Artistic Vision (21 page)

The tiny human figure held a dagger in one hand and a shield in the other.

Akane tsk’d. Why was she not surprised? “Stubborn man.”

Shane shifted against her, and Akane held her peace, afraid she’d wake her sleeping mate.

Shane woke to the knowledge that his wife was no longer in bed with him. “Damn it.” He shifted, stretching before he opened his eyes. “Akane?”

Silence. His wife was gone, probably out hunting the ones who’d harmed him. He wasn’t surprised. She’d been ready to hunt last night, but his exhaustion and her need to protect had overwhelmed her need to hunt. Shane slipped out of bed and headed for the shower, eager to get the dirt of the day before off his skin. He turned on the bathroom light and reached for his toothbrush. His mouth tasted like an open sewer grate. He had the feeling if he lit a match and blew he’d breath flame like his lover.
 

His hand froze as he got his first good look at himself. “Son of a bitch.” Shane reached up and fingered his hair. He’d forgotten to slip his Seeming back on the night before, and now he was seeing the effects of the poison Klaussner had pumped into him.

“Akane’s going to freak.” His hair was definitely a shade or two darker than it had been, the gleaming copper tarnished. The gold dust of his skin had also darkened, shadowed by poison. He blew out a quick, shaky breath of relief when he realized his eyes had remained the same sapphire blue as always.
 

He started the shower, hoping against hope the last of the darkness would wash off, but no such luck. The water was disturbingly clear of fae grime. The only thing that washed away was the dirt of the circle he’d fried in and the blood that had seeped from his wound. Shane fingered the cut, grateful Akane had figured out the solution before it had been too late. If she hadn’t burned out the parasite he’d be heading straight for the Black Court and a life of horror as Bres’s bitch.

Still, the one thing he’d expected to happen hadn’t yet. He was glad the initial ordeal was over, but if his vision had been correct then something else still needed to occur. Something painful.

Shane was still marked, but it was faint, a hint of what could have been. If Akane had delayed at all he’d be forever tainted, yearning for darkness in his soul. A daily battle within himself he could eventually lose, giving the Dark Queen access to his visions and an edge given to no other court. Access to possible futures was something the Seer made sure was either withheld completely or given to all courts equally. If the Dark Queen could have a sane seer at her command it had the potential to take the animosity between the courts and force it into open warfare.

Shane shivered, a chill racing across his skin at the thought. He upped the hot water, hoping to drive the coolness back, but the shivers intensified. Something stabbed him behind his eyes, the vision painful, eager to be built of glass, metal…and blood.
 

Oh. Shit.

Another vision hit, this one even more violent than the first one. Shane’s back bowed, his head aching, his hands twitching. He had to bring the vision to life. He
had to.

The vision switched, changed into a new one, and Shane realized what was going on. It had finally hit, and now Shane would have to do his best to ride it out. If things went well, the prophecy would be fulfilled. He didn’t want to think about what would happen if it did not. The possibilities were endless, the visions of what could happen in the worst case scenario, torturous.
 

He reached out and turned off the water, knowing only one thing could warm him now. He stumbled out of the shower, the visions strong, grasping him in iron talons. He barely had the presence of mind to dry himself off before he staggered into the studio, naked and almost blind. He headed for the vault, seeing in sharp flashes what he had to create, the knowledge of what was to come etched in his mind and twitching through his body. His hands reached into bins over and over again until a pile lay on the worktable, the same table he’d first Claimed his mate on.

Shane’s hands and thoughts flew, piecing together something he hoped never came to pass, because if it did Shane would have more than his own blood on his hands.

Akane sipped her hot chocolate and grinned at Duncan. “How’s Jaden?”

Duncan glared at her, his gray eyes bloodshot. He shifted slightly on his seat, a look of discomfort crossing his face. “Enthusiastic.” His mouth twisted into a reluctant grin. “And Shane?”

She snickered. She could guess why Duncan was sitting uncomfortably that afternoon. “Excellent.”

Duncan shook his head. “You and Jaden are hunting tonight, aren’t you?”

She nodded, all humor fleeing at the reminder of what was coming next. “Constance and Hobart need to be taken care of.”

Duncan sighed. “At least Tristan agreed to feed us information.”

“He did?” She’d been a bit distracted, but she should have been informed of this. She hadn’t slept yet. Luckily she wouldn’t feel the effects for a few days, after which she’d be forced to rest whether she wanted to or not.

“Yes. It seems he wants to try and save some of the clan, but he’s not sure how many will be willing to follow him.” He toyed with his mug, his expression bleak. “I think he’s going to try and re-form the Clan within the White, with himself as the Clan leader.”

“That won’t work. Glorianna would never allow that.” Tristan was in no way strong enough to lead even the remnants of a clan as powerful as the Malmaynes. The loss of the clan was going to hurt the White.

“He thinks because he’s acting as her agent he’ll be able to persuade her. He may be right too.” Duncan smiled as Moira came into the room and dropped beside him. “Good morning.” He shared a sweet kiss with his wife. “How’s our Blade sleeping?”

“Like a baby.” Moira grinned over at Akane. “How’s our artist this morning?”

“Last I checked he was snoring.” Akane grimaced. “His coloring is off.”

Moira tilted her head and stole a sip of Duncan’s tea. “How so?”

“Everything’s…darker. His skin, his hair. Everything but his eyes.” His beautiful, sapphire eyes remained the same, thank the gods.
 

Duncan and Moira exchanged a worried look. “Maybe we should have a healer come in and look at him?” Duncan wasn’t asking Akane, but she didn’t mind. The bond between the Dunne siblings was strong, and Akane wouldn’t have it any other way. They were the ones who would protect Shane when she wasn’t there.

“Do you have one you trust?” Akane didn’t. Dragons healed fairly quickly, but were incapable of healing others. She’d never needed a healer, and the times when she’d worked with Jaden, the vampire had either been uninjured or waved off her concerns. She had no idea how quickly he healed.

“Oddly enough, yes, I think I do.” Duncan reached for his cell phone. “She might even be close by. Last I heard from her she was staying inland.”

“Inland?” That was an odd way to phrase it.

Duncan dialed and held the phone to his ear. “She’s a sea nymph.”

“You’re kidding. A sea nymph living
inland
?” Nymphs couldn’t survive far from water, especially sea nymphs. What was the creature thinking? It would be like a dragon trying to survive without air under her wings; it just wasn’t done.

“She’s special.” Duncan smiled. “Hello, Cassie. It’s Duncan.”
 

Akane couldn’t hear Cassie’s side of the conversation, but she could hear Duncan’s. It didn’t take the Sidhe very long to convince the nymph to come to the Dunne farm and look at Shane. “Thanks, Cassie. I owe you one.” He hung up the phone and pocketed it. “She’ll be here by sunset.”

“She was close by, then?”

“Yeah. Last I checked she’s been roaming the Midwest for about a year now.”

Which mean the nymph had aged a year. Without the rejuvenating powers of the sea the nymph would slowly fade away and die like a mortal, forever cut off from her watery home. Akane could think of only one thing that would make a nymph leave the sea. “Is her mate human?”

Duncan shook his head. “It’s not my tale to tell, but I can say that she has no mate or bond that ties her to the land.”

Akane twitched. She could feel Shane stir inside her; he’d awakened. She opened her inner sight, startled to see the jumble his usually bright power was in. Perhaps it was a good thing Duncan had called in the nymph. “Shane’s awake.”

“Good. Maybe we can get him to eat something before the healer gets here.” Moira got up and made herself some hot chocolate. “Gods, this stuff is bad for my hips.” She sipped some, groaning in pleasure. “But what a way to get fat.”

Duncan shook his head and smiled indulgently. “Drink up, sweetheart
.
Jaden and I will love you even when you put elephants to shame.”

Akane laughed at the look on Moira’s face. If the leprechaun’s expression was anything to go by Duncan would be sitting funny for more reasons than one.

Akane’s hand jerked, spilling lukewarm chocolate all over her. She blinked, trying to figure out why she was so unsettled. The visions dancing around her mate had taken on a sharp edge. “Shane?”

Moira hopped up and grabbed her coat. “I swear, that man gets into more trouble lately.” She threw Duncan his coat without even looking.

“Shane’s in trouble.” Akane was out the door in the blink of an eye, barely feeling the cold on her human skin. She shifted partway, allowing her wings free, her warmer dragon body immune to the chill. She raced toward Shane’s studio, her heart pounding.

Something was desperately wrong with her mate.

Akane eased the studio door open. She could scent no intruders in their den. Shane was alone. A hideous screeching sound emanated from behind the closed doors of the workroom. Shane must be working on another vision.

“Stop it!”
 

Shane’s agonized scream had her breaking down the door to the workroom. The sight that met her eyes had her gasping in horror.

Half finished sculptures littered the room. Razor sharp metal and glass shavings were strewn around the room like discarded toys. Shane, naked and bleeding from numerous cuts, was tugging his darkened copper hair, his eyes wild. Around him his lights danced faster than Akane had ever seen before, dark, hideous visions that were slowly pushing the fae into madness.

“Shane.” Akane stepped forward, ignoring the sharp debris. She crooned to her mate, letting her dragon song out, hoping to pull him back from the brink long enough to tell her what had happened.

“Akane?”

The plea in his voice nearly drove her to her knees. “I’m here.”

He winced, tugging his hair once more. “Help me. I can’t.”

“Can’t what, love?” She crept closer, intent on touching him, using her own body to calm him if need be.

“I can’t stop
seeing
.”

She winced. The visions were torturing him and they were not pretty. “I know, love. Touch me.” She held out her hand. “Touch me and I’ll free you.”

He stared at her outstretched hand. “No.” The strength of his voice shocked her. “I won’t give you this.”

Damn. He’d figured it out. She’d meant to try and steal his burden, take the visions tormenting him onto herself. Their bond was strong enough that she could do it, too. “Give them to me, Shane.” She could handle them much better than he could.

He shook his head. “This is part of it.” His eyes turned wild, his gaze darting all over the studio. “Blues and greens and whites. I need them.” He began tossing things onto the floor once more, his visions blinding him to her presence.

Behind her twin gasps sounded as Duncan and Moira arrived. She waved her hand behind her. “Stay back.”

A brief surge of relief crossed Shane’s face when he caught sight of Duncan, but within seconds he was muttering once more. Then, with a shriek, he swept his arm across the worktable and turned, running for the vault.
 

“Shit. If he locks himself in there we’ll never get him out.” Moira took off after her brother, her Seeming falling from her. She now bore the same dark copper hair Shane did, but her green eyes had darkened. Swirls of light brown decorated the leprechaun’s skin. “Shane! Get your ass back here!”

Duncan stepped carefully over the mess, his gaze glued to where his wife had disappeared. “He’s lost in his own mind. I’m going to try and calm the storm, keep him focused on one vision. When Cassie gets here, bring her to Shane’s vault.”

Akane opened her mouth to argue but the ex-lord of the Malmayne clan was already gone, following Moira into the vault after her crazed brother. She saw the calm of the Sidhe glamour ripple across Shane’s visions, forcing him to focus on one thing at a time.
 

Akane growled. She’d burned the poison from him the night before, hadn’t she? So what the fuck was going on?

Shane panted, sweat pouring from his skin in a stinking river. “You’ll weaken before she gets here.”
 

Duncan, eyes unfocused, his Seeming long since dropped, nodded. “I know. Can you put some pants on, please?”

Shane snorted and took the pants his sister held out to him. He blinked as another dark vision was violently shoved aside. “When the time comes you’ll need to strap me down.”

“What’s going on, Shane?” Moira, her hands on her hips, tapped her foot.

“We missed something during the purge, or it managed to hide from Akane’s flame.” He shivered, viciously cold in a way he’d never before experienced. “It’s in my mind, tapping into my visions. If it takes hold, you’ll have to kill me.”

Moira gasped. “Fuck no!”

“Fuck yes. I’ll turn on you and head straight for the Dark Queen.” He stared his sister down, ignoring the frown on her face. “Can you imagine what she’ll be able to do if she can see the future, Moira?”

“She won’t get you, love.” Akane smiled, the expression vicious. “Where do I need to tie you down?”

Shane sagged in relief. Akane understood what needed to be done, and his Blade mate wasn’t going to fight him on it. “My worktable.”

“That’s littered with glass! We can’t tie him there!” Moira turned to Akane, ready to plead his case. “He’ll be hurt if we bind him there.”