Passion Ignites (14 page)

The two Darks holding her loosened their grip. She yanked her arms away and dove to the ground as the first of the flames flew from Thorn's mouth.

She huddled on the floor with her arms over her head. The heat never touched her as she'd expected. Lexi turned her head when she heard screaming and saw that something was over her, something with the same deep wine scales that she had seen on Thorn when he shifted.

Lexi remained where she was until the last of the screams died. Then Thorn's hand was gone. She still didn't move. Dragons. My God, Darius and Thorn were
dragons
!

The ground trembled when Thorn stepped away from her, but Lexi still didn't have the nerve to lift her head. Fae and now dragons? What else was on her world?

“Lexi,” Darius said, standing near her. “It's over, lass. You can lift your head.” When she didn't move, Darius chuckled wryly. “This from a human who bravely trailed the Dark? You doona need to fear us.”

“You're dragons,” she mumbled.

“That we are.”

It was said so matter-of-factly and without a hint of apology that Lexi lifted her head to see Thorn in human form standing twenty feet away with his back to her and his hands braced on a table.

A hand was held in front of her face. Lexi hesitated for just an instant before taking Darius's hand as he helped her to her feet.

He wore nothing but a pair of jeans, and with his close proximity she could see that his dragon tat went from his back to his front with his dragon's head looking over his right shoulder in the same black and red ink.

“Go to him,” Darius urged in a whisper.

Lexi turned her gaze to Thorn. The man who had so tenderly held her was a fire-breathing dragon. A real-life dragon. Her brain was having an impossible time registering the facts.

She took a few half-steps toward him, slowly closing the distance. When Lexi looked behind her, it was to discover Darius gone and all that remained of the three Dark Fae were piles of ashes.

Lexi stopped when she was six feet from Thorn. He stood naked, his back expanding with every breath he took. She had known he would be heart-stoppingly gorgeous naked, and she had been right.

“Why didn't you tell me?” she asked in a soft voice.

“Because of this verra reaction.”

 

CHAPTER

SEVENTEEN

Thorn's heart still raced at how close Lexi had come to death. He had been given the barest hint of hope when she had bravely stood against them.

Her defiant words appealed to him on a primal level, but her precarious position made his blood turn to ice. Thorn had been so enraged, so incensed that he had one thought—save Lexi.

It wasn't until it was over that Thorn realized what he had done. She had seen him shift. Lexi now knew the secret that everyone at Dreagan worked so tirelessly to protect.

“You're the other beings killing the Dark,” she said.

He closed his eyes. “Aye.”

“You're a dragon.”

His chin dropped to his chest. There were many reasons he hadn't intended to tell her what he was, but the biggest was the way she was handling things now. She was in shock from all she had seen. When that shock gave way, she would be too frightened of him to even be in the same city.

“You're a damn dragon!” she yelled.

Thorn was going to have to have Guy wipe Lexi's memories of anything to do with him. It might even be better if she didn't remember the Dark either.

“Look at me,” she demanded.

He whirled around and held out his arms. “What do you want me to say? Aye. I'm a dragon!”

“How?” She gave a small shake of her head, her voice breaking on the word.

“We've been here since the beginning of time.”

“Impossible. We'd have found something.”

Thorn lifted one shoulder. “We have some human allies who have helped to keep us hidden.”

“This makes no sense.” She looked around at the warehouse as if seeing it for the first time.

“None of this would be an issue if you'd remained in the flat as I told you.”

Her gaze narrowed on him. “Told me? I'm not some dog to be ordered around.”

“Nay, you're a human who has stepped into a war she has no business knowing about!”

“Maybe if more of us
humans
did know we wouldn't be dying by the dozens every day because of the Dark!”

Thorn took a step toward her. “You really think knowing of the Dark would stop the deaths?”

“It certainly couldn't hurt,” she replied, moving toward him.

“That simple thinking is why the Fae came for you to begin with. You think in the entire universe that you're the only beings? Do you really think there are no' other planets with life on them?”

“I don't care about them, I—”

“Well you should care,” he interrupted. He took another step. “Use your brain, Lexi. You're smart. Look around at your world. Do you really think cancer can no' be cured when your doctors have cured almost everything else? The Dark keep preventing it. They want you weak and stupid.”

“I'm not stupid.”

“I told you how dangerous it was out on the streets. I told you to remain inside the flat.”

She rolled her eyes. “I had every intention of doing just that except I saw you jump off a six-story roof. Humans can't do that.”

“That still doesna mean you should've followed us!”

They were so close he could see the black circles around her irises. Her gray eyes were stormy with anger, fear, and anxiety.

“I used my head,” she retorted.

Thorn looked down at her and nearly groaned when he felt her breasts rub against his chest. To his horror, the fury in her gray eyes turned to desire.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop himself from yanking Lexi against him as he took her lips in a savage kiss.

He spun her around and pressed her up against a wall. Her hands delved into his hair as she answered his kiss with one just as fierce and violent.

Thorn came to his senses and lifted his head. He looked down at her swollen lips and his hard cock begged him to continue. Whatever thought he had vanished with his craving of her.

He touched her cheek before he slid his hand around to the back of her neck and held her head as he slowly kissed her, tasting the passion and need.

His hand slid between them intending to unbutton her coat when he heard her hiss. Thorn leaned back, concern filling him when he saw her look of pain.

“It's my left side,” she said, breathing heavily.

Thorn knew he hadn't touched her with his talons. That meant it was … He couldn't finish the thought.

He walked her to the table and helped her to sit atop it while noticing for the first time the burn in her jacket. Then he carefully unbuttoned her coat and pushed it open. Thorn closed his eyes when he saw the wound.

“What is it?” Lexi asked while trying to look at it.

He hadn't moved quickly enough to save her. The Dark should never have been that close to her with its magic.

“Thorn?”

Her sweater was burned where the bubble of magic had grazed her.

“I don't feel so well,” she said thickly.

Thorn caught her as she toppled to the side. “
Darius!
” he yelled through their mental link.

A second later Darius ran back into the warehouse. He took one look at Thorn holding Lexi and slid to a stop. “Is she…?”

“No' yet,” Thorn said and laid her down. He then rushed to find clothes they had stashed there as soon as they found the warehouse. “She was hit with the Dark's magic.”

“Shite,” Darius said and rushed to them. He peeled back her coat and saw the wound. “It's not as bad as it could be.”

“It's bad enough.” Thorn thought to never be in this position again. He'd vowed he never would, and yet where did he find himself?

Darius looked up at him. “We need Con.”

Thorn was shaking his head before he finished. “We've been through this.”

“He'll come for this.”

Thorn gathered her in his arms and walked from the warehouse.

“Thorn, she needs medical attention.”

“I know.”

Darius was at his side. “What is your plan?”

“I willna chance Con refusing to help. Lexi is a human who got in the way, and with the war, Con will say she's a casualty.”

“Tell him she's your mate. That always gets him to help.”

Thorn lengthened his strides as night began to fall. “I'll no' lie.”

“She could be your mate.”

“So could that woman to my left,” he said, nodding to the old lady at the corner. “I'm no' going to lie to get Con here. He already thinks I've betrayed him.”

Darius blew out a breath. “I suppose you have another plan?”

“I do.”

Thorn was ever so glad to see Darcy's building come into view. He didn't breathe easy until they were inside and Lexi was on the bed.

He went to the kitchen counter where he had left his mobile phone. Thorn scrolled through the contact list and found the name he wanted. He hit dial and impatiently waited for them to answer.

“Hello?” said the male voice.

“Fallon, it's Thorn. I've got a problem.”

There was a beat of silence. “Where are you?”

“Darcy's flat. A human has been hit with Dark magic.”

“We'll be right there,” Fallon said.

The call disconnected. Thorn turned around, unsure of what to do now.

Darius gave a nod of approval. “Quick thinking.”

Both of them turned to the door when a knock sounded. Fallon was a Warrior who had the ability to teleport anywhere he wished, which was a great asset.

Thorn strode to it and yanked it open to reveal Fallon, his nephew Aiden, who was also a Druid, and Aiden's mother, Marcail.

“Where is she?” Marcail asked.

Thorn stepped aside as Aiden and Marcail went to the bed and began to look over Lexi. He closed the door behind Fallon. “Thank you.”

“How many times did the Kings come to our aid? It's nice for you to call on us,” Fallon said as he watched his sister-in-law and nephew. “What happened?”

Thorn walked to the table and took the chair that would give him the best place to watch Lexi. “Her friend was killed by the Dark. I saw her following them and attempted to stop her. She wouldna, and the Dark realized someone was tracking them. They're all over the city, Fallon.”

“I didna think it had gotten so bad so quickly.”

Darius joined them at the table. “We do as much as we can, but there's only so much the two of us can do against so many Dark.”

“Let us help,” Fallon said.

Thorn looked at him and smiled. “You are.”

“So the Dark tried to kill her for following them?” Fallon asked.

Darius gave a shake of his head. “Today she followed us to a warehouse where we were taking some dead Fae to … dispose of them.”

“Dispose meaning you burned them, I'm guessing,” Fallon said as he leaned on the table.

“Aye. What Lexi didna know was that the Dark saw her and decided to follow. She led them right to us.”

Fallon ran a hand down his face as he leaned back in the chair. “That's bad luck.”

“The Dark threatened her,” Thorn continued.

Darius's lips tightened. “Then we let loose dragon fire on their arses.”

“I thought I got to Lexi quick enough, but I didna. She was hit with their magic.” Thorn glanced at the bed to see the two Druids with their hands palm down over Lexi as they chanted.

Fallon jerked his chin to his family. “Their magic is strong. They'll find a way to save her. I would've thought you'd call Con.”

Thorn looked away, not wanting to tell anyone who was not a King what was going on within their ranks. Darius, however, didn't have that problem.

“You know Con,” Darius said. “He can be single-minded at the best of times. We're in the middle of war. He's no' going to stop to come to Edinburgh to save one human.”

Fallon grunted in response.

The minutes slowly ticked by as Druid magic filled the flat. It seemed an eternity later before Marcail and Aiden lowered their hands. The two walked to the table where they both sat heavily in their chairs.

“That was … awful,” Marcail said. She lifted turquoise eyes to Thorn. “It was just a glancing blow. Anything more could've killed her.”

Aiden accepted a bottle of water from Darius and downed it quickly. He wiped the back of his hand across his mouth and sighed. “Is that what we've got to look forward to?”

Fallon leaned toward Thorn on the table. “Let us help. If the Kings fail, we'll be fighting them anyway. Our numbers could help swing the tide.”

Thorn looked at Darius before they both nodded.

“Here we go again,” Marcail said, a worried frown pulling at her lips.

 

CHAPTER

EIGHTEEN

MacLeod Castle

Fallon arrived back at his home to find all the Warriors and Druids waiting for him, Marcail, and Aiden to return.

Marcail walked to Quinn and buried her head in his chest. Fallon nodded to his youngest brother. The Warriors had been talking amongst themselves for a while about helping the Dragon Kings kill the Dark Fae whether the Kings wanted them to or not.

Long, slim fingers intertwined with his. Fallon turned and smiled at his wife. Larena's smoky blue eyes searched his before she squared her shoulders. “We battled the worst of the
droughs
. We're more than ready for the Dark Fae.”

Fallon smiled. Leave it to his wife to put it so eloquently. As the only female Warrior, Larena was uniquely suited for warfare since her power was being able to turn invisible.

Lucan, the middle MacLeod brother, kissed the back of Cara's hand and nodded to Fallon.

“Some of us have already fought these bastards,” Hayden Campbell said. “Malcolm, Logan, and I know what to expect.”