Her stomach growled as she moved forward to take a seat. She’d expended an enormous amount of energy trying to discover the magic being used to kidnap the sprites.
No one simply disappeared without a trace. There had to be some residual proof of who was responsible for taking them.
Finn moved to a shallow pool in the center of the cavern that bubbled with the heat from the lava flowing beneath them. With surprising efficiency, considering he was a prince who no doubt had dozens of servants who had left the colony to go into hiding with the rest of the tribe, he unwrapped the salmon and placed them on plates along with slices of fresh fruit that he’d gone through a portal to collect the day before.
Heading to the table, he set a plate in front of her before taking his own seat.
“A true feast,” she said with genuine appreciation.
Finn gave a lift of his shoulders. “We’ve worked hard. We deserve a break.”
Rya tried to force the gnawing fear for her mother to the back of her mind. Finn was right. She wasn’t going to help if she collapsed from weariness.
“I suppose so,” she admitted.
“Allow me.” Finn reached for the decanter, pouring them each a glass of the nectar.
Rya took a sip, shivering as the delicious warmth spread through her body.
She was only half fey, but the nectar flowed through her like the finest champagne.
“Very potent.”
She glanced toward the male who sprawled back in his chair with arrogant ease. He was truly beautiful. A shame he didn’t make her heart miss a beat. Or fill her dreams with heated fantasies. Only one male had ever managed to do that.
Torque.
Her back abruptly tingled, as if to remind her that she carried the male’s marking. Not that she could forget. His light touch during the ceremony fifty years ago was supposed to have left a small symbol that would seal their betrothal. Instead the image of a dragon had appeared, the vibrant gold and jade colors spreading across her skin.
The tattoo started at the nape of her neck, its long, sinewy body curving down her spine to end at the upper curve of her right buttock. Most startling, it had two sapphire eyes that were a perfect match to her betrothed’s.
Only the fact that Torque had seemed as startled as she’d been by the size and intricate detail of the marking had allowed her to bite back her words of outrage.
“Is something wrong?” Finn’s low, musical voice broke through her distracted thoughts. “The air is suddenly several degrees warmer.”
Rya pasted a smile to her lips, feeling a blush steal beneath her cheeks.
Dammit. She devoted a large amount of energy trying to forget she possessed a betrothed, let alone the fact that he’d set her blood on fire when she’d seen him. After all, Torque didn’t bother to hide his grim regret that he was compelled to take her as his consort.
Jackass.
“As I said, the nectar is very potent,” she babbled, focusing her attention on the male seated next to her. “You’re not trying to get me tipsy, are you?”
A wickedly masculine smile touched his lips. “Would it work?”
Her brief tension eased. This male might not make her heart race, but he was handsome and charming and the perfect distraction until she returned to the search for her mother.
“Sprites are so predictable,” she teased.
Finn reached for his nectar, the delicate crystal glass frosting beneath his fingers.
“I think it has more to do with me being male, not just a sprite,” he informed her.
“True,” she agreed with a roll of her eyes. “Males are so predictable.”
Finn chuckled. “I’ll drink to that.”
With a rueful shake of her head, Rya grabbed her fork and dug into her dinner.
They ate in silence, both of them in need of the calories to replace their strength. At last full, Rya settled back in her chair and sipped her nectar.
“Thank you,” she murmured. “It was delicious.”
“It’s just a small way of showing my appreciation for helping to look for my people.” Without warning he leaned forward, brushing his fingers down her cheek. “I have a more…personal way to share my gratitude planned for later.”
Rya chuckled. She’d spent most of her life in a harem. Not one of the harems reserved for courtesans who serviced the dragons, but private rooms in her father’s lair that were carefully protected. Which meant she had little experience with males. But she was smart enough to know that Finn wasn’t dazzled by her charms. He would happily bed any female who was willing.
Her lips parted to inform him that she had no need of his gratitude when a sudden heat sizzled through the air.
What the heck?
“Remove your hand from her face before I rip it off and stuff it down your throat,” a dark male voice commanded without warning.
Jumping to her feet, Rya whirled around to watch as the intruder stalked forward.
Torque.
Her heart slammed against her ribs as her gaze skimmed over his austere features that looked as if they’d been sculpted by the hand of a master. His eyes were a brilliant blue that smoldered with the heat of his inner dragon. Sapphire fire. His mouth was perfectly chiseled, with the bottom lip surprisingly lush, as if hinting at tightly leashed passions. His forehead was broad with dark, arched brows.
He was compelling, rather than beautiful, she silently acknowledged as her gaze lowered to the leanly muscled body covered by a thin black tee and a pair of faded jeans despite the frigid cold.
She unconsciously licked her lips. His power was sternly restrained, but it prickled over her skin. It made her feel as if she was standing in the center of a thunderstorm, waiting for the tempest to be unleashed and batter against her.
Lifting her eyes to meet his smoldering gaze, she tilted her chin in an unconsciously defensive motion at the renegade tingle of excitement that prickled through her.
He’d followed her.
She hadn’t expected that.
“What are you doing here?”
Torque sent a glare toward Finn, who’d moved to stand at her side, before returning his attention to her.
“Clearly I’m here to collect my betrothed,” he growled, steam swirling around his feet as his irritation threatened to melt the nearby stalagmites. Or were they stalactites? She really needed to figure that out. “Something that wouldn’t have been necessary if you were in the harem where you belong.”
Rya narrowed her gaze, squashing her stupid excitement.
She’d almost forgotten the male was a jackass. Thankfully, the first words out of his mouth had reminded her.
“How did you find me?” she demanded.
“Ah.” A flash of color drew her attention to the tiny demon who was suddenly waddling forward. “You may thank me, ma belle. I am a great pistachio at—”
“Not now, gargoyle,” Torque interrupted with a snap.
“Hey.” The gray creature with large fairy wings and the knobby features of a gargoyle sent his companion an impatient glare. “The world is eager to appreciate my formidable skills, n'est-ce pas?” Continuing forward, the demon moved to stand directly in front of Rya, giving a small bow. “Levet, KISA at your service.”
Rya studied him in confusion. “KISA?”
“Don’t ask,” Torque muttered.
Levet sent the dragon a raspberry before turning back to Rya.
“Knight In Shining Armor,” he explained, puffing out his chest with obvious pride.
“Oh.” Rya tilted her head to the side. Had the dragon lost a bet? That was the only reason she could imagine the arrogant, always-aloof male traveling with such an…interesting companion. “Are you a gargoyle?”
Levet spread his wings. “Not just a gargoyle, but the most famous of all my people.”
“You’re very…” She allowed her words to trail away.
“Compact?” Levet helpfully supplied.
“Yes.”
“Enough talk
ing,” Torque growled, abruptly stepping forward. “We’re going back to your father’s lair.”
It was a direct command. As if he had every right to toss out orders.
Her own dragon stirred to angry life.
She stretched her lips into a tight smile. “Feel free to go anywhere you want, in fact, I can give you a few suggestions. All of them are hot and filled with flames. But I’m staying.”
Torque blinked, as if baffled by her refusal. “What did you say?”
“I’m. Staying.”
The sapphire gaze flicked toward Finn who had moved to stand at her side.
“Are you being held against your will?”
Without warning, the fey prince wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her against him.
“Does it look like she’s here against her will?” he taunted.
Torque hissed, fire dancing over his skin as he stalked forward.
“I told you what would happen if you touched her again,” he said, his dark voice laced with murder.
Rya instinctively moved forward, planting her hand in the center of his chest.
“Torque, no.” She faced him squarely, indifferent to the flames that would have scorched a mere fey. She had no idea what had the male’s panties in a twist, but she knew that she didn’t want to drag poor Finn into the brewing fight. “Can you give us some privacy?” she asked the prince, her gaze never leaving Torque.
A sharp chill sliced through the air, sizzling as it slammed into Torque’s heat.
“I don’t think you should be alone with him,” Finn protested. “He’s clearly violent.”
Raw power roared through air, stirring Rya’s hair and making Finn grunt in pain.
“You’re about to discover how violent I can truly be,” Torque promised in awful tones.
“Finn, it will be fine,” Rya assured the sprite, keeping herself between the two males. Not only was she capable of enduring the fire that danced around him, but she had enough dragon blood to know she could kick some serious ass when necessary. “I can take care of myself.”
Finn hesitated. No doubt because Torque’s eyes were blazing with the promise of death.
“Are you sure?”
She shouldn’t have been sure. She’d met Torque one time when they’d formalized the betrothal and he’d barely glanced at her. Even when he’d brushed his fingers over her back he’d acted as if he was miles away mentally.
But somehow she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt he would never, ever hurt her.
“I would suggest that you come with me,” Levet broke into the tense silence, gesturing for Finn to follow him as he waddled toward the tunnel at the far end of the cavern. “Over the past days I’ve discovered that it’s best not to bother a dragon when they are in a mood.” The gargoyle’s wings shimmered in the fairy light. “They can be as temperamental as a vampire.”
Finn muttered a low curse. “I’ll be outside if you need me,” he said, sending a warning frown toward Torque.
“Thank you, Finn,” she murmured, waiting for both the gargoyle and sprite to disappear through the tunnel before she was slapping her hands on her hips and glaring at the male who had a unique ability to grate against her nerves. “Now. Do you want to tell me just what the hell you think you’re doing?”
CHAPTER THREE
Torque felt as if he was perched on top of thin ice.
Quite literally.
No doubt the strange sensation came from the fact that he’d suffered one shock after another.
The first shock had come when he’d stepped out of the portal to realize that he was standing on a frozen wasteland that stretched with empty desolation as far as the eye could see. Why would any female leave the luxurious comfort of a dragon lair to freeze her pretty ass off in the middle of nowhere?
The next shock had been his outrageous fury when he’d entered the cavern and witnessed a strange male touching his betrothed.
Okay. Any dragon would be annoyed to catch his betrothed eating an intimate meal alone with another male. Especially when the bastard dared to touch his female. But the boiling cauldron of rage in the pit of his stomach that urged him to incinerate the male until he was nothing more than smudge on the ice was…over the top.
Only the knowledge that he was acting completely out of character halted his attack.
But had Rya been grateful for his restraint?
No.
In fact, she’d acted as if he was an unwelcomed intruder. And now she was glaring at him without the least hint of remorse.
What happened to the meek, biddable female he’d met during their betrothal ceremony?
It was…what did the humans call it? Bait and switch?
Almost as if to prove his point that this wasn’t the same, quiet female who’d accepted his marking, Rya slammed her hands on her hips.
“I asked you a question,” she snapped.
Torque stepped forward, ignoring the fact that his heat was melting the ice beneath his feet. For once, he was incapable of commanding his usual composure.
“One I answered.” He allowed his gaze to slowly move down her slender form, taking in the soft, blue sweater and the jeans that molded to her slender curves with aggravating perfection. Had the sprite touched the fuzzy material of her sweater? Or studied her fine ass when she’d walked across the cavern? Or sucked in the exotic scent of lotus blossoms that clung to her golden skin? The mere thought was enough to make flames dance over his body. “I’m here to retrieve my betrothed.”
The amber eyes smoldered with anger. “You make me sound like a missing piece of property. Of course, I shouldn’t be surprised. That’s exactly what you think of me, isn’t it?”
Torque frowned. Somewhere in the back of his clever brain, he realized this meeting wasn’t going well. But at the moment his male pride was in charge.
Never a good thing.
“Is that supposed to make sense?” he demanded.
“I’ve never been more than an unwanted duty you’re forced to endure to please my father.”
The accusing words made Torque falter. How did she know how he much he resented the mating? It wasn’t like they spent time together…
He abruptly grimaced. Of course she would know. The fact that he’d gone to such an effort to avoid any contact after the betrothal ceremony would warn the most oblivious female he wasn’t eager to take her as his consort. And Rya was far from oblivious.
Now he felt an unexpected pang of regret, swiftly followed by an odd urge to defend himself.
“It’s no secret that Synge arranged our mating,” he reminded her.
“And no secret how much you resent it.”
He glanced around the icy cavern, his dragon blood protesting at their frozen surroundings.
“This is no place for this discussion.” He abruptly decided. It wasn’t that he was trying to avoid her accusations. Of course not. It was just that he preferred to conduct their conversation in a place that didn’t have ceilings with icicles that threatened to impale him. “We’ll return to your father’s lair.”
“You don’t listen very well.” She leaned forward, her eyes flashing amber fire. “I’m not going back. At least not yet.”
His hands clenched. His every instinct urged him to reach out and toss her over his shoulder. No surprise. He was a warrior. Why chat when he could use brute strength to get his way?
But Torque thankfully wasn’t a complete idiot. He realized that he’d only piss her off if he tried to force her back to the harem.
Besides, if he was being completely honest with himself, he didn’t want to strong-arm her into leaving. He wanted her to be eager to return to Synge’s lair.
No, wait. Not Synge’s lair.
Once this female became his formal consort he could petition for a private home.
Just the two of them.
The thought of being completely alone sent a sudden thrill of anticipation through Torque.
Over the years he’d been so intent on th
e knowledge he was being forced into the mating, he’d never truly considered the benefits. Now his body was reacting with an astonishing eagerness to explore the more tangible rewards.
“Is it the sprite?” he abruptly asked.
She blinked, as if caught off guard by the question. “Finn?”
“Is he your lover?”
A flush stained her cheeks. “Of course not.”
“He wants you,” Torque said, the edge of aggression in his voice startling them both.
“So what? He’s like any male.” She waved a dismissive hand. “He’ll sleep with any female in the vicinity.”
The genuine indifference in her voice helped to soothe his restless beast. And ensured the frost sprite would live. At least for now.
“Untrue,” he muttered.
“Excuse me?”
“Some men are far more choosy than others,” he growled.
She arched a brow. “I suppose you intend to claim you’re one of those choosy males?”
He stilled, belatedly realizing why he’d been so uninterested in females since he’d officially put his mark on Rya.
His dragon had accepted that he had his mate. No other woman would do.
Astonishing.
Not that he was about to admit as much to the female currently glaring at him. Instead he folded his arms over his chest. One way or another he intended to get her back to the comfort of the harem.
This cold couldn’t be good for her.
“If Finn isn’t your lover then why are you here?”
She hesitated, as if she was trying to decide whether to tell him the truth. At last she blew out a resigned sigh.
“Because I’m looking for my mother.”
Her mother? His brows tugged together in confusion.
“I thought she had a home in Hong Kong?” Torque said, vaguely recalling Synge sharing his annoyance that the mysterious Shinto fey preferred her own home to the luxurious rooms in his harem. “Why would she be here?”
“Finn contacted her when his people started disappearing.”
Dragons of Eternity Collection Page 19