“These are the tools I require for my mission.”
Oro was a man of few words. He hadn’t told her what his mission was. He’d just gone along with her assumption that they were on a honeymoon. Tabby was beginning to get the impression that this wasn’t a honeymoon it all.
“Did you know about me before you came down to the consulate?”
Oro busily checked his equipment and didn’t look up at her. The guy was devastatingly good-looking, dark hair, dark eyes, seven-foot tall and built like a linebacker. She could see the ripples of hard muscle under his tight uniform. Every curve and bulge, every dip and crevice. She bit her lip. The guy was fine. Damn. She would’ve been lucky to find a man like this who was human, let alone an alien who could provide her with the best life had to offer.
“No. I did not.”
Still with the clipped communication style.
“So, what is this mission all about?”
“I’m taking out a dangerous enemy.”
“I figured that much. Who is this guy?”
“Top-secret. I can’t discuss it.”
“So, you’re just going to assassinate some criminal while we’re on our honeymoon?”
Finally, he looked up at her with a confused expression on his face. At least she thought it was confused. She had no idea what confusion looked like for a Draconian.
“This mission is of highest importance. Millions of human lives are at stake. I must not fail.”
“No one ever said anything about you failing. I just don’t understand why you have to do this while we’re on our honeymoon.”
Maybe she was being a little selfish. Heck, she’d already won the lottery, for better or worse. She was staying in a luxury resort. Still, she had hoped to be on the spaceship by now, not continuing to hang out in Leo and Juan’s territory.
“I’m told this is a high quality human establishment. The accommodations should be up to your standards. I have what is called a credit card, and if you would like to go purchase yourself some additional attire, I’m sure it can be arranged.”
“I don’t know if I want to go shopping by myself,” she said, sitting down on the couch to watch him as he continued to check his equipment.
“Why? Are you not capable of picking out your own attire?”
Tabby grunted and leaned back on the insanely comfortable couch.
“Of course I’m capable of picking out my own attire,” she said in a mocking tone. She didn’t know if she wanted to tell Oro about Leo or Juan. Maybe he would think badly of her and change his mind about the whole mating thing. He wasn’t exactly being upfront about why he was here. All she knew was that being in this part of Arizona was dangerous territory for her, especially after she’d stolen Leo’s bike, his money, and left him.
“I’ve been told that shopping is a favorite human female pastime. This human credit card I have in my possession has an unlimited balance. You can purchase all of the attire you could ever want. Why don’t you go do that?”
“I’m supposed to be your wife or whatever. I wanted to get to know each other.” That was mostly true. Being mated to the alien did come with the expectation that they would have sex and make babies. That was pretty much the entire intent of the lottery in the first place. If she was going to be mated to this guy for the rest of her life, if she was going to have sex with him and his massive junk, she wanted to get to know him first.
“There will be time for our mating later. My inner dragon roars at me to take you now in the most obscene ways. I must concentrate on my work. It would help us both if you would vacate the premises and go buy yourself some luxurious clothing.”
Tabby huffed and shot up from the couch. Rude much? He wasn’t exactly trying very hard for a guy who traveled millions of light-years across the galaxy to mate with a human female. What a jerk.
“Fine. I’ll go shopping. Give me the damn credit card. But I want my driver to stay with me while I’m out.”
He pulled a black credit card out of his uniform from some hidden pocket or compartment and handed it to her. “Whatever you require. You are my woman now. I will claim you. You need not worry about that.”
“Who said I was worried? I just think you’re being rude, that’s all. I would think you’d be more interested after coming all the way from your home planet to find me. Who am I to judge? I’m obviously in your way.”
He looked up at her and his lips curled back, showing his sharp teeth. Had she hit a nerve? She had no idea. And right then, she really didn’t care. She was getting what she wanted out of the equation, but she had hoped that her alien mate would actually be interested in her when he got her.
Oro seemed like he couldn’t care less. Whatever the hell mission he was on was more important to him than getting to know his woman. She’d heard stories about Draconian mating. She knew these guys had “one true mate” and it was some kind of big deal to them. She was his one true mate, and here he was, totally ignoring her like some asshole human dude.
“I apologize. Between my mission, the sound of my dragon scratching inside my brain, not to mention the distracting scent of your skin, my mind is in a confused state. I must focus. If I am rude to you, please know that it is not my intention.”
“Okay, fine, whatever. I’m going shopping now. Thanks for the credit card.”
She put the card in her purse and sauntered towards the door with one last look at Oro as she opened it. Dang, that man is fine. She sucked her lip and felt her nipples tighten. If he ever got around to paying any attention to her, she knew that sparks would fly. They were already starting to fly up and down her spine, exciting her lady bits in a way she hadn’t expected. Leo never made her feel that way when she looked at him, that was for sure.
She flung open the door and closed it behind her before striding down the hallway to the elevator. She took it down to the lobby and went to the main desk where she asked the attendant for a driver and a bodyguard who could take her shopping. A few moments later, she was being guided out the front doors of the resort to a town car. The back door was held open for her by a burly man in a black suit and sunglasses. Money certainly could buy you everything. She could get used to this kind of life.
Tabby slid into the backseat and the driver closed the door. He drove her up to the main shopping district in the resort community. It was an upscale place and had many designer clothing stores. Tabby squealed with excitement as they pulled up and parked in front of the shops.
The driver opened the door for her and helped her out. They went into the first store, and Tabby was blown away by the items available on display. She could definitely get used to this. She used the driver as a clothing rack as she threw things in his arms. She watched him holding all of the dresses and jackets and pants she’d thrown at him and considered simply buying it all. Oro’s credit card had unlimited funds. She couldn’t even conceive of unlimited funds.
Then she thought better of it. She didn’t want a bunch of clothes that didn’t fit right hanging around her hotel room. Plus, trying on clothes was fun. She took the outfits and went to the fitting room. Each outfit was better than the last. And after about an hour, she had chosen several ensembles, including shoes, purses, and accessories.
The driver took her things out to the car and they went to the next shop where they bought makeup and hair supplies. After that store, they went to a salon where Tabby decided to have her hair done with all the best quality equipment from the best stylists.
When she was done there, she took a look at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a new dress. It was the same color as the vivid blue Arizona sky. She had on gold earrings and gold bangle bracelets around her wrists. She’d had her hair blown out straight, and it shimmered around her shoulders in a lighter shade of brown. She looked amazing, if she said so herself. Which she did. If Oro wasn’t impressed by this look, he must be dead.
Her driver carried everything back to the car and helped her inside. Back at the resort, valets came out to
help carry all of her packages up to her room. She used the key card to go inside and found the place empty.
Chapter 5
As soon as Tabby left, Oro took his bag of equipment out to the balcony of the hotel. Juan Norte’s compound was right across from the resort, and he had an unobstructed view from his balcony. Oro’s telescope had x-ray vision and could see through the walls of the compound. It also had a way of analyzing genetic signatures, so he could track Juan Norte’s movements.
For the first half an hour that he watched, Juan remained in a second floor room. He could see the furniture within the room and knew there were also additional men inside with him. With Oro’s stealth ability, he could shift and fly over to the compound, sneak through the window, and take Juan out in a single blow. Unfortunately, the man never seemed to be alone. Oro would have to devise a new strategy if he wanted to take this man out as soon as possible.
His inner dragon wouldn’t stay quiet, and Oro feared what would happen if he shifted before claiming his bride. If a Draconian’s mating impulse was not satisfied, he would slowly lose his mind. His dragon would deteriorate into madness from his need. Having his mating impulse begin while he was on this important mission was far from ideal. He hadn’t even had the opportunity to become fully acquainted with his woman.
After she’d left, he regretted that fact immensely. Her absence tugged at his heart and his loins. His dragon roared that he was an idiot for letting her out of his sight for an instant. What if something happened to her? She had seemed concerned for her safety and he had ignored it.
He growled. He couldn’t be distracted now. The techno-drug kingpin needed to be taken out. Millions of human lives hung in the balance. General Shin had trusted him with this important mission, and he would not fail. Even if his every thought was absorbed in the cute, curvy little woman named Tabby Wilson. Just the thought of her made him hard.
He swore in Draconian and packed up his equipment. He needed to get a closer look at the compound and take calculations of the environment and behaviors of the humans within. If things went according to plan, he would take out Juan Norte before night fell and would spend the rest of the evening with his bride. Usually, when a human was matched with a Draconian, it was required that she stay on board the armada.
Since commandos like Oro had such important missions on Earth, the rules had been bent for them. Oro hadn’t even thought about it when he had taken Tabby with him. It may have been the wrong decision. He couldn’t change it now.
At least the little woman had a comfortable place to stay. When she returned from her shopping trip, she would find him gone. He regretted that, too. There was nothing he could do to change it. He had to get a closer look at the compound so he could predict the movements of the men within. If he had a reliable opening, when Juan Norte was alone, he would swoop in and take the man out.
He hurried down the stairs and out the back exit of the resort. He circled around the exterior fence of the resort and came to a place where he had an excellent view of Juan Norte’s gated compound. The sun was beginning to tip towards the horizon, filling the sky with orange and pink hues. Earth was a lovely place that had given rise to lovely people, and it was his duty to protect both the humans and their planet.
He took out his scope and examined the compound. His target was still surrounded by half a dozen men. Even if it took him a few seconds to take out the human guards, it could give Juan the chance to enter the control code into his computers.
Draconians had been studying the effects of the techno-drugs for some time now. They knew that Juan had mind control over the people who had become addicted to his drugs. He could make them self-destruct or turn them into a zombie-like army that could take out even more innocent human lives. Oro refused to let that happen.
As the sun went down, he continued to inspect the compound, using his equipment to analyze the movements of the humans within. Even when Juan went to sleep, he had guards at his door. Seeing that the man was alone, at least within his bedroom, Oro decided that now was the time to strike.
He put his equipment away and flicked the button at the base of his neck that made his uniform contract. He was ready to shift, but checked his scope one last time. The shape of a female form opened the bedroom door and climbed into bed with the target. Damn. It was imperative that Juan be alone when Oro struck. The consequences of failing to do that were far too dire to take any chances.
He watched the man and woman through his scope for several moments. It was obvious that they were mating. The sight of it, even in his x-ray vision, reminded him of the woman who waited for him back in his own room.
Standing naked in the cool Arizona night, his cock stiffened with need at the thought of his mate. He needed to get back to her now and began the mating process. Even if he wanted to take her now, the woman’s body could not accommodate a Draconian phallus without proper preparation. She could be injured if he went too fast. That meant he had to take his time with her, slowly open her like a ripening flower, before he could shoot his seed inside her and grip her neck with his sharp teeth to give her the mating bite.
As much as he wanted to complete the mating with his human woman, it was all a distraction from his mission. He flicked the base of his neck and his uniform covered his naked flesh. Oro picked up his bag of equipment and hurried back inside the resort. A few moments later, he was striding down the hallway toward his door. What would she say when he reappeared? He had left her alone for many hours. Would she be angry or irritated? He didn’t know all that much about human women, but his Tabby had already shown her dissatisfaction with the arrangement. He did not wish to upset her any further and planned not to if it were within his power to prevent it.
He slowly pushed open the door and walked into the dimly lit living room of the suite. She was nowhere to be seen. She must have already gone to bed.
He could smell her scent permeating the space. It wrapped around the base of his skull and made his dragon scratch against the back of his eyeballs. Oro squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed his temples, trying to drown out the sound of his dragon’s screams.
He set his bag on the coffee table and slowly walked towards the bedroom door. It was closed so he pushed it open. The smell of her body hit him hard and his eyes rolled back in his head. It would take every ounce of self-control he had not to claim her now. He moved to the bed, seeing her form under the blankets.
He retracted his uniform and slid under the blanket beside her. His erection was painfully hard and throbbed angrily to be buried deep inside his woman’s wet hot softness.
He leaned towards her and took a deep breath of her neck. It was pure heaven and pure hell. It felt like a drug that would drive him mad. He ran his hand up her thigh and over her head, gripping her waist. She stirred in her sleep and turned towards him. He could see her eyes open in the dimly lit room.
“You’re back,” she said in a groggy voice.
“I’m back for you,” he growled.
Chapter 6
Tabby woke to the feeling of a hand on her body. When she came into consciousness, she realized that it was Oro touching and caressing her. His big hand felt so good on her skin. She turned to him and opened her eyes, happy to see him back.
Her body and mind buzzed with excitement and awareness of his presence. Finally, they would spend some time together. She had wanted to get to know him before they got down and dirty. But that couldn’t be helped now. If she was this Draconian guy’s one true mate, that had to mean something. Right? Maybe he was her one true mate, too.
Why not? It only made sense. Just because humans didn’t know about fated mates, didn’t mean that they didn’t exist. Maybe they did exist for humans, and humans just didn’t have the technology or the level of awareness to figure it out.
Tabby was willing to entertain the possibility that Oro was the one for her, too. She’d started this whole thing as a way to get off the planet, but she was finding the benefits of being with a Draconi
an were more than just the money. The feeling of his hand on her waist as it slowly caressed upward over the silk nightgown sent a shiver of desire through her body, and it ached in her core. That feeling alone was worth the price of admission.
“You’re back for me?” she asked. “What for? I thought you had an important mission to do.”
“Right now, my only mission is you.”
She moaned as his palm slid over her breast. Her nipple brushed against the slick satin material of her nightgown. His hand grasped her breast more tightly, pinching her taut nipple between his thumb and forefinger.
“Do you like this?” he whispered, nuzzling her neck.
“Yes,” she breathed, wrapping her arms around his neck.
He continued to palm her nipple, his lips grazing her neck. His breath puffed over her sensitive skin, hot and sensuous. Tabby’s breath caught in her throat. The very presence of Oro beside her sent her body and mind into orbit. She was up in the thermosphere with the Draconian and space armada, and she never wanted to come down. She could feel him hard beside her. His erection throbbed at her side, stiff and enormous. She ran the tips of her fingers along his shaft, his naked skin as smooth as silk.
Oro growled and gripped her neck with his sharp teeth. She cried out and thrust her pelvis toward him. His hands ran down her back and over her ass, pulling her leg up over his. He pressed his stiffness against her soft core and gripped her thigh with his big, strong hand. Slowly, he retracted his teeth and rained kisses over her neck and face with his luscious full lips. He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth, his sharp teeth pressing gently against her flesh.
She moaned and gripped his shaft, pushing down slowly to the base.Oro’s tongue darted into her mouth, sliding in and out in a sensuous rhythm. He moved his hand over her ass between her legs, rubbing her hot pussy over her nightgown.
Draconians: Complete Series (BWW Dragon Shifter Scifi Romance) Page 16