by Brenda Trim
“Sire.” Mack heard the reverence in Nate’s tone.
“When Zander told me that Kyran was returning with two of my Máahes, I didna believe him. I never thought to see Khoth again,” Angus said to the men kneeling before him. “‘Tis good to see a part of home.”
Mack felt like an interloper on the moment and turned to see a man and a woman approach Kyran. The huge body-builder and the stunning woman grabbed him up into a hug. “Thank the Goddess you’re home, brathair,” the woman murmured. Her Scottish accent was similar to Kyran’s, but coming out of her mouth was more beautiful, where Kyran’s dripped sex appeal.
“And, this must be your mate, Mackendra,” the woman said. “Welcome to the family.” With that warm welcome, Mack was wrapped in another strong embrace.
“Breslin, this is my Mackendra, my salvation. And this, Mackendra, is my puithar, Breslin. And, these are my brathairs, Zander and Bhric,” Kyran introduced after Breslin had let her go.
Zander interrupted before Kyran could go on. “Let’s move this reunion into the kitchen. Otherwise, we will be oot here all night.” Zander pulled Elsie into his side and headed into the house without looking back. Mack surmised as the Vampire King, he was used to having his word obeyed without question.
Kyran was at her side, smiling down at her. “Ready to see your new home?” Mack looked up at him in shock. He had told her she would live with him, but she hadn’t given it much thought until now. She was overwhelmed by the thought of being part of a family for the first time in her life. Sensing her anxiety, Kyran leaned down and kissed her before leading her inside.
The rest of the group was behind them with Nate updating Angus on the state of matters in Khoth, but she was too busy gaping at the opulence that surrounded her as she passed through the double-doors to listen.
Her head swiveled around, taking in as much as she could while they passed through the entryway. The floor was brown marble and the walls and floor were covered with wood. She tilted her head back and looked at the biggest crystal chandelier she’d ever seen. Tripping over her feet, she looked down to see Kyran silently laughing at her. They headed toward the large staircase, and she had just enough time to wonder who the hell lived in a house with stairs that split off to feed different wings of a house, when he pulled her down the hall behind the main landing.
They passed several closed doors, turned left then she found herself in a large kitchen. Elsie was busy bustling around the room, cooking up a storm. It was obvious to Mack that her friend was completely at ease among these supernaturals and that they had a deep respect for her friend. She took a steadying breath and smelled garlic and tomatoes.
“You want a Creamsicle, Kyran,” Bhric asked as he dipped a finger into a pot on the stove. “Angus had the freezer stocked with them after you called.”
“Stay out of my sauce,” Elsie told the Vampire Prince, hitting his hand with a wooden spoon.
“When is dinner going to be done? I’m hungry,” Bhric complained, pouring himself a drink.
“Not for a while yet. This sauce is almost done simmering and then I need to throw the lasagna together and bake it.” The easy banter between Elsie and the others immediately set Mack at ease. This was how she’d always imagined it would be like to be part of a family.
The others filed into the room and Mack was introduced to the other Dark Warriors and Cailyn and Jessie. While the others asked questions about their ordeal, Kyran sat on a stool, tugging Mack onto his lap. Everyone stopped talking and stared at them as if they had grown two heads. She felt herself blush to her roots and averted her gaze. Kyran chuckled and wrapped his arms around her. “They are no’ used to seeing me mated, Firecracker.”
“Nay,” Zander corrected. “We are no’ used to him smiling. It has been over seven centuries since I’ve seen my brathair smile like that. I have to admit when Kyran told me you were his Fated Mate, I questioned the Goddess’ wisdom in blessing him, but seeing the difference in him now, I understand completely.”
“How did you wrap him around your finger like that?” Orlando asked.
“For starters, I plunged my blade into his heart.” Everyone burst into laughter and she felt Kyran kiss her temple.
“We can talk about my mating, and how wonderful Mackendra is, later. Right now, we have the rescue of females to plan. I promised Mackendra that I would wait to disclose their location until we were here to help in their rescue,” Kyran interjected.
“You really found Kadir’s lair?” Elsie asked.
“I had no idea what I was walking into, but yes, I did. I’d heard some skirm bragging about the women they’d kidnapped for their leader and followed one of them back to the lair. I saw at least a dozen women in cages. They all looked like they’d been tortured. Some were naked, all were bruised and bleeding. I wanted to take them with me when I left, but a red-headed vampire told me to leave and find the Dark Warriors.”
*****
At the mention of the females, Gerrick’s heart started pounding in his chest. His breathing became labored and he was sweating. He had no idea what was going on with him, but the urgency to take action was nearly impossible to ignore. He chanted a spell to slow his heart rate and continued to listen to the discussion.
“Why didn’t you call me right away?” Elsie asked Kyran’s mate. Gerrick was still shocked to see their most troubled warrior returned to them fully mated to a feisty female.
Gerrick had to admit that the two balanced each other and Kyran had definitely benefited from finding his Fated Mate. That wasn’t so surprising, Gerrick thought. The Goddess designed mates as two halves of a whole. A pang of jealousy shot through his heart that he would never have what his fellow warriors were finding. Gerrick had such a brief experience with his mate before she was taken from him. Hell, he hadn’t even been given the chance to complete their mating.
Scowling at the direction of his thoughts, Gerrick listened as Mackendra responded to Elsie. “The red-head told me that humans couldn’t help them and that I needed to find the Vampire King and his warriors so I wasn’t about to place anyone else, especially one of my friend’s, at risk. I had no idea that you were mated to the very person I was searching for.”
“Where is the lair located?” Zander asked, getting to the meat of the matter.
Kyran met Zander’s gaze. “No’ far. We were right aboot that much, at least. He is in underground Seattle.”
“What? Tourists go into those ruins every day,” Elsie replied.
“The bluidy demon is brilliant, I’ll give him that,” Zander surmised and Gerrick had to agree. They never would have suspected that location, given the tourist activity.
Gerrick paced, more than ready to put together a team and strike the lair. No female deserved to be tortured, and Goddess only knew what else. His gut churned at the thought of the archdemons raping helpless females. He had thanked the Goddess that at least his Evanna hadn’t suffered that fate. “Let’s go now. There’s plenty of nighttime left.”
“We willna go in there half-cocked, Gerrick. We need a plan,” Zander informed him. “Besides, Angus’ people have come for him and we need to discuss his leaving us.”
“I never said I was leaving, Sire,” Angus replied as he helped Elsie with the cooking. The two of them had become close during her time in the compound.
“You didna have to, Angus. And, doona call me Sire. We are equals, after all.”
“Sire,” Lorne interjected. “You must return to Khoth. The realm is failing without you. Before long, we will be extinct and the Buggane will destroy everything.”
“Besides,” Nate added as he accepted a drink from Bhric. “Legette will have our heads if we don’t return with you. In fact, I might as well pick out a room in this place. Preferably one next to this sexy little number,” he finished, referring to Jessie who smiled back at the male.
“Gods, I can’t take you anywhere. Now is not the time for you to become the biggest sket in the Tehrex Realm,” Lorne told his friend
then turned back to Angus. “Mack found a tablet that indicates Keira is still alive, Sire. Mackendra reversed the magic of the spell, but we need you to find her. You must return with us.”
Gerrick saw the majordomo’s face pale with those words. The light of hope that entered those jade green depths was powerful. “I will return with you, but no’ before I see these females rescued. I canna abandon my family at this moment in time,” Angus declared and Gerrick knew what it cost him to make such a promise. That his mate was out there somewhere would have been a difficult lure to ignore to help others.
Gerrick joined the others around the kitchen island as they discussed how best to attack. Zander called the council in and when they arrived, they added their opinions. Gerrick marveled at how well the large group worked together and how easily they had accepted Mack into their ranks. No one seemed bothered by the fact that she ran a vigilante organization.
“I’m going, Kyran, and there is nothing you can do to stop me,” Mack scolded her mate, interrupting Gerrick’s thoughts. “I’m the only one that knows exactly how to get to them.”
“Then show Killian on the map. You are no’ going,” Kyran growled at his mate.
“Haven’t you heard, leech? I’m the new Dexter of the Tehrex Realm. That’s what becoming your mate made me.”
Orlando burst out laughing, earning a glare from Kyran. “She schooled you, bro. I’m walking in behind her.”
“You know how to make friends, Firecracker,” Kyran told his mate with a smile on his lips. “And, you will go in behind Orlando. Use his body as a shield.”
They were all laughing when Elsie staggered and Zander rushed to catch her. Gerrick knew that look and the room fell silent while everyone waited to hear Elsie’s latest premonition. This couldn’t be good. She had yet to predict something positive.
“No one is going anywhere just yet,” Elsie gravely informed the group.
“We willna be going in until the new moon passes, or we will meet with certain failure,” Zander added what he’d seen in the vision he’d shared with his mate.
“But, that’s a week away,” Gerrick objected, not willing to wait.
“Aye, ‘tis a week away, but if we go in any sooner, blood and death will result.”
“Who’s death?” Gerrick asked, not wanting to lose one of his fellow warriors or their mates, but his sense of urgency had Gerrick contemplating going in on his own. Perhaps he could get in and out without being detected and save the females.
“Yours,” Elsie replied.
Gerrick’s heart stopped and he wondered if this had anything to do with what Marie Leveaux had told him.
Authors’ Note
Thank you for reading DEVIANT WARRIOR! We hope you enjoyed Kyran and Mack’s story. Scarred Warrior will be the fourth book in the Dark Warrior Alliance series where Gerrick and Shae discover that even those with damaged flesh and shattered hearts deserve love, too, but that’s easier said than done. Look for it winter 2015!
If you haven’t discovered our Rowan sisters, be sure to check them out. Reviewers have raved that the books are filled with passion, heat, hope, love and humor. They are as fast, fun, and compelling reads! Pema’s Storm and Isis’ Betrayal are now available and Suvi’s Revenge is available to preorder.
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OTHER WORKS BY TRIM AND JULKA
The Dark Warrior Alliance
Dream Warrior (Dark Warrior Alliance, Book One)
http://www.amzn.com/B00SI7PAVG
Mystik Warrior (Dark Warrior Alliance, Book Two)
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Deviant Warrior (Dark Warrior Alliance, Book Three)
http://www.amzn.com/B0145GPZDG
Scarred Warrior (Dark Warrior Alliance, Book Four)
Coming Winter 2015
The Rowan Sisters’ Trilogy
Pema’s Storm (Rowan Sister’s Trilogy, Book One)
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Isis’ Betrayal (Rowan Sister’s Trilogy, Book Two)
http://www.amzn.com/B00XJPWWCM
Suvi’s Revenge (Rowan Sister’s Trilogy, Book Three)
http://www.amzn.com/B013RSMVJO