Brie entered without knocking. She smiled upon seeing the little girl. “I’m Brie,” she said, extending her hand. The little girl took it. Decker had noticed Brie had a way of making people feel comfortable with her. It was a trait he greatly admired.
“Sweetheart, why don’t you take Erin over to Greg’s and have him take a look at her. I’ll have some clean clothes sent over for her.”
Brie nodded. “You can come over and join us. Maybe we’ll walk down to the stables. Do you like horses, Erin?”
“I do.”
“Good. Me, too. Then the three of us can come and join Adriana and Decker for lunch. Do you like shepherd’s pie?” Erin nodded enthusiastically. “Good. Colby, you’ll join us soon?”
“Yes, sweetheart. I just want a quick word with Adriana and Decker.”
Brie walked out hand-in-hand with Erin. Adriana stood up, wiping at her eyes.
“What do you know that you didn’t want to say in front of Erin?” asked Decker.
Adriana looked between Decker and Colby. “How do you know that?”
“I suspect Colby called for his mate down the link. He’d only do that if he’s put together what happened to Erin or who she is.”
“Both,” said Colby. “Her name is Erin O’Leary.”
“The O’Leary’s are one of the oldest covens in Ireland. They’re small but they’re powerful,” supplied Adriana.
“Not powerful enough to stop O’Shea and his pack from descending on them. The story is they came out of nowhere in the black hours just before dawn when everyone was asleep and vulnerable. We’d heard they were all killed—every last one of them slaughtered. Maeve O’Leary wasn’t found with the rest of them. She was found in a ring of fairy stones. She must have known she had limited time and managed to spirit her granddaughter away.”
Adriana turned away and walked to the window, looking out. “It would have taken the last of Maeve’s life force to slow Eoghan and his goons enough to get Erin away. She used the fairy ring to amplify her power. Maeve must have sent her to me…”
Her voice trailed off as she continued to look out the window as a storm began to roll in off the ocean.
“Or maybe just to us here at the abbey. She had to know there was no love lost between O’Shea and the clan. I’d better go see what I can do to help. You two see what you can figure out. Brie, Erin, and I will be back in a bit.”
The door closed and Decker was left with Adriana. “Want to tell me why you got so quiet and tearful?” She looked at him and he could see the lie forming. “Don’t lie to me, Adriana. I’m already pissed at you for kicking me in the nuts this morning and then running off into town.”
He watched the myriad of emotions race across her face: anger, fear, guilt and finally resignation. Taking a deep breath, she turned back to the window and began to speak softly. “The O’Leary’s are related along the same maternal bloodline to the Mulroney’s. They aren’t direct descendants of the banshee’s but there is a familial connection. O’Shea went after them to try and get to me. He wiped out Erin’s entire family to get to me. Banishing me is probably what saved my own coven. It was Maeve who took me in when I managed to get away from Eoghan; Maeve who contacted the Shadow Sisters. And they’re all dead because of me. I swear if it’s the last thing I do, I will keep Erin safe, and I will see O’Shea dead.”
CHAPTER 7
ADRIANA
She realized too late that her words had issued a kind of challenge to Decker. He’d most likely heard that she didn’t trust him to keep her safe. He walked towards her, stopping when she raised her hand, waving him off. The buzzing inside her head and pain had intensified and she placed her hand on the windowsill to steady herself.
“They’re dead because O’Shea is a murdering thug,” snarled Decker. Adriana was beginning to realize that she was finding Decker’s snarls somewhat comforting. “I’ll make you a deal,” he continued, “you keep Erin close. Help her heal; keep her safe.” She turned to look at him. “I’ll see that O’Shea dies for all he’s done. I promise you, Eoghan O’Shea will die by my hand in your and Erin’s name.”
Ignoring the pain and determined to stay present in the moment, she turned to face him. “And why would you do that, Decker Rhys-Davis? You are neither Irish, nor a witch. What could possibly make you determined to keep me safe?”
“You are my fated mate, and I protect, defend, and avenge what is mine.”
She pulled down the neck of her sweater to reveal the mark left from Eoghan’s claiming bite. “I have a nasty little reminder that says differently.”
The feral growl that came from deep in his throat was far more arousing than it was frightening. The scar from Eoghan’s claiming bite had not completely healed, and unlike any Adriana had seen before had spidery veins that extended out from the bite itself. This time when he came near, it wasn’t nausea she was fighting. Oh, the nausea was there, but it was heat and desire that were at the forefront of her feelings. Decker reached out, cupping the back of Adriana’s neck to drag her forward and cover her mouth with his, their tongues dancing as if they’d been kissing each other forever.
Adriana had never been comfortable with kissing. It always felt a little awkward and a little messy. She’d never learned exactly what she was supposed to do with her hands or the rest of her body. With Decker that wasn’t an issue. His kiss wasn’t hesitant or questioning. It was possessive, dominant, and incredibly intoxicating. He led and she followed. There was no question about anything.
Arousal surged through her veins, making her feel as though she was being overwhelmed by a tsunami. She should have been frightened, but she wasn’t. Instead, she could feel parts of her body coming alive that she hadn’t even known existed. Decker’s hand slid down her back as he turned her away from the window, making her spine shiver in response.
There was a crash as Decker swept Colby’s desk clean, sending everything scattering onto the floor. He kept his hand on her neck, not allowing her to break the kiss as he lifted her onto the desk. He never once broke the kiss, his tongue tangling with hers. She leaned back on her hands, supporting herself as he rucked her skirt up, ripped off her panties, and moved between her legs.
“No more panties for you,” he growled low.