Duke hesitated. How could he say more without exposing magickind and endangering her further? "You're ... special."
"Oh, please." She rolled her eyes.
"Different," he clarified. "Hopefully, Sabelle's research will uncover the answers we need."
Her brow wrinkled. She had intelligence, this one. She'd figured out quickly that she was genuinely in danger. She had a knack for knowing when he was less than honest.
Duke feared what she'd figure out next.
"You think my birth parents were important in some way?"
Not in the manner she meant, but ... "Until we have the facts, I can't say. But my mission was--is--to keep you safe, no matter what. I know leaving Mason behind to face danger was difficult. But it was necessary. Until we can find some way to throw Mathias off--"
"That's his name, the leader of all those hooded creatures? And his group is the anarchy people."
Duke winced. She'd been listening to his call. He hadn't meant to let any of that slip. But it was late, his nerves were unwinding. Felicia distracted him until he could scarcely think. He must be more careful in the future.
"It's not important."
She wrinkled her nose at him. "That's a lie! Because of this man, my life is in shambles--"
"I'm doing everything I can to stop him. Until then, you must stay close to me.
Bram and the others will help."
"So we won't be ... alone?"
Duke whipped his gaze to Felicia. Anxiety filled her expression.
So, she didn't want to be alone with him. Duke knew why. He'd become very adept at reading the subtlest signs of a woman's interest, and Felicia blared them against her will. He'd bet his last penny she was aware of him as a man.
Duke's gut tightened. Being with Felicia was like getting closer to a shimmering ocean, beautiful, inviting, almost irresistible. But getting entangled with her would be like falling into a drowning pool. As much as his magical senses may decree otherwise, she belonged to Mason, loved him. Felicia would be a part of this war only briefly, and in a limited fashion. If he didn't want to lose his family or keep her in danger, he had to shove his instincts aside.
"Once we reach safety, we won't be alone," he assured.
"Good." She sighed. "Th-that's good."
He gripped the wheel tightly and stared at the shadowed road. "Felicia, I know you're Mason's. I respect that."
Or he was trying to.
"Thank you," she said stiffly. "Who will be with us? The friends you brought to the wedding? This Tynan and Lucan, who's evidently not quite sane?"
Damn she had been listening intently. "Likely."
"Who is Sabelle?"
Did he detect a note of jealousy? The possibility jolted him with an unexpected thrill. He should strive to alienate Felicia romantically. But he couldn't bring himself to do it.
"Ice's ... wife." And he'd already said far too much. The less she knew the safer she'd be. "Get some sleep. We have a long journey."
An hour later, Duke's phone rang. Bram. He answered almost instantly, hoping not to wake Felicia.
"Talk to me."
"I'm glad that fucking nightmare is over. Your mother and Mason are safe. Ronan and Marrok escorted the guests into your library, away from windows overlooking the gardens or chapel so the humans wouldn't see all the magical activity and lose their minds. It was a good plan."
Despite the positive news, Bram's tone told Duke everything had gone to hell.
"But?"
"The Anarki halfheartedly fought us. Very odd. We cut through them in minutes.
I think Mathias brought them merely to distract us. As soon as he could perform magic, he realized the Untouchable had gone. I chased him through the house as he teleported from room to room until he found the guests."
Duke's heart beat in his chest. Mathias with a roomful of humans. He wouldn't bother to show them his magic, just kill them. The possibility sickened him. "And?"
"The good news is, Mathias didn't show his parlor tricks to the humans or use them for target practice. The bad news? Mathias realized quickly that the bride was gone, and guests gave him her name. He knows Felicia is most likely the Untouchable."
The words were like an earthquake in his chest. Everything inside Duke shifted.
Any hope that she could easily return to her life imploded, turning to rubble. He'd known that letting go of his potential mate would be hell, but he'd been prepared to do it for Mason's sake ... and Felicia's. But now that Mathias knew her identity, the game had changed irrevocably.
"Damn it," he cursed in a low voice. "What now? We cannot just wait a few days, then return her to her world with a simple guard. She'd be in constant danger, along with every child she watches at her nursery school and--"
"I know." Bram sighed heavily. "Take her to Ice's. We'll discuss the future there."
"What's there to discuss?" Duke's mind raced. "She can't simply be a human again until we find some way to neutralize the threat to her safety."
Bram paused. "Does that really break your heart, the thought of her in our world, so near you?"
Even now, Duke was doing his best to tamp down his inappropriate thrill at that realization. "She doesn't belong with us. With me. She's not safe."
"She's no longer safe anywhere."
Duke smashed his palm on the steering wheel, then winced as Felicia stirred. "I don't want her in danger."
"You may not have realized this, given your life of privilege, but you don't always get what you want."
"Fuck you," he growled.
"That make you feel better?" Bram challenged.
Dragging in a breath, Duke tried to rein in his temper. Bram was merely the messenger in this situation, and as much as he wanted to tell the wizard off again, it would do little good. Felicia had been inexorably dragged into their world, and he had no idea what to do next.
"I want to talk to that prick who ran off with my bride," Mason shouted in the background. "Right now! He will return Felicia to me or so help me God ... Give me that!"
After a loud fumbling, Mason hissed into the phone, "Simon?"
"Or you'll what?" Duke returned. "Beat me for keeping Felicia out of danger?"
"She's my bride. I should be the one to keep her safe, you horse's ass! But you snatched her from me. Now the tabloids are atwitter about the fact you abducted Felicia from our wedding. She's the subject of the worst innuendos. They captured some very clear pictures of the two of you. I saw how you were looking at her."
Mason paused, clearly hoping Duke would bow, scrape, or otherwise apologize.
He didn't say a word.
"Bring Felicia back," Mason demanded. "I'll protect her. I don't trust you. You've already banged every attractive woman from London to Edinburgh. You even seduced my French tutor, despite my crush on her. Nothing I feel matters one whit to you, and I know you'd think nothing of using this danger to lure Felicia to your bed."
The French tutor? Yes, his thirtieth birthday. His transition from man to wizard.
Duke barely recalled touching the woman. But that weekend, he could have shagged an entire sorority and been unaware of it.
"I'm sorry."
"Too little, too late. You shagged Nicolette and the others for hours and returned them exhausted and dehydrated. I won't let you do the same to Felicia. Or worse."
Duke grimaced. He'd never meant to hurt Mason, but after that fateful weekend, their once close relationship had given way to animosity. Until now, he'd never known why.
Mason went on, "Given the way these people demolished the chapel, I can't deny there's danger. If it's directed at Felicia, I know very important people in the government who can keep her safe. You're not trained--"
"The man who attacked you earlier is looking for her now. Your government friends can't help Felicia at all. I can. I won't release her until she'll be safe."
"That's absurd. I have connections to highly trained individuals at MI6 and--"
"Even MI6 can't fight this. The danger can only be fought by people I know,"
Duke countered. "They understand this madman. I promise, she will be safe with me."
"How? If MI6 can't protect her, how can an aimless playboy like you? You'll do anything to get into a woman's knickers, and this just proves it."
"I have no iniquitous purpose," Duke insisted. "I've duly noted that she is yours and have no plans to seduce her. That is the last you will hear from me on this subject."
No way could he promise he'd never touch Felicia. Of course, he'd try like hell to keep his hands off, but Duke knew he wasn't strong enough to promise it. Half of his thoughts revolved around keeping her safe. The other half fixated on stripping her down to her skin and loving every inch of her.
"You fucking--"
"Would you like to speak to her?" Duke cut through Mason's outburst.
Responding to it would only prolong the argument.
His brother cursed. "You know I would."
Duke hit a button to mute the phone, then turned to the lovely Felicia at his side, sleeping restlessly in her seat. Her honey hair was loosening from its French twist, wisps of golden strands curling at her neck and temples. She looked so soft, so female. And so exhausted. His heart jolted, and he jerked his eyes back to the road, swallowing hard.
"Felicia?"
She didn't stir at all. Nor did she when he called her name again, this time louder.
Bloody hell. He was going to have to touch her.
Duke didn't like the way his hand shook as he reached out and cupped her shoulder. The contact was like a lightning bolt through him. He tugged his hand away, but when she didn't stir, he drew in a shuddering breath, then wrapped his hand around her shoulder again.
Steeling himself against a hot flood of desire, he jostled her. "Felicia?"
She moaned and turned her face his way, lashes fluttering slowly over her blue eyes, now sultry with sleep. As if he needed another slam of arousal coursing through him.
"What?" Her sleepy voice sounded husky and rough, and Duke couldn't help but wonder if that's how she'd sound after a night in his bed.
He cleared his throat. "Mason is on the phone. Would you like to speak to him?"
That news brought Felicia's eyes open wide. She sat up straight, looking startled.
"I fell asleep? Blast it!"
"Mason?" He held out the phone.
"Yes. Please."
Duke held in a curse as he unmuted the phone and handed it to her.
Felicia grabbed it tightly. "Are you all right?"
"Darling, are you?"
In that moment, Duke regretted that he had very good hearing.
"Fine. A bit rattled. Worried about you. I saw the robed men. What did they do?"
"I don't know precisely," he said bitterly. "Simon's odd friends dispensed with them. After the attackers demolished the chapel with their bloody bare hands--which I still can't comprehend--I had my hands full keeping the guests calm and reviving Mother after she fainted."
Felicia gasped. "But she's all right? You and everyone else are well?"
"Quite. It's you I'm worried for. We should be together tonight, husband and wife, making love."
"Mason ..." Felicia flushed and shot a furtive look across the car before her glance skittered away.
No doubt Mason had experienced all the joys of her body, but the notion of his brother in Felicia's bed made Duke homicidal. He gripped the steering wheel to keep himself from ripping the phone out of her hand and kissing her senseless.
"Be careful with Simon, darling. He's very much like Alexei."
Her gaze strayed his way, measuring, before jerking her stare back to the dark road. "Thank you for caring."
"I do. I have for six years, since I saw that bus douse you in the rain."
"And turn me into a drowned rat." She smiled wistfully. "Still, you came to my rescue, as you have so many times."
"I always will. Please, return to me safe and ready to be my wife."
She pressed her lips together, her expression turning pensive. "We'll talk soon."
"If you want, we'll elope next time," Mason rushed to say. "Someplace warm and tropical. I know how you love the heat."
A vision of Felicia in white on a sandy beach with swaying palm trees and love in her eyes gripped Duke by the throat. The vision shattered when she extended her hand to Mason, not him.
Fury boiled. Mason with Felicia, it was wrong. Duke suspected-- knew--that if he kissed her, if he tasted her at all, his instinct would identify her as his mate and he'd be bloody tempted to speak the Call.
But she'd belonged to Mason first. If Felicia had agreed to marry his brother, she must love him. For family harmony and her happiness, he would somehow find the strength to return her to his brother untouched.
Desolation seethed inside him. How many decades--hell, centuries--would he spend alone if he allowed his one true mate to slip through his fingers? Yet how could he live with himself if he stole his brother's fiancee?
Squaring his shoulders and focusing on the winding road, Duke shoved the thought away.