Burning Desire

by Donna Grant

  They protected the realm and the humans, and yet they couldn’t be who they really were. They couldn’t take to the skies when they wanted or announce their true forms. They were prisoners of a realm that would likely try to annihilate them if given the chance.

  It made her forlorn, just as watching them gave her an odd peace she hadn’t expected. She had seen Kiril in dragon form, but she hadn’t seen him fly, she hadn’t witnessed him spreading his beautiful burnt-orange wings.

  She wrapped her arms around her legs as she brought her knees to her chest and rested her chin on her knees. The breeze was cool, the night silent except for the flap of dragon wings. The sky had enough clouds to keep them hidden, but also to allow her to see them.

  One dragon branched off from the others and dove lower over the mountains. He disappeared behind one mountain only to reappear a moment later. It wasn’t until he tucked his wings and dove into the valley next to the mountain she was on that she realized he was flying in the valleys, twisting and turning in an aerial show that left her gasping for breath and silently begging for more.

  * * *

  Kiril’s mind was filled with Shara, and had been since the last time he’d seen her. He had a call in to Broc to see if the Warrior could locate her. He had yet to decide whether he would go after her when he discovered where she was. He had promised her safety, and the first time Balladyn confronted them, Kiril had turned his back on her.

  With his mind so filled, he had taken to the skies. All it did was remind him of how Shara had reacted when she had found him in dragon form. That in itself still boggled his mind. She had seen his dragon magic. That was impossible. Then again, so much of the impossible and improbable didn’t seem to apply to Shara. She broke all the rules without even seeming to realize there were any.

  He tilted his wings and changed course. He flew low over the mountains and into the valleys. It felt wonderful to be free to fly to his heart’s content.

  And yet he felt … fragmented.

  As if a part of him were missing.

  He knew without even having to guess what was missing—Shara. She was so much a part of him that he thought he detected her scent. Kiril’s mind snapped to attention. He swooped up from the valley and then turned to glide over the mountain. As he neared the peak, the scent grew stronger.

  Then he saw her.

  He turned and flew over her once more just to be sure it wasn’t his mind playing tricks on him. He wanted to shout for joy when he saw her watching him. Kiril flew to the peak and landed. He folded his wings as she jumped to her feet and faced him. His gaze drank in the sight of her as he inhaled her beautiful scent.

  “Kiril,” she whispered.

  Was that fear he saw in her eyes? He blinked and looked into her eyes again. They were no longer red. Was it some new glamour she was using? She took a step toward him at the same instant that he shifted into human form. He wrapped his hand around her neck and backed her into a boulder.

  “I told you no glamour,” he ground out.

  Her smile was sad as she wrapped her hands around his forearm. “It isn’t glamour.”

  “Your eyes are no longer red.”

  She swallowed hard, but held his gaze. “I didn’t betray you. Balladyn lied.”

  “I know. Phelan told me.”

  “You’re not happy to see me.” Her voice was particularly desolate as she looked away. “I shouldn’t have come.”

  There was no way he was allowing her to go anywhere. He held her firmly without squeezing her throat. “Why did you come?”

  “To explain everything.”

  Kiril thought she might care for him if she had returned. The emptiness that had threatened these last few days grew. “As I said, Phelan told me. Now tell me why your eyes are different?”

  “I’m no longer Dark.”

  He frowned. “That’s impossible.”

  “I thought so as well,” she said with a wry twist of her lips. “But it’s true.”

  “Was it magic?”

  “Of a sort.”

  He lowered his gaze to her lips, which was a mistake because then he wanted to taste her, to kiss her until she was breathless, until she forgot everything but him.

  “It all worked out,” Shara said into the silence.

  Kiril knew he should release her, but he feared she would vanish on him. “I suppose it did. What will you do now?”

  “I’m with the Light. Usaeil has asked me to join her guard.”

  “A high honor.”

  He looked back into her eyes. There were no more words as they stared at each other. He rubbed his thumb against her skin. Her eyes dilated and her breath quickened.

  “I should go,” she said.

  “Why did you really come?”

  “I told you. I wanted to explain myself.”

  “Then explain,” he urged. Anything to keep her with him until he could come up with a reason for her to stay.

  Her throat moved as she licked her lips. “I’m sorry for everything. I should’ve listened to you from the very beginning.”

  “They were your family. You should’ve been able to trust your family.”

  “It was you,” she said and lowered her eyes to his chest. “You made me see there was so much more out there. I came to realize the only one responsible for my life was me, and I had to make the decisions, not my family.”

  “Good for you.”

  Shara shivered. His voice was deep and rich, almost a whisper against her skin he was so close. He moved nearer until their bodies touched. She was having a hard time putting thoughts into words with him so near. All she wanted to do was lift her face and place her lips on his.

  “I…” She trailed off as a gust of wind moved over them and blew his long hair out of his face.

  He was naked, the heat of him making her weak. And hungry. Her hands were on his arm, but she wanted to caress his chest with the dragon tat, his shoulders, his back. All of him.

  “Aye?” he urged as his face lowered until their lips were breaths apart.

  She rested her head back against the boulder and fought for breath to fill her lungs. “I was Dark. I knew you wouldn’t believe anything I said after what Balladyn did, and I wanted to help.”

  “So you put yourself in danger?”

  He had such a sexy voice, and that brogue. It sent chills over her skin and made desire pool low in her belly. She nodded, unable to form words.

  “You could’ve died.”

  Shara met his gaze. “For you. I would have for you.”

  A low growl rumbled from his chest as he pushed his body against her, his arousal pressing into her stomach. “Doona ever do anything so foolish again.”

  She opened her mouth to respond, only to have him kiss her. It was violent, ravenous and yet sensual and alluring. His hand released her neck to slide around to cup her head.

  Kiril couldn’t get enough of her. He wanted to strip her right there and fill her. What stopped him were his brethren flying around and watching them. He kissed down her throat as she dragged in lungfuls of air. Her arms wound around his neck as her fingers delved into his hair.

  “That was part of what changed me,” she said between breaths.

  Kiril lifted his head to look down at her. “And what was the other part?”

  Silence stretched as she debated whether to tell him. Kiril wasn’t going to let her off that easily. He kissed her again, slowly and thoroughly until she was limp in his arms.

  “Tell me,” he pleaded.

  “Love.”

  His heart missed a beat. Could it be possible? Did he dare to hope?

  “Say something,” she whispered.

  He cupped her face, holding the long strands of her black hair back. His gaze snagged on the silver lock of hair that he wound around his finger. “You stole my heart, Shara. Whether you’re Dark or Light, I must have you.”

  “Many will still consider me Dark.”

  “I doona care. I marked you as mine.”

&
nbsp; She ran a finger along his jaw. “Yes, you did. Do you really want me?”

  “I made a call to a friend who is able to locate anyone, anywhere. He was coming in the morn so I could find you. Aye, you silly Fae, I want you. Now. Forever.”

  Tears spilled from her eyes as she threw her arms around him and held him close. “I didn’t dare believe.”

  “Believe,” he said and kissed her shoulder.

  “I love you, Kiril.”

  He pulled back and looked into her silver eyes. “And I love you.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

  Shara looked out over the scenery while she rested her head on Kiril’s chest, his fingers idly running over her back. The night had gone by entirely too fast as they made love again and again atop the mountain. The difference was that this time, she didn’t have to say farewell.

  “You do know they saw us,” Kiril said, laughter in his voice.

  Shara smiled as she heard the flap of dragon wings somewhere behind them. “Yep.”

  “They better no’ have looked too closely at you.”

  She bit back a smile when she heard the possessiveness in his voice that caused a thrill to run through her. Shara rose up on her elbow to look at him. She trailed a finger along his strong jaw to his chin. “I fear this is all a dream, and I’ll wake at any moment. Or worse, a trick by Balladyn who has gotten into my head.”

  In a heartbeat, Kiril rolled her onto her back and covered her body with his. “It’s no’ a dream, nor is Balladyn in your head. You’re here with me. It’s where I want you to remain always.”

  “A Fae and a Dragon King. That didn’t work the first time around.” She didn’t want to bring up Rhi’s involvement with the Kings, but she had to for her own peace of mind.

  “You’re no’ Rhi, and I’m no’ …” His voice trailed off as he briefly looked past her. “We’re no’ them.”

  “Even now you won’t tell me who her lover was?”

  “It’ll be the only thing I keep from you from here on out.”

  “Why is it so important that Rhi’s lover be kept secret?”

  He kissed her leisurely, carnally. “I’d rather talk about us.”

  “What about?” She let him change the subject. There was a reason the Kings felt the need to hide the name of whoever Rhi’s lover was, and though she was intrigued, Shara respected that privacy.

  “I want to show you every inch of Dreagan.” His shamrock green eyes held hers. “I want you beside me. Eternally.”

  Shara’s heart jumped in her throat. She was afraid to talk, afraid to even hope. It was enough that he loved her. She didn’t expect more, though she wanted it with every fiber of her being.

  And yet, she was a Fae.

  “You were meant to be mine,” Kiril continued. “And I was meant to be yours. I doona care what you are or what you were. You hold my heart, and that’s enough for me.”

  “Even the one King who dared to take a Fae as his lover didn’t remain with her. I’d rather know that this can’t go anywhere than to get my hopes up for more.”

  Kiril jumped to his feet and held out his hand. “Come.”

  “Where?” she asked, gathering her clothes before grabbing his hand.

  He pulled her to her feet. “Dawn is here.”

  She looked at the sky to see the clouds drenched in deep red and the same burnt orange as Kiril’s scales. Shara finished dressing and turned to him, only to find a dragon before her once more.

  “Oh, you did that on purpose,” she said with her hands on her hips. “You can’t tell me anything now. We’re going to have to discuss some rules, you know.”

  She could’ve sworn he smiled. Even then she couldn’t stay irritated at him. Dragons began to fly closer to them, as if dawn signaled the end to their freedom.

  Shara gazed at the huge hand with glossy talons that Kiril held out palm down. She understood what he was asking and didn’t hesitate to go to him. Her hands slid along his shiny scales to find them warm to the touch.

  She glanced at his head to find his dragon eyes watching her. Shara hurried up his arm and shoulder to settle at the end of his neck where it met his back. He rose, causing her to laugh as she quickly grabbed onto his scales. A moment later he leapt into the air, his enormous wings spreading wide to catch the air current.

  Her smile was wide, her laughter loud as the wind whipped around her. Shara wasn’t afraid of falling, because she knew Kiril would keep her safe. He soared among the clouds, sailed over the land showing her a world she would never have been able to imagine.

  She spread her arms wide and threw back her head with her eyes closed. This was heaven, nirvana. How she wished she could’ve seen the world when the dragons still ruled.

  Kiril dove down, causing Shara to grab hold of him once more. She saw he was headed toward a mountain that had an opening large enough to fit a jumbo jet inside it. One by one the dragons disappeared into the mountain the higher the sun rose. Kiril circled the mountain twice, gliding lower and lower each time.

  Shara spotted a man standing at the entrance. He wore a pair of faded jeans and nothing else. His gaze was locked on her as Kiril flew straight at the opening.

  The euphoria vanished when Kiril flew through the mountain entrance and alighted softly upon the ground. The dragons she had admired in the sky were once more in human form and staring at her.

  “He willna shift until you’ve gotten down,” said a voice to her left.

  Shara looked down to find a man with a dragon tattoo on his chest and long, wavy, dark brown hair and aqua eyes. His smile was kind, if not a little reserved, as he held out his hand for her.

  “I’m Rhys, by the way,” he said, waiting for her to accept his help.

  Kiril turned his head to look at her over his shoulder and gave a single nod. Shara knew Kiril, but she also knew the stories of Dragon Kings and their power. With a healthy dose of respect, she threw a leg over Kiril’s neck and took Rhys’s hand. He helped her slide to the ground.

  “You looked to be enjoying yourself,” Rhys said.

  Was that approval she saw in his eyes? “I did, though I enjoyed watching all the dragons fly as well.”

  “She more than enjoyed herself,” Kiril said as he came to stand beside her.

  Shara had been so worried about the other Dragon Kings that she hadn’t even seen Kiril shift to human form. Relief eased her tight muscles when he reached her side.

  “Were you concerned?” he asked with a frown.

  She licked her lips, her eyes briefly meeting Rhys’s gaze before skating away. “They’re all looking at me.”

  Rhys chuckled and held out his hands to another male who threw something across the way. Rhys caught it and then tossed the bundle to Kiril who unfolded the material to reveal jeans as Rhys said, “That’s because we all want to see the woman who has taken Kiril.”

  “It’s not because of who I am?” she asked.

  Kiril finished fastening the jeans and then looped an arm around her shoulders. “Oh, they want to know, but that will come later.”

  “Doona make us wait too long,” Rhys said with a wink.

  Kiril guided her to an arched opening that led into a maze of tunnels. Shara was so intent on looking at all the drawings and etchings of dragons along the walls that she would’ve run into things had Kiril not steered her along.

  “This place is amazing,” she whispered in awe.

  “It’s our home.”

  Her head swung around to him. “Why are you showing me this? There’s a reason Fae aren’t allowed on Dreagan.”

  “No’ all Fae are prohibited. Rhi comes. Or she used to.”

  All the happiness faded from Shara at the mention of the Light Fae. “Still no word on her?”

  Kiril shook his head as he took her hand and led her out of the mountain and into a house. Shara blinked as she looked around at the splendor that surrounded her.

  “Welcome to Dreagan Manor,” said a deep voice.

  Shara’s eyes locked
on a tall, blond male in a navy suit with a pale pink dress shirt opened at the neck. He didn’t wear a tie, but a flash of metal drew her gaze to his wrists where she spotted gold cuff links in the shape of a dragon head. There was no doubt in her mind this was the infamous King of Kings—Constantine.

  “Con, this is Shara,” Kiril said.

  The King of Kings smiled, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “A Dark who became Light. An impossibility that has now become possible.”

  Kiril cleared his throat and gave a hard look at Con. “Shara, this is Constantine.”

  “I’ve heard a great many things about you,” she said to Con. “It’s said among the Dark that you’re the cause of the Kings still being so powerful.”

  Con’s black eyes narrowed ever so slightly. “The Dragon Kings are powerful because we are united.”

  “Exactly.” She ignored Kiril who squeezed her hand. After all she had been through, she wasn’t afraid of anyone, not even the King of Kings. “United. You’ve managed to keep all the Dragon Kings here, and I guess there is a good reason for it other than this place being so beautiful.”

  Kiril frowned. “Shara?”

  She looked at him and smiled, silently asking him to trust her. His slight nod was all the confirmation she needed that he did just that.

  “What’s your point, Fae?” Con demanded.

  Shara didn’t know if anyone at Dreagan would ever welcome her, but as long as Kiril wanted her there, she would remain. Even if she hadn’t ever been allowed on Dreagan, she knew she must tell them what she knew.

  “Taraeth is still in power, but Balladyn has his sights set on eventually taking it from him. There were a few things Balladyn said that made me think he wasn’t working alone.”

  “Another Dark?” Kiril asked. “Someone powerful like your father?”

  She shook her head. “Someone else.”

  “Someone outside of the Fae,” Con guessed.

  Shara looked from Con to Kiril. “It’s just a guess.”

  “A good one, however,” Kiril said, his lips twisted with regret.

  Con looked away as he sighed. “If our greatest strength is our unity, then it’s only reasonable that they’ll try to destroy that.”