Duke hesitated. How could he say more without exposing magickind and endangering her further? "You're ... special."
"Oh, please." She rolled her eyes.
"Different," he clarified. "Hopefully, Sabelle's research will uncover the answers we need."
Her brow wrinkled. She had intelligence, this one. She'd figured out quickly that she was genuinely in danger. She had a knack for knowing when he was less than honest.
Duke feared what she'd figure out next.
"You think my birth parents were important in some way?"
Not in the manner she meant, but ... "Until we have the facts, I can't say. But my mission was--is--to keep you safe, no matter what. I know leaving Mason behind to face danger was difficult. But it was necessary. Until we can find some way to throw Mathias off--"
"That's his name, the leader of all those hooded creatures? And his group is the anarchy people."
Duke winced. She'd been listening to his call. He hadn't meant to let any of that slip. But it was late, his nerves were unwinding. Felicia distracted him until he could scarcely think. He must be more careful in the future.
"It's not important."
She wrinkled her nose at him. "That's a lie! Because of this man, my life is in shambles--"
"I'm doing everything I can to stop him. Until then, you must stay close to me.
Bram and the others will help."
"So we won't be ... alone?"
Duke whipped his gaze to Felicia. Anxiety filled her expression.
So, she didn't want to be alone with him. Duke knew why. He'd become very adept at reading the subtlest signs of a woman's interest, and Felicia blared them against her will. He'd bet his last penny she was aware of him as a man.
Duke's gut tightened. Being with Felicia was like getting closer to a shimmering ocean, beautiful, inviting, almost irresistible. But getting entangled with her would be like falling into a drowning pool. As much as his magical senses may decree otherwise, she belonged to Mason, loved him. Felicia would be a part of this war only briefly, and in a limited fashion. If he didn't want to lose his family or keep her in danger, he had to shove his instincts aside.
"Once we reach safety, we won't be alone," he assured.
"Good." She sighed. "Th-that's good."
He gripped the wheel tightly and stared at the shadowed road. "Felicia, I know you're Mason's. I respect that."
Or he was trying to.
"Thank you," she said stiffly. "Who will be with us? The friends you brought to the wedding? This Tynan and Lucan, who's evidently not quite sane?"
Damn she had been listening intently. "Likely."
"Who is Sabelle?"
Did he detect a note of jealousy? The possibility jolted him with an unexpected thrill. He should strive to alienate Felicia romantically. But he couldn't bring himself to do it.
"Ice's ... wife." And he'd already said far too much. The less she knew the safer she'd be. "Get some sleep. We have a long journey."
An hour later, Duke's phone rang. Bram. He answered almost instantly, hoping not to wake Felicia.
"Talk to me."
"I'm glad that fucking nightmare is over. Your mother and Mason are safe. Ronan and Marrok escorted the guests into your library, away from windows overlooking the gardens or chapel so the humans wouldn't see all the magical activity and lose their minds. It was a good plan."
Despite the positive news, Bram's tone told Duke everything had gone to hell.
"But?"
"The Anarki halfheartedly fought us. Very odd. We cut through them in minutes.
I think Mathias brought them merely to distract us. As soon as he could perform magic, he realized the Untouchable had gone. I chased him through the house as he teleported from room to room until he found the guests."
Duke's heart beat in his chest. Mathias with a roomful of humans. He wouldn't bother to show them his magic, just kill them. The possibility sickened him. "And?"
"The good news is, Mathias didn't show his parlor tricks to the humans or use them for target practice. The bad news? Mathias realized quickly that the bride was gone, and guests gave him her name. He knows Felicia is most likely the Untouchable."
The words were like an earthquake in his chest. Everything inside Duke shifted.
Any hope that she could easily return to her life imploded, turning to rubble. He'd known that letting go of his potential mate would be hell, but he'd been prepared to do it for Mason's sake ... and Felicia's. But now that Mathias knew her identity, the game had changed irrevocably.
"Damn it," he cursed in a low voice. "What now? We cannot just wait a few days, then return her to her world with a simple guard. She'd be in constant danger, along with every child she watches at her nursery school and--"
"I know." Bram sighed heavily. "Take her to Ice's. We'll discuss the future there."
"What's there to discuss?" Duke's mind raced. "She can't simply be a human again until we find some way to neutralize the threat to her safety."
Bram paused. "Does that really break your heart, the thought of her in our world, so near you?"
Even now, Duke was doing his best to tamp down his inappropriate thrill at that realization. "She doesn't belong with us. With me. She's not safe."
"She's no longer safe anywhere."
Duke smashed his palm on the steering wheel, then winced as Felicia stirred. "I don't want her in danger."
"You may not have realized this, given your life of privilege, but you don't always get what you want."
"Fuck you," he growled.
"That make you feel better?" Bram challenged.
Dragging in a breath, Duke tried to rein in his temper. Bram was merely the messenger in this situation, and as much as he wanted to tell the wizard off again, it would do little good. Felicia had been inexorably dragged into their world, and he had no idea what to do next.
"I want to talk to that prick who ran off with my bride," Mason shouted in the background. "Right now! He will return Felicia to me or so help me God ... Give me that!"
After a loud fumbling, Mason hissed into the phone, "Simon?"
"Or you'll what?" Duke returned. "Beat me for keeping Felicia out of danger?"
"She's my bride. I should be the one to keep her safe, you horse's ass! But you snatched her from me. Now the tabloids are atwitter about the fact you abducted Felicia from our wedding. She's the subject of the worst innuendos. They captured some very clear pictures of the two of you. I saw how you were looking at her."