Eve Langlais (24 page)

“We can’t,” Beverly panted, trying to keep up. “If the archers shoot, they might miss and kill Hunter by accident. I’m afraid he’s on his own,” said his mother sadly.

Suzie and Beverly stood watching at the edge of the courtyard as the Dragon flew, dipping down toward the outer bailey wall. Suzie’s heart thumped like a frightened rabbit’s, and her mouth went dry as she watched the Dragon try to get in a position to smash Hunter off the side of the outer wall. But Hunter had a few tricks up his sleeve and started inching his way up the Dragon’s body so that the Dragon couldn’t slam him off without hurting himself too. Yay Hunter!

With a piercing shriek, the Dragon flapped his great wings and went over the wall, out of sight. Suzie waited impatiently, foot tapping, for the soldiers to open the castle’s gate, but by the time they did and she rushed out, the Dragon appeared just a distant speck in the sky with an extra pair of dangling legs.

Suzie sank to the ground in shock, tears running down her cheeks. Hunter was gone.

She felt little arms encircle her in a warm hug, and she buried her face in between the twins, hugging them tight. While she’d been busy, they’d managed to shift back to their human forms.

“Mommy, you hurt,” said Jared, pulling back, looking at her shoulder.

Suzie looked down and saw the red fluid seeping out, her now ragged gown soaked in her blood and said, “Why, yes I am.” She wondered why it didn’t hurt, then fainted.

93

The Dragon, after hours of flight across forests and villages, had begun to tire. A good thing because Hunter now drew on his last reserves of strength. As the Dragon’s wings slowed ponderously and they lost altitude, Hunter prepared for their journey’s end.

Hunter would have loved to kill the Dragon while they flew, but considering their altitude, well, that would have been certain suicide for him. He’d known, however, that the Dragon couldn’t fly forever, so when the ground started approaching, their impromptu flight over, Hunter readied himself. The Dragon made for an empty field and Hunter, waiting for this moment, let go and dropped to the ground in a tuck and roll.

The Dragon still floated down when he attacked Hunter, but his slash was slow, and Hunter parried it easily. Thank the higher powers he still had the long knife in his boot. He’d dropped his sword back at the castle. Tired, arms burning, but determined, they circled each other, looking for an opening.

“Come on you overgrown lizard,” taunted Hunter. The fatigue from their flight had sapped the energy from his body. He needed to end this quickly while he still had the strength.

“I am going to enjoy eating you, Hunter. And then, once I’m done with you, I’m going back and taking the children. Maybe I’ll eat the girl child, too. Children are sooo tasty.”

“Never!” cried Hunter, feinting to his left, hoping to draw the Dragon in, but he’d apparently predicted that move and, instead, Hunter felt a stinging burn across his arm as the Dragon raked him with his claws.

Ow!
Hunter pushed the pain down, a trick he’d learned long ago. Time enough to lick his wounds once the battle had been won. Hunter prowled around his foe, ready for when the Dragon rushed him.

The damn flight, though, had left him weaker than expected. He sidestepped the rush, but the Dragon’s tail whipped him hard across the shins and down he went, flat on his back. The Dragon immediately jumped on top. Hunter had predicted that, though. He thrust his dagger up just as the Dragon landed, and he smiled grimly at the wide-eyed look of incredulity on the Dragon’s face. Unfortunately, the Dragon wasn’t done. Even though Hunter had given him a killing blow, it wasn’t an instant one, and the Dragon slammed both hands—er paws with claws—into Hunter’s shoulders. The wounds, deep punctures, began bleeding copiously.

“If I die, Hunter, you die with me,” gasped the Dragon before a blankness stole over his eyes and the breath left his body in one last, fetid whoosh.

Alas, he also collapsed on top of Hunter. Hunter brought his hands up to shove him off. However, the Dragon, a dead weight on top of his body, resisted his feeble attempts to extricate himself. Hunter, gravely injured and losing preciousamounts of blood, lacked the strength.

Hunter fought against the blackness, feeling the lightheadedness signaling too much blood loss. He couldn’t pass out. He had to. . .

Hunter’s head fell to the side, and he knew no more.

94

When Suzie awoke again, she found herself in a new room, this one done in shades of turquoise, and alone. She sat up without a twinge and looked at her shoulder. Someone had washed and dressed her in a clean, linen chemise, and her shoulder, while showing three faint white scars from Damian’s claws, had been healed. Made her wonder just how much magic could heal—just injuries, or did it cure disease too?

Wouldn’t that put the researchers earning big bucks back home in a snit? Sorry, no need to find a cure for cancer anymore, we’ve magicked it away. Here’s your pink slip. Lovely, making jokes to herself when at this very moment Hunter could be dead. Speaking of which, was Nat okay? She’d been injured too.

Suzie got up out of bed and shrugged on the gown she found on a chair. She’d have to thank whoever kept loaning her the gowns. Dressed, she had to wonder, where was everybody? Had they received news of Hunter yet?

A knock sounded.

“Come in,” Suzie called, turning to see who it was.

The lanky form of the butler, Benson, appeared in the doorway. “The commander wishes to see you,” he said, bobbing his bald head at her. Kind of looked like a bobble head when he did that. Suzie wondered if he practiced that bob, because he seemed to do it a lot. Maybe he learned it at butler school.

Suzie bit her lip so as to not giggle at the image of a bunch of bald men learning to bob their heads just right.
Not nice
, she chastised herself.

So the commander wanted to see her. Interesting. Suzie hadn’t yet met Hunter’s father. An oversight, or intentional on his part? Perhaps he had news of Hunter.

“Is Hunter back?” Suzie thought to ask because, after all, in the movies, the butlers always knew everything that was going on.

“I do not know, milady.”

“How’s Nat?” she asked. Last time she’d seen Nat, her face had been a bloody mess.

“Recovering. My mistress is tending her.”

Benson didn’t seem to be the chatty type. It was like pulling teeth getting anything out of him.

“Where are the twins?” Suzie found herself surprised they hadn’t come to find her yet.

“I believe they are having a snack. If milady would please follow me, the commander does not like to be kept waiting.”

Well too freaking bad. Suzie had to pee, and her mouth felt like something had crawled in it and died.

“A moment please while I freshen up,” Suzie said to the startled butler before going into the bathroom. She took a little longer than necessary. She wanted to be clear headed before she finally met the man who scared so many and who apparently disliked her simply because of her place of birth. How juvenile. And besides, what was the worst the man could do? Forbid her from dating Hunter. That wasn’t up to him.

What if he had bad news about Hunter? No, surely Beverly or Nat would have told her themselves.

She needed to quit stalling and get some answers. Suzie went back in the room where the impatient butler twitched and followed him through the mazelike castle till they stood in front of a large, carved, wooden door.

The butler rapped sharply on the door then scurried away—the man really defined creepy—leaving Suzie alone. Someone barked, “Enter.” Taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders, Suzie opened the door and walked in. Time to meet Hunter’s dad.

The commander was a fierce-looking man—a harder, fleshier version of Hunter sat behind his heavy wooden desk with his fingers steepled and stared at her with arctic blue eyes. Suzie shivered at the coldness that radiated from him.
Wow, definitely not the friendly sort.

“You wished to see me, sir,” Suzie said politely.

95

“Yes, I decided I needed to meet for myself the person responsible for my son’s lack of judgment and behavior. I have to say, I was expecting someone a little more spectacular-looking.”

Suzie gasped in outrage. She couldn’t have been more shocked if he’d slapped her. “I’m sorry I don’t meet your expectations, sir. I didn’t realize this was a test of looks.” It wasn’t like he was a prize, himself.

The commander had definitely let himself go. That is, if he hadn’t always looked like that to start with.

The commander—no way could this rigid man be called a father—grunted. “Well at least you have a little backbone. Pity you didn’t have one three years ago. We might have avoided this mess. No matter.

Have a seat, you and I need to have a talk.” The commander motioned to the straight back chair in front of his desk, and Suzie sat on it gingerly, hands clasped in her lap to control their trembling. She had half a mind to just get up and walk out. Somehow, she knew this conversation was going to be unpleasant.

Heck, it already was.

“I assume you have news of Hunter? Is he alive?” she asked, unable to wait. She needed to know, and he seemed to be taking his time getting started.

“They haven’t been spotted since they flew off this morning. My son is a fighter, though. He’ll take care of this unfortunate problem, but that’s not why I called you in here.”

The commander stood and wandered over to a beverage cart where he poured out two glasses of something, one of which he handed to her. Then, he sat back down, twirling the glass in his big hands.

Suzie didn’t want to speak first again, so she took a sip from the glass, surprised to find it was some kind of sweet juice. Thank goodness, because she had a poor stomach for liquor.

For some reason, the commander looked pleased. What, had he been expecting her to throw the drink in his face? Eying the glass, she suddenly had to control the temptation to do so.

“I won’t beat around the bush. I know you’re involved with my son. You may even think he cares for you, but I’m afraid that a relationship between you is impossible.”

Wow, talk about straight to the point. “Why?” she asked. Not that she really cared about his answer.

Whether or not she and Hunter ended up together was their decision, not his father’s.

“You don’t belong here. Hunter does. I’ve been letting him sow his oats, but I’ve got other plans for him. Plans that don’t include him marrying a woman with two children out of wedlock who is mundane to boot.”

Ouch. Talk about brutal honesty. “Isn’t that Hunter’s decision?”

“Hunter is my son. He will do as he’s told.”

Somehow Suzie didn’t think Hunter would agree with that. “Hunter’s a grown man. I’m sure he can decide for himself.”

“I don’t think I’ve made myself clear enough. Hunter is going to marry a young lady of breeding from the Realm. He is my heir, and as such, will do his duty by the family. I will not have my family name and honor besmirched by some loose-moraled, mundane woman.”

That pissed Suzie off. She did not consider herself easy. Hell, she’d gone three years without even dating.
So why the hell am I letting this ass insult me? Screw that.
“I can’t believe you’re Hunter’s father. How on earth such a kind and gentle man could have come from you is a mystery. You’re rude and hateful, and I’m not listening to anymore of this. Whether or not Hunter and I stay involved is no one’s business but our own. Good-bye.”

Suzie stood up in a show of defiance and swayed, her head suddenly fuzzy.
What the hell?
Her vision blurred, and her knees buckled, sitting her back down hard in the chair. She tried to focus on the commander’s face—there were three floating in front of her—and saw him smiling coldly.
Brr, is it me, or
is it getting chilly in here?

“You don’t have a say. This is my house, and I’ve decided you’re not welcome in it. I’ve laced your drink with a narcotic to put you to sleep. When you wake, you and your misbegotten progeny will be back in your world. You should thank me for that. I could have just had you all killed. But I’m not an 96

evil man. I will, however, do what’s needed to protect this family. With you out of the picture, Hunter will come to his senses.”

The bastard had drugged her! “Hunter will find me. He won’t let you do this,” Suzie said with a thick tongue. And oh boy, would Hunter be pissed.

“It’s already done. Good-bye.” The commander threw that back at her, like a slap, and Suzie recoiled from the venom in his eyes.

Suzie tried to speak, but her mouth wouldn’t work. It felt like it had been stuffed with cotton balls, and try as she might, she couldn’t keep her eyes open. Suzie felt herself falling forward, then her mind went blank.

97

Suzie woke in her bed with a throbbing head. Wait a second, her bed, her room. How had she gotten here? Suddenly, she remembered her meeting with the commander. The bastard had drugged her.

Boy would Hunter be mad when he found out.

Oh no, the children!

Suzie rolled off the bed and fell to her knees on the carpet, fighting a wave of dizziness. Head hanging, she paced her breathing. In, out. Slowly, the spinning feeling receded and she managed to stand up. On trembling legs, she left her bedroom and staggered into the twins’ room.

Thank God! Both children were asleep in their beds. Suzie dropped to her knees between the beds and shook them, one at a time.

Little brown eyes blinked open in tandem.

“Mommy,” said Jessica sluggishly.

“We home,” said Jared thickly.

“Yes, babies. We’re home, how are you feeling?”

The twins quickly shrugged off their stupor and felt fine. Apparently, the drug used on them hadn’t been as strong. The last thing they remembered was having a snack that Benson brought them and then waking up in their beds. Suzie really wanted to have a talk with that scuzz bag Benson, a talk involving her closed fist. He’d drugged her babies! What if he’d miscalculated the dose? He could have killed them. Just another thing to tell Hunter when he came back to them.