Shattered Wards Read online

  “We have received the paperwork for the hound, we just need to confirm the brand. And Mr. Galbraith, I trust you have your paperwork?” the woman said in a thick local accent.

  She had situated herself behind the broad oak desk that sat next to the large wrought iron fireplace, which came up to my collarbone and was almost as wide as my arms width. Her petite form didn’t do anything to reduce her large presence, she was a formidable woman.

  Kane stepped around me and pulled the crumpled paperwork from his back pocket. The frown on the woman’s face deepened as she tentatively took the paper from Kane. Gideon stepped forward, and his fingertips pressed to mine. I took his hand and gave a gentle squeeze. Dante moved to the other side of the hound and squeezed his shoulder.

  “You will need to sign this,” the woman pushed over what looked like a contract, “and these,” she pushed over three more pieces of paper, each with gold script at the top.

  “Can I have a pen?” Kane asked.

  The woman sighed and handed him a cheap ballpoint pen before she leaned slightly to the side in her high-backed chair and looked at me.

  “Bring the hound forward so I can document the brand,” she said.

  Gideon and I walked over to the desk and presented our inner wrists. She took three photos of each of our wrists before she did a sketch into a very old-looking leatherbound notebook.

  “And you’re mercenaries?” she asked me.

  “Yes.”

  “I am not working separately to Wren,” Gideon growled.

  The woman rolled her dark eyes.

  “I am perfectly aware how hounds work,” she said sharply, her thin lips pressing tightly together.

  Gideon growled softly but said nothing more.

  Kane pushed the paperwork back to her.

  “Are we done?” he asked.

  She inspected the forms he’d signed.

  “Yes, congratulations, Mr. Galbraith, you are now a mercenary in the employ of the Council. We are very pleased to have a talented combat witch on our payroll.”

  With that, she looked pointedly at the door.

  FIVE

  The ride back to the castle had been just as tense as the ride out there. The rock music filled the car, and at least Gideon had relaxed and had a small smile on face.

  When Kane turned down the driveway to the castle, Gideon said, “Dante, come and run with me.”

  The hound didn’t leave any room for argument.

  I didn’t think I’d heard him speak so firmly before. It was good to see him relaxing and gaining some confidence. Dante smiled at him.

  “I’d love to.”

  Gideon needed to run at least every other day. He couldn’t bear to be cooped up even somewhere as large as the castle. I tried to run with him, but his longer legs made it difficult for me to keep up with him on the many miles he liked to run. Gideon pointedly looked at Dante when the car stopped, and Dante’s smile broadened a little. No one could call the hound subtle.

  Once they were both out of the car, I put my hand on Kane’s shoulder and said, “You’re going to make me a cup of tea, and then we’re going to talk.”

  He closed his eyes and sighed before he got out. I hooked my arm around his and led him into the kitchen, where I took up my favourite stool by the breakfast bar. Kane filled the kettle with water and put teabags into fresh mugs on the kitchen counter while I patiently waited.

  “When did you start keeping secrets from me?” he asked quietly.

  I slid off the stool and walked around the bar to him, where I wrapped my arms around his neck and stroked his hair. Emotion bubbled up within me, terror at becoming a monster, at losing my best friend, conflict about falling for three guys. He wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed my neck.

  “I didn’t mean to keep it as a secret,” I whispered.

  He stroked my cheek and looked into my face.

  “I’m sorry, Kane, I was just so scared. What if they were right and I’m going to become a monster when I ascend? I felt like a goddess when I was riding that high, I could have easily killed many more demons and I wouldn’t have felt any regret. What if they were shifters, or humans?”

  He kissed me tenderly and relaxed against his familiar hard body, the scent of Scottish heather surrounding me.

  “That will not happen. I might not like him, but Dante is a talented witch, and I’m not half bad, myself. Together we can help you through this,” he said, holding me close.

  “I’m so lost. I’m falling hard for you, Dante, and Gideon… and I don’t know how to handle that. You and Dante keep trying to kill each other, and we have to live together. I can’t lose either of you,” I said, the words tumbling out.

  Kane pressed his cheek to mine. “I’m sorry. I can’t lose you either, and I see the way you look at Dante and think that’s exactly what’s going to happen.”

  I poked him in the ribs. “Never.”

  He smiled and stroked my hair out of my face.

  “I’ve loved you since we were teenagers, but I never knew how to tell you,” he said softly.

  My heart thudded in my chest. How different would things have been if I’d have known that?

  The kettle clicked where the water had finished boiling. He brushed his lips over mine before he turned his attention to making the tea. Never get between a Scot and their tea.

  We took our conversation into the living room, where I curled up next to him on the six-seater dove-grey sofa that was wide enough to work as a very comfortable bed. The tv remained off, Kane put his arm around my shoulders, and I leaned against him, enjoying the comfort of his presence.

  “You’re my world, Wren. The reason my relationships never got past three months was because I wanted you more than I’d ever want them.”

  “I didn’t try to date because somewhere in the back of my mind I was waiting for you. I kept telling myself I was over you…”

  He laughed and kissed my temple.

  “What a pair we are.”

  “It took the Morrigan herself to get us together,” I said.

  He stroked the raven tattoo on my inner wrist with a quiet smile.

  “Aye, and on the topic of that bond…”

  I looked up at him, concerned that something awful was coming.

  “How would you feel if Gideon and I were to…”

  A faint blush bloomed on his cheeks. I didn’t think I’d ever seen Kane blush.

  “You’re both bi, and I am only one woman,” I said, feeling my own cheeks heat.

  We both relaxed. I’d been feeling awkward about not having slept with any of them yet; they had needs just as I did. I knew that Kane would look after the hound and treat him well, and it wasn’t as if I’d lose either of them.

  “You do mean just sleep with him… not a monogamous relationship, right?” I asked.

  He leaned in, his eyes full of dark desire.

  “I’m not giving you up for anything, or anyone,” he said huskily before he kissed me.

  I raked my nails over his scalp as we deepened the kiss and I explored his mouth with my tongue. I’d waited years to kiss him whenever I wanted, and the wait had been worth every second.

  SIX

  The rest of the day had gone smoothly. I did some sparring with Dante, who was far gentler and made an attempt to teach me rather than keeping on beating me up until I learnt. Gideon was a great guy, but he was not a born teacher. Kane and Gideon had headed into the games room, where they were playing on some console or another. I sucked at games, so I hadn’t really ventured in there. That left me with Dante on the obscenely comfy couch with a fun movie. I must have fallen asleep in his arms at some point.

  I woke up with a frown. I had stripped down to my underwear and could feel Dante’s warm bare skin against mine, the hardness of his muscles providing some sense of security as I strained to listen for what had woken me up. We were stretched out along the sofa with a soft blanket over us, and it was so comfortable I closed my eyes, shrugging it off as an o
wl or something. Then I heard it, a soft scratching sound following by a rasping that almost sounded like words but not quite.

  Dante tensed and held me tighter against him.

  “You’re going to put everything you’ve learnt into practise. Keep your body low; they’re moving up the stairs. Gideon just woke Kane up. We’re going to come up the stairs behind them. Move quickly and quietly,” Dante whispered.

  I had no idea what they were, but I did know they had invaded my home. Dante lifted the blanket, and I rolled off the couch, landing on the wooden floors without a sound. We kept our bodies low and moved through the shadows to the wide doorway that looked out into the main hallway near the stairs. Dante kept me behind him. I bit my tongue about not needing protection. He made a small hand gesture before he slipped around the doorway into the hallway. The moonlight came through the window at the top of the stairs, casting the beings in shadow.

  Their limbs were slightly too long, and their skin appeared to be rough like bark. The shadow pooled around their eyes making them look like deep voids. Bright silver moonlight highlighted the sinewy muscles of the leader’s long neck and arms, and glinted on the long black claws at the tips of their knotted fingers. There were six of them, and their blood called to me in a deep thrum. It would have been so easy to reach out with my mind and tear the life from them. I could taste that glorious high again.

  I froze and swallowed hard. That wasn’t me. Dante moved with alarming speed for someone of his size and had grabbed one of the beings from behind by the time I’d found the sense to move again. Dante wrenched the being’s head around, the snap of its spine echoing around the stairwell, causing its allies to stop and face us. That gave Gideon a chance to leap on the one closest to the top of the stairs. He tore the being limb from limb.

  I wasn’t going to let the guys have all of the fun. Dante was moving on to the next being when I rushed up the stairs and really wished I had my daggers as I realised I’d have to punch that dense hard-looking skin with my bare fist. The being looked me up and down before its angular face split into a heavy sneer. I punched it in the throat, and I was pretty sure my fingers broke. The pain was excruciating, and the worst part? The being didn’t even seem to notice. It reached out and tried to wrap its freakishly long fingers around my throat. I side-stepped and called on my magic.

  They were going to die, it didn’t matter if they knew what I was. The being’s eyes went wide when my magic made contact with its blood. I grinned, but Dante beat me to it and tore its head from its shoulders. It was probably for the best, given I could almost taste the high of its life force on my tongue, and, gods be with me, I didn’t think I’d have been able to resist that.

  I reflexively ran down the few stairs between me and Dante and put my hand over his heart to soothe him. He had maintained enough control that, although his eyes were red, there were no horns or anything else. He smiled and took a long slow breath as he wrapped his arms around me, and I kissed the hollow of his throat.

  “Is everyone ok?” Dante asked.

  “They were infernals,” Kane snarled.

  Dante tensed.

  “This was supposed to be a safe place,” Gideon growled.

  “You brought infernals into our home,” Kane said, raising his voice.

  I stepped away from Dante as he clenched his fists. There was no point in getting in the middle of that.

  “I did not bring infernals into our home,” Dante said.

  “You’re the-”

  “I am not a fucking demon prince,” Dante shouted.

  “Bael summoned you, that sounds like a fucking prince to me,” Kane said, taking a step closer.

  “The fact that you are too stupid to understand basic ruling systems does not make me a prince,” Dante said drily.

  “Your presence is a threat to Wren.”

  “The Morrigan disagrees.”

  “Enough!” I shouted.

  Kane and Dante were both tense with fists clenched, and they were edging into their fighting stances. Each was covered in infernal blood, which was whispering to me. I was not going to have them come to blows.

  “Stop being assholes to each other. Now, Dante, do you have any idea how the infernals got into our home and what they might want?” I said.

  Dante took a long slow breath. I approached him and stroked my fingers over his chest, helping him calm again. Kane muttered something under his breath.

  “They were sent by my father, a reminder of his power and that he wishes to see me,” Dante ground out.

  I shot a look at Kane, warning him to stay quiet.

  “And what will happen if you continue to ignore your father?”

  “He will put more pressure on.”

  “Looks like you’re going home,” Kane said.

  “Kane, you know as well as I do that he was raised in California. Stop being a dick,” I snapped.

  “Didn’t take you long to choose sides,” Kane said.

  “I shouldn’t need to choose sides,” I said as I glared at him.

  He rolled his jaw and said nothing.

  “I expect better from you, Kane,” I said.

  “Don’t give me that, Wren. He’s half demon prince and he brought infernals into our home. You don’t get to be condescending after that shit,” Kane said before he turned and headed to his room.

  It felt like a slap. Kane had never spoken to me like that before.

  “I don’t feel safe here,” Gideon said before he shifted into his hound form and slunk away.

  “I’ll handle this,” Dante said.

  With that, I was left alone on the stairs in the shadows as the moon slipped behind heavy clouds. So much for living the dream.

  SEVEN

  For the first time since I’d met Gideon, I slept alone. The hound had decided to sleep in his own room, the one across the hall from mine. I’d been tempted to check in on him, but he felt content to be alone from the bond, so I left him be. The bed felt too big and cold without Gideon there next to me. I was tempted to crawl into bed with Kane or Dante, but that would only lead to more fights. I sighed and put a movie on. The tv at the end of the bed had seemed ridiculous when I first moved in, but it was a godsend that night.

  It was dawn when I finally returned to sleep. My dreams were more nightmares again, where I looked over a barren world knowing that I had done that. A harsh wind whipped across the dark blackened earth, there were no blood songs. It was entirely devoid of life, and I knew deep in my bond that I had relished doing that. I stood on top of a small hill with a proud smile on my face, thick storm clouds rolling in off a savage sea with heavy waves clawing at the nearby cliffs. The colour had been drained from the land along with the life, and it felt so right that it was terrifying.

  It had been too easy to slip into the desire for that high again, and I wasn’t even ascended yet. When I finally gave up on sleep, the sun was peering out from behind light fluffy clouds. I’d been too focused on the mess with Kane and Dante to close the heavy curtains the night before.

  I rubbed my eyes and groaned. I needed another twelve hours of sleep. There was not enough coffee to deal with that day and everything it was likely to contain. I stumbled down to the kitchen in my cami and little sleep shorts to find Gideon making a fresh pot of coffee. He gave me a sympathetic smile and brought a fresh box of divine doughnuts around the breakfast counter to me. He nibbled down my ear.

  “I should have stayed with you,” he said softly.

  I cupped his cheek with my hand.

  “You needed some space, there’s no harm in that,” I said.

  He smiled, happiness filling his eyes.

  “I’ll make your coffee extra strong,” he said before he turned his attention back to the coffee maker.

  Dante walked into the room wearing a pair of designer jeans and a dark button-down shirt.

  “I’m going to see my father,” he sighed, his voice full of resignation.

  I went to him and wrapped my arms around his neck.
I had to stretch up on my tip toes to reach.

  “Take care, you hear me?” I said.

  He smiled and ran his hands over my hips.

  “Nothing could stop me from returning to your side,” he said with a bright smile.

  “Let me know the moment you’re back,” I pushed.

  His smile broadened and the tension around his eyes eased.

  He kissed me tenderly.

  “I promise,” he whispered.

  Kane walked in in his boxers looking exhausted. His hair was dishevelled, and he had dark smudges beneath his eyes.

  “Don’t get killed, I hate seeing Wren upset,” Kane said before he headed over to the coffee maker.

  “Be careful,” Gideon said.

  Dante smiled, turned, and walked out into the hallway. I had no idea long it’d be until I saw him again. It wasn’t as though the infernal realm was just down the road.

  Kane pulled me into his arms and kissed my forehead.

  “He’s Dante Caspari, he’ll swan back in here looking pristine,” Kane said with a smile.

  He stroked my back and pressed his cheek against mine.

  “Come on, you look like death. Gideon’s making the coffee strong enough to wake up a horde of zombies, and we have your favourite doughnuts,” he said, guiding me to my favourite stool by the breakfast bar.

  The hound looked particularly proud of himself as he handed me a mug of coffee blacker than pitch. I was pretty sure I needed a spoon to eat it, it was so strong.

  Kane and Gideon remained close all morning while we hung out and relaxed. I was on the verge of falling asleep with my head on Kane’s shoulder and my arm around Gideon when Kane’s phone started ringing. I groaned. The timing was too bad for it to be good news.

  Kane reached over and answered his phone. His face fell when the person on the other end spoke.

  “Yes, I understand. Ok, yes, that’s right, ok.”