They were leaving for England the next afternoon.
Unfortunately, Echo knew only one reason William would stop in Barcelona first.
“The coven there owes him a debt,” Echo had informed her companions.
Fionn had squeezed the bridge of his nose. “Please tell me you’re not referring to the Catalan Abella Coven.”
“Hate to disappoint, but the very one.”
Catalonia’s most powerful coven also happened to be one of theworld’smost powerful covens. They made the Blackwoods look like children playing with spells. Thankfully, they usually kept to themselves. Not thankfully, many years ago William had done some kindness for them that had incurred a great debt. He wouldn’t tell Echo the details, but she knew her adoptive father had held on to the debt, saying he’d cash it in when he needed itmost. Curious, Echo had done some research into what kind of magic might tempt a vampire.
“They can make him faster, stronger, and damn near impossible to kill.”
“He knows.” Kiyo bit out a curse. “He’s aware we’ve assembled. He’s also aware you know about Margaret. And he knows you know that’s who he’d target. William isrelyingon us attacking him. We should change the plan.”
“No.” Fionn disagreed. “They’ll cast the spell whenever he needs it most, so it doesn’t matter when we do this. The spell might make him stronger, but it can’t win against a fae … when she or he unleashes pure daylight.”
Echo sensed Elijah’s confusion. She couldn’t help this time because she was pretty baffled by that sentence too.
Thea gave Fionn a rueful look before turning to Echo and Elijah. “When I thought Eirik was killing Conall, this power, these rays of pure sunlight, burst out of me and killed Eirik. All of the vamps.”
Echo gaped in wonder. “That’s how you did it? William thought the fight must have gone on so long they were caught off guard and killed by the rising sun.”
“Nope. Me. And …” Her gaze darted to Niamh.
The Irish fae nodded. “I did it too when Kiyo was in trouble.”
Fionn looked at Elijah. “If you were motivated enough, I think you’re the best bet for taking William out. Now that Echo is a Daywalker, it’s no longer a risk to do it in her presence.”
Elijah had stared stonily back at the large fae male. Echo sensed his concern, his fear. He didn’t know if he could do it. He’d spent so long keeping his powers secret that he wasn’t sure what he was capable of. His gaze flicked to hers. She knew he wanted to protect her no matter what. Her chest ached.
“So, this whole plan rests on me?”
“No,” Niamh assured him. “Rose and I will do our best to tap into that well of power too.”
Once they’d tightened up the plan’s details, Thea and Conall directed them all to their rooms. For safety, they thought it best that they all didn’t stay under one roof.
The werewolves guided them to a small collection of cabins that sat on the loch not far from Conall and Thea’s home.
As soon as she and Elijah were alone, Echo tore off her sweater without preamble.
Elijah’s eyes turned that arousing preternatural gold as he sensed her need. “You … don’t want to sleep?”
“We’ll sleep when we’redeaddead.” Echo unbuttoned her jeans. “Tomorrow we leave and we might not come back. I don’t want to talk about our plan or about our mating. I just want to feel alive while I can. That all right with you?”
Fierce desire tautened his features. “Tonight we’ll fuck, love. But know there is a serious conversation waiting in our future.”
“I know,” she whispered, heart hammering as she unclipped her bra. “But I need this from you first.”
A mere blink of her eyes later, Echo found herself flat on her back on the bed, limbs splayed, and Elijah naked between her thighs.
She gaped down at him as he stared at her sex with raw hunger. “You’re so fast, I don’t even see you move.”
He smirked at her, his golden eyes making her inner muscles squeeze with need. “Now I’m going to take my precious time, love.”
As he stared into Echo’s eyes, eyes she knew were silver to his gold, his thumbs met in the middle over the lace of her underwear. She gasped as he pressed down. Her hips arched off the bed as he rubbed the fabric against her throbbing clit. The act itself matched with the way Elijah stared at her … No male had ever looked at Echo like that. Like she was the only femalein the world and he was desperate for her. She experienced a squeeze of arousal deep in her lower belly, and her stomach shook with it.
Elijah’s eyes dropped, catching the movement. “I smell how much you want me.” His voice was gravelly. “It’s driving me mad. I want to touch and lick and suck every inch of you.” He closed his eyes, his teeth gritted. “It’s taking everything within me to remain patient.”
