In the Beginning... (54 page)

Rand released nothing but a growl. Aodhan
bit back a smile. His brother-in-law held no difficulty
understanding Aodhan’s particular brand of interrogation.

“Questions!”

“Excellent choice. I suppose
I could put a leash upon my brother-in-law, but I far prefer to let
wild animals be free as the gods and goddesses intended. I’m sure
you understand. Now,
”
Aodhan grabbed the traitor and pulled him into a seated
position. “You’re going to tell us a story. Starting with why you
wanted Jierra, your closest friend, dead. Then you’re going to end
with how you contacted the Lupoiux who attacked the Jareth
Equa
. And
Jambu
—
make sure
it’s a detailed story.”

Fifteen minutes later, Aodhan wasn’t
satisfied in the least. Jambu’s story presented more questions than
answers.

The wolf was just as
unhappy.
“So that’s it? Someone sent him
anonymous notes pointing out that if Jierra was out of the picture
he would be the next heir? Thin.”

Aodhan agreed. “We need to focus on who sent
the notes. On who would know Jambu well enough to know what buttons
to push to incite him to turn on someone whom he has cared about
his entire life. The connection is between the Redd Gothan pack and
that person.”

“At what motivation? What
did that person hope to gain from it all? If Jierra was killed and
Jambu became your
Dahr
’s heir, that meant the heir himself was next.”

Aodhan nodded. “Which means the threat to my
people still exists.”

“Meaning the threat to my family and my mate
still exist.”

“Yes.” Aodhan knew it, and
he would find that threat and eliminate it. “Somewhere. In the
meantime, even the resort is not safe. Especially for Jierra
and
Dhan
Emily. And
now Barlaam’s
Rajni
. Even she can provide an heir if something were to happen to
Jierra or
Dhan
Emily before a second heir can be born.”

“So two of my cousins or my own mate.
Anything else you need to add?”

“Any of the Taniss Rajnis
present a threat. As does Jierra. The royal Houses are so because
of their close familial ties. I am related to seven of the ten
Houses. Theo, five.
Dahr
Rydere is related to nine. The Jierra, with eight
relative ties. Any of our females pose a threat to these traitors.
If it’s strictly a matter of inheriting the
daharana
position.” Aodhan ran the
scenarios through his head. “And the Redd Gothan pack will need to
be dealt with.”

“I can have a few of my men take on that
angle.” Rand’s feral grin told Aodhan he was looking forward to the
idea. “If you can guarantee the safety of my female and pups.”

“Done.”

Mallory waited impatiently,
knowing Theo would not let her out of his suite until Aodhan
arrived to fetch her. She’d have words with him about that. His
archaic idea that she needed to be constantly protected and
cosseted would have to change if they were to move forward
together. As it was, she was fighting herself to stay in Theo’s
suite and not make a big fuss out of him following Aodhan’s orders.
Mickey’s
Rajni
did
not need that after the ordeal Mickey had faced that afternoon. But
still…that didn’t mean she was too pleased with Aodhan at the
moment.

She may have acted wimpy and wishy-washy
with him since he’d kidnapped her, but hadn’t she spent years
gaining back her confidence in herself? He was not going to take
that away from her just because they’d had mind-blowing sex.

And he wasn’t going to be hiding her in a
corner with his buddies while he went off to slay dragons. Or
merpeople. Or whatever threat he decided was after her.

Thaddeus opened Theo’s suite door, finally,
and Mallory studied the two men standing in the frame beside
him.

Her brother nodded. “Mal. How’s Mick?”

“She’s sleeping. She’s
pregnant, Rand. And it really frightened her today.” Mallory ran
her gaze over Aodhan, searching for signs of what might have
occurred between him and her brother. Why was Rand with him?
“There’s blood on your
vestis
.”

She walked to Aodhan and grabbed his arm,
pulling the silk of his shirt back to see for herself. None of his
stitches were missing. She turned to her brother.

Not a single mark was on him. “Whose
blood?”

“No. Worried he’d
hurt
you
. Or did
you forget the sixty-something stitches holding you together? What
happened? Why did you change your mind about Rand?” She rubbed her
hands over his arms, checking for herself that he was fine and in
one-piece. He indulged her for a moment before grabbing one of her
hands and leading her back to the couch she’d been sharing with
Theo moments before.

“Sit. I’ll tell you what we have learned.
And your brother and I have come to an agreement. Whenever he feels
the beast taking hold, he has developed strategies to help him
ensure everyone’s safety.” Aodhan pulled her down to the couch with
him; Mallory let him guide her onto his lap to make room for her
brother on the seat, as well. It was only when Rand raised an
eyebrow and smirked that she realized what she’d done.

She didn’t care. She’d slept
with Aodhan, was living with the man in his suite. Why should it
bother her to touch him in front of people? “What happened? Did you
find out who let the
elhydra
in?”

“No. But we’re tracking that person now.”
Aodhan’s hands were hot on her waist as he shifted her. Thaddeus
was still in the room, and Theo listened from the corner of the
couch. “Someone led Jambu to do what he did. Sent him letters
designed to incite him to act as he did. That is someone we need to
find.”

“Another traitor in your
resort?” Mallory looked at the man holding her. “And that person is
responsible for the
elhydra
?”

“We don’t know yet. But the targets of the
attacks were most likely your family. It was the private pool, used
only by the Heads of House and their immediate families. That’s a
highly limited number of targets.” Aodhan’s hands tightened around
her waist. “That means that you and your sister, cousins, need to
be extra careful. The females of any royal House hold a lot of
power in their hands. If someone could eliminate all of you, then
Rydere and Barlaam, it could send our people into a panic until the
remaining Heads of Houses could step in to restore order. You must
be careful, kitten. You are pretty high on the list of potential
targets.”

“Why me?”

“Because of me, I’m afraid.
It all comes down to the ascension of the
daharana
. Or royal seat.
Rydere and Barlaam are, through
great-grandparents, related to nine of the ten Dardanos Houses.
Jierra is related to eight.; me, seven, and Jambu seven. Theo,
five. Barlaam as a healer, cannot be the heir, although he can
father one. Because he hasn’t yet and neither has
Dahr
Rydere, that puts the
list of ascension as Jierra, Jambu
—
though that’s void now, any child you
and I may have, and the first-born child of Theo and your sister.
Do you understand?”

“Not really sure why you or
Theo can’t be the direct heirs. So tell me
—
who faces the biggest threat and in
what order?”

“
Dhan
Emily as she could be carrying
the highest heir right now. Jierra as she is the established heir,
your young cousin Jade as she can also be carrying a high heir
through Barlaam. Then you as you could be carrying someone related
to…to
dammit
!
To
all
of the
Houses. I am not related to Theo’s House in any way. Nor to the
Jareth. Except through my
Rajni
bond in that your sister is with Theo and your
cousin with Cormac. Your brother with Jierra. And your cousins
Emily and Jade the House of Dardanos, itself.”

“I’m sorry. What does that mean? For all of
us?” Mallory had a devil of a time following what he was saying.
With a total number of people less than 200,000 wouldn’t many of
the royal families be related?

“Simple.” It was Theo who
said it, and had Mallory’s attention heading in his direction.
“
You
are the
highest threat to whomever is seeking the ascension because any
child you birth will be closely related to all ten Houses. Even
Mickey cannot say the same as there is no current blood connection
between my line and the Black or Lycurgus lines. Even
Dhan
Emily misses the mark
through the Lycurgus line. But you…you’re the biggest threat of
all.”

Aodhan’s expression showed a
mix of anger and determination. And worry. “
Especially
if you become pregnant.
Then that child will surpass even Jierra as heir.”

“Then I guess you just keep it in your
pants, blood-sucker, until we find the person threatening my
sisters and cousins.” Rand practically growled the words and
Mallory shivered.

She fought the urge to drop a hand to cover
her stomach.

She wasn’t pregnant, yet. But even if she
was, no one would threaten her child. Ever.

Aodhan saw the fear in her eyes and it made
him doubly determined that the traitor would be found as quickly as
possible. He would not have his female and their future children
threatened in any way. “You know I will keep you safe, kitten. But
to be honest, as a member of the royal Houses you will always face
threats. Where it something I could change for you, I would.”

“I understand.” She tilted her head back,
resolution in her tone and body. “So what are we going to do about
this? Who else would benefit from something happening to me, or
Emily, or Barlaam and Rydere, for that matter? Someone has to think
they will gain something by doing this.”

“And that is the question we need to answer.
In the meantime, you will go nowhere alone.” Aodhan was firm on
that. He could not, would not, risk her safety. “Because if this is
about the ascendency, you are the next target.”

She shivered and he soothed her with a hand
drawn up and down her spine. “I can take care of myself, you
know.”

“No, Mal. Not in this world.” Her brother
prowled Theo’s suite; Aodhan understood exactly what the other male
felt. “Listen to Aodhan. He’ll keep you safe. And I’ll find who the
threat in my Kind is, I can promise you that.”

Aodhan expected his female to protest, but
she didn’t. She said little more than her goodbyes to her brother
and Theo when he told her it was time they went back to their own
suite.

She grabbed his hand when they were walking
down the hall. “Do you think someone will be coming after me?”

“It’s a possibility. But I can promise you,
you will be safe.”

“I don’t need promises, Aodhan. I need you
to understand that I am perfectly able to protect myself. I’ve
worked for eight years on learning how to do just that. If you
can’t respect that I’m just as capable as you, then I don’t know
what I’m still doing with you. I need that respect.”

“A male’s job is to protect his female. And
it is my job to protect the

Dardanos people. How can the desire to
protect you not be strong in me?”

And protect her he would.
She might chafe a bit at the restrictions, but as an
Equa
of his House she
would have to get used to being guarded. It wasn’t something either
of them had to like, but it was their life. And he would never put
her in a position where he could lose her. Period.

“Because if you valued me at
all, you would have confidence in my abilities.”
He stopped walking and turned to her, his hands
wrapping around her arms.

“I do have confidence in
you. The first thought I ever had when I found you was how strong
and capable you were
for a human. You were
fierce and beautiful. A warrior in your own right.”

“Then why do you seem to think I need
bundled up and hidden while you hunt down the bad guys? I can help,
you know.”

“You help me by staying
safe! I cannot live if you don’t. If something were to happen to
you, how long do you think I would last upon this earth? Not days,
how many hours? The
Rajni
bond is strong within me. If someone were to hurt
you, to take you from me, it will be the end of me. I will simply
lay down and die. Willingly. Do you understand me?” He pulled her
off of her feet and covered her mouth with his. He kissed her, long
and hard. Finally, when they were both out of breath, he pulled
back. “Without you, I cannot even breathe.”

What was she supposed to say to that? He
meant it, every crazy word. Mallory slipped her hands up to his
shoulders and squeezed. “I’m not stupid, Aodhan. I know when to
fight and when not to. Had Mickey not been in the house that night,
I never would have fought you. I would have ran as fast as I
could.”

“I would have still caught
you. Nothing would have stopped me. Especially you.” His hands
dropped from her upper arms and slipped around her waist. “You were
mine, and once I tasted you, I knew it. You were so beautiful,
strong, determined. Even if you hadn’t have been my
Rajni
I don’t think I
could have hurt you. Frightened you, yes. But not hurt
you.”