“No’ at all. They’re good people despite having primeval gods inside them. They’ve fought for their freedom against droughs.”
Darcy dropped the robe and lifted the bright pink long-sleeved shirt to find panties and a bra. She hurriedly put them on, and then tugged on the jeans and shirt. When she turned around, Warrick’s gaze was heated, the desire blatant.
“It’s a good thing they’re expecting you downstairs,” he said in a thick voice. “Otherwise, I’d throw you on the bed and have my way with you.”
Chills raced down her spine at the image his words created. Despite the past few hours, she found herself grinning up at him. “Don’t tease.”
“That’s a promise.”
Darcy reached for him at the same time Warrick closed the distance and brought her against him. She melted against him as they kissed. His arms held her tight while he plundered her mouth.
All too soon, he pulled back and looked down at her. “We can no’ tarry. They’ll come looking for us.”
It wasn’t until Darcy was in the hallway that she remembered she hadn’t looked at her hair. She felt around for the frizz and groaned.
“It looks great,” Warrick said with a lopsided grin.
“I bet it does,” was her sarcastic reply. There was nothing she could do about it now.
She was nervous about meeting the Druids, but it wasn’t until she stepped off the final stair that her heart began to pound in her chest.
Voices were coming from a room off to her right. Warrick led the way, only stopping once they reached the parlor.
“It’ll be fine,” he leaned down and whispered.
After the welcome Darcy had received from those at Dreagan, she wasn’t so sure.
All at once, every eye in the room turned to her. Darcy imagined this was how an insect felt beneath the lens of a microscope.
It sucked.
“Thank you for whisking me out of Edinburgh,” Darcy said. “I’m not sure I told any of you that.”
A woman with golden blond hair and smoky blue eyes who stood beside Fallon smiled and said, “It’s quite all right. That’s as close to the Dark as we’ve gotten.”
Darcy nodded at Fallon. They had shared exactly twelve words after he’d told her his name and that he was getting her out of Edinburgh. She had simply replied, “Okay.” What else was she to say to him?
“This is my wife, Larena,” Fallon said as he glanced down at her. “And the only female Warrior.”
Larena beamed up at him.
Darcy looked over to Warrick, but he was staring at another Warrior with very long dark hair and blue-gray eyes.
“Phelan,” Warrick said.
The man nodded. “Warrick.”
“I expected all of you to be here,” Warrick said to the room.
A man who looked similar to Fallon with sea green eyes and long black hair as well as a torc around his neck said, “We thought it might be too much for Darcy after all she’s been through.”
“Lucan’s right,” Fallon said. “We can be a bit overwhelming when we’re all together. We kept it to just us six. For now. The others are anxious to meet Darcy.”
Darcy hadn’t had time to count when they all appeared on the rooftop, but it hadn’t been a small group. She was glad they weren’t all there.
“Perhaps introductions would be good,” said a woman with chestnut hair beside Lucan. “I’m Cara, Lucan’s wife. You’ve already meet Fallon and Larena. The other two are Phelan and Aisley.”
Darcy said hello to each of them. It wasn’t until she looked at Aisley that Darcy shifted under the intense fawn-colored stare.
“Are you really from Skye?” Aisley asked.
Darcy wondered why that mattered. “I am.”
“Who’s in charge there?”
“Corann. As always.”
Aisley and Phelan glanced at each other. Then Aisley asked, “Why did you leave Skye? I would think a Druid would never want to leave.”
“You wouldn’t think that if you were from there.”
“Actually, she is,” Phelan said.
Aisley put a hand on his arm. “I wasn’t raised there, Darcy. My parents were from Skye.”
Another Skye Druid. No wonder Aisley was so interested in her. “Have you returned to Skye?” Darcy asked.
“A short trip,” Aisley said evasively. “Will you go back?”
Darcy looked down to see her bare toes. “One day, perhaps.”
“What of your family?” Phelan asked.
Apparently they had done some checking on her. So much for privacy. “I talk to them every week.”
“What keeps you—” Phelan began.
But Aisley cut him off. “It’s none of our business.”
“It is if she’s helping Ulrik.”
Darcy felt everyone’s stare. She was tired of everyone condemning her. She nodded stonily, looking at each of them. “Thank you again for helping. There’s nothing else to say.”
She turned on her heel and started to walk away when Aisley called her name.
Aisley came to stand beside her and touched her arm. “Druids need to stick together. You might need us one day.”