Soul Scorched

by Donna Grant

  “I’ll be waiting. Good luck.”

  Warrick was still looking at the building when Darcy came to stand beside him.

  “We’re going up that, aren’t we?”

  He looked at her and nodded. “I hope you’re no’ afraid of heights.”

  “That’s not my issue. It’s the climbing part.”

  “You’ll be hanging on to me. I’ll be doing all the work.”

  She put her hands on her hips and looked from him to the building. “I like the way you think.”

  “Good, because we need to go now. The longer we wait, the more time the Dark have to mount their attack.”

  “They’ll see us.”

  He glanced behind him to the front. “Aye. They’ll come after us too. I’m hoping to be beneath the city when that happens.”

  “Holy crap,” she said and swallowed hard.

  Warrick held out his hand. “Do you trust me, Darcy?”

  She looked from his hand to his face. Then she put her hand in his and said, “Yes.”

  “Ready?”

  “Warrick!” Thorn’s voice shouted in his head.

  She smiled nervously. “Yes.”

  “It’s Ulrik!” Thorn bellowed.

  Warrick paused and turned to the front of the store at the same time someone stepped on the broken glass.

  “Wh—” Darcy started to say.

  Warrick put a finger to her lips to silence her. “It’s Ulrik,” he whispered.

  Darcy nodded, a frown furrowing her brow.

  “Darcy?” Ulrik called from the front. “Tell the Dragon King guarding you that I mean you no harm.”

  Warrick wanted to believe him, but he wasn’t sure of anyone anymore.

  “He did warn me I was in danger,” Darcy whispered. “It’ll be all right.” She stepped back and said, “Ulrik, we’re in the back.”

  Warrick watched as Ulrik walked through the curtains to Darcy’s office area. With the doors open to the conservatory, Ulrik saw them immediately.

  “Warrick,” Ulrik said. “I knew Con would send you.”

  He bowed his head in greeting to Ulrik. “Is that so?”

  “You always did have the cool head. Who’s with you?”

  “I’m alone.”

  Ulrik smiled, though it didn’t reach his gold eyes. “Now I know you’re lying. There’s always at least two Kings in situations like this. Is it Ryder? Darius? What about Dimitri?”

  In that moment, Warrick realized that Ulrik knew it was Thorn with him. “What do you want?”

  Ulrik threw him a flat look. “Why else would I be here? You know Darcy. You know what she’s done for me. She’s the one who gave me part of my life back.”

  Warrick eyed Ulrik as he walked to the doorway of the conservatory and leaned against the doorjamb. His hands were in his pants’ pockets, his black suit jacket open to reveal a white shirt beneath.

  “So you walked through all the Dark?” Warrick asked.

  Ulrik shrugged, his gaze shifted to Darcy. “I need her to remain safe.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me it was the Dark coming for me?” Darcy asked. “If it hadn’t been for Warrick, I’d have been taken that first night or the second.”

  Ulrik’s lips flattened. “Then it’s a good thing Warrick was there.”

  Warrick moved closer to Darcy. “Why are you really here?”

  “I told you. I’m here to help. I assume you have a plan to get Darcy out?”

  Darcy nodded. “He’s taking me to Dreagan.”

  “Of course he is,” Ulrik said as he pushed away from the door. “What’s the plan, then?”

  CHAPTER

  THIRTY

  Darcy knew Warrick wasn’t particularly happy at Ulrik’s arrival, but she was ecstatic at the extra help. She smiled at Ulrik. “Thank you. We accept your help.”

  Warrick tensed beside her. He had his own motives for not trusting Ulrik, but Darcy didn’t share those reasons. In all the time she had known Ulrik, he had done nothing to put her in danger.

  In fact, he’d warned her there was something approaching. It didn’t go unnoticed by her that he had yet to explain why he hadn’t told her it was Dark Fae coming for her. She would address that later.

  Ulrik eyed Warrick. “Is it the fact that I’m willing to help that has you looking constipated?”

  “You forget. I know who you really are,” Warrick said.

  “You think you know.”

  Darcy got between them and looked at Warrick. “Whatever you think of Ulrik, we need him.”

  “It’s no’ a smart move,” Warrick said, never taking his gaze from Ulrik. “He’ll betray you.”

  “He needs me.”

  “She’s right,” Ulrik said. “She’s the only Druid who can touch dragon magic. Why would I do anything other than save her?”

  Warrick shook his head as he turned away in disgust. “Keep your false words. Darcy doesna need to hear them.”

  Darcy sighed and looked at Ulrik. She trusted him. She also trusted Warrick. It was only with her magic that she saw Ulrik’s memories. He’d told her a little about the Dragon Kings, but nothing that compared to reliving those memories.

  As for Warrick, she’d given him her body. They had been in close proximity for a couple of days. The few times they talked had been easy and open.

  The same couldn’t be said for Ulrik. He was an incredibly private man, but she understood why. Ulrik didn’t trust—anyone.

  But he needed her. That was her one advantage.

  “Say the word, and I’ll leave,” Ulrik told her.

  She knew firsthand how vicious the Dark were. Thorn was out there but keeping a low profile until the last possible moment. No matter how Warrick and Thorn felt, they were going to need Ulrik’s help to get her out.

  “The Dark let you walk in without bothering you?” she asked him.

  Ulrik nodded once. “I know them.”

  “So you didn’t send them after me?”

  He made a face. “Darcy, what would that gain me? I’ve searched for ages for a Druid to unbind what my so-called friends did. Every one of them failed until I found you.”

  “Do you know why they’re after me?”

  “Because you helped me. Ask yourself who that angers?” he asked and looked pointedly at Warrick.

  Warrick snorted loudly. “You’re forgetting in your time away from Dreagan that we doona associate with the Dark.”

  “Ah, but you associate with the Light.”

  Darcy was immediately wary. “I thought you sent Rhi to help me.”

  “So I did,” Ulrik said succinctly.

  A muscle clenched in Warrick’s jaw.

  “Ah,” Ulrik said with a cocky grin. “It bothers you that she’s willing to help me as well as you. What else did you expect when I carried her out of Balladyn’s dungeon?”

  “I expected her to remember who you are,” Warrick said.

  “A Dragon King who had his friends betray him?” Ulrik said, a dangerous look flashing in his gold eyes.

  “You started a war.”

  “The humans killed dragons, War. Or have you forgotten that?”

  “Nay,” Warrick said tightly.

  Darcy felt the tension escalate. She had to do something. “Look, I know the two of you don’t particularly like each other, but right now that needs to be put aside.”

  Ulrik raised a brow as he looked at her. “What’s it to be, Druid? Do I go, or do I stay?”

  “Stay,” Darcy said without looking at Warrick.

  Ulrik unbuttoned his black suit jacket and removed it. Then he carefully folded it and laid it on the table. Next, he reached up and gathered his long dark hair behind him and wrapped a leather strap around it.

  “The plan?” Ulrik urged.

  Warrick blew out a breath and glared at Ulrik. “If at any time I think you’ll betray Darcy, I’ll kill you.”

  “Ah. The obvious threat. Now, can we get on with it? I’m sure Darcy would like to get in some fresh clothes and
eat properly.”

  Silence stretched as Warrick continued to stare at Ulrik. At this rate, she would never leave the store. Darcy hoped she was making the right decision about Ulrik. If not, she would find out soon enough.

  “We’re going underground,” she said.

  Ulrik looked at her and nodded approvingly. “A good plan. I know how the Dragon Kings doona want the mortals to know they’re around.”

  “And you want to expose us,” Warrick stated.

  Darcy speared him with a stern look that he didn’t even glance at her to see. She then focused back on Ulrik. “The best entrance is on the street behind us. Warrick wants to climb up the building instead of trying to run through the streets.”

  “A wise choice,” Ulrik said. He walked to the back of the conservatory and looked at the building. “It isna too high, but the stone is smooth. It’ll be a tough climb for you, Darcy.”

  “I’ll be carrying her,” Warrick replied.

  Ulrik glanced at Darcy. “Probably for the best.”

  “Yeah,” she said as she looked at the building. “I’m not exactly a climber.”

  Ulrik turned and faced Warrick. “Perhaps I should carry her.”

  “And let you spirit her away?” Warrick stated in annoyance. “I doona think so.”

  “He has a point,” Darcy said. “The Dark want to fight a Dragon King. If you go out there and take their attention off me, then that would give us enough time to get up the building.”

  Warrick ran a hand through his hair. “I’d like it better if Ulrik was the decoy.”

  “But they willna fight me,” Ulrik pointed out. “It’s either you or Thorn.”

  Darcy wished there was another way, but she couldn’t think of one. And she wanted out of the shop before the Dark attacked again.

  “I need to talk to Thorn,” Warrick said and strode to the front of the store.

  Darcy watched him, wishing she could help relieve some of his worry.

  “I’m surprised you accepted my offer of help.”

  Her eyes shifted to Ulrik who was rolling up the sleeves of his dress shirt. “Why? I know they told you about me.”

  “I knew about you before them.” Though she hadn’t known all of it.

  Ulrik raised a dark brow. “How is that?”

  “I was inside your mind.”

  His gaze went hard for a fraction of a second. “What did you see?”

  “A lot. I know and understand why you are the way you are. However, there are two sides to every story. I listened as Warrick told me his.”

  “And?”

  She shrugged and pulled off a dead leaf from one of her plants. “Both of you are right and wrong.”

  “It’s no’ that simple.”

  “No bad situation is. You are too angry to see their side of the story, and they’re too stubborn to see yours. So you both gather hate around you and use it as a shield. Hate destroys from the inside out. It hardens the heart and maligns the soul.”

  Ulrik closed the distance between them. He got so close she could see the darker ring of gold around his eyes. For once, he let her see the anger that sizzled just beneath the surface.

  “They brought this war onto themselves.”

  “Can you understand why they were angry at you?”

  He gave her an annoyed look. “Were?”

  “You know what I mean,” Darcy said with a roll of her eyes.

  “Have you ever loved someone, Darcy?”

  The change in topic and Ulrik’s soft voice threw her off guard. “My family.”

  “Nay. Have you ever fallen in love?”

  Warrick’s image instantly flashed in her head. “Not the kind of love you’re talking about, no.”

  “You give everything to that person. Every shred of your soul, every breath that leaves your lungs. You trust them implicitly. You share everything with them. They are your entire world.”

  She swallowed hard, chills rising on her arms, because she could tell how deeply Ulrik had loved his woman. It was so tangible, so physical that it brought tears to her eyes.

  Ulrik took a deep breath and slowly released it. “Now, imagine that same person betrays you. They stomp all over the love you gave them, proving that they never cared. They were using you.”

  Darcy could no longer hold his gaze. She looked down and sniffed.

  “That would tear any being in two, be they human, dragon, or Fae,” Ulrik said softly.

  She glanced up at him to see his gaze was directed elsewhere. It gave her time to look at him and see past the indifference he showed the world. The problem was, there was only callousness and nothing resembling anything close to kindness.

  “You survived it.”

  Ulrik smiled coldly. “If you believe that, Darcy, you’re more naïve than I believed.”

  She rubbed her hands over her arms. “If the humans discover the Dragon Kings, all of the Kings will be hunted—including you. They can hide on Dreagan. Where will you go?”

  “They can have Dreagan,” he said through clenched teeth. Then he slid his gaze back to her. “Would you want to be with the people who turned their backs on you? Banished you? Bound your magic so you couldn’t be the very thing you were born to be?”

  “No,” she answered honestly.

  “Neither do I.”

  “Con asked you to stop killing the mortals.”

  Ulrik lifted one shoulder casually. “I wanted every trace of your kind wiped from the realm. I didna want to look at you again and be reminded of what happened.”

  She knew in that instant his feelings for humans hadn’t changed. As soon as she unbound the rest of his magic, he would wipe the Earth clean.

  “You’re no’ going to inquire if I still feel the same?” he asked into the silence.

  “It’s obvious you do.”

  His head tilted to the side slightly. “Had you known this before, would you have unbound my magic?”

  Darcy didn’t need to look to the doorway to know that Warrick was there. How much of the conversation had he overheard, she wondered?

  “What I know is that this world needs the Dragon Kings.”

  CHAPTER

  THIRTY-ONE

  Thorn looked down at the shop with distaste. He still couldn’t believe what Warrick had just related to him. Ulrik was going to help them.

  This could be the one thing that helped to mend old wounds.

  Or it could all go up in a shit storm of lunacy.

  Thorn might like to ride the wave of foolhardiness more times than not, but he hadn’t been one who sided with Ulrik and killed mortals.

  Not even when he wanted to burn a few humans with dragon fire himself. A vow was a vow. Thorn wasn’t even one who hated mortals.

  They were a huge pain in his ass, but they were part of the realm. The dragons were saved, even if they were on another realm now. Sitting around and bemoaning the fact that they were gone, or even hating the humans that were around now for something their ancestors did seemed stupid.

  What was done was done. The mortals had their uses—particularly the females. Thorn smiled. A great amount of time had passed since the last time he sampled a willing woman. He couldn’t wait until this shite with the Dark was over so he could enjoy himself a bit.

  The smile died as his thoughts once more returned to Ulrik. Con had awakened every Dragon King because of the threat Ulrik posed to their way of life.

  That in itself was enough to make Thorn conscious of the risk they were taking in including Ulrik in their plans. For Warrick’s sake, Thorn hoped Ulrik was as good as his word.

  If not …

  Thorn wouldn’t want to be Ulrik.

  The plan was going into action in less than ten minutes. The way the Dark Fae gathered around Darcy’s shop made him wonder if they shouldn’t go sooner.

  Thorn fisted, then flexed his hands. He was ready to kill more Dark. The fuckers were like fleas. You killed one and a hundred took its place. How he despised them and their use of the morta
ls.

  He yearned to shift into dragon form and rain fire down upon the street, setting the wankers ablaze. It would be a fitting end to such scum.

  As gratifying as that would be, Thorn held himself in check. Even if no other King admitted it, he knew it was a matter of time before the mortals discovered what they were. Until then, he would continue to keep his identity a secret and play by the rules set down so long ago.

  It made Thorn yearn for the days when the mortals weren’t so many. Then they could get the Dark to follow them to a secluded piece of the country and settle things once and for all.

  Even during the Fae Wars, it was everything the Dragon Kings could do to keep the mortals from discovering everything. It was one of the reasons Con accepted the truce. There had been too many close calls, and Con feared their exposure.

  It would’ve been the perfect time for Ulrik to strike. It was a good thing he hadn’t had his magic then, because he would’ve succeeded.

  Thorn hunkered low and made his way to the other side of the roof. He leapt across to the next building and walked the steep roof. As he was about to get set for Warrick to exit the shop and distract the Dark, one appeared in front of him.

  “I knew there was another of you around,” the Dark sneered.

  Thorn smiled, eager for a fight. “It took you idiots long enough to realize it.”

  “But we have now.”

  He looked at the Dark with his red eyes glowing and his short black hair streaked with thick stripes of silver. “Are we going to talk all day or fight?”

  A ball of magic swirling black and silver appeared between the Dark’s hands. Thorn wasn’t about to wait on him to throw it. He took two steps, put his foot on the side of a chimney, and launched himself at the Fae.

  Thorn knocked the ball of magic away and slammed his shoulder into the Dark, knocking them both off the roof to the ground. He was up first and pressed his knee into the Dark’s throat while he used his foot to keep one of the Dark’s arms flat.

  The Dark gasped for air and tried to throw magic at Thorn with his free hand. Thorn reached behind his back and pulled out the small blade he always kept hidden. It was a Fae blade, one made in the Fires of Erwar.