Heart of a Fighter

by Grace Brennan

  Looking up into his gray eyes, so full of warmth, she was unable to resist leaning into his hand a tiny bit. “You have to trust me on this. There’s more to me, and my life, than meets the eye. I can’t drag you into it.”

  “What if I want to be dragged into it?” he asked, his eyes already revealing his willingness if she just said the word.

  “You can’t make a decision like that. Not without knowing the facts. And no,” she rushed out as he opened his mouth to reply, “I’m not going to tell you. Not now, maybe not ever.”

  He nodded his head slowly. “Fair enough. But I reserve the right to try to change your mind. Starting with this.”

  Her breath caught as he slowly leaned down, clearly giving her time to refuse if she wanted. The problem was, as much as she knew she should, she didn’t want to. Everything in her longed to feel his lips on hers, his body against hers again, so as ill-advised as it was, she didn’t try stop him. She even decided to help him out a little, and she put her hands on his shoulders as she went up on tiptoe, meeting him halfway.

  A full body shiver wracked her at the first touch of his lips to hers. He didn’t take it as slowly as he had the other day, only giving her a few teasing passes before sweeping his tongue across her lips, asking for entry. She immediately opened, and liquid heat filled her middle as he thrust his tongue inside.

  Plastering her body tightly to his, she moaned into his mouth as her tongue played with his. She couldn’t get close enough to him, couldn’t get enough of his taste on her tongue. His erection was firm against her belly, and she couldn’t help rubbing her body against his. He groaned, the kiss turning frantic as he licked and nipped. Sucking her bottom lip into his mouth, he bit at it as he filled one hand with her butt, his other hand creeping up her side.

  He released her lip, trailing his mouth down her jaw to her ear. She gasped as he sucked the lobe into his mouth, and her head fell back as he trailed kisses down her throat.

  “Oh, God, Camilla. Tell me you feel this, too. Tell me you can’t walk away from this anymore than I can.”

  Cammie’s eyes popped open as she froze. Her blood iced in her veins, washing away the fire that was there just moments ago, and the contrast was jarring. Putting her hands on his chest, she pushed him back, her unintentional use of her shifter strength making him stumble.

  “How the fuck did you know that?” she spat, glaring at him.

  “What?” he panted, brow wrinkled. “How did I know what?”

  “How did you know my name is Camilla? What if it was Cameron or Camille, or something else?” she gritted out between clenched teeth.

  “I didn’t, not really,” he answered, eyes still showing his confusion over her reaction. “It was just a guess. I thought Cammie was a nickname, and Camilla fit. And one of the meanings is warrior, isn’t it? It worked, to me.”

  She searched his eyes as the truth in his voice washed over her. Turning away, she put her hand over her eyes as she shook her head, relief making her weak in the knees. She thought for a moment he’d managed to fool everyone, and he was one of them. One of the males of her kind, coming to take her away. It didn’t fit with how a dragon would go about it, but she hadn’t been able to help the suspicion she felt when he said her real name. No one else but Ian knew it.

  She turned back around and headed for the door, putting distance between them as she passed him.

  “Cammie—”

  She threw her hand up, pausing as she reached the doorway. “Not now, Alex. I need to get out of here for a bit. I’ll talk to you later.”

  She turned and made her way outside. It was time to go train, doing what always brought her peace. She’d been in turmoil since Alex showed up, and she’d take any bit of it she could get at this point.

  Alex sat down on the computer chair, eyes still trained on the door Cammie disappeared through. Confusion swirled through him as he replayed the events of the last few moments.

  Calling her Camilla was clearly a mistake, but it made his dream that much more real. He called her that then, too, and although he hadn’t leant any credence to it really being her name, he’d obviously been on the right track.

  Her reaction made him shudder when he thought back to it. She was undeniably furious, but she hadn’t been able to hide the flash of fear in her eyes. She’d been scared, of him. He hated seeing any kind of fear in her normally brave face, but it gutted him to see it directed at him.

  Cammie was generally fearless, so whatever she was hiding, whatever she was running from, it was even bigger than he thought. And she obviously thought for a moment he was part of whatever it was. Nothing could be further from the truth. He wanted nothing more than to protect her, for the rest of his life.

  His mind went back over details, and he froze when he thought back to the moment she jerked away from the kiss. Her eyes were noticeably lighter, a swirly kaleidoscope of blue and pale orange, and her pupils had been elongated. He missed it at the time because he was stunned by her reaction, but he saw it clearly now.

  So the shifters she was worried about from the fights, the ones Ian assured her didn’t have elongated pupils… she was one of them. She was running away from her own kind. But he couldn’t wrap his brain around her being a snake or a lizard. He just couldn’t picture it.

  Jerking upright, his breath stalled as he remembered his dream. Cammie called the baby she was carrying a fire breather. And if his dream was right about her name, it could be right about that, too. But she couldn’t be… they didn’t really exist…

  He exhaled as he realized there was a very good possibility they did, and she could. If he could so easily believe humans could shift to animals, then it couldn’t be much of a stretch to believe mythical beasts of legend were really alive, and dwelling in humans.

  Rubbing his hands over his face, he forced himself to contemplate the very real possibility that his Cammie was a type of lizard, technically speaking. A gigantic, spiked, horned, scaly lizard with wings. A dragon.

  The word sounded absurd when he said it in his mind, but it also felt right. Everything in him was screaming it was the truth. His tiny Cammie was a dragon. No wonder she was so fierce, despite her delicate size.

  In a daze, he got up and walked out of the house, heading toward the woods. He took the long way around, avoiding the barn where he was sure Cammie had taken off to. He didn’t want to face her, or the others for that matter, until he had control of his thoughts and his facial expressions. He knew his shock was plain on his face, and he wanted to keep this knowledge to himself. He had no good way of explaining how he came to the conclusions he had, and the last thing he wanted was for them to think he was there to do whatever it was Cammie was scared of someone doing. He was sure his explanation of mysteriously vivid, waking dreams wouldn’t go over well with any of them.

  He jerked to a halt as the implications of what she was, of what she was running from, hit him for the first time. He’d felt ineffectual when he first wanted to protect her from what was hunting her, knowing he probably couldn’t fight a shifter and hope to win. Hopelessness crashed over him as he realized it was even worse than that. He definitely couldn’t fight a dragon and win. It would be like a kitten fighting a lion.

  But maybe she could turn him into a dragon. Or if she couldn’t, one of the others could turn him into their animal. Being any kind of shifter was better than being a human, and he’d have at least a shot at protecting her. Groaning as he realized the direction his thoughts were heading, he leaned his arms against a tree and slowly dropped his head onto the bark. He was seriously considering turning into a shifter, and he didn’t even know the extent of the problems Cammie faced. He couldn’t know, of course, but jumping into something without the proper facts and research didn’t feel like something he would do. The exact opposite, really.

  But then, he’d already known there wasn’t much he wouldn’t do to protect Cammie. Whether it meant turning into a shifter, or laying down his life for her… he knew he’d do
it. Feeling like this for her so quickly felt a little insane, but he didn’t bother trying to fool himself into thinking he didn’t.

  Chapter Seven

  Cammie cleaned up after dinner, chatting with Shelby who was helping her, but her mind wasn’t on their conversation. She did a lot of thinking today, her mind bouncing from topic to topic, and she still only came to one conclusion. She needed to apologize to Alex. She wasn’t sure how yet, without getting into topics better left alone, but he deserved to hear an apology for her reaction earlier.

  When the kitchen was clean, Shelby headed upstairs to get ready for bed, and Cammie blew out a breath as she searched Alex out. She finally found him on the deserted porch, his arms locked on the railing as he stared at the darkening sky.

  “Alex? Can we talk?” she said softly.

  Turning, he smiled at her, like he didn’t have a care in the world, but she could see the worry in his eyes he was trying to hide. “Of course.”

  Inhaling deeply, she moved closer to him. “I owe you an apology. I flipped out on you, and you didn’t deserve—”

  He put a finger gently on her lips, halting the speech she’d so carefully prepared. “Don’t apologize. I know you’re hiding from something, Cammie. You have secrets, and you thought I was here because of whatever those secrets are. Never apologize for trying to keep yourself safe. That’s what I want you to do.”

  Her breathing stuttered, not only because of his touch, but because of the sincerity in his eyes and the truth in his voice. He wasn’t upset, or offended at her reaction to his use of her real name. She melted inside as her dragon gave a hum of approval in her chest.

  Kissing the tip of his finger, she reached a hand up and gently tugged his down, keeping it in hers. “Thank you for that. I’m not sure I deserve it, but thank you. Just try not to use my real name, okay? No one knows what it is except Ian. And now you.”

  Turning his hand over in hers, he intertwined their fingers. “I promise. I will never do or say anything that could put you in danger. You have my word on that.”

  They locked gazes for a long moment, and she could feel the heat from his eyes searing her to her soul. Her resolve, already weak, unraveled further. And she wasn’t sure she could fight it any longer. Maybe she didn’t have to. Maybe it was time to live life on the other side of the what if coin. She was strong, and Alex was smart. Together, they made a great team, and it was possible they could outwit the dragons. Being with him didn’t have to mean doom, for either one of them. And she was tired of fighting what she was certain was a losing battle.

  Her fingers tightened around his just before she surged upward, glimpsing surprise in his eyes as she kissed him. It didn’t take long for him to catch up, and soon, they were going at each other like they were starving. No hesitancy, no softness or gentleness in this kiss. Just warring mouths, dueling tongues, moans and groans filling the air around them as they licked and nipped.

  Twining her arms around his neck, she leaned her body into his as he filled his palms with her butt, bringing her closer still. Fervor was racing through her body, but it wasn’t enough. She needed more. More of him around her, next to her—in her. Needed it more than she needed her next breath.

  She pulled back, panting as she searched his eyes. Satisfied he felt the same as she did, she said, “We’re too out in the open here for what I want to do with you, Alex. Will you come inside with me?”

  His eyes widened, and she held her breath, nervous for a moment he would refuse, but a slow grin curved the corners of his mouth. Leaning in, he placed a quick kiss behind her ear, making her shiver as he replied, “There’s nothing I want more.”

  Smiling, she took his hand in hers again and led him into the house and up the stairs to her room. Luckily, they didn’t run into any of the guys. She wasn’t embarrassed or trying to hide what she and Alex were doing, but running into anyone else would only delay this, and she already felt like she’d been waiting for years for this moment.

  Reaching her room, she opened the door and pulled him inside before shutting it, not bothering to turn on the light. The moonlight shining through the window was enough. They stared at each other for a moment, neither making a move, only basking in the anticipation. Then Alex reached down, grabbed the hem of his shirt, and pulled it over his head.

  It was like the act of taking his shirt off was the starting flag for a race. They lunged for each other, and she squeaked when he grabbed her under her ass, lifting her up so she had to wrap her legs around him. He was already hard in his jeans, and she ground against him as he crushed his mouth to hers.

  He walked them to her bed in three strides of his long legs, and let her slide down his body. Searching her eyes, he hesitated for a moment, as if asking if she really wanted this. With a smile, she pulled her shirt off, letting that be her answer. His breath left his body in an audible whoosh as he drank her in.

  “You’re so damn gorgeous, Cammie,” he breathed before yanking her back into his arms.

  She moaned at the feel of finally being skin to skin with him, and little currents of electricity were dancing over her as he leaned down and kissed his way down her neck. Stopping where her neck met her shoulder, he suckled softly as he reached behind her and popped her bra open. He pulled back and placed his fingers on the straps, slowly sliding them down her arms, his fingers leaving trails of fire in their wake. He gave a strangled groan when her bra slipped from her body and he saw her for the first time, and she flushed from the heat and the way his eyes glazed over as he looked at her.

  Reaching out, she placed her fingers on his washboard abs, slowly sliding them up his pecs before reversing her course, her fingers drifting to the V on his hips she’d wanted to touch from the first time she saw it. Glancing up, she met his eyes as she undid the snap of his jeans, smiling as he sucked in a hissing breath.

  Without warning, he grabbed her hands and pulled them away. She jerked her gaze to his face, finding him grinning wryly at her, strain evident around his eyes. “If you get any closer to the part of my body that’s yearning for you right now, this will be over before it begins. You first, darlin’.”

  She gasped as he pushed her down on the bed, unable to help the breathless laugh that escaped her. She scooted up the bed, and he followed her, only pausing for a moment to slip her shoes off her feet. Crawling over her, he leaned down and kissed her passionately before sliding his lips down her throat. She felt one of his hands on the soft skin of her hip, and she arched her back as he slid it up her ribs.

  Her skin felt like it was ablaze as he gently cupped one of her breasts in his hand. She looked down, wanting to see his hands on her, but felt an uncharacteristic flash of self-consciousness. She was small in all ways, including her chest, and though it never bothered her before, seeing his large hand swallowing her up made her feel uncertain. She fought not to stiffen as she began wondering if he liked what he saw, or if he thought she was too small, or—

  “Stop,” he said gently. Her eyes raced up to meet his, and he smiled tenderly at her. “I can practically hear you worrying out loud. There is no part of you that isn’t perfect, Cammie. No part of you that isn’t breathtakingly gorgeous. Especially these,” he said as he gently squeezed.

  Not giving her a chance to reply, he ducked his head down and sucked one of her nipples in his mouth. Cammie thrust her fingers in his hair, gripping the strands tightly as the suction from his mouth shot through her body. It was like there was a direct line open from her nipples to her core, and each pull of his mouth, each flick of his tongue, tugged that string. He kissed, licked, and nibbled until she didn’t think she could take any more, and then he let go, trailing his lips to her other breast, starting the process all over again.

  One of his hands slowly slid down her ribs to the waistband of her shorts, and he popped the button open and pulled the zipper down. He leaned back and eased them off her body, taking a moment to drink her in in nothing but panties, and then he placed another scorching kiss on her
lips before kissing and licking down her body.

  Making his way slowly down, he paused when his mouth reached the edge of her panties and looked up at her. She squirmed, not only from how close he was to the part of her that was aching for him, but from the look in his eyes. The heat there alone was enough to incinerate her. It was going to be the end of her when he finally touched her, but she couldn’t think of a better way to go.

  “Please, Alex.”

  He traced the tip of his tongue along the edge of her panties. “Please what? What do you need from me?”

  Moaning from the sensation of his warm breath against the most sensitive part of her body, it was all she could do not to come then and there. It wasn’t going to take much to push her over the edge.

  “Touch me,” she breathed, unable to give her voice more substance.

  “Thought you’d never ask,” he said huskily.

  Dropping his eyes back down, he ran a finger straight up her center, and even with her panties as a barrier, it was almost too much for Cammie. She lifted her hips in encouragement, and he hooked his fingers in the waistband and slowly pulled them off. Tossing them over his shoulder, he turned back to look at her, and she could see the breath freezing in his chest.

  Heat surged through her at the look in his eyes, and feeling powerful, she let her legs fall open, baring herself completely to him. A strangled curse left his mouth as he swiftly descended back down, and used his tongue to take the same trip his finger just had.

  It was Cammie’s turn to let out a strangled moan as sensation shot through every part of her body. With no further hesitation, he plunged his tongue inside, swiftly homing in on the swollen bud that was yearning for his touch. Cammie plunged her fingers back into his hair, holding on tightly as she arched her back.

  His tongue never rested, and the sensations were almost unbearable as he swirled, flicked, and suckled. She was making noises she never imagined she could make, her hips undulating as she chased the sensations.