The Siege of Kadenburg (17 page)

“Where is he?” She asked, pushing her way past Beau and stepping inside. “Arnold? Oh my Urseth….” She was at his side in an instant, leaning over the couch to examine him as a sob escaped her lips. “Oh, what did they do to you?”

Arnold grumbled and swatted her hand away when she tried to touch his cheek, “I’m fine, Natalie. I don’t need you fawning over me like some little baby.”

“You are not fine!” She replied as tears streamed down her cheeks. Beau wasn’t sure why he was surprised at her reaction. She’d loved Arnold once upon a time, hadn’t she? This was a natural response.

“I’m staying to take care of you,” Natalie continued as she knuckled her tears away and sniffled. “Like it or not, Goult you’re stuck with me.”

“Oh hell,” Arnold sat up quickly, gripping the edge of the couch as he glared in her general direction. “I’d rather be shot than go through that. Beau, don’t leave me here with her.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Goult,” Beau frowned. “I do have other things I need to be tending to at the moment. You’ll be fine with Natalie. She’ll call me if anything else comes up, won’t you, Natalie?”

“Yes,” She nodded, sniffling again as she gazed at Arnold. “I’ll take good care of him.”

“They blinded him?” Dimitri’s question pulled Beau out of the memory as his grip tightened on the steering wheel.

“Yes,” Beau nodded, carefully pressing his foot against the gas pedal as they rounded the bend that led to the Goult residence. “I’m afraid they did.”

“And there’s no chance of healing?” Rutley asked as he leaned forward, resting his forearms against the driver and passenger seats. “Ursithropes heal really fast, don’t they?”

“Yes,” Beau murmured. “But they used an excessive amount of pepper spray, Rutley. We don’t really recover from that.”

“I can’t believe mace can have that sort of effect on such a powerful beast. I mean, yeah, pepper spray hurts like hell but Jesus…”

“It was actual pepper,” Beau corrected as he pulled into the driveway and shut the truck off. He sighed, tapping his fingertips against the dashboard. “It wasn’t what the police use at all. They mixed pepper with water and poured it into his eyes. It’s like acid to us. We’re deathly allergic.”

“Shit,” Rutley muttered. “That’s….shit.”

“Yeah,” Beau glanced at him through the rearview mirror. “Yeah, it’s shit and we’re going to do something about it.”

“What, exactly?” Dimitri asked as he stared at the contemplative ursithrope.

Beau’s eyes darkened as he reached for the door handle and a small smirk played at the edge of his lips, “We’re going hunting.”

————————————-

“C
alm down, Pretz. Please,” Lorcan pleaded as he stood by, helplessly, watching her pace back and forth in the nursery. She was a sobbing mess and it was causing him to feel panicked. He rarely felt panicked, but right now was different. Presley was upset and the tears wouldn’t stop flowing. Seeing her uncle in such bad shape had really done her in this time…..

“He can’t see,” she choked on the words, hugging her arms around herself as she whirled around and paced towards the window again. “Oh my god, he can’t see, ‘Orc. He’ll be blind for the rest of his life and it’s my fault.”

“How is it your fault?” Lorcan asked as his brows lifted high on his forehead. “Presley, you had nothing to do with that. You were here…we were here. You were sleeping and yeah, maybe you dreamed about something bad happening, but this wasn’t your fault.”

“It is!” She cried angrily as she threw her hands up in the air. “It is my fault! I never should’ve come back here! I should’ve stayed away, Lorcan. I should’ve stayed in Florida and kept everyone safe,” the tears fell freely from her sad green eyes as she lowered her head in shame. “He’s only here because of me….and he’s hurting everyone I love….because of me.”

“No, that’s not-” He took a step towards her, but stopped when she turned away from him. He could feel the contempt rolling off her body and it made him feel so sick. He fought the urge to vomit as her rejection gripped at his lungs. Why was she saying these things?

“Everyone is getting hurt. Greg was nearly killed…and now Arnold is….” she was gasping for air as she reached for the wall, steadying herself. “He’ll never get to see the baby,” she whimpered. Her shoulders were trembling as she continued speaking in a weaker voice. “And Liam-”

“Liam was not your fault,” Lorcan snapped. His voice was angrier than he anticipated, but he couldn’t stop it from happening. She was belittling herself and he wouldn’t have it. She was the most wonderful, beautiful part of his life and he wouldn’t allow her to speak so lowly of herself. “Breslin Connor is a narrow-minded, arrogant, self-centered prick, Pretz. He’s the reason Liam is dead. He couldn’t just let them be happy together and you know that. You see it in Dimitri’s eyes all the time, don’t you?”

Presley remained quiet, keeping her gaze on the floor.

“
Breslin
is at fault for my brother’s death. Not you, baby,” he stepped behind her, his hands ever so gently resting against her shoulders. She was trembling like a leaf and he wanted nothing more than to take away her pain. What he wouldn’t give to help her relax; to ease her mind. “You can’t blame yourself for any of this, Presley Goult. I won’t let you do this to yourself.”

He wrapped his arms around her carefully, resting his chin atop her shoulder as he listened to her quick intake of breath. He knew she was trying to hold it together. She was trying to hide it, but he wouldn’t let her. Her pain was his pain. Her grief was his grief. He would take it into himself if he could…he would at least try.

“I love you,” Lorcan whispered as he turned his head to kiss the side of her neck. “I love you so much, Presley. When you came back here…it was the best day of my life. You have to believe that. You have to believe that your return was never meant to cause bad things….even Urseth himself said good would follow you, didn’t he?”

She slowly nodded.

“And a brother,” he added after another moment. “Your father didn’t die just for you to take all the blame for the sucky things happening right now. He died because he believed in you. He believed in what Urseth told him. Everything is going to get better, Pretz. It has to. It will.”

His lips ghosted over her earlobe as his arms tightened around her body. He pulled her back against his chest, caressing the outer shell of her ear with his teeth.

“I’m so scared,” Presley admitted in a smaller voice. She sounded like a child as she gripped his arm with her trembling hands. “They could’ve killed my uncle, Lorcan. He could be dead right now and…..I don’t know what I would do without him.”

“He’s not dead, Presley. He’s going to be just fine,” Lorcan promised as his eyes closed and he buried his nose into her curls. He breathed her in, tracing a large palm over her stomach. “We’ll take care of him, okay? He’ll never be alone. In fact, Natalie is already making plans to stay there for a while.”

“What?!” She whirled around in his arms, staring at him with wide, teary eyes. “Natalie is going to stay with him?”

“Yeah,” He nodded, frowning as he cocked his head to the side. “Is that bad?”

“It’s only bad if you take into consideration the fact that they
hate
each other!”

“Oh, come on. I’m sure they can be civil with one another given the circumstances. Your uncle is in no position to be stubborn about who helps him at this point,” Lorcan offered as he tightened his arms around her a little more.

“He’s always stubborn, Lorcan.” Presley wrinkled her nose in that cute little way he loved so much. He couldn’t help but to laugh as he dipped his head to press a kiss against the tip of it.

“Well I can see where you get it from.” He teased.

“And what is that supposed to mean?” Presley asked as she pressed her palms flat against his chest. She made no effort to push him away, and for that, Lorcan was grateful. Every couple had their spats from time to time, but Lorcan didn’t like the way it made him feel when Presley wouldn’t let him touch her. He would always respect whatever she wanted, but even the slightest thought of being distanced from her was maddening. He’d never be able to do it.

“It means I love you very much and I would appreciate if you wouldn’t hit me right now,” he chuckled, sliding his hands down her back and resting them against her bottom. His fingers gently dug into the softness of her curves as he growled. “Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?”

“Oh, Lorcan,” she gasped softly, burying her heated face against his chest. He loved the fact he could make her blush so easily. “What are you trying to do to me right now?” She asked, lifting her head to eye him suspiciously. “I’m supposed to be upset, you know.”

“You have every right to be upset, darlin’,” he nodded firmly. “But I have every right to comfort you and distract you from the chaos of our town. It’s not good for our cub,” He murmured as his lips traced over her jawline.

“
Oh
.” She released a soft breath as her head lolled to the side. Lorcan grinned inwardly. Success.

“You’re the most beautiful woman in the world,” he whispered, dusting kisses up and down the side of her neck. He could feel her pulse quicken as his lips parted and the tip of his tongue teased over her honey flavored skin. “It’s mighty hard to keep my paws off of you.”

“Lorcan.” Presley whispered, curling her fingers into his hair. Heat thrived in his veins as he felt her tug gently at the strands, causing his body to short circuit as the desire he felt for her began to override everything else.

“I love you,” he repeated again and again as he slowly trailed his fingers up the back of her shirt, lightly tracing over her spine as she shivered. “You’re my everything.”

Presley released a funny little noise as her body pressed into his and Lorcan’s responded as his evident need for her strained against denim. His eyes closed, fingers moving to their own accord over every inch of her body. Her clothes were gone before either of them realized what was happening…..or maybe Lorcan was totally aware of what he was doing as he gently laid her upon the floor, hovering above her.

“I love your eyes,” he confessed, leaning down to kiss each closed lid. “Your lips,” he kissed them next, lingering there for a moment before lowering his head to capture a nipple between his lips. “I love these,” he smirked, earning a moan of pleasure from his mate as she arched her back. “I love your body…” His fingers dipped between her thighs, tracing over the swollen wetness that radiated with heated desire. He throbbed for her as she whimpered.

“I love your heart and your soul…..” He slowly pushed two fingers into her, watching as her mouth fell open in a silent moan. Going at a pace that could rival molasses, Lorcan worked his digits in and out of her, feeling as her muscles tightened in response to his ministrations.

“Oh, Lorcan.” She bit at her bottom lip, allowing the soft flesh to slide between her teeth as her cheeks reddened.

“I love watching you come.” He said in a huskier tone as his fingertips brushed against her sweet spot. She cried out and he watched in awe as she unraveled. Her body convulsed with ripple after ripple of pleasure and it was all he could do to refrain from taking her, right then and there.

“Baby,” she panted, licking at her lips as she came down from her high. Lorcan met her passion-filled eyes, feeling his heart skip a beat. “Take me to the bedroom. Now.”

G
reg awoke to the sound of quiet sobs. Goosebumps rose on his flesh as he lifted his head to gaze around, unable to see anything in the heavy darkness surrounding him. He couldn’t see, but he could hear. Soft gasps and small whimpers touched his sensitive ears and it made his chest tighten in dread. Someone was hurt, or scared……

“Louisa?” He whispered loudly. “Is that you?”

“Greg!’ She sobbed. She was nearby, but not close enough. What the hell? What was going on?

“Are you hurt?” Greg asked. He wasn’t sure why that was his next question, but something deep within needed to make sure she was okay. He didn’t smell any blood, but what other reason did she have for crying?

I’m sure it doesn’t have anything to do with being locked up in a dark place right now.
He jerked his wrist violently, grunting.
Or being restrained by chains.

What in the actual hell was going on? How did they even end up like this?

“I’m o-okay,” Louisa managed to say between choked sobs and rapid breaths. “I d-don’t know about Sammy though.”

“Sammy?” Greg frowned. “Sammy’s here?”

“I can’t get her to wake up,” Louisa sniffled. “She’s so still…..I c-can’t concentrate enough to hear her heartbeat. Can you hear her heartbeat?”

Running his tongue over his bottom lip, Greg released a low, calming breath. Louisa was asking him to check on the deputy, and damn it, it was the least he could do. He closed his eyes, pushing every other thought out of his spinning mind as he focused on the rapid heartbeat coming from only a few feet away. It sounded like a hummingbird’s wings. It was Louisa.

He kept listening, trying to ignore her heartbeat as he strained to hear another. There
had
to be another. He couldn’t dive into this situation with a dead person nearby. His own anxieties were beginning to plague him as his mind tried to slip back in time.

No!
He would not think about that night. He would not fall victim to trauma. He was better now; stronger. No one would ever hurt him like that again.

“Do you hear her?” Louisa asked after a few minutes. “Is she okay?”

“Shhh.” He ushered gently, trying to drown her voice out as he struggled to hear something; anything.

And there it was.

Thud thud. Thud thud.
It was very slow and weak, but it was there. He sighed in relief.

“I hear her.” He confirmed as he heard chains rattling nearby. What was Louisa doing? She grunted and he figured she was trying to get closer to Sammy. How did she even know Sammy was with them? He couldn’t smell much other than the dastardly stench of ammonia-just like at the hospital. He didn’t need any guesses on who had brought them here. He knew.