by KD Jones
A dark spot in the distance had his attention immediately. That had to be the cruise liner. He tried to pick up Emily’s scent but got nothing but the sea air, seagulls, and fish. Was she scared? Were these people helping her or demanding she tell them everything that happened? Had she? Had she told anyone about his people? He didn’t know what would be done if she had, but he would do everything he could to keep her safe.
His phone rang. Answering, he knew who it would be. “My King.”
“Did you find the female and the babe yet?”
“No, but we hope to find them on the cruise liner. We should catch up to it by the time the sun goes down. Then we can shift to dragon form and fly to them.”
“Your priority is that child, Drake. He needs to be given to Arena to go home with her for safety reasons.”
“No!”
“Did you just tell your king no?” Reichard asked with shock and anger.
“Reichardt, I want the boy. He’s in my heart and I think if I keep him, Emily will be more apt to want to stay with me and mate so she can be with Wyatt. She’s bonded with him.”
“This is...complicated. Arena has already requested the council decide the child’s fate.”
“I’ve served you and our people for centuries never asking anything for myself. I am asking this, but I will leave with Emily and Wyatt if I am forced to.”
“Damn it, Drake! Don’t do anything drastic. Bring them home, and I’ll have the council come here to meet. Arena will be angry but...she’ll have to go with what the council decides.”
“I won’t lose them, Reichardt. I have already lost too much already. This is my chance for a family. Don’t deny me.”
“Retrieve them and bring them home. I’ll have your room ready for your arrival.”
“Thanks.”
“Be safe.”
He hung up and placed the phone in his pocket. Glancing at the horizon, he gripped the railing tightly, waiting for the sun to vanish.
I’m coming for you, Emily.
Chapter 19
Emily needed a shower badly. She just didn’t want to leave Wyatt to take one. The ship’s shop sent up clothes for her and the baby. Wyatt was fed, changed, and resting peacefully. She didn’t want to lie on the bed with dirt and sweat. With frustration, she opened the door to her cabin.
“Thomas?”
“Is there something you need?”
“Would you come inside and watch the baby while I take a quick shower? I don’t have a crib or car seat or anything and he could roll off the bed and hurt himself.”
“Of course.”
Thomas entered the small cabin.
She grabbed the clean clothes, underwear and bra then entered the bathroom. “I should only be a few minutes.”
As soon as the door shut, she practically tore her clothes off of her. She turned on the hot water.
“Oh man, that feels so good.”
Emily took a moment to just enjoy the feel of the warmth against her then let reality seep in. She needed to get back to Wyatt.
A knock on the cabin door had her reaching for the towel. She opened the bathroom door and saw Thomas flying backward, hitting the floor hard. Oh God.
Ignoring her attire, or lack of, she had to get to Wyatt. When a massive body entered the small cabin, she launched herself on his back and beat at his massive shoulders.
“Leave us alone!”
“Emily? Stop hitting me, you could hurt yourself.”
She halted her attack. “Drake?”
She let him go and fell to her feet, her towel fluttering to the floor.
Drake looked her up and down then growled as he turned and stalked toward a confused Thomas trying to get back to get up. “You dare touch my female? I will kill you!”
Emily knew he would if she didn’t stop him. Regardless of her nudity, she jumped on his back again. “Stop, Drake!”
“Get off of me, Emily.”
“No, if I do, you’ll hurt Thomas.”
“Damn straight I will. He touched what’s mine.”
Instead of arguing that she wasn’t his, she had to appease him. “He didn’t. Thomas was watching Wyatt while I took a shower.”
She slid off.
“Who is he to you?” Drake demanded as he turned to look at her.
He took his shirt off and gave it to her to put on.
“He’s part of the security for the ship, that’s all. My father hired security to protect me and Wyatt. Nothing else is going on.”
Drake inhaled. He detected the human male’s desire for Emily but from her...he scented confusion and fear. Nodding his understanding, he moved toward the male she called Thomas. “I’m sorry.”
Thomas looked up at his massive built and frowned. “It’s over.”
“Not quite,” Drake said as he hit the male in the face knocking him unconscious.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“Did you tell him what you saw at your hotel room?”
Emily bit her lip not wanting to remember what she saw. She had almost convinced herself it wasn’t real. “No.”
“Did you tell anyone?”
“I told my father bad people were after me and the baby I was taking care of. He set me up with a passage away from...”
He moved closer, but she moved away from him. Drake frowned in frustration and...hurt. “I think I’m going crazy or something.”
“You’re not crazy.”
“But I saw…”
She started to say what she saw—the eyes and claws, but she felt a pressure in the back of her neck then she felt her whole body go weak then darkness claimed her.
*****
Drake reached out just in time to catch Emily as she passed out. Arena stood behind Emily holding a syringe.
“What the hell did you do to her?”
“It’s a tranquilizer. She’ll be out for the next few hours. We use them when we have to deal with humans on occasion.”
He held her close to his chest. She looked so vulnerable. After carrying her to the bed, he laid her down and then looked at Wyatt making sure he was okay. The babe had slept soundly undisturbed by what just took place in the same room.
“I’ll take the babe to the boat, you bring the female. We have to leave before our presence draws the attention of others,” Arena said as she bent over to pick the baby up.
“Arena…”
Drake didn’t like the idea of her taking the baby from him and Emily.
“The council will make the decision. You have a mate to convince to accept you. Take care of one thing at a time. Right now, you need to get your mate dressed and up top.” Arena handed him the jeans and shirt she had retrieved from the bathroom. He took the clothes and dressed his mate quickly before picking her up in his arms once more.
*****
They made their way to the top decking of the cruise ship in order to shift. The lights and security cameras had been disabled to protect their privacy. He watched as one of Arena’s guards shifted to dragon form and wrapped his claw around Arena’s waist while she held the baby close to her chest.
He needed to shift and carry Emily but a sense of nearing danger warned him to look up. A shadow passed overhead then dove toward the dragon holding Arena. He gently placed Emily down on the decking. She stirred a little and he hated that he had to leave her.
Shifting to his dragon form, Drake leaped over the railing into the night air. He launched himself at the dragon attacking Arena and her guard. He hit the other dragon in the side knocking him away.
The dragon holding Arena and the baby landed safely on the small boat they had rented. He had to trust that Arena would keep the baby safe. His thoughts returned to the dragon that had regained his balance and came at him with claws raised.
Drake dropped down at the last minute, dodging the attack and took advantage of the new position. He sank his own claws into the underbelly of the dragon. His opponent let out a loud dragon roar of pain before falling to the water below.
He turned back to the cruise ship and fear seized him. A large man towered over Emily—Dyson.
Chapter 20
Emily woke with confusion. How did she get to the top deck of the cruise ship? The last thing she remembered was…Drake.
She got to her feet swaying. Wyatt, she had to find the baby. Looking around, she noticed a large man coming toward her with an angry glare.
“Who are you?”
“I am King Dyson. You must be the female involved with Drake.”
She didn’t answer him. He didn’t seem rational to her and if he hated Drake, letting him know that they had been involved would only hurt her chances.
“They took something from me, now I’ll take something from them,” the stranger said.
Fear filled her as she watched his eyes glow. What the hell? “Where’s the baby?” she demanded.
“That’s what I want to know. It took great effort to finally get a female to conceive and now, Reichardt thinks to steal it from me.”
He looked her up and down and she felt like jumping off the side of the ship to get away from him.
“Are you responsible for what happened to the baby’s mother?”
“I don’t answer to you, human,” the man said to her.
Human? Female? What had she gotten herself into? Taking a few steps back, her legs hit the railing. If she jumped now she would be sucked under the ship and most definitely die. She had to live, and she had to find Wyatt.
The man named Dyson extended his hand and claws began to grow, just like what happened in her hotel room. Would she die now?
Suddenly, a large form landed between them. The tail knocked her and she fell, hitting her head on the decking. She felt woozy and her eyesight fuzzy but she could hear Dyson.
“You think to keep what belongs to me? Watch your backs because I will come after you and anyone who challenges me.”
A burst of wind hit her sending her over the side of the ship. Emily managed to hold onto the railing but she dangled there helplessly, but she would not be able to hold on much longer. Her head ached and the darkness began taking over.
“Drake!” she had called out to him as she felt her grip slip. The last thing she heard, Drake’s concerned voice yelling her name.
*****
“What do you mean you don’t know where she is?”
Colonel Peter Campbell arrived by helicopter on board the cruise liner from the Philippines to retrieve his daughter to find her missing.
“Sir, some guy came in and unfortunately he knocked me out. When I woke up they were gone. We found no signs of them on the ship.”
“How did he get on board?”
“My people are reviewing the passenger log.”
“What about surveillance?”
“The cameras went down on several levels including the top decks.”
“How convenient.”
Peter ran a hand through his military cut salt and pepper hair. His green eyes looked around the small cabin taking in every detail. Baby clothes, diapers, bottles, all left along with a few clothes that had been in the bag. She didn’t leave willingly. He looked at the door to the spot where this guy Thomas said he had been thrown. Whoever did this had to be strong...really strong.
“Colonel, I think I can track her for you,” a young lieutenant said, standing beside him shuffling his feet.
A few members of the team he had worked with for the past two years requested coming with him to help retrieve Emily. These men were the best of the best and he appreciated their loyalty to him.
“How?” he asked.
“She had used a cell phone to call you. If she still has it with her, I can track it.”
“Well, get to it!”
Hang on, baby...your daddy’s coming for you.
*****
Emily felt like someone placed sandbags on top of her. She had to struggle to open her eyes and move her head. What happened? She found herself in a big room with big furniture. Pushing herself into a sitting position, that took a great deal of effort, but she managed it. The bed with its iron frame seemed to take up most of the space in the room. The red and velvet bedspread felt so soft. The blinds pulled up halfway on the windows. She could see an open door she thought may lead to a bathroom and then two more closed doors. She assumed one had to be the closet and the other an exit.
“Where the hell am I?”
She moved her heavy feet to the side of the bed, trying to remember what happened.
She had taken a shower and started to get dressed when… “Wyatt!”
She tried to stand but her legs felt like jelly and she collapsed to the floor.
The door opened, and a pretty blond stepped in carrying a tray of food. She took one look at Emily and quickly put the try down to rush over to help.
“Oh, you poor thing! I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you woke, but I thought you would be hungry so I went to the kitchen for just a few minutes.”
The woman rambled more than Emily. “Who are you?”
“I’m Valorie,” the blond said helping her to stand and move back to the bed.
“Where am I?”
“The King R Ranch, Dragoon, Arizona.”
Arizona? Wasn’t Drake from Arizona? What mattered most was the baby. “Where’s Wyatt?”
Valorie smiled as she went to get the tray of food. “He is being lavished with love and attention by everyone on the ranch. He’s a special little boy.”
“I want to see him,” Emily insisted.
The woman seemed friendly, but she didn’t trust anyone with Wyatt.
“Of course. Let’s get you fed, showered and changed. Then if you are feeling stronger, I will take you to Wyatt’s nursery.”
She wanted to argue with Valorie that Wyatt wouldn’t be staying here, but she had to bide her time and figure out what to do. She had to find a way for her and Wyatt to escape.
“Fine.”
She picked up a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon, biscuits and grits. She took a bite and groaned with pleasure. Emily hadn’t had anything to eat in...she didn’t know how long. Before she knew it, she had cleaned the plate. She drank the rest of the orange juice as Valorie collected the plates with a smile on her face.
“Do you want more?”
“No, but thank you. It tasted delicious.”
“I’m going to make sure you get into the shower okay before I take the tray back to the kitchen. Then I’ll be back to help you get dressed.”
She nodded. The sooner she was showered and dressed, the sooner she would get to Wyatt. “I’m ready.”
Valorie followed her to the bathroom but she turned and told her, “I don’t need anyone helping me here. I’ve got this.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want to come back and find you sprawled on the shower floor.”
Emily couldn’t help but frown at the reminder. Through clenching teeth, she responded, “I’ve got it.”
Once Valorie left, she turned on the water to the shower, took off the nightgown. The steam and hot water helped clear the rest of the fogginess from her mind. She was so caught up in the wonder of the water on her skin that she didn’t hear someone else enter the bathroom.
Chapter 21
Drake had been in a meeting with Reichardt for hours. All he wanted was to remain with Emily in his bedroom so he would be there when she woke. A knock on the door interrupted their conversation.
“Come in,” Reichardt ordered.
Valorie entered. She looked at Drake and gave him a smile.
“Emily is awake and demanding to see Wyatt. She had breakfast and is taking a shower. I promised to take her to see the boy.”
“I’ll take her,” Drake said as he stood.
“Drake, we’re not done yet,” Reichardt said.
“No offense, My King, but that’s my mate who has not yet been claimed.”
Growling his understanding, Reichardt waved for him to leave. “Prepare for the council to convene tomorrow about the child.�
��
He nodded but headed past Valorie. His heart raced at the thought of seeing his Emily. He had to explain what she had seen at the hotel, about his people, and situation with Wyatt.
He knocked on his own bedroom door and waited for an answer, but none came. He could hear the shower running, so he let himself in. The sheets on the bed were kicked back. He had slept next to her the previous night. Whatever strength of drug Arena had injected Emily with had been strong. She slept almost a day and a half. He worried terribly that she wouldn’t wake, but the local doctor visited and assured him she would. He wanted to be here, but Reichardt insisted on an early meeting to go over what the council would demand.
The open door to the bathroom called to him. He knew he should wait there for her to come out, but he had to see her. He just wanted a quick look.
He halted in the entrance to the bathroom, his eyes frozen on the view he got through the clear shower door. Her body was perfect, wet and smooth. Water dripped from her nipples. He had never felt so thirsty. A purr erupted from his inner dragon.
Need mate...want mate.
Damn his dragon. He had so much he to tell Emily. What if she couldn’t accept him? He shook off those thoughts as he watched her cup her breasts spreading soap bubbles over it.
Take now...talk later. His dragon told him, and for once, he agreed wholeheartedly.
Moving forward, he removed his shirt, kicked off his boots, and let his jeans drop. His cock sprung free and was full and hard. He wanted her like no other. He could have lost her. If the attacker had gotten his hands on her and Wyatt, he would have lost them both.
He opened the shower door and heard her gasp as she tried to cover herself. “Drake. What are you doing?”
“You scared me, Emily.”
She dropped her hands and glared at him. “I...scared...you? I saw something...and you’re one of them.”
Moving closer to block her from escaping. “I should have told you about me. I guess having kept the secret from humans for so long has become a habit.”
Emily put up a hand between them to keep him from her. “Humans? What are you?”