”
“Good,” Aidan replied. “Jase, Des, can you ride a horse?”
Both men nodded.
“Ric knows the lodge and the way to Bald Tor, so he’s in charge. Get to the mound as quickly as possible and secure it. Ric, try sending a flower through the gate. If there’s a mangled or burnt bit of heather in the circle on our end, we’ll know there’s a trap.” He looked around, catching the eye of everyone in the room, one at a time. “Now listen. Your first mission, above and beyond everything else, is protecting Adina. Absolutely nothing else until she’s safe. Is that perfectly clear, everyone?”
“Crystal, my lord.” Toby snapped a salute. The others all nodded.
“Priority two is Adina’s mother.” Aidan shot a look at Elise, waiting for their nods of agreement. “Saving my hide can be number three, but only if none of the other players on our side are present and in danger. Also clear?”
Toby clearly wasn’t happy about it, but he dipped his head in obedience. “Aye, Cap’n. Don’t like it, but we understand.”
“Watch each other as well.” Aidan’s tone grew gruff as he looked around at each of them. “I’d prefer to see every one of you safely back in Detroit when this is over. Drinks are on me when we’re done.”
Goodbyes were said and Elise hugged her brother one last time before he walked out the door. “I might have been wrong about Greene,” Desmond murmured in her ear. “Stay safe, little sister, and keep your hopes up. We’re going to do this thing.”
“I know,” she whispered. As she watched them all leave the room, she almost believed it.
“Now all we have to do is wait,” Aidan said grimly. “And that might be the most difficult task of all.”
Elise nodded her agreement and took a moment to finally look around at the spacious living room. Here the level of ostentation was much more subtle than anywhere else she’d seen in the palace. The décor was simple—almost modern, but every piece was exquisitely made. Bookshelves lined one side-wall, while the wall opposite the foyer was covered in mullioned windows overlooking a garden. The dark woods and hunter green leather upholstery on the sofas suited Aidan’s personal style perfectly. A portrait over the fireplace showed a couple who could only be Aidan’s parents. The male elf’s face was nearly identical in structure to Aidan’s, though his hair was almost black and his eyes were dark, while the female was smaller and finer featured, but boasted Aidan’s reddish brown hair and vivid green eyes. Both were dressed in High Renaissance fashion.
“I don’t remember that from when I was here before.” She walked over to study it. “It’s lovely.”
“My parents, Ivy and Alleyne.” Aidan moved up beside her. “That painting was actually done by Meagan’s grandmother, Morag, Lady Rose. I moved it here from the estate, as I don’t spend much time there these days. I’d take it to Detroit, but the pointed ears would raise questions I’d rather not answer.”
“So your mother was the one related to Meagan’s father, I see.” The eyes were a dead giveaway. “How did they both end up with titles?”
Aidan smiled fondly at the portrait. “My mother was Ivy O’Dale and she married Lord Green Oak. Her brother Edwin—Meagan’s grandfather—married Lady Rose. Just like Ric was granted the masculine equivalent of Meagan’s title, my mother took on my father’s and her brother gained his wife’s. As the only children of either couple, Emery and I both inherited.”
Elise knew part of the story. Emery had been Meagan’s biological father, killed for marrying a human. “What happened to your parents? How old would they be right now?”
“About eighteen hundred for Da and sixteen for Mum. They were killed during a visit to the human realm.” The look on Aidan’s face told her he still missed them—even centuries later. “Meagan’s grandparents with them. Ever hear of the Great Fire of London?”
“Wasn’t that in the sixteen hundreds?”
Aidan nodded. “In 1666. One of the council members was throwing a party in the old medieval part of the city when it happened. Dozens of Fae died along with far more humans than the six officially recorded. No one bothered to catalog the missing among the poor or middle class.”
“That’s terrible.” Elise couldn’t resist wrapping her arm around his waist, surprising even herself with the instinctive gesture. “I’m sorry for your loss. Then Emery died, too, just before Meagan was born. I know you two were close.”
“One disadvantage of a long lifespan.” He leaned into her for a moment. “You outlive a lot of people you care about.”
Including her.
Wyndewin
tended to live a long time for humans—her great grandfather was one hundred and six. But they
were
still human and a century would be nothing to someone like Aidan, who was over a thousand years old now and just approaching middle age. Would he even remember her a couple hundred years from now? And if Dina had been his daughter, would he have had to watch her age and die as well? Elise wasn’t exactly sure about the longevity of halflings. Maybe they were all better off the way things stood now.
Time to change the subject. “When do we have to leave for Scotland?” Having nothing to do was difficult, as Aidan had said. She really wanted something, or better yet someone, to smash.
“Not for a few hours, I’m afraid.” His eyes and mouth were rimmed with lines she didn’t normally see there and she’d never seen him look so worn down.
“Which means you have time for a nap.” Elise sent a frisson of healing energy through her hand on his waist. “You need some rest before you go take on the kidnappers.”
“I don’t think I can sleep.” He grimaced. “But you should grab another hour or two if you can. And stop that. You’ll need all your energy too. Don’t waste it on me.”
She turned him to face her and lifted her hand to his cheek. “Let’s both go lay down. Maybe we can both relax enough to rest for a bit.”
The corner of his full, sensual lips quirked upward. “That might be a dangerous idea,
leannan
. My willpower isn’t everything it should be right now.”
The thought that he still wanted her sent a thrill down her spine. After all they’d been through, all they’d done to one another, the physical attraction was still there, as powerful as ever. She knew their differences were too great for them to ever think about a permanent relationship, but right now, that didn’t matter. The only thing she wanted was someone who cared, who could help keep her sane until she had Dina back in her arms.
She looked up into his eyes, letting him see the passion that she knew seethed in her own as well as the terror and strain. “I’m okay with dangerous. Let’s go to bed, Aidan. And no quitting on me this time.”
“Are you sure?” He brushed a strand of her hair back behind her ear. “No matter our past, I do care for you, Elise. I couldn’t live with taking advantage of you at a time like this.”
She laid her hands on either side of his waist and slid them up his ribcage, feeling the warmth of his body through the fine cotton of his shirt. “It’s not taking advantage if I’m asking you straight out. I need something, someone to hold onto right now, so I don’t go screaming insane. If anything, I’m taking advantage of you, of your inability to refuse a damsel in distress.”
“You may be the strongest woman I’ve ever known.” He cupped her cheek in his long, slender fingers. “And now that you’ve met the queen, you know what my standard for that is. I can’t help but wish things had gone differently between us.”
“I know. We met at the wrong place, or the wrong time and we’ve both got responsibilities that will always get in the way of our having a relationship.” She slid her hands around to his back as she stepped closer, until her breasts brushed against his ribcage. “But right now, we can be here for each other. Because whether you admit it or not, you’re almost as shredded by this as I am.” And that fact still amazed her.
“Whether she’s my daughter or not, it’s no picnic knowing a four-year-old girl is paying the price because someone is out for my blood.” He drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “And it doesn’t help that I was so angry with you at the reception. I can’t help feeling it’s my fault, that I should have somehow been able to prevent this.”
“It’s not.” She laid a finger over his lips. “I should have told Meagan no when she asked me to bring Dina to the wedding. If I hadn’t been afraid to tell her why…Had I been honest with you from the beginning, things might have been completely different.”
“That’s a bit of an understatement, dear one, but it doesn’t mean they still wouldn’t have used her to get at me. Even as plain Aidan Greene, I could be a target in the human realm. I can understand you not wanting to live with that.”
She went up on her toes and kissed his chin, the only part of his face she could reach. “Maybe. But I don’t want to talk about it now. I don’t want to talk about anything, think about anything. Make me forget for a few minutes and maybe fall asleep for an hour or two. Can you do that, Aidan?”
“If that’s what you want, what you need, of course.” He feathered a kiss across her forehead. “I never stopped wanting you, Elise. That’s a simple fact.”
Her skin tingled from head to toe at the touch of his hand on her cheek and his lips on her forehead, and the sensation increased as she remembered the shuddering pleasure he’d brought her to last night. Today though, would be for him as well. “So where’s the bedroom in this place?”
“Right this way.” He swept her up into his arms and carried her down a short hallway. “Before we start—are you protected? I don’t keep condoms lying around here any more.”
She felt her face warm in a blush. “Yes. After what happened to me before, I quit taking chances. I get shots every three months now.”
At the end of the hallway, he made a small gesture with his fingers and a door swung open, revealing a bedroom similar to the one she’d woken in this morning. She had a glimpse of simple, luxurious furnishings, dark linens and gleaming wood, but that was all in the background as she only had eyes for Aidan.