by Donna Grant
Nicole watched him walk out of the cave and down the mountain. She glanced at the overcast sky, unable to determine what time of day it was, but by the hunger in her belly, she knew they had missed lunch.
But there was no time to worry over food, not when Val's life hung in the balance. She rushed back to him and scooted under the covers with him. To better help him, she had to get as close to him as she could, but with his wounds it was near impossible.
She lifted her face to his and said, “I'm sorry if I hurt you, but I must get you warm.” Then she pressed herself to his side and gently laid her hand across his stomach.
As she lay next to Val, all she could think about was his passionate kisses and how she had watched him nearly be killed by the Gryphon.
He and Gabriel had boasted as to how they had killed the other creatures, but now she knew the Gryphon was different, much different, than the others. Now she realized just how tenuously her life hung in the balance.
This great evil Val kept speaking of wanted her dead. She couldn't understand why the evil that had saved her and brought her to the village now wanted to end her life. It just didn't make sense.
She jerked when she heard Val murmur and carefully lifted her head to look at his face. His forehead was creased and his mouth pinched, but she couldn't make out his words. She began to worry that if he thrashed around he would reopen his wounds.
"Shhh, Val,” she said softly. “Sleep and heal."
Over and over she repeated her words until the lines on his forehead smoothed away. She closed her eyes and laid her head next to his. Dimly, she heard Gabriel enter the cave and begin stacking wood. She knew she needed to rise and fix them something to eat, but she wanted to rest her eyes for just a moment.
* * * *
"What happened?” Hugh asked after Aimery had left the chamber.
Cole took Shannon's hand as she came to stand beside him and shook his head. “Nothing. We began to shift through time, and I was beginning to see what looked like a cave when all of a sudden we were jerked back here."
"Strange,” Roderick said.
Hugh grunted. “This doesn't bode well for Gabriel and Val."
Cole had never felt so frustrated. “There isn't anything we can do but wait and hope."
"And pray,” Shannon said.
He looked at his mate and smiled. “And pray,” he added.
"There must be something we can do,” Mina said as Hugh pulled her into his lap.
Roderick ran a hand down his face and sighed as Elle wrapped her arms around him from behind. “There's nothing, Mina. They may be on the same continent, but they are three hundred years in the future."
"I understand that,” she said patiently. “However, the Fae magic is supposed to be the strongest magic there is. How is it that one evil is thwarting their magic?"
"Good question, my love,” Hugh said. “But there is no answer. By Aimery's face he is as stumped as we are. My fear isn't losing Val. Gabriel is there and he will make sure Val recovers."
"It's Gabriel,” Roderick said. “A man without memories of his past can be a tricky thing."
"Aye,” Hugh said.
"But Gabriel isn't evil,” Shannon said from beside Cole. “He's a good man who has fought along side each of you for years."
"We know,” Hugh replied. “Which is what makes this all the harder. Once Gabriel discovers whatever it is his mind has shut off, it could change the outcome of the future. No one, not even the Fae, know what Gabriel has locked in the deep recess of his mind."
"We're so close to ending it all,” Mina said.
Roderick sighed. “And Gabriel and Val have to do it alone. No one can help them."
"God help us,” Elle whispered.
* * * *
Gabriel fed more limbs into the fire before he turned back to Laird. He was more worried about the wolfhound than he was of discovering he was immortal.
The wolfhound hadn't moved since Gabriel had brought him into the cave and began to tend to the wounds, and he feared Laird wouldn't heal. Gabriel removed the bandages and looked at the wounds which had begun to heal nicely.
He ran his hand across Laird's fur to his head. He had known as soon as he had seen the wolfhound that he needed to walk the other way, but there had been something about the dog that had called to him. In a few short days, the wolfhound had come to mean more to him than he had allowed himself to feel in a very long time.
Laird was his, his responsibility, and he had let him down. He had never questioned his healing abilities, but now he cursed them for not knowing how to heal Laird.
The wolfhound's breathing was even and deep, as if he slept, and his wounds didn't fester with dark magic, so Gabriel was at a loss as to what to do.
He glanced over his shoulder at Nicole and Val. They slept peacefully, but Gabriel could see Val shudder every now and again. As quietly as possible, Gabriel set about making another paste for Val's wounds, this one to rid his body of any infection.
When he was finished, he stepped around the fire and knelt beside Nicole. He gently laid his hand on her shoulder and saw her eyes flutter open and then turn to him.
"For Val's fever,” he whispered and held out the bowl.
Nicole yawned then scooted out of the blanket and took the bowl. “Thank you."
"Spread it as you did the first paste then rewrap the bandages. By morning, he should be well."
Her violet eyes gazed at him a moment, then she softly lay a hand atop his. “I will take good care of Val. Stay with Laird."
He knew she wanted to say more, but she held back and sent him a reassuring smile. Gabriel gave her a quick nod before he went back to Laird. He leaned back against the cave wall and watched as Nicole pulled back the blankets and removed the bandages. Then she tenderly wiped the dried blood and the previous paste off with a damp cloth before she applied the new paste.
Gabriel had seen many people care for the sick or wounded, and something he had taken note of was that when someone cared deeply for another, their touch was the softest, gentlest of anyone's.
And it was the same with Nicole. She had known them but a few days, but even a blind man would have seen the passion between Val and Nicole, a passion that Val was fighting hard against.
Gabriel nearly snorted. All the Shields had hid something of their past, knowingly or not, and whatever Val's had hidden was what had prompted him to join the Shields. Gabriel just hoped it wouldn't blind him to what stood willing in front of him. Nicole was not only beautiful and kind, but had a good spirit despite the fact she had been surrounded by evil since the day she arrived on Earth. Not many could have withstood such evil.
He blinked and strained to hear the melody that she hummed as she worked the paste into Val's wounds. Gabriel watched as Val turned his face toward her voice as if he sought her out even as he slept.
Then and there he decided to help Nicole seduce Val. It wouldn't be difficult since Val was already attracted to her. It would just take a little convincing to nudge Val into accepting the fact that there was something between him and Nicole.
Gabriel sighed wearily and glanced at Laird. He hated the fact that he wished he had someone as the rest of the Shields did.
But then he remembered his newly found immortality. What else lay hidden in his mind? Was it something that could destroy him or the Shields? Or could it be something less wicked, something inane that had nothing to do with the great evil?
Yet, no matter how hard Gabriel tried to discern his past, all he found was nothing—just as it had been for the past several years. He prayed that whatever his past held, it wouldn't hinder the Shields in destroying the great evil.
Because if it did ... he would never forgive himself.
* * * *
"What?” bellowed the voice as it echoed around him until his ears rang with it.
He had the strongest desire to shred the voice's soul with his beak until nothing was left, but he knew no matter how powerful he was, the great evil
was more powerful.
"Aimery bespelled the cave. No evil can enter it,” he said for the second time.
"Impossible,” the great evil murmured, his shadowy form only seen as he flitted between candelabras.
He watched as the great evil tried to mold his soul into a form. But no matter how many times he tried, he couldn't manage it.
"He must have tried to leave with the woman,” he said.
A loud hissing noise surrounded him, and he knew the great evil was consumed with rage.
"Aimery is too smart for his own good, but he'll never figure a way to stop you,” the great evil said. “By now he's already tried to shift another Shield into this time. And failed."
"Then it's just a matter of time before I kill them."
Suddenly he was pushed back and pinned to the wall. “Tell me again why you didn't kill the Shields when you had the chance?” the great evil whispered into his ear. “Both Val and Gabriel were there for the taking."
He knew better than to fight the great evil, but being held bound as he was tested the limits of his patience. He fisted his talons as he fought the urge to push the great evil off him. “I knew wounding both of them would make the woman vulnerable."
"Did you also know that Gabriel is immortal?"
He jerked and wished he could look into the great evil's eyes as he used to. “How is it that I didn't know that?"
"You didn't need to know it until now. As I told you at the start of your mission, kill the woman and kill Val, but do not touch Gabriel."
At one time he was the great evil's right hand, meting out punishments and delivering death kills. Now the great evil kept things from him, but that was all right. There was something he had kept from the great evil since he had been made.
"Why do you want Gabriel?"
"You just worry that you don't kill him,” the great evil threatened. “Finish Nicole. I want my body back. I'm tired of existing as I am,” he said and released him.
He rolled his shoulders and tucked his wings against himself. “I haven't let you down yet.” He turned to leave when the great evil's voice stopped him.
"You won't let me down now either."
He jerked as he felt the blue stone against his chest over his heart. He had worked many centuries to earn the trust from the great evil to have the hated stone removed. And now it was back. Now he was controlled once again.
"Why?” he asked.
"To ensure that I survive."
Chapter Eighteen
Nicole woke and immediately reached over and felt Val's forehead. No longer did his flesh burn. She sat up and looked to where Gabriel had sat beside Laird all night, but he was gone. Laird still hadn't moved that she could tell, and she knew Gabriel was upset in not being able to heal the wolfhound.
She moved next to Val and put her hand over his heart to find it beating strong and steady. She breathed a sigh of relief and pushed down the blankets to check his wounds. As she untied the bandages, she noted that there were no signs of fresh blood, which proved how good Gabriel's herbs were.
It wasn't until she removed a bandage from his chest and that she saw how the wounds had healed drastically overnight. They weren't gone as Gabriel's had been, but already they had nearly closed up and the skin around them was pink. Unable to stop herself, she moved her hand to a wound on his side near his hip and gently moved her fingers over the skin.
She heard a quick intake of breath and then felt a hand atop hers. Her gaze jerked to Val's face to find his eyes open and a smile pulling at his lips.
"That tickles,” he said after licking his lips.
Nicole smiled and moved her hand away from him. “How do you feel?"
He chuckled and then winced. “As if I were attacked by a Gryphon."
As she looked into his pale green eyes, Nicole realized then just how scared she had been for Val. “You frightened ten years off my life."
"I know,” he said, the smile now gone. “It's what I do though, Nicole. Every time we battle one of these ancient creatures, we face death."
"Knowing it and witnessing it are two different things,” she argued.
Something moved in his pale green eyes that pulled at her heart. It was as if he knew exactly what she was talking about, and she found herself wanting to comfort him, to touch him ... to feel his hard body against hers.
Her head lowered until their lips were breaths apart. Then she felt his hand move to the back of her head and gently pull her towards him. When his warm lips met hers, she couldn't stop the sigh that escaped her. She willingly opened for him when his tongue ran along her lips. His tongue plunged inside her mouth and took her in a kiss made to curl her toes.
With her heart hammering against her chest and her breasts full and aching, Nicole ended the kiss and pulled back to see his arm shaking.
"You don't have the strength for this,” she admonished him as she turned to get him water.
"It's a good thing, too. I'd have taken you I want you so desperately."
Nicole nearly spilled the water she was so shocked to hear his words. She sought his gaze and saw the truth of it shining in his eyes. “I thought you didn't want me?"
"I think I've wanted you from the first moment I saw you, but that doesn't make it right. You are a temptation that is forbidden to me. I need you to understand that."
"Tell me why I'm forbidden,” she urged.
He shook his head and reached for the water with a shaking hand. She pushed away his hand and helped him raise his head so he could drink. When he drank his fill, she lowered his head back onto the blankets.
"I noticed how well Gabriel's herbs work. It's amazing."
"Hmmm,” Val said. “Speaking of Gabriel, how are his wounds? I gather he woke long enough to tell you what to mix?"
She wasn't sure she should be the one to tell him of Gabriel's new development. “He's doing better."
Val's eyes narrowed and his voice lowered. “What aren't you telling me?"
"Gabriel's wounds were just as extensive as yours. He was unconscious for hours and I had no idea how to use his herbs. Just when I thought I would lose you both, he woke long enough to tell me what to mix."
Val's eyes closed as he nodded his head. “Good. None of us ever thought about what would happen if Gabriel wasn't around to heal us."
Nicole picked at her skirts, praying Val wouldn't ask more until Gabriel returned.
"Nicole,” Val murmured and opened his eyes. “Where is Gabriel?"
She looked over her shoulder toward the entrance of the cave and debated on what to tell him.
"Is he ... dead?"
"Nay,” she hastily assured him as she jerked back toward him. “Gabriel is very much alive."
"Then where is he?” Val's voice had gone cold, his need to know where his brethren was evident by his clenched jaw and fisted hands.
"I don't know. I awoke to find him gone."
"You're holding something back from me. What is it?"
"That I'm immortal,” Gabriel's voice said from behind her.
Nicole turned to find Gabriel standing with his arms crossed over his chest. She threw Val a quick glance to see his reaction. If he was surprised, he hid it well.
Val felt as if he had been run over by a chariot. “How are you taking the news?” he asked Gabriel. As long as they had been Shields, they all knew that Gabriel searched for answers that had long eluded him.
"I don't know,” he replied. “It answered one question, but spawned hundreds more."
Val longed to rise and offer Gabriel whatever solace he could. “Does Aimery know?"
"Aye,” Nicole replied. “He was here when we discovered it."
Val looked from Gabriel's tortured silver gaze to Nicole's worried one. “And Aimery's reaction?"
Gabriel shrugged. “There wasn't much he could say. He did try to hide how much it concerned him."
"Are you concerned?"
For the first time in a very long time, Gabriel let him see just how anxious
he was. “Aye,” he admitted softly. “Don't you think it odd that of all the times I've been wounded, I now discover that I'm immortal?"
"It is rather an odd time."
"I don't understand,” Nicole said. “What does it matter when you find out?"
"It matters,” Gabriel said, “because we battle an evil that has powers strong enough to withstand the Fae. That doesn't happen, Nicole."
"If you're trying to frighten me, you've succeeded."
Val could have run Gabriel through. Instead, he slowly sat up and reached for Nicole's hand that hung limply by her side. “Sit,” he told her before turning to Gabriel. “She knows what she faces. We don't need to make it worse."
"I'd rather know everything,” Nicole said.
Gabriel shook his head. “Nay, you don't. I was wrong to say what I did. Forgive me, Nicole."
She nodded and Val sighed. “So, what all did Aimery have to say?"
"He refused to aid in your healing,” Nicole stated, her words heavy with anger.
Val looked at her and smiled. “We've always known that. There are rules the Fae must follow. They are bending many as it is by shifting us through time, clothing and arming us, and supplying us with coin for necessities."
"It seems to me he bends the rules that he wants.” Though her words were harsh, her tone wasn't quite as ruthless as before.
Before Val could answer, Gabriel spoke up. “Many see us as a means to an end for the Fae, but to us, we know just how much we mean to Aimery. We are more than his soldiers. We are part of his family."
Val stared at Gabriel. Never would he have contemplated that Gabriel knew how Aimery thought of them. He was discovering much about his fellow Shield, and the fact that Gabriel was so open showed him just how vulnerable Gabriel felt.
Which wasn't a good sign.
"I retrieved our weapons,” Gabriel said as he walked to his side of the fire and sat down.
Val saw him pet something gray and noticed it was Laird. “How is he?"
"Slowly getting better. I thought for a moment last night that I had lost him, but he improves with each hour."
"And the Gryphon?"
"No where in sight,” Gabriel spat. “I'm ready to finish him off."