Dianthe Rising (20 page)

“Great,” he chuckled. “I’m downstairs. Do you want to head out with me for a while if you’re not busy?" My eyes slid passively over the two men who were both glaring daggers at me, I smiled.

“Yeah, I would love to go out with you, Daniel.”

An uncomplicated night out sounded divine. "Give me ten minutes and I will meet you downstairs.”

“Sure thing, sweet lips,” he purred.

Gahh... What was it with cheesy endearments from these guys? Did they take classes?

A silly smile crossed my face before I told him bye and hung up. Finally, I looked at Robin and Kale and gave them my adopted mother’s classic Irish death stare.

“I’m leaving and I am going to have a nice evening with Daniel. I suggest that you two boys…” I pointed to both of them, “go somewhere private and sort this out.”

I waved my hand at the general destruction of the room. “Fix this first though. This is ending right now. Kale you mated me. I turned my head so he could see the scarring on my neck. Robin you mated me. I raised my arm so they could both see the marks. We are a family, and while families fight and squabbled, this, this unacceptable. Talk, fight, hell, make out. I do not care. Go get it out of your systems or there is no us. I refuse to be part of a relationship where I’m a bone of contention. Do you understand?” I said the last deadly quiet.

They both stood there stock still, like a deer caught in headlights.

“Answer me damn it,” I yelled at them.

“Yes,” they both spoke lowly.

“Good. I do not like to argue, it hurts me and I don’t want to be in a situation where I’m always hurting. I refuse to be a victim. My mum raised me to take charge of my family and make sure their needs are met. We are not there and if you boys can’t get there, then you’re not going to be part of my family. Got it?”

Two heads nodded and I finished with, “Good I’m leaving now. The next time I see you it better be with an understanding between you two or not at all.”

With that, I turned around, back straight, and walked out of the room. The sensation of my heart cracking as I did hurt, but I needed to be strong.

I walked down the stairs and made my way to the front lobby. Daniel was standing at reception waiting on me. His eyes lit up when he saw me.

“Wow, you look amazing, Dia. Is this a special occasion?”

“Depends on what you call a special occasion.”

I held up my left arm and I showed him the markings. “Evidently I just got married.”

“What?” He opened and closed his mouth. After a moment, he guessed. “Robin?”

“You would be correct. In addition, you may want to have a heads up on the fact I have added another member to my polygamist relationship. I would totally understand if you want to call it quits right now.”

Daniel took my hand in his. “How about this, we go somewhere, sit down, and you can unload on me. Feel free to rant and afterwards we can make any important decisions.”

I found it impossible to believe how well he was taking this. Therefore, I totally forgot my mental filter. “Are you serious? You really don’t want to cut and run?”

“No, sexy, I don’t. I may not have a scooby what is going on but I am more than willing to sit down and listen. I want you, Dia. After Saturday night, I figured there would be strings attached. I do suggest we find somewhere private to talk though. I’ve got a feeling what needs to be said is not for public consumption?”

“Yeah, you could say that,” I moaned. “I’ve no clue where to go. My place is probably not the best for privacy as they both realize where it is. You got any bright ideas?”

“Well, unless you want to go back to my place?"

I shook my head no. If we went to his, there would be very little talking done.

“How well do you know Hyde Park?”

“Ummm, I’ve been there a few times during the summer but that’s about it. Well," he said, "I just happen to be familiar with a few little hidey holes in the park. I can almost guarantee privacy. When I was a kid, I use to hide there and have never known anyone else to hang out there. What do you say?”

“Sounds like a plan. Lead on, Mr. Lovelace.”

Forty-five minutes later found us in a secluded area of the park away from the hustle and bustle of other park goers. Daniel led us to a bench recessed into the foliage. He seated me before taking the place beside me.
Ha, and they say gallantry is dead.

“Now,” he said. “Tell me all about the troubles you’ve been facing. Two heads are better than one usually. Maybe between the both of us we can come up with some answers.”

Hesitantly, I began to tell him everything that had happened over the last couple of weeks. From the night I met him, until today. When I’d finished he leaned back and stretched his arms over his head. He crossed his ankles before settling his hands across his washboard abs.

“That is impressive and I can see why you are so panicked about how quickly everything is happening.”

“Why aren’t you more freaked out about this, Daniel? It can’t be a normal reaction to take everything you’ve learned so calmly.”

“No, I guess it’s not, Dia. I should tell you something about myself before we go any further. It will explain a lot about me.”

“Oh good grief,” I closed my eyes. “Don’t tell me you’re not human either.”

Laughing, Daniel sat up. “Well as far as I understand I’m human. It is just the Fae and Packs are not news to me. None of the things you’ve had to deal with is a surprise.”

“What? How do you know about all this crap?” I asked dumfounded.

“Well, remember I told you I spent the last twelve years in the military? The truth is I’m in a special detail that deals with the Para-natural.”

Blinking at him, I really tried to understand. “You were in some kind of paranormal ops?”

“Am, Dia, I’m still active but taking a back seat for now. The family believes I have finished my tour and come home. The reality is that I’ve been assigned to the home turf for the next several years and it’s a good cover story.

"The government has known about the others for years. In fact, there are countless treaties in place between the races. They police their own, so we need to be involved to make sure the human authorities aren't dragged into something they shouldn't be. There’s also the idiots out there who stumble onto the supernatural world and must be dealt with.”

“What do you mean dealt with?” I was afraid to hear the answer.

“It depends, sweetheart. I wish I could tell you we threaten them and send them on their way. Sometimes it just doesn’t work that way. As much as I wished it did, there are those who will not keep their mouths shut.”

Raising my hand, I shook my head.

“I don’t want to know. Don’t tell me that innocent people are killed because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“Not always, Dia, most of the times that humans are taken out of the equation are usually when it involves hunters.”

“Are hunters what they sound like?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. "A bunch of ignorant humans who find out there is more in this world than them. They panic the evil devil creatures will take over the world and send us all to hell. So to save our souls they must destroy them.”

“Oh Lord, this is getting worse by the second. What would happen if the church found out about it all?”

Daniel chuckled. “They realize, babes. Probably have a lot longer than any other organization. They keep it concealed and hope for the best. There’s not much you can say when some of the powers that be are Angels.”

“You mean…” I looked at him in wonder.

“Yeah, I’ve met a few in my day. Some are not too bad, others well, imagine the most sanctimonious bastard you can think of and triple it.”

My head was spinning by now and I shook it to try to clear it.

“Daniel, thank you so much for just sitting and talking things through with me. I honestly don’t see how I would have coped if I didn’t have someone I could vent on.”

“Anytime, sweet cheeks,” he pinched said cheeks before carrying on. “At least you discern you’re not crazy. On the plus side, I don’t have to hide my work from you and it’s so good to be honest for once in my life.”

Placing my palm over his rough cheek, I asked him, “Has it been so hard, Daniel? What’s it been like for you?”

“Lonely, so damn lonely, when you’re out in the field with your team it’s not so bad. They grasp the score and we all got each other’s back. Here, it’s a lot harder. The family thinks of me as the prodigal son returned home after serving my country. They want me to settle down, get married and raise a few kids. I can’t do that, Dia. No matter what I want, I am still an active operative.

"I’m known in the other world, been in it for years. It would be almost impossible to keep it a secret from a family. With you, I don't need to worry. You’re a part of that world and I can be honest with you. Nothing that you are facing is going to throw me. I will gladly stand beside you to help face it.”

“And the Ménage thing?” I asked.

A smile crossed his face then, “I don’t have a problem with sharing, baby. And I’m not opposed to a little bi-fun.”

Laughing, I slapped his arm playfully. “I noticed that, a good Catholic boy like you.”

He placed his hands over his heart dramatically. “Yup, you need to keep it a secret, it would break my poor mother’s heart.”

Becoming serious again, I asked him. “What are we going to do? I can’t tell my mum and dad any of it. Dad would drag me home and lock me away if he had a clue about any of this. I’d hate to think what Sean would do.”

“He’d hunt you down and probably beat the shit out of the guy you’re with,” a menacing voice said from behind us.

I turned and saw my brother walking toward us from the path. “Sean, what are you doing here?”

“What do you think, baby girl? I’m looking for you. Imagine my surprise when I run into Annie, and she does everything in her power to get away from me. She tried her best to make excuses why she couldn’t talk to me about anything, especially your sex life. When did you get a sex life, Dia?”

I looked to Daniel quickly before looking back to Sean. "When did you speak to Annie?”

“That would be when I stopped by your work to check on you, since you didn’t bother to show up at mom and dads for Sunday lunch.”

“Oh crap,” I moaned. “I’m so dead.”

“Yes, you are,” replied Sean.

My eyes narrowed on him, pointing a finger straight at his chest. “How did you know where I was to begin with? Daniel and I came here for privacy. No one knew where we were.”

With an annoying shrug, he replied nonchalantly. "Your phone, I put a tracking app on it. I wasn’t taking the chance of anything else happening to you.”

“How did you do that?” I asked appalled. "I've not seen you since I got the new phone.”

He just shook his head. "When you sent me the new number I had it locked to my phone so I could find you when I needed to. From the looks of things, I definitely needed to. Want to tell me who the hell this is?” He glared at Daniel.

Daniel stood in front of me and blocked my view, straightening his shoulders. The laid back friendly giant I had come to care for was gone.

I could almost see Daniel bristling and Sean would be ready to jump him to defend my honor. Daniel bent his head down to me.

“Don’t worry, sexy, I won’t hurt your brother.” Oh, man that was not the right thing to say in front of Sean.

“Look, mister, I don’t know who you think you are but you better back off my sister.”

“Daniel Lovelace,” Daniel cut in to his rant.

“What?” Sean stopped his tirade.

“My name, it’s Daniel Lovelace. Annie’s my cousin and my mum and dad are Mary and John Lovelace.”

Glaring between Daniel and me, Sean’s brow lowered into his thinking face.

“Are you shitting me? Your Annie’s “Cousin Danny”, the one the whole female population of the Lovelace clan has been in matchmaking heaven over?”

Ughhh, I groaned. I looked around Daniel’s arm. “You’ve got to be kidding me. You knew about it too.”

“Well, I’ll be damned,” Sean laughed. “Mum will be over the moon. Mary, Rose, and Mum have been on the phone daily. I never thought it would work, but damn, baby sister has found the one guy in all of England the parentals will approve of.”

Sean took Daniel's hand in a manly shake. "RAF, right?"

“Yeah,” Daniel replied. There was a slightly bemused expression on his face.

“It’s good to meet you man. The family has been on about you for months now.” Nodding toward me, he continued, "Well, everyone but Dia. She hasn’t been around as much and mum wanted to casually introduce you two over the summer.”

He nodded toward me. So good to know they realized I was still there.

“How did you guys meet anyway?" A glance passed between Daniel and me and we silently decided to stick to the truth.

“Annie introduced us. The night of my birthday,” I cringed. “She took me to the club where Daniel works and introduced us. He knew about the set up and told me about it. He was going to let me down easy but…”

“Then I met her,” Daniel cut in. “After that, there was no way I was going to let her slip through my fingers. From the second she said hello, I recognized she was something special. I asked her if I could call her that night.”

I cut back in and told Sean. “We’ve been seeing each other since. Things have gone fast and that was what we were talking about when you showed up. We didn’t think mum and dad would approve, or you for that matter.”

“What do you mean moving fast, how fast?” Sean’s eyes narrowed once more.

My hands landed on my hips and I glared at him. “We’ve had this conversation, big brother. Remember, I am a grown woman and I am allowed a sex life.”

Both Sean and Daniel cringed at that. It was that strict Catholic upbringing rearing its ugly head. “You dare, Sean Patrick Mclearey. Are you trying to tell me you are as pure as the driven snow? That you’ve never been touched or lain with a woman? Hmmm? You dare to preach to me about all that. I have your number, mister. One more word from you and I will be speaking to mum about your track record.”

Looking a little more than hang dogged, Sean turned back to Daniel, reached out an arm, and clapped him on the back. “Welcome to the family, mate.”