Well, crap. Looked like he was going to need a place to stay after all. He grinned slowly. Tempting Katie with stories of goth clubs would have to wait, but perhaps he could convince his little hedgie-mate to move in with him now. They needed to follow his grandfather’s wishes, didn’t they…?
Chapter Five
A little tear here, a bigger tug there and Katie’s outfit was perfect. With a capital P and a long, purring rawr.
“You just… And… Are those necessary?” Honey sputtered, pointing at her. The woman’s attention started at Katie’s fluffed, teased, and sprayed hair, and traveled past her The Black Dress clad midsection and then on to her legs.
She was pretty sure the legs and feet part of the outfit were making Honey stutter.
Katie looked at her feet. “What, these? I polished the little studs, didn’t I?”
Her Doc Martens were gorgeous, all black leather with silver spikes on the toes and heels. Really, black went with everything, especially black fishnets.
“But…”
She moved on to her legs. “I even used a new set of fishnets.”
“But you tore them,” Honey whined.
Katie raised her eyebrows. “What else was I supposed to do with them? I’m not pretty frou-frou, Honey. You know that.”
“I know, but-but it’s The Black Dress.”
“And my big ass is wearing it.” She thumped over to the mirror. “And damn well. I mean, my boobs look great and my ass. Hell, even with all that extra cushion, it’s pretty hot.” Katie turned toward her friend and shrugged. “If I was into gothy fat chicks, I’d do me.”
“You are not fat,” Honey snapped.
“Fine. Fluffy.” She shrugged. She knew what she looked like, knew what society thought of her. It was easier to say the words herself rather than wait for others to spout their nastiness.
Be a bitch to herself before others did it for her.
Katie glanced at the digital clock on her bedside table. “Crap, a late fluffy chick.”
“Remind me why you’re picking him up?”
She bent over and tightened her laces. “It was me driving and getting him or him flying and getting me.” She straightened and gestured to her body. “Do you see this on the back of a dragon? I’d be flashing my ass to everyone.”
“Very, very true. So, am I waiting up for you or…”
She stopped and propped her hands on her hips. “There is no ‘or.’ There is only Katie coming home without any donated bodily fluids.” He might be her mate, but that didn’t mean she had to roll over.
Besides, she had plans of her own. Ones that included buying a certain farmhouse and didn’t include a massive black dragon.
“Uh-huh. Maybe he wants to play with your bodily fluids.” Honey waggled her eyebrows.
“Okay, you just made that creepy.” Katie snared her bag from the bed and tugged it over her head, letting it lay across her body.
That drew a groan from her friend. “A cross-body bag? Really? And it’s not even pretty. It’s your ratty—”
“It’s aged and well worn. There is nothing ratty about this bag.” She harrumphed and glanced at the clock again. “I seriously gotta go. You can yell at me via text.” She strode toward the door, pausing long enough to give her BFF a hug and kiss on the cheek. “If you don’t hear from me by morning, assume I was a dragon snack and send in the cavalry.”
“You could be a dragon snack and enjoy it.”
“True, but I find it unlikely.” She paused and rearranged her plans. “Unless it gets me the farm.”
“You cannot whore yourself out for the house, Katie.”
“Eh, you say whore, I say strategic loss to ensure long-term gains.” Katie winked at her friend to tell her she was joking. Mostly. “Anyway, I’m leaving. Lock up behind me?”
“Yeah, yeah.” Honey waved her away and Katie took advantage of the lull in their argument. She had no doubt it’d pick up again in the morning.
It took no time for her to race to her car and hop in. Of course, hopping in was half the battle. Getting it started was the big deal. And, hell, it only took five tries and one hedgie growl for the engine to turn over. Aw, it was nice to her because she had a date. How sweet.
She looked at the clock. Okay, she was really late now. Her inner beastie snapped at her, anxious to be with their mate. Dang it, didn’t it realize mating the dragon put a crimp in their plans?
It did not care.
Katie popped the car into gear, wincing with the squeal of her transmission. She needed to get that looked at. Oh, well. It got her where she needed to be, which at that moment, meant thirty minutes away and in front of Old Man Kenton’s place. She’d call it Joey’s, but she still had high hopes it would turn into the Katie Carmichael place or the hedgehog pack house. Anything but the black dragon clutch.
Before long, she was racing down the barren dirt road that led to the farm. A massive dust cloud formed in her wake, and she knew she’d have to drive through it on the way back, but she hated being late. She didn’t mind dragging her feet once she got to her destination, but arriving on time was a huge thing for her. Huge.
She turned into the home’s driveway, bumping over a few uneven patches before she finally rolled to a stop. She glanced at the clock and sighed.
Ha! Right on time.
A look at the house showed every light out, not a single one casting a low glow. She knew that the electricity bills were being covered by Old Man Kenton’s estate. At least, until Joey took over everything. Since there’d been no reading of the will, she knew the lawyer had control.
“What the—” Katie rolled down her window. “Joey?” She tapped the horn. She wasn’t the guy on this date, she wasn’t about to knock on the door. Sexist? Yes. Leaning toward the bitchy end of the spectrum? Probably. But that fact didn’t change her behavior a bit. “Are you ready?”
The heavy flap of wings was her only warning, the only hint that all was not right in Katie’s world. Or rather, it was about to be scary as hell. Because suddenly a beast four times the size of her small car and blacker than midnight thumped to the ground before her. Dust billowed with its landing, the fine sand of the driveway filling the air. The car’s headlights illuminated the massive animal, the glow bouncing off its scales, making it appear as if it sparkled.
Oh, God, a sparkling dragon.
At least he’s not a sparkling vampire.
Its claws were easily as long as she was tall and she could only imagine them slicing and crushing others. The body was heavily muscled, skin stretched over all that strength. Wings that appeared paper thin were spread wide, the tips seeming to go on forever.
And his head, his teeth, the tongue hanging out like a… puppy? He was smiling at her, a wide, deadly smile, but a smile nonetheless.
“Really?” She waved her hand in front of her face, batting at the dust. “You really had to do that? No warning? My window was open.”
The dragon huffed, a small burst of flame escaping its nose. Rather than being scary, it annoyed her. “Did you just laugh at me? If you scorch my car, I’m gonna be really pissed.”
It was hers, dammit. She’d had the hunk of metal since she was sixteen. She’d bought it with her own money, every penny earned through sweat, sore muscles, and blisters on her feet.
“It’d be an improvement.”
The deep, sexy voice slid into her mind. “Did you just talk into my head? What the hell?”
The dragon shrugged, making a wing shift and roll. “Dragons are able to speak to their mates this way.”
“Well, hedgies can’t. So keep your little, fire-breathing nose outta my head.”
Another burst of flames escaped him and she figured he really was laughing at her then. Sexy, mind-blowing jerk.
“I think you’re sexy, too.” Joey-the-dragon winked at her.
Katie growled. “Just shift already so we can get dinner.”
“It won’t be necessary.”
“Yeah, it will. The car
isn’t exactly dragon friendly,” she pointed out.
Of course, Joey-the-dragon wasn’t listening because with a heavy flap of his wings, he disappeared from her vision. She heard him, heard the way the thin membranes sent him skyward and away from her.
Immediately following his disappearance, her car shook, something heavy striking the roof and Katie froze. A movement to her right stole her attention and she turned her head to find something that scared the hell out of her and pissed her off just as much.
The object was black as night, long, wide and curved. And also Joey’s claw. “Oh, hell no.”
Another flap, the deep sound now familiar, and her car rocked, gently swaying. “You are so not doing this.” She raised her voice and tilted her head back, intent on making sure she was heard. “Do you hear me? We are not taking the Scale Covered Express!”
“You wouldn’t allow me to pick you up at your home.”
“That didn’t mean you could pick me up at yours!”
“Screaming is unnecessary. Release your thoughts and—”
“How about you release me,” Katie countered.
“You’d die and that’s not going to happen.”
She would… She peeked past the claw blocking the driver’s side door and gasped. Panic pummeled her, overtaking her entire body. Yeah, she would die. “You’re right, no releasing. Releasing should not happen.” Ever, her stupid hedgie added.
“I do like your hedgie. She and I will be great friends. She’s a very smart part of you.”
“You’ll like her as a dragon-snack.”
Joey purred. “I’d love to eat my lovely mate.”
She hated her inner beastie.
Joey’s grip shifted, her car creaking in protest to its treatment, drawing her attention from his innuendo and back to his current actions. “Don’t you scratch my car. It’s a classic.”
“Or a heap of junk.”
“It’s not… You…”
“We’re here.”
Katie’s car was slowly released, the vehicle touching down with hardly a shake. His claws disappeared with a soft scrape and flutter of wings. In less than a moment, Joey was at her door, fully dressed and gorgeous as hell.
She couldn’t decide if she wanted to yell at him or maul him in the parking lot.
Maybe both. She could yell between kisses.
Her hedgie agreed.
Stupid hedgie.
*
The door of the small car opened and Joey found himself rendered speechless. As was his dragon, which was something new.
“Fuck me,” he breathed, eyes widening as he took in the vision of loveliness that was his mate.
A black dress encased her gorgeous figure, wrapped lovingly around voluptuous curves he itched to get his hands on. Hell, it was a sad state of affairs when he was jealous of a freaking dress, but he was. He wanted to rip the thing from her and replace it with his hands.
A course of action his dragon thoroughly approved of, the creature already gathering the change just under his skin to shift so they could grab their mate and wing it back to the farmhouse. It would have to do as a lair for now, and he slid into a happy fantasy about mating her in the big double bed in his old room. Of course, they’d have to move to the master bedroom eventually, but for now he wanted to claim her in a place that had always been his sanctuary.
“Nope, no fucking going on. At all. Ever.”
She shot his happy dreams down in flames, and ignoring his hand, clambered out of the car on her own. His gaze slid down and he lifted an eyebrow. Ripped fishnets and boots. With spikes. How…cute. Had she dressed that way to try and put him off? If so, she was a long way off base. She could dress in a garbage bag and he’d still want to rip the thing off and make love to her. All. Night. Long.
He smiled, sliding his gaze up her body until he met her eyes, not bothering to hide the heat of lust in his own. She had to be aware of her effect on men, so why bother?
“Ever’s a long time, sweetness. Never say never, especially to a dragon.”
He moved in closer, reaching out to tuck a loose strand of hair over her ear. Deliberately he crowded her back against the car, using his bigger body to corral her. Memories of their kiss in his grandpa’s kitchen tormented him until he thought he was about to lose his mind. He wanted, no, needed to taste her again. Feel her soften against him and hear that sexy little sound she made in the back of her throat.
She tilted her head up and glared at him, but he didn’t take it to heart. No, he could see the darkness sliding into her eyes behind the mock-pissed off expression, scented the interest and excitement as it rolled off her skin.
“No? Why’s that? Awww… don’t tell me, it busts up your little male ego?”
He chuckled, the sound deeper than human, and slid his hand into the hair at the nape of her neck. His hips fitted against hers, the feel of her softness against his hard cock making him want to say to hell with dinner.
“No,” he breathed against her lips. “Because we tend to take it as a challenge.”
She made that little sound, her eyes fluttering closed and he was so tempted to kiss her. He wanted it, his beast wanted it…really wanted it. Among other things. The other dirty, dirty things it whispered in the back of his mind. Either the thing was a freaking pervert, or it had paid far more attention to the porn Joey watched as a teen than he’d expected.
He didn’t kiss her.
Instead, he lifted his head and studied the bar in front of them, focusing on the sign. Jasmine. It had certainly gone downhill since the last time he’d been around these parts. Back in the day, Jasmine had been the place to go. The place to be seen, to take your date if you really wanted to impress her. A place with the added advantage of the local make-out spot, Ferrer’s Hill, a mere ten minute walk away. Less on the wing.
But now? It looked rough. It sounded rough. Hell, it even smelled rough, the scents rolling off the place as the door opened telling him that the pine cleaner was merely window dressing to cover the other myriad stench. It looked like a lot of the dives he’d had to frequent to track down whichever rogue the council sent him after.
“Classy” was his only comment as he let her go, stepped back and offered her his arm. “Shall we?”
He waited for her to slide her hand onto his arm, even though he was fairly sure she’d rather knee him in the nuts at the moment. She grumbled something under her breath, but he refrained from sliding into her mind to read her thoughts. He had a feeling they weren’t that complimentary. Not at the moment.
He hid his grin. She wanted to play games by bringing him here, then he’d happily play games. But he’d be calling the shots, and they’d end up with her flat on her back on Ferrer’s Hill, screaming in pleasure, or his name wasn’t Joey Kenton.
“So…” he commented as they walked across the car park, “do you come here often?”
A look at the vehicles parked nearby told him the clientele was likely to match the scents wafting into the night air with each open and close of the door. Clientele that were mostly human, his nose informed him. But they’d have to be, most shifters wouldn’t be able to stand the place for more than half an hour. He’d been in worse dives in his time though, so if she thought to unsettle him, she was barking up the wrong tree.
He pushed the door and held it open, allowing her to precede him into the establishment. The chatter within died down as they appeared in the doorway, all eyes turning their way.
His dragon bristled as most of the men immediately dismissed him and latched onto his little mate in her sexy-as-sin little dress. Little being the operative word. Suddenly he wanted to whip off his jacket and cover her with it. Those curves were for his eyes and hands only.
He looked around the room. His growl would only be audible to another shifter, but the lower than human hearing sound would still put the humans on edge. Tap into their fight or flight instincts enough that they would skitter away, the primal part of their brains recognizing an uber-predator when
they saw one.
As expected, most of the men turned around, suddenly very interested in something that wasn’t the couple in the doorway. With a smile, he looked down at his delicious little mate. “Now, which table would you like, sweetness?”
Chapter Six
Operation: Annoy and Scare Away Dragon seemed to be a bust. He didn’t even blink at her restaurant choice. Well, looking around the room, Katie realized “restaurant” was a bit of a stretch.
It was more like run down biker bar chic.
At first, said biker bar customers stared at her. Then the jerky dragon at her back growled—growled!—and that ended that.
What, did he think? That he had some sort of claim or something?
Katie’s thoughts stuttered. Well, yeah, he kinda did. Dammit.
Brushing off her frustrations, she reached back and snared Joey’s hand, entwining their fingers. She told herself it was only so she wouldn’t lose him in the crowd. It had nothing to do with the fact that her hedgie craved his touch, the feel of his skin on hers.
Nope, nothing at all.
They wove past various patrons and she made sure she breathed through her mouth, unwilling to draw their stench in any other way. One male after another looked her over, their gazes pausing at her breasts and then they stretched to get a peek at her ass. That was about the time they caught sight of Joey and suddenly their attention was anywhere other than Katie.
Bastard. She’d never really been checked out before. The least he could do was let it happen before he scared the hell out of them.
It didn’t take long to get to the back of the place, a table tucked in a corner. She knew a male like him would want his back to the wall. It was something Old Man Kenton had shared about his grandson. Their jobs were dangerous and one of the twelve always had to be on guard.
She released him to snare a chair, expecting him to move to his own and settle on the hard seat. Instead, he grabbed her around the waist and brought her along with him, plopping her fat—fluffy—ass on his lap without comment. No grunt. No groan. No grimace over her weight falling against him.
Dragon Her Feet Page 4