"You eyes tell a different story."
He saw too deeply and it was freaking her out. She closed her eyes in an attempt to cut the connection between them. That was a mistake because she could feel his warm breath on her face and a moment later, his finger brushed down her throat.
"Your heart trusts me, but your mind rebels. What will it take for you to yield to me, Cara?" he asked.
Yield. A word he used in the dream. She tried to remember Aodhan with all those women, but all her mind conjured were her own interludes with him in and around this castle. She felt drowsy with need and pulled away for some much needed breathing room. Aodhan was naturally lusty and would revert back to his old ways now that he was free, she reminded herself. Naturally, he was focused on her because of their time together.
"Let's get back to business," she said and tried to focus on the computer screen.
Aodhan was an intimidating presence by her side and she was grateful when Linnea appeared. She had a tray laden with bowls and plates and set it none too gently on the coffee table. With her eyes lowered, she recited a menu that made Cara stare.
"You made all of that this morning?" Cara asked in disbelief.
Linnea's eyes flicked towards Aodhan and then away. "I was told to have at least five different meals ready at any given moment for the master when he arrived. Before the food goes bad, I take it into the village and give it to the families in need."
Cara nodded and glared at Aodhan when he grunted. He walked over to the tray to investigate the spread. Linnea lifted covers and began to go into great details over the ingredients, but Aodhan waved a dismissive hand. Linnea did a strange curtsy/bob and ran to the door.
"Thanks, Linnea," Cara called after her and wondered what Aodhan would do if she tossed a paperweight at his head.
Cara tried to ignore Aodhan as he began to eat, but the grunts and hums of delight were distracting. He sampled everything with the obvious pleasure of a man who hadn't eaten in ages. He devoured everything in no time at all and Cara's hands fumbled over the keyboard. While he was distracted, she checked her bank account, which had been closed since there was nothing left in it. How was she going to get back to Montana without asking Aodhan for money?
"I need to locate Khan," Aodhan said, breaking into her thoughts.
Cara's hands froze over the computer keys. "Khan?"
"He and his twin were the oldest Ancients. If there is an Ancient on earth besides myself, it would be him."
She knew Khan. Hearing his name caused her body to tremble with fear. She tried to pull herself together. "How do we find him?"
Aodhan lounged on the couch, ankle resting on his knee, arms spread out on either side of him. He was a big man and his furniture was obviously custom-built since they were all freakishly large and strong enough to hold up under his weight.
"Research any corporation with the name Ancient and his name."
She stared at him for a long moment before she got to work. Aodhan shifted from a prehistoric beast that only cared about screwing to a modern man talking about Internet searches and corporations. Which man was the real him? There was so much about him she didn't know and the truth was she couldn't afford to know him better than she did already. Her hands flew over the keys. It didn't take her long to get a hit.
"There's a corporation called The Ancients. The homepage of their website leads to an email address and that's it."
"That's him," Aodhan said immediately. "Send an email."
"What do I say? What if it's not him?"
"It is. Tell him I'm back."
"Can you be anymore cryptic? You've been gone for ages and that's all you say?"
"Pleasantries can wait," Aodhan said.
He walked around the office, pausing every now and then to pick up an object, inspect it with razor sharp focus before he nodded and set it back in its place. Although he was dressed casually, she could just as easily picture him as she had in her dreams, wearing breeches and fine linen shirts. Aodhan was a timeless being. He could exist in any century. In each, he would rule and go to war. He moved with the same lethal grace she remembered from the visions.
Aodhan turned and saw her watching him. She shifted restlessly in the leather seat as the silence stretched. He held out a hand to her.
"Come."
She rose and took his hand. His fingers curled around hers firmly before he led her out of the office.
"Where are we going?"
Aodhan didn't answer. He walked along empty halls with no decorations and down a series of staircases that spiraled into the depths of the castle. She shivered as the temperature dropped. Aodhan opened a metal door and when she got a glimpse of what lay beyond, she tugged on her hand. Aodhan shot her an unreadable look before he pulled her into the dungeon. She expected the dungeon to smell like one, but like the rest of the castle, the dungeon was pristine and lit with automatic lights that flared as they approached. Cara peered into the cells and eyed the chains on the walls.
"Is this where you used to entertain back in the day?" she asked testily.
Aodhan didn't answer. He walked to the end of the dungeon and stared at an impenetrable wall of stone. He pressed one hand against the wall and it disappeared. Cara sucked in a breath as they stepped forward and she looked down at an abyss of winking gold. They stood on the ledge and looked out over a sea of gold coins and jewels she couldn't name. She knew many who would offer their souls in return for such riches. She didn't move or say a thing. As if proximity would tempt her, Aodhan shuffled her in front of him and gripped her shoulders.
"I can give you this," Aodhan murmured in her ear.
She looked out over the fields of gold and wondered distantly how deep the coins were. Fathoms deep? "I don't want your money."
Aodhan turned her to face him. "What do you want, Cara?"
"I want to see my family," she said quietly.
"This isn't the right time."
"Why?" she asked, even though she knew he was right.
"My arrival has changed the balance of power. Luc will stop at nothing to kill you after setting me free. He expects you to go to your family."
She just wanted to see her family one last time. She didn't bother telling Aodhan that Luc didn't intend to kill her and wouldn't unless it was a last resort.
"What do you want?" he repeated.
Her hands fisted at her side. "I want you to take Luc down."
"I will."
There was absolute resolve in his statement and she believed him. He leaned down and his raptor eyes settled on her lips for a moment before he looked into her eyes.
"I want you with me."
"I have stuff to do," she said and shifted her eyes to a point to the left of his fierce gaze.
"You're going to hunt. So am I. That's what I was created to do, Cara, same as you. I hunt demons along with other creatures."
She nodded. "I know there's more evil out there, but I have my own brand to deal with."
"We can hunt together."
She shook her head.
"You're very determined to get away from me. Why?"
"We had a bargain."
"Things have changed."
She couldn't deny that. In the beginning, she was convinced Aodhan would eat her. Now, she viewed him as the one she'd been looking for her whole life. She trusted Aodhan to do what she couldn't- rid the world of Luc, the Master Demon who'd reigned for centuries. Aodhan would send Luc back to hell and his minions would scatter.
"I've never met a human like you."
She crossed her arms across her chest. "I know I'm a freak. You don't have to shove it in my face."
"You're unique," he said and she was slightly mollified. "I don't know of any other who can sense demons except the Ancients."
She swallowed hard and tried to step back, but he kept her in place.
"These visions you had about me, did they frighten you? Is that why you want to leave?" he asked.
Her body began to tingle and she hissed, "Let me go, Aodhan."
His grip tightened. "Tell me what the demon showed you."
"You're a horny bastard," she said flatly.
He grasped her face between hot palms and drew her up against him. "They were faceless women hungry for sex and money. I don't remember any of them."
One of his hands cupped the back of her neck and she felt herself being enveloped by him. His scent was musky and tempting. The voice in the back of her mind shrieked at her in warning, but she was lost in turquoise.
"I remember you," he growled. "You exorcised my demon and broke my curse. I want to give you what no one else has."
"What's that?" she whispered.
"Everything."
His answer made her eyes prick with tears and she shoved against him and got nowhere. Sensing weakness, he brushed his thumb over her lips and leaned even closer.
"I know you, Cara."
She tried to shake her head, but his hand tightened in her hair.
"You trusted a beast when I didn't trust myself. You refused to leave the cave when I was dying. Why?"
"It was all my fault," she said hoarsely and tears filled her eyes.
He shook his head. "It's more than that."
A tear slipped down her cheek. "What are you talking about?"
His hand moved from her hair to clasp her throat. His finger stroked her fluttering pulse.
"You're brave and loyal and you dare to love even in the face of evil. I want that loyalty."
"You have it."
The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. A brilliant smile split his mouth and she tried to knee him in the crotch, but he was ready for that and she missed.
"So, you finally admit there's more between us than a deal."
She narrowed her eyes. "You owe me."
"That's true," he agreed. "Many times over."
"You can pay me in full by buying me a ticket to Montana."
His good mood vanished. "I won't help you leave me, Cara."
"This is the twenty-first century!"
"And we're in my dungeon."
She noted the warning in his voice. "Don't threaten me, Aodhan."
He bared his teeth at her. "War's coming."
He wasn't worried, afraid or excited. He was stone cold and in spite of herself, she felt a lick of pride. He would scare the crap out of the creatures of the dark when they found out he was back. Maybe she could send out a mass email or something.
"I'm selfish," he said without a glimmer of remorse.
"I know that," she muttered.
"You're not telling me everything. You make me want to chain you in here," he growled.
Her eyes flared, but she didn't move, sensing that would only incite him. His eyes gleamed with possessiveness and she caught a glimpse of the dragon gliding beneath the surface of his human skin.
"I'm trying to turn over a new leaf."
Despite his threat, her lips twitched because his voice was tinged with frustration. She could see the struggle between his need to possess versus his gratitude.
"I want to renegotiate our terms," he declared.
"If I say no?" she asked.
His thumb brushed persuasively across her lips. "Negotiate with me."
"I don't understand what you want from me. You're free. You have
stuff
to do. You've been locked up for centuries. You can do whatever you want."
"I want you with me."
"To hunt demons?"
He dipped his head and when he spoke, his lips brushed hers.
"I'm hungry."
"You just ate," she said.
"I'm not hungry for food. I want you."
She head butted him. Her eyes watered from the pain exploding from her forehead.
"Son of a bitch!" she shouted.
"Why did you do that?"
"No wonder you don't understand the word no! Your head is filled with metal, blockhead!"
She tried to stomp his foot and missed when he picked her up as if she were a doll. He walked away from his horde of treasure. Over his shoulder, she saw the wall reappear. Aodhan set her down and examined her head.
"It's going to bruise," he said.
He raised his thumb to his mouth again, but she shook her head.
"I don't need any more of your blood. I need an ice pack."
"Were you trying to hurt me?" he asked with an indulgent smile that made her head pound with rage.
"I was trying to knock some sense into you! If you want a woman, go find someone else. I'm not like the others!"
She stomped away from him, pulled open the iron door that led out of the dungeon and flew up the steps. She was relieved to be back in a more civilized part of the castle. Although she wasn't familiar with the layout, she didn't need Aodhan's help to find the kitchen. She followed her nose.
Linnea looked up from a large pot of stew and gaped. "What happened to you? You look like you have a third eye forming."
Cara slumped on a stool. "Can I have a pack of ice and aspirin?"
Linnea wrapped an ice pack in a dishtowel and gave her two pills she kicked back immediately.
"What happened?" Linnea asked, resuming her station by the stove.
"I head-butted Lord of the Manor," Cara muttered.
Linnea stared at her. "You're kidding."
Cara lowered the pack to show her nice sized lump. "Too bad his head is full of bricks."