Soul Scorched

by Donna Grant

Darcy sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. “I’ve explained this to Warrick already, and to Lily. It was a challenge.”

  “A challenge?” Con repeated, his voice as icy as the artic. “You helped a man known for evil and destruction. I’d think as a Druid that you would be more careful about who you helped.”

  “I take exception to that,” she said and returned his glare. “I read people’s futures in their palms and through tarot cards. I couldn’t see Ulrik’s.”

  Con stood rigidly by the window. “That’s your reasoning?”

  “Of course not, but it made me curious. Not once have I not seen a person’s future. His request was interesting. He told me who and what he was. I knew attempting to help him was harmless. So, I tried it. I was knocked unconscious for a day.”

  “Was he there when you came to?” Thorn asked as he sat in the chair.

  Darcy shook her head. “Ulrik returned a week later. I tried again, and that time I was hit with his memories.”

  “So I’ve been told,” Con said. “What were the memories?”

  “I’d rather not say, but I suspect you won’t give up until I tell you. I saw him discover what you did to his woman. I felt the thundering of his multiple emotions. I saw him fighting the humans.”

  “Is that all?” Con demanded.

  She gave him a stern glare. “Actually, it’s not. I saw his argument with you when you tried to get him to fight you to become King of Kings.”

  “Liar.”

  Darcy fisted her hands in the robe. “You told him that the other dragons needed definitive proof who was King of Kings. Ulrik said he didn’t want to fight you, but you kept pushing. He refused.”

  “Satisfied?” Warrick asked Con from the doorway.

  Darcy smiled when she saw him. She started to get up and go to him, but he motioned for her to remain.

  “No’ nearly,” Con told him. “I want to know what else Ulrik told her.”

  Darcy rolled her eyes and once more took her seat. “He didn’t tell me much. He gave me details of the Dragon Kings because I pushed to know.”

  Con’s condemning look was fierce. “You sided with him.”

  “There are two sides to every story. Warrick told me his. Ulrik shouldn’t have attacked the humans, but what did you expect him to do? He was angry at them, and at his friends. He didn’t want to hurt any of you, so he did the only thing he could.

  “And,” she said over Con when he tried to speak. “If he was so wrong, why did so many Kings side with him? Humans were killing dragons, and dragons were killing humans. It had to stop. You did what you had to do. I’m not saying it was right. You could’ve handled Ulrik better. He was your best friend. He considered you his brother.”

  Con’s nostrils flared as he drew in a deep breath. “He wouldna listen to anyone, especially me.”

  “He was hurt. You had your pride wounded because Ulrik did his own thing and other Kings followed. You didn’t have to bind his magic and banish him. That was you responding to anger with anger.”

  Warrick braced his hand on the door frame. “You make it sound simple, Darcy, but it wasna. It was total chaos. We sent the dragons away, our family and friends away.”

  “Because humans were killing them. Did my ancestors kill dragons before or after Ulrik attacked?”

  “Before,” Thorn answered. “Then again, dragons killed their fair share of humans as well.”

  Darcy looked at Con then. “How can you place the blame squarely on Ulrik’s shoulders? What about the Kings who sided with Ulrik and you persuaded back to you? Did you punish them?”

  “Nay,” Con answered tightly.

  Darcy shoved her damp curls out of her face. “But they killed mortals?”

  “Aye.” Con’s voice was low, hard.

  “Both you and Ulrik are in the wrong. Neither of you would admit it, so the hate grew between the both of you bringing us to where we are now.”

  Con gave a shake of his head. “Ulrik wants to kill me.”

  “And you want to kill him.”

  Thorn said, “He cursed Rhys.”

  “And killed Iona’s father,” Con added. “He has aligned himself with the Dark and a faction within MI5 to hunt down any human who has a connection with us. Not to mention he wants to expose us to the mortals. This is the man you’re helping, and with every bit of magic he has returned, he gets stronger and does more damage.”

  Darcy looked at Warrick, but he wasn’t going to offer her any help. Not that she’d expected he would. She knew how he felt about Ulrik.

  “I’ve told you my reasoning, and what I know about Ulrik. What else do you want?” she asked Con.

  Con’s face was emotionless. “I doubt you’ve told us everything. What I want to know now is how many times have you helped Ulrik against us?”

  CHAPTER

  THIRTY-FIVE

  Warrick knew Constantine wasn’t going to stop until he was sure Darcy had told them everything. The problem was, Darcy was just as stubborn as Con.

  “Excuse me?” Darcy asked Con. “Are you accusing me of being involved in Ulrik’s schemes?”

  Con stared at her with hard, black eyes. “I am. It’s obvious you’ve helped him.”

  Darcy made a sound at the back of her throat. “Yeah. I told you. I unbound his magic. That’s as far as it went. I didn’t know his plans, and not once did I help him in any murder or anything else you think he did,” she said with a wave of her hand. “I repeat—in case you’re hard of hearing—I didn’t help him with anything more than unbinding his magic.”

  “She’s no’ lying,” Warrick told Con.

  Con slid his gaze to Warrick. “How would you know that? Because she told you? And you believe her?”

  “I do.”

  “You accept her word for it that easily?” Con asked, a look of utter contempt on his face.

  Darcy stood, anger shooting from her fern green eyes. “It was three years ago when Ulrik first came to see me. It took me over six months before I was able to unbind some of his magic. Once I did, I didn’t see him again until three days ago when he came to warn me that someone might be coming after me.”

  Con stared at her for long moments. “I have Ryder looking into your whereabouts for the last two and a half years. We’ll see if you happened to be in the same places as the incidents we know Ulrik put in motion.”

  “Did you hear her, Con?” Warrick asked. “It was the same time the Silvers moved and the spell on us broke. We know what caused it now.”

  Warrick hoped that bit of news would turn Con’s mind away from linking Darcy with Ulrik, but judging by the muscle tightening in Con’s jaw, it was the wrong thing to say.

  “So you’re to blame for that as well,” Con said icily to Darcy. “Millions of years I ensured that the Kings would never fall under the spell of a human again. By releasing Ulrik’s magic, you broke that spell.”

  “Perhaps your spell wasn’t as powerful as you thought,” she retorted.

  Warrick stepped inside the room and walked to her before Con retaliated. He grabbed Darcy’s shoulders and forced her to turn to the side so she would look at him.

  She had been accosted by the Dark and seen them do things no mortal ever should. Her shop was destroyed, as was her way of life. She was barely holding it together.

  It didn’t help that she had no idea that angering Con was the absolute worst thing she could be doing. Not that he blamed her. He would most likely act the same way when confronted in such a fashion.

  Few would dare to talk to Con in such a fashion unless they were a Dragon King. Or Rhi. Humans seemed to innately know that he wasn’t the type of person to mess with.

  “Enough,” Warrick said, looking first at her and then at Con. “We’re getting nowhere with this.”

  Thorn stood and shoved a hand through his long dark brown hair. He cut his gaze to Con and said, “Your hatred for Ulrik is leading you down a path that will destroy you.”

  “It’s either him or me,” Con stated. “
And it willna be me.”

  Darcy sighed, her shoulders slumping. “I’ve told you all I know. I didn’t help Ulrik with anything. Do your search, Con. I no longer care.”

  Warrick gently pushed Darcy back down on the bed. “Rest. I’ll bring you some food.” He then turned to the door and looked pointedly at Con.

  Thorn walked past Con into the hallway. It took a moment, but Con finally followed. Warrick glanced at Darcy to find her curling up on the bed as he closed the door behind him.

  “Downstairs,” Warrick said as he shoved past Con and Thorn.

  He heard Thorn chuckle behind him while they descended two levels of switchback stairs. Warrick strode into the kitchen and threw open the pantry door, but he didn’t see a single thing that he wanted to fix for Darcy.

  With a slam of the doors, he ignored the other two couples in the kitchen and turned to pin Con with a glower. “You took things too far.”

  “We have to know.” Con’s famed control was back in place.

  How Warrick hated it. But he and Thorn had seen just how rattled Con could get when it came to Ulrik. “You want to blame Darcy for unbinding Ulrik’s magic? Be my guest. Darcy has admitted to that part. But I willna let you pin Ulrik’s transgressions on her.”

  “Or to blame her for each of the Kings finding love,” Thorn added from beside Con.

  Kellan and Denae rose from the table that sat in the middle of the kitchen. A moment later, Rhys and Lily pushed back their chairs and stood. Both Denae and Lily walked from the kitchen without a word, leaving the five Kings.

  “I warned you no’ to take such an action, Con,” Kellan said. “No’ until we had proof.”

  Con folded his arms over his chest, his dress shirt stretching tight over his shoulders. “We doona have time to wait around.”

  “You took someone we could have as an ally and turned her against us,” Rhys said. “Great job.”

  Thorn walked to the counters and leaned against the kitchen sink. “It was your idea, Con, that we watch over her.”

  “And learn whatever secrets she has about Ulrik. I’m still waiting on that,” Con said.

  Warrick rested his hands on the back of a chair at the table. “Usually, you’re in control of yourself, or you would realize that condemning her first is the worst thing you could do.”

  “None of you know Ulrik like I do!” Con bellowed. He dropped his arms, his black eyes narrowed and angry as his chest heaved. “I know what he’s capable of.”

  Rhys snorted loudly. “I do as well. Remember?”

  “If you want her to help, give her a reason,” Kellan said and looked pointedly at Warrick.

  Warrick knew where Kellan was headed and began to shake his head. “I’ll no’ use her.”

  “No’ even for us?” Rhys asked.

  Warrick looked at Thorn who threw up his hands. “Doona look at me. I’ll choose the Kings over any other being any time.”

  “You’ve already slept with her,” Con said. “She trusts you.”

  Warrick turned away and rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. He couldn’t use Darcy that way. It wasn’t right. Not even to save himself and the other Kings.

  Was it?

  He didn’t know what to do. There was no doubt he felt something for Darcy, something strong and raw and visceral. He even wondered—for a second—if she could be his mate.

  But he didn’t want a mate. So why did it matter what he did?

  Because she has been nothing but honest and open from the verra beginning.

  “I doona like the idea of it either, War,” Rhys said. “Frankly, I couldna have done it with Lily, but I knew she was my mate.”

  Warrick didn’t respond. How could he? He knew Ulrik had to be stopped, but at what cost? The Kings had coexisted with the humans for ages.

  It was the mortals who started the first war. Would it be the Kings who began the second with Warrick’s betrayal?

  Thorn moved to stand in front of him. “Or is she your mate?”

  Warrick could only stare at Thorn. He couldn’t deny that she wasn’t any more than he could admit that she was.

  “Ah, hell,” Rhys said.

  Behind him, Warrick could hear Con mumble something to Kellan. The two had quick words, but Warrick didn’t pay them any attention. He was too caught up in his thinking of Darcy.

  “War,” Kellan called.

  He turned to face the others. “I doona want a mate.”

  “That doesna matter, my friend,” Rhys said with a sympathetic look. “It happens without any interference from us.”

  Kellan rubbed his jaw. “Doona use her then. Talk to Darcy. Get her to understand us and why Ulrik needs to be stopped.”

  “She willna do it,” Warrick said. “She’s trying to remain neutral in this fight.”

  Con’s lips compressed. “That isna an option.”

  “You can no’ force her to choose sides,” Thorn stated to the King of Kings.

  Con raised a blond brow. “If she refuses to help us, then she’s taken a side—Ulrik’s.”

  Rhys loudly blew out a breath. “Before Ulrik cursed me, I was one who argued that he might no’ be the one pulling the strings. Though I hate to do it, I have to say Con is right in this. Ulrik must be stopped.”

  “I know.” Warrick dropped his chin to his chest. “I’ll talk to Darcy. I’ll do my best to convince her that she can no’ unbind any more of Ulrik’s magic.”

  Rhys clapped him on the back. “It’s the right thing to do, War. If you need anything, let us know.”

  “Why has it been so long since Darcy first unbound Ulrik’s magic and him returning to her?” Thorn asked, confusion marring his features.

  Warrick’s head lifted as he looked at Thorn. “It was his choice. He didna return to her in all that time.”

  “Do you think she unbound all of it the first time?”

  Con shook his head once. “Nay. The Silvers would wake, and Ulrik would come to challenge me. He only has a portion of it back. Of that, I’m sure”

  “Enough to use our telepathic link and curse me,” Rhys pointed out.

  Warrick frowned as he went through what Darcy had told him about Ulrik. “He wants to kill Con. Why wait so long if he could have all of his magic back?”

  “Perhaps Darcy couldna do more,” Kellan said.

  Thorn looked at Warrick. “Or whatever Ulrik is planning isna ready yet.”

  CHAPTER

  THIRTY-SIX

  Ulrik wanted to pay Mikkel a visit and see how close the female Dark was to him, but there were other, more important matters to attend to. Besides, he couldn’t return to Mikkel until he killed Darcy.

  It put a definite crimp in his plans. He’d hoped getting her away from Warrick and Thorn for a bit would be all that it would take.

  Then the Warriors and Druids arrived. Ulrik chuckled as he recalled how the Druid Laura had looked at him in surprise. He wondered if she remembered how he had paid Charon’s pub a visit and spoke with her. Apparently she did.

  Once the Warriors and Druids appeared, Ulrik had to amend his plans. He didn’t stick around Edinburgh. There was no doubt Warrick and Thorn would get away from the Dark. The Dark had the ability to take a Dragon King, but it was not always an easy thing.

  Ulrik stood on a mountain taking in the view of Dreagan in the distance. That was his home he had been forced from. Those were his dragons being held within a mountain.

  He was so close to having it all that it was almost too much to take in. For so long, his revenge had been nothing more than wishes and dreams.

  For five thousand years he’d forged bonds and alliances that grew through each generation. So what if Mikkel had done the same? The difference between them was that Ulrik knew how to reward mortals.

  Mikkel simply killed.

  The sound of a motor drew closer. Ulrik looked over his shoulder to see an old baby blue BMW slowly pull to a stop. Agonizing moments later, the door opened and an elderly woman climbed out of the car.
r />   Ulrik walked to the parking area and held out his hand to help her down the few steps to the lookout. “How was your drive, Dorothy?”

  “Now I know why I don’t leave the city much.” She smiled up at him, her face crinkling in deep wrinkles. “I’m always amazed when I see you. It seems like only yesterday when you visited my father and I saw you that first time.”

  Ulrik nodded. Dorothy MacAvoy had been but a child of five or six the first time he allowed her to see him. The years had aged her, but not once did she forget the bond between her family and Ulrik.

  “I did what you wanted with Darcy,” Dorothy said. “She’s a sweet girl, even if she doesn’t tell me the truth in what she sees. It doesn’t matter though. I’ve finished what you asked of me, and I’m ready for my reward.”

  Ulrik gave her hand a light squeeze. “Thank you. That should be all that’s needed to push Darcy where I need her.”

  “We should’ve done this sooner. Why did you wait?”

  “Some things are out of my control.”

  She laughed, her craggy face lifting to his again. “I seriously doubt that. Nothing gets by you, Ulrik. You never forget a face, you speak at least twenty different languages, and you always have an answer.”

  “It’s all going to be rectified now.”

  “Yes, finally. You’ve waited far too long, my Dragon King. You won’t tell me what it is Darcy still needs to do, will you?”

  Ulrik shook his head. “No. I’ve already visited both of your sons and your daughter. They know what’s expected of them in the coming years.”

  “Of course they do,” she said and sniffed, affronted. “William and I taught them well. They won’t fail you, just as we never did.”

  “I know they willna.” If they did, it was the last thing they would ever do.

  Dorothy looked out over the view. “This is a beautiful place. Too bad I can’t die here.”

  “Stay as long as you like.”

  Ulrik released her hand and walked away. He withdrew a phone from his pants’ pocket and sent a quick text with the words: IT’S TIME.

  He didn’t look back at Dorothy. Their deal had been set in motion ten years earlier. She had held up her end of the bargain. And so would Ulrik.