Artistic Vision

by Dana Marie Bell

  Duncan and Moira exchanged a worried look. “Maybe we should have a healer come in and look at him?” Duncan wasn’t asking Akane, but she didn’t mind. The bond between the Dunne siblings was strong, and Akane wouldn’t have it any other way. They were the ones who would protect Shane when she wasn’t there.

  “Do you have one you trust?” Akane didn’t. Dragons healed fairly quickly, but were incapable of healing others. She’d never needed a healer, and the times when she’d worked with Jaden, the vampire had either been uninjured or waved off her concerns. She had no idea how quickly he healed.

  “Oddly enough, yes, I think I do.” Duncan reached for his cell phone. “She might even be close by. Last I heard from her she was staying inland.”

  “Inland?” That was an odd way to phrase it.

  Duncan dialed and held the phone to his ear. “She’s a sea nymph.”

  “You’re kidding. A sea nymph living inland?” Nymphs couldn’t survive far from water, especially sea nymphs. What was the creature thinking? It would be like a dragon trying to survive without air under her wings; it just wasn’t done.

  “She’s special.” Duncan smiled. “Hello, Cassie. It’s Duncan.”

  Akane couldn’t hear Cassie’s side of the conversation, but she could hear Duncan’s. It didn’t take the Sidhe very long to convince the nymph to come to the Dunne farm and look at Shane. “Thanks, Cassie. I owe you one.” He hung up the phone and pocketed it. “She’ll be here by sunset.”

  “She was close by, then?”

  “Yeah. Last I checked she’s been roaming the Midwest for about a year now.”

  Which mean the nymph had aged a year. Without the rejuvenating powers of the sea the nymph would slowly fade away and die like a mortal, forever cut off from her watery home. Akane could think of only one thing that would make a nymph leave the sea. “Is her mate human?”

  Duncan shook his head. “It’s not my tale to tell, but I can say that she has no mate or bond that ties her to the land.”

  Akane twitched. She could feel Shane stir inside her; he’d awakened. She opened her inner sight, startled to see the jumble his usually bright power was in. Perhaps it was a good thing Duncan had called in the nymph. “Shane’s awake.”

  “Good. Maybe we can get him to eat something before the healer gets here.” Moira got up and made herself some hot chocolate. “Gods, this stuff is bad for my hips.” She sipped some, groaning in pleasure. “But what a way to get fat.”

  Duncan shook his head and smiled indulgently. “Drink up, sweetheart. Jaden and I will love you even when you put elephants to shame.”

  Akane laughed at the look on Moira’s face. If the leprechaun’s expression was anything to go by Duncan would be sitting funny for more reasons than one.

  Akane’s hand jerked, spilling lukewarm chocolate all over her. She blinked, trying to figure out why she was so unsettled. The visions dancing around her mate had taken on a sharp edge. “Shane?”

  Moira hopped up and grabbed her coat. “I swear, that man gets into more trouble lately.” She threw Duncan his coat without even looking.

  “Shane’s in trouble.” Akane was out the door in the blink of an eye, barely feeling the cold on her human skin. She shifted partway, allowing her wings free, her warmer dragon body immune to the chill. She raced toward Shane’s studio, her heart pounding.

  Something was desperately wrong with her mate.

  Akane eased the studio door open. She could scent no intruders in their den. Shane was alone. A hideous screeching sound emanated from behind the closed doors of the workroom. Shane must be working on another vision.

  “Stop it!”

  Shane’s agonized scream had her breaking down the door to the workroom. The sight that met her eyes had her gasping in horror.

  Half finished sculptures littered the room. Razor sharp metal and glass shavings were strewn around the room like discarded toys. Shane, naked and bleeding from numerous cuts, was tugging his darkened copper hair, his eyes wild. Around him his lights danced faster than Akane had ever seen before, dark, hideous visions that were slowly pushing the fae into madness.

  “Shane.” Akane stepped forward, ignoring the sharp debris. She crooned to her mate, letting her dragon song out, hoping to pull him back from the brink long enough to tell her what had happened.

  “Akane?”

  The plea in his voice nearly drove her to her knees. “I’m here.”

  He winced, tugging his hair once more. “Help me. I can’t.”

  “Can’t what, love?” She crept closer, intent on touching him, using her own body to calm him if need be.

  “I can’t stop seeing.”

  She winced. The visions were torturing him and they were not pretty. “I know, love. Touch me.” She held out her hand. “Touch me and I’ll free you.”

  He stared at her outstretched hand. “No.” The strength of his voice shocked her. “I won’t give you this.”

  Damn. He’d figured it out. She’d meant to try and steal his burden, take the visions tormenting him onto herself. Their bond was strong enough that she could do it, too. “Give them to me, Shane.” She could handle them much better than he could.

  He shook his head. “This is part of it.” His eyes turned wild, his gaze darting all over the studio. “Blues and greens and whites. I need them.” He began tossing things onto the floor once more, his visions blinding him to her presence.

  Behind her twin gasps sounded as Duncan and Moira arrived. She waved her hand behind her. “Stay back.”

  A brief surge of relief crossed Shane’s face when he caught sight of Duncan, but within seconds he was muttering once more. Then, with a shriek, he swept his arm across the worktable and turned, running for the vault.

  “Shit. If he locks himself in there we’ll never get him out.” Moira took off after her brother, her Seeming falling from her. She now bore the same dark copper hair Shane did, but her green eyes had darkened. Swirls of light brown decorated the leprechaun’s skin. “Shane! Get your ass back here!”

  Duncan stepped carefully over the mess, his gaze glued to where his wife had disappeared. “He’s lost in his own mind. I’m going to try and calm the storm, keep him focused on one vision. When Cassie gets here, bring her to Shane’s vault.”

  Akane opened her mouth to argue but the ex-lord of the Malmayne clan was already gone, following Moira into the vault after her crazed brother. She saw the calm of the Sidhe glamour ripple across Shane’s visions, forcing him to focus on one thing at a time.

  Akane growled. She’d burned the poison from him the night before, hadn’t she? So what the fuck was going on?

  Shane panted, sweat pouring from his skin in a stinking river. “You’ll weaken before she gets here.”

  Duncan, eyes unfocused, his Seeming long since dropped, nodded. “I know. Can you put some pants on, please?”

  Shane snorted and took the pants his sister held out to him. He blinked as another dark vision was violently shoved aside. “When the time comes you’ll need to strap me down.”

  “What’s going on, Shane?” Moira, her hands on her hips, tapped her foot.

  “We missed something during the purge, or it managed to hide from Akane’s flame.” He shivered, viciously cold in a way he’d never before experienced. “It’s in my mind, tapping into my visions. If it takes hold, you’ll have to kill me.”

  Moira gasped. “Fuck no!”

  “Fuck yes. I’ll turn on you and head straight for the Dark Queen.” He stared his sister down, ignoring the frown on her face. “Can you imagine what she’ll be able to do if she can see the future, Moira?”

  “She won’t get you, love.” Akane smiled, the expression vicious. “Where do I need to tie you down?”

  Shane sagged in relief. Akane understood what needed to be done, and his Blade mate wasn’t going to fight him on it. “My worktable.”

  “That’s littered with glass! We can’t tie him there!” Moira turned to Akane, ready to plead his case. “He’l
l be hurt if we bind him there.”

  Akane nodded, but her gaze never left him. “I know.”

  When she crooked her claw at him he stood, trusting Duncan to keep the nightmares at bay. “Trust my mate, Moira.”

  Moira, jaw clenched, turned away.

  “Come to me, love.” Akane crooned, her dragon song layered throughout her voice, a song he had no desire to resist. “Come and lie for me.”

  “On a bed of diamonds and gold,” he whispered back, a vision of light pushing back the darkness for a brief second.

  “Yes.” Akane smiled and helped him on the table. “You’re so taking me to Milan when this is over, you stubborn son of a bitch.”

  He shivered as she tied him down. “I love you.”

  She wiped sweat-dampened hair from his brow. “Is tú mo ghrá.”

  He gasped. “Who taught you that phrase?” He hadn’t, that was certain.

  “You did.” She leaned down and kissed him, sweet and strong.

  “You are my love too.”

  Akane winked down at him. “I know.”

  Shane jerked as one of the visions took his breath away. All he could see was tarnished silver, darkened gray skies and a man shrieking in silent agony. His fingers twitched, tested his bonds as the urge to create tried to take hold.

  A gentle silver warmth pushed the vision back and Shane’s eyes cleared. He focused on the most important person in the world, refusing to blink until those gorgeous golden eyes filled his vision. “Hurry.”

  The dragoness nodded once, and Shane lost himself in visions once more.

  Akane flew from the studio with only one thought in mind: find Constance and Hobart and kill them.

  “Hey, Akane! Mind taking along a rider?”

  Akane paused in her flight. “How are you out during the day?”

  Jaden shrugged. “SPF three thousand, courtesy of the Hob.” That green light flared in his eyes. “Can we go? I’m kind of wigging out here.” He pointed toward the dipping sun. “I haven’t seen that in a hundred years, ya know.”

  “I know.” Akane shifted to her full dragon form. “Hop aboard.”

  “Damn. If only you’d extended that invitation before I was mated.” Jaden winced and gingerly climbed onto her back. “Do you have any idea how loudly a leprechaun can screech?”

  “As loud as she needs to.” Akane took off once he was holding securely to her back.

  “Who are we hunting?”

  “I’m surprised Moira didn’t tell you.” Akane banked, following the line of the road toward the Malmayne estate. She wanted to start there but doubted she’d find the clan in residence. Constance had to know Akane was going to come after her.

  “I’m surprised she knew I’d be able to come out in the admittedly fading sunlight.” Jaden shifted slightly. “So, tell Daddy who needs their ass whipped.”

  Akane grinned. “Constance Malmayne and Hobart Klaussner.”

  “One of those names is familiar, but who was mean enough to name their kid Hobart? And how many ass-kickings did the dude need to endure?”

  Akane rolled her eyes. “He’s the son of the Hob and a pooka who was turned into a vampire while pregnant with him.”

  Silence. She loved when she was able to shut Jaden up.

  Of course it never lasted very long. “How did the Hob take his sudden fatherhood?”

  “Haven’t told him yet.” Mostly because she figured he didn’t need to know about someone who was already dead.

  “Ah. You don’t think he’ll react poorly to you killing one of his offspring?”

  “I really don’t give a shit.”

  “So when I get invited to his home for dragon burgers you’ll be okay with that? What am I saying, you’ll already be there.”

  “Hobart’s the one who pumped Shane full of sludge.”

  “Crap. And I mean that literally.” Jaden sighed. “Fine, but you’re taking the heat for this one. I’ve had my yearly helping of pissed Hob, thank you very much.”

  She nodded and banked again, scenting the air. It was faint, but she could detect the scents of both Constance and Hobart. “They’re not here.”

  “Duh. Smart people get out of the way of angry dragons, you know.”

  She chuckled, reluctantly amused. “That explains a lot.”

  He poked her left shoulder hard enough she grunted. “There. Turn left.”

  Akane turned, her wings adjusting to a sudden updraft. “I see it.”

  A dark sedan was heading down the road, the stench of the Malmaynes thick on it. Akane was tempted to just wipe out the entire clan, keep them from ever harming anyone else ever again, but Shane wouldn’t approve of such a draconian measure.

  Damn it.

  “I spy with my little eye something that begins with D,” Jaden hummed.

  “Dragon food?”

  “Congratulations, you win the kewpie doll.”

  “I’ll take a pound of flesh instead.” Akane swooped down on the car. Inside she could smell two of the people she was hunting, two who she might let live if they gave up the real culprits to Akane’s claws and Jaden’s teeth. She landed on the roof of the sedan, digging in when it swerved in a useless attempt to shake her off.

  Idiots. She began ripping into the roof, tearing it off in chunks. When she had almost the whole thing open she took off again, hovering easily over the speeding vehicle. They should have known that running around in a fiberglass can wasn’t going to save them from her wrath. “Where’s Constance?”

  Cecelia Malmayne, face paler than normal, stared up at Akane in horror. Akane easily kept pace with the racing car. “Not here.”

  Jaden leaned over her neck. “Hey, sweetie. Remember me?” He jumped down to the car below and grabbed hold of Henri’s neck. The Sidhe slammed on the brakes, but the vampire held fast. Instead of throwing off the vampire, Henri wound up with four puncture wounds in each cheek from Jaden’s claws. “Naughty naughty!”

  Akane lit on the roof and blew smoke at the Sidhe female. “Where are Constance and Hobart?”

  Henri stiffened, the gesture so slight that Akane would have missed it if she wasn’t so focused on the pair. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

  Jaden leaned over and lapped up some of the blood running down Henri’s cheeks. “Oh?”

  “Constance is heading to New York.” Cecelia was shaking, her eyes glued to the vampiric tongue running up and down her lover’s cheek. “I think Hobart went with her.”

  “Liar,” Jaden whispered. One clawed hand reached down and grabbed hold of Henri’s penis, twisting it. “If you want to find out all about the transgender lifestyle you’ll keep lying to me.”

  Henri gulped and held very, very still. “Constance is at a safe house. Hobart’s with her.”

  “Where?” Jaden twisted and Henri cried out.

  “Omaha!” Henri panted, his face a mask of pain. “They’re in Omaha.” His expression pleading, he turned to Akane. “Duncan will know where.”

  Jaden stilled. He was consulting with his bondmate. He rattled off an address that had Henri nodding in relief. “Please. Let us go. Or at least let Ceci go. I’m begging you.”

  Jaden looked at Akane and raised his brows. He was letting her make the call on this one.

  “Have you given your oath of fealty to the White Court?”

  Henri gulped. “No.”

  His response was so quiet Akane could barely hear it. “The Black?”

  Henri nodded almost imperceptibly.

  “When?”

  “Does it matter?” Jaden shook his head sadly. “The Malmayne Clan has already fallen. Shit.” He let Henri go, his expression full of disgust. Henri and Cecelia had done nothing that warranted Blade justice. While she and Jaden could intimidate the hell out of them in pursuit of Constance and Hobart, they couldn’t touch the pair otherwise.

  But they could make them hurt, make them bleed, to give up Constance and Hobart, and Akane would do just that until she got what she wanted.

&
nbsp; “Where are the rest of your clan?”

  “Some are heading for our new home, some have refused to join us and are seeking refuge in the White.” Henri shivered, and with good reason. If the lord of Clan Malmayne had already given his allegiance to the Black officially then all members of the clan were considered Black. Glorianna would have no pity in her for them. The White Queen had dabbled in a game she wasn’t equipped to play and had lost before she’d even begun, and those poor sons-of-bitches who ran to her would find little mercy.

  “Go on, get out of here. But know this: you tell Constance we’re coming after her and ripping your dick off will be the least of your punishments. Got it?” Jaden settled once more on Akane’s back. “We’re enemies now.”

  “We always were,” Henri muttered.

  “No. We weren’t. You were just too blind to see it.” Jaden patted Akane’s neck. “Let’s go.”

  Akane nodded. “Yes, my lord.”

  She left the pair gasping in their destroyed car, the Sidhe’s eyes nearly popping right out of their stupid heads at her acknowledgement of Jaden as her lord. She’d never given allegiance before and wouldn’t have now, if it weren’t for Shane. Let them think that her presence in Jaden’s clan gave them an edge with the Seer. Maybe it would keep them from trying anything else in the future.

  She took off, already dreading the coming interview with the Hob. Robin was not going to like this latest development. That was one man who really hated to lose.

  He was lost in a nightmare world of pain and degradation, the visions coming faster and faster. Unable to process them, he’d given up trying to make sense of them. Instead, he allowed them to flash before his eyes, helpless to hide from his own powers even deep within his own mind. More than a few of those visions showed what would happen to Shane if he gave in, if he allowed the sweet whisper of dark power currently coursing through him to take over, to channel his visions. It didn’t take a genius to figure out who the seductive female figure whispering in his ear was.

  The Dark Queen, the first leanan Sidhe. The first vampire.