and she dropped her head, one hand rubbing the spot between her brows. She looked uncharacteristically weary. “My daughter has always had a jealous nature.”
Helena frowned. “This makes no sense. I studied this kind of sociopath in FBI training. What’s the point of killing Conal before those he cares about? I would expect this kind of stalker to go after his friends, then the sisters, then Conal. Intensify his anxiety and suffering.”
“I doubt the wolves were actually going to kill him, no matter what they said,” Liam commented from his holster. “More likely they’d have taken him back to Siobhan, and she’d have healed him only to play with him a little longer.”
Conal felt his face go cold and bloodless. “That… does sound like Siobhan’s kind of game.” He shook off the fear. They didn’t take me back to the bitch. And they won’t. I’ll die first. “What do you think I should do?” he asked Maeve. “I could hire magical bodyguards for my sisters, maybe even a small army of werewolves for Beltane, but thousands of people are involved. Sooner or later, somebody’s going to get killed.” He flexed his fists restlessly. “I need to focus Siobhan’s attention on me so she’ll leave everyone else alone.” His gaze fell on Helena. Damn, she’d been amazing when she’d fought -- fast, skilled, fearless. Between Liam and her own werewolf abilities, she’d be more than capable of protecting his sisters…
“I could assign Helena and Liam to you for the length of this crisis,” Maeve said as if she’d read his mind. He wouldn’t put it past her. “They’re experts when it comes Siobhan and her rogue Sidhe.”
“Yeah, I noticed that when she blew the torturer’s head off,” Conal said dryly. “In fact…” Brilliant, beautiful and powerful. She’d drive Siobhan right up the wall.
Essus flexed his claws on his shoulder. Yes, and are you sure that’s a good idea?
Conal ignored his friend. “Helena, would you be willing to consider some undercover work?” Hope she doesn’t take that as a double entendre.
She eyed him, one dark brow lifting in interest. “What do you have in mind?”
Conal paused, trying to decide how to word this. What if he offended her? Oh, hell, might as well take a chance. “Would you be willing to play girlfriend?”
Helena blinked. “Oh, so that’s what you meant when you asked me to marry you. I thought you were out of your head.”
“Yeah, blood loss probably had something to do with the initial thought.” That and the sight of her in human form, as beautiful as she was deadly. “But on further consideration, it’s not a bad idea.”
“Well, it would definitely rivet Siobhan’s attention,” Maeve said dryly.
Helena shrugged. “If it saves lives, I’m in.”
Maeve waved a hand. “I have no problem with this. Work out the details between yourselves and let me know what you have planned. In the meantime…” Her voice dropped to a growl. “I need to have a word with my daughter.”
“Will do,” Helena agreed. “Good luck.”
Maeve hesitated, giving her a long look. “If you end up with your back to the wall, don’t hesitate to use all the weapons you have. You’ll need them against Siobhan.”
Helena went very still, and her warm brown eyes turned grim and cold. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”
“Let’s hope. Farewell, my dears.”
What the hell was that all about? “Thanks for saving my life -- again,” Conal said.
Maeve gave him a fond smile. “It’s not a tithe on what I owe you. You saved my granddaughter from Siobhan’s snakes. That’s not something I’m going to forget.” One hand swirled, and a glowing point appeared, swelling into a dimensional gate. Maeve swept through it, the charms in her hair chiming softly in the presence of the spell.
As the gate vanished, Liam snorted. “Too bad there’s not a damn thing Maeve can actually do to Siobhan.”
Conal winced at a familiar jab of guilt. If only there’d been something he could have done to save the kids thirty years ago without involving Maeve. Unfortunately, there was fuck-all a Changeling could do to a demigoddess. Only Maeve could have kept Siobhan from hurting her ten-year-old daughter. He’d been willing to do whatever it took to save Iona and his sisters. And now the bitch is after the twins again.
“We’ve got to get my sisters to safety. I’m going to need my sword.” Conal headed into the bedroom, Essus riding one shoulder. Helena trailed him, silent as a shadow, alert as a wolf.
He’d aimed for