Soul Scorched

by Donna Grant

  She turned to the chaise again. That’s when she saw the clothes. Darcy recognized the black sweater as hers. She picked up the sweater and saw the jeans as well as another bra and a pair of panties. Sitting beside the chaise was a pair of her boots.

  Squeezing her toes into the plush rug, Darcy eyed the clothes. Was Rhi responsible for this as well? Or had Warrick gotten it for her?

  Not that it mattered. It would be nice to be in clothes not soaked with blood.

  Darcy removed the robe and looked down at her stomach. She touched the spot she knew the knife had entered. It was a little numb. She walked to stand in front of the makeup vanity and looked at her stomach in the mirror.

  A two-inch, narrow, pale line cut across her abdomen. How had she healed? She couldn’t remember anything. Unless she was dead.

  Darcy spotted a couple of candles and snapped her fingers to light them. But nothing happened. She frowned and tried again. No flames appeared.

  She shivered and quickly dressed. After the last boot was zipped, Darcy stood in front of the candles and snapped her fingers again and again.

  No matter how many times she did it, she couldn’t get them to light. She searched inside herself for her magic. To her horror, it took several tense moments before she felt it.

  It was dim, as if it were fading away.

  Darcy’s legs gave out and she crumpled to the floor. She couldn’t be losing her magic now. Not when she needed it so badly.

  She held on to the last ribbons of magic and closed her eyes as she sought out the ancients. Minutes ticked by with nothing.

  “Please,” she whispered. “Talk to me.”

  The faintest beat sounded. She held her breath, waiting to see if the ancients would deem her worthy to talk to her now. She felt something wet drop onto her hand, but she ignored the tears and kept silently calling to the ancients through what was left of her magic.

  There was a rush of air that blew her hair back and made her brace against the force of it. As soon as the wind brushed past her, the drums began to beat and the chanting filled her head.

  “Thank you,” Darcy said.

  “Why should we talk to you?” the thousand voices asked in unison.

  Darcy licked her lips. “I don’t know what happened. Why is my magic leaving me?”

  “It’s been gone for many years.”

  What? “That’s impossible. I used my magic yesterday.”

  “That wasn’t your magic,” the ancients said.

  Darcy squeezed her eyes closed. This couldn’t be happening. “When did I lose my magic?” But she already knew.

  “The moment you unbound Ulrik’s magic. He has done evil. As a Skye Druid, you know the consequences of such an act.”

  “I didn’t know he was evil.”

  The ancients let out a sound that reminded Darcy of a snort. “You were too interested in the money he offered and discovering if you could help him.”

  “Druids take money for their magic all the time. I’ve been doing it for years by reading palms and tarot. Never when I touched him or the dragon magic did I feel evil. I would’ve stopped.”

  The ancients sighed loudly. “What’s done is done, Darcy. It cannot be undone.”

  “Whose magic has been supplementing mine? That’s the only explanation of why I still had magic.”

  “An old Druid. She died a few hours ago. With her life force gone, her spell no longer worked. The little magic you feel now is all that’s left within you.”

  It wasn’t even enough to light a candle. Darcy opened her eyes as the drums and chanting faded away. The ancients hadn’t had to talk to her. She was thankful they had, but that didn’t make things any easier.

  Darcy jumped up and ran through the cottage to the front door. She threw it open and ran out. She didn’t know where she was going, and it didn’t matter.

  She was a Druid without magic.

  The rain mixed with her tears. She stumbled over rocks but kept running. It didn’t matter that it was raining and cold. She had to do … something, anything to stop the pain that was threatening to burst from her chest.

  Something swooped over Darcy low enough to ruffle her hair. She looked up and saw the jade dragon a moment before he dipped down into nothing. She slid to a halt a few feet from going over the side of a cliff.

  Darcy fell to her knees as she blinked the rain and tears from her vision. She watched the dragon dip a wing and circle back around to her. It was her first good look at Warrick, and she was awed. He was massive, his scales gleaming even in the rain.

  A crest of membranes ran from the base of his skull to his shoulders, while two large frilled membranes shot from either side of his head, framing his face. It was the sheer size of the dragon, as well as the long spike at the end of the tail that kept her riveted.

  As he drew closer, she looked into his large eyes the color of the sun. He was the dragon of her dreams, the one she kept seeing over and over again.

  Darcy dropped her face into her hands and sobbed. The ground trembled as Warrick landed. Suddenly the rain stopped. Darcy looked up and saw Warrick holding his wing out to keep the rain off her.

  She stood and walked to him. With a hiccup, she leaned against his front leg and wrapped an arm around him. His scales were slick from the rain, but warm. To her surprise, he shifted and opened his other hand. Darcy eyed the talons that were a shade darker than his jade scales. She looked up at him, and he nodded.

  It wasn’t like she had anything else to lose.

  CHAPTER

  FORTY-THREE

  Con sat in the cavern with the Silvers and sharpened the blade of his sword. When Ulrik came, he would have his Silvers. Con would only have himself.

  It wasn’t the first time Con wished he had kept one of his Golds, but he couldn’t choose one over any of the others. So he’d let them all go.

  Besides, if he kept one, every King would’ve wanted to keep one. That would’ve defeated the purpose of sending the dragons away.

  Things were coming to a head quickly. It wasn’t just that Ulrik could come onto Dreagan without any of them being alerted, but there was the fact Warrick and Thorn had conspired with him.

  Con knew why Warrick had done it, but he wasn’t sure about Thorn. Not that Warrick’s excuse was acceptable, but a King would do anything for his mate. Fortunately Warrick was going to allow him to talk to Darcy for a bit. Ulrik had used Darcy, tricking all of them. He also had all of his magic returned to him, and Darcy no longer had any.

  What she did still have was knowledge about Ulrik as well as his memories that she’d seen. Con was leery of digging into those memories, because there could be a chance Darcy had seen the one thing Con didn’t want anyone to know.

  Now that she was Warrick’s, she was part of Dreagan. He still didn’t trust her. She could betray Warrick just as Ulrik had been betrayed, but Con would wait and see.

  For now his attention was focused solely on Ulrik. But he would be keeping an eye on Darcy.

  Con set aside the whetstone and polished his blade. His gaze jerked to the Silvers when one of their tails banged against the cage.

  The battle he always knew would come between him and Ulrik was soon to arise.

  * * *

  Warrick anxiously waited for Darcy to climb onto his opened hand. The vicious grip around his heart loosened when she finally did. He gently closed his hand so that he held her securely without squeezing her. Darcy rested her arms along one thick digit and looked at him.

  “My magic is gone.”

  He blew out a breath and glanced away. The Warriors had told him as much. He wondered when she would find out. At least now he didn’t have to break that bad news.

  “So you know,” she said. “What am I to do without magic?”

  He suddenly leapt into the air, his wings stretching to catch the air. She let out a gasp, her hands clutching him.

  Warrick wanted to show her what it was like to see the world from a different vantage point. He remained l
ow, keeping out of the clouds. They were safe on Dreagan, but it was more about giving Darcy a few moments where she could forget what had happened to her and enjoy things.

  He remained in the sky for over thirty minutes, flying over a large chunk of Dreagan, but staying far away from the manor. The rain lessened significantly by the time they returned to the cottage.

  Warrick landed and set her down before he shifted. Darcy was staring at him, her lashes spiky from her tears.

  “What happened? I don’t remember anything after Ulrik stabbed me.”

  Warrick fisted his hands as he fought not to pull her against him and just hold her. Never had he been so terrified as when he’d felt the life draining from her. To be such a powerful being and not be able to save the person he loved was alarming.

  “You were dying,” he said. “I can use my power to protect you, but I could do nothing to heal you. The Druids tried, but Ulrik used dragon magic. It was Con who saved you.”

  Her eyes widened in surprise. “Con? The same Con who was going to kill me?”

  “The verra one.”

  “And my magic?”

  “The Warriors can sense a Druid’s magic. They told me yours has faded. I’m sorry, Darcy.”

  She looked down at the ground. “It seems mine has been gone for almost three years now.”

  “What?” She couldn’t be right. Warrick frowned and took a step closer.

  “The moment I unbound Ulrik’s magic, mine left me.”

  “How did you no’ know?”

  She shrugged and looked back at him. “I wasn’t exactly conscious afterward. Then I was recovering from that, so I didn’t pay attention. Apparently, there is an old woman who used her magic to supplement mine so I would assume I still had magic.”

  Her face crumpled as more tears came. Warrick closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her. He held her as she cried, letting her get it all out.

  Warrick guided her back into the house once the worst of the crying was over. He took her into the bathroom and undressed her. Then he turned on the shower and pulled her into the hot water with him.

  “It was a client I trusted who didn’t just supplement my magic. She took what was left of mine from me and was able to use it to help Ulrik.”

  Warrick squeezed his eyes closed for a moment. “I doona want to talk of him right now. Did you mean what you said when I was taking you to Ulrik? Do you really think there can be nothing between us?”

  He held her with her back against the water. She looked up at him. “After what I’ve done, I’ll never be able to look anyone at Dreagan in the eye again.”

  “I didna ask about everyone. I’m asking about me.”

  She laid her hand over his heart. “I should never have questioned you. You’re the only one who has been honest with me. You deserve someone worthy of you. I’m not her. No matter how much I wish I were.”

  “You are worthy,” he whispered and bent to place a light kiss on her lips. He leaned back enough to look into her fern green eyes. “I couldna imagine going through a day without you.”

  She smiled sadly. “All I could think about after I was stabbed was you. I’ve been dreaming of a jade dragon for months.”

  “Why does that make you sad?”

  “Because I love you, and I’ve screwed things up.”

  Warrick wanted to shout with joy. He held her tightly as she ducked her head in his neck. “Let’s revisit that first sentence. You love me?”

  She nodded.

  Warrick smiled and looked up at the ceiling. His greatest fear was that she didn’t love him. Now that he knew she did, the hardest part was over.

  “That’s good news, since I love you.”

  She jerked out of his arms to stand against the far wall of the shower. Her brow was puckered as she stared at him. “What?”

  “I love you,” he said slowly, wondering if he had said it wrong.

  Darcy shook her head. “No. That can’t be. You’re a Dragon King. You’re not supposed to love me. I’m the one that started all of this crap by unbinding Ulrik’s magic. I’m to blame.”

  “We’re all to blame.” Warrick reached for her, nonplussed when she batted his hand away.

  She shook her head. “You might forgive me, but the others won’t. And I can’t forgive myself. I released evil, Warrick. I can’t even light a candle,” she said and snapped her fingers.

  Warrick glanced at the candles on the windowsill and saw all of them flicker for a moment, but none of them remained lit.

  “Everyone makes mistakes,” he told her. “You can help us stop Ulrik. With your knowledge of him and his memories, we can beat him.”

  She dropped her head to his chest.

  Warrick kept her under the hot water because he didn’t want her getting ill. “You asked me earlier why I was with you. I couldna tell you then that you were my mate. I’ve been denying it. I never wanted a mate. Until you.”

  “So you have no choice,” came her muffled reply.

  Warrick chuckled and lifted her chin so that she was looking at him. “I have a choice, Darcy. I didna have to tell you that I loved you. I didna have to tell you that I know you’re my mate, but I did. I told you because I want you in my life.”

  “You’ve no idea how hard this will be, Warrick. What the others will do to us and how they will treat you.”

  “You’ll be a part of Dreagan,” he told her. “Besides, I already had a little talk with the Kings.”

  She blinked. “You did?”

  “Of course. I willna stand for my woman to be treated badly.”

  Darcy licked her lips, her chest rising as she took in a deep breath.

  “Make up your mind, because I doona know how much longer I can stand here without taking you,” he said as he looked down at her breasts. Water was running to the tip of her nipples before falling down. It was driving him mad with lust.

  Her smile was slow, but grew quickly. “Is that right?”

  “Aye,” he said and brought her close enough to feel his hard cock.

  “Impressive.” Her smiled died. “What if you regret it? We haven’t spent that much time together.”

  “No one says we have to do the ceremony immediately. What about next week?” he teased.

  That had her laughing. “Smart ass.”

  “Laith and Iona have no’ done the ceremony either. I’d do it right this minute if I could so that I didna have to worry about Ulrik attacking you again, but I’d rather wait so you know for sure. There’s no divorcing a Dragon King, Darcy. Once we’re mated, we’re mated for eternity.”

  “I know,” she said with a nod. “I don’t see any children around. Is it forbidden?”

  Warrick turned her so that her back was against the wall. “It’s no’ forbidden. Unfortunately, a mortal can no’ carry a child from us to term. Most miscarry early in the pregnancy. A few have delivered babies, but they were all stillborn.”

  “Oh.”

  “Did you want children?”

  Darcy shrugged. “I hadn’t thought about it. I always figured it would come after I got married, but since I never expected to find someone I would want to spend my life with, I never saw myself with children.” She swallowed and rose up on her toes to wrap her arms around his neck. “The answer is yes, Warrick.”

  He didn’t let out a whoop, because he saw that she wasn’t finished talking.

  “However, if you don’t mind, I’d rather take it slow. I want to give each of us time to figure out if this will work. I want you to make sure you can love a woman who might have begun the downfall of your race. And I need to come to grips with the fact that I’m in love with a Dragon King.”

  “I’ll give you as much time as you want. Just tell me you love me again,” Warrick said as he nuzzled her neck.

  Her hands smoothed over his back. “I love you, Warrick. I love you, I love you, I love you.”

  “You’re mine,” he whispered right before he took her mouth in a savage kiss.


  EPILOGUE

  Two weeks later …

  “Admit it,” Warrick pressed.

  Darcy rolled her eyes as they crossed the bridge to get to the Isle of Skye.

  “Come on. You said if everyone treated you as if nothing happened that you would admit you were wrong,” Warrick said as he glanced at her while he drove.

  She laughed and threw up her hands. “All right. I admit it. You were right.”

  “Exactly,” he said with a satisfied smile. “Then again, it might have helped that we spent an entire week at the cottage.”

  “You’re probably right,” she said as she looked at him.

  The SUV got quiet as they drove across the Skye Bridge. It had been seven years since she’d left, and it felt odd to be back after so long.

  “Nervous?” Warrick asked.

  She nodded, looking at the water from the window. “I’ve not seen my family since my mother died. I should’ve known better than to keep reading her future. No good can ever come of that.”

  “Is that why you willna read mine?”

  She glanced at him with a smile. “Oh, I’ve tried. I can’t see anything. I’m not sure if it’s because I no longer have my magic, or if it’s because you’re immortal. I couldn’t see Ulrik’s either, remember.”

  “I doona need my future read. I know it involves you, and that’s enough for me.”

  Darcy took his hand in hers and brought it to her lips for a kiss. “I need to warn you that my family can be … well, they can be a bit much. They’re loud and everyone talks at once.”

  “I’m going to love them.”

  “No, you won’t,” she said with a grin. “They can only be endured in small doses.”

  With their talk, Darcy didn’t realize how close they were to her family’s home. Her stomach tied in knots. It wasn’t about her not having magic anymore. Her family didn’t need to know about that.

  It wasn’t even about Warrick and keeping him and Dreagan a secret. That was the easy part.

  It was seeing her family after so long. So much had changed her that she wondered if she would see them differently. Or would she be different?