by Brenda Trim
“Doona put him to sleep with all the stipulations, brathair,” Breslin chided as she walked in. “Tell him the good parts, like how he will learn to handle weapons and take doon demons and skirm. Not to mention all the females that will line up to please him once he’s a Dark Warrior.”
“Hello, Bre. ‘Tis good to see you, puithar. He needs to know what is and isna acceptable at Zeum, but you’re right. The last thing I want to do is overwhelm you, Tristan. Why doona you get unpacked before you head doon to the training room. Nikko and Gerrick are waiting for you,” Zander relayed as he twisted in his seat and pressed a button on the desk, next to the phone system.
“Nate, I need you in the war room,” Zander barked into the intercom before he turned back around.
“Finally, I get to kick some ass,” Tristan boasted as he stood and puffed his chest.
Breslin shook her head. “You have no idea, Hot Shot, but you’re aboot to learn the hard way.”
“All due respect, Princess, but I disagree. You must’ve missed my awe-inspiring skills on the boat,” Tristan countered with a broad smile.
Breslin looked at Zander and chuckled, “You’ve got your hands full with this one, brathair.”
“We’ve all been there, Bre. I’d forgotten the exuberance of youth. But, Tristan, doona expect them to go easy on you. You must earn your place around here,” Zander explained.
“I’m not worried, Liege. I’m more than ready for what they dish out,” Tristan insisted.
“What’s up, boss? You rang?” Nate interjected as he walked into the room.
“At least the stripling has enough sense to address you properly,” Breslin said as she rolled her eyes at their majordomo.
Nate had taken Angus’s place months ago and had yet to treat Zander like the Vampire King. It didn’t seem to bother her brother who understood that he wasn’t Nate’s ruler. Angus was, and the dragon shifter was fiercely loyal to his leader.
Breslin recalled the night they discovered the dragon that had run their home for two centuries was, in fact, the King of the Cuelebre. Believing he was banished from his home realm of Khoth, Angus kept his heritage a secret from everyone. It was a significant loss to their family when Angus returned to his homeland, but they were happy for him and the love he’d found with his mate, Keira.
“Take Tristan to his quarters and then show him to the training room,” Zander instructed Nate.
“You got it. Let’s go, Thor,” Nate called out as Tristan grabbed a duffle bag sitting on the floor.
“Don’t be a hater. Hey, you think they have a Mjollnir I can train with?” Tristan asked with a laugh as they headed out of the room.
“That male is going to be a great asset once he is fully trained,” Zander commented as he raked his hand through his shoulder-length black hair. “Now, what brings you here, puithar?”
Breslin took a page out of Zander’s book and began pacing the length of the room. “I couldna sleep again, and I need to talk to you aboot Bhric,” she admitted and stopped long enough to look back at him.
Zander sighed and approached her, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Bre, I canna completely understand the loss you are experiencing. I know you and Bhric had a special bond. It hurts like hell, but there will come a time when the pain eases.”
“Wait a minute. This isna aboot me needing to deal with his death because he isna dead. I swear brathair. I would feel it if he was gone and I doona sense that. He is still alive somewhere. I dream that he is trapped down a long tunnel and none of us are doing anything to find him. I canna sit by when he needs me,” she practically shouted to her brother and began pacing again.
It was impossible to stand still. The need for action was a vibrant hum in Breslin’s veins.
“Denial is a normal part of loss,” Zander began, but she cut him off before he could proceed.
“This isna fucking denial, Z. He is alive!” she insisted.
“I havena told you aboot what it was like for me when mamai and da died. I was trying to protect you. You came into your power so young, and I thought it was because of the trauma. Losing our parents devastated me. I was still young and relied on them for everything. I was angry and could hardly breathe. I didna know how to live withoot them. I wanted to hunt doon the demons and shred them to pieces,” Zander admitted, and the crack in his voice confirmed the depth of his pain.
She’d never heard this from her brother and was eager to hear more. He’d raised her and been mother and father to her, Bhric, and Kyran, sheltering them from the pain of losing their parents. Losing them had traumatized her, but Zander had stepped up and filled that role to the best of his ability. He may have been distracted and busy most days, but Breslin always knew he was there if she needed him.
“I didna want to believe they were gone despite the lightning that hit me square in the chest when the mantel passed from da to me. There was no mistaking the power that flooded me with his death, and that was before the link to the Goddess connected. I would hear their voices and pray to Morrigan to bring them back to me. Holding onto the belief that Bhric is alive is normal, but the evidence proves otherwise. You must accept it, puithar. You are prolonging your grief, and Bhric wouldna want that.”
“I didna know you went through all of that. I know what you are saying, Z, but that isna what I am experiencing. I feel him here,” she said and thumped her chest. “Our bond didna die. It feels like a blanket is smothering it, but it hasna been extinguished. He is oot there. Surely, that would be gone if he were dead.”
“Och, Bre. I canna say for sure. How would his ring be on that body if it wasna him? There is no way Bhric would give his ring to someone else. And, if he is alive, where is he and why hasna he called? He might no’ want to talk to me after our argument, but he wouldna leave you like that,” Zander pointed out as he raised an eyebrow at her. “I want my brathair back more than anything. I miss him with every day that passes, but he is gone.”
Zander’s words hit her in the gut. She knew he loved Bhric and missed him and had not considered how difficult this was for him. She wouldn’t typically force the issue, but she was positive Bhric was alive.
“I know you love him and miss him, which is why I’m telling you, he is oot there. If I knew where he was, I wouldna be talking to you. I doona know where to search for him and need help. Do you think the Rowan sisters will scry for him?” she asked.
“Because I canna stand to see you suffer, I will ask them for their help. But, I want you to prepare for the ootcome. I love you, puithar,” Zander murmured and pulled her into his arms. She laid her head on his shoulder like she had done a thousand times and his scent soothed the worst of her ache.
A throat clearing from the doorway grabbed their attention. Breslin lifted her head and saw Nate standing there with a female vampire. “Sorry to interrupt, but there is someone here to see you, Zander. She insists this has to do with Bhric, so I brought her right away.”
Breslin’s heart raced in her chest as her breath caught in her throat. This was the news she’d been waiting for. Surely, this female was there to tell them she’d located Bhric or knew something about what happened to him.
Zander kept Breslin close and nodded to Nate. She could feel the tension in her brother’s body. The female vampire stood there with her perfectly coifed wavy brown hair and placid green eyes. How was she so calm and collected if she knew something about her brother?
“Thank you. Please come in and tell me how I can help,” Zander instructed.
“Thank you for seeing me, Liege. I apologize for ignoring protocol, but this couldn’t wait for a formal petition,” the female replied and took a step forward. It was at that point that Breslin saw she carried a bundle wrapped in a blanket.
“Of course. Nate mentioned this is aboot my brathair Bhric. Do you have information regarding his death?”
“I don’t know anything about how he died, but I did know him. We were in a relationship, and I didn’t know where else to turn,” th
e vampire admitted.
“Have a seat. I’m Bhric’s sister, Breslin,” she offered as she guided the female to the table.
They sat, and the vampire held the bundle closer to her chest and Breslin peered down and saw it was a baby. Suspicion rose about the female’s visit, and Breslin fought back her accusations.
“I’m Pasha, and this is our daughter, Kaylee. Bhric and I were to be mated as soon as the baby was born and now I don’t know what to do.”
Breslin was stunned, to say the least. As far as she knew, Bhric wasn’t seeing any female, much less impregnating one. What she found more disturbing was the female’s lack of emotion. If this Pasha loved her brother, why wasn’t she upset? Not one single tear as she talked about their love for one another. Breslin was calling bullshit.
Zander’s eyes went wide and flew to meet Breslin’s gaze. She shook her head vehemently. There was no way what this female was claiming was true.
“Where is your mate mark?” Breslin demanded.
At the same time, Zander barked, “I knew nothing of this. Why didna you come forward sooner?”
Pasha looked from her to Zander, but remained calm. “We weren’t fated, but he loved me, and we were blessed with a beautiful daughter. That was enough for him,” Pasha insisted.
“So you’re telling me that my brathair was in love with you, and fathered your child?” Breslin asked, disdain dripping from every word. “And yet, none of us have met you or even heard your name before?”
Pasha paled and recoiled before composing herself. “I don’t know why Bhric didn’t tell you. Maybe you weren’t as close as you thought,” Pasha countered.
Breslin took a step forward, ready to throat-punch the bitch. She had no idea what she was saying. This female didn’t know Bhric at all if she could make a comment like that.
“You will have to excuse us if we have concerns aboot your story,” Zander began. “We will need to establish paternity, but if this bairn is my brathair’s, then the entire Tarakesh family and Dark Warriors will be here to support and love her.”
“There is no way to administer tests now that Bhric is gone,” Pasha began.
Breslin swore there was a gleam in her eyes when Zander mentioned their family would support the child. She had no doubt this was a ploy for money.
“Ah, but that is where you’re wrong,” Breslin informed the female with a sneer. “We will have Jace perform the tests using my blood. You see, you’re wrong aboot us not being close. We are as close as siblings can get. I’m his twin,” Breslin spouted to a suddenly pale Pasha.
Chapter 11
Breslin tossed a rock into the calm lake. She loved the crisp summer nights in Seattle, and the lake was her favorite spot. It was why she invested in a boat rather than cars, or bikes, like her brothers. Oh, she loved a fast car, but zooming across the dark water was more her speed.
She’d decided against the small patch of beach at the end of their property and sat in the lush grass that butted up to the sand. Anyone that knew her would know something was seriously wrong given her current perch. She’d desperately wanted a stretch of beach at Zeum, and insisted her brothers import sand to create it. They worked like dogs creating the area at the water’s edge.
Beaches weren’t common for the residents of Lake Washington, but that didn’t stop the determined, or the demanding, in her case.
It was a peaceful evening, but it didn’t diffuse the million thoughts racing through her mind. Chirping insects raked her nerves like fingernails down a chalkboard and waves lapped at the shore, adding to the commotion in her head.
How long did it take to run DNA testing on some blood, she wondered, as she looked across the water. It had been a couple of days since Pasha darkened their doorstep, and Breslin was impatiently waiting on the paternity results. Jace felt confident that her blood samples would suffice in proving whether Bhric was Kaylee’s father, or not.
It took every ounce of self-control not to pummel Pasha as she made her claim. The female hadn’t fooled Breslin or Zander, and Breslin couldn’t wait to prove that the female was trying to infiltrate the royal family.
As much as Breslin wished the punishment for such an offense was death, she knew that wasn’t feasible. Even in their strict realm, death was too severe for slander. But, she would do her damnedest to convince Zander to exile Pasha and her baby to a world far away.
It disgusted Breslin that the female used her innocent child as a tool for manipulation. Pregnancy was a rare occurrence in the Tehrex Realm, and was meant to be celebrated. This female had taken her blessing and used it to her benefit. She was the lowest of the low and thinking about it pissed Breslin off all over again. Suddenly, the brush under her palms caught fire as her rage flared out of control.
Ignoring the flames, she acknowledged the one blessing to come out of the whole mess. The archdemons had been silent since the battle on the cruise ship. Tristan had blown up one of Cresil’s wings while protecting his family, and if the Dark Warriors were lucky, it would take months for the nefarious female to regenerate the appendage.
“You built us a fire. How romantic,” murmured a male voice.
Breslin didn’t have to turn her head to know who it was. That deep, raspy timber was unmistakable and soothed her frayed nerves. She ignored the carnal impact of Rhett’s voice and kept her eyes fixed on the lake.
Taking several deep breaths, Breslin called her flames back to her palms and smothered the fire. She should probably thank him for coming along. If she ignored the flames much longer, they could’ve spread like wildfire and damaged their property. But, her appreciation stuck to her tongue as her attraction took front and center. Wanting this male was utterly absurd, and yet, she couldn’t manage to squash her desires.
“When are you going to get the hint, demon? I’m not interested in you. Should I paint it on a billboard?” Breslin snapped and crossed her arms over her knees.
“You, Princess, need to be careful how you treat people that care about you. They don’t come into one’s life all that often,” Rhett stated firmly.
Her head snapped up, and she glared at the fire demon. He’d never taken that tone with her. It was always flirtatious banter, not this brutal honesty. It shed new light on the male, and she wasn’t sure what to make of it.
“Sorry,” she muttered. “‘Tis been a shitty week and I doona see it getting any better.”
Rhett crossed to her side and sat down next to her. They were close enough that their legs touched. His heat warmed her side and his earthy musk teased her nostrils.
“Is this about Bhric, or the baby?” he asked.
She considered his question and heaved a sigh. “Both. Shite. I need to find my brathair. I know he’s oot there, but instead of searching for him, I’m sitting here pissed about the stunt Pasha pulled. I canna leave the compound until my fire is under control. I doona want more problems for Zander and the council,” she stated.
“Maybe I can help,” Rhett offered.
The fact that he didn’t tell her she was crazy for thinking Bhric was alive meant more to her than she could express. Her brothers didn’t even believe her and continued to tell her she needed to accept he was gone.
Begrudgingly, some of her irritation against Rhett softened. Her eyes traveled over him, appreciating the way his skin lightly glowed under the moonlight. His orange eyes blazed with the fire running through his veins. He was astounding, and it was the biggest reason he couldn’t help her. He stood out like a sore thumb among the humans, and she had a hunch that’s where she would find Bhric.
“No offense, but I work better alone,” she countered.
“Pfft,” he replied and waved her comment away. “That’s an excuse. Tell me about your plans.”
“The Rowan sisters will be scrying for Bhric’s location once they get back to town, but that willna be for a couple of days. I feel this sense of urgency that I canna explain. ‘Tis killing me to sit here and do nothing. I doona know, maybe my brathairs are right
, and I need to let this go,” she admitted with a shake of her head.
“If your gut is telling you Bhric is out there, then he is. Don’t ever give up. Your instincts have been right in the past. How many times did it lead you to Bhric when he was dangerously close to the edge? Follow your heart, Flame,” Rhett encouraged.
The fire demon brushed some loose strands from her face then clasped her hand. The heat between them was combustible. Their gazes locked and held for several tense moments. Her body swayed toward his and she leaned against his strength.
“I will never give up on him. Thank you for reminding me,” she murmured and lowered her head on his shoulder, battling the desire to press her lips to his.
“You have to try my Rocky Road. It’s so good,” Alex urged as she held her large cone out to him. Another flash of the little girl with curly black hair popped into his head. This time she was holding a pink ice cream cone and laughing with another little boy.
He shook his head and took a deep breath, inhaling the brisk night air. The sky was clear and the evening perfect, mainly due to the beautiful female by his side. Alex suggested they go out for dinner and he begrudgingly agreed. They’d spent four days and nights between the sheets, and he was ready for more, but his sexy human needed to recuperate from their sexcapades. He felt he could go for weeks, if not months, and never tire, but her body was fragile.
His eyes scanned the shadows, instinctively looking for danger, but he didn’t know why. Having Alex exposed while he was unarmed made him uneasy. While he perused the area, his mind determined nearby items he could use as a weapon. It made him think of Alex’s questions regarding his life.
Maybe her theory was right, and he was an officer, or a detective. Protecting the innocent resonated deep within.
He met her gaze and couldn’t help but smile back. “I doona know aboot that. Is this going to be like the Larb at dinner?” he teased.