Jasper was king. He should have prevented it from happening. He should have stopped this war long before it started. Yet, here he was, trying to put the pieces of their lives together to make something whole.
One by one—or, more accurately, two by two—the others followed him inside. Jasper threw open the sliding glass door and stepped out onto the deck. He dumped coals into the grill and let his frustration simmer on his tongue before releasing the flames onto the coals. No other dragon in his clan could blow flames like he could.
The grill took another two bursts of flames before the coals ignited. They burned, getting hot, as shifters filled his living room. Lilah lounged on the chaise part of the sectional, Griffin tucked neatly behind her. He’d never seen his brother so happy. Though Griffin was the son of a silver dragon and Jasper the son of a gold dragon, he considered Griffin his brother. The direction his life had turned gave Jasper hope.
Perhaps, he too, could convince Cora to pretend a romance with him. Maybe then he would get the chance to garner her trust.
“What are you making?” Kennedy eyed the grill.
He didn’t know. All he’d wanted to do was release some of the fire burning inside him.
There’s some ground beef in the fridge, his beast reminded him.
“Burgers.”
Kennedy nodded and went back to the kitchen to help prepare things. For a human woman who’d known nothing about shifters before visiting Grove, her assimilation had been near flawless. She’d leapt into their lives and hit the ground running. Jasper still remembered the night she’d mocked Griffin when he’d been in the sourest mood.
It was his favorite memory. Even his beast had gotten a good laugh at it.
Jasper hoped there would be more days like that to come. The tension swirling in the room made him uneasy. It set his teeth on edge and had his beast snarling uncouth things in his ear.
He was a useless king. His family had been doing nothing more than chasing him for months. They’d wrestled his beast back to the ground and fought the dragons his beast had started a war with. They were all exhausted.
And he didn’t know how to make them happy.
He knew that pushing out the other clan of dragons was only the start.
***
Everyone disappeared.
Cora let the door swing open. She stood in the courtyard with her arms wrapped around herself. Jasper had commanded his court like a king, showing his strength. Cora hadn’t enjoyed watching him throw his shifters around. Especially when she knew it was her fault. There wouldn’t have been any conflict between them of it wasn’t for her.
“For the record, I’m not mad.” Ashton’s mate approached, hands in her pocket. Her voice was hoarse, husky.
Cora stepped back, apprehensive.
“I understand that the fire was an accident,” Makenna went on. “I don’t blame you. Ashton is…well, protective. They’re all a bunch of fools barely holding themselves together. Some more than others.”
“You mean Jasper.”
Makenna shrugged.
Her heart stuttered when their eyes connected. Jasper paused at the end of the hall as if stricken by her presence. He had every right to be. Cora still felt like she didn’t belong. It was what had her hiding in the shadows, away from the rambunctious voices. Every bit of her wanted to run back to the guest house.
Well, almost every bit of her.
Some part kept her where she was, close enough to hear the happiness Jasper’s court shared. Everything she heard from the next room over reminded her of a time she could never get back. They seemed like an actual family. While every family fought, they still loved each other at the end of the day.
At first, Jasper didn’t move. Cora felt a tug in her lower stomach right before Jasper turned toward her. He took one step. Then two. She lowered her gaze as she should in the presence of a king and listened to him move forward.
Just when she expected him to close the gap and take hold of her, he stopped. She looked up, confused. The sight of his smile stole her breath away. He looked like a besotted teenager at a loss for words. Gone was the man that had thrown a shifter across the courtyard almost effortlessly.
He was a man looking at the woman of his dreams. It stirred her heart and made her feel things for him that she wasn’t ready to feel. Affection. Infatuation.
Cora took a step back.
His smile faltered and a bit of reality seemed to set back in. “It’s good to see you outside of the house.”
“I left earlier, actually. I just…made sure you weren’t there to notice.”
His brows rose, eyes widening with pleasant surprise. Cora leaned against the wall. He inched a bit closer. She didn’t run.
“Well, I’ve caught you now,” he whispered.
The sound danced over her skin and left her shuddering. A warmth pooled in her core, a sensation that left her craving more. Jasper didn’t disappoint.
“What should I do with you now?” He leaned against the wall, too, mirroring her. “I could pull you into the living room and make you join us. I could drag you out the door and take you somewhere we could be alone.”
The second option stole her breath from her and filled her mind with tempting thoughts. She leaned into him, greedy for his scent. It was smoky and laden with fine whiskey. Her stomach tightened, and not because she was hungry. It was a different need that roused her.
Jasper tucked a bit of her hair behind her ear, letting his fingers trail over her temple. Cora savored the feeling but tried to keep from showing how much she wanted to be near him. Now that there was no door between them, she could no longer ignore the way she was drawn to him. Nothing stood in the way of the bond trying to tie them together.
Cora told herself it was just the bond. They were mates and so they would always feel this way. It wasn’t because she admired the way he’d handled his court. It wasn’t the stealthy way he took care of her, leaving gifts on the doorstep so she didn’t have to see him before she was ready.
It was none of that.
Just a bodily reaction to a beautiful man.
Then, his fingers grazed her jaw. A low growl rumbled in his throat as he cupped her cheek. His eyes turned molten. She thought the heat in them would melt her. There was no way she could survive the hunger she saw there.
Then a shape appeared at the end of the hall. Cora jerked away from Jasper. The heat that had been his hand on her cheek disappeared to be replaced by a chilling cold as Ashton stared her down.
Her stomach flipped.
Cora never meant to join the group. She only wanted to see Jasper’s definition of a family night, having never heard of anything of the like. The sounds of joy had kept her rooted for too long. Now, she was trapped by two beasts.
Three if she counted the demon inside Jasper.
“What is she doing here?” Ashton’s voice was cold.
All sound from the other room paused. Silence fell like a blanket over everything. All Cora could hear was the thundering pulse of her heart. There was no running anymore. She couldn’t close the door to the guest house and wish this all away. If she never faced the consequences of her actions, the court would never fully forgive her.
Ashton would never move on.
Cora stepped around Jasper. He reached out to her, hand on her shoulder for only a second, then he let her move on. He didn’t pull her back or try to tell her what to do. Such a small gesture stole her breath. This was her decision. It was her reckoning to face.
She approached Ashton. His shoulders stiffened. He clenched his fists at his sides. She expected him to punch her. She was a dragon shifter, too. A brawl was nothing new to her.
Instead, he vibrated with the force of his anger.
“I’m truly sorry for the pain I’ve caused,” Cora said. She looked to Lilah, too, who had been affected by the dragons who’d followed Cora here. “I would take it all back if I could.”
Ashton pulled his lips away from his teeth. His eyes were on he
r, but they were distant, as if he were somewhere else completely. She realized he was reliving the fire. He was back in the memory of what happened that night.
“Just accept her apology already!” Makenna yelled across the room.
His brows in a deep V, and he spun on his mate. “I don’t need this from you,” he snapped.
Suddenly, the air in the room was lighter. It no longer felt like walking through water. Everyone flashed wide smiles at Cora before returning to whatever they’d been doing. Ashton stomped over to his mate, took her in his arms, and ravished her with a deep kiss that had the others telling them to get a room.
Cora was left, standing on the sidelines of it all.
Jasper’s heat washed over her back, close enough that she could feel his presence, but not so close that she felt him. The sharp craving for his chest pressed against her back rose before she shoved it away. She turned toward him with the intention of leaving, a goodbye on her lips, but the sight of him stayed her.
“Good night, Cora,” he said.
The words shook her from her daze. She ducked her head, muttered a response, and pushed past him. Her shoulder brushed his arm and heat consumed her, tightening her core and nipples. She damn near swallowed her tongue in her surprise, but she didn’t stop.
Chapter Six
He’d had her right in front of him. Hell, he’d had her in his hand. Still, he hadn’t found the way to make her stay. Cora scampered away and he was left at the edge of his own gathering. Everyone else had their mate nearby.
The metallic dragons and their mates crowded around a board game that no longer involved Jasper. They’d moved on without him, divvying up his assets. He looked to the door Cora had disappeared through. The urge to follow her was too great. He took a step forward when his beast resurfaced.
Mark. Her.
Jasper swallowed his growling response so the others wouldn’t hear his struggle. Cora wouldn’t take well to being marked. She could barely trust him. If he betrayed her and marked her as his without her consent, she would never accept their bond.
He wanted Cora completely. That meant letting her come around to him. It was taking far too long for his beast. The creature pushed and pushed, threatening Jasper’s every intention. In the hall, the beast had almost won. Just the brush of his skin against hers had brought the beast out. It had held her with every intention of marking her.
It was only Ashton’s accidental appearance that had stopped him from making the worst move of his life. This war would be worth it if Cora trusted him. Only then.
Jasper spun on his heel and went to the deck. The air was chill. The warmth that had woken Grove only a few days ago was only a distant memory. Frost clung to the grass and clouds overhead threatened more snow. He welcomed it, willing to be buried beneath the blanket of cold if only for a place to hide and cool the beast inside him for a few days.
He didn’t expect to see Cora sitting on the bottom step. The beast lunged for her, but Jasper had enough control to direct himself back inside. He wasn’t leaving her. No, he prepared a plate for her.
With the grilled burger patty on the bun, he paused, unsure of what else to add. He didn’t know if she even ate meat. The idea of a vegetarian dragon was almost ludicrous, but it was entirely possible. He hesitated, rethinking every decision he’d ever made in his life. Would Cora want dill pickles? Sweet pickles? Onions?
Did she favor mustard or Thousand Island dressing?
In the end, Jasper made the kind of burger he preferred, with sharp cheddar and a heap of bacon. If she didn’t want either, he would gladly snack on them. Unsure of the sauce, he grabbed both bottles and headed back outside.
Cora was surprised when he dropped to the step beside her and handed her a plate. His heart refused to beat as she looked at it. Jasper had never been so nervous in his life. Then, Cora groaned with delight, a sound that twisted his insides. He held up the sauce bottles. She claimed the bottle of Thousand Island dressing.
“I didn’t know anyone else liked this on their burgers,” she said quietly.
“Every restaurant calls it their secret sauce, but I know the truth. It’s just mayo and ketchup with some pickles.” He shook the bottle when she gave it back. “No burger is complete without it.”
They sat in silence while she ate. Every now and then she snuck glances at him. He could feel her sizing him up, trying to read him like a book. Jasper wasn’t very good at sharing. Raised to be a king, he’d been taught to always be stalwart. Always be the person people came to when they needed help.
He’d been awful at the second part, but too damn good at the first. He feared no one thought they could count on him. Not his court. Not Cora.
That was going to change. He wanted to be a better man. A better king.
“Why aren’t you inside?”
Mark her. No one else can have what is ours.
Jasper did his best to ignore the voice inside him, his dogged beast. “Because you’re out here.”
He thought his words were romantic, but Cora didn’t seem impressed. She swallowed hard and looked away, into the dark distance. Jasper wanted to kick himself. He was truly awful at this. When was the last time he’d flirted? His life had no room for women. Not while his father was teaching him what it meant to be king.
This was a special circumstance. Cora wasn’t just any woman. She was on the run from a life he didn’t understand. Whatever she’d endured, it sat between them. Until Jasper knew what he was protecting her from, he could only promise her one thing.
That he would always be there when she needed him.
The sliding glass door behind him clanged open. He twisted to find Ashton illuminated by the light of the living room.
“Get both of your asses in here,” Ashton shouted.
Jasper expected him to be hostile, but Ashton’s jovial nature had returned, even if it was a bit forced. There was a chance the night would end without having to put Ashton through a wall. Jasper was getting tired of refinishing the walls. Half of them upstairs were unpainted blotches of white drywall, the price he paid for having his cousins nearby.
Cora stood and pushed the plate back at Jasper. He didn’t want to accept it because it felt like a goodbye. Already, her shoulders were stiff, and one foot was poised to retreat. Jasper could do nothing to make her stay.
“We’re going to play a card game,” Ashton shouted. “One that could destroy lives. You don’t want to miss the chance to make me draw the entire deck. Do you?”
Jasper snorted. His family’s version of fun was not what people would expect. Sure, there was still some ribbing and some wrestling, but they weren’t swallowing daggers or doing other wildly dangerous things. They were just a bunch of idiots cast together, trying to make life worth living.
The one thing that made it worth living was being together. Jasper hadn’t realized that until his cousins started returning home. He’d thought having Ashton and Makenna under the same roof as him would have been infuriating, but he’d enjoyed it too much. It was nice to have someone outside his office door, waiting to give him a new keyboard when he destroyed the previous one.
Even if Ashton only did it for a laugh.
Jasper knew he shouldn’t, that there were lines he shouldn’t cross right then, but he reached out and grabbed her wrist anyway. His grip was gentle. Cora could have easily slid out of it, but she seemed stunned by his touch.
“Come inside,” he asked.
She didn’t simper or shy away. If anything, Jasper caught the flash of defiance that burned in her eyes. Cora wasn’t a little bunny. She wasn’t afraid of him. The woman had lived in the wilds of his mountains for months in order to fight for her freedom.
But she was afraid of something.
He wished she would tell him. He couldn’t help her without knowing what she needed. Instead, Cora pulled away from him. She shook her head and retreated. The beast inside him slammed against the barriers between him and it. He stumbled forward. The beast slammed ag
ain and pushed him another step forward.
Jasper growled and hit back. He’d never fought his beast like this. He’d always drunk the beast away, ignored it the best he could. This time, his frustration knew no bounds. He aimed it at the demon inside himself. The beast reeled, but came back with a bone-shaking growl.
“It’s not easy wanting something you can’t have,” Ashton said beside him.
Jasper looked up to find Ashton’s hand, waiting to help him up. His head throbbed from the fight raging inside him. He snarled and helped himself up. He was king. He didn’t need help.
Destroy her walls. Tear them down. Give her nowhere to hide.
“Shut up,” Jasper muttered.
“What was that?” Ashton took a step back, confused.
Jasper ran his hands over his face, wishing the pounding would go away. “I wasn’t talking to you.”
Ashton hesitated, but left when Jasper refused to acknowledge him. The sliding glass door slammed shut. Ashton’s effort to extend an olive branch had been thwarted, and it obviously irritated him. There would be other chances, other nights to work on his forgiveness.
There were still too many obstacles.
Like the guest house walls, according to Jasper’s beast. He refused to listen to the monster. There was no way he was going to tear the guest house apart. Cora needed a place to stay. She needed a place she could trust. He wasn’t going to violate that.
That is not what I meant, the beast grumbled.
Jasper’s nail bit into his palms. “Then speak straight, moron. Don’t be metaphorical with me.”
The beast’s laughter rolled through his mind. Jasper scowled. He was never alone. Try as he might to escape, he would always be haunted by the presence of his beast. The creature was far too smart, far too willing to be heard. He couldn’t help but wonder if the creature liked the sound of its own voice.
Jasper Drake Page 4