by Donna Grant
Malcolm didn’t take his eyes off Wallace as he walked from behind his desk to Evie’s side. She stiffened, but didn’t move away when Wallace put his hand on her stomach.
“Already she carries your child, Malcolm. The child of the prophecy. Thanks to the two of you, a child of pure evil will be born and will help me conquer the world.”
A single tear rolled down Evie’s face, and it shattered Malcolm as nothing else could. He hadn’t been able to stop her from becoming drough, and thanks to desires he couldn’t control, they’d played right into Wallace’s hands.
“Doona even think of trying to rid your body of the babe growing inside you,” Wallace said as he moved aside Evie’s curls to whisper in her ear while his gaze was locked with Malcolm’s. “If you do, Brian will die an instant and horrible death.”
“You can’t expect me to go along with this,” Evie said as she jerked away from him.
Malcolm took a step toward her, but one look from Wallace stopped him.
“You will, because you want your brother to live,” Jason said. “All you need to do is carry that baby to term. The babe will be born in this house, and then it’ll be mine. I’ll be done with all of you then.”
“You mean you’ll kill us,” Malcolm said.
Wallace shrugged. “Perhaps. If you make yourselves useful and prove I can trust you, I might keep you alive.”
“If you’re going to kill us, why should I do anything you want?” Evie said, her face a mask of anger.
Malcolm called her name, but it was too late. A choking sound came from Brian as he bent over, his face turning red as he struggled to breathe.
Evie rushed to Brian. She looked at Jason. “You’ve made your point. Stop this!”
Just as quickly as Brian had begun to choke, it stopped. He dragged in a breath, his eyes briefly meeting Malcolm’s, before he straightened to the silent guard he’d been before.
Malcolm walked to Evie and gently pulled her against him. “I know your kind, Wallace. You’ll no’ be content with us just allowing the babe to grow. What else do you want?”
“You’re going to kill all the Warriors.”
He said it as if he’d been reciting the menu for the night. Malcolm’s soul, that had begun to flourish once more, withered.
“For Evie’s safety, of course,” Wallace continued. “After all, once your so-called friends learn what is growing inside her, they’ll try to execute her. And you.”
Malcolm knew it was the truth, but that didn’t mean he would be able to slay those he called friends, family. “And if I doona?”
“You’ll never see Evie again.” Wallace clasped his hands behind his back, a satisfied look upon his face. “You may know me, Warrior, but I know you. You think if you can get Evie and Brian out of my home that you might be able to somehow stop whatever I have in play. That’s no’ going to happen, because I’m no’ allowing Brian to leave.”
Evie jerked in Malcolm’s arms as if she’d been shot. Her chest heaved and she shook with rage.
“Try it,” she dared Wallace. “Try and keep Brian here, and I’ll abort this baby with my magic right this instant.”
Wallace blinked, the smile wiped from his face. “You do that, and I kill Brian.”
“He’ll be dead anyway. We all will. If you want us to carry through with this elaborate plan of yours, then we all leave. Or it ends now.”
There was a pause before Jason said, “You wouldna dare.”
“Try me.”
Malcolm squeezed Evie’s shoulder, careful his claws didn’t cut her. He wanted her to know he supported her in whatever decision she made. They could walk out of the mansion, or they could all die inside.
Either way Malcolm would make sure that whatever Jason Wallace wanted didn’t come to fruition.
“You have everything you want,” Malcolm said. “Brian comes with us.”
Wallace rocked back on his heels and gave a slight nod. “I’ll agree if Evie kills the dragons.”
“What?” Evie shouted.
“Agreed,” Malcolm said over her before she could protest more. He didn’t know how much Evie knew of the Dragon Kings, but it was evident Wallace hadn’t done his research on them or he’d know the only one who could kill a Dragon King was another Dragon King.
Wallace rubbed his hands together. “I think it’s all worked out marvelously. Just remember. I’ll be watching the three of you.”
“And what if I lose the baby by nothing I’ve done?” Evie asked. “It does happen all the time.”
Wallace looked from her to Malcolm. “Then you get pregnant again. I doona think either of you will mind that ordeal.”
Malcolm tamped down his god and turned Evie to the door. He grasped Brian’s arm to find the lad’s eyes were locked on him.
For a moment Malcolm thought Wallace didn’t have control of the teen as he imagined, but just as quickly, the emotionless look returned.
Malcolm watched the lad carefully. Had he looked so … lifeless when he hadn’t been able to feel anything? If so it was no wonder people called him stony and impersonal.
“Come,” Malcolm urged Brian as the three walked out of Wallace’s mansion to Evie’s car.
He put Brian in the Jaguar, and had Evie behind the wheel with the top down in a matter of moments. “Keep it together for just a little longer, Evie,” he urged. “I’ll be right behind you.”
Her hand gripped the door, her knuckles white. “What have I done?”
“It’s no’ you,” he said as he reached past her and pushed the button to start the car. “It was all Wallace. You heard him. He planned all of this.”
“He didn’t have me put up the Web site. That was all me.”
“It’s just a site. There was nothing malicious or evil about what you did. You can no’ say the same about Wallace.”
She looked over at him. “I’m carrying your child. A child that’s supposed to be evil.”
He shook his head. “That’s no’ going to happen. I’ll no’ let it.”
Malcolm prayed he could keep that promise as he closed the door and watched her drive out of the gates as he used his speed and ran behind them, making sure Wallace kept his word.
CHAPTER
FORTY-THREE
Evie placed her hand on her stomach as she drove the two-seater. Pregnant. She still couldn’t believe there was a life growing inside her. A life Jason wanted to corrupt.
A life she didn’t want to be responsible for.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want kids of her own. It was just that she had been raising Brian for ten years, and she’d wanted to experience those wild early-twenty years all her friends had.
How could she do that now with a baby? A baby she might have to one day kill in order to save the world?
When she was several miles away from Wallace Mansion, she pulled off the road to try and calm herself. Before she put it in park Malcolm opened the door, unbuckled her seat belt, and pulled her out of the car.
“Evie?”
“I can’t do this,” she said. “I can’t be responsible for giving birth to a child of evil.”
“You are no’ in this alone. We have each other.”
“Jason will kill us.”
“We have nine months to sort it out. We’ll think of something.”
She looked to see his jaw clenched. He was worried, but he was trying to hide it from her. Most of the men she knew would have walked away from her and the situation.
But not Malcolm. He was steady, solid. A pillar of strength and determination she knew she could lean on no matter what. It was only his presence that kept her from completely losing it.
Evie looked at her brother. “Brian? Is that you? Are you with us?”
There was no smile, just stark anger in his dark eyes. She watched his rapid hand movements as he told her he was fine and unharmed.
Before she could answer, Malcolm growled and stalked around the car to head into the trees.
“I’m going to ki
ll him,” Malcolm said through clenched teeth.
Evie glanced at Brian. “Stay here,” she told him as she followed Malcolm.
Her sweater wasn’t enough to keep her warm in the cold night air, but she ignored it as she pushed through the tall grass toward a stand of trees. Evie was breathing hard when she finally reached Malcolm.
“Have you lost your damned mind, Dragon?” Malcolm said.
“I wasna going to just leave you two in there if something went wrong.”
Evie tried to see around Malcolm’s thick shoulders to Rhys, but he wouldn’t let her. Finally, she ducked under his arms and caught sight of a nude male with an impressive dragon tattoo on his chest with the dragon’s tail wrapping around his left arm and ending at his elbow.
She had a split second before Malcolm stepped in front of her, a frown directed at her. “What?” she asked. “As if I knew he was going to be in the buff.”
“You should’ve waited in the car.”
“If you’ve forgotten since we left that maniac’s house, I’m well and truly in this, Malcolm Munro. You’re not going to leave me out of anything.”
“Guess she told you,” Rhys said from behind Malcolm, a smile in his voice.
“Sod off, Dragon,” Malcolm said over his shoulder. He then grasped Evie’s arms. “I’ve no intention of leaving you out of anything. We’re in a bind, Evie.”
“Because of the baby?”
There was a choking sound before Rhys said, “The what?”
Malcolm ignored him as he sighed. “That’s part of it. I willna bring you to MacLeod Castle. I’m no’ sure of the reception either of us would receive.”
“Return to Dreagan,” Rhys said.
Malcolm turned his head to the side and said, “I’m no’ so certain Con would appreciate being put in the middle of this.”
“Con can bugger off. He’s always said Dreagan was open to you whenever you needed it. I say you and Evie definitely need it.”
“And Brian,” she added. “We have my brother.”
“Brian as well,” Rhys added.
Evie put her hands on Malcolm’s chest. “I don’t know what to do, so I’ll follow your lead in this.”
“No’ sure that’s a good idea. I’ve mucked things up pretty wretchedly.”
She rose up on her tiptoes and placed her lips on his. “No. You’ve managed to keep me alive and helped me after becoming drough. I wouldn’t want anyone else by my side.”
“Had there been someone else, you wouldna be carrying the child.”
“Our child,” she corrected him. “I don’t care what Jason says. I’m not ready to give up just yet. I need to wrap my head around everything first, but we have time.”
Malcolm nodded and pulled her against him. As soon as her arms wrapped around him, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel of him being close.
“Return to your brother,” he urged as he pulled back. “I’m sure Brian has questions. Let me talk to Rhys for a moment, and then we’ll decide what to do.”
She nodded and turned on her heel. The inside light of the car was on, and she spotted Brian standing with the passenger door open waiting for her.
* * *
Malcolm watched until Evie reached Brian before he turned to Rhys. The Dragon’s aqua eyes were intense as they stared at him.
“Aye, Evie is carrying my child. It seems both of us unwillingly walked right into Wallace’s plan to bring about the prophecy Deirdre first tried to fulfill.”
“Unbelievable.” Rhys ran a hand through his dark hair and shook his head. “Why did he let you three leave?”
“Evie. She threatened to use her magic to abort the babe unless we were allowed to leave. Wallace didna want to test her.”
Rhys crossed his arms over his bare chest. “Now that you’re free, why no’ abort it now?”
“No’ an option. His magic is linked to Brian. If we try to do anything to the babe, Brian dies. Wallace made it verra clear.”
“He’s just going to allow you and Evie to live wherever you want until the babe comes?” Rhys asked incredulously.
Malcolm gave a nod of his head. “Or so he says.”
“And when the babe arrives?”
“He plans to take it immediately and raise it as his own.”
“Fuck.” Rhys’s arms dropped as he paced. “We can no’ let any of this happen.”
Malcolm lifted a brow. “I’m so glad you thought of that, because I hadna.”
Rhys gave him a flat look. “Point taken. What do you need from me?”
“I doona know.” Malcolm rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. “Evie isna taking this news well. She was barely holding it together after discovering she was drough.”
“You think she’ll do something?”
Malcolm frowned. “No’ at all. That’s no’ like her to harm herself. Nay, I’m more worried about Wallace doing this to send her deeper into her black magic.”
“And thereby closer to him.”
“Precisely. Wallace set all of this in motion. It’s as if he’s thought of every action we could take and planned for that.”
“Even Evie’s threat to get all three of you out of his home?”
Malcolm nodded angrily. “Even that.”
Rhys’s lips flatted into a line. “You’re in a fix, mate. Are you really concerned with what the Warriors will do?”
“Aye. You saw how Phelan reacted to Evie. I’ll no’ put her in a situation where she feels everyone is against her, no’ when we need to get ahead of whatever Wallace has planned.”
“Nay, I agree. But I thought those at MacLeod Castle were your friends.”
Malcolm shrugged. “I thought so as well. After what Phelan just went through with Aisley, I wouldna have expected he would act as he did, but I was wrong.”
“Then come back to Dreagan. Evie will be better there with friends who can help her.”
“Do you think any of your dragon magic could benefit her?”
Rhys’s mouth twisted in a frown. “I doona know. Return with me, and we’ll see.”
“Just be careful no’ to be spotted. I’d rather no’ have Con on my arse because you were seen.”
Rhys’s face suddenly split into a smile. “It does Con good to be rattled every once in a while.”
In the next instant, Rhys launched himself into the air and instantly shifted into the form of a dragon, his yellow scales muted in the darkness.
Malcolm turned on his heel and walked back to Evie and Brian. One look told him that brother and sister hadn’t shared more than two words with each other.
“Everything all right?” he asked Evie.
She gave a small shake of her head, but refused to speak of it. “So, Dreagan?”
“Dreagan,” he said with a nod.
“Do you think that’s the best place for us?”
He glanced at her and sighed. “I doona know at this point, but I think it’s a good start. The Dragons will do their part to protect you and Brian.”
“And you.”
One side of his mouth lifted in a smile. “I’m more concerned with you.”
“And I want to be sure you’re safe as well.”
“I’m a Warrior, Evie. I’ll be all right.”
“But you weren’t,” she argued, her voice rising. “I saw you lying on that bed covered in blood with wounds that weren’t healing no matter what Phelan and Con did.”
Malcolm pulled on one of her curls. “I’m here now. I’ll no’ lie and say it was easy. I felt like I was in Hell.”
“How did you get out?”
He considered not telling her. Since he still wasn’t sure of what he felt for her, Malcolm didn’t want to put her into a position where she felt she had to be with him.
But then he remembered how he’d handled things when he had woken and Evie wasn’t there.
“You,” he said. “It was the thought of you.”
To his surprise she leaned forward to place a kiss on his cheek. “I’m so
glad you found me in Cairn Toul.”
“Actually, it was before that.”
Her brows lowered as she cocked her head to the side. “When exactly?”
“I saw you in Aviemore, and then I was the one who pulled you out of your car when you wrecked.”
“I knew someone was there. Why didn’t you show yourself?”
“Because I knew then that you were better off no’ knowing me.”
“Yet you couldn’t stay away,” she said in a low voice.
Malcolm felt a constriction release around his heart as he admitted what he couldn’t have before. “I couldna stay away. I only meant to make sure you left Cairn Toul, but after talking to you, I didna want to leave.”
“I’m glad you didn’t.”
“Are you? Look where you are now.”
She put her hand on his chest over his heart. “I’m here with my brother because of you. If you hadn’t been there after the drough ceremony I’d have given in to all the dark urges I had.”
“Aye, but you wouldna be carrying the child of prophecy. You would well and truly be drough, but I almost think that would be a better fate than the one given you now.”
Brian’s hand hit the car with a loud bang to get their attention. Malcolm watched as he used sign language to talk. A few minutes later and Evie turned to him, her face pale.
“What did he say?” Malcolm asked.
She swallowed before she looked at him. “He said that one way or another Jason Wallace would have put us in this situation.”
Malcolm ushered them into the car. The faster they could get to Dreagan, the faster they could come up with some way to end this nightmare they were in.
CHAPTER
FORTY-FOUR
They reached Dreagan in record time. Evie parked the car as Malcolm ran up behind them. But he hesitated in following them to the door.
“Malcolm?” Evie asked as she and Brian stood near the hood of the car, her arm wrapped around her brother. “What is it?”
Malcolm frowned as he stared hard at the front door to Dreagan Manor. He felt magic, Druid magic. The amount of magic seemed to be more than just Aisley and Laura, but the dragons’ magic made everything difficult to decipher.
