Fire Rising

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

Sammi wanted to watch the beautiful dragons—yellow and inky black—as they flew in paths that left her dizzy as they fought the Dark Fae.

Adrenaline kept her moving, but she still wasn’t sure if it was real or another figment of her imagination. She burned to touch Tristan, to run her hands over his warm skin and feel the power and strength in his muscles.

She stood and watched the unfolding battle as if she were on the outside looking in. The Dark kept pouring out of seemingly thin air. They reminded her of ants for there never seemed to be an end to them.

The dragons kept most of the Dark back, and the few that got past were soon felled by Ian, Charon, and Phelan. The three fought side by side as if they had years of practice.

They were vicious in their fighting, ferocious in their attack.

Merciless in their dealing with the Dark.

They were Warriors. Immortal Highlanders with primeval gods inside them. Sammi looked at Phelan’s gold skin and claws before sliding her gaze to Charon and his copper skin and the thick horns that protruded out of his temples to curve around his head.

Then her gaze landed on Ian. His skin was a light blue, pale but vibrant. His claws were a darker shade of blue. He turned and she got a look at his eyes. They were the same color as his skin but they flooded his eyes from corner to corner leaving no trace of an iris.

The Warriors might not be dragon shifters, but they could hold their own against the Dark.

Phelan let out a deep growl after he ducked something she couldn’t see. He quickly plunged his gold claws into the Dark’s throat.

It was a brutal scene, but one she couldn’t look away from.

Suddenly the Dark Fae that were battling the dragons turned and looked behind them. Sammi could see nothing but the countryside, but apparently the Fae could see something more.

“It’s a doorway, lass,” Ian said when he glimpsed her confusion.

A doorway. Of course. She remembered hearing Tristan speak of Fae doorways.

She watched as the Dark began fighting what was behind them in the doorway. And then a naked man rushed through, followed by Tristan.

Sammi struggled to remain on her feet as her knees threatened to buckle. Tristan fought alongside the naked man with a dragon tattoo on his back, but all the while Tristan’s gaze scanned the area.

Until his eyes landed on her.

There was no time for words as Con shifted into a magnificent gold dragon. A moment later, Tristan released his dragon.

With the Dark fighting four Dragon Kings and three Warriors, they were soon being driven back. Sammi thought they might continue the fight, but Ian took her hand and began to run with her away from the Dark Ones.

The next instant, Tristan swooped in and scooped them each into one of his hands. Sammi looked down at the fast-disappearing ground to see Charon and Phelan were likewise grabbed.

It wasn’t until she felt the heat of Tristan’s scales and the wind around her that she knew she was truly away from the Dark. Somehow, Tristan had gotten her freed.

The clouds surrounded them, hiding them from view of the world below. She rested her head on Tristan’s hand and closed her eyes as the tears came. With Tristan flying so fast, she could always claim it was the wind stinging her eyes. No one had to know just how scared she had been—and still was.

Scared because she had faced something evil and horrendous deep in the bowels of the Dark Fae castle.

But also because she had acknowledged what she swore to never feel—love.

She loved Tristan with her whole heart, her total being. Her entire soul.

Love infused her, suffused her. She couldn’t run from it anymore. It was there, blooming in her fragile heart like a delicate flower.

Sammi didn’t know what was going to happen when they got back to Dreagan. Would she be able to tell Tristan how she felt? It might be better to keep her feelings hidden. How would she ever know if he cared for her if she didn’t tell him?

She squeezed her eyes shut and wished she were brave enough to tell him, regardless of how he might feel. He was a Dragon King—commanding, formidable, and dominant. How could she begin to fit into his world?

Did she even dare?

The love growing within her told her she could. Dared her to try.

She must have dozed, because she woke when she felt Tristan begin to descend. Sammi opened her eyes and lifted her head to see the mountains of Dreagan she had come to love. One by one the dragons dove to the ground, landing in a valley where others waited.

Sammi found Jane standing between Cassie and Elena as they stared up at them. Sammi looked over at Ian to see him watching her. He gave her a nod, as if to tell her everything would be all right.

She noticed that Tristan remained in the air while the others landed and released the Warriors they held before shifting into human form. Pants were tossed at them, and even from her height, she could hear the joyous laughter at another round going to the Kings.

And then Tristan landed. He set Ian down first. Sammi watched Dani rush to her husband and shower him with kisses as he held her tight.

Her chest constricted as she wondered if she would ever have that kind of relationship. She might be too damaged.

“Sammi!” Jane shouted as she ran up.

That’s when Sammi realized Tristan had set her on her feet. His hand unfurled, releasing her. She tried to turn and look at him, but Jane had her in a bear hug before she could.

“Are you all right?” Jane asked as she pulled back and looked her over. “What did those assholes do to you?”

Sammi would tell Jane everything as well as apologize for the nasty things she had said, but first she had to see Tristan. She turned around to find him still in dragon form. His apple-green eyes were on her.

Conversations ceased, but Sammi paid no attention. She didn’t understand why Tristan wouldn’t shift into a human. Her heart began to pound in dread. Was this his way of saying good-bye?

“Doona give up,” Ian whispered next to her. “He needs you as much as you need him. Both of you are afraid. Who is going to make the first move?”

It was a valid question. Tristan was waiting on her, and she was too afraid to say or do anything. But she didn’t want to go through life alone anymore. She wanted someone to plan her days with, someone to hold her in his arms while they watched movies, someone to laugh with—love with.

She wanted Tristan to be beside her at night when she went to sleep. And she wanted to open her eyes and see him in the morning. She wanted to know she could turn to him if she needed him—and she wanted to be there for him.

Sammi took a step toward Tristan. “Don’t go,” she begged.

Seconds ticked into minutes as they stared at each other in silence before he let out a breath. In the next instant, he stood before her in all his glory, his dragon tat seeming to move upon his chest.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I should never have put you in danger. You should never have been at the cottage.”

“How else were we to get the Dark there?”

“I failed you.”

“Plans come apart all the time. I’m here now, thanks to you.”

He glanced away. “Barely. Did they … did they touch you?”

“Balladyn kissed me.”

Tristan’s eyes narrowed into slits. His voice dropped dangerously when he asked, “Did he?”

“I’m glad he did.” She saw his slight flinch. “Because it proved how much your kisses affect me. I hunger for you even when you’re standing right next to me. My mind is filled with nothing but you.”

“I’m still learning my place here and why I became a Dragon King. I have a twin and a past life I couldna remember until I touched you.”

“You became a Dragon King because of your innate goodness, your nobility and loyalty, your decency and the imposing, masterful warrior that you are. Whoever or whatever turned you into a Dragon King saw what I do.”

Sammi squelched the fear rising within her and took another step toward him. “You scare me, Tristan. The way you touch me, the way you kiss me. You didn’t let me hide. You made me face what I never have. You opened up … everything,” she said with a sweep of her hand, “to me. It’s overwhelming and more frightening than I can put into words. What I experienced in that awful place with the Dark is something that will never leave. Then I think of you. A part of me is urging me to run away and forget that you battered down my walls.”

“And the other part?” he asked softly.

She swallowed, her throat closing at the emotions welling to get free. In his brown eyes she could see a future—it might only last a few weeks or months, but it would be glorious.

Sammi took another tentative step until they were close enough to touch. “The other part is begging me to stay and have more of you. To tell you that I love you. To soar in the skies with you and face whatever comes down the road.”

This time he was the one who took the last step. He hooked one of his fingers with hers. “You like flying, do you?”

She blinked. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected him to say. That’s not true. She had hoped—prayed, actually—that he would say he loved her as well.

Sammi then saw the smile in his eyes and grinned. “Out of all I said, that’s all you took away?”

“Well, I can make it so that we go flying every night,” he said with a wink. “Besides, I’ll only take the woman I love with me.”

A sob caught in her throat as he yanked her against him. She buried her face in his neck and felt the warm tears slide down her face. Her heart was bursting with joy.

Just a few hours ago she thought she was going to die. Now she was held in the arms of the man she loved, the only man who could breach the walls of her heart.

Finally, it felt as if her world was falling into place, as if it had been waiting for Tristan to enter her life.

“I can no’ live without you,” Tristan said. “I doona want to even try.”

He placed his hands on either side of her face as he pulled back to look in her eyes. Tenderly, he wiped away her tears with his thumbs and gently placed his lips on hers.

“I doona know what the future holds for us, Sammi, no’ with this war starting, but I’ll do anything to keep you with me.”

“I’m not going anywhere. I’ve found where I belong,” she said with a smile as peace settled around her. “With you.”

“Thank God you finally realized it,” he said as he took her mouth in a bruising kiss.

He practically tore off her clothes before he lifted her and she wrapped her legs around him, the head of his arousal brushing her sex.

She dropped her head back and looked at the clear blue sky as their bodies joined and pleasure took them.