Forever and Beyond (5 page)

“Interesting.” I glanced around, not really getting it. “So, exactly who is
on
the Council?”

“They’re not here,” Aidan said.

“But we’re
in
the Council room at the designated meeting spot.” I wondered why we were called to the Council room when there would be no council.

Aidan leaned closer to whisper, “The Council is a private organization made up of some of the most powerful people in
Morganefaire
. We’re not allowed in without an invitation.”

“Ah, I got it.” I rolled my eyes inwardly. So, we were here to fluff our feathers like a glorious peacock and make a good impression.
If
we did our job well, then we
might
be allowed to meet the big wigs.

“This is the finest pretentious crap you’ll ever see,” Kieran said. I peered at his amused face, unsure whether he was being serious, or making fun of the gathering. Either way, for once I had to agree with him.

“Aidan McAllister and his companions have arrived,” someone said. The room fell instantly silent. Countless eyes fell on us. I could feel their prodding gazes on my back, brushing over my skin.

“We’re happy to have you back, brother,” a towering, blond guy said, inching forward.

Aidan took his hand and gave it a vigorous shake. “It’s good to see you again, Logan.”

Logan greeted Kieran, then turned to me. “And this is your lovely lady?” His hazel eyes narrowed in a scrutinizing look. Surprisingly, he seemed quite young, around twenty or twenty-five. I wondered why he called himself one of Aidan’s brethren when he was barely older than me. Maybe
Botox
, I figured, until he smiled and fine lines creased the thin skin around his eyes.

I returned the smile. “I’m Amber.”

“A beautiful name,” he said. “It suits you.”

Heat rushed to my cheeks. “Thank you,” I whispered, not sure what else to say.

“Your brethren have been expecting you,” another male voice said. My attention snapped to the man standing to my right: just as tall as Logan, but at least ten years older with black curls, and more poise in his demeanor.

He walked over to Aidan and bowed this head slightly while making a strange gesture with his hands. “Merry Meet, and may the three Gods bless you with honor, strength and truth.”

“
This
is one of the kickass Council guys,” Kieran whispered. “It seems like they might honor us with their presence after all.”

“Riley,” Aidan greeted him. They exchanged a few words but my attention was already elsewhere engaged. Behind Riley stepped someone I immediately recognized.

“Hi, Blake,” I said, taking in the tan skin and dark hair that brushed the collar of what looked like an old-fashioned waistcoat stretched over his broad chest. Even though the large room wasn’t fully illuminated, the pendant—a sapphire eye inside a triangle—dangling from a golden chain around his neck, shined unnaturally bright, almost as bright as the bronze flecks shimmering in Blake’s burnished gaze. I swallowed hard at the memory of the same dark eyes focused on me when he tried to kill me only a few weeks previously in the hope to stop the Prophecy of
Morganefaire
. Aidan let him live, but only if Blake never came near me again. And then Blake saved my life from a werewolf and Rebecca’s ghost, and asked me to bring Aidan to his brethren. He was once Aidan’s best friend so, naturally, I had forgiven him a long time ago, but my boyfriend hadn’t.

Aidan froze to the spot. Someone cleared their throat and then the room fell silent again. I knew Aidan wouldn’t greet Blake over a cup of coffee and muffins, but his icy stance and lack of willingness to acknowledge him
at all
took me by surprise. Aidan’s eyes swept over everyone but Blake, as though he wasn’t standing only a few feet away from us.
I wondered what would happen if someone locked them up in a tiny room, alone and with no means for escape. Would Aidan’s Scottish temper boil over? Or would they kiss and make up like normal people?

Blake took a step forward, then stopped in his tracks, his gaze shifting from me to Aidan, then back to me. “I’m glad you could come,” he said to no one in particular.

I elbowed Aidan in the ribs. He didn’t budge, so I shot Kieran an imploring look and noticed his set jaw and the burning fire in his eyes. The McAllister brothers might bicker over every minuscule decision in their lives, but they sure knew how to stick together when it mattered.

I heaved an exaggerated sigh and nodded. “We’re happy to see you.”

“Speak for yourself,” Aidan muttered under his breath.

“Why, where are my manners?” I continued unfazed, hopeful the McAllister brothers would get the hint. They didn’t. “I just realized I have yet to thank you for your hospitality.”

“I gather the accommodation is to your liking?” Blake said.

“Very much so. Thank you.” I smiled and raised my brows at Aidan. He just frowned back. That was about all the small talk I could make. If he didn’t take it from here soon, we’d end up with that uncomfortable silence that makes everyone start counting the seconds until it might be polite enough to get up and leave. I didn’t get guys. Why couldn’t they just put their primitive, alpha male battle on hold for a while and get on with whatever business they had with each other? Surely stopping the war was more important than mending their bruised egos?

Biting my lip, I tapped my fingers against my thigh and begged my mind to come up with something to say as my gaze shifted from one face to another. That’s when I smelled blood again. I peered at the podium, only now realizing it wasn’t a podium at all, but much larger—just like an altar, only with chairs set up around it. A few people had inched closer but didn’t sit down. They stood as still as statues, watching us like you’d watch a theatrical performance, their faces mirroring their curiosity. I wondered how much they knew about us, about the war and the prophecy.

A sudden sense of vertigo made my head spin. My vision blurred and for a moment I thought I might just pass out on the marble floor. I forced myself to take shallow breaths, but the unmistakable scent of iron and copper coming from the altar hit my nostrils nonetheless, and a sense of dread washed over me. My brain screamed that I needed to get away from this place, and yet my feet remained firmly planted onto the ground. Running wasn’t my style. Besides, my boyfriend needed my support. Okay, he didn’t exactly say those words, but he told me in the past how much he needed me. I believed him and would grant him my undying loyalty and support until the very end of time because, deep down, I knew he’d do the same for me.

People wanted me dead, which made me conclude my necromancer abilities posed a great danger to Aidan’s enemies. As of yet, I had no idea why because, surely, mediums and psychics could also talk with the dead. But as soon as I found out what those abilities entailed and why they were so special, I’d end up being of great help to Aidan and his brethren, or so my reasoning said.

Clearing my throat, I focused my attention back to the hall and
Morganefaire’s
residents, realizing someone had yet to break the silence. As much as I hated being the center of attention, someone had to do it.
Besides, with the scent of blood lingering in the air, I had to focus my attention on something more irrelevant.

“I like your style,” I said, pointing at Blake’s black waistcoat that made him look like an aristocratic undertaker from the Middle Ages with its medieval cut and the shiny material. I squinted, hoping it looked like genuine interest rather than a feeble attempt to avoid being blinded by the thing. “Is that satin?”

“Silk,” Blake corrected.

“Easy mistake,” I said. “They both originated in China, right?”

Blake hesitated, considering his words. “Yes, but silk is
natural
and satin is artificial. Silk is made from cocoons of silk worms and woven into clothes. A single strand of thread requires thousands of silk worms, which makes it more expensive and durable than satin.”

I nodded again. “Maybe your designer can make me a dress.” Not in a million years. “It would go well with—” I waved my hand, searching for words that seemed to have deserted me completely.

“You’re a horrible liar,” Kieran whispered behind me. In spite of the tense situation, his voice oozed with humor. I could’ve slapped the moron for having a laugh at my expense when I was doing all the hard work.

“So, who’s your designer? I’m dying to know,”
I asked Blake, ignoring Kieran.

“The dumpster,” Kieran muttered to Aidan, who seemed to want to stare a hole into the floor. Something went off inside me. I didn’t know what was worse: Kieran’s preschooler behavior, Aidan’s arrogance and pride, Blake’s talk about irrelevant things such as worms, or the smell of blood that just wouldn’t stop torturing me. Whatever it was, I just couldn’t bear it anymore. Didn’t want to. I turned sharply and shot Kieran and Aidan irritated looks, then grabbed their arms and forced them a step forward toward Blake, until we stood in a close circle. “Okay, I get it,” I hissed probably sounding like a lunatic. “Everyone’s mad at everyone else. Aidan at Blake because he tried to kill me. And Kieran—” I pointed at him “—because you feel the need for a rare display of brotherly loyalty. And you, Blake, I don’t know you long enough to know your motives, but I guess Aidan and you are even now that you saved my life. A life for a life. So let’s be friends again, and get this over and done with.”

“We’re not even. He betrayed my trust,” Aidan growled.

“I was protecting my best friend,” Blake said through gritted teeth.

A dangerous glint appeared in Aidan’s blue gaze. “You call killing my mate
protection
? You know exactly what happens to those who lose their bonded mates. Just look at Clare. It’s not friendship if you wished that fate upon me.” He took a menacing step forward until he stood mere inches from Blake. They were about the same size, towering over everyone else. Their gazes were locked in an intense stare, Aidan’s filled with hate, Blake’s mirroring something I couldn’t quite pinpoint.

“How could I have known she was your mate?” Blake said. “It’s not like you talked about your feelings for her. You told us she won the price and that we needed to free her from it.”

Blake was definitely digging himself an early grave. Or would his insolence help? Silence ensued and for a moment I almost dared a smile, proud of myself that I got them to talk to each other…until Aidan said, “A true friend would’ve known. I should’ve let you rot when I had the chance.”

“I proved myself to you time and time again,” Blake whispered.

“The blood of a traitor is worth nothing to me,” Aidan hissed. As if on cue, Kieran placed his hand on my shoulder, probably to prevent me from intervening. I shot him an easygoing smile to signal I wasn’t planning to because, deep down, I believe that whenever a problem persists, people have to talk it out like adults. I was confident they shared my attitude…until Aidan’s right hand wandered to his back where the sheath of his blade was usually located. Maya had removed our weapons, so I still wasn’t worried. And then something silvery caught the light, making me realize Maya might not have found all of Aidan’s weapons after all.

Aidan pulled out a blade, intent to use it. My stomach turned with fear and my heart began to hammer in my chest. The thought of a battle between life and death, of losing Aidan or seeing Blake harmed, froze me to the spot. The cave of my mouth became dry as pictures of blood covering the floor and walls invaded my mind. A low growl formed deep within my chest. My breathing quickened. I wanted to yell at Aidan to put the dagger away before it was too late, but the sound didn’t find its way out of my throat.

Somewhere to my right, a door opened and closed with a loud thud. A man forced his way through the gathered crowd and inched closer. Through the blood fog before my eyes, I noticed the black, leather armor protecting his chest and the metal spikes adorning his worn boots.

He took a deep bow before Blake, then stopped in front of Riley, ignoring us. “Iain of the Night Guard,” he said in a deep, guttural voice with an accent I couldn’t place. “A girl has been found. I ask for permission to stain the hallowed ground.”

“You may,” Riley said.

Aidan’s expression clouded. The tiniest bit of disappointment crossed his features as he slid the dagger back inside the sheath. I couldn’t believe the guy. Did he really want to harm his former best friend? Any distraction was welcome now. I let out a sigh of relief and craned my neck to follow Iain through the crowd, out of the hall and then back in. Another man dressed in the same attire including the spike boots walked close behind, his strong arms carrying the small bundle of a teenage girl. Her long, golden brown hair brushed the floor as he placed her by Blake’s feet, then stepped back and lowered his head, his hand clutching what looked like a silver sword fastened to his left hip.

The crowd gasped but didn’t dare inch closer. A murmur echoed from the enclosed walls and turned into a penetrating buzz that grew in intensity. My heart pumped harder, faster, until I thought my chest might explode any minute. I covered my ears and forced myself to hold in my breath so I wouldn’t inhale the copper scent that spread through the air like a blanket as I peered at the lifeless girl, ignoring the gathering crowd around me.

Her slightly chubby face, milky complexion and pink lips made her very pretty. Blake kneeled next to the motionless body and brushed her hair away from her face and neck, revealing unbroken skin. His hand moved to the nape of her neck, testing it, then down the contours of her body clad in a loose, green dress that reached down to her naked ankles.