Before she could answer, Malcolm growled and stalked around the car to head into the trees.
“I’m going to kill him,” Malcolm said through clenched teeth.
Evie glanced at Brian. “Stay here,” she told him as she followed Malcolm.
Her sweater wasn’t enough to keep her warm in the cold night air, but she ignored it as she pushed through the tall grass toward a stand of trees. Evie was breathing hard when she finally reached Malcolm.
“Have you lost your damned mind, Dragon?” Malcolm said.
“I wasna going to just leave you two in there if something went wrong.”
Evie tried to see around Malcolm’s thick shoulders to Rhys, but he wouldn’t let her. Finally, she ducked under his arms and caught sight of a nude male with an impressive dragon tattoo on his chest with the dragon’s tail wrapping around his left arm and ending at his elbow.
She had a split second before Malcolm stepped in front of her, a frown directed at her. “What?” she asked. “As if I knew he was going to be in the buff.”
“You should’ve waited in the car.”
“If you’ve forgotten since we left that maniac’s house, I’m well and truly in this, Malcolm Munro. You’re not going to leave me out of anything.”
“Guess she told you,” Rhys said from behind Malcolm, a smile in his voice.
“Sod off, Dragon,” Malcolm said over his shoulder. He then grasped Evie’s arms. “I’ve no intention of leaving you out of anything. We’re in a bind, Evie.”
“Because of the baby?”
There was a choking sound before Rhys said, “The
what
?”
Malcolm ignored him as he sighed. “That’s part of it. I willna bring you to MacLeod Castle. I’m no’ sure of the reception either of us would receive.”
“Return to Dreagan,” Rhys said.
Malcolm turned his head to the side and said, “I’m no’ so certain Con would appreciate being put in the middle of this.”
“Con can bugger off. He’s always said Dreagan was open to you whenever you needed it. I say you and Evie definitely need it.”
“And Brian,” she added. “We have my brother.”
“Brian as well,” Rhys added.
Evie put her hands on Malcolm’s chest. “I don’t know what to do, so I’ll follow your lead in this.”
“No’ sure that’s a good idea. I’ve mucked things up pretty wretchedly.”
She rose up on her tiptoes and placed her lips on his. “No. You’ve managed to keep me alive and helped me after becoming
drough
. I wouldn’t want anyone else by my side.”
“Had there been someone else, you wouldna be carrying the child.”
“Our child,” she corrected him. “I don’t care what Jason says. I’m not ready to give up just yet. I need to wrap my head around everything first, but we have time.”
Malcolm nodded and pulled her against him. As soon as her arms wrapped around him, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel of him being close.
“Return to your brother,” he urged as he pulled back. “I’m sure Brian has questions. Let me talk to Rhys for a moment, and then we’ll decide what to do.”
She nodded and turned on her heel. The inside light of the car was on, and she spotted Brian standing with the passenger door open waiting for her.
* * *
Malcolm watched until Evie reached Brian before he turned to Rhys. The Dragon’s aqua eyes were intense as they stared at him.
“Aye, Evie is carrying my child. It seems both of us unwillingly walked right into Wallace’s plan to bring about the prophecy Deirdre first tried to fulfill.”
“Unbelievable.” Rhys ran a hand through his dark hair and shook his head. “Why did he let you three leave?”
“Evie. She threatened to use her magic to abort the babe unless we were allowed to leave. Wallace didna want to test her.”
Rhys crossed his arms over his bare chest. “Now that you’re free, why no’ abort it now?”
“No’ an option. His magic is linked to Brian. If we try to do anything to the babe, Brian dies. Wallace made it verra clear.”
“He’s just going to allow you and Evie to live wherever you want until the babe comes?” Rhys asked incredulously.
Malcolm gave a nod of his head. “Or so he says.”
“And when the babe arrives?”
“He plans to take it immediately and raise it as his own.”
“Fuck.” Rhys’s arms dropped as he paced. “We can no’ let any of this happen.”
Malcolm lifted a brow. “I’m so glad you thought of that, because I hadna.”
Rhys gave him a flat look. “Point taken. What do you need from me?”
“I doona know.” Malcolm rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. “Evie isna taking this news well. She was barely holding it together after discovering she was
drough
.”
“You think she’ll do something?”
Malcolm frowned. “No’ at all. That’s no’ like her to harm herself. Nay, I’m more worried about Wallace doing this to send her deeper into her black magic.”
“And thereby closer to him.”
“Precisely. Wallace set all of this in motion. It’s as if he’s thought of every action we could take and planned for that.”
“Even Evie’s threat to get all three of you out of his home?”
Malcolm nodded angrily. “Even that.”
Rhys’s lips flatted into a line. “You’re in a fix, mate. Are you really concerned with what the Warriors will do?”
“Aye. You saw how Phelan reacted to Evie. I’ll no’ put her in a situation where she feels everyone is against her, no’ when we need to get ahead of whatever Wallace has planned.”
“Nay, I agree. But I thought those at MacLeod Castle were your friends.”
Malcolm shrugged. “I thought so as well. After what Phelan just went through with Aisley, I wouldna have expected he would act as he did, but I was wrong.”
“Then come back to Dreagan. Evie will be better there with friends who can help her.”
“Do you think any of your dragon magic could benefit her?”
Rhys’s mouth twisted in a frown. “I doona know. Return with me, and we’ll see.”
“Just be careful no’ to be spotted. I’d rather no’ have Con on my arse because you were seen.”
Rhys’s face suddenly split into a smile. “It does Con good to be rattled every once in a while.”
In the next instant, Rhys launched himself into the air and instantly shifted into the form of a dragon, his yellow scales muted in the darkness.
Malcolm turned on his heel and walked back to Evie and Brian. One look told him that brother and sister hadn’t shared more than two words with each other.
“Everything all right?” he asked Evie.
She gave a small shake of her head, but refused to speak of it. “So, Dreagan?”
“Dreagan,” he said with a nod.
“Do you think that’s the best place for us?”
He glanced at her and sighed. “I doona know at this point, but I think it’s a good start. The Dragons will do their part to protect you and Brian.”
“And you.”
One side of his mouth lifted in a smile. “I’m more concerned with you.”
“And I want to be sure you’re safe as well.”
“I’m a Warrior, Evie. I’ll be all right.”
“But you weren’t,” she argued, her voice rising. “I saw you lying on that bed covered in blood with wounds that weren’t healing no matter what Phelan and Con did.”
Malcolm pulled on one of her curls. “I’m here now. I’ll no’ lie and say it was easy. I felt like I was in Hell.”
“How did you get out?”
He considered not telling her. Since he still wasn’t sure of what he felt for her, Malcolm didn’t want to put her into a position where she felt she had to be with him.
But then he remembered how he’d handled things when he had woken and Evie wasn’t there.
“You,” he said. “It was the thought of you.”
To his surprise she leaned forward to place a kiss on his cheek. “I’m so glad you found me in Cairn Toul.”
“Actually, it was before that.”
Her brows lowered as she cocked her head to the side. “When exactly?”
“I saw you in Aviemore, and then I was the one who pulled you out of your car when you wrecked.”
“I knew someone was there. Why didn’t you show yourself?”
“Because I knew then that you were better off no’ knowing me.”
“Yet you couldn’t stay away,” she said in a low voice.
Malcolm felt a constriction release around his heart as he admitted what he couldn’t have before. “I couldna stay away. I only meant to make sure you left Cairn Toul, but after talking to you, I didna want to leave.”
“I’m glad you didn’t.”
“Are you? Look where you are now.”
She put her hand on his chest over his heart. “I’m here with my brother because of you. If you hadn’t been there after the
drough
ceremony I’d have given in to all the dark urges I had.”
“Aye, but you wouldna be carrying the child of prophecy. You would well and truly be
drough
, but I almost think that would be a better fate than the one given you now.”
Brian’s hand hit the car with a loud bang to get their attention. Malcolm watched as he used sign language to talk. A few minutes later and Evie turned to him, her face pale.
“What did he say?” Malcolm asked.
She swallowed before she looked at him. “He said that one way or another Jason Wallace would have put us in this situation.”
Malcolm ushered them into the car. The faster they could get to Dreagan, the faster they could come up with some way to end this nightmare they were in.
CHAPTER
FORTY-FOUR
They reached Dreagan in record time. Evie parked the car as Malcolm ran up behind them. But he hesitated in following them to the door.
“Malcolm?” Evie asked as she and Brian stood near the hood of the car, her arm wrapped around her brother. “What is it?”
Malcolm frowned as he stared hard at the front door to Dreagan Manor. He felt magic, Druid magic. The amount of magic seemed to be more than just Aisley and Laura, but the dragons’ magic made everything difficult to decipher.
The only magic he felt strongly was Evie’s. He glanced at her to see her worry growing.
“It’s nothing. Let’s get you two inside,” he said as he put his hand on Evie’s back and guided her to the door.
Guy opened the door before they reached it. “I’m glad you two returned. And with Brian, I see,” he said with a welcoming smile. “Rhys filled me in.”
But Malcolm wasn’t fooled. Guy’s demeanor was too nice. The underlying current, however, said that something had gone pear shaped.
Malcolm stepped inside the manor, but didn’t go any farther. He turned on Guy as he closed the door. “What’s going on?”
Guy sighed. “I had no idea Phelan did it, Malcolm. You need to understand that. No King did.”
Those three little words said what Guy could not. Unease rippled through Malcolm. His instinct was to grab Evie and Brian and start running. Where to go, was the problem. There was nowhere else. He would have to face those from the castle.
“Malcolm,” Evie said, her voice wavering.
He turned around to find the Warriors and Druids from MacLeod Castle spilling into the foyer from the sitting room. Malcolm quickly moved to stand between them and Evie.
“Phelan told us what happened,” Fallon said, his green eyes hard.
“I bet he did.” Malcolm cut a look at Phelan. “I doona remember you running to the castle when you were trying to keep them from knowing about Aisley.”
Fallon cut his hand through the air. “This is Warrior business, Malcolm.”
“This is my business!” Malcolm yelled, his teeth bared in anger. He welcomed that fury, took it and let it slide through him until Daal was purring with it. “I didna go to you for this exact reason. Instead of coming alone, you brought everyone. Shall I tell you what that shows me?”
Evie’s hand touched Malcolm’s arm. “They’re your family. Listen to them.”
“Nay. Coming en masse tells me the time for talking is over.”
Aisley pushed her way past Phelan and moved to stand in front of Fallon. “Malcolm, please. Phelan was doing what he thought was best.”
“Strange how he didna feel the same about letting them know of you, Jason’s cousin and the one who shot Larena.”
Aisley licked her lips and glanced back at Phelan. Her forehead puckered. “It’s true. He didn’t, but—”
“This is different?” Malcolm finished for her. He didn’t hide the sarcasm and ire from his voice.
“Enough!” Constantine said as he strode into the foyer, his jaw set and his fathomless black eyes pinning Fallon.
Malcolm watched Phelan pull Aisley back to his side and whisper something in her ear. Then his gaze moved to Con who looked from him to Fallon.
“Malcolm, Evie, and Brian have been offered sanctuary,” Con announced. “The only way they leave is if they want to.”
A muscle ticked in Fallon’s jaw. “You’re overstepping your bounds, Dragon.”
“I’m helping a friend,” Con said tightly. He looked from Fallon to the other Warriors gathered. “There are things that happened tonight none of you are aware of. Perhaps you should learn all the facts before you react.”
Malcolm breathed easier when Evie put her hand in his. When he looked down at her it was to find Rhys, Hal, Guy, Banan, and several other Dragons he hadn’t met standing behind him.
“You were offered sanctuary as well, Phelan,” Rhys said. “It wasna that long ago all you cared about was keeping Aisley’s identity from everyone, including Charon.”
Brian touched Malcolm on the back to get his attention. Malcolm turned and focused on Brian’s hands. It didn’t take long for Daal to help Malcolm learn sign language.
“No,” Malcolm said. “No one else is going to hurt Evie. Or you for that matter.”
Fallon started to say something but was stopped by Larena as she moved to stand beside him. Malcolm focused on his cousin, hiding his shock at seeing the woman looking so vibrant and alive once more.
“Hello, cousin,” she said with a smile.
Malcolm gave her a half grin. “Hello, cousin. You’re looking better.”
“I am better. The effects of the
drough
blood are leaving me. I hoped you’d return to the castle.”
He looked at Evie and squeezed her hand. “I had no intention of ever returning.”
“And now?” Larena urged.
Malcolm looked into her smoky blue eyes and shrugged. “I think it’s better if we remain here.”