Artistic Vision

Chapter Seven

“I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”

Akane glanced up at Shane through her lashes. They’d retired to Shane’s workshop, and now he was at his workbench, staring into space. He was busy curling metal shavings, for what she had no clue. “About?”

“The tattoo on my arm.”

Akane froze. Tattoo? “Let me see.” She grabbed hold of his arm and pulled it toward her. There, curled on his forearm, was her dragon, its tail forming the symbol of infinity. She thought back to when they’d made love, and her idea that, if he was going to mate a dragon, he was going to do it right. She barely remembered taking the energy of their combined orgasm and focusing it on his arm. It had been pure instinct to do so, and now they were bound by more than a Sidhe’s Claiming. “Oh crap.”

“What?”

“Crappity crap crap.” She ran her fingers through her hair. What was she supposed to do now? This wasn’t supposed to happen yet!

A slow grin began to take over Shane’s face. “You marked me.”

Akane began to back up as Shane started toward her, a feral gleam in his eye. “You know, maybe we should concentrate on what Tristan said earlier.”

“About what? Henri, the computer files, or his refusal to name his partner?”

Akane nodded.

“Nah. I’m more interested in my new tat, Miz Akane.” He stroked his finger down the dragon’s back, and Akane shivered. Beneath her skin she could feel her wings trying to unfurl.

They were back in his studio, the one place where Shane was completely free to be himself. Akane found herself liking the space more and more the longer she stayed here, but if they were going to live on the damn farm she planned on having her own house built. She’d have to corner Sean and find out what piece of land he was willing to let his son and daughter-in-law have. Hell, she planned on making Shane buy her a condo in Omaha. She already owned one in New York and L.A.

Maybe she could get him to buy one in Milan?

“Eep!” She dodged out of the way of his grasping hands, startled to realize how close she’d allowed him to get to her. All because she’d been distracted by visions of enjoying her mate in Italy. Pasta and piazzas and her mate naked in the light of Milan? Or better yet, Tuscany? Mrow. “Down boy.”

“You mated me.” The gleam in his eye did not bode well for her plans that evening. She was tired, but Robin had requested she do an aerial recon over Leo’s place “just in case”. When the Hob asked you to do something “just in case” it usually meant he had a good idea that something was about to go down and you were his best defense against it.

Shane ran his finger down the front of the dragon, and Akane squealed. It was like he’d stroked her from head to toe. She shook her finger at him. “Bad Shane!”

His brows rose. “Oh?” That wicked, evil finger flicked over the horns of his dragon tattoo and Akane’s knees damn near gave out. She stumbled back against his workbench, her pussy clenching at the sensations he’d managed to pull from her just by touching her mark on his arm.

“Interesting.”

“Shane.” He looked way too satisfied, and she had far too much to do to get sucked in right then. Robin was waiting for… Oh. Oh. Her head fell back as his fingers continued to stroke his tattoo in all the right places. “Oh fuck. Shane.”

“What a good idea.” Shane grabbed her shoulders and pushed her to her knees. “Mind giving me a hand with something?”

Akane rolled her eyes. “Let me guess.”

He pulled down his zipper and unleashed the beast. “Good guess.” His finger stroked between the dragon’s thighs and Akane jumped. “But I have a unique rewards system set up by my loving fiancée.”

Akane smirked. “Does she know you’re about to do me in your workroom?”

Shane’s expression was anything but innocent. “Shh. Don’t tell her.”

Akane snorted and licked the head of his cock. She looked up from under her lashes, using every wile she’d ever used on a mark to get Shane to be as crazy for her as she was for him. “If she finds out she’ll fry your ass.”

“Then we’d better make this quick. She’ll be back any minute now.”

Akane blew warm smoke over his cock. “Is she dangerous?”

Shane nodded. He couldn’t seem to take his eyes off the sight of her lips so close to his cock. Akane licked them, and those sapphire eyes darkened with want. “More dangerous than you could ever imagine.”

She smiled. She liked that. She rewarded him by taking him into her mouth, sucking on the head of his cock until his hand left that damn tattoo. He buried his hands in her hair, toying with the long curls. He let her set the pace, how deep she took him. But those hands remained, reminding her that of what she needed. All she had to do was drop enough of her Seeming to allow her horns to peek through, and Shane would take care of her.

If she let him, he would always take care of her.

Shane watched as Akane swallowed him down. He bit back a moan at the feel of her hot mouth around his dick. Gods, he’d never get enough of the heat of his dragon mate. It took everything in him not to thrust, not to force himself further into her mouth. He wanted her to do this, to know that he might be able to torture her with the tattoo but all she had to do was give him one look from those pretty eyes of hers and he was lost.

She glanced up at him and suckled, her tongue stroking the underside of his cock in a firm, mind-blowing rhythm. Shane swore his eyes crossed. “Gods, a ghrà. Suck it. Please.”

Akane obeyed, her head bobbing, her curls swinging around her face. He bent down and managed to reach her nipple. He stroked it, teased it, twisted it until her hips were moving, practically begging him to take down her jeans and fuck her.

“I’m going to fuck you on my workbench. I’m going to lift you up, rip those jeans off and spread you wide.” Shane couldn’t stop himself. He began to fuck her mouth, sliding between her lips. He glared wildly at the table top, the metal shavings he’d been toying with still there. He couldn’t put her naked ass onto the table without damaging it, not with the metal there.

“It won’t hurt me, remember?”

He stared at her, confused. What in hell was she talking about?

Akane rolled her eyes and stood. “Someone’s brains have traveled south.” She breathed flame hot enough to melt metal, smiling in satisfaction as it pooled down to molten silver and copper. “There. Problem solved.”

He nodded. “I love an inventive woman.”

He unzipped her jeans. Oh. Oh hell, she’d worn white lace again. He was such a goner. He tugged the jeans down her legs, loving the smooth, silky skin he unveiled. Shane gripped her hips and pulled her close, licking that white lace and what lay beneath.

She tapped the top of his head. “Up on the table, Farm Boy.”

That wicked smile was back on her face. He had no idea what she had in mind, but if the heat in her gaze was any indication he was going to love every minute of it. Shane slipped his pants and shoes off before hopping onto the table. Strangely, the heat from the silver didn’t seem to bother him. Perhaps the mark she’d given him protected him?

Akane didn’t seem to notice anything out of the ordinary. She slid her top and jeans off, revealing more white lace.

Shane stroked his cock. “Have I mentioned I love you in white lace?”

She climbed up onto the table and dropped her Seeming. Her wings stretched above them. Shane watched as his personal debauched angel straddled his hips. “I’m spread. Now what?”

He thrust up. “Hungry?”

She licked her lips. “Oh yeah.”

Akane surprised him. She turned on the table, straddling his head and presenting him with her lace-covered pussy. When her mouth once more engulfed his cock Shane was more than willing to provide what she wanted.

He licked around the edges of the lace. He pulled it aside, revealing the wet lips of her pussy. He thrust his tongue into her sweetness, enjoying the moans around his cock.

He needed to get the panties off of her. He couldn’t enjoy her properly with them in the way, but he didn’t want Akane destroying them the way she had the last pair. He began tugging them off of her, grateful when she lifted and twisted enough for him to take them off. He tossed them on the floor and pulled her back down to him, eager to sample her again.

Akane was making it damn hard to concentrate on what he was doing. The feel of her hot mouth on his cock was killing him. He was going to blow soon, and blow hard.

He wanted to do it inside her. He wanted to give her his seed, his life, his all. “Akane.”

“Hmm?”

That hum around him had him arching off the table. It was definitely time to fuck his mate. “Turn around. Ride me, a ghrà. Make us come.”

Akane turned and straddled him. A smile on her face, she lowered herself onto him, those sharp claws of hers digging into the wood of his worktable, scarring it further. Her wings fluttered above them as she sank down, pulling him into her balls deep. Akane rotated her hips and moaned. “Oh gods.”

Shane went to grab her hips, help her ride him, but Akane moved, holding his hands down. She pushed them until they were above his head. He let her do it, wondering what his dragon was up to.

“Uh uh uh. Naughty Shane. You got caught fucking around, and now you have to pay the dragon.”

Shane decided to play around. “But she tasted so sweet.”

Akane’s hips moved. “Did she?”

“Mm-hmm. I’m dying to taste her again.” He thrust up into her, chuckling when she gasped. “She tasted like hot, sweet cinnamon.”

Her eyes glowed. Dragon fire lit her skin from within. Her wings were golden, flaming glory above them. She rolled her hips again, and Shane bucked beneath her. Her lips curled up in a feminine smile. “Maybe you’ll get a chance to taste her again.”

He planned on it.

Akane began to ride her mate. She was leaning over him, pinning his wrists to the table, her breasts threatening to spill out of her bra. Her hair hung down, brushing Shane’s cheeks with each stroke. The curls at the base of his cock brushed against her clit, teasing her, tantalizing her.

She couldn’t wait to see his reaction to the white garter belt and stockings. She had the feeling he’d go insane when she wore them for him.

Shane thrust into her, distracting her from her thoughts. She wrapped her fingers around his wrists, pinning down her prey while she took what she wanted from him. His velvety hard cock slid inside her over and over again, dragging her closer and closer to orgasm.

He shifted, and she realized he’d planted his feet on the table. It gave him the leverage he needed to truly thrust into her. “Hurry.”

From the strain on his face he was close. Akane lifted his hands to her horns, ready to give in, ready to come with him.

Shane stroked her just right. One hand slipped down her body to pet her lace-covered breasts. The other stroked the tips of her horns. Her body quivered as their movements became jerky. They were both so close she could taste it.

Shane was panting. He was fucking her so hard she could hear the loud slap of their bodies.

Then Shane flicked the tip of her horn over and over again, sending her screaming over the edge. Her wings ignited at the force of the orgasm, the glow lighting the room behind her.

Shane yelled, his lights dancing around them, sparks landing on her skin as his Sidhe half once more Claimed her. He came, following her into ecstasy as she watched, still reeling from the strength of her own orgasm.

Finally it was over. Akane collapsed on top of Shane, the sound her gasps joining his.

“We need to buy more white lace.”

She began to laugh.

“I’m serious.” She could hear the humor in his voice, but was too tired to lift her head from his shoulder. “I know someone who can make an entire gown out of the stuff.”

“We’d never leave the bedroom.”

He tilted her head up. “Your point?”

“I have to go.”

Shane paused, his hand still on his zipper. They’d gotten dressed much more quickly than he would have liked, but she was right. She had a job to do, and he’d delayed her longer than he’d meant to. “Let me come with you.”

Her brows rose. “How would we do that?”

“I can sit and have tea with Ruby and Leo while you do your fly-bys.”

She rolled her eyes.

“I could ride you over there.”

If he hadn’t sounded so falsely innocent her mind might not have dropped right into the gutter. As it was she was getting visions of a different sort of aerial acrobatics than the ones Robin had in mind. “I’m working.”

His hand hovered over the tattoo for just a second before it dropped with a sigh. “Damn. Trumped my ace.” He shook his head. “Curses. Foiled again.”

She ventured close and hoped he wasn’t faking it. She really did need to boogie. “Give me a kiss before I go?”

His eyes went wide before he swooped down, capturing her mouth, laying claim to it in no uncertain terms. He released her with a sigh. “Remember your mother’s warning. Be careful.”

She licked her lips. How long his taste would linger there? He hoped it stayed forever. “I will.”

“Promise?”

She crossed her heart. “Promise. Do me a favor and have Sal guard you while you sleep, okay? Jaden’s still sleeping off whatever Duncan and Moira did to him, and I want to make sure you’re safe while I’m gone.”

“I will. I promise.”

She gave him one last kiss before flying out the door, her dragon eager to take flight. Shane watched his mate take off and sighed. Damn. He’d known she had to obey Robin, but what was about to come would break her heart. She would know she could have prevented it. Worse, she’d understand he’d allowed it to happen. He almost stroked the tattoo, but by doing so he might cause her flight to falter or, worse, call her back. It was too late now to stop what was coming anyway. If this didn’t happen the way he’d foreseen it the entire prophecy would mean nothing. He had to let things follow their course, or Oberon’s future would be beyond grim.

Akane was going to kill him when she found out.

Heart racing, he shut the outer lights of the studio. He conveniently “forgot” to summon Sal, unwilling to risk the salamander. He couldn’t allow Akane’s pet to be hurt in any way. She loved that silly salamander.

Shane walked through the workspace of his studio, past the display space, and found himself standing outside the vault. It took but a moment to unlock it before he swung the door open.

Here was a treasure trove of unfinished pieces and unrealized visions, things circumstances had forced to come to naught. Precious and semi-precious stones, balls of silver and gold and the occasional bit of cold iron, anathema to any of Sidhe blood, were thrown into bins and across surfaces like discarded Tinker toys. Shane, like most with Sidhe blood, had to wear special gloves whenever he worked with iron or run the risk of serious damage. He walked past several of the unfinished statues before finding the one he sought, the one that had once more begun to dance behind his eyes after talking with Tristan. He pulled the sheet off the piece and sighed.

No. Akane was not going to like this one little bit. But he wasn’t leaving this vision out for her eyes.

Shane pulled the piece out and brought it to his workbench, intent on finishing as much as possible before it was too late.

Akane flew over the Dunne estate three times before coming in for a landing. Nothing seemed out of place. None of her senses tingled. The place seemed well defended. Leo had even shown her some of the tricks up his unique sleeves. His ability to use the land to amplify his Sidhe mind powers was amazing. No wonder he’d been able to sneak up on Kaitlynn and her guards. He’d been able to enter all of their minds, erasing his image and that of Duncan from their sight until he was past the security cameras and down in Kaitlynn’s dungeon.

Then, looking a little green around the gills, Leo had shown her the spot where he’d killed the vampire Jeremy West and saved his true bond. Akane was impressed, but understood on several levels why Robin had never tried to recruit the Sidhe into the Blades. With his powers Leo was phenomenally strong, but only on his own land.

Add in the fact that the man had no stomach for bloodshed, and his usefulness as a Blade would be severely limited. He didn’t seem to have any of the specialized skills that would keep him out of combat the way Red did, or the healing abilities of the nymphs. No, he was just a Sidhe with a little something extra, not enough for Robin to pull into the fold.

She found Robin watching over Leo, who was holding a sleeping Ruby. The human was curled up in the living room on a red velvet sofa in front of the fireplace. The way Leo’s face softened as he gazed at his sleeping bondmate, tender yet fierce, reminded Akane of the way Shane had looked at her. That same expression had adorned Shane’s face more than once when he watched Akane, but she hadn’t wanted to admit to herself that it was there, let alone what it could mean.

The truly scary part was the way Robin watched Ruby with that same look. Was the Hob in love with Leo’s mate?

Robin nodded in welcome, the tender expression smoothing out to his normal, cheerful look. “She’s as safe as we can make her.”

“What about Shane?” Leo’s voice was soft in deference to his sleeping bondmate.

Akane shrugged, but something deep inside her squirmed. She wasn’t entirely comfortable being away from Shane. “Sal and your father are standing guard.”

“Dad has to sleep sometimes. He’s running the farm and guarding Shane. He’s going to run out of juice soon.”

Akane sighed. “We can call for reinforcements if you like, but if we do that we’re less likely to draw the Malmaynes out of hiding.” She fingered the puzzle box in her coat pocket and wished she could bring it out to play with. She needed to remain vigilant, but the golden toy called to her, Solve me, Akane! Solve me!

She was going to kill Shane. He should have known better than to give a dragon a puzzle. Her fingers stroked over it again, feeling the lines and grooves of its carving. She’d never hand the puzzle box over to anyone else, even after she solved it.

“And your father has declared his desire to see this war ended.” Robin leaned his head back against his seat. If Akane didn’t know better she’d swear the Hob was weary, but Robin was like the fucking Energizer bunny. He kept going and going until whatever needed doing was done.

“I can’t help thinking that they’re not going to make a move until they’re good and ready.” Leo stroked his wife’s hair, careful not to wake her. “We have to keep her safe.”

“I gather, since Kaitlynn’s scheme didn’t work, that Ruby was unwilling to share?” A Sidhe lord could take a second spouse despite a bond, but only if his bondmate agreed. Otherwise the bond itself would protect the Sidhe, preventing anyone from touching him or her by gifting the offender with nasty shocks that increased in intensity until the offender gave up or passed out. Akane remembered one instance where the would-be spouse persisted to the point where the shocks had resulted in death.

“Even if she had agreed I wouldn’t have. They tortured her to get my compliance. Kaitlynn used her powers to make Ruby experience electrocution over and over again.” He shuddered. “No matter what else happens I’ll never give a child of mine to the Malmaynes.”

Robin froze. “What did you say?”

Leo frowned. “I’ll never give a child of mine to the Malmaynes.”

Robin and Akane exchanged looks. “Could it be that simple?”

“The child would be half human. They might think it would be easy to control.” Akane began to pace. “But I thought they wanted to use Leo’s seed to create their own child, one as close to Sidhe as possible.”

“When life hands you lemons, make lemonade?” Robin rubbed his eyes. “All of this could be ghost chasing. We know they want to control the prophecy, but do they even understand what it means?”

Akane bit her lip and hoped Shane wouldn’t have a hissy fit. “It could have something to do with the statues Shane created.” Leo was listening to every word they said, the frown still on his face as he stroked his sleeping mate. “The ones about you and Oberon?”

Robin shook his head even as Akane nodded. Robin stood fast as lightning, his pretty blue eyes burning bright green. “What do you know?”

“Just that the statues do have something to do with the prophecy, but Shane wasn’t sure how.”

Robin took a deep breath. “I need to speak to Shane.” A miniature tornado whirled around the Hob and he was gone, the only sign of his presence the cooling cup of tea he’d left behind.

“Do you think the prophecy has to do with Robin’s statue or Oberon’s?”

“Oberon’s.” She was almost positive. Shane had finished Robin’s, but hadn’t quite finished Oberon’s. The time for him to do so was coming.

She stood and began to pace, her fingers twitching. She had the urge to fly, to check on Shane, but Robin had given her a task and she had to complete it. She had to protect Leo and Ruby. Besides, Robin himself had gone to speak to Shane. If something were wrong, Robin would take care of it.

She danced her fingers along golden swirls. Robin would take care of Shane. She had to trust in that.

Shane could hear them moving around. Not even his father would be able to stop what was about to happen; the one who’d come for him had been too careful. Shane winced and ran his hand down the cold iron blade. He watched the blood well through haunted eyes. If he could avoid this, dear gods he would, but there was no other way.

Shane flung out his hand and allowed his blood to paint the story he wanted to tell.

“Shane.”

Shane turned. Behind him stood someone he’d thought he was familiar with, someone he could trust. The betrayal was shattering. He must have planned this from the start. When the first blow came he tried to block it, but there was no stopping what was coming, no way to save him. He fought enough that they wouldn’t think he’d given in, but not enough to cause himself permanent damage. He made sure both of them bled, adding their essence to the canvas he’d be leaving behind.

The blow to the back of his head sent him hurtling into darkness.

Robin stared at the wreckage of Shane Joloun Dunne’s workshop and snarled. Blood, too much blood, tinted the concrete floor. Not all of it was the hybrid’s, but enough that Robin would have to keep Akane from entering the room. If the dragoness scented her mate’s blood splattered around the room she would go feral, uncontrollable until her mate was found and returned safely to her side.

Woe unto those who had harmed him, for dragons were fierce when it came to protecting their own.

He eyed the spot where his statue had been and stilled. Where once the ball of jagged metal and glass had stood was a new statue, one that had Robin swearing in several different languages. Upon a silver table, a figure made of gold and green glass writhed in agony. Fire somehow glittered in the glass man’s core, some trick of the light that, when Robin moved, disappeared from view. Dark tendrils drifted like smoke from the table and into the man’s body, the sight all too familiar to Robin’s eyes. The glass man’s mouth was open in a silent scream, one fist clenched around a golden, thorny rose, one petal poised to fall. Beneath the figure’s clenched fist rose petals littered the floor, black glass rimmed with faded gold. The figure’s other hand reached for something unseen, away from the agonized face.

Over it stood a figure in black, robed and hooded, like all cheesy villains were. But what chilled Robin to the core was the glowing green eyes in the face of the figure. Eyes he was intimately familiar with, for he saw them in his mirror every day.

Robin breathed, and the black figure shattered.

“Robin?”

He turned to find Sean Dunne standing behind him, the leprechaun’s fury a match for his own. Sean was staring at the shattered black glass, his expression unreadable, but beneath his feet the earth itself heaved. If Robin hadn’t been who he was he would have been knocked on his ass. As it was he almost staggered, startled anew at the strength the Dunne leprechauns showed.

“Where is my son?”

Robin allowed his claws out and grinned. “Good question.”

Akane rubbed her hands up and down her arms. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong, and her dragon was beyond upset. It took three tries to open her inner sight, her dragon was so upset.

When she did, she cried out in horror. Shane’s bright light was dimmed, barely visible to her inner eye. Blood matted his bright hair; his blue eyes were closed in what she prayed was simple sleep. She couldn’t tell where he was. It was dark, even to dragon eyes. She shrieked, her song of rage loud, her Seeming falling from her in tatters, her hybrid form unleashed at the knowledge that her mate was injured, possibly dying.

“Akane?”

She turned, the rage so strong Leo seemed bathed in ruby light. “They hurt him.”

“Who?” He grabbed hold of her arms, surprisingly strong for an almost full-blooded Sidhe. “Shane?”

She nodded, ripping out of his hold easily. She had to go, had to find Shane, had to stop them from hurting her mate. She needed to taste their blood, to rip into them, to feast on their pain until she was satisfied they’d never hurt Shane again.

“Akane, wait! Wait until Robin gets back, or call Jaden. Hell, get hold of Tristan if you like, but don’t go alone. If the Malmaynes have Shane he might be your best bet for getting him free!”

The need to hunt, to kill was so strong she was barely earthbound. She wanted to fly, to leave this place and kill the ones who had dared take her mate from her. Didn’t they know who she was, what she would do to them? They would lie dead before her, their carcasses rotting beneath her feet as she roared her triumph over them!

“Still thyself, Akane Russo.”

She froze, the music in that voice freezing her in her tracks. If Akane was pure vengeance, then that voice promised pure destruction, the seductive song speaking to the enraged dragon within her.

Robin Goodfellow, eyes blazing with green light, stepped out from the shadows. His black nails had grown to wicked talons. She glared at him and hissed; he kept her from finding her mate, but with those glowing eyes on her she had no choice. She was rooted to the spot, unable to move as the Hob enforced his command through sheer willpower.

And then Robin did something she hadn’t known was possible. Dragon song erupted from a non-dragon throat, sweet and stunning, drawing her to him with its power and majesty. Without thought she knelt at Robin’s feet, purring, her head resting against the Hob’s thigh in total submission to his will. If anyone could save her mate, it would be Robin.

His hand fell to her hair, stroking her, gentling her, not as a lover would but as a father, one who commanded her trust and obedience with a single glance, a muttered word. Only the knowledge that her mate was out there, alone and wounded, captured by an unknown enemy, kept the total peace he offered at bay.

“Holy fuck.”

She looked up through dazed eyes to find Leo staring at her in shock. “What did you do, Robin?”

“Called the little bird to hand.” Robin’s hand tightened briefly in her hair before resuming her stroking. “Your brother left a disturbing statue out, but I believe he intended his mate to find it rather than I.”

Leo gulped. Behind him, Ruby stirred, but Akane could barely bring herself to care. “What was it?”

The stroking stopped and Akane stopped purring. “Torture.”

The dragon stirred. Her mate was hurting.

Her mate was hurting.

Akane hurled herself from Robin’s side, the dragon’s wrath once more roused. She could smell blood on Robin.

Shane’s blood.

With a shriek she tore out of the mansion, uncaring that she remained in her hybrid form. Let the world think harpies had returned to plague them, because if Shane died it wouldn’t be far from the truth.

“That went well.” Robin sighed and rubbed his eyes wearily. Some days it just didn’t pay to get out of bed. “Akane will return to the studio and find her mate’s blood. She’ll hunt him down, and those who have taken him from her will pay the price.”

“You mean she’ll kill them.”

Robin turned to Leo Dunne. Sometimes the middle Dunne child seemed too innocent for what Robin feared was coming. “Yes.”

“Good.” Robin blinked in surprise as Leo reached behind him. He helped Ruby to her feet, holding her close. “But there’s something you should know.”

“Hmm?” Robin was still processing the fact that Leo wanted someone’s blood to spill.

“There are redcaps coming up the driveway, and Robin?” The fear in Leo’s eyes had his little mate whimpering. “They aren’t alone.”

Shane opened his eyes and immediately wished he hadn’t. The light from the overhead lamp damn near blinded him, the pain stabbing into his already throbbing head like dull spoons trying to gouge out his eyeballs.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Joloun. I truly am. I hope you understand that this is nothing personal.”

“Sure it’s not.” Shane opened his eyes and stared at Mr. Klaussner, the pooka art dealer from New York. “I never got even a hint that you were Black Court.”

The little man, who used to wring his hands, merely grinned. “I’m good at what I do.” His eyes flashed an eerie, familiar green. “It’s what I was born for.”

Shane groaned. Great. Just great. Rumor had it that Robin, not exactly known for his celibacy, had fathered the rare child. It seemed Shane had accidentally met one of them. But if he was Robin’s child… “Was your mother human, by any chance?”

Klaussner snorted. “As if He would stoop so low as to cavort with a mortal.” The reverence in his voice when he spoke of Robin was undermined by the mad light in his eyes.

Shane relaxed ever so slightly. This wasn’t the man he’d foreseen, then. The chances of him surviving this encounter had just gone up exponentially.

“No. My mother was pregnant with me when the Dark Queen took her, turned her.” Klaussner’s face rippled, his face turning almost elfin. The ginger hair on top of his head was a pale reflection of Robin’s red mane. His eyes turned to pure amber rimmed with Robin’s green light. Even his body changed, elongated, became lean and supple. Goat horns rose from his temples, reminding Shane of why they were often called devils. Vampiric fangs, delicate and deadly, graced his smile, a gift from his mother’s change.

Oh. Oh shit. This might even be worse than the man Shane had feared it would be. “A vampiric pooka?”

Klaussner nodded, looking pleased. “She is. She’s beautiful, so filled with dark power.”

Shane smiled. “My mate is going to rip your head off and shit down your neck.”

Klaussner merely clucked his tongue. “Speaking of your dragon mate, we know what her weakness is.”

“Akane doesn’t have a weakness.” Shane watched as Klaussner picked up something that looked like a quilting tool his mother had. It looked remarkably like a pizza cutter, but with a hood over the blade. He thought it was called a rotary cutter, but he wasn’t sure.

“Oh yes, she does.” Klaussner ran the blade over Shane’s stomach, sighing in pleasure as the blood welled up.

Shane held himself still, barely. He wasn’t giving Klaussner the pleasure of seeing him squirm. “And that would be?”

“You.” Klaussner took the blade and ran it across the dragon tattoo, making sure to cut the wings.

Shane, horrified, scrambled to pull away from the blade. Gods, please don’t let her wings be damaged. “Why are you doing this?”

Klaussner smiled at someone standing above Shane’s head. “For love.”

Constance Malmayne stepped into the light, her blue-gray eyes hard, her sleek golden hair knotted at the base of her skull. She smiled at Klaussner, and suddenly Shane saw what had been missing in his visions recently. Cullen and Kaitlynn, even Charles himself, were but pawns in Constance Malmayne’s bid for power. The vision that danced before his eyes made his blood run cold. “Does Henri know that you’re planning to kill him?”

Constance smiled. “See, Hobart? I told you his visions would be useful.”

Wait. Hobart? “Does He know?” Shane tried not to twitch as the blade came close to his tattoo once more. If he moved the wrong way he was terrified he’d accidentally cripple Akane. He dared not say Robin’s name out loud, though he screamed it in his head. If he did say it aloud the two might outright kill him for fear of attracting the Hob’s attention.

“Does who know?”

“That you’re named after him.”

The blade paused. “No. But He will.” He looked up from the blood seeping from Shane’s flesh, those familiar green eyes strange in Klaussner’s thin, horned face. “I am my father’s son.”

The first black tentacle struck and Shane screamed, but when the poison pumped into his system the agony pushed him beyond even that.

Oh dear gods, this had better be worth it.

Akane streaked through the night sky, her wings beating furiously. Dark blood dripped from a cut across one of them, the pain a distant worry. Her wings worked and could carry her to her mate. That was all she cared about.

Akane could sense where Shane was. His blood scented the air, the sweet smell stronger the closer she got. It wouldn’t be long before the others came, before Jaden made his way to his bondmate’s brother, before Tristan tried to save what was left of his clan. Akane didn’t care.

The Malmaynes were dead. They just didn’t know it yet.

She wasn’t surprised they hadn’t taken Shane to the Malmayne estate. It would be too easy to figure out, too easy to check, and Jaden had proven he could get in and out at will. So taking Shane to another location was the smart thing to do.

Too bad for them they didn’t know how strongly bonded she already was to her hybrid mate. Shane’s scent filled her senses; his essence was etched across her soul. She’d be able to find him now no matter where in the world he went.

How could she have been so stupid? She’d finished the dragon mating yet still believed that somehow they would not wind up together. Shane deserved someone who could give him a normal life, not someone who would constantly put him in danger or be away from him for long periods of time. She’d known that from the start, but the gold flooding her system had ended all her resistance. She’d marked him, made him hers, and there was no taking that back. She should never have left her lover’s side, never left him vulnerable. It was her fault he’d been taken, and if he died she would curl up around him and die with him.

Had he known all along that dragons literally mated for life?

There. She’d found him, found the source of his pain. They’d taken him to an abandoned farm, the dilapidated house and barn ghosts of what the Dunne farm was. She swooped down toward the barn, his scent strongest there. She could hear low, murmuring voices, both familiar, both surprising. It was what she didn’t hear that terrified her.

Two beings breathed. Two. And neither of them was her mate.

Akane blew, fire erupting from her throat, engulfing the dry wood of the barn with her fury. Flames shot into the sky, a beacon to those who followed her.

Two figures ran out of the burning barn. Where was her mate?

Akane swooped down, her rage burning hotter than the fire behind her. On silent wings she glided, claws extended, intent on ripping, on shredding.

One of the running figures glanced back and, shrieking, shoved the other down. Akane got a glimpse of silver eyes and rumpled blonde hair. She chose to ignore the one who’d been shoved down, intent on capturing a Malmayne between her claws. She grabbed the female, making sure her claws dug into the woman’s sides before beginning her ascent.

The Sidhe female screamed and struggled, but it only served to dig Akane’s claws in deeper. Blood dripped down Constance’s sides and legs, the wounds deep. “Let me go!”

Akane laughed. “You took my mate.”

“He’s still alive! He—he’s in the barn!”

Akane looked, listened beneath the roaring of her flames, but no heartbeat could be detected. No breath stirred. “You lie. He’s not in there.” He couldn’t be. If he was inside then… No. She couldn’t think like that.

No heartbeat, no breath meant no life, and that was something Akane couldn’t accept.

“No! Hobart’s poison put him in a coma. We didn’t want him fi—fighting us.”

Akane clenched her hands, ignoring the female’s shrieks. “Why?”

“Transport,” the female gasped. “We needed to take him away.”

“To?”

“I can’t say!” The female gasped as Akane loosened her grip. She grabbed hold of Akane’s arms. “No! Please!”

Akane looked down. She’d taken the female high, high enough that simply letting go would be enough to kill. “Why should I let you live?”

The female was sobbing. “Please don’t.”

“Tell me who you were bringing him to.”

“No! He’ll kill me.”

Akane let go.

The female screamed, barely holding on to Akane’s arms. “I’ll tell, I’ll tell!”

Akane grabbed her again and headed toward the burning barn. “Who?”

The female told her a name that almost had Akane drop her, this time in shock.

Robin followed Leo out of the house in a foul mood. The Sidhe’s odd bond with his land had at least given them a heads’ up, but if Leo was correct then the man waiting for them was not one to be trifled with.

But then again, neither was Robin, and he’d danced with this one before.

“Ho, Bres.” Beside him, Leo jumped. It was rare that the leader of the redcaps came from his shadowy lair. The Fomorian was one of the oldest, and last, of his kind, and ruled the redcaps with an iron fist. He’d once been king of the Tuatha Dé and forced them to act as slaves to the Fomorian rulers. Now he ruled the most brutal thugs in the fae world.

Somehow he’d wound up with the beauty of both his Fomorian father and his Tuatha Dé mother, making him one of the most exquisite-looking people to ever walk the earth. Very few could resist his charm when he chose to employ it. Even fewer wished to incur his wrath. He was vicious to those who crossed him in any way.

Robin was not impressed.

Bres, his fair head bared in the moonlight, bowed. “Ho, Pan.”

Robin barely managed not to roll his eyes. It had been years since any called him that, false though it was. It was lucky for him that Pan had been amused to be associated with the Hob, finding Robin’s antics entertaining. So few of the Greek gods had that sense of fun Robin so prized that he’d been honored that Pan allowed the falsehood to stand, despite Robin’s objections.

To this day he lit incense in Pan’s honor.

Despite the god’s amusement, it wouldn’t do to be pretentious. The gods, even Pan, were capricious, and had a way of making their displeasure known in fascinating, albeit painful, ways. Allowing the falsehood to stand would be bad on a molecular level. As always, Robin objected. “I prefer Hob. Robin if you’re feeling friendly, but we both know you aren’t, yes?”

Bres merely smiled. “Give me the boy behind you, Hob.”

“That you may take him to your bitch-queen? I think not.” Robin would kill Leo himself rather than subject the Sidhe to the tender mercies of Titannia, even knowing sweet Ruby’s life would also end. She’d want it that way, rather than a mate who’d been a plaything for the Dark Queen. The bitch always broke her toys.

Leo shuddered, and if Bres thought for one moment it was from fear he was sorely mistaken. Leo had just linked fully with the earth, using it to enhance his power a thousand-fold. The power raced through Robin’s own, Leo’s connection a shock and a strange pleasure to one who was also of the earth. One by one the redcaps behind Bres began to disappear, sinking down silently ’til nothing was left, not even a twitching nose. Leo had to be using his Sidhe ability to cloud the redcaps’ minds, else they’d be shrieking up a storm. It explained the glazed look in the Sidhe’s eyes when Robin dared glance at him.

“You know how this will end, Pan.” Bres waved his hands languidly. “I’m sorry, Hob. My men have already secured the girl, and another has secured the boy’s brother. Give him to me, and once we have what we wish we will fade away.”

Robin watched without looking as another redcap disappeared into the earth. “My king desires otherwise.”

At the mention of Oberon, Bres flinched, but it was quickly hidden. “I have no quarrel with him or you, but I must obey my queen.”

Robin spread his hands, his nails curling into talons. “Then we are at an impasse.”

Another redcap disappeared.

“Ruby is safe. He’s bluffing. He doesn’t have her.”

Robin tried not to flinch as Leo’s words echoed in his head. The boy was strong on his land; very few could breach Robin’s mental barriers. He found himself more and more impressed with the Dunnes every time he played with them.

“Good. Now get out of my head.”

Leo’s silent chuckle echoed in his head, but Robin decided to let it pass. The boy deserved his brief moment of triumph, for things were about to get ugly.

Bres was going to attack, and he was far more dangerous than any redcap could ever hope to be.

“You fucking bitch.”

The female shivered, her legs curled up as high as they could go. They were over the burning barn now, the heat blistering to Sidhe flesh. “Please don’t kill me.”

Akane growled and flung Constance away from the burning barn, ignoring the female’s cries. Her mate was in the barn, unconscious, possibly dead. His scent wafted to her on the embers, fresh but subtly wrong. She let forth a keening cry, listening for an answer.

None came.

Akane entered the barn, her senses alert to any movement. She hadn’t seen the male who had accompanied the female when she’d flown back down. Where he was she didn’t know, nor did she care so long as he was far from her mate.

Near the back, toward what used to be the tack room, she found him. He was strapped to a table, his jaw slack, his eyes glittering in the firelight under half-closed lids. Black tendrils, ones she’d seen before, were embedded in his sides, his thighs, his arms, pumping something into him. Something vile. Akane could smell the wrongness. Whatever had poisoned her mate would leave its mark on him. She crooned to him as she yanked the tentacles away, desperately trying not to gag at the stench.

She’d seen Robin use these before to maim, to kill, but the foul, putrid odor from these tentacles smelled nothing like the poison Robin used. It was as if someone had taken Robin’s essence and fouled it beyond redemption. That foulness raced through her mate’s system, tainting it.

Dear gods, what if Shane changed somehow? Would the poison drag him down into the Black? Could it?

He moaned, then coughed, the smoke of the burning barn becoming thick and fierce. Akane lifted her mate from the table and raced from the barn, taking flight once they were free. She had the scents of both the female and the male. She would recognize them again. The male bore traces of Shane’s blood on his claws, something he would pay for.

But first things first. Her mate was in her arms, and he lived. Akane raced to the Dunne farm and the one place he’d want to be when he awoke.

Bres struck, just as Robin thought he would, at the weakest link: Leo. Fortunately the Sidhe had come prepared, using the earth itself to protect him while he unsheathed his sword. It swayed and buckled, forcing Bres back a step.

The leader of the redcaps smiled at Leo’s sword. “Cold iron doesn’t work on me.”

No. Robin had known that. Neither the Tuatha Dé nor the Fomorians shared the Sidhe’s allergy to iron. It took something else to kill one such as Bres. The only one who had come close had been Lugh, who’d tried to poison Bres by filling three hundred wooden cows with a bitter red liquid, then “milking” them and forcing Bres to drink the liquid. Bres, under a geas to obey the rules of hospitality, had drunk the liquid, but instead of killing him it had merely forced him into a slumber so deep they’d all thought him dead. When he awoke, a thousand years had passed and Oberon, his queen Titannia by his side, was on the throne. The Tuatha Dé and the Fomorians had been nothing more than a memory, even to those whose lives were measured in centuries.

What part Bres played in Titannia’s fall Robin didn’t know, but some day he intended to find out.

Robin carelessly blocked a redcap, skewering it on the point of a claw before turning his attention once more to Bres. The man was attempting to take down Leo by any means necessary, ignoring the Hob as if he wasn’t even there.

Well. Robin would have to fix that.

Robin smiled sweetly, and Bres tripped, almost falling on the point of Leo’s sword. He flicked his hair back from his shoulders and Bres’s belt broke, his pants slipping from his narrow hips. When Robin sighed, bored of the game already, Bres’s sword broke.

Unfortunately, the tip flew through the air and gashed Leo’s face, narrowly missing his eye. Startled, the Sidhe backed up a step and right onto the point of a redcap pike.

“Damn. Missed one.” Robin muttered to himself in disbelief. How could he have missed one of the little fuckers? He reached out his hand and twisted. The redcap fell in screaming agony, his kneecap shattered.

But it was too late. Leo was on his knees, his hand pressed to the wound at his back. Bres stood over him and knocked Leo out with the butt of his sword.

Robin sighed in relief. The boy was out, and relatively safe; the last redcap was a whimpering mess, and who cared what they saw?

A toothy grin on his suddenly inhuman face, Robin squared off with Bres.

Now it was Robin’s turn to play.