Midnight's Captive(128)
“Sounds heavenly,” Larena said.
Jane cleared her throat from the stairs. “If everyone will follow me, I’ll direct you to your rooms.”
They all started for the stairs. Everyone except Malcolm and Phelan. Con watched as Phelan scowled after lowering his gaze from Charon and Laura. He took a step backwards, trying to keep out of everyone’s sight.
With a nudge to Rhys, Con gave a nod in Phelan’s direction. Con’s attention then turned to Malcolm. The scarred Warrior hadn’t moved or spoken since Con arrived.
“Malcolm?” Larena asked, her brow furrowed.
Malcolm slowly released a breath. “It’s time for me to leave.”
“Stay this time,” Fallon pleaded. “There’s no reason no’ to.”
Con was startled when Malcolm’s azure gaze landed on him. He waited, wondering what reason Malcolm would give for leaving the very people he needed. He might not know he needed them, but he did.
“There’s every reason,” Malcolm finally replied.
Without another word to Larena or Fallon, Malcolm turned on his heel and walked straight toward Con. Con stepped aside to allow Malcolm to pass, only to follow him back into the rain.
“What are you doing?” Malcolm asked, his back to him, when Con had shut the door behind them.
Con walked until he stood in front of Malcolm, ignoring the rain as he always did. “I doona want you to leave on our account. We’re allies now, Malcolm.”
“I’m leaving because it’s what I need to do.”
“You doona like being around your family? Do you know how much it pains Larena to see you leave each time?”
“I return,” Malcolm replied without any emotion.
Con clasped his hands behind his back. “There may come a time when you need friends.”
“I’ll only hurt those near me. They think they want me around, but they doona. I doona want their pity or their kindness. I made my own decisions.”
“Ah,” Con said, understanding dawning. “You have no’ been immortal for verra long. There will come a time you need someone. That time comes for all of us, no matter what we might tell ourselves in the long hours of the night.”
Malcolm’s dead expression didn’t change.
Con stepped aside again. “I’ll make the same offer to you that I made to Charon. If you ever find yourself in need of anything, you’re always welcome here.”
For a split second, Constantine thought he saw a flicker of something in Malcolm’s blue eyes, but it was gone before Con could name what it was.
Malcolm didn’t say a word as he walked away and faded into the forest.
“Leaving?”
Phelan growled his frustration as he turned to find one of the Dragon Kings behind him. Which of the dragons was this King? The Black perhaps?
“I doona think Charon would appreciate you sneaking off as you are,” the man said, and followed Phelan into the conservatory. He paused to rub his fingers on the leaf of some plant and cut his aqua eyes to Phelan. “I’m Rhys.”
“And like all the Kings, you know each of us?”
Rhys’s grin widened. “Doona be so sour. You make it your business to learn about all the evil businessmen, wife-beaters, child molesters, and such in the world. We make it our business to know the Warriors and their women.”
“I doona have a woman.”
“Nay. No woman holds you for more than a few hours,” Rhys said with a chuckle.
Phelan narrowed his gaze on the King. “What do you want?”
“I want you to consider staying for a wee bit. Charon was in a nasty mood when he couldna get a hold of you earlier.”
“Charon is … indisposed right now.”
“Jealous?” he sneered.
Phelan took the three steps separating them and got in Rhys’s face, anger sizzling beneath his skin. Was it jealousy that Charon had found someone? Phelan didn’t know, and didn’t want to think about it. “He’s my friend. I’m happy for him.”
“Then stay,” Rhys said, the taunting grin gone.
Phelan frowned and took a step back. There had to be a reason the Dragon wanted him to stay. “What are you after?”
“Nothing. Charon is a good man. He considers you a friend, a close friend. We’re just looking out for him.”
“Why did you no’ look out for him when Deirdre took him? Where were you then?”
Rhys lowered his gaze to the ground for a moment before he looked back at Phelan. “Charon is the only man you’ve ever called friend. Is that truth or no’?”
“Truth,” Phelan answered after a long hesitation, wondering where the hell all this was going.