Dark Alpha’s Claim

Edinburgh. Baylon surveyed the city from the shadows of an alley. For hundreds of years it had been a mecca in Scotland, bringing in tourists from all over the world.

But the city was no longer just ancient architecture and legends. An evil had taken up residence—Dark Fae. The city burned while the Dark killed hundreds of humans in a single night.

All the while, the mortals were ignorant of what was going on. They were helplessly drawn to the Dark Fae, completely unaware there was a supernatural war going on in Edinburgh and every major city in the UK between the Dark and the Dragon Kings. It was a war where the Reapers weren’t involved, but that didn’t mean Baylon wasn’t rooting for the Kings.

Baylon had only been in Edinburgh a few hours, but during that time he happily exacted his justice on any Dark Fae he ran across.

And there were many.

The Fae were a race of magical beings that had a fondness for the humans who lived upon Earth. The mortals are what brought the Fae. The Light, for the most part, kept their dalliances with the humans to a single time.

The Dark, however, were addicted to the mortals. For every time they had sex with a human, the Dark fed off their souls. The Dark didn’t stop until nothing was left of the individuals but a dead shell.

Being the first to arrive at the announced destination, Baylon studied the pub before he walked inside.

He didn’t use any glamour to hide his features even though every human in the pub looked his way. Baylon was a Light Fae, but more than that, he was a Reaper—and damn proud of it.

Death recruited him two thousand years earlier after a betrayal that took his life. Even now, Baylon could feel that cold knot of treachery. He’d trusted implicitly, and what had it gained him? Weeks in the Dark palace where he was tortured by his best friends between them taking human females as they willingly turned Dark.

He was his friends’ first Fae kill. But Death held onto his soul, allowing him to live—and gave him the opportunity to become a Reaper. His first order from Death had been to execute his friends.

Baylon hadn’t hesitated. The surprise and fear in their red eyes did little to ease his soul. But if Baylon thought he’d never trust again, he was never more wrong once he met the other Reapers.

There were seven of them. Though the Reapers weren’t created for the humans. No, the Reapers were a group specifically formed to be judge, jury, and executioner to the Fae—Dark and Light.

For the past several centuries, they’d been on the Fae realm trying to straighten out the mess left by their race. It was so bad the queen of the Light, Usaeil, abandoned the Realm, preferring to live exclusively in Ireland.

The king of the Dark, Taraeth, however, found the Fae realm just to his liking. The Dark numbers continued to grow, as did Taraeth’s power.

Which worried Baylon.

The two Fae factions were always at war with each other in some form or another. The few times it had become an all-out civil war, the Reapers had stayed out of it. Though they watched from the sidelines.

Baylon took a seat toward the back of the pub and ordered a pint from a pretty young waitress. As she walked away, he leaned back in his chair and let his eyes slowly wander from table to table picking up on conversations. What was it with their leader, Cael, always wanting to meet in a pub?

There was a reason, though Baylon had yet to discern what it was. Perhaps he’d ask today. It would be better if they gathered in secret, but Cael continually chose somewhere very public. At least for the start of their meetings. Cael said it was to get everyone relaxed and remind them this wasn’t the Fae realm.

As if Baylon could forget. He was surrounded by mortals. They were oblivious to the fact the Fae were on their realm. Oddly enough, they were also clueless that the Dragon Kings called Earth home.

“Here you go,” the waitress said as she set down his ale.

Baylon shot her a smile of thanks. Most of the time the Reapers gathered after one or more of them had to exact justice. So having a drink or two with the group did help get everyone focused before Cael gave them a new assignment.

Baylon sighed. Another assignment so quickly after their last. It’s not that he minded removing evil from a realm. It’s just that he felt there was a heaviness to his soul from all the people he had killed.