Darkest Caress (27 page)

“I know. When you asked Vaughn if he could turn him…he did that with Aaron, didn’t he?”

“Yes.”

She nodded, reached down to pet Ebony’s ears when the dog came running over to lean against her. “It’s just the start, isn’t it?”

The burden he carried weighed heavy on his shoulders, but he wouldn’t lie to her. “Yes.”

She drew a deep breath while she stroked the dog’s head. “And I’m the weak link right now.”

“You’re not weak.” He didn’t ever want her thinking that. “You’re stronger than any woman I’ve ever known, and you have no idea how proud I am of you.”

A small smile curved her lips, but when she lifted her chin he saw the blaze of determination in her eyes. “But I’m going to be even stronger. I want to learn how to defend myself. And I want to learn how to handle a gun.”

He’d already planned on teaching her all that, but it made his life easier if she was already on board. “I’ll teach you everything you need to know.”

Those big eyes met his again. “We’re in this together now.”

“Yeah, we are.” Though he wished like hell he could shield her from this as easily as he could take away the headaches brought on by her gift. “I’m so sorry, Liv.”

She shook her head. “Don’t be sorry. None of this is your fault. Besides, I got you out of the deal, so that more than makes up for all the scary stuff.”

Her inner strength amazed him. If he spent the rest of his life earning the right to be worthy of her, he could die in peace. He ran the pad of his thumb across her soft lower lip. “I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you, Liv. I want to make you happy.”

With a sad smile she reached up to cup his cheek in one slender hand. “Will you do something for me?”

He turned his head to kiss her palm. “Anything,
mo ghrá
.”

“Take me upstairs and make me forget about all this for a while.”

Daegan closed his eyes and pulled her into his arms, so grateful for her that he feared his heart might burst. “I’d love to.”

* * *

Cade couldn’t slow his heart rate down as he pulled his phone out of his pocket and sat down at his computer. Daegan and Liv were upstairs. The perimeter was secure. Vaughn had already put the DA member’s body in the trunk of his Mustang and driven out to dispose of it where it wouldn’t arouse any suspicion or lead the authorities to the mansion. But that asshole’s words about the Obsidian Lord kept ringing in his head.

He was out there right now, on his way to Lithuania to see someone named Vasilli. The anxiety scraped at his insides until he could barely stand it.

Either Dr. Roberts was the greatest threat to their existence since WWII, or she was in a shitload of trouble and didn’t even realize it. Both possibilities had his stomach in knots, but that’s not what made his hand shake as he hit the redial button and called her.

What if she was one of them? What if she was—

“You’ve reached Dr. Nairne Roberts,” her voice said on the pre-recorded message. “Please leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. Have a nice day.”

Not so much, sweetheart.

The beep that followed seemed overly loud to his roaring ears. It was only early evening over there and he’d talked to her not half an hour ago. She’d obviously meant what she’d said about communicating solely via e-mail from now on.

But Christ, so much had happened since that phone call. He had to speak with her.

“This is Cade Mackintosh again. Listen, something important has suddenly come up, and I’m heading to Lithuania tonight. I should be in Nida by tomorrow evening your time and if you’re willing, I have some new research to show you. Maybe we can meet for dinner.” She might not be happy with his phone etiquette, but he was willing to bet she wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to find out what sort of research he had. “Call or e-mail me and I’ll get in touch with you when I arrive.”

His voice had sounded normal enough, he decided as he hung up. No sign of the strain inside him that made his skin clammy. He didn’t really want to go there to meet her face to face. But he had no choice.

The tension inside him continued to build. A growing dread at what was coming. A knowledge that he was on a collision course with disaster but couldn’t do a damn thing to stop it.

His gaze strayed to his keys, lying on the edge of the desk. He had to get out for a while. There was no immediate threat to any of them here; the mansion was safe. If he didn’t leave he’d lose it completely. It was only ten in the morning, but he could still find what he needed.

Addict.

The increasingly familiar voice in his head sneered the word in derision.

“I’m not an
addict
,” he snarled under his breath. Addicts were weak. He wasn’t. He could stop if he wanted to. But he didn’t. Because this was the only thing that worked. God knew he’d tried everything else over the centuries, but this one thing eased him. In deep and inexplicable ways nothing else ever had or could. And besides, it was always consensual. He made good and sure his partners more than enjoyed their time with him. Otherwise, what would be the point? The control he held over them, the helpless pleasure on their faces were what helped him. Then he scrubbed them and walked away.

Before that censuring inner voice could say anything else to make him hesitate, he snatched up the keys and headed for his truck.

The soft glow of the sunset streaming through the tall master bedroom windows bathed Daegan’s face as he bent to kiss her lips tenderly. Liv sighed and shifted beneath him, smoothed her hands down the length of his back.

“How’s your arm?” she asked drowsily.

“What arm?” he whispered, still buried deep inside her. His eyes held that sated, slightly sleepy look she was coming to love.

With a smile she pulled him down to rest fully against her, glorying in his weight and the feel of him pressed along the length of her body. When he gently disengaged from her embrace she made a sound of protest, but he rolled them over to cradle her against his chest. She laid her cheek over the pad of his pec, listening to the strong, steady beat of his heart.

“You okay?” he asked, playing with a lock of her hair.

“Yeah.” All things considered, she felt rather peaceful. Odd, when she took into account all that had happened and what might await them outside the main gate. “I wish we could just hole up in here forever.”

Daegan kissed the top of her head but didn’t reply.

She raised up on an elbow. “Do you think the woman in Lithuania is a danger to us?”

“We won’t know until Cade meets with her.”

It bothered her that he was making the trip alone. “Shouldn’t Vaughn go with him?”

“He’ll be fine. Believe me, despite his movie star looks he’s more than capable of protecting himself. He’s done almost as much time in the military as I have. And if he needs backup, Vaughn can be there in a matter of seconds.”

Right. He could just poof his way there. How amazing was that? The next words were difficult for her, but they needed to be said. “You should go with him.”

Daegan arched a brow in surprise.

“I’m serious. I can handle being here on my own if you need to go. I don’t want to hold you back from what needs to be done, and I have to adjust to staying here by myself anyhow.”

A strong finger beneath her chin titled her head up until she met his crystalline eyes. “I’m not leaving you here alone. And this isn’t a prison, Liv, it’s your home. You can still come and go as long as you have one of us with you. We just have to be careful, that’s all.”

His words surprised her. “You mean I can still go to my place? All my stuff is there.” Including her grandparents’ piano, the one possession she truly held dear.

“Sure. I can take you over now if you want.”

Only because the immediate threat was over for the moment. “Are you up to that?”

“You’d be surprised what I’m up for,” he murmured, pressing his hips against her.

She smothered a laugh when she felt his hardening erection against her belly. “You’re insatiable.”

“For you? Hell, yes.” He kissed her once, gently, before rolling over and climbing out of bed. “Come on, let’s go. I’m sure Ebony would love a ride in your Beemer.”

“It’s fixed already?”

“Cade took care of it while you were spoiling me with tender loving care.”

Why was she not surprised? “She can’t go in the Porsche?” she asked, tongue in cheek.

He snorted. “Not in this lifetime.”

“Fine, we’ll take my car. But I need to make a call first.”

“To who?” His tone wasn’t suspicious, just curious.

“My best friend, Catherine. I won’t tell her everything, but I need to at least tell her about you. I’ll keep the parts about the magic to myself, though.”

“Of course. Go ahead.”

Sitting on the edge of the bed, she retrieved her phone and dialed. “Hey, it’s me,” she said when Catherine answered.

“Hi, are you okay?”

Liv’s eyes misted over at the worry in her friend’s voice. “Yeah, I’m fine. Listen, I’ve got so much to tell you and I don’t know where to start.”

A cautious pause. “Okay. Give it to me from the top.”

She exhaled. “Remember the man I told you about the other day?”

“Oh my God, the sexy one? Did he buy the house and then you hooked up? Is that why you’ve been too busy to talk to me?”

“He bought the house,” Liv answered with a laugh, “and we’re um, together now.”

A shocked silence met her words. “This is so unlike you.”

“I know. But he’s the one for me.” She smiled at Daegan.

“Wait, you mean
the
one? Honey, I don’t want to put a damper on things, but you’ve only known him a few days.”

“Everything’s happened really fast, I admit, but I know this is the real thing.”

Catherine paused, blew out a long breath. “Well when do I get to meet this rich, sexy man of yours?”

Liv held the phone to her chest, looked at Daegan. “She wants to meet you.”

An amused smile curved his lips. “Does she? Tell her we’ll set something up for tomorrow night.”

Her eyes widened. “That soon?”

He nodded, gestured for her to carry on with the conversation.

Liv swallowed a laugh, put the phone back to her ear. “How does tomorrow night work?”

“Works just fine. I can’t wait to meet him. What’s his name?”

“Daegan. You’re going to grill him for me, aren’t you?”

“Bet your ass I will.”

Livchuckled, feeling like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. “I’ll call you tomorrow, hon.” She paused, swallowed the lump in her throat. “Love you.”

“Back atcha, babe. And if Daegan winds up breaking your heart, I’ll kill him for you and dispose of the body for free. No payment of wine necessary.”

“I love knowing you always have my back,” Liv answered with a laugh. Ten minutes later, Daegan drove while Ebony sat in the backseat with her chin resting on Liv’s shoulder, her muzzle stuck partway out the open window. It made Liv smile, but she couldn’t forget the gravity of leaving the mansion’s grounds. The black pistol she’d seen Daegan tuck into his waistband was yet another reminder of the constant threat of danger they all faced.

All four of them, she thought with a sinking feeling.

At her house, Liv let the dog in then disarmed the alarm system before heading to her bedroom. Daegan’s scent still remained there, faint but unmistakable. She gazed at the bed where they’d first made love, a flare of heat rippling through her abdomen, between her thighs.

As though he sensed her thoughts, Daegan stepped up close behind her to wrap his arms around her waist. She sighed at the feel of him, at the knowledge that she’d have him in her corner for the rest of her life. Her life that would hopefully last for another few centuries.

“We can keep the house if you want,” he whispered against her bonding mark. A quick shiver rolled through her when his lips brushed her skin.

“What for?”

“We could rent it out, or work out something so you can still teach piano lessons if you wanted.”

She turned her head to look up into his eyes. “Really?”

“Really. I’ll figure something out. But working in real estate…”

“I know. I already realized I’ll have to quit.” That wasn’t what bothered her. The job had been satisfying, but it wasn’t necessary to her happiness. Like the house, she wasn’t attached to either of those things. It was the loss of control and independence that sucked. Still being able to teach music would help ease that, though she wasn’t sure it would be enough to fulfill her in the years ahead.

Daegan tightened his arms. “You know, the whole reason I contacted you about the property listing was because you came so highly recommended. Your boss couldn’t say enough good things about your work. I could use a hand with running Trident Group and all its investments.”

That piqued her interest. “Doing what?”

“Bookkeeping, accounting, management. Keeping me from drowning in paperwork. Whatever you want to help with. You interested?”

“Very.” A smile spread across her lips. “I’d like that very much.”

He kissed the mark on her neck, soft and slow, distracting her with a flood of sexual need. “Want a hand packing your things?”

She pulled free of his embrace before she lost her head and tore his clothes off. They were vulnerable here, and she couldn’t forget that. “No, I can do it. Go relax on the couch and I’ll be done shortly.” Feeling immensely better about her situation, she went to her closet and packed all her suitcases full.

When she came out of the bedroom she found Daegan standing next to the piano, Ebony lying at his feet. His slow smile when he met her gaze was so beautiful it made her ache.

“Play for me. I’ve never heard you.”

He seemed so sincere, so interested that she couldn’t deny him that small request. Liv skirted the cherry wood bench and sat, then lifted the cover to reveal the keys. Her fingers settled over their cool surfaces, stroking lovingly while she chose a piece of music. She began it slowly, caressing the ivory keys as the music flowed from somewhere deep inside her. Another old Gaelic love song.

The haunting melody filled the air and she was surprised when she realized Daegan was humming along. His strong hands settled lightly on his shoulders as she played. Sharing his warmth. His solid presence. Linking them irrevocably.

When the last notes drifted off into silence, she swiveled on the bench, smiled up at him. “Why am I not surprised you know that piece?”

That sexy smile was as mysterious as the man himself. “I’ve heard it sung a time or two in the pubs back home.” He bent, kissed her softly on the mouth. “I’ll have the piano brought over to the house as soon as possible.”

“Thank you.” It meant a lot to her. She stood and wrapped her arms around his back, marveling at the transformation in her life in just a few short days. “I never thought I’d have a man like you for my own.”

“You mean one with ancient magical powers plus incredible stamina and skill in bed?”

“No,” she said with a laugh. “Loving. Strong and brave. Protective. So damn sexy I keep wanting to pinch myself.”

His delighted chuckle warmed her to her toes. “I never thought I’d find you either. I spent more than two centuries alone. You’re like a miracle to me, Liv.”

The words filled her with joy.

His lips nuzzled her temple, his murmur soft as a breath. “Think you’d want to marry me someday?”

She glanced up at him, startled. “I thought…I thought the bonding thing made it kind of irrelevant.”

“No, not if it’s important to you.”

For a moment she wasn’t sure how to answer. “But what about keeping a low profile? There’d be all kinds of people there you’d have to scrub afterward, not to mention a paper trail.”

“We could keep it low-key. Just us, Vaughn and Cade, maybe a close friend or two of yours and a justice of the peace.”

She could see it. Could see them standing under the arbor in the rose garden while the sun set over the ocean in the background. Not yet, though. The few friends she had would have heart attacks. Especially Catherine. As it was she didn’t know how she was going to explain the mark on her neck. “I think I would.”

Relief flickered in his eyes. It stunned her. How could he not know how much she loved him? “Then we will. When we’re ready.”

“I’m falling hard for you,” she told him, wanting him to see the sincerity in her eyes. In her heart. “I know things aren’t always going to be easy and part of me is still scared to death, but no matter what happens I’ll
never
regret being your mate. Showing you that house was the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Daegan made a low sound and gathered her tight up against his chest. “For me, too,
mo ghrá
. You ready to go home now?”

Liv gently pulled out of his embrace to look around her house. Her tastefully decorated bedroom. The cozy family room she’d filled with carefully chosen furniture. The tidy patio outside the French doors that led from the brightly lit kitchen. Her favorite room in the house. This had been her haven, her sanctuary for more than four years, but it didn’t feel like home anymore.

Now home was wherever Daegan was.

Linking her fingers through his, Liv smiled up at him and gave a firm nod. “I’m ready.”

* * * * *