Midnight's Captive (Dark Warriors) (32 page)

“It’s bloody difficult to admit we need them and they don’t need us, but you wouldn’t have come here if you didn’t think they could help.”

Charon’s eyes lowered to her. She looked into the copper eyes, waiting for his decision. To her amazement, she watched the copper bleed away to reveal the deep chocolate color of his eyes she knew so well.

He took her hand in his, the claws and copper skin gone, before he said, “You’re right. We do need them.”

Laura had seen Charon calmly break apart fights in the pub, effortlessly broker deals with liquor distributors, and methodically woo women. She’d even seen him bravely stand up against Jason Wallace.

And through it all, she had known the loyal, steadfast, honorable man that he was. He made her heart pound and her blood heat. He made her believe in herself, but more importantly, she believed in him.

“Whatever happens, I’ll stand beside you,” she told him. “I don’t know how to work my magic, but I’ll use what I can.”

His lips lifted in a half smile that sent her stomach fluttering. “Thank you. Go back to the room. I’ll return shortly.”

Laura started to walk away when she paused, and then turned back to Charon. She rose up and gave him a quick hard kiss on the lips before she glanced at Con over her shoulder. Then she walked out of the office and softly closed the door behind her.

“What a woman,” Laith said with a whistle.

Charon looked at the door after Laura left. “You’ve no idea.”

He wanted to follow her back to the room and make slow, sweet love to her for days. Instead, he had to smooth over his loss of temper to the one person who could turn the tide of the war.

With his mind full of ways to try to talk Con into helping, Charon turned back to the King of Kings to find Con standing in front of him with a glass of whisky held out.

Charon took it and drained the glass in one swallow. “A twenty-five-year single malt.”

“You know your whisky,” Con said.

He shrugged. “I had no right to say those things to you.”

“Actually, you had every right,” Con said as he leaned his hips back against the desk. “It’s something I’ve told myself for centuries. But it’s also a balance we must keep.”

Banan moved a chair so that he could sit down. “The simple truth is that we can no’ interfere with every war that crops up, no matter how much we might want to.”

“It was a heated debate about whether we should take Deirdre out,” Hal said.

Laith walked over to the sideboard and grabbed the decanter of whisky and four more glasses. He handed Hal, Banan, and Guy each a glass before refilling Charon’s. “In the end, we saw the MacLeods escape. We were counting on them taking a stand.”

“And if they had no’?” Charon asked.

Con shrugged. “We probably would’ve taken Deirdre out ourselves, but then what would’ve happened to all the Warriors? The next question would’ve been, do we kill all of you as well?”

Charon swirled the liquid in his glass. “It’s easy for me to say what you should’ve done, but I think I understand now.”

“Each of you suffered, but look where you are now,” Guy said.

Charon snorted. “Fighting yet another
drough
. This one is stronger than Deirdre and Declan combined. How is that possible? Deirdre was alive for a thousand years and stole magic from countless Druids. How can Jason Wallace, who has been
drough
for just a year, be so powerful?”

“A verra good question,” Banan said. “One I’ve been asking myself.”

Con set down his glass and braced his hands on either side of him on the desk. “You are no’ afraid of us, are you?”

“Nay. You could kill me with barely a thought, I know, but I survived having my god unbound, killing my own father, unimaginable torture for decades at Deirdre’s hand, and controlling my god. I’ve been in battles with
droughs,
wyrran, Warriors, and humans. Twice now I’ve died by
drough
blood, and twice I was somehow brought back. There isna much I’m afraid of, but you are no’ one of them.”

Con’s smile was huge as he looked at Charon. “Good. Now, tell me your plan on how to get Wallace here.”

“That’s the easy part. He’s following Aiden and Britt. Britt is apparently some genius who studies blood. She’s found something, and Wallace doesna want her to share it with the rest of us.”

“Or learn more,” Hal added.

Charon nodded. “Precisely. He’s done a spell so that Fallon can no’ teleport them somewhere else. Right now they’re north of Oban, hiding in one of Galen’s old cottages he used.”

“Wallace might have prevented Fallon from helping, but I doubt Wallace factored in something a tad larger getting Aiden and Britt out,” Guy said with a sly grin.

All five smiled at Guy’s meaning.

“We willna have a lot of time to get them,” Con said.

Charon finished off his whisky. “I think we need to bring Fallon here first.”

“Get everyone no’ a King out of Dreagan. Except your mates,” Con amended before Hal could speak up. “Close off the road, and wake the rest of the Kings. We’re going to need them.”

“The rest?” Charon asked.

Banan winked. “Did we no’ tell you how many of us there are?”

“Nay.”

“Another time, perhaps,” Guy said with a wide smile.

“What about the distillery? Will you shut it down?” Charon asked.

Con shook his head. “Some will run the distillery as needed while others fight. We survived years without the aid of humans. We can again. Now, I think it’s time you called Fallon.”

Charon drew out his phone and quickly dialed Fallon, who answered in the middle of the first ring.

“Charon? What’s this plan Phelan is talking about?”

Charon smiled into the phone. “It’ll be quicker if I show you instead of telling you.”

“You told Phelan.”

He hadn’t told Phelan all of it, just that he wanted to bring everyone to one location where the selmyr were. “Please,” Charon said.

The sound of a sigh could be heard through the phone. “Where are you?”

“Dreagan.”

There was a long pause before Fallon asked, “Did you say Dreagan?”

“I did. I need you here immediately.”

“I’ve no’ been there. You know that. I can no’ jump somewhere I’ve no’ been.”

But Charon had already thought of that. “Let me talk to Galen. I’ll describe it to him. He’ll envision it, and then you can jump here.”

“It’s worth a try, I suppose,” Fallon said.

A moment later, Galen was on the phone. Charon described the parking lot of Dreagan to exact proportions as he and the five Dragon Kings walked out of the house to await them.

“Galen? Did it work?” Charon asked.

By the time he got the last word out, Fallon was standing in front of him. The leader of the Warriors did a quick glance around before he looked at Charon, and then each of the men on either side of him.

“Welcome to Dreagan, Fallon MacLeod,” Con said as he stepped forward. “I’m Constantine. King of the Dragon Kings.”

Fallon’s gaze jerked to Charon, who gave a nod of his head and pointed upward. They all looked up as a huge amber dragon soared over them.

“Shite,” Fallon mumbled in awe.

Charon couldn’t stop his grin. “They’re going to help us. We’re going to get rid of Jason Wallace once and for all.”

Fallon lowered his gaze to look at Con before he shifted his eyes to Charon. “And what of the outbreak of whatever it is Wallace caused in Edinburgh? I need Warriors there to protect the Druids who are trying to use their magic to stop what Wallace has done.”

“I hate to admit it, but Jason Wallace is verra intelligent,” Constantine said. “He wanted your men and Druids divided. Divided, your attention is split, thereby you willna see his true intentions.”

Charon pointed to the amber dragon they had been watching. “The dragons are our only chance.”

“I can no’ watch innocents die!” Fallon shouted.

“And Aiden?” Charon asked. “What will you tell Quinn or Marcail? That their son’s life mattered less than everyone else’s.”

Fallon’s skin turned the black of his god as he took the step separating him and Charon and got in his face. “You know that isna true.”

The deep threat in his voice didn’t deter Charon. “The only way to stop Wallace from getting to Aiden and Britt is to lure him here. We kill him, then his magic is gone. Whatever he’s done in Edinburgh will stop.”

“So you think.” Fallon whirled around, but didn’t tamp down his god. He paced a few steps away before he faced Charon again. “You didna want to be a part of us. You chose to live in Ferness instead of MacLeod Castle. Yet, you’re asking me to trust you now.”

“You didna have a problem trusting me before when you needed another Warrior.” Charon didn’t hide the fury bubbling inside him. He had expected this from Fallon, but that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt.

Fallon peeled back his lips to show his fangs as he sneered. “And how many times did you watch us battle evil while you did nothing?”

“How many times did you lift a bottle instead of helping your brothers?” Charon taunted.

Fallon launched himself at Charon, but suddenly Banan and Hal were between them. Charon wanted to shove Hal away from him. Instead, he took a step back.

“Our chance is now, Fallon. Make a decision,” Charon stated.

Constantine released an exaggerated breath. “He’s right, Fallon, and you know it. There’s nothing you can do about the outbreak. You can save your nephew and an innocent woman who just might be the answer to the Warriors’ problem with
drough
blood.”

Fallon instantly tamped down his god and ran a hand through his hair. When he looked at Charon, there was remorse in his green eyes. “I never liked having to choose who lived and who died. Let’s get to the details of your plan before Wallace, the bastard, reaches Aiden.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Aisley sat in the front seat of the Jaguar as Dale drove. She was careful to keep her face passive since Jason and Mindy were in the backseat.

Even now, Aisley could feel Jason’s eyes on her. The five raised gnashes along his left cheek emphasized his eyes even more, making him look more sinister—if that was possible. He was always watching her, as if he knew the dark, desperate thoughts she had in the early hours before dawn.

He should know that they were just thoughts. She would never—
could
never—leave him. He had ensured that.

“Why do they continue to run?” Mindy asked in her whiny voice that grated on Aisley’s nerves.

Jason chuckled. “Ah, but you would run, too, love. It’s human nature.”

“They’re Warriors.”

Aisley rolled her eyes and gripped the door to keep from telling Mindy just what a stupid ninny she was.

“They may have a god inside them, but they’re human,” Jason replied in a voice used for very small children or the mentally impaired.

It made Aisley grin. When Dale glanced at her while battling his own smile, she couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled up. Aisley quickly covered it with a cough.

They had been driving for a few hours, and she was ready to get out of the car. Being in such a confined space with Mindy was giving her hives. Several times, they had pulled over so Jason could go off by himself and do some spell.

The fact that he didn’t want anyone to see him caused suspicion to well up within Aisley. Not that it did her any good. She may hate Jason with a passion, but it did nothing to ease her position.

She was well and truly fucked.

“We’re close,” Jason said, triumph clear in his voice. “Verra close.”

Aisley rested her hands palm down on her legs. How many more times would she go into battle with Jason and live? She had been wounded already, and if it hadn’t been for Dale, she was sure she’d be dead.

In some ways, she welcomed death. It would get her away from Jason. Yet, her soul was promised to Satan. As awful as her life was on earth, she was sure it wouldn’t get any better once she was in Hell. Or would it?

It made her wonder if that was why Deirdre prolonged her life by killing other Druids. The power Aisley had wanted and needed when Jason found her had been too alluring to turn away.

At the time, she hadn’t thought her life could get any worse. Living on the streets, starving, with the thought of selling her body just to have food ever-present in her mind.

Then Jason found her. He’d given her food and shelter. He had somehow known of the meager magic she possessed and promised her the world.

Fool that she was, she believed him. Hook, line, and sinker.

There was no doubt she deserved what was coming to her. She could have turned away during the ceremony and refused to become
drough
. Jason would have killed her on the spot, but that would have been preferable to what she was now.

“Stop,” Jason told Dale.

Aisley withdrew from her musings when Dale pulled the car off the road next to a large farm. She looked at Dale, only to see him shrug.

Jason slapped the back of Aisley’s seat. “They’re here. Somewhere on this land, Aiden and Britt are here. They’ve no’ moved in some time.”

“They think they’re safe,” Dale said as he peered out the window. “Shall I have a look around?”

“No’ yet. We’ll wait on the others to catch up to us.”

Aisley saw the lights in the distance. “Surely Aiden wouldn’t have gone to the house.”

“Oh, no,” Jason said as he opened the car door and stepped out. “They’re attempting to hide.”

Mindy scooted along the seat and got out beside Jason. “Don’t forget they have two Warriors with them.”

“Who doona stand a chance against me,” Jason said, and put an arm around her. “You should know that.”

“I do. Just want you to be cautious, lover.”

Aisley rolled her eyes again. The two of them made her physically sick.

Suddenly, Dale’s large hand came to rest atop hers. “I’ve got a bad feeling,” he whispered.

“Me, too,” she agreed while nodding her head. “They kept on the run. Why stay in the same place now?”

“It’s a trap.”

Aisley flattened her lips as her gaze roamed the rows of wheat in front of the headlights of the car. “Yes. A trap.”