Summon (20 page)

I wildly shook my head. “Don’t say stuff like
that.” I cupped my throat with icy fingers. Numbed by shock. “You’ll regret
it.”

Sad. He looked sad. “I wanted us together. You make
it so hard for me to love you.”

We stared at each other.

I’d gotten what I wanted, he’d stay, but him
setting me aside altogether was
not
the plan.

Breandan falling out of love with me wasn’t a
future event I’d contemplated because the possibility of a notion never crossed
my mind. Impossible. Utterly unfeasible, yet I stood, my ears ringing and face
blanched to the colour of bone, listening to him talk in the past tense as if
we were over.

My mind raced trying to remember if Ana warned me
of this.

My vision turned fuzzy, and my lungs burned.
“I–”

“Enough.”

I licked my lips. “It sounds as if you’re
saying–”

“I am done. Go.” Breandan waved his hand tiredly.
“This time watch me walk away.”

Hands laced at the nape, Breandan spun and left.
His hurried stride lacked the natural grace innate to our kind and was my only
clue as to his brittle state.

Shadows settled on the ground he left. The
emptiness of the space distressed me. Troubling in its significance.

He walked away.

I am done.

I blinked, fully expecting the space filled, for
Breandan to stand there as always.

An owl hooted.

Heavy-eyed with distraction, I swayed as the wind
buffeted my side.

You make
it so hard for me to love you.

I peered into the murk unseeing. A hysterical sob
echoed through the night. It took another shrill keening for me to realize the
ugly sound ripped from
my
throat.

I slapped a hand over my mouth, cold sweat beading
my upper lip as saliva flooded it. My skin felt too tight, clammy and chilled.

A lurching wave of nausea rose, and I doubled over
to vomit the blackness burning my insides.

How badly
I wanted you.

A phantom’s darkness swarmed at my back.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Breandan

Pathetic. Weak.
That was all I’d be if I looked back.
I am done.
Finished.
I’d
forsworn oaths. Watched my sister die. Shamed my family. I endured my Elder
suffering as his people lost faith.

All this was nothing when she smiled at me, but
she’d gone too far.

“Breandan, wait.” Ana ran up beside me, out of
breath. “I was talking to Conall when I saw–”

“You think you see so much but all you are is
meddlesome.”

“You’re upset.” She paused. “I help more than I
hurt.”

“Hurt? I’m not
hurting
I’m in
agony
.”

Her step faltered. “I promise if it all goes to
plan it’ll be fine.”

“And if it doesn’t?”

“What?”

“If Rae is harmed or ends up dead because of this
plotting what then?”

“The future looks perfect,” she argued. “Rae
returns with my father.” Her voice lifted higher with excitement. “The Loa are
destroyed and all of us are safe. Happy. No more death.”

“There is balance?”

“Is there ever really balance? Can the divide
between good and evil honestly be equal when a single decision on either side
can tip the scales?”

My stride quickened, but my tone stayed low and
accusing. “Well, you tell me what you said to Rae that made her believe going
off alone with a phantom to talk sense to her insane brother was in any way a
good idea. Tell me what you
saw
that
was so important, Ana.”

She skipped every other step to keep pace with me.
“Are blaming me for your argument? For trying to help save
your life
?”

Hissing, I invaded her space. “Tell me you didn’t
send the love of my life into that viper den in some misguided attempt to
protect me.”

Ana tilted her head. “Rae wants you safe.” Her eyes
were solid white with a pearlescent sheen, but they focused intently on me. If
you’d gone you’d die.”

“It’s
my
choice if I die protecting her. Mine. It’s not for you or Rae or anybody to
decide that my existence is worth more than the love we share.” I clenched my
fists and raised them to press against my temples. “I wish you kept your mouth
shut.”

She blinked away tears. “Breandan–”

I held up a hand and walked throwing an angry bark
of, “Just stay away from me,” over my shoulder.

I was furious at her but more so at myself. I’d
alluded to Rae our relationship was over to scare her into staying, but it
didn’t work, and now it was worse than if I’d kissed her and told her I’d be
waiting for her when she returned.

Fuming and lost to thought, I never felt the threat
stalking me.

The fist connected with my cheek and the knee to my
side doubled me over. A large, magically gloved hand smothered my war cry.

This
attacker knows of the changes to my power.

Dragged off the path into the trees, my tension
eased. Destroying me would be no easy thing. Any demon would know to strike the
fatal blow as soon as they subdued me. Quelling my apprehension, I expanded my
senses.

The healing aura that abutted my destructive one
drained the last of my fear.

Repressing the deadly magics itching for release, I
huffed in exasperation. Using magics wasn’t seductive anymore. I no longer
needed to draw from the Source because I
was
a Source, a river of magics once connected to Rae’s would become an ocean. Yet
I seethed from the argument, and I’d considered wielding it mindlessly.

Willingly submissive in a headlock, I glimpsed a
flash of bare skin at my captor’s ankle. Weighing the odds of causing him
deadly harm and finding it slim, I shrugged since he was clearly able to heal
as Rae could.

I grazed my fingers with as light a touch possible
across his skin.

Conall released me with a curse. His energy
quickened and healed the skin I’d withered with the brief scrape. Dressed in
armoured trousers, his hair was loose around his shoulders and his eyes sleepy.
A day’s beard growth shadowed his jaw.

The fairy looked dishevelled.

Lonely.

Irritating as it was, I wanted to ease his
troubles.

Rae’s Elder openly disapproved of our relationship
and tried to hinder it whenever possible. Admittedly, he had a right to protest
our union. I hadn’t asked him to bless the courtship, or my intention to
handfast with her. I grimaced. First at my thoughtless disrespect for the head
of Rae’s family then for already hoping she’d come back.

Gods, I am
wholly weak and pathetic.

I scrubbed a hand over my face and faced Rae’s kin.
“What are you doing, Conall?”

“You,” he stabbed a finger at me, “will not let my
sister think you do not love her.”

“This is what you wanted.”

He glowered.

I arched an eyebrow then slumped, not in the mood
to play games. Tired didn’t begin to explain how I felt. Conall didn’t
understand Rae and I hadn’t just quarrelled, but that she
left.
My head hurt enough, and I hadn’t the heart to tell him that
she’d gone without speaking to him.

“Move.”

“You are going to make me say it.”

“Please step aside, Conall. I head home.”

“To sulk.”

“Yes,” I snapped. “I am going to my dwelling where
I may find peace. There, I will curse you and your family’s name as does
everyone else.”

Conall rubbed his beard looked skyward then
shrugged. “Help me thrash the Pride Alpha instead.”

My indignation wavered. Grudgingly, I was intrigued.
“Why?”

“Maeve. Lochlann was not so distracted by the
vampire that he did not see them.”

Careless,
sister
.
Too bold too soon considering whom your Elder is.
“I fought Alec
before.” And I’d bested the shifter then. He was an Alpha now, but I was a
godling.

There was no challenge. Venting my frustration on a
demon I felt proud to call friend wasn’t honourable. If I did tag along, a
scuffle meant no more than a playful caution to me. From Lochlann and Conall’s
perspectives, it was a warning for the Alpha to abandon his Claim.

“I recall.” Accepting I wouldn’t be running after
his sister –
as is my usual gambit
–
Conall turned on his heel. “Well?”

Tempting,
so tempting
.

I shook my head joining him back on the pathway. It
was better for all if I overlooked how he’d manhandled me. The strain between
our families was serious enough with Lochlann and Rae at each other’s throats.
“Alec is cool-headed for a shifter, they are a fiery, passionate race. The male
is a good choice in mate for someone as reckless as Maeve. As for separating
them….” I shook my head. “Lochlann is wrong in this.”

Conall sniffed. “She is too young.”

“Not much younger than Rae.”

His gaze sharpened. “Exactly. Too young for a
commitment that means forever.”

In the interest of harmony between us, I ignored
his hidden meaning. The closer we drew to Lochlann’s dwelling the louder a duo
of angry voices drew.

Conall sped up in concern.

I held out an arm to halt him. Shaking my head, I
motioned him to wait for me on the path. I recognised the voices and knew my
sister wouldn’t wish the argument witnessed.

Reaching the edge of the High Lord’s private glade,
I was alarmed to see Maeve hysterical. She was a quiet soul, not used to
tantrums or outbursts.

Lochlann scowled at her. His taller height loomed
over her willowy frame. “You
will
listen. The shifters are leaving because they need to protect their land.”

“Liar.”

“Don’t be foolish, Eve.”

“You threatened Alec with death if he touched me
again.”

Lochlann glowered coolly. “And?”

“Continue to act unreasonable and this conversation
becomes pointless.”

“The Tribe will not accept a shifter as the life
mate of their High Priestess.”

“You’re eager to give up on love. I’m not.”

Lochlann’s face twisted. He swept a look of
disappointment over her as if he’d never seen her before. “What happened to
duty? The sister I know would never be so unwise.”

“Why is it, I’m the only one in this family not
allowed to follow their heart?”

He gripped her shoulders. “Breandan is an
exception.”

“He flaunted his relationship with Rae, and you did
nothing.”
Maeve’s eyes flashed. “You
let him. Why did you let him be an exception? Where was the honour in what he
did? He stole your betrothed without any consequence.”

“He suffers enough for his choices.”

“That is a matter of opinion.”

Head dipping, Lochlann nodded. “I understand it
seems unfair to you as the details are known to few. I am glad of that.” He
seemed to dig within himself for fortitude then straightened. “Rae never agreed
to be my betrothed. I was,” he cleared his throat, “wrong to force her hand. To
let the Tribe think she was mine.”

“Interesting. You changed your mind. I never
thought you weak willed.”

“Careful.” Lochlann’s eyes narrowed. “You do not
know as much as you think you do.”

“Neither do you. Is
your
affection is misplaced? If the Tribe can accept your unusual
choice why not mine?”

“What nonsense are you speaking now?”

“The vampire.”

He shoved her back a step then released her
shoulders as if she burned him. Damning truth flickered in the depths if his
eyes. “If you cannot talk sense you should be silent.”

“Did you want Breandan take Rae off your hands all
along?”

“Be quiet.”

“I wondered why after Daphne arrived every oath and
law he broke became unimportant. Is that why it took you so long to return to
us before? You disappeared for weeks.” Appalled, her voice was shrill. “Did she
ensnare you then?”

Lochlann’s eyes bulged.

The guilt streaking across his face had me
stiffening.
 

Had he known Daphne before Rae and I brought her to
the Wyld?

The idea would have been preposterous, but Lochlann
didn’t deny it, and so intrigued me. I’d noticed his preoccupation with Daphne.
I’d mentioned it, but his refusal had been so vehement I assumed he repressed
any attraction felt.

Catching this flicker of shame, Maeve barrelled on.
“Admit you want her.”

“Enough.”