Beyond the Darkness

by Katie Reus

  Though she was damn sure going to try.

  * * *

  What the hell? The sound of a female screaming pushed Bran into action. The front door slammed against the wall as he shoved it open. Not bothering to shut it, he raced for the library.

  He jerked to a halt at the sight of Nyx shouting at the top of her lungs. Victoria was next to her, her green eyes wide with raw panic.

  Keelin wasn’t in the room.

  She was supposed to be here. “Victoria—”

  His words were cut off when a tall, Amazonian-looking woman with fiery red hair appeared out of nowhere, her expression pleased as she watched Nyx. Despite the difference in hair color, the female was clearly related to Nyx. Her mother. The goddess of Chaos.

  Nyx stopped screaming, but the desks and books around them were all trembling, with some falling off the shelves. “Mother, I need your help.”

  “I know, silly girl.”

  Bran started to step forward but the tall female looked at him, her eyes turning a winter blue. “Don’t take another step, dragon, or I leave this instant and you never see your pretty female again.”

  Fuck. Keelin was gone. Somehow, she was missing. It didn’t seem possible but whatever was happening, Bran could swallow his pride and stay put. Fighting back his terror, however, wasn’t as easy.

  “Enough, Mother! I know you can tell me where he’s taken her. Do it now.”

  The demigod had Keelin? No! His dragon clawed at him, all his rage threatening to burst through. Bran shoved down his growing fear, waiting for the goddess to do something.

  The female smiled, all white teeth, red lips and pure calculation in her expression as she watched her daughter. “I’ll tell you where your friend is but you will owe me a favor.”

  Nyx didn’t even pause. “Fine. As long as it doesn’t involve murder, rape, torture or maiming someone, I will owe you one favor.”

  The female smiled, a deadly predator’s gleam in her blue eyes. “Deal.” Then she held out her hand and touched Nyx’s head.

  Bran wanted to race toward her, afraid the female would leave without him but he forced himself to remain where he was. He couldn’t risk the goddess not helping them.

  A moment later the goddess disappeared into thin air and Nyx looked up and directly at him. “She showed me an image of where they are.” Nyx ran toward him, her arm outstretched.

  Bran started for her, knowing she intended to transport them.

  Victoria was close behind but Nyx turned and threw out an arm. When she did, Victoria went flying onto a couch as if thrown by an invisible force. “I’m sorry, you can’t come.” Then she grabbed Bran and the world exploded into a kaleidoscope of color and noise.

  Chapter 24

  Internally cursing the fact that she had pretty much no battle moves, Keelin went with the only one she’d learned so far. Simultaneously screaming and breathing fire, she rushed at the male.

  His screaming stopped as she slammed into him. Pain rippled through her from her stab wound but she was already healing. Using what she’d learned from Bran, she turned into Naram and slammed her hip into his crotch. Without pause she twisted in his hold, ignoring his groan of pain and surprise. Fluidly she bent over, using her momentum to slam him to the ground.

  As he flew through the air he grabbed her wrist and too late she realized his intent. Yanking hard, he grabbed her bracelet.

  The metal scraped against her skin as he slammed into the ground. No, no, no. He couldn’t be allowed to possess it.

  She lunged for him, releasing her fire even though it didn’t seem to affect him. Her dragon just took over. She might not be trained but she was still strong. Tackling him to the ground, she screamed when he punched her in the stomach, the slam enflaming her wound.

  He kicked her off him, metal glinting in his hand. A knife. He raised it high and she started to roll away when an explosion rent the air.

  Stone and plaster rained down on them as the roof and walls around them crumbled to nothing. Bars on prison cells ripped apart, the metal tearing as if it was paper.

  Flat on her back from the explosion, her ears rang as she stared up at what looked like a high, winding stone staircase. She shook off her pain and shoved up from the ground.

  Bran! Joy surged through her at the sight of him standing near a crumbling wall until she saw a motionless Nyx. Her friend was curled on her side with blood trickling out of her nose and she was barely breathing.

  “You stupid fucking dragon,” Naram snarled at Bran as he climbed over a pile of rubble. He slid the bracelet onto his wrist and it was as if the air around him charged with energy.

  Bran didn’t pause, just unleashed a fire so hot and intense it coated everything, even licking high into the busted stairwell above them.

  Naram laughed again, the evil sound raking against her senses. “Stupid fool! You can’t touch me now!” he shouted, all his attention on Bran.

  As if he’d forgotten she existed.

  Bran’s fire flowed around the demigod, not touching him at all. Keelin had no idea how to kill a demigod, but she was going to use his inattention to her advantage.

  Think, think, think.

  Suddenly Bran’s fire was cut off as he flew backward through the air. Naram raised his arms high above him, shouting in victory as Bran slammed against the nearest wall. Bits of rock broke off under the impact.

  The sight of her mate being injured made something snap inside her. Unable to control herself, a screech tore from her throat as she underwent the change faster than she ever had before.

  Her wings burst from her body as something dark inside her she’d never known existed broke free. Her fire burned intensely hot, a pale blue stream of flame releasing from her as she dove for Naram.

  She was vaguely aware of Bran shifting too, but she ignored him, all her focus on the threat to her mate. She had to destroy Naram, to keep him from hurting Bran and Nyx at all costs.

  Screaming as his clothes caught on fire, Naram disappeared, transporting away, but reappeared ten feet away, naked and covered in soot.

  “No!” he screamed, the fear rolling off him so potent it fed her dragon like the sweetest nectar.

  He was having trouble transporting! Feeling victorious, she let out another stream of the same raging fire at the same time Bran did. His was just as pale and beautiful as hers, the blue nearly blinding as the demigod tried to run for the stairs. She’d heard that her brother had released a similar fire when his mate had been in trouble.

  Naram’s body was burning, his screams echoing around the cavernous room until Bran lunged, snapping his head off without warning.

  The male’s body turned to ash but before her predator side could relish the demigod’s death, she felt a presence behind her.

  She turned in time to see a male pushing up from behind one of the dead bodies—one of the dead dragon shifters—a blade in his hand. His eyes flamed red as he lunged at Keelin.

  If she could have laughed at his pathetic attempt she would have. Instead she released her fire, this time the flames their normal bright orange. The male screamed before bursting into flames and eventually turning to dust.

  Tense, she turned to see Bran already shifting to his human form. She didn’t scent anyone else in the dungeon but the smell of fire and death was potent so she could be wrong. Though she was unsure that they were alone, since Bran had shifted, instinct told her the threat was over.

  The change flowed over her with a quickness she hadn’t expected. Wincing as she stood, she was thankful to realize that she was almost healed, a faint purple bruise on her stomach the only souvenir from her injury. She didn’t care about that though.

  “Keelin.” Bran’s face was tortured as he jumped over a couple fallen stones.

  She rushed for him, thankful he was alive. “I’m okay. What’s wrong with Nyx?”

  Wrapping his arm around her waist, he pulled her close as they hurried to Nyx’s fallen body. Bran checked the pulse in her neck as Keelin
took her friend’s hand. She was breathing but blood covered her upper lip and cheek.

  “Her pulse is strong,” Bran murmured, pulling his hand back from Nyx’s neck.

  No sooner had he said the words than Nyx’s eyes popped open in alarm. She jerked upright, fists up as if to fight off an attacker until she realized it was just Keelin and Bran.

  “What happened?” she asked, looking around the scene of destruction in horror.

  Keelin followed her gaze and her heart twisted at the sight of the dead Moana dragons in the cells. She hated that they’d been too late to save them. They were clearly in a dungeon and if she had to guess it was part of a castle. Some part of her hindbrain recognized other scents and while she couldn’t put her finger on exactly what it was, it smelled like Scotland.

  The first place she’d ever called home so many years ago. That scent was embedded deep inside her. “We’re in Scotland,” she murmured.

  To her surprise, Bran nodded and Nyx did the same. Keelin didn’t think Nyx had the same sensory gifts as them but she must know where they were if she’d transported herself and Bran here.

  “Are you okay?” she asked her friend.

  Nyx nodded and started to stand so they both helped steady her. “The transport was just rocky. I was so emotional and worried I couldn’t get a grip on anything. It was like being in a hurricane.”

  “Thank you for finding me.” Later she’d ask Nyx how she’d even known where she was but for now she grabbed both Bran and Nyx into a big hug, pulling them close.

  Nyx embraced them both but pulled back quickly. “Sorry, I just can’t hug your male when his junk is hanging out.”

  Despite everything that had just happened, a burst of laughter escaped both her and Bran and Keelin threw herself into Bran’s arms.

  He lifted her off the ground, burying his face against her neck as she did the same to him. “I love you.” It was a risk telling him how she felt first but she didn’t care. She loved him and he needed to know, whether he returned the feelings or not. It would probably kill her if he didn’t, but—

  “I love you too.” His grip tightened to the point it was almost painful but she didn’t mind. “Never fucking scare me like that again.” The soft growl of his words was laced with the kind of fear she’d felt earlier when she thought he’d been in mortal danger. When she’d thought that demigod would take away the male who’d come to mean everything to her.

  “I’ll try not to.” Her voice was watery as tears escaped but she couldn’t stop them. Too many emotions bubbled up inside her at once.

  The threat was gone and everyone she cared about was safe, including the male she loved. After this, she was never letting him go.

  Chapter 25

  “I think I could sleep for a week. Maybe longer,” Keelin groaned as she and Bran stepped through the front door of her house. It was quiet thankfully.

  After about thirty-six hours of working nonstop, she knew he had to be exhausted too. Once they’d figured out they were in a castle owned by Naram—though it wasn’t in his real name, but a fake human identity—Nyx had transported the deceased dragons back to Petronilla land. Then she’d transported Bran and Keelin. Nyx had even offered to take the dead dragons back to their home in Mississippi but she’d been exhausted and they didn’t want to reveal her powers to anyone else, especially not another dragon clan. They didn’t know enough about the Moana clan to make a judgment on whether they could be trusted yet.

  So the Alpha Nalani had arrived in Montana with members of her clan and retrieved her fallen people. She’d stayed for a while though, wanting to talk about alliances with Keelin’s parents, Bran and Conall. At least she’d been fully clothed this time. Meanwhile Bran had let his former boss know that the threat was over and August had sent a cleanup crew to the castle. Keelin didn’t actually care about that, she was just glad the male was dead and gone.

  They’d found the dragon bracelet in the rubble, the talisman having survived the attack from her and Bran. She wasn’t sure how she felt about it or if she wanted to wear it again. The visions had been interesting and helpful, but for now she just wanted to officially mate with her male and not worry about someone trying to kill her or those she cared about. And she didn’t want to see anyone’s dark or depressing thoughts.

  “I’m not surprised Victoria was right about the blue fire either,” she continued, still in awe over the pale blue flames she and Bran had both released on the demigod. Her brother Drake was the only one she knew who had used it before and it had been when his mate was in true danger. For months Victoria had been trying to figure out exactly what it was through research—though she’d already hypothesized that it was linked to mates—but once Keelin and Bran had returned from Scotland and told her family everything, her parents hadn’t been surprised by it. They’d confirmed that it was indeed a mating fire that only emerged in the direst of circumstances—like when battling a demigod.

  “I didn’t think your parents were ever going to let you leave,” Bran murmured, pulling her into his arms, his embrace warm and comforting. “And sleep is the last thing on my mind.” His breath was warm on top of her head.

  She silently agreed with his first statement. Her parents had understandably been crazy with worry but after Bran had told the entire clan how they’d killed the demigod together, with Keelin saving his ass—his words—it was like a weight had been lifted from her parents’ shoulders. Maybe she was wrong, but she hoped they could stop worrying about her quite so much. She knew they wouldn’t completely stop worrying because she was their child, but it felt as if they’d seen her in a different light.

  “You sure?” she asked, pulling back so she could look at him, but she still kept her arms wrapped tightly around him. “I’m pretty tired.” She fake yawned and yelped when he pinched her butt.

  He rolled his hips against her, his erection pushing at her abdomen. “You’re too tired for this?” he murmured.

  She yawned again, this time more exaggerated. “I’m so tired and I’m not really sure anything you say can convince me otherwise.” Fighting a grin, she stepped out of his hold and moved toward the stairs. He had to know she was kidding but the scowl on his face was adorable. “If you catch me, you get to keep me.” Before he could respond she tore up the stairs, racing for her bedroom with him close behind.

  The most primal part of her loved having him chase her. She knew it was her animal side, but her human side liked it a whole lot too. By the time she cleared her bedroom door, his arms were around her, his heartbeat an erratic tattoo against her back as he held her close.

  “You’re very brave to tease an Alpha dragon,” he murmured against her neck, his teeth raking along her skin in a way that had her nipples tightening and heat flooding between her legs.

  Oh yeah, she was definitely not too tired for him. “You like it.”

  “I do.” He slid a hand up under her sweater, his big palm spanning her belly. “Mate with me, Keelin.” In addition to the raw need she heard in his voice there was also a very real thread of fear.

  The fact that he actually worried she’d say no sliced at her. She turned in his arms and laced her fingers behind his neck. “Yes.” There was more she wanted to tell him, but that one word unleashed all the passion and hunger inside him.

  His mouth slanted over hers, his tongue demanding entrance as he teased the seam of her lips. Grabbing her hips he hoisted her up so that she had to wrap her legs around his waist. He walked them to her bed and stripped her clothes in seconds. She was surprised he didn’t burn them off this time.

  Naked, splayed out for him, her breath hitched in her throat as she watched him strip. It was as if he was putting on a show just for her.

  Gold fire rippled around him and her room, the flames coating her big bed and ceiling as he slowly peeled his shirt over his head. His chest and abs were nicked with scars she’d kissed—and looked forward to kissing and touching more over the years—and it took all her effort not to reach fo
r him.

  But she wanted to enjoy this.

  Next went his shoes and pants. No surprise the male was commando. When he was finally bared completely to her, huge and strong, her entire body heated with a primal awareness. After tonight there was no going back.

  Mated dragon shifters couldn’t break up or part ways. Well, they could in the technical sense, but dragons mated for life and when one died, so did the other.

  He paused at the edge of the bed, watching her. “Having second thoughts?” His jaw clenched tight.

  The fears she’d let grow inside her had been her own insecurities. She was done letting fear rule her. Nothing would stop her from mating with this amazing male. She’d been alive for a long damn time and knew without a doubt that she wanted this. Wanted him.

  “Not even a little bit. I’m just thinking how incredible you look standing there and I want to see you touch yourself.”

  He blinked once before his gaze went molten, her words having clearly surprised him. But he fisted his cock at the base and stroked upward once, then twice.

  She let out a moan as another rush of heat flooded between her thighs. He was way too sexy for his own good.

  Without thinking, she slid a hand between her legs and touched her clit. Before she’d even stroked herself once, Bran was on top of her, his big body covering hers, his lips devouring hers.

  The male was so demanding and she loved it.

  “I’m going to taste you later,” he murmured, trailing kisses down her jaw as he cupped her mound.

  She arched into his hold and dug her fingers into his back. “Right back at you.” Because she wanted to kiss and tease every inch of him tonight. The need to mate was too strong.

  His fire and her light lit up the room in a fiery blaze that told her he was just as crazed for her as she was for him.