Dragon's Secret Baby (Silver Dragon Mercenaries Book 1)

by Sky Winters

  They made the final turns up to the house and as soon both pairs of headlights fell upon the house, they knew something was terribly wrong. Tessa parked her car and jumped out, Atticus close behind her.

  The house was a wreck. The front door was kicked open, knocked completely off its hinges. Each window appeared to be smashed to shards and the front lawn was carved across with deep tire marks that ripped the grass out by the root, leaving muddy, brown tracks. The water pump wasn’t merely cut this time, it was crumpled in, as if a car had driven into it. The cheerful plants that lined the front of the house were stomped and ripped.

  “Wait!” Atticus shouted, as Tessa ran headlong into the home.

  Seeing that she wasn’t going to stop, he chased her in, his body sensing danger and preparing to shift. Tessa disappeared into the darkness of the house and Atticus followed her in. But first, he took a look at the electrical main and saw that, like the water tank, it wasn’t simply crushed- it was wrecked beyond repair.

  Tessa looked over the inside of the home, tears welling in her eyes as she surveyed the damage. The kitchen was a disaster, all of the plates and glasses smashed across the floor. Throughout the interior the walls were crisscrossed with red slashes of spray paint and smashed in here and there with what appeared to her to be impacts from a baseball bat. The TV was turned over and smashed, and the couch looked to have been cut with knives or razors.

  “The house…” said Tessa, looking over the damage.

  Atticus, now standing at her side, wrapped his arm around her shoulder. But before she could feel comforted by him, a flash of realization struck Tessa. With quick steps, her phone flashlight in her hand, her dashed to her studio.

  To her horror, she saw that every piece of art, including the one that she was currently working on, was slashed in the same way that the furniture had been. But in addition to this, each piece was covered with different colors of spray paint and topped with smears of her own paint, as though whoever did this took special pleasure at ruining her art.

  And on top of everything, the wall of the studio was marked with a message written in black paint.

  “LEAVE NOW OR ELSE,” it read.

  Looking over the wreckage of her studio, tears poured from Tessa’s eyes. Not only was her work destroyed, she knew now that Lucas was intent on making her feel as unsafe as possible, to let her know in no uncertain terms that she was to leave and never come back, that her refusal to see him again meant to him that she was now persona non-grata, that she, in his eyes, was banished from their former home.

  Atticus watched her sob into her hands, knowing that Tessa would only feel worse the longer she stayed here.

  “Let’s go,” he said, placing his arm on her shoulder once again and leading her out of the place she was now realizing she would never call home again.

  CHAPTER 13

  Tessa didn’t feel up to driving. Sitting in the soft, leather seat of Atticus’s truck, the smell of dirty tools and sweat wafting into her nose, she said not a word. She had cried most of her tears on the way out of the house and during the first few minutes of the drive, but as the truck rumbled down the road, bouncing gently with each dip and bump, a stray tear would form in the crook of her eye and hold there for a moment before dripping down her cheek.

  Atticus’s eyes were fixed on the road ahead, one hand on the wheel, the other on Tessa’s leg, only removing it to shift gears. Tessa was glad that she was with Atticus, though she didn’t know him very well. The presence of a man like him instilled in her a modicum of safety.

  “Where are we going?” she asked, her voice still caught with sobs, speaking the first words that she’d uttered since leaving her home.

  “My place,” he said, still looking ahead.

  Atticus sensed quickly that Tessa was unsure of this, possibly wondering if letting her guard down around a man she barely knew was the prudent thing to do.

  “I know this is a lot, but you’re going to have to trust me. My place is safe,” he said. “Probably the safest place in the area.”

  Tessa nodded, feeling a little better. Though she still had her reservations, his calm and self-assured manner made her feel as though she could trust him.

  They took the road around town, not driving through the center of Branlen, instead staying on the roads shrouded by the woods. After a time, they curved around Bear Mountain and turning onto another road leading up, which Tessa realized would lead them to a place that could likely be reached simply by walking through the woods on the mountain. Atticus had never been too far from her.

  Tessa saw the compound appear in the distance through the trees, the boxy form of the buildings visible under washes of light from tall towers that seemed to be positioned to keep an eye on the perimeter. The two made their way through the gates and pulled up to the massive property.

  “This is…huge,” said Tessa, looking left and right across the property, unable to believe that such a place could’ve existed in the area without her knowing about it.

  “Like I said- safest place in the area.”

  “No kidding,” said Tessa as she looked down the length of tall, barb-wire-topped fence that encircled the area.

  The compound was certainly built with the intention of keeping away unwelcome guests and Tessa was already feeling better knowing that she would be staying here.

  Atticus pressed the garage door opener and drove the truck into his usual parking spot. As they entered, Tessa scanned the interior of the garage, noticing the array of sports cars and motorcycles that filled the space.

  “My brothers have expensive tastes,” said Atticus, noticing her gaze.

  “I’ll say,” she responded.

  Then a thought struck Tessa: She barely knew Atticus, let alone his brothers.

  “Um, your brothers, are they…”

  “They’re all completely trustworthy,” said Atticus, his voice calm.

  “Good,” said Tessa. “The last thing I need is more strange men.”

  “Well, I can’t promise that they’re not strange,” said Atticus with a warm smile.

  The truck slowed to a halt and Atticus killed the engine.

  As she stepped out of the vehicle, Tessa was struck by how sleek and modern the garage was: the walls were a flawless, stainless-steel, the concrete floor was spotless, and the lights above gave the space the bright appearance of a showroom floor. It wasn’t at all what she’d expect from a place referred to as a “compound.”

  Atticus led her up the stairs to the first floor and as they stepped into the living room, Tessa let out a small gasp when she looked around the room, noting with awe the luxurious, spacious nature of the place. The clear wall looked out onto the property and the dark-shrouded woods beyond, a fire crackled in the enormous stone fireplace, and classical music piped in through a built-in speaker system. Tessa noted that the place made her cabin look even more humble than it already was.

  And seated in the room on various, modern-styled chairs and couches, were Ian, Roland, and Clyde. Busy with what they were engaged in- Ian with a book in his hands and headphones on his ears, Clyde with a video game that he was playing on the enormous, wall-mounted TV, and Roland at a corner desk, piles of papers in front of him- and didn’t so much as look up when the pair entered.

  “Everyone!” called out Atticus, finally getting the trio’s attention, their eyes snapping right to Tessa, who felt immediately nervous. “This is Tessa, she’ll be staying with us for a while.”

  “Oh, really?” asked Ian as he slipped a bookmark between the pages of what he was reading and softly closed the pages.

  “Hi, Tessa!” said Clyde, pressing pause on his game and giving her a friendly wave.

  “Hmm,” muttered Roland, stacking a pile of papers.

  “That’s Roland at the desk, Ian with the book, and Clyde at the Xbox,” said Atticus, stepping out of his boots.

  “Hey,” said Tessa, giving a shy wave.

  Ian stood up and approached the pair with his
usual slinky saunter. Tessa looked him over, noting that while he had the same general features as Atticus- sandy hair, hazel eyes, and a muscular build- in the specific details he looked dramatically different. Where Atticus was wide-shouldered, square-jawed, and projected masculinity, Ian was slim-bodied, with lean muscles, straight hair, and a face that was more beautiful than handsome. He had a different aura to him, one more androgynous.

  “Didn’t think to run this by us first?” he said, looking Tessa up and down in a way that made her feel self-conscious.

  “I’m the alpha, I don’t need to run things by you first,” said Atticus, not perturbed in the slightest by his brother’s needling.

  A look of playful disappointment crossed Ian’s face.

  “Fine, just don’t touch my books.”

  “Sure,” said Tessa, realizing that Ian meant no harm and that he was simply busting her chops in his own way.

  Roland stood up from his desk and walked over with a stiff-backed, confident stride. He struck Tessa as more business-like, his expression serious and appraising, his business-casual clothes pressed and tailored, his hair slicked back and in a hard, right-side part. His body was strong and muscular in the way you’d expect from someone who put in his requisite hour of weightlifting and cardio per day.

  “Welcome to the compound,” he said, extending his hand towards Tessa and giving hers a firm shake. “I’m Roland Swift.”

  He then turned his eyes to Atticus.

  “Do you know for how long she’ll be staying? If she’s your guest, she’s, of course, welcome, but I’d like to know in terms of how I’ll need to adjust the numbers this month for her added food costs and electricity usage.”

  Atticus put up his hand and gave a quick shake of his head, indicating to Roland that this wasn’t the time for such details. Roland picked up on this quickly and returned to his desk as Clyde approached. Tessa looked over this brawny, tall man, who had a bit of an ungainly manner to his walk.

  “Nice to meet you, finally,” he said, shaking Tessa’s hand enthusiastically.

  “You, too,” said Tessa, the word “finally” sticking in her head.

  “Tessa’s had a rough day,” said Atticus, his voice firm and clear. “I’m going to show her to where she’ll be staying tonight.”

  The three men nodded and returned to their activities and Tessa followed Atticus down the long hallway lined with tasteful, modern art hung on the walls in black frames, her shoes clicking against the glossy, birch floor as they walked. Reaching a flight of stairs, they ascended to the second floor, and after a time, they arrived at a door at the end of the hallway, which seemed to be away from the rest of the home. Tessa still couldn’t get over just how big this place was; she felt that her own home could be stuck in a faraway corner of the place and forgotten about.

  “This can be your room for the time being,” said Atticus, opening the door to the room, the lights flicking on a revealing a cozy space with the same glass-wall style that looked out onto the woods beyond. “There should be some women’s clothes in the walk-in, and if you want privacy, just hit this button.”

  Atticus pressed a button on the wall which turned the glass wall opaque.

  “And if you need anything, just let me know. I’m the room at the far end of the hall with the double-doors. Help yourself to whatever you want in the kitchen.”

  He turned to leave, but before he did, he stopped himself and faced Tessa.

  “And you’re free to leave whenever you want, of course, but I really recommend you stay on the compound until we get this whole situation sorted out.”

  A moment passed. Tessa was unsure of how to act around Atticus. He was treating her as a house guest but though they had only known each for a brief period, she wondered if she was something more.

  Atticus knew that Tessa must’ve been feeling overwhelmed by everything that was going on, however, and rather than complicating things by inviting her to his room, he instead chose to keep things platonic for the evening.

  “Goodnight, then,” he said, turning and walking down the hall.

  Part of Tessa wanted to follow him, to grab him by the shoulders and plant a deep kiss on his lips, to slip her hands behind his belt and pull him into the room. But as she looked at the bed, the events of the day began to weigh on her mind, and shutting the door behind her, she pulled her clothes off piece by piece. Once nude, she took one look at the swaying branches of the trees visible through the window before collapsing onto the bed and falling into a deep sleep.

  CHAPTER 14

  Tessa stood on the lawn in front of her cabin, the noon sun above her, the air still and warm, the grass gentle on her bare feet. As she looked upon her home, she was struck by how it looked- it wasn’t a vandalized wreck the way it was last night, but instead, it was as clean and well-kept as it had been when she lived there with Lucas. She remained in place for a moment, listening as the breeze picked up, the low gentle howl rustling the branches around her, flock of birds flying overhead under the cloudless, blue sky.

  Looking around, she saw there wasn’t a soul in sight, she was completely alone. And to her surprise, she saw that there wasn’t even a car in the driveway.

  But as she looked upon her home again, she felt a sense of peace wash over her. Rather than think too much about what was going on, she decided to take advantage of her circumstances. She entered her cabin, noting with pleasure the sight of the sun streaming in through the windows, and the subtle scent of her favorite candle already burning. A smile on her face, she decided to head into the kitchen and pour herself a glass of ice tea, her favorite drink on days like today, when the sun was out and the weather was as perfect as she could imagine.

  But as she tried to open the fridge, it wouldn’t give; the door seemed to be stuck. Tessa didn’t think too much of it, instead deciding to head into her studio and get some work done on her latest piece. She quickly switched into her paint-streaked work clothes and got her equipment ready. But as she put brush to canvas, she noticed that the paint wouldn’t stay on the brush. Tessa brushed and brushed, dipping the end into the paint until the bristles were gobbed and heavy, dripping to the floor, but no matter how much pressure she applied, the canvas remained pristine and untouched.

  And as this went on, a creeping sense of dread began to overwhelm her. Her hands shaking, she dropped the brush onto the ground. Right when it hit, she noticed a rumbling that was at first nearly imperceptible, but soon grew to a bass-like rattling that shook the house, dropping art from the walls and knocking over anything that wasn’t nailed down.

  She dropped her supplies onto the ground and ran outside. To her horror, the sky was now heavy with dark storm clouds that roiled and crackled with lightning. Then, a shape descended from the clouds, first coming down in a black swirl, but soon coalescing into the shape of a man, a faceless man black as pure pitch who loomed over Tessa. Fear gripped her heart in a fist as the wind picked up, catching her into a swirl of leaves and branches. The man-shaped being then reached towards Tessa as she stood frozen with fear.

  But before it could touch her, a beast came stomping out of the woods. It was the bear who had protected her before, its face in a rage as it howled and roared at the dark being. The man-shaped thing turned towards the bear, leaving Tessa alone. The storm around her built to a fevered pitch as the bear and the thing stared at one another, seemingly preparing for a fight. Then, the bear ran towards the thing, its paws thundering against the ground as it ran.

  Just at the moment that the two creatures would’ve begun fighting, Tessa woke up, bolting upright in bed, her body slick with sweat. She looked around her, confirming that she was still in the bedroom and the Swift Compound. Pulling down the covers, she looked out of the window in her room, her eyes settling on the substantial border that separated the compound grounds from the woods beyond.

  Tessa put her head back down on the soft pillow but realized quickly that she wouldn’t be able to get back to sleep. Throwing the blanket f
rom her body, she got out of bed. There was only one thing she wanted right now and she was determined to get it.

  The carpet soft on her bare feet, Tessa opened the door to her room and stepped out into the hallway, which was now dark and empty, the brothers all seemingly in bed. Tessa walked down the hallway, her eyes narrowed on the double-doors at the far end. One she reached them, she grasped one of the handles and pushed it open, revealing a massive master bedroom that looked out onto the compound. And in the king-size bed in the middle was Atticus, sleeping nude, his perfect body splayed out on the sheets, his cock resting against his thigh.

  Tessa placed her fingertip on her lip as she looked upon Atticus’s body, the traces of sleep that remained in her being replaced with a blossoming feeling of arousal. The silver of the moon poured into the bedroom, casting his form on a ghostly sheen that highlighted the curves and contours of his physique, and Tessa allowed her eyes to scan every inch of his body, paying special attention to his prick, which was thick and full even in its flaccid state. The salty taste of skin washed over her mouth and Tessa realized to her surprise that she had begun sucking on her finger.

  Atticus shifted in bed, rolling over onto his stomach, his sublime, sculpted ass now facing Tessa.

  After looking it over for several long moments, she decided that she couldn’t simply look at him any longer. With gentle cat’s-paw steps on the carpet, Tessa moved closer to the bed, finally reaching it and lying down next to Atticus. He stayed just as still as he had been as Tessa got into bed with him.

  Hesitant at first, Tessa reached towards Atticus’s body her fingertips grazing his skin before she rested her hand on his toned stomach. She held her palm there for a moment, taking in the feeling of his body, savoring how it felt on her skin. Then, she allowed her fingertips to dance downward, along with his stomach, through his pubic hair, then onto the base of his cock.