Blaze

by Donna Grant

  She shrugged. “That was for Rhi. That doesn’t apply to me. You know that.”

  “Usaeil, please rethink this.”

  “If you question me again, I’ll banish you. Have I made myself clear?”

  A muscle worked in his jaw. “Perfectly.”

  “Good. Now go away. Don’t ever interrupt me again when I’m working in the mortal world.”

  She gave a shake of her head, wondering what he’d been thinking to intrude upon her like that. And if someone brought up the Reapers one more time, she might scream.

  They were merely a story, a myth told to frighten young Light so they wouldn’t turn to the Dark. Everyone knew that. Why then did every Light suddenly believe the Reapers were real? It was maddening.

  She glanced over her shoulder to find Inen still standing where she’d left him. He didn’t look pleased. That was something she would have to take care of when she returned to the castle.

  “I’m Queen of the Light,” she told herself. “I’ve ruled for over a thousand millennia. I’ve proven myself to the Light time and again. I’ve given them everything. There’s no reason I can’t take some time for myself.”

  How many centuries had she remained at the castle, listening to all the petty troubles of her people? How many centuries had she put aside her wants and dreams to sort out arguments, marriages, and other squabbles?

  How many times had she gone above and beyond to help out some ungrateful Fae, who didn’t even bother to thank her afterward? How many times had she thought of everyone but herself?

  She hadn’t married, hadn’t allowed herself to think of having a family during that time. It wasn’t until she stepped into the mortal world that she realized it was time to take back some of her time, to remember that she could have the things she’d always dreamed of.

  One of those was Con.

  And she wasn’t going to stop until he was hers.

  With a bright smile in place, she greeted her fans, basking in their love—as was expected of a queen.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Devon didn’t know what she’d expected after sending that text to Kinsey, but she fully anticipated … something. Well, other than the thumbs up emoticon.

  What the bloody hell did that mean, anyway?

  She closed the laptop, unable to look at it any longer. Her mind needed something else to occupy it, so she decided to pick up the kitchen after the mess from that morning and reheating lunch.

  Instead of cooking dinner, she opted to eat the rest of the cappuccino gelato. The flat was entirely too quiet, so she put on some music.

  The first track from her playlist was Dragonfly by Shaman’s Harvest. She danced around the living room, eating her gelato and pretending that the world wasn’t crashing down around her as she attempted to navigate the unseen road without being crushed.

  Using the spoon as a microphone, she sang at the top of her lungs. The song finished, and she turned around, only to freeze as her gaze landed on none other than Anson.

  She couldn’t think of another time in her life when she’d been more embarrassed. As she stood there, staring at the god before her, all she could think of was how damn good his lips looked.

  A man with a mouth like that had to be an expert kisser. And she really wanted to find out if that were true.

  Men like him got women without even trying, which meant he knew how to kiss. At least, that was her reasoning. After all, he’d probably kissed a thousand women. Even after fifty women, the worst kisser had to be a pro.

  She bit back the laughter that bubbled up. She had no idea what was wrong with her, and she didn’t even try to figure it out.

  “Want some gelato?” she asked, holding out the nearly empty carton.

  Without a word, he walked to her. He stopped a foot from her and looked pointedly at the spoon. Her mouth went dry as she grasped that he wanted her to feed him.

  Holy shit. Could anything be more erotic?

  Well, it could, but this was certainly doing it for her.

  Devon filled the spoon with the delicious treat and brought it to his lips. Her gaze was fastened on his mouth as those lips of his wrapped around the spoon. Reluctantly, she withdrew the silverware.

  “It’s good,” he said after he’d swallowed.

  She nodded, then frowned. “I locked my doors. I even changed the code. How did you get in?”

  “You wouldna believe me.”

  “Tell me.”

  He shrugged. “Magic.”

  Not that again. “Seriously. How?”

  He lifted a black brow, those dark eyes of his penetrating as they stared at her. “I told you.”

  “The system I bought is top of the line.”

  “Anything can be broken into.”

  Well, that made her feel better. “Wonderful.”

  “I checked around your block. There is no one watching your flat.”

  She gave him the carton with the final bit of gelato. “For some reason, I felt as if they were always around.”

  “They probably were.”

  “Then where are they now?”

  “You’ve turned off your laptop and mobile. The cameras on their loop will only last so long before Kinsey has to reset them so Kyvor doesna become suspicious.”

  “Which means they’re probably already suspicious.”

  “It’s why I’m here.”

  She looked around, biting her lip. “Are you hungry? I can fix something?”

  “I’m fine. I’ll stay out of your way. Go about your night as if I’m no’ here.”

  The snort left her before she could stop it. “Sorry. That’s just not possible.”

  “Would you rather I waited outside?”

  Their gazes locked, and though him being near reminded her all too well that she was a woman and he a very viral man, she didn’t want to be alone. “No.”

  There was a tense moment when silence filled the air between them. It was Anson who pulled out a chair from the table and sat.

  It was her cue to go about her business. Though her singing into the spoon was officially done for the night. She needed something to do other than ogling him. Devon took the empty container and threw it in the bin before putting the spoon in the sink.

  “I didna think you’d agree to help us.”

  She turned to face him. “Because I don’t believe in magic?”

  “Aye.”

  “I try not to think of that part. The rest of the story and what I’ve learned about Kyvor speaks for itself.”

  His brow furrowed. “What did you learn?”

  “When I did a search of the company, nothing negative came up. That’s not natural. Look up any business, any person, and there is a mix of good and bad. Not so with Kyvor. I had to search through hundreds of pages to find the bad.”

  “But you found it.”

  “I did. Kyvor must’ve used their technology to hack all the search engines and change metadata to display what they want the public to see.”

  Anson stretched out his legs before him and crossed them at the ankles. “That’s the theory Ryder and Kinsey came up with earlier.”

  “That’s not all I found. Digging through those hundreds of pages of links to websites, blogs, and news articles, I discovered people who had actively spoken out about Kyvor’s practices and policies, as well as some who questioned the ethics of the software and technology used.”

  “I doona think even Ryder has gone that deep in his investigating yet.”

  She went to the coffee table and lifted the paper with the names. “Give him this and save him some time. That list is what I’ve been doing all afternoon. Every name on it—all sixty—was vocal in criticizing Kyvor or someone who works for them. And all of them are now dead.”

  “All?” he asked, his frown deepening.

  “Sadly, yes. And each of their deaths were either classified as an accident of some kind or a suicide.”

  “That doesna sound right.”

  She sank onto the arm of the sofa a
nd let the paper fall back to the coffee table. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t terrified. The smart thing to do would be to forget I ever met any of you, but I can’t.”

  “I’ll no’ let anything happen to you.”

  “Thank you,” she said with a smile. “But you can’t promise that.”

  His look said he believed otherwise, but he didn’t argue with her.

  The silence that followed unnerved her. She rubbed her hands on her thighs, trying to find something to say. Everything sounded awful in her head, which meant it was better to stay silent. But the silence was killing her.

  “My being here isna suppose to make you uncomfortable.”

  She looked into his black eyes. “It’s me. I do this. I feel like I have to fill the quiet with talk, and then I can’t think of anything to say. It’s why I don’t date. It’s just too painful.”

  “You doona have a lover?”

  Her heart skipped a beat at his question. Really, it was the way he’d said “lover” in his brogue. Her nipples tingled in response. An ache deep inside her began that she knew wouldn’t go away as long as he was near.

  It took her two attempts to answer. Finally, she managed to swallow and say, “No.”

  “Do you no’ notice how men look at you?”

  “I don’t pay attention.” Then she sat up straighter. “They look at me?”

  He crossed his arms over his chest. “Aye.”

  How had she never noticed? Most likely because none of the men around were what she was looking for—present company excluded.

  Now he was someone she’d go out with in a heartbeat. The fact that she was constantly breathless around him, her body achy and hungry to feel him, was frightening and exciting.

  Needless to say, his statement did a lot for her confidence. She realized she was grinning stupidly and quickly wiped it from her face.

  “That pleases you?” he asked curiously.

  At this, she laughed. “Of course. To know that someone finds me attractive makes me feel good.”

  “Then you should feel verra good.”

  If he didn’t stop talking, she was going to really feel good in a minute. Damn, but his voice was as smooth as chocolate and deliciously wicked as sin.

  She wanted to hear more of it.

  “Earlier, Kinsey mentioned that it was those at Dreagan who broke through the spell of the Druid. What did she mean?”

  His lips lifted in a half-smile that made her stomach flutter. “I didna think you believed in magic.”

  “I don’t.” She comprehended her mistake and scrunched up her nose. “It’s just that it’s part of the story that was left out.”

  “On purpose.”

  “Why? Am I not trustworthy?”

  He didn’t look away or try to come up with a quick response. Instead, he said, “Lives are at stake. That information isna given unless it’s needed.”

  “And you don’t think I need it?”

  “You doona. Besides, it wouldna matter since you doona believe.”

  Point to Anson. She liked that he didn’t attempt to lie. He spoke the truth, no matter how hurtful it might be. It allowed her to trust him.

  “You don’t like London, do you?” She wasn’t sure how she knew that. Maybe it was the way he sat as if on high alert.

  He gave a shake of his head. “It’s true, I doona. I prefer the mountains of Dreagan.”

  “I’ve never been to Scotland. How odd is that?” she asked with a laugh. “I’ve lived in England my entire life and never ventured north.”

  “I wouldna call that odd. I’d say it was sad. You’re missing what I consider Heaven on Earth.”

  She wished she could see Dreagan through his eyes, to take in the beauty he was even now imagining. “Will you take me?”

  “Aye, lass.”

  Though she was forthright in business, Devon had never been so in her personal life. The fact that she’d asked him such a thing embarrassed her, but that was quickly overshadowed by the fact that he’d agreed.

  When his lips curved into a smile, she found herself returning it.

  “What is it about you that puts me at ease?” she asked.

  He dropped his arms, his eyes burning with some unnamable emotion that made her breasts swell. “Shall we find out?”

  The invitation was out there, waiting for her to accept. Inside, she was screaming “yes!” But her brain cautioned her about getting involved with Anson with everything else going on regarding Kyvor.

  As much as she was going to regret it, she had to decline. She stood slowly. All she had to do was walk to him. Hell, she didn’t even have to do that. She just had to give him a reply. Even a nod would do.

  Then he would do the rest.

  He would come to her, pull her against his hard chest, and wrap those arms around her. He would lower his head and kiss her. Then …

  She halted her thoughts right there. It wasn’t safe to let her imagination go down that road because once there, she wouldn’t be able to refuse him.

  “It’s been a long day. I’m going upstairs. Make yourself at home.” She hurried away before she changed her mind.

  But she was sure she heard him sigh as she left.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Every moment Anson heard Devon in the tub was an excruciating, wicked type of torment. He closed his eyes, letting his enhanced hearing drown out the music she played to focus on her as she lifted her hand from the water.

  He clenched his jaw as he imagined the drops of liquid rolling down her arm and onto her chest. Her skin would be dewy from the heat and steam. Had she wet her hair or pinned it up? Most likely, there were dark locks clinging to the damp skin of her neck and face.

  A groan tore through him when more water sloshed as if she had moved her legs. When she began to sing along with the song, it caused him to smile since she was off-key and didn’t seem to care.

  Devon was a particularly troublesome woman because she made him ache and grin all at the same time. No female had ever done that before. The fact that he craved her to such a degree bothered him.

  In his very long life, he’d taken various kinds of women to his bed. Seductresses, innocents, dominatrices, liars, thieves, and even submissives.

  Each had something that drew his interest, but none had that special combination that would keep his attention for more than a few weeks.

  The more he told himself to keep away from Devon, the more he ached for her. Half of him had prayed she would refuse to help them, but when she’d agreed, the other half of him inwardly shouted with joy.

  She was an intriguing complication he wouldn’t be able to stay away from. There was too much going on at Dreagan, not to mention that they were in a middle of a war that was only going to get worse as the months passed. And yet, he couldn’t stop thinking about her, wanting her.

  Hungering for her.

  The big problem was that she didn’t believe in magic. If she couldn’t even consider that it existed, how would she ever accept him in his true form as a dragon?

  His mood soured at the thought. There hadn’t been a single instance over the eons where he’d ever worried about what a female might think of him as a dragon because he never intended to tell them his secret.

  Ever.

  He’d promised to wed one of the dragons from his clan long before they were sent away. Since he didn’t make such pledges lightly, it was important to him that he remain true to his word.

  Con had once warned him that there might come a time when that vow would be tested. Anson hadn’t believed it to come sauntering into his life with amazing legs, a beautiful visage, and pale blue eyes.

  He ran a hand down his face and got to his feet to pace the living area. The last place he should be is inside Devon’s flat. He could easily watch the structure from outside as he’d done the night before.

  An image of her eyes silently begging him to stay flashed in his mind.

  “Fuck me,” he murmured in frustration.

 
He couldn’t leave. Devon was scared, and she had every right to be now that she’d begun to see what Kyvor was capable of. How could he, in good conscience, leave?

  Kinsey would skin him alive, and he was pretty sure that Esther had ways of doing harm that he hadn’t even thought of yet.

  It was then that he heard it. The sound was so quick, so soft, that if he hadn’t been on alert, he might have missed it. He took the stairs three at a time. When he reached the landing, he stopped and listened.

  There it was again. Someone was trying to open one of the windows. He heard Devon get out of the tub. His head swung in the opposite direction when the sound came again.

  He took a step toward the spare room in an attempt to take care of the would-be intruder before Devon came out of the bathroom. But his plans went to shite as she opened the door.

  With one look, he took in the towel wrapped around her and the hair coming loose from being pinned atop her head. She had her head down and her gaze on the floor, so she didn’t see him.

  Anson grabbed her before she could run into him. He put a hand over her mouth to stop any sound and turned her so that she was braced against the wall.

  Her eyes went wide as she looked up at him. He removed his hand and put a finger to his lips to keep her quiet. She nodded quickly. A second later, the sound came again.

  It was then that he felt her grip his arms, her nails digging into him through the sleeves of his shirt. He didn’t feel it because he was all too aware of the towel that was slowly coming loose. If he stepped away, it would fall and reveal her body.

  His mouth went dry at the thought.

  Then he noticed how fast she was breathing, and it had nothing to do with him and everything to do with the person trying to open her window.

  Large, blue eyes stared up at him. Her lips were parted, and apprehension filled her face. Without thinking, he placed his hand on the side of her face to let her know it was going to be all right. Instantly, she loosened her fingers.

  Minutes ticked by as they waited, but no more of the clicking sound could be heard. That could mean whoever it was had moved on to another part of the flat, or left altogether.

  Anson took a step back and turned toward the spare room. He let one hand drift down her arm until their fingers touched. Looking back at her, he gave a nod of assurance. She smiled in answer as she held the towel up with her other arm.