Hot Blooded (35 page)

Back and forth Laith flew, breathing fire each time. Hayden prevented the fire from moving to the trees and destroying the forest.

“We're winning,” she said and turned to Isla.

Iona grunted when Malcolm with his maroon skin shoved her to the ground, and was then promptly thrown backward thirty feet. She looked up to see more Dark coming at them. Iona realized Malcolm had saved her life by taking the blast of magic meant for her.

“Iona,” Isla called.

She looked to the side and saw Isla waving her to them. All around them Warriors with their different colored skin were coming out of the woods and fighting. Iona wasn't sure if she could make it to Isla in time, but if she remained where she was, she would certainly die. Iona jumped up and started running. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Laith diving toward her. A blast of fire fell past her as he arched his back and flew upward.

She reached Isla and gasped for air. Another Warrior, Arran, flexed his hand, his skin and claws white as snow. He shifted slightly and struck out his hand while a Dark was rushing past, behind him.

Iona jerked at the violence before her, but she held back her gasp. She looked up into Arran's white eyes and said, “Nice going.”

Arran smiled and jerked his chin to where Hayden was once more being surrounded. Iona could only watch in amazement as lightning began to zing everywhere. It didn't take her long to find the source—Malcolm.

While Hayden used fire and Malcolm used lightning, a spear of solid ice formed in Arran's hand before he threw it at a Dark.

As remarkable as the Warriors were, Iona had something else she was interested in—a Dragon King. She lifted her eyes, searching the skies for Laith.

He circled back around and was joined by an amber-colored dragon. Just as Laith opened his mouth to breathe fire, Iona saw a Dark with black and silver hair hanging midway down his back throw a ball of swirling black and silver magic right at Laith.

Iona's breath locked in her lungs when Laith wasn't able to dodge it. His dragon form disappeared in a blink as he fell naked to Earth.

“Nooooo!” Iona screamed.

 

CHAPTER
FORTY

Iona couldn't get to Laith fast enough. He wasn't moving, which spurred her to run faster. Above her, she heard the roar of a dragon, but her attention was on him. She turned her head and spotted the Dark responsible for bringing down Laith. For the first time in her life she wanted to really hurt something.

That's when she saw Rhys come up behind the Dark and swing his sword. Just before the blade connected with the Dark, the Fae vanished.

Iona reached Laith and knelt beside him. She looked him over but couldn't find any wounds. She touched his face, smoothing his hair back. “Laith? Laith, can you hear me?”

He couldn't be dead. Iona refused to even contemplate the possibility. Isla said a King couldn't be killed by anyone other than another King, but no one said anything about him being wounded.

She swallowed hard and gave him a shake. “Wake up, Laith. Please. I need you.”

Did she ever need him, and not because there were Dark after her. She needed him because she knew life would be dull and tedious without him. It took seeing him plummet from the sky to bring it to full, rich awareness.

She shook him harder. “Laith!”

He suddenly took in a deep breath and then slowly released it. His eyes opened before focusing on her. “Iona?”

“Thank God,” she mumbled as she bent and kissed him.

He held her for a moment. Then he looked around and jumped to his feet as he shoved her behind him. That's when Iona saw the two Dark Fae approaching them.

Iona wished she had some magical power to use for herself, but she was the most useless being there. Fury skated through her. Rage over her father's murder, anger over being spied upon, and resentment for being used.

“I don't want you on my land!” she screamed to the Dark. “Get off.”

They paused, a confused look flashing in their red eyes.

As silly as it was, her words made her feel better. “Get off my land,” she said louder.

The Darks' steps faltered, but still they came.

“Say it louder and with more force,” Laith said over his shoulder.

Iona inhaled deeply. “Get off my land! No Dark is welcome here!”

There was a shout of pain from one of the Dark, and then they were both gone. Iona looked around to find the Dark disappearing one by one with looks of bewilderment and wrath directed at her.

“What just happened?” she asked Laith when he turned to look at her.

He smiled and pulled her into his arms. “That was your power. This is your land. You have the authority to decide who is welcome and who are no'. You told the Dark to leave, and they had no other choice.”

“That's no' to say they willna return,” Rhys said as he walked up.

Iona rested her head on Laith's chest as his arms held her tight. “I'll be ready for them.”

It wasn't long before Isla, Hayden, Arran, and Malcolm walked up. Isla was frowning at the three Warriors who were all smiles as they talked of the battle.

“Men,” Isla said with a roll of her eyes.

Hayden yanked her against him. “Now, my love, it does a Warrior good to battle.”

“I know,” she said softly and rose up on tiptoe to touch her lips to his.

Iona watched them with interest, mainly because she was so content in Laith's arms. She didn't want to think about the fear that had taken her when she thought he might not wake up. It had been real. Too real.

Isla had told her to open her heart and her mind. With dragons, Fae, Druids, and Warriors, was it out of the realm of possibility that love did exist?

“The Dark have been driven out for now,” Laith told everyone.

Iona lifted her head to look at him. “Even from the doorway?”

“They didna get far once they went through the doorway,” Laith said. “We were waiting for them.”

Rhys wiped his sword off on his jeans. “The ones that escaped the doorway came here.”

“Why did they no' just teleport away?” Isla asked.

Laith smiled widely. “Because once on Dreagan, they couldn't use that ability. A neat idea when we discovered they'd be coming. The only way to save themselves was to run back through the doorway.”

“That's brilliant,” Iona said with a chuckle.

“I can no' take credit. It was Rhys's idea.”

Iona turned to Rhys. “Thank you for everything. That blade is wicked, as are you using it.”

His smile was sad, as if her words were painful somehow. Iona inwardly cringed when she spied the dragon on the hilt of the sword. With a nod, Rhys walked away without a word.

Iona turned back to Laith. “I don't understand.”

“Rhys is a Dragon King. He was wounded by dragon magic that was mixed with dark magic, He'll never be able to shift into a dragon again,” Laith explained.

Malcolm stared after Rhys as he tamped down his god. “What kind of bastard would do that to him?”

“The kind that willna live long,” Arran said.

Laith took Iona's hand. “Let's get you to the cottage.”

“Ah,” Hayden hedged. “There might be a wee bit of a problem.”

Iona shrugged and said, “I know some of the windows are gone.”

“That's no' all that's gone,” Arran mumbled as he walked past them. “Sometimes we Warriors doona pay attention to what we're destroying in a fight.”

Iona lifted a brow. “How much damage?”

“Most of the house,” Malcolm said as he finally pulled his gaze from Rhys. “No' all of it entirely our fault.”

Iona waved away his words. “It's a house. It can be replaced. My life couldn't. Thank you all for helping to keep me safe.”

“Ditto,” Laith said.

Hayden slapped Laith on the shoulder. “It's what we do for family.”

The four walked away to join with the other Warriors. Iona followed Laith's gaze to the sky to see dragons flying around. “Won't they be seen?”

“Isla and Phelan have taken care of that tonight. We can no' always be so close to your land.”

“What did that blast of magic do to you?”

Laith looked down at her and smoothed her hair away from her face. “It's one of the only things a Dark can do to us. That magic prevents me from shifting for a short time. If in dragon form, it reverts us to human instantly.”

“Which is why you fell?”

“Precisely.”

Iona fidgeted, unsure of what to say or do now. It was her first battle. She didn't know if there were protocols that needed to be followed or what. “I need to gather what's left of my things.”

“Aye, you do. You're coming with me to Dreagan.”

Happiness erupted inside her, but she quelled it from showing too much. “Am I?”

“You doona have a house,” Laith pointed out. “Then there is the fact that I want you in my bed so I can make love to you all through the night.”

Iona couldn't find any fault with his thinking.

“Plus, we need to finish our conversation from the other day.”

She grew nervous then, mostly because he was right. They did need to talk. She just wasn't sure what to say, or even how to go about it. She hadn't been in this position before. “I know.”

“Are you ready for such a talk?” he asked, looking deep into her eyes.

“I honestly don't know. I'm scared, but I'm more frightened of losing you.”

Laith knew exactly how she felt. Iona didn't know just how close she had been to dying, and he wouldn't tell her. She came out of it alive, and for that he would be forever grateful to the Warriors and Isla.

He was loath to move to bring her to the cottage where he was sure Hayden and Isla awaited them. Nor was he ready to bring her to Dreagan and be bombarded with everyone wanting to meet her.

“What is it?” she asked.

“There is much you doona know about a Dragon King.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Isla explained the mating and the children.”

“And?” he pressed.

Iona smoothed her hands over his bare chest and looked down. “And what?”

“Does that scare you off?”

Her dark eyes jerked to his as her hands stilled. “No.”

“I doona want to frighten you, Iona, but I want you to know that I'll do whatever it takes to have you as mine. If that means I wait years, then I'll wait. I'll woo you and seduce you.”

“Will you?” she asked with a teasing smile. “I'd like that.”

“Whatever it takes.”

She nodded, her smile widening.

“I mean it. I love you.” Laith groaned when he saw her smile drop. He hadn't meant to blurt it out so soon, but there was no denying what he felt. “I love you.”

“I don't know what that kind of love is.”

Laith should've known it was too soon. He hated that he hadn't waited, but he wanted her to know his feelings.

“Will you show me?”

He blinked, surprise and delight filling him. He felt as if he could burst out of his skin he was so happy. “I would love nothing more.”

Laith plunged his hands into her hair as he kissed her with all the passion, the need, and the love within him.

*   *   *

“They knew we were coming,” Balladyn repeated yet again as he paced in front of Taraeth's throne.

Taraeth watched his lieutenant. “It appears they did.”

“We lost many tonight.”

“That can be replaced,” Taraeth said. “We've more pressing concerns. Namely discovering how the Kings were waiting for us.”

Balladyn halted, his red eyes blazing with interest. “That's easy. It's our so-called friend. Let me bring him to you so you can take his head.”

“That might be difficult. We had a pact.” Taraeth fisted his right hand so he didn't reach for his left arm. He could still feel the appendage, even though it was gone. “He gave us the location of the doorway as well as the location of the weapon.”

“That doesn't mean he didn't set us up,” Balladyn insisted.

Taraeth drummed his fingers on the arm of his black throne. “He wouldn't be that stupid. He knows I would strike back immediately.”

“So we just wait to see how the Kings knew?” Balladyn asked in disgust.

Taraeth smiled. “I didn't say that.”

“What do you have in mind?”

“Our friend always asked us for help. I think it's time we ask him for some.”

Balladyn nodded in approval. “I like it, but you promised him your army. What if he calls upon that promise?”

Taraeth hadn't thought of that. Still, it was a gamble he was willing to take. “I suspect he wants the army for when he attacks Dreagan.”

“Which won't matter if we find the weapon.”

“True, but we need to get on Dreagan first.”

“Not such an easy feat,” Balladyn said.

Taraeth laughed as he found the answer. “I think we need to send one of our females to him. Have her use glamour so he doesn't know.”

“You want her to kill him?”

“I want her to learn who is in his life that we can hurt. I want to know who his associates are, his enemies, and everyone he has contact with.”

Balladyn grinned with delight. “I'll have someone sent right away.”

“Wait a few weeks,” Taraeth cautioned. “Let him think we're cowed. Let him think he's invincible.”

 

CHAPTER
FORTY-ONE

Laith managed to get Iona to his room without anyone stopping them. He went to get her food, and when he returned, found her asleep. He stood in the doorway with the tray of food, smiling like a fool.

“She's been through a lot,” Con said from behind him.

Laith turned his head to look at Con, surprised to find him there. “Aye, she has. She has power as well. It was Iona who forced the Dark off her property.”

“I hate to admit that I forgot the Campbells could enforce that.”