perfect mother with the undeniable need to love. But saved them? Doubtful. In his experience evil tended to win because it was the easier path. With the Dark Lord’s essence in them, how could they have resisted? “How did you get to hIfreann?”
“King Raziel. He rescued Iasan and me.” She rested her fingers on his lips. “I know he wasn’t my birth father, but to me, he is my real father. The years of slavery to the Dark Lord wore on him. Not even freedom in hIfreann soothed his soul. Knowing he would die if he told me the truth, he did so anyway. I miss him. He gave me what I needed no matter the cost to him.”
Luc frowned and shifted onto one elbow to watch her expression more closely. “What do you mean he died because he told you the truth?”
“He’d made a blood oath with the girls’ father to never tell me what happened.”
“And?”
Licking her lips, she bit the lower one before her gaze darted around the room and settled back on him. “Iasan said the Dark Lord infused some of his essence into an egg. Then a Seraphim Paladin interceded, destroyed the Dark Lord’s essence, and replaced his within the embryo. He created twin girls with full knowledge that the Dark Lord would reject them. Once born, King Raziel rescued the babies, and then Iasan and me.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. Raziel refuses to talk with me.” She inched up until their lips almost touched.
In silence, Luc watched Allana’s effort to dispel the tension of her worries from her face. He covered the side of her neck with his palm in a slow steady stroke, attempting to alleviate her escalating anxiety. “We need to discover who their father is and why he abandoned all of you.”
She nodded and returned to tracing strange symbols on his body. When she reached his forehead, he grabbed her hand and held it still. “What are you drawing?”
“Not drawing. I’m following the silver sigils your parents tattooed on you.”
“I don’t have tattoos.”
“I can see them. You’re mother told me about them. They used ash and—”
Shaken to his core, Luc crushed her to him.
“Only a soul mate can see them.”
Was that the overwhelming connection as they climaxed together? A blending of their souls? Druids and Fae didn’t meld souls. Only those of hIfreann did. Eyes closed, he realized the enormity of what had occurred between them.
Fritz!
Yes, do you need me?
Yes and no . Luc relayed his fragmented understanding of his connection with Allana. Too dazed to think clearly, he tried to focus on a crisp request for Fritz, but suspected his fury at what Allana had endured overlaid his attempt at reason. He wanted the father of her children brought before him. Screw King Raziel and his manipulation. Allana deserved justice.
And he wanted to dispense it.
I’ll see if I can arrange for the guilty Seraphim to show himself tomorrow evening .
Relief filled Luc. With a soft exhale, he tried to loosen his tight grip on Allana but couldn’t make himself release her. “When the Seraphim used his essence to create Sophie and Kate, he changed you, didn’t he?”
At her nod, he brushed his lips against hers then lay back and sighed. Even Fritz’s brief explanation of the physical changes required for Allana to carry a Seraphim baby didn’t ease the tight grip on his heart. This gentle creature, his soul mate, had been altered and put through hell. While he wasn’t about to show her his anger, there was a Paladin somewhere who would receive the full brunt of his rage.
“Get some sleep, sweetheart. Tomorrow’s going to be a rough day.”
CHAPTER 11
Hands fisted at his side, Luc stared at Allana, curled into a ball on the bed, before he shifted his attention to the window and the clear night sky. Tomorrow, they headed for Farley’s camp. His mission required he return with her in tow. He couldn’t do it. She wasn’t a job. She was his heart. Over the years, he had lived his life responsible for every loss and
“King Raziel. He rescued Iasan and me.” She rested her fingers on his lips. “I know he wasn’t my birth father, but to me, he is my real father. The years of slavery to the Dark Lord wore on him. Not even freedom in hIfreann soothed his soul. Knowing he would die if he told me the truth, he did so anyway. I miss him. He gave me what I needed no matter the cost to him.”
Luc frowned and shifted onto one elbow to watch her expression more closely. “What do you mean he died because he told you the truth?”
“He’d made a blood oath with the girls’ father to never tell me what happened.”
“And?”
Licking her lips, she bit the lower one before her gaze darted around the room and settled back on him. “Iasan said the Dark Lord infused some of his essence into an egg. Then a Seraphim Paladin interceded, destroyed the Dark Lord’s essence, and replaced his within the embryo. He created twin girls with full knowledge that the Dark Lord would reject them. Once born, King Raziel rescued the babies, and then Iasan and me.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. Raziel refuses to talk with me.” She inched up until their lips almost touched.
In silence, Luc watched Allana’s effort to dispel the tension of her worries from her face. He covered the side of her neck with his palm in a slow steady stroke, attempting to alleviate her escalating anxiety. “We need to discover who their father is and why he abandoned all of you.”
She nodded and returned to tracing strange symbols on his body. When she reached his forehead, he grabbed her hand and held it still. “What are you drawing?”
“Not drawing. I’m following the silver sigils your parents tattooed on you.”
“I don’t have tattoos.”
“I can see them. You’re mother told me about them. They used ash and—”
Shaken to his core, Luc crushed her to him.
“Only a soul mate can see them.”
Was that the overwhelming connection as they climaxed together? A blending of their souls? Druids and Fae didn’t meld souls. Only those of hIfreann did. Eyes closed, he realized the enormity of what had occurred between them.
Fritz!
Yes, do you need me?
Yes and no . Luc relayed his fragmented understanding of his connection with Allana. Too dazed to think clearly, he tried to focus on a crisp request for Fritz, but suspected his fury at what Allana had endured overlaid his attempt at reason. He wanted the father of her children brought before him. Screw King Raziel and his manipulation. Allana deserved justice.
And he wanted to dispense it.
I’ll see if I can arrange for the guilty Seraphim to show himself tomorrow evening .
Relief filled Luc. With a soft exhale, he tried to loosen his tight grip on Allana but couldn’t make himself release her. “When the Seraphim used his essence to create Sophie and Kate, he changed you, didn’t he?”
At her nod, he brushed his lips against hers then lay back and sighed. Even Fritz’s brief explanation of the physical changes required for Allana to carry a Seraphim baby didn’t ease the tight grip on his heart. This gentle creature, his soul mate, had been altered and put through hell. While he wasn’t about to show her his anger, there was a Paladin somewhere who would receive the full brunt of his rage.
“Get some sleep, sweetheart. Tomorrow’s going to be a rough day.”
CHAPTER 11
Hands fisted at his side, Luc stared at Allana, curled into a ball on the bed, before he shifted his attention to the window and the clear night sky. Tomorrow, they headed for Farley’s camp. His mission required he return with her in tow. He couldn’t do it. She wasn’t a job. She was his heart. Over the years, he had lived his life responsible for every loss and
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