Scorched by Darkness (3 page)

March was definitely coming in like a lion on the Vatnajökull glacier in Iceland. The temperature hovered below freezing with a fierce wind that cut through the air with a brutal chill.

The terrain was inhospitable to humans, with narrow ridges of snow separated by deep gullies that occasionally dropped the unwary onto shards of razor-sharp ice below. And then there was Grimsvotn, the active volcano that was belching out toxic gases and ash.

The perfect place for a small colony of frost sprites to hide.

The creatures were nearly as rare as the Shinto fey, and just as wary of the predatory species.

Not that they were helpless. They had warriors who were trained to fight with swords as well as their magical ability to form ice around their enemies.

They should have been safe in their frozen part of the world, but of course, no one could ever truly isolate themselves enough to avoid danger.

Four weeks ago the first frost sprite disappeared. They assumed in the beginning that the young male had been struck with the urge to travel to one of the distant villages to enjoy a few nights with the human women. It was something the more adventurous males enjoyed. But when he didn’t return they started to become concerned. Then another frost sprite disappeared. And another.

By the time five had gone missing they knew they had a problem they couldn’t solve on their own. Desperate, they reached out to Rya’s mother, Kai. Her skill at creating a shadow included being able to use her projected image to find missing people.

Unfortunately, she’d been deep in the caves, touching the spot where the last sprite had gone missing, when she’d vanished.

Rya had received the garbled message from the frost sprites several days later and had rushed to organize her journey to Iceland.

First up had been creating a portal that would prevent her father’s guards from realizing she was leaving. She was allowed the freedom to come and go from the harem, but only with an armed guard to supposedly provide her protection. On this occasion she wanted to travel unnoticed. Something that would be impossible with a dragon creating chaos around her.

Then, packing a small bag, she’d slipped out of the lair and traveled to the glacier.

By the time she’d arrived the sprite colony had been removed to a hidden location far from their homeland, and only Finn remained behind to continue the search for the missing fey.

The male frost sprite was not only a prince, but he was their most powerful warrior.

Now she watched as the prince pulled himself out of the frigid sea and strolled in her direction. The male had been searching beneath the ice floes for any hint of portals, while Rya had been searching the lava tunnels.

Her dragon blood was violently opposed to the brutally cold water that Finn tried to assure her was invigorating.

“Any luck?” she demanded as Finn wrapped a blue robe around his tall, leanly muscular form.

He reached up to push back his hair that was a pale silver and long enough to brush his wide shoulders. His features were delicately carved, but there was no mistaking he was all male. His eyes shimmered like faceted diamonds in the fading sunlight, and his skin had the luster of a pearl.

The male moved forward, holding out his hand. “This.”

Rya frowned as she studied the small golden object that was scored with hex marks.

“A charm,” she murmured, capable of sensing the small tingle of magic that surrounded the round disc. “Do you recognize it?”

“It belongs to a fey, but not one of our tribe,” he said.

Rya bit her lower lip. “Is it possible that sprites from other colonies are being taken?”

“Possible.” The diamond eyes flashed with fury, his fingers closing over the charm. “Or this belongs to our unknown enemy.”

Rya wrinkled her nose. “True. Unfortunately, it doesn’t get us any closer to discovering who’s responsible, or how they’re doing it.”

“No.” The air crackled with the male’s power before he was giving a shake of his head and tucking the charm into the pocket of his robe. “Have you eaten?”

Rya blinked at the abrupt change in conversation. “I’m not hungry.”

“Too bad.” He narrowed his diamond eyes. “You need food and rest. You can come nicely or I can toss you over my shoulder.”

Rya pretended to scowl. “Bully.”

He smiled. “You’re not the first to call me that.”

“No surprise,” Rya muttered, even as she allowed the male to guide her over the snow and into the tunnel that led beneath the ice.

“It smells wonderful,” she murmured as they entered the surprisingly beautiful cavern lit with thousands of tiny fairy lights that danced, with a dizzying beauty, off the ice.

“I caught the salmon this morning and wrapped them in leaves with spices before placing them in the hot springs.” He led her around a stalagmite—or was it stalactite? One of those pointy things that grew from the bottom of the cavern. Her eyes widened at the sight of the small table set with candles and a crystal decanter filled with a golden liquid. “I also have a small serving of nectar that I bought from a fairy when I visited Flúðir.”

Her stomach growled as she moved forward to take a seat. She’d expended an enormous amount of energy trying to discover the magic being used to kidnap the sprites.

No one simply disappeared without a trace. There had to be some residual proof of who was responsible for taking them.

Finn moved to a shallow pool in the center of the cavern that bubbled with the heat from the lava flowing beneath them. With surprising efficiency, considering he was a prince who no doubt had dozens of servants who had left the colony to go into hiding with the rest of the tribe, he unwrapped the salmon and placed them on plates along with slices of fresh fruit that he’d gone through a portal to collect the day before.

Heading to the table, he set a plate in front of her before taking his own seat.

“A true feast,” she said with genuine appreciation.

Finn gave a lift of his shoulders. “We’ve worked hard. We deserve a break.”

Rya tried to force the gnawing fear for her mother to the back of her mind. Finn was right. She wasn’t going to help if she collapsed from weariness.

“I suppose so,” she admitted.

“Allow me.” Finn reached for the decanter, pouring them each a glass of the nectar.

Rya took a sip, shivering as the delicious warmth spread through her body.

She was only half fey, but the nectar flowed through her like the finest champagne.

“Very potent.”

She glanced toward the male who sprawled back in his chair with arrogant ease. He was truly beautiful. A shame he didn’t make her heart miss a beat. Or fill her dreams with heated fantasies. Only one male had ever managed to do that.

Torque.

Her back abruptly tingled, as if to remind her that she carried the male’s marking. Not that she could forget. His light touch during the ceremony fifty years ago was supposed to have left a small symbol that would seal their betrothal. Instead the image of a dragon had appeared, the vibrant gold and jade colors spreading across her skin.

The tattoo started at the nape of her neck, its long, sinewy body curving down her spine to end at the upper curve of her right buttock. Most startling, it had two sapphire eyes that were a perfect match to her betrothed’s.

Only the fact that Torque had seemed as startled as she’d been by the size and intricate detail of the marking had allowed her to bite back her words of outrage.

“Is something wrong?” Finn’s low, musical voice broke through her distracted thoughts. “The air is suddenly several degrees warmer.”

Rya pasted a smile to her lips, feeling a blush steal beneath her cheeks.

Dammit.
She devoted a large amount of energy trying to forget she possessed a betrothed, let alone the fact that he’d set her blood on fire when she’d seen him. After all, Torque didn’t bother to hide his grim regret that he was compelled to take her as his consort.

Jackass.

“As I said, the nectar is very potent,” she babbled, focusing her attention on the male seated next to her. “You’re not trying to get me tipsy, are you?”

A wickedly masculine smile touched his lips. “Would it work?”

Her brief tension eased. This male might not make her heart race, but he was handsome and charming and the perfect distraction until she returned to the search for her mother.

“Sprites are so predictable,” she teased.

Finn reached for his nectar, the delicate crystal glass frosting beneath his fingers.

“I think it has more to do with me being male, not just a sprite,” he informed her.

“True,” she agreed with a roll of her eyes. “Males are so predictable.”

Finn chuckled. “I’ll drink to that.”

With a rueful shake of her head, Rya grabbed her fork and dug into her dinner.

They ate in silence, both of them in need of the calories to replace their strength. At last full, Rya settled back in her chair and sipped her nectar.

“Thank you,” she murmured. “It was delicious.”

“It’s just a small way of showing my appreciation for helping to look for my people.” Without warning he leaned forward, brushing his fingers down her cheek. “I have a more…personal way to share my gratitude planned for later.”

Rya chuckled. She’d spent most of her life in a harem. Not one of the harems reserved for courtesans who serviced the dragons, but private rooms in her father’s lair that were carefully protected. Which meant she had little experience with males. But she was smart enough to know that Finn wasn’t dazzled by her charms. He would happily bed any female who was willing.

Her lips parted to inform him that she had no need of his gratitude when a sudden heat sizzled through the air.

What the heck?

“Remove your hand from her face before I rip it off and stuff it down your throat,” a dark male voice commanded without warning.

Jumping to her feet, Rya whirled around to watch as the intruder stalked forward.

Torque.

Her heart slammed against her ribs as her gaze skimmed over his austere features that looked as if they’d been sculpted by the hand of a master. His eyes were a brilliant blue that smoldered with the heat of his inner dragon. Sapphire fire. His mouth was perfectly chiseled, with the bottom lip surprisingly lush, as if hinting at tightly leashed passions. His forehead was broad with dark, arched brows.

He was compelling, rather than beautiful, she silently acknowledged as her gaze lowered to the leanly muscled body covered by a thin black tee and a pair of faded jeans despite the frigid cold.

She unconsciously licked her lips. His power was sternly restrained, but it prickled over her skin. It made her feel as if she was standing in the center of a thunderstorm, waiting for the tempest to be unleashed and batter against her.

Lifting her eyes to meet his smoldering gaze, she tilted her chin in an unconsciously defensive motion at the renegade tingle of excitement that prickled through her.

He’d followed her.

She hadn’t expected that.

“What are you doing here?”

Torque sent a glare toward Finn, who’d moved to stand at her side, before returning his attention to her.

“Clearly I’m here to collect my betrothed,” he growled, steam swirling around his feet as his irritation threatened to melt the nearby stalagmites. Or were they stalactites? She really needed to figure that out. “Something that wouldn’t have been necessary if you were in the harem where you belong.”

Rya narrowed her gaze, squashing her stupid excitement.

She’d almost forgotten the male was a jackass. Thankfully, the first words out of his mouth had reminded her.

“How did you find me?” she demanded.

“Ah.” A flash of color drew her attention to the tiny demon who was suddenly waddling forward. “You may thank me,
ma belle
. I am a great pistachio at—”

“Not now, gargoyle,” Torque interrupted with a snap.

“Hey.” The gray creature with large fairy wings and the knobby features of a gargoyle sent his companion an impatient glare. “The world is eager to appreciate my formidable skills,
n'est-ce pas
?” Continuing forward, the demon moved to stand directly in front of Rya, giving a small bow. “Levet, KISA at your service.”

Rya studied him in confusion. “KISA?”

“Don’t ask,” Torque muttered.

Levet sent the dragon a raspberry before turning back to Rya.

“Knight In Shining Armor,” he explained, puffing out his chest with obvious pride.

“Oh.” Rya tilted her head to the side. Had the dragon lost a bet? That was the only reason she could imagine the arrogant, always-aloof male traveling with such an…interesting companion. “Are you a gargoyle?”

Levet spread his wings. “Not just a gargoyle, but the most famous of all my people.”

“You’re very…” She allowed her words to trail away.

“Compact?” Levet helpfully supplied.

“Yes.”

“Enough talking,” Torque growled, abruptly stepping forward. “We’re going back to your father’s lair.”

It was a direct command. As if he had every right to toss out orders.

Her own dragon stirred to angry life.

She stretched her lips into a tight smile. “Feel free to go anywhere you want, in fact, I can give you a few suggestions. All of them are hot and filled with flames. But I’m staying.”

Torque blinked, as if baffled by her refusal. “What did you say?”

“I’m. Staying.”

The sapphire gaze flicked toward Finn who had moved to stand at her side.

“Are you being held against your will?”

Without warning, the fey prince wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her against him.

“Does it look like she’s here against her will?” he taunted.

Torque hissed, fire dancing over his skin as he stalked forward.

“I told you what would happen if you touched her again,” he said, his dark voice laced with murder.

Rya instinctively moved forward, planting her hand in the center of his chest.

“Torque, no.” She faced him squarely, indifferent to the flames that would have scorched a mere fey. She had no idea what had the male’s panties in a twist, but she knew that she didn’t want to drag poor Finn into the brewing fight. “Can you give us some privacy?” she asked the prince, her gaze never leaving Torque.