“So where do the vampires come in?” Brodie asked.
“They both want her,” Bree said. “The vampires and the demons.”
Cody put a protective arm around Shay. “Why?”
“I don’t know,” Bree said, “but it’s connected to the Book of Battles.”
“But the vampires have the book,” Shay said.
“The demons probably don’t know that,” Cody said, grimly. “I don’t know why the vampires still want you.”
“It’s a tug of war between the vampires and demons, and Shay’s the rope,” Brodie said.
“What did the demon look like?”
Bree closed her eyes. “I saw his human form. Neat, sophisticated. Auburn hair with a silver streak.”
There was a chorus of hard-drawn breaths.
“What?” The word exploded out of Cody’s mouth.
“That’s… bloody hell,” Jamie said.
Duncan took a step closer to Sorcha, and even Faelan looked stunned.
Cody pushed aside Shay’s shirt collar and looked at the scar on her shoulder. “M,” he whispered. “Malek.”
Chapter 13
Shay’s legs shook. “Isn’t Malek one of those demons Faelan saw?”
“Aye,” Cody said.
Brodie crossed himself. “Why would an ancient demon be after Shay?”
Bree sank onto a bale of hay near the barn door. Faelan scooped her up in his arms. “Put me down,” she said.
“I will not. You keep passing out. You won’t listen to common sense. I’m taking matters into my own hands.”
“Where are you taking me?”
“Bed, and by God, you’ll stay there if I have to sit on you. I’ve lost everything in my life. I won’t lose you.”
“Marcas, find out how soon the jet can get here,” Cody said.
Marcas made a quick call and reported that it would be morning.
“We leave at sunrise,” Cody said. “All of us. If the jet isn’t there, we’ll take a commercial flight. Set up a barrier. I want the house surrounded. Not a mouse gets through.”
***
Shay tried to sleep, but the dreams wouldn’t stop. Ellis coming after her with the scalpel, his blood spraying from his throat, Renee’s vacant eyes, and the vampires trying to kill Cody. Maybe if she saw him it would settle her nerves. He’d looked hurt when she insisted on sleeping alone. He was trying hard not to pressure her, even though she’d seen the hunger banked in his eyes, but she was afraid. The last thing she wanted was to have him distracted. She had already blown it and told him about the baby. While it was a huge relief to share her secret with him, now she worried for his safety more than ever. It had taken her years to deal with the loss. How could he focus on fighting demons and vampires, when something so traumatic had been thrown at him with no warning?
She eased of bed and crept outside.
Faelan sat in the hall, inspecting a dagger. “Are you all right, lass?”
Shay nodded, feeling her face flush. She considered and discarded the pretense of going for a glass of water and headed straight for Cody’s room. He was stretched out in the middle of the bed, clothes folded on the floor. The sheet was crumpled around his waist, one leg sticking out from under the covers. His battle marks rose and fell with soothing steadiness. He stirred, and the sheet dropped lower. Shay was too tired to care whether or not he wore underwear. She hugged her arms around her body, shivering, as she moved closer to the bed. She should leave. She didn’t want him distracted, but she needed to touch him. She started to turn, and his eyes flew open.
He sat up quickly. “Shay? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I wanted to make sure you were here. I had a dream.”
“I’m here. Are you okay?”
She nodded, but then shook her head. “No,” she whispered.
“Come here,” he said, pulling back the covers and scooting over to make room.
She didn’t hesitate, but crawled in beside him, settling in the spot already warm from his body. He flipped the blanket over her and pulled her close, tucking his body around hers. She snuggled into his chest, letting his warmth and scent comfort her. He wore underwear, and it almost made her cry, because she knew he’d left them on in case he needed to go to her.
She was tired. She had to sleep. Just for a minute.
She woke several times during the night, once screaming, once shaking quietly, face soaked with tears. Cody was there each time, holding her close, trying to absorb her pain.
She woke to an empty bed. The sky was tinged with the pink of dawn. She heard noises downstairs and quickly dressed. The kitchen was like a train station. Some eating, some carrying luggage, some doing both.
“Did you sleep okay?” Bree asked.
“Finally.” She glanced around the kitchen, but Cody wasn’t there.
“He’s at Nina’s checking on something.” Bree rubbed Shay’s arm. “You’ll be fine. Let him help you through it. He needs it as much as you do.”
She didn’t need to ask who he was.
“The men are loading the vehicles. We’re waiting for Lachlan. He went to drag some poor veterinarian out of bed to give the cat its shots so he could take it to Scotland with us.”
“He’s taking the cat to Scotland?”
“Ronan’s going to leave it there at the castle until things calm down.” She closed the catch on her suitcase. “We’re flying out of D.C. Marcas is going to take us there in the small plane to save driving time.” Bree leaned closer. “My mother’s here. She arrived last night. She was on the way home from the wedding and found out we’d been in an accident. She thinks we’re going back to the castle so you and I can recover. She doesn’t know about the warriors or this.” Bree touched her stomach.
“Got it.”
Bree picked up a suitcase, and Faelan appeared, like a growling genie, and removed it, complaining that it was too heavy for someone with a concussion. He patted Shay on the head as he went by. The gesture was oddly endearing. All these people, strangers, really, but they had dropped everything, weddings, honeymoons, battles, to come and help her.
A woman entered the kitchen. She looked elegant and graceful, even at this hour.
“Shay, this is my mother, Orla Kirkland.” Orla was nothing like Bree, who was relaxed and laid back. This woman was as proper and refined as a queen.
“Good morning, Shay. I heard about your trouble. I’m so glad you’re okay. Could I get you a cup of tea? Cody has some lovely Earl Grey.”
“No, thank you.” She had no appetite, not even for tea.
“Brodie, dear, do sit down and eat. Your food won’t digest properly with you rushing around. What is that? Oh heavens. Cookies? At this hour?” Orla threw her hands in the air. “I give up,” she said, and Brodie bolted out the door. “Are you sure you’re both up to this? I can’t imagine what your doctors are thinking, letting you travel after the accident and Shay’s kidnapping.” Orla moved about the kitchen as if she owned it. “Why don’t you both come home with me? Let me take care of you.”
“No, Mother. They’re expecting us at the castle,” Bree said.
Orla sighed. “Coira is a wonderful cook, and the castle was just lovely. Perhaps I should go with you.”
“You know how you hate exploring. Shay and I were going to visit some ruins,” Bree said.
Shay kept her eyebrows in place.
“Ruins?” Orla gave a delicate grimace. “You shouldn’t be exploring while you’re recuperating.”
“They’re close to the castle. Faelan and Cody won’t let us get hurt. You go home and rest. You’ve been so busy with the wedding and helping Faelan restore the house. I’ll bring him for a visit soon.”
Orla brightened at that. “Ah, here he is now, my son-in-law,” she announced as if introducing the president. “Faelan, would you carry my suitcase to the car?”
“It would be my pleasure.”
“You’ll take care of her for me, won’t you?” Orla asked.