Smoke and Fire

by Donna Grant

“Nay,” he replied before returning to his monitors and scrolling through picture after picture of men.

  Kinsey sent the orders to Cecil. Then she picked up her phone to return his calls when she hesitated. “I thought you’d still be in bed when I woke.”

  Ryder gradually turned his head to her. “You were sleeping soundly, and I was needed here.”

  “We didn’t talk much last night.”

  “You were clear in your thoughts.”

  Was he upset? Had she hurt his feelings? That thought unsettled her. For a while she used to want to wound him as he’d hurt her, but those thoughts had faded quickly.

  Now the idea that she caused him to suffer distressed her. He’d wanted honesty last night, but she hadn’t been able to give him the answers he wanted to hear.

  But how easy it would’ve been to give in and see if she could have a future with Ryder.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  Kinsey saw Ryder tense slightly when her mobile rang again. She didn’t glance at him as she answered it, putting it on speaker as she continued to run encryption software on the e-mails.

  “Hello, Cecil,” Kinsey said. “I was just about to call you.” It was a lie, but Cecil would never know. The man was too concerned about gaining another title to consider anyone might be lying to him.

  “Good, good,” his voice came over the mobile. “I was getting worried.”

  Kinsey paused in her typing and looked at her phone. There was strain in his voice. Her gaze shifted to Ryder to find him looking at her as well. She shrugged, letting Ryder know she didn’t have a clue what was going on.

  “Because I was late with the work orders?” she asked.

  Cecil laughed nervously. “I told you it was important.”

  “And I said I’d get it done. I did.”

  “Well, girl, you’ve never let me down before. This would be a bad time to start.”

  That took Kinsey aback. “What’s that supposed to mean? I’ve always done my job.”

  “Of course you have,” he said quickly, then laughed to try and divert her questioning. “There’s just a lot going on around the office.”

  But Kinsey wasn’t going to let it go. “Why would you think I’d let you down?”

  “Well,” Cecil said with a slight hesitation. “They put a lot of emphasis on how well my people do.”

  “They always have. Yet I’ve got the distinct impression that you’re making it sound much more serious. What’s going on?” she asked.

  Ryder gave a nod of approval at her approach, which made her want to smile.

  Cecil stuttered over himself before he said, “Nothing you need to worry about.”

  “We’re way above quota. Right?” she urged when he was silent.

  “Right.”

  But his answer was much too hasty. Kinsey lifted her hands helplessly to Ryder. He motioned for her to continue where she was going with her questions.

  “Is your job in jeopardy, Cecil?”

  His nervous laughter was answer enough. “In this era of hacking, encryptions, spying, and protection of everything electronic, my job is never completely secure.”

  “Then perhaps I should talk to Harriet. She needs to know that you’re doing a good job managing us out in the field.”

  “That’s not necessary. I wanted to let you know I got your work orders. Good job.”

  The line disconnected. Kinsey frowned at the mobile phone and sat back in her chair. “That was odd.”

  “He’s being pressured,” Ryder said.

  “Obviously. But by who?”

  “Whoever made sure you were sent to Dreagan.”

  She bit her lip and slid her gaze to him. “I really hate not knowing who this asshole is.”

  “Then what’s stopping you?” he asked with a wink.

  Kinsey returned his smile. Ryder was the best there was at hacking. “I’m waiting on you.”

  He gave a push with his feet that sent his chair rolling toward her. Ryder stopped it right before they crashed into each other. “Let’s go over what we know.”

  “All right. We know that someone at Kyvor used the desk of Clarice Steinhold to put in the fake work order with my name sending me here.”

  Ryder tapped his finger on the table. “We also know that they were smart enough to block the camera on the computer as well as have those in the office recording their movements in and out of the building erased.”

  “Right. Then there’s the fact of the e-mail where they mention me and looking through my house and things for information on you and Dreagan.”

  “Let’s no’ forget they want you to remain at Dreagan.”

  Kinsey made a face. “They’re so obvious. Oh, and we can’t forget the picture they have of us and how they followed us, taking pictures while we were together.”

  There was something in Ryder’s gaze that warned her there was more coming right before he said, “They’ve continued to follow you, Kins.”

  “That’s not funny.” She really wasn’t in the mood for jokes, but she prayed that’s exactly what this was. It was bad enough to discover her every move while she was with Ryder had been observed. If they continued to follow her after he left, she just might lose what little restraint she had.

  “No, it’s no’,” Ryder said and blew out a breath. “I went in behind you yesterday onto Kyvor’s servers and I found a file labeled KEY. It was buried under dozens of useless files. I probably wouldn’t have even found it except for the layers of firewalls and viruses surrounding it. That’s what I was working on when I sent you to bed last night.”

  “But you got through?” That was a stupid question. Of course he’d gotten through.

  He rubbed his jaw and gave a slight nod. “After hacking through another five-step process, I did. These people wanted whatever was in that file to stay hidden and protected.”

  At this Kinsey laughed wryly. “I hope that whatever was locked away so securely was something we could use—like a list of names associated with Ulrik.”

  “If only that were the case.”

  Kinsey couldn’t take much more. She cocked her head to the side. “Just tell me.”

  “It was a week-to-week account of your movements for the past three years. Who you saw, what you ate, where you went. They even mentioned what you wore.”

  She couldn’t draw breath into her lungs as the room began to swim around the edges of her vision. My God. How could these people be there every day and she not have seen them? Was she that oblivious?

  No. It wasn’t her. She’d had no reason to think she was the object of some study. Perhaps if she’d known Ryder’s secret she might’ve paid more attention.

  “There are pictures to go along with every report turned in,” Ryder added.

  Kinsey turned her chair clear of the table and got to her feet. It felt as if the room were closing in around her. She was shaking and she was chilled to the very marrow of her bones.

  Her mind was stuck on the fact that someone knew every detail of her life. She grabbed her stomach as it rolled viciously.

  “Take a deep breath,” Ryder said, his voice right by her ear, soothing and deep. His arms came around her, gentle and secure. “Close your eyes and concentrate on my voice.”

  That she could do. It was much better than thinking of the other. Kinsey let her eyes close and focused on his voice and the warmth of his body.

  “I’ve got you, Kins. It’s going to be all right. Just breathe. That’s it. Breathe.”

  She stopped hearing his words and laid her head back on his chest. His strong arms supported her body and her worry. And it felt so bloody good. She couldn’t imagine facing this alone, but as long as Ryder was near, she wouldn’t have to.

  Little by little, the overwhelming emotions began to subside.

  Ryder tightened his hold around Kinsey. He closed his eyes in relief when he felt her relax against him. She’d gone white, her body tense as she’d begun to hyperventilate.

  He hadn’t wanted to tell her wha
t he’d discovered, but Kinsey had a right to know just how much those at Kyvor had violated her privacy.

  All because he’d been with her.

  After all Ulrik had done to the mates, Ryder had actually assumed he’d escaped what the other Kings had been put through because he’d left Kinsey years before.

  Ryder couldn’t have been more wrong had he tried.

  A sound behind him had him turning his head. He saw Dmitri just inside the doorway. Dmitri raised his brows in question.

  Ryder gave a small nod of his head to let him know that everything was all right. But was it really? He kept telling Kinsey it would be, and yet he was beginning to wonder if those words were false.

  He gently turned her so that she faced him. Ryder rested his chin atop her head when he heard her soft sigh. At least she was calm once more.

  Before, Ryder had been fixated on uncovering who was behind all of this. Now he was going to take it a step further. He was going to kill every last one of them.

  “Thank you,” Kinsey whispered.

  Ryder stroked a hand down her hair. “Better?”

  “Yes.” She stepped out of his arms. Then her gaze moved past him.

  Ryder missed her instantly. He turned to face Dmitri only to find Thorn had joined him. “Lads. What can I do for you?”

  “Actually, we’ve come to see if you could use some help,” Thorn said.

  This was a first. The only time a King ever came to Ryder’s sanctuary was when they needed something. That’s also really the only time they ever contacted him.

  Dmitri slapped Thorn on the back as he walked around the monitors. “Ryder, you need to be focused on the important things. I can watch the cameras around Dreagan. I know these MI5 wankers, so doona mind spying on them.”

  Thorn followed Dmitri around the computers. “Tell me what you need, Ryder.”

  Ryder glanced at Kinsey to find the corners of her lips tilting up in a grin. He gave a nod and kicked his chair to Thorn while Dmitri pulled up one of the spares.

  Thorn sat and looked at the monitors as if they might jump out and bite him. “Sooooo. What do I do?”

  Leaning over to use the keyboard, Ryder moved things around on the monitors. He pointed to the two top ones in front of Thorn. “These are running facial recognition software looking for Ulrik in Ireland.”

  “You think that’s where he’s at?” Thorn asked.

  “I doona have a clue. He’s no’ in Scotland, I know that. These will run on their own. If the program finds something, it’ll flash red and pinpoint the location.”

  Thorn smiled widely. “Easy enough.”

  “Now, this bottom one on the left,” Ryder continued. “It’s decrypting e-mails from Kyvor. The first one should be finished soon. Read through them as they come up. If it’s encrypted, my guess is that it’s important. If it has to do with Ulrik, Kinsey, or us, let me know. Otherwise, put it in a folder for me to go back over a second time.”

  Thorn’s smile wasn’t as big. “Aye. I can do that.”

  “On this bottom right screen is—”

  “I think I’d like to switch with Dmitri,” Thorn interrupted.

  Dmitri laughed and shook his head. “No’ going to happen.”

  Ryder straightened, chuckling. “I’m running a search on Sam MacDonald business owners. Go through each photo and see if it’s Ulrik.”

  “Easy enough,” Thorn said.

  Dmitri chuckled as they watched Thorn take a deep breath and lean his arms on the table as he began to look through the pictures of the Sam MacDonalds.

  Ryder pulled up another chair next to Kinsey. Now he would be able to concentrate on uncovering exactly who’d sent Kinsey to Dreagan. He knew it was Ulrik, but this time he was going to get proof.

  “You look surprised,” Kinsey whispered.

  He glanced at Dmitri and Thorn. “I am. No one comes to help.”

  “Now they do.”

  Yes, now they did. Ryder wondered if Con had sent them, then he realized it didn’t matter. They were there helping. That’s what was important.

  “Where were we?” Kinsey asked. “Ah, yes. You told me that they documented every move of my life for the past three years.”

  Dmitri made a sound at the back of his throat. “That’s messed up.”

  “Four if you include when I was in Glasgow,” Ryder added.

  Kinsey made a face. “What were they looking for?”

  “I’m wanting to know that myself.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  Ireland

  Rhi was cautious as she walked through the Dark palace. Even though she was veiled, she didn’t leave anything to chance. She’d been held with the Dark once. That wasn’t going to ever happen again.

  Behind her a few steps was her watcher. If only she could see him when she was veiled, but Fae magic didn’t work that way. Which sucked, if she were being honest.

  She’d been in the palace for a few hours with no sign of Balladyn. Though that wasn’t why she was there. She was in the Dark palace because she wanted to see what they knew about the attacks on the Dragon Kings as well as pick up any other information she could.

  Unfortunately, she’d gotten nothing on the Reapers. All she’d managed to gather was what she’d heard in the bars and the Light castle—everyone was terrified.

  Although, she did overhear several conversations about the Dark moving around Ireland. That made her wonder, because it wasn’t something they did. But the Dark were being cryptic about it—even in their own palace.

  Interesting.

  Rhi was beginning to itch from being in the Dark palace for so long. She longed to bask in sunlight and chase away the darkness that was creeping upon her once more.

  But she hesitated. She wanted to help the Kings, but there was a driving need within her, pushing her to learn the truth about the Reapers. She didn’t know how, but she couldn’t dispel the feeling that the knowledge about the Reapers was going to be important.

  The Reapers wouldn’t just show up for no apparent reason now after thousands of years. Someone sent them. Who and why? That’s what Rhi needed to know.

  She was getting ready to leave and call to Balladyn so that he might take her to his library to see the texts about the Reapers when she turned the corner.

  Rhi came to a halt when she found Balladyn standing next to Taraeth. They were talking to someone, but he was hidden by a column.

  Balladyn was in all black, his silk shirt molding to every contour of his body. His look was understated, yet powerful. A direct contrast with Taraeth, who wore black leather pants, a silver shirt, and what looked like a black satin robe left unbelted so that the red inside could be seen.

  Crass and showy. Just like Taraeth.

  She moved forward. Balladyn’s gaze jerked her way. He couldn’t see her, but just as the first time she’d veiled herself in the Dark palace, he sensed her. Balladyn didn’t say anything. His expression told her just how annoyed he was that she was there.

  Rhi caught sight of a gray suit. There was something about the way the man moved that had her shifting to the side to see who it was. That’s when she caught a glimpse of black hair pulled back in a queue.

  Ulrik!

  Rhi should’ve known. It was no secret that Ulrik was working with the Dark, but seeing it was a reminder of how bad things were for the Dragon Kings. And the Light Fae, if Rhi were honest.

  Ulrik traveled fast to have been in Austin with her, and then in the Dark palace—changing into his suit. Rhi wasn’t sure why Ulrik did anything, but it infuriated her that he’d found her in Austin and spoken so ambiguously.

  There was no way the Light would be able to stay out of the war between the Dark and the Kings for much longer. The Fae Wars would happen all over again.

  Unless Ulrik could be stopped.

  Yet Rhi didn’t teleport to Dreagan and notify them of where Ulrik was. Why should she? The Kings wouldn’t venture onto Dark property to find him.

  Ulrik was a friend. Or
was he? Rhi wasn’t sure. She didn’t want him to die, which was what had to happen for the war to stop before it really began. Because the only other option of Ulrik forgetting his revenge wasn’t going to happen.

  Though Con was a complete dick, Rhi didn’t want him to die either. Unfortunately, one of them would have to. It was the only way.

  She pressed herself against the wall as Balladyn and Taraeth came her way. Rhi tried to look around them to catch another glimpse of Ulrik, but he was walking the opposite way. There was a woman beside him, a Dark Fae who he had his arm around.

  So Ulrik had found a woman. Rhi wasn’t surprised it was a Dark. There was too much hate and bitterness for Ulrik to be with a Light. And with his abhorrence of humans, he’d spend eternity alone before he took a mortal to his bed again.

  Rhi followed Taraeth and Balladyn. After fifteen minutes of listening to Taraeth ramble on about how great he was, Rhi rolled her eyes, wanting to remove his ability to speak.

  She turned her thoughts to the new set of OPI polishes for the Venice collection. The alert had come over her mobile, and she was itching to get to the store and pick up a bottle of each shade to see what Jesse could do with them.

  With names like A Great Opera-tunity, Tiramisu for Two, and Gelato on My Mind, how could she resist?

  “Do you see my point?” Taraeth asked Balladyn.

  Balladyn bowed his head. “Of course, sire.”

  Rhi frowned. Damn. She should’ve been paying attention instead of thinking about the new polishes. What if she’d missed something important?

  Taraeth gazed at Balladyn for a long moment in silence. “I’ve been through a lot of men in your position, Balladyn. You’ve remained the longest.”

  “Because I’m good at what I do.”

  “Yes,” Taraeth said with a nod. “Too good at times. I’m not above … removing you … should I begin to question your loyalty.”

  Balladyn’s impassive face changed. A muscle ticked along his jaw, and anger radiated from his red eyes. “Question my loyalty? I’m one of the few you should never mistrust.”

  “You’ve been preoccupied of late.”

  “My job is to protect you and carry out your orders. I’m making sure that any decisions you make won’t come back to cause damage.”