by Julie Wetzel
“It shattered and you cut yourself on one of the shards.”
True terror rushed through her, making her gasp. She’d been there when Noah had explained dragon hearts. He had warned them about the razor sharp edges of the crystal. She huffed in several more breaths trying to keep from passing out.
Kyle’s arms tightened around her. “Stay with me, Angela,” he ordered.
Angela nodded her head, closed her eyes, and hung on as best she could.
“I don’t know exactly what happened when you released the dragon’s energy,” he explained, “but it’s bonded with both of us.”
Shock popped Angela’s eyes open. “What?” she asked in disbelief. Was that even possible? A positive response rumbled through her brain, and she shook her head trying to clear it.
“I didn’t think it was, but it happened, none the less.”
“How?” she gasped trying to wrap her brain around this. Now that she knew some of what happened, she could feel the dragon’s presence brushing against the back of her mind.
“I’m not exactly sure,” Kyle explained. “Dragon hearts were once used to share a dragon’s power, but they were supposed to divide the dragon between mates. The heart Eugene created was somehow incomplete and split the dragon unnaturally. Together, we are whole, but I don’t know what will happen if we leave things as they are.”
Angela could feel Kyle’s emotions and knew he was trying to shield her from the truth. The dragon was broken and neither of them could survive as they were. “What do we do?” she asked.
“I think that’s a question for Byrd,” Kyle said as he looked up.
Turning her head, Angela followed Kyle’s gaze over to the large black dragon. Her hold on Kyle’s shirt had started to relax, but her fist tightened again as the air around the dragon shimmered with power. She stared at the large creature collapsed in on itself. Knowing dragons could shift forms and seeing it happen in real life were two very different things. Awe tingled through her as the creature’s scales disappeared and left a man crouched in its place. A blush rushed over her skin as Noah rose from the grass and came towards them, naked as the day he was born. Angela turned her face to Kyle’s chest and huddled in his arms.
“It’s all right,” Kyle whispered as he ran a hand down the bare skin of her back, making her painfully aware of her state of undress.
She shook her head, unable to deal with the situation. She released her hold on Kyle’s shirt and dropped her arm down to cover her chest. She felt Kyle tense for a moment before shifting his hand down to her hip. His arm brushed against the apex of her thigh and she opened her eyes to glance at his attempt to hide her from view. Using the hand covering her chest, she plucked at the material of his shirt and met his eyes again. Waves of understanding and gratitude rolled between them. They held the connection for a moment before the feelings got too intense for Angela. Pulling her gaze away, she turned to the man now standing in front of Kyle.
“Noah,” Kyle said in greeting.
“My lord,” Noah said, crouching in the grass.
Angela gasped as Kyle’s emotions raced through her. She stared at Noah and suddenly knew so much about the man. Respect colored by a hint of distaste poured through the connection she had with Kyle. Clearly, the use of his title bothered him. Angela wondered why as she tried to sort through the other emotions bubbling inside her. Sorrow, pity, regret, and a sense of failure swirled through her, but they didn’t take away from the trust she could feel in Kyle. She shifted her gaze from one man to the other, wondering what had happened between them.
Kyle looked down at her. Regret colored his eyes and he gave her a sad smile. “It’s a long story.”
Angela swallowed hard, glancing down at where her hand held Kyle’s shirt, and blushed.
“Interesting,” Noah said, pulling Angela’s gaze back to him. He studied them for a long moment. His eyes flipped from brown to black and back several times before settling to black. “This strange.”
Tightening her grip on Kyle’s shirt again, Angela stared at Noah. His posture hadn’t changed, but there was something about his presence that made her uneasy. Her new instincts told her that his dragon was in charge.
“Can you help us, Byrd?” Kyle asked.
Noah cocked his head at a sharp angle. “Can heal,’’ he said. “Make one.”
Angela relaxed. Knowing Noah could help eased part of the panic making her blood race.
“Now?” Kyle asked.
Shaking his head, Noah crouched lower in the grass. “Not here,” he said. “Need stuff. Not safe.”
A shiver ran up Angela’s back and she glanced around, looking for danger. To one side was a small red dragon and to the other was a large blue one. She gasped in surprise, and Kyle glanced at the two dragons. His feelings overwhelmed her as he identified them. The red brought on feelings of love, loyalty, and companionship. Angela guessed that this was Kyle’s brother, Patrick. The blue brought up feelings of loyalty, respect, trust, and the memories of a human face: Alex. Angela breathed through the experience trying to gain a perspective. Did everyone provoke an emotional response? She met Kyle’s eyes again. She could see the answer floating there. Understanding made her eyes widen. It wasn’t so much an emotional response as it was instinctual. It was the way his dragon saw the world.
Our dragon.
Kyle’s response echoed through her brain making her draw in a deep breath. A tingle raced through her limbs as the meaning of his words sank in. She was now tied to a creature of instinct and magic. She clutched at his shirt as questions whizzed through her brain. What were they going to do now? What did this mean for their future? How would she survive as a dragon? Kyle’s arms tightened around her, pulling her out of her racing thoughts. She stared up at him dazed by the prospects.
“We will figure it out,” he promised.
Angela nodded.
“Come on,” he said, shifting her out of his lap.
Embarrassed by her state of undress, Angela blushed as Kyle helped her to stand up. She wrapped her arms around her chest and glanced at the two dragons.
“No one here will hurt you,” Kyle reassured her as he stood up. He worked the buttons on the front of his shirt loose as he spoke. “Nudity is a common occurrence among dragons, though most of us have the decency to not stare when it happens.” He pulled his shirt off and held it open for her.
Angela looked at both of the dragons to find that they had, indeed, turned their gaze away. Even Noah had found something interesting in the grass to stare at. Turning around, she slipped her arms into the sleeves of Kyle’s shirt, glad for the warm fabric.
Kyle settled the cloth over her shoulders, turned her around, and buttoned the material closed. “I’m sorry you got caught up in this,” he whispered.
Angela stared at Kyle’s bare chest and tried to think of something to say. A thin scar on his left pec reminded her that he was as much a victim in this as she was. Reaching out, she touched the healed wound. “It’s not your fault.” She looked up into his eyes. They swirled with a power that echoed inside her. Desire hit her so hard that it made her gasp and grab Kyle for support. The need was so primal that it hurt.
Kyle wrapped his arms around her, pulled her against him, and shushed her.
Her nails dug into his skin as she held on. His closeness helped ease the ache, but it made the desire worse. She turned her head, laid her cheek against his chest, and tried to understand her sudden impulse to pounce on him. This wasn’t her. She’d never experienced an attraction so intensely before.
Holding her tightly, Kyle rested his cheek on the top of her head. “That’s the dragon,” he explained.
Nodding, Angela held on. She could feel the same desire racing through Kyle, making his body hard. After a few moments, the sensation eased, leaving her achy inside. Carefully, she pulled back, putting some space between them.
Kyle let her go.
The sudden need boiled up inside her again. Dropping her hand low over her
gut, she hunched over and held it as her insides contracted painfully. Kyle’s soft touch on her back drove the pain away.
Stepping to her side, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and helped her to straighten up again. “It may be best if we stay together.”
Angela shot him a pain-filled and irritated glare. “Ya think?”
Kyle chuckled.
Furious, she stood up and glared at him harder. “You find this funny?”
The edge of Kyle’s mouth turned up in a cockeyed smile. “Not in the slightest,” he said with mirth in his voice. “But sometimes laughing is the only way to deal with what life gives you.”
Angela glared at him for a moment longer before letting out a sigh. Later, when her insides weren’t cramping and on fire, she would probably find the humor in the whole ordeal. “Let’s just get this fixed.”
“Noah,” Kyle called.
Noah stood up from the ground where he had been digging at something. “Yes, my lord?”
Kyle’s emotions hit Angela again. She closed her eyes and held on to him.
“We need to head back to deal with Eugene and Angela’s father. Will you carry us?” Kyle asked.
“No.” The word bubbled out of Angela uncontrolled. “Fly.” She slapped her hand over her mouth unsure where those words had come from. The feeling of scales rubbed against the inside of her skin making her ache in new ways.
Kyle’s hands rubbed her arm. “Angela,” he said sharply. “Angela,” he said again but softer, “Hold it together for me.” His words took on a pleading note. “I need her in human form so we can reason with her father.”
“We fly.”
Angela couldn’t believe the words that had come out of her mouth. Her insides twisted and she doubled over as panic and power swelled inside her.
“You’re scaring her,” Kyle whispered. “She doesn’t understand.”
The swirl of power slowed, but it still pushed at the underside of her skin.
“We strong,” the alien part of Angela insisted. “We fly.”
Angela dropped to her knees, unable to hold on. She felt as if her body was coming apart.
Kyle knelt next to her, holding her against him. “Yes, we are strong,” he agreed, “but Angela needs time to adjust. She needs rest. Shift if you must, but go small so Noah can carry us.”
The churning inside Angela slowed as indecision filled her. The emotions echoed her own thoughts. The idea of riding on the back of a dragon wasn’t very appealing and she wasn’t sure if she wanted to try it. She wrapped her arms around her body and trembled.
“Angela, I need you to trust me,” Kyle begged. “Please. Let me take care of you.”
After a moment of the dragon pressing on her uncomfortably, she nodded her head and leaned into Kyle. The power quit pressing and started pulling her in on herself. She gasped at the change in sensation and tensed up, trying to keep herself together.
Kyle held her close. “Just let it happen.”
She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, closed her eyes, and relaxed. What happened next wasn’t exactly comfortable, but it didn’t hurt the way fighting to keep herself whole had. The change happened swiftly, leaving her wrapped inside Kyle’s shirt, trembling.
“I’ve got you,” he cooed as he pulled the material away, freeing her.
Angela blinked as the light glared in her eyes. The colors were too bright. Closing her eyes, she turned her head to rest it on Kyle but he wasn’t where she expected him to be. She opened her eyes to find him looming over her. Surprised by his enormous size, she squeaked and tried to back away from him.
“Shh,” he said as his hand’s came down, pinning her in place. “You’re okay.”
Shaking, Angela curled her finger, digging her newly formed claws into the soft earth under her. She was too hot and too cold at the same time. Closing her eyes again, she breathed through the fear and nausea churning her stomach. The taste of smoke covered her tongue. She opened her eyes and saw a curl of smoke trickling out of her golden nostril.
The sight was too much to deal with. Being told she was now a dragon and turning into a dragon were two different things. Fear took over and she thrashed against the hands holding her down. She flapped her wings and struggled to get free as her instincts told her to run.
“Nope,” Kyle hissed as his grip on her tightened. His hands pinned her wings to her back as he lifted her up and flipped her over.
Wild with fear, Angela kicked at him, ripping small cuts in his skin as he raised her up and ran the side of his jaw along her chest. Her front claws hooked into the side of his neck, but she stilled as his skin pressed into the underside of her jaw.
“Mine,” he purred as he nuzzled her.
Angela relaxed as a sense of euphoria drove away the fear making her tense. Exhaustion pulled her as she lay limp in Kyle’s hands. A soft rumble started in her chest, but whatever Kyle was doing made everything all right for the moment. She gave into the feelings and relaxed to the edge of sleep.
The tips of Angela’s claws dug into the side of Kyle’s neck as he moved. He reveled in the pleasure his touch brought her, but focused on the pain from the many scratches on his arms and chest. It was a poignant contrast that helped him remain in control.
Drawing in a deep breath, Kyle carefully unhooked Angela’s claws from his throat and lowered her away from his face. He stared down at the small dragon hanging limply in his hands. Mine. A zing of emotion whipped through him, making his breath catch. He’d never seen anything as beautiful as the creature in his hands. He wasn’t sure if those thoughts and feelings were his own or the narcissistic tendency of the dragon they currently shared. Letting out a sigh, he stopped himself from questioning the emotions further. It was usually best to accept the dragon’s feelings versus fighting them.
A soft rumble of agreement echoed through his mind, making him smile. Angela may be out for the count, but their dragon was still very much conscious of what was going on.
Rolling Angela over, Kyle cradled her in the crook of his arm and smoothed her wings back. He ran his hand over her back, enjoying the feel of her scales under his fingers. He’d often held dragons, but none ever pleased him as much as holding her.
Kyle petted her for a moment before pulling himself together. The dragon’s needs and desires pulled at him, but there were more important things to take care of right now. Steeling his will, he looked up to find Noah crouched in the grass near him. “Can you take us back to the manor?”
“Yes, my lord.”
Kyle’s jaw tightened, and he clenched his teeth as he nodded. He searched around on the ground for his shirt and tried to keep his temper under control. For centuries, he had worn his title with pride but now it mocked him, reminding him of what had been taken. Without the influence of his dragon, it had been easy to let Carissa announce his death and her intent to take the crown. Now, it felt more like a betrayal. His instincts screamed at him to denounce her declaration and reclaim his rightful place, but his analytical side still held on to his original plan. Eugene was the key to finally finding out what was actually going on. For any trap to work, Kyle’s survival had to remain a secret.
Pulling his shirt on, Kyle cradled Angela against his chest and headed over to where Noah had shifted to his grand form. Just a few more hours. Kyle prayed that was all it would take to get things sorted out. If luck was on their side, they could finally get the pieces they needed to crack their case wide open, but he had a nagging feeling that what they found would make matters a lot worse before things got better.
13
Climbing down from Noah’s back, Kyle cradled Angela close to his chest. He ran his fingers down the ridge of her spine. Thankfully the flight hadn’t woken her. He’d spent the entire ride back thinking about how he was going to deal with her father and dreading how she would take it. Please don’t let him be involved.
If the minister was involved with the death of dragon citizens, Kyle was going to have to do somethi
ng about it, no matter how Angela felt. His dragon cringed at the idea of upsetting his newly acquired mate. Kyle cupped his hand over the small dragon and squeezed her lightly. My mate.
He’d avoided the possibility of a mate for most of his life. His title and responsibilities made finding love very hard. How was this going to work? His dragon may have bonded with her, but he barely knew anything about her. That did not bode well for their future.
Kyle looked up at the minister’s mansion and tried to collect his thoughts. The events of the last few days had left his mind scattered. He had too many things to deal with at once. Taking a deep breath, he focused on the task at hand and pushed everything else back.
Standing up straight, he pulled the slouch out of his spine, held his head high, and squared his shoulders. No matter how bad they looked, a good leader always held himself with respect and dignity. Kyle could only imagine what others would see when they looked at him right now. Bloody and covered in grass stains. His nose twitched in disgust. A mess. Not how he wanted to face the problems awaiting him. Confidence can get you far. Standing tall, he marched into the house as if nothing interesting had happened. Retracing his steps, Kyle found his way back to Eugene’s office. He paused in the doorway to take in the scene.
Things hadn’t changed very much in the short time he’d been gone. Eugene was sprawled on the floor. His hands and feet were bound with thick black ties. Minister Lewis sat in a chair next to him, tied down with more straps. Terra stood over them as Daniel and Kara shuffled through the desk and shelves.
Kyle wrapped his knuckles on the door. “Sorry about that,” he said as he came in. “What did I miss?”
“Where is she?” the minister snapped before Kyle could get very far into the room. He jerked on his bonds.
Kyle stopped and met the minister’s gaze. He held it for a minute, taking the measure of the man. There was fury, but Kyle didn’t sense any guilt in the man. He rested his arm over Angela and scratched her head like one would a cat. “Your daughter is safe.”