“And they were. When we awakened just a few months ago, we found the Dragon Souls were here and we’d succeeded in our mission. Humans who have the residue of our DNA can be the fated mates of dragons and give birth to full-dragon young. The men of the House of Flames have all already found their mates, and three of my crew have also found theirs.”
“So you’re saying that all of the Flame men and all the Storm men are also dragons?”
“Yes.”
“And you slept in stasis for a million years?”
“Give or take.”
“And what about the shadow men?”
“The vampires were our ancient enemies back on Dragonia. After we left, they most likely devoured all of the other species in that sector and had to find a new home themselves. We estimate the vampires have been on Earth for approximately ten thousand years, weaving their web of control throughout the human population. The dragons have sworn to defend and protect the people of Earth from the vampires. It is our duty.”
“Am I a Dragon Soul?”
“Yes, you are.”
“And I’m your mate?”
“Yes, JoJo. This is what I wanted to tell you last night.”
“How do you know?”
“My inner dragon was quite sure the moment we met. But we dragons use what is called a mating analysis to ensure that the fated mate pair is accurate. When our females began to disappear, it became more and more necessary to know beyond all doubt when a couple was indeed fated. But dragons have always had the intuitive ability to identify their own mates.”
“What does it mean that I’m your mate?”
“It means that you are the only one for me in all of the universe. Aside from the Dragoness Prime, I cannot mate with any other woman. Being a fated mate means we are perfect for each other in every way—not just genetically, but physically, emotionally, and spiritually. At first, we seemed so wrong for each other. But now, I know that it couldn’t be more right.”
JoJo sat in silence, taking in the information. She wasn’t quite sure how to absorb it all. It was just too much. But part of her had always known she was different, especially with the power she hid inside her. Now that she had this explanation of not only her own power but of the dragons and the vampires, everything in her life began to make sense. She sat back in her chair and took a long drink of iced coffee as she gazed across the table at the handsome, charming man whom she’d come to learn was not only a dragon but also her soul mate.
Chapter 13
Hanish ordered takeout for the family, and they all sat around the dining room table with cartons of Chinese food. He heaped a serving of kung pao chicken onto his plate and smiled across the table at JoJo. Now that everything was out in the open between them, he felt a deep sense of contentment and satisfaction.
“Is there any more sweet-and-sour pork?” Raiden asked.
“You already ate two cartons,” Hanish said.
JoJo used her chopsticks to plop a piece of walnut shrimp into her mouth. He could tell she thought the interaction between him and his men was funny. He’d explained that they weren’t actually brothers but were rather all the same subspecies of dragon. She slipped a spoonful of applesauce into Tor’s mouth and wiped his chin when he spit it back out.
After checking her watch, she stood and picked up the child. “I’ll be getting baby Tor to bed now.”
“Is it that time already?” Hanish asked.
“It is.”
He watched her walk out of the dining room with his son, and his heart warmed at the sight.
“I saw you two talking on the patio this afternoon,” Zephyr said. “What was that all about?”
“We were attacked by vampires on the road. JoJo has special Dragon Soul powers like Aria. But I didn’t know that until after I’d shifted. When we got home, I told her everything.”
“What will you do now?” Zephyr asked.
“We need to teach those vampires a lesson,” Raiden said. “They can’t go around attacking us while we’re driving around with our mates.”
“We can’t do anything about the vampires now,” Hanish said. “Aria’s song is barely maintaining our strength. We have to wait until she returns.”
“That is a wise observation, Captain,” Zephyr said in agreement.
“I’m going to help JoJo put Tor to bed.”
“Good night,” Raiden said before shoving a spring roll into his mouth.
Hanish hurried upstairs to the nursery and tiptoed through the door. He found JoJo dressing Tor after his bath. She picked him up and gently laid him in his crib.
Hanish walked over and gave his son a little squeeze. “Good night, sweet child.”
Tor gurgled, and JoJo smiled down at the baby. “He’s had a long day. He’s ready to sleep.”
They turned off the lights in the nursery except for the teddy bear night-light and crept out of the door. They stood in the hallway outside the nursery staring at each other like two awkward teenagers.
“Come with me,” Hanish finally said.
“What is it?” she asked as he led her into his bedroom and closed the door behind them.
“Only that I need to kiss you.” He took her in his arms and pressed his lips against hers.
She groaned in agreement and wrapped her arms around his neck. He kissed her deeply and ravenously before picking her up and carrying her to his bed. As soon as he placed her on the sheets, he began to pull her out of the prim and proper nanny uniform. She gasped at his abrupt behavior but didn’t stop him.
Soon, he had her down to her lacy black underthings, and her glasses were folded on the nightstand. Her dark hair tumbling on the white sheets was a sharp contrast to the tweed suit and tight bun she usually wore. She looked so beautiful like that, he could barely contain himself. He yanked off his shirt and threw it on the floor then stepped out of his boots, kicked them across the room, and pulled off his pants. He climbed over his shapely mate and tugged her panties down her hips.
“Oh, Hanish.” She ran her fingers through his hair.
He spread her legs and found her sex glistening with need. He took a deep draw of her scent, his eyes rolling back in his head at the delicious smell of her. He licked up her slit, tasting her sweet nectar. Nothing had ever tasted so delicious, not even the ambrosia of the cloud wineries of Dragonia. He licked her sex, holding her hips wide as she threaded her fingers through his hair.
His tongue slid deeper between her folds, focusing on the tight bundle of nerves that gave human women so much pleasure. She was the first female he had ever made love to, and licking her sex gave him immense pleasure, perhaps as much as it gave her. He loved the feeling of her wet flesh under his tongue, the sweet tang of her scent, and the way she groaned and bucked her hips against him. It was absolute ecstasy in every sense of the word.
He needed this woman. He needed to make her his. But first, he wanted to see her frantic with release. He wanted to hear her scream his name with complete abandon and enraptured pleasure. Hanish wagged his tongue on her clit and slid his fingers inside her.
She threw back her head as her body throbbed on his tongue, calling out her orgasm in deep-throated moans. “Yes, yes,” she groaned, gripping his hair more tightly. “Oh my God.”
He growled at the feeling of her body releasing and at the sound of her voice as she climaxed. So much beauty and so much pleasure all contained within one prim and proper English nanny. He climbed over her and unfastened her bra then licked her tight, swollen nipples one after the other.
She wrapped her hands around his neck and stared into his eyes. Her eyes were full of lust and desire. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him closer. “I want you. I won’t take no for an answer.”
He growled and reached for the nightstand drawer beside his bed. “Who am I to deny you?” he asked, ripping open the condom and slipping it over his hard cock.
She smiled at him and bit her lip. “Thank you for not making me have to ask.”
“I can’t hold back anymore.”
He slid his cock over her entrance and pressed it against her clit, sliding up and down over her core. He claimed her mouth deeply with his thrusting tongue. Angling his hips back, he pushed into her channel and sighed with deep pleasure.
“JoJo,” he growled into her ear as he pulled back and thrust again.
She gasped, her pussy clenching around his cock. Being inside her was almost too much to bear, and he feared he wouldn’t be able to contain himself. But he drew back again and thrust harder and faster as she came beautifully on his cock. His sharp teeth descended in his mouth. He brushed her hair back to lick her neck. As his orgasm barreled forward, he saw something that stopped him dead in his tracks. There was a mark on her neck. He hadn’t seen it the night before, but now it was all he could see.
“What is this?” he growled.
“It’s nothing. An old scar.”
“It’s not nothing,” he said.
“Please don’t stop,” she begged.
He held her tight and felt the deep need erupting inside him. He spilled his seed as her pussy throbbed around him. They held each other tight as the aftershocks of pleasure filled them both. He pulled away, drawing her into his arms. She moaned as he held her, but Hanish couldn’t help thinking about the mark on her neck. It looked so similar to the mark of a mate, it had stopped him from claiming her. He couldn’t get it out of his head.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“It’s nothing,” he lied. He would have to ask her about it tomorrow. Worrying about it right then made him feel like a fool. But he couldn’t forget what he had seen. His prim and proper nanny had been marked by another. Hanish was devastated, and he no longer knew where he stood. He would have to get to the bottom of it, or everything would be ruined. As he held her in his arms, he vowed not to let his fear destroy the life they could have. He had just found her, and he wasn’t about to let her go.
Chapter 14
JoJo woke up beside Hanish the second morning in a row and stroked his stubbled cheek. The realization that they were together continued to sink in. The night before had been so lovely… until he’d seen the mark on her neck.
She would never forget how it happened. A boy she had been dating in her freshman year of college had bitten her, and the wound had never healed quite right. From Hanish’s reaction, she had a feeling the bite was something worse than she’d ever believed. JoJo had never put the pieces together before. The shadow men were vampires. She placed her fingertips on the mark as she slid out of bed. Was the boy who bit me a vampire?
“Good morning,” Hanish said from the bed. She turned to see him smiling at her. The morning sunlight streamed through the curtains and illuminated his handsome face.
She climbed back into bed and kissed his cheek. “Good morning to you.”
Hanish ran the backs of his knuckles over her cheek affectionately. “How are you this morning?”
“I’m well. And you?” She looked deep into his eyes and searched for answers. She was afraid of what it might mean if a vampire had bitten her all those years ago. Hanish certainly hadn’t had a very positive response.
“Every day is like a holiday when I wake up next to you.”
She smiled. “You’re so darling.”
Hanish clapped his hands together. “How about some breakfast? I’ve been dying to try out that new waffle maker.”
“That sounds heavenly.”
They wrapped themselves in bathrobes, and JoJo quickly checked on Tor, who wasn’t due to wake up for another hour. Then they made their way downstairs to the kitchen. The coffee was already brewed, and Hanish poured himself a cup. JoJo made herself a cup of tea.
“I hope the guys got you the right type of tea,” Hanish said as he mixed the waffle batter.
“It’s perfect.” She took a sip of English Breakfast and sat across from him at the counter. He poured waffle batter into the hot skillet. When he closed the lid, the scent of baking waffles filled the air.
“That smells so good,” she said, her mouth watering. “I’m starving.”
“I worked up quite the appetite after last night,” he said.
She giggled as she sipped her tea, and the flavor flowed over her tongue. When the first waffle was done, Hanish scooped it out of the waffle maker and plopped it onto a plate for JoJo. He slid it across the counter to her and poured her a glass of orange juice. Then he topped the waffle with strawberries and maple syrup.
When she took her first bite of his cooking, she groaned with approval. “I didn’t take you for the type who was a good cook,” she said with her mouth full in the most uncouth manner. “But this is quite good.”
“Thank you.” Hanish dished up his own waffle and joined her on the other side of the counter. They shared breakfast over pleasant conversation, discussing what they would do for the day. JoJo could tell Hanish was holding something back, and the subtle sense of discontent was making her uncomfortable. Right when she was about to ask him what was wrong, Tor cried through the baby monitor.
She slipped off the bench. “I’ll go get him.” She hurried upstairs and stepped into the nursery to find Tor sitting up in his crib. She smiled down at the child and saw him with new eyes. He had always been a precocious young baby, but now she knew he was not human.
She gathered him into her arms, giving him an affectionate cuddle. “Now let’s get that diaper changed.”
“I love seeing you with my son,” Hanish said from behind her. “You are so beautiful together.”
JoJo felt the heat rise in her cheeks as she crossed the room and began to change Tor’s diaper and clothes. Hanish watched her from the door. She wanted to say something about what had happened the night before, but she felt as if the moment had passed. They would have to have it out eventually. They couldn’t just continue to pretend that nothing had happened. But the words choked up in her throat every time she tried.
When Tor was prepared, she carried him to the door to where Hanish waited. He opened his arms, and she handed him his son.
“Such a sweet boy,” JoJo said.
“He’s going to be the leader of the House of Storms someday,” Hanish said proudly.
“He will be a good leader just like his father,” JoJo said.
Hanish smiled and lifted his son high into the air. The boy squealed with delight.
The three of them proceeded downstairs to the kitchen, where Hanish prepared Tor’s breakfast as JoJo put him in the high chair. As Hanish was spooning the first bite of strained peas into Tor’s mouth, he smiled. Raiden came into the room and poured himself a cup of coffee, looking bleary-eyed and tired.
“Late night?” Hanish asked.
“My guild was up all night raiding,” Raiden said.
“I find it hilarious that a thousand-year-old dragon from another planet is obsessed with video games,” JoJo said.
“What’s not to like?” Raiden asked. He sat across from them at the kitchen table and took a sip of his coffee. “You didn’t make me any waffles?”
“There’s still batter left if you want to make your own,” Hanish said.
“I don’t know how to work that thing.”
JoJo laughed. “It isn’t that complicated.”
Raiden frowned as Zephyr entered the room and gave them all an appraising look. “I am glad to see that things are proceeding well. You don’t seem to be traumatized by the events of yesterday upon learning the truth of Hanish’s identity,” Zephyr said to JoJo.
“Well, I’ve always known there was something different about me. And I’ve also always known about the shadow men… I mean the vampires.”
“Tell me about your Dragon Soul power.”
“I have what is usually referred to as telekinesis,” JoJo explained.
Zephyr tapped his chin in thought. “Interesting. How long have you had this ability?”
“Since I was a child.”
“The shadow men, as you call them—how long have you kn
own about them?” Zephyr asked.
“Just about as long,” JoJo admitted.
“She has a bite mark on her neck,” Hanish said.
JoJo looked at him, shocked that he would share something like that in front of everyone. Her face turned red, and she looked down at her hands.
“May I inspect the mark?” Zephyr asked.
She nodded nervously and brushed back her hair to reveal the mark.
“Very interesting,” Zephyr said. “Very interesting indeed. I have seen a mark like this before. Recently.”
“Flora has one exactly like it,” Raiden said, pouring batter into the waffle maker.
“I just thought it was a scar.”
“I can run some tests, and we can determine the extent of your injury,” Zephyr said.
JoJo felt her eyes widen. “What injury?”
Zephyr studied her neck. “Did the person who bit you draw any blood?”
“You mean did he drink my blood? Or did it bleed when it happened?”
“Both.”
“A little. But I knocked him away and refused to ever see him again. I pushed him so hard that he hit his head against the opposite wall and was unconscious for a few minutes.”
“Serves him right,” Hanish said.
“I thought he was just an overzealous prick. I almost reported him to the Student Security Council but decided against it, especially since I knocked him unconscious afterward.”
“You should have,” Hanish said.
“Either way,” Zephyr continued, “I should be able to get an idea of the extent of the damage.”
JoJo looked at each of them in turn. “What damage?”
“If you have any vampire DNA in your blood,” Zephyr said. “Or if the vampire was able to claim you in any way.”
“Claim her?” Hanish asked.
“Since you were able to recognize her as your mate, it is probably insignificant,” Zephyr told Hanish. “But we should still run the tests to be safe.”
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