by Julia Mills
“I need to see you right away. Plans have changed,” the wizard leader said with his usual air of superiority. Andrew could not wait for the day to watch all of this arrogant son of a bitch’s misconceptions about him and who we was along with his life bleed from his body. It would be a pleasure to watch him die.
“Where?” Andrew asked, his slowly returning dragon senses alerting him to danger.
“Get in the car and drive south. I’ll send you the directions in exactly five minutes,” the wizard ordered.
“Look, I’m not into this cloak and dagger shit. Just tell me where I’m going and I’ll meet you there,” Andrew growled.
“You will do as I say if you want to be part of the ritual. I have to make sure you’re not followed. It’s up to you. You need me; I definitely do not need you.”
Oh yea, this fucker was going to die very slowly and very painfully. Through gritted teeth Andrew answered, “Fine, I’m leaving now. You better not have me driving all over hell’s half acre for no reason.”
“Just drive. You will have the directions in five minutes. Don’t keep me waiting.” The call disconnected before Andrew could respond.
Visions of the torture he would bestow upon the wizard leader danced in his head as he started the car. The son of a bitch thought he was superior. HA! He hadn’t even figured out what Andrew was, let alone who he was. Well, wasn’t the self righteous prick in for a surprise! He smiled, despite himself. They would all pay for what he had suffered; every last one of them.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Aidan still could not believe he had let Grace talk him into letting her go with them to check out the warehouse Max’s people had found. He knew everything had been scouted and scouted again, but she was his to protect. He hated to admit the werepanther trackers were the best he had ever seen. Their sense of smell and ability to move almost unseen was better than most dragons. They had followed the scent of the thugs from their most recent meeting with the wizard leader, back to an abandoned auto parts warehouse about ten miles outside of town. They had gotten in and taken pictures of the operation. The pictures showed huge cages, big enough to detain a human, lined up against one entire wall of the middle level. There had to be at least fifty of them. He cringed when he remembered the dirty cots with chains and cuffs attached, lying in wait in each cell. These assholes were planning something huge, and somehow his brother was involved. When Grace had explained all her office knew about ‘The Auctioneer’ and the abduction of all those young women, it seemed like another piece in the horrific puzzle had fallen into place. He would bet all the money he had that those cages were meant to house more unfortunate young women, but what was going to happen after they were caught and caged?
Along with the pictures, Max had gotten the blueprints of the building. After going over and over the blueprints and pictures, they all agreed the wizards and their criminal partners were planning to bring the abducted young women through the tunnels that lead to the lower level of the building to be housed in those horrible cages. From the pictures, it looked like they could drive right up to the freight elevators, unload their cargo, back out, and be on their way with little or no fuss. Aidan was sure that whatever the wizards had planned would be happening in the middle of the night, making it basically impossible for anyone to see them. It was the perfect set up for whatever the hell was going to happen in that building. Now they were on their way to see for themselves. The werepanther trackers reported they hadn’t seen anyone at the building and from all the other information they had gathered while undercover with the wizards, whatever these assholes were planning was happening soon. It was now or never. The Dragon Guard and the werepanthers needed to get in there and figure out a way to stop them. The wizards were using ‘The Auctioneer’s’ network to abduct these girls, but what were they going to do with them once they had them? Whatever it was, he could guarantee it would be horrific. They had to shut it down as soon as possible.
Any other time, Aidan would be all for charging in there and ending whatever plans their enemies had, but now Grace was with them. When he had mentioned taking her to the lair to stay with Kyndel where she would be safe, as far away from the danger as he could get her, she had gotten that look in her eyes; the look that said she was about to go all lawyer on his ass, and then she fired off a list of reasons as long as his arm about why she should go with them. He was completely outvoted when Rayne, Max, and the others had agreed that the men that attacked her were part of the gang helping the wizards with whatever the hell they were planning. She went on to charm the men that were supposed to have his back by producing the file he thought he had hidden from her. No matter how pissed he was that no one but him cared about her safety, he could not help the pride he felt watching her explain all she knew about ‘The Auctioneer’ and the men that worked for him. She was intelligent and fearless, absolutely perfect. The final nail in the coffin of his fight to take her to Kyndel was the time it would take for him to get her there and get back. He knew they were right; they needed to get over to that damn warehouse and assess the situation so they would be ready for whatever was about to go down, but he did not have to like it.
He made her promise to stay in the Escalade with the werepanther guards, while he, the Dragon Guard, and the other werepanthers scouted out the building and the surrounding area. She argued that she needed to see the warehouse as well; that she would be able to tell them exactly what was going on, but that was where all the men finally agreed with him. About time assholes! She had huffed, puffed, and argued with anyone that would listen as they readied to leave, until he took her around the corner and kissed her senseless. He would never admit that he needed that kiss as much, probably more, than she did. He would never get enough of his spectacular mate. Now as they raced out of town, Grace on the back of his bike, his brethren riding along side, while the werepanthers followed in the SUVs, he only wished he could shake the feeling that something just did not add up.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Grace spent most of the ride trying to come up with an argument Aidan would listen to. She had to go into that warehouse with them. She, above everyone else in their convoy, knew what to look for. She had been working this case for close to a year now. Why couldn’t he see that? Yes she was scared and knew there was danger in everything they had heard during the intense conversation back at Kyndel’s, but he had to trust her to take care of herself; and if she failed, he would be there. She knew he would never let anything happen to her as long as he was near. After all, she was not some child to be left in the car while the big boys went to face the danger. Sure they were bigger than she was and had all their ‘special’ abilities, at least she knew Aidan’s brethren were all dragon shifters, she thought that was the term he had used. She had to smile, a few days ago she would have called the men in the white coats if someone had told her that they were over a hundred years old and could shift into a dragon at will but now after meeting Aidan and acknowledging their connection, there was no way to deny he was so much more than human.
She wanted to ask Aidan about Max, Sophia, and the men that accompanied them. Her spidey senses were going crazy, telling her that they were so much more than they appeared as well. She knew they were not dragon shifters, she didn’t know how she just did. Just like she knew they were not your ordinary garden variety human beings either. During their information/strategy session, she had watched as Max and Sophia, along with some guy they called Ernesto, exchange looks like they were actually communicating without words. Grace knew Aidan and his brothers could do their mind speak thing, and she actually felt a little buzzing from her special intuition when the Dragon Guard were talking to each other in their minds, but something in the way Max and his crew looked at each other made her think they had their own ‘language’ too. Then there was the way they were ‘scenting’ the air all the time, putting their noses up and sniffing like they could tell what was coming by the smells in the air. It was all so surreal and really had nothing
to do with the fact that she had to convince Aidan to let her go into that warehouse. She just had to get in that building and see it all with her own eyes. The pictures would help with her case, but she needed to find evidence that ‘The Auctioneer’ and his crew were involved. One little piece of irrefutable evidence would seal the deal and send that lying, kidnapping, asshole away for the rest of his life. Of course, she also hoped it would tell them his identity. She had it narrowed down to the name, now to find the man.
Aidan had asked what she was looking for and had assured her that he would find it for her. She really wished it was that easy. It was not something she could explain, it was something she would know when she saw it, and to see it she had to get in to that building. Argh! It was absolutely the most frustrating situation. She knew Aidan was concerned for her, hell, she was concerned for herself and for him and for all of the others. Even with all their extraordinary abilities, the wizards they had talked about sounded like they could do some real damage. She shook her head. She would have never believed there were all these other ‘people’ out there; dragons and wizards and who the hell knew what else.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Aidan pulled his Harley off the road into a tourist area, about a half a block from the abandoned warehouse, to wait for the others to catch up. They had decided to approach the warehouse from the back, through a long forgotten park. He put the kickstand down while Grace climbed off the back and immediately started to pace. He knew she was upset that he would not let her go into the warehouse, but he simply could not risk her safety. He still saw the scene from her attack in the parking garage every time he shut his eyes, and there was no way she was going to get hurt if he had anything to say about it.
He leaned against the seat of his bike, watching her pace and talk to herself. He knew she was preparing her next argument to try to convince him to take her into that damned warehouse. On her third trip in front of him, he grabbed her around the waist, lifting and twisting her at the same time. She yelped in midair and then ended up straddling his lap, with those amazing blue eyes wide with surprise, staring at him, just as he had planned.
“What is that beautiful mind of yours cooking up, mo chroi?” Aidan narrowed his eyes and waited to see if she would tell him what scheme she was concocting.
Grace worried her bottom lip with her teeth, a sure sign she was going to say something he wasn’t going to like. They may have just met, but he was quickly learning her tells and right now, his brilliant and persistent mate was going to suggest something that he was sure would shave years off his life.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
She took a deep breath. It was now or never. She heard the sound of his brethren’s motorcycles and knew she had maybe a minute to convince him she needed to accompany him into that warehouse. “I want you to hear me out. No kissing me to shut me up or enlisting the help of the others. Just listen to me, please.” Aidan nodded his head and started rubbing circles with his thumbs on either side of her waist. She was sure it was to comfort him, but it was working for her too.
She figured the best way to handle it was head on, “I know that you are worried I could get hurt if I go into the warehouse with all of you guys, and I’m worried too. But I want you to think about one thing,” she paused and stared right into those spectacular whiskey colored eyes that had become the anchor for her soul. The brown, blue, and green flecks within those amber depths were swirling like a brewing storm. She realized in that moment that she had been adrift her whole life, searching for something or someone to be hers and hers alone. Now this man with his incredible strength, fantastic heritage, and hypnotic eyes, had swept her off her feet and filled the void she hadn’t even known was there. Although shaken by her revelation, she retained her focus. She had to convince him that going into that warehouse with him was worth the risk. “Think of all the girls that have gone missing. Where are they? Why can’t we find any leads? What if this is the one chance we have to get information that will lead us to those girls, or at least to the assholes that took them. This could be the one chance to get the evidence we need to identify and put ’The Auctioneer’ and the lowlife scum that work for him behind bars, so that they can never take another young woman from the people that love her.”
Aidan was staring at her so intently, she didn’t dare stop taking while she had his undivided attention, even with the sounds of approaching motorcycles growing closer. “I thought all the way here about how to explain to you what I am looking for but honestly, I won’t know until I see it.”
Aidan sat completely still. Had it not been for his thumbs still rubbing her sides she would have wondered if he was still breathing. She hurried on before he could think to disagree, “Don’t you see, I have to do this. I have to find out what happened to those girls, and I have to make sure it doesn’t happen to any others.” Her voice cracked on the last few words. She was not someone that cried easily, but all these missing young women and the prospect of more being abducted was more than her heart could handle.
She watched his internal debate. He was seriously considering everything that she had said. From the way his brow furrowed and lips pursed, he did not like where it was all leading. Grace bit her lip to keep from interrupting his contemplation. He had to make this decision himself. The storm she had seen brewing in his eyes earlier was nothing compared to the intense stare she was receiving after what she believed was a well thought out argument. If she was not mistaken, his eyes were actually glowing; just another extraordinary feature of this incredible man.
He gripped her waist and pulled her so close that their noses were almost touching, “OK, mo ghra’, you win. You can go in with us, but you have to promise to do whatever I say, without hesitation or discussion, no matter what. I need you to understand that you are my world. I know it seems too soon in your culture, but Grace, you are mine, and will be mine for all of my days. If anything happens to you, I will cease to exist. You are my everything. I have to know that you are safe. I will give my life to make sure that you are not hurt. Ta’ mo chroi istigh ionat. My heart is within you, mo ghra’. Do you understand?”
She could barely breathe. The man that she was now sure she was meant to spend the rest of her life with was actually going to trust her to go with him. No one had ever shown her such faith and trust. Grace nodded her head while she swallowed past the lump in her throat. “No, Grace, I need to hear you say the words,” Aidan said, still staring directly into her eyes and completely ignoring his brethren and the others arriving all around them. The brown, green, and blue flecks in his amber orbs were swirling; the storm had broken and he was waiting to hear her agree to his terms. She knew without a doubt, that he meant every word he said and would take nothing but her complete acquiescence. “Yes Aidan, I will do whatever you say, whenever you say it, without question,” she took a quick breath, her nerves about to shake her apart. “Thank you for trusting me and believing in me. I will not let you down.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Aidan could not stand it one more second. He and Grace were bonding so quickly, and even though they were about to enter a possibly dangerous situation, he could not deny himself or his dragon a taste of their luscious mate. He pulled her the last inch and slammed his lips into hers. She sighed into the kiss as he slid his tongue into her mouth. What had started as a kiss of possession and domination, quickly turned to one of sensual affirmation. They tasted and fed off each other’s mouths until they were out of breath and needed a cold shower. He decided investigating the abandoned warehouse could wait, certain he could have them a mile into the woods in a matter of seconds with his enhanced abilities. Lance broke through his muddled brain, laughing as usual, “Yo, ‘A’, cool it with the kissy face. The vein in Rayne’s forehead is about to burst and I’m sure your mate isn’t into PDA. If you don’t cool it, Max is gonna head over there and embarrass your ass in front of your pretty lady again.”
“Jealous much, ass?” He stopped kissing Grace and held her against h
is chest while her breathing returned to normal. Lance was right about one thing, she would be embarrassed if she knew the other’s had seen them kissing. He would have to explain that dragon shifters were very passionate and help her get over her shyness. “Oh shit, the cat is here too?”
“Damn straight, so get your head together and get over here,” he answered, laughing even harder.
Grace lifted her head and looked up at him. He loved to see that lazy look in her eyes and her lips swollen from his kisses, but Lance was right, it was not the time. “You were just talking to one of your brothers, weren’t you?”
Her question surprised him, “Yes. How did you know?”
Once again she worried her bottom lip with her teeth, and it took all of his control not to kiss her again. He reminded himself he was waiting for her to answer his question. “I noticed a buzzing in my head when we all were talking back at Kyndel’s. Nothing bothersome, just a little noise, like a radio station not tuned in all the way, kind of like static. I wondered what it was and then I realized it only happened when you were looking at one of your brothers. You would shake your head or shrug or grin, it was then I figured it was when you guys were talking and it happened again just now. I figured it was one of them was telling you they were here and we should stop making out.” She giggled again, and once again he was reminded of the tinkling sound of little bells.
He hugged her even tighter, “Mo ghra’ you are amazing. Yes, Lance was just giving me a hard time. I believe the buzzing sound is coming from your spidey senses combined with our ever growing mating bond. As I explained before, once we have completed the official mating ceremony, you and I will be able to mind speak and will have some of my enhanced abilities.”