Darby was awake, she thought as the bathroom door closed. Maybe she dreamed of mobs of killer sheep too. Hailey slipped out of bed and found a pair of socks lying on the dresser. The cool hard-wood floor was not welcome on her bare toes. She was still wrestling with the socks when she heard the door open again.
There was a sniffling outside her door. Not the allergy kind of sniff but the “I’m-trying-to-be-quiet-as-I-cry” kind. Hailey opened her door and followed the sounds of muffled crying across the hall to Darby’s room.
She sat on the end of the bed with her shoulders hunched and shaking. Darby was sobbing over a t-shirt. Hailey wasn’t sure why it was such a shock but seeing the strong little woman with the pixie haircut weeping had her heart cracking in two.
“Darby?” Hailey approached the bed with caution. “What’s wrong?”
Surprised by Hailey’s presence Darby wiped under her eyes with the palms of her hands. “Hailey. What are you doing here? Did I wake you?”
“No I was already awake.” She sat down beside Darby. “Are you ok?”
“Yes. No. Probably not.” The witch’s eyes glistened in the moonlight. She was trying to hold back but one tear escaped, then another. The floodgates opened and soon enough she was weeping again while Hailey awkwardly rubbed her back. She wasn’t good at this stuff, avoided it at all costs, but since Lia wasn’t here to help it was up to her to soothe.
“I miss him. You’d think I’d get used to feeling empty but it just gets worse.” She rubbed her chest and began to breathe hard. “Every day the aching hurts more and my mind can’t seem to tell my heart that it’s ok. Because my mind isn’t dumb, it’s not ok and it will never be ok again.” Her words spilled out in rapid succession. “Dacea? Please I need…I need him.”
No words were spoken as they switched. Hailey wasn’t going to get in between them at a time like this. Plus, she sucked at comforting. Dacea seemed to know just what he was doing when he gathered Darby up and held her.
“Lennox would be proud of you for doing what you’re doing. Darby, you are a strong woman for holding it together for so long.” He rubbed his hand down her back and rocked her. “But I’ve got you now. Let me hold you up for a while.”
“I miss Lennox,” she said between sobs.
“As do I.” Slivers of his native Irish wove into his words. “He was a fine man and died very bravely. Know that you were all he thought of, all he lived for.”
“It doesn’t bring him back.”
“No it doesn’t.”
They sat for some time, Dacea constantly soothing Darby’s broken heart and soul. Once the tears were dried up, they laid down on the bed side by side.
“This is like old times.”
Dacea’s mouth lifted into a small smile. “Yes, I guess it is.”
“Do you think he ever knew about our midnight talks?” she wondered.
“I don’t suppose he did. Maybe he had an idea but he never let on.” It started with Darby being restless one night and Dacea stuck in the body of his friend. After an hour of obvious frustration he asked if she was ok. She had known immediately it wasn’t Lennox asking. Dacea kept her company until she could sleep. It became their thing, something only they shared.
“I didn’t only lose him that day. Sometimes I feel like I lost you too.”
“Yeah, feels that way sometimes doesn’t it? I’m only across the hall now,” he reminded her. “We can still have our talks.”
“It’s not the same.” She sniffed.
“I know.”
“I’m happy for you though.” Darby spoke sincerely, “She’s a beautiful Mate, and I don’t mean her appearance. Her soul is pure, it complements yours well.”
“I wish I could offer her more, something real. It can’t work Darby, you know that.” It hurt more than he thought it would to say it aloud.
“That’s bullshit, Dak,” Hailey injected.
“Bullshit,” Darby said at the same time. “You are just a coward when it comes to love. No, let me finish. You are scared she is going to use you like that Harpy. Hailey is not Katherine. They are about as opposite as two people can be. I can’t see her purposefully using or hurting you.”
He heard what she was saying and on some level understood she was right, but for a few hundred years he didn’t need anyone else but himself. Every day that passed he found the thought of leaving her more unbearable. Dacea just wasn’t sure if he was ready to rely on someone else yet. He let the silence hang for another moment.
“I’m really not in a place to talk about all this. Darby?” Dacea turned his head and found her asleep. He settled the quilt over her and placed a kiss on her forehead.
“I love you Darby, even when you stick your nose in my business. Rest now.” After tucking her in, he quietly walked back to Hailey’s room.
“Is she going to be ok?” Hailey asked when they were in bed again.
“One day. Maybe.”
Chapter Fourteen
“Hey, watch this!” Hailey licked her lips and took in a breath.
“As if I have a choice,” Dak murmured.
Instead of calling him a smartass and wasting the breath she just took, Hailey churned the air around in her lungs and blew out a puff of smoke, then a ring, followed by another puff. She was working her way up to letters like the caterpillar in Disney’s Alice in Wonderland. Her goal was to be able to tell Dak to “fuck off” in smoke.
“Cool, huh?”
“I am going to blog about its coolness later this evening.”
“Oh? Wait, I think I’ve read your blog. It’s called ‘I’ve Got a Stick of Fire Up My Ass- The musings of a pissed off grumpy old dragon,’ right?”
“HA HA HA.” Despite his sarcastic tone, Hailey liked to believe he was laughing on the inside.
“Hailey, I think we should talk.” Dammit, he used his serious voice. She hated his serious voice; it made her feel like a child. Hailey groaned inwardly and stood from her chair on the deck. “What are your plan-”
“Shhhhh!”
He ignored her interruption and just kept speaking. “You have the worst manners, sometimes I fear for the future of civilization.”
“Geez, I just need a minute before I am lectured about whatever it is you have been brooding over all morning.” She was already in and out of her room with Sparky, the stuffed dragon from Target. If she was going to be lectured she wanted to have something to look at, enough of this staring at the wall business. Placing the dragon at the end of the kitchen table she took a spot at the other end. “Now, you may begin.” She clasped her hands together and tipped her head towards the dragon.
“Really?” he deadpanned.
“Yes. Really.”
He sighed but knew better than to argue. “What are your plans for today?”
“I was planning on sitting around doing very little until Lia gets back and we can kick some Silas ass. Why? What did you have in mind?” The night before they had completed the finding spell, now that they knew where Silas was everyone was ready get started, but she had promised Lia they would wait for her. Hailey figured out real fast that waiting sucked.
“I was thinking that we could do a little training.”
She raised an eyebrow at Sparky. “Been there, done that. Self-defense and I go way back.”
“I was thinking something a little more than that. I want you to have a gun when we go to New York and I want to know you can shoot it without endangering yourself.” Hailey didn’t know anything about guns, except that she didn’t like being on the wrong end of the barrel. Thank you, Darby.
“Ok. That sounds reasonable.”
“Good. Then I think you should go get changed into something you can move in then we will get started.” Pleased with himself, Dak’s mood had lifted.
“Why do I need moveable clothing? You’re planning something else, aren’t you?”
“Hailey, look at me?” She brought her eyes up to those of the beady black eyes of Sparky. Hailey laughed. “Go get change
d and don’t worry about what is to come.”
“Wait, I have something to ask before you become Drill Sergeant Dragon. It’s about matings.” She waited a beat and when he didn’t acknowledge her she just dove in. “Are we, you know… Mates? It’s just, I read all that stuff and I’ve been wondering. It’s cool if we are; I mean I wouldn’t be upset or anything.” She paused but didn’t like the sound of silence and began to ramble again. “And if we aren’t, I’m fine with that too. What I’m saying is I’m good either way.”
She dropped her eyes to the table and studied the grain of the wood. This was some sturdy craftsmanship, really fine work.
“Hailey,” he began, “why does it matter?”
Because I care about you, she answered in her head. “It doesn’t, I’m just curious.”
He sighed sounding utterly defeated. “We are.”
“Oh.” Her heart dropped, but not for the reason he would expect. Dak sounded so troubled and upset about the truth of what they were; she felt the rejection down in her bones. Hailey needed to drop any thoughts of even the slightest possibilities immediately.
“I’m sorry. This will be over soon Hailey,” his mumbled words trailed on.
“No need to be sorry.” She would take the time they had left and cherish it the best she could. But Hailey knew that each hour spent with him would be bitter sweet.
“Go get changed.”
She saluted to the stuffed dragon and went to prepare for whatever was to come.
*****
“Now, what did I say about leaning back.”
“Don’t do it,” Hailey said through clenched teeth.
“So then why are you doing it?”
Hailey held the gun out with both hands. She checked her stance; moved her right foot back a little further. Her posture was strong, her eyes focused, if only her mind could get on board and pay attention.
“Ready?”
“Shut up.” She moved her finger off the barrel onto the trigger and pulled. A little “ping” indicated that she hit the target.
“Nicely done.” Bastard sounded surprised.
“How much more of this?” The conversation from earlier was haunting her mind. All she wanted was to be alone long enough to figure things out, but he was always there.
“That’s enough for today. Pack it up and take it all inside.” Dacea couldn’t win, no matter what he said it would be wrong. Not even a week ago Hailey was telling him to get lost and now she was moping around because they found a way for him to be free. She was infuriating and confusing, so terribly confusing.
He wanted to know what she actually wanted, not this agreeable crap she’d been spouting off. Every instinct he possessed was telling him that breaking their bond was wrong. Dacea was fighting his genetic make-up. Dragons were supposed to find their Mate and keep them close, protect them, cherish them. Not sever what they had and walk away.
But could he stay? Obviously not how they were, but once he had his body back. Dacea wondered if he could do it; open himself up to someone again, love again. Hailey was unexpected; she kept life moving even if the path was unclear. She never did what he expected, and guessing what would come out of her mouth was a new favorite pastime of his. Dacea’s mood lifted slightly, this could possibly work. Maybe they could do a trial run after they got the knife from Silas.
Hailey was putting the gun back in the case. She had done exceptionally well for her first time. But seeing that gun in her hand was a straight spiral back into denial. He couldn’t do this. Not now, not ever. Silas would use Hailey to get to Dacea. He needed to tuck her safely away somewhere and cut all ties. If Silas suspected any kind of connection, she would never be safe.
Why had he never thought of this? After they took the knife Silas would be furious. Dacea needed to direct that anger onto himself, and distract Silas long enough so that Hailey could be hidden. She would need to move, new name, new background, the works.
“Daaaaceeeea?” Hailey sang, interrupting his train of thought.
“What?” he barked.
“Geez, lighten up.” She dropped the gun case on the floor of the bedroom and pushed it under the bed. “I’m going to call Lia, anything you need her to know?”
“I wish her well on her return trip.”
Hailey snorted and fell backward on the bed. “Ya wanna pull the formal stick out of your ass and tell me what’s up?”
“Nothing. Just tell her to hurry back. I’d like to head north as soon as possible.”
“Sure thing, Ace.” He didn’t miss the hint of sorrow in her voice. He wanted to tell her that once this was over he would still be around, but it would be a lie. There was no way he could ever see her again after he was free. Not unless Silas was dead.
*****
“Hey lady, when you coming back?” Hailey held the phone between her ear and shoulder while she poured some hot water into two mugs. Darby sat at the table and added a tea bag to each one.
Lia’s voice was muffled by the noise of people; it was making it hard to hear her.
“What?” Hailey repeated for the second time.
“Will you all just shut up for two seconds? I’m on the frickin’ phone. Sorry Hails. I was saying I’ll be back in a day or two, three tops.”
Hailey held up one, two, three fingers and wiggled her hand back and forth. Darby rolled her eyes and stirred her tea.
“We know where he is; think that could persuade you to make it sooner?”
“It might.” The smile in her voice was evident. “How far?”
“Seneca Lake, New York. Only a few hours.”
“Nice, got a plan yet?” The noise in the background was slowly rising.
“Working on it. Darby and I are having a brainstorming session now.”
“Look, I have to go. I’ll be there as soon as I can. Don’t do anything without me,” Lia yelled into the phone, the people in the background back at full volume.
“You have to give me something Lia, why do you want to come so bad?” She hated to do it but they needed to move on this. Silas could travel at any moment.
“I promise to tell you once I get back.”
“Lia,” Hailey pleaded. She needed more than that.
“His name was Alex, he was killed by Silas. That’s all I’m going to tell you right now.” The phone went dead. She got her answer, but at what cost of their friendship?
“Well, that could have gone better.” Hailey dropped into the seat and took a sip of her Earl Gray.
“You had to ask. Don’t bother, I heard. Your phone was really loud.” She wrapped her hands around the mug. “Do you or Dak have any ideas on how to retrieve this thing?”
Hailey looked up and smiled brightly at Darby. “You called him Dak!”
“Oh dear lord, not Darby too,” Dak moaned.
“It’s spreading.”
“Yes, like a disease. Your nickname for me is becoming an epidemic.”
“You love it,” she teased.
“Only when you say it,” he whispered so low she almost didn’t catch it.
“So um, right, plan. Do we have one? I sure don’t. Dak you got anything?”
“Working on it,” Dak said, distracted.
“He’s working on it,” she repeated to Darby who was smiling at her strangely. Hailey tried not to frown but it was creeping her out.
“You’re good for him, Darlin’,” she stated. “And he for you. The energy you two give off is explosive. So many emotions…” She shook her head and took a sip instead of finishing her sentence.
“You can tell what we are feeling?” That could come in handy right about now since she had no idea what he was all about.
“Not specifics, just a general sense. He was always so closed off, even with Lennox. You know, when I was first introduced to him Lennox warned me that he would be rude. He was, but I saw why instantly. Lennox had found his Mate and Dacea was worried he would be left behind. They were a family and I was intruding in his eyes.”
�
��What did you do?”
She grinned. “I grabbed his hand and pulled him down the hallway to his bedroom. Lennox and I already talked it over; he couldn’t leave his brother alone. So we made room for him here.”
“I can hear you, you know,” he mumbled still a bit distracted.
“Yes, we know and we don’t care.” Darby laughed at them. “So he lived here? I thought he was some high and mighty King guy?”
“Well he was that, but he came here to stay when he could. It was his vacation from his duties, a chance to relax with family.” Darby’s sparkle receded from her smile and left behind only a cloud of grief. Hailey reached across the table and grabbed her hand, giving it a squeeze.
“I wish I could have met Lennox. He sounded like a wonderful person.”
“He would have liked you.” She squeezed back and they both released.
“If you two ladies are done bonding, I think I have a plan.” As hard as he tried, the snark in his voice just didn’t amount to much.
“The floor is yours, Smaug.”
“Funny,” he deadpanned.
“I thought so.”
He pushed, they switched. Hailey took a position in the backseat. “Silas keeps his place pretty well guarded. If we have any chance of getting on the inside we need to get past them. Easiest way would be to become one. Pick off one from the perimeter and change into the uniform. Darby, do you think you could do a bit of appearance work?”
“Yeah, won’t last long but I can work something up.”
“How long?”
“Maybe an hour. If I’m not around to keep the spell going then it will slowly fade.”
“No, I want you at the car. Too many of us and we will get noticed.”
“Lia is coming with us. You know you can’t stop her,” Hailey added.
“Yeah, I know. She’s going to be our ticket inside. We will say we found Lia outside and act as if we were taking her to a holding area till someone can question her. Once we are in, we find the knife and get out.”
“How will you find the knife?” Darby asked.
“The guard will tell us.”
The Hailey Holloway Complete Series Page 10