Passion Ignites

by Donna Grant

  Following the dark? What the hell was he talking about? He was insane and probably high on drugs. That was the explanation for him not reacting to being stabbed—twice.

  She backed across the narrow street, keeping both men in sight. The second one had killed the Red Eye he had been fighting. For just a moment, Lexi thought about thanking him, then thought better of it.

  When she reached the corner, she turned and ran, tucking her knife back up her sleeve. She was halfway home when the rain began to come down in a torrent.

  Everywhere Lexi looked, she saw the Red Eyes. Her brain felt as if it were in a fog. She was so disoriented that she almost didn’t notice the two Red Eyes stationed outside of her flat.

  Lexi immediately turned the other way, mumbling a string of curses as she did. What rotten luck. It took everything she had to keep going when all she wanted to do was get out of the wet clothes and into a hot shower to warm up.

  She had to get out of the rain and find shelter so she could stop the chills that seemed to have settled deep in her bones.

  * * *

  “Well, that didna go well,” Darius said when Thorn came to stand beside him.

  Thorn glanced down at his side. “You could say that.”

  “You let her stab you? Twice in one day?”

  “I didna let her do anything.” It was a lie, and both of them knew it.

  Darius watched her run down the street. “She held her own with the Dark. The lass has gumption in spades.”

  “And no’ much sense.”

  “You can no’ blame her for wanting retribution.”

  Thorn shrugged. “We’re assuming someone died.”

  “I think you’re right. That’s the only explanation for her risking her life so.”

  “She knows how close to death she came,” Thorn said. “I saw it in her eyes just now. She was scared.”

  “Yet still stood against them. Brave girl.”

  She certainly was. Thorn looked up at the gray skies as the rain fell faster. It was the perfect time for them to fly, but neither he nor Darius would risk it with so many Dark looking for them.

  “She appears dead on her feet,” Darius said.

  Thorn had noticed that as well. The dark circles under her bloodshot eyes were more pronounced than the day before. “Let’s clean this up.”

  “I’ll clean it up. You follow her.”

  Thorn nodded to Darius and started after the female. He wished he had thought to ask her name, but he doubted she would’ve given it to him. She didn’t trust him, and she was right to question everyone and everything.

  The Dark Fae had changed things by coming to Edinburgh. Great Britain had always been off-limits to them, but they were blatantly showing themselves. They wanted war, and they wanted the humans to know what they were.

  The Dragon Kings, however, preferred to keep the humans in the dark on all things magic. Mainly because the Kings knew exactly what would happen if the humans learned of them.

  They had been through that once. The result was the Kings sending all of their dragons to another realm to stop the war while they remained behind.

  The Dark would keep pushing. The war they wanted had been accepted by the Kings. The only difference this time was that the rules had changed—at least for the Kings.

  The Dark Fae couldn’t care less who knew of their existence. They fed off humans.

  The Kings might have taken a small lead, but soon they would have to decide to fight the Dark in their dragon forms, or give the realm over to them.

  Neither possibility was a good one.

  CHAPTER

  SIX

  Three hours later and Lexi couldn’t shake the chills. The rain had yet to stop, and by the looks of the dark gray sky, it wasn’t going to either. She went from store to store, anything to keep moving and stay warm. Though it didn’t help when she went back out into the rain each time.

  The soup she ate helped to warm her, as did the tea, but the moment she saw a Red Eyes in the pub, she hurried out, leaving half of her soup uneaten.

  Her stomach rumbled. Everywhere she looked there were Red Eyes. It was as if they had taken over the world like the aliens did in the sci-fi movies.

  If it was all a dream, she wished she would wake up. But she knew it was real. Every deadly, gut-wrenching, heart-stopping moment of it was genuine.

  Lexi stopped beneath the overhang of a shop and looked around at the city. Edinburgh hadn’t been on her wish list to see. It had been on Jessica’s, but Lexi found Scotland to be different than what she’d expected.

  Though now, she was beginning to hate the city. She just wanted to be warm and dry beneath dozens of blankets so she could sleep.

  She didn’t have the money to find another place to stay, but she couldn’t return to her flat with the Red Eyes there. She couldn’t sleep on the streets either.

  Lexi bit back a sob. She was alone in a dangerous city full of killers. What had ever made her think she could do this on her own?

  She wiped her sleeve across her face and huddled against the wind. God, she was so cold. She could no longer feel her toes, fingers, or her upper lip, and her nose was quickly following. Everything was numb—and wet.

  A police vehicle drove by, and for just an instant Lexi thought about going to D.I. MacDonald. That thought was quickly forgotten since she knew MacDonald would just send her on her way or urge her to return home.

  Lexi didn’t think she would ever crave the South Carolina heat and humidity, but she was longing for it now—including the giant mosquitoes that came with living there.

  She closed her eyes to help relieve some of the pain. Almost instantly she jerked, snapping her head up as it fell forward as she dozed off.

  Blinking several times to help wake herself, Lexi looked around and noticed a Red Eyes watching her across the street. Fortune was on her side when three women came out of the store. Lexi spoke to one of them and started walking with them.

  It took everything she had not to turn and look at him over her shoulder. She stayed with the women for another two blocks before she ducked into a pub and went to stand by the fire.

  * * *

  Thorn ignored the rain as he watched the female through the window of the pub. To make matters worse, he wasn’t the only one. Dark Fae were everywhere and beginning to take notice of her.

  He wanted to pull out his dagger and start killing the Fae, but in such a crowded place with so many humans, he couldn’t. Then there was the female. Not to mention with so many Dark around, one would get away and alert the others as to which Dragon King was in the city.

  It was better if Thorn remained hidden and watchful. He had seen the female fall asleep on her feet twice now. She looked much worse than she had earlier in the day. He wasn’t sure how much longer she could go before her body simply gave out.

  He felt a push in his head from Darius from the mental link shared by all Dragon Kings. He opened his mind to Darius and asked, “Everything taken care of?”

  “Aye. As well as ten more kills between then and now.”

  “There are too many humans around for us to fight now.”

  “I know,” Darius said, his voice dripping with annoyance. “I thought the female would’ve returned home by now. She’s no’ tracking any Dark.”

  “I followed her to her building, but there were Dark standing near the door. She took one look at them and turned around.”

  “Perhaps she’s smarter than you realize.”

  Thorn twisted his lips. “I never said she wasna smart. I said she’d be wise to leave well enough alone.”

  “Would you?”

  “Nay.”

  Darius chuckled. “Me neither. She’s drenched.”

  “She’s been walking the streets all day. Where are you?”

  “Above you on the roof. There are Dark crawling everywhere. I think the female unintentionally led us to their main location.”

  Thorn had taken notice of all the Dark as soon as they entered the
area. “Aye.”

  “I wonder how long until the woman notices?”

  “No’ soon enough.”

  “She looks … awful.”

  Thorn drew in a deep breath. “Exhaustion. And … sickness.”

  “Damn.”

  Thorn felt the same way. He didn’t think the woman even knew she was sick yet. If only she would leave the area, but the pub was warm and dry.

  Just as he expected, she found a table and ordered food. He blinked through the rain dropping from his eyelashes, trying to mentally hurry the woman to leave.

  “It was a mistake to follow her,” Thorn said to Darius. “We’re supposed to be killing Dark.”

  “We’re doing both. Besides, I’m no’ leaving. It’s going to take both of us to get the mortal out of this area.”

  “She needs out of Edinburgh.”

  “I’m in agreement, but she’s no’ going to leave on her own.”

  “Darius,” Thorn said when a Dark walked to the woman’s table.

  She didn’t even look up at him, but concentrated on her food. Her head nodded to whatever he said, and then he walked off. Thorn released a breath.

  “What is it about her that draws their interest?” Darius asked.

  Thorn shook his head and smiled. “Look around the pub. Look around the area. Anywhere there’s Dark, whether they’re wearing glamour or no’, the humans can no’ take their eyes off them.”

  “And yet the female willna even look their way.”

  “Exactly. They’re narcissistic. Whoever doesna pay them the attention they think they deserve must be wrong somehow.”

  Darius was quiet for a moment. “Thorn, all of the mates to the Dragon Kings act this way toward the Dark.”

  Thorn frowned as he looked at the female. “She’s no’ a mate.”

  “All of us thought it was because the women were mated to Kings. What if it’s more? What if it’s something else?”

  “She felt their pull this afternoon when she stabbed me. I saw it.”

  “But she fought it,” Darius argued.

  Thorn couldn’t deny that. How much would the mortal have to endure before she could no longer withstand the Darks’ seduction?

  “We have to get her away from them. She needs to know who they are, Thorn.”

  “The more she knows, the more danger she’s in.”

  “She’s in it up to her arse already.”

  Thorn knew Darius was right. Though that didn’t make anything better.

  “We willna let her die. I give you my word.”

  “Doona. If it’s her time, nothing can stop it.”

  Darius snorted. “We’re Dragon Kings. We can keep her safe.”

  An image of the past flashed in Thorn’s head. He instantly shoved it aside, refusing to dwell on such things.

  “Thorn.”

  He bit back a growl. “I hear you. I can no’ just waltz into the pub. She’ll probably try to stab me again.”

  “Probably,” Darius said, chuckling.

  As soon as Thorn saw Darius, he was going to punch him. “Next time, you stand there and take the blade.”

  “For her? I think I just might.”

  Thorn found himself glaring, but he wasn’t sure why. Thankfully, the woman paid the bill and stood. “Here she comes.”

  “Stick to the streets. I’ll watch your back.”

  Thorn crossed the street after she exited the pub and turned left. He was twenty steps behind her, keeping to the shadows.

  They had gone six blocks and were almost out of the area. Thorn wouldn’t breathe easy until she was away from so many Dark. Just as they reached the end of the block, three Dark turned the corner.

  The woman’s feet faltered for just a heartbeat, but it was enough that the Dark saw. They smiled at her, but she turned her head away.

  Thorn withdrew his dagger and walked faster. He stepped into the streetlight and waited for the Dark to see him. Their attention diverted from the mortal to him, just as he intended.

  “Stay with her,” Darius said. “I’ve got these wankers.”

  Before Thorn could reach them, Darius landed in front of him, killing one Dark by ripping out his heart.

  Thorn stayed with her, and a few seconds later, Darius let him know the three Fae were dead. The rain never let up, and neither did the mortal. She walked constantly, stopping occasionally when the rain got too heavy.

  It was past midnight and the streets nearly deserted when the rain finally stopped. He could hear her coughing and the wheezing of her breathing.

  He and Darius had piled bodies of Dark Fae all through the city. Thorn didn’t think the mortal saw them any longer. Her focus seemed to be staying on her feet.

  Darius caught up with him after another skirmish with the Dark. “I’d have thought she would’ve stopped by now.”

  Thorn slowed when he realized she was shuffling her feet. “More rain is coming. She needs to get dry. Why does she no’ find a hotel?”

  “Maybe she doesna have any money.”

  Why hadn’t Thorn thought of that? That had to be the reason, because though the female might be reckless, she wasn’t stupid.

  “Thorn.”

  But he had already seen that the female had stopped and was weaving. He closed the distance between them, catching her as she fell over. He felt her fever as soon as she was in his arms. She was pale and her breath rattled each time she drew air.

  “I know where we can take her,” Thorn said.

  Darius shrugged as he looked around. “Lead the way.”

  Thorn couldn’t remember the last time he had walked so fast. Even then, he didn’t outrun the rain. He found the building and waited for Darius to open the door. Thorn raced up the stairs, taking them three at a time.

  “Where are we?” Darius asked.

  Thorn stopped beside the door and waited for Darius to use his magic to unlock it. The door opened and Thorn stepped inside. “Darcy’s flat.”

  Darius stood at the doorway and looked around. “This is the place Rhi warded against the Fae.”

  Thorn smiled as he made his way to the bedroom. “The verra one. The female will be safer here than anywhere else in the city.”

  CHAPTER

  SEVEN

  Dreagan

  Con calmly set his hands flat on the table and looked over the double row of monitors to Ryder. It took everything he had not to explode with fury. But control was what he was known for. It was his trademark, his tool used effectively against friends and foes alike.

  When he wanted to bellow and smash the expensive new monitors, he merely took a deep breath and slowly released it before he asked in an even voice, “What do you mean, you lost him?”

  Ryder set down his half-eaten jelly-filled donut and wiped the powder from his lips. “As I explained, Ulrik just disappeared.”

  “Impossible.” None of the Dragon Kings had that ability. Even if Ulrik had his magic back, there was no way he could’ve picked up something new after thousands of millennia without magic.

  Ryder shrugged, his hazel eyes never wavering from Con. “I can play the clip again, if you’d like.”

  “Nay. Have you located him?”

  Ryder shook his head. “He could be anywhere.”

  “Or nowhere.” Ulrik was proving to be impressively skilled at evading Con’s watch. Con had made the mistake of thinking Ulrik’s dragon magic would be bound for eternity.

  He’d never expected Ulrik to find a Druid with enough power to handle dragon magic. It was the last mistake Con would make regarding his old friend. “What about Rhi?”

  Ryder’s blond brows rose. “Rhi? You’ve never asked to find her before. What’s up?”

  “Just tell me if you can find her.”

  “You won’t find her,” said a voice behind Con.

  He straightened and turned to find Henry North standing in the doorway. Henry was a mortal who worked for MI5, but he had proven himself a trusted friend and ally to all at Dreagan.

  The o
nly issue was that Henry had fallen—hard—for the Light Fae despite everyone warning him to keep his distance from Rhi.

  “The Dark are easy enough to track because they aren’t keeping themselves hidden,” Henry continued, his English accept clipped with frustration and a dose of anger.

  Con should’ve realized Henry would’ve been trying to find Rhi while he tracked the Dark over the world. No wonder the mortal had been on edge of late. “You think Rhi is hiding?”

  “Yes.” Henry ran a hand through his short brown hair. “There’s no sign of her or Balladyn anywhere, and my network of people don’t miss anything.”

  Ryder finished typing on his keyboard and leaned back in his office chair. He stared intently at the rows of screens that made a semicircle around him.

  Con walked around the desks to view them himself. He looked from screen to screen, hoping to find a hint of Ulrik or Rhi—or both.

  He had a bad feeling that Ulrik had strengthened a bond with Rhi when he carried her out of Balladyn’s fortress where she had been held captive. Rhi was more powerful than she realized. If she sided with Ulrik … Con didn’t even want to finish the thought.

  “You think Rhi and Ulrik are together,” Henry said into the silence.

  Con glanced at Henry and nodded.

  “She wouldn’t do that.” Henry’s brow furrowed deeply. “Did you hear me? Rhi wouldn’t side with him. She knows Ulrik is the one out to destroy Dreagan.”

  “Ulrik is out to destroy me,” Con corrected.

  Henry waved away his words. “By coming at Dreagan and the Kings. Rhi has people she counts on here. She wouldn’t turn against any of them.”

  “Rhi … hasna been the same since Balladyn tortured her. Doona put your faith in her, Henry.”

  “Everyone talks about how much you hate her,” Henry said, his lip lifted in contempt. “You’ll do anything to put her in a bad light and turn people against her.”

  Con opened his mouth to reply, but Ryder beat him to it.

  “Henry, you’ve no’ slept in thirty-two hours. Take a rest and eat,” Ryder urged. “You’ll feel better once you do.”

  Henry looked from Con to Ryder before he turned and stalked from the room.

  “He’s in love with Rhi,” Ryder said as he looked up at Con. “Do us all a favor and try to remember that when you’re doing your usual bashing of her.”