by Donna Grant
She tilted her head to the side, causing her blond hair to brush against his arm. “I would never have guessed that.”
“It’s different with you.”
“You keep saying things like that, and I may never let you go.”
“Maybe I doona want you to.” V realized the statement was true the moment he voiced it.
Claire put her hand on his jaw and stared into his eyes. “I like how you say things like that.”
He took her hand and brought it to his lips where he kissed the inside of her palm before flicking his tongue against her skin. The smile she gave him let him know she liked it.
“Want to go for a ride?” he asked.
Her eyes widened in excitement. “I’ll go anywhere with you.”
“Anywhere?”
She leaned her head back and laughed. “Yes.”
He couldn’t ignore the sight of her neck. V leaned in and placed his lips just below her ear and nuzzled the skin. She moaned then, and he went instantly hard.
“I want you,” he whispered. “But no’ yet.”
It took a Herculean effort for him to step away. He slid his palm down Claire’s arm and took her hand. When he tried to tug her after him, she pulled back.
“I like to be prepared,” she told him. “Do I need to change? I don’t want to be underdressed.”
He looked her over, lingering on the swell of her breasts. “You’re perfect.”
Her smile was slow and utterly seductive as it pulled at her lips. “You sure know how to charm a woman.”
V knew nothing of the sort. “I say what I mean.”
“Then don’t ever stop.”
“I willna,” he promised.
Her fingers tightened on his. Claire turned and grabbed her purse then faced him once more. “I’m ready.”
They walked out of the house, pausing long enough for her to lock it. As she did, he sent his magic around the dwelling to protect it. He should have done it the night before, but he’d been preoccupied.
There were no Dark Fae anywhere near, but the Kings had other enemies. And V wanted to make sure that Claire was protected whether he was with her or not.
V walked her to the Rimac and opened the door for her. Once Claire was inside, he closed it and walked around to the driver’s side. He slid behind the wheel and started the engine. With a glance in her direction, V backed out of the driveway and turned the vehicle in the direction of Dreagan.
“I should probably tell you what else Sophie shared.”
He shot a quick look at Claire, but she was staring out the window. “All right.”
“She and Darius set us up.”
“I figured that out.”
Claire’s head whipped to him, surprise on her face. “You did?”
“Aye.”
“You’re not mad about it?”
He shrugged and slowed to take a curve before checking to see if another vehicle was approaching and then driving over the narrow stone bridge. “No’ at all. Are you?”
“No, because this has turned out good.”
V couldn’t help but chuckle. “Good point.”
He covertly watched her as they drew closer to the back entrance to Dreagan—the one that was hidden so only those who knew about it could find it.
She looked at him, smiling. “We’re going to Dreagan?”
“Unless you’d like to go somewhere else.”
“I already told you. I’ll go anywhere with you.”
She had to stop saying things like that because he wanted to believe they were true. Mostly because he wanted her with him—everywhere he went.
He slowly turned the hypercar onto the drive and made his way down the long, curving lane with tall trees lining either side. Only when they drew closer to the manor did the space open and the mountain and house come into view.
“This place always takes my breath away,” Claire said.
V knew exactly what she meant. The manor was stunning, the grounds immaculate, but it was the magic that sprang from the area that drew all—including mortals.
V pulled into one of the garages and opened the car door. By the time he got around to the other side, Claire was already out and waiting for him. He took her hand and walked her from the garage to look out over the mountains.
“Yours is out there, isn’t it?” Claire asked in a soft voice.
“It is. I would take you there, but there isna much to see.”
“It’s your home. There is everything to see.”
V turned his head to her. “You really want to see it?”
“If you want to show me.”
“I do, but there is something else I’d rather you see first.”
She faced him and said, “Then lead the way.”
There was a real possibility that what he was about to do would backfire, but V had a sense about Claire. It wasn’t just because she had kept the Kings’ secret for so long. It wasn’t even about sharing their bodies.
Everyone spoke of the light inside Rhi. Well, V saw that same light within Claire. She might not be Fae or have magic, but it glittered brighter than the sun. It proved Claire’s decency, her honesty, and most importantly, her authenticity.
He didn’t take her through the door to the house. Instead, he led her around the manor. Her gaze moved around slowly, taking it all in. She laughed when she spotted some calves playing in a pasture. The moment she saw Duke sunning in the grass, she went right to him.
V hung back, watching. Claire called out to the Great Dane, who lifted his massive head to see who it was. His tail thumped loudly on the ground as he waited for her to approach. When she was close enough, he lowered his head and rolled onto his back, waiting for his belly to be rubbed.
Claire didn’t hesitate to give the dog what he wanted. And Duke closed his eyes, enjoying every second of it. Just as V enjoyed seeing the sun play upon Claire’s blond hair while listening to her talk to Duke.
Seeing her at Dreagan did something to him. He couldn’t explain what it was, or even why it happened there, but V knew there was no way he could ever walk away from Claire.
She looked over her shoulder at him, smiling brightly while waving him over. His feet began to move before he realized it. As soon as Duke saw him, the dog looked up and shook his head before letting out a loud bark.
“Hey, lad,” V said as he squatted beside Claire to join in on the belly rub.
“He’s beautiful. Is he yours?”
V laughed. “He actually belongs to Cassie and Hal, but he seems to have developed a bit of a crush on me.”
“I can understand that,” Claire said as she flashed him a quick smile.
“You’ll have to fight with Duke to share my bed.”
She quirked a brow. “Oh, I’ll win that fight.”
They grinned at each other before straightening. The dog jumped up and fell in step beside them as they continued walking.
V pointed out sections of land used for grazing by the sheep and cattle. He knew more about that part of Dreagan than the distillery, so he was glad when she didn’t ask him any questions about whisky.
“The manor is so big it makes you forget how large the mountain really is,” she said.
He nodded. “Only those who have been inside the manor know that it’s connected to the mountain.”
“I’m sure there’s a reason for that.”
“Aye,” he said. “I’m about to show you once we reach the back.”
V covertly watched her expression when they finally got to the back of the mountain, and she saw the enormous entrance. Her lips parted in shock, and her eyes grew round.
She looked at him then and grinned. “Another secret of Dreagan?”
“We have so many. This is where we fly in and out of most times.”
Claire swallowed, nodding. The fact that she was silent worried him. A lot. She might know of the Kings but she hadn’t seen one, and that could change everything.
“It’s a really large opening,” she s
aid.
“We’re really large.”
She licked her lips as her gaze dropped to the ground.
Some of V’s excitement dimmed. So maybe she wasn’t as perfect as he had first thought. There was nothing wrong with that. “You know of us, but you’ve no’ seen us.”
“I have,” she confessed without looking at him.
“The video?”
Claire nodded and finally slid her gaze to him. “But I also saw Darius and a couple of other Kings shift that night in Edinburgh.”
“So you know what we look like.”
“Yes. When can I see you?”
He wanted to shift right then, but he stopped himself. “Soon, lass.”
CHAPTER THIRTY
Soon, lass.
The man was slowly killing her with his voice. But it would be a death Claire embraced happily.
“Do you remember the four Silvers I told you about?” he asked.
How could she ever forget them? “Of course.”
“Do you want to see them?”
“Absolutely.”
V chuckled. “That was a quick response.”
“I can’t believe you would even think I would pass up such an opportunity.”
“You didna see your face when you saw this back entrance.”
Claire inwardly grimaced. “It wasn’t because I was scared. It made me remember how large Darius and the others were in dragon form. That made me think of that horrible night and the Dark.”
“I asked Ulrik. Those Fae are dead. Otherwise, I’d find them and erase them from existence this verra minute.”
She started to hug him for saying such a thing, but Duke decided that he wanted to stand between them.
V laughed, and they started toward the enormous opening. As Duke trotted beside Claire, she leaned close to the large dog and whispered, “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing. It’s called sharing. You might want to try it.”
When Claire straightened, she caught V smiling at her. She rolled her eyes. “Let me guess, despite my whisper, you heard that.”
“Aye. We have enhanced senses,” V said with a shrug as if it were no big deal.
“Well, that would’ve been nice to know before I tried to speak privately to the dog with you next to me.”
He squeezed her hand and nudged Duke ahead of them. Then he pulled Claire beside him. “Trying to keep secrets from me?” he teased.
“Everyone has them.”
“That is true.”
She looked up as they passed through the opening. The sheer size of it amazed her. Once inside with the sunlight behind her, they stopped so she could let her eyes adjust. Claire blinked several times, and slowly, she was able to see more of the cavern.
There was a huge carving of a dragon in the rocks. And that wasn’t the only one. There were dragons of every size carved everywhere. There was no way anyone could walk into the cavern and not realize that it had something to do with dragons.
“Ulrik drew that one,” V said as he pointed out the largest one. His arm dropped to his side. “I’m aware of Ulrik’s part in what happened to you in Edinburgh. From what I understand from Darius, you never showed any ill will toward Ulrik afterward.”
Claire shrugged. “He hasn’t come around often, and Darius was there. I saw how he and Sophie acted with Ulrik and went with that.”
“But you’re angry with him.”
Claire made a sound in the back of her throat. “It’s difficult to explain. He was responsible for drugging and taking me. He did hand me over to the Fae. I know there are parts I don’t recall because I was unconscious, but I know enough.”
“The Dark might have had their hands on you, but they didna have their way with you.”
“No,” she said with a smile. “Sophie made sure of that. And when that nearly didn’t work, Darius was there to make sure neither of us was touched.”
V tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “As I would have.”
His words made her shiver because she knew he would protect her. It was there in his words, in his voice.
There was little light, so Claire wasn’t able to see V as clearly as she wanted. But she didn’t need to. She could feel the desire between them, the sexual tension that seemed to grow on its own anytime they were near each other.
He turned and tugged her after him. She was thankful that V had a hold of her hand because her knees were knocking together. Knowing what those at Dreagan really were was one thing. Learning their secrets and discovering a side of them reserved for only a select few was something altogether different.
Claire tried to look at everything as they walked deeper into the cavern, but there was so much to see that she missed the majority of it. Then she found herself following V through a tunnel. She looked around for Duke, but the dog must have walked off without her realizing it.
Her attention went back to the tunnel. It was wide and tall enough for two Dragon Kings to walk together, but what really amazed her were the lights she saw hanging on the stone walls. With no wires to be seen. She knew without asking that it was done with magic.
She thought of all the things she could do if she had magic. In her profession, she would use it to heal everyone who was sick. And it made her wonder why Sophie didn’t have Darius do that. It was something she would have to ask her friend later.
They moved deeper into the tunnel. Claire saw others branch off, and there were also several smaller caverns, but V didn’t stop at any of those.
He hadn’t said anything since the last time he’d spoken, and she was beginning to worry a little. His pace was slow enough that she didn’t have to run to keep up with him, thankfully.
Her thoughts halted when he suddenly stopped. Claire came up beside him and followed his line of sight into another cavern. This one wasn’t nearly as large as the first, but it was still huge. Inside it was a gigantic cage that had a soft white light shining down upon it from overhead. Claire couldn’t see where the light was coming from, but she followed it to look inside the cage.
There she saw the four silver dragons.
V released her hand and walked to the animals. He stopped beside one and put his hand upon it, softly stroking the scales. He whispered something that she couldn’t make out, but it tugged at her heart. She couldn’t imagine how he must feel knowing that the Kings and these four were the last of their kind on Earth.
She didn’t move until V turned his head to her. Only then did she walk to him. She looked into his face, trying to see his eyes in the shadows.
“Do you trust me?” he asked.
She nodded in reply.
He took her wrist and pulled her closer to the cage before moving her arm through the bars and placing her palm upon the scales. Claire gasped when warmth—not cold—met her hand.
“They willna wake,” V said near her ear as he molded his front to her back. “You can touch them all you want.”
She found herself stroking the dragon as V had with Duke earlier. “Would they like this?”
“Aye,” he whispered. “Verra much so.”
“Why don’t you wake them?”
His warm breath fanned her neck as he sighed. “It would be too harsh to do such a thing. The Kings are here, but the Silvers wouldna be able to fly and live as they had before. They would have to remain hidden. And alone.”
“Yes. That would be cruel. I hadn’t thought about that.” She looked over her shoulder at him. “Do you think that you might be able to wake them one day?”
“That is no’ something I believe I can answer. When we sent the dragons away, we never imagined so much time would pass without us calling them home. I fear they may never return.”
“That’s … sad,” Claire said and looked back at the very large dragons sleeping twined together.
She didn’t know how long she stood petting the dragon before she finally pulled her hand back through the bars.
“You’re a rare find,” V told her.
She turned
to face him and frowned. “Why do you say that?”
“Do you know how many hunt us? How many search for any clues that dragons exist? You had that information and never sought to do anything with it.”
Claire shrugged halfheartedly. “It would have hurt the Kings, those that saved me and Sophie. And it would have devastated my best friend. I would never do either.”
“As I said. Rare.”
V’s compliment warmed Claire.
“Come,” he said and took her hand again. “There is more I wish to show you.”
Claire happily followed him. As they made their way through the tunnel again, she realized that she had yet to see anyone else. Frankly, she wasn’t too keen on running into anyone. She wasn’t sure how they would feel about her being there. For all she knew, they thought she was intruding.
V paused before a door, and as they walked through it, Claire found herself in the conservatory of the manor. “I’ve been here,” she said.
Once V shut the door behind them, she looked at it, amazed to see that it perfectly blended with the wall and was hidden behind a plant.
V took her for a tour of the entire downstairs. Some of it she had seen, but she didn’t care. Seeing it again with V beside her was fun.
She particularly liked finally being able to see the library. As a lover of books, being surrounded by so many was heartwarming. She could have stayed there for hours, but V pulled her out with a promise that she could return later.
He then took her to the kitchen, which, as she should have expected, was huge. The idea of the groceries that had to be purchased to feed so many nearly made her break out in hives. She was just thankful that she didn’t have to buy any of it. Or cook.
It wasn’t until they came out of the kitchen and were on their way to the stairs that Claire finally saw someone. And, of course, it had to be Con.
He bowed his head to her after he looked at V, but he didn’t stop to talk. Claire was relieved. She wasn’t sure what to say to him.
“You told him, didn’t you?” she asked V.
He didn’t pretend that he didn’t know she was referring to the secret she’d kept. “I did.”
“Is he upset?”
“On the contrary. Con likes you.”