Darius stilled completely. Yet… intense fury boiled in his blood, hotter and hotter until finally transforming him into his dragon self. He howled at the suddenness of the change, at the way his body elongated and sharpened. Scales armored his skin. His teeth lengthened and thinned, honed to razor-sharp points. His claws unsheathed. He felt the heat of the change and welcomed it.
Jason's eyes grew round, filling with undiluted terror. "Oh, my God," he gasped. He whipped his gun to Darius and squeezed the trigger.
Darius absorbed the impact of each bullet and launched himself at Jason. He twisted in the air, slashing the man's face with his tail. The bastard screamed, collapsed to the ground, blood seeping from the deep gashes, jewels tumbling from his pockets. Darius reached for him again, but gunfire came at him from a different direction. Another bullet pelted his arm, and he spun, spraying fire at this other enemy. Protecting Grace.
Having regained his breath, Jason scrambled up and stuffed the fallen jewels back into his pockets, the battle forgotten in his greed. Darius swung back to him just as Jason glanced up. Their gazes clashed for one startling second, terror against determination, before Darius bit his throat. Unsatisfied with that, Darius lashed him with his tail, clawed with his hands and slammed the man into the wall. A sickening crack followed as Jason's neck snapped, and he collapsed to the ground in a lifeless heap.
Jason's eyes stared transfixed upon a huge blue sapphire, and his fingers gave one last twitch, perhaps reaching for the sparkling diamond that rolled across the floor toward Grace's boot.
It happened too quickly and wasn't nearly enough. Not for the harm Jason had done. But Grace whimpered, and he suddenly didn't care. Vengeance didn't matter. Justice didn't matter. Only his wife mattered.
"Grace," Darius said, Jason already forgotten. His concern overshadowed all else as he rushed to her. His scales receded, revealing smooth skin. His fangs retracted. His wings curled into his back. When he reached his wife, he ripped her bonds from the wall, and she sank into his arms.
"Darius," she murmured. Her eyes were closed, her face pale.
He lay her gently on the floor and crouched beside her. As if sensing his vulnerable state, the vampire king suddenly appeared before him, his eyes glowing that eerie blue. His sharp, white teeth were bared, ready to strike. The urge to leap up and attack was there, but Darius resisted. He wouldn't risk hurting Grace further.
Layel flew at him. Darius hunched over, protecting Grace with his body. He made no other move toward his opponent. The vampire's teeth sank into his shoulder, but as quickly as Layel attacked, he withdrew.
"Fight, you coward," Layel growled. "We end this here and now."
He glared up at him. "You cannot provoke me. The woman's life is more important, and I will not risk it. Not even to rid our world of your existence."
Blood dripped from Layel's mouth, slashes of red against his pale skin. He looked ready to pounce again, but instead offered, "What are you willing to do for me to save your woman?"
"Call off your bloodsuckers, and I will not burn down your home."
"Burn my home and your woman burns with it."
Grace uttered another whimper. Darius smoothed his hand over her brow, whispering soft words in her ear, though he never removed his gaze from Layel. "My warriors will disengage as soon as the woman is safe."
As he watched them, something indistinguishable came over Layel's expression. Something… almost human. He licked the blood from his mouth. "You love her?"
"Of course."
"I loved once," he said as if he couldn't hold back the words.
Darius studied the taut lines of Layel's features. "Then you understand."
The vampire king gave an almost imperceptible nod, then closed his eyes for a long moment, pensive. When he refocused, he said, "Your men may leave my castle in peace. But we will fight again, Darius. That I promise you."
"I welcome the day."
Layel unfurled his cape and turned, but he wasn't about to leave without offering one final blow. "I know where Ra-Dracus is," he said, grinning over his shoulder.
Before Darius could reply, smoke erupted around him, and the vampire disappeared. Just like that, the rest of the vampires disappeared, as well, and the dragons were left in midbattle stances. Confused, they swung around, their expressions feral as they hunted for their opponents.
"Search the dungeons," Darius called. He continued to hold and rock and coo at Grace, willing his strength into her body.
Long moments later, Renard dragged a human man by the arm. Teira raced at his side, shouting that he was not to be hurt. Alex, Grace's brother Darius realized. The human paled when he saw Grace.
"Grace," he shouted and fought to free himself. Renard held tight.
"These two were in the dungeon," Renard said. "This is the man your woman spoke of, is it not?"
"Release him."
The moment Alex gained his freedom, he sprinted to Grace. "What have you done to her," he snarled, trying to rip her from Darius's arms. "Let her go."
"If you do not remove your hand from my wife, I will remove it for you," he snapped. "The woman is my mate. Mine . That you are her brother is the only reason you will live. No one touches her but me."
Wisely Alex dropped his hands to his side. He lost his fury and desperation, both replaced by confusion. "Your mate?" He knelt beside them. "Is she… "
"She lives. She is merely weak from blood loss."
"She's pale."
"Give her time," Darius said, gazing down at this woman he loved and caressing a fingertip down her nose.
"I'm awake," she said quietly. "I'm sorry I left your palace. I thought I could protect you."
Relief shuddered through him, and he couldn't hold back his next words. "I love you, Grace Carlyle."
"That's Grace en Kragin." Her eyelids fluttered open, and she smiled slowly. "And I love you, too."
Darius didn't know where Javar's medallion was, nor did he know where the Book of Ra-Dracus was, but he had Grace, and that's what mattered.
"I was so afraid… "
He cupped her cheeks in his hands. "Hush. All is well. Your brother is here."
To verify this, Alex leaned into her line of vision and grinned. "I'm here, sis. I'm here."
"Oh, thank God." With a grimace, she sat up and wrapped her arms around him, hugging, her grip fragile. "I missed you. God, I was so worried about you."
Darius allowed her a few minutes to reunite with her brother, then reclaimed her in the circle of his arms, exactly where she belonged.
She glanced up at him. "So what do we do from here?"
"I want you to live here with me. We can build a life together and raise our children."
Her eyes filled with tears. "Yes. Yes ."
Chuckling, he smoothed back her hair, then kissed her nose, her lips, her chin. "I think your brother will be staying, as well."
"Really?" Grace glanced at her brother curiously.
Alex wagged his brows and motioned to the beautiful blonde. "He means," her brother said, putting his arm around Teira, "that I've found love, too. Grace, I'd like to introduce my future wife, Teira."
She and Grace shared a secret smile, then Grace turned to Darius. "We can't leave my mom and aunt Sophie on the surface without us."
"I'm sure Layel has room for them."
"No!"
He smiled at her, a true, genuine smile. "I was teasing, Grace."
She stilled. Blinked. Darius? Teasing? How… shocking.
"You do find teasing acceptable, do you not, sweet Grace?"
"Of course. I just didn't expect it from you."
A tender light consumed his golden eyes. "You thought I lacked humor?"
"Well, yeah," she admitted. She drew in the masculinity of his scent, closed her eyes and savored. "But I love you anyway. You'll adore having my mom and aunt with us."