Daniel (Fairplay Shifters Series Book 6)

by Serena Meadows

  “But Cassie isn’t magical,” Daniel said. “She can’t have that much energy.”

  Charlie shook her head. “Oh, she’s magical. She’s got plenty of magic inside her; Deacon’s been stealing it, using it to strengthen himself.”

  Daniel was silent for a long time. “Deacon isn’t as strong as he’d like everyone to believe,” he finally said, finally getting a full picture of their situation.

  “No, he’s been using Cassie and black magic to fuel his powers,” Charlie said.

  “Well, that’s not going to happen again. We all need to get out of here tomorrow. I know you’re strong, Charlie, but we don’t know for sure what he’s planning, and I’d feel better if we were in our own territory when he puts whatever he’s planning into action,” Daniel said.

  “I agree with Daniel; tomorrow the four of us will leave. This is Deacon’s territory, and I’m not comfortable facing him here,” Steven said.

  Charlie nodded. “Brussels first, and then we’ll fly to the States. We’d better call home and let them know what we’ve discovered. We can touch base with Penny and Quinten when we get to Brussels tomorrow afternoon.”

  ***Cassie***

  The first rays of sunlight were just peeking over the window sill when Daniel woke Cassie with a kiss. “I have to go down to the barn and take care of the horses. Charlie is right next door if you need anything,” he said.

  She watched him get dressed, thinking that her life had turned upside down, but she’d never been happier. They hadn’t discussed what lay ahead, but she knew that it meant finally leaving the castle, and she was a little nervous about going out into the world.

  It had been years since she’d left the castle grounds, years since her father had allowed her to be part of the real world, and she wasn’t sure what to expect. She had the internet and watched plenty of television and movies, but that wasn’t the real world. As excited as she was, she was just as nervous to start her life with Daniel but knowing that he’d be right beside her calmed her.

  “I’ll be back in a few hours; get some more sleep, it’s going to be a long day,” he said, giving her one more kiss then tucking the blanket under her chin.

  It wasn’t hard for her to fall back asleep, her body still ached in strange places, and although the nausea hadn’t started yet, it had exhausted her the day before. Letting her eyes drift closed, she imagined Colorado and the ranch that was Daniel’s home and hoped that she’d love it as much as he did.

  When she woke several hours later, the sun was streaming through the window, and she knew it had to be mid-morning. She’d just come out of the bathroom when Charlie came through the door with a tray of food in her hands.

  “It’s good to see you up and about. How are you feeling?” she asked, setting the tray down.

  Cassie took a second to think about that. “Hungry,” she finally said, when she realized that the nausea hadn’t come back.

  “Well, then you’re in luck; breakfast is served,” Charlie said with a flourish of her arms.

  Cassie laughed. “It smells good,” she said, sitting down at the little table.

  “Eat it all and then get ready to leave. We’re leaving for Brussels this morning, and then tonight we have a flight to New York. We’ll spend the night there then go on to Denver. From there, we have a four-hour drive to Fairplay,” Charlie said, opening Cassie’s closet.

  Cassie watched as she pulled out one article of clothing after another and threw it to the floor. “I think we might need to do some shopping,” she said, turning back to Cassie and eyeing her. “I can probably find something of mine that will work for now, but you’re a little more gifted than I am.”

  An hour later, Cassie watched the castle get smaller and smaller, and wondered if she’d miss it. But the memory of all those days she’d spent sick in bed surfaced and a sense of freedom overwhelmed her. It was finally beginning to sink in that she’d never be sick like that again, that never in her life would she feel the debilitating weakness begin to spread through her body.

  It angered her to think that she’d let herself be used by her father for all these years, that she’d believed his act, thought that he was kind and loving. Part of her was still numb, still hadn’t fully accepted the fact that he’d spent years siphoning off her energy and then used it to get what he wanted.

  She couldn’t quite shake the guilt that came with that knowledge either, guilt that seemed to be building as she gained acceptance of the reality of her life. Watching out the window, she tried to push the guilt away, tried to remind herself that she’d only been a child when it had started, that it would have been impossible for her to know what her father was doing.

  But when they reached the outskirts of Brussels, all her brooding thoughts were replaced by the thrill of seeing a real city for the first time. “It’s beautiful,” she said when they got their first view of the city spread out before them.

  “And this is just the beginning,” Daniel said, squeezing her hand. “By tomorrow, you’ll be in Colorado.”

  “But first, we’re going shopping,” Charlie said. “I’m not taking you home to Colorado in those sweats and that tee-shirt.”

  Cassie laughed; she’d forgotten that she was wearing Daniel’s clothes. “I think that might be a good idea,” she said. “If I don’t hold these pants up, they fall off.”

  “That’s alright with me,” Daniel said, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

  “Daniel,” Cassie wailed, her face flaming.

  “Sorry, but it’s the truth,” he said, shrugging his shoulders.

  Chapter Seventeen

  ***Daniel***

  Daniel watched Cassie’s face as they climbed the pass; after nearly twenty-four hours of traveling, she was holding up well. But right then she didn’t look so great; she had his hand in a grip that was cutting of circulation to his fingers, and her face showed her fear.

  Her initial fascination with the Rocky Mountains had quickly turned to fear as they began climbing on the twisting, winding roads. Several times he’d seen her close her eyes when they went around an especially scary curve, but she’d never let out a peep, only smiled weakly at him when she’d opened her eyes.

  But they’d just come over the top of the pass, and in a few seconds, she was going to get her first glimpse of her new home, and he didn’t want to miss her reaction. It was late afternoon, and a thunderstorm had just passed over the valley, leaving the surrounding mountains shrouded in clouds.

  When the car came around a corner and started down the steep mountain that would leave them on the valley floor, he was rewarded by Cassie’s sharp intake of breath. Her body immediately relaxed, and she sighed. “Oh, it’s beautiful here.”

  Charlie laughed from the front seat. “That’s exactly what I thought the first time I saw it; it’s soothing somehow.”

  “Was it worth the trip through the mountains?” Daniel asked, relieved that she was no long so afraid.

  Cassie laughed, “Was it that obvious I was scared to death?”

  Daniel held up his hand, which still held hers. “I think you might have bruised my fingers,” he said, kissing the back of her hand.

  Cassie laughed. “Sorry, I’ll get used to it, I’m sure.”

  They were silent the rest of the trip to the ranch, but when they turned off the main highway, she turned to Daniel and asked, “What if your parents don’t like me?”

  Daniel laughed. “They’re going to love you and so is the rest of the family,” he said, then pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

  “I can’t help but think that I’m bringing trouble with me. I mean, father isn’t going to just let me disappear; he’s going to come looking for me,” she said, voicing what she’d been thinking since they touched down in Denver and the reality of what she’d done hit her.

  “Cassie, this thing started for my family a long time ago; none of this is your fault, and my family knows that,” Daniel reassured her.

  When they pulled up in front of
the ranch house, Cassie sighed again. “It looks just like I thought it would,” she said, letting Daniel help her out of the car.

  “It’s not a castle, but it’s comfortable enough,” he said, leading her to the porch.

  She pulled him to a stop in front of the door. “Thank you from bringing me here, Daniel,” she said and kissed him on the cheek.

  Daniel felt a thrill wash over him, his love for Cassie making it hard to breathe for a second. “This is your new home, Cassie; I hope you’ll like it here,” he said, then kissed her until the door opened and he heard his father clear his throat.

  “If you two are done, you might like to come inside; everyone’s been here waiting for hours,” he said, a scowl on his face.

  Daniel laughed, “Sorry, dad. We’re coming in,” he said, putting his arm around Cassie and whispering in her ear, “He’s just grumpy because he doesn’t like it when the house is full of people. He’s getting kind of crotchety in his old age.”

  When they got inside, Cassie understood why Daniel’s dad was grumpy. The house was full of people, sitting, standing: there wasn’t a bit of room anywhere. Before Daniel could open his mouth to introduce her, they were swarmed as the family greeted them, names and faces blurring as they passed by.

  Finally, Daniel’s mother came rushing out of the kitchen and chased everyone off. “You all leave them alone; they just got here. Give them some space,” she said, pulling them through the living room and into the kitchen. “We’ll have some privacy in here.”

  Only a few minutes later, Daniel’s father slipped into the kitchen and sat down at the table with them. His mother was still fussing with coffee and some cookies, but finally sat down with a huff and looked at them.

  Daniel shifted uncomfortably in his seat as she stared at them; she’d done this to him his entire life, and it always meant she was digging for his secrets. Finally, she smiled at them and asked, “When is the wedding?” then sat back in her chair, a satisfied smile on her face.

  When they didn’t reply, she said, “I’m thinking next spring might be perfect. We could have a double wedding: sisters marrying brothers, that would be fun. Isn’t life exciting?”

  Daniel shouldn’t have been surprised at his mother’s insights, but still choked on the gulp of tea he’d taken. He looked over at Cassie, who had a shocked look on her face. “I think we might be getting ahead of ourselves,” he said.

  “Not at all,” she said. “It’s clear to me that you two are perfect for each other. I can’t believe that all my kids will be married soon.”

  Daniel looked at Cassie again, who shrugged her shoulders; it wasn’t exactly the proposal he’d planned, but since it was done, he figured it was as good a time as any to announce their other news.

  “Spring might not be the best time to have a wedding,” he said, wanting to draw it out. “Christmas time might be a better idea.”

  His mother shook her head. “I won’t have time to put it all together that fast; we’ll just have to wait for spring.” Then she launched into a list of all the preparations they’d have to make.

  Cassie was smiling, clearly enjoying his little battle with his mother. “Mother,” Daniel said, interrupting her, “we can’t get married in the spring because that’s when the baby will be here.”

  His mother fell silent, her mouth still hanging open, then let out a screech and jumped up from the table. “Oh my god, a baby?” she screamed. “I’m finally going to be a grandmother.”

  ***Cassie***

  Cassie wasn’t sure how it happened, but she was suddenly on her feet following Daniel’s mother through the house. “You must be exhausted; you need to rest,” she said, propelling Cassie through the house and up the stairs. “I’ve put you in Penny’s room.”

  Fifteen minutes later, she was tucked in bed and waiting for his mother to bring in a dinner tray. When she put the tray in Cassie’s lap, the smell of the food made her stomach growl loudly, and they both laughed.

  “Would you like some company?” she asked, then pulled a chair over next to the bed and sat down.

  While she ate, Daniel’s mom entertained her with stories about the ranch and her new family, but as the food disappeared, she felt the exhaustion of the trip begin to overwhelm her. When the tray was empty, his mother took it off her lap and set it down; then she sat down next to Cassie on the bed.

  “I’m glad you’re here; I hope you’ll be happy,” she said, patting Cassie's arm.

  Cassie felt tears come to her eyes. “I hope so too; thank you for giving me a place to go, especially since you don’t know me.”

  His mother smiled at her, “Daniel brought you to us, and that’s enough for me. I know you haven’t had it easy, but you’ve got all of us to look after you now. Get some sleep, and we’ll talk some more tomorrow.”

  Cassie had no problem falling asleep, the gentle murmur of conversation from downstairs reassuring her that she was safe. When she woke in the middle of the night, Daniel was curled around her, snoring softly in her ear, and contentment washed over her. She fell back to sleep thinking of their baby and the life they’d share together.

  When the first rays of sunlight began to peek over the mountain, Daniel began to nuzzle her neck, making her shiver and open her eyes. “Good morning,” he said and kissed her.

  “Good morning yourself,” she said when he let her up for air.

  “I think I could get used to waking up this way,” he said, sliding his hand up her stomach to cup her breast.

  Cassie’s body responded immediately; her nipple hardened, and a wave of pleasure washed over her. “Hmmm, I could too,” she said, then gasped when his hand dipped between her legs.

  An hour later, Daniel got out of bed, and started to get dressed. “I’ll go get us some breakfast and bring it up here,” he said, putting on his boots.

  “I’m perfectly capable of walking to the kitchen myself; I don’t want everyone to think I’m some kind of invalid,” Cassie said, starting to get out of bed.

  “You’re to stay in bed and rest today, doctor’s orders,” Daniel said, flashing her a smile.

  “But I haven’t seen a doctor,” she protested, feeling like a child again.

  Daniel saw the look on her face, “I’m sorry, Cassie, sometimes I forget. Charlie and my mom think it would be best if you stayed in bed and rested today,” he said, sitting down next to her on the bed. “You’ve had a pretty long few days, and it probably wouldn’t hurt for you to take it easy, but tomorrow I promise I’ll show you the ranch; we can even ride if you want to.”

  Cassie knew that he was right, but for a second, she’d felt like she was losing control of her life again. “I suppose they’re right, but only for today.”

  “That’s a deal,” he said, kissing her. “I’ll be right back.”

  After they’d eaten breakfast together, Daniel left to talk with the rest of the family, and she began to feel lonely. If she’d had a book to read or something to do, it wouldn’t have felt that way, but she could hear conversation downstairs and knew it concerned her.

  She was just about to get out of bed when the door burst open, and Charlie came in. “I’m glad to see you listened to our advice. How are you feeling? Any nausea?”

  Cassie smiled and shook her head. “Not since I started drinking that new tea you gave me, but I hate staying in bed. I’ve spent way too much of my life laying around in bed.”

  “One more day won’t hurt you, and I’ve come to entertain you,” Charlie said making herself comfortable. “I have a story for you, it’s kind of a scary story, but it does have a happy ending.”

  For the next hour, Charlie told her of growing up in a house full of shifters, about her brother and sister disappearing and how she’d ended up in Fairplay. Cassie listened, thinking that Charlie’s life had been just as hard as hers.

  “I still don’t know for sure who killed my mother, but I think it was Deacon. I don’t know why he let me live, but I think he knew that someday he might need me. I
thought I was going to Germany to face him down, to find out the truth, but now I’m not sure it matters,” Charlie finished.

  “Why, don’t you want to know?” Cassie asked, all the doubts about the stories her father had told her about her mother abandoning her surfacing once again. “He said that my mother abandoned me at his doorstep because she didn’t want me.”

  Charlie shook her head. “I doubt that’s true, Cassie. I don’t have any proof, but I can’t imagine any woman abandoning her child to him.”

  “Do you think…” Cassie started to ask, but then a strange light appeared in the middle of the room.

  Charlie jumped to her feet, her eyes sparkling, her hands raised in front of her. The light grew brighter, then bigger, and suddenly her father was standing in the middle of the room. “How nice. I see you two are getting acquainted,” he said. “The answer to your question, Cassie, is yes, I killed your mother. She wouldn’t let me see you, so she had to be eliminated.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  ***Cassie***

  Cassie could only stare at her father, but the longer she stared at him, the more obvious it became that he wasn’t the man she knew. He’d changed, become hard and brittle; she could see it in his face, in the way he carried himself. She felt a moment of sorrow for him, then reminded herself what he’d done to her.

  When his words began to sink in, her heart felt like it was going to break. Her father had killed her mother to get to her, to drain her of her energy to fuel his ambition. Guilt washed over her, paralyzing her and making it hard to breathe.

  “Take a deep breath, Cassie,” Charlie said calmly.

  Cassie looked at her sister, standing facing her father, and forced herself to breathe, to calm herself. As the fear and shock began to fade, anger replaced them, anger that flowed through her, making her feel stronger than she’d ever felt.