Professional armor, designed to make her fade into the woodwork and to keep men at bay.
She made her bed next, adding the colorful pillows once she was done. She liked her place neat and tidy. It was a habit she’d picked up at the orphanage. As a child, she hadn’t had much, so she’d taken care of what she did have. Plus, having everything in its place made it easier for her to know if someone had gone through her belongings. She suspected her boss may have had her apartment searched. But there was nothing to find. She made certain of it.
She went to the kitchen and peered out the tiny window. New York never truly slept, but it was waking up as people like her headed out to their day jobs.
A shiver went down her spine and she turned away. She knew she was playing a deadly game. The man she worked for was dangerous. But he was also a link to her missing friend, the only friend she’d ever had.
Victoria never would have known, except she’d had a dream the night after her interview with Herman Temple. After meeting with him, she’d planned to pass on the job, if offered. All her instincts had been screaming at her to get away from the kind-looking businessman as fast as possible. As someone who’d grown up in the system, Victoria trusted her instincts.
All that had changed after the dream she’d had of a snippet of conversation between Herman Temple and another man. In her dream, she’d watched them talk about dragons and heard them call themselves the Knights of the Dragon.
She’d taken the job right away.
Each night, she prayed she’d learn more, enough to find her drakon friend and be able to help him. Each day, she kept her eyes and ears open for information.
Two years later, she was still waiting, still searching. She had dreams of her friend being trapped, his wife being held hostage. The two were intimately linked. As an adult, she understood their relationship more clearly.
But she’d never had another dream featuring Temple, probably because she was terrified of the man. He was a stone-cold killer. Sometimes employees disappeared. She made a point of never commenting on or asking about them. She feared one day she would be the one who went missing, never to be seen or heard from again.
Not that long ago, Temple’s head of security had disappeared. He’d left the office one day and never returned. Luther Henderson had taken his place.
“Damn.” Victoria stalked back into the bedroom and collected her phone, purse, and coat. She would not think about Luther. He might be handsome and fascinating, but he also worked for Temple. That made him dangerous, potentially lethal to her continued well-being.
She treaded carefully around him, not wanting to antagonize him in any way, while trying to hide her growing attraction. He missed nothing, and she feared he would one day uncover her true reason for staying at her job.
That would be the end of her.
She was pragmatic and a survivor. She couldn’t afford to let her guard down. Not for one second. And if she was sometimes lonely, that was the price she was willing to pay. Besides, personal relationships just weren’t in the cards for her. It was something she’d learned to accept.
She ignored the pang of regret and the tightness in her chest as she locked her apartment door behind her. Since she was early, she’d indulge in a coffee and a decadent cinnamon bun with cream cheese icing from her favorite coffee shop. It was on the way to work, so she could sit and enjoy it and people watch.
She wondered what it was like to go about the daily business of falling in love, tending to families, joking with colleagues, and going out with friends. She’d never had any of that and never would.
That didn’t mean it didn’t fascinate her. And daydreams were about as close as she’d ever get to having what most of the world took for granted.
Chapter Two
Herman Temple was not a happy man. Nor was he a well one. Luther Henderson stood on the opposite side of Temple’s large desk and studied his boss as he listened to him rant.
“It’s been months since Varkas slipped away.” Temple was still formidable, even though his back was a little stooped and his hands shook. It was an almost imperceptible tremor, but Luther saw it.
Varkas was a suspected dragon who’d slipped out of Temple’s grasp back in early October. It was now February, and there’d been no sign of the man.
“He’s living off grid. There’s been no communication we can track. He’s used no credit cards and hasn’t accessed any known bank accounts.” Luther assumed the man was smart enough to evade Temple, at least for a while. But everyone slipped up eventually. Everyone.
“What about his business?”
Luther tilted his head slightly and studied Temple even closer. There was a time his boss would have already known the answer to that question. The lack of dragon blood was taking its toll.
Not that Luther was supposed to know about that. He knew a lot of things he wasn’t supposed to know.
“It’s been sold. The sale is being handled through his lawyer. His former office has already been closed, his employees given generous severance packages. I’m told the sale was contingent on his people being offered jobs as well.” And that spoke well of the man.
Temple slammed his fist down on the top of his desk. “I don’t give a damn about his employees. I want to know where the man is.”
“We’re monitoring banking and communication with all known associates. We have people watching the airports and train stations, others combing through information on vehicle sales and rentals.” He hesitated, unsure about Temple’s state of mind. “Have you checked with the others?”
Temple’s gaze narrowed. “Why would I check with the others?”
There was the man he expected, the shrewd manipulator who’d built several multi-billion-dollar companies and who’d managed to trap a dragon. Too bad he’d been stupid enough to allow the creature to kill itself. That’s what had led Temple to go after Varkas and down a path that had led to more death.
Not that Luther was complaining, since it had ultimately led to his promotion.
“Karina Azarov has more resources than we do, sir.” Luther didn’t blink, didn’t bat an eye under his boss’s scrutiny. It was a valid question. As the leader of the Knights of the Dragon, Ms. Azarov was in a very powerful position. And from what Luther knew, she held it by being totally ruthless.
Temple leaned back in his chair. “That bitch wouldn’t tell me anything. If she finds Varkas first, she’ll take him.” He pointed a finger at Luther. “That can’t happen.”
Luther toyed with the idea of grabbing his boss’s finger and breaking it. Better yet, he could snap the man’s neck. But now wasn’t the time or the place. He kept quiet instead. He’d been around Temple long enough to know the man assumed silence was agreement.
Temple’s intercom beeped. He leaned forward and impatiently hit the button. “Yes.”
“Sorry to interrupt, sir, but General Nevins is on line one. He says it’s important he speak with you.”
Luther listened intently to the conversation. Not because he cared about General Nevins or what he wanted but because he wanted to hear her voice. Victoria Marshall, Temple’s personal assistant.
As always, his body reacted immediately. His cock grew hard and every muscle tensed, ready for action, but all he could do was stand here. He shouldn’t want her this much. No woman had ever caught his attention so quickly and thoroughly, and completely without trying.
She kept her distance.
Perversely, that made him want her even more.
“Wait in the outer office. I have to take this.” Temple dismissed him with a wave of his hand. Again, the desire to snap the man’s fragile bones tempted him. He turned and left the room before he gave in to the urge, making sure to close the door behind him.
Victoria was at her desk working. She looked up, her blue eyes going wide, her breath hitching before she lowered her gaze and went back to what she was doing.
Luther leaned against the wall, crossed his arms over his chest, and watche
d her. She was easy on the eyes. Hers was a classic beauty. Not flashy, but the kind that would continue to deepen with age.
She kept all that long hair pinned up in a tight coil. His fingers itched to release it and see just how long it was.
She glanced up again and caught him looking. “Why are you staring at me?” she demanded. Her voice was firm but had a slight lilt to it that fired his blood.
“Am I?” He pushed away from the door and sauntered toward her desk.
“You know you are.”
He’d give her credit for being brave. At six foot six, he was a big man. And while she wasn’t exactly short, he towered over her, even when she wore those ridiculous heels she favored, the ones that made her legs look a mile long.
He shrugged and didn’t deny her claim. “You’re a beautiful woman.”
Her lips thinned. She hadn’t liked his compliment, which was strange. It had been his experience that most women liked to be admired.
“That shouldn’t matter.” He almost smiled at her lecturing tone.
“Then what should matter?” he asked, genuinely curious about her answer.
“Strength of character.”
It was his turn to frown. That was an odd thing for her to say considering who she worked for. Of course, he couldn’t exactly throw stones since he worked for Temple, too.
Luther went around to the back side of her desk and sat on the edge. He knew he was crowding her but did it anyway. She pushed her chair away but was hemmed in. “And do you have it? Strength of character?”
“Yes.” She paused and smoothed a nonexistent wrinkle from her skirt. “At least I’d like to think so.” She looked him directly in the eyes, and he felt snared in their clear depths. “What about you?”
“I have strength.”
She snorted and leaned back in her chair. He was fascinated by her, how she could be tense one moment and seemingly at ease the next. She was good at controlling herself, at keeping anyone from knowing what was really going on inside. “That’s not the same thing,” she pointed out.
“No, it’s not.”
She tensed again, the lightened moment gone as though it had never happened. Maybe he’d imagined it to begin with. He wanted her to let down her guard around him, but at the same time, he didn’t.
She was Temple’s personal assistant. He couldn’t afford to get close to her. Temple didn’t like his people fraternizing, and Luther couldn’t afford to lose this position, no matter how much he wanted the delectable Ms. Marshall.
He forced himself to push away from her desk and resumed his position by Temple’s door. It belatedly occurred to him that the office was monitored. If asked, he could always say he’d been questioning her about security protocols. He didn’t think she’d dispute his claim. She wouldn’t want anyone to know their conversation was of a more personal nature.
Victoria went back to work, but her fingers weren’t as fluid on the keyboard, and she deleted as much as she wrote.
She really was lovely. She sat erect in the chair, her shoulders narrow, body graceful. He wanted to see what lay beneath the severe suits she wore to work each day. Did she favor plain white, serviceable underwear, or did she have a passion for silk and lace?
He swallowed heavily, the collar of his shirt suddenly too tight for comfort. His pants were no better. Thankfully, the cut of his jacket helped to camouflage his arousal.
As much as he wanted her, as much as he was drawn to her, he could not afford to indulge. Not that she’d let him. And that was a challenge he really wanted to accept.
If he thought for one second she truly wasn’t interested, he’d walk away without a backward glance. No man forced his attentions where they weren’t wanted. His father had taught him that as soon as he was old enough to be interested in the opposite sex.
Heaviness sank down onto his shoulders, and his arousal disappeared in a heartbeat. He wondered what his father would say if he knew his son was working for the likes of Herman Temple. He would not be happy.
Strength of character, Victoria had called it. Well, sometimes you had to make the hard decisions in order to survive. Luther had made his choices and didn’t regret them. Couldn’t. He had a goal, and nothing could be allowed to stand in his way. Certainly not the beautiful and mysterious Victoria.
And she was interested in him. As much as she’d deny it, there was no mistaking the way her pupils dilated or her breathing increased when he was nearby. She watched him, too. She didn’t think he noticed, but he did. He noticed everything about her.
Even now, she was sneaking little sidelong glances in his direction. He almost groaned aloud when she licked her lips. He knew it wasn’t intentional, wasn’t done to capture his interest.
She seemed to be fighting their attraction as much as he was.
Putting her out of his mind, he concentrated on his own goals. He’d spent two years of his life infiltrating Temple’s organization and making a name for himself. It was surprisingly easy to do with little effort.
Yes, he’d killed men. But none of them were innocent. They were all involved with the Knights of the Dragon, a deadly organization that had deep roots in government and banking, in industry and technology. Their tentacles were everywhere.
But Luther needed to get even deeper. He wasn’t content to be on the outside. And that’s where he still was, in spite of working his way up to be Temple’s head of security—a dubious title at best. And a dangerous one. If anyone ever discovered who he really was or suspected his true purpose, he’d be screwed.
Which brought him back to Victoria. How much did she know? Temple never seemed to discuss the Knights’ business around her, only his legitimate ventures. Did she suspect anything? She had to. She wasn’t stupid. Quite the opposite, in fact.
Then why did she stay?
It struck him that she was stuck. Temple was not a man you walked away from. He would not risk letting her live if he thought for one second she might know something about his other interests. While she might suspect everything wasn’t quite what it seemed, she would never ask. She’d have to be blind not to notice that people sometimes went home from work and never returned.
Look at the librarian Temple had hired last fall. She’d only been here a week before she’d gone missing. But Luther knew she’d run off with Varkas. Smart woman. Others hadn’t been quite that lucky.
The intercom on Victoria’s desk buzzed. “Yes, sir.”
“Send Henderson back in.” Temple ended the conversation abruptly.
Victoria looked at him and nodded toward the door. “You heard Mr. Temple.”
“So I did.” He inclined his head toward her before opening the door. He stepped inside and shut it behind him.
…
Victoria looked at the door for several seconds before pulling her attention back to her work. Her office was monitored, and she couldn’t afford to be caught showing undue interest in her boss’s head of security.
There had been several security breaches in the past months. She wasn’t supposed to know about them, but she’d overheard snippets of a few conversations. She never eavesdropped long enough to catch everything, and she couldn’t risk pursing it. Not without putting her own life in danger, and she had a bigger mission.
She rose from her desk and strolled out of her office and down the hall to the staff break room, using the short walk to help clear her head and pull herself together. She was sweating beneath her suit, the memory of the way Luther had looked at her making her overheat.
The man was handsome in a rugged way. He kept his blond hair cut short, almost military short. Since lots of ex-military men worked on the security staff, she supposed that made sense.
Luther was a big man—he had to be at least six and a half feet tall—but there was more to him than just brawn. If he’d had only his looks to recommend him, she wouldn’t be nearly as attracted to him as she was, but there was keen intelligence in his steel-blue eyes. He said little but saw everything.
> That was why he was so dangerous.
She couldn’t afford to be around him for any length of time. She feared he might see through her charade and ferret out her darkest secrets. She’d never had to worry about that with the former head of security. He had been cocky and sure of himself, too concerned with his own plans and schemes to notice her. She’d faded into the woodwork around him. Not so with Luther.
She brewed herself a cup of rich, dark coffee and carried it back to her office, knowing better than to be away long from her desk. Mr. Temple liked her to be available whenever he needed her.
Contracts, memos, and emails soon had her attention firmly fixed back on her job. She couldn’t afford to slack off. Being Mr. Temple’s personal assistant was a demanding position. There were always new projects to be researched, people needing answers from her boss, others requiring some of his time. It was her job to manage it all.
Her coffee went cold as the morning continued. Even as distracted as she was, she managed to get through a fair amount of work.
She opened his schedule, which he preferred kept in a paper datebook rather than an electronic file. The book, along with her laptop, was secured in a safe every night before she left the office. Security was tight. But considering the need for confidentiality in both the pharmaceutical and technology businesses her boss was involved in, it was understandable.
If he didn’t finish with Luther soon, she’d have to reschedule his appointments.
At that moment, the door opened and Luther strode out. He didn’t pause, but he did look her way and wink. And what does he mean by that? She refused to respond, but she couldn’t help but notice the way his lips twitched at the corners. She held her breath, but he didn’t smile. She’d never seen him smile. Come to think of it, he’d probably never seen her smile, either.
Drakon Unchained (Blood of the Drakon) Page 2