“Wait, hold up—did you say two?”
“The other one, Wren, is a mate as well?”
“Duh! Yeah, she’s Matt’s mate. Poor thing conked out a little after they made it to Jax and Hildy’s. Matt said she couldn’t sit anywhere in there but on his lap. Luc, it’s all true. The prophecy is real. She couldn’t touch anything in Jax’s room but Matt. Once she was out like a light in Matt’s lap, they brought Hildy up to speed on her being his mate. Now Hildy is so giddy with excitement, Jax had to take her out for a flight to burn some of her energy. You see why I had to risk your wrath and come up here.”
The air around them sparked with the residual of Greg’s excitement. It was infectious, but Lucien was too caught up in the pull to rejoin his mate in the other room to be lured into it. Greg wanted to talk and process, as was his way. But Lucien wasn’t in the mood to spend any more time away from Quinn than was absolutely necessary. He had to figure out how to keep her from leaving when she woke and let her in on what she was—as soon as he knew.
“Look, Greg, I’m stoked about Matt and Wren, but right now, I need to get back to Quinn. She’s exhausted but keeps threatening to leave as soon as she wakes. Let me get a little rest next to her, so I can deal with the possible fight she’s going to put up in the morning. We’ll meet sometime tomorrow to discuss everything and how to proceed.”
To his credit, Greg took Lucien’s wishes in stride. This was Greg’s way. He was always willing to forgo his wants for the good of the Clan, and if Lucien was honest, his too. At that moment, Lucien wished it had been Greg instead of Matt who had been mated. A lightning fast thought shot through his mind. What if Greg had been the first through the door when they’d returned today? Would he be the one with a mate instead of Matt or him?
As fragile as cotton candy, the thought dissolved into nothingness. The certainty that the mates were only for each other, Lucien had the peace that it had happened as it was supposed to. The meeting between Wren and Matt was meant to be, and so was his and Quinn’s. Her name made everything in him jump to a protective stance. A new flavor of power buzzed through his being, giving him a new sort of freshness he’d never experienced before. It mingled with instinct, outlook, wisdom, and love to cast his thoughts in a different view. Yes, it was happening. Lucien’s perception about existence was shifting, and he’d only met his mate a few hours ago.
Greg’s voice pulled him back to the room. “Sure thing, we can discuss it more tomorrow.”
“Greg, would you do me a favor?”
“Yeah, what?”
“Would you do some research in the archives to see how Quinn and Wren can be here without any harm coming to them. Quinn’s scent is human, but I know she has to be more than that. Maybe once we find out the lineage of these two, we might be able to find the other mates as well.”
The hope that sprang up in Greg’s eyes was all he needed to see. Greg would do whatever possible to solve the mystery of who these two were. Try as he might, there was no hiding his desire to be mated soon. Lucien sent up a prayer for the Goddess to bestow his mate on him quickly.
“I’ll stick close to the Lair tomorrow so we can see how to handle the arrival of your mates. You never know who’ll show up next.” Yep, Greg had the mating fever-bad.
“Good, now get out of here. I’ll—no—we’ll see you in the morning when Quinn is rested.”
“Don’t you love saying that—we?”
Lucien had to admit it did feel good. After all these years, he was here at the entrance to fulfilling his complete calling. “Yep, feels great. Now all I have to do is convince Quinn to accept me as her mate, and we’ll truly be we.”
“No way. She’s got to be aware of it. The chemistry between you two was so thick everyone was glued to you. Trust me; she’ll come around. I sense there are some loose ends she needs to cut, not just tie up, and then she’ll be free to accept what’s right in front of her.”
That part piqued Lucien’s interest. If Greg could feel it, Quinn’s past romantic interest must be important to address. He made a mental note to bring it back up with Greg when they got a chance to meet tomorrow. For now, his only thoughts were back in the bedroom next to Quinn.
“Thanks for the encouragement.”
“So… how does it feel? To be able to touch her and know she’ll be okay?”
Lucien didn’t want to brag but if was fucking amazing. Instead of gushing about it, he toned his response down and said, “It’s everything you could imagine. Quinn’s a spitfire and a soul who loves deeply. I see it in her eyes. Her touch is healing, touching every level of my existence. I’m already starting to feel restoration from the last mission. I’m praying the Goddess sends all our mates as fast as possible. I wish this for each of us.”
“Thank you for that. It’s my prayer as well.” Greg looked at his clothes again and said, “Of course, and I see you’re taking it slow. Good thing. Without her having a clue about what’s happening, this is the right course of action on your part.”
There was no way he was going to tell Greg how close he’d come to mating Quinn tonight. “It’s hard; I can tell you that. I don’t know how much longer I can last. So do your thing and find out how I can help her understand what’s happening. I won’t do anything until she has all the necessary information to make her decision about mating with me.”
The men bid each other a good night. Back in the bedroom, he listened to Quinn’s soft even breathing as she slept. He undressed, sliding onto the bed next to her. Quinn shivered from the rustle of the cold air. He pulled her into him and sighed from the extreme pleasure of the feel of her soft body against his hard one. She cooed in her sleep, making his heart melt more for her. Right then, he knew he was a goner. Quinn Bradford had wrapped him around her little finger.
He prayed he had time to prepare before she realized it. When Lucien closed his eyes to join her in slumber, the reality of having his mate with him hit anew. His life was no longer just about being a Guardian and leader of the Dragofin Clan, he had a mate, and she came first. After he mentally ticked off all the things he’d need to address to win her over, the biggest one and possible deal-breaker slapped him in the heart. How was he going to explain to her that he was a Dragon shifter from another planetary system? Or that he could travel between realms of dimension and time on occasion if needed?
16
Quinn…
When next she woke, it was to warm kisses gently peppering her face. Morning light streamed through the French doors, illuminating the room. It had way more character than she’d first assumed. In the light of day, the room was inviting and warm, or that could have been the fact that she was sweating. Lucien was next to her, throwing off massive amounts of heat, and it felt surprisingly good. The blanket she was tangled in only added to the heat.
An attempt to sit up resulted with the tightening of the blanket and her butt hanging off the side of the bed. The best she could manage was a side lean. Quinn faced the massive male figure currently taking up a large part of the middle of the bed. Lucien had chased her to the side of the bed in her sleep because his side was empty. The sun was high in the sky, meaning she’d stayed way longer than she had meant too. Another fact hit her. She was naked as the day she was born.
“Guess I’ll have to make the walk of shame in broad daylight,” she said, mumbling more than anything else.
“Hmm.” The low voice almost startled her.
It was weird waking to sharing a bed with a man like Lucien. He had rolled onto his back and had his eyes closed. In the daylight, he looked even more gorgeous and off limits than before. Her heart did a little flip when he reached out, making grabby hands for her to come to him. She couldn’t do it. A clean break, that was the wisest thing Quinn could do.
After getting free from the blanket, Quinn willed her mind to come back online. This was a new day. Nothing had changed since coming into this place. She had responsibilities and things to do to survive. First, she’d figure out where Wren
was. Then, she’d get out of here. If she hurried, Quinn could catch a few meetups and happy hours downtown to do some networking later on. If that panned out, she might be able to pick up a few low-level clients to tied her over.
Caught in the habit of full on morning mental musings, Quinn didn’t see the large arms enclosing to pull her back into his hot, hard chest.
“You hungry?” he asked, voice heavy with sleep. “I can see if anyone has gotten breakfast yet. And, if not, I’ll send Greg or one of the others to pick up something. What are you in the mood for? The Diner across the street has a wide selection.”
Having breakfast with him sounded dreamy. But, unlike him, Quinn had to be in hustle mode. She had to raise enough money in the next two weeks to get a new place and play catch up with her past due bills. From the looks of it, Lucien had money. She wasn’t one of those chicks who’d ever had a guy give her money. Nor was she one who took or expected it from a man either. She was her own woman and wouldn’t become dependent or hopeful that anyone would throw money her way.
Money and dating, humph, that had been a bust. It had always been the other way around for her. Men asked her for money time and again, a fact she wanted clarity on. Quinn’s life was different. No more falling for the wrong guy. They say the light of day always brought clarity and she was wide awake. This—what they were doing here—was a luxury she couldn’t afford.
Struggling to sit back up, she said, “I’ll grab a bite when I get back to Wren’s. I need to find out where she is. I bailed on her last night.”
“She’s downstairs in Matt’s suite of rooms, with him,” Lucien said, as casually as he’d asked about breakfast. He reached over to grab his phone off the nightstand. Checking it, he read some texts and said, “Yeah, she said, she’d meet you downstairs for breakfast when she woke. They sent this last night just before you went to sleep.”
“Is that so…” Quinn needed to put her eyes on Wren. Her friend was acting totally out of character. “Would you check to see if she’s up now for me?”
“Yeah, after you give me a kiss.”
The look she threw at him was one she’d perfected when someone did something stupid around her. He wasn’t fazed or moved.
“Come here and give me a kiss.”
Pulling her down to rest on his bare chest, Quinn gave in and gave him a quick peck. “Morning breath is a bitch, and I’m not a fan,” she said sitting back up.
Her breasts were on full display and currently had his undivided attention. It looked like Lucien was a breast man. “Hold on there, man. I need to strap these back down and get ready to go downstairs.”
Too large to cover with her hands, she pressed her breasts to her chest and scooted out the super king bed. On the side closest to the French double doors, Quinn wasn’t sure neighbors couldn’t see in here. Naked ass was what they’d get if they looked in here right now. Quinn moved back closer to the bed and out the direct view of the doors. Guys… in spite of all the refinement, they could still be beasts. It was easy imagining Lucien walking around in here naked, giving the neighborhood a show. And they probably didn’t complain because he was a specimen of male perfection.
“Lucien, where’s the curtain, blind, or clothing screen?” She chanced a quick look out the doors to see an open field on the other side. Still, he needed to put something up to protect from anyone who dared from looking for free strip shows.
“As you can see, I don’t need them. No one’s back there.”
“I liked the uptight Lucien better,” she said, still trying to figure out how to get to her clothes. His casual looks at her nakedness were starting to unnerve her. Yeah, it was easy being with him. But, the morning light was bright showing every curve, bump, roll, and dimple on her curvy frame. Deciding to go for it, Quinn made a mad dash out of the room to find her top and bra. She only stopped at the foot of the bed to pick up her panties and sweatpants on the way out.
“You didn’t have to do that,” she heard him yell from the room.
“Yes, I did. Mornings always remind me of how far I have to go to regain my sense of modesty and common sense.”
When she found her top garments, it took two tries to get her bra on without twisting the closure. She had to slow down and get dressed before he decided to follow her in here. Too late. She looked up to see him watching from the entrance of his bedroom. And, he wore some pajama shorts.
“You know that’s rude.”
“No, it’s not. Not when I plan to watch you get dressed all the time.”
“What? Lucien, don’t be that guy.”
“Which guy would that be?” he asked coming into the room.
Quinn struggled to get her sweat pants and top on before he could make it over to her.
“Oh, you might know him well. It’s the guy who is so slick; he thinks he knows what a girl wants to hear the morning after. Plus, you had on shorts, and I was nude.”
He came to stand before her. Quinn took a step backward. He took another step, re-closing the space.
“Excuse you. Boundaries dude!”
“Not going to happen. I don’t know what to say to you other that what I have on my mind and heart. And these,” he looked down at the shorts. “I slipped them on to make you feel more comfortable. I sleep nude. Plus, you’re not a girl.”
“What am I then?” she asked, curious.
“That’s easy. You’re a woman, my woman.”
“Again rude. Are you trying to prove that last night was a fluke and that you are the jerk I first thought you were? Lucien, you need to realize that I’m not a property you own. That’s against the law. I’m not yours. I’m my own woman. You wouldn’t want me as yours either. I’d make a horrible piece of property. You know, with all the stabbing you in your sleep and destroying everything of yours I came in contact with and all. I’d be worst than a feral cat.”
“You promise?” That grin he whipped out made her re-wet her panties.
“Ooh! Are you trying to make me scream?”
“Only when I make you come,” he said with the straightest face.
Not one to give up or shock that easy, she came back with, “If only. You had your chance last night and blew it.”
What had she gotten herself into? This guy was too much. He didn’t give off a stalker, crazed person vibe, but the confidence in which he spoke gave her pause.
“I never said you were mine as a piece of property. You’re mine as in my mate and future. I know what I know and feel. Quinn Bradford, I’m going to do whatever it takes to win you.”
“You could have gotten major points last night by finishing up what you started.” She couldn’t believe that came out. “Hey, I apologize. I shouldn’t have said that. Ignore it… me.” Eyeing the door to the hall, she added, “I need to go, you know, get out of here.”
“Why the rush? From what I gathered, you’re visiting and don’t have to be anywhere in particular for at least a few weeks.”
“Where’d you hear that?”
“From Greg last night after you went to sleep.”
“And which one is Greg again?”
“He’s Matt’s older brother.”
“Oh yeah, the quiet one who was watching everyone like a hawk.”
“That would be more like an eagle, but who’s being knit picky here?”
“Huh?” She slipped her sweatshirt on. “Okay, I’m ready. Do I need any special code to get back down to the first floor? I noticed you did something with the doors when we came in here last night.”
“That I did. Wait up, and I’ll throw on some clothes so we can go down together.”
“Okay, I’ll hang out here and wait on you then.”
“No. You’ll come back in the bedroom and hang out with me there while I put on some clothes. Plus, have you looked at your hair?” he asked.
“Oh shit! It looks like a birds’ nest doesn’t it?” she asked, patting the mass of crushed curls that must be sticking straight up on her head now.”
“Th
at would be a pretty close comparison. But, I always thought birds’ nest were adorable.”
“Adorable? I’ve got your adorable. Do you have anything that I can use to tame it down.”
Lucien looked and then looked as if he was about to touch her hair.
“Watch it!” she said, dodging in time to avoid him making contact with her head. “Let’s get one thing straight. Do not touch my hair unless I say it’s okay. You got me? I notice you’re a little too touchy feely anyway. You don’t see me invading your space and touching all up on you, do you?”
“No, but I wish you would. I love feeling your hands anywhere on my body. Here,” he said, bending over at the waist toward her. “Touch my hair. Run your hands through it and do whatever you like to it.”
“Stand up. Because you’re fine with it, doesn’t mean I have to reciprocate. You’re still not touching my hair. So get it out of your mind.”
“But it’s so fluffy.”
Quinn could sense her eyes narrowing. “Look you; I said no hair touching. Back off.” Lucien raised his hands in surrender. She wouldn’t cave on this. First, it would be touching and the next thing, he’d be asking to wash it in the shower or some other foolishness. “Let me get to the bathroom and run a little water through it to tame it down a bit, and then I’ll be ready.”
“Fine.”
“Lucien Drake, I know you’re not pouting,” she said, trying hard not to giggle at how adorable he was now.
“I like getting my way, and you’re standing in the way of that.”
“Well, you can’t have everything.”
They’d made it to the entrance of his bedroom when he picked her up without warning, and said, “I will have you, Quinn. You’re my hope and destiny. Give me a chance to show you, and I’ll make sure you never regret it.”
Lucien: Dragofin Mated: Book 2 (Dragonfin Clan Mated) Page 13