The Hailey Holloway Complete Series

by K. C. Stewart

  "As was I, but it will be easier if you get it over with now. And your mind will be at ease for when you are healed and we continue with this." His mouth replaced his thumb and he nipped her lip.

  She grinned. "Makeup sex?"

  "You have to heal first."

  "But I'm already feeling way better. Whatever you put on my back helped."

  "Good. When you're done with your call, we will find Darby and see about getting a little more relief from those magic hands of hers."

  "I like the relief your magic hands bring."

  Dacea grinned, flirting Hailey was a sight to behold. She was usually too self-conscious to flirt intentionally and often fell into it unaware. But she knew what she was doing; this was a trap and one he knew well. So instead of taking the bait, he stood and crossed the room.

  Dacea didn't want to take the flirting too far. The bruises were softening, the cuts healing, but she had been tortured the day before. That's not something you could get over in a few hours, even with Darby's magic. Her eyes softened as they looked at him. Her long dark lashes fanning out perfectly to frame her large eyes. She wasn't ready to go further but he could continue the flirt for a little longer.

  His phone was on the dresser. Knowing her coordination level was next to zero, he tossed it to Hailey. She fumbled it and the phone fell to the ground.

  Before she could reach for it, he was kneeling and handing it to her. Dacea moved in-between her legs, his hands gliding up her legs, his thumbs tracing her inner thigh as he went. She shuddered under his touch. "Hailey…" he whispered against her neck, hands gliding up her ribs. She softened in his arms.

  "You are killing me," she groaned when he stopped his forward advances. Her head rested on his shoulder, she wiggled toward the edge of the bed until she was flush up against him. "More please."

  Dacea laughed. "I missed you."

  "I missed you too. Lots and lots like tater tots." She lifted her head, her brow confused. "I don't know what that even means."

  "Call your parents before you start comparing our love to a carton of eggs." He pushed his phone into her palms and stood. Her fingers brushed against his hand and pulled him back. Sometimes she would give him a look so serious; her beauty would knock the breath out of him. Hailey's eyes were large as they gazed up at him. Her lips were a light pink and slightly swollen. He did that, those lips were a mark to everyone that he'd been there and she was his.

  "I love you."

  He leaned down and kissed her. "I know."

  Hailey smiled with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "I love you like a fat kid loves cake."

  He laughed. "You sure know how to make a moment special, Babe."

  Chapter Seventeen

  He gave her space and sat in the chair on the other side of the room with his phone in hand. Hailey let her eyes drift over his body. She should be dialing, but procrastinating was so much easier and more fun to look at. Dak would glance up every few seconds and smile at her. He wanted to help, but couldn't. This was something Hailey needed to do on her own. But his glances at her was his way of telling her it was ok to be scared, or at least that's what she thought that look meant. For all she knew it could mean, "Will you call already?"

  Hailey was scared. She was scared of Silas being right and she was scared of him being wrong. Silas, as it turned out, was actually kind of cool to hang out with. Now that she knew what he knew, his actions made sense. He was trying to be her brother, albeit he did it in a strange and stalkerish sort of way. She understood why he did it the way he did. If he would have just come out and told them his suspicions, Dak would never have let him get within a mile of her and she would have been ok with that.

  If he was right, she gained a whole new branch of family. Her parents wouldn't be any less her family, but she would have more options. Then again, it was Silas. Just because he was civil to her didn't mean he was changed. Silas was still the ruthless Green Overseer. A guy so pompous that he couldn't just be called King, he needed a whole new word to describe himself. He killed Lennox, imprisoned Alex, had been terrorizing Dak for years. How could she possibly be related to that? And if she was, did she have that kind of viciousness in her?

  And yet, if he was wrong, life stayed exactly as it was.

  That thought scared her more than the impending phone call. She wanted him to be right, she realized with a little astonishment. Hailey wanted to have family who actually cared. Silas would remember her birthdays and call her to see how she was doing. He would want to have dinner together for no other reason than to have her company, not because it was a forced activity.

  Another glance over to Dak showed her he had moved on to talking on the phone. "No, it has to be just like I told you. That works. How's everything else going?" Probably more renovations, she mused.

  As she looked at him, a thought came to her. It settled her mind and her anxious heart. No matter if she was adopted or not, Dak would always be her family. Like he said earlier, it didn't matter who she was related to, he loved her regardless. Hailey smiled. She didn't need any more family than him to be happy. Dak caught her watching and looked over at her tilting his head. "What?" he silently mouthed. She shook her head and mouthed, "Nothing," back at him. He watched her a little longer and then turned his attention back on his phone call.

  "Enough stalling," she mumbled. Hailey used a spare phone of Dak's and dialed her parent's house number. She hoped they wouldn't pick up. Ring. Then she could just leave a message. Ring. Maybe she should just email them. Ring. Or hang up, not knowing was cool too. Ring. They were probably screening calls.

  "Hello?"

  Dammit. "Hey Dad."

  "Hey Baby, how are you?" At least it was her Dad. She could always talk to him a lot easier than her Mom. He even sounded happy to hear from her.

  "Not so good. I uh, just found out something that is pretty confusing. I was wondering if you could set it straight."

  "Oh?" His voice had become fake. No not fake, it was worried she realized. He was worried she found out. "And what's that?"

  "Am I…" Hailey's heart thudded. Did she really want to know? Could she live with not knowing? Once she opened that door, there was no closing it. She cleared her throat. "Am I adopted?"

  The other end was silent except for a soft sigh. "Yes."

  "Oh."

  "I…we should have told you sooner." Yeah, she thought bitterly, you should have. It would have been a lot easier to hear from her parents than her brother by birth in front of a room filled with her closest friends. "We were having trouble getting pregnant and were at the hospital on the night you were left there. One minute the waiting area was empty, the next you were there bundled up in a chair screaming your head off. No one knew where you had come from, you were just there. Your mom took one look at you and had to take you in, but it was six months before we got to take you home."

  She wasn't sure what to say, or what to feel, for that matter. This emotion wasn't covered in preschool.

  "Can I ask how you found out?" he asked hesitantly.

  "My brother told me." It just came out. Hailey hadn't meant to tell him but her filter was still broken. "I mean, my brother by birth tracked me down."

  "Oh…oh wow."

  "Pretty much. Do you know anything about my birth parents?"

  "No Baby, I don't. We tried to look but the police were just as baffled as we were. There was no record of you before you showed up in the hospital." He paused then added, "You know that this doesn't change the fact that you are my daughter, right?"

  Her heart smiled at that. "I know, Dad."

  "Who are you talking to?" Her mother's voice came softly in the background. There was no reply but Hailey heard footsteps and a door close.

  "I need to go. I'm sorry, Baby."

  "It's ok."

  "Call me if you have any other questions. I probably don't have the answers but I will do by best."

  Hailey smiled a little. "I will. Thanks."

  "I love you, Hailey." Her M
om must not be near or he never would have said that. She didn't question it but accepted the admission for what it was.

  "Love you too."

  So she was adopted and Silas was her brother. They needed to talk; she wanted to get all the details her Dad didn't know. Of course there was no record of her, dragons don't keep the same kind of records humans do.

  "You know, it makes sense that you are his sister." Dak was up and pocketing his phone. She looked up at him and found his eyes focused only on her.

  "Why do you say that?"

  "Well," he began as he sat down beside her, "most Mates, even the human ones, have some connection to the supernatural world. It was strange that you didn't."

  "Are you sure it doesn't bother you?" They hated each other, there had to be some friction because of all this.

  "It only bothers me that I can't kill him."

  "That's so generous of you," she laughed.

  "Killing family would be frowned upon," Dak stated matter-of-factly.

  "True enough," she said and wrapped her arms around him.

  He pulled her in closer to his chest. "Just be sure to tell him that kidnapping family is frowned upon too." She yawned as he placed a kiss on her head. "You should sleep."

  She wasn't going to argue. Healing was hard work. "You should join me."

  Dak stood and pulled back the covers. She swung her feet onto the bed and let him tuck her in. Hailey would usually protest but she learned after she got out of the hospital that he needed to take care of her when she was injured. That meant treating her like a child at times.

  "I will shortly. I just want to check on the others first."

  Hailey had spent enough time with him in her head to know when he was lying. "Lies."

  He frowned. "I am not."

  "Then it's not the complete truth." She was thoroughly bundled and tucked and felt like a burrito.

  "Just rest, Céile." He leaned over and kissed her. "In the morning you can nag me all you want, but for now just rest." When she didn't say anything he added, "For me?"

  "Fine," she grumbled.

  Major life changing discovery and he expected her to sleep. "Pffft…not likely," she told the dark room after he left. It was an hour before a restless sleep finally took her. Hailey tossed and turned under the covers, unable to escape the dreams that stalked her in the night. It had been over a week since she had last slept for longer than a few hours at a time. And the dreams were with her whenever Dak was not.

  He was warm when he slid in behind her, his body cradling hers. He became her armor, protection even against herself. She immediately stopped squirming and settled in her sleep. His presence was as soothing in her dreams as it was in consciousness.

  *****

  Silas had patience; he waited hundreds of years to move on Dacea, after all, but waiting to see Hailey was going to be the death of him. He had expected to see her shortly after he was chained up by the witch, but she hadn't come. Dacea had visited him a few hours after he had arrived. The dragon didn't speak, only watched him. Silas did the same, two men at the top of their food chain trying to find weakness in the other. Ultimately, they shared the same one.

  After Red left, Silas had expected no one else until morning. He had tried to sleep but gave up on that. His arms were suspended by chains and clamped at the wrists. No matter what way he positioned himself, his arms would hang awkwardly.

  At least in his cell the prisoner was provided with a bed. Dacea had a more medieval idea of a dungeon. Silas could have up to five cell mates; each chained and bolted to the wall. The room was encased in metal bars that were presumed to be magicked with something or other. Then again, Dacea was still renovating the house. Maybe Silas would give a few pointers in an act of good faith and brotherly affection. Now there was a word he had never thought he would be using to seriously describe Dacea—brother.

  The word made him want to vomit.

  He accepted Hailey as his sister, welcomed it actually. But Dacea being family was just a step too far over the surreal line. Was he really supposed to go from wanting him dead to having family dinners with him? The Fates were having a good laugh at his expense right now. The whole dragon community would be too, soon enough. A light came on in the stairwell. Silas tilted his head to listen to the footsteps.

  "I was just thinking about your relatives," Silas said as Lia came into view. "Tell me, how do you have holidays with those three wretched women?"

  "Cursing the Fates, huh?" She smiled and pulled the solitary chair toward the bars.

  "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

  "You know, I had been putting Hailey's past together. I had my suspicions that you two were related but couldn't confirm it." She looked him over. "You have the same dimple." Lia tapped her left cheek.

  Silas chuckled. "Do we now? Well I'll be sure to use that as my starting point when I talk to her. Now I can't imagine that you came down here at 1am to look at my dimple. What are you really doing here?"

  Lia leaned forward, her blond hair tied back at her nape. She had a slight flush to her skin and a bite on her neck. It seemed as though she and Alex had rekindled at some point in the evening.

  "How's Alex?" he asked. Her blush was proof enough of their activities.

  "Good. He's…good." She smiled. "He's why I'm here. I came to thank you actually. You could have killed him but you didn't and I'm grateful for that. Don't get me wrong, I'm pissed you had him this whole time but at least you had him alive."

  He was taken back. People didn't thank Silas. Yell, curse, and scream were more of the reactions he got. This was new and uncharted territory. He treaded carefully.

  "You should get back to him. And let Alex know that I'd love a chess match if he finds the time tomorrow."

  Lia nodded. "I'll tell him." She stood and replaced the chair. "Thank you again for letting him live."

  "You're welcome," he said quietly. She left him alone once more. His thoughts turned toward her words. Being thanked instead of feared was strange. He wasn't sure if he liked it or not.

  Chapter Eighteen

  "Can I borrow a shirt?" Hailey asked from the bathroom. Dacea had already pulled out some of her own clothing from the boxes of things Duncan had packed up. He had spent the night unpacking most of it.

  "Wouldn't you rather wear your own?" She came out of the bathroom in only a towel. Her hair, wavy and wet, lay off to one shoulder just barely covering the fading bite mark. They hadn't talked about the mark yet but he could tell she was conscious about it. Darby did what she could and now only time would tell how much would remain. Bite mark aside, he could seriously get used to this sight every morning. Dacea wasn't sure if she was flush from her shower or because of how he raked his eyes over every piece of exposed skin.

  "You went to my place and got some of my clothes?" God, he loved that smile. Dacea reached out and wound his arms around her stomach, pulling her onto his lap. She gave a wiggle that had him hardening. It wouldn't take much for that towel to fall off…

  "Not exactly." He kissed a line down her throat collecting the spare water droplets off her skin. "I brought your stuff here."

  Hailey stiffened. "You what?"

  "I brought your stuff here. I was unpacking last night." She tried to push out of his arms but he held her like a vice. She ran when things didn't go her way and he was tired of it. This time she was going to stay right where she was and talk it through.

  "Let me up."

  "No."

  She continued to struggle and finally relented. "Why did you bring all my stuff here?"

  "Isn't it obvious?"

  "You want me to move in so you went behind my back giving me no say in the matter."

  "After my Mate was kidnapped and almost brainwashed into hating me, I brought her things here so I could protect her better." He was really tired of this argument. If she hadn't been taken then he would have let her stay where she was for a while longer, but things were different now. If Katherine really was the one who to
ok her for Silas then she could do it again for her own gain. Hailey was safer with him.

  "I'm not ready to live with you. Dak you can't just push me forward because my pace isn't matched with yours."

  "Aren't you? We lived together for two months before and I was just a stranger then. We have dated, made love, what more do you need before you are ready?" That had an effect on her. She fought again to get out of his hold and this time he let her go. He could tell that his words hurt her. Hailey wrapped her arms around her stomach and stepped a few feet out of his grasp.

  "Please tell me you didn't sleep with me just so I would move in."

  "Of course not!" Dacea held out his hand but she glared at it like it was poisonous. "I came over that night because I love you and wanted to be with you."

  "And figured it would get you on the fast track to me moving in," she snapped.

  No, he thought, that was just an added bonus. "Hailey why are you so skittish about this?"

  She snorted. "I was beaten and whipped within an inch of my life. I'm allowed to be skittish about a lot of things."

  He wanted to go to her but she had closed herself off from accepting comfort. The bridge over the moat was up, her castle was ready for attack. "Céile, I know. And I would have followed you, had you died."

  "What?" she said surprised. "No. We aren't even mated."

  "Yeah well, tell that to my dragon." Dacea smiled a little but she only looked more worried than before.

  "I just got out of a cage, Dak. Please don't put me in another."

  "You think being mated is a cage?"

  "No, I think being forced to live here is a cage." She grabbed her clothes off the bed and stomped into the bathroom. He caught the sound of the lock twisting in place and sighed.

  "That went well," he muttered. Getting to his feet he went to the bathroom and knocked on the door.

  "Go away, Dak."

  At least she was still calling him Dak. "Silas has been asking for you." Actually he had been yelling her name for the past three hours. "Why don't you go see him then meet me in the kitchen in one hour? I have something I want to show you."