Smoldering Hunger_Part 2_Dark Kings Read online

  That oath put them in a position where they had to hide who they were and make deception a way of life. Sophie would never understand that. Most humans wouldn’t. If they only knew what the Dragon Kings had sacrificed for their existence.

  “You drifted off again,” Sophie said.

  Darius raked a hand through his hair. “I apologize. I’ve a lot on my mind.”

  “The danger you spoke of the other night?”

  “Aye.” Darius took the opportunity that presented itself and asked, “There’s a man who would hurt you just from being associated with me. He’s a murderer, Sophie. He was at the hospital the other day. I followed him there. You saw both of us.”

  Her head slowly nodded. “The man in the sweater.”

  “Yes.” Darius grabbed her shoulders and looked into her eyes. “He might try to approach you. He’ll seem innocent enough, but he’s extremely cunning in—”

  “He came by the hospital to see me yesterday,” she interrupted him.

  Darius felt as if he had been skewered with Dark magic. And to think he’d almost left Edinburgh and Sophie behind. “Tell me everything.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Darius’s distress was palpable. And now, so was Sophie’s.

  Murderer. That in itself frightened her. She had coffee with a killer and hadn’t even known it. What would’ve happened had she left with Ulrik? Sophie didn’t want to even think about that.

  She hadn’t felt creeped out by Ulrik, which she should’ve. Was she so used to ignoring people and being alone that she could no longer sense those kinds of things?

  Sophie stared at Darius. She didn’t need to wonder about him. From the first there had been something appealing about him. She was drawn to Darius—and there was no ignoring it.

  It wasn’t just physical either. It was mental and emotional.

  With him, she felt normal. As if the catastrophe seven years earlier hadn’t destroyed her and her life. Safe. That’s something else he brought out. Sophie didn’t worry about anyone or anything as long as Darius was near.

  “Ulrik wanted to get me to work for him,” she said.

  Darius briefly closed his eyes. “Sophie, you’re a strong woman who knows her own mind. I can no’ tell you what to do, but I’m begging you to be careful. I’m no’ exaggerating when I say Ulrik is dangerous.”

  “Tell me what he’s done,” she urged. When Darius hesitated, Sophie grew nervous. “Tell me, please. I spent time with him. He seemed nice, although the kind of man who is used to having his wealth get him whatever he wants.”

  “I can no’ tell you details no matter how much I want to. You’ve no reason to trust me, but I’m asking that you do.”

  Sophie didn’t trust people. But she did trust Darius. It surprised her and terrified her. “You say he’s a murderer. Do you have proof?”

  “None that I can show or tell you. Ulrik has no good intentions. He’ll no hesitate to kill you or anyone around him to get what he wants.”

  “He could’ve killed me yesterday. He didn’t.”

  Darius dropped his arms and turned away to pace in the living area. He raked a hand through his hair before he stopped and faced her. “He came to the hospital the first time because he saw us together the night in the alley.”

  “He watched us…” Sophie couldn’t even finish the sentence she was so shocked. Yes she’d known they could be seen, but she hadn’t really expected anyone to come forward and admit it.

  Darius blew out a breath. “Because you were with me, he took an interest in you. I bet he’s followed you or had you followed since that night.”

  Sophie felt sick to her stomach. Ulrik had admitted to following her. “He said as much.”

  “Shite.” Darius dropped his chin to his chest for a moment before he looked back at her. “Stay away from him. He’ll only hurt you. Few come away from their dealings with Ulrik with their lives.”

  “He wants me because we were together?”

  Darius’s face was lined with worry. “Aye.”

  “Then why not just kill me? He could’ve taken me from the hospital.”

  “He could’ve. He’s got many people working for him. He didna hurt you yesterday because he wants me to know he was able to get close to you. I wasna there. I didna see it. That was his message to me.”

  “What? That he could get close to me?”

  Darius nodded. “What ruse did he use to get near you?”

  “He made mention of my philanthropic work tending to those who can’t get to the hospital. Though he never did tell me what he wanted. Once I mentioned that I saw the pain he tried to hide, he made a few remarks and left.”

  “If we’re lucky, you may have put yourself out of his path.”

  Sophie pulled out a chair at the table and sank heavily into it. “All of this because we had sex?”

  “Ulrik has it in for me and my … group.”

  Now that was interesting. Sophie wanted to know more. “Why?”

  “We saved him from a betrayal, but he didna see it that way. We then had to stop him when he began attacking others. The only way to end what he was doing was to banish him from our group.”

  “Banish him?” she repeated. She expected that from a medieval culture, but not in the here and now. Just what kind of group was Darius involved in? And did she want to be a part of it? “That’s … extreme.”

  “Perhaps. It was our only option.”

  Now it was beginning to make sense. Ulrik’s pain, his need to hurt Darius. “So Ulrik wants revenge?”

  “Aye.”

  “And he goes after anyone you and your group are with?”

  Darius gave a slight nod.

  “What about Thorn and Lexi? Are they all right?”

  “Ulrik targeted Lexi, but Thorn was able to save her.”

  Sophie leaned back in the chair while trying to grasp the situation. “This can’t be real.”

  “I’m sorry to say it is. I wanted to leave to prove to Ulrik that—”

  “I meant nothing to you,” she spoke over him. “I understand. There’s no need to explain.”

  “If he came to see you, then he didna believe what I told him.”

  “You spoke to him?” she asked in shock.

  Darius looked a tad contrite. “Aye.”

  For some reason that made her angry as well as confused. “The man who is after you? You spoke to him? Why not just try to work it out?”

  “Ulrik wants to hurt us by hurting those he believes we care about. I did talk to him, but there’s only one way this will end, Sophie.”

  “How’s that?”

  “He blames all of us, but his true target is our leader. He and Con will eventually battle it out.”

  She stared wide-eyed at Darius. Had she just stepped into a movie? All of this was so surreal. “You’re saying he’s a sociopath?”

  “I am.”

  “Why not stop him before he and Con can meet? Or why haven’t he and Con gone ahead and battled it out as you say?”

  Darius rubbed his hand over his chin. “We’ve a set of rules that must be followed.”

  “That somehow prevents you from going after Ulrik yourself?” Sophie asked. “That makes no sense. Especially if Ulrik is targeting anyone you and your group spend time with. You should be able to defend yourself.”

  “We do. Ulrik isna acting alone, though. The … people … helping him are just as dangerous. We’ve been fighting them for some time now, and always Ulrik manages to get away.”

  “Then have Con call him out and get it over with.”

  Darius lifted one shoulder as his lips twisted. “Con is searching for Ulrik for just that reason.”

  “Ulrik is here. Call Con.”

  “Con is in the city. He knows what’s going on.”

  No matter how many questions she asked and responses Darius made, Sophie was more perplexed than ever before. If only she was privy to the parts Darius was leaving out she might understand, but she had a feeling those secrets
were better left unsaid.

  “I’m confused. Why hasn’t Con gotten in touch with Ulrik?”

  “He’s trying. It’s no’ as easy as it sounds. Ulrik has a plan. While he goes about it, he’s going to hurt as many of us as he can. The final blow will be attacking Con.”

  “And the all-powerful government isn’t going to move things along so people like me are safe? Tell me MI5 is involved.”

  “Oh, they’re involved,” he stated, his voice laced with irritation.

  She wondered if Darius knew he revealed he didn’t work for MI5. Sophie stared at her mug of coffee that was now lukewarm. She wouldn’t be able to drink it anyway with her stomach in knots as it was.

  “I didna mean to cause you any anguish. I just want you to be safe,” he said.

  Safe. It was such a relative thing. Was anyone ever truly safe? Even at a time when she believed she was never safer, she hadn’t been. First the city had burned and dozens killed, with no answers as to the killers. Now there was Ulrik.

  And Darius.

  “You doona believe me?”

  He said it with such confusion that Sophie almost smiled. “I’m trying to take it all in.”

  “So you doona believe me.”

  Sophie met his dark brown gaze. “It just seems so odd that Ulrik would come after me just because we had sex. Unless he knew you came here the night before last.”

  “He doesna. I made sure no one followed me. There were a couple of men watching your building, but I came in from the roof.”

  “The roof?” she asked in alarm. Was there ever going to be a time when she wasn’t taken aback by what he said?

  Probably not, and that’s the appeal!

  True. Dammit.

  “It was the only way I could get in without them seeing me,” Darius stated as if it was a common occurrence.

  For him, she guessed it was. “And last night?”

  “They were watching the roof.”

  She looked at him expectantly. “My window was open. You came in through my window. How?”

  “I’ve skills.”

  That was one way of putting it. She knew for a fact he had many skills that he had proven to her time and again the previous night. “And Ulrik? Does he have those same skills?”

  Darius’s face mottled with anger. “Aye. I hadna thought of that. Precautions will need to be taken.”

  “Not if he doesn’t believe you’ve returned. If he comes back to the hospital I can make him think you’ve moved on. We just had a one-night stand.”

  “He’ll know I’m still here. Besides, I doona want you talking to him. I’ll make sure I’m around the hospital in case he returns.”

  Sophie got to her feet and grinned. “It’s worth a try. I won’t have my life in danger because I enjoy having sex with you. I’m going to ensure Ulrik turns his attention away from me.”

  “Doona underestimate him, Sophie.”

  “That’s one thing you don’t have to worry about.” She brought both of the mugs to the sink and dumped them. “I’d cook breakfast, but I have nothing in the flat.”

  “And I can no’ get it for us since he may see me. I doona want Ulrik to know I’m here,” Darius grumbled.

  Sophie turned to face him and looked at his impressive chest with the head of the dragon seeming to look at her from his shoulder. “I’ll go. If you want to stay, that is.”

  He visibly relaxed. “I want to stay.”

  “Good.”

  Sophie walked to the bedroom to change. She knew exactly why she wanted him to stay, and it was only partly due to his mastery in bed.

  The biggest reason was because she was enjoying having someone in her life—someone like Darius. Even if that thread of danger she’d discerned from the beginning put her in the thick of it. She still wouldn’t change anything.

  Sophie pulled on a pair of jeans and a tan sweater before reaching for her boots. She brushed out her hair and put it in a loose braid that fell over her left shoulder. A quick brush of her teeth and she walked back into the kitchen where Darius sat at the table.

  “I’ll be back,” she said as she put on her coat. Then she paused and looked at him. “What do you like?”

  “Anything.”

  She laughed. “People say that, but they don’t mean it. Is there anything you’re allergic to or that you don’t like?”

  “Nay, lass. I’ll eat whatever you put in front of me.”

  Sophie put her hand on the doorknob. “What about what you do like? Do you have a favorite?”

  “Meat. I like meat.”

  “That I can make sure you have. I’ll return soon.”

  “Sophie,” Darius called, stopping her at the door.

  She looked back at him. “Yeah?”

  “Be careful,” he cautioned. “Notice everything. And hurry back.”

  Sophie gave him a wink. “It’ll be fine. I’m not going far.”

  “Perhaps you’d better stay. We can find something here.”

  “I have nothing. You said yourself if Ulrik wanted to take me yesterday he could’ve. He didn’t. But I’ll be on the lookout.”

  Darius rose and walked to her. He cupped her face in his hands and looked deep in her eyes. “Ulrik has men watching the building.”

  “I’ll be quick,” she promised as she rose up and gave him a quick kiss.

  She closed the door behind her and hurried down the stairs with a smile on her face, her thoughts on Darius and the amazing feelings he awoke within her.

  It wasn’t until she walked out of her building that she realized how light her steps were. A night of having a man like Darius make love to her had certainly removed any stress. Her body was pleasantly sore, and it was no surprise that she still wanted him.

  She lifted her face and looked at the bright blue sky without a cloud to be seen. It was colder than the day before, but she was going to enjoy the sunshine. It made her want to spend the day outside.

  Sophie crossed the street to her favorite deli. She didn’t know what reminded her that Darius had said men were watching her building. Whatever it was made her slow her steps and look in the glass of a shop as she passed. She noticed there was a man on the opposite side of the street looking at her.

  Her heart skipped a beat. A small part of her had thought Darius was just being overly cautious, but there was no denying what she saw.

  Sophie observed the man. He wore glasses, a black jacket and jeans, and he was looking right at her.

  She tried to pretend she didn’t see him. When a group passed her, she made sure it appeared as if one of them ran into her, spinning her around.

  It was the chance she needed to look behind her. Her gut clenched when she saw another similarly dressed man walking about fifteen paces behind her.

  “Oy! Watch where you’re going,” she called out to the group to keep up the ruse.

  Sophie turned and kept walking. Men had been watching her building. She’d trusted Darius, but it had been just a feeling. Now she knew for sure she could trust him.

  She suddenly wished she’d remained at her flat. As soon as she reached the deli, she placed her order. While she waited, she walked around, subtly looking at everyone in the deli—and outside. The two men were waiting.

  Sophie leaned over the counter to the older man she had paid after she had her order. “Is there a back exit?”

  “No.”

  She glanced over her shoulder at the men standing at the window who had been following her. “You see the guy outside with the bald head and goatee? He’s my ex, and he’s been stalking me. I’d really like to get home without confronting him. Please. Is there another exit I can use?”

  The old man glared at her follower and called someone else to work the register. Then he waved her around the counter. With a hand on her back, he led her through the kitchen to a storage room and the door to the back alley.

  “He willna see you, lass,” the man said.

  Sophie patted his arm and shot him a grateful smile. “Thank
you so much. You’ve saved the day.”

  To her surprise, he blushed to the roots of his salt-and-pepper hair. “Be safe.”

  Sophie exited the deli and hurried back to her flat, her heart pounding against her ribs. Her two followers were none the wiser, but she saw another man dressed just as they were standing across the street from her flat. As soon as he saw her, he brought his mobile phone to his ear and placed a call.

  She pretended she saw nothing as she entered the building and made her way up to her flat. Sophie threw open the door and hurried inside, slamming the door shut and locking it with shaking hands.

  “Sophie?” Darius said as he came from the bathroom putting on his shirt.

  “I was followed by two men. There’s a third outside,” she said as she handed him the bag of food.

  Darius gently grasped her hand with one of his large ones and took the food with the other. “They willna hurt you as long as I’m here.”

  And God help her, but Sophie believed him. How could she not? The sincerity was in his voice, it was in his eyes.

  It was in the way he held her.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Rhi fought to cling to the darkness. She was determined to remain asleep, because if she woke, she’d have to face everything she’d been running from.

  “I know you can hear me,” Rhys said.

  His voice was low, just above a whisper, but he was close. She imagined he was sitting by the bed. Rhys, her faithful friend, who had seen her at her worst. The friend who never wavered in his support of her, even when other Dragon Kings—Darius—sided against her.

  “You’re hiding,” Rhys continued. “You ken I know you, Rhi. I know you better than most. You’re hiding in that sleep like I hid in the Dragonwood no’ that long ago. You urged me to come out of hiding. Now I’m telling you to get your arse in gear and wake up. You’re no’ a weakling. Face whatever this is. I’ll stand beside you in whatever way you need of me. You know I will.”

  Rhys always did have a way of shining the light on a particular situation.

  He sighed loudly. “It’s been three weeks. Three weeks. It’s past time for you to wake. I came in yesterday, and I swear I caught Henry before he climbed in bed with you.”

  That made her want to smile. It was Rhys’s way to make light of a volatile situation.