Dark Deceiver (23 page)

Kade blinked, then nodded. He squeezed his eyes closed, feeling the moisture track down his cheeks. His love for her filled him so completely it threatened to absorb his entire being. With everything inside him, every ounce of strength he possessed, he pushed his heart and soul into her through his hands.

Still, it wasn't enough.

He lay down beside her, lifting their joined hands to her head and pressed his fingers against her temples. Then he lowered his head and covered her warm, still lips with his mouth.

Live, Autumn. You. Must. Live. I love you more than life. Beyond measure.

Against her mouth, he whispered, “Live for me. I love you.
I love you.
”

He kissed her, willing her to live as the tears flowed freely down his cheeks.

A slight movement against his mouth made him freeze. Had he imagined it?

No.
Autumn's mouth moved ever so slightly against his. Joy exploded through him. “Autumn…”

He kissed her, pouring his love into her. Her lips moved again, stronger moment by moment until she was kissing him back thoroughly, her tongue sliding into his mouth, her arms sliding around his neck to pull him close.

He wanted to shout and laugh and rejoice.

He pulled back from her kiss to gaze into her eyes, searching for assurance that he wasn't imagining her recovery. Gray eyes shining with love stared back at him.

He brushed a loose tendril of hair from her face. “Are you okay?”

“Yes. Did we win?”

“Zander is no more. But Ustanis has the draggon. And he's gone through the gate.” In his peripheral vision he saw the flamethrowers in the hands of the Sitheen. With a jolt, his desire to laugh died. He kissed her one more time, a brief outpouring of his love, then he stood and helped her to her feet.

Autumn at his side, he faced the Sitheen. “I believe the six lesser stones of power are still here. The pale green stones lying in a circle around the fountain. But the draggon stone has gone through the gate. If Ustanis is still close by, I may be able to get it back. I'm your only chance.”

Charlie raised his flamethrower. “You're not going anywhere.”

The other three Sitheen moved around him until he and Autumn stood at the center of the deadly circle. And he knew it was over. These were the people who must fight this war, not him. Chances were slim he'd make it through the gate and back with the draggon stone before it closed. And once in Esria, he would soon be destroyed for having ended Zander. His life was over either way.

He pulled Autumn against him and kissed her hard, one last time, feeling her warm body pressed against his, wishing he could stop time right this moment. He gazed down into her gray eyes and felt his heart break at the loss, at the knowledge he would never touch her again. “I love you, Autumn McGinn. Now, go.” Releasing her, he gave her a gentle push toward Larsen.

But she held her ground stubbornly. “No way. They're not going to hurt you.”

She didn't understand. “Autumn…this is the way it must be.” He looked to Jack for help. “I won't fight you. But I don't want her to watch.”

Autumn whirled to him, then back to the others. “You're not going to kill him. My God, after all you've seen, after all he's done, you've got to see he's not evil. He's a good man. He risked his life…he
forfeited
his life in his world in order to help us.”

“He's Esri,” Harrison spat.

“Actually…he's only half Esri,” Jack said, his tone strangely conversational. He was the only one of the Sitheen whose flamethrower remained at his side. “And if we kill him, I'm going to have a riot erupting in my head.”

“What do you mean?” Larsen asked.

Kade's pulse raced with tension. He'd accepted his fate. What was this game?

Jack shrugged, an almost-smile forming on his mouth as he met Kade's gaze. “It seems we're related, Kaderil.”

“Why are you calling me Kaderil?” Kade stared at the man…the human. “Related?”

Jack cocked his head. “Have you ever heard the name Malcolm?”

“Yes.” Zander had said the name often enough. “Who is he?”

“You don't know?”

“I know only that Zander blamed a human named Malcolm for the death of his mate.”

Jack stood as if listening to a voice only he could hear. Slowly he started to nod. “Malcolm killed several Esri when they attacked his village fifteen hundred years ago. Zander's mate might well have been one of them.”

Kade stared at him. “Isn't Malcolm the name of one of the ancestors who talks to you in your head?”

Jack nodded. “My oldest Sitheen ancestor and the one who's best able to answer my questions.”

“But what does this have to do with me?”

Jack did smile now. “He was your father, Kaderil.”

Kade stared at him, his jaw dropping. “I had no father.”

“Yeah, he's sorry about that. Your mother was also half Esri, but immortality passes along the maternal side and she was immortal. She had to return to Esria to birth you. While there, she learned of Zander's plot to attack your father's village. She left you behind, where you'd be safe, and returned to warn your father. But she was captured by a Sitheen who didn't know her and destroyed her before your father could save her. Your father tried to find a way to get to you, but humans can't travel through the gates unescorted, and the Esri and humans were at war in that place. Soon after, the gates were sealed and you were lost to him. He never forgot you, never stopped worrying about you.”

Jack moved toward him, his tension gone. “Apparently, when I shook your hand on the roof that first time, your father recognized you. He lied and told me you were Sitheen, fearing I'd kill you if I knew you were immortal.” His expression turned grave. “I would have.”

Kade shook his head, his mind reeling from this revelation. “He took a terrible risk. I was sent to kill you. To kill all of you.”

“He suspected that.” Jack laughed and shrugged. “He hoped we'd work it out.”

“And have we?”

“I think maybe we have.” Jack's gaze went to Autumn. “You trust him?”

She slid her arms around Kade's waist, filling him with overwhelming gratitude. Never in his life had he had someone stand beside him. Believe in him.

“I trust him. More than that, I
know
him. I've seen inside him, Jack. He's as fine an ally as humans could ever hope to have.”

Jack pursed his lips and nodded slowly. “Your father says you've made him proud, Kaderil. He's glad, after all this time, you're finally home.”

“Home.” The word felt alien to his tongue and yet the hope that blossomed inside him was unbearably fragile. He was half human. As human as he was Esri.

“It's up to you, of course,” Jack said. “But I'm thinking Autumn would be very happy if you stayed.”

“Hot damn,” Charlie said. “We've got us our very own Esri.”

Kade shook his head. “I would stay. There is nothing I wish more. But Ustanis took the draggon stone through the gate, and I must try to retrieve it before he gives it to King Rith. Rith will cause great destruction to your world with those stones.”

Autumn looked up at him, her eyes filling with misery. “But they'll kill you. You said yourself it's forbidden to kill another Esri.”

“Esri!” Larsen yelled. “They're coming through again.”

Kade swung toward the gate as the Sitheen raised their flamethrowers. But standing ghostlike in the fountain was only one Esri, Ustanis's young son. He stood half in this world and half in the other, out of danger from the Sitheen's fire.

“It's the kid,” Autumn gasped. Charlie started forward and Autumn yelled, “Charlie, no!” The youth's image dimmed until Charlie stopped, then grew more solid again. The boy's wary gaze slowly moved from the warrior to Autumn.

“My lady. I gave you my vow to repay your kindness. My father, Ustanis, gave me leave to give you this.” He threw something out of the fountain, a chain that glittered in the moonlight and landed on the pavement with a soft clatter. A moment later, he disappeared.

Charlie rushed forward. “It's the draggon stone! The Esri gave back the draggon stone.”

Autumn whirled to Kade, laughing, her face a mask of surprised delight. Love for her welled to overflowing and he lifted her high and swung her around. When he set her on her feet, she hugged him tightly.

“I owe you an apology, Autumn.” Jack's tone was full of wry appreciation. “I thought you'd made a mistake by letting that kid go. But I think you may have just saved us all.”

“Thanks, Jack.” Autumn's joy shimmered over her in waves.

“Uh…that draggon stone went through the gate.” Charlie strolled back to join them. “Wasn't that thing the key that was supposed to open all twelve gates if it ever again entered Esria?”

They all looked at one another with dismay.

“I guess we'll know soon enough,” Jack said. His gaze swung to Kade and Autumn. “Are you two on board? We're going to need you. Both of you.”

Autumn looked up, meeting Kade's gaze with laughter in her eyes. “They need us.”

He nodded, love misting his vision. “No one will ever need you as much as I. Come.” He took her hand and pulled her a short distance from the others. “For the first time in my life, I have a place and a people. And a purpose I believe in. But none of that means anything without you. Will you be my mate, my wife, Autumn McGinn?”

Love shone from her eyes. “There's nothing I want more. I would be honored, Kaderil, to be your wife.”

He smiled. “Kade. Kaderil was Esri. Kade is human. And while we both love you, Kade is the one who belongs here, in this world.” He kissed her. “By your side.”

Autumn grinned, tears overflowing her eyes. “I love you, Kade.”

And he knew he'd found his true place at last.