by Anya Nowlan
The Russian bear was right. Promises to wed during the gold moon weren’t taken lightly among shifters. Each race had their own traditions, but most around the Chicago area believed that breaking an oath like that would not only be a sign of weakness on the part of the shifter, but would see him driven from his pack. Cable wouldn’t just give up. Suddenly, an idea formed in Cillian’s head.
His worried scowl turned into a sly grin, and he glanced over at Ruby. Sergei and Antonio were no longer paying attention to them – they were already deep in discussion about the possible solutions, most of which included killing every last werewolf they could find.
“Do you trust me?” he asked, his emerald eyes meeting her hazels. She glowered at him, her long lashes fluttering. Gorgeous.
“No. But I trust you more than I trust Cable or my father, so that’s something.”
She looked like she was about to say something else, but thought better of it at the last moment. Cillian had to wonder if that something she hadn’t said to him was that she trusted him more than herself. Funny how he could get a vibe like that from her from just the tilt of her head, the purse of her lips and the look in her maddeningly inviting eyes.
“Good. That’s all I need.” He grinned, straightening up in his seat. Leave it to fate to sort things out for him.
“I’ve got a solution. I’ll marry her.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Ruby
“WHAT!?” Ruby and Antonio yelped in unison.
They looked at the smug dragon like he was hopped up on whatever the hell dragons smoked to get their rocks off – pure diamonds or whatnot? The point was, he was crazy. Ruby immediately regretted implying that he could ever be trustworthy because the man was clearly criminally insane. Hot, but completely off his rocker.
“Explain yourself,” Antonio said sternly, his hands balled into fists.
For once, Ruby agreed with her father. One marriage proposal had been a lot to handle, but two within two days was just preposterous. Though, yes, admittedly Cillian would cut a much nicer form in a tux.
“You clever snake,” Sergei noted with a chuckle, leaning back in the seat and giving Cillian an appreciative nod.
Apparently the shifter understood Cillian’s reasoning without needing an explanation, but Ruby certainly didn’t.
Cillian raised his hands in a placating manner, and his golden cuffs caught the light just right. He also wore a few golden chains around his neck, and while they would have looked ostentatious on most men, Ruby thought they looked sexy as sin on him. She liked her bad boys with a bit of flare. She shook her head.
Focus. Crazy dragon wanting to marry you. No time to think about how hot he is.
“It’s very simple, really. Cable won’t give up on her, not when he announced the proposal in front of his entire pack. If he did, he wouldn’t be able to hold on to his position. He has to marry her. The only way to avoid it is for her to be married off to a stronger shifter, preferably one that his pack didn’t have any beef with. Even werewolves aren’t dumb enough to come challenge a dragon.
And if they know I’m affiliated with Sergei, it shouldn’t take them long to figure out who I am. So, the way to fix this is to let Cable know that Ruby is engaged to me. And then actually have her marry me during the gold moon. I’ll take her to my family estate in Colorado, put some distance between us and the werewolves. That should buy us some time. If you agree, that is.”
Ruby glared at Cillian, who was doing a very fine job at ignoring her. His strong jaw was set and all his focus was turned on Antonio instead of her. She steamed with anger, fury boiling in her veins. Wasn’t anyone going to ask what she wanted? What her plan was? Granted, she didn’t necessarily have a plan, but it would have been nice to be asked before being married off to another shifter.
It was becoming a bit of a theme in her life, and she wasn’t sure she was particularly keen on it so far.
“That’s batshit crazy,” she said, her lips pressed thin, forming a straight, unamused line.
She glanced at her father for support, and to her surprise, the man was grinning widely. He clapped his hands together and leant back, eyeing Cillian with what could only be described as admiration.
“That is brilliant. And you will of course divorce her when the time comes?”
“He has to! We shifters can’t last if we find our fated mate and cannot be with her. It is tradition! It is everything!” Sergei said, slamming his fist on the table and making it creak precariously, startling Ruby a little. “Cillian is a sly man, my friend. I would never have thought of that. Cable will stop his nonsense, and Ruby will be freed from the engagement! Win-win!”
“He certainly is,” Antonio agreed.
“Excuse me. Don’t I get a say in this?”
“No,” Antonio and Cillian said at the same time, exchanging smug looks that made her want to smack both of them over the head.
Just as she was about to speak up again, Cillian tossed her a look. It hushed her, making her frown. He was willing her to trust him and hadn’t she just said she did? As much as she hated handing someone else the keys to her fate, there was something about this man, this dragon, that made her desperately want to believe that not all men were complete jerks and maybe there was a point to putting her faith in someone other than herself.
Wouldn’t that be a pleasant change? Not having to fight all the time?
Antonio was eyeing Cillian as if he were the son he had always wished he had (instead of the five he did have), and Cillian almost glowed with self-satisfaction. The only one entirely unimpressed was Ruby.
Out of the fire and into the frying pan. Good going, Ruby.
“Now there is just the small matter of payment. How much?” Antonio asked, cocking a brow.
The Accardos were no slouches. Running Chicago for the past couple of decades had made their coffers plush and their wealth staggering. Still, from what Cillian had told her, their riches were but a drop in the bucket for a dragon.
“Well, it is an awfully large intrusion,” Cillian said, looking stern.
But Ruby could see the corner of his mouth twitching a little, as if he was the only one in on a giant cosmic joke and doing his best to hide it. She didn’t like it, even if it did make him seem kind of mysterious.
“Let’s say triple what Sergei agreed on with me. I’m in a giving mood,” he said, reaching his hand out to Antonio.
Antonio grabbed it and shook it gladly, smiling from ear to ear. Ruby could hardly remember ten times in her life when she’d seen her father smile like that.
“Welcome to the family, son.”
Oh, she was so screwed.
***
They spent another few hours at Bear It All, hammering out the details of their deal and having breakfast. Throughout it all, Ruby hadn’t stopped glaring daggers at Cillian, and he hadn’t looked anything less than amused at her chagrin. She was still having a hard time understanding how she went from being captive to a deranged werewolf to being betrothed to a billionaire dragon, who looked like he could have walked off the pages of the bad boy edition of Playgirl magazine.
Her father couldn’t have been more thrilled – she couldn’t have been more annoyed. When breakfast was over, Antonio and Sergei ushered them out, patting Cillian on the back and telling him what a great man he was for doing it. As if marrying her was some great charity that he was bestowing upon them. Sergei had given her a bone-breaking hug, wishing her a happy marriage, and then they’d been sent off towards Colorado in the quickest way possible.
Her father had promised to send some of her things to the mansion (of course Cillian had a mansion) so they could get out of Chicago faster, lest Cable find them.
So, in a matter of hours, Ruby found herself on a private plane being served champagne and strawberries and whisked away towards sunny… Colorado. She declined the treats each time they were offered to her and mostly spent the two-hour flight envisioning ways of how to get back at Cillian for his ‘brillian
t’ plan. Bastard. He’d barely said a word to her since the club about anything other than their travel arrangements or getting her to hurry up, though the way he looked at her made her spine tingle. Like he couldn’t wait to stick a ring on her finger.
It was kind of nice, aside from being completely insane of course.
“Why?” she finally asked, sick and tired of trying to make a hole appear in his head and coming up short each time.
“Hmm?” he asked, looking up from the newspaper he had been flipping through.
His green eyes were so warm and full of life, the little golden specks in them catching the light and making them almost sparkle. If she’d met him in any other way, she’d been all over him.
“Why did you do it? Isn’t it against some shifter law to marry someone who isn’t your fated mate?”
He grinned that wolfish grin of his, cocking his head to the side and making his wild hair fall on his temple.
“I won’t tell if you won’t, sugar. And besides, I wanted a chance at that duel. We dragons hate mysteries.”
“Are you saying I’m a mystery?” she queried, trying to gulp down the smile she felt forming.
He was charming, she had to give him that.
“Like a neat little Chinese puzzle box I can’t wait to tease open,” he said, that smirk of his turning almost violently sultry.
She got a very clear feeling that he wasn’t just talking about her not telling him her story.
Ruby averted her eyes, blushing a little. God damn that dragon. Ugh. Men that hot shouldn’t be allowed to be clever as well. Wasn’t it punishment enough that she had to stare at that body of his – all muscle and determination – for the next few weeks? Seeing him all healed, bathing in the morning light had been torture enough, and she didn’t think she should be subjected to it any more. Though, given the chance, she would gladly, gladly look at him again.
That wide, muscled back of his and his full sleeve tattoos hinted at a story he hadn’t shared with her yet. And those abs… She was sure he wouldn’t disappoint, unlike a certain werewolf, who thought he was all that and more. No, compared to Cillian, Cable was a boy pretending to be a man. He might have been bigger, bulkier and more menacing, but Cillian had the stuff to back it up. Now if she only weren’t obligated to despise him…
“I hope you know I’m not going to go through with it. You can’t just tell me to marry you and expect that to be it.”
“Oh, I’m not telling you. I’m giving you options. Option one – go back to Chicago, get hunted down by your fluffy, cuddly ex and see how he treats you. Option two – tough it out with me in Colorado for a few weeks, read a few books, enjoy my dazzling company, marry me and get rid of all your problems. The choice is yours. I can turn this plane around right now, no problem. I think you could do worse than shacking up with a dragon, sugar,” he said, giving her a sideways glance.
Ruby didn’t say anything. She couldn’t really disagree with him. And his plan was sort of brilliant, in its own twisted little way. It’s just that she hated feeling helpless again, like her life was dictated by shadowy puppet masters wanting her to dance to their tune, instead of hers to control. Ruby knew she was being petulant, and that it didn’t suit her (lord knows anyone over the age of sixteen should really get over their drama queen period), but getting angry was easier than admitting that it actually made her unbearably sad.
“Cheer up, Ruby. I promise I’ll be on my best behavior. As long as you want me to, anyway,” he said after the silence had started to linger between them again.
She looked up, and he gave her a wink. Was he flirting with her? Oh, of course he was. Great. Exactly what she needed. It was okay when he’d been just some hot leather-clad biker guy who’d come to her rescue, but now he was technically her unexpected fiancée. She frowned at the thought. Technically, it was even more okay now. Dammit.
“I’m sure you will,” she replied.
They were already descending, the gorgeous Colorado countryside rolling out below them with its snow-tipped mountains and thick forests. She’d been there on ski trips a few times and had always liked the sense of calm she got there. But right now, she was feeling anything but calm.
“By the way, I need to ask you for a favor,” Cillian said, shaking her from her revelry.
He fished around in the pockets of his jeans, finally pulling out a round, dark pendant dangling on a simple metal chain. It looked almost shapeless, and even dull at first glance, but the longer she looked at it, the more peculiar it seemed. He motioned for her to take it, and she reached out her hand, receiving it on her palm. It seemed to glow, an ethereal, ghostly shadow about it like nothing she had ever seen. The chain felt almost hot to the touch, as did the stone itself.
“What is it?”
“It’s a dragon stone. Dragons give one to their mates to signify their affection and to keep their mate safe.”
Ruby quirked a brow, giving him a long look with the corner of her mouth turned up in a grin. “You want to keep me safe?”
“But of course. Wouldn’t have it any other way,” he replied, his voice still as cocky, but his cheeks taking on a slightly reddish hue.
So the dragon could feel a bit self-conscious! Excellent.
“If you take the stone in your hand and think of me, I will find you. I will have to come to you, and I will know where you are. So think of it as a universal distress beacon. You want me there, and I’ll be there. I’d rest easier if I knew you had it on you.”
“I’ll think about it,” she said, turning the stone around in her palm a few times.
Dragons sure were peculiar beasts, but she liked the way he visibly relaxed when she agreed to hold onto it. Maybe he wasn’t such a jerk after all – a man who wanted her safe and happy couldn’t be too bad, right?
CHAPTER EIGHT
Ruby
Despite her objections, Cillian had insisted on getting another bike for the hour-long trip from the airport to his home. Unsurprisingly, he had one waiting for them already. Apparently one of his servants had driven it over when he’d let them know he was arriving. It was a Hayabusa, an even bigger, faster, scarier bike than the Fireblade they’d ridden in Chicago. Though she wouldn’t let on, she loved it.
Cillian was no slouch about hitting the gas when there was nothing but open road ahead of them, and the way the wind whipped past them and the road seemed to disappear under the wheels of the bike was exhilarating. Cillian had managed to make her heart race faster in less than a day of knowing him than Cable had over the entire time they’d been together (and then not together). The dragon was certainly… interesting.
When they reached the edge of his lands, Cillian called over his shoulder to let her know that they were almost home. He said it with such ease that she almost believed him. Home. The grounds were gorgeous. Rolling, thick evergreen forests that bowed and swayed over high slopes and seemingly endless valleys between rocky mountains tipped with sparkling white snow.
They passed a small town hidden in a valley, looking a little rundown but picturesque with its golden yellow roofs and windows and doors trimmed with green. Cillian told her that it was called Emerald Court – after the green stone court in the middle of town. He’d slowed down a lot as they entered the Greenmeadow lands, and when his house came into view, she understood why. It wasn’t so much a mansion as it was a castle.
Ancient and regal, it towered above the town and the forests like a stone watchman keeping guard. She thought she spotted some signs of neglect here and there, a few rotting windowsills and unkempt stones, but it was still positively breathtaking to behold. Suddenly, she felt like a princess being brought to her new kingdom. It wasn’t an entirely distasteful experience.
Thick moss crept up the sides of the castle, giving it a look of being invaded by the forest, or as if the castle was wearing a cape of green, befitting the lands it kept close guard over. Cillian drove them up to the small, nicely tended circular stone pathway in front of the castle. As soon
as the engine shut off, the doors flung open. A small woman, standing a good foot shorter than Ruby, came skittering down the steps, screeching with joy.
She grabbed Cillian in a tight hug before he could even take his helmet off and he responded with equal vigor, laughing. Ruby couldn’t help but grin. As much as he was a rat bastard, she had to admire Cillian’s spirit and personality. He was great to be around, and not just because he was easy on the eyes.
“Master Cillian! So happy to have you home! The keep has not been the same without you,” the little woman said, giving Cillian a moment to wrestle off his helmet.
Ruby had taken off hers as well and was now holding onto it a bit awkwardly.
“Glad to see you too, Denna. I’m going to be staying for a while now.”
“For a while! I thought I’d never see the day again. And you brought a friend!” Denna said, turning her lavish attention to Ruby.
She smiled in response, unsure of what to do next. There wasn’t a lot of pure joy to go around in the underbelly of Chicago, so Ruby wasn’t exactly equipped to dealing with people who were… nice.
“I have. Denna, this is my bride, Ruby Accardo. We’re going to have to make her comfortable here.”
Denna’s eyes positively lit up at the news, and a moment later, Ruby found herself on the receiving end of one of her exuberant hugs. She laughed, hugging her back – it was impossible not to. The elderly little woman’s glee was infectious.
“Pleased to meet you, Denna,” Ruby managed, feeling like a prop at show and tell.
She didn’t mind. It was good to be around laughter again.
“A bride! How wonderful! It has been too long since a Greenmeadow wedding took place in the keep. Not since your father and Dahlia. Oh, I’m so thrilled! And she’s so pretty!” Just as quickly as her excitement had built, it came to a halt.
Her round, flat-nosed face could go from joy to worry in less time than it took Ruby to blink.