Conspiracy (2 page)

Heather sat down on the other side of Eimile and took her hand, glaring back at Gregor. Two determined women were too much for Gregor and he shrugged his shoulders.

“Have it your way, but mark my words, it won’t be a walk in the park,” Gregor said as his closing thought.

Mick chuckled and took the last remaining spot on the couch next to Heather, putting his arm around her shoulders and leaning in to give her a quick kiss. She smiled back at him, ignoring Gregor as he stomped out of the room and paused in the doorway.

The burly elf looked back over his shoulder. “Whatever is decided amongst you, I leave at dawn to move King Aegir and Queen Mallorie. If you’re coming, be ready.” He turned his gaze toward Eimile and softened his countenance. “Queen Eimile, I will do all in my power to assure your safety.”

After an uncomfortable silence, we agreed to get some sleep and be ready at first light. I was prepared to get back to my life in D.C., but I knew it wouldn’t be the same. After all I had been through, I knew way more than I ever wanted to about this fae world. My responsibility to protect Tony would be different now. He wasn’t just the vice president, an ex-Marine, and my boss. He was now an unknown quantity. Did he know he was different? Had he begun to unearth or discover his powers? And was my assignment as his lead Secret Service agent random, or some aspect of Elven planning? I had thought that
I
was in charge of my life. I now questioned that assumption. We had a long road ahead of us, but I was grateful that Ian was on the path with me.

Eimile stood and smiled at Heather and me, but I could see the fatigue in her eyes. Her beautiful face had transformed over the past two weeks, and worry lines and dark circles had replaced the calm serenity that normally surrounded her. I was curious to hear Mallorie’s side of the story. I could not imagine leaving my mother and never making contact again. Even though she was dead, I still found myself thinking of her, especially in times of stress, wondering what she would have advised me.

“Good night, ladies,” Eimile said. “I must go and get ready to leave the castle. It’s been far too long since I’ve left the Western Realm. I’m not sure if the butterflies I feel are nerves or excitement.”

We stood, and Heather and I each gave Eimile a hug before she left the room. With Gregor departing a few moments earlier, that left only myself, Heather, Ian, and Mick. I hadn’t left Ian’s side for the two weeks we’d been here at the castle. For those first nights, I’d slept on the floor of his room while Colleen worked to heal him, and when she rested, I took over those duties. As he began to recover, I slept beside him, holding him close and absorbing what pain I could bear. I’d felt guilty leaving Heather alone so much, but I knew she understood.

I probably shouldn’t have worried. She hadn’t spent the time as lonely as I thought.  One night as I’d been leaving Ian’s room for a quick bit of food and drink, I passed the room I’d shared with Heather. I spotted Mick slipping inside and he just smiled at me, blowing me a silent kiss. Heather hadn’t yet confided in me about her feelings for Mick, but it was obvious. She might have been embarrassed at how quickly their relationship had become a physical one, but given my feelings for Ian, I understood the chemistry these fae men possessed. It could be dangerous and overpowering, and if love was added to the attraction, I knew Heather was no more capable of resisting than I had been. I only hoped Mick’s playboy reputation wouldn’t hold true in my sister’s case. She might be a Rhodes Scholar and Olympic medalist, but I still wanted to protect her.

As we took several steps to leave, Ian held out his hand to me and I slipped my fingers in his. He stopped at the doorway, pulled me close, and murmured, “One more night in the castle. Shall we make it a night to remember?”

I thought back to other recent nights I would never forget as we’d slowly healed ourselves and each other. I knew Ian’s body as well as my own. His words and my anticipation sent a shiver down my spine.

“Absolutely,” I answered, leaning into him as his hands moved to my waist.

I turned my head toward the couch to say goodnight to Heather. Mick sat next to her, his hand on her leg, whispering something in her ear that was causing a pink tint to appear on her cheeks. My sister was no naive school girl, so whatever Michael was saying had to be good, and she gave no sign of resistance.

A sound just outside the door made me look up. Gregor entered the room and took in the scene. “Sorry to interrupt your preparations to leave tomorrow, but I wanted to clarify one detail.”

I thought Gregor was being sarcastic, and Ian’s soft laugh confirmed it.

“Although it’s a risk I’d rather not accept, I’ll be taking Eimile with me tomorrow. Ian and Reagan, I assume that as we discussed a few minutes ago, you’ll be headed back to D.C. in the morning to resume your duties with Tony?”

“Yes, first thing, Gregor. Thank you for taking Eimile. I know it will slow you down and increase your problems of providing security,” Ian said.

Gregor nodded at Ian and turned to Heather and Mick. “Heather, I need you to come with me and Eimile. You’ll have to show me where the cabin is, and I’ll need you to host the king and queen for a few days.”

“Surely she can just give you the address, Gregor,” Mick protested. He pulled Heather closer on the couch.

“I could find the cabin, Michael, but we can’t afford to waste precious time. If there are neighbors close by, Heather can assure them we are welcome guests.”

Heather looked a little uncertain, and I thought back to her comment that she found Gregor intimidating. I wondered if she was troubled about leaving Mick, or nervous about spending time with Gregor.

“It’s fine, Mick,” she said. “Gregor, I’ll be ready to leave in the morning.” Heather gave Mick a quick kiss and then stood, holding his hand and pulling him to his feet.

“I guess that’s our cue to head upstairs,” Mick said. He guided Heather past me and through the door. I raised one eyebrow at her in question, and she winked.

After they departed, Gregor went to the far side of the room and poured himself a whisky, drinking it in one gulp. “I would imagine that’s your cue as well,” he added, his tone now definitely sarcastic.

Ian laughed at his friend. “Gregor, I think you need to find a woman. These cold Irish nights get lonely.”

“Aye, Ian. A woman is good for a cold night, but,” he said, looking toward the door where Heather had departed, “she should be selective about who she chooses for her companion.”

“Gregor, if you weren’t Ian’s good friend, I think I’d shoot you myself,” I said.

He barked out a laugh as he poured a new drink. “Then I’ll be thankful for small favors. No disrespect to Michael, Ian, but he
does
have a reputation for insincerity.”

Ian ran one finger slowly up my stomach, intimating more to the night. Dawn was only a few hours away, and we had yet to sleep at all.

“Ian, we have to talk about D.C.”

He stopped my words with a kiss. “I know, love. I just want this one last night with you before you’re no longer just mine. I’m well aware that as soon as we return, you’ll be thinking about Tony and your Secret Service supervisory agent will take over your thoughts.”

“We’ve drawn a rather thin line between Elven and work issues, don’t you think? I’ll still be yours, Ian. I just have to be careful. If we flaunt our relationship, one of us will have to be reassigned or worse yet, removed from the Service. I’m not ready for that yet.”

“I’ve lived a long time, Reagan. I know how to play the game. Just trust me. No one will be the wiser.” Ian drew me back in his arms and I kissed his chest, content for the moment.

“What do you think is happening with Heather and Mick?”

Ian sighed. “I’ve always known about Mick’s propensity for flirting and toying with affections, but it looks like he’s falling in love with her. I’ve never seen him so attentive to anyone before.”

“Heather seems to feel the same about Mick,” I said. “She doesn’t like showing her emotions and I can tell she’s a little embarrassed by his public displays, but if she didn’t care for him, she’d never allow it.”

Ignoring my observations, Ian began to caress my hair and neck. “How do
you
feel about public displays, my love?” His hands were cool against my hot skin.

“Interestingly enough, it’s the private ones I remember the most.” I pulled his head down as his lips captured mine, continuing with his promise to make it a night to remember.

Chapter Two

Reagan

The next morning dawned way too early for someone who’d only had two hours of sleep. I looked for Ian, who was no longer next to me, and finally realized what had awoken me at this ungodly hour.  He was in the bathtub, belting out “The Star Spangled Banner” in anticipation of our return to Washington. Leave it to me to find a guy who could be so chipper in the morning. I was most definitely a night person.

I buried my head under the covers and tried to get a few more minutes of sleep, but Ian’s voice grew louder, if that was possible. I felt a moment of irritation at the interruption of my slumber, but almost immediately I sensed amusement coming from Ian. He was teasing me and testing our bonds of silent communication.

Not long after my second crossing, I discovered that I could faintly sense the emotions of people around me. My bond with Ian was especially strong, and I assumed it was because of our feelings for one another. I hadn’t really been able to test the boundaries of this new so-called talent with others, but with my recent crossing, it was stronger still.

Mick had explained to me at my first crossing—or should I say,
kidnapping
—that the more I traversed the portal between the Elven and human worlds, the closer I would come to becoming a true elf. After nine crossings, the process would be complete and irreversible. I hadn’t really considered how I felt about leaving my human self behind, but in the back of my mind, I was keeping score. After talking with Gregor and Ian last night, it seemed that entering any Realm would count. I was more than halfway to becoming a full elf. The thought scared me.

Ian’s bathtub chorus ended and I waited for the refrain to begin again, but instead I heard him climb out and snap his towel. If I didn’t get out of bed soon, Heather might be gone before I had a chance to talk to her. Since Ian and I weren’t going with them, we could leave a little later than Gregor’s group, but I wanted to be there when they left.

We both finished getting ready and headed down to the main hall where everyone was meeting up. I was excited about getting back to my normal life, but also a little nervous about what my future would look like with the changes that had happened to me recently. On the way, we passed by Heather’s room and I stopped.

“You go on down, Ian. I want to talk with Heather for a minute before we leave.”

I knocked on the door softly and Heather’s voice came from within. “It’s open.”

I slipped in and was relieved to see that Heather was alone, putting a few things in her purse.

“Hey, Sis, you almost ready to go?” I asked.

Heather grabbed a few items from the bathroom and zipped her bag closed. “Yes, just finishing. Are you ready?”

“Yep, Ian headed downstairs. Did Michael go down?” I asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

Heather sat on the bed and motioned for me to sit in the chair next to her. “Don’t beat around the bush, Reagan. If you want to know if I’m sleeping with him, just ask.”

“After watching you two last night, I’d say that’s a foregone conclusion. I’m not judging… after all, I just came from Ian’s room.”

“I know.” She sighed. “Maybe I’m just judging myself. I’m not really sure what’s going on with the two of us. I like him. A lot. And I’m pretty sure he feels the same for me, but we haven’t known each other long. I never just jump in bed with anyone—you know that—but there’s something about him I can’t resist. Or don’t want to.”

“I know exactly what you mean. Maybe it’s some otherworldly vibe they give off, but I can’t resist anything about Ian, either. Maybe it’s elf pheromones. I’m head over heels for the guy.”

“I honestly can’t say I’m in love with Michael,” Heather was quick to add. “But he’s been a fun distraction for the past few weeks. I mean, holy crap, he’s so good-looking, and when he smiles at me, I get all weak-kneed. It’s ridiculously juvenile, actually.”

I laughed, happy to have a few moments to just talk to my sister. “Well, enjoy it while it lasts. You won’t have him around for a while if you’re going with Eimile and Gregor to help at the cabin.”

“Don’t remind me! I can’t believe I got coerced into spending time with the king and queen of the Eastern Realm, not to mention Mr. Brute himself.”

“Gregor isn’t so bad, Heather. You just have to get used to him. Ian has complete faith in him, and that’s why I’m not worried.”

“Well, I’m so glad
you’re
not worried.” She laughed at me and I smiled back. “It’s been a long time since we’ve talked about boys, Reagan. Thanks for listening.”

“I’m always here. But I just want you to know that Ian is all man… there’s nothing boyish about him.”

She chucked a pillow at me and snorted as we both left the room.

We arrived to find Ian, Gregor, and Eimile waiting in the hall, discussing what time to depart. Gregor went quiet as we entered the room.

“Good. Now that Heather’s here, we can leave.” He turned to Eimile and picked up her small overnight bag.

“I should probably say goodbye to Mick before we leave.”

Gregor exhaled and set the bag down with a thump. “We can’t wait long. I would have thought you had plenty of goodbye moments last night.”

Heather blushed, and I could tell she was not only embarrassed by Gregor’s comments, but angry as well.

“Not that it’s any of your business, but Michael asked me to wait until he could come downstairs himself. I’d hate to put you off your schedule, but since you requested
my
help, you might give me a few extra minutes.”

We were all saved from an uncomfortable moment when Mick walked in. “Hey, pretty lady!” He gave Heather a quick kiss and nodded at the rest of us.