Artistic Vision

Chapter Nine

Akane sipped her hot chocolate and grinned at Duncan. “How’s Jaden?”

Duncan glared at her, his gray eyes bloodshot. He shifted slightly on his seat, a look of discomfort crossing his face. “Enthusiastic.” His mouth twisted into a reluctant grin. “And Shane?”

She snickered. She could guess why Duncan was sitting uncomfortably that afternoon. “Excellent.”

Duncan shook his head. “You and Jaden are hunting tonight, aren’t you?”

She nodded, all humor fleeing at the reminder of what was coming next. “Constance and Hobart need to be taken care of.”

Duncan sighed. “At least Tristan agreed to feed us information.”

“He did?” She’d been a bit distracted, but she should have been informed of this. She hadn’t slept yet. Luckily she wouldn’t feel the effects for a few days, after which she’d be forced to rest whether she wanted to or not.

“Yes. It seems he wants to try and save some of the clan, but he’s not sure how many will be willing to follow him.” He toyed with his mug, his expression bleak. “I think he’s going to try and re-form the Clan within the White, with himself as the Clan leader.”

“That won’t work. Glorianna would never allow that.” Tristan was in no way strong enough to lead even the remnants of a clan as powerful as the Malmaynes. The loss of the clan was going to hurt the White.

“He thinks because he’s acting as her agent he’ll be able to persuade her. He may be right too.” Duncan smiled as Moira came into the room and dropped beside him. “Good morning.” He shared a sweet kiss with his wife. “How’s our Blade sleeping?”

“Like a baby.” Moira grinned over at Akane. “How’s our artist this morning?”

“Last I checked he was snoring.” Akane grimaced. “His coloring is off.”

Moira tilted her head and stole a sip of Duncan’s tea. “How so?”

“Everything’s…darker. His skin, his hair. Everything but his eyes.” His beautiful, sapphire eyes remained the same, thank the gods.

Duncan and Moira exchanged a worried look. “Maybe we should have a healer come in and look at him?” Duncan wasn’t asking Akane, but she didn’t mind. The bond between the Dunne siblings was strong, and Akane wouldn’t have it any other way. They were the ones who would protect Shane when she wasn’t there.

“Do you have one you trust?” Akane didn’t. Dragons healed fairly quickly, but were incapable of healing others. She’d never needed a healer, and the times when she’d worked with Jaden, the vampire had either been uninjured or waved off her concerns. She had no idea how quickly he healed.

“Oddly enough, yes, I think I do.” Duncan reached for his cell phone. “She might even be close by. Last I heard from her she was staying inland.”

“Inland?” That was an odd way to phrase it.

Duncan dialed and held the phone to his ear. “She’s a sea nymph.”

“You’re kidding. A sea nymph living inland?” Nymphs couldn’t survive far from water, especially sea nymphs. What was the creature thinking? It would be like a dragon trying to survive without air under her wings; it just wasn’t done.

“She’s special.” Duncan smiled. “Hello, Cassie. It’s Duncan.”

Akane couldn’t hear Cassie’s side of the conversation, but she could hear Duncan’s. It didn’t take the Sidhe very long to convince the nymph to come to the Dunne farm and look at Shane. “Thanks, Cassie. I owe you one.” He hung up the phone and pocketed it. “She’ll be here by sunset.”

“She was close by, then?”

“Yeah. Last I checked she’s been roaming the Midwest for about a year now.”

Which mean the nymph had aged a year. Without the rejuvenating powers of the sea the nymph would slowly fade away and die like a mortal, forever cut off from her watery home. Akane could think of only one thing that would make a nymph leave the sea. “Is her mate human?”

Duncan shook his head. “It’s not my tale to tell, but I can say that she has no mate or bond that ties her to the land.”

Akane twitched. She could feel Shane stir inside her; he’d awakened. She opened her inner sight, startled to see the jumble his usually bright power was in. Perhaps it was a good thing Duncan had called in the nymph. “Shane’s awake.”

“Good. Maybe we can get him to eat something before the healer gets here.” Moira got up and made herself some hot chocolate. “Gods, this stuff is bad for my hips.” She sipped some, groaning in pleasure. “But what a way to get fat.”

Duncan shook his head and smiled indulgently. “Drink up, sweetheart. Jaden and I will love you even when you put elephants to shame.”

Akane laughed at the look on Moira’s face. If the leprechaun’s expression was anything to go by Duncan would be sitting funny for more reasons than one.

Akane’s hand jerked, spilling lukewarm chocolate all over her. She blinked, trying to figure out why she was so unsettled. The visions dancing around her mate had taken on a sharp edge. “Shane?”

Moira hopped up and grabbed her coat. “I swear, that man gets into more trouble lately.” She threw Duncan his coat without even looking.

“Shane’s in trouble.” Akane was out the door in the blink of an eye, barely feeling the cold on her human skin. She shifted partway, allowing her wings free, her warmer dragon body immune to the chill. She raced toward Shane’s studio, her heart pounding.

Something was desperately wrong with her mate.

Akane eased the studio door open. She could scent no intruders in their den. Shane was alone. A hideous screeching sound emanated from behind the closed doors of the workroom. Shane must be working on another vision.

“Stop it!”

Shane’s agonized scream had her breaking down the door to the workroom. The sight that met her eyes had her gasping in horror.

Half finished sculptures littered the room. Razor sharp metal and glass shavings were strewn around the room like discarded toys. Shane, naked and bleeding from numerous cuts, was tugging his darkened copper hair, his eyes wild. Around him his lights danced faster than Akane had ever seen before, dark, hideous visions that were slowly pushing the fae into madness.

“Shane.” Akane stepped forward, ignoring the sharp debris. She crooned to her mate, letting her dragon song out, hoping to pull him back from the brink long enough to tell her what had happened.

“Akane?”

The plea in his voice nearly drove her to her knees. “I’m here.”

He winced, tugging his hair once more. “Help me. I can’t.”

“Can’t what, love?” She crept closer, intent on touching him, using her own body to calm him if need be.

“I can’t stop seeing.”

She winced. The visions were torturing him and they were not pretty. “I know, love. Touch me.” She held out her hand. “Touch me and I’ll free you.”

He stared at her outstretched hand. “No.” The strength of his voice shocked her. “I won’t give you this.”

Damn. He’d figured it out. She’d meant to try and steal his burden, take the visions tormenting him onto herself. Their bond was strong enough that she could do it, too. “Give them to me, Shane.” She could handle them much better than he could.

He shook his head. “This is part of it.” His eyes turned wild, his gaze darting all over the studio. “Blues and greens and whites. I need them.” He began tossing things onto the floor once more, his visions blinding him to her presence.

Behind her twin gasps sounded as Duncan and Moira arrived. She waved her hand behind her. “Stay back.”

A brief surge of relief crossed Shane’s face when he caught sight of Duncan, but within seconds he was muttering once more. Then, with a shriek, he swept his arm across the worktable and turned, running for the vault.

“Shit. If he locks himself in there we’ll never get him out.” Moira took off after her brother, her Seeming falling from her. She now bore the same dark copper hair Shane did, but her green eyes had darkened. Swirls of light brown decorated the leprechaun’s skin. “Shane! Get your ass back here!”

Duncan stepped carefully over the mess, his gaze glued to where his wife had disappeared. “He’s lost in his own mind. I’m going to try and calm the storm, keep him focused on one vision. When Cassie gets here, bring her to Shane’s vault.”

Akane opened her mouth to argue but the ex-lord of the Malmayne clan was already gone, following Moira into the vault after her crazed brother. She saw the calm of the Sidhe glamour ripple across Shane’s visions, forcing him to focus on one thing at a time.

Akane growled. She’d burned the poison from him the night before, hadn’t she? So what the fuck was going on?

Shane panted, sweat pouring from his skin in a stinking river. “You’ll weaken before she gets here.”

Duncan, eyes unfocused, his Seeming long since dropped, nodded. “I know. Can you put some pants on, please?”

Shane snorted and took the pants his sister held out to him. He blinked as another dark vision was violently shoved aside. “When the time comes you’ll need to strap me down.”

“What’s going on, Shane?” Moira, her hands on her hips, tapped her foot.

“We missed something during the purge, or it managed to hide from Akane’s flame.” He shivered, viciously cold in a way he’d never before experienced. “It’s in my mind, tapping into my visions. If it takes hold, you’ll have to kill me.”

Moira gasped. “Fuck no!”

“Fuck yes. I’ll turn on you and head straight for the Dark Queen.” He stared his sister down, ignoring the frown on her face. “Can you imagine what she’ll be able to do if she can see the future, Moira?”

“She won’t get you, love.” Akane smiled, the expression vicious. “Where do I need to tie you down?”

Shane sagged in relief. Akane understood what needed to be done, and his Blade mate wasn’t going to fight him on it. “My worktable.”

“That’s littered with glass! We can’t tie him there!” Moira turned to Akane, ready to plead his case. “He’ll be hurt if we bind him there.”

Akane nodded, but her gaze never left him. “I know.”

When she crooked her claw at him he stood, trusting Duncan to keep the nightmares at bay. “Trust my mate, Moira.”

Moira, jaw clenched, turned away.

“Come to me, love.” Akane crooned, her dragon song layered throughout her voice, a song he had no desire to resist. “Come and lie for me.”

“On a bed of diamonds and gold,” he whispered back, a vision of light pushing back the darkness for a brief second.

“Yes.” Akane smiled and helped him on the table. “You’re so taking me to Milan when this is over, you stubborn son of a bitch.”

He shivered as she tied him down. “I love you.”

She wiped sweat-dampened hair from his brow. “Is tú mo ghrá.”

He gasped. “Who taught you that phrase?” He hadn’t, that was certain.

“You did.” She leaned down and kissed him, sweet and strong.

“You are my love too.”

Akane winked down at him. “I know.”

Shane jerked as one of the visions took his breath away. All he could see was tarnished silver, darkened gray skies and a man shrieking in silent agony. His fingers twitched, tested his bonds as the urge to create tried to take hold.

A gentle silver warmth pushed the vision back and Shane’s eyes cleared. He focused on the most important person in the world, refusing to blink until those gorgeous golden eyes filled his vision. “Hurry.”

The dragoness nodded once, and Shane lost himself in visions once more.

Akane flew from the studio with only one thought in mind: find Constance and Hobart and kill them.

“Hey, Akane! Mind taking along a rider?”

Akane paused in her flight. “How are you out during the day?”

Jaden shrugged. “SPF three thousand, courtesy of the Hob.” That green light flared in his eyes. “Can we go? I’m kind of wigging out here.” He pointed toward the dipping sun. “I haven’t seen that in a hundred years, ya know.”

“I know.” Akane shifted to her full dragon form. “Hop aboard.”

“Damn. If only you’d extended that invitation before I was mated.” Jaden winced and gingerly climbed onto her back. “Do you have any idea how loudly a leprechaun can screech?”

“As loud as she needs to.” Akane took off once he was holding securely to her back.

“Who are we hunting?”

“I’m surprised Moira didn’t tell you.” Akane banked, following the line of the road toward the Malmayne estate. She wanted to start there but doubted she’d find the clan in residence. Constance had to know Akane was going to come after her.

“I’m surprised she knew I’d be able to come out in the admittedly fading sunlight.” Jaden shifted slightly. “So, tell Daddy who needs their ass whipped.”

Akane grinned. “Constance Malmayne and Hobart Klaussner.”

“One of those names is familiar, but who was mean enough to name their kid Hobart? And how many ass-kickings did the dude need to endure?”

Akane rolled her eyes. “He’s the son of the Hob and a pooka who was turned into a vampire while pregnant with him.”

Silence. She loved when she was able to shut Jaden up.

Of course it never lasted very long. “How did the Hob take his sudden fatherhood?”

“Haven’t told him yet.” Mostly because she figured he didn’t need to know about someone who was already dead.

“Ah. You don’t think he’ll react poorly to you killing one of his offspring?”

“I really don’t give a shit.”

“So when I get invited to his home for dragon burgers you’ll be okay with that? What am I saying, you’ll already be there.”

“Hobart’s the one who pumped Shane full of sludge.”

“Crap. And I mean that literally.” Jaden sighed. “Fine, but you’re taking the heat for this one. I’ve had my yearly helping of pissed Hob, thank you very much.”

She nodded and banked again, scenting the air. It was faint, but she could detect the scents of both Constance and Hobart. “They’re not here.”

“Duh. Smart people get out of the way of angry dragons, you know.”

She chuckled, reluctantly amused. “That explains a lot.”

He poked her left shoulder hard enough she grunted. “There. Turn left.”

Akane turned, her wings adjusting to a sudden updraft. “I see it.”

A dark sedan was heading down the road, the stench of the Malmaynes thick on it. Akane was tempted to just wipe out the entire clan, keep them from ever harming anyone else ever again, but Shane wouldn’t approve of such a draconian measure.

Damn it.

“I spy with my little eye something that begins with D,” Jaden hummed.

“Dragon food?”

“Congratulations, you win the kewpie doll.”

“I’ll take a pound of flesh instead.” Akane swooped down on the car. Inside she could smell two of the people she was hunting, two who she might let live if they gave up the real culprits to Akane’s claws and Jaden’s teeth. She landed on the roof of the sedan, digging in when it swerved in a useless attempt to shake her off.

Idiots. She began ripping into the roof, tearing it off in chunks. When she had almost the whole thing open she took off again, hovering easily over the speeding vehicle. They should have known that running around in a fiberglass can wasn’t going to save them from her wrath. “Where’s Constance?”

Cecelia Malmayne, face paler than normal, stared up at Akane in horror. Akane easily kept pace with the racing car. “Not here.”

Jaden leaned over her neck. “Hey, sweetie. Remember me?” He jumped down to the car below and grabbed hold of Henri’s neck. The Sidhe slammed on the brakes, but the vampire held fast. Instead of throwing off the vampire, Henri wound up with four puncture wounds in each cheek from Jaden’s claws. “Naughty naughty!”

Akane lit on the roof and blew smoke at the Sidhe female. “Where are Constance and Hobart?”

Henri stiffened, the gesture so slight that Akane would have missed it if she wasn’t so focused on the pair. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

Jaden leaned over and lapped up some of the blood running down Henri’s cheeks. “Oh?”

“Constance is heading to New York.” Cecelia was shaking, her eyes glued to the vampiric tongue running up and down her lover’s cheek. “I think Hobart went with her.”

“Liar,” Jaden whispered. One clawed hand reached down and grabbed hold of Henri’s penis, twisting it. “If you want to find out all about the transgender lifestyle you’ll keep lying to me.”

Henri gulped and held very, very still. “Constance is at a safe house. Hobart’s with her.”

“Where?” Jaden twisted and Henri cried out.

“Omaha!” Henri panted, his face a mask of pain. “They’re in Omaha.” His expression pleading, he turned to Akane. “Duncan will know where.”

Jaden stilled. He was consulting with his bondmate. He rattled off an address that had Henri nodding in relief. “Please. Let us go. Or at least let Ceci go. I’m begging you.”

Jaden looked at Akane and raised his brows. He was letting her make the call on this one.

“Have you given your oath of fealty to the White Court?”

Henri gulped. “No.”

His response was so quiet Akane could barely hear it. “The Black?”

Henri nodded almost imperceptibly.

“When?”

“Does it matter?” Jaden shook his head sadly. “The Malmayne Clan has already fallen. Shit.” He let Henri go, his expression full of disgust. Henri and Cecelia had done nothing that warranted Blade justice. While she and Jaden could intimidate the hell out of them in pursuit of Constance and Hobart, they couldn’t touch the pair otherwise.

But they could make them hurt, make them bleed, to give up Constance and Hobart, and Akane would do just that until she got what she wanted.

“Where are the rest of your clan?”

“Some are heading for our new home, some have refused to join us and are seeking refuge in the White.” Henri shivered, and with good reason. If the lord of Clan Malmayne had already given his allegiance to the Black officially then all members of the clan were considered Black. Glorianna would have no pity in her for them. The White Queen had dabbled in a game she wasn’t equipped to play and had lost before she’d even begun, and those poor sons-of-bitches who ran to her would find little mercy.

“Go on, get out of here. But know this: you tell Constance we’re coming after her and ripping your dick off will be the least of your punishments. Got it?” Jaden settled once more on Akane’s back. “We’re enemies now.”

“We always were,” Henri muttered.

“No. We weren’t. You were just too blind to see it.” Jaden patted Akane’s neck. “Let’s go.”

Akane nodded. “Yes, my lord.”

She left the pair gasping in their destroyed car, the Sidhe’s eyes nearly popping right out of their stupid heads at her acknowledgement of Jaden as her lord. She’d never given allegiance before and wouldn’t have now, if it weren’t for Shane. Let them think that her presence in Jaden’s clan gave them an edge with the Seer. Maybe it would keep them from trying anything else in the future.

She took off, already dreading the coming interview with the Hob. Robin was not going to like this latest development. That was one man who really hated to lose.

He was lost in a nightmare world of pain and degradation, the visions coming faster and faster. Unable to process them, he’d given up trying to make sense of them. Instead, he allowed them to flash before his eyes, helpless to hide from his own powers even deep within his own mind. More than a few of those visions showed what would happen to Shane if he gave in, if he allowed the sweet whisper of dark power currently coursing through him to take over, to channel his visions. It didn’t take a genius to figure out who the seductive female figure whispering in his ear was.

The Dark Queen, the first leanan Sidhe. The first vampire.

Most vampires had forgotten the lore that their ability to seduce their victim’s minds, to inject pleasure or pain, came from their Sidhe Queen’s roots. So had most Sidhe. But Shane understood, whether he wanted to or not. When she’d given her soul over to the demon masquerading as a man, he’d granted her powers beyond those of any Sidhe who’d ever lived. But deep inside, she’d still been a Sidhe.

A flash of creamy breast, a burst of agonizing flame in his balls and Shane was screaming to be released. The vision flashed again, and Shane stood on a black road, watching something or someone drive away, someone he desperately needed to talk to. Then another flash, and Akane lay broken and bleeding, her wings torn, her horns twisted off her head. Her golden eyes had dulled to lifeless black.

Shane writhed in his restraints, the need to save his mate overriding everything else.

The vision whirled away to be replaced by a hospital room. A pretty woman stood over a child and smiled while pumping poison into its veins.

“We’re losing him.”

“Where the fuck is Cassie?”

Shane could barely hear his sister’s voice, but the fear in it had another vision floating before him. Moira, chained and naked, marked by countless bruises, the personal cow of a vampire so malevolent he made the Dark Queen look like a sheepdog. The vampire’s bright red hair had Shane shivering in horror.

“If his mind cracks nothing will bring him back.”

The Liberty Bell rang, cracking on the third ring.

Duncan. That voice belonged to the Sidhe who’d mated his sister.

“Shane! Listen up! If you give in Akane will die. You hear me? Akane. Will. Die!”

Akane.

The visions swirled again, and before him was the vision that had driven him to first create the sculpture Akane. The dragoness soared, high and free, joy in every movement of her body. Shane watched her, a child held close in his arms, another trying desperately to follow his mother into the sky.

Shane held onto that vision with both hands, using it as a club to beat the others back. If he could hold on just a little bit longer, that one would come true.

But the darkness crept closer, and one of the children vanished.

Akane followed Jaden’s directions to the safe house, changing once more to her human Seeming when they reached a quiet part of the city. The sun had finally set, but the humans were thick on the ground, forcing Akane to land on top of a building that looked like it might have a working fire escape.

“C’mon down.” Jaden whispered to her, clinging to the side of the building like a four legged spider.

“You’re funny.” Akane made her way to the fire escape. “You’re also paying for the taxi.”

Jaden snickered, but otherwise climbed silently down the side of the building. Akane kept her own descent as quiet as possible but she didn’t have the vampire’s ability to silence her footfalls. Still, she was a Blade, trained by the Hob himself to use what the gods gave her. So Akane, realizing the fire escape was too damn noisy, chose to risk spreading her wings. She glided down to a dirty, stinking alley silently, wondering why she’d bothered with the fire escape in the first place. She shouldn’t have made such a rookie mistake.

“Mating makes you crazy, especially when one of them is in danger.”

Akane glared at the vampire.

“Oh! I have a present for you.”

Akane walked out of the alley, praying nothing had stuck to the soles of her shoes. She’d hate to burn a favorite pair of Ferragamos. “What?”

He held out a plastic jar. “Just a little something for when we find Constance and Hobart.”

She took the bottle and read the label. “Barbeque sauce?”

He shrugged. “You would have preferred Heinz 57?”

Akane held up the barbeque sauce and shook it. “Taxi!”

“You’re no fun anymore.”

The cold was seeping into his bones. The children were gone. The dragon was gone. Only the voice remained, whispering.

“Shh. I have you now.”

Seagulls. Why did he hear seagulls? Waves crashed on the shore, gently washing against the bare feet of the man with the silver hair and sad eyes. Something precious had been lost in the waves and might never be found again.

Crows cawed in the distance, answering the call of their lord, but whose side he was on no one knew. Darkness followed him, and the road forked before him, one full of fog, one dark as a moonless night.

A dark-haired man sat at a bar drinking whiskey, remembering a time when he rode a destrier at the side of the lord with the silver hand. He lifted his glass in remembrance of the fallen lord.

“Shh. Duncan, I think I know what’s going on.”

Oh goody. At least someone had a clue.

“Can you heal him?”

Duncan sounded pretty tired. He should go take a nap.

White sheets on a white bed. Monitors blipped and a woman wept. Black nails caressed a pale nape as hope died.

“He’s losing his touch with reality. The parasite was burned away, but not before planting a dormant seed. When Shane and Akane mated the seed woke and did this, but I don’t think it was supposed to be triggered just yet. I’m going to root it out. Moira, I’ll need the salamander in here to kill it, okay?”

He couldn’t hear what else was said. A crow feasted on one bright blue eye as the farm burned around him.

“Now I need you to do one more thing for me, okay, Moira?”

Shane watched the axe fall, taking the hand of the king.

“Cover your ears.”

All the visions stilled as the most beautiful voice in the world drove them back into darkness.

Akane jumped out of the cab, a shiver of dread running through her. “We don’t have much time.” Jaden nodded, that brash tongue silent for once. They stood before the safe house, knowing it was more than likely a trap. “I’ll take the heat for killing Hobart. You take down Constance.”

“She’s the Black’s Malmayne lord.”

Akane stared at her partner. “How do you know that? I thought Henri pledged them over.”

Jaden shook his head. “He lied. I could smell it on him.”

One eyebrow rose. “Really?”

Jaden snorted in disgust. “It was stinky. Kinda like camel piss.”

Akane blinked. She was not going to ask. She was not. “Are we sanctioned for this hit?”

“You have doubts?”

Jaden and Akane both flinched. “Robin.”

“Did you think you could hide the signs from me of one of my own?” Black claws caressed her cheek and Akane bowed her head.

“Forgive me, lord. I only thought of my injured mate.”

Those sharp-as-fuck claws tapped, drawing blood. “I know.” Jaden grunted. The Hob had exacted blood price from him as well. “The kill is mine.”

“Yes, sir.” Akane remained bowed, waiting for Robin’s permission to move.

“Take the female. Make an example of her, but leave enough recognizable that Glorianna will be satisfied with the death.”

“Yes, my lord.”

She didn’t hear Jaden respond. For a split second she was afraid for her partner, that Robin’s price had been higher for him than it had been for her.

“Rise.”

Akane lifted her head, almost dizzy with relief when Jaden appeared unharmed.

“Whatever you do, stay away from the back parlor. Do you understand me?” Robin’s hand pushed back her hair from her forehead like a proud papa. “I will be most displeased if you disobey.” The tone of voice was quiet and pleasant, but the intent was not. Whatever Robin had in mind for his errant child was not to be witnessed by outsiders.

“Yes, my lord.”

“Yes, sir.” Jaden nodded once, his gaze already glued to the upper story of the safe house. Green flashed through his ebony eyes. “She’s up there. Hobart is in the basement, my lord.”

“I know.” The Hob once more sounded amused. “Go. Exact Oberon’s Justice for what was done to Shane Joloun Dunne. May the gods have mercy on her soul, for we shall not.”

The Hob smiled at them, sauntered up to the door as neat as you please, turned the handle and went inside the house, for all the world as if he lived there.

“That man has diamond balls.”

“You mean brass,” Akane corrected. She took a deep breath and looked around, hoping the street was empty despite the early hour. But the fact that they were in a fairly nice neighborhood put paid to that hope. People were beginning to come home from work in the early evening light. She eyed the front door and considered whether or not she had the same balls her boss did.

“Nope. Diamonds are a lot harder. Besides, they’re a girl’s best friend.”

Akane stared at her partner. “That’s just wrong.”

Jaden winked and began climbing up the side of the building.

“Show-off.” Akane braved the front entrance but extended her claws just in case. If Constance made a break for it the punishment would be over far too quickly, but Akane couldn’t risk the Sidhe female escaping. She set her foot on the first stair when a feminine cry of distress echoed down to them. Jaden had apparently made his appearance and Constance was none too happy about it.

“Hey! Leave some for me!” Akane cried out, racing up the stairs.

Tonight Constance Malmayne would die.

Akane burst into a very feminine room. Pale pastels adorned the walls, matching floral prints on the bedspread and sheets. The furniture was a pale golden brown. A nicely padded armchair rested before a fireplace faced with white marble.

“What took you so long?” Jaden had his arm wrapped around Constance’s neck, his hold just tight enough that the Sidhe female couldn’t break free. He shook the woman’s head. “Stop that. Only three people in my head at a time, thank you.”

Akane grinned. “Let me have her.”

“Are you going to do that head ripping thing? That is so hot.”

Akane tilted her head and pretended to think about it. “Nah. I was thinking of playing butterfingers.”

“Butterfingers?” Jaden frowned. “Isn’t that the game you used to call bombs away?”

“Yep.” Akane examined the toe of her shoe, frowning. Something dark and icky stained the point. She rubbed her shoe on the pale rose carpet to try and clean it.

“You can’t kill me.” Constance trembled in Jaden’s hold, whether from fear or from the effort to break into the vampire’s mind Akane didn’t know.

“Haven’t we heard this song before?” Jaden tossed her like a doll, sure Akane would catch her.

Akane grabbed hold of the flailing Sidhe. “It’s an oldie but a goodie.”

“You think I’m no threat to you? You think if you kill me the Malmaynes will leave the Dunnes alone? Is that it?” Constance laughed, the sound bitter. “She has plans for them, plans we were only a small part of. This is bigger than the stinking half-breed Dunnes.”

Akane caressed Constance’s cheek much as Robin had done hers. “Really?” She exchanged a look with Jaden, getting his approval to continue questioning Constance. “Tell me more.”

Black lace over blood-red eyes. Claws ripped away the veil and revealed nothing but darkest night. Bright light dimmed in the face of tragedy. Chaos became blind in the name of love. White cloth coated in innocent blood. Rage and grief took vengeance side by side as love drained away.

The visions were coming too fast now to make much sense. Shane held on to the sweetly singing voice, his only lifeline in the maelstrom around him. Without that voice he’d already be mad, the visions driving him over the edge.

Lost. He was lost. They were lost, memory a fragile thing, easily broken. Tainted blood brushed against his tongue, poisoned his dreams. His only hope lay in the rise and fall of the fickle sea.

“There’s some sort of plot against Oberon, but I don’t know all the details. Just our part in it.” Constance wriggled, trying to break free of Akane’s hold. Just because Akane was short people continued to underestimate her. There was no way the Sidhe female was getting away.

“Which was to get the child of Dunne.” Jaden gripped Constance’s chin, forcing her to stare into his eyes. “I take that personally.”

“The child of Dunne will one day perform an act that will change our world.” Constance parroted the prophecy. “The child had to be in our control.”

“So you could hand him or her over to the Dark Queen.”

Constance nodded. “My father had it all planned.”

Jaden barely blinked, but Akane’s partner was shocked. If this went back to Cullen… “What about the original marriage contract between Duncan and Aileen?”

“That had nothing to do with the prophecy and everything to do with power. We knew Sean Dunne would marry into the Joloun family. If we had a toehold in the family we thought we might be able to influence him.”

“How?”

Constance bit her lip, refusing to answer.

“Answer me!” Akane breathed pale flame on the column of Constance’s neck.

The Sidhe shrieked. “How what?”

“How did you know Sean Dunne would marry into the Joloun family?”

Constance tried to protect her neck, lifting her shoulders. “The Seer.”

Akane’s eyes closed. Damn her mother and her policy of handing out visions. “But you didn’t know it would be Aileen who would bond with Sean.”

“Thus becoming part of the prophecy.”

“Is that why Kaitlynn insisted on Leo as her sperm donor?” Jaden’s claws scraped down Constance’s arm, raising red welts on her pale skin.

“She wanted the Dunne with the purest Sidhe blood.”

“And you? How would Hobart feel if you got Leo in your bed?”

“He understands prophecy,” Constance whispered.

“Oh yeah. Every man thinks of prophecy when another man is shoving his dick in his woman.” Jaden rolled his eyes. “It’s sort of like England but…different.”

“The child would have been ours!”

“If it wasn’t for us meddling kids?” Jaden gripped Constance’s throat, ignoring her yelp of pain. “I say we kill her.”

“I say we let the Hob question her.”

Constance stilled. “Robin Goodfellow is here?”

The terror in her voice proved she was smarter than she seemed. “Yes. He is.”

At that point the real struggle began. Constance pivoted in Jaden’s grip, ignoring the long scratches that appeared from his claws. She lashed out with her foot, catching him the upper thigh. Her elbow flew back, catching Akane in the throat. Akane’s grip loosened and the Sidhe was free.

“Oh goody. I was hoping for a fight.” Jaden laughed and went on the attack, dancing around the Sidhe with lazy grace. His hands moved, and small cuts appeared on Constance’s face. He licked his lips at the sight of the blood. “You’re not getting out of here alive.”

“I know.” She reached up and clasped the simple onyx pendant around her neck.

Neither of them could have predicted what happened next. The explosion damn near destroyed the safe house, sending both Jaden and Akane flying. Akane unfurled her wings, halting her flight through the air. Jaden didn’t fare so well. The vampire plummeted, knocked cold by something that left a bleeding gash on his forehead.

She flew down and scooped the vampire up in her arms, racing skyward in an effort not to be seen. Jaden was unconscious, unable to help. There was no sign of Constance.

She hoped the bitch had been blown to smithereens.

Akane flew over the house just to make sure and blinked. One room remained standing amidst the rubble. One room in perfect, horrific order. Akane hovered over the room and stared at the black sludge that coated the walls, the floor, every bit of furniture within. Only the ceiling was gone, the victim of the explosion. Akane wasn’t sure why when not even the furniture had overturned.

Then the scent hit her, that acrid, horrible stench of the thing that had filled Shane’s veins. Akane’s flame swirled around her, her wings glowing with it. That thing needed to die before it could touch any other living being.

She blew, burning the room to ash in the blink of an eye. She didn’t have to worry about someone caught in the flames. From the looks of things Robin was already gone, his job done, his erstwhile son either dead or close to it.

When she was sure none of the sludge had survived her fire, Akane took off, Jaden cradled in her arms. There was still no sign of Constance, but Akane couldn’t worry about the Sidhe now. If Constance had survived, she wouldn’t stay alive for long. If the Dark Queen didn’t take her out for her failure to capture Leo, Akane would see to it that she died a long, lingering death by fire.

Akane headed home, already aware that Shane had been saved.

Shane blinked. The visions before him weren’t swirling, twirling, puking, hurling or otherwise doing something that would make him want to do any of the above. Moira was staring down at him, her eyes red from crying. Duncan, pale and trembling, held a hand to his head.

“Hello.”

Shane looked up into a face too long to be pretty, too interesting to be called plain. Her full, bow-shaped lips were curved in a smile. Her nose was slightly crooked, as if she’d broken it at some point and it hadn’t quite healed right. Her eyes were absolutely huge even in her human Seeming, a turquoise so bright Shane blinked to see if they were real. Their most dazzling aspect was the intelligence and humor that lit them from within. Her forehead was really a fivehead, further elongating her face. She’d made an attempt to hide it with bangs, but then she’d pushed half of those bangs back with a headband. The ends stuck out of the back of the headband, giving her an odd, rooster-like look. She had a sharp, pointed chin and quirked, full eyebrows. Her hair in her Seeming was brown, but it would be sea green in her true form.

Shane smiled. “Hello.” There she was. He’d been wondering when she would show up.

“My name’s Cassie.” Long fingers brushed back his hair. In the background Sal barked happily. “You gave us quite a scare.”

“It was a lot less pleasant on my end.” Shane’s throat ached. His voice sounded weak and scratchy, like he’d been screaming. He probably had been, but he didn’t remember it.

“Those were some mighty powerful visions you were having.” Duncan sat wearily beside Shane’s bed. His gray gaze was full of speculation. “How many of them will come to pass?”

Shane shrugged. “I have no idea.”

“Well. That just sucks.” Duncan ran a hand through his hair wearily. “Some of them involved Jaden and Moira.”

“I know.” And Shane was now on the path to ensure they never came to pass, but there were still forces out there that would try and make them come true. “Jaden’s hurt.”

Duncan stared at him in disbelief before sighing. “I agree with Jaden. You are a freaky-ass dude.” He stood, his head shaking. “But you’re our freaky-ass dude. Get some rest, okay?”

Shane nodded even though Duncan wasn’t looking. “Would you look at him? He took a powerful blow to the head.”

Cassie nodded. “What race is he?”

“Part vampire, part Robin Goodfellow, all pain in the ass.”

She blinked, amusement once more lighting her face and turning it from plain to riveting. “Ah. That should be interesting.”

Shane chuckled. “Understatement of the century. Jaden’s something else.” He tried to sit up, startled to find how weak he was. He could barely get his head off the pillow. “Akane will be here soon too.”

Long, slender hands pushed him back down with ease. “I’ll send her in as soon as she gets here, I promise.”

A fragment of a vision floated before him and Shane gasped. “Who’s after you?”

She froze just long enough to confirm his vision. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” But the warmth that had been so much a part of her was closed off now, her bearing chilly and stand-offish. She’d closed down on him, and Shane would have to be careful what he said from here on out.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry. Your business is your own.” He made sure to get just the right amount of sincerity and regret in his voice. Eventually he’d see exactly what he needed to see. It would come to him in time.

His part in this was almost over.

She thawed a bit, smiling at him once more. “Thank you. Now rest! Or you’ll undo all the hard work I just did.”

Shane allowed himself to do just that, drifting off to the sound of a softly sung lullaby.

Akane landed in front of the Dunne house. She took just enough time to hand over the still-unconscious Jaden to his two mates before rushing off to Shane’s studio. She didn’t care that she could feel him deep inside, knew he was all right. She had to see it with her own eyes.

She slammed into the studio at full tilt, only stopping long enough to shut the door to the cold. She raced into his small bedroom and sagged in relief.

Her big man was curled up on his side, one hand under his cheek. The other clutched the puzzle box he’d given her for her birthday. Akane smiled at the sight. She opened her inner vision to check him with that, just in case they’d missed anything again.

Something inside the puzzle box gleamed, glittering like a gem. Akane narrowed her eyes and did her best to ignore it, but the damn thing kept calling to her sight. “What the hell. Why not.”

She went to the bed and gently lowered herself onto it. She took the puzzle box from his hand, glad her action hadn’t awakened him. She studied the golden box once more.

Damn, her mate did fine work. She recognized several of the symbols he’d carved into the box, like the…wait. Wasn’t that the tattoo that had appeared on her arm? She glared at him for a split second before realizing exactly how futile it was to be pissed over it. The man had a good idea she was eventually going to accept the mating. Her dragon half and his Sidhe half would have ensured it no matter how desperately she tried to get away.

Still. There were times when he was a seriously freaky dude. “We are going to have the weirdest children.” She brushed her hand against his back, smiling at the warm strength of him.

Akane turned her attention back to the puzzle box. It wouldn’t take her long to figure out how to open it. How difficult could it be?