Fire Rising (Dark Kings) by Donna Grant Read Free Book Online

By the time she reached the bottom floor, her breath was coming in great gasps.
    Sammi paused as she tried to remember how Jane had brought her into the manor. It wasn’t from the front door. Cautiously, she moved from room to room until she finally located the kitchen.
    Just as she was about to walk into the room, she spotted a man pouring two mugs of coffee. Sammi hastily plastered herself against the wall and prayed he didn’t see her.
    She ducked behind a tall plant seconds before the man walked out whistling some nameless tune. Sammi released the breath she’d been holding.
    After counting to five, she stood and ran into the kitchen. The smell of the coffee was tempting, but she ignored it as she slipped out of the manor.
    A quick look around showed she was alone. She wanted to run to her car, but that would only cause suspicion. So, with great effort, she kept her pace to a fast walk until she passed a row of tall, thick hedges and she saw the distillery and guest parking.
    Sammi ran the last bit to the stolen car, sliding on the gravel when she grabbed the door handle. She managed to stay on her feet and yanked the door open. Once she was behind the wheel she cast another glance around.
    In the fields off to her right she could see men releasing sheared sheep loose from their pens. Her luck was holding because other than that, there was no one else about.
    She didn’t give it another thought as she started the car and put it in reverse. In no time she was driving down the long drive and she let Dreagan grow smaller in her rearview mirror.
    *   *   *
    “Are you sure this is the way to handle this?” Jane asked Banan for the third time that morning.
    “Aye, love.”
    Tristan didn’t take his eyes off the faded red of the car as Sammi drove away. “She wanted to leave last night. Had I not forced her to sleep, she would have. Now at least we’re prepared to follow her.”
    Jane blew out a frustrated breath. “She’ll never forgive us.”
    “Would you rather have her forgiveness or have her alive?” Banan asked. “Because that’s what it’s going to come to. The Mob is after her, love.”
    Tristan rubbed his jaw. “I find it verra concerning that there is another woman on Dreagan running from someone.”
    “That does seem odd,” Jane replied with a frown. “You don’t think the Dark Fae have anything to do with this, do you?”
    Tristan and Banan exchanged a look.
    Banan took Jane’s hand in his. “At this point, anything is possible. We willna know until we see if anyone is following her.”
    “Just be careful. Both of you,” Jane added. She gave Banan a kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck as she held him to her. They stayed like that for several minutes.
    Then, to Tristan’s surprise, Jane hugged him. “Keep my sister alive.”
    “I will.” He stepped away and walked to the waiting BMW 640i Coupe.
    A moment later Banan slid behind the wheel and started the car. He gave Jane a wave as they pulled away. “She’ll never forgive me if anything happens to Sammi.”
    “We willna let anything happen to her.” Tristan felt Banan’s gaze on him.
    It wasn’t just that Sammi was in trouble that made Tristan jump to protect her. She was Jane and Banan’s family, which meant that even though Sammi had no idea they were Dragon Kings, she was also a part of their family.
    Unbidden, the image of hands the color of pale blue and long claws covered in blood flashed in his head. Tristan hadn’t allowed himself to consider why that image suddenly appeared or the meaning behind it.
    He knew the Warriors’ skin changed the color of the primeval god within them when they called the god forth. Tristan also knew they had claws.
    Had it been a flash from his past? Were there memories there as Laith had suggested, and they were just repressed? If so, what had he done to let one out?
    More importantly, did he want more?
    In some ways, it was easier to continue on as he was, without the memories of a