Chapter 12

The opaque barrier Leni erected around her and Bridget disappeared as Danal slew the Unseelie monster, but the invisible barrier erected by the Gray Man lasted long seconds after he died. Leni was shocked by the barricade she had thrown up between them and the monster; using the cuff had been purely a reflex action; she had no time to consciously think about it at all. She was stunned when the Gray Man froze, but her instincts told her the barrier would not have kept him away for long. As she and Bridget stared at the emaciated remains of the dead woman lying on the floor, Leni started to shake with fear.

Danal whirled and embraced both Leni and Bridget with each arm. "You are safe now, my beloved granddaughters. That Unseelie creature is dead. It cannot harm you." he said as he gently stroked their hair and kissed them both on the cheek.

"Grandfather!" Leni cried as she embraced Danal, but Bridget shrugged out of his arm and moved away; her eyes were wide with terror. Her mind could not process what had just happened. An inhuman beast had tried to kill her and Leni. They were saved by another inhuman being who looked just like her brother. Now that being called her "granddaughter;" and Leni called him "grandfather."

"You're not human. You can't be. What are you? Why did Leni call you Grandfather. You can't be our grandfather.. My grandfathers are both dead." she cried confused.

"No, child, my name is Danal, and I am your grandfather. It is true that I am not human; I am Fae. I am of an old and noble house, but I am truly your grandfather. Your grandmother, Catriona, was my wife and my soul mate. Your mother, Diana, is my daughter as was Leni's mother, Sarah"he replied. Bridget could feel herself being drawn to Danal's aura. She could feel herself wanting to believe him.

Gran had always told stories about the Fae, but Bridget was a modern, sophisticated woman, and she was too down to earth to believe in them. She considered herself too intelligent and too much of a realist to believe that Danal was one of those mythical creatures.

"You're lying! I don't believe you." Even as she said the words, the urge to believe Danal grew stronger until she did; then a new thought set her mind reeling. She knew Danal was telling the truth, and a part of her loved him. She could not help herself, but she didn't want to respond to him. She didn't want to love a man who had left her grandmother pregnant and alone. A deep seated fury replaced the fear and horror.

"How could you do it? How could you abandon Gran when she was pregnant? Where have you been? I don't understand; Mother said you died in the war before she and Aunt Sarah were born. Yet here you are, alive and well; where were you? Why haven't we met you before?" she exclaimed shaking her head. Danal reached out to touch her, but she backed away from him even further.

Leni moved and took Bridget's hand. "It's true, Bridget. He is our grandfather. I met him once before on my 15th birthday. I am sorry, but I could not tell you about him. I promised Gran and him both not to say anything. They thought you would be in danger if you knew." The promise seemed so ridiculous and futile now.

Ryodan, Tegan and Sean stood in shock. They had seen and heard everything. When the invisible barrier that was holding them back disappeared, Tegan and Sean moved to Leni and Bridget's side. Ryodan did not move; he stared at Danal, Leni and her cousins in anger and horror. He seemed frozen to the spot, unable to move.

Tegan took Bridget in his arms and held her; she began to cry in deep wracking sobs. He patted her back to comfort her. Leni moved toward Ryodan, but the implacable look on his face stopped her; she moved to Bridget instead, patting her cousin's arm to comfort her as well. Bridget angrily brushed Leni's hands away; her face showed confusion and hurt.

When Sean saw the Gray Man trying to attack his sister and cousin, something feral and wild erupted inside him. He knew that thing had to die, and he wanted to kill it. His heart swelled with pride when he watched Leni use her cuff to erect a barrier between them and the Gray Man. He had never seen anything like what Leni had done; it was as if she knew the purpose of that strange bracelet on her arm. It was as if she had used it before to defend herself, but he too was filled with dread when he realized that the barrier would not hold long, and there was nothing that they could do about it.

When Danal appeared, a primitive sense of recognition of his own kind surfaced deep inside Sean. He understood there was a profound connection between him and the being that looked so much like him, but he didn't grasp exactly what it was. When Danal stated he was their grandfather, at first, fury at the big Fae male overwhelmed the gratitude Sean felt when Danal saved Bridget and Leni. With his face showing his own great confusion and anger, he said, "Bridget is right; you can't be our grandfather. If you were, you could not have left Gran, Mom and Aunt Sarah alone like that. They needed you; how could you do that?"

"I am your grandfather, Sean. You must believe me; but there are things that you and Bridget don't understand. I hated to do it, but I had to leave Catriona; it would have been dangerous for her and my unborn daughters if I stayed. Ir was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. There are many Seelie Fae like myself who have human spouses and children, and they all had to hide them and leave them too."

"After I met your grandmother, something happened. You see, the Seelie never accepted the Unseelie as true Fae; they were the Unseelie King's creations. They were not beautiful like Seelie, they were hideous and ugly. Unseelie considered Faery as their rightful home, but most Seelie did not want them, so thousands of years ago there was a great war between Seelie and Unseelie. Many on both sides were killed, but Seelie eventually triumphed. While the war raged, the Fae queen built a prison of ice and stone to hold any surviving Unseelie. They were hunted down by her warriors and imprisoned in that godforsaken place. Their prison is a dark, cold, empty place; there is no warmth, no food, no light, no comfort of any kind, only loneliness, pain and starvation. For thousands of years, Unseelie have been abandoned in their prison and left to rot. They are immortal like us, and some have gone mad, but others have grown to know only hatred for those who imprisoned and abandoned them"

"Right after your grandmother became pregnant, for some reason, the walls between Faery and Earth started to weaken, and the walls to the Unseelie prison weakened even more. We do not know for sure why this has happened, but we suspect some powerful dark magic is at work. Some say it is the work of the Sinsar Dubh. At any rate, Unseelie began to escape their prison, only a few at first, but now, they escape by the thousands. Some have gone to Earth, others to Faery. Once free, these abominations live only to fill the deep emptiness inside them; they want to feed, and they want revenge. Many humans here, and many Seelie on Faery, have been killed by these monsters; they hold nothing sacred not even other Fae blood."

"Our queen, Aiobheal, was convinced that the Unseelie King was responsible since he created the Sinsar Dubh. She began a great hunt for him and the Unseelie monsters he created, but I and others do not believe that. Prince V-Lane, her lover, has convinced the queen that human/Fae children have long consorted with the Unseelie King and his creatures. He has convinced her that they are plotting together to overthrow her and hand her throne over to the king. Aiobheal is a powerful being, but when it comes to V-Lane, she has always had a blind spot. With him, she has been weak and a fool. She believes every word he tells her."

"He is playing the dutiful lover now to convince her to marry him and crown him King of the Fae. He knows she loves him above all others, and she is convinced that he loves her, but many Fae like myself know that is not true. We hate V-Lane for what he has done to humans in his Great Hunts. During these hunts, he has destroyed many of our sidhe seer mates and children over the millennia. We know that if V-Lane is declared king, he will eventually kill the queen and take power for himself. He is playing a very dangerous game."

"As I said, V-Lane does not love the queen; but he has convinced her that he does. He is looking for the book of magic, the Sinsar Dubh. The queen knows this. V-Lane has told her that he wants to find it for her so that she can use it to restore the walls of the Unseelie prison. That is surely true, but that is not his only motive; he is searching for the Sinsar Dubh because he believes the magic book will help him in his quest for power. Many Fae know this, but of course V-Lane must keep his true motives hidden. He must keep his real desires from the queen, so he deliberately misdirects Aiobheal's attention. He is using our human mates and children as scapegoats to that end."

"He has convinced Aiobheal that, even if they did not support the Unseelie King, human/Fae children are inferior and an insult to all Fae. He claims they pollute our bloodline and our magic. They have sent Fae warriors to hunt for our human wives, husbands and children to kill them, even though killing humans would break the covenant between humans and Fae. I had to hide Catriona and my daughters in a place where they would not think to look for them. I had to leave so I would not lead Aiobheal and V-Lane and the others to them. Fae are mighty trackers, and I could not take that chance."

Danal stepped up and embraced Sean. Sean stiffened for a moment, then he relaxed and embraced Danal back; they stood staring at each other. The two men who looked so much alike, they could be twins, stared deeply into each other's eyes. Slowly, a strong love filled Sean's heart for his grandfather. He knew Danal was telling the truth; and he knew his grandfather loved him.

Ryodan stated at Danal, Sean, Bridget, and then at Leni and back again. Anyone could see how much Sean looked like the hated Fae prince standing next to Leni. Everything made sense to Ryodan now. Understanding grew and blossomed in his mind like an unwanted weed and tortured him, making him feel unclean.

As he stood there, memories of Zayida filled his mind. He could see her laughing as they ran through a meadow with the wind blowing her dark hair around her face. He could see the look on her face as they made love. He could see the joy she felt when she told him she was carrying their son. She was a Druid princess, and she was full of magic. She knew from the moment she conceived, she was carrying a boy.

Fresh horror and grief filled him as he remembered the night, he saw Zayida's broken body, tortured at the hands of the Fae. Zayida had been raped, beaten and tortured; they had not cared that she was eight months pregnant. Unlike most human woman, she was conscious through it all as she was forced to know the indignity of becoming pri-yah and then made to suffer unspeakable pain at the hands of the Unseelie King.

Ryodan remembered the sadness in Zayida's eyes as she looked into his that night. He could see her life force fading before him, but she did not care about herself; she cared about him. She was grieved to know that he would never hold their precious son in his arms. Her grief was palpable; it was a living thing, and it was unforgettable. As he stood in Marty's Pub, Ryodan's heart and mind were overcome once more with the excruciating pain and unbearable loss he felt that night.

As he looked at Danal and Leni, he felt unclean; he was crazed by a strong sense of shame and guilt. How could he, a Draghar warrior, have fallen in love with a woman who had the blood of those Fae monsters in her veins? Why didn't he instantly know what she was? He had touched and loved her body; he had let her touch him. In doing so, he had betrayed Zayida, and his unborn son.

White hot anger ravaged him; then a fury as cold as his anger had been hot consumed him. He felt he had been tricked and betrayed now by Leni. When she reached out her hands to him, he roughly he brushed them away angrily and growled. "Don't touch me!.

His eyes conveyed only hate and rage. Hostility oozed from every pore in his body. Leni was at a loss for words; she had no idea why Ryodan was looking at her as if she were some loathsome creature.. "What is it, Ryodan? Tell me," she cried and reached out her hand to him again.

Ryodan actually slapped her hand away this time. He hissed in revulsion at her., "I said don't touch me! Don't you ever touch me again! You are an abomination, woman; you disgust me," he ground out.

"What?" Leni said; she was stunned by the vehemence of his words. She could feel the barely controlled violence in him.

"That Fae creature is your grandfather? You carry Fae blood in your veins? You knew this, and you didn't tell me? Fae killed my wife and my son; you are anathema to me. You bitch; you tricked me! I don't know how you did it, but somehow you must have glamoured me. I could kill you for that." he snarled at her. His voice rang with hate and a revulsion so deep, Leni couldn't bear to look at him. Ryodan cursed her loud enough for all the others, except Uncle Marty, to hear; they stood transfixed by what was happening.

Leni stood barely a foot away from Ryodan when she heard his words. Her eyes opened wide in pain and humiliation. She had no idea what he was talking about, and she was shocked at the vehemence and hatred in his voice. She felt like her heart was being torn out of her chest; her body seemed to constrict and grow cold; then she felt a white hot fury rising in her heart. She reached out and slapped Ryodan so hard across the face, her hand stung from the force of the blow.

"You bastard! I tricked you; I glamoured you? Get over yourself, Ryodan. It was you who pursued me, not the other way around. I was stupid for ever trusting you. I wouldn't let you touch me now if it meant the difference between life and death!" She said the words slowly, clearly, enunciating every syllable. Her voice was low, deadly, calm and colder than the arctic. At that moment, she felt ashamed and incredibly stupid for loving him. Her rage crystallized into a growing thrum of abhorrence for her weakness for the man who stood before her.

Leni's words seem to push Ryodan over the edge; he was irrational; he wanted to strike out and hurt someone, anyone. He wanted someone to feel the pain that he was feeling right now. He blindly reached out, his face a grimace of pain and grief. He wanted to make Leni eat her words. He stepped toward her, but she held her head up daring him to touch her. The gold cuff on her arm shrilled out a warning to Ryodan, but he was too far gone to hear it.

Danal and Sean both moved toward Ryodan at the same time, putting themselves between Leni and him. "Stay away from my granddaughter, you Draghar bastard, or you will die!" Danal hissed; his face was feral and frightening to behold. Sean shoved his cousin behind him echoing the same words. The look on the young man's face was almost as primitive as his grandfather's; the Fae blood in him was boiling and it was ready to kill.

"Leni is under my protection; if anything happens to her or my other grandchildren you will die, Draghar." Danal raged.

"Do you think you can kill me, fairy? Why don't you try?" Ryodan responded and stepped toward Danal. Like two ancient warriors of old, the two huge men were ready to kill each other. They squared off. Weapons suddenly appeared out of nowhere in their hands.

Both men seemed to grow bigger. Their faces and bodies glowed with powerful, inhuman, electric auras. Danal's was golden and light; Ryodan's was darker, but just as strong. The air around them was filled with the odor of their killing rage. The two men seemed to go into a trance; they saw only each other. It would be a fight to the death, and they both knew it.

Leni knew it too, and her head suddenly cleared. At that moment, she hated Ryodan more than she ever thought possible; she wanted him to feel as much pain as he caused her. Even so, she loved him and did not want him to die. She loved Danal, and she could not bear to see her grandfather die either. She moved around Sean and stepped between the two combatants and yelled, "Stop! Both of you. Tegan, please help me. Don't let them fight. They will kill each other," she cried out.

Tegan stepped in between the two huge males, using his Draghar magic, he pushed them apart. Danal and Ryodan shook their heads as if snapping out of the trance. Both of them stepped back. Leni ran to Danal's side and embraced him. She glared furiously at Ryodan. He glared back.

Shocked beyond words, Bridget looked up at Tegan. He had told her early in their relationship that he was not human, that he was Draghar. As she listened to Ryodan excoriate Leni, she could not help but wonder if Tegan felt the same way toward her. She'd seen the look of hatred and disgust in Ryodan's eyes and was afraid. She need not have worried.

Seeing the look on her face, Tegan instinctively slipped inside her mind; he knew what she was thinking. He moved to her again, cupped her chin and tipped it up. He kissed her softly on the lips. "I have always known there was something different about you, Bridget. I knew for sure you were Fae the moment I saw Sean. I knew Danal, and Sean looks so much like him, it was impossible for you not to be related. It does not matter to me in the least. I love you; I always will." he assured her quietly.

Ryodan reared back in surprise and shock. "You knew she carried Fae blood in her veins, and still you took her to your bed. How could you do that? They are all Fae abominations. The Fae are responsible for the death of my wife and my son, and for the deaths of so many others." he said to Tegan in disgust.

Danal shouted loudly, "No. That was not Seelie Fae; that was one of your own, Draghar! It was the Unseelie King, and his creations. The Seelie never touched your women or your families, but Seelie like myself also lost our wives and loved ones to that monster. He killed our human woman and children shortly after he killed yours, including my wife. She was a cousin to your Zayida; she was my first soul mate; did you not know that? I and the others have hunted the king for two thousand years, and we are still hunting him now. We will find him and kill him for what he has done!" Danal raged as he moved again toward Ryodan, but Tegan was there first with his huge fist raised and drawn back ready to strike Ryodan.

"Don't ever say that about my woman again, Ryodan. She is not responsible for what happened, and neither is Leni nor Sean. She is not responsible for what the Unseelie King did. Friend or not; Draghar or not; I will kill you. I don't care that Bridget is part Fae. She is my soul mate, and I love her. I would kill for her. I would die for her." Tegan growled fiercely at Ryodan. Now it was Ryodan and Tegan, who squared off ready to fight. Leni and Bridget begged them both to stop, and eventually they both stepped back.

Bridget was not to be appeased by Tegan and Danal's defense of her. She was still astonished, hurt and angry at the news she had just learned. She turned to Danal and asked, "If you are our grandfather, why haven't Sean and I met you before? Why have you shown yourself to Leni, and not Sean and me. My mother said you were dead. My grandmother said you were dead. I still don't understand any of this."

"I was there the night you were born Bridget, as I was with your mother and aunt Sarah. I was there when Leni and Sean were born too. I have visited your grandmother as often as I could, but I could never stay long. At those times, your mother and aunt could never see me. Catriona said they did not inherit her sidhe seer gift; they could not see through the Fae glamour. Cat told me later that Leni was a sidhe seer, and that was only before her fifteenth birthday. I did not know until tonight that you were a sidhe seer also, Bridget. Sometimes the gift comes late, so perhaps I should have known, but I did not," he said sadly.

"Is that why you didn't you show yourself to me?" Sean asked.

"Males cannot be sidhe seers, but I knew that eventually you would be able to see me, Sean. You have powerful Fae magic in you, boy; even though it hasn't shown itself to you yet. I once planned to train you how to use that power, but only after you became aware of it. I could not show myself to you before you were ready. I would have only endangered you beyond your understanding. There are too many Fae here in Ireland. Most of my kind are like V-Lane; they want nothing more than your death. There are also others like that Unseelie abomination and the Draghar, who would kill you too. I could not take that chance, Sean. I am sorry, my grandson, but I am so happy to have met both you and Bridget tonight, and I am happy to see Leni once again."

Bridget insisted; she was burning with jealousy and hurt that Leni had the chance to meet their grandfather and not her or Sean, "But you showed yourself to Leni. Why her, and not I. It was you who gave her the bracelet she wears, wasn't it?"

Danal's voice was full of anguish as he tried to explain. "Yes, I gave her the cuff. It carries a powerful Fae protection spell. Your grandmother told me that Leni saw the Fae in Dublin when she was last here. I felt she needed extra protection, so I gave her the cuff. There is something else; I knew from the moment you were born that you were this Draghar male's soul mate." He pointed to Tegan.

"While I would not have chosen a Draghar for you, Bridget, I know he is your destiny. His magic is different and stronger than mine. I have always known he could protect you better than I ever could, granddaughter."

He continued, "Tegan, the walls of the Unseelie prison are weakening; I and other Seelie Fae are hunting these monsters to kill them before they do their damage. I was on the trail of the one that appeared here tonight. I know you love my granddaughter. You are her soul mate, and for that I know you to be a good man. Will you take Leni and Sean under your protection, too? Now that this Draghar knows what they are, will you keep them safe from the others of your kind? I know now that I will not be able to train Sean as I hoped. Will you teach him what he needs to know? Will you teach him how to use his magic wisely? His Fae magic will be more powerful than any Druid magic. He must be taught how to use it properly."

Tegan nodded silently.

Turning to Ryodan he said scornfully, "Tegan is a good man, but you I do not know. You have professed disgust and loathing for Leni, but you are a fool because you know in your heart what she really is to you. You fight it, but you know."

"There is a battle for the very existence of this world on the horizon, and yet you do not seem to be aware of it. Instead, you waste your time wishing to reverse time, wishing to bring back your wife and son who are both long dead. Zayida was a good woman, but she was not your soul mate. Leni is. It is true that you suffered a terrible loss, but that must be forgotten now if this world is to survive."

"I know that all three of my grandchildren have Fae magic. They can help you in this battle if you let them, especially Sean. I and other Seelie nobles will fight along side you too, but only if you leave my grandchildren alone. If you harm any of them, I will find a way to destroy you." Danal fiercely said.

"Fae lies, all of it. I do not believe a word that you have uttered. You are trying to trick me, but I won't let that happen." Ryodan declared.

Danal flickered, "The Fae have my scent. I must be gone. Goodbye, my beloved grandchildren." his voice echoed and faded as he disappeared. The five of them stood staring at the spot where he stood.

Bridget truly believed now that Danal was their grandfather, but fact that Leni had known about him and kept this information from her hurt in a way she could not grasp. She loved Leni; they had always been closer than most sisters, but she felt that Leni had lied and betrayed her trust all these years. The secret Leni kept from them was so enormous that Bridget didn't know if she could ever forgive her cousin. Anger throbbed hotly in her veins; she suddenly felt dizzy and weak. Her knees buckled, but Tegan held her tight.

"All these years, you knew. You knew, and you kept it from Sean and me. All these years you lied to us. I will never forgive you for this. Go home, Leni. I don't want a liar at my wedding. I will never forget this, ever!." Bridget's face twisted in fury.

Sean spoke up, "Bridget, no! Please don't say that. I don't like the fact that Leni kept this secret from us, but I understand. Please don't send Leni away; we can work this out." he put his arms around his smaller cousin.

"No. I won't have that liar at my wedding; I just won't have her; I don't think I can ever look at her again." Bridget was in tears now too; she was shaking. Tegan took her in his arms and held her tightly. He could feel the pain and betrayal she felt.

With Ryodan and Bridget, the two of the people she loved most in this world, looking at her with such obvious disgust, hatred and betrayal, Leni was undone, but she held her head high. Tears threatened to come, but she refused to cry.

Tegan looked at her with pity in his eyes. He felt sorry for the small blonde, but his pregnant soul mate, Bridget, had to be his concern now. He stroked her back to calm the deep sobs that wracked her slim body. He nodded gently at Leni; his eyes conveyed a world of sympathy and worry.

Leni nodded back; she could see the delicate emotional state her cousin was in, and she was afraid for the baby she carried. She did not want to make things any worse. She knew what she had to do. "No, Sean; it's better if I go home now. I will catch a plane back to the States tomorrow. May I use your motorcycle to get to the gatehouse? I will leave it there. You can pick it up tomorrow." she said.

"I'll be glad give you a ride, Leni, but please don't go. I can talk Bridget out of this; I know I can." Sean said as he stepped toward her.

"Not this time, Sean; she's too hurt and upset; I don't want to hurt the baby. I know she will eventually forgive me, but it will take time. Please stay; Bridget needs you with her now. I'll be okay; I'll call you in a few days. I promise."

Sean gave her the key. Leni put her jacket on and walked toward the front door. Finally, silent tears came. She felt cold and dead inside. She never felt more lost and alone in her life.

Ryodan watched Leni as she walked out. He could see how vulnerable, and alone she felt, but he didn't care. He could easily sense her heartache and pain; but his heart was hardened against her. His heart was too filled with his own grief, anger and pain. He hated her Fae blood, and he never wanted to see Leni Hammond again.

On Sunday, two days later, Tegan and Bridget were wed in the elaborate ceremony they had planned. They exchanged the Druid marriage vows that bound their souls together for eternity. The words were said in both Gaelic and English. Uncle Marty closed his pub for the reception; the place was packed.

Bridget made an excuse for Leni's absence. She explained to her parents and family that Leni's fiance, Philip, had been seriously hurt in an accident in New Jersey, and that she had no choice to go to him. Since her parents had not known that Leni and Philip broke up more than two months before, the excuse was plausible. Sean kept silent on the subject.

Ryodan attended the ceremony, but he was quiet and left before the others. After leaving the reception, he went home and shifted to his beast form. Slipping through a portal they had created to another world, the beast within him raged for days. He went on a killing spree, slaughtering and eating his fill.

When he returned through the portal, the grief, the hate and the rage was gone, in its place was a cold, dead feeling. He felt lost and alone without Leni. No matter how hard he tried, he could not stop wanting her; he could not keep her out of his mind.