Kiss of Embers (The Dragon Lairds #5)

Chapter 10

Chapter

Ten

STRUAN

I jogged down the corridor, ignoring the visions that tailed me.

After Zara entered the catacombs, Finn and I had descended the marathon staircase together. When we finally reached the bottom, Finn had given me a pitying look.

“I’ll wait for you at the finish, love.”

My snort had echoed off the stone. “You’ve got that backward, love .”

He’d channeled behind me, nipping my neck with his fangs before I could blink. “Jealousy is a bad look on you, Struan,” he’d murmured. Then he was gone.

And the competition was on.

Amusement and affection flooded me now. Finn really thought he could beat me. It was cute, actually.

The corridor forked ahead. I maintained an easy, casual pace as I approached it. The netherlights in the skulls flickered as I passed. Just as I veered toward the corridor on the right, Finn staggered from the left.

Blood poured down his chest, soaking his shirt. His throat was slit, the wound forming a gruesome smile across his neck.

I ignored him and kept moving, my eyes peeled for the next puzzle. The first two had been child’s play—an alchemy riddle and an enchanted chess match that burned the blazes out of my hand every time I blundered.

“Struan!” Finn cried behind me. “I need your help!”

The visions were getting repetitive. But I had to hand it to the catacombs for having a decent lock on my fears. I’d seen Finn in various stages of injury and death. Finn falling under an opponent’s blade. Finn sprawled on his back with sightless eyes. Halfway through the chess match, Finn’s head had replaced one of the skulls on the wall.

I pushed the images from my mind. Unpleasant though they were, they were ultimately ineffective. For one thing, Finn was too fucking wily to let himself get injured. More importantly, I’d know if he were hurt. The mate bond made it so.

Finn’s cries faded as I navigated the labyrinthine corridors. Where was that damn puzzle? The sooner I got through the catacombs, the sooner I could rub Finn’s nose in my win—and then enjoy the hell out of myself when he made me pay for it.

A woman’s shriek stopped me cold. I spun around, my heart pounding.

Zara?

I hesitated, doubts swirling. The catacombs had yet to show me Zara. But I’d expected those visions. Now they were here—and ready to lure me into a trap or dead end. The catacombs obviously played on emotion. No matter what I heard or saw, I had to resist the temptation to investigate. Just keep my head down and stay focused. Solve puzzles and get the fuck over that finish line so I could focus on the second challenge.

Another feminine scream ripped down the corridor.

I moved without conscious thought, racing toward the sound. As I rounded the next corner, an impossible scene confronted me. Two Zaras grappled in what appeared to be a death match. Zara pinned herself to the wall of bones, her teeth bared in a grimace. The Zara against the skulls clawed at her doppelganger’s hand. Her face was a brilliant shade of red, her eyes bulging as she clearly fought for air.

Instinct whispered. The Zara against the wall was my Zara. The certainty pounded in my chest, its beats as swift and sure as my heart.

I didn’t think. Just took shadow form and streaked toward the imposter. She swung her head toward me. Her brown eyes widened. I reformed and hit the ground running, a bellow in my throat.

The doppelganger disappeared. My momentum carried me forward—directly toward Zara. Just before I crashed into her, I twisted into shadow form and shot upward. The corridor spun as I looped around and dropped to the ground on two feet. Zara sagged against the wall.

“I’ve got you,” I said, catching her against me and lowering us both to the ground. I leaned my back against the wall and cradled her in my arms. She clutched at her throat, but she was breathing. She was alive.

“What happened?” I asked, anger and fear coursing through me. The anger won out, tightening my arms around Zara. Mine , instinct growled in my head. Someone had tried to hurt her. My beast thrashed in my chest, eager to hunt and eliminate the one who dared to lay hands on my female.

Zara coughed, then spoke in a hoarse, halting voice. “I d-don’t…know. She wasn’t…like…the others. She…touched…” Zara swallowed, her color improving rapidly. She dragged in a breath, and now her voice was steadier. “Bolveg said our fears weren’t allowed to touch us.”

And yet, one clearly had. My anger soared so high I couldn’t speak. Zara shrank from me, and the emotion disintegrated. I loosened my hold as regret lodged in my chest.

“You mustn’t fear me,” I rasped, my heart threatening to crack open. “I would die before I harmed you. Do you believe me?”

Zara searched my gaze. Her eyes were the color of melted chocolate. So soft and pretty. They were the kind of eyes a man could get lost in. And I wanted to—gods, how I wanted to. The need was an ache in my bones, and only this woman could soothe it.

“I believe you,” she whispered. Surprise flitted over her delicate features, as if she’d startled herself by admitting it.

Pleasure wound through me like a warm river. Helpless to stop myself, I brushed a thumb over her plump bottom lip. Gods, her pussy was probably just as soft and pink. My voice went ragged. “That’s a good lass.”

She stared at me, uncertainty and desire swimming in her eyes. Slowly, she ran her gaze down my chest. A faint blush stained her cheeks. “You’re not wearing any clothes.”

I put a finger under her chin and guided her gaze to mine. “I’m a dragon,” I said, letting a smile touch my lips.

Finn skidded around the corner, his face the color of parchment. He raked his gaze over Zara and me, then channeled to my side. “What the fuck happened?” He dropped to his knees and stroked Zara’s hair back from her forehead. “Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine,” she said.

“She’s fine,” I said at the same time. “Just a wee scrape with an illusion gone rogue.”

Finn gave me a sharp look. “What does that mean?”

His guess was as good as mine. But the catacombs weren’t the place to discuss it. Other competitors were about, and there was no telling who—or what—might be listening.

“We’ll talk later,” I said, giving Finn a meaningful look.

Understanding lit his eyes. “Aye. That’s no problem.”

Footsteps rang out, and then Brader Ashcroft rounded the corner. “I heard a scream—” He snapped his mouth shut as he took in Zara, Finn, and me on the ground. His lips thinned, and his voice turned cool. “I didn’t think we were allowed to work in teams.”

Zara pushed against my chest until I released her. Scrambling to her feet, she addressed Brader in a tone that matched his. “We’re not.”

Finn and I rose and stood behind her.

Ashcroft gave me a dismissive look. “Whatever you’re doing, it appears clothing is optional.” He offered Zara a tight, humorless smile. “Must be a new kind of teamwork.”

The air shifted, and then Finn popped into existence in front of Ashcroft. In a blur of speed, he forced Ashcroft to the wall and pressed a blade to the werewolf’s jugular.

Ashcroft let out a strangled cry, his pretty boy features contorted in shock. “What the fuck!”

“Apologize,” Finn said, “or I’ll bleed you like a stuck pig.”

Ashcroft’s eyes lightened to wolf-blue. “It won’t kill me,” he spat.

Finn’s smile sent a shiver down my spine. “I know.” He leaned into Ashcroft until their lips almost touched. “You’re a big, strong lad. You’ll revive just in time to watch me remove your scrotum. That won’t kill you, either, but it’ll hurt very, very badly.”

Ashcroft whimpered. “You’re sick.”

“I am,” Finn acknowledged. “And Zara is an alpha werewolf the same as you, although I have to wonder how you ever managed to earn the title. Nevertheless, you’ll treat her with respect.” Finn angled the blade slightly, and blood trickled down Ashcroft’s neck. “You’ll start by apologizing to her. Otherwise, I’ll skip your sack and go right for your shriveled, miserable cock.”

Hatred burned in Ashcroft’s eyes. But there was plenty of fear too. He turned his head and met Zara’s gaze. “I…apologize.”

Zara had stayed frozen throughout the exchange. Now, she gave a single nod. “Okay.” When no one moved, she raised her voice. “Let him go, Finn.”

Finn stepped back. Scorn laced his tone as he regarded Ashcroft like the werewolf was dog shit on the bottom of his shoe. “Get the fuck out of here before I change my mind.”

Ashcroft wiped blood from his neck. He stared at it on his fingers for a moment, then lifted pale blue eyes to Finn’s. After a second, he turned and stalked from the corridor. When his footsteps faded to nothing, Zara frowned at Finn.

“Inessa said you’re not allowed to use knives during the challenges.”

Finn tucked the blade away, disappearing it with a sleight of hand that made it impossible to know where he’d stashed it. “No, lass. She said not to use weapons . And I didn’t use it, did I?” He smiled. “No harm done.”

Zara’s frown deepened.

“I thought Ashcroft was your neighbor,” I said. “Seems like he wants to be a lot more.” In the deep corners of my mind, my dragon snarled, urging me to catch up to Ashcroft and disabuse him of that notion.

For a second, Zara looked like she was trying to decide how to respond—or whether to respond at all. Finally, she sighed. “Brader wants to unite our packs through marriage. I told him no. He followed me to the Games without my knowledge.”

Finn’s smile went from teasing to terrifying. “Sounds like Ashcroft needs help understanding what no means.”

Zara’s expression hardened. “I don’t disagree. But that’s a lesson I’ll teach him myself.”

Lust fired in my veins. When her eyes lightened a shade, I nearly moaned out loud. If she kept it up, I was going to embarrass myself.

“I need to keep moving,” she said, smoothing hair away from her face. “The challenge isn’t over.”

Worry replaced my desire. “Are you okay to walk?”

“I’m perfectly fine,” she said, keeping her attention well away from my groin. “Thank you for your help.” She turned on her heel.

“Zara,” Finn said.

She stopped, her brown eyes wary as she met his gaze over her shoulder. “Yes?”

“If you encounter trouble again, call out for us. You’re our mate. We’ll hear you, and we’ll come to help.”

I kept my trap shut, waiting for Zara to acknowledge the truth of Finn’s statement. She’d softened just now, when she lay in my arms. And she’d sensed our connection when Finn and I visited her in her tent. She knew she was ours. She was just too headstrong to admit it.

“I won’t need any help,” she said at last. “But thanks for the offer.”

She left, disappearing down the same corridor Ashcroft had taken.

Cursing under my breath, I went and fetched my clothes. As I dressed, Finn stared after Zara with narrowed eyes.

“She’ll be fine,” I said. But the memory of the doppelganger had anger brewing in my gut all over again. Unless Bolveg lied about the rules, someone had tried to sabotage Zara. The most likely suspect was obvious.

I jerked my shirt down. “Ashcroft is a problem.”

Finn looked at me. “You’re only just now figuring that out?”

“Fuck off. He’s a bigger problem than we thought.”

“Aye, but not one we can solve just yet.” Finn looked at the stacked skulls around us. “Not until we get out of this cursed place.”

I combed my fingers through my hair, dislodging the dust I’d accumulated in the corridors. “How many puzzles have you completed?”

A devious look entered Finn’s eyes. “More than you, I’m guessing.”

I shoved my feet into my boots. “You wish.” I bent and tied my laces, then straightened. “It’s two, isn’t it.”

Finn’s laugh echoed off the walls.

“Three?”

Finn smiled broadly enough to show the tips of his fangs. “I’ll see you in a bit, Struan.”

He disappeared.

Cocksucker. It wasn’t fair that he got to channel and take shadow form. Finn never had to worry about ending up naked in the middle of a busy street—or a musty catacombs in the jungle. He took advantage of it, too, alternating between forms so I never knew what to expect. He was going to be insufferable if he won the first challenge.

So I wouldn’t let him. Grinning, I charged down the corridor. But as I sped past the skulls, worries plagued me. If Brader Ashcroft had arranged for that doppelganger, he was likely to target Zara again.

A growl rumbled in my throat. Ashcroft played with fire. I ran faster, a plan forming in my head. First, I had to finish the puzzles and exit the catacombs before anyone else did. Then, I had to make sure Zara made it out unscathed.

Well, maybe I could work on steps one and two at the same time.

Third—or second, whatever—Finn and I would figure out Ashcroft and neutralize the threat to our female. Fourth and finally: Zara .

Desire bloomed, and I pumped my arms, racing toward the goal I’d waited nigh on a century to achieve. Zara was a challenge, to be sure, but I’d always savored a challenge. Purpose joined my desire, propelling me forward.

Aye, before the Games were over, Finn and I were going to claim our stubborn little alpha.