Into the Fire (The Unseelie Court Book 4) by Gwen Rivers (free ebooks romance novels .TXT) 📗

in waves, covering her face. “You don’t know, Aiden. You don’t know what they did to me in that place. They killed Astrid!” Pain rips at her voice.

The wolf bares his teeth. It wants the taste of this woman’s blood.

No. Aiden’s will is stronger than the wolf’s. He has a mate to protect and a child on the way. He will not let the wolf out.

Sucking in a deep breath he says, “We’re not going to let her go. We’re going to take her with us.”

“Take her with us,” Nic repeats a second before her eyes roll back in her head. Abruptly the flames die out and she falls to the ground.

“Take me where?” Agent Hanson tries to pry his grip from her throat. He grunts as her elbow digs into his solar plexus but doesn’t let go.

His eyes are on his mate.

“You wanted to see where the magic happens? Be careful what you wish for, mortal.” Angrboda steps forward, weapon aimed at the band of mortal soldiers. “You just, might get it.”

With the threat contained, Aiden rushes to Nic’s side. Her eyes dart behind closed lids.

Trusting Liam and the other wolves to watch the feds, Aiden carries Nic into the house through the hole in the wall. He puts her down on the couch. Chloe is brought in by Angrboda who then returns for Laufey. The other woman trails behind him as though in a daze.

“You must be Aiden.” The mortal’s smile is shaky, but after just witnessing what happed in her back yard, he couldn’t blame her. “I’m Sophie, Nic’s mother.”

Any other time, that announcement would have shocked him. But he is too focused on his mate.

“What’s the matter with her?” Sophie puts a hand to Nic’s forehead.

“Magic overload,” Angrboda’s voice is harsh as she settles his grandmother on the rug beside the Fate who had once tried to kill her.

“She’s an immortal queen,” Aiden says.

But the giantess shakes her head. “She’s not a fire wielder by nature. All of that magic came from the child.”

“Can you help her?” Aiden asks.

“I’ll do my best.” The giantess begins chanting under her breath.

Sophie pulls him to the side. “Will she be okay?”

“She’s strong.” His gaze is focused on his mate, willing his own strength into her to help her heal. “Thank you for keeping her safe. For making sure they are all safe.”

She smiles, but her expression is worried. “The FBI?”

“We’ll take care of them, Ma’am.” This from Liam who stands poised in the doorway. “A word, Aiden?”

“Not now.” The growl escapes before Aiden thinks better of it. The wolves have been a tremendous help, he needs to muster some gratitude. But his mate is in his sight and she is pregnant with their child. Nothing can force him from her side.

Instead of leaving though, Liam enters through the damaged siding. “Some of the pack are feeling a little…nervous about the feds. We don’t like the idea of killing mortals, regardless.”

“We’re not going to kill them,” Aiden says, his attention still fixed on Nic. She looks so small and delicate, not the being of immense power he’d witnessed earlier. She reminded him of his father, eyes wild, flames spurting to the sky to illustrate her wrath.

“Taking them to Underhill will be killing them,” this from Laufey, who is struggling upright.

He kneels by her side. “What are you doing here?”

She stares at him, her expression bleak. “Had to come. Underhill has Fern. The dead are everywhere.”

Aiden pulls in a deep breath. He knows how much his grandmother loves Fern. The same way he loves Nic.

“How is she?” This from Harmony who appears by his side.

Nic’s mother does a doubletake as she spots his sister’s purple face. Her lips compress, but then her eyes return to where Angrboda is standing to her full height.

“It’s done,” Angrboda sighs as though exhausted. “She’s sleeping now. I’d suggest moving her to a proper bed and letting her wake up on her own.”

“I’ll show you where she’s been staying,” Sophie puts a hand on his bare arm. Later, he will probably regret introducing himself to Nic’s mother while naked, but at the moment he can’t be bothered to give a damn.

In one fluid movement, Aiden scoops Nic into his arms and carries her up the pokey staircase to the room on the top floor. It’s cramped but clean and smells of her. He sets Nic down on the candlewick bedspread.

“She knew you’d come for her,” Sophie says.

He turns to face her, Nic’s mother. “I’m her mate.”

She tilts her head to the side. “Do you know what they did to her in that place?”

He swallows and shakes his head. “If I could have taken her place there, I would have.”

She lets out a slow breath. “I guess that answers my question of whether or not you’ll protect her.”

“I live and die for her.”

“Don’t leave her again. I’ll bring you some of my husband’s clothes.” The mortal says and leaves them alone.

Aiden kneels down beside the bed. So long. He’d waited so long just to be near her again. To be free to love her.

“I’m sorry.” He holds her hand brings it up until he can rub his face against it. “I wish I had known about Gretchen, about Fenrir. I should have stayed close to you.”

Her breaths are even, her posture relaxed. She doesn’t move, not even when his hot tears splash her knuckles.

“I’ve missed you more than you will ever know,” he breathes and then, tentatively slides his hand to her midsection.

A shock goes through him as he feels the life inside her. Winter apples and crackling embers. The One True Queen of the Unseelie Court.

His daughter.

“Hi,” he whispers to the life there. “It’s your dad.”

“Gods, that sounds weird,” a soft voice murmurs.

His head jerks up to find her ice-blue eyes fixed on him. “Nic?”

Her hand strokes his hair. “You really are here.”

“I really am.” Grasping her hand, he pulls it to his cheek so that he can nuzzle her.

Her lip trembles and she shifts as