“We’ll be careful, Dax. We’ll keep moving toward the river.” He glanced over his shoulder in the direction of the others. “Weston and Shelton are asking questions why we’re not making a straight line for the river. Miguel hasn’t said anything to them, but they have GPS.”
Dax frowned, clearly not understanding. He touched Jubal’s mind and “read” the information and then rolled his shoulders in a casual shrug. “Instruments can be misleading, especially with all this ash in the air.”
“Which is why our emergency contact hasn’t sent in their helicopter to bring us out,” Gary said.
“Avoid any tribesmen,” Dax advised. “You can’t trust anyone you meet. Riley’s given us Mitro’s general direction, but she can’t know if he’s killed anyone else, turned them into puppets, ghouls or programmed them to kill you. We’ll be back well before sunrise.”
Dax stepped back, taking Riley’s hand. “Be safe, all of you. If you call to me, I’ll hear you, but I may be too far away to give much aid,” he warned.
Jubal gave him a small salute. “Just get us those flowers. We’ll handle this.”
“Don’t be cocky, Jubal,” Dax said. “Mitro is unlike any vampire you’ve come across. I’m a skilled hunter. Even while tracking Mitro, I executed many vampires, none of whom held anything close to Mitro’s power.”
“Believe me, Dax,” Jubal assured. “When it comes to vampires, I’m always ready to pass on them. Any of them, let alone this one. I’ve seen what he does. I have no desire to meet him, especially without you to back me up.”
Dax nodded his head and turned abruptly, as was his way. He was still a little uncomfortable in the presence of so many people, but he liked both Jubal and Gary. They both were men of integrity and they’d fight with him if needed. He read their determination to protect Riley. They also understood the lifemate bond. Riley didn’t fully comprehend yet, but she was willing to try with him and he couldn’t ask for more.
He tugged on Riley’s hand, bringing her under his shoulder. “So are you ready to be a dragonrider?”
Riley’s impossibly long lashes lifted and her eyes met his. His breath caught in his lungs. Her eyes glowed at him with excitement. Her cheeks were flushed beneath her flawless skin. She looked more beautiful than ever.
“I can’t wait, although I’ll admit I’m a little afraid. You’ll talk to me the entire time?”
That was his lifemate, ready to meet each adventure head-on. He brought her knuckles to his mouth and nibbled gently. “I’ll be with you. The Old One regards you as his family. He won’t allow anything to happen to you, either. You’ll be safe.”
“I know.” Riley made it a statement.
Dax walked with her beneath the protection of his shoulder, her hand pressed against his heart while he took her away from the camp and the prying eyes of the others—especially Weston, who had no idea he was placing himself in danger every time he turned his leering, all too hungry gaze on Riley.
Her body moved like liquid grace against his. Flowing. Sensual. The taste of her was still in his mouth. His pulse leapt at the close proximity. He had always known the lifemate pull was strong, he’d witnessed that powerful force between couples, but he hadn’t expected the need to be so intense. Still, he was determined that Riley make her own choice. He wanted her to save him because, to her, he was worth saving.
Once they were out of sight of the others, he lifted her in his arms and took to the sky. He needed a large clearing where the dragon could take off and land. He could feel Riley’s excitement, the faint trembling of her body, the shimmer of anticipation running through her, and found himself smiling. He couldn’t remember experiencing shapeshifting for the first time, or flying, or just being happy. Now that he was with her, he was learning all over again to laugh, to feel. He really was just as genuinely excited for her as she was.
She turned her face up to the wind and laughed out loud. The sound resonated through his body. He could feel the Old One stirring as well. Her laughter was so contagious, that not only was he affected, but so was the dragon. Setting her gently in the tree line at the edge of a meadow, he strode into the center of the large field.
At once he felt the Old One stretch deep inside of him. Strangely, this time, instead of feeling apart from the dragon, he felt a part of him, feeling the intense emotions much more vividly than before. Dax wasn’t certain if it was because Riley had restored his own emotions to him, or if he was merging with the dragon to the point they were becoming one and the same. He knew once he made his claim on Riley and said the ritual bonding words, their two souls would be forged together. Could that be happening with the Old One?
None of that mattered. Riley was waiting, and he couldn’t wait to share the experience of flying a dragon with her. She could barely contain her excitement, jumping from one foot to the other like a small child. Her eyes shone and her face was flushed. Her lips were slightly parted, an invitation he forced himself to resist. Once they were alone on the mountain, among the field of night star flowers, he would take advantage, but not now, not while she was waiting and anticipating. He wanted to give her this gift.
It is a gift, she said softly, her voice filling his mind with—her.
She had a way of pouring into him like warm honey. She gave him a feeling of joy, and he’d never known what that was before. She admired him, respected him, and thought him beautiful and extraordinary. Now that he’d found his lifemate she would know his heart’s desire and would always be aware of his every mood.
I feel the same way. Her voice was shy. It’s nice to know I’ll always have someone who’ll defend me.
You have both of us, Dax assured. The Old One and me. He’s a part of us, and you’re his family now. Like me, he’ll defend you with his life. It was important to him that no matter what happened, how bad things got, she would never have to face any danger alone.
He summoned the Old One, sinking his spirit deep to allow the other freedom. The dragon would have been reluctant to emerge had it not been for the fun of allowing Riley her first dragon ride. His time was long past, and he’d spent centuries content with hibernation in the warmth of the volcano.
Riley held her breath as Dax shimmered into transparency so that she could actually see through him, and then he disappeared altogether. Red and gold flakes sparkled in the moonlight, floating toward the ground all around where he’d been standing. She thought of Dax like that, moonlight and flame, fire and ice, glittering gold and fiery red. He was beautiful. His heart was beautiful. His soul.
Someone else stirred in her mind and for a moment she tensed, looking around her, but the feeling was far too familiar. Too much like Dax.
Our soul. The voice was matter-of-fact. Ancient. Modern. Timeless. A hint of humor crept into her mind.
I see you can still speak, Old One, Dax said. And you prefer to do so with Riley.
Now she felt the dragon’s laughter vibrating through her mind. He was very amused at Dax’s expense.
She loved that Dax found the entire thing as amusing as she did. Nothing ever seemed to ruffle him, and in truth, they were all three very connected.
He is the strong silent type until he gets in a fight and then all thought process goes out the window, Dax informed her.
Riley laughed, the sound taking wing in the night sky. She loved to hear Dax sound so carefree. All he’d known was duty, and, although he was determined to find and destroy Mitro, he took time with her to enjoy the moments they shared together.
The dragon shimmered into solidity. Huge, his great bulk settled, giant wings outspread and fanning, creating wind. Riley clasped her hands together and pressed them hard against her fluttering stomach. The Old One craned his long neck toward her, and even though she was still partially in the trees lining the meadow, his wedge-shaped head nearly touched her. He stared
down at her with his opalescent eyes—eyes as multifaceted as Dax’s, although where Dax had a volcano’s flame flickering behind the gemstones, the dragon’s eyes appeared golden in color.
His snout was long, with the upper jaw curving down over the lower jaw, revealing gleaming teeth. He had one horn in the center of his nose, a short, wicked-looking weapon, and two more, just as lethal, beneath his chin. Horns protruded all the way down the back of his head and down his neck, great sharp gold and red spikes protecting his head. She could see just how dangerous the dragon would be in a fight.
His scales were absolutely, incredibly beautiful. Every shade of red from a deep crimson to a pale red covered his body, the plates overlapping to protect him in a fight. Riley touched the lighter-colored ones closer to his belly, a little in awe.
Very politely, the dragon extended his leg to her. Riley’s pulse raced, her heart kicking into overdrive as adrenaline rushed through her veins, but she didn’t hesitate. She stepped onto the Old One’s leg and swung one leg up and over to settle into the small leather saddle positioned just at the neck junction. She didn’t have to be told that Dax had provided the saddle for her. There were no reins—it wasn’t at all like riding a horse. She found stirrups, more to brace herself with than for any other reason.
Riley grasped one of the long spikes and held on tightly. The Old One didn’t need to be told she was ready; their connection was growing stronger, just as her bond with Dax grew stronger with every passing moment. She felt the tremendous strength as the dragon gathered himself to make the leap into the air. Great wings pumped strong and they were aloft.
Riley lifted her face to the star-studded sky, laughing with sheer joy. She had dreamt of adventures, yearned for so much more, hungered for that one partner, that perfect man who would fit with her, would give her the courage to embrace life. In this perfect moment she had it all. She felt Dax entwined deep inside of her, holding her close—safe.
The dragon was such an unexpected gift. Dax had given her so many in such a short time. He was everything she’d ever dreamt of. It was impossible not to fall more and more for him. He had spun ties around her heart without her even realizing he was doing it. There was something so incredible about the combination of the gentleness he inevitably showed her and the fierce, explosive warrior he could suddenly become the moment circumstances demanded.
The Old One flew high above the forest, and looking down she could see the damage the blast had done to the mountain. Mudslides had swept away trees in sections, cutting paths through deep forest. Steam vents had opened, and ash covered everything, but this side of the mountain had been spared the worst of it. For all the mess of the ash, looking down on the canopy was incredible. As if reading her mind, and he probably was, the dragon dropped down closer so she could even make out the animals and birds taking shelter in the branches.
The wind tore tears from her eyes and blew her hair back from her face. The sound of her laughter echoed through the skies. She could see why Dax had entrusted the dragon to make the journey. The powerful wings beat down and up, creating a wind of their own, so that dragon and rider streaked through the sky, high above the miles of rain forest. The river looked like a ribbon and the various streams feeding it appeared to be thin threads cutting through the dark forests of trees.
She should have been afraid, but Dax was too close, in her mind, whispering to her, pointing out waterfalls and cool, hidden pools as well as the silvery, moonlit leaves exposed after the wind from the Old One’s powerful wings blew the ash away.
All too soon they were back to the mountain, and the dragon circled, descending over a ruin of a village. To one side of the ruins she spotted a sea of stars, petals open, bathing in the moonlight.
Dax. She breathed his name in a kind of awe. It’s so beautiful.
Yes, it is. Thank you for showing it to me through your eyes.
The dragon banked hard and she clutched at the base of the spike at the junction of his neck, gliding as he approached the field of flowers. She held her breath, afraid he’d land in the middle of them and crush all those swaying night star flowers. Again she had the impression of amusement from the dragon. He settled just to the right of the field without as much as a bump. Very politely he extended his leg.
“Thank you, Old One,” she said softly. “That was . . . extraordinary.” Riley scratched around the base of the horn on his nose.
The red dragon inclined his head, his eyes glowing affectionately. She stretched, pacing away from him to get a good look at the flowers. The field was tucked around ancient circular stone structures, and raised platforms dotted the slopes, very indicative of the Cloud People. Mist moved around her, enveloping her, nearly obscuring her vision of the ruins. Up so high, where she was born, in the familiar stunted growth of the lush forest, she took a moment to look around, hoping the blast from the other side of the mountain had spared the forest itself.
Thankfully, there appeared to be very little damage. The ruins were intact, a historical treasure for generations to come. The forest itself, the flora and fauna supplied by the heavy mist forming the veil of clouds shrouding the upper mountain. And that field of rare flowers . . . It smelled like . . . him. Every breath she drew brought him deep into her lungs. She tasted him on her tongue, setting up that terrible craving.
Riley turned and saw him. Her heart nearly stopped beating. She actually pressed her hand over her heart in a kind of protest. Dax stood tall and straight in the middle of the field of white stars, those glittering flakes of variants of red falling all around him like a shower of gold dust. The moon caressed him with fingers of light, stroking through his blue-black hair and highlighting the color of his skin. His shirt stretched taut across his heavily muscled chest. Arms and thighs were roped with muscle, rippling beneath his casual clothes. Only Dax could manage to look elegant in jeans and a white T-shirt.
The expression on his face as he looked at her robbed her of any sane thought. He looked at her with such a mixture of tenderness and desire her body just went up in flames. In that moment, she wanted him to belong to her as she’d never wanted anything in her life. There was only Dax and the amazing night, the joy bubbling brightly in her after her incredible, impossible ride on the back of a magnificent dragon. After that sensual, sexy ceremony she’d so willingly participated in.
His world was both terrifying and breathtaking. She’d never felt more alive, more sensual, more in tune with herself and the world around her than she did when she was with him. She felt beautiful and intelligent and even brave. It didn’t matter that she didn’t fully understand what a Carpathian was or what it would entail being with one. She only knew she wanted him to be hers. For once in her life she wasn’t going to think every angle to death and be too cautious to make a move.
Dax’s glittering eyes locked with hers and she knew she was completely, utterly lost, and she didn’t even care.
13
Dax held out his hand to her. Riley couldn’t look away from his eyes. The flames burned and leapt, a fiery glow that threatened to consume her. Her very core caught fire, burning in answer, burning for him. The combination of his potent masculine scent surrounding her and his glowing eyes mesmerized her. She took a compulsive step forward, needing him just as much as she needed the air to breathe.
She didn’t remember moving after that first step, but she stood in front of him, close, so close she could feel the incredible heat of his body. He burned with desire—for her. It was there in his eyes, in those leaping flames, the way he looked at her as if she belonged to him—with him.
He seemed to know her, know everything about her, know exactly what she wanted and needed. He seemed to have found a way inside her soul, her heart. Everything about him appealed to her. His smile made her world light up. He gave her courage and made her a better person. She’d fallen for him like the proverbial ton of bricks.<
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His hand cupped her chin, turning her face up to his. His gaze burned through her, branded her, stamping his possession into her very bones. The air refused to leave her lungs. She found herself staring up at his chiseled, perfect face, a little lost.
She couldn’t hide anything from him. He knew her every innermost thought. She felt vulnerable and exposed, caught in a bright spotlight, but she didn’t want to escape. He knew everything about her, what she wanted, who she was, what she stood for. Her deepest fears—and none of it mattered to him. Why should she try to hide that she wanted him with every single fiber of her being? He would know anyway. She wasn’t ashamed of it. He was a good man, the only one she’d ever considered giving her body to, let alone her heart.
Dax cupped her face in his hands and bent his head to hers. “You are certain this is what you want, Riley? I’m what you want?��
Even his voice, that dark warm molasses, a slow pouring of molten lava into her veins, sent desire spiraling through her body.
Kiss me. She thought it. Whispered it. Merged her mind with his and sent the image. She needed him to kiss her. She’d been waiting all of her life for Dax to kiss her.
Dax’s mouth, that oh-so-perfect mouth, curved into a smile. His white teeth flashed. So straight, but definitely sharp enough to take a bite out of her. Her heart leapt toward his. Her pulse thundered in her ears. As his head came down toward hers, the ground shifted under her feet. Her lungs burned for air. He was so beautiful, this man who was so strong, so fierce, yet protective and gentle with her.
His lips brushed across hers, featherlight, warm, so familiar now, a maelstrom of erotic sensation. She could kiss him forever and it would never be long enough.
Dax stroked a caress down her face, his fingers lingering on her smooth skin. She seemed so young to him. He realized in her world, she was old enough to know what she was doing, but he felt very protective toward her.
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