Druid Temptation (A Druid Quest Novel Book 2) (12 page)

His brows lowered, his mouth turning hard. “Absolutely not.”

“You obviously changed your mind and don’t want me here. I’ll not be a burden.” Her throat closed on the words, and it felt like she was losing everything all over again.

“If you try to leave, I will hunt you down and lock you in your room.”

Diana jumped at the growly reply. Speaking only seemed to make him angrier, but she would not allow him to dictate her actions. “I—”

“We spoke vows. Just because you changed your mind does not mean I have.”

Diana blinked in confusion. “I didn’t change my mind. You—”

“What?” He snapped out the one word.

Diana tightened her mouth against the urge to argue further.

He was right.

Neither of them could afford the distraction of becoming involved, not when their lives were at risk. The future she had begun to imagine for them evaporated, and a dull ache spread as the lovely fantasy she’d built for the two of them vanished.

When the carriage drew to a stop, she didn’t wait for him to escort her, but threw the door wide. Without bothering with the steps, she jumped, landing lightly on her feet, and fled inside.

“Diana, wait.”

Ignoring his command, she mounted the stairs swiftly, not allowing herself to be seduced back under his spell. Upon entering her room, she slammed the door behind her, then reached for the lock.

“As ucht de!”
For heaven sakes! She’d forgotten there wasn’t one.

“Diana.” He knocked on her door, the wood vibrating against her hands. “Open the door.”

Like a rabbit, her heart thumped so rapidly she went lightheaded. The voice was demanding. He wouldn’t be denied. If he came through that door, he would know how foolish she had been. She couldn’t bear for him to learn that she’s stupidly begun to fall in love with him. “Go away. I have a headache. All the excitement must have been too much for me.”

“Diana…” His voice softened, her name a plea, and she cursed when she felt her resolve beginning to weaken.

Wolf jumped down off the bed, calmly walking toward her and plunking himself in front of the door, becoming the world’s largest doorstop. Even if she wanted to open it, there was no way she could budge his bulk. Wolf watched her with sad eyes, and rested his head on his paws.

“It’s getting late. We’ve had a long day. I’m going to rest a bit before supper.”

The silence on the other side of the door was deafening. She pressed her hand against the wood, wishing she could ease the ache building in her chest and touch him one last time.

“As you wish.” Her insides hollowed out at his softly spoken words.

Diana dropped to her knees next to Wolf. “How could everything go so wrong so quickly?”

He whined, covering his face with his paw, and Diana snorted. She couldn’t read the minds of animals, but frequently caught random images they projected if they felt strongly enough about something. “I don’t understand that man. One moment we’re fine, the next he’s furious.”

Wolf flopped to his side with a grunt. His yellow eyes met hers, and her soul shriveled at the truth in them, and Diana reluctantly nodded. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have allowed him to get so close. It’s much too dangerous.”

Even though she knew it was the right decision, she’d never felt so alone.

G
abriel strode into his room
, yanking on his collar, cursing the colossal mess he’d made of things. One look at Diana’s bare skin, and he’d barely resisted the urge to take her there at the store, be damned if they were caught or not. It was all he could do to shut her out and not give in to the impulse.

He eyed the connecting door to their room, tempted to enter and demand that she listen.

He’d fucked up.

He allowed his emotions to get the better of him, and he’d frightened her.

Women were delicate creatures and needed to be handled with care.

They didn’t like to be pawed at like a whore on the street.

They needed to be wooed and pampered.

In one second of inattention, he’d made a fool of himself, and alienated her so badly she would no longer even speak to him.

He threw his jacket across the bed and groaned at his own idiocy. Needing to clear his head, he headed toward the washstand. He tipped the pitcher, splashed cold water on his face and groped for a towel.

Only to find a pile of soggy strings littered across his floor.

“Hell and damnation.” He un-tucked his shirt and scrubbed his face. He picked up the shredded remains of his towel, easily able to distinguish the work of her demonically clever mutt thanks to the fang marks left behind.

He wanted to grouse, but he knew he deserved much worse.

He stripped off his shirt, plotting ways to win back his wife’s affections.

No matter how much he wanted to go to her, his body flatly refused to obey when he knew she was just beyond that door.

Near a bed.

Possibly on it.

Naked.

One look, one touch and he turned into nothing more than a randy buck, the indifference that had plagued him for years had well and truly vanished.

Needing to get out of the house and clear his head, he dressed quickly and headed toward the stables. He saddled his horse and rode off with one last lingering glance toward Diana’s room, comforted by the glow of her light.

He navigated the streets by memory. Not much had changed in the years he’d been gone. Even the people of the upper crust remained the same. A good portion of them were pretentious snobs, but he was too wealthy for them to snub completely. After his wife died, rumors ran rampant that he had a part in her death, no doubt due to his mother-in-law. Instead of ostracizing him, the scandal had the opposite effect.

People loved juicy gossip.

Riding through the streets, almost by rote, he found himself outside the home of an old friend. He hesitated to knock, wondering how he would be received since he’d disappeared from London over five years ago with scarcely a good-bye to those closest to him. He did not deserve to ask for their help now. He was reining his horse around when the front door opened.

He stiffened, watching his onetime friend tromp down the front steps. The man paused mid-stride when he spotted him. He and Rand had decided to marry the same year and competed for the affections of some of the same women. While his friend had ultimately married his childhood sweetheart, Gabriel fell into Meredith’s trap, and his life became a living hell.

They had since grown apart.

Coming to town had dredged up a lot of old emotions, and he’d forgotten that not all of them were bad.

“Gabriel?” A grin split the man’s face as he rushed forward. His blond hair was perfectly groomed, his clothes fitting him to perfection, though he had gained a few pounds of muscle since Gabriel had last seen him.

Gabriel used to be able to take him in a fair fight, now it appeared they were more evenly matched. He dismounted in time to be engulfed in a giant bear hug, accompanied by a hearty slap on the back for good measure.

“Rand.” Gabriel gripped his friend back just as fiercely.

“Come.” He grabbed Gabriel’s arm, doing his best to drag him up the steps. “Tallie would love to see you again.”

A servant ran forward to take the horse, and Gabriel allowed himself to be pulled into the house. The family mansion was the pinnacle of fashion, having been passed down through the generations. Though stylish, everything was a tad too polished for his taste. He preferred chairs able to hold his weight when he sat on them. A hum of pleasure warmed the pit of his stomach to know Diana preferred his simple tastes.

As soon as the doors closed, Rand set in with the questions. “What have you been up to? When did you get back? How long will you be staying?”

“Rand, let the man get a word in edgewise.” Tallie laughed as she glided down the stairs and engulfed him in her fragrant embrace. Compared to his size, she was a petite angel, despite all her curves. Her dark curls were pulled back in an intricate twist, her kind green eyes softening as they studied him. She leaned back, her voice quiet. “It’s good to see you again.”

Gabriel kissed her proffered cheek. Rand placed his arm around Tallie’s waist and guided them toward the parlor. “Come and sit. Tell us everything.”

His good mood dimmed at their obvious affection for each other, and his resolution firmed. He would have that with Diana. He ignored the spindly chair and leaned against the mantle. “Emilie and I are in town for a few weeks.”

“You hated town. You wouldn’t come back unless…what happened?” Tallie stiffened, concern darkening her eyes. She leaned into Rand, and he automatically gathered her close.

“I’ve remarried, and I need your help.” Pride straightened his spine. He might have messed up selecting his first wife, but he’d chosen wisely with Diana. He refused to believe otherwise.

“Oh, Gabriel.” Instead of congratulations, compassion lit Tallie’s eyes.

Gabriel frowned, his protective instincts roaring through him. He needed them to understand that Diana was his now. He would do whatever it took to protect her. “No, nothing like that. She saved Emilie’s life. Diana is…unique, and it’s landed her in a spot of trouble.”

If she hadn’t been in a bind, she would never have agreed to marry him, and the knowledge was a blow to his ego.

Tallie’s eyes widened, misconstruing his words, and Gabriel’s mouth went dry, struck dumb at the image of what Diana would look like swelled with his child. Not that she’d allow him anywhere near her after this disastrous day. He swallowed hard before he could speak. “Not that. For close to a year, Diana has been chased across England by a man who calls himself a pastor. The bastard exploits his position and has been blackmailing people. Diana caught him in the act, found proof of his misdeeds. He now claims she’s a thief and a witch, and wants her under his protection. He’s obsessed with her.” He rubbed his chin wearily. “I doubt she’ll survive to stand trial. Williams is a vindictive bastard. He will find out that I am protecting her and will retaliate. I want to make it difficult for him to abscond with my wife without raising an alarm.”

“Gabriel—”

Rand grabbed Tallie’s hand, cutting her off, and they exchanged a look. “What do you need?”

“That’s it?” Tension crept through his gut.

Tallie leaned into her husband. “She must be someone very special for you to go to such lengths to protect. What would you have of us?”

“The hardest part was getting her to agree to marriage. I want to introduce her to society. Since she is my wife, once she’s established, her disappearance would cause a stir.”

Tallie narrowed her eyes. “Is that why you married her?”

“Tallie!” Rand stood and held his hands out as if he would physically toss her over his shoulder and carry her from the room.

She shot to her feet and waved her husband off. “Hush. We lost him once to a harpy. I want to know that this Diana didn’t trick him into marriage.”

Gabriel glared down at them, wanting to leave them with no doubt that Diana was his. “She didn’t trick me.” Gabriel snorted at the very thought. “I would bet my fortune that, if given half an opportunity, she would never have married me in the first place.” He should feel remorse for trapping her into marriage, but he refused to feel guilty about protecting her. Rand and Tallie would understand how special Diana was when they met her.

“If society accepts her, it will be harder for the pastor to prove his case. It’s the best line of defense, one that should be impossible for him to penetrate.”

“You want our help to launch her.” Rand slipped his hand around his wife’s waist.

“I know it is a lot to expect—”

“Nonsense.” Tallie practically rubbed her hands together at the prospect. “When do you want to start?”

The constriction coiled around his chest eased. Diana was smart and wily. If he didn’t do something soon, she would slip through his grasp, and he wouldn’t be able to stop her.

“We’ll be out riding tomorrow morning at Hyde Park. I’ll introduce you then.”

* * *

D
iana paced
her room as the walls began to close in on her inch by painful inch. Needing air, she thrust open the window and sucked in a deep breath. The claustrophobia threatening to suffocate her slowly retracted its claws from along her spine.

The sound of a door shutting caught her attention.

To her shock, she saw Gabriel stride into the garden, and she quickly straightened to keep him in sight. His confident stride and broad shoulders were easily recognizable even in the dark. He stopped in front of a wall of snarled vines, and she leaned forward to get a better view.

And couldn’t have been more flabbergasted to see him open a hidden door.

Before stepping through the secret exit, Gabriel glanced back over his shoulder toward her room. Diana dodged behind the curtain, her heart fluttering, and could almost swear he’d been looking directly at her.

Then without a second’s thought, he walked through the door and vanished.

There was only one reason a man would sneak out of his house in the middle of the night.

To go to his mistress.

Jealousy raged through her, and Diana wanted to follow Gabriel and hunt down the hussy. The emotions were so primitive and instinctive, she struggled to contain them.

It didn’t matter that their marriage was not real and she had no right to feel that way.

After two hours of tossing and turning, Diana gave up on trying to sleep.

It was after midnight, and Gabriel had yet to return.

She rubbed the ache in her chest, then slipped her hand under her pillow and fingered the knife, tempted to cut herself and force a vision. If she concentrated hard enough, she could discover whether she and Gabriel had a future together. The temptation was so strong, she could almost taste it, and the strength of the need frightened her.

Only one thing stopped her.

She couldn’t bear to learn if she was wrong. Her heart already felt bruised, and she feared such knowledge would have the power to break it.

She uncurled her fingers and pulled her hand away. She needed to clear her head and stop stewing. She allowed her mind to be cluttered with thoughts of her husband when she should be focusing on the real threat. What she needed to do was prepare for attack, and the first order of business would be to learn the layout of the surrounding buildings and streets in case she needed a quick escape.

Quickly dressing, she knotted her hair away from her face, and placed a number of blades on her person until she practically bristled with weapons. She debated traveling by rooftop—the houses were so close together she wouldn’t have trouble making the jumps—but too many of them were occupied. She wanted to remain unseen, not have people investigate strange noises.

As she crept down stairs, Wolf right behind her, she was disturbed to find she could exit the house so easily without raising an alarm. In the backyard, she halted and turned toward Wolf. “Stay. Protect the house. Don’t let anyone inside who doesn’t belong.”

Only when Wolf plopped his butt down did she stride toward the back garden wall. A glint of metal in the snarl of vines gave away the location of the hidden exit.

The door opened on silent hinges, and Diana emerged into a narrow alley to see a row of private stables. Lured forward by the nicker of horses, she passed the first three stalls on the right, nodding to each animal in greeting, but the last stall called to her, a wild bid for freedom that answered her own.

The horse surprised her with its appearance. She expected a large warhorse from the ferocity of the emotions, and couldn’t have been more surprised to find a dainty mare. The animal tossed her head in defiance, unafraid to show her temperament to anyone daring enough to get too close, her heart and courage more suited to a much larger beast. Dark mahogany hair shimmered in the dim light, begging to be touched.

Diana unlocked the gate, only to have it slammed shut.

“You do not want to do that, my lady. She’s a bit of trouble to handle.” A grizzled old man stood next to her, his gnarled hands securing the lock. Despite being a couple of inches shorter than her, he didn’t bat an eye at her appearance, and she immediately liked him better for it.

Diana narrowed her eyes, tempted to use her title to get what she wanted, but didn’t like the lurch in her stomach at the lie. Until the marriage was consummated, she was a fraud. Changing tactics, she faced the man directly.