Charred by Darkness

by Alexandra Ivy

  The magic continued to pulse in the air as she sent him an impatient frown. “Why?”

  He pointed out the obvious. “We don’t have any idea where this spell might take us.”

  She glanced around the dark room, then deliberately allowed her gaze to rest on the sweat that was dripping down his face. A reminder that he was seconds from losing control of an infuriated dragon. “It’s better than here.”

  “There’s no guarantee.”

  She offered a sweet smile, wrapping her arms around his waist.

  “Trust me,” she whispered.

  “Hellfire,” he muttered, the room beginning to fade away just as his knees collapsed in exhaustion.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Levet watched as a dark silhouette began to form a few feet from Vex.

  Relief crashed through him. Not just that he was not going to be chopped into a pile of gravel by Styx’s big sword, but that Blayze was going to be reunited with her family.

  From what he’d heard, Blayze had suffered enough.

  “Bien!” he said as he rushed forward, his tail twitching with approval. Then the form solidified, and he belatedly realized that this wasn’t the pretty female dragon he’d been expecting. Instead it was a large male with long brown hair and dark eyes. Levet skidded to a halt, pointing a claw at the scowling stranger. “Eek. You are not the dragon we wanted.”

  Tayla gasped, standing next to Levet. But Vex ignored both of them. Her attention was wholly focused on the male standing directly in front of her.

  “Bolt?” she whispered.

  The dragon’s baffled frown was swiftly replaced with something that might have been yearning as he caught sight of the succubus.

  “Vex?”

  The pretty demon swayed, then she tumbled forward. The dragon cursed before he was moving with blinding speed. He gracefully scooped the unconscious succubus in his arms and cradled her against his chest.

  “Stop it, you overgrown lizard.” Levet gathered his magic as he moved toward the dragon. He was going to… Well, he didn’t know precisely what would happen when he released his power, but it was going to be awesome.

  The male that Vex had called Bolt sent him a warning glare. “Stay back.”

  “What have you done to her?” Levet demanded.

  “Me?” Bolt looked horrified by the accusation. “Nothing.”

  “Then give her to me.” Levet held out his arms.

  The male tightened his hold on the unconscious succubus. “I will not.”

  Levet stomped his foot, glaring at the dragon. “Vex is my friend.”

  A sizzling heat blasted through the room as Bolt cradled Vex even tighter against his chest and shuffled backward. “No.” His eyes smoldered, an ebony flame dancing over his long robe. Really, who wore a robe anymore? Levet wrinkled his snout. Only that human dude, the one they called the Pope. “She is mine.”

  Tayla grabbed the top of his wing, giving him a gentle tug backward.

  “Levet. I think they know each other,” she said in a hushed voice. As if she was wary of triggering some violent response from the male.

  Levet shook his head. It seemed ridiculous to think that Vex knew some random dragon that she’d plucked from midair. Then again, he’d been in this world long enough to know that fate often interfered at the oddest times.

  And Vex had confessed that she had once been in love with a dragon.

  Levet narrowed his gaze. “You are the one who broke her heart,” he accused.

  Bolt glanced down at the female in his arms, his fierce expression melting with an aching regret.

  “It was never what I wanted,” he rasped. “My father bound my life to another.”

  Tayla made a sound of impatience. “None of that matters now.” She turned to send Levet a frustrated glare. “Vex clearly used her powers to locate her lover. She had no intention of bringing Blayze back to us.”

  “Blayze?” the male dragon questioned. “Synge’s daughter?”

  Levet jerked his attention back to Bolt. “You know her?”

  The dragon gave a lift of his shoulder. “She was supposed to be my mate.”

  Levet arched his brows, glancing toward Vex who was snuggled in his arms. “Mate?”

  Tayla took a step toward Bolt, her lips parted as if she’d been struck by a sudden thought. “Where did you come from?”

  “Synge’s lair,” he answered without hesitation. “My father and I were there to celebrate the imminent birth of his daughter.”

  “His daughter?” Tayla widened her eyes. “You mean Blayze?”

  “Yes.” A strange expression tightened Bolt’s bluntly carved features. “And then a full-grown Blayze appeared.”

  “Wait.” Levet held up his hand, his poor brain spinning as he tried to keep track of what the dragon was telling them. “So you were celebrating your betrothal to the unborn Blayze when the future Blayze showed up?”

  Bolt offered a slow, cautious nod, his gaze darting between them and the female who he held with such obvious tenderness.

  “Yes, along with her servant Char,” he said.

  Tayla regarded him with a curious expression. “Did she tell you how she got there? Does she have the ability to travel through time?”

  Bolt hesitated, perhaps wondering if they were friend or foe of Blayze. After all, Tayla was an imp and Levet was a gargoyle. They might very well be hunting Blayze for some nefarious purpose.

  Then, seeming to sense their genuine concern, he answered. “No. She used her power to follow the curse back to the original caster.”

  Levet felt a stab of appreciation. He didn’t fully understand how Blayze’s magic worked, but it was clever of her to trace the curse back in time.

  “What happened to her?” Tayla demanded.

  “We’d discovered that Magma was plotting to curse her,” he said.

  The scent of scorched lemons filled the air, making Levet’s nose twitch. He didn’t even have to glance at Tayla to know she was pissed by the revelation.

  “A dragon was responsible for hurting Blayze?” she ground out.

  Bolt nodded, his own expression grim. “That was his intent.”

  Levet wrinkled his snout. Dragons were often bloody in their politics, but most of them were fiercely protective of their offspring. Especially female purebloods. It would be an outrageous breach of etiquette to harm a hatchling. “Why?” he demanded.

  Bolt’s lips curled with disdain.

  “Magma feared his seat on the Council was in jeopardy after he discovered that Synge and my father were negotiating my betrothal to Blayze,” Bolt explained.

  Ah. Now that sounded more like dragon politics. Strike first and ask questions later.

  “He had the curse?” Levet asked.

  Bolt shook his head. “No. He bribed Flynn to bring it into the lair.”

  Levet reached up to scratch his horn. Disappearing dragons. New dragons appearing. Dragons betraying other dragons.

  How was he supposed to keep track of what was going on?

  “Who is Flynn?” he demanded.

  Bolt’s disdain deepened. “A vampire in the service of Synge.”

  Levet parted his lips to demand more information when Tayla suddenly chopped her hand through the air, effectively silencing him.

  “We can discuss later who was responsible for the curse,” she said, taking command of the situation. “Right now we have to get Blayze back to this time.”

  Levet gave a helpless lift of his hands. “We cannot do anything until Vex awakens.”

  Tayla pressed her lips together, waving a hand toward the unconscious succubus. “Can you do something to—”

  “No,” Bolt interrupted, more flames beginning to swirl around his body. Despite his apparent agitation, however, he was careful to ensure that none of his fire came close to Vex. “She is clearly exhausted,” he growled. “I will not have her put in danger.”

  Tayla jutted her chin to a stubborn angle. “It’s not up to you.”

&n
bsp; Levet studied Vex’s pale face. The poor creature was out cold. Clearly she’d used every ounce of her power to bring the dragon through time. It was going to be a while before she revived enough to try again.

  Levet turned to grasp Tayla’s hand. He understood her urgency.

  With each passing second, the threat of a war between the dragons and vampires became more likely.

  And the closer he came to being a sacrificial llama. No, wait…lamb. A sacrificial lamb.

  “Perhaps it would be best if you travel to Baine and reveal what we have discovered,” he urged his friend. Levet might not like Tayla’s snarly mate, but he was the most reasonable of all the dragons. Which was not saying much. “If nothing else, you can distract Synge with the information that you discovered the male responsible for having his daughter cursed. By the time Synge hunts down and slaughters Magma, he might be in a more reasonable mood.”

  Tayla bit her lower lip, offering a slow nod. “True. If he is battling Magma, he can’t be at war with the vampires,” she agreed.

  “And I can live to see another sunrise.” Which was really more important than any silly war.

  Tayla turned to use her magic, sending Levet a warning glance. “Keep an eye on them.”

  “Shoo,” he said, giving a wave of his hand. She hesitated just a second before forming the portal and disappearing from view. Left alone with the unknown dragon who was eyeing him with a fierce gaze, Levet gave a flap of his wings and puffed out his chest. “Do not try anything funny or I will strike you down with my stupendous magic.”

  Bolt snapped his brows together, the room heating with his displeasure. “Has anyone told you that you are an annoying creature?”

  Levet sniffed in shocked disbelief at the accusation. “Certainly not. I am beloved by all.”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Blayze didn’t need any special powers to detect Char’s disapproval. It vibrated in the very air. And if she was being honest, she didn’t entirely blame him.

  Yeah, it was fantastic that they were escaping Magma. And hopefully the spell would take them back through time.

  But that didn’t keep it from being creepy as hell.

  Not only did it feel as if they were treading through thick molasses, but the darkness couldn’t be penetrated, not even with their night vision. They would have been completely blind if her natural glow hadn’t managed to penetrate the solid sense of nothingness.

  And worse, her already depleted magic was beginning to sputter.

  She was reaching the limit of her power.

  Grimly trying to hide her exhaustion, Blayze felt Char’s arms wrap around her waist.

  “Stop, Blayze,” he commanded, tugging her hard against his body. “I can sense your weariness.”

  She tilted back her head to meet his worried gaze. “We’re close to an opening.”

  His brooding gaze swept over her face, lingering on her lips.

  “Will the spell collapse if we don’t get out of here soon?”

  She shook her head. The original spell was now completely taken over by her own magic. Otherwise it would have disappeared within a few minutes. “No. Now that I’m manipulating the magic, it will remain stable.”

  He glanced around, almost as if he was hoping to see through the vast darkness. “What about behind us?”

  She blinked, her fatigue making it difficult for her to think clearly. “What do you mean?”

  “Can anyone follow us?”

  Ah. She understood his confusion. To him it must seem as if they were traveling through a portal. Instead, she was ripping through the threads of time, using magic from the succubus as her compass.

  Which meant there was no way for anyone to trace their passage.

  “No, there’s no way anyone can reach us,” she assured him.

  “Good. Then you’re going to rest.”

  She wrinkled her nose, trying to pretend as if she wasn’t about to collapse. “Are you giving me orders?”

  “Yes.”

  Without warning, Char closed his eyes. Blayze frowned as she felt the warmth of his power brushing over her. At first she assumed he was trying to share his power with her, then the darkness began to pulse as a dome of light spread around them.

  Her breath caught as there was a sudden shimmer in the air, and in the blink of an eye, the area was transformed from the bleak shadows to a gorgeous bedchamber.

  There was a smooth marble floor and white fluted pillars that held up a mosaic-tiled ceiling. The walls were decorated with delicate tapestries. And in the very center of the space was a large four-poster bed draped in golden silk. It looked like something out of a fairy tale.

  Or more likely, her deepest fantasies.

  Dragons were capable of creating illusions that seemed real. And the most powerful dragons could reach into the mind of another to create what they most desired. But she’d never heard of a half-breed possessing the talent.

  Clearly, Char was even more powerful than she’d suspected.

  Busy appreciating their lovely surroundings, Blayze was caught off guard when Char swept her off her feet. He stared down at her startled expression as he crossed the floor. Then, with a sudden smile he tossed her into the center of the vast bed.

  She landed on the soft mattress, her arms and legs splayed like a sacrificial virgin.

  Which she technically was.

  Oh, not the sacrificial part. Just the virgin part.

  Suddenly Blayze forgot all about her weariness. Instead, a heart-stopping pleasure sizzled through her body as she allowed her gaze to skim over the male standing next to the bed.

  He was just so gorgeous. His short hair that gleamed like polished silver. His gray eyes that had softened to mist. The elegant features that held a hint of his fey blood.

  She knew she could search for the rest of eternity and never find another male who could ignite her blood to such a fever pitch.

  Almost on cue, her dragon stirred and stretched, purring in anticipation. “What if I’m not in the mood to rest?”

  His eyes darkened, his nose flaring as he caught the unmistakable scent of her arousal. Still, he visibly struggled to keep his own dragon leashed.

  “Please, Blayze, you’re tired.” His voice was thick with strain. “I need you to take care of yourself.”

  She moved until she was perched on her knees in the center of the bed. Then, holding his gaze, she reached down to grasp her beaded gown, sliding it over her head.

  “You’re killing me,” Char rasped, silver flames dancing around him as she tossed the gown aside to reveal her naked body.

  She tilted her head to the side, trying to look provocative. “A succubus created the original spell we’re following,” she pointed out. “Which means there’s only one way to truly recharge my magic.”

  It wasn’t actually true. Oh, there might be a way to tap into sexual energy if it lingered in the spell. But she knew Char intended to be annoyingly noble. He was convinced that he was somehow unworthy to be her mate because of his mixed bloodline.

  Which meant she had to do whatever necessary to prove that none of that stuff mattered to her.

  Or to her dragon.

  His gaze roamed down her naked body, his eyes glittering like shards of silver.

  “Your father—”

  She leaned forward, placing her hand across his mouth. “No.”

  Char reached up to wrap his fingers around her wrist, gently tugging her hand away. “If we manage to return home, we both know that your father will expect you to accept his choice of a mate.”

  Blayze shook her head. She didn’t care if she had to go back into hiding. She was never, ever going to hand control of her life over to another.

  Especially not Synge.

  “We will return,” she insisted. “And when we do, I will inform my father that I’ve already chosen my mate.”

  Char’s breath hissed through his teeth, his beast visible in his eyes. “Mate?”

  A slow smile curved her lips
. “Mate.”

  “You’re certain.”

  “More certain than I have ever been in my life,” she assured him in a husky voice. “I belong with you.”

  Kicking off his heavy shoes, Char ripped off his shirt and dropped his slacks to reveal the breathtaking glory of his male form.

  “Synge won’t be happy,” he growled, moving to join her on the mattress.

  Blayze’s brain threatened to shut down as she reached out to touch the smooth, chiseled muscles of his chest. Not that she cared. Surely a female wasn’t supposed to think when she was in the presence of a naked male?

  Her dragon roared and her palm sizzled from the heat of his flames.

  “Synge’s ability to make decisions for my future was ended when he condemned me to death,” she reminded him.

  He shivered as her fingers stroked over the broad width of his chest.

  “What about your mother?” he demanded.

  “I love her, of course.” She shrugged. “And I will be eternally grateful for the sacrifices she made for me. But it’s time for her to live her own life.” Her hand skimmed downward, exploring the rigid hardness of his abs. Very nice. Then she explored lower, wrapping her fingers around his thick erection. Even nicer. “And allow me to live my life.”

  A groan was wrenched from Char’s lips as she pressed her hand down the long length of his cock. She smiled. Her dragon liked that. She pulled her fingers back to the tip, using her thumb to tease at the sensitive head before she pushed back down again.

  His flames scorched over her as he lowered her back onto the golden silk blanket and covered her with his body.

  “Does living your life include me?” he asked in husky tones.

  “If you want me.” She lifted her hands to wrap them around his neck, her flames igniting to dance like iridescent jewels between them.

  It was the first time she’d ever had her fire kindled by desire.

  It was intoxicating.

  “Want?” Swooping his head downward, Char nibbled at the corner of her mouth. “That doesn’t begin to describe my need for you.”

  A violent shudder shook her body, the beast inside her pressing against her skin in an effort to get closer to Char.