by Donna Grant
Eilish laughed and hooked her arm through Sabina’s. “Nope. All you need is a dress.”
“Then let’s get going.”
“About time,” the Druid said and touched her finger rings together.
* * *
Roman looked around the party to find Sabina. The ceremony had gone smoothly, but he’d been anxious for it to finish so he could find his woman. He’d been too long without a kiss. His gaze scanned the area quickly, then his eyes jerked back when he spotted the red gown.
His mouth fell open when he saw her standing alone, her gaze on him. One side of her hair was pulled back, secured with some glittering pin that sparkled in her dark curls.
The red material crisscrossed over her breasts to disappear around her shoulders. The fabric hugged her curves—especially her waist—before falling to the floor, making his mouth water and his balls tighten.
He strode to her, pulling her against him and claiming her mouth in a fiery kiss. When he lifted his head, dark eyes gazed up at him with so much love that his heart missed a beat. “You take my breath away.”
“Then you know how I feel every time I look at you,” she whispered.
The noise of the celebration faded as he looked down at his woman, his gypsy. “I’m ridiculously happy. And selfish, because I doona want to share you with anyone.”
“Do we have to stay?” she asked.
He gave a shake of his head. “Nay.”
“Then what are we waiting for?” she asked with a sly grin.
“Och. I do like the way you think, lass.”
Roman took her hand as they made their way to the exit. Con gave him a nod and a smile. Tonight was for celebrating. Tomorrow would be time enough to focus on their new enemy. And as far as Roman was concerned, nothing and no one was coming between him and his woman.
He didn’t slow, even when they made their way deeper into the mountain and Sabina kept asking him where they were going. He’d been working on the surprise all week.
As soon as he tugged her through the narrow opening and steam hit them, he turned to her. Sabina’s eyes widened, and her lips formed a big smile.
“Oh, Roman,” she whispered when she took in the hot spring. “How?”
“It wasna that difficult.”
She glanced down at her gown. “I’ll need help getting out of this.”
“That I can do,” he said and made the dress vanish—along with his clothes—with magic.
Then he scooped her up in his arms and stepped into the water.
EPILOGUE
A week later …
Everything was perfect. Blissfully so.
But Roman knew it wouldn’t remain that way, no matter how much he wished it. Miraculously, he and Sabina—along with V and Camlo—had survived Iceland. It had been close. Too close, actually.
In fact, there were times over the past week that Roman had woken in a sweat because he’d dreamed of Sabina falling—or worse, killing her himself while in the Others’ hold. But she was always in his arms. He held her a little tighter those nights.
He walked into his workshop, smiling as he thought of his woman. She had taken Dreagan by storm. For a woman who’d spent many years alone, she’d become close to the other mates, much to his delight.
And Sabina blossomed. His gypsy wasn’t timid or shy. She found her place and moved about the estate as if she’d always been there. And in some ways, she had. She had been in his heart as he hoped to find someone. One day.
Roman had never expected that day to happen, and yet it had. He couldn’t believe it. And a thousand years from now, he would still wonder at his luck at finding Sabina.
He moved to stand before the table where a chunk of rhodium sat. The extremely rare metal was highly prized by mortals, but Roman liked the way the silvery-colored metal moved.
For many moments, he stood over it as several images went through his head until he finally settled on one. He positioned his hands on either side of the rhodium and began to move his arms as he shaped the metal.
He didn’t know how long he worked until he glanced up and saw his love leaning against the doorway.
“I could watch you all day,” Sabina said as she pushed away from the door and walked to him. “You’re amazing. What are you making?”
He turned the sculpture around and watched her eyes widen as she looked at herself. There were so many of Sabina’s facial expressions that he wanted to capture, but he settled on the one where she’d confessed her love.
Her fingers shook as she tentatively reached out to touch the sculpture. “I look beautiful.”
“Because you are.”
Her head swung to him, a smile lifting her lips. “This is how you see me?”
“Aye, lass.”
She swallowed, returning her gaze to the figure.
He drank in her beauty. “That is the expression that was on your face when you told me you loved me the first time.”
When her dark eyes slid back to him, they glittered with unshed tears. “You’re a marvel, my Dragon King. And I’m so glad you’re mine.”
“Always, lass. Always,” he murmured before his lips found hers.
Light Castle, Ireland
She was all-powerful, but Usaeil couldn’t get the letters on the page to stop moving. She’d tried all kinds of magic, to no avail. Everything she did only seemed to make things worse.
But she had to know what was in the book.
The fact that she couldn’t turn the page either way was infuriating. There was information there, and she wanted to know what it was. Especially since she had seen the Dragon Kings named in the jumble.
She won. She always won.
And she’d win against this infernal book, as well. No matter what it took.
* * *
“Shite,” Darius exclaimed as he came to a stop.
Cináed frowned after running into Darius’s back. “What the hell?”
“Is that … V … dancing?”
Cináed leaned around Darius and looked toward the clinic Sophie ran in the village. A smile tugged at his lips when he saw V’s head bobbing and his shoulders moving to a steady beat. “I’m not sure I’d call it dancing. Where’s my mobile? I need to video this.”
“I hear the music.” Darius chuckled, shaking his head as Cináed began recording. “Claire always turns it up after the patients are gone for the day. She does love her music.”
A moment later, V spotted them and stilled. He pushed away from the wall and stalked to them. “Delete that video right now, Cináed,” he stated.
He laughed and put his phone away. “No’ a chance, Sleeping Beauty.”
“I’m going to kill Ulrik for telling everyone about that,” V grumbled.
Darius asked, “So, you like Claire’s music, huh?”
V glared at them. “You asked me to meet you here. I’m here. What do you need?”
Cináed slapped him on the back. “Why don’t we go inside the clinic so you can hear the music?”
“I hear it fine,” V said with teeth clenched.
Darius licked his lips to hide his smile. “I need your help with the supplies Sophie got in.”
V rolled his eyes. “Use your magic.”
“People watch us,” Darius said as he led them to the back doors of the clinic where his mate was the doctor in residence, and Claire, her best friend, was the nurse. “We need to act normal.”
Though V didn’t say more, Cináed could tell there was something still bothering him. Despite having his sword returned, V remained aloof from the others. At first, Cináed thought it might be because V had spent more time than any of them sleeping, but he was beginning to wonder if there was more.
Cináed waited until Darius was talking with Sophie before he turned to V and asked, “Is everything all right?”
“Look around. Does it look like everything is fine?” V snapped.
He stepped in front of him and looked into V’s frigid blue eyes. “What are you hiding?”
Cináed ran a hand down his face, shocked to his core. He’d expected there to be a gathering where Con would ask V to use his sword to find their dragons. In fact, Cináed was getting anxious, waiting for such a time.
He never thought that V had already tried it.
“The others doona know.” V released a long sigh, his shoulders slumping. “I knew something wasna right with the weapon once I had it back, but I thought maybe I was wrong.”
“What do we do?” Cináed asked.
V shrugged. “The only thing I can. Fix it. But this stays between us.”
With a nod, he agreed. “Of course.”
Their conversation ended when a pretty blond walked up. Claire shot them a smile and said hello before she reached for a box. V quickly took it from her and walked away.
“He’s a talkative one,” Claire said.
Cináed shrugged and looked at V’s retreating back. “He’s going through something right now.”
“Aren’t we all?” she replied with a twist of her lips. “I’m Claire, by the way.”
“Cináed.”
“Kinnay? That’s unusual.”
“It’s spelled much differently.”
Her eyes widened with interest. “Is it Celtic?”
“Something like that,” he replied with a smile.
“Claire!” Sophie shouted. “Elena just texted to say that another post was up.”
The nurse laughed and said, “I’ll be right there.”
“Post?” Cináed asked as he lifted a box with the word HEAVY written on the side.
Claire shrugged as she stacked three smaller boxes on top of each other and gathered them in hand. “From what Sophie tells me, everyone talks about the (Mis)Adventures of a Dating Failure at the manor.”
“Oh, that blog,” he said as he followed her into the storage room. “So you’re a fan, too? Do you know who writes it?”
She set down the boxes and waited for him to do the same before she said, “I know as much as you do.”
“Apparently, a few of the mates have asked Ryder to find out who it is?” Cináed then frowned. “I assume you know who Ryder is.”
Claire flashed him a smile. “I met him once. Sophie says he’s a whiz with computers. Perhaps he’ll track her down.”
“Maybe so. How about you turn the music back up?”
She laughed and pulled out her phone from her pocket, turning up the volume on the wireless speaker.
As Cináed turned away, he saw V nodding his head with the music.
Somewhere in the universe …
“It has begun.”
The woman turned from the fire and smiled. Satisfaction unfurled within her. She wasn’t the first empress to wait for such words.
But now, they had been spoken.
Moreann stared at her advisor as she walked toward him. “I knew Tega and Arlain wouldn’t fail us.”
“Many doubted them,” Orun replied, his faded blue eyes still holding doubt. He had his hands hidden in the wide folds of his white robes. “It has been a very long time.”
Moreann clasped her hands before her, her fingers brushing the gold thread of the embroidered flowers that adorned her green gown. “The Fae warned us to be patient.”
“And where are the Fae?” he asked, tilting his bald head.
“We’ve no need of them.”
“No,” Orun said. “We do not, but we joined forces with them against the Dragon Kings. We’ve taken their word that it all went according to plan.”
Moreann inhaled swiftly before slowly releasing it. “Well, all your fears can be cast aside. You brought your own answer to me.”
“Now that the Dragon King has his sword—”
She laughed, interrupting Orun. “You think Tega and Arlain would make it that simple?”
“You’re taking a lot on assumption,” Orun said, his close-set, deeply hooded eyes showing his unease.
She shrugged. “Why wouldn’t I? I’ve had complete faith in our people. As has every ruler before me.”
“The Dragon Kings are strong.”
“So?” she said, unfazed by his words. “We found a way to beat them.”
Orun walked to the fire and gazed into the flames. “Should we reach out to the Fae? The Light one was very…”
She knew he was trying to search for the right word. “Smug? Arrogant? Conceited?”
“Aye,” he answered, glancing at her. “But I trust the Light more than the Dark.”
Moreann barked with laughter. “This coming from a drough?”
“Who serves a mie empress.”
A smile pulled at her lips. “Sixty years, and my family is still giving me an earful about that. All will be well, Orun. You’ll see.”
Also by DONNA GRANT
THE DARK KINGS SERIES
Dark Heat
Darkest Flame
Fire Rising
Burning Desire
Hot Blooded
Night’s Blaze
Soul Scorched
Passion Ignites
Smoldering Hunger
Smoke and Fire
Firestorm
Blaze
Heat
Torched
THE SONS OF TEXAS SERIES
The Hero
The Protector
The Legend
THE HEART OF TEXAS SERIES
Christmas Cowboy Hero
THE DARK WARRIORS SERIES
Midnight’s Master
Midnight’s Lover
Midnight’s Seduction
Midnight’s Warrior
Midnight’s Kiss
Midnight’s Captive
Midnight’s Temptation
Midnight’s Promise
THE DARK SWORD SERIES
Dangerous Highlander
Forbidden Highlander
Wicked Highlander
Untamed Highlander
Shadow Highlander
Darkest Highlander
THE REAPERS E-NOVELLA SERIES
Dark Alpha’s Claim
Dark Alpha’s Embrace
Dark Alpha’s Demand
Dark Alpha’s Lover
Praise for Donna Grant
The Dark Kings series
“Loaded with subtle emotions, sizzling chemistry, and some provocative thoughts on the real choices [Grant’s] characters are forced to make as they choose their loves for eternity.”
—RT Book Reviews (4 stars)
“Vivid images, intense details, and enchanting characters grab the reader’s attention and [don’t] let go.”
—Night Owl Reviews (Top Pick)
The Dark Warriors series
“The world of the Immortal Warriors is a thoroughly engaging one, blending powerful ancient gods, fiery desire, and touchingly human love, which readers will surely want to revisit.”
—RT Book Reviews
“[Grant] blends ancient gods, love, desire, and evil-doers into a world you will want to revisit over and over again.”
—Night Owl Reviews
“Sizzling love scenes and engaging characters.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Ms. Grant mixes adventure, magic, and sweet love to create the perfect romance[s].”
—Single Title Reviews
The Dark Sword series
“Grant creates a vivid picture of Britain centuries after the Celts and Druids tried to expel the Romans, deftly merging magic and history. The result is a wonderfully dark, delightfully well-written [series]. Readers will eagerly await the next Dark Sword book.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Another fantastic series that melds the paranormal with the historical life of the Scottish highlander in this arousing and exciting adventure.”
—Bitten by Books
“These are some of the hottest brothers around in paranormal fiction.”
—Nocturne Romance Reads
�
�Will keep readers spellbound.”
—Romance Reviews Today
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Donna Grant has been praised for her “totally addictive” and “unique and sensual” stories. She’s the author of more than thirty novels spanning multiple genres of romance including the bestselling Dark Kings stories. The acclaimed series features a thrilling combination of dragons, the Fae, and Highlanders who are dark, dangerous, and irresistible. She lives with her two children, a dog, and four cats in Texas.
Want to know when Donna’s next book is available? You can sign up for her newsletter at www.DonnaGrant.com, follow her on twitter @donna_grant, or like her Facebook page at facebook.com/AuthorDonna Grant, or sign up for email updates here.
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CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four