He crouched beside her at the edge of the circle. “Be thankful your brother never ran into a sluagh or redcap.”
“I made him a dagger, so at least he had something to fight with if he had.” She gave him a wan smile. “If I lost Ian to them, I would’ve killed myself, no matter what promise I made.”
“You love him that deeply.” A stupid question, maybe, but he needed the answer. Although he’d invited Ian to ride the Hunt, Calan hadn’t decided if he’d let him. Once the human accepted a horse, he’d be bound to it and the Hunt for eternity. Such a commitment was not accepted or extended lightly.
“With all my heart. Ian and my vow to you are the reasons I’ve lived so long.” She laid her hand on his chest. “It hasn’t been easy. Every day the temptation to act on my rage has grown and so has the guilt. Everywhere I go, people die. I’m a menace to everyone, more so now.”
He covered her fingers with his and stroked her knuckles with his thumb. “They would kill and torture whether you lived or not.”
“You sound like Ian. That’s his favorite argument.” She chuckled. “He even has the statistics to support it.”
He treasured the lighthearted smile and hated that he had to erase it. The sooner he got it over with, the better. “Do you notice anything different about this circle?”
She held a hand out to hover over the nearest mushroom. “It’s not diseased.” She scrunched her brows and glanced at the skylights. “Why, because it’s out of the direct sun?”
“No. Raul has fed from you, and you still retain your goodness. The ring will remain healthy unless you turn Unseelie.” He tipped her chin up. “How did he get your blood?”
She gave the ring one more glance, then sighed. “It was a couple of weeks after you saved me. I was on my way to find you, and…”
Her voice trailed off. His first thought centered on the knowledge that she had tried to keep her promise. The second chilled him.
“Raul stopped you.” He supplied the words she hesitated to say.
She nodded.
“What happened?”
“I stupidly fell for an illusion he created. I saw a young girl on the side of the road, crying. She had a suitcase, and”—Harley groaned—“I pulled over to see if I could help her. God, I was so damn naive.”
A growl crawled up his throat. Raul had played on Harley’s goodness.
She skimmed her fingertips across his back in a soothing caress. He savored her touch. Here she was, recalling a difficult time, and yet she sought to comfort him. He pulled her closer.
“Raul was waiting, wasn’t he?”
“Yes.” She rested her cheek over his heart. “I should’ve expected it. You’d left me with the knowledge of the tricks they played. I just hadn’t really believed anyone would do that. I…I didn’t have much experience with people.”
“Your mother knew what had raped her.” She had to have. It was the only explanation for why Harley had lived to adulthood.
“Yes, and she used the knowledge to protect me. Unfortunately, she did so by isolating me from the outside world.” Harley lowered her voice. “I grew angry and bitter as I got older. Finally, I started sneaking out. Within a week, Raul found me.”
Calan pressed his lips to her hair. “I’m sorry. I wish I could’ve saved you from the pain and sadness you’ve experienced.”
She clutched him tight. “Me too.”
He held her in silence for a long moment, but he wanted the rest of her story. He suspected whatever happened made her change her mind about returning to him. “When you got out of your car, Raul attacked you.”
She dragged in a shaky breath. “He dragged me into the woods, and he…”
His anxiety spiked. “Did what?”
Harley slipped out of his embrace. With her back to him, she wrapped her arms around her chest. “He gnawed and sucked on my ankle, as if I were a juicy fruit or something.” She shivered. “Then he…”
Again she trailed off. He curled his fists and fought to remain calm. “What did he do?”
A shake of her head answered him.
Calan gentled his voice and asked, “Please, my mate. Tell me.”
“While he was distracted, I stabbed him.”
He’d gotten his answer as to how she’d slipped closer to accepting her Unseelie side. No doubt she’d wanted to hurt Raul, and because of the damned heritage her father bestowed upon her, she’d probably enjoyed it too.
“Why didn’t you finish it?” He was glad she hadn’t. The joy of the kill might’ve tipped her over. Still, the reason seemed important.
She lifted trembling hands to her face and pressed them to her eyes. “There was so much blood, and I just wanted to get away. He”—she cleared her throat—“hurt me.”
A terrifying idea took hold. He turned Harley into his arms and gently pried her hands away. Sadness didn’t show on her face. Anger did. “What did he do?”
“Nothing.”
He glanced over his shoulder at the display of pictures. Raul was obsessed with Harley. He’d watched her for years. Calan focused on one of Harley sleeping naked on top of her bed. Raul had gotten close to her while she’d been unaware. Partially bonded to her or not, he would’ve hungered for the power contained in her blood. He hadn’t taken it. No, the redcap wanted more. He hungered for her body as well as the strength he could get from her.
Why? Because he’d enjoyed her before?
Calan prayed he was wrong. It would kill him to know his beautiful mate had been violated. “Tell me.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Harley shoved at his chest. He tightened his grip, and she relented. “I got away.”
Anger gripped him. Harley had suffered, and he hadn’t been free to protect or even comfort her. “Tell. Me. Now.”
“Why?” She tensed and pierced him
