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Another whoosh, and Bram stood beside him. Then more: a bloke with wavy brown hair and resentment broiling in his very blue eyes, a hulking wizard with a nearly shaved head and an angry mien, and a sophisticated-looking fellow in Savile Row tailoring. He held the arm of one of the biggest humans Ronan had ever seen. With black hair and goatee, along with an expression to match, he looked like one to watch.
“Ronan. ” Bram blinked in surprise. “We expected an empty room. Kari said we"d have a place to hide from my all-too-nosy sister… Anyway, this is Caden MacTavish, Ice Rykard, and Simon Northam, Duke of Hurstgrove. ”
“Just Duke, please,” said the one
who looked like he"d stepped out of GQ.
“The big warrior is Marrok. I think you know everyone else. ”
Fashionably late, Shock appeared, looking both sharp and annoyed.
Ronan whirled on Kari. “You"ve let the Doomsday Brethren meet here?”
CHAPTER TEN
“I have. ” She held up a hand. “And before you remind me that you told me not to, I"ll remind you that that you have not allowed me to Bind to you. You have no say. ”
Ronan looked ready to explode as he grabbed her arm. “I only want to protect you. ”
“I need your love far more than your protection,” she whispered, then yanked her arm from his grasp and turned to Bram. “It"s all yours, gentlemen. I"ll close up the front so you"ll have privacy and—”
The door behind the warriors crashed open. Ronan looked up to see Mathias"s witch Rhea clad as scantily as ever, surrounded by a cluster of hooded figures.
“Fuck,” he heard Shock mutter to his right.
“What the hell are you doing here, Rhea?” Shock demanded.
“Your presence is requested. ” The witch drawled nastily. “Call it a family emergency. ”
“Since when is Mathias family?” Bram muttered.
Shock gritted his teeth as he shouldered his way through the other warriors and approached her. “What, think you"re my mummy now?”
“Your conscience, who answers to a higher power. ”
Ronan sneered. Had Mathias so fooled enough of magickind into believing him to be good? Unbelievable but true.
Tynan looked ready to throttle the woman.
With a stern glare, Shock stilled the warrior. “Where am I needed?”
Rhea"s grin widened. “My friends will escort you there. ”
Ronan watched the byplay between the big wizard and the small witch. On the surface, it looked as if Rhea had won the encounter, but Ronan had the feeling Shock was merely placating her, though his face revealed nothing.
“Once there, Shock, you can explain to Mathias why you"re here with these…people. ”
Rhea"s gaze swept over them as if they were lower life forms. “I"ll stay behind and take out the trash. ”
“Or we can just take you hostage,” Bram suggested to Rhea, stepping forward.
“I wouldn"t suggest attacking us. As you can see, we"re not alone. ” She motioned to the score of robed wizards. “These Anarki are older and stronger than the last you encountered. ”
Caden rubbed his hands together. “Mopping them up sounds like fun to me. ”
“Aye,” Marrok seconded.
Shock turned and bared his teeth at Bram.
Before Bram could reply, he disappeared.
At Ronan"s side, Kari gasped. He soothed her by pulling her closer and squeezing her hand, but his mind whirled. Shock had likely saved his own backside, and Ronan didn"t respect that at all.
At the front of the room, Rhea laughed derisively like a warrior wearing full armor rather than nearly transparent knickers. “Big Bram Rion thwarted. How delicious. ” Then she glanced Ice"s way. “Mathias is very much looking forward to seeing you soon, Mr. Rykard. He"d love to extend you the same courtesies he did your dear departed sister. ”
Ice stomped across the room, giving Ronan the distinct impression Rhea had just baited an angry bear who would maul her without remorse.
Bram pulled Ice back by the back of his shirt and arched a golden brow. “I make it a point never to pick on those I can squash without even lifting my wand. Do the same. ”
Ice cursed under his breath, and Ronan could see his need to attack in every line of his taut body.
Rhea"s eyes narrowed, clearly hating that Ice could be reasoned with. “The Doomsday Brethren too afraid of a mere witch to fight?”
“Too smart to expend the energy,” Caden tossed back.
Duke laughed. Rhea"s cheeks flooded with red fury. Ronan didn"t like that look, and eased Kari completely behind him. He needed to leave with her, take her from harm"s path.
When he reached for her so he could teleport her elsewhere, she backed away.
“Stop,” she protested.
He ignored her. “I will not lose you. ”
“Lose her? You"ll all lose. You"ll all die,” Rhea assured and raised her wand. “And Mathias will adore me forever for it. ”
In seconds, the fact the Doomsday Brethren were severely outnumbered became frustratingly obvious. Even as Ronan threw himself into this battle, he feared their seven against the opposing twenty would be a slaughter. And in the midst of it, he must keep Kari safe.
Magical trails blazed through the cavernous, semi-dark room. He ducked an oncoming spell, pulling Kari down, as he shot a paralyzing spell at the robed figure in front of him. It bounced off, as if repelled. A blast of cold coming from the creature radiated toward him as it pulled back a warped mouth to reveal skeletal gums in a menacing smile.
“Oh my goodness…” Kari sounded every bit as shocked as he felt.
What the hell was that?
“Know anything about fighting like a human?” Caden said beside him suddenly.
