Wicked After Dark: 20 Steamy Paranormal Tales of Dragons, Vampires, Werewolves, Shifters, Witches, Angels, Demons, Fey, and More

by Mina Carter

  A slow smile spread over Gideon's face, and he grinned. "Well, damn, Ryland. You went and got yourself a sheva, didn't you? How in hell's name did you not go rogue? You, of all people, should have succumbed to that destiny." He turned and shouted over his shoulder. "You guys gotta see this!"

  Ryland stiffened as boots thudded inside, and then he felt Catherine's hand slide into his. As she did so, he saw Gideon's eyes lock onto her arm and notice what brand she carried. He jerked his gaze off Catherine and looked past Ryland. "Where's Thano? And Zach?" His voice grew wary and suspicious. "What did you do?"

  Quinn Masters appeared behind him, along with Gabe Watson. "You found her," Quinn said, sounding relieved. "Great bring her in—"

  Gideon called out his two-sided axe with a crack and flash of black light that made everyone tense. "Where's Thano?"

  Ryland stared at the team he'd defended for so long, disgust rolling through him. After dealing with their shit for his whole life, suddenly, he was tired of it. "That's all you see, isn't it? Thano's brand on my woman, and Thano missing? You think I murdered him to get his woman? Well, fuck that. I'm outta here." Keeping a secure hold on Catherine and Lucy, he turned and walked away, heading back down the driveway.

  "Ryland?"

  He looked over at Catherine, and he was surprised to see tears glistening in her eyes. The steel around his heart melted, and he immediately stopped. He shifted the sleeping child to his other shoulder and pulled Catherine to him. "What, angel? What's wrong?"

  "They will never know the truth if you don't tell them. Trust goes both ways."

  Ryland shook his head. "No. It doesn't—"

  "It does." She stood up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. It was such a beautiful and tender kiss, a treasure he never thought he would deserve. "I love you, Ryland. But the only reason I fell in love with you was because you allowed me to do so. You have to let them in as well."

  He ran his fingers through her hair and held her tightly against him. "They're ugly bastards. I don't want them to love me."

  She laughed, her eyes twinkling with merriment. "Of course you do." She put her hand on his chest, over his heart, over the face of the beast that was still brightly-colored but didn't own him. Both of their cuffs had disappeared when Simon had vanished, and they were free. His beast remained, but he owned it now. "You're so many things, Ryland. You're a warrior. You're brave enough to kill friends when you need to. You protect innocents. You bleed death and so many terrible things." She tapped her fingers on his chest. "But you're also an angel. A beautiful, pure angel who watches over this gang of warriors with all of his heart. You've always done it. Let them see who you really are." She entangled her fingers through his. "I'll be with you. You don't have to be afraid."

  He glared at her. "I'm not afraid."

  She smiled. "Fear makes us better people. It's okay. I won't tell anyone—"

  "What did you do to Thano?" Gideon's low voice broke through their conversation.

  Ryland dragged his gaze off Catherine's face to see that Quinn, Gideon, Gabe, and now Elijah had encircled him. Gideon was the only one who was armed, but he could feel the adrenaline humming from the others as they prepared to kill him, to deliver the blows they'd been expecting to have to do for centuries.

  Catherine squeezed his hand. "Tell them."

  Lucy suddenly lifted her head, her eyes sleepy. She smiled at him and laid her little hand on his whiskered jaw. "Papa? I need some food."

  His throat went rigid. He couldn't breathe. He just stared at her. Papa? She'd just called him Papa? He looked at Catherine, and there were more tears glistening in her eyes. She nodded, confirming what he'd heard. Papa?

  Sudden fierceness rushed through him. How could this tiny girl trust him when she had no reason to trust any man? He wasn't going to let her down. He absolutely wasn't. With a low growl, he slung his arm around Catherine and hauled her up against him. He glared at his teammates. "I'm the third fuckin—" He grimaced and covered Lucy's ears. "I'm the third angel of the trinity," he snapped. "I'm the good guy. So back the fu—" Shit. It was going to be really hard to be a good role model. "So, please, back off." Please. Had he really just said please? Yeah, he was pretty sure he had.

  The four warriors were staring at him with absolute shock and disbelief on their faces.

  It was Gideon who finally spoke. "What?"

  "I am the third angel," he repeated, the words coming easier this time. "It's the way it is. Deal with it, or I'm moving on."

  Again, just silence.

  Catherine sighed. "You really need to work on the touchy-feely stuff, Ry. You're not very good at it."

  He glanced at her. "Of course I'm not. I'm always going to be a cranky bastard—" He grimaced. "A cranky jerk. It's the way I am. They can deal with it or not—"

  "Papa." Lucy sounded more insistent. "I'm hungry."

  Ryland looked down at her and smiled. "Of course, sweet pea. Let's go get something to eat. Do you like donuts? We always have donuts here because these guys are a bunch of useless miscreants who don't even bother to cook decent meals. I bet we have chocolate frosted ones. Does that sound good?"

  Lucy squealed and wriggled in his arms. "Yes, yes, yes! Let me go." Ryland set her down, then laughed as she went running fearlessly into the house. He grinned at Catherine. "She's amazing, isn't she?"

  Catherine smiled. "She is."

  "Let's go feed her." He took her hand and started up the driveway. He paused only long enough to shoot a hostile glare at the other men. "I decided I'm staying. You guys need help." Then without bothering to wait for a response, he took his family into the mansion, leaving his team standing in a shocked circle in the driveway.

  * * *

  Catherine sighed with both happiness and concern as she watched Ryland say his sixth goodnight to Lucy, tucking her into the king-sized bed that she had claimed for her own in the house made for huge warriors, not small children.

  She couldn't believe the sparkle in his blue eyes, the sound of his laughter. It was so beautiful, and so incredible. But at the same time, there was a hollowness in his soul that had been there since they'd left the nether-realm.

  "Let her sleep, Ryland," she told him. "She's okay."

  "It's a new place," he said as he walked toward the door. Lucy had already rolled over and was breathing deeply, sound asleep. "I don't want her to be scared."

  "She's not afraid," Catherine said, her heart warming to him even as she said the words. She knew Lucy had emerged so well from her ordeal because of the bond she had forged with Ryland. It was as if she had instantly realized that he would protect her, and his presence had given her the security she needed. Catherine was sure that once the shock had worn off, Lucy would struggle with what she had endured, but in these first stages of reentry, Ryland's protection had shielded her from the worst of it, and allowed her to reclaim herself.

  Ryland's relationship with Lucy was beautiful, yet at the same time, it wasn't enough. Ryland had avoided his team all afternoon, using Lucy as an excuse, but the tension in the house was thick. Word had been sent to Ian and Alice, who would be returning in the morning. They would be bringing Dante's son Drew Cartland, a young, edgy Calydon who was with them doing some training in hopes of becoming an Order member. Catherine was so excited to see her dear friend, and to meet the other women who had bound themselves to the Order members. But first, she had to help the man she loved. "Ry."

  He took her hand. "Hey." He kissed her lightly, but his reservation was clear. He hadn't made love to her once since they'd rescued Lucy. He'd said it was because Lucy was too nearby, but she knew it was more than that as well.

  He was still laden with guilt over stealing Thano's woman, and absolutely refused to believe Catherine when she categorically denied she had ever felt anything romantic toward Thano, and when she tried to reassure him that she'd never sensed any interest from Thano either, prior to him going rogue. "Make love to me tonight."

  He stiffened. "I think I sho
uld sleep in Lucy's room. In case she has nightmares."

  Catherine sighed. "Ry—"

  "We need to talk." Gideon loomed out of the darkness, his muscled bulk casting great shadows in the corridor. "To the living room. Now. Both of you." He didn't leave. He waited for Ryland to follow.

  Ryland's face darkened, but he took Catherine's hand and headed down the hall. When they got there, Catherine was surprised to see the living room was full. Gideon, Elijah, Quinn and Gabe were there, plus one other warrior she didn't know. They were all spread out on the massive black leather couches. A glass coffee table was bold enough to stand in front of so many large, powerful warriors, and the muted beige walls were casting a soothing hue onto the room that she suspected might have been wasted on so much testosterone.

  Sitting beside each warrior except Gabe was a woman. It was obvious from the intimacy between the couples that they were soul mates. They were all sitting close to their mate, and the men had a protective air about them, as if they were always on guard to make sure the women they loved were safe. It made her smile to see the body language that she'd become so familiar with from Ryland. These were all good men, honorable mates, warriors whose hearts beat with bravery and courage.

  Kane Santiago is in the black leather jacket, Ryland explained to her. His mate is Sarah Burns. They must have just arrived. Elijah is with Ana Mathews. Gideon is with Lily Davenport, and Quinn is next to Grace Mathews, Ana's sister.

  The women all carried brands on their arms that told Catherine exactly who they belonged to. Sudden envy cascaded through Catherine, and she wished it was Ryland's mark on her arm.

  "Welcome," said one of the women cheerfully. She had long blond hair and green eyes full of wisdom and experience. Her hand was on Gideon's hip, as if needing to keep a little bit of contact between them. "My name is Lily Davenport. We're thrilled to meet you and have a little bit more estrogen in the house."

  Catherine smiled, her heart warming for the genuine welcome she heard in Lily's voice. She hadn't belonged anywhere in so long, not since she'd murdered the angel enclave. But with Ryland by her side, she knew that together they could keep her from doing any harm. It would be safe for her to stay. "Thank you. I'm excited to be here."

  "And another child in the house is wonderful." Sarah Burns, Kane's sheva, shifted her position, and Catherine saw that she was pregnant. "We're so happy that Ryland found you. I'm one of their angels," she said, her eyes sliding over to Ryland, her voice fading with the question Catherine knew they were all wondering. How was it possible that Ryland was the third part of the trinity?

  The man in question stood at the head of the couch, not sitting down. "What do you want?" His voice was hostile and defensive, and immediately, the tension in the room rose.

  Catherine put her hand on his arm. Don't be an instigator, Ryland. They're your team.

  They think I murdered Thano. The bitterness of his tone was evident, his resentment that his team could suspect him of something that was so far from who he was.

  It was Gideon who spoke again. "Tell us what happened. Where's Thano? Where's Zach?"

  Ryland's eyes glittered. "You don't trust me."

  "Come on, Ryland!" Gideon stood up. "What's your problem? Two of our warriors are missing, and you won't talk, except to tell us that you're the third angel in our trinity. What the hell else are we supposed to think? What's going on?"

  Ryland's eyes glittered, but they stayed blue. She felt the distrust rolling off his team, the expectation that they would need to strike him down at any second. Ryland was ready for their attack, his fists bunched in preparation for battle. The men were being so stupid! They didn't need a guardian angel. They needed a mediator.

  With a sigh of frustration, she stepped forward. "Ryland didn't murder Thano, for heaven's sake. You all know that. Stop being thick-headed cretins and see the man who has been a part of your team for so long! He's rude and cranky, but by God, he's got the biggest heart of any of you! Didn't any of you notice his blue eyes? Even those have changed!"

  The room went silent, but Lily raised her eyebrows and gave a silent nod of approval.

  For a long moment, no one moved, but she saw the men looking curiously at Ryland's face, their brows furrowing when they noticed that his eyes were no longer black. Honestly, did they have no sense of what was important? How could they not have noticed his eyes were blue?

  "They're men," Lily said with a smile. "They don't notice things like that. We love them anyway."

  Catherine blinked at Lily's affectionate tone. So tolerant and understanding of how these men were. Slowly, her frustration began to ease just as Kane started to laugh softly.

  She looked over at him, and he was shaking his head in amused disbelief. "You think Ryland has a big heart, do you?"

  Catherine glared at him. "You know he does—" She stopped suddenly, shocked by the wave of energy coming off Kane. "You're a demon. And an angel. Some of both."

  "I am." Kane's smile disappeared and he looked at Ryland. "Like you, mate?"

  Ryland met his gaze, and she saw something pass between them. An understanding. She knew in that moment, that the two men had just accepted a similarity between them. Part darkness. Part angel.

  Kane nodded slowly, all amusement gone from his face. "Let him talk," Kane said quietly. "I can sense it. The bastard really is an angel."

  There was a shift in the room, and then she saw Ryland raise his gaze from Kane's to look around. The men were looking at each other, but she saw their muscles relax. They believed him. Could Ryland feel the difference?

  She looked over at him and saw his brow furrowed. Her heart softened, and she took his hand. "Ryland, Thano, and Zach caught up to me just outside the nether-realm," she began, deciding to spare him the need to defend himself. "Ryland wanted to find Dante, and I needed help to retrieve my daughter. We agreed to go in together—"

  "No." Ryland interrupted her. "Let me." And then, for what she was sure was the first time in his entire life, Ryland began to explain who he truly was. "I was born...or created...or whatever you want to call it...in the nether-realm," he began slowly, looking warily around the room as if assessing the reaction.

  No one moved or tried to stop him, or leapt up with a battle cry and a weapon.

  He kept going. "I wasn't a Calydon. I was a monster, and my job was to kill innocents. When Dante freed me, he somehow gave me many of the powers of being a Calydon, but I'm not really one. Not by birth, anyway. I'm not really one of you. Not completely." He paused again, as if giving them a chance to attack him now that they knew the truth.

  But they didn't.

  Gideon simply sat back down, and everyone in the room leaned forward to listen. Ryland glanced at her, and she smiled. Go ahead, she said. They're ready to hear your story.

  He enfolded her hand in his and walked farther into the room, taking her with him as he finally began to talk, lowering the walls that he'd carried for so long and letting them in. As he spoke, his voice changed from hard and bitter to something more soft and human. More open. More kind. He would never win a prize for being the world's most gentle man, but that was okay. He didn't need to be. He simply needed to be himself, which she suspected he hadn't been since the day Marie had died and he'd become enslaved.

  As he sat down on the couch, still talking, answering questions from his team without resentment, Catherine knew she was watching the emergence of the man he truly was, the one he was meant to be. For the first time in his life, Ryland was finally allowing himself to be a part of this group. His teammates were listening with rapt attention, and the discussion was lively as they all discussed the implications of the queen and what Desdria would be up to next. Lily was already on her computer researching information about the cloaked Order members, and Gabe and Elijah had already decided to track them down and find Thano and Zach.

  It was pure male bonding. It was obvious that, despite Ryland's edginess and surliness, they had always considered him part of the team, and they
still did. The difference was that now, Ryland was seeing it for himself. He was finally becoming the Calydon he had never let himself be. It had taken him realizing he was their guardian angel for him to finally let himself accept how closely he was connected with them, but he had finally done it. She knew she was watching the merging of Ryland with the destiny he was supposed to have. He had never been a true Calydon before, but he was one now.

  As she thought the words, she felt her arms begin to burn. She looked down, and to her shock, she saw the brands on her arms shifting, moving. Lines stretched and contracted, straightened and bent. As she watched, Thano's halberds disappeared, and Ryland's machete began to form. "Ryland," she whispered. "Look."

  He glanced over at her, then his face went white with shock. He was beside her in an instant, his hand trembling as he clasped her wrist. "I don't understand," he whispered, going down on one knee as his brand took full form on her arm. He looked up at her. "Does that mean Thano's dead?" Guilt tore through him, his eyes haunted.

  Catherine shook her head. "I can't sense his soul. He is still alive." Her blood bond with Ryland tied her closely enough with Thano that she knew his soul and could tell it was still with his body. "He's okay."

  "Ryland." Elijah spoke from across the room, and they all looked over at him. "Do you remember how Ezekiel was able to bond with Ana through my blood bond with him?"

  "Yeah." Ryland's fingers tightened on her arm. "So?"

  "So, it was his bond that was happening through me."

  "Yeah, like Thano's bond that was happening through me."

  "Or maybe it was your bond that was happening through Thano."

  The room was silent as Elijah's words settled, and suddenly it all made sense to Catherine. Elation flooding her heart, she knelt in front of Ryland, holding his hands to her chest. "Don't you understand, Ry? You couldn't bond with me yourself because you weren't fully accessing your Calydon side. But you had a blood bond with Thano, so you were able to use his Calydon powers to bond, like that cloaked warrior said." She smiled at his stunned look. "It was always your bond with me, but I couldn't carry your mark because you were holding back from who you were. Until now. Until this moment, when you finally claimed your heritage as a Calydon. That's why I can carry your mark now. You've always been the one for me, Ryland. Always."