Draconians: Complete Series (BWW Dragon Shifter Scifi Romance)

by Grove, Scarlett

  “Why did you hold back?” she asked. “I was ready,”

  “Not yet. I won’t claim you yet. I won’t hurt you.”

  “You’re being so careful, Oro. I want you.”

  She slid forward in the water and ran her hands up his wet chest. He sank to his knees and took her in his arms, kissing her gently on the lips.

  “I never thought I would feel like this.”

  “I never imagined I would have a woman like you.”

  They held each other in the warm water and Oro stroked her hair. She could feel his heartbeat under her cheek. His hard chest curved against her face.

  “It’s so much better than I expected,” she whispered.

  Chapter 8

  When they woke the next day, Tabby rolled out of bed and put her robe on. She smelled the scent of frying bacon coming from the kitchen. Excited to see Oro cooking, she hurried through the bedroom door and into the kitchen.

  He was still wearing the ridiculous khaki pants and button-down shirt look, but this time the shirt was pink. Tabby giggled as she slid into the stool pushed up against the bar, facing Oro in the kitchen. He slid eggs and bacon onto a plate with toast, and pushed it towards her with a cup of coffee.

  “When did you learn to cook human food?” she asked.

  “On the way over from Draconia we were required to study human culture, anatomy, and relationships. Cooking your food was one of the many skills we acquired during the long trip.”

  Tabby dug into her breakfast. It was a simple meal but expertly prepared and delicious. She groaned as she ate her eggs and then took a bite of toast.

  “So what is the plan for today?” she asked, hoping that they were going to spend the day together instead of being left alone in this strange little house in the suburbs.

  “I must complete my mission today,” he said, dishing up his own breakfast. He sat beside her on a stool and began to eat, his eyes focused on the granite countertop as if he were deep in thought.

  “I was hoping we would spend some time together today,” she said. This had all started out as a way for her to get off of Earth and to have all of the things that she felt she deserved. Now, it felt more important to spend time with Oro. Every day, she had a stronger connection to him. Every time they held each other, she wanted him more.

  Leo hadn’t exactly been a good boyfriend, but she knew how attached she had been to him, especially in the beginning. Her feelings for Oro were already stronger than any feelings she’d ever had for Leo.

  It was strange and exhilarating to think that she could actually love someone, especially the person who was so absolutely committed to her in every way.

  “There will be time for that later. Now, I must leave you.”

  “But how will I get a hold of you if I need you?” she asked, feeling worried and abandoned. Oro pulled a small device out of his uniform and handed it to her. She flipped it over and realized it was a cellphone.

  “My contact information is programmed into this cellphone. If you need me, just call or text, and I will come right away.”

  “Okay,” she said hesitantly. She was beginning to believe that Oro was here to take out Juan Norte. That idea scared her more than a little. Juan was Leo’s boss. Leo was a brutal, ruthless man. But next to Juan, Leo looked gentle and kind.

  “What is your mission?” she asked again in a low voice.

  “I told you, it’s classified.”

  “Oro. I think I know why you’re here.”

  “What do you mean?” He slid out of the stool and looked down at her. He towered above her small form, his eyes dark and hooded. Tabby bit her lip and looked away.

  “Before we met, before I entered the lottery, I was involved with this guy.” She couldn’t meet Oro’s gaze. She didn’t want to tell him about Leo. It almost felt like she’d been unfaithful, even though that was ridiculous. She glanced at his face to see the jealousy burning in his dark irises.

  “What about this guy?”

  “He saved me from the poverty of the ghetto where I grew up. Both my parents got hooked on the techno-drugs after the Draconian technology leak. That stuff is everywhere now. Taken over whole parts of cities. Arizona is drowning in it. There are people who are willing to take advantage of the weaknesses of others. This guy who saved me from the ghetto, he just happened to be the guy supplying all the drugs.”

  “Who is this man? What is his name?”

  “His name is Leo Hendrix.”

  Oro crossed his arms and looked thoughtful for a moment. He nodded and frowned. “Why are you telling me this now?” he finally said.

  “Because you told me that you are here to take down a major criminal in the area. Leo’s boss was Juan Norte. I know you are here to take him down.”

  Oro’s eyes grew wide. He put his hands on his hips, staring down at her. He heaved a sigh and turned away, shaking his head. Slowly he turned back to her, a determined expression on his face.

  “Since you already know, I don’t see any reason to keep it from you. I’ve been tracking Juan Norte for the past several days. It is my mission to take him out through stealth. I must catch him alone to prevent him from using the computer codes he has that would enable him to control all of the people who are addicted to the techno-drugs. He would have an army of addicts, willing to obey his every command.”

  “What?” Tabby said, disgusted and appalled. “I knew it was bad, but I had no idea it was that bad.”

  “It may be even worse than that if I can’t get Juan alone. If I have to attack without the element of surprise, it will give him the opportunity to dispatch the code only he knows. He could cause them to self-destruct or he could cause them to attack. It’s a worst-case scenario the Draconians want to avoid at all costs.”

  “I can see why.”

  “You said that you knew of this man. Do you have any insight into his movements?” Oro gave her a hopeful look but then his expression turned skeptical. The truth was, she didn’t really know anything about Juan Norte’s routines.

  “I don’t. I’ve never even met Juan. But I know that Leo works for him. I know he’s a bad dude. He’ll kill and torture people for fun. I’ve heard the stories.”

  “What about this Leo character? What is his relationship to Juan Norte?”

  “Leo is the leader of one of Juan’s districts. He oversees the drug distribution in Phoenix.”

  “When does Leo meet with Juan?”

  Tabby thought for a moment about Leo’s schedule and routine. Leo usually left on Mondays and wasn’t back until the next morning.

  It’s possible that he visits Juan on Mondays.”

  “It’s Monday today.”

  “I’ve lost track of time,” she said. She had lost track of time. The days with Oro sped by in a daze of pleasure and excitement. He had provided such a comfortable atmosphere for her that it was easy for her to forget herself. It was easy to forget that she was still in Arizona and in Leo’s territory. It was easy for her to forget how much danger she was still in.

  “Leo has access to Juan. And you have access to Leo.”

  “What are you thinking?”

  He shook his head, seeming to reconsider. “No, I can’t put you in that kind of danger.”

  “I’m a tough girl. I want to help. Want to help you. The sooner we get this done with, the sooner we can be together.”

  Tabby was surprised by the words coming out of her mouth. All she had wanted a few days ago was to get as far away from Leo as she possibly could. Space, if that’s what it took. She was so close to being free of him forever, and yet now, she was willing to put herself back in the lion’s den to help Oro with his mission.

  Oro was a Draconian warrior of the highest order. Why would he ever need her help? But the idea that a man like him needed her help on an important mission sent a hot thrill down her spine. It settled in her core and tingled there. She wanted to help her mate in any way she could.

  “If I turn myself in to Leo today, he’ll have no ch
oice but to take me to Juan’s. I can get access to Juan and signal you when we’re alone.”

  “It’s too dangerous. I’ll never put my mate in that kind of danger. That is the end of it. Don’t mention it again. Now, I have to go. Stay inside. Lock the door. Stay safe. If you need anything, anything at all, call me with your cellphone. I will return immediately.”

  Tabby was disappointed. But it wasn’t like she hadn’t expected him to say that. He had traveled across the universe to find his mate. Having her was a once in a lifetime opportunity for him. It would be kind of stupid to put her in danger, at least from his point of view. She still wanted to help though.

  He leaned down and cupped her chin in his hand, tilting her face up towards him to kiss. He planted his full lips on hers, stealing a soft moan from her throat.

  “Do you have to leave?” she asked, wanting to go back into the bedroom and finish what they’d started. She was ready to let him claim her. He was being so careful, it just made her want him more.

  “Yes.”

  “All right,” she said breathlessly when he let her go. “I’ll stay inside.”

  “I may not be back before dark,” he said. He kissed her forehead and squeezed her hand before turning towards the front door. When he opened the door, he turned to her and reminded her to lock herself inside. She agreed and watched him walk away. The door clicked closed and she was alone.

  Chapter 9

  Tabby was getting tired of being alone all the time. She wasn’t the kind of girl who was used to sitting at home and doing nothing. Even when she was with Leo, she had a lot of social interaction with his gang and the other people in his environment.

  She was always going to parties on his arm and being shown off to his friends. Now, she felt completely useless sitting here waiting for Oro to come back. He could be in danger. Anything could happen to him, and she would have no idea.

  She sat on the couch in front of the TV and tried to distract herself. That didn’t last very long. The more she tried to distract herself, the more useless she felt. She had to do something, and she had to do something now. An idea popped into her head. The more she thought about it, the more she thought that it was exactly what she needed to do.

  Oro might be pissed that she did it. He’d strictly forbidden her from helping with his mission. Even so, Tabby had to do what she thought was best for herself and for her relationship with her alien boyfriend.

  She wanted him to know that she was a take action kind of girl, and she wasn’t going to sit around and take a backseat for the rest of her life. Even if she was meant to have his babies and live in a spaceship, she was still Tabby Wilson.

  She stood from the couch and started pacing back and forth in front of the big screen TV. She continued thinking about her plan, considering the details. When she finally got up the nerve, she decided it was time. She pulled her cellphone out of her purse and dialed the phone number she didn’t think she would ever dial again.

  “Tabby, where the hell have you been? Where the hell is my bike?” Leo said.

  “I had to sell it. I was wrong to leave. I want to pay you back for the motorcycle and for all the pain I’ve caused you. I never should have left. I really want you to come get me.”

  “Where are you?”

  She gave him directions to a nearby coffee shop where she could meet him. She didn’t want to give away Oro’s mission or the location of their hideout. If she could convince Leo to take her to Juan’s compound, she could get Juan alone and then contact Oro.

  She didn’t think there was anything wrong with her plan. In fact, she thought it was an excellent plan. She’d never done this kind of thing before, but she decided that she would be the perfect spy. Even if Oro would be pissed at her, eventually he would see that she was right all along. Hell, maybe he’d even include her in his missions in the future.

  She arranged to meet Leo in an hour at the coffee shop. As the time for the meeting approached, she became more nervous. Maybe it wouldn’t work. Maybe it had been a mistake to call him. Too bad, she told herself. It was too late to back out now.

  She put her purse over her shoulder and headed out of the house. She hoped Oro wouldn’t come back before she had a chance to corner Juan in his compound. Tabby walked on the sidewalk of the suburban street and made her way into a little business district where there were restaurants and shops. She went into a little café and ordered a coffee.

  So many places had been completely devastated by the economic recession. The neighborhood where she’d grown up had been almost entirely taken over by techno-drugs and addiction. But neighborhoods like this one seemed to have come through the economic downturn unscathed. She had to admit, it kind of pissed her off.

  She had seen so many people destroyed by the greater disparity between rich and poor that the Draconians’ new technology had created on Earth. To see that there were enclaves of society that had barely been touched just made the devastation of her own family and environment even more painful.

  She knew a lot of people who resented the Draconians for what they had done. But she knew that it wasn’t really their fault. Technology was just technology. It was what human society and culture did with the technology that had caused the problems. The problems had already been there to begin with. The technology had just accentuated and accelerated the pace of social and environmental collapse already on its way.

  At least it hadn’t turned into some kind of crazy apocalypse or some dark dystopia. Although, some parts of the country and the world definitely were experiencing dystopian qualities. None of that was the Draconians fault. From what she knew, the aliens were doing absolutely everything they could to repair the damage and bring the human race to a better place for all.

  Tabby was actually really glad to be a part of it. She’d never considered herself an idealist. She wasn’t the kind of person who protested out in the streets. She just wanted a comfortable, nice life, like anybody else. It wasn’t like she was blind to what was going on. Her own life had been screwed up by the Draconians’ arrival, just like so many other people’s had.

  Tabby sipped her coffee and waited at the table, her heart beating more quickly with each passing moment. She had never wanted to see Leo again. Seeing him sleep with another girl in her own bed, and slapping her for coming into the room, had really been the last straw. That guy was an asshole. He never deserved her.

  A few moments later, a familiar form stood in the doorway of the café. Leo was dressed in a designer suit with aviator sunglasses over his dark eyes and angular face.

  Anxiety shot up her spine and clenched in her stomach. What the hell was she doing? This had been a stupid thing to do just because she was bored. No turning back now, she had to see this thing through.

  “Tabby Wilson, you little bitch. I should smack you down right here for taking my motorcycle. You know that thing was worth forty grand, right?”

  “Forty grand?” She hadn’t been aware that it was worth forty thousand dollars. If she had been, she would’ve tried to sell it, stolen or not.

  “How much did you get for it?” he said, sliding into the chair across from her.

  He pulled his sunglasses away from his eyes and looked straight into hers. His pupils were pinpoints, and she knew that he had been taking the techno-drugs. Leo had become more and more involved in his own product.

  It was a dangerous downward spiral that led to complete immersion into the virtual world. People spent their entire lives hooked up to the system, having sex with virtual sex bots and doing lines of virtual cocaine. They felt every nuance of the environment, and it completely overtook the addicts’ lives.

  “Like a thousand dollars,” she said, smirking.

  “A thousand dollars? You’ve got to be kidding me. What the hell is wrong with you?”

  “You betrayed me, Leo. What did you expect me to do?”

  It was true, he had betrayed her. She stopped to think whether or not she would’ve left if that instance had never h
appened. Maybe she wouldn’t have left then, but she would’ve left eventually.

  Tabby had grown tired of the whole scene a long time ago. She knew she deserved more out of life, and she was going to get it. Oro had shown her exactly what she deserved, and she didn’t intend to ever go back to being treated so poorly.

  “Tabby, you know you’re my number one girl, right?” He gave her one of his winning smiles, showing his bright white teeth. Tabby decided to play along and slid her hands across the table to grasp his.

  “Of course I do, Leo. We’ve been through so much together. You’ve done so much for me. I can never pay you back for that.”

  “You have to pay me back for my motorcycle.” The way he looked at her made her nervous. What the hell was he even talking about? How could she ever pay him back for the motorcycle? “I have to go to Juan Norte’s compound today. You’re coming with me. I intend to collect your debt.”

  The suggestion that she had to pay him back the forty grand for the motorcycle frightened her, especially with the look on his face.

  “Whatever you need, baby. I’m here for you,” she said. She delivered the words with impeccable acting skill, but they tasted like ashes in her mouth. After spending the last several days with Oro, and experiencing just how wonderful and kind a man could be, the more she realized how much she hated Leo. He was a horrible person. He cheated on her, did drugs, hurt her. He practically kept her prisoner as his sex slave. Maybe it wasn’t like that on the surface, but it was certainly like that underneath.

  She followed him out to his SUV and got in the passenger seat. This was getting really intense and she had to keep herself calm if she was going to pull it off. She put herself into the lion’s den, without Oro’s permission. This whole setup was supposed to help him with his mission. But Oro had forbidden her from doing it at all. As she drove in the car with Leo, she chastised herself inside her mind for being so impulsive and dumb.