Smoke and Fire: Part 4 (2 page)

Ulrik, the Dark, and MI5 had all tried to get to Dreagan and the Kings in some way. And Kinsey had slipped in under the radar. Ryder felt like the biggest fool.

But he was going to protect his home and his family in the only way he knew how.

Chapter Thirty-six

Kinsey woke feeling sick to her stomach. She rolled to her side to stop the nausea, but nothing helped. When she broke out in a sweat, she threw off the covers and made a dash for the bathroom to kneel before the toilet. As her stomach rolled viciously, her head began to pound.

She grabbed her head and fell to the floor. The pain was unimaginable, as if someone were inside her head. She cried out, squeezing her eyes closed, praying it stopped.

Ryder! Where was he? Kinsey needed him.

*   *   *

Ryder heard the screams when he was halfway to his bedroom. He started running with Thorn and Dmitri on his heels. As he approached the bedroom he saw the door open and panic set in.

He rushed into his room to find Anson kneeling over Kinsey in the bathroom. The light was on but Kinsey had her eyes closed with her hands on either side of her head as she curled up on her side. Her cries tore at Ryder as he saw the pain she was in.

Ryder grabbed a blanket off the bed as he strode into the bathroom. He covered Kinsey’s naked body then touched her arm.

Anson looked up at him, his black eyes troubled. “I heard the screams and found her like this.”

“Careful,” Dmitri cautioned Ryder when he tried to roll Kinsey onto her back.

Ryder needed to get her to Con. Con could heal anything. That’s when Ryder remembered Con was in Paris. He didn’t know what to do. As angry as he was with Kinsey, she was in pain. If he was going to get a confession from her, she needed to be lucid enough to answer his questions.

“Kinsey,” Ryder called. “Can you hear me?”

Tears streamed freely down her face, telling him the agony she was in. Ryder began to gather her into his arms to take her back to the bed. He was about to stand when she grew quiet.

He watched as her arms fell to her sides and the lines of hurt eased from her face as her body relaxed.

“What the bloody hell,” Dmitri murmured.

Thorn gave a shake of his head. “I doona like this, Ryder.”

He didn’t either, but he wasn’t sure what to do. At least Kinsey was no longer in pain. That was a plus. But there was no denying something was going on. He just needed to determine what.

If she were an electronic of some kind, Ryder would know exactly what to do. As it was, the human body was as foreign to him as designing an engine was to others.

“What are you going to do?” Anson asked.

Ryder looked at each of the Kings and shrugged. “I can no’ leave her on the floor.”

Just as he began to stand, Kinsey sat up, her eyes opening. The blanket fell away, but she either didn’t realize it or care. And the Kinsey Ryder knew would’ve cared.

All four of them froze as they waited to see what she would do or say. Seconds ticked by without a sound from her.

“Kinsey,” Anson said.

Ryder frowned as she ignored him. Then she rose to her feet and started for the door. Ryder pointed to Thorn who quickly shut the door before Kinsey could reach it.

Ryder then rose and moved to stand before her. He didn’t like the others seeing her without clothes, but he was more concerned with her attitude. “Kins, you’re naked. Don’t you want to put on some clothes?”

She turned her head and looked right through him. Ryder exchanged a look with Dmitri and Anson. No matter what, Kinsey wasn’t leaving the room.

Ryder put a hand out to stop her when she attempted to walk past him. With just a small shove from her slim hand, he found himself on his back.

“What the hell?” Thorn asked.

Ryder was thinking the same thing. He jumped to his feet and put himself in front of Kinsey once more. This time he was prepared when she went to push him.

This time he didn’t budge an inch.

She cocked her head his way. Then she used both hands to ram him. Ryder found himself sliding back on the hardwood until he met the rug, which scrunched beneath his feet.

Anson came up behind Kinsey and tried to get his arms around her, but she somehow managed to dislodge him.

“Her strength has more than tripled,” Ryder said, grabbing hold of her shoulders and stopping himself. “We can’t be gentle with her anymore.”

Thorn frowned. “But Ryder. You love her.”

“Right now she’s a threat to Dreagan. We need to stop her.”

Dmitri nodded vigorously. “I wholeheartedly agree.”

Before they could take her down, she sent an uppercut to Ryder’s jaw, nearly knocking him out. He stumbled backward trying to get his bearings as he heard his friends shouting.

Something hit the back of his legs. Unable to right himself, he fell backward, right into the chair. He shook his head, trying to clear it. When he blinked and the room stopped spinning he found Anson and Thorn rising from the floor and Dmitri bent over holding his cock as he braced a hand on the wall.

It took half a second for Ryder to see that Kinsey was no longer in the room. He jumped up and rushed to the open door to catch a glimpse of Kinsey—still naked—going down the stairs.

Ryder sent out an alert to all the Dragon Kings on Dreagan through their mental link. Then he rushed after Kinsey with Thorn, Dmitri, and Anson right behind him.

Guy grabbed Elena and pulled her out of Kinsey’s way at the base of the stairs. The Kings knew what to do. The mates were taken deep within the mountain while two or three Kings stood guard.

The rest of the Dragon Kings would take up posts throughout Dreagan, the mountain, and the entire estate.

Ryder met Guy’s eyes and gave him a nod to let Guy know that he was going to take care of the problem—in whatever way was needed.

“Are you up for this?” Thorn asked as they hurried after Kinsey through the house to the hidden doorway into the mountain.

Ryder didn’t pretend not to know what he asked. “Kinsey betrayed me, betrayed Dreagan.”

“That doesna mean you have to kill her.”

Anson grunted. “In case you missed it, Kinsey has strength I’ve never witnessed in a mortal without magic.”

“Maybe she’s a Druid,” Dmitri offered.

Ryder shook his head. “She’s no’ a Druid.”

“I hate to say it,” Thorn said. “But maybe you didna know her as you thought you did.”

Ryder didn’t say anything as they entered the mountain. He paused, trying to determine what she could be after. It wasn’t the Silvers, because she couldn’t wake them even if she managed to open the magical lock.

It couldn’t be the weapon the Dark sought that Con hid, because it wasn’t kept there. Not to mention there was no way she could get to Con’s mountain.

That left one possibility—Esther.

Ryder turned to his friends. “She’s going after Esther.”

“We’ll come at her the other way,” Dmitri said as he nudged Anson.

The two each took a tunnel, one to the right, and one to the left. Ryder looked at Thorn and kept following Kinsey.

“You’re no’ Ulrik,” Thorn said.

Ryder kept Kinsey within his sights. “Perhaps. But I think I know exactly how he felt.”

“Why Esther?”

“Because she gave up a name,” Ryder said. “Kinsey hadn’t wanted to be there when we interrogated Esther.”

Thorn came even with him as the tunnel widened. “Why did you bring her?”

“Con wanted it, and I thought if Kinsey was allowed to see how we questioned others she might lose some of her fear.”

“No’ to mention we let her be a part of cling her name,” Thorn added.

The more Ryder thought about it, the more of a fool he felt. It was the worst feeling—nearly as bad as when he watched his dragons fly across the dragon bridge to another realm.

“We’re going to stop her and figure this out.”

Ryder glanced at Thorn. “Doona bother trying to make the situation better. Nothing can do that.”

By the time they reached where Esther was being held, Ryder was prepared to knock Kinsey out. When they turned the corner, Kinsey and Esther were already in hand-to-hand combat.

Thorn rushed to Henry who was laid out on the floor. “He’s alive,” Thorn said.

At least there was that.

The sound of footsteps approached as Dmitri and Anson finally reached them. Anson gave a shake of his head while Dmitri circled around the women to get behind them.

Ryder watched the fight for a moment. He expected Esther to be a strong fighter because of her training, but Ryder was shocked to discover that at times Kinsey was better than the MI5 agent.

Esther was fighting for her life while Kinsey acted like a robot. No hit Esther landed seemed to cause Kinsey any pain, while Esther winced and groaned when Kinsey landed her hits.

Kinsey landed a particularly bad hit in Esther’s stomach that caused her to bend over gasping for air. Ryder was about to send his power into Kinsey to weaken her and take her down when Esther let out a scream and clutched at her head.

The same thing Kinsey had done.

Thorn was by Ryder’s side in a moment. “That’s no’ a coincidence.”

“Never is,” Ryder said.

Esther grew quiet. A moment later she straightened and looked at Kinsey with the same flat stare that Kinsey had.

“What did they do to them?” Anson asked.

That was something they had to know. As well as everyone involved, because it was obvious Ulrik hadn’t done this alone.

“If we let them continue fighting they’re going to kill each other,” Dmitri said.

As soon as Kinsey rushed Esther, Ryder focused his power on her, weakening her. But it wasn’t enough.

Dmitri used his power of thought cancellation on Kinsey. It stopped her immediately. Ryder then weakened Kinsey even more, causing her legs to give out. She crumpled to the floor, but her gaze was still locked on Esther.

“Kinsey willna stop,” Thorn said.

Anson jerked his chin to Esther. “We doona know when she’ll be triggered again.”

“We need Hal.” Though any of the Kings could use their dragon magic to make them sleep, Ryder wanted to make sure they remained that way for a long period.

He sent Hal a quick message. Luckily, Hal was one of the Kings guarding the mates so it didn’t take him long to reach them. He rushed into the cavern and glanced at Ryder.

“Make them sleep,” Ryder told them.

Dmitri was staring at Kinsey, who was still attempting to get to Esther. “Deeply.”

Hal walked to each of the girls and touched them, sleep gas forming around them. When he gently laid Esther on the ground, he turned to Ryder and stood. “What happened?”

“We’re trying to figure that out,” Thorn said.

Ryder waited for Thorn or Dmitri to tell Hal and Anson of Kinsey’s betrayal, but neither spoke of it. Ryder wasn’t sure whether to be grateful or not.

Because he was going to have to tell all the Kings.

There was a sound behind them as Henry began to wake. He pushed himself to his hands and knees and sat on his haunches. He looked around him. “I’m guessing I missed something.”

It was Dmitri who said, “You could say that.”

“How bad?” Henry asked.

Ryder blew out a breath. “Bad enough.”

Chapter Thirty-seven

Paris, France

Con poured another glass of cabernet sauvignon, watching the red wine fill his glass. Before him sat a meal fit for a king with actual gold plates, crystal glasses, and half a dozen silver candlesticks on the table alone.

He looked past the flicker of the candles to the woman across from him. Usaeil. Queen of the Light. She raised her glass to him, her silver eyes alight with happiness.

“I’ve a benefit to attend in Los Angeles next week,” she said, dropping the American accent and allowing the Irish to come through. “I want you to go with me. I’m tired of attending these things alone.”

“You know I willna,” he said and took a drink of wine.

“They’re going to find out soon enough.” She rose and walked around the suite.

He looked over her beautiful form and the gold lamé minidress with her thick black waves falling down her back. It wasn’t an accident that she wore gold. Con knew it was all for him.

Usaeil paused at the sofa and sat on the arm, crossing one long, lean leg over the other. “Why not let them discover the truth with the rest of the world?”

“I told you I’d tell my Kings when the time was right.”

The smile dropped from her face. “I’m tired of hiding, Con. You’re a king. I’m a queen. We shouldn’t have to hide. We make the rules.”

He leaned an elbow on the arm of his chair and slowly took another drink. Usaeil had become more and more volatile of late, and Con was pretty sure he knew why—Rhi.

As he regarded Usaeil, he crossed an ankle over his knee. “I doona lead my men that way.”

“Perhaps you should. It’s working for me.”

“Is it?”

One black brow rose, her silver eyes glaring daggers. “You dare to question my rule. Have you been talking to Rhi?”

Damn. Con should’ve known Rhi would say something to Usaeil. “You know I’ve no’ spoken to Rhi lately.”

“When was the last time?”

He didn’t like jealousy in any form, but especially when there was no cause for it. “I’m no’ going to have you dig into my life.”

“Why? Do you have something to hide?” She stood and stalked toward him. “If you won’t tell me what I need to know, then that makes you guilty.”

Con set down his glass and got to his feet. He looked down at Usaeil. “And you’re paranoid. Rhi has gotten under your skin, and you’re allowing her to stay there.”

“When was the last time you saw her?”

He didn’t say another word as he walked around her and headed toward the door.

“If you walk out, I’m going straight to Dreagan and telling everyone about us.”

Con never did well with threats or ultimatums. He halted and slowly turned back to Usaeil. She smiled widely, triumphant. If she only knew how furious he was, but Usaeil was only interested in herself—just as all Fae were.

He’d learned that the hard way before. He was learning that lesson a second time. And he should’ve known better.

“I knew you could never leave me,” she purred as she walked to him. She placed her hand on his chest, moving aside his suit jacket to cover his heart. “What we have is special. Everyone will enjoy what we have.”