A Hunger Like No Other (Immortals After Dark #2)(94)

What if he’s my father?

Malevolent, filthy parasites.

Christ, no.





34


“I ’ve come for Emma,” Lachlain bellowed, standing in the shadow of Emma’s home, Val Hall, which looked to be the face of hell.

Though the fog was cloying, lightning fired all around, sometimes corralled by the many copper rods planted all along the roof and the grounds, sometimes by the scorched oaks crowding the yard. Annika stepped out onto the porch, looking otherworldly in her rage, her eyes glittering green, then silver, and back. Wraiths flew about her hair, cackling.

At that moment, he couldn’t decide whether this bayou shrine to insanity or Helvita was worse. N?x waved happily from a window.

He fought not to reveal how weak he was becoming. Bowe had wrapped his wounds tight, but his limbs were still weakening. Lachlain had forbidden Bowe or anyone else in the clan to accompany him to Val Hall, fearing this would devolve into a war, but he still sensed them in the forest all around.

“I’m taking Emma from this place tonight.”

Annika tilted her head as if to see him better. Emma did that, too. Emma had gotten it from this woman. “Never would I give my daughter to a dog.”

No man had in-laws like these.

“Then trade me for my brother.”

Garreth bellowed in Gaelic from somewhere inside, “Goddamn it, Lachlain, I just got into this house.”

“Or take both of us. Just let me talk to her.” He had to see if she was healing.

“The Accession is nigh, and you want us to imprison the Lykae king and his heir?”

Regin hurried to her side. She spoke in English, but with words he didn’t understand, calling this a “slam dunk,” admonishing Annika, “Just take it to the hoop, Shaq.”

Annika’s voice rang out. “She made her decision when she returned to her coven. When hurt and afraid and unthinking, she chose us. Not you, Lykae.”

That pained him terribly, her choice. Not only had she decided to leave him, she’d decided to stay away from him. But what right did he have to her after what he’d made her suffer? He hid his pain. “Do I go in, or do we go to war?” Just to see if she’s healing.

She looked past him, scanning the grounds, no doubt sensing their numbers. She tilted her head again, lifted her hand to the wraiths, and his path was cleared.

He limped into the darkened manor, seeing dozens of Valkyrie, curled up on chairs, hands on weapons, perched atop the stair railing. He fought not to gape at the sheer malice these fey beings exuded. For the hundredth time, he marveled that Emma had been raised among them.

They didn’t restrain him. Did they know he wouldn’t hurt them? Or did they want him to attack so they could slaughter him? He’d bet the latter.

Within two minutes of his entrance, he was shown to the cage in the damp half-basement that housed his brother Garreth. He didn’t resist even when the door clanged shut behind him.

Garreth stared at him as though seeing a ghost, then ran a hand over his face. “Do my eyes betray me?”

Lachlain’s happiness at seeing his brother was overshadowed by worry. “No, it’s me.”

Garreth rushed to him, grin in place, and whaled slaps on his back. “Well, brother, what have you gotten us into now?”

“Aye, it’s good to see you as well.”

“I thought you were…When they said you’d taken Emma, I thought they were mad. Until I saw her, saw you’d marked her.” He frowned. “Marked her hard, no?” He shook his head. “Ach, anyway, it’s good to have you back. Under any circumstances. I’ve so many questions, but that can wait. You need news about her?”

At his nod, Garreth said, “She’s injured, Lachlain. She has gashes down her side, and she could no’ drink though she was…she was about to die in just the first couple of hours.”

Lachlain flinched. Claws into his palms, he rasped, “What saved her?”

“An i.v.” At Lachlain’s frown, he explained, “They gave her blood through a tube that fed it straight to her veins. They think she’s stabilized, but the gashes will no’ heal. I suspect whatever got her had poisoned claws. Maybe a ghoul, but I doona know.”

“I do.” Lachlain ran his hand through his hair. “Demestriu did this to her. I saw it all.”

“I doona understand—” Garreth broke off. He shot to his feet, then his entire frame grew still and tense. “Lucia?”

Lachlain glanced up, saw her descending the stairs. She tilted her head so her hair covered her face. The moment they saw she’d been crying, Garreth’s face grew grave, his eyes riveted to the archer.

“She’s no’ better?” Garreth asked.

She shook her head.

Lachlain clutched the bars. “She heals when she drinks from me.”

Garreth raised his eyebrows at that. “You let her…?” To Lucia, he said, “Then let Lachlain go to her.”

“Annika forbids it. He’s not to go near her. Emma sees things that aren’t there, mumbles nonsense as though she’s gone mad. Annika puts the blame squarely on his shoulders.”

She was right to. While Lachlain struggled with his guilt, Garreth asked, “What does she see?”

“Emma says that Demestriu was her father, and he put her in the fire, so she killed him.”