“No’ tonight.” Kiril walked to the bar and took a vacant stool while motioning to the bartender.
He was known at the pub, so he didn’t have to tell the bartender what he wanted. In a matter of moments a glass of whisky—unfortunately Irish—was set in front of him. Kiril drained it in one gulp and lifted the empty glass for another.
“Bad night?” Farrell asked. He took the spot next to Kiril, making himself comfortable.
Kiril shrugged, wishing like hell he could make Farrell disappear. It was bad enough he came to the pub that was infested with Dark Fae every day. That didn’t mean he wanted to talk to any of them. He was there for bits of information they didn’t bother whispering about. “Just a long day.”
“Some more whisky should take care of that. Tell me, my friend, how long are you staying in Ireland?” Farrell asked.
Kiril nodded to the bartender for yet another refill before he swiveled his head to Farrell. “I doona know. I’ve no’ put a timetable on things.”
“I’m having a party in a few weeks. I’m hoping you’ll stay for it.”
It was all Kiril could do not to roll his eyes and laugh outright. He knew exactly what it was—a trap to capture him. If he didn’t have the information he needed as well as discovering where Rhi was, he might have to attend.
“Sounds like fun,” he managed to say.
“My get-togethers always are. Plenty of beautiful women for you to choose from. Unless you’ve found someone by then. In that case, feel free to bring her along.”
Farrell ran a hand through his chin-length black hair liberally laced with silver. His red eyes locked on him, and he was leaning toward Kiril, too interested in the night and his plans.
That’s when realization hit Kiril. It was Farrell who’d sent Shara. It didn’t come as that great of a surprise. He speculated that Farrell would go to any lengths to capture him.
With as many Dark as were in the pub, they could try to take him then. The entire town of Cork swarmed with Dark Fae. They could try and seize him without going to such extremes.
What else did they want then?
Kiril almost smiled when it struck him. They searched for something hidden by the King of Kings. If neither Kellan nor Tristan had told the Dark the answer when they used force, the Dark were attempting another tactic.
How sorry they would be when they realized he wouldn’t tell them anything because he didn’t know the answer. Only two Dragon Kings knew whatever it was the Dark searched for—Kellan and Constantine.
Kellan—because he kept their history—but he hadn’t given it away, and Con never would either.
It was going to be a hell of a few days.
CHAPTER THREE
Kiril rolled onto his back and opened his eyes to stare at the ceiling of his bedroom with a groan. He threw his arm over his eyes to block out the sunlight pouring through his many bedroom windows. Much to his disappointment, Farrell had left the pub early.
It would have been easy to find another Dark Fae to interact with, but Kiril discovered his mind was on other things—more correctly, on another Dark.
Not even in sleep could he get away from her. Shara appeared in his dreams. She would stand off to the side, away from everything. No matter how many times he tried to get near her, he couldn’t close the distance.
Kiril sat up and raked a hand through his hair. In the light of dawn, Shara was still on his mind. She was a Dark, a spy sent to monitor a spy. The irony didn’t go unnoticed. Still, he wanted more time with her. To hear her laugh, to see her smile … to feel her silky skin beneath his palm again. It was madness, but there was no denying the truth of it.
Kiril threw off the sheet and rose from the bed. He walked naked across the large room to the connected bathroom and turned on the shower. He stood beneath the water and let it rain over him.
He didn’t know how long he stayed like that as he continued to think of Shara. Finally, he grabbed the soap and washed. When his hair and body were clean and rinsed, Kiril shut off the water and exited the shower, reaching for the towel on the hook as he did.
His gaze immediately went to the large window overlooking the expanse of lawn that extended beyond the house. He briefly tossed aside the towel and walked out of the bathroom to the double doors in his bedroom that led out to a balcony.
Kiril threw open the doors and simply stood there. The Dark Fae were hidden in the trees at the edge of his lawn watching, waiting for him to make a wrong move. He remained there letting them look their fill of him. If they wanted a show, he was happy to give it.
When he felt a push against his mind, he turned away and reentered his room. At the same time every day Con would use the mental link between Dragon Kings to contact him.
Kiril opened his mind to Con’s nudge. “Aye.”
“You’re in a foul mood,” Constantine said. “What happened?”