Dark and Damaged: Eight Tortured Heroes of Paranormal Romance: Paranormal Romance Boxed Set (44 page)

Fountain of youth?
This was getting ridiculous. She wasn’t going to get any sane answers today.

“You can’t justify what that man did,” she said.

“He traded his life for his child’s,” Mr. Fraser said. “Who wouldn’t kill for theirs?”  

It didn’t matter anyway. “Whoever sent him wants me off the mediation. That was the message.”

Mr. Fraser sighed. “Unfortunately, Emerson, that’s impossible.”

“A man’s head exploded in my office. I’m off it.
You
take the meeting tomorrow with Gerard Heolstor.”

“Emerson, I’m not of the blood. Anything having to do directly with the families requires a
Bloodkin
mediator, and the only person we have at this time is you.”

“I’m the only…?” Screw that. “Well, the Bloodkin are going to have to be a little more open-minded about non-bloody people, because I’m not going.”

Mr. Fraser dropped his gaze to the floor.

“I’ve been warned away from this mediation several times,” Emerson said, beginning to pace, “including by the Heolstor brothers themselves. I’m finally taking their advice. The results of the DNA test should be back in a day or two, and then the whole thing will be settled, anyway.” It would take zero effort on his part to wrap things up.

He kept his gaze down. “What about Sadie Couser?”

Emerson stopped dead in her tracks. “Who?” How did he know Sadie’s name?

“The young woman you’re trying to get into the Desert Valley Treatment Center.”

“What about her?” Emerson challenged him. She suddenly wanted to smack him. Had he been looking through her e-mail? Listening to her calls?

“The Bloodkin will see to it that she gets a room at the center for as long as she needs it and that all her expenses are taken care of.”

“I already got her in, and I’m covering her expenses.”

Mr. Fraser’s shoulders heaved with a deep breath.

“You’re not serious,” Emerson said. Blackmail. He was
blackmailing
her? “No.”

“There’s only you, Emerson. Gerard Heolstor won’t even let me in his house.”

“So you actually expect me to go along with this insanity?” She couldn’t believe it.

He lifted his head just enough to make eye contact. “You’ve got the blood for it.”

“The man—you know, the one who killed himself in front of me?—he said that
I
would die if I continued this mediation.” There had to be other programs for Sadie. Bryan would understand.

“I doubt that very much, Emerson. I don’t know what he said to you, but it’s unlikely that you’ll be harmed. You’re a Bloodkin woman. The Bloodkin are very protective of their own, particularly the men of the women.”

She sat down in front of him. “The man said
I would die
.”

“Then that threat was a lie. I’ve spoken to Ransom Heolstor, and he assures me that you will be safe for the duration of your stay at his house.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, and when I step outside his front door, I’ll be shot in the head.”

“Emerson, I swear you’ll be safe.”

“If you’re so sure, how come you have to blackmail me to go?”

“Bloodkin have certain safeties,” he said softly, as if embarrassed. “Humans do not.”

“Now I’m not human?”

“It’s your dragon blood that matters.” He lifted his head fully now, and his eyes looked tired and sick. “Human blood doesn’t.”

Emerson went cold, her mouth dry. She didn’t know if there was another threat inside that short statement, but she suddenly didn’t think Mr. Fraser had the authority to clarify. She didn’t want him to, either. This wasn’t up to him.

“You’re another messenger,” she said.

He closed his eyes. “Yes.”

“There’s only me.” She didn’t want her “friend” to spill any more blood on her behalf.

“Yes…
my lady
.”

She put a trembling hand over her eyes while she worked on her courage. These were some seriously disturbed people.

Enough
. She dropped her hand and addressed Mr. Fraser. “See to Sadie Couser.” Her dragon blood made her
his
boss now. She’d probably always been his boss.

“At once.” His voice was loose with relief.

Emerson turned back to the bedroom. “And get out. I need some sleep.”

Thane was ready to kick in the front doors of the Heolstor stronghold, but when he brought his car to a stop, Gerard’s eldest son, Ransom, was waiting on the great flagstone entry, the massive doors already open behind him. Heolstor strategy had always endeavored to preempt an attack and secure their fortune against unnecessary losses.

But Heolstor would lose much today.

Thane’s anger smoldered like acid in his blood as he got out of the vehicle. He made Ransom wait while he took a moment to polish the car door. No scratches for Matthew to have fixed this time.

When he was satisfied, he took the broad steps leading to the house, a flush of anticipation mixing with a deep indrawn breath. The Heolstor stronghold looked out over Napa’s gently rolling hills and vineyards, the sun reflecting off the light mist in the air. But despite the serenity of the setting, he was ready to commit murder: first the father, and then the heir—exactly what had been done to the Ealdian line. He’d consider leaving the younger son alive, but if the Heolstor boys were anything like Gerard, then both would fight and both would die. And Carreen and Rinc would know peace.

Ransom had to know what was coming, and yet he seemed unperturbed when Thane reached him. “Emerson Clark is here,” he said.

Thane laughed aloud. “You think she’ll save you?”

The Heolstor line was hiding behind the woman. Granted, she’d delayed their fate a few days already, but Thane had no problem shoving her out of the way now. Like cowards, they’d sent an assassin to kill him.

“Actually, she’s been my hope from the beginning of this mess,” he said evenly. “And if we survive it, I intend to marry her.”

Thane snorted. “I’ll be picking you from my teeth in half an hour. Where’s your father?”

He didn’t wait for an answer though, just stalked inside to find Gerard himself.

Gerard had always resisted change, and so his American home had the stone construction of an old world keep. Likewise, colorful tapestries hung from the walls, an adornment that Thane had long scorned. Tapestries could carry fire to a roof in minutes. And what, pray, did dragons breathe? Fools, all of them.

Thane paused in the enormous foyer—sized for a Bloodkin after shifting—and sniffed the air for Gerard, the old beast.

“Where are you?” he roared.

His call echoed up the staircase and bounced down through the gathering rooms on the first floor.

“I’m told he’s fighting his dragon,” a female voice said. Emerson.

Thane turned to seek her out. Across the hallway and into a spacious, open room he found her sitting neatly in a chair, staring at her mobile device. Matthew had tried many times to press one upon him, but Thane had always refused.

“Sounds an awful lot like a euphemism,” she added, not looking up. Her tone was strange, as if both indifferent and angry. Her scent was that bothersome mix of woman and artificial fragrance.

“It means his dragon is emergent,” Thane told her. Gerard was older than he by a short span. It made sense that the Night Song filled his mind, as well. Gerard wouldn’t be going to Havyn, however. “He will die here, today.”

“Tragic, I’m sure.”

Her blithe dismissal made him pause. “You don’t want to stop me? Ransom is depending upon you to protect him.”

The boy had just entered the room, his younger brother behind him. They were both fully grown, but they hadn’t crossed their first century yet.

“I’m not here to protect anyone.” Her thumb scrolled her mobile’s screen, but he couldn’t tell what she was looking at.

“Then why are you here?” Thane wanted to take her by the shoulders and
make
her look at him, but the temptation to bury his face at her neck, take a deeper draw of her scent, was too great.

“Gerard Heolstor requested I update him in person.”

“And is there an update?”

“No. Nevertheless, here I am.”

Something had happened. If he knew women—and he liked to think he did—then this one was ready to draw blood herself, in spite of her seeming apathy to Gerard’s imminent demise.

Thane looked first to Ransom and then to Locke. Both of Gerard’s sons were frowning, tension in their postures.

“Ms. Clark is here under duress,” Ransom said. “Yesterday, someone sent a messenger to her place of work. After delivering the message, he committed suicide in front of her.”

Thane shifted his gaze to her. “What was the message?”

Emerson finally looked up, eyes sparking with anger. “
That’s
the first thing you ask?”

“It’s what is important,” Thane said, oddly satisfied that she was snapping back at him.

“A man is
dead
, his child
orphaned
.”

“It happens. His message, Ms. Clark?”

Pure loathing radiated from her. “He told me to get off this mediation.”

“Upon threat to her life,” Ransom added. “Thane. Did you send him?”

“I handle my business personally. I don’t need messengers or
assassins
to do it for me,” he said. “Besides, she is lying. No one threatened her life.”

“Oh, my life was threatened.” Her tone seemed to accuse
him
of doing the threatening.

“It makes no sense. Who would threaten you?” Thane shot back. “My quarrel is with Gerard Heolstor. I’ll kill him shortly, and likely his sons, but I have no reason to kill you.”

“And I may have cause to rip Thane Ealdian’s head from his shoulders,” Ransom said wryly. “But your head looks lovely where it is.”

Her gaze flicked to Ransom and back to Thane. “Comforting, thank you.”

Thane laughed. She was the most dangerous creature in the room—no fear, perfect control, and burning from within. Yes, if ever there were a Bloodkin woman to tempt him, Emerson was it.

“Life is brutal, my lady.”

“I know how brutal life can be. And I’m not your lady.”

He remembered the information Lena had provided about Emerson Clark’s background. “I believe you do know something of life’s brutalities.”
Orphaned and alone. Worst of all, penniless
.

“Oh, save it,” she said. “If you’re not going to kill me, then by all means, have at each other. I just want to get on with my life.” She turned to Ransom. “Is your father ready for me or what?”

“Damn, her fire is up,” Locke mumbled.

“Quiet,” Ransom told him. He sighed. “Emerson, my father isn’t doing well. This close to his shift, some days are worse than others. Will you stay with us until he is a little better?”

“
I’m
not going to wait,” Thane said. And he didn’t like the idea of Emerson staying with the Heolstors, either. She had too much heat inside for someone like Ransom.

Ransom held up a hand as if to keep Thane in place. “We don’t have the results yet from the university. If you fight my father now, the Assembly will condemn you and the Ealdian line.”

“No, boy,” Thane said. “You broke the law first when you sent an assassin to kill me. I don’t have to wait for anything.” Godric Tredan of the Triad would absolutely side with him.

“I didn’t send an assassin.” Ransom looked over at Emerson, and Thane moved to stand in his way. Ransom could not have her. “Or that messenger.”

“Gerard did, then,” Thane said.

“I swear on the Heolstor line that he did not. He’s too far gone. He doesn’t care about people anymore.”

“Can you also swear that he didn’t kill my wife and child?”

Ransom finally went silent.

“Then you won’t mind if I ask him myself.”

***

Emerson rose from her seat as Thane strode past Ransom and Locke into the tall, wide passage that centered the home.

Locke’s mouth contracted into a snarl, but Ransom put a hand on his chest to hold him back. “Don’t.”

Well, Emerson sure as hell was going to follow. She wasn’t going to miss her opportunity to inform Gerard Heolstor of where the mediation stood. Then she could get out of here.

Thane paused at the stairs to…sniff the air.

Because that’s normal
.

She couldn’t smell anything, and apparently, neither could he because he continued down the hallway to stand before a set of massive double doors with ornate handles in the shape of arching, winged serpents, a plume of iron fire spitting from their parted lips. Thane grabbed both handles and pulled, but the doors wouldn’t budge.

He stepped back, his indigo gaze swinging toward her. “Unlock it.”

“Um…?” Emerson turned to look behind her.

Ransom had followed them. “It’s no good. The dragon is in control. He’ll rip you apart, and nothing will be solved.”

Thane shook his head. “I guarantee Gerard is still dominant. Not even these doors could hold a dragon.”

Emerson crossed her arms. Her stomach twisted, her decision to follow suddenly swinging the other way.

She didn’t like these people, and she didn’t want a firsthand look at Gerard Heolstor’s state. The smartest way to stay out of Bloodkin business was to stay away from Bloodkin, not go deeper into their houses, looking for trouble. Gerard could come to meet her in that very comfortable sitting room.

“If you won’t consider your own safety,” Ransom said to Thane, “consider Emerson’s.”

The man sent a cruel smile her way. “I have a feeling Emerson needs to see Gerard just as much as I do.”

“Actually, I’m good.” She tried to keep the quaver out of her voice. The Bloodkin had already committed one gruesome crime; she didn’t need to see any more, no matter how angry she was over what had happened to the man in her office. “Don’t disturb him on my account.”

“Unlock the doors, Ransom,” Thane said.

She looked at Ransom, surprised to find Locke now standing behind his brother. He was leaning against the wall, his head bowed as if defeated. No, more like he was grieving. Maybe he knew something about Gerard was messed up. Maybe he knew the Bloodkin, in general, were messed up and he was just as stuck as she was.