by Donna Grant
Claire screamed and jumped. “Sophie!”
Her friend laughed and opened the car door. “I got you good.”
“Yeah. That you did,” Claire replied sarcastically to hide her anger. She hated being startled like that.
She grabbed her purse and got out of the vehicle. After she shut the door, she turned and found Darius beside Sophie. The couple stared at her.
Sophie blinked, her gaze intensifying.
Darius frowned and said, “There’s something different about you this morning, Claire.”
“I haven’t had any coffee,” she replied.
Sophie shook her head as a smile tugged at her lips. “I know that look. Claire had sex last night, and whoever he was, he must have been really good to give her that glow.”
In the time that Sophie and Darius had gotten together, he’d learned early on that there wasn’t anything she and Claire didn’t share. Which was why Claire wasn’t the least bit embarrassed by Sophie’s statement.
“It’s true.” Sophie clapped and glanced at her husband.
Claire swallowed and walked away. It wasn’t like she could tell them anything, even if she did want to talk about it. Which she didn’t.
“Hold up there,” Darius said from behind her. “When did you become a fast-walker?”
“She does that when she’s trying to get away,” Sophie answered.
Claire sighed. This is what happened when her best friend shared everything with her husband. There wasn’t anything about Claire that Darius didn’t know. And in situations like this, it was like being ganged-up on. Though Claire loved them both dearly and wouldn’t change anything for the world.
“Claire.”
She came to a stop at the sound of Sophie’s voice. Claire pivoted and faced the couple. “What? I just want to get inside.”
“You always tell me about your dates,” Sophie said, her brow puckered in concern.
Darius put an arm around his wife. “The fact she doesna wish to talk about him suggests that it went verra well.”
“What makes you think it was a man?” Claire said with a lift of her chin. Then after shocking them both, she turned and unlocked the door to get inside the clinic.
Her trick didn’t last long. Sophie was on her in an instant. “Don’t try to fool me. I know you only have the hots for men, despite you being hit on by that pretty female nurse in Edinburgh.”
When Claire looked at Sophie, Darius was gone. The man had a knack for knowing when she needed Sophie all to herself. The problem was, it didn’t matter if he was around or not. She wouldn’t tell either of them about V.
That was her secret. One she would treasure for the rest of her life.
“Why aren’t you telling me?”
The worry and sadness in Sophie’s voice pulled at Claire’s heartstrings. She took her friend’s hands in hers and smiled. “I love you like my sister. Why else would I follow you to the middle of nowhere to help with your practice?”
“But?” Sophie pressed.
“I can’t tell you about this one.”
Sophie’s olive gaze narrowed in thought. “You either like this man that much, or … you’re worried we’ll find out who he is. Or both.”
Damn Sophie for being so smart. She always did manage to work things out like that. Claire released her and let her hands drop to her sides. “Please don’t ask any more. Know that I had a wonderful time. Know that no one has ever treated me so special before. And know that I need to keep this one to myself.”
“Are you seeing him again?”
Sophie shook her head. “I don’t believe so.”
“If you had such a great time, why in heavens not? Tell him how you feel.”
“He knows.”
“Then, I don’t understand. Surely, he had a good time, as well.”
Claire forced a smile that she didn’t feel. “I believe he did.”
“After all the wankers you’ve gone out with, you finally found a good one. Claire, help me understand why you won’t hold onto this with everything you have.”
She couldn’t come up with a reason that wouldn’t cast either her or V in a bad light, so Claire decided not to say anything at all.
Sophie shook her head in confusion. “You’re glowing. Actually glowing. Whoever this man is, I could kiss him for taking such good care of you. Then I could hit him for letting a woman like you slip through his fingers.”
Claire hugged her friend before walking to her desk. She sat down and looked at the day’s schedule. While she appeared as if she were reading the list of patients coming in, she saw nothing because, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Sophie staring at her.
It wasn’t until her friend left that Claire was able to take a deep breath and focus. She put the first three patients’ names to memory and rose to get their files. When she turned around, Darius was in the doorway, watching her.
Claire froze, wondering about the curious look in his eyes. But Darius walked away before she could ask him.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
When was the last time he had become so lost in thoughts of a woman? V honestly couldn’t remember. Surely, there was someone, but no matter how hard he searched his memories, he found nothing.
He’d been obsessed with getting back his sword for so many eons that nothing else mattered. Whenever he woke and left his mountain, he sated his body with willing women. But none of them meant anything.
He couldn’t say the same about Claire.
V rubbed his forehead and turned away from the library window. He looked down and saw a book in his hand. When had he pulled it from the shelf?
“Fourth shelf up. Halfway to the right.”
V froze at the sound of Roman’s voice. He took a breath and returned the book to where he had gotten it from. Then he turned to his friend.
Roman stood with his feet braced apart, his arms crossed over his chest while his sea green eyes scrutinized V. “You seem distracted.”
V shrugged in reply. There was no need for words. Because he couldn’t—and wouldn’t—tell Roman the truth. And his friend didn’t deserve a lie.
“I heard you took a car last night.”
V wasn’t surprised by the question. He’d expected someone to ask. “Aye.”
“I also heard you were dressed up.”
“Aye,” V said with a sigh. “Spying on me now, are you?”
Roman glanced at the floor and dropped his arms to his sides. “We’re worried. I was in that cave with you in Iceland. I know what happened, remember?”
“The fucking Others happened.” V hated to even think about the group who seemingly made it their mission to screw with the Kings every chance they got.
Roman took a couple of steps toward him. “It’s good that you got out last night. Did you meet someone?”
There was something about Roman’s tone that told V his friend knew exactly who he had been with the night before. When V put that with Darius’s request that he move around the entire storage room by himself, V realized what had happened. His friends had set him up.
Well, they’d put him in a position to spend time with a beautiful woman.
He’d done the rest.
“You know I was,” V stated.
Roman didn’t deny it. He flashed a quick smile. “Did you have fun?”
Fun? V had experienced a great many things while he’d been with Claire. Fun was only one of them. “I did.”
Roman nodded slowly. “That’s good. Are you seeing her again?”
V had seen her in his thoughts and memories every second since he walked her to her door and gave her one last kiss, something that had nearly brought him to his knees.
As much as V yearned to see Claire again, he wouldn’t. His world was too chaotic and dangerous to bring someone like her into it. Roman and the others might not think twice about it, but V wouldn’t do that to someone. He liked Claire too much.
Which is why it hurt so bloody much to let her go. V had finally found so
meone he connected with, someone he couldn’t get enough of. Someone who made him feel as if he’d found a place in the world.
And he had to let her go.
* * *
“V?” Roman urged, his brow furrowed. “Are you going to see her again?”
“No.”
He walked past Roman and left the library. V stopped when he came to the stairs. He looked up, thinking about his chamber. But the bed made his thoughts turn to Claire. Hell, everything made him think of her.
V squeezed his eyes closed and turned toward the side door. The only place he could go now where no one would bother him was his mountain. Maybe there he could find some peace.
But he knew the truth. Only more memories of Claire would be waiting for him.
* * *
“Well?” Roman asked as he walked to the doorway of the library.
Ulrik stepped from behind one of the large columns and said, “Something happened between V and Claire last night.”
“That’s obvious. It’s rattled him.”
“It certainly has. Maybe that’s a good thing.”
Roman’s brow quirked at the statement. “He’s still messed-up from Iceland. Are you sure about this?”
“From what Darius told me, Claire has had V’s attention for some time. By the way he’s acting this morning, I’d say he’s smitten.”
Roman leaned a shoulder against the doorway. “I want him to use the sword as much as you do, but I doona know about this. With what little we know of the Others and their apparent vendetta against us, and the weapon going missing from Con’s mountain, this seems like something we shouldna be focusing on.”
Ulrik walked into the library and stopped before one of the large windows. Roman followed him and spotted V on his way toward his mountain.
“This is exactly what we should be focusing on,” Ulrik said. “The weapon … will be found.”
Roman frowned as he turned his head toward the King of Silvers. “You say that as if you are no’ worried about it falling into enemy hands.”
“At this point, it doesna matter.”
“What is it exactly that you and Con know about the weapon that you willna tell us? It could no’ have gotten free of Con’s magic on its own. It had help.”
Ulrik’s chest expanded as he drew in a breath. “Aye, it did. And we will find it.”
“You’re awfully calm about something that has the ability to destroy us,” Roman said and returned his gaze to V.
“I trust that we will win,” Ulrik stated. “Just as with the Others. Whatever their endgame, we will triumph. I’m no’ saying there willna be costs, but I do know one thing. The Others went after V’s sword. I think it’s because it holds more significance than even V knows.”
Roman got it now. “And if V can get his head right, he might be able to figure out what that is.”
“Precisely.”
Still, Roman wasn’t totally convinced. He watched V disappear over a rise before he shifted toward Ulrik. “You’re playing with his heart.”
Ulrik faced him. “I’m opening V’s mind. He’s closed off to everything. He doesna know this world. Nor does he know where he fits in. Con and I are the only ones who have no’ slept since we sent our dragons away. We watched everything change around us, bit by bit. V was driven half-mad by the Others when they took his sword and messed with his memories. He needs a reason to be here. And then, somewhere along the way, he’ll figure out what’s wrong with his sword.”
“Are his brethren no’ enough?”
“Step into his shoes, Roman. No one helped him for millions of years. He slept more than any of us. Each time he woke and left, Con would bring him back.”
Roman rubbed the back of his neck. “You know as well as I do that even had we tried to aid V back then, nothing would’ve come of it.”
“I do know that. So does he. But he needs to rectify that in his head, along with finding his footing here. He’s good with women. Verra good. Yet they mean little more to him than a moment’s pleasure.”
Roman snorted loudly. “And you thought Claire would be a good distraction? I can no’ believe Sophie agreed to this.”
“She did, but only because we doona believe Claire is a distraction. Darius told me how he found V watching her the other morning. Something happened between V and Claire last night, but I doona believe it was just sex.”
“He was distracted like he was deep in thought,” Roman admitted.
“Or thinking about someone.”
The grin Roman wore quickly faded. “What if Claire doesna feel the same? She’s been around many of us, and no’ once has she done more than casual flirting. I doona believe she’s interested in anyone at Dreagan.”
“I’m taking Sophie’s word on this. She said it was just what Claire needed.”
“What if Claire remembers what happened in Edinburgh?”
Ulrik’s lips thinned. “I’ve no’ figured that part out yet.”
“Have you figured out how you’ll tell Con about this?”
“He’s no’ blind. That’s the first thing all of you should remember. Con sees and knows more than any of you believe.”
Roman jerked his head back. “I doona believe that. He isna the Keeper of History like Kellan. Besides, Con can no’ read minds.”
Ulrik just smiled. “Remember something for me. It takes more than just an incredible amount of magic and strength to become King of Dragon Kings. There is a mental aspect to it, as well. Con hides more than he’ll ever show anyone. And he knows more than he’ll ever admit.”
“I’m really glad you’re back. You understand Con as none of us ever have.”
“Doona get me wrong. He keeps much from me, but I know him better than most of you. It’s how I know when he’s … well, when he needs time alone.”
Roman was suddenly overcome with sadness. “So many of us have found love. We’re even plotting to help V have a good time. And Con sits alone in his office.”
“He made his decision because of the rest of us.”
“It wasna right. None of us thought so. No’ then. No’ now.”
Ulrik slapped Roman on the arm. “If you think I’m no’ going to interfere in Con’s life to put him on the right course, you’d be wrong. He once had the kind of love we have. I want to make sure he has it again.”
“That’s no’ going to be easy.”
“Nothing with Con ever is,” Ulrik said with a grin.
Roman looked around the library. “Sabina just came into my life. I’m no’ ready for any of this to end by the weapon or the Others.”
“We’re fucking Dragon Kings,” Ulrik said and spread his arms wide, a smile on his face. The expression dropped, replaced by a look of reckoning and vengeance in his gold eyes. “Our magic is the strongest, and we’re the most powerful beings on this realm. Whatever comes our way, we will stop it.”
* * *
The moment V was in his mountain, he released a sigh. This was the only place he felt comfortable. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. He also felt that way anytime he was with Claire.
Claire.
He walked deeper into his mountain, following the narrow passageway into the large cavern. He didn’t stop until he came to the place where he’d hidden his sword. It was shrouded with magic now so that no one—not even a Dragon King—but he could touch it.
V wrapped his fingers around the hilt and lifted it. A long, deep sizzle ran through his fingers and into the sword. The weapon vibrated in his palm.
He was so shocked by the long-lost feeling that he froze. V released the sword and tried it again, but the same sensation didn’t repeat itself. Yet, he had hope. His sword had accepted his magic. It had been brief, but it had happened.
And that meant there was a chance he could call the dragons home once more.
First, he had to figure out what he’d done to make the sword work. Until he sorted that out, he wouldn’t tell Con or the others what had happened. He didn’t want to let his brethren
down.
He sat against a large boulder and kept hold of the blade. With a sigh, he closed his eyes and allowed his mind to drift to thoughts of Claire. He sank deeper into reliving the moments of the previous night. Every sound, every touch, every sensation. He was surrounded by Claire.
And each time, his weapon reacted, sending volleys of magic through him. Without a doubt, there was some kind of connection between him being able to use his sword again and Claire. Now, he just had to figure out what it was.
HOW IT ALL CAME TO BE
For those who are regulars to the site (Thank you. Thank you very much!) you know the drill. However, some newbies have asked some questions. So, here it goes.
I never post about my dates—good or bad—until weeks (sometimes months or even years) after. It’s to protect myself. I don’t want the douche … I mean, guy … reading about himself the next day.
Because there are quite a few men who read these posts. And even more who email me asking if they were the man I wrote about. (I kid you not! You’d be shocked at how many of those emails I get.)
::add in massive eye roll::
Anyway. This blog began as a way for me to vent. I had a little pity-party one night that involved ice cream, too much wine, romantic movies, and sad songs. I watched the sun come up the next morning, and I needed to talk. To just … get all the pain and heartache and fear that was inside me out.
I didn’t want to talk to my best friend again. I mean, she’s awesome. But they can only hear the same thing so many times, right? I knew she’d never complain to me, but I didn’t want to become a burden. And what was inside me HAD to come out. I couldn’t leave it because it festered like a wound. And I really wanted to heal.
I still don’t know why I posted that first message for all the world to see. There are private diary apps that I could’ve used. But maybe, deep down, I knew (or hoped!) that I wasn’t the only one suffering. I wanted to find others like me.
Mostly so I didn’t feel like I was an outcast who somehow didn’t know the secret to dating. Obviously, I was doing something wrong, and I hoped that by putting my pain and embarrassment out to the rest of you, that someone would be willing to point out what I could or needed to change.
