Danea (14 page)

“Shall we find a quiet corner, Danea?”

She nodded and moved to his side. He was tall and well built. She was accustomed to women staring and finding excuses to speak to him. His hair was dark and his features angular and well-tanned. All that time in the tropics only managed to enhance what had come naturally to him, she thought. And here she was, a pale Arctic girl. His child.

“
I was surprised to hear you were in the area. I know how much you dislike the cold,” she commented idly.

“The gull?”

“Galileo keeps an eye on the neighborhood,” she returned with a slight nod. “I’m not returning with you. I have a business now,” she said when he selected a table and sent one of the men with him off for drinks. “I don’t…I don’t know why you’re so intent on this but I’d really like it if you just let me have my own life.”

She was trying for diplomacy. Partly because he had always been nice to her when she was growing up, despite throwing the perfection of her sisters in her face on a regular basis.
Okay, maybe nice is the wrong word. He never got in her way when she swam the oceans for hours on end. So much to see; so much to explore.

“Would you please sit down?”

“I really can’t stay,” she told him with a slight wince and a quick glance at the watch on her wrist. “I’m running a little late as it is and…well, I have plans…”

“This isn’t something that will be resolved in a few minutes, Danea,” Daqonet gazed at the casual style of dress and shook his head. “There are times I find it most difficult to believe you are my daughter.”

“That is something you and mother need to discuss, not me. If I’m not, then please make this easier on us both and leave me alone,” she asked softly. “There is nothing to resolve, Dad. I don’t fully understand what you want from me. I don’t have any powers. And believe me, I am definitely not good at…at conquest or taking over things like your territory.”

“You must,” he growled, momentarily forgetting the calm that he’d displayed. He pulled himself up straight, dark lashes narrowed. “I’ve tested Tamara. It must be with you. You, who weren’t supposed to be!
You were supposed to be nothing more than a final fling before I performed my duties!”

Danea jerked back at the verbal attack. It was just as vivid as if she’d been slapped across the face
and hurt more.

“I’m just a girl,” she whispered painfully, her head shaking numbly. “Mother told you that over and over!”

His laugh was hard and angry. “Do you honestly believe I would trust anything your mother says? My scientists and researchers will evaluate you. I am…” his jaw tensed. “Requesting…that you return with me for a short time and allow them to examine you.”

“I don’t want to
be poked and prodded…” her head shook frantically.

“No,
she won’t be going with you.”

Danea spun on her toes, almost falling over at the hard, sharp warning in the simple words. She took the scant two steps forward, her arms up instantly.

“Noah! Wade!” A small sob escaped the tight grip she’d held on her emotions.

Noah wrapped her against him for a long minute before sliding her into Wade’s arms. His gaze never left the man sitting in a casual recline on the cushioned bench
seat. Nor the two guards he had flanking him, quiet and deadly looking. And yet again, he received nothing but humanity from his senses.

“Are you alright, Danea?” Wade held her against him, one palm up and stroking over her head.

“I am…and I’m really glad you’re both here. I want to go home,” she said in a quick rush, a shiver running the length of her before she could stop it.

“This doesn’t concern you, sheriff.”
The stare he offered was dispassionate. But not for long. “Or you, Fae.”

“If it concerns Danea, it concerns us,” Noah said simply. “Do us both a favor and consider this over. Right here. Right now. Dani said she doesn’t want to go with you. I don’t know what the deal is, but she’s over eighteen and making her choices.”

“Do you honestly believe your human laws would contain anything I chose to do?” He said with cold disregard.

“Since you already know we aren’t full humans, I think you’re wise enough to realize that we can handle things without involving the law,” Noah answered just as coldly.

“You’ve taken a lover,” he accused brusquely and straightened on the bench.

“She belonged to me,” Matthew said quietly.

“I am not property!” Danea whispered furiously, pushing against Wade and straightening her shoulders squarely. “I decide who I want to be with. I am not a…a gift that my father can give you, Matthew. I told you that a long time ago,” she said with a sorry shake of her head.

“Your mother…I should have taken you to raise when I realized…
you should have never been allowed such liberties. But we both believed you were nothing but a girl.”

“Good bye,” Danea said firmly. “I only came here to try and make you stop sending people to give me your messages. I’m not returning to your home. I can’t. I like living here. I like my business. Why is that so very hard for you to understand?”

“You don’t belong here,” he told her without hesitation.

“I don’t have what you want,” she whispered, her head shaking. “I don’t. I’m just a girl. Goodbye,” she turned and kept her head up and eyes staring on the path to the main entrance.

Chapter Thirteen

Wade stepped forward, his hand on Noah’s arm. “Stay with her. I want a few words with Daqonet about his daughter.”

Noah opened his mouth but quickly closed it
. He turned and stormed out purposefully to track down Danea.

Wade looked at the older, handsome and well-dressed man. “Why are you so anxious that Danea return to your home with you?
What type of power do you believe she possesses?”

“That isn’t your concern or your business. It was a mistake allowing Camelia to raise the child,” his head shook, the expression on his face one of distaste. “She filled that child’s head with…with delusions about the
place of a female in the world.”

“Danea is a compassionate, intelligent woman. What would you have filled her head with? How to placate the males in her life?” Wade wanted answers that Danea seemed very reluctant to share with them. And whatever it was troubling her had to be removed before they could settle down to fully claiming their mate.

“Which of you did she take as a lover?” He sneered at Wade but the younger man merely returned his stare.

“I don’t know anything about your world, Daqonet,” Wade began quietly. “
But Danea is very important to us.”

The older man leaned back on the cushions, his face suddenly blank.

“She’s taken you both into her…life?”

“I seem unable to impress upon you that our life is ou
r business. If I had glimpsed a sliver of parental concern, I might have altered that thought to attempt an explanation,” Wade said carefully. “And you appear unwilling to explain exactly what you want from her.”

“She is my child. What I intend to do with her, is my business. I had a mate selected for her,” he glanced to the side at the stoic, large member of his security force. “Your involvement changes nothing. Good day.”

“Don’t make the mistake of underestimating us, Daqonet.”

Wade looked at the two men standing quietly off to the side and then back at the man he only knew as Daqonet. His facial structure led him to believe the man was from somewhere a lot further south than San Diego.

Wade headed toward the entrance, working to combine the dribbles of information they had. Again, he was unable to gleen anything from the man other than the nature of a human. He hadn’t heard from Seth yet and was hoping the man would come up with something to tell them what Danea was concealing.

He was still puzzling through the last week when he came up behind the SUV. Noah was leaning against the driver’s door, arms crossed over his chest and occasionally nodding at people who gave him a glance.

They were most likely glancing because every now and then, a burst of screaming would erupt from the back seat of the SUV, along with the clanking of metal handcuffs and a few choice words probably not heard in the daycare.

“That’s not exactly the best method to endear ourselves to our mate,” Wade commented, bending enough to look inside. He sighed thickly. Her hair was falling from its once neat ponytail; her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were red from crying. “You need to let her go.”

“Did you learn anything?” Noah asked without moving.

“Only that he’s serious about her returning home. Wherever that is,” Wade, ran a palm over his neck, rubbing tiredly.
“Genetically, I don’t believe he’s Caucasian. If I had to guess, he’s more likely from one of the Micronesian islands. Yet, Danea bears all the traits I glimpsed in Camelia, including her appearance.”

“I noticed that they didn’t look much alike.”

“And he’s not happy about her having mates. He had the head of his security selected for her.” He met the dark eyes of the man becoming more and more deeply involved with one another. “Why is she handcuffed?”

“Because she wouldn’t slow down or talk. She was intent on jumping in her car and taking off,” Noah shoved a hand into one pocket and came out with the keys. He offered them to Wade.

“Do you know where my house is?” Wade asked, not surprised to see Noah lift one eyebrow curiously. “She has a twin bed, Noah. And if we let her go, I seriously doubt we’ll get a chance to calm her down.”

“Yeah, but when she dials up 9-1-1…” he shrugged and nodded. “And I live in an apartment with too many nosy neighbors.”

“This isn’t about keeping secrets. We couldn’t if we tried. I honestly don’t give a rats ass how people look at us or our choice,” Wade took the keys held out to him and opened the back of the SUV. He dropped down on his heels. He reached out and stroked one hand over her head. “Danea?” He leaned in, the key clicking in the cuffs that were around her wrists and through the bar in the back of the sheriff’s SUV.

She sniffled and rubbed her wrists. Then she turned her back on him.

Wade sighed. “Would you drive me home? We don’t want to leave you alone.”

“I’m not speaking to either of you,” she leaned back in the seat and pulled her keys from the pocket of her jeans. “Can I go now or am I under arrest?”

“Now do you see why she was cuffed?” Noah went around the SUV and opened the driver’s door. He slid into the large seat and turned to look at her. “We’d like you to come with us to Wade’s house.”

Neither man spoke when she simply arched a brow and stared from one to the other.

“Yeah…I thought that might be the reaction,” Noah shook his head. “You might not like it, Dani, but keeping you safe is part of who we are. You’ve become a part of us that won’t ever stop just because you’re pissed at us.”

“I don’t need you keeping me safe, but I appreciate the offer. I’ve been fielding this stuff from my father since…god, since he found out about me,” she sighed and slumped back in the seat. “I’m tired.
I hate crying…now I’m all puffy and can’t breathe.”

“Why does he want you to move home with him, Danea?” Wade took one of her wrists and gently used his thumbs and fingers to massage.

“You shouldn’t have been wrestling with the cuffs. Did you think you could break them?” Noah asked with a shake of his head.

“I think I thought maybe…I don’t know…” she laughed and rolled her eyes. “Maybe I thought you’d slipped and they’d pop free. I was angry. Why Wade’s house?”

“Because you have a fucking twin bed and I’m too old for the damn floor,” Noah answered bluntly. “I live in an apartment, too, and it’s not real private. Answer the question, Danea. Please. What is he after?”

Her head went against the seat for a long minute
, her sigh weary. “He believes I have the same powers as my sisters. I’m just a girl. Okay, so I can talk to Galileo, but it’s not like my sisters. They can – especially if they do it together – can control a person or creature. Only, they’re not as strong as he thought they’d be. Supposedly, it’s because of me. At least that’s what his researchers tell him.”

“You have the same ability?” Wade asked carefully.

“If I did, you think I would have been chained in the backseat of the police car?” She asked with a snort. “I’ve tried telling him over and over again, I’m just a girl.”

“And this is coming from the genetics on your father’s side of the family?”

“There is no family. When…” she stopped and bit her lip.

“Let’s go to the house and talk over dinner, Danea,” Wade tilted his head to the side to catch her gaze. “Please.”

Danea looked from one to the other and nodded.

“Will you ride with me and let Wade bring your car?”

Danea’s chin went up, her head shaking slightly. “If we’re dealing with trust and tomorrow, then I’ll follow the two of you.”

Noah opened his mouth to speak, only to close it when Wade shook his head ever so slightly. He inhaled slowly.

“Alright,” Noah nodded and shifted to fit behind the wheel.