The Barrier Between (Collector Series # 2)

by Stacey Marie Brown

  Everyone was getting ready for bed when I came out, dropping my dirty clothes beside the overflowing laundry basket.

  “These clothes stink.” Ryker nudged the mound of fabric with his foot. I couldn’t deny there was a sharp odor coming off them. “I can smell human blood on it.”

  “And probably sweat and alcohol as well.” I plopped on the bed.

  “Get rid of them,” he ordered.

  “Excuse me?” I folded a leg underneath me.

  “And here I was hoping he’d get more pleasant with her back.” Croygen settled on his pad on the floor.

  Amara gave Croygen a dirty look and fell back on her pillow. “I already miss having the bed to myself.”

  And why did I want to come back here?

  Sprig coiled on my pillow. He was the only one truly happy about my reappearance. He wouldn’t let me out of his sight for too long. “It was torture without you, Bhean, and not once did we go to Izel’s. I mean, come on. How cruel is that?”

  I scratched behind his ear. “We’ll go tomorrow for breakfast, and you can have all the honey pancakes you can eat.”

  His eyes went wide with adoration. “I’ve. Missed. You.”

  “Same, buddy.”

  Ryker huffed, redirecting my attention onto him.

  “What?”

  “I can’t sleep with the stench of human blood and sweat in my face.”

  “And alcohol.”

  He arched one eyebrow.

  “Move them then.” I motioned to the clothes. What was his problem?

  Ryker’s eyes narrowed on me, then he bent over, letting me get a view of my old comrade. I couldn’t help sighing. I’ve missed you, perky friend.

  He gathered the clothes in a ball, walked to the window, and chucked them out.

  My eyebrows went up my forehead. O-kay.

  He strode back, wiping his hands together. “They are moved.” I watched him as he sat on his bed on the ground. He tugged off his boots, ripped his shirt over his head, and lay back, never once meeting my gaze.

  Amara rolled onto her side, switching the table light off, plunging the room in shadows. The soft light of a streetlamp down the road shimmered through the sheer curtains.

  I scanned the room. This was not how I thought my return would be. Okay, I did from Amara. Even Croygen, but Ryker? What the hell was his problem?

  I flopped back on the bed, Sprig twisting around my head.

  I guess I would hate someone who stole my powers and forced me to be a murderer. Still, after what I’d been through, I needed him, like the nights he had comforted me after bad dreams. Even after our fight, his arms were the only thing I craved. At our worst I still didn’t want to be without him.

  After fitfully trying to sleep, I picked up my head and glanced at Amara. Her chest rose and fell in slow rhythmic intervals. A slight snore came from the floor beside her. With them sound asleep, I felt braver to act.

  I sat up slowly, trying not to disturb Sprig or Amara. The bed groaned softly as I rose to my feet. Ryker lay on his back, his arm slung over his face, shielding his eyes. At the sound of the squeaking bed, his head popped up. He watched me crawl down to him; he took a deep breath.

  He didn’t move as I curled into his side and settled my head in the crook of his shoulder. There was another beat of his heart and heat flooded my cheeks at the thought of him rejecting me. Then I felt him shift, his arm curling around me, pulling me into him. Happiness engulfed my chest when his arms closed around me.

  Now I was home.

  He could invoke such passionate extremes from me. One moment he calmed me, as though I finally found someone with whom I could let all my walls down, and the next moment I wanted to tear off his clothes. Both sounded nice, but tonight I needed his comfort. Simply to be wrapped in his arms was enough.

  “You’re okay,” I whispered, one finger touching his chin. The bristles of his beard scratched my hand. His eyes narrowed at my statement. “The balam... you got away.”

  A cocky grin tugged the side of his mouth. “Did you even doubt?”

  “No.” My gaze fastened to his. Somewhere in my gut I had known he had made it out. He had to. He was the invincible Wanderer. A fae legend.

  His hand slid to my face and trickled over my healing cuts. He leaned forward, his lips warm and tender on my forehead. Then he wrapped me tighter. Without a word I knew what his actions were telling me. Sleep. You are safe now.

  My lids drifted closed, tucking my head deeper into him. Home. Safety. Happiness.

  Before, I imagined those things would be objects or material items. But now all those things came in a form of a Viking.

  TWENTY-THREE

  A light breeze trickled across my face, stirring me out of my deep slumber. After a few nightmares of trying to save Annabeth from faceless, leering, violent men, I finally settled into Ryker’s arms, letting sleep consume me. My lids struggled to open, my body and mind wanted to remain asleep.

  The memory of falling asleep next to Ryker on the floor forced me out of the sweet oblivion. The night before I didn’t care, but in the stark morning light, I was not prepared to have Amara awake and see us. Her threat flooded back into my conscience.

  “If I see you go off with him again. Are alone with him in any way... Nothing will stop me from butchering you into tiny chunks and feeding you to your monkey. Stay away from him, human. You do not belong in our world, and I will take you out of it if you persist.”

  My lashes clung to each other as I tried to pry my lids open. One by one they separated, allowing my eyes to focus. A dim gray grow lighted the windows, keeping the room shadowed in a colorless portrait, like I had stepped into a black-and-white film.

  I was also back on the bed. Alone. Even Sprig was gone. I lifted my head and glanced around the room. The breeze billowed the curtains and fanned the room. The quiet disturbed me. I sat up with a huff. Loneliness crept over me, which made me angry. As strong as I pretended to be, I still got rattled. Being chained and beaten shook me, but strangely what unnerved me more was almost being caught by Garrett. I was the portal to capture Ryker. Also, I was carrying this knowledge about myself with a deep belief I could not tell Ryker. It was another weight on my chest.

  Dragging myself out of bed, my toes skated on the wood floor, and I staggered to the bathroom. The girl looking back at me was almost healed. Only pink lines indicated where I had been cut or hit. I touched my skin, tugging at the old sores. How long I was asleep? I didn’t hear any of them get up or feel Ryker put me back in the bed. Did I go in a coma-like state to heal like I had seen him do?

  Curious as to where they went, I quickly pulled on clothes and boots. The bag strap around my shoulder felt like an old friend. It was comforting to me, my safety trigger.

  Even with fae powers, I was still exhausted, muscles stiff and sore. My feet struggled to pick up and walk forward. Everything felt heavier than normal as I dragged my feet down the stairs.

  A gust of cool wind hit me as I stepped outside. A storm was coming. Swollen black clouds churned angrily above my head. The smell of rain loomed in the air. The developing tempest was a perfect reflection of what I felt on the inside. I tried to push off the sensation of it being some strange omen.

  “Bhean,” a tiny voice called for me. I whirled around to see Ryker and Amara walking toward me. Sprig leaped off Ryker’s shoulder. He hit the ground and scrambled up my body, and hunkered on my shoulder. “You are finally awake. They told me we couldn’t go to Izel’s till you got up. I have been waiting forever.”

  “We’ll go right now.” I smiled, rubbing his head. I glanced at both Ryker and Amara, trying to stuff down the growl wanting to erupt from seeing them together. Amara walked close to Ryker, her arm brushing his. They looked every bit a couple. “Where is Croygen?”

  “Good question,” Ryker snarled. “He was already gone when we awoke this morning. Again.”

  Again? I didn’t get a chance to ask before a voice pierced the air behind me.

&n
bsp; “Did you miss me? How sweet.” Croygen slipped next to me. It was disturbing how he could sneak up on you out of nowhere.

  “Yeah. Sweet.” Ryker’s muscles knotted around his neck and shoulders. “Where the fuck were you?”

  “Mom? Is that you?” Croygen tilted his head to the side in question. “I don’t need to tell you shit, Ryker.”

  One step and Ryker was nose to nose with Croygen. “I don’t trust you. You would sell out your own mother for a price.”

  “Only for the right price,” Croygen sneered.

  “You’ve been disappearing a lot lately,” Amara said with a slight accusatory tone.

  I was only gone a week, but I felt like I missed a lot. Ryker never trusted Croygen, but whatever issue was going on between them had intensified.

  “Shocked you noticed.” Croygen motioned at Ryker. “Now that you have your boy back, Amara, I’m surprised you were even aware I was standing next to you.”

  Amara glared. “Croygen.”

  Ryker cut off Amara. “I’ve known you too long, Croygen. Money is your true love. You are up to something.”

  “It’s my business and has nothing to do with you. I know you think the whole world revolves around you, but it doesn’t.” Croygen shoved Ryker away from him. Ryker reared back, barreling toward the pirate with his whole body.

  “Guys, stop.” Amara pushed them apart. “I’ve had enough of this! You have been at each other all week.”

  The chests of both men heaved in and out; neither wanted to be the one to back down first.

  “I know what will make this better,” Sprig spoke, making me peer around to see if anyone outside our group was within earshot. “Pancakes!”

  Ryker’s eyes drifted to Sprig, then to me. His jaw clenched as he swiveled around and stomped away.

  Amara ran after him. Catching up, she grabbed his arm, pulled him down to her, and whispered something in his ear. Whatever she said made him chuckle and nod. My legs moved forward, following. But the rest of me wished to go back upstairs and not have to witness this. She leaned in more, saying something else, her face bright with joy. Ryker’s head went back in a laugh. Stabbing myself with a thousand daggers would have felt better.

  I felt a presence move next to me, but my eyes would not leave the gorgeous couple.

  “It is fun, isn’t it?” Croygen strolled along next to me, observing them with the same regard as me.

  “What is?”

  “Watching them together.” He pressed his mouth closed. There was a flicker of pain before he blinked and it was gone again. But it was too late. I had seen it.

  My gaze followed Croygen’s and came back to him. “You’re in love with her.”

  A humorous smile wavered over his lips and he peered over at me. “And you’re in love with him.”

  “I am not,” I replied indignantly.

  Croygen smiled smugly and winked. “Sure.” A silence fell between us, and we turned back to observing them together, reminiscing and laughing. “We make a pathetic pair, human.” Pained amusement danced in his eyes.

  “Yes, we do, pirate.”

  Was Amara the reason he and Ryker didn’t get along? What was their story? Something in Croygen’s manner told me not to ask. Not yet.

  Sprig’s bouncing on my shoulder turned into full-blown jumping the closer we got to Izel’s.

  “In.” I pointed to my bag. Sprig didn’t hesitate before climbing in. “Rememb—”

  “I know, I know. No talking,” he chattered excitedly.

  “Yeah, just like that, monkey.” Croygen chuckled.

  When we entered, Melosa immediately bounded for me, wrapping me in a warm hug. “Where have you been? You and your dear man have been missed,” she rattled off in Spanish.

  Amara’s face tightened at the reference to Ryker being my man.

  “Sorry, Melosa.” I pulled back. “I got tied up.”

  Croygen snorted next to me, and I cast him a look.

  Melosa halted when she took in Croygen, pursing her lips together, she mumbled something under her breath, her hand going to her cross necklace. I thought she was going to turn us out, but then she swiveled around, motioning us to a table.

  “She really doesn’t like you,” I leaned in and muttered.

  “Not many do.” A naughty grin lifted his mouth. “It’s a tradesman’s life.”

  “Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me,” I sang, causing him to stare at me.

  “Come sit.” Melosa motioned us over to a table. Two of Melosa’s daughters came out of the back with trays. The oldest, Lucia, was a doppelganger of her mother—sweet, energetic, and loved everyone. The youngest girl, Raquel, was the exact opposite. She didn’t bother to hide her dislike of me.

  Lucia gave me a wave and continued on to her table. Raquel stopped, a snarl arching her upper lip till her eyes landed on the man next to me. Unlike her mother, her expression changed to pleasure at seeing Croygen. He was a striking man—tall, dark, and handsome. He had an abundance of charisma, which fae usually used to attract humans. Raquel’s eyes widened in appreciation, looking him up and down, but narrowed when they ventured over to Amara.

  Oh, good. At least I wasn’t alone in Raquel’s “fan” club.

  Ryker sat facing the entrance. I sat across from him, my back toward the café, allowing me to feed Sprig. Amara sat next to Ryker, and Croygen slid in the chair next to me.

  “Pancakes. Pancakes. Pancakes.” A murmured chant came from my bag. I bonked Sprig’s head to quiet him.

  “If that thing gets us in trouble.” Amara frowned into my bag.

  “Hey, Medusa?” Sprig whispered low enough so only we could hear, curling his finger so she would lean in. Then he stuck his middle finger out of the bag. I couldn’t stop my laugh from spurting out.

  Amara glared at Sprig and me, turning to Ryker. Ryker’s eyes met mine, glinting with humor. My smile widened, and under the table I held out my hand to give Sprig a high five.

  Melosa came to our table. “Welcome, friends of Ryker and Zoey,” she said in Spanish. The word friends coming out strained. Melosa’s gaze stuttered when Amara put her hand on Ryker’s shoulder, rubbing it affectionately. Her lids tapered on Amara, and her lips thinned the same way they did with Croygen. “What can I get you?”

  “The usual for me, Melosa.” I handed the menu to her. She smiled, winking at the little monster in my bag. Sprig was practically shaking with anticipation.

  “Me too.” Ryker nodded.

  Amara squeezed his arm and turned to Melosa. “Make sure everything is separated. He hates his food touching.”

  Melosa stiffened. “I am aware of his preference.” The woman looked as if someone not only insulted her cooking, but her family.

  Amara smiled thinly at the woman. “I’ll get the veggie omelet.”

  “Same. Except fill mine with only meat. Human’s if you have it.” Croygen winked at the woman. Melosa’s hand immediately went for her cross, her body stiffening as she swung away from our table.

  “Stop that!” I slapped Croygen in the arm, making him snicker. “She’s a sweet woman who clearly is smarter than us. She warned us to stay away from you.”

  He reclined, grabbing his water glass. “That’s because she remembers me from when she was a girl.” He took a sip of water. “She’s pissed because she’s aged... I haven’t.”

  “What?”

  “I’ve been around this area off and on for a long time.” He shrugged. “She’s more aware than most humans. She sees—”

  “She sees you’re an asshole.” Ryker stretched out his legs, pushing his chair back away from Amara, or at least that’s how I wanted to perceive it. “I was thinking after breakfast we could do some training.” Ryker, unmistakably changing subjects, directed his glance at me. Not one bit of emotion soaked through his expression. I could feel him putting up a fence between us. Letting me know, without having to say it, the closeness of last night would not happen again. The formality in his voice assured me we were ba
ck to being partners. Nothing more.

  I stared down at Sprig, rubbing his soft fur. It comforted me. “Sure. Why?”

  Ryker cleared his throat. “Now the powers are yours, you need to learn how to use them. How to manipulate them to your advantage in a fight.”

  I nodded.

  “If we are going to get Regnus, I want you able to handle yourself better. This won’t be like collecting fae.” He folded his hands over his stomach. “You need to battle with a sword. The way fae fight.”

  “Can we help?” Amara flipped her hair over her shoulder.

  “Yeah. It would be good for all of us.” Ryker adjusted in his seat. “Especially for me since I no longer have an advantage.” His voice constricted on the last word.

  My fault or not, the guilt of causing this pain made me shift in my seat. Rolling my shoulders, I played with my bag, not able to look at Ryker. This was so painful. With no chance to regain his powers except to kill me, I wondered if the reality was setting in.

  When Melosa came back to our table with food and drinks, I kept my hand on Sprig, waiting for her to walk away. Then I ripped off a piece of crepe and shoved it into his mouth before he could utter a noise.

  He mumbled something which sounded a lot like, “Crapping fae biscuits... sooo good.”

  The table went silent as we ate. The honey pancakes were bliss on my tongue after the chalky, tasteless food I had choked down in Seattle. I didn’t realize I was famished. It was a battle to get enough food in my mouth before Sprig was tugging at the plate.

  “Bhean. Bhean,” Sprig whispered, grabbing for my fork as I tried to finish my bite.

  “Hand him to me.” Ryker stretched his arms across the table to me. I slipped the bag over my head and passed it to Ryker. He settled the bag on his lap and cut off some of his own pancakes, dipping them in extra honey from my plate, before feeding Sprig. Sprig grinned widely at Ryker’s speed at feeding him.