Dragon Knight

by Jayne Hawke

  “Have you read the classics?” Evander asked.

  “The old classics from before the New Era?”

  “Yes. Jekyll & Hyde is a particular favourite of mine, although Oliver Twist is also quite good.”

  “I’m afraid I haven’t been able to find copies I could afford.”

  “Ah, I’m sorry. Yes, I should have thought. We can go down to the library and I’ll find my copies for you. If you’d like.”

  A grin spread across my face.

  “Let me change into some more normal clothes, and then I would love to explore your library with you,” I said.

  The food had been incredible, but nothing would compare to spending some time in the library with the man who had put it together. Evander’s eyes lit up when he was around books, and I looked forward to hearing the soft passion in his voice when he talked about stories he’d particularly enjoyed.

  I returned to my own suite and hurriedly changed into my jeans and a plain white shirt. I hung the dress up carefully, not wanting to risk any damage.

  Evander was waiting for me in the hallway and wrapped his arm around my waist as he led me towards the elevator. I noted that he padded barefoot and had removed his jacket and tie. I ran my fingertips over his bare forearm, enjoying the feel of his powerful muscle and soft smooth skin.

  “It has taken me more than a century to build up this library, and even so it is smaller than the one in my country home. Books and stories are an old pleasure, something every race indulges in. They bring us together and carry us to experiences we might not have any other way of experiencing,” he said.

  I was beginning to wonder if this man had any flaws at all. He was pure perfection.

  Evander had taken me on a whirlwind tour through the more modern fiction section of the library. He had talked enthusiastically about thrillers, mysteries, and even a couple of romances. We paused in the older classical section. He pulled out a black leather-bound copy of Jekyll & Hyde, which was a slender book. I’d heard of the story, but I didn’t know much about it.

  He placed the book in my hands and wrapped my fingers around the soft smooth leather.

  “This is yours, my gift to you,” he said softly.

  My mouth went dry. It was such a big gift, something so personal and expensive. I tried to argue, but my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth and it came out as a strangled squeak.

  Evander placed his hand on my cheek and caressed my cheek bone.

  “I want to share it with you, Iona. No one else would treasure it and understand it the way you will,” he said softly.

  My heart threatened to stop dead in my chest. The gesture was too big. I was overwhelmed. He watched me with those emerald green eyes and a small crinkle at the corner of his mouth. My senses finally returned, and I leaned into him, brushing my lips over his.

  “Thank you,” I whispered.

  Looking down at the book in my hands, I felt as though I was holding a piece of him.

  He smiled warmly at me.

  “I believe you’d enjoy Jane Austen’s work; she was a master of romance. The Canterbury Tales might appeal to you, although I wasn’t particularly taken with them,” Evander said as he pointed out more leatherbound books on the shelves.

  “Why do you enjoy Jekyll & Hyde so much?” I asked.

  His eyebrows lowered and his eyes darkened a little as he thought.

  “I enjoy the tale of duality. The reminder that we each have a darkness within us, and sometimes it is easy to fall into that. With darkness comes a pleasure and freedom that become intoxicating. It is for us to decide exactly where the line lies for us and how we wish to deal with that knowledge and understanding. I do believe that we can use our darkness to better our lighter side. I think there is something to be said for true understanding. With that comes power and strength.”

  It took me a moment to process what he’d said. I’d been focusing on the way his mouth shaped the words.

  “We must be careful not to allow that darkness to control us, though. It is, after all, darkness,” I said.

  He nodded.

  “Do you know your darkness, Iona?”

  I glanced away. There had been times where I had enjoyed the hunt and the kill more than I should have done. A bloodlust had come over me. The thrill of chasing down something so powerful, a predator that hunted my kind, was addictive if we weren’t careful. We had lost a sister to it a few years ago. No one talked about it, but she had begun trying to hunt on her own. There was no real direction, just the need to feel that thrill and power.

  “Yes, I believe I do,” I said softly.

  “Do not fear it,” he said.

  There were times where it terrified me. I was a protector. I couldn’t lose myself to that.

  “We are stronger whole,” Evander whispered.

  I looked deep into his eyes and realised that he wasn’t talking about a little thrill of the hunt. There was something far more dangerous hiding within the man I was falling for.

  THIRTY-NINE

  Evander had made an excuse not long after midnight, and we had to part ways. I heard Connor’s voice in the hallway as I settled into the chair next to the window closest to my bed. I opened the copy of Jekyll & Hyde Evander had given me and felt a tingle of happiness.

  I took my time savouring every word of the classic but paused reading when I swore I heard something on the roof. It was a quiet sound, but there was an odd whooshing sound. Standing, I looked out the window to see if there was anything odd. Then I saw it. The dragon.

  I’d never been so close to it before. The beast was as large as the entire upper floor of the building I stood in. Its pitch-black scales glistened slightly beneath the moonlight. I watched as it casually flew away to kill who knew whom.

  Something formed in the back of my mind. This wasn’t the first time Evander had disappeared at around midnight. Frowning, I glanced at the silhouette of the dragon. It couldn’t be. Not Evander.

  FORTY

  I couldn’t sleep that night. Images of the dragon and the whoosh of wings kept circling around in my mind. I needed to find out more about Evander. A deep ache had formed in my chest, and it only grew as I looked at the copy of Jekyll & Hyde.

  The sun had risen a few hours prior when Connor knocked on the door. His hair was messy in that intentional way, and he wore another black t-shirt and a fresh pair of pale blue jeans.

  “Come on, breakfast is ready,” he said with an easy smile.

  He wasn’t at all what I had pictured from a fae, let alone a cu sith.

  I followed him and tried to be casual as I said, “How long have you known Evander?”

  “I haven’t really counted. Four or five centuries I think. Why?”

  “Oh, I was just curious.”

  He raised an eyebrow at me.

  “Don’t give me that shit, what do you want to know about him?”

  If he’s the dragon.

  “Everything?” I said with a laugh.

  He smiled and pressed the button for the elevator.

  “There’s a lot there, I don’t think you have the time to hear all of that. You’re here to hunt the dragon, after all,” he said with his accent thickening.

  “Do you or Evander know anything about the dragons?”

  Connor shrugged.

  This wasn’t going as I’d hoped.

  “You should read those books Evander left for you. They’ll teach you everything you need to know,” Connor said as he stepped out of the elevator.

  “Do you think Lord Fionn is the dragon?” I pushed.

  I needed something, someone to focus on as being the dragon.

  “Fionn’s a difficult lord. He plays by the old rules. He’s not smoothed around the edges the way Evander has,” Connor said.

  He was avoiding answering my question.

  “Is it true he has a witch coven bound to him?”

  “Aye. Now, we didn’t know what you’d like for breakfast, so you’ve got a bit of everything,” Connor s
aid as he opened a narrow redwood door.

  I looked at the long table in the centre of the square room. It was covered in food from all around the world. I recognised porridge, Swiss muesli, various forms of eggs, cold meats, and warm pastries. The side of salmon was a surprise, but not quite as much as the weird green yoghurt stuff.

  “Ah, that’s an old fae favourite. It’s made from cream and dawn light,” Connor said as he helped himself to some.

  I walked around the table and filled five plates with little bits of just about everything. There were dried fruits, pancakes, and some interesting variations on omelettes. I particularly enjoyed the minty fish with spiced pork. It was completely unlike anything I’d tried before, but it was so good I went back for seconds. Connor was laughing at me as I grabbed some toasted banana bread and a plate full of fresh and dried fruits to take back to my suite with me. It was the first opportunity I’d had to enjoy such foods. I wanted to make the most of it.

  My reading on the dragon had proved to be confusing and didn’t help me understand if Evander could be the dragon or not. The books all detailed how the dragons were protectors and they didn’t harm innocent people. Yet there were so many stories to the contrary. I wasn’t sure why I had only been shown one side of this story, unless Evander had collected everything positive about... himself.

  I stretched out on my bed and thought back to my childhood with the sisters. We had been told about the evil dragons from a very young age. It was the highest honour to be chosen to kill the final dragon. Everything we knew about them was about their savagery and their murderous intent.

  My head was beginning to ache trying to think through everything. I decided to go down to the library and see if I could find anything else. More information was needed. Something was very wrong somewhere, and I needed to figure out why. My mind skipped back to Mr. Anastas. Was he involved in whatever this was?

  I wished I had a way to contact the sisters while I was there with Evander. Sister Analise would have been able to answer my questions. Sienna and Nicole might have been able to at least point me in the right direction and act as a sounding board. Sighing, I slipped out into the hallway and saw the slender blond man glare at me as I approached the elevator.

  Seeing an opportunity, I grinned at him and changed my path to walk over to his desk. His expression darkened, and he lifted his chin to look down at me. His pale lips thinned into a firm white line.

  “How long have you worked for Lord Evander?” I asked.

  “Long enough,” he bit out.

  “Does he often work in the dead of night?”

  “Yes. One does not become a lord with the power he has without working long and hard.”

  A feeling of relief washed over me. Evander normally worked late, so this dragon stuff was just my being ridiculous and anxious. Of course he was just working.

  “Thank you,” I said with a small nod.

  The fae huffed and muttered as I turned away.

  He was a real charmer.

  FORTY-ONE

  Evander retrieved me from the library with a gentle kiss and a warm smile. He couldn’t be the dragon. He was a wonderful kind man. I kept telling myself I was being ridiculous, but my searches through fae history and politics weren’t helping me at all.

  “Come and join us for coffee. I think we could all use a break,” Evander said as he wrapped his arm around my waist.

  My heart sank a little as it sounded like we wouldn’t be alone.

  Connor was in Evander’s office with a large pot of coffee and some delightful-looking cakes. I needed to start shadow boxing and working out in my suite to work off the extra calories I was enjoying.

  Evander gestured for me to sit in the plush seat next to his, and Connor poured the coffee.

  “We said that we would help you find the dragon,” Evander said.

  “I’m having an awful time making any progress on the identity of the dragon. My best lead is Lord Fionn, but that’s only because he has such a dark and vicious reputation,” I said.

  “He isn’t so bad,” Evander said.

  “He is,” Connor whispered to me with a smile.

  Evander shook his head.

  “I don’t believe it’s Lord Fionn. He has been travelling around Europe this week, and the dragon was sighted here this week,” Evander said.

  I breathed in the rich aroma of the coffee and used it as an excuse not to speak for a moment.

  “Have you read the books we gave you? On the history of the dragons?” Connor asked.

  “Some. They’re so very different to what I’ve been told,” I said.

  “For fae, the dragons weren’t monsters or abominations. But I suppose to humans, the fae were themselves monsters,” Evander said.

  I frowned. This was sounding as though they sympathised with the dragons.

  “There’re two sides to every story. Propaganda is a powerful tool,” Connor said as he picked up a white cake with a fluffy snowflake topping.

  “Are you saying you think the dragons aren’t monsters and someone portrayed them that way...?” I asked.

  “Perhaps,” Evander said.

  “It wouldn’t be the first time a lord or lady has spread lies to try and claim a fresh territory for themselves,” Connor said.

  Evander drank some of his coffee. I couldn’t meet his eyes. What if the darkness he had talked about was the dragon?

  “Do you remember the trouble Ryn had a couple of centuries ago? The stories Mara spread about him! She almost had everyone believing that he was really a bastard child of a shifter and a fallen god. The work she put into those rumours. She printed books and wove more magic than she should have been capable of. Ryn crushed her, of course. Elves never stand for stupid nonsense,” Connor said.

  “Why would they believe an elf was the child of a shifter and a fallen god?” I asked.

  “People will believe what they want to believe if given the right nudge. They didn’t like the power and control Ryn was gathering. He was an elf, and they thought he belonged in the wilds not the courts. Of course, now he’s the most powerful of us,” Evander said.

  “Did you ever wonder about why those sisters of yours limit your knowledge and experiences?” Connor asked me.

  “We only have so much time. We need to train. We’re guardians, not scholars,” I said defensively.

  Connor made a noncommittal noise.

  “You’re not a fool, Iona. Make use of the library and the knowledge you have here,” Evander said gently.

  I bristled, feeling as though they were working against me. They had brought me there to help hunt down the dragon, and yet they were pushing me away from the very concept. I felt tricked.

  FORTY-TWO

  Evander

  Iona suspected me of being the dragon. I saw it in her while we were having coffee together. There was a tension running through her. We should have handled it better. We pushed her away and drove her deeper into her cultish understanding of the world. I hated that the damned Sisters of the Hunt had gotten their hands on such a beautiful soul.

  The Hades god touched were closing in. I could almost feel them breathing down my neck. Ailsa had been killed that morning, and it wasn’t by one of mine. There was a thread of magic at the scene of her murder, and it wasn’t fae magic. I only hoped that she had been returned to fae and wasn’t locked in the Underworld with Hades and his ilk.

  Smaller lords and ladies were taking the opportunity to try and stake their claim on Ailsa’s territory. I had driven them back in the courts that morning, but chaos rippled beneath the surface. Eyes and attention had turned away from the Hades god touched. They were all too busy trying to strip out what they could.

  Something was happening in the underworld of the city. It was a subtle shift, but the drugs were flowing differently. They were planning something. I needed to find out what before it was too late.

  FORTY-THREE

  Iona

  Dinner had been peaceful, if a little tense. Evande
r had cooked a beautiful meal for me. It was simple fish and chips, but he added something to the batter of the fish that gave me more depth. I was leaning against him as we watched the sunset together, as was becoming our habit. It was so easy to fall into a contented routine with him. I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was all some twisted joke from the gods. I hoped it was them. I didn’t want to think about Evander knowingly hurting me like that.

  Once the sun had fully set and we’d discussed a movie that had recently come into the theatres, I changed the topic.

  “It’s a beautiful night. We should walk along by the river.”

  Evander smiled and ran a small circle behind my ear with his thumb.

  “That sounds like a wonderful idea.”

  I was planning on keeping him out there past midnight to soothe my mind. There were worse things than keeping the beautiful man busy for a few hours. I was sure we could think of something to do.

  Evander had changed into a pair of expensive jeans and a casual long-sleeved shirt, which he rolled the sleeves up on. I trailed my fingers up over his arm and enjoyed feeling the hard powerful muscle there. He smirked down at me as sinful thoughts filled my mind.

  I was mildly disappointed when he guided me into the elevator and we took the ride down to the ground floor with only one hot and passionate kiss. Evander drove us the short distance down to the south bank, which was the prettiest of the riverside walks in my opinion. He parked beneath a mature tree with what looked suspiciously like a cait sidhe sleeping in the branches.

  The small black cat had a white mark on its chest like the cait sidhe, but I had thought they spent a lot of time in their human form. Not wanting to push my luck, I turned away and started down the white stone path that ran alongside the river. The drop down to the water was some eight or so feet, high enough to stop mermaids snatching someone off the path. Of course, if they were fool enough to sit and dangle their legs off the edge, they were fair game.