The Kings Fire

by Leilani Love

  Pulling her arm free, she left without saying anything. Violca frowned at him, shaking her head. He raised an eyebrow at her and she gave him a look that said she didn’t find him intimidating. “I’ll make sure she returns to your office.” Violca said rather shortly, before leading her out of the room.

  When the door closed Angyalka looked at him and shook her head.

  “What?”

  She frowned. “You shouldn’t be mad at her for trying to save her sister.”

  Her answer was simple, and Viktor took a bite of his sandwich, thinking about it. Angyalka continued to watch him and he sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. Leaning back in his chair, he looked at her. “It’s my job to protect my people. That includes Chase. I understand why she did it, but now I have to figure out if I can trust her.”

  With her legs swinging, he watched her face as she thought about what he said. He had just finished off the rest of his sandwich when she finally nodded. “Violca says you can love someone, but be mad at them. Is that true?”

  Viktor almost choked at her question. When she gave him that serious look, he could only shake his head. “Oh Angel, your sister always tells you the truth, so you need to trust her.” Pushing back his chair, he got up and headed to the kitchen. Grabbing her own plate, Angyalka followed him, talking about how excited she was that school was starting soon.

  Chapter 34

  In Viktor’s office, Aithne saw that Scott was the only one left. Violca stepped in behind her, making her take a step deeper inside. Her eyes were on Scott, who watched her wearily. When his eyes landed on Violca, he smiled at her.

  “Viktor wants Aithne to stay in his office.”

  Scott nodded, straightening up. “Okay, I’ll stay here and keep an eye on her.”

  Aithne turned to look at Violca over her shoulder. Their eyes met and Violca nodded before closing the door behind her. Slowly walking around, she gently touched the back of the chair, pretending to look anywhere but at Scott.

  “There’s no way for you to escape if that’s what you’re planning.” Scott said with an edge to his voice.

  Snorting, she shook her head. “If I wanted to escape I would’ve already done it. Unfortunately, I need your help to get my sister out of Lazzaro’s castle.”

  Scott looked back down at some plans laid out on the desk. Aithne tried to look at them without being caught. When he glanced at her, she simply shrugged and sat in one of the chairs.

  The door opened and Viktor walked in. Aithne saw him and Scott exchange a look before his eyes finally moved to meet hers. “Come.”

  Aithne felt a shudder run up her spine at his command. Slowly standing, she walked to him. “Do you want me to heel, too?”

  Chuckling he stepped back into the hall. When she stepped out, he closed the door, and with his hand on her lower back, he led her down the hall.

  “Should I ask where you’re taking me?” Viktor’s hand on her back flexed and she fought the shiver that ran down her spine.

  “When I met you, we sparred and I thought you were holding back. I need to see what your skills are in the battlefield.”

  Turning her head, she looked at him. “You want me to kick your ass?”

  “I want to see what you fight like.” Viktor leaned down, his lips next to her. “I want to see you try.”

  A small laugh escaped her at his words and she found herself eagerly anticipating the opportunity to knock him down a peg or two. He opened the door to the gym and she looked around. “Are you wanting me to beat you with my bare hands your highness, or do you have a weapon in mind?”

  “Let me see what you can do without them first.” Viktor said, kicking off his shoes.

  Aithne walked to the middle of the mat and eagerly watched him as he joined her. Taking off his shirt, he threw it on top of his shoes. Aithne tried to look at his face, but found herself tracing the muscles of his chest with her eyes. They followed each muscle, watching as they all met together at his stomach. Then, slowly, her eyes followed his finely formed abdomen muscle as it disappeared into his jeans. Her mouth went dry, and she licked her lips.

  When she heard a low growl, she looked up to see Viktor’s eyes glowing neon blue as he looked at her. She knew he could probably hear her heart beat increase, as well as smell her body’s reaction to him. “Are you just going to stand there staring at me, your highness? I thought you wanted to check out my skills.”

  His lips turned up in a predatory smile as he stepped closer. “Just wanted to give you a moment to enjoy the view.”

  Knowing he could smell her arousal, she didn’t even argue with him. Instead she went for a leg sweep. Quickly dropping to the ground, she kicked his legs out from under him. She smiled as she heard the thud of his body landing on the mat.

  Standing over him, she looked down. “I actually prefer this view.”

  Viktor grinned and quickly rolled using his long legs to knock her off balance. She fell to the mats, and felt the wind knocked out of her instantly. Before she could move to counter, Viktor was on top of her. Grabbing her hands roughly, he pulled them over her head and pressed his face intensely close to hers. His eyes were still glowing neon blue, and she could feel his body’s response to her, as it pressed into her thigh. “I’m torn between that one and this one.”

  Viktor’s voice was rougher than normal. She was glad to see he was as affected as she was. When he leaned in, she fought the urge to kiss him and instead bucked her hips up using the muscles in her legs to roll him off her and quickly jumped to her feet.

  Chuckling as he stood up, they circled each other. “I’m waiting for you to kick my ass, fiery one.”

  She felt her lips curve up in a small smile. “It seems unfair, you don’t seem like the type of guy that hits a woman.”

  “You and I both know that women are more dangerous than most men.”

  Glancing at the wall behind Viktor’s head, she swung her leg, kicking him hard on the side. He grunted, but before she could swing her leg down, Viktor grabbed it and held it to his side.

  Almost losing her balance, she narrowed her eyes when he laughed. Bouncing on her grounded foot, she jumped up and kicked him hard in the chest. Surprised, he let go of her leg and they both fell back on the mats.

  Again, Aithne felt the wind knocked out of her, and she took a moment to catch it. Looking over at Viktor, she saw him spryly get up. Aithne watched him closely as she got up slowly. She circled him again, her hands up in a defensive position. Watching as he faked to grab her, she lunged at him. When he fell to the ground, she straddled his chest, pinning him to the ground.

  Aithne looked down at him and blushed when she noticed his eyes fixed between her thighs. Viktor licked his lips slowly, and she moaned in the back of her throat, feeling her muscles tighten and her body respond in a way it never had for any man. His eyes slowly slid up her belly. Her skin tingled as if his hands were actually touching her. When they’re eyes finally met each other, she gasped. She could practically see the dragon in him.

  Viktor’s eyes glowed and his nostrils flared as he smelled her need steaming off her body. The look on his face showed how much he liked it. He growled, and with a strength and speed that no mortal could match, he flipped her onto her back, his hands holding her so she landed softly.

  Her breath caught as he placed himself between her legs. She felt his hard cock pressing against her core through his jeans and the yoga pants she was wearing. Her lips parted to take a much need breath and his head came down quickly, his lips capturing hers in a punishing kiss. His tongue quickly invaded her mouth, coaxing hers to play with his, as it pushed and pulled in a sensual dance.

  Aithne moaned softly, meeting his every motion with her own. Viktor replied with a growl of his own and she felt him grind against her. Her legs spread a little wider on their own, and she felt her body arching up into him. He released his hold a little and Aithne found herself battling the urge to give into temptation. Her nipples hardened as her body rubbed ag
ainst his.

  Growling, she used one leg as leverage and flipped him over. Rolling with him, she straddled him and bit down on his lower lip rocking on his hips, before her tongue jutted out and licked his lips. Recapturing their kiss with her mouth, she interlocked their fingers together as she held his hands up and over his head. Breaking the kiss, she whispered against his lips, “I like this view much better.”

  Viktor sat up, suddenly wrapping his arms around her, causing her arms to go behind her back and her back to arch up and into him. Looking down at him, she licked her lips slowly, her breath coming in short little pants. Leaning forward, Aithne gasped as his lips found their way to her neck. Nibbling and licking his way up, he found the pulse in her neck and traced it with his tongue. She felt his teeth scrape her neck gently, causing a shudder to run down her spine.

  The door opened and Viktor released her hands and practically pushed her off his lap before she could catch her breath. Turning her head, Aithne saw Kassandra standing in the doorway. Kassandra didn’t even glance at her, her eyes fixed on Viktor’s, her one eyebrow raised as she smiled at him. “I hope I didn’t interrupting anything?”

  Chapter 35

  Viktor noticed the laughter in Kassandra’s voice and the smile that played across her lips. When he saw Aithne was starting to rise next to him, he reached out his hand to help her only to have slapped it away, as she gave him a dirty look. Rubbing the back of his neck, “No, I was just testing Aithne’s fighting skills, to see if she’ll be able to help us at all with Lazzaro.”

  Viktor swore if Kassandra’s eyebrow went any higher, they would actually disappear behind her hair. Her eyes are danced in the light as she fought with all her might to suppress laughter. “I’m pretty sure we’ve never sparred like that.”

  Growling softly he noticed that Aithne’s cheeks had turned a soft pink, and that she was looking anywhere but at them. “Did you need something?” he finally asked, his voice sharper than he meant it to be.

  “Violca was worried about Aithne and asked me to check on her.” Kassandra replied. Stepping inside, she smiled at Aithne who finally looked up at her. “Chase also wanted to talk to you, and was wondering what kind of guards you saw when you were at Lazzaro’s.”

  Nodding, Aithne started to walk toward Kassandra, making her way out of the room. Viktor grabbed her by the hand, stopping her, and he felt a twinge of regret when she jerked her hand out of his grasp. “I was just going upstairs to your office.”

  Her voice quiet, he wondered if she was mad that he had kissed her, or that he had shoved her off his lap. He shouldn’t have kissed her. She was technically his prisoner, and he shouldn’t have forced himself on her like that.

  “I’ll go with her.” Kassandra said, pushing the door open more. Aithne walked past her as Kassandra turned and gave Viktor a look that told him she thought he was an idiot.

  Viktor swore softly as the door closed behind them. The goal of bringing her down here to fight, was to test her. You could tell a lot about a person by the way they handled themselves in a fight, but instead, he let his desire for her cloud his common sense and he kissed her. To make things even worse, when the door had flown open, he had pushed her off his lap so fast, he was surprised he hadn’t hurt her.

  “Smooth.” he muttered to himself, putting on his shirt before slipping back into his shoes. Jogging up the stairs to the main level he walked toward his office.

  Opening the door, he was surprised to see only Chase and Aithne inside. “Where’s Kat?”

  Chase shrugged. “Think she said something about getting a bite to eat and that she would be back a little later.”

  “Figures.” he muttered under his breath before walking to the desk to see what they were doing.

  “So the guards outside were mostly werewolves and humans. Inside you just saw a couple of vampires?”

  Aithne nodded at Chase and Viktor noticed she was looking at him from the corner of her eye, but her head hadn’t come up. “It was a trap. I have a funny feeling he keeps more guards around than that normally, but he wanted me to find him. I should have guessed when they pretty much just let me walk into the room, but I was hoping to get in and get out.”

  Chase snorted at that before taking a seat. Viktor sat on the opposite corner of his desk from where they were standing. “Aithne, it’s time to come clean and tell us why he picked you. We’ll help you get your sister, but you at least owe us the truth.”

  Aithne sat in the chair behind her, and he noticed that she was playing with a strand of her hair again. After several long moments she sighed.

  “Lazzaro picked me because I’m technically human. I not only smell human, but I am, except for one small thing. My mother is Boudica, one of the first female Celtic who took control of her tribe at the death of her husband. The Romans at the time did not approve, so at first, they just sent troops to attack our village. When that didn’t work, they started sending troops to attack my family. I was the youngest of three girls, my mother dressed me as a boy and hid me when they came the last time. The Romans, using their rules of war, spared my mother and sisters nothing and left them beaten, bloody and almost dead on the floor of our house. Once they left, I crawled out of my hiding place. They were barely alive and my mother started praying to her gods. Thinking she was dying, she was praying for her daughters, that the men who attacked us would be severely punished and that I would be okay.”

  Viktor’s hands were clenched in his lap and he chanced a look at Chase. Neither of them could stand the strong picking on the weak. He remembered her mother’s name from the history books. She was thought to have disappeared and was presumed dead, after the Romans had attacked her, but no one was ever really sure. There was a rumor that she went into hiding with her daughters.

  When he looked back at Aithne, he saw her taking a few calming breaths before releasing a deep sigh. “The Goddess Badb Catha heard my mother’s prayer and her pain touched her. When she came, I was laying on my mother’s chest, begging her to live, I felt a calming hand on my shoulder and heard a voice that sounded like an angel. She controls the river of life, and had us all drink from it, saying we had suffered enough and that my mother’s love for her daughters had touched her.” Aithne paused, her green eyes meeting his, and in a strong voice, she said, “Drinking from the river of life has made us immortal. I can get hurt, but once I hit a certain age, I quit aging physically. I’m able to heal faster than I would if I was simply human.”

  Viktor took a deep breath, taking in everything she had told them. When he came to her last night, she was speaking an ancient form of Celtic he didn’t think anyone spoke anymore. Since she was deep asleep, he doubted she was faking it. “There has to be more to it than you simply being immortal? Why would he think you were qualified to sneak in and kidnap Chase? He’s a dragon, and you just said it yourself, you’re technically human.”

  Aithne smiled, and he saw her eyebrow go up as if she heard the challenge he just issued her. “I’ve been alive for a very, very long time. Thanks to the Romans, my mother made sure I was able to defend myself against anything. I’ve learned many fighting techniques, and for a long time I was a hired assassin. Only taking jobs that I believed were for the greater good.”

  Catching the word believed in her statement, he tilted his head thinking about that. “And now, what do you do now?”

  Aithne shrugged, looking at Chase first before whispering, “I’m sorry, if he didn’t have my sister I would’ve never tried to take you. I no longer do these kinds of missions.” When he nodded at her, she finally turned and looked directly at him. “I don’t do this kind of work, and what I do now is of no consequence.”

  Viktor snorted, trying to make her out. He knew she wasn’t lying when she told her story. The fact that she didn’t tell him what she did now, had him more curious than ever. Even as his prisoner she wouldn’t bend, and he doubted that anything less than holding her family captive could make her do anything against her will.

&
nbsp; “Fine.” he finally said, getting up and pacing. His dragon had been especially close to the surface since his little wrestling match with her downstairs. It hadn’t detected any lies and wanted to comfort her. When he had kissed Aithne’s neck, he’d felt his teeth throb. He glanced at Chase’s neck, looking at where Violca had marked him. It wasn’t visible to the naked eye, but his dragon could see the bite marks she had left there, marking him as hers. It had never healed completely, and Chase had told him how every time he’s with Violca, he had this urge to sink his teeth into her neck. Fate could not be so cruel, as to make his mate the one who tried to kidnap one of his people.

  Viktor shook his head, thinking he needed some time away from her. He pulled out his phone and messaged Scott to send two of his guards. When he heard a knock at the door a few minutes later, he called out for them to enter. With a look at Aithne he announced. “Take her to the room next to mine, and make sure she stays inside.”

  Her eyes locked onto his. Viktor saw the look of hurt that quickly passed before she got up and quietly walked to the door. Without looking back, she left the office, and Viktor turned to see Chase staring at him.

  “I don’t think she’s going to try to escape. Her story’s too crazy to be anything but the truth.”

  Shaking his head, he rubbed the back of his neck. “You do realize you’re defending the girl who tranquilized you, in order to hand you over to Lazzaro?”

  Chase shrugged. “She was trying to save her sister, Violca would probably do the same thing. I’m not happy about the situation, but I understand her motives.”

  Viktor looked out the window, thinking about Chase’s words. He would have done anything for his brother, before he had betrayed them. What would he have done if in the same spot? Could he trust her not to betray them?

  Chapter 36

  The guards lead her to the room next to Viktor’s and when they open the door she stepped inside without fighting them. She heard the key in the lock and the distinctive click as the bolt slid into place. The room was comfortable and big with its own bathroom.