“Well, Valla. It seems you and your fellow officers have exceeded our expectations on your mission.”
Sensing Conn over my shoulder, I nodded. “We’ve discovered more than we’d bargained for.”
Conn greeted Kol with a handshake, though Kol’s gaze seemed to linger on him a moment longer than was polite.
“There is someone we’d like you to meet,” said Conn, his voice stern, very unlike himself. “This is Bastien Silverback.”
The man himself stood there, looking ever like a wild pirate after a heist at sea rather than the aristocrat he was born to be. He clasped my brother’s hand and shook. “Greetings, Captain. I’ve heard so much about you.”
“I hope my sister hasn’t discouraged you from aiding us with her tales.”
“Oh, not from Valla. You are a legend among the clientele I meet here in Aria,” said Bastien with a grin.
“I imagine so.” Kol lifted his tankard of ale and gestured toward a table. “Shall we talk more?”
“Aye.”
Kol tossed a bag of coin on the bar. “Ale and food for everyone, Orlik.”
“Will do. Benta!”
She popped out of the kitchen, eyes widening at the full room.
“Best get going, girl.”
“I’ll help her,” said Lyla as she swept past us toward the kitchen.
Just as we settled at the table, two more Morgon men descended the stairs, and for the first time today, I saw Conn smile. I couldn’t help but feel my heart lift at the sight of him greeting his best friend, Paxon Nightwing and Paxon’s cousin, Lorian. Both bearing the midnight wings of their clan, Pax wore the look of a playboy, though his heart had been given to the human Ella years ago. And Lorian wore a perpetual scowl, though his expression lightened at the sight of Conn. How that man gained the affection of such an unfriendly Morgon, I had no idea. But if anyone could charm the uncharmable, it was Conn Rowanflame. The men laughed together about something private before joining us at the table.
Conn took the seat to my right as the Nightwings settled in. Immediately, I felt a sense of relief, but didn’t know why. Conn had avoided eye contact with me all day, even when he offered me water on our breaks along the way. Now he finally met my gaze, the intensity rocketing through my blood as if he’d shoved me against the wall and kissed me hard. I hoped no one else could sense the electricity heating up our space, but when I faced Kol again, his keen blue eyes seemed to measure us both. Calm as ever, my brother observed Conn longer than necessary. My foot twitched under the table.
“How is Moira?” I asked.
Though I hadn’t spent nearly as much time with my new sister-in-law as I’d wanted, I liked her very much. Kol’s fierce countenance cracked into more amiable lines at the mere mention of her name. The big oaf was still smitten with her. But all he said was… “She is well. Now down to business.”
Orlik passed around more ale as Conn took the lead with introductions.
“Bastien and Rafe”—who’d taken the seat on Bastien’s left—“this is Lorian and Paxon Nightwing.”
Bastien nodded, but spoke to Paxon. “My father spoke well of yours. They knew each other in the Cloven Senate before your parents moved away.”
Thankfully, Paxon wasn’t a fool and didn’t add, “And before your parents were found murdered.”
“Yes,” said Paxon. “Life in Cloven didn’t suit my parents.”
Both Paxon and Lorian’s family had moved to the Morgon and human mixed population of Gladium years ago. Paxon’s father had suffered a broken wing after defending a helpless man in an attack by Morgon thugs. Unfortunately, his wing never mended, and so he’d lost the power of flight—one of the greatest tragedies for one of our kind.
“Nor mine,” said Bastien, challenging the Nightwings with a sharp look. He shifted his bold gaze to Kol. “I know that you have outstanding orders to capture and extradite wanted criminals back to civilization.” He spoke the last word with disgust. “Or execute them,” he added. “But I need assurance, not just for myself but for every man and woman in my company, that if we aid you on this mission, no harm will come to them by any of your officers. And that none will attempt to extradite them for whatever crimes they have been accused of committing. I trust Conn, Valla, and Bowen, but I need your word as Captain.”
“You have it,” replied Kol without hesitation. “My sister has informed me that not all the crimes laid upon your heads are true.”
“Not all,” agreed Bastien, before nodding his chin to the raucous group greeting Benta behind us. “None of my crew are what you’d call innocent, but the only murders committed by any of them have been in self-defense.”
A silence stretched down the table as both sides considered his declaration. It was Conn who broke in first. “Bastien is innocent of killing his family,” he said with conviction. Everyone was thinking of the capital murders, but did not dare broach the topic. Except Conn. “I’d bet my life on it. And I’ll defend him if necessary.” Conn’s threat that he’d defend Bastien carried in his voice and hard expression even as he leveled it on his best friend Paxon.
My pulse raced at his confident defense of Bastien who was top of the Most Wanted list and whose capture would bring fame and glory to any Morgon. The fact that he’d lay his life on the line for the marauder made my heart swell with pride for the man. I wanted to wrap my arms around him and give him a resounding kiss. Hell, who was I kidding? I wanted to do that anyway, no matter that I pretended I didn’t.
“Thanks, brother,” said Bastien, casually clapping his hand on Conn’s shoulder.
The two appeared like old friends. Who would’ve thought this would come to pass after our first meeting in the Pallatine Palace where Conn had to pay our toll? A nasty burn of jealousy roiled in my gut at the memory of Madera practically molesting him in combat. I glanced over at her, completely engrossed in conversation with one of the Violetvales.
“There will be no need for that, Rowanflame. I give you my word that Silverback here, nor any of his party, will be harmed or be captured by one of ours.”
“They came to our aid against a large band of Larkosians earlier today,” I interjected.
Shock registered on Kol’s face before it deepened into his regular scowl. “Is that so?” Then he studied the marauders more closely. “Where is Bowen?” he asked with a little hesitance.
“Oh, he’s fine,” I assured him. “We were very close to the border of Wilding Wood. He wanted to request assistance from his clansmen. He’ll meet us here soon.”
Kol nodded.
“Approximately twenty-five strong attacked us at dusk,” said Conn. “If it weren’t for Bastien and his group, I’m not sure we would be sitting here. Not in one piece, anyway.”
“Speak for yourself,” I said with a smirk.
Paxon chuckled. Lorian rolled his eyes before saying, “Can we stop licking each other’s balls and get down to business?”
I scoffed. “Pretty expression, Lorian.”
“Not as pretty as you, Valla,” interrupted Paxon. “How do you manage to look so fine when these poor bastards look like they haven’t bathed in a week?”
“We haven’t,” said Conn with a scowl before finishing off his ale and slamming his tankard down with a clunk.
“Does Ella know you flirt this much?” I asked Pax across the table. His smoldering smile could weaken the knees of any woman, but it had little effect on me. Actually, all it seemed to do was make me fully aware that Conn looked as if he were going to reach over and punch his best friend in the face.
“Ella knows she is the only woman for me. But how can I ignore it when such beauty sits before me?”
My turn to roll my eyes. I was about to say something snarky, but Conn beat me to it.
“I can promise you that you won’t be returning to Ella at all if you keep this shit up.”
Paxon laughed. Lorian smiled. It was only then I realized he’d been baiting Conn the whole time. His sudden and unquestionable threat to b
ack the fuck off wasn’t missed by my brother either. Kol glanced from Conn to me then back to Conn. Ugh. He knew something was up. I wish I knew what was up. My feelings wound tighter and tighter every day. One second, I wanted him. The next I wanted him to back off with his big manly self.
“Let’s get down to business,” Kol ordered, swiveling to Bastien. “Valla tells me this smith in Harrowmir may not have delivered the harnesses yet.”
“The only way to know for sure is to go there ourselves,” said Bastien. “The people of Aria don’t use comms for communication. That sort of technology is shunned by those who live here.”
“I saw Lyla using an old comm,” I interjected. “Back at Pallatine.”
“We use comms between us, for safety, but most Arians refuse to use modern technology.”
“Harrowmir is a day’s flight from here?” asked Lorian, moving the conversation on. A man of business.
“No,” answered Bastien. “A mere three hours for the average Arian. I could get you there in two.” He gave his tell-tale wink and tipped back his tankard.
“And this smith is sure the harnesses were being made for the Larkosians?” asked Kol.
“There is no doubt. We’ve noticed the bastards passing through Aria for many months now. And my contacts here in Aria who’ve gone out and returned have reported the disappearance and murder of human girls. We also can see the signs of war brewing,” said Bastien.
“Why do you say that?” asked Paxon.
Conn stiffened next to me. I shared a glance with him, thoughts of Wren’s premonition coming true.
“Their numbers are growing. That party that came down on Conn, Valla, and Bowen was not the largest party we’ve seen fly through here. When we first spotted the black-clad foreigners passing through, they were less than ten in a party. Now we rarely see less than twenty traveling together. We want them to go down as much as anyone else. Evil is afoot.”
“Do you know where their base is?” asked Kol.
“No. If they were stationed in our territory, we would know. Trust me. They must be using a secluded area near here, out of sight of patrols from Cloven or Drakos, but still outside our Arian boundaries as well.”
Benta stepped to our table and placed bowls of her not-so-appetizing stew in front of us. She said nothing before zipping back to the kitchen.
“It’s settled then,” said Kol. “Eat and drink up. We head to Harrowmir at once.”
CHAPTER 20
“A ye. I’ll put a tracker on the bloody bastard,” said the gruff blacksmith, a broad-shouldered Silverback with a humped shoulder.
“You’ll be well rewarded for your help,” said Kol. “If you do this for us, we can find their camp.”
“Kill them all. And that is reward enough.”
Kol gave a stiff nod. “That was our plan. You take care of your part. And we’ll do ours.”
I was at the back of the shop with Paxon and Valla, listening from afar, when she shifted toward the door.
“Where are you going?” I asked, cursing myself for the dominance riding my voice. Fuck, I needed to get a hold of myself.
She arched a brow before responding. Not good.
“I’m going to check on how the others are settling. We may be here a while waiting.”
“Don’t go out alone. There could be a spy among the people here.”
“I don’t need your permission.”
Paxon observed our exchange. Also not good.
She edged closer. “And may I remind you, Rowanflame, that you’re not my keeper.” And yet the fire in her eyes nearly matched the intensity of flames in my gut. She zipped up her jacket and slipped outside in a huff.
Paxon chuckled. “Holy fuck, Conn.”
“Shut up, Pax.” I kept my focus on Kol, Lorian, Bastien and the blacksmith poring over a map for possibilities of where the Larkosians could be hiding their army.
“Hell no. With all the shit you gave me about settling down with Ella? I don’t think so.”
“You’re the family man. Not me. How’s the kid, anyway?”
“My daughter is sheer perfection. She’s her mother in every way. Except for the budding wings. And stop changing the subject.”
“I’m not settling down,” I grumbled.
“Shit, that’s what you think. It’s either that or spontaneously combust with the soulfire burning inside your chest.”
I shook my head. “Is it that obvious?”
“Yeah.” He laughed again. “Except to Valla apparently. Have you two even had sex yet?”
Unwillingly, a growl rolled deep in my gut. Damn. My best friend mentioned sex and Valla in the same breath, and my beast wanted to tear out his throat.
“Whoa. Dude.” He put up his hands. “You need to relax. Or settle things with her. Or both.”
“This is Valla Moonring we’re talking about.”
“I know exactly who we’re talking about. The woman who’s shunned men her entire adult life because none of them equaled the strength of her brothers, and none of them turned her head toward the bedroom. Until you, of course.”
My jaw dropped. “What are you talking about? She hated me from the start. From the first second I met her, she’s been trying to sink her claws into me.”
“She sure has.”
“What did you say?”
“Damn, brother. For a man who can charm the panties off just about any woman, you’re a serious idiot.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes, really.”
“And why is that?”
“She wants you, dude. And you want her. But the two of you are both too stupid or too stubborn to do anything about it.”
“I tried, all right?”
“And what? She rejected you?”
Clenching my jaw, I could barely get out the quiet word, “Yes.”
“Wildcats tend to scratch first.” Pax huffed. “Conn, she’s got your scent under her skin, for fuck’s sake. Stop being a stubborn ass and do something about it.”
I wrenched open the door and stormed out into the cold. He was right. Her rejection had opened old wounds of my parents’ broken relationship. I had hardened my heart against the hope of what could be between us. If only I had the courage to try again. I’d tip-toed around her since that erotic dream where she’d pushed me away out of fear. Fear that I’d not let her go. She was fucking right about that. I would never let her go. I marched off in the direction I knew she was headed.
Harrowmir was situated on a narrow cliff with two mountains blocking the frigid winds on either side. Because it was semi-close to ground level and protected, it was comparatively warmer than other places in Aria. Meaning you could walk around without headgear and your ears wouldn’t turn black with frostbite after sixty seconds of exposure.
Knowing the size and shape of her shoes, I followed the recent tracks in the snow. When I rounded the corner, I saw her just stepping from the blacksmith’s house which was carved directly into the cliff, like so many others. She must have been speaking to his wife. They were one of many who had offered beds for our men after they discovered our purpose here. There was no inn large enough to house us all. With the Bastien Bastards, Bowen and his clansmen who’d finally arrived, and the team of twenty Kol had brought, we had to spread out through the town and lie in wait.
“Thank you. Goodnight,” I heard her say as the door closed. She marched on.
“Valla.” She flinched at my call but kept walking.
“What is it?” She walked faster, heading to the inn where we had rented out the six rooms they had.
“I want to talk to you.”
“Talk? Or command?”
She pushed open the door of the inn. The innkeeper had gone to bed. I followed her through the tavern to the hallway leading to the bedchambers where I finally caught up to her.
“See. This place isn’t even protected. The door was left unlocked. What if one of these Larkosians is waiting in your room?”
She rounded on me, hand
s on hips, looking like she was ready to bite. “Then I’d kick his ass before slitting his throat. I’m an officer in the Assassin’s Order. Or have you forgotten?”
“No. I haven’t forgotten. You never let anyone forget who you are and what your rank is.”
Her chin notched higher. “What the hell does that mean?”
“It means I know all about your qualifications, your skills, and your training. I don’t give a shit about any of it.”
I backed her all the way to the wall, my heart hammering blood through my veins like a fucking volcano. She clasped my shoulders, her wings flattening behind her. Rather than push me away, her fingers curled tighter.
“What’s wrong with you?” she asked in a fierce whisper.
“This.”
Taking one of her hands, I cupped it around my dick. Her mouth fell open on a gasp.
“And this.”
I placed her other hand roughly over my pounding heart about to pop out of my chest.
“This is what you do to me, Valla,” I growled, hovering close to her lips. “Tell me you don’t want me. Tell me to go away, and I’ll leave you alone.”
When I let her hands go, she kept them in place. I gripped her braid and tugged, lifting her chin higher. My mouth was on hers, demanding she open. She did. I kissed her hard and deep, slipping a hand between us and yanking down her zipper. While stroking deeper with my tongue, needing a good taste of her sweet mouth, I slid my hand under her layers, touching the smooth plane of her stomach, then up over her ribcage to her breast covered by a thin athletic bra. Her breasts were small and perfect, her nipple reacting to my touch. I rounded the taught peak with my thumb, then drew apart from her lips. She leaned after me for more, but I tightened my grip on her braid and tilted her head back farther till she opened her eyes and met my gaze.
“Tell me.”
Her lips parted, her eyes half-lidded, she looked like a goddess awaiting pleasure. And I planned to give it to her.
“No,” she said defiantly, squeezing my dick, her other hand clenching tight into my hair.
Dragon in the Blood (Vale of Stars Book 2) Page 17
