Drakon's Prey (Blood of the Drakon)

by N. J. Walters

  He had to work to control the dragon half of him. The beast wanted to lay waste to everyone and everything. But that would only bring more attention to them, and to Valeriya. That would put her in danger.

  Keeping a tight rein on his dragon half, he opened his mouth and flames shot out. It was hotter than anything in the human world, more akin to the molten core of the earth. The bodies ignited and were turned to ash in under a minute. When nothing remained of the four men, Tarrant let the flames die out.

  As an air drakon, he controlled the wind as easily as he breathed. He gathered the cool air around him and blew gently. He only wanted to disperse the ashes, not start a hurricane. Ash and dust swirled into the air before taking to the currents and flowing in every direction. When Tarrant stopped, the only thing remaining was dirt.

  He shifted to his human form, then pulled his jeans back on, grabbed his phone, and placed a call. He didn’t give his brother time to speak when he answered. “I had visitors.”

  Darius swore. “What the hell happened?”

  “I had a visit from Riggs and his crew. I’m not sure who sent him, Temple or Karina Azarov.”

  “They didn’t find anything, did they?” He hesitated long enough for his brother to start swearing again. “What aren’t you telling me, Tarrant?”

  “I went outside to keep an eye on them.” He started walking down the road. He had to find the vehicle the men arrived in.

  “Why the hell would you do that?” Darius demanded.

  “It was the right thing to do.” And he wasn’t about to justify himself to his older brother. He knew Darius was going to lose his mind, but he couldn’t hold back the truth. “Valeriya left the bunker.”

  Complete silence. He’d actually stunned his brother. He couldn’t help but grin as he rounded a turn in the road.

  “How. The. Hell. Did. That. Happen?” Each word was enunciated slowly and precisely.

  “Not sure yet. Haven’t had time to look into it.” The SUV was parked on the side of the road. Since none of the men had been carrying the keys, he hoped they were inside.

  “You haven’t had time. Then what the fuck have you been doing?”

  Tarrant growled and had to shake himself before he spoke and said something he’d regret. “Since Valeriya was shot trying to protect me, and you, by the way, I was busy taking care of her.”

  “I’m sorry man.” He could hear the sincerity in Darius’s voice, and it calmed him. “How is she?”

  “Sleeping.” He opened the door and slid into the driver’s seat of the SUV. As he’d hoped, the keys were there. He started the vehicle and began to back it down the road.

  “Did you have to—” Darius broke off, but Tarrant knew what his brother was asking.

  “Yes, but only a small amount. Enough to heal her injuries. She’s still weak.” When he reached a small opening in the trees, he turned the vehicle around and headed down the road. There was a pond not far from here that would do for what he had planned.

  “How do you feel about her?”

  That was the big question, wasn’t it? He sidestepped it. “I can’t let her go.” That was enough for now. He didn’t want to love a human woman. Valeriya would die unless he fed her his blood. He wasn’t sure it was something she’d want. She’d be tied to him for eternity. That was a lot to ask of any woman.

  Darius sighed. “I know you’re driving. I can hear the engine. What’s going on?”

  “I burned the bodies and destroyed all the evidence. I’m getting rid of the vehicle now.”

  “You should come out east.”

  Tarrant heard Ezra muttering in the background, “I’m not running a damn hotel. Fuck, tell him to come. And he can bring the woman.”

  He knew his brother would open his home, even if he didn’t fully trust Valeriya. That meant a lot to him.

  “Tell Ezra thank you for his heartfelt invitation, but I’m sticking around for now. I want to know if anyone else is going to show.” Plus, he really didn’t want to share Valeriya with anyone else. It was his possessive drakon nature.

  “Is that wise?”

  He shrugged away Darius’s concern. “It’s what has to happen.” He couldn’t just abandon his home, not if there was a chance he could gain more information about what the Knights were up to.

  He also wanted to spend more time alone with Valeriya. There were so many things they needed to discuss. Not the least of which were her feelings for him.

  “Gotta go. I’ll call later.”

  “You do that,” Darius replied.

  Tarrant knew his brothers were worried about him, but he was fine. He ended the call and tucked his phone safely in his pocket. He’d already been away from Valeriya for far too long. He pushed the gas pedal to the floor. It took him under ten minutes to reach his destination.

  He climbed out of the vehicle and took several minutes to thoroughly search it. There was no identification in the glove box, and he left the weapons where they were. There would be no evidence that Riggs and his crew had been anywhere near here.

  He shifted into his drakon form and set the vehicle on fire. This time, he used his mastery of the wind to create a protective bubble around the flames so when the gas tank blew it wouldn’t destroy the surrounding area. It was the reason he’d moved the SUV to the lake to destroy. Better to be safe than sorry.

  When the gas ignited, it exploded in a fiery plume of ash, smoke, and flame, and threatened to send debris raining everywhere. But Tarrant contained it all within his bubble of wind, incinerating every piece of metal, every shred of plastic and wire. Nothing escaped.

  It took a little longer than he’d hoped, but he had to be certain not one piece of the vehicle remained. He’d have been done in seconds if he’d only had to explode it.

  When nothing remained but fine ash, he shifted the winds, softening them. The ash blew onto the pond and sank beneath the water. The surrounding woods were quiet and then he heard the trill of a bird.

  Satisfied there was nothing left of the men or their transportation, Tarrant shifted back to human form, dressed, and began to run. He’d been gone for far too long. He needed to see Valeriya, to know she was safe. His body blurred as he shot through the trees, moving faster than any mortal man ever could.

  Chapter Seventeen

  When Valeriya woke, she was alone. She reached out, found the bedside lamp, and turned it on.

  Green fire glinted from the stones sitting on the nightstand. She picked one of them up and held it to the light. “Beautiful.” There were a dozen of them. What had Tarrant called them? Drakon tears. What did he mean when he’d told her they belonged to her?

  One of them alone had to be worth a fortune, and there were a dozen. She carefully set it back down and took a moment to assess her injuries.

  She cautiously rolled her shoulder and frowned. It didn’t hurt. She tentatively touched the bandaged area. When excruciating pain didn’t shoot down her arm, she poked it a bit harder. Nothing.

  Frowning, she eased her legs over the side of the bed and bent down to check out her leg. She straightened the limb and then bent it. It moved easily and without pain. She reached down and shoved the makeshift bandage down her calf. The skin was normal. Except for the dried blood covering the area, there was no indication she’d ever been shot.

  She pushed off the bed, taking a minute to ensure she was steady on her feet before making her way to the bathroom. She turned on the light and studied her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was a rat’s nest. Dirt and dried blood dotted her torso. She was a mess.

  But it was the bandage around her shoulder that interested her most. She worked her fingers under the binding and managed to loosen the fabric enough that she could remove it. “Impossible.” She turned and peered over her shoulder. Her shoulder looked perfect. There wasn’t even a scar.

  She picked up the bandage and examined it. She recognized the fabric from her shirt and hoodie. It was covered in blood. Her blood. She swallowed hard. No doubt about it.
She’d been shot.

  How had she healed so quickly?

  She swallowed hard and caught the slightest metallic taste from the medicine Tarrant had given her.

  It hit her like a bolt of lightning. It hadn’t been medicine at all. It had been drakon’s blood. His blood. There was no other explanation for her miraculous healing.

  What did that mean, if anything? It was the last thing she’d expect him to do, especially since the Knights hunted drakons for just this reason. And she’d left the bunker, snuck out when he hadn’t been around. Surely he would be angry with her about that.

  She had so many questions, and only Tarrant could answer them.

  She stripped off what remained of her clothing and stuffed it in the trash can. Then she turned on the water in the huge walk-in shower and stepped beneath the spray.

  She was shaky and rested one hand against the tile for support. Probably not the smartest idea to be taking a shower, but she wanted to be clean. There was dirt and dried blood all over her skin and in her hair.

  She tilted her face up and let the water cascade over her. It rolled down her skin, washing away the filth and grime. She wished it could take the memories just as easily.

  By the time she wrapped herself in a towel, her legs were quivering. She knew she had to sit before she fell down. Every muscle was trembling with fatigue. She left the bathroom and made her way back to the bed. The urge to just climb under the covers and stay there was great. She sat on the edge and took a deep, slow breath. She did it again and again until she felt more grounded.

  Clothes were the next hurdle. Digging up clean ones meant going back to her room, but Tarrant’s closet was right across from her. It wasn’t snooping, not really. He shouldn’t have left her here if he didn’t want her looking around.

  Feeling justified, she walked over to the closet and opened it. Jeans were stacked on one shelf and T-shirts on another. There were shelves with sweaters. Shirts and several expensive suits were hung neatly on a rod. She touched one dark gray jacket. It would look amazing on Tarrant with his dark hair and blue eyes.

  She chose a cheaper cotton flannel shirt, dropped the towel, and slid it on. It fell nearly to her knees. When she buttoned it, it was almost like wearing a dress. The sleeves were long and she had to roll the cuffs a couple of times before they hit her wrists.

  Then she rummaged around the built-in dresser and found socks and a pair of sweatpants. Even after tightening the drawstring on the pants all the way, the waistband slid down around her hips. She cuffed the legs and tried walking. She might look ridiculous, but she was warm, and that was all that mattered.

  Whether it was from shock, blood loss, the adrenaline crash, or a combination of all three, she felt chilled to the bone. She needed something to eat. She felt as weak as a three-day-old kitten.

  Putting off leaving the room a bit longer, she looked around. It obviously belonged to Tarrant, but there were no personal touches in the place. Other than his clothes in the closet and his toiletries in the bathroom, this could be a guest room. There were no pictures on the walls, no books on the nightstand. No wallet, keys, or spare change on top of the dresser. Nothing.

  Why did that depress her so much?

  Deciding she’d put off the inevitable long enough, she left the bedroom. The place felt empty. She walked down the hallway to the kitchen and living area, but Tarrant was nowhere to be found.

  She had no idea where he was or when he’d be back. Not that he needed to keep her informed of his whereabouts. They didn’t have that kind of relationship. “Suck it up,” she ordered herself. “You’re alive. That’s all that matters.”

  Since she knew where things were, she filled the kettle and set it on the stove. She dug around and found the tea and got a clean mug from one of the cupboards. While she was waiting for the water to boil, she padded to the refrigerator and opened the door. She wanted something fast and nutritious.

  She pulled open the fruit drawer and found some apples—Golden Delicious, her favorite kind. She also found a block of cheddar cheese. She took both and used her hip to shut the door before placing the food she’d gathered on the counter.

  “Crackers.” She really wanted some kind of crackers. She opened the large bottom doors on the pantry cupboard. Mostly canned and bottled goods down there. She opened the top doors and hit pay dirt. There were three different kinds of crackers, including a wholegrain organic brand she favored.

  She grabbed the box and set about fixing a plate. By the time she was done, the water had boiled, and she filled her mug. She slid onto what was becoming her seat at the counter and began to eat.

  She’d managed one slice of apple and two crackers when she muttered a curse, slid off the stool, and carried her meal into the living room where she could watch the door. If Tarrant wasn’t around, it meant he had to be outside. The door was more easily visible from the living area.

  She sipped tea and cleaned her plate. Her stomach settled, and she was feeling steadier now that she’d eaten something. She was considering her next move when the panel slid open and Tarrant walked in.

  …

  Tarrant was sweaty and anxious as he hurried down the stairs. The urge to get back to Valeriya was great. Knowing she was safe inside his home didn’t ease his anxiety. He had to see her.

  What he didn’t expect was to see her the moment he opened the door. He stepped inside and made sure the panel was securely closed behind him. He wasn’t taking any chances. He’d even changed the security code, since he wasn’t certain how she’d managed to get out in the first place.

  She set her mug down on the coffee table and rose. “Is everything okay?”

  He hated the echo of fear he heard in her voice and saw in her eyes. “Everything is taken care of.” He walked toward her, needing to touch her.

  “You were outside like that?”

  He frowned, not sure what she meant.

  “You’re hardly wearing any clothing,” she pointed out. “It’s October in the mountains.”

  He ran his hands down her arms and up her back in an effort to reassure himself she was whole and healthy. “Don’t need much. I don’t feel the cold. Not the way you do.”

  “Oh.” When she kept her hands by her sides, he took a step back, trying not to take it as a rejection. She’d been through a lot.

  He caught sight of the plate on the table. “You’ve eaten.” He’d meant to cook her something when he came in.

  “Some cheese and crackers, and an apple.”

  “That’s not much.” She needed meat and vegetables to build her blood and strength.

  She shrugged. “I didn’t think my stomach could handle anything heavier.” She sat back down on the sofa. “What did you do outside?”

  He pushed her plate out of the way and perched on the coffee table in front of her. She looked so worried that he wanted to reassure her. “The bodies are gone and so is their vehicle. There’s no trace they were ever here.”

  She nibbled on her bottom lip, and his jeans got a whole lot tighter. He forced himself to watch her eyes instead.

  “You’re sure there’s no sign of them?”

  He nodded. “Drakon fire burns everything to ash.”

  “Wow.”

  “It takes effort, and isn’t sustainable at such an intense rate for long periods of time, but it works well for short blasts.” Unless you were a fire drakon. They could sustain their fire indefinitely.

  “Okay.” She nodded and then picked at the hem of the shirt she was wearing. It was one of his, as were the pants and socks. She looked adorable as hell in the too-large clothing with her damp hair hanging around her shoulders. “You gave me your blood.”

  It wasn’t a question. She had to know that was what he’d done. There was no other explanation for her healing so quickly.

  “I did.”

  She tilted her head, studying him. “Why?”

  “Why?” he echoed. “What kind of question is that? You’d been shot. Twice. And were
bleeding.”

  “But I would have healed given time,” she pointed out. “Your blood is precious. Men and women through the ages have killed to obtain it, and you just gave it to me.”

  Why was she questioning him about this? “It’s mine to give. Would you rather I’d left you in pain?” Not that he would have. It had hurt him to see her injured.

  “No, of course not.” She hesitated and then pushed onward. “But considering everything—”

  “Everything?” he prompted when she abruptly stopped. “Like the fact your sister is the head of the Knights? Or that you left the safety of this place?”

  “Yes.” She gave a defiant nod. “All that and more.”

  He didn’t want to talk about his reasons. “It’s done, and you’re healthy once again. That’s all that matters.

  He had questions of his own, and there was no point in putting them off. It was best to get everything out in the open. She had no way of knowing he’d be studying the security feed later to corroborate her story. He needed to know if he could trust her.

  “How did you get out of here?”

  The corners of her full lips turned up in a hint of a smile. “My bra.”

  He must not have heard her correctly. “Your bra?”

  She nodded. “When you left, you must have accidently kicked it or nudged it. It was stuck in the door.”

  “I’ll be damned.” All this because he’d been careless. Who would have thought one tiny scrap of fabric could compromise his security system so easily? Something to think about so it didn’t happen again. Maybe he needed a heavier door.

  “Okay, we’ve established how you got out. But why did you leave?” He kept his tone level when all he wanted to do was yell at her and demand to know why she’d left his home.

  Again, she nibbled on her bottom lip. A man could only take so much. Explanations could wait. He groaned, leaned forward, and kissed her.