Kiss of Embers (The Dragon Lairds #5)

Chapter 11

Chapter

Eleven

ZARA

F ourth place. I stood before the mirror in the tent’s tiny bathroom running a brush through my wet hair. With every pull of the bristles, the memory of my dismal finish flashed in my head.

After I left Struan and Finn behind in the catacombs, I’d completed two more puzzles with ease. I sped through the rest of the corridors without incident and then stumbled into the Amazonian night feeling good about my chances for winning the challenge.

Only to have Bolveg promptly award me fourth place. I didn’t have to ask who beat me. Inessa’s quill had already scribbled the names in the air, where they glowed like lights on a marquee.

First place—Struan MacLure

Second place—Finn MacAlasdair

Third place—Galen of House Baudelaire

I wielded the brush more forcefully, tugging at a stubborn tangle. I hadn’t even made the podium.

“You’ll make up for it tomorrow night,” Drute had assured me. “The first two challenges only exist to determine the start times for the final challenge.”

He was right. There was no prize for winning the first challenge—or placing second or third. Nevertheless, the dragons had earned themselves an important advantage. On the other hand, the other contestants would be gunning for them. But something told me Finn and Struan wouldn’t care.

I lowered the brush, my gaze going to my throat in the mirror. When I first returned to my tent, a faint ring of bruises had darkened my skin. The marks were gone now, but the horror of seeing my moonstruck face snarling back at me was seared into my memory.

When I recounted the attack—and the odd incident with Galen of House Baudelaire—to Drute, he’d looked deeply troubled and then announced he was going to scout the camp.

I’d immediately protested. “But we have to pack up and leave for the next challenge site.” The coordinates were posted on a sign in the middle of camp, along with a note from Inessa that read: Don’t forget to sunscreen! (Even you, vampires.)

“Not for a few more hours,” Drute said. Anger flickered in his dark eyes. “If Baudelaire is playing dirty, I want to know about it.”

“Do you think the doppelganger and the weirdness with Galen are connected?” It made sense. But what did House Baudelaire have against me? The Rockford Pack was friendly with the witches. We’d never encountered any trouble with the houses. If Galen simply wanted to eliminate competition, why start with me?

“Let me ask around,” Drute said. “I’ll be discreet.”

That was an hour ago, and Drute was still gone. I’d rolled all my clothing into tidy little logs and stuffed them in my pack. I’d eaten dinner—or whatever mealtime at four in the morning was called. I’d washed the grime and dust of the catacombs from my body.

And I hadn’t waited for the dragons to come knocking. Thank the gods they hadn’t shown up. Maybe they finally got the hint and decided to abandon their quest to “woo” me.

That was a good thing, I thought, setting my brush down and moving into the main part of the tent. Now, I could focus on the second challenge instead of worrying about two burly Highlanders lurking around every corner.

But, seriously, where were they? My gaze strayed to the tent’s opening, where a lavender sky heralded the approaching dawn. Voices and sounds of commotion drifted from outside, where the other competitors were pulling down their tents and preparing to break camp. Struan’s deep blue eyes floated in my memory.

“I would die before I harmed you.” In his accent, the you had sounded more like ye . But the veracity behind his words had rung crystal clear.

Absently, I brushed my fingers over my neck. Struan had saved me from that doppelganger. He’d appeared right when I needed him. Finn had showed up moments later. Was it fate? Or was it something more sinister? They could have arranged for my lookalike to attack me just so they could conveniently sweep in as knights in shining armor.

Or maybe , a little voice in my head whispered, they’re exactly what they say they are.

My fated mates.

And yet, they hadn’t checked on me after the challenge. Were those the actions of men supposedly obsessed with me? On the other hand, Finn was part vampire, and the sky outside continued to brighten. Maybe he couldn’t tolerate the sun.

I shook my head, trying to dispel my wayward thoughts. I had more pressing things to worry about than the dragons’ intentions. The second challenge loomed, and I had no idea what to expect. Also, this business with Galen of House Baudelaire was a complication I didn’t need.

But I had Drute in my corner. If the witches were trying to sabotage me, he’d figure it out. Then we could decide whether to take the information to Bolveg and the Rules Committee.

I crouched in front of my backpack and stuffed a few more T-shirts inside. Drute and I wouldn’t collapse the tent until the last possible moment. It was spelled to fold down to the size of a napkin, but it was still heavy to lug around. Hopefully, the site of the next challenge wasn’t too far of a hike.

As I checked the straps on my pack, a shadow fell across the tent’s opening.

“Zara?” Brader called. “I know you’re in there.” He cleared his throat. “I came to talk.”

I stood, lingering resentment mixing with fresh anger. He probably wouldn’t go away unless I spoke with him. Not that I owed him a conversation. But he was still a neighbor—and my only ally on the Council. My duty to the pack came before my personal feelings, however valid.

“Come in,” I said.

Brader ducked inside. He’d changed his clothes, and his hair gleamed like a polished coin. The scent of pine and body wash teased my nose.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets, then gazed around the tent. “Looks like you’re just about packed.”

“Yes.”

Brader looked at me, his sky-blue eyes serious. “I don’t want animosity between us, Zara.”

Weariness settled around me like a cloak. “I don’t want it, either, but you keep doing things to create it.”

“Is that what you think? Because from where I’m standing, I’ve done the opposite. I apologized for following you to the Games. I withdrew my complaint with the Rules Committee.”

“Which you should have never filed in the first place,” I said, my temper rising. “I’m here for my pack, Brader. That elixir will save countless lives. I’m going to win it.”

Brader stepped toward me, his wolf flashing in his eyes. “Is that why I found you lying in a dragon’s arms tonight?”

For a moment, I saw red. “You came in here saying you don’t want animosity between us. Yet here you are spewing bullshit.”

He slashed a hand through the air. “The dragons are the ones spewing bullshit!”

I glanced at the tent entrance over his shoulder. “Keep your voice down.”

“I can’t be quiet. Not about this. Not about us.” He moved fast, gripping my arms before I could blink. “Gods, why do you think I was so upset to see those bastards claim you’re their mate? I love you, Zara. Haven’t you realized that by now?”

Shock tripped through me. And warning bells clanged in my head. Perhaps I should have seen Brader’s declaration coming. But he’d never given any indication that his heart was part of the alliance he offered. We’d shared a couple nights of lust. Nothing more. Since then, he’d seemed content to bask in the glow of the female attention he received from every direction. Even if I loved him, which I didn’t, I could never offer him the level of adoration he got from his many admirers. But there was another reason I’d dismissed the idea of a marriage between us.

“We’re not fated mates,” I said.

His fingers bit into my arms. “I don’t care. And I don’t need some fickle, mysterious force to bring me the perfect woman. Not when I have one right in front of me.”

The alarm bells clanged more loudly. I squirmed under his grip, but he held me fast. My speed was no match for his strength, especially in close quarters. “I’m far from perfect, Brader. Let me go.”

Frustration clouded his eyes. “Not until you admit how good things could be between us.”

“There is no us .”

“But there could be.” He caught my wrists as I tried to twist from his hold. “There used to be. Or have you forgotten waking up in my bed?”

My wolf roared to the surface, lending me strength as I fought to free myself. “We slept together a couple of times. I was young. I didn’t think about the consequences.” Like Brader spending the next forty years convincing himself he was in love with me. Our encounters were ancient history—mistakes made at midnight under the influence of a full moon. At least, that was how I viewed them. And I’d believed Brader shared my sentiments. Now, I knew I’d miscalculated.

A hard edge entered his voice. “Have you considered the consequences of taking two dragons as your mates? Men who prefer each other?”

Immediately, images of Struan and Finn locked in a wild kiss rushed to the front of my mind. I banished the memory, but Brader must have read something in my expression because he offered a grim smile.

“Their ways are well known,” he said, his voice growing labored as we tussled. “If you become a dragon bride, you’ll spend your whole life as a third wheel. A womb to help grow their species.” He dragged me into him, his lips dangerously close to mine. “That’s not love, Zara. It’s servitude. I don’t care how big their muscles are, they’ll never make you happy.”

Power flared under my skin. Snarling, I drew my head back and then slammed my forehead into his chin.

“Fuck!” Releasing me, he stumbled backward. Blood trickled from his bottom lip. He touched the cut, then gave me a bewildered look. “You head-butted me.”

I balanced on the balls of my feet, ready to throw a punch if he came near me again. “If you think I’d sign up to be a baby machine, then you don’t know me at all.”

He lowered his hand. Brow furrowed, he reached for me. “Zara?—”

“Don’t!” I moved swiftly, skirting him so I was closer to the tent’s entrance. Then I let my wolf’s authority flood my voice. “I’m not in love with you, Brader. And if you put your hands on me again, you won’t have to worry about Finn removing them. I’ll do it myself.”

His eyes lightened as his wolf peeked out. But he kept his distance. “Love isn’t a prerequisite for marriage. More than one pack alliance has been built on mutual benefit. A union between us makes sense. Our fathers saw it. Both of our families wanted it. Reinald pushed you at me for years.”

The weariness I’d felt when he entered the tent settled more heavily on my shoulders. He wasn’t listening to me. Instead, he was running through every argument, hoping to wear me down.

“My father changed his mind,” I said. “Once he realized I didn’t care for you that way, he stopped pushing.”

“I don’t believe that.”

Irritation made my voice sharp. “It’s the truth whether you believe it or not. I consider you a friend. But we can never be anything more.”

He stared, stormclouds swirling in his eyes. “You’ll regret this.”

My heart sped up. “Is that a threat?”

Brader went to the tent’s opening. His sunny good looks, which had mesmerized me when I was twenty, were suddenly cold. “Don’t come crying to me when those bastards break your heart. Good luck tomorrow. You’ll need it.”

He left.

I stared after him, ice sliding through my veins. Why would I need luck? What was Brader planning?

But I already knew. He’d followed me to South America. Had tried to get me kicked out of the Games. Tonight, he’d appeared in the corridor moments after Struan saved me from the doppelganger.

Because Brader intended to save me. Because Brader set it up. I’d suspected Struan and Finn of wanting to play the knights who rescued the damsel in distress. But what if Brader had banked on filling that role? The dragons got to me first, denying him the outcome he’d gambled on.

The outcome he’d arranged with Galen of House Baudelaire.

I had to tell Drute. It couldn’t wait. Even now, Brader could be on his way to Galen’s tent to arrange another mishap.

I left the tent and plunged into the camp. Chaos reigned as competitors raced to pull down their tents before the sun rose. I avoided eye contact as I walked the crude pathways, searching for Drute’s tall, commanding form among the competitors.

Twenty minutes later, I still hadn’t found him. The sun peeked over the horizon as I stood on the far edge of camp, frustration and anxiety tying my stomach in knots.

As I scanned the camp for the hundredth time, a hand clamped on my shoulder. I yelped as I spun to find Finn behind me.

He searched my face, his gray eyes soft with concern. “Zara, lass. What’s wrong?”

My heart thumped hard against my ribs. The first rays of sunlight haloed Finn’s head, putting reddish highlights in his thick, chocolate-brown hair. His eyelashes were criminally long, the dark color making his unusual eyes appear even brighter in his olive complexion.

Abruptly, I realized I was staring. So I said the first thing that popped into my head. “The sun doesn’t bother you.”

A faint smile touched his mouth. “No. I’m a daywalker.” He glanced at the ongoing commotion behind me. “Are you looking for someone?”

Damn. He was far too perceptive. “I, uh… I can’t find Drute.”

Finn’s gaze turned assessing. “Hmm. Well, a bloke that big is bound to turn up eventually.” He brushed a lock of hair from my cheek with gentle fingers. “Why don’t you come with me, and I’ll make you a cup of tea.”

“Tea?”

“Or coffee.” Finn’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “I’m partial to it myself.”

I shouldn’t. I needed to find Drute. But even as a polite no, thanks formed in my head, the dark, spicy scent of incense washed over me. Finn’s gaze was steady. My skin tingled where he’d touched my cheek.

I nodded. “Coffee sounds great.”