Druid Surrender (A Druid Quest Novel Book 1)

by Stacey Brutger

  Wyatt froze for a fraction of a second, those wicked eyes of his sharpened, and Brighid replayed what she said, then cursed herself soundly for the innocent slip—that she believed the attempted murder was more than just a case of wrong place, wrong time. Someone was targeting the factory as a cover to get rid of her.

  “No.” Wyatt picked up a stack of papers and sorted through his correspondences, and for a few blessed seconds she thought maybe he’d miss her blunder. “Lydia would enjoy the company. While she’s preparing your room, why don’t we discuss why you think someone would be after you?”

  Cold tendrils wrapped around her heart at his softly spoken command, his voice brooking no argument.

  But instead of leaving, Lydia nervously cleared her throat. “The Bennigans are here.”

  “So it would seem. Maybe if we take long enough, they will take the hint and leave.”

  “Wyatt.” Lydia scolded and clicked her tongue. “Don’t be so rude. It’s your fault they’re here in the first place. As soon as Angelica heard you were back, she rushed over here to greet you. She’s set her sights on you years ago and won’t give up her prize so easily.”

  Wyatt crossed his arms, his legs spread. “I’m not available.”

  Lydia stilled, then turned to study Brighid with a calculated expression that caused her to reatreat a step. “You know, Wyatt, she’d be the perfect distraction.”

  Tension leaked out of him, and he cocked his head in curiosity. “Oh?”

  “You need her to stay to find out the truth, yes? That won’t happen with the Bennigans dogging your every move and mother arranging an endless parade of eligible women for you. To avoid both, you simply need to show interest in a suitable woman.” She tipped her head toward Brighid. “With her hair done and the proper gowns, she could pass.”

  “Don’t be absurd. I’m not some merchandise you can just pluck off the shelves.” Though Brighid appreciated their offer to help, the people after her wouldn’t think twice about putting them in harm’s way, and a spurt of anxiety tightened the back of her throat at the thought of Wyatt being killed because of her. Thank the goddess he was a sensible man. Stubborn, perhaps, but sensible. There was no way he would allow himself to be caught up in someone else’s machinations.

  Wyatt lifted his head like a lion locating its prey, and his eyes locked on hers. He touched his pocket as if he suspected she’d stolen something from him. It was the third time he’d done that while looking at her. Brighid was half-tempted to pick his pocket to see what he held so dear.

  The dangerous green tint she found so fascinating leaked back in his eyes, and her body tingled with awareness. “She’s beautiful enough to pass without any of that.”

  Brighid’s mouth fell open, and a fiery blush heated her face. She floundered to come up with a protest, but her treacherous mind stopped functioning at his compliment. She retreated another step, only to find the door blocking her retreat, and her mouth went bone dry.

  “It could work.” Wyatt rubbed his chin, the dratted man, as if he was actually considering his sister’s outrageous plan. He stalked toward her, twirling his finger. “Spin.”

  A battalion of butterflies took flight in her stomach at his approach, and her feet refused to budge. He tugged on the rope, spurring her into action.

  “Have you lost your mind?” Furious, she jerked back, wondering when she lost control of the situation, but she already knew the answer. It had been the moment he risked his life to rescue her. One touch and her protective walls had crumbled, leaving her yearning for a future that was infinitely more dangerous.

  “Turn.” He smiled in amusement, clearly enjoying her predicament.

  “You’re both crazy.” He was gaming her. It was the only explanation. She narrowed her eyes as he prodded her shoulder until she completed a full circle.

  “No.” He addressed Lydia, but his eyes bored into hers, as if willing her to agree. The heat there thawed the cold that had taken root in her soul. With his index finger, he tipped her chin higher and examined her face as if deciding her fate, and her breath caught to find his lips within a hairsbreadth of hers.

  Then he strode back toward his desk, breaking the spell he so effortlessly wove around her, and smothering the painful hope that burned in her chest.

  The reality of her situation intruded with a rush of crushing regret, and Brighid dropped her gaze, feeling foolish for even allowing herself to believe she could stay and spend more time with him.

  Tension thickened the air when he turned his attention toward his sister. “What do you get out of this deal?”

  Lydia blinked innocently. “Whatever do you mean?”

  Wyatt snorted. “You’re too accommodating. At any other time, you would be making a stink about the impropriety. What’s in it for you?”

  “I’m sure I don’t—” When Wyatt raised a brow, she stopped. “Oh, all right. With Mother occupied with you, there’ll be no more parties to attend. I won’t have to fend off the bachelors she’s arranged for me.”

  After a short pause, both siblings turned to look at her.

  “Wait a minute. Don’t I get a say in this?” Brighid quashed the betraying leap of excitement at the prospect of staying.

  The fantasy of forgetting her worries and just enjoying being near him tempted her to agree to his silly and totally improper proposition. Unfortunately, her cousins’ safety depended on her not being caught. Being his guest would only protect her so far. If news spread, the hunters would find her, and then no one would be safe.

  Wyatt strode closer, and she resisted the urge to run. He lifted his hand and untied the ropes around her wrists, tossing them to the side in a violent move that spoke of regret. Instead of retreating, he grabbed her wrists, his thumbs brushing across the chafe marks and bruises, as if to erase the evidence of his involvement.

  Her pulse raced as sparks burst to life inside her, urging her to lean on him.

  Trust him.

  He inched forward and inhaled deeply, as if he’d missed her scent. His fingers shifted, seeking the wild strands of hair that had fallen about her. Lines bracketed his mouth, but not the laughing lines she’d expected. Peering into the green depths of his eyes, Brighid stifled a gasp at the indomitable will that lurked behind his carefree attitude. A hint of darkness crouched there, revealing an uncompromising determination to protect those he considered his.

  “Stay.”

  It was a command and a plea.

  “I’ll leave you two alone to discuss things while I prepare the rooms.” Lydia rose and scurried toward the door.

  “Rooms?” Wyatt lifted his head, not missing a beat.

  Lydia froze and squirmed as she fumbled with the door. “I might have suggested that Angelica could stay while Michael traveled to London. Make sure you don’t linger here too long. You have guests waiting.”

  Wyatt took a step to follow when Lydia made good her escape and slammed the door shut behind her.

  Brighid eyed the door and wished she could leave as well.

  “If you stay, your debt to me would be paid in full.”

  The thought of him actively pursuing her sent her heart thumping against her ribs. She resisted the urge to blurt out a yes.

  Mother had taught her social niceties, and that she couldn’t rely on others for safety. She was trained to dig deeper, investigate everything around her, and evaluate until it became second nature.

  The most effective way to get him to release her was to tell him the truth. No one would welcome a mentally unstable person into their home.

  “You’re more than capable of handling yourself. Why do you need me?”

  “You’re assuming the incident last night was targeted at you.”

  That shut her up, and her suspicions about him grew. “Yes.”

  “Explain.” Wyatt sat behind his desk, refusing to relent without answers.

  She’d been on the run for more than a year. Despite all her training, she was unprepared to survive in the outside wo
rld. She should have been able to protect her family. Instead, they had to separate and disappear to stay safe. It was her job to fix things, and she didn’t have the first clue how to go about it.

  The first step would be to stop the people after her, and Wyatt could do that.

  At least for now.

  “I told you, I am a Druid.”

  He nodded, rubbing his jaw. “Is that like the medium or spiritualism craze taking over London?”

  His skepticism rubbed her the wrong way, and she knew he would never believe the truth. So she would only give him what he would accept. It had nothing to do with being unable to bear the thought of having him look at her like she was insane. The less he knew about her people, the safer he—and they—would be. “There is a special school for gifted individuals in Scotland.”

  “Gifted?” He latched on to the one word, as if he knew she was lying.

  “We possess certain skills. The school located us when we were children and had been training us ever since. A select few people know about the school and hire us to do small jobs, such as find lost trinkets, or tell them when people are lying. We can hunt down a vicious animal or tame them, catch a cheat or track a criminal. Small things that can take years of training.”

  “Like a secret society.” Wyatt picked up a pen from the desk. “That’s what you were doing at the mill when you were attacked.”

  “Yes.” Brighid flushed, turning defensive when she saw his doubt. “I’m used to having a protector, a Watcher who usually guarded me while I worked, so I wasn’t even aware of the threat until it was too late.”

  Wyatt scowled at her. “And just where is this Watcher?”

  Brighid swallowed hard, his question dredging up a nightmare she wished she could forget. “We accept only certain jobs. Some people objected to being denied. The school was raided and burned to the ground. They ruthlessly cut off our escape routes. Those of us who managed to flee had to split up.”

  “Now you’re being hunted.” He carefully set down his pen. “And the rest of the students?”

  “Only the trainers and Watchers were at the school at the time of the attack. Most stayed behind to buy us time. They didn’t survive. The attackers didn’t care that they brutally murdered dozens of people. They only want those they can use and control.” She swallowed hard. The loss of so many had left a hollow spot in her soul. She gritted her teeth, refusing to let her tears fall. She had to be strong, she had to survive or everything they had sacrificed would be for naught.

  “You said most.”

  Brighid straightened her spin and lifted her chin as a deep seated betrayal burned through her. “Some of the Watchers switched sides. They know us inside and out. Our weaknesses and our strengths.”

  “The perfect hunters.” He stretched back in his seat, seemingly lost in thought. “That’s why you think they plan to kill you. You’re dangerous.”

  Brighid heard the doubt and shrugged it off. Instead of tossing her out like she expected, he appeared more curious.

  That shouldn’t have happened.

  Perhaps she’d misjudged him and his determination to protect her. His inquisitive gray eyes focused on her like she was the only thing that mattered. She was used to fading into the background and observing, but he seemed to see her no matter how much she wished otherwise.

  She struggled to think logically and not focus on her emotions. “Knowledge can be a powerful weapon.”

  He actually nodded as if he understood. Brighid was both grateful and leery—he would be a dangerous man if crossed. She’d have to watch herself around him.

  “I’m sorry.” His voice was low and deep, his sincerity causing her throat to tighten. “But if what you say is true, your logic is flawed. They would want to take you alive. That means what happened last night wasn’t orchestrated by the people pursuing you.”

  Brighid wasn’t convinced. “You have a theory. Then who tried to kill me?”

  Instead of fidgeting under her direct challenge, he straightened and met her gaze directly. “I never expected to inherit, but when my uncle died, the title passed to my father, then to me. My father was a scholar with no head for business. By the time the lands came into my possession, the place was in ruins. I needed money, and I wasn’t afraid to get my hands dirty to earn it.” He carefully wove his fingers together on the desk. “I didn’t do anything underhanded, but I was ruthless in my determination. It has made me a few enemies.”

  He was lying.

  Or at least he wasn’t telling the whole truth.

  Since she had no intention of revealing her own secrets, she didn’t push the issue, but she couldn’t help but wonder at his reasoning, especially if it would put her in greater danger. There was only one way to find out—she would sneak down in the middle of the night and rifle through his desk. She needed to know if he was a threat, or if he was an innocent whom she needed to protect. “Where does this leave us?”

  “The world can be an unforgiving place for a woman alone. Stay and work with me.” He pushed back his chair and rose. “You were targeted for a reason. I’ll keep you safe, and you can help me discover who wants to destroy me. If you’re still being hunted, I’ll stop them.”

  He was dead serious.

  His expression was so determined, she almost believed he could do it, too.

  All she had to do was agree to help him.

  Pretend to be his love interest.

  It wouldn’t be a hardship to suffer his attentions. Despite knowing she shouldn’t, she couldn’t resist spending more time with him. “Yes.”

  Wyatt wanted to cheer, knowing her decision hadn’t been made lightly. This woman was a complete mystery, and the urge to know everything about her increased every minute he was in her company. Shadows haunted her eyes, secrets she diligently concealed from him.

  But he dented her armor today.

  It was a start.

  He couldn’t repress a self-satisfied smile. Setting aside his fanciful thoughts, he rounded the desk and opened the door. “Shall we brave the lions in their den?”

  Brighid only half paid attention to the introductions, her attention focused on the stunning woman Wyatt worked so diligently to avoid. She didn’t know what she’d expected, but the petite woman who stood before her was not it. She was exquisite in every detail. Only a few years younger than Brighid, the girl had perfect posture, a beautiful smile that brightened the room, and all the right breeding an English lady needed to succeed. The girl’s eyes sparkled when she spotted Wyatt, and Brighid’s heart sank.

  The girl was in love with him.

  Not that Brighid could blame her.

  A sharp pinch of possessiveness jabbed her in the gut.

  The girl stood and held out her hands. Wyatt tensed, and Brighid feared for a second that he was going to shove her in front of him. Instead, the arm around her waist tightened until she was plastered up against his side. He reached out, awkwardly kissing the air above Angelica’s hand before hastily dropping it.

  “Wyatt, it’s so good to see you again.” Angelica’s gaze lingered on his face a little too long before she turned to Brighid. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Legend. I am Miss Bennigan. Of course, you must call me Angelica.” She peered up at Wyatt from under her lashes. “Any friend of Wyatt’s is a friend of mine.”

  Brighid listened to the perfectly modulated voice and couldn’t explain why it rubbed her the wrong way. “Please, call me Brighid.”

  She and the girl were about the same height. The differences became more dramatic in their clothing. Angelica’s dress fitted her trim form to perfection and matched her blue eyes to the exact shade. Her hair, secured in an intricate coiffure, allowed gold ringlets to escape and frame her heart-shaped face. With her blond hair and blue eyes, her angelic name suited her.

  Brighid crinkled her nose, wanting to escape the perfect little angel’s too-sweet expression.

  She didn’t understand Wyatt’s reticence. Angelica would have been the perfect bride
.

  And it stung, since Angelica was her complete opposite.

  Unable to resist, she inspected Wyatt’s reaction. He stood, or more precisely twitched, next to Angelica, speaking politely but adroitly kept the conversation bland. His smile was indulgent, not in the least bit flirtatious. She almost expected him to pat the girl on the head and send her on her way.

  “If you ladies will excuse me.” With a small, intimate smile in her direction, Wyatt walked away to talk to the only other man in the room, who’d been introduced as Angelica’s brother.

  Angelica sighed, pivoting to watch Wyatt depart. Curious despite herself, Brighid turned and found herself captivated by his broad shoulders and commanding presence. The pure masculine way he moved demanded attention. When she realized she was shamelessly ogling him, she fought a mortified blush.

  She jerked her attention away to discover Angelica wasn’t even aware of her presence. The girl’s serene expression had dropped away, her eyes narrowed in calculation. As if catching herself, her cheerful smile slipped back into place seconds later. Brighid was disturbed by the quicksilver changes.

  “Lydia says you’re a guest?” The question was sickeningly sweet, only a hint of curiosity, but her pale blue eyes were predatory.

  The reasons behind Wyatt’s reticence were becoming clearer.

  Brighid had to give the chit credit, she carried off the charade almost perfectly.

  The cynical thought made her wince. Feeling like a monster for being so uncharitable, Brighid decided to give Angelica the benefit of the doubt. “There was an incident at the factory, and Wyatt came to my rescue. He’s invited me to stay as a guest until I’ve recuperated.”

  Angelica smiled in understanding. “Wyatt is always rescuing strays. When I was fourteen, my horse bolted. He rode to my rescue and literally swept me off my feet.” A dimpled smile appeared, the picture of innocence…if you ignored the backhanded insult.

  Brighid had no doubt everything about her rival was a ruse, every expression and batted eyelash rehearsed.

  “I thought I would die. The next thing I knew, I was on his lap, wrapped tightly in his arms.” A pleased smile peeped out.