Druid Temptation (A Druid Quest Novel Book 2) (5 page)

Diana swallowed hard as she stared at the man so determined to protect her.

She wasn’t giving up.

She was protecting him.

And if he even suspected the truth, he would never rest until he extracted her from the pastor’s clutches or got himself killed in the process.

“You’re big and strong, but you’re not invincible. Everyone has a weakness.”

Her heart thumped hard at his silence. Even though it was for the best, her chest ached at the thought of not seeing him again.

Gabriel touched her chin and lifted her face up to his. “Let him come after me. I’m more than capable of handling him.”

Hope surged through her at his determination, leaving her almost giddy at the chance to spend more time with him, and she ruthlessly squashed it. “You’re underestimating the man. He’ll use your daughter as bait. You and I both know what will happen if you’re forced to make a choice between me and her.”

With the memory of his daughter’s disappearance still so fresh, it was a low blow, but she wasn’t above using it to keep him safe. She turned away from him, rubbing the ache in her chest, wishing she could feel the belonging she’d lost when she had been forced to leave her friends behind. “He’ll convince others that you’ve been duped. That the only way to protect you will be to hand me over.”

Misery threatened to drag her down the dark alley of her thoughts, and she allowed herself the luxury of touching him one last time, her fingertips barely brushing his arm, refusing to imagine what could have been between them. That way would only lead to madness. She sucked in a startled breath when sparks tingled up her hand at the contact.

It was harder to ignore the fierce desire to stay and get to know more about this man. She was lucky that she’d been allowed to stay as long as she had. “You’ve protected me. You’ve done enough.”

“And you underestimate me if you think for even a moment that I’d give up at the first sign of trouble.” Gabriel crossed his arms, widened his stance, a mulish expression on his face. “I can handle Williams.”

His belief that he could help made her feel old and tarnished.

She lived in a world where good didn’t always win.

Gabriel eased closer, and she backed up, nearly stumbling over a chair as she tried to put distance between them.

She would not be charmed, nor would she give into the novelty of being attracted to a man for the first time.

“The nanny had an unexpected illness in the family and had to leave on short notice. I want to offer you her position.”

Diana could read between the lines. He fired the woman for losing track of his daughter, not that she could blame him. She wouldn’t have let the twit off so easily. “You and I both know your plan won’t work.”

“You’re right.” Gabriel purposefully stepped in her path again, demanding attention, his look speculative as he gazed at her. “But there is a way we can cheat him.”

“What?” Diana’s head snapped up. She studied his face, his determination warming the deep chill that had taken root in her soul. “How?”

“It’s simple. We marry.”

Diana froze, stunned to incredulity by his words, her mind sputtering as she tried to string two thoughts together.

To never be alone.

To never have to run again.

To have a family of her very own to love.

He mistook her stunned silence as encouragement, and he spoke faster, taking advantage of her speechlessness.

“By English law, you’ll be my wife, mine to protect. I am not without influence. Once we’re married, he cannot touch you.” He prowled around the room like a caged beast while he plotted out a future for them.

Hope dwindled and turned bitter in her mouth as she worked all the angles. “Ecclesiastical law overrides English law. You would have no say—”

“Ah, but as my wife, you’ll become a lady, a peer of the realm. You couldn’t disappear without causing a stir. At the very least, you would get a trial. If we move to London for the season, alert others regarding the pastor’s deeds, we can set the stage.” He stopped in front of her, his large frame looming over her, triumph glittering in his eyes. “You said it yourself, he preys on the weak. He won’t be able to weasel his way into society. It will give us time to prove him a fraud.”

Diana shivered at the thought of being surrounded by thousands of people. She’d never be able to hide her true self in such close quarters. She shook her head, but he paid no heed, continuing in a loud voice.

“With backing from society, he’ll be unable to reach you.” He reached out to touch her, then seemed to remember himself, and curled his hands into fists. His presence didn’t invite touch, his rugged face demanding people keep their distance, and her chest tightened to realize that his life was just as lonely as hers. “You’ll be free.”

“It’s too dangerous.” Her throat ached at the dream he was offering her, and it broke her heart to refuse him. She wanted to shake his stubborn hide. If anything happened to him because of her, she would never forgive herself. “You could be charged with harboring a criminal.”

“A trumped-up charge. You didn’t steal any money, and his ledger and pursuit of you is proof of his guilt. He can’t afford for you to go before a court. Williams will have to bow under the pressure. The threat of being kicked out of the church should deter him. If he persists in going after you—”

“And he will.” She watched him pace, bemused, knowing he was well beyond hearing any of her protests.

“That book will be enough to convince the court, and he will be tossed in jail.” He tugged at his jacket, absently fussing at the wrinkles. “In the meantime, I’ll have my accountants scour the banks for his accounts. He can’t afford to have that much money lying around. He has to store it somewhere. It couldn’t have vanished without leaving a trace.”

Diana thought over what he said, all the ramifications. Being on constant edge for the past year has left her exhausted and her thoughts murky. That could be the only reason why she even contemplated his suggestion instead of rejecting him outright. “I cannot trap you into marriage.”

“You are not. It is my idea.” Gabriel sounded so sure of himself, so confident, she actually considered his absurd plan.

“You would be forced to spend the rest of your life locked into marriage with a relative stranger. Someone you don’t love.” She whispered the words, her voice hoarse, desperately fighting off the deep ache that built in her chest. She wanted what he offered so badly she was shaking with longing.

Unfortunately, at the mention of marriage, memories of her mother’s bitterly unhappy life surged forward before she could stop them. She’d gotten pregnant with Diana and never let her forget how her daughter had ruined her life. Her father wasn’t much better. At the first opportunity, they’d abandoned her at an orphanage. Her malnourished size made her a perfect candidate to work inside the machinery at the factories.

“I never intended to marry again. You’ll be saving me from a lifetime of loneliness.”

Diana snorted at the absurdity of his statement. “You could easily marry anyone you want.”

He cut her off, shaking his head. “I married a gently bred woman once, and she made our lives a living hell. She dragged us through the rumor mills just for spite. I won’t put my daughter through that again. It would be different with you. We would be doing each other a favor.”

Diana narrowed her eyes, suspicious of his good cheer, determined to figure out his angle. “How?”

“I need an heir. I will solve your problem, and you would solve mine. I won’t be hunted by young ladies and their predatory mothers set on marrying someone rich and titled. There might be some talk, but no one would be surprised by my action. We get along well. We would have an understanding. No expectations.”

Diana held her breath. His offer was ridiculous, and stupidly dangerous, but it also offered everything she’d ever wanted. She’d given up hope of falling in love, but maybe she could still have a family.

He misunderstood her silence. “Of course, we won’t consummate the vows until things are settled and you’re ready. We don’t need the added complication until we’ve eliminated the threat. It would only be a distraction.”

He seemed so very practical talking about something so intimate…and she might have believed it didn’ matter to him if she hadn’t noticed the light flush to his cheekbones.

It stunned her to discover the attraction between them was very mutual.

Her heart skipped a beat at the thought of touching him intimately. Much to her surprise, she was acutely disappointed that he wanted to wait. She couldn’t help wonder if he didn’t find her attractive enough…or worse, if he was still in love with his first wife.

Then logic took over.

Without consummation, he had a way to later set her aside.

She pushed away those disturbing thoughts and bit her lip. If she were going to seriously consider marriage, she refused to begin their relationship with a lie.

Her stomach churned with dread.

She must confess the truth.

The thought nearly caused her to hyperventilate, the pressure on her chest suffocating as her lungs struggled for air.

It took every ounce of her courage to push aside the instincts screaming at her to remain silent. With numb lips, she struggled to form words. “I am not a witch.”

“I know that.” Gabriel laughed, his eyes warm as he watched her expectantly. To her shock, he actually seemed to be enjoying himself.

Diana continued as if he hadn’t spoken. It actually hurt to force out the words. “But I am a Druid. Whatever runs in my blood will be passed on to any child or children I may have.”

Instead of showing fear, his expression became contemplative. “Does insanity or physical defects run in your family? Anything someone could use to undermine our marriage?”

Diana’s stomach lurched at his practical answer…and his continued determination to marry her. It left her both leery and giddy. “Of course not, but I don’t think you understand—”

“Then there is no problem.”

“You’re not listening. I’ve gave my solemn vow to protect people. I am a Druid, and my blood will be passed down to any children we may have.”

“I couldn’t ask for a greater gift.”

Her stomach fluttered at his softly spoken words, and the rest of her protest evaporated.

He truly believed in her innocence.

He honestly didn’t care one whit about her past, or her Druid blood.

“We can discuss this more later. Right now, the sooner we marry, the sooner I can protect you. I’ll arrange for a special license and organize the travel preparations for London. While I am out, I want your word you’ll stay and protect Emilie while I’m gone.”

Before Diana could gather her scattered wits, he left. Shame churned in her gut that she hadn’t protested more.

That she hadn’t told him the whole truth.

He was a good man.

He deserved more than the trouble he was inviting into his life.

She hadn’t even mentioned her past—the real reason she was on the run.

For hundreds of years, Druids had been hunted and enslaved by others in order to use their powers for their own gain.

If the Watchers ever caught up with her, not even Gabriel would be able to protect her.

Determined to catch up with him and tell him she’d changed her mind, Diana launched to her feet and rushed out into the hall.

Only to find the entryway completely empty.

Gabriel had vanished.

Diana stared at the front door and stopped dead, unable to step over the threshold. She pressed her hand flat on the surface, hating the longing Gabriel provoked, desperately wanting everything he offered…so much that she couldn’t bring herself to leave without at least trying.

Her conscience twinged.

Even if she wanted to chase after Gabriel, the threat of Williams halted her.

She was trapped.

G
abriel stood outside his study
, his heart thundering as he stared at the door.

One second.

Two.

When Diana didn’t race after him, a huge grin split his face, and he was able to breathe for the first time since he left the study.

Before she could change her mind, Gabriel whirled and raced upstairs, taking the steps two at a time. He thrust open the door to his room and headed straight for his desk. His fingers shook with nerves, making him clumsy as he rifled through his personal correspondence, but came up empty. Panic burned in his gut.

He couldn’t have tossed it out.

Gabriel plopped in his chair and tugged open the drawer, digging until he reached the bottom, his chest growing tight, when he finally spotted the faded envelope tucked in back.

Ignoring the mess he created, he carefully removed the envelope, and swept the rest of the papers into the drawer without bothering to sort them.

He sat back, placed the letter in the center of his desk and opened it carefully.

A special license stared up at him, his name and title scribbled boldly on the appropriate line, the date and the space next to his name glaringly empty.

After his wife died, he’d given up on marriage. He didn’t attend routs or balls, remaining practically a recluse while he raised his daughter. The license was a not-so-subtle gift from his great uncle on the one-year anniversary of his wife’s death. The bishop had declared that men in their family didn’t do well alone. Gabriel accepted the gift with a shudder, never wanting to go through the hell of marriage again, but the disappointment in his uncle’s eyes held him back from his first inclination, which was to burn the license.

By rights, the thought of marrying again should horrify him. He’d spoken the truth when he said he never expected to remarry, but standing next to Diana and defending her had felt right. She exuded a calmness that eased his usual awkwardness around women.

Her existence rattled his predictable life.

Solitude no longer felt comforting, but incredibly lonely.

Her presence forcibly reminded him that he actually had enjoyed women once upon a time. He missed their softness, their scent, not to mention their delectable shape.

Her hand on his knee nearly sent him over the edge.

Though he regretted the prospect of delaying the consummation, he needed time to gain control of himself first. But that wasn’t the only reason. He needed to practice touching her until it came naturally; he was determined to ease her gently into the prospect of deeper intimacies.

He wanted her to crave his touch.

He would not have her come to think of sex as a wifely chore.

He wanted the closeness of a true married couple, and he was determined to have that with her.

If he had to put off consummating their vows to get her to agree to marry him, then he would submit to her will.

For now.

Despite his best intentions, his cock hardened at the image of her naked beneath him, and part of him cursed himself for being a gentleman and waiting.

What threw him off-kilter was his name meant nothing to her. She wasn’t marrying him for his wealth or status. If he had to guess, if she knew the true extent of his wealth and power, she would run even faster.

He couldn’t allow that.

She had jarred him out of his protective shell. The need to start living again took root, and the thought of her at his side made it bearable.

He didn’t just want to help her, he
needed
to rescue her, and bind her to him in whatever way possible.

He released a breath and leaned forward, carefully printing Diana’s name without a second’s hesitation. With each firm stroke, excitement sizzled at the battle ahead. The tightness in his chest eased while he watched the ink dry. He re-folded the paper and tucked it in his breast pocket, carefully smoothing the jacket, unwilling to have it out of reach.

He recalled Diana’s confession about being a Druid. The title meant something to her, it clearly involved more than being a protector, and Williams was using it against her.

He winced at his own lie of omission, debating whether he should tell her the truth about his life, but ultimately decided to hold his own counsel.

He couldn’t take the risk.

Once they reached London, she would hear the rumors soon enough.

By then it would be too late, because she would be his.

The story she spun about her past was completely plausible, but he doubted it was the whole truth. To eliminate the threat, he needed to know what being a Druid meant—the real reason why Pastor Williams was hunting her.

He knew of only one person who might be able to help him get to the truth of the matter.

* * *

I
t had taken
Gabriel a good ten minutes to sneak out of the house without Diana catching him.

Even an hour later, pleasure sang through his veins at the thought of her waiting for him at home. He rode toward an old house at the end of the dirt lane. The man who resided there was someone whom he admired, a man he considered a friend. The grizzled, stooped professor also had a habit of collecting old books.

If anyone could help Gabriel find answers and debunk the mystery around Diana, it was him. The urgent need to find out everything about his soon-to-be-bride had taken firm hold.

She was brave and beautiful.

She would never compromise.

So why was Williams so determined to get his hands on her?

Gabriel dismounted and knocked, frowning at the overgrown shrubs, mentally noting it was time to send someone out to trim them back. When a minute passed with no response, Gabriel banged on the door repeatedly, remembering the housekeeper he hired was just as deaf as the professor.

Finally, the door creaked open. If the professor was old, the housekeeper was ancient. His old nurse’s face creased into a smile of greeting, but before she had a chance to speak, the professor interrupted.

“Shoo. Stop hovering, woman. I might be old, but I can still answer the damned door.” The crotchety old man waved her off. With a harrumph, she obeyed and tottered toward the back of the house. Professor’s scowl lifted when he spotted his guest, and he threw the door wide in welcome. “Gabriel, it’s good to see you.”

Gabriel stifled his laugh at their antics, leaning forward to engulf his friend in a quick hug. “Samuel.”

The old man shuffled backward with a smile. “Please, come in. Come in! I was just in the study.”

Gabriel followed Samuel’s uneven gait into the tiny, musty room. Books were crammed on every surface, stacks heaped on the floor ten high, the shelves piled lackadaisically, not a clear surface in sight. The sun appeared smoky as it streamed through the dirt-crusted windows, as if Samuel couldn’t be bothered to clean them and refused to allow anyone else access to do the job properly for fear they would destroy his precious books.

“Sit. Sit.” Samuel waved a distracted hand as he circled his desk.

Gabriel raised a brow and gave a dubious look around the room. He edged toward the chair with the smallest pile of books—it only took two trips to set them aside—and gingerly lowered his large frame onto the spindly chair. Wood creaked in protest but held his weight.

Samuel groaned as he settled his portly shape behind an equally littered desk. An abundance of wispy white hair covered his head. His hunched shoulders and bent back showed his devotion to years of study. A pair of wire-rimmed glasses never left his face, but they did not dull the bright, inquisitive eyes staring at Gabriel.

“Don’t ever get old. It’s the very devil on your body.”

He slapped a book shut, setting dust flying, and he coughed until his chest rattled.

Gabriel rose, poured a glass of water, and handed it to him in concern.

After a few sips, Samuel cleared his throat as he set aside the water. “What can I do for you?”

Gabriel ignored the question, worry tightening his gut. “How are you?”

“Fine. Fine. And you?”

He rubbed his jaw, debating whether to push the matter, but didn’t want to bruise Samuel’s pride, so reluctantly let it drop.

“I am getting married.” He blurted it out, and couldn’t help grinning, still dazed at the news.

“Congratulations! We must celebrate. Grab yourself a glass.” Samuel picked up his water, twisting about as he glanced around the room, then headed for a back corner, dumping the contents in a dead houseplant without missing a beat. He tipped his head back and studied the shelves before grabbing a box and setting it on the desk. He scurried toward the door, peering into the hall, then firmly closed the latch. He quickly flipped open the lid to the box, and reverently lifted out a dusty brown bottle, which he wiped off and gave an affectionate kiss. “I’ve been saving this for a special occasion.”

Gabriel rubbed his mouth to smother his smile and dutifully retrieved another glass and wiped out the dust.

Samuel popped the cork and poured a healthy dose in each glass. “Cheers.”

Samuel swallowed it in a single gulp and smacked his lips. “Ahhh, that hit the spot. Did you come just to celebrate, or do you have something else to share?”

Shrewd eyes studied him, and Gabriel sipped the aged whisky, sighing in pleasure. “What do you know about Druids?”

“Druidism?” Samuel smoothed his hair, his eyes unfocused as he dug around in his head for information. “Not much.”

Gabriel resumed his seat, deflated by the answer. “Tell me what you know.”

“While they had no true written language, a few symbols have been recovered, but little is actually known about them.” He turned to survey his heavy-laden shelves. His fingers hovered over the spines as he moved from one book to another like a hummingbird, but never quite landing. “It is said they can divine the future. Some have even counselled kings. Ah, here it is.” Samuel lifted down a heavy tome, grunting under the weight, and placed it on the desk. “Anything about old religions can be found in here. It has a few passages that might be helpful.” He sat and flipped through the book, taking care not to crack the brittle pages.

The whisky soured in Gabriel’s gut, and he set aside his glass, suddenly ill at the thought the pastor could actually be after Diana for her skills as a Druid.

“So Druids are real?” Gabriel scowled, not sure what to believe. It would have been easier if Samuel had told him they were just a myth.

“Not anymore. No true Druids, anyway. Oh, we have our secret societies, but most are a mockery of what they once were. The true religion, I fear, has been lost.”

“So it’s not possible for the old Druid ways to have survived?” Gabriel leaned forward, then grunted in frustration when he was unable to read the language displayed in the book. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to hear the answer. If Diana was a real Druid, that meant the threat was much bigger than he could ever have imagined.

He could almost believe she was a part of the ancient religion who had stepped out of time.

“Well,” Samuel waved a hand, waffling as he said the word, “very slim. They would have had to hide themselves very well.”

Gabriel raised a brow in inquiry, sensing that he was missing something important, something key to freeing Diana. “Why hide?”

“Because Druids, true Druids, were hunted for their abilities—whether they were good swindlers, or had true talent, didn’t matter. If you captured a Druid alive, you could compel them to do your bidding, literally ruling your small part of the world.” His eyes brightened. “Imagine controlling the weather or crops, or having power to read a man’s thoughts. The possibilities could be limitless.”

Gabriel wanted to call bullshit, but something niggled at the back of his mind, the way Diana and her dog almost seemed to communicate. Her confidence. Her beauty. There was something ethereal about her. Otherworldly. His stomach gave a queer lurch, wishing he could dismiss his suspicions. “Then why do we not have any written proof?”

“Why would we? Think, boy. If a power-hungry man wanted to rule, why would he tell others his secret? Take the risk of having it stolen or being exposed? Druids would not want it to get out, either. They would always be hunted. Their purpose in life was to help people, kind of like the knights of valor in the old tales.” He flipped a few more pages, his finger hovering over the words as he searched. “Here we go. The Druids would choose death over injustice. They could not risk any threat to an innocent, it was how they were raised.”

Gabriel’s heart sank with a sudden realization.

The description fit Diana perfectly.

Her mention of fulfilling her vow chilled him.

He broke into her house, threatened her, and she offered to help him. If her story was true, she had put herself at risk to stop a blackmailer when there was nothing for her to gain.

His pulse skipped a beat at the danger.

His hands tightened around his glass. Druid or not, he was determined that nothing would happen to her. While she might be a knight, she also needed a protector of her own.

Samuel took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I wish I had more.”