Dragon Baby: Paranormal BBW Shapeshifter Dragon Romance (Night and Day Ink Book 5)

by Milly Taiden

  She turned to look at him. “This nursery here. It means you expect me to move in here, no?”

  He shook his head. “I had the same thing done to your house.”

  She gasped and widened her eyes. “Are you insane? That must have cost a fortune!”

  He shrugged. “I don’t care how much it costs. Money means nothing if I can’t use it give you what you want.”

  God. The man had a way with words. If she had any doubt before that she needed to give him a chance and see what their life together would be like, that doubt was now dead. Her heart filled with love for him. She couldn’t even fathom a man doing all he’d done that day, just to make her happy.

  “Give me some time to decide things, Thane. This is a bit rushed and I want to make the best decision for our baby.”

  “Whatever you need, love. I just want to make things easier.”

  “Let’s go to my home. I want to see that nursery, too!” She smiled and grabbed his hand. That act alone made her realize she wasn’t doing this alone. She had a partner, one who cared and loved her and their baby.

  When they got to his car, he got her situated and closed her door. He dug in his pocket for something.

  He frowned and bent down to her car window. “I left the keys in the house. Be right back.” He hurried through the back door, searching the entry table then farther in.

  Lily sighed and sat back into the leather seat. She couldn’t believe this was her life. Two months ago, she was in such a different place. Everything seemed to be falling into place. A noise outside pulled her from her thoughts. Flapping wings?

  She glanced up and saw a massive black dragon coming right for her.

  21

  Thane heard Lily’s scream from his office. Blood froze in his veins. He ran for the back door and saw Ramoth trying to grab her with his claws.

  He let out a loud roar and let his dragon loose. It took precious seconds before he was in the air, ready to tackle his brother away from his mate.

  “You found a mate,” Ramoth spat through their dragon bond. “And it’s her. I should’ve known.”

  “What are you doing here, Ramoth?” He sent a line of fire directly where Ramoth flew, but he moved too quickly for it to get him.

  “I came to kill you, finally. I didn’t expect you to be mated, or having a child.”

  “Stay away from my mate, Ramoth. I’ll fucking tear you apart.” He circled his brother, forcing Ramoth to move away from the cabin and car.

  Ramoth laughed and blew a plume of smoke at Thane. “Don’t worry, brother,” he said. “I’ll make sure to kill you all as a family.”

  Thane’s anger rose. His dragon flapped his wings and flicked his tail to puncture a hole into one of Ramoth’s wings. His half-brother tried to move but hadn’t been fast enough.

  Thane chased him. They flew over the mountains and rivers, past the city, and to empty fields. Ramoth turned, directing another bellow of fire at Thane. Thane pulled back, but quickly increased speed once the fire dissipated to slam his tail into Ramoth’s side.

  He flew after Ramoth, following him between large trees and sending another fire cloud at him, catching Ramoth’s tail.

  Ramoth roared and dove, turning to shoot upward toward Thane. Thane skidded between trees, did a U-turn and slammed the side of his body into Ramoth’s wing. Another hole tore through it. Ramoth took off and Thane chased. They raced to the area of Thane’s cabin.

  “I’m going to kill your mate and your offspring,” Ramoth taunted. “It’s my time to rule.” Ramoth blew a cloud of fire at Thane’s cabin but only managed to get the car. The car his mate was in. It lit up, burning so fast, Thane’s heart almost exploded out of his chest.

  “Lily!” He shifted so quickly, he fell the last ten feet to the ground in human form. “Lily!” The car detonated, throwing his body back into the snow. The back door opened and his mate stuck her head out.

  “Thane,” she yelled as she ran out to him. She gasped when seeing him. He looked down and saw deep burns in his skin he didn’t feel in his anguish over what he believed happened to her.

  When he glanced up at her running to him, his brother was flying directly behind her, diving at increasing speed, mouth gaping wide. “Lily!” He lunged to his feet, tackling Lily to the ground, carful of her large stomach. Fire skated over his back. Thane noticed how low Ramoth came in his plunge. Mistake for his brother.

  Thane borrowed strength from his dragon and launched into the air, sending a punch into the midsection of the passing creature. Ramoth spiraled out of control and crashed into the trees.

  Thane snatched up his mate and headed for a small metal building well hidden in a snowdrift.

  “Thane,” Lily puffed, “where are we going? Who was that?”

  “I’ll explain shortly.” Lily still in his arms, he managed to open the metal door. As soon as he stepped inside, a dim light lit the small room. On another wall, he flipped a switch and a panel on the floor slid to the side revealing a stair unit. Lily gasped with surprised.

  “Thane?” He noted the worry in her voice.

  He kissed her forehead, carefully stepping down. “It’s fine, love. Just sit tight.”

  She snorted. “I don’t have much of a choice, do I?” she said, held snuggly in his hold. He had to grin at her strength when he knew she was scared to death. She was perfect for him.

  A roar came from outside the shed. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he slammed his hand against the wall. The floor began to slide back into place. Just before sealing closed, daylight peeked through telling him Ramoth demolished the building.

  He set Lily on her feet and crushed her to him. He blanked his mind of the events and emotions from a few minutes ago that would have devastated him. “Lily, my god. I thought I’d lost you when the car—“ His words choked in his throat. He couldn’t say it.

  “No, baby. I’m here.” She rubbed his back with her arms wrapped around him. “Nothing happened. You saved me.” A roar erupted overhead. “Where are we, Thane? What’s going on?”

  He grabbed her hand and led her through the darkness. “We’re in a tunnel I built a long time ago for this kind of situation. I can’t believe I’m using it to escape my brother. Ramoth can be such a pain in the ass.”

  She pulled back on his arm. “Your brother is Ramoth?”

  “Yeah, I told you about him earlier,” he said.

  “Ramoth is the one who knocked my car off the road into the snow,” she breathed.

  He spun around and gripped her shoulders. “What?”

  “The night we spent together,” she started, “that’s why I came back to your cabin. He pushed my car and it went off the road. He said he wanted to make sure I wasn’t robbing your place.”

  Fuck! Thane mushed her against him again. She’d come so close to dying. If Ramoth had an inkling of who she was, there was no doubt in his mind the bastard would’ve killed her. Now wasn’t the time to tell her. He needed to get her safe first.

  “We’ll talk more later,” he told her. “Let’s get out of here.” The tunnel opened into a garage space. He opened the door to the Hummer and helped her up, then got her strapped in.

  “Thane, where are we?” she asked.

  “My secret getaway. Kinda like the bat cave. Just call it the Drek cave.” He grinned and pecked her on the lips. He pushed the garage door opener and slowly, the outside snowy landscape came into view.

  Now the question became where could he go where his mate would be safe?

  22

  Lily looked around the area and knocked on the door to a small, modest home. She hoped this was the right decision. But the man did say if she ever needed any help…

  Thane parked the Hummer inside a parking garage to hide their whereabouts and they hurried into Patricia’s not for food, but an address. Having clout like Thane had made getting information a lot easier. Not to mention the women drooling over him while giving him whatever he asked for. Lily wasn’t sure she’d ever get u
sed to that. He was hers.

  The door to the home opened to a surprised face.

  “Miss Cruz?”

  “Hi, Vinnie,” she said. He stood staring at her, mouth open. “Uh, Vinnie, can we come in?”

  He snapped out of his stupor and stepped back. “Momma mia.” He slapped his hand on his forehead. “Per favore, scusami. Please, come in. Come in.” He turned away and rattled off a string of words she didn’t understand. From somewhere in the house, a female responded in the same language.

  Thane whispered into her ear, “Why are we at the maître’ d’ of Patricia’s house?”

  She turned to him. “How do you know who he is?”

  Thane’s brow bent down. “I may not get out much, but I do go out,” he grumped. “Besides, they have the best lasagna this side of the mountain.”

  A tiny woman with an apron draped over her, wiping her hands on a dishcloth, came to an abrupt stop next to Vinnie. Her large eyes took in her and Thane. He seemed a giant next to her. Her head actually tipped back to see his face.

  Vinnie mumbled to her. Lily did catch the words Disney on Ice. Immediately, tears filled the woman’s eyes and she stepped toward Lily with open arms. Receiving the hug, Lily hugged the woman back, not understanding a word she said. The woman, still talking—had she taken a breath yet?—took her hand and led her into the kitchen and onto a wooden chair at a weathered table. The little lady didn’t even know her name or vice versa.

  Vinnie followed them into the room, his hands flying in the air with his unknown words. His wife turned to him and threw her hands in the air almost in exact motions. Lily finally realized they were arguing in Italian. They were so cute. Thane smiled. She leaned into him.

  “Do you know what they’re saying?” she asked him.

  “She’s saying someone in your condition shouldn’t be standing, and he’s saying she’s not treating you with respect. Being too informal,” he informed.

  “Miss Cruz, Mr. Dreki,” Vinnie said, getting her attention, “this is my wife, Carlotta.” He bowed his head slightly. “We are honored to have you in our humble home.”

  Lily looked at Thane, then back to Vinnie. “You know him?” she asked.

  “Sì, signorina.” Vinnie winked at Thane. “Mr. Dreki is good tipper.” Both men laughed. Of course, Lily believed that. Thane was a great guy all around.

  Carlotta set a plate of hummus and celery in front of Lily along with a glass of water. It wasn’t meat, but she wasn’t complaining. She’d take any food offered.

  “Mr. Dreki,” Vinnie said, “may I inquire why you are here? Can I help you in some way?”

  Thane glanced at her. She gave him a nod. It was fine with her to tell Vin the truth of their situation. Thane spent the next few minutes speaking Italian. Thane even told Vin about Louis’s men bothering her. She thought Carlotta was going to pass out. The little woman plopped into a chair and waved her dishtowel in front of her face.

  Vinnie pulled out a bottle of wine and three glasses. He poured each half full and handed one to Thane, one to his wife. He sat at the table with the third glass in hand.

  “Mr. Dreki, Carlotta and I will do all we can to keep Miss Cruz safe. We give our lives for her.” Lily wanted to argue with that. Nobody was dying. If she put their lives in danger by being here, then she would leave. She was about to voice that when Vinnie cleared his throat.

  “Mr. Dreki, I tell you this because I respect you and know you a good man. I know the Louis you speak of. He come to restaurant many times with others. He is not nice to waiters. They tell me things the men talk about: killing, stealing, bad things.”

  Lily caught Thane’s concerned glance. What had Vinnie learned that he was about to reveal?

  “Two days ago, several men talk in restaurant cucina about a drago.”

  Lily startled. “Does that mean dragon? The men were talking about dragons?” Her heart raced. What did Louis have to do with Thane?

  “Sì, signorina,” Vin said. “I not understand at the time. But a new man I never see before was at restaurant with Louis and other Danitellis.”

  “Wait,” Thane said. He turned to Lily. “Louis is a Danitelli?”

  “Yes,” she said. “Does that make a difference?”

  Thane sighed. “It makes a huge difference.” He stood and kissed her forehead. “Stay here, baby. I’ll be back shortly.” With that he walked out the front door and down the sidewalk.

  Lily sipped her water, trying to think of some way to ease the awkward silence. She remembered what Vin was telling them before Thane got up.

  “Vinnie,” Lily said, “what did that new person with Louis look like?” Vinnie went on to describe Ramoth to a T. That would explain Ramoth’s presence in the area. He was plotting with her ex. But what were they after?

  It had to be money. Louis wanted a quarter million from her. A knock came from the front door and the three looked at each other. Was it Thane coming back?

  Vinnie stood. “I see who at door. Stay here.”

  Perhaps she was becoming paranoid, but she had a bad feeling in her stomach. She heard the door open. Her shifter hearing picked up the voice, but again, they spoke a language she didn’t know.

  Suddenly, Carlotta grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the chair and into the hall. The tiny woman was stronger than Lily thought possible. They dashed into a bathroom and Carlotta shoved her into a linen closet. She was about to complain when a gunshot rang in the house. Fear tore through her.

  Next she knew, a hail of bullets flooded the house. The sound of window glass shattering, wood being ripped through, ceramics falling and crashing to the floor. Lily covered her ears and crouched against the back wall.

  What the hell was going on? Was this because of her and Thane coming to the house? Why else? Was she and her baby going to die? Her heart broke knowing Thane would never see his little girl. That would kill him as sure as any bullet.

  Then the gunfire stopped, leaving her ears ringing in the silence. What now?

  23

  “Come out, come out, wherever you are.” At the sound of that bastard’s voice, Lily held back the bile wanting to spew from her stomach. That son of a bitch destroyed Vinnie and his wife’s home just to get to her. She wished she had a weapon she could hurt him with. Toilet paper and spray cleaners weren’t going to help much.

  “Where are you, bitch?” Louis said from a distance. “I know you’re in this house. The dragon followed you down the mountain. So if you come out, I’ll make sure your mate is killed quickly and not just skinned alive.”

  She gasped and slapped a hand over her mouth. Did Louis capture Thane? Could his pathetic men really catch a dragon? If they had Ramoth helping, it was very possible with a surprise attack. She was going to throw up. What should she do?

  “All right,” Louis said somewhere in the house, “if you aren’t in my sight by the time I count to three, the little old man and his little wife will suffer. You know I can make them suffer.”

  Goddammit! He had Vinnie and Carlotta.

  “One.”

  Maybe he’s lying. Should she believe him or not?

  “Two.”

  She shoved the door open and ran out of the bathroom. “I’m here, you prick. Don’t you touch Vinnie or his wife.” She walked up the hall and into the main front room. The area looked like a battle zone. Glass, paper, and debris covered the entire floor. There were places on the furniture where bullets tore through, pulling the stuffing out with their exits. Broken drywall floated in the air, making her cough.

  Vinnie and Carlotta stood against the wall, one of Louis’s goons holding a gun on them. She was so relieved she decided to come out.

  “Ah, there you are. The dragon was right,” her ex said. “I was beginning to doubt him for a moment.”

  “What dragon?” she asked, playing stupid. “You don’t know any dragons. They wouldn’t waste time on you.” This stalling tactic would work. When she attacked his pride in the past, he went on the defensive, trying
to convince her he was king.

  His eyes burned with anger. Then he relaxed his shoulders and smiled. “Nice try, Lil, but I do know a dragon and I'm even working with him. No need to prove myself to you anymore.”

  She asked, “Is it Ramoth? He’s such a sad prick. Lowest of the lowest.”

  He was taken aback, but tried to hide it. She knew him too well. He glanced down at her belly, a hateful look on his face. “What did you do? Get some pathetic bastard to make you pregnant after all this time? Aren’t you too fucking old for this shit? Or did you get one of those artificial donors instead?”

  She’d never wanted to punch someone in the face like she did at that moment. Her feline wanted to protect her dragon baby and if he gave her belly one more dirty look, she would shred his face to ribbons. “What I do is none of your business.”

  He came a step closer. “It is when it involves my money.”

  “I don’t owe you anything.”

  He barked a hateful laugh. “You’ll owe me your whole life for doing you the favor of marrying your boring, fat ass.”

  “I should be the one charging you for all the crap you and your mother put me through. You’re lucky I didn’t kill her. Trust me, I wanted to.”

  He came at her full speed. “Don’t fucking talk about my mother, you worthless bitch!”

  He didn’t get much closer than a foot before he was grabbed from behind and tossed against a wall, leaving an imprint in the broken plaster. She watched the men who’d shown up with Louis scatter.

  Thane stopped in front of her. “Are you okay? Did he touch you?”

  She shook her head. “He’s just being a pussy and saying I owe him my entire life for him being married to me.”

  “I’ll handle him.” Thane turned to Louis, who had picked himself up off the floor.

  “Are you fucking crazy?” Louis asked. “Do you know what family I belong to? My grandfather is going to tear you apart, piece by piece.”

  Thane nodded. “I know what family you belong to, but I don’t think you realize Lily isn’t alone anymore.”