by Ariel Marie
“I’ll be fine,” he huffed, brushing her off. He tore the oxygen tubing from his nose and turned to her.
The slow perusal of his eyes, starting at her feet, then up toward her eyes, left her squirming. Her body betrayed her, and she could feel the slight hint of moisture forming at the apex of her thighs.
Down girl, she thought to herself. He’s a patient, she chanted in her mind. But it didn’t do any good. Beat up and bruised, she was still attracted to him. No way would she get involved with a patient. She brushed her hair from her eyes and promised herself a date with her B.O.B as soon as she got home.
3
“So, Faye, is it?” Vander asked as he stared at the gorgeous nurse. She nodded her head as she returned his gaze.
If he had known nurses looked like this at the local hospital, he would have visited more often. Everything about her, from her dark hair in a messy bun on top of her head, to her hospital scrubs that didn’t hide her deliciously curvy frame, turned him on. Just sitting in her presence made him forget about chasing after Gamair. Vander hadn’t realized he had a thing for nurses. Sexy nurses were moving to the top of his list right now.
He held back a grimace, trying not to show the pain that racked his body. The doctor had said he had one hundred and fifty bones broken. That had to be a new record for him. The dragon in him had forced him to awaken during his healing slumber, where he had found himself in that machine. He heard her speaking to someone in the room. Her voice called to his dragon.
It wanted her as much as a dragon wanted a horde full of gold and treasure.
And have her, we will.
“You’re going to do more damage,” she announced. “Let me call the doctor.” She turned to reach for a phone that rested on her portable computer cart.
“No.” He shook his head. He wouldn’t need a doctor. There was nothing the human doctor could do for him. He just needed to rest, and allow his body to heal. With this amount of damage, it would take a couple of days to heal. “Take this stuff off of me.” He pointed to all of the wires and tubing that flowed around him.
“I can’t. You’re in the hospital. Whatever you did or was done to you, could have killed you.”
He snorted at her little speech. He was a powerful dragon shifter—Vander, The Warrior. It would take more than falling twenty thousand feet to kill him. He began peeling the stickers from his chest, and held back a grimace as he moved his left arm. The damn thing must be broken. Sweat began to form on his forehead at his movements.
“If I take everything off you, will you promise not to die on me?” she asked, her hands on her hips.
Vander paused what he was doing and glanced over at her. He had known her for mere minutes, and he already loved her irritated look. The way her brows drew together and her eyes narrowed on him had his dragon huffing.
“Yes,” he promised. He wouldn’t be dying today. Dragon shifters lived for centuries. He was a dragon in his prime, and had many years left on this planet. Falling out the sky was not the way to kill a dragon. Not many knew how dragons could be killed; that was a secret kept close to their kind only.
“Fine. I’ll do it,” she muttered, coming to stand in front of him. “I swear, if you die, I will kill you myself!”
“I love your sass.” He threw her a wink.
She avoided his eyes as she quickly removed all the stickers from his chest. The alarms in the room began to sound as she peeled the last one off.
“Everything okay in there?” A voice came in over the speaker.
“Yes, I got it. Can you pause the alarms for room twenty-three, please?” Faye asked the voice, as she hit a button on the IV pump.
“Got it,” the voice answered.
He waited patiently as she continued working on freeing him. He took advantage of her closeness to study her features. Her eyes—green, with flecks of hazel—were beautiful. The small mole on the edge of her top lip had him wanting to lick it, and explore her mouth thoroughly with his tongue. He didn’t realize that he had been holding his breath as he looked his fill.
His dragon stood at attention as she moved away from him. It wanted her near him again.
“All done, Mister…wait, what is your name?”
“Vander,” he answered with another grimace. The pain was kicking in for real now. He drew in a deep breath and blew it out, trying to fight the draw to sleep. His body was now telling him he would need to rest. The healing slumber would draw him into a deep, undisturbed stasis, which would allow his body to heal on its own.
“Mr. Van—” she started, but he cut her off with a raised hand. He needed to hear her say his name. The animal in him rumbled deep in his chest.
“My surname is Kelmyar, but you can call me by my given name, Vander.” His eyes locked on hers, waiting to hear her it. Soon, he promised himself, she would be screaming his name. He couldn’t wait for that moment. But, for now, he needed to rest. He would need to be in top shape for when he had her.
“Vander, please, let me help you back into the bed,” she insisted, a worried look plastered on her face. He could feel the sweat pouring down his face and figured she was probably worried he would pass out or something. He nodded his head, knowing when to admit to defeat.
He released a hiss as she gently grabbed his legs to help swing them back into the bed, then pulled the blankets over him. He took a few deep breaths, trying to slow his racing heart.
“Get some rest,” she said, patting his hand gently. He grabbed her hand as she moved to turn away.
“There’s room for one more in here,” he offered with his winning smile. Women usually flocked to him when he offered ‘the smile.’ No woman could resist the Vander charm.
“You’re persistent, aren’t you?” she asked, tilting her head to the side. Her eyes took him in, quickly sweeping the entire bed before meeting his. He was having a hard time keeping his eyes open as the healing slumber was upon him.
“I see something that I want, I go after it,” he mumbled as his eyes drooped.
“Well, in this position, honey, you wouldn’t be able to handle me.”
He smiled as sleep overcame him. God, he loved her sass. Wait until he healed properly, she wouldn’t know what hit her. Vander, The Warrior, was going to go after his woman, but for now, he would sleep.
4
It was finally the weekend, and Jenna had dragged Faye out to the club she had been dying to go to. Faye followed closely behind Jenna as she pulled her to the bar. Jenna’s curly blonde hair flowed down her back and bounced with the sway of her body as she bopped her head to the song playing. Faye smiled at her friend. Jenna was a person who enjoyed a good time, and made sure that Faye did too. She always complained that Faye worked too much and didn’t relax enough. They had been best friends since junior high, and were as close as sisters.
Faye knew that Jenna was determined to make sure she had a good time, and after working all the shifts that she had been working, she had no intention of resisting. She didn’t even remember the name of the club they were in, but that didn’t matter. Jenna knew the bouncer, and he let them in with no wait.
Popular music blared through the speakers, and the dance floor was packed with bodies, grinding against each other in sync with the beat. They finally made their way to the bar and found two seats.
“What do you want? My treat!” Jenna shouted in her ear.
“Whatever! It doesn’t matter!” Faye shouted back. Jenna nodded and waved to get the bartender’s attention. Faye rotated her chair so that she could people watch. Sometimes, it was her favorite part of going out. Watching sloppy drunk people try to dance always gave her hours of entertainment.
“Here!” Jenna handed her a double shot of a clear liquid. Her friend knew her well. Vodka.
“Thanks!” Faye mouthed, knowing her friend wouldn’t be able to hear her.
“Girls night out!” Jenna shouted, holding her glass in the air.
“Here, here!” Faye smiled as their glasses clinked
together in honor of their first night out in a while, before they both tipped back their drinks.
Faye winced slightly at the burning sensation of the cool drink. She was ready to relax and have a good time.
“Let’s dance!” Jenna motioned to the dancers.
“What the hell!” Placing the empty glass on the bar, she hopped down from the chair.
Tonight, she was dressed to party. She was feeling sexy in her four-inch heels and short black dress that displayed her bare back, highlighting her curvy body. She was a thick girl, and wasn’t afraid to show off her curves. She left her thick hair to fall in waves down her back, and kept her makeup natural.
She knew there were eyes on her and Jenna as they made their way to the dance floor. The pin prickly sensation that crept along the exposed skin of her back was proof. She looked around as they entered the throng of dancers, but she didn’t see anyone looking at her. A popular slow song came on and they both laughed, singing along as they both danced to the beat.
Nights like this were a stress relief for Faye. She was starting to feel herself relax, and knew the shot of alcohol was doing its job. It had been a while since she’d been able to let her hair down.
She felt a presence behind her as she swayed to the beat. A warm body brushed against her. The alcohol was her liquid courage to continue dancing as he pulled her back against him. Her body melted against his. She had a fleeting thought that they were too close, but for some reason, she couldn’t force herself to pull away.
Her eyes glanced at Jenna, who gave her a wide grin and a thumb-up. “He’s hot!” she mouthed. The crowd shifted, and Jenna was pulled away. Faye’s eyes scanned the dancers, but she could only catch a glimpse of her friend.
Her eyes closed for a brief second, lost in the music, and the feel of his warm breath gliding across the crook of her neck. He left a trail of light kisses along her skin, causing her nipples to ache as they pushed against her bra. They begged to be set free, wanting to feel the roughness of his hands on them. She held in a groan as she felt his hardened length brush against the swell of her ass.
Who was this guy that practically had her losing all decency in a nightclub?
Curiosity got the best of her. She had to know who this guy was turning her on with just his body. A magnificently sculpted body, from the feel of him against her back. She slowly swung herself around, still trapped in his arms, with a smile on her face.
She froze in place as she stared into familiar golden irises.
It was him!
Vander.
The mysterious shifter from the hospital. He had disappeared from the hospital two days after he was brought in, and now, there he stood in front of her in a crisp white button down and dark slacks, looking as if nothing had ever happened to him.
A wide grin spread across his face, and she knew she had been right.
He was downright gorgeous without all the bruises. She couldn’t even speak as she gazed up at him. Her hands slowly found their way up to his face, touching all the places she knew had once held a bruise.
He guided her body in a sensual dance that was in sync with the beat of the music, crushing her aching breasts to his solid chest. Her breath caught in her throat as his lips covered hers. The dancers surrounding them faded off into the back as she groaned. Her fingers reached up and dived into his thick hair. It was just as thick as she had imagined it to be.
He tasted of peppermint as his tongue pushed its way into her mouth, coaxing her tongue to duel with his. She didn’t know if he had placed a magic spell over her, but she wanted to reach up and rip his shirt from his body, just so she could feel the muscles beneath her fingertips. It had to be magic making her feel this way, or maybe it was the alcohol. She didn’t normally try to jump a guy’s bones in the middle of a crowded dance floor. She didn’t know what was coming over her, but right now, she knew that she wanted him.
She couldn’t fight it.
He had been on her mind constantly since he woke up as her patient. This large, mysterious man had plagued her dreams for days. When she had returned to work to find him gone, she was disappointed. His large hands cupped her cheeks as he gently pulled back, placing a chaste kiss to her lips.
“Faye,” he murmured.
“What are you doing here?” she whispered, just as someone bumped into her back. She looked around and noticed that everyone else was moving to an upbeat song, and they were the only two dancing to their own slow beat.
“I told you, when I see something that I want, I go after it.”
“That’s crazy! You barely know me!” she exclaimed. Her heart slammed against her chest. He couldn’t be serious.
“I know all I need to know,” he replied. He gripped her hand in his and brought it up to his chest. His eyes practically glowed as he stared down at her. She didn’t know what type of shifter he was, but she was drawn to him. She wanted to fight what she was feeling, but she was losing the battle.
“You’re crazy,” she said. She glanced around, but there was no sign of Jenna in the throng of dancers. Some kind of a best friend she was. “Did you put a spell over me or something?”
“No.” He shook his head as his eyes had yet to leave hers. She bit her lip as his golden irises mesmerized her. “I cannot control your thoughts or feelings. It’s destiny. I feel it too.”
“I’m not a supernatural. I’m just a human.” Faye shook her head. She didn’t have any powers, and destiny certainly didn’t hold anything in store for humans. She was just a regular human, nothing special about her, but his next words stopped her in her tracks.
“Come home with me.”
“I can’t—” she started, but he cut her off with a finger to her lips.
“Please,” he murmured as he leaned in close, replacing his finger with his lips. She melted into the kiss, and all thoughts went out the window.
“Okay.”
5
Vander pulled Faye behind him as he made his way out of the club. Her smaller hand gripped his tight as they took a few steps to the curb. His car should be pulling up any minute. He didn’t need to use magic to find her. Thanks to social media, he knew where she was going to be tonight. One search of her name, and he found her on the popular network, posting where she was going with her friend.
Two days of slumber had allowed his body to heal. The moment he woke, he’d walked straight out of the hospital. Once he had made it to a clearing in the woods, he shifted into his magnificent dragon and flew home, high up in the mountains, to plan the claiming of his mate.
He knew that she could feel the pull. The way her body responded to his let him know that his dragon was right—she belonged to them.
Drunken partiers spilled out from the club. Faye gripped his arm with both of her hands and he pulled her in close, tucking her into him, just as James, his driver, pulled the dark sedan to the curb.
“Come on,” he said, opening the back door for her.
He couldn’t wait to get her to his home, where he could peel the tiny black dress from her curvy body. He climbed into the back seat behind her and shut the door, closing them off from the world. The partition was up, leaving them completely alone. Their bodies rocked gently as the car pulled away from the curb.
“Wow,” she murmured, looking around the inside of the car, before her eyes settled on his. The interior was dark, but his dragon sight allowed him to see her. The car made a turn, causing her body to shift and bump into his.
His dragon roared for them to take her. His fingers itched with the need to have her in his arms.
“Sorry,” she mumbled. He shifted his arm and tucked her into his side, and her small hand settled on his chest. He held his breath as her small fingers danced along the buttons of his shirt. He turned his head and breathed out as he settled his chin on the top of her head, then breathed in her scent. It was addicting.
Her fingers trailed their way down his abdomen. His cock jumped to attention at the temptation of her fingers. When she rea
ched his belt, and began to undo the buckle, he threaded his fingers through her thick mane and pulled her head back. She gasped as he covered her mouth with his.
He had wanted to wait until they got back to his place, where he could lay her out across his oversized bed. The feel of her fingers diving beneath his boxer briefs took his breath away as her hand found its way to his hardened length.
He growled against her lips as she began to move her hand up and down his cock. Vander scooped her up and placed her across his lap, his hands disappearing beneath her dress. His hands met the little scrap of material that was supposed to be her panties. The sound of material ripping filled the air as he tore it away, freeing her body.
Her mouth found his again in a frantic kiss. He didn’t know how she’d managed to pull his cock out, but she did. His sexy little nurse was filled with fire, and he loved it.
She hovered above him as he lined the head of his cock at her soaked entrance. He groaned as he felt the proof of her readiness on the tip of his length. The car jerked, hitting a pothole, and sent her sliding down onto him, hard.
“Oh, God,” she screamed, wrapping her arms around him.
Vander cursed beneath his breath at the feel of her tightness gripping him. Her walls held onto him, and his hands gripped her ass tight as he said every prayer he knew to keep from blowing early.
He had to move.
The gentle sway of the car assisted them in setting a rhythm. He lifted her up, and slowly brought her down onto him. His hardened length swelled even more at the tight fit. She may be small, but she was able to accept him with no problem.
Sweat dripped from his temples as he restrained himself and his beast. His dragon was ready to mark her, to make her theirs.
Not yet.
Not in the back of a vehicle. The day he claimed her, the most precious of jewels, pure silk sheets would surround her. She would have the finest things in life that he had collected over the years. He could easily imagine her in nothing but a diamond dragon’s eye on her neck, nestled down in-between her plump mounds.