Many of his fellow Dragon Kings had taken human females as lovers. Kellan had had several before his Bronzes were killed. Afterward, he took a female only when he could stand it no more.
It was unfortunate that his body demanded such release. He glanced down at the woman in his arms. She was thin, but her muscles were finely honed. Her dark hair was held back away from her face in a knot so he had no idea how long it was.
Kellan barely looked at her face. There was no need. He never planned to see her again once he deposited her at Con’s feet, even though Kellan admired her courage and tenacity. That’s all she would get from him.
That’s all he could give.
It was much more than he had given a human in thousands of years.
Kellan navigated the corridors of his mountain easily until he came to the entrance. Just as he expected, Con, along with Rhys and Kiril, stood waiting for him.
Con’s face was grim, his blond hair wet from the rain that drenched the world outside. “I knew it had to be something important for you to call to me. Who is she?”
“I doona know, and I doona care,” Kellan said as he tried to hand her over to Con.
Instead, Con clasped his hands behind his back, clearly refusing to touch her, and inhaled deeply. “You found her wounded?”
Of course Con would think he had hurt her. Kellan didn’t blame him, not after what sent him to sleep in the first place.
“Nay. She located my cave,” Kellan bit out as he tried to keep his anger in check. He didn’t want to hold the female any longer or smell her scent or feel her curves. “Take her so I can return to my sleep.”
Rhys raked a hand through his long, dark hair before wiping the rain from his face. “Most of the other Kings have been awake for months. Did you no’ hear Con’s call to arms several months ago?”
“If I did, would I have remained asleep?” Kellan asked, a brow lifted as he stared flatly at Rhys.
“This isna the first time our borders have been breached,” Con said before Rhys could respond. “I need you to take a few days and return with me to the manor. After we have this woman settled and her memory wiped, you can resume your sleep, old friend.”
Kellan didn’t bother arguing. He didn’t like hearing Dreagan’s borders had been crossed, and if Con issued a call to arms, then it must have been important. “Fine. But someone take her.”
Kiril’s green eyes danced with humor as he turned away. “You look as if you’ve got her in hand. She’s nicely formed too. Are you tempted?”
The woman’s head turned, bringing her cheek against Kellan’s shoulder. Her fever raged, reminding him why he’d called Con in the first place.
“She’s fevered,” Kellan said, his gaze locked on Con as he ignored Kiril’s question.
Con said not a word as he closed the distance between them and laid a hand on the female’s forehead. “Aye. I’m anxious to know what happened to her.”
“There’s another in my cave. They fought, and the female killed him.”
“No’ good news.” Con frowned. “In that case, I think it might be better if our visitor isna completely healed until we have more information from her.”
He didn’t care what Con did as long as he took the woman. Kellan didn’t want to be responsible for her anymore. He’d done his duty and brought her to Constantine. That should be enough.
It had to be enough.
As Con used his magic and healed the woman enough so that her fever vanished, Kellan looked over the King of Kings. Con wore black slacks and a white dress shirt with the cuffs unbuttoned and rolled up to his elbows. Con’s blond hair was shorter than last time, but his black eyes still saw everything.
Kellan then glanced at Rhys and Kiril who stood at the entrance of the mountain with their backs to them. Each wore jeans and boots. While Rhys donned a thin, dark olive-green sweater, Kiril wore a simple white tee.
“That should do it,” Con said and stepped back. “It’s a good thing I had Kiril drive with this storm.”
Rhys chuckled. “His driving has improved enough in the six months he’s been awake that he’s no longer hitting sheep.”
“I only hit the one, damn you,” Kiril said testily and shoved Rhys.
Con walked between them, and once he was past, Rhys’s arm swung wide and lightly punched Kiril in the jaw before he ran into the storm. Kiril gave a shout and followed.
Kellan looked toward the outside world he wanted no part of, to the woman in his arms. The sooner he got her to the manor, the sooner he could return to his cave and to sleep.
Yet, somehow, deep in his soul, he knew as soon as he left the mountain, his life would change forever.
Kellan walked to the opening and looked through the curtain of rain to find his friends waiting for him in a black vehicle that read “Range Rover” across the front.
He met Con’s patient gaze before he stepped out of his mountain.
CHAPTER THREE