by ML Guida
“I have to leave.” He ran his hair through his hair. “I am a danger to everyone on board this ship.”
“No, William. You will be a danger to everyone in the Caribbean, if you leave.”
He dropped his hand. “Meaning?”
“What if you get angry again and I am not there to guide you? I am able to help you learn to control the beast.”
He arched his eyebrow and walked back to her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against him. “Then don’t be kissing Ronan again.”
She tilted her chin. “I was not kissing him. He kissed me.”
Before she could finish, his lips found hers, branding her…molding her…tasting her. She put her hands on his chest to push him away but found herself moving over his tense muscles. His kiss deepened, and the memory of Ronan vanished. She wanted William, only him.
“Damn you, O’Brien!”
Ronan stood just feet away, his sword drawn. She avoided his eyes.
William clasped her hand, his thumb caressing her palm. “MacMillian.”
She glanced up at William and detected a sadness in his voice, not glee or anger. What was she doing? Tearing these men apart? She tried to release his hand, but he gripped her tighter, pulling her close.
Kane headed over to them. “Jaaysus. Put your sword away, MacMillian.”
Ronan hesitated, but at Kane’s fierce glare, slid his sword inside its sheath.
Mariah forced herself to meet Kane’s furious gaze. “I am sorry, Capitaine. I do not know what to say.”
“Say? You don’t know what to say,” Kane mocked. “You about got us all killed with your trickery.”
Mariah shivered and hugged her waist.
William glared. “Kane.”
Kane held up his hand to silence him. “We’re going into battle, a battle to save your brother, lass. And to fight a demon, one worse than Zuto. I suggest you do your job of teaching my brother to control his powers and not seducing every man on the ship.”
She winced and lowered her gaze.
“Or at the next uncharted island. I’ll dump your arse. Savvy?”
She swallowed the painful lump in her throat. “Oui. I understand.”
William clasped her arm. “I won’t let him do this to you.”
Kane narrowed his eyes. “Like bloody hell, you’ll stop me.”
William growled.
Mariah squeezed William’s fingers, sending him reassurance. “William, no. Breathe. You are waking your dragon.”
William gazed down at Mariah, his mouth set in a straight line, tiny flames flickering in his gold eyes.
“Don’t threaten me, William,” Kane warned. “I’ll not have it on this ship.”
“Breathe, just, breathe.” She reached for his other shaking hand and placed it on the jade then clasped hers over his. “Feel the calmness.”
William closed his eyes and sighed. He trembled beneath her.
Hannah came up behind Kane. “Stop bellowing.”
“Hannah,” he gripped her arm. “I told you—”
“I know what you told me.” She glanced between Mariah and William and smiled. “If you’d stop acting like an out of control vampire, you’d see that she’s calming him.”
Mariah dreaded asking about her dog, but she had to know. “Solstice?”
“She’s with Doc. Along with my father.” Hannah smiled. “My father seems to care about her. He’s not talking with anyone, but he is interacting with Solstice. Doc says Solstice will be fine.”
William’s cheeks turned red.
Mariah brushed her thumb over his hand, hoping he knew she wasn’t mad. He wasn’t in control. At least, not yet.
Kane studied them. William opened his eyes, and the flames were gone.
Hannah elbowed Kane. “See.”
Mariah nodded at Hannah who smiled and winked. She understood Mariah. Once again, she was glad to have Hannah on her side. She had the ability to calm Kane.
Hannah looped her arm in Kane’s. “Come on, I need to talk to you.”
“I bet you do,” Kane muttered. But he allowed Hannah to lead him away.
Only Ronan remained with them. He stared hard at Mariah. She bit her lip, at a loss for words. What could she say? He had forced his kiss on her, and it had not stirred the same feelings that William’s did. Hurt pooled in Ronan’s eyes, and he turned away, his shoulders slumped.
“If you want to be with him—” William rubbed her back “—I’ll try to work on my anger.” As soon as the last word dropped, he growled.
“Your lying is waking the dragon.”
“I’m not lying.”
“William, I won’t let him kiss me again.”
“See that you don’t. When I’m not around, I’ll worry about you kissing other men.” His eyes darkened.
“No, you will not.”
“Meaning you’ll only kiss me?”
“Oui.” Her voice was barely audible for her own ears.
He gave her a curious gaze. The feelings inside her were confusing. He had awakened something hidden. Her cheeks heated at thinking of all the wicked things they might do skin-to-skin.
Her parents had been so happy together. Her mother glowed when she had escaped to the bedroom to be with her father. Mariah knew what they did behind closed doors, well, maybe not exactly what they did. She wanted to glow like her mother. She rubbed William’s arm and knew her dragon could make her glow.
Chapter 13
When Ronan had kissed Mariah, William had lost his mind. Anger had swept through him, and he had fought to not give into the dragon’s instincts––maim, slash, burn. His control had slipped through his fingers. He was dangerous.
He was ready to learn how to control the beast. Nearly killing his brother would have been the death of William’s honor. He clasped Mariah’s shoulders. “What now, Mariah?”
“First, you need to get dressed.”
William laughed at the slow blush that spread across her sweet cheeks.
“Then, ’tis time for you to learn how to talk with your dragon, oui?”
“Excuse me? Do what?” This was her plan? Talking? He’d have better luck swimming in the ocean with an anchor draped around his neck. This was hopeless.
“Talk with your dragon.” She clasped his hand. “Take hold of the stone.”
William sighed and held the stone. Ridiculous. “’Tis not like I speak wyvern,” he mumbled.
“The beast is part of you. You have two parts to you. Two souls. He speaks whatever language you speak. Just concentrate. S’il vous plaît.”
“Fine. Speak to me, dragon.”
“He will not talk to you with that mocking attitude.”
“Exactly what kind of attitude do I need?”
She rubbed his arm. “Come with me.”
“Where?”
“I need to get some things from my trunk.”
More magic? He’d had enough of the supernatural. “What kind of things?”
“Candles…and we should be someplace private.”
Was she thinking of conjuring a spell? His heart beat quickened. She’d be naked. He groaned. Jaaysus, how the hell was he going to learn control with her naked? He was hanging on by a lanyard.
She gathered her athame, bowl, and vial and motioned for him to follow. She led him down into the crew’s quarters and disappeared into her private space. She glanced over her shoulder. “Give me a moment to change.”
Before he joined her, he hurried to his sea chest and pulled on some trousers. He wanted to protest and run away. Protect what little honor he had left.
Mariah stood at her entryway. She had changed out of his shirt and her nightgown. She wore a pale, pink-color gown that matched her rosy cheeks. “Are you coming?”
“Aye, I’m coming.” He trailed her inside, wishing she had on his shirt. He liked the way she looked, sexy and alluring.
She gestured with her hand. “Sit down in the middle of the floor.”
“I am not a dog.�
�� He folded his arms across his chest and glared.
“No, no you are not. You are a stubborn dragon. Please sit.”
He slumped onto the floor. “What are you doing?”
She pulled out white candles, set them on small clay bowls, and then placed them around him. “Each of these represents the four directions of Mother Earth: North, South, West, and East.” She used a tinder-box to light the candles. Fragrant flowery scents permeated the cabin. She sat in front of him and clasped his hands. “Now, close your eyes.”
“Why?”
She lifted a slender brow. “Must everything be difficult with you? You need to relax.”
He rolled his eyes. “Relax? I almost killed my friend, and you want me to relax?”
She clasped his hand and rubbed her thumb over his palm, flooding him with warmth and blood pumped down to his cock. Her touch filled him with a desire to kiss her. He had to admit he wanted more than kissing. He wanted to thrust his cock inside her. Relax? “This isn’t going to work.” He could barely get the words between his clenched teeth.
She squeezed his hands tighter. “S’il vous plaît. Will you at least try?”
Panting hard, William shook his head and closed his eyes.
“Listen to my voice and only my voice.”
He couldn’t believe he was doing this, but the fragrance of lavender lured him into listening to her sensuous voice. Her accent caressed his soul.
“Breathe. Inhale. Exhale.”
Trying to ignore his throbbing cock and failing miserably, he took a deep breath. The mixture of vanilla and sweet lavender filled his lungs and unwound his tight muscles.
“Breathe.” Mariah’s voice turned softer. “Clear your mind. Believe that you have the ability to talk to the beast. Trust yourself. Call to the dragon.”
Her lyrical voice was music to his ears, a soft, seductive harpsichord playing a soothing song. An image formed in his mind and he gasped. A blue and green golden-eyed dragon stared at him. The dragon sat on his hind legs, its wings stretched out behind him.
William’s chest tightened. He swallowed. “Are you the dragon haunting me?”
“Aye,” a guttural voice answered. “My name is Drakon, and I’m not haunting you.”
His lungs froze up. William opened his eyes.
Mariah smiled. “You heard him speak, oui?”
He struggled to suck down air. “I can’t believe it. I see him in my mind and feel like I could reach out and touch him. He said his name is Drakon.” His words rushed out of his mouth so fast he wasn’t sure she understood him.
She frowned. “He has a name? That’s odd.”
“Why?”
“Grand-mère taught me all the lore of magical beasts, and this means you are not a shape-shifter.”
“I’m not?”
“Go ahead. Ask him.” She squeezed his hands. “Talk to him.”
William nodded and closed his eyes again. The same image formed in his mind, and the dragon peered at him curiously.
“What are you?”
“The witch is correct. I am a dragon spirit trapped inside your body. When called upon, you shift into my form when I was alive. We are two entities sharing one body. You don’t have to speak out loud or close your eyes. I can read your thoughts, and you can read mine.”
“Why do you want to bring Hannah and her father to Zuto?”
“He promised to bring me back to life if I brought them.”
“And you trust him?”
The dragon hung his head. “I do not know. I’ve been dead for so long that I’m not sure the extent of demonic powers any longer. I know Maketabori could bring me back.”
“I’ll not bring Hannah or her father to Zuto.”
The dragon gnashed his teeth and hissed. “You’ve no choice.”
“Aye, I do.”
William gave Mariah a hard look. “He wants Hannah and her father. Zuto promised to make him alive again if he brings them.”
Mariah’s face paled. “Only Gods can bring creatures back to life. Zuto is powerful but not a god.”
“He promised,” Drakon insisted.
William ignored him. How the hell could the dragon believe Zuto?
“There are many gods and goddesses. Grand-mère might be able to find one that could help Drakon. I cannot make any promises. He will have to choose who to believe.”
William tilted his head down and frowned. “He is not answering.”
“Maybe he is considering it. What about his powers? Is there a way for you to control them?”
William took a couple of deep breaths.
“Drakon?”
Drakon sighed. “You will help me find a way to become alive again?”
“Aye,” William said. “Do you think I want to be half-dragon, half-man? Will you help us?”
“For now. One of the ways to control a dragon’s power is to ensure he is not starving.”
“You mean you were hungry when you ate the horse and terrified all those people? Not to mention you threatened to kill my friend, my brother, and Mariah.”
“I’m not going to starve to death. In fact, I’ve never killed a human. Your feelings are within me, William. I feel what you feel. I want what you want. We are one. I’d never hurt or maim anyone you love.”
“I don’t want to hand over Hannah and her father to Zuto. So we are not exactly the same.”
“True.”
“Back to your hunger—”
“You must eat enough for a dragon before you call upon me. I eat meat. Lots of it.” His eyes glowed, and Drakon licked his lips. “I’m not controllable when I’m hungry.
“Call upon you?”
“Aye, you don’t need the full moon to bring me forth.”
Stiffness settled in William’s neck and clamped jaw. He opened his eyes and braced his hands on the floor.
Mariah frowned. “What’s wrong?”
“I have to make sure the damn wyvern isn’t hungry.”
“Otherwise, he is dangerous, no?”
Mariah clasped the stone around his neck and rubbed it. Her soft fingers brushed against William’s skin, flaming his desire, and he fought the urge not to suck on every one of those delicate fingers.
“William, are you listening?”
Concentrate damn it. “Aye, I am listening.”
“I said to ask the dragon if the jade will help. I can make it stronger if need be.”
He nodded. “Drakon?”
“I heard.”
“So?”
“The stone will slow down my hunger, not stop it. But hunger is not the only urge I have.” The beast’s golden eyes burned brighter. “Mariah can help with this urge.”
William stiffened. “What urge?”
“I must mate.”
William opened his eyes. “He said the stone will slow it down but not stop it.”
“Even if I make it stronger? There is nothing else I can do?”
Heat burned his cheeks and he avoided her eyes. How could he tell her what the beast had said? He recoiled at the word—mate. Too primitive, too carnal, too lewd. “No, there is nothing else, you can do.” His strained voice shook with the lust pumping through him.
“Liar,” Drakon taunted.
Mariah patted his knee. “Are you talking with him now? You have a vacant look.”
He tensed. The temptation to kiss her grew stronger and stronger. “Aye.”
“There must be something else we can do. You must learn how to harvest these gifts and be in control of them. Otherwise, Natasa will find a way to use them against us.”
“Natasa has not tasted the dragon’s essence. She is not our mate. Mariah is.”
“Dragon’s essence?”
“You’ve kissed Mariah, have you not?”
William didn’t like where this was going. What had he done? “Aye? Why?”
“She’s tasted the dragon’s essence. You’ve branded her. Once branded, she won’t be able to mate with any other male. Only we can satisfy her.�
��
William’s mouth went dry and blood surged through him, the urge to take her was so strong that he thought he’d burst if he didn’t. He quickly moved away from Mariah and stood, afraid he’d shift into the dragon and rape the poor lass. He refused to allow anything happen to her. He headed for the crew’s quarters.
“Where are you going?” Mariah got off the floor and hurried over.
“I need some air.”
She clasped his arm. “We are not finished yet.”
Her soft touch put his heart on fire, and he wanted to kiss those ruby lips and run his hands over her curvy body. Since talking to the dragon, his need for her had grown. Had he unleashed a power he could not control? His voice strained, he said, “Aye, we are.”
“You want her as much as I do. You’re feeling both of our desires. Take her now.”
“I shan’t allow a dragon to take her.”
“My dear lad, I mate with her through you. Together, we love her. Only in human form can we mate.
She swiped his hair away from his hot face and edged closer, her curves brushing against his arm. He wanted to rip off her new dress. He wanted to bury his head between her breasts and suckle her nipples. He sucked in his breath and gripped the cloth door tight. No.
“Aye,” Drakon said.
“William talk to me, s’il vous plaît.”
He waved his arm and pushed her away. “Don’t touch me.”
She flinched and put her hands behind her back. “I am sorry that a witch’s touch is so distasteful.”
William gasped to breathe. She was wrong. He craved her touch.
“If you don’t mate with her soon,” Drakon warned. “My hunger shall grow, and soon, all the meat in the world won’t prevent me from destroying all the Caribbean, including the ones you love.”
“Maybe I will seek out Ronan—”
William growled and seized her shoulders. “You promised you wouldn’t.”
She opened her mouth to say something, but he didn’t want to listen to why she preferred Ronan over him. She was his. If she sought Ronan out, he feared for Ronan’s life. He kissed her hard, wanting to punish her for breaking her promise, and waited for her to protest. She surprised him with clutching his shoulders and pressing her body against him.
His resolve was breaking. He did not know how long he could resist the beautiful temptation. Sharon’s sweet face flashed into his mind and ravishing guilt filled him. He was betraying her memory. ’Twas his fault she was dead. He’d put her at risk and now he put another woman at risk to satisfy his own lust.