by Minx Malone
“Come on. We’re going outside.”
He stood and extended his hand toward her. After a moment of hesitation, she took it and allowed him to pull her up. Gavin looked down at what he was wearing. He pulled his sweater over his head and threw it on the end of the bed, leaving his chest bare.
“Okay, now we can go.”
Kia stared at his chest, color rising to her cheeks. “O-Okay. We can do that.” She whipped around and walked out into the hallway leaving Gavin behind.
He puzzled over her strange reaction as he followed her down the hallway and then took the lead. Why had she looked so startled?
She was raised in the human world, dumbass. They don’t just take their clothes off the way dragons do.
Gavin cursed his mistake. He had done extensive reading on the differences between human and dragon culture. Human females didn’t appreciate men taking off their clothes without warning unless they were part of the dancing shows he’d seen on television. The men in those shows had physiques closer to how most dragon males looked so he could only hope she found his body pleasing. But she’d looked pained.
He opened the front door and led her outside. The open field between his house and his brothers’ was empty. Ian must have gone home to his mate. Thankful for that, Gavin turned and led Kia by the hand over to sit next to his front door.
“Wait here. I want to show you something.”
She huddled on the steps and wrapped her arms around her legs. He backed up about fifty feet and then pushed his jeans down. Kia’s eyes widened.
“Don’t look away. I don’t want you to miss anything,” he warned.
“Okay,” she squeaked.
Gavin hid his smile and then concentrated on his dragon. The familiar burn, pop and stretch as his bones and muscles elongated went by in the blink of an eye. He looked down at her from his now great height. She was staring up at him with her mouth open.
Kneeling, he put his body flat on the ground and extended his wings the same way he used to do when they were children. It was a risk, hoping that she would remember this, but after a few moments she stood on shaky legs and approached. He held as still as possible, not wanting to startle her out of the moment. Finally she put a hand on his right wing.
Then just as quickly as that, she snatched her hand back and covered her face. Gavin moved back until he had room to shift. Once he was back in his human skin, he moved toward her slowly.
“Kia. It’s still me, love. I know it’s scary but it doesn’t have to be. We used to have fun. Do you remember?”
She nodded miserably. “That’s why I’m crying. Because I remember. For years, I wished it could all be real and I’m so scared that this is just one more dream that will be taken away. We don’t even know each other now.”
“We can get to know each other again. Gavaanik and Kitaana represent who we were as children. But there’s nothing preventing Gavin and Kia from being friends, is there?”
She didn’t look convinced. “But what if I’m never like you? I want to shift, too. I want to be who I should have been. And I’m so scared it’ll never happen.”
Overwhelmed, Gavin gave up his slow approach and scooped her back into his arms. His mate needed him and he was going to take care of her.
“I know it’s a lot to deal with but we can take it one step at a time. I’ll teach you how to shift and even if it doesn’t happen, that’s okay too. I’ll take care of you.”
She wiped her tears with the back of her hand. “You can’t take care of me forever.”
“Watch me.” Then Gavin did something he’d been wanting to for the past fifteen years.
He took his mate home.
chapter four
For the next few hours, Kia decided to ignore the growing panic at the back of her mind and just allow herself to enjoy the moment. Watching Gavin was quickly becoming an addiction. He moved with a quiet grace reminiscent of a predator. He refused to allow her out of his sight so he’d tucked her into a corner of the couch while he put together some sandwiches.
Kia found herself hanging on his every word as he told her about his brothers and their new mates, filling the empty spaces between them with meaningless chatter. It was strange because she could tell that he wasn’t normally the talkative sort but that he was trying to put her at ease. He watched her carefully as she ate her sandwich and only started eating his own when he was satisfied that she was taken care of.
After a lifetime of being observed, it should have weirded her out to be the focus of such intensity. However, she could feel him and had no doubt he was watching her only to make sure she was cared for. That made all the difference.
Once they were both fed, he carried her back to his room. He turned on the small lamp next to the bed and then moved across the room to turn on a floor lamp in the corner. Kia looked around, unabashedly curious about his space. The room was sparse but clean with just the bed, a plain oak dresser and a night table. There was a stack of books on the dresser but they seemed to be the only touch of personality in the room.
What a contrast to her own room back home.
Now that she was on her own, she surrounded herself with color and whimsy at every turn. She’d practically bankrupted herself that first shopping trip, wanting to buy every colorful blanket, pillow or trinket she could find. It had felt like a liberation of sorts, allowing herself the freedom to be frivolous.
“Here’s a t-shirt you can wear to bed. And there are new toothbrushes below the sink in the bathroom.” He gestured to the door across the room.
“Okay. Thank you.”
Kia clutched the shirt to her chest without meeting his eyes. She was grateful that he didn’t assume she was as comfortable with nudity as he was. She wasn’t sure if that was a dragon thing or just a Gavin thing, but there was no way she could whip her clothes off in front of him. She’d never been completely naked in front of anyone before and with all the other upheaval in her life, this wasn’t the day to start.
Their eyes met right before the bathroom door shut between them. Her emotions went through a curious nosedive at the separation.
Later she’d probably wonder why she wasn’t freaked out by his assumption that she would stay with him. Her rational mind acknowledged that it was insanity to stay with a man she didn’t really know. She had such limited experience with people her own age and absolutely zero with men so she really should have been running for the door. But instead, her spirit was calm for the first time in years.
It was that settled feeling of returning home after a long time away. She didn’t feel strange about staying with Gavin at all. It felt like it was where she should have been all along.
There was a light knock on the door. “I’ll be right back, love. I just need to get something from my office.”
“Okay,” she called out and then turned to pick up the shirt he’d given her.
Then she paused with the fabric clutched to her chest. Now that he was gone, it was like coming out of the fog and her rational thought returned.
What the hell am I doing?
There was something about him that made her take leave of her senses. It was something sort of like Stockholm Syndrome where she wasn’t having the logical fear response that she should have and was instead imagining herself as being special to him.
She had to get out of there.
There was no sound on the other side of the door so she pulled it open and stuck her head out. The room was empty. Before she could even think about it, she tiptoed out to the hallway. She vaguely remembered that she’d walked down one of the other hallways to find Gavin when she’d first come in. Her bag was abandoned next to the front door. She grabbed it and opened the door.
Her mind was awash with guilt, fear, sorrow and terror as she walked across the field. As she passed one of the other houses, Ian stepped outside along with a dark-haired woman that he embraced lovingly. Longing gripped her. That’s what she’d always wanted but now that it was here, there were just a
s many questions as before. Once again, she was the odd one out. What if she could never shift? Would Gavin still want her if she was a defective dragon?
All she’d ever wanted was to go out into the world on her own but now that she had, she just wanted to go back to what was familiar. To curl up in her favorite pajamas and close her eyes and feel safe.
I can’t breathe.
When Ian noticed her, he called out but she didn’t stop, instead breaking into a run. She wasn’t even sure exactly which direction she should be going but anything was better than being here. Where everything she’d ever wanted was real but somehow still out of reach. Her lungs burned and she clasped her throat, trying to get air. With her heart racing and her head spinning, she stumbled over her own feet and landed on her knees.
She looked around in a panic, hoping that she was close to her car. Instead she was in the middle of the field and not sure exactly where she was. Her sense of direction was off and the panic attack wasn’t helping.
A roar sounded in the distance. Her heart clenched. Gavin. He’d just discovered that she was gone. There was no use questioning how she knew it was him. He was in her head and the connection between them was only growing stronger, like a vine of ivy wrapped around her throat.
Above her head, wind rushed and she looked up in time to see a large gold dragon fly overhead. Gavin landed directly in front of her and shifted immediately. His jaw was set into a grim expression as he stalked toward her and Kia shivered. In her research about dragon culture, it was stressed how important mating was to them. Nothing came between a dragon and his mate.
Once he’d claimed you, he would never let you go.
She shivered again but this time in anticipation instead of fear. What was wrong with her? The thought of being pursued by Gavin sent a little curl of desire right between her thighs. For a girl who had always seen her body as a tool or a project it was a revelation to discover that she could have these feelings. That she could be an object of obsession, especially for a strong, sexy man like this.
But as soon as she had the thought, she pushed it away.
Dragons preferred to keep to themselves and weren’t interested in integrating fully into human society. She was a dragon, there was no denying that, but she was human too. Was she really ready to give up her newfound autonomy and commit completely to living in some dragon’s lair? No. The thought of being kept away from the world made her sick.
She hadn’t worked so hard to get free of her father’s control just to allow herself to be controlled by someone else.
She stumbled to her feet and ran.
When Gavin returned from his workshop, it took him a few minutes to realize anything was wrong. The door to the bathroom was open slightly and the light was still on. He sat down on the bed and tried to calm himself down. He was going to spend the night with his mate for the first time ever and he needed the control to make it good for her.
She’s probably not going to be ready for any of that.
He had to remember that his mate had been raised more or less human. She didn’t have the same view of the mate bond that most dragons did. It was considered sacred and no one questioned the morality of being with their mate, even if they hadn’t known each other long. It was understood and accepted that fate brought their perfect match when they were ready for it.
Kia, however, was going to need some time to get comfortable with him. She wasn’t even comfortable with her dragon heritage. Gavin shook his head at the thought. He couldn’t believe she hadn’t been allowed to shift all these years.
A few minutes later, he stood and approached the bathroom door. Since it was already open slightly, he knocked once and then stepped inside. The t-shirt he’d given her was on the floor and a new toothbrush was on the counter still in its plastic packaging. It was stupid but he looked behind the shower curtain to make sure she wasn’t there. There was no need to confirm what his nose already knew to be true but he did it anyway. The room was empty.
His mate was gone. Again. And this time she’d left him willingly.
The sound that escaped him came straight from his soul. She couldn’t have left him again. Not when he’d only just gotten her back. He stormed through his room and down the hall. His eyes surveyed the area quickly. Although it was unlikely, every possible scenario raced through his mind. She could have gone outside for some air and been attacked by dragon hunters. Or what if Ian still saw her as a threat and had come back and taken her?
With every possible scenario he considered, his heart beat faster and sweat popped out on his brow. As he ripped open the front door, his mind distorted by rage and fear, all he could think was that he’d lost his mate again and this time he might not get her back.
My mate is gone.
My mate is gone.
My mate is gone.
As soon as his feet hit the grass he shifted, taking to the air with a powerful pump of his wings. He flew over two small figures that he recognized as Ian and his mate, Morgan. Disregarding them for the moment, he turned in the other direction. Kia was huddled on the ground in a little ball. He circled overhead, then landed right in front of her, shifting as he touched down.
Kia curled into herself and a tremor shook her so hard she almost fell over. Instinctively he moved closer. That’s when he got his first look at her face. Her lips were pulled into a thin line and her brow was creased. Were those… tears? When he moved closer to see if she was all right, she suddenly stood and ran in the other direction.
Away from him.
The truth hit him then like a gut shot. The knowledge held him in place even as his instincts clamored at him to chase her, take her home, keep her close. As much as he longed for her and loved her, she didn’t feel the same way. She was afraid. Of him.
His knees gave out then and he collapsed on the damp grass. The agonizing pain that had taken him out earlier hadn’t come back but he was suddenly aware of how tired he was. His limbs felt like they were weighted down with iron and it was getting harder and harder to keep his eyes open. Maybe he could just stay here for a little while. Their land was private so it didn’t really matter if he slept outside, did it?
As he was contemplating that, he heard the soft rustle of grass in front of him. He cracked open one eye. Kia watched him from a few feet away.
“You’re not okay, are you?”
He grunted. “You should run away now. While I’m too weak to come after you.”
The advice seemed to shock her. She crossed her arms. “Why would you tell me that? Clearly that’s not what you want.”
“No. What I want is you with me. Always. But I’d rather live the rest of this life in agony without you than ever cause you even a moment of pain.”
Her fingers twisted in the ends of her long hair. Gavin followed the movement, greedy to watch anything she did. It was getting harder to keep his eyes open. Something in the back of his mind wondered if this was a delayed reaction to the serum he’d taken. If so, Kia should probably warn his brothers. He couldn’t open his mouth to say that though so he just focused on her slender fingers playing with the ends of her hair. If he was going, he wanted his last sight to be her.
“Gavin? Gavin? You have to wake up!”
He startled awake to find his head cradled in her lap. She brushed his hair back gently as her large gray eyes scanned his face.
“What happened?”
“You passed out again. What’s wrong with you? I thought dragons didn’t get sick?”
“We don’t.” Telling her what he’d done would only scare her so until he figured out how to reverse it, he’d keep quiet. She didn’t need any guilt for how her absence had affected him. It wasn’t her fault and she was more a victim of fate than he was.
“Maybe I should go get your brother?”
“No. Just help me up.”
They struggled to stand, Gavin using her like a crutch as he untangled his legs. It took much longer than it should have since she was a tiny little thing and h
e didn’t want to lean on her too heavily. But with her help, they took slow, careful steps until they reached his home. Once inside, he dropped onto the couch and leaned his head on the wall behind it.
When he finally caught his breath, she was still standing near the door. The fear he’d seen on her face earlier was gone but she still looked tense. The sight of his mate in distress sent his dragon instincts on a rampage and he growled as a surge of energy made his claws extend and his scales pop out. She took a small step back.
“You really should have run while you had the chance.”
For a moment she looked terrified, then her chin lifted. “Stop trying to scare me away. I’m not afraid of you. I came here for answers and I intend to get them.”
Her aggressive stance only turned him on more. Dragons loved and revered strong females.
“What kind of answers?”
“Anything. I’ve been kept away from the dragon world my whole life. I don’t even know where to start.”
He shifted until he could sit up straight. “Then we’ll start at the beginning. With who you were. And who you are, to me.”
Several beats passed and then she looked at him directly. “I’m your mate, aren’t I?”
He nodded. “Do you know what that means?”
She shrugged. “I can guess. But that’s all in the past. I mean, we haven’t seen each other in years.”
At his silence, she reached up and pulled at the ends of her hair again. Gavin covered his face with a weary hand. This was even worse than he’d thought. Not only was she completely uneducated about her heritage but she didn’t even understand what it meant to be a dragon’s mate. If his intensity earlier had scared her into running, he would probably run her off for good if he told her that dragon’s mated for life.
“We should probably start at the beginning.”
“Actually we should get you in bed first.”
“You don’t know how long I’ve wished I could hear you say that.”