Meyanen protect her, but she was about to be alone with Vek. Unfortunately, Dria feared it would take more than the god of love to stop the force that drew her to the contrary Unseelie. As she closed the door on the large chamber they’d set up for dining, she had the sudden urge to flee. But she stiffened her spine instead. Running would be cowardly, and she refused to be that.
Not to mention the smug satisfaction it would give Vek.
She headed for an empty table, but she didn’t sit down on the long bench beside it. Instead, she leaned back against the edge and lifted a brow. “So, what’s the great secret?”
Vek stopped an arm’s length away. Uncomfortably close, but only because of her attraction to him. “You must promise—”
“To tell no one,” she interrupted. “Yes, I guessed that. The only person I need to report to is Ralan, and if it’s important enough, he’ll already know. Just tell me.”
A small smile crossed his lips, but only for a moment. “Very well.” Despite his agreement, he hesitated, the silence stretching until annoyance curled within her. “It’s my father. The king.”
Dria blinked as he went quiet again. “If you don’t think you can trust me…”
“It’s not that.” Vek rubbed his hand across his hair, and the lost look that flickered in his eyes had her heart twisting. “He’s sick, too. Deathly so. When I returned to confront him about his plan, I discovered it. But he is no half-blood. He is a full-blooded Felshreh who has led the Unseelie for millennia, but now… I don’t know what to make of this.”
Miaran. No wonder he hadn’t wanted to mention this to anyone else. Come to think of it, she wasn’t sure why he was telling her. They had the potential to bond, but that nebulous link was the only thing between them. As a princess of another realm, the damage she could do with such knowledge was immense. Why was he trusting her?
He read the question on her face before she could speak it. “You are the leader here, and this affects your people more than you know.” He paused. “But more than either of those things… You’re in danger.”
Dria straightened, drawing in energy with a thought. “Explain.”
Vek didn’t so much as twitch. “I was sent here to kill you.”
Her own bonded. Naturally. Did she have any other kind of luck? With a flick of her fingers, she hovered a ball of flame above her palm. “I recommend explaining faster.”
“I didn’t say I was going to do it,” Vek said, his tone so calm she found her own ire increasing. “I’m not now, and I wasn’t on my last excursion. I might act the occasional assassin, but I am not a murderer.”
Dria snorted. “What’s the difference?”
Vek edged a little closer, his voice dropping low. “There’s a great deal of difference. In this world, there is evil so profound that nothing short of death will stop it. Those like me who live in the shadows? Sometimes, we are that justice.”
Dria’s breath caught. “And who decides who must die?”
“I do.” His jaw clenched. “Sometimes my father gives orders, but I’ve found my way around eliminating the undeserving.”
Dria wasn’t certain she believed him. He was too powerful, too assured, too… Too everything. He probably cut down whomever he wished and then celebrated at their funeral pyre. Scowling, she drew in more power until her hair crackled with it.
“Why does your father want me dead?”
Vek lifted his hands. “Not you specifically. The leader of the colony. He blames the Moranaians for his illness, and he demanded I return the energy you’re hoarding here. He believes you’ve kept some of what was stored behind the wall for yourselves. Unfortunately, he doesn’t realize there’s a portal that would have to be destroyed to regain that magic.”
No wonder her brother had been eager to drop this responsibility on her. But had he been eager to avoid this tangled conflict, or did he believe in her enough to be positive she could handle it? If the latter, he was correct—she would.
Dria leaned closer, letting the force of her magic slip along Vek’s shields.
“I’ve changed my mind,” she said. “Fen can stay, but you need to leave.”
Vek’s brows rose. “You think to force me away from my nephew?”
“You were ordered to assassinate me and steal our energy.” She danced a flame between her fingers. “Even if you don’t intend to do it, I can’t risk the threat. You’ll have to take your games elsewhere.”
Eyes narrowing, he tipped his head toward hers, so close his breath fanned across her lips. “I. Am. Not. Leaving.”
“Why should I let you stay?” she asked.
Or, rather, whispered. She cursed at herself for the breathless hitch to her voice, but his nearness dug into her resolve. Even so, she wouldn’t retreat. She couldn’t. If she yielded to him now, they would never have respect between them again.
“I need you,” he answered, and her chest squeezed tight at the words. “It will be much more difficult to thwart my father without your help. You know, there’s a risk to my people from this illness, as well. I have to find another method to solve the problem, and I’m not sure I can do it unless Moranaia stands with me.”
Foolish heart. Of course he’d been talking about her as a leader, not a woman. It was better that way. Dria had no doubt he’d be phenomenal in bed, but he would be terrible as a bonded. He was too harsh.
Unfeeling.
“Fine. You may remain with Fen, though it isn’t because I trust you,” Dria said. “I’ll do my best to help you deal with the illness. Then I want you to leave me alone. I know what you are now, and I’ll have no part of it.”
The hiss of his breath cut between them. “You have no idea what I am.”
“I have no desire to.”
Dria shoved past him, ready to be done with the conversation. With him. She let the fire in her hand wink out as she neared the door, though she kept her magic at the ready as she stomped away. Let him attack her from behind if that was his intent. She would relish a reason to strike his arrogant ass down.
But it wasn’t his magic that caught her, and it wasn’t an attack.
Vek reached her so swiftly that she almost couldn’t track the movement, and his hand wrapped around her wrist before she could raise any defenses. He spun her around, shoving her against the wall beside the door. His odd, taupe eyes pinned her in place as he crowded her, and she didn’t bother to struggle as he gathered both wrists above her head.
“You won’t be done with me so easily.”
Dria knew what he was going to do—and she let him.
His mouth crashed onto hers with such force her lip almost pinched against her teeth. Almost. Then he plundered, no gentle kisses to ease the way. Fire. She thought she’d held it before, but it was nothing next to this. Moaning, she strained against him, wanting her hands free so she could tug at him.
Vek shifted so close she could feel every bit of his hardness against her. Only then, when his body trapped hers, did he release her hands. She dug her fingers into his hair, pulling until she could meet him in the kiss. In that moment, it didn’t matter if she liked him—she wanted him.
His breath came ragged as he pulled his mouth away from hers. “Dria…”
“I’m not afraid of you,” she said on a gasp. “You’re wasting your time trying to intimidate me this way.”
“You would know if I wanted you to fear me,” Vek murmured. “Though you have every reason to.” He nipped at her bottom lip, letting the flat side of his fang slide across the delicate skin. “The slightest taste of your blood, and you would be mine.”
Dria ran her finger along his ear, and he shivered. Smiling as he fell for the distraction, she found the weakness in his shielding. And pounced. Before he could blink, she cast the immobilization spell, and his muscles seized. But his eyes. Ah, his eyes promised such sweet retribution.
After she wiggled from his hold, she shifted him until he leaned against the wall. It would be no good to have the prince fall and break something, even if he did deserve it. Then she would have to explain to Lial what had happened, and that would be worse than any torture Vek could devise. Healers weren’t the easily amused sort.
“Don’t worry,” Dria said before she opened the door. “It won’t last long. Though I recommend you not threaten me like that again.”
Her body was aflame with thwarted desire, but Dria couldn’t help but grin all the way to her room. She had no idea how he’d get back at her.
But gods, she hoped it was spectacular.
The door had barely snapped closed before Vek had the spell untangled. With as much energy as he had stored and the experience he’d had with such spells of late, it would have been a simple matter. But instead of rushing after her, he slid down the wall and leaned his head against the stone.
He. Was. So. Fucked.
Not literally, unfortunately. His aching body reminded him quite strongly of that fact. Metaphorically? That was something else. He’d sworn not to mate, not with the insanity of his life. But how could he resist Dria? She had a fire that drew him, a confidence that ignited him. What other person would dare cast a spell like that against him during an intimate moment?
She probably assumed he’d be enraged. Offended. Little did she know. Vek would never be happy with a woman who submitted without question. No, their mating would be a battle, and he’d never been able to resist a fight. He may not have wanted a link with another, but now he had found the right one. Provided he could figure out a way to keep her.
Despite what he’d said, he would never force a mating without permission. Vek wanted her, not an endless lifetime of anger and misery. Which meant he would have to avoid kissing her again. He was careful of his fangs, but accidents happened. She would be his by choice or not at all.
Dria might have believed he was kissing her for intimidation’s sake, but she’d been wrong. Her confident authority did things to him, and her brush-off had erased his good sense. Not anymore. He would have to be on guard and control himself better. Because he had a feeling he would break before she did.
With a groan, Vek shoved himself to his feet and started back to the room she’d grudgingly granted him before their discussion. She might not have placed him as far away as absolutely possible, but he and Fen were still several levels removed from her chamber and from this one as well. He would check on his nephew and then… Well, he didn’t know what he’d do then.
Vek wouldn’t be able to sleep, not with so much energy coursing through him. He rubbed at the ache in his temples as he considered the problem. There was a reason he rarely fed twice in one day. Not only did he have more power than he could comfortably contain, but his mind felt stretched from the introduction of new talents. He would need to avoid taking blood for a couple of days, at the very least, or he’d suffer the effects.
Too much too soon would cause crippling pain.
Sensing that his nephew was alone, Vek gave the barest knock before pushing into the room. Fen sat cross-legged on his bed, his back against the cave wall, and nodded at Vek as he entered. His nephew didn’t show any symptoms of illness, but if his expression was any indication, his spirits had suffered.
“There’s always a cost,” Fen said abruptly.
Vek sat on a stone bench formed from the cave floor, though the lingering hum of dragon magic prickled his skin even through his clothes. “Translation?”
“For the things we do. There’s always a cost.” Fen rubbed his palm across his pants leg. “I thought that if I worked with Kien and got my payback on the Unseelie family who’d abandoned me that I’d make the world better. Eventually. But that darkness tainted everything. It won’t leave me no matter how much I change.”
Vek leaned forward. “So you’ve given up already?”
“I don’t know.” Fen sighed. “You’ve gotta admit it’s ironic. Kien pierced my heart with the same poison I helped him create, and now I’m sick with yet another version of it. Maybe my mother was right to ditch my sorry ass on Earth. Imagine the trouble I would cause with real training.”
It was tempting to brush aside his nephew’s words with half-true reassurances, but that wasn’t what Fen needed. “It’s fair that you have to deal with what you helped create. That is justice. Do not, however, mistake the echoes of the past as an indication of the future.”
His nephew opened his mouth to protest, but Vek cut him off with a sharp gesture. “Fen, our natures are darker than many of the other fae, but there is reason for it. Some light can only be born in darkness. A fine line. You were left to process that on your own, far from any semblance of context. That you weren’t irredeemably evil when I found you is a sign of your promise. And be assured that if I believed otherwise, I would kill you. That’s my job.”
Fen let out a choked laugh. “Damn. If you ever have kids, I hope you’re not the one who has to comfort them.”
Vek froze. Children. He’d never wanted a child, not after experiencing the way his father treated his various offspring. But if Vek joined with Dria, that concept was no longer an unpleasant one. How would she feel about the matter? How did he feel about it? He’d have to decide before they spoke more seriously about linking.
“I was joking,” Fen said, humor returning to his eyes.
“It’s no matter,” Vek responded. “Though I fear you are correct in that regard. I suppose I’ll be the one to chase away the threats. I’m rather good at it.”
And he was. He had a lifetime of experience with scaring others away—friend and foe. Generally speaking, it was for the best. Now, here he was, cultivating allies and considering a mate. He really had lived long enough to see everything.
“If your kid is anything like you, it’ll actually help.” Fen grinned. “I think it somehow made me feel better. Guess I’m messed up in the head.”
Vek stood, suddenly ready to be alone with his thoughts. “No more than I, little comfort though that may be. Stay on your guard, Fen. I’m going to attempt to create a gate to the house to gather a few things for us. Try not to get in trouble while I’m gone.”
“Wait.” Fen’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve been able to create portals all this time? Then why have you—”
It was Vek who smirked this time. “Let’s just say it’s a newly acquired talent.” Thanks to Quaea, but his nephew needn’t know that. “I’ll contact you telepathically once I return. Shouldn’t take long.”
Vek didn’t give Fen time to argue. It would take a fair amount of energy mastering the transportation spell, but he’d be able to retrieve clean clothing for both of them. What else could he do with the excess energy that wouldn’t annoy the Moranaians? Other than manipulating the stone furniture in his room, and he had no desire to do that.
They would simply have to deal with his portal experiment.
Dria spun the piece of dried-out cheese another half-turn along her plate and attempted to summon the urge to eat it. Satisfaction with besting Vek had faded into frustration, and no small amount of that was worry over the situation. Once her thoughts had settled, the news he’d delivered sank in. The king of the Unseelie was dangerously ill, possibly with the same thing afflicting Fen. The potential for catastrophe was immense.
And she’d sworn not to tell.
Miaran.
Well, she’d been granted leadership over this outpost, and that meant it was her duty to handle the problem. Fine. Dria might have been shocked by her abrupt placement into the role, but it was time to stop wallowing in any lingering doubt. She’d been trained to lead a troop of mages—this wasn’t a great deal different.
So what was her next step? Dria gave the cheese another turn as her thoughts made their own circle. They needed to find out if others were ill. From what she’d been told, Fen had been connected to the poisoned energy at one time, and Maddy might have picked up a bit of that from him. Neither had been near the Unseelie king, to her knowledge, but the king had touched the energy bound behind the wall before the wall fell.
Had anyone else been connected? And when had the power behind the barrier become tainted?
At that thought, she hurried over to the communication mirror. She activated the link, and it was a blessedly brief amount of time before the Myern’s image filled the surface.
If he was surprised to be contacted by her, he was too experienced to show it. “Princess Dria,” Lyr said smoothly. “It is a pleasure to see you. I hope my people were able to bring comfort to your accommodations.”
“Yes, of course,” Dria answered automatically, though urgency gripped her. “I appreciate your consideration.”
“More will arrive with the mages,” he said. “Is there anything in particular you would like to request?”
By rights, she should continue their polite banter before truly getting to her request, but she couldn’t take the time. Hopefully Lord Lyr was familiar enough with Ralan that her lack of social niceties wouldn’t disturb him. “As a matter of fact, yes. Several things.”
Lyr nodded. “Of course. Please feel free to speak freely. My daughter is part-human, and your brother pesters me incessantly. I’ve even found accommodations for a dragon. I’ll not be bothered, I assure you.”
“I hope that is the case.” Dria met his gaze through the glass. “I need a scout or two who can move with ease through the human world and is willing to risk exposure to the affliction that has befallen Fen. I trust Lial shared that information with you?”
“Yes.” Lyr did frown then. “A concerning development.”
“I would like to suggest that Selia and Lial work together to create something capable of detecting the presence of the illness. An object that can be carried, perhaps?” Dria pressed her lips together to avoid mentioning Vek. “I would prefer to rely upon our own people in this endeavor, and I am uncertain who besides Lial can identify the sickness. As for the scouts, Kera mentioned a pair named Delbin and Inona that might suit.”
“An excellent suggestion. I’ll consult them to see if they are willing to risk exposure to the illness for this mission. Once I know for sure, I’ll send word,” Lyr said. “And I will check with Selia and Lial, as well.”
Dria smiled. “Thank you, Myern. I appreciate your haste in this matter.”
As soon as Lyr bid her farewell, Dria cut the link. Only then did she allow the sigh to slip free. Her request might prove impossible, but if anyone could come up with a way to detect the disease, it would be Lial and Selia. Only if they failed would she ask Vek to assist her. Gods forbid.
Suddenly, his energy brushed against hers in an attempt to communicate telepathically. Surprised, her shield slipped, and he didn’t hesitate to complete the connection. She cursed aloud as a shiver traced down her spine at the contact. With her luck, he knew it, too.
“I’m porting back to my house for some clothes,” Vek said. “Don’t stride in here to kill me when you feel the power surge.”
“You’re what?” Her lips thinned. “You are supposed to stay here. Fen—”
“Isn’t going anywhere. Relax, Dria. I’m not leaving you.” His laughter tickled the edges of her mind. “I fear I have no talent for creating cloth, much less garments. You’ll just have to survive without me for a while.”
Dria sent a shock of annoyance through the connection. “I’ll manage.”
Then he was gone, and the promised surge of power shivered across her skin.
She stared at the wall for more than a few drips of time. Not because she missed him—or was waiting for him to come back. Absolutely not. Besides, he would return soon enough. There was no way he was done annoying her.
If only she could decide whether she wanted him to be.