Chapter Twelve
The trip through the tunnel took longer than Rez expected, though less than three minutes. Because of Holly’s focus and increased power, he estimated the distance they traveled to be at eight maybe ten miles through barren caves and always moving on an incline. Underworld it would seem was high in the mountains, yet still in a cave system.
The entrance was unguarded probably because of the spell Lanarae had put in place.
Sweet Goddess, Holly murmured within his mind as the three of them stepped into the present.
The tunnel had led into a massive cavern that had been sculpted into a palace of crystal beauty. Rez had never seen so many crystals in one location, of all colors. It must have cost a fortune.
But it was a vile juxtaposition to the sight of at least two dozen realm and human captives, caged within glass enclosures that lined opposite sides of the cavern. Glittering crystals of varying hues, also adorned the enclosures.
Because of decades battling the Invictus, Rez thought he knew the extent of evil his fellow realm persons could inflict on each other. But here was a place so low, so full of the basest pursuits, he wasn’t sure he could take it.
Only the wealthiest of either the Nine Realms or the earth world would be able to afford the merchandise being sold or perhaps auctioned here tonight.
There were even gremlins in a few of the crystal-adorned cages.
Oregis murmured, “So that’s where they go. Sold into slavery. By all the elf-lords in hell –”
Holly leaned closer to Rez. “I don’t know if I can handle what I’m seeing. This is an auction, isn’t it?”
“Looks like it.”
Worse were the well-shod, jewel-emblazoned assholes, with their flutes of champagne and smug smiles, ready to bid.
Applause erupted spontaneously at the opposite end of the sloped space. With hundreds of people present, their small party wouldn’t be noticed. Not even a gremlin perched on Rez’s shoulder incited much interest. This crowd had seen and done it all. Bastards.
“Why is everyone clapping?” Holly asked.
“My guess is the bidding’s about to start.”
When Cruce and Lanarae suddenly appeared on what was a platform at least fifty feet away, he instinctively gripped Holly harder. He felt her draw in a deep calming breath but he sensed her nerves. No amount of meditative breathing was going to help.
So much despair.
Her words inside his head brought his gaze back to the glass cages. She was right. Several of the captives he could see nearby were either slumped with the burden of their situation or had been drugged into a submissive stupor.
He could see a number of them on his left, but the crowd was too thick to allow him a view of the captives on the other side. Of those he could see, none were Isobel.
Degradation was the order of the day since each captive was completely naked. The wealthy would want to know exactly what they were getting.
He hated that Holly had to see any of this. I wish I could take you out of here.
We’ve figured out the general location, so that’s something. But more importantly, we need to find Isobel. I’m hoping like anything she’s not here.
Rez pathed, As a reminder, she has wavy brown hair like mine, light blue eyes, dimple in her chin. But you saw her in the vision, right?
I did. Trust me, I would know her if I saw her.
Good. His heart was in his throat. He didn’t know what he would do if he found Isobel caged up like any of the captives here.
Oregis thumped Rez’s head. “We’ve got four toughs heading our way.”
“I thought we’d have some time.”
Holly remained quiet, though he swore he could hear her heartrate increase.
Rez glanced around. Oregis was right. Four big shifters in black suits and ear-pieces were converging on them.
When he glanced back at the podium, he saw that Cruce’s gaze was fixed on Holly. He’d probably sharpened his vampire vision and brought her into focus. Cruce smiled and leaned down to whisper something to Lanarae.
The dark fae’s gaze followed his line of sight until she, too, was looking at Holly.
Rez spoke aloud. “We’re made. But like hell I’m leaving until I’ve disrupted some of this travesty.”
He wound up his battle power and aimed his hands at the crystal ceiling. He fired a long, sustained blast that traveled the length of the ceiling and sent a shower of red, clear and black crystals over all the guests.
Women screamed, men dove for cover. He grabbed Holly’s arm and pulled her to the right. Oregis hung onto his hair. Smart move by the gremlin.
Holly’s voice entered his mind. You want us in the time-path?
Take us in.
He could sense Holly’s time-pathing vibration. Just as three of the shifters reached them, they’d moved inside and were safe.
Oregis leaned against Rez’s head. “Talk about the nick of time. That shifter was going to grab my neck. One twist and I’d be dead.”
“Your warning saved us.”
“Why aren’t we leaving? We’re not supposed to stay in the continuum, right?”
Rez turned toward Holly, but her eyes had glazed over. “Holly?”
No response.
~ ~ ~
Holly didn’t know what to do. Rez’s mother was right in front of her, in the time-path.
Marion pathed, Blink, Holly. Blink.
She forced her eye-lids down once.
The ghost continued, I don’t have a lot of time. You need to take Rez out of here. Now. His daughter is in one of the glass cages over to your right. Don’t look. I don’t want my son to see her. There’s no way he could handle this.
Holly felt frozen with fear. She knew if she made the wrong move and Rez saw Isobel, he’d lose it. What father, even a warrior like Rez, would have enough self-control to remain calm.
Now, listen to me. You’re going to have to be very brave and rescue Isobel without the aid of my son. You must return in an hour to Isobel’s cell not far from Lanarae’s workshop. Cruce and Lanarae will have taken her there by then and put her back in her shackles. Do not bring Rez with you. Do you understand?
Holly nodded. Marion smiled then simply faded away.
Rez shook her shoulders. “Holly? What’s wrong. I’ve been calling to you and you haven’t responded. Are you okay?”
She blinked some more and his face came into view. Tears rolled down her cheeks. “I’m fine, but I’m overwhelmed by what Cruce and Lanarae have done to innocent humans and realm-folk.” While she spoke, she slowly pivoted so that she was facing the glass case to her right. The guests had dropped to their knees to avoid the crystals and appeared as if frozen in place because of the time-path. Rez moved with her which put his back to the same enclosure.
There she was, a young woman with wavy brown hair. Though she was emaciated, the resemblance to her father was unmistakable. On either side of her, the ghosts remained, two watchful, protective sentinels. Tears streamed down her face.
Marion’s voice was once more inside her head, almost a shout. Leave now.
She saw it as well, that Rez had started to turn around, no doubt to catch sight of what she was looking at.
She pictured his home in Boylbury. As before, the time-path took them straight to his house. She stepped into the present, turned and ran for the bathroom. She slammed the door shut, then locked it.
She had to be alone.
She had to think.
Having the ghost give her instructions, then making sure Rez didn’t see his daughter, had affected her profoundly. So had seeing all the captives. They had no worth at all except the pleasure they would provide those who purchased them.
She dropped to sit on the cool tile floor. She slid her stilettos off, minding the pretty red bows on the back of each.
Taking a deep breath, she leaned her head against the wall.
She felt as though everything she’d experienced over the past two nights converged in this moment and that her life would never be the same again.
She was a blood rose and part of her would always be given to taking care of her vampire mate, whoever that proved to be.
Her thoughts turned to Rez and her eyes flooded with tears. She couldn’t believe how much she’d grown to care for him in such a short space of time. Love had come to her unexpectedly. She had no doubt that Rez was the one she wanted, no other mastyr would do. But he’d made it clear repeatedly he had nothing to give her.
Like Isobel had done, she covered her face with her hands and sobbed.
~ ~ ~
“She’s a woman.” Oregis levitated in the air. “Of course, she would be upset. I could use a drink myself. Got any thimbles around here?”
Rez had appropriate glasses for gremlins. He found one and poured him a scotch.
Oregis took his mini-tumbler, sipped, pursed his lips and groaned. “My favorite thing next to my wife’s honey-glide. I think it’s the best thing earthlings make.”
He could barely hear the gremlin. His entire being was tuned into the painful sobs coming from the bathroom. He grew very still. He didn’t even breathe.
“Why did you go into statue mode? She needs a release, is all. Sometimes females have to bellow.”
He ignored Oregis. There was something he needed to understand. Holly had been right with him until the very end, in the time-path. He wondered suddenly if she’d had a vision.
He broke his stillness and went to the door. He knocked gently. “Was it a vision, Holly?”
“No.” He heard her blow her nose. “I’m sorry. It was all the captives. I’ll be all right. Just … just give me a minute.”
“Okay.” He didn’t believe her. Not entirely, though she had every reason to be distraught over the nature of Underworld.
He was shaken himself.
He returned to the small table by the fireplace and this time poured himself a drink.
Oregis scratched one of his long, pointed ears. “I don’t know if I was much help.”
“What are you talking about? You saved our asses in there. I didn’t see the shifters coming. I was too focused on Cruce and seeing if Isobel was among the captives. No, you did good tonight.”
“Guess I did.” He lifted his small tumbler. “Here’s to me.”
Rez’s lips curved as he held up his own glass. “Here’s to you.”
He took a hefty swig. He didn’t know which was worse, though, seeing the depravity in the crystal-encased cavern or hearing his woman weep.
Sweet Goddess, did he just mentally think of Holly as his woman?
A few minutes later, she emerged and looked as lovely as ever. Her eyes were a little damp and she’d lost some of her make-up. Otherwise, her fae healing had no doubt eased what should have been a pink nose and red-rimmed eyes.
He set his glass down and went to her. He did the only thing that made sense. He took her in his arms and held her.
“Thank you for going out there with me. You have a lot of courage.”
“You do, Holly.” Oregis came around behind her. He made a circle with his thumb and forefinger then ran his other finger through it. To Rez’s mind, he pathed, She needs a good lay. That’ll make her feel better.
Rez scowled at him, but Oregis only grinned then glanced at his watch. “I gotta go, Mastyr. I gave up part of date night and promised my missus I’d see her at ten. It’s almost on the hour now. But I’ll be back later.” He waved good-bye and flew to the stairs then disappeared.
Rez heard the clicks and knew Oregis had left the house. He suspected his foreman gremlin was giving them some space.
Just as well. He held a distressed fae in his arms and he still didn’t know what to do for her.
~ ~ ~
Holly adjusted her arms to hold Rez tighter still. He responded with a deep breath as he swept one arm down her back to her waist and pulled her even closer.
Her heart swelled. She’d never felt this before, so much … love. She didn’t know how it had happened. But every event had built, one on top of the other, to create this mountain of feeling she had for the man.
He wasn’t like anything she’d thought. He was a man of duty and sacrifice who served his world in a way that brought him no honor from his fellow warriors. He was kind and tender. Loving, just as he was in this moment, embracing her because he knew she was upset.
He didn’t say anything either, perhaps knowing words weren’t necessary.
As she held him, so many things came to mind, even her father asking if she was bored. Never in a thousand years could she have predicted her life would move this direction, toward a warrior vampire and his long-lost daughter.
Or toward love or the ability to time-path or being a blood rose. She had become so much more than she’d ever imagined. She was helping in ways that seemed to matter and for that she felt humbled and grateful. She believed in service in the same way Rez took care of the vulnerable eastern villages in Tannisford.
“What is it, Holly?”
His voice was the deep, rich timbre she’d come to love. Because of the sharing of blood, and the way her sensitive fae vibrations could read him, it was as though she’d known him a lifetime.
Her spirit had never been more settled in her life. He was what she wanted, but whether he could make the shift, she didn’t know. His losses had been profound.
She drew back and met his gaze. She didn’t answer his question. Instead, she kissed him.
~ ~ ~
The last thing Rez had expected was to feel Holly’s lips against his.
He found himself in an odd place. He wasn’t sure what to do, or how far to take this. Holly had just been through another tough situation that involved him hand-blasting the ceiling of a cave and their small team nearly attacked by shifters.
Now she clung to him, rubbed his shoulders and his back and was making some cooing noises. Was she into this? Did she want to have sex with him?
The real question was why was he hesitating?
He drew back and searched her eyes. “All I want to know right now is if you’re okay.”
She let out a deep sigh. “No. Yes. Sort. I don’t know. Rez, none of this was what I thought it would be. Even holding you like this, I don’t know.”
He ran his fingers down the length of her hair. He used to hold his wife like this. He didn’t want to think about her, but being with Holly felt familiar, the way it used to be with his wife.
His wife. His family. His lost sons. His missing daughter.
He should let Holly go. He had a hole in his heart where only darkness lived.
He could see it in her eyes, he could feel it in the way she touched him, she was attached now and it hurt him.
“Stop thinking, Rez.”
“I never lied to you.”
“I know you didn’t and I don’t expect anything. I promise.”
He believed her. But as she’d recently said to him, would it be that simple?
She was so beautiful with her large hazel eyes and thick black lashes. Her geranium scent floated all around him now, teasing his senses. She’d made a new portion of blood for him. How strange that the longer he was with her, the more he tuned into her. He could feel an unusual resolve in her as well, something that hadn’t existed until now. But resolved to do what?
She released his shoulders but grabbed the lapels of his coat. “Would you make love to me, right now, Rez? It would mean a lot.”
He was in dangerous water. He could feel something from the depths pulling at him, coaxing him. “No promises.”
She shook her head slowly. There it was again, a profound resolve.
In a moment of clarity, he understood. She’d accepted who he was and after tonight, she would move on. As a blood rose, she didn’t have a choice. She would have to choose a mate, or the wrong mastyr could force a bond.
It was the thought of any other mastyr vampire so much as touching Holly that sent him over the edge. He pulled her close once more and kissed her. Hard.
For this moment, he would possess her fully, nothing held back, his own form of resolve. He picked her up and carried her to his bedroom.
The next minute became a tangled process of getting her clothes and jewelry off while kissing and fondling. His boots became his biggest issue since he couldn’t stop suckling her breasts. She wasn't helping. She kept moaning and pushing his head against her chest.
He gave in and with his pants half down his ass and his boots still on, he pushed her back on the bed and devoured her body. He teased and licked her nipples until she was panting and arching off the bed. He massaged her sex then slid two fingers inside and set up a quick rhythm. He added a vibration to his hand that had her crying out in harsh gasps. “Rez! Sweet Goddess.”
A heavy moan followed and he felt her sex pulsing on his fingers. He sustained the quick drive of his hand until she began to ease down on the bed, her eyelids closed.
“That was good.” Her words came out breathy. “But I’m not done with you. Maybe you’d better get your pants off.”
He took his time. He was so hard and the zipper of his leathers had a few sharp teeth he needed to avoid.
He shoved his pants to his knees, turned around and sat down on the bed. He leaned over and worked his boots off.
He felt movement on the bed. But he was still surprised when Holly came up behind him. She pushed his hair away from his neck and moved in.
He’d forgotten about her fangs.
He groaned as she began to lick his neck. Her voice pierced his head. I’m going to bite you, just like this, from behind.
Was this Holly? The professor’s daughter?
She was so much more than he would have ever believed.
He sat very still and let her adjust and readjust as she tested the angle, and finally slid her arm across his chest. She held him steady as she nipped his throat.
A jolt of pure pleasure ran in a streak from his neck to his cock. He had a rocket in his lap.
When she began to drink, he put a hand on his cock and began to stroke.
But she wouldn’t have it. She pushed his fist away and with her free hand caressed him. Her body rubbed up against his back, her fingers teased him, and the whole time she sucked on his neck.
He closed his eyes and gave himself to the sheer pleasure of the experience, of this woman touching him, drinking from him, enjoying his body.
~ ~ ~
Holly shuddered as Rez’s life-force filled her mouth. Every nerve in her body was alive with pleasure.
She needed this time with him, but it felt like a farewell. In some ways, she’d already moved on. She wasn’t the same woman as the fae who had healed Rez in Millerell two months ago.
She was a time-pather and a blood rose. She had a new calling, one she had finally embraced.
But Rez was the man she wanted with the eucalyptus and thyme flavor of his blood in her mouth. The fire of all that he was streamed down her throat and into her stomach. With every swallow, new power came to her and an even stronger resolve. She knew who and what she was. Maybe Rez couldn’t travel this path with her, but she was okay with whatever he needed to do.
She’d always tried to control every aspect of her life, but that was impossible. Yet, she had lived with an undercurrent of rebellion. She bought merchandise from the black market. Truthfully, she loved that a part of her had always insisted she not live her life so rigidly. She couldn’t have had her present flexibility without a small rebellion living inside her.
When Rez groaned and grew tense, she took her hand away from his cock and licked the wounds at his neck to seal them. She kissed each puncture then sent a soft stream of healing to close them up for good.
“That feels amazing.”
Still from behind, she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tight. She kissed his hair, his cheek, his chin. He reached up and caressed her arms.
“Just letting you settle down a little.”
“Good idea.” His deep voice sounded hoarse.
“I still can’t believe I have fangs or how wonderful it is to take from you.”
At that, he turned in her arms and she released her hold on him. He rolled to move over on her. He slid his hand across her breasts and up her neck to caress her face.
The tender gesture made her eyes sting. He kissed her, a deep kiss. His tongue pulsed, a promise of what he would do to her.
Her heart swelled. She loved him so much. She hadn’t known this kind of love was possible. Her mating frequency began to pulse and call to him. He groaned and his own frequency pushed into her body and covered hers in a beautiful writhing dance.
She moaned heavily.
He drew back enough to levitate suddenly and pick her up. “We’re too far down the bed.”
She chuckled as he settled her closer to the headboard.
He lay on top of her. “My mating frequency is all over yours.”
She caressed his face and once more tears started to her eyes. She ran her hands through his wavy brown hair. She fingered the sexy blond highlights he came by naturally. She stroked the dimple on his chin with her thumb.
Goddess, she was going to miss him.
She lifted up enough to capture his lips. He followed her back down and kissed her once more, his tongue thrusting, his mating frequency stroking her deep inside her body.
He shifted to settle himself between her legs. Yes, she pathed. I need you. I need this.
I’m here, Holly.
She felt his hand dip low to take hold of his cock. She arched her hips to help him find her opening.
She gasped at the feel of the tip of his cock pressed to her entrance. She surrounded him with her arms and held on as he began to push. She wanted to feel everything, to remember this moment clearly in her mind forever. She knew it would be the last time she’d be with him.
Holly. He spoke her name within her mind.
She returned the favor. Rez.
His mating frequency tightened and released over hers as he began to pump. She loved the push-pull, the feel of him inside her and the drive of his cock into her sex, all the way in, then drawing back out.
When he added a vibration to his cock, she moaned and her body rolled.
“Look at me, Holly.”
When had her eyes closed? She opened them and there he was, gorgeous man. The tips of his fangs showed.
She thumbed his lips then reached inside just enough to touch the upper parts of his fangs. He groaned and pumped faster.
She lifted to run her tongue over his lips and fangs, though avoiding the sharp tips. She felt his fangs retract, but she knew what was next as he kissed her hard, thrusting his tongue into her mouth.
She gripped his shoulders then sunk her nails.
His body arched as he groaned. That was hot.
She did it again which caused him to slide his lips down her neck. She cried out as he began licking the side of her throat. Yes, bite me, Rez. Sweet Goddess, do it now.
His hips slowed down then stopped completely. He was so hard within her and it felt good to be filled up.
She felt the sharp sting and an immediate sweet euphoric pleasure cascaded in a wave down her body.
She held him close as he nursed on her neck, taking what had ended decades of suffering for him. Once they no longer saw each other, she hoped he would remain free of pain. Rez deserved at least that much.
His hips began to move once more. He thrust in and out as he suckled.
Her breathing grew uneven at so much sensation. A vibration still flowed from his cock and his mating frequency tightened and released over and over. His scent poured from him in waves, sharp eucalyptus and mellow thyme.
Her eyes were closed now as her body heated up. She moaned heavily. Her arms tightened around him. She wouldn’t last long now.
Pleasure built, rising and driving her toward the edge. She wanted to hold on, though. She wanted this with him, right now.
Rez, I’m close. Come with me.
He groaned, suckled a few more times then released her throat. He licked to seal the wounds.
Lifting up, he stared into her eyes. She touched the blood on his lips. He drew her thumb into his mouth and sucked.
The sight of him, with her thumb in his mouth …
The feel of his body rolling over hers and his cock thrusting deep …
The scent of him flooding her brain with intoxicating sensations …
She couldn’t breathe.
He released her thumb. “You’re beautiful, Holly. Especially with your lips parted and your face warm with passion. Are you close?”
“So, close, Rez? Are you?”
His head did a quick double nod. His hips sped up. She clutched at his shoulders. His mating vibration tightened around hers.
Ecstasy hurtled toward her then suddenly caught her up and carried her into the night skies. She cried out. His roars followed as he pulsed into her.
He continued to thrust and her cries didn’t end.
She felt the orgasm begin to wane, then another followed.
He shouted and her back arched as more pleasure tossed her around as though caught in an ocean wave. Ecstasy flowed up through her abdomen and spread fire through her heart.
Love for him ignited and spread to every cell of her body.
She wept. She cried out. Pleasure continued to pour from her sex, waves and waves.
I’m coming again. He was in her head now and nothing felt more overwhelming or wonderful.
She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him in close as he thrust harder still. Just as she was coming down, she felt his final release. Tears flowed from her eyes.
She’d never been in love before. That’s what she understood as she felt Rez’s body relax against hers. It was the most beautiful feeling in the world and carried the elements of life with it, of forever love, of family, of the birth of realm-kind. She felt the Goddess’s presence, a warm light that filled her heart and her mind.
She loved the man she held in her arms with all her heart. He was more precious than anything she’d known before. She would carry him in the warmth of her love forever, even if he never knew the truth.
She was breathing hard as he balanced himself on his forearms and looked down at her. His brows rose, “You’ve been crying.”
“There’s something I need to tell you. But not like this. In a few minutes. Right now, I want to enjoy the moment.”
“Did I hurt you?” Very Rez, always wanting to make sure she was okay.
“Of course not. It was … spectacular.”
She slid her arms around his neck and pulled him close. He was heavy on her, all that muscle. She loved it. She savored the sensation believing it would be the last she would ever experience with him.
~ ~ ~
Rez knew something was bothering Holly, but he had no idea what it was. He could see she was overcome, yet not in a bad way. On the other hand, he sensed her despair, but over what?
Maybe him.
He stayed put until at last her arms relaxed and he could draw back once more. He’d expected her to want to talk. Instead, she seemed oddly distant.
She didn’t stop him when he slowly pulled out of her. He left the bed but returned to hand her a washcloth. She thanked him but didn’t meet his gaze. She seemed distracted. “Anything on your mind?”
She rocked her head on the pillow. “I’m fine.” Eye-contact this time, yet he could tell she wasn’t present. “We can talk in a few minutes.”
He headed for the shower. When he was done, Holly was no longer in bed, but he could hear the shower from the other bathroom. Her clothes were gone as well.
With a towel around his hips, he experienced a strange shot of sorrow as he gazed at the empty bed and the absence of clothes. Her wonderful scent had dimmed as well.
How strange to think she wasn’t more than thirty feet away, but he was missing her.
He rubbed his chest and took a deep breath. What the hell?
He squeezed his eyes shut and reminded himself why he’d resisted Holly from the beginning. Maybe his opinion of her had changed. Okay, it had transformed into profound admiration for the time-pather.
Even so, what did he have to give? Not a damn thing. He knew the state of his heart and he was sure Holly did, too. In fact, her behavior convinced him she understood him perfectly.
Yet, making love with her had been extraordinary, full of realm power and tremendous passion. He wished their circumstances were different since he wouldn’t mind sexing her up every night for about the next year. Hell, the next decade.
The train of his thoughts dispelled the odd sense of sadness he’d felt and he changed into some regular leathers, boots and a tank. When he left the bedroom, he was surprised to find Holly dressed in something completely different. She wore a gray tunic over black pants. She had on flat shoes with small leather ties. Odd he would notice her shoes, but then she shopped on the black market. Her shoes reflected the truth of who she was. Somehow, that seemed important right now, though he wasn’t certain why.
He felt confused as much by the distance he felt from her as by her change of gear. “You took the time-path home.”
“I did.”
Even her words sounded clipped, very much unlike her. “So, what’s going on?” He moved in her direction, but she seemed changed, unapproachable. He drew close and searched her eyes.
There it was again. Tremendous resolve.
She took a deep breath. “I saw your daughter, your mother and your wife at the cavern auction just before we left.”
He knew his mouth fell open, but he couldn’t lift his jaw to close his lips. “What are you talking about?”
“Your daughter was in one of the glass enclosures. But your mother told me to get you out of there. Your wife backed her up.”
“I’m not getting this. You’re talking about ghosts.”
“Yes. I am.”
He stared at her for a long, hard moment. “But we could have gotten to Isobel and taken her out of there. What right did you have to make that call? We could have done something, used the time-path.”
“Your daughter was naked like all the other captives. The truth is, Rez, the moment you saw her, in that condition, you would have lost your mind. Marion knew that and I’m of the same opinion.”
He took a step toward her, his jaw now clenched. “It wasn’t your call or my mother’s or my wife’s. It was mine. She’s my daughter.”
Holly didn’t back up. She didn’t flinch. All she did was breathe, deep and easy. More resolve.
He saw her strength, another surprise. She’d acted on what she believed was right in the middle of a dangerous situation. But, he didn’t care. He’d lost a critical opportunity to save his daughter. Holly had robbed him of that.
He was about to tell her so, when she said, “You have one job to do right now. Figure out where Cruce’s cavern is and have Stone mobilize his army. I have my own path to follow from this moment forward. I can’t help you anymore.”
“What the hell do you mean by –” Before the words left his mouth, he felt her time-pathing vibration light up then she was gone.
“Holly!” His voice echoed around the room. “Come back here. We’re not finished!”
He was shouting into empty air.
One thought began looping through his head. Holly had prevented him from saving Isobel.
Holly had betrayed him and he’d made love to her.
His mind flooded with rage. A red haze covered his vision. His heart pounded hard in his chest. His hands made fists. He couldn’t think. He took breaths in deep, bull-like snorts.
He had to get out of the house or he’d start smashing things.
He flew down the hall by the kitchen and out the back door. He’d taken Holly’s blood, so he was full of power as he shot toward the hills to the north. He passed above his orchard, over the sheep and horses grazing in the pasture.
He saw the infamous oak and headed for it. He might have made love to Holly there for the first time, but it had always been a place that claimed him.
He set down on the twig littered grasses and began to pace. The April air was cool on his face, but he was burning up with fury.
He could have saved his daughter. The only surviving member of his family. He could have saved her.
Damn Holly to hell for doing this to him.
He shouted his rage and heard his voice echo against the hills.
He turned in a circle, hands in fists, arms stiff.
He recalled the auction cavern, the glittering wealthy, the smell of perversion.
His daughter had been in one of the glass enclosures, a caged animal.
The thought of it sent an even louder roar into the heavens.
“You about done?”
He turned around. “Oregis? What are you doing here?”
“Davido dropped me off. He said you needed a voice of reason. I’m here to see you don’t stroke out. Sweet Goddess, I’ve never seen your face so red and the veins in your neck are bulging. Wait, is that a love-bite on your neck?” He gasped as he drew close. “Does your woman have fangs? You lucky son-of-a-bitch!”
Rez lifted both hands in strange response to the disruption of his rage-state. “You’d better get out of here.”
“Not a chance. You’re being a dick and not seeing any of the important things you need to see right now.”
“Like what?”
“I saw Isobel, too.”
Nothing Oregis could have said would have stopped Rez in his tracks except these words. The top levels of his fury evaporated. “You saw my daughter? But you said nothing?”
Oregis nodded. He sighed heavily. “You would have lost it, boss, and the three of us would have died then and there. You know we would have.”
“Have you talked to Holly?”
“No.”
“Did Vojalie or Davido tell you she was there?”
“How could they have known?”
“I don’t know. Vojalie sees the futures.”
“The woman doesn’t know everything. She said nothing about Isobel. But Davido said she knew something bad would happen if you didn’t keep your head together right now. Okay, maybe that wasn’t how Davido expressed it, either. But you have to remember. I’ve known you a long time.
“You’ve got a short fuse like Mastyr Stone. I admire the hell out of you both, but, brother, you’ve got to rein it in and start thinking straight.” He frowned and squinted his eyes. “There was something else I was supposed to tell you. Right. Okay. Listen up. Davido said if you weren’t careful right now, and ordered your steps properly, you’d lose Holly forever. Those were his exact words. He seemed to stress the bit about ordering your steps.”
For whatever reason, Rez looked down at his feet.
When did anything good ever come from acting out of rage? He recalled Holly’s shoes and her resolve.
Through a sheer force of will, he let his anger drain out of his mind and out of his body. It leaked from his boots into the grass, twigs and acorns beneath the ancient oak. He was sure the earth below fissured from the strength of his rage.
Air flowed into his lungs from the first deep breath he took, then another and another. His mind loosened and new thoughts emerged.
What had Holly said? He needed to figure out where the cavern was then he needed to contact Stone and get his combined forces over there.
As reason returned, he grew very still.
Both Holly and Oregis, perhaps even his mother’s spirit, had been right. He could not have handled seeing his daughter trapped like an animal behind a glass wall.
He would have lost it.
All three of them would have died in the process and Isobel would have remained a slave forever.
He valued who he was as a warrior. But this recent outburst was the flip side. The same powerful battle energy he could focus during an encounter with the Invictus could also become a mindless beast of fury. No proper, reasonable direction could be set in such a state. Chaos and death would ensue.
He chose to heed Holly’s words and focused instead on figuring out the location of Cruce’s cavern-based camp.