Desired by Shadow (A Shadow Walkers Novel) (30 page)

Angus clapped him on the back. “Do ye have to ask, Cap’n? Course I’m in. What are we after?”

Maggie had made her way back to them and heard Angus. She smiled. “I see he’s persuaded you to join in this madness.”

Angus nodded at her, rubbing his hands together. “I’ve dreamed of a grand adventure all my life.”

“Um-hm. Well, did he tell you about the dragon guarding the treasure?”

The man’s eyes gleamed. “Truly, Cap’n? I never thought I’d encounter anything so interesting in my lifetime. Where is the wee beastie? Let’s have a go.”

Robert chuckled as Maggie rolled her eyes, throwing her hands up in the air. “You two are unbelievable. We’ll be lucky if we aren’t eaten or burnt to ash.”

In the kitchen of Dante Import/Export, Bruce hit end on his mobile and threw the plate containing his sandwich against the wall. The shattering pottery was as loud as a gunshot, making the three other men seated around the table jump and take cover. “Damn stupid boy.” He snatched a drink out of the fridge, draining half of it in one long swallow. After spending a year over the pond, he’d come to love cold lite beer.

The men looked at him, questions evident in their faces. “That was Solien. Even after we taught Ned a lesson, he turned on us. The only bit of good news—at least the boy took care of Maggie but then, the cheek, the lad took a shot at Fury. Of course the nasty beast ate him.” He was thoughtful. Ned had seemed sworn to the cause, especially after losing two fingers. The boy was eager to prove himself part of the team. If he’d had to guess, he would never have picked Ned as a turncoat.

The mobile jangled again, jarring him from his thoughts. “Bruce here.” He listened, anger spreading across his face. He felt the rage building, starting as a ball of fire in his gut, moving up into his chest and neck. He swore he could feel the blood in his veins boiling, beating in time with his heart. Hanging up, the bile bubbling up in his throat, he swallowed. Cocking his arm back to throw the phone against the wall, he thought better of it and pocketed the offending piece of technology.

Appetite gone, he grabbed the rest of the six-pack and cracked the next one open. Turning to address his men, he pushed the palms of his hands to his eye sockets. “Shit bag Shadow Walkers destroyed our largest locations in Paris and London. If that weren’t insulting enough, they took out Edinburgh too. All of our hard work, ruined in a matter of days. And they stole all the kids. I want extra guards at every remaining location. We’re sending out full squads. No one goes out alone. Understood?” He shot a look at each man. When they nodded he finished. “They haven’t hit the industrial site in Glasgow yet. I’ve had the rest of the people moved and left a rather nasty surprise there for them. Tell your crews, pass the word. Be glad Solien didn’t share the news in person.” He cringed. The demon was the angriest Bruce had ever heard and when he was angry…

Paris was beautiful in the winter. Thorne manifested clean clothing and a rare smile leaked out the corner of his mouth. Dayne had to know by now. Did he really think he could get away with kidnapping and killing humans with no consequences?

His brother thought he was the only one with informants. Thorne had been hearing disturbing reports from his Shadow Walkers and put out feelers of his own. The news wasn’t good. He’d been preoccupied for far too long. It was time to take action.

By Terya, it was Luna. Only a fleeting glimpse but she’d manifested in her temple. She wouldn’t speak to him but she’d seen him, had to have known how much regret flowed through his veins. Making things right with her—it would go a long way to show her how he’d helped the humans. Gone to such lengths to save humanity. Surely it would present him in a favorable light? Filled with optimism for the first time in millennia, he was in arm’s reach to destroy his brother.

The sound of Jasper’s voice brought him back to the present. He inclined his head.

“Appreciate the help. Do you have enough men in place to guard both locations?”

“We do. Both locations are ready.”

A small mademoiselle, no more than four, approached Jasper, tugging on his hand. “Pardon moi, may dolly have a glass of milk?” Thorne smiled as Jasper knelt down to her level. She was a beautiful child. Blonde hair, blue eyes, innocence still present. Her parents were inside. The family was reunited, bent not broken. Manifesting a large mug of milk, Jasper handed it to the little angel. “For the princess.” The girl giggled.

Thorne patted her on the head and dematerialized to London.

The children were settling in nicely and efforts underway to reunite any who still had parents. The rest would be cared for, protected. The workers Kendrick had hired were efficient. A pang hit him hard. The warrior was one of his most favored truth be told. To lose him to the in-between, to become a wraith. His face hardened. Terya, his dear mother, wouldn’t interfere. Thorne didn’t have the power to do it himself, only she did. But no, she spouted some line about the fates and each soul has a destiny set forth in the stars. He would have liked to see Kendrick’s face when the first children were liberated and taken to safety. The Norman knight’s hired men were standing in the courtyard of the fallen warrior’s castle watching him. He cleared his throat, voice gruff, unused to kindness. “’Tis a job well done. Kendrick would have been proud.”

One of the men, a mason, lifted his head and addressed Thorne. “We know Lord Kendrick’s body wasn’t recovered but we made a stone for him.” The man pointed to a newly set stone over the door. Not a traditional headstone, this was in shape of a shield, inscribed,
ille qui nos omnes servabit
or ‘he who will protect us all’. ‘Twas fitting. Kendrick bravely protected humanity. “Kendrick would have approved.” Bidding them farewell, he walked down the street before dematerializing. No need for them to realize he was
more
.

After stopping at a large manor home in the highlands of Scotland to give the worker’s the same speech, he dematerialized to visit Terya in her realm. Otherwise known as his mother.

Time for a little chat with her regarding his dearest brother. He called out down the long hallway. The marble floors were made varying shades of green to mimic the outdoors. The walls a colorful mosaic suggesting trees, flowers, and shrubs. The ceiling soared and was done in shades of blue, white and gray. The colors seemed to shift based on her mood. From stormy to clear. Right now he was in luck. The ceiling showed a clear blue sky with the sun shining, not a cloud in sight. Outside her realm was a perfect, unspoiled world. Verdant forests and meadows gave way to grassy plains and mountains. There were rich swamps and beautiful beaches. Every creature known and some unknown were afforded sanctuary here with her. The only other beings were his mother’s attendants.

His footsteps echoed down the empty hallways. Where was everyone? Thorne turned onto a brilliant yellow floor leading outside to one of her favorite gardens. Pushing open the doors, he stood on the threshold a moment, savoring the sun on his face, the sea breeze rustling his shirt. The sound of waves gently lapping the shore were a balm to his tortured soul. Terya was stretched out in a hammock, dressed in a sheer gown of palest yellow. Her long silver hair laced with diamonds, blew in the breeze, fluttering around her. And one ethereal foot hung over the edge swinging in time to the waves.

“Mother. He’s gone too far this time. You cannot let Dayne continue with this folly. When will you punish him for his deeds? I demand my right to challenge him to combat…to the death.”

Terya held a hand up across her forehead and looked up at him with her silver eyes, the color of a winter storm, before answering. “Thorne, how lovely to see you, whatever is the matter?”

Reining in his temper, he tried again. “He is enslaving the humans, turning them into cattle. Allowing his Day Walkers to freely feed and kill them. Kidnapping children. It’s outrageous. Why aren’t you punishing him?”

A hammock appeared next to hers. Between them, a table held icy cold drinks. Beer for him and honeyed wine for her. Terya motioned to the hammock. “Relax.”

She could be so infuriating but if he didn’t play the game her way, he’d get nothing from her. Kicking off his shoes with a sigh, he looked down at himself and changed his clothing from jeans and a sweater to a pair of surf shorts and sunglasses. His natural platinum skin glowing under the sun, turning to polished silver. His blue tattoos swirled in the sunlight, changing to various colors of blues, greens, and purples to match the sea around him. Picking up the beer, he drained half of it. Settling himself in the hammock, he forced his voice to come out steady, calm.

“Mother, why haven’t you done anything? The humans are yours just as the other creatures who inhabit earth belong to you.”

When she answered him, her voice sounded like the water, trickling over the boulders around them. “My darling son, we all have choices to make in life. Choices that carry great power. Power to heal or destroy. There must always be balance. Without sun there can be no rain just as without pain there can be no joy. As you must live your life, Dayne must live his. The choices we make define us and have the power to change humanity’s fate.”

He pushed out of the hammock and stood facing the vast ocean. Did she want humanity destroyed? Did she even care any longer? Terya used to walk among humans, blessing those she found worthy but it had been a long time, eons since she’d done it. Well, Emily was an exception. Maybe she was coming out of this strange ennui that held her for so long, leaving her content to sit back and watch. Never venturing out of her realm. Letting Dayne do as he pleased. Finishing another beer, he sighed, turning to her.

“So you won’t become involved, no matter what? Will you even come see what he’s done?”

A graceful hand reached out and touched his shoulder. “I will walk amongst humanity.” He thanked her. “Thorne?” He looked down at her. “Talk to your brother, it’s time to make amends.”

His tattoos flashed an angry red before turning such a dark shade of blue, they looked black against his skin. “Amends. After what he’s done. I’ll never forgive him. Not even after I kill him.”

Instead of answering, she looked at him, seeming to stare into his very core. He looked away first. Her voice was soft when she spoke. “You believe Luna is returned.” It was a statement. He paced in the sand, small crabs and sandpipers scurrying out of his way.

“She was standing in her temple as beautiful as ever but she wouldn’t speak to me. After all this time, she still won’t forgive me.” His voice broke at the end. When he left here, he was going back to the temple. She had to talk to him. To listen. To let him make it right.

Terya stood and hugged him tight. He dwarfed her, her head barely coming to his chest. “How can Luna forgive you when you won’t forgive yourself?” He didn’t have an answer for her. Releasing him, she walked to the waters edge and spoke to the dolphin’s playing in the shallows. He almost missed her words. “Living in the past, you never learn to see the present.”

And another statement he didn’t have an answer to. He lived in the now. If he didn’t, things would be much worse, humanity would cease to exist. He kept the tide from turning. Maybe his mother had one thing right—it was time for he and Dayne to have…what did Colin’s adorable wife call it? Oh yes, a come to Jesus meeting. His face set in stone, he materialized back into old, faded jeans and a sweater. Best to look like he didn’t care. If he showed up in armor, dear brother would know the war was on. Thorne would come at him from a gesture of conciliation. Though the only reconciliation his brother would ever get from him was a dagger to the heart. Daggers in the pockets of his coat, Thorne pictured his brother’s throne room and decided to pay him a little visit.

Rosslyn Chapel was closing for the day. Ducking into a secret panel against the back wall, they waited until the last worker locked up and left. “Good thing I brought me maps, they show a tunnel under the chapel. We can use it to escape the wee beastie.” Angus was grinning from ear to ear, so excited he was practically vibrating off the floor.