Bound to His Redemption

by Lisa Kumar

  Eamon’s stomach dropped. Didn’t he have enough to worry about without having further concerns about his father thrown into the mix? As much of a monster as people believed Eamon to be, his father was invariably worse. He was one of the main reasons Eamon had become entangled with the darkindred in the first place. Serrina had also played her role, but since she’d died in the somewhat early days of his leadership of the darkindred, he couldn’t blame her fully for what had come after.

  He forced his tongue to work. “Do you have this evidence with you?”

  Kaiden withdrew his cell again and thumbed the device until a video popped up on its screen. “Here it is. So you tell if that’s your old man.”

  Eamon stared at the proffered phone as if it might bite. Actually, he’d prefer a bite over having to deal with his father, whether in thought or in real life. However, he took the cell and reluctantly pressed the green button on the screen that he figured would play the footage.

  As the moving pictures painted a seamless story before him, nausea welled and perspiration beaded on his forehead. His father was here. There was no mistaking the brown-haired elf as anyone else, even though he was dressed in the human fashion of the West. His father had traded his customary tasteful robe for an elegantly cut suit, but the cold haughtiness that lay in every sinew and in every movement shone through whatever he chose to wear.

  In the video his father shook hands with two suited human men while another elvin man loitered behind them before he, too, shook hands with them.

  The sick feeling in the pit of his stomach grew, and he almost dropped the phone. Who were those men? And that other elvin male? Eamon didn’t know him, either. He was probably a holdout.

  Why was his father here? Though Eamon didn’t have an answer, he knew it couldn’t be anything good. His father and “good” didn’t go together in any sense. Most important, did whatever his father have planned affect him? Almost a definite yes because his father always needed someone to publicly take the fall for him, if need be. This time would be no different.

  Eamon handed the phone back with a shaking he couldn’t disguise. A horrible sour taste filled his mouth. “It’s him. Unfortunately, I don’t have a clue as to why he’s here, but undoubtedly, it’s to further some agenda of his.”

  “And I’m sure it’s a nefarious one. Are you sure you have no clue?”

  So the holdout didn’t trust him fully? Wise. “I have no knowledge of what my father’s doing here on Earth. More than likely it is for nefarious purposes because my father rarely deals in anything else,” he said, his tone acerbic.

  “So what are you going to do about it?”

  “Nothing. I prefer to avoid my father if at all possible.”

  Kaiden’s brows lowered. “Whatever he’s doing — and I have a strong suspicion of what it is — it’s sure to impact both humans and elves, even the elves back in Eria. I hate to break it to you, but those human men he’s with are known arms dealers.”

  “I’m not familiar with that term.” It was clear it wasn’t a favorable one, though.

  Caralyn’s shaky voice said, “It means they’re weapons smugglers.”

  Kaiden nodded grimly. “Yes, of firearms, bombs, missiles, and other heavy artillery. That’s why we’ve been keeping a particularly close eye on your father. If he’s making alliances with these men, it seems like it could only be for one reason.”

  A chill froze his blood, but outwardly, Eamon didn’t let it show. He shrugged. “My people threw me out like so much garbage. Let them deal with him. I just want to serve my banishment.”

  “If your father runs wild when you could’ve stopped him, I doubt that will help you gain your repentance.”

  Rage exploded within Eamon’s skull. He wanted nothing to do with his father, and if his repentance was tied to the bastard, he might as well just kill himself now and save himself some misery. His lips drew back in a snarl. “My repentance is none of your business, holdout.”

  “It is when it bleeds over onto my people and the humans around us. So you better think long and hard about how to handle your father because you know him best. When you’re ready to talk, here’s my card. Otherwise, pardoned or not, you might not even have an Eria to return to.”

  He offered Eamon a little white rectangle of stiff paper. Frowning, Eamon took the card. Though he was loath to admit it, the holdout’s words were true.

  Kaiden nodded to him and Caralyn. “I really have to leave now. I’m sure I’ll see you around, Eamon, Caralyn.” With that, the holdout spun on his heel and headed back toward Main Street.

  Caralyn jerked and took a faltering step after him. “Wait, are you the Kaiden West?”

  He turned his head and gave her a horribly radiant smile. “The one and only.”

  “Oh, good Lord.”

  Kaiden merely chuckled again and continued on his way.

  Confusion nagged at Eamon as the anger slowly drained away. “What was that about?”

  She faced him, a dazed expression on her face. “He’s richer than most people on the planet could ever hope to be.”

  Caralyn sounded so in awe that a wave of irritation swept over him. “How nice for him,” he said, his voice bored. Holding out his hand to her, he waited for her to snap out of her stupor. After a hesitant look, she took it.

  As they walked through the alley and toward the parking lot, he pondered her words. Though he was a little surprised that the driade was so well off, it didn’t impress him much. After all, he was related to the Erian royal family, and money, until now, had never been an issue. Still, if he could befriend someone here on Earth that had connections and wealth, especially given the probable situation with his father, it might be wise to.

  When cold seeped into his clothes, reminding him of his damp clothes, he placed his calculating thoughts to the back of his mind. After this horrendous evening, he needed a hot bath and then Caralyn on her bed, naked. No, make that their bed. As long as he was staying with her, it would be theirs. Not that Hayden’s. A flare of something that felt annoyingly like jealously went straight for the shriveled organ that served as his heart. His hand tightened around hers, and she sent him a questioning glance as she led them through the lot.

  He inwardly shrugged the absurdity away. Ha, him jealous of a human worm? Not possible. He was merely troubled by the fact Hayden had that alarming yellow aura around him like the woman at the mall had. Was it because both humans were tied to Caralyn somehow? Doubtful. Caralyn hadn’t even acknowledged the woman, so it was highly unlikely she knew her.

  Though Eamon was right to be concerned that his helper could go back to her old lover, it wasn’t because he truly cared for her. He was merely manipulating her to his benefit. When he eavesdropped on her and Hayden, of course it was natural he’d feared his benefits might dry up. That was the only reason he’d been forced to interrupt them, the only reason. Not jealously.

  When he remembered how easy eavesdropping had been, he smirked. A simple charm had made people ignore him as he lurked near the door. They saw him but didn’t really see him. Really, he was so far superior to the human vermin on this planet. Caralyn, however, rated on a different level, even though she wasn’t elvin.

  They neared her blue car, where the snow had dusted the window. Caralyn sighed, the sound shooting to his groin. Yes, she had her definite uses, so naturally she’d rate higher than the average human.

  Besides the obvious benefits — her providing a roof over his head and clothing and feeding him — there were less tangible ones. For some reason, her body and presence soothed him. Though this effect on him was so rare as to be unheard of, he’d accept it at face value because it didn’t warrant any more exploration. It couldn’t for his peace of mind.

  Chapter 15

  Caralyn expelled a heavy breath as she unlocked her apartment door. Eamon’s presence lurked hot and heavy behind her as the events of the day pressed in, stealing any energy she had left.

  The ride home had been quiet, tho
ugh he would talk tonight if she could finagle it. So many questions teemed in her mind — who exactly were the holdouts and how did Eamon and his father tie into them? Heck, she didn’t even really know why Eamon had been banished beyond the fact he’d apparently “subverted and twisted” some of his people. There had to be more, so much more, to that story, though. She wanted — no, needed — answers if he was going to bring such craziness to her life.

  Flicking on the living room lights, she smiled at Archie, who bounded up to her with his tail wagging. “Come on, boy. Let’s take you out and get it over with.”

  Though the last thing she wanted was to go back out into the cold, it would get her away from Eamon for a while. Maybe being out of his presence would help clear her mind. She grabbed his leash and bent to clip it on, but Eamon took it from her hand.

  “You go relax, change into your nightclothes.”

  She blinked, not believing her sight or hearing. “Um, okay. Thanks.” Then reality struck. “But don’t go far. I don’t want to have to search for you two.” She didn’t want him getting into trouble, which, knowing him, would be likely if he wandered too far. She almost giggled at her next words because he’d surely find them distasteful. “Oh, and if Archie poops, you have to clean up after him. You can use a sack out of the little bag keeper that’s hooked to the leash and scoop up the waste.”

  His nostrils flared as if he smelled something gross, but he didn’t back out. He was apparently determined and wasn’t going to let a little shit get in his way. Though why he wanted to take the dog out, she didn’t have a clue. Maybe to stall for time because of the questions he felt brewing within her?

  After Eamon put the leash on, he led her dog out. She shook her head. What had just happened? He’d done something nice and helpful, which was totally not like him.

  Still, she’d take the opportunity to slip her into pajamas and settle in for the night. Might as well get cozy before she brought the Inquisition down on his head. She snorted. Yeah, like that was likely to happen. He was wilier than she could ever hope to be.

  Heading down the hallway, she rolled her shoulders. They felt tight, and even now a headache pounded at her temples and was spreading around her head. An aspirin and some stretching might help, but there was no pill that could ease the pain called Eamon.

  After she put on her pajamas, she washed her face. Tilting her head to the side, she inspected her features, not sure what she was looking for. She looked no different now than she had before her encounter with Eamon in the dressing room. Surely, she wasn’t expecting sex to be so life-changing that it’d imprint itself on her face in some way? Even her eyes remained unchanged. Unlike in books or movies, the experience didn’t shine through. She looked tired, but that was nothing new.

  Sighing, she opened her cabinet door to get her toothbrush. When she saw Eamon’s toothbrush beside hers in the toothbrush holder, a funny feeling overcame her. How could something so little have such an effect on her? Easy — it was what the sight represented in her mind. Intimacy and maybe even love, of which she had neither with Eamon. Yes, they’d had sex but not the true intimacy of two individuals meshing.

  She shook the silly thought off. Eamon could be back with Archie any time now, and here she was philosophizing about their toothbrushes. He’d probably want to change into his night things too, and though he could use the half bath for that, the full bath was much roomier. Her gaze ghosted back to the holder. And his toothbrush was in here.

  Groaning, she scrubbed her teeth with more vigor than was probably wise. But damn it, he’d taken over her apartment — and her thoughts and body. How could he have leached so thoroughly into her life in such a short matter of time? Horror stilled her hand. Oh God, if he was with her for weeks, what would the future hold for her? Would she be super loony by —?

  “What has you looking so aghast?”

  She jumped, her toothbrush ramming into her gums and her heart nearly exploding out of her chest. At the same moment, her knee slammed into the vanity drawer. She ripped the brush from her mouth. “Ouch, ouch, ouch.”

  Rubbing the sore spot on her knee, she turned her head and glared at him. He was leaning against the doorframe like he belonged there. She’d locked the door, hadn’t she? Damn elf. “What are you doing here?”

  Her strident tone didn’t seem to faze him. Instead, a wolfish sheep-eating smile curved his lips. “Maybe I was lonely?”

  “Yeah, right. What do you want? Where’s Archie?”

  “Archie’s in the kitchen awaiting a snack, I believe. And maybe I wanted to see your happy face.”

  She scowled and made a shooing motion with her hands. “Get out.”

  He cocked one brow, amusement dancing across his face. “Why? It’s not like I’ll see something I haven’t before.”

  “That’s not the point. Haven’t you ever heard of the concept of privacy, or does that not exist in elfland?”

  “Elfland? Very inventive,” he said, his voice bored. “Whatever are you going to do with that toothbrush?”

  What? Her gaze snapped down to her hands, where her toothbrush was clutched tight and held out before her like a weapon. “Fling it at your face?”

  He wagged a finger. “Temper, temper. Is that how to treat a guest?”

  “More like an interloper. Anyway, you haven’t seen me like this.” She gestured to her toothbrush-wielding hand. With her luck, she probably had toothpaste smeared across her mouth, though she shouldn’t care if she did. It wasn’t as if she were trying to impress him.

  As if he’d sensed her thoughts, his gaze zeroed in on her lips. “I don’t mind. I find the sight homey enough.”

  She sputtered because words failed her. Seriously, there wasn’t enough room in the apartment for both of them. His ego was squeezing her against the front door. “You don’t mind? This isn’t about you.”

  “It isn’t? I thought this whole conversation was about me.”

  “I —” He had her there. Maybe if she explained her reasoning calmly, he’d understand. Yeah, right. “While you may not mind watching me, that’s not the root issue here. My problem is that you have no respect for my privacy.”

  He lifted one shoulder in an I-could-care-less gesture. “The door was unlocked.”

  Frustration kicked her hard in the gut. “Why not knock, then?”

  “I did, but you were quite engrossed with that toothbrush of yours.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him, not sure if he was lying. Yes, she’d been preoccupied but to that extent? “Even if you’re telling the truth, you must’ve barged in here for something.”

  “Just to tell you we’ve returned.”

  “It could’ve waited until I was out of the bathroom.”

  “You were insistent that I not go far, so I thought you’d want to know the moment I returned.”

  She slammed the toothbrush down on the vanity. “Because I didn’t want you being carted off by police. I wouldn’t even know how to begin explaining who and what you are. We’d both probably end up locked in a mental facility. But maybe you’d like that? I’m sure you’d enjoy driving all the doctors and mental health workers crazy.”

  “While that sounds delightful, I have no intention of going to this facility you just mentioned.” He raked his gaze up and down her body, a lascivious gleam in his eyes. “I’d much rather drive you mad. It’s so much more entertaining.”

  She stiffened. If he thought this was a good attempt at seduction, he had another thing coming. But then, he’d probably never had to turn on any charm to get women into bed. His looks, coupled with his previous power and wealth, had surely made for a long line of willing ladies. The very thought tightened her stomach into painful knots. That worried her more than almost anything. Jealousy meant she cared on some level, and she couldn’t allow that. Eamon wasn’t the type of person anyone should fall in love with, not if the individual in question wanted to retain her life and sanity.

  Though her lips didn’t want to move, she forced th
e words through. “That may be so, but we have more important things to discuss now.”

  “Such as?”

  “About tonight, about your banishment, and your” — she hesitated here for a second, knowing it wouldn’t be a welcome subject — “father.”

  His easy manner fell away, and he straightened from his nonchalant slouch. “I don’t owe you an explanation, human.”

  Though his reaction wasn’t unexpected, neither was it welcome. After all she’d done — after all they’d done — he was going there? “Oh, we’re back to that, are we? I have every right to know what you’re involving me in. That is more than a reasonable request.”

  “You’ll know what I choose to tell you.”

  She resisted the urge to pull at her hair. There was little she hated more than drama, and he seemed to be all about it.

  But a realization hit — he was the kind of person to strike out when he felt threatened. With that glower on his face, there was no doubt that was how he felt. This knowledge should help her stay calm, if she could avoid sinking to his level. Which, admittedly, was tempting.

  However, the few seconds of pleasure she’d garner in using pettiness wouldn’t be worth it. She had to remember that underneath it all, he probably had deep issues and hurts he’d never discussed with anybody before. No, not probably. She’d wager her right arm and leg that he’d been abused. After all, the proof was in those horrible images she’d drawn and his near horror at the knowledge of their existence. Even during their dressing room encounter, he’d agreed he was messed up. Given what she’d seen of him so far, she couldn’t disagree.

  Squaring her shoulders, she faced him fully. “I have the feeling you’re going to bring a lot of crazy to my door, so I want to be as prepared as I can be.”

  He settled into another slouch. “I can handle myself.”

  His morose tone and the way he stared at the floor almost made her smile. “Really? Then why are you staying with me? And, apparently, you didn’t ‘handle yourself’ in Eria, or you wouldn’t be here.”