The Last Warrior (Shifters Unbound #13) - Jennifer Ashley Page 0,39
that kiss had been good. Ben had tasted the need in her, a longing that matched his own. He wanted to think the longing was for him, but Ben sensed she was simply lonely. It couldn’t be easy for her, living in the shadow of a powerful mother and evil-as-hell father, being a pawn for political marriages, having to stay far from home to find a little peace.
“Who is this guy?” Dimitri asked Rhianne. “Your dad, I mean? Ben told us a little—floored me that Lady Aisling had a husband at all—but why would he send angry reptiles after his own daughter?”
“Because he loves power more than anything else.” Rhianne’s voice grew sad as she explained. “My mother found that out too late, but to her credit, she sent him away instead of keeping him around, hoping he’d change. He used her to gain power, nothing else. Ivor de Erkkonen cares about no one but himself.”
“He’s already a big, bad dude, though, right?” Dimitri went on. “Why does he need to be bigger and badder?”
“You have to understand Tuil Erdannan,” Rhianne said wearily. “To some of us there is nothing more desirable than absolute mastery—of everything. They create new species of animals, or of people, to see if they can do it, and then they abandon them. They can be so far above the rest of the world that they don’t understand what they destroy.”
Ben nodded. “Like I say, Tuil Erdannan do some scary shit. You aren’t friends with them.” He glared at Jaycee who often had chats with Lady Aisling about whatever.
“But kissing them is all right.” Jaycee took a casual sip of wine.
Rhianne flushed and studied her glass, not answering.
Ben cleared his throat. “Yeah, well, that was, you know, the excitement of the moment. Your fault.” He pointed his beer bottle at Dimitri. “Mating frenzy.”
“Oh, sure.” Dimitri appeared affronted. “Would you believe me if I said Jaycee and I went directly to sleep tonight?”
“No.”
Dimitri huffed a laugh. “Good, ’cause it would be a lie.”
“We’re not discussing our sex life.” Jaycee sent Ben a pointed look. “Dimitri and I are mated. We have a cub. Don’t toy with Rhianne, Ben. I like her, and you don’t want to mess with me.”
Rhianne’s flush deepened as Ben stared at Jaycee in disbelief. “Toy with her? What is this, the Victorian age? Been there, done that. The nineteenth century was a violent time. Everyone thinks it was so quaint and refined, but I’m glad it’s over.”
“You’re changing the subject.” Jaycee scowled.
“So are you. We were talking about keeping Rhianne safe and what we’re up against.”
“Their love life is their business, Jace,” Dimitri said gently.
Jaycee ignored him. “Just watch yourself, Ben. Mr. Here-Today, Gone-Tomorrow.”
Jaycee wasn’t wrong. Always peripatetic, was Ben, as he’d explained already to Rhianne. Since he’d volunteered to be caretaker of this house, he’d stayed put more, but when Jasmine decided to move back in, or sell the place—though that was unlikely—Ben would have to leave.
“What do you want to talk about, Rhianne?” Ben switched his focus to her. “Figuring out what your dad is up to, or us kissing in the garden?”
“My horrible father, please.” Rhianne lifted her glass. “Is this right for a toast?”
“You say ‘to’ something when you toast,” Ben explained. “Like, ‘to besting my pain-in-the-ass dad and going home without fear’.”
“Can I say ‘to winning the battle’ instead?”
“I’ll drink to that.” Dimitri lifted his beer, and Jaycee joined him with wine.
The four of them clinked glasses and bottles and settled down to drink.
“We did win this battle,” Ben said after a time. “Not sure about the war.”
Rhianne slumped in her chair, her braid of brilliant red hair flowing over her shoulder. “I’m thinking I’ll be stuck here forever. My father won’t give up, whatever it is he wants. He’s very determined.”
Ben slid his hand along the table and covered hers with it. He couldn’t help himself. “When Lady Aisling asked me to bring you here, I didn’t get the sense that she was saying goodbye to you for keeps. More like she wants you here while she takes care of the problem.”
“Mmm.” Jaycee’s face twisted as she wrinkled her nose, as though her leopard had scented a bad smell. “I talked to her too, remember? From what I gathered in our conversation, this was a quick decision to save Rhianne’s life. I think we need to know exactly what happened between Lady Aisling and your dad, Rhianne. Why would he be so harsh to you? I can’t