by Donna Grant
V’s head jerked back. “They have one of these sites for sex?”
“Oh, yeah,” she said and nodded emphatically. “Several, in fact.”
“I doona understand. Why can people no’ just talk to each other?”
She laughed. “I ask myself that all the time. I wish I had an answer.”
He lifted the glass of ale to his lips and took a drink. “Interesting. Have you found companionship on these sites?”
If it had been anyone else asking, Claire would’ve taken offense, but she could tell that he was really interested. “I admit, I was on one or two of those sites. I even talked to a guy and considered meeting him, but when it came right down to it, I couldn’t. Meaningless sex isn’t for me. I need a connection.”
V nodded slowly. “Aye.”
“What about you?” she asked. “Are you out in the dating world?”
“I doona have anyone.”
“I can’t imagine you’d have a hard time finding a woman. That is if you want one,” she quickly added.
V’s head swung to the side as a tall man with long, dark blond hair and gunmetal eyes walked up and placed a plate of fish and chips before each of them.
Claire grinned up at Laith. “I’ve been craving these for days.”
“Eat your fill,” he replied with a wink.
“Thanks.”
Claire didn’t wait to dive into the food. But after she’d put a bite into her mouth, she happened to glance up and see Laith and V exchanging a look. When Laith walked away, V’s gaze slid to her.
She grinned around her mouthful of food and tried to pretend like she hadn’t caught that exchange. She failed miserably.
It was no wonder she was perpetually single. She should be pretty suave at sneaking peeks, but she had yet to master that skill. Clearly, she needed to take a class in it.
They continued eating, but the silence that she’d enjoyed so much on the way to the pub was now uncomfortable. Perhaps it was all the dating talk and becoming aware of how alone she was.
“How are you involved with Dreagan?” she asked.
V swallowed his bite. “I’m no’ as involved with the running of the distillery as others are. I’ve learned a little bit, but my attention has been on locating something that was stolen from me.”
“I hope you were able to find it.”
“Finally. After many, many years.”
She wiped her fingers on her napkin. “Now that you have it, what will you do?”
“I’m still trying to figure that out.”
“No doubt those at Dreagan are happy to have you home.”
A peculiar look passed over his face. “I suppose.”
“They’re your family. Of course, they are.”
He looked down at his plate. “I’m contemplating going away again.”
Now that shocked her. “Why? Don’t you like it here?”
“Aye, I do,” he said as he met her gaze.
There was something in his eyes, a look that she didn’t quite understand. She also saw longing there, which she didn’t comprehend. He was part of a large family, who seemed very tight and loving. What could he long for?
Love. Companionship. The same things she yearned for? She wanted to reach across the table and touch his hand. Actually, she’d wanted to do that all day, but now that she had the opportunity, she was afraid. Frightened of what she might feel.
And terrified that she was so attracted to him that she was seeing something that wasn’t there. “Then why do you want to leave?”
His lips flattened. “It’s … difficult to explain.”
“Oh.” She was kind of hurt that he didn’t want to share with her, but then again, they barely knew each other. It wasn’t as if she were spilling her secrets. How could she expect him to?
“Have you ever been somewhere that you love, but doona think it’s where you belong?”
She nodded slowly. Claire knew that feeling all too well. It was something she experienced daily. “I have.”
“What did you do about it?”
“Nothing,” she confessed. “I’m still here.”
He moved aside his plate, his food clearly forgotten as he leaned his forearms on the table. “What would you like to do about it?”
“I don’t know. Is there a way to fix it? Because I think I’ll feel like this anywhere I go.”
“Why do you think that?”
She licked her lips, suddenly no longer hungry. Her gaze lowered to her plate, not seeing the food as she searched for the words to explain.
Claire took a deep breath and looked up at V. They had been honest with each other, and she found it incredibly easy to talk to him about things that would embarrass her with others. “I can’t seem to stop looking for The One.”
“The One?” he repeated, a frown marring his brow.
She shrugged one shoulder. “Some women call it Mr. Right, The One, or their other half. Soulmate, even.”
“I think most everyone is looking for their One.”
“I agree, but that doesn’t make it any easier.”
V glanced at the others in the pub. “I’ve seen those who have been lucky enough to find love, like Darius and Laith. I’ve seen others find it and lose it.” V paused for a moment as if considering saying a name. Then he said, “The pain they live with every day is something I can only imagine.”
“What’s worse? Never knowing love? Or having it and losing it?”
He shrugged. “For those of us who have no’ found it, we’d say no’ having it. For the ones who have lost it, they might say the opposite.”
“I have a good life, a great job, terrific friends, and my health. Why isn’t that enough?” Claire couldn’t believe she was confessing so much to V.
But it was nice to know that someone else felt as she did.
“You feel incomplete because your destiny has yet to be fulfilled. And that willna happen until you find The One.”
She grinned at his use of her term, but it quickly faded. “Unfortunately, that doesn’t make me feel any better. The odds are stacked against me.”
“They’ve always been stacked against me.”
Claire understood how he felt. Without thinking, she reached across the table and put her hand atop his. The instant their skin met, something electric sparked between them, causing her stomach to quiver in surprise.
And excitement.
CHAPTER EIGHT
North Ireland
Light Fae Castle
Usaeil stared at her reflection in the mirror. No one was more beautiful than she was. She was the perfect match for Constantine in every way. Who better to be the King of Dragon King’s mate than the Queen of the Fae?
She smiled at the thought of ruling the entire Fae race. The Dark and Light had been divided for too long, but she was about to change that.
It had come to her while she was attempting to stop the letters from moving on the page of the book she’d found in the hidden chamber of the library. The tome was several million years old and written in a dialect she couldn’t read. But there was no misinterpreting the mention of the Dragon Kings.
She’d made the mistake of touching the page to turn it. As soon as she had, the letters started to jumble and shift. And they had yet to stop.
Whatever she might have found was now lost. But she wasn’t giving up. There was a way to stop it. She had tried all kinds of spells, and she would continue. So far, nothing had worked, but she wasn’t giving up.
It would only be a matter of time before she discovered the magic needed to stop the letters and put them back in the right order. As for reading the book, well, there had to be someone among the Fae who could decipher the content. Because if there were mention of the Dragon Kings, she wanted to know what it was about.
Con had rebuffed her, and that simply wouldn’t do. She would get his attention one way or another. Once he figured out that the Fae could give the Kings children, they would forget about the humans and flock to the Fae.
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Her destiny was to rule not just the Fae but also the Dragon Kings.
Usaeil turned away from the mirror to look over her chamber. Returning to the Light Castle had been a necessity, but one she wasn’t pleased about. She quite liked living among the humans. The love they showered her with while she pretended to be an American actress was glorious. They knew how to treat a queen.
It was different than the attention the Light Fae gave her. But it was also what made her realize that she wasn’t living up to her full potential. All these eons of time, she’d allowed herself to be content ruling the Light. She should have gone after the Dark long ago.
Once she ruled the Fae and had Con as her husband, there wasn’t a realm in the universe she wouldn’t be able to conquer. And the first person she was going after was Death.
Just the thought of the bitch made Usaeil grind her teeth. Death had had the nerve to enter Usaeil’s castle, her chambers, and threaten her. No one did that without retaliation.
Usaeil couldn’t believe that she had feared the Reapers all these years. They’d come for her but hadn’t followed when she ran. Because they knew they were no match for her. If only she had confronted them. If only she had forced them to bow to her.
Then she could control them, too.
And that’s exactly what she intended.
One step at a time, though. First, her gaze was directed closer to home. Precisely on Rhi. The plan was brilliant, and the meddling Rhi would never know what happened until it was too late.
Usaeil could hardly wait. The first of many moves to acquire all she desired was about to start. It had been a long time coming. She’d waited, hoping all Con needed was time to see that he loved her.
That was her mistake. She always went after what she wanted. She’d done the same with Con. Only she had backed off, letting him be in control. That wasn’t going to happen again.
The fact that she could no longer teleport into Dreagan was infuriating, but not something she couldn’t overcome. Eventually. She was furious with Constantine right now, and it was Rhi’s fault. The meddling Fae had managed to turn Con’s heart and mind from Usaeil.
It was Rhi’s retaliation for Usaeil doing the same thing to her all those eons ago, but the difference was that Usaeil was queen. She was stronger and more determined. And unlike Rhi, she wouldn’t just accept what was before her. She was going to change the outcome to suit her.
Because that’s what queens did.
Usaeil flicked her long, black locks over her shoulder. She missed the throngs of people on the movie sets fawning over her. Mortals were so easily swayed by beauty. And their minds were weak. They were the inferior race. And yet the Dragon Kings had lost a war to them. It was inconceivable.
Yet, Usaeil could fix that problem for the Kings. All she had to do was unleash the Fae upon the humans. In no time, the mortals would be decimated. And then annihilated.
The Kings could rule once more. Well, with the Fae beside them.
Usaeil smiled again. There was no one to share her excitement with because she didn’t trust anyone. She didn’t mind that, though. Soon enough, Con would be beside her to share everything with her.
* * *
The touch of Claire’s hand on V’s was electrifying. He was unprepared for it. His heart skipped a beat. There was nothing sexual about it, but nevertheless, it made his balls tighten and need burn through him.
She looked at him with confusion and sympathy in her eyes. And for a few precious seconds, there was only the two of them sharing a private moment that few others could understand.
When Claire pulled her hand away, he wanted to grab hold of it and stop her. Instead, he did nothing.
“Look around you,” she said.
He hesitated but did as she asked. With one sweep of his gaze around the pub, he noticed the full tables, the laughter, the food, and the noise.
“What about it?” he asked when he turned his attention back to her.
She chuckled softly. “Didn’t you notice the women staring at you?”
He frowned, shrugging.
“None of them interest you?”
How could he tell her that she was the one that drew his notice?
“Hmm,” she murmured. “Maybe give the dating sites a try. It doesn’t take much to set up a profile. You’ll be beating the women off with a stick.”
He grinned at her excitement for him, but he didn’t feel the same. In fact, he didn’t want to talk about himself. He wanted to talk about her. “I’m sure you have your choice of men.”
“I guess,” she said with a little shrug. “I have men show interest, but few are what I’m looking for. Call me picky, but when you have others lined up by their pictures, it’s like having a menu in front of you. You can weed out those too tall or too short, those too skinny or too large, those who make too little money. But no one skips those who make too much.” She laughed. “The point is, not everyone takes good photos. I can’t take a picture of myself for anything. I’ve spent hours trying. I’ve watched all kinds of tutorials. I make Sophie take my pictures. Yet, there are some who take their own and don’t do a good job.”
V leaned back slowly as he took in everything she was telling him. “Bad pictures?”
“Oh, yeah. The worst was the one profile I saw of this guy. He was in the same pose in front of a mirror for all twelve shots. The only thing different was his clothes. Oh, or the nose pictures.”
“What?” V asked, confused. By her description, he imagined someone taking a picture of their nose.
Claire laughed out loud. “Oh, you should see your face. It’s when people—guys mostly—take a selfie with their phone down low like this.”
He leaned forward to see her holding her hands in her lap pretending that she had her mobile.
“That causes the angle to go right up your nose,” she continued. “Therefore, nose pics. Let me show you.”
V waited as she pulled out her phone and found what she was looking for. As soon as she turned the device around and he saw the angle of the picture that went straight up the man’s nose, he couldn’t help but laugh.
“Exactly,” she said and set her phone aside. She licked her lips and shrugged. “I’ve known several friends who found their significant others through online dating, so it does work.”
“You doona sound convinced.”
She took a long drink of her water. “I think anyone who has been on the sites for over a year should acknowledge that something is wrong. I’ve been on multiple sites for that long or longer. It’s time for me to admit that it isn’t working. I can get a man’s attention, but I can’t keep it. Which means, there is something wrong with me.”
“It means there is something wrong with them.”
“I’d like to think that, but when you look at my dating history as a whole, I’m the common denominator.”
V wasn’t buying it. Claire was beautiful, charming, and witty. He couldn’t understand why someone hadn’t snatched her up yet. It was good for him because she was free for him to.…
To what? Hadn’t he told Darius that he’d keep away? The problem was, he didn’t want to. Nor did he think he could. Being with Claire made things better. The outside world didn’t look so harsh or uninviting with her near. She softened everything. Or maybe she just shifted his focus. Whatever the reason, he didn’t want it to stop.
He glanced down at his hand. Even now, he could feel her skin on his, the warmth, the softness. He wanted more of it. He needed it.
The ache that had been his constant companion for eons was significantly diminished. And that was because of Claire. He knew it with the same certainty that he knew his sword could give him the answers he sought about the dragons.
But did he forget his promise to Darius? Did he throw caution to the wind and follow the desire that thundered through him for the beautiful mortal across from him?
V stared into her brown eyes. He wished he knew what she was thinking. It was enough that they were toge
ther.
“You two didn’t eat much,” Iona said as she walked up. “Everything taste okay?”
Claire hurried to say, “It was great. We got to talking.”
V met Iona’s gaze. He didn’t need to look toward the bar to know that Laith was watching. His friend had been observing them from the moment he and Claire walked into the pub.
Iona shot them a smile. “Let me know if you need anything else.”
Once she was gone, Claire twisted her lips ruefully. “I feel like I’m turning you off the dating sites. I don’t mean to.”
“I like hearing your stories.”
She grinned, looking at him askance. “I could write a book about all my exploits. It wouldn’t be a fun read.”
“Perhaps you need someone to show you what a proper date is.”
“A proper date, huh?” she replied with a teasing grin. “Are you offering?”
“I am. Let me take you to dinner.” He knew he was taking a chance, but he couldn’t let the opportunity pass him by.
Her eyes widened. “I was joking.”
“I’m no’.”
She blinked at him several times before she drew in a deep breath. “I wasn’t looking for a pity date.”
“That isna what this is.”
“V … I don’t know.”
Now that he’d offered, he needed this to happen. He wanted to take Claire out, show her that not all men were like the ones she went out with. It was suddenly very important for him to show her every aspect of who he was.
And the thought of being alone with her was too good to pass up.
“Why no’? What’s holding you back?”
“Many things.”
“Like what?” he urged.
She pressed her lips together, frowning. “For one, you’re Darius’s friend.”
“So?”
“That’s … it’s just not a good idea.”
Dread took root that she would refuse. But V hadn’t become a Dragon King because he gave up easily. “Are you afraid you’ll enjoy the evening?”
Her lips parted to respond, but she paused. Then finally, she said, “Yes.”
“What’s the worst that can happen?”
Claire raised a brow and gave him a flat look. “Really? You know the answer to that.”
