Shattered Wards Page 5

  The interior was clean and simple with white walls, hardy cream carpets, and watercolour paintings of sea views up on the walls. A dark wood desk sat in the corner with a friendly woman with rosy cheeks and a floral dress on. She greeted us with a friendly smile that lit up her dark brown eyes.

  “Is there a room available, by any chance?” I asked.

  “There is, we have the king-sized room with en suite available,” the woman enthused.

  “We’ll take it,” I said.

  She blinked, likely wondering why we didn’t check the price. I had plenty of money left from the council payment, and I wasn’t paying for food or rent any more.

  “Wonderful! If you just fill this in, I’ll get you your key. How long will you be staying?”

  I glanced at Gideon.

  “One night,” he said with a polite smile.

  I filled in the forms and invented some information for Gideon. The woman handed us a large brass key with a sailboat keyring.

  “Go up the stairs; there are two flights. It’s the room at the end, there,” she said.

  “Thank you, and what time’s breakfast?”

  “Seven-thirty till ten.”

  I thanked her again before we went down the short narrow hallway and started up the flights of steep stairs. The room at the end was number four and had a sky-blue door on it. I opened the door to find a spacious room with a dedication to the nautical theme. The duvet cover was navy blue and white striped with navy-blue anchors on the white pillow cases. A sailing ship painting hung over the bed. The walls were white with a broad navy-blue stripe running at hip height.

  I sank down onto the bed and found it to be wonderfully soft. Maybe we didn’t need dinner after all. I could just sleep.

  Gideon had taken his shoes off at the doorway and padded around the room looking and poking at everything. I turned to look out the large window giving a view over the harbour, where fisherman and boaters were bringing their boats in for the evening. The horizon was growing dark with what promised to be a heavy storm.

  “We should find dinner so we can relax for the evening,” Gideon said.

  “Did you see anywhere suitable?”

  “There’s a pub three doors down,” he said with a smile.

  “Can you still feel the threads? Stopping for the night won’t fuck it up, will it?”

  “We need to rest,” he said with a shrug.

  I stood up and gestured for Gideon to lead the way to this pub. Now he mentioned it, fish ‘n’ chips did sound really good, and the fish would be exceptionally fresh given the harbour was a stone’s throw away.

  We had indulged at dinner and both gotten huge fish ‘n’ chips with fish fresh off the boat. It melted in my mouth. I had a big bowl of locally made ice cream for dessert, and everything was right with the world again. We returned to the B&B ready to unwind and relax for the evening. I kept my phone close at hand in case Dante or Kane tried to get in touch; no sign of them yet. I didn’t know whether to be worried or not.

  “I’m going to grab a shower. Do you want to see if there’s a good movie on?” I asked.

  “Why don’t I join you for the shower?” Gideon asked with a wicked grin on his face as he approached me.

  Guilt squirmed in my stomach, and I glanced at my phone. Gideon gently pulled me to him and kissed my cheek.

  “They’ll be ok,” he whispered.

  I stroked his hair and looked into his beautiful golden hazel eyes and smiled. He leaned in and brushed his lip over mine, teasing and testing me. It had been a while, and if need be I’d be able to hear my phone…

  He slowly nipped his way down my neck, leaving a trail of goosebumps in his wake. His desire and lust started to fill the bond between us, which only escalated my own lust. I unbuttoned his shirt and ran my hands over his hard, toned body, suddenly consumed by absolute need.

  We barely made it to the shower. The hot water cascaded down our bodies as our pleasure rushed down the bond and escalated between us, leading to a climax far greater than I thought possible.

  Gideon took his time exploring my body and washing me with shower gel the B&B had provided, a gentle admiring smile on his face as he did so. We ran out of hot water and curled up under the duvet on the bed feeling entirely content and satisfied. I kissed the hollow of his throat and curled my toes, feeling more relaxed than I had done in months. Everything was going to work out beautifully.

  The hound had his arm draped over my waist as I lay with my head on his chest listening to his heartbeat while the movie started. He stroked my hair and down my spine in slow languorous strokes that almost sent me to sleep.

  My phone started ringing with Dante’s ringtone. Gideon stretched across the bed and handed it to me, his face pinched with concern.

  “Wren, I’m back, where are you?” Dante asked.

  “A town called Wick, we’re in the B&B overlooking the harbour, room four.”

  Dante said something that sounded like ‘thank the gods.’

  “I’m only ten minutes away; Gideon’s with you?”

  “He is.”

  “I’ll see you soon. I missed you.”

  With that, he hung up.

  Gideon stretched and let out a long-suffering sigh.

  “I’d been looking forward to having you to myself tonight.”

  I trailed my finger down over his abs and laughed. “You have me to yourself every night.”

  He wrinkled his nose.

  “It’s not the same.”

  He started to curl up, and I felt the hound form forming in the back of my mind as he was considering shifting. I pressed my hand to his sternum.

  “No hiding,” I said firmly.

  He looked up at me with large eyes before a small smile slowly spread over his pretty mouth.

  “Ok, no hiding. Are you going to tell Dante we…?”

  I blushed. That conversation sounded mortifying.

  Gideon laughed.

  “I can tell him…” he said with a wicked grin.

  I could hear it now, the hound crowing over it. I frowned and went to get my underwear on. This poly relationship stuff was complicated. Conflicting feelings started to form as I put my bra on.

  How was I supposed to broach that conversation? And the wicked grin on Gideon’s face had thrown me. He saw me as more than a conquest, didn’t he?

  He wrapped his arms around me from behind and nuzzled against my neck.

  “You are my world, Wren. I’m proud to belong to you. I would do anything to make you smile.”

  I relaxed against him. He kissed my cheek tenderly.

  “I won’t hurt Dante. He’s a good man. As is Kane. You’re pack, all of you.”

  I turned to face him and kissed him, thankful for his words.

  A knocking came from the door. I hurriedly pulled my panties on and opened the door a crack to see Dante there, looking dishevelled.

  I opened the door and encouraged him to step inside. A frown was etched on his face. He had his hands in his pockets and his eyes cast down. I threw my arms around his neck and nipped his throat before I realised what I’d done.

  Tension drained out of him and he held me gently against him with his face pressed against my neck.

  “I’m so glad you’re back,” I whispered.

  Gideon came around to our side and touched Dante’s upper arm.

  “I’m glad too,” the hound said with a smile.

  ELEVEN

  We paid for a couple of extra towels from the front desk and got a very bemused look from the woman when she saw I’d be sharing the room with both Dante and Gideon.

  Dante had a long hot shower, leaving me to curl up on the bed with Gideon, who had remained naked. It wasn’t that he didn’t like clothes, he just liked showing off his nakedness. I got the impression it was a remnant from his time in the infernal realm, where he’d been strutted around as a sex toy as much as a wardog.

  Dante emerged fresh and damp in just his boxers. I held out my arm to encourage h
im to join us on the bed. He smiled and lay down next to me with his head above mine. I looked up at him with worry. His eyes lacked some of their usual shine, and he hadn’t said much of anything. He ran his thumb over my bottom lip before he kissed me deeply, his hand running down my side before he gripped my hip.

  “Gods, I missed you,” he whispered huskily.

  I nipped his bottom lip.

  “Tell me what happened.”

  He squeezed his eyes closed and slumped a little.

  “There is a revolt brewing in the infernal realm. The lower princes feel the time is right to remove Bael from rule. My father wants me to stand at his side as a sign of his strength and prowess. My mother’s blood makes me something to be feared down there. I do not have my mother’s skill with life magic, but I have enough to strike fear into the hearts of my father’s enemies,” he said tiredly.

  Gideon kissed the crook of my neck before he got off the bed and curled up on the other side of Dante, not quite touching, his head on the pillow near Dante’s shoulder. Dante smiled at the hound and stroked behind his ear.

  “I told my father to shove his plans for me to stand at his side up his arse. Despite what Kane thinks of me, I am not a demon prince, nor do I have any desire to become one.”

  “How did your father take that?” I asked.

  The idea of having the demon prince pissed off didn’t sit too well with me.

  Dante shrugged and smiled down at me.

  “He wasn’t pleased, but I will not back down. I suspect he’ll approach my brother now. He lacks my combat prowess, but he has my mother’s ruthlessness and desire to rule.”

  I made a mental note to avoid his brother and his entire family. They didn’t sound like they’d be much fun over Christmas dinner.

  “Have you heard that a ward stone was shattered?” Dante asked as he circled his thumb over my hip bone.

  I looked up at him sharply.

  “The Council hired us to find the missing ward stone; was another shattered?”

  He sighed softly.

  “No, that one was shattered while I was speaking to my father. That only encouraged my father’s rivals, as they wish to push through on conquer Earth. My father, however, feels it would be better to gather forces and plan rather than being rash. The humans might look weak, but they have guns, and bombs. They wouldn’t be opposed to using nuclear weapons against a demon invasion even if it meant losing half the Earth plane in the process,” Dante said wearily.

  Gideon tensed, his eyes went wide, and the desire to shift hit me down the bond. Dante put his arm around the hound and gently pulled him close before he kissed the hound’s forehead.

  “We won’t let them take you,” Dante said softly.

  The hound curled into Dante and rested his head on Dante’s shoulder with a small cautious smile on his face. Dante stroked his fingertips up and down the hound’s upper arm. It warmed my heart to see the half demon being so gentle with my fragile hound.

  “So, what do we do now? The Council needs to know, right?” I asked.

  “Tomorrow,” Dante said quietly.

  “What does this mean for the future?” I asked.

  “I’m not sure, Wren, I’m sorry. Bael only told me what he felt I needed to know. I saw the sneers on the princes faces and the way they pushed my father. Where’s Kane? The room next door?” Dante said as he looked around.

  “The fae plane. The Council said someone had stolen something from the fae and Kane’s bloodline meant he was a good candidate to solve the problem,” I said.

  Dante frowned.

  “I thought he came from witches?”

  “His mother has some tie with a couple of high-ranking sidhe, and Kane has that alliance with the elf prince who bought his shop a couple of weeks ago,” I said.

  Dante curled his lip. “Rather him than me. I know where I stand with infernals and demons; fae are all pretty smiles until there’s a knife or three in your back.”

  Gideon handed me my phone just as it started to ring with Kane’s ringtone.

  “Hey,” I said.

  “Wren, it’s so good to hear your voice. I can’t talk long, but it’s a feckin’ nightmare here. I’m an outsider, so no one will talk to me; they don’t care that the Council sent me. They all think everyone else stole the fucking thing. I don’t even know what was stolen! I’d rather have gone with Dante to the infernal realm than this shit,” he said, his accent thick from frustration.

  “I’m sorry. Are you coming home?” I asked.

  “Not yet, the Council are discussing whether they’re ready to let me give up,” Kane snarled.

  I rolled my eyes.

  “Take care, don’t get stabbed in the back,” I said.

  I missed him in that moment, his bright smile and the way he pressed his thumb to the crease between my brows when I smiled.

  “I love you, Wren, those bastard fae aren’t going to take away my chance to be with you. Even if I do have to share you with Dante.”

  He growled something before he hung up.

  I gave Dante a quick summary, which caused him to frown.

  “I suspect the Council had some ulterior motive in play there. I will ask my contacts in the morning. Until then, we’ll find a nice movie and get some much-needed sleep.”

  TWELVE

  We paid the B&B owners a nice tip when we went down for breakfast, and they rewarded us with huge plates full of sausages, eggs, hash browns, and other wonderfully unhealthy foods. I ate my fill and enjoyed the warmth and relaxation that came with the wicker furniture and white tablecloth with little navy-blue anchors on it. Everything was so cozy and friendly there. A trio of over-sized armchairs sat in the corner near the fireplace with a tall bookshelf overbrimming with well-worn paperbacks. It was the perfect place to the hide from the world.

  Unfortunately, we couldn’t hide any longer. We checked out, and Dante started making phonecalls to the Council. Despite Gideon’s offering to drive, I decided the risk really wasn’t worth it and drove myself. The hound curled up in the back seat of the car with a contented smile on his face while Dante sat next to me speaking in icy polite tones. His hands clenched as he repeated himself for a third time: Yes, there were issues in the infernal realm, and yes, he was absolutely sure the stone had been shattered.

  “No, Wren is having her ascension tomorrow night. We will not be available, and you will bring Mr. Galbraith back so he can attend the ascension,” Dante growled.

  I gritted my teeth over the fact Dante said it like it was a sure thing. The last I’d heard, we hadn’t decided when or even if I was ascending, and yet there he was declaring it would happen tomorrow.

  Gideon reached forward and squeezed my shoulder. I pressed my fingertips to his fingers in thanks.

  The moment Dante hung up the phone, I pulled the car over into the sandy pull-in by the road and glared at him.

  “What do you mean ‘Wren will be ascending tomorrow?’”

  He cupped my cheek in his hand, his eyes soft.

  “Tomorrow is the perfect phase of the moon for your magic. If we don’t do it this month, the Council will start pushing the point and asking questions,” he said firmly.

  “I can’t do it…”

  “We will be right there with you. Your magic is part of you, Wren. We will help you find the balance you need to thrive,” he said in a tone that left no room for argument.

  “You’re not alone in this,” Gideon added.

  “I’m driving the rest of the way home,” Dante said before he opened the door.

  He opened my door and looked down at me pointedly.

  “You’re not in a calm enough mood to focus on the road. Let me drive,” he said.

  I got out of the car, only to have Dante pull me into his arms and kiss me tenderly.

  “I will not let any harm come to you, I swear,” he said as he gently held my chin so I couldn’t look away from the intensity in his eyes.

  I smiled.

  “Ok, I’m stil
l terrified, but I believe you.”

  Kane’s car was in the driveway when we got back. Gideon perked up, and we headed into the house looking for him. Kane was sitting in the kitchen looking miserable as he nursed a cup of coffee, his head hanging low. He looked at me with the start of a black eye and a split lip. Then I noticed the blood staining the back of his shirt and the ragged hole in the fabric.

  “What happened to you?” Dante asked gruffly as he went and retrieved the healing kit.

  I tentatively reached out and stroked his cheek.

  “I got stabbed in the back; well, they tried. I turned at the last second, so it’s more a slice than a stab,” Kane said.

  He put his coffee down and wrapped his arms around my waist before he pulled me to him, spreading his legs so I could fit between them and lean against his chest. His usual soothing scent was marred by the drying blood, but still I kissed behind his ear and tried to push away the worry. He rubbed slow circles over my lower back.

  “It’ll take more than that to kill me,” he whispered.

  I pulled back enough to look at him, and he cupped my cheek.

  “I will not be torn from your side,” he said.

  Dante pointedly placed the healing kit down on the countertop next to Kane.

  “I have more phone calls to make, and we need to prepare for Wren’s ascension tomorrow night,” he said.

  Kane frowned and looked at me questioningly.

  “It needs to be done,” I said quietly.

  “The Council will ask too many questions if we don’t do it soon, and the moon is perfect for her magic tomorrow night,” Dante said.

  Kane shot him a dark glare.

  “She shouldn’t be pushed into something as big as this,” Kane bit out.

  “We can’t afford to have the Council asking too many questions,” Dante shot back.