"Of course it is," Dawn said.
Cara could see that her mom's mind was made up where Aodhan was concerned. "Where is he?"
"He's in his office with that other man, Khan. He's lovely," Dawn said.
Cara stared at her mother before she shook her head. "Mom, you really see everything the way you want to, don't you?"
"He was very polite," Dawn said with a shrug.
Apparently, healing time was over and it was time to face Aodhan. He brought her family into this mess and the stakes were too high for her to continue avoiding him. She wrapped her arm around her mom's waist and led her out of the room.
"This castle is amazing," Dawn said and peered at the paintings that they passed. "And the artwork on the walls are priceless."
Cara grunted as they started down the stairs. Her body began to hum with pain and she grit her teeth as Dawn complimented the castle on everything from the runners, architecture and overall cleanliness. Cara could hear Sky's delighted shrieks coming from the kitchen and directed her mom in that direction.
"Where are you going, honey?" Dawn asked.
"I need to talk to Aodhan."
Dawn clapped her hands together. "Great. You do that. We'll be in the kitchen."
Cara approached the closed double doors of the office and twisted her hands together. Her heart was thumping double time in her chest. Her hand fluttered over the door handle before she gripped it firmly and pushed it open.
Chapter Sixteen
Khan and Aodhan stood in the middle of the office. Both of them turned in her direction when she walked in. Khan was dressed in a business suit, just like Linnea said while Aodhan was dressed more casually in jeans and a shirt. They were expressionless and the energy in the room was distinctly dangerous. The walk through the castle weakened her and she couldn't control her limp or the grimace of pain as she looked up at Khan. Now that his hands weren't crackling with lightning, it was easier to focus on him than Aodhan.
"I want to know what my family's doing here," she said.
Khan raised a brow and glanced at Aodhan before he said, "Aodhan says you insisted on visiting them in Montana. He thought it prudent to bring them here instead."
"It's not safe here," she snapped.
"This is the safest place in the world for them," Khan contradicted. "This castle is filled with magic that keeps it off the grid from humans. No one can enter without an Ancient's consent."
She considered that and something clicked into place. "Then how have the witches kept this place staffed all this time?"
"Only the leader of the coven can grant consent and there's extensive testing," Khan continued. "The staff can't be completely human. They have to have a glimmer of something other, which the cook has."
Cara folded her arms across her chest. "Her name's Linnea."
"I apologize for my actions the other night," Khan said.
Cara blinked. "What?"
"I apologize for trying to kill you."
She couldn't help it. She took her eyes from Khan and glanced at Aodhan who was doing a remarkable job of imitating a Greek statue.
"You were doing your job," Cara said uncertainly.
Khan examined her as if he'd never seen her before. It was clinical and intense and she had to resist the urge to take a step back. Khan inhaled deeply as if he was dissecting an unusual fragrance. She tried to remember if she'd put on deodorant.
"Luc was extremely clever when he picked your mother," Khan said unexpectedly.
She stiffened. "What?"
"Half witch, half demon. It's hard to decipher what you are because you're neither one nor the other and it makes you stronger than both."
She glanced at Aodhan to see how he was handling this discussion and looked away quickly.
"When Luc was possessing you, I couldn't figure out why he was using someone so young. Most of his puppets were male, distinguished, rich, and powerful. Your looks are too striking to blend well in a crowd and I thought Luc would be weak while using someone so young and untried. I miscalculated and Luc got away. I tried to find your body to figure out what you were and why he was so strong. It didn't occur to me that you didn't die after Luc jumped to another puppet." Khan raised his brow. "You can imagine my surprise when you walked into the room with Aodhan last night."
Cara nodded curtly. "I knew what you'd do. I was ready."
Khan eyed her. "How many times has Luc possessed you?"
Her nails dug into her arm. "Four times."
"You're incredibly strong. Rumor is Luc was only able to possess his spawn once before they disintegrated so he had to be careful." When Cara paled, Khan shrugged. "He experimented with different species and came up with you."
"I can die just as easily as any human."
"And you've had countless close calls."
She didn't respond to that. Khan cocked his head to the side.
"I didn't agree with Aodhan's choice when he saved you, but now that I've spent less than five minutes with you, I realize why he did it. Strength is rare."
She frowned. "I don't understand."
Khan glanced at Aodhan. Even though Khan's mouth didn't curve, Cara got the impression that he was amused.
"Most would have cracked under the pressure," Khan stated. "I should have known that a true demon wouldn't be able to reverse Morgana's curse. I owe you a debt for freeing my brother."
"No, you don't owe me anything," Cara said. "I'm not even sure how I broke the curse."
"Khan, leave," Aodhan bit out.
Cara stiffened, but didn't comment as Khan exited. She couldn't look at Aodhan without remembering the way he looked at her that night on the cliffs. Her heart felt as if it was being stabbed, but she didn't let any of that show on her face. She clutched her hands behind her back so he wouldn't see them shake.
"Whatever you choose to do with me, my mom and sister are innocent," she said hoarsely.
"You shouldn't be out of bed."
She straightened her spine, which hurt since it was still being healed after it had been shattered. "I'm better."
He took a step forward and she took one back.
"What do you think I'm going to do with you?" Aodhan asked.
"Use me as bait somehow."
She heard a low growl and looked up. Silver scales appeared on the sides of Aodhan's neck and his face shifted, morphing into something not human.
"You think I'd do that to you after all we've been through?" he asked, voice so low she could barely understand him. "You saved me."
"I didn't do anything."
His eyes narrowed and his anger filled the room. "The reason I couldn't tell you how to reverse the curse is because it had to be given freely."
Despite herself, she asked, "Was it my blood?"
The silence stretched so long that she shifted from foot to foot. She lowered her eyes because she couldn't bear to look at him. She could smell the familiar scent of him and despite her fear, she wanted him.
"Every curse has a loophole. Morgana made it something so ludicrous that even if someone found me, it would be nearly impossible to reverse the curse."
"What is it?" she asked.
His shirt rippled as spikes and scales tried to make an appearance. It was clear he was straining to control himself and she realized she wasn't going to like this. She braced for impact.
"To break the curse, someone had to love me as the beast."
Cara jerked violently and stared at him with her jaw hanging. "I-I- That's impossible!"
Aodhan didn't say anything as she gasped for breath.
"I don't love you!" she shouted.
"Morgana told me how to reverse the curse before she left me trapped in the caves," Aodhan said in a lethal voice. "Even if someone stumbled into the caves as you did, how could I tell them to love me? She cursed me with it, knowing I'd never felt it in my life."
She shook her head. "I don't-"
"I saved Sky to soften your heart towards me. I took you riding to distract
you from your homesickness and focus on me instead. I gave you everything I could to trick you into feeling something for me."
She backed away, even though he made no move forward. She felt jittery with panic and even while she longed to run from the office, she knew she wouldn't get far.
"Even if someone spent centuries with me, I never believed anyone was capable of feeling anything for me, much less, love."
"I don't even know what love is!" she said wildly.
"It's what you feel for Dawn and Sky. Love is sacrificing your life for theirs without a thought."
"I didn't-"
"You refused to leave me in the caves."
The blood drained from her head and she was suddenly, achingly cold. She was such an idiot. She fell for a being destined to kill her.
"You saw the worst in me, courtesy of the demon Luc planted in me centuries ago," Aodhan said relentlessly. "You tried to warn me when Luc possessed you and you slept on a sheet beside me as a dragon because I made you feel safe."
Cara shook her head as tears slipped from her eyes. "Why are you doing this?"
"I need you to see."
"See what?" she bellowed.
They stared at one another across the office. Aodhan had talons on the end of his fingers and the scales on his neck shone in the light. She knew he wanted to crowd her, but he kept his distance. All that they'd been through rushed through her mind and she took another step back as if that would help her deny his words.
"You matter," Aodhan said.
Her heart cracked. "You said I whored for Luc."
"I'll never do it again. When I realized you had thrown yourself over the edge..." He took a step forward before he stopped himself. "I realized it didn't matter what you are, Cara. You were conceived in sin, but your heart is as pure as your mother's and sister's. You're loyal, brave and you love me."
"Aodhan, I don't-"
One moment he was across the office and the next he had a hand clapped over her mouth. Her eyes were wide as they stared into his. He leaned down and pressed his forehead to hers and took a deep breath. His scent made her weak with need and tears trickled from her eyes and slid over his palm.
"Don't say you don't love me," he said quietly. "I have proof."
He looked down at himself pointedly and she let out an aggravated growl. His lips twitched as he buried his face in her hair and pulled her against him. She braced her hands against his chest, but she was in no position to fight his embrace and wasn't sure she wanted to. He didn't say anything for a long minute and the longer he held her, the more she relaxed until she rested fully against him. His hand fell from her mouth, but his thumb brushed gently over her lips.
"I can't let you go," Aodhan said into her hair. "I don't see in black and white anymore. I see in color."
She dug her nails into his chest. She wanted so badly to burrow against him and let the rest of the world deal with itself but she knew Luc wouldn't leave her alone. "He'll come for me. I have to die."
"No."
"You have to-"
His hand gripped her hair and jerked until she looked up at him. "No."
"Killing me is the only way."
"Khan," Aodhan bit out.
The office door opened even though Aodhan hadn't raised his voice. Aodhan didn't release his ultra possessive hold on Cara who shifted uncomfortably when Khan entered. Khan didn't look surprised to see them in such an intimate embrace.
"Tell her," Aodhan ordered.
Khan's eyes swept over Cara's distraught face. "There's a way to send your father back to the underworld and keep you here, but it's risky."
"That's impossible," she whispered.
"Luc imbedded a piece of himself into your soul. If I remove it, you die," Khan said.
"I know this," she snapped.
Khan continued, unperturbed by her anger. "You can't exist with half a soul, but I can replace it with something else."
"Another soul?" Cara asked, outraged.
"It's called an Immortal Bond," Khan explained patiently. "It's risky and it's never been attempted by anyone that I know of, but Aodhan's an Ancient. He can bond his soul to the missing half of yours, but the tie will be tight."
She felt a trill of foreboding. "What do you mean?"
Khan slid Aodhan an unreadable look. "Your Immortal Bond won't allow distance. You'll have to be in constant contact with one another and there's no way to reverse it."
"That sounds very... permanent," Cara said uneasily.
"And what does the alternative sound like?" Aodhan growled.
She glared at him. "What if this Immortal Bond doesn't work at all?"
"It will," Aodhan decreed.
"This is crazy. You're telling me you're going to carve Luc out of my soul and then bond me to Aodhan?"
"You don't want to be bonded to me?" Aodhan demanded.
She tried to wriggle away, but his arms were immovable oak trees around her. She wasn't going anywhere. She so desperately wanted to believe, but she couldn't. Trying this 'Immortal Bond' thing was nuts.
"No running, Cara," Aodhan said.
"You don't call the shots in my life!"
"If you fought as hard for yourself as you do for anyone else, you'd let Khan perform the Immortal Bond right now," Aodhan said.
"That's because I know what I am! Do you know what it's like for someone to possess you and make you do things you can't wash yourself clean of?" she whispered. "I do. I can't take the risk. I know what will work. So do you."
When she looked towards Khan for help, Aodhan partially shifted. His cheeks and brows were covered in silver scales and she heard his shirt rip as spikes erupted along his spine. Talons pressed into her cheek, but they didn't hurt her.
"We're going to do the Immortal Bond," Aodhan whispered. "I don't care how long it takes to convince you. I won't let you die."
"This is so fucked up," Cara moaned and dropped her head on his chest.
"We'll make it," Aodhan said. "Just give yourself over to me. I can take care of you."
"If I do the Immortal Bond, what happens to that part of you that's bonded to me when I die?"
"If we bond, I believe you'll become immortal like me."
She gaped at him. "And you didn't think to tell me that I'd live to be a thousand years old?"
"It's a possibility."
"I need time," she said and tried to pull away.
Aodhan didn't move for several seconds and then his eyes dropped to her lips. She held her breath as the scales disappeared and he pulled her up the length of his body and kissed her. It was a gentle, comforting kiss and she clamped her quivering lips together as they stared at one another.
"I'll do whatever it takes to keep you here," he vowed.
"It may not work."
"It will," he declared and his face was set in determined, angry lines.
"Why are you fighting this so hard?" she whispered. "You don't have to feel obligated to me."
This time, the kiss he planted on her lips was definitely not gentle. It was hard, bruising and filled with need. She sensed Khan leave. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he cupped her face and angled it to deepen the kiss. Their one night together hadn't been enough. She ran a finger down his cheek, which was now free of scales. When she quivered, he gentled the kiss and pulled away. She never imagined that once he knew what she was that he would still look at her this way.
"You're worth fighting for," he said. "When you slept on a sheet beside me, I knew I would have let you go if you asked me."
Her eyes widened. He didn't look away and his hand collared her throat, stroking over her pulse.
"But I didn't realize until you jumped off the cliffs that I loved you."
"Aodhan-"
He shook his head. "The only thing I want to hear from you is yes."
Before she could think of an answer, the doors flew open and Sky ran in holding two sugar cookies covered in pink frosting.
"Cookies!" Sky shrieked and barreled into t
hem.
Aodhan released Cara and when Sky stared expectantly at him, he reached down and picked her up. As soon as Sky was close enough to his face, she shoved a cookie into Aodhan's mouth. Cara's eyes widened and she reached out for Sky, but Aodhan just grinned and chewed. Sky held out the second cookie to Cara who took a bite. Sugar exploded in her mouth and she bit back a groan.
"Linnea let me put frosting on the cookies!" Sky chirped happily. "She says I put magic in them and that I had to give them to people I love most."
Cara stared at Aodhan as he held her sister. She knew him as a dragon, warrior and now a man. Demons cowered in his presence, yet Sky sat on his hip feeding him sugar cookies. Khan appeared in the doorway, probably alarmed by the unfamiliar sound of a child's voice. Sky took one look at Khan and pushed at Aodhan's chest.
"Uncle Aodhan, put me down. I need to get another cookie!" Sky squealed.
Khan raised a brow as Sky ran past him and returned less than a minute later with another cookie covered in pink frosting. Khan stared dubiously at the child and didn't take the cookie. Undeterred, Sky went on her tiptoes and waved the cookie as if the smell would entice him to take it.
"I put my magic into these cookies, Linnea says so!" Sky hollered.
Cara was ready to step in when Khan took the cookie. Sky didn't move. She stood right in front of him and waited.
"It'll make you feel happy!" Sky said and did a little dance. "Come on!"
Aodhan chuckled and Khan shot him a repressive look before he dutifully took a bite. Khan grimaced as he chewed on the cookie and then he frowned and looked down at Sky with an intense look on his face.
"Isn't it great?" Sky shouted and rushed forward and grabbed Cara's hand. "Let's make more and feed everybody!"
Cara allowed Sky to pull her away from the Ancients and felt the weight of their stares. She knew damn well why Khan looked so closely at Sky. He felt the effects of Sky's magic in the cookies and he probably wasn't used to feelings of warmth, love and comfort. Linnea and Dawn's laughter filled the kitchen and the sound lifted Cara's heart. They both turned when she walked in with Sky.
"Did Khan take the cookie?" Linnea demanded.
Cara nodded and Linnea gave Sky a high five.
Clutch of the Demon (Cursed Ancients Series Book 1) Page 18