Dragon's Promise (The Drake's Book 3) (Paranormal Nocturne Romance)

by Denise Lynn

  He looked down to see Ascalon.

  She tossed aside the blade she’d been using to see to her sword then sent it back to Mirabilus, before throwing herself against his chest. “I am so sorry. I didn’t know it would do that. It could have killed you.”

  “It’s all right, I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.” Although he wasn’t certain his dragon hadn’t fainted.

  “No, it’s not all right.”

  He put his arms around her to stop her from shaking. “Caitlin, it’s okay. I’m alive thanks to your speed.”

  She rested her forehead against his shoulder and shook her head. “Are we done with this training stuff now?”

  “Yeah, I’m pretty sure we can call it quits for the day.” He dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “I’ve got a couple things I need to see to. Why don’t you go inside and relax for a while. When I get back we’ll see if we can rustle up something to eat.”

  He watched her walk back into the cabin and close the door before taking off for the other side of the island.

  * * *

  “Where do you think they went?” Braeden looked out the windows of his office for what had to be the hundredth time before turning back to Cam and their aunt.

  Danielle set Aelthed’s box on the desk. “I don’t know. He took off in beast form carrying her with him.”

  Aelthed offered, “For all the blood and rough handling, she actually didn’t seem too afraid of him.”

  “Why would she be? She’s not a Drake, so she’s probably not on his hit list.”

  Danielle shook her head at Cam’s statement. “You didn’t see what he did to her. That poor girl.”

  Braeden rolled his eyes. “You don’t know if what you read in her mind was real or something she made up. I don’t see Sean being capable of abusing a woman like that.”

  What his aunt had described to him earlier was essentially a horrific rape scene. He highly doubted if it was real. Somehow Sean, Caitlin, or the two of them together had put that in her mind to throw them off. And it had worked. They had no clue what Sean was planning.

  “What I want to know is why that scene was in her mind.”

  “We don’t know if it’s real or not.” Cam leaned forward. “Nor do we know how far Sean is under the Learned’s spell.”

  Braeden shrugged. “I’m sure we’ll know soon enough.”

  “So we just sit around and wait until he kills one or more of us?”

  “I am not going to kill him without having a solid reason to do so.” Braeden stared at his twin. “Neither are you.”

  “I hadn’t planned on it. But he shouldn’t be allowed to run free until we know one way or another.”

  Danielle laughed weakly. “If you have a way of capturing and holding him, perhaps you’ll share it with us?”

  “That’s the problem with smoke dragons. The beasts are nearly impossible to contain.” Aelthed sighed. “Although, something like this cube would probably work, if someone could cast the spell.”

  “You don’t think he’d know what we were up to as soon as he saw the cube?” Braeden asked.

  “And then what? We just hold him like that for an eternity?” Cam shook his head and leaned back in his chair. “It’d be more humane to kill him.”

  Aelthed and his cube disappeared. Danielle looked from one brother to the other. “That was a bit heartless, don’t you think?”

  Braeden winced. “We were talking about Sean, not Aelthed.”

  “I know that. But he’s been trapped in the cube for over eight hundred years. Should he have simply been put to death instead?”

  Cam cleared his throat then reminded her, “Aunt Dani, you do remember that he’s already dead, right? It’s just his spirit in that box, not the man himself.”

  Braeden shot Cam a glare as their aunt rose and without another word marched stiffly out of his office.

  “Smooth.”

  “Well, it’s the truth, and one day she’s going to have to face it.”

  “Don’t you think we have enough to deal with right now?”

  Cam shrugged. “Speaking of dealing with things, what are we going to do with Hoffel?”

  Braeden sighed. He wasn’t certain what to do with the baron. They’d questioned him. Which wasn’t as easy as he’d first thought it would be. Hoffel was a coward and a bully, but as a vampire, the man was already dead, so the threat of death held no weight. And the baron was well aware that they weren’t going to destroy him. Doing so would only garner the wrath of the council and while neither he nor Cam were afraid of them, they had to think of Lexi, Ariel and the kids.

  They had learned that he was working with—or for—the Learned. He’d been the one who had told Nathan about Caitlin being pregnant with Sean’s child, which had started this whole mess.

  “Once we have Sean’s child, we could give the baron to Caitlin along with the information we learned.”

  Cam laughed. “That would serve him right.”

  While the High Council might be angry at his death, they might not seek retaliation from a St. George.

  “One thing at a time.” Braeden tapped his desk. “First, Sean. We need to find him and see what’s going on.”

  “You’re worried about him.”

  “Of course.”

  “He’s not a kid anymore, Braeden. He hasn’t been for a long time.”

  “But his dragon is. There’s no telling what crazy plan the two of them will come up with.”

  * * *

  Caitlin paced the cold floor of the cabin. What was he doing? More important, was he coming back?

  She couldn’t blame Sean if he didn’t. Not after what had happened.

  Ascalon had never come to her defense like that before. Then again, she’d never been in a match like that before—not sword against sword.

  It amazed her that she’d even seen the weapon before it was too late. Thankfully, the flash of amethyst caught her eye just in time for her to throw her blade in its path.

  She peered out the window again, searching the clearing for any sign of Sean. The sun was already below the line of trees. Soon it would be too dark to see anything out there. Would he be back by then? Letting the curtain fall back into place, she sighed with disappointment.

  Caitlin laughed softly at herself. Just mere hours ago, she’d claimed to neither want nor need anyone. She’d convinced him of her determination to be independent.

  Yet here she was anxiously awaiting his return.

  Was she simply on edge because she was in a strange place, and night was getting ready to fall, or was she lying to herself about what she felt for him?

  She wasn’t sure.

  It didn’t make sense. They hadn’t known each other long enough for her to be so attached to him. And she hadn’t lied; their emotions did run either hot or cold. Except today, when he’d been forcing her to learn how to use the pendant.

  At first she’d been ticked off about it. But not as outraged as she’d tried to pretend. And then it had been sort of...exciting...fun to see how much power she could channel with the amethyst dragon.

  Their time at the cabin could actually be considered the most extended period of normal time they’d had together since they’d first met. And it wasn’t all that bad.

  A swarm of butterflies fluttered in her stomach. She looked out the window again and saw him coming across the clearing.

  He looked tired, nearly exhausted.

  Caitlin quickly ran into the bedroom and slipped out of her clothes then tossed on an oversize T-shirt before racing back to the cabin door and pulling it open.

  Chapter 15

  Sean’s expression was priceless. From the widening of his eyes and the half smile twitching at his lips, his surprise was evident. Desire flared to life, lacing the heat surrounding him with want and lust.

  She backed away, inviting him in with what she hoped was a smile of welcome, and not the goofy grin of a raving lunatic. “I wasn’t sure you were coming back.”

  He kicked
the door closed behind him and kept walking toward her. His seductive half smile deepening to the focused hooded gaze of a beast stalking its prey. Her heart beat faster.

  “I’m fairly certain I said I would be back.”

  Caitlin swallowed a groan at the deep, husky tone of man-beast. She reached behind her to make sure she wasn’t going to run into anything as she angled toward the bedroom, still walking backward.

  She teased him, staying just out of his reach. When he lengthened his stride, she moved quicker, luring him with pheromones she didn’t need judging from the shimmer of his eyes, but couldn’t stop producing.

  “But you were gone so long that I started to worry.” Her own voice had dropped an octave. The lower, whispery tone surprised her.

  “Were you afraid I’d left you on the island alone?”

  Caitlin shrugged a shoulder, tilted her head and looked up at him from beneath half lowered eyelashes. Good grief, I’m flirting with him.

  Flirting? She never resorted to such childish games. She either took what she wanted or sent out enough pheromones that the other party did the chasing—or at least they thought they did.

  Truth be told, this silly game actually made her feel sort of...giddy. And the fact that he was playing along made her want him that much more.

  She backed into the doorjamb. Readjusting her path, she entered the bedroom, with him just inches away.

  “You look tired.”

  “Exhausted.”

  She motioned to the bed. “Perhaps I should go and let you get some sleep.”

  Sean shrugged. “If that’s what you want.”

  Caitlin stopped. What had she done? He was actually going to let her leave so he could sleep?

  He swept her into his embrace with a low growl, pulling her against his chest and backing her up until her legs hit the edge of the bed, then dropped her onto the mattress, still in his arms.

  She sighed. “I thought—”

  “Shut up.” His tongue slid along her lips, stopping her words. “No talking.”

  Parting her lips, she didn’t think to disagree with him. They’d already proven earlier that talking did nothing but get them in trouble.

  “Can you hear me?”

  His voice drifted into her mind. The tone rumbling inside her added more fuel to the fire already burning. She answered in the same manner, “You said no talking.”

  “Talking. I said nothing about any other form of communicating.”

  “Ah.” But they’d already been communicating without words.

  “If all goes well, and I’m certain it will, this is our last night together. Tell me what you want.”

  She moaned softly, arching her body beneath him, straining to get impossibly closer. He couldn’t tell what she wanted?

  Sean slid his mouth from hers, turning her moan of growing desire into a whine of loss. “Come on, darlin’.” He edged down her body, tugging her shirt up as he inched lower.

  The chilly air of the bedroom brought a shiver to her body, chasing gooseflesh along her belly.

  “Do you want a fast, hard fuck that’ll leave us fighting for breath?”

  He closed his teeth around her pebbled nipple hard enough to send a jolt of electricity to curl her toes and drawing a gasp of shock from her lips.

  “Or do you want it slow and easy, taking time to savor every inch of our bodies?”

  His tongue slowly lathed her still-tingling nipple before he closed his lips over it, sucking gently until she moaned.

  He stopped his teasing torment to gaze up at her, asking, “Well?”

  Caitlin’s heart thudded hard enough inside her chest that she was certain he could feel it. It was hard to fathom never sharing a bed with him again, never feeling his hands on her body, his lips against hers. She drew a hand through his hair, caressing the side of his head. “Sean, if this is our last night together, I want to remember it and you forever.”

  His eyes gleamed as he nodded before moving off her to stretch out alongside and pull her into a warm embrace made warmer still by the return of his lips to hers.

  Their kiss was slow, languid, the easy movement of his tongue across hers, brushing the roof of her mouth as tentatively as a first kiss—or perhaps a last one meant to savor the moment.

  His taste, his touch so sweet, she wanted to cry at the thought of never again sharing such an exquisite caress.

  “Shhh, baby.” His whisper raced softly against her mind. “Focus on now, this moment. Let tomorrow go.”

  He trailed his lips against her chin, along the side of her face, until he settled on the soft spot beneath her ear. Her toes curled from the attention he paid to that small spot of skin.

  How could such light, barely perceptible teasing make her nearly swoon with such longing?

  Sean released her long enough to pull his shirt off and toss it to the floor. In the next instant it was joined by hers.

  He rolled her over in his arms and eased her back tightly against his chest. One arm slid beneath her head, the bend of his arm forming a pillow. The other he slung around her, his hand resting on her belly.

  For a moment or two he didn’t move, and she was fine with that, welcomed the chance to savor his warmth against her back. In the silence of the bedroom she could hear his heartbeat as it pulsed strong and steady behind her.

  The dragon crooned in the darkness. A soft, sad lament of longing and farewell. The sound, and the emotion it held, touched her deeply, making her long to throw her arms around the beast and promise to never leave him. What was she doing? How could she go? What was she thinking? Her throat tightened with unshed tears, and she parted her lips.

  “No.” Sean silently stopped her vow. “Leave him be, Caitlin. Make no promises in a moment of lust. It wouldn’t be fair to any of us.”

  She choked back a sob, fighting to gain control of her jumbled emotions and thoughts as she forced herself to focus on his hand sweeping up to caress her breast.

  That was all she needed to concentrate on—the mind-stealing feel of his fingertips stroking, teasing, building the desire to a fevered pitch. And on his mouth, pressed against her flesh where her neck met her shoulder, nipping lightly, sucking, making a mark that would still be there in the morning.

  He slid a denim-encased leg between her naked ones, parting her legs, giving him room to rest his wandering hand.

  She held her breath in anticipation. Her thighs quivered, waiting, expecting his oh, so expert touch. Her stomach tightened in preparation for the closest thing she would ever come to flying.

  She waited, her heart thudding heavy in her chest.

  And waited...

  Caitlin frowned at his hesitation. He didn’t move. He barely breathed. Surely he hadn’t fallen asleep, had he? Disappointment flooded her, slowing her racing heart, evening out her breathing.

  A soft chuckle vibrated against her shoulder. Before she could think of the words to berate him for teasing her so mercilessly, the touch she’d anticipated took her breath away.

  While his fingers danced against her heat, hers curled into the covers beneath them, seeking something more substantial to touch.

  He tugged at the gold chain around her neck with his teeth, reminding her of the power at her beck and call.

  Caitlin reached up to clasp the brilliant amethyst in her hand and brought his body into view in her mind. He stood before her in all his naked glory, that devastatingly sexy half smile playing at his lips.

  She ran her palms across his chest and shoulders, memorizing the feel of his hard muscles beneath his smooth flesh. Her fingertips trailed over the bulge of biceps that he flexed for her benefit, making her smile at his silliness.

  That was yet another thing she would miss. Yes, they fought and argued almost constantly. But his patience in the bedroom was beyond comparison to anyone.

  He didn’t complain about her leisurely exploration of his body. Like now, as she traced the line of muscle protecting his ribs. There wasn’t a spare ounce of fat anywhere.
He was built as perfectly as the beast who possessed him—lean and strong, every limb, each muscle, created for power, endurance and survival.

  Her attention slipped as his touch slid deeper between the folds of her flesh. The roughness of denim brushed against her thighs, parting her legs farther, giving him more room to torment and tease, to slide a seeking finger inside.

  Caitlin forced her thoughts back to the pendant, and the man it brought to life in her mind. Unable to stand on shaking legs, she dropped to her knees before him and slid her mouth over the hard length of his cock.

  The velvety softness of the skin covering the hardness never failed to amaze her. It was a contradiction she found fascinating. And his ragged groan as she grazed her teeth lightly over the ridge was like a sensual touch against her own skin.

  He ran his fingers through her hair, caressing her head. His thumb tracing the rim of her ear sent a shiver zinging down her spine.

  Before she could send her mind further along the fantasy she was creating in her mind, he grasped her shoulders and hauled her to her feet, spun her around and pulled her back against his chest.

  The sharp bite of teeth on her shoulder jolted her out of the mental fantasy. She dropped the pendant, letting it dangle from her neck. She’d been so lost in the love play of her own making that she hadn’t realized he had literally rolled her onto her knees, stripped off his jeans and was now leaning over her, his knees between hers, his teeth sinking into the sensitive flesh of her shoulder.

  She sensed the awakening of his dragon. Even if she hadn’t, the near-brutal grasp he had on her wrists and the controlling bite would have been enough to enlighten her.

  Through no intentional effort, her own fangs, useless as they were, pushed against her lips as they lengthened. She swung her head side to side, trying to break free of the beast’s hold.

  Drawing in a deep breath, Caitlin forced herself to relax. He wasn’t going to hurt her. Once the dragon knew he was completely in charge, he would gentle. She arched her back, supporting his weight, and swayed her hips against him.