Waking Eden (The Eden Series Book 3) Read online

  His gaze drifted to Ludan still behind her, and he jerked his head toward the front lawn. The two strode to the main courtyard without another word, leaving the doors wide open to the bright Cush afternoon.

  Ramsay’s voice floated down from her rooms on the east wing, mingled with surprised squeaks and placating words from her maids.

  The son of a bitch. Eryx was setting her up.

  She should have called Thyrus. Should have put Eryx off and gained more details before she gave in.

  Smoothing her silk gown, she returned to the empty sitting room and the window overlooking the front lawn.

  With the rest of the guards gathered round them, the two men waited, arms crossed and silent.

  It didn’t matter. None of it. Eryx could try to spin this new twist however he wanted, but there was no way in histus she was going down without a fight.

  Chapter 10

  Ramsay landed beside his brother outside the main castle entrance. Late afternoon sun dipped behind the high walls and cast the wide stone veranda in cool shade.

  Ludan touched down a heartbeat behind them.

  “Track ’em down, Ludan,” Eryx said, not breaking stride. “Find the humans, scour their memories, and see if you can find anything that ties Serena to this mess. I want her ass gone.”

  Ludan stayed tight on his heels. “Send someone else. I’m with you.”

  Eryx spun so fast Ludan barely avoided a collision. “Do what I. Fucking. Asked!”

  Ludan took two steps back. One and a half centuries they’d been in each other’s shit, but Ramsay had never seen Ludan so dumbfounded.

  Eryx planted his hands at his hips and hung his head. He sucked in a powerful breath. Gone was the anger, replaced with something far more raw. Vulnerable. He lifted his head and looked at Ludan. “I don’t know what I’m up against. I need someone I can trust. With your gift, you can get in and out faster than anyone.”

  Ludan stared, his body locked in place. Histus, for a minute Ramsay wasn’t even sure his brother’s somo was breathing. “I don’t like this. Serena. The Rebellion. The prophecy. The Dark rogues. None of it.”

  Eryx shook his head. “It’s not the prophecy. Don’t ask me how I know. I just know it’s not. The prophecy is something else. Something bigger. Better.”

  “What if it’s not?” The question leapt from Ramsay’s mouth before he could sensor it, every one of the suspicions he’d had the last few days fueling its power.

  Eryx snapped to attention. He edged closer and narrowed his eyes, a move that would have been threatening if Ramsay hadn’t been on the receiving end of his brother’s suspicious focus since they were toddlers. “Is there a reason I should think otherwise?”

  Just what he needed. His damned brother was like a rabid hound dog when it came to scenting trouble. “Um, yeah. You got it firsthand from the Spiritu at Reese’s swearing in. I think her exact words were, ‘It’s only a matter of time before the prophecy begins to unfold.’ Can’t get much closer to the horse’s mouth than that.”

  “Uh-uh.” He stepped closer, bringing them nose to nose. “You said, ‘What if it’s not?’ As in I-know-something-you-don’t-know-yet.”

  “Oh, give me a break, Eryx.”

  “He’s right,” Ludan said. “Spill it.”

  Son of a bitch, he needed to learn to watch his mouth.

  Both men glared, feet firmly planted on the gray stone terrace like they’d stand there all day if necessary.

  He wasn’t ready for this. Not yet. “You need to get Lexi.”

  Eryx held his place. “You need to tell me what the fuck is going on.”

  “Not on this one I don’t. Trust me when I say she’s gonna be pissed enough to know I waited. More if she’s not here when I share.”

  The whites around Eryx’s eyes glowed and the muscles along his neck strained.

  “Calm down, already.” He’d call his brother a hotheaded asshole, but the truth of the matter was that was usually Ramsay’s M.O. Eryx was always the cool one. Unless the topic involved Lexi. “It’s not a bad thing. If it’s what I think, it’s good. I just don’t know how it all ties with what’s going on in Evad.”

  The tension in Eryx’s eyes lessened, no doubt buffered by a telepathic contact with his mate. He waved a hand and the massive entry doors flew wide open, cracking against the stone at either side. “My study. Now.”

  Ludan ambled beside Ramsay as they followed Eryx into the cool shade of the castle foyer. “You holdin’ back intel’s not your style.”

  “Yeah?” Ramsay said. “Wait until you hear before you judge.”

  Or until he saw Trinity. No way would Eryx or Ludan blame his hesitation once they factored in the details.

  He hoped.

  Lexi hustled into the study she shared with Eryx, the jeans and form-fitting tank top she wore a pretty good indicator she’d had her fill of Myren attire at council. Seriously, she and Ludan were kindred spirits. “What’s up?” She glanced at Eryx’s murderous face and her steps slowed. “Whoa, big man. Who pissed you off?”

  He jerked his head at Ramsay.

  “Okay.” She nestled close to her mate and stroked his chest like he was a cute kitten instead of a raging, unleashed beast. “You two not sharing your toys again? Or did you throw a bachelor party and forget to invite him?”

  Ramsay laughed despite the situation. Damn, but he loved his new shalla. He hoped to histus she didn’t hate him by the time he was done.

  “Talk.” Eryx pulled Lexi in front of him, hands at her shoulders.

  Ludan perched at the edge of Lexi’s desk.

  Ramsay let it all out. The night out with Jagger and meeting Trinity. The pendant. Trinity’s adoption and her tie to the same agency as Lexi. Her inability to touch most people, but that he seemed to be the exception. Even the fact she’d shocked him unconscious when he’d tried to scan her memories.

  The details on what went down in Trinity’s bed? That and the pull she had on him he kept to himself.

  “You think she’s Myren.” Eryx’s voice had evened out alongside his tension.

  “I think she’s not human,” Ramsay said. “Or at least not like any human I’ve ever met.”

  “You think we’re related,” Lexi said, blunt and to-the-point as ever.

  “That’s just it,” Ramsay said. “I don’t know what to think. I’ve been trying to find out. First by taking her out, then with Ian. But then this thing with humans hit us out of left field and—”

  “Hold up.” Lexi held up a hand. “You went out with her?”

  Ramsay glanced at Ludan.

  His deadpan expression stayed locked on the drama unfolding in front of him, legs crossed at the ankles.

  Yeah, no help from that quarter.

  Ramsay shrugged. Better to play it off as innocent at this point. “I wanted to find out who she was, so I asked her out. Thought I’d see if I could get a better look at the pendent while I was at it.”

  “How?” Lexi straightened. The only thing preventing her from stepping forward were Eryx’s hands at her shoulders.

  Ramsay kept his feet locked in place. Barely. “How what?”

  “How did you plan to get a better look?”

  Something snapped. Frustration. Anger. Loss. It all coalesced at once and dropped like an axe on his conscience. “Any. Fucking. Way. I. Could.”

  Lexi lurched forward.

  Eryx dragged her back, arms wrapped around her shoulders and his cheek pressed to her temple.

  Her face was livid red, a fierce protector ready to charge the man who’d dare defile someone she didn’t yet even know.

  “She’s innocent,” Ramsay blurted.

  Lexi stilled.

  Ramsay took a shaky breath, the oxygen weighting his lungs ten times heavier than normal. “I don’t know who she is. I don’t know what she is. But I know she’s as innocent as they come. A damned beacon for everything good in this world.”

  And you want her.

  Lexi’s eyes narrowed, a f
eminine version of Eryx’s hound dog behavior only minutes before. “You like her.”

  Well, this was awkward. He really hated his shalla’s emotion sniffing abilities. “Everyone likes her. The diabhal would like her. She’s a perpetual ray of sunshine. So, yeah. I like her.” Ramsay fought the need to fidget. The space between his shoulder blades itched from the weight of Ludan’s stare behind him.

  “I want to meet her.” Lexi turned to eyeball Eryx. “Prophecy or not, she’s got a connection to my past and I want to learn about it.” She aimed a raised eyebrow at Ramsay. “Might want to learn about other things too.”

  Leave it to Lexi to whip out her handy emotional radar at the worst time. Ramsay gave into his need to pace and angled toward the windows overlooking the gardens. “Turn those feelers of yours off. It’s rude.”

  “Oh, so it’s rude for me to sniff around at what you’re broadcasting, but you diving into someone’s head isn’t?” Lexi crossed her arms and leaned into her fireann’s chest. “Personally, I kind of dig knowing someone knocked your ass silly for trying.”

  True. Much as he hated to admit it. When Lexi found out how far he’d gone to learn more about Trinity’s background, she’d be ready to dish out even more justice, even if he’d ended the night with an entirely different goal in mind.

  “What does she look like?” Lexi asked. “Do we look like sisters?”

  “On the surface? No. She’s light to your dark. Blond hair, almost black eyes, and a lot lighter skin. You’ve got an easy four inches on her height-wise.”

  He paused and really studied Lexi, beyond her striking slate blue eyes and soft black hair. “If you look past that though, maybe. Same oval face and jawline. And your eyes are shaped the same too.”

  “Set it up.” Eryx grumbled. “We’ll do it on her turf.”

  He knew it. Ten minutes they’d known about Trinity and already they were pushing into territory he wanted all to himself.

  Shit. Not the kind of thoughts he should be having. He did not want a relationship. Not now. Maybe not ever. “What about the tenets?”

  “What about them?” Eryx said. “She’s got a mark around her neck to match my mate’s and has some kind of mojo to knock you on your ass. I’ve got more than enough cause to cover divulging who we are. It’s not like I’m carting her over here. So, set it up.”

  Ramsay scratched his head and stared out the window. “Yeah, it may not be that easy.”

  The quiet thickened to a near hiss.

  “What did you do?” Lexi asked, her voice indicating judgment was about ten seconds from being handed down.

  Ramsay faced them. “I haven’t exactly called her back since I saw her last.”

  Eryx’s shoulders snapped back. “You slept with her?”

  “No.” This so wasn’t going the way he wanted. “I mean, I was going to, or get things far enough along I could get a look at the pendant, but…”

  Eryx and Lexi both glared at him.

  “Look, I realized it was a dick move, okay? I made it right and got out. Nothing but straight and narrow since.”

  More quiet. More accusing glares.

  Eryx lifted that imperial fucking eyebrow he used to intimidate damned near everyone. “You made it right how?”

  “None of your damned business.”

  “Oh, yeah.” Lexi grinned in a way that made Ramsay’s insides cramp. “I wanna meet this girl.”

  Chapter 11

  Trinity slid the gearshift into park with way too much force.

  Men. Stupid, stupid men. All of them.

  She jostled free of the car and slammed the door shut. Usually she enjoyed coming home to her new place. Once a large home in the popular M streets of lower Greenville, it was now sectioned off into four modest, but trendy apartments. Tonight she’d have enjoyed a visit with a punching bag a whole lot more.

  God, she had great friends. Really. They’d poked and prodded her into a night out with the best of intentions, primarily to keep her mind off the uber player of all times, Ramsay Shantos.

  Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid Trinity. Opening herself up and thinking he’d actually call her back. Worse, she’d gone and tried to prove Ramsay’s ability to touch her was a fluke by shaking hands with a clean-cut guy at the bar tonight. She shuddered all over again, remembering the disgusting images the light contact had brought. Yeah, not so clean cut after all.

  Her heels clicked against the concrete and the porch light cast a soft glow over the entry stoop.

  Across the street, a car door opened.

  She jogged up the three steps and glanced back. The streetlight reflected off the door of a black and chrome Hummer. A pretty decked out Hummer. The drug dealer variety.

  With shaky fingers, she punched the code on the security pad and missed the last digit. The red light flashed an angry, “Nope, you’re a bumbling idiot, try again.”

  Footsteps sounded behind her.

  Her heart picked up steam.

  Four-two-seven-nine. Enter. Green light.

  Thank God.

  She yanked the knob.

  “Trinity.”

  At the sound of Ramsay’s voice, she froze.

  The door clattered shut and the lock re-engaged. Damned hydraulics.

  She went for the numbers again.

  “Trinity, wait.”

  A second later his hand closed around her shoulder. Way too fast for him to have covered that kind of distance.

  She flinched and braced for a flash of his unwelcome thoughts.

  Nothing.

  Her muscles uncoiled and a fresh surge of anger bubbled up behind it. Not one flash. Not a doggone thing. Yep, definitely should have found a punching bag tonight instead of those glasses of wine.

  She spun to face him. “I might not have a lot of experience with men, but I know a brush off on a pretty intrinsic basis.”

  Ramsay released her shoulder and held up both hands. “I get you’re mad I didn’t call. You have every right to be, but if you let me come up I’ll explain.”

  Oh, no. The last time she’d let him in she’d really let him in. No way was she crossing either of those thresholds again. “You can explain right here.”

  He glanced at the Hummer. “Actually, I’d rather show you.”

  As if on cue, the Hummer back door opened. A set of booted feet appeared beneath the door, followed by another in heels. A beat later they moved into the street.

  Whoa. Ramsay hadn’t lied when he’d said he had a twin, but something about the way the man carried himself screamed power. The woman was no slouch either. Together they strode toward her with movie star confidence.

  “You didn’t tell me you brought an audience.” And here she was looking like Miss Marple.

  “Actually, I brought a lot more than that, but I’d rather talk to you inside if you’re up for it.”

  This was nuts. Letting Ramsay anywhere near her, let alone her apartment, was certifiably insane. What was the saying?

  Insanity is defined by doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

  Yeah, that one.

  The couple stopped a respectful distance from the porch. Ramsay’s twin was a weird mix of everyday Joe and Conan the Barbarian. Jeans, T-shirt, leather jacket, boots. And braids. Lots of them. All halfway down his back and tied off with what looked like metal beads. The woman had a lithe build, the kind you’d expect on a long distance runner, and something about her radiated exceptional force.

  A buzz kicked in at the back of her head. Not as crippling as her warning signs and not altogether unpleasant.

  The woman eased closer to Ramsay’s twin and gripped his arm.

  The twin covered her hand and squeezed. A peaceful, reassuring gesture.

  “I’ve got work in the morning,” Trinity said.

  Ramsay dipped and met her eyes. “Understood. We’ll share what we need to and you can decide where we go from there.”

  She punched the keypad, slower than before, but still shaky. Underst
andable considering the adrenaline firing out in all directions. She might have sensed a crossroads before, but now she felt as if she was standing in the middle of it with about fifty cars headed right toward her.

  Ramsay and the couple followed her down the hallway with its scarred wood floors and up the narrow flight of steps. She keyed the bolt and fumbled for the light as Alicia Keys and a steady bass serenaded from behind her neighbor’s door.

  “You’ve been busy.” Ramsay stood between the kitchen and the living room and scanned what boxes remained.

  Trinity tossed her keys on the kitchen table and shrugged out of her jacket. “I’ve had time and incentive.”

  Ramsay winced.

  The woman and the man beside her smirked.

  “Yeah.” Ramsay ruffled the hair at the top of his head. The hint of red in his cheeks was mildly gratifying. He dropped his hand and straightened. “Trinity, this is my brother Eryx and his baineann, Lexi.”

  Eryx. That was a nice name. Odd, but nice. And what had he called Lexi?

  Eryx held out his hand. The sleeve of his leather jacket rode up, revealing the edge of a tattoo.

  Trinity stared at his hand. Not shaking it would probably be a huge insult. And she’d been able to touch Ramsay. Then again, a guy like Eryx had to have some scary stuff in his head. “What’s a baineann?”

  “Wife.” Lexi tugged Eryx’s hand back and looked up at him. “Don’t push her.”

  Trinity whipped her gaze to Ramsay. “You told them?”

  “There’s a reason,” he said. “I promise.”

  Lexi urged her intimidating husband toward the living room and motioned for Ramsay to follow. “How about we sit instead of looming by the front door and scaring the hell out of her.” She shrugged at Trinity. “Sorry, I’m a bit blunt sometimes.”