Burning Desire (16 page)

Balladyn suddenly took her hand, turning her attention back to him. “I want you as mine, Shara. I want you to rule this fortress beside me.”

He was offering exactly what she had hoped for, and yet she was finding it difficult to say yes. Thankfully, he didn’t give her a chance to answer.

“It starts tonight,” he said and pulled her out of the cell to close the door. He had his hand on her back as he guided her out of the dungeons.

“What starts tonight?”

“Us seen together.”

Together? Hadn’t they already been seen by everyone in his compound? And then it hit her. “Seen where?”

“I thought it was time I visited
an Doras
.”

“Farrell will be there,” she said as she reached the top step and walked down the long corridor to enter the great hall.

Balladyn chuckled and wrapped his arm around her. “Exactly. I think it’s time he and I had words. He needs to know it won’t be him who captures the Dragon King in Cork. It’ll be me.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Kiril had no trouble finding the exclusive residential community on the outskirts of Cork’s city center. He drove through the neighborhood until he found the address.

The white house was three stories and had sweeping views of the countryside with the River Lee edging the back gardens. It was grand and imposing. Exactly the type of house a Dark would occupy.

He parked the car in the drive and stared at the house for a moment. Kiril half expected Farrell to come rushing out demanding that he leave. The quiet belied the evil that resided within the house.

Kiril walked to the front door as the last light of the day faded. He didn’t have to wait long after his knock. A female Dark in a black dress and white apron opened the door. The image she presented was so stereotypical that Kiril had to fight not to laugh.

“Yes?” she asked haughtily.

“I’m here to see Mr. Blackwood.”

“He’s not in,” she said and tried to close the door.

Kiril stuck his foot in to stop the door from slamming in his face. “He’s going to want to hear what I have to say. Get him. Now.”

She glared at him with red eyes before she looked down at his foot. “I’m not letting you in. Move your foot so I can close the door while I find him.”

He removed his foot. A heartbeat later the door shut. Kiril stared at the black door. If he had to, he would break it down to get their attention.

As the minutes stretched on, he was getting ready to do just that when the door opened again. A male with short silver hair combed back stood in the doorway regarding him with narrowed red eyes. He wore a thin black sweater with the sleeves pushed up over his elbows and khaki pants.

By the absence of black in his hair, Kiril guessed the Dark to be several thousand years old. Just a drop in the bucket of the years Kiril had walked the Earth.

“How did you find me?” Blackwood demanded.

Kiril lifted his shoulders with indifference. “Does it really matter?”

“It does. They’ll be taken care of,” Shara’s father said coldly. “Just as you will be.”

Kiril narrowed his gaze on the man. He held the youth and beauty of a Fae, but evil left marks that couldn’t be hidden like the silver hair and the fading radiance of a Fae. “I doona take kindly to threats.”

“It’s not a threat.”

“You want to do this here?” Kiril asked and swept his arm to indicate the quiet neighborhood. “Amid all the proper humans? I’ll be happy to.”

The Dark crossed his arms over his chest, his nostrils flaring. “What do you want?”

“Shara.”

“So she did get to you,” he stated with a triumphant grin.

“I want to see her.”

“She’s not here.”

Kiril bristled at the icy tone. As much as he wanted to see Shara, it wasn’t why he had really come. Nor did he believe Blackwood would send Shara out if she were home.

“Is that all?” Blackwood asked with a snort. “You came here begging for my daughter like a lovesick fool?”

Kiril merely smiled. “Nay. I came for something else entirely. I just wanted to see if Shara was about.”

“And what might that be, Dragon King?”

“The games Farrell are playing are getting old. If he wants to attempt to capture me, tell him to get on with it.”

Blackwood dropped his arms and stepped out of the house. “You have some nerve coming to my home and threatening me.”

Kiril laughed and shook his head. “Ah, the thought process of a Dark never gets old. And just so we’re clear, that isna a threat.”

He turned on his heel and walked to his car. Kiril wished the arse would try to take him then, but nothing happened. He got into his car and drove away with Blackwood still standing in the doorway.

Kiril hoped Phelan remembered his words of caution from earlier. There wasn’t enough time to warn him now. His actions weren’t the smartest thing, but he was tired of waiting. He needed action and a response.

And he refused to leave Ireland without some idea of where Rhi was. No matter what Con said.

Kiril wouldn’t be captured. He had no woman they could use against him, because though he hungered for Shara, she was one of theirs. They wouldn’t harm her.

He had nothing to lose and everything to gain. It was why his plan was going to work so perfectly. The words exchanged with Blackwood would put things into motion. Farrell was greedy and wanted the recognition for being the one to catch a Dragon King.

As for Shara … her actions would prove her innocence or guilt with her family.

Kiril drove into Cork and parked. He closed the roof before he walked into the steakhouse. He sat at the bar and ordered a pinot noir as he waited for his table. His glass was barely half empty when he was seated at a secluded booth in a corner.

He lifted the menu to look at it when someone slid into the seat opposite him. Kiril lowered the menu to see none other than Farrell.

“You want a war, Dragon King?” Farrell leaned over the table and spoke through tight lips. “I’ll give you one.”

“The Dark already began the war, imbecile. Had you no’ been playing at leading, you might know that.”

Farrell’s left eye began to twitch at the corner. “Playing? You think I’ve been playing?”

“Some are born to lead. Others to follow. I’ve known what you’ve been about since the first time I met you.”

“Liar.”

Kiril leaned back and rested one arm on the backside of the bench. “Your skills at deception are in need of work.”

“You don’t know everything,” Farrell said with a smirk.

Kiril wondered if he had ever been so young and stupid. “You mean Shara? I saw through her glamour immediately.”

“Liar.” There was little heat in his voice, just wariness.

Kiril rolled his eyes. “Come up with another word.”

“You brought her to your house. You asked for her today.”

“All to make you think she had gotten to me. Shara is beautiful. For a Dark. But she didna seduce me.”

Kiril hoped Farrell bought the lie, because it sat like acid on his tongue. If they knew how deeply Shara had wormed her way into his psyche, they would be more than willing to use it against him.

Farrell stared at him as the minutes stretched by. “I promised my father that I’d capture you, and I don’t give a vow I can’t keep.”

“You willna keep this one.”

“We’ll see about that,” he said and left the restaurant.

Kiril was finally left alone to eat his meal. Or so he thought. He was nearly done with the steak when he caught sight of a Dark standing outside the restaurant waiting for him. Kiril rose and walked to the kitchen where he handed his waiter a wad of money.

“Sir?” the waiter asked in confusion.

Kiril nodded to the money. “That’s for the meal, with a hefty tip. I need the back exit.”

The waiter pocketed the money. “Right this way.”

Kiril followed the man, palming the push dagger in his pocket. He gave a nod of thanks to the waiter as he walked through the back exit and softly closed the door when he spotted a Dark lounging against the corner of the building.

He walked up behind the Dark and plunged the dagger into his neck. The need for battle sat heavily on his chest, making Kiril long to shift and take to the sky, billowing ice and fire.

There would be no shifting, no air rushing along his scales. There was only darkness and evil, only rage and death. The Dark thought they could defeat the Kings. If Kiril had to take them out one at a time, he would prove that the Kings wouldn’t be defeated.

Kiril walked toward the front of the restaurant. He was nearly upon his foe when the Dark turned and saw him. The Dark instantly sent a ball of magic straight at Kiril, causing him to dive to the side. He came up on his knee as the dagger flew from his hand and embedded in the Dark’s chest.

He looked around, waiting for more Dark to attack. Kiril stood and retrieved his dagger, ducking into the shadows as humans came rushing out of the steakhouse at the sight of the dead Dark.

*   *   *

Shara smoothed her hands down the black gown that molded to her body like a second skin. The front draped becomingly at her breasts, showing just a hint of décolletage. Her hair was piled at the back of her head and fell in long, loose curls around her.

She looked in the mirror once more to check her makeup when she spotted Balladyn gazing at her in the mirror. Shara turned, surprised to see him since she hadn’t heard him enter.

Balladyn pushed away from the doorway and nodded in approval. “You look gorgeous.”

“Thank you for the dress,” she said, still nervous about being seen with him. It would cause an uproar in her family, but that’s not what she worried about.

It was Kiril. What if he was at the pub as he always was? Would she be able to ignore him, to pretend she didn’t know what his kisses tasted like, that she didn’t know how good it felt to have him deep within her?

Balladyn’s smile grew. “My pleasure. I enjoy giving you things.”

He had also changed into a black silk button-down shirt and black slacks. His hair was once more left down with only braids at his temples pulled back to keep it out of his eyes.

“Ready?”

He wanted a strong woman, so she couldn’t falter now no matter how frightened she was of the outcome. “Yes.”

She accepted his arm and walked from his chamber at his side. As soon as they descended into the great hall, Shara noticed that the cages filled with the humans were gone as were all the Dark lounging about. Dark soldiers—both male and female—filled the hall now.

“They’re for when the Dragon King is brought here. I’m not taking any chances,” Balladyn said.

“And Taraeth can’t afford to have another King escape his clutches.”

Balladyn gave a slight nod as they walked through the great hall and ten soldiers fell into step behind them. “There is that as well.”

“I don’t advise taking your men into the pub,” she said and glanced at them over her shoulder. “Farrell will attack you immediately.”

“I didn’t think your brother was that dumb.”

“He’s not usually, but he considers the pub his domain.”

“It’s about to be mine,” Balladyn stated as they reached the Fae door that would take them into the middle of Cork.

Shara took a deep breath and stepped through the doorway. Balladyn’s fortress faded as the sights and sounds of Cork filled her senses. The sun had set and the streetlights chased away the shadows. The pub was only a couple of streets over. She stood still while Balladyn directed his men to split up and surround
an Doras
.

While she walked with Balladyn to
an Doras,
her gaze darted about, hoping she didn’t see Kiril and wishing like hell that she did. Her heart thumped in her chest the closer they came to the pub. All she had wanted was to fit in with her family, but she learned too late that they wanted her to be something she wasn’t—something she couldn’t be.

They would never accept her for who she was, and nothing she did to prove her worthiness would be enough for them. It left a bitter taste in her mouth. Was it her love for her family that had blinded her to the truth?

More importantly, why couldn’t she have realized this when she was with Kiril?

Balladyn didn’t slow his steps as he reached the pub door. The Dark standing guard tripped over his feet to open the door for them. Everyone knew Balladyn and his reputation. No one dared to go against him in anything.

How this would infuriate Farrell.

Shara couldn’t wait to see the outcome. She raised her chin as they stepped inside the pub. The place went deathly quiet except for the music playing as talk ceased and all heads turned to them.

Balladyn merely smiled and guided her to the bar. He pulled out a chair for her and ordered them drinks. Shara didn’t want the wine he ordered for her, but he hadn’t asked her opinion.

He’d picked out the dress, told her how she would wear her hair, and ordered her drink. Was this a clue to how her life would be from now on? He wanted a woman who knew her mind, and she was going to give it to him.

Shara pushed the wineglass back to the bartender. “I’ll have a whisky.”

Balladyn’s eyes crinkled at the corners as he grinned at her before the smile faded and he looked around the pub.

Her glass of whisky was set in front of her by a fearful bartender who kept looking at Balladyn. Everyone who worked at the pub was Dark. The only humans were the ones who dared to come in for a drink.

Balladyn glanced at her as he leaned one arm on the bar and kept the other on the back of her chair, caging her in. He winked at her, ignoring the bartender. The conversation throughout the pub gradually picked up again.

It didn’t take long for the news to reach Farrell in his office at the back. He threw open the door and met her gaze. There was a subtle shift in Balladyn when he took notice of Farrell.

Her brother strode angrily to her. Farrell nodded at Balladyn before he turned his red gaze to her. “Where have you been?”

“That’s none of your business,” Balladyn stated and took a sip of his whisky. “She doesn’t answer to you.”

The muscle in Farrell’s temple twitched, signaling his fury. “She’s my sister. It’s my business.”