Relentless Fire

by Michelle Howard

  “How is that possible?” she asked, disbelief coloring her question. “What exactly is going on here?”

  Too many things weren’t adding up and Inez worried they were missing some key element in this whole debacle.

  Varyk shook his head. “I’m not sure. He shouldn’t be able to avoid our connection. I’m always able to sense my people along the mantle. Time after time it’s as if he shuts down the link.”

  This was way to reminiscent of what happened to Rylin months ago. Inez rubbed her hands up her arms. The urge to push through and scour the jungle for the shell was hard to resist, but logically Larz could hide and avoid them easily unless they were smart about this. “What do you suggest?”

  Surprise flickered and Varyk’s shoulders eased. “You may not be pleased, but I’m going to suggest I return you home until we have further information or better means of getting to Larz. This back and forth chase gives him the advantage. It doesn’t sit well with me. I also don’t want to jeopardize the unborn child of the Black.”

  Inez’s initial reaction was to decline. Adamantly. But what good would it do them to search aimlessly? She nodded. “I’m going to agree with you though it goes against my wishes. You know your male better than I and anything which might prove a risk isn’t worth it.”

  Varyk grinned as he extended his hand to clasp with hers. “It is not often I find myself in agreement with one of your sect. Take note.”

  Inez wanted to shake her head and laugh. In a flash, he had her back home. “The moment I hear or know something, I will return for you.”

  Inez eyed him boldly. The rigid lines of his body spoke to his desire to be gone. The thought crossed her mind that he’d continue the hunt without her, but watching him now, she sensed he meant what he said.

  Which brought to the forefront another matter. Her breath came faster from the question hovering at the back of her mind. So much had happened in a short window of time. But she had to ask. “And the other? Are we tabling that discussion?”

  Varyk returned her stare, his gold gaze darkening. “It is done. Your help in the situation was greatly appreciated.”

  So they weren’t addressing the sex or the continued hum of desire. Inez swallowed but refrained from fidgeting. If he wanted to walk away from the possibility of them she wouldn’t beg. “And the search? Your promise.”

  “I promise I will notify you when I have a lock on Larz.” He inclined his head and ported out.

  Chapter 12

  A day went by. Then another.

  Two of Varyk’s most trusted scouts were out looking for Lars. He knew they wouldn’t discuss the matter with anyone else, but so far he’d managed to avoid detection. Varyk fiddled with the stationary objects on his desk, his mind unable to break from his obsession. Inez. What hold did she have on him? Barely two days in her presence and a one-time fucking did not explain this incessant drive to see her.

  And yet it was the urge he fought each and every hour since leaving her at the home of the Black. He remembered the touch of her hand on him as she questioned what they were doing. His gut knotted as he envisioned the hurt on her face when he said goodbye without mentioning an interest in pursuing their personal interaction.

  She’d saved his life, but there had been more there. So much more, starting with his insatiable appetite for her. Wanting to think of anything else, Varyk turned to the work on his desk. He’d gotten behind due to his wandering thoughts and lack of focus. The door to his office slammed open, providing a much needed distraction.

  “To what do I owe the pleasure?” he asked, leaning back in his chair.

  Milana stormed inside with fire in her eyes. “Enough is enough. No one wants to put up with your abrasive behavior any longer.”

  Varyk pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. He wasn’t sure why he believed his sister would continue to avoid him. The last two days had been a state of waiting in a sense but he’d caught her staring at him on more than one occasion. They knew each other too well.

  That didn’t stop him from attempting to divert her. “What are you about now, Milana?”

  If he hoped to stall it was pointless. She marched onward and stopped in front of his desk, where she planted both hands and leaned forward. “You’re being surly—no you’ve been surlier than normal. Everyone’s noticed the change in you since you parted from the female.”

  “I haven’t changed.” Pushing his chair back from his desk, Varyk tried his most stern glare.

  She snorted indelicately and matched his glare. As tense as he was, Varyk managed a grin.

  Milana growled. “Why don’t you invite her here?”

  Was she serious? Relationships with females weren’t his thing. He had no desire to share and be open with another. Varyk rocked on the back legs of the chair. “Milana, I’m not inviting Inez here.”

  She arched a brow, slid onto the top of his desk and crossed her legs at the ankle. The leather pants stretched and molded to her form. “At least you’re not pretending not to know who I’m talking about.”

  Varyk’s face heated. He would not fall for her bait. Milana stared.

  And stared.

  Varyk’s lips twitched. He should be used to her tenacity. She should have been born a male.

  She cracked first. “You make me angry. Why won’t you consider there might have been more between you? Something worth pursuing.” She threw her hands in the air. “Fires, maybe you even fell in love a little.”

  “Wait. I didn’t say anything about love.” He wasn’t that far gone. He’d know if he was.

  “You didn’t have to say love.” Milana pulled on her red hair. “Males are so frustrating. Invite Inez or I will. I admit to not being overly thrilled when you introduced her, but I’ve had time to think on it and I talked to Santos. She might be good for you. I certainly noticed a difference in the way you looked at her.”

  Varyk rolled his eyes. “We were here all of the time it took for her to shower and dress, Milana. You exchanged a few words with her and have already decided she’d be a potential lira for me.”

  “Yes.”

  “Now you’re being annoying.”

  Milana sighed, dropping her amusement. “Listen, Varyk. You were attracted to her. And it wasn’t just about sex.”

  “Why can’t you let this go?” It was unlike his sister to harp on his love life. She tended to let him be and only pushed on things of importance to her.

  “I don’t want you alone. It suddenly hit me that you blame yourself for Uvem and maybe that’s why you won’t consider taking a lira.”

  “This isn’t about Uvem,” Varyk lied. For the first time in his life he lied to his sister’s face.

  And she knew it. Hurt bled into her golden gaze. “I’ll leave you alone then.”

  As she turned to leave, Varyk cursed and cursed. He jumped out of his seat to chase her, grabbing her arm before she reached his door. “I’m sorry. Just...give me time to work through this.”

  He sensed her forgiveness before she spoke. “Fine.”

  “There’d be no point in her coming.” Varyk felt the need to add.

  Holding up one finger, Milana recited, “There’s every reason. First, you wouldn’t be walking around here in a snit.”

  Varyk bit his inner cheek to keep from grinning.

  “Second,” Milana added another finger, “you might find out if the heat between you was more than circumstance.”

  “You met her once!” Varyk stopped her to point out. “And hardly spent any time in her presence. In fact, you didn’t seem to like her.”

  Milana waved off his statement and walked back to his desk. “There’s courage and honor in her demeanor. I sensed a fellow female of strong character. In fact, now that I’ve had time to think it over, I’m pretty sure she’d make a great lira to a king.”

  Blood went cold in his veins. All traces of humor vanished. He dropped wearily back into his seat, causing the mechanics to creak. The topic of matings was a touchy subject for him. O
pening his heart meant running the risk of eventually losing the person you loved. “How many times do I have to say I’m not looking for a lira?”

  “Because of our parents? You can’t let the past dictate the actions of your future.” Her gaze softened as she angled her body in his direction.

  Varyk could have played on her tender feelings but didn’t. He braced his arms on his desk, drawing closer to her. “I can’t forget.”

  It always came down to his parents and Uvem.

  “Vaaa-ryyyk.” She dragged his name out in a gentle murmur and Varyk stood up abruptly, rocking his chair backward. Milana stood as well, her eyes pleading for understanding. “Uvem did what he thought best, brother.”

  All the more reason to support his decision to not draw another into his life. “And look at how that turned ou—”

  Glass exploded and jagged shards flew inward. The violent eruption caught Varyk unaware. Milana screamed. Another boom sounded and the entire section of his outer wall caved.

  Not again. Never again would he lose a loved one and stand idle. Varyk dove across the desk, hooking his arm about his sister’s waist. Her eyes widened in shock, her mouth parted in another scream as they tumbled to the floor on the other side.

  Thunder crashed from somewhere above as chunks from the ceiling blew and smashed into the chair he’d been sitting in. Varyk continued to roll toward the opposite side of the room, keeping his sister beneath him in the shelter of his arms. “Don’t move.”

  As soon as the booms stopped, his door burst open and two of his guards ran in.

  “King Varyk!” They yelled in unison.

  Varyk didn’t bother glancing in their direction. Terror from his past beat at his senses. He rose to a crouch and checked his sister for injuries, his heart pounding in his chest. Another day, another time and he’d lost the most important people in his life. Not once but twice.

  Other than being pale and shaking, Milana appeared unharmed. She lifted a hand to his head and swiped. “Varyk...what happened?”

  Varyk noted the bright, red stain on her fingertips. He ignored it as he lifted her in his arms and passed her to one of the males. “Get her to Santos.” When his guard hesitated, Varyk roared. “Now!”

  Tyen carried Milana out, though she struggled all the while. Varyk’s stomach churned. He tapped into the essence of his Dracol and the mantle as images filtered in. The damage, while extensive, was limited to the area where his office was housed. Cries and dashes of rage broke through the shield he maintained to keep the power of the Green from overwhelming him.

  Varyk focused his attention on his remaining guard, Ellis. “What do we know?”

  “Larz, sire. We have reason to believe he managed to set off an explosive.”

  How? Blood pounded at Varyk’s temple. He headed out into the hall, Ellis at his side. Shouts could be heard leading to this section of his home. Fortunately, nothing else appeared disturbed or damaged.

  His home was a sprawling estate on the vast lands he managed. Former King Asir built it on the only part of the territory not covered by jungle. The two-level structure had been added on to and expanded through the centuries. Spread out in every direction, it contained a number of rooms Varyk had never seen or ventured to.

  Unlike other sects, most of his people chose to make their home here. It tended to be loud and boisterous, Varyk treating those who stayed and those who made their home in the surrounding jungle equally. As they guarded him, he guarded them by protecting their territory jealously. None were allowed to step foot on Green land without approval from him and he very rarely agreed to such.

  As soon as Varyk hit the doors outside, the humidity smacked him in the face. Vastly different from the cool interior, he inhaled the smoke and bitter scent of fire. Varyk gazed around. There was a massive hole to the left upper level of the building, but to his relief the flames had already petered out. “Explain what happened, Ellis.”

  “Mina set the detonations. She was seen fleeing the area. We think Larz convinced her you planned to kill him unjustly.”

  “And she agreed to blow up our home without question? Without seeing me?” Anger flared at such a pointless attack and Varyk shifted to take to the sky. Ellis flew at his side a beat later.

  Larz may have managed to conceal his presence from the mantle, but Mina employed no such subterfuge and they were together. Varyk planned to track the one by honing in on the other. His level of action toward Mina would depend on what reason she could possibly have for striking this detrimental blow to their sect.

  Prior to today, she’d never exhibited the slightest issue under his rule. Of course, liras became entwined and she could be following her mate without question. Varyk accepted she’d be susceptible to whatever slant Larz put on the theft of Rylin’s shell. Yet to not come to him before reacting was inexcusable. She was complicit with this incident and Varyk found that hard to swallow.

  The sudden jarring tear in the mantle shook him. One blip, followed by silence. Death. Only death came with such harsh impact. The answer came from within even as Varyk sought the source. Mina. Killed by her own lira. Varyk dropped from the air as the loss hit him.

  Anger morphed to grief. No time to confront and no time to question the senseless action followed by her senseless death. He hit the ground hard and arched his neck back. His Dracol trumpeted long and loud. Others picked up the sound in commiseration. Piercing sharp claws raked at the ground and another mournful call broke from Varyk’s throat. Emotions hammered at him. His own and that of his sect.

  Something had to be done to break the veil of pain. He needed...Varyk froze. He knew exactly what he needed. Giving in to the compulsion he’d been fighting for days without success, Varyk ported himself to a specific place. A specific female.

  Inez.

  He needed her. Her touch, her warmth and her compassion.

  Standing on the lawn cradling a dark-haired female, Rylin glared at his arrival. Varyk pawed at the ground and eyed his fellow king but didn’t shift.

  “Varyk,” Rylin sneered and adjusted his hold on his lira, Queen Dara.

  Power swelled and dipped from Varyk’s pores. Seeing them together and the obvious affection they displayed only drove his need for Inez higher.

  “You’re in my territory without permission.”

  With all of the feelings and turmoil rolling through him, Varyk didn’t have the patience to play this game. More times than Varyk could count, he’d caught Black Dracol on his land although none during Rylin’s reign. All those skirmishes occurred when Rylin’s predecessor, Sarkin, sat as King.

  Varyk’s lack of response to the blatant taunt drew a deep frown from Rylin. “Has something happened to Finley?”

  His fellow king didn’t hide his fear and Varyk shook his head in denial.

  Rylin ran a hand down his lira’s back. “I don’t know what this is about, but since you search for my child, I’m going to walk away and send Inez out.”

  When Rylin turned to do just that, Varyk grunted. Rylin could take the noise however he wanted.

  “Don’t hurt her, Varyk. You don’t truly want me as an enemy.” Rylin tossed over his shoulder without pausing as he guided his lira away.

  ***

  He had nerve, Inez gave him that. After days of silence to arrive here and expect...she didn’t know what Varyk expected. When Rylin informed her of his presence she’d initially laughed. The joke seemed to be on her.

  Now Varyk prowled the lawn feet away from the castle entrance, green scales glittering in the sun. Green vapor streamed from the large hooded nostrils. Pumping poison into the air, she thought with snark.

  Ocassionally, his tail swished about then slammed the ground. He was clearly agitated, but she didn’t know why. Inez pursed her lips, crossed her arms to hide her excitable nipples and cocked her hip to the side. Regardless of what had him peeved, he’d have to work his way into her good graces and with the way she felt, it would require effort.

  “You’re here.
”

  He snaked his head around, the crown easily double the size of her entire body, but Inez held firm. His extended tongue flicked out and the narrowed gaze burned with heat bathed in amber and a heavy dose of irritation. Tough. She was getting a bit irritated too.

  “I’m here.” Verbalizing in Dracol form wasn’t easy. His distorted vocal chords gave his usually even tones a deep rumble.

  Shivers tickled her spine. “Why?”

  Several second passed as they stared at one another. Inez waited, controlling the impulse to tap her foot. Finally, she blew out a breath and dropped her arms to her side. “What are you doing here, Varyk? If it’s not about Finley, which Rylin says it isn’t, I’m not sure what’s left to discuss. You made yourself pretty clear when you vanished.”

  “I’m here for you. Obviously.”

  Inez blinked. Even in this physical shape he reeked of arrogance. Then annoyance burst forth. Did he actually think she’d believe him? “Come on. The mighty King of the Green. You can’t mean that.”

  Varyk shifted between one breath and the next and wrapped her in his arms before she could move. All that naked skin made it harder to ignore him.

  “What if I do mean it, Inez? What if I am here for you?”

  Chapter 13

  Inez pushed at his shoulders. “What exactly are you saying?”

  Varyk had never come this close to acknowledging a connection to a female, but there was a craving, a need he couldn’t satisfy when it came to Inez. “Come back with me and see.”

  Her arched brows spoke clearly of her surprise. Varyk waited as his pulse pounded out an uneven rhythm. Milana would probably say he’d done it all wrong but Varyk didn’t want to coax Inez. Didn’t want to romanticize this. It was purely about the sex he hadn’t gotten enough of.

  Had to be.

  “You want me to come back...to your territory? Just like that.”

  While her tone was bland, her sharp look promise to fry him to ash. He ignored it to answer with blunt honesty. “Yes.”