by Julia Milla
“I dinnae knoow, but Ah'm damn sure gonnae fin' oot.” His fury on her behalf warmed Caitlin’s heart. It was an amazing feeling to no longer be alone in the world, to have someone she knew without a doubt would never let her down. But there was still more he needed to know...that she needed to tell him.
Tightening her grip on his hand, she tamped down her need for vengeance, refusing to let it overshadow the magic happening between them or outshine what he meant to her, but she had to be completely honest with the one man in all the world made just for her. Taking a deep breath, she added, “I hope you don’t think any less of me, but dammit, Kyran, I want to be the one to confront Marcie and…” She paused, working up her courage to continue then blurted out, “And I want to be the one to kill Eve O’Baoill.”
Caitlin felt Kyran tense, heard his heartbeat stutter and then speed up. It was a foregone conclusion that she was not going to like what her dragon was about to say. Hurrying to speak before he had a chance, the banshee rushed on, “I know you already killed Tariq and that Adam is also dead. And from the few thoughts you’re letting slip through your mental blocks, I know that you want to tell me that you’ll take care of it, but I’m sorry, that just doesn’t work for me.”
“But, Caitlin, yoo…”
“I what?” She pulled her hands from his and slammed her fists to her hips. “I’m blind? I’m a woman? I can’t handle it? What? What is it, Kyran?” She knew she was yelling and was sure the way her foot tapped of its own volition against the stone floor made her look like a hysterical female, but it didn’t matter. There was no way she was going to stand there and be dismissed by the one person in all the world whose opinion truly mattered.
Caught up in her anger, she completely missed the sound of Kyran’s movements until his arms were around her waist and his lips were once again on hers. His voice in her mind was low and grumbling as he kissed her with a fierce passion, stealing her breath and making her forget her anger. “What Ah was gooing tae say afore Ah was soo rudely interrupted, was that ye cannae doo it alone. 'N' that Ah hae a plan. Noow, kiss me lik' ye mean it, 'n' mabbee Ah’ll tell ye what Ah hae planned.”
Unable to deny her dragon anything, Caitlin pushed all thoughts of Marcie’s betrayal and Eve’s heinous deeds to the back of her mind, relaxed into his embrace, and opened completely to him, answering in his own ancient language, “Mar mo orduithe Dragon, mo ghrá.”
Chapter Seven
Pulling away from Caitlin and helping her get dressed was infinitely harder than a hundred years of captivity and torture at the hands of his enemies. Never in all his very long life could the black dragon have imagined what it would feel like to have his mate, the one made just for him by the Universe, in his arms. Making love to her had been as close to Heaven as he was sure he would ever get. His banshee was so much more than he could’ve ever hoped for that he had to keep reminding himself he wasn’t dreaming. And…there would be time to show her exactly how much he’d come to love her…later. Right now, they had to confront Marcie and find out why she’d betrayed Caitlin in such a personal and profound fashion.
“You know I can dress myself, right?” Caitlin teased with her kissable lips curled in a cheeky grin and her eyebrow raised just so, forcing Kyran to fight both himself and his dragon not to say the hell with the witch, take his mate in his arms, and remove the jeans he’d just helped her into.
“A'm sure ye kin. Doesn't mean Ah cannae hulp, does it?” He chuckled as she took her T-shirt from his hands and slipped it over her head.
“No, I guess it doesn’t.”
He held perfectly still as she reached for him, loving the sparks of their attraction as her fingers danced over the still tender skin where the black magic glyphs had been. Her brow furrowed as she asked, “Does this still hurt?”
“Juist a wee bit tender. It'll be goone soon enough,” he quickly answered, feeling her concern and guilt returning. “'N' stoop yer worrying. Ye coudnae hae knoon what that witch had doon. Tis nae yer fault 'n' Ah wullnae stand fur ye feeling guilty aboot it.”
“I know, but if…”
“Bit if whit, Caitlin? Whit noothin’, that’s bit whit. Ye did th' best ye cood dae. Ye saved nae oonly mah life, bit that o' mah dragon’s.” Taking a deep breath to keep from losing his temper, he took her hands in his and kissed her knuckles, grinning at the fact that she stood tall and unbending even when he raised his voice. “'N' fur that Ah wull be eternally grateful.”
Smiling so sweetly it made his heart hurt, Caitlin gently touched his face and whispered, “You are absolutely beautiful, mo Dragon.”
The breath froze in his lungs. His heart skipped a beat and, in that moment, the true gravity of his situation hit the centuries old black dragon over the head like a ton of bricks. Caitlin had become a physical necessity, her love a light at the end of a tunnel of a century of loneliness, pain, and despair. She made him whole, calmed the voices, and for the first time he could remember, made him…happy.
Opening his mouth to speak, Kyran swallowed his words as his mate raised up on her toes and just as her lips would’ve touched his, murmured, “You are the answer to every prayer I have ever prayed.”
Unable to hold back any longer, he closed the scant distance between them and kissed his little banshee like she was the very air he breathed. What started out as raw passion and the need to devour her, slowed to a languid sensual expression of everything he was feeling but didn’t have the words to say. All too soon, Duke was whining and pushing between them, making Caitlin giggle against his lips.
“Blasted dog,” he grumbled under his breath as his mate continued to laugh which, sooner than he’d would’ve liked, had him chuckling too.
Catching her breath, Caitlin snickered, “At least he’s not growling at you anymore.”
“Noo, now A'm th' oone growlin’.” His comment had his banshee laughing again so hard tears ran down her face. He couldn’t help but smile. Her laughter only added to her beauty, making her more irresistible to not only him and his dragon, but also Duke.
Kneeling down, he ruffled the fur at the dog’s neck and commiserated, “She's git us booth tied aroond her leetle finger, doesn't she laddie?”
His answering whine said the German Shepherd was in perfect agreement and would stay loyal to Caitlin until the day he died. Kyran figured it was the closest the two would ever come to agreeing whose responsibility it was to protect his mate and agreed with a gruff, “Aye, laddie, aye.”
With her hand on her hip and her laughing under control, Caitlin added, “I do not have either of you tied around my little finger, thank you very much. It’s just that you realize…I know what’s best.”
Jumping to his feet, Kyran scooped her into his arms and spun around, kissing her neck and teasing, “Whatever ye say, mo ghrá. Whatever ye say,” while Duke barked in agreement, jumping on his hind legs beside them.
Squealing in delight, Caitlin pushed at Kyran’s chest, pleading with him to stop until she was out of breath and flushed. Setting her on her feet with his hands still on her shoulders, he grinned from ear-to-ear as he kissed the tip of her nose and said, “Noow that that is settled, whatcha say we head oot 'n' catch a sneaky backstabbing witch?”
Her expression turned dark and her voice wavered a little as she sighed. “I just wish I understood.”
Hugging her close and rubbing her back, he reassured her, “Soometimes, thare is just noo explanation, but Ah promise tae give ye a chance tae ask before Ah send her tae hell.”
Kyran knew his words and tone were gruff, but he needed her to understand that he would never stand with anyone hurting her in anyway. It was his job to keep her safe and he was going to do anything and everything within his considerable power to make it so.
Her arms tightened around his waist as she whispered, “Thank you, Kyran. Thank you so much.” That was all he needed to hear. They were in agreement, all was right with the world, and he would take care of the wretched woman who dared to hurt his mate before
the sun set on another day.
“Okay, mo chroí, let’s head oot,” he said as they leaned back in unison.
The cheeky grin on her face said his Caitlin was up to something and sure enough, her next words had him barking with laughter. Waggling her eyebrows and in her sauciest voice, she teased, “I hope you have a shirt to put on, because although I may not be able to see other women looking at you, I sure as hell can feel it, and I would hate to have to scream at them.”
“Noo woorries, Ah was just aboot tae poot one oon.” He chuckled, sliding a worn T-shirt over his head before pulling on the boots he’d swiped from Drago, his old Commander and one of his best friends when he’d been at the dragons’ lair. Grabbing Caitlin’s hand, Kyran whistled to Duke and they were off. Reaching the mouth of his cave, he stopped, looked down at his mate, and asked, “Ye ready fur this?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” She smiled but he could feel the anxiety wreaking havoc on her nerves.
Kissing the back of her hand, he nodded and said, “Then wur ooff.”
Nodding, she followed as he led her down the trail and through the woods. The longer they walked in companionable silence, the more amazed he became, until he could hold back no longer. Stopping by a fallen log, he asked, “How in a' that is holy did ye mak' it a' this wey by yersel'?”
Shrugging her shoulders, she simply said, “I wasn’t alone. I had Duke.”
Shaking his head, once again in awe of her strength and tenacity, it took Kyran several seconds to reply and when he did, all he could say was, “Weel, noow ye hae me tae.”
“Then I want for no more,” she breathed as her palm rested on his chest and she raised her head toward the sky. “My mother always talked about the importance of a banshee’s mate for balance between the light and the dark, but it was my dad with his hot gypsy blood and gift to see all the parts of the world everyone else overlooked who made me believe in the real gift of
having you, my special man, in my life. He said a gypsy has no boundaries and neither will her mate. Together, they will love fiercely and have a life that others can only imagine. There will be no regrets, no looking back, only moving forward at the speed of light, in tune with Mother Nature and one with the Universe. Hand in hand they will walk in love, truth, and beauty and when she gets that look in her eye, only the gypsy’s one true mate will know how to nurture her wild nature instead of trying to tame her.”
Barely able to breathe as the words she was saying spoke to not only his heart and soul but also his dragon, Kyran stood completely still as Caitlin closed her eyes and dropped her chin while adding, “He always said my need for my mate… for you, would override my desire for sanity and boy oh boy, was he right. Ever since the first night you sat under my tree, I knew my life would never be the same. You make me whole. You give me the sight that was always just out of my reach.” She closed the scant inches between them and smiled. “Just knowing you makes me a better person and for that, I will be eternally grateful. So, you see, I had to come find you. I couldn’t take the chance that you would go off half-cocked and get yourself killed or worse yet, captured again.” She took a deep breath. “Because without you, I fear I would cease to exist.”
Kyran, the Phantom, the black dragon who had been feared by even those he called brethren for most of his life, was completely and totally dumbfounded. This woman, his mate, the light of his soul, had just put into words exactly what he was feeling. He didn’t know how or why and refused to question the synchronicity of the moment, but Caitlin was his forever and nothing and no one would ever come between them.
Laying his forehead to hers, he spoke directly from his heart, “Ah love ye, mah wee Caitlin. 'N' whin a' this is over…Ah wull spend th' rest o' mah life showing ye exactly how mooch.”
One more quick kiss and a deep breath and Kyran added, “Enuff lolly-gagging. Th' sooner we’ve handled yer Marcie, th' sooner we kin git tae moore important things.” He whispered the last part, letting images of exactly what he meant by more important things drift from his mind to hers.
The light blush that covered her cheeks and worked its way down her gorgeous neck pleased him to no end. Just to know he had the same effect on her that she had on him made Kyran’s day…hell, made his whole damned life. Threading his fingers through hers, he whistled for Duke and grinned. “Just a wee bit moore 'n' we’ll be there.”
“Lead on, my mighty dragon,” Caitlin said.
Talking and laughing with his mate made the rest of their journey fly by, so that when they reached Caitlin’s cottage, there was still a few hours before nightfall. Following both his mate and Duke into the house, he checked behind every door and in every closet, using his enhanced senses to make sure no one had been there, set any traps - magical or otherwise - or was lying in wait. When he was sure everything was as it should be, Kyran made his way back to the kitchen only to find Caitlin making sandwiches.
“Ye didn’t need tae goo tae th' trooble. Ah could’ve helped,” he offered, stopping next to where she stood at the counter, placing their food on the plates she had laid out.
Stopping what she was doing and turning toward him, Caitlin rolled her eyes and sighed. “How many times do I have to tell you…I am not helpless. I can take care of myself and I want to take care of you.” Pointing her finger in his general direction, she added, “So you better just get used to it.”
All he could do was grin as his feisty mate turned back to what she was doing without waiting for an answer and called over her shoulder, “You can get the iced tea out of the refrigerator and some glasses from the cabinet to the left of the sink.”
Everything Caitlin did amazed him. Kyran couldn’t imagine what it was like to go through life not only not being able to see but also alone. Nonetheless his mate didn’t let it slow her down in the slightest. She forged fearlessly ahead and for that, he would forever be in awe of her.
Sitting across the table from Caitlin, eating sandwiches and drinking tea, seemed so normal that it occurred to Kyran it was the most civilized thing he’d done in longer than a century. He was just about to comment when Caitlin asked, “So what’s the plan?” She took a sip of tea before adding, “And don’t tell me you don’t have one. I can feel you trying to keep me out of your thoughts and I have the sneaky suspicion you think you’re gonna take Marcie on all by yourself.” She set her glass on the table and pointed in his direction. “But I am here to tell you…that’s not going to happen.”
He thought about lying, about telling her that he hadn’t even entertained the thought of handling the treacherous witch on his own, but even attempting to be dishonest with his banshee felt unnatural…dark, so he admitted, “Aye, Ah thought aboot dealing wi' her maself but then realized ye’ll be needing answers 'n' it woold be wrong o' me tae deny ye that.” He took a deep breath before continuing. “Ah'm waantin' ye tae call her. Tell her ye need her tae come oover. A'm gooing tae wait ootdoors 'til she gets 'ere. Ah'm waantin' tae see what she does before she enters yer hoome. Once she’s inside, Ah’ll come thro' th' back door 'n' subdue her then ye kin git yer answers before Ah dispatch her soul tae Hell.”
The tension-filled silence that followed was hard for Kyran to handle. His need to console his mate battled with his knowledge that Caitlin had to come to terms with what was going to happen on her own. Forcing himself to remain silent and still, he watched a myriad of emotions cross his mate’s face, praying her strength and belief in good always winning over evil would prevail. Waiting had never been one of his strong suits and patience was not something he’d ever had, but the longer he spent with Caitlin, the more he realized he was going to need to get good at both.
When she finally spoke, it was with conviction and an expression that said she was ready for battle. “I know you’re right. What Marcie did is inexcusable. You could’ve died and only God knows how many other of Dad’s spells she’s messed with.” Her voice faded for a moment then she came back with even more conviction. “But we’ll figure that out lat
er.” She nodded, and he knew it was more for her own benefit than his, then asked, “Do you want me to make the call now?”
“Aye, if yer ready.” He took her hands into his and added, “Oonly if yer ready.”
Standing while keeping hold of his hands, she took a deep breath, threw back her shoulders, and announced, “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”
Letting go of his hands, she pulled a cell phone from the pocket of her jeans, pressed a single button, and waited while it rang. On the fourth ring, the witch answered, quickly agreeing to come right over, believing Caitlin’s made-up excuse about dropping a glass on the bathroom floor and being afraid either she or Duke would get cut on the shards.
Disconnecting the call, Caitlin sighed. “Now, to wait. It’ll take her about fifteen minutes.”
Standing beside her, Kyran couldn’t help but put his arms around her, offering comfort and support for what he knew was a difficult situation. Long before he was ready, it was time to find a good place in front of the house to wait for Marcie. Just as he was about to step back, Caitlin asked, “Kyran, will you do me a favor?”
“Anythin’,” he quickly answered.
“Please don’t shut me out. I need to see through your eyes what’s happening.”
There was an almost pleading tone to her voice that tore at his heart. Hugging her tight, he assured her, “Absolutely. Whit Ah see, sae wull ye.”
“Thank you,” came her murmured reply against his chest.
“All ye hae tae dae is ask, mo ghrá. Yer wish is ma command.”
Her giggle was all the confirmation he needed that she truly was ready. Stepping back, he added, “Noow, goo git ready. I’ll be oot froont usin` yer bushes fur cover.”
One quick kiss and he was out the door to await his prey with the sound of Caitlin’s sweet voice flowing through his mind, “I am so thankful you found your way to me, Kyran O’Connor.”
