Forbidden Lovers Boxed Set

by Jennifer Blake

  “Dragon,” Brayden whispered hoarsely, a pained expression across his face.

  Fingers of fear clutched her spine. Cyrus? Where? She looked around but didn’t see anything.

  “Go. Lock yourself in one of the rooms. Hurry.” Brayden gripped the sides of the chair, white-knuckled, his biceps tightening.

  “I don’t see him. I thought you said he couldn’t —”

  “Not Cyrus.” Brayden’s eyes glowed a bright orange. “Me. I … can’t … stop … it. Go!”

  Callie jumped from the chair and scooped her shirt from the floor. She turned back just in time to see Brayden’s hands lengthen into claws and his skin thicken into silvery-blue scales.

  Callie clutched the shirt against her bare breasts and ran from the room. She heard the unmistakable snarl of a dragon as she ran up the winding staircase.

  For the love of Magik, where would she ever find a place to hide in a dragon’s lair?

  6

  The dragon stormed through the chambers of the castle hissing and snorting in outrage. It ignored Brayden’s every attempt to shift back to mortal form.

  Stopping in an upstairs doorway, the dragon pawed impatiently. Talons scratched the door like fingernails across a chalkboard. Its hisses echoed throughout the castle.

  “Go away!”

  The dragon reared its head and breathed. Lightning splintered the wooden door leaving a stench of burned oak in the hallway.

  “I said go away!” Callie repeated.

  The dragon lunged toward the door, crushing the wood like a toothpick. Callie screamed as it burst into the room baring razor sharp teeth and hissing like a beast from the pits of darkness.

  Callie’s screams penetrated the barrier between the dragon and the mortal man. Brayden tensed and fought to bring the beast inside under control. His muscles ached from the effort. His body spasmed with each attempt.

  The dragon leaped into the air and landed beside Callie with a thud. The sheer force caused the four-post bed to rattle and the mahogany headboard to bang against the wall. A full-length mirror hanging on the adjacent wall crashed to the floor in a heap of reflective shards.

  The dragon threw back its head and howled.

  Callie slowly backed against the wall, careful not to step on the broken glass. She closed her eyes and murmured a quick spell. Then her eyes flew open and she looked the dragon in its glowing orange orbs. She held out her hands. A greenish-gold aura arced from her fingertips swallowing the dragon in its mist. White lights flashed throughout the room. “I command you, beast, to leave me be.”

  The dragon tried to lunge, then retreated and shrieked as if doused with acid. It fell to the floor writhing and snarling. Within seconds, the dragon disappeared leaving behind the mortal man clad only in jeans lying on the floor at Callie’s feet.

  “Callie?” Brayden croaked, feeling as if he’d been run over by an 18-wheeler. Every muscle ached, every nerve burned.

  “What was that all about?” Callie stood above him with her hands planted firmly on her hips. Her eyes pinned him with blue lasers.

  Brayden grimaced. “Self-preservation.”

  “I thought you were supposed to be a good dragon. You know … a Gatekeeper. Keeping balance, guarding portals, yadda, yadda, yadda.” Callie let out a disgusted sigh. “You’re a firefighter, for Pete’s sake. You’re supposed to save lives.”

  Brayden winced at her accusing tone. “I know. This usually doesn’t happen.”

  “Then why in the devil did you turn on me? I’d be better off facing Cyrus. At least then I’d know what I’m up against. This —” She pointed to the glass shards. “This came out of nowhere.”

  Brayden sat up. Sharp pains shot through his temples and the room swayed. He tightened his jaw. “Not nowhere exactly.” He sucked in a deep breath. “Can you help me up?”

  “Why? So you can claw me to death?”

  “Callie…”

  “Oh, fine. Here.” She reached down and grabbed his hand then jerked him none-too-gently to his feet.

  Brayden winced again as another pain shot through his head. He waited for the room to stop spinning before he let go of her hand. “I’m sorry.”

  “Look, mister, sorry doesn’t quite cut it this time.” She poked him in the chest. “I want to know what just happened back there and why.”

  Brayden reached again for her hand. Callie snatched it back and cocked an eyebrow. He sighed then walked unsteadily to the bed where he sat down and patted for her to join him.

  “I’m fine right where I am, thank you. Now start talking.”

  Brayden plunged a hand through his hair. “I can’t always control the dragon.”

  “So I noticed.” Callie smirked, tossing her hair back from her shoulder.

  “Come on, Callie. I didn’t mean for this to happen.” His hazel eyes pleaded with her to understand. “I shouldn’t have touched you.”

  Callie stilled. “Didn’t you enjoy it?”

  The hurt in her voice stabbed him in the chest like a knight’s deadly sword. “Of course I did. You nearly drove me out of my mind with pleasure.” He gripped the taupe comforter until his knuckles popped. Just thinking about her body straddling him made him hot all over. “I wanted — want — you so much it nearly killed me. Literally. Sugar, your touch is like poison to a dragon.”

  “Well, I certainly feel better now.”

  How could he explain it to her without putting himself in more danger. If she ever found out the kind of power she had over him then she could use it against him. The question was would she?

  He studied her for a moment. The hurt in her soft blue eyes. The uncertainty on her face. The sexy curve of her hip. Oh, what the blazes! “Come here, Callie.”

  Her eyes narrowed into arctic slits. “No, I—”

  “Come.” He again patted the bed beside him. “Let me explain.”

  She took a couple of cautious steps toward him then stopped.

  “I’m not going to hurt you.” His words were soft and gentle.

  Callie moved to the bed and sat down beside him. Brayden took her hand in his. He rubbed her palm gently with his thumb. “If I’d known … if I’d realized…” He shrugged helplessly. “I would have never brought you here, you have to believe that.”

  “What happened?”

  “The dragon inside felt threatened.”

  “By me?” Her eyes widened into blue oceans.

  “You’re a sorceress. The enemy.”

  “Because of an ancient squabble between our ancestors,” Callie scoffed. “Besides, I don’t even practice Magik. You’ve got to do better than that, dragon boy, if you expect me to believe you.”

  “The dragon doesn’t know that. It sensed your power and instinctively tried to protect us.” Brayden took a deep breath. Not to mention the fact your kind destroyed my parents. “This ancient squabble incited the Grand One to banish our races to opposite ends of Jarithia, forbidden to ever mix again.”

  “That’s just plain ridiculous. The war was, what, a gazillion years ago?”

  “A few hundred, yes.”

  “I didn’t grow up in Jarithia, and I’ve only been there a handful of times. Is there still that much animosity among our races there?”

  “Yes. In Jarithia, each keeps to their own end of the kingdom.”

  Her mouth formed a small pink ‘O.’ “I didn’t realize. No wonder the dragon attacked me.”

  “I’m sorry, Callie. I couldn’t stop the shift.” He hesitated for a moment. “I…”

  She searched his face expectantly. “There’s more, isn’t there?”

  His inner dragon snarled a warning, pawing in outrage at the mere thought of revealing his weakness.

  Should he tell her? Could he even risk it? Brayden inhaled sharply. Death by sorceress. That’s what it was. Plain and simple. Yet…

  A soft alarm interrupted his thought.

  Brayden fished in his jean pocket and pulled out his phone. He glanced at the screen and sighed. “Another fire. J
ust west of Bourbon Street.”

  7

  “Cyrus?” Heart in throat, Callie waited for his answer.

  Brayden shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not.” He stood and pulled Callie to her feet. “I’ve got to get to the fire station. I want you to stay here where it’s safe.”

  “Safe? Here? You’ve got to be kidding me.” She pursed her lips.

  The corners of Brayden’s eyes crinkled. “Wow. One beasty little dragon rears its head and she thinks she’s not safe.” He slipped his arms around her waist and planted a kiss on her lips.

  Callie’s heart flipped. Then flopped. “It was a fierce-looking beast,” she murmured, snuggling against his neck, breathing in the scent of musk, spice and pure male. Her stomach tingled and her body heated like a furnace on a cold winter morning. Watch it, Callie. This is what got you into trouble the first time. Do you really want to battle the beast again this soon?

  Brayden’s eyes darkened to a stormy gray and he sobered. “Seriously, I need to know you’re safe. Promise me you’ll stay here within the confines of the castle.”

  Callie blew a loud sigh between her lips. “I promise.”

  “Good. Now I’ve got to go, but I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He kissed her once more then jogged out of the room. His beautiful body, sleek and taut, bounced up and down without an ounce of extra jiggle, and Callie had to steel herself from jumping his bones again.

  Then it occurred to her.

  “Brayden, wait!” Callie ran to the top of the stairs and looked down. “What else were you going to tell me?”

  “Later,” Brayden yelled, grabbing his duffle bag from the closet at the bottom of the stairs. “We’ll talk later. I promise.” He slipped into an olive green tee shirt, slung the black bag over his shoulder and ran out the door.

  The stone doors slammed shut behind him leaving Callie suddenly feeling very alone in the spacious castle.

  With nothing better to do, she decided to explore.

  An hour later, after discovering several lovely antiques in various rooms, a secret passage from the kitchen to the basement, and a library full of books, Callie realized her heart just wasn’t in it.

  She went back to the parlor and stared out the window.

  To wait.

  One hour stretched into two. Then three.

  Worry gnawed at her like a rat with cheese. What if Brayden got hurt? What if the fire was a trap? What if Cyrus was waiting for him? What if Grigori bound him with a dark spell? What if he needed her?

  She paced the room while tiny seeds of fear took root in her mind and tormented her thoughts until she couldn’t stand it a moment longer.

  She had to go to him. He might need her.

  She ran down the hall to the front door. Just as she opened it understanding dawned on her as to why she felt such an urgent need to go to him.

  For the love of Magik! She was falling in love with him.

  Stunned by the realization, Callie sagged against the gray stone. How could it be? How could she love a man she barely knew? She didn’t have an answer, but she knew just as sure as she knew her name she loved Brayden with every ounce of her being. And she knew beyond a shadow of doubt he was her true mate.

  Hysterical laughter bubbled in her throat. What would the Grand Wizard think about his plan to separate their kind now? A sorceress in love with a dragon. Ridiculous indeed!

  Go to him! the voice inside urged.

  Callie immediately pulled herself together and concentrated. It would take every bit of her Magik and then some to take her to him. She closed her eyes and succumbed to the power, letting it flow through her veins.

  Brayden gripped the hose and blasted a steady stream of water through the broken window of the abandoned warehouse. The fire, though now contained, burned from the interior. He and the other two firefighters had been working for hours to get it under control. Since no lives were in danger, Brayden decided to put the fire out the old-fashioned way. A hose, a hydrant and water. Give or take some foam here and there.

  Yep. Old Chief McIntire would be thrilled, Brayden thought with a grin. By the book again. Just the way the chief liked it. Just so long as the chief didn’t get used to it. Following the rules never had been the dragonshifter’s strong suit.

  Which was why it shouldn’t have been a surprise to him he was attracted to Callie. Being with a sorceress had to rate way on up there in the breaking-the-rules department.

  Brayden grinned to himself, then frowned as a familiar odor drifted to his nostrils. He’d noticed the acrid stench of the black dragon as soon as they’d arrived on the scene, although there had been no sign of the beast anywhere.

  Yep. This fire was the handiwork of Cyrus.

  Brayden aimed the hose toward another window just as another scent reached his nostrils. A familiar scent of magnolias and something quite delicious but indescribable.

  What was she doing here?

  Brayden turned to Jack. “I’ll be right back.”

  “Where are you going, dude?”

  “Around back. I’ve got to check on something.” Brayden hooked the hose on a top rung, leaped off the ladder and jogged around the side of the building.

  He spotted her on the sidewalk near some shrubs. “I thought I told you to stay put.” Edginess laced his words but his heart picked up speed at the sight of her.

  “I was worried about you,” Callie said stepping out from behind a bush. A strand of her dark hair lifted softly in the night breeze and fell forward across her cheek. “I thought you might need help.”

  Worried? About me? Brayden’s heart skipped a couple of beats. No one had ever worried about him before. It was a feeling like no other. Exuberant. Exhilarating. To know someone actually cared what happened to him. The feeling took him by surprise. “I would be better if I knew you were safe at home.” Home? Good grief! He sounded like they were a couple.

  “Was it Cyrus?” Callie asked, apparently not picking up on his slip of the tongue.

  “Yes.”

  “And Grigori?”

  “I’m not sure. I haven’t seen either one of them, but if I were a betting man, my money would be on them both.”

  A smoldering shingle flew off the roof and sizzled through the air past Callie’s head. Brayden jerked her out of its path. Her body slammed into his and he could feel all of her soft curves pressing against him. His arms instinctively pulled her closer. She tilted her head back with a startled look.

  Her innocence incited his protective instinct, overpowering any other feeling. Except one.

  Hunger growled low in his throat. The need to touch her overwhelmed him and he bent his head to stake a claim on her lips. His tongue slid over her teeth until it found hers. With a satisfied groan, he deepened the kiss, tasting the minty flavor of her mouth, savoring in the sweetness of her kiss until, reluctantly, he released her. “I’ve got to put out the fire.”

  He just wasn’t sure which fire needed extinguishing the most. The one in the building or the one in him.

  The fire out, Brayden hosed the soot and ash from his body and clothes. Within minutes he and the other firefighters cleared the equipment and were ready to roll.

  “Can you ride back with me or do you have to go on the engine?”

  “How did you get here?” Brayden pulled off his boots and shoved his feet into a pair of Nikes. He’d been so surprised to see her he hadn’t bothered to wonder how she managed to get to him. Until now.

  “With a little Magik.” Callie’s eyes twinkled in the sliver of moonlight. “I transported myself to my car then drove here.”

  Brayden scowled. He didn’t like the fact she had gone anywhere near Grigori’s World of Magik. Anything could have happened to her. A sudden pain gripped his heart at the thought.

  “I’ll ride with you to the fire station to pick up my car.” No way was he letting Callie go anywhere by herself while Cyrus remained on the loose.

  Brayden slapped the side of the fire engine with two sharp raps. “I’ll cat
ch up with you guys later.” So much for going by the book. Might as well give Old Chief McIntire a new reason to be pissed.

  As the fire truck rolled away Brayden slid his arm around Callie’s waist and walked her to the car in the parking lot behind the warehouse.

  Callie fished the key from her pocket and mashed the unlock button on her alarm. A shadow moved in front of the streetlamp blocking the light. Darkness swallowed the car and Callie’s hand stilled. The sudden erratic pounding in her chest reached Brayden’s ears. Sensing a threat his inner dragon awoke with a different kind of rage. And it wanted out.

  “How’s my favorite sister?” The raspy voice issued out of the shadows and skirted over Brayden like sandpaper. He stiffened his spine, all instincts on high alert. His hand tightened around Callie’s waist drawing her closer.

  “Grigori!” Callie’s strangled cry reverberated through the parking lot.

  8

  “It’s been a long time, sis.” Grigori stepped into the light. His dark hair brushed the collar of his light blue button-down shirt and iniquity flickered in his bright blue eyes.

  Callie flinched. “Y-yes, it has.”

  “We were just leaving.” Brayden shifted, positioning himself between Callie and her brother. A muscle twitched in his jaw. Callie could feel him battling to keep the dragon inside.

  “So soon? I thought we’d have a little family reunion.” Grigori took a step closer. Hatred rolled off him in waves.

  Callie sucked in a sharp breath. Not in this lifetime, brother dear. “Some other ti—”

  A high-pierced shriek sliced through the sultry night sky followed by the unmistakable sound of flapping wings. Callie’s head jerked up.

  Cyrus swooped, circling overhead like a vulture over a fresh kill. Fire flared from his nostrils and mouth, singeing the trees and shrubbery nearby. He plunged toward them before rising up and soaring toward the clouds. He circled once and turned back.

  Brayden muttered a vile oath then whispered in her ear. “When I shift, I want you to get on my dragon and hold on tight.”