In the vision, she’d been attacked by an alpha wolf, and luckily, he’d been able to get there before the wolf could accomplish his aims.
But still, he’d known from the bone-chilling anxiety he’d felt that this wasn’t just some human. This was his mate, and his fury at someone else touching her had led him to deal out more physical violence than he ever had in his life.
He could use mental violence if necessary, but for some reason, he’d needed to feel his fists pounding the other man into the ground for touching what was his.
“Hey, I’m still out here! Open the door, you goofy dragon. I need to talk to you.”
He grinned but then sobered and opened the door. “Lana,” he said. “Did you like the flowers?”
She was holding them, but her expression didn’t seem exactly pleased.
She shoved them against his chest. “You need to stop this.”
He couldn’t stop his eyes from roving over her. His mate was so beautiful. Tall, with perfect curves that would fill his hands, and soft, light-brown eyes that reminded him of sunlight falling on linden trees in fall.
Her skin was tawny, her hair dark and tightly curled. Short so it framed her face. She’d cut it soon after arriving at the mansion, and far from being disappointed, he’d liked how much easier it was to see her face.
She had strong features. Big, bold eyes, full lips that were more rounded than wide. A sculpted nose. High cheekbones always accented by some blush she liked to wear. A petite little chin that nevertheless always looked stubborn.
She folded her arms over her generous breasts as he took the flowers from her, feeling puzzled.
“You don’t like them?” he asked.
“I don’t like you,” she said. At his disheartened expression, she sighed. “Not like this at least. I need you to ease up.”
He frowned. All the other dragons had won their mates with sheer persistence and had been sure he could do the same, no matter what Lana said about hating shifters. They’d been helping him come up with ideas to show her he was different from brutes like Galen.
Flowers. Chocolates. Little notes saying he was thinking of her.
Speaking of which, she held one up. “Like this,” she said. “It’s not cute; it’s creepy. Because I’ve made it clear I don’t like you.” She handed him the note, and he read it.
I’m thinking about you and watching you all the time. —Dom
What was so creepy about that?
“You were carrying it, though,” he said.
“Yeah, because it’s evidence of how ridiculous you’re being.” She folded her arms. “I’ve been clear about this. I’m sure some other shifter lady would be fine having you, but it’s not going to be me.”
It is, he wanted to blurt out. Because fate had decided it. But she hated hearing things like that more than anything, so he’d been careful to never mention it.
“I’m sorry,” he said because he didn’t know what else to say. He didn’t intend to stop pursuing her, but maybe he really should at least appear to since it seemed to be causing her distress.
Had what Galen done really been that bad? He was sure he’d rescued her in time.
“Look, I’m grateful you’ve been guarding me, but I need you to knock it off with the romance stuff,” she said, looking at his chest as if she were avoiding his eyes.
The longer she spoke, the more he noticed her blush creeping up her tawny skin and warming him inside.
She wasn’t unaffected by him, despite what she might say. She was just fighting it.
She looked up at him, glaring, and it seemed to take considerable effort. “Are you even listening? Ugh, you just stare at me with those eyes, and I—”
“I’m listening to every word,” he said. “I’m paying attention. That’s why the note—”
She put up a hand. “If I were you, I wouldn’t mention that note.”
He shut his mouth.
She was wearing a light-pink tunic over black leggings and pink bunny slippers, and he held back a grin at how adorable she was. She shook her head, and her curls bounced, making his hands itch to reach forward and touch them.
But he knew she wasn’t ready for that.
Part of him felt like an ass, pursuing her when she clearly said she wasn’t into it. But he also knew he couldn’t back down now that he knew they were meant to be together.
And a part of him was just soaring, thinking maybe fate had come up with a way he didn’t have to be alone anymore.
“What do you want from me?” he asked.
“Space,” she said, rocking from foot to foot as if she were uncomfortable. The blush was even deeper.
“I have to protect you,” he said.
“When we go out,” she said. “But not here in the castle.”
“I don’t want to avoid you.”
“But I want you to.” She sighed. “And that’s just like a shifter, only thinking about what you want. Not listening when I say I. Don’t. Want. You.” She poked him in the chest, punctuating each of her last words, and he heard a hard tone enter her voice. A strained tone, as if she weren’t talking to him anymore.
She shuddered, and he caught her by the shoulders. She flailed wildly, shaking him off. She put up a hand to block him from touching her again.
Angry brown eyes glowered up at him. “Don’t.”
He drew back. It struck him to the core to see her like this. Furious. Afraid. Upset.
The very opposite of what he wanted. All he wanted was to see her smile. At him, preferably, but any smile would do.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“It’s fine,” she grumped, holding herself with her arms. “Lately, I’m always scared.”
“What?”
She shook her head. “Never mind. Forget I said it.” She turned to go, but he stepped in front of her.
“Wait,” he said. “You should know, regardless of anything between us, I’ll protect you with my life. You know that, right? And unlike the other dragons, I’ve never had a collar. I have my full powers. I can keep you safe.”
“That’s right,” she said. “Why don’t you have a collar?”
He blinked. He didn’t want to tell her the truth, that he’d been planning to go back to sleep rather than live with his powers and his solitude—before he’d met her. As such, the oracle had trusted him not to run amok, since his whole purpose had been to help humans.
Right now, there was only one human he wanted to help.
“Right, you’re not going to tell me. When there’s a question you don’t want to answer, you just avoid it and—”
“I don’t have a collar because I’m not a flight risk,” he said. “There, I told you.”
She frowned. “Was that so hard?”
“No,” he said. “Anyway, I’m sorry if I disturbed you. No more flowers. No more notes.”
“It’s not just that,” she said, glancing up shyly. “It’s the look in your eyes. The hope there, all pinned on me.” She shivered. “I can’t do it. I mean it when I say I’m not interested.”
“You were interested in my kiss,” he said.
She gasped, but her eyes darted to his mouth, and she ran her tongue over her bottom lip slowly. Then her stare snapped back to his. “Shut up. You forced me.”
“I leaned in. You could have leaned back any moment.”
“You held my head,” she said.
“Lightly, and you liked it,” he said.
She shook her head. “You know what? With all this… this constant pursuing, this forcing…” She hesitated, as if gathering courage for what she wanted to say. “You’re just like Galen!”
Then she turned on her heel and fled, and he stared after her, gaping.
He was nothing like that wolf. She’d returned his kiss, and she knew it. She was affected every time she looked at him.
She just didn’t want to admit it.
And Dom had no idea what to do. Awkwardly, he stepped back into
the room, flowers in hand.
Zach walked out of the closet, repentant. “Um, I think maybe we’ve been going about this the wrong way.”
“You think?” Dom exploded, throwing the vase into the wall as delayed anger coursed through him. It broke, and flowers and water scattered all over the carpet as his heart pounded.
He was nothing like that wolf. Nothing. He’d tried to only treat her like treasure.
Except maybe he was more like that wolf than he wanted to admit. He did want Lana. He didn’t listen when she said they would never be together.
But unlike that gross wolf, Dom knew Lana was his mate. Knew he was meant to make her happy forever and beyond.
He sat on the bed and put his head in his hands. “What the fuck am I supposed to do?”
Chapter 2
Zach paced in front of him. “I think I have an idea. I think it’s a little different than what we’ve tried, but it should work.”
“And what’s that?”
“Be her friend,” Zach said.
He sighed. “I am her friend. I’d do anything for her.”
“No,” Zach said. “Tell her you won’t pursue her anymore. Just give up.”
Dom shook his head. “I can’t. I can’t just pretend it isn’t meant to be.”
“Look,” Zach said, pinning him with a glare. “She’s your mate, but not if you don’t win her over. And all the things that worked for me are just pushing her away. So we have to try something different. And maybe, based on what she was saying, she just needs someone safe. Like a friend.”
“Bridget is her friend,” Dom said.
“Bridget is busy with Alistair,” Zach replied. “And Lana is the type to hide her feelings if she thinks they will burden someone. But after what I heard today, that girl needs someone to confide in.”
Dom sighed. “You think so? So what, I just pretend I’m one of her girlfriends?”
“I don’t see what else you can do.”
Dom thought about it, the horrible scenario where Lana truly rejected him. He would still want to have known her. Would still want to be her friend. Perhaps he should build from there.
Perhaps that would make him different from Galen, at least in her eyes. He knew in truth, he and Galen couldn’t be further apart.
He wanted to make Lana happy; Galen had only wanted to make her his.
Dom didn’t want her to be his if she couldn’t be happy.
He stood. “Friend, right.” He nodded. “So we can spend more time together. Actually, this is smart. She won’t be guarded against me as a friend.”
“Kind of like Pumpkin,” Zach said. “Ruby’s demon cat.”
Dom narrowed his eyes. “Please don’t compare my mate to a demon cat.”
“No,” Zach said. “I just mean the more Ruby tried to force Pumpkin to like him, the more she scratched him in the face and ran away. Even though all Ruby wanted to do was help. Pumpkin liked his mate because Faye was patient and let Pumpkin come to her.”
Dom sighed. “I can’t believe we’re comparing my mate to a cat.”
Zach laughed, and then his dark eyes widened and he snapped. “Speaking of which, there is an idea.”
“What?”
“You could get her a cat. Knowing her, she’d want to pick it out. You could take her to the shelter. As a friend.”
Dom considered it. “I suppose that would be something a friend would do.”
“Right,” Zach said. “And you can just be clear it’s a peace offering. That you heard her loud and clear about not wanting you, and you’re okay with it.”
“I’m not okay with it.”
“You have to be,” Zach said with a frown.
Dom took a deep breath. He was right. He’d lose her anyway if he didn’t pull back. And he truly cared about her happiness. Whether it won her for him or not, if it made her feel better for him to step back, then he’d do it.
“Besides,” Zach said. “A cat would be good for you, too. Keep you busy. You should get a kitten or something. Something you can care for together.”
Dom nodded. “I do feel better when I have something to do.” And the thought of more time with Lana was intoxicating.
“Any new visions?” Zach asked. “Of the other missing humans?”
“No,” Dom said. “Wherever they’re hidden, it’s secure. Any info from the oracle about the dark oracle?”
“Whatever she’s figuring out, she’s not in any hurry to share it with me,” Zach said, standing with a shrug. “I tell you, something about that witch, even half hidden with her robe, was familiar.” He scratched his head. “It’s been bugging me ever since the night we rescued Lana.”
“Yeah, well, you were the only one who saw her.”
Zach nodded. “I still can’t believe after that heroic rescue, Lana didn’t just fall for you. She’s interesting.”
“Shut up,” Dom said possessively.
Zach threw up his hands. “I can’t compare her to a cat. I can’t say she’s interesting. I can’t win, can I?”
“Only by not making any comment about my mate,” Dom said. “Unless you’re helping me win her.”
Zach sighed. “Well, I feel the same way about Erin, so I can’t blame you. Still, the sooner you win her, the better, so we don’t have to talk about it.”
Dom smiled bitterly. “Ah, but I was enjoying our little talks.”
“Were you?” Zach looked almost hopeful.
“No,” Dom deadpanned, and Zach laughed.
“All right, then,” he said. “I’m going to my mate, where I’m welcome.”
Jealously shot through Dom as he watched his friend depart. He had warm arms to walk into, a happy, smiling woman waiting to see him.
Dom couldn’t even picture Lana being like that. No, he could, and it filled him with a warm hope he had to push aside. Otherwise, she’d see it in his eyes.
The shelter. Cats. A trip and a promise of friendship. His mission firmly in mind, he headed down the hall in the direction of Lana’s room.
Lana bit back an angry sigh as she heard heavy footsteps outside her door. She knew the cadence; it could only be one person.
Being imprisoned had made her hyperaware of things like that. The sound of footsteps in a hallway, the way shadows moved under the crack of a door.
“What do you want?” she yelled as the footsteps stopped outside her door.
“Just to talk,” Dom said in that deep, rumbly, sexy voice of his.
Her body still hadn’t recovered from talking to him. He made her heart race so hard she couldn’t breathe if he stared at her too long.
But when she opened the door, the Dom she saw there was different.
His long hair was tucked behind on ear, revealing his piercings, and there was a calm look in his ice-blue eyes she hadn’t seen before. “Can I come in?”
She waved him in, because she knew he wouldn’t try anything with everyone around. Heck, he hadn’t tried anything since she’d tracked him down and bawled him out over that one kiss.
At least in that way, he was different from Galen.
He sat on her bed, making himself at home, while she sat on a chair near the door, where she could make a quick getaway. Ugh, she was so cautious now. She hated that her kidnappers had taken her safety away from her.
Dom leaned back on the bed, his impressive muscles straining his leather jacket, and stared at her.
“Well?” she asked. “What did you want to say?”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I thought about what you said, and you’re right. I guess, in my own way, I’ve been trying to cheer you up. I thought if I just kept pushing…”
“That I’d be yours,” she said. “I get it. That’s how shifters work.”
He put up a finger. “But then I realized it wasn’t making you happy. I just wanted to see you smile, I swear. And when you confronted me just now, I realized that’s never going to happen that way.”
She nodded.
He took a deep breath, and sh
e tried not to look at his pecs as they pressed against his white graphic tee. So huge. So grabbable.
“So I’m giving up. For both our sakes.”
Her jaw dropped. “What?” This was what she’d wanted, right? So why did she feel just the slightest bit disappointed when she should be feeling relief and joy?
“You said we couldn’t be together. You said it over and over. So I’m not going to push for it. I’m not going to hope for it. I’m going to believe you when you say it’s impossible.”
“Ah,” she said. “And that’s what you wanted to tell me?”
“Not all of it,” he replied. “I also want to be your friend.”
“My what?” She felt a flush creeping up her face. Women like her weren’t just friends with hulking, handsome guys like him. It didn’t bode well for her libido. “How can we be friends?”
He leaned back on his hands. He had a leather cuff on one wrist, emphasizing beautiful, tanned, sculpted forearms. His grip strength would be off the charts… “Easy. We’re both the loners in the house. And I’m your bodyguard anyway. Even if I’m not pursuing you, we can hang out. Heck, it’ll be less awkward.”
She wasn’t so sure about that.
She walked to her window and gazed outside. She did want to go out more. If she trusted him to not pressure her when they were alone…
As if he’d read her mind, he started talking again. “I was thinking we could go out more. Get you out of the castle. As friends I mean.”
She looked at him hesitantly. Did she really like what he was saying? Or was constantly getting angry with him just a way to keep from getting close? She didn’t know.
“I promise you, Lana. I’m not going to make another move.”
“Ever?” she asked.
He sighed. “Ever. Any moves will have to be made by you.”
“Who said there would be moves?”
“You look at me like you want to eat me sometimes. I know you don’t want to be with me long term, but sometimes I think you wouldn’t mind a night.”
He was right. Sometimes she ached for him. But he was a shifter, and she’d made herself a promise.
Amethyst Dragon (Awakened Dragons Book 5) Page 2