Beautiful Secrets: The Complete Trilogy

by Marie Robinson

  And our potential reception at my family home in Ireland.

  “Sir.”

  The same woman who’d instructed me to sit early had appeared at my shoulder, a bulky phone in hand. I appraised the woman, a soft sniff even as she watched me blankly, and realized she was a vampire. It would explain her lack of shock with my transformation.

  “Master Tepes,” was all she said as she handed me the phone.

  I nodded and she walked away as soon as I’d brought it to my ear.

  “Wolf,” Brom’s familiar voice was on the other end.

  “Bat,” I greeted, surly.

  “How’s our little bird?”

  One of the many things I appreciated about Brom was his lack of chitchat.

  “Passed out with a sedative that would knock me on my ass,” I answered. I leaned forward, brushing Ella’s hair from her face. I tucked the phone between my ear and shoulder so I could slip her mask free. It couldn’t be comfortable sleeping like that.

  “Did she lose control?” The vampire’s question was loaded, and I waited a moment before answering.

  “Almost.” He needed the honesty. We all did. I stroked Ella’s hair, seeking comfort there as I explained our encounter with Titania and Ella’s choice to take the sedative. When I brought up the curious lack of attack from the warlocks, I could feel Brom’s intensity even through the silence of the satellite phone.

  “Any reason you can think of?” I asked when the vampire didn’t respond. “How’s Merlin?”

  Gods above and below help them if something had happened to Merlin. Ella would unleash Hell upon the Earth and I would be right beside her.

  “Merlin made a move,” Brom said at last. “There is word that his father abdicated his position—but not for Merlin to take his place.”

  I bit back a snarl of disgust. “Madam Jupiter.”

  The plane tilted as it adjusted course, and I spared a look out the window at the disappearing coastline. Soon there would only be the gray blue waters meeting the brighter blue horizon underneath the breaks in the white clouds.

  “How’s this going to play out?” I asked and ran my hand through my hair, tugging at my bronze locks with frustration. Ella was safe, from herself and anyone else at the moment. I should be thankful; fuck, I was thankful. But that didn’t mean my skin wasn’t crawling at the idea of Merlin going into a fight without me covering his back.

  “If the warlock will listen to me, there should be minimal bloodshed.” Brom’s voice was always frustratingly steady, as if nothing ever flustered him. The only time he didn’t sound in complete control was when Ella was riding him, breaking down those sophisticated barriers the man had built carefully around his heart.

  “Fucking politics,” I growled. I knew there was nothing I could do, even if I was there with them. Syndicate politics were like dancing a ballet on the edge of knives. Done with mastery, it was a sight to behold, but one wrong step and your blood would flood the stage.

  “Yes,” he agreed noncommittally. “Keep our little bird safe. When you return, it’s my hope we shall have a more welcoming nest for her.”

  That made me pause, my eyes glaring into the plush champagne covered carpet on the floor as if it was the vampire.

  “You’re not meeting us?”

  “Unfortunately, no.” Brom really did sound disappointed. “If I were to leave now, someone else would take my place at the head of the Vampire Syndicate. And if the vampires are to pose no threat to our Phoenix, I must solidify my power.”

  “How many challengers do you expect?” There hadn’t been a brutal transition between powers in generations, but every child was taught the stories. The best time to strike after a new leader takes their place is soon after the bloodbath. Allowing the new leader no time to rest, to recover from their successful ascension, wearing them down. . . It was an effective method. Unstable, as the syndicate never knew how long their leader would last, but if someone wanted to take power, it would work.

  “Not more than I can handle,” he answered succinctly. “Call when you’ve landed. And be careful.”

  We hung up and I tossed the phone across the aisle into an empty chair. I drummed my fingers along the leather armrest, the adrenaline coursing through me from the chaos finally settling down. But that only meant I was restless now. All I had done was drive Ella, recklessly at times, yes, but I wanted to rip the throats from those who attacked us. Even Titania. Maybe especially Titania.

  I flexed my hands, stretching my fingers wide as I tried to force them to settle. I let my eyes roam the cabin, my knee bouncing as I forced my hands to stay still. The plane was exactly what I’d have expected from Brom. Elegant to the point just before pretentious with its creamy leather couches and seats, the dark oak tables, and the crystal sconces between the windows. There was a bar just over the wings, though there was no one behind it at the moment. At the back there was a door, and I guessed what was behind it.

  Making up my mind, I unbuckled Ella and cradled her carefully in my arms as I made my way towards the back room. It took a bit of careful maneuvering, but I got the door to slide open on the third attempt.

  Just as I’d thought, there was a bedroom hidden back here, the walls soundproofed enough that the engines were dulled even with my sensitive hearing. Carefully, I laid Ella on her side before retreating back to the bar. We had at least five hours left on this flight. I intended to spend some of those hours drunk off my lycan ass.

  I didn’t bother with a glass tumbler; instead, I just grabbed the long neck of a Jameson bottle from the back shelf and retreated to Ella’s side. Manners made me want to kick my boots off the bed, my aunt’s voice chastising me in the background, but I twisted the cap off and took a long pull of the peat whiskey in defiance of the woman’s voice. I looked down at Ella, her face slack with the medicated sleep, and let my head fall hard against the wall, ignoring the crack of pain.

  We were headed towards Tír na nÓg. I took another long pull of the alcohol. I wondered if there was enough whiskey on the plane to prepare me.

  Chapter 2

  Eleanora

  I could hear voices, murky and unclear, through the waters of unconsciousness. I strained against the sedative, seeking out the familiar safety of who had to be Romulus. There were other voices, whispers in a foreign tongue, washing around me, catching my mind as I pushed through them like brambles. I wanted to follow them into the darkness, their melodic voices full of promises. Somewhere, deep inside me, I knew that those beautiful sounds held fatal mistakes and I would never find the peace I wanted if I went to them.

  I could still hear Romulus’s voice. The more I fought to wake, the more I was certain it was him. He was close to me and I wanted, needed, to touch him. To assure myself of his presence, of the safety he meant to me. But it was as if my limbs were filled with lead, or as if my mind was fully disconnected from my body. I strained against myself, trying to return to my body, to will it to obey my commands.

  The voices tempting me paused, as if caught near a trap, and I heard Romulus say my name, as if in question. The voices vanished entirely, like they were chased away, and I felt a familiar touch on my head. It took everything I had to open my eyes, only to squeeze them closed once more at the harsh light surrounding me. I tried once more, the light now blocked by the most beautiful silhouette I’d seen.

  “Ella?” Romulus’s eyes held tenderness, his voice soft. He looked across to someone and I couldn’t turn to see who. I could only look at my lycan lover, my lifeline in the darkness. He said something and I didn’t understand, already struggling to stay awake. His eyes met mine once more and his lips turned up slightly in a smile. “You’re safe; everyone is. The drug is wearing off, but you’re still under its effect. Rest, ma chior. I won’t leave your side.”

  I let his words wash over me, his brogue smoothing over my skin, sinking into me, filling me with his presence. The part of me which wanted to fight the sedative calmed, settling back into the embrace of the darknes
s. We were safe, and he was with me. I trusted him with my heart, and I could trust him with my safety. This time, I welcomed the darkness as it wrapped its arms around me.

  The next time I woke up, it was slow and easy. There were no strange voices teasing me, beckoning me to leave this world behind. I could feel Romulus curled up beside me, my head tucked under his chin, his arm wrapped possessively around me.

  I looked around the room, at least as much as I could in the lycan’s arms. It was a cozy room, small but comfortable. The walls were whitewashed, the light coming through the small window softened by the light blue curtains wafting in the breeze. Which, if I closed my eyes and inhaled, I could just take in the scent of the sea. If I listened carefully, I could hear the soft whoosh of the waves crashing onto the beach. It felt safe, though I wouldn’t have been able to explain why if pressed. It felt as if we were set aside from the rest of the world, secluded here in this place.

  Slightly chapped lips brushed the nape of my neck and I grinned. “Good morning?”

  Romulus hummed an assent, trailing his lips over my skin. “It’s always a good morning when I wake up with you.”

  I wiggled around until I faced him and kissed his nose. The man was adorably sleep rumpled, his red wavy hair sticking every which way, his short beard scruffy and unkempt. I don’t think I’d seen him any more handsome than in that moment. He leaned forward, stealing a kiss from me, and I felt flushed with happiness. I had never believed a moment like this would be possible for me. To wake up in a trusted lover’s arms, my scars fully accepted and embraced, loved even. I kissed him, that time lingering against him.

  I could feel my desire rising for him, his own cock laying heavy between us, and his arm pulled me tighter against him.

  He deepened the kiss, licking into my mouth, and I buried my fingers in his hair, fighting for dominance. Kissing Romulus was always like a challenge, one that excited me and made my desire skyrocket. He challenged me, all of me, and sex with him was amazing because of that.

  A knock had us separating, our foreheads held against each other as we panted. A voice called out something in Gaelic, and Romulus closed his eyes before pulling back and yelling out a response. He turned back to me. “Time to get up. Our contact will be expecting us soon. I hope.”

  I sat up as he slid out of bed, admiring his strong body. His fair skin was lightly freckled, and I had the urge to kiss every single one of them. But he sounded unsure, which wasn’t like the lycan.

  “You hope?” I asked, sliding out of bed. Someone, likely Romulus, had undressed me down to my panties and shirt. I spied my bag on the floor next to the window and bent to retrieve it. We dressed quickly, and I ran my fingers through my hair before pulling it back into a low ponytail. As I pinned the veil on, Romulus answered.

  “He’s fae, so he’s reliably unreliable,” he said, tugging a cable knit sweater over his soft shirt. He nodded his head towards my case. “You’ll likely want a sweater. The Irish coast is fickle. Liquid sunshine, it is.”

  “Right.” I looked back in my case and pulled out a soft black cashmere sweater. I brought it to my face, able to catch the smallest scent of Brom on it. The vampire had outfitted me with luxury and, as much as I didn’t care about the cost of items, the care in which he chose items for me made me feel like he was here.

  Romulus hunched over, trying to fix his hair and beard in the small mirror hanging from a single nail on the wall. He was fidgeting; I could see the tension in his body. I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around his waist, hugging him tightly and resting my head against his back.

  “What is it?”

  I felt him sigh, his hand coming to rest on mine. He pulled my arms gently from him, turning so he faced me.

  “Where we’re going,” he paused, “could be very dangerous. We might be in there for mere minutes but come out with ages past. If we make one mistake, we could be stuck there forever. Hell, even if we’re perfect, we could be stuck there forever if one of the powerful fae decides it.”

  I ran my hands in circles over his back, unsure of what to say. We needed to go, if I had any hope of mastering my phoenix powers. But going meant potentially leaving Merlin and Brom forever.

  But was risking killing them any better?

  I squared my shoulders and looked up at the lycan, his eyes lined with worry.

  “I need to do this,” I spoke softly, “but you do not, love. You can stay here, where it is safe.”

  He snorted immediately and rolled his eyes. “Not happening, lass. I’m right to be worried, but I’m not letting you go in there by yourself. I wouldn’t be able to look myself in the eye if I did.” He dropped a kiss on my head before guiding me towards the door. “Come on. Gregory said he’d have packs for us, and breakfast.”

  Romulus had spoken correctly. The short and squat man spoke quickly at Romulus in Gaelic, ignoring me completely. I didn’t take offense, though. The way he spoke, it made me think he didn’t see people often. I accepted the heavy scones with thanks as Romulus pulled an ancient-looking rucksack over his shoulder. It looked fairly empty, but magic being what it was, I wouldn’t be surprised if it held more than it appeared. When we stepped outside, the wind tugging at our clothes, I handed him the scone and asked where to.

  “The beach,” he said and we set off, both of us lost in our thoughts. He reached out and grabbed my hand, lacing his fingers through mine. We’d see this through together.

  The Irish coast was amazing. Grays and blues and greens blended together with the pale sand and rocky shore. Cliffs rose in the distance, and based on the sun, I knew we faced the Atlantic ocean. Out there, on the other side, were Brom and Merlin. I closed my eyes and sought them out, as if my soul could feel theirs. It could have been my imagination, but I could swear I felt them. Their energy. Their love.

  “Lass.” Romulus’s voice was hushed, hardly loud enough to be heard over the sound of the surf. I opened my eyes and felt my breath catch.

  A white horse was trotting out of the ocean, the water churning against its legs as it made its way onto the beach directly in front of us.

  “Is that...”

  “No, but our message has been answered,” he said. I looked at him and chewed on my lower lip. He looked as if he were a man headed to the gallows. He looked down at me, even as the horse stopped in front of us. “Last chance to stay in the mortal world.”

  I looked at the white horse with trepidation. Its eyes were not like a natural horse’s. They contained entire universes, and I knew this creature was one of immense power. More powerful than the phoenix inside of me.

  “I need any help they can offer,” I said, knowing the truth of it.

  The horse turned to its side, a clear invitation to mount it. Romulus lifted me up, and I buried my finger’s in the horse’s mane. It felt like cool silk, and not a drop of water was on it. The lycan pulled himself up behind me, his arm wrapping around my waist. I could only hope this wasn’t a fatal mistake.

  “Time to go to Tír na nÓg.”

  As soon as the words left his mouth, the horse leaped forward, charging back into the ocean.

  Chapter 3

  Merlin

  My back hurt. My arms hurt. My knees hurt. Everything fucking hurt. It didn’t matter that Brom’s bed cradled me in its too soft embrace. I swear if it were possible to fall in love with a bed, I would marry this fucking thing. It would be too easy to laze the day away, especially since every time I moved, I was reminded about fighting our way out of the damn car chase.

  I wondered if Brom would ever forgive me for ruining his car. Then I snorted. The man had enough wealth that he likely had an exact replacement already in his garage. If I asked politely enough, maybe he’d get me a new bike. Sure, I had my own fucking money—but why spend it when I knew how much Brom liked to show he cares?

  I rolled to my back, stretching my arms out, rotating my wrists as I assessed myself. Nothing serious, at least. After Romulus had driven through Ella’s wall of fire,
we’d been caught between that and a shitload of warlocks advancing on us by Madam Jupiter’s orders.

  Too bad the bitch hadn’t been there herself. I’d have finished what Brom threatened before. Perhaps, if the last week had gone any differently, Madam Jupiter could have retired out of the Syndicates and lived out her long life in the countryside and disappear into obscurity. Not now, though.

  “Do you intend to laze about in bed for the entire day?”

  I lifted my head as Brom strolled into the room, adjusting his cuffs. He stopped at the foot of the bed, an arrogant eyebrow lifted in question.

  I scratched my bare chest, lazy, my lips curling up in a smirk as the vampire honed in on my movements. “I was thinking breakfast in bed?”

  It’d been a while since Brom and I had fucked; hell, it’d been a long time since he’d simply fed from me—sending us both into dizzying pleasure. And while my cock might have twitched at the memory, it wasn’t anything more than that. Since Ella had come into our lives, she was like the missing piece that made us all better. Without her, wrestling Brom in bed would be fun—but overall, lacking.

  It seemed he must’ve felt similarly, as after a moment his dark eyes met mine once more before he rolled them.

  “Certainly, I’ll get right on that,” he said and crossed his arms.

  I clasped my hand to my chest, as if pained. “The sarcasm, it’s fucking deadly.” I forced myself to sit up, wincing as I felt a muscle in my lower back protest. I glanced up at Brom, who tilted his head in question—which I just waved off. “Nothing a hot shower and a strong cup of coffee can’t help. Maybe a handful of ibuprofen.”

  I slid off the bed, biting back a groan. We’d fought hard. There had been no real worry that we wouldn’t prevail—even if prevailing simply meant fighting our way to escape. But there’d been two dozen warlocks between us and that escape. It’d gotten brutal, and we’d both taken hits. By the time Ella’s wall of fire began to fade, we’d taken out enough to steal one of their black SUVs and hightail it out of there. I’d sacrificed Brom’s Audi in a similar fate to my motorcycle’s. It’d done the trick, even if it did feel like I threw the car with my own hands and not magic.