by Donna Grant
He dropped the veil and thought of the Reapers and found himself standing inside the concrete building on Inchmickery, a tiny isle off the coast of Edinburgh.
Cael looked up from some papers and frowned. “What’s happened?”
“Rhi’s memories are returning,” Daire explained.
Cael set down the papers and walked around the table. “We need to tell Death.”
No sooner had the words left Cael’s mouth than Death stood before them.
It wasn’t the grim reaper with a scythe and black robes as the humans thought. Death was a woman, and stunningly beautiful at that.
Her blue-black hair hung to her waist in soft curls. The front part was pulled away from her face with intricate braids and held together by a spray of petite purple roses.
Death wore a regal, strapless gown. The top portion was a vivid, deep purple without a single adornment. From the waist down, it was a voluptuous skirt of satin and tulle in solid black with matching purple roses made of material sewn into the skirt in various places.
Lavender eyes framed by thick, black lashes watched him. Her flawless complexion was the color of soft cream. She had high cheekbones and full lips that he noticed Cael looking at.
“It must be important for you to call me here,” she said in a soft, ethereal voice to Cael.
Daire nodded. Even though Death chose Reapers and was judge and jury to the Fae, it was rare for them to see her. Cael was her chosen leader of the Reapers, and the two of them interacted regularly.
“Tell me,” Erith urged.
“Rhi went to the Light Castle,” Daire began. “As soon as she came to the corridor where the Reaper symbol had been painted in blood, she stumbled to a halt. When she straightened, she somehow knew her memories had been altered.”
“Interesting,” Death said.
“She overheard some Fae talking about the Everwoods. I think Rhi figured out that she was involved. She told me she was going to piece all her memories together.”
Erith’s lips lifted in a small smile. “I believe she can do it.”
“Against your magic?” Cael asked her in surprise.
Death merely gave him an enigmatic look. “Go on, Daire.”
Daire swallowed, watching Erith and Cael with curiosity. “Rhi then said I was no longer welcome. She left the room, but when I tried to follow, I couldn’t.”
At this news, Death clasped her hands before her and lowered her gaze to the floor for a few seconds. Then she looked at Daire. “You’ll still be able to track her. Though you won’t be able to get close, you’ll be able to see where she’s going. Stay as close to her as you can. From now on, I want to receive daily reports.”
“From me?” Cael asked.
Erith didn’t take her eyes from Daire. “From Daire.”
“I’ll see it done.” What else was Daire supposed to say?
Death walked until her wide skirt touched his shoe, then she stopped. “Has Rhi confronted Con about the picture of him and Usaeil.”
“Yes. It wasn’t the violent clash I expected it to be.”
Cael crossed his arms over his chest and said, “You think Rhi is going to confront the queen.”
Death’s smile was slow. “I’m counting on it.”
Chapter Twenty
“We’ll never finish before the storm stops,” Faith said as she continued brushing aside dirt around the bones from her position on her stomach. It was the first time she had ever wanted to hurry a dig.
Muscles turned his head to her, causing a lock of dark hair to fall over his forehead. “We’ll deal with that when the time comes.”
“The thing is, I’m a planner. I like to know what’s coming, that way I can figure out a way to deal with it.”
He shot her a wink. “I wasna planned, and you handled that situation well.”
It was a fact, but then again, who could ever prepare for a man like Dmitri?
He was in the same position as she on his stomach, working diligently beside her. A dragon. A freaking real-life dragon. Her scientific mind couldn’t believe it.
And yet, she accepted his explanations easily. Mainly because she’d seen it firsthand before the words ever came out of his mouth. It was hard to discount him saying he was a dragon when she’d been in his clutches—literally.
While she worked, she thought about the white talons that had held her so gently. How he’d scooped her out of the air without cutting her was puzzling, but done it he had.
If only she hadn’t been so terrified that she was falling to her death, she could’ve taken more notice of the dragon. But her eyes had been on the fast-approaching rocks and water.
It wasn’t until she’d been set down inside the cave that she comprehended that she wasn’t going to die. That’s when she stumbled back and saw the freaking giant dragon.
The one thing she did remember was how the water had trickled over metallic, white scales. And unblinking umber eyes scrutinizing her.
There had been an instant of fear that had quickly morphed to wonder and awe. Now she wished she’d taken a longer look at Muscles in his true form.
She stood up to stretch her back, her eyes taking in the bones before her. While she worked on the neck, Dmitri had been carefully freeing the other side of the skull from the confines of the earth.
“I need to make sure everyone goes home,” she said, thinking of all the people involved with the dig.
He paused in mid-brush and looked up at her. “Aye.”
“Roger’s death is a good reason.” There was something in Dmitri’s azure eyes that caught her attention. “What aren’t you telling me?”
Blowing out a breath, he pushed onto all fours before sitting back on his haunches. “When I went to draw out the Dark, I saw that they had killed again. A woman.”
“Oh, God,” she murmured and put her hand to her forehead as her stomach rolled with the news. “I’ve got to get these people out immediately.”
“We need to remove what the Dark wants—the bones.”
She cocked her head at him. “I thought you wanted to destroy them.”
“That’s what I’m supposed to do.” He drew in a deep breath, causing his shoulders to lift as he looked at the dragon. “He’s one of mine, and he’s been waiting for me to find him. I’m going to take him back to Dreagan where he belongs.”
She didn’t consider herself a weeper, and yet, her eyes teared up listening to him talk. She blinked rapidly to dispel the threatening waterworks.
“This could take us weeks. You’re telling me that as long as the bones are here, the Dark will be, as well?”
Muscles nodded slowly. “I’m afraid so.”
“That’s unacceptable. I can’t have any more deaths on my conscience.”
“This isna your fault.”
“I disagree.” She waved away his words when he tried to argue more with her. “First things first, we need to get my team away.”
Dmitri raised a dark brow. “Will Tamir leave you?”
“He will if he thinks I’m going.”
He rested his hands on his thighs and gave her a hard look. “What are you planning?”
“Nothing,” she said with a shrug. “I’m going to remain here and free this dragon from the earth.”
“I doona—”
“I know,” she interrupted him. “But I’m staying. If care isn’t taken, the bones could be damaged because of their age.”
Muscles blew out a breath and climbed to his feet. He scrubbed a hand over his jaw, the scrape of whiskers loud in the cave. “I think you should leave with the others.”
“What?” She couldn’t believe what he’d just said. How could he want such a thing after their night together? After the passion? The raw hunger that had taken them?
Then it hit her. Maybe she felt more than he did. That made her cringe because she never gave a lover more of herself than what was given to her.
In fact, she was the one who normally walked away. The one who used the “It
’s not you, it’s me” line. The one who crept away in the night so as not to have to explain why she didn’t want to see them again.
Was it happening to her now? Others had warned her that it would eventually return to her tenfold.
And that thought chilled her.
Muscles dropped the brush and closed the distance between them. “You’ve only got a taste of what it’s like to be mixed up with the Dragon Kings. We’re in a war, and our enemies are coming at us from all sides. Any association with us, however slight, puts you under a microscope so our foes can see how they can use you against us.”
It was on the tip of her tongue to say that she could take care of herself, but, in fact, she couldn’t. Not against magic. She was the proverbial slug waiting to be stepped on.
“I’m giving you a choice,” he continued. “I could go through each story of the women who now live at Dreagan as examples.”
“There are women at Dreagan?” she asked in surprise. And hope.
A muscle in his jaw clenched. “I didna get to finish the story earlier.”
“So finish it now. I’m curious.” She was chomping at the bit to know every detail, but she was managing to hold it all in beautifully.
He gave a small shake of his head. “When we woke centuries after going to sleep in our effort to hide, the first thing we did was use magic to ensure that we would never feel deeply for humans in any way. Hatred, love, or even friendship.”
It was like a kick in the stomach. So even if he wanted to care, he couldn’t. Well, wasn’t Karma a bitch?
And she could swear that Karma was somewhere giving her a wink and a very innocent—if not mocking—smile.
Faith felt the despondency threaten, but she refused to give in. She reminded herself why she liked being on her own. Except it didn’t work as well this time.
“That spell remained in place until a few years ago.”
Hope soared so powerfully that she couldn’t breathe.
Dmitri twisted his lips ruefully. “Despite our precautions, Kings began to fall in love with mortals. Hal was the first to take a woman as his mate.”
“How . . . how many have taken mates?”
“Fourteen.”
Her brows rose at the news. “That’s a significant number.”
“One of them is a Fae. The other thirteen are mortals, though one is a Druid. My point is that they are now in the midst of this war.”
“They chose to love.”
“Aye. That they did. Though only one or two had the choice I’m about to give you. Before I tell you what the options are, let me explain that every woman has been targeted by Ulrik. He’s either attempted to kill them or thought to bring them to his side.”
The killing part worried her. She liked life and wanted it to continue. “That’s if Ulrik ever discovers me.”
“It is something I verra much want to prevent. You’ve gotten a small taste of our war with the Dark, but it’s far worse than you can imagine. Because of that, you have the choice to either continue on as you are where I will do my utmost to protect you . . .”
“Or?” she urged when he paused.
“Or your memories can be wiped of anything to do with me, dragons, or anything else I’ve told you.”
She would return to the world she’d known before Dmitri, the one she’d loved for years. It was a safe place, but now, she knew it was all an illusion. Which, in fact, was more dangerous than her current circumstances.
“For better or worse, I’m going to keep this new knowledge.”
He grasped her arms. “Please, reconsider.”
“You told me I had a choice. I made it.”
He dropped his arms and turned around, walking a few steps away. “You could die.”
“I almost did. You saved me,” she reminded him.
He turned back to her and gazed at her with blue eyes filled with concern before he raked a hand through his dark locks. “Is there anything I can do to change your mind?”
She strode to him, dropping the brush from her hand before grasping his face. “Enough,” she said before she rose up on her toes and kissed him.
His arms snaked around her, crushing her against his chest. It was no soft kiss, but one filled with fire and hunger. The kind that consumed them as desire raged.
He spun them, pushing her against the stone wall. With one hand behind the back of her head to protect her, he deepened the kiss. She eagerly followed as he led her down the path of pleasure.
She gave a moan of annoyance when he ended the kiss. When she opened her eyes, he was staring down at her.
Her heart melted when he gently ran a finger along the shape of her face. “I doona want you hurt.”
“Then don’t stop kissing me.”
“You should get far away from me.”
She splayed her hands over his chest. “That’s not happening.”
With a sound that was half-growl, half-moan, he claimed her lips again. The kiss was savage, the desire between them wild.
Within moments, their clothes were discarded as they stood skin-to-skin, kissing. She reached around and sank her nails into his ass, feeling the muscles clench in response.
Then she kissed down his chest, her gaze on his face. He watched her as his chest heaved. She knelt before him and smiled when his eyes darkened with need.
She slowly wrapped her fingers around his cock and stroked. He groaned and fisted his hands in her hair. The feel of him was intoxicating. She knew what it was like to have him inside her, filling her. But she wanted to know his taste.
Watching him, she brought the head of his rod to her mouth. She then slowly parted her lips and slid them over the tip, guiding him deeper into her throat.
His head fell back, and his hips started to thrust as she began to suck. Her hand tightened as she pumped it in time with the movements of her head.
The first taste of him that touched her tongue made her moan and her sex clench with need. She closed her eyes and sucked harder.
In the next moment, he pulled away. She looked up, a question on her lips. Then she saw his face.
He grabbed her, carrying her to their pallet where he set her down and turned her around. Then he pushed her onto all fours.
She looked over her shoulder as he knelt behind her. Their gazes met as he touched her sex. A satisfied smile pulled at his lips when he found her wet.
Then he gripped her hips and thrust, filling her completely. Her head dropped down as her sex ached for more. She bit her lip and tried to move, but he held her still.
After what felt like an eternity, he began to move. Soon, he was plunging hard and fast. He bent over her, cupping one of her breasts and squeezing the nipple.
He bit her shoulder before licking it. His hand slid to her throat and turned her head toward him. Their lips met, tongues tangling in time with his thrusts.
She gasped when he reached between them and circled her clit.
“Come for me,” he demanded in her ear.
Chapter Twenty-one
The sound of Faith’s breathing as it hitched right before she climaxed was music to Dmitri’s ears. He felt her walls clamping around him, pushing him closer to reaching his own pleasure.
Her body quivered as cries of ecstasy fell unheeded from her lips. He continued to move, extending her orgasm.
“Dmitri,” she cried hoarsely.
Her fingers clutched the blanket, and chill bumps covered her skin. But still, he pounded into her.
What was it about her that drove him to the brink of wildness? What was it that made him want to mark her physically and mentally as his?
What was it that tied them closer and closer together with each passing heartbeat?
And why didn’t he care more that it was happening?
As his desire mounted, he forgot about his ridiculous questions and concentrated on the magnificent woman in his arms.
Her arms gave out, and she fell forward. He gripped her hips again and began to plunge hard and fast
. No longer could he wait to join her in the sublime aftermath of their lovemaking, which was almost as good as the sex itself.
When he looked down, her face was turned to the side, flushed with pleasure. Her lips were parted and her eyes unfocused.
And just like that, his climax rushed him. He thrust deep and ground out her name as the bliss seized him, grasped him. For those amazing moments, he’d discovered true happiness—in the arms of a mortal.
Once he was able to regain thought, he pulled out of her and collapsed beside her. Her smile made his heart catch. He knew it was wrong to allow her to retain her memories, but he hadn’t worked up the courage to leave her yet.
He told himself it was because of the skeleton, but that was a lie. He remained for her. The exact time his thinking changed couldn’t be pinpointed, but then again, it didn’t matter. He knew what he wanted—Faith.
Her eyes softened, and she blinked slowly. He touched her face, struck by just how stunning she was. Dmitri pulled her into his arms where she settled with a sigh of contentment.
They couldn’t rest long. Already, the storm was abating. Soon, Tamir would arrive with news of the woman’s death and to see about Faith. Hopefully, she would be able to convince him to leave and send everyone home.
That would alleviate his worries about protecting everyone on the team. Not that they would remain long. Fair Isle had seen its share of bloodshed. If he had his way, there would be no more.
The sooner he got the bones free, the sooner he could get back to Dreagan.
His thoughts skidded to a halt as he looked at Faith. The best thing would be for her to come with him. Con would balk, but Dmitri couldn’t give a flying fuck what the King of Kings might say or do.
Unlike some of the other mates, Faith had a career. One that wouldn’t fit in with anything to do with Dreagan. When Darius had brought Sophie home, she’d decided to open a medical clinic and be the village doctor.
With Kinsey and Ryder, Kinsey being a technical wizard allowed her to work alongside her mate.
There would be nothing of the sort for Faith. He saw how she sparkled as she worked. It was her passion, the thing that gave her purpose. There was no way he could take that away from her.