The Banshee's Revenge (The Banshee's Embrace Trilogy) (9 page)

"I'm so confused. All this anger inside me--I can't think straight anymore. I thought the urges I had to reap souls were bad before taking Death's essence, but now…her voice is all I hear some days. Most of the time I can turn off these stupid emotions, but now…with this thing inside me, everything is out of whack."

This thing? Toby's heart sank a little. What mother called their child a thing?

"I can help you," Toby said. "I know how to now."

"You do?"

"Yes." He couldn't resist any longer and pulled her into his arms, closing his eyes. "You can get control of your powers and still retain your humanity. It's still inside you."

"That's what my father said, too."

"Your father?" He pulled away slightly to see her better. "I thought he died a long time ago."

"Not my adopted father. My biological one. He came to me, Toby. He wanted me to understand, but I think everything is just more complicated." She massaged her forehead. "Merlin says I was part of some prophecy.  That he slept with my mother because it was preordained."

A cold chill went through Toby. Merlin was her father. That meant…Gwydion was her brother.

"Are you sure?" he asked, anxious. "It wasn't another entity playing a trick?"

"No. I believe it to be the truth."

He pulled her close again, hiding the anguish he felt over this revelation.

"Well, he's right about one thing. You can be saved. It won't be easy." Toby breathed in the soft scent of her hair and relished the familiarity of her body against his. "You'll need all your strength, so our first step is getting you to rest."

"Alright, Toby," she whispered, her breath warm against his neck. "Guide me on what to do. I'll do anything you ask."

He hoped that was true. Because when the time came, what he would ask of her would be tough. He thought about the deal he'd made with Morrigan and wondered if he'd made the right decision in light of this new information about Jacqueline's father.

Regardless, it was too late now. There was no going back.

"I want you to wear this." He pulled away and dug into his jean pocket. A moment later, he held up a silver necklace with a small dangling charm. "This is very old, been in my family a long time. My father told me about it once, but he made it sound like a legend. Recently, a friend found it and gave it back to me."

"What is it?" Jacqueline reached out and took the necklace. The light in the room caught the silver metal causing it to shine. "It's really beautiful."

"It's called Morrigan's Kiss." Toby admired the curving lines of the charm that twisted and snaked together to form an uneven heart. "It's special."

The goddess herself had given it to him the evening before, along with a little background on his family history that he'd been unaware of. But that was information that he couldn't reveal yet. Not if he wanted to save Jacqueline.

He couldn't help but wonder if Morrigan knew that Merlin was Jacqueline's father.

If so, that made the deal he'd agreed to riskier than he'd expected. His own books had been very clear on the fact that Morrigan and Merlin had a long, volatile history. At the time, it had never occurred to him that it might matter.

But now…

"What does the charm do?" Jacqueline asked.

"It's supposed to help the wearer see things clearly," Toby explained.

She slipped the silver necklace around her neck and turned so he could work the clasp. His hands brushed against her skin. It would be so easy to romance her into his bed once again, to make love to her with the passion they once shared.

"Thank you." Jacqueline turned and he saw the same undisguised need in her eyes. "For everything."

To hell with it, he decided. They were finally in the same room after months of being apart. Toby didn't want to be restrained any longer.

Reaching forward, he gently kissed her, feeling her lips part slightly. She kissed him back, tentative at first, and then with more urgency. She ran a hand through his hair, and then pushed him down on the bed.

A little taken back but delighted none the less, Toby grinned as she perched on top of him, studying his features as he'd studied hers earlier.

"You haven't been sleeping." She ran a finger down the side of his face. "You have a few worry lines."

"Now if I said that to a woman, I'd be in big trouble." He laughed, feeling some of the weight from the past few months lift. "How can you get away with it?"

"Because those little lines make you more handsome. They give your face character. Worry lines just make women look old," Jacqueline laughed, too, unaware of the changes Toby saw in her face as she did so.

He could still see her, the old Jacqueline, the woman he'd fallen in love with. The moment she'd laughed, the darkness lifted from her eyes and her face lost some of its sharpness.

Hope filled him.

It wasn't too late.

But what of the child
, his conscience asked.
You have to remember what you promised
.

Later. He would deal with that later.

Right now he only wanted to concentrate on the woman he loved.

*****

Arwan watched the couple make love.

Envious, he kept his presence a secret, though he was certain had either of them been paying attention, they would have been alerted to him the moment he materialized in the room.

One always sensed a god. The power they gave off was too great to ignore.

And yet, they
were
ignoring him, irritating Arwan to no end.

The banshee woman was supposed to have fallen to his charms. Gwydion had given him a directive, and partly because they were old friends, Arwan would follow through on it. But the main reason he'd indulged Gwydion was so he could get a taste of the banshee. She was lovely and there was the promise of untold passion in her.

She should have been grateful for the attentions of a god.

All creatures were.

Then again, she'd just met her father. Maybe her mind wasn't entirely focused on sex then. Perhaps he could make allowances for her this time.

As a god and warrior, Arwan had existed a long time. He couldn't quite remember when Hades had created him and assigned his area of the realm to work. While he wasn't the leader of the Underworld, he'd certainly done his fair share of wrangling lost souls and sending them to their final destinations.

Along the way, he'd developed a god's arrogance when it came to women, especially mortal women. They should all consider themselves lucky if he chose to bestow his kiss on them. After all, the stories of his prowess were legendary--even if they hadn't made it into the history books like Zeus or even Morrigan.

As he watched Jacqueline moan with desire under the hands of her lover, the necklace caught his eye. It lay between her breasts, a beacon catching the light of the room as it sent out its power.

He frowned.

This was a complication.

Morrigan had already marked this woman. That meant no one was allowed to harm her. Was Gwydion aware of this? Was he trying to pull some trick on Arwan which would bring him under Morrigan's wrath? He wouldn't put it past the wizard who had reeked of desperation when they'd spoken.

Two could play that game. He felt no loyalty to Gwydion.

Perhaps it was time for him to pay a little visit to Morrigan, grace her with his many talents, and find out the truth of what was going on. Not to mention that he'd kept a little secret from Gwydion about Merlin and the banshee. The sight of them had intrigued him and instinctively he'd known to hold back and observe.

Morrigan would be grateful to him for finding out the truth about Jacqueline's father.

He watched Jacqueline and Toby a bit longer, until his own needs betrayed him. With a flick of his fingers, he returned to his realm where his servant girls awaited. He gestured to a particularly curvy one whose eyes filled with gratefulness that he'd picked her.

That was more like it.

"Come here." Arwan smiled as he removed her simple white gown. "I have something for you."

"You wish to see me, my son?"

Morrigan smiled down at the man kneeling before her. She liked him best in that pose. It allowed her a moment of pure dominance before the upstart began to run his mouth as he always did.

Damn kids.

You birthed them, went through nine months of mortal hell because you mistakenly believed that the father was worth it, and then hundreds of years later, you end up with some total idiot who thinks he is better than you,
Morrigan thought.

Gwydion lifted his head, a dark gleam in his eyes.

"Mother," the word sounded stiff and silly coming out of the mouth of such an old man. "I wish to ask you a few questions regarding a woman in your realm."

"Jacqueline Huston. You want to know about her baby."

If Gwydion was surprised she already knew his mission, he didn't show it. He nodded his head and respectfully lowered his eyes.

"It will be powerful," Morrigan said.

"How powerful?"

"How like your father, you are," she said, coming closer to the man. "Full of questions and always about the same thing. Power."

"I take that as a compliment." Gwydion smiled but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "My father was a mighty creature."

"Creature. What an apt word for him. Merlin became what he was--mighty--after he met me and I kissed him." Morrigan laughed softly at Gwydion's scowl. "He was just a mortal with quick ideas and a handsome face when I first saw him."

"Why did you…I mean if you didn't like him, why bother with bestowing power on him?"

"Because she loved him, you fool."

Morrigan caught her breath at the sight of Arwan standing in the doorway to her throne room. He was still as handsome and virile as ever. Thoughts of the last time they'd been together tumbled through her mind.

"Arwan, to what do we owe the pleasure of your company?" she said, keeping her voice steady. "It's been a long time."

"I imagine your son and I are here for the same purpose." Arwan strode across the room. "Morrigan, I'm sure you are aware that we have a problem in our happy little kingdom. We have folks who are not dying because this Jacqueline Huston is too busy fulfilling her own desires. Normally, I wouldn't get involved, but your son convinced me to the possible dangers that could occur if we take no action. Why is this banshee woman under your protection?"

"What?" Gwydion gasped and turned to her, rage in his eyes. "You didn't tell me this!"

"You didn't ask, dear," Morrigan smiled. "And we were discussing the child, not the mother."

"You're protecting her because the child will be more powerful than you," Gwydion accused.

Morrigan shrugged and lifted one hand in a dismissive gesture.

"Perhaps."

"That's not fair!" Gwydion shouted, reminding her of a spoiled child. "I want that baby dead."

"Don't be such a brat," Morrigan chided. "You are always so threatened by new things."

"You understand that as long as Jacqueline wears Morrigan's Kiss, neither I nor anyone else harms her," Arwan said to Gwydion. "I'm afraid I cannot help you after all."

"Damn!" Gwydion gave his mother a murderous look. "You don't know what you are doing! This is the kind of thing that changes the world… that destroys it even. Is that what you want? It must be since you've allowed Jacqueline to murder the wizards, to take their souls before their time, and leave behind the ones she is meant to reap."

"Don't tell me my business, son." Morrigan's eyes narrowed. "And as for the wizards, I haven't cared about them since I left your father."

"So because of some petty female grudge against a man who you once loved, you would allow a creature more powerful than yourself to come into being?" Gwydion shook his head and stamped his staff against the floor, sending small sparks shooting off towards her. "My father was right to cast you aside!"

Morrigan held up one delicate hand and used magic to pull her son across the room towards her. His feet scraped the edges of the floor as she dragged him along like a rag doll. When he was inches away and struggling to be released from her grasp, she looked him directly in the eye.

"Do not speak to me in that tone," she hissed. "And as for what I allow to come into being, that is my decision. You should be grateful that I loved your father enough to see that you took your first breath. I could have stopped your conception, but I wanted your father, wanted to know what it would be like to live as a mortal."

Gwydion's eyes bulged in anger as she spoke.

"I turned away from my power. Even became human for that man." Morrigan gave a bitter laugh. "It was a mistake. You should never have been born."

There was a long silence in the room as mother and son stared at each other.

Slowly, she lowered Gwydion to the ground.

Morrigan could feel the anger coming off him. It ran through the room like waves, striking out at those in its way. Merlin had been the same, and to see such a family trait in Gwydion further irritated her.