Impassion (Mystic) (22 page)

Serafin’s sorrowful expression squeezed Layla’s heart, but she didn’t budge. “Say he does find me—is he aiming to kill me?”

“No,” Caitrin answered, summoning a wooden pipe as he stood. He filled and lit the pipe as he crossed the room. Then he began pacing and puffing, sending his smoke elsewhere with a wave of his hand.  “He doesn’t want you dead. He wants to use you.”

“Well I won’t let him.”

“He won’t ask permission. He’ll stop at nothing to get his hands on you.”

Layla’s nostril’s flared as she steeled herself to be stubborn and rude. “I don’t care. I’m not going anywhere. If you’re that worried about it, we’ll just have to figure something else out.”

Quin raised an eyebrow as one corner of his lips twitched. “You’re a fire cracker.”

“So,” she shot back, keeping her shield up. Then a terrifying thought struck her and her armor shattered. “Will you guys be in danger if I stay?”

Quin shook his head and tucked her under his arm. “Our risk is the same either way.”

He looked at Caitrin, who paused and met his meaningful stare.

“You heard her,” Quin asserted. “She’s not leaving, and we’re not going to make her, so we need to work out another way. What else can we do to keep her safe?”

Morrigan had been wringing her hands. Now she straightened her shoulders and moved to the phone. “There’s much we can do, and we’ll do it all.” She hit the call button and looked at Layla. “When was this man asking questions?”

“Yesterday,” Layla answered. “What are you doing?”

“Putting the coven on alert.”

“But it’s after midnight. You’ll wake everyone up.”

“It’s okay, sweetie. They’d much rather I do it than the Unforgivables.”

Layla’s throat swelled. “Do you really think they could show up any moment?”

“Yes,” Quin answered. “If they’re searching for you, this community will be a priority for them.”

“Then maybe I
should
leave. I don’t want the coven hurt by this.”

“They’ll come whether you’re here or not.”

“Maybe, but if I’m not here, they won’t have a reason to hurt anybody.”

Serafin leaned forward and squeezed her knee. “The Unforgivables don’t need reasons. We’re in no more danger with you here than we would be with you gone.”

“I’m not sure I believe that,” she argued. “If they show up, and you guys try to protect me, they could... what if they...” She huffed, wanting to stomp her feet, but Caitrin’s dog kept them pressed into the carpet. “I don’t want you guys hurt because of me, damn it.”

“It’s our duty to protect our family,” Daleen insisted. “If facing the Unforgivables is what that entails, that’s what we’ll do.”

“It’s not fair,” Layla protested, watching Morrigan disappear into the kitchen. “What is she saying to them?”

“We’re placing guards around the community,” Caitrin answered.

Layla cringed at the thought of her new family spending their days and nights guarding their property... all because of her.

“Don’t,” Quin ordered.

“Don’t what?” she mumbled.

“Don’t feel guilty for being here,” he clarified.

“No,” Daleen gasped. “Never feel guilty for being here. This is where we want you to be.”

Layla bit a fingernail—something she hadn’t done since the day of Katherine’s funeral. “Easier said than done. My being here has flipped everyone’s lives upside down.”

Quin sighed and looked at Caitrin. “I’m taking her home. Let me know if you find out anything.” He stood and nudged the droopy dog at Layla’s feet. “Move, Hypnos.”

The dog whined then meandered to Caitrin, and Quin offered Layla his hand.

But she didn’t take it. “Why should I go home and sleep when everyone else is being pulled out of bed and told to guard the community?”

“Because this is a stressful situation,” Quin answered, kneeling and resting his hands on her knees, “and I can tell you’re feeling the pressure.”

“So? What about the pressure on everyone else? It’s not all about me, you know? There are other people here.” Alana’s precious face appeared in her mind’s eye, and her hands and lips trembled. “I would never be able to live with myself if any of you were hurt because of me.”

Quin ran a tense hand through his hair then rubbed his jaw. “How can I make you see, Layla? This isn’t your fault. If the Unforgivables are searching for you, they’ll come here no matter what we do. You being here merely gives us an advantage we wouldn’t have otherwise, because we know to expect them.”

“Hear, hear,” Serafin advocated. “We’re far better off with you here, Layla, in more ways than one.”

“Now please let me take you home,” Quin pleaded, squeezing her knees.

“Fine,” she huffed, “but it’s still not right, me sitting at home while everyone else is getting worked up.”

“Not worked up,” he disagreed. “Prepared.”

“Whatever,” she mumbled, letting him pull her from the couch.

“Are you working tomorrow, Quin?” Serafin asked, getting to his feet.

Quin looked at Layla, who scowled back.

“Don’t you dare say no,” she warned. “You’re not putting your life on hold for me.” Then she looked in the opposite direction.

“I guess that’s your answer,” Quin sighed.

“Daleen and I will be here,” Serafin noted. “Call if you want company, Layla, or if you need to talk.”

Layla nodded, but she didn’t say anything, nor did she look at him.

Quin glanced at the haze around her then tapped into Serafin’s mind. ‘
You’ll stay close to her while I’m at work?
’

Serafin agreed with a nod. Then Caitrin’s pipe disappeared as he crossed the room. “If they get close, I want you both to disappear without a moment’s hesitation. No second thoughts, no brave acts. This is non-negotiable, Layla. You can’t be seen by them.”

Again, Layla nodded but didn’t speak.

“You, too, Quinlan,” Caitrin added. “You’d be in almost as much danger as her.”

“What?” Layla blurted, whipping her gaze around.

Quin squeezed his eyes shut then looked at Caitrin. “I wish you hadn’t said that.”

“What is he talking about?” Layla demanded.

Quin sighed and met her panicked stare. “I’m a bonded child. You know I’m at risk.”

“But... you’re grown. My dad said the risk is minimal for adults.”

“Agro preys on children because it’s harder for him to find loyalty in adults, but that doesn’t mean he won’t resort to more effective methods of manipulation when he finds one he wants.”

“He’ll try to force you?”

“That’s always a possibility with Agro, especially if you’re a bonded child.”

Layla’s aura darkened and swelled as she spun away from everyone, her shoulders shaking over quiet sobs.

“Please don’t cry over me,” Quin insisted, turning her into a hug.

“You think I have a choice?” she countered. “This is horrible. I hate it.”

“I know you do.”

“Take me home. I want to go home.”

“Gladly,” he agreed, lifting her feet from the floor.

Caitrin opened the front door for them then followed them onto the porch. “Don’t take any risks, Quinlan. Her safety comes first. Keep your mind open until we tell you to slam it shut, and let us know if you leave her alone.”

Quin nodded then descended the stairs, his heavy heart beating against Layla’s hot tears.

When he got her home, he lowered her feet to the bedroom floor, and she wiggled from his arms, entering the bathroom without a word. He stayed put, waiting for her return, but she bypassed him and got into bed, burying her face in a pillow.

Quin ran a hand over his jaw as he considered the predicament. Then he filled his lungs and walked to the side of the bed. “Do you want me to leave?” he asked, and he couldn’t help but hold his breath as he waited for the answer, his heart skipping an unhealthy amount of beats.

“No,” she replied, and his vitals calmed.

“You’re not mad at me?” he asked, floating to the spot beside her.

“I’m mad,” she confirmed, “but not at you. I’m sorry I misdirected my feelings.”

“Don’t be,” he insisted, sweeping her hair aside.

He kissed the nape of her neck then trailed his lips to her ear. “I hate that you’re going through this, Layla. You’ve been here less than three days and you’re already dealing with the darkest side of magic. But we’ll figure this out. Then I’ll show you the brightest side. I promise.”

“You can’t make that promise,” she countered, keeping her face hidden. “I’ve seen what the Unforgivables can do. I watched one of their spells torture my mom until her heart literally burst. I saw a storm of elemental magic rip Medea’s limbs from her body then twist her corpse like putty. And I was there when my dad died in a flash of agony provoked by a mere wave of Agro’s hand. I’ve witnessed the cold cruelty beneath the crimson cloaks, and I’ve seen the fire in Agro’s eyes when he’s about to destroy a life. The darkest side of magic shaped my life, Quin, and this situation I’m in is proof it can’t be stopped. So you can’t make that promise, and I wish you wouldn’t put that kind of pressure on yourself, because really, it would be in your best interest to stay away from me.”

Quin struggled to breathe, his chest heavy with the burden her confession placed on his heart. He had no idea the imprint exposed the tragedies of her past in such vivid detail. “That must have been horrible to watch.”

“That’s not the point. What matters is the carnage. I know what the Unforgivables are capable of, and I don’t stand a chance against them. Either I die, or I hide and let everyone else die for me. But that’s the story of my life, isn’t it?”

Quin swallowed, hating the route her mind traveled. “Will you look at me?” he whispered, drifting his fingers down a turbulent sea of curls. “I miss your eyes.”

Her aura expanded as her shoulders shook, and a choppy gasp wheezed through cotton as she kicked the bed.

“Okay,” he soothed, nuzzling her neck. “You don’t have to look.”

“Damn it, Quin. Stop being so nice to me.”

“I won’t do that,” he refused.

“I know,” she sighed. Then she rubbed her face in the pillow and looked at him.

“There they are,” he approved, staring into shiny emeralds. “I love your eyes, Layla. They sing to me.”

“They’re bloodshot.”

“They’re beautiful,” he assured, soothing her eyelids with the pad of his thumb. “You’re beautiful.”

Her pout quivered, and he quickly laid a finger over it. “Nuh-uh. That’s not something to cry about.”

“I don’t know why I can’t control myself.”

“Because you’re sad, scared, guilty and tired, and I understand why, but please don’t cry when I tell you you’re beautiful.”

“Then don’t tell me.”

He frowned and took her cheek. “You’re asking me to be someone I’m not, Layla. I know you’re hurting right now, but life doesn’t stop when times are bad. It’s worth living, always, especially when I’m looking into eyes like yours. I’m worried about this situation, but I’m not going to lie here and pretend anything with you. If I want to see your smile, I’m going to find a way to make you smile. If I want to tell you you’re beautiful and kiss your body, that’s what I’m going to do, because no matter what’s going on out there...” He pulled her hand to his chest, pressing her palm to his heart. “...I know exactly what’s going on in here. I won’t deny myself life’s pleasures just because they’re being threatened.”

She silently stared at him for several seconds, eyes wide, lips parted. Then she swallowed and flexed her fingers over his heart. “That’s good advice. I could have used it three years ago.”

“I wish I’d been there to say it.”

“Me, too, but wishing changes nothing.”

“I’m here now. That means a lot to me.”

“It means a lot to me, too, Quin. Words can’t convey how much.”

“How about a promise?” he suggested.

“A promise?” she repeated, skeptically raising an eyebrow.

“Yes,” he confirmed. “You’re right about me not being able to promise you the future, and I’m sorry I didn’t consider that before saying it. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I do know I’m going to do everything I can to keep you safe, which brings me to my point. I propose a new promise, one I can keep, in return for one from you.”

She remained silent, and he could tell she disapproved.

“You don’t like promises,” he concluded.

“They can be impossible to keep,” she explained.

“I guess they can,” he agreed. “Will you at least hear me out?”

Her suspicion softened as she fidgeted with his shirt. “Sure.”

He scooted closer, until they were nose to nose. Then he tucked her hair behind her ear and held her cheek. “I want you to promise me you won’t sacrifice your safety because you think someone else is in danger. And that promise includes you staying here, under our protection, until we figure out how to make you safe. I don’t want you leaving without telling anybody and attempting to hide yourself in order to save us.”

“That’s a tall order to fill,” she whispered, blinking back tears.

“I understand why,” he sympathized. “I’ve never seen anyone suffer the kind of guilt you harbor. But this situation isn’t your fault, and putting your life at risk isn’t the right thing to do. So I’m asking you not to do it.”

“This is your family, too, Quin. You must be so worried about them. How can you even look at me knowing I’m the one putting them in danger?”

“You vastly underestimate your value, Layla. Your life is precious, and the danger’s there whether you are or not.”

“My life is no more precious than anyone else in the coven, and even though the Unforgivables would come here either way, you can’t deny that me being here poses an even bigger threat. If Agro comes here demanding answers, and you guys stonewall him to save me, he could wipe out the entire family.”

“Yes, Agro’s a murdering bastard, but this family is his strongest link to you, which means he doesn’t want us dead. He’ll exhaust all options before wiping us out. Hopefully we’ll find a way to deter him before it gets to that point.”

“You’re relying on hope? You really think it’s there?”

“There’s always hope when you’re part of this family. We share an extraordinary bond, for several reasons, and fear of Agro won’t make it dwindle. Certain things always pull through when a community is faced with adversity, and our coven holds them all. Not one bone in my body feels our family is doomed to die.”