Black Dagger Brotherhood 11 - Lover at Last (59 page)

was vaguely aware of someone calling his name, but he paid no attention.

At the far end of the hall of statues, past Z and Bella’s suite, the room where Payne and

Manny stayed had a closed door, but the sound of a television quietly murmured on the far side.

Qhuinn took a second to collect the pieces of his blown mind, and then knocked.

“Enter,” came the response.

As he stepped inside, the room was awash in a blue glow, the TV providing the light. Payne was

lying in the bed, her skin so pale it reflected the changing images projected onto it.

“Greetings,” she said in a slurred voice.

“Jesus…Christ…”

“No, I am afraid not.” She smiled. Or at least, half of her mouth did. “Pardon me if I do not get up to offer greetings.”

He shut the door softly. “What happened?”

Even though he sort of knew.

“Is she well?” Payne asked. “Is your female pregnant still?”

“The tests seem to indicate so.”

“Good. That pleases me.”

“Are you dying?” he blurted out. And then wanted to knee himself in his own ’nads.

She laughed roughly. “I do not believe so. I’m very weak, however.”

Qhuinn’s feet carried him across the carpet. “So…what happened?”

Payne struggled to push herself higher on her pillows, but then gave up. “I think I’m losing my

gift.” She groaned as she moved her legs under the duvet. “When I first came here, I was able to lay hands and heal with little or no after effects. Every time I do it, however, the effort appears to drag me down further. And what I endeavored with your female and your young was…”

“You nearly killed yourself,” he filled in.

She shrugged. “I woke up on the floor next to her bed. I dragged myself down here. Manny got me

out of bed earlier, and I did have some energy. Now, it seems to have flagged once more.”

“Is there anything I can do?”

“I think I must needs go to my mother’s sanctuary.” This was said with total derision. “For a

recharge, as it were. It seems logical, as that may well have been the locus of my gift. I just need to get strong enough to make the trip, so to speak—well, that and gather the will to. I should much prefer to remain down here. The decision, however, appears to be making itself for me. One cannot

negotiate with one’s physical form, after a point.”

Yeah, he knew how that was.

“I can’t…” He dragged a hand through his hair. “I don’t know how to thank you.”

“When she gives birth, then you may thank me. There is much unknown ahead that is still to be

crossed.”

Not anymore, he thought. His vision, the one on the door to the Fade, was once again on track to

coming true.

And this time it was going to stay that way.

Qhuinn withdrew one of the daggers from his chest and streaked the sharp blade across the inside

of his palm. As blood welled and started to drip, he offered himself to the female.

“
I hereby offer the oath of my
—” He stopped short. He didn’t have any bloodline to speak of, not with that disavowal in his background. “
I offer the oath of my honor to you and yours from now

until the final beat of my heart and the last breath in my lungs. Anything you shall call upon me for
shall be provided without question or hesitation
.”

On one level, it seemed ridiculous to put himself out like that to the daughter of a motherfucking

deity. Like Payne needed any help?

Payne’s dagger hand met his and latched on tight. “
I would rather have your honor than any

bloodline upon the earth.
”

As their eyes met, he had a thought that it was not male-to-female, but fighter-to-fighter, in spite of their sexes.

“I will never be able to thank you enough,” he said.

“Would that she makes it through. Both of them, that is.”

“I have the sense they will now. Thanks to you.”

It felt weird to want to bow to the female, but some things you just went with, and he did. Then he turned away, not wanting to keep her up if she was going to rest.

Just as his hand locked onto the doorknob, Payne murmured, “If you thank anyone, it should be

Blaylock.”

Qhuinn froze. Cranked back around. “What…did you say?”

Assail stayed put as that Audi skidded out of the parking lot and hit the road beyond like his burglar had planted a bomb in the restaurant and just hit the detonator.

His body told him to go after her, stop that car, and drag her into the backseat.

His mind, however, knew better.

As he felt the surging in his body, he knew that the extent to which he lost control around her was dangerous. He was a male who defined himself by his self-possession. With that female? Especially

if that sex of hers was aroused?

He was consumed with the need to possess her.

So he needed to regather his own reins.

In point of fact, he had no business wasting time stalking some human woman, hanging out in the

corner of a cheap dive, watching her with a man.

Also consumed with the urge to kill her cheeseburger dinner companion.

What in the name of the Scribe Virgin had happened to him?

The answer, when it came to him, was something he firmly rejected.

In a bid to refocus his energies, he took out his phone to ascertain who had called and broken the

spell that had well needed rupturing.

Rehvenge.

On so many levels, he had no desire to speak with the male. The last thing he was interested in

was a rehash of all the reasons he had to participate in the social and political standstill that was the Council.

But it was better than going after his burglar—

He didn’t even know her name, he realized.

And it would be in his best interests to never find out, he told himself.

As he returned the call, he held the iPhone to his ear and put his free hand into the pocket of his wool coat to keep it warm. “Rehvenge,” he said as the male picked up. “I’m talking to you more than I speak with my
mahmen
.”

“I thought your mother was dead.”

“She is.”

“You have a very low standard for communication.”

“What may I do for you.” ’Twas not a question. No reason to encourage a response.

“Actually, it’s what I can do for you.”

“With all due respect, I prefer to take care of business myself.”

“A very good policy. And as much as I know you like your ‘business,’ that isn’t why I called. I

thought you might like to know that the Council met with Wrath tonight.”

“I believe I resigned during our last conversation. So I fail to see what this has to do with me?”

“Your name came up at the end. After everyone had left.”

Assail arched a brow. “In what capacity.”

“A little birdie said you set Wrath up with the Band of Bastards at your home this past fall.”

Assail’s grip tightened on his phone. And during the brief pause that followed, he chose his words

with extreme care. “Wrath knows that isn’t true. I was the one who gave him the vehicle he got away in. As I told you before, I am not, and never have been, connected with any insurgency. In fact, I

removed myself from the Council precisely because I do not wish to be embroiled in any drama.”

“Relax. He did you a favor.”

“In exactly what manner.”

“The individual said it in front of me.”

“And again, I inquire, how does that equate to a—”

“I knew he was lying.”

Assail became quiet. It was, of course, a good thing that Rehvenge knew the statement to be

untrue. But how?

“Before you ask,” the male murmured darkly, “I’m not going to go into exactly why I’m so sure of

it. What I will say, however, is that I’m prepared to reward your loyalty with a gift from the king.”

“A gift?”

“Wrath is a male who’s aptly named. He understands, for example, how an individual would feel

if he were to be wrongly accused of treason. He knows that someone who would falsely implicate

another with information not widely known is likely trying to shift blame for his own actions—

particularly if the person talking had a…well, shall we say, an affect…that indicated not just deceit, but a certain level of scheming. As if he were paying you back for something he considered indicative of disloyalty or bad judgment.”

“Who is it,” Assail breathed. Even though he knew.

“Wrath is not asking you to do any kind of dirty work. In fact, if you choose not to take action, the individual will be dead within twenty-four hours. The king just feels, as I do, that your interests are not only aligned with ours, in this case, they supersede them.”

Assail closed his eyes, vengeance boiling his blood in much the same manner in which the sexual

instinct had just done. The end result, however, was going to be oh, so very different. “Say the name.”

“Elan, son of Larex.”

Assail popped his lids and bared his fangs. “You tell your king I shall take care of this with

alacrity.”

Rehvenge laughed darkly. “That I’ll do. I promise it.”

FIFTY-SIX

Blay was antsy as he paced around his room. Although he was fully dressed for fighting, he

was going nowhere. None of them were.

After the Council meeting, Tohr had ordered the Brotherhood to stay in on a just-in-case.

Rehv was reaching out to the Council members, connecting outside of the mansion, getting a

sense of where the
glymera
were. As the guy couldn’t very well show up with a six-pack of Brothers on his ass—at least, not if he wanted to preserve some pretense of civility—they had to chill. But

given the political climate, it was important that backup was ready in case the Reverend needed it.

Not that he went by that name anymore…

The door to his room opened wide without a knock, a hello, a hey-are-you-decent.

Qhuinn stood in between the jambs, breathing hard, like he’d run down the hall of statues.

Damn, had Layla lost the pregnancy after all?

Those mismatched eyes searched around. “You by yourself?”

Why the hell would— Oh, Saxton. Right. “Yes—”

The male took three strides forward, reached up…and kissed the ever-loving shit out of Blay.

The kiss was the kind that you remembered all your life, the connection forged with such totality

that everything from the feel of the body against your own, to the warm slide of another’s lips on

yours, to the power as well as the control, was etched into your mind.

Blay didn’t ask any questions.

He just held on, slipping his arms around the other male, welcoming the tongue that entered him,

kissing back even though he didn’t understand what had motivated this.

He probably should care. Probably should pull away.

Shoulda, woulda, coulda.

Whatever.

He was vaguely aware that the door was open into the hall, but he didn’t care—even though things

were going to get pretty goddamn indiscreet pretty quick.

Except Qhuinn abruptly put the brakes on, ending the liplock and separating them. “Sorry. This

isn’t why I came.”

The fighter was still panting, and that, as well as the burn in that incredible stare, was nearly

enough for Blay to say something along the lines of,
That’s fine, but can we finish what we started
first.

Qhuinn walked back and shut the door. Then he shoved his hands into the pockets of his leathers

—like it was either that or he was worried they might latch on again.

Fuck the pockets, Blay thought as he tried to subtly rearrange his erection. “What is it?” he asked.

“I know you went to see Payne.”

The words were spoken clearly and slowly—and they were the one thing that Blay couldn’t really

handle. Breaking eye contact, he wandered around his room.

“You saved the pregnancy,” Qhuinn announced, the tone in his voice too close to awe for comfort.

“So she’s still okay?”

“You saved the—”

“Payne did.”

“V’s sister said it never would have dawned on her to try—until you went and talked with her.”

“Payne’s got some serious talent—”

Qhuinn was suddenly right in his way, a solid wall of muscle that there was no going through.

Especially as the male reached up and brushed Blay’s cheek. “You saved my daughter.”

In the silence that followed, Blay knew he had something he was supposed to say. Yeah…it was

right on his tongue. It was…

Shit. With Qhuinn looking at him like that, he couldn’t remember his own name. Blaysox?

Blacklock? Blabberfox? Who the fuck knew…

“You saved my daughter,” Qhuinn whispered.

The words that came out of Blay’s mouth were ones he would later regret—because it was

especially important, in light of the sex that seemed to be happening from time to time, to keep a

distance.

But linked as they were, stare-to-stare, he was powerless to stop the truth. “How could I not try…