“Physically, yes. But the heroic image you built of him? Well, that’s a ghost that’s overstayed its welcome. And I certainly didn’t do anything to dissuade that.” A fine sheen of tears glistened in Emmaline’s eyes as she brushed her knuckles along Dana’s cheek. “Your father wasn’t a perfect man, but he loved you more than anything in this world. The only thing he ever wanted was to see you happy.”
“No, he also wanted to protect me. And what do I do? I turn around and get involved with the very ones he tried to protect me from.” Her mind immediately tracked to the amazing night of sex she’d shared with Aiden and Jace. She waited for the shame to overtake her but her body heated instead, which only brought on a fresh wave of guilt. Emotion sat heavy in her chest. “I wanted to make Dad proud. Become a famous artist. Get married and have children. All the things normal people are supposed to do.”
Emmaline lowered her glasses and stared over the wire frames at Dana. “Hon, you’re a Cooper. We don’t do normal. You’d be fighting your natural DNA.” She shoved her glasses back in place and gave a hearty chuckle. “Good Lord, just the idea of it. Can you imagine any of us normal? What the hell would we do without Raul? Or Leo? Or even that little pain-in-the-ass Wheezer? Would you just get rid of them all? Shut them out of your life?”
Dana blinked. “Of course not. I love those guys.”
“Exactly. You love them regardless. Because your heart doesn’t give a damn what society thinks of a bunch of irregular outcasts.”
“What you’re saying doesn’t apply to Aiden and Jace.”
Emmaline cocked her head to the side. “Why? Because they’re dragons?”
“No.” Dana frowned, her head pounding as she tried to sort out the right words. “I mean yes. My father—”
“Was misguided. Yes, the path he took to protect you was chosen out of love but it doesn’t mean it was the right one to take. Sometimes the very thing we’re trying to protect ourselves and our loved ones from is precisely the thing we need to be our happiest. To be whole.”
Emmaline’s words sank into Dana’s psyche like a missing puzzle piece. No, not missing. Just misplaced for a while.
The hollow ache in Dana’s chest began to dissipate and she offered Emmaline a tremulous smile. “I hate when you go all smart on me.”
“And I hate ruining such a touching scene.”
Dana swung toward the unexpected voice. A tall stranger in a charcoal business suit stepped into the clearing, his wingtips crunching in the leaves as he advanced on them.
“Who are you?” Emmaline angled herself in front of Dana, shielding her. “What do you want?”
An unpleasant laugh chuffed from the stranger. He drew nearer, revealing the reptilian slant of his irises. “I think you both know the answer.”
Fear spread through Dana’s frozen limbs until she remembered the claim mark. “It’s too late. Aiden and Jace have already marked me.”
“I know. I detected the stench of it before I even walked up here.” His mouth took on an evil twist. “No matter. I’ll just have to wait until it wears off.”
Wears off? She really needed to have a chat with Aiden and Jace about leaving out these important little factoids.
Morgan—at least she assumed it was him. Kind of hard to say without the proper introductions—lunged forward. Dana turned to run and tripped over the edge of the headstone. Oh my God. I’m worse than one of those broads in a bad horror flick.
“Stay away from her,” Emmaline screamed.
“Why? What are you going to do, old lady? Shoot me?”
A loud crack rent the air and Morgan toppled over, a bullet hole the size of a large marble centered in his forehead.
Immobilized by shock, Dana and Emmaline stared at the lifeless body sprawled on the ground. They both jumped when cheerful whistling cut through the eerie silence. Terrified some crazed gunman was coming to finish them off, Dana snatched Emmaline’s hand and ran pell-mell for the Suburban.
“Dana!”
She slid to a stop, nearly toppling again when Tony’s baritone sliced through her consciousness. Disbelieving, she glanced behind her, toward the slope she and Emmaline had just descended. Tony stood at the top, holding the butt end of a fancy rifle against his shoulder. She barely had time to register the flannel shirt hanging sloppily over his baggy cargo pants—definitely not his standard attire—before he jogged down the hill to join them.
It took a moment to find her tongue. Once she did, she popped out the first thing that entered her head. “I thought you were going to watch my booth.” Oh for Pete’s sake, Dana. The man saved her life and she was worrying about her stupid booth? “You know what, scratch that. I’m just glad you showed up in time.”
“That makes two of us,” Emmaline piped up, brushing off the sleeves of her sweater.
“Actually, it makes three.” Without warning, Tony swung his rifle sideways, slamming it into Emmaline’s skull.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Aiden’s cell phone went off again as he thundered down the exit ramp. He checked the caller ID and groaned. “It’s Mom.”
“Of course it is. She has some kind of freaky radar that lets her know precisely when the shit is hitting the fan.”
Biting the bullet, Aiden punched the talk button. “Hey, Mom. How’s everything?”
“Your father and I are just about to board the plane. Going through security was a nightmare. But isn’t it always?”
Board the plane? A cold sweat started to break across the nape of Aiden’s neck. “Uh, you and Pops taking an impromptu vacation to Hawaii or something?”
“No, sweetheart. The council has decided to come out there and celebrate your special night in style. Didn’t you get my message?”
“Not that I recall.” Fuck. “It isn’t necessary. Coming out here, I mean.” A choking cough erupted from Jace, and Aiden shot a look toward his brother to ensure Jace wasn’t about to keel over.
“Don’t be ridiculous. We wouldn’t miss it for the world. Oh, they’re calling our row of seats. I better go. I’ll call you as soon as we land.” She hung up and Aiden stared at the receiver before tossing the phone back into the cup holder.
“Please tell me they’re not coming out here.”
“Not just Mom and Pops. The entire council.”
“Oh Jesus.” Jace slumped deeper into his seat. “Could their timing be any worse?”
The sign for Shady Acres appeared up ahead and Aiden turned on his blinker before swerving into the middle lane. “Let’s concentrate on finding Dana and calming her down first. Everything else we’ll just have to wing.”
They pulled into the cemetery’s service drive. The small chapel on the hill appeared deserted, as did the roadway. Not many out paying their respects on such a dreary day. The drive forked off and after a moment of indecision, he continued going straight. His choice paid off when he spotted Dana’s Suburban and Emmaline’s Town Car parked beneath a massive oak.
“Halle-fucking-lujah.”
Relief rocketed in Aiden’s chest, seconding Jace’s sentiment. Aiden pulled up behind the Town Car and unsnapped his seat belt.
“Holy shit.”
Aiden jerked his head around at Jace’s exclamation. Before he could ask what was wrong, Jace shoved open his door and barreled from the vehicle. His heart racing, Aiden stumbled after him. The first thing he noticed was Emmaline lying on the other side of the tree, blood trickling from a nasty gash near her temple. She stirred as Jace checked her injury and Aiden ran to assist his brother.
Jace looked up, his face set with worry. “Do we have anything to stop the bleeding?”
Aiden couldn’t recall seeing anything in the Navigator that’d help. Glancing down at his shirt, he dug his fingers into the shoulder seam and ripped the sleeve off. Jace supported Emmaline’s head and Aiden wrapped the cloth tube around her skull and knotted it firmly.