Saved by Darkness

by Katie Reus

  Saved by Darkness

  Darkness Series

  Katie Reus

  He thought he lost her decades ago.

  Half-demon, half-dragon shifter Ian McCabe is hellbent on getting back the only woman he’s ever loved. When Fiona O’Riley kicked him out of her life decades ago, he thought she was gone for good. Now that she’s back, nothing will stop him from claiming her. But she wants nothing to do with him—or his family.

  She’ll do anything to save him.

  Fiona knows that Ian is the only male for her. The only way to keep him alive is to stay away from him. But when tragedy strikes and they discover a wicked agenda for the mass murder of humans, they must work together to take down the enemies that threaten everyone. But there’s so much more on the line. As their undeniable desire intensifies, they’re faced with an unbearable choice. If Fiona and Ian succumb to their temptation, mating could be the last thing they ever do.

  Saved by Darkness

  Copyright © 2017 Katie Reus

  Cover Art by Sweet ‘N Spicy Designs

  Editing: Julia Ganis

  Digital Formatting by Author E.M.S.

  * * *

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the author.

  Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book. This purchase allows you one legal copy for your own personal reading enjoyment on your personal computer or device. You do not have the right to resell, distribute, print or transfer this book, in whole or in part, to anyone, in any format, via methods either currently known or yet to be invented, or upload this book to a file sharing program. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.

  ISBN: 9781635560039

  Table of Contents

  SAVED BY DARKNESS

  About the Book

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Thank You for Reading!

  Excerpt from DARKNESS AWAKENED

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Complete Booklist

  Dedication

  For my husband.

  Chapter 1

  52 years ago

  Ian instinctively scanned the attendees as well as the exits as he and his friend Mason stepped into the huge hotel courtyard.

  “Why are we even here?” Mason asked Ian, tugging at the collar of his tuxedo shirt. Mason LaCour was a New Orleans native, unlike Ian, and had a Cajun accent that got thicker when he was annoyed.

  Ian lifted a shoulder. He hadn’t been in the city long, just a couple weeks. “We were asked.” And when the vampire running the supernatural fights Ian participated in asked for something, Ian wasn’t going to say no unless the request was offensive. Coming to a glitzy party wasn’t his idea of fun, but there had been no reason to decline.

  Mason grumbled, but snagged two glasses of champagne off the tray of a passing waitress. The hotel had been around since the late eighteen hundreds and the courtyard was just as lush as the interior. Star-shaped oil lanterns hung from trees in addition to the string of lights crisscrossing above them. Ian’s dragon frowned at the lights, annoyed that they would tangle in his wings if he needed to make an escape.

  But he could just burn them to ash if necessary.

  All the women had big hair that seemed to define the style for this decade, smoky eyes and, to his appreciation, all their glittery dresses were ultra-short. He’d seen a lot of changes in style over the last few decades and this was by far his favorite. A jazz band played in one corner, the music upbeat, while some people danced on a small wooden dance floor. The majority of the all-supernatural partygoers were in clusters, talking, laughing, smoking and drinking.

  Instead of offering Ian the other glass, Mason downed both of them, one after the other, making Ian snort. “Try and act somewhat civilized.”

  Ian didn’t fit in with these rich people either, but he knew how to act as if he did.

  Mason set the glasses down on a nearby table. “Easy for you to say.”

  Ian frowned, not sure what his friend meant, and decided not respond. Ian was part demon and part dragon. He didn’t even know any other dragons, but they had to be out there. His mother had once told him that dragons formed clans—though he’d never been part of one. She’d been tight-lipped about that part of his heritage and he’d never pushed. Hell, she’d been quiet about all of his heritage, though he knew her mating with his sperm donor had been forced.

  And if he ever found the full-blooded demon male, he’d kill him for it. All he had was a name. It wasn’t much, but it was something. One day that male was going to feel Ian’s wrath.

  Shaking off those dark thoughts, he picked up a drink from another passing waiter, mainly to blend in better.

  “Let’s head to the bar,” Mason muttered, veering off in that direction before Ian could respond.

  There were three bars, but his pseudo-friend was heading to the nearest one—a wood and glass rolling cart filled with bottles of liquor. Sidestepping a female who he was certain was a vampire given her flash of fangs, he fell in step with Mason. Before they’d gone far, Bruneau, the vampire who’d asked them both here tonight, appeared from seemingly out of nowhere.

  Or more likely he’d just dropped from one of the many live oak trees in the courtyard. The male could be creepy when he wanted to. And that seemed to be often.

  “Mason, leave us.” Bruneau flicked his wrist once, dismissing Mason—who didn’t grumble, simply did as he was ordered.

  Ian’s dragon and demon both rankled at the tone from the other male but that was something he’d learned to keep under control over the years. For the most part, he knew he was the strongest male in any room. Or damn near close to it.

  He’d had to be strong from the time he was a child. As a mixed breed whose mother had been alone in the world, he’d made it clear to any supernatural—or human—predators that if they tried to mess with his family, they would die. The first time he’d killed someone while protecting his mother, he’d been eight. It had been an accident.

  The first time he’d killed with intent, he’d been ten. And he felt no guilt over it.

  As if the vampire had read Ian’s mind, he said, “If I’d ordered you to leave like that, you’d have taken my head off.”

  Ian softly snorted. Not true. He didn’t care enough and he wasn’t psychotic enough to attack someone for something like that. But most supernaturals in New Orleans who attended the fights seemed to think he was an animal. His nickname in the fighting ring was “Beast.”

  Not that he’d ever shown his other form—either of them—to anyone here tonight. Certainly not in
the ring. But he fought like an animal.

  “Or maybe not,” the male murmured, his greenish-gray eyes intense as he stared at Ian. As if he wanted to see through to Ian’s soul. “I’m surprised you came tonight.”

  He nodded. “Thank you for the invitation.”

  The male just stared for a long moment in that creepy way of his. Ian held his gaze, unable to stop himself. It was the Alpha dragon in him. Waves of strength rolled off the vampire, but Ian’s dragon sneered at the male, arrogant in his own power, even though he’d be no match for Ian’s. He wondered if Bruneau realized it.

  Bruneau finally cleared his throat, glancing away as a female headed their way. Another vampire. Her approach gave the vampire the excuse needed to break eye contact. Petite with dark hair, ebony skin and a skintight gold, sparkly dress, the female gave Ian a wide smile. Instead of introducing them, Bruneau simply whispered in the female’s ear, telling her politely to go away.

  Ian didn’t audibly sigh in relief, but he was grateful Bruneau didn’t try to push another female at him. He liked females. But every supernatural being he’d met so far through Bruneau just wanted to “fuck the Beast.” He rolled his shoulders at the thought. He wouldn’t let anyone use him.

  “One day I will find a female to your liking.”

  “Or you could just find me a worthy opponent.” He was tired of winning all the fights he engaged in, ready to move on from New Orleans. The scents could be overwhelming during the day, especially the garbage warming under the sun in the Quarter. But he’d learned that he could live with just about anything, and managed to tune out some things. He hadn’t been here long, and while he liked the atmosphere of the city, it was time to leave. Lately all his opponents hadn’t been remotely strong enough to be in the ring with him. He didn’t like pummeling the weak. He wanted a challenge. So he’d been holding back as not to completely maim or kill his newest opponents. And Bruneau knew it.

  “I believe I’ve found one.” Bruneau jerked his chin behind Ian, his eyes glittering with excitement.

  Half-turning, Ian felt his heart stop in his chest as he locked gazes with a striking female. Her vivid blue eyes reminded him of the ocean. Tall, though still a head shorter than him, the woman had dark hair looped over one breast in a long braid. Her ivory skin seemed to glow against the bright pink of her fringe dress. And her legs went on for miles.

  At a growling sound, his gaze snapped to her male companion—who Ian hadn’t noticed until now. The male also had dark hair and blue eyes—and looked as if he wanted to kill Ian. For a moment he wondered if they were siblings.

  He fully turned to face the couple.

  Bruneau stepped forward so that he was in between Ian and the newcomers. “Ian, this is Colm O’Riley. He’s in the city for a few weeks on business—and is also undefeated. He’d like to fight you.”

  At the moment, Ian didn’t care about the male’s name or fighting. He wanted an introduction to the female next to Colm. Ignoring the two males, he held out a hand to the female. “I’m Ian.”

  The other male growled again, but Ian ignored that as well.

  The female blinked in surprise and something that looked a lot like amusement quirked her full lips up as she held out a hand. “Ah, I’m Fiona.”

  The scent of her was wild, like the ocean itself. He wondered if the taste of her would be as wild, exotic.

  Before he could take her hand, touch her, Colm stepped forward, shoving Fiona behind him. Ian growled low in his throat, letting the leash on his most primal side slip a fraction. That was when he realized everything had gone quiet, even the music. There was a nervous energy in the air and everyone was staring at them.

  “You don’t look at her, don’t touch her.” The male’s voice was low, a deadly razor’s edge to it.

  Ian’s dragon reared up and he barely managed to keep him contained. His back and arms rippled under the force of holding his beast in check. He’d never experienced this lack of control before, but her scent and closeness was making him edgy. He wasn’t sure why, wasn’t sure he liked it. He’d analyze it later. “Name the place and we fight,” he growled.

  Next to them, Bruneau cleared his throat. “Is three hours soon enough?”

  Ian nodded once and so did the male, though neither of them backed down. It was taking all of his strength not to attack the newcomer, to rip his head from his body for standing between him and the female whose scent was embedded in his brain forever now. He inhaled again—and not subtly—wanting to drink her in. Didn’t matter that the male was blocking her from Ian; Colm couldn’t hide her scent. As if the other male knew what Ian was doing, he growled even louder, flashed his canines.

  “Break it up,” Bruneau murmured.

  They weren’t even touching each other, but Ian nodded once, keeping his gaze pinned to Colm’s. He wouldn’t be taking his eyes off the male. No animal looked back at him, but he scented the wildness in the other man as well. He was a shifter of sorts, though Ian wasn’t sure which kind. He was huge, just like Ian. Maybe…bear or wolf.

  Didn’t matter. He’d be taking care of this male in the ring. Then he would talk to the female. He didn’t understand the primitive part of him that had flared to life so suddenly, but he wasn’t going to ignore it. To do that would be to ignore an intrinsic part of himself.

  Finally, the other male stepped back, but only, Ian noticed, because the female tugged on his upper arm. Hard.

  He frowned at the sight of her touching the male. Ian didn’t know her, had no claim on her, but…he didn’t like that one bit.

  Once Colm and Fiona blended back into the crowd, the music started up once again and people resumed talking as if nothing had happened.

  “At least now I know your type,” Bruneau muttered. “But I advise you to make yourself scarce until the fight. He has two brothers.”

  Ian nodded and handed him the champagne glass he was still holding. No further response was necessary. He caught Mason’s eye across the courtyard and the male waved him off since he was talking to a female. Nodding again, Ian started up a stone path in the courtyard, heading to the hotel.

  He wasn’t sure if they were aware of it, but everyone carved a path for him, automatically stepping back and giving him room. It had been like that for as long as he could remember.

  No one was in the hotel lobby other than staff and he hadn’t checked a coat so he didn’t need to make any stops. Energy hummed through him as he thought about the upcoming fight. He might have no idea who the male was, but he didn’t like him for the mere fact he’d been acting so territorial with Fiona.

  Fiona. He let her name roll around in his head, savored it.

  “Wait!”

  Everything inside him stilled at her voice. He’d only heard her say a few words but her voice was already etched into his mind.

  He turned to the right and saw Fiona standing half behind an oversized palm tree. If she thought she was hiding, she was doing a terrible job.

  Tall and sexy, in that bright pink dress she couldn’t blend in anywhere. After looking around the lobby nervously, she motioned with her hand for him to follow then turned on her heel.

  He didn’t even think to question if it was a trap, just trailed after her as she hurried down a short hallway and ducked into a small room right off the main lobby. It turned out to be a walk-in coat closet.

  “Shut the door,” she whispered as he stepped in after her. Wrapping her arms around herself, she stared at him expectantly until he did as she’d said.

  Her wild ocean smell overwhelmed him, surpassing the perfumes, colognes and the faint scent of cigars clinging to some of the coats and jackets.

  His dragon rippled under the surface again as he looked at her, breathed her in. Lust and a need to claim overwhelmed him. He wasn’t complaining that she’d called him in here, but… “Why do you wish to speak to me in a coat closet?” He felt awkward as he talked to her.

  She took a small step forward. “I know you’re supposed to fight my bro
ther later, so I’m just warning you…he’s never lost. He’s very, very strong.”

  His heart stopped beating at the word brother. The male wasn’t her lover.

  She continued, her brow knitted together. “I know you haven’t lost either, according to Bruneau, but…you will this time. And my brother is angry at you for the mere fact that you spoke to me. Just walk away. Please.” There was a desperation in her voice.

  He frowned, surprised by her concern even as his dragon and demon rejoiced that the male was her brother. “Are you mated?”

  She blinked those startling blue eyes. “Did you hear what I said?”

  “Yes. Are you?” He would have scented another male on her, but he wanted to hear her say the words. He needed the confirmation.

  She let out an exasperated sound. “No, I’m not.”

  He nodded once and closed the distance between them. Not bothering to hide what he was doing, he leaned in and almost touched her jaw with his nose as he inhaled again. It took all the restraint he had not to reach out and touch her. But he didn’t want to scare her and she hadn’t invited his touch so he kept his hands to himself. He might be a mixed breed and undesirable to many shifter females, but he wasn’t an animal. Not like his father. He would never be like that sorry excuse for a male.