by Ashlyn Chase
“And I’ll be there for you. Count on it.”
Ruxandra joined Kurt, then looked to Amber. “Ready for takeoff?”
“Sure thing,” she said. No sooner had the wizard and his vampire bride grabbed her hands than they all disappeared.
Amber would be right back. Rory was sure of it. Meanwhile, he gazed across the large expanse of bright-green sod to watch the leprechauns at work. They were chanting in ancient Gaelic.
The castle had faded, but only slightly. It was still visible, but looked even stranger than before. A pile of stone ruins stayed, but the only remaining turret was transparent. This better work.
It faded a little more and a little more, and finally winked out completely. Rory let out a deep sigh of relief. He strode toward the leprechauns, but before he could reach them, they vanished.
“Little feckers,” he muttered. “I was goin’ to thank them, not that they deserved it.”
At last Amber reappeared. “Sorry it took me so long. I checked in on the others and transported Sly and Morgaine home too.”
“So now it’s just Chloe and Shannon, plus dozens of guests?”
Amber chuckled. “The guests are wolfing down breakfast and chatting about how they wished the story were true. Apparently Shannon’s cooking is the only reason they’re not upset about wasting their time.”
“Ah, she’s a grand cook. Finn will be a lucky man.”
“A lot luckier than you, unless she teaches me a few things back in Boston.”
Bollocks. An opening to discuss livin’ arrangements. Well, he wasn’t ready to do it yet. He’d just do what he was aching to do.
He pulled her into his arms and held her tight against his erection. Then he whispered in her ear, “Can you transport us someplace private for an hour or two?”
“Don’t you want to make sure Chloe and Shannon are all right?”
“Me cousins are there if they need anyone ejected.”
“Do you think they’ll stay? Your cousins, I mean.”
“I know they will. They still think the castle is holdin’ priceless family heirlooms that they’d like to get their hands on.”
“And are they apt to steal them?”
“Not if there’s nothin’ there. I haven’t looked, mind you, but I’m pretty sure we sold most of it in Iceland.”
“Won’t they be upset when they find out?”
“Oh, I’m sure they will. But for now we can rest assured they won’t shift and use their wings to find out. When everyone has gone and night falls, they may try it.”
“What are they apt to do then?”
Rory snorted and a curl of smoke exited his nostril. “I’m expectin’ the second Battle of Ballyhoo, but I can’t think about that now.” He couldn’t think of anything now except getting horizontal with Amber.
He nuzzled her neck. “That’s my problem for tonight—which gives us plenty of time to disappear for a while.”
She giggled. “True. Where would you like to disappear to?”
“Anywhere—or nowhere. Can we stay in that lovely foggy middle part?”
“The ether?” Her voice made the idea sound incredulous.
“I guess not…”
“The truth is, I don’t know. I can stay there to talk a troubled pilot through an emergency, but I’ve never tried to keep anyone with me in there. I’ll probably have to hold your hand the entire time.”
“I don’t mind.” He grinned.
She shrugged. “Let’s try it. What’s the worst that could happen?”
He wished she hadn’t said that.
Chapter 13
Amber was second-guessing herself as they floated naked in the ether. Maybe she should have asked Brandee or Bliss if they’d tried it. Chances are they had. The lure of zero-gravity sex was pretty tempting.
Not letting go of Rory’s hand also made the experience interesting. Using only one hand to caress each other made that touch easier to concentrate on and appreciate.
He trailed his finger down her cheek and neck, following the path with his lips. Occasionally he tasted her with his tongue. She shivered, but not because of a chill in the air. Ether wasn’t real fog and she was far from cold. In fact, she was warming quickly.
She caressed Rory’s strong arms, back, and—um—other muscles. A gratifying groan let her know he enjoyed her touch as much as she enjoyed his.
Their lips fused while stroking each other’s highly sensitized erogenous zones. Amber couldn’t help moaning into his mouth. He almost let go of her hand, but then gripped it harder. She twined their legs together. Still, they couldn’t get quite close enough.
When she couldn’t stand waiting anymore, she transported them to their bed in Boston. Their bed. She still had to convince herself her luck had finally turned and their love was real. But how long would it last?
She pushed that thought to the back of her mind to enjoy the moment. They let go of each other’s hands and Rory positioned himself between her knees, bracing his hands on either side of her shoulders.
“Is this how you want me, luv?”
“I want you in every way, but this will work.”
He grinned.
Lowering himself onto his elbows, he lined up his hard cock with her damp opening. Then he gently guided himself in.
She sighed with pleasure and raised her hips to meet him.
When he was fully seated, he began his rhythm. She arched and moaned blissfully. He murmured beautiful words she didn’t understand. He must have been speaking in Gaelic, but it didn’t matter. The soft cadence of his voice and warmth on her cheek told her all she needed to know. He was speaking words of love.
She loved him too. How she had fallen so fast was a mystery—especially with her rotten luck in relationships. It didn’t matter now. All that mattered was this moment. This beautiful moment. She felt tears burn behind her eyes, but she knew he’d understand it if they appeared. She “just knew” a lot of things now. Maybe because she was a muse, but she suspected she’d know they belonged together even if she were a mere human again.
That knowledge sent her over the edge in ecstasy, flying as she never had before. Rory jerked with his own release at the same time.
When they both were spent, he placed his lips on hers for a tender kiss. Then they gazed at each other. Rory’s eyes were glistening too, so she wrapped her arms around his neck and let her happy tears flow.
* * *
After they’d showered—together—and dressed, Rory said, “We’d better get back to Ireland and make sure Chloe and Shannon are doin’ all right. I know Shannon will want to return because Finn is here in Boston.”
Amber reached out and took his hand. “Ready for takeoff?”
“Go ahead, luv. Do your thing.”
Landing was a bit bumpy—not because Amber did anything wrong, but because when they stepped out of the ether, they seemed to have landed in the middle of a loud family feud.
“You’re feckin’ out of your minds,” Chloe yelled.
Conlan yelled back, “’Tis as much ours as yours. If you don’t give us half of our ancestral treasures, we’ll take them—by force.”
“Bollocks,” Rory muttered under his breath.
Amber looked up at him with a quizzical expression. He knew what she was probably thinking. What treasure? Why not share it? Is it worth another war?
Rory leaned down and whispered in her ear. “We don’t have it anymore. We had to sell all we could to get to Boston, pay for the apartments, and have enough to live on for a while.”
“Shit,” she muttered.
“Stay here,” he ordered and strode into the kitchen, where the argument was taking place. Unfortunately, Amber didn’t like being told what to do and followed right behind him. He should have known that would happen.
“I’m the clan leader. If
you have a difference of opinion, Conlan should take it up with me.”
Shannon looked relieved, but Chloe glared at him.
“I was handlin’ it just fine, Prince,” Chloe said.
He wasn’t sure if she used his title to emphasize his status or if she meant it sarcastically. Knowing his sister, it could have been both.
He saw Amber’s shock out of the corner of his eye. Oh well. No time to explain now.
“We’re all feckin’ princes,” Aiden said. “You just happen to be the eldest.”
“And our father was the eldest of his generation,” Shannon reminded them.
“And the victor in the Battle of Ballyhoo.” Chloe jammed her hands on her hips.
Shite. Why did she have to mention the war? It had ended so badly for both sides, and it was so long ago.
Conlan’s eyes narrowed and his fists clenched. “Is that how it’s to be then? You want another war, it seems.”
“We do not!” Rory held up his palms, then lowered them quickly. He didn’t want his gesture to be mistaken as surrender…as much as he wanted to avoid another battle.
Conlan folded his arms. “It seems as if your brother can be reasoned with better than you can, Chloe.”
“Aye,” Aiden added. “We should sit down and discuss this.” He glanced at Amber. “Man to man.”
He doesn’t think she’s aware we’re all dragons. That could be an advantage. Rory also doubted they knew about her muse status. She’d kept a low profile, so he had a couple elements of surprise, if he needed them.
“Shannon, Chloe, Amber. I need you to excuse me while I speak to me cousins privately.” Hopefully Amber would follow his sisters’ lead. They were required to obey him…albeit under protest sometimes.
Chloe snorted. Shannon simply turned around and went back to washing the breakfast dishes. Amber seemed to understand and asked Shannon if she could help. Chloe grabbed a dish towel and said, “If you’ll dry, I’ll put away.”
Rory led his cousins to the living room. It was cozy. Nothing had changed much over the years, unless a chair’s springs poked up uncomfortably or a rug became threadbare. He was glad they’d kept the eclectic, humble-abode look, so it wouldn’t hint to strangers of the wealth beyond their wildest dreams. The silver and bronze antiquities may have been sold off in Iceland, but unless the leprechauns had melted all of it down, there were still items made of gold in their keep. A lot of them.
Conlan and Aiden sat on the sofa, and Rory took the adjacent armchair.
“I’m afraid I have bad news for you,” he began.
The two uninvited guests remained silent, but their stiff body language betrayed their apprehension.
Rory cleared his throat and continued. “The treasure is gone.”
Conlan and Aiden gasped in unison.
Conlan recovered first. “How do we know we can believe you, and if it’s true, where the feck did it go?”
Rory shrugged. “It must have been stolen.” He was able to pull off that lie because it was partly true. The collector in Iceland had practically robbed them with his less-than-generous offer.
“We need to see the keep,” Aiden said.
Rory nodded reluctantly. “I understand your request, but the leprechauns hid the castle again.” He almost suggested they wait until nightfall, shift into dragon form, and use their wings and talons to find the cave openings by feel. But he’d rather keep his cousins out until he’d had a look himself.
“We know where it is, Cousin,” Conlan said.
Aiden folded his arms. “Aye. And you can’t keep us out.”
Rory forced himself to relax and call their bluff. “If you can get in without callin’ attention to what you’re doin’, go ahead.”
Conlan and Aiden stared at each other.
“We’ll find it tonight,” Conlan said.
“Grand,” Rory said sarcastically. “Since I need me bed back, you can pack up and go to the B and B now.”
“I hope you know we wouldn’t have helped ourselves to your bed if the B and B wasn’t filled to the rafters,” Aiden said.
Rory nodded solemnly. “No need for apologies.”
“Who’s apologizin’?” Conlan asked. “Someone had to protect the castle, so it’s a damn good thing we came. You never told us where you were and why.”
“Because it’s not your business.” Rory leaned back in his chair.
His cousins just stared at him, probably waiting for him to grow uncomfortable and say something he shouldn’t.
“I suggest you let any remainin’ B and B guests know the whole thing was a hoax and send them on their way. The sooner that’s done, the better.”
“And what if some of them saw the castle before it was hidden again?”
It’s doubtful, yet possible. Could Rory sneak the vampires back over the ocean a second time and pass them off as neighbors? That was unlikely. “You can make them think they saw an illusion—or say it was built of mud as an amusement, and when the earth dried, a strong wind blew it into the sea.”
The brothers looked at each other. “There’s been no rain for a few days.”
“A blessin’ to be sure,” Rory said. “Surely the locals will have noticed that.”
Conlan smirked. “Not that I think it’ll work, but a sand castle it is.”
“A dirt castle is more likely, with our elevation and no sand to speak of,” Rory said.
Aiden threw his hands in the air. “You expect people to believe a lie like that? It’ll never work.”
“Not if you don’t try to convince them.”
The middle brother shook his head. “We can try, but they’ll want to see for themselves as much as we do.”
Conlan became Rory’s unexpected advocate. “We’ll say what we said before. ’Tis private property.”
Aiden snorted. “And look how well that worked. Tents appeared on the turf across the road.”
Suddenly Rory panicked. “Did any of ’em take pictures?”
“Only from a distance,” Conlan said. “I suppose the rock could be mistaken for dry dirt. Of course, some may have had telephoto lenses.”
“Shite,” Rory muttered. “Can you think of a better idea?”
The others puzzled it over silently.
Chloe called out from the kitchen. “If they doubt you, tell them they’re daft and laugh like you’ve never laughed before. They’ll drop it if they think they’re reportin’ a lie.”
“That’s a grand idea, Chloe,” Rory said. Then he thought about some of the tabloids he’d heard about—especially those in England. Apparently they had no respect for the truth. All they cared about were headlines that sold their newspapers. They had even been accused of using photo tricks to make things look however they wanted them to look.
He decided not to worry. Now that the castle was hidden again, anyone who believed the reporters’ blarney and came to check would be disappointed.
“Cousins, as much as it was nice to see you after such a long absence, I think you need to be on your way to the B and B. It’s a fine thing you did for us, and we’re grateful.”
Aiden narrowed his eyes. “So you’re tryin’ to get rid of us. Don’t forget we’ll be back tonight.”
Rory sighed. “How could I forget a thing like that?” He quickly added, “I’ll be anxious to hear what happened with the guests at the B and B.” The memory of his mother’s advice floated through his head right at that moment: “It’s often a person’s mouth that breaks their noses,” meaning, be careful what you say.
* * *
Rory breathed a sigh of relief when he closed the door behind his cousins. As a bonus, no new reporters had appeared. Perhaps Chloe was right, and reporting a hoax would be an embarrassment to a genuine journalist.
He leaned against the door and let his mind travel ahead. One of them should re
main on the property to keep trespassers from getting close to the hidden castle. Otherwise, someone would fall off the cliff and onto the rocks below.
Chloe would keep people off the property to be sure, but she could make enemies in the process. Not only that, but her reaction would cause suspicion.
Shannon was the obvious choice. He ticked off the reasons in his mind. First, she wasn’t happy about sharing a room with Chloe in Boston. A falling-out would mean Shannon would surely end up sleeping in the closet. Then there was Finn. He would want to take her home. He was a good lad. Even though he worked at the local grocery store, it was a job, and Shannon loved him. Since a nest was enough for a wren, Finn would be happy to join her in the caretaker’s cottage.
His sister was a thousand years old. How much longer could he go on sheltering her? Finn would discover her secret in time, when he aged and she didn’t. Would he keep their secret if he discovered it sooner?
Ah, well. It has to be discussed—and soon.
He strolled into the kitchen. “Amber, I need to talk to me sisters. After that, I need to discuss somethin’ with you too.”
Her eyes widened, but she quickly schooled her features. “Sure. I’ll go check in with Euterpe. It’s been a while since I’ve seen her.”
“You know where to find me when your visit is finished.”
She kissed him and disappeared.
Chloe chuckled. “Are you sure you can handle bein’ in love with a muse? I’m wonderin’ if a minor goddess outranks a dragon prince.”
Rory wasn’t going to rise to the bait. Instead he cleared his throat and launched right into the matter at hand.
“Chloe, Shannon, one of us needs to stay behind and watch the property. If gawkers don’t try to trespass, our cousins certainly will.”
Chloe crossed her arms. “And who did you select for this responsibility? I cannot possibly guess,” she said sarcastically.
Hopefully, that meant she’d be relieved to hand it over to Shannon.
“I’ve decided that Shannon and Finn should live here and take care of the place—and each other.”