A soft squeal from upstairs preceded the slapping of feet running across the floorboards. After a minute, a figure appeared on the stairs.
“A visitor? We rarely have visitors,” the woman exclaimed in a singsong voice. She practically floated down the steps, the white cotton of her short sundress swaying behind her. She looked around his age, though he knew appearances could be deceiving. Her long black hair flowed down her back, in perfect contrast to the bluish-gray cast of her flesh. Large midnight-blue eyes examined him thoroughly.
Dark fae. This must be one of the Vivi sisters.
He stifled the involuntary shudder that rose within him at the sight of her. Dark fae were scary as shit, with their ability to manipulate energy. They possessed unpredictable powers, and they weren’t afraid to use them. Their kind couldn’t be trusted. Figured Merlin would have gotten himself caught up with a trio of them.
“Portia, Emy, we have a visitor,” the woman called out as she meandered toward him, looking like she might want to eat him. Hell, for all he knew, she might try to.
“A visitor? A visitor?” he heard from upstairs.
“Um.” He uneasily backed up until he hit the door. “I’m here searching for—”
The woman launched herself at him, rubbing her body all over his like a cat. “Mmm, how lucky. Such a delicious visitor you are. We rarely get visitors.”
“Whoa.” Not quite what he’d expected. He shrank backward into the door, trying to peel her off him. “You don’t get out much, do you?”
More thumping sounded out along the stairs.
“For shame, Dressa,” said another voice. “Did you think to keep him for yourself?”
Taeg looked up to see two more women moving down the stairs. Their manner of dress and appearance were similar to the one plastered to his front.
“I told you we have a visitor,” Dressa replied. “Isn’t he yummy?”
“Yes, he is.” Another woman stopped in front of him and rubbed her hands over his chest and thighs. “Delicious.”
“Ladies. Please.” He slapped their hands away. Funny, he’d thought they’d be less grabby and more flat-out frightening. Maybe they were so used to being alone that they were dying for any bit of company they could get.
“Ladies, I’m here because I’m searching for Excalibur,” he managed to get out.
That got their attention. They stopped and backed up, giving him matching looks of surprise. Something shifted in the air, until it grew stale—foreboding.
Uh-oh.
“The sword of Merlin?” said Dressa, her expression shuttering.
“I’ve been told he may have confided its location to you. Is that true?” he asked.
“Tell him, Dressa,” urged one of the sisters. She smiled at him, but there was nothing reassuring about it. No, it was menacing. More like what he’d expected.
“The location of the sword?” Dressa looked at her sisters before turning back to him. “Yes, we know where it is. It can be revealed only to one who has proved his worthiness.”
And you aren’t worthy, her tone implied.
“Though you still wouldn’t be able to see it,” sang the woman who stood behind Dressa.
Taeg gave a meaningful glance backward, toward the front door. “The test of worthiness wasn’t getting up here?”
“Of course not, silly creature,” Dressa chirped.
“Too easy,” agreed another sister.
Shit. So much for wishful thinking.
“Okay. What’s the test of worthiness? How can I take it?” he asked carefully. These fae were dangerous. Cunning. And if he didn’t miss his guess, more than a little unhinged.
The women looked him up and down, examining him thoroughly, as if taking his measure and finding him lacking.
“What is your purpose for seeking the sword?” Dressa asked.
“Me and my brothers want to use it to destroy a dangerous book. If it isn’t destroyed, it could ultimately lead to inter-dimensional destruction.”
“Truth,” sang one sister.
Taeg looked over at her in surprise. She was a truth-sayer? How rare were they?
Dressa appeared to consider his words before nodding. “That is a noble cause. You may now prove your worth to us.”
“Okay. Great. How?”
Her lips curved into a wicked smile that sent a shiver of apprehension through his entire body. Her finger trailed suggestively down his chest. “We’ve been alone for so long.”
“We’ll have fun,” one of the other sisters crooned. “So much fun.”
Elain was right. These women were freaky. Figured. As great a sorcerer as Merlin had been, he hadn’t been known for thinking with his head. At least, not the big one.
How the hell was he going to get out of this situation without offending them?
He broke away from the women, clearing his throat as he stepped farther into the great room. “Listen, I need to get back real soon, so if you can just straight-up tell me what I need to do… ”
When he turned to face them, he froze in place. All three had slipped the thin straps of their dresses over their shoulders, and they now pooled at their feet. The women wore nothing other than the naughty grins on their faces.
“Oh, hell,” he whispered, his chest tightening. “Uh, listen—”
As one, they sauntered toward him.
He blindly retreated. A month ago, he might have found this exciting. Who knows, maybe he would have actually dug the danger of being with dark fae sisters. But now, after Maya... This was his worst nightmare.
His back hit something, halting his retreat.
“Look.” His voice cracked, and he coughed before trying again. Maybe, if he was lucky, he could bullshit his way out of this one. “Not that you ladies aren’t gorgeous. I mean, really, you are. But I’m sort of seeing someone and she would kick my ass if anything like this happened so, if you don’t mind, maybe we can find another way to prove my worthiness.”
The sisters stopped, confusion marring their beautiful faces.
“I’ll do pretty much anything else. Hell, I’ll even clean your house, and believe me, I think only someone who was truly worthy would volunteer for a task like that, ’cause damn this place is filthy.”
Shit. He was rambling.
“You mean, you don’t want us?” Dressa asked, looking stumped.
Another sister formed her lips into a pout. “But it’s been so long since we had a male visitor.”
“Yes, and are we not beautiful?” the third sister asked, stroking her hand down her chest and pinching the nipple of one full breast.
“Sure you are.” Taeg looked away before his body could involuntarily respond. “Like I said, it’s not that at all. It’s just, you know, I’m kind of in a relationship.”
He winced. Damn, he sounded like a tool. Why the devil hadn’t he sent Dagan on this mission? This would’ve been right up his alley.
“Do you not desire the sword so greatly?” Dressa asked.
They all looked at him expectantly.
“I do, it’s just... ”
“We promise you won’t regret it,” the second sister cooed.
“We’ll be gentle as lambs,” the third agreed, giving him an impish grin. “Unless that’s not what you want.”
“No... no, I can’t,” he said.
“It is the only way to prove your worthiness,” Dressa said in a tone that brooked no argument.
Shit.
Taeg let his head fall back against the wall, closing his eyes. His chest constricted tighter, threatening to cut off his air supply.
He never would have expected this, being forced to make this kind of decision. If he said no, he might be giving up his only opportunity to destroy the Book and stop Leviathos once and for all. But if he said yes, he’d be betraying Maya...
Son of a bitch. The one thing he’d been trying to avoid. Hadn’t he promised himself that he would put family first? That nothing else was more important than making sure Brynn was safe
? Then he’d gone and fallen for Maya. She’d snuck her way into his heart, with her spunk and attitude and kick-assery. She’d made him forget his objective.
It sucked, and he wished he didn’t have to do this, but he knew where his loyalties lay.
He had to do the right thing here.
Taeg lifted his head to look them straight-on. “I’m sorry, but I can’t. It would hurt someone I care about deeply. I can’t do that to her. If it means I give up my chances of getting the sword, then so be it.”
“Truth,” trilled the truth-sayer.
All of a sudden Dressa snarled, her face twisting into an ugly scowl as she raised a hand in his direction. A ball of energy flew from her fingertips, knocking him back against the wall, holding him in place like an invisible straightjacket. He couldn’t move, couldn’t even lift his fingers. In the span of an instant she stood directly in front of him, digging her fingers into his throat. Thunder clapped outside the window, reflecting her somber mood. Something dark and dangerous flashed in her eyes as she tightened her fingers, cutting off his air supply. “What if I told you the penalty for refusing was death? Would you be so quick to say no then? Do your loyalties run that deep?”
Oh shit. If she was trying to convince him to play her little sex game, this sure as hell wasn’t going to do it. His balls shriveled in defense, as if trying to make their way back inside his body, and his muscles quivered from his fruitless effort to move. Well, he’d be damned if he would let himself be intimidated. Let them try and kill him if they wanted to. He had a few tricks up his sleeve, too. If he could just get her to stare into his eyes long enough, he would charm the hell out of her—that was, if the place wasn’t also bespelled against that. Unfortunately her gaze was stuck somewhere below his eyes, right around his mouth. Maybe if he pissed her off even more…
“Listen, I know you don’t get out much, but no means no, lady. Ain’t. Happening.”
Her eyes widened and flew up to meet his eyes, but she turned away after a fraction of a second, facing one of her sisters.
“Truth,” the sister sang.
A speculative expression crossed Dressa’s face. “You would truly choose death over an evening of pleasures?”
Taeg’s stomach roiled at the menace in her voice. “Is there a third option?”
One of the other sisters trilled with laughter.
“What is it, Portia?” Dressa asked her.
“His most precious gift,” Portia responded between giggles. “Would he be willing to part with that?”
My most precious gift? What the fuck could that be?
“Clip his wings! Clip his wings!” Portia sang, breaking out into a maniacal cackle. “Broken birds can’t fly.”
“Wings?” What did they think he was? He didn’t have any wings.
But Dressa’s eyes narrowed and she gave him an appraising grin. “You’re an air sylph, are you not? A flasher.”
His gut clenched, and he swallowed hard.
Dressa must have read the look of dread on his face, because she laughed. “Sacrifice your ability to flash, and I’ll give you the coordinates.”
“My... ” He knew she could manipulate energy. And she was strong. Damn strong. Could she actually take his ability to flash from him? And if so, could he bear to part with it?
“Oh, hell,” he whispered.
Her brows arched. “Sacrifice is the key to proving worth. Any warrior worth his salt will tell you that. So what will it be: loss of your abilities, or… ” The fingers of her free hand suggestively closed over the crotch of his pants.
Taeg stifled a curse, trying to jerk away from her touch. But he still couldn’t move, prisoner to the energy that pressed him to the wall.
Fuck. He couldn’t begin to imagine living without the ability to flash. But the other thing…
That wasn’t an option. Not with Maya in his life.
He closed his eyes and swallowed past the heavy lump in his throat. “I’ll lose the flashing.”
For a long moment, silence hung thick in the room. Then Dressa let out a low laugh, removing her hand from his throat. Suddenly he could move again.
“Congratulations, warrior,” she said, edging back. “You have proved your worthiness.”
Taeg opened his eyes, not sure he’d heard correctly. “What?”
“Only one pure of heart and noble of intention can wield the sword. Your loyalty in the face of both threat and temptation is admirable. You have shown yourself to be a worthy man, and therefore will be rewarded with the coordinates to its location.”
“Though you still won’t be able to see it,” trilled the third sister.
The tight feeling in Taeg’s chest eased, leaving him feeling a million times lighter. Like he could float on air. He’d gotten the sword’s location without having to betray anyone he cared about. Without anyone getting hurt.
“All fucking right.” He cleared his throat, straightening. “So the threat to take away my ability, that was just a test, huh? I can still flash?”
“Oh no, warrior.”
The other two sisters shrieked with laughter, and Dressa’s lips curved into a cruel smile. “What I said to you was true. Every worthy hero must make a sacrifice. You have made yours, the loss of your most precious gift.”
“But—”
“Now stand still.” She lifted her hand, wiggling her fingers at him. “Oh, and this is going to hurt. Quite a bit.”
Chapter Twenty
Taeg reached the portal back to New York City close to midnight. Without his ability to flash, it had taken him a whole lot longer to get back to the portal. He’d even gotten lost a few times.
Damn. Things didn’t seem the same now. From now on, he’d have to rely on things like public transportation. And walking. Hell, this sucked. Big-time. But it had been worth it. He’d gotten the location of the sword. He could finally begin to make amends to Keegan and Brynn for all the times he’d failed them.
The trek back to Keegan’s seemed to take an eternity, and he was more than a little anxious to see Maya again. When he stepped into the apartment, he found Reiver in the chair set up in the foyer.
Reiver greeted him, then nodded toward the living room. “She’s in there.”
“Thanks.” Taeg headed into the living room to see Keegan playing a bowling game on the Wii. Brynn and Maya watched him with amused expressions, no doubt due to how much he was sucking. Keegan had bought the gaming system after Brynn had gotten pregnant and they’d ended up staying in more, but bowling was the one game he couldn’t seem to master. Not that he didn’t keep trying.
“Damn it,” Keegan cursed into the screen.
“Do I need to give you another lesson?” Taeg half-joked.
They all turned to look at him.
“Taeg!” Maya flew off the couch and launched herself into his arms. Damn did that feel good. “You’re okay.”
“Of course I am.” Taeg closed his arms around her and buried his face in her hair, drinking in her scent. He hadn’t realized until this very moment how much he’d been missing the aroma of honeysuckle.
“How’d it go?” Keegan asked him.
Taeg broke away, keeping an arm around Maya’s shoulder. He tried to muster up the enthusiasm he should be feeling. “Got the coordinates.”
“Sweet!” Keegan approached and gave him a high-five. “What did you have to do?”
His brother’s innocent question was like a swift kick to the gut. But Taeg couldn’t tell him. Not yet. Knowing Keegan, he would feel guilty about it.
He shrugged. “Some trials of courage. Climbing a scary mountain and shit like that. No biggie.”
Keegan’s eyes narrowed in on him, as if he could sense something was wrong. But in the end he just asked, “So where is it? When are you gonna go get it?”
“In Wales. I figure we’ll fly out tomorrow.”
“Wales?” Maya said, her voice tinged with a note of shock.
“Yup.” He winked at her. “What do you say, sugar? A ni
ce little Welsh vacation? You, me... and Dagan.”
Her brow wrinkled. “Dagan?”
“The sword is at the bottom of a lake.”
Keegan whistled. “Thank the devil we’ve got a brother who can breathe underwater.”
“My sentiments exactly.”
Maya placed her hand on his stomach, rubbing in a slow circle. It didn’t look like she noticed what she was doing, but he sure as hell did. Made him think of what other body parts she could be stroking right about now. He knew with sudden certainty they weren’t going to make it back to his apartment. Not when there was a perfectly good bed here.
Taeg let out an exaggerated yawn. “It’s been a long day. I’m pretty beat. If you two don’t mind, we’ll sleep in the guest room tonight.”
“Of course not,” Brynn said from her spot on the couch.
Keegan no doubt sensed his train of thought, because he smirked. “No problem.”
“Good night, bro, sis.” He grabbed Maya’s hand and pulled her out of the room.
“Subtle,” she whispered, the corners of her mouth tugging up into a smile.
“That’s my middle name,” he deadpanned as he led her to the end of the long hallway, where a doorway cut into each side of the corridor. “Hell of a day.”
But he knew how he wanted it to end.
It had all been worth it. To keep from having to betray Maya, to hopefully keep Brynn safe, it had been worth the loss.
Impatience spiked his blood pressure. He wanted to be inside her. Now. Pushing the door to the guest room open, he led the way inside.
§
Maya felt a sudden bout of relief as she followed Taeg into the bedroom. It had been a long day, one filled with worry over him. She was glad he’d talked her into staying here, though. Spending time shopping and chatting with Brynn had calmed her like going to school never would have. And now, everything was all right. He was all right.
And they were going to Wales tomorrow.
She turned to him, anticipation sparking in her stomach when she read the naughty expression on his face.
“Guess you’re exhausted,” she teased. “You probably want to go straight to sleep, huh?”
Taeg slammed the door shut behind him. He grinned and pulled her into his body. “Not exactly what I had in mind.”
Mark of the Sylph (Demons of Infernum, #2) Page 21
