Surrender (12 page)

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

When Kieran nudged Wendy awake at dawn, she sat up. Worried about him out on the streets fighting against the new stronger demons in town, she’d barely slept.

He pulled her up from the couch in the library, and she wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest. “I’m glad you’re here.”

His voice rumbled beneath her ear. “I could get used to this type of homecoming.”

Once headed to his house, Wendy began to pepper him with questions. “What do you know about the Fae? Tell me, please. I am so confused, and really, I’m not sure I can call Mom with this right now.”

Julian’s newsflash kept swirling around and around in her mind. In the spare bedroom, sleep had evaded her until she finally gave up and went to the library to use the computer and do a search on the Fae.  She didn’t find anything of use. After dropping the bombshell on her that she wasn’t human but of a type of people she didn’t know existed, the insufferable man had left without answering any of her questions.

Was it possible? Had she missed hundreds of signs, things that pointed to the truth about her heritage?

Kieran leaned over and gave her a brief, reassuring kiss, his eyes never wavering from the road. “The Fae are an ancient race of people. For centuries, they lived in peace, secluded from the outside world in the forests of Ireland and Scotland. They grew large in numbers during the time of the crusades, even helping out by harboring the injured or misplaced.”

“Wow,” Wendy exclaimed.

Kieran nodded in agreement. “Aye, you come from a great people.” His expression darkened. “Unfortunately, a small group of Fae became angered at not being part of the war, and they began a dark faction. Some believe they entered into a pact with Lucifer himself, sold their souls in exchange for power. Another belief is that they developed vampirism and gained their abilities that way.”

Her eyes widened at the knowledge of where demons may have originated. “Are demons Fae?”

“For the most part, the beings we fight are Dark Fae, possessed beings that were once Fae. Some are different, some are born demon and others, such as incubi and succubae, are an entirely different species. Although they are bulked into the demon category, not all are demonic.”

They rode in silence for a few minutes while Wendy absorbed the information.

She placed her hand on Kieran’s thigh and laid her head on his shoulder. “Do Fae have powers then?”

Kieran shrugged. “Some do. For the most part, the powers are simple, like the healing of wounds, foresight, and such.”

Exhaustion began to take over, and Wendy closed her eyes, comforted by the warmth and security of Kieran’s large body.

Wendy let out a sigh of relief when they finally pulled around to the back of his house. A yawn escaped her. Hopefully she could stay awake long enough to get answers to more of her questions. According to Julian, if the demons suspected she was the keeper of the key, they were in all probability tracking her every move. When she told him she preferred to remain with Kieran, he’d reluctantly agreed.

Wendy walked toward the silent house, her eyes scanning the surrounding wood line. The moonlight cast shadows that could hide a myriad of things. Kieran caught her slight shiver, and his questioning gaze held hers when she passed by him into the kitchen.

As soon as he set the alarm and walked in, he wrapped her in his arms, holding her to him. “Are you all right?”

“I am now.” Wendy sighed and laid her head against his firm chest. “I’m just tired, couldn’t sleep at Fallon’s.”

He grunted in response, and she looked up to see him frowning. Did the man ever smile? Would she ever hear the sound of his laughter?

She offered him a smile and a soft kiss on his lips. “Long night, I take it?”

He nodded wordlessly, his eyes clouded.

Her heart skipped a beat. Something was wrong. “Kieran, what happened? What did Julian do to you?”

For a split second, an indiscernible expression flickered in his eyes, but he just shook his head and pulled her back into an embrace.

In his arms, the powerful force of her feelings for him overshadowed everything. “I wish you would feel comfortable enough to share your feelings with me.” Wendy pulled back and searched his face for an answer but found none.

He took her face in his hands and kissed her. With her hands on his hips, Wendy allowed him to set the pace. The kiss was sweet. His lips brushed over hers once, and then, he pressed his mouth over hers, barely skimming the surface.

His pupils were dilated when he pressed his forehead against hers, soft puffs of warm breath fluttered across her face. The worry in his eyes made her want to take all his troubles away, to share his burdens.

“Is something wrong, Kieran?”

For the first time, the corners of his lips curved, the closest she’d seen to a smile. “I’ve not told you, but you’re the first person I’ve kissed since my wife.”

“You’re married?” All the air escaped her lungs, Wendy’s eyes widened, and she shoved against his chest with all her might. Her anger grew when he prevented her from moving away, his arms firmly around her waist.

“No. I was married before I became a Protector. Over two hundred years ago,” Kieran replied.

He told the truth, she was sure of it. Although she remained quiet, she relaxed.

His face softened. “Her name was Catarina. We were married when I had barely started the transition into immortal. It was not a love match. Not on her part anyway.”

How could anyone not love him?
“What happened?” Wendy was glad time travel didn’t exist because right now she wanted to go back and kick Catarina’s ass for hurting him. She was sure he’d been hurt. Otherwise, why had he waited so long to kiss someone?

Instead of answering, Kieran kissed her again, and this time, he wasn’t gentle. The temptation to melt into his embrace and allow the question to remain unanswered was great. With supreme effort, she broke the kiss and nuzzled his neck. “Tell me what happened, Kieran.”

Kieran shrugged as if not concerned, but tension lines formed around his mouth. “Julian had not come for me yet. I wanted to marry Catarina, so I forced the issue. I pushed Malcolm, my brother and laird, to meet with her father and offer for her hand. Since our clan was the stronger one, they really didn’t have much of a choice.” He took a breath, a faraway look on his face. “Unbeknownst to me, Catarina was already in love, with Gregor, my first and best friend, of all people. She and Gregor were planning to marry as soon as he came up with a suitable dowry.

“Convinced my love was great enough to ensure that she would love me, it never occurred to me that she would not come to care for me. Now I know that if I had ever really loved her, I would have asked about her feelings. Things were so different then. Women didn’t have the freedom to be with whom they chose. Still, I was selfish.”

“You were young,” Wendy told him, her heart breaking for him.

He continued, “I turned down Julian when he came for me. Remained with Catarina for five years, all the while hoping we would have a good marriage. After the first year, she rarely allowed me to touch her. She’d come to bed after I fell asleep and leave before I woke. When she became with child, I should have known it wasn’t mine. But still I refused to believe it. Not until I came upon her and Gregor. He was trying to do the right thing and leave. It was then that I realized my mistake, I had to let her go.”

He caressed her cheek. “It seems it’s my lot to lose those that I care for.”

“You’re not going to lose me,” Wendy replied, reaching up on her tiptoes to kiss him.

The kiss intensified. Kieran pulled her into him, and his hands traveled down her back. A moan escaped her lips. One touch from him, and she was instantly on fire. How could she ever live away from him? When his tongue dove in her mouth, Wendy pulled her fingers through his hair and matched him one for one.

“I need to shower. I don’t want to make love to you until I wash all the smell of demon off me,” Kieran’s breath was haggard in her ear. He took her hand and guided her toward the bedroom. “Let’s go to bed.”

There were so many unknowns in their future, so many questions that she may not want to know the answers to. His strong hand holding hers felt like her lifeline, security in the raging sea of her current situation. Kieran, he was her rock, the one thing she could hold on to.

While Kieran showered, Wendy stood at the window and looked up at the morning sky. Questions swirled around in her head, one after another pushing to be the first she would ask.

Tempted to join him under the hot stream of water, she glanced toward the bathroom door. She bit her lip when she recalled the emotion that had flickered in Kieran’s eyes earlier. He was keeping something from her; she could sense it down to her soul. Whatever it was, it wasn’t good.

But then again, maybe he was just tired. How could she even claim to know him so well? She’d only been around him for a few days.

The realization shook her. Had it been only a few days since she was attacked? Since she’d been in the hospital?

God, it seemed like a lifetime ago. She was a totally different person now.

For one thing, she’d thought herself in love with Kieran before, but now, she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she loved him with her entire being. A love so great it encased her.

Yes, she knew him well. Well enough to know that something was hurting him.

A soft buzzing called her attention to her reflection in the window. Wendy jumped back and stifled a scream.

Lights. Tiny lights buzzed all around her hair. Cautiously, she raised her hand to touch them and noticed that tiny lights pulsed from her fingertips, too. An aura of lights outlined her. She glowed like a Christmas tree.

A soft voice whispered in her ear, “
Defend your love. Fight for him. Don’t give up.
”

Wendy whipped around, but there was no one there. She studied her hand again. The lights were gone. “Whoa.” What the hell was that?

The bathroom door creaked open, Kieran walked out, a towel around his waist.

Darkened eyes met hers, and Wendy threw herself at him. His mouth crashed over hers, and he picked her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. He moved toward the bed.

His towel fell.

Any worries would have to wait until tomorrow.

# # #

It was still daylight when Wendy woke up, but the sun was beginning to set.

After having slept for a few hours at Fallon’s, she didn’t think she’d sleep this long. A soft smile curved her lips as she watched Kieran’s sleeping face.

Even in sleep, with his brow fixed in a half-scowl, he was gorgeous. She leaned close and placed a soft kiss on his forehead. He took a deep breath but didn’t wake.

She’d thought him too tired that morning, but he’d surprised her by having the energy to make love until they were both sated. He showed her a different side of him, a softer, caring Kieran who’d taken great pains to concentrate on her, even when he’d lost control of his body.

How she enjoyed his penetrating looks, how his lips parted when she caressed him, the guttural sounds of his deep voice when he climaxed. She reached out to touch him but drew her hand back when a soft snore escaped his lips.
Cute.

Good. She’d let him sleep while hunting up some ingredients for a scrumptious meal. According to Julian, Kieran was to remain with her for the next two days. Then, she was to be guarded by Protectors on the trip to Ireland. Of course, she’d insist that Kieran be one of her escorts.

Slipping out of the bed, she went to the bathroom and dressed in one of his T-shirts and her own jeans. Picking up her shoes, she tiptoed out.

A couple of hours later, the entire meal was prepared. Wendy boiled water for a cup of Darjeeling tea and listened to music while she tossed a mixed greens salad. She’d drink the tea and then wake Kieran for dinner.

A scratch at the back door got her attention. Goodness, she’d forgotten all about Albert. She peeked outside before opening the door. Albert whined.

When she opened the door, the dog streaked past her, almost knocking her down. He ran through the kitchen straight to Kieran’s bedroom.

She slammed the door closed and hurried after him.

The dog shoved its large body against Kieran, who was still asleep. When she tried to coax him to come back out of the room, he whimpered softly and tried to push himself further into Kieran.

“Fine, stay, but you better not wake him up,” Wendy whispered at the dog. He stared at her, not blinking.

A beeping alert rang out just as Wendy entered the kitchen. “That’s the loudest oven timer I’ve ever heard. I swear everything is intent on waking the poor man.”

She rushed to the oven and pushed the timer button. Nothing. The beeping continued. “What the…”

Wendy yelped when she was swooped up and shoved toward the hallway by Kieran.