Hart and Hunter

Chapter 15

Ch. 15: Dane

With his tale at an end and his injuries treated, Halloran insists he's fit to drive himself home. So, after dropping Julian at the cottage, I take him back to where we'd left his car.

When I pull to the curb behind his vehicle, he makes no move to get out and remains in his seat. I'm about to ask if he wants me to take him home, after all, when he speaks.

"Thank you for giving me the chance to explain myself," he says. "I'm not sure I'd have had the patience in your place."

"Why's that?" I ask, my voice rough after the long silence. "Because I'm a Wolf?"

He gives me an apologetic smile. "Yes, partly; but more so because your mate is Fae."

"And?"

Halloran doesn't answer immediately and turns back to the window. I take the opportunity to study him in detail, having hardly recognized him in the tunnel. The man I'd met at Lagrange's funeral had been plain as a brown paper bag, while the man beside me is as beautiful as Julian, in his own way.

"I didn't know my sister's son had a child," he murmurs. "No one did — until you came to the Council for help last year. Julian has been the subject of much debate since that time.

"In what way?" I ask, my misgivings stirring to life once more.

"He represents a rare and powerful bloodline, and he carries the legacy of the leannan sidhe. Having come of age here, in this world, he's also uniquely suited to continue that bloodline and legacy. Some among the Court are eager for him to return home."

"This is his home."

Halloran nods. "I prefer this world myself, to be honest. I like the grit and grime of it. Feels more real, somehow. But Faerie calls to the Fae heart, they say, and even I hear and heed it, time to time."

"If you got a point, make it," I snap.

Unfazed, Halloran gives me a crooked smile. "It's just that you ought to know others may take an interest in Julian's fate, before long. He's spoken for, aye," he continues, seeing the protest on my face. "That's clear enough from where I stand. But you must know that plenty among both your people and mine would be loath to recognize a union such as yours, and would sooner offer poison than blessings."

I lift my brows at him. "Are you telling me not to trust the Fae?"

"Well," he winks, "it is good advice, after all."

Mindful of his shoulder, he gets out, shuts the door, and leans through the open window.

"I'll be in touch. I'm afraid we've bungled the tunnels — if there was anything useful down there, Rhiannon will have moved or destroyed it by now — but I'd still like a closer look at the portal. That's not going anywhere. Perhaps tomorrow, after we've all had a good rest, we can meet up again. Invite your Shifter friend if you like, and I'm sure Julian will have more questions for me as well."

"I'm sure," I murmur as he pats the roof and walks away. I watch him for a moment, then shake my head, pull onto the street, and head for home. He doesn't have to warn me against the lure of the Fae.

The first one I'd ever met stole my heart the instant I laid eyes on him.

***

I find Julian resting on the couch when I return home, a pillow and an ice pack beneath his wrist. I try not to disturb him as I hang up my jacket and keys, but he stirs and sits up, blinking blearily as I come over to check on him.

"Hey, beautiful," I say, brushing stray strands of silky brown hair away from his face. "Where's Ingrid at?"

"Chloe and Grace's," he says. "She brought her cello over to practice. And don't 'hey beautiful,' me," he adds, pretending to frown. "It's gonna take more than a little sweet-talk to make up for this."