Black eyes stared at it. “Do you not wish to keep it, my child?”
“No.” All truth, but with a dash of reluctance. That dagger was awesome and part of Rowan was going to miss it. A lot.
He smiled with a crooked mouth, teeth snarly and jagged. “Does it not sing to you Rowan?” He held the large dagger up between them and the blade sang brightly in the air. It was a challenging temptation.
Rowan didn’t flinch at the movement, nor did she look at the blade when she answered. “Yes. I hear it. But I used it for its purpose and now it is done. It’s not mine to keep. It’s yours. Please take it back with my gratitude. I don’t know if I would have been able to kill Lorcan without it.” That was all truth. No fluff or ass kissing there.
The creature took the sword that Rowan happily relinquished. She was going to miss the security it gave her, but had no need for such a weapon now. Tall, dark and whiskey eyes was all the protection she’d ever need from this day forth. The thought made her smile and she stole a glance at her husband. Still protective and ready to kill at the first sign of threat, he had his sword in his hand even now. God she loved that man.
“You are strong, Rowan. I chose wisely when I picked you. Only a powerful descendant from the ancient bloodline could have called the Wild Hunt and myself. The fact that you did, and used the weapon with honor, shows great promise in you, my child. The Gods are pleased.”
No words were said for a few heartbeats. Rowan didn’t know what to say, and she wasn’t sure what the creature was waiting for. He seemed to debate on how to deliver his next words carefully to her. Strapping the dagger around his side, he came closer to Rowan and smiled. “A gift, my lady.”
He held out his large, clawed hand and she placed her tiny one in his trustingly. He pulled her into his arms and ran a razor sharp nail down the palm of her offered hand. Blood welled up in small beads but she was too nervous to even flinch. He pierced the tip of his finger with one of his fangs and watched the blood swell out of it. He smeared his finger across her wound and they watched it heal instantly. Rowan’s breath caught in her throat and she stared wide-eyed at him.
“You will have many, many years on this earth. Put them to good use.” He winked at Rowan and then bowed to the watchful Sidhes behind her.
“What is your name?” It might have been a stupid thing to ask, but Rowan wanted to know. There was no real name for him in the books Adam had and she wanted to know more about him.
“I have many names, my child. But you may call me Gremtok.” Swallowing himself whole, he vanished as quickly as he came. The black dog let out another howl and then ran off into the woods and disappeared.
Walking back inside, lost in thought, Rowan sat on the couch and stared off. The men were having a hushed conversation behind her, but Rowan didn’t care. She was way too busy trying to cope with recent events. She was numb, tired and confused.
Ava came out to see what had happened. Devlin explained what the creature said to Rowan and retold what he did to her hand. Ava quickly came over to her and grabbed Rowan’s palm. Tracing her fingers across the lines in her palm, Ava smiled at Rowan and then to Devlin.
“Aye, love, the Death Bringer has given you a marvelous gift indeed. You are now immortal… like your husband.”
Chapter 31
Rowan sat silently on the big couch, the fire in the hearth pumping out heat, but it wasn’t enough to warm her bones. She was caught between emotions and her head felt like it was one big clusterfuck. “I don’t understand,” was all she said to everyone and no one.
Ro sat staring at her hands and her mind just went blank. She needed sleep. Maybe this was sleep and she was dreaming. Maybe when she wakes up, none of this will have even happened. No battle. No Lorcan. No shadows. No Devlin. The last made her stomach drop and heart choke her throat.
If this was indeed a dream and she woke up to discover that there was no Devlin, she wasn’t ever going to wake up. She’d rather die asleep in her bed dreaming of him than wake up to a world where he didn’t exist. Her heart clenched in her throat and she swiftly looked around for her husband. He was over by the desk murmuring something to Adam. With a stone-faced nod, Adam took off out the door and Devlin glanced at his startled wife. Sensing her sudden panic, Devlin came to her in three large strides, around the couch and to her side.
“What is it a stór? What has you so upset?”
He held her hand and rubbed her knuckles with his rough thumbs. Bending down, he kissed her head and urged her to talk. Her mind was so mixed up, he couldn’t put together any of Rowan’s thoughts and was alarmed she may be cracking under the pressure of everything that had happened. The mind can only handle so much. But no, Rowan was made of stronger stuff. His feisty wee sprite had the courage of a thousand warriors; she proved that time and time again. No, it was indeed something more terrifying than recent events that have her so muddled up.
Mayhap Rowan didn’t want the gift she had received. Immortality may be a gift from the Gods, but it can easily become a curse - one he’d lived with for a long time until finding Rowan. Mayhap Rowan didn’t want to live this long life… or worse, not live this long life with him.
Heartbreak took over the look of worry on Devlin’s face. His very hands started to shake at the mere thought that Rowan would not want to spend her days with him anymore. He broke out in a slight sweat. In truth, he couldn’t bear it if she disappeared and shunned him now. Life without her is a night without stars, a sun with no warmth, a body with no soul. They’d bonded, joined, claimed each other. She was part of him now, as he was her. If they were to separate, neither would be whole again until the end of their days.
“Am I dreaming? Is this a dream?” Rowan stared at him like a scared little girl. She was very close to snapping from the fear of what his answer will be. She held onto him tighter for it, bracing herself for the blow of irrational disappointment that was sure to come from his lips. Devlin stilled himself and stared hard in her eyes and tried to swallow back the bile rising in his throat. He needed to tell her the truth but was scared of what her response would be. Giving her hands a squeeze, he held on tighter to her and answered.
“Nay lass. ‘Tis not a dream. This is verra, verra real.”
He could not believe what she did next. All of her body went into tremors that had even her head bobbing, she let out short puffs of air in hysteria, tears sprang forth and she clung to him.
“Oh thank God! I would not have managed living a day without you. I didn’t know what I was going to do if you said it was a dream and I woke up. I was so scared because when I wake up from a good dream I can never get back to it. To think that I might wake up and never be able to get back to you is a fate worse than any death I can imagine. Oh my God. Oh, Devlin, I love you so much.”
She started kissing him everywhere. Nose, cheeks, chin, head, lips, eyes- you name it, Rowan was kissing it. Devlin could have drowned in that moment with all the love and happiness that was pouring off his wife.
“Ye mean ye are glad to have this gift? To live like us? Forever?”
He was surprised and relieved, but wanted to be sure he understood his wife correctly. The woman can go through emotions and thoughts faster than a tornado through a village.
She held his face firmly in her small hands and stared into his gorgeous whiskey eyes, “Forever is not long enough to spend with you, but if it’s what I’m getting, I’ll take it happily and will thank the Gods every day for it.”
Devlin grabbed and kissed her with everything he had. He quickly picked his wife up, carrying her off into the back bedroom. He wanted to make love to his wife, slowly and completely, and he was not willing to wait a minute longer. His thoughts raced into her head and she giggled at his ideas of what slowly and completely meant.
“Och, aye, I like that,” she said in her best brogue. He laughed uproariously. By the Gods, he loved this woman.
They didn’t come out of the bedroom for several ho
urs. Rowan was too elated to be tired. But she was getting hungry… too happy to be hangry though. Tangled in the sheets, legs and arms twisted around each other like roots in a tree, Rowan wanted to fall asleep but didn’t want to miss a touch or caress from her husband. Her stomach let out a growl and Devlin laughed.
“Och! Ye have not eaten in so long I’m surprised your stomach hasna started to consume itself! We best get ye dressed and head out to the kitchen mo ghrá, I’d bring ye a tray in here to keep ye in bed with me, but I dinna think one tray of food will do for ye,” he teased.
Rowan slapped his arm playfully but agreed. She was starving. All the magic, sex, and fighting evil had given her an appetite that would rival a dozen Warlords. She put on Devlin’s t-shirt again but didn’t want to put on her old grimy pants from earlier. The battle had been won, or so she hoped, and she didn’t want to relive any of it, even with her clothing. Devlin smiled approvingly at the vixen in his gray t-shirt.
“Woman, ye make me want to shred my own clothing to get a peak at what’s under that shirt. Ye look good enough to eat.” He stalked up to her, eyeing her body up and down, “Verra delicious indeed.”
Good Lord, the man was insatiable. Rowan blushed when he came over and kissed her again. Not only was he voracious, he was clearly blinded by love. She didn’t feel too sexy in the t-shirt he was hell bent on getting under again. The darn thing was so big it came down to her knees. But if he liked it, she’d wear his stuff more often. Pushing him away teasingly she reminded him that she wasn’t dinner – she was dessert. Before heading out into the kitchen, Rowan slid into Ava’s room and borrowed a pair of black leggings.
Smiling to herself, lost in lusty thoughts of her husband and desserts, she walked right past the blonde at the table. Pouring a glass of water from the pitcher on the side table, Rowan reached for a handful of candied almonds.
“I hope you don’t ‘mind, I borrowed a pair of your leggings. My pants were too gross to put back on. I’m starving. Should we get a pizza for dinner or something?” Rowan walked around the large table to sit on the other side.
“I could eat,” was the blonde’s response.
Just then, Ava strolled up to the table carrying a large platter of ratatouille. “Here we are! It’s not pizza, but I’m sure you’ll approve. Dinner is served!”
Ava was sporting a short pixie cut of light brown hair. Her nose was sharp, tiny and perfect, and her lips were coated in bright red lipstick. She looked great. Rowan registered the new look on her friend, and then slowly scanned over the table to the blonde sitting across from her.
“Brinley!” Rowan jumped off her chair, as did her friend, and they crashed into each other in a tight embrace.
Brinley looked at her best friend like she was never so happy in all her life to see her. Definitely not the same look she had last time they were together. Rowan stilled for a second and then choked back the tears threatening to once again spill down her cheeks. Damnit, she’s such a cry baby today.
They both rattled out so many words at the same time it was impossible for Devlin to keep up with the conversation, but the women had no trouble at all deciphering the broken sentences between them. Women, they truly are marvelous creatures.
Devlin shot Adam a look and nodded thanks to his friend for having retrieved the missing piece to their dinner table. Adam seemed reluctant at first but didn’t argue about the request. Devlin knew that this had been a day for the books, and that no matter what other blessings they had to be grateful for today, he knew Rowan would want to see that her best friend was well and truly safe.
“Adam told me what happened,” she shot him a look of desire and irritation, “but I doubt he told me everything. Are you okay, hun?”
Was Rowan okay? She was more than okay. This was the Best. Day. Ever.
“Where were you? We went to your house and your car was there, but you were nowhere to be found.” Rowan sounded like a mother hen.
“I was in New Orleans. I had a CEU class there for a few days. I, uh, brought you back something.” Brinley walked over to her big purse and pulled out a plastic bag. “You probably could have used this about fifteen years ago, but better late than never,” Brinley shrugged and handed the package over to Rowan.
Inside the black plastic shopping bag was a voodoo doll. A very creepy looking voodoo doll at that, with a tag on it that read: “For Protection” and looked freaky as hell. The doll, if it could be called a doll, was made of corn husks, thistles, dried moss and other herbs. It was bound in black strips of cloth and had dried fruits and string dangling from it. The face, a term used loosely here, was made of some type of resin and it had a very tiny head with horns. If Rowan was the average woman, she might have been spooked by it, but she was far from average. And she’d seen scarier things than this.
Devlin came over to examine the souvenir, “By Danu! That is a ghastly looking figure ye have there, lass. ‘Tis for protection, eh? Who will protect us from it?”
That sent the men into fits of laughter.
Adam kept is glamour in check - it was easier to do after having some of Ava’s blood. He stole a glance at the sunshine in jeans and boots at the other side of the table, sending a prayer of thanks to the Gods that she was indeed safe.
Adam had gone to her house hoping to find something that would give him a clue as to where she was. He found a calendar on the kitchen fridge with New Orleans written across five days. According to her scribble, she was due back that afternoon. He went to the airport and waited for her plane to arrive. Good timing or fate- Adam wasn’t sure which it was, but didn’t care either.
He greeted her at the airport security gate and ushered her to his car that was valet parked. She was surprised to see him and quickly asked if Rowan was okay. Adam didn’t want to go into the details of the night before, so briefly (and vaguely) told the woman what had happened. Adam tried to stick to the truth but not give away the whole story, only saying that Rowan was tricked into thinking Brinley was abducted and how scared she had been for her. That Rowan had gone to a true hell and back to find her. And that the enemy was indeed gone for good.
Brinley hadn’t asked anymore questions, and Adam did not offer any more answers. Any anger or resentment Brinley had from their fight was replaced with love and relief for her friend. They rode in silence the rest of the way back to Adam’s house. He badly wanted to touch her, but didn’t want to get distracted while driving. He knew, without a doubt, one touch of her soft skin would have him mindless and reckless.
When they arrived at the house, Ava told them that the lovebirds had gone back into their bedroom and Brinley decided to help with dinner while she waited for Rowan to come out. She wanted to distract herself at the moment with Adam so close to her. She may not be upset with Rowan anymore, but she was still angry with him for having pushed her away. Her pride and heart were still bruised but she wasn’t going to dwell on that today.
Ava left the room to check on the still sleeping Ruark while everyone filled their plates. The dish smelled amazing and looked even better. Ava was a good cook. Coming back out with a look of peace on her angelic face, Devlin asked if his brother was doing okay. He feared that Ruark may be dead in the bed or awake and wanting answers, neither of which Devlin thought they were prepared for at the moment.
Ava answered him with a fake snore and a wink. “He’ll be out for quite some time. Days, I expect. His body has much healing to do.”
“Is someone hurt?” Brinley asked the question to the whole table. She didn’t realize anyone else was here.
“Yes, in the midst of everything, we found another person in need of saving…” Rowan glanced at Devlin and sent him a burst of love, “Ruark. Devlin’s brother.”
Brinley’s fork fell to the plate with a clank. She stared at Rowan with big brown mousey eyes. Rowan nodded her head to emphasize she was being serious and Brinley cleared her throat. Yup, Adam had left quite a bit of information out when telling her a
bout this adventure. Damn him.
“I can help him. If you think he’d let me. I can help him heal.” Brinley had her own version of magic – the ancient pokey needle kind.
Ava perked up like she’d forgotten Brinley’s talent until now and said “Aye love! That would be wonderful. He’ll need every bit of help he can get. He’s strong, but needs a great deal more than strength to pull him out of the hole he is in right now.”
No one said a word. It was a fact that no one could argue with.
Brinley liked a challenge. She was good at her job and she had a true talent with her needles. Brinley gave an encouraging smile to the table, but didn’t press for further information. It was obvious that there was tension and apprehension about Ruark. Brinley knew to best leave it alone… for now.
She smiled, “Well alright then. I’ll come back with my bag tomorrow and we’ll see what can be done for him.”
Shatter - Sins of the Sidhe Page 34