Her gaze immediately found the “friend” Kori had mentioned. She was beautiful. Tall, willowy, and a body Lera would kill to have. Curves in all the right places and then some. Thick black hair fell forward around her shoulders, giving her a wonderfully tousled appearance. Despite screaming “sexy”, she looked like a woman who could defend herself with ease. Green eyes stared at Lera from behind doubly black lashes. Lera hated her with a violent passion.
“You must be Valera.”
Lera lifted her chin and nodded, determined not to sneer at the close proximity the other woman had to Kori. Or the Irish accent which rolled off her tongue. “I am.”
The woman slid an arm around Kori’s waist and murmured to him in Irish. Then, she put her green eyes back upon Lera and said with her thick brogue, “I’m Cairenn.”
“Thank you for helping.” Forcing herself to remain emotionless, Lera headed for the door. She opened it and said without looking back. “Ten minutes in the lobby.” Then, she slipped through. She pushed the button for the elevator and, when the doors opened, reached in to push the “L”. Then, she slipped through the stairwell door and headed up to the roof.
Sitting down along a HVAC unit, Lera pulled out her phone and took a deep breath. Licking her lips, she pressed the call button and held it up to her ear, waiting for it to be answered.
Kori stood in the shadows and eavesdropped on Lera as she spoke to her father. He’d immediately followed her from the room. And would have gone down after the elevator had he not been linked to her mentally. So instead, he went up, a smile on his face at the jealousy he felt from her.
When he’d slipped out onto the roof, he easily picked up her voice. Moving silently closer, he listened as she talked to her father. Correction, she lied to him.
“I’m fine, Daddy. I saw Kim this morning and am just about to go see Rissa. I miss you and everyone. I’m sure I’m fine. I ran into Kori, too,, so he may say he saw me. He met Kim. How is he doing? Kori?” Lera shrugged. “Fine, I guess. He doesn’t share his feelings with me,.” She looked at her wrist. “I have to go now, Daddy. I love you. Bye.”
Kori could see her shuddering and took a step toward her, wanting to offer comfort. Then, he noticed she was crying and stopped. Each tear he could feel deep in his heart but he knew Lera wouldn’t want to be seen crying. Forcing back his need to hold her, Kori slipped back inside and made his way down to the lobby.
Exactly on time, Lera walked out of the elevator, and as she headed across the lobby floor, he noticed two of Murdock’s men running a path which would allow them to intersect with her. Kori composed his emotions and pushed effortlessly away from the pillar he’d been leaning on and fell into step with Lera.
‘You okay, Lera?’
‘Fine.’
Kori cut his gaze to her at the sharpness of her single word. There was this mask of acknowledgment upon her face, an eerie serenity of what was about to happen. No fear, just acceptance. A flicker of a feeling whispered along his skin, and immediately, his wolf rose to battle ready.
‘Lera?’
‘Surely your woman can handle whatever that was. After all, you did train her.’
“Hello, JJ,” Lera said without slowing.
Kori stared at the man before them; he walked backward keeping pace with Lera’s strides. Handsome enough but Kori didn’t care. This man had no lustful thoughts toward Lera. He did wonder, though, how she felt whatever the fleeting feeling was. It had been faint, even for him with his power.
“Murdock is in the conference room.”
“Let’s go.”
She adjusted course, and at the door, Kori subtly looked around and spotted four men who were doing their best to appear inconspicuous. ‘Cairenn, four men in the lobby. We’re going to the conference room. Be wary; something else is here that’s not human.’
‘Maybe you should stay with her friend. Let me tail Lera.’
‘No!’
Cairenn’s sultry laughter filled his head. ‘Just a thought, Cormac. I will make sure those four can’t follow when you leave with her friend.’
Kori walked into the conference room two steps behind Lera. Immediately, his gaze found Murdock, and he fought down the wolf.
“Lera,” Murdock said, pushing away from the table he leaned against and strolling toward them. “I’m so glad you decided to come.”
The man could have been talking about the weather for all the emotion in his tone.
“Cut the crap, Murdock. Where is she?” Lera demanded.
Murdock’s gaze moved over Kori. “That your friend?”
“Yes. Where’s Rissa?” Lera never afforded Kori a glance, just kept her gaze on Murdock.
The urge to rip Murdock’s heart out where he stood roared over Kori like a freight train. He kept his beast in check but it wasn’t easy. Murdock gestured with two fingers, and a side door opened. A man built like a linebacker walked in, his beefy hand clamped around the arm of a woman Kori knew was Rissa. Not from the picture but from the fact he knew that’s who they were doing this for. The woman looked nothing like the happy, chipper woman he’d seen in the photo.
This woman looked petrified and broken. More rage welled up inside him.
Lera broke away and headed to her friend. With a glare, she pushed the large man away and enfolded Rissa into her embrace. Kori listened with half an ear as Lera murmured to her friend, opting to keep all senses on the five men in the room with them.
“Let’s go, Lera,” Murdock said. “Our future awaits.”
Your future is death.
Lera didn’t argue. Instead, she walked Rissa over to him and met his gaze. “Rissa, this is Kori. He’s going to take you somewhere safe.”
Haunted brown eyes looked up at him before Rissa nodded. Lera kissed her friend on the cheek and walked away without a word or a glance back.
Kori could feel Lera’s revulsion when Murdock touched and guided her to the other end of the room. ‘Stay strong, mo ghrá. I’ll be there soon.’
‘Keep her safe, Kori. That’s all I need you to do.’
‘I need you safe, Lera. I’ll be right behind you.’
He couldn’t explain the pain which hit him when there was no response from her. They vanished from his sight, and he dropped his gaze and found Rissa staring off after Lera.
“They’re not going to let you leave this room,” she muttered as another door opened and more men entered to circle around the room.
‘Cairenn, change of plans. Meet me in the conference room.’ “I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint them. I gave Lera my word I would keep you safe and that I would be right after her to keep her safe.”
“There are more than ten men.” Rissa’s flat and despondent voice was that of someone who’d accepted her fate.
“Have you met Lera’s father?”
“Yes.”
That single word said it all. She knew Dane was a shifter. And she felt if he was here, there wouldn’t be a problem.
“He trained me. And I trained her,” Kori said, pointing to the woman who just walked through the door and got stopped by two men. “Listen to me, Rissa.” It took a moment but her gaze found his. “That is Cairenn. You stay with her, listen to what she says and she will get you home safe.”
“And you’ll go for Lera?”
“I’m going for Lera.”
She licked her lips and touched his arm, ignoring the men who were moving closer. “He’s not going to his house. I heard him; he said something about a man named Butch.”
Butch Caine. I bet he’s going back to Winthrop. Power ripped along Kori’s skin, and he lifted his head to glare at the closest man. A loud crash filled the room, and Kori almost smiled when two large men were tossed across the room.
Cairenn seemed to materialize by his side. “I got this,” she said. “You go.”
“Keep her safe,” he uttered.
“As if she were family.”
Kori snarled and jumped at the nearest man, heaving him into another bef
ore slipping out the door. His wolf howled in rage and stopped him dead in his tracks. Whirling around, Kori launched himself back through the door, shifting as he did. The humans were dead, but there were five ater malum—evil and mindless drone creatures often used to do the dirty work of his enemies—and one elgyrd, an elite guardian of the ater malum, left. Cairenn fought the ater malum but the elgyrd headed for Rissa. Kori intercepted it.
He hit the creature with enough force to bear it to the ground. Sliding off, Kori scrambled across the floor and immediately jumped back at him. They fought for a while until Lera’s face flashed before his mind’s eye. Barely thinking about his actions, he tore out the elgyrd’s throat. In a mere second, he shifted back to human and clothed himself before moving to where Rissa cowered in a corner.
“Are you okay?” he asked, crouching down by her.
“Save her.”
“I will.”
“No.” Rissa shook her head, her hair flying around her face, face pale beneath her dark skin. “You don’t understand. She swore she would die before someone else took her without her consent.”
“Someone else?” Kori felt the wolf push through, and Rissa shrank back even farther. “Cairenn,” he rumbled. “See to her.”
He hit the door at a run. ‘Lera!’ No response. Not a flicker of anything. Kori became a blur as he ran for his vehicle. ‘Lera! Damn you; answer me!’ There was nothing.
Jumping in his Humvee, he barely registered that he saw his bag on the seat. He started the powerful engine and tore out of town without looking back. When he reached an area where there was no one else, he pulled over. Dropping his head, he closed his eyes and reached out to Lera as he had in the past. As her angel.
‘Can you hear me, little one? Little one? If you can hear me, let me know.’
There was nothing. He snarled, feeling his canines lengthen. Kori moved from where he lurked in her mind and frowned over the darkness that met him. Wherever she was, she wasn’t conscious and that…that made him furious.
The light streaming in through the windshield flashed on something in his bag. Reaching over, he slipped his hand in the top and withdrew the necklace he’d given Lera twelve years ago. The Ogham letter “C,” or coll, from the hazel tree, in jet upon a silver oval. He shook from the rage which swamped him. Why did she remove it?
Gunning the motor, he tore off down the road then vanished, utilizing his power to travel through gates and appear elsewhere. When he was visible again, he was close to Winthrop. The powerful vehicle squealed to a stop at the crossroads where Lera had gone off to inspect the quarry. Heading that way, he pulled the Humvee off the road and hid it. Then, where one second he had stood now was a large wolf.
With the forest as protection, he took off through the woods in the ground-eating lope his kind was known for. The two dogs at Butch Caine’s residence were swiftly silenced by fear and ran away like cowards. When he was sure Lera was not on the premises, he followed the scent of Butch’s bike, although he had a hunch where it would be leading him to.
The quarry.
Coming out from the tree line overlooking the quarry, Kori stared down over the expansive area. It was huge. And offered no cover from this point. There was a building across the open area. He had to wait until darkness drew nearer. Lying down to where he could see the main road, Kori rested his head on his paws and sighed.
‘Lera? Can you hear me, mo ghrá?’ Again, there was no response. He snapped his powerful jaws together. I swear to you, Lera. When I get you back, you will know you are mine. And I will never let you go.
He lay in wait, the animals around giving him a wide berth, but he paid them no mind. His body became immediately alert when he felt Lera’s mind stir. For a brief second, there was fear then it was locked away. Pushing to his feet, Kori stuck to the shadows as much as he could but began to prowl closer.
Chapter Seven
Lera stirred. Her mouth was extremely cottony, and she swallowed a few times to try and get some moisture in it. Faint voices streamed by but she couldn’t make any of it out. Shifting, she frowned when it became evident she was restrained. It was a struggle but she opened her eyes.
She lay on a bed, on her back, spread eagle. At least I’m still clothed. Turning her head to the side, she saw Murdock staring at her from where he sat in a chair, one leg draped over the other and his hands clasped under his chin.
“Hello, luv,” he said, his blue eyes burning with fervor.
“Murdock.” Lera tugged on her wrists. “Why am I tied?”
“We thought it best, Lera. But if you answer me, I’ll untie you.”
We? Who the hell is we? “Okay. What’s your question?”
“Who was that man you brought to get your friend? What is he to you?”
“He’s a guy I’ve known for most of my life. And other than that, he’s not anything to me.” A rumble of anger filled her head, and Lera knew Kori was near. Although to be honest, she had no clue how close he had to be to be in her mind. Shaking her wrist, she said, “Come on; I answered your question.”
Murdock didn’t move from his seat. He gestured with a hand, and from the shadows stepped JJ. He withdrew a knife and slit the material from both hands then her legs. Just like that, he vanished again.
Moving slowly, Lera sat up. “What did you give me?”
“Something to make you sleep. Didn’t want you to give anything away.”
She rubbed her hand over the back of her neck. “Give what away?” Looking around, she noted where the door was and saw a grimy dirty window across the room, offering the little light allowed.
“Where we were going.”
“Right. And where are we?”
With a smooth push, Murdock got to his feet and moved toward her. Lera sat there and watched him, determined not to show any fear.
‘I’m close, mo ghrá.’
She would never admit how much relief coursed through her at the sound of his voice. Nor did she respond. The man before her needed to be given full concentration. “What, Murdock? You wanted me? I’m here.”
“Yes.” He leaned down and ran a hand down her face. “After all this time, you’re here. I know you’re scared because you’ve heard of my…umm…interesting tastes. But there’s no need for you to worry.”
“Let’s cut the crap, Murdock. We both know I’d do anything for Rissa. That’s why you took her. Just like we both know I’m not staying here with you.”
He lifted one brow. “And where do you think you’re going?”
“Home.”
Anger flashed in his eyes, and he reached for her, his hand closing about her neck. “See…it’s comments like that which make me very angry.”
“What are you going to do, kill me? It doesn’t matter.”
“So brave,” he said, squeezing tighter. “So stupid, but so brave.”
“If you kill her, Murdock. I’ll be very displeased. Take your hand from her neck and treat her like you would treat anyone who was mine.”
Lera fell back and struggled against gasping for breath. Her eyes moved to the speaker of the new voice. Fear rose up within her unlike anything she’d experienced in years. Bile rushed up, and she couldn’t stop the shudder from pouring over her. Out of anything she expected, being faced by this person hadn’t been an option.
‘Lera?’ Kori’s concerned tone floated through her mind.
‘Will you do something for me, Kori?’
‘Anything.’
‘Tell my daddy I’m sorry. I would have said goodbye if I had the ability to do so.’
‘What are you talking about? Nothing is going to happen to you. I won’t let anything happen to you.’
‘I’ll die before he touches me again. Just tell them I love them, and they were the best family I ever could have hoped for. And to you, Cormac MacLochlainne, thank you for protecting my friend. I hope you find happiness.’
Closing down her mind the best she could, Lera stood and faced the man who had supposed to have protecte
d her. Her foster father, Richard Jones. Forcing her fear back where it belonged under lock and key, Lera lifted her chin and faced him head on.
“You,” she seethed. Her fingers flexed, and she bit back a whimper when her weapon didn’t appear. I’m helpless. Fear barreled down upon her.
“You seem surprised to see me.”
He stepped closer, and she narrowed her eyes. It wasn’t her old foster father. It was his twin, Raymond. And that made her feel even worse. The man was lower than a snake’s belly and with none of its charm.
“You? You’re behind this?”
“Fifteen years, Isolde. Fifteen years I have waited for you. Murdock may want you but he wants his lifestyle more. When I saw your photo from one of the spring breaks with him, I knew it was only a matter of time before you were back where you belonged.”
In the recess of her mind, she could feel the arrival of her angel, in wolf form. Just as he always came when she was scared or hurting. This time, though, she wanted something else. Well, not something. Someone. Cormac “Kori” MacLochlainne, to be exact.
“I’ve never belonged to you. And my name is Valera.”
“Yes, you have. Even my stupid brother knew you were mine. Didn’t stop him from touching you, but still. When he died and you vanished, I knew it was a sign that I was supposed to find you later. You’ll always be Isolde to me.”
She hadn’t known her foster father had died. Dane never said anything further about him. Just that she was now his daughter and safe.
Daddy!
In that instant, Lera wished she’d told him the truth. Murdock she was confident she could handle but Raymond Jones, not at all. It was a miracle she hadn’t collapsed boneless to the floor already. She had no idea he would even be there. Hell, she hadn’t even thought about him. She’d done her very best to bury that part of her life. Now, her lack of preparation would cost her everything. Including her own life.
The howl of a wolf pierced the walls, echoing off the quarry rock, and everyone froze. It was the cry of one who sought. There was anger in the call and determination.
A Love For Lera (Haikon) Page 9
