Druid Temptation (A Druid Quest Novel Book 2) (13 page)

There was a glint in the old man’s eyes that told her he wouldn’t put up with any shenanigans, so she decided to be honest. “There’s trouble coming to the house. A man is hunting me, and might want to harm Gabriel because he has given me aid.”

“I’ll wake one of the boys to keep watch on the house.”

Diana nodded, pleased he was taking the threat seriously. “I will also need a horse to patrol the streets.”

“We don’t have a lot of staff, but I could send one of the boys out tonight.” He ambled over to the last stall and began saddling the horse.

“I thank you for the offer, but you misunderstand. The attack won’t be direct. They won’t find anything. I want to use the horse so I can memorize the routes and buildings in case we need to make an escape.”

“Be that as it may, his lordship would have my job if I let you go.” As he rubbed his white bewhiskered chin, his crafty eyes lifting to hers. “It’s dangerous to roam the streets at night.”

Diana relaxed, pleased he didn’t reject her idea outright. “His lordship isn’t here. That means I’m in charge. I’m armed, and have dealt with the likes of what I might encounter before. I can manage.”

Humor danced in the old man’s eyes. He hesitated for a second longer, and she pushed her advantage. “It will only be for this one night. And I’ll stay close to this block. The neighborhood is well-lit, so I won’t be in any danger that I can’t handle.”

“Just around the block.”

It was an order, and she resisted the urge to cheer. “Deal. I’m Diana” She struck out her hand.

The man’s bushy brows lifted in surprise and he hesitantly shook her hand, instantly releasing her after a second.

“Conway, milady.” He tugged at his forelock, turned and quickly saddled the mare.

In minutes, she was astride the ferocious mare, who was happily trotting down the back alley.

All the houses appeared to be occupied. Pedestrians were sparse, mostly well-dressed men with walking canes on the way out for the night. A few carriages drove past, and she lingered in the shadows so she wouldn’t draw attention.

Gaslights lined the streets, but the air was misty, the fog making the visibility murky, the perfect time to skulk about without being noticed.

* * *

G
abriel turned down his street
, kicking his horse into a trot, eager to be home, when he saw a horse emerge from the shadows. The person on its back was slight, almost indistinguishable. He nearly rode past when the light caught a glint of pale hair.

Disbelief held him immobile for a second.

Diana.

Rage flooded his veins that she would sneak away from the protection of the house, in the middle of the night, without a word to him. By the time he kicked his horse into action, she’d vanished.

For the next five minutes, he caught only glimpses of her in the distance as she randomly crossed street after street. Only then did he realize what the foolish, beautiful girl was doing.

She was a warrior.

Ridiculous of him to assume she would allow him to handle the situation.

Instead, at the first opportunity that presented itself, she decided to roam the streets, presenting herself as a target. He kicked his horse into a trot, ready to teach the little minx a lesson she’d never forget.

Diana sucked in a startled breath when the tattoos along her back flared to life with a suddenness that robbed her of breath.

She didn’t expect an attack so quickly, but she welcomed the chance to stop the madness.

Calling on her magic, she sent it out into the air, but the lack of animals worked against her. Besides an abnormal number of rats, she sensed a few cats, a dog, and one horse trailing a little distance behind her.

She allowed the magic to soak into the mare beneath her, and immediately felt the surge of power flow through her veins. She stopped the horse, ready to whirl and face her attacker when a loud crack split the air.

Her horse bolted.

Diana barely managed to keep her seat. If she hadn’t been connected to the animal, sensed her intent, she would have been left sprawled on the ground.

It took her a few precious seconds to realize that the sound had been a gunshot.

She urged the horse faster, only to curse when it looked like they had been herded down a dead end. She nudged the mare in a circle, noting the alley had no windows or doors.

Neatly trapped.

Clever.

A chill slid down her spine to realize that it wasn’t the pastor.

The attack was too organized and planned.

Watchers.

Her heart pounded with pure dread. They weren’t supposed to take action against her, just report her whereabouts and observe.

There would be only one reason to change protocol.

They wanted to capture her.

It would be only a matter of time before they successfully took her into custody, and she very much doubted they would release her once she was under their control.

Diana grabbed for her weapons when she saw a shadow of a horse cross the entrance to the alley. She wouldn’t allow them to take her. She refused to be used to find her friends.

She would not become a slave.

The back of her throat ached at the thought of never seeing Gabriel again, and she cursed herself for foolishly throwing away a future with him without doing her damnedest to make it work.

At her command the mare charged, and she lifted her arm to throw her blade when she recognized Gabriel’s large frame.

She blanched and nearly fell off the horse.

Gabriel pulled up next to her, using his big body to a shield her.

Making himself a target.

“Follow behind me as close as you can get.”

Like hell. She refused to allow him to be hurt because of her. She tried to edge around him when he growled. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

“If they wanted me dead, that shot would have killed me.” She snapped back.

Gabriel spared her a quick glance, then went back to scanning the alley. That he didn’t yell at her again said he grudgingly accepted her answer.

“What’s your plan?”

Diana stared at him in shock. Most men would have taken control without a second’s hesitation. He nudged his horse closer and angled his head down toward hers. “Focus. You have more experience in situations such as this. I know you have a plan in that beautiful head of yours.”

“They will be waiting for us at the end of the alley. They don’t need you alive.” Her throat ached to admit the truth. Her involvement with him would eventually cost him his life.

Just not today.

“They?” Gabriel tensed as he caught her slip, his voice turning ominous.

“There are…others who are aware of my existence, a society who have kept watch over Druids for centuries. We had a mutual agreement and worked together until a year ago, when they decided to take control. We scattered to avoid becoming enslaved. The only way they would stop coming after me would be…if I stop being useful.” The realization stunned her. “They needed to act now, as our marriage would eventually put me beyond their reach. But since no announcements have been made, and the license has probably not even been registered yet…”

The rain came down harder, soaking them both to the skin.

A shifting of shadows at the end of the alley drew her attention.

Another man ran across the rooftop.

Urgency coursed through her. They needed to act now before the Watchers descended. Gabriel wouldn’t allow them to take her without a fight.

Conscious of Gabriel watching, Diana called upon her gift without a second thought, not willing to risk Gabriel’s life in order to keep her secrets.

Unfortunately, the Watchers had planned their attack very well.

There were no animals in the area she could call upon for help.

Except for the thousands of rats that made the tunnels beneath the city their home.

Heat seared along her back, and she braced for the pain as her magic responded to her summons. Static gathered in the alley until she could practically hear it crackle. She collected the energy and thrust everything she gathered into the sewers.

At first nothing happened.

She saw a third person leap to the wall behind them.

They were surrounded.

The Watchers would make their move soon.

As if on cue, rats bubbled up from the sewers by the hundreds and they kept coming.

Gabriel cursed as the rats crawled over themselves and flooded the alley. No one could get close without being pulled under by the stampede of rats.

Rats didn’t sound like much of a threat until you gathered enough of them, where they could then clean a body of flesh in a matter of hours.

“Follow me.” Diana used the distraction to guide their horses out of the alley, taking care not to allow the horses to step on their rescuers.

The vile smell of so many wet rats was nearly suffocating.

She held the rodents until the horses reached the end of the alley, her skull throbbing with the effort of controlling so many minds at once.

Liquid dripped down her upper lip.

She wiped at her nose, blinking when she saw a bright splash of blood on her hands.

“What did you do?” Gabriel sounded close, but she had trouble focusing her eyes. His concerned face swam in and out of focus, and she struggled to stay on the back of her horse.

Gabriel cursed as he watched Diana sway, and he nudged his horse closer, sweeping her up in his arms and across his lap. “Don’t think fainting will get you out of answering my questions.”

Diana was a spitfire, and he taunted her in hopes that she would snip back at him, but she remained ominously silent. Worse, she snuggled into his arms and closed her eyes. Only her rhythmic breathing kept him calm.

Gabriel kicked his horse for more speed, sensed no sign of pursuit, but he wasn’t taking any chances.

Samuel had mentioned Druids had gifts, but Gabriel had assumed it was superstitious nonsense…until tonight. It was raining, but not nearly enough to flood the tunnels and force the rats to flee.

It explained so much about the secrecy around Diana.

It would also explain why so many people were after her.

Diana had all but confirmed it tonight. Gabriel pulled her closer, dread tightening his gut. He should be furious she hadn’t shared any of it with him, but he could understand.

He wouldn’t have believed it without proof.

He still wasn’t exactly sure what he saw.

All he knew was that Diana wasn’t waking up.

If that was the cost of using her gift, he would forbid her from ever using it again.

He leaned over and kissed her forehead, praying that she would open her beautiful eyes.

G
abriel carried
an unconscious Diana through the house and deposited her on her bed. He stood back and stared down at her, at a complete loss what to do next. Calling a maid was out of the question, so he bent over and, with shaky hands, began unlacing her boots.

As he pulled off the second boot, a knife clunked to the floor. After a quick search, he found four other blades. He carefully set them on the end table in a neat row. She’d obviously left prepared. He should be furious at her, but it was hard to stay mad when concern was eating him alive.

He cleaned the blood from her face and tucked her into bed, pulling extra blankets from on top of the wardrobe. The second he straightened, her mutt jumped on the bed and cuddled next to her, its big eyes shadowed with worry. For once, Gabriel didn’t have the heart to order the beast down. After building up the fire, he began to pace the room, stopping every few minutes to make sure Diana was still breathing.

Only when he saw dawn on the horizon did he reluctantly admit that he wouldn’t be able to protect her alone. They needed to start working as a team. Assured that she was sleeping comfortably, he headed toward his own room for a few minutes of rest.

He opened his door and was immediately overwhelmed by the distinct odor of wet dog. He stripped away his jacket, sat and removed his boots, lining them up in front of the fire, then headed toward the bed, only to stop short. The cover was matted with wet fur, as if the mangy mutt had rolled around all over the thing. Gabriel heaved a sigh, too exhausted to work up any anger. He stripped the blanket and fell across the bed, his mind restlessly churning over the events of the evening, and plotting new ways he could convince Diana that they needed to work together.

* * *

T
he chirping
of birds woke Diana the next morning. When she pried opened her eyes, it felt like someone had stabbed her in the head, and she quickly threw her arm up to cover her face. A familiar headache throbbed in her skull, proof she’d overtaxed her gift.

Then she bolted upright when she recalled the events of last night.

The Watchers had found her.

Diana surveyed her surroundings, surprised to find herself in her own room. She must have passed out, and Gabriel had brought her home. Her cheeks heated at the thought of being in his arms, then she blanched, her stomach dropping as she remembered using her magic in front of him.

Gabriel knew.

He could have left her to her own defenses, but he took her home with him, and a spark of hope flickered to through her that he hadn’t simply abandoned her.

Her gut churned knowing that the Watchers wouldn’t stop coming after her.

The thought of putting Gabriel at risk turned her blood to ice. She needed a way to keep a watch on the house. She gazed out the window, distracted by the birds chasing after each other, when a brilliant idea came to her.

She called her magic, hissing in a startled breath as pain lanced up her back. The tattoos felt fresh, and she could feel that the vines had spread over her ribs. Ignoring her discomfort, she called to the birds, silently communicating her request for them to keep a watch over the house and report any threats.

They chirped excitedly, and Diana nodded. “I’ll bring some grain from the stables for you.”

The birds swooped away, spinning and dancing in the air.

Their agreement was worth the pain.

Diana lingered in her room, not ready to face Gabriel again so soon. Deciding to put off the inevitable, she quickly dressed, then hurried down the stairs as if the hounds of hell were nipping at her heels.

A sound had Gabriel shooting out of bed, and nearly falling on his ass when he tripped over one of his boots that lay scattered in the middle of the room. He narrowed his eyes and glared at his closed door. If he didn’t know better, he’d swear that damned dog of hers was trying to kill him.

His heart thudded hard in his chest, and he ran a hand down his face, gazing around his room in confusion, wondering at what woke him, when movement in the garden caught his eye. Peering out the window, he spotted Diana sneaking into the garden…and the hidden gate to the back alley. He gripped the window frame until his knuckles cracked, his gut dropping as he saw her vanish behind the greenery.

She was leaving him.

The knowledge devastated him, and he froze as he struggled with the loss.

After the attack last night, his fear that the pastor would catch her nearly gutted him. “The little fool.”

He dressed in two minutes flat, haphazardly tying his cravat as he scrambled down the hall. He ran full-tilt through the garden, the door easily giving under his shoulder, and he burst out into the back alley. He’d never forgive himself if he allowed anything to happen to her because he had behaved like an utter ass.

The strength went out of his legs when he spied Diana and Conway talking. Conway handed her a sack, the two of them laughing, and the small details filtered into his brain. Namely that she didn’t have her pack with her. He leaned heavily against the wall when he realized she wasn’t leaving.

Then a startling realization knocked the breath clear out of his lungs.

He was falling hopelessly in love with her.

Instead of joy, the knowledge scared him shitless.

Love had no place in his well-ordered life.

It led most men who succumbed to the devilish emotion down a path of chaos and destruction. Only a lucky few survived, and only because their beloved reciprocated the emotion. He was woefully ill-prepared for a woman like Diana to come into his life, but heaven help him, he’d be damned before he let her go.

He would not suffer this fate alone.

He was determined to be one of the lucky ones, even if he had to drag her kicking and screaming all the way.

* * *

D
iana turned back
toward the house and spied Gabriel leaning against the wall watching her. Her steps faltered when she noted his normal immaculate attire looked like he’d dressed in the dark. She kind of liked him that way.

Not nearly so impenetrable.

They both remained silent for a moment, his expression unguarded, dark shadows lingering under his eyes. He looked so wonderful that her daft heart galloped against her ribs.

“I want you to promise not to go off on your own anymore.”

Diana hesitated. She wouldn’t be able to protect him if she wasn’t allowed to leave the house. “Only if you agree to the same.”

Memories of his departure last night still stung.

She wanted him for herself, and she was determined to win him over.

The first step was to eliminate the competition.

“Agreed.” Gabriel pushed away from the wall. “Would you like to go for a ride? We can make our first public appearance, and I can introduce you to a friend of mine.”

Diana released her breath when Gabriel made no mention of last night, or her gifts. “Are you sure? None of the new dresses have arrived. I wouldn’t want to embarrass you.”

“You look beautiful.” He gazed down at her, his blue eyes unwavering. “It would be an honor to ride by your side.”

His reply left her completely flustered. “I’d like that.”

Gabriel ran a hand down his disorderly clothes. “Meet me back here in five minutes.”

Diana watched him hurry away, and quickly followed, almost giddy at the chance to spend more time with him. She haphazardly tossed seeds at the birds, then ran into the house. She splashed water on her face and fussed with her hair, then hurried down the stairs to see Conway and Gabriel saddling the horses.

She couldn’t help admire Gabriel’s muscular form, and the ease with which he lifted the heavy tack. He swung her up in the saddle without a hint of strain. When he lifted his leg to mount, her eyes automatically dropped to his backside, her fingers curling around the reins against the need to touch.

His legs flexed as he guided his horse closer. When she glanced up, she found him watching her. She should be embarrassed to be caught staring, but she was too busy marveling at the attraction that sizzled between them. The horse shifted impatiently until they were side by side. “They are beautiful animals.”

“Thank you.” Gabriel patted his horse’s neck. “Since I spend so much time in the country, I took up horse breeding as a way to keep busy. It’s a very lucrative hobby.”

The streets were relatively empty and easy to traverse so early in the morning. In less than an hour, they passed through a large gate, and the city fell away to the clear, open land of a large park.

“Do you mind if I stretch her legs and see what she can do?”

Gabriel smiled. “Be my guest.”

Diana gave the mare her head, felt the beast’s muscles bunch and her heart surge as she took off. Diana leaned forward, enjoying the speed and freedom as the scenery passed in a blur. Gabriel drew up next to her, tensing as if to sweep her off her horse. His concern both amused and touched her. She flashed him a grin, and he fell back, allowing her to take the lead.

A tiny piece of her soul eased to find a little bit of the country hidden in the middle of the city. Diana checked her horse, slowing to a trot, allowing her to cool down after such a hard run. Gabriel’s much larger horse followed suit, and they rode together in companionable silence. The park began to fill with people and she turned, ready to head back.

“You ride well.”

Pleasure unfurled through her at his admiration. His dark mood of the previous day seemed to have vanished. “Thank you. She is a beautiful animal.”

“That she is.”

Her breath caught at the softly spoken reverence in his words.

He was staring directly at her.

His charm was nonexistent, rusty at best, and much to her chagrin, she found it very effective. Horses and carriages quickly filled the pathways, slowing the traffic to a crawl, and she was very conscious of him nudging his horse closer, as if to protect her. Thankful for the distraction, she looked around wide-eyed at the spectacle. Every blade of grass and walkway was filled with people, and when she saw the elaborate dresses and colors, she understood his insistence that they visit the dressmaker.

A stylish woman in a phaeton lowered her parasol and waved in their direction.

Diana stiffened when the vehicle headed toward them, and the pit of her stomach dropped. The woman could only be described as striking. Her brown hair was curled and piled on top of her head, framing her face becomingly. The dress was the height of fashion, the cinched waist showing off her dainty figure. The light blue color matched her eyes to perfection, and the sunshine added a lovely blush to her cheeks, the overall effect creating a stunning picture. Though she couldn’t be considered classically beautiful, her bearing and confidence made up for any lack.

Gabriel reached over and touched her arm. “I would like you to meet a boyhood friend of mine, the honorable Rand Patrard and his wife Tallie.”

Not lovers.

Relief left her lightheaded.

She’d been so absorbed in studying the woman, she hadn’t even noticed the dapper gentleman seated next to her. “A pleasure to meet you both.”

“I met with them last night, and appraised them of our situation. They have offered to organize a ball to introduce you into society.”

Diana felt queasy at the thought, her fingers tightening on the reins until the mare pranced backwards. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

Tallie angled the parasol back and smiled up at Diana with kind eyes. “We’ll keep the gathering small. I understand how it can be somewhat overwhelming at first.”

Lights grew brighter until things became blurry, and a spurt of panic twisted through her. Voices grew in volume, even the bugs seemed louder.

Static snapped in the air, and Diana wanted to curse as a vision pounded inside her head.

Not now.

But without her special tea or laudanum to suppress it, her power would not be denied. Heat spread across her back, the searing pain just short of crippling.

“Something’s wrong.”

Gabriel turned toward her and the smile on his face vanished. “What is it?”