by Linda Howard
As she stared outside at Judah’s dark back, at his wide shoulders and flowing black hair, Mercy asked herself aloud, “How could I ever have loved you?”
It hadn’t been love, she told herself. It had been infatuation. She’d been young, a novice in the ways of the world and, in the matter of sexual attraction, a true virgin. She now knew that Judah had deliberately seduced her because he had recognized her as Raintree, and not just any Raintree, but a Raintree princess. His ability to have shielded himself from her empathic probing—something that was as natural to her as breathing—meant that either he was extremely powerful or he had been gifted with a potent spell by a mighty wizard. Instinct told her it was the former. And that led her to ask other questions.
Just who are you, Judah Ansara? Why did you come to the sanctuary? Why did you save my life? And just how many Ansara are out there in the world now?
The Raintree had given the Ansara clan little thought for the past two hundred years. Occasionally a Raintree would encounter a lone Ansara, but it was a rare event, leading them to believe that the Ansara had not flourished since The Battle, that the Ansara would never again pose a threat to the Raintree.
And there was no reason for Mercy to think otherwise. Despite Judah’s tremendous power, only he posed a threat to Mercy and Eve. Whatever his reasons for coming to North Carolina, he had come alone. If he helped her protect Eve and did not betray the secret of their child’s paternity…
Suddenly Judah turned around and looked up at her window—at her. Mercy gasped but did not shrink, did not turn away from his intense stare.
Mercy.
She heard him speak her name. Telepathically.
Shut him out, she told herself. Don’t listen.
And then she heard his laughter. Deep, throaty. He was amused at her reaction.
Damn you, Judah Ansara!
Without warning, a sensation of fingertips caressing her skin enveloped Mercy. For a moment the seductive touch mesmerized her.
Remember.
Hearing him utter that one word broke the spell, allowing her to put up a protective barrier against temptation.
Judah turned around so that he couldn’t see Mercy and walked away, farther into the backyard behind the home of the Raintree royal family. It wasn’t as if the Ansara hadn’t known for at least a hundred years where the Raintree sanctuary was or that it was the home of the royal family; but until Judah’s generation came into power, the Ansara had not dared provoke their arch rivals. As a boy, his father had told Judah that when he became the Dranir, it was his destiny to lead his people into battle against the Raintree.
His destiny, not Cael’s.
But the time was not right. It would be at least another five years before the Ansara were ready to go up against their enemy and win. If they did as Cael wanted and rushed into battle too soon, the odds were against them. And if the Ansara were defeated again, the Raintree would not be merciful. He knew this because he knew who their Dranir was—Dante Raintree, a man not unlike Judah in many ways. A fitting opponent, one who could be as savagely brutal as Judah could.
And he was Mercy’s elder brother.
Judah had claimed them both as his kill. Dante because it was his right as the Ansara Dranir to do battle with the Raintree Dranir. And he had claimed Mercy because…
Because she was his, and no one else had the right to take her life.
And what of Eve?
How could he have impregnated Mercy that night? Since they had reached puberty, he and Claude had periodically gifted each other with protection. Sexual protection. If his own father had used such protection, Cael would not exist. And think how much easier life would be for all the Ansara without Cael.
Judah knew the gift of sexual protection worked with Ansara women and with human women, so why would it have failed with a Raintree woman?
Did it really matter? Eve existed. She was six years old. And she was his daughter.
She might be a tiny replica of Mercy, with the hereditary green Raintree eyes, but she was half Ansara. It was there in her spirit, in her very soul. And in her powers. Powers that would one day exceed those belonging to any Raintree or Ansara.
In days past, the Ansara had issued a decree that any child born of a tainted union would be put to death. But there had been no such child born in centuries, and as Dranir, he possessed the power to rescind the decree.
But did he want to?
Would it not simplify everything if he killed Eve now, before she came into her full powers?
But how can I kill her? She’s my child.
If it were for the good of the Ansara clan for him to destroy his own daughter, would he? Could he?
Eve was a complication he had not anticipated.
A sharp pain, excruciating in its intensity, pierced Judah’s mind.
Pressing his fingers against his temples, he closed his eyes and fought the pain. Cael’s rage bombarded him. Curses. Threats. Dire warnings.
How dare you freeze my telepathic powers? Cael bellowed. You had no right!
No, brother, how dare you try to usurp my authority and send Greynell to kill Mercy Raintree?
Greynell was like so many of our young warriors—he grew tired of waiting to confront the Raintree. If you do not strike soon, they will think you a weak leader, an old woman.
You have incited the young warriors, knowing we are not ready to do battle with the Raintree, Judah said. Your actions border on treason. Be careful that you don’t force me to kill you.
Silence.
Judah felt his brother probing, trying to lock on to Judah’s thoughts. Instantly he shut Cael out. He allowed no one inside his mind, least of all a man intent upon stealing his birthright. Cael would never be satisfied until he was crowned Dranir. And Judah would never allow such an atrocity to happen. His brother would lead their people to sure and certain annihilation.
We have much to discuss, many decisions to be made. When will you return home? Cael asked, breaking the silence.
In my own good time, Judah replied, then blocked Cael, shutting him off completely, ending their telepathic conversation.
This trip to North Carolina to stop Greynell from killing Mercy and thwart Cael’s machinations had not turned out as Judah had planned. He had intended to slip in and out unnoticed, leaving Mercy without any memory of his visit. But Eve’s existence complicated matters.
At present, he had enough trouble without having to concern himself with a child. Keeping Cael in line had become a full-time job. And the recent attempt on his own life had cemented his brother’s fate as far as Judah was concerned. He had no doubt that Cael had been behind the botched assassination. As the Ansara Dranir, it was not only his right but his duty to protect the monarchy from a toxic force such as Cael.
He should return to Terrebonne first thing in the morning. The longer he stayed away, the more chaos Cael would create.
But what about Eve?
Mercy had protected her for six years, and she would continue to protect her. No one other than the two of them—and the old nanny—knew that Eve was as much Ansara as she was Raintree.
Eve knew.
Who would protect Eve from herself?
It was only a matter of time before she would be able to override her mother’s protective spells, if she so chose. And if Eve were to try to contact him, what would happen? If she were to send out vibes into the universe, there was no way to know who might intercept them.
If Cael knew of Eve’s existence…he would use her against Judah.
It was at that moment Judah realized he did not want any harm to come to his daughter. Having a child made him vulnerable.
The very thought of having any weakness enraged him. But he could not turn back the clock. He could not prevent Eve’s conception.
The possessive elements in his nature claimed Eve as a part of him, an Ansara, to be cared for, nurtured, trained properly, and protected at all costs. His daughter was not simply Ansara and Raintree—she was
the heir to two royal bloodlines, a fact he must keep hidden. If Mercy had any idea that the Ansara had grown in strength and numbers, that they were ruled by a Dranir as powerful as her brother Dante, she would realize the danger his clan posed to hers.
When the time was right and the Raintree were vanquished, Eve would take her rightful place as an Ansara princess. In the meantime, he would leave her with Mercy. But before he left them, he had to make sure they were safe.
Yes, they, both mother and daughter.
Until he dealt with Cael and could be assured Eve would be safe with his people, he needed Mercy to protect their child. Once he had eliminated his brother and overturned the ancient decree to kill all half-breed children, he would take what was his.
But how could he take Eve from Mercy without killing Mercy and bringing down the wrath of hell from Dante and Gideon?
A question not easily answered, if there was an answer.
Whenever he was restless, whenever trouble weighed heavily on his shoulders, Judah would walk. Sometimes for miles. He needed the cool night air more than ever now, to clear his head and help him devise a plan before morning.
Cael threw open the doors that led outside to the deck of his beachfront home, the rage he had felt at his brother reduced to bitterness. Judah was proud and arrogant, secure in his position as Dranir. The beloved son. The chosen one.
Anger simmered a few degrees below boiling inside Cael, just enough to create rumbles of distant thunder, but not strong enough to bring lightning down or spark blazing fires.
Judah’s days were numbered. Cael had spent the past few years gradually injecting the seeds of anarchy into the bloodstream of the Ansara clan. At least half the young warriors were ready for battle, eager to prove themselves. But only a handful were loyal to Cael. Judah possessed a mighty hold over the tribe.
Stripping off his robe, Cael walked down from the deck and onto the beach, then straight into the ocean. He and the water became one. Powerful beyond measure. Primeval. A force to be reckoned with. With each stroke he went farther and farther out into the sea. Fearless. Reckless.
And then he paused and willed his body to float, gliding along with the current, as much a part of the ocean as the creatures who called the earth’s waters their home. Using only his mind and the more-than-human abilities he had inherited from his parents, he concentrated on transporting himself back to dry land without moving a muscle. He silently whispered ancient words his mother had taught him, adding strong magic to his supernatural skills.
His body trembled externally and internally as a current of pure energy shot through him. He felt himself lifting above the water. Even though all previous attempts to teleport himself had failed, he knew this time he would achieve his goal.
As suddenly as he had risen from the water, he fell, making a loud splash as his body shot a good ten feet down into the ocean. Forced to concentrate on making his way to the surface again, Cael focused all his energy on saving his life. After he managed to regain his composure, he swam upward and then back across the sea to the sandy beach.
He dragged himself out of the ocean, stood at the edge of water as the waves washed over his feet, and cursed the heavens. Cursed his own inabilities. How could he hope to defeat Judah unless he could surpass his brother in power and strength? The day would come—and soon—when he and Judah would face their destiny. One destiny. Winning and losing, flip sides of the same coin. Judah’s defeat. Cael’s triumph.
Why are you still in America, brother, still in North Carolina, near the Raintree sanctuary? What keeps you there one moment longer than necessary?
When he had conversed with Judah, Cael had picked up on a momentary flicker, just a flash of something, before Judah shut him out and protected his thoughts.
No, not a flash of something, a flash of someone.
A whiff of vision, there one minute, gone the next.
Green Raintree eyes.
I have to find out what Judah is hiding from me. There is something he doesn’t want me to know. A secret. A secret with green Raintree eyes.
Chapter 5
Monday Morning, 5:00 a.m.
Judah stood atop a low hill less than half a mile from the Raintree home, darkness surrounding him, a man alone with many decision to make. Suddenly the small phone in the inside pocket of his jacket vibrated. He retrieved the phone and checked the lighted screen for the identity of the caller. Claude. He and his cousin occasionally communicated telepathically, but since telepathic exchanges used up precious energy, they usually simply telephoned each other. And since using telepathy also made one’s thoughts susceptible to being sensed by others with the same capabilities, a secure phone was safer. The last thing he needed right now was Cael trying to listen to his private conversations.
“You’re up awfully early,” Judah said to his cousin.
“Where are you?” Claude asked.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m not sure. It could be nothing.”
“You wouldn’t contact me if you thought it was nothing. Is there a business problem or—”
“Bartholomew sent for me a short time ago,” Claude said. “Sidra had a vision.”
The two elderly council members had been married for over fifty years. Bartholomew possessed many powers in varying degrees, but his wife’s abilities were limited to a few, one quite powerful. She was a psychic of unparalleled talent.
Judah’s gut tightened. “Tell me.”
“She saw fire and blood. In the center of the fire was a Dranir’s crown. A Raintree Dranir. And within the pool of blood rested a gun that shot lighting.”
“We know that Dante Raintree possesses many of the same skills that I do, including dominion over fire.”
“Yes. That’s why we assumed her vision was about him and…” Claude hesitated for a moment. “Prince Gideon works as a police detective, doesn’t he? And we believe his greatest gift is connected to electrical energy and the elements, such as lightning.”
“You’ve surmised that Sidra had a vision about the royal Raintree brothers, but you haven’t told me why this is of importance to us…to the Ansara.”
“The fire consuming the crown and the blood surrounding the gun both came from Cael. Sidra saw this. Before she fell into a deep sleep, she told Bartholomew that this was not a prophecy, that these events had already occurred. She believes that Cael has already struck against the Raintree Dranir and his brother.”
The ground beneath Judah’s feet trembled. Rage shot through him swiftly, igniting fire on each of his fingertips. Clenching his hands, he extinguished the blazes. Puffs of smoke rose from inside his closed fists.
“Cael has to be stopped,” Judah said.
“He has a small but loyal following. We will have to deal with them, as well.”
“We need to move quickly,” Judah said. “Speak only to those you trust. Gather information. I’ll be home by this evening.”
“Why the delay? Sidra believes action should be taken immediately to counteract whatever Cael has done.”
“There are complications here.”
“Where is here?”
“I am at the Raintree sanctuary.”
“Inside the sanctuary?”
“Yes.”
“Isn’t the place surrounded by a force field? How did you use your powers to get inside without alerting—”
“I’ll explain more when I see you this evening.”
“Do these complications involve Mercy Raintree?” Claude asked.
“What?”
“You flew to North Carolina to save her from Greynell, didn’t you?”
“She was not his kill. She’s mine. I thought you and everyone on the council understood my reasons for coming here to save her life.”
“No one questions your right to kill her and her brother Dante in The Battle that is to come, but…I know you, Judah. I know you better than anyone else knows you. I have seen inside your mind.”
“And I into yours, but I
don’t understand what you’re getting at.”
“I’ve seen Mercy Raintree in your mind on several occasions, before you were able to shut out thoughts of her.”
Judah could deny Claude’s accusation, but his cousin would know he was lying.
“You know that I had sex with her years ago,” Judah said. “I took the Raintree princess’s virginity.”
“So is she what keeps you there?” Claude grunted. “No doubt she’s never forgotten you, either.”
“She is of no importance. I simply have something to settle with her before I return to Terrebonne.”
“Very well,” Claude replied. “I’ll speak to Benedict and Bartholomew. We will call a private meeting for tonight, and make plans to stop Cael before he moves prematurely against the Raintree and brings their wrath down on all of us.”
“Stay safe,” Judah warned. “Don’t turn your back on Cael. Not for a single moment. If he’s bold enough to send an assassin to kill me, you aren’t safe, either. No one who is loyal to me is safe from him.”
Monday Morning, 5:35 a.m.
When the telephone rang, Mercy grabbed the receiver from the nightstand, sat up and kicked back the covers. She hadn’t slept more than a few minutes at a time and still had her clothes on from yesterday. When she glanced down at the phone, she noted Gideon’s number on the caller I.D.
“What’s wrong?”
“Don’t get upset,” her brother said. “I’m fine. Dante’s fine.”
“But?”
“But there was a fire at Dante’s casino.”
“How bad?”
“He said it could be worse, but that it was bad enough.”
“You’re sure he’s all right?”
“Yeah, he’s okay. He phoned me a couple of hours ago and told me to call you. He didn’t want either of us to read it in the newspaper or for you to see it on TV.”
“The fire must have been really bad if Dante thinks it’ll make the national news.”
“Yeah, it probably was.”
“I wish you two wouldn’t shut me out all the time. If you’d—”
Gideon grumbled under his breath. “You’re our little sister. We don’t want you messing around inside our heads and getting involved in our private lives.”