Smoldering Hunger

by Donna Grant

  Though Darius didn’t have to make Ulrik’s life easy.

  He rushed out of the restaurant, but there was no Ulrik. The bastard had disappeared again. “How is he doing that?” Darius asked himself.

  “Con,” he said through their link. As soon as he felt Con allow him inside his head, Darius said, “My meeting with Ulrik is finished. He vanished again.”

  “There must be a Dark nearby to take him,” Con said. “What happened?”

  Darius began his walk back to Sophie’s flat. “Ulrik vows he hasna lied to us.”

  “And?”

  “I tried to tell him to come after us himself instead of using the mortals. I attempted to goad him by saying he was weak, which is why he didna go after us.”

  “Did it work?” Con asked.

  Darius sighed. “No’ as I’d hoped. Especially when I mentioned our vow to protect the humans. He told me that you’ve broken many promises.”

  “In other words, his killing of the mortals is justified in his mind.”

  “Essentially.”

  “No one has bothered Sophie. Ulrik’s men are still here, and they doona look like they’ll be leaving anytime soon.”

  “I’ll be there soon.”

  Darius cut the connection. It didn’t go unnoticed by him that Con hadn’t admitted or denied that he’d broken promises. In fact, Con had glossed right over that.

  By the time Darius reached Sophie’s building, he couldn’t wait to hold her. He got in once more without being seen by Ulrik’s men.

  Darius leaned back against the wall on the far side of the living area. He watched her move about the flat. The black dress was gone, replaced with sweats and an oversized blue plaid button down.

  She suddenly looked up and smiled, happy to see him. Sophie set aside the towel in her hands. “How did it go?”

  “As expected. He gave me nothing I could use.”

  She bit her bottom lip. “Did you dissuade him from me?”

  “The opposite, unfortunately.”

  “Hmm,” she said with a nod and an absent look in her eyes as her gaze lowered. Then she looked back at him. “Why did you come into my life?”

  Darius didn’t move an inch. She’d been thinking, and that was worrisome. “Lily was sick.”

  “And she was being pursued by bad men, which is why Thorn couldn’t take her to the hospital.”

  “That wasna a lie.”

  “I know. Was it Ulrik after her?” When he didn’t immediately answer, she continued. “You’ve already told me who you are. I’m in this,” she motioned her hands in a circle, “whatever this is. I didn’t ask questions that night. I’m asking now.”

  Darius watched Sophie. She had no idea how stunning she looked standing in the light with her shoulders back, her chin raised, and defiance in her gaze. In that instant, Darius could well imagine her as one of the Celtic warriors of old.

  He wasn’t entirely certain that she believed him about who he was, but she hadn’t run away from him or told him he was daft. Nor did he believe she continued to welcome him because he was keeping her safe from Ulrik.

  Her emotions were genuine. She wanted him there as much as he wanted to be there. Darius was consumed with wanting Sophie. His body was attuned to hers in a way he hadn’t known was even possible.

  “Are you ready for this?” he asked.

  She swallowed, nodding. “I need to know. For myself. For you.”

  Darius didn’t go to her, though every fiber of his being demanded he feel her warmth against him. Instead, he kept his distance to not crowd her.

  “Some of the myths and legends repeated are derived from truth.”

  “Which ones are truth?”

  “Derived,” he corrected her. Then he took a deep breath. “The Fae.”

  Sophie walked to the sofa and curled up facing him. She sat quietly, waiting for him to continue.

  “The Fae are no’ the dainty winged creatures pushed on the public. They look just like you or me, except they are so beautiful they doona look real. There are two classes of Fae—the Light and the Dark.”

  Sophie said, “I gather the Light are good, and the Dark evil.”

  “Aye. You might’ve seen some Dark in the city the night it burned and the weeks leading up to it.”

  “The ones with red eyes,” she said in astonishment.

  Darius gave a nod. “With silver in their black hair. The more silver, the more evil they’ve done.”

  “What evil? I saw people flock to them.”

  “Humans are drawn to them. They can no’ help themselves. The Dark will have sex with them, pleasuring the mortals beyond belief. But it’s done to mask what the Dark are really after.”

  Sophie shuddered. “Which is?”

  “Souls. Every time they have sex with a human, they drain their souls.”

  “Dear God,” she mumbled.

  Darius hooked his thumbs in his belt loops. “The Light are just as beautiful. They have black hair and silver eyes as a general rule. However, all Fae can use glamour to change their appearance.”

  “Oh, that’s great,” Sophie said sarcastically.

  “Once you know what to look for, you can spot a Fae whether they use glamour or no’. The Light remain that way because when they do have sex with a mortal, it’s just the once.”

  Sophie’s lips twisted. “Have they always been here? Like you?”

  “The Fae arrived thousands of years ago. They have their own realm that’s been mostly destroyed by their constant civil wars. We fought them. The Fae Wars occurred without any humans knowing of it.”

  “That must’ve been a long time ago,” Sophie said with a slight grin.

  Darius smiled. “Oh, aye. A verra long time ago.”

  “Didn’t you push them out?”

  “The Light eventually sided with us, and we made the Dark sign a treaty that kept them out of Scotland. They were never supposed to call this realm home, and yet they have. They did it quietly under our noses in Ireland.”

  Sophie’s mouth parted. “Ireland?”

  Darius threw up his hands. “We trusted them to keep their word. They didna, and it’s come back on us. We’re now in a war with them. The attack on Edinburgh was one of many across the U.K. The Dark were trying to keep us thinned out so they could get to us.”

  “They didn’t get to Lexi, did they?”

  “Despite our best efforts, they did. But Thorn and Con, along with a Light Fae named Rhi, got her back. She and Thorn live at Dreagan.”

  Sophie sighed loudly. “Why are the Dark after you?”

  “They have an alliance with Ulrik. They’re working together, each one attacking us at a different time.”

  “So you’re constantly taking a hit one way or another,” she said with a nod. “It’s a good tactic.”

  Darius had to agree. “That’s Ulrik.”

  “Most of the world has seen the video the Dark taped of us and then released. Have you?”

  Sophie gave him a wry look. “I don’t turn on the telly nor do I pay attention to the news.”

  “Look it up,” Darius told her.

  She rose and found her mobile phone. Within minutes she found the video and watched it three times before she looked up at him. “This is real?”

  “It is. Those are the Dark we’re fighting.”

  Sophie set down the phone and looked at him. “What else is here?”

  “There are Druids, but they’re humans. Just humans with magic. Oh. There are also Warriors. They’re immortal as well and have a primeval god inside them. They’re good people though. And our allies.”

  “All this time,” she said as she slowly walked to him. “Magic, immortality, and dragons. I feel like this is a dream.”

  Darius tugged a lock of her red hair. “It’s no’. It’s all verra real. I’m so sorry you got pulled into this.”

  “I’m not.”

  Darius stared into her eyes, the gold flecks vibrant in the olive color. He couldn’t have been more surprised
by her words. “Your life is in danger.”

  “It is. And I’m frightened. Then I think of you. You’ve changed me, Darius. You broke through the walls I built around myself.”

  He should be telling her not to think of their relationship. If that’s what they had. He didn’t know anymore. He’d honestly believed he’d had his mate—and lost her. Now, he wasn’t so sure.

  The consuming hunger for Sophie overruled everything. If he didn’t have her, he was going to go up in flames.

  “Do you want me?” she asked.

  “I’ve wanted you from the moment I first walked up to you outside the hospital. You’ve known from the night I took you on the street that I craved you.”

  Her eyes glittered with desire.

  “What do you want?” he asked.

  “You,” she said right before she threw her arms around him.

  Darius easily caught her. He held her tight as they kissed each other hungrily, as if neither of them could get enough of the other.

  He set her on the counter and yanked off his shirt. She smiled as she tugged down her sweatpants. When he spotted the red silk panties covering her sex he moaned in pleasure.

  “Don’t make me wait.”

  “Nay,” he said even as they both unfastened his jeans and tugged them down.

  He entered her with one thrust, her loud moan echoing through the flat.

  This was where he felt peace—deep inside her.

  CHAPTER

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  Con lowered his gaze to the top of the roof where he stood. He’d known when he came to watch Sophie’s place that Darius would confirm his suspicions. The proof was right there before him.

  Con sensed it when he’d told Darius to remain in the city and learn what Ulrik wanted with Sophie. He’d known Darius had it bad for the doctor, but Con had hoped it was merely sexual.

  Watching them talk showed Con a great deal. Whether Darius wanted to acknowledge it or not, there was something more there than just physical attraction between the two of them.

  Con’s gut clenched in dread, because he had a feeling another King had found his mate. Though Darius never wanted to listen, Con had tried repeatedly to tell him the mother of his child hadn’t been Darius’s mate. But Darius had been too torn up over their deaths to listen.

  Now he was experiencing it firsthand.

  Con stiffened when he felt a hand on his back that caressed over his shoulder to his chest.

  “Hello, lover,” whispered a feminine voice with an Irish accent.

  Usaeil.

  Con stood still as she walked around to his front, trailing her hand down his chest. She wore a sexy smile and a short white dress that dipped so low he could see she wasn’t wearing a bra.

  “You’re no’ supposed to be here,” he told her.

  She tsked. “I’m the Queen of the Light. I can do whatever I want.”

  “Then perhaps you need to kill off your persona of an actress.”

  Her chuckle was husky. “You’re supposed to be happy to see me.”

  “I am.”

  “Really?” Her hand dipped down to cup his balls and run her hand along the length of his limp cock. “I’m beginning to think you’re lying.”

  Con grasped her hands to stop her. “It’s November, Usaeil. If humans see you, they’ll wonder why you’re in that dress without a coat.”

  “Who cares?”

  “I told you we could only have this affair if it was kept private. You showed up at my hotel, and now here. Private, Usaeil. That means it’s kept from everyone.”

  “You’re King of Kings, and I’m queen,” she said as she yanked her wrists out of his grip, her silver eyes narrowed in anger. “Why do you care if anyone knows?”

  “I doona have to explain anything to you.”

  “You do if you want to share my bed.”

  He simply stared at her, refusing to speak.

  Usaeil’s gaze widened as her mouth fell open in shock. “No one refuses me.”

  “There’s a first time for everything.”

  Her hand connected with his face with a loud crack. “You don’t have any idea what you’ve done.”

  Con slowly turned his face back to her. “I told you my requirements if you wanted me to share your bed. You agreed.”

  “We’ve progressed past that,” she argued, hurt filling her face.

  “Nay, we have no’.”

  “I’m ready to tell all the Light, Con. Why no’ unite our two races?”

  “Because the Kings were never supposed to be matched with the Fae.”

  She jerked her head, flinging her long black hair from her shoulder. “What of Kiril and Shara?”

  “An exception.”

  “What of Rhi and—”

  He leaned his face down to hers and snarled, “Doona even say it.”

  Her smile was cold and calculating. “The great King of Kings afraid of others discovering he’s fecking a Fae.”

  “I’m no’ afraid.” No, what Con felt was much deeper.

  Usaeil looked over her shoulder to the window where she could see Darius and Sophie making love on the counter. She began to chuckle. It grew into a laugh as she turned to him. “Oh, you are so very sad, Constantine.”

  “There is too much disheveled right now. You should be with your people or gathering your army. I’ve heard the whispers about the Reapers. Are they back?”

  “Don’t you dare try to tell me how to handle the Light.” Her nostrils flared. With a snap of her fingers, the dress disappeared so she stood naked. “You can pretend you don’t want me, but we both know I can have you on your knees.”

  “I’ll never get to my knees for you,” Con stated.

  His gaze lowered to her body, and his cock hardened. But damn if he wouldn’t refuse her.

  Con wrapped his hand around her throat and squeezed. It only made her smile. He was about to throw her down and take her when a flash of white hair caught his attention. Con leaned close to her and whispered, “Wait for me in your bed. I want you naked and wet.”

  “I’m always ready for you, lover,” she said with a quick kiss before she vanished.

  Con focused on the spot where he’d seen the white hair. There, just inside the shadows he saw a man. He was tall and formidable looking, and just as Darius described, he had long white hair.

  The man had his back to Con so he couldn’t see his eyes, but he was Fae. Light or Dark remained to be seen. Perhaps it was time for Con to go talk to him.

  “I never got the voyeurism thing,” came a sarcastic Irish voice from behind him.

  Con closed his eyes and prayed for patience. What had he done to merit a visit from Usaeil and Rhi within minutes of each other?

  Then it hit Con. Had Usaeil not left, Rhi would’ve seen them. The implications of that had Con reeling. Usaeil said she didn’t care who discovered them, but he knew that was also a lie. She very much minded if Rhi knew. Because, if Rhi knew then—

  “It’s also not polite to ignore people,” Rhi said.

  Con opened his eyes, but the white-haired Fae was gone. Again. He whirled around to find Rhi sitting on the edge of the roof with her legs dangling over the side as she looked at her nails.

  It took Con a moment to realize she wasn’t wearing black for the second time. She had on a beige sweater infused with gold threads. The dark denim clung to her legs like a second skin and showcased how long and lean they were.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “I love these chats of ours,” she said and threw him a sugary sweet fake smile. She batted her long lashes. “I always leave so warm and fuzzy.”

  “Rhi,” he said in warning.

  As if he hadn’t spoken with a tone that always got him what he wanted, Rhi said, “I figured Darius needed to blow off some steam after all those years of sleep, but by the way he’s touching and kissing that mortal, this is much more than a quick shag.”

  As if Con didn’t already know that. “I’ll worry about my men.”


  “You’ve done a bang-up job so far.” She swung her legs around before she lifted her face to the sky. “There are plenty enough clouds. I thought you’d be up there.”

  “I can no’. You know that.”

  “Right. I did.” Again she flashed him another mocking smile.

  She was goading him. Con normally was able to shake off her sarcastic remarks and antagonistic ways, but not tonight. Too much was happening at once. He was being pulled in a million directions, and he wasn’t sure which one to give his attention.

  “Do you want them to be unhappy?”

  He was taken aback by her softly spoken question. Con studied her profile as she watched the street below them. He knew without asking that she referred to the Dragon Kings.

  Though he’d vowed to protect the mortals, that didn’t mean he worried over their happiness.

  “You know I don’t.”

  She lifted silver eyes to him. Gone was the derision. For a split second, she revealed her true self. “I don’t know that. And neither do they.”

  “I doona want them hurt.” Con didn’t try to pretend he had no idea what she was referring to. It was all about the Kings and finding mates. Everything always seemed to get brought back to that.

  “It’s part of life whether you’re Fae, dragon, or mortal. You’re acting like a parent who doesn’t want their child to learn to ride a bike because they might fall and scrape a knee.”

  “This is much more than a scraped knee, Rhi.”

  Her smile was a little sad and forlorn. “Can you honestly tell me that none of the Dragon Kings has never betrayed another? Or lied? Or killed? Or stolen?”

  “Only when it was necessary.”

  “Are you God now? To decide the fate of a human when you turn a blind eye to your own race or make excuses.”

  She said it all without any heat, which was the only reason he didn’t get angry. “I doona judge the mortals.”

  Rhi swung her legs around until she planted her feet on the roof and stood. She shook her head at him, smiling at his words. “Trust your men. Let them decide their fates, and if anything happens, be there to help them. But take my advice, don’t stand in their way or try to prevent them.”

  Con was wary. It wasn’t like Rhi to want to pass on such assistance to him. It was good, which pissed him off. He should’ve known that and not had a Fae offer him such reasoning.