Nick shut the door. “Pretty much.”
She shook her head, and her hair tumbled out of its knot. “Do you really think that was smart?”
“Yes.”
Her breath heated enough to burn her lungs. “Did you mate me because of the trial?” A hollow feeling emptied her stomach. “To win, I mean? To make the claim that the demon nation would avenge me?”
His gaze softened. “I mated you because I’ve loved you from the first time I set eyes on you. A century ago.”
She blinked and drew up short. “Wh-what?”
He gestured, palms up. “Many soldiers who’ve fought in wars, who’ve killed like I have, wonder if they have a heart. I’ve never wondered.”
“Why not?” she whispered.
“Because you’re in it and always have been.” He reached her in three long strides. “My heart is yours and always will be. Everything I’ve done in this life from the good to the truly terrible has been to make the world a better place for you and any children we may have.” His hand flattened over her abdomen. “Everything I am or will ever be belongs solely to you.”
Tears filled her eyes. “Nicholai.”
His chin lifted. “No woman has ever been loved more than you are right now, Simone. It’s impossible. I promise you.”
Geez. When he brought out the good words, he did so with a vengeance. “I—”
“Let me finish.” He kissed her forehead. “I’m difficult, I’m sure. Possessive, protective, and downright bossy.”
“You’re not that bad.” She reached up and ran her palm across the stubble on his chin.
“Good, because I’m not going to change.”
She paused. “Huh.”
“You stay safe, period. Whatever I have to do to ensure your safety, I’ll do it.” He leaned in, his face an inch above hers. “Fight me all you want, but I don’t recommend it.”
Fire cracked on her hand, and he jerked his face away from the burn.
“There’s more where that came from,” she said, keeping his gaze. “We’ll protect this baby together, and I love you, too. Always have and always will.”
He smiled then, his face taking on a stark, masculine beauty. “We’re going to have some fun through this life.”
Aye, if they didn’t kill each other.
He kissed her, going deep, using gentleness in a way that stole her breath. Before she knew it, she was undressed and on the bed. He stood over her, so large and powerful, and definitely hers. He removed his clothing, piece by piece, and her mouth was watering by the time he stretched over her, all hard male.
She ran her fingers through his thick hair and traced his eyebrows, nose, and mouth. “I hope she looks like you.”
“He.” Nick leaned down and nibbled on her mouth. “The first one has to be a boy, just to help me with the next one, which will probably be a girl.”
“Maybe you’ll need help with the boy,” she whispered against his lips.
He grinned, his mouth tickling hers. “I have no doubt your children, boys and girls, will be absolute hellions.”
God, she hoped so.
He kissed down her neck and across her collarbone to her breasts, licking and sucking until she was a writhing mass of need beneath him. Nick’s tenderness brought on a slow burn that was no less intense than the heated desire they’d shared in the conference room. But somehow, the sweetness went right beyond her body to her heart.
When he slowly slid inside her, it truly felt like she was home. Finally.
He moved out and then back in, setting up a rhythm he matched with his teeth and tongue on her breasts and up her neck as he kissed her deeply. The first orgasm rolled through her, taking her worry. The second caught her unaware, and she sighed his name. The third sparked her on fire, and she held on so hard she burned his shoulder.
They made love again near dawn, laughing and loving like they had the first time, so many years ago. Finally, the sun came up.
Together, they showered and then got dressed. For her sentencing, Simone wore a crimson red skirt with flowing top and her hair up. She slipped her hand into Nick’s as the guards arrived to lead them through the labyrinth of tunnels to the Chambers. At least eight guards stood at attention around the inside perimeter of the room.
Simone and Nick sat, their fingers entwined, and waited until Peter, Sal, and Nessa took their seats, no expression on their faces.
Colman had dressed in a pin-striped gray suit for the occasion and looked like he needed a vacation.
Peter reached for the gavel.
Simone and Nick stood.
Peter cleared his throat. “We looked at all the facts and the law in addition to the evidence. We took into account all matters, and by a vote of two to one, we hereby find Simone Brightston guilty of treason and murder . . . and thus sentence her to death.”
The gavel crashed down.
Chapter 33
Simone’s knees gave out, and she fell onto her chair. Her mouth dropped open, and an odd buzzing sound echoed throughout her head.
“Guards, please take Simone to a cell to await punishment,” Peter said.
Nessa stood and vehemently shook her head. “I again object to this sentence.”
“So noted,” Peter said. “It is being posted to our top officials right now, and death will be carried out within the hour.” His gavel crashed again.
Simone coughed and looked up at Nick. Fury darkened his face, yet he hadn’t moved an inch.
She hadn’t thought, not once, that she could die. At least eight guards stood armed and ready to take her down if she fought them, and one hour wasn’t long enough to plan anything. Taking a deep breath, she slowly stood to face the Council. “I request an appeal.”
“Denied.” No give showed on Peter’s face.
Simone gave him a look and turned, stretching up on her toes to whisper into Nick’s ear. “The cells aren’t as secure as this room. Five minutes after I’m in, I have a team coming in through a weak spot. I’ll meet you in Seattle in exactly one week.” From day one of the investigation, she’d set the plan in motion just in case, although she never thought she’d need to use it. She pressed a kiss to his cheek and dropped back down.
He looked down at her. “I really wish you’d shared that information with me earlier.”
She blinked. “I know. You’ve been worried. Sorry,” she whispered.
He winced. “That’s not why.”
“Oh?” She frowned.
The side wall, the one without the veil, blew completely open. Smoke and debris rained across the chamber.
“That’s why,” Nick muttered, pivoting to put Simone behind him.
She coughed out dust and tried to peer through the haze to the opening. Zane Kyllwood marched inside, fully armed, a powerful squad of demon soldiers behind him.
Peter stood and pounded his gavel. “This is unthinkable,” he yelled.
Zane cocked a large gun of a type Simone had never seen before. “Simone Brightston is a member of the demon nation, and she will come with us now.”
Simone looked up at Nick.
He lifted a shoulder, eyeing the Irish guards who now had guns trained on Zane and his men. “I called Zane,” Nick said unnecessarily.
“No shit,” Simone said. “Everyone please take a moment,” she called out. If there was a way to reduce bloodshed, she had to do it. “We can work this out.”
A rumble echoed on the side of the veil. Slowly, Simone turned. The world seemed to hold its breath.
The cloaked door crashed open, and Kellach Dunne, Daire Dunne, Moira Dunne-Kayrs, and then Connlan Kayrs marched inside, guns out, battle gear covering them boots to hats.
“Oh God,” Simone whispered. A rock fell from the ceiling, and she jumped out of the way as it smashed into the table.
Peter’s face turned a motley red. “Why are three of our four Enforcers and a vampire holding guns in this chamber?” he bellowed.
Daire stepped forward, his green eyes sizzling and th
reat all but pouring off of him. “By the order of the Enforcers of the Coven Nine, we disagree with this travesty and will protect Simone Brightston with our last breath. She will come with us now.”
The Coven Guards swung their weapons, half facing Zane and his crew, and the other half facing the Enforcers.
Peter lifted his head. “You cannot do this. I’m ordering you to take her into custody and defend the Nine from the demons, who have just declared war.”
“No.” Moira stepped up, her red hair curling wildly around her shoulders.
Peter’s lip twisted.
Sal stood next to him.
“Everyone stand down,” Nessa said. “Let’s talk.”
“No.” Peter stood even taller. “Last chance. Enforcers, do your job.”
Kellach shook his head. “This is wrong, and you all know it. Simone, come here. We have an escape route prepared.”
Peter banged the gavel. “You’ve given me no choice. By executive order, Kellach, Daire, and Moira Dunne, you are hereby removed from the Coven Nine and your positions as Enforcers.” His gavel rapped furiously on the stone table, even as smaller rocks fell from the ceiling. “We consider Connlan Kayrs’s presence a declaration of war by the vampire nation if not the entire Realm.”
Simone gasped. “Wait a minute—” She tried to stem the disaster. One woman wasn’t worth an all-out war. Her plan had been so much neater—she really should’ve shared it with everyone. But she truly hadn’t thought she’d need the plan. “Let’s take a moment before anybody gets hurt.” The guards settled their stances, preparing to attack.
The earth shook.
“What the hell?” Nick looked around and leaped to Simone’s side.
Peter glanced up, his jaw working. “In addition, only Council members have the codes to get weapons through the veil. An investigation will instantly be launched into Vivienne Northcutt, Brenna Dunne-Kayrs, and Brigit Dunne to see who relinquished the codes. Until that is concluded, they are also relieved of duty.”
Simone’s mouth dropped open, and temper finally exploded within her. “You bastard.” So Peter’s political agenda was finally out in the open. He’d just cleared the Council of pretty much everybody.
He smiled, his canines glinting.
The ceiling shimmered.
Earthquake? No way.
The world rocked, and explosives ripped through the ceiling, dropping rocks. A second later, a squad of five men jumped from above and down into the chamber between Simone and the Council.
She frowned, trying to see through the debris. “Bear?”
Her brother turned, relief sliding across his rugged features. “You’re not dead.”
“Not yet,” she said slowly, looking at the man to his left. “Flynn.”
Her other brother smiled. “Hi.”
The men behind them were armed and more than prepared for battle, based on the sheer number of weapons they carried. They’d gone through layers and layers of floors and rock to reach the chamber, and it was damn impressive they’d made it. Even with disaster surrounding her, Simone’s heart warmed.
Bear turned to face the Council. “Hi, assholes. We’re here on behalf of the dragon and the shifter nations . . . let our sister go or you’re not gonna see another sunrise.”
Nick’s entire body vibrated, no doubt from the myriad of threats in every direction. “It appears you have a lot of family and friends, little bunny.”
She stilled and looked around. Three different groups had infiltrated the mystical chambers in order to free her. Her entire body settled, and she placed a protective hand over her belly. Her little one would be well loved and protected in this life. “How can we get out of here without anybody being harmed?”
Nick slowly shook his head. “Peter won’t back down.”
Neither could the guards. Running footsteps came from every direction. “More guards are coming,” she hissed.
Zane Kyllwood cleared his throat. “What’s it going to be here?”
“Attack,” Peter bellowed.
Nick instantly moved, grabbing Simone and running full-bore toward Zane.
She screamed and clutched his chest. “Put me down.”
The firefight erupted behind them with a snap of gunfire. Bullets whizzed by them.
Nick took a gun from Zane, leaped behind the demons, and kept going.
“Nick, we can fight.” Simone ducked as shards of rock continued to fall from the ceiling.
“Not with the baby,” Nick yelled back, zigzagging through another tunnel, which had been marked with fluorescent green paint. “Thank God Zane remembered the paint,” he muttered.
Nausea rose up Simone’s throat from all the running and jostling. She gasped in dusty air, trying to calm her stomach. Her head swam. Morning sickness sucked.
Nick took a sharp left, and the world spun. She coughed.
“You okay?” he asked, his speed increasing.
“I may throw up.” She settled her face into his neck, smelling salt, wild forest, and man. Every inch of her wanted to go back and fight, but Nick was right. The baby had to be protected at all costs. “We need to work on our communication skills,” she muttered against his skin.
“I should’ve told you, but I didn’t want you to worry.” Nick ran down a narrow tunnel, his boots splashing water up to her legs. “Sorry.”
She swallowed several times, her eyelids remaining closed. The air became lighter. Lifting her head, she gasped at the gaping hole in the exterior wall of the building, leading to a nearly empty parking area. “The demons weren’t messing around.”
“No.” Nick ran through the opening to a drizzly Irish day, where a quiet street led away from the green rolling hills. A car waiting by the curb exploded, and fire flashed out. “Shit. That was our transport.” Guards shouted and came around the far corner. At least six of them. “Hell.” He dropped Simone to her feet and turned, gun already firing.
A car careened around the corner, fishtailing and then flipping around. The passenger side door opened. “Get in,” Vivienne Northcutt ordered from the driver’s seat, her knuckles white on the steering wheel.
Simone gaped. “Mother?”
“Now, Simone. More guards are on the way.” Vivienne shoved a gun onto the dash. Dressed in pressed jeans and a flannel shirt, she couldn’t look less like the ruler of the witch nation. “Now. Get in.”
Two guards plowed into Nick, knocking him back inside the building. He half-rose, throwing punches. “Go, Simone. Protect the baby.” A guard took him down to be immediately put into a headlock. Nick kicked the other guard in the face, and blood sprayed. Zane came into view and tackled two more of the guards.
“Now, Simone,” Vivienne ordered.
Dizziness swamped Simone. She couldn’t fight when she needed to throw up. Nick and Zane could handle themselves, and she had a baby to protect.
“Go, now!” Nick bellowed, punching through a guard’s neck.
Simone leaped into the car, grabbed the gun, and shut the door. “Go, Mom.”
Vivienne punched the gas, and the small compact leaped forward and onto the street. She dovetailed and swung around, increasing the speed until buildings flew by outside. “You all right?”
Simone tried to breathe evenly, her hand on her stomach. “Yes. Just a little nauseated.”
Viv nodded. “I was sick for nine whole months with you.”
“You know about the babe?” Simone asked.
“Yes. Your testimony and Nicholai’s closing went live to the witch nation yesterday.” Viv’s pale lips trembled. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” Simone frowned and studied her mother. “You should be in bed.”
Viv’s lips twitched. “I couldn’t exactly stay in bed when my only daughter was facing a death sentence, now, could I?”
“No.” But Viv had just sacrificed her position on the Council. “What have you done? The Council is everything to you.”
Viv turned, her dark eyes soft. “No. It’s a job,
and one I was good at. You’re everything to me. Don’t make the mistakes I did and let ambition warm you at night. You can have love as well as power.” She turned back to the street ahead of them. “I’m going ta be a grandmother.” She chuckled.
“I love you, too.” Simone kept watch out the window in case she needed to shoot, when all she wanted to do was lay back her head and calm her stomach. “But you’ve just committed treason.” God, how could she help her mother?
“Eh. It’s only treason if they catch you and prove it.” Viv turned onto a narrow road heading into the hills. “I have enough political clout and blackmail materials on everybody on the Council that I should be all right. Of course, I fully intend to retake my position on the Nine as soon as we get this mess with you straightened out.”
There was the mother she knew and loved. “Thank goodness.” Although Viv would make an excellent grandmother, the idea of her hanging around and directing everything added to Simone’s nausea. “We will figure this all out.”
“Of course we will.” Viv cleared her throat. “Do you, ah, ever wish I had been more maternal? You know? With all the mushy stuff?”
Simone laughed. “No. I always felt loved and like I was a priority. And you gave me a lot to aspire to, seeing how hard you worked and how successful you are.” She bit her lip. “But you did try to cook many times, remember?”
Viv winced. “I never quite got it right.”
No. She was a terrible cook. “You’ll make an excellent grandmother.” It was true.
“Yes. Yes, I shall.” Viv slowed down to cross a narrow bridge.
“Did you, ah, give the codes to the veil to the Enforcers?”
“Nope, and if I did, I would not tell you and make you an accomplice after the fact.” She drove the car over several warped pieces of wood, causing them both to jump in their seats. “So don’t ask again.”