Rourk (Keegan's Chronicles Series Book 4) (13 page)

Taking long strides, he made his way back to his bedroom. The sight of the unmade bed caused a lump to form in his throat. Stopping, he inhaled her scent, and his eyes went to a picture on the dresser of the two of them on their wedding day. He couldn’t break down, not now when Keegan needed him the most. Tonight he would fight with the weapons of his ancestors.

Rourk pulled open the closet and slid back a hidden panel. First, he pulled out his armor. It was brown and thin, making it easy to move, and blend in with the woods. Then Rourk reached for his sword and shield. He wrapped his hand around the steel handle. Closing his eyes, he welcomed the flow of magic through his hands.

His sword felt like an extension of his own hand.

He sheathed the sword in his scabbard, put the shield back, and strode back into the living room.

Thaddeus and Tommy glanced down at the sword, but said nothing.

Anna rose to her feet and broke her circle with her foot.

“Well, I have some good news and some bad news.”

“Just spill it,” Thaddeus said coldly.

Anna gave him a look, but continued. “The good news is Keegan is alive.”

Rourk let out a shaky breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

“The bad news?” Rourk asked, unable to meet Anna’s eyes.

“The d’jinn is influencing her thoughts. She thinks she can’t contact you because that is what he is telling her. It’s one of their powers. If Keegan was aware, she could mentally break free.” Anna’s shoulders slumped. “The best we can hope for is the black magick that is threaded through her can somehow overpower his control. But, honestly, I wouldn’t count on it.”

“What about locating her? Did your spell work?” Thaddeus asked.

She shook her head. “I can’t reach her. It’s like she’s in a void.”

“Then how do you know she’s alive?” Rourk asked, his voice tight with anger.

“I asked my mother if she had passed into the other realm. She has not. I contacted Eden, the grey witch, and she explained the d’jinn’s power, and why the bond wasn’t working. She also told me I wouldn’t be able to locate her, but I didn’t believe her so I tried anyway. D’jinns are very powerful.”

Tommy walked over and put his arm around Anna’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze. The show of affection made Rourk’s pain all the stronger. He would do anything to have Keegan by his side.

“I can’t just stand around and do nothing.” Rourk’s face was etched with fear, and his gray eyes were as cold as steel.

“He’ll come to you. What good is taking Keegan if he can’t watch you suffer?” Thaddeus said evenly.

Rourk thought about that. It made sense. He wanted revenge for his brother’s death. A life for a life. Obviously, the d’jinn didn’t feel that Stitch’s life was worthy enough. Rourk could feel his neck pulsing. He had to control himself.

He prayed Thaddeus was correct. At least he would have a chance to save Keegan. He would move heaven and hell to get to her if he had to. And his baby. He didn’t care what Thaddeus had said. He was going to try to save them both.

What was the d’jinn doing to Keegan in the meantime? He couldn’t let his mind go there.

“Rourk, I’m so sorry. I really wish there was more I could do. You know how much Keegan means to me.”

Rourk had been so lost in his own rage, he hadn’t stopped to consider how it was affecting those around him. “I appreciate your help.” His gaze shifted to Tommy. “Thanks for being here.”

“I’m sorry about Stitch. He was a good man.”

Rourk didn’t respond. Stitch’s death was still hard for him to accept. It hadn’t fully sunk in yet.

“There’s something I should tell you.” Tommy said and looked down at the floor.

“Yes?”

“I’ve been seeing Stitch.”

Rourk tilted his head slightly. “Seeing him? As in his spirit?”

“Yeah. He won’t leave me alone. I mean, not that I mind. It’s just strange.”

Thaddeus cut in. “Is he here now?”

Tommy nodded his head.

“Is he talking to you?” Thad wanted to know.

“He’s trying, but I can’t hear him.”

Rourk glanced at Thaddeus and wondered what the significance was. Why would Stitch be contacting Tommy?

“It sounds crazy, but I think he wants to help.”

“That’s not crazy at all.” Thaddeus replied.

“I don’t know how to communicate with him.” Tommy said, clearly uncomfortable.

“Ask him to lead us, and we’ll follow him.” Anna said. “Talk to him. Talk to him out loud.”

Tommy gave her a glance to see if she was serious or not.

“Just try it. Come on, Tommy, there is nothing to be embarrassed about. You’re in the room with two elves and a natural witch, for crying out loud. And poor Stitch is probably getting frustrated.”

“Please, Tommy.” Rourk said. He could hear the desperation in his own voice.

Tommy took a deep breath. “Hey, Stitch. I can’t hear you, and I don’t know if you can hear me, but can you show us where we need to be? I mean, if you know where Keegan is, can you show us?—Holy shit. He just walked through the door.”

Rourk didn’t hesitate; he crossed the room and threw open the door. The others were all close behind him.

“He’s standing in front of your truck.”

Rourk pulled the keys out of his pocket and jumped in. Thaddeus got in the passenger side, and Tommy and Anna got in the back.

Tommy leaned forward. “I wonder how fast he can go?”

No one answered.

Once out of the parking lot, Tommy screamed, “Turn left.”

They drove into the mountains with Tommy navigating the way, or more accurately, Stitch navigating.

The main road turned off into a narrow winding gravel road that was blocked off. They jumped out of the truck, and Tommy started into the woods. There wasn’t a path, and the underbrush was thick. They hiked for over two hours, mostly in silence without seeing anything, except the cloudy sky and an occasional forest animal. An owl hooted, and a wolf howled.

The ground was uneven, tangled with roots and underbrush. Anna fell a few times, but she always hurried to catch up.

The sun was setting quickly, and Rourk shivered, but not from the cold. He could feel the evil that awaited them.

Deep ominous thunder roared in the distance.

“Anna, once we find them, you are going to have to block the d’jinn’s power. If you don’t, the d’jinn can shift forms, even become a bug crawling under you.”

“I can do that. I can put a binding spell on him, that will make him unable to access his magick.”

Twenty minutes later, they crested a hill. When Rourk laid eyes on Keegan, he saw red. The need to kill surged through every fiber of his being. He could feel the wrath of rage course through him. He couldn’t seem to control his breathing, or his heart.

He curled his fingers around the hilt of the sword. His knuckles turned white.

Keegan was covered in cuts and bruises. Her hair was a long tangled mass of curls framing her filthy face. Her chest was bare, but her hair was pulled forward to cover her breasts.

“The baby.” Keegan cried. “I can’t leave the shelter.”

“You can leave, Keegan. You just think you can’t. He’s messing with your mind,” Thaddeus yelled out.

The distinct ringing of steel echoed through the woods as Rourk unsheathed his sword. At the same time, he lowered the shield of his mind. The d’jinn would not be able to tap into any of his magick like he took Keegan’s magick from her.

CHAPTER 20   

“It’s about time.” Adham appeared next to Keegan, seemingly out of nowhere. “It’s pathetic. I had to lead you here. I expected more from you Rourk. Really? Your dead friend?” The d’jinn’s lip curled up in disgust.

Tommy looked around, confused. “He’s gone. Stitch is gone. He was right there!”

In a blink of the eye the d’jinn picked Tommy up and tossed him in the air. His head hit a tree with a sickening
thunk,
and he slide down to the ground in a heap.

“Tommy!” Anna ran over to his side.

“Stitch was never there, you imbecile. It was me. I wasted so much time trying to get your attention. Time I could have been spending with her.”

Rourk stood still, his chest heaving up and down. Hatred burned his soul. What kind of evil would impersonate a dead man? A man he had killed no less.

The d’jinn yanked Keegan by the arm from the shelter. She tumbled to the ground on her knees.

Keegan’s panicked eyes met Rourk’s briefly. “The baby,” she wailed in anguish.

“Keegan, it’s going to be okay. I’m here now.” His jaw muscles tightened as his eyes returned to the d’jinn.

“You won’t be saving anyone, elf boy,” Adham snarled, his face twisting in a hateful glare.

“Anna, now,” Thaddeus yelled.

In one swift motion, Anna turned and spread her fingers out and loudly chanted. A loud crackling was heard in the stillness of the forest.

The d’jinn’s eyes widened, darting from Rourk to Anna. He knew something had happened, but had no idea what. He wouldn’t realize until he tried to transform.

Today, he would not escape. The force of rage flowed through Rourk’s veins.

The d’jinn pulled a dagger from the sheath attached to his leg. Rourk’s muscles tightened and his teeth clenched. Just as quickly, he relaxed, feeling centered once again. He needed to pay attention. One thought filled his head: kill him.

Before the d’jinn could even get the dagger close to Keegan, Rourk attacked.

The d’jinn reacted. He was lightening fast, but Rourk was faster. They stalked each other in a circle. The d’jinn’s knife looked like a toy compared to the sword.

Panic showed in his eyes. He had probably tried to shift and found he couldn’t. The d’jinn lost his footing and immediately rolled onto his back and sprang to his feet.

Rourk lunged forward, using his sword to knock the dagger from his grip.

“I need to go to the hospital.” Keegan cried. “I’m bleeding. My baby.” She groaned and collapsed from her knees to the ground.

“I’m so sorry, Keegan. It’s too late.” Thaddeus said. The pain in his voice only intensified Rourk’s grief.

Rourk could hear all of this going on in the background. His eyes stung, but he pushed back the tears.

Rourk’s eyes flicked in their direction.

“No.” She pounded her brother’s chest as he moved to comfort her. “Don’t say that. Don’t you even say that. Mom can fix me. Call Mom.” She kept hitting her brother and then collapsed against him. “Please. Call Mom.”

Anna ran over and hugged Keegan, rocking her back and forth. Both of them had tears running down their faces.

The d’jinn took advantage of the distraction. He lunged forward the knife mere inches from his throat. Rourk brought his focus back on the fight.

He had to make sure the d’jinn would join his brother in the underworld. He had intended on making the d’jinn really suffer, but right now his wife was suffering, and she needed him more than he needed revenge. At the end of the day, dead was dead.

Embracing the pain, Rourk let out a battle cry. He raised the sword over his head and swung in a circle. With a sickening
thwack
of blade hitting bone, the d’jinn’s head flew off and tumbled to the ground. In slow motion his knees folded, and a second later the body collapsed. The tattoos vanished, and in the d’jinn’s place was the body of an unknown man.

Rourk looked down at the body, sheathed his sword and walked over to Keegan. His heart hurt with every step. Thaddeus had wrapped his jacket around her shoulders. She looked so small and fragile.

He sank to his knees in front of the one woman he loved more than life itself. He leaned over and gently ran his hand through her hair and down her cheek. She threw her arms around him and her body convulsed in his arms as she sobbed into his shoulder.

“He’s gone, Keegan. He can’t touch you ever again.”

Keegan’s hand flew to her mouth and she sobbed, choking out, “The baby. They said our baby was dead.”

Rourk looked away and then forced himself to meet her eyes. “I’m so sorry, Keegan. This is all my fault.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Keegan wiped away her tears. Her lower lip trembled.

“I brought this on us.” Rourk’s eyes burned as they filled with tears.

Her eyes were frantic. “Rourk, I think Thad’s wrong. I think my mom can fix the baby.”

Rourk swallowed. He knew there was no bringing the baby back. Thaddeus had given him warning, even though he hadn’t wanted to listen at the time.

“I hope so,” he whispered, and tears fell down his face as he cupped her face in the palms of his hands.

Keegan’s mother appeared seconds later, and next to her stood a teleporter. “Oh baby. I’m so sorry. I got here as soon as I could.”

Dropping her hands from Rourk’s shoulders, Keegan turned to her mother, tears streaming down her face. “Mom, I’m bleeding. Fix the baby.”

Her mother leaned down and touched Keegan’s stomach. She shook her head. “It’s too late. I can’t save the baby, she has moved on.” Emerald’s lip trembled and a tear trickled down her cheek.

Keegan stared at her mom, her mouth hanging open. “You’re not even going to try? Try, Mom, please try.”

“I will give you a healing, but the baby is gone. She has already crossed.”

Keegan dropped to her knees and pounded on the earth, her chest heaving up and down as an unnatural wail filled the air. Rourk watched, feeling helpless as Keegan curled into a ball on the ground, screaming in anguish.

He knew she would never forgive him, and he would never forgive himself. Their baby was gone because of him. He had killed his child as if he’d done it with his own hands. The thought made his legs buckle. Thaddeus grabbed him by the arm and shook his head. Rourk nodded once. He had to be strong for Keegan. Push aside his own emotions, and be there for her.

Emerald laid Keegan on the ground and placed her hands on Keegan’s head. Before their eyes the cuts closed up and the swelling went away. She made her way down Keegan’s body, stopping for a long time on her stomach. “I’m sorry, Keegan. You know I don’t have the power to bring back someone from the dead.”

“Anna, what about your mother?” Keegan asked frantically. “She could do it.”

“No, Keegan. The baby was not meant for this world.”