Dark and Damaged: Eight Tortured Heroes of Paranormal Romance: Paranormal Romance Boxed Set (36 page)

“Lovely words you just spoke to Iris.” Evan swiped his sword through the air. “Weren’t they, my sweet?”

Seraphina turned into him and caught his cheeks with both hands. Shaping his lips, she kissed him. “Tender and beautiful. But how did you know they would fall in love?” She lowered her hand to his chest and kept it there.

“I didn’t. It came as the best surprise. I wanted each of them dead and wouldn’t have minded if the bridge had taken them out. But this is so much better, isn’t it? A real gift.”

Seraphina turned her gaze toward Connor, her eyes at half-mast. “Oh, yes, a thousand times better.” She closed her eyes, her lids fluttering. “To feel their impending loss is absolutely exquisite.” She kissed him again, only this time, her lips lingered.

Connor had to look away from so much insanity.

And he had to think.

First things first. He slowly shifted a still unconscious Iris off his lap, lowering her back to the cement. He arranged her on her side, facing away from Evan and his witch. He rose to his feet and moved to stand in front of them.

The couple was still lip-locked.

“Evan,” he called out.

The vampire drew back from the impassioned kiss, brows lifted. “Does my prisoner want something?”

“I do. I want you to let Iris go. She’s the true innocent here.”

“No one is innocent, Connor. She gave up on my wife and shortly afterward, you killed Heather. And tonight, you’re both going to pay for what you did.”

“You’ve got me and you can do whatever the hell you want to me. I won’t even battle you. I’ll lay it all down right now. Just let Iris go.”

Evan held his gaze, but his face hardened. “And you think this will do what for me? My wife will still be dead. I can’t even get one of the dead-talkers to make contact with her and lord knows I’ve tried. I probably killed eight or nine of them in the process.”

Until this moment, Connor had thought he understood the level of Evan’s madness. But he hadn’t. “You killed dead-talkers, who are mostly passive and kind? What the fuck is wrong with you?”

Evan, his arm still hanging loose about his woman’s shoulders, smiled. “Did you hear that, my love? Connor thinks there’s something wrong with me.”

Seraphina started to laugh and Evan joined her.

Connor turned to glance down at Iris. She lay prone, but something had changed. He was pretty sure she was waking up.

The time had come. He had to figure out some way to get her to safety.

***

Iris faced a cement wall, torchlight hurting her eyes, probably because of the drug she’d been given. Tears rolled down the side of her face. She’d awakened in time to hear Connor confess how he’d fallen in love with her. And it was pretty much the same reason she’d lost her heart to him. She’d seen his grief over the two children who’d died while caught in the violence of the
alter,
and her heart had been leaning toward him since.

Now they were both held captive by two sadistic people who’d gained power through their coupling.

The cement walls suddenly vibrated with information. She let it come, but the reality hurt her deeply. Violet had died here, in this place along with a lot of other witches. And Connor had been beaten to the point of death. Evan and Seraphina had brought them both back to the scene of the crime.

She heard Seraphina say, “Looks like your girlfriend is waking up.”

Iris didn’t move, however, but remained on her side staring at the cement wall. She needed to think. She had to formulate some kind of plan.

Violet’s death had slanted her own mind, maybe in the same way Heather’s death had tipped the scales in Evan’s psyche.

Her initial impulse to press her fingers against Connor’s temple had been nearly impossible to resist, which was why she’d shouted for him to leave.

Even then, she’d almost flown after him, craving revenge for Violet’s death. Yet feeding that beast had cost her how many years of solitude? And how much money had she thrown away on supposed private investigators who’d come up with nothing?

She recalled Sadie on the bridge, the red half-heart now like a beacon within Iris’s mind.

Her throat grew tight and more tears tracked down her cheeks.

She loved Connor.

She loved him.

And he was innocent of this crime.

Violet,
she whispered within her mind,
All is well
.

She felt fingertips on her cheeks again. Violet was here, she was with Iris. More tears followed. She held her mind open, hoping Violet could tell her something. She heard Connor calling to her, but she remained focused on Violet.

She waited.
Heather … here …

A jolt went through her. She’d heard Evan say he’d killed many dead-talkers for failing to reach his wife. But was Heather really here? Or was Iris in some kind of drugged-out state, conjuring things where they didn’t really exist?

But she felt a trail of fingers along her arm that felt very different from her sister’s. Then she knew. She was feeling Heather’s touch.

It was Heather.

Sweet Christ, what the hell was she supposed to do now?

One thing for certain, it was time to get moving. Slowly, she gained her feet.

***

Connor shouted at Iris. “Stay back. Stay where you are. I won’t let Evan hurt you.”

Iris answered him in a surprisingly strong voice. “And what about Seraphina? How do you propose to keep a witch from attacking me?”

He glanced her direction. He saw that she was on her feet, but she held her hands out in front of her and looked like she was ready to fall.

He went to her, supporting her around the waist. She turned to look at him, gripping his hand hard. “Connor.” Tears filled her eyes.

“I’m so sorry, Iris. I never thought … I never meant ... ”

She put two fingers against his lips, then slipped into telepathy.
You didn’t do it. You didn’t hurt Violet or any of the others. Violet told me and the photos support it. You were beaten almost to death, right?

He nodded.

Violet said you tried to save her and that’s why you were hurt. You never touched her
.

Tears burned his eyes. “Is it true?”

“Is what true?” Evan asked. “What the hell is going on?”

Connor glanced at the killing pair and watched Seraphina take Evan’s hand in her own. She had a shocked, frightened look in her eye. “Don’t you see? They’re communicating the way you and I do.”

“You mean telepathically?”

Connor’s telepathy with Iris meant something to the dark witch.

He slid back into Iris’s mind.
Do you see Seraphina? She’s scared
.

I know. But why is telepathy significant?

I don’t know
.

“We need to get rid of these two right now.” Seraphina’s voice had a hard edge.

But Iris called out, “Evan. I have good news for you. Heather is here. I’ve felt her presence.”

Evan stared unblinking at Iris. “What do you mean?”

“You’re wife. She’s here.”

“What’s going on?” Connor asked quietly.

She turned to him. “Violet’s here as well. They both are.” She gestured with a hand to the floor. “Violet died here.”

“I know.” His shoulders fell. “I woke up in my home with no recollection about what had happened. But my clothes. There was so much blood. I was sick for days. Besides having eight broken ribs and more bruises than I could count. And you’re sure I had nothing to do with Violet’s death?”

She touched his cheek, then leaned up and kissed him.
Absolutely nothing
.

Seraphina’s deep voice intruded. “How touching. But we’re off point. Evan, use your blade.”

Evan called out. “What do you mean, Heather is here?”

Seraphina gripped his arm. “Don’t listen to her. She’s a liar. And why would Heather be here, with Iris, but not with all those dead-talkers?”

Iris turned in his direction. “I felt her presence, Evan. And it was Violet who told me she was here.”

Evan’s eyes darkened and a heavy frown sat on his brow. “You’re a witch, not a dead-talker. Seraphina’s right. You’re lying.”

“I’m not. I felt her touch on my arm.”

Evan suddenly grabbed his own arm then looked around. He stepped away from Seraphina and sheathed his sword. “She touched me. I felt it. Heather?
Heather?
” His eyes went wild. “Heather!” he screamed. “I’m here. I’m here.” He turned in a circle, his duster flaring out as he moved. “
Heather!
”

Seraphina went to him and settled a hand on his shoulder. Connor thought he would slough it off. Instead, he grew quiet, his vision clouding over. “Calm down, dearest. The witch is lying. She doesn’t want Connor to die and she’ll say anything to you right now.”

Evan turned to her. “But I felt a touch on my am.”

She caressed his face. “You imagined it, my love.” She held his gaze. Even from fifteen feet away, Connor could feel Seraphina’s witch energy focused on Evan.

He nodded and drew a deep breath. “You’re right. I did.” He leaned close and kissed her. “Besides, she was my past and you’re my present and my future.”

“I am. 

Connor took Iris’s hand.
She’s spelled him
.

That she has
. She looked up at Connor.
We have a chance right now to end this
.

What do you have in mind?

Not sure, but when I figure it out, I’m taking the bitch down
.

***

Iris focused all her thoughts on Seraphina. She’d seen the look of panic in the witch’s eyes when Seraphina had realized Iris and Connor were communicating telepathically. But why had she looked so distressed?

Telepathy had to be a power indicator, but what ramification was she missing? Right now, she could communicate with Connor, she could sense him in strong ways, and he could use her killing power. Which meant Iris could probably employ Connor’s vampire abilities, but which ones? And how would that work?

Mostly, vampires fed on the blood of others, requiring the substance to live. But what they also had was increased strength, significantly more than either wizards or witches. If she was right and if she combined these two vampire traits, she suspected she’d have what she needed to battle Seraphina.

Connor, I have an idea about how I can render Seraphina harmless and she won’t be expecting this kind of attack. Also, it may not work, but I want to try. What do you think?

He turned to her, holding her gaze fiercely.
What is it you intend to do?

I’m going to bite her and put her in a vampire thrall
.

What?
His brows rose.

She knew he would start to argue, so she put a hand on his shoulder.
I’m going with my instincts. But the moment I sink my teeth, take Evan down because he’ll try to disrupt my attack
.

He gripped her arm in response.
Are you sure?

Of the outcome? No. That I must try, yes
.

He held her gaze for a long moment.
Then do it
.

I want you to protest what I’m about to say. After that, follow my lead. Okay?

I love you
.

Same here
.

Iris turned in Seraphina’s direction. “I’ll bargain my life and my witch power for Connor’s, right now. You let him go, and I’ll enter your coven and labor as your servant.”

Seraphina released Evan. “Do you hear that, my love? She offers herself in exchange for a vampire.”

“Do you believe her?”

“I don’t know.”

Connor grabbed Iris’s arm, pulling her toward him. “Don’t do this.”

Iris forced tears to eyes. “It’s already done.” To his mind, she sent,
Get ready to fall and make it look good
. As she pulled away from him, she swept her arms up and created a wind similar to Seraphina’s.

Connor stumbled backward and made a show of falling on his ass, then his side. He slid a good eight feet as well.

Iris ignored him and instead moved toward Seraphina. Each step caused her to feel more and more lethargic. The dark witch wasn’t taking any chances. She’d created her own spell, one meant to control Iris.

But it gave Iris the exact tool she would need: An appearance of weakness.

She didn’t fight Seraphina’s spell. Instead, she held out her arms and the moment she drew near, she let out a soft moan and fell toward the woman.

Seraphina caught her and that’s when Iris opened her mouth wide and took as much of her throat as she could. She bit down hard.

Seraphina’s spell evaporated because Iris’s hold on her shifted her focus. She tried to push Iris away, but Iris gripped Seraphina’s shoulders as well then bit down even harder until she tasted blood.

And it was that moment, when the metallic flavor hit her tongue, that she felt Connor’s vampire ability slam through her adding his physical strength to the bite.

At the same time, Seraphina became as docile as a lamb. She felt Evan pulling on her shoulders, trying to get Iris away from his woman, but she was part vampire now and she held steady.

His hold didn’t last long, either, because Connor had already engaged.

***

At the moment Evan attempted to pry Iris’s arms away from Seraphina, Connor levitated swiftly, caught Evan around his waist then twisted him away from the two women. The force he used sent Evan tumbling on the cement.

But Evan rose swiftly in response. He drew his half-sword from his sheath and charged, a wild light in his green eyes.

Connor was unarmed. But he had fifteen years of battling experience, having taken on all kinds of drugged out, hopped up vampires, wizards and shifters.

Game on.

Connor held his focus steady, waiting for Evan to make his move. Evan took his time, then finally lunged with a controlled swipe of his sword. At the same moment, Connor levitated backward a foot. Evan came after him with a series of quick cross-swipes that forced Connor to move closer and closer to one of the cement walls.

He knew Evan was trying to back him up against the wall so that Connor couldn’t escape the blade. But Connor had been around the block. When he was within a foot-and-a-half from the wall, he used his boot and pushed up and off, levitating swiftly at the same time. He rolled over Evan’s head and caught Evan’s neck in a chokehold then threw him to the concrete floor.