Dark Embrace (24 page)

The boy trotted ahead of her, then paused and looked at her, clearly waiting.

It was obvious what he wanted. “He wants me to follow him,” Brie gasped, and she hurried after the little ghost.

He began to run.

Brie broke into a jog. “I can't keep up with you!” she cried.

But the little boy didn't slow down.

Brie forced herself to keep up, with Allie at her side—Allie had jettisoned her high heels for Nikes earlier. Brie was winded instantly, but Allie breathed easily enough. Knowing Allie, she probably ran miles every day, did a thousand crunches and God only knew what else.

They followed the ghost into the woods that covered the south face of the mountain. “Where is he taking us?” Allie asked.

Brie couldn't answer, but she was praying even harder now to every god she could think of.

“I hope you're right,” Allie whispered, “and he's taking us to Aidan.”

Suddenly Ian's ghost vanished in the midst of the thick forest. They were on a deer trail, surrounded by nearly impenetrable woods. Brie stopped, so badly out of breath that her lungs burned. And the dark heap of brush blocking their way seemed to move.

She cried out. It wasn't a pile of dirty leaves and deadwood.
It was a wolf.

Bloody and mangled, it rose up and crawled forward a step, its gaze blue and direct. Then it collapsed.

“Aidan!” Brie screamed, running to him. She knelt in the dirt and leaves, horrified. His left hind leg was almost completely severed from his hip. His chest and shoulder were raw, gaping wounds and his coat was soaked with blood. He was going to die if Allie couldn't save him.

She gathered his large head into her arms and held him tightly to her breasts, overcome with fear. “It's okay. You'll be all right. Allie is here,” she choked.

Surprisingly long lashes lifted, and he looked at her with his human blue eyes, which were clouded with pain.

Brie kissed the fur at his temple, suppressing another sob.

Allie knelt beside them, showering him with a thick cloud of white light.

The Wolf's eyes closed and Brie held his head more tightly to her chest, leaning her cheek against his furry neck.
You will not die,
she told him fiercely.
I love you so much.

The great beast seemed to stir in her arms. She looked up at Allie, knowing better than to interrupt her while she healed. Allie was focused entirely on Aidan, and her body radiated with her white healing power. Brie had never seen so much power coming from her before. In seventy-two years, her healing powers had obviously grown
a lot.

Brie saw that his hind leg looked whole now and she watched the pink skin knitting and the fur growing back. She stroked the thick fur at his nape, watching his shoulder healing. She couldn't see the rest of his wounds, but she felt his body finally relax in her arms.

Allie sat back, emitting a huge sigh. She was covered in perspiration and she wiped her brow with her sleeve. “He'll live. Wow.” She finally looked at Brie very seriously. “He was in a fight for his life.”

Brie stroked the Wolf, who lay still now. She and Allie regarded one another, and Brie didn't need telepathy to know that Allie was wondering how they would ever defeat Moray, just as she was. Then she glanced down. Aidan gazed up at her out of his brilliant, human blue eyes, but he remained in the Wolf's body.

He slid back on his haunches and simply sat there, dwarfing her.

Brie tensed. She didn't really like being seated on the ground with the Wolf there, watching her so intently. “Is he healed?” she asked, cautiously standing.

“Yeah,” Allie said, wiping her cheek this time. She didn't try to get up.

“Then why isn't he shifting back into a man?” Brie did not take her eyes from the Wolf.

“I don't know.” Allie sounded tired.

Brie didn't move and neither did the Wolf. Why hadn't Aidan shifted back? “Aidan? You're making me nervous. Can you come back to us, please?”

He gave her a very human, very direct, extremely male look, and he stood on all fours.

Her tension increased. She reminded herself that he did not look vicious now, but that unwavering stare was unnerving.

The forest shuddered as wolves began slipping out from behind the trees, some gray, some darker, some black. Not one was as pitch-black as he was.

Brie didn't move, frozen, and finally Allie was on her feet, too. “What's going on?” Brie asked Allie.

“I don't know,” Allie said, but her hand produced a small, dangerous-looking dagger.

They willna hurt ye.

Brie jerked, for she had just heard Aidan speaking. She looked at Allie, who hadn't reacted. “You didn't hear that, did you?”

“No.”

Brie looked at the huge wolf, and it stared back at her. “You almost died. Thank God you're alive.” There was no response. “Why won't you shift into a man?”

The blue eyes changed, and she felt a huge and sudden frustration.
I canna shift…he's trapped me.

Disbelief began. Reason chased it aside. Hadn't Moray trapped them both in the dream for a while?

Ever astute, Allie whispered, “Is he under a spell?”

Brie wet her lips. “Yes, he is.”

The Wolf glanced toward the deeper part of the woods and Brie realized he was going to vanish into the forest with the pack. She stepped forward, reaching out, then withdrew her hand, thinking the better of it. She didn't know how much of the beast was a savage, feral wolf and how much was the man she loved. “Please don't go. If you go, how will I find you?”

I ken where ye'll be, Brianna.

His blue eyes held hers. Then the Wolf bounded past her, disappearing into the forest, the other wolves following. Brie just stood there, stricken with dismay.

“Well, at least he's alive,” Allie said slowly.

Brie hugged herself. “And a wolf can't hang.”

 

B
RIE CROUCHED BY THE TENT FLAP
, holding it slightly ajar, her body stiff with tension. She was spying on the Brotherhood.

She'd felt the power, massive and male, emerging from the mists of time, as Master after Master leapt to their camp. Dozens of holy, time-traveling, superpowered medieval Highland warriors were standing outside Aidan's tent. A volatile discussion had begun. Voices were raised, tempers high. Her mouth was so dry she couldn't swallow.

She couldn't focus on their words, although many of them were speaking English. Each and every Master personified masculine perfection in one way or another. Some of the Highlanders were drop-dead gorgeous, like Aidan; others were ruthlessly male, like Royce. Biceps bulged, as did thighs—and the occasional English codpiece. Testosterone thickened the air.

The flap was pulled from her hand, and she straightened, heart slamming, as a Paul Walker look-alike in medieval Highland gear dimpled at her. His eyes were a dazzling shade of green. “Do ye wish to join us?” he asked.

She tried to find her tongue. Why on earth was he undressing her with his eyes? Because of the hour, she was swaddled up in her many layers of modern and medieval clothes, not to mention that she wore the silly pince-nez. She was hardly attractive. “I…er…isn't the council…classified?” she stuttered.

“Why do ye panic so, Brianna Rose?” he asked softly.

“How do you know my name?” she managed in surprise.

“I'm a friend of Lady Allie's. Ye may call me Seoc or MacNeil.”

She stared into his eyes and he stared back, his gaze sizzling. The look was impossible to resist. She felt her body warm, responding to his magnetic and sexual pull, a pull she could actually feel. Then she realized what he was doing. “Are you trying to enchant me?”

“I dinna need to enchant any woman,” he boasted. “But the nights are long an' very, very cold.”

She breathed hard. This man had once been Aidan's friend. She had hoped to meet him. “I will not be seduced. I am with Aidan.”

His gaze flickered. “I ken. But he left the Brotherhood long ago. Once, I mourned him. Now I dinna care much for his fate, and I am happy to fight him for a woman.”

Brie had to try to make sense of his words. “You're joking, right? You don't intend to fight over me.”

He dimpled. “I'd love to fight over ye, lass,” he said. “In fact, I'd love nothing more.”

Brie gaped at him.

His grin widened.

He must love war, she thought. It was the only rational conclusion she could muster. She was taken aback, but flattered. “Aidan told me about you. But he made you sound like a leader, not a warmonger.”

“Aidan hates my brother,” Seoc said flatly. “'Tis Neil he spoke of. My brother commands the brethren.”

Before Brie could assimilate that, a low, threatening, very angry snarl sounded behind her.

Brie whirled in abject relief. “Aidan!”

But the Wolf seemed as vicious and savage as it had that day in New York. It growled at Seoc and crouched to attack, eyes blazing with murderous fury.
I will kill ye, ye fuckin' bastard.

Brie jerked in dismay, having heard Aidan as clear as day.

Seoc's saber rang as he lifted it, his eyes blazing.

Brie looked from the Wolf to the Master and she didn't think twice. She stepped between them. “That is Aidan!”

“Aye, the terrible Wolf of Awe, a beast that enjoys rippin' a man to shreds and eatin' from his carcass.” Seoc didn't seem affable now. “Get away from the Wolf, Brianna Rose.”

“He won't hurt me. You need to leave,” Brie cried.

Move away, Brianna. I never liked him very much anyway.

Brie looked at the Wolf, trembling. “Don't you dare attack him,” she managed, horrified that they wanted to destroy one another.

Human blue eyes seared hers.
Why? So ye can share his bed tonight?

Brie breathed hard. Seoc had been pouring it on and she had been affected by him—there was no doubt. But she would never have been seduced. If Aidan didn't know that she was a one-man woman, he didn't know her at all. She gave him a dark look. “You are on the same side!”

I dinna think so.

Seoc said softly, “Yer one of very few who has any faith in him, lass.”

She whirled. “I'm asking you to leave us.”

He was startled. “Are ye mad? Has he so bedazzled ye in his manly form that ye canna think straight, even now? I willna leave ye with the Wolf. He'll eat ye fer his supper!”

The Wolf growled and stalked past her.

Very recklessly, heart pounding, Brie seized a hank of fur, causing the Wolf to snap at her. She faltered, and the Wolf stared, but did not bite her. Trembling, she tore her gaze to Seoc, not releasing the animal. “Just leave, please!”

Seoc hesitated, his gaze wary and on the Wolf. “Well,” he finally murmured. “Maybe it's fond o' ye, too.” He sheathed his sword and ducked out of the tent.

Brie released the beast and her knees buckled. She backed up. “I really hope you would never hurt me.”

There was no mistaking his anger.

Brie breathed deeply, wanting to defuse his temper. “Thank you for coming back.” Her voice caught. “I have been so afraid for you. I was afraid you went after Moray again.”

The Wolf stalked to the tent flap and pushed it aside, peering out in a very human manner. Then he faced her, staring.

Already uncomfortable and uncertain, she put a bit more distance between them. “Are you staying?”

She felt a smirk in his silent thoughts.
Aye.

She hugged herself. She knew he was furious because Seoc had disarmed her. But for God's sake, except for Aidan, she'd never had that kind of man even look at her, much less want her in bed. “I had no intention of sleeping with him. You can't be jealous.”

He intended to sleep with ye.
The Wolf lay down, his long body barring the path from the tent's doorway.

Brie flushed. He thought she would have given in to Seoc. She could feel it. “Why are you staring?”

There was no answer now, just the Wolf's very human, unwavering cold stare.

Allie pushed her head inside the tent, which did not seem to disturb the Wolf. “I heard he was here.” Allie didn't seem frightened at all.

“Is Tabby here yet?”

“No.” Allie slipped into the tent, stepping over the Wolf, who refused to budge. She smiled at Brie. “Did you see what's out there?” she asked in a knowing and girly tone.

Brie hesitated, glancing at the Wolf. Better not to open this subject, she thought.