Dragon Aflame

by Leela Ash

  “So you’re saying our kids are going to be spoiled rotten,” she said before thinking and glanced away. It was way too freaking soon to talk about babies, but it was nice to know he had his own fortune and didn’t want or need hers. So she knew he wasn’t like other men and with her for her money.

  “Babies, huh?” he said and laughed before kissing her. “I like that you’re thinking about kids with me. I wasn’t sure.”

  “Of course I want children. In fact, I want as many as I can have. I’d like to stop working in a few years and be a mom full time.”

  “How were you planning on being a mom if you hadn’t met me?”

  “Sperm bank. At that point of planning, I didn’t feel it was necessary to have a man.” He growled and she laughed, knowing he didn’t like the thought of her carrying a baby by any other man besides him. Hell, she knew talking about past relationships was going to be a blow out. “But now I have you, so that’s moot.”

  He straddled her hips and held her wrists down. He seemed to like keeping her immobile. She didn't mind it either. “You really thought it through, then?” He shifted her towards the middle of the bed and kissed her, not giving her a chance to respond.

  Lana spread her legs, cradling his erection between her thighs. The tip rubbed against her and she moaned. She wasn’t sure she could handle any more, but she would certainly try.

  “You’re sore,” he said and she nodded. He kissed her lightly on the mouth. “Let me make you breakfast.”

  “You don’t have to do that.”

  “I know, but I want to.” He climbed off the bed, pulled on the borrowed pants, and walked towards the door. He looked over his shoulder and winked. “Just relax, baby. Let me take care of you.”

  Not knowing what to do and figuring arguing would be pointless, she nodded and relaxed into the mattress. She really was tired. Her night had been busy, and then she woke up in tears. She didn’t know if her incident with Campbell would ever be one she got over. It had struck something deep inside her and made her feel real fear for the first time. And she hoped it would be the last time after everything got settled.

  Maybe it was time to quit her job. For the past several months, she was beginning to think she was burned out. It would be nice to do something more relaxing and less dangerous. Working eighty to ninety hours a week wasn’t her idea of fun, and it left her no time for anything else. It was time for a change, and Conner offered her a chance of freedom, something she didn’t even know she wanted until he mentioned it.

  Chapter 7

  It was three days of passionate and pretty much non-stop making love. Conner was in heaven. He learned everything about Lana, physically and mentally, that he could. He could have spent another week locked up in the cabin with her, enjoying her luscious body, but all good things must come to an end. She was the most beautiful person he had ever met—inside and out. Never before could he have imagined being with someone like her. In the past, women only wanted him for his family name. As much as Lana’s name was known and envied—even feared— in the human world, his was in the supernatural communities. His father was the strongest and most powerful Alpha in the United States, and Conner knew he was in line to take over soon.

  The knock at the door caused him to jump. His bear growled, wondering who would be pounding on the door. But then Lana opened the door and a woman, who looked much like his mate, only older, stepped into the cabin. She was fiercer looking with colder eyes that held a wisdom, much like his father’s did. This woman knew her shit, and he hadn’t even heard her speak.

  She walked in like she owned the place, and her eyes narrowed in on him. He’d gotten up to cook breakfast so he was shirtless. Her eyes traveled over his bare chest, and then she spun and locked onto her daughter with those eyes. He couldn’t see her face, but Lana blushed and beamed.

  Couldn’t be bad right?

  “Shacking up with the man who killed your stalker, Lana? Really, that is ‘you’re guilty and stupid one-o-one’.”

  Lana gasped and looked at him before turning her attention back to her mother. “Mother, shacking up is such a horrible thing to say, and I know how it looks, but it’s not, so really let’s focus on your news. Anything good?”

  Conner’s hackles rose. His bear rumbled his unhappiness at what was said and Lana’s emotions rising from nervous to worried and concerned. He didn’t want her worrying about what being with him looked like. Instead of staying quiet, he decided he would stand his ground right away. He had a feeling her mother expected Lana to be with a strong male. Well, he’d show her.

  He stepped into the living room and glared at his new in-law. “With all due respect, your daughter and I are not shacking up. She’s my mate and I’m hers. It’s as simple as that. Please don’t insult what we have.”

  “Mate?” Her mother asked, then stared him down. She was almost his height which was intimating enough. But Lana wasn’t shitting him when she warned him about her mother.

  Damn, the women were tall in the family.

  “Yes I’m her mate, and I’m not an ordinary man.” He held out his hand, remembering the manners his mother taught him. “I’m Conner Lawson.”

  She took his hand and shook it like any dominant man would have. This woman was the Alpha in Lana’s family. She was strong and fierce, protecting her cub. He couldn’t help but respect her for it. “Lawson? I know that name.”

  “You do?” Lana asked, surprised.

  “Honey you don’t get as far and deep into the community like I did unless you network. Your father is Graham?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Conner replied.

  “You come from a wonderful—” she paused as if trying to say something delicately, “and unique family line.”

  Yep, Lana’s mother knew what he was. “Yes we’re werebears.”

  She nodded, waving off mention of his other half, and turned back towards her daughter. “I guess now we need to talk.”

  They sat on the couch, and she looked at Conner. “Why haven't you contacted your father? He could have had this problem wrapped up even quicker than I could.”

  Conner shrugged. “I guess because I don’t want our kind to get under the spotlight. I changed in front of cameras, I assume. That cannot be connected with Graham Lawson. He’d be ruined, and it’d be my fault. I lost control, and it doesn’t need to fall on the rest of my clan. And if I called him, he’d drop what he was doing and fix it for me.”

  “I see,” she replied. “Well, to the news first. It’s both good and bad.”

  Lana sat on the couch. He sat next to her, grabbing her hand and lacing their fingers together. “Let’s hear it,” she whispered.

  “Campbell Marks’s body was not found where you told me it would be.”

  “What?” she yelled with wide eyes. “He was bleeding out and not moving.”

  “Honey, I don’t know what to say. He was obviously unconscious or something because no one, and I mean no one, has reported him to the police in any way. Not even as a missing person. It’s like he wasn’t there. Another strange thing--there was no blood, no knife, nothing at the scene.”

  Conner leaned back, perplexed. He could have sworn Campbell’s heart had stopped beating, but he had snapped into a rage when he saw the man standing over his mate.

  “So that means we aren’t going to jail. We’re safe.” Lana smiled, but it faltered at the look on her mother’s face.

  “No, it doesn’t mean you’re safe, Lana, it means you need more protection now. There was a break-in at your house. Everything was destroyed, and there was a note on your wall, for heaven’s sake.” Her mother handed her a printed picture:

  “You will pay, bitch. I warned you.”

  Lana paled, and her body shook. His beast roared. “How is this possible?” he growled, unable to keep his beast in check.

  “It makes a little more sense, now that I know who’s involved. You might call your father now, because I think what we are dealing with is more than I can handle. And
since my daughter is your mate, I expect you to do whatever you have to, to keep her safe.”

  Seemed her mother knew a lot about the supernatural world. He had an idea of what this could be, but he wanted to be sure before he scared the hell out of his mate. His father would be the one to verify it. “You’re right, I’ll call him now.” Conner stood and walked to the room he had been spending all his time in. Lana’s phone was on the bedside table. He picked it up and took a deep breath before dialing his home number.

  “Dad, I think we have a real problem. Can I get your help, please?” He told his dad what he had learned.

  His dad’s reply: “Get you and your mate to the den now.” End of conversation.

  Chapter 8

  Lana was pulled outside and into her mother’s SUV before she could so much as breathe. Everything happened so fast, and no one stopped to explain anything. Her mother knew more than she did about the situation, and Lana was getting quite irritated. “Can someone please tell me why you are carting me around like a rag doll?”

  “Not now, baby,” Conner replied tensely. He was usually so calm and relaxed that Lana bit her lip with worry. If he was this stressed, that meant it was bad. She sighed and left it alone, but she would get her answers. This was her life, and there was no way she was going to stand idly by and allow someone else take care of her problems. It was obviously bad, but that didn’t mean she was useless in the situation—whatever it was.

  Her mother opened the door and pulled her into a hug with tears in her eyes. Now Lana knew there really was something horribly wrong. “Do what they tell you to do, sweetheart, and text me when you get there. When this is all over, we’re going to Hawaii on vacation.”

  Lana leaned back. “Mom, what’s going on? You’re never scared, and you sure as hell never cry. You’re freakin’ me out.”

  “Honey, this is bad, and Conner and his family will explain it to you—they’ll keep you safe. I know them personally. She looked off to the side, avoiding eye contact.

  “How do you know so much about his family?”

  She didn’t respond.

  “Mom, tell me.”

  He mother bristled. “Fine.” She stepped out of Lana’s embrace and threw her hands up in defeat. “You and your brother’s father was half werebear. He never shifted, but Graham’s family raised him, until he passed, after you were born.”

  Lana sputtered. “You—you always refused to talk about our father, yet when one of the boys talked about a deadbeat dad, you ripped them a new one. I never understood why.”

  “It’s because he was no deadbeat. He was an honorable man who died and was also part beast, because even though he never shifted, he still had the bear’s spirit inside, much like Conner does. The only difference between him and Conner is that his bear gets to come out whenever it wants. Your father’s couldn’t. He felt like he was half of a man who didn’t fit in anywhere. He was too human to be a bear, and too bear to be a human.”

  “Oh, mom, why didn’t you ever tell us?”

  “Because he wouldn’t have wanted you to know. But since you have found yourself a part of the same family, I figured it was time to tell you.”

  “Does Conner know?”

  “No, but Graham will as soon as he meets you. You look the most like him.”

  Conner jumped in the car and started it, signaling he was ready to leave but not rushing her.

  “Oh, well I guess we better get going. But when I get back, you and I will be talking.”

  “Okay, I love you,” her mother said, wiping away tears. Lana was flabbergasted. Her mother never cried. She never got emotional, and she never let on that she knew people like Conner existed.

  ***

  Conner shook Lana gently. It had been a long ride, but it was time to get her inside the safety of the den. The den was protected by magical wards, which meant Campbell wouldn’t be able to find her, and eventually he would die leaving them safe. Until then Lana would have to stay with him and his family. He had overheard her mother talking and couldn’t believe how small the world was. Lana’s father was like an uncle to him. His death had left a gap in his heart, and now to find out that Lana was his child was amazing. It made sense now why she fell into the heat and submitted to him so easily, without question. Although she did not have the spirit of one, she was still part bear and her instincts were strong.

  “Baby, it’s time to wake up,” he said before kissing her brow.

  Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled at him until she realized why she was waking up in the car. She was running. The only good thing that came out of the whole situation was the fact that she wouldn’t be in trouble. Without Campbell’s body there was no crime, which mean his mate was free of any guilt.

  “Hi,” she replied. “We’re here?”

  “Yes, baby, it’s time to meet your new family.”

  She glanced away as tears filled her eyes.

  “Hey, sweetheart, this is good. Because here, your father was well loved and respected. No one thought any less of him because of his mixed heritage.”

  “Really?”

  “Of course. He was one of us.”

  She nodded. He got out of the SUV and jogged to her side, opening the door before she was out of the car. She thanked him with a kiss on his cheek. He grabbed her hand and led her into the den. Finally, he was home.

  His father greeted them as soon as they stepped into the main house.

  “Conner,” he said and pulled his son into a hug. Then he looked at Lana and gasped. “No, it couldn’t be?”

  “Yeah. She’s James’ daughter, dad.”

  “Oh, my dear, come here.” He didn’t wait for an invitation before pulling Lana into a tight hug and squeezing her until she couldn’t breathe. But she didn’t complain. Her arms wrapped around him and hugged him back. Finally Conner was able to pull her from his father’s grasp. “You look so much like him, dear girl.”

  Tears filled her eyes. “I do?”

  “Oh, yes.”

  “Dad, have you heard anything underground?”

  He smiled. “It seems your rush to bring her here for protection was unnecessary. But I’m glad you’re here. It seems Mr. Mark’s body was found, in pieces and nearly unrecognizable early this morning.”

  Lana gasped. “How is that possible?”

  His dad glared at him. “Did you tell her anything?”

  “No, she was sleeping, and I didn’t want to scare her.”

  He sighed. “Come sit.” He patted the seat next to him on the couch, and she sat down, waiting for him to explain. “You see, Mr. Marks was possessed by a demon. When Conner killed him—and he did in fact kill him— a more powerful demon, one we will not name, couldn’t have them exposed so he cleaned up the mess. But since Mr. Marks was wanted by the police, he couldn’t just disappear. So he was ripped apart and only recognizable by his DNA. The demons win by shedding his blood and by knowing the humans aren’t any closer to finding out the truth. You’re lucky, though. Some demons wouldn’t have let you go, but since Conner was caught on the tape killing him, they knew there would be no reason to worry about you telling the world about its darker side.”

  Lana paled. Conner moved to her side and put his hand on her shoulder. She calmed a little beneath his touch but was still worried. “So I’m safe. No one is after me?”

  “No, you are good to go, luckily. Sometimes it doesn’t end this well, for anyone. I’m glad you’re here and I was able to give you good news. Now we must celebrate your mating!” He clapped his hands and stood. “The clan will be thrilled. There hasn’t been a new mating in far too long.” Then he strode out of the room, leaving behind a happy peace.

  Conner loved his father, but he had just driven for two days straight. He was tired and hungry. And most of all, he wanted his mate so badly it hurt. They hadn’t stopped long enough to do anything other than get cheap food and have a bathroom break. Now he wanted more. He pulled Lana to her feet and kissed her lightly. “See, baby, I told you
everything would work out. But my dad was right, we got very lucky in this situation.”

  She nodded and kissed him back forcefully. It seemed she was in the mood, and he had no intention of turning her down. They both wanted to forget the stress of the past week. He lifted her into his arms and carried her out of the house. Cheers surrounded him, and he could feel Lana’s body heat with embarrassment.

  He chuckled. “You can meet her later,” he told the crowd of gathered bears. All of them wanted to meet her and welcome her to the family. It was a bear’s way.

  THE END

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  Highlander Time Travel Romance

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  Samantha Leal

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