Night's Blaze

by Donna Grant

  Warrick gave a shake of his head. “Lily’s brother wasna with the rest of the family. We doona know where he is.”

  “No one does,” Ryder said while continuing to punch letters on the keyboard. “We’ve searched everywhere. It’s like Kyle disappeared.”

  Con shook his head. “He didna disappear. Ulrik has him somewhere.”

  Ryder shoved away from the row of computers. “I’ve exhausted all of my considerable resources. No satellites or facial recognition is picking Kyle up anywhere across the globe.” He paused and looked at Rhys. “We have only one option left to us if we want to find Kyle soon.”

  “Broc,” Rhys said.

  The Warriors of MacLeod Castle had already been brought into this war against the Kings, and Con wasn’t keen on asking them to help out again. With Rhys already marred by Ulrik, Con had to call the Warriors. As he was reaching for his mobile, Darius walked into the room.

  Rhys’s head snapped to Darius. “She’s already left?”

  “She’s here,” Darius said. He looked at Con before turning back to Rhys. “And her brother is sitting in her flat.”

  Con expected to have to have to detain Rhys, but once more Rhys surprised him.

  A brutal look came over Rhys’s face. “Dennis had him the entire time.”

  “Aye. I saw someone with Dennis late last night as they stood outside Lily’s flat, but I didna know who the lad was until this morning.”

  “Is Kyle unharmed?” Rhys asked.

  “Aye. Unbeknownst to the lad, Dennis set up men to watch him.”

  A muscle twitched in Rhys’s jaw. “Or kill him should Lily fail.”

  Con caught Rhys’s gaze. “Lily’s family is being sent to safety, and we’ll get Kyle.”

  “Will we?” Rhys asked, more to himself than anyone in the room. He paced the row of monitors, thinking.

  Con turned to Warrick. “What did you say to get the Rosses to leave with you?”

  “That Lily’s life was in danger, and Dennis was part of it,” Warrick replied with a smile. “I didna need to say more.”

  Con stepped in front of Rhys. “It’s your plan, and it’s a good one. Now put it into action.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  Rhys stalked from the manor to the store. All night while he and the other Kings hammered out details to his plan, his mind had been on Lily. There was no way he could have her so near to him now and not see her.

  He slipped in the back entry and waited for her. Rhys saw her through the glass doors as she spoke with a man.

  “Dennis,” he growled.

  When Lily finally unlocked the door and walked into the shop alone, he was able to breathe easier. He anxiously waited for her to put her purse down and turn on the lights. As soon as she walked into the hallway, he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her against him.

  She clung to him, her head buried in his neck.

  “I’m sorry,” he said into her hair. “We have your family, but we couldna find Kyle until this morning. We’re going to get him away from Dennis’s men.”

  Lily lifted her head to look at him. Her black eyes were wide, hopeful. “So I don’t have to cower to him anymore?”

  “We need to see how much Ulrik knows. I know it’s asking a lot.”

  “I can do it,” she assured him. “I’m not scared of what Dennis can do to me. It was my family and everyone at Dreagan.”

  Rhys kissed her because she was brave and beautiful. And his. He ended it before he could succumb to his unquenchable hunger. “I’ll be near.”

  She nodded and backed out of his arms. “Don’t worry about me. Dennis has no reason to harm me.”

  “You look beautiful,” Rhys said as she reached the doorway.

  Lily paused and looked at him with a smile. She winked before she returned to the front.

  Rhys leaned his head back against the wall. Lily’s family was ensconced in a hunting lodge in Northern England protected by Henry, Banan, and Guy. Darius and Kellan were eliminating the men guarding Kyle.

  That only left Lily. Since Dennis was more concerned with getting onto Dreagan, Rhys was counting on Dennis forgetting about her quickly enough.

  Tristan and Kiril would be tracking Dennis from the sky while Hal and Laith would follow at a discreet distance. The mates were safely hidden deep within the mountain behind the manor. The rest of the Dragon Kings were patrolling the perimeter of their land in case Dennis was a diversion of some sort.

  Every aspect had been covered.

  Why then did Rhys have the unwavering feeling that something was going to go terribly wrong?

  Rhys left the store, setting up watch at the manor. It went against everything for him to leave Lily alone. He wanted to be there with her, to protect her. But if anyone knew Dennis, it was Lily.

  She’d survived so much already. He smiled as he thought about her trying to find the person she once was. Lily had no idea she had more valor and pluck than most people. Dennis affected her on a deep level with fear and pain, and yet she faced Dennis valiantly.

  Lily needed no one. She could take on a thousand Dennises and come out the victor. Her inner strength had gotten her through years of physical abuse. Dennis’s verbal abuse was what made Lily question herself and her own ability to make decisions.

  Already Rhys saw a difference in her. The change was slow enough that Rhys didn’t really notice it until he was gone from Dreagan those few weeks. But her biggest transformation was in Edinburgh. Rhys worried if Dennis would see beyond the new clothes to the new Lily.

  If Dennis did, there could be real problems. For one, Lily was still mortal. She was Rhys’s mate, but they hadn’t completed the ceremony. Which meant that Lily could be killed.

  Rhys stopped himself from going down that road. Dennis wouldn’t want to bring Lily with him in his search. He would move quickly and quietly. Lily would cause distractions.

  With his mind at ease, Rhys made himself comfortable. There was no telling how long he would have to wait.

  * * *

  Darius stood behind Lily’s flat, staring at one of the men left behind to watch Kyle. He didn’t hesitate when he walked up behind the man and grabbed his head. With a quick twist, Darius broke the man’s neck. Darius quietly lowered the man to the ground and moved to the next.

  There were five mortals guarding Kyle outside. Darius and Kellan each took two. The third was closer to Darius, so he started toward him. The human turned and pointed a rifle at Darius who just smiled. The mortal never knew what hit him when Kellan came up from behind and snapped his neck.

  “How many inside?” Kellan asked as he came to stand beside Darius.

  “At least one. I didna wait around to see how many men Dennis brought in.”

  Kellan’s lips thinned. “You mean Ulrik.”

  “Same difference,” Darius said, looking around. “Any ideas?”

  “Aye.”

  Darius turned to see Kellan smiling.

  “Stay behind me,” Kellan said as he moved to the back door of the flat.

  Darius followed Kellan and flattened himself against the opposite side of the door. Kellan knocked, and a moment later a tall, muscular man with a shaved head opened the door.

  “What?” the man demanded.

  Kellan smiled and yanked the man outside, swinging him around so he smashed face-first into the brick building. “Just wanted to say hello.”

  Darius slipped inside the flat. He spotted Kyle coming from the living room, but then movement out of the corner of his eye made Darius pivot to the right.

  A second mortal came out of Lily’s bedroom firing a handgun twice, the silencer muffling the sound of the retort. The bullets slammed into Darius’s chest. He looked down at the blood coating his white shirt, then looked up at the man.

  The mortal’s face was shell-shocked by Darius still standing. In two strides, Darius was standing before the man, all the while the human kept firing the weapon. Darius bared his teeth at the pain of each bullet slicing through his body.
He grasped the mortal’s hand holding the weapon, and turned the gun so that it was now aimed at the man’s chest.

  The human was so stunned at what was happening that he didn’t realize he was shooting himself until it was too late. He slumped, and Darius let him fall to the floor, dead.

  Darius turned around and found Kellan standing in the doorway staring at him. “What?”

  “I didna think you’d wake so …

  “Unpleasant,” Darius offered.

  “Ready to fight,” Kellan said.

  Darius raised a brow. “Really? I heard how you woke.”

  “Perhaps we should finish this conversation another time,” Kellan said and motioned with his head to Kyle.

  Darius looked to the lad and let out a breath when he found Kyle pointing a gun at them. “We came to help you. No’ to have a gun pointed at us.”

  “Dennis said someone might come for me,” Kyle said.

  Kellan leaned against the door frame and crossed his arms over his chest. “Did he now? I doona suppose Dennis told you how he beat and tortured your sister?”

  “You’re lying,” Kyle said angrily. “I saw Lily myself this morning. She looks amazing.”

  “Because she left Dennis a year ago,” Kellan said.

  Darius let Kellan talk since he didn’t know all the details about Lily. Not that he cared to know. It was enough that Rhys claimed her.

  Kyle grunted, his face detailing exactly what he thought of Kellan’s statement. “Dennis is the one who has been trying to bring Lily back to her family.”

  “Actually, Dennis is threatening no’ just your family, lad, but yourself as well. He’s using her to get onto Dreagan land without being detected,” Kellan said.

  “Dennis would never do that,” Kyle argued. “He loves Lily.”

  Darius blew out a breath. “You’re wasting your time, Kellan. The lad isna going to believe a word we say.”

  “You’re right.” Kellan pushed away from the door and walked to Kyle.

  The lad shifted the gun to Kellan. “Stop right there.”

  “Or what? You’ll shoot me?” Kellan chuckled and jerked his thumb to Darius. “You see how that worked out for Darius, aye? Besides, Kyle, you are no’ a killer. No’ yet at least. You stay in association with Dennis, and all of that will change.”

  Darius took a few steps to the side in case he needed to tackle Kyle. Kellan was able to easily take the gun away from Kyle and toss it aside.

  “It’s time you see Dennis for what he really is,” Kellan said.

  * * *

  Lily was a nervous wreck. She was tired of waiting. She wanted it over with. Done. Finished.

  Twenty minutes ago she’d sent Dennis a text telling him everyone was in a meeting, and that it was the perfect time to get him through the hedges undetected. She touched the knife she had up her left sleeve. It was the only weapon she’d been able to find in the store, and she wished it was a gun. Lily wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to rid the world of Dennis if it came her way.

  The door to the shop suddenly opened, causing Lily to jump. Dennis entered, looking around. His cocky smile, the one she used to think was charming, made her stomach roll.

  “Look at this place,” he said with a whistle. “I bet those bottles in the glass cases are worth quite a bit of money.”

  Lily moved to stand in front of him. “You didn’t come to steal whisky.”

  Dennis’s blue eyes narrowed. “I didn’t, but that doesn’t mean I won’t take some.”

  “You have enough money to purchase a bottle if you want.”

  “Why would I do that?” he asked with a sneer. “I take what I want. You know that.”

  She swallowed, the old fear slowly returning when she saw that tic in the corner of Dennis’s left eye. He always got it right before he hit her.

  Lily fought to keep hold of her courage. She touched the still sensitive skin on her forearm, remembering the quote. “Do you want to stand in here? Or do you want me to get you onto the grounds?”

  Dennis closed the distance between them and grasped her chin in his fingers, cruelly squeezing. “You don’t tell me what to do.”

  “In this instance I do. I work here, remember. I’m to get you in unobserved.”

  He released her with a smirk. “So you are. Let’s get moving.”

  “You’ll need to go out the back. Thirty feet beyond is a row of hedges. If you go to the right about a hundred and fifty yards you’ll come across the concealed entry.”

  Dennis chuckled and turned her so that she was standing beside him. He put his arm over her shoulders and started walking with her. “You’re coming with me.”

  “I can’t leave the store,” she protested. “If any of them come back early they’ll know I’ve helped you.”

  He paused and looked down at her. “Did you really think you would be able to stay here after all this was over? That’s incredibly naïve.” He started walking again, forcing her to go with him. “Did you really think I was going to take your word for everything?”

  Lily knew Dennis would make her show him the entrance. If she’d appeared too eager, he would’ve questioned it. He was doing just as she’d expected. Dennis was nothing if not consistent.

  She put in just enough resistance while they walked to continue making him believe she didn’t want to go. In fact, she wanted to run to the hedgerow and show him the entrance.

  Dennis shoved open the back door and pushed her through. Lily immediately looked up at the sky. It must have been all her dreams about dragons that made her search for a hint of yellow in the thick clouds.

  “Where?” Dennis challenged as they reached the hedgerow.

  Lily pointed to the right. “There.”

  “Take me.”

  She wondered where Rhys was. He was near. Of that she was certain. If only she knew his exact location. She wasn’t the only one preoccupied. Dennis was so excited to get to the manor that he hadn’t noticed there were no visitors at Dreagan.

  Lily reached the secret entrance and stopped. “This is your way in. I’ve fulfilled my end.”

  “You think your part in this is over?” Dennis laughed and wrapped his fingers around her wrist to pull her through the opening. “It’s just beginning, Lily.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  Rhys couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw Dennis leading Lily from the hedgerow. “Nay,” he whispered, shock and fear icing his veins.

  Dennis was supposed to leave Lily behind. She was meant to be far from whatever was coming. She was supposed to be sitting safely with the other mates deep in the mountain where he knew she would be safe and he could focus on ridding the world of Dennis.

  Rhys scrubbed a hand down his face, his mind rushing through every nuance of his plan. Every turn was danger for Lily. It made him break out into a sweat. He couldn’t lose Lily. She was the only reason he could face each day. Without her … he was nothing. But mortals were so … fragile. Her life could be extinguished so quickly.

  He started to follow Dennis and Lily, intending to do whatever was necessary to get Lily away, when he was roughly yanked back against the manor. He whirled around, a growl forming as he prepared to fight whoever dared to get between him and his mate. Then his gaze landed on Con’s calm visage staring at him.

  Rhys shook his head as he stared at Con in disbelief. He glanced at Lily to make sure she was still close enough for him to get to. Once he saw her, he returned his focus to Con. “What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be ready to guard the weapon. Doona tell me it’s in the damn manor.”

  A blond brow rose as Con coolly stared at him. “Of course I’m no’ dimwitted enough to keep the weapon at the manor.”

  “Then why are you here?”

  Con’s nostrils flared as he drew in a breath. “Because of you.”

  Rhys noticed Constantine wasn’t in his usual suit. He wore a pair of jeans, a black tee, and boots. “You doona think I can protect Lily? You doona think I can keep my head whe
n it comes to her?”

  “That never entered my mind. I’m more concerned with you. Especially now that Dennis has decided to bring Lily with him.”

  Rhys ran a hand through his hair and briefly closed his eyes. “Lily knows about us.”

  “I assumed as much.”

  “You’re no’ angry?”

  “Would it matter?”

  Rhys held Con’s gaze. “Nay.”

  “Then why ask?”

  He didn’t have a clue. Rhys took a deep breath and got control of the apprehension within him now that Lily was smack in the middle of everything. With her there, it changed how he needed to implement his plan. Before, he couldn’t have cared less if Dennis was killed. In fact, he was counting on it. But now … now, his plan was for shit.

  His heart pounded irregularly in his chest. Lily. The one woman who’d reached his heart without even trying. There were two main objectives now. Keep Lily safe, and stop Dennis from taking the weapon.

  “You need to enact your plan,” Con said.

  Rhys cut him a look. “That would endanger Lily. Besides, Dennis could know what we are.”

  “Regardless, Dennis is a fool,” Con said with distaste. “As you’ve always said, Dennis might know exactly where the weapon is.”

  Rhys began to smile as he realized where Con was going with the conversation. “Aye. Then he’ll realize it’s a trap if I lead him to the location I planned.”

  “True enough. However, we’ll know then if Ulrik has discovered where the weapon is hidden.”

  “If that’s the case, you’re going to tell us,” Rhys stated.

  Con merely held his gaze, refusing to say anything.

  Rhys turned and watched Lily and Dennis. He hated the way Dennis gripped her arm tightly, making her wince. It was time Dennis was out of her life—permanently.

  “It seems things are going our way,” Con said. “Kellan and Darius just arrived with Kyle.”

  Rhys swiveled his head back to Con. “I didna doubt those two would retrieve Kyle.”

  “I understand why you wanted Kyle here, but Guy will need to wipe his memories. There’s no telling what he’ll see.”

  “He needs to see the real Dennis. As far as his memories, I doona think Lily will be upset if we erase all traces of Dennis.”