Night Angel (Angel Haven) (7 page)

“Randall and I are more than just acquaintances.” He paused. “We’re brothers. So, yes, that makes him part of the fairy realm.” Leaves rustled as he moved closer.

She turned her head to his voice, trying to make him out. “When he said my name, I went all gushy. Why?”

“You’ve heard the tale of Rumpelstiltskin?” When she nodded, he continued, “That story was told to demonstrate the power of names. By saying your name, Randall has begun binding himself to you. He feels the pull between the two of you. As you’ve said his name more often, you’ve already started tying yourself to him.”

“Is Randall my soul mate?” Goose bumps ran up and down her arms at the thought. Thinking of the two of them together had her blushing again.

“We believe so, yes.” Again he paused. “If Troyington finds out, he won’t hesitate to kill you both.”

Karen shook her head. “Bradford might be harsh, but murder? That’s kind of hard to believe.” She sat back, rubbing her eyes. “This really is like a fairy tale. There’s true love, a totally hot guy, and a villain.” She turned her gaze skyward. “Where’s the evil curse to do us in?”

“I fear that is still ahead of you.” He sounded worried.

“It’s a good thing I’ve got abilities of my own,” she mumbled.

His voice was farther away. “What kind of abilities?”

“I have skills in martial arts combat.” She chewed her lip. “There’s more, but I don’t know how you’ll take it.”

He chuckled. “I’m a creature from the fairy world in contemporary upstate New York. There’s nothing you can me tell I can’t believe.”

She took a deep breath, then rushed her words before she could change her mind. “I’m part of a paranormal team. We all have powers and unique abilities. I have lightning reflexes. I can deflect almost anything thrown at me and send them back at my attacker. I have regeneration. I can also bend peoples’ perceptions so they can’t see me.”

“If you are this extraordinary, what are your friends like?” He sounded impressed.

“One’s a telepath, one can go intangible, one’s from another dimension, one isn’t even human, one can change her shape into any natural animal on earth, and our team leader was genetically constructed from a DNA sample.” She paused. “We’re a pretty varied group.”

“This is an important secret you trust me with,” he said quietly.

“I feel in my gut I can trust you. Our telepath says we’ve got instincts for a reason. Use them.” Karen got up to sit on the rail, wanting to be closer to him. “Your turn. You got any secrets? I promise I can keep them.”

She could sense him moving to the end of the branch. “I know.” He was quiet, then a large hand reached out to her from the leaves. Her eyes widened, and she involuntarily stumbled away from him. Her back hit the house, and she stopped, staring at the hand. She stepped back to the rail and hesitantly touched a finger to his palm.

His hand dwarfed hers. His skin was purple and felt like rock, but still had some pliancy to it. His fingers looked longer due to the claws that curled from their ends. From the size of his hand and what she could see of his arm, she knew he had to top at least seven feet. “What are you?” she whispered.

“To some, a creature of dreams, to others, a nightmare come true.” He started to pull his hand away, but Karen held it. “I don’t frighten you?”

“No. Startled maybe, but not frightened.” She caressed the back of his hand, smiling when she heard him sigh. “Does Bradford know about you?”

“Yes, and he’s not happy about my presence here. He tries to keep me contained at night, but he and his men are finding out it’s easier said than done.” He squeezed her hand. “You know why Randall is treated the way he is, don’t you?”

She continued to hold his hand. “Bradford has the children, doesn’t he?” she said quietly.

“Exactly. To keep me in line, Randall can’t show any signs of resisting Troyington or his men. If he does, the children will suffer. Troyington has made that point clear on several occasions. Every night, I come up with new ways to escape whatever cell he tries to put me in.”

“But why?” Karen asked. “I don’t understand why he’d take children. What does he want with them?”

“They aren’t human. They’re werewolf.” He tightened his grip on her hand. “I’m their guardian. I’m a gargoyle. My body is closer to human than those disfigured things on the sides of churches. My race are protectors. These children were taken from the northeast pack. Guardians from across the country were sent here to find them.”

“Where are they?” she asked. “I haven’t seen any more like you. Are the rest of the guardians nearby?”

“Yes. Once I was established here, the rest pulled back to await further instructions. I told them their clan had lost enough. I thought I’d be able to handle what was going on, but I was overconfident. Troyington holds all the cards for now. After I find the children, I’ll call them in, and we’ll conclude this situation to the satisfaction of all.”

That sounded more than slightly ominous. “What could Bradford want with werewolf children?”

“Troyington wants to become a shape-shifter to acquire more power in the business world. He needs their abilities. He could only get the children. Taking on adult werewolves is beyond even his men’s powers.”

She squeezed his hand. “Let me help,” she said. “I’ve told you what I can do. I’ve got another advantage, too. Bradford likes me. I can get close to him and try to get you some information.”

He held her hand tighter, giving emphasis to his words. “I don’t want you putting yourself in danger. But anything you can learn, I would be grateful to hear.”

Karen grinned at him. “Please. I’ve fought some of the most powerful supervillains on the planet. I can handle this crowd. I’d better go inside.” She stood, slowly pulling her hand from his. “Bradford wants to show me around tomorrow. Good night, Guardian.”

“Good night, Karen.”

Her insides turned to jelly just as they had when Randall said her name. She stumbled across the threshold to her room. She flung herself on her bed, turning over to stare at the ceiling.

“This gets worse all the time,” she mumbled. “I’ve got one guy who wants to hook up with me, one guy who makes me think indecent things, and a voice that belongs to a gargoyle and gives me goose bumps.” Her grip on her emotions was slipping more and more the longer she was here. She put a pillow over her face and screamed.

Chapter Six

“I believe I promised you a tour of the gardens,” Bradford said at breakfast.

Karen nodded. “Yes, you did. I can’t wait to see them.” She cringed inwardly as she covered his hand with hers. After finding out Bradford had kidnapped children and was planning on hurting them or worse, she wanted no contact with him at all. But she had to keep up appearances so he wouldn’t suspect what she knew. “Is it a four season garden?”

“I think so. I’m not good with flowers. All I know is my gardener keeps them full and eye-catching all year long,” he said. “I never see any blossoms in the winter, but I believe he put in some type of fancy grasses to keep it looking fresh even when it snows.”

“I can’t wait to see them.”
At least that much is true
, she thought. She loved gardens and all kinds of flowers even though she personally never had any luck with them. Her father tended the gardens at Angel Haven. He always said she didn’t need luck with flowers, just patience, tenderness, and a whole lot of knowledge.

They left through the same french doors they had before, heading off to their right. Karen gasped when she saw the gardens. A low brick wall surrounded the flowers that waved merrily in the bright sunshine. Red, gold, pink, purple, and blue all meshed together, their colors planted in harmony to each other and the area around them.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Karen said. “Your gardener does good work. Everything blends so well, it’s hard to tell where one section ends and another begins.” She leaned down to smell some of the blooms they were passing.

A narrow, gray flagstone path wound its way through the bright blossoms. Bradford put his arm around her waist when they’d entered, stopping here and there so she could see everything, finally pausing to sit on a white stone bench, near a gurgling fountain. He scowled when he saw Cray approaching them.

“Morning, Ms. Spraiker,” he said with a nod in Karen’s direction. “Mr. Troyington, we have a problem at the stables. Harmon says he needs you down there immediately.”

“You have stables?” Karen asked. “I’d love to see them.”

Cray gave a slight shake of his head.

“Maybe you should stay here,” Bradford said, never taking his eyes from Cray. “I’m not sure what’s going on, and it might not be pretty.”

“Maybe I can help.” Karen didn’t want to be left behind. Going with Bradford might help her understand what was going on at the mansion.

“This isn’t a good time, ma’am,” Cray said.

Bradford turned to her, concern in his eyes as he took her hand. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.” She smiled at Bradford, trying to convince him to take her. She wasn’t going to get any answers if she couldn’t find out anything from the rest of his people.

He nodded at her and squeezed her hand. “All right. Let’s go see what the trouble is.”

The three of them strode down a slight hill to the stables. Harmon had Randall’s arm twisted behind his back, his thick arm wrapped around Randall’s neck. Randall was covered with dust, and the stable master was sporting a bleeding lip and a black eye.

“Harmon,” Bradford barked. “What’re you doing?”

“I’ve told this freak to stay away from my animals,” Harmon ground out. “Now he’s going to learn the hard way I mean what I say.”

“Let him go.” Bradford demanded. “
Now
.”

Harmon shoved Randall away from him. “Stay out of my stables or the next time you won’t walk away. Understood?”

Randall glared at him, the tenseness in his arms belying the calm posture he adopted. He stepped toward Harmon, his right arm lifting a little as his hand balled.

Bradford shoved Randall toward the door. “Get outside.” He turned to Karen. “This will only take a moment.” He motioned Cray to follow him.

After Bradford left, Karen approached Harmon. “Do you take care of all the animals here?” she asked, gesturing at the twenty full stalls.

“Yes. Only five belong to Mr. Troyington. The rest are all boarded here for his neighbors.” His eyes narrowed as he watched her go to the first horse and stroke its nose.

“You do a great job. They all look in fine health.” Karen didn’t dare take her eyes from the horse. She knew she’d try to look outside to see what was happening with Randall and then they’d both be in trouble.

Harmon’s posture relaxed a little. “They’re like my children. Mr. Troyington says I like them more than people.”

“I guess you don’t like the others interfering out here,” she said, turning to watch him closely.

He scowled. “No, I don’t. And I really don’t like Dupré being out here. He upsets my animals.”

Why?
she thought.
How does he upset them?
“Would it be all right, if when you’re here, I can come see them?” Karen asked. She petted the horse, feeling Harmon’s gaze penetrating her.

Apparently satisfied by his scrutiny, he said, “Yes, but only when I’m here.”

Bradford came in. “Everything’s all sorted out. Ready to continue our walk?” They headed outside, continuing on the same route they’d been on earlier.

Karen linked her arm through his. “Absolutely. Mr. Harmon said I can come down to see the horses, but only when he’s there.”

“He must trust you.” He sounded impressed. “Harmon lets no one near his children unless he has to.”

They walked the grounds around the house. Jeffries stood on the drawing room porch as they drew closer. “Mr. Troyington, you have a business call.”

He turned an apologetic smile to her. “Would you excuse me again? I’m sure this won’t take long.” He kissed the back of her hand.

“Sure. I’ll wait for you out here.” She breathed a mental sigh of relief. A few minutes to herself was just what she needed to collect her thoughts.

She resisted the urge to wipe her hand on her pants after he kissed it, smiling at him instead. After he’d gone, she heard angry voices coming from the side of the house. She crept forward, calling on her ability to hide herself from view. Cray stomped away, and she peered around the corner to see Randall enter the wood shed. She dropped her invisibility and darted inside.

She stopped short when she saw him. Randall leaned against the wall, the back of his shirt torn. She walked over to him and moved the fabric aside, her eyes widening when there was nothing there, just smooth, unblemished skin.

“You’re completely healed,” she whispered.

“I’m a fast healer.” He smiled at her. His eyes crinkled at the corners, giving him an impish look.

Karen’s knees went wobbly. “Why do you let them do this to you?” she asked softly.

“I thought our friend explained it to you,” he said, pain coloring his words. “Any sign of defiance on my part and the children will suffer.” He winced and rubbed his side. “Until the guardian’s charges are found, I’m stuck with Troyington’s abuse.”

Karen crossed to him, laying her hand on his shoulder. She tried to ignore the hardness of his muscles, the heat that radiated from him. She swallowed audibly. She forced herself not to start kneading that shoulder, to relieve the tenseness she found there. She moved closer to him.

“What—” She cleared her throat, trying to make her voice not quite so shaky. “What can I do to help you?”

He straightened and took a small step nearer to her. “Keep Troyington happy. Do that and he’ll stay out of my way.”

Karen’s mouth went dry. She hesitated before raising her hand to his jaw. She just stood there, staring at him, memorizing every line of his face.

He captured her hand, placing it over his heart. “I know what the guardian told you about true love.”

“Do you think he’s right?” she whispered. “Could we be soul mates?”

“Anything’s possible.”

She gazed at him. Even if she didn’t know about his ties to the fairy realm, she would’ve thought him magical. The wild blue-black hair, the hardness and perfection of his body, and those blue eyes that held a hint of something otherworldly. He smiled at her again, as if guessing her thoughts. She ran her hand over the planes of his chest and down his arm. He was always so warm, like he generated his own heat.