Page 36 of Dark Fire Kiss

I could only stare in confusion as the waitress placed the cake in front of me. “Och, well, happy birthday, then.” She stepped back. “Get I get you gentlemen anything else?”

I bristled. Judging from the way her gaze drifted over both men, she hoped the answer was something like “yes” and “you on a platter.” Before I even realized what I was doing, I’d leaned across Bram. “No, thank you. We have everything we need here.”

She paled. “Of course. I’ll leave you to it.” She spun and dashed away.

When I resettled in my seat, both men regarded me with a mix of astonishment and admiration. Fergus drew a deliberate breath. “That was scary, but also really sexy.”

I put a hand over my mouth. “Did I show my fangs?”

“Who cares? It was hot.”

“But—”

He leaned forward. “One thing you need to know about humans, love. They don’t see anything they don’t want to see.”

Bram nodded toward the candle. “Make a wish, lass. It’s tradition.”

“But it’s not my birthday.”

Fergus smiled. “You said you weren’t sure of the date. Why no’ make it tonight?”

I looked between them and realized my head was spinning again—but this time it wasn’t from wine or the unfamiliar atmosphere.

It was…them.

Chapter Eleven

HALINA

By the time we returned to the castle, it was almost dawn. The sky was a deep purple scattered with stars. In the distance, the loch sparkled with the last of the moon’s glow.

I turned from the car window to look at Fergus. “It’s a full moon. Don’t you need to hunt?”

“We already did.” He guided the car up a curving drive.

Oh. They must have gone out while I slept. “Was it successful?” Even as I asked, I realized I might not want to know. They were dragons. They probably chased down deer and roasted them.

He met my gaze, and his irises were the same shade as the moon. “Time will tell, lass. But I have a good feeling.”

My heart fluttered as his meaning sank in. He and Bram had indeed gone hunting tonight.

And I was their prey.

Except I didn’t feel hunted. They hadn’t chased me or backed me into a corner.

Instead, they’d taken me to a private dinner and made me laugh. They’d surprised me with a birthday cake—the only gift I’d ever received.

But the real gift was the experience—the sights and sounds of a life I never thought I’d see.

Fergus stopped the car in a courtyard bordered by night blooming roses and vines that climbed up the castle walls. Before I could open my door, he was outside, helping me from the car with Bram at his side. As I took Fergus’s hand, I was struck anew by their masculine beauty. They were so different: Fergus light and outgoing, Bram dark and reserved. They balanced each other.

They love each other.

The thought entered my head like an arrow, creating an unexpected ache. What would it be like, having a love like that?

I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. “Thank you for showing me the city.”

“We have one more thing to show you,” Fergus said. He glanced at the sky. “If it’s not too late.”

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