Payton wished they were bound. If they were, she could read his mind and know exactly what was going on. Now would not be a good time to ask, but the suspense was killing her. Since her visions often confused her more, she tended to dismiss them. She laid her hand on his leg and knew he was calmer when he linked his fingers with hers.
“Thank you,” he said.
“Maybe you should pull over so we can talk,” she suggested as she gripped the door handle harder.
“I think I should wait until we’re back at the flat.” Brodie guided the car into the private parking lot and set the brake. He didn’t say anything as he exited the car, opened the door for Payton, and then retrieved her bag.
“Where’s the security detail?” Payton asked.
“I lost them.”
“Brodie,” she admonished.
“Not now, Pay.”
They rode the elevator up in silence, and when they entered the apartment, Brodie dropped Payton’s suitcase on the bed in the main bedroom and then dragged his hands down his face.
“You okay?” she asked.
“Other than wanting to kill your mother, I’m fine.”
Payton bit her lip. “What else happened back at the house?”
He took a deep breath. “It started when she tried to blame the Council’s decision on the fact that you didn’t try to fight for your sister.”
“What?” Payton was stunned. “Did she really?”
“Aye.”
“You didn’t tell her the truth, did you?”
“I had to, Payton! he snapped. “She needs to know who your sister truly is. Not that it mattered—she didn’t believe me.”
“Did you expect otherwise? She’ll never believe Annis knew about the attack before it happened.” Payton sighed. “No mother wants to believe the worst of her daughter.”
“You’re her daughter, too,” he ground out.
“True.”
He grimaced. “There’s more.”
“Okay. What?”
“Annis is not your father’s daughter.”
“What?” Payton frowned. “What do you mean?”
“She’s the only child from your mother’s bond.”
Payton gasped, lowering herself onto the mattress. “I thought she and her mate didn’t have any children.”
“I know you did.”
“She never said a word. Neither did Annis. Does my sister even know?”
Brodie nodded as he sat beside her and took her hand. “Aye. She’s known for a while.”
“Well, I guess all of this makes sense, then. Annis is the daughter from her bond, and that means she trumps me.”
Brodie swore. “Don’t say that, Payton. There is no excuse for what she did. Annis allowed her mate to hurt you. She could have told someone and chose not to.”
“Chosen may be a bit harsh, Brodie.” Payton rubbed her forehead. “I just can’t imagine my sister wanting to hurt me like that.”
“At the very least, your mother should recognize right from wrong. She should stand firmly with you instead of trying to blame you for any part of it.”
Brodie had endured a horrific childhood, abuse raining down on him from both his parents, but the hatred from his mother was the worst. She never had a kind word to say about Brodie, and he’d buried his hurt deep, although, not deep enough for Payton not to feel it.
“Brodie.” Payton grasped his hand. “My mother doesn’t mean to say the things she does. She’s just an idiot.” She could sense his anger abate a bit. “I know you see much of this through your own filter, but it’s not quite the same. My mother and I don’t mesh, but I believe she loves me. She’s just…well…kind of broken. And she knows you’d never allow anything bad to happen to me. I’m not entirely sure she feels the same way about Baldvin. He and Annis have a, ah, well, different kind of relationship.”
“I don’t like seeing you hurt.”
She smiled. “I know. But you can’t always control that.”
“I can try,” he said, and then wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. Breaking the kiss, he stroked her face.
Payton hugged him. “I love that you do everything within your power to make me happy. It makes loving you so much easier…most of the time, anyway.”
“Good to know.” He grinned. “For now, we’re staying here for a few days, and we’ll go from there.”
“Was this where you were going to take me?”
“No. I had something different in mind, but will you let me give you a surprise in a day or so, or force me to tell you now?”
She raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know, Brod. You know how much I hate surprises.”
“I do know that. But I promise it’ll be a good surprise.” He kissed her palm. “So?”
She sighed. “You can keep your surprise…for now.”
Brodie chuckled. “Thank you, love. You won’t be disappointed.”
* * *
The next day, Brodie joined Kade and Connall to pick Dalton Moore up at the Gunnach airstrip. Brodie leaned back against the car as Kade’s private plane came to a complete stop and the door was opened. “Are you okay with this, Con?” Brodie asked.
Connall paced a few feet away, his face pinched with irritation. “I have no bloody choice to be anything other than okay with it. Dalton’s the best chance of getting this degenerate.”
Dalton and Pepper had dated several years before, and he’d admitted he’d been in love with her for as long as he could remember. The admission had caused some tension between him and Connall, but in order to keep Pepper safe, they would have to put that aside. Dalton had saved Pepper from Jet years before, and he might be the only one who could save her from him now.
Dalton appeared in the doorway of the plane.
“Bloody hell.” Connall groaned. “Damn Americans.”
Dalton’s dark brown hair was long and swept away from his face. He wore a knitted turtleneck, tailored trousers, and black boots. With a black wool peacoat over the stylish garb, the ex-FBI agent looked more like a Polo model than a lawman. Brodie chuckled. He half expected him to jump onto the back of a horse and ride off into the sunset.
“What the hell is so funny?” Connall asked.
Brodie raised his hands. “Nothin’, brother.”
“She’s bonded to you, Con,” Kade said. “Remember that.”
Connall nodded, and the brothers made their way to greet Dalton. Connall stayed behind Kade and Brodie, but did manage to shake Dalton’s hand with some level of graciousness.
“So how did he get away?” Dalton asked as they slid into the car. “And don’t give me some bullshit story. I want the truth. Y’all are holding quite a bit back, and I can’t do my job if you keep doing that.”
“We might want to table this conversation until we get back to Kade’s flat,” Brodie said. “Sam and Pepper have asked that they be there when we fill you in. Cole will be there as well.”
Dalton sank into the seat and nodded.
The group arrived back at the apartment building a few minutes later. Kade led everyone upstairs and the door to the flat opened before they reached it.
Sam threw herself into her brother’s arms, simultaneously giving him a piece of her mind about keeping his secret. “You are a big fat jerk, Dalton Moore.”
“It’s good to see you too, sis.” Dalton kissed her cheek. “I couldn’t tell you, Sam. I was sworn to secrecy, and by the time I was released from my gag order and told Alasdair, all this crap with Jet started and it just slipped my mind. Forgive me?”
Sam sighed. “If I have to.”
Dalton grinned, caught sight of Pepper, and opened his arms to her. She slid into his embrace, her eyes filling with tears as she did. “Hi, Dalt.”
“Hey, we’re gonna get him,” Dalton said.
“I know.” Pepper returned to Connall and linked her fingers with his. “I just hate that he has any freedom at all.”
Connall kissed her hand. “He won’t for long.”
C
ole greeted Dalton, his expression one of triumph. Cole had been trying to get Dalton back to Scotland in order to work for him, but Dalton had been stalling.
“Shut it, Cole,” Dalton retorted.
“What? I said nothing.” Cole grinned and slapped Dalton on the back.
“Let’s go inside and talk,” Sam said, and led everyone into the flat.
“Where’s Payton?” Brodie asked.
“She’s on her way,” Kade said. “She had to run an errand, I believe.”
“That was this morning,” Brodie snapped.
“That’s my fault, brother. I needed her to look at some numbers for me, so she left the office a little later than expected.”
Brodie frowned. “How many did Alasdair send with her?”
“At least two.”
“Damn it,” he said. “I could have gone with her this afternoon.”
“I didn’t realize,” Kade said. “Sorry. I’m sure she’ll be fine. Ali made sure he sent his best guys with her, if that helps.”
Brodie gave a reluctant nod. He pulled out his phone, stepped back into the hallway, and texted Payton.
*Are you okay?*
He stared at his phone, willing Payton to respond quickly. She did.
*Fine, Brodie. I’m with security.*
*You were supposed to be with me.*
His phone buzzed and he answered it. “So?”
“So,” Payton said. “You signed off on my errand, love. I know the timing got changed, but I had to do a couple of things before the shops closed. I couldn’t wait for you. I have the K’s with me. I’m safe.”
“The K’s?”
“Kevin and Karl.”
“Where are you?” he asked.
“Princes Street,” she said. “Jenners’, to be exact. I’m just about to leave.”
“I’ll meet you.”
“Brodie,” she admonished. “Don’t you have a meeting?”
“Not if you need me.”
“I have two big burly men with me. I’m fine, love. They’re going to take me home.”
“Have them bring you to Kade’s,” he demanded. “I’ll take you home.”
“I’m closer to home than I am to Kade’s, Brodie.”
“I’ll come and get you, then.”
“No, don’t.” Payton sighed. “I’ll come to the flat.”
Brodie smiled. “Thank you. Twenty minutes.”
“Oh, I’m to come right now?”
“Payton,” he droned.
“I’m on my way.” She giggled. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” Brodie hung up and called Karl with some specific instructions before walking into Kade’s apartment.
“Everything okay?” Kade asked.
Brodie nodded and sat in one of the chairs next to Kade. “It will be.”
“What do we know?” Dalton asked, nodding his thanks to Sam as she handed him a beer. “How did Jet get away in the first place?” He scowled at Cole. “I thought you said the place was secure.”
“I thought it was,” Cole grumbled.
“He got hold of a paralytic drug and managed to incapacitate the guards,” Kade said.
“That’s kind of vague. Do you mean Ketamine?” Dalton asked.
Samantha shook her head. “Sort of. Ketamine makes you pass out. This drug keeps you fully alert, just unable to move, and it only works on certain people.”
Dalton studied his sister. “Who?”
“Us. We are of an ancient race,” Kade explained. “Cauld Ane’s are susceptible to things that hu—ah, you aren’t.”
“What kind of race? Like Jewish or something like that?”
“Oh, for the love and glory be!” Pepper snapped. “The Cauld Ane aren’t human. They’re immortal, Dalt. They…we…can’t survive in temperatures over sixty-eight degrees, and almonds and this flower thing called Red Fang can hurt us. Red Fang is a paralytic drug that’s essentially tasteless and without odor, but can render us immobile.”
“Wait. Back the truck up…immortal? Are we talking vampires here? Can’t go out in the sun stuff?” Dalton chuckled. “I thought vampires only existed in those ridiculous romance novels you read, Pepper.”
“Suck it, Dalton.” Pepper stuck her tongue out at him.
He laughed.
“Not vampires. Nothing like that, actually,” Samantha explained. “We live for several hundred years, and until we begin to age rapidly, meaning one year for every ten human years or so, we won’t see the end coming. Many of us don’t start to age that quickly until well into our eight-hundreds.”
“Us?” Dalton stood and began to pace. “How is it you’re including yourself in this?” He turned to Cole. “And why aren’t you totally freaking out right now? Have you known this the whole time you’ve been here?”
Cole shook his head. “Alasdair read me in when I approached him about working for Kade.”
“I don’t understand.” Dalton crossed his arms.
“I know you don’t. But in answer to your question about ‘us,’ yes, I’m including Pepper and me in that.” Samantha smiled. “I am bound to Kade, and Pepper’s bound to Connall. We are given one mate, and once we’re bound, through a ceremony…and, well, other stuff…we are able to speak to each other telepathically, heal one another, and a few other things that are really cool.”
“You can heal each other?” Dalton asked.
Samantha nodded.
Dalton pulled out his knife, handing it to Kade. “Prove it.”
“No, just trust me—” Before she could say anything further, Kade had dragged the knife across his palm and blood seeped through the open cut. Sam let out a frightened squeal and gripped his wrist. The wound began to close and was completely gone within seconds. The only evidence Kade had been hurt was the blood that still stained his hand.
“Holy crap!” Dalton said.
Samantha punched Kade’s shoulder. “Don’t ever do that again!”
Kade chuckled. “I could have healed it if you hadn’t.”
“Not the point,” she admonished.
“Can you do that to me?” Dalton asked.
“I don’t know,” Samantha said. “We don’t have a lot of information about what happens with humans once they’re bound. I don’t know how much of our sibling connection is still intact now that I’m fully Cauld Ane.”
“Let’s try,” Dalton suggested.
“No, Dalt. If you’re hurt and I can’t heal you, it’ll be bad.”
Dalton took his knife from Kade and pricked his finger.
“Dalton!” Sam snapped and grabbed his hand. The group gathered around Dalton, stunned that his finger healed immediately.
“Oh my word,” Pepper said. “You did it! How cool is that?”
“What else can you do?” Dalton asked.
“One thing we don’t have to do is brush our teeth,” Pepper informed him.
“Seriously?”
Pepper nodded and gave him a toothy grin. “Perfectly white, no bad breath. It’s awesome.”
“How old are you?” Dalton asked.
Kade glanced at Samantha and then back at Dalton. “I was born in 1410.”
“You’re more than six-hundred years old?” Dalton exclaimed.
“Aye,” Kade said.
“What happens when people start to ask about why you never age?”
“Yeah, that’s getting harder with all the media these days,” Kade admitted. “We often tell people we’re in our mid-twenties, and avoid folks we meet after about twenty years, but we don’t have many close human friends, so that hasn’t been a problem. It’s getting a little sticky with Queen Elizabeth at the moment, because she may outlive her family. We only met her ten years ago, or so, and she thinks we’re in our early thirties now, but the longer we hold English titles, the harder it will be. We’re still figuring all of that out and how to handle it going forward.”
Brodie’s phone buzzed and he glanced at the screen, half-listening to the conversation.
*Ca
n’t find the K’s. Feels off. In Jenners’ loo…ladies section.*
“Damn it,” he snapped as he dialed Payton’s number, his heart racing as he felt her fear. She didn’t answer.
*Can’t talk. Someone coming,*
“What’s going on, Brodie?” Kade asked.
“Payton’s in trouble.”
Alasdair grabbed his phone and left the room.
Brodie texted Payton as he stood and gathered his keys. *Stay where you are.*
Alasdair returned to the room and followed Brodie from the apartment. Brodie jumped in his car, while Alasdair took one of the SUVs. Speeding toward Princes Street, Brodie tried to calm his fear. He had to stay focused. He parked illegally and made a run for the building, running into Kevin on the way in. “Where the hell have you been?”
Kevin rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m so sorry, Your Highness, I don’t know what happened. I just came to and I can’t find Karl…or Miss McFadden.”
“Shite.”
Using the app he’d loaded onto Payton’s cell, Brodie pulled out his phone and tracked her. She was moving, which didn’t really make him feel any better, since he’d told her to stay where she was. *STOP moving, Pay!*
He watched the little blue dot stop and then start again. “Damn it!”
“She’s in the store, Brodie,” Alasdair said. “She can’t go far.”
“Not the point,” he snapped, distractedly watching the screen. “I don’t know what the hell she’s running from.”
The crackle of the overhead speakers permeated the space. “Good evening shoppers. Jenners’ will be closing in ten minutes. Please make your final purchases, and thank you for shopping with us today.”
*I’m near street exit,* he texted, watching the blue dot continue to move.
After a few tense minutes, he heard pounding footsteps.
“Brodie!” Payton called.
He followed the sound of Payton’s voice and made a run for her, wrapping her in a protective embrace while Alasdair grilled Kevin.
“What happened?” Brodie asked, finally taking a moment to study her. Her lip was bleeding and she was out of breath.
“I don’t know. I just got a weird feeling when I was at the counter, and when I turned around, the K’s weren’t with me.” Brodie grabbed a handkerchief and gently dabbed at her lip as she rushed to explain. “I walked as quickly as I could to the ladies and a woman followed me in. I didn’t think anything of it until she attacked me.”
Bound by Secrets (Cauld Ane Series) Page 10