by Lisa Oliver
A million questions sprung to mind; the loudest of all being “why?” But as much as it killed him to leave his mate alone, it was not in Jon’s nature to push. “If that’s what you want,” he said softly. Quickly gathering his papers, Jon stuffed them in his briefcase. He wanted to ask if he should continue the investigation; he wanted to know who his contact would be now Bryce had clearly quit his job. But Dirk was clearly not in the mood to give out any answers.
His feet dragging, Jon made it to the door, but still he hesitated, his hand on the door knob. Surely, Dirk felt the mating pull as much as he did? No shifter in existence could resist the lure of a mate. But apparently dragons could because Dirk said nothing as he quietly let himself out of the suite.
Outside by the elevator, Jon pressed the button before hastily wiping the dampness from his face. His poor animal half was howling, begging to be allowed to go back, and as much as that’s what Jon wanted as well, he wouldn’t go against his mate’s wishes. My mate. That’s the biggest cosmic joke I’ve ever heard.
As he waited for the elevator, Jon thought back over the few things he knew about his mate. He didn’t have much to go on, but some things were abundantly clear. His mate was the tall, wide shouldered, handsome faced type of man Jon could see himself falling for.
But Dirk’s personality was hardly lovable. If anything, the man was as cold as his dragon burned hot. Even without his dragon spirit, Dirk still expected people to follow his commands, which is probably why Bryce quit.
“And yet you, my old friend, would have followed him to the ends of the earth if he’d asked,” Jon muttered, patting his chest lightly. He’d have to let his dog run free when he got back to his house. Well, not free, otherwise his doggy half would traipse across the city, right back to the hotel. And passing himself of as a service dog with no accompanying human wasn’t easy. Jon knew that from experience. But he’d make sure his doors and windows were firmly bolted and then spend the evening in his dog form, resting on the rug in the living room. If he howled a time or two, he didn’t have neighbors, so it’s not as though anyone would notice.
There were very few times Jon wished he were any other sort of shifter, but this was one of them. If he’d been wolf, he would have fought Dirk and demanded their mating. A bear would have bitten Dirk the first chance he got and to hell with the consequences. If he’d been a big cat, he’d have either locked Dirk away until the man saw sense, or slinked around him as though he was in heat, until Dirk was overcome with lust.
“That’s not our thing, is it buddy?” Jon chuckled as he wondered why the elevator was taking so long. Dog shifters were rare, possibly because they didn’t find mates among themselves. Jon had always known his mate would be another type of paranormal. Of course, he’d never imagined it would be a dragon. “And now we know and yet we don’t have any special power or strength to fight for him. We’ve just got to be patient, buddy and hope like hell Dirk’s dragon comes back soon.”
A ding notified him the elevator had arrived. Squaring his shoulders, he stepped on it, refusing to look at the closed door of Dirk’s suite. Fates, keep him well, please.
Chapter Nine
Dirk stirred, dimly aware of a loud ringing noise. It was the hotel phone. He didn’t want to talk to anyone; his limbs were heavy and he couldn’t move if he wanted to. Burying his head under the pillows, he closed his eyes. He was dreaming about claiming his mate; in the dream world, his dragon was back and showing him all the joy he could have in a true mating. It was glorious. He could be with Erskine as much as he wanted. The stupid phone wasn’t going to take that away from him.
/~/~/~/~/
More ringing or is that knocking this time? Just go away. Leave me alone with my mate. There was a nagging awareness that there was something Dirk should be doing. But he couldn’t remember…and besides, it wasn’t important. Jon was cooking him breakfast wearing nothing but an apron. He drifted away to where his world was full of nothing but Jon.
/~/~/~/~/
“Get off me,” Dirk growled as someone tugged on his arm. “Leave me alone.” He opened his eyes slightly to see someone in a hotel uniform standing by the bed.
“You were supposed to check out yesterday,” the young man persisted. “If you don’t get up, I’ll have to call the manager.”
“I’m staying. Need sleep.” Dirk waved the man away. “Charge it to my credit card.”
He barely noticed the man leaving the room. He was on a picnic with his mate. The sun was shining on Jon’s slimly muscled chest and he wanted to lick it. There was nothing stopping him.
/~/~/~/~/
“How long has he been like this?” Dirk didn’t bother opening his eyes this time. He knew that voice. Bryce was back. Good. He could take care of pesky people who were trying to come between him and his mate.
“Since last Wednesday night as far as we can tell. Mr. Hollingsworth’s visitor left the hotel thirty minutes after you did and no one has been up here since. He told the bell boy, Martin, he was staying on and didn’t want to be disturbed.”
“Okay. Leave it with me.”
See. I knew Bryce would take care of things. Now, where were we? Ah, yes, Jon’s in the bathtub…all those lovely, shiny bubbles catching the candlelight….
“Dirk! Dirk! You have to wake up.”
“Just a few minutes more.” Dirk rolled over, turning his back on his PA. Hmm, look at that lovely cock waving at me. I wonder if it tastes as good as it looks? I think I’ll just…. Someone rolled him roughly onto his back. “What the hell? I told you I was busy. Leave me alone.” He peered up, barely making out Bryce in his blurred vision.
“That was five days ago.” Why was Bryce yelling? “You missed the board meeting; you haven’t showered or eaten. What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Nothing. I told you. I’m with Jon. Now leave us alone.” Dirk tried to roll over, but Bryce’s hand stopped him.
“Jon’s not here, you idiot. You kicked him out last week. Told him you never wanted to see his face again.”
That couldn’t be right? Dirk remembered their claiming night. Jon was so good to him, teasing him through his first time. They’d laughed and cuddled up together and it was perfect. Dirk had taken him on picnics; they went out on his yacht. They’d just got home from dinner and now…. “Jon’s in the bath. I told you we’re together now. We don’t want to be disturbed.”
“There’s no one in the bathroom.” Bryce kicked open the bathroom door. “The only one in this smelly hotel suite is you. You’ve been dreaming, you idiot. Dreaming of your life with your mate, but none of it’s real. You told him to get out. You rejected him!”
“No. No. No. No. No!” Dirk’s words turned into a roar and before he knew what happened he’d shifted. The bed thudded on the floor as it broke beneath his weight, but Dirk’s focus was on the lying man in front of him. “Jon loves me,” he growled, the words garbled in his shifted form. “He’d never leave me. He’s mine.”
“In your head maybe, but not in the real world.” Bryce flung his arm towards the window. Dirk noted it was dark outside. “Jon’s spent the last five days trying to find out who stole your money; working from his office. He doesn’t even go home to sleep. But no matter what you think you two have been doing since you kicked him out, he’s been working himself to the bone, and you’ve been lying here like a dead man stinking up the hotel room.”
“NO!” The chandelier rattled from the force of Dirk’s roar. A quick sniff told the dragon that Bryce wasn’t lying. Shoving his human half firmly to the back of their shared consciousness, the dragon lumbered to the window, smashing it open with his head. Scenting the night sky, he tried to think of where his mate would be.
The office! Bryce already said that. Of course. Thank you, puny wolf shifter. Ignoring the pounding on his suite door, the yells of alarm and Bryce’s shout, the dragon wiggled his way through the French doors and opened his wings on the balcony. This is the only way to fly, he thought as one pump of his w
ings had him soaring high into the air. Banking wide around the hotel, the dragon headed for Jon’s office.
Chapter Ten
Jon leaned back as he rubbed his eyes. The office was well lit, but he couldn’t pick up any signs of Essie in the building, so he figured it must be late. He blinked twice, struggling to see the time on the computer. It was after nine o’clock. I should eat, he thought, patting his stomach. There was a definite hollow sound to it. He stood and wandered over to the side cabinet, smiling as he saw Essie had left him sandwiches and a note. “Don’t work too late.”
It’s not as though I have anything else to do. Picking up a sandwich pack, he went back to his desk, his eyes scanning his papers once more. He was creating a chart; those who had access to the Hollingsworth servers, compared to those who had the means and opportunity to hack into the server and then those who might have a motive to damage his mate’s reputation. Bryce had been a font of information, calling every day and spending many hours in Jon’s office. But he’d got a call earlier; something to do with the company Jon supposed, and dashed off without even saying goodbye.
Leaning back on his chair, Jon closed his eyes, munching the sandwich without really tasting anything. His poor animal spirit was pining, sucking all the enjoyment out of foods Jon usually relished. As always happened when Jon took a moment off, his thoughts turned to his mate, wondering what he was doing now. Probably escorting his fiancée to a celebration dinner or something. Bryce mentioned Dirk’s father and fiancée arrived in New York a few days before.
I hope he’s happy, Jon thought, even as he wondered if he’d ever be happy again. He was not usually prone to depressing thoughts, but if it wasn’t for his work he’d be curled up with a bottle of whiskey making a fool out of himself drunk dialing his mate. Shaking his melancholy away, he polished off the last of his tasteless sandwich and righted his chair. Work. I know there’s a connection here somewhere.
He was in the process of following a connection between the IT supervisor and Dirk’s cousin, Jeremy; some of their emails were strictly non-work based, when he heard a whooshing noise followed by a roar. Looking up, he had a perfect view of the city’s night sky through the large floor to ceiling windows in his office. Usually filled with lights, a huge dark shape filled his window. A dragon? But…. “Use the damn door,” Jon yelled as his window shattered. Trying to back up, forgetting he was still seated for the moment, Jon and his chair tumbled onto the carpet.
“Damn it.” Jon rubbed his head as he sat up. An excessively large dragon rested his chin on his desk and Jon saw his papers wobble. Trying to be firm, Jon caught his eye; it was impossible to see both at the same time. The huge animal batted his eyelids causing Jon’s mouth to drop open. “Really? You’re flirting with me? You just broke my window.”
Tilting his head to the side, the dragon tried to look sad, but Jon wasn’t buying it. Pushing himself off the floor, he skirted around his desk taking in the magnificence of Dirk’s dragon. Deep red scales covered a body that barely fit in his office. In fact, if Jon could see over the beast, he was sure the animal’s tail was still hanging out the window. The dragon’s head was as long as Jon’s torso and twice as wide. He had rounded bumps running up his nose and sharp ridges standing up from his spine. A tiny tuft of hair hung from his chin, reminding Jon of Dirk’s goatee, although the dragon’s hair was red, not black.
“Mine.” Jon’s eyes widened as the dragon spoke – a guttural sound coming from deep in the dragon’s barreled chest. “You’re mine.” Those simple words reminded Jon of all the heartache he’d felt since the moment he’d taken in Dirk’s scent.
“I know, big guy.” Jon tentatively held out his hand. Some shifters didn’t like to be touched in their animal forms. Dirk’s dragon was hot under his fingers and Jon smiled as the dragon bunted his hand. “You sure are beautiful, but we both know your human half doesn’t want me.”
“Mine.” Jon found a dragon’s head scraping his back and his front heated by the dragon’s chest. Completely overpowered by Dirk’s unique scent of scorched oak and jasmine, Jon cuddled against the solid body, his eyes filled with tears. He was warm and safe; the first time he’d felt like that in a long time, and he never wanted to let go.
But, of course, the real world had to intervene. Flying dragons weren’t a common sight in the city. “Jon, Jon, are you all right?” Jon heard a voice he recognized, although not one that was usually prone to panic. Looking around the dragon’s bulk, he saw Raoul had arrived with back up in the form of six vampires that looked as though they ate cast iron for breakfast. A menacing rumble started up in Dirk’s chest.
“I’m fine, Raoul,” Jon said quickly. “Honestly fine. It seems Dirk’s dragon wanted to visit. I’ll pay for all the damages to your window.”
“I’m not worried about the window,” Raoul frowned as the dragon’s rumbling got louder. “I want to know why the hell he’s here at all. Dirk’s father and fiancée are in town looking for him. They were going to come with me as soon as we heard reports of a dragon flying around the city. I’ve managed to hold them off for now, but Dirk’s had his family worried sick about him. He was expected back in New York last Friday.”
“Leave!”
Jon could feel the dragon’s tension and softly stroked the underside of his neck. “What have you been doing since I saw you last?” He asked, keeping his voice low.
“Dreaming of you,” the dragon rumbled. “Sweet dreams. Sexy dreams.”
Oh my god. Jon’s face flushed. If Dirk’s dreams were anything like his, the rare occasions he’d slept, then he’d have gotten quite an education. “I’ve dreamed of you, too,” he admitted.
“Dirk, listen to me. This is important,” Raoul insisted. “You have a company to run. Your father’s throwing a major fit. He’s got a private jet waiting at the airport. It’s only two weeks until your wedding.”
Jon winced as he heard the word wedding and Dirk’s claws around him tightened. “Not. Leaving.” There was no disputing the anger in the dragon’s tone and Jon worried about his friends. An angry dragon could level the whole building.
“Raoul, maybe you guys should just back out of here until Dirk settles down. It’s been a rough week.”
“I can’t, Jon.” Raoul sounded almost sad. “Mr. Hollingsworth senior came to me personally as the eldest and strongest paranormal in San Jose. I gave him my word I’d help him find his missing son and get Dirk home. They think he’s had some sort of a breakdown. I know he’s your mate, but the last I heard he’d rejected you and was planning to go through with his arranged marriage. I promised Hollingsworth senior and I can’t go back on that.”
“NO!” The dragon’s roar was loud and Jon heard glass breaking. He hoped it wasn’t his computer screen. “Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine.” Jon lurched in his dragon’s arms as the beast started moving; a backwards lurch with every word. A cool breeze raised goosebumps on his arm and then they were airborne. Office lights blurred as they sped through the night sky. Below he could hear the wail of police sirens and then just as quickly there was nothing but the rush of the wind and the heat pulsing from Dirk’s chest with every heartbeat.
Jon wasn’t fond of heights, but he knew his dragon would rather die than drop him and he clung on tight, determined to enjoy the ride. He did have a momentary concern for the papers on his desk but quickly dismissed it. Raoul would lock them away. He tried to stay focused, wondering where on earth the dragon was taking him. Being a dragon, it could be anywhere.
Jon’s blood pressure simmered back to normal around the same time he noticed Dirk was slowing down. Peering over his mate’s thick muscled arm/leg, Jon wasn’t sure what you’d call it, he saw they were near a beach. Closing his eyes, Jon sent up a fervent prayer to the Fates that they weren’t going to be crossing any bodies of water. He might admire Dirk’s possessive attitude; in fact, his animal half was reveling in it, but he didn’t want to be in a foreign country without his passport.
A gentle swirl of air,
a quiet flap of huge wings, and a minute thump let Jon know Dirk had landed. Trying to stretch, Jon realized he still wasn’t going anywhere. A gentle crooning noise rumbled from the dragon’s throat as he settled down onto the sand; holding Jon firmly against his chest.
“Where are we?” Jon asked, trying to wriggle around so he was comfortable.
“Away. Safe.”
They were not going to stay safe for long. A huge red dragon was hard to miss and most areas of the California coast line were highly populated. “People are looking for you,” Jon said quietly. “Your family, fiancée….”
“We will not bond with her. She doesn’t want it and even if she did, I don’t. YOU are mine.”
“I will always be yours,” Jon said, managing to turn so he could look the dragon in the face. “But Bryce told me you had responsibilities. Your family honor is at stake.”
“The clan dragons and I are agreed. For too long we’ve been without fated mates. You are special.”
Jon felt a warmth spread through his body. “Can all of you dragons talk to each other telepathically? Just in this form or when you are walking on two legs, too?”
“All the time in this form.” The dragon seemed pleased with his interest. “We are very old and in times of danger we have to stick together.”
“That’s probably why your father wants you to marry another dragon,” Jon reminded gently. “The research I did suggested there aren’t a lot of you left.”
“No, there isn’t,” the dragon looked out over the water. “But our clan have talked among ourselves and we believe that’s because we’ve never been encouraged to look for our true mates. We followed what our human side dictated when we should have followed our heart. Tradition. History. None of that means anything when your race is dying out. That’s what makes finding you so important.”