Scorched by Darkness Read Online Free PDF

him to reach out and toss her over his shoulder. No surprise. He was a warrior. Why chat when he could use brute strength to get his way?
    But Torque thankfully wasn’t a complete idiot. He realized that he’d only piss her off if he tried to force her back to the harem.
    Besides, if he was being completely honest with himself, he didn’t want to strong-arm her into leaving. He wanted her to be eager to return to Synge’s lair.
    No, wait. Not Synge’s lair.
    Once this female became his formal consort he could petition for a private home.
    Just the two of them.
    The thought of being completely alone sent a sudden thrill of anticipation through Torque.
    Over the years he’d been so intent on the knowledge he was being forced into the mating, he’d never truly considered the benefits. Now his body was reacting with an astonishing eagerness to explore the more tangible rewards.
    “Is it the sprite?” he abruptly asked.
    She blinked, as if caught off guard by the question. “Finn?”
    “Is he your lover?”
    A flush stained her cheeks. “Of course not.”
    “He wants you,” Torque said, the edge of aggression in his voice startling them both.
    “So what? He’s like any male.” She waved a dismissive hand. “He’ll sleep with any female in the vicinity.”
    The genuine indifference in her voice helped to soothe his restless beast. And ensured the frost sprite would live. At least for now.
    “Untrue,” he muttered.
    “Excuse me?”
    “Some men are far more choosy than others,” he growled.
    She arched a brow. “I suppose you intend to claim you’re one of those choosy males?”
    He stilled, belatedly realizing why he’d been so uninterested in females since he’d officially put his mark on Rya.
    His dragon had accepted that he had his mate. No other woman would do.
    Astonishing.
    Not that he was about to admit as much to the female currently glaring at him. Instead he folded his arms over his chest. One way or another he intended to get her back to the comfort of the harem.
    This cold couldn’t be good for her.
    “If Finn isn’t your lover then why are you here?”
    She hesitated, as if she was trying to decide whether to tell him the truth. At last she blew out a resigned sigh.
    “Because I’m looking for my mother.”
    Her mother? His brows tugged together in confusion.
    “I thought she had a home in Hong Kong?” Torque said, vaguely recalling Synge sharing his annoyance that the mysterious Shinto fey preferred her own home to the luxurious rooms in his harem. “Why would she be here?”
    “Finn contacted her when his people started disappearing.”
    Torque snorted. He wasn’t surprised the sprites would be fleeing from the overly-pretty prince. He was no doubt a terrible leader.
    “If his people were leaving he should have devoted more attention to his tribe and less time trying to seduce females.”
    “Not leaving, vanishing,” she corrected with a frown. “As in, they were there one minute and gone the next.”
    Torque studied her in confusion. Okay, that was strange.
    “Magic?”
    She shrugged. “That’s the assumption.”
    “Why contact your mother?”
    “She has the ability to reach out with her shadow and locate people.”
    Ah. A powerful gift. Is that why Synge had taken the Shinto as a lover? Did he think she could use her shadow to track down whoever had stolen his treasure?
    Or was it simply the hope for a glimpse of the future?
    “Did she find them?” he demanded.
    “I don’t know.” Her eyes darkened, her fear for her mother scenting the air with a sharp tang. “She disappeared over a week ago.”
    Torque sucked in a sharp breath at her confession, instantly furious.
    “And you came here knowing that fey were being mysteriously kidnapped?”
    Easily sensing his fierce reaction, she tilted her chin to an aggressive angle.
    “I have to find out what happened.”
    “By deliberately putting yourself in danger?”
    She met his gaze squarely, refusing to be