Jason Wallace smiled as he watched the amber dragon make another pass over the cottage. He spotted the others flying toward him. Any minute now they would surround him.
The boundary around Dreagan was one of magic, but not any magic he knew. Could it come from the dragons themselves? It was the only explanation. Not that he was worried. No one’s magic was stronger than his.
After all, Death was a part of him. And he used it to his advantage.
Along with the dragons, the Warriors and Druids would arrive soon as well. In one fell swoop he would wipe them all from the earth. Malcolm and Evie would remain in his control, and everything Deirdre—then Declan—had aspired to would be his.
The plan was so simple and flawless he couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of it sooner. The anticipation of it all kept the grin upon his lips.
The only thing missing was Mindy. How she would have loved to be standing beside him to witness the destruction of the Warriors. Jason was particularly interested in bringing the most pain to Phelan since he had been the one to kill Mindy.
Then there was Aisley who dared to betray him and fall in love with Phelan. The couple would know the horrors Malcolm was even now enduring.
“How fitting,” Jason murmured with a chuckle.
Jason moved from his position in the shadows. He walked beneath the caved-in roof and around the crumbling wall to where Malcolm was chained.
“Evie will come for you. She’ll take one look at you and come racing to your side. I willna have to force her to return to my home. She’ll make that decision willingly just to be by your side. But while she’s with me, I’ll slowly and surely erode every ounce of good that remains inside her.”
His smile grew as he turned and spotted Evie and two men walking toward him. Just as they reached the Dreagan border, one of the men stopped her.
The concern on Evie’s face for her precious Malcolm made Jason want to pat himself on the back. Everyone was so predictable. The Warriors thought they were smart, but he had outwitted them this time. And how wonderful it felt.
He glanced at Malcolm’s body and chuckled. Malcolm’s chin rested on his chest, his long blond hair hiding his face from Evie. Not that it mattered. Malcolm was gone, locked in a never-ending battle with Death. No one could reach him this time.
Jason had made sure of it.
He took a deep, fortifying breath, and stepped onto the battlefield. The next few moves would be his last play, ending in checkmate. He almost hated to end it so soon, but then again, it was time the world knew a true leader.
“I knew it wouldna take you long to find me,” Jason said, his voice raised to reach Evie. “Was it the dragons or Broc?”
Evie’s eyes landed on him. For long moments she simply stared as one of the men said something to her. Then she lifted her chin and glared at Jason. “Does it really matter? You wanted me here, so I’m here. But I want to know why.”
“Ah,” Jason said as he put a finger alongside his mouth while he bit back his laughter. He knew Evie was steaming to have Malcolm so close, yet so far away. For the moment, she remained on Dreagan land. That wouldn’t last long. “You mean you want to know why I didna keep you, Brian, and Malcolm while I had you.”
“Yes.”
“There are parts to the prophecy no one knew about until I found them. Setting this plan in motion has taken considerable patience on my part. You made it so easy. I thought I’d have to find a Druid, but you fell right into my lap when I ran across your site.”
She shrugged. “If you hadn’t forced me, I would never have become
drough
.”
“How could you no’? You who communicate with the stones and found a home in Cairn Toul? You’re following in Deirdre’s footsteps. I just gave you a little nudge. I’ve no’ doubt you’d have gotten there on your own.”
“I’m not evil.”
Jason laughed and let his gaze roam over the two men flanking her. With the dragon tats there was no doubt they were dragons. But would they remain on their land? He sure hoped they didn’t.
“I choose to remain good, despite the black magic,” Evie stated in a clear voice.
“Ah, but everyone has their breaking point. You have two. Brian and Malcolm.”
Evie looked smug as she said, “You’ll never get to Brian. As for Malcolm, he’s strong. He’s endured Death’s torture before. He will again.”
“Such confidence,” Jason said as he rubbed his hands together. He would find out how they had learned about Death. Until then, he would continue to taunt her. “I may no’ be able to get to Brian, but then I doona need to. I have the one thing you would sacrifice everything for—Malcolm.” When only silence met his remark, he grinned. “What? No witty retort?”
“Don’t you want to know how Malcolm survived Death the first time?”
Jason ground his teeth together. Of course he wanted to know, but after he had Evie in his hold. Damn them for bringing it up. He had to stay in control.
Evie saw the slip in Jason’s smirk. She had thought bringing up Malcolm’s shaking off Death’s grip would find its mark. “Arrogant prick,” she murmured.
“Good job,” Rhys whispered from beside her.
So far, both of the Dragon Kings had let her do the talking. It took everything she had not to give in to the black magic calling to her, urging her to lash out at Wallace and get her reckoning.
It was only Malcolm and the love she had for him that reminded her of who she really was and prevented her from giving in.
“Don’t you want to know how Malcolm walked away from Death?” Evie asked Jason. “You went to such trouble to hurt him at Urquhart.”
Jason’s lips peeled back in a scowl. “How?”
One simple word, but it boosted Evie’s faith that she could get Malcolm back to Dreagan. However, it was in everyone’s best interest if Jason didn’t know everything. At least not yet.
“Phelan.”
Jason’s face contorted with fury when she said the name. “And where is Phelan now?”
“He’ll be here soon enough.”
“Just as I expected. You’re too cowardly to face me on your own.”
“Malcolm told me how you once had a number of Druids and Warriors at your beck and call. They left you to die all alone. Tell me, how did that feel?”
“I doona need anyone now.”
“Somehow I don’t believe that. You’re just like Deirdre and Declan who had to be surrounded by those who feared them. It makes you feel more powerful.”
He threw back his head and cackled. “And you’ll be trembling in fear soon enough, Evie. No’ even your dragons will be able to help you. No one will save you from what I have planned.”
“Release Malcolm now.”
“Let me think on that a moment,” he said and glanced at the sky as if he were thinking. “That would be no.”
Guy leaned close to her and whispered, “The Warriors and Druids are here.”
“You’ll die here today, Jason.”
He threw out his arms and bellowed, “Nothing can kill me!”
Evie looked at the Dragon Kings. “I need to get down to Malcolm.”
“It’s what Wallace wants,” Rhys cautioned.
Guy smiled. “It’s time his arse dies.”
The amber dragon let out a loud roar overhead as Druids and Warriors fanned out around Evie. Guy and Rhys turned and ran out of the trees before jumping into the air and shifting into dragons.
Evie kept her gaze on Malcolm. He needed her, and she wasn’t going to let him down.
“We’ll keep Wallace occupied,” Ramsey said. “Do what you need for Malcolm.”
Fallon came up beside her. “I can jump you to Malcolm.”
“Then what are you waiting for?” she asked.
“Because it’s suicide,” Larena stated. “There’s no way you’re going down there without me.”
Fallon waited until Larena released her goddess, turning iridescent before she used her power to shift invisible. “Larena will be beside you, Evie, but doona allow Wallace to get ahold of you. We’ll free Malcolm no matter what.”
Evie nodded. Fallon took her arm, and the next instant she found herself standing beside Malcolm. It was Jason’s laughter that sent a chill of foreboding racing along her skin.
* * *
Malcolm had stopped trying to hold in his bellows of rage and pain long ago. Death was exacting in his torture, and if Malcolm hadn’t been chained, he knew he’d have been brought to his knees.
His roars stopped when Death ripped out his throat. Malcolm struggled for breath as his throat began to regenerate. Whatever Death did to him, his body healed, allowing Death to do it again and again.
Daal retreated deep in his mind, but at least this time his god hadn’t totally deserted him. The fact the primeval god was frightened of Death when he was afraid of nothing put things into perspective for Malcolm.
It also gave him a clue to just who had trapped the gods in Hell so long ago. No wonder the gods wanted out so desperately. Malcolm understood their feelings all too well.
Smoke billowed around him as fire raged. It licked at his skin, the flames eagerly reaching for him. The fire was as alive as Death, and it wanted a piece of Malcolm.
He called up an image of Evie and squeezed his eyes shut to hold onto it as the fire reached his leg. The pain was terrible, the smell of burning flesh severe.
“Malcolm?”
“Evie!” he bellowed.
Had her voice only been in his mind, or was Evie with him? If she was, that meant Wallace had her.
Malcolm shook his head fiercely. That couldn’t happen. Didn’t she know the life of their child was more important than him? He was destined for Hell anyway after all the things he had done. Wallace just put him there earlier.
Evie. His wonderful, precious, headstrong Evie. It was unimaginable that he would never hold her again, never feel her warmth, never twine her curls around his fingers, never hear her laughter … never tell her how she had touched his soul.
Never tell her he loved her.
Something splashed on his face before rolling down his cheek.
Whatever Death had in store for him was nothing compared to the terrible, aching loss in his chest. There was a gaping hole where his heart had once been. Evie had brought him back from the brink, had shown him kindness, and he had gladly followed the shining light inside her.
Without Evie there was only darkness. Numbness took him, clutched him in her arms. And he welcomed her.
As the tear fell from his jaw, Malcolm looked at the flames that had risen to his hips. The blaze was green at the tips and hungry to devour him.
He felt nothing—because he was nothing.
Not without Evie.
CHAPTER
FIFTY-FOUR
Evie shot a bolt of magic at the chains holding Malcolm, but they didn’t release him.
“As if I’d make it that easy,” Jason said as he smiled maliciously.
She shot him a withering look. “You will be beaten this day.”
“Oh, I think no’. I’ve come back from the dead once. There is nothing that could kill me now.”
Evie wanted to slap him. She wanted to hit him, kick him, anything to knock that smug expression off his face. Never in her life had she hated someone as she did Jason Wallace, and that hate fed her black magic.
It gave her a moment’s pause, because it was growing so quickly, taking over. And there was no turning back from it.
“You’re afraid of your magic,” Jason said, his eyes alight with a gleam of excitement. “The loathing you feel will grow, and the black magic inside you will infect your child. You, Evangeline Walker, will be the reason your child is born evil.”
Evie shook her head even as she knew he spoke the truth. Malcolm had forewarned her it would be decisions she made that tipped the scale one way or another.
Try as she might, she couldn’t push aside the hate. The more Jason talked, the more her animosity grew.
“Easy,” Larena whispered in her ear from behind. “He’s goading you, Evie. Fight back. Do it for Malcolm.”
Malcolm. Evie put her hand on his scarred shoulder. He was the reason she had the strength to face Jason. Malcolm was why she could look at herself in the mirror. He was the sun, the moon, and the stars.
Her life, her breath.
He was simply her universe.
She lifted a brow and gave Jason a bored look. “My child will be born good. I’ll make sure of it.”
“We’ll see about that,” Jason said as he flung a hand out.
Black smoke poured from his palm to scatter over the land in long, sinister, ribbonlike fashion. Dozens of human shapes took form, cloaked in solid black that hid their faces.
She knew the figure, because she would never forget her time with it.
“Death.”
Jason’s laughter echoed around the forest as the Warriors engaged the figures. Evie saw a red Warrior shoot fire from his hands while a white-colored Warrior formed spears of ice and hurled them at the figures.
The three MacLeod brothers stood shoulder to shoulder, the black skin of their god showing as they battled five figures of Death.
It wasn’t just the Warriors who were attacked. The figures honed in on the Druids who stood in a group. They combined their magic, making the land hum with it. That magic held off Death, but it didn’t kill the figures.
Jason sat back watching it all with such glee that it made Evie’s stomach sour. She faced Malcolm and ran her hands over him.
“I’m here, Malcolm,” she said. “Hear my voice. Focus on me.”
She tugged on the chains, but they didn’t budge. Then she felt another pair of hands beside her. Evie was thankful Larena was with her because she had been near panic.
“Use your magic the same time I pull,” Larena’s disembodied voice said.
Evie felt her magic well inside her, but it wasn’t black magic. It was her
mie
magic, and she welcomed it, embraced it. “One. Two. Three,” she said as she poured her magic into the chains.
There was a soft shift, and then the chains broke, releasing Malcolm. He fell on Evie, and it was only with Larena’s help that she could support his dead weight.
Evie glanced at the battle to see that none of the figures of Death had been killed. About that time the dragons dove from the sky to maneuver between the trees with skill and grace to join in the fray.
Jason clapped and jumped up and down as he shouted for the figures of Death to kill.