Читать книгу Trio of Seduction - Cassie Ryan - Страница 10

“W e just retrieved Danen from the human hospital, my lord.” The barrel-chested guard dipped his chin in an approximation of a bow and then winced and gingerly touched his fingers to his broken nose.

“Fine. Keep him comfortable and away from any of the other council members for a few days.” Until I can decide what to do with him . Marco, head of the Cunt Council, waved the guard away. Danen was an arrogant fool, and Marco was sorry the man hadn’t been left for dead. That would’ve been one less ego-inflated councilman to deal with.

Marco sighed as he turned the situation over inside his mind. He used to believe the Cunt cause was just, and that purely coexisting with the Klatch as they always had wasn’t enough. They had convinced themselves they were the superior race and should hold the throne and the symbiosis of their home world.

It hadn’t taken long after the failed civil war to see that Sela, the self-named Queen of the Cunts, was after power only for herself and not any advancement for the Cunts in general. But by then, it was too late. Marco had continued on, rising through the ranks of the council in hopes he could once again bring true meaning back to their cause.

A short, bitter laugh escaped him. Even that self-delusion wasn’t enough to salve his regrets anymore. And now his inaction had hit very close to home.

Why the hell did Kiera meet with Danen and not me?

Even as the words trailed off inside his mind, he knew the answer. She knew Marco agreed with her cause so, therefore, had arranged a meeting in an attempt to sway others to her way of thinking.

Foolish woman.

He had known Kiera Matthews all her life, and had, in fact, been in love with her mother, Cecily, in his much-younger days. However, it hadn’t lasted, and they had parted as friends, although Marco admitted his pride had smarted when she had fallen in love first with a Klatch and then with a human.

It had nearly killed him to watch Kiera as she grew up, knowing she could have been his child had circumstances been different. But his position on the council and his loyalties to Sela’s increasing demands wouldn’t have left much room for a wife and a daughter—something he sorely missed now that he was older and wiser. Not to mention, they could’ve been used as pawns against him at any given moment.

He sighed and turned to look out the second-story office window into the nearly surreal predawn.

Hints of a rainbow of colors peeked over the horizon along with the first rays of sunlight. Phoenix had both beautiful sunrises and sunsets due to all the different minerals in the mountains and rocks, and each one was more amazing than the last.

Almost as breathtaking as on his home world of Tador.

His chest tightened with longing. It had been nearly a quarter of a century since he’d seen the magnificent waterfalls and the densely grown maze near the gardens, not to mention the hot baths where he used to go with his friends.

The same hot baths where he’d met Cecily.

Weariness and old memories weighted his limbs, and he scrubbed his hands over his face in a vain attempt to chase away both. Rough stubble on his jaw reminded him that he hadn’t shaved in the last two days.

“My lord?”

He nearly jumped at the guard’s voice, and then he chided himself for not being more careful. Being a Cunt became more and more dangerous with each passing day. If he showed any weakness, he would find himself knifed in the back and bleeding to death on the marble floor.

He narrowed his eyes as he turned back toward the guard. “I distinctly remember dismissing you.” His voice was pitched low with twin notes of irritation and boredom—something he had learned out of necessity after twenty-four long years of serving Sela, the Queen of the Cunts.

Fear flashed through the guard’s watery blue eyes. “Yes, my lord. But…”

“But what?” Marco’s voice was soft but distinct, and he nearly smiled when the guard’s already pasty face whitened a few more shades.

“I thought you should be apprised of Danen’s new orders regarding the doctor.”

Marco’s brow furrowed. “Danen is not the council head. He has no authority to give orders without approval of myself or the majority of the council.”

The guard swallowed hard, and a bead of sweat trickled from his hairline to carve a path over his temple and down onto his cheek. “Yes, my lord. Danen gained approval from one other council member and Aedan, the Queen’s consort.”

Marco’s jaw clenched along with his fists as a spurt of fear shot through him. Not for himself, but for the fiery little doctor.

Kiera wasn’t his flesh and blood, but he had worked hard to ensure she had a place in Cunt society if she wanted it, even if it was on the periphery.

That was the least he could do for Cecily, since he had gotten her killed. “What were the orders?”

“That Dr. Matthews is a traitor to the Cunts and must be killed immediately.”

Marco nodded once but was careful to keep his face a blank mask. “Thank you for informing me. Keep Danen confined on my orders, and tell no one his whereabouts or that you’ve even seen him. Dismissed.” This time he watched until the guard closed the door behind him.

For a long moment, his mind sifted through possibilities, discarding them one after another until he was left with only one.

One he swore he would never take.

He smiled grimly. How arrogant he had been to think himself invincible and his cause so clearly in the right. No matter how readily he now admitted his mistake, sacrificing his pride to correct it would be one of the hardest things he had ever done.

His gaze fixed on the exploding sunrise—possibly the last he would ever see if he took this path. Sela wasn’t very forgiving, especially of those like himself who were harder to replace. Not impossible—no one was irreplaceable. Just more difficult.

For the first time in many years he felt…peace. He shrugged his shoulders, not used to the sensation and not sure if he could become used to it again.

It was time to contact an old friend. And if his old friend didn’t kill Marco on sight, maybe something could be done to help Kiera out of her current situation.

Gavin scowled as he pushed through the bone-chilling cold of the between —the pathway between Tador and Earth. With a wave of his hand, the portal opened in front of him, slowly expanding until it was an oval big enough for him to step through.

He winced as the bright morning Phoenix sunlight nearly blinded him after the inky blackness of the between . Heat prickled against his skin in thick waves, and he shivered.

It was probably eighty degrees outside, which would rise to well over one hundred later in the day, but after the numbing cold of the between , he felt as if he’d been plunged into a sauna.

He scanned the area as his body adjusted, alert for any treachery.

It had been nearly twenty-four years since he or anyone else had used this portal, and for good reason. The Cunts had used this particular portal to transport en masse behind the castle on Tador the day they tried to overthrow the current queen’s parents, King Darius and Queen Annalecia.

The screams of pain, betrayal and anger from that day still haunted his nightmares, along with the stench of charred flesh and death.

His jaw clenched as those vivid images replayed themselves inside his mind’s eye.

Guilt still lay heavy on his shoulders. He hadn’t been at fault. However, his best friend had not only sided with the enemy but had planned the attack using his knowledge of Gavin’s defense tactics. If it hadn’t been for his unlikely friendship, many might still be alive today.

He shook his head to clear the disturbing memories.

As soon as the uprising had been contained and all the Cunts banished to live on Earth with the humans, Gavin had sealed this portal along with several others that led to areas not easily protected or patrolled in the long-term.

In fact, that was one of the few times Gavin had actually appreciated his special talent.

Every Klatch—and every Cunt, for that matter—had one special skill beyond normal witch’s abilities which was uniquely theirs. Gavin could create portals between Tador and Earth, although they weren’t always stable, and he could seal and unseal them.

He had been surprised to receive a request to meet here, but the location told him instantly who requested the meeting, even though the note had held no signature.

The very same man who had betrayed not only Gavin, but his entire race that day.

Long-held pain and anger burned in Gavin’s chest, and he swallowed it back. Logic, not emotion, was needed when dealing with the Cunt Council. It was his job to be aware of anything that might pose a threat to his royal charges, so this meeting couldn’t go unacknowledged.

Due to his past history, he had thought about having another guard go in his stead. However, there was none other he trusted to cross wits with Marco. Gavin had even considered sending enough Klatch to capture or kill his old friend. But then another would take his place on the Cunt Council, someone Gavin couldn’t read quite as well.

Better the devil you knew than the new Cunt council member you didn’t.

When he was sure there were no ambushes waiting for him, Gavin glanced around at the neatly planted rows of cotton, the scents of rich earth filling his nostrils.

Off to his left was a well-used road, and just beyond was a newly built Starbucks. He shook his head. He wouldn’t be surprised if Queen Alyssandra soon commissioned one to be franchised on Tador. The thought made him smile.

The new queen brought a breath of fresh air to Tador. She had been raised on Earth by the very Cunts who kidnapped her nearly a quarter of a century ago, and yet she had returned to the Klatch stronger than she might have been if she had been raised in relative luxury on her home planet.

How ironic that the Cunt’s treachery had helped shape the very woman who would save the planet they had fought to control.

A truck carrying square hay bales ambled by on squeaky axles, breaking him from his thoughts. Stray pieces of hay filled the air, along with a healthy dose of dust, and Gavin closed his eyes until the debris settled. He trudged up the outer berm of the cotton field and crossed the road to the coffee shop.

Marco sat just inside the large picture window at the front of the lobby in one of the plush armchairs. A large white paper cup emblazoned with the Starbucks logo sat beside him on the round coffee table.

As if he felt the weight of Gavin’s perusal, Marco glanced up, and an almost physical blow to the gut stole Gavin’s breath as they stared at each other through the glass. For a long moment, Gavin searched the blue gaze for…something. Some sign of regret or misgivings over his past actions. But Marco’s expression revealed nothing.

Gavin clenched his jaw, broke the contact and walked around the building to the entrance doors.

Once inside, the strong smell of brewed coffee surrounded him, as did the cool blast of air from the air conditioners that ran nearly year-round in every building in the state.

Gavin stretched out his senses to evaluate those around him.

Hunched over their early morning coffee or working behind the counter were a few humans…and one extremely powerful Cunt witch.

Something had told Gavin that Marco would come alone, but it never hurt to be cautious.

Not bothering to acknowledge the man, Gavin moved to the counter and ordered a small black coffee, his back turned. Part of him hoped Marco would try an attack, but the part of him that had grown up with the man knew he wouldn’t have asked for this meeting if he meant Gavin any harm. So he stood easily at the counter and accepted the steaming cup before he turned to head across the lobby.

The muscles in both his shoulders tightened as he neared his old friend. Marco hadn’t changed much over the years, which surprised Gavin.

Those who lived on Tador or visited regularly enjoyed a constant healing and regeneration that those who had been banished would not. But other than some lines around his eyes, Marco looked exactly as he had the last time he had seen him—right before Gavin had spared his life and sealed the portal behind him.

The same portal Gavin had just exited across the street.

He had spent many sleepless nights wondering if he should’ve killed the man who had been closer than a brother, or if he had done the right thing by letting him live. Gavin bit back a sigh and kept his expression impassive.

“It’s been a long time.” Marco openly studied him, and Gavin returned the favor.

Marco’s long sandy blond hair had been pulled back into a queue behind his neck, and he still looked muscular and fit under the simple black button-down shirt. He didn’t appear as sinister as Gavin’s memory had etched him all these years. He looked more like the easy-going friend he had grown up with—the same man who reminded him so much of Prince Ryan.

Long-bottled emotions churned inside Gavin’s stomach, and he held them in check only with sheer willpower. Unsure if his voice would work, he nodded and sat in the chair across from Marco.

“Still a man of few words, I see.” Marco picked up his coffee and took a sip; the only sign of his discomfort at this meeting was the tight grip of his fingers denting in the sides of the stiff paper cup.

Gavin took a swallow of his own coffee and winced as the searing liquid burned the top of his mouth. The physical pain mirrored the discomfort of his emotions, and he bit back a sharp retort. Instead, he made sure when he spoke his words were low and calm. “Why are we here, Marco? I assume after all this time you would contact me only if it was urgent.” As his last word trailed off, he raised his gaze and saw pain etched deep in the man’s blue eyes before it was quickly hidden behind the mask of nonchalance Gavin remembered well.

Marco nodded as if relieved that things would remain all business between them. “The council has put out a termination order for a woman who has done a lot for both our races, and I hoped she could take sanctuary on Tador.”

Gavin pursed his lips. If the Cunt Council had truly marked her for death, her days were numbered on Earth. Inept and radical the council might sometimes be, they were also ruthless, vindictive and annoyingly persistent.

But why did Marco suddenly care what happened to one woman, unless she was someone special to him? Suspicion made Gavin narrow his gaze. “Wife? Girlfriend? Mistress? Spy?” He searched Marco’s pale features carefully for any clues to which of his guesses were right, but the man’s expression never changed.

“The closest relationship I can claim is friend of the family. She’s a doctor who ran a clinic in downtown Phoenix treating both Klatch and Cunts, regardless of circumstances. She’s still young, but her efforts have done a lot to keep us off the human radar as a threat.”

Gavin’s blood ran cold.

Cecily’s daughter. The Healer. The daughter that might have been his if the Cunts hadn’t been banished from Tador entirely.

What were the odds?

Gavin thought about the petite blond woman who had easily defeated two Cunt guards and then also escaped from Ryan. She looked so much like Cecily it made his heart ache.

Gavin wondered if Marco held some of the same regrets. After all, Marco had loved Cecily before Gavin had even met her. But it had been Gavin she had wanted, and Gavin whose heart she had held in the palm of her hand until she had been banished.

“She’s too much like her mother.” Gavin swore under his breath. When he raised his gaze to Marco’s, a look of complete agreement and understanding was reflected in the blue depths.

“I didn’t realize you’d kept up with Cunt genealogy…or with Kiera.”

Gavin sighed, suddenly weary. He could’ve blamed it on his position as head guard of the Klatch, but he knew it was more than that, and so would Marco. “I’ve never seen her before tonight, but I kept tabs on her. It was the least I could do for Cecily…after everything I couldn’t do.”

Silence fell between them for a long moment, and Gavin suspected Marco was just as lost in memories of the past as he was.

Marco cleared his throat. “Earlier tonight she met with one of the Cunt council members. They were interrupted by a contingent of Klatch, and the council member was injured and left for dead.” Marco took another drink and then sat the cup on the table next to him.

I called 911. It was your own people who left him for dead . Gavin kept that observation to himself. Aloud he said, “So now they blame Kiera for an ambush?” Gavin sifted through his thoughts, and more important, his internal gut feelings to judge the situation. He rarely trusted coincidence, but the alternative didn’t bear out. He doubted Marco would risk all he was just to lay a trap for Gavin, since there would be little for him to gain by it at this point. Marco might be a traitor, but he was more cunning than that.

Marco nodded. “She’s been branded a traitor, and before I was apprised of the situation, assassins were dispatched to hunt her down.”

Gavin started at the use of the term “traitor” when it had just echoed through his own thoughts.

Shit.

He needed to get back to Tador, find Ryan and then find the Healer before the Cunt’s assassins found her first. But in order to have any hope of doing just that, he needed information that only his old friend could provide. “What was she meeting with the council for?”

Marco studied his impeccably shined shoes for a moment before meeting Gavin’s gaze. “She was lobbying for reunification.”

Stunned silence hung between them as Gavin digested the meaning of those words. “Reunification?” He chuckled, but it wasn’t a happy sound. “Does she know how unpopular that will make her with both sides?”

Marco’s lips curved. “She hasn’t yet learned that she can’t save the world.” He studied his hands in his lap for a long moment, which made Gavin wonder what he wasn’t saying. “She reminds me a lot of you and me back when we were young and idealistic.”

The obvious affection in his words sparked Gavin’s temper. “Just what is this woman to you? She has to be more than just a friend of the family for you to risk Sela’s wrath if you’re caught even speaking with me. You’re not involved with Kiera Matthews, are you?” He held his breath as he waited for the answer.

The expressionless mask cracked, and Marco looked twenty years older and jaded, as if he had seen things no one should, and they had left their mark. “I won’t rehash old politics with you, Gav. You always knew how I felt about Cecily. I’ve tried to watch over her daughter. Nothing more.”

Gavin exhaled sharply as relief rushed through him. Only then did he let his mind process the rest of the conversation. The use of his old nickname surprised him, but Gavin made sure his expression didn’t show it.

“Suffice it to say, she believes like I used to that our two races won’t survive without one another,” Marco added. “But I think she’s smart enough to not become sucked in by someone so power-hungry as Sela.”

Gavin didn’t bother to press on that obviously volatile subject. He was surprised at even that small admission. He relaxed back against the chair, resting his elbows on the arms of the chair and steepling his fingers in front of his lips. “How far are you willing to go to help us find her and keep her safe?”

Marco handed Gavin a folded slip of paper. “Here is the address of her clinic and her house, as well as two of the safe houses I know her father kept. Her father is a marine colonel, so she can take care of herself pretty well. Watch out for guns, knives, throwing stars and hand-to-hand maneuvers you wouldn’t expect from a petite half-human.”

Gavin opened the paper and glanced at the addresses, although he knew as well as Marco did that if he found her at any of these known places, she would most likely already be dead. “You didn’t answer my question.”

A small bark of a laugh was Marco’s immediate response. “If Sela or anyone loyal to her finds out about this meeting, my life is worthless here on Earth. And due to my past choices, my life is worthless on Tador, as well.” He sipped his coffee as if he weren’t talking about the very limited places in the universe that would allow him to live. “I plan on going back to work as if nothing happened. If you need any help finding Kiera, or anything else, I will do what I can. I owe you a favor for this.”

Gavin’s temper flared at Marco’s trivialization of all that had happened in the past. “You fucking owe me more than a favor after all is said and done.” His words came out in a low growl, and he didn’t bother to try to calm them. “You betrayed not only your home world, but your best friend, Cecily and, whether you admit it or not, your own race.”

Marco’s gaze was tired when it met Gavin’s. “What’s done is done, and I can’t go back and see things through wiser eyes, even now when I see that both sides in our war were stubborn and unwilling to bend.”

Gavin’s fists clenched. “Attacking and killing innocent people and revolting against the rightful king and queen—”

Marco cut him off as if he hadn’t spoken. “However, change is better accomplished from the inside, so I will stay until I’m found out and killed, or until a better way to help our people presents itself.”

The urge to throttle Marco until he saw reason surged through Gavin. He kept his fists clenched to reduce the danger of carrying out the thought.

The time for arguing was long past. He would help the Healer and then figure out what to do with Marco. “I assume she is a Cunt loyalist if the council member took the meeting, so why would she welcome a visit from us?”

Marco dipped a hand into the pocket of his dress slacks and then flipped something toward Gavin, who caught it as a reflex.

He opened his palm and stared down at a shiny new quarter.

“She is loyal only to the memory of Tador that her mother filled her head with as a child—the old, unified Tador before Sela and all the rest. However, show her this and tell her all her safe houses have been compromised. That’s all the help I can offer you in finding her.” Marco stood and opened his mouth as if to add something. Several emotions played across his face so fast Gavin had trouble identifying them.

Finally, after a long tense moment, Marco closed his mouth, turned and walked out the door.