by Milana Jacks
“Hm,” Knight said. “What do you do?”
“I’m a florist.”
Knight blinked. “A florist in the middle of the Ice Age who lives on the ground-level of the habitat.”
“Mm-hm. Well, that’s not all I am, but you summed it up nicely.”
“Where do you get the flowers from?”
I leaned in. “It’s a secret.”
To my surprise, Knight leaned in too. His dark brown eyes and his perfect lips tipped up at the corners, the closest thing he had to a smile. “I specialize in uncovering secrets.”
He might have said something else, but I got caught up in all that was him. He was so male and strong, with wide shoulders, big tattooed arms and torso, and the scent of his dragon was intoxicating, so I simply stared, my lips parted. He stared back, though I was pretty sure not for the same reason. As I was an albino, people often stared at me. Kids would approach me and ask if I were an angel. It used to be great when I was seven, but when it happened almost every day of my life, it got annoying and sometimes even depressing.
I couldn’t blend in and go unnoticed.
I couldn’t get a date to save my life. At least not from guys I was attracted to. My twin couldn’t either, but she hadn’t cared. A dove creature was supposed to be a virgin, loyal only to the dragon she served for the rest of her life. Kind of like a nun devoted to her God. I was totally unfit for this gig.
“Not what I wanted to hear from Arthur,” Knight said.
“A simple no would have sufficed, hm?”
His lips tipped up some more. Oh, almost a smile. But not. Knight leaned back, narrowed his eyes. “My bird reports cyborg numbers are increasing in the habitat.”
“I live on the ground level, so I don’t see many cyborgs. But yeah, I hear people saying workloads have doubled. Someone’s gotta cater to the growing cyborg population, right?”
“And nobody knows you’re Arthur’s bird?”
“My older sister knows. Nobody else.” The dove messenger job—if you can call it that—didn’t pay, because my twin lived with Arthur in Ohio, and he provided for her. I had rent to pay, however, so I kept my florist job in the habitat and took on this new-to-me dove gig in honor of my deceased twin.
Knight licked his lips. “Did you ask Arthur what we disagreed about?”
“I don’t think that’s my business. He’s my boss, so I don’t meddle. I get messages, and I give messages. That’s my job.” Oh, but I wanted to know what these two were cooking up. It had something to do with the cyborgs. I was pretty sure of it.
Knight shook his head. “Arthur is more than your boss. He’s your protector, your superior, your predator, and he is the crucial, if not the most important, elemental who can bring our country back to normal and out of the Ice Age. I want him safe and sound inside his territory, not here where the cyborg population is doubling. I will handle the cyborgs on my turf.”
“I get that part. Really, I do. But like I said, I would like to…renegotiate my dove gig with Mother Nature, and I wish I could summon her too. Do you need more feathers? Because I’d be happy to be bald if I could summon Mother and return the gift.”
Knight got up and rolled his shoulders. “We leave in the morning.”
Huh? “We who and where?”
“You and me. My wolf pack will follow on the ground.” He hooked his thumb behind him. “You will take my bed.”
My gaze followed his extended finger to the alcove that was his bedroom, and I stood. “I’m gonna head back out tonight. It’s only a half an hour flight, so…”
Knight blinked and stood there, looking stunned.
“What?” I asked.
“It was not a suggestion,” he said.
“Oh.” I wrung my hands as he towered over me. “Thank you anyway, but I really have to get going. Christmas Eve is in less than two weeks, and this is my best-selling season, so I work quite a bit. I can’t afford not to be there tomorrow morning. I set up my stall at five a.m. This would mean I would have to get up at three, which is in three hours. I just can’t.”
Knight took a lock of my hair and brought it to his nose. He sniffed, looking a bit puzzled.
I sniffed my hair too. “Homemade hair oil from orchids. I’m testing it out. What do you think?”
“I don’t like it.”
“Damn. You really shoot straight.”
“Thank you. So, let me shoot straight now. You’re Arthur’s bird, his messenger. If I let you fly back now, you will fly straight to him and tell him I’m coming.”
“He’ll expect a message.”
“I am the message. I’m going after him because it seems he wants me to beat some sense into him. So you, sweet bird, will stay where you are for the night. We leave in the morning. Together.”
“Oh my God, you don’t want him to know you’re coming.”
“That’s right.”
“Should I be worried?” It didn’t sound good. From what my twin had told me, these two dragons had grown up together on the streets, and they were very close. My sister wouldn't have lied, but the messages they’d been exchanging didn’t sound friendly.
“I’ll take care of Arthur,” Knight said and nudged me toward the alcove.
I dug in my heels. “I have to, like, really have to, work tomorrow.”
“Don’t make me put you in the cage.”
I giggled. “Bird, cage, I get it. That’s funny.”
“I’m not joking. Not even a little bit. You’re mine.” He cleared his throat. “For the night.”
I pursed my lips. “Sure thing, Lord Knight.”
“I’m glad we agree,” he said, then threw back his arms and pulled his T-shirt over his head.
I stared at his torso, the lines of his muscles, the tribal tattoos covering the left side of his body. I made sure I kept my jaw locked, or I’d gape like a fool. He put his T-shirt over my head, and all that male dragon scent hit my loins. I inhaled and got so turned on, my nipples perked up. Thank God, my hair covered my breasts so he couldn’t see.
“Hands up,” he said.
I threw my hands up so he could fit the sleeves through. He patted my shoulders. “There we go. All set. Good night, little bird.” His head dipped.
I tipped my face up.
I swore he was going to kiss me. He even stared at my mouth. I rose on my toes but couldn’t close the distance. Knight was…about six five to my five three.
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t approve of,” he whispered.
“Like what?”
“Like try to sneak out.”
“It didn’t even cross my mind.”
“Mm-hm.”
Knight slept the way dragons slept. Deeply. I snuck out the window and flew back home. Read on!
About the Author
Milana Jacks grew up with tales of water fairies that seduced men, vampires that seduced women, and Babaroga who’d come to take her away if she didn’t eat her bean soup. She specializes in dark, fun & steamy paranormal romance set in dystopian world where sexy alpha males are unapologetic and supportive at the same time. Her home is on Earth with her mate and their three little monsters.
• Before publication, she releases stories for the readers on her mailing list as they await for books in the series. If you want in, join other readers HERE. •
Meet me at
www.milanajacks.com
Milana’s Backlist
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Ice Age Dragon Brotherhood
Rise the Seas #1, Cradle the Fire #2, See the Wind #3
Short stories in IADB World: Jake 1.5, Eddy #2.5
Beast Mates Series is COMPLETE:
#0 Virgin - FREEBIE, #1 Blind, #2 Wild,
#2.5 Goddess, FREE via my Mailing List,
#3 Sent, #3.5 Their, #4 Caught, #4.5 His, #5 Free.
Jade Dober urban fantasy series:
#1 Mediator Seeks, #2 Mediator Tricks
Acknowledgments
Thank you,
writers Sophie Kisker and Aubrey Cara for making me laugh with all the Southernisms and helping Nentres become the best Southerner he can be.
None of my books happen without my supernatural team of editors who clean up my words - thank you Linda and Tony. And thank you my beta reader Z - who is super awesome and always lends me her ear.
Thank you readers who keep spreading the word about the Dragons and the Beasts. You guys make my writing journey.