“No, it’s not,” Duncan bit back around his clenched teeth. His finger caressed the trigger of the gun, but despite his rage he still couldn’t bring himself to pull it. Perhaps the years in captivity had made him weak and now, even when he did get his eye back, he would be useless. That thought enraged him even more and he let out another roar.
“Calm down,” Trent snapped, casting a worried glance over at the door. “Do you want to bring everyone up here? Even though my dad is dead his bodyguards are here and they’re still carrying weapons.”
“Good, because you’re going to be needing them if you don’t tell me where the fuck my dragon’s eye is!” Duncan rushed forward so the gun was inches from Trent’s chest.
“I didn’t do anything with it, honest. I’d been planning on giving it back to you so why I would I take it?” Trent held his hands up in the surrender pose, panic making his eyes so wide they seemed to take up half his face.
“Bullshit!” Duncan spat. “Getting a dragon’s eye is the biggest prize to all sorcerers. Yet you’re going to stand there and tell me that you had these grand plans on handing mine back to me, like it was some great big fucking present wrapped up in a bow?”
“Yes.” Trent’s voice was sharp with exasperation. “Are you going to believe me or would you rather sit around arguing about this long enough for the guards to discover you?”
“I could just shoot you and then look for it. Cut out the whole arguing factor all together.”
“You won’t do that.” Despite his brave words, Trent eyed up the gun nervously.
“Are you so sure of that?” Duncan challenged, trying his damndest to sound convincing.
“Yes, I am. You may be desperate, but you’re still good.”
“A sorcerer calling a dragon good. That’s rich.” Duncan gave a bitter laugh.
“It’s true though.” Trent looked up, his gaze so earnest it did strange things to Duncan’s emotions. The sorcerer swallowed hard before continuing, “I’ve seen how, even with everything my father put you through, you always remained kind and caring to those around you. I’m unarmed and, unlike my father, I’ve never done anything to you. So no matter how bad you want your eye back, you won’t hurt me for it.”
“You’re just trying to guilt me into lowering my weapon,” Duncan scoffed. Sadly enough it worked. With a deep sigh, he dropped his arm and lowered his head in defeat.
“I’m going to look too, just to make sure you didn’t miss it,” Trent soothed as he slowly edged his way around Duncan. As he went by, their bodies brushed for one second and even though he was at his lowest, Duncan couldn’t help but notice how nice it felt. He breathed in deep realising, not for the first time, how Trent had a sensual, unique scent. It was mix of herbs, oils and other plant life that sorcerers used in their spells.
“You’re right, it isn’t here. Something is seriously fucked up here,” Trent said, his brow creasing in confusion.
“Yeah, some thief is running around with my magic and life force. I would say there is a lot fucking wrong with that,” Duncan snarled as he ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
“But nobody except you and me should have been able to get through the spell I wove around it.” Trent waved his hand over the compartment like he hoped to grab onto the elusive magic that had beaten his shield.
“You were protecting it?” The suspicious part in Duncan wondered if Trent was thinking of using the dragon’s eye himself. Duncan had seen the guy in action when it came to using his gifts and he was so powerful at times he was scary. With the added magic Trent could get from the eye, he could be an even more dominant sorcerer than his father.
“Of course I was. I was going to give it back to you.” Trent turned to look at him. Hurt marring his face. “You believe me don’t you?”
Before Duncan had a chance to answer, the door flew open with a loud bang. Both men jumped and spun around in time to face half a dozen sorcerers. Duncan’s heart dropped as he recognised them all as members of Richard’s bodyguard team. Since he knew they would be out for blood, he instantly went on the defensive, raising his gun up.
One of the guards raised his hand, throwing off a magic bolt. It hit Duncan hard in the hand. He let out a cry of pain and felt his fingers go limp. A shock wave went up his arm, like he’d been hit with a brick. The gun slipped from his grip and went flying across the room.
“What in the hell do you think you’re doing?” Trent asked the guards. His tone so hard and commanding it reminded Duncan a lot of Richard. He barely suppressed a shudder by reminding himself it was Trent and he’d never shown any signs of being anything like his father.
“Protecting you from this animal,” the guard sneered, his lip curling up in repugnance. While sorcerers may covet the magic from dragons like Duncan, they still thought his kind was inferior and one step below dogs.
“Hey asshole, Duncan is in my protection.” Trent gave the guard a dour look. “I took him on as my personal guard the day Dad died.”
“You don’t honestly expect us to believe that, do you?” The guard calmly reached inside his suit coat and pulled out a gun of his own.
“Why shouldn’t you?” Trent asked, wearily watching the guard. Alarm bells, whistles and trains started going off in Duncan’s head. Suddenly the group of sorcerers were starting to look a lot less like bodyguards and a lot more like assassins. He wanted to grab Trent and shove him behind him protectively, but he resisted knowing if things went down the way he thought they were, he would need all the help he could get.
“I guess it really doesn’t matter.” The guard shrugged as he raised the gun, the other sorcerers behind him did the same thing. “In fact it makes it so much easier for us to kill you both since you’re together in one place.”
“Shit!” Trent cursed as he waved his arm in one large circle, at the same time the sorcerers all fired.
Duncan cringed, waiting for the hit, instead he was amazed to see all the bullets freeze in midair. Shocked, he felt his mouth drop open as he gasped. Even though he’d spent a lot of time around magic, he’d never seen anything quite like this. Even the guards were frozen in place, except for their eyes. The pupils raced back and forth in panic and fear. In a different situation, he may have felt sorry for them.
“We need to get out of here,” Trent announced, in a hurried manner.
“How long can you keep them like that?”
“Not long, which means we’re going to have to travel my way.” Trent walked in front of him, so they were facing each other.
“You don’t mean—”
Trent cut him off, “That’s exactly what I mean. I’m teleporting us out.”
Before Duncan could argue, Trent grabbed him by the sides of the face and brought him down into a kiss.
The move stunned Duncan so much that it took him a few seconds to realise one of his greatest fantasies had come true. Trent’s lips were on him. Then the sorcerer slid out his tongue and ran it along the seam of Duncan’s lips and he really got into it. Using one hand to cup the back of Trent’s head he brought him in even closer.
Duncan slanted his mouth over Trent, so he could get at him better and took control of the kiss. The sorcerer fisted his hands into the front of Duncan’s shirt and parted his lips in an open invitation. Not needing another, Duncan slid his tongue inside Trent’s hot mouth so he could finally find out what the man tasted like. For years he wondered, dreamt what his flavour would be and finally now he got his answer.
Honey and cinnamon. Nice.
His cock swelled as the blood roared in his head. More. Now that he had this one taste, he needed more. The bed was just feet away and Duncan’s every instinct screamed at him to lead Trent there so he could quench the fire ripping through his body. He didn’t even give a damn that they had an audience.
When a bright yellow light surrounded the two of them, at first Duncan thought he was having one of those sappy stars and moon moments that was in all those teen movies. Not that he’d
ever watched one of those. Honest.
It wasn’t until he felt some unseen force grab him around the waist and jerk did he understand that Trent and done just what he’d promised. He’d zapped them the hell out of Dodge.
Chapter Two
Even though Trent fought to keep the transportation smooth, he still lost his grip on Duncan when they popped in front of the safe house. Trent cursed himself for his lack of control, not because the dragon lost his balance and fell due to the not-so-smooth landing, but because the kiss of his lifetime had ended.
It was dark outside and Trent was thankful because it hid the embarrassment he felt burning his cheeks. What in the hell had he been thinking, kissing Duncan like that? He was lucky the dragon hadn’t hauled off and hit him for it. Breath hitching in his chest, he cast a wary glance over at the man. There was nothing that said Duncan still might not attack him for getting frisky. Instead the man got up and calmly brushed dirt and leaves off his clothes as he looked around.
“Where are we?” he asked, in a neutral voice. Trent would have given anything at that moment to be able to clearly see his face. To gaze into those eyes that were so dark brown they were almost black. Black like the clothes he wore, he’d no doubt chosen the colour to blend in easier when he’d broke in. Back at the house, Trent had noticed how nice the cargo pants and T-shirt had moulded to the man’s huge body. Most dragon shifters were tall and muscular and Duncan was no different.
Trent thought about all the times he’d dreamed of running his fingers through the man’s short, raven hair. Of tasting his full lips right before he slowly peeled away his clothes so he could sample the rest of his body. From the moment he’d first seen Duncan there had been no other man who could even begin to compare. Having him so close, but untouchable all these years had been sheer torture to Trent.
“It’s a safe house I set up in case I ever needed it.” Trent didn’t add that he’d bought it a year ago with the express purpose of using it if and when he ever managed to help Duncan escape. Even before his father had died, Trent had been finding a way to get the dragon’s eye back.
“Why didn’t you just zap us inside it?”
“I put anti-teleporting shields around it so nobody, not even me, can pop in.” He turned and faced the non-descript ranch-style house, putting his magic feelers out. When he was satisfied that everything was undisturbed, he let out a sigh of relief. At least he had that going for him. He started for the front door, happy when Duncan followed without any coaxing.
“You said you knew what the dragon’s eye was, but do you really know how it’s connected to me?” the dragon asked, cautiously, like he was afraid of revealing too much. Trent tried not to let his distrust hurt too much. After all if he were in the same situation, he might not be the most trusting either.
“Yes, it’s what some would call your dragon soul, but in reality it’s much more. It holds your magic, your ability to shift, who you are. Not only that, without it you can never go home because you are considered tainted and a danger to all involved since the sorcerer who has it can find you by simply using a tracing spell.”
“It also holds my free will,” Duncan growled. “Whoever holds it controls what I can and cannot do. While Richard had it, I was his slave. I had to do whatever he asked of me no matter how vile and terrible it was.”
“What would happen if you tried to go against him?” Trent asked his heart breaking at the agony he felt coming from the man.
“I feel pain ripping through my body,” Duncan whispered in a haunted voice. “They say some dragons have been driven mad from the agony of it. That’s what must have happened to me, because I must be crazy to trust you since you’re a sorcerer just like him.”
Trent pulled up short, hurt slicing through him like a blade. “I may be a sorcerer but I’m nothing like Richard.”
“Why are you helping me? What do you have to gain from all this?” Duncan demanded.
I’m doing it because I’ve stupidly fallen in love with you. Trent kept that damning confession to himself and instead said, “Because it’s the right thing to do. I know you are missing your home, family and friends and I want to help you get back to them.” He opened the door and went inside.
“But most sorcerers would jump at the chance to get a dragon’s essence. I’m supposed to believe that you’re willing to give up all that magic and power just because you’re a stand up kind of guy?” Duncan asked, incredulously as he followed Trent inside and closed the door behind them.
“Not all of my kind are power hungry,” Trent said as he reached around Duncan to lock the door. The dragon didn’t shift to give him room so their bodies brushed together. Trent sucked in a breath and hoped that it wasn’t obvious how hard his cock was. It had been that way ever since they’d kissed.
“Yeah, I could tell that when your buddies were trying to kill you,” Duncan drawled as he rolled his eyes sarcastically.
“Richard’s guards have never been friends.” He felt the burn of bitter hatred as he remembered the fun the other sorcerers liked to throw at him. Beatings, emotional abuse and sometimes worse. In the beginning he’d used to run to his father for protection only to have Richard push him away and tell him to man up. Much to the head sorcerer’s disappointment Trent had never developed a mean streak to match his guards. Lifting his palm, he muttered a protection spell.
“Are you sealing the door?” Duncan asked, turning his head to look at Trent. Since they were standing so close, the move made it so their lips were inches apart. Without meaning to, Trent breathed in deep getting a lungful of Duncan’s smoky scent. It wasn’t an unpleasant ashy one, but rather like the rich, warm aroma of a blaze coming from a fireplace. This led to thinking about how nice it would be to roll around on a rug, with nothing to warm themselves with but a crackling fire and each other.
Goddess, he really needed to get a frigging grip on his cock and emotions. He was here to help Duncan not continue pining for him. Before tonight the dragon had never said two words to him, let alone noticed he existed. Not once had he even hinted that he might be feeling the same attraction. Although he had seemed pretty into the kiss. Duncan had been doing just as much exploring with his tongue as Trent had.
“What are you going to do now?” Duncan’s face grew soft with concern. “I have a feeling those guys aren’t going to stop until they kill you and you can pretty much forget about asking any other sorcerer for help since you’re associating with a dragon.”
“I’ll think of something. I always do.” Trent licked his lips, still tasting a bit of Duncan on them.
“Stop that,” Duncan commanded harshly. His eyes grew dark as his breathing grew harsh. Never had he looked so dangerous or so sexy before.
“Stop what?”
“Looking at me like that.” Duncan took a step closer and leant down so his lips were inches from Trent’s ear. The dragon exhaled, his breath teasing Trent’s sensitive flesh. Nuzzling in even closer, the dragon whispered, “I can smell the desire on you and god help me, even though I know I should run the hell away from you, I can’t. I like knowing that you want me as much as I want you. That you’re feeling the same need.”
“It’s always been there,” Trent gulped, nerves making his body tingle. “Since the day I first saw you. I just never dared let anyone know before tonight because if Richard knew I cared he would harm you just to spite me.”
“You did a good job of hiding it. I had no idea how you felt.” Duncan placed the softest of kisses on his neck. Trent let out a low moan as he tilted his head slightly to the side.
“I’ll help you get the eye back, I swear it,” he vowed as he brought his hands up to grip Duncan’s hips. The dragon growled in approval as he thrust forward, his hard cock pressing against Trent’s stomach. Holy crap, he was huge! Even through the thick layer of his pants, Trent could feel the long thickness of him.
“How are you going to do that?” Duncan gave his neck another kiss.
“If I have some of y
our blood I can scry for it,” Trent panted as he tried to keep his sex addled brain focused. All that kept coming to him was the fact that his very large bed was just down the hallway.
“Will that be hard to do? I’ve heard of scyring for individuals before but never an object.” Duncan put his hand on Trent’s chest and started backing him up to the couch.
“Since the eye is basically a part of you it won’t be too difficult. We’ll just have to get a battle plan ready before I do it. A spell like that uses a lot of magic and it will let any sorcerers looking for me know right where I am.” Trent grunted in surprise when Duncan gave him a shove, forcing him to sit on the couch. He looked up at the dragon wondering what he was up to. Duncan’s face didn’t reveal anything as he remained standing, looking bigger than ever as he towered over him.
“I know of a couple old friends I can call for help if you like,” Duncan offered as he dropped to his knees in front of the sorcerer.
Trent opened his mouth in shock. Of all this things he’d been expecting this was rock bottom on the list. Then a terrifying thought occurred to him. What if Duncan thought he had to do this in order to get his help? Gods knew he wanted it, but not like this. He leant forward, cupping Duncan’s cheeks in his hands.
“You don’t need to do this because you feel like you owe me.”
“Don’t you get it?” Duncan replied, his eyes growing even darker from desire. “I’ve wanted to do this to you for as long I can remember. I want to suck your cock, not because I feel like I’m repaying you in some way, but because I can’t go one moment longer without knowing how you taste—all over. I’m begging you to let me.”
Too turned on to speak, he just nodded his head. It wasn’t until Duncan had Trent’s pants undone and was taking out his cock, did he come to his senses. Reaching a hand out to stay the dragon, he asked, “Shouldn’t you call your friends first? In case it takes them a while to get here. Not that I don’t want to do this. I do, I really, really do. We just don’t have that much time to waste and I would hate for you to have your eye taken control of again because we were too busy playing around.”
Stealing My Heart Page 28