by Brenda Trim
“They are like any society and will have businesses throughout the city. Those businesses will have warehouses or storage rooms. We will hide out in one of them until the sun sets again.”
“I don’t think you know what you’re doing,” she muttered, following him behind the nearest house. “I’m going to go my own way and that way would be away from the dragon city.” Her frayed nerves were making her petulant.
“Doona be ridiculous. I havena led you astray yet, have I?”
“No, you’ve just taken me to a realm where I’ve almost been killed more times than I care to count. Seriously, if you get me killed I will haunt you for the rest of eternity.” Petulance quickly turned to belligerence.
“I willna allow that to happen, but should I fail then being tortured by your ghost will be all I have to look forward to for the remainder of my short life,” he replied, making his way to peer into the alley across from them.
“What do you mean short? You told me you’re immortal. To me, that means you will live forever.” Her heart raced at the idea that he wouldn’t live forever.
“Here’s lesson number seven. I am a vampire and I need blood to survive. Withoot it, eventually, I will wither and die. You are my mate and now that I have tasted your blood I canna feed from another.”
“What?” she screeched and quieted her voice. “You didn’t tell me that part. Why the fuck did you leave out the most important part? This is a damn mess,” she whispered, shuddering at the thought of what would happen to him if she was hurt or killed.
“Doona upset yourself. There is no changing this now, we have already bonded. I know you sense our growing connection.” She did feel it. While she didn’t know exactly what he was thinking, she was aware of his emotions. She sensed the battle he had fought with himself to stop from having sex with her earlier in the shower. She had been aware he didn’t want to hurt her, the opposite in fact, which was why she hadn’t gelded him back at Nate’s house.
“You still should have told me. So, where are we going?”
“We need to find a business,” he whispered. “Stay close,” he ordered as he darted out from behind the home.
She watched as he cocked his head every now and then while they moved deeper into the city. At one point, he had managed to get them into a dark alleyway just before people strolled by. Standing between two metal walls, she noted how this alley smelled like any alley back home. Like urine and rotting garbage. She gazed around but didn’t see any dumpsters and wondered at the foul stench until she realized there had to be homeless and poor here, as well. Just because they were in a dragon realm didn’t mean there wasn’t crime and poverty.
“Come on, we are nearly to the business district.”
“How can you tell?”
“I can hear the noise of an inner city just waking up. The only difference between this one here and ours is the lack of motor vehicles. Dragons are hurrying to get to their jobs so we need to be quick and discreet.” She nodded and grabbed hold of his hand.
He strode out from the alley and made his way down a side street. Before he snuck behind a large multi-story building, Mack noticed a stone castle on top of a small mountain. She recalled Nate had called it Tatenen. It was stunning, with its turrets and battlements, like the castles of medieval times. She cringed when she saw several men patrolling the top of the walls, hoping they couldn’t see them. “Kyran, look. Could they have a portal there?”
“’Tis possible. Once we find shelter, I will scan more closely. For now, we must hurry. The sun is almost cresting the mountain.” Mack glanced to the sky and realized he was right.
She hurried beside him as they approached a back door. He reached out to test the handle and she prayed it was unlocked. Just as the first rays of the sun touched where they were standing, Kyran ducked into the building, pulling her with him.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Kyran pulled Mackendra next to him as he flattened himself against the wall, grateful that there were no windows in the back of this building. It had been difficult to find a location that wasn’t floor to ceiling windows. Apparently, Dragons loved wide-open floor plans. Shocked female gasps had him swiveling his head around. Of course they couldn’t manage to find a location that was empty, he thought, as he stared at two females.
“Who are you? No, what are you?” one of the females asked. Her fear permeated off her in waves.
“Who gives a shit? You’d both better leave before my boyfriend gets here. He’ll kick your ass,” the second female blustered.
Mackendra put Pip on her shoulder and held her hands out, trying to placate them. “We aren’t here to hurt you. We just need a place to rest until its dark.”
“Yeah, well, you can’t rest here. Leave,” the first retorted.
“We can’t do that yet. The sun will kill him,” she gestured towards Kyran. “We will be gone at dusk, I promise.”
“No, you’ll be gone now…arghhh,” the first female screeched as Kyran banded his arms around her waist, restraining her.
“What the hell are you doing, Kyran?” Mackendra yelled as she ran after the second female who had taken off for the other side of the room.
“Let me go! I’m a dragon and when I shift, I’m going to burn you to a crisp, jackwagon,” the first shouted.
Kyran watched Mackendra dodge around boxes and down aisles. He belatedly realized they were in a storage room of some sort.
“I’m keeping us safe, lass. I couldna allow them to alert the dragons. Grab her around the middle and keep her arms close to her body so she canna shift,” he told Mackendra.
“You lied, you sket. Leave my sister alone!”
“I didn’t lie,” Mackendra ground out as she launched herself through the air at the second female, tackling her to the ground. The two females rolled around on the ground, and under different circumstances, he might actually enjoy this. Add some oil and bikinis and the vision would be perfect. “Stop moving around, dammit. I don’t want to hurt you.”
Mackendra kicked the female and grabbed one arm but was bucked off. She crawled after the female and jumped onto her back, finally managing to get her arms around her waist and arms. She lifted her head and glanced over her shoulder at Kyran. “Now what, leech. They are terrified. You remember what Nate said. They don’t allow their women to fight.”
“I refuse to apologize. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you. These females willna be harmed if they cooperate. We need to find something to tie them up with.”
“Let us go. We won’t tell anyone that you’re here,” the female restrained by Mackendra murmured.
“That isna a chance I’m willing to take,” Kyran replied, looking around. He spotted a door across the way and drug the female he was holding to it. He opened it and discovered cleaning supplies.
Cursing, he turned to a small kitchen area. When he found nothing there, he opened the remaining two doors. One led to the storefront and the other to a bathroom. There was tape and boxes along one wall and he contemplated how to secure them. He settled on using the tape and slapped a piece over her mouth, cutting off her protests while he wound the tape around her middle, including her arms. He set her in the closet and then proceeded to secure the other female who began fighting in earnest. Thankfully, his mate was strong and was able to keep control of her.
“What do we do about their shop not opening? That will cause alarm, for certain,” Mackendra pointed out.
He glared at her, pissed that he hadn’t thought of that sooner. “We need to post a notice that it’s closed for the day. See if you can find something to write a note with and tape it to the door and I’ll put her in here with her sister.”
“Okay, but know that I don’t like this situation. We aren’t going to harm them and we leave as soon as the sun sets. And, you’d better hope and pray she’s lying about the boyfriend,” Mackendra stomped off to the front of the store.
He had just shut the door to the small closet when his mate returned to the back.
Her eyes were wide with apprehension and her heart was racing. They’d been running from the moment they stepped foot in this realm and it was beginning to wear on her. He was impressed with how well she held it together, but he knew she was tired. She may have gotten some rest in the cave and had some food at Nate’s house, but being on constant alert was taxing.
“If we get caught, I’m going to geld you, bloodsucker,” Mackendra threatened before she sank to the floor as if she was a balloon that had been pricked with a pin.
He sat down next to her and brought her to his lap. He knew she was truly exhausted when she didn’t resist, but instead, laid her head back against his chest. “You wouldna do something like that when you havena fully experienced all that I can give you,” he murmured against her ear, watching as Pip crawled into her lap. The little fuzz-ball turned in circles and kneaded her legs like a cat then promptly nestled into place. She laughed and scratched behind Pip’s ears and moments later, the animal fell asleep.
The feel of Mackendra against him was indescribable. His heart and soul practically sighed with contentment while his mate mark burned, demanding he complete the mating. Her hair tickled his chin and he leaned his head on hers, relishing the silky strands. Such a simple action spoke volumes about what was developing between them. His immediate reaction was to fight it, but he dismissed the urge and decided to relax. They’d be there a while so he settled his hands across her stomach. He sensed her vigilance and unwillingness to let her guard down. “Easy, lass. Relax and get some rest. You’re tired.”
“It’s hard to relax when I’m running for my life and wearing dirty clothes. Especially, when I know this is a clothing store,” she said on a yawn.
“I doona think they have your smart-ass t-shirts, Mackendra,” he teased.
“How do you know? Nate had a sense of humor and snark can’t be an earth-only-thing, you know.”
He chuckled. “Snark is a Mackendra-only-thing,” he husked and felt her quiver.
“You might be right there. I am pretty awesome,” she snickered. “Seriously though, I’d love some clean clothes before I fall asleep. There is nothing worse than taking a shower and putting dirty clothes back on.” She tried to stand up, but fell into his lap.
He set her aside and stood up. “I’ll get you some clothes.”
“No, I can get my own clothes. I don’t need you to do it for me,” she objected.
“Och, when you canna even stand up? Doona be so difficult.”
“Doona tell me what to do, blood-sucker,” she mocked.
Her stubbornness could be so frustrating at times, he thought, as he watched her try to stand up again. “Watch it, Mackendra, or I’ll shove a rag in your mouth to shut you up. Maybe I’ll tie you to the shelves and gag you then have my way with you.” There was nothing he wanted more than to tie her up and have his way.
“In your dreams, vamp. You will never gag me,” she replied with a yawn.
“So, you don’t mind being bound?” She hadn’t objected earlier when he’d tied her to the tree. In fact, he’d say that she had loved it if her moans and cries were anything to go by.
“You know very well that I didn’t mind. It’s the rest of it I don’t care for. And, trust me, leech, there is nothing you can do to change that fact.” His shaft filled with blood at the thought of tying her up again.
“So, what size do you wear Mackendra?” he asked, needing to change the subject.
“Huh? Oh, uh, a medium shirt.” He stopped for a second, not sure where to even begin looking. He shrugged and went to the first box and opened it.
He looked in and saw plain, white, linen dresses. He hid his smile and turned back to her and held one up. She rolled her eyes and shook her head at him. He turned to the next box and found boxer briefs. He smiled even wider at the thought of her in them and held a pair up. She smiled back, and to his surprise, nodded her head. He searched several more boxes and held up various items for her approval. His mate preferred black clothing with the exception of anything in bright neon colors. When he came across female underwear he picked the slinkiest ones he could find and held them up.
She smiled and snorted at him, trying to hold back her laugh. “Hell no, Kyran. I’m not wearing those,” she objected and began untying her boots.
“We’ll see aboot that, mate,” he replied, stuffing them in his pocket. He grabbed several pairs of pants and a couple shirts for Mackendra to choose from.
He came around the end of the aisle and froze. Mackendra was sitting on the floor in her barely-there bra and panties. “Goddess, you are a stunning creature. You make me want to take you right here and now. Be prepared, Mackendra, that I will have you soon…all of you,” he promised and dropped the clothing at her feet. His fangs had punched out and ached to sink into her while his shaft sank into her tight sheath. The pain that burned through his mate mark was worse than it ever had been and nearly brought him to his knees.
She looked up at him like a deer caught in headlights and he heard her heart racing once again. He knew it wasn’t fear as the scent of her arousal hit him. Groaning, he turned his back while she got dressed. The feel of her hand on his shoulder had his head turning.
“Kyran,” she entreated, captivating him with her golden-brown eyes. He wanted her more than he had ever wanted anything. His mate deserved better than a dirty cement floor in a storage room. For that matter, she deserved better than him, but there was nothing he could do about that. He wasn’t about to give her up now that he had her, even if it was possible. He was a selfish bastard and planned on keeping her for eternity.
When she stood on her tiptoes and placed her hand over his burning mark, he gave in and met her lips. His mouth crashed down on hers with a brutal force he couldn’t curtail. Her sweet flavor exploded across his taste buds as his tongue invaded her mouth. He swallowed her moan and shoved her against the wall. Her leg lifted and crooked around his hip, bringing her core in contact with his groin. He cursed her panties and ripped them from her body.
He was resigned to exploring more of her delectable body, but refused to take it further so when she tugged at his button on his pants, he pushed her hands away. If his pants didn’t stay closed, he would not be able to stop the need coursing through him.
“I hope you grabbed me some real panties to replace those,” she chided.
“I like the idea of you going withoot,” he replied, tugging her closer, wanting more of her.
“You have too many clothes on, take these off,” she protested as she reached for the button on his pants again, caught up in the fever their kiss had initiated. He grabbed her hands, stilling her.
He opened his mouth to give her orders, but shut it. He wanted her to direct what happened next. “What do you want, Mackendra?”
He loved the way her eyes were glazed with her desire for him. “I want you,” she replied silkily.
She made him hotter than the sun and he was certain he had a better chance of surviving that than he did of surviving her. He fisted her hair and brought his lips down to hers, letting his free hand explore her body. His fingers grazed one breast, making her nipple pebble through the thin fabric of her bra. His hand had reached the apex of her thighs by the time she had opened his pants. To hell with it all, he surrendered, not giving a damn about anything but the feel of her hands shoving down his pants.
His cock sprang out and her hot little fingers closed around his shaft. “Fuck,” he murmured. “Goddess, baby. You have got to stop that.”
“The hell I do,” she replied as she sank to her knees in front of him. She pulled his pants down to mid-thigh and sat back on her heels. He wanted, needed action from her, yet he held back, allowing her to look her fill. “I have never really looked at a man before, but you are magnificent.” Her breath was hot against his erection and it jerked at her words. The damn thing was begging for her to take it into her mouth.
She lifted her eyes and wrapped her fingers around the flesh. She licked her lips and he knew righ
t there, without a doubt, this female was going to be the death of him. She hadn’t even tasted him and he was on the edge of climax.
“You little Firecracker, stop teasing me,” he told her through gritted teeth. It was taking all his effort to keep from taking over and shoving into her mouth. This was new territory for him. He was always the one in charge and it was fucking killing him to allow her dominance, but he was more turned on than he’d ever been in his entire life.
“Mmmm,” she murmured and finally licked the nerve-laden tip. His head fell to his chest and he gave over to each sensation she elicited. She wrapped her lips around the head and sucked hard. He watched her cheeks draw in with her efforts…sexiest sight ever.
Roughly, he grabbed a fistful of her short, black hair. He told himself not to move, but found he was thrusting involuntarily and going deeper while trying to maintain control. Typically, he didn’t give it a second thought and took his pleasure anyway he wanted, but with Mackendra, everything was different as he was coming to realize.
“Doona stop,” he said in a voice so roughened by desire, it was more of a croak.
He was a large male and saw that his girth stretched her mouth to its limit. His mate wasn’t shy or demure. She simply relaxed her throat and swallowed more of him. He nearly came at that alone, but held back, wanting more. Mackendra reached up and grabbed his balls, giving them a not-so-gentle squeeze. The action bordered on pain and unable to sensor himself, he groaned loudly. His mate mark flared, adding to the pleasure and pain.
He desperately wanted to take her and complete their mating, but none of that could happen at the moment. He may be able to have sex with her, but their mating couldn’t be completed until after they returned home when his brother could bestow the blessings on them.
She pulled her mouth away, but kept a firm grip on his cock. “Keep quiet or those women will hear us. I’d hate for them to know you’re a screamer,” she smirked.