Darkest Flame (14 page)

“You could be working with them. How do I know otherwise? Everything that happened in my cave could’ve been planned.”

“Yep. You found me out. I set up my own betrayal, knowing you were in the cave and would take me back to the manor so Con, with the magic I knew he had, would heal me, only to get shot again.” Denae rolled her eyes. “Get a grip.”

He sighed loudly and looked around the crates as the bullets slowly exited his body and the wounds healed right before her eyes.

“How bad is your wound?”

“It won’t kill me.” Denae raised her eyes to his face. He thought she was part of the trap. As if. But that didn’t upset her nearly as much as the kiss. The kiss that had shaken her to her core meant nothing to him. It had been a distraction for her as well as their enemies.

She felt used, manipulated. And it hurt.

She scooted around the other side of the crate and took aim at a second agent on the roof through her scope. In one shot, he was dead.

“I’m trying to keep you alive,” Kellan stated as he moved her out of the way.

“The Dark Fae want you,” she told him.

“I know. Rhi heard it all as she was following you to keep you from harm.”

“So you knowingly walked into an ambush while thinking I’m a part of it?” Denae shook her head. “And here I thought you were smart.”

“I am,” he ground out.

Her retort died on her lips when the Dark Fae who had been eyeing her earlier rose up behind Kellan.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Kellan saw Denae’s widened eyes and knew there was someone behind him, and by the look of stark fear on her face, he knew what—a Dark.

If it wasn’t for Denae, he would turn and battle the Fae, but there was the female to consider. Instead of fighting, he clasped her arms and pulled her on top of him as he dove to the side as a blast of dark magic came at them.

Kellan rolled them until he was on top of her. His body, already heated from their kisses, roared to life when nestled against her soft curves.

There was no time to think about it, however, with a battle going on around him. Kellan looked up and saw something slam into the Dark One from the back. Rhi appeared for just a moment as nothing but a shimmer as her magic gathered and she focused it on her enemy. It sent the Dark from the realm, leaving only three others to fight.

Rhi glanced at him just before she faded again. Kellan jumped to his feet and pulled Denae up with him. “Are you all right?”

She was nodding her head when her body jerked and she fell forward. Kellan grabbed her against him, his hand going around to her back and meeting something sticky and wet.

He dragged her to safety and pulled his hand away to see it covered in bright red blood. Kellan knelt with her in his arms and gently turned her onto her back, careful to keep his hand covering the wound to stanch the blood flow.

Her face was pale, her lips colorless.

“It’s going to be all right,” he said. “I promised you wouldna die today.”

She smiled wanly. “Even you can’t keep such a promise.”

“When will you stop doubting me?” he whispered.

Her lids slid closed over her whisky-colored eyes. Even with the kernel of doubt that she was part of the ambush, Kellan called forth his dragon power and found the metal bullets within her. He focused all of his concentration on the metal and extracting them from her spine and her leg.

The bullet in her leg fell first, and then the one from her back. But that didn’t stop the blood. Before he could call to Con, the King of Kings stood before them.

Kellan glanced up and saw Rhys, Banan, and even Henry surrounding them as they fended off the Dark. Con knelt beside Denae, and without a word, healed her.

The fear that had turned his blood to ice was new. It had been so long since he had felt that particular emotion and he would be happy never to feel it again.

Denae’s eyes fluttered open, a frown marring her forehead. “There’s no more pain.”

“Because the injury is gone.”

“How?”

Kellan spotted a Dark Fae coming for them, so he got them on their feet and running. He paused beside another set of crates and peered around the corner. “Con is the only one who can heal a wound, and he did just that.”

“You did something, I know it. What was it?” she asked as he jerked her after him as they ran to another spot.

“My gift is finding metal.”

There was a beat of silence before she said, “The bullets. Thank you.”

Kellan glanced at her, surprised to hear such words. Then again, she constantly astounded him. There was steel beneath her delicate frame, extreme intelligence behind her sexy eyes, and gentleness within her.

Not to mention passion beyond his wildest dreams.

Their kisses had sent his already heated blood to boiling. If she could do that to him with just a kiss, what would it be like to fill her?

Kellan swallowed and looked away from her beguiling gaze. The agents from MI5 had been killed, leaving only three Dark Fae left to battle. Rhi took care of another one a moment later, and just like that, the other two disappeared.

“Are they gone?” Henry asked as he rose up from behind some crates.

Banan looked around at the devastation. “No’ for long.”

“And those things were…?” Henry prompted.

Con looked down at his white dress shirt ruined by blood and dirt with distaste. “Those were Dark Fae.”

“You met another Fae earlier,” Kellan said as he and Denae came to stand with the others. “Rhi.”

Henry’s eyes softened at the mention of the Fae. “She’s a beautiful woman.”

“And off-limits. You doona want to get involved with her,” Con said.

“I don’t think I’d mind,” Henry said with a chuckle.

Rhys walked up and said, “We need to get out of here before the authorities show up.”

“Denae can no’ return to Dreagan,” Kellan said.

Banan nodded grimly. “Agreed. We’re being followed.”

“Speaking of that, where is Rhi?” Con asked.

Rhys threw up his hands in a gesture of puzzlement. “Around somewhere.”

“Are we sure the Dark Fae are really gone?” Denae asked.

Kellan glanced at her, and only then realized he still had a grasp on her arm. He released his grip and then fisted his hand to hold in her warmth.

“Good question,” Banan said. “One we can determine.”

Rhi appeared beside Rhys. “No need. They’re gone, but I wouldn’t suggest hanging around. They’re pissed off. They’re also determined to have a Dragon King.”

“A what?” Henry asked.

Kellan ignored him and looked at Rhi. “Why?”

“They’re after something,” she responded.

Con blew out a harsh breath. “Did they say what?”

Rhi twisted her lips as she shrugged. “I’ll keep an ear out for anything. My queen is calling for me, and I’m sure she’ll be on the edge of her seat to hear this story.”

And then she was gone.

“That would make traveling easier,” Denae said with a grin. “Kinda wish I could pop in and out of places.”

Kellan didn’t know of any mortal who could make a jest after almost losing their life. Denae constantly confounded him, making him rethink everything about humans—and that disturbed him.

But no more than his hunger for her did.

He hadn’t intended to kiss her. His plan had been to get her to safety before the battle began, but as he approached, her beautiful eyes had filled with such longing and desire that it had undone him.

The first kiss had been a mistake. The second, disastrous.

Now all he could think about was her. Her taste was on his tongue, tantalizing him with her scent and sensuality. His hands itched to free her hair from the braid and feel the silky tresses through his fingers.

“But would you dislike me less if I was Fae instead of human since you hate both?” she asked Kellan.

“I doona hate Rhi.”

A sad smile pulled at Denae’s lips. “Of course not.”

Without another word, she turned on her heel and walked back to the Range Rover.

Kellan watched the sway of her hips. It was mesmerizing, seductive, and she didn’t even know it. Everything she did was tantalizing and tempting, enticing and provocative.

Made all the more so because she had no idea of her appeal. And if she ever did, there wouldn’t be a man—mortal or immortal—who would be immune to her.

Kellan already had a difficult time keeping his hands off her, and now that he knew the taste of her kiss, he had one goal—claiming her body.

Henry came to stand beside him and scratched his chin. “There were few men in all of MI5 who didn’t want her in their beds.”

“You included?” Kellan asked, a hard note in his voice.

Henry met his gaze. “Me included. Despite being a spy, there is something pure and honest about her that draws people in. There aren’t many who retain any virtues after being a spy. Denae is different.”

Kellan thought over Henry’s words. Denae was different.

“There’s blood on her shirt. A lot of it. Is she injured?”

Banan came up beside Henry. “No’ anymore. Kellan and Con took care of that.”

Kellan said no more as he followed Denae. He wanted to be alone with his thoughts, but he should have known Con wouldn’t allow that.

“What’s your plan?” Con asked as he fell into step beside him.

Kellan kept his gaze on Denae as he shrugged. “I need to take her somewhere safe from both MI5 and the Dark.”

“I know you, old friend. You suspect her of being a part of this.”

“I did. I do.”

“Which is it?” Con prodded.

Kellan shrugged. “I doona know. My hatred of the humans for what they did to us, as well as my Bronzes, could be clouding my judgment. She was shot, a wound that would’ve taken her life.”

Con nodded. “That shot was meant for you, but I understand. It’s difficult to ignore. The Dark are after you. What could they want?”

Kellan glanced at the King of Kings and shrugged. “Who knows with the Dark? I’d feel better if we found out though.”

“Me as well. Perhaps I should put Ulrik on their radar.”

“And if he’s the one, as you believe, behind all of this, how will that look?”

“I honestly doona care.”

“I understand his hatred of you, but you were the one who betrayed him.”

Con halted, his jaw set as he glared. “He betrayed all of us. Never forget that. I did what was necessary for the survival of the dragons.”

“You two were as close as brothers. He was your rival as King of Kings, and yet he didna fight you for that honor.”

“I’m no’ talking about this,” Con stated with finality. “There is a place on the Isle of Raasay. I’d tell you how to get there, but you’ve no’ driven before.”

Kellan walked away before he punched Con. He had agreed with Con on how to handle the woman who had deceived Ulrik, but he had never understood Con’s hatred of Ulrik. And it appeared he never would.

When Kellan reached the Range Rover, Denae was already in the backseat with her seat belt buckled. He opened his door and climbed in beside her.

“I guess my leaving the country under a false name is out of the question,” she said.

Kellan closed his door. “Aye.”

“If all the Dragon Kings are at Dreagan, wouldn’t that be the safest place for me?”

“No’ with your people still looking for you. We need to draw them away.” Her head turned and she pinned him with her eyes, causing his cock to stir once more. “As powerful as we are, the magic of a Dark Fae can … hinder us.”

“How?” she pressed.

“We’re strong in human form. In dragon form, we’re even stronger. The Dark Fae can keep us from shifting into dragons.”

Her nose wrinkled. “That sounds unfair. What can you do to the Dark Fae?”

“The same thing we did to the Fae, which is fight them. All Fae can be killed. They are no’ immortal. They only live an exceptionally long time.”

“As in how long?”

“Thousands of years.”

Both of her brows rose. “Oh, is that all? I was thinking it was a really long time or something.”

Her dry wit had him almost smiling. “If the Dark Fae dare to come to Dreagan, there will be another war. That would show the world who we are as well as exposing the Fae.”

“Can’t Rhi and her people help?”

“The Light loathe the Dark. They are constantly fighting each other, and that’s why, for the most part, humans doona see much of either Fae.”

“And if we do encounter them?”

“The Light, those like Rhi, you’ve probably seen and no’ known. They’re forbidden to take human lovers, but it happens all the time. The Dark, however, like to steal men and woman alike.”

“And do what with them?”

“Young girls are their favorites. They terrorize and torture them, feeding off their innocence until nothing is left but a shell. Then they are used for sex.”

“And the men?” she asked in a soft voice.

Kellan looked out the window to see Banan and Henry approaching. “The men are used for sex until their souls are depleted. The only way they can survive after that is by continuing to have sex with the Dark Ones.”

“Can’t they be rescued?”

“No. Once someone is slave to a Dark One, they’re lost.”

Denae looked out her window as Banan and Henry got into the vehicle. Once the SUV was started, Banan quickly drove them away from the docks.

“Why are the Dark Fae after you now?” she asked.

Kellan wished he knew.

“They despise us for putting them in a position to sign a treaty,” Banan said.

“That doesn’t make sense to go after just Kellan then,” Denae said as she looked forward.

Kellan had to agree with her. “There’s only one reason they would want me. As Keeper of the History, they want something from our past.”

And Kellan had an idea of exactly what that was. If the Dark got their hands on it, he wasn’t sure the Kings could save the humans, much less themselves.

“Rhys is going to meet us later so he can take you and Denae,” Banan said into the growing silence.

Henry rested his elbow on the armrest between the seats. “I don’t want to know where, so be sure not to mention it. Meanwhile, I’m going to contact my superiors and see if I can put a stop to the operatives coming after Denae.”