Hot Blooded (28 page)

“And corner the bastard,” Laith said as he realized what Con planned.

Tristan's smile was slow as he rubbed his hands together. “The Kings and Warriors fighting together again. I like this.”

Laith should feel better about the entire thing, but there was something still bothering him. He looked at Fallon and asked, “Was the magic strong?”

“Verra,” Fallon answered. “He had been there just hours before.”

“Look by the waterfall,” Laith said, a sinking feeling in his gut. “Tell me if the magic is there as well.”

Fallon disappeared instantly. Laith closed his eyes, praying he was wrong.

“Laith?” Con questioned.

He held up his hand to Con and Tristan, letting them know to wait.

Not a minute later Fallon reappeared. “I found a spot. He was there. How did you know?”

“Aye?” Con asked in a hard tone. “How did you know?”

Laith opened his eyes and raked a hand through his hair as he began to pace the area. “Because Iona and I were there for several hours before I brought her here.”

“Shite,” Tristan mumbled.

“We were being watched, and I didna know it!” Laith was furious—with himself and the situation. “I should've known.”

Fallon widened his stance as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Hard to know you're being watched when magic is used.”

“Dragon magic,” Laith said. “I should've known. I assumed because the border onto Dreagan was being guarded that Iona was safe.”

Tristan pulled his long hair into his hand at the base of his neck and tied it off with a strip of leather. “They could've taken one or both of you.”

“They were observing,” Con said. “They were watching to see how close a King was with Iona. And they saw what they needed.”

Laith didn't need to be reminded. It sickened him to know someone watched them, saw Iona naked and screaming. That was for his eyes only. Then he remembered what had happened when they were leaving.

“Iona's camera case was in a different spot than where she thought she left it. She said that's been happening a lot lately with her misplacing things, but she thought she was just being forgetful.”

“Which means whoever this asshole is, he's going through her things,” Fallon said.

Con descended the stairs to stand beside Fallon. “Return to Hayden and fill him in. Set up a perimeter around the cottage as wide as you can. Isla's magic is powerful, but it willna hold up against what'll be coming.”

“Then we'll need more Druids,” Fallon said with a smirk.

Laith called Fallon's name before he could teleport away. “If we were being watched, then that means the jerk heard our conversations.”

Con raised a brow. “I suppose you have a plan?”

“Aye,” Laith stated. “I was to meet Iona at midnight at the waterfall. She wants to see what she's protecting, and I promised to show her. We carry through with that plan. If he's watching, he'll be there. We catch him then.”

Con smiled coldly. “I like it.”

“I do too,” Tristan chimed in.

Laith's gaze snapped to Con, that sinking feeling returning tenfold. “I'll retrace my steps with Iona and see if I can detect anything.”

“I hate these buggers,” Tristan replied angrily as he walked in the opposite direction. “I'll start searching the boundary.”

“I've alerted the others on patrol,” Con called. He waited until Tristan and Laith were gone before he looked at Fallon. “How many of the Warriors do you think you can get here?”

“All of them,” Fallon said. “What are you no' telling me?”

“The mix of dragon and Dark Fae magic has never been done, but this is the second occurrence in a few days. The main reason it's no' been done is that no Dragon King would ever associate with a Dark Fae.”

Fallon's green eyes narrowed a fraction. “Phelan told us about Kiril and Shara. That was a Dragon King mixing with a Dark Fae.”

“Shara chose her side. She was then able to throw off the mantle of a Dark Fae and become Light. Associate might no' have been the right word. The fact is, every King fought against the Fae.”

“Every King?” Fallon asked.

Con held out his hand and opened his fingers to see the cuff links. “You lead the Warriors, Fallon. No one else who is in our position understands the decisions we have to make.”

“Or the weight of those decisions,” Fallon agreed.

“Do you have regrets?”

“All the time. I'm no' perfect. None of us are. My men understand that.”

Con put the cuff links in his pocket. “I have just one regret that haunts me every day. For ages we went about our lives without a worry. As technology increased we took precautions, but we were spelled to ensure that none of us would ever again be swayed by a human. That spell was broken. I still doona know how, and nothing I've done has been able to put that spell back into place. Since then, humans and the Dark Fae have stepped forward to show us they are actively trying to expose us to the world.”

“You've fought the Dark Fae before. Do it again.”

“It's easier than that. I know who is pulling the strings. That's my regret, Fallon. I could've prevented this from happening if I had just killed him instead of banishing him.”

Fallon briefly closed his eyes. “Ulrik. Are you sure it's him?”

“He told me he would get his revenge.”

“So kill him if that's what it takes.”

Con smiled tightly. “I doona have the backing of all the Kings. If I do it now, it'll divide us.”

“And if it isna Ulrik pulling the strings then you've just given everything to your enemy,” Fallon said with a nod.

“It has to be Ulrik. There isna another Dragon King out there, and that's what it would take to use our magic since there are no other dragons about.”

“But you took Ulrik's magic,” Fallon said in confusion.

“Exactly. If he somehow got it back, then the longer I wait to kill him, the more damage he can do.”

Fallon let out a long breath. “So you're going to kill the man you considered a brother.”

“What choice do I have?” Con asked.

“You doona. You're doing it for the sake of the Dragon Kings.”

That's the reason Con would give the others, and for now, that's the only reason that would count.

*   *   *

He wasn't surprised when the mobile rang. He had been expecting the call for a few hours. “Yes?” he answered, careful to put his British accent in place.

“Sir, she went to Dreagan, just as you said they would bring her,” came the man's voice on the other end of the line. “She also had sex with one of them.”

“Who?” he demanded.

“Laith.”

He smiled and sat up from the lounger in his office. Anticipation pushed him as he walked to his desk and hit a button on his laptop. The screensaver disappeared to show a bar of progression loading.

“Did you go with her to Dreagan?”

There was a slight pause. “I got fifty feet onto the property and one of them began looking for me. I remained on the border.”

“I needed you inside to hear their conversations,” he said tightly.

“Had I proceeded, they would've found me out. Whatever magic is being used to hide me wasn't working with them.”

“But no one else has discovered you yet?” he asked.

The merc laughed. “No. I've been able to move about freely. Iona has some company, however.”

That got his attention. “Who?”

“I don't know who they are, but they aren't Dragon Kings. They are able to use magic. There are two men and a woman, and they disappeared from Dreagan much like the Fae do.”

“Warriors,” he said with distaste. “I should've known Con would bring them in.”

The Australian made a sound. “I'm almost back to Campbell land.”

“Be careful. It willna … it won't take them long to discover magic was used. The Warriors can sense magic, so keep your distance.”

“And Iona Campbell?”

“As long as she has her camera with her, I'll get what I need. Remain and watch, but don't be caught. I want a report of what the Warriors and Kings do in the morning.”

He disconnected the call and waited until the first picture from Iona's camera came through. It was of inside Dreagan Manor. With the right technology and people, he could get everything he wanted without much effort.

“So close now,” he mumbled to himself.

 

CHAPTER
THIRTY-TWO

As soon as word spread to all the Dragon Kings that an enemy wasn't just closing in, but had targeted Iona, everyone went into action.

When the last visitor collected their newly purchased whisky and headed out of the shop, Cassie closed and locked the door behind them. Employees were sent home early, and she spotted Rhys walking through the buildings to make sure everyone was gone. He was on his way back to the manor when Cassie joined him.

“I just got off a call with Lily. I still think she sounds frightened, but she assures me she's doing good.”

Rhys nodded absently. “That's nice. You do realize my decision had nothing to do with Lily. It was simply a matter of a human who worked for us was in trouble.”

“I didn't ask for an explanation.” She wondered why he was lying, but she also knew the worst thing she could do was point that out.

“It doesna matter. I know what everyone is thinking, and they're wrong. Lily means nothing to me.”

Cassie cut her eyes to him to see his jaw clenched. The fact Rhys had chosen to shift into a human—never to be able to return to his true form—because Lily had been in danger was telling. “I didn't ask if she did, and it's rather offensive that you would say such a thing. What if she heard?”

Rhys halted so quickly she had taken a couple of steps before she realized it. Cassie turned and found his aqua gaze narrowed dangerously on her.

But Cassie wasn't cowed, not after being mated to her own King. “Lily is a kind soul, Rhys. She's gentle and shy, and I fear there is something in her past that has turned her the way she is.”

“I know.” He said the words barely above a whisper, his gaze moving to the ground.

“I know Lily has to mean something for you to give up your true form,” she said carefully.

His shoulders dropped and he ran a hand down his face, a haggard expression taking him. “As soon as I heard that it was Lily in trouble, I shifted before I even had time to realize what I was doing.”

Cassie knew what that meant, but she also knew Rhys wouldn't want to acknowledge it or hear it, so she kept silent. She adored Rhys. He was fun and easygoing until someone threatened those he cared about. Then he was a beast, a feral animal who reacted instantly.

But he also wasn't right for Lily. Rhys was used to fast women. Lily was the exact opposite, and no matter what Rhys might feel, Cassie didn't think anything could come of it. Lily was just too timid.

Rhys looked to the sky. “I'll never fly again. It's only been a few hours, but I crave it like never before.” He returned his gaze to her. “I wonder if that's how Ulrik feels.”

“I don't know Ulrik, and I don't want to know him. It doesn't matter if you can shift. You can still use your magic, and you are still a Dragon King.”

He looked away, disgust turning the corners of his lips down. “Of course it matters if I can no' shift.”

She opened her mouth to call him back as Rhys walked off, but a large hand entwined with hers. She looked up at Hal and sighed. “Did you hear all of that?”

“I did,” he said with a slight nod as he watched Rhys. “No other King readied to rush to Lily's side as Rhys did. He has no idea what that means. Or perhaps he does and just isna ready to admit it even to himself.”

Cassie rested her head on Hal's chest. “I think he does, but I think he's doing the right thing in not admitting it.”

“You doona believe Lily is the one for him?”

“Actually, I think she would do him a world of good. It's that I don't think Rhys is the right one for Lily. She's too shy, and she's not like the women he usually gravitates to.”

Hal put a finger beneath her chin and lifted her face to him. “Have you ever considered that he chooses those other women on purpose?”

“Because he likes their blatant sexuality? Because he likes how their clothes barely cover them?” she said, distaste dripping from every word.

Hal smiled and kissed the tip of her nose. “There is much you doona understand about men, my love.”

“Explain it to me then.”

He turned her so that she stood before him, their bodies pressed tight. “I'd rather spend my time kissing you from head to feet, lingering in the middle.”

Cassie brought his head down for a kiss. Hal always did know what to say to make her melt. Unfortunately, there wasn't time for a dalliance of any kind.

“Damn,” Hal said with a groan as he ended the kiss. He smoothed her hair away from her face. “I have to go.”

“I know. Be careful.”

It wasn't the first time she had said those words, but it was the first time she truly meant them. After Rhys was hit with dragon magic, every mate was on edge that the same could happen to her King.

Being a mate to a Dragon King meant that their mortal lives became immortal, to live as long as her King did. Since the only way a Dragon King died was by the hands of another Dragon King, it wasn't much of a worry.

Not so anymore. What Rhys had been going through brought it home to Cassie, Elena, Jane, Denae, and Sammi. Shara was the only nonhuman, but no one was sure how it would work since, as a Fae, Shara lived an extremely long life anyway.

Cassie held Hal a little tighter before she released him. He walked into the side entrance of the mountain, but paused to give her one last wave. She returned it, keeping her smile in place until he was out of sight. With dread weighing her down, Cassie walked to the manor where the other mates gathered to wait out the long, dark night.