Chapter 6
Cillian
How the fuck did Niamh manage to kill a man?
Kin, no less. Why the hell did she have to pick up a knife?
All she had to do was just lie there like the victim she was and we wouldn’t be in this situation.
But of course she wouldn’t. She might be quiet, innocent, but one thing I’ve learned as I’ve watched her over the years, is that she’s no pushover.
The girl has backbone. She’s just not obvious about it.
I know what Vittoria is going to say, because she’s right.
The Court will order a hunt as soon as it’s informed.
No human can be allowed to kill one of us and live.
Self-defence or not, that isn’t important.
It’s not easy to accomplish and the fact that she did without even really trying just proves the danger she poses to all of us.
What the hell is going on tonight? Dammit, why did Vittoria kill that guy?
I want far more answers than I’m sure I’m going to get now.
‘You need to deal with her,’ Vittoria states as I stare down into Niamh’s slightly unfocused blue eyes. ‘You can’t just ignore that she’s killed Kin.’
Niamh frowns at the words as she succumbs to the pull of whatever drug has been forced on her, crumples back down to the ground and finally goes limp.
Could she not have done that five bloody minutes ago?
My head snaps up, and I glare at Vittoria.
As a woman, how can she be so callous towards an innocent victim?
Does she honestly expect me to do this? But she’s despised Niamh since the moment she laid eyes on her – which has only got worse after her brother’s death.
Aiden crosses to Niamh and lifts her up in his arms. ‘Surely you can’t be considering this, Cillian. She’s the victim here. She’s the one who texted you. She saved Rose’s life.’
‘She’s a human who killed Kin, Aiden,’ Vittoria inserts. ‘The Court—’
‘He was going to rape her. Probably murder her. I think she’s justified.’ I shake my head.
‘But you know the rules, Cillian. You have no choice. It’s your sacred duty as the Unseelie Huntsman.’ Vittoria’s voice is unwavering. ‘I’ve already notified my father and the Court. You should be summoned soon.’
The door from the club slams open and Sean staggers out, sees the bodies on the ground and pales.
‘Where’s Rose?’
‘In the limo,’ Aiden says far more calmly than I’d manage right now.
‘Is she…’ Sean swallows and no matter how furious I am with him right now, I can’t ignore the guilt in his expression, nor the fear.
‘She’s unconscious,’ Aiden says. ‘But I don’t think they…
’ His gaze flits to Niamh and my fists clench.
I swear to the gods, if these assholes have harmed either of them, I will dedicate my life to seeking out Bran’s Cauldron just to bring them back so that I can torture them to death over and over and over again.
With a last furtive glance at me, Sean hurries over to the car, opens the door and reaches in to check on Rose.
‘We should get her home and get the doc to take a look at her as soon as possible. Can you—’ I stop and draw in a breath, not wanting to ask. ‘Does it look like they hurt her?’
He shakes his head. ‘Not on the surface, but—’ He stops and my gaze shifts to Niamh.
There might be no outward signs of what happened on Rose, but Niamh is a different story.
Her dress is torn, and it’s been ruched up her thighs until I can see her lacy underwear.
Her dress is now also soaked in blood. There are a number of finger marks that look like they’ll bruise.
Aiden has covered her up as best he can, but I didn’t miss the bare skin of her breast and the dusky pink of her nipple when the thug now lying dead at my feet shifted her in his arms as he faced up to me.
What is it about this woman that I can’t seem to ignore?
I’ve tried to keep my distance from her, but I’m no saint.
My memories of her skin beneath my fingertips, smooth and warm and perfect, flit through my thoughts.
I can still remember the taste of her lips, the tiny sighs she made when I kissed her.
There’s no way for us to be together, no matter what regrets I have.
I can’t become king with her by my side and not only that, but I’d destroy her.
Although now, seeing her lying there, covered in the blood of her enemy – it makes me wonder if maybe she is strong enough to withstand me.
Either that, or her proximity to me has just destroyed any goodness within her. It’s sure to be one of the two.
‘What does it matter?’ Vittoria says. ‘Cillian will do his duty and kill her anyway.’
What the fuck? The three dead men failed to abuse and maybe even kill Niamh, but Vittoria is going to make sure that she dies anyway? Except, Vittoria isn’t wrong. Niamh has killed Kin and The Unseelie Court would certainly condemn her to death, no matter the justification. I don’t have a choice.
Is she gloating? Surely, she can’t suspect that I have feelings for Niamh? Vittoria has never cared about any of the other women I’ve fucked, just as I haven’t cared about her men. Niamh and I have never even slept together, so…
But if she does suspect something, then this situation has played right into Vittoria’s hands. No, I’m sure she doesn’t know. If she did, I don’t think Niamh would have survived this long.
There’s something missing from the scenario in front of me and I’m not going to rest until I have discovered exactly who is behind Niamh and Rose being drugged and almost kidnapped. But first I have to try to work out a way to keep Niamh alive. Maybe the Court will understand?
No, there are no exceptions to a human killing Kin. Regardless of whose fault it is.
‘You need to take Rose home.’ I say to Sean.
‘What about … this one?’ Aiden asks.
‘I’ll take care of her.’ I ignore Vittoria’s glare and lift Niamh’s unconscious body into my arms. We’ve been here before, the first night we met, when I was already a disillusioned twenty-six-year-old, she only a day or so over eighteen.
But the effect she has on me hasn’t reduced at all during that time.
If it wasn’t for Vittoria’s presence, I’d take her home and put her safely in my bed just like that first night, to sleep off whatever she’s been given and then keep her there.
Safe and protected and most importantly, mine.
She’s not an innocent eighteen-year-old anymore.
She’s very definitely a grown woman, with at least some experience, I assume – despite the many times I’ve sabotaged any relationship she tried to have.
And there are still eight years and my sister keeping us apart.
Not to mention my engagement to Vittoria and my need to become king.
With Niamh, I can’t have the future I deserve.
And neither can The Unseelie Court. This is bigger than me.
Vincenzo is corrupt, and all the Kinfolk are suffering because of it.
Rose cares about justice but she has no desire to lead our Kin. Plus, until she’s married, her position will be precarious, and she would be someone for the other Kinfolk to fight over.
‘Well, we can’t stand here gossiping all night, gentlemen,’ Vittoria says, gesturing at Niamh. ‘Aiden…’
She’s got a bloody cheek assuming she can give orders to my man. I’d never presume to order around hers, but – Aiden immediately looks at me – at least mine are loyal to a fault.
‘You want me to take her, boss?’ Aiden asks. ‘Clean-up will be easier if we leave the body here.’ But I see the way he looks at her with sorrow in his eyes. He doesn’t want to do this anymore than I do.
‘It’s for the best,’ Vittoria agrees.
‘No!’
Aiden freezes after only taking a couple of steps towards me.
‘We’re taking her with us,’ I say. ‘Open the boot.’
‘Cillian!’ Vittoria hisses. ‘You can’t let her live. And it’s not just about tonight. That first night we met her, that was when Rose and Matt got together. She was playing the poor little innocent and then within weeks Chris was gone, Matt was gone… It all started with her.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous, Vittoria. Chris’s death was—’
‘No! I don’t want to hear it, Cillian. If it wasn’t for that girl, Chris would still be alive.’
What the hell is she on about? What the fuck does Niamh have to do with Chris’s death?
Matt was blamed for that. I hunted him down.
So how does Vittoria figure Niamh into it?
But she can’t be lying or there would be a sign.
The palm of my hand starts to tingle and my heart sinks as I look at my hand and find a sigil there, with Niamh’s name beneath it.
‘A hunt has been called?’ Vittoria asks, although it’s not really a question. ‘Looks like it’ll be another disappointing kill. How frustrating.’ Vittoria and I stare at each other for a long minute before I shake my head.
‘Not here,’ I say. But there’s no getting out of this situation. I have to act. I could kill Niamh now, but ironically Vittoria has given me another option…
‘She’s guilty of a crime against The Unseelie Court,’ I say. ‘I’m taking her to the woods. I’m not going to be denied a hunt and a kill twice in one night.’
‘You’re really going to…’ Sean begins, eyes wide.
Annoyance flashes over Vittoria’s face, then she tilts her head to one side, considering.
‘She deserves the chance to try and outrun me. The chance to reach sanctuary. Even if we know she won’t succeed.’
‘I’m not sure a mere human deserves that, Cillian,’ she says, moving towards me and running a finger down the side of Niamh’s face. ‘What is she to you?’
‘Am I not supposed to offer the same justice to all, Vittoria? Each of us have both just killed Kin, too.’
‘Oh, Cillian. We all know it’s not the same. We were saving your sister – a member of one of the Kinfolk families who sit in The Unseelie Court. She’s nothing, a nobody, a human who killed Kin to save herself.’