Dark Alpha's Temptation--A Reaper Novel

by Donna Grant

  He grinned. “Do you always think the worst?”

  “It’s safer that way.”

  “Even if it was the Others, they wouldn’t have gotten to you.”

  She raised her brows. “You’ve fought them before?”

  “Not exactly.”

  Which meant that he had no idea if he could stand against them. Kyra didn’t point that out. It wasn’t in her nature to make others feel small or stupid, so she kept her thoughts to herself.

  “Do you know how I became a Reaper?” he suddenly asked.

  She was game for anything to take her mind off those after her, and her potential death. She shook her head. “How?”

  “I had to die. Violently, and through betrayal. I earned my spot with the Reapers because of my ability to fight.”

  Kyra gaped at him, her mind not quite able to take in what he was saying. “You died?”

  His nostrils flared. “Death chooses us carefully. We are offered our souls in exchange for service.”

  “How long do you serve?”

  “Until we die again.”

  Kyra swallowed, her brow furrowing. “But you were brought back.”

  “That’s right, but it isn’t something Death can do—or will do—again. We get one chance. I don’t know of anyone who turned down the opportunity to become a Reaper. Not only do we get a second chance, but we’re serving a higher power.”

  “I’ve seen you move. All of you. You’re much more than just Fae.”

  “That’s true. We get a drop of Death’s powers. That makes us faster, our senses greater, our magic stronger, and we can remain veiled for as long as we want.”

  The knowledge that she had been following him around, thinking she was fooling him made her look silly. It was a wonder that Dubhan hadn’t smote her on the spot. Kyra drew in a steadying breath. “Why are you telling me this?”

  “I wouldn’t have, but you saw me and followed me. You also helped me. I feel it’s only fair that you know something.”

  She gave him a guarded look, her eyes narrowing. “I don’t know anyone who knew of the Reapers. Most Fae wouldn’t even discuss you. And even when you and I spoke, you went out of your way not to state you were a Reaper. I’m guessing there was a reason for that. Like, perhaps I’m not supposed to know.”

  His stare was answer enough.

  “I see. What does it mean for me now that I know?”

  “We have one rule. No one can know of us. If any discover the truth, they die.”

  Well, she did ask. Kyra really needed to learn to keep her mouth shut. Sometimes, it was better not knowing everything. “I’m going to die.”

  “I don’t want to give you false hope, but I plan to speak to Death on your behalf.”

  Kyra was stunned by his declaration. “Why would you do that?”

  “You helped me. I’m going to help you.”

  She wanted to believe it was because he might feel something for her, but Kyra knew better than to assume anything. No doubt his thinking was as simple as his statement had been. He was helping her because she’d helped him.

  “Thanks. I appreciate it. But should you?” she asked.

  His brows snapped together as the wind ruffled his hair. “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “The Others will likely be coming for me. You and I both know it after what they did to Jesta and Tate.”

  “We don’t know for sure that it was them.”

  “And we don’t know that it wasn’t. Max was frightened enough to keep himself hidden away. That tells me I need to take it seriously.”

  Dubhan snorted and looked away, derision marking his face. “Maximillian lies.”

  “We’ve been over this. I know Max lies, but I believe him on this.” The longer she stared at Dubhan’s profile, the more she got the feeling that he knew something more.

  “You don’t like Max.”

  Dubhan gave a single shake of his head.

  Kyra got a sick feeling in her stomach, one that she prayed her hyper-imagination had gotten wrong. “Did you go to Max for something?”

  “Obviously,” came Dubhan’s reply.

  That had been evident, but she hadn’t been able to get out the question she really wanted to ask. Now, though, it was either ask it or let it go—and she couldn’t let it go. “Was he part of your betrayal?”

  “He wasn’t part of it. He set up the entire thing.”

  Chapter Ten

  “Dubhan did what?” Cael asked, his voice laced with astonishment.

  Erith sat on the bench inside the white tower with Cael and watched Eoghan as he related all that Dubhan had told him about Kyra, the symbol, and the Others.

  “It’s out of character for Dubhan,” Eoghan said as he stood before them.

  “Is it?” she asked.

  Both men looked at her. Erith swung her gaze from Eoghan’s liquid silver eyes to Cael’s purple ones. Both she and Cael were learning his new abilities together, and each day, he surprised her with what he could do now. Sometimes, she still couldn’t believe that she had found the love she had so desperately yearned for. But find it she had.

  Eoghan cleared his throat. “Dubhan wants to plead Kyra’s case.”

  Erith swung her head back to Eoghan as Cael wound a strand of her long, blue-black hair around his finger. “It was a lot easier when things were cut and dried for all of you, but it isn’t that simple anymore.”

  “You’re Death,” Cael stated. “You can do whatever you want.”

  “That doesn’t mean I should,” she answered with a grin.

  His lips curved into a smile. “And that’s one of the many reasons I love you.”

  She reached beside her on the bench and put her hand on Cael’s thigh as she turned her attention to Eoghan. “I’m more than a little concerned about how she was able to find Dubhan. We need to know how she did it, because if it was with magic, then that can be taught to others.”

  “Dubhan doesn’t think that’s the case,” Eoghan said.

  Cael snorted. “Dubhan is thinking with his cock.”

  “You’re not wrong,” Eoghan said with a knowing grin.

  Death rolled her eyes. “If Dubhan is willing to stick his neck out for this female, then she must be important. Do I also need to point out that Dubhan isn’t exactly the kind who asks for help? Have either of you realized that he could’ve come to us to help him learn what the symbol was? Instead, he asked Kyra.”

  “I’m very aware of that,” Eoghan stated. There was no anger in his tone, but he wasn’t pleased in the least.

  Erith sighed. “From what Dubhan has told you, Kyra didn’t hesitate to help. And Dubhan followed her?”

  “He did,” Eoghan said. “Though he said it was to make sure she was safe, not because he didn’t trust her.”

  Cael’s brows shot up on his forehead. “That says a lot about what Dubhan feels for this Fae. And she’s Light?”

  “She is,” Eoghan said with a nod.

  Erith didn’t care about that. Her interest was focused on other things. “Dubhan went to Maximillian’s?”

  Eoghan threw up his hands in disbelief. “He did.”

  “And he didn’t kill Max?”

  “I don’t know if it was because of the symbol Max used to keep Reapers out, or if Dubhan managed to control himself. But, no, he didn’t go after Max.”

  Erith glanced at Cael. “That’s a feat in itself.”

  “It is,” Cael agreed.

  “This symbol Max has for the Reapers,” she said, “we need to know who created it.”

  Eoghan shrugged. “I’m betting Max did, but I’ll look into it.”

  “Have Dubhan do it.”

  Her statement caused both men to stare at her in astonishment.

  “Why would you put him in such a situation?” Eoghan asked. “You know how Dubhan feels about Max.”

  Cael didn’t give her time to answer before he said, “You’ve always allowed my group to take their revenge on those who betrayed them.”
<
br />   She wasn’t in the habit of explaining herself, but then again, she wasn’t ruling alone anymore either. Since Cael now had a healthy dose of her magic, he was her equal. In order for their relationship to work, they had to share all things.

  “It’s true, I’ve given some Reapers the boon of getting revenge on those who killed them. I didn’t with Dubhan because Max is the answer for many Fae who have nowhere else to turn. Many times, his lies—as horrible as they are—are also the answers those Fae need.”

  “Dubhan isn’t going to like that reason,” Eoghan cautioned.

  A muscle jumped in Cael’s jaw. “Because it’s shite, and we all know it.”

  Erith rolled her eyes. “If I had let Dubhan kill Max all those years ago, there wouldn’t have been anyone around now to tell Kyra or Dubhan about the symbol or its meaning.”

  “It’s still a shite reason,” Cael stated.

  Erith knew it was, but she didn’t have any other option. “Dubhan will be able to get his revenge eventually.”

  “I think Erith might have made the right move,” Eoghan said.

  Cael made a sound in the back of his throat. “What?”

  Eoghan held up his hand to stop his friend from speaking. “Hear me out. We were able to go after those who wronged us not long after we were turned into Reapers. Did taking that revenge heal us?”

  Erith looked at Cael, but he didn’t answer.

  Eoghan then continued. “Hearing that Dubhan was able to stand in the same room with Max and not attack him, shows that Dubhan might be putting the past to rest.”

  Erith thought about what Max had done to Dubhan, and she knew that wasn’t the case, but she held her tongue for the moment.

  “What are you going to do about Kyra?” Cael asked her.

  Erith looked up. “I’ve made a lot of concessions for those who have helped us. Rhi, Balladyn, Xaneth. They all knew about the Reapers, and I allowed them to live. The women who have found love with Reapers aided us because they helped when it was most needed.”

  “Are you giving Kyra that same distinction?” Eoghan asked.

  “I’m waiting to pass judgment. I want to see what happens next, and I would like to talk to Dubhan myself,” she said. “Besides, we need to get to the real matter at hand. The Others.”

  Cael put his hand over hers where it rested on his thigh. “We need to get this new information Kyra and Dubhan discovered to Con and the Dragon Kings immediately.”

  “Yes, we do,” Erith replied. She hadn’t spoken to Con or any of the Kings since Usaeil had been killed. There was much she wanted to ask the King of Dragon Kings, but there was also a lot that he might want to keep private.

  Eoghan interrupted her thoughts. “There’s also the matter of the Others coming after Kyra.”

  “That’s not going to happen,” Erith declared. “Eoghan, send Aisling and Rordan to the herbal shop in Belfast. I want proof it was the Others who killed the Fae couple.”

  Eoghan gave a nod. “Anything else?”

  “Send Cathal to Maximillian. I want to know what Cathal can pull out of Max. Keep the rest searching for Xaneth.” She knew finding the royal Light Fae was probably a long shot, but she owed Xaneth, and she intended to keep looking for him.

  After Eoghan had left, Cael got to his feet and went to pour himself some gin and her a glass of red wine. He returned, handing her the wine glass.

  “You don’t agree with my decision regarding Dubhan and Max?” she asked.

  He shrugged and sat back, putting one arm along the back of the bench. “I don’t disagree. I definitely think a visit to Max is in order. I tend to agree with Kyra that it was the Others who killed the Fae couple in Belfast, but that’s simply because I don’t believe in coincidences.”

  “No,” Erith said with a sigh. “I don’t either. But the Others reacted quickly. If they’re around—which they apparently are—why haven’t they attacked the Kings since that is their main goal? Or is this an entirely different group we’re dealing with?”

  Cael took a drink of the gin. “I think they’re waiting on something. Think about all the Dragon Kings have been through with things the Others put into place thousands of years ago. The Others are nothing if not patient. And you’re right, there could be another group.”

  “But the Druids involved in the original group are long gone. Even the Fae could be dead by now. But if there are others . . .”

  “The Kings and Rhi haven’t been able to find anything.”

  She looked away and drank her wine. “I’ve always kept my focus on the Fae.”

  “That’s not true. Need I remind you of the times you visited Con in the guise of helping him?”

  Erith brought Cael’s hand to her lips and kissed it. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too,” he said and pulled her toward him so she reclined against his side. “There’s still the matter of Kyra being in danger. Shall I pull my Reapers from collecting souls?”

  She shook her head. “Let them have more downtime. They may not have it much longer, and they’ve been through so much. I thought you and I could keep an eye on Kyra. Because I’d like to get an up-close view of the Others.”

  “I do like the way you think,” Cael said and kissed the top of her head.

  “I’d rather you be kissing other parts of me.”

  He chuckled and sat up as he set aside his glass. He took her hand as he got to his feet and drew her with him to the stairs of the tower that led to their bedroom. “All I ever want to do is kiss you, all over. I’m certainly not going to turn down that offer.”

  “We do have several millennia to make up for,” she said as they ran up the stairs.

  “Damn straight.” He then stopped, gathered her in his arms, and teleported them to their bedroom.

  Erith removed their clothes with a thought, and they fell onto the bed in a tangle of lips and limbs.

  * * *

  Maximillian stared at the Fae doorway. He etched in more of the markings keeping out Reapers and those associated with the Others. One wasn’t enough. Someone had come through the doorway with Kyra, he was sure of it.

  Either she hadn’t known, or Kyra had lied to him. She was a great liar, so he couldn’t be sure which one it was. Regardless, he was going to ensure that there were no other surprises like that again.

  Mostly, he regretted what he’d told Kyra. He should’ve lied. He should’ve told her anything but the truth. Why had he believed that if she knew the facts, that it might change her mind? Max shook his head, wishing he could turn back time and change what he’d told her about the symbol.

  Kyra made sure to get far away from any type of physical conflict, but she was just stubborn enough to believe she could outsmart the Others and stay safe. But Max knew differently.

  “Oh, Kyra,” he murmured as he deepened the symbol he was marking on the doorway.

  If there had ever been anyone he could’ve loved, it would’ve been Kyra. In fact, he was sure he had fallen in love with her. Then she’d left him. That had been a particularly difficult blow—and a very bad time in his life.

  He had told numerous lies to so many people. Some to keep them out of danger, but those had been the minority. Mostly, he told lies because he didn’t know the truth. And he liked getting paid. He’d discovered quickly that people didn’t check to see if what he told them was true. They simply paid and left.

  The few who returned looking for retribution had been swiftly dealt with.

  And then there was that one Dark. He’d never forget the Fae’s face, but the name escaped Max. The Dark’s own family had wanted him gone, and they had paid Max to not only come up with the plan, but to facilitate things, as well. The sheer amount of money he’d made off that deal had set him up for dozens of centuries.

  Max had never hesitated in lying to others. It came naturally. A few times, he would give the truth just to keep people guessing whether he was a liar or might have just gotten something wrong.

  But the only time he ha
d ever had a hand in sending someone to their death was that Dark Fae. That haunted him to this day. For all Max knew, he might be joining that Dark soon, because he had a feeling that no matter what he did, the Others would find him.

  Chapter Eleven

  No matter how hard he tried to forget the past, it was always there, waiting to kick his feet out from under him. Dubhan knew this, and yet every time, he couldn’t right himself. This time was no different. Even though he was the one who’d told Kyra the truth about Max.

  Whether he brought up the past, or it rose up on its own, it still knocked him sideways. When would it loosen its hold? When would it stop interrupting his life?

  “Max did what?” Kyra asked softly. Her eyes were wide, her face slack from disbelief.

  Dubhan had wanted to shock her, but mostly, he wanted her to know that Max wasn’t the man she believed him to be. However, now that Dubhan had said the words, he wanted to take them back. It wasn’t right that he transferred his pain onto Kyra. She didn’t deserve that.

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  Kyra moved to step in front of him when he tried to turn away. “It most certainly does. I knew Max had done some questionable things, but . . . I didn’t know he would stoop so low. I’m sorry.”

  Dubhan was taken aback that she would think she needed to apologize. “You’ve done nothing to be sorry for.”

  “I disagree. I knew Max. If by nothing more than being connected to him, I owe you an apology.”

  He turned her, putting his hand on her back as he walked her into the cottage. “Maximillian is responsible for his sins. Not you.”

  “Can you tell me what he did exactly? Not that it matters. Just knowing he was instrumental in your betrayal and death is enough to make sure I never speak to him again.”

  “You may have to talk to him again. Whether we like it or not, Max finds his way to knowing certain things. I’ll just have to make sure he doesn’t lie the next time we see him.”

  Kyra’s lips turned up in a grin. “I like the way you think.” Then she frowned.

  “What?” Dubhan asked.

  “Two things. One, can you speak to him? Won’t he realize what you are—which would mean his death?”