Dark Alpha's Embrace (7 page)

“What do you want to know?” she asked.

“I hear there is a group of Dark who hunts a mortal family. They leave one in each generation to continue the line, but then hunt and kill them.”

“Why do you want to know this?” she asked, skeptically.

Kyran smiled. “So I can join them, of course.”

Chapter Eight

“That doesn’t sound like your speed.”

Kyran pushed away from the doorway and smiled down at the female. “I’m in need of fun.”

She hesitated. “This crowd I’m talking about doesn’t allow just anyone in. And once in, they’ll never let you out.”

“Thanks for the warning.” Kyran watched as she nervously glanced around. “What are you afraid of?”

Her red gaze jerked to him, becoming hard. “You’re a male. You wouldn’t understand.”

He understood perfectly because he’d had a sister. Kyran remembered how she suffered, how she’d borne the weight of her obligations in silence and sadness.

“This is a bad idea,” the female said and began to turn away.

Kyran reached out and snagged the wrist bound with the bracelet and chain, stopping her. When she didn’t jerk out of his grip, he asked, “If you had a choice, if you were free, what would you do?”

“I don’t know.”

He smiled sadly. “You’re lying. You’ve thought of it a hundred times or more and planned every detail.”

She cocked her head to the side. “Who are you?”

“No one.”

“Now who’s lying?” she asked with a raised black brow. Her red eyes narrowed as her head straightened. “My father sent you, didn’t he?”

Kyran released her hand. “No. I recognize the bracelet.”

“And only those close to my family know what it means.”

“Those in the nobility know it.”

Her eyes widened as her lips parted. “So one of the other families have decided to help my father curb my … activities.”

“Nay,” Kyran said and shook his head. “At least not that I know of.”

She swallowed and turned her face away, looking into the room. “I’d go somewhere no one knew me. I’d remove this bracelet and any connection to my family. I’d make my own decisions. I’d be the one to decide who I married.”

“Removing the bracelet will give you freedom, but if you ever need your family, that link will be severed.”

“I know.” Her chest expanded as she took a deep breath. “I also comprehend I’ll have no one to protect me.”

Kyran spotted Fintan ending his conversation. “And if I could help you with that?”

“Why would you do that?”

“An exchange,” Kyran told her. “I get you free, and you tell me who is hunting the mortal family.”

The female closed her eyes.

Kyran gave a small shake of his head to Fintan as he approached. Without missing a beat, Fintan changed course and walked to a group of females.

“I’m Maiti.” Her eyes opened, and she met Kyran’s gaze squarely. “Don’t make me regret trusting you.”

He bowed his head. “Kyran.”

“How soon can you get me out of here?”

Kyran nodded his head toward Fintan. “I’ve come with a friend. He’ll help. First, we need to remove the bracelet. If not, your family will only track you.”

Maiti rolled her eyes. “Did you not hear me? My father made sure no magic can touch this.”

“Trust me,” Kyran told her. He motioned Fintan over.

Fintan studied Maiti before he looked at Kyran. “I guess this means you found what you were looking for?”

“This is Maiti,” Kyran said. “Maiti, this is Fintan.”

Fintan took one look at her bracelet and said, “Nighttail.”

“She knows the group hunting the mortals,” Kyran said.

Fintan’s gaze slid from the bracelet to Kyran. “And I suppose we’re to help her somehow.”

“To escape my family,” Maiti said.

Fintan let out a string of curses beneath his breath. He then put his hands on his hips and stared in a mixture of shock and anger at Kyran. “Have you lost your damn mind?”

“I’m helping her,” Kyran stated.

“This isn’t wise.”

Maiti moved closer to them. “The family hunting the mortals is the Lightslayers. Does that ease your mind? Now, will you please help me?”

The room began to swim around Kyran. He couldn’t catch his breath. Sound rushed like a waterfall in his ears. Suddenly, Fintan’s face appeared in Kyran’s line of vision. Fintan’s lips were moving, but Kyran couldn’t hear anything.

This couldn’t be happening. The name couldn’t be right.

But he knew it was.

As awful as the truth was, Kyran couldn’t deny it.

“Kyran,” Fintan called.

He blinked and was able to focus his gaze on his friend’s concerned face.

Fintan’s frown was deep. “You all right?”

“Aye.” How could he be? Kyran was going to have to tell River that it was his family killing hers.

“We need to get moving,” Maiti said.

Kyran followed her, his mind still reeling.

“How do you know it’s the Lightslayers?” Fintan demanded.

Maiti shrugged and glanced over her shoulder at them. “I overheard my father and the head of the Lightslayer clan once. Another time when I was sneaking back into my house, I saw a group of Lightslayer men arrive, rejoicing at another kill. Rarely do Dark have blood on them when they take a mortal soul.”

After she led them to a small corner in the palace, Kyran braced his hand on the stone wall and hung his head. Of course it would be his family. His father always had to prove to everyone they were the most evil, the most bloodthirsty.

Kyran blew out a breath. He’d deal with this later. Right now he had to remove Maiti’s bracelet. He straightened and dropped his arm to his side.

“You weren’t expecting that name, were you?” she asked him.

He shrugged. “I should’ve known.”

“Do you know why they hunt the mortals?” Fintan asked.

Maiti chuckled wryly. “You’re not getting anything else from me until I’m far from my family.”

Fintan looked pointedly at the bracelet. “That’s got to come off first.”

“Good luck with that,” she stated sarcastically.

Kyran explained, “She’s tried to remove it before. Her father spelled it so no magic could touch it.”

“Wonderful,” Fintan murmured. He flattened his lips as he shook his head at Kyran. “Do you search out the most difficult tasks? It must be your gift.”

Kyran didn’t bother to answer Fintan. Instead, he held out his hand, waiting for Maiti to lay her wrist in his palm. Once she did, he wrapped his hands around the silver.

Magic pulsed into his fingers. Strong magic. Old magic. But still not nearly as powerful as a Reaper’s. Kyran pushed his magic against the bracelet. The magic in the bracelet fought back.

“We don’t have time for this,” Fintan murmured. He put his hand atop Kyran’s and added his magic to the mix.

With both of them forcing their Reaper magic against the bracelet, the old Dark power didn’t stand a chance. The binding charm faded away without much of a fight.

Kyran and Fintan dropped their hands. Maiti’s gaze was on her wrist. She waved her other hand over the bracelet, and with a click, the cuff unlocked.

She removed it and the ring. Maiti held it for a moment, silently staring at the thing that chained her to her family for thousands of years.

“I’m free,” she whispered in happiness.

Her smile began slowly but soon took up her entire face. With a few words, the cuff vanished. Maiti then looked at them. “How did you do that?”

“Magic,” Fintan replied.

She rolled her eyes, her smile fading. “Smart-ass.”

Kyran stepped in before Fintan could say more. “You’re free to go wherever you want.”

“There’s a Fae doorway on the west side of the palace. Help me get there, and I’ll tell you the family who set the Lightslayers on the mortals.”

Kyran motioned with his hand for her to start walking. “Agreed.”

Fintan remained ten steps behind them to make sure no one stopped them. Neither Kyran nor Maiti spoke in the ten minutes it took them to reach the west side of the palace.

They walked through dozens of rooms where numerous people saw them, and a few even tried to get Maiti’s attention. She never stopped. Their pace was sedate, as if they didn’t have a destination in mind.

By the time they maneuvered the corridors, dozens of guards, and hundreds of Dark, Maiti was frazzled. They stopped just inside the palace and stared out over a courtyard where a Fae doorway stood unguarded.

“There it is,” she said.

Kyran glanced at Fintan to see if he knew where the doorway led. Fintan shrugged and looked down the hallway. “We got you here.”

Maiti turned and smiled at him. “So you did. Who are you, Kyran?”

“I already told you. I’m no one.”

“Perhaps. But I saw your reaction when I mentioned the Lightslayers. You know that family as well.”

Kyran shrugged.

She shot him a quick smile. “You kept your word. I’m surprised.”

“I had something to gain.”

“You did,” she replied with a nod. “I also get the feeling your word means a lot to you.”

Fintan turned and whispered urgently, “Hurry up.”

“You could’ve tricked me. I was desperate,” Maiti said.

Kyran chose not to respond. “The other name, please.”

“Who else but my own family?”

He bowed his head. “Thank you.”

“I owe you, Kyran.”

Now this shocked him. “We made a deal. I helped you in exchange for information.”

“This information was nothing to what you and Fintan did for me.” She stepped out into the courtyard and looked back at Kyran. “If you ever need anything, I’ll be there.”

Kyran watched her walk to the doorway and step through. He didn’t know how long Fintan stood beside him.

“We could’ve gotten that information without helping her. She’s a Dark, Kyran.”

“Maiti reminded me of my sister.”

There was a beat of silence before Fintan said, “I didn’t know you had a sister.”

“She hated the life of the Dark.” Kyran turned from the courtyard. “Hated it so much she decided to do something a Dark never does—she was going to the Light.”

“Oh, fuck,” Fintan murmured.

Kyran took a deep breath and pulled himself from his memories. “Aye, we had to help Maiti.”

“So your sister is a Light Fae now?”

Kyran shook his head. “She’s dead. She never made it to the Light. She was betrayed by her family.”

Chapter Nine

River woke, confused as she looked around. Where was she? It took her a full minute to remember everything that happened and why she wasn’t in her flat.

She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed, her hands on either side of her. The last thing she remembered was reading one of the books. She must have fallen asleep. That meant that someone carried her to bed.

Was it Kyran? She hoped it was Kyran.

That drew her up short. No, she didn’t want it to be Kyran. He was far too dangerous for her mind and body.

River stood and looked around the chamber. The bed was a simple iron bed. At its base was a bench with three sets of clothes folded neatly. The only other furniture was a table and chair off to the side where a large bowl sat atop the table.

She walked to it, amazed to find the bowl filled with water. River dipped her finger in it to find out how cold it was, only to discover it was warm. She had to smile, because what else would the water be with Fae around?

It wasn’t until she began to take off her clothes that she realized she wasn’t the least bit cold. In fact, she was downright cozy.

River washed herself as best she could. Then she turned to the bench and the clothes. One was a set very similar to what she’d worn most of her life. It was her normal, her safety net.

The second set was a pair of jeans and a sweater. The third set was a black pair of pants and a shirt that dipped low in the front.

She shook her head, wondering who picked out the clothes. River wasn’t surprised at all to find the sweater and jeans fit to perfection. She zipped the boots and stood, running her fingers through her hair before putting it in a loose plait.

Her stomach was growling viciously when she started toward the door. She was steps from reaching it when there was a soft knock.

“River?” Jordyn’s voice said through the wood.

River opened the door. Jordyn smiled, then let her gaze wander down. The smile was gone and her face registered surprise when she once more met River’s gaze.

“Wow.”

River swallowed past her nervousness. “Did you pick out the clothes?”

“Yeah. I wanted to give you some choices in case you might want something different.”

“Thanks.” It had been so long since River had someone do something for her that the gratitude felt weird.

Jordyn waved away her words. “How about some food?”

“That sounds great.”

She followed Jordyn through the tunnel. “How long have you been here?”

“This place is new,” Jordyn said over her shoulder. “We were set up below Edinburgh Castle, but Bran found us.”

That didn’t give River confidence in the Reapers. She put a lot of faith in them to keep her safe. As long as she didn’t have a child, she was relatively safe, but how long would that last? When would they get tired of waiting and just kill her?

If she never had a child, her line would die with her. Perhaps that was for the best.

Then she thought of the books, of how only she could read them. If she didn’t carry on her line, no one would ever be able to read those words again. As much as that saddened her, it was better than knowing her family would continue to be killed over and over in the future.

River turned with Jordyn and entered another cavern that was set up with a table and an assortment of food. She looked over croissants, sausage, bacon, toast, eggs, cereal, pancakes, different pastries, and fruit.

“I’m guessing it’s dawn?” River asked.

Jordyn grinned. “It does become difficult to keep track of time in these caves. I keep a watch so I know. The guys don’t understand. I suppose it’s my human side that likes to know what time it is.”

“I think I’d be the same way.” River grabbed a croissant and an apple.

“Coffee?”

River wrinkled her nose. “I hate the smell of it.”