Bound by dreams, p.25
Bound by Dreams, page 25
“Someone took us?” Charlotte asked.
“Já, elskan. Pepper was only eleven months old when you were born, Charlotte, and you were both taken from your mama while she recovered. Now, your mama’s missing, as is your other sister.”
“We have another sister?” Charlotte asked.
“Já. She is a teenager now, but she has missed... ah, no... been missed?”
“Been missing,” Charlotte corrected.
“She has been missing for sixteen years, as has your mama.”
Charlotte frowned. “Is my mother your mate?”
“Nei. She’s human.”
Connall frowned. “So were Pepper and Charlotte before they were bound.”
Ari turned his head slowly toward Connall. “Nei. They were only half human. They were also half Kalt Einn. The superior half.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Connall challenged.
Ari shook his head. “Ég er ekki hér til að berjast.” (I’m not here to fight.)
“If you don’t want to fight,” Niall said, “perhaps you should approach this with some humility.”
“Perhaps you’re right,” Ari said.
“What’s our sister’s name?” Charlotte asked.
“Ása Arisdóttir is what we called her, but it’s possible her name was changed, because I have not been able to find her using that name.”
“And what do you want with her?” Connall challenged.
“I just want my daughters back,” Ari said. “I have looked for both of you for a long time. After you were taken, I made sure Megan was safe so this never happened again.”
“Megan,” Charlotte whispered. “That’s our mother’s name?”
He nodded. “She is American.”
“Wait,” Pepper said. “I don’t understand. You had three children with a human woman, but you didn’t bind her?”
“She’s not my mate.”
“Then why did you have three children with her?” Pepper asked in exasperation. “And what do you mean you made sure she’s safe? I don’t feel like I’m getting the whole story here.”
“The particulars of that are private. Between her and me.”
“Were you married?” Charlotte asked.
“Not in the traditional sense.” He shrugged. “I wanted her. I still want her.”
Pepper stood. “So, you’re essentially saying that you’re a pig.”
“Sit down,” he warned. “You will not speak to your papa like that.”
Connall rose to his feet. “And you will not speak to my mate like that.”
Charlotte frowned. “I find it strange that you would say you wanted her, but didn’t marry her. Did you love her?”
“I took care of her. She was content.”
“Was she?” Charlotte knew he wasn’t giving the whole story. She didn’t know how she knew, but she did. “Are you sure she wasn’t your mate?”
“I’m certain.” Ari sat back with a smirk. “We don’t mate with humans, Charlotte.”
Charlotte shuddered, her creep meter on high. She leaned into Niall’s hand resting on her back. “Maybe she doesn’t want to be found. Maybe you broke her heart and she felt she needed to cut ties. Maybe she’s better off wherever she is.”
“You don’t want to know your real mama?” Ari taunted. “You surprise me.”
“I know my real mom. She might not be perfect, but she did the best she could, and that’s enough for me.”
We can look for Megan and your sister, baby.
I know we can. But he doesn’t need to know that. Something’s not right, Nye. He’s not telling us the truth.
Ari cocked his head. “Þú ert að gera mistök, barn.” (You’re making a mistake, child.)
“The only mistake I made was giving you my time,” Charlotte snapped, and rose to her feet. “I’d like to leave.”
Pepper grasped her hand. “How about he leaves and you stay and have dinner?”
Ari raised his hands in surrender and stood. “I will go, but this is not over.”
“Well, you need to make it over,” Kade said. “If they are uninterested in assisting you, then you will not be able to force them to. They have the protection of the crown.”
“Your protection means nothing,” Ari sneered.
“Feel free to test that theory. I’ll walk you out.” Kade forcibly escorted the man out. Charlotte flopped back on the sofa and dropped her face into her hands.
Niall sat beside her and stroked her back. “Are you all right, lass?”
She nodded. “What a creep.”
“Totally,” Pepper said, and sat down again. “We have to find our mother and sister, but I don’t want Ari to know anything about it.”
“What if he follows us?” Charlotte countered. “He doesn’t seem like an idiot. I have a feeling he’ll be anticipating this move.”
“I don’t understand,” Grace said. “He seemed like he was just a man looking for the woman he loves and his child. Wouldn’t anyone react the way he did? I don’t get the creep vibe.”
“It was there,” Charlotte said. “I can’t explain how I know...”
“I bet it’s the familial thing,” Pepper said.
“You’re probably right.” Connall sat in the chair that Ari had vacated. “How about you let us deal with him and we enjoy dinner? I do love Icelandic wine.”
Pepper let out a sigh of irritation.
“Baby,” Connall pressed. “Nothing can be done right now.”
“But you’re going to go behind our backs and do something stupid and heroic and we’ll be left completely out of the loop,” Pepper deduced.
“We can talk about that later.” He took her hands and pulled her from the sofa. “Let’s eat.” He grabbed the wine as he led everyone out of the room and into the dining room.
Charlotte hung back, taking Niall’s hand when he went to follow.
“You okay?” he asked.
“What are you guys planning?”
He sighed. “Nothing yet, love.”
“But you’re going to do something, right?”
He ran his hands down her arms. “Nothing has even been discussed.”
She frowned. “You’re deflecting.”
Niall stared at her for several seconds. “How about I let you know what we come up with when we do? No sense in borrowing trouble, eh?”
Charlotte slid her arms around his waist and laid her cheek on his chest. His heartbeat calmed her and she closed her eyes, relishing the feel of his body.
“Hey,” he said, and stroked her back. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”
She shrugged. “I have to tell my parents everything, and I don’t really know how to approach it. They’re going to have questions I can’t answer.”
“Aye, they probably will.”
Charlotte stared up at him. “What am I going to say?”
He smiled and gave her a gentle squeeze. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, eh? I’m starving, and you must be too. You have to take care of yourself and the baby.”
“You’re pregnant?” Grace said with a gasp.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHARLOTTE HADN’T HEARD Grace come in. She slid from Niall’s arms and nodded. “Yep.”
“You’re sure?”
“Pretty sure. I haven’t peed on a stick yet, but I can feel her.”
“I’m so happy for you!” Grace rushed to her and pulled her in for a hug. “So, my brother-in-law has bionic sperm.”
Charlotte giggled. “It would seem so.”
“Do you want anyone else to know?”
“Not yet. Samantha just announced her happy news, and I think I’d like to keep mine to myself for a bit.”
Grace smiled. “Good plan. Come on. Pepper’s chef made a feast.”
Charlotte linked her arm with Grace’s and they followed Niall into the dining room. Connall was pouring wine for everyone, except for Payton and Samantha. Charlotte also refrained, which caused eyebrows to be raised.
“Do you not like wine?” Pepper asked.
“No, I love wine,” Charlotte said. “I just like to wait until after dinner.”
Pepper let out a mock sigh of relief. “Oh, good, I was wondering if I was going to have to disown you... and so soon after finding you! It would have been a shame.”
Charlotte giggled.
Niall distracted everyone by asking Connall a recording question. This brought the subject around to music, effectively changing the subject.
“Does anyone know what that smell is?” Grace asked.
“What smell, love?” Max asked.
She covered her mouth with her fingers. “It’s kind of sickly sweet. Rotting flowers, or like a spray trying to cover up garbage.” Grace leaned forward, sniffing her plate and then her glass. “It’s the wine.”
Those with wine sniffed their glasses.
“I just smell wine,” Connall said, and took a sip. His body went rigid and he fell from his chair, spilling the rest of the glass onto the table.
“Connall!” Pepper squeaked in fright, rushing to kneel beside him.
“Shite,” Kade snapped, and jumped from his chair. He grabbed what looked like an epi-pen from a side table and jabbed it into Connall’s thigh.
Connall groaned and began to cough. “Red Fang,” he rasped. “Don’t touch the wine.” He got up gingerly and took his seat again and within seconds, nine pairs of eyes focused on Grace.
“Baby, I think you can smell Red Fang,” Max said.
What’s Red Fang?
Sorry, lass. In all our talks, we never got around to that. It’s a flower native to Iceland that can paralyze us in varying amounts, depending on how much we’re given. We all carry the antidote with us. I will make sure you have one as well.
“Is it weird that I can smell it?” Grace asked, leaning forward again.
Max stood, his hand on Grace’s shoulder. “Careful, love.”
“It’s supposed to be odorless, lass,” Niall answered.
“Not to me. It’s disgusting is what it is,” she retorted.
Pepper stood and grabbed a bottle of their own wine, opening it and pouring some into a glass. “What do you smell?”
“Wine,” Grace said.
“See, I knew Ari was up to something,” Charlotte said.
“Yes,” Pepper agreed. “It’s really cool you have this new ability, Grace. We could have all been in a load of trouble.”
Before anyone could respond, the baby monitor began to crackle and the sound of a baby crying filled the room. Connall went to stand, but Pepper stopped him. “I’ll get Callum, babe. Drink a ton of water, okay?”
Connall nodded and sat back down, accepting a glass of water from Brodie, who’d removed the laced wine from the table.
Max was studying one of the corks, his hand wrapped around a napkin to protect him from inadvertently touching the poison. “There,” he said, and handed the cork to Kade. “You can see what looks like a needle mark.”
“Bloody hell,” Kade snapped. “Excuse me.” He squeezed Samantha’s shoulder and left the room. Sam watched him leave before closing her eyes.
Brodie and Connall rose to their feet and followed Kade. Niall and Max both grabbed their cell phones and left through the opposite door.
Where are you going?
To use my resources to find out what the hell is going on.
Do not disappear on me again.
I won’t, love. I’ll be back by your side in a few minutes.
Charlotte sighed and shared an eye roll with Grace.
Pepper returned with the baby and sat beside Charlotte just as Grace and Payton engaged in a conversation about one of Brodie’s nightclubs. Samantha continued to sit with her eyes closed, her hands running over her belly.
“Samantha’s listening to Kade’s conversation,” Pepper said. “He always forgets she can narrow in on him when he’s least expecting it.”
“Does that mean she’ll find out what they’re planning?” Charlotte asked as she smiled at Callum. The baby gurgled and grinned back at her.
Pepper nodded and then smiled. “Stick with me, kid. Our men ain’t got nothin’ on us.”
Nausea overwhelmed Charlotte and she blinked back tears. “Excuse me,” she said, and rose as gracefully as she could before rushing to the bathroom.
Take a deep breath, love.
Charlotte did as Niall suggested, and her nausea ended almost immediately.
A knock at the door brought her husband with a bottled water. He knelt beside her on the floor and laid his hand on her back. “I’m sorry, love.”
Charlotte attempted to smile and leaned against the tub. “It’s expected, right?” She took a sip of water. “I feel fine now.”
Niall closed the toilet lid and sat on it. Charlotte took another sip of water and smiled up at him. “Have you solved the world’s problems?”
He chuckled. “Only in so much as we’ve got Ari in custody.”
Charlotte gasped. “That quick?”
“Aye, lass. Kade doesn’t muck around with the safety of our people.”
“So, where is he? Has he said anything about my other sister?
Niall frowned. “Do you really want to know?”
“Um, yes.” She rolled her eyes. “Have you met me?”
“He is currently being transported to the holding facility in Edinburgh—”
“What holding facility?” she interrupted.
“A special Cauld Ane prison, if you will. It’s temperature controlled, and once the Council decides on his fate, he will be dealt with.”
Charlotte frowned. “Dealt with, how? And who are these Council people?”
“I’ll answer the second question first, eh?”
“Nye,” she ground out.
He smiled. “The Council is made up of elders of the Cauld Ane within not only our clan, but a few others in Scotland. The Gunnachs and I are on it, along with Max. Also, Fiona’s mate, Angus, and his father, Stuart, and ten others from five of the larger clans in the country. Individually, we deal with our personal clan business, however, when it comes to Cauld Ane issues, the Council comes together, and Kade makes the ultimate decision.”
“You have your own clan?”
“Aye. After my father died, Max was laird back when those things mattered, but we are still part of the MacMillan clan within the Gunnach clan.”
She drank more water. “So, what will happen to Ari?”
“Do you really want to have this conversation in the loo?”
Charlotte shrugged. “I want answers, Niall. I don’t really care where they happen. What will they do to my father?”
He sighed. “That I don’t know, love.”
“Because the Council hasn’t met yet.”
“Aye.”
“What about this other sister?”
“Quite frankly, we’re not sure he’s telling the truth in regards to his intentions, but we’ll do everything we can to find her.”
“Why would he lie?”
“Why wouldn’t he?” Niall challenged.
Another wave of nausea hit her, but Niall grasped her hand and it was gone.
“Let’s get you home, and we can discuss this in a more comfortable place, eh?”
Charlotte nodded and let him help her off the floor. “I need to call my parents.”
“Aye, lass, you do, but have you thought about how you will explain all of this?”
She shook her head. “I just figured I’d tell them what I know.”
He smiled and kissed her cheek. “That’s somewhere to start, at least.”
They walked out of the bathroom, to find Pepper and Grace hovering. “Are you okay?” Pepper asked.
“Yes. Sorry,” Charlotte said. “Just wasn’t feeling well.”
Pepper gave her a sympathetic smile. “The nausea goes away after about a month.”
“You told her?” Charlotte asked Grace.
“No! I would never,” Grace snapped, and stormed off.
Crap! Why do I keep doing that to her?
Niall laid his hand on her lower back, easing her guilt.
“I can feel your pregnancy, Charlotte,” Pepper said. “Grace never said a word.” She squeezed her arm. “I think for the most part, everyone in our immediate circle will probably have felt it. We’re all connected after all, but I won’t say anything if you don’t want me to.”
“I would appreciate that, Pepper. I just want to wait a little while. Now, if you’ll excuse me, please. I have to go grovel.”
Pepper grinned. “I have to do that with Sam all too often.”
“I guess we really are sisters, huh?”
“It would seem so.”
Charlotte followed Pepper back to the great room where Grace stood by the window, Max next to her, his arm firmly around her waist. Charlotte rushed to her friend and Max slipped away to afford them some privacy.
“I’m so sorry, Gracie.”
Grace crossed her arms and frowned at Charlotte. “You can’t keep doing that to me.”
“I know, buddy. I’m really sorry.”
“Can we be done with this mistrust, please?”
Charlotte nodded. “Absolutely. It will never happen again.”
Grace let out a quiet snort. “Yes, it will.”
“Okay, maybe it will, but I promise I will try my best to think before I speak.”
Grace pulled her in for a hug. “Thank you. That’s all I need.”
“Everyone, I’ve had food brought in here for the time being,” Pepper announced. “Dinner was a bit of a failure, but I for one am starving, so please feel free to eat while Kade and the others figure out what to do next.”
The men returned, and Charlotte smiled at Niall. “Have you guys decided on what’s happening?”
Kade and his brothers were with their wives, obviously finished with their business for the moment.
Niall shook his head. “Kade’s calling an emergency Council meeting, so that will happen tomorrow or the day after.”
“I should call my parents.”
“Aye, lass. We can do that now, if you like. I’m sure we can use Con’s office. But we should eat.”
She bit her lip. “Quickly, okay?”
He smiled. “Okay.”
