Kiss of Fury Read online

  A dragon was following Peter’s car.

  Donovan spoke with assurance. “Don’t worry. It’s Niall.”

  “Who’s Niall?”

  “One of the Pyr. You might have seen him at the hotel. He’s blond, shorter than me.”

  “How do you know for sure?”

  “I know the scent of every Pyr and Slayer I’ve ever met.”

  “And you remember them all?”

  “Yes.” There was no doubt in Donovan’s tone.

  “Accurately?”

  Donovan flicked a look at her. “Yes. He must have been assigned to stand sentry over Peter and his family until this is done.”

  “You don’t mean that the Slayers will target them?” Her family couldn’t suffer because of her invention. It wasn’t right.

  But then, Mark shouldn’t have died, either.

  “I don’t know what the Slayers will do.” Donovan was grim. “Erik obviously has his suspicions.”

  “I have to warn Peter,” Alex said, heading back into the house to call him on his cell. “He has to know the risk.”

  “Does he?” Donovan put a hand on her arm to stop her.

  Alex turned to meet his gaze, his question feeding her doubts.

  “What will he think if you tell him to watch out for dragons?”

  Alex halted. Peter would think she was nuts.

  Donovan was firm. “It’s better if Niall takes care of any trouble. It’s better if Peter doesn’t even know.”

  There were no flames in Donovan’s eyes. “But what if there are lots of them? What if Niall is overwhelmed?”

  “He’ll call for help. Niall sings the song of the wind and it does him favors. He can send a message anywhere, instantly.” Donovan’s gaze was steady and normal, locked on hers. “Trust me.”

  “Can you beguile without the flame?”

  “No.” His tone left no doubt. “I promised you, Alex. Those weren’t just empty words.”

  They stared at each other for a long moment; then she nodded. She trusted him. “Why won’t you show me your shift?”

  He met her gaze again. “It’s my task to protect you.”

  Before Alex could make sense of that, Donovan glanced up, as if he had heard something. He stepped out onto the porch and scanned the sky, then started to smile. “We’re going to have company,” he said. “Maybe Erik can answer your questions better than I can.”

  A beat later, his fellow Pyr landed in the driveway and shifted to human form. One second there were four dragons descending from the sky and in the next, four men were walking toward the front door with purpose.

  It said something about the kind of night they’d had that Alex was glad to see dragons arrive unannounced. There was a rumble like thunder; then Donovan headed for the living room to get dressed. Alex remained on the porch to welcome the arrivals.

  Best of all, Sara had come, too.

  Sara came directly to her. Alex had an urge to hug her, even though she wasn’t a huggy kind of person. The last twenty-four hours had been a test of her ability to deal with change.

  “I know.” Sara nodded. “It gets easier.”

  “It would be hard to believe that it got worse.” Alex felt better when Sara laughed.

  Alex remembered the four men from the hotel room— although she knew only Quinn’s name. The fair one was gone, so he must be Niall. Donovan returned and Alex heard that faint rumble, like thunder gathering. She looked but the sky was clear.

  “Old-speak,” Sara said, seeing her confusion. “It’s how they talk to each other without us hearing what’s said.”

  “It’s a lower frequency,” Alex guessed. “One that only they can discern. Like dog whistles, but at the other end of the scale.”

  “Exactly.” Sara watched the men. The sound of thunder had stopped and they seemed to be shimmering together. Their silhouettes sparkled against the night’s darkness.

  They exhaled in unison. Their breathing was so slow and deliberate, and they were otherwise so motionless that they could have been rocks in the driveway.

  Hunk-shaped rocks.

  “Good,” Sara said. “They’re breathing smoke.”

  “Their territory mark.” Alex nodded, remembering what Donovan had told her. She couldn’t help watching him, couldn’t help thinking he was the best-looking one of the bunch. He did seem to glimmer more brightly than the others.

  “Right. When they breathe it together, it’s even stronger. We’ll be safe in the house once they’re done.” Sara looked at the house and her amazement was clear. “Is this your place?”

  “My brother’s cottage,” Alex said, relieved to have a fairly normal conversation. “He likes all the toys. Come on in. There’s some wine I can open.”

  “If there’s fruit juice it would be better for me,” Sara said, and patted her stomach. “I have a hitchhiker to consider.”

  “I’m sure there’s some. We’ll ask Oscar for the inventory.”

  “Oscar?”

  “It’s a smart house,” Alex explained. “I named it Oscar when I customized the software.”

  Only because Peter hadn’t let her call it Meredith.

  The two women went into the house, leaving the Pyr in the driveway. Alex heard Sara catch her breath as they entered the wreckage that had been the conservatory. It smelled of soot and burned plants and wet potting soil. Alex was aware of the broken glass and the various blinking red alarm lights.

  How was she was going to get all of this fixed, without Peter noticing?

  Sara went straight to the lap pool and looked at the fallen Slayer. “Isn’t he the one whom Donovan challenged at the mall?”

  “Yes. Tyson. He’s also one of the dragons who came to Gilchrist Enterprises two weeks ago,” Alex admitted. She skipped past her memory of that night. “He’s the one who attacked me last night when I went back there, too. Can we go into the house?”

  “Sure. Sorry to linger; I was just curious.” Sara matched steps with Alex, and caught her breath when they entered the house itself. “It’s beautiful!”

  “This is nothing. You should see it when all the windows are open in the daytime. They have shutters over them now.”

  “Don’t open them just yet.”

  Alex laughed under her breath. “I wasn’t going to. I’m never going to forget the sound of that Slayer’s talons overhead.” She took a shaking breath. “If the shutters had been open, he would have dropped right into the room.”

  Sara watched her carefully, but didn’t say anything. Alex opened some wine, occupying herself with hospitality. She knew that Sara was taking careful note of her attitude, but she couldn’t fully hide her fear.

  Peter’s house was going to be full of dragons. The bad dragons knew where she was and only one of them was dead. And Alex was a bit too much of a skeptic to believe that invisible smoke was going to keep the Slayers at bay.

  Never mind that Donovan’s friends might not all be good dragons.

  With a tight smile Alex handed Sara a glass of juice.

  “What’s your plan for the Green Machine, Alex?” Sara asked softly.

  Alex’s heart leapt. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “But you’re a target of the Slayers. It’s important that we know everything so that we can help you.”

  Alex figured there was no point in beating around the proverbial bush. “How do I know I can trust all of you? Why would the Pyr want to help me?” She jumped when a man answered from behind her.

  “Because the Green Machine can help to save the planet,” he said, his British accent faint.

  Alex turned to find on the threshold a tall man with dark hair, a touch of silver at his temples. Donovan, Quinn, and the other two Pyr stood behind him.

  “That’s our mission: to save the earth before it’s too late,” he continued. “It’s imperative that humans make an effort to change their ways themselves—the Green Machine is a big step in that direction.”

  It was one thing to confide a bit in Donovan o
ver an all-day breakfast platter in a diner after he’d saved her life a couple of times. It was quite another to have a bunch of strangers turn up and act as if they had a right to know her secrets.

  Never mind that they already knew a bunch of them.

  Alex immediately changed to her defensive mode. She would confirm what these Pyr knew, and their intentions, before she told them anything.

  She wasn’t going to make a travesty of Mark’s death by spilling everything to dragons now. He hadn’t told the Slayers anything, despite what they had done to him. No one was hurting her, so she should be able to be just as tough.

  She owed him that much.

  “You can’t know anything about my invention.”

  “It’s a car,” the same Pyr said, and Alex’s heart fell to her toes. “A car called the Green Machine because it runs on an alternative, eco-friendly fuel.”

  Had Donovan told this dragon her secret in their so-called old-speak? Her gaze flew to his, but he shook his head minutely.

  “Erik knew about this before,” he said, and Alex believed him.

  But how? What powers did dragons have? She took a step back.

  The other Pyr—Erik—continued. “More accurately, it’s a car engine, one that runs on an alternative fuel. That fuel is plentiful and cheap: it has no waste products and creates no pollution. Your invention will revolutionize the automobile industry.” The speaker shook his head. “I don’t know what kind of fuel it is, Alex, but its credentials are impressive.”

  “Slayers destroyed the prototype at the lab,” Donovan continued. “They let you live so you could retrieve all of your data.”

  “You’ve been doing that,” Erik agreed. “And now you have a plan to continue. Is there a second prototype? Is it hidden here?”

  Alex felt the big stainless steel fridge against her back. “Who are you and how do you know all of this?”

  “I’m Erik Sorensson, leader of the Pyr.” He smiled as if to reassure her and offered his hand. “We’ve been looking for you, Alex. We knew your name, and we knew about Gilchrist Enterprises, but I couldn’t find the secret location of the lab in time.”

  “We hid it,” Alex admitted.

  “You hid it well,” Erik agreed. “I wish I could have found you sooner.”

  “Why?”

  His expression turned grim. “Because I would have ensured that Mark Sullivan didn’t die.” His voice softened. “He is dead, isn’t he, Alex?”

  Alex nodded and looked away. She was tempted to trust Erik, but wasn’t sure she should. At least there were no beguiling flames in his eyes. “What do you want from me?”

  “We want to protect you so that you can finish your work. We want to ensure that your invention gets into production.”

  “In exchange for what?”

  “In exchange for seeing a change for the better in our world.”

  “That’s all?” Alex was skeptical that anyone had such altruistic intentions as she and Mark.

  “That’s all. It’s a matter of principle, for us, of doing what we were born to do.” Erik smiled. “We are all ancient and inclined to hoard our riches. We don’t need financial compensation.”

  “Although stray coins are always welcome,” Donovan joked, and the other Pyr chuckled. The mood in the room lightened slightly.

  “So, what’s your plan?” Alex asked Erik.

  “We’ll protect you and help in any way we can to get the Green Machine running.”

  “We’ll stand guard until you have your investor meeting,” Donovan interjected. “Until the Green Machine’s debut is secured.”

  Alex looked between them all, admitting to herself that she couldn’t have picked a better-looking team of body-guards. “And then all dragons will disappear from my life forever?”

  Erik spared a pointed glance at Donovan, who looked at the floor. Alex wondered at his change of mood.

  Erik turned back to Alex and nodded, his manner thoughtful. “Yes. It’s likely that even the Slayers will leave you alone then. Your existence will no longer be important to them.”

  Alex liked the sound of that.

  “What about the firestorm?” Sara asked.

  “I’ll protect Alex until the next eclipse,” Donovan said grimly. “I know my obligations.”

  “Even though you ride solo?” Alex couldn’t resist reminding him.

  His lips tightened. “I play for the team.”

  “Do you?” Erik’s sidelong look at Donovan could have cut glass. “Then you should breed.”

  “No,” Donovan said flatly, his gaze locking with Alex’s. “I’m not going to debate this with all of you.” His voice rose slightly. “There will be no child.”

  Alex’s heart fluttered at his intensity. Did he still want to cheat the firestorm? She was surprised to realize how much she did.

  Despite everything.

  Donovan folded his arms across his chest and glared at Alex. He must have guessed her question because he certainly answered it. “Once the firestorm passes, Alex will be safe.”

  Message received: in February, Donovan would leave her life for good. Why didn’t losing this particular dragon sound like a good thing?

  Alex wondered what had changed. Donovan had been pretty willing to do the deed before Tyson arrived. They’d worked together to kill Tyson, which should have brought them closer.

  But Donovan had a stubborn look, one that Alex recognized. Peter got that look sometimes and Mark had had it once in a while, too. It invariably turned up when anything emotional needed to be discussed. Men usually then found an excuse to go for a beer, work on something mechanical, or otherwise disappear.

  She knew the change was because she’d asked him to shift in front of her, but she didn’t know why.

  “Where did you say you put my bike?” Donovan asked then, as male a question as there could be.

  Alex sighed, much to the amusement of the others. “I hid it on the other side of the garage.” He looked unpersuaded. “If I’d traded it for a cup of coffee, I would have had a long walk—the Wyvern didn’t offer me a lift. Go see for yourself.”

  Donovan pivoted immediately and strode out the door. The hearse driver, the Pyr who looked older, went with him.

  “Donovan’s one true love is his Ducati,” Sara said. The young, dark-haired Pyr grinned and Quinn shook his head.

  It wasn’t exactly news to Alex. She didn’t expect a long-term relationship with Donovan, although she had hoped for some great sex. If that wasn’t in the cards, she had work to do. Donovan and his firestorm had already cost her precious time.

  Alex had to admit there were benefits to having met Donovan. He’d supplied protection, pleasure, humor, and eye candy as well. That wasn’t bad for one day.

  But if he didn’t want to find out what else was in store for them, she certainly wasn’t going to beg.

  She wasn’t going to let Peter’s wine go to waste, either.

  Chapter 13

  Donovan was more upset than he’d been in a long time. He remembered that last exchange with Olivia and again felt the responsibility that came with his power. He hadn’t known then what he was doing—then he’d acted out of spite and anger.

  He was terrified that it could happen again. There was a new force growing within him, one that he’d used to defeat Tyson but one that he was uncertain he could fully control. The dragon stirred and grew stronger.

  Donovan didn’t want Alex to pay the price.

  His growing affection and admiration for Alex had to be a bad thing. Human women didn’t deal well with the reality of his nature. He’d vowed long ago that he’d never trust a woman with his truth again, much less commit to one woman for more than a night. He’d certainly never reveal himself fully to a woman.

  But Alex was undermining his determination. He had to put distance between them, bank the firestorm into embers, so that he could think straight. He felt Rafferty following him, knew his mentor would have something to say, and wasn’t interested in listening just
yet.

  His bike was fine, a bit dusty but otherwise undamaged. He had the urge to sit down and polish it, no matter how long it took. He checked the air, but there was no scent of Slayer.

  Alex must have hit the security codes for the garage, because one door opened as he stood there. Well aware of Rafferty’s watchful presence, Donovan moved the Ducati into the garage.

  “What a firestorm.” Rafferty exhaled slowly and closed his eyes. “I could feel it from five miles away, resonating like a beacon.”

  Donovan didn’t need to be reminded. The firestorm seemed to have gotten more intense.

  More insistent.

  Harder to ignore.

  Rafferty lowered his voice, his eyes gleaming. “It would be easier to defend Alex, you know, if you did consummate the firestorm. The Slayers wouldn’t have such an easy time targeting the two of you.”

  “They already know where we are.”

  “You could move. They won’t be sure. The heat is extinguished immediately.”

  Donovan straightened at this morsel of news. “Immediately? Isn’t that just a myth?”

  Rafferty shook his head. “Quinn and Sara’s stopped as soon as they slept together.” He smiled. “Although, obviously, they weren’t sleeping.”

  Donovan wondered whether the rest was a myth as well. Alex’s doubts about instant conception made sense to him. “Is it true that the woman always conceives the first time?”

  Rafferty shrugged. “That’s the official story. We don’t exactly have exhaustive statistical records, though, do we?”

  Was it the sex that stopped the firestorm, or the conception of an heir? Could Alex’s scheme to cheat the firestorm actually work? Everything quickened within him, then was silenced when he remembered her terms.

  He couldn’t risk doing that to Alex.

  Donovan spared a glance at Rafferty. “You just can’t stand the idea that someone would pass on the firestorm.”

  “Your resistance to Alex isn’t really about the ongoing responsibility of a child. It’s not about running free and unencumbered, or riding solo.” Rafferty paused, but Donovan didn’t answer him. “Is it?” Acting as if he knew everything was probably Rafferty’s most annoying trait.