She’d looked so beautiful with her wet hair framing her face. And her eyes had been wide with fear, though unnecessarily so. The last thing he’d want to do was harm her. Even now he felt the sting of guilt for losing his temper and treating her the way he had. It was understandable that she’d be willing to face any danger to rescue her sister, but if she wanted to do so and come out of it alive, she’d have to learn to obey him.
He headed in her direction. His brother’s home was at least an hour away and he needed to get there before he passed out from exhaustion.
Daniela didn’t look up when he approached, nor did she speak. He stood there for a moment, watching her.
“It is time to leave,” he said quietly.
A few seconds elapsed before she stood. “Where are we going?” she asked.
“My brother’s estate,” he told her. “It has been a long night. We should leave as soon as possible.”
She nodded. “Did you learn anything in Tiraghol? About my sister, I mean?”
She’d been crying. Even in this twilight it was evident. Nicholas’s head fell. He’d never been inclined to catering to softer emotions. He’d been wrought as a warrior; he fought, killed and suffered his woe in silence.
“Yes,” he said honestly.
Hope washed over her face and he could see her struggling to conceal her sadness. “What did they tell you?” she asked.
He had the unbelievable urge to reach out to her, but he resisted. “From the Raba witches I learned that one who calls himself Sabbath is after the rune. He was the one who hired you to steal the Rune of Moloch, and who hired the witches to find its partner stone.”
“I guess they were hired after he learned that I’d betrayed them.” She appeared confused. “But how did they know where to look?”
Nicholas had been pondering this very thing and had come to a conclusion; the one who called himself Sabbath was an elder of the Drakon clan. Only his own family and the elders had been present at the estate two nights ago. Had the true location of the Rune of Cythe been known before then, Daniela would’ve been instructed to go there instead of the castle.
He pinned her with a look. “How did you know the rune was in the cemetery?” he asked.
“I eavesdropped,” she admitted with a hint of embarrassment. “After I managed to get out of that room you’d locked… ” She paused. “Wait. There was a man at the door. He was also listening to your conversation.”
“A man?” Nicholas’s brows furrowed.
“Yes. I was in the room next to the one you were in. And as I was about to leave, I saw a man in the hall. I couldn’t see his face, but I could tell he was listening at the door.”
Her admission sent waves of anger through him. He’d been right. It was bad enough to suspect that the traitor was one of his own clansmen, but to learn that it was one of the elders was sickening. They were the guardians, the watchmen, the decision makers of the Drakon clan. It was unbelievable that one of them would betray his own people. And to what end? Nothing good could be gained by awakening Gabriel and his followers. Nicholas’s thoughts immediately fell on the only member who’d challenged his father’s decision: Stefan.
He motioned to Daniela. “Come,” he said as he turned and headed in the direction of his vehicle.
He would contact Simion so that he’d expect their arrival. He’d taken a few steps when he realized that Daniela hadn’t moved. He tossed her a look over his shoulder. She was just watching him, and the look in her eyes warned him of what was coming.
“Aren’t you at least going to explain what happened back there?” she asked.
He turned away. “There are matters you do not need to concern yourself with.”
He didn’t have time for explanations, and besides, she’d been exposed to too much already. The less she knew the better, for both of their sakes.
It was obvious that Daniela didn’t agree. “How can you say that after what happened last night? I was nearly killed by some body-morphing cannibal… .”
“That was by your own doing,” he interrupted. “You have no one to blame but yourself.”
“That’s beside the point,” she countered. “I’m in this whether I want to be or not. I think it’s only fair that I know what I’ve gotten myself into. I watched you change into some kind of bat for heaven’s sake. I want to know what the hell is going on!”
Slowly he turned to face her. “It eludes me why you think you are entitled to an explanation. Everything that has happened was initiated by you.”
He stepped closer, forcing her to tilt her head back to meet his stare, and the look she gave him was one of pure determination. His eyes narrowed on her. Her strength and courage intrigued him. There weren’t many women who would have ventured as deep into Tiraghol as she had, not even to save their own child. And now here she stood, facing him with not even a flicker of fear in her eyes, even after she’d seen him release his inner dark creature.
“I agreed to help you find your sister in exchange for the rune and that is all. You would do well to forget everything you witnessed last night. There are things in this world you would never understand.”
Her slender arms moved to cross over her chest. “Try me,” she told him.
Nicholas recalled presenting her with that very challenge while in his bedroom. His attention dipped to her mouth. She stood there with a stubborn set to her jaw. Memory of the kiss they’d shared came back to taunt him.
“The sun rises. We need to leave,” he said and moved towards the car.
“I’m not leaving here until you tell me exactly what happened to you back there,” she told him. “If I’m going to trust you, I need to know who or what you are.”
Nicholas released an impatient sigh as he was reminded why he’d sworn to an eternity of bachelorhood. He was really too exhausted to argue with her. If knowing more about the dark world his family had been propelled into was going to make her more compliant, then so be it. Of course, he wasn’t comfortable with the idea, for there was the chance that after everything was settled, she’d go to the authorities. But without any substantial proof, her claims would seem bizarre and unrealistic.
“Very well,” Nicholas said at last. “If you must know, over five hundred years ago my family was cursed by a witch. We were doomed to walk the earth not as men, but as gargoyles. The curse would endure as long as there were living descendents of the witch.” He paused, awaiting her reaction.
“So you have been a gargoyle for five hundred years?”
He nodded. He could see her mind working as she absorbed what he’d told her.
“A year and a half ago,” he continued. “My younger brother, Marius, was sent to New York.” He paused as shame and regret began to move through him. “His mission had been to kill the last descendent of the witch, thereby breaking the curse. Instead, he fell in love with her.”
He noted that a wary look had crept into her eyes at the mention of killing. Nevertheless, she remained attentive, permitting him to continue.
“Once we’d learned of Marius’s transgression, our older brother and I sought to complete the task that Marius had neglected. But Marius opposed us and fought to save Alexandra. In a careless act that I will never forgive myself for, I accidentally killed my brother.”
It was then that a look of shock crossed her face and her lips separated in a silent gasp. “You killed him?” she breathed.
Nicholas hung his head as images of that dreadful night slithered into his thoughts. Of all the things he’d faced in his life, he’d never been so afraid or broken as the moment he’d watched Marius collapse with the spear he’d thrown passing through his body.
He sighed. “At the moment of his death, the spirit of Alexandra’s ancestor led her into chanting. In the end, it was Alexandra’s love for Marius and this ancient magic that broke
the curse and returned my brother to life.”
Daniela looked away briefly, her face a myriad of emotions. “But if this curse was broken, what happened to you tonight?”
“I am not certain. A few months past, I began having the aches that were always associated with my transformation, but I’d never expected this. My brother Simion has had similar experiences.”
“So he’s a gargoyle, too?”
He shook his head. “Again, I do not know. There is a possibility that we are the only ones in our family who will have to suffer this.” He focused on the slivers of morning sunlight that had begun to stretch from beneath the horizon. “You see, when we realized that the curse was dissipating, Simion and I had deemed ourselves unworthy of emancipation from it. And so, in an act of contrition, we attempted to cast a barrier spell to avoid the magic. However, the incantation had been improperly performed and as the sun had risen, we’d become human.”
Understanding was evident on Daniela’s face. “So you believe that this barrier spell might’ve worked?” she asked.
He nodded with a grunt. That seemed a fair enough assumption, but even that was riddled with questions. If in fact the spell had worked, then why had it taken so long to manifest? Nearly two years had passed since that night. Something had to have occurred to either hinder the process or initiate it.
A frown creased Daniela’s sleek brows as she looked at the horizon now ablaze with streaming shades of gold. “Wait, I just thought of something. Gargoyles turn to stone during the day. Or is that just the way the legend is written?”
“Your assumption is accurate,” he told her. “Before last night that is how it has always been.”
The myth of gargoyles, however, had been somewhat exaggerated. They were usually described as grotesque little nocturnal beings that were doomed to spend eternity guarding castles and holy places. Their fate was punishment for sins committed during another lifetime. These myths had been created by storytellers who’d taken eyewitness accounts and woven them into fanciful tales. One of the few facts that had remained true was that they did indeed become stone during the day. However, his transformation was no longer governed by day and night. It seemed he had complete command over it. He’d spent the majority of the early morning testing this theory. Several times he was able to transform by merely willing it. Becoming human again was just as simple. And with each transformation the agony seemed to lessen.
“And the runes,” Daniela asked. “Why are they so important?”
Nicholas’s eyes narrowed on her. As long as she held the Rune of Cythe he didn’t think it was a good idea to reveal the true importance of the stone to her. She’d already proven that she’d do anything to get her sister back safely. He was sure that didn’t exclude betraying him.
“They hold magical capabilities and are sacred in my family,” he told her. “They have been within our possession for generations and their worth is unparalleled.”
Whether Daniela believed him or not, he couldn’t tell, but it was all the explanation she was going to get. He could feel the glow of the sun warming his back. It was time to leave.
“Come,” he said again.
This time he didn’t stop as he made his way back to his car. Too much had taken place this night and he had the foreboding suspicion that things would only get worse.
Chapter 11
Daniela glanced out the car window as they pulled into the mansion’s gravel driveway. The place was elaborate and beautiful. With its neatly trimmed hedges, stone statues and rose bushes, it reminded her of a movie set.
The engine of the Lamborghini hummed off and Nicholas slipped the key from the ignition. She was still struggling to come to terms with all she’d experienced and learned over the past twenty-four hours. Since her arrival in Romania she’d been shot, taken hostage, attacked by witches and shape-shifters and kissed by a five-hundred-year-old gargoyle.
She shot Nicholas a quick look. She’d gathered that he had many layers to him, but never in her wildest imagination would she have guessed that the man beside wasn’t a man at all, but a creature that she’d only read of in stories. Had she not witnessed his transformation for herself she would have never believed his admission. The entire ordeal for her had been both frightening and intriguing. What was even more confusing though, was that after everything she’d learned she still found herself very much attracted to him.
* * *
Nicholas zipped up his jacket, concealing the bloodstained bandages. “From this point on you will behave as if we are in a relationship,” he told her.
“What?” she asked incredulously as his voice invaded her thoughts.
“My parents have been staying here while our main estate is undergoing renovations. If my father learns your true identity, and that you are withholding the rune, things could become quite interesting for you.” The doors of the Lamborghini swung upright and he stepped out. “During your time here you will be considered my woman. And for your sake, make an effort not to steal anything.”
With that he shut the car door and made his way up the stone steps that led to the huge double entryway. Daniela exited the car and followed. Her mind was racing. She really didn’t appreciate his method of doing things, making all the decisions without consulting her and then expecting her to simply comply.
“Excuse me?” she asked when she met him at the door.
He was in the process of using one of the brass metal knockers. “Shall I reiterate?” There was no mistaking the sarcasm in his tone.
“No,” she whispered angrily. “But you can explain the logic behind your ridiculous plan. Do we even need to be here?”
“We do, and the logic is you will remain safe while we are here. I am not in the habit of bringing women to meet my family. The only plausible explanation would be to say that we are in a relationship that has progressed beyond a few nights of passion.”
Daniela gasped, but before she could protest, the door swung open. The man who filled the expanse was tall, dark and very handsome. Instantly, she noticed the resemblance. He looked enough like Nicholas to be his brother, except the man before them was meticulously dressed in a suit and tie. He also sported a neatly trimmed goatee and a head of dark hair.
He stepped to one side and his gaze flitted from Nicholas to her and back again. “You certainly took your time getting here,” he commented.
Nicholas placed an arm about her waist and ushered her into the foyer. “I was detained,” he said.
The other man closed the door behind them. “So I see.” Again his eyes trickled over her.
Daniela made an attempt to fight her discomfort. She’d never entered a house like this through the front door before, and she certainly felt out of place. Standing in the lavish room surrounded by marble tiles, expensive oil paintings and a crystal chandelier, she became acutely aware of her simple attire that was at present soiled and rumpled from her midnight excursion. Her hair was a mess, too. She’d washed it and it had dried slowly. Now it fell about her in a tangled mess of curls.
Nicholas’s fingers remained on her lower back and it felt as if they were searing holes through her shirt. He looked at her and offered her a surprisingly gentle and reassuring smile. She was caught off guard and for a moment could do nothing but stare at him. He was so beautiful.
“Daniela, this is my brother Simion,” he introduced. “Simion, Daniela and I have been dating for a few months.”
She exchanged pleasant greetings with his brother, who didn’t look thoroughly convinced. A servant appeared from around the corner, rescuing them all from an uncomfortable silence.
“Shall I take your jacket, Master Nicholas?” he asked.
Nicholas shook his head. “No. I am fine, Emil. But allow me to introduce you to Lady Daniela. You can show her to one of the guest suites.”
The servant no
dded and politely motioned for her to follow. “This way, my lady.”
Eager to get away, Daniela allowed the servant to lead her out of the room. It was odd being referred to and treated as a lady. She was certain she didn’t look the part.
She was led up a wide staircase and down a hall. The entire mansion had a tasteful vintage appeal. She was hard-pressed to keep her attention from wandering over the gilded wall mirrors, velvet drapery and elaborate lighting fixtures.
The servant paused before a cherry-colored oak door. He swung the door open and inclined his head.
“I trust this room will be to your liking,” he said.
Daniela entered slowly. Her eyes took in every aspect of the lavish quarters. The decor was Victorian with a rich floral bedspread, matching drapes and a small sitting area that was comprised of two Queen Anne chairs. The heavy oak furniture was even more impressive.
“It will do fine, thank you,” she managed.
Emil smiled with pleasure. “Wonderful. Now, will you and Master Nicholas be staying the night?”
Her attention trailed to a portrait on the wall. It was of a beautiful dark-haired woman.
“I’m not sure. Nicholas didn’t say anything about that,” she told him.
Emil motioned to a door that was to the right of the room. “There is an adjoining restroom. Should you decide to stay, you will find everything you need in there. And if not, please do not hesitate to ask.”
She offered him a grateful smile. “Thank you very much.”
“Is there anything you require at the moment?”
“Oh, no, I’ll be fine.” She thought for a moment. “Wait. There is something. Would I be able to make a phone call to the U.S.A.?”
She knew that Mai must be worried. She would give her a call, if only to assure her that she was all right and making progress in finding Elaina.
Emil motioned toward a vintage telephone that sat on the table next to the bed. “Everything is at your disposal,” he told her.
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