“It’s real.” Kel countered.
“We don’t even know where we are.” Briana tried changing the subject. If Lucan had to learn the truth, she’d prefer it not to be surrounded by a group of immortals that would find a way to use that knowledge against them. “We could be in the catacombs for all we know.” No one knew just how strong of an illusion the endless caverns and connecting tunnels could fabricate.
Kel arched a brow. “Clearly you’ve never felt the sun on your skin then.”
And the dragon had? He had to be mated then. Briana shivered at the thought of sharing that kind of bond with a gargoyle renowned for sacrificing his race’s well-being for personal gain, and cutting down those he’d called friends, leaving the path open for Arthur to be fatally wounded.
Elena tossed her long brown hair over her shoulder. “The castle rooms above both felt and smelled real, and yet faded faster than ashes on the wind by the time I reached the bottom of the stairs.”
Kel frowned at the subtle dig, but had no argument.
“It’s not real,” Vaughn added. “Not unless I’ve just found my mate.” He winked at Elena.
The sorceress rolled her eyes. “I’d sooner be burned at the stake.”
“So I’m not the only one who noticed our chemistry could set us both on fire.” Vaughn grinned, then yelped a second later, scrambling away from Elena.
The white towel he wore had a black scorch mark a few inches to the right of Vaughn’s groin.
Just as cocky as ever, his eyes gleamed with mischief. “You missed.”
“Did I?” Elena shrugged and ventured a little closer to one of the trees.
Hoping that settled the matter of the sun for now, Briana surveyed the gathered immortals. “Does anyone know who brought us here?”
“A god would be my guess.”
They turned at the sound of a new voice. Sweet Avalon, how many of them had been brought here?
Another immortal moved around the pool and through the trees toward them. A Fae, Briana guessed, feeling the suffocating press of old magic—very old magic—until it stretched over her skin like a glove that was trying to fit.
The Korrigan shuddered in distaste and Vaughn growled in warning.
The sensation faded quicker than expected, chilling Briana. Had the demonstration of power been intentional? The subtle frown on the Fae’s face suggested otherwise, but no being as old as the fair-haired male would have such a weak grip on his abilities.
“Told you,” the Korrigan hissed, taking an accusing step toward Nessa.
“Rhiannon’s not involved.” Nessa regarded the Korrigan with the same casual disregard for a worm under her boot.
“He just said—” the Korrigan began to argue.
“He,” the Fae clarified, his fingers tightening on a walking stick he clutched in his hand, “said it was a god. I never said which one.”
“The other gods sleep.” The Korrigan turned away, giving no indication he was intimidated by the Fae’s show of strength.
Briana wasn’t so willing to dismiss it, but the cat didn’t feel overly threatened by it either. Strange. Almost as strange as the colored blossoms on the trees pulsing faster as the Fae passed them.
“Are you certain?” the Fae asked. Appearing half-bored by the conversation already, the old one—who would’ve barely passed for twenty-five in the mortal realm—wandered around the courtyard, a curious guest fascinated with his surroundings. He didn’t comment on the tree blossoms but gave the overhanging branches a wide berth.
They worried even the Fae then.
Lucan caught Briana’s elbow and coaxed her as far away from the others as they could manage. Vaughn started to follow, hesitating only when Lucan stared him down.
“If you hurt her,” the wolf warned, baring his teeth.
“Back off.” Lucan took a threatening step toward the wolf, forcing Briana to put herself between them. While part of her wanted nothing more than to be alone and figure out a way to put Lucan out of both her mind and heart, no one else seemed capable of keeping the peace.
“He’s out of your league, pup,” Elena warned. Vaughn snarled at her advice, and she grinned and glanced at Nessa. “Fido might have a little bite to him after all.”
Ignoring the two women trading remarks, Briana nodded at her friend. “I’m fine, Vaughn.” She couldn’t say the same about Lucan though. Far too much black pooled in his eyes.
With another growl, Vaughn turned away, steering clear of both Elena and Nessa.
Lucan’s gaze followed him, and he took a step as if planning to go after Vaughn anyway.
“Hey.” She grabbed Lucan’s arm.
Lucan whipped around, his eyes dark and soulless. He cocked his head, but it wasn’t him considering her so carefully. The wraith was back and more than a little eager to wreak havoc if the tightening of his fingers around his sword was anything to go by.
She really didn’t need any more complications, and an unpredictable killing machine definitely complicated the hell out of everything. Glancing at his wounded hand, she wondered if that had anything to do with why the wraith continued to surface. For all she knew it happened a lot and she just hadn’t spent enough time around Lucan to know the difference.
Either way, it didn’t change anything. The wraith was here now, watching her intently. As if he knew she was trying to figure out what to do next, the wraith leaned in, lowering his head.
She kept still as his chest brushed hers, and the familiar scent of Lucan wrapped around her. Her gaze slid away from his long enough to confirm only the Fae paid them any attention.
Maybe too close attention.
The others had begun to argue again, fueled by the Korrigan insisting Rhiannon had to be responsible and what was Nessa going to do about it. Someone else would have to keep things from escalating. She had bigger problems at the moment.
The wraith inhaled, edging closer until their bodies touched. He felt much cooler now and a sliver of menace crackled on the air between them. The cat stirred, raking its claws along the edges of her mind the way it did when it wanted to play rough.
Not the reaction she would have expected.
“Luc,” she whispered, willing him to come back. At least then she’d know what she was dealing with.
His mouth whispered across her neck, and the harder her pulse pounded, the longer he lingered, his breath hot on her skin.
She tipped her head back, unsure what to say. “No one here is the enemy. Yet,” she tacked on, her voice barely audible. If the wraith believed the others were an imminent threat, he wouldn’t stop until he’d destroyed them all or went down trying—if such a thing was even possible.
An indulgent grin curved the wraith’s lips.
Right. If the wraith believed the others were an imminent threat, they wouldn’t be standing there having this conversation.
“It’s this place,” she guessed, looking over Lucan’s shoulder at the tree blossoms. “It’s making it harder for you to stay in control,” she guessed.
Curious black eyes stared back at her, watching where she lifted her hand to touch him.
“Don’t.” The rough voice was Lucan’s, but so much harder, colder.
The wraith hadn’t spoken to her in the alley, and she’d foolishly assumed it reacted primarily on instinct, like her animal half.
Although tempted to touch him anyway, she let her hand drop. There was no way to tell how volatile the wraith might be or whether or not Lucan was anywhere close to regaining control.
The wraith’s attention slipped to her mouth, lingering there, then he tipped his face up to the sun. “She will never allow it.” He glanced back at her, his expression impossible to decipher.