by Billi Jean
“No one is safely hidden.” Isobel took his hand and leading him to one of the couches. She sat and pulled him down next to her.
He was too restless to relax but sank down near her, then leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. “Are you saying he knows where Agatha is?”
“I don’t even know where Jaxon and Joey took her, but it is possible he does. If so, then no, she is not safe. It is her he needs to kill. He is somewhat limited by the body he possesses.”
“Not too limited,” Bryson grumbled. “Not if you couldn’t catch him, eh?”
Rowan inclined his head at that. “He still possesses great power.”
“Well then, we need a means to negate that power. You mentioned spells, Isobel. What if we were to use a spell to stop him, rather than wait for him to show up and kill again?” Bryson stood and paced to the book shelves. Something tantalized him, something that would aid them he believed, but what it was he couldn’t bring to the surface. “If we could somehow trap him in this body and take away his powers… Then couldn’t we remove him? I don’t know, exorcise him?”
“He’s not an evil spirit,” Rowan protested.
“That depends on your point of view,” Bryson muttered. He earned a stern look from Rowan, but the man also frowned thoughtfully.
“If we could remove Gideon from Warren…”
‘What do you think, my love?’ He watched Isobel’s eyes widen.
‘I think you are amazing.’ She sent him something that felt like a warm, intense ray of sunlight—but not harmful. “It would work. We only need a witch, or…two?”
“Six would be better. If not six, then three.” Rowan stood and ran his hands through his hair. “In my time, we had dealings with a few of the covens. Not many, mind you, for witches are unpredictable and can hold a grudge if wronged, but there were a few covens I worked with. I have no idea now.”
“Bryson does.” Isobel walked to him and encircled his waist with her arms, pleasing him beyond measure.
“I do. And they happen to owe me a few favors. But something else is troubling me, Isobel.”
She scanned his face and frowned at his thoughts. “The boy? Why does your mind turn to Faolan?”
“He is a part of this.” Bryson worried. “Somehow.”
“The boy who visited me, yes. He is a piece of this puzzle, but how I am not certain,” Rowan added.
‘Do you think Faolan is safe?’
‘Jamie watches him closely.’
‘He came to me, alone. He visited you, alone.’
“Jamie and Elsa are newly coupled, Isobel. I am sure if I warn them, they will keep the boy in.” ‘Newly bonded can be…busy.’
‘Ah, I see.’ Humor and a rush of arousal flooded their bond. ‘As we will be.’
‘Gods, yes, angel, as we will be. Once this is over, you are never stepping foot outside our bedroom again.’
‘That sounds…wonderful.’
‘I love you, Isobel.’
“If you two would stop, I could in fact be of some help, if I knew what you were speaking of,” Rowan said, sounding offended.
Isobel turned her face to his chest, laughing through their bond. Her blush heated him.
“If Faolan is in danger, Jamie needs to know,” Bryson responded, not about to inform Isobel’s mentor he’d been thinking dirty thoughts to his protégée.
“If he is in danger,” she muttered, again focusing on the issue of the boy.
“I think Bryson is correct in his worry. It is too much to believe that the boy shows up here, and only recently in your lifetime, Bryson. He was found, was he not? And while I agree he is part Lykae, it is not that part of him that is strongest, but other powers.”
“Vampire?” Bryson asked.
“Yes, there is that I sense—deep, but there. But something else is hidden, and that is what worries me.”
“You think he is possessed?” Worry clouded Isobel’s tone.
Bryson held his tongue. Isobel knew his thoughts and drew closer to him.
“No. He is not possessed,” Rowan said. “At least there is no part of him that does not belong.”
Isobel relaxed against him.
‘We will keep him safe, my heart. You must trust that.’
‘I know. I do. I trust you.’
He gathered her closer and rubbed his jaw to her hair. “I know you trust me, but believe me, nothing will happen to the little rascal.”
“It might be wise to speak to his family,” Rowan said quietly.
“And say what? We fear he is somehow involved with an ancient, insane Vampire?” Bryson laughed at Rowan’s offended snort. “He is no longer your brother, old man, best you remember that.”
“He is and always will be my brother. But it shames me to admit it. I will do my part to see him pay for his crimes.” Rowan stood taller. “But the more I think on it, the more I wish to meet this boy’s family. I assume they did not birth him?”
“Elsa and Jamie. They found him. He was being held by something evil. Jamie is a bitten Lykae. Elsa was born a Lykae but raised by humans. She was bitten by Samuel, nearly ten years ago now.”
Rowan paused in the midst of adjusting his sword belt. “Samuel?”
“Yes, Samuel. You knew him?” Bryson asked.
“Yes.” Rowan made a distasteful expression.
“We killed him just two months ago.” Bryson rubbed his chin, still feeling that sensation that he was missing something.
“He was evil, Rowan. The things he had done were…horrifying. They reminded me of the past. I sensed this Vampire, Warren, there, in the midst of it all.”
Rowan sat on the edge of the desk and crossed his arms. “Yes. I see. More is becoming clear.”
Bryson opened his mouth to ask what, but Isobel stopped him with a hand on his arm.
‘It is his way. His mind is brilliant, Bryson.’
‘As is yours, but his ways are…’
‘Sweet.’
He curled his arm around her shoulders and nodded.
“Yes, more is unfolding, eh? Samuel was always with Gideon, there at the end, and after he would have found and aided my brother. Gideon can be charismatic when he tries. Worse, he knows when to try.” Rowan paused again and seemed to grow more despondent than earlier. A heavy weariness colored the man’s tone. It must have been horrible for him to have a brother like Gideon. Bryson knew what it felt like to know that someone you loved—even potentially could love—was evil. He’d once thought that Isobel had been such. But Rowan knew his brother was evil.
“There is a reason my brother is as evil as he is, or not a reason.” Rowan flicked his wrist. “But there is a history to his madness. Not that it discounts or relieves him of his guilt.” After a long pause, Rowan sighed heavily. “He was once bonded, you see, and his bonded took her life. Afterwards, well, afterwards, Gideon was not the same. Or else he was more open with his madness that until then, he had hidden.”
Bryson froze from stroking Isobel’s long hair. “Is that even possible? Suicide?”
“Yes. If a Vampire is determined enough.” Rowan studied the intricately designed floor with a heavy frown. “She threw herself from Gideon’s tallest tower to the rocky shore. The ocean dragged her body out to sea before Gideon knew she’d gone.”
Bryson stared from the eccentric ancient to Isobel. She was as shocked as he felt. To be bonded should have removed even the option of suicide—unless one of the pair died first. Then suicide was common, but never when a couple both lived.”
“She killed herself? After he bonded her?” Isobel asked.
Rowan turned and regarded them both solemnly. “On their bonding night.”
“Jesus,” Bryson muttered.
“I doubt Christ had much to do with it. My brother has always been a selfish man. Always seeking pleasure and gain above all else. With his bonded, he gained much. She was beautiful and came with wealth and prestige. All qualities my brother held dear,” he added on a sigh. “But like too many of our f
emales, she was sheltered and innocent of the ways of the world. Not that she threw herself upon the rocky shore because he didn’t help her from her chair after their meal.” He grimaced and glanced at both of them. “What she must have endured to do such a thing…” He bowed his head, arms crossed as he added, “I was aware, even then, how sick Gideon had become. I believed she would bring him back from that.”
Silence descended on them. Bryson took Isobel’s hand and stroked his thumb over her knuckles. Sorrow filled her for Rowan. Through their bond he could see that to her, a child without parents, this man had been her comfort outside of her brother. Rowan had given her the nurturing she’d been denied. Bryson owed the man more than he could ever repay. But he couldn’t see a way to allowing Gideon to live. They would have to kill him and do it right this time. The thought of all those that had suffered from his sickness made Bryson’s stomach churn. Just how many has the man killed?
“Rowan.” Bryson tensed, suddenly seeing more to what was laid out before them. Samuel was ancient enough to have aided Gideon. Does that mean that Gideon was the ‘one’ behind the killings in France and Seattle? “Does forever mean anything to you?”
Rowan looked up at him quizzically. “Forever?”
“A pendant, with just that word, sometimes in French, but just that one word scrolled on a golden locket.”
Rowan nodded. “Forever. Yes, Gideon used to say it as a joke. Nothing was forever, yes? You’ve heard this surely.”
“I have.”
“Why do you ask? I have no knowledge of a pendent with forever written on it.”
“What are you thinking, Bryson?” Isobel asked then frowned at him, seeking the answers through their links. She started and stood. “But… But that would mean Faolan is involved. Elsa, as well.”
“Slow down, Isobel,” Bryson cautioned. “We killed Samuel, and the one we thought was his master. They’d been kidnapping and torturing men and women, children too, then killing them, for centuries. Elsa was taken. Faolan was found when she was freed by Jamie. Witches were involved,” he added. “But we thought we had killed the master…”
“And now you think Gideon is this master?” Rowan asked.
“I am leaning toward it, yes.” Bryson paced the room, away from Rowan and his skepticism. “Is it possible? Do you believe he’s been taking over bodies before this? Before Warren?”
“Of course. Samuel would have aided him as soon as he could.”
“There was this link, something I overlooked because the master wasn’t immortal, merely a sick, perverted creature.”
“What did you overlook?” Isobel asked, caressing his arm.
“The tattoo on Samuel’s wrist. The Fleur. It was odd, even Jamie noted it. I had thought, well…” Bryson ran a hand through his hair nervously. “There was a man… Gilles de Rais.” Bryson laughed. “Insane, but I think Gideon… I think Gideon possessed the man.”
“A mortal?” Rowan asked, frowning, not laughing at him.
“Yes, he was human. A hero even, until he turned rabid. He was accused of killing hundreds of children—not merely killing, but maiming and…abusing them. The same signature we found in Seattle and in the witch’s basement in France. I thought it an odd repeat of history, but now… If Gideon has been possessing one body after another all this time…”
“He will be more powerful than we imagined. And it explains how he has evaded detection. If he took to mortals then he would have changed his body multiple times. Perhaps Warren, this young Vampire, was him realizing the end was drawing near.” Rowan studied first him then Isobel, who’d remained quiet.
“If this is true, if he has moved his soul from body to body, he will be well-used to the experience and harder for us to trap,” Isobel warned.
Bryson agreed. So did Rowan, if his deeper frown meant anything. “We will need a coven, or several, to aid us.”
“If Gideon wanted someone, did he ever give up on getting them?” Isobel asked.
“No, child, you know he did not. Tessa was an example of that,” he added. “He will finish Agatha if he can, then he will go after Elsa, perhaps not now, but he will as soon as he has his body back.”
“Then we need to stop him. I will contact Jamie.” He held up his hand at Rowan’s protest. “Jamie is a protective Lykae. It’s best I tell him. He will want to ward Elsa and Faolan. Worse, if Gideon is this master, he is familiar with covens, as well. Even now, he could be working with one, trying to hide until he can kill Agatha.”
“True, we should contact whomever you can trust, Bryson,” Isobel said.
“I agree,” Rowan said firmly, his doubts vanished. “We must be prepared. Gideon, free, in his own body, with the power he has gained through the ages. We cannot let this happen.”
He gripped the older Vampire’s arm and felt the strength there. “He is not your flesh and blood any longer, Rowan. That man has long since passed.” Rowan met his eyes squarely and nodded once. It was enough for now. He would ensure Rowan recovered from this. Isobel, and he hoped Faolan, would see to it that the man was not alone to brood over such matters.
‘I love you so much, Bryson.’
Isobel’s words caught him by surprise, as did the rush of painful emotions she sent to him, but he accepted both and caught her hand in his. “I love you too, Isobel. We will find him, and we will end this. First, I will need to call Circerran. She is probably going to put up a fight, especially since she was the one that laid the spells you broke at the council. When you killed Gia?”
Isobel nodded. “I recall. Spells cannot bind us nor keep us from entering.”
“She knows this now. We don’t reveal our powers, my heart. She will be…touchy.”
“Ah.” Isobel lifted an eyebrow. “I will remain calm, then.”
“It is probably best.” He could recall Isobel losing her temper quite easily. Circerran and Isobel both doing it… Throw Elsa in and he wanted to miss the meeting. “We should all remain calm.”
Rowan drew himself up. “I always remain calm. I shall ensure the house is adequately warmed for our guests.” He walked away, back straight, clearly offended.
Bryson was too busy to worry over it.
“I feel we are still missing something. Gideon would not chance his plans falling to ruins because we have discovered him.” Isobel tucked her long hair behind her ears, appearing much too young.
“If there is something we will catch it, Isobel. Or our friends will.” He took her hands again and smoothed his thumb over her small knuckles.
“Your friends.”
“Soon, I think they will be yours.” ‘Just give them time.’
‘We may not have time.’
He worried the same but made the call. Circerran picked up on the fourth ring.
“By four you’re supposed to give up. Three is the max, four is ridiculous.”
“I need your help to remove a soul from a Vampire who is possessed.”
Silence. Then she cleared her throat. “I take it that you’re not the one possessed?”
“No. Warren. By an ancient soul. Can you remove an ancient?”
He thought he heard Jack in the background, but Circerran started speaking. “It depends. How long has he taken up residency? And this is way bigger than what you did for me.”
“Lives and souls depend on it. Can you come to us, where I am now?”
“If I open my link, but I’m not sure I’m signing up for this. Rumors are running wild, via the Jaxon-Joey show, that you are hooking up with the drop dead gorgeous and deadly Isobel. Do I need to remind you that she broke my spell? And if she can, what’s to stop this ancient possessing Warren? And on that note, you know, I never liked Warren anyway.”
Isobel raised both of her eyebrows and slowly smiled. ‘Drop dead gorgeous and deadly Isobel?’
‘You are drop dead gorgeous.’
‘And deadly.’
“You owe me a debt, Circerran. I believe this would even our ledger.”
“Oh boy, w
ould it ever. So, you are hooked up with—”
“Circerran, need I remind you that you were once hysterical and crying for me to come and save your bonded? That I not only did this but aided him in—”
“Got it, got it. So, we need a few minutes and I’ll have to call… Oh, hell, I guess Aubrey and…Sorcha. Thrilling. My sister will not like this, and if she doesn’t, then you know Alex won’t.”
“Alex is not coming within a mile of my bonded,” he said icily.
“Oh my, then we have a problem. I need three, but hold on before you go Darth Vader on me again. I have someone. We’ll be with you in a few hours. Possibly sooner, so hold your angst, okay?”
“I’m holding my breath.”
“Good. Although you don’t have to breathe, so that doesn’t really—”
“Circerran—”
“Got it. Look, glad you found someone, not so sure on the someone, but anyway, wanted to say that. Opening link, don’t pry and got you. Seamless and you are… Hell, what is it with Vampires and icy freaking cold locations? I’ll be there when I get there.” She hung up before he could respond.
“She’s on her way.”
“Is she?” Isobel asked in a surprised tone. “That didn’t sound as if she was willing.”
“She’s like that, and more, but she’s a…friend.”
‘Truly?’ Isobel sent him a laugh through their bond at his thoughts. The closeness warmed him. ‘You sound doubtful.’
He brushed his cheek to her sweet smelling hair. ‘Not doubtful, yet sometimes we take for granted those we know. She is a friend.’
‘You have helped her and many others, Bryson. You are a good man.’
‘I am a man, neither good nor bad, simply a man.’
‘You are insane, but I still love you.’
Chapter Twenty-Six
Isobel was impressed with the three witches. She had only met a few witches in her time, before being entombed. Tessa had been alone, her mother and father both dead from a sickness. The Dragon Guard had been a secluded order, set away from almost everyone. From her interactions with Tessa, though, she had assumed witches were soft spoken and avoided notice.
Circerran was a vibrant, scarlet-haired woman who was at once a powerful presence. Her mate, a tall, odd man with a duality to him that worried Isobel, stood solidly by Circerran’s side, dwarfing her in size but not power. Aubrey was a silent, courteous dark-haired witch and mild compared to Circerran, but her power was also deep, like an ancient loch. The fourth member was neither as silent as Aubrey, nor as outspoken as Circerran. Emerald intrigued Isobel. She’d arrived with Circerran but was clearly not one of Circerran’s coven. It wasn’t the way they spoke, but rather how the lighter red-haired girl held herself away, quiet until spoken to. She reminded Isobel of Tessa, but a Tessa who’d been hurt by all the world had shown her. Jorge had once told her that Tessa had seen much hardship and survived. That she was stronger than she appeared. Isobel sensed the same from Emerald.