Page 84 of Dark Embrace

Tabby glanced up at him, her eyes widening. “We don’t chose love. Fate chooses it for us.”

His mouth softened. “A man must make his own Fate,” he said, so softly Brie strained to hear. “An’ I chose ye the first moment we met.”

Tabby smiled at him and looked at Brie. “He started seducing me about two seconds after rescuing me.”

“And ye dinna mind verra much,” he said.

Tabby laughed. “This is Guy Macleod, my husband.” She spoke with quiet pride. “He, of course, thinks he chose me without any unearthly guidance.”

Brie wiped a tear, moved by their obvious affection. “Tabby? Don’t flip, please. He’s really stuck…in a wolf’s body.”

Tabby looked at Brie, clearly not understanding. Then she glanced up at Guy Macleod, and Brie was certain a silent communication was sizzling up the airwaves. “Aidan, the Wolf of Awe?” she cried in dismay. “You have fallen in love with a half deamhan? He has taken pleasure in death. He lusts for power. Every lover he has ever had can testify to it. And worst of all, he has allowed innocent children to die!”

“Tabby, he was forced from the light. I am bringing him back, I swear it! And he isn’t evil. He has saved me repeatedly. Please help us,” Brie cried, seizing her hands.

“Innocent women and children died at Elgin!” Tabby argued. “Worse, he massacred the inhabitants of his own village at Awe!”

“He was trying to save his son.” Malcolm stepped forward.

Brie turned. Too late, she realized the clearing had become silent, and every single Master was listening to them.

Worse, the Wolf stood outside the tent, listening as well.

Tabby shook her head and helplessly began to cry. “No one can come back from that.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

BRIE STARED AT THE WOLF. “Please,” she said to Tabby, glancing at her again.

Tabby nodded, clearly distraught. Brie hurried toward the Wolf. Understanding her, he slipped into the tent, and Brie followed him inside. It felt like a relief to have escaped all those curious and hostile gazes. Tabby entered, but before Guy could follow, she blocked the entrance. “Darling, please wait outside.”

A look of sheer mutiny crossed his dark, handsome face. “I beg yer pardon, Tabitha, but when hell freezes over.” Guy Macleod stepped past his wife, staring coldly at the Wolf. “I willna leave ye alone with either the beast or the deamhan.”

Brie’s heart sank even further. She’d assumed she would find more allies in Tabby and her husband, but she had been wrong. No one trusted the Wolf—and she didn’t exactly blame them. But no one trusted Aidan, either, except for her and possibly Allie and Malcolm. Everyone kept saying he was feared and despised, and now she had seen that firsthand. Finally she believed it.

They needed help from every possible quarter. She had no confidence that the Masters would rally to his side. However, it was their duty to the gods to vanquish Moray, whether that helped Aidan or not.

Tabby murmured, “He’s caught in a powerful binding spell.”

Brie started. “Can you release him?”

“I think so,” Tabby said. She looked at Guy.

He slipped from the tent. Brie was confused, but Tabby said, “Just wait a moment. I need the Book.”

Brie gaped. “You have our Book? The Book of Roses?”

“I had to take it with me,” Tabby said. “You know that the Rose with the most magic is always the one to keep and guard the Book.”

Brie worried about Sam now. “How long will Sam be alone in New York without either one of us?”

“I don’t know,” Tabby said with a grimace. “It’s not a good idea to bounce around the future. The Code says that one must never encounter oneself in another time.”

Brie decided not to ask what the Code was. Guy stepped back inside, handing Tabby the massive, worn volume. Over two thousand pages long, it contained spells, magic, myths, legends and the kind of Wisdom a Rose would need in order to save others. Some of the folklore was older than the Bible.

Tabby sat on one of the rugs, cross-legged, glancing at the Wolf. “Come sit with me,” she said.

He obeyed.