Embrace Me At Dawn (49 page)

Rhea looked at them both with suspicion. “I don’t have to agree to anything.”

“
You don’t,” Bram agreed. “Unless you’d like to be free.”

She jumped to attention, then narrowed her eyes. “What’s the trick?”

“
I want to tie your fate to Mathias’s. It will be very nearly like you’re mated.”

Her lips parted. Her eyes brightened, and Lucan could see that the idea of being mated to Mathias appealed to Rhea.
Sick woman
.

“
What do you mean?” she asked suspiciously.

“
Well…” Bram wandered closer to her cell and brushed his knuckles up her arm. “If we tie your life force to his, then at the end of tonight’s meeting with Mathias, if he follows the rules and colors inside the lines, you’ll be teleported immediately to wherever he is. You’ll be free.”

“
What about your magic? Won’t it keep me here?”

“
I’ve given you my word and my consent that you’ll be released under these circumstances. It will be part of the magic in your binding.”

Rhea bit her lip. Lucan could see she very much liked that idea. “What’s in it for you?”

“
You’re his reason to behave. I happen to know that he misses you a great deal. I think he will be a good boy this evening if we give him proper incentive. That’s you.”

“
If he cooperates tonight, I’m free? No tricks?”

“
Precisely. What do you say, dear? I’ll be a bit sad to see you go. I’ve so enjoyed our chats.”

She narrowed her eyes. “I’ve told you nothing useful.”

“
But you’ve been adorably stubborn. I see why Mathias is so taken with you.”

She smiled at the thought. Then, as if realizing that she was giving too much away, she wiped the expression from her face. “If he doesn’t cooperate?”

“
Then you’re no worse for the wear. You simply remain here. Your choice.” Bram shrugged as if it was of no consequence.

But Lucan sensed the tension in the other wizard’s frame. He definitely had something in mind.

Bram sent her a flirty smile. “I almost hope he’s a prat. More time for us together.”

Rhea rolled her eyes. “Shut it, wanker. I hate it here, and you know that. You’re mated.”

“
Doesn’t mean I’m dead when I see a pretty witch.” He winked. “What do you say? The potential to go with Mathias or stay here with me?”

She hesitated, clearly working through everything he’d said in her head. Finally, she nodded. “I’ll take any chance to get out of here and be with Mathias again. What do I need to do?”

“
Have anything of Mathias’s with you?”

“
Why?”

“
It will be much simpler to bind your fates.”

She gave him a suspicious glare. “Are you performing the spell?”

“
No. My sweet, little aunt will. She’s full of heart magic.”

Mille stepped forward. “It’s all right, dear. You won’t feel anything, and everything Bram has told you is true. If your fates are bound, then as soon as Mathias upholds his part of the bargain, you’ll be transported from here and returned to his side. It’s much easier to perform the spell if you have something of your beloved’s.”

“
I keep a small vial of Mathias’s blood ’round my neck.” Rhea gently tugged on a silver chain.

“
Lovely.” Bram’s aunt was trying not to grimace at the macabre jewelry. “I’ll need you to hand it to me willingly, then we’re set.”

Rhea scrambled to do as she was bid, handing the little vial, chain and all, to Millie.

The older witch tried not to flinch as she took it. “Whatever you offered of your beloved’s, I’ll need the same of you.” When Rhea looked confused, Millie supplied, “Blood, dear.”

“
I’ll help,” Bram grabbed her wrist, then dragged a finger across her palm, cutting her a bit deeper than necessary with his magic.

Rhea hissed. Blood pooled in the sensitive center of her hand, then ran between her fingers. Millie opened the vial and poured a bit of Mathias’s blood over hers, murmuring a few words over Rhea’s palm. As Lucan watched, mesmerized, a small blip of light was his only clue that the spell had taken effect. Wizards were notoriously bad with heart magic. The tiny bit he’d tried…disaster. Bull in a china shop. Millie might be small and worth little on a battlefield, but right now, she was a goddess.

“
It’s done.” The little witch smiled, then waved her hand over Rhea’s to stop the bleeding.

“
Thanks much, Aunt Millie.”

“
Think nothing of it, dear.” She patted Bram’s cheek, then turned to leave the dungeon.

Lucan followed with Bram right beside him. The moment they left the dungeon and Bram secured the magical protections in place again, Lucan turned to the other wizard. “What the devil was that about?”

Bram smiled widely, clearly savoring his maneuver. “Do you think for a moment that Mathias is going to play by the rules?”

“
Are you daft? Of course not.”

“
Exactly. I’m certain he could care less about Rhea or anyone but his own ambition. But I told her the absolute truth. She’s free if he follows our rules. Since we both know that won’t happen, she merely stays here. But the best news is, if we manage to kill Mathias, then she dies, as well.”

~ ~ ~ ~

Nursing an idea of his own, Lucan made his way out of the dungeon and peeked into the dining room, hoping to find Anka with the rest of the people gathered there. Her seat sat empty.

With a frown, he leaned down to whisper in Sabelle’s ear, ignoring Ice’s scowl. “I need a favor.”

“
Sure.” She glanced at him over her shoulder, her blue eyes expectant. “What is it?”

“
I need your help with a spell. Just in case.”

Lucan didn’t want to prepare for this possibility, but he could rule nothing out. If Felicia couldn’t get there in time, if her Untouchable powers didn’t work on Morganna, if Anka couldn’t—or wouldn’t—teleport away when she should, he had to give her a way to defend herself. Mathias would likely come after her for his own malicious pleasure. No way was Lucan letting his mate be taken again.

Sabelle rose under Ice’s watchful gaze. The wizard’s green eyes narrowed, promising slow, extensive pain if Lucan touched one hair on Belle’s head. Lucan held up both hands. As lovely as she was, he had no designs on Bram’s sister. Anka had his heart…and Bram would be one terrible brother-by-mating. Hell, Ice probably deserved an award.

In the library, Sabelle quickly found what he needed. He tore the page from the book, scanned it, then handed it back to her. “That is precisely what we need. And you can perform this, if necessary.”

“
Of course.”

Lucan smiled. He wanted to thank Belle with a kiss on her cheek, then decided it would be better not to incite Ice just now. Instead, he escorted her back to the dining room.

“
Have you seen Anka?” he asked her as he seated her again.

The lovely witch hesitated, as if she’d rather not answer, before finally admitting, “Shock arrived about ten minutes ago. He’d obviously just received a great deal of energy from someone. Anka seemed perfectly content with that fact. Then they had a cryptic conversation, something about Shock being full or not.” She shrugged apologetically. “No idea what it meant. I only know that he said he wasn’t and they disappeared upstairs.”

Upstairs
? Nothing but bedrooms up there.

After thanking Belle, Lucan left the dining room, taking the stairs two at a time, anxiety gnawing at his gut. He arrived on the landing in time to see Shock emerge from one of the bedrooms with a loose, satisfied swagger. Anka followed, looking pale and bracing herself against the wall. She closed her eyes and heaved in a deep breath. Lucan felt his temper come unhinged.

Storming over to the pair, his gaze darted between Shock and Anka, the kick in his gut reminding him that because Anka hadn’t spoken the Binding to him, she was free to do anything she wanted with Shock. Anything at all. Succumb to every lascivious, raunchy, wicked demand the wankstain had.

Fuck, Lucan felt sick to his stomach. Anka claimed to love him. He was the mate of her heart. She would give birth to his youngling. And yet…she’d disappeared into a bedroom with her former lover.

“
What’s this?” He stared at Anka, willing her to speak some truth that wasn’t going to kill him. Instead, her legs crumpled under her, and Lucan lunged to catch her in his arms as she fell to the floor. He turned to Shock with an accusing glare. “What the fuck did you do?”

The other wizard’s face closed up immediately. “Don’t panic, Sir Galahad. She’s all right. I told her to lie down. Stubborn witch doesn’t listen.”

“
How do you know she’s fine? What did you do to her, damn it?”

Shock growled. “I said she’s all right already.”

“
I don’t care what you said. This whole ‘he who must not be fucked with’ persona might scare others. Me? I don’t give a shit what you think you can do to me. If you threaten her—”

“
After everything I’ve done for her, you can accuse me of that with a straight face?”

Lucan unclenched his fists. Slowly, he backed away. Shock would never harm Anka. He cared. He might even need her in some odd way. Or at least Bram had hinted as much. Bram might be a scheming prat, but he was a smart one. But Anka’s safety wasn’t Lucan’s only concern.

“
That doesn’t mean you didn’t slide her between your sheets,” he snapped.

But Sabelle had mentioned just minutes ago that Shock arrived at the manor brimming with energy. Lucan saw no hint of Anka’s energy in Shock’s signature now.

“
I wish.” Shock hadn’t touched her, and his expression said that he sorely wished otherwise. “Don’t I fucking wish. But you won that battle, so back the fuck off.”

“
Sorry.” Lucan was forced to admit he’d been wrong. He sighed, cradling Anka against his chest. “What’s wrong with her, then? Did something happen?”

Shock grimaced. “No. Really, give her ten. She’ll be right as rain. Where’s Bram been? I need to talk to him. Mathias is getting antsy.”

Before Lucan could stop it, his memory flashed a picture of heading down to the dungeon with Bram to talk to Rhea.

The other wizard snarled in his face. “What did they discuss?”

Lucan intentionally blanked his mind. “Does Mathias care about Rhea much?”

“
Mathias doesn’t give a piss about anyone.”

As he’d suspected. “Then there are no worries.”

“
Fucking wanker,” Shock muttered and stalked off, jogging down the stairs in his leathers.

Lucan watched him go with mixed feelings. He didn’t like Shock, or trust him much, but the way he’d behaved with Anka proved that when he was loyal, he was loyal to the core. Too bad they couldn’t transfer some of that allegiance to the Doomsday Brethren. They could use someone fearless
and
reliable with connections to both sides.

There would probably be a month of full moons before that happened.

Anka roused in his arms, her dark lashes fluttering up over her amber eyes. When she realized where she was, or more precisely who was holding her, she gasped. “Where’s Shock?”

“
Gone downstairs. What were you doing with him?” Lucan tried to keep the accusation out of his voice, but feared that he was falling miserably short.