For once Shara was grateful for Farrell’s arrogance and brazenness. Everyone’s gaze in the pub was on Balladyn. He grabbed Farrell and jerked him back, only to slam him against the bar.
Magic swirled around Balladyn as he gathered it in one of his hands. “I think it’s time you and I came to an understanding, Farrell. My understanding.”
Shara jumped when the first round of magic hit Farrell in the stomach. He screamed, his eyes squeezed shut against the pain. A few brave Dark snuck out of the pub and made a run for it while others remained transfixed with either grins or masks of fear as they watched Balladyn.
Shara used the opportunity to slide off the bar stool and slowly move away. Any moment now, Balladyn’s men would come into the pub, and she wanted to be long gone by then.
She reached the end of the bar without Balladyn noticing her. Another two steps and she turned the corner out of his sight. She didn’t wait another second to teleport out of the pub.
Shara appeared on the docks. She cringed when she was immediately soaked in the pouring rain. A glance around showed she was thankfully alone. She wrapped her arms around herself and was about to disappear again when she realized she had nowhere to go.
Wherever she went, Balladyn or someone from her family would find her. She just wanted a few minutes to herself to think without worrying about who was going to do her harm.
And then she remembered there was one place she could go, one place where she felt safe and secure.
*
Kiril was irritated that his plan to confront Farrell in the pub had come to a screeching halt. He wouldn’t mind confronting Balladyn as well, but he wasn’t the reckless kind to go busting into the building and face all those Dark alone.
No, that was something Rhys would do.
Kiril heard the crackle of thunder just before the skies opened up and drenched everything in sight. Dark came rushing out of an Doras as if something were coming for them. A heartbeat later, Kiril heard the screams within.
It was time to reevaluate his plan. Facing Farrell or Balladyn was one thing, but if he walked into the pub with both of them together then they would join forces against him. Kiril refused to be locked away in any type of Dark prison. He wouldn’t let it happen, which meant he had to go about things differently.
“It’s time to leave,” Phelan’s voice reached him from behind.
Kiril didn’t bother to turn around. “Because Balladyn is in there.”
“Because you are many things, Kiril, but no’ a fool. Balladyn came to teach Farrell a lesson. That’s who is screaming.”
“Good. I never liked that arse anyway. By the way, how did you know it was Shara with Balladyn? You’ve never seen her.”
“I’m smart like that,” came the cocky reply.
“So she’s with Balladyn.” The idea still rankled him, like rubbing salt in a wound.
“Forget her. If you try to get to her, you’ll only end up in one of their dungeons.”
“No’ going to happen.”
“Good. Now get out of here. I’m soaked and in need of something besides the nasty Irish whisky.”
Kiril waited a few more moments in the rain, hoping to catch a glimpse of Shara. He just needed to know that she was all right. When that didn’t happen, he turned on his heel and strode to his car.
It had taken all day to find the address of Shara’s home, but the result had been exactly what he wanted. However, the final bit of his plans dissolved like sugar in the rain. He was ready for a glass of Dreagan whisky and another night in dragon form in the cellar when he drove through the gates of his estate.
More Dark were watching the house, which meant he would have to take time tomorrow to lose them in the streets of Cork once more, but he liked the challenge. As well as making them look stupid.
He walked into the house and immediately recognized that he wasn’t alone. Shara’s scent was strong, filling him with need so overwhelming he was drowning in it.
Kiril tossed his keys on the table and quietly closed the door. He walked to the left and reached in the dark to wrap his hands around her throat. She gasped and grabbed his arm, her shoes dropping from her fingers as he dragged her into the entryway.
“I thought you’d found a new man. Was Balladyn lacking in bed somehow?”
She opened her mouth, but he squeezed her throat to keep her from talking. Her midnight hair hung in damp strands around her with some stuck to the side of her face. The black dress clung to her body as water beaded along her skin.
“I doona want to hear anything you have to say,” he ground out. “I held out hope that you were something other than you are, but you gave me all the answers I needed tonight.”
Her eyes silently beseeched him to listen to her, but Kiril was beyond that. He was angry—at himself and her—for falling for her. He had been prepared to take her to Dreagan with him, and damn whatever consequences followed.
Yet she’d betrayed his trust, disdained his offering.