Love of A Dragon (Exalted Dragons Book 1)

by K. T. Stryker

  “I have been asleep for fifty years, seeing only what my coven saw in the night. When I entered your mind, I learned about what has changed in the daylight. How people have changed, social orders, fads, and technology. But, I desire to hear you talk about it all.”

  “You care about technology?” I asked, incredulous.

  “Why does that surprise you so much? What else does an immortal creature have to keep them from going mad, but curiosity about the evolution of the world around them?”

  I nodded, thinking ahead, at the end of whatever he thought I could show him.

  “Will I get to go home?” I bit my lip and looked straight ahead at the stairs ahead. I balked at descending them, even though it was a wider and less daunting staircase than the one I had ascended from in my first prison cell here.

  “That is not for you to worry about yet. I expect you to be more compliant after you are assured of your friend’s prognosis.”

  I glanced sideways up at him; his dark hair curling on the high collar of his shirt, an emerald green silk that matched his eyes. I was heading toward David; the boy whom I had spent most of my life half in love with. Now I couldn’t stop being distracted by this man who was so self-assured and powerful. He had nothing to prove to anyone and it was my company he wanted.

  He stopped before a door guarded by one of the male vampires who had opened Nicholas’ coffin at the awakening. He too bowed and backed away. My pulse thumped as Nicholas opened the door and motioned me through.

  At first I stayed close to the wall, searching the room visually and with my mind for any other vampires. All I found was a bed at the end of the room and in it; my friend; his skin as pale as the sheets under him with blooms of black and purple bruises on his face and arms. I was sure if I lifted the light coverlet that lay over him, I would find more of the same down his abdomen and legs.

  The swelling in his face forced one eye shut, but he glared at me from the other until I came closer and he recognized me. His eye went wide with fear and something else I couldn’t identify.

  “David, what did they do to you?” I rushed to his side, unable to hold back the tears that flooded down my cheeks. I was trembling as I touched his shoulders as gently as I could. “I tried to find an escape and instead I found you.” He closed his eye and I sat back and sobbed into my hands. “I felt your wounds,” I confessed, tears sliding down my cheeks. “I felt your pain and it was the worst thing I have ever endured.”

  I felt his bandaged hand over my own, and wiped my eyes on my sleeve so I could see him properly. He tugged at my hand, moving his lips like he was talking. I leaned in, placing my ear next to his mouth.

  “You’re warm.” I sniffed and chuckled.

  “I’m still me.” I felt his body relax next to me on the bed. “The vampire that did this to you. She terrifies me.” His head shook slightly, and his mouth and throat worked as he tried to swallow. A glass of water appeared at my hand and I held it to David’s lips, letting him draw in small sips until he nodded and pulled away.

  “There was a girl. But she didn’t do this.” He held up his bandaged hands. “I remember her. She said her name was Colette. She was on a path that led to the beach.” He closed his eye, his breathing shallow. “Clayton. He was right behind me, I don’t know if he’s alive.” He sniffed, and I wiped his nose with a corner of the bedsheet. “She fed on me. It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced; like sex but better,” David told me, his voice raspy. I scoffed.

  “I’ll have to take your word for it.” He managed a weak smile through his cracked, dry lips. “Of course. Of all the people who have been taken, you were too special to be food.”

  “Don’t. Not now. I have no idea what will happen to me. “I ignored the leaden fear in the pit of my stomach. “Did you tell them you were a hunter in training?” He frowned.

  “I don’t remember what I said at first. I invoked the Venatores when the male took me and bound me. It was like I was drugged, too high to argue or fight back.”

  “There were two vampires?” I asked, confused.

  “In the beginning, there was just the girl. Then the male came and he bound me. They fought and he took me and beat me up. I didn’t see the girl again until just before he came.” David pointed at Nicholas. “There are at least twenty of them, Caroline. We’re going to die here.”

  “Hey, now. This is the master, Nicholas. He promised to get you back to the school as soon as you were well enough. Can you sit up?” He let me assist him into a half-upright position against the pillows. Nicholas stepped forward and bowed at the neck at David.

  “I will leave you to your reunion. Caroline, when you’re finished, come to me. Your friend needs time alone to rest; he’ll be safe here.” I nodded and watched him go, wishing I’d thanked him for saving David and letting me see him.

  “What about you?” David asked as I watched Nicholas leave. I slowly turned back to him, a strange feeling in my stomach.

  “I will do my part and hope I get to leave too.” I gave him a weak smile.

  “You really felt my pain.” I nodded. “I felt you too. I thought it was the vampire; until I heard the scream and realized it wasn’t me. Then I didn’t know what to think.” He stroked my finger. “I should never have left you alone.”

  “But you did! And then you didn’t try to find me after a pretty girl caught your eye,” I said, my voice empty of emotion. “I thought you were my only true friend. I would have done anything for you.” He closed his eye; his breathing shallow again. I took a deep breath. He’d hurt me, but that was no excuse for attacking him now while he lay there in pain. “David; I will do everything I can to get you home safely. Can I count on you to at least tell them I’m still here?” My voice broke and I breathed out a shaky sigh.

  “We’ll come back for you,” he promised. I nodded, but my heart sank. I didn’t believe him. I couldn’t count on him to keep me safe; not anymore.

  “If you don’t, then I’ll find a way on my own.” I could see that he knew I had lost faith in him and anger flashed in his good eye.

  “Hey, I’m in here, because of you. Why are you angry?” He blurted. I stood, shaken by his accusation.

  “No. You’re here because you thought with the wrong body part. I would never have gone off in the darkness alone. If you’d bothered to go to my room, you would’ve known something was wrong.” I backed away another step, painful realization dawning in me. “I don’t belong to you anymore, David. I love you and it’s killing me to see you hurt. But I’m done lying to myself; that you still care about me.” I turned and ran headlong into Rachel. She held me upright and led me away from the bed.

  “Caroline, the master still waits on you for supper.” She stroked my hair and held me tight for a moment. She whispered in my ear: “The first heartbreak is always the worst. Come child, your new master awaits.”

  “Oh, Rachel, I can’t. I can’t go to supper with him and share polite conversation while David lies in that bed.” She held the door and I led the way through, shivering at the sheer quantity of vampire energy that hit me when I walked out into the inhabited hallway. They seemed to ignore me as they went about their business, but I felt each one in my head like notes in a melody and I knew that they were forever etched on my memory.

  “It doesn’t serve you to anger him, Caroline,” she warned me. I nodded.

  “I know. But, I’ll take my chances. Please take me to my room.”

  Chapter 11

  When I felt the hot angry wind blast through the bedroom door throwing away the chair I’d put under the latch across the room; I had a split second to regret not listening to Rachel. Then I felt icy fingers around my throat and stars began to dance in front of my eyes. As I was strangled to near unconsciousness I felt another long-fingered hand slide down the front of me, slipping beneath my neckline and cupping my small breast in a bloodless hand.

  The familiar, terrifying power of Vittorio; the vampire that had taken me, along with a new fear bloomed
in my heart. I would have preferred an eternity of torture at the hands of Nicholas, than one moment enduring the touch of the monster that held me. I grabbed at his hands, as frantic to get him out of my bodice as I was to stay conscious. I tried, but couldn’t scream, and the only sound that emerged from me was a gurgling, bubbling whisper.

  Just as the darkness began to seep in from the edges of my mind; I managed to reach out for Rachel, the only vampire I thought might come to my aid. For just a moment; his hand slipped and I caught a ragged, gasping breath.

  “Don’t bother calling for help. No one can hear you,” he whispered to me, clenching his hands tighter. I went limp and he released my throat and stood in front of me, staring down at me as I coughed and shook from fear. I was in trouble, but I was still conscious. It was a win for me and I searched the room for ways to exploit it. Near the fireplace were iron tools, but they were out of reach.

  He grabbed the bodice of my gown and pulled me to a standing position. “I hate my brother’s Victorian sensibilities, quite frankly. But I do appreciate the ease of undressing a whore in a dress.” He pointed one clawed finger and sliced through the fabric, and I felt a swift burning pain followed by wetness; I knew he’d drawn blood.

  “Someone will stop you,” I spat, shoving as hard as I could and rearing back to kick him in the knee as he held me inches above the floor. He slammed me up against the wall next to the fireplace. I kicked out wildly and spilled the set of tools, hoping they were close enough to grab if he dropped me. With one long arm, he grabbed the poker from the tools I’d scattered to the floor with my struggling and jammed it under the burning logs.

  “Maybe, but not before I’ve had my fun,” he hissed, spittle flying into my face. “Do you really believe my brother would choose you over me?” He yanked on my dress and it tore like paper, falling away from my chest and stomach while the remainder hung off my back by my sleeves. “Ask Colette, if she can speak when she’s released from her coffin in a hundred years or so.” His mouth was on my neck as his hands wandered over me and I felt the prick of his fangs breaking the skin, forcing a shriek of sheer terror from me as I pounded on him with impotent fists, kicking and screaming like a crazy person.

  Suddenly, he dropped me in a pile on the floor. I wrapped my arms over my neck and curled my legs in to protect my soft parts, still screaming. When another blow never came, I dared to look around. Nicholas and the black-haired vampire were grappling on the other side of the room. As I watched the slender vampire danced away from the master and sliced at his face with his claws, drawing blood. I glanced down and saw that the poker was still in the fire.

  I grabbed it; not thinking; and my hand burned instantly from the heat of the handle. I forced myself to hold onto it and staggered at them. I raised the poker as high as the agonizing pain would allow. I stabbed it into Vittorio’s leg, high up on the back of his thigh. He yowled in pain and jerked away; taking the poker and layers of skin from my hand with him. Nicholas stood between us as I sagged to the floor. Nicholas motioned with his head and vampires flooded into the room and grabbed the other vampire by the arms and legs.

  “Lock Vittorio in a cell,” he ordered, straightening his jacket. “Make sure you take the poker out first.” The male vampire closest to him nodded and yanked the poker out of Vittorio’s thigh. I gasped as I realized how deep I’d managed to impale him. I only wished I’d been able to raise my arm to the level of his heart.

  Rachel stayed behind when the others left and Colette was close behind her. Her face was tight and even paler than usual; if that was possible. It was Colette who examined my hand, blowing cool air across the raw, bloody skin as the pain made me vomit bile.

  “Colette. You’ve only just been released. Do not make me put you back before you’ve had a chance to feed.” She cringed and her eyes went to the floor.

  “Her hand is so hot it hurts my skin. I was just trying to cool it.” I glanced down at her, kneeling so she was smaller than me, my hand cupped in hers as in supplication.

  “I’m okay. It just hurts so, so much.” Colette glanced up at me, then at Nicholas.

  “I can heal her,” Colette said softly. Her face was paler than I’d seen; so translucent I could clearly see the veins below her skin.

  “No, Colette. You may not.” The master’s voice was stern but not angry. She backed away from me and Rachel put her to work; righting the furniture and making the evidence of violence disappear before my eyes. I wished they could do the same with my hand, which had started trembling uncontrollably once Colette let go of it.

  “Leave us!” Nicholas’ bark startled all three of us equally and even as I cringed away from him, I saw Colette and Rachel draw back towards each other. “Stop cringing like beaten dogs and leave us please,” he added with a glance toward me. He held out his hand and I placed my good one in it, so he could help me to my feet.

  “Are you angry with me?” I asked, my voice shaky and small.

  “Not nearly as angry as I am with myself,” he admitted. “You should have come down to supper with me.”

  “I wasn’t hungry,” I argued lamely.

  “Yes, I know.”

  “He was… is, my foster brother.” I paused and cleared my throat, then looked Nicholas in the eye. “His parents took me in when a vampire murdered my parents. I was only three when it happened.”

  “I’m sorry to hear of your loss.”

  “A vampire tore their throats out and bled them dry while I sat in my crib, watching. Loss is not really an adequate word,” I corrected. The combination of fear, anger, and pain had my system flooded with adrenaline.

  “. I understand your fear of us.” He replied. “Your brother saved Colette. I should have asked him sooner who hurt him. Colette’s thoughts can be difficult to interpret.”

  “Some people are monsters and so are some vampires. I’m learning. I’ve always wondered why the vampire didn’t kill me too.” I confessed.

  “You are special. You have laughable control over your psychic ability; but your raw power is enough that you broke through a shield built to be strong enough to keep me out, and sensed your brother.” He helped me up onto the bed and laid me back against the pillows, placing another one under my hand so it was elevated, palm up. “Perhaps you were able to make the vampire leave.”

  “Could I do it again?” My voice was clipped, and he looked at me sharply.

  “I could train you to, yes.” He sighed. “But first, I have to heal this. It could get infected and I need you healthy and whole.” Something in his voice made me nervous and I tried to pull my hand back, but his hand shot out; lightning fast and gripped me tight by the wrist.

  “Please,” I whimpered. He released my hand and leaned over me, his hand on my stomach.

  “I’m not going to damage you, but this might sting.” His hand slid up my bare stomach and over my breast and I gasped as pleasure surged through me, so different from what I had just experienced. I didn’t have time to register embarrassment before his leg went between mine and he pinned me at my hip. He pressed down so I couldn’t wriggle out from under him. His hand moved past my chest to my throat and chin; pushing my face away from him and baring my carotid artery.

  “Oh God. Please, please don’t,” I whimpered and shook, the trembling intensifying as I felt his breath on my ear.

  “I won’t take enough to harm you, I simply need to feed before I can heal you. I promise. Everything I take I will return to you.” His lips brushed my jaw and moved down to my neck and I fought the urge to pull him tighter to me. I felt torn between the pleasure of his closeness and the understanding that I was completely at the mercy of a creature that could take my life as easily as a thought.

  There was a prick of fangs at my throat and his aura was so enthralling that all I desired was to give him everything he wanted. He chuckled and I crimsoned, realizing he was in my head again. His laugh was enough to bring me back to myself a little, but the pain in my hand still made concentrating on a psyc
hic shield too difficult.

  Hit bit down and I understood what David had been trying to explain. Pleasure rushed through me to places that I had never been touched. My hand clutched at him, holding him to me even as I begged him to stop. He moaned into my shoulder and licked over the place where he’d bitten me.

  “I sealed the wound. No need to worry about bleeding,” he explained as he pushed up off me and I felt my throat for punctures. I could feel the two pinpricks, but my hand came away clean of anything but some saliva. He rolled up his sleeve past the wrist and sliced his skin open with one fingernail. I balked and pushed away; the euphoria of his bite replaced by revulsion.

  “You can’t expect me to…”

  “Drink. It will heal your hand. I told you I would return what was yours.” I gagged and shook my head. “You enjoyed it when I took it, I felt your body respond to me, even if I hadn’t heard your thoughts. Taking it from me will produce a similar rush. That’s how we get repeat donors,” he whispered. He lifted me and held me with my back against him. “Please let me heal you.” He lifted the narrow red stripe to my mouth and I flicked my tongue over it to gauge my gag reflex.