“Angus, ‘tis good to see you again. Khoth suits you,” Kyran said by way of greeting. A smile bloomed when Angus heard the familiar Scottish brogue of the Dark Warrior.

“Aye, the magic rejuvenates my soul. I’m verra glad you came. We are working on a project that could use your expertise,” Angus replied as he clasped Kyran’s forearm and embraced the Vampire Prince in a half hug. Angus was where he belonged, but he missed the Zeum family.

“And, Khoth is just as happy to have you back,” Mack observed. The feisty female was Kyran’s mate, and the two discovered they were Fated Mates while on Khoth. Angus knew the realm had special meaning to the couple. “There is a vibration in the air that was missing before. And, you must be his mate,” Mack said, addressing Keira.

Keira flushed and pursed her lips before shooting a scowl towards Angus. Turning back to Mack, she pasted a serene look on her face. Definitely queen material, Angus amended.

“My name is Keira, but no, I’m not Angus’s mate. I believe I have you to thank for breaking my enchantment,” Keira murmured with a bow of her head.

Mack dismissed her words with a wave. “No need to thank me. Us women need to stick together. I admit, I had no idea what I was doing when I nullified the spell, but once I found out, I was more than grateful. That piece of shit Unseelie King should be fucking shot for what he did,” the female cursed, her spiky black hair flying every which way as she emphasized her words.

Pip, the kippie Mack had adopted during her visit to Khoth, climbed onto her shoulder, looking around while cuddling her neck.

“What kind of protection did you leave for Zander and little Izzy?” Angus asked Nate, changing the subject of Cyril. It was pointless trying to convince Keira that Cyril was the source of everything bad in her life. She was going to have to come to that conclusion on her own.

“Sire,” Nate addressed him. “The Dark Warriors and their mates will protect Isobel. The King assured me they would be safe for my short visit.”

“I left you in that role to act as protector. That little girl is the target of every demon under Lucifer. There is no better protector than a dragon with scales that repel demon venom, and that isn’t limited by the sunlight. ‘Tis the reasons I left you there,” Angus informed his Máahes.

Nate paled and swallowed thickly before tossing a panicked glance to Mack and Kyran. “With all due respect, Sire. I had to come back for a break from all the responsibilities. My dragon was ready to eat every last gnome in the house. Besides, Izzy has her Guardian Angel. Rami comes whenever Izzy calls, even if it is just to play a game. With him around, no one can reach her.”

“Aye, I forgot aboot Ramiel,” Angus admitted. How he had forgotten that Elsie’s late husband had become Izzy’s protector, he didn’t know. Angus didn’t need to be living at Zeum to know Zander didn’t take that situation well. “How is everyone else doing? Is Santiago back, yet?”

Mack hugged Lorne and then Angus while Kyran made his way to the table in the throne room. The servants made sure to have Mack’s favorite foods, remembering how much she loved the local fare.

“Shite, that is one stubborn bastard,” Kyran joked. “He finally pulled his head oot of his arse. His Fated Mate had a hand in that, of course.”

“Hell yeah,” Mack added. “Tori’s good people. In fact, she was a Valkyrie assassin until she mated Santi. Not ashamed to say, I have a girl crush on her.”

Kyran growled and pulled Mack into his arms, kissing her neck. The way his eyes glowed like a stormy sea and his fangs peeked out of his open mouth were unmistakable. Keira threw Angus a questioning look.

“Kyran is a vampire, Turquoise. And, Mack is his human mate,” Angus explained.

“He only sucks my blood, so don’t worry,” Mack told Keira who watched her with wide eyes and a slight blush. Kyran may have stopped kissing her, but his hands were placed possessively on her hips.

“You don’t mind?” Keira asked.

Mack laughed. “Hell no! I’ve been known to beg for it at times,” she announced then winked at Kyran. “Next to ashing skirm, it’s my favorite pastime.”

“Is that what your shirt means? And, what is a skirm?” Keira asked.

Angus hadn’t paid that much attention to Mack’s shirt, and looked closer then barked out a laugh. ‘Cute AF but I’ve been known to shank a few’ was displayed across the chest of a bright green t-shirt. Angus missed the female’s salty flare for life.

“Skirm are nasty bastards that prey on innocent humans. They are like your Buggane here, except they kill people, not the land. Speaking of, I’d like to pay Akilam another visit,” Mack crooned with a wicked grin.

“You may get that chance. We need to take back Heqet. The fuckers destroyed our sacred ground,” Angus replied then proceeded to explain what was going on in Khoth.

“Why don’t your dragons grab the dead bodies and drop them on Osiris from the air? Surely, your claws and scales can withstand the poison. Then, we can detonate a bomb on the place and take out the living,” Mack said excitedly, practically bouncing up and down.

* * *

Keira watched Angus interact with his friends from Earth, fascinated with the interplay. The love and respect was mutual and she could see why they were so important to Angus.

Bringing the wine to her lips for another sip, she hid her smile at Mack’s enthusiasm. She liked the female’s directness, as well as, her confidence. The female talked about killing enemies without fear.

Keira envied that. She’d experienced so much panic and fright since awakening in that dreadful cave and was tired of it. Her gut told her that was not who she used to be. Regardless, it didn’t matter who she used to be. She was taking control of her life today and not looking back on her past.

Her first challenge was to get past Angus, and return to her home at sea. Admittedly, she was softening towards the male, but she wanted the freedom to make her own decisions. He believed he had her best interest at heart, but so long as she was prisoner in his castle, she wouldn’t be satisfied.

She acknowledged Angus and Cyril were very different beings. Cyril had kept her isolated from any and every one, and never considered her feelings, whereas Angus included, consulted, and encouraged her, which she appreciated.

“As much as I want to eliminate the Buggane, a bomb is no’ the answer. It would cause too much damage to Khoth and would weaken all Cuelebre. Stoorworm, too, for that matter.”

“I want my talons covered before I pick up those nasty corpses,” Nate interjected.

“You have become soft during your time at Zeum,” Legette teased. Keira expected Nate to get angry at the insult, so his chuckle was a shock.

“You may be right, but I have no desire to scrub shit off me for hours on end. I’m not going to be here long, and I plan on visiting a few females before I leave,” Nate purred in a deep voice. Keira could tell right away he was a smooth talker.

Keira’s body responded to the idea, but not because of Nate. Her eyes met Angus’s, and his nostrils flared. Her body loosened as her core heated. His pale green eyes intensified, and she couldn’t deny their connection. Angus claimed they had a relationship, and she was inclined to believe him, given the magnetic pull she felt toward the sexy male.

Of the memories she wanted back, those regarding Angus were quickly climbing to the top of the list. She wanted to remember what his firm lips felt like, the weight of his muscled body, and the pleasure he provided. One look from his scorching gaze told Keira he knew his way around her body and wouldn’t leave her wanting.

“We canna fashion covers for your talons,” Angus informed Nate, but never took his eyes off her. The way he devoured her with his eyes melted her resistance. Or, it could be the wine. Either way, she wanted to kiss him again and had a hard time concentrating on the discussion around the room.

“Mack and I will patrol the perimeter of Heqet while all of you do your part. The more knights available, the faster the task will be handled,” Kyran interjected. “Will you be ready tomorrow night?”

“Aye, we will. Declan, make sure the notice is given to everyone. We leave at dusk, when Kyran can go ootside. And, we will need as many Mundunugu to begin the healing process. Now, if you will excuse us, Keira and I have something to discuss,” Angus told his guests as he walked towards her.

Keira threw him a questioning glace, wondering what he wanted to talk about. His hand met the base of her spine, and burned through the thin dress she wore.

“We don’t have to go anywhere. We can talk right here,” she said when he guided her out of the throne room. He remained silent as staff ducked out of the way, bowing their heads as they passed.

“Nay. We are going to my room,” he offered as they walked to his private sections of the castle.

“We are?” she croaked in a shaky voice. The lift to one side of Angus’s mouth had butterflies scattering in Keira’s stomach and her palms sweating.

“Aye. ‘Tis time, Keira,” he said as he opened a door, holding it ajar for her.

She hesitated at the threshold when she noticed the large bed dominating his room. It had black sheets and matching comforter, inviting her in. She took several steps forward and Angus shut the door behind them. Keira turned to meet his gaze before perusing the room. Her heart pounded, echoing in her ears.

His bedroom was lavishly furnished, speaking to his inherent nature. Her eyes caught glimpse of her reflection in a huge ornate mirror beside a massive dresser. She couldn’t help notice her skin was flushed, and she reached to her neck, feeling the flame beneath her skin. Glancing back to the enormous bed, her gaze snagged on an emerald green divan at the foot of his bed, and it sparked a memory, but then it quickly disintegrated before she could grasp onto it.

Keira scanned the remaining room and noticed wine and fruit sitting on a nearby side table. Suddenly, the lights dimmed, and soft music played. Keira glanced to the large glass panel over his bed, and knew Angus gave the command through his neural computer. He had thought of everything, and she was impressed with his romantic gesture. She wrung her hands, nervous to discover what else he planned.

Angus twined her fingers with his and urged her into the room, stopping by the divan. His hands landed on her waist and she sucked in an excited breath. Tilting her head back, she preyed he would kiss her again.

Their previous moment shared was too short and left her hungry for more. Before she formed another thought, his lips lowered to hers. The first scalding touch opened her more and the wine helped to relax her further. She was glad she consumed her share of the tangy libation. It lowered her inhibitions, ensuring a more adventurous experience. Otherwise, she doubted she would’ve agreed to go to his bedroom.

Despite his anger and rage over Heqet, he explored her mouth with great tenderness. His hands stroked her sides, stopping shy of her breasts, teasing her of what was to come. One hand slid through her green tresses while the other stopped on the curve of her ass.

Moaning, she opened her mouth, needing more. She’d observed the way Mack melted into her mate and the momentary flash of desire in Kyran’s eyes before he leashed it. She wanted to experience that. To have Angus wild and mad for her.

Heat poured from Angus and enveloped Keira, indicating he was aroused, as well. However, he wasn’t clawing at her like she was him. Was he playing coy?

Accepting the challenge, Keira unzipped his leather vest and slipped it over his shoulders and arms. She tossed the garment to the floor then palmed his muscular chest. Heat ignited where she touched and she felt him shudder.

His fingers bit into her hip and he fisted her hair. The slight pain was arousing. Keira wrapped her leg around his waist, and aligned her aching core with his sizable erection.

His lips smashed against hers, and he bit her lower lip. The bite sparked a primal need deep within and Keira quickly broke the kiss, scared of what she was feeling, yet wanting so much more.

“Shite, Turquoise. You’ve got to stop. I have plans for you,” he rasped against her ear.

Panting, she tried telling herself to stop, but she couldn’t. Her body refused, and she thrust against his hard shaft, trying to ease the painful need. Throw away your fears! her mind screamed. Chest heaving and heart pounding, Keira threw trepidation aside and let desire take the wheel. Right now, she wanted all of Angus.

With a growl, he separated their bodies and tossed her onto the green sofa at the foot of his bed. Sharp talons extended from one of his hands and rent her dress down the middle the next second. The tattered fabric puddled at her feet.

His sharp intake of breath was rewarding. “What a naughty little vixen. My naughty little vixen,” he growled when he noticed she was naked beneath the dress.

“I don’t like panties. They’re too constricting,” she confessed and felt her cheeks heat under his scrutiny.

“You never have,” he shared and kneeled, fitting his body between her thighs. His broad shoulders spread her wide, and he licked his lips and inched closer to her quivering folds.

He gazed up then husked, “Perfect. Just as I remember. I’m hungry, Turquoise.” The heat from his breath had her dripping, and she wanted his lips to kiss hers.

His tone told her that he would die if he didn’t taste her in the next moment. It also wiped away any remaining reservations she was harboring.

A hot, wet tongue startled a cry from her as Angus licked her from core to clit. Using his thumbs, he spread her folds and laved the area, skirting around the engorged nub. Her hips followed his mouth, trying to coax where she craved it most.

Keira was on the edge of climaxing all over his face. Too much and not enough. Her body fell against the bed as he devoured her pussy. “More, Angus,” she encouraged as she grabbed a handful of black hair and held his head in place.

“Your wish is my command,” Angus mumbled before he blew hot breath on her throbbing clit. A finger filled her, followed by another and she arched her back as his heat enveloped her clit and she detonated, shouting his name.

Angus continued to suck and lick, adding more heat until she felt she would combust. Keira climaxed two more times as he tortured her body with his lips, tongue and flaming heat. When she couldn’t take it anymore, she pushed him away from the sensitive area, but grabbed his shoulders and pulled him up her body.

Angus’s mouth claimed Keira’s in a passionate kiss. She tasted her juices on his lips, and her desire to taste him took the wheel.

“My turn,” she demanded and flipped Angus to his back then shoved his leathers to his knees.

Angus’s groan of pleasure as she took him in her mouth was the most rewarding sound Keira had ever heard.