Noble Blood

Henri threw his arms wide. “What Blade? I don’t see your…I’m sorry, Robin’s Blade here.”

Akane stood up, straightening out her Donna Karan skirt. “Did you want to speak to a Blade, Henri Malmayne?” Those odd eyes of hers, one so dark, the other so light, pinned Henri like a bug to a mat. The coldness radiating off the dragoness was intimidating. “That can be arranged.”

Duncan bowed his head toward Akane. “Allow me to present Dame Akane Russo, Knight of The Gray Court and Oberon’s Blade.”

“She’s a Blade?” one of the younger Malmaynes whispered. The respect and awe in the young woman’s voice had Duncan damn near smiling.

“Yes, Letitia, Akane is a Blade.” Duncan turned back to Henri, all amusement gone. “She was there when Charles’s powrie attacked the Dunne farm.”

“One of them was identified as having been in Charles’s house prior to the attack. Duncan confirmed that Charles was working with the Black through Charles’s own words. Files on Charles’s computer confirmed that he had, indeed, been in frequent contact with the lord of the redcaps and a known agent of the Dark Queen herself.” Akane spoke as if she’d been there and witnessed everything. Duncan was positive no one would question her. “Sentence was passed by Lord Malmayne and approved by Robin Goodfellow. The execution was carried out by my partner, Jaden Blackthorn.”

No one would dare question an order by the Hob. To do so invited his attention and not many people could handle that. Duncan thought about that for a second, and realized there was only one who could handle Robin’s undivided attention. Oberon held Robin’s loyalty in a way no one else could.

Akane tilted her head, the movement sinuous and somehow inhuman. “Any questions?”

“Who will pay for my father’s death?” Cecelia shouted despite her sister’s attempts to shush her. “That filthy, half-breed vampire dared lay his hands on a Malmayne! Glorianna will hear of this, and I guarantee you she will side with us.”

Oh, shit. There was the thorn in his side, the hidden pinch, that Charles’s children would seek blood debt through the Queen and Court. It was well known that Glorianna hated vampires with a passion. The only reason she hadn’t demanded that he turn Jaden over to her was the fact that Jaden had clearly aligned himself with the Gray Court, taking himself out of her jurisdiction. “Jaden is of the Gray and a Blade, Cecelia. He performed his duties as he was required to by both my decree and that of the Hob. Glorianna holds no sway over him.”

“How do you think the Queen will feel having the head of one of the major clans mated to that abomination?” She tossed her hair over her shoulder. “I am positive that a new Lord Malmayne will be declared forthwith once the clan proper makes their dissatisfaction known.”

It was possible. If Glorianna chose to take exception to his tribond he could be removed as Lord Malmayne, and that would open both Moira and Jaden to the machinations of whoever became the next Lord Malmayne. She was the only one who had the power to do so. He’d known all along it was a possibility. But someone like Henri as the next Lord Malmayne?

That was not something he could allow to happen. His clan would be destroyed if Henri was proclaimed Lord.

Duncan could feel his temper beginning to build, the anger swift and hot as flowing blood, as deeply rooted as the earth itself. He had a very bad feeling about this, and from the way Moira and Jaden were murmuring in his head he could tell they shared his concerns. “Who do you propose that next Lord be?”

“Henri.” His name was said with such speed and conviction that Duncan guessed his cousins had decided on him before showing up on Duncan’s doorstep. “He’s been more than supportive of the Malmayne clan and has our best interests at heart.” Cecelia practically cooed as she brushed her hand down Henri’s arm.

Well. That was a wrinkle dear old Dad didn’t know about. Had Cullen been aware of the machinations of his brother Charles? Had Cullen too been duped? How deep was Henri into everything that had happened? “I’m afraid that Henri’s life will also be forfeit once Robin finds out he was the go-between for Charles and the Unseelie Sidhe lord he was conspiring with.”

The look in Cecelia’s eyes would have killed a lesser man. “Prove it.”

He barely stopped himself from growling. He didn’t have proof, not yet. Charles was dead and hardly likely to throw Henri under the bus even if he were still alive. The bastard had a sick sort of honor that would have prevented him from handing over someone he considered inferior to save himself.

So instead Duncan stood. He leaned forward, hands flat on the desk, and met her stare for stare, allowing her to feel the iron determination to root the Black out of his clan. “I will.”

“That went well. What’s next? Red hot spikes up the ass?” Jaden flopped into the chair across from Duncan’s desk and rubbed his forehead. Moira could really shout when she wanted to, and she’d been pissed as hell at the Malmaynes for calling him an “abomination”. Well, they’d called him worse in the past. He’d live. He was more concerned over how livid Duncan was with the results of the meeting.

“We investigate the rest of the clan.” Duncan stalked around the room. He’d moved beyond pissed and into homicidal rage. “I want Henri’s head on a pike.”

Jaden watched his cool Sidhe lord loose his self control, pacing like a caged tiger in front of his desk. “Duncan.”

“Cecelia and Constance are up to their necks in whatever’s going on, too. I want them taken care of.” Silver lights danced around him.

Jaden was starting to get worried. Duncan rarely lost his temper in the hundred years since they’d first met, and in the span of a few days he was losing it on a regular basis. “Duncan!”

Duncan stopped and stared at him. “What?”

“Deep breaths. You’re starting to freak me out.” Duncan actually bared his teeth at him. He had to hold back a laugh. “I’m terrified, oh fangless one.” He rolled his eyes. “You’re going to need anger management therapy if you keep this up.”

Duncan blinked. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“The last time I remember you losing your temper this much was—” Jaden tilted his head, “—never.” He glanced over at Moira and noticed her sudden concern. “Has he been like this since I left?”

That earned him another snarl as Duncan began prowling around the room again. “I am not out of control.”

“He was beyond depressed before you came back, and he’s been, well, upset off and on since you came back.”

He nodded. Then he stood, walked over to Duncan and grabbed his shoulder. He forced the Sidhe to face him again and pointed to his chin. “Go ahead. You know you’ve been dying to.”

Duncan rolled his eyes. “I already laid you out flat, remember?”

“But you’re still pissed at me, and it’s leaking over into everything else.” Jaden threw his arms wide. “I’m not going anywhere ever again, unless it’s on assignment.”

Duncan’s jaw clenched. Ah-hah. There we go.

“You’re ticked because I didn’t tell you I was a Blade?” He tried not to laugh. “That growl would be a lot more terrifying if I didn’t know you’d never really hurt me.”

“Why did you keep that from me?”

Jaden could hear the anguish under the anger, and sighed. “Because everyone knew who I lived with and worked for.”

“It was the perfect cover? Show up somewhere, party down, someone dies, you come home with none the wiser?”

Jaden lowered his arms. “No. Not every assignment has led to someone’s death. Just because I was built to be a fucking soldier doesn’t make me an automatic killer.”

Moira got between them, her hand over his heart. “Stop it. You know Duncan doesn’t feel that way. And you!” She turned on Duncan. “Stop taking it out on him. If Robin Goodfellow told you to keep a secret, what would you do?”

Duncan rubbed his eyes. “I’d probably superglue my lips shut.”