Madness Unmasked: Dragons of Zalara

by ML Guida

  She broke away and put her arms up in the air. He stood back like a bullfighter. He stalked her, his arms up in the air. She curtsied before him. Never making a mistake, he wrapped his arms around her waist and hers around his muscular one. They circled each other, their eyes locked in a fierce fervor, moving around the floor as if they owned it.

  He grabbed both her hands and she arched her back, his grip holding fast. She lost herself in the soul of the pumping music and Ysam’s arms. Their dance was one of passion, of freedom, of lust…

  People squished and squashed her toward Ysam, but easily he glided her around the magical dance floor, keeping her safe in his arms. She couldn’t take her eyes off his.

  Their gaze remained locked a moment longer, a moment where she longed for his touch, for his lips, for his kiss. As if reading her mind, he bent his head and his lips brushed over hers. His spicy breath spurred excitement rushing through her veins. She clasped her palm against his stubble cheek, her heart beating in anticipation of tasting his masculinity. Desire flickered in his eyes, and her throat ran dry.

  But the music ended, the moment lost. He slowly raised his head and stepped back, giving her a chance to catch her breath. She gasped. “You’re…a good…dancer.”

  He raised his eyebrow. “Am I? I haven’t had much practice.” His husky voice was as mesmerizing as his dance.

  Her suit stuck to her uncomfortably. “You…could have fooled…me.”

  Casey grabbed the microphone. “Time for us to catch our breath and dance with someone special.” The band broke out in a slow ballad.

  “That was great,” Kathy said, still not believing what a wonderful dancer, he was. “I really needed to dance.” Such a stupid statement.

  Not many men could do the tango like he had. Let’s be honest, no man had.

  He held out his hand. “Would you like to continue?”

  She glanced around the now crowded floor with slow, kissing couples, pressing their bodies against each other, including Anonghos and Agnes, who were staring at each other passionately.

  Kathy moved her hair out of her eyes, still breathless from their dance. She wasn’t able to take her gaze off his lips. Her heart beat faster. “I don’t know.”

  “Let me make the decision.” He drew her into his arms, their bodies molding into each other. His heart beast as fast as hers. His arms wrapped around her waist, while she locked her hands around his neck. He looked down at her with those hooded-eyes. He was so handsome with his high cheekbones and tiger-gold eyes.

  Handsome men were a dime a dozen, but an expert dancer was rare. Something to be treasured.

  He bent his head lower, and her heart thumped up to her throat. His masculine scent teased her senses, and she wondered if he would taste as spicy as he smelled. Sh parted parted her lips, eager to have his lips brush against hers.

  People crowded them closer. She bumped into someone behind her.

  “Hey, watch it,” a drunken voice slurred.

  Ysam jerked his head away. The tender moment was lost. She turned around to look into a frowning, stumbling man, who was holding on to a titter-tottering woman.

  Ysam moved her to the side and his upper lip curled. “The floor’s crowded. I suggest you apologize to the lady.” He towered over the man who slunk down.

  “I’m sorry, lady.” His drew out the answer, then dragged the woman off the dance floor.

  “Thank you,” Kathy said.

  Ysam looked down at her possessively. “I protect what’s mine.”

  She blinked. “Yours?”

  The air drained out of her lungs. His golden eyes glowed eerily. He flashed her a look that made her heart yelp in fear. A clear red aura outlined his muscular body that meant passion, sensuality, power.

  Ohshitohshitohshit!

  He was a Zalarian. Anonghos had said the same thing when he came to claim Agnes. Daidhl had only killed women who were designated mates. She’d hoped her ticket would get lost.

  But lucky her, her number had just been called.

  Chapter 6

  The lights over the dance floor had dimmed and the only one overhead light shone on Casey who clasped the microphone close to his lips. “My sweet love.”

  Love was the last thing Kathy was thinking about as she stared into Ysam’s glowing eyes. Terror scampered up her spine as she thought of Lisa’s mutilated body. Killed and tortured by an alien. Ysam was an alien––a vision of her worst nightmare.

  She quickly yanked her shaking hands out of his and stepped away. “Um…I have to go…”

  Ysam edged toward her. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing…I have…to go.”

  He reached for her. “Kathy, wait.”

  Her eyes widened at his fingers as if they had changed into poisonous snakes.

  “Kathy.” Ysam followed her like a hungry wolf after a lost lamb. His broad shoulders easily parted the dance floor. He closed the distance between them.

  She wildly looked around the smoldering eyed dancing couples to see if anyone had noticed, but no one sensed the danger––they were too busy looking dreamily or kissing each other. How could she have been so stupid? She should have know something was up when Agnes had been so incessant in her coming.

  Ysam’s pace quickened. Kathy put her shaking hand over her racing heart to keep it from bouncing out of her chest. She whirled around and stumbled over a bar stool, banging her knee. She didn’t look behind her.

  “Hold me close,” Casey sang.

  The ballad was like a noose squeezing her neck, leading her into a trap–a trap set by her traitorous friend. Hot breath hissed over her neck. She glanced over her shoulder. Ysam was close to enough grab her. She held her breath, waiting to be yanked back into those strong arms, but a dancing couple stepped in front of him.

  Without hesitation, she bolted.

  She dashed off the dance floor, squeezing between couples. She bumped into Agnes.

  “Kathy? What’s wrong?”

  Kathy grabbed Agnes’s arm and squeezed hard. “I’m leaving.”

  Agnes winced. “Why?”

  She whispered in her ear, not able to hide her anger. “You broke your promise.”

  “Kathy, wait.” Ysam hurried over toward her, but another slow, moving couple blocked his path.

  Agnes looked between Kathy and Ysam. She licked her lips. “Wait, I can explain.”

  “No, you can’t.” Kathy whirled around and collided into a man who held a beer, sloshing golden liquid onto the wooden floor.

  “Watch what you’re doing, lady!”

  A loud growl from behind her sprang Kathy into action. She pushed through the crowd like a bulldozer, elbowing and clawing her way through.

  “Excuse me.” She panted. “Let me through.”

  Another man lifted his beer out of the way. “Jeez, lady.”

  “Excuse you.” A dressed-up blond glared, who had to step back to let her through.

  Kathy grabbed her purse from her chair and zigzagged through the crowded tavern like a pingpong ball. People grumbled under their breath and gave her dirty looks, but she couldn’t care less.

  She wasn’t going to be a Zalarian’s damn mate. Agnes may be happy, but no one in her family had been ripped apart by a homicidal extraterrestrial, either.

  She reached the door and shoved it open, nearly knocking down another couple.

  The woman lurched backward, her arms flailing in the air, but her partner grabbed her wrist to keep her from falling. He glared at Kathy. “You stupid, bitch!”

  “Sorry,” Kathy mumbled. All that mattered was getting to her car. She glanced over her shoulder. No one was following, but that didn’t matter. Ysam was an alien. No telling what he could do.

  She fumbled for her keys and managed to yank them out of her purse and pushed the keyless remote. Her car unlocked. She jumped inside, started the car, and squealed out of the parking lot as if the devil himself chased her.

  Angry tears stung her cheeks as she sped to the safety
of her hotel. Her phone rang. On the car’s screen, Agnes’s name showed up. Kathy thought about not answering but changed her mind.

  “How could you do this to me!” she shrieked.

  “Kathy, I’m sorry. But listen…”

  “No! Don’t you or Anonghos or Frank ever talk to me again. You know how I feel about this. You tell that over grown lizard to stay the fuck away from me.”

  She hung up. Tears spilled down her cheeks. She gulped for air. Agnes’s betrayal was raw and ugly, tearing away years of friendship. She’d never trust her again.

  The Marriott loomed in the darkness up ahead, and she pushed on the gas, jerking the car in and out of lanes.

  Please, don’t let there be a damn cop.

  She drove the car ninety miles an hour into the parking lot, then slammed on the brakes. Tires squealed, and the car lurched hard. The angry steering wheel nearly jolted out of her hands, but she hung on tight, then aimed the car for the closest space.

  Before she got out, she peered through the windshield. Only black skies were overhead. Not even a cloud or a determined dragon cast a shadow over the full moon. She jumped out of her car, her legs pumping as fast as she could, and she raced to the front doors. Her lungs burned and sweat trickled down her face. Any minute, she waited for talons to dig into her shoulders and whisk her into the skies.

  She whipped open the glass door and burst inside. Her hair stuck to her sleek face, and she gasped for air. She clutched her purse tight and forced her shaking legs to move.

  The woman at the front desk frowned. “Are you all right, ma’am?”

  Kathy pushed her hair out of her face. “I’m fine. I’m in room 524. No calls, please.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Kathy glanced nervously behind her one more time, but only empty cars greeted her in the parking lot.

  Unfortunately, that didn’t mean anything. Daidhl had been able to turn invisible and kill his victims at will. For all she knew, Ysam could be tracking her. But she didn’t feel a warm or cold breath over her neck. She pushed the elevator button and paced back and forth, waiting for it to lumber down.

  Three, two, one…

  The doors slowly opened. She rushed inside and immediately pressed the close button. The doors shut and once again, the elevator clamored up, taking its sweet time. When they opened again, she ran to her room and jammed the key into the lock. The red light popped on.

  “No!”

  She jerked the key out and pushed it in the slot again. This time, the green light blinked. She flung the door open then pushed it shut and turned the dead bolt. She rest her head against the wood, sucking in air. Her stomach flip-flopped. Her fear wouldn’t be denied.

  Lucky, the toilet was only a few feet away. She emptied the beer and what little food she’d eaten. Cold shills shook her, and her teeth chattered.

  She turned on the shower faucet. Hot steam smoked through the bathroom. She stripped off her clothes that had Ysam’s spicy scent of smoldering fire and tossed them onto the tile floor. His scent had permeated her skin. What if he’d already branded her?

  She climbed inside trembling. Droplets massaged her weary, quaking body, chasing away her fears, sending them down the twirling drain. Her rapid beating heart and quick breath slowed to the thump of the water.

  She leaned her forehead on the wall, allowing the water to work out the kinks in her bunched up muscles. Fear slowly dissipated and all she could think about was the seductive dance and how it felt in his arms. For once, someone else had been in charge, allowing her to feel safe.

  He was a Zalarian and could possess all kinds of powers. Maybe one of them had been to make her want him when they were dancing.

  Stupid.

  Ysam couldn’t get inside. Even if he could, he didn’t know the number of her hotel room.

  Unless Agnes told him. Maybe she should change rooms.

  An hour later, she was in a different room on a different floor and was cocooned in a soft, fluffy robe. She climbed into bed and switched on the television. A mystery show droned on about a police woman sneaking into a house to gather clues without a search warrant. Clues that couldn’t be used in court. Her eyes grew heavy, and she snuggled deeper into her pillow, thinking of being twirled and swept off her feet. Sleep mercifully fluttered over her.

  She jerked awake to complete silence. The television was off. She hadn’t turned it off since Lisa had died.

  Her heart pounded faster than a judge’s mallet. Darkness and dread blanketed the room. She wasn’t alone.

  A pair of golden eyes watched her. She screamed, but in a split second, a large hand covered her mouth.

  Warm masculine breath brushed over her face. “I’m sorry, Kathy,” the familiar husky voice said. “You know why I’m here.”

  She shook her head, trying to dislodge his hand, but she couldn’t even budge. She shrieked again, but only released an angry muffle.

  “Forgive me.” He released her mouth.

  “Help police!” she screamed as loud as she could and spat in his face. She squirmed underneath him, kicking her legs and beating her fists on his chest, praying the police would shoot off his wings.

  She looked into his smoldering eyes. He lowered his head and his warm breath brushed over her. But instead of being terrifying, his breath was intoxicating.

  He savagely kissed her, cutting off her screams. His mouth was brutal and possessive, chasing away each protest, each attempt to clasp her freedom. His tongue thrusted with hard, deep strokes that were as shocking as they were exciting.

  Kathy was outraged. Her body burned with fury, her senses burst with a storming frenzy. Her hands were trapped against a granite-hard surface of his chest. When she tried to push herself free, it was like pushing against a brick wall.

  His hard flesh was between her legs and if he wanted, he could rape her and there was nothing she could do. Sizzling fear ripped into her beating heart. How could he be two different men? She squirmed pitifully.

  Only when he chose to end the intimacy could she wrench free and gulp for air. She opened her mouth to scream for help, but something sweet sprayed up her nose. Her scream died. Her arms and legs fell limply to her side. The darkness and golden eyes spun around as if her car had reeled out of control. She closed her eyes and passed out to her worst nightmare.

  Chapter 7

  Ysam piloted the Stellar with ease, but he wished he could ease the guilt humming through him. The last thing he ever wanted to do was be a thug. His whole life had been standing up to browbeaters, but then with his mate, he was an overbearing bully.

  He’d never forget how it felt to hold her close and what a spirited dancer she’d been. The sexual force between them had awoken his dragon, and he’d lost all control.

  Dancing had been so natural and amorous. He could smell the fruity fragrance of her shampoo. The sweat glistening off her cheeks made her look so beautiful. He bet she was hot all the way down to her toes. She was an incredibly strong woman and all he could think about was how slick her skin would feel in the throes of passion.

  But the fear and anger in her eyes, when she had awaken dashed any hope of another dance. He’d never forget her terrified screams, her pathetic struggles… He didn’t know what to do, so like a heel, he’d kissed her. Her struggles only spurred on his desire, and if he hadn’t come to his senses, he would have taken her. He’d never done that with any woman.

  Shame settled into his gut at his roguish behavior. This wasn’t him. Why did she have to be his mate? She’d been through so much–stalked by a psycho killer, her sister brutally murdered, and now kidnapped.

  She didn’t deserve this. He’d spend the rest of his days making it up to her. If she let him…

  A soft snore drew his attention away from the screen.

  She was slumped over in her seat, her chest slowly rising up and down. Her long, curly, dark hair fell to the side. He inhaled her fresh scent that reminded him of a dewy morning. Mornings had always been his favorite par
t of the day, where the rising suns spread warmth over Zalara, animals forged for food, dragons woke from their slumber… They all waited for a new day of hope.

  When he’d carried her up to the roof top, her skin had been so soft, but what intrigued him were her muscular arms and legs. This wasn’t a pansy woman. She’d fought him with everything she had–fists flying, feet kicking––but she was no match for the ragon gas.

  She was stronger and taller than he expected. Her parted lips had been so inviting, he couldn’t resist kissing her. She tasted of strength and power.

  Besides kidnapping, he could add molestation to his list of sins against her. He sighed, not knowing how he’d ever be able to make this up to her.

  His telicator beeped. “Ysam, here.”

  “Did you obtain your mate?”

  A hint of doubt echoed in Taog’s voice.

  Ysam glanced over at Kathy. “Yes, Captain. I’m bringing her to Zalara as planned. We should be there in less than five hours.”

  “Good work.”

  Taog might be pleased, but kidnapping left a nasty taste in Ysam’s mouth.

  “Planning on finishing raping me?”

  He jerked his head around to stare into her heated brown eyes. “No, I’m sorry. I’ve never done that before.”

  She glared and pulled on her arms as if trying to wiggle free of the wrist restraints that pinned her to the chair. “Could have fooled me. The last thing I remembered wearing was my robe. Now, I’m dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt. Care to explain?”

  He avoided her gaze, trying to forget her tempting body that stirred emotions he refused to acknowledge. “I could either have taken you only wearing a robe or dressed you more comfortably. I didn’t think you’d want to travel through space wearing only a robe.”

  She stopped struggling and lifted her head high. “I think I should have been given the choice on what I wanted to wear.”

  He sighed. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

  “Another transgression added to your list of crimes.”

  “If you don’t like what you have on, I packed your robe and your clothes. So, you can change if you want to.”