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  “I’ll stay here,” Meg said. She placed the gun in his hand. “But you can’t expect me to hide if you go down. I’ll stay out of sight until you need me.”

  It was the best he was going to get. Dante steeled himself and began to push through the crowd. He could hear Kaja’s bark. She was on the edge of the throng, moving toward Cara. He began to shove people aside. The ogre was roaring, making the tents shake and the air smell fetid and rank. The big creature reached down and picked up a tent by the large pole that held the center up. He tossed it toward the field. There was a scream, this one smaller and weaker. Dante watched in horror as the ogre picked up a small brownie who had been hiding in the now defunct tent. He lifted the brownie’s delicate body and tossed it into his mouth. In a second, the brownie was gone, lost to the ogre’s never-ending hunger.

  Kaja broke free from the crowd and raced toward Cara. The little gnome seemed frozen in terror, looking up at the monstrous form above her. Kaja’s sleek body was utterly graceful as she moved toward the gnome. The ogre looked down, and his hand reached out to grab Cara, but just before he caught her between his thumb and forefinger, Kaja struck. Her body forced Cara’s out of the way, and the two of them went tumbling to the left of the ogre.

  Dante needed a plan and quick. He knew he’d been right when he’d told Meg that the ogre was hard to kill. A single bullet wouldn’t get through all that muscle. It would, however, piss the creature off, and then he would go straight down the ogre’s gullet. Dante pressed past the last of the fleeing Fae.

  The ogre now stood above his wife. Kaja had placed herself in front of the gnome. Even from his position, Dante could see Kaja’s sharp white teeth were bared, her body utterly rigid. She was prepared for attack, but Dante couldn’t see how his small wife was going to take down the mountainous ogre.

  Her head turned slightly, and those arctic eyes found his. Though her stance didn’t change, there was a softening in her face. Her eyes ate at him, the plea in those blue orbs so apparent Dante suddenly wished he could hide.

  What did she want from him? He wasn’t a hero. He wasn’t a warrior. He was only a man, and his greatest talent was being able to give a woman multiple orgasms. And he liked it that way, damn it. He didn’t want to be Beck Finn. He just wanted to have fun.

  But now he wasn’t just a man. He was a husband. And he couldn’t fail her.

  Running on pure instinct, Dante took off. He felt the claws in his hands pop through his fingertips. He shoved the gun in his pants pocket. He couldn’t use it from a distance. He needed to be close. There was really only one place where the cold iron bullet would work fast enough to save them all.

  But it was going to be a bitch to get that close.

  The ogre threw his head back and let loose a mighty shout as his foot came up. Kaja moved back, Cara staying behind her. The ogre’s foot came down, and Dante feared the ground would open up, but it gave him his shot. He leapt onto the ogre’s calf, digging in with his claws, using those primal gifts the way a mountain climber used an axe.

  He heard Kaja barking. When he looked down, he saw her darting up to bite the hell out of the ogre’s toe. She came back with a bit of flesh in her mouth.

  “Kaja, you do not eat that!” he yelled as he climbed. “You have no idea where he’s been!”

  She would need a full round of antibiotics, but she’d done her job. She’d distracted the giant. The ogre didn’t try to brush Dante away. He was far too busy attempting to kill Dante’s consort.

  Dante held on for dear life as the ogre brought his foot down again. Kaja darted in between and around that massive foot, her quickness keeping her alive. Dante found a foothold on the back of the ogre’s knee and moved up to his thigh.

  The smell was really what got to him. He couldn’t breathe this close to the damn thing. He pulled himself using sheer upper-body strength. At least he’d always been vain enough to work out, though now he would definitely spend more time on chin-ups.

  “You stay alive, Kaja! Do you hear me?” He was climbing up an ogre’s ass for her. He really wanted the chance to kill her himself. Gods, he hoped the damn thing didn’t have gas, but it was far better than having to crawl too close to the monster’s junk.

  Dante cursed the entire way up the ogre’s backside. The ogre, massive as he was, moved somewhat slowly. It aided him in his climb. The ogre twisted and turned, trying to find Kaja. He roared when Kaja’s teeth bit into his flesh. It was a perfect distraction. The monster didn’t seem to care that there was a vampire climbing up his back.

  But he was about to. Dante made his way to the back of the ogre’s neck. He wouldn’t be able to hide now. He had to get to the ogre’s vulnerable spot and take his shot. One shot straight through the eye and into the dumb asshole’s dim brain.

  That was all he had to do. No problem.

  He was going to spank his consort. If he lived.

  Dante climbed onto the ogre’s skull and found a nice piece of thick, scraggly hair. Luckily, the ogre hadn’t bothered with a comb-over. What hair the beast had was long and went every way possible. Dante felt a little sick looking at how high he was. If he fell, it would be very painful, though not for long since he would be flatter than one of the pancakes Meg liked to eat. The minute he hit the ground, the ogre would crush him.

  He wound his hand around the chosen piece of the ogre’s hair just in time to tumble off the creature’s head. A huge hand came out to swat at Dante, just brushing past him. With his free hand, Dante pulled the gun. He was swinging for the ogre’s face.

  Fetid breath, as rough as any strong wind, blew from the ogre’s mouth, making Dante gag. But he held it together.

  One shot. One shot to live. One shot to save his wife.

  At least it was a big damn target.

  Dante pulled the trigger as he passed by the ogre’s eyes, the black pupil a huge target. He swung by the second eye, but already the ogre was faltering.

  Those eyes flared, a trickle of blood flowing from the injured one. The ogre made a terrible sound that blew back Dante’s hair. Then the light fled in the ogre’s eyes, and the monster was falling to the ground below.

  And Dante was falling with him.

  Fuck.

  The ogre hit the ground with a resounding thud. Dante hit it with barely a whisper compared to the ogre’s, but it felt like he’d broken every damn bone in his body. The air rushed from his lungs, and he struggled to take in a breath. He noticed Cara running to Rhys. At least the little gnomes were safe.

  A warm tongue licked at him.

  “Oh, you are not getting off that easily, love. We are going to have a serious discussion about this whole First thing. If I’m the First, then I get to decide if you’re going to run off and try to kill really disgusting things. I think my spine is crushed,” Dante complained.

  It wasn’t, but that didn’t mean he didn’t ache. And it was more than his muscles. Something was brutally wrong with him. Seeing Kaja in danger had done something to him. He couldn’t make his heart stop racing. He couldn’t seem to come down. He needed something. He needed her.

  Dante began to force himself off the ground. He needed a long bath. Since Cara owed him her life, he wasn’t going to feel guilty about asking her to set it up for him. He would get the stink of ogre off of him and then settle down to have a good long discussion with Kaja about what it meant to be his wife. Beck had the right idea. Dante would make sure Kaja’s backside was red, and then he would fuck her until she forgot a time he wasn’t shoving his cock inside her pussy.

  Then, after he’d spent every ounce of cum he had, maybe he would calm down.

  Kaja whimpered, her nose nuzzling him.

  “It won’t work, Kaj,” Dante said. “You can’t turn those puppy eyes on me and expect that all will be forgiven. You disobeyed. You put me and Meg and yourself at risk. You’re going to have to take your punishment.”

  He’d never wanted to punish anyone before. He was a good-time guy. If a chick didn’t do what he thou
ght she should, he left.

  He couldn’t leave Kaja. He needed her. He couldn’t just walk away this time. She looked at him with those same eyes he’d claimed wouldn’t move him. She was alone in the world. She didn’t have anyone except him.

  He brought his hand up to give her a pet, to let her know that he could be mad at her but not leave her, when she growled. The sound came from deep in her throat. Her spine straightened, and she seemed to focus on something.

  “I would have your dog heel, Mr. Dellacourt.” A very proper British voice filled the courtyard now. Dante looked up to see a group of vampires in gray-and-green fatigues.

  “What the hell is this?” Dante asked, pushing to his knees. He stared at the group of ten mercenaries. They appeared well armed, with swords and Taser units at the ready. Where the hell had they been when he needed them? “You’re a little late to the party, boys.”

  He moved to reach for the gun, which had fallen behind him, but Kaja was quicker. She covered it with her body and laid down, head on her paws.

  “Kaj?” Dante asked.

  Kaja barked as though trying to tell him something.

  “I think we’re right on time, Mr. Dellacourt,” the leader said. “Bring her.”

  Dante got to his feet as he saw two soldiers leading Meg toward him. She was safe and whole, and tied up with a gag in her mouth. She fought against her captors, but they were bigger and meaner. “What the hell is going on?”

  “A very successful operation, Mr. Dellacourt,” the leader said. “We have the queen and you, and soon we shall have the rebel kings, and trade will flow between the Seelie and Vampire planes once more. I admit, I rather thought the ogre would kill you. Would you like to explain how you managed to kill it?”

  This was bad. This was way worse than the ogre.

  Beck was going to kill him.

  “Fuck you, mercenary,” Dante shot back. Kaja was covering the only weapon they had. Smart girl, his wife. And they had no idea she was anything but his pet.

  “Yes, I heard you would be trouble.”

  The leader gave a signal with his hand, and a large, righteously ugly dude stepped up. Dante saw what was coming and tried to hold up his hands in the universally acknowledged sign for “don’t send ten thousand kilowatts of pure electricity through my body.”

  “I’m not going to be trouble,” Dante started.

  But the Taser flared and sank into his flesh. Dante held on as his body spasmed, and he fell back to the ground.

  His last thought was of Kaja and those blue eyes.

  Chapter Eight

  Chalen Palgrave stared at the monitor with something close to happiness. He would never allow himself actual happiness because emotion would prove that he was undisciplined, and he was nothing if not disciplined. But still, the sight of Dante Dellacourt lying on the dirt floor, his perfect hair a mess brought a bit of joy to his heart. Dante’s hands were tied behind his back, and he lay at an angle that would surely be painful if he were awake.

  Of course, the Taser would have been intensely painful, too.

  “And you have the girl?” Chalen asked.

  The feed from his mercenary’s tablet turned. Former Sergeant Major Simon Roan nodded shortly, his manner as crisp as his clothing. Chalen doubted the man would get dirty even in the middle of a war. “Her Highness is secured, though I will say, sir, she has quite the mouth on her for a royal.”

  “Yeah, well, she’s a cut-rate royal at best,” Chalen shot back. “The twins had to make do with a human. Ever since Torin shut the borders, finding a consort has been difficult at best. Once the twins are dead and Torin reopens our trade routes, I’ll be a hero.”

  And his stock would be up.

  And his brother would be avenged.

  The truth of the matter was he wasn’t sure if Beck and Cian Finn had a direct hand in Kinsey’s death, but they were undoubtedly the reason his brother was dead. Chalen didn’t need to see a body to know that his only brother was gone. Kinsey had understood the obligations of family and business. He would never have walked away.

  Chalen still remembered the last time he’d seen his brother. Kinsey had been filled with hope. He’d promised to bring back a beautiful consort named Meg. He’d never returned.

  The fact that the Finns had not accepted their place—that was what had really caused Kinsey’s death. If they had accepted the stronger man as their king, there would have been no need for his brother to seek out a consort. Kinsey would have done what should have been his right. He would have purchased the finest consort money could buy. He wouldn’t have died trying to marry himself off to a disgusting human.

  “Well, if you need to, feel free to slap Her Highness around. I’m sure she’s used to it,” Chalen said. Everyone knew the warrior king was a barbarian. He couldn’t help it. Beck Finn lacked half his soul. He and his twin were freaks of nature. The planes would be a better place when they were gone.

  The sergeant’s eyes narrowed. “I believe I shall forgo torturing Her Highness. I think Beck Finn will turn himself in much more readily if he believes his wife is in good shape. He could be dangerous otherwise. If he believes no harm has come to her yet, he will be more amenable to keeping her from it.”

  Chalen didn’t care how it happened. He had no intention of giving up the woman who had tempted his brother. The sergeant could play it any way he wished, but Chalen intended to have that bitch’s head.

  “Just make sure you keep tabs on her after you let her go,” Chalen said with a nod. He didn’t betray his true intentions. This was the best team he could buy for the situation. He wasn’t going to lose them due to their leader’s outmoded morality when it came to consorts. Vampires were taught to treat consorts with gentleness. But he doubted his brother had been shown any. “We wouldn’t want her to be left behind with no one to aid her.”

  The very British mercenary bowed slightly. “I would never leave a woman out in these woods alone, much less a consort. She will bring a mighty price, sir.”

  Yes, she would if Chalen intended to sell her. He had no doubt that Megan Finn would be sought after by every available vampire, but that wouldn’t be her fate.

  Meg Finn was going to pay.

  And so would Dante Dellacourt.

  “Is he dead?” Chalen asked.

  Dante hadn’t moved. He just lay there like the lazy, good-for-nothing slug he was. Gods, he didn’t want the asshole to be dead. There was no way Dante had paid yet. More pain. That was required.

  The sergeant shook his head. “I assure you, he’s alive. He’s merely unconscious. He received a very large jolt of electricity. I had to take him down that way. The original plan was to create so much chaos we merely had to pluck our targets from the crowd. The ogre created the chaos needed, but I was rather surprised that Dellacourt was actually able to bring the bugger down.”

  Chalen felt his mouth drop open. “What are you talking about? What did Dante do? Fuck the ogre to death? It’s about all he’s good for.”

  And that bastard had been fucking his mistress for months. That rankled as well. It wasn’t fair. Chalen knew it. He’d been the one to put Ashley in Dante’s bed, but he couldn’t stand the thought of touching her now. At one point, he’d really considered offering her a permanent position, but now he had to consider getting rid of her permanently. She knew far too much.

  “I’m still not sure how he did it,” the sergeant replied. “But he wasn’t at all what I expected. From the report you had given me, I rather thought he would be huddling down with the women. Instead, he saved the village. The ogre still did what we needed. The village has been emptied, and my men are going to ensure it stays that way until we can negotiate the terms of Their Highnesses’ surrender.”

  “Torch it when you leave,” Chalen said.

  The sergeant stopped, his face becoming a blank mask. “As you wish.”

  “Keep me informed. I want to know the instant you have those twins in custody.” Chalen turned off the monitor, and his of
fice sank back into gloom. He didn’t bother with the lights nor did he open the blinds. He liked the dark. It suited him.

  A wave of stock numbers began to crawl across the bottom of his monitor. The Dellacorp symbol flowed by, along with a ridiculously huge number attached to it. Chalen felt his fists clench. Palgrave Industries was in the toilet stock wise, and it had been since the day his brother had walked into the arena. The press had gotten word that Kinsey Palgrave was fighting Beck Finn, and the company’s stock had taken a dive because no one believed Kinsey could best the Fae warrior king. The stock dove even further when news of Kinsey’s disappearance had made the press.

  No one believed he could handle the company the way his brother had.

  Well, he would prove them wrong. He would bring Palgrave Industries back to its rightful place, and he would bring Dellacorp to its knees.

  Starting with Dante.

  * * * *

  Dante’s head pounded. The pain was like a sharp hammer beating a quick rhythm against his skull.

  Fuck, he was in trouble. How much Scotch had he had last night? It was pretty much a blank, so it had to have been considerable. A party? He remembered climbing a really big tree and thinking that a dog was hot.

  Yep, he was going to rehab.

  “Dante.” An annoyed feminine voice screeched his name.

  “Mom?” He tried to focus, but his eyes weren’t working. “Don’t yell. I know I’m in trouble, but I seriously need something for this hangover.”

  “I am not your mother, Dante. Wake up!”

  He felt something kick him.

  “Wake up, or we’re going to die!”

  Drama queen. Whoever was yelling at him was a total drama queen. “Susie? Susie, don’t tell mom. And whatever you do, don’t tell Dad. He’s pissed enough as it is. Don’t tell him I got drunk and blacked out. Fuck, did the paparazzi catch me?”