“Say another word, and it will be your last,” the barely-dressed witch threatened. “We"ll see to it. ”
We? Ronan turned. Two wizards stood at the back of the bar, blocking Kari"s only other means of escape. They also wore merciless expressions.
Could he alone protect her? He"d always joked that was a lover, not a fighter. At the moment, he wished very much that he"d poured half as much energy into learning to fight as he had into the carnal arts.
Carefully, he slipped his arm around Kari. If noth
ing else, he could teleport out…
“Take your hand away from her,” Rhea barked. “Let her speak—or else. ”
Kari touched his shoulder. “I know nothing. Once she learns that, it will be fine. ”
Ronan didn"t like it, but if he couldn"t transport her out of here and she couldn"t run, he certainly wasn"t leaving without her. Maybe they would ask their questions and leave. If not, well…he was holding his wand. He"d save Kari. Somehow.
“What do you wish to know?” she challenged the woman whose outfit could have been a prostitute"s. But her gaze said pure psycho. “A human with sense. ” Rhea looked at her as if she was an oddity. “A tall wizard in black leather and sunglasses was here recently. ”
“The one called Shock?”
She smiled. “The very one. What did he want?”
Would admitting the truth put Tynan in danger?
“I don"t know exactly. ”
The witch raised a skeptical brow, and Kari cursed the fact she was a terrible liar.
“He was here at the same time as Tynan O"Shea. ”
“O"Shea?” Ronan muttered behind her. “Related to the Councilman O"Shea?”
“His grandson,” she murmured.
Ronan cursed.
“His grandson who seems to have joined the Doomsday Brethren. Sound familiar?”
asked Rhea.
“No. I merely overhear occasional conversation, but that—”
“Stop prattling. Did Shock and Tynan speak to one another?”
Lie. She had to lie—and well. Tynan"s life may depend on it. So might hers. “I don"t know. I was in the back. Didn"t hear a thing. ”
“I don"t believe you. Let"s see if this helps. ”
Before she knew what hit her, Rhea raised her wand. An arc of light streamed toward Kari, blinding, green. Dangerous.
She screamed, and Ronan shoved her, but it was too late. The blast hit her in the abdomen. Pain crashed through her system, and she fell to her knees. God, she felt mere breaths from death.
“What did Shock and Tynan discuss?”
Kari opened her mouth…and had no idea what to say. She sensed the truth could get either or both men killed.
From behind her, a hand clamped around her arm. Rhea shouted, her face contorting.
Then he and her pub disappeared. Nausea hit her stomach, and the feeling of floating smacked her with dizziness.
Moments later, she collided with Ronan"s chest as they landed on a soft sofa.
The pain slammed her again, stealing her breath, threatening her consciousness.
“Stay with me,” he pleaded.
“Where are we?”
If he heard her slurred words, he didn"t comment. “The home of a magical healer. He will help you. Don"t give up. ”
She was sweating and suddenly very cold. It took every ounce of her energy to shake her head. “Won"t. ”
Ronan held her on his lap. Kari sensed he wanted to grasp her tightly but knew it would cause her pain. Feeling him against her was comforting.
“Will I die?”
“No. ” He spoke with the conviction of a vow, not any real knowledge, she sensed.
“But you must promise me one thing,” he said. “Do not Bind to me. Ever. ”
CHAPTER SIX
The next four days nearly killed Ronan. He stayed by Kari"s side for the first two, holding her as the healer worked her slow magic, ensuring his beloved would live. The bitch who had attacked her at The Witch"s Brew had blasted her with some sick magic he"d never seen before. If Ronan hadn"t pushed her out of the way, her attacker might have succeeded in killing her.
And he didn"t have to guess if her near-death experience was because he had Called to her. He had no doubt. By tempting fate and the curse, he had unleashed this on Kari. For his impulsive and selfish need to have her always, she"d nearly paid with her life.
Never would he put her in that position again.
Ronan would love to simply explain the curse, help her to see that no matter what he felt, they were doomed. But would she believe him? As bizarre as it was, why would she? Likely, Kari would see it as a fabrication designed to end their relationship. She"d think he had cold feet.
Bloody hell.
He"d been relieved when the healer had proclaimed Kari well, ending days of nail-biting fear. He"d reluctantly returned her to the pub—only because she insisted. He"d wanted to place protections around the Brew, but they would keep anyone magical out…and seriously infuriate her. But he would do his best to ensure she remained safe.
To that end, he paid a visit to a former lover, now mated to another. Swallowing his pride to ask Avalyn for a favor had rankled. Once, she"d fancied herself in love with him, and Ronan was ashamed to admit that in his youth, he had taken advantage of that. He rejoiced that she was now happily settled with a good wizard.
Thankfully, Avalyn found the irony in Ronan"s request and acceded. Long out of love with him, she was a strong witch who"d grown up around the fringes of dark magic. If anyone would watch over Kari until the threat passed, it was Avalyn.