Donna Grant - Fire Rising

The kiss wasn’t horrible, but it didn’t make her blood burn or her skin tingle or make her long to strip off his clothes and wrap her legs around him as it did when Tristan kissed her.

Balladyn ended the kiss quickly and looked down at her. “You are a cold one. If Taraeth doesn’t thaw your body, I’ll get my chance.”

Sammi was so shocked she could only stare at him. “I’ll never see my home again, will I?”

“Never. It’s not so bad down here. You’ll get used to it soon enough. All the others do.”

She turned her back to the wall and tried to control her breathing so she didn’t hyperventilate. This couldn’t be happening. She didn’t want them touching her or kissing her, but Balladyn made it sound as if she wouldn’t have a choice.

“All this because I knew the Kings?” she asked in one last desperate attempt in hopes they let her go.

He tugged at her hair. “That’s part of it. Then there’s the fact you walked away from me when we bumped into each other.”

She was aghast. “Of all the conceited things. Do you really expect women to fall at your feet?”

“They always have. I’m Fae. It’s what we do.”

“I don’t care about anyone, and I don’t love. I’m a cold one, as you put it. There’s your answer. Some humans are meant to go through life alone. I’m one of those.”

He ran a finger tenderly along her jaw. “We’ll see. Taraeth will keep you awhile until he tires of you. If you want to survive him, I suggest you not make him angry.”

Her lips parted to respond, but he disappeared. She fisted her hands and ran across the space to the opposite wall and slammed her hands against the stones again and again.

“I’m not part of the Kings! I don’t care about any of them!”

Tristan was right behind Phelan as they stepped through the doorway and found themselves back in the tunnels. Ian, Charon, and Con followed.

They had taken just a few steps when Sammi’s voice, yelling that she wasn’t part of the Kings bounced along the walls of the tunnels.

The Dark knew they were there, and they wanted him to hear her. Her words stung, but at this point, Tristan wouldn’t hold anything against her.

Fear most likely ruled her, and anyone would say whatever was needed to try and get freed. Sammi had yet to realize that the Dark never willingly let anyone go.

“She sounds tired,” Ian whispered.

Tristan squatted next to the wall. It was once more pitch black, but neither the Warriors nor Kings had trouble seeing in the dark. “She’s terrified.”

“Do you think Rhi is being held here as well?” Phelan asked.

Tristan had no answer. It was Rhi who had found Phelan before he knew he was part Fae. A strong friendship had developed, and Tristan was glad to see someone was worried about her.

He would be as well if it wasn’t for Sammi. As much as he wanted to find Rhi, he had to get to Sammi first.

“There’s no way to know,” Con answered.

Charon looked down the tunnel where it split into three. “We’ll cover more ground split up.”

“Agreed,” Phelan hurried to say.

Ian nudged Tristan. “We’ll take the left side.”

Phelan and Charon exchanged smiles. It was Charon who said, “We’ll take the middle.”

“I’ll take the right,” Con said with a nod. “I can communicate with Tristan, and he with me, but there’s no way we can let Phelan and Charon know it’s time to get out.”

Tristan looked at Phelan. “Con’s right. We have to have some way to communicate.”

“Use magic,” Phelan said.

Charon nodded in agreement. “Aye. Down here in this muck, it’ll feel different enough to know it’s one of you.”

With a nod, Con stood and hurried down the tunnel to disappear in the fork that branched to the right.

Together, the four of them approached the other two entrances. There was a silent look exchanged between them before Charon held out his arm. “Whether you go by Duncan or Tristan, and regardless of whether you’re a Warrior or a Dragon King, it’s a pleasure to be fighting next to you again.”

Tristan clasped first Charon’s, and then Phelan’s forearm before they split into twos and went their separate ways.

Sammi—and the Dark Ones—waited.

Tristan and Ian walked silently through the tunnel. Instead of being infested with the grotesque animals he and Phelan had battled the first time, there was nothing.

The Dark had set the stage to be sure. A warning voice in his mind caused him to stop and listen. Silence. Absolute, sheer silence.

Last time the tunnels hadn’t been filled with noise, but they hadn’t been as unearthly still and soundless as they were now. It set him on edge, and he wasn’t the only one. A glance at Ian showed he was just as unnerved.

“Something isna right,” Ian said in a hushed tone.

Tristan looked around and nodded. “They know you are no’ a King, but I doona think they realize you’re a Warrior and can sense their magic.”

“What are you thinking?” Ian asked with a sly grin.

It seemed as if he and Ian had always been together. It wasn’t just that Ian looked exactly like him. It went deeper than that to a feeling as if he was a part of Ian, and Ian was a part of him.

There had been no more memories, and maybe that was a good thing. They tended to make him try and piece together what happened before or after the memory.

Tristan pointed down the tunnel. “I’m going to go ahead. Stay behind me a ways. Let them think I’m alone.”

“I can stay out of sight for sure, but I’m no’ liking the part of you going to them alone.”

“There’s no other option.” Tristan sighed and looked down at his hands, hands that had once sprouted claws with skin that had turned a pale blue. “Use your power as a Warrior when it comes time.”

“And that time will be?”

“When they refuse to release Sammi.”

Ian’s lips flattened. “I can no’ talk you out of letting them have you?”

“There’s no other way. I’m no’ going to willingly give myself to them. I’ll fight, but in the end, it’s about Sammi. Promise me that you’ll get her out.”

There was a pause before Ian nodded. “Doona make me come back for you, brother.”

Brother. Tristan felt something deep inside him warm and expand as if just coming alive. He was no longer just human. He was a dragon first and foremost. He was part of something huge and powerful, something important.

Yet a part of him would always be a Warrior, a man who had a twin that could read his thoughts and know his every action.

It was exhilarating to know he would always have Ian. He wasn’t just part of Dreagan, he had roots at MacLeod Castle as well.

The Dragon Kings and Warriors had become strong allies. His connection just strengthened what was already there. He didn’t want to give all that up to be bound in a prison by the Dark, but he didn’t see a way out.

Not only were the Dark expecting him, but they were in their territory. They outnumbered the Kings fifty to one. It was bad enough Tristan was going to give himself to the bastards. No other Kings needed to be caught as well.

He started to walk away when Ian dragged him back and enveloped him in a tight hug. For a second Tristan couldn’t move. Then he returned the embrace.

“Give them hell,” Ian said as he released him.

Tristan’s throat was tight from the depth of his emotion. He couldn’t get any words past, so he tried to smile and hurried away.

Every little sound made Sammi jump. She couldn’t rest, couldn’t stop her heart from plummeting to her feet again and again.