“Oh, my love.” He brought his mouth to hers, throwing his whole heart into the kiss. She kissed him back, and yet he felt her holding back.
“I want you.” He set his forehead against hers. “Never doubt that. I wanted you four years ago, and I want you now. Hell, I’ll want you five hundred years from now when we’re both old and gray.”
She pushed off his chest so she could meet his eyes. “Then why is the mate bond so tentative? I can barely sense it most of the time.”
“Do you think it’s just me? Because it’s not—it’s you, too. I could mate-claim you now, but you’re not ready.”
When she just shook her head, he said, “It’s true.”
She blew out a breath. “Maybe you’re right. This has all happened so quickly.”
He swallowed his disappointment. “Take your time—I’m in no hurry. I’ll win your trust back. All I ask is that you give me a chance. Please, querida. I need you. A chance is all I ask.”
She scrutinized him another few seconds and then said, “All right.”
Relief filled him. “Thank you.”
She hesitated, and then slowly, slowly, brought her mouth to his. They kissed again, and he was stunned and relieved to feel the barrier thin.
She moved her mouth to his throat. “Nic?”
He caressed her back. “Mm?”
“Show me your dragon.”
He stilled. “You don’t know what you’re asking.”
“Don’t I?” She lifted her head, her blue eyes knowing and a little sad. “The dragon is your true animal, and I’ve never seen it.”
“To your dolphin, I’m a predator.”
“And our mate,” she returned. She tried to roll off him, but he tightened his grip, keeping her where she was. She scowled but laid her head on his chest again. “Don’t forget, I’ve seen Rianna.”
He snorted. “She’s a cute little creature. I’m five or six times her size with teeth the length of your hand.”
“Rianna saw you, and she wasn’t afraid.”
“No. But she’s a dragon herself.”
“And the men have seen you too, right?”
He winced. She had him there.
“Yes,” he admitted. “They’re sworn to secrecy, but I was damned if I was going to hide my true form anymore.”
“So it’s only me.”
He grunted.
She didn’t keep arguing, but he sensed her withdrawal. He felt chilled and a bit panicky. He’d never shown himself to a lover. Too many fada had looked at him with revulsion for him to want to chance it. To them, he was a reptile, although he was warm-blooded.
“Try to understand,” he pleaded. “To see you afraid of me—it would wreck me.”
Cassidy pushed off him again. This time he let her go.
She sat up and gave him a clear-eyed look. “I can’t promise I won’t be…wary, but I need to see you. If we’re truly mates, then we can’t be hiding from each other, can we?”
He sat on the edge of the mattress. His sea dragon nudged him impatiently, eager to preen itself for Cassidy. It agreed with her—if she was his mate, she had the right to see his animal’s true form.
And the sea dragon thought itself beautiful. Why wouldn’t Cassidy love it?
Nic squeezed his nape. “All right.”
“Thank you.” She gave him a pleased smile and sat tailor-style on the bed, still naked…a soft, white-skinned morsel to a sea dragon, although of course his dragon would never harm a single hair on her head.
“I hope this isn’t a mistake,” he muttered.
Moving to the edge of the pool so that he had room to shift, he took a deep breath—and let the change take him.
Magic swept over his skin, a familiar electric thrill. For a few seconds, he was in-between, neither man nor dragon…and then he crouched on the stone floor and swung his head toward Cassidy.
His reptilian eyes didn’t see with the same clarity as his human eyes, but he saw colors and light and shadows. His other senses kicked in at the same time—infra-red vision that allowed him to “see” Cassidy’s warm body still on the bed, and a heightened sense of smell and hearing.
His stomach sank. She’d gone still, her heart beating rapidly, her breath coming in short, frightened gasps.
Disappointed, his dragon let out a poignant wail and dropped its head onto its paws.
Nic was about to shift back to man when Cassidy got off the bed. He tensed, waiting to see what she would do.
Her lips curved into a smile. A smile that trembled, but a smile all the same. “May I touch you?”
Cassidy froze, the primitive part of her brain gripped with terror.
The sea dragon was terrible—and yet beautiful.
It crouched on the stone floor, its hide a deep gold touched with blue and green. Leathery wings were folded tight against its body, and its head was large, with bony eyebrows and a mouth as long as her arm.
The head swung toward her, and she had to fight not to run out of the room.
As if guessing her thoughts, a mournful sound came from the dragon’s throat, an unearthly howl that was half-wolf, half-whale. It crouched even lower, its belly on the floor, and set its head on its front paws. Large amber eyes with a serpent’s vertical pupils stared unblinkingly at her.
This is Nic. You can do this.
Cassidy’s fingers had dug into her thighs. She relaxed them and got off the bed. “May I touch you?”
Nic-the-dragon’s large lids lowered.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
She crossed the cavern and stood next to the big creature. Even crouched low with its head on its paws, the dragon was almost as tall as her. She set her hand on its hide.
“You’re warm,” she murmured. “I remember the first time I touched Rianna, I thought she’d be cold.” And slimy.
But like Rianna, Nic’s hide was smooth and supple as expensive leather.
“Mm,” Nic-the-dragon rumbled.
“You’re beautiful. Gorgeous, in fact.”
The dragon liked hearing that. It rumbled again, an oddly comforting sound that reminded her of a cat’s purr—a very large, very toothy cat.
She stroked its hide. Powerful muscles relaxed under her touch.
“You’ll have to spend time with Rianna as your dragon. It would be good for her.”
A ponderous nod.
She gave the dragon’s neck a last stroke and then moved down its body. “I want to see the rest of you.” She touched one leathery wing. It was a long, pleated appendage that wouldn’t slow a swimming dragon but was also clearly strong enough to fly.
“I wish I could fly,” she said in honest admiration.
Its shoulder moved in a dragon-size shrug.
She crouched to examine a huge gold-and-green paw. The claws were retracted with just the wicked black tips visible. She was beginning to see why Nic believed he could take on four fae.
She finished at the tail. It was frankly reptilian—like the end of a huge gold snake—but like the rest of the dragon, warm and supple.
She walked back to the dragon’s head and slid her arms around its big neck. “You’re gorgeous. Thank you for showing me.” She kissed its leathery cheek.
The dragon rumbled and gently rubbed its head against hers. They stood there for a long moment, and then lights danced over its hide. She stepped back to watch the shift—and then Nic-the-man stood in front of her, lean and olive-skinned, his eyes a mix of green and gold.
“Thank you for asking. You really think I’m gorgeous?” The hint of bashfulness in his smile made her heart squeeze.
She cupped his face. “I do. Scary, but gorgeous. I can’t believe I birthed one of you.”
He chuckled and then set his forehead against hers. “Amo-te. I love you.”
Tell him you love him, too.
But she couldn’t force the words past her lips. Nic had made himself vulnerable to her, and that went a long way toward restoring her trust in him. But a part of her could
n’t bring herself to be so vulnerable to him…not yet.
She gave him a hard hug, and then released him when they heard Rianna’s happy voice in the dining hall.
“I’d better give poor Ben a break.”
“Okay.” He nipped her lip. “You’ll say it,” he said with all of his old confidence. “Because you do.”
Chapter 20
“Nic?”
At Joe’s whisper, Nic was awake between one heartbeat and the next. It was the quiet gray hour before dawn, and a misty light illuminated his cavern. He was spooned up against Cassidy, and Rianna was snuggled against her mom on the other side, both sound asleep. They’d finally had a full night’s rest untainted by nightmares.
“Coming,” he returned in an almost soundless voice. He motioned Joe into the tunnel where he closed the door so they wouldn’t disturb Cassidy and Rianna. “You saw them?”
A curt nod. “A forty-foot twin-engine powerboat. I stayed long enough to see who was on it. They’re fae—I scented them. At least two, maybe more.”
Yes. Nic’s muscles tightened in readiness, while inside, his dragon hissed with glee.
“Tell Ben and Marlin and then get back. I’ll be right behind you.”
The plan was that Ben would remain behind with Cassidy and Rianna, while Marlin and Joe provided backup for Nic. He didn’t think he’d need them—he was going to torch the boat first, ask questions later—but he wasn’t taking any chances with his family’s safety.
“Got it.” Joe headed back to the dining hall and the tunnel to the other men’s quarters.
Nic slipped back into the bedroom. He stopped next to the bed. Love swelled in his heart at the sight of Cassidy and Rianna curled up next to each other, Rianna with an arm around her ragdoll.
He couldn’t resist dropping a kiss on his daughter’s pert little nose. It scrunched, but her eyes remained shut.
He touched Cassidy’s cheek. Her eyes opened immediately. She searched his face. “They’re coming?” she mouthed.
He nodded.
She rubbed her nape. “I feel it,” she said in subvocal tones. “I’m surprised it didn’t wake me up.”
“You were both sound asleep. I hate to bother you, but I wanted you to know.”
She eased away from Rianna and rose from the bed. “I’ve been thinking—maybe we should just hide in the ocean. They won’t be able to find us there.”
He caressed her shoulders. “What happens when we want to come back to land? Do you want to be running the rest of your life?”
She sighed. “I suppose not.” Slipping her hands around his waist, she shook her head. “Part of me wants to stand and fight, but another part doesn’t want to take the risk.”
He trailed his lips along her jaw. She was warm from sleep, and so soft.
“You were one adult against four fae. This time it will be me, Marlin and Joe against them, and I’m a sea dragon. We’ll take them out, querida. It’s the only way to keep you both safe. If we run away now, sooner or later they’ll find us. I’d rather fight them here on my own turf.”
She blew out a breath. “Be careful, okay? I know you’re a big scary dragon, but these are the fae.”
“Don’t worry—I’ll be back before you know it.”
Their mouths touched, and then they were kissing. Cassidy threw her whole heart into it. Nic felt her love for him. His chest constricted. Damn the fae, anyway. All he wanted was to take Cassidy someplace private and love her for what remained of the night, but instead he released her.
“Here.” He took a sharp iron dagger from a hiding place high in the wall and handed it to her. “Ben will be here in a minute, but I wanted you to have this. I borrowed it from Joe.”
She held it by the ivory handle, careful not to touch the iron, and stared down at it.
“You know the best place to stab a fae?”
“I do,” she said, still looking at the dagger. Every fada, even non-warriors like Cassidy, had some training with knives. “In the heart. But I’ve never killed anyone in my life.”
“I hope to the gods you won’t have to this time. If the worst happens, hide. Wait them out. But if they corner you, claws won’t be enough.”
Her throat worked. “Don’t worry. I’ll use it.” She raised her face and he saw her eyes were the night-glow of her animal, fierce and determined. “They’re not going to get Rianna.”
“That’s my woman.” He framed her face with his hands. “Eu te adoro.”
“I love you, too.”
Their gazes snagged.
She swallowed. “I wanted you to know.”
Inside, Nic’s dragon gave a trill of satisfaction. Mate.
“When I come back, we’re going to have a long talk.” He waited until she inclined her head, and then gave her a hard kiss before striding into the tunnel.
Ben waited in the dining hall, dressed only in jeans, his square face as severe as his warrior ancestors, his long black hair in a neat braid. He’d armed himself with two iron daggers, one in a holster around his hip, the other in his hand. His quartz hung on his bare chest, and he had a waterproof canvas bag slung over one shoulder.
“Go with the gods, brother,” he told Nic. “Your woman and pup are safe with me.”
“I know.” Nic held out his hand, and then changed his mind and pulled Ben into a hug. “Obrigado. Thank you. I won’t forget this.”
Ben murmured a Navajo blessing in return. They released each other and Nic walked to the edge of the water. The tide was high, filling the tunnel completely. Nic pushed off the stone floor with a long, low dive that shot him halfway through the tunnel. A couple of hard kicks got him the rest of the way.
Outside, the ocean was dark and wild, whitecaps frothing on the surface. Good. He hoped the pricks who’d invaded his home waters were seasick.
Shifting to his dragon, he dove beneath the surface and raced along the east side of the island, passing first Marlin, then Joe. As usual, Joe had a narrow waterproof bag cinched around the cylindrical body of his shark. The mako went nowhere without his iron blades.
Marlin wore nothing, but then his fish had a sharp, sword-like bill that he could use as a weapon. And on land, he preferred hand-to-hand combat—dirty, street-fighting moves that he performed with a deceptive grace.
As Nic drew near the area where he’d planted the tracking device, he heard the hum of a powerboat’s twin engines. He stopped fifty yards away, watching as a glossy white boat with black racing stripes turned in a slow circle. The fae had clearly located the device.
On board were two men and a woman, but he couldn’t tell if the woman was Blaer. Their features were blurry, as if he viewed them through a misty wall.
His friends caught up to him. Joe’s mako shark stayed to his left, and to his right was Marlin’s sleek twelve-foot fish.
Nic aimed himself at the boat. He could only spew lava about ten to fifteen feet, and he had perhaps ten tries in him before he ran out of energy. He had to get close enough to catch the boat on fire within the first few tries.
Fifteen feet out, he reared out of the ocean, drew a deep breath—and slammed into an invisible barrier. Energy sparked around him as if he’d run into an electric fence. Dazed, he sank beneath the waves.
He hung limply a few fathoms down, head ringing. Fortunately, Joe and Marlin had been far enough behind him that they hadn’t hit the energy barrier. They flanked him on either side. Joe nudged him worriedly with his snout.
He shook himself out of his stupor and backpedaled several yards. Still beneath the surface, he swam cautiously forward to the point where he’d hit the energy barrier and tested it with the tip of his tail. Maybe the barrier was only above water?
Electricity sizzled through his tail and up his spine. He hurriedly withdrew his tail. So much for that theory. He dropped back a few feet, narrowing his eyes and letting his dragon vision take over.
The energy barrier was just visible—a fluctuation that curved over and around the boat in every direction li
ke a giant soap bubble. He swam ten yards in either direction, but couldn’t find a way around it.
Suddenly, the woman brought her hand down and the bubble evaporated, revealing the three tall and beautiful ice fae on the boat’s deck—two men, one at the helm—and a woman, her white-blond hair streaming in the wind to reveal a fine-boned face and a fae’s pointed ears and sharp chin.
Blaer. Make that two ice fae—and one ice fae/night fae mixed-blood.
“Dreki.” Blaer breathed the Icelandic word for dragon. “Or should I say, Nicolau do Rio.” A satisfied smile curled over her full mouth. “We meet again.”
Fuck. It was never good when a fae learned your full name. It gave them power over you.
He inclined his head in acknowledgement. In this form he couldn’t speak, and he was damned if he’d change to a man with Blaer just ten yards away. And frankly, he didn’t need to have a conversation with her. The fact that she was here was all the proof he needed—Blaer was the fae hunting Rianna. He only wished he knew how she’d uncovered his secret.
He drew deeply on his fire Gift and spewed a mix of lava and flame at Blaer.
She flung up her hand and froze it midstream. The lava turned to chunks of molten black rock and fell into the ocean with a hiss.
Nic dove under the boat, coming up on the starboard side, where he shot out another flaming stream. This time, he hit his mark. The boat caught on fire, but Blaer was there in an instant, sucking the energy out of the fire. It went out, leaving the hull on that side charred.
The fae at the helm muttered what sounded like a curse in his language and wrenched the wheel in the direction of the mainland.
Blaer turned her head. “No. We will stay.”
“But—”
Nic didn’t wait to see if the man obeyed. He slipped under the boat again, twisting his body underwater and surfacing at a diagonal that brought him up on the bow’s left. He sent fire at an ice fae male who shrieked and went down, his body in flames. Blaer muttered something in Icelandic that sounded like a curse and went on the offensive.
Energy sucked at Nic, a hard pull that would’ve frozen anyone else. The air around him grew cold as the Arctic, but his dragon hide protected him. He just prayed that Marlin and Joe were out of range.
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