Page 55 of Bound

He laughs. “Smart girl. Now go get dressed. You’re entirelytoo tempting like that. We have work to do.”

“Thank you,” I say softly. I lean over and press my lips tohis.

Cian’s smile is rueful. “I’m glad I have your gratitude,wife, because my dick is cursing me.”

I laugh with him, and then we get up, dress, and get readyto face the day.

ChapterTwenty-Five

Liadan

I watch as that idiot Cian runs from the barn towardthe cottage. He’s naked, and there’s no doubt he is a man on a mission. EarlierI’d seen the human walk toward the cottage. I have no idea why they spent thenight in the barn, but it looks like they’re moving their lovefest inside.

I hate to admit it, but he’s a lovely man. It’s merely theluck of his birth. He looks exactly like his better half. If Cian Finn wasanything like his brother, my job would have been infinitely easier. I couldhave seduced Cian and put a blade through his heart. I have one I madeespecially for him. It’s cold iron and easy for my small hands to use. I cursedthe blade myself and tested it on that moron I was forced to call husband foryears. A husband was required to get me into the village. It took a long whileto find the right plane, and once I was here, I needed to get close to theprinces. My husband came in handy. When he accidently discovered my truenature, I tested my weapon. It proved thoroughly effective. Life as a widow hasgiven me the freedom I need.

I don’t dare try to use the knife on Beck. His instincts aretoo well-honed when it comes to battle. His hands are quick, and he can disarmme in an instant. He’s the warrior. There is no doubt about it. I shiverslightly when I think about all the times I was forced to smile and welcome himto my bed. He’s a predator. Even though he asks politely, I can feel what hewants, and it disgusts me.

I’ve often thought about the fact that the brothers areprotected on many levels by their odd nature. Beck is protected by his fightingability, but Cian has some strong defenses against me as well. He seems tosense something is wrong whenever I’m close. Once I caught Cian watching me asthough trying to figure out what I am. At first, I worried Cian might give meaway, but he never called me out. By the time I began my relationship withBeck, Cian had started his descent into madness and likely hadn’t trustedhimself enough to accuse me.

He didn’t join his brother in my bed. I was glad that Beckhadn’t figured out I attempted to seduce Cian first. I still hated him with avengeance for turning me down.

Even without direct access to the intellectual half of theking, I almost managed it. My magic is strong. Though Cian was protected atnight—by Beck when he was around and that nosy little brownie when Beck wasnot—I managed to enter his dreams as a mist. It’s a particular talent of mine.My sisters have always been jealous of the ability. I simply poured my willinto a spell and wrap it in the mist that always surrounds the pond. It findsits way to Cian. It whispers to him. It brings out all his fears.

In the end, it was simple. Cian is weak. He chose to faderather than live in a world where he has no hope of bonding. He’d been close tocomplete chaos. I was mere days away from convincing the idiot to kill himselfonce and for all, and then Beckett Finn would have been easy prey. Beck wouldhave quickly dissolved into a death machine, and there would be no choice butto put the king out of his misery.

But of course, nothing is easy. That human bitch shows upand I’m back at square one.

I stand in the far field watching the cottage, trying tocome up with a way to deal with the new problem I have. The queen—Ican’t believe those idiots are calling the human queen—presents a uniquelytroublesome problem.

If the legend is correct, there’s a possibility the twins’power might be greatly increased by bonding with a strong mind. While I doubtthe human is a truly strong mate, I don’t want to take the chance. Beck ispowerful enough as he is, and the thought of Cian with a Green Man’s abilitiesscares me. If word gets back to Tír na nÒg that the twins are alive and haveascended into their power, another civil war will follow. I have to stop thatbecause I’m not at all sure my side will win.

I feel a warmth at my heels, pulling me from my reflections.

“Hello, Ain,” I say with more affection for my black catthan I’ve ever felt for another being. I lean over, and the cat gracefullyleaps into my arms. The cat does more for me than any other being has. She’s mysweet and vicious familiar.

“There she is,” I say, pointing out our enemy. The queenwalks out of the cottage with a dumb smile on her face, holding Cian’s hand asthey move toward the barn.

It would be simple if I could kill the bitch, but I’mcertain that yesterday Cian destroyed that plan as well. According to thegossip I heard at the party the night before, Cian fully bonded with the human.If I kill her, the human will be able to send the image to her husband.

It’s too risky. I can’t change forms again, and I don’tintend to be revealed as the hag I am when a lynch mob comes.

I watch the outcast king teach his second-rate mate how tomilk a cow. I’ve played a very careful game. It would be stupid to risk it now.The game has changed with the insertion of the human. What I need is a newplan.

I smile as I think about all the vampires Beck fought in thearena for the right to mate with that ridiculous human. He probably made themall angry. It’s the one decent move Torin managed on his own. Limiting thevampires’ access to consorts made them more amenable to certain negotiations.There are still vampire families loyal to the outcast king, but others are muchmore reasonable. Perhaps it’s time get in touch with one or two.

“I didn’t mean yes that way, Ci!” The human’s squeal carriesacross the field as she playfully avoids Cian’s hands.

Cian will be sad when the human is dead or gone. I don’tcare which. The vampires would probably rather take the girl. They have theiruses for one with her unique talents. With Beck off the plane, I might findsome vampires desperate or arrogant enough to think they can kidnap a consort.Or some might be looking for revenge and kill the bitch.

Either way will lead to Cian’s fading and Beckett’s death.Once they’re gone, Torin can reopen Tír na nÒg, and I’ll march back into thehomeland a conquering hero. I’ll take my place beside my sisters as the king’scounselor. Our status will be assured.

I turn toward home, my familiar nestled firmly in my arms. Ican hear the newlywed couple playing. Let them have fun now. Theirs will be ashort marriage if I have anything to say about it.

ChapterTwenty-Six

Cian

“What is it?” I sit in the kitchen looking at thesmall, flat cake-thing my wife has been working on for days now. Meg has beenworking on other things as well, but this odd bit of food seems to be her laborof love.