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Authors: Dana Marie Bell

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BOOK: Noble Blood
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“Duncan?”

He started and looked over his shoulder. Moira stood there, rubbing her eyes, her gloriously nude body outlined by the moonlight. “Hey. Go back to bed,
amoureaux.

She smiled and stepped into the room, padding silently across the carpeted floor. “I can hear you thinking. What’s wrong?”

“Shane called. He had a message for me, and an offer of help. He’s going to call a family meeting to see what they can do for us.” He pulled Moira into his lap, settling her head in the crook of his neck. He closed his eyes and nestled her close, letting some of the tension out. He had to release some of the burden to his mates or he’d lose his mind. “I’m not sure what to do.”

“I fight.” He looked over to find Jaden standing there, an odd, green glimmer in his black eyes, barely there before it was gone again. Duncan frowned, concerned. Where had that strange light had come from? There was nothing green in the room; it was done completely in whites and silvery blues. “I’ve been sanctioned to do whatever is necessary to prevent the Malmaynes from falling. There’s nothing for you to worry about.”

Duncan winced. If those were Jaden’s orders, someone would die. “I want you to be careful.”
I don’t want to live without you again.

Moira’s fingers brushed his cheek. “We’ll help him.”

“Oh no you won’t.” Jaden’s back went rigid, his expression hard. “You keep your pretty asses out of this.”

Moira managed to beat him to the punch. “Excuse me? This is
my
family now, and I fight for my own!” The Irish was back in her voice, but this time it was full of outrage.

“I am a
Blade
, Moira. A fully trained Knight of the Gray Court, one of Oberon’s hand-picked warriors. I work directly for Robin Goodfellow, who, by the way, is scary beyond all sanity. Trust me, I think I can handle Charles Malmayne.”

“You think I can’t?”

Jaden’s eyes narrowed. “No. I have something else in mind for you to do.”

Duncan sat up at that. “Now wait a moment, Jaden.”

He would have said more except Moira’s hand covered his mouth. Now he was getting pissed at
both
of them. “What?”

“I know there are things you can do that a full-blooded leprechaun can’t. Use that to your advantage to protect yourself and Duncan. Let me deal with the outside threats. You take care of our home.”

Duncan’s eyes flashed. He removed Moira’s hand and let his magic seep into the air. “And what will I be doing while you two are combating the rest of the family?”

Jaden smirked. “What a son of the Tuatha Dé does best. Fuck with their minds.”

Moira kissed his cheek. “You’re the only one who can contact Glorianna about this. She’s not going to listen to me, and she certainly won’t listen to Jaden.” Moira shrugged. “Maybe if she knows what’s going on she’ll send help.”

Duncan almost snorted. He had a pretty good idea how Glorianna was going to react to his mating with Jaden and it wouldn’t be pleasant. Unfortunately he wasn’t ready to go to war with Charles. He’d been a warrior once, long ago, but his skills were rusty from disuse. That was something he could begin to rectify immediately. He narrowed his eyes at Jaden, hoping the vampire would know exactly how irritated he was at being left out of the fight. “I want you to spar with me.”

Jaden blinked. “Of course.”

“Me too.”

Jaden threw up his hands. “Oh no, Tiger. I’m still recovering from the last time you kicked my ass.”

Moira snorted. “I don’t need to be able to take you out. I need to be able to take
Charles
out.”

Jaden snorted. “I’ve fought you, sweetheart, and that’s not a problem. You could do that now as long as he doesn’t get into your mind.”

“That
is
going to be a problem,” Duncan muttered. He began drumming his fingers on Moira’s thigh. “Charles is strong, even stronger than I am. He could roll
my
mind without breaking a sweat.” In fact, he wasn’t entirely certain he
could
take Charles’s.
 

“Then we need to figure out a way to protect you.” Jaden frowned. “Thing is, I don’t know what will work against a Sidhe bent on a serious mind fuck.”

The three lovers exchanged a look. “We need to avoid him.” Duncan patted Moira’s hip, urging her off of him. “We need help.”

“Who?”

Duncan smiled. “I think we should start with Shane Joloun. He knows something about what’s going on. I intend to find out all of it.” Even if it meant rolling his brother-in-law’s mind. “Let’s go back to bed. We have to be at your parent’s house some time tomorrow.” He took Moira’s hand and held the other out for Jaden. “Coming?”

Jaden grinned. “Nah. You two go ahead. I have something I want to take care of first.”

“Jaden.” Duncan’s muscles tightened in instant denial. He hadn’t finished Binding the vampire to him. Jaden could still leave them.

“Don’t worry, old man.” He pressed a soft kiss to Duncan’s lips. “I’ll be back.” Jaden walked back toward the bedroom. “I just need to find something out.”

“Can it wait?”

Jaden’s eyes flashed that eerie green again, there and gone so fast Duncan wondered if he’d imagined it. Was there a light in the yard reflecting through the trees or something? “Nope.” He entered the bedroom. “Moira? What happened to my briefs?”

Moira rolled her eyes and stomped into the bedroom. “On the floor, like everyone else’s.” Duncan could hear the worry in her voice, but what could he do?

Jaden was a Blade. There was nothing that could protect them from that.

 

 

Akane shivered and climbed back into her car. She felt numb. How had Jaden resisted them for so long? The love that flowed between the three of them was so strong she was surprised any of them survived the separation. Why hadn’t she known what Jaden was
really
like? He was extraordinarily good at hiding those white knight tendencies of his. That explained why he was one of Robin’s favorites. Robin had a real soft spot for the noble ones. She snorted. It was probably the Hob’s
only
soft spot.

Now that she realized what Jaden was facing, and who some of the players were, it was time to make herself known. But one thing remained unclear to her. A player she didn’t recognize. Something about the power there tempted her like nothing else ever had. The taste of it was earthy and exotic, calling to her dragon senses the way no other ever had. Not even the Hob.

Not even Oberon.

She
had
to meet whoever it was.

Akane was a dragon who trusted her instincts, and those instincts were screaming at her that the unknown, powerful entity would profoundly impact her life. She hopped back into her car and started it, smiling at the purr of the powerful engine. She put it in gear and roared into the night.

First order of business: find out who the hell Shane Dunne was.

 

 

Jaden slipped into the darkness surrounding the house. He lifted his head and scented the air, his mind sifting through the information gathered. He sensed nothing out of the ordinary. He scented no watchers, heard no human or fae heartbeats.
So, Charlie-boy isn’t watching the homestead.
Jaden grinned headed for the garage.
“Duncan? Mind if I borrow the car?”

There was pause. Duncan had been half asleep.
“That depends. Which car?”

“Aw, c’mon, old man. Let me have a little fun.”

“Can’t you drive your car?”

He opened the garage door and looked at the row of brightly colored toys. He rubbed his hands together.
“My Mustang doesn’t purr like the M6.”
The sweet cherry-red convertible was calling to him.

“My M6? No, Jaden. Remember what you did to my Boxster?”

He slipped the keys off the hook and slid behind the wheel. The scent of premium leather surrounded him.
“That was not my fault. That dryad jumped right out in front of me.”
He started the car, damn near purring himself at the sound of the engine. Fuck, Duncan had great taste in cars.

He could almost feel Duncan’s chuckles.
“Don’t you mean her tree?”

He put the car in gear and pulled out of the garage, closing the door behind him.
“Leave her tree out of this.”

“Be careful, Jaden. Get a scratch on that car and I’ll take it out of your hide.”

“Promises, promises.”
He hit the gate remote and drove out into the night.
“I’m heading toward Charles’s place. What time do you need to be at the Dunne’s?”

“No clue. Shane said he’d arrange things with his father and call us back. By the way, you’re under family orders to attend.”

Well. Shit. So much for working through the family fun-fest. He could just picture what Sean Dunne would do to him when he found out his baby girl was a vampire’s bondmate.
“Can’t we just say I’m dead?”

“Jaden. You’ll be there and you’ll like it.”
He winced at Moira’s tart tone. Apparently there were downsides to this whole bondmate thing, like long distance nagging.
“Jaden. You know what? Just shut up. Get your ass back home before daybreak.”

“That doesn’t leave me a whole lot of time, sweetheart.”
It was already three o’clock in the morning. Daybreak was in roughly three hours.

“Doesn’t matter. You need to be rested before you deal with my family.”

He rolled his eyes.
“Yes, dear.”

She snorted. How the hell did you snort mentally?
“Be careful,
a ghra
.”

His heart freaking melted right in his chest. He hoped he never took their love for granted. The gift they’d granted him was priceless, and he planned on treating it as such.
“I will. Promise. Keep yourselves safe, got it?”

“Will do.”
Moira sounded sleepy.
“Love you, Jaden.”

“Love you,
amoureaux.
Get some rest.
” Duncan sounded much more awake.
“I’ll keep watch now. Moira, you can have the morning shift.”

Jaden couldn’t stop the smile from crossing his face. Duncan had been pissed at being stuck in the damsel-in-distress role, but Jaden knew Duncan was not prepared for what someone toying with the Black could throw at him. It was up to Jaden to keep them truly safe.
“I’m not expecting a move from them tonight. They’ve laid down the gauntlet, now they’re going to watch how you react to it.”

“Which means they might be expecting you.”

“True. I’ve got plans for that, though.”

He felt Duncan’s surprise.
“What plans?”

He smirked.
“You’ll see. Don’t worry, this isn’t my first job.”
And it wouldn’t be his last, bondmates or no. He helped people every day, people damaged by those who sought quick and dirty ways to power. As far as he was concerned he would be a Blade until the day he died whether he worked for Robin or not.

It was the least he could do to pay back all of the gifts fate had been kind enough to give him.

Jaden pulled up outside the house Charles Malmayne was currently calling home. It was a stately mansion located somewhere between where Leo Dunne now resided and Duncan’s latest acquisition, the huge brick mansion Moira was dying to redecorate. Duncan’s home, large though it was, still managed to feel like a home. Charles’s house, on the other hand, shouted money and power. Clad in pale stucco and stone with Grecian columns and a car port larger than most hotels had, it managed to look both boorish and pretentious. A huge fountain in the circular driveway featured a nude woman pouring water out of an urn surrounded by pissing cherubs.
“It’s confirmed. Charles is definitely overcompensating.”

“What?”

“Have you seen his new place?”
Jaden backed the car up until the house was out of sight. He pressed the button that raised the car’s roof and locked it into place.

“No, I haven’t.”

“Let’s just say that I doubt he serves cocktail wieners. They probably give him a complex.”
He got out of the car and locked it before misting through the bushes and the fence. He solidified on Charles’s property and scented the air.
“So far so good. I’m on the grounds.”

“Keep me posted.”

“Will do.”
Jaden glided forward, soundless and swift. Vampires could move quickly when motivated, and Jaden had lots of motivation. He reached the side of the mansion within two blinks. He began to climb up the house, heading for the roof. He doubted Charles was stupid enough to leave him an open window, but that was all right.

Jaden didn’t need something to be open to get into a house. All he needed was a tiny crack.

He reached the roof unmolested.
“I’m going to try and get into the house now.”
He could almost hear Duncan grumbling.
“I’m being careful, old man.”

“Stop calling me that.”

Jaden’s brows rose. Duncan’s tone was difficult to decipher.
“I didn’t know you disliked me calling you that.”
Duncan had never mentioned it before.

“I tolerated it. Now? No way in hell will my lover call me old man.”

Jaden shivered, and his dick turned rock-hard. Just like that he’d gone from Blade to lover.
“Shit. Knock it off. How the hell am I supposed to pull a B&E with a hard-on?”

“Don’t go in, Jaden. Stay outside the house.”

“No can do. I need to know what Charlie-boy has planned.”
He misted through the slight gap in the weatherproofing of the window casement, solidifying in the dark and musty attic.
“No one ever takes care of the attic windows. Did you ever notice that?”

“Can’t say that I have.”
If mental voices had teeth, Duncan’s would be clenched.

Jaden smirked. He crawled along the wall, careful to avoid the creaking floorboards because, mansion or hovel, they
all
had creaky floorboards somewhere. Very few of them had creaky walls, however, and that’s what he stuck to.
“Spiderman, Spiderman, friendly neighborhood Spiderman.”

“Jaden. No. Please. The last time you did that I had that damn song stuck in my head for a week.”

Moira giggled, sounding sleepy.
“Spins a web, any size. Catches thieves just like flies.”

BOOK: Noble Blood
10.71Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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