by G. K. DeRosa
I shimmied down and tugged on Talon’s jumpsuit, sliding it over his hips. Saliva pooled in my mouth at the sight of him.
Talon’s hand shot up and closed around mine. “There’s no going back from this,” he rasped out. “This bond will happen.”
“I don’t want to go back, Talon. I want to move forward. With you. Always.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed, and a wave of emotion filled my chest, seeping to each and every hidden nook. His eyes pierced mine, the dragon radiating through the shimmery depths. “I love you, Azara. You were made for me, and I will cherish you until I take my dying breath.” His fangs lengthened and anticipation tightened my lungs. I bared my neck, tilting my head to the side. This was it.
I held my breath, my lids sliding closed. I’m ready. I shot the thought to Talon, hoping it would make it through the frenzy that swept through the blood bond.
A smile curled his lips as he leaned forward. My dragon was ready the moment he saw you.
My heart swelled as an onrush of emotions battered my insides. I felt raw, exposed, but in the most incredible way.
A high-pitched ring stopped Talon’s advance, his gleaming white incisors retreating beneath his lip. He muttered a curse and held up his finger, his lips curling into a scowl. Seriously? I shouted in my mind. He tapped the com hidden behind his ear and drew in a breath. “Talon here,” he rasped out, the rough edge to his tone stoking the still-smoldering flames.
I sat up and crossed my arms over my bare chest. I strained to make out the words but even with my demon senses, I couldn’t hear the muttered discussion on the other end.
“Tell her I’ll call her back in an hour.”
Her?
“I can’t right now,” he bit back.
It had to be Logan. Talon would’ve blown off any other call through the com. What was going on?
“Fine,” he growled. “Put her through.”
I shot Talon my best WTF look, narrowing my eyes. He mouthed an “I’m sorry,” and held up a finger. I zipped up my jumpsuit and scrambled off his lap, my arms tightening across my chest.
His expression darkened as he listened to the mystery girl on the other side of that com. His mouth puckered, and he loosed a frustrated breath. “That is not an emergency, Vessa!” he hissed.
Vessa? Anger uncoiled in my gut, zipping through my veins and drowning out the lusty fire. My demon surged to the surface. He stopped this for her? I tapped my foot on the floor, my pace growing more frantic with each passing second.
“I’ll deal with it later.” Talon’s jaw strained, and he pressed his fingers to his temples. “Fine, give me fifteen minutes. I’ll call you back.”
I stood there seething as he jabbed a finger at the com and finally met my fiery glare.
“I’m so sorry, Azara.” He held out his hand, reaching for me, but I pressed my arms closer to my chest.
“What the hell was that?” I snapped.
“Logan said it was urgent. I figured if Vessa had gotten past him it must have been bad.”
Thoughts of the she-wolf’s soul flickered to the surface. I should’ve let my demon finish her off when I had the chance. Shaking my head, I chased away the dark thoughts. “What did she want?”
“She’s freaking out about Vander. She thinks he’s going to do or maybe already did something crazy.”
“Sounds like Vessa’s trying to get you back with a lame excuse,” I huffed.
“I don’t know. She sounded pretty desperate.”
“So Vander’s back home in Marlwoods?”
He nodded. “I guess so. We haven’t exactly spoken lately. All I know is he hated his desk job at the SIA, and Maxim fired him when he started acting out.”
I slumped into the chair and groaned. “Find out what’s going on.” This was my demon’s fault after all.
“Are you sure?”
“Well, it’s not like we’re going to continue where we left off.” I threw my hands up and sighed.
Talon pulled his jumpsuit up over his hips, zipping it up mid-chest and stomped toward the desk. He booped my nose as he passed, a lopsided smile gracing his lips. “This isn’t over.”
I shot him a good eyeroll and motioned at the ancient desk phone. With all the fancy SIA high tech around here, I didn’t understand why they kept that prehistoric relic. He lifted the receiver and a few seconds later, he was connected to his half-sister slash ex-girlfriend. Bleh. My skin still crawled at the thought of her hands on him.
I strode over to the desk, scanning the black phone and my eyes landed on a button labeled speaker. Perfect. I clicked it, and Vessa’s irritating voice filled the small room.
“There’s something wrong, Talon, I know it. Vander disappeared for hours yesterday and when he came home, he looked like a ghost. He wouldn’t talk to me, refused to eat and he hasn’t left his room since he got back. It’s bad, T. He hasn’t been himself for weeks, but yesterday when he returned it was like I was looking at a stranger. I’m so worried. I know he hurt you and you’ve refused to talk to him, but please, I’m begging you, for me. Please just come see your brother and make sure he’s okay.”
Vessa was either the greatest actress or she really was desperate.
Talon’s gaze flicked to mine before he answered. I kept my expression a blank mask. This was his beef with his brother, and I so did not want to be in the middle of it. More than I already was anyway.
“I don’t know, Vessa. It’s not really a good time,” he finally answered.
“Talon, if you want me to beg I will. I can’t get through to him, no one can. Even some of the guys from the pack have tried, his best friends. He won’t talk to any of us. I’m terrified he’s going to do something stupid.” She paused, sniffling. “If you won’t do it for me, please do it for our parents.”
Talon’s expression darkened, and he scrubbed his hands over his face. Releasing a breath, he glanced at me once again. “Okay, we’ll come.”
“We?” Her voice rose a few octaves, my eyes widening along with it.
“I’m not leaving Azara here by herself. If you want me, you’re getting her too.”
“She tried to kill me!” she shrieked.
“She’s better now. The demon’s fully under control, and I promise you won’t be in any danger. It’s a moot point, Vessa. If I go, she goes. Up to you.”
“Fine,” she snarled after a lengthy pause. “How soon can you get here?”
“We’ll be there in a few hours.”
Chapter Fourteen
“Marlwoods is creepy,” I muttered as we trudged through the quiet forest. I could feel dozens of eyes boring into me, raising the hair on the back of my neck. No matter how many times I scanned the thick tree line, I couldn’t find a single soul. The idea of shifters always weirded me out. Like any little furry bunny or cute puppy could be a grown man, getting off on you stroking their fur.
“Don’t let Vessa hear you say that,” Talon countered.
I grunted. Like I cared what she thought of me. “How much further?”
“Just up that hill.”
Dragon-Talon had flown us to the border of Moon Valley, the wolf pack lands, then had explained we’d have to go the rest of the way by foot. Apparently, dragons weren’t welcome in their massive reptilian forms, and the last thing we needed was to make a scene.
The hike across the verdant woods had actually been a nice change to the obsidian walls of Darkblood, but I was still a little irritated after our rude interruption. I’d been ready, ready to tie myself to Talon forever. Maybe the lust had clouded my judgement, and I’d been too hasty. Maybe Talon was right, and we should take it more slowly. I’d be mated to a dragon right now if Vessa hadn’t called. I chewed on the inside of my cheek as I considered.
There were so many things I still didn’t know about dragons. Especially their mating rituals. Maybe I should sit Talon down for a dragon Q&A before we sealed the deal.
Are you going to tell me what you’re thinking about? Talon’s voice r
esonated in my mind.
Nope. And don’t even try to pry it out of me.
He bumped my shoulder with his massive arm, and I nearly stumbled over a gnarled root protruding from the dark earth. His hand fastened around my waist and kept me upright as I cursed the malevolent trees. Once I was steady, I squirmed free of his grasp and marched ahead.
“Azara, come on. I already apologized at least a dozen times for earlier. It’s not like I wanted to be interrupted.”
“Whatever,” I called out over my shoulder.
Lengthening his strides, he caught up with me a second later and grabbed my hand, jerking me to a stop. “Do we need to talk about this before we get to Vessa’s?”
“Nope.”
“You’re going to behave in there, right? I don’t have to worry about your demon getting all soul-sucky?” His lips twitched.
“I’ll behave as long as she does.” A tiny part of me still thought this could be some elaborate ploy to get Talon back.
“Fine. When we’re done here, we can start up where we left off.”
I snorted and popped my hands on my hips. “I guess. If I’m still up for it.”
Talon’s eyes widened to the size of matching silver full moons. “If you’re still up for it? You’ve changed your mind because of one little interruption?”
I snagged my lower lip between my teeth and lowered my aggravated stance, dropping my hands from my hips. “Now that I’ve had more time to consider it, I’m thinking maybe you were right and we were being too hasty.”
He dragged his fingers through his windblown hair and huffed. Pacing in a tight loop, he circled, his dark gaze searing into me. “This is a serious decision, Azara. If you can be swayed so easily, then yes, we should wait. If you’re only agreeing to this for sex, we’ve got a problem.”
Heat surged up my neck and flames danced across my cheeks. “That’s a low blow, dragon douche canoe. That’s not at all what was happening.”
His chest heaved, and scales began to ripple over his forearms. A rush of fear and anxiety walloped me in the chest, and it wasn’t mine. “Then why did you change your mind?”
I massaged the tender spot under my collarbone and tried to breathe through the raging emotions. “I didn’t change my mind. Of course I still want to be with you. I’m simply saying I agree with you and that you weren’t wrong to want to take things slow.”
“Oh, we’re taking things slow from now on, Azara. Next time, you’ll have to beg me to make love to you.”
I crinkled my nose in annoyance. Sheesh, when did the big bad dragon get so sensitive?
He began trudging toward the hill once again but spun back before reaching the next tree. “Do you know why I agreed to come here?”
I shrugged. “Because Vessa is a conniving b—witch?”
His head whipped back and forth. “No. I don’t care what she wants. I did it for you, Azara, to keep you safe. With the attack at Darkblood the other day and the SIA on your tail, I figured hiding out in Marlwoods for a day was our best option.”
Invisible bands of guilt squeezed my lungs, and my jaw dropped open, all the words sticking in my throat.
“You’re always my number one priority, Azara. Always.”
A punch in the gut would’ve hurt less. Not only could I see the hurt in his eyes, it was ravaging the bond. Gods, I was a jerk.
Before he could stomp away again, I grabbed his hand and interlaced my fingers through his. “I know that,” I whispered. “That’s why I want to make sure you spend the rest of your life bound to someone that deserves it.”
His eyes fixed to mine, and an eternity of silence passed between us. Emotions thrashed through my insides, indecision mixed with doubt, fear, and love. Endless amounts of love.
I opened my mouth to speak, to say what I wasn’t exactly sure, but a blonde appeared at the top of the hill, waving frantically.
“It’s about time you got here,” Vessa called out.
I bit back the curse on the tip of my tongue. She-wolf Barbie was the last person I wanted to see right now. A swirl of insecurity rippled through my insides as Talon’s gaze lifted to hers. What if he realized he was the one making a mistake by choosing me as his mate? I shook my head out, chasing away the stupid. When had I gotten so fickle? I blamed the blood bond for messing with my mind. Or maybe Thax’s torture screwed me up worse than I’d thought.
Talon darted up the hill, and I clambered up behind him. “What’s going on?” he shouted.
Vessa leapt into his arms, and a blast of jealousy scorched my insides. He’s ours. My she-demon’s possessive voice ricocheted across my skull. I inhaled slowly and tamped down on the fiery sensations. Mostly because I didn’t want Talon to think I was an envious psycho.
“Come, Talon, please hurry.” Vessa latched onto his bicep and dragged him to the top of the hill. A thick copse of trees obscured my vision as I hurried behind them. Once I made it to the top, my gaze settled on the odd werewolf dens. I’d heard about them before but had never seen them in person. Caves would be too rustic of a description for the homes built into the side of the rolling hills.
At least a dozen entrances were carved out of the rough terrain, steps leading up to the wolfy abodes. The dwellings looked small from this side of the knoll, but from what I’d heard, the wolf caves extended well into the interior, much like the tunnels running beneath the prison and into the mountains of Draeko.
“Are you coming or what?” Vessa’s shrill voice tore me from the unusual cave condos. I nodded and hurried up the steps behind her to an opening on the third level. I fit through the doorway without having to duck, but not so much for my dragon boyfriend. Had he grown up in this cavern?
Once we were inside the narrow entrance, it opened up into a roomy foyer, the ceiling soaring at least ten feet high. Two males I didn’t recognize perched on a big couch in the adjoining room. Talon immediately reached for me, tucking me into his side and a low grumble vibrated his throat. Well, at least now he remembers I exist.
“Relax, T,” said Vessa. “Jerico and Hunter aren’t going to harm your precious Azara.” She puckered her lips as she eyed me.
The two wolf males rose, and Talon’s grip on my arm tensed. “Where’s Vander?” he asked.
“You’ve been gone for a while, dragon.” The dark-haired one neared and extended his hand. An enormous wolf head tattoo peeked out from under his shirtsleeve. “You don’t even recognize me anymore?”
Talon’s brows furrowed as they ran up and down the werewolf. I trailed his gaze, unable to help ogling the massive male. He wasn’t nearly as huge as Talon, but his shirt strained against his broad chest, the tight tee doing nothing to hide the firm pecs and carved abs beneath. An overwhelming sense of maleness surrounded the creature, unlike anything I’d encountered before.
Talon’s nostrils flared, and he cocked his head. “Hunter, as in Alpha Tyrien’s son?”
“In the flesh.”
“Damn, it has been a long time.”
The impressive wolf shrugged, puffing out his chest. “I suppose I wouldn’t have recognized you either if Vessa hadn’t given me the head’s up.”
The she-wolf moved toward the other male. He was blonde with kind, honey eyes. A smile curved his lips as he pulled Vessa into his side. “Talon, I want you to meet Jerico, my mate.”
Her what?
Talon’s eyes bugged out, his jaw nearly coming unhinged, and I was sure I mirrored his stunned expression. Vessa wrapped her arm around his waist and smiled. “We just found out last week. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. He’s been my rock since all of this started with Vander.”
Talon’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. I could feel the jumble of emotions radiating from his tall form in tidal waves. I expected envy, jealousy, anger, but instead a hint of confusion, but mostly relief seeped through the bond. “I’m happy for you, Vessa. For both of you.” He ticked his head at the blonde male and pressed his lips into a hard line. “So where is Vander
?”
Hunter motioned toward a winding hallway. “Back that way. He hasn’t come out since yesterday. I can sense something through the pack bond, but he won’t let me into his mind. He’s shutting me out somehow. Whatever is going on in his head, isn’t good if he’s trying to block all of us.”
“I see,” Talon gritted out. He turned to Vessa who still clung onto her new mate. Shocker, right? “I’ll try my best, Vessa, but as you know, Vander and I aren’t in the best place right now.”
“Which is exactly why it has to be you, T. I know he feels horrible for what happened. It’s what set him on this downward spiral.”
Talon pursed his lips and released a slow breath. He bent down and brushed the shell of my ear with his warm breath. “I’ll be right back. You’ll be safe with Hunter, but if you need anything, just shout.”
“Yeah, sure. I’ll be fine. Try to fix this, Talon. Vander is your brother after all, and if you were able to forgive me, you should at least try to forgive him too.”
Without responding, he stalked down the corridor. My eyes trailed his broad form until he reached the corner and disappeared. Then I turned back to the three wolves and wrapped my arms across my chest. From the uneasy look in Vessa’s mate’s eyes, he must’ve heard about our little soul-sucking incident.
Maybe it was time for me to apologize to the she-wolf. Before I could chicken out, I blurted, “I’m sorry for attacking you back at Darkblood.”
Her light brow arched, and she snuggled closer into Jerico’s side. “You should be—” She cut herself off, chomping down on her lower lip. Her mate nuzzled her ear and she continued, “Apology accepted. I suppose my jealousy may have instigated the incident, and so I share part of the blame.”
My jaw nearly hit the floor. Who was this girl and what had she done with the real Vessa?
Jerico kissed her cheek sweetly as I watched in awe. Was this new Vessa a result of the wolf mating bond? A pang streaked through my heart, tightening my chest. I wanted that with Talon.
“Thanks for being so understanding,” I finally choked out.