Ronan took a step toward her, but she didn’t back away. Meeting him toe to toe, she stuck out her chin. Her insolence maddened him, yet he couldn’t help admiring her. She was strong, but nowhere near as strong as the vampires standing here. None of them would dare to stand up to him in such a way.
“You are going back to your brother,” he stated.
“No. I. Am. Not,” she enunciated clearly.
She didn’t think he’d ever been denied before if the look on his face was any indication, and she’d done it twice in less than three minutes. She could almost feel the breeze of the flyswatter over her head, but she wouldn’t back down from this.
“You are going to do what I tell you to do,” he said as if this would resolve the issue.
“The hell I am! You have no say over me or my life. And yes, this is my life; I finally get to have one! I don’t expect you to understand, but I am not going back there. I won’t give up this opportunity. I know it’s selfish, I know it’s insensitive to my people, but I must do this for me. This may be the only chance I ever have to be free, and if I waste it, I will hate myself for the rest of my life.
“The hunters will not come for you; they will come for me. There will still be a lot of them looking for Joseph, but once he’s dead, things will calm down again. I will not let you take this chance from me!”
Chapter Nineteen
Ronan couldn’t deny the sway of her impassioned words. What awaited her at the stronghold wasn’t the life he wanted for her. He would prefer to keep her with him, but that would be impossible. If any of his enemies learned of her, they would go after her to take him down.
And then he also had to worry about himself around her. If he turned Savage, Kadence’s life may be the first one he took.
No, he hated what awaited her at the stronghold, but she was safest there. She’d be a broodmare, but she’d be alive and protected. Best of all, he wouldn’t be able to find her again and she would be safe from him.
“You have to go back to your family,” he told her, his voice softening at the desperation in her eyes.
“No, I don’t.”
“What do you plan to do?” he demanded. “You have no money, no ID, and no job prospects. You have nothing.”
She pointed a finger at him as she yelled at him. “You are wrong. I will have my freedom!”
Lowering his head into his hand, he rubbed the bridge of his nose as he tried to decide what to do with her. He couldn’t leave her here as she’d asked; she’d never survive on her own. But then, maybe she’d smarten up and return to her family if he did drive away. That was if she didn’t get herself killed or raped first. At least if she’d returned to her brother he would have known she was safe. He couldn’t leave her here without knowing what had become of her.
Lifting his head, he met her steely gaze. “I can’t leave you here.”
She grabbed his arms, squeezing them as her fingers dug into him. “You owe me nothing, Ronan. Let me do this!”
“I will not leave you here! You’ll never survive in this world. You are too much of an innocent. Some of the human race is as bad as the worst of my kind. The humans may not be as strong or fast as you, but they can still destroy you.”
Kadence contained her rising temper over his condescending words. Shouting at him now wouldn’t help her situation at all. Only reason would break through his stubborn façade. He was right, she was over her head in many ways, but she’d made it out of the stronghold, she would figure this out too. She’d have to take it one day at a time, but she needed that first day in order to start living her own life.
“I am very strong, capable, and intelligent. I can survive,” she replied.
“This world will destroy you.”
“No—”
“Enough! You are not staying here and that is final!”
Kadence gaped at him in disbelief. “But—”
He started dragging her forward again, completely ignoring the protests she sputtered. Killean’s golden eyes narrowed to slits as she was pulled past him. Declan held the back door open, a nonchalant look plastered on his handsome face. He barely glanced at her as Ronan pushed her into the SUV, climbed in beside her, and slammed the door.
Kadence was about to scramble out the other side when that door opened and Saxon slid in. He looked completely baffled as he stared at her.
“Where to?” Killean inquired gruffly when he settled into the driver’s seat.
“Head back to the mansion; we’ll figure something out there,” Ronan commanded.
“Leave me here,” Kadence said. “I’m not your responsibility.”
Ronan glowered at her. “Never going to happen.”
She fell back against the seat and hunched her shoulders to avoid touching him and Saxon as she silently fumed over his refusal to set her free. After ten minutes of driving, Ronan slid a blindfold over her eyes. She stiffened at his touch and fought the impulse to slap his hand away. A few minutes later, they came to a stop. Ronan pulled the blindfold off her and climbed out of the vehicle. He held the door for her, but didn’t look at her.
Kadence glared at him as she stepped out of the SUV. Finally, she tore her attention away to focus on the building looming over her. She’d been blindfolded when she’d been led outside earlier so she hadn’t seen it, and she wished she hadn’t seen it now.
The place was a monstrosity. No one ever would have guessed the spartan beauty of the inside by the ugliness of the outside. The mansion towered into the night sky, its peaks and turrets looking like something straight out of a gothic novel. The huge gargoyles on the peaks and outside the doorways didn’t help that image at all. Bars covered all the arched windows, the front door was painted black, and the entire place had been built using a dreary, gray stone. Long wings fanned out behind the building and to the sides of the main structure.
It was the largest building she’d ever seen, and the ugliest.
“Doesn’t meet your fine standards?” Ronan murmured in her ear.
“Really trying to uphold that Dracula image, aren’t you?” she retorted.
A spark of humor crossed his face before he buried it. “Get inside.”
Kadence snorted, but did as he said, mainly because the place unnerved her. She was almost to the front door when it opened. Her hand flew to her heart as she jumped back into Ronan’s massive chest.
Killean’s low laugh came from behind her. “You should be scared.”
She shot him a dirty look, straightened her shoulders, and strode forward. A tall man stood inside the foyer, his hand resting on the doorknob. Gray speckled his brown hair at his temples, and a pair of round spectacles were perched crookedly on the tip of his large nose. He offered her a small smile before sweeping low in a grand bow.
“Good evening, madam. May I take your coat?”
Kadence almost tripped over her own feet when she came to an abrupt halt. They had a butler? Yes, apparently they did, and he was staring at her expectantly. “Um, yeah.” She slid it off and handed it over to him.
“We’ll be in the poolroom, Baldric, if you could please bring some food for the human,” Ronan instructed.
His icy tone caused a shiver to run down her spine. She’d never heard him sound so distant and reserved. He’d been kind to her before, but she might have pushed him to a breaking point with her actions tonight. Well too bad, because she wasn’t exactly jumping for joy right now either.
“Of course, sir,” Baldric replied.
Ronan clasped her arm, leading her across the foyer and down the hall. She allowed him to pull her along, mainly because she didn’t know what else to do. She was trapped here, with them. Maybe she should have gone home after all.
The second the idea crossed her mind, she buried it. They couldn’t keep her here forever, and she couldn’t think of any way they could find her brother without risking a fight. Hopefully, they couldn’t think of one either.
Ronan paused outside a set of wooden doors and slid them open
to reveal the sumptuous room beyond. Red velvet couches were set on either side of a beautiful red and gold oriental rug. She’d never seen anything like these couches with their etched wood backs and arms. The dainty legs barely looked strong enough to support her weight, never mind the weight of any of the vampires spreading out to stand in the room.
Two large pool tables with their smooth green surfaces were set in the middle of the room. One had balls scattered across the top of it. The numerous arching windows in the room were covered with sheer, crimson curtains and each had a red window seat. A bar lined the entire back wall; the large mirror behind it reflected light onto a multitude of liquor bottles. Like all the other rooms, the walls in here were bare. Nothing in this room fit any of these men except for maybe the pool tables and the bar, if vampires drank liquor.
“Sit.”
Kadence frowned at Ronan’s rude tone, but moved toward one of the couches. She’d read about settees in a few books and imagined this is what the author must have been describing as she carefully perched on the edge of one. Settling her dress, she folded her hands demurely in her lap. She plastered the look of serenity, the one that had managed to get her through so many boring days in the stronghold, on her face.
Ronan strode past her, and moments later she heard the clatter of a glass behind the bar and liquid being poured into it. Guess that answers my question about vampires and liquor, she thought.
Killean and Saxon followed Ronan, but Declan walked over to one of the windows and leaned against the wall beside it. Baldric wheeled in a cart loaded with all sorts of food. Kadence’s stomach grumbled and saliva filled her mouth. She hadn’t realized how famished she was until then. Baldric swept out of the room, closing the doors behind him. Kadence licked her lips, itching to get her hands on some of the food.
“Eat,” Ronan said from where he stood by the bar.
Her pride wanted her to refuse to eat anything from him, but her common sense told her she was an idiot if she starved herself to be spiteful.
Climbing to her feet, she made her way to the cart. She loaded a plate with cheeses, crackers, sliced meats, fruits, and vegetables. She munched on the food as she made her way back to her seat.
Kadence was finishing the last bite when Ronan started in. “You can’t stay here. It is too risky.”
Putting her plate down on the table beside her, she wiped her hands on her napkin while she bided for time to regain her mask of composure. “I never asked to stay here. If you do recall, I was quite satisfied with staying on the side of the road. Plus, I’m sure you have enough security around here to keep anyone from getting in or me from escaping.” Though, if she figured out the stronghold, she’d figure out this place too.
Ronan cursed loudly, and liquid sloshed out of his glass when he set it on the bar. Kadence remained stoic as she turned to face him. “That is not what I meant!” he snapped.
“Then what exactly did you mean?”
His jaw locked, but he didn’t answer her. A new, disturbing possibility occurred to her. Did he mean he was the threat to her?
Before she could question him, Declan stepped forward. “I’m sure she’ll be perfectly safe here until we can figure something out.”
“You can’t be serious!” Killean retorted. “For all we know she could be spying on us, just waiting to give the hunters information about us.”
“Oh come on, Killean, even you know that is ridiculous,” Saxon drawled.
“She doesn’t belong here and we all know it,” Killean spat.
“We can’t put her out on the street,” Declan said.
“No we can’t, and until she comes to her senses, she will stay here,” Ronan said and shook his head as if he were annoyed with a child.
Kadence’s mask of serenity slipped. “I have come to my senses! You have no right or reason to interfere in my life!”
“She’s right,” Killean said. “Put her out on the street, let her get killed. It’s no loss to us. Besides, she’ll probably call her brother and beg him to come get her within in an hour of being on her own.”
“Fuck you!” Kadence shouted as she leapt to her feet.
She threw a hand over her mouth when she realized what she’d said, but his disdain had infuriated her into reacting before she could stop herself. She’d rarely heard swears from her father and brother. Occasionally, she’d said a few in private, testing out how they would feel on her tongue, but she’d never said one in front of others before. It was not appropriate for the women in the stronghold to curse, and she’d never heard another female utter one.
She had to admit it felt… good. Especially considering it was Killean she’d said it to. She wouldn’t mind staking the guy.
Killean snorted. “I’d bet that’s the first time you’ve ever said that going by your reaction. I was wrong, you’ll be crying and calling your brother in five minutes.”
She opened her mouth to tell him where to go with that, but Ronan spoke first. “I won’t have her death on my conscience. She’ll stay.”
Her eyes swung to him, and for the first time in her life, she wanted to claw the eyes out of someone. “I can take care of myself!”
“It will be okay.” Declan touched her arm as he offered her some reassurance.
She’d been so focused on the two complete asses in the room that she hadn’t realized he’d approached her. She smiled hesitatingly at him, grateful for his reassurance. He was the only one who didn’t seem to hate her for what she’d done.
A low growl emanated through the room. Before she could comprehend where the sound had come from, Ronan stalked toward them. Declan’s hand slipped away and he stepped hastily away from her.
Ronan inserted himself between them, his hand encircling her upper arm as he moved her away from his friend. She frowned at him as she tried to figure out where his strange aggression toward Declan had come from. Declan edged further away, his eyes twinkling with an amusement Kadence didn’t understand.
“I’ll have Marta and Baldric set up one of the rooms for her,” Ronan said.
Despite her continued annoyance with Ronan for denying her freedom, a twinge of disappointment went through her. She should be grateful they were going to be in separate rooms while she remained here. Grateful he was giving her at least some distance.
She didn’t feel at all grateful though. She’d never admit it to him, but she’d enjoyed sleeping beside him.
She tugged on her arm to get him to release her. She had to put some distance between them if she was going to break free of this odd pull he had over her. He let her go.
“The three of you get ready to go out for the night,” he said to the others. “We’ll go hunting as soon as our guest is situated.”
Kadence scoffed. “Let’s not pretend I’m anything other than a prisoner here.”
He shot her a dark look, which she returned. “That was the choice you made when you pulled your little stunt earlier.”
Chapter Twenty
Ronan led Kadence to the room Baldric and his wife, Marta, had readied for her. He cursed inwardly when he realized they’d prepared the room next to his. The covers on the bed were already pulled back for her. Marta had managed to find more women’s clothes close to her size. They hung neatly in the wardrobe, the doors left open so Kadence would know they were there.
“I’m sure there are fresh towels and shampoo in the bathroom,” he said to her.
Kadence walked around the room before stopping to examine the clothes inside the wardrobe. “Whose are these?”
Ronan shrugged. “I don’t know. I suppose various women may have left them here.”
“You have that many women coming through here that you can’t remember their names or what they wore?” she demanded, unprepared for the flare of anger that realization brought with it. He was a vampire, he was old, he’d probably had countless women in his lifetime, but she did not want to be wearing their clothes!
Ronan leaned against the doorway as he surveyed her.
He thought he’d detected a hint of jealousy in her tone, but her face remained blank. “I have had no women come through here, none of us have yet.”
“Then where did the clothes come from?”
“Left behind by the previous owners.”
“Why would they leave their clothes behind?”
“Because they left in a rush,” he replied.
Kadence gazed at him and then the clothes in confusion. Some of the dresses and shirts were really pretty. It wasn’t her style, she’d always worn simpler clothing, usually a plain skirt with a blouse, but sometimes she’d worn pants or a cotton dress. White, gray, or black were their options in the stronghold.
She had to admit, she was looking forward to trying on some of these more colorful clothes. Her fingers itched to pull the orange skirt and bright pink tank top out. It didn’t matter they didn’t match; they were so colorful!
“Why did they leave in such a hurry? What happened to them?”
Ronan really didn’t want to give her any answers, not after what she’d pulled earlier, but he found himself reluctant to leave her here.
He wasn’t going to tell her that they traveled so often they had numerous bases of location, none of them as ostentatious or ugly as this one. Most were simple homes, some condos, a few cottages, and a couple of chateaus and wineries that were more investment properties. He’d spent so little time in any of those places that he could barely recall any of them.
The only problem was that Joseph knew about most of those places. It had been many years since they’d had a central base of location, but they spent most of their time on the East Coast as that was where the training facility was located. The training facility had never been the Defender’s main home, but they had wanted to be near it to help train the recruits if they had the time, which they rarely did. With Joseph turning and staying near the area, this place had become their first central base of operations in nearly a century.
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