Artistic Vision (12 page)

“Nope. He’ll have to go through all that paperwork again.” Jaden scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Oh wait. That was
my
paperwork. Guess my mate will have to lend me a hand since I have to work for the foreseeable future.”

“Why does Robin place such trust in a vampire?” Etienne was glaring at them both.
 

Akane almost laughed in his face. “You weren’t there when Clan Blackthorn was formed, were you?”

Etienne shook his head.

Jaden merely smiled, but that echo of Robin’s green light flashed once more through his eyes, there and gone again.

“Jaden shares blood with Robin, confirmed by both Robin and Oberon himself. Robin claims him as blood of his blood.” Where was this animosity was coming from? Etienne was Gray Court; he should have gotten used to the vampires in the Court by now. “That means Robin Goodfellow considers Jaden family.”

Etienne paled. “Ah.” He stood and bowed. “I will get to work gathering the background information we need.”

“Something that should have been done before you two even started. Seriously, Akane, where was your head? Up Shane’s ass?”

She growled at Jaden. “Shut up. My primary objective was to protect Shane. My secondary objective was to fuck with Tristan Malmayne.”

“You might want to discuss that last one with Shane. He might have an objection.”

She let the star in the center of her eye grow, looking for Shane. His incandescent power danced across her senses, warming her. “Two completely different kinds of fucking.” She grinned. “Trust me. I know the difference.”

“Freaky dragon bitch.”

Akane tilted her head. “Remind me some day to tell you how you got Robin’s blood in you.”

Jaden shuddered. “Please don’t.”
 

They barely acknowledged Etienne leaving the room. “You know?”

“I have…nightmares. Duncan tried to help me see what had happened, but when we were done he was… Gods, he was destroyed, and I still didn’t know for certain what Robin did to me.”

“Meaning Duncan turned around and re-blocked the memory.” It was Akane’s turn to shudder. “Jade, remember when you kidnapped Shane?”

“How could I forget? I still taste Kaitlynn occasionally when I burp. Blech.”

Akane resisted rolling her eyes, barely. “Robin knew you’d taken Shane and, to get you to tell him where Shane was, he hurt you. When he realized you were trying to keep things together until Duncan got home he fixed you the only way he could.”

Jaden nodded. “I kind of figured it was something like that.” He ran his hand through his hair. “What bothers me is that Duncan is having a hard time letting it go. You and I, we know the risks of working for Robin. If he thinks we’ve betrayed him, we’re toast.”

“And you walked that fine line during Shane’s abduction, praying you wouldn’t cross it before it was too late.”

Jaden nodded. “I love Duncan. Watching him suffer sucks. But this is one of the reasons I was worried they’d never accept me. I can’t stop being a Blade, no matter how many times it hurts my bondmates. I can’t let someone else get tortured or die just because Duncan and Moira might worry about me.”

“I think they know that, Jade.” She pointed toward the door, where Jaden’s mates stood. Moira had her arms crossed over her chest, scowling at them both equally. Duncan had his arms around her waist, but his gaze was glued to Jaden’s face.

“Oh goody. It’s lecture time.” Jaden dropped back into his chair and waved his mates into the room. “C’mon in, guys!” He started to tilt his chair back again.

Moira stopped him by dropping into his lap. “Idiot man.”
 

Jaden pointed to himself. “Me?”

“Yes, you.” Duncan’s fingers buried themselves in Jaden’s dark hair as he perched on the arm of Jaden’s chair. “Of course we’re going to worry, but we’re not going to stop you from being a Blade. Just as we have to put up with your work, you’ll have to learn to live with your family worrying about you.”

Jaden’s cheeks flushed. “I know that. But what happened with Robin could happen again.”

Duncan shivered. “No. It won’t.” He pressed his fingers against Jaden’s lips when the vampire started to protest. “Those were very special circumstances. You were trying to protect me in a strange sort of way. You were afraid killing Kaitlynn would make me hate you, so you played along, hoping I’d get here in time to save you all. Blame my father and Kaitlynn for that mess, not yourself. You kidnapped Shane on their orders, then kidnapped Ruby when you realized there wasn’t anything else you could do to stop them short of revealing you were a Blade. If Kaitlynn or Cullen had figured it out they might have killed you before you could find out what was really going on in the clan.”
 

“Killing Cullen and Kaitlynn without Robin or Oberon’s consent could have resulted in Jaden not only being stripped of his Knighthood but also his life. So don’t blame Robin either. Killing Kaitlynn on
your
orders, as head of his clan, was just fine.” Akane shrugged when the trio’s attention turned to her. “Besides, in a strange sort of way, if Robin hadn’t done what he’d done Jaden might not have survived what West did to him.” Another vampire had been working with Duncan’s sister Kaitlynn to take Leo Dunne by force. He’d been promised Jaden’s death in return for doing what Kaitlynn wanted. He might have succeeded if Robin hadn’t already fed Jaden enough blood to change the vampire, making him stronger, faster and a lot less vulnerable.

The arrested expression on Duncan’s face was priceless.
 

Moira frowned and tapped Jaden’s chin. “I think Shane let Jaden take him.”

Akane stared at Moira. “I think so too.”

Jaden’s hand flew into the air. “Ditto.” He frowned, absently allowing his hand to be captured by Duncan. “But the question is, why?”

“It might have something to do with a vision he had.” Once again, Akane had the trio’s undivided attention. “What? You didn’t know?”

Jaden started to laugh. He patted Moira’s bottom with his free hand. “Gods, I love your family, sweetheart.”

Moira rolled her eyes and got off Jaden’s lap. “Shane’s always been different, known things others didn’t, but I’ve watched you. He doesn’t show any of the signs you do when you’re using your powers.”

“His are completely different. I see the now. Shane sees the future.”

Jaden jumped up, knocking Duncan to the floor. “Wait right here.” He ran out of the room, only to return a few seconds later carrying a metal sculpture. Three figures entwined, two hovering protectively over one, encased in swirling green, gold and gray. He set the statue on Duncan’s desk. “Do you know when he made this?”

“That’s us, isn’t it?” Moira touched the smallest figure. All of them were androgynous in their features, but something about the way that figure stood screamed female.

Duncan got up off the floor and dusted off his ass. “I’m inclined to believe so.” He studied the figures, smiling slightly. “I know who the middle figure is, too.”

Jaden rolled his eyes. “You, obviously.”

Duncan snorted. “If believing that makes you sleep better at night, so be it.”

Akane took the statue and tilted it up. “Look at the bottom.”

Moira gasped. Jaden grinned, but his eyes looked a bit wild. Duncan merely nodded, as if he’d known what he’d see all along.

Shane had marked the date he’d created the statue on the bottom. It was dated precisely one year before Shane’s abduction. “He made a similar one of Ruby and Leo.”

“Has he made one of you?”

Akane avoided Duncan’s knowing eyes. “There are two others he’s made, and they scare even him.” She described both the Robin figure and the one she assumed was Oberon, the one Shane hadn’t been able to finish yet.

“Holy fuck.” Jaden stared at the statue of the three mates. “Does he know what they mean?”

“I think he gets flashes, little glimpses, but until certain things happen they’re mysteries to him. He must have known Moira was the female in this statue, but until he met you two he might not have known who you were.”

“Damn. He has no idea who Robin’s female is then, does he?”

Akane shook her head. It was obvious Jaden was thinking the same thing she was. “Or what’s missing from Oberon’s.”

Jaden stood, suddenly every inch the Blade he was. “We need to find out.”
 

“Before it’s too late.”

“Deal with the Malmaynes first.” Duncan rubbed his hand down Jaden’s back. “Robin’s woman will show up. We just need to keep an eye out for her. We’ll protect her so she doesn’t fall.”

Moira leaned back against the edge of Duncan’s desk. “What about the vision of Oberon?”
 

“Shane says it’s incomplete. He doesn’t know yet what is supposed to be in the center of the sculpture.”

Duncan wrapped his arms around his mates. “I think I do.” He kissed each one on the cheek, his expression full of love for them. “Perhaps it’s time for Oberon’s heart to open up once more.”

Akane stared at the three of them and decided Duncan might be right.

“Are you sure about this?” Shane watched Leo pace his office. He’d snuck out once he was sure Akane was gone. His brother was planning something, and Shane wanted in on it.

“As sure as I can be.” Leo stopped and stared blankly at the wall. “Ruby and I have been over this again and again. Until I get the Malmaynes to realize they’ll never have me this will just keep going on and on.”

“The Energizer bunny of fuck-ups.” Shane nodded. “Count me in.”

Leo’s smile was more of a grimace. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it. I mean that. If Akane finds out about this my ass is toast.” Shane stood. “Where’s Ruby?”

“Here.” The little redhead swept into the room and curled up against her spouse. “Just finishing up some work before we face off with the Dork Brigade.”

Shane grinned. “You’ve been hanging out with Jaden again.”

She grinned back. “Nah. Robin’s been by a few times.” She tilted her head. “I think he’s lonely.”

Shane hid his shock. She’d seen below the surface Robin showed the world to find the desperately lonely fae beneath. “Yeah. I think so too.”

“I think you’re both insane, but okay.” Leo jolted at the sound of the doorbell, betraying his nervousness. “Okay. It’ll be okay.”

“You want me to get the door?” Shane was already out of the office when his brother’s soft consent reached his ears. Really, Leo wasn’t made for this sort of fight. He was a wheeler, dealer and dreamer, running Fantasy Inc., a high-end party planning business used by corporations and politicians nationwide. Shane wasn’t much better off, his artistic endeavors leaving little time to learn to fight. But he and Leo had the Blackthorns, Robin Goodfellow and Akane on their side.

They’d be just fine.

Shane opened Leo’s front door to find Constance, Cecelia and Henri Malmayne on the other side. Cecelia was once again hanging all over Henri, while Constance had a coldly blank look on her face. “Hey, Leo!” He bellowed at the top of his lungs, making sure he sounded as rube as he could. “You’ve got Malmaynes at your door!”

“Let them in, Shane.”

“Butlering for your brother now, Shane?” Cecelia sneered and sauntered past him. “Careful with my coat. It’s Dior.”
 

Shane took their coats, nodding back at Henri, who gave him a semi-civil nod and ignoring Constance the way she ignored him. “Leo’s in the office, third door on the right.”
 

The Malmaynes went past like a cold breeze. Shane scrunched their coats up into a ball and dropped them on the closet floor before joining his brother in the office.
 

The women had taken seats around Leo’s desk, Henri standing behind Cecelia with one hand on her shoulder. Ruby was at Leo’s right hand, the wedding ring she wore flashing as they clasped hands. Shane went to stand on his brother’s left and let his visions flow over him.

He couldn’t see what was about to happen; it was too close. This was where Akane’s talent was most useful, and he wished his dragoness were here by his side. He did his best, but the visions he was getting were about things that were coming.

And both Malmayne sisters were at the heart of it.
 

He listened with half an ear as Leo explained, yet again, that he and Ruby did not wish for a third in their marriage. The visions surrounding Cecelia Malmayne were…disturbing. Some were of what looked like torture. Others showed her having a relatively happy life with the man at her side. But in both cases a black pall hung over everything she did.

Constance, on the other hand, looked like she was sleeping with the devil. Who the hell was that in the vision? The man had horns and fangs, but Shane couldn’t quite get a glimpse of his face. There was something familiar about him, about the way he moved, but no matter how hard Shane concentrated he couldn’t get anything on him. If the man had been in the room Shane might have gotten a better read on him.

Should he warn her of the devil, or leave her to her fate?

“I’m telling you, Leo and I are fine the way things are. We don’t want you here! The contract has been fulfilled. We know why you want a Child of Dunne and we’re sick of dealing with this shit!” Ruby’s rarely roused temper flared as she squared off with the Malmaynes, effectively dragging Shane back into the present. The vision of the devil man faded, and Shane decided to remain silent. Whatever Constance Malmayne was courting he had no doubt she deserved it. The aura surrounding her actions in his visions was black as pitch.

Constance stood. “There are ways to bear a child that don’t involve sex, Ruby. If we could get Leo to donate his seed–”

“Fuck. You.” Ruby pointed toward the door. “Out.”

Leo stood. “We’ve given you the meeting you requested. You’ve heard my wife’s response. The final answer is no. Have a nice life.”

The Malmaynes stood. “You’re going to regret this,” Cecelia hissed on her way out. She ignored the way Henri tried to soothe her, clinging to her anger like a fiery cloak.
 

Constance shook her head. “We’re sorry, Leo.”

Shane’s brows drew together. Oh, this sounded ominous. “Sorry for what?”