Dragon King: A Dark Kings Novella (1001 Dark Nights)
Page 12
His fingers threaded with hers when they turned onto the drive that wound through thick woods leading toward the manor. She caught a glimpse of red roofs and knew that was the distillery based on the descriptions Arian had told her.
He was going to take her on a tour later and show her everything. She was also going to meet everyone.
The manor came in sight then, the gray stones standing strong against the backdrop of the Highlands. The sky was bright blue without a cloud, and the sun was blinding. A perfect day.
Arian parked the SUV and turned off the ignition. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. “Ready?”
“Yes.”
They got out of the car. Grace looked around at the mountains as she closed her door. Arian came up beside her and wrapped an arm around her. They stood together for several minutes.
“You’re part of Dreagan now,” Arian said as he looked at her. “Just as you’re a part of me. That means our enemies could focus on you, but it also means everyone here will protect you.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you’ll be mine.”
She smiled then. “I was yours from the moment I saw you.”
“Then lets get your new life started.”
They walked arm-in-arm to the front door. When they drew close, it opened and Con stood in the doorway. He gave a nod to Arian, and then bestowed a smile to Grace.
“It looks like another King has found his mate,” Con said.
With that, they walked into the manor to a crowd of people waiting to meet her.
Through it all, Arian never left her side. His arm remained around her, offering comfort and support when she needed it.
Grace found herself looking at him often. And each time he was watching her. She couldn’t believe she had gotten so lucky to find the man of her dreams.
It was only made better knowing he was a Dragon King.
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1001 Dark Nights story
The First Night
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Turn the page for a full list of the
1001 Dark Nights fabulous novellas...
1001 DARK NIGHTS
Click to purchase
WICKED WOLF by Carrie Ann Ryan
A Redwood Pack Novella
WHEN IRISH EYES ARE HAUNTING by Heather Graham
A Krewe of Hunters Novella
EASY WITH YOU by Kristen Proby
A With Me In Seattle Novella
MASTER OF FREEDOM by Cherise Sinclair
A Mountain Masters Novella
CARESS OF PLEASURE by Julie Kenner
A Dark Pleasures Novella
ADORED by Lexi Blake
A Masters and Mercenaries Novella
HADES by Larissa Ione
A Demonica Novella
RAVAGED by Elisabeth Naughton
An Eternal Guardians Novella
DREAM OF YOU by Jennifer L. Armentrout
A Wait For You Novella
STRIPPED DOWN by Lorelei James
A Blacktop Cowboys ® Novella
RAGE/KILLIAN by Alexandra Ivy/Laura Wright
Bayou Heat Novellas
DRAGON KING by Donna Grant
A Dark Kings Novella
PURE WICKED by Shayla Black
A Wicked Lovers Novella
HARD AS STEEL by Laura Kaye
A Hard Ink/Raven Riders Crossover
STROKE OF MIDNIGHT by Lara Adrian
A Midnight Breed Novella
ALL HALLOWS EVE by Heather Graham
A Krewe of Hunters Novella
KISS THE FLAME by Christopher Rice
A Desire Exchange Novella
DARING HER LOVE by Melissa Foster
A Bradens Novella
TEASED by Rebecca Zanetti
A Dark Protectors Novella
THE PROMISE OF SURRENDER by Liliana Hart
A MacKenzie Family Novella
FOREVER WICKED by Shayla Black
A Wicked Lovers Novella
CRIMSON TWILIGHT by Heather Graham
A Krewe of Hunters Novella
CAPTURED IN SURRENDER by Liliana Hart
A MacKenzie Family Novella
SILENT BITE: A SCANGUARDS WEDDING by Tina Folsom
A Scanguards Vampire Novella
DUNGEON GAMES by Lexi Blake
A Masters and Mercenaries Novella
AZAGOTH by Larissa Ione
A Demonica Novella
NEED YOU NOW by Lisa Renee Jones
A Shattered Promises Series Prelude
SHOW ME, BABY by Cherise Sinclair
A Masters of the Shadowlands Novella
ROPED IN by Lorelei James
A Blacktop Cowboys ® Novella
TEMPTED BY MIDNIGHT by Lara Adrian
A Midnight Breed Novella
THE FLAME by Christopher Rice
A Desire Exchange Novella
CARESS OF DARKNESS by Julie Kenner
A Dark Pleasures Novella
Also from Evil Eye Concepts:
TAME ME by J. Kenner
A Stark International Novella
THE SURRENDER GATE By Christopher Rice
A Desire Exchange Novel
SERVICING THE TARGET By Cherise Sinclair
A Masters of the Shadowlands Novel
Bundles:
BUNDLE ONE
Includes Forever Wicked by Shayla Black
Crimson Twilight by Heather Graham
Captured in Surrender by Liliana Hart
Silent Bite by Tina Folsom
BUNDLE TWO
Includes Dungeon Games by Lexi Blake
Azagoth by Larissa Ione
Need You Now by Lisa Renee Jones
Show My, Baby by Cherise Sinclair
BUNDLE THREE
Includes Roped In by Lorelei Jame
Tempted By Midnight by Lara Adrian
The Flame by Christopher Rice
Caress of Darkness by Julie Kenner
Passion Ignites
Dark Kings #7
By Donna Grant
Coming November 3, 2015
Click here to pre-order!
He consumed her with that kiss, leaving no question that whatever was happening between them was meant to be-that it had always been meant to be...
HE LOVES FOR ETERNITY
Thorn is the bad boy of the Dragon Kings, a gorgeous, reckless warrior whose passions run wild and fury knows no bounds. When he sees the brave, beautiful Lexi being lured into the Dark Fae’s trap, he has no choice but to rescue her from a fate worse than death. But by saving this tempting mortal, he exposes himself to his fiercest enemy-and darkest desires. As the war between Dragons and Fae heats up, so does the passion between Lexi and Thorn. And when love is a battlefield, the heart takes no prisoners...
SHE LIVES FOR VENGEANCE
Lexi is on a mission of justice. Every day, she searches for the monster who murdered her friend. Every night, she hides in the shadows and plots her revenge. But the man she seeks is more dangerous than she ever imagined. He is one of the Dark Fae who preys on human life, who uses his unearthly power to seduce the innocent, and who is setting a trap just for her. Nothing can save Lexi from a creature like this-except the one man who’s been watching her every move...
* * * *
For two weeks, Thorn had been in Edinburgh with Darius hunting the Dark Fae. He wasn’t exactly thrilled that the Dragon Kings were spread so thin throughout Scotland to kill the bastards.
Then again, he was killing Dark Fae, which made him extremely happy.
He liked Darius, even if he had his own demons to battle. Darius wasn’t the issue. It was Con.
Thorn halted his thoughts as he jumped from the roof he had been on and landed silently behin
d two Dark. He came up to them and smashed their heads together. Then, with his knife, he slashed their throats.
Both Fae fell without a sound. Damn, did he ever like his job. Thorn threw both Dark Fae over his shoulder and hurried to the warehouse where he and Darius were stashing the bodies.
He did most of his killing at night when the Dark came out to prey on the mortals, but Thorn never passed up an opportunity to kill the buggers.
There were half a dozen Dark laying dead in the warehouse. With merely a thought, he shifted, letting his body return to its rightful form—a dragon.
His long talons clicked on the concrete floor as he looked down at the Dark. Thorn inhaled deeply, fire rumbling in his throat. Then he released it, aiming at the bodies.
Dragon fire was the hottest thing on the realm. It disintegrated the Dark Fae bodies instantly. When there was nothing left but ash, Thorn shifted back into his human form.
He clothed himself and returned to the streets that were overrun with Dark. The humans had no idea who they were walking beside or having drinks with. Many mortals he and Darius had saved from being killed by the Dark, but there were so many more that they couldn’t reach in time.
With just two Dragon Kings in the city against hundreds of Dark Fae, the odds were stacked against the humans.
Thorn didn’t understand why the mortals couldn’t sense how dangerous the Dark were. Or perhaps that’s exactly what drew them to the Dark—that and their sexual vibes the humans couldn’t ignore.
The Dark weren’t as confident as they were a few weeks ago. Their ranks were dwindling, and though they suspected Dragon Kings were involved, they had yet to find him or Darius.
If two Dragon Kings could do so much damage, imagine what twelve could do? That brought a smile to Thorn’s face. The Dark thought they were being smart, but they had begun the war a second time. And Thorn knew it would be impossible for the humans not to learn just what inhabited their realm with them.
His smile faded when his gaze snagged on a woman he had seen daily for the past week. She kept hidden, but it was obvious she was following the Dark.
She had a determined look on her face, one that had anger and revenge mixed together. Thorn knew that expression. It was the one that got mortals killed.
Her pale brown locks hung thick and straight to her shoulders. She tucked her hair behind her ear and peered around the corner of a store.
Thorn slid his gaze to the three Dark she was trailing. They were toying with her. They knew she was there.
“Damn,” Thorn mumbled.
He and the other Dragon Kings vowed to protect the humans millions of years ago. They fought wars and sent their own dragons away to do just that. He couldn’t stand there and let the Dark kill her.
Nor could he let them know he was there.
He flattened his lips when she stepped from her hiding spot and followed the Dark down the street. They were leading her to a secluded section.
Thorn didn’t waste any time climbing to the roof of the building. He kept to the shadows and jumped from roof to roof as he tracked them.
He let out a thankful sigh when she ducked into an alley. Thorn jumped over the street to the opposite building before landing behind her.
“Not this time,” he heard her say.
An American. Southern by her accent. He reached to tap her on the shoulder when his enhanced hearing picked up the Darks’ conversation. They were coming for her.
Thorn wrapped a hand around her mouth and dragged her behind a Dumpster. “Be quiet and still if you doona want them to find you,” he whispered in her ear.
She was struggling against him, but his words caused her to pause. A second later, she renewed her efforts.
Thorn held her tightly, her thin form easy to detain. The more she struggled, the more he could feel every curve of her body.
It wasn’t until the Dark reached the alley that she stilled. He couldn’t even feel her breathing.
“There’s no one here,” one of the Dark said in his Irish brogue.
“She was here.”
The third snorted. “Not anymore. Come on.”
A full minute passed before the three walked on. The woman’s shoulders sagged as she blew out a breath. Thorn released her and held up his hands as she whirled around to face him.
Slate gray eyes glared at him with fury as her full lips pulled back in a scowl. Her cheekbones were high in her oval face.
She wasn’t a great beauty, but there was something about her that wouldn’t let Thorn look away.
“You’re in way over your head,” he told her.
On behalf of 1001 Dark Nights,
Liz Berry and M.J. Rose would like to thank ~
Steve Berry
Doug Scofield
Kim Guidroz
Jillian Stein
InkSlinger PR
Dan Slater
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BookTrib After Dark
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Table of Contents
Book Description
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Epilogue