Night's Blaze

by Donna Grant

  “When did you return?” Kiril asked.

  Rhys didn’t want to lie, but he wouldn’t tell them about Rhi’s new ability. “About thirty minutes ago.”

  Con moved behind his desk and sat. With all the other seats occupied, Rhys stood near the closed door. His mind was on Lily, on who could have hurt her and why. It took him a moment to realize Con wasn’t talking. Rhys narrowed his gaze when he discovered Con staring at him.

  “Are you with us?” Con asked.

  Rhys crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the wall. “Of course.”

  “Good, because you appeared to be anywhere but this room.”

  “Why am I here?” Rhys asked. “It’s no’ as if I can be of any true help.”

  Con leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers. “Doona let any of the females hear you say such words. They’ll take offense.”

  Rhys shot Con a hard look. “Involving me in whatever is going on willna keep me here.”

  “You think I want to force you to stay?” Con gave a shake of his head of blond hair, his black eyes penetrating. “In case you’ve no’ been paying attention, we’re being attacked by multiple enemies.”

  “How could I have forgotten?” Rhys knew his anger was ruling him, but he knew better than anyone about their enemies. “If Ulrik can do this to me, what’s stopping him from doing it to every other Dragon King?”

  “Me,” Con stated.

  Rhys blew out a hard breath. “I’ve suffered no’ being able to shift for only a few weeks, and it’s making me crazy. At least I have my magic still. If this is a fraction of what Ulrik feels, then I completely understand his hatred.”

  “I willna reverse what was done to Ulrik,” Con stated.

  Warrick crossed an ankle over his knee. “No’ that it would do any good if we did give Ulrik back his power. Do you think his hatred for humans has waned?”

  “Doubtful,” Rhys answered.

  “We’ll find another way to ensure you can shift into a dragon, Rhys,” Kiril said.

  Rhys wasn’t so sure. He gave a nod to Kiril, appreciating his words. “Ulrik is another matter. What’s going on now?”

  “Actually, it’s about Ulrik,” Banan said and ran a hand through his short, dark brown hair.

  Rhys met Banan’s gray eyes. “What about him?”

  “He’s set up a meeting between MI5, himself, and the Dark Fae,” Kellan answered.

  Con laced his fingers together and let his hands rest over his flat stomach. “Henry North is using his skills to become one of the traitors of MI5. He’s going to this meeting Ulrik set up.”

  “Does he know it’s Ulrik?” Rhys asked.

  Banan’s lips flattened. “Nay. But regardless, he knows every player is dangerous.”

  Rhys liked Henry. The human had stuck his neck out for them numerous times, but this time was different. “If Ulrik or the Dark discover he’s a spy, they’ll kill him.”

  “Henry is too good at his job,” Banan said.

  Warrick was just as unconvinced as Rhys if the look on his face was any indication. “I doona know Henry like the rest of you, but asking any human to become involved with the likes of Ulrik or the Dark, much less them united, is folly.”

  “Let’s no’ forget Ulrik has magic now,” Kiril said, glancing at Rhys.

  Banan rose and began to pace the office. “I didna know Henry planned this, or I would’ve talked him out of it. He’s been undercover with the traitorous faction of MI5 for weeks. I got his coded message this morning about the meeting.”

  “Do we know where it’s being held?” Rhys asked.

  Banan shook his head. “Do you no’ think I’d be there if I did? Henry is my friend.”

  Rhys could tell Banan was upset. To them, Henry already knew too much, and that put him in danger. To Henry, he didn’t know near enough. What little he did know could be enough to get him killed.

  “If Henry gets out of this alive, we need to tell him everything,” Kellan said.

  Con nodded slowly. “I agree.”

  That caused Rhys to look at him in shock. Con was the King of Kings, the one dragon that had more magic and power than any other. Though they were charged with protecting humans, it wasn’t like Con to be willing to bring one into the fold so easily.

  Con gave Rhys a droll look. “I’m no’ insensitive, nor have I forgotten how Henry helped Banan find Jane when she was taken in London, or how Henry helped get Denae free of MI5, or how he’s kept track of the Dark Fae for us. If we’d known he infiltrated the group of MI5 that is loyal to Ulrik, I would’ve demanded he know every detail.”

  “When is the meeting?” Rhys asked.

  Banan glanced at his watch. “Today. I doona know a time.”

  “We’ve no idea how long these things last,” Warrick said.

  Kellan turned his head, his long caramel-colored hair held back in a queue. “I doona imagine any of the two groups want to be near Ulrik too long.”

  “I doona think a human would want to be near the Dark at all,” Kiril stated.

  Con rested his arms on his desk as he sat forward. “Good point. You saw the Dark as none of us have. We’ve fought them, but you lived among them for a few months.”

  “It was hell,” Kiril said softly.

  There was so much more to Kiril’s words than that short sentence. Rhys hadn’t been in Ireland with Kiril, but he’d spoken to him often. Rhys didn’t think he could’ve done what Kiril had. He would’ve killed every Dark Fae he encountered instead of gathering information.

  “How long are we going to wait to hear from Henry?” Rhys asked.

  Banan shrugged. “I doona know. They could be anywhere.”

  “They’re in Scotland.”

  Every eye turned to Rhys. He dropped his arms and hooked his thumbs in the belt loops of his jeans. “The Dark wouldna call a meeting. Neither would MI5. Ulrik called the meeting, and he will stay on Scottish soil.”

  “He’s right,” Con said.

  Kellan sat forward, leaning to the side so his forearm rested on the arm of the leather chair. “They willna meet in a city or anywhere someone could see them.”

  “They could be in any glen,” Warrick pointed out. “Any of them, and there are hundreds.”

  Con rose to his feet. “Banan, you let us know as soon as you hear from Henry. If you doona hear from him by this evening, we’ll know something went wrong.”

  No one mentioned that it would probably be too late by then. They held onto their hope, because that’s all they had.

  Rhys wasn’t listening as Con began to talk about patrols and who would be flying what sector of Dreagan since it didn’t pertain to him.

  When the meeting wrapped, Rhys was on his way out when Con stopped him. Rhys waited while Warrick, Banan, and Kellan walked from the room. Kellan closed the door behind him, and Rhys faced Con and Kiril.

  “We wondered if you would ever return to the manor,” Kiril said into the silence.

  Rhys shrugged absently. “I didna think I would.”

  “What brought you home?” Con asked.

  Rhys wasn’t ready to tell them about Lily or his infatuation. “Rhi.” He was watching Con, but the King of Kings didn’t so much as blink at her name.

  Kiril, on the other hand, widened his eyes in surprise. “Rhi was here?”

  “She found me,” Rhys admitted.

  Con adjusted the sleeve of his burnt orange dress shirt. “What did she want?”

  “To talk, I guess. She didna say much other than to tell me I should return here.”

  Kiril’s dark blond eyebrows rose. “I’m glad she told you that and doubly glad you listened.”

  Rhys wondered what they would think if they discovered he hadn’t come back for them, but for Lily. He didn’t imagine either of them would be particularly overjoyed. Oh, Kiril would be happy to know Rhys had found someone he was interested in for more than one night, especially since Kiril had suspected for a while now.

  As for Con, R
hys wasn’t sure. Sometimes he welcomed the women and other times he didn’t. It was like Con was fighting with himself over how to feel about the Dragon Kings mating.

  “You said you can still use your dragon magic,” Con said.

  Rhys shrugged one shoulder. “Whatever has prevented me from shifting doesna seem to have affected my magic. Perhaps that’s what Ulrik plans next.”

  “He’ll be dead before then.” Con’s words were spoken low, hard.

  Rhys met Con’s black gaze. “I want to be with you. After what he’s done to me, I want the bastard dead once and for all.”

  “Deal.”

  Rhys turned and stalked from the office. He paused when he reached the stairs and decided to go up another level to the computer room where Ryder was stationed. The door was open, and Rhys poked his head around the door in time to see Ryder stuff a donut in his mouth with one hand and reach for another with his other.

  Ryder looked up and motioned him inside with his hand holding the jelly-filled donut. Rhys walked into the room and stood at the row of thirty-two-inch monitors facing Ryder.

  “You look into anyone’s past that works here, right?”

  Ryder nodded and swallowed the bite. “Each and every one. Who do you want to know about?”

  “Lily Ross.”

  “Ah,” Ryder said with a grin. He set aside the donut and leaned forward to type on one keyboard. “She is quite the stunner, even with those awful clothes she wears. I think it’s her long dark hair. Or it could be those black eyes of hers.”

  Rhys gripped the table to keep himself from reaching over the computers and punching Ryder. It wasn’t as if Ryder was saying it to get a rise out of him. Ryder didn’t even know of his interest in Lily.

  “What do you want to know?” Ryder asked.

  Rhys desired every detail. But he just wanted it to come from Lily herself, not a computer. Rhys pushed away from the table. “Never mind.”

  “What made you crave to know about her?”

  Rhys looked into Ryder’s hazel eyes and shrugged. “I think she’s hiding something about her past.”

  “Most people do. I can tell you—”

  “Doona!” Rhys yelled and held up a hand. “Doona tell me anything.”

  Ryder’s forehead furrowed. “I thought you wished to know.”

  “I do, but how would you feel if someone looked into your past instead of asking you?”

  “Then I suppose you better ask her, though she probably willna tell you.”

  Rhys knew Ryder was right, but he also knew he couldn’t stand the look Lily would give him when she discovered he’d delved into her past—because she would find out. People always did.

  He ran a hand down his face in frustration. “Is there anything that tells you about her past lovers?”

  “No. Lily is clean, Rhys. Whatever she’s hiding is personal and has no bearing on Dreagan.”

  “Thanks,” Rhys said as he walked from the room, more determined than ever to hunt down whoever hurt Lily.

  * * *

  The more mundane her activity, the more Lily found herself daydreaming. It was becoming quite the problem, if she considered thinking about the gorgeous, aloof Rhys a problem.

  She bent and grabbed two round canisters of Dreagan’s ten-year-old single-malt Scotch to set on the shelf as she thought back to the annual party Dreagan hosted. Lily had been outside looking into the warehouse full of people when Rhys came up behind her and spoke. The sound of his deep, stirring voice made her stomach do flips. Hell, who was she kidding? Just thinking of him made her feel the same.

  Lily put the last of the canisters in place and walked to the back to set aside the box. Cassie was manning one of the two registers while Jane was talking to a small group just coming off a tour. After a look to make sure all the customers were being taken care of, Lily headed to the bathroom. She shut the door and then let out a long sigh as she looked in the mirror.

  Her parents called her pretty, but then again, parents were biased when it came to their children. Why was it easier to believe Dennis’s words than her parents? Lily put a hand to the mirror to hide her face from view. It had happened again last night. She thought she saw Dennis while driving home. Why couldn’t she get the arse out of her head? Why did he still have some kind of hold on her?

  “I’m going insane,” Lily told herself as she turned away from the mirror. “It’s finally happening. My mind has broken.”

  She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. A soft knock made her jump and jerk her head to the door.

  “Lily?” Denae asked from the other side of the door in her Texas accent. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine,” she quickly replied and then flushed the toilet she hadn’t used and opened the door, a smile in place.

  Denae stepped back, her copper brown hair down and loose about her shoulders. Denae’s whisky-colored eyes were smiling. “I’m heading into town to The Fox & The Hound to grab some lunch. Want to come?”

  Lily liked all of the women of Dreagan, as she dubbed them. But seeing them with their men made her heartsick for what she knew could never be—regardless of the kiss Rhys had given her over a month ago.

  Afterward, Rhys disappeared for a week. She got a glimpse of him, and then he vanished again. As far as she knew, Rhys had yet to return to Dreagan.

  “Please,” Denae said with a grin. “I hate eating by myself, and Kellan is in a meeting.”

  “How can I refuse that?” Lily asked. “Let me grab my purse.”

  Denae followed her out to the front and talked to Jane while Lily made her way to Cassie.

  “I see Denae roped you into lunch,” Cassie said with a grin, her American accent coming out strong.

  Denae and Cassie weren’t the only Americans at Dreagan. There were also Elena and Jane who hailed from the States. Lily had only worked there for a few months, but she was the lone one from England. Most of the workers hailed from Scotland, though there was also Shara, who was from Ireland.

  “She did,” Lily said as she slung her purse strap over her shoulder. “Want to come?”

  Cassie turned her head to the door as it opened and her husband Hal walked in. His moonlight blue eyes saw only Cassie, and by the way Cassie lit up when he walked into the room, everyone disappeared for her as well.

  Lily turned away with a grin and joined Denae and Jane who were watching the other couple with interest.

  “Those two,” Jane said with a smile and a shake of her head.

  Denae gaped at her. “As if you have room to talk. I’m going to video you when Banan walks in, then you won’t be able to say anything.”

  “You’re no different with Kellan,” Jane said with a laugh.

  Denae merely smiled. “Oh, I know exactly how Kellan makes me feel. I can’t think, much less form words. The first couple of times he tried to talk to me, I’m pretty sure it was gibberish that came out instead of actual words.”

  Lily joined in with the laughter, because it was difficult not to. Then, Denae looped her arm in hers and steered Lily toward the door.

  “I’m sure he’s okay,” Denae said as they walked to her car.

  Lily looked at her, frowning. “Who? Kellan?”

  “Rhys,” she said with a wide grin.

  “Oh.” What else was Lily supposed to say? She thought she kept her feelings tightly under wraps, but apparently they were so clear everyone saw them.

  Denae unlocked the black Range Rover and got in. Once Lily was seated, she asked, “Does that mean Rhys is in some kind of trouble?”

  “Not at all,” Denae said too quickly as she backed up the SUV and put it in drive. “Rhys just needs time to himself.”

  Lily touched her lips, remembering how firm his hand had been on her back as he held her, how gentle and steady his hold. She recalled how he’d kissed her with such abandon, with such skill that it left her reeling, grasping for anything to hold onto.

  She clung to him, as if he were the breath that filled her lung
s, the light that guided her way. The kiss had ended much too quickly. Like a fool, she had been unable to find words as he pulled away and sank back into the darkness. If only she had known what to say to keep him with her.

  If only …

  There were times she thought she dreamt the entire thing. Then her lips would tingle, reminding her she knew Rhys’s taste, knew his touch. Knew the strength of his arms and the power of his embrace.

  She blinked and focused, realizing Denae was pulling into the pub. At least Denae wasn’t looking at her oddly, which meant Lily didn’t have to come up with a lie to explain why she had been daydreaming again.

  Or who she was daydreaming about.

  Denae found a parking space and shut off the SUV. Then she looked at Lily. “You sure you don’t want to talk?”

  “Why do you ask that?”

  “For one, you’ve been staring out the window for the last ten minutes. But it’s more than that. You watch the world as if you aren’t part of it.”

  Lily briefly closed her eyes and clutched her purse in her hands. “A habit.”

  “It’s just … well, I want you to know that we’re your friends here. If you ever need someone to talk to, please don’t hesitate to come to me or any one of us.”

  “Thank you. That means a lot.” It was the truth. If only Denae knew what Lily had endured before.

  “Now that that’s out of the way, let’s eat,” Denae said with a smile.

  They got out of the Range Rover and made their way inside the pub where Sammi, Jane’s half-sister, was working alongside Laith, the owner.

  Both Sammi and Laith waved as they entered. Lily followed Denae to a table and sat down. She put her purse on one of the extra chairs and noted Iona sitting in the back booth with her camera and computer.

  Laith walked up with a grin. “If she knew you were here, she’d be over, but my Iona doesna even see me when she’s involved with her work.”

  “Oh, she sees you,” Denae said with a laugh. “It’s all right. We know she’s busy.”

  Lily didn’t know Iona very well, but it was common knowledge around the distillery that she and Laith were in love. Just one more couple. Lily sighed. Once, she’d thought she was lucky enough to find love. How very wrong she had been.