Ronan

by Teresa Gabelman

  Viktor reached into his pocket and held it out to her. “Look at it closely.”

  When Kira made no move to take it, Ronan reached out and grabbed it. The amulet was a pale green with an intricate swirl pattern that made no sense to him. He held it out for Kira to see since she made no move to touch it. Finally, Kira’s eyes shifted to the amulet, and after only a few seconds, she gasped.

  “Emilia made these for us,” Viktor explained, then made swirling motions with his fingers. “The pattern is backward.”

  Mira handed Drew to Steve and walked up to examine it. “But why?” Mira reached out, taking it from Ronan to get a closer look. “Oh my God.”

  “What?” Kira jumped at Mira’s exclamation.

  Mira held it closer, pointing at a small Dragonfly engraved in the metal of the amulet.

  “Emilia was building an army,” Bishop finally spoke.

  “Of vampires?” Kira let go of Ronan’s hand to take the amulet from Mira’s grasp. She finally looked up.

  “Some, but whoever she could recruit to take out Orjyll.” Viktor nodded toward the amulet. “She put a spell on the amulet to protect us.”

  “But magic doesn’t work on full-blooded vampires. Were you a half-breed?” Mira frowned, staring at the amulet then up at Viktor.

  “No.” He shook his head slowly. “Full blood all the way.”

  “Do you ever get the point?” Kira mumbled, but everyone heard her. Viktor laughed the loudest.

  “She’s got your ticket, brother.” Bishop chuckled, giving Kira a wink, which Ronan didn’t appreciate. “Beautiful and smart.”

  The growl rumbled from his chest, making Steve glance at him with a frown. “I take it that wasn’t your stomach.”

  Ronan ignored him while he glared at Bishop, pushing his intentions as forcefully as he could. Yeah, don’t even think about it, motherfucker.

  “Bish, you best watch yourself. I think she’s taken.” Viktor cocked an eyebrow at Ronan, then Kira.

  “Never stopped me before.” Bishop pushed, obviously a little too hard.

  “Bet Ronan’s whip around your throat will stop ya pretty quick,” Steve added, and gave Ronan an “I got your back, bro” nod.

  “So, you guys going to whip them out and see whose is bigger?” Kira rolled her eyes. “Or are you going to tell me how you knew Emilia.”

  Ronan grinned. He couldn’t help it. As much as he wanted to kick the bastard’s ass for looking her way, Kira could change his mood instantly, which was impressive.

  “I knew I’d like you.” Viktor glanced at Ronan with a sinister grin. “You better watch out, friend. Challenges may come your way for that one.”

  “If you’re ready to die, challenge accepted,” Ronan responded without thought.

  “Don’t worry, Kira.” Jill walked in during the dick-measuring back and forth. “You’ll get used to their alpha ways or just say cock. That word pretty much shuts them up and clears the room.”

  “That is getting so old.” Steve snorted with a shake of his head.

  “Cock, cock, cock,” Jill whispered in Steve’s face as she took Drew from him.

  Ronan grinned and glanced down at Kira, who was still staring at Viktor, her face emotionless.

  “Did you kill Emilia?”

  The room became silent as all attention focused on Viktor, who didn’t even flinch at the question. “Fair question, but no. I didn’t kill Emilia.” Viktor, who had been leaning against the pool table, straightened. “I would never kill the woman I loved.”

  Okay, out of everything she had learned in the last hour or so, that one statement floored her. This man had loved her cousin, who had to have been much older than him, way older. But Emilia was beautiful and magically, they—meaning witches—could keep their youthful appearance. And come to think of it, he was a vampire who looked young but was probably hundreds of years old. That was always tricky where vampires were concerned. She wondered how old Ronan was, then quickly pushed that thought away.

  “But she was old.” Mira wrinkled her nose.

  “She was beautiful,” Bishop added, then glanced toward Viktor. “And Viktor was much older than Emilia.”

  “She was in love with Orjyll.” Kira frowned. “Where did you come into the picture?”

  “Orjyll used a spell that turned her from Viktor,” Bishop answered, ignoring his brother’s glare. “Emilia was a very strong witch. He wanted to add her powers to his, and no one could deny Emilia’s spirit or beauty. After she left him to go to Orjyll, it was years before he realized what had really happened, and then it was too late.”

  “So wait, this dickhead put like a love spell on her, she left you for him, and you just said fuck it?” Steve frowned at Viktor with a sad shake of his head. “Dude, that’s fucked up. Why didn’t you stay and fight?”

  Viktor didn’t answer, but Kira could see the pain in the man’s eyes, which said more than words could. It was a regret he would carry with him for the rest of his life. She looked at Viktor in a slightly different light. “So why are you here?”

  “To find the only thing that can defeat Orjyll,” Viktor finally spoke, his voice deep and a little strained. “You. You are the key.”

  Kira actually snorted, then gazed at him as if he had lost his mind. “Me?” She shook her head when she realized he was deadly serious. “Believe me, if I thought that in any way I could beat Orjyll, I would have already done it.”

  “Oh, really.” Bishop broke into the conversation. “And when was the last time you saw the jackass?”

  Glancing at Mira, she frowned. In truth, she had never really seen Orjyll, not in person. How odd she never realized this before or at least never thought about it. He was always the boogeyman they ran from. Only his henchmen or witches were the ones coming after them, but never Orjyll.

  “That’s what I thought,” Bishop replied to her silence. “You are the key, and he knows that. No way would he come anywhere near you without his full powers. You are the last two surviving Grail women, so he knew it had to be one of you.”

  “And after what I witnessed when I came in the door tonight, we now know which one.” Viktor’s frown turned into a slow grin.

  “Do you know what in the fuck they are talking about?” Steve looked first to Kira, then to Mira. “And why is he smiling like that?”

  “She’s not going after Orjyll alone,” Ronan finally spoke, his tone making the words sound final.

  “No, not alone,” Viktor agreed with a nod. “But she is the only person in this room powerful enough to take him down, even with him at low power. He’s got someone helping him.”

  “His brother, but he’s dead,” Sloan, who had remained out of the conversation along with the other Warriors, added. “We took care of that little problem.”

  “He has someone much more powerful than Milton, who was the biggest pussy I’ve ever met,” Bishop added. “But good job on offing that piece of shit.”

  Kira was trying to follow what Viktor and Bishop were telling her, but there were holes in their story. Before she could try to fill them in, Wyrick walked into the room, shaking the rain out of his hair.

  “Sorry I’m late.” Wyrick glanced around, his eyes landing on her.

  “You know them.” Mira frowned with her hand on her hip. “Thanks for letting us know.”

  “Well, it took me a while to find them, and then trying to convince them to come was a whole different story. But once they found out that I knew where you both were, they must have run here.” Wyrick glanced at Kira. “And I know she’s a runner, so I didn’t think it was a good thing to say a word until they were here.”

  “She’s the key,” Viktor said again, and at Wyrick’s gasp, Kira lost it.

  “If you say that one more damn time without telling me what it means, I’m walking,” Kira announced as she took a step toward the door to give her threat more validation.

  “A spell weakens over time, and with Orjyll busy trying to take over the world, he didn’t realize that Emil
ia was figuring out what had happened as the spell began to ease. As livid as she was, she didn’t let on that she knew. Emilia formed a plan of revenge and slowly set into motion so Orjyll didn’t see it coming.” Viktor looked around at the group as he paused, then began again once his eyes landed back on Kira. “Emilia was powerful, not as powerful as Orjyll, but if she had been truly at his side, no one could have stopped them. Because of his cockiness and arrogance, he never realized what she had set in motion. Emilia slowly placed a binding spell on Orjyll that could not be undone.”

  “Unless every Grail woman from the Dragonfly Coven no longer walked the earth.” Bishop added what they already knew.

  “Okay, wait a minute.” Kira shook her head, holding up her hand. “None of this makes any sense. Emilia was in love with Orjyll. When he broke her heart, that’s when she did the binding spell as well as curse any man who loved a Grail woman.”

  “That is not the true story,” Bishop replied, shaking his head. “That’s simply what’s been passed down. We know the true story.”

  “Oh, wait. I get it,” Steve spoke up. “Have you ever played the game with a group of people—”

  “Oh, hell, here we go.” Sid sighed. “Dude, this is already taking way to long, and I have a sexy-ass mate waiting for me. Shut the fuck up and let’s get to the damn point that should have happened an hour ago.”

  “—and one person whispers a phrase to the next, and by the time it gets to the last person it’s totally different from what the first person said.” Steve ignored Sid totally.

  “Can’t say I ever played it, but yes, that’s exactly what’s happened,” Bishop agreed, nodding toward Viktor.

  “Emilia finally got away from Orjyll after evoking the binding spell and came in search of me.” Viktor stopped, his eyes turning hard. “I refused to hear her out. I didn’t believe her. She begged me to team with her and others to take down Orjyll. I refused and walked away.”

  Kira’s eyes rounded. This was definitely not what she expected. “But you have the amulet.”

  “She gave me the amulets telling me that they would protect us, but I was on my brother’s side. I tossed them in my bag with the note she wanted me to give Viktor,” Bishop replied, his eyes looking distant. “It wasn’t until weeks later that I read the note meant for Viktor. It explained everything, but most of all, her love for my brother.

  “Once I realized my mistake it was too late, the first Grail female was dead.”

  “Emilia,” both Kira and Mira whispered.

  “Yes, she went back to kill Orjyll herself, but unfortunately that was not what happened. He had already found others, his brother included, to protect him with their combined powers.” Viktor’s tone took a dark turn, his eyes narrowed. “They burned her slowly and filmed it. Orjyll always hated me because I held her heart. He knew it, but I didn’t. I was too headstrong and bullheaded to see the truth.”

  “And hurt,” Mira added, but snapped her mouth closed.

  “Yes, and that,” Viktor agreed without hesitation. “I received a message from Bishop, but when I opened it and saw Emilia staring into the camera, I knew exactly who sent me the death video… of the only woman I’ve ever loved. The woman I let down.”

  “Jesus, man,” Ronan said from behind her, but her brain was still working.

  Kira took a deep breath. “The note you received, do you still have it?”

  Viktor nodded, reached into his pocket and pulled it out. Kira watched as he stared at it, then lifted it out toward her. She walked forward and read the note. It was old and worn, notably reread thousands of times.

  Mira walked up and read it over her shoulder. Her heart beat frantically as she read the words from a cousin she had never met but who had changed the course of their lives forever. The words expressed the truth in what Bishop and Viktor were telling them. Anyone who read this note would feel the love Emilia had for Viktor, whose name was scribed at the top. She read it twice, her eyes rising to meet his after she was finished. Carefully folding the note back, she handed it to him. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Do you believe me now?” Viktor ignored her sentiment.

  Kira nodded, afraid to open her mouth; the sob caught in her throat was close to escaping.

  “But that still doesn’t explain how Kira is the key,” Mira asked exactly what Kira was thinking.

  “Because Emilia gifted her power to one of you,” Wyrick replied, then glanced at Viktor excitedly. “Kira?”

  “Yes.” Viktor gave her a sad smile. “You are the most powerful witch to walk, Kira Grail, and the most feared by Orjyll.”

  “And now all we have to do is find the son of a bitch to end it all.” Bishop clapped his hands.

  “So more or less, I’m your weapon.” Kira glanced from Wyrick to Bishop, from Viktor until her gaze settled on Ronan, who looked less than pleased at the news.

  “No.” Viktor’s voice broke her gaze from Ronan. “You are our future.”

  Chapter 11

  Ronan didn’t like what he was hearing. No way in hell was he just going to let Kira walk up to Orjyll and do battle. Not happening. If Viktor had a problem with that, then tough shit. As the talk turned to finding Orjyll, Ronan noticed Kira had zoned out and was not really paying attention. Pulling her away from everyone, he observed how pale she looked.

  “Kira?” Ronan frowned. “What’s wrong?”

  “What if I fail?” Kira looked up into his eyes, baring her soul to him. It both surprised him and humbled him.

  Seriously, what could he say to that when in fact he could not let her do this? It was too dangerous, but did he really have a choice? Was it his place to stand between her and the possibility of her being free once and for all?

  “You won’t,” Viktor answered for him as he had followed them toward the back of the room. “Have you noticed your magic being different, stronger?”

  “I don’t use my magic much, in fear of Orjyll finding us,” Kira replied, looking over Ronan’s shoulder. “But what happened when I saw the amulet tonight has never happened before. It was almost like I couldn’t control it.”

  Viktor nodded as if he understood, but the truth of his words rang clear when he said, “I don’t understand magic. I’m a vampire, but I witnessed Emilia do some amazing things. She was a wonderful woman with such a gift. She once brought a doe back to life.”

  “But that’s against—”

  “Witch’s code.” Viktor chuckled, his eyes shining at memories he seemed to be reliving at the very moment. “Emilia didn’t go much by the witch’s code when it was for the good of others, especially animals.”

  “You really loved her,” Kira replied, and Ronan also saw the truth in that statement.

  “Yes, I did.” Viktor’s head bowed slightly, then his eyes shot to hers. “Emilia would never have gifted her powers to you if she didn’t think you were strong enough, Kira.”

  There was something that wasn’t adding up to Ronan. “How did you know she gifted her powers?”

  Ronan watched his friend battle for a moment and wondered if his question would be answered. He couldn’t imagine what his friend had been through, but one thing was for sure, Orjyll needed to be taken out so he could no longer do his evil craft.

  “Emilia came to me in a dream. It was real, so real that I woke and wanted to die so I could rejoin her.” Viktor eyes glazed over before he continued. “The last thing she said to me was to find the last of the Grail Dragonfly Coven, because the key to ending Orjyll’s reign lay with the sister she gifted her magic to.”

  “She never said my name?” Kira frowned, and Ronan wondered the exact same thing.

  “No, she didn’t,” Viktor replied thoughtfully. “I wondered that also, but knowing Emilia, she was watching out for you just in case somehow or someway Orjyll was present during that time, the last time we had together.” Viktor became silent in thought, then turned toward his brother as if finished with the conversation. Or maybe it was just too painful to continue.

>   “Everybody, let’s get some rest,” Sloan announced, “and we’ll start fresh tomorrow.” He looked around at his Warriors. “This is positive news, but now we have to find Orjyll, which we will.”

  “Damn straight we will.” Sid was the first out the door, with everyone following.

  “Don’t think Sloan would think it was so positive if he learned Becky was a weapon against an evil warlock, huh,” Steve mumbled, then gave Ronan a brotherly slap on the shoulder. “We’ll figure this out, man. In light of all the craziness, you just want to hold off on whatever it was you wanted to do in the morning? I’m free unless Sloan has me doing some crazy shit, but tomorrow morning and afternoon I’m off.”

  Ronan was glaring at Sloan thinking the same thing Steve had voiced. In his eyes, the development wasn’t positive. In fact, it was a negative because it put Kira in more danger. “Yeah, but bring Drew and Mira also.”

  “Where are you going?” Kira came in at the end of the conversation.

  “I have something to take care of tomorrow and want you all to come with me,” Ronan answered, but in truth, he only had Steve in mind. With Viktor and Bishop here, he would feel much better having the three with him and Steve. Not that he didn’t trust Viktor, he just didn’t trust him a hundred percent yet.

  “If it gets me out of this building, then I’m in,” Kira replied, then yawned. “What time?”

  “Early,” Steve mumbled, taking Drew from Jill, who kissed Drew on the forehead, then walked into Slade’s arms and disappeared. “Seven sharp.”

  Both Kira and Mira moaned after glancing at the clock. “But that’s like two hours from now.”

  “Come on, I’ve got Drew. And what are you moaning for? You forgot you’re a vampire again, didn’t you?” Steve wrapped his arm around Mira as they laughed and disappeared, leaving Kira and Ronan alone.

  “I’ll walk back to your room with you.” Ronan took her hand, and when she smiled up at him, he knew for a fact no one would ever harm this woman. He may not have magic, but he sure as hell had battled worse in his life.