B00XXAC6U6 EBOK (3 page)

Ian was one of the most powerful vampires in all the Nine Realms. Even if Margetta chose right now to summon Invictus to chase them, they’d never catch up.

Regan faced forward as Ian flew her to safety. Dark Gorge was one of the wonders of the Nine Realms. It spanned both Camberlaune and Tannisford Realms as did the Dauphaire Mountain Range. The length of the gorge was nearly two-hundred miles with a high plain on the southern slope and the tallest mountains of all the realms on the northern side. Because not all realm-folk could fly, dozens of bridges spanned the gorge.

With one arm wrapped around Ian’s neck, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this close to him. But it had to be centuries. She could feel his numerous thick rings as he held her wrist to his mouth.

The sensation of his suckling sent shivers of desire all along her arm. Being this close, she sniffed his skin at his neck. His cologne reminded her of the forest, deep in the darkest places where the soil was rich with life-giving humus. She wondered what it was called. Whatever it was, it did something to her and she might have to buy a bottle just to enjoy the fragrance now and then.

She couldn’t believe she was here, in Ian’s arms, or that she’d escaped the powerful Ancient Fae.

For a month, she’d lived under Margetta’s rule and some of that time had been physically painful. Now she was flying through Dark Gorge and she was safe.

Tears of relief and gratitude stung her eyes. She took deep breaths to calm her spirit and silently sent prayers of thanksgiving to the Goddess.

She also couldn’t have done it alone.
Thank you for being there, Ian. I’d still be a prisoner otherwise. Thank you so much.

You’re safe. That’s all that matters.

Though she sensed he was no longer in danger of sliding into a coma, she was glad that as he flew he continued taking down her life force.

After a moment, her thoughts turned to the first day of her imprisonment. Though it wasn’t the most significant thing that had happened, it had meant everything to her.
Margetta burned my clothes when I arrived, including my coat.

Continuing to suckle steadily, Ian pathed,
The black leather one you were wearing when I saw you in Swanicott?

Yes.

Was it the same coat you were trying on at the open air market, what, thirty years ago?

She turned her face toward him a little.
I’m stunned you remember. But yes, that’s the coat.

He chuckled, a low seductive sound that reached into her chest and grabbed her heart.
I watched while you bought it then put it on for good. It looked great. You know that’s something I always liked about you. Here you were this serious fae teacher, almost a prophet among the Fae Guild circle. Yet you didn’t mind wearing black leather and a lot of make-up. I always thought you’d look good on the back of my Harley.

Her hand touched his bare shoulder, reminding her he never wore the traditional woven shirts all Guardsmen sported. The Guard coats hung to mid-calf but were sleeveless.
I had no idea you’d stuck around to watch me.

Oh, I did. Had a good long look. I almost headed back in your direction about a dozen times. Now here we are, flying down Dark Gorge together.

Yep, here they were, but she had no idea what would happen next. They’d spent the last few centuries in strained silence because of their previous relationship. It had ended with a lot of blame on his part, and heartache on hers. Now he’d rescued her from Margetta’s fortress.

We’re getting close to my house. You’ve never been here, have you?

No, never. But I heard Zane talk about it a lot, especially when the house was under construction. I understand Mastyr Seth inspired you.

He did. Absolutely. Though half my home sits on solid rock. Seth’s hangs off the side of the Walvashorr gorge. I also have a view of the mountains beyond and as I recall Seth’s is smack up against the forest.

It is.

When he began to slow, she knew they were nearing his house, or one of them. Most mastyrs kept several houses around the realm for security.

He finally released her wrist, but held onto her arm to keep her balanced against him. She had both feet settled on his right boot and felt perfectly safe. Of course, she had the ability to levitate as well, so she wouldn’t fall very far if she lost her hold on him. But she couldn’t fly nearly as fast as Ian.

He was a big man, just shy of Mastyr Jude’s extraordinary mass. And for a brief moment, her mind flew back, all those centuries ago, when they’d been lovers. How much she’d delighted in his body. He’d often laughed at her, at the way she touched him and did other things, saying she made a full meal of every muscle he possessed.

And so she had. But what woman with a grain of sense, finding herself with such a banquet beneath her fingertips, wouldn’t take the time to explore and enjoy?

Of course these were hopelessly errant thoughts. She had no intention of taking up with Ian again, not when he’d hurt her so badly. But was she tempted? Sweet Goddess,
always!

Yet, she’d kept her physical distance. He’d made his harsh opinions clear to her all those years ago and hadn’t changed his view of her character even a little.

But being this close to Ian, brought the best parts of their relationship fully back to mind.

When he slowed to a hover, then eased around a final bend in the gorge, she saw the house perched on an outcropping of gray striated granite. He’d built his home on the curve of the terrain so that from one side of the house there would be a unique view of an angled stretch of Dark Gorge. The eastern view took the eye all the way to the Leberion Plain.

You built very close to the Dauphaire Rim.

I did.

The geography of the land had steep cliffs in a two-hundred-mile stretch across much of Camberlaune, all angling slightly to the plain below. The region where the cliff was visible from the plain was called the Rim.

Ian pathed.
I wanted to be close to the largest portion of the population, yet in the center of the realm geographically. This seemed like the best choice. And I love the view of the mountains, the gorge and the plain.

Are there still only scattered settlements in the mountainous areas?

Yes, on either side of the gorge, shifters mainly. A few trolls. A bulk of the men are strong warrior types and belong to my Shifter Brigade. They do most of the higher elevation patrolling. The Invictus attacks are heaviest on the plain where the population is the densest, especially closest to the Rim. Although until Margetta kidnapped you, I didn’t know her fortress was on the border between Camberlaune and Tannisford.

She felt the weight of his comment like a drag on her soul. He was mastyr of his entire realm and like all the realm rulers, he carried the burden of his people’s safety. She wondered if she’d ever truly understood what ruling was like for him.

She felt a shudder run through him and she wasn’t surprised when he said. “It’ll be dawn soon.”

Any vampire caught in the sunlight would die within minutes. Fae were also sunlight sensitive, though not as instantly harmed as vampires. She would survive a few hours longer than Ian, though not by much. So, she, too, could feel the hour was coming when they would need to seek shelter.

I’m afraid you’ll have to stay here through the day. I know you’d rather be home in Swanicott, but I have a guest room you can use.

She chuckled softly.
You could tell me I had to sleep under a haystack for the day and I’d be completely content. Your home is more welcome to me than you’ll ever know.

When thoughts intruded of all that had happened during her month’s imprisonment, she set them aside. There would be plenty of time in the future to deal with the ways Margetta had tortured her.

Ian flew her to what proved to be the main entrance, though on the eastern side of the round, cliff-edge dwelling. Landing on a gravel drive, he led her up several wide stone steps. The front door was arched and made of clear glass with an intricate, protective metal design crisscrossing the outward facing side.

“I love this door,” she said, running her hand along the curves of one of the central metal supports. “It’s almost like something you’d find in the forest, like entwined branches.”

He opened the door for her. “When the architect showed me the design, I had the same response; it had the feel of the nearby mixed forest, especially some of the deciduous trees now that they’ve lost their fall leaves.”

She moved into the foyer, remembering just how much Ian’s warrior nature had a strange companion sensibility that her fae soul loved. Ian had even studied architecture at one time, though a couple of centuries ago. Taking in the lines of the house both outside and now within, she saw this side of his abilities in the complex design of the modern dwelling.

As he closed the door behind, a sudden whirring sound moved through the house.

“What is that?” She turned in a quick circle, wondering if they were under attack.

“It’s only the steel shutters. I wanted extensive views for this house which meant a lot of windows. In turn, I installed a system of heavy screens to come down automatically at dawn.”

She had her hand to her chest and tears touched her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

He took hold of her arm in a gentle clasp. “For what?”

She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, remembering how difficult it had been to get used to being imprisoned in the fortress. “I didn’t mean to sound so alarmed when the screens descended. The first week in the tower, I jumped at every strange knock, jangle, or creepy wraith-shriek. And there were a lot of those. I’ll calm down eventually.”

He held her gaze, his dark gray eyes full of concern. “Did she hurt you?”

Regan nodded. “She had a way of burrowing into my mind and causing pain.”

“Often?”

“The first week, yes.”

“Did she have a purpose? Did she want something from you?”

Regan slid her fingers into her hair, shaking her head. “I have no idea. She was so strangely composed the whole time. I think she was toying with me for her own amusement.”

Ian stood with his hands on his hips, frowning heavily, his gaze still fixed to her. In that position, each of his rings stood out because he’d made fists. They were all silver but none were the same, just heavy with a deadly feel.

“I hate that she had you imprisoned. I’ve died a thousand deaths out there, hoping, praying we’d connect, that I’d be able to get you away from her.”

She tilted her head. “Ian, have you been near the fortress all this time, since I was abducted?”

He nodded. “From the time I located the mist and that was two days after you were taken.”

She looked into smoky gray eyes, so familiar to her. When he would make love to her, he always held her gaze and she’d loved it. She’d forgotten how handsome he was in his rugged way. He had broad cheekbones angling to a strong jaw. His lips were full and his nose somewhat hawkish, especially when he flared his nostrils like he was now.

“Are you wearing perfume?” he asked.

She had to laugh. “I’ve been in a tower prison, remember?”

“Right.” His frown deepened and his hand shot to his stomach. “Oh, shit. No.”

She reached out and touched his shoulder, his skin warm against her fingers. “What’s wrong?”

His gaze shifted back and forth over her eyes. “How do I smell, right now? To you?”

She shrugged slightly, then smiled. “I used to take long walks into the forest behind the Fae Guild retreat. My favorite path took me maybe three miles away from the compound. It was so deeply shaded that at night even my fae vision had a hard time warming it up so I could see. But the smell in that particular location was very dense and rich, full of humus, the kind you’d collect to feed your garden. That’s what I’m getting from you right now, a rich forest scent, where ferns live and where the soil could grow anything. So what kind of cologne is it?” She was smiling at him, but he looked frighteningly sober in return.

He narrowed his eyes. “And was that true a few centuries ago, when we were together? Did you smell this cologne on me then?”

“No. You never wore cologne, even though you could have. I know that some of the elven population were quite adept at blending fragrances all those centuries ago.” She forced her mind to flow backward, recalling the intensity of their relationship, of making love with him and savoring every part of his body. She shook her head several times, needing to dispel the memories. She could feel her desire for him rising the longer she stood so close to him.

“I still don’t wear cologne, Regan. It’s not my thing.”

He didn’t say anything more, yet his silence forced her to consider.

Her gaze fell to his hand on his stomach, and she finally got the picture. “Wait a minute. No. Ian, no. This can’t be. Oh, sweet Goddess. Tell me you’re not free of pain.”

“Yes, and that makes you—”

“A blood rose.”

At that, he turned away from her and let go of a long string of obscenities. “This is why I was so obsessed. Why I had to follow after you. Why I stuck around at the wall of mist.” He wasn’t looking at her as he spoke, but had turned toward the living room. Steel shutters now covered several broad panels of glass, leaving the space as though it was still night. With her fae internal clock, she could tell the sun was close to breaching the horizon. She couldn’t leave now if she wanted to.

“What do you mean, obsessed?”

He held his hands wide. “The only person I brought to the granite outcrop was Ben and even then I felt uneasy because he was there. I wouldn’t let anyone else come with me while I waited at the gorge. I told Ben it was because I needed him to take charge of the Vampire Guard, but it always felt like more, like I didn’t want him or any other vampire near you.”

Tears bit her eyes as she glanced once more at his stomach.

“Hey, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“It’s not what you think. I’m just suddenly so grateful you no longer have pain. And I was able to do that for you.” All mastyr vampires suffered crippling stomach agony as a result of chronic blood starvation. She’d fed him often back when they’d been together, but he’d never been free of pain as he was now.