Argan: Dragons of Preor

by Kyle, Celia

  “Then you are simply stoo-pid.”

  “I will show you stoo-pid when I throw you—”

  If only they were controlled by code—a string of zeroes and ones she could manipulate at will. Then she’d have them whipped into shape in no time. Sadly, she had to match their grumbling to get her point across.

  “Yo, Flying Purple People Eater and Sunshine Dragon-Bear,” she clapped her hands in an attempt to get their attention. And failed. They were too focused on each other to even spare a glance for her. Her and the rest of the winged-gang who’d accompanied them. Lily glanced over her shoulder, gaze sweeping across the other males, each one glaring a little harder than the last.

  They were a great big barrel of laughs.

  She took a deep breath, ignoring the twinge in her chest and the tightening of her abdomen, stuck two fingers in her mouth and released a harsh whistle—one that had both males freezing in place. As one, their attention gradually turned to her, two sets of eyes intent on Lily.

  “No one is stupid, and no one is getting thrown anywhere.” She glared at them both, ignoring the fact that she was a teeny tiny human and they… were not. “Understand?” She took the final step from the gangway to Kouvai Nihon’s platform. She’d meant to follow that first step with a nice, hip-rolling stroll that was filled with a nice layer of feigned bravado. Meant to.

  Somehow her feet got tangled on something, the wind picked up in a sudden gust, and then her right knee gave out, which resulted in the ground getting really close, really fast. Fallingly fast even if fallingly wasn’t a word.

  Then large hands were there, rough calluses a comforting presence against her soft skin. They gripped her biceps hard enough to keep her upright, but not so hard to cause her bruising or pain. No, he simply held her gently as if she was the most important being on the planet. As if she was precious.

  “Of course, you are precious, shaa kouva.” Argan murmured the words against her ear, the soft rumbles slinking through her body.

  “Sorry, I was…”

  “Neglected because I am a poor mate.”

  A snicker sounded behind her—not Radoo but one of the others—the small sound an agreement to Argan’s words. Yeah, well, she sure as hell didn’t agree. Not even a little. She rolled her eyes, quickly deciding that was a mistake when the world decided to take a spin. She clutched her mate’s forearms, holding him tightly while her equilibrium returned.

  “You’re not a poor mate.” She scowled at Argan and then turned it to the others. She recognized them as the same males who’d accompanied them during their trip from the ship to the surface, but she didn’t truly know them. “And I refuse to hear anyone say differently.”

  More than one set of eyes tried to hold her stare only for them to eventually turn their gazes elsewhere. Yeah, that’s what she thought. Just wait until she was feeling one hundred percent.

  Just. Wait.

  “What I am is anxious to rest and relax.”

  “Our quarters are…” He gestured off to their right, pointing toward a thick line of trees and swath of feigned foliage that separated them from the closest condo.

  “No,” she shook her head and moved closer, reveling in the warmth that emanated from her mate. The heat that seemed specific to him. The only heat she’d ever experienced that didn’t burn—it aroused. “I want to explore. There’s this little nook…”

  A nook she’d created amidst the beautiful chaos the training platform had become. One untouched by any other. It was a perfect little area that remained hidden despite the constant comings and goings of human-Preor families. It was Lily’s very own amusement park within the amusement park.

  And she couldn’t wait to find it.

  “But you are injured.” One of the other males took a step toward her, his single stride making the floor around her tremble.

  “I was injured,” she corrected the male whose name she’d forgotten. She wasn’t going to address the fact that she had forgotten something. When was the last time a detail had escaped her? Her mind was a steel trap of information. Usually. Now it was as if she’d never received her implants.

  Yup, staying far away from that thought right there. Super far.

  “Now, I’m fine.” Lily held out her arms, twisting them this way and that to show that she wasn’t hurt. “Not a scratch on me.” She pulled her lips back into a tight smile. “The ryaapir unit did its job and I’m as good as new.”

  With the exception of being a bit wobbly and weak but she wasn’t about to say those words aloud. Not when she had almost a half-dozen Preor warriors staring at her, each one looking like they were ready to call her a liar.

  “And the good as new me,” she turned back to Argan and slipped her much smaller hand into his. “Would like to explore Kouvai Nihon a little before we go to our quarters.” She gave his hand a soft squeeze. “What do you think?”

  Glittering eyes met hers, the soft breeze ruffling his hair and those sparkling wings rustling with the wind. He was fierce, this warrior, a survivor as proven by the thick scar that bisected his face. A true predator who knew what it was like to feel pain and live to face another day.

  And hers. She gave his fingers another squeeze. “Walk with me?”

  “Anywhere.” Argan’s husky murmur was like a physical caress, the single word stroking her, teasing her with the deep rumble.

  And what it’d feel like to have that rumble touch her, stroke her, explore her… for hours. Lily swallowed hard and pushed back that sudden flare of desire. Because, seriously? What. The. Hell.

  Her mate was scorching hot—no one could ever deny that—but she’d never felt so… needy. So thirsty for a man. In her case, male. But still, she felt like she’d starve without his touch.

  “Good.” She grinned, energy filling her more and more the longer they touched—connected. “I have something I want to show you.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Argan managed to keep his hands to himself—barely. He struggled against every protective instinct he possessed and forced his hands to remain at his sides. No matter what his mate said, she was not ready to be released from medical. Or rather, he was not ready for her to be released. Even if she no longer felt pain or wore a single mark from her injuries, he did not think traveling to Kouvai Nihon was a good idea.

  Lily had assured him it was a fahn-tab-oo-lus idea.

  Argan was fairly certain fahn-tab-oo-lus was not a real word, but Penelope had assured him it existed outside of Lily’s imagination. He wondered if Lily had programmed Penelope to lie.

  The longer they walked across the lush landscape, the more relaxed his mate became, which, in turn, eased some of the anxiety thrumming through his own veins. It gave him a moment to breathe and revel in his surroundings. Soft grasses and cool sand cushioned their feet and scattered trees shielded them from the sun’s brightness. The wind rustled leaves, the soft breeze creating a soothing music that reminded him of home—of Preor.

  Argan drew in a deep breath, savoring the mixture of scents that filled the air. There were the flavors of the sea, but also the fresh crispness that came with being surrounded by fresh vegetation. Meandering paths between the trees led them onward and he silently remained at Lily’s side, matching her slow pace. He couldn’t take his gaze from her, the soft smile that tilted her lips as she traced the edge of a leaf or the joy in her eyes when she plucked a bright pink flower and tucked it behind her ear.

  One thing he did not miss was the absence of metal—not a single piece of the old training platform remained. She truly had turned the training platform into something else. Something glorious.

  Lily paused near a large bush, one overloaded with fresh flowers.

  “Shaa kouva?”

  “We’re close,” she murmured, fingertips tracing the edge of a single bloom.

  “Close to what?” And how close?

  She tipped her head back and their gazes collided, a soft smile on her lips. “My haven.” She padded around a large bolder
and ducked beneath an archway of greenery. “I had this added to the specs and then erased it from Penelope’s memory.” She pushed aside another large branch and Argan grabbed it before it flopped back into place.

  “What makes you believe it is untouched?” He took two large strides forward. “What if the one responsible for your injuries awaits us?” A deep rumble began in his chest, the rolling growl from his dragon’s soul. It did not wish for Lily to be at risk, yet it did not want to forbid her from finding happiness either. And true joy teased her. The idea of sliding into this secret place filled her with pure joy.

  “Argan,” she paused and gave him a small smile. She stepped close and rested her palm on his chest, patting him softly. “It’s fine. I’m fine.”

  “But…”

  Her lips curled in the smallest of smiles, the corners tipped up slightly. “Penelope knows the identity of everyone on the platform—you, me, and the few who were on the shuttle with us.” She reached for the bottom of her shirt and tugged, lifting the fabric to reveal the waist of her shorts and then her bare abdomen. The fabric continued to rise, exposing the underside of her plump breasts and the fabric that struggled to contain her. “And Chashan and Whelon wouldn’t have released me if I wasn’t feeling a lot better. You know I’m right.”

  Argan grunted. His mate might be correct but that did not mean he had to admit it aloud.

  “Which means, we can explore a little and have some fun before going to our quarters.” Her top whipped free of her body and she lowered her arms, giving him the opportunity to drink in the sight before him.

  They had spent many hours together, his mate in small tops and short shorts, but this… This was beyond his greatest imagining. Lily’s breasts remained covered and hidden and yet not. Dark triangles cradled the plump mounds, small strings connecting them and tying around her neck to hold them in place.

  Argan flexed his fingers, the tips burning with the need to let his claws free—free to slide from his skin and then slice through the strips of cloth. One cut right down the middle would have her bouncing free of the fabric. Then he could look his fill. Perhaps touch if he was one lucky dragon.

  Instead, he fisted his hands and waited for her next movement.

  She gathered her top in a ball, twisting the fabric. “Unless you don’t want…”

  He wheezed. “I want whatever you desire, shaa kouva.” He grasped her tormented shirt and pulled it from her fierce grip. “If that is to stand here for the remainder of the day, explore our quarters, or continue our trek, I choose to do what you desire—gladly.”

  She crossed her arms over her chest, hiding those delicious breasts from view. What had he said to upset her enough to cover herself? Damn himself to the stars.

  “Because…” She lifted her eyebrows in question while he lowered his in a frown.

  Perhaps this was a trick. He believed the reason behind his actions were clear. “Because you wish it?”

  “Argan,” she sighed and shook her head before turning in place.

  Yes, it had been a trick—a test—and he had somehow failed. Damn the stars. Again.

  He could not help but follow his mate, his larger footprints overshadowing hers as they moved along the unmarked path. She seemed to know exactly where they headed while he remained oblivious.

  Lily ducked and dodged tree branches and leaves, and Argan was careful to keep her in sight, unwilling to lose her among the foliage. Flashes of her pale skin darted in and out of view, her long hair brushing the middle of her back and catching the light as it swayed. He tucked his wings close, unwilling to let them get caught on tree branches and slow his progress.

  The further they traveled off the path, the more their surroundings changed. New sounds reached his ears, the gusting winds replaced by the rhythmic whoosh of… waves?

  But they were on Kouvai Nihon, thousands of feet above the Gulf of Mexico. How did he hear waves when…

  Lily gasped, and he pushed onward, bursting past the tree line in enough time to catch her beaming smile. Utter joy filled her features, her eyes sparkling and cheeks flush with happiness. He more than saw her delight. He experienced it himself.

  The Bonds allowed him to experience the strong emotion as it overtook her. Her heart lightened, fatigue and general exhaustion vanished, and a new energy rushed to fill her veins. Argan found himself reacting to the changes in his mate, his own frustration wiped away by Lily’s feelings. How could he be angry when his mate was filled with such joy?

  He strode forward, his gaze locked on her as he tramped across the warm sand. The soft, powder-like ground shifted beneath his feet, causing him to nearly lose his balance. His wings flared outward, catching the breeze, and he used the soft gusts of air to remain upright. Barely. It was a close thing when his left foot got caught on his right ankle while a heaving blast of air pushed at him from behind.

  But Preor warriors did not simply fall over while walking. He was not a dragonlet just getting used to his wings. He was a warrior. Highly trained. Honora…

  No, he was not so honorable any longer, was he? Not after—

  “Isn’t it perfect?” Lily breathed out the words, her voice not much more than a whisper of sound.

  Staring at his mate, the breeze tugging at her hair and the sun lighting her face… In this environment—on Kouvai Nihon—Lily did not appear as if she had recently rested on death’s door. No, she was the picture of health and joy. The paleness of death no longer leached all color from her skin. At that moment, she was… “Perfect.”

  She whipped her head around, their stares colliding. “I…” she licked her lips, small pink tongue darting into sight only to immediately disappear. Such a tease. Such a glorious torment. “I meant the view.”

  Argan allowed his lips to curve ever so slightly and continued to stare at his mate. “As did I.”

  Her cheeks pinkened even more, face gradually becoming red, and her smile widened. She dropped her gaze for a moment, head tilted down, and then looked at him through her lashes. Tendrils of her hair drifted across her face and he could not help himself. He grasped the strands and curled them around his finger, awed by the silken texture—delicate and easily destroyed.

  Just like her.

  Lily leaned toward him, bumping his bicep with her shoulder, and the redness in her cheeks remained. “You can’t say things like that.”

  He frowned, lips turned down and brow furrowed. “Like what?”

  “Like…” she waved her hands in the air. Almost as if her muscles spasmed. He wondered if she was attempting to dance again and he bit his lip to stop any laughter that attempted to break free. “Like… I’m perfect or something.”

  Argan swallowed what he would have liked to say and merely grunted. He believed she was perfect, but Lily obviously disagreed. Taulan had spoken of times such as this and warned Argan that calling his mate a liar would cause Argan to be housed in the home of a dog. He had not realized War Master Taulan owned a canine, but he trusted his leader and if the male said not to call his mate a liar…

  He would hold himself back.

  “This.” His mate spread her arms widely, gesturing at the large expanse of crystal waters, the cool white sand beneath their feet, and the glittering sun that shone down on them. “This is perfect.”

  Her hands went to the waist of her shorts and she tugged, pulling the fabric past her wide hips before releasing them to fall to the beach. If Argan thought her small top had been tempting, it was nothing compared to what little she wore on the bottom. The tiny triangles and bits of string were mirrored to hide her sex and curve of her ass from view. The fabric clung to her lush body, held in place by nothing more than two knots.

  Two knots easily cut away by his claws. Then she would be bare for him. Bare and open—with nothing hidden as he explored every luscious inch of her body.

  His body responded, cock hardening and straining within the confines of his katoth pants. The tanned hide refused to give an inch, squeezing his length withou
t apology.

  “I’ve dreamed of this, you know?”

  His attention remained on her ass as he replied. “I have as well.”

  Many times.

  Lily huffed, and her small hand appeared in his vision, her lithe fingers snapping right in front of his face. “My eyes are up here, shaa kouvi.”

  Her words told him she was not truly angry at catching him staring at her ass. Her expression, however, said she was truly annoyed. Argan once more thought of War Master Taulan’s advice. He slouched his shoulders, allowed his wings to droop, and bowed his head ever so slightly. He finished the look with the widening of his eyes and a soft apology. “I’m sorry, shaa kouva.”

  War Master Taulan informed him this was called the “kicked puppy” look. No human female could remain angry with a kicked puppy. He had heard other mated males speak of the phenomenon and decided the war master was correct. Argan was very glad he had practiced the expression as Lily slept.

  Because the moment his downtrodden expression settled into place, his mate pressed close. Her silken fingers caressed him—one hand stroking his shoulder and the other tracing the lines of his cheek.

  “Aw, I was kidding.” She rubbed away the lines between his brows. “Have I been that bitchy lately?” She sighed and shook her head. “I can’t even imagine what you’ve gone through. I bet you were wishing I hadn’t claimed you, huh?” The Bonds allowed him to sense her regret and frustration… at herself.

  He was not sure he liked his mate thinking poorly of herself. “No, shaa kouva, do not apologize. I…” Argan sought the words to explain and realized he did not have the pretty speech other males seemed to be born with. He was simply… a warrior. Put a weapon in his hand and he knew how to behave. Place a woman in front of him and he forgot how to speak.

  It was his turn to sigh and he decided he would speak the truth about his actions. Even if it meant the war master and other Preors got in trouble with their mates later. “I went to War Master Taulan and asked him what to do in the event I made you angry.”