“Is it the Kurjans, Moira?” Dage asked, his jaw hard. A white-faced, red-haired vampire race afraid of the sun, they had created the virus in order to steal vampire mates.
“I don’t know who it is.” She truly didn’t. The Kurjans were more likely to show up with an armored tank than manipulate time and dimensions. Too subtle.
“This is the first I’ve heard of the ability to open dimensions in such a manner.” Her jaw firmed as she glanced at Conn. “In addition, it’s the first time someone has tried to transport me.”
“What about others? Has anyone else been taken?” Conn went for the jugular.
The damn man should’ve been a barrister. “Not to my knowledge.” The lie rolled smoothly off her tongue.
“You’re a terrible liar, Dailtín.” Conn turned back toward his brother. “Anything new on the demon front?”
Dage exhaled. “No. While they declared war eight months ago, they have yet to make a move ... unless this new transport business is their first strike.” He rubbed a finger in the cleft of his chin. “The demons fight by messing with images in the brain ... as well as traditional weapons. I’m not sure I envision them playing with physics.”
Conn angled the monitor. “My guess is it’s witches or ... well ... us. Maybe a vampire with the ability. But if you think about it, the Kurjans studied biology the last three hundred years, preparing the virus. Maybe they’ve branched out to quantum physics.”
His frown bracketed hard lines at the sides of his mouth. “Moira has been summoned by the council. Then I’ll get the truth about other disappearances from my mate.” He cleared his throat. “I need you to make a phone call, Dage.”
Dage’s expression remained like stone, yet blue shot through the silver of his eyes. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Consider it done.” The king clicked off.
What in the blazes was that about? Moira turned toward Conn. “Care to explain?”
Arrogance stamped into every line of his chiseled face. “No.” He snapped the laptop closed, glancing out the window. “Dublin looks stunning.”
“Yes.” Dublin stood as the cleanest city in the world with a mixture of ancient and modern architecture. Yet the economy of Ireland as a whole kept spiraling downward. True proof the council was in trouble. “You haven’t been here for a century, Conn.” A tiny bit of irritation crept into her voice.
He clasped his hand over hers, tugging until her palm rested against his hard thigh. Heat flared right to her heart. “I needed an ocean between us to keep from taking you, Moira.”
Baloney. He’d walked away and hadn’t looked back. Maybe if she’d had some experience or something, he’d have stayed. But he’d been her first and only. She shook her head. “We don’t even know each other.” They’d had sex one night and had ended up mated for life. In fact, it wasn’t until the last ten years that he’d contacted her. Formally at first, then with some ease.
He sighed. “You were so young. I understood you needed to grow into the leader you’re meant to become.” His hand tightened over hers. “But time’s up.”
The man wasn’t getting it. Her nails clutched into his leg. “You don’t need to do this. Fate can’t force us into anything.” He had to stop touching her. It’d been a century since she’d had sex, and her body was on fire. The second he’d marked her, he’d ruined her for all other men. Literally. Vampires were male only. Once mated to a vampire, the woman became untouchable by any other male. An allergy of sorts.
“I want to take you home.”
“You do not.” The words slipped out before she could bite them back. Heat climbed into her face. She kept her gaze straight ahead.
He grasped her chin between his thumb and forefinger, tugging her to face him. A puzzled frown settled between his dark eyebrows. “You can’t possibly believe I wanted to stay away from you for an entire century.”
She blinked. Twice. Vulnerability tightened her stomach. Pure stubborn pride tightened her shoulders.
His expression smoothed out, his hold firm on her jaw. “Well, now.”
“You can’t tell me you weren’t relieved the council forced you to your own continent.” Maybe he’d deny it. A stupid, soft voice echoed the plea in her head.
He exhaled, blowing out air and glancing to the side. “Maybe a little. At first.” He focused back on her. “The marking caught me off guard. The night we shared ... I don’t usually lose control. Ever, actually.”
She knew he’d been relieved and even understood it a little bit. Yet, something ached deep inside. The marking. “Me either. So let’s ignore the marking and tell fate to bugger off.”
“Moira.” The softness of his tone provided warning and set goose bumps jumping on her skin. “Forget fate.” His gaze held hers. “I made you mine and I’m taking you home.”
Irritation and dread comingled in her gut. “You don’t really mean that. I need to stay here.”
“No, you don’t.” He released her face to glance at his wristwatch. “The nine members of the council are spread across the globe. You can work from anywhere.”
She bit back a sharp retort. He needed something she couldn’t give. “What do you see happening here, Conn? We head back to your home, I work via the net and you go off and fight wars?”
“Yes.” He slipped the laptop into a dark sleeve, perching it on the floor. “I understand you’ll need to travel sometimes for work, and that’s okay. But I also envision children, and you staying safe and protected.” His shoulder took up half of her seat when he relaxed back in the chair. “Of course, kids are a long way off. After we win the war. For now, I thought you’d want to settle in.”
Oh, if he only knew. She struggled to keep from smacking him on the head. How could a being with advanced intelligence be such a moron? Her shoulders shrugged against the walls closing in.
The helicopter rushed over the streets of Dublin. Soon the setting sun sparkled off the Liffey River as they maneuvered, hovered, and finally touched down on the roof of one of the new buildings. Conn raised an eyebrow. “We’re going to Kell’s place?”
Moira shifted in her seat as the pilot cut the engine. “Not exactly.” Well, kind of. Kell lived there, too. She unbuckled her belt. “You haven’t been here, have you?” If the vampire had been on her continent, she would’ve sensed him.
Conn slid the door open. “No. I’ve mailed information to Kell here before. As well as new weapons for the enforcers.” He jumped out.
She’d used a couple of those. Accepting his outstretched palm, she leaped to the ground, ignoring the strength in the vampire’s broad hand. Tingles cascaded up her arm. She jerked back, barely refraining from rubbing her palm on her jeans. The natural musty smell from the river wafted in on a light breeze, and she ducked her head to run across the gravel to the blue metal door.
Kell beat her there, opening it and gesturing her inside. The rubber soles of her tennis shoes beat silently down the five steps to the interior door, which she pushed open to reveal a large, rather empty foyer for three penthouse apartments.
“Be ready in fifteen minutes, Moira. We need to stop by The Squid on the way,” Kell said, striding toward the east apartment and shoving open the door without looking back. The click of the bulletproof door shutting echoed against the marble tiles.
Should she turn? Or just act casual? Kayrs was about to be in her apartment, her private domain. He stood behind her, his silence heavy with question. She understood enough about him to know he wasn’t going to like the answers. Steeling her shoulders, she loped to the west apartment and opened the door.
He followed her inside, bringing the masculine scent of gunpowder and sage into her space. A low whistle escaped him at the sun setting over the sparkling view of the Liffey. “Beautiful.” The door shut behind him, and she held back a nervous hop.