War Bringer (33 page)

“Fine.” Val straightened. “You guys need to cool off. Let’s go to Winchesters. We can talk things out over a couple of beers.”

“We’re good,” Rocco said. “I’m gonna take a shower, then hit the sack.”

Angel wiped a thin stream of blood from his nose with the back of his wrist. “I’ll meet you upstairs in ten,” he growled.

* * *

 There wasn’t a night that Winchesters wasn’t busy. Tuesday night was no exception, but Val and Angel managed to find an empty table. They sprawled across the booth benches. When the waitress came, they put in their orders for beers. The dance floor was throbbing with the bass of country music and boots on wood floors. Val sent a look around the room. 

There was a woman sitting at the bar. He recognized her slim shoulders and narrow waist, not to mention the purple, spiky hair. A man was sitting next to her at the bar. Val couldn’t tell if they were together. He discovered his answer when Ace’s posture changed to create more separation between her and the idiot next to her.

Angel turned to see what Val was watching. “That Ace?” 

“Yep.” Val was getting increasingly ticked off that the guy couldn’t take a cue. When he leaned over too closely to Ace, Val caught the quick movement she did with her foot that destabilized the stool he sat on, tossing him to the ground. Ace banged her beer bottle on the bar top then got up and walked out. 

And damn if the bastard didn’t follow her.

“I’ll be right back,” Val told Angel.
 

Angel leaned back in his seat. “You good? ’Cause I think I’ve had enough fighting tonight.” He grinned at Val.
 

“Yeah, I got it.”

“If you’re not back in five, I’ll come save your ass.”

“Thanks. For nothing.”

Val trailed the guy outside. He was lit up like a beer fountain. He was searching in his pocket for the key to his truck, leaning heavily against his driver’s-side door while he did it. When he fished the keys out, Val swiped them from him.
 

“What ’er you doing, man? Those are mine.”

“So they are. This your truck?” Val asked.

“Yeah. Gimme ’em. I got to follow that chick.”

“No, you don’t.” Val pushed the guy’s head against the side of his truck.
 

“Ouch! That hurt!” he complained.

“Whoa. Be careful where you step.”

“I didn’t do that, you did.”

Val unlocked his door and opened it, managing to clip the guy in the nose.
 

Ace was watching them. “Do you have a crazy need to ride a white horse or something?” she called from a couple of cars over.

Val grinned, thinking that was not what he wanted to ride.

A couple other guys came out of the bar—friends of the drunk who was now holding his face. Val tossed them his keys. “Glad he has friends here. Save him from rounding up a ride home. He’s not too stable on his feet. Don’t let him get behind that wheel.”

“We got him.”

Val walked over to Ace’s beater, watching the guys out of the corner of his eye. They loaded their drunken friend into one of their cars and headed out.
 

“You think I couldn’t have dealt with that shitpouch by myself?”

“Sure you could have. But what kind of a friend would I be if I saw trouble coming your way and did nothing about it?” He opened her door for her. “You got my number, right?” She nodded. “Call it if you need it.”

He watched her drive off, then went back inside. Angel had just rebuffed a couple of women, if he were to judge from the disappointed looks on their faces as they turned away from the table.
 

Val slipped into the booth. Coming here hadn’t really improved his mood. It didn’t look like it had done anything for Angel’s either. He nodded toward the women. “Didn’t feel like company?”

“No.”

Val made a circle around his face as he looked at Angel. “Maybe they dig all the bruises.”

Angel shrugged.
 

“You got a beef with Rocco?”

“No.”

“Hmm. That wasn’t a regular sparring match I interrupted.”

“Drop it, Val.”

Val leaned against the seat back. “Fine. We’ll just sit here and be miserable. Alone.”

Angel nodded toward the girls. “Want me go get them for you?”

Val considered that and laughed. For a long time, it had been him getting the girls for Angel. A pair of lichen-green eyes flashed in his mind. There really was only one girl he wanted right then. And she had an agenda he couldn’t quite figure out…that probably didn’t include him.

“Nah. I’m good with the beer.”

Chapter
 
Twenty-Nine

Kelan stepped into Fiona’s room. They’d spent the whole night together. Though short, it was the most satisfying night of his life. Fiona had come back to her room to shower and dress this morning.

It was too early yet for breakfast, but he wanted to check on her state of mind. She’d left his ankle sheath on his nightstand. If she was at all waffly about staying, he was going to make her wear it.

He leaned on her dresser, waiting for her to come out of her closet. When she did, she was adjusting the two layers of tank tops she wore, one pink, one white. Over both of them, she wore a flower-print sweatshirt that was cut off at her midriff. Her tight blue jeans showed her skinny legs. Peach flip-flops were her sandals.
 

She lifted her head and looked at him. He could see the shadows were back in her eyes. He sighed, trying to figure out what to do about her persistent belief that her leaving would protect them all.

Like any of them needed an itty-bitty thing like her to stand between them and their enemies.

They could have another round of amazing sex to try and settle the matter…but maybe what she needed most was to hear it from the fighters who would put their lives in danger to retrieve her if she left.
 

She didn’t say anything, so he broke the silence. “Can we sell the car you bought yesterday?”

Her jaw opened. “You know about that?”

“Yeah, and the bank account you cleaned out.”

“Kelan—”

“If we knew about it, you don’t think our enemies do too? We know they’re watching you.” He went to her door and held it for her. “Let’s take a walk.”
 

“Where?”

“Down to the bunker. I told you about Blade’s stepdad’s papers that his mom hid away. Maybe it would be a good thing if you helped us record and analyze them.” He looked at her as they entered the foyer downstairs. “That would give you an important way to strike back at your father while we wait for this be over.”

She put her hand in his. “You’d let me do that?”

“We could use the help. I’ll mention it to Kit.”

Kelan led her down the secret stairs from the den to the bunker. He chose that entry point because he knew it would put Fiona in mind of where she’d been held. Hair of the dog that bit you, sort of thing, he figured. She did not resist his lead. Her hand was tiny in his, soft, so goddamned tender, he didn’t know how she existed in this world.
 

They walked out of the stairwell and into the long conference room. The guys were all around the table, already at work. Greer killed the stuff on the big smart screen.
 

“Kelan, what the hell?” Kit asked.

He pulled Fiona in front of him and crossed his arms in front of her, holding her body fully against his. “Tell them. Say it to these men—and woman—who fought for you, the ones who will fight for you again and again. Tell them you’re going to leave, and why.”

Fiona’s body tightened, like a great ball of rubber bands stretched too tight. Her hands held his forearms, her nails digging into his skin. He felt the splash of a tear on his skin. The sound of her swallow echoed in the silent room.

“I can’t be with Kelan. I am to blame for everything my father’s done, everything he might yet do. I cannot risk Kelan. Or you. Or anyone. I have to leave.”
 

There. It was spoken aloud, into the burning light of these warriors’ eyes, eyes that only knew truth and honor.

Owen was the first to speak. “Fiona, you’re conscious of the mark your footprint makes in this world. That’s extraordinarily rare.” He bowed toward her from his place by the wall. “I honor that awareness. But you cannot bear the burden of others’ footprints. You can only lead them with the integrity of your own.”

Fiona sniffed.

“Who knows what will come of your time with Kelan?” Blade said. “Maybe that one small act of defiance against King will change the world.”
 

Max stood. His face was tight with anger, his expression war-like. He marched over to them. Kelan narrowed his eyes in warning, but Max never looked at him as he touched Fiona’s cheek. His thumb wiped a tear away. Kelan thought he was like Frankenstein’s monster wiping dew from a flower.
 

“No.” Max’s nostrils flared. “You will not live your life in response to the madness of your father. You will not deny yourself, your heart, your future, all the fucking awesome experiences life has to offer.”

When he stepped away, Rocco was there. He stared at her a long minute. “There is sunshine, Fee. I do believe it.” He moved beside Max and folded his arms.
 

Then Kit was up. “You are a little sister to me. I reject your fear. I see only your courage.” He took his place next to Rocco.

Angel was next. He smiled at her, in as gently a way as possible for him. “I will slay your dragons, if Kelan leaves any for me to fight.”

Kelan felt more warm tears spill to his forearm as Fiona looked up at Greer. “Eight brothers and a warrior sister. We all veto your decision. If it backfires, we’ll carry that burden, not you.” He kissed her cheek, then took his place in the growing circle around her.
 

Blade lifted Fiona’s chin. “I know how debilitating a cage is.” Fiona sniffled and drew a ragged breath. “I couldn’t break free without Kit’s help”—he looked around at the team—“without everyone’s help. Kelan knew to bring you to us to bust you out of your cage. We will break those fucking bars, and break them again, and burn them down if we need to. You, Fiona, must be free, because if you aren’t, no one is.”

He moved aside, and Val stepped in front of them. For once, he had nothing to say, either sassy or serious. There was no humor in his eyes. Kelan had long suspected he’d never had much of a childhood, but that he’d chosen to see life from the joyful eyes of a kid in an unending effort to experience it. But now, looking at Fiona, there was no mask in place. He lowered his head and let it hang there a long moment. When he straightened, his eyes burned with an unholy blue heat.

“I will lay my life down for you, Fiona.” He looked around at the team. “In the same way I would give my life for my warrior family.” He looked at her again. “I don’t do it in vain. I do it to give you the freedom to thrive in any choice you make. I do it selfishly to know that my life mattered.”

Fiona nodded and sniffled, then broke from Kelan’s hold to reach for Val. He hugged her a long time, rocking her a little. When he stepped to the side, Selena was there.

“Whatever you need to feel safe, Fee, ask me. Training. Weapon drills. Someone to stand at your door at night while you sleep. I’m here for you.” Fiona hugged her too.

Owen joined the circle, standing across from Fiona and Kelan. “King be damned. Your future is your own to make.”

Fiona choked on a laugh. She sniffed and nodded. “Okay. I will.”

Kelan grinned. A long sigh broke from him as he hugged her. He kissed her head. “I’ll take you upstairs.”

They went back up the way they’d come down. The symbolism was important to Kelan. Just as she’d been held in darkness—physical and mental—she also had the power to walk up out of it. He didn’t let go of her hand until they’d crossed the room, the patio outside, and half the upper yard. When the sun poured down on them, he faced her.
 

Her life was her own, and what she chose to do with it mattered.
 

“You’ve heard from everyone. They care about you. They are your tribe. You’re not alone. You don’t exist in a vacuum. None of us does. You matter to the people who matter to you.” He put his hand flat against her chest. “What does that feel like in your heart?”

She shook her head. Her eyes were wide and dilated. She didn’t speak. She couldn’t—Kelan knew there were no English words that approximated what she had to be feeling. He knew the words in Lakota, though, and he would teach them to her, in time.

He lifted her hands up above her head. His thumbs opened her tight fists. “Feel the sun on your hands. Feel it pour down over you. Feel its cleansing heat. Give it your fear, your dread, your anger, your resentment. Then let the earth fill the newly empty space in you with hope, joy, possibilities of all that you are and wish to be.”

Her image wavered before him as his eyes filled with liquid. “Feel your whole self. Your true self.”
 

He let go of her. She kept her hands raised. Eventually, she drew a long, slow breath and let it out.
 

“The sun and the earth will always cleanse and replenish you. Infinitely.”

She lowered her hands. Her eyes never left his. “Is it possible to be whole and to be a half at the same time?”

He didn’t answer. Was she asking what he thought she was?

“I’m ready to join my life with yours, Kelan.”

Kelan let out a whoop and swept her up into his arms, then swung her around a couple of times until her laughter broke through the wind in his ears. He took that sound into his heart, and knew he would hear it for lifetimes to come.