Harlequin Nocturne May 2016 Box Set (46 page)

Before she could protest, a familiar voice murmured in her ear. “I thought I'd go mad if I had to spend another minute not being able to touch you.”

Tanzi melted against Lorcan's muscular chest. “We are not supposed to mingle.”

His laughter turned to a husky groan as her lips found the pulse at the base of his throat. Lorcan's hands smoothed the slippery silk of her gown over the curve of her buttocks. “I want to do a lot more than mingle with you,
Searc
.”

As if on cue, Flora's disapproving voice called out across the courtyard. “Your Highness?”

“Ignore her.” Lorcan pulled Tanzi deeper into the shadows.

“The Valkyrie have returned. Brynhild will see you now.”

Tanzi didn't know the meaning of the Gaelic words Lorcan muttered under his breath, but she got the impression they were not complimentary toward Odin's eldest daughter.

“Go to my room. I'll be there as soon as I can.”

Pressing a swift kiss onto his lips, she emerged from the darkness and crossed the courtyard to where Flora was waiting for her.

* * *

The coats of the horses shone like satin and the steeds plunged and reared with restless energy even after their long ride. Each horse unfurled giant wings in preparation for the flight back to the stables. Brynhild, all-powerful leader of the warrior maidens, dismounted and strode out at the head of her armor-clad troop. Noted for their beauty, each Valkyrie was possessed of fair, silken skin, impossibly blue eyes and flowing, golden tresses. They were dressed in identical silver helmets adorned with white wings, and scarlet corsets over which they wore fish-scale breastplates. Over their battledress they wore cloaks made of the purest feathers from the whitest swans. Each Valkyrie carried her own shield and spear and wore a short sword at her side.

Brynhild paused in front of Tanzi, looking her up and down. Signaling for the other Valkyrie to enter the grand hall ahead of her, she took Tanzi's arm and led her into a small reception room.

“What was your mother's name?” No preliminaries, no greeting. Tanzi bit back smile. It was like being with Vashti.

“Enja. She was a sidhe who became a Valkyrie, until she married my father.” Tanzi drew a breath. Now for the hard part. “He is Moncoya, King of the Faeries.” Brynhild gave no sign that she knew the name, so Tanzi continued with her story. “When my twin sister and I were babies, she left and we always believed that she returned here.”

Brynhild gave her a sideways glance. “I remember Enja.”

“You do?” Tanzi had not been prepared for her own reaction to those words. Sharp tears stung her eyelids and then spilled over. “I'm sorry. My father always forbade any mention of her, so I've never met anyone who could tell me about her. What was she like?”

Brynhild smiled. “Like all Valkyrie. Beautiful, brave, true of heart. You look like her.”

“I've always wondered how she met my father.”

“In battle, of course. It was one of many in the endless war of supremacy for Otherworld. Enja was one of the Valkyrie sent to gather the fallen. She never returned.”

Tanzi frowned. “You make it sound strange.”

“That's because it is. It is the sworn duty of a Valkyrie to bring the bravest of the fallen to Valhalla that they might serve Odin. That is why I remember your mother so well. It is the only time a Valkyrie has failed us.”

Although Brynhild's tone was neutral, Tanzi sensed censure in her manner. She thought of Silja in her lonely prison tower. The fate of a Valkyrie who stepped out of line was not one she wanted to dwell on. “She must have loved my father very much if she was prepared to break the Valkyrie code for him.”

Did she imagine it, or was the look Brynhild gave her one of pity? “Either that or there was some other incentive—or constraint—so great, she was unable to return to us.”

Tanzi frowned, puzzling over the words. Was Brynhild trying to say that her father had forced Enja to leave the Valkyrie and stay with him? It would be almost impossible to believe...if they were not discussing Moncoya. “I take it we were wrong and she is not here now?”

Brynhild shook her head. “Wherever Enja went when she finally left your father, she did not return to us.” There seemed to be a number of messages in Brynhild's words, and Tanzi felt she needed time to analyze them. Brynhild was moving on. “And now you wish to follow her and become a Valkyrie yourself?”

“If you'll have me.”

“Why?” That blue gaze was sharp and inescapable, pinning her in place.

Tanzi had prepared a speech. Every word went out of her head. In that instant she knew that only the truth would do. “Because my father has arranged for me to marry the devil and I have nowhere else to go.”

Brynhild was silent for a long, heart-stopping moment. “Come to the Valkyrie Hall tomorrow at noon so that we can begin your induction.”

CHAPTER 19

T
anzi ran back to her room on feet spurred by Brynhild's words about her mother coupled with the need to see Lorcan. Fortunately, when she whirled through the door and slammed it behind her, he was lying full length on her bed with his hands clasped behind his head.

“How did it go?”

She inhaled deeply to calm herself, even though her ragged breathing was due to tension rather than exertion. “I am to begin my induction at noon tomorrow.”

The shutters instantly came down on his expression. “So this is ‘goodbye'?”

That was a question she could never answer. How could she ever bring herself to say that word to him? Instead, Tanzi replied with a question of her own. “Have you seen the tower that holds Odin's youngest daughter?” Lorcan shook his head, his eyes still fixed on her face. “They imprisoned her there because she spoke to a man. All she did was help him when he was injured during a battle.” Her voice rose slightly on a note of panic.

Lorcan rose from the bed and came to her, running his hands down her arms. “You're shaking. What has happened to upset you so much?”

His touch stilled some of the trembling in her limbs. Even so, she couldn't tell him of her fears about her mother's fate. “The Valkyrie are ruthless. Their code does not allow for any interaction with a man.”

“So I take it you have decided to keep ‘us' a secret from Brynhild?”

Tanzi tilted her head back, desire—an instant, molten antidote to any other emotion—flooding through her as she looked up at him. “Is there an ‘us,' Lorcan?”

Since she was in the act of undoing his fly and freeing his erection from his jeans, she supposed Lorcan could be forgiven for the look of surprise he shot her way. “I don't know about you, but this feels a lot like an ‘us' to me.”

“Can we talk about this later?” As she spoke, she sank to her knees, her lips closing over the silken head of his cock. The breath left Lorcan's body in one long hiss and he leaned back, propping his shoulders against the door for support. Tanzi took his helpless shudder to be a sign of agreement. She felt his groans reverberate through her as she sucked him as deep and hard as she could. Cupping his sac in her hand, she commenced a sweeping rhythm, taking in his full length, then licking the sensitive underside of his cock as she pulled back again.

“I need to be inside you.” Lorcan pulled her to her feet.

As soon as Tanzi had slipped her underwear off, Lorcan hoisted her dress around her waist and lifted her so that she could wrap her legs around his body. Holding her with her back against the wall, he drove into her so hard that she cried out. Keeping her still with his hands gripping her buttocks, he impaled her, each thrust sending an electric current of pleasure up and down her spine.

“You're so hot and tight. Let me feel you come.”

She closed her eyes as his words tipped her over the edge and she tightened and convulsed, squeezing him hard with each contraction of her muscles. Every nerve in her body felt the impact of her orgasm and she moaned and shuddered. Lorcan joined her, his cock pumping rhythmically inside her. He kissed her, drawing her tongue into his mouth and sucking it gently as he pulled out of her and lowered her to her feet.

“This can't be ‘goodbye.'” He murmured the words against her lips. Tanzi could hear her own anguish echoing in his voice and see it reflected in his eyes.

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “It isn't. We have until noon tomorrow.”

* * *

Lorcan watched Tanzi as she slept. She was sprawled across the bed, doing her usual starfish impersonation, relegating him to a small corner. Every muscle in his body ached, and he stretched. Since this was their last night together, they'd made it a good one. He managed a reminiscent smile, even though the expression was at odds with his mood. All he really wanted to do was lock that door and make sure Tanzi was forced to stay with him forever.

His mind went back to a time before he got to know her, when she'd been Moncoya's condescending daughter instead of his lover. He shook his head as if to clear it. Lorcan had spent his whole life fighting. Battling monsters and saving lives for the resistance had become something he did to keep from warring with the demons inside himself. Moving from one fight to the next was all he'd ever known. After his mother's death, there had been nothing in his life worth putting down roots for, nothing worth keeping. He'd always thought his heart was damaged beyond repair. Now he knew it was simply that nothing had ever managed to breach the walls he had built up around his emotions. Until Tanzi came along. He almost laughed.
Who'd have thought I could fall so hard, fast and gloriously for the high-and-mighty, untouchable faerie princess?

I won't say “goodbye” to her.
The thought was so sudden and decisive that he sat bolt upright.
I can't let her walk away. I love her too much for that.
A sigh of relief shuddered through him.
It's about bloody time, Malone. What took you so long to get here?

He made a move to wake her, to tell her the jumble of emotions that was coursing through him, but before his hand could connect with her shoulder, there was a furious hammering on the door. Tanzi's eyes flew open, her fae instincts overcoming any trace of slumber so that she was instantly alert.

“Who is it?” She clutched the bedclothes around her naked body.

“It is Flora. I must speak with you immediately.”

“Have we been discovered?” Lorcan cocked an inquiring brow in Tanzi's direction. “Will Brynhild try to have you locked away in that tower with her youngest sister?”

“The tower would be too good for me. Stay here and behave,” she whispered, tugging her gown from the previous night over her head. Going to the door, she opened it just wide enough to allow herself to see Flora, but used her body to block the view so that the maidservant could not see into the room. “What is it?” The regal tone that worked so well was back in her voice.

“The Norn have asked me to take you to them.”

Tanzi paused, and, from his position on the bed, Lorcan saw her expression change as she regarded Flora with suspicion. The Norn were the three Goddesses of Fate, said to control the destiny of every mortal from birth to death. “I am not mortal. What can the Norn possibly want with me?”

He sensed a shrug from Flora. “I am merely the messenger. It is rare these days that the Norn ask to speak with anyone. They are independent of the other gods and cannot be commanded, although it is well-known that Odin wishes he
could
order them to obey him because they annoy him intensely. They please themselves, keeping to their own tower in the palace. Nevertheless, they were most insistent. They told me they have something to tell you that you will want to hear. It concerns the future of the entire faerie dynasty.”

Tanzi appeared to think for a moment. Lorcan knew anything that concerned the fate of the faeries would gain her attention. She nodded decisively. “Give me ten minutes to wash and dress.” She closed the door, leaving Flora waiting in the hall. Turning to Lorcan, she cast an apologetic glance in his direction. “This sounds like something I need to hear.”

“Cal has no time for the Norn. He's met the three old crones who sit at their spindles spinning the threads of human destiny. He thinks they enjoy meddling and like making mortals suffer.” Cal had said it often enough. Lorcan didn't think the Norn could do any real harm. How much could they actually know of the world beyond their tower and their spinning wheel?

“But I don't see how they can hurt me, since I'm not mortal.” Tanzi's confusion showed on her face. “One thing I do know about the Norn is that they cannot lie. Whatever they are about to tell me must be the truth.” She bit her lip, her expression troubled. “Even so, my instincts are telling me not to go, to stay with you.”

His gaze was warm on her face, his voice gently mocking. “Listen to you, the faerie princess who doesn't do emotion suddenly discovering her intuition. Go and see what they want. I'll wait here for you. I need to talk to you when you get back. The Norn might have something to say to you, but what I want to tell you is much more important.”

* * *

If the Norn wanted to tell her something that affected the future of the faerie dynasty, there was someone else Tanzi wanted involved in the forthcoming conversation. Although Vashti couldn't be present physically, Tanzi hoped she could use their psychic bond to her advantage. As she hurried along the labyrinthine corridors in Flora's wake, she felt for the acorn that she had slipped into the pocket of her jeans.

Vashti?
There was no response.
Vashti, can you hear me?

Nothing. Perhaps Vashti was wrong about the fact that they could communicate no matter how far apart they might be. Tanzi rolled the acorn between her fingers. A faint but unmistakable noise reached her ears, and she turned her head, seeking its source. A smile touched her lips. The sound was inside her head. Vashti's gentle snores were rhythmic and reminded her of when they were children. She had heard that noise a lot during her early years. It had been a constant source of exasperation to Rina. Her twin had always been difficult to wake up.

Vashti, listen to me!

They were mounting a staircase now, nearing the top of the tower that housed the reclusive Norn. Tanzi was reminded of childhood tales of secrets and attics. Would they find a sleeping princess or an evil goblin? Her thoughts were interrupted by a sleepy voice inside her own head.

Tanzi? Do you know what time it is?
It was Vashti's familiar early-morning grumble, and Tanzi felt her heart expand with love and relief.

I need you to listen in on a conversation.

A soft chuckle echoed in her mind.
Whoa. If this is between you and your Irish stud, leave me out of it.

Flora held open a door and Tanzi stepped inside, her eyes narrowing in an attempt to adjust to the gloom.

Just stay with me, Vashti. This could be important.

The attic room was cluttered, filled with the remnants of centuries of abandoned memories. Motes of dust hung in the air and tickled Tanzi's nose, and the only source of light was a high window covered by a graying lace curtain. Three figures were huddled in the center of the room. Even in the poor light, it was easy to see why Cal called them “crones.”

“The goddesses are Clotho, spinner of the thread of life, Lachesis, who decides on the length of the yarn, and Atropos, whose responsibility is to make the final cut.” Flora made no move to enter the room as she made the introduction.

“You may leave us.” Clotho addressed Flora, who followed the order with relief. She quickly closed the door behind her. Clotho gestured for Tanzi to come closer, and she stepped forward. “Your journey has been one of highs and lows, Princess. Yet Lorcan Malone has not yet shared with you the true reason for his involvement in this quest.”

Tanzi felt a sudden chill. She didn't want to hear this. “He came with me to take care of me on my journey to Valhalla.”

Lachesis spoke up, snickering behind her hand. “And he has taken care of you very well.” She looked Tanzi up and down suggestively.

“Hush, sister.” Clotho seemed to be in charge. “Lorcan Malone came with you because he has been given the task of finding the true heir of the faerie dynasty. The one who can challenge your father for the crown.”

Tanzi frowned. “I don't know what you are talking about.”

“Then Lorcan Malone has carried out his mission well. It is well-known that his loyalty lies with Merlin Caledonius, and he alone. The sorcerer swore him to secrecy.”

Tanzi felt an icy hand begin to close around her heart. “Are you telling me that Lorcan had another reason for making this journey? One that was nothing to do with me?”

Clotho nodded. “Your sorcerer has woven his spell to great effect. You were so blinded by his charm, you could not see past the blue of those eyes.”

“That isn't true.” Tanzi lifted her chin higher, trying to ignore the horrible, sick churning of her stomach. “We both knew our time together was a pleasant diversion. Nothing more.”

Lachesis laughed again, the sound—a high-pitched cackle—making Tanzi wince. “Really?” She caught her sister's glance and subsided, muttering under her breath.

“The identity of the true heir is irrelevant now.” Clotho's tone was dismissive. “Lorcan Malone already knows who he is.”

Irrelevant? Tanzi felt as though the ground beneath her feet was shifting. Lorcan had lied to her. All along, he had used that Irish charm to dupe her into believing he cared about her so that she wouldn't question what he was really doing. He had been seeking this challenger to her father's crown. Someone who would rip the faerie dynasty in two. Even though she no longer felt any loyalty to her father, Lorcan must have known how she would react to the news of what he was planning and what it would do to her people. Of course he knew. That was why he hadn't told her. Even though there had been plenty of opportunities. Such as every night when they lay in bed together...

“You have gone very pale. Do you need a seat?” Lachesis asked, her voice filled with gleeful concern.

“I'm fine.” The words came out mechanically through lips that were stiff with tension.

“Of course you are. It is far too soon for your condition to have any effect.”

Tanzi frowned with an effort to concentrate. “Condition?”

Clotho sighed. “My sister gets ahead of herself sometimes. But she is right. Although you are a faerie, Lorcan Malone is half mortal, so we can see his future. You are carrying his child.”

“Congratulations.” Lachesis gave her a sly smile.

“Now I do need to sit down.” Tanzi groped for a rickety chair and flopped into it, sending a cloud of dust into the air. She looked from serious Clotho to smug Lachesis and across at sad, silent Atropos—who examined her colored threads before making an occasional snip—with a feeling of unreality.
Why did I decide to come here this morning when my instincts told me to stay in Lorcan's arms?
“Are you sure?”