Dark Rival (40 page)

Allie stiffened with dread. In that moment, she had the dreadful comprehension that Moffat didn't want her—that this was a trap and it was set for Royce.

Moffat was reading her mind, because he said. “Aye, beauty. T’is a trap and you are the bait.”

ROYCE TENSED in the high tower at Blackwood Hall, filled with alarm and sick with fear. In that moment, every memory he’d ever had of what Kael had done to Brigdhe filled his mind, paralyzing him. Moffat would use Ailios to torment him as Kael had used his wife, he had no doubt— unless he could save her in time. It was the past repeating itself. It was his worst nightmare come true, his most ancient fear rekindled and reborn.

Now, he heard nothing but the wind whispering in the trees outside. But he had heard her calling him.

He fought the gut-wrenching fear. Instead his mind calmed and he readied for the battle of good and evil that was to come. A terrible savagery stole over him. This time, Moffat had dared too much and gone too far. He would suffer a horrendous death. And Royce listened to the universe.

At first, he heard nothing but the vast, eternal silence. He strained and remained intently focused. A ripple went through the eons of time.

He breathed hard and refocused. And slowly, the tormented passions of humanity readied out to him from the many ages of time. First he felt fear, and then waves of extreme anger and hatred, followed by lust, sorrow, vengeance, jealousy...

He breathed hard again. Somehow he was tapping into the emotions of too many victims to count. He did not want to feel the horrors of a thousand strangers, unjustly destroyed by demonic hands or the capricious will of Fate. There was only one person he wished to find. Sweat poured down his body in streams.

The roiling mass of turbulent human emotion receded. The vast silence of eternity came yet again.

And then he felt a vague ripple of fear, followed by the nearly intangible rush of anger.

It was Ailios. He had little doubt. He closed his eyes, controlling his breathing, his mind. Tell me where you are.

At first there was no answer. The fragile sense of her fear and anger vanished. His heart wanted to panic. He would not let it do so. And then her fear slithered through him, it intensified, and this time it was followed by the heavyweight of evil.

Royce straightened. He knew without a doubt that he had found her and she was in Moffat's control. But where were they?

Ailios, hear me.
 
Where are you?

There was no answer, although he waited hours for her to respond. All the while, he strained to sense her again. And when he did, the anger was gone' there was only fear and alarm. Ailios, feel me, hear me. Where are you?

It remained an incredible feat to feel her, and that told him that she was far away, in another time. How would he find her? She could be anywhere....

He was ready to give up. She was too far away for him to contact her with telepathy. He had to make contact with Moffat. He would offer a trade—himself for Ailios, And then he must pray that Moffat wanted him, not Ailios.

He whirled to go to the door and came face-to-face with Elasaid.

Royce froze. Her shimmering face was strained with worry. He hesitated and instinctively reached out to touch her certain she was a ghost. “Elasaid?” His hand drifted through her shape and form, for she was just an image etched onto the air.

She said. ”He has taken her to Eoradh.”

He was shocked. Moffat had taken her back in time to the place where Brigdhe was imprisoned. He could barely assimilate what this meant. He was about to leap when she seized his wrist. She had no corporeal form, but he felt her touch, like the caress of a cool breeze on a chill winter night.

"The gods bless you, Ruari. Go with caution into your enemy's trap."

SHE WAS BAIT.

"You're frightened for your lover," Moffat murmured. "Well, I cannot reassure you.”

Allie felt her heart hammering in alarm. "Why bother with such an elaborate trap? Why lure him here to this time? Royce dies in 2007. You murder him.”

Moffat's brows lifted in surprise. “Is that a ruse on your part, Lady Ailios?”

He didn’t know, Allie thought, her heart jackhammering. And that meant that a modern-day Moffat had murdered the modern-day Royce. It meant that they must kill him now and forever remove the menace he posed to them.

He seized her and pulled her close. “Ah, well, it doesn't matter. He murdered my favorite lover. Ever since, I have been planning his destruction. My trap is perfect now. I will not sit by and let him live after what he has taken from me.” Moffat let her go.

Allie backed away, rubbing her bruised arm. This was a burning vengeance, a crime of passion.

"He hates me. He won't come."

Moffat gave her a long look. "Oh, he'll come."

Allie didn't bother to ask why he’d chosen this time and place. She already knew. He wanted to emotionally destroy Royce. He would be devastated to return here, to see his wife again, this way, in Moffat's hands. And she knew Moffat was right.

Royce would never leave her here. Their affair might be over, but he would rescue her. He would die to do so.

She was so afraid for Royce. She did not like Moffat being there with Kael, allied against Royce. She didn't have to understand the rules of the universe to know that if young Royce failed to destroy Kael, Royce would be killed. But everyone kept insisting the past could not be changed. She prayed now that it was written in stone.

"Let us go."

Allie stiffened. "Go where?"

“I promised Kael you'd heal his brother, I can hardly walk into another man's home and take it over for myself." He took her arm. “Not even in this primitive time."

Allie twisted to free herself, but to no avail, "I am not healing a demon!"

He mocked. "You gave me your word."

“I lied," she snarled at him.

"Then I will encourage Kael to spend the day with Brigdhe. You've healed her—she won't be healed when he is through."

Allie cried out. But she met his demonic gaze, already knowing he would love to sick Kael on the injured woman. "Fine. Take me to him."

He laughed at her and shoved her outside.

Allie saw that they were in a very primitive wood fort. High wooden stockade fencing surrounded the interior courtyard, a wooden watchtower on each corner. The building she had just left was the largest structure within the fort, the rest of the buildings were mere huts.

Many armed men were on the walls, wearing leather helmets and carrying leather shields. Others sat outside a group of huts, drinking and gambling. Everyone was human—and evil. She was certain the only Innocent ones in the fortress were her and Brigdhe.

A huge dark man hurried toward them. He was as evil as Moffat; a true demon from the highest level. Usually the highest demons had the appearance of golden male angels, but not this one. He was as ugly as Moffat was beautiful. Allie cringed. She was in the hands of two of the most powerful demons she had ever encountered.

His gaze swept her with demonic interest. ''Bring her, he ordered Moffat. He was barefoot, clad in a roughly woven tunic, a wool mantle over his shoulders, and he made Moffat, in his fine velvet robes and pointy shoes, seem the epitome of elegance.

Allie felt even sicker than before. She was about to defy her very Fate by healing a demon. It was unbelievable, but she had to spare Brigdhe any more pain.

Moffat shoved her forward and she followed Kael into another hut. Instantly she sensed death.

Kael looked at her with pure malice. ''Heal my brother."

Allie walked past him,
 
the dying demon's aura thick with the blood of his innocent victims. He was pretty and golden, like Moffat, and he looked at her with his red eyes as she knelt, no fervor present. He had been stabbed dozens of times in a battle, and any one of his wounds would have killed a mortal man instantly. But he was a demon and he still lived. Still he had lost too much blood, and a raging infection had set in. He would die if not healed.

Allie couldn't breathe. This man had taken hundreds of Innocent lives, enjoying every sadistic moment of seduction, pleasure, torture and rape. She felt all of their souls, crying out for justice—begging her to desist. She couldn’t do this.

Moffat knelt over her, so close his body spooned hers, his thick manhood a terrible and threatening presence against her back. “Heal him. Otherwise, while Kael enjoys the woman inside. I’ll show you how much you've been missing while in Royce's bed.”

Allie bit her lip. She hardly cared about herself, but she did care about Brigdhe. She lifted her hand, and without enthusiasm, reached for her white light. To her surprise, it eluded her grasp.

She reached more determinedly for it. There was only a thread to seize.

She seized the fragile wave and showered it at the demon. But she had nothing in her hand but air.

Her powers had been compromised by the leap, or the Ancients were near, refusing to allow her to heal their mortal enemy.

She tensed, trying to feel any holy presence within the general area, and she was not surprised to feel grace and majesty nearby.

"What happens?” Kael asked, interrupting her. The demon's eyes were closed, his face white. "He still dies.”

Allie hesitated, knowing she was in grave straits. "I don't have the power," Allie tried, “I lost it during the leap."

Moffat hauled her cruelly to her feet. "You will pay for this!"

"The gods won't let me heal a demon!" she shouted in desperation.

Kael knelt over his brother. "He breathes, but barely! Make the bitch heal!"

"I am warning you," Moffat snarled, his face so close to hers his breath feathered her cheek.

"There is nothing in me," Allie cried. "My powers are gone."

Moffat pulled her front the hut. He let her go and she stumbled. "Don't take this out on Brigdhe," she begged. Fear arose and consumed her. Could she somehow find the courage to sacrifice herself for the other woman? "Do with me as you will….but leave that poor woman alone."

"You're about to pay a terrible price for your refusal," he said softly, furiously. “I will enjoy hurting you.”

Her fear escalated. She didn't want to die, but maybe death would be preferable to what Moffat would do to her. Allie told herself she must survive. Royce needed her—the world needed her. Royce, where are you? I am in so much trouble!

And suddenly she thought she felt him, somewhere far away, listening to her.

Royce?

Suddenly Moffat stiffened, his head up, as if he scented Royce, too.

Allie wet her lips, praying. She did not want Royce walking blindly into Moffat’s trap. They needed the Ancients
 
help. Weren't the gods stronger in this time? "I am glad the gods wouldn't let me heal that bastard,” she said with heat, in an attempt to distract Moffat.

"Be silent.” He remained poised like a hunting hound sniffing the night. Then he finally looked at her, emanating a terrible tension. "He comes, Ailios."

She trembled and cried. “What do you intend?"

"After I am done with Royce, I will bend you to my will—and enjoy doing so. You had better beg the gods to return your powers to you.” He jerked on her and hauled her roughly back to the building where Brigdhe was imprisoned.

Moffat shoved her into the hut. She tripped and almost fell but he caught her and dragged her across the room. "What are you doing?" she cried in alarm.

He seized a trapdoor she hadn't noticed, set into the floor, and flung it open. Then he pushed her over the edge.

Allie fell into cold, wet dirt.

Above her, Moffat laughed and slammed the trapdoor closed.

And that was when she felt something hot, dry and scaly slither over her hand.

She became still.

The snake hissed.

Slowly Allie turned her head, adjusting her eyes to the darkness. And when she could see, she met dozens of small, glittering eyes. Dozens of snakes writhed in mass just feet from where she lay, hissing and seething, angry at the invasion of their den.

Raw terror began.

Royce, help me!

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

THE MOMENT HIS POWERS RETURNED to him, he felt her.

Royce sat up. He was in the woods on the same ridge where he'd last been when he’d come to remind himself of Brigdhe's pain. He froze. Ailios’s terror rolled through him in chilling, gut-wrenching waves.

She was never afraid.

He leapt to his feet and heard her.

Royce.

He couldn't imagine what was being done to her. The Code no longer mattered. He wasn't sure exactly when his younger self would appeal; and he didn't care. Before Ruari arrived, while he still had power, he was going to rescue Ailios and destroy Moffat once and for all.

He started down the ridge, focusing on her savagely determined. Her image formed in his mind. She was pale with fear, as she crouched in a black hole. She had been put in a pit.

He halted, focusing with all of his being, and it took him but a moment to realize she was alone. Moffat wasn't there.

He was so relieved. He had been terrified that Moffat or Kael was raping and torturing her. But now, he could not understand her terror. Ailios wasn't afraid of the dark and he was fairly certain being in a pit wouldn't frighten her, either. He reached out to her. I'm here. What frightens ye?

There was no reply,

He strained to see.

Instead he heard her weeping.

He started to rush down the ridge. Her image came another time, as forcefully. She crouched against an earthen walk and he saw the snakes seething about her feet.

Royce.

She'd been put in a pit with snakes. And in that moment, a shocking memory returned, a memory he hadn't recalled in over eight hundred years. When he had vanquished Kael and rescued Brigdhe, he’d heard a woman crying out to him. He'd tried to find her, but failed.

In that exact instant, he remembered it as if it were but yesterday. He recalled leaping into a pit filled with snakes, only to find it empty.

Yet he'd heard her calling to him.

He'd heard Ailios through the centuries.