Rath yelped in surprise when the car, with him still in it, jumped location to land in a space on the curb. A glance at where he'd been in traffic showed a phantom of his car easing forward and making a turn into an alley and then fading away. Dàn was downright scary at times.
Dàn had swept the little girl up out of the path of traffic and carried her back to the sidewalk.
Rath threw the car into park and shut off the engine before rushing to Dàn's side. "Is she hurt?"
"No." Dàn cradled the girl in his arms, awkwardly patting her back. She clung to him and cried quietly. Despite not having much contact with children, Dàn was doing fairly well to comfort the child.
Rath held out his hands in an offer to take her, but Dàn shook his head and cuddled the girl closer to his chest. With a shrug, Rath asked, "Where did she come from? What are we going to do with her?"
"Mommy," the little girl said into Dàn's shirt with a loud sniffle."
"Her mother is in the alley." Dàn shifted her weight slightly. You should go see to the mother. She is in some need. That's what sent this little angel flying for help.
Rath nodded and reached out to brush a hand over the child's dark hair. Give me a few minutes to settle the problem before you bring her back. There was no reason for the child to be put in any more danger.
Of course. Dàn leaned against their parked car and began whispering into the little girl's curls.
Rath strode into the alley, wondering what he would find and wishing Dàn had given him more information. But then, that was very like Dàn. The confidence that he could handle whatever he found was a blessing of a sort. Dàn rarely let anyone walk into something they couldn't handle.
The hair on the back of his neck bristled when he saw the pale man shake then slap the woman he held. She was young and delicate, fragile even. Her petite beauty twisted Rath's animal instincts into a knot. The abusive prick should die for even daring to touch her, let alone causing her pain. Rath's instincts rode him with desire to tear the man apart. She was one to protect and to cherish, never abuse.
A growl slipped free as he approached the couple, but before either could react, Rath grabbed the man by the shoulder and spun him away from his victim.
"What? Let me go!" the man cried out as Rath crushed his shoulder in a fierce grip.
"Perhaps I will, after you apologize to this lady for your ungentlemanly actions." Rath moved his hand to the back of the man's neck and dragged him before the woman. "Now."
"I--I..." The man tried to pull free, but only succeeded in losing his balance and dropping to his knees before the woman. "Jeez, Destiny, call off your thug!"
Rath cuffed the side of his head.
The man cringed away from him. "I'm sorry. Okay? Now let me go."
"Good enough. Now leave." It wasn't enough, but Rath wanted the guy gone. The woman was shaking so bad she might be in shock or hurt worse than she appeared. As it was, her lovely features were flushed with a red palm print where the jackass had struck her.
The man had called her Destiny. Was that her name? In his mind he heard the voice of the Oracle from so long ago. This child will find his destiny as the sword of Fate. That was part of why he stayed at Dàn's side. In Gaelic, Dàn's name meant fate. Rath had always known he was meant to protect Dàn even when he was too young to appreciate the duty. But was this woman his Destiny?
The man staggered off with a departing glare, leaving Rath alone with the woman. She stepped back from him and looked about to bolt. "Please don't be afraid. I only wanted to stop him from hurting you."
"Thank you." She looked around the alley, probably for the child.
"Your daughter ran in front of my car--"
"Oh, God! Angel!" She frantically jumped and would have run after her daughter if he hadn't caught her slender frame in his arms.
Rath's heart slammed into overdrive. "She's safe. See, here she comes now." His body caught fire when her fingers dug into his bare arm. But what undid him entirely was her fear, which shot over and through him, bringing his body to life in response, ready to protect her at all costs.
Her voice shook while her gaze took in the sight of Dàn carrying the child toward them. "Who has her? Who are you?" She pushed free of his arms only to wrap her own tightly around her shivering frame.
"This is Dàn, and I'm Rath." He held out his hand, waiting for her to supply her name, praying it would be Destiny. But instead of reaching for him, she reached for her daughter. Only when she hugged the child in her arms did the panic fade from her eyes.
"Mommy, Dàn saved me. And he said his friend would save you. Did he?"
She rained kisses over the girl's face. "Yes, dear, he did. Did you remember to thank Dàn?"
"I did, Mommy. Did you thank your hero?"
"I ... guess I forgot to." She shifted her gaze back to Rath. Her teary eyes melted something deep inside him. "Thank you for stopping Frank. I can never repay you both."
"I would be happy with an introduction."
"Goodness. I'm so sorry. I'm Destiny Powers, and this is my daughter, Angel." She shifted her daughter's weight and held out a hand to Rath.
He slid his palm against hers. "Rath au Julf." He offered her his full Gaelic name, which offered honor to his ancestors, even though she wouldn't understand the significance.
)
