Hot Blooded (34 page)

Con found nothing, which didn't help his sour mood. He went back downstairs and took more time riffling through Ulrik's desk, but still he found nothing.

He put everything back in place and opened his telepathic link to Ryder. “
We have new cameras in place.
”

“
Are you kidding?
”

“
They're on. Check them and you can see me.
” Con waited a moment and then waved toward the camera above the door.

“
He's going to find them,
” Ryder stated flatly.

“
Until then, we'll get what we can.
”

“
This could send him over the edge, Con. I doona think this was a wise move.
”

Con slowly rose, his gaze directed at the camera. “
Every King is in danger. Do you want to endure what is happening to Rhys? I will do whatever is necessary for the survival of the Kings.
”

“
Careful. There are those of us who doona want Ulrik dead. You kill him, and you destroy what we have.
”

Con knew all too well that if he killed Ulrik that it would fracture the Kings, possibly for good. But if it meant the threat to them was gone, then he would do it.

“
Being King of Kings means making the hard decisions. Is everything set for our visitors?
”

“
Aye.
”

Con severed the link and moved aside to roll the chair back in place. He strode to the front door and walked outside. With a wave of magic, he locked the front door before he hurried to the shadows.

*   *   *

Ulrik pushed off from his spot against the building across the street from his store and watched Con fade into the night. The magic surrounding The Silver Dragon alerted him the moment someone entered.

He was on his way back to the store when an image of Rhi flashed in his head. As soon as the alert hit him, he hurried. He was curious about what would bring Rhi to him. Whatever she had to say would be good. It always was.

Ulrik was at the corner about to cross the street to the store when he spotted Con entering. A moment later, he got another alert, this time it was an image of Con that flashed in his head.

It took Ulrik a full minute to get past the haze of fury. His nemesis was in his place of business, his home. Ulrik had been counting down the days until he could confront Con and get his revenge. He wanted to kill Con right then, but it wasn't time.

As soon as Con was gone, Ulrik smiled. It was obvious that Con had set up cameras throughout the building. With only a thought, he deactivated every one.

*   *   *

“I'll be damned,” Ryder said in shock.

Elena tucked her dark blond hair behind her ear and cut her sage green eyes to him. She sat beside him in the computer room at Dreagan helping to monitor everything. “What is it?”

“All the cameras Con just installed are gone.”

“Gone? How's that possible? And what do you mean, ‘Con just installed'?”

Ryder ran a hand down his face. “He was at Ulrik's. He set up cameras.”

Elena let out a long whistle. “Was that wise?”

“It's a moot point since they're no' active.”

“Did something go wrong with them?”

Ryder shook his head as he leaned back in his chair. “My equipment never fails.”

“Then what?”

He turned his head to her. “No one was in the store. There were no wires to cut the cameras, and there were over a dozen set up. They all went out at once.”

“Magic,” Elena said with a frown. “At Ulrik's? That's not good news.”

“Nay.” He stared at the screen with all the squares blacked out. The cameras hadn't been operational for more than five minutes.

Which meant Ulrik had seen Con.

Ryder slowly sat up as his mind went through all the scenarios.

“Go,” Elena urged. “They're waiting on you anyway, and you need to tell the others what you've found.”

“It might be too late,” he said, even as he stood and turned to throw open the doors to the balcony. He jumped from the balcony and shifted, his wings catching the current.

 

CHAPTER
THIRTY-NINE

Iona drummed her fingers on the table and stared at her camera that Ryder had reassembled hours ago. A camera she hadn't let out of her sight for years. She grabbed it and threw it as hard as she could at the refrigerator. Several pieces fell off, but it was still intact.

“If you want to do that again, I can add some magic behind it and make sure it shatters,” Isla said as she leaned on the counter.

Iona shook her head. “I don't usually let my anger get to me like that.”

“It's understandable.”

“This waiting is unbearable,” Iona said testily as she rose from the table and began to pace the kitchen.

Isla made a face. “It certainly is. The men never understand that because they're in the midst of battle.”

“And I'm keeping you here,” Iona said with a sigh.

“I volunteered,” Isla reminded her. “Just as Hayden volunteered to remain near you in case something happens.”

“It's the doorway they want.”

“Yes, but if you're dead, they can get the land and have access to the doorway as often as they want.”

“Killing me won't solve that problem,” Iona said with a sly smile. “I had the will changed to name Hayden as my heir.”

Isla's face went slack before a slow smile formed. “Does he know?”

“I haven't had a chance to tell him.”

“That's very kind of you, Iona.”

She shrugged and came to a stop at the counter across from Isla. “I had to have an heir.”

“And if you have any children?”

She shrugged, unable to answer. At one time she hadn't ever even considered that as a possibility, but now … she was reevaluating everything.

“Does Laith know you love him?”

Iona jerked. “I don't love him.”

“Don't you?” Isla said gently. “You don't have to believe in love for it to find you. You just have to recognize it when it's there and grab hold.”

“I admit that I want to be with him. I think of him constantly, even when I'm not with him. I … care about him, but that's not love.”

Isla tilted her head to the side and a curtain of black hair fell over her shoulder. “You have feelings. That's the first step. Open your heart and your mind, and you just might find that it is love you feel.”

Iona looked into her ice blue eyes. “If there was a man who could make me want a family, it's Laith.” It was Isla's quick look away that made her ask, “What? What is it?”

“I probably shouldn't be the one to tell you.”

“Just tell me.”

Isla pursed her lips for a moment. “The Kings do take wives, or mates as they're called. It isn't done lightly, because once a female binds herself to a King, it is for eternity.”

“I'm human. Eternity isn't possible,” Iona said with a chuckle.

“You've seen the Kings, you know they have magic. Do you think they would take wives who would die? Being bound to a King means that a female lives as long as the King does. You've seen Sammi. She was bound to Tristan not that long ago. She'll never age, nor will she die unless Tristan is killed by another King.”

Iona could only stare in mute astonishment at Isla. The Kings expected their mates to love them for eternity? That was asking the impossible in an age where very few remained married.

“As for a family,” Isla continued. “Back before the war with the humans, a few became pregnant with a King's child, but not one of the babies lived. Most died in the womb, and if they were carried to term, they were stillborn.”

“Laith never told me,” Iona mumbled.

Isla lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “The Kings usually don't unless they're considering a woman for their mate.”

“Oh.” It stung that Laith didn't consider her. How ironic when she'd never considered a single man before him.

“Did you tell Laith you don't believe in love?” Isla asked.

Iona wrapped her arms around her middle. “I might have. Laith said he wanted whatever we had to continue. So do I, and I can't tell you how much that scares me.”

“Take it one day at a time,” Isla advised. “If you're happy with him, then be happy.”

Iona opened her mouth to respond when a ball of fire was hurtled at the living room window. Isla turned and held up her hands as the fire smashed the window. Whatever magic she used stopped the ball from reaching them, and a moment later, it was gone.

“Move!” Isla said as she grabbed Iona's arm and brought her around the counter only to shove her down the hall.

Iona ran into her room and turned to the door. Isla stopped just outside her door in the hallway. “What's going on?”

“The battle,” Isla said without looking at her. “That was Hayden's ball of fire.” Suddenly Isla's face turned pale and a shudder went through her. “They've just crossed my barrier as if my magic didn't even exist.”

*   *   *

Laith saw the fireball from his flight in the clouds. A growl rumbled through him as he fought to remain where he was and not go to Iona.

“
As soon as they get through the doorway you can go to her,
” Con said through their link.

Laith wasn't sure he could wait that long. He wanted Iona at the manor, but she and Con both thought it a bad idea. Con because he was an ass, and Iona because she reminded him that everything needed to appear normal.

Normal. When had anything been normal? Laith couldn't remember what that even felt like. The closest he came to that was when Iona was in his arms.

“
Con!
” Ryder shouted. “
Ulrik simultaneously killed every camera you installed minutes after you left.
”

Laith turned his head to look toward Con as he remained in the clouds. What had Con been doing at Ulrik's? Was that where he'd been going lately?

“
That means he is using magic,
” Con stated furiously.

Two more balls of fire flared through the inky darkness in quick succession. There was a loud bellow, distinctively Hayden.

“
It wasna a smart decision to leave Hayden there on his own,
” Laith told Con, pushing thoughts of Ulrik away for the moment.

Con chuckled. “
As powerful as Hayden is, Fallon wasna about to allow that to happen. Arran and Malcolm are with him.
”

“
Good. I still wish one of us was there.
”

“
They'll have no trouble fighting humans, but the Warriors are no' alone. Rhys is with them.
”

No sooner had Con spoken than Rhys sent out a shout through the link, “
It's the Dark!
”

They barely had time to digest that before Laith turned and flew back through the clouds toward the waterfall. He glanced down and saw a dozen Dark standing atop the waterfall.

“
It's Taraeth and Balladyn,
” Kellan said.

Kiril flew past Laith shouting, “
Balladyn is mine!
”

Laith saw Taraeth immediately with his one arm missing. He stepped through the doorway, and was quickly followed by Balladyn and the rest of the Dark.

“
Now!
” Con bellowed.

Dragon Kings dove from the clouds straight to where the Dark were crossing onto their land. Laith inhaled and felt fire stir within him. He opened his mouth and let it free while he sailed over them.

He immediately turned around and delivered his paralyzing gas on his next pass. Laith let out a whoop when three Dark fell.

*   *   *

Iona screamed as someone burst through the window. She raised her arm to shield her face from the glass as she turned away.

“Isla!” shouted a deep voice Iona didn't recognize.

She lowered her arm and spotted a man with long, wavy, dark brown hair. He held a sword, the blade curving slightly and becoming wider toward the point.

“We need to get out of here,” he said as he approached Iona. “I'm Rhys. The Dark are closing in quickly.”

Isla was suddenly beside him. “Let's go.”

Iona was unceremoniously grabbed by Isla and pulled forward. She was amazed that such a small woman like Isla had such strength. As soon as Iona was out of the window, Isla started running and pulled her once more. Iona glanced behind her to see Rhys plunge his sword into the abdomen of a man with black and silver hair.

Iona's heart was pounding. Fear swallowed her whole, weighing her down so that she felt as if she could hardly move. The next thing she knew Hayden stood ahead of them, a massive ball of fire held between his hands. Iona felt someone take her arm and looked over to see Rhys.

Iona's lungs burned, but she didn't slow. True evil was right on her heels. She was dragged after Rhys who moved just as fast as the Warriors. When they reached Hayden, they split, going around him as he lobbed the fireball at the group of Dark Fae coming for them. Iona happened to look up and spotted a dark shape moving quickly toward them in the sky.

“Laith,” she said.

Rhys looked up when she spoke. “Shit,” he said and grabbed her around the waist as he dove to the side.

Iona couldn't take her eyes from Laith who crashed through the trees, fire bursting from his mouth toward the Dark in an amazing display. The more fire he breathed, the more Hayden used it with his power, turning it toward the Dark who hadn't gotten blasted with it.

“It's hot,” Iona said. They were at least fifty yards from the Dark, and the fire felt as if it were next to her skin.

“That's dragon fire, lass,” Rhys said as he came up on one elbow. “It burns hotter than anything else on Earth.”

By the screams of the Dark, it also killed them, something that Hayden's fire hadn't been able to do. The fear that consumed her began to lessen as Laith gained the upper hand on the Dark. Rhys got to his feet and pulled her with him. He then shoved her toward Isla and the Warriors while he went to cut down the Dark in his path.