by Donna Grant
His beautiful silver depths were filled with fear and doubt. She lifted a hand to his lips when he began to speak. “Shhh,” she whispered. “Do not doubt your skill.
You saved him from certain death.”
“Did
I?”
She scoffed at him. “Your exhaustion is making you testy. Not another word,”
she said as she rose to her feet and poured him a goblet of water from a jug the servants had brought in. She went to hand him the goblet but his hands shook too much for him to take it.
“Let me,” she urged as she brought the goblet to his lips. He drained the entire contests and licked his lips. “More?” she asked, and at his nod turned back to the jug.
Val moved to her side. He made as if to pour himself a goblet of ale, but leaned down and whispered, “What is wrong with him?”
“He’s weak. What he did for Hugh took a lot out of him. He needs to regain his strength.”
“Tell us what to do.”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Rest maybe.”
Val glanced over his shoulder at Gabriel then turned to her. “Will you take care of him?”
“Aye.”
Danielle wondered at how quickly she had agreed to take care of Gabriel. In fact, it was the perfect time to kill him in his weakened state. Yet, as she glanced at Hugh and the other Shields and their mates, she knew she couldn’t do it. Not now at least.
Maybe not ever.
That thought nearly stopped her in her tracks. How could she have come from such a revenge driven life to a woman willing to forgive the unforgivable?
Because you want a future.
Maybe that was it. She really didn’t know why, and at the moment, didn’t wish to delve further. She held the goblet to Gabriel’s lips as he again drained it. After she set the goblet down, she took his arm and draped it over her shoulder.
“As much as I’d love to take you to my bed, I don’t think I’m up for it,” he A WARRIOR’S HEART
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mumbled near her ear.
Despite the dire circumstances, Danielle found herself smiling. “As if I want to be in your bed, my lord. Now, on your feet. We must get you to your chamber.”
“Nay,” he nearly bellowed causing everyone in the solar to turn to him. He shook his head and closed his eyes. “Not my chamber.”
“All right. We’ll go to mine,” she said as she looked to Val who gave her a nod.
Though she had no idea why Gabriel didn’t want to return to his chamber, she could tell by the way he responded that there was something there he didn’t wish to face.
The Great Evil maybe? Nay, she thought after a moment. If the evil had entered Stone Crest she knew he would have sought her out as well.
She managed to get him to his feet, then staggered under his weight. Suddenly, the majority of Gabriel’s weight was lifted from her. She looked over and found Val on the other side of Gabriel. Together they walked Gabriel up the stairs and to her chamber. She lost count of the many times Gabriel stumbled, his strength rapidly leaving him until they were all but dragging him to the bed.
“I’ll get him on the bed,” Val said.
Danielle quickly moved away as Val lifted Gabriel and all but tossed him on the bed, not that Gabriel noticed since he seemed to have fallen asleep. She moved to tug off his boots and make him more comfortable.
When she finished covering him, she was surprised to turn around and find Val still in her chamber and a fire roaring in the hearth. “Thank you the fire and helping Gabriel.”
He inclined his head slightly and his gaze moved to Gabriel. “He’s healed all of us so many times, and each time I watch in amazement as he does it. Yet, today was different. He was different.”
Danielle swallowed and looked away.
“What was different?”
Reluctantly she met Val’s gaze. “I couldn’t possibly know.”
He nodded at her answer. “He cares greatly for you. It’s in his eyes as he watches you.”
“I think you read too much into, my lord.”
“I disagree. Each of the Shields has found their mate in one of the Chosen.
Why should Gabriel be any different?”
“Because he deserves better than me,” she answered honestly. “I live my life for revenge, a revenge I must carry out. I have no choice in the matter.”
He stared at her a moment, his pale green eyes sympathetic. “We all have a choice, Danielle. I will return later to see how he is,” he said before he turned on his heel and left the chamber.
Danielle sighed as she moved to close the door behind him. Val’s words disturbed her greatly. She knew without a doubt that Gabriel was a part of her, her mate as Val declared. But she also knew that the time when she and Gabriel could have had a future was long past.
Even if she could forgive him for his treachery and betrayal, she could never forgive herself for her hunt for retribution or aligning herself with the evil that now A WARRIOR’S HEART
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threatened this realm.
She returned to the bed to check on Gabriel. He was still pale, but she knew rest would gain him his strength. Until then she would watch over him and keep him safe from whatever he feared so greatly in his chamber.
* * * *
Theron waited for Rufina’s response. “Well,” he prompted.
“I think your brain must have been addled recently,” she retorted hotly as she paced the floor in front of their bed.
Theron rested his elbows on his knees and gazed at the spacious chamber. It was easily three times the size of most chambers with high ceilings and many windows as well as arches that connected other rooms and doorways. The walls where painted a soft shade of blue with intricate knotwork painted in silver and white.
Their canopied bed hung with sheer silver cloth, and a silver bed cover that matched the design on the wall. A small table with two chairs sat before the fireplace.
On the opposite side of the room was a table with a mirror hung behind it where Rufina did her toilet.
He ran his hands over the smooth blue and silver Fae material that covered the bench he sat on before their bed. It was a favorite piece of furniture, and one he liked to sit on as he watched Rufina dress, one that he would sit on and watch their child play.
A sigh escaped him as he raised his gaze to his wife. “Do we have any other choice?”
“Aye,” she snapped and turned to face him, her blue eyes alight with anger. Her long, flaxen hair hung past her waist and was held back from her face with a silver knotwork clip. The skirts of her silver gown swirled about her feet as she pivoted again, slower than usual with the added weight of the baby growing inside of her.
When she didn’t give him any other options, he stood. “I don’t believe it was Aimery,” he admitted.
“Then you cannot kill him.”
Her voice was soft, urgent, and he knew she worried for their future. He opened his arms and she moved to him. He held her tight as she trembled.
He kissed her temple as his hands roamed over her slender hips and small waist.
The desire he felt for her had only grown over the millennia, not diminished. Even now with the turmoil around them, he wanted her with a ferocity that startled him.
She lifted her face to his. “At least tell Aimery of your plans.”
“Nay. I cannot chance anything.”
“You are doing exactly what the Great Evil wants. Without Aimery the Shields are vulnerable.”
Theron smiled. “Not as vulnerable as you might think.”
“What are you up to?”
The smile dropped as Theron turned to pace their chamber. “I’m trying to save our realm and Earth. The Shields cannot do it alone against such power as the Great Evil. Already he has deceived them, and us.”
“How so?” she asked as she sat on the bench he had vacated.
“There is only one being who could hav
e entered our realm without detection.
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One being who could have made himself look like Aimery.”
Rufina slowly stood, her blue eyes wide. “By all that’s magical. It cannot be.
They were all destroyed.”
“Aye, and so were half the creatures the Great Evil has managed to unearth and send to the Shields.”
“Shapeshifters are near impossible to catch.”
“Unfortunately, I know.”
Rufina shook her head. “I don’t understand. You know it wasn’t Aimery who killed the dragon, yet you would kill him anyway.”
“I’m not going to kill him, my love,” he said with a smile.
“Theron, I think I might kill you myself,” she said between clenched teeth. “Did you not just a few moments ago tell me you had to kill Aimery?”
Theron chuckled. “I did. However,” he hurried to say when she went to speak.
“you never let me finish. I’m not going to actually kill him. I’m just going to make it look as though Aimery is dead.”
“And then what?” she asked, tapping her foot in frustration.
“I’m going to send him to the Shields. He’ll be away from our realm and the other Fae will think punishment has been met out.”
“And when he returns?”
Theron sighed as he pulled Rufina back into his arms. “That, my love, I will determine if we survive all of this.”
“We’ll survive it. We have to.
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Chapter Thirty
Gabriel came awake to feel a soft body beside him. He turned his head to find that Danielle had climbed into bed with him. She was on her side, her hand curled under her head and her long golden locks free of the braids. He picked up a strand of her hair and rubbed it between his fingers, loving the silken feel of it.
He lifted his arm to his face and tried to fist his hand. He managed it, but only with great force. It would take several more hours before he regained his strength fully.
“Has your strength returned?” Danielle asked sleepily just before she yawned.
“Slowly,” he said. “How did you get me up here?”
“Val all but carried you.”
He looked at the top of the canopy and took a deep breath. “And Hugh? Has there been any word?”
“You’ve slept most of the day away,” she said as she sat up. “Val has been by thrice to check on you. He said Hugh is resting, but he hasn’t woke yet.”
“Good. It isn’t time for him to wake. He needs to stay in the healing sleep as long as he can.” He turned his head to look at her. “Did the Harpy return?”
She shook her head. “Val said the guards grow more fearful by the hour. In truth, so do I. Why would the Harpy attack, then leave before it could do more damage?”
“I’ve wondered that myself.”
“Val also said the Harpies always travel in threes. He doesn’t understand where the others are.”
Gabriel shrugged. “Val was one of the most revered generals of Rome. If he has a suspicion, I listen to it.” He thought for a moment then said, “Maybe it’s a trap.
Maybe the Harpy want us to think there is only one, so when we do attack, we’ll be surrounded by them.”
“You aren’t seriously thinking of venturing out of the castle again?”
“Theron, the king of the Fae, asked us to stay in the castle, but we were attacked by more than the Harpy today. There was something in the forest, something that none of us could see. It attacked Val first, knocking him to the ground, then it came at me.
Somehow, I managed to wound it with my bow, but I think whatever it was will be back.”
She threaded her fingers with his. “If you cannot see it, what makes you think it isn’t already in the castle?”
“I don’t know that for use. The odds continue to stack against us. It’s no wonder Roderick is losing hope.”
She shook her head, her golden strands tickling his hand. “He hasn’t lost hope.
He is just worried that something will happen to him where he cannot protect Elle, or worse, that something happens to her. He sees a future for them and he wants it.
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Desperately.”
Gabriel sighed. “And Roderick deserves it. He will inherit his kingdom one day. His family already lost one son, they shouldn’t have to lose another.”
“Nay, they shouldn’t.” She turned her face from him and grew quiet.
He knew she was thinking of her family and all she had lost, and he didn’t want her to dredge up painful memories. “What are your plans,” he asked.
“For what?” she asked as her fingers played with the edge of a blanket.
“Today. Tomorrow. Next month, next year.”
She chuckled and threw him a teasing look. “Well, for the rest of today I will be with you. I promised Val that I would stay by your side until you regained your strength.”
Knowing she would be with him the rest of the night made his heart squeeze painfully. How he wanted to erase the past and start anew, to have a future with Danielle. Their passion had been great, their love immeasurable, their bond unbreakable.
Until he had betrayed her.
“As for tomorrow,” she continued. “I think I’ll keep watch over you just to make sure that you don’t stumble and fall,” she teased. “As for the rest….” She trailed off and her smile slowly vanished. “I don’t know what the future holds for me. Mayhap I won’t survive the coming battle.”
“You’ll survive it,” he vowed. “I’ll make sure of it.”
She leaned forward and cupped his check. “You don’t even know me. You know I’ve lied, that I’ve come for revenge.”
“Aye. I know all those things.” This was the perfect opportunity for him to admit his memory had returned, but he found he couldn’t do it. He didn’t want to shatter what they had become. “I know that my body wants yours, that it cannot get enough of you.”
Her hazel eyes darkened as her hand drifted to his chest. “I cannot deny that I want you as well.”
It was all Gabriel needed to hear. He pulled her onto his chest and claimed her lips, pouring all his fears, his desires and his longing into the kiss.
His hands roamed over her lithe body, tugging her skirts up even as she pulled at his tunic. The need to feel his flesh on her flesh was nearly overwhelming. He broke the kiss and sat up, but before he could reach for Danielle, she began to yank off her clothing.
A smile pulled at Gabriel’s lips as he saw the desire in her eyes. He wasted no time divesting himself of his clothes. When he turned around, Danielle was kneeling on the bed. Strands of her glorious hair had fallen over her shoulders to hide her breasts.
Yet, he could make out the pink of her nipples through her golden locks.
“By the stars you are beautiful,” he said as he reached for her.
She went willingly into his embrace as her arms wound around his neck and her fingers plunged into his hair. He moaned as her nails gently raked across the skin of his neck, bringing chills of pleasure across his body.
He reached his hand up and cupped her full breasts, the weight in his palm A WARRIOR’S HEART
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bringing his already hard rod to a driving need. His fingers tweaked her nipple, then rolled it between his two fingers.
Danielle rubbed her hips against him in response. She reached between their bodies and took his rod in her hand. Gabriel dropped his head back as the pleasure swept through him. And when her nails softly glided over his hot, aching rod, he thought he might spill his seed right then.
He went to reach for her and found his arms shaking. Silently he cursed his weakness, but Danielle had seen him shake.
“Lay back,” she ordered.
Gabrie
l did as she asked and smiled when she settled between his legs, her hands and lips roaming over his chest, hips and thighs. Every once in awhile he’d feel her hand rub against his rod or his sacs and he’d tense, waiting for her to take him in hand.
After what seemed like an eternity of her teasing his body with her sweet tongue and soft touch, her hand closed around his rod just before the tip of her tongue licked the head.
“Sweet Mary,” he exclaimed as passion so deep went through him he forgot everything but Danielle.
He could only grip the blankets as she closed her lips over his rod. Intense pleasure scorched through him, leaving him breathless and yearning for more. Her hand closed over the base of his rod, adding a hint of pressure while her mouth sucked him sweetly.