Darkest Flame (38 page)

Seeing him again made Denae realize how much she loved him. It had been the hardest thing of her life leaving Dreagan. What was he doing there? Didn’t he realize she wouldn’t be able to leave him again?

He took a step toward her, and that propelled Denae to stand. Her bare feet were silent as she walked to the steps.

She drank in the sight of him, the power, the virility, the sheer sexiness. She knew just how well those lips of his kissed, how gentle and coaxing his hands could be, and how mouth-watering his body was.

He put one foot on the bottom step and then slowly smiled.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, finally able to form words.

He looked around. “This is where you grew up?”

“Yeah,” she said absently.

“It’s nice. Needs a coat of paint.”

Denae frowned, taking offense. “I know. I’ve had someone looking after the place while I’ve been gone.”

“Why no’ just sell it?” he asked, his celadon gaze landing on her once more.

“I was going to. I just couldn’t let go. I had to make MI5 think I did, however, so I transferred the title into my aunt’s name.”

“Smart girl.”

She shifted and finally stepped to the side. “Would you like to come in?”

Kellan climbed the steps onto the porch. His caramel-colored hair tempted her to run her fingers through it and drag his head down for a kiss.

Somehow, Denae managed to keep her hands to herself. She lifted her glass. “Would you like some sweet tea?”

“Nay, lass.”

“A tour, then?”

“Nay.”

Denae fiddled with her oversized cutoff denim shorts that hung precariously on her hips. Her red tank top suddenly felt too small and clung to her dampening skin.

That’s what Kellan did to her. He sent her reeling, listing whenever he was near. She couldn’t form a coherent thought or say a complete sentence because her mind—and body—were attuned to him.

“What do you want?”

“You.” His voice was soft, low. His eyes were intense and watchful.

She melted on the spot. With one simple word she was ready to throw herself into his arms. Hell, who was she kidding? She’d been ready to do that the moment she spotted him.

“Why did you leave?” he asked.

Denae felt a drop of condensation from her glass drip onto her foot. “It was for the best. I have a plan.”

“A plan you didna share with me.”

He sounded offended, which made her raise her brows. “Why should I?”

“Because we’re meant to be together. And you know it.”

She shook her head slowly. “No. I don’t know it. You’re immortal. I’m not. You’re a Dragon King. I’m … well, I’m a human. You know, the ones you despise.”

“I did despise humans,” he said as he closed the distance between them. “Until I met an American working for MI5 who snuck into my cave and woke me.”

Kellan wasn’t sure if anything he was saying was right. He’d never wooed a woman before, but he was willing to do anything to bring Denae back to Dreagan with him. Even if it meant he had to get on his knees and beg.

She looked delectable in her faded shorts and tank top. Her hair was down, the full length of it brushing the backs of her arms. She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen—or ever would see.

“I took care of MI5. I’ll find a way to take care of Taraeth.”

Kellan knew she was capable of a lot of things. Dealing with the Dark Fae, however, wasn’t one of them. He wouldn’t tell her that, not in so many words at least. She was a proud woman, and she had every right to be.

“The Dark are different than anything you’ve come up against before,” Kellan said. “You got a taste of them in Ireland. The difference is, their attention was diverted between the two of us. Taraeth is going to be hunting just for you. You’ll never see him coming.”

“I’m not a fool,” she said and glanced down. “Taraeth and all the Dark scare the hell out of me.”

This was the in he’d been waiting for. He took her hand in his, and said, “Then let me help protect you.”

In an instant, she jerked her hand away. “Is that what this is? Are you still deluded into thinking your promise holds? You saved me, Kellan. You got me away from MI5 and the Dark Ones. Your promise is fulfilled.”

“Bloody hell, woman, you’re maddening,” he said and then let out a loud sigh. “I want to protect you because I love you. I want to make sure no one can ever harm you again, and if you are ever fool enough to get yourself in trouble, I’ll be there to pull you out of it.”

She blinked. “What did you say?”

“I said, I’ll always be by your side.”

“No. That first bit.”

“That you’re maddening?” he asked. He knew exactly which part she wanted him to repeat. He hadn’t intended to blurt it out so casually. He’d wanted to do it with finesse, which had all gone out the window as soon as he’d laid eyes on her sitting on the swing.

The pulse at the base of her throat was erratic. “No. That middle bit.”

“Oh. Where I said I love you?”

She nodded. “Yep. That one.”

“I love you.”

“You can’t.” She paused and swallowed. “You can’t come here and say that.”

He didn’t think he’d ever understand women. She obviously liked hearing it, so why was she fighting it? “Explain it to me then.”

“You don’t like humans. You slept for centuries so you wouldn’t have to be around us.”

“I did,” Kellan admitted. “I never counted on you, lass. You are strong, honorable, clever, shrewd, beautiful, and resilient. You doona ever quit, and you doona ever give up. So why give up on me?”

She turned her head away, but Kellan saw the tears gathering. He pulled her into his arms and held her as her shoulders began to shake.

There was so much about this woman that he didn’t know, but he comprehended enough to understand that she was meant to be his. He knew he loved her, and if he realized nothing else, that would be enough.

Then it hit him that she might not love him. She’d enjoyed their lovemaking, but she’d never hinted at anything else.

“If you doona feel the same, I willna walk away. I will remain here and pursue you until I win you over.”

Denae lifted her head, her lashes spiky with tears. “You would stay?”

“Aye. I need you, Denae.”

“Con doesn’t want me there.”

“Con can go sod himself,” Kellan said flatly. “We had a … chat … before I left. He’ll welcome you.”

“By ‘chat,’ you mean you had a fight.”

Kellan glanced at the ceiling and shrugged. “You could say that.”

“Why?”

“Because I thought he’d sent you away.”

“Silly man,” she said and touched his cheek. “How could you not know I left because I love you? I wanted to make sure MI5 would leave y’all alone, and I wanted to lead the Dark Fae away from you.”

Kellan took her mouth in a scorching kiss, pouring all of his love, his desire, and his need for her into it. He wanted her to know through words and touch just how much he had to have her with him.

When he finally ended the kiss, her lips were swollen and he was backing her to the door of the house. He took her glass and set it on the arm of a chair before he opened the door and was hit with a blast of cold air.

Denae wrapped both arms around him and kicked the door closed as they entered the foyer.

“Will you come back with me to Dreagan?” he asked.

She nodded while jerking his shirt over his head. “Yes. Now, shut up and kiss me.”

Kellan was smiling when their lips came together.

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

Denae shouldn’t have been surprised when Kellan rented a private jet to fly them back to Scotland. Not that she paid much attention to the inside on the eight-hour journey. If she wasn’t sleeping, she was in Kellan’s arms.

Once they arrived in Inverness, Tristan was there to pick them up and drive them back to Dreagan. Denae didn’t know what to expect upon her arrival at Dreagan, but it wasn’t Con waiting to greet her.

“I told you, he and I had an understanding,” Kellan said as he held the Range Rover’s door open as she climbed out.

Denae walked to Con with Kellan by her side. “I told you I would take care of MI5.”

“So you did. With Rhi’s help, I hear. But I’m beginning to think you’d have done it on your own,” Con said.

“I would have.”

One side of his mouth lifted in a grin. “Welcome to Dreagan.”

And with that, he turned on his heel and walked away. Denae looked at Kellan who shrugged wordlessly.

“Let’s get to our rooms before the women find out you’re here,” he said.

Denae started laughing when Cassie’s voice could be heard shouting her name. Kellan grabbed her hand and raced her around the back of the house to enter through the kitchen. They ran up the stairs, not stopping until they were inside his room with the door locked.

He turned to look at her. “We’ve some talking to do.”

“Didn’t we do that on the plane ride over here?”

“I doona remember talking. I remember kissing, touching, and many orgasms, but no talking.”

Denae bit her lip as he approached. “Ah, yes. You may be right. I thought we did all the talking needed back in Texas.”

“There’s something else I need to ask you,” he said as he stopped in front of her and took her hands.

“I’m listening.”

Kellan hesitated a moment. “I love you.”

“And I love you.” Denae rose up on her toes and kissed him. “We got that sorted already, remember?”

“Aye, but there is something else.”

Her smile dropped as she glanced at the floor. “I don’t know how long I’ll have with you since I’m mortal, but I don’t want to squander another second of it.”

“What if you had forever with me?”

Her eyes jerked to his face where his celadon gaze watched her carefully. “Forever?”

“Forever. Eternity. We could have that.”

“And the catch?”

“You agree to be my mate.”

She frowned. “You mean like get married? I don’t understand.”

“It is like a human’s marriage, but when a mortal agrees to become a Dragon King’s mate, they are marked with a dragon eye and given immortality as long as their mate lives.”

“So we could be together … always.”

He nodded eagerly. “However, you’re right. There is a catch. There willna be any children. No mortal has ever been able to carry a fetus from us to term, if they get pregnant at all.”

“But I’ll be yours, and you’ll be mine?”

“Aye, lass. Whether you agree to the ceremony or no’, I’ll always be yours.”

A burst of pure joy filled Denae. Kellan was offering her more than she ever thought she could have. And by the way he was watching her, the silly man actually thought she might say no.

“Let me see,” she said as she ran her hands up his arms. “You’re offering me eons by your side where I don’t age and have forever with your kisses and that gorgeous body for me to explore at my leisure? Hmm. My answer would be a definite yes.”

His smile was tight. “Are you sure? You did hear me about no children, aye?”

“I heard you. We’ll figure out something if the time ever comes where I feel the need to have a child, but I suspect you will always be enough for me.”

She was jerked against his chest and held tightly in his grip. To her surprise, he was shaking. She would never question the depth of his love.

Denae ran her hand over his back. Despite the threat of the Dark Fae, she had never known such happiness.

*   *   *

Con stared at the papers on his desk without seeing them. Another of his Kings had fallen in love. He couldn’t stop the apprehension that coiled tightly in his gut.

None of them should have ever felt love for the humans.

Ever.

The Silvers moving two years ago, followed closely by Hal falling in love with Cassie, and then Guy for Elena, and Banan for Jane had all been forgotten.

They had then focused on helping the Warriors fight the evil Druids while continuing to remain secret from the world. But the threat that showed itself in London was poking them again.

And this time the enemy had enlisted the help of MI5 and the Dark Fae. It was only normal that everyone would forget about something like the Silvers moving.

Never mind that the Silvers hadn’t moved for thousands upon thousands of years before that.

The Silvers were Ulrik’s. Could he have found a way to contact his dragons again? That couldn’t be possible. Con had taken all of Ulrik’s magic, including his ability to communicate with the Silvers.

None of the Dragon Kings understood the lengths he had to go to while ensuring everything they had worked so hard to achieve remained secret. And it was better if they didn’t.

Con looked at his mobile phone lying on the desk. Ulrik’s number was programmed in. Not that he’d ever used it, but Con liked to be prepared for any eventuality.

“Why not just call him?”

He jerked at the silky voice belonging to Rhi. How he hated when she appeared in his office. He was missing the days the Light Fae had refused to show her face. Perhaps he should make it so that she couldn’t just pop in at Dreagan whenever she wanted.

Con lifted his gaze to find her sitting in one of the chairs before his desk. “Who are you talking about?”

“Ulrik. Call him. You might be surprised.”

Con had to call back the rage that flared within him. He stared into her silver eyes trying to see into her mind, to no avail. Damn Fae. “How do you know? Have you spoken with him?”

“No,” she said and rolled her eyes. “You always think the worst. It’s why you’re losing the loyalty of your Kings.”

This he didn’t want to hear, especially from her. “What do you want, Rhi?”

“I took a sample of Denae’s blood without her knowing it.”

Now that got Con’s attention. “Why?”

“I wanted to know if there was a reason she wasn’t affected by the seduction of the Dark. Yes, Taraeth forced her to orgasm, but she fought him. Not once did she fall under any Dark Fae’s spell.”

“Kellan said the same thing, but I didna truly believe him. I thought him blinded by his feelings.”

“He didn’t lie. I saw it myself.” Rhi licked her lips worriedly. “I wish I could say I found something in her blood proving she was part Fae or something.”