by Donna Grant
“It’s too much for you.”
“Yes,” she admitted and dropped her arm to her side. “But I want to hear all of it. Please. So Ulrik joined with the Dark Fae.”
Rhys rubbed a hand along his jaw and regarded her silently for a few seconds. “Aye. I was in Ireland, which the Fae have claimed as theirs, with Con and Kiril. Kiril had been captured by the Dark, and Con and I went to free him.”
“Wait,” Lily interrupted him. “Shara is Irish, and she has a large silver streak in her hair.”
“Shara comes from a powerful Dark Fae family, but just as a Light can turn to the Dark, she became Light.”
Lily digested that information, and then asked, “So is Shara Kiril’s mate?”
“She is. All the women married to someone from Dreagan are mates.”
No wonder all the women seemed to have a secret among them. Now Lily understood why the bond between the group of women was so strong.
Rhys continued, saying, “We were in a battle with the Dark when I sustained an injury. You must understand, Lily, that the only way a Dragon King can be killed is by another Dragon King. There is no other way for us to die.”
“That’s…” She couldn’t even finish the sentence. It was all so preposterous, and yet, she couldn’t deny she was accepting Rhys’s tale. “You said you were injured. How?”
“With magic. I expected it to heal quickly as all wounds do, but it didna, and the pain was excruciating. I lost consciousness while returning to Dreagan. When I woke, my wound was healed, but the pain remained, reminding me that something wasna right. I was able to shift back to this form, but when I next changed into a dragon, I almost couldn’t. The agony was insufferable, but the worst was when I tried to shift again.”
Lily could have hit him when he paused. “What? What happened?”
“It was killing me.”
The breath left Lily as if sucked out. She stared in complete devastation. Even before she was told Rhys was immortal, she’d expected him to be invincible, indomitable.
Unconquerable.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
The distress on Lily’s face was a balm to Rhys. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and simply hold her. That’s all it would take to wipe away the torment of the past few weeks.
“You said you couldn’t die.”
He smiled at her. “The injury I sustained was from a mix of Dark Fae magic and dragon magic. I told you the only way a Dragon King could be killed was—”
“By a Dragon King,” she said over him. “So a Dragon King gave you the wound.”
Rhys nodded. “Rhi used her Light magic to halt the cycle I was in and give me a choice. I could remain in dragon form for all eternity, or I could shift one more time.”
“You shifted one more time,” she said, her brow furrowed. “Why? If you’re a dragon, this must be a version of hell for you.”
“You’ve no idea. I watch every night as the others take to the skies while I am stuck down here.”
“Then why did you shift again?”
If he told her the truth, she would know just how deeply he cared for her. But if he didn’t, she would never realize how much she meant to him, or how much he was willing to do for her.
“For you. It was the night your flat was broken into.”
Her eyes went large as she covered her mouth with her hand. She gawked at him a minute, then dropped her hand. “I don’t understand.”
“Yes, you do,” he said softly.
“We rarely spoke. You barely even looked at me. You were gone to Ireland and wounded, and I didn’t even know about it.”
Rhys fisted his hands so he wouldn’t reach for her. “I looked, Lily. Every damn day. I sought you out while you were working. I hid in the shadows and looked my fill, because I knew if I ever got too near, I would never want to leave.”
He waited for her to respond, but she simply gazed at him. Rhys cleared his throat. “Say something. Anything.”
“I’m afraid to.”
“After all I just told you, you’re afraid to speak?” he asked, a rueful smile pulling at his lips.
She licked her lips. “I don’t want to hope too much.”
“Hope, Lily. I willna let you down. I’m telling you all of this because I have feelings for you.” He wanted to tell her she was his mate, that he loved her more than life itself, but he was afraid of scaring her off.
She blinked, her black eyes gazing at him with wonder. “You’ve always made me hope.”
He touched her face, in awe of the woman before him.
“Ulrik is the one who hurt you?”
“He is.”
“He’s the one Dennis works for?”
Rhys nodded again. “We know Dennis is using you to get onto Dreagan. Tell me what’s going on, and I can help.”
She turned her back to him and put her hands on her hips. It was everything Rhys could do to remain in his spot and not go to her, beg her to believe him and return his feelings. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that she wasn’t willingly helping Dennis, but he wasn’t so sure of her feelings. She’d enjoyed their night together. However, so did plenty of other women.
How ironic that the one woman he wanted above all others might not want him.
It was an eternity later when Lily faced him once more. “Dennis was the one who broke into my flat.”
“I guessed as much.”
“He was in my flat the day before yesterday when I arrived home. That’s when he told me I was going to help him get onto Dreagan. When I refused, he threatened to kill someone from Dreagan.”
Rhys twisted his lips. “The women. As mates to a Dragon King, they’re immortal as well, only dying if their King is killed. So you doona need to worry about that. That means you doona have to help Dennis.”
“I told him I would tell one of you what he was doing, and I knew that there was no way those at Dreagan would allow anything to happen to any of the women. Dennis apparently knew what I would say, because he had another threat.”
“Your family,” Rhys deduced.
Lily dashed a hand at her eye. “My little brother, Kyle. Dennis has befriended him.”
“So he threatened to kill him?”
“Worse. He said he would bring Kyle into what he was doing and turn him into an assassin. I was afraid then, but not knowing who Dennis is involved with, it’s much worse than I ever imagined. I can’t let Kyle become mixed up in that world.”
Rhys shook his head in frustration. “Damn.”
“I have no choice. Dennis knows where I am at all times. He knew I was in Edinburgh and followed me there.”
“I assumed as much when I caught you crying this morning. I wish you would’ve told me.”
Lily threw up her hands. “I figured Dreagan had enough money to cover whatever it was Dennis wanted to steal. It never entered my mind that you all were dragons!”
“So you believe me?” he asked, trying his best to hide the hope welling inside him.
She sighed with a smile. “I can’t believe I’m saying it, but yes.”
“Will you let me help you with your Dennis problem?”
“Didn’t you hear me? He’s probably watching right now. He follows me.”
Rhys smiled, anticipation of spilling blood thrumming through him. “That’s exactly what I’m hoping for.”
That brought Lily up short. “What?”
“I needed to tell you all of this and gain your trust. I suspect Dennis will show up any moment. And I have a plan.”
She blinked. “A plan.”
“Whatever happens, know that you’re no’ alone.” Now that things were swinging back in his favor, Rhys closed the distance between them, sliding his hand behind her neck, and claiming her lips.
Rhys could feel eyes on them. It was the only thing stopping him from making love to Lily. He ended the kiss and looked down at her as the drizzle turned into droplets and quickly whispered his plan into her ear.
“Ready?” he asked and looke
d down at her.
She squared her shoulders. “No. Something is going to go wrong, but I want this over with.”
“It’ll be over. Verra soon. That I promise.”
“Dennis is—” she began to argue.
Rhys raised a brow. “I’m a Dragon King, Lily. It’s asking a lot for you to trust me, but I promise I willna let him hurt you or your family.”
“I’ll never forgive myself if something happens to Kyle. Dennis told me that if he dies, there are men who will take Kyle.”
“I willna allow that to happen.”
She gazed up at him and nodded. “I believe you.”
It was obvious she wanted to trust him, but she was worried and scared. Dennis had done that to her. It infuriated Rhys that he couldn’t kill the bastard. At least not until the Kings had Kyle—and all of Lily’s family—to safety.
Then Rhys was going to enjoy putting Dennis through every bit of pain he’d ever inflicted on Lily. Except Dennis would suffer it all in one night. If that didn’t kill him, Rhys would ensure Dennis didn’t breathe a moment longer.
With the rain coming harder, Rhys took Lily’s hand and they ran to the car. He put her inside, then walked around the car to the driver’s side. Rhys didn’t look behind him where he knew Dennis was watching, nor did he mention it to Lily. She had enough to worry about.
He got behind the wheel and started the car, then pulled back onto the road and drove to Lily’s flat. Rhys glanced over to see her hands clasped tightly in her lap and her gaze straight ahead. He laid his hand atop hers. She turned her head to him and smiled slightly. That’s all he needed to warm his heart. She wouldn’t smile if she didn’t trust him.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“Thank me when this is over. I’m picturing us on Australia’s Gold Coast soaking up the sun for at least a week.”
She shifted her hands so that both of them now held his. “That sounds heavenly.”
“Consider it a date,” he said and threw her a smile.
All too soon, they reached the village. The rain was coming down steadily when Rhys pulled up against the curb outside of Lily’s flat. He put the car in park and turned his head to her.
“I doona want to leave you.”
She brought his hand to her lips and kissed his knuckles. “But you have to.”
“I can stay.”
“I can do this. I’m strong enough.”
Rhys had no doubt about it, but he didn’t have to like it. “Of course you are. I just doona like him near you.”
“I don’t like being away from you.”
“You keep saying things like that, and I willna let you out of this car.”
She laughed softly, her eyes crinkling in the corners. “You’ve no idea how much better I feel knowing I’m not doing this on my own. No matter what happens, I want you to know that I appreciate your helping me.”
He didn’t bother arguing with her or telling her that all would be fine. Lily had been hurt too much, and the world had failed her too many times. Rhys would show her with actions. That’s all that really mattered anyway.
“I’ll see you in the morning,” she said and turned to open the door.
Rhys pulled her back and claimed her lips. He wanted his taste seared on her tongue during the hours they were apart. He held her face in his hands and proceeded to kiss her senseless. When he pulled back, her lips were swollen and her eyes glazed with desire. He smiled in satisfaction, even as his cock ached to be buried inside her tight, wet sheath.
“That wasn’t fair,” she whispered.
“It was to tide me over until morning.”
She caressed her fingers along his cheek before she slid her hands into his wet hair. “Be safe.”
Rhys didn’t stop her again when she opened the car door and stepped out, but it was a fight not to. He was able to remain in the car knowing that a Dragon King was watching over her.
He waited until Lily was inside her flat before he pulled away from the curb. As he drove slowly down the road, he spotted movement between two buildings and saw Darius. Rhys was so shocked at seeing the Dragon King who had been sleeping for the past five hundred years that he almost stopped the car.
Darius gave a subtle nod of his head of long blond hair toward Rhys. Rhys kept driving because he knew Lily was in safe hands with Darius.
There was a push against Rhys’s mind with a voice he hadn’t heard in a long time. He opened the link. “Darius.”
“I’ll keep her safe. Doona worry.”
“I’m no’. When did you wake?”
After a long pause, Darius said, “I never went back to sleep after Con woke all of us to join forces with the Warriors and Druids for their battle. I’ve just been … in my cave.”
So all those years of sleep hadn’t helped him. Darius was a quiet one, a King who rarely spoke, but was lethal when riled. “It’s good to see you.”
Rhys was about to say more, but Darius shut him out. Rhys didn’t mind. Darius was still acclimating to this time, and he would need his space. It was enough that he was willing to watch over Lily.
The thunderstorm was in full swing by the time Rhys parked the Jaguar in the garage on Dreagan. He shut off the car and got out. As he closed the car door behind him, he saw Kiril at the far doorway of the garage.
“I should kick your arse for no’ telling me you finally gave in to Lily,” Kiril said with a smile on his face.
Rhys chuckled and walked to Kiril, pausing to hang up his keys on the peg. “I didna plan it.”
“Nay, you went to Ulrik first.” The smile was gone from Kiril’s face. “I should kick your arse for that as well.”
“I needed answers.”
“Did you get them?”
“You know I didna,” he said and pushed past him to walk the short distance to the manor.
Kiril fell into step beside him, his wheat-colored hair pulled back in a neat queue at the base of his neck. “Ryder has hijacked a couple of satellites to search for Lily’s brother, but so far nothing.”
“Dennis must have put him somewhere. It’s what I’d have done in his place.”
They walked into the manor, and Rhys came to a halt when Con stood in his way, his arms crossed over his chest and his obsidian gaze hard as granite and directed at Rhys.
“I wanted to talk to Lily myself,” Con said.
Rhys shrugged and strode past him, saying, “Guess you’re going to have to wait.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Perth, Scotland
Ulrik had showered and changed and was inspecting a first-edition Shakespeare when Mikkel came down the back hidden stairs with Abby. The space had been his alone for hundreds of years, and he was far from thrilled to be sharing it with his uncle and Abby for even the smallest amount of time.
He turned and looked at Abby who gazed once more adoringly up at Mikkel. There were similarities between him and Mikkel. Their coloring and height, but the main one was their drive to shape the world into what they wanted—or needed—it to be.
That’s where the parallels stopped. Mikkel sported a hint of gray at his temples, and a few lines around his eyes making him appear older than Ulrik. It was obvious he wasn’t happy about it by the way Mikkel kept looking in the mirror and unconsciously touching his gray hair.
“You should’ve joined us last night,” Abby said as she stopped beside Ulrik and put her hand on his chest. “You rival your uncle in bed. I would like to have both of you at the same time.”
Ulrik looked down at her hand, then to her face. She was pretty, her sexuality blatant. That’s what originally caught his eye, but she’d proved she was more than competent as his assistant despite making a skirt and jacket sexy as hell.
To know that somehow she and Mikkel had deceived him for ten years was galling and thoroughly dampened any appeal she might have had.
“He never learned to share,” Mikkel said as he turned away from the mirror and adjusted his suit jacket. “Besides, Abby dear, you
barely survive your time in my bed. Do you really think you could live through having both of us?”
Abby smiled at Ulrik and slid her gaze to Mikkel. “I’d love to find out.”
Ulrik dropped his gaze to her full breasts, accented by her clingy white sweater, to the indent of her waist, and then lower to the tan skirt that skimmed her body, only to have a four-inch flounce of material at the hem.
He’d found pleasure in her arms, but then again, he’d found pleasure in a great many women’s arms. The one thing he couldn’t abide was betrayal—in any form—and that’s exactly what she had done to him.
How Ulrik hadn’t been able to discover she actually worked for Mikkel in his extensive background checks throughout the years, he didn’t know. But he wasn’t happy about it. In fact, it infuriated him.
Abby willingly took part in the duplicity, making him appear the fool. One other woman had done the same thing, but Ulrik didn’t get to dole out his justice before his so-called friends killed her.
In Ulrik’s eyes, Abby could no longer be trusted. It irked him that she knew such intricate workings of his plans. The only saving grace was his lack of confidence in any human, which is why he’d avoided including her in everything.
Mikkel thought he knew everything Ulrik was involved in, but Mikkel only touched the tip of the iceberg. Ulrik might have joined forces with his uncle, but he didn’t trust him. Never had.
Never would.
Despite that, Mikkel was family. After Ulrik was banished from Dreagan, he’d wandered, lost and terrified. What he would’ve done to know he wasn’t alone. If only Mikkel had made himself known then. Perhaps Con could’ve been taken down sooner.
That thought brought a hint of a smile to Ulrik. Seeing his once closest friend, the man he considered a brother, dead was what kept him going day after day.
“What do you say?” Abby asked in a low voice as she took a step closer to him.
Ulrik took her hand and removed it from his chest. “You chose who you wanted. I suggest you remember that.”
Mikkel chuckled from his position against the divider wall that separated the back of the shop from the front. “Now you know why Ulrik was King.”
