by Bethany Shaw
“Why do they infect the children then? Why not leave them be?” Noah asked, his voice coming out more of a growl.
“The transition makes you crazy. All you can think about is the bloodlust. It doesn’t discriminate by age.” She put her hand on her stomach and swallowed down the bile threatening to creep up. “I wish it did discriminate. There is nothing worse than seeing a child caught up in all this.”
Noah stopped and put his hand on her forearm. The warmth from his fingers sent tingles shooting through her, making her inhale sharply. Part of her wanted to rip his hand off her arm, yet the other wanted to close her eyes and get lost in the simple touch. She was losing it. Whatever effect Noah had on her she needed to squash it; nothing could come of them.
Noah cleared his throat. “If something happens to me, will you take care of Claire and the other girls?”
She hesitated. Part of her wanted to say yes, but she had a job to do. The longer someone was a lycanthrope, the crazier he or she became. If Elena could not cure them before the first full moon, there was no hope for any of them.
“She’s just a little girl,” he pressed when she didn’t answer.
“I know.”
“You had a daughter, right? You did what you had to for her,” Noah grasped her arm tighter. “Please, Ethney.”
She should tell him no, but she hated confrontation so she said the next best thing. “I’ll do what I can.”
He regarded her for a long moment. “Thank you.”
Ethney nodded and looked away from him, resuming their walk to the drugstore.
“What happened to your kids after you saved them?” Noah asked.
She frowned and narrowed her eyes, but kept her gaze on the sidewalk ahead.
“You don’t have to tell me,” he said after a minute, “It’s just, you know so much about me and I know nothing about you.”
She smiled as she recalled her children. “They returned home to Scotland to live with my father’s sister. They both married and had families when they came of proper age and they lived long, healthy lives, as did their children and grandchildren.”
“Did they ever find out what happened to you? What you became?” Noah asked.
She shook her head. “No. I could only ever watch them from afar. No one that knew me was allowed to know about what I became.”
“That must have been hard.”
Her bottom lip trembled. They’d been youngsters at the time of her death; Ainsley was barely older than ten and little Elizabeth had only been six. There had been so many nights she longed to hold them and sing them to sleep. Tears pricked her eyes, but she blinked to keep them from falling.
“Were you always a warrior?” Noah asked, changing the subject to something less emotional.
A smile slid over her face. “More or less. My father was a very well respected member in the Scottish army. We were at war with England for much of my life. My mother died when I was very young and my father brought me up as more of a boy than a little girl, not that I minded. Being able to defend myself in those times was much more important than learning to cook and sew.”
“My dad was in the Army, too, before he retired. I always knew I wanted to protect people...protect my country.”
Ethney sighed. “If there is one thing that never changes, it is war. People always find something to fight about. Fighting was crude in my time, but nowadays with bombs and chemical weapons it makes me wonder what the fate of the world will be.”
“So, would I know your father by name?” Noah asked, glancing her way.
Ethney bit her lip. “Maybe,” she said.
“Who was he?”
“William Wallace.”
Noah made a face and then smiled. “Sir William Wallace? The William Wallace who led the Scottish armies against the English?”
She shrugged, “That was him.”
“So you probably know how to sword fight and everything.”
She chuckled. “It’s not very effective anymore with the multitude of guns carried, but yeah, I do.”
“Wait! When did you say you died? 1305? Isn’t that the same year your father died?”
“I didn’t realize you were such a history buff,” Ethney deflected the question. She should have guessed his line of questioning was leading there.
“I thoroughly studied war history and great commanders. Your father was betrayed in 1305 and handed over to the English army.”
“I know,” she said quietly. She stared at the sidewalk, focusing on the cracks and the feet of the people walking opposite them.
“You were with him when he was caught, weren’t you?” Noah guessed after a long moment.
“We were traveling with him, my family and I. My husband, Angus, was the one who betrayed him—he betrayed us all so he could go home to England and live as a lord.”
The bastard gave up his family—their sweet innocent, children, for money. If it had just been her and her father she would have forgiven Angus, but their children’s deaths were unforgivable. Thankfully, they had no memories of their time in the dungeons or their brutal death.
Silence stretched between the unlikely pair. He undoubtedly didn’t know what to say. She only told Daire and Aric the truth about her past; the two dragons were like brothers to her and she trusted them, as they did her. No one else knew, aside from the goddess who helped her.
She and the children wouldn’t be in any history books thanks to Astraea’s magic, which erased them from that part of history. Ainsley and Elizabeth had been transported safely to their great aunt’s house and were told their parents had been attacked on the road and killed. Even the children didn’t know about their father’s treachery.
“That’s why you killed him? For revenge?” Noah asked.
She shook her head. “To save my children. There was a lot more to my agreement than any other guardian. The Goddess not only had to change history, but she also had to transport the children to my aunt’s house and create new memories for the three of them and those closest to her. A lot of magic needed to be enforced and the only way she could do it was if she had two sacrifices. She took my life and I took his.”
“Wait. You were still alive?” he asked.
A lump formed in her throat. “He punished me. He made me watch my father die and then Ainsley and little Elizabeth, too. I can still see them fighting as the executioner...” She stopped speaking, retreating into her vision as a sob caught in her throat and she covered her mouth. She drew in deep breaths, fighting to contain the rage and hurt threatening to spill over even after all these years. Losing a child was an agony unlike any other; sacrificing herself for her children was the easiest decision she ever made.
“I’m so sorry. I...”
She cleared her throat. “It’s fine.”
She said a silent thank you when they finally reached the drugstore. This was one conversation she didn’t want to finish. “Shall we?” she asked.
Noah nodded and opened the door for her like a gentleman. It didn’t take long to find the right aisle. She grabbed a few boxes and handed them to Noah. “You haven’t been using a credit card or anything that’s traceable to pay for things, have you?”
“Of course not,” he lowered his voice to just above a whisper, “I stole a few thousand dollars from Brockwell when we made our escape.”
“Nice thinking.”
He chuckled. “It was more luck than anything else. We stumbled upon it, to be honest.”
“Regardless, good thinking.” Noah was resourceful; she’d give him that. He could be a good asset, if his fate was not sealed.
“I wish I grabbed more. There was a ton of it,” Noah stated.
“How much do you think there was?” she asked curiously.
Noah shrugged. “I’m not sure, thousands of dollars, enough to hold them over for a while. Do you think the money could mean something?”
“I don’t know,” she admitted. It was odd for large sums of money to be sitting around. In all her y
ears, she never encountered a lycanthrope stashing away large amounts of cash. Maybe Brockwell and his cohorts were up to something new? It was anyone’s guess as to what. She blew out a breath. That man was dangerous enough as it was; they didn’t need any more surprises.
“I should be hearing back from my superiors soon. They won’t be a problem much longer,” Noah declared.
“Have you considered what you’re going to do after the problem with Brockwell is resolved? If your sister is unsuccessful, you’ll become a danger to everyone,” Ethney said.
She stopped and turned to him, lifting her brow. It wasn’t a topic she really wanted to discuss. Killing him was going to be arduous and would haunt her for a very long time. Though she was trying to keep her distance and her emotions in check, he was still worming his way in.
Noah met her eyes. “Once Brockwell is taken care of we can go to a remote location. If Elena’s remedy doesn’t work, I trust you and Aric will take care of the loose ends.”
She bit her lip. Of course she would, but that didn’t mean she would like it. “We will. You have my word, it will be quick and painless.”
“Thanks.” Noah resumed walking again and set their things down on the register.
Ethney remained quiet until they’d paid and were on their way out the door. “Have you taken many lives in your line of work?” she asked, turning her attention to him before staring back at the crowded sidewalk.
He sighed and ran a hand over his face. “Some. All of them deserved it. They were terrorists, murderers, and drug lords. Still, it doesn’t make it any easier.”
She exhaled loudly. “No, it doesn’t.”
“What would you do if you weren’t doing this?” Noah asked changing the subject.
“What do you mean?” she frowned.
“If you weren’t a guardian, what would you do with your life? How would you live it?”
Her frown deepened. She didn’t know the answer to his question. Her mouth opened and she shut it just as quickly. This was her life. “I’ve been doing this for so long...I...what would you do, you know when you retire from the Army?”
“I thought about being a paramedic. I have most of the credentials already. I don’t think I could ever do a desk job. There isn’t anything you’d like to do if you didn’t have to do this anymore?”
She shook her head. “There is no end in sight. My job is indefinite and I can’t just change it because I feel like it. Besides, I like being able to protect people and hunt down the bad guys.” She shrugged and stopped in front of the sub shop. “Did you still want to get something to eat before hitting the road?”
“Sure. Get what you want. It will be Brockwell’s treat,” he said offering her a lopsided grin.
She chuckled. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
* * *
Ethney folded up her sub wrapper and shoved it in the bag by her feet. Her eyes scanned the road signs as they passed by them. They were about three hours away from Savannah.
While Noah phoned his superiors about getting his sister safely to Savannah, she checked in with Aric. All was well with Aric and the girls—the girls figured out how to play video games and spent all day trying to beat Aric. When he wasn’t slaying lycanthrope, Aric was an avid gamer; he even challenged his gamer friends online. How he managed to keep up with his work and have a social life was beyond her. Not that she would call online gaming communities a social life, but she supposed it made it easier since he didn’t have to meet people face-to-face.
Noah sighed and set his phone in the cup holder. He put his hands on the wheel and flexed his fingers.
“How did it go? Are they going to pull the strings?”
“Yeah.”
She narrowed her eyes. The frown was back on his face and he blew out a long breath as he shifted in his seat. “What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Too many people are getting involved for my liking. I wanted this to be a small operation.”
She nodded. Too many people were getting involved. It was making her uncomfortable, too. The more involved the bigger chance she and Aric would be discovered. Astraea could whammy people and make them forget, but this group was getting large. Including Elena, at least a hundred people knew what was truly happening and most of them were military and government officials; hopefully, they would keep things quiet.
The game was changing and she and the other guardians had to adapt before it was too late. It might already be too late for some of them based on what Brockwell said last night. She couldn’t help but wonder which of her comrades had been captured and who betrayed them. She didn’t want to know. The thought of one of her own turning made her stomach twist, so she focused on something positive instead.
“The last time a human got involved we won. Maybe it’s not a bad thing,” she said quietly.
“I thought no one was supposed to know about us?” Noah asked.
“They aren’t, but there are some rare exceptions.”
“What happened?” Noah asked seemingly relaxing in his seat.
“Daire, the other dragon, had an assignment in St. Joseph, Michigan. He met a young woman there who helped us. We didn’t kill Brockwell, obviously, but we did kill a lot of his followers.” She sighed and shook her head. “Of course, he built them back up again in a very short period of time. Six months later and his numbers have doubled, if not tripled.”
“I’m guessing this woman wasn’t bitten?” Noah asked.
“No. She’s completely human. Grace has been a huge asset to our team, though. Maybe we need more people like her.” She shrugged. It couldn’t hurt anything.
“So, she still works with you guys?”
“Sort of. Daire has been released from his agreement pending Astraea finding another guardian to replace him. Grace is Daire’s soulmate, a reincarnation of his wife, so she is happy to help in anyway she can.”
“Soulmate?” Noah made a face. “I didn’t think such a thing actually existed.”
Ethney snorted. “Me either. I guess I’m screwed, huh.”
“You’ve been jaded, but that doesn’t mean love doesn’t exist,” Noah said.
She scoffed and rolled her eyes. She did believe Grace and Daire were meant for each other, but love wasn’t in the cards for her. After what Angus did, she would never trust another man. How could she? Her job was a blessing. She was in and out of towns long enough to have a passing fling to scratch her itch, but not long enough to develop a real relationship. She didn’t want one either. It would only end in heartbreak.
Noah was the first man she spent any amount of time with in decades. It was wearing on her, too. Why did he have to be so damn nice? And cute? She let her gaze slide over to him, admiring the way his muscles bulged beneath his form-fitting tee. She quickly snapped her attention away from him.
It had been too long since she was with a man. It was something she’d need to remedy soon, but definitely not with him. He was her enemy and she was going to have to kill him in a few weeks—on her birthday. Happy birthday!
“You don’t believe in love?” Noah asked.
“Do you?” she countered.
“Well, yeah. I haven’t found the one, but I know people who have. You’ve been alive a long time; there isn’t anyone you’ve loved?” his voice dropped lower as if he was sad for her.
She didn’t want his pity. She did have love. Her children still held a special place in her heart, even after all these centuries. Daire and Aric did, too, as her brothers.
“Not besides family. I didn’t love my husband. Back then, you didn’t marry for love, only for convenience or money. Some people got lucky enough to fall in love while others...” Maybe some didn’t end up as poorly as she, but they definitely didn’t love their spouse. “It was expected for a woman to marry and produce children for her husband.”
Noah frowned. “I’m sorry.”
“There is nothing to be sorry about. It’s just the way things were back then. The world has come a long way in some re
spects,” Ethney said, focusing on the trees zooming by in a blur.
Suddenly, the car’s engine rumbled loudly, stuttering before dying completely. Noah cursed under his breath and edged the car to the side of the road.
“What’s wrong?” Ethney asked leaning over the center console. All the needles were at zero and the radio was off.
“The car’s dead.”
When the car came to a stop, Noah got out and lifted the hood. Ethney followed him out and crossed her arms over her chest waiting. He huffed and turned to her.
“Well?” she asked tapping her foot. This wasn’t on the agenda. They needed to get back to Aric and the others.
“I’m no expert, but my guess would be there is something wrong with the alternator or battery. Probably a combination of the two. It’s not something I can fix,” he said, taking a step back and stroking his chin.
Ethney looked toward the sun. It was starting to crest, which meant it was well past eight at night. The car rental place would be closed by now. No taxi would take them all the way to Savannah without an upfront payment and she doubted Noah was carrying that kind of cash. There might be a bus, but she didn’t know if it would still be running this late. This sucks!
Noah pointed in the direction they came from. “There was a town a few miles back that way.”
She huffed. “I guess we better start walking.”
Too bad they weren’t closer to the water. She could use a good soak and swim.
Chapter Six
Noah hung up the phone and sank down onto the bed, letting himself flop backwards onto the pillows. It was a long day. Everything was being set into motion; Elena was approved to move her “lab” to Savannah. His sister would pick Ethney and him up in the morning while Claire was apparently having a blast with the water dragon.
He smiled as he stared up at the popcorn ceiling. Claire sounded enthusiastic for the first time since this whole ordeal began. It was nice to know she was finding something to smile about again, even if it was video games.
The door to the hotel room creaked open and Ethney sauntered in. Water rolled down her neck and disappeared into her shirt. He drew his lower lip between his teeth, fighting the urge to close the distance between them and lick the droplets from her skin. He forced his eyes back to her face, which was partially covered by her sopping wet hair, yet her clothes were mostly dry. He sat up and frowned. “Did something happen?”