“You’re welcome,” Zara replied and side-eyed Karros, her mate.
We’re a little old for babysitters, his dragon’s amused tone was combined with an eye-roll.
They mean well, Ivan told him, and his hand closed around the backpack on the seat next to him. Ever since a piece of his dragon treasure had been found, his family had been acting weird around him, as if he needed protecting.
They have been acting weird! His dragon laughed. Have you seen us lately?
We have it under control now, Ivan replied. With the help of Fiona and her family, he’d gotten used to having the treasure around. It still called to him, it was still a part of him, but it no longer controlled him.
We no longer experience the need to tear someone’s head from their shoulders if they touch it. His dragon chortled. Such uncontrollable urges. No wonder Zara and Karros are accompanying us back to Wishing Moon Bay. They’re probably worried we’ll murder someone if they come too close to our pack.
Not going to happen. I could give it away now and I’d be fine, Ivan said easily.
Liar. His dragon settled down and curled his tail around his head, covering his eyes. I’m not sure what else the Westwards want from us. We don’t have any more information to give them.
Maybe they like us, his dragon replied. You’ve seen the way Davy looks at us.
He is certain that the dragon shifter he knew was our father. Ivan’s jaw tensed as they neared the house.
It’s good to meet someone who knew our parents, his dragon replied.
Ivan touched the door handle, the temptation to yank it open and fly home almost too strong. Yes, it was good to meet someone who knew their parents. But at the same time, it tore open old wounds.
That’s not why you don’t like meeting him, his dragon murmured.
Ivan sighed heavily. His dragon was right. We always hoped that our parents were alive somewhere in the world. If we’re really the son of Andor, then all hope of that being true is gone.
Believing they might be alive was a dream. His dragon took a shuddering breath. If they were alive, they would have found their way back to us by now. We always knew we were orphans.
“Is this the house?” Zara’s words cut through his thoughts, and he leaned forward.
“Yes, that’s the one.” He rolled his shoulders and rubbed his face, the car journey had made him sleepy.
“Shall we wait in the car?” Karros asked. “Or we could go grab a coffee and something to eat and meet you back here later.”
“No,” Ivan replied a little sharply.
“You want us here in case you need to make a quick getaway?” Zara half-turned in her seat to look at him.
“No.” He looked down at his hands. “Simon knew you were driving me. He’d like to meet you, too.”
“Ah, Simon. The man who my sister felled with a tree branch when he attacked Belle.” Karros waggled his eyebrows. “I hope he’s not going to take it out on me.”
“From what I’ve seen of Simon, he carries that guilt on his shoulders. It was out of character, driven by a desire to help his father.” Ivan opened the car door as soon as Zara switched off the engine.
“I guess we all do crazy stuff sometimes.” Karros got out of the car and leaned on the door. “If Rift is okay with what happened, since it was his mate who was attacked, then I am willing to move on from it, too.”
“Rift is okay with it because Belle is okay with it. If Simon had really hurt her, I don’t think things would be that easy.” Ivan’s hands curled into fists. If Belle had been hurt, Rift wasn’t the only one who would be out for revenge. His brothers’ mates were part of their family and Ivan would always do whatever it took to protect them.
Karros shut the car door. “It’s crazy how all of our lives are mixed up together. Who would have thought that Rift meeting his mate would have led you to that treasure of yours?”
“Why don’t you say it a little louder?” Zara glanced around nervously.
“Sorry.” Karros looked around. “Is there anyone around we should be worried about? Because Simon wasn’t the only one who tried to ambush Belle for the pendant. There were other people with him, too. Maybe they want that tia...thing of yours.”
“There’s no one lurking in the bushes,” Zara assured him. “You sure are paranoid.”
“I’m not paranoid, I just wish I had your shifter senses,” Karros replied.
“And again, why don’t you say it a little louder?” Zara aimed a sharp look in his direction.
Karros held up his hands. “Sorry, I am not used to living in the world beyond. I keep forgetting no one knows about all that stuff.”
“Let’s get inside.” Ivan took one last look around before they walked along the street toward the Westward residence.
There’s something here, his dragon was alert now, his head raised as he tried to figure out what threat might be lurking among the suburban houses.
Ivan shivered. I sense it, too. But it’s not like anything I’ve ever sensed before.
Is this some kind of magic? His dragon bristled at the thought and his tail swished from side to side like Rift’s snow leopard when he got angry.
Maybe Karros was right, and the Westwards have set us up. They want the tiara.
Or me. His dragon stood alert, ready to break free if they were attacked.
“Ivan.” Zara touched his shoulder lightly and he jumped as if he’d been jabbed with a hot poker. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” He ran a shaky hand through his hair. “It’s just...”
She tilted her head to one side and stared at him, her eyes narrowing before widening. “Your mate is close.”
“What?” His forehead furrowed but she was right. Of course she was right.
Ivan straightened up and pushed his senses out, trying to locate her. She had to be close.
“You made it!” Simon appeared from around the side of the house and came to meet them.
“We did.” Ivan breathed in deeply, drawing on lessons Fiona had given him on how to control himself around his treasure. He let the breath out and arched an eyebrow at Zara, who was still staring at him.
Our mate is more precious than any treasure. His dragon relaxed a little. But not much.
“Thanks for coming.” Simon lowered his voice and looked toward the house.
Ivan immediately pushed his senses in that direction. How many people were in the house, was there an ambush waiting for them? Perhaps they had done something to Ivan to make him feel as if his mate was close.
Or perhaps they had found more of his treasure?
“I’m Zara.” Zara stepped in front of Ivan, giving him a moment to compose himself as he fought off another wave of intense emotions. “And this is Karros, Elise’s brother.”
“Oh.” Simon hesitated and put his hand to the back of his head. “She sure has some upper body strength.”
“Tell me about it.” Karros offered his hand to Simon. “She knows how to handle herself. No hard feelings.”
Simon shook his head as he took Karros’s hand. “None at all. I deserved it. I don’t know what came over me. All I could think about was my dad.”
“We do what we have to, to protect our family.” Karros glanced sideways at Ivan. “Shall we go inside?”
“Sure. My sister arrived a couple of hours ago. We’ve prepared some food if you’re hungry?” Simon led them toward the house.
“You know shifters are always hungry.” Karros earned another wary look from Zara.
“Good, there’s plenty of food.” He led them around the side of the house, with each step Ivan became more aware of his mate. She was there, so close, but he didn’t want to stumble into the kitchen like some lovesick fool. He needed to keep it together.
Aren’t we going to tell her she’s our mate? His dragon wasn’t happy with that idea.
Of course we’ll tell her. I just don’t want her first impression of us to be... Well, we both know what happened with our brothers. We’re a d
ragon shifter, we should at least try to keep our composure.
True, each of our brothers has, so far, made a fool of themselves when they first meet their mate.
Zara and Karros kept glancing at him as Simon opened the kitchen door and stepped inside. “This is my sister, Larisa. And my dad, Davy.” He introduced his family, who were seated around the kitchen table.
Ivan had already met Davy a couple of times, they’d spoken about the pendant and the events surrounding it ending up in Murray’s hands. They’d also spoken a little about the dragon shifter whose death had set a chain reaction in motion that had affected so many lives.
The dragon shifter who Davy was convinced was his father.
“Good to meet you.” Zara stepped forward, covering for Ivan who was frozen to the spot for a long moment. “I’m Zara. And this is Karros.”
“Hi.” Karros raised his hand.
“You’re fae?” Larisa stood up and leaned forward, looking at Karros’s slightly pointed ears, half-hidden under his shoulder-length hair.
“I am.” Karros brushed his hair back behind his ears. “Am I the first fae you’ve ever met?”
“You are.” Larisa lifted her hand as if she longed to touch his ears to make sure they were real and they weren’t just glued on.
“Go ahead.” He moved closer and leaned his head toward her.
“Are you sure it isn’t a bit weird?” She reached out to him, and her fingertips brushed the tips of his ears. “Amazing.”
“Thanks.” Karros grinned and arched an eyebrow at Zara.
“He doesn’t need his head to get any bigger.” Zara nudged Karros in the ribs, and he chuckled as he moved away, leaving Ivan facing his mate.
“And you must be the dragon shifter.” A shy smile crossed her lips as she met his eyes. “Although, it’s not as easy for you to prove what you are.”
Damn, she was beautiful. With light blue almond-shaped eyes and a heart-shaped face, framed by silver-blonde hair, she reminded him of the elven race, a mythical people who used to live in the fae realm.
“I...” He opened his mouth to say more but his brain seemed to have become disengaged.
“And I thought I would be the one staring.” She tilted her head to one side. “Wow, your eyes...”
Ivan blinked. “Sorry.”
Her smile softened and heat spread across her skin, turning her cheeks pink. “Don’t apologize. You’re truly unique.”
“So are you.” Heat built inside him and his eyes flashed amber as he burned with need for her.
You should tell her, his dragon insisted.
Not yet, Ivan answered. This isn’t the time.
He knew it deep in his soul. Just as he knew his life would never be the same again.
Ivan might be able to control his desire for his treasure, but he was never going to be able to control his desire for his mate.
She was more a part of him than any gold or jewels.
Chapter Three – Larisa
Larisa couldn’t stop herself from staring at Ivan. Maybe it was because he was the first dragon shifter she had ever met. After all the stories her father had told her about dragon shifters, she’d longed to meet one. Now here he was.
Of course, it helped that he was a good-looking guy. Ah, so that was it. Her attraction was probably based on her biological clock that seemed to be ticking loudly in her head every time she allowed herself to dream of having children with a man she loved.
A man who had so far eluded her.
Yet, as her eyes flickered to his face once more before she looked down at her hands clasping her coffee cup, it was hard to deny the attraction wasn’t real. There was something about him that was familiar even though she’d never seen him before in her life. She’d remember him if she had. The amber glow in his eyes would have firmly stuck in her memory.
Not to mention his muscled physique. But those were all superficial traits. What she needed to know was who he was beneath the cool handsome exterior.
Her father had talked about dragon shifters all her life. She’d grown up knowing the secret of shifters, a secret she never shared with anyone else. Her dad had never actually made her promise not to speak to others about it. However, she understood from the tone of her father’s voice as she sat on his lap and he spoke of dragons who could fly across the mountains and dive deep into valleys, that this was their secret.
Only a few others knew of them. Those who had met Andor personally, and their children.
None of their lives had been impacted in the same way as her father’s. But they’d all worked to help clear his name by finding the pendant and finally identifying the person responsible for the murder of Andor and his mate, Diana, and also Murray, a lowlife who had a strong connection to Andor’s death.
Larisa knew not all of those involved in finding the pendant were doing it for Davy Westward. A couple of them were more intent on tracking down the pendant so that they could lure out the dragon it belonged to and take his treasure.
If the pendant truly did belong to another dragon shifter. There was no real proof. But Andor had hinted to Davy that he and his family were in hiding from another dragon. But he never shared more details, he’d told Davy the less he knew, the better.
But it all made sense. And this other dragon was responsible for wrecking her father’s life.
She glanced at Ivan. Simon had told her Ivan had no treasure except a tiara that had been in the hands of Reggie, an associate of Murray’s. Only by chance had it been found in the garden of the house Reggie had rented before his death. Reggie who, along with Murray, had also been partly responsible for Andor’s and Diana’s deaths. They hadn’t committed the crime, but they had provided the information that led the murderer right to Ivan’s parents.
“Larisa has been searching for other dragon shifters for some time,” her father said with a hint of pride. “We’ve been trying to find the dragon responsible for your father’s death for years. With no luck finding the pendant, we’ve been following any clues that might uncover another dragon shifter.”
Ivan glanced sideways at Zara and Karros, it was a subtle look, easily missed. Larisa watched them through her lashes as she sipped her coffee. People gave so much away if they thought no one was paying attention.
However, Ivan switched his attention to her, his eyes still glowing faintly, making her heart beat faster. Color crept across her cheeks, and she swallowed hard. No man had ever had this effect on her.
She gulped loudly and placed her cup down on the table, her eyes fixed on it as a sudden thought filled her head and refused to budge.
Dragons, like other shifters, had mates.
She was his mate.
Larisa inhaled deeply and raised her eyes to lock with his. He stared at her unflinching, the glow in his eyes deepening as he studied her. They shared a moment of recognition and his eyes widened.
Ivan knew that she knew.
Relief flooded him, his eyes dilated, and the glow receded. He must have been standing there trying to figure out how he was going to tell her the news that her destiny was entwined with his. That they were meant to spend the rest of their lives together.
Larisa sucked in a deep breath and reined in the flood of mixed emotions that threatened to swamp her. She’d spent her whole life chasing down a dragon shifter who had caused her father misery. Even though she longed to meet one, to know they were real for absolute certain, she’d formed a prejudice against them.
From everything she’d heard in her search for these creatures, dragon shifters were arrogant and sometimes cruel. That’s what Andor had told her father.
However, her father had also told Larisa that Ivan’s father was a good man, a generous man, who had given both his money and his time to good causes.
“And have you succeeded in finding other dragons?” Karros asked.
Larisa blinked several times as she refocused her mind, dragging it away from thoughts of flying on the back of the dragon as they crossed mountai
ns and oceans. “Have I succeeded?”
“In finding dragons?” Karros glanced at Ivan as he smothered a smile. The guy also knew that she was the mate of Ivan. So why didn’t Ivan come out and tell everyone? She wasn’t going to keep it a secret from her father or her brother. They had a right to know.
Her forehead creased and she looked down at her hands that clasped her cold coffee cup. Her father’s life had been ruled by the actions of a dragon shifter. His choices had been taken away from him because of the actions of one. Now her choices had been stolen from her, too.
Fate had decided that Ivan was the man she would marry. He was the one who would father her children. She had no choice in this. Unless she wanted to live with the knowledge that she’d ripped his heart out of his chest and hung it out to dry until it was shriveled up and dead.
“Finding dragons?” Larisa jumped as her father’s hand covered hers.
“Are you okay?” Davy’s watery eyes fixed on her face, and she blushed, her cheeks turning pink as she coughed and then nodded.
“I’m a little overwhelmed,” she admitted. “After searching for so long, to be sitting here in the presence of a dragon shifter is a shock.”
“Maybe we should go get some air?” Ivan nodded toward the door and as if he had physical control over her actions, she rose to her feet and left the table.
“That might be a good idea.” Larisa didn’t dare look at anyone else as she strode to the door, her fingers closing around the familiar curved handle as she opened it and stepped outside.
“Did you ever find any other dragon shifters?” Ivan asked.
“That’s not the question I expected you to lead with.” Larisa walked to the end of her father’s beloved backyard where he spent most of his time and energy these days.
“You thought I’d ask if you knew we were mates even though we both know you do.” A hint of a smile crossed his lips.
“So it is true.” She exhaled, her shoulders slumping forward as if she were deflating.
“Did you doubt it?” He shadowed her movements but didn’t get too close, as if he were afraid he might frighten her away if he invaded her space.
The Dragon Shifter's Desire: A Wishing Moon Bay Shifter Romance Page 2