Dark Alpha's Embrace (4 page)

She slid her dagger into the sheath at her leg and yanked her skirt down. Then she got to her feet and wiped her face. Tears never did anyone any good. It was an emotional release because she couldn’t scream her fury.

River squared her shoulders. Whatever came, she was prepared. Her family had suffered for generations because of the Fae. It’d been silly to think she would escape the curse.

She made her way to the back of the library and the entrance she used. After gathering her purse and putting on her coat, she walked outside.

Snow was piled along the edges of the sidewalk. Her sensible shoes had good rubber grips that kept her from sliding on the icy patches.

Since she lived less than a three-minute walk from the library, she was home in no time. River unlocked her door and stepped inside.

“Great,” she mumbled when she was met with cold air.

The heater was out again. It was the third time in less than a month. River was too tired to call the landlord or try to fix the problem herself.

She went to her stash of wood and started a fire in the hearth. When the fire blazed high, she dragged her chair closer and sat.

With her legs curled up and two quilts atop her, she stared into the fire. Her thoughts kept returning to one thing—Kyran. She hadn’t expected him to be so nice. He could’ve easily killed her, but neither he nor Talin harmed her.

All they did was take her books. River couldn’t even think about that. As soon as the board learned they were gone, she would be out of a job.

The work and time she put into finding her family’s library was for naught. She’d lost what books she worked hard to acquire. Even then, they hadn’t been hers. They belonged to the library, and thereby the city of Edinburgh.

River closed her eyes and moaned. She was going to make herself ill if she continued to think along this vein. Perhaps she’d call in sick tomorrow. It would be her first time, but she was going to have to start a new life anyway.

The wood popped in the fire, sizzling into the silence of the room. Just as she’d sizzled when Kyran was close to her.

He’d moved so quickly. She blinked and he was there, pressing her against the wall with his hard body. His touch had been firm, but gentle. A complete contradiction to what her aunt warned her.

River snuggled deeper into the quilts. She didn’t fight the sleep when it claimed her.

*   *   *

Kyran stared at the books. Every one of them was in a different language.

“It’s Fae,” Cael said.

Fintan snorted, his red-rimmed white eyes passing over each book. “Ancient Fae. These languages have been dead for eons.”

“Shouldn’t you be able to use magic to read it?” Jordyn asked.

Baylon smiled at his woman. “If only it were that easy.”

“There are some things our magic can’t do,” Cael explained. “With the humans, if you don’t learn the language, it dies. That’s what happened with our race as well.”

Kyran motioned to the books. “We got cocky, is what happened. The Fae believed these languages would never die.”

“They didn’t just die,” Fintan said. “They were obliterated from record.”

Jordyn pointed to the books. “There are twelve different languages here. How many were there?”

“At one time, over thirty,” Cael said.

Her turquoise eyes widened. “How many are there now?”

“One,” Talin answered.

Anticipating her next question, Baylon said, “The thirty languages represent the thirty most powerful families—both Dark and Light. The families warred. When one of them would win, they eradicated that language.”

“So who won in the end?” Jordyn asked.

They were all silent. Kyran didn’t like to think of the past, because his family played a major role in it. Only Cael knew the particulars, and that was how Kyran wanted it.

“We speak the common tongue now,” Cael responded. “Every Fae knew the language. At the end, when there was hardly anyone left of the thirty families, the majority of the Fae rose up against them. It was the one time the Light and Dark were united.”

Jordyn softly closed the book in front of her. “Then you can take these back to River. If I can’t read them, they do me no good.”

“But they were on your list,” Baylon pointed out.

Kyran caught Jordyn’s gaze. “Where did you find that list, by the way?”

“I did a search for all books containing any information on the Fae, fairies, Death, hell, and the Netherworld. I already had most of the books, and none of them offered anything that could help. So then I went to a black site and did the same search. A list of thirty books came up related to the Fae.”

Cael’s shock was evident on his face. “Thirty. I’ll be damned.”

“How did the books get into mortal hands?” Fintan asked.

Baylon nodded. “I’d like to know that as well.”

“Kyran, didn’t River say she’d been collecting these? She may know that list as well.”

He could’ve happily punched Talin into the next millennia. Kyran didn’t want River involved any more than she already was, but by the look in Cael’s eyes, that hope went flying right out the door.

“Let’s go pay River a visit,” Cael said.

Kyran shook his head. “It’s late.”

“Which means she’ll be alone,” Fintan added.

Cael looked at Kyran with his silver eyes. “She’s half-Fae, and you were attacked by Bran’s men. If we don’t get to her first, they will.”

“She won’t talk to us,” Talin said.

Kyran nodded when Cael returned his gaze to him. “She buttoned up pretty quick.”

“Then unbutton her,” Fintan stated.

Baylon rubbed his hand over his chin. “I agree with Fintan and Cael. Whether she tells us anything or not, keeping another half-Fae alive and out of Bran’s grasp is a good thing.”

Each of them turned to the corner where Eoghan stood. He watched them with hooded silver eyes. After a moment, he gave a nod to Cael. It was all they would get from him. Eoghan didn’t speak.

“Let’s go,” Cael said.

Baylon hurried around the table. “You’ve not told us if you caught the person responsible for helping Bran escape the Netherworld.”

“We’ll get to that soon enough,” Cael said.

Kyran knew that meant whatever Cael had to say wouldn’t be good. None of them could force him to talk now. Cael would tell them when he was good and ready.

“Do you know where she lives?” Cael asked Kyran.

Talin answered for him. “No. I’m sure she’s left the library by now.”

All Kyran had to do was think about River and a picture of her formed in his head. “I found her,” he said and teleported out, not waiting on the others.

When he arrived at the flat, Kyran saw her sitting before a dying fire. He didn’t have time to stoke the fire before Cael, Talin, and Jordyn arrived.

He didn’t bother asking why Jordyn was there. Cael had his own reasons that he rarely shared with any of them. That was the responsibility of being leader to the Reapers.

“It’s freezing,” Jordyn said in a whisper.

With only a thought Kyran had the fire roaring. It would last until River left.

“There are too many,” Kyran said. “She’ll see all of you and freak out.”

Cael shrugged, then motioned to River. “Wake her.”

“She looks exhausted,” Jordyn said. She took a closer look at River and blew out a harsh breath. “And different. She’s stunning. I couldn’t tell with the way she dressed and held herself.”

Talin walked around the flat. “She did it on purpose to hide from the Fae.”

“That means she knows quite a bit about us,” Cael said, his forehead creased as he stared at River. “She knew a Fae would recognize her and went to great lengths to hide herself. I want to know why.”

Kyran moved closer to River and squatted down. He’d already scared her once. He didn’t want to do it again. “She’s not going to be pleased to see us again. She has something against the Fae and anything Irish.”

“Wake her,” Cael ordered.

Kyran put his hand on her leg. Her eyes flew open immediately, the pale blue orbs focusing on him. He held up both hands before him. “We’re not here to hurt you.”

“We?” she asked as she shook off her sleep. River sat up and looked around, taking in each of them. She paused at Jordyn and narrowed her eyes. “You never returned the book you checked out.”

Jordyn made an apologetic face. “I don’t intend to. I need it. It’s in the library I’m creating.”

“So you’re the Jordyn who sent them after my books?” River asked, disdain dripping from her voice.

“Those aren’t your books. They belong to the library.”

River threw off the blankets and stood. “Same thing, sweetheart. I worked decades to locate those books. I dealt with the scum of the earth in black market deals just to acquire them.”

Kyran was more impressed the longer River talked. She had backbone and a wealth of courage that helped her overcome a lot. He hoped it was enough to get her through what was coming.

River turned to face the fire, putting her back to all of them. “I don’t care why you came, but you’re not welcome. Leave. All of you.”

Kyran looked at Talin who gave him a shrug. Both knew this was how it would go. Jordyn’s appearance hadn’t helped anything.

Cael walked quietly to stand next to River. He clasped his hands behind his back and stared at the fire with her. “My men tell me you disguised yourself to hide the Fae within you.”

“It worked for years until tonight,” she said without any heat.

“Who taught you that?”

River remained silent.

Cael turned his head to her. “You saw for yourself the Dark we’re fighting. I’m sure you observed the Dark Fae who razed the city at Halloween and before. The Dark who attacked tonight are stronger and more powerful. They hunt those like you.”

“We’ve been hunted from the beginning.”

Kyran frowned and started to move toward her, but Cael held up a hand, halting him. If River had been hounded, it explained her reaction to them.

“No one is supposed to hunt any half-Fae,” Cael said.

River snorted and cut her pale blue eyes to him. “Tell that to those who’ve killed my family.”

Chapter Five

River should’ve known the Fae would find her. The fact they hadn’t killed her yet was a plus. But there was little hope she’d last until morning. They wanted information from her, and until they got it, she would remain alive.

The Fae beside her was tall and striking—as all Fae was. His silver gaze was direct, his tone frank. As imposing as he was, though, she had to stop herself from looking at Kyran.

She didn’t know what it was about the Dark that drew her attention, but she hated it. It was bad enough she associated with Fae, but to have a Dark turn her on? Maureen was probably rolling over in her grave.

“The Dark we fought tonight are killing half-Fae all over the world. They wiped out Jordyn’s entire family,” Talin said. “We want to protect other half-Fae.”

She slid her gaze to him. “If you want my help, the least you could do is give me the truth.”

Kyran held up a hand to stop anyone from talking. He moved toward River as Cael sidestepped to make room for him. “It’s true we need something. The truth is, those Dark want our group dead. They began by killing half-Fae to get our attention. Jordyn’s family was wiped out. We saved her, and we’d like to save more half-Fae.”

“Don’t waste your time with me.” She turned to him and met his gaze. “Let me guess. You can’t read the books.”

“Each one contains a dialect that died out thousands of years ago.”

River inhaled deeply and blinked.

That’s when Kyran nearly smiled. She could read them. He didn’t know how, but that didn’t matter at the moment. The important thing was that she could help.

They just had to convince her.

Kyran gave Cael a subtle look. The next second, only Kyran and River remained.

She looked around, brows raised. “Are they veiled?”

“They’re gone. It’s just us.”

“So you can convince me to give up my secrets.”

“So I can persuade you how much we need your help.”

She sat in her chair and turned to the fire, resting the side of her face against the chair. “No.”

Kyran didn’t expect her to agree immediately, but the way she said the word, as if a gavel fell at the same time. The finality disturbed him.

“You will condemn other half-Fae to die?”

“Everyone dies.” She glanced at him. “Even the half-Fae.”

He did a quick look behind him to see the kitchen without a single dish out of place. “That’s true. The Dark are making them suffer.”

“You’re Dark.”

“I am, but not in the same way.”

She snorted, letting him know what she thought of that statement.

Kyran knew there was only one way to get River’s cooperation. And that was to tell her the whole truth. “You act as if you know the history of the Fae. Do you?”

“Maybe.”

He wished she would look at him, but her eyes didn’t waver from the flames. Kyran walked to get one of the two chairs at the kitchen table and brought it to the fire. He sat and leaned his forearms on his thighs.

River looked sideways at him, then returned to studying the fire.

“If you do know our history, then you must’ve read about the existence of Reapers.”

River lifted one shoulder in a careless shrug. “Maybe.”

“That’s what I am, River. A Reaper.”

There was a beat of silence before she slowly turned her head to him. “The Reapers are nothing more than a Fae folktale.”

“We’re very real. There are seven of us who do Death’s bidding. We’re a mix of both Light and Dark Fae. It’s why I’m not like other Dark you’ve seen. Becoming a Reaper shifts a Fae’s focus. We bind ourselves to Death and the group.”

Her interest was evident in the way her pale blue eyes glittered in the firelight. “How does Death choose you? Or do you volunteer?”

“Each of us suffered a betrayal of some sort that resulted in our deaths. Before our soul left us, Death was there to offer us an opportunity to keep the balance of good and evil.”

River looked down at her hands. “I’m sorry you were betrayed.”

“I am too. However, it brought me to the Reapers. Those men—and now Jordyn—are my family.”