Smoke and Fire: Part 4 (9 page)

“Aye. We need to find her.”

“That I can help with.”

“I was hoping you’d say that.” Ryder wanted to shout with joy that Kinsey would be staying. He didn’t care how long it took. He would show her his love and that he wanted her in his life forever.

Kinsey fiddled with the edge of the tartan blanket. “I still want to know who set me up.”

“I suspect that was Ulrik, but we’ll find out for sure.”

Her smile was slow as it spread over her face. “It looks like I’m in need of a job.”

It was Ryder’s turn to smile. “I’m fairly certain I can help with that.”

“Con would allow that?”

Ryder laughed. “I should’ve taped his words earlier. He likes you, Kins.”

“Now that’s a shock,” she said with a small laugh. “But I’m glad. I like it here.”

“Are you ready to return to the manor?”

She pulled her hand from his and sat up, wrapping the blanket around her. “There’s something I need to say first.”

Ryder waited for her to continue. From the dread on her face, he feared the worst.

“I’m sorry,” Kinsey said.

Now that, he wasn’t expecting.

“I’m sorry for everything.” She licked her lips and lowered her gaze to the ground. “I should never have feared you, and I certainly should never have told you I wasn’t sure I could forgive your leaving me. After being at Dreagan and seeing the enemies, I understand now.” Her eyes returned to his. “I’d have done the same thing. This is your family. You protect your family.

“But I was lying to myself when I said I didn’t have feelings for you. I lied to others about that as well. I never stopped loving you. Never.”

Ryder wanted to pull her against him, but she held out a hand to stop him.

“You were so patient and sweet, and I … wasn’t. You deserve better than that. I’d like … that is, if you’re willing … I’d very much like to start again. I may have done too much or said the wrong things, but I love you. I’ll go through interrogations or whatever to reassure you and Con and the others that I mean this.”

Ryder halted any more words with a kiss. He was so happy he could barely contain himself. Kinsey was going to be his.

“I know you mean every word,” he whispered as he caressed a hand down her face. “I love you, Kinsey Burns. It killed me to leave you, and I doona want to ever be apart from you again.”

Fresh tears welled and fell down her cheeks. “You’ve no idea how happy you’ve made me.”

“You’ve got that wrong, lass,” he murmured with a grin. “I’ll be the one who’s the happiest.”

A seductive smile filled her face. “Perhaps we can show each other just how happy we’ve made the other.”

“Ohhh. I like that idea. Shall we commence things here?”

“As long as no one can see or interrupt us,” she said and threw off the blanket.

Ryder hastily set up a magic door that would block anyone from entering—or seeing. His laugh bounced off the stones as she tore open his shirt, sending buttons flying once more.

Epilogue

Three days later …

“Do we really have to?” Kinsey said as she reached down and wrapped her hand around his cock.

“Hmmm. Did you say something?”

She chuckled and kissed his cheek. It had been the best three days of her life. They hadn’t left Ryder’s room, and it was wonderful.

“I suppose we need to get to work,” she said with a sigh.

Ryder lifted the laptop. “I’ve been keeping up with things.”

“With one screen. Admit it, you miss your monitors.”

He shrugged and set aside the laptop. “That I do, but I like you in my arms. Perhaps we should set up the monitors here.”

“Or we could set up our bedroom in the computer room.”

Ryder thought about that for a moment. “Nope. I doona like either idea. Let’s keep things the way they are.”

She laughed as he rolled her onto her back and kissed her. When he lifted his head, she ran her fingers through his blond locks. “I can’t believe everyone believes I’m innocent.”

“Because you are. And now we have two more allies,” he said with a smile and a wink.

“Two more mortals. That doesn’t concern any of you?”

“You’re my mate, Kins. You’ll only be mortal until the ceremony, which I’d like done soon. I doona like the idea of someone hurting you. Once you’re mine, you’ll be immortal.”

That thought still boggled her mind. She and Ryder had talked at length about how she was going to handle her family. It was going to be a delicate situation, but with her parents in another country and her sister starting her life, they were going to make it work.

“Are you still thinking about the fact you willna be able to have children?” he asked in a soft voice.

Kinsey looked into his hazel depths and smiled. “I was thinking about my family, but I have been contemplating the children issue.”

“Do you want children?”

“I don’t know. First I was too young, then there was my career. Then you.”

“And after me.”

“Yes, then after you left. I’ve not had time to think about it.”

“Would you rather hold off the ceremony until you can be sure?”

Kinsey smiled and brought his face down for another kiss. “This is why I love you.”

“Because I asked if you wanted to wait?”

“Because you’re always thinking about me.”

Ryder ran a finger from her forehead down the side of her face, tracing her hairline. “I’ll do anything for you, Kins. If that means waiting years for the ceremony so you can be sure about children, then I understand.”

“You’re mine, Ryder. I don’t want anyone else in my life but you. If we can’t have children, then we’ll find ways to fill our time. Who knows? We might adopt someday.”

“I’d give you as many children as you wanted if I could.”

“I know. It’s not your fault or mine. It’s just the way it’s going to be. And I’m okay with that.”

He kissed her forehead. “If you doona stop talking like that, I’m going to take you again and forget about going to the computer room and working.”

“Now that sounds like a plan,” she said as she wrapped her arms around him. “Except we have work to do.”

Ryder dropped his head onto the pillow and rolled onto his back. “And a plan to put in place.” He turned his head to look at her. “Are you and Esther sure of this?”

“Yeah.”

He sat up and swung his legs off the bed to stand. “Then let’s get to work.”

*   *   *

Rhi meandered the streets of Edinburgh veiled. It was weird walking amidst the mortals unseen. She heard their conversations, listened to their laughter, and shared their smiles—and their tears.

She’d been there days but had yet to see a Fae with white hair. It didn’t matter if she walked the graveyards, the tourist sections, the underground, or the back allies, there was nothing to see.

Her watcher, however, didn’t seem thrilled to be in Edinburgh. In fact, she got the distinct impression he wanted her to leave soon.

Rhi paused and leaned a shoulder against a building. Was it a quirk of fate that she hadn’t seen the white-haired Fae? Or did her watcher have something to do with it?

If the white-haired Fae was thought to be a Reaper, then she could deduce that her watcher was one as well. Her watcher could be telling the others where she was to keep them away.

“This is really getting old,” she grumbled to herself.

All she wanted was answers, but she wasn’t going to come by them easily. No, Rhi was going to have to be devious and sneaky in order to get what she wanted.

She just hoped it was worth it.

Rhi was passing a store selling magazines when she spotted Usaeil on the cover. Rhi rolled her eyes. Her queen loved how the human population adored her. Pretending to be an American and having a career as an actress had shifted Usaeil’s attention from her people.

Then Rhi read the caption above Usaeil’s picture. A
N
EW
M
AN?
it said.

Rhi stared at the fuzzy picture of a scene inside a hotel room with Usaeil and a man in a suit. With blond hair. Rhi couldn’t see his face. It could be Con, but then it could be someone else.

She knew Usaeil was having an affair with a Dragon King. And now this picture? Con would never allow himself to be photographed, which meant this was all Usaeil.

Rhi unveiled herself, tossed some money onto the counter, and grabbed the magazine. It was time she showed Con and got his reaction.

*   *   *

Ulrik stared at the list of names. He had narrowed it down to three. One of those was the spy Mikkel was using on Dreagan. Ulrik sent three texts to his best investigators to have them watch all three people.

One of them was the spy—and one of them would soon be his.

Ulrik closed the file and returned it to the secret compartment in his desk drawer. Then he leaned back. He felt calmer than he had in … eons. Shifting had done wonders to clear his mind and focus him.

The anger swirling within him had been reined in. Mikkel would be taken care of in due time. Until then, Ulrik would continue with his plans.

He reached over and tapped a key on the keyboard. His computer screen flashed a picture of Harriet with blood draining from her eyes, nose, and ears as she sat unmoving in her desk chair.

Ulrik smiled at Mikkel’s failure. Yet there was a Druid in his employ that was powerful enough to pique his interest. He was going to have to meet her soon.

The Dragon Kings had won a small skirmish. Ryder had his mate, and Henry’s sister was alive. It was Mikkel’s lack of foresight that caused them to fail. But Ulrik had something in mind that was going to set the Kings back.

*   *   *

Somewhere in Sweden …

V watched the woman fighting with her lover in the crowded bar. The man was uninterested in reconciling, and the woman was heartbroken. That was something V could help her with.

Loud music began to play as the woman pushed her way through the throng of people trying to get to the door. V reached the door before she did and held it open for her.

“He’s no’ worth it.”

She brushed away her tears. “Excuse me?”

“I saw you with him,” V said as they walked outside. “He doesna care. You deserve someone who cares about you. Someone who’ll give you the attention your exquisite beauty deserves.”

“And you’re that man?” she asked, sniffling.

V smiled. “I could be.”

She looked through the glass windows inside the bar. Then she faced V. “Prove it.”

His arm snaked out and yanked her against him. With his other hand he traced the line of her jaw. “I’ll do much more than that.”

He kissed her deeply. She moaned into his mouth, her fingers clutching his shoulders as she forgot all about her tears and the man who didn’t want her.

V maneuvered them toward an alley, but she broke the kiss. She looked up at him with her pupils dilated and her breathing ragged.

“My roommate is gone for the night. Let’s go back to my place.”

V took her hand with a smile. “Yes, let’s.”

Read all four parts of this sensational e-series—and look for the full volume of
Smoke and Fire
in April 2016 from St. Martin’s Paperbacks.

Don’t miss

The Reapers

A New Series in the
Dark Kings
world!

Dark Alpha’s Claim,
available 11/17/15

Dark Alpha’s Embrace,
available 2/16/16

Dark Alpha’s Demand,
available 5/17/16

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