Chapter Fifteen
“Slow down, Kadie,” Kincaid said. “Get hold of yourself.”
With a nod, she took several deep breaths, her mind replaying Rylan’s sudden rampage.
“Come and sit down and tell us what’s going on,” Rosa coaxed.
Dropping down on the sofa, hands tightly folded in her lap, Kadie told them what had happened. “And then he just went crazy,” she said. “I looked in his eyes and Rylan wasn’t there. I’ve never been so afraid.”
“It’s got to be that poison in his blood,” Jake said. “That damn witch has done something to make the spell worse. I don’t know how powerful a vampire she is, but she’s one hell of a witch.”
“What am I going to do?” Kadie asked, fighting back her tears. “I’m afraid to go back to the house.”
“No need,” Jake said, with a shrug. “I’ll go.”
“Jake, no!” Rosa said, tugging on his hand. “He might not recognize you in his current condition. With his strength....” She shook her head. “I don’t want you to go.”
“He’s my best friend,” Jake said.
“But...”
“If our roles were reversed, he’d come for me,” Jake said. “I can’t turn my back on him now.”
Taking a deep breath, Kadie said, “I’ll go with you.”
“No. Stay here with Rosie. Please.”
Kadie nodded a reluctant agreement. “Be careful, Jake. He might not even recognize you.”
“No sweat.” He gave Kadie’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze, hugged Rosa, and left the house.
Jake swore softly when he reached Saintcrow’s lair. /From what he could see, all the windows were broken. Peering inside, he saw Saintcrow lying face down on the floor amidst a wreckage of shredded foam and cloth and bits of wood. What the hell?
With a shake of his head, Jake ducked through one of the windows and knelt beside Saintcrow. A moment later, Izabela appeared beside him.
“What are you doing here?” Jake asked.
“One of the reasons I drink his blood is so that I’ll know when he’s in trouble. And he is definitely in trouble.”
Jake snorted. Trouble, indeed.
“The witch has done this,” Izabela said.
“I have been in contact with several covens. All of them know of Elowynne. One and all said the same thing. Becoming a vampire changed her. The added power has made her cruel and uncaring. She has nothing but contempt for humans, no love for anyone but herself and her sister. We need to find out why she hates Saintcrow. Perhaps then we can hope to find a cure for the dark magic that is slowly poisoning him.”
“How the hell do we do that?”
Izabela shrugged. “I have no idea. I used an ancient spell on his blood after a brief visit with Alara. She said she thought the traces of earth in Saintcrow’s blood came from a battlefield, but she’s wrong.
Its earth and ashes taken from the unhallowed graves of murderers, heretics, and the insane.
She has used some kind of dark magic which gives her a measure of control over Saintcrow’s emotions.
I’m not sure how the spell works, or how it survived for so long. ”
Jake swore softly. No wonder Saintcrow was going crazy. “How do we get it out of him?”
“That,” she said on a heavy sigh, “is yet to be determined. All I know is we need to find something to purify his blood before it’s too late.”
Glancing down at Saintcrow, Jake asked, “What do we do in the meantime?”
“I will endeavor to make a talisman that will hopefully counteract his violent tendencies until we can find something more permanent.”
“How long will that take?”
She shrugged. “I will have to consult my grimoire. I’ve never attempted to make anything quite like it before. Hopefully, it won’t take long.”
Hopefully, Kincaid thought as Saintcrow stirred. What the hell would they do until then?
With a low groan, Saintcrow rolled over and sat up. He stared at Jake and the witch. “What are you two doing here? Where’s Kadie?”
“You don’t remember?” Jake asked.
“Remember what?” He glanced around the room, frowned when he saw what was left of the sofa, loveseat, and chair. “Did I do that?”
Jake nodded.
With a muffled oath, Saintcrow gained his feet and plowed his fingers through his hair.
“Kadie’s at my place,” Jake said, as he offered his hand to Izabela and pulled her to her feet. “You scared the crap out of her.”
“Is she all right?” Saintcrow asked anxiously. “I didn’t hurt her?”
“No, she’s fine. Worried sick about you, though. Like everybody else.”
Izabela laid her hand on Saintcrow’s arm. “I am hoping to conjure a talisman for you that will weaken Elowynne’s spell. If it works, it should help subdue these violent episodes.”
“And if it doesn’t?”
“Then we’ll have to find a way to restrain you,” Jake said. “You’re far too powerful to be left on your own if you can’t control whatever the hell’s happening inside you.”
Saintcrow stared at him, every instinct rebelling. And then he nodded. “Thanks for coming over you two. Send Kadie home, will you?” He glanced around the room. “If she’s not afraid to come back.”
~ * ~
After a brief conversation with Jake and Izabela, Kadie went home and straight into Rylan’s arms. He held her tightly, felt her body tremble against his as she fought down her fears.
“My brave woman,” he murmured. “I would have understood if you didn’t want to come back.”
“I’ll always be here for you,” she whispered. “No matter what.”
He smiled faintly as his hand stroked up and down her back. “Why don’t you get on the phone tomorrow and order us some new furniture? I’ll call someone out to replace the windows.”
She nodded, wondering how he could imagine she was even thinking about new furniture when she was worried to death about him.
He chuckled softly then brushed his lips across hers. “We have to have something to sit on.”
“Rylan, what are we going to do about you?”
“I don’t know. I don’t even remember what happened. Did I just go berserk?”
“Pretty much. Jake said Izabela told him she was going to make you some sort of talisman that would hopefully help to calm you.”
“So she said.”
“And if that didn’t work...” Her voice broke.
A muscle ticked in his jaw. “They want to lock me up.”
Kadie grunted softly. “Is there anything or any place on earth strong enough to hold you?”
“I don’t know. Possibly some of Izabela’s magic. Or they can drain me to the point of death and then bury me somewhere in the hills above the town.”
Kadie’s head jerked up and she stared at him in horror. “No! I won’t permit that! Never!”
Saintcrow shrugged. “I’m not crazy about the idea, either. But if it’s the only way to keep you safe...” He shrugged. “Hell, I was deep in the earth when you first came here.”
She shuddered. “I remember.”
“It’s not so bad.”
Blinking back her tears, Kadie threw her arms around him, thinking no man on earth had ever offered to endure such a horrible fate to protect the people he loved.
~ * ~
Kadie was on edge the next few days. Sometimes she felt like she was sitting on a time bomb, never knowing when the next explosion would come. She watched Rylan like a hawk, though she tried to hide it, just as she tried to conceal her anxiety, but there was no hiding anything from Rylan.
He, too, was restless. Knowing that his presence made her nervous, he left the house for long periods of time after dark and slept a good part of the day.
She knew he was staying away in hopes of putting her at ease, but she missed him dreadfully.
The nights were long without him. It had been days since they made love and she missed that, too.
She understood his reluctance, knowing how helpless she would be if he lost control in the midst of their lovemaking.
But abstinence only made both of them restless and edgy.
Finally, late one night, she turned out all the lights in their lair save for one candle and stretched out on the bed clad in nothing at all.
In spite of her best efforts to control it, she felt herself tense when he materialized in their bedroom.
A soft oath escaped his lips when he saw her. She was every man’s dream, her skin the color of fresh cream, her long dark-brown hair cascading over her shoulders, her golden-brown eyes watching him warily.
“Kadie,” he said, his voice tight.
“Welcome home, husband.”
He knotted his hands into fists. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”
“Everyone knows sex is a great way to relieve tension.”
“So they say. I’ll be right back.”
She frowned as he vanished from the room, returning moments later carrying a wicked looking hunting knife. “What’s that for?”
“If I lose control, just plunge it into whatever part of me is handy.”
“Are you crazy?”
“It won’t kill me, but it’ll get my attention long enough for you to get away.”
“Nothing’s going to happen,” she said, patting the mattress beside her.
Muttering, “I wish I could be as sure of that as you are,” he placed the knife on the bedside table. His clothing disappeared as he stretched out beside her and took her in his arms. “I love you, darlin’. I don’t know how you’ve put up with me this long.”
“It hasn’t been easy,” she said, stifling a grin as she felt his arousal against her thigh. “But the results are worth it.”
With a low growl, he claimed her lips with his while his hands worked their familiar magic, arousing her until she was on fire for him, her nails clawing his back and shoulders as she strained against him, reaching for that one magical moment when their bodies and thoughts blended together in a way that few people ever achieved.
She had a sudden image of that moment in PG movies when fireworks burst into the air letting everyone know the onscreen couple were making mad, passionate love.
The thought made her smile.
“What’s so funny?” Saintcrow asked as their breathing returned to normal.
“Nothing.”
“You’re going to wound my manhood,” he warned.
“It had nothing to do with you. I was just thinking about those old movies. You know the ones, when fireworks left everything to your imagination.”
“Fine time to think about that.”
“Sorry.” Rising up on one elbow, she brushed a lock of hair from his brow. “Are you all right?”
“Never better.”
She kissed him lightly, thinking how much she loved him. How much she loved making love to him.
“Keep thinking like that and you’ll put ideas in my head,” he drawled.
“As if they weren’t there already.” One thing about vampire males, she mused. They didn’t need time to recharge. And even as the thought crossed her mind, he was rising over her, his dark eyes hot with desire as he kissed and caressed her until she was on fire for him all over again.
Later, wrapped in his arms, her head on his shoulder, Kadie was almost asleep when Saintcrow pushed her away and darted across the room, his eyes wild.
“Rylan? Rylan, it’s all right. You’re home, with me. With Kadie. You’ve got to fight her, my love. You’re stronger than she is.”
He stared at her, fangs bared, hands clenched, his eyes as red as hellfire. “Kadie?”
His voice was deeper than she’d ever heard it, deeper and filled with pain.
“Yes, it’s me,” she said quietly. “You love me. And I love you. Remember?”
He panted softly as he fought for control.
“We’re at home, in Morgan Creek. Kincaid is here, too.”
“Kincaid?” His eyes narrowed. “My friend.”
“Yes.” She had barely spoken the word when Kincaid appeared in the doorway. He was careful not to look at Kadie.
Putting himself between the bed and Saintcrow, Jake said, “Hey, buddy. Let’s go hunting.”
A slow smile spread across Saintcrow’s lips. “Hunting. Yes.”
“Put some clothes on and we’ll go.”
Saintcrow grabbed his pants and pulled them on, tugged on his shirt and his boots.
Tucking the blanket under her arms, Kadie watched Rylan warily but the thought of hunting seemed to have brought him back to himself. She tensed when he walked toward her.
Brushing a kiss across her lips, he said, “We won’t be gone long.”
Kadie nodded, and breathed a sigh of relief when the men transported themselves out of the house. Falling back the mattress, she let the tears fall.
~ * ~
Saintcrow and Kincaid materialized in downtown Casper.
It was late and most of the stores were shuttered for the night, but a couple of saloons were still open.
Standing in the shadows beside a nightclub, Saintcrow preyed on the first lone woman who exited the bar, acutely aware of Jake closely watching his every move, ready to intervene if necessary.
After he sent the woman away, Saintcrow followed Kincaid into the nightclub where they both ordered a glass of wine. Neither of them spoke until they’d taken a drink.
“It happened again, didn’t it?” Saintcrow asked. “I lost control in front of Kadie.”
“I reckon so.”
“How did you know?”
Kincaid shrugged. “I felt your confusion and figured I’d better see what was going on.”
“Thanks.” Gazing at the dark red liquid in his glass, Saintcrow whispered, “I’m afraid, Jake.”
Kincaid nodded, fully aware of what it had cost his friend to admit it. “We’ll see the better side of this yet,” he said. “We took out Luca. We took out Eleni. Hell, what’s one more wicked witch?”