by Dane, Lauren
Clive headed back downstairs, stopping in the kitchen to check if anyone had seen her there and no one had. Worse, he’d realized he hadn’t seen Enyo either. At that point his slight concern had grown considerably. It was just better to go straight to the top.
He approached The First, and he must have sensed a problem immediately because his gaze sharpened and he shooed everyone else away.
“What is it?”
“Ovilius, have you seen Rowan?”
“I believe Recht went to speak with her.”
“Yes. I spoke with him a few minutes past. They finished up about half an hour ago. Her valet has not seen her. She has not been through the kitchens.”
“Have we seen Enyo lately?”
Damn it. “No.”
The First rubbed his temple. “I thought earlier that I heard her. I thought she was here.”
The First looked around the great room, sharp eyes missing nothing. He sent Enzo off to look and then stalked over to where Celesse sat with Rex Espy and Roth. “Have you seen Rowan of late?”
They all shook their heads, but it was Rex who caught the situation quickest. “Is she missing?” He stood, not bothering with more than a tip of his chin toward The First.
“She has not been seen recently. I’m sure she’s off doing something she never realized would worry anyone.” The First’s voice drifted off at the end of the last sentence as he looked around.
David entered the room and came over. “No one has seen her in at least thirty minutes. But one of the staff said he gave her a note.”
The First’s gaze sharpened. “A note? From whom?”
“He didn’t know. It was left on a table in the butler’s pantry. He saw it and kept it in his pocket until he saw Rowan about half an hour ago.”
A lot could happen in thirty minutes. Especially if Enyo was involved.
“She’s a coldblooded killer. Why are you all so worried?” Roth asked, clearly puzzled. Which at least took him off Clive’s list of suspects.
“I’ll have my staff look into it. I’m sure it’s fine. I’ll let you know what I hear.” The First moved away, but Rex didn’t let that go. He followed them out into the hall.
“This is obviously a concern, given the fact that another person is also not here and it’s an ancient Vampire who wants Rowan dead. So you’ll have to excuse me but I’ll be helping. My wife would skin us all alive if I didn’t.”
Dina came out into the hallway, heading straight toward The First. “Ovilius, pardon my interruption, but I was just outside cutting a very long smoke break by one of my staff short when I heard a terrible noise. A scream that made the hair on the back of my neck go straight up. The Scion had just been asking after Ms. Rowan and...it’s probably not connected.”
Theo nodded, his eyes shifting to that of an ages-old predator. Nadir showed up, Recht at her side.
“She’s out there, and most likely so is Enyo. She doesn’t have her blade. She turned it in earlier, so she’s most likely unarmed.”
Nadir nodded and moved away from them. Within moments the Five had gathered, put their heads together and slid from the room, on the hunt.
“I’m going out there too. If you wish to accompany me,” The First spoke to Rex, “you should know it’ll likely be dangerous.”
“I’m a dangerous man, sir. You should know that if there’s a threat to Rowan, I will not hesitate to step in to protect her.”
The First looked him over and then nodded. “All right then. Clive, I assume you’ll be with us.”
As if he’d be anywhere else.
The Keep took up a great deal of land, and they stood out beyond the back of the kitchen and listened hard.
“There’s a lot of area to cover.” Rex stood in front of them both. “She told me you both gave her blood after the fight she had with the rogue in Las Vegas. Can you use that somehow? Don’t Vampires have a sort of connection with those whose blood they’ve shared?”
Clive sucked in a breath. “Yes.” He hadn’t even thought of that, which was as stupid as it was obvious.
“Let us both try.”
Clive closed his eyes at The First’s words and searched for his connection to her. She lived in him in so many ways, but his lifeblood lived in her. Ran through her veins. There had to be a connection, even if it was faint...
In the distance they heard a scream of rage and pain. Clive gave over fully to what he was, using all his speed and senses to race in the direction of that sound.
But the First was faster. So much faster, and as Clive skidded into the tiny clearing near the orangerie, he smelled the blood before he caught sight of Rowan.
“Here!” Clive shouted, hoping Rex could hear.
“You get away from her now!” Theo spoke. He did not yell or scream. But the force of that command echoed through Clive’s bones, through sinew and muscle.
Clive heard the gurgle of lungs full of blood. Pain laced the sound. He stepped to the side as Enyo flew across the space and hit a nearby tree trunk. A flash of movement, pale hair in the moonlight, as The First followed Enyo’s flight, his face a mask of rage, incisors needle-sharp, extended, eyes ablaze.
Clive tore his attention away. Rowan lay half-sitting, her face a bloody ruin. Her chest was covered in blood, her breathing irregular, her body trembling. Her eyes were closed. Her life force, usually so vibrant and vivid, had paled, flickering. She was dying.
“Rowan?”
She whimpered, but one of her eyes opened. “I know you,” she whispered as Clive went to his knees, schooling his features the best he could. Her left arm was a mess of wounds so deep he saw bone in several places. Her muscles had been torn; she bled a great deal. She needed treatment immediately or they’d have to turn her to keep her alive.
He tried to pretend he wasn’t terrified. “Of course you do, Hunter. You live to give me trouble daily.”
“Her. I know her.” She coughed. Hard, racking coughs that left her lips red and glossy from blood. Her face was swollen and beginning to bruise. Her jaw appeared to have been dislocated and maybe even broken. One of her legs lay at an odd angle, and the bone pierced her flesh.
“Hunter, you’re in bad shape.”
In the background he heard snarling and movement, but he couldn’t tear his eyes from Rowan.
“I poked her fucking eye out, Scion. And I yanked her incisor out too. Ha.”
“Of course you did, darling.” He swallowed hard against the swell of emotion she evoked. “I need to pick you up. Need to get you to the Keep.”
“‘S gonna hurt.”
He smiled at her and kissed her forehead. “Probably. I’m sorry for that.”
“Did you kill her?” Her voice was wet, and it tore at him.
“I believe your father is doing that.”
As Clive spoke the words, he felt the overwhelming presence The First carried with him. “She got away.” The First knelt and looked Rowan over, pain on his features. “Petal, you’re quite a mess.”
“Got away?”
The First tore his wrist open and held it out to her. “Sweetest, you need to take my blood.”
“No.”
His features hardened. “Don’t be stubborn, Rowan.”
“Don’t wanna.”
The First sighed, took hold of her face at her jaw, forced her mouth open and jammed his bleeding wrist into it. She made a sound similar to a shriek of pain, and though The First’s features did not change, Clive noted his flinch. “Do be still. You’re damaged. My blood will help. You will die without it, and I will not allow such a thing.”
“Get her,” Rowan managed to mumble around his wrist.
“You are worth more. Now stop struggling or I will be vexed! You make it hurt more, damn you, stubborn child!”
Rex burst into the clea
ring, breath heaving. “Rowan!” He moved to them, but Clive shook his head.
“Gentle.”
“Sweet Christ of Judea! What happened? Darling. Oh, sweetheart. Where is that bitch? I’ll take her head myself!”
“She’s gone. Escaped.” The First picked Rowan up gently, and she gave in with a sigh, her head lolling back.
“I need to get her to the house.” With those words, The First was gone in a burst of speed.
Clive turned to Rex. “The Keep. I need to get there as soon as I can. Can you get back?”
Nadir came into the clearing. “What is it?”
Clive told her briefly. “I don’t know where she went, though. She and The First fought awhile, and then he came to Rowan to aid her. He took her back to the Keep.”
“We’ll sweep the area. Mr. Espy, please. Recht will escort you back.”
Clive took that as his cue and headed away at top speed.
Chapter Twenty
The last time he’d exerted himself this hard, hard enough to sweat beads of blood, also happened to be when Rowan had nearly gotten herself killed.
Clive burst through the doors. Dina pointed to one of the smaller sitting rooms, and he rushed in.
The scent of blood should have been enticing. Rowan had no idea, but her blood made his mouth water usually. But this blood was laced with so much pain and death, his belly clenched as fear raced over his skin.
“Is she all right?” Clive pushed through the crowd to find Celesse kneeling on one side of her, The First cradling Rowan’s head in his lap and Paola giving Rowan blood. Enzo was a shadow in the doorway, ready to serve The First whenever and however he needed it.
“Where is the doctor? Damn it, she needs a doctor!”
David patted his arm. “They’re giving her blood. There are no human doctors nearby. They’ve sent for someone in town, but it’ll take time.”
“This is an outrage.” Celesse’s voice shook. “This is attempted murder. You made her give up her blade! She had nothing to defend herself with.”
“I’m well aware of the situation.” The First kept a calm demeanor, but Clive could see the pain radiating from him.
Dina pushed through. “Out of the way. If you’re not at least a thousand years old, get out. She needs the most powerful of you to give her blood. The rest of you are just in the way.” She put a basin with warm water down, along with scissors and some other tools.
Clive realized she’d probably tended a battered Rowan more than once. But he had no plans to leave.
“Naturally, Scion, you can stay, as well as the people from Hunter Corp., except for that one over there who will leave now or I will remove him bodily.”
Roth sputtered his indignation, but Clive yanked him by the back of his suit coat and tossed him out, slamming the door in his face.
“I don’t like him.” Dina rolled up her sleeves and sat on a stool at Rowan’s side. “We need to get her shoulder back into place and her broken bones splinted into place. She’ll start to heal, and without it, she’ll be in even more pain.”
“That’s going to cause her a great deal of pain right now.”
“Better than being dead. Ovilius, please brace her while Warren puts her shoulder back into place. David, would you prepare a splint for me for her leg? I’m going to cut her pants free so we can see the damage.”
Everyone sprang into action. Without looking up from where she used scissors to carefully cut away Rowan’s pants leg, Dina sighed. “Scion, she needs you right now. I see how you look at her. Give her your love. Heaven knows, she needs it.”
Nodding, he picked his way around The First and knelt in between him and Celesse. He bent to her ear. “Rowan, I’m here. We’re all here, and you need to fight. Do you hear me?”
“Sweetheart, this is going to hurt.” Warren spoke, and Clive kept his lips to Rowan’s ear. Her breathing was ragged, but he was glad she still breathed at all.
“Hold her, Ovilius.” Warren waited for The First to brace her carefully before he placed his hands on her upper arm and shoulder and shoved it back into the socket.
Despite The First holding her, Rowan cried out, arching.
Clive felt it when The First flinched. He kissed her forehead. “Petal, I’m so sorry.”
“Enough time for guilty feelings after we get her stabilized.” Dina’s rebuke seemed to shake The First out of his reverie. He took a deep breath.
“You’re right, Cook. Thank you.”
A knock sounded on the door, and Cataline came in with another steaming pail.
“Good. David, how’s that splint coming along?” Dina washed away the blood, not caring about the mahogany floor or the Persian rug that rested upon it.
“Ready when you are.”
“Ms. Paola, you need to stop or we’ll have to send you to the hospital too.”
“She’s lost a great deal of blood. I have enough to share.”
The First touched her hand. “I thank you for the gift of your blood. She’s had mine, and she’s had yours. Cook is right, you’ve given her quite a bit.”
Takahiro moved up. “Let me take over.”
Paola moved away to sit in a nearby chair, her gaze never leaving Rowan.
Rowan’s leg was a mess. Clive knew his incisors had lengthened when The First spoke. “Save your rage. The Five are out looking for Enyo. Rowan is here with us now. Keep your mind here.”
Rex came in just moments later. “Oh, sweetheart.” He rushed to Rowan. Celesse moved from her spot, giving it over to Rex.
“I’ll call Susan.”
“Thank you.” Rex didn’t take his gaze from Rowan’s face as Celesse stepped from the room to make the call.
“The water and poultices in this pail have healing magic in them. I want to get this leg splinted and then I’ll need to have a look at her arm. I’m going to have to cut off her sweater.”
“Why didn’t her Goddess save her? I don’t understand.” Rex spoke but it wasn’t to anyone in particular.
“If She hadn’t helped, Rowan would have been dead for some time. Enyo is incredibly old and powerful.” The First’s teeth clicked shut, and he snarled. “I am...prohibited from sharing a great deal of detail. But without the Goddess inside Rowan, she could not have withstood three minutes with no weapons against one such as Enyo.”
“Prohibited? Your precious Treaty is going to protect that monster after she tried to kill Rowan? In your Keep?” Rex was angry and terrified too. Which was probably what kept him alive after speaking in such a manner to The First.
“He’s under a spell. A geas. He’s prohibited by that, not the Treaty.” Dina kept working. “I have to tie the splint into place. The poultice will cause her some discomfort, unfortunately. Hold her as firmly as you can. Enzo, please help David.”
Clive barely restrained his gasp when Rowan’s body shuddered in pain. She was beyond the cry she’d given when her shoulder had been put back into place, but the gut-deep whimper that escaped was worse.
His strong, fearless Hunter was damaged. In pain and he couldn’t help. He wanted to tear the Keep down around their heads just to do something with his hands and all the anger he felt.
Instead, he gently cleaned her face, getting rid of the blood and dirt. “Rowan, it’s really quite tiresome the way you try to make everything about you. We had a date. Remember that?”
Dina continued to work. The doctor from town showed up and took up at her side. Together with Cataline’s help, they sewed up wounds and cleaned off the blood. Dina placed her smelly poultices, and some of the worst damage, especially on her arm, began to heal. Her color went from so-white-she-could-have-been-dead to critically ill.
Dawn teased as they finally finished.
The First spoke. “Vampires need to seek their rest. Especially thos
e who’ve given so much blood. There are no windows in this room. Bring her a bed so she’ll be comfortable, and I’ll stay with her.”
“Sir,” David began to speak, but The First shook his head hard.
“No. This is my daughter. Do you understand? I will not leave her side, and that is that. This room will be guarded. No one will be allowed in or out but for a preapproved few.”
“I respectfully ask that I be one of those few, Ovilius.”
“Scion, you need real rest. There will be humans in and out of this room. I promise to keep watch.” It was an order, though not unkindly spoken.
Clive kissed her temple. Her face was bruised and swollen still, and he didn’t want to hurt her any more than she’d been already. “I must go to rest, Hunter. I’ll be back at sundown. Try not to get into any fisticuffs while I’m gone.” He paused and bent to her ear. “I love you, darling Hunter.”
Alice waited for him just outside the door. “Your room is ready. Go on up. She’s going to be fine, Clive. She’s too stubborn not to be.”
They walked quickly. “Did you see her, Alice? Did you see what that bitch did to my Hunter?”
Alice nodded. “I did. We’ll get her. Rowan will get better, and we’ll take Enyo out. But you’re exhausted, and you need to be at your best because she’s going to be a handful when she wakes up.”
That at least made him smile.
Chapter Twenty-One
Copper and smoke.
Rowan stirred, prodded by the Goddess. She hadn’t ascended like she did at the shrine. But this was a different plane nonetheless.
“Rowan, you have a job to do.”
She blinked up at the beautiful brilliance she always associated with Brigid. And smiled at the manifestation that was a whole lot like Shirley Manson. Yes, the redheaded Scottish rock-star actress.
“My everything hurts.”
“You were all I ever could have wanted in a Vessel this week.”
Rowan struggled to make sense of what was happening. Of where she was. She’d never achieved this sort of connection with Brigid outside a shrine.
“Relax a moment. I am here with you. You were so close to death that it enabled me to connect with you on this plane.”
