Firefight in Darkness (3 page)

When she felt Lucian’s hand touch her shoulder, she whirled around, trying to replace the anger and resentment she knew was blasted on her face with a cheerful smile.

Suddenly, behind her there was a flash of gold light that bounced off the walls of the castle and lit up the courtyard. Her stomach clenched as she simply watched Lucian’s face.

The look in his eyes, that mixture of contentment and grief, staggered her.

“He’s here.” He murmured, smiling. “Are you ready to welcome him home?”

♦ ♦ ♦

That was really the million dollar question, wasn’t it? She thought unsteadily. Was she ready? Well, she was as ready as she was ever going to be.

But when she turned around to face the entrance gates and saw Thea and Sebastian emerge from the meadow, her worries and cares fell to the wayside. A thrumming excitement replaced it, pumping through her veins at lightning speed, racing her heart to the finish line.

Everyone around her lined up along the cobblestone pathway, all leaning over each other to catch a glimpse of Brock as he came through the gates. Blythe stayed where she was, Lucian and Liam holding her hands and Capri placing a supportive hand on her shoulder.

Thea and Sebastian paused just inside the courtyard, then parted and made way for the man of the hour.

When he walked through the gates and the golden light from the fireflies lit his face, Blythe felt her breath catch in her throat.

Good God, he looked like her.

Even though she was several yards away, she could see it. And it certainly wasn’t just physical.

There was an electricity to him that seemed to spark and ignite in the air, giving him a magnetism that was impossible to ignore. He walked like a king surveying his kingdom, and gifted his people with a smile as radiant as sunlight.

He was a large man, tall and built, but beneath the tailored gunmetal gray suit Sebastian must have given him, Blythe could see the weight age had added to his midsection. But this did nothing to detract from the power and charisma he exuded in waves. Even from this distance she could feel the shock of it to her system.

Applause erupted from those crowded around the walkway as he approached. To Blythe’s surprise, the first thing he did was go to Nyxa.

Though she couldn’t hear what was said over the applause and cheers, she watched him pull Nyxa against him and kiss her, a move that had Blythe rolling her eyes. And when he pulled away from Nyxa, crossed the aisle, and took Serendipity’s hand in his and kissed her knuckles in a gallant gesture, Blythe saw Rohan’s face redden with rage.

Annoyed, she waited for him to make it through the rest of the crowd, wondering if he even cared enough to notice she was there. She’d been told he was a ladies’ man, and that he was pretty self-centered, but those were not really things she considered to be faults so much as basic nature. But it was beginning to bother her that he hadn’t run to her first, seeing as she was his blood and all.

Thea and Sebastian followed Brock as he walked through the crowd, shaking hands and exchanging words with the others, and as he neared the end, Blythe caught Thea watching her carefully.

Realizing that she had probably been broadcasting her feelings all over her face, Blythe readjusted her lips into a bright smile and beamed in Thea’s direction. Even though the smile was more than a little forced, the moment Brock approached and shook Clynn’s hand, she felt a real smile itch to take its place.

He was so close now, and she could hear his words to Clynn even though she couldn’t quite process them. When he reached over to shake Lucian’s hand, then Liam’s, she felt jittery nerves spark in her system, combating with the irritation she was determined to hold on to so she could give him a piece of her mind.

She barely noticed the moment both Lucian and Liam let go of her hands and left her to stand on her own. Even Capri backed off, joining Rian as they all watched the two Fire Dryads greet each other for the first time in fifteen years.

When his eyes met hers…damnit, the same color and shape and everything…she forgot all about being annoyed with him.

“Took you long enough.” She managed, cocking her head and grinning at him, hoping he didn’t notice the tears she knew were hiding just behind her eyes.

“Jesus, Blythe…look at you.” Brock stopped and just stared at her for a moment, taking her in. His voice was deep and husky, with a hint of suave to smooth it all out. It was a voice that could command others, a voice people turned heads to listen to, one that you wanted to hang on every word and drink in every syllable.

She’d wondered before if she would notice the family resemblance. Now it hit her as though she had discovered her male twin.

Not only did they have the same eyes, they had the same wide mouth with the slightly fuller upper lip, the same lightly clefted chin and strong jawline. Even the same high and sharp cheekbones and the slender nose. And, she imagined in his youth, his now cropped white hair had been fiery red.

He was handsome…very handsome. But she could see the lines age and abuse had carved over his face.

“I always knew you were the best thing to ever come from me.” He announced, the initial shock he’d felt replaced by excessive pride. “Look at how gorgeous my daughter is! Takes after her old man.”

With that, he pulled her into a hug and held her close. Her face was pressed against his chest, her arms around him as her eyes closed.

This is…weird, she decided. He felt so different than what she was used to…and he smelled different too. Like stale whiskey and barroom smoke. She supposed it wasn’t an altogether terrible scent, but when she pulled away and looked at him, she felt she understood him better than before.

The past fifteen years had been hard on him. And, like many men, he’d turned to alcohol to heal the pain. Could she really blame him?

“Why don’t we give you two a moment alone while we all go inside and get seated for dinner.” Thea suggested, resting her hand companionably on Brock’s shoulder, her dark eyes on Blythe. “Take your time.”

With that, everyone began to file into the castle. Blythe saw Nyxa staring at Brock conspicuously as she walked by, her eyes not leaving him until she disappeared inside the castle. Rohan walked by with his arm securely around Serendipity’s waist, as though showing his ownership of her. While Blythe could understand his statement, it bristled her feminine pride to see it.

She stared after Lucian and Liam as they walked away, both turning around briefly to grin and wave at her before they headed inside. Her hand shot up to wave back, and she fought back the urge to cry again. Damnit, she had never cried so much in her entire life. What the hell was it about this specific occasion that was turning her into a blubbering fool?

“So, how’ve you been?” She tossed her hair back and turned to her father, forcing herself to act casual.

“Fine…I’ve been fine.” Brock glanced around the courtyard, marveling at nothing in particular. “Much better now, though.”

“I bet.” She smiled, only to have it vanish the moment he pulled out a flask from his suit jacket and took a long swig. “Wow, okay. I’m going to have to bet that isn’t orange juice.”

He stared at her for a moment, and then burst into laughter. The raw, rough sound of it echoed through the now empty courtyard. She waited him out until he’d finished, tears now in his eyes from laughing so hard.

He patted her on the back roughly as he grinned. “That’s funny, babydoll. Real funny.”

“I wasn’t trying to be funny.” She shook her head, trying to understand him. “I get it, okay? You’re an alcoholic. That’s fine, we’ll work on it.”

Insult flashed in his eyes as his smile faded. “I am not an alcoholic. A man’s got a right to have a drink now and again.”

“Sure, but most people I know don’t carry booze around in their pocket.” Annoyed now, she fisted her hands on her hips and stared him down, which was quite comical as she was much shorter and petite than him. “I don’t want to fight with you, but you’re gonna learn something real fast about me. If something bothers me, I speak my mind. And right now, this concept of you being an alcoholic bothers me. I missed out on having my father around for fifteen years, and now you’re basically insuring that I’m only gonna get another ten years out of you before you croak from liver disease.”

Again he laughed at her, this time more of a chuckle. “Don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself. Now, tell me what you’ve been up to. Did you miss me?”

“Well, let’s see.” Blythe began, feeling more than a little vicious as her temper sparked. “I suppose it would have been foolish to miss a man I was convinced was responsible for my good friend’s disappearance and her mother’s death. So no, I didn’t really miss you. And what have I been up to? Well, my own mother disowned me because I look way too much like you, which now I see is definitely true. Rohan hates me because I act too much like you, which I can also see is true. None of the rest of them respect me or give me the time of day because of what you supposedly did. My entire future was essentially blown to pieces the moment you were banished, and everyone has since been waiting for the day that I follow you down the black hole to hell. So, to sum it all up, life hasn’t been peachy, but I’ve done alright.”

She regretted her outburst the moment she saw the misery flash in his eyes. Cursing herself and her temper, she let out a whoosh of breath and felt her shoulders slump.

“I’m sorry, that was uncalled for.” Gritting her teeth, she looked at him again. “It’s been tough, okay? And I get that it’s probably been tough for you too. I suppose I just really wanted you to know what damage this whole bullshit has caused.”

“There wasn’t anything I could do, Blythe.” His voice was low, the pride and power diminished. Now he had the appearance of a helpless and miserable man. Seeing it, knowing the true face behind the mask he wore, humbled her. “Damnit, that night I didn’t even think about why Balgaire was in the courtyard, I just assumed he was fighting the demons too. It never occurred to me that he was the one responsible. And when the demon they captured confessed that it had been I who had let him onto the grounds, I had no defense other than my word. And with Rohan and Balgaire so eager to place the blame on me, citing my weakness for demon liquor and black market weapons, I had even less of a chance to prove my innocence. I didn’t see any way out of it; no one would believe that I had been in the dungeon working, for once.” He paused, bitterness in his eyes. “The one and only time I chose to work over going to a party.”

“So you left, because you felt that was your only option.” Blythe murmured, feeling sick to her stomach.

“If there had been another way, I would have fought for it. But there wasn’t. My fate was sealed. I’m sorry you’ve had to go through all this shit on account of me, babydoll, but I’m home now, and I intend to make things right.”

Biting the inside of her lip, Blythe considered his words. He sounded like he meant it, so she supposed she’d have to take him at his word.

“Alright. But I want you to cut back on the daily drinking, okay? It’s not good for you, and I want you to live a long time.” She cocked one eyebrow at him skeptically, then grinned and wrapped her arms around him. “I know I can be difficult. But you’ll get used to me.”

“From one difficult person to another, I think we’ll get along just fine.” Holding her close, he sighed deeply. “Now, let’s get some of that fine Euphorian dinner I’ve been missing these past fifteen years.”

♦ ♦ ♦

If she had had any doubts about her father’s charisma and ability to light up a room, they were squashed within seconds at dinner that night.

The stories the man told were vulgar, crude, and unapologetic, but they were damn entertaining. It seemed as though most of the people present had missed Brock’s antics, given the way they were laughing and cheering him on. And she loved watching Lucian and Clynn reminisce with him about the old days when they had all been young men, pursuing women, practicing their powers, sneaking vodka onto Euphora and getting piss drunk in the courtyard. Seeing her foster father light up with genuine happiness at having his old friend home made her feel much better. Maybe Brock wasn’t perfect, but just like when Capri had come home, Brock’s homecoming was filling a hole in many of their lives.

“This one time we were in Vegas for Clynn’s bachelor party, and Lucian and I take off to get a drink at the bar, and it’s got to be four in the morning by the time we head back to the hotel room. When we turn the corner of the hallway we see Clynn sitting against the wall in goddamn handcuffs, blood all over his face, and a shit ton of cops standing around. Lucian and me, we’re ready to get the hell out of there because we’re shitty and the last thing we want is to be interrogated by a bunch of human cops, but of course Clynn sees us and calls out to us, and so the cops flag us down. Turns out, we leave Clynn alone for less than an hour, and he manages to get into a fist fight with Roarke, which was a bad idea to begin with, Clynn, and of course Roarke kicks his ass and now Clynn’s outside in handcuffs and Roarke’s sitting on the bed in the room holding his head because he just threw up all over the carpet. Damn good time, wasn’t it boys?”

“Clynn got into a fist fight with Roarke?!” Blythe snorted, staring at Clynn incredulously. “What the hell were you thinking?”

Clynn flushed bright red, obviously embarrassed. Capri was watching him, amused. “Well, it was a long time ago…and if I remember correctly, he had called me a ‘pansy’ for not wanting to get a prostitute, and I corrected him and told him that I didn’t think it was fair to my fiancé for me to sleep with another woman.”

“Awe.” Capri beamed and patted his arm, obviously pleased. “That’s sweet.”

“So you went to blows over that?” Blythe still looked bemused, even as Clynn sighed.

“I don’t really…remember, exactly.”

Brock and Lucian broke out into raucous laughter, and many around the table joined in.

“It was certainly a memorable trip.” Lucian mused, looking nostalgic. “Things have definitely changed since those times. We can’t handle our liquor like we used to, can we, Clynn?”