by Donna Grant
“So did I.”
“Yeah, but you remembered. I wouldn’t have. I was too wrapped up in you.”
Roman actually fought not to remove her clothes, lift her in his arms, and thrust deep inside her. Her words and the aching hunger in her eyes made it hard to think of anything but claiming her.
She cleared her throat as she took a moment to get her bearings. Then she stepped back, pulling herself out of his arms. Roman didn’t want to let her go, but he couldn’t keep her there either.
If he didn’t move, he would give in to the longing burning within him and pull her close again. He drew in a ragged breath and turned toward the opening. Sabina walked in front of him. He made the ball of light follow her despite the fact that she had the flashlight from her mobile still on.
Once the dark enveloped him, he ran his tongue over his lips to taste what remained of her. He bit back a moan and walked to the tunnel in time to see her returning to the cavern with her brother and V.
Within seconds, V strode out. Roman moved aside so V could enter. He waited as V found the first carving. His gaze was locked on his friend’s face where a frown furrowed deeper and deeper. When V came to the drawing of his sword through Roman’s heart, V’s head snapped to him.
There was no need for words. What could either of them say? Roman had no intention of fighting V, and he was sure V felt the same. But that didn’t mean anything. This group of Fae and Druids seemed to have the upper hand.
After a moment, V returned his attention to the drawings. His face went slack when he came to the last one of the dragons lying dead.
“I’m no’ sure I want to find my weapon now,” he said.
Roman moved to stand beside him. “It’s yours. It belongs to you. The mortals and whoever else was involved had no business stealing it.”
V glared at him while pointing to the scene of Roman’s death. “These individuals have a verra thought-out plan, Roman. Look! The other two have come to pass.”
“And you believe this one will, as well?”
V threw up his hands and snorted as he took a step back. “Why would you think it wouldna?” He jabbed a finger against his temple. “They fucked with my head. They killed one of Dmitri’s Whites. They stole my sword and introduced terrifying magic to a replica of Con in the form of a wooden dragon. Aye, I think they’re capable of anything.”
“But we’re Dragon Kings. We’re stronger.”
“Are we?” V shook his head as he looked around the cavern. “They put these drawings here for us. On your land.”
Roman raised his brows as he nodded. “That’s true. Everything they’ve done has been to make us second-guess ourselves and our power. I did it just a few moments ago.”
“No longer?” V asked, surprised.
“A wee bit. But I doona believe you would kill me.”
V’s brows drew together as his jaw worked back and forth. “Nay. But would you sacrifice yourself for the others?”
It was Roman’s turn to frown. His head swiveled to look at the drawing.
“I’m no’ there,” V said. “It’s just my sword. And you.”
Roman quickly stopped the unease that began to grow within him. “The Druids and Fae have made a mistake showing us this. Now we know what to expect.”
“I’m right,” V said. “You’d willingly give up your life in order to save the other Kings. Or to return the dragons.”
Roman let the silence be his answer. His eyes moved from V to the drawing of the dead dragons. “Are they killed here? Or is this on the other realm?”
“We willna know until I get my sword back.”
And that’s where the real crux of the problem lay. If they continued on this quest, Roman might very well end up dead. But how could they not? V needed his sword back for many reasons, one of which was learning the fate of the other dragons.
Roman squatted and placed his hands on the rocks at his feet. He opened his magic and listened for the songs of metal. Hundreds of melodies rose up, cascading over him in a wondrous, beautiful cornucopia of music.
But not one of them was from V’s sword.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Sabina was reeling from the swoon-worthy kiss she’d just shared with Roman. She’d never been swept away by anything so romantic or glorious or … erotic.
She was still unsteady on her feet, her lips tingling from the desire he fueled with merely a look. A look that had stolen her breath while making her feel as if she were floating as high as the moon.
It had been an oddly glorious feeling that she was eager to experience again. As her mind remembered the reason he’d stopped the kiss, Sabina looked at her brother. Camlo sat on a rock, staring into the flames with his hands flattened against each other and pointed at the ground as he held them between his knees.
He wore an expression of someone who had the weight of the world on his shoulders. Gone was his easy smile and laughing eyes. A man sat before her now. Whatever happened in that cavern had altered her brother significantly.
“Camlo?”
He didn’t look up from the flames or do anything to let her know that he’d heard her.
Sabina made her way to him and sat on the ground beside him. She put her hand on his leg, looking up at him. “Hey, there. Want to tell me what happened in the cavern?”
“Bad things,” he mumbled.
“Something was done to you?”
He gave a shake of his head. “We shouldn’t have come here.”
“I thought you wanted to help V and Roman.”
“I do.” Camlo’s deep brown eyes slid to her.
She watched him for a moment. “I don’t understand. What did you see?”
“Roman and V need to leave. No Dragon Kings should ever come here.”
That gave Sabina pause. “They’re powerful beings. You told me that yourself.”
“Some want them gone. They want to do very bad things to the Kings.”
She could tell he was beginning to get irritated again. Sabina moved to her knees and took his hands in hers. “Did you tell V what happened?”
“He didn’t ask.”
“Why didn’t you tell him?” she pressed.
Camlo shrugged and looked back at the flames. “Because he knows bad things are here.”
That wasn’t much of an answer. For the second time in as many days, she couldn’t figure out what her brother was attempting to say. He wasn’t normally so cryptic, and it was starting to scare her.
She swallowed and gave his arm a shake until he looked at her. “I have to know what happened. Tell me everything.”
“It won’t change anything.”
“You don’t know that.”
He looked away from her, refusing to speak.
But she wasn’t going to give up that easily. “I saw what was on the walls. Did you? Is that what upset you?”
Camlo winced and pulled away as he turned his back to her.
Sabina was so surprised by his actions that she could only stare at him in shock. She climbed to her feet, suddenly feeling so cold that she couldn’t stop shaking. “We came to help V find his sword. You gave him the information he needed to know it was here. Now you don’t want to help him?”
“If I do, he’ll die.”
It was said in such a sure, adult voice that for a moment, she wasn’t sure it came from her brother. Sabina walked around until she faced him once more. “Just because they find the sword doesn’t mean any of those things on the wall will happen.”
Camlo’s eyes lifted to meet hers. “Bad things, Bina. Very bad things.”
“You saw them?”
He shook his head.
She looked askance at him. “There are no animals here. They couldn’t tell you.”
“But there were,” Roman said as he strode into the cavern. “My clan of dragons.”
Her gaze snapped from Camlo to Roman. “But … how? There are no dragons now.” She returned her gaze to her brother. “Camlo? How are you hearing th
em?”
“Not dragons,” Camlo said and shifted to look at Roman. “All the other animals.”
Sabina briefly squeezed her eyes closed as her head began to throb trying to figure out what her brother was saying. “Didn’t you hear them when we first arrived?”
“No,” Camlo said and looked up at her. “They were silent.”
Was it coincidence that the animals began talking to him once he went into the other cavern? She looked at Roman and raised a brow in a silent question.
Roman drew in a breath and released it. “Another coincidence.”
“I’m beginning to hate that word.”
“Me, too,” he said.
Sabina squatted in front of Camlo and took his hands. “What did the animals tell you?”
“That the Dragon Kings should leave.” He looked at Roman. “Especially you.”
Roman tilted his lips. “This is the land I once ruled. I’m no’ leaving.”
For someone who hadn’t been all too keen on coming to Iceland, Roman didn’t seem one to scare easily despite the drawing in the other chamber.
Camlo’s grip on Sabina’s hands brought her attention back to him. “What is it?”
“Bad things,” he said again.
“What bad things?” Roman asked. “We need to be prepared so I can protect your sister.”
Camlo shook his head in agitation. “We aren’t in danger. You and V are.”
That drew Sabina up short. She looked past Roman to V who stood at the entrance. “We’re here for the both of you. We’ll do whatever you want.”
“I’m no’ leaving,” Roman stated.
V gave him a dark look. “We should. We can come back with more Kings.”
“That wouldna be a good idea,” Roman said. “If bad things are going to happen, we need to limit the number of Kings involved.”
Sabina shifted her feet. The more Roman and V talked, the more she began to agree with Camlo. They needed to leave. All of them. She wasn’t sure when the feeling began, but now that she acknowledged it, it felt like a pressure on her chest that continued to push harder and harder.
She released Camlo’s hands, took a step back, and pushed away at the air in front of her, trying to stop whatever was happening. Her brother looked at her oddly. She kept trying to take a deep breath, but it was like someone had their hands clamped around her lungs so they couldn’t expand.
Camlo jumped up and rushed to her as she reached for him, the words to request help lodged in her throat—along with her breath. He screamed her name. She wanted to tell him it would be okay, but she couldn’t form the words. And she wasn’t so sure everything would be fine.
In seconds, Roman and V were with her. The room began to spin, and she couldn’t remain upright. Roman caught her when her legs gave out. She held him tightly, trying to let him know that she was scared … that she was dying. And all the while, she had her mouth open, desperately trying to drag in a breath.
She could see V and Roman talking, but she couldn’t understand them or hear their words. Camlo was crying as he sat at her feet, his big eyes fastened on her as his lips moved. All Sabina could hear was the blood rushing in her ears. It was deafening.
And it was all too much. My God. She was really going to die. Her eyes closed. She was suffocating, and no one could do anything. The Dragon Kings were powerful, why wasn’t Roman doing something? Anything? He could keep her warm, but he couldn’t give her breath?
“Sabina.”
The sound of her name from Roman’s lips next to her ear broke through the cloud of fear. She opened her eyes. He looked down at her and smiled calmly.
“Listen to me,” he said. “Can you hear me?”
She nodded. It was wonderful to hear again.
“Good. Focus on me. Can you do that?”
Why was he talking to her like she was an idiot? But she nodded again. She felt something against her hand and began to turn her head.
Roman’s finger against her chin stopped her. “Look at me.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw something glowing that grew brighter and larger. His sea green eyes refused to let her look anywhere but at him. That’s when she realized that she was no longer gasping for breath. She still couldn’t breathe, but there was no pain.
Roman’s lips curved upward. “Just a wee bit longer, lass.”
Black dots edged her vision. It grew harder to keep her eyes open. All she wanted to do was sleep.
“No’ yet, Sabina,” Roman said, giving her a shake. “I need you to stay with me.”
Yes. She wanted to stay. And perhaps have another kiss. Roman kissed marvelously. It had been years since she’d felt someone’s lips on hers, and she was ready for more.
All of a sudden, the weight on her chest was lifted, and she was able to drag in a big gulp of air. She was yanked against Roman as he held her, and to her surprise, she could feel a tremor go through him.
Sabina blinked against the tears and pulled in another deep breath. She shifted her head so she could see V. He was on the other side of her, down on his knees with his head hanging. Camlo was still crying as he petted her feet.
She leaned back to look at Roman and frowned when she saw the weariness on his face that he didn’t hide quickly enough. “What happened?”
“Bad things,” Camlo repeated.
But he’d said those things would happen to Roman and V, not her. Sabina returned her gaze to Roman. He lifted her in his arms and brought her to the fire, placing her on one of the sleeping bags.
When he started to leave, she grabbed his hand. She was too tired to sit up, but she would get her answers. “Roman.”
“It was the Druid and Fae magic,” V said as he sat on the other side of the fire. “Roman and I battled against it.”
So they had saved her. “Thank you,” she told them.
Camlo lowered himself near her head and stroked her hair. “This is not a good place.”
“Nay, it isna,” Roman said. “But we fought against them and won. That is something.”
V gave a shake of his head. “It was too bloody close.”
“The sooner we find the sword, the sooner we can all leave,” Sabina said.
She turned her head and looked at V. He met her gaze and frowned. “You want to continue despite what has happened since we got here?”
Sabina nodded. “I do. I don’t know what will happen once you regain your sword. For all I know, you’ll slaughter millions of people or kill Roman, but there’s this feeling inside me that says you should recover what was stolen from you. I felt it when you arrived, and now that we’re here, I’m more convinced than ever.”
“We’re taking a chance,” Roman said. “It’s one V and I gladly take.”
“Because you live forever,” Camlo said.
Sabina reached over and took her brother’s hand, threading her fingers with his.
Roman glanced at them before he nodded slowly. “Aye, Camlo. We are immortal. But the two of you are no’. I’d verra much like if you could tell us anything else you know before you return home.”
“No,” Sabina said and tried to sit up. After two tries, Camlo propped her up against him as she stared at Roman. “No.”
Roman looked away, anger contorting his face as he shook his head in exasperation. “You almost died. How can you want to remain?”
“To help you. To right the wrong that was done to V,” she explained. “Yes, I’ll admit I’m terrified. But you’ll be with me.”
V placed his hand on the ground and leaned to the side. “We may no’ be able to save you next time.”
“I accept that.”
Camlo placed his head against hers. “I do, too.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Stubborn. That’s what Sabina was. And determined.
Roman sighed. He appreciated what she and Camlo wanted to do, but there was a very real threat against them. One that worried Roman more than his concern for his own safety.
He stared at
her, unsure of what to do. His hands clenched at his sides. He’d sensed her life draining from her, had felt her fear as she struggled to breathe.
Something sinister had held her in its grip. And it had taken his magic, combined with V’s, to free her from it. But why had it attacked Sabina? She wasn’t a Dragon King.
But she was helping them.
Roman’s eyes swung to V. He lifted his shoulders in a barely discernable shrug. In other words, V was leaving it up to Roman.
“Don’t do that,” Sabina said.
Roman jerked his head toward her. “What?”
“Talk so I can’t hear you.” She closed her eyes as she pulled in a deep breath. Then her dark gaze locked on him. “This is my life. I get to make decisions about it, not you.”
“And if something happens to you?” Roman pointed out, glancing at Camlo.
His question was obvious, and by the worry that filled her gaze, she had forgotten that problem.
“What?” Camlo asked as he watched them.
Sabina smiled sadly. “It’s nothing.”
“It is,” her brother insisted.
Roman was surprised when Camlo’s eyes came to rest on him, as if waiting for Roman to give him the answer. It was obvious that Sabina wouldn’t, and if Camlo were going to continue helping them while risking his life, perhaps he needed to know.
“Your sister takes care of you,” Roman said. “If something happens to her, someone will need to take her place.”
Camlo was silent a moment before he looked down at his Sabina. “We must help them.”
“Yes,” she said. “We will help them.”
Roman wasn’t sure how he felt about the siblings continuing with them. On the one hand, he thought they might very well need Camlo. But it was worry about keeping them alive that settled like a stone in his gut.
It was easier to let Sabina and Camlo remain with them since it would take time to return them to Romania, but he didn’t want their deaths on his hands. He carried too many ghosts from his past already.
“The decision is out of your hands,” Sabina told him.
V gave a firm nod. “So be it.”
“What’s the next step?” she asked.
Roman ran a hand down his face. “Iceland is a significant territory. The sword could be anywhere, but I’m guessing the people who stole it put it deep within one of the mountains. I’d hoped once here I’d hear its song, but I can’t.”