Carrier 02: Shadow of the Mark (14 page)

“I wanted to tell you, but I couldn’t,” Chloe said, her voice cracking a little.

I reeled. My suspicions had been right. “Last night, in the parking lot, when Adam and I saw you—”

“I was waiting for you. But I couldn’t let my partner know what I was up to.”

“You knew we’d come?”

Chloe shook her head. “No. But I was pretty sure you’d react the way you did.”

Rían glared at her. “All the phone calls when you were in the UK, they were all lies? You were in Cork all along.”

“No, I was in the UK, I swear. I was waiting on my orders.” Chloe moved toward him. “I hated lying to you, Rían. Please believe me.”

Rían stepped forward, closing the distance between them, and his eyes flared. “And if we didn’t fall for your little charade, what then? How far were you willing to take the lies?”

“We had another plan in place.”

“Another plan? What was that?”

“It doesn’t matter now.”

Cú pushed them apart. “Chloe had to employ rather drastic measures after she defended Megan in Cork City and you all became suspicious of her. I’m sorry, Rían, but we had no other choice. Please don’t take it out on her. She did it under orders with honor in her heart. And I assure you, it was a means to an end, and end it must. For good.”

“Don’t I get a say?” Rían demanded.

Cú went still. “Nobody gets a say. It was an illusion to serve a purpose. If you had discovered the Knights before we got you here, we’d never have had an opportunity to talk like this. The Order would never have allowed it. But now their hand is forced. We can unite, the Order and the Knights. We need to work together for what is to come.”

“We can still walk away,” Adam said.

“You can, Adam, but it would be unwise.”

“Why?”

“Because there is so much at play here. So much you don’t understand.” Cú turned and looked at me. “Give me the opportunity to help you.”

Áine flexed her fingers and stared at them. “Help us with what?”

“With what’s to come,” Cú replied.

“And what exactly is coming?” Rían asked.

Cú took a deep breath. “Destiny.”

Rían laughed. “What a load of crap. We’ve heard it all before.”

“You
think
you’ve heard it all before, but you haven’t. Let me come back to Ireland with you. I’ll explain all when the time comes.”

“Why not now?” I asked.

“Because events must unfold. Intervention may change its course or delay the outcome, but the end point is inevitable.”

Áine’s eyes flickered. “So what’s the end point? The alignment?”

Cú shrugged. “We’ll only know the inevitable when it happens.”

“Ugh! You’re as bad as the Order,” Rían said, throwing his hands in the air.

“Trust me when I say we are not.”

“You just said trust had to be earned.”

“And this is where I start earning it. I’m coming back to Cork with you. It’s high time my brother and I had a heart-to-heart.”

C
hloe led me upstairs to a pretty room decorated all in white with small blue and pink flowers on the bedspread and curtains. There was a pair of pajamas laid out on the bed, and a fire was crackling away in the small white fireplace.

“You knew we’d stay,” I said.

“It was more like wishful thinking.” Chloe turned away, not meeting my eyes. “Áine, you’re in here.” She pushed the door open to a room just across from mine. “Adam, Rían, you’re down here.” She walked to the end of the corridor and pushed two doors open. “Take your pick.”

Cú stood at the top of the stairs. “Breakfast is in the dining room at seven a.m. sharp. We took the liberty of setting the alarms in your rooms. Sleep well.”

Rían went into his room and slammed the door.

Adam leaned down and kissed my cheek, whispering, “See you in a few minutes.”

I closed the door softly behind me and got into pajamas. I stood in front of the fire, warming my cold feet and trying to sort through everything that had happened. There was a soft tap on the door. I looked over expecting to see Adam’s face, but it was Chloe.

“What do you want?” I asked.

“A chance to explain.”

I glared into the flames. “I defended you. When everyone doubted you, I was the one who convinced them otherwise. Do you have any idea how stupid I feel?”

“I thought you might understand. I thought we could still be friends.”

“You thought wrong,” I said, glancing at her. “I trusted you, and you used that against me.” I moved toward her. “I’m sick of being the weak one, the one who has to be protected.”

“Trust is not a weakness, Megan. It’s what makes you strong.”

“Tell that to Rían. Because going on that theory, he hasn’t got much strength left in him.”

Her bottom lip trembled. “What I feel for Rían is real. I . . . I just . . . if the Knights found out about him and me, I’d lose my star and my place among them.”

“After your earlier display, they have to all be guessing.”

She shook her head. “No! They’d never believe I’d cross that line.”

“And yet you did.”

“I had to. Cú told me to do everything in my power to maneuver you to where we needed you.”

“You really don’t care who you hurt as long as you get what you want, do you?”

“It wasn’t about what I wanted. It’s what’s best for the Marked and for the Knights. Don’t you see that?”

“All I see is a heartless liar who betrayed her friends, her boyfriend, and even her own kind.”

“That’s not true! What I did, I did with honor. The Cup of Truth would have exposed me if it were not the case. The Knights are my family. They’re all I’ve known since Cú took me in. It hurts so much to lie to them, but it is for the greater good.”

“So what do you want from me? Permission to toss Rían aside just because you’re afraid of the consequences?”

“I thought you of all people would understand.”

“Me! Every day that I’m with Adam, I’m reminded of the repercussions of us being together, but you don’t see me running away.”

The silence that followed was interrupted by a gentle knock on the door. Adam popped his head in. “Are you decent?” He pulled up short when he saw Chloe.

“I was just leaving.” Chloe marched out.

“What was all that about?”

“Ugh!” I covered my eyes and dropped onto the bed. “I’m officially turning into a bitch.”

“That’s not true . . . you’ve always been a bitch.”

“You’re hilarious.”

Adam laughed. “You know you’re not a bitch.”

“I am. I’m a horrible person. I’ve hurt you and Rían, I’m lying through my teeth to my dad, taking advantage of his girlfriend, and I just told Chloe she was a coward.”

Adam sat down beside me. “That’s quite a list. What’s this about taking advantage of your dad’s girlfriend?”

“Remember how she said she’d cover for me, so I could come here? She took my dad to Paris. Paris! And he’s been leaving me messages telling me what a wonderful daughter I am. I feel so horrible.”

“Everything is going to be okay. Look, your dad is blissfully unaware of anything right now, so stop freaking out. As for Petra”—he gently lifted my chin, tilting my face to his—“just be thankful she seems eager to help.” His finger ran along my jawline, then slowly down my neck.

“I guess.”

“Driving yourself crazy isn’t going to solve anything.” He pulled back the duvet and we sank in under it, listening to the sizzling of logs on the fire.

The flickering glow created a light display on the wall and Adam’s face. The room was filled with the warm, nutty smell of slow-burning logs, bringing back memories of cozy Christmases with Dad, back when things were simpler. I sighed. “We’re good, aren’t we, Adam? I mean . . . we never really talked about what happened with Rían.”

He moved his face closer to mine until our noses were touching. “We’re good.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, letting my lips brush his.

“Don’t be. In a weird way, it’s given me new hope. If the elements are reacting among all of us, maybe what’s going on isn’t something signaling truth in a prophecy. It might just be the way they interact.”

“I hadn’t thought of it like that.” I leaned into him and kissed him softly, but then for the first time since our tryst in the yard, I let go of my inhibitions, testing the boundaries of where I could take this. I climbed over him on my hands and knees and kissed him until we both were gasping.

He gripped my shoulders as I pushed him back. “What are you doing?” he said.

“Testing your theory.” I grabbed his hands. Holding them tight, I pushed them over his head and lowered myself onto him. I met with little resistance as my lips worked over his face and shoulders. The wind whistled outside the window, and the branches of a tree thrashed against the side of the house.

Adam moaned, dropping his head back with his eyes closed. “We should stop.”

Keeping my lips on him, I whispered against his skin, “No, we should keep going.”

Adam’s eyes opened, and he pushed himself onto his elbows. “No, we should stop.”

Heat prickled over my skin as the wave of sensuality that had engulfed me slowly rippled away like a fine silk sheet slipping to the floor. “I’m so sorry, I just . . .”

Adam smirked. “Don’t apologize, I’m not complaining.”

“No . . . I . . .” I climbed off him, breathless and dizzy with embarrassment.

“Megan.” Adam leaned forward to pull me back. “I want this too—I’m just not . . . prepared, if you know what I mean. I wasn’t exactly thinking safe sex when I packed my bag this morning.”

I wanted the mattress to open up and swallow me whole. “I’m not usually . . .”

He raised his eyebrows. “A deviant sex kitten?” He pulled my hands away from my face and kissed me.

I kept my eyes closed, still embarrassed.

He put his lips to my ear and whispered, “Is my Megan in there? Megan, if you can hear me, be strong. Some wanton goddess has taken control of your body. But I will—”

I started laughing.

Adam opened his eyes wide in mock relief. “Megan! You fought off the evil temptress! You came back to me.” His face suddenly softened as he dropped the act and raked his fingers through my disheveled hair, holding it back from my face. “I love you.”

My hand crept up to his cheek. “I love you too.”

“It’s beautiful here, isn’t it?” Cú said as we left for the airport the next morning. Just as we were throwing our bags into the trunk, a small fox appeared from the woods behind him. Cú crouched down onto his knees and petted the fox adoringly. “I’ll be back soon, my old friend. Can you keep an eye on things?” The fox nudged him in the leg, then sat patiently and watched us getting into the car.

Without a word, Áine jumped out of the car and ran off into the woods.

“Where is she going?” Cú asked.

“Who knows,” Rían replied, standing up on the step of the Jeep and leaning over the roof.

A few moments later, Áine reappeared. Her knees were covered in snow, and she had a bulge in her coat.

“What is that?” Adam asked, climbing out of the car.

“I heard him calling. He was cold.” Áine unzipped her coat. Inside, a fox cub was nestled against her sweater.

Cú pulled the baby fox up by the scruff. “He’s a scrawny little fella. Looks like he’s been out all night.”

“He was waiting for his mother to come back, but she didn’t,” Áine said, taking the cub from Cú. “What should I do with him?”

Cú wiped his hands on his pants. “Put him back where you found him.”

Áine rubbed the shivering cub. “But he’ll die! He’s frozen as it is.”

“You can’t intervene with wild animals, Áine. The strong survive. The weak do not. It’s the law of nature.”

“But don’t you see? This fox cub called to me. I normally have to call to them.” Áine gave Cú a cold look. “He’s special.”

“Your senses are just maturing. He’s not special,” Cú said gruffly, getting into the car. “Now, come on.”

Áine stomped back toward the house, muttering to herself.

“What are you doing?” Cú shouted out after her. She didn’t answer.

Adam smiled. “That’s Áine. She’s not going anywhere until that cub is warm and happy.”

“Oh, for Christ’s sake! Áine, wait!” Cú got out of the car and jogged after her.

Adam leaned against the door and crossed his arms over his chest. “So what’s the story with you and Chloe?” he asked Rían.

Rían scowled. “Nothing.”

“Didn’t look like nothing this morning when you were creeping out of her room.”

Rían moved close to Adam. “Just keep your trap shut. If Cú finds out that we’re hooking up, he’ll spaz out.”

“So what, you kissed and made up?”

“Look, I’m as pissed as you that we were conned into coming here, and I wouldn’t trust her as far as I could chuck her, but . . .” He backed away from Adam, and grinned. “I kinda dig the good-chick-bad-chick thing she has going on.”

Adam scowled and kicked the snow. “You’re twisted.”

“It gets better. She’s coming back to Ireland with us.” Rían laughed and jumped into the car.

Adam winced. “What?”

The sound of the front door closing signaled the return of Cú, followed closely by Chloe and Sebastian.

“They’re coming with us?” Adam asked, glaring at Chloe and Sebastian.

Cú smiled. “Where I go, they go. Sebastian, you take the rental.”

I nudged a reluctant Adam into the Jeep and gazed back at the house. “Where’s Áine?”

“She’ll be out in a minute,” Cú said, starting the engine.

A second later, Áine ran out of the house with her bag on her shoulder and a huge smile across her face. “He’s all wrapped up warm by the fire.”

Cú held his head in his hands and grimaced.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“Just a headache, is all. Come on, let’s get going.”

We stepped off the plane into the cool, damp air of Ireland, so different from the icy, dry cold of Sweden. I speed-walked for the cover of the terminal, pulling Adam closely behind me. Áine dashed past us. “What’s the rush?” Adam said, half laughing.

While Cú, Sebastian, and Chloe waited for the luggage, I walked through customs with the DeRíses and into the arrivals hall.

My breath caught when I saw Fionn. He stood rigid, anger etched in the lines of his face.