The
Dragon’s
Heart
Copyright © 2017 by B.A. Stretke
Published by Superiorland Publishing
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any person (living or dead), place, or event is purely coincidence.
PROLOGUE
Clan Chieftain Calum Keith, his Second and cousin, Alrick Keith, along with the rest of their men have been traveling the Americas now for over a hundred years. They left their dragon circle and their home on the Shetland Islands in Scotland and traveled to America to find a place, and a future. Unfortunately, they had yet to settle anywhere. A new place, a new experience, seemed to always call. Their search for a new home, a new beginning, seemed to be endless.
Calum had led his men through many battles and many missteps in their pursuit of a new home. They left their birthplace and their Circle in hopes of finding that connectedness that would spur on the growth and power that had eluded them on the Shetlands. Their King, Duncan Adair, sent them on this quest to find their bonds and to inspire and give hope to their people.
It had been many centuries since any of their Circle had found their mates, their bonded ones, and without mates, there was no growth. Children were only possible through the union of fated pairs. The Clan Keith, led by Calum Keith, set out on this journey with high hopes of finding their mates and propagating their Dragon Clan and Circle. As the years and decades passed their hope suffered, but their duty to their King stood fast. They would continue their quest until satisfaction was theirs.
…
CHAPTER ONE
Calum and Alrick entered the bar and were immediately embroiled in a battle. The ruffians and thugs that filled out the numbers of Conrad Lee’s wolf pack thought they were attacking a couple of average paranormals. It wasn't until the smoke and flames began to fill the room, and the body count began to rise that they realized their mistake and those who could, ran.
Alrick entered the room behind his Chieftain, and the sight filled him with a rage that reached to his depth and touched his dragon. His dragon went from basically just pissed and annoyed to a state of deadly protectiveness. He saw a brown haired, young man on the floor with his hands tied behind his back and suddenly everything else in that room disappeared. Nothing existed for Alrick except the bruised and bloody man lying on the floor.
The wolf near the injured young man made an aggressive move against him, and Alrick ended the wolf in a quick and bloody fashion. Luckily the young man seemed dazed, or the sight of Alrick’s half shift and the wolf parts spread around the room would have traumatized him for sure. Alrick never did anything half way, and Alrick's dragon was primed, and on edge like nothing, Alrick had ever experienced before. This man was remarkable beyond anyone in his life, and his dragon would destroy the world to save him.
“Is he yours?” Calum asked, recognizing the intensity of Alrick’s dragon. Alrick nodded and kept his eyes on the young man. “Stay with him, I can handle the rest," Calum stated and abruptly left the room. He was intent on securing the release of his mate, Chance who was being held by the Alpha wolf. His captors would meet their death this night.
Alrick released the ropes binding the young man’s hands and scooped him up into his arms. This was Chance’s friend, Dane. He’d never met Dane, but Chance and Calum had talked about him. He was the cook from the café where Calum had first met Chance. It seemed like so long ago and yet it was only a few days.
Alrick looked down into the face of his own destiny and felt the connection to his very soul. His dragon stirred and pushed forward aching for a peek at the man who would be his and recognition was instant. This was his mate that he held in his arms.
Dane was well, apart from cuts and bruises, and the sight of the injuries drove his dragon to want to kill that worthless wolf a second time. Anyone who dared to get in his way would not fare well. As he left the now wrecked bar, he kept his attention on everything around him. He would not allow anything or anyone to further endanger his mate.
He and Calum had cleared out the main room of this shithole bar and his instincts told him that the building was clear. No one sane would hang around after the blood bath. Once outside, Alrick turned back and with a concentrated breath burned the place to the ground. There would be nothing left, nothing to find, dragon fire burned hotter than molten lava, nothing left but a fine ash with the chemical consistency of sand. It would be as if the bar had never existed.
The night was upon them, so Alrick tucked his mate close and took to the skies. He spread his wings wide and soared high, lost in the ecstasy of finding his fated mate and driven to protect what was now, his gift and his responsibility.
…
Dane rolled to his side and instantly jerked upwards in response to the pain that radiated from his shoulder. Strong arms encircled him and held him to a broad, firm chest. There were words, spoken softly into his ear. The words were comforting, even though he could not make out what the kind man was saying.
Alrick had sat by his mate’s bedside all night, waiting for the man to wake. Their medic, Forbes, took care of Dane’s injuries and adjusted his dislocated shoulder, but the pain would linger for a while. He would have a lot of explaining to do, depending upon Dane’s memory of the events. Alrick was eager to get to know his mate and share their intended destiny, but he also accepted that it would take time.
“You’re safe, Dane.” He spoke into his mate’s ear and drank in the scent of lavender that was his mate. He would always be drawn to the intoxicating allure of Dane’s lavender. He kissed the top of Dane’s head and gripped him tighter in response to Dane’s soft whimper.
Alrick was staggered by the intensity with which his feeling and attention were attuned to Dane. Every sound, every breath, every heartbeat resounded through his senses. This man absolutely owned him, and Alrick couldn't be happier.
"What happened?" His mate's voice danced across his awareness, and it was beautiful.
"Calum and I interrupted the party at Night Whispers. They will never hurt you again." Alrick explained and maintained his hold, pressing Dane to his chest. The mention of Night Whispers caused a shiver to run through Dane's body. "Those men are gone, and they won't be coming back." He pressed for understanding. Dane settled a bit but stayed close.
“Where’s Chance? Can I see him?” Dane’s voice was still shaking.
"He's with Calum, he's safe, don't worry." Alrick knew that Calum had returned with Chance several hours ago, but they would be indisposed for quite some time. Calum would be claiming his mate, and they cannot be disturbed until the bonding is complete. "Chance will come see you when he wakes, I'm sure. If not, I will take you to him, I promise."
“Calum is the biker Chance has been seeing.”
“Yes.”
“You’re one of his men? You’re part of the biker club?”
“Yes, I ride with Calum.” Alrick felt Dane pull away and resisted pulling him back. He understood his hesitance but hoped that he would come to trust him. Chance had been afraid of Calum in the beginning, because of his size and fierce appearance, but loved him once he got to know him. He’ll win over his mate, just as Calum had won over Chance.
Dane looked around the room and realized he was not at home or in a hospital. He was at the Dragon’s Blood club house,
the old lodge past the edge of town, beyond the warehouse district and housing communities. He was far away from anyone who could hear him scream. Dane started to panic and moved away from the large, muscled, tattooed biker, while his eyes darted around the room.
"Easy, Dane, you have nothing to fear." The man said and reached for him, but Dane moved back further, and the man let his hand drop to the bed. "My name is Alrick Keith, and I saved you from that wolf." What the hell was he talking about, what wolf?
Dane moved as far back onto the bed as was possible and thankfully Alrick did not crowd him. He gave him space, and he looked concerned which struck Dane as unusual. Bikers did not care about anyone, they lived solitary lives of drugs and violence, and Dane wanted no part of it.
"I'm tired, may I rest?" Dane needed time to think. Once he spoke with Chance, he would head home. But Alrick seemed to be taking the role of caretaker very seriously, and Dane wondered if he would stop him from leaving. Bikers cannot be trusted, they destroyed his life once, and he would not let it happen again. "I'd like to go home after I speak with Chance." He noticed the tight expression Alrick wore at his request, somehow it bothered him that he upset the man.
Dane shook his head to clear it and then stared at the tense, searching look on the man's face. Dane settled back onto the bed and pulled the light blanket up to cover his shoulders. Alrick leaned over him and placed a chaste yet loving kiss to his forehead, a maneuver unlike any biker Dane had ever met. Rather than bother him, the kiss settled his nervous energy, and he felt sleep pushing in upon him.
Alrick Keith was confusing him with his tenderness, but Dane was determined not to let his guard down. Bikers were manipulative liars, so Dane held himself back from reaching for the man. His instincts were telling him to hold onto this man and to hold on tight. No good would come from it, he chastised himself, he needed to keep his head clear and stay real. Chance seemed to be falling hook, line, and sinker, but Dane vowed not to do the same.
…
Alrick was taken aback by Dane's request to go home. He lived in an apartment with three other guys and, according to Chance, they weren't charming. Alrick desperately wanted him to stay, but he couldn't force him. He had to do this in Dane's time and give him the space he required, but he would do everything in his power to convince him he belonged at the lodge with him. Letting him go would be a real test of his self-discipline, and he made no promises.
“Rest, I will check on you later.” Alrick tucked him in, then got up and left, closing the door softly behind him. It was the hardest thing in his life to just walk away from his mate, but he had to do it. Dane was not ready for declarations of any kind. He was still coming down from the trauma of being kidnapped and assaulted, so giving directives would probably not be taken well.
Dane lay awake after Alrick left, feeling strangely alone. He lived his life basically alone, so why was he suddenly feeling like he’d been abandoned. Alrick was a force to be reckoned with. His sheer presence could fill a room, perhaps several, but Dane barely knew him, so why was he missing him so desperately? The minute he walked out of the room with that pensive look on his face, Dane began to feel sad, alone, cut adrift and on the verge of begging him to come back. Luckily, he restrained his urge and stayed silent and alone.
He remembered seeing Alrick that first day when Chance was hiding in the kitchen fearful that Calum was going to hurt him for staring at him. Damn, that seemed like months ago. Chance discovered that Calum was not going to hurt him and that all he wanted was to get to know him. Apparently now they're a couple.
Dane scoffed at the thought, believing that Chance could do so much better. Nothing good ever came from hooking up with a gang member, a biker. But then Calum did save Chance from his vile cousin, so he gets points for that.
Alrick hadn't come into the café with the others, that first day. He'd stayed out on the sidewalk talking with a couple of the other bikers. They were a gang or a club, Dane wasn't sure of the distinction. Dane noticed him when he watched for them to leave so Chance could duck out the back of the café undetected.
Alrick had caught his attention in the way he stood so tall and proud, and he had that look that denoted confidence and respect. He was also drop dead gorgeous, but Dane didn't like to use those descriptors because they were overdone and often misused. But in Alrick's case, they were spot on.
Alrick was a ruggedly handsome man. He had short black hair that was styled but not in a vain fashion, it just looked cared for. His eyes were the primary focus of his looks, considering they were the deepest, most intense green that Dane had ever witnessed in a person. All the men he'd met from this group had the same green eyes, but Alrick's seemed to have a fire burning within.
They were eyes that could tear you apart or make you squirm with desire depending on the situation. They were hypnotizing, and Dane found that he loved staring into them. But that was ridiculous, he's just a man with kind eyes and Dane needed to calm down before he came on the sheets. Suddenly he was no longer tired as his body heated and his cock hardened with every thought of the large, muscled biker.
Alrick was dangerous, he made Dane think thoughts that he had no time for. He made him want things that Dane knew Alrick would not give him. He would rest, then talk with Chance and make sure he was here because he wanted to be and that no one was forcing him. Bikers were known to take what they wanted and give no thought to the pain and suffering they were spreading.
…
Alrick went to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down at the counter to contemplate his next move. It wasn't long before Kyle came and sat next to him and gave him a report regarding the bar, warehouse, and the wolf pack.
"The bar is being written off as an accidental fire caused by alcohol and cigarettes. The local cops don't give two shits about that place and seem relieved that it's gone. They never even questioned the intensity with which the place burned." He began in his usual straightforward manner with a few side comments. "The warehouse is a different matter. They assume it was arson and are blaming local kids. They don't have any leads, and I'll make sure no one is blamed. I can scour their records if I have to, and leave them with nothing to pursue." Alrick listened and nodded. Kyle was a professional at clean up, never missing a single detail.
"What about the pack, anyone talking?" Alrick would take care of it if they were.
"No, no one is talking. The survivors have all left town. As far as I know, Conrad Lee's pack has splintered and disappeared. Blake packed up and drove out of town a few hours ago. I have a GPS on him to make sure he keeps going."
“Good.” Was all he said.
“I’ll maintain surveillance, but I believe the situation is clear.” Kyle patted him on the shoulder and stood up. “Congratulations on finding your mate. I hope that I’m next.” He smiled.
"Thanks." Alrick wished he had a clearer understanding of what he should do. On the one hand, he had a mate upstairs in his bed. On the other hand, he had a mate that seemed to recoil from the fact that he was among bikers, a motorcycle club. How could he put his best foot forward and get to first base before his mate went home? Dane accepted the kiss and the embrace, so he was not entirely unaffected by him.
He sat there for a couple of hours drinking coffee and making several plans that all seemed to end in disaster. Finally, come morning, he decided to talk to his mate, clear the air and get some sort of foundation in place to build a relationship. He wasn’t one for hypotheticals or what ifs, he preferred to just get it done. He poured a glass of milk and found a couple of cinnamon rolls and headed back up to his room, to his mate. It was time for some movement in this relationship. Alrick was never known to be patient when he wanted something and now was no different.
CHAPTER TWO
Dane sat up and shifted, so he was seated on the edge of the large bed. He took a moment to look around the room and discovered that it was not a guest room. This room belonged to someone, and they'd allowed him into their private
space. He found it touching, even though he fought hard against any positive feelings for this biker gang.
There was a light knock on his door followed by Alrick entering with a tray. He didn’t speak, just nodded and came over and sat down beside him on the edge of the bed. He handed him the milk first.
"Drink, you need to build up your strength." Alrick was matter-of-fact, and it didn't cross Dane's mind to object. He took the milk and drank half the glass before setting it on the bedside table. Alrick then handed him a delicious looking cinnamon roll and again told him to eat.
Dane didn’t quite understand the power this man seemed to have over him. Dane found it nearly impossible to refuse him when he used that tone of caring concern and it was something so simple as eating and drinking, so why object.
He felt compelled to want to please the man, get his praise and attention. It was strange that after five years of nothing but dogged determination in the search for his missing sister Kara, that he would be caught in the snare of the very type of man he’d grown to despise.
Alrick was not what he'd become accustomed to when dealing with riders and their gangs. They'd all been anti-social, anarchists, criminals, the lowest society had to offer, but not this man. Alrick was a decent man, he knew it, it was a gut feeling, and he trusted his gut. It had kept him alive and well these past five years.
Dane finished the cinnamon roll and then finished his milk. Alrick set the other roll, wrapped in a napkin, on the bedside table. “In case you get hungry.” He explained.
“Thank you, that was delicious.”
“Our resident cook, Flynn, made them fresh this morning. They’re his specialty.” Alrick settled his hand on top of Dane’s where it rested on his thigh and threaded their fingers together. “How are you feeling?”
"Better, my arm isn't as sore, but I'm still a little stiff." Dane wished he hadn't said that last part because more than his muscles were getting stiff with the proximity of the sexy, caring man. Alrick was not your typical biker, he wasn't your typical anything.
The Dragon's Heart: Dragon's Blood M.C. Page 1