Fire Rising

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Cork, Ireland

Kiril was on his second glass of passable Irish whisky. But he longed for a bottle of Dreagan.

Just as he longed to return to the land.

He had no idea how long he would be in Ireland spying on the Dark Ones. He was in the an Doras pub. It would make things easier if he came every night, but it would also make them suspicious.

So Kiril made sure to visit two other pubs as well. Just to keep the arses on their toes.

He swirled the liquid in his glass as he reclined in the booth. The pub was busy, busier than usual actually. There was an undercurrent of excitement through the building. What it was he hadn’t discovered yet.

Kiril picked up a conversation behind him. He kept his gaze on his glass, but all his attention was on the two Dark males talking.

“Did you hear?”

There was a grunt and then the thud as a glass was set down heavily on the table. “They had a Dragon King once before.”

The first laughed, the sound grating on Kiril’s nerves. His voice was higher pitched and annoying. “Taraeth is stronger than you think.”

“He had his arm cut off by a human,” the second man said gruffly.

“Ah, but this time he’ll keep the King.”

Gruff grunted again. “I’ll believe it when he has him.”

“Taraeth has set a trap for him.” The laughter became higher pitched. “The war has begun. We’ll have this realm to ourselves in no time.”

“You look like you could use a refill,” came a voice next to Kiril.

He jerked his gaze up and into the red eyes of a Dark Fae. Some tried to conceal their eyes while others didn’t bother. He gave a nod to the Dark who set down the glass of whisky and slid into the bench opposite him. “Appreciate it.”

The Dark smiled. “I’ve seen you in here a few times. The name is Farrell.”

“Kiril,” he answered. So they had noticed him. Would they know he was a Dragon King, however?

“What do you think of our pub?” Farrell asked.

Kiril brought his drink to his lips and drank. He returned the glass to the table before he said, “I find it interesting.”

“That’s not an Irish accent I hear. Tell me you aren’t a Scot.”

He smiled though it was tight. “Hate to disappoint.”

Farrell laughed and leaned back as he got comfortable. “We have a few Scots come in now and again. You, we can handle. It’s the damn Brits that get under our Irish skin.”

Kiril joined in the laughter, but he was on full alert. If they expected to nab a King, could they be referring to him? He was going to have to be extra vigilant if he expected to leave the pub that night.

Farrell continued to talk, taking control of the conversation as he spoke of Ireland, Cork, and the benefits of being Irish.

Kiril was nodding at something Farrell said when he felt Con push against his mind. He opened the link between them while keeping eye contact with Farrell as he spoke of their famous crystal.

“The Dark have taken Sammi. We were on our way to Cork when magic was used to bring Tristan down.”

“I’ve bought several pieces of Waterford crystal,” Kiril said to Farrell. “Where are you now?”

“In Ireland. Rhys and Laith are with us. Phelan, Charon, and Ian also tagged along.”

Warriors and Kings. There really was a shit storm coming. “Is it true? Has the war begun?”

“Aye. Watch yourself, Kiril. They’ll target anyone they think is a King.”

The link severed, Kiril drained the rest of his whisky and reached for the glass Farrell had brought. “Tell me, Farrell, what’s with the red eyes?”

“They’re special contacts. The women go crazy for them,” the Dark answered as he leaned on the table.

Kiril might look like he was listening raptly, but in fact he was surveying the pub looking for any threats coming his way. The Kings might need him, so he wanted to get back to his house soon.

But not yet.

“I’ll be in Cork for a while on an extended holiday,” Kiril said.

Farrell smiled widely. “We’ll have to be sure to meet up again.”

Just what Kiril wanted. He might finally have an in with the Dark.

Tristan came awake as if he’d been slapped. When he opened his eyes and found Con standing over him, he knew that’s exactly what had happened.

“About damn time,” Rhys said brusquely.

Tristan sat up and found himself nude on a beach. He looked up and met Ian’s worried gaze. “What happened?”

“You doona remember?” Phelan asked.

He shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck, which was sore. “I remember a strange sound in my head that was excruciating.”

“You fell,” Laith said. “Into the water. Con had to pull you out.”

Tristan didn’t know why everyone was upset. So he had fallen. It wasn’t the best thing that could happen, but it wasn’t as if he could’ve died.

“Something had you,” Con said.

That was enough to cause him to frown. “Had me?”

Con nodded solemnly. “It was magic.”

“How long have I been out?” Tristan asked as he gained his feet.

Charon kicked at the sand. “A few minutes.”

Everyone attempted to act normal, but Tristan got the distinct impression that there had been something major going on with him. He turned to Ian, who he knew would tell him the truth. “What really happened?”

“You fell,” Ian said and glanced at the water. “Con had to go in and get you, and just like he said, there was magic used. It was anchoring you to the bottom of the sea. Con got you out and on the beach, but you wouldna wake.”

Tristan rubbed his neck again. It was a dull ache, one that made him feel as if he’d been clubbed in the back of the head. “And?” he urged.

“It took Con’s magic to break the hold over you so you could wake.”

Con’s magic. That meant that whatever magic was used on him had been particularly strong. His gaze swung to Con. “Thank you.”

“They intend to have you one way or another,” Con said. “Let’s no’ give them what they want.”

Laith slapped Tristan on the back. “Agreed. Now, can we get our naked asses back into dragon form and find these sons of bitches?”

“I’m all for kicking some Dark Fae ass,” Rhys said. “The sooner, the better.”

Phelan smiled and nodded. “Oh, aye. Let’s get moving.”

Tristan looked out at the water. The mental link was used only by dragons, but even then, he could decide whether to listen to whoever was trying to talk to him.

Whoever had gotten into his head had done it without his authority. He didn’t like the vulnerability … or the weakness. He could be a detriment to the others.

“Nay,” Ian said as he came to stand beside him.

Tristan glanced at his twin. “What?”

“You willna be a disadvantage in battle. You know what was done to you, and you willna let it happen again.”

“You sound awfully sure of me.”

Ian smiled. “I am. I know you as no one else does. You will triumph just as you always have.”

“Then let’s go.”

With a mere thought, Tristan was once again in dragon form, his mind completely closed off. After the Warriors were settled on the backs of the Dragon Kings, the company took to the skies, toward Cork.

Toward the Dark.

Sammi should’ve known she wouldn’t be left alone. Just as Balladyn had said, Taraeth, the king of the Dark, stood before her.

He thought by towering over her he could show her how weak she was. Sammi chose to remain seated on the ground. The Dark fed off of her strength.

Besides, they wouldn’t suspect her of anything if she appeared weak and helpless.

She watched Taraeth rub his shoulder where his arm had been cut off. Sammi sent up a silent shout of joy to Denae for managing to pull that off.

Taraeth wore black leather pants and a red and black Affliction tee that had a skull on the front. By all accounts, he was just an average guy who kept his hair long and had red contacts.

Only, she knew the truth of how deep the evil resided inside him.

“I like your fear,” Taraeth said as his red gaze raked over her. “That means you know of us.”

Sammi gave a slow nod and looked at the ground. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Balladyn on her left and some other Fae to her right.

It was just the three of them. Sammi had taken on bigger men in her pub, but they had been drunk. And they hadn’t had magic. She couldn’t attack them head-on. She was going to have to come up with some other way to beat them.

If you can.

She told her subconscious to shut up and concentrated on what Taraeth was saying.

“I’ll give it to the Kings. They have a knack for picking pretty women. A pity that the women always end up with me. You do realize that you’re mine now?”

Sammi winced when his finger lifted her chin. When had he squatted before her? He must move as quickly as the wind. She was at a disadvantage if she couldn’t even see them.

“Tristan will come for you, but it’ll be too late. I’ll have marked you.”

She turned her head away from his touch only to have him roughly grab her chin and force her head back to him.

“What do the Kings do to make you turn away from us?”

Sammi frowned. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“First Denae, and now you. No other human has ever turned away from me. It has to be something the Kings are doing, some kind of magic being used.”

Sammi tried to stop it, she really did, but the laughter just burst from her like a balloon popping. And once started, she couldn’t stop.

“We’ll see who’s laughing when I take you with Tristan watching. You’ll scream in pleasure. You’ll scream for me.” He leaned close and whispered, “You’ll beg.”

The laughter was gone. Sammi didn’t question that Taraeth could do just as he said. They were gorgeous specimen. Every last one of them.

It was no wonder human women fell to their knees and begged the Dark. Sammi might have done the same thing years ago, but she was different now.

Tristan.

She was different because of her time with Tristan. He’d walked her through a world of dragons and Fae and magic. He’d stood beside her, holding her, sheltering her.

And she had wanted him.

The need had been great, the hunger overwhelming. Only Tristan had been able to relieve the ache within her, to ease her body with a night of languid loving.

“If he comes,” she said.

Taraeth’s smile was cold. “He’ll come. The Dragon Kings are meant to protect the humans. How could he ignore the need to save you, the sister of his friend’s mate? If he doesn’t come, Banan will. It doesn’t matter which King I get in the end.”

He stood and adjusted his shirt with an eager smile. “Get ready. It’s the beginning of the end for the Dragon Kings.”