“A tunnel? There’s a tunnel under Nina’s house?”
“It connects to our basement.”
“How long has it been here?”
“A while,” Cody said, not meeting her eyes.
“How long?” Shay ground out.
Ronan and Faelan glanced at each other and took a discreet step back.
“Come on now, Shay—”
“How long has there been a damned tunnel under my house?”
“Since you were a baby. We had to have quick access to and from the house,” Cody said.
Shay backed away, standing stiff against the opposite wall. She remembered waking up to go to the bathroom one night when she was about six. She heard a noise and peered over the banister. Cody’s father was standing near the stairs, and then he vanished. She thought it odd, but forgot about it in the morning. It shouldn’t hurt, but they were
She heard Cody curse behind her as she stormed across the porch.
“Shay, wait.” He took her arm and stepped quickly in front of her, bringing her face-to-face with the outline of the talisman under his shirt. “We couldn’t tell you. Any more than we could tell you the other stuff.”
“You told them,” she said, jerking her thumb toward Faelan and Ronan, standing in the doorway.
“I didn’t think to tell you after you came back. I’ve been more worried about keeping you safe than telling you every secret this house has.”
“That’s the point. It’s
“Come on, I’ll show you now.” Cody took her hand and led her inside. He pushed what appeared to be a knot in the wood, and a panel slid back. She followed the narrow stairs down to a concrete tunnel roughly ten feet tall and ten feet wide with dim lights mounted on the walls.
“I can’t believe you kept this from me,” Shay said, her voice echoing in the confined space. “You know I love tunnels.”
“He meant no harm, lass,” Faelan said behind them. “You ought to trust him. The man pulled me from my wedding, at risk to his own life and limb—from my wife—to protect you.” He passed them, kilt swirling around his knees, looking exactly like what he was, a warrior who stepped out of the nineteenth century, except for the Eddie Bauer suitcase in his hand.
Ronan moved past and brushed a knuckle under her chin. “It’s hard to understand, but they did it for you.” He jogged to catch up with Faelan.
“Maybe I don’t want protecting,” Shay yelled at Ronan’s and Faelan’s retreating backs, her voice sounding as if it came from a jar.
Ronan turned around, walking backward. “If you knew what was out there, you’d appreciate what they’ve risked for you.” His face was as grim as his voice.
She knew he was right. A demon like the one who may be after her had stolen Faelan’s life, causing him to be yanked out of his own time and thrown into the future. He lost everything. Parents, brothers, his sister. This was bigger than just her hurt feelings.
Cody put one hand on her shoulder. “Can we get past this, Shay? Can you forgive me, forgive us? We had good intentions. Maybe we screwed up, but you and I can’t keep hitting this issue every time we talk.”
“I know you meant well, but stop protecting me.”
He stepped closer, his body brushing hers. “I’ll never stop protecting you. It’s in my blood. I understand your frustration, but it’s far more important to me to keep you safe than to worry if I’ve pointed out every little security detail that you might not be aware of.”
“One more surprise, and I’m leaving,” she said.
Even in the dim light she saw a flash of fear in his eyes.
When the door at the end of the passageway opened, the silence of the tunnel echoed with the clamor of fighting. Walking into the Bat Cave was like stepping into a gladiator ring. Sweat-slicked bodies, plus the clash of swords mingled with grunts, yells, and laughter. The men had removed their shirts, and even Sorcha had stripped down to a tank top. Off to the side, Shay saw the small room with monitors. “How long have the monitors been here?”
Cody’s jaw clamped. “Longer than the tunnel. Let’s go practice. You can take your anger out on me, aye? Let’s see what you remember.”
She nodded absently and followed Cody into the practice area. While she emptied her pockets, Cody took a small sword from the wall.
Shay gave it an apprehensive stare. “It’s been a while since I’ve used a sword.”
He moved behind her, clasping his large hand over hers, demonstrating. “It’ll come back to you. Remember, not too tight. Feel the weight, the balance, as if it’s part of your arm.”
What she felt was Cody’s body so close she could smell the soap he used in the shower, and his skin, warm and masculine, made her think of what they’d done last night, what they hadn’t done, and what she wanted to do. It took several minutes to focus on the sword she held. After a few practice swings, the weapon started to feel more comfortable in her hand.
“That’s better,” he said, nodding. “Feel the sword’s power.”
