Passion Ignites (23 page)

She also felt awoken. Yes, that was a great word for describing just one of her feelings. Thorn had pulled her out of a fog and shown her the light.

Lexi let the desserts cook and set about putting some chicken in the oven. Then she peeled and boiled potatoes for garlic mashed potatoes. She would wait to do the steamed spinach until later.

While she waited on the chicken, she realized how precarious she was to thinking of that “L” word in regards to Thorn.

Love.

She actually thought it aloud in her head. The fact she didn't feel like the earth was crashing in around her was revealing.

Lexi had never had time to think of love. It wasn't that she hadn't dated, but she could never see a future with any of those men. Which is why none of those relationships lasted longer than a few weeks.

It was different with Thorn. She
could
see a future with him. It might be a dangerous one, but it was also one filled with light.

But to even think she might be falling for him? That was pushing things. She needed to get a hold of herself quickly. With a half-hearted attempt, she tried to say that Thorn was just someone she was attracted to, but it fell flat. It was so much more than that—and there was no use in pretending otherwise.

How could she see a future with him when he was immortal?

Immortal. He could never die. The idea didn't compute in her mind. Even though if a King took a human as a mate, the female lived as long as he did, she didn't consider that option.

Because while she might feel deeply for Thorn, she was unsure of where he stood.

Lexi stirred the potatoes and opened the oven to check on the rosemary chicken. When she straightened, she heard a noise behind her and turned to find Thorn.

Her heart jumped in excitement at seeing him. He was covered in blood again. Their gazes met and held. As soon as his lips softened into a smile, she returned it.

“You're flushed,” he said thickly.

Lexi pointed to the oven behind her. “Cooking.”

“It smells delicious,” Darius said as he came in.

Following close behind him was a man with long dark blond hair and cobalt eyes. “I'm starving.”

“You're always hungry,” replied a woman with auburn curly hair pulled back in a ponytail.

Thorn walked to Lexi and pointed to the man. “That's Galen, a Warrior. The woman behind him is his wife, Reagan.”

Lexi nodded just as another couple came in. The woman had wavy brown hair streaked with blond. Her blue-green eyes were filled with pain as she limped.

The man holding her up looked like he was ready to rip someone's head off. His eyes were focused on the woman as he brought her to the kitchen table. Only then did he let out a breath and run a hand along his black hair pulled back in a queue.

“Ramsey and Tara,” Thorn said. “Ramsey is part Druid, part Warrior.”

She hadn't known that was even possible. “Is Tara hurt?”

“She'll be fine,” Ramsey said as he frowned at his wife. “If she would've listened to me, she would've never twisted her ankle.”

Tara rolled her eyes and looked at Lexi. “Many a time a man's mouth has gotten him in trouble.”

Lexi laughed, but quickly stopped when she saw Thorn staring at her. “What?”

“It's the first time I've heard you laugh.” He tucked her hair behind her ear and let his fingers caress her cheek as his hand dropped. “Are you all right?”

“I'm fine.”

“Liar,” he said with a grin.

Lexi had started to turn away when he pulled her against him. His head lowered so that their noses brushed. “Doona ever be afraid to tell me the truth.”

“I don't know what I'm feeling. I'm scared and worried. I'm afraid that every time you walk out the door you won't return.”

He cupped her face with both hands and tilted her head back so that she looked into his eyes. “I'll no' leave like that ever again. You have my word.”

She was completely taken by his declaration. He infuriated her at one turn, and the next he made her heart mush.

It was no wonder she fell so hard for him.

 

CHAPTER

TWENTY-NINE

Ulrik finished reading the news coming out of Edinburgh on his iPad. The number of deaths every night now had an international spotlight on the city.

The country was trying to keep things calm by not allowing the death tolls in other U.K. cities to be reported. But it was only a matter of time before the information leaked.

This wasn't how he would've gone about things, but it would help him reach his end goal—which was all that mattered.

He closed his eyes and expanded his dragon magic to make sure his uncle didn't have anyone or anything near watching him. Ulrik did this several times a day, but it was necessary with a man like Mikkel who couldn't be trusted with anything.

Once he was sure no one was watching or listening, Ulrik opened his eyes and reached for the bottom right drawer of his desk. Inside there was nothing but files. He pushed them to one side and sent a small burst of his magic toward the bottom.

A Dragon King's magic was as singular as a fingerprint. Even if someone found the hidden panel, they would never be able to open it.

A small wooden door popped up slightly. Ulrik lifted it and took out a black file folder. Centuries of looking over his shoulder had made him cautious.

Out of all the people within his organization, he was the only one who knew every pie he had his hand in, every person who worked for him, and every plan he had going.

This black file, however, was all about Mikkel. As soon as Ulrik discovered his uncle had been on the realm since the dragons were sent away, he began investigating. Ulrik had to be careful and not alert Mikkel to what was going on. Which is why Ulrik hired over a dozen people investigating—each with a specific goal.

Mikkel's arrival helped Ulrik in one instance, but Mikkel also screwed him in many regards. The fact Mikkel was keeping the Kings busy made Ulrik smile. For once Con wasn't in the lead. He was trailing—badly.

Ulrik pushed aside thoughts of Con for the moment. New information had arrived on Mikkel the night before. Since Ulrik had been with his uncle celebrating with Taraeth over the Dark's insurgence in Scotland, he hadn't been able to read it.

He opened his laptop and went to a special Web site he had created for just such instances. It appeared as an e-mail, but with the right code to decipher the message, it went from being an article on a seventeenth-century oil painting to the report on Mikkel.

In moments, the entire message was deciphered. Ulrik read over the report listing all the companies in Mikkel's name, as well as shell companies.

It was one more piece of information Ulrik had. He added it to the listings of cars and homes Mikkel owned. With the new software he designed, it created a map of everywhere Mikkel went.

Ulrik was looking over the map, noticing that while Mikkel went all over the world, his concentrated visits were in Scotland.

Of course it made sense. Mikkel intended to kill all the Kings and take over Dreagan, as well as everything else. All of that hinged on Ulrik, because though Muriel told him Mikkel had stated he was going to kill Con, Ulrik knew the truth.

Mikkel liked to talk big. He also wanted to see what would get back to Ulrik. Mikkel might like to think he was mighty enough to take on Con, but both of them knew he didn't stand a chance.

Ulrik leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his head. He and Mikkel were playing a game of deception with the other. Mikkel had laid all the cards out on the table, but Ulrik knew there was one or two hidden up his sleeve.

Just as he was hiding from his uncle the fact that he had all his magic returned. Ulrik could take on Con that day, though it wasn't yet time. Con needed to see his world crumbling around him before Ulrik issued a challenge.

The interesting part would be how Mikkel intended to kill him. Ulrik had come up with a couple of ideas, but one stuck out as something Mikkel would think he could carry out.

The timing would have to be perfect. Everything would have to fall in Mikkel's favor once Ulrik defeated Con. Because the battle with Con wouldn't be easy, Ulrik assumed he would be injured, leaving him in a weakened state.

Supposing Mikkel also thought of that scenario, it would be the perfect time for him to attack Ulrik. The only crimp in the plan was Ulrik's magic. Mikkel would realize within moments of the battle that Ulrik had all of his magic.

What steps would his uncle take once he realized that regardless of who won between him and Con, Mikkel would never be a Dragon King?

Already his uncle had put things into action that disturbed Ulrik. Hitting Rhys with dragon and Dark magic so that he couldn't shift was one of the biggest.

Ulrik knew exactly what Rhys had gone through. The only difference was that Rhys had those at Dreagan. Ulrik had been utterly alone.

He hadn't trusted the humans to help him. So he had gone into the mountains and—for a time—went bat shit crazy. Those were the darkest centuries of Ulrik's life, and ones he vowed never to repeat.

Ulrik closed the folder and pulled out another. This one wasn't just about Mikkel. It also had to do with Dreagan. Ever since he discovered Mikkel had a spy at Dreagan, Ulrik had been focused on uncovering who it was—and then turning them to his side.

He ran his hand over the file before he opened it. It was taking longer than he wanted, but he was getting close to learning who at Dreagan was working for Mikkel. The list had been trimmed to ten names. Tomorrow Ulrik would narrow it even more.

Suddenly an image of Rhi flashed in his head a second before she appeared in front of his desk. The best thing he ever did was cast the spell to alert him when someone entered his store and home. The only one who had gotten through was Mikkel, but even that had been remedied.

“Stop them,” Rhi demanded, her chest heaving.

He raised a brow as he looked her over. She was dressed for battle in all black with spikes coming out of her heeled boots, but leave it to Rhi to look elegant and beautiful doing it. “I take it you mean the Dark in Scotland.”

“I do. Stop them.”

“I can no',” he said and closed the file before she saw anything. With one push of a button, the e-mail went back to its original form.

Rhi put her hands on her hips and glared. “You can.”

“Apparently you believe I hold more sway with Taraeth than I do.” Ulrik rose and walked around the desk to her. “You're joining the fight, I presume.”

“I've already killed several.”

“I think it's a mistake.”

She looked at him as if she didn't know him, which she really didn't. “This is your home the Dark are taking over. Doesn't that matter to you?”

“This realm was the dragons' long before mortals came. Now they get to live freely while the dragons languish on some other realm? I've long wanted the humans gone.”

“And the mates to the Kings?”

Ulrik shrugged and leaned a hip on his desk. “That's no' my worry.”

“I thought…” she trailed off.

“Thought what?” he pressed.

Rhi's silver eyes were filled with doubt. “You helped Rhys. You brought Lily back from the dead.”

“Are you sure I was helping Rhys?”

She took a step back. “It wasn't that long ago you assisted Warrick in protecting Darcy. Or so I thought. I heard you tried to kill her.”

Ulrik smiled coldly even as a faint glow began to surround Rhi. “I stabbed her and left her for dead.”

Rhi flew at him, the force of her magic knocking him in the chest. He tumbled head over heels backward and landed on his back with Rhi straddling him as light emanated from her, blinding him.

“Why?” she demanded in a voice filled with fury.

Rhi wanted to control her voice, but the word came out as a yell. She was rage, she was darkness.

Even though she knew she was glowing and that at any moment she could destroy the entire realm of Earth, she couldn't rein it in.

Did she even want to?

Was this her punishment for ignoring Warrick's call and sending in the Warriors and Druids? She was sick to her stomach for abandoning the Kings before, and the need to take it out on someone was strong. Too strong.

“The darkness within you has grown since the last time we spoke.” Ulrik's voice was soft, calm.

She noticed then that he wasn't fighting her, but merely lying on the floor with his hands by his head waiting for her to do whatever she would.

His words penetrated her mind, and it was like a fire being doused with water. All the anger went right out of her.

Rhi turned her head away and climbed off Ulrik. She leaned her back against his desk, hating her new self. It was like she no longer had control of who she was becoming.

Worse, she wasn't sure she could determine when the darkness was taking over and making decisions. The Light inside her was dimming.

“Look at me.”

She blinked and found Ulrik squatting before her. His face was set in hard lines, his gold eyes glittering with anger.

“Get your arse up,” he ordered.

Rhi frowned, not sure why he was talking to her in such a way. “Why?”

“Now!”

She climbed to her feet. He stood before her with his long black hair falling to his shoulders. The sleeves of his tan sweater were pushed up to his elbows, and he was barefoot in his jeans.

“You're a Fae,” Ulrik said as he stared at her as if she were gum on the bottom of his shoe. “Act like it. I've told you from the beginning that you have the ability to determine if the darkness remains or no'. Make the choice. Either accept it—as well as what you'll become—or cut it from you.”

“You make it sound as if I haven't tried to get rid of it,” she argued. Rhi tried to turn away, but he spun her back around.

His gold eyes pierced her. “You have no'. It's as simple as that.”