by Reus, Katie
Ace strode to the window that overlooked the massive yard of their compound. “You need someone who is likable, but also strong. Someone to balance out all of your rough edges. Someone most beings trust. Because you’ll never make everyone happy. That’s impossible.”
Yeah, he’d thought about that. “I’m not mating with a vampire.” And he wasn’t going to mate with someone he didn’t love. He would make almost any sacrifice but that. His wolf wouldn’t allow him to anyway. There were simply some things he couldn’t force.
Ace snorted and turned back to look at him. “I know.” Then he gave him a long, knowing look.
King glanced away, not wanting to have this conversation because he knew exactly where his childhood friend was heading with this. Aurora. And King wasn’t discussing her with anyone.
“No response?”
“Nope.”
“She would make a good mate,” he said quietly. “Everybody likes her. Hell, loves her. And she’s an Alpha. A young one, but her powers…” Ace let out a low whistle. “She’s just coming into them. She’ll be a true force one day.”
“I know. We’re just friends.”
Ace had opened his mouth to say something when a sharp knock came at the door. King scented Delphine before she called out, “It’s me.”
“It’s open,” King said.
The door swung open and she strode in, her jaw tense. “It’s probably nothing, but we’re getting reports of some human gang activity near the college housing. I’m headed over there with a team to check things out.”
“Keep me updated.” He shoved up from his chair. He wasn’t sure why he’d thought he would get any rest right now. He had way too much to do, like meeting with a small pride of jaguars who were dealing with harassment from humans. He trusted Delphine and his team to take care of whatever was going on at the college.
She nodded once and strode out, her movements brisk.
“Just think about what I said,” Ace said.
King knew he would think about his choice of mate far too much but he simply nodded. “Come on, I’m sure we both have work to do.”
Ace started out with him. Another day, another problem to deal with.
At least one problem was gone and done with—those treacherous witches. Now he just needed to figure out if there were more like them lurking in his city.
Chapter 33
“I’m nervous,” Dallas whispered, clenching Rhys’s fingers in hers. Her other hand was stretched out, holding on to Willow for support.
“I’m nervous too,” he whispered back, squeezing her hand. She shot him a look that said he was crazy. And maybe he was.
They’d just transported to his brother’s castle in Scotland via demigod transportation. Which was basically the most terrifying thing he’d ever done—not that he’d admit it out loud. It had been like being in a tornado and hurricane at the same time.
Weeks ago, Dallas had mentioned to Cynara that they planned to go to Scotland to visit Rhys’s family but were waiting until they felt comfortable leaving Willow. Or until she was strong enough to make the entire flight with them.
Cynara had told them that her sister-in-law was a demigod who specialized in transportation. He’d never even heard of such a thing before but here they were. It was hard to believe that five minutes ago they’d been in New Orleans and now they were in the Highlands, an icy wind whipping around them. The trip itself had been a cacophony of noise and wind. And now the rich scent of heather filled his senses.
He hadn’t seen his family in thousands of years and he’d been an angry, raging dragon constantly on the warpath back then. He’d hated everything, everyone. Hated the whole world for taking his baby sister. He’d let that consume him to the point that he’d pushed his whole family away. So yeah, he actually was nervous to see them even if he’d spoken to his brothers on the phone in the last few weeks.
Now they were standing in a large, colorful garden and just waiting outside Lachlan’s castle. It was a mammoth stone structure with multiple turrets jutting up into the sky, as if it had always been part of the landscape. Nyx—the demigod—and her mate, Bo, had walked off into the huge hedge of yew mazes and told them they’d return later.
Suddenly two heavy doors burst open from the back of the castle and Lachlan and Cody raced across the thick, lush lawn to greet them.
Dallas squeezed his hand once and then let go, pushing him forward not so gently.
Heart in his throat, he raced for his brothers, colliding with both of them, wrapping his arms around their necks as they embraced him in turn, gripping tight. They were as large as him, cut from the same cloth.
Rhys wasn’t ashamed as tears welled up in his eyes, as emotion clogged his throat to the point that he couldn’t speak.
“My brother has come home,” Lachlan rasped out, tears in his eyes as well as he slightly loosened his grip. “I have missed you so much,” he said as he pulled Rhys back in for another bone-crunching hug.
“I’ve missed you too, brother.” He gripped the back of Lachlan’s neck and did the same to Cody, looking fully at his brothers, memorizing their faces again. Gods, it had been too long. “Eilidh has finally been avenged.”
“Aye,” Lachlan rasped out.
Cody broke away first, wiping at his own cheeks. “Let’s meet the lass who is likely too good for you.”
Laughing, he turned to find Willow hiding behind Dallas, her big head peeking around Dallas’s long, lithe body. He shook with laughter as he strode toward his waiting mate and their Willow. “This is Dallas Kinley, my much too good for me mate,” he said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “And this is Willow.”
He’d told his brothers that he had a pet dragon, but he wasn’t sure they’d actually believed him until now.
They both stared, smiles on their faces as they approached. Then Lachlan pulled Dallas into a big hug, lifting her off her feet.
Rhys only snarled a little, which made Cody howl with laughter and mutter about possessive mates before Cody picked her up into a tight hug as well.
“Welcome to the family,” Cody said.
Then Star, who he only recognized from TV, raced out. “I couldn’t wait any longer, I’m sorry,” she said as she joined them. “I wanted to give you guys a brother moment but… You have a real dragon!”
Lachlan looked adoringly at his mate and it warmed Rhys to see his big brother so completely smitten. “Star, this is Rhys, Dallas and Willow.”
She rushed Rhys, pulling him into a tight embrace before she hugged Dallas as well, who let out a yelp of surprise at the intense hold.
“I’m going to say this probably more than once, but I’m a huge fan,” Dallas said as she stepped back, her smile brilliant.
Star gave her a genuine smile. “Well I’m a fan of your pet. She’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”
As the two women talked, Lachlan grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him close. He wrapped his fingers around the back of Rhys’s neck and pressed his forehead to Rhys’s. “Brother mine,” he murmured, emotion clogging his throat.
Rhys swallowed hard once. “Your Star has the faint scent of…” He cleared his throat, not wanting to say the name of Lachlan’s long-dead human love. He never wanted to remind his brother of his loss, his pain, but that scent was there, lingering, and the familiarity startled Rhys.
Lachlan grinned once as he stepped back, though he didn’t give him much room. “She does smell like her. And it seems we have much to talk about.” He cleared his throat once, his expression turning serious again. “I know your home is with your mate now. I’m just so damn happy that you’ve found peace.”
“More than peace. Happiness and love.”
And he had. With the incredible female who had stolen his heart from practically the beginning. Even if he hadn’t realized it at the time.
It was always going to be Dallas for him. Always.
Dear Readers,
Thank you for reading ANCIENT ENEMY! I hope you
guys are enjoying the continuation of the Ancients Rising series. I’m certainly loving writing this series and there’s more to come!
If you’d like to stay in touch with me and be the first to learn about new releases you can:
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Also, please consider leaving a review at one of your favorite online retailers. It’s a great way to help other readers discover new books and I appreciate all reviews.
Happy reading,
Katie
Acknowledgments
Once again, I owe a lot of thanks to Kaylea Cross for helping me to plot out this book during our Saint Augustine getaway (ha, and for listening to me start talking about these Ancients even longer ago). I’m also grateful to Julia Ganis for her editing skills, Sarah for her beta reading, and Jaycee for another fabulous cover. And I know I’ve said this before, but thank you dear readers for asking for more of this world once I ended the Darkness series. It’s been a joy to continue writing in this world.
About the Author
Katie Reus is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Red Stone Security series, the Deadly Ops series and the Redemption Harbor series. She fell in love with romance at a young age thanks to books she pilfered from her mom’s stash. Years later she loves reading romance almost as much as she loves writing it.
However, she didn’t always know she wanted to be a writer. After changing majors many times, she finally graduated summa cum laude with a degree in psychology. Not long after that she discovered a new love. Writing. She now spends her days writing dark paranormal romance and sexy romantic suspense. If you would like to be notified of future releases, please visit her website: https://katiereus.com and join her newsletter.
Complete Booklist
Ancients Rising
Ancient Protector
Ancient Enemy
Ancient Enforcer
Darkness Series
Darkness Awakened
Taste of Darkness
Beyond the Darkness
Hunted by Darkness
Into the Darkness
Saved by Darkness
Guardian of Darkness
Sentinel of Darkness
A Very Dragon Christmas
Darkness Rising
Deadly Ops Series
Targeted
Bound to Danger
Chasing Danger
Shattered Duty
Edge of Danger
A Covert Affair
Endgame Trilogy
Bishop’s Knight
Bishop’s Queen
Bishop’s Endgame
MacArthur Family Series
Falling for Irish
Unintended Target
Saving Sienna
Moon Shifter Series
Alpha Instinct
Lover’s Instinct
Primal Possession
Mating Instinct
His Untamed Desire
Avenger’s Heat
Hunter Reborn
Protective Instinct
Dark Protector
A Mate for Christmas
O’Connor Family Series
Merry Christmas, Baby
Tease Me, Baby
It’s Me Again, Baby
Mistletoe Me, Baby
Red Stone Security Series®
No One to Trust
Danger Next Door
Fatal Deception
Miami, Mistletoe & Murder
His to Protect
Breaking Her Rules
Protecting His Witness
Sinful Seduction
Under His Protection
Deadly Fallout
Sworn to Protect
Secret Obsession
Love Thy Enemy
Dangerous Protector
Lethal Game
Redemption Harbor Series®
Resurrection
Savage Rising
Dangerous Witness
Innocent Target
Hunting Danger
Covert Games
Chasing Vengeance
Sin City Series (the Serafina)
First Surrender
Sensual Surrender
Sweetest Surrender
Dangerous Surrender
Deadly Surrender
Verona Bay Series
Dark Memento
Deadly Past
Linked books
Retribution
Tempting Danger
Non-series Romantic Suspense
Running from the Past
Dangerous Secrets
Killer Secrets
Deadly Obsession
Danger in Paradise
His Secret Past
Paranormal Romance
Destined Mate
Protector’s Mate
A Jaguar’s Kiss
Tempting the Jaguar
Enemy Mine
Heart of the Jaguar