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Oh dear God. This had to be happening to someone else. Shed never walked on the wild side, craved danger--never even had a parking ticket. How could it be that she had powers a magical sociopath wanted?
"Sabelle and I are researching all the surviving information about the tomb,"
Bram supplied. "As Merlins surviving grandchildren--"
" The Merlin? He was real?"
"Indeed. " Bram nodded. "We have his writings. If he noted anything about a way to end Morgannas exile or death, well find it. "
"Who can tell us something about . . . my kind? Or more about Mathiass plans?"
Hurstgrove and Bram exchanged another heavy glance. His Graces hand tightened on her hip. "Theres one person. But--"
A series of staccato gongs interrupted, sounding somewhat like the start of a nail-biting cinema soundtrack. Though they seemed faint, almost far away.
She looked around for the source of the noise. "What is that?"
Hurstgrove sidled even closer and cursed.
Shaking his head, Bram drawled, "Speak of the devil . . . "
Chapter 7
EVERYTHING INSIDE D UKE TENSED at the sound of the magical chime.
How the hell was he going to keep Felicia safe now?
"We must hide her," he barked at Bram. Then he turned to Ice. "Where?"
Bram shook his head. "Too late. "
"What do you mean?" Felicia tensed.
Duke didnt answer her; he didnt know how to tell her that after hed tried so hard to protect her, the enemy would soon walk through their front door and see her for himself.
"Let him in, Ice," Bram instructed. "Are your magical boundaries in place?"
"Whats happening?" Felicia demanded.
"Only the farthest. Those near the caves . . . " Ice answered as if she hadnt spoken, instead shooting her a pointed stare.
"Its not her fault," Duke defended hotly.
"Understood," Ice agreed. "But how the fuck are we to defend ourselves?"
Felicia winced. "Do I have any means to . . . turn the ability off?"
With a lift of his razor-sharp brow, Ice drawled, "Youll have to tell us. We dont have a damn clue. "
"Nor do we have time to find out now. Ice, take Caden and Ronan with you. "
Bram nodded at the wizards. "Greet Shock cautiously. We dont know for certain why hes come. "
Looking at Felicia, Duke knew exactly why Shock had come. Fucking bastard.
The three wizards disappeared.
"So not Mathias? And this Shock is a person? Has he come to . . . kill me?"
Scrubbing his face with one hand, Duke wished like hell he could teleport her to Timbuktu--or any safe place. He didnt want to frighten her, but why lie? "Kill you, probably not right away. But dont stand too close. Dont trust him. Dont leave my sight. "
"What can one man do against so many?" She scanned the low-ceilinged stone room, bursting with the Doomsday Brethrens collective muscle and brawn.
Duke narrowed his dark eyes. "When Shock is involved, thats always a good question. Hell act like a friend and offer help. " Bram crossed his arms over his chest.
"Right before he stabs you in the back. "
"Fucking mate thief," Lucan growled. He didnt have to say that if he got his hands around Shocks neck, hed kill the son of a bitch. It was written all over his face.
"He did give you enough information to discern that Felicia is the Untouchable so you could keep her safe," Tynan argued.
"Indeed," Duke snapped. "Likely right before he told Mathias that Id found her. "
Felicia paled. "He knows Mathias?"
"Shock claims to be a double agent," Bram muttered. "Traitor. "
"What . . . exactly would Mathias do to me?"
Duke exchanged glances with the others, warning them to shut up. It was one thing to tell her who and what they were. Another entirely to give her the grisly details about Mathiass violence, especially against women.
As usual, Bram did what he wanted. "After he used you to get into Morgannas tomb, he would probably--"
"Shut up!" Duke insisted. "Youll only scare her to death. "
Felicia whirled on him. "Stop making decisions for me. I asked because I want the answer, no matter how terrible. Youre not my father, husband, brother, or lover. "
He knew he should stop himself. Knew it . . . but couldnt. "That last one I can fix.
Right now. "
She tugged her arm from his grasp, but Duke couldnt miss the reddening of her cheeks or her rapid breaths.
Damn, here they were, deep in the middle of danger, and he could barely think past his need to Call to her and claim her in every way known to man. The need grew every moment he spent near her.
Sighing in frustration, he eased back to put space between them. About two inches of it. More than that he couldnt stand.
"He took my mate from me. " Lucans voice sounded hollow, haunted, just as he was. "He broke our bond, and Anka no longer remembered me. Then he repeatedly raped her and gave her to Shock. "
Duke watched the horror wash over Felicias face and held in a curse. She had good reason to be terrified.
"And Anka was lucky," Tynan intoned, only his eyes giving away the brewing storm inside. "Auropha was to be my mate, but Mathias and the Anarki did much the same to her. And when theyd finished, they dumped her body in front of her parents
house, like trash. "
Tynan appeared alive, vital. But inside? If the eyes were the window to the soul, then he was dead. That gray stare looked as if hed given all to his grief and had nothing left. Felicias heart went out to him. Hed suffered . . . and still did.
Bram clapped the warrior on the shoulder. "Well put an end to Mathias. "
"Its been weeks since I joined, and nothing has happened," Tynan lashed out.
"Even two more minutes is too long to wait to kill that fucker. "
To that, no one said a word. There was no arguing with such terrible pain.
Felicia nodded slowly. "If Shock has anything to do with Mathias, I-Ill be careful. "
Duke couldnt breathe a sigh of relief. Until Shock was gone, until Mathias was dead, until Felicia was safe, he wondered if he ever would.
A few nail-biting moments later, the trio returned with Shock Denzell in tow.
Duke could only imagine what Felicia thought, getting her first look at the wizard decked out in bad attitude and black leather. In a leather duster that stretched tight across monster shoulders and mirrored sunglasses perpetually hiding his eyes, he looked ready to do Mathiass dirty work. The wizard would never pass for nice.
"He says hes alone," Caden offered. "I found no evidence of anyone else nearby. "
Little comfort, but Duke nodded.
"Im Shock. " He approached Felicia.
Duke wasnt waiting to find out if the wizard just expected a hearty handshake or wanted to be close enough to grab Felicia. He shoved her behind him. "Get away from her. "
Though tangling with Shock was a bit like baiting a rabid bulldog, Duke would have no problem ripping the other wizards head off if he harmed one hair on her head.
Shock looked Duke up and down, then glanced away with a superior smile.
"Honestly, take a breath. "
"Piss off! No one invited you here or asked for your commentary. "
"I go out of my way to be helpful--"
"For reasons that benefit you far more than us, Im certain," Duke snarled. "Say what you came to say and get out. "
Shock shook his head and looked past Duke. He sent Felicia a long, considering stare. "Amazing. "
Her whole body went stiff, and Dukes protective instincts went into hyper drive.
He reached behind his back and drew her closer. "Get your filthy gaze off her. "
With a snort, Shock said, "Shes hard to miss. Her imprint on your signature leaves a trail visible for miles . . . once you know what youre looking for. "
Dukes heart seemed t
o stop. Since Shock knew how that trail looked, if Mathias wasnt yet certain exactly where the Doomsday Brethren had hidden Felicia, he soon would be. And if by some miracle Shock hadnt yet told him, Zain, who had also seen her impact on Dukes signature, would.
Felicia gasped. She was getting a rapid-fire initiation into the ugly underbelly of magickind. Duke wished he could ease her into this--or better yet, leave her out altogether--but Shocks bombshell made it clear that sheltering her from this crap could be fatal indeed.
"I see youre putting it all together. " Shock crossed his arms over his chest. "Zain and Mathias are, perhaps, a day behind me--and only because I put a little extra REM in Zains sleep and assured Mathias I could manage this mission. "
This mission. Meaning taking Felicia from them. From him. Instantly, Duke gripped Felicias hand, glaring at Shock. The rest of the Doomsday Brethren stepped in front of them.
"You wont take her. " Dukes heart chugged out of control as fear scratched at his veins.
Shock laughed. "Touching. It would be fun to put that statement to the test, but as it happens, I dont wish to take her. "
"Disobeying Mathiass orders, as well as Brams? Guess youre an equal-opportunity prick," Ice quipped.
"Shut up, Rykard. " Shock glowered at Ice, then nodded Dukes way. "I assume the half-human prince told you of Mathiass scheme. "
"Hes a duke," Felicia corrected.
Shock rolled his eyes. "Whatever . . . "
"We know Mathiass plan," Bram assured him. "That doesnt explain why youve followed us, why youve barged in, or why youre supposedly disobeying Mathiass orders. "
"Such a stupid wanker. " Shock sighed. "Does resurrecting Morganna serve anyones interests?"
"Mathiass," Ice growled.
"I dont think so. " Shock frowned. "She wasnt controllable her first time among magickind. No reason to suspect that Mathias will succeed in bringing her to heel when all others, even Merlin, failed. No one needs that bitch back among us, for any reason. "
As much as Duke disliked Shock, he couldnt argue with that logic. "You believe Mathias would be in over his head with her?"
"Im certain of it. Hes fantasizing that hell somehow combine her power with his and use it to control everyone. I think hes delusional. "
"Fine. Youve warned us that Felicia and I are easy to follow. Well take precautions. Go. "
The big wizard sent him a withering glare. "Such as? What the hell do you know about Untouchables?"
Gritting his teeth, Duke wasnt about to admit the truth Shock had unpleasantly pointed out.
The big wizard shook his head. "I cant stall Zain and Mathias for much longer, so listen closely: My great-uncle killed the last Untouchable, Fayre. "
Felicia dug her nails into his shoulder, and Duke felt her recoil. "Killed her just for being an Untouchable? And Fayre was my ancestor?"
Shock nodded. "Since the Untouchable gift is passed down through a bloodline, yes. My great-uncle wrote that it took him decades to track Fayre down--once she found a way to disguise her imprint. "
Felicias little gasp shivered down Dukes spine. When she stepped around him, closer to Shock, Duke grabbed her arm and sent her a warning glance. "Remember, hes not to be trusted. "
"How did Fayre learn to do that?"
"Youre the only one listening, little girl. "
She sent the big wizard a hard blue stare, and Dukes appreciation for her courage notched up, even as he wished shed stay silent.
"Stop patronizing me and give me a bloody answer. "
Shock sent him an amused glance. "A little spitfire, isnt she?"
Felicia slipped out of his grip and charged at Shock. Duke lunged for her, but she was too fast.
Instantly, Shock skidded back. "If you want to live, dont touch me. "
Duke shoved Felicia out of harms way, then lunged at Shock. "Dont you dare threaten her!"
"Im not, you barmy fuck! If she touches me, Mathias will know it. Then he will know her imprint for himself. He will have seen it. And then no force will be able to keep him from her. "
Letting out a pent-up breath, Duke admitted that, as much as he distrusted Shock, the other wizard was right. Again.
"What are you suggesting?" she demanded. "I dont want to hide. I want my life back. "
Shock looked at her with something that almost resembled compassion. "That isnt possible right now. Maybe never. "
"Shut up!" Duke growled.
"Is that true?" Felicia demanded of him.
Duke didnt answer. How could he crush her hope? Taking away the life she wanted, putting her in such danger . . . Hed rather shove a knife in his heart.
"Is it?" she demanded.
He cursed under his breath. "Nothing is certain yet. "
Felicia flinched, swallowed. Then she lifted her chin with resolution and faced Shock. "How did Fayre hide from your great-uncle?"
"Its not an easy solution. So if youre looking for a quick fix--"
"Tell me," Felicia snarled.
Shed been that ferocious when defending her wedding. Clearly, she wanted her life with Mason back badly. Duke gritted his teeth at the thought.