Dare to Believe

Chapter Eight

Ruby woke to sunshine and a wary expression on Leo’s handsome face. “Good morning,” she mumbled.

“Afternoon, actually,” he rumbled, his expression wry. “Hungry?”

“Um. I could eat a horse.” Ruby stretched that full body stretch that usually made his eyes bug out of his head.

This time, he averted his gaze. “I’ll go get some sandwiches.” He slid out of bed and reached for his pants.

“Leo? What’s wrong?” Ruby frowned.

“Nothing.”

“Gee, when I said nothing like that I got the third degree. What should I give you?”

Leo sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose wearily. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?” Ruby had no clue what had him riding the guilt train but was determined to find out.

“I didn’t mean to be so…rough…with you earlier. I’m sorry.”

She thought about that for a moment watching him pull on his T-shirt. He made his way to the bedroom door and she knew she had to say something now or forever hold her peace. “I never said stop.”

He paused, one hand on the doorknob, his back tensing as he heard the thoughtful note in her voice.

“Think about it, Leo. I never said stop. You said you would if I said it, remember?”

She watched as he turned to her, relief and regret equally mingled. “I lost my head.”

“I know.”

“I could have hurt you.”

“Nope.”

He frowned. “What do you mean, nope?”

“I mean, you’d never hurt me.”

“Not deliberately! Accidentally!” Leo’s hands pushed through his hair, pulling slightly at it. “I lost control, Ruby. I could have hurt you.”

She shook her head, coming out of the bed and padding quietly over to him. “Nope.” She hooked her arms around his waist and leaned into him, letting him feel her trust in him. The love she was beginning to feel for him warmed her as she cuddled against him, uncaring that she was completely naked.

His arms went around her, hard and secure. “I was scared to death when you didn’t wake up after the Binding. That wasn’t how I planned on spending our wedding day, Ruby. And then when you did wake up I lost control. I’m so sorry, kitten.”

Ruby tensed at the words “wedding day”. “Leo?”

“Hmm?” He’d buried his face in her hair and was breathing deep, his big body relaxing into hers.

“When did we get married?”

She felt him stiffen in her arms, and not in the good way. “I explained the bonding to you, remember?”

“Yes, I think so.”

“The Claiming, the Vow and the Binding?”

“I remember the Claiming, Leo. Details on the rest, please! When did we complete the ceremony, and where was I?”

He stared at her, his expression shocked. “In the front yard. Malmayne tried to take you away from me.” Hazy memories began to surface, of Cullen yanking her out of Leo’s arms, calling her human with such derision she’d felt soiled. No wonder her harmless teasing had unleashed his beast! “I used earth magic to get him away from you and spoke the Vow.” More memories surfaced, of Leo surrounded by incredible power, living tendrils of light that swept all before him as he made his way to her side. “Once the Vow was spoken the Binding took place.” He showed her the picture in her mind, of his power spearing into her as he finished the Vow, causing her to black out. “Our truebond is complete now.”

She glared at him, her mind whirling a mile a minute. “Don’t I have to repeat the Vow for it to be binding?” No pun intended.

His face went still. “It’s different with non-Sidhe.” She saw the wince more in his eyes than on his face when she raised her brows. “Non-Sidhe don’t have to repeat the Vows back for them to work.”

She tilted her head, confused. In the kitchen his father had repeated the vows. “Didn’t Sean repeat them when Aileen said them to him?”

Leo coughed. “Well, no, actually. He didn’t. Not the first time, anyway.”

Her eyes went wide. “You mean she bound Sean against his will?” She couldn’t begin to imagine trying to force Sean to do something he didn’t want to do.

Leo chuckled. “Now, that’s a story.” Leo put his arm around her shoulder, guided her back to the bed, and sat her down on the edge. He moved the chair over by the bed and settled into it directly across from her. “When Mom was sent to Paris to meet with Duncan Malmayne for the first time, it seems Dad was there slumming.”

“Slumming?”

“It was the eighteen eighties, and Paris was the place to be at the time. That, or New York, from what I’ve been told, and Dad had decided to do the European tour thing. Anyway, Mom met Duncan and was agreeable to the marriage contract. Then, one night at the opera, she saw Dad. Said something about their eyes met, he winked at her, and she was lost. She went looking for him the next day.”

“The Malmaynes must have been furious.”

“They didn’t know. Mom snuck out, started asking questions about the blue-eyed Irishman. When she found him she took one whiff of his scent and almost bound him on the spot.”

“Wow. Really? What did he smell like?”

Leo smiled. “Mom always says Dad smells like home.”

Ruby sighed mistily. “I really like your parents.”

“Well, it took a few days, and a lot of flirting, but Mom finally got him to kiss her.”

“The Tasting.”

“Yup. Dad, being a Leprechaun, figured out pretty early that she was Sidhe, but had no idea whether or not she was high-ranking, or even which Court she belonged to.”

Ruby shook her head. “Court? You mean like Seelie and Unseelie?”

He looked surprised, and pleased. “Something like that. The Malmaynes and the Jolouns were both White Court and owed allegiance to Glorianna.”

“I thought Oberon and Tita—”

His fingers pressed against her lips. “We don’t say that name.”

She frowned. “Why not?”

“It’s said if you say the name of the Dark Queen she’ll hear you. Possibly take an interest in you.” He shuddered. “You really don’t want that.”

This just kept getting better and better. “The Dark Queen?”

“The Dark Queen rules the Black Court. It’s a long story, but basically the Dark Queen was jealous of the power Oberon had. He was High King over all the fae, and they say he was truly smitten with his queen to the point that he’d bonded with her the same way I’ve bonded with you. His queen, however, wasn’t as smitten. It’s said she sold her soul to some dark beings who granted her certain powers. In exchange she was to take over the Court and pay the dark beings in power and blood. She betrayed Oberon, creating the first vampires, tainted creatures created from both humans and other fae, and started a war that almost destroyed us. Somehow Oberon managed to break the truebond they’d shared and shattered the Court.”

“I thought a bond couldn’t be broken.”

“He’s the only one I’ve ever heard of who has managed the feat. No one knows how he did it, but I bet the Hob had a huge hand in it. Now we have the White Court, ruled by Glorianna, the Black Court, ruled by Oberon’s ex, and the Gray Court, or Oberon’s court. Oberon is still the High King and holds sway over the others, but for the most part he tries not to interfere.”

She decided to ignore the fact that a truebond could be broken. She was strangely reluctant to even think about it. “Which court does your family belong to?”

“The Dunnes are White Court, but my family isn’t very high up. Shane and I are only lords due to our Joloun blood. Dad’s always talked about becoming Gray Court and finally leaving all of the politicking between the families behind, but we’ve never actually done it.”

“Which reminds me. How did your mom get your dad to bond with her?”

“He got tipsy one night and kissed her, and she knew he was the one. Mom made sure he had a bit more wine and managed to get herself into his bed, not that he fought all that hard.”

“That sounds familiar.” Leo looked completely unrepentant. “Did she take the Vow then?”

“Actually, no. She decided to introduce him to her father first. Needless to say Papa Joloun was not amused, and threatened to have my father ‘taken care of’.”

“And then she spoke the Vow?”

“Nope. Dad left Paris that night. He’d decided she’d be better off with the Malmaynes than with him.

Remember, both the Jolouns and Malmaynes were considered Fae of power. Going up against them was no small thing. Add in the fact that he had no clue that Mom had begun to truebond with him, and it just made sense to do what he thought was right. Mom, of course, was heartbroken and refused to go through with the marriage contract. When Papa Joloun locked her in her room and set a few brownie guards, Dad got wind of it.”

“How? I mean, if he wasn’t in Paris how did he find out?”

“Brownies are also earth spirits, and one of the guards was a personal friend of Dad’s and got a message to him. When he found out what was happening to Mom he returned to Paris. By the time he got there he said she no longer looked like the naïve teenage girl he’d first met. She actually had gray in her hair. With the help of the brownies he broke her out of the Joloun mansion and spirited her away. When Duncan Malmayne caught up to them Mom was in the process of binding Dad to her, over his rather loud objections I might add.”

“Why did he object? He loved her, right?”

“That’s why. He thought he wasn’t good enough for her. Anyway, Duncan, realizing it was a truebond, wished them well, but the rest of the families were outraged. Mom and Dad have nothing against Duncan personally, but the rest of the Malmaynes and Jolouns have made it clear they feel that Mom and Dad are beyond the pale.”

Ruby’s head was swimming with information. “But your parents exchanged Vows downstairs.”

“It’s customary at the bonding of a Sidhe to a non-Sidhe for the Vows to be exchanged, but that’s part of the formal ceremony, not the Binding itself.”

“Oh. Sort of a Sidhe wedding, then?”

Leo kissed the back of her hand. “Would you like to do that, Ruby? Have a full ceremony, with friends and family present, and a long white gown? I’m more than willing to do that, kitten, if it makes you happy.”

Ruby snapped her mouth closed when Leo chuckled. “Is that a proposal?”

“We’re already married, sweetheart, but if you want the formal proposal I can do that.”

Ruby bit her lip. “I need time to think, Leo.” She reached up and smoothed the frown lines on his brow. “I’m not going to run. Didn’t I promise I wouldn’t leave you? I just need to think things through, digest everything you’ve told me. Leo, think about it. It’s been a hell of a week.”

“I love you, Ruby.”

She battled back the tears that started up. His face was totally serious, his eyes sincere and loving despite the hardness of his face. She wasn’t certain she could speak past the sudden lump in her throat.

“Leo…”

“Shhh.” He placed one finger over her lips, his smile lopsided. “You don’t have to say it back, not yet.”

“Shut the hell up.” She felt one of the tears slip past but didn’t care. “You big goob.” Rising, she turned and settled into his lap, cuddling up to him as his arms went around her. “I want us both to wear rings, you hear me?”

“I hear you, kitten.” She felt his sigh of relief as he rested his chin on the top of her head.

“And if you cheat on me I’m cutting off your balls and pickling them.”

His involuntary twitch made her giggle. “Duly noted.”

“Leo?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you too. How the hell did it happen so fast?”

“Does it matter how fast it happened? To me all that matters is that you do.” Leo took her left hand in his and held it out in front of them. Gold sparkles coalesced around their ring fingers until two plain wedding bands appeared. “What design should we make?”

Ruby looked up into his glowing, otherworldly eyes and bit her lip, trying not to laugh. “Horseshoes?”

“Oh, hell.” Leo’s head thumped the back of the chair as the sparkles dissipated.

“With a blue diamond?”

He closed his eyes on a groan. “Ruby.”

“Well, I think ruby balloons would be a bit much, but if that’s what you want…”

He cut her off with a kiss that curled her toes. “I was thinking Celtic knot-work myself.”

“What, not even a green clover?”

Leo nipped her throat. “Look at our hands,” he growled.

Looking down, Ruby gasped. Intricate knot-work rings of white gold sprinkled with white diamonds graced both of their fingers.

“The Celtic knot symbolizes eternity, as does the ring itself.”

“So do the diamonds.” She blinked tears from her eyes as she stared at the beautiful rings his imagination had wrought. “Diamonds are forever.”

“You like them?”

Ruby looked up into Leo’s shining eyes and felt her heart turn over. “Oh, yes. I like them. But, there’s one other ring I’d like made.”

“Which one would that be? Your engagement ring?”

Ruby shook her head. “Read my fantasy, your lordship.”

And Leo’s face filled with tenderness as a second ring landed on his hand. This one was yellow gold, with an oval shaped black stone. The initials RH were carved into the surface of the stone.

Ruby was hardly surprised when she felt the weight of his collar around her neck. Their lips touched, brushed against each other lovingly.

“Mine.”

And ever after, neither was quite certain which one of them said it first.

Leo and Ruby dragged themselves to dinner, both drained and ravenous, a sketch of the wedding bands, ring, and collar in Leo’s hand. He wanted to talk to his father about finding an earth sprite to do the work for them.

Dinner that evening was both a pleasure and a pain, his family adjusting to his mating and welcoming Ruby with open arms. Always present, however, was the spirit of the missing Shane, and more than once Leo had to pull back his own happiness and deal with the pain and loss they were all still experiencing.

Moira tried her best to lighten the mood with her wisecracks, but wasn’t able to get more than a half-hearted smile from his mother, and none at all from his father.

“Well, now, don’t you all look gloomy,” a light tenor voice spoke from the doorway. Turning, Ruby saw a strange man standing in the early twilight, his long red hair bound back with a leather tie, his deep blue eyes gleaming with merriment. He was dressed in black velvet pants and a white poet’s shirt, with black leather boots on his feet. He leaned nonchalantly against the doorjamb watching the Dunne family finish their dinner.

Ruby waved hello to the newcomer. “Hi. Are you a friend of the family?”

She felt Leo tense next to her and wondered what she’d done wrong. The man had come in and was obviously at home here. Wasn’t he a friend?

The man smiled at her sweetly. “Aye, I am. And you’d be the lovely Ruby, I presume?”

Ruby nodded and watched the red-haired man saunter around the table. In his odd getup, with his long red hair, she’d thought him effeminate. Until he moved. He didn’t walk, he prowled, his movements sleek and powerful. He reminded her of a jungle cat.

He reached for her hand, placing a delicate kiss on her knuckles. She noticed that his nails had been painted black. “Charmed, my dear, and congratulations on your mating.” Laughing blue eyes moved to Leo as the man held her hand. “Brightest blessings on your mating, Leo! And congratulations on defeating the Malmaynes!”

“We haven’t defeated the Malmaynes. They still have Shane.” Leo’s eyes never left the red-haired man’s, and Ruby could have sworn she saw fear in them.

“I’m sorry, we haven’t been introduced. You are…?”

“My apologies, my dear. You may call me Robin.”

“Robin?”

“Yes. Robin. Robin Goodfellow, actually.” His expression was pure mischief, his bluer than blue eyes twinkling at her as he waited for her response.

Ruby blinked.

“Dear gods, don’t say it, Ruby.”

She ignored Leo’s whispered command as her lip began to twitch. “Um. I see Shakespeare was wrong. What’s knurly-limbed mean, anyway?”

Robin’s eyes widened for a moment, the twinkle in them deepening. “Want to find out?”

“If it has the same results as liposuction? Maybe.”

Robin’s lips twitched. “Hardly.”

“Oh. Well, then.” Ruby sighed, the twinkle in her eyes matching Robin’s. “So, have you been friends with Leo for long?”

One red brow rose as she waved him to a chair. Without thinking, Ruby got up and poured him and Leo a cup of coffee. “Not for long, no.” Ruby noticed his voice was thoughtful as she handed him the cup.

He nodded his thanks in a curiously formal gesture.

“Oh, well, we’re planning on formalizing our binding with a ceremony once the problem with the Malmaynes is resolved. You’ll come, right?”

She ignored Leo’s choking and the Dunne’s silence as she waited for Robin’s answer.

His eyes dancing with unholy amusement, Robin replied, “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

“I like your bondmate.” Leo headed out onto the front porch, the Hob following closely behind. “Few there are that aren’t terrified of me.”

Leo turned his head long enough to see Robin’s face. Though his expression was relaxed, Robin’s eyes were serious. “You’re welcome to come.”

Robin’s gaze sharpened, softening when he realized Leo meant it. “My thanks, Dunne.” Wicked merriment filled the Hob’s face. “I’m sure I’ll be able to come up with a suitable wedding present.”

Leo groaned.

“But that isn’t why I came.” Robin perched on the railing, balancing on the balls of his feet as he crouched, his head cocked to the side as he stared at Leo. “First, the Malmaynes are not taking your truebond lightly. I fear they may make a move against your Ruby.”

Leo’s eyes glowed green, his glamour forgotten. “I see. I’ll take care of that. And the other?”

Robin looked delighted. “Rumor has it that the Malmayne’s caged bird has flown, but where he’s flown to is a mystery.”

“Shane’s free?” Leo couldn’t quite believe it, but if the Hob said it was so then he’d have to.

“Aye, which is why I believe they will make a move on your woman. They will need new leverage to get you to agree to their terms.” Robin looked down at his black nails. “So, what did you think of Kaitlynn and Cullen?”

Leo sighed. “Cullen is indulging Kaitlynn in this, I think. He would be willing, if not happy, to have Shane or Moira fulfill the contract, but Kaitlynn seems fixed on me.”

“It’s that pretty face of yours. She covets it.”

“She can’t have it.” Leo stared out at the night sky. “Why did you agree to help us?”

Robin chuckled, the first genuine expression Leo had seen on that pretty face. “I owed your mother a favor for something she’s not even certain she did.” Robin looked up at Leo, his eyes glowing green. “The Hob always pays his debts. Always.”

And with that, quick as he’d come, the Hob was gone, his voice floating back on the evening breeze.

“Remember: there is another Malmayne.”

Jaden blinked, feeling totally put upon. Where the fuck are you, Duncan? “You want me to what?”

Kaitlynn sighed, totally exasperated. “Bring me the little human whore, stuff her in the cage Shane was in, and leave her to me. Even someone of your limited intellect can understand that order, yes?”

Jaden snarled. “Careful, sweet cheeks.”

He shuddered once again when she smiled. There was just something…off…about her that made him think of spiders.

Jaden hated spiders.

“Bring me the girl, stuff her in a cage, and forget about her. Understand, Mr. Blackthorn?”

Jaden took a deep breath. He did not like the direction her thoughts, obvious on her face, were going.

“Duncan will not be happy if we hurt an innocent girl.”

That saccharine sweet expression crossed her face once again, and Jaden wondered where Daddy Dearest had gotten to. Cullen was one of the few people capable of dealing with the Deranged Darling.

“Duncan can go to hell. Do what I told you, vampire.”

Jaden did his best to mimic her smile. “No.”

He was pretty sure the slap she landed on his face was supposed to hurt. It probably would have left a bruise on a Sidhe face. On a vampire, it was barely noticeable. “Do as I tell you or I call Mr. West.”

The fact that the threat was delivered in the same sickly sweet tones she normally spoke in only made her seem creepier. Time was running out on Kaitlynn Malmayne.

If it wasn’t for Duncan, the bitch would already be dead. It was becoming his damn mantra. If it wasn’t for Duncan, if it wasn’t for Duncan…

Jaden turned and stormed out of her office and out of the house. He headed straight towards his car, a classic black Mustang. As soon as he was off Malmayne land he pulled out his cell phone.

“Duncan? Jaden. Where the hell are you? Get your ass to Nebraska. We have more trouble.”

He was worried. Duncan hadn’t responded mentally in almost a week. Wherever he was, he was out of range of their bond and a cell phone tower.

Or he was dead. In which case Jaden had every intention of finding the person or persons responsible and making them pay in exquisitely painful ways.

“Contact Duncan? But why?” Aileen’s voice was tight with anxiety and hope.

“I don’t know, but Robin mentioned it just before he left. He said, and I quote, ‘There is another Malmayne.’”

Ruby watched Leo pace back and forth before the sofa. His parents sat together on it, Sean’s hand resting firmly on top of Aileen’s clasped ones. Ruby had the impression he was keeping her from wringing her fingers to pieces. Moira was currently reading in her room. Ruby knew that the pressure of Leo’s mating and Shane’s continued absence was beginning to tell on her.

“Maybe he meant Duncan and Moira could fulfill the contract.” Ruby turned back to Leo to catch his reaction.

“Oh, no! Duncan’s much too old for Moira!” Aileen’s voice was very firm.

“Um, no offense, but you guys live practically forever. What would age have to do with it?”

“Moira’s barely fifty years old!”

Leo nodded. “Anyone under fifty is considered a child still.”

“What does that make you? A precocious teenager?”

Leo’s expression heated. “Yup. Wait until I hit my prime.”

“Oh, hell.” Ruby rolled her eyes. “So how old is Duncan?”

“Duncan Malmayne is over five hundred years old.”

Ruby whistled. “Wow. A mature man, huh?” She ignored Leo’s growl and focused on Aileen. “So he’d have to wait to claim her?”

Aileen looked absolutely horrified. “My Moira couldn’t handle a man like Duncan Malmayne!”

Ruby smiled tightly. “Moira could handle just about anything.” She still hadn’t quite forgiven Moira for the pain she’d caused Leo, despite the fact that they’d apparently made up. She turned to Sean. “Do leprechauns mature more quickly than Sidhe?”

Sean nodded reluctantly. “Yes. By fifty we’re considered adults, but our life spans are shorter than the Sidhe.”

Ruby looked at Aileen, who had “stubborn refusal” written all over her face. She shrugged. “It was just a thought.”

“Perhaps he meant Duncan could help us get Kaitlynn off my back.” Leo ran both hands through his hair, tugging on it in frustration. “I just wish Shane was back already.”

“Can we take the Hob’s word for it that Shane is free?” Sean’s voice and expression were skeptical.

Leo nodded. “Yeah, Robin still feels he owes Mom for something, so I believe him. Besides,” Leo shot an irritated look at Ruby, “he likes my wife.”

Ruby grinned. “Your wife likes him, too.” And despite their conversation that one word sent a thrill through her. She was married to Leo Dunne.

Granted, in the human world it wasn’t legal, but they’d be taking care of that once Shane was home.

Leo tried to stare her down, one black brow rising arrogantly. “Don’t like him too much.”

She blew him a kiss just as Sean bolted up from the sofa.

“Sean?” Aileen’s face was full of fear as she stared at her husband.

“I feel Shane!”

Ruby got to see just how quickly a leprechaun could move on his land. Sean disappeared so quickly she didn’t even see a blur.

Leo said something to his mother in that lyrical language Ruby didn’t know then ran out the door after his father at a much more human pace. Aileen and Ruby stared at each other, Aileen’s eyes filled with hope and dread.

“What’s happening?” Moira’s voice came from the top of the stairs. She made her way down, a light frown on her face. “I just saw Dad run like a bat out of hell down the drive, with Leo right behind him.”

“Shane.” Aileen beamed at her daughter, tears in her eyes. “Your father sensed Shane.”

Moira gasped, her hand clenching on the banister. “He’s sure?”

At Aileen’s nod, Moira let out a war-whoop that practically shook the house. “Where is he?”

“Right behind me, darling.”

Jaden watched the human, Ruby, turn to face him. He was leaning against the doorjamb, making sure to keep his body out of the Dunne house. Some vampires really did have to be invited inside, and he was hoping this would lull the women into a false sense of security.

“Shane?” Ruby tried to peer around him, her expression happy. He hated that very soon he’d be forced to wipe that expression from her face.

“Shane’s not there,” Aileen answered. She stepped forward, her Sidhe power wrapped around her like a golden cloak. “Get away from my house, vampire.” Aileen began to glow. The golden flecks sprinkling her skin held a life of their own as they danced in a hypnotic pattern, one that Jaden ignored. He smirked at Aileen, keeping it smug even though he felt anything but.

“Of course.” His gaze drifted over to Ruby. “As soon as the girl comes out.” His eyes changed, black growing impossibly blacker, pulling his prey to him. “Come here, girl.”

His voice was seduction itself, a promise that coiled around the woman’s senses and tightened, drawing her forward one hesitant step at a time.

“I don’t think so, vampire.”

He blinked at the vision of redheaded fury standing between him and his prey. Moira Dunne growled, positioning herself in front of Ruby, ready to defend her sister-in-law to the death.

Jaden tsk’d. It wouldn’t do to let Moira know he was impressed. It took a lot of guts for a Sidhe that young to stand up to a fully mature vampire, no matter the circumstances. “Get out of the way, sweetheart.

I’m not here for you.”

“Are you kidding me? Do you know what my brother would do if I let someone like you touch his mate? Hell, he’ll probably be pissed you breathed the same air.”

Jaden didn’t bother to hide his fangs as they dropped down. “Sidhe. So stuck up.” He focused his will on Moira and pulled. “Come out here, my pretty. Come to me, sweet.” His gaze remained locked on her face though it longed to roam over her luscious curves. “I’ve always been partial to redheads.”

Moira began to move forward. He heard a gasp of fear.

“No!” Aileen pushed Ruby out of the way in a desperate attempt to get to her daughter, causing Ruby to stumble. Moira turned and, without blinking, backhanded her mother into the wall.

Huh. Wonder what that’s all about. Apparently Moira had some unresolved issues with her mother.

He didn’t bother hiding his grin. Aileen had already made her opinion of him known.

Aileen slumped to the ground, dazed, as Moira continued forward.

“I thought you preferred brunettes?” Ruby asked, obviously trying to get his attention off Moira.

Jaden kept his eyes on what he suspected was the real prize in the Dunne house. “Sorry, sweet. I’ve always had a thing for feisty redheads.” Moira started to step over the threshold and into the vampire’s waiting arms.

“Oh, hell.” Ruby ran forward, pushing in front of Moira. “Leave her alone, Bunnicula, I’m here.”

Jaden blinked, accidentally breaking his thrall on Moira. “Bunnicula? Bunnicula? Do I look like the type to suck on carrots?”

Moira shuddered and stepped back. “I don’t know. Bunnicula seems pretty appropriate. How many carrots have you sucked on?” And she smirked in that annoying way that men everywhere recognized.

“Women.” Jaden shook his head sadly. “They don’t pay me enough for this shit.” He glared at Ruby.

“Come on out here and let’s get this over with.”

“No.” Moira pulled Ruby back, once again standing in front of her.

Jaden sighed. Damn. Now I’m going to have to bruise that porcelain skin. “You know, I tried to do this nicely. Now I’m just going to have to do it the other way.” And with that, he stepped over the threshold, his eyes once again glowing red.

“Um, I thought he couldn’t come in here without an invitation.” Ruby backed up warily.

“Wrong kind of vampire, apparently,” Moira breathed, backing up along with her.

“Apparently.” Jaden crooked a finger at Ruby, allowing the nail to grow into a long, black claw. He had no intention of actually using his claws on either girl, but damn if they weren’t great for intimidation.

He only hoped they worked. “Come here, girl. Someone wants to see you.”

“No!” And Moira rushed him, determination in every line of her small body.

Moira knew some kick boxing from the way she used her feet. Jaden was beyond impressed. She lashed out with a spinning heel kick that would have knocked the head off a lesser being, one not meant to be a soldier in the Dark Queen’s army.

Fortunately, thanks to his son-of-a-bitch sire, her ploy didn’t work. All it did was rock his head on his neck. He moved to block her next strike, holding his greater strength in check. It had to be obvious to Moira that she was going to lose. He could see it in her face that she knew she couldn’t defeat him, but that rock solid determination to keep him away from her sister-in-law still burned brightly enough to really impress him.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ruby dash out of the house, screaming for lover-boy at the top of her lungs.

Perfect.

Time to end this. Jaden put Moira down as gently as he could, knocking her out with the least amount of damage he could inflict.

He stared down at Moira with a wicked smile. “Beautiful, brave Moira.” He brushed his hands through her hair, reluctant to leave her behind.

She’d proven herself to him. Now he was going to prove himself to her.

He pressed a soft kiss to her lips just before he sank his teeth into her neck.

That kiss promised that they weren’t done. Not by a long shot.

“You shouldn’t have interfered, beautiful.” He stroked her hair away from her forehead, his expression hot and possessive. He licked her sweet leprechaun blood from his lips. He’d forgotten that about her, though he’d never forget it again. He pressed a soft kiss to her unresponsive lips. “I’ll be seeing you soon.”

“Leo! Leo! Help me!” Ruby ran screaming, knowing somehow that hiding wouldn’t work against the creature that pursued her.

Ruby felt a strong wind pass her by and she stopped, hoping against hope that Sean was heading back to the house.

The roar that came from the Dunne house had the hair on the back of her neck standing on end. The ground beneath her feet buckled and heaved. Sean was letting loose his anger in a very visible way. Ruby gasped out a sob and turned back towards the house, every fiber of her being calling out for her mate.

“Ruby?” She turned, nearly falling. Leo’s arms came around her, protecting her. “Shhh. It’s okay, kitten, I have you.”

“There’s a vampire in the house with your mother and sister,” she gasped out, falling against him and hugging him to her so tightly she was surprised his ribs didn’t crack.

She felt him stiffen. “Vampire? In Dad’s house?”

She nodded, still gasping for breath. Running was so not her forte. “Uh-huh. Moira fought him.”

“Holy hell.” And Leo took off running towards the house.

Leaving her alone on the dark driveway, half a mile from the house. “Oh no.”

A dark figure stepped onto the driveway, its eyes glowing an eerie red. “Hello, beautiful.” The vampire sighed, his voice pulling her into his arms.

“Ruby!” Leo ran back down the drive, horrified. His mate was in a strange car, being driven away.

Being taken from him. The ground at his feet rippled with his anger. If he’d been faster, he could have stopped the vampire. But this wasn’t his land, and what little leprechaun blood that did run through his veins wasn’t enough to save her. Leo gritted his teeth, knowing his own stupidity in leaving her in the driveway had led to her abduction. He began running back towards the house and his car, his only thought to get to his wife.

The vampire would pay for taking what was his.

Jaden looked at the woman sleeping next to him and grimaced. Leo was going to take his head off his shoulders for drugging his bondmate, but it was the only way he could think of to get the woman to Kaitlynn without hurting her. Her mind was fairly strong. Getting her to walk calmly off Dunne land, without alerting Sean Dunne to his presence, had taken most of his strength. He’d had just enough left to get her to swallow the roofie he’d brought with him before seating her in the car and taking off.

Thank the gods he’d had a taste of sexy leprechaun before leaving the ole homestead, or he would never have pulled it off.

Damn, but Moira made him hot. Just picturing her lips in that maddening sneer gave him a hell of a hard-on. Add that glorious red-gold hair, that pale, smooth complexion, and blue eyes a man could drown in, and you had one happy, horny vampire. She fought like a she-cat to defend her sister-in-law and mother, something Jaden could admire even as he deplored the need for it.

Damn Kaitlynn for making him meet a woman like that under circumstances like these. He wished he could tell her he was on her side, but he couldn’t.

Not yet.

He could feel, through the light blood bond he’d established, that Moira was well. He could feel her irritation at being fussed over, her fear of what he’d do to Ruby, and did his best to send his reassurances down the light link he’d established with his bite. He’d keep Ruby safe, if only because she meant something to the feisty redhead.

If Duncan didn’t come back soon Jaden was going to kill Kaitlynn personally and damn the consequences. Either way, he had every intention of coming back to Dunne land and finishing what he’d started with their daughter.

With a grin, Jaden wondered how Duncan would react to his blood-bonding the leprechaun. He couldn’t wait to find out.

He had the feeling the two of them were going to like each other.

By the time Leo made it back to the house, Shane had arrived. The vampire had told the truth about that, at least. Once they had a weary, battered Moira and an equally weary Shane settled in the kitchen, the vampire was well away from the farm. But at least Leo now knew where the vampire had more than likely taken his wife.

Leo, his eyes filled with equal measures of fury and fear, dialed the number his mother handed him.

“Duncan Malmayne? My name is Leo Dunne. I’m going to kill your sister.” Leo quietly shut the phone, ignoring his mother’s gasp. He turned on his heel and headed towards his car.

Kaitlynn Malmayne had gone too far, and now she was going to die.