I feel like his is natural.
“It is,” he says with a scoff. “Imagine a dragon with hair dye.”
I can, but the thought of this hulking, haunted person walking into a salon is too much for me, and I hear a small squeak of a giggle slip out.
He turns to me, offended. “Did you just laugh at me?”
“No. At the thought of a dragon in a salon.” I don’t have to tell him he was the dragon.
His eyes narrow. “You did laugh at me.”
“I’m sorry,” I say. “I really don’t know what to do. I’m pretty awkward. I don’t know half of what is going on in this world.”
He’s pensive for a moment, and I try not to watch his massive pecs rise and fall, lit by moonlight. “Why did you come to the Blur?” He leans back on his hands. “What reason could any human have?”
I almost tell him, but then I remember I haven’t told any of the other dragons either.
“If you don’t tell me, I can explore in your mind,” he says quietly.
“What?”
“I can pick it apart like it’s rubble,” he says. “Usually, the purple dragon just sees visions. I have… other powers.”
“So you don’t see visions?”
“I do. But I have other gifts as well,” he says. He tilts his head back, and I stare at the delicate lines of his profile. That perfectly straight nose. That sharp chin. Those lashes. That hair. “So you might as well tell me before I figure it out, because I can tear apart your brain like its putty.”
My eyes widen, and I wonder if that’s actually possible.
He lets out a small laugh. “Just kidding.”
God, it’s hard to figure out this man.
I decide that in order for him to be vulnerable, I’ll probably have to be vulnerable first.
“My sister is in a coma,” I say softly. “Someone promised to help her if I came here.”
He makes a small humming sound. “Interesting. A fairy?”
I shake my head. “Though, I’d love to meet one.”
“Interesting. Someone who could heal a human in a coma.” He sits up a little straighter. “And no, you do not want to meet a fairy.” He gives his head a small shake. “Not at all.”
“Don’t you work with them or something? They gave you this place.”
“They’re hoping I’ll come help them with something. Lend them my powers. Little do they know my powers can’t help them at all.” His eyes go vacant. “My powers can’t ‘help’ anyone.”
I scoot a little closer. “What do you mean?”
He shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter. Not anymore.” He looks over at me, and his tongue slowly glides over his lower lip, wetting it. “All you need to decide is what you want, dragon heart.”
“I hate when anyone calls me that,” I say.
“Well, you’re lucky you are one, or else no one would want you here,” he says glibly.
And suddenly, I realize why I hate it so much. Because it implies I’m not a person to them. Just a prize. Just a noun.
“It’s silly,” he says. “Most humans would just be grateful that so many dragons want them.”
“I’m not,” I say stubbornly. “I didn’t come here to be paired up with dragons. I came here to help my sister. And yes, the dragons are beautiful, but if I was to pair up with someone from this world, it would be because I loved them. Not any other reason at all.”
“Not to save your own life?” Van asks.
I think about it. “No. I don’t think so. I couldn’t give my heart away for that reason at least.”
He cocks his head and releases a little sigh. “You really are naive.”
I straighten. “And you’re rude.”
Yet, as he relaxes back against the headboard, I realize there is so much I want to know about him. Like why he won’t let me touch his hair or why he—
“Fuck, your head is busy,” he mutters. “Do you ever stop thinking?”
“No,” I say. “Isn’t that most people?”
“Maybe,” he says. “But the weird thing is how much you think about other people. How they are thinking. How they are feeling. You’re practically obsessed.”
I sigh. “I like watching the world around me. And I like helping people too, I guess.”
He runs his tongue over his upper lip now, drawing attention to the beautifully defined curve of his Cupid’s bow. “I see.” His eyes linger on me, and I realize I’m just in a robe and pajamas.
Not the sexiest outfit, but—
“You know, when I met you, I thought you’d be easy, but you’re not, are you?”
I flush. “What do you mean easy?”
“Not easy to win over. Not easy to please. You stopped us when we were kissing you, even though you were feeling pleasure. Why?”
I feel like my face is going to burn off in embarrassment. “I… It’s pretty confusing.”
“What is?”
I clasp my hands in my lap. “How much I can feel for multiple guys.”
He laughs at that, and it’s more of a snort. “Why is that a problem? It’s just lust.”
I glare at him. “It’s not. I care for Seth and Griffin.”
“You’re so naive,” Van says. “They don’t want to befriend you. They want to mate you and get your power, and that’s it. Or use you to get back to the human world. None of them are actually in love with you. You would do well to remember that.”
I blink, fighting back tears at the probable truth of his statement.
He continues without noticing. “So you should just consider your future partners based on what they can offer you. I can’t heal your sister, but I can give you unlimited wealth and power. And Byron is a good protector. The best among the six dragons.”
Considering how protective the others are, that’s a feat. “How?”
“His shield.”
“That thing he put down over Seth and the others?”
Van nods. “Seth isn’t too bad compared to the rest of them. At least he’s open about what he wants.”
“Which is?”
“Relief from the poison.” Van studies me. “He was honest with you about that, correct?”
I nod. I guess there is really no reason to assume Seth wants me outside of what I can do for him.
But then there’s Griffin, saying he won’t ever let me go. And Rainier, carving an alcove in a cliff so he can take me there.
But also, I saw them shoot fire at each other’s faces.
“Exactly,” Van says, reading my mind. “They are just going to kill each other trying to win you, whereas Byron and I have agreed to play fair.”
“Fair?”
“We share you.” His eyes are glinting now, and I’m getting more and more aware that we are on a bed.
I think of how they growled at each other earlier. “You weren’t that great at sharing before.”
Van shrugs. “I think we have time to figure it out.” He looks at the window. “Dragons aren’t possessive like other creatures.”
I’m not so sure about that.
“Luckily, Byron and I won’t even pretend to love you. You’re a means to an end. An attractive one, due to being human and a dragon heart, but that’s all. We won’t try to trick you.”
“So you’re just heartless,” I say. “Is Byron?”
Van’s eyes glitter. “Perhaps. I don’t know. I don’t care to look in anyone’s heart. Only their mind.”
“You should look in my heart right now, because I feel sorry for you,” I say softly. Van is so far from feeling anything for anyone, from caring for anyone, that he feels a million miles away.
His jaw tightens. “I don’t need your pity. I’m going to rule your world.”
I stand up, taking a step away from the bed and him. “I don’t think I want to mate you. Or Byron. Can’t I just go back to my friends?”
He shakes his head darkly. “No. I’m afraid not, dragon heart. You’re stuck with me, even though I’m broken.”
I want to tell him he’s not broken, but he very well might be.
Not because he screams at night or has visions, but because he can’t connect with anyone else’s heart.
“What happened to you?” I ask.
“What does it matter?”
I fold my arms and cock a hip. “Because life screwed me up royally, but I didn’t lose hold of my heart.”
Van pushes himself forward and crawls toward me, and I’m frozen as I watch his approach. He looks up at me through the dark hair that falls over his face, hiding it slightly. “I hate anyone with a heart.”
When his eyes meet mine, I gasp at the rage there, but it’s too late. He reaches out lightning fast to grab my hand and jerk me onto the bed with him.
I struggle as he rolls me under him, pinning me with my arms over my head, leaving me with nothing to do but huff and try to squirm.
He’s heavy as he straddles me, his thighs thick with muscle, his calves taut. That chest is above me. So perfectly curved above those rigid abs.
He smirks. “See? Heart has nothing to do with it. I’m not soft like those other dragons, but you want me all the same.” He moves both of my hands to one of his and draws the other over my shoulder, pushing my robe off to reveal the thin camisole underneath.
“Stop it,” I say, trying to get away from him. “You’re scaring me.”
“Good,” he says, putting his face close to mine with a growl. “You should be scared. You should be scared of betraying me, and you should be scared of going against me. You won’t win, human. I could take you whenever I wanted to. Mentally. Emotionally. Sexually. I could make you mine.”
His eyes are almost glowing now, and he doesn’t look at all himself as he continues to pull my robe away, undoing the belt so it opens at the front.
My cami dips low, showing cleavage, and I’m not wearing a bra at all. The hand that isn’t pinning my hands down cups my shoulder, and I pray he doesn’t move lower.
Out of all of the dragons, none have tried to molest me, and I don’t think Van will, though he’s making me nervous for sure.
His hand moves to the dip in my collarbone, then a little lower.
I squirm.
“You afraid yet, dragon heart?”
It slowly dawns on me that he’s trying to scare me, and that just makes me defiant and pissed.
“No,” I say sharply. “As if I would—”
His lips cover mine, stifling any protest, and I let out a muffled moan, hating that even this feels so good. I pull back, tearing my lips away from his.
I can’t do this. Not right now. Not the way he’s doing it.
If he was trying to scare me, I guess it was a success.
“Stop it,” I plead, looking up at him. “Please, just stop.”
He closes his eyes for a second, then sits up, looking disappointed. “Fine then. Go.”
I’m still pinned by him, hands in a vise grip, and he quickly releases them as if he’d almost forgotten what he was doing.
“Get out of here. Now,” he says, rolling off of me.
It takes a second to compose myself, to wrap my robe around me and take a deep breath, realizing that despite my fear, all he did was kiss me.
But still… he shouldn’t have…
He stays facing way from me, dark hair splayed over his shoulders, wide back facing me as he looks to the moon.
I pull myself together and run for the door, wishing I had never come in here at all.
As I’m fleeing down the hallway, watching behind me to make sure Van isn’t following, I scream when I run into something soft and hard at the same time.
I look up to see Byron, who grabs me by the arms. I fight him, struggling side to side to get out of his grip. No one is going to pin me again. No one is—
“Shh,” he says, and his voice is oddly calming as I look up at him. “What happened?”
I blink, wondering if my fear is showing. Right now, I have no idea.
He studies my face, and then his handsome features tighten and his golden eyes glitter in the darkness. “What the fuck did he do?”
I don’t answer immediately but I remember, and Byron seems to read my mind because he immediately releases my shoulders and goes stomping down the hall.
I watch him go, telling myself I should just go back to bed now. I’m just overwhelmed from everything that’s happened. I should get some rest. Wait for Griffin and the others.
But then Byron disappears and Van’s door closes with a slam, and I hear yelling.
I creep slowly closer to the door to eavesdrop.
37
Van
“What the fuck were you thinking?”
Van glared at Byron as he considered his question. The truth was he really hadn’t been thinking.
The human had made him feel afraid, and he’d wanted to return the favor.
Too bad it had felt like shit once he did.
“I can’t believe this,” Byron said, putting his hands on his hips as he paced in front of the doorway. “That’s fucking careless. We’re supposed to win her over, not scare her off.”
“Why does it matter if she’s scared? We’re her only option.”
“We aren’t,” Byron said. “The other dragons are going to show up. And when they do—”
“When they do, I could always kill them,” Van said, thinking about it. “You know I could pull their dragons out.”
“Weren’t you sent here for trying to do that to a dire bear?” Byron asked.
Van smiled. “Maybe. It was worth a shot.”
Byron ran a hand through his hair and slumped down in a chair in exasperation. “Are you evil? I mean, are you actually evil? Sometimes I wonder if we should never have paired up.”
Something in Van just snapped at Byron’s words. “Fine. I didn’t want to pair up with you either.”
“Fine,” Byron said. “Then we compete for the dragon heart.”
Van’s eyes narrowed. “No. We should stay paired, at least until she’s ours.”
Byron glared at him. “She won’t ever be with us if you scare her like that.”
“I barely touched her,” Van said sardonically.
“You pinned her down. You pushed a kiss on her.”
“I’ve been pushed into worse,” Van said, more to himself than anyone else.
Byron straightened slightly. “What?”
“Nothing,” Van said, lying back on the bed and thinking to himself. The people who’d raised him had done anything they could to bring out his powers. All they’d done was crack his mind and soul and make him learn how to lie in order to survive.
And then, oddly enough, he’d gotten powers just as he’d gotten away from them.
Not that it had done any good.
“You want to talk about it?” Byron asked, looking supremely uncomfortable.
“What were your handlers like?” Van asked.
Byron flushed slightly. “We’re not here to talk about that, but they were fine. Always assured me I was the best and the brightest.”
“That explains a lot,” Van said.
“Like what?”
“Nothing,” Van said because Byron couldn’t be talked to about his incredible ego. Plus, his pride wasn’t undeserved. Just grating.
“I heard that,” Byron said.
“Oops,” Van said unrepentantly.
“Are you going to be able to do this?” Byron asked nervously. “Mate with a human? Show a little kindness? It won’t work if you just keep jumping her.”
Van rolled his eyes. “How should I know what she wants? She said it was kind of hot when I was rough earlier.”
“Yeah, but then you were trying to please her. Just now, you were trying to scare her.”
“Does it matter?” Van asked. “Does it matter the reason she accepts us? If it’s fear or love? As long as she picks us, we’re good to go.”
Byron looked unconvinced. “So you really don’t feel anything when you kiss her? When you’re near her? When she l
ooks at you with those big hazel eyes?”
Van didn’t want to remember. Didn’t want to see those eyes looking up at him, scared.
But he also didn’t know how to connect with her.
He’d spent all his life as the crazy guy. The bad guy. The one who did the kidnapping, not the rescuing.
“I don’t know how I feel.”
“You’re the one who saw Griffin and Rainier attacking her and insisted on going to get her.”
“Yeah, well, it turns out that vision was false as well, because it happened later than I thought and both of them were able to divert their fire in time.”
“We needed to pick her up anyway,” Byron said.
“True.” Van agreed.
“So what now?” Byron asked.
Van didn’t know. He’d thought it would be easy. Find the dragon heart. Convince her they were her only option. Mate. Find the oracle.
But he was realizing now that he didn’t know how to interact with a human. Especially one with such a soft heart.
He’d always heard that dragon hearts were brave, so he’d pictured them tough and rock solid. Unafraid of anything.
But she’d looked up at him with fear in her eyes.
He stood, cursing himself for being who he was.
A monster.
But she’d been just sitting there, poking him, asking him questions, demanding something that he didn’t know how to give her. And he hadn’t liked that she was searching for the softness in his heart.
Wherever that softness used to be, there was only poison.
Probably from the first time his handlers made him scream.
Byron’s brows slowly lowered. “So terrible things happened to you, and you want to do them to her?”
“No. I just wanted to shut her up. Threaten her a little. Because if someone else is afraid, then I’m not.”
Byron cocked his head. “What on earth could you be afraid of? You can kill people with your mind.”
Sometimes. When he was in control of himself. But at other times, when the past and the present seemed to merge and everything seemed fractured…
“And I’m here,” Byron said. “And I’m not going to go.”
Bad Dragons: Special Edition Complete Series Page 26