Piper LeVine, A Gypsy's Truth

by Eris Kelli

  Chapter Thirty-One

  I closed the black book. I had finished it and felt numb. I re-read several times the two pages there were on defending against a Baobhan and I wished that I had not counted on this book having all the answers. I smelled terrible I was sure and so I took a quick shower.

  Toryn was in my room when I came out wrapped in a burgundy towel. “Get out of my room, Toryn.” He stood up from his favorite seat at the table and came toward me.

  “It is my right to be here, Kellan. I am your intended.” He wasn’t looking at my face but at my towel. I remembered Nicholas telling me that he could take me as his wife and the community would not dispute it. The look on Toryn’s face told me he knew this same detail to be true. “Don’t back away from me.” His nostrils were flaring and so were his eyes. “I am not going to make you.”

  “Then get out.”

  “I came to tell you that Seraph wants to see us both at once.” He closed the distance between us before I realized he was even moving. He kissed me hard, and I turned my face away from him only to have his mouth at my neck. I kneed him and then tried to shove him away from me.

  “Get off me now, Toryn.” He was no longer kissing me, but his arms were tightly around me and I could not move away from him.

  “Stop fighting me, Kellan. I love you.” His hand fisted in the towel.

  “My name is Piper. I am not the lovesick girl you wanted me to be when I got here, Toryn.”

  He jerked the towel off of me. “You will give me as much as you have given Nicholas. You are mine now.”

  “No, you are trying to take what I have given no one.” I was too afraid to move. “You will be a monster if you do this, Toryn.” He met my gaze and took a step back from me. I hurriedly re-wrapped myself in the towel.

  “I’m sorry,” he said breathlessly. He backed himself to the door and then went out into the hallway.

  My hands were still shaking when I opened up my drawers and grabbed the first pair of underwear, bra, shirt and pants I got a hold of. I changed in the bathroom and then washed my face and hands.

  Get a grip, Piper.

  I put my palms down on the cool countertop and let out my breath slowly. Everything would be okay. When I looked at myself in the mirror anger replaced my shock. There was already a huge section of purple and black bruising on my neck.

  He gave me a hickey?

  The faintest bit of purple was beginning to show on my chin too. I put a lot of makeup on both and wore my hair down brushing it out with angry strokes.

  Toryn wasn’t in the hallway. I found him standing before Seraph.

  “Piper, I’m glad you were feeling well enough to join us.” Toryn turned quite pale as he glanced at me from the corner of his eye.

  “Toryn said that I can spend all the time I’d like with Nicholas. Isn’t that right, Toryn?”

  He looked at me fully and then back at Seraph wide eyed. “I…” He glared at me. “Might have said that.”

  “Piper, he is very injured. It is doubtful he will wake at all.” She began to study Toryn. “You failed to mention this promise you’ve given her just now.”

  “I hoped that Kellan would come to realize he will not be waking up.”

  “I will permit you to stay with him as long as Toryn allows it, but I can’t see that this is good for you, Piper. Are you sure it is best for you to see him die?”

  I straightened and met her gaze. “I am quite certain he will not die.” Seraph looked on me with pity and nodded.

  “Please understand that with the threats against you, Piper, we cannot risk you going unprotected. I know you are still very young but I encourage you to take the alpha as your husband soon. It gives you extra protection you cannot yet understand.”

  Toryn was looking at me still, and his face had not brightened any. “I will never marry Toryn.”

  “He was there to save you from a Sith, Piper. I owe him a great debt for saving my child.” Her eyes glassed over with tears, and I wondered what she would think of this hero if I showed her the marks from his onslaught. This culture was different though, she would probably consider it his right. “Please give him a chance.” I didn’t look at her until she added, “If Nicholas does wake up it will have been Toryn who saved his life.”

  The double doors at the entrance opened and Isabeau raced down the carpet with her eyes on me and so I turned and ran toward her. “Is he awake?”

  “He’s asking for you.” She was smiling as she looked past me, “You too, Toryn.” I didn’t wait to see what they would do. I raced from the room and down the hallway. Toryn caught up to me when I was halfway down the stairs.

  “I told you I was sorry and Seraph’s right. I saved both of your lives.”

  “Toryn, I couldn’t care less about your fears. I want to go and see Nicholas.”

  There was panic in his voice. “It was a mistake and I didn’t keep going. I stopped. Your allure and my jealousy and… I just lost control. I’ll never try to convince you that way again.”

  I hissed out my breath and turned toward him. “If you ever touch me again I won’t keep any secret for you.”

  “Thank you-”

  “Shut up, the only reason I’m not telling Nicholas what a pig you are is because you saved his life.” I continued down the stairs. Adriel and Nicholas’ other brothers waited just outside to escort me to Nicholas. Madric was grinning when I came through the front door and he gestured toward the back room.

  I opened the door and found Nicholas on the other side reaching for the door handle. He was still pale. His arms felt strong as they embraced me, and I started crying. “Are you okay?” I heard him ask me and laughter replaced my tears. He tilted my face upward towards his. “I could almost beat your butt for not leaving when I told you to leave. I thought they were going to get you.” He kissed me. His lips were much firmer than before, and his skin was damp and cold. Nicholas held me tightly enveloped in his arms again.

  “You are healing fast now that you are awake, Nicholas. But you still need to give yourself time,” Madric said.

  “Toryn,” I heard Nicholas say. I didn’t turn to see him because I was afraid my emotions would break through the fragile barrier that held what happened, a secret. “You saved my life and the life of Piper. I can never repay you for this.”

  I said, “Come on, Nicholas, you heard what Madric said. You’ve got to sit down.”

  “Let’s give them some time together,” Donnell said closing the bedroom door with only Nicholas and myself inside.

  “Are you okay?” Nicholas was studying my expression and smiled.

  “I’m amazing. You’re awake, you’re alive.” More tears poured from my eyes and he wiped them away.

  “Don’t worry, I’m fine. I could hear you when you’d come. Where were you?” He sat down with me on his lap in the chair next to the bed smiling at me. His shoulders were still bare and the bite marks still there. The slashes under his eye were much better but still present and likely to scar.

  I heard him swallow and found him watching me looking at his wounds. “They are pretty repulsive.” I kissed the cuts just under his eye.

  “They are the price you paid to protect me.” I gently touched his left shoulder. “Do they still hurt?”

  “I’ve dreamt and thought of nothing but you, Piper. Where were you?”

  I glanced toward the door. “Has anyone told you anything since you’ve woken up?” He shook his head, his expression still soft and loving. “Toryn took over as Alpha while you were asleep. They said I had to stay at Seraph’s house to be kept safe once you were moved here.”

  “Oh.” He looked only a little disappointed. “They were right. You have to be kept safe.” He tucked my hair behind my ear and my heart started pumping harder. “Toryn brought you to me just now?”

  “Well, yes… him and your brothers. Nicholas, I’ve been beside myself worrying about you. I love you. I wanted to be here with you.” He kissed me still holding me an
d pushed my hair away from my neck. My heart rate doubled.

  He broke the kiss and his expression was dark. “What is going on, Piper?” I pulled my hair back over my neck afraid that the makeup wouldn’t be enough. “You smell like Toryn.”

  Crap.

  “He’s been with me since you’ve been out.”

  Nicholas’ hand touched my collarbone and then trailed down to the space between my breasts. “He’s been with you here?” It was the exact spot where Toryn gripped the towel before he’d taken it from me.

  “No.” Not in the way he was thinking.

  His eyes focused in on my chin, and I lost complete control. My hands were shaking, and I knew he could hear bits and pieces of what had happened on the wind as his shoulders rose and his eyes focused. He wiped the makeup away and then pushed back my hair and removed the makeup there. Nicholas set me gently on the bed and stood up, his form growing.

  “He saved your life, Nicholas.”

  He shot from the room in a blur. I stood up and ran after him. Everyone was right outside the small house and Nicholas had already found Toryn. They were fighting and despite Nicholas’ injuries he was really tearing up Toryn, but each blow that Toryn delivered was damaging to Nicholas. I screamed at them to stop. They didn’t listen.

  I grabbed Adriel, who was watching from the sideline. “Stop them. Toryn will hurt Nicholas. He’s already hurt, you have to stop them.”

  “I can’t do that.”

  “Toryn saved your brother’s life. You and I both know Nicholas won’t forgive himself if he hurts him or kills him. Stop the fight.” Adriel looked to his other brothers and they rushed into the fight.

  Everyone was holding back Nicholas while Toryn sat up in his human form in the dirt. Blood poured from every surface of his face. “You should have heard the way she begged me to touch her.”

  Nicholas broke free from the group and Toryn intercepted him back in his werewolf form. They were tearing each other apart and I couldn’t just stand there. I ran toward them ignoring everyone who yelled at me to stop. The pack got them apart again by the time I reached them.

  “He saved her too, Nicholas.” I heard Adriel yelling over the roaring growl that was coming from Nicholas and vibrating in the ground and air. Toryn was heading back toward Seraph’s house, and Nicholas watched him go with blood lust still in his eyes.

  Madric looked Nicholas over and ordered him back to bed. I followed as they helped Nicholas back into the small house. Nicholas told them all to leave him once he was back in bed, and I went into the room despite the warning looks I got.

  “Why didn’t you tell me? Did you want him too?” He shot up out of the bed. “You couldn’t leave him to come to me?” His voice shook the walls.

  “I love you, Nicholas.”

  “Are you telling me you never wanted him?” He was close enough that I could feel his breath on my face, but his eyes were on my neck. “I heard your heartbeat triple on the wind when Toryn undressed you.”

  I was choking on pain and tears poured from my eyes even as I glared up at Nicholas. “You mean when he ripped my towel away from me?”

  “I’ve seen what I look like. I disgust you and you took the first chance at a whole man that you got.”

  “Goodbye, Nicholas.” I reached for the doorknob, but his hand slammed on the door above my head holding it closed.

  “I loved you, Piper.”

  My body surged with pain like he’d just stabbed me in the back with a knife. But it was a knife made of words and it would’ve hurt much less had it been an actual knife.

  “You heard what you wanted to hear on the wind, Nicholas. Let me go.” His hand didn’t move from the door. “You promised me once that you would let me make my own choices. I choose to go.”

  “To him?” I reached up and pushed his hand away, which I was very aware I should not have been able to do should he have really wanted me to stay. Everyone in Nicholas’ family was in the front room and I couldn’t look at any of them.

  All of the brothers left with me. I didn’t realize Conrad was with us until he grabbed my hand. “He is blinded by his jealousy, Piper. Please forgive him.” I tried to pull my hand away. “He just needs time to realize what he’s saying.”

  “He knows what he’s accused me of, Conrad.” I made myself look at him and pretended that I didn’t notice that tears were continuously flowing from my eyes. “I’m asking you to pardon me.”

  His jaw set and his eyes met mine. I was surprised to find the fear and pain that were within them. “You have it and that of my son Nicholas.” He released my hand. “Now let me go tell him what a fool he’s being. Don’t give up on him.” Conrad left then, and it was good that he did because I had no intention of giving him that promise.

  Seraph was waiting for me in my room when I arrived, and I was surprised to see that she was packing my things. “He has awoken?”

  “Yes.”

  “Thank goodness.” She continued to put my things in my luggage, and I was glad that she hadn’t looked at me because I still had not stopped crying. I wiped at my eyes and hoped they would stop pouring. “It’s time to get you to a safer place, Piper. The Baobhans know of this community and you are not safe here.

  “Barthow will go with you and several of the pack too. Nicholas is still healing and not a sufficient protector for you right now. You will have to choose four others from the pack.” I could see the muscles flexing in her back. She expected me to argue with her.

  “I understand.”

  “You’ve read about some tricks in the black book to repel the Baobhans but nothing that can defeat them. I am glad you took the initiative to learn what you have about them, even if you did steal the book.”

  Her posture sharpened and I could see her masking her emotions, something she clearly learned being the Gypsy Queen. “Your father, Morgan Castlerock is his name. He is a Baobhan Sith and he is angry that you have been kept from him. He has suffered all these years for not paying up on his promise. He will stop at nothing to turn you over.”

  She had to tell me now.

  “And how can I stop him, Seraph? How does one kill a Baobhan Sith?”

  “You’ve studied hard with Barthow? You can control what I’m about to tell you? You can swear to me that you will keep what I’m about to tell you to yourself?”

  “I swear.”

  “If anything was to happen to me you are to be the next Gypsy Queen.” I didn’t even try to hide the horror that declaration filled me with and she nodded as if expecting my reaction. “I’ll do my best to stay alive. If anything were to happen to you then Isabeau is next in line. You should know that I’ve reinstated Zorrin. She is my sister and I have forgiven her to spare her daughter, Minerva, the shame she’s carried almost her entire life.”

  “Minerva is Zorrin’s daughter?” The teacher who would teach me to tame fire? The same woman who I saw crying at Seraph’s feet?

  “You must know this if you should become queen. Many believe Minerva has the right but it is not hers, it is yours. You must take it and lead these people as your own. Here.” She gave me a long silver jeweled key. “You’ll need that too.”

  I tried to give it back to her. “You’re not gone, Seraph. Keep this.”

  “I no longer need it. It opens knowledge that I already know by heart. Are you prepared to hear this secret?” I nodded and immediately started concentrating so that I wouldn’t fail her or myself. “The only Baobhan Sith ever to have been killed in all of history was killed by my great grandfather, your great, great grandfather. The gypsies knowing this secret is the only reason the Baobhans do not come and hunt and kill every gypsy there is left. It is the only reason our clan can rest easy, knowing we have this secret.”

  “I understand,” I said when she paused. I could see her pulse in the vein on her forehead.

  “This is going to shock you and I need you to be strong enough to hold onto your concentration and keep this secret.”

  Seraph cam
e forward and tucked some of my hair behind my ear. There were tears in her eyes. I was sure she was going to tell me that I was going to die doing this so I just did my best to concentrate. “We don’t know how to kill the Baobhans.”

  What?

  “It was by accident that your great, great grandfather killed one and he died shortly thereafter. He spoke to his wife before he died and she told the clan that she knew the secret. She announced it in the towns and the Baobhans have left us alone.”

  “Until your husband promised them me?”

  “Yes.” She squeezed my shoulders. “Don’t worry, I won’t let them have you. Keep it secret, Piper, or they will all panic. They will all be lambs for the slaughter.”