Chapter 23
K
alin nursed his soda in the worn booth at the hopping diner, hunkered down in his new bomber jacket. He fought the urge to scratch his face. The makeup adding color to his skin itched. High school students wandered around, some playing pool, others darts. A cool hangout, although they didn’t serve blood.
Even there, he was cold. As soon as the scientists figured out a gene therapy so his people could venture into the sun, Kalin would move somewhere hot and learn to surf—while taking over the world, of course.
A trio of giggling girls at a corner table threw flirty glances his way. Sophomores most likely, wearing low-cut shirts they’d probably covered with sweatshirts when leaving their safe homes. Sparkly makeup coated their faces. One could pass for a clown. He fought a grin. If the twits had any idea what he could do to them. What he wanted to do to them.
The stench of burnt hamburger formed a bad taste in his mouth. Why anyone would eat there was beyond him.
The glass door opened, tinkling with a small bell. Peggy glided inside, brushing her hair back. Somehow the room warmed. He straightened in his seat, throwing out his chest.
She spotted him, waving and winding through a group of boys playing darts to drop into the booth across the table. Most people, even warriors centuries older than he, faltered and gathered their strength when approaching him. Not Peggy. She moved forward like she had nothing to fear, like he was safe. The idea of protecting her from the cruelties of the world heated his skin.
Her unique scent of roses filtered toward him, making his heart thump faster. She smiled. “Hi. Sorry I’m late. I had to help close the store.” She worked part-time for her parent’s outdoor sports store and knew everything about fly-fishing.
“Hi.” His gaze dropped to the light blue letterman’s jacket hanging on her small frame. The male scent of sweat and cologne assaulted his nostrils. A prickle messed with the back of his neck. “Whose jacket?”
She blushed, running a hand along the frayed collar. “Joe Neilson. You know, the quarterback I told you about?” Her smile revealed perfect white teeth, shinier than the purest pearl. “He finally asked me out.”
Fire rushed through Kalin so fast his breath caught. She’d mentioned the boy, but just in passing. He was a friend who studied with her sometimes. “I hadn’t realized you liked him.” What the fuck had Kalin been doing here? He’d wanted to court her slowly.
She shrugged, her pretty blue eyes lighting up. “I’ve had a crush on him for a while.” As if sensing his distress, she reached across and grabbed his hand. “I’m so glad we’re friends, Kalin. Even though you’re two years younger than me, you mean a lot to me.” She patted his knuckles, the world lighting up with her smile. “In fact, I’ve been tutoring a sophomore I think you might like.”
He’d been the dark guy, too young, yet the guy who had made Joe take notice. Kalin flashed his teeth.
Peggy jerked back, her eyes widening. He closed his mouth, and she gave a startled giggle. Shaking her head, she obviously ignored whatever instincts the gods had given her. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah.” He leaned back, smoothing on a small grin. Reality clicked into place with sharp cracks. Betrayal ripped down his spine, soothing in an odd way. Oh, it hurt. And temper wanted to open wide jaws and kill everyone in the diner. But ... he settled into himself. His skin fit again. “In fact, I was on the phone earlier with a girl who I think is my future.”
“Really?” Peggy waved at the group of girls in the corner. A vein fluttered in her neck, proving she wasn’t quite reassured. Prey did have some basic instinct for survival. “What’s her name?”
“Janie. She lives in the States.” Enough of this. He relaxed, the weight of destiny no longer pressing. “So. You leave for your trip late tonight, right?”
“Yes.” Peggy gave a happy hop in the seat, her smile relaxing as she turned to face him. She’d reassured herself of her safety.
Silly human girl.
“I’m going to visit my aunt and uncle in Omaha ... I’m taking the red-eye. It’ll be a fun two weeks of relaxing and helping on the farm. I love the farm.” She frowned, creating cute lines on the sides of her eyes. “I’ll miss you, though.”
Not as much as she’d miss Joe, apparently. “I’ll miss you too.” Kalin’s brain began calculating plans.
She glanced at her watch. “Oh. I’m supposed to meet Joe for yogurt.” Her frown wasn’t as cute. “Do you, ah, want to come?”
“No.” Kalin stood, stretching a hand to help her up. Her skin felt smooth in his palm. Was she smooth all over? “I need to get home. But you have a great time.”
He walked her out, turning to head in the opposite direction to jump in his truck. Anger tasted like acid in his throat. Something under his rib cage echoed with a pain he’d never felt ... dull and devastating. His cell phone rang, nearly freezing his ear off when he lifted it, and he growled.
“Kalin. Where are you?” Franco asked over the sound of papers being shuffled.
“On my way home. I want the plane ready now ... we’re going to Omaha.” He clicked off, a smile on his face, heat filling his pores. Yeah. Janie was right. Peggy needed to meet the real Kalin.
Moira’s feet danced on the thick grappling mats covering the floor of an entire room, the padding made just to kick butt. The adjoining room held weights, exercise machines, and punching bags. The scent of pine cleanser and sweat seemed embedded in the mats. She focused on the king. “I feel kind of funny kicking the crap out of you.”
His smile held too much anticipation for her peace of mind. “I appreciate the sentiment. I’ve never sparred with a witch before.” A dark T-shirt failed to conceal the tight muscles of his chest, and his loose sweats showed toned thighs. “It’d be an honor if you didn’t hold back. Give me what you’ve got.”
Good plan. She needed to hit him hard and fast. Leaping for him, her knees landed on either side of his head, clapping tight, as she swung her torso down between his legs and clasped the back of his knees. Gravity assisted her in dropping the king face-first toward the mat. She whipped through and landed on his shoulder blades, one knee to the nape of his neck.
He chuckled, the side of his mouth smashed, his palms against the floor. “That was awesome.” Powerful muscles bunched. Dage lifted into a handstand, sending her winging across the room like ice cream on a spoon during a food fight.
She tucked and landed, rolling to her feet. “Nice move.”
“Thanks.” He eyed her knees, maneuvering closer. “So, when Conn and I spar, we talk about stuff. Like why we’re pissed at life.”
“I’m not pissed at life.” She slid, swinging her legs out to knock him flat.
He jumped, knocking her down and landing with feet on either side of her hips. Then he dropped to his knees, both hands pinning her shoulders. “Who are you pissed at?”
Swiveling at the waist, she swung her legs to scissor around the king, yanking him to the side. His head hit the floor with a dull thump. “Fate and destiny. I’m so tired of fighting them.” Releasing him, she somersaulted backwards to her feet.
Dage back flipped to stand. “Perhaps you should stop fighting
against
everything and start fighting
for
something.”
“Showoff. You think I should fight for Conn.”
“Of course for Conn. Go for the life you want with him.” Dage’s metallic eyes filled with understanding. “The war is getting worse. We have enemies on every front ... some who used to be our friends. Pick a path, Moira.”
A path? “How easy you make it seem.” Irritation formed a crackling ball of energy before her, and she cupped it with her right hand.
He lifted an eyebrow. “Actually, duty totally sucks. I hate being here, putting on a calm face when I’d rather be smashing someone’s head in.” His tennis shoes left deep indents in the mat as he opened his stance, arms spread out at the side. “Besides, I understand what a pain Conn is. Bossy, so sure he needs to jump in front of us all.”
Her eyes widened, letting in more light. “Exactly. I’m seriously trained. I don’t need anyone leaping to catch a bullet for me.”
“He loves you, Moira.” Deep and sure, the king struck the ultimate blow.
She faltered. The energy webbed in her hand. “No. The marking surprised us both. I’m a duty.”
Dage threw back his head and laughed. “No, sweetheart. You’re a pain in the ass. Conn can handle any duty. You now ... you’re another story. He wants you happy. He wants you safe. I strongly suggest you figure out a way to help him achieve both ... while still following your own path in life.”
The energy pulsed a bright blue, sending shards of adrenaline through her blood. Why did everyone think she had the gift of compromise? Because she was the Seventh? “I have neither the patience nor desire to do so.”
“Then you’ll lose”—Dage shrugged—“which seems absolutely foolhardy ... considering you love him with everything you are.” His legs bunched, shoes dancing on the mat. “You’re both stubborn, smart, and damn good at your jobs. You’ll either make a great team or you’ll kill each other.”
The king didn’t miss a thing.
“You’re such an asshole.” She gulped back air. Probably not something one should call the King of the Realm.
He nodded, his smile broadening. “Not the first time I’ve been called that, Moira.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I, ah, don’t think you see him. Not really.”
What the hell did that mean? “I see him.” Awake or asleep, she’d always seen Conn.
“No.” Dage sighed, his gaze transfixed on the energy. “I don’t think you understand the meaning of this last century. How difficult it was for him to remain here, to stay away from the one woman created just for him. To stay away ... from you.”
“He signed a treaty.” Even as she said the words, she knew the absurdity in them. Connlan Kayrs cared little for treaties—if at all. “I needed the time.” She’d had to train in the land of her people by the experts.
“I know,” Dage said softly. “But Conn needed you. He’s the ultimate soldier ... and he couldn’t protect or defend the woman he loves—for a hundred years. He rarely sleeps, and I’ve seen him smile more in the last week than the last five decades. Even though he’s been tortured to a point that his organs need to rebuild.”
Her heart thudded. Hard. The glow shifted to a darker blue in her hand. Deep and true. “I know.”
Dage cracked his knuckles. “I, ah, I couldn’t have done it. Couldn’t have stayed away this long. But Conn ... he sacrificed for what you needed.” The king sauntered over and grabbed a towel off the floor to wipe his forehead.
Yeah. But, what now?
She tried not to be insulted the king turned his back on her and the energy weapon. Must mean he trusted her to play fair. She struggled to focus on the discussion. “If Conn had learned I trained as an enforcer, he wouldn’t have waited so long.” The soldier would’ve rushed to Ireland to drag her to safety. Of course, there she was, safely ensconced underground.
“No, nothing would’ve kept my brother from Ireland had he discovered your new vocation.” A gleam shone from the king’s eyes. He threw the towel down, sauntering back into place, centering his stance. “Though you impressed the heck out of him in New York.”
Moira grinned. “That’s nice to hear.” Maybe since Conn had seen her in action, he’d better understand her need to continue with the enforcers. “So your suggestion is to, what? I mean, you have advice, right?” The guy seemed wise. He should have something helpful to say.
“You owe Conn.”
Her head jerked up. “Excuse me?”
“You owe him. He sacrificed for a century, now you need to find out a way to let him be true to his idea of a mate ... while still following your own fate.” Dage widened his stance. “You’re a smart woman, Moira. Figure it out.”
She thought she’d found an enlightened Kayrs man. Instinct whispered the king wasn’t above manipulation to keep the turbulent waters from messing with his family. In which, of course, he now included her.
“You’re all stuck in the Stone Age.”
“You sound like Emma.”
“Your mate is a smart woman.” Moira drew air in, allowing the energy to strengthen. “I figured you’d want to discuss, ah, the Nine’s plans to withdraw from the Realm.” Try to talk her over to his side.
“Hell no.” A smile threatened on Dage’s full lips. “If the Nine withdraws, you’re in a horrible position, darlin’. Nothing you can do about it.”
“But I’ll be a threat to you.” To his entire world.
“Yes, but you’re family. I won’t hurt you.” Dage’s gaze softened. “Besides, Conn handles most of my threats. He’ll make sure none of us get hurt, at least from the Nine’s withdrawal.”
“What the heck does that mean?” While Conn wouldn’t hurt her, he was the ultimate soldier. What would he do?
“I think it’d be better if we didn’t push him to that point, Moira. Just a thought.” The king’s eyes flicked blue through the silver. “Enough talking.” A muscle ticced along his neck, and he eyed the energy ball. “Throw.”