by Ava Mason
My dragon liked it, too.
God, what would it be like to have her splayed out under me, spraying my cum all over her tits, branding her with it.
We stayed that way the whole drive over, with my arm around her and Denver glaring at me. I noticed he slowed down, taking the corners softer, but he jerked to a stop when we came to the crime scene.
The mood in the car immediately switched from barely restrained anger to an anxiousness I couldn’t deny. Blaze, Denver, and I all simultaneously, unwillingly, looked towards where we’d found the dragon female. My throat went dry and I swallowed hard. Carrie must have felt the anxiety in the van notch up because she sat quietly until I pulled my arm out from around her.
She gave me a timid smile, one I didn’t return as I opened the van door.
When we got out of the van, I took a deep breath and immediately felt like gagging. Despite the body being removed and all traces of death eradicated, the stench of sorrow still hung thick in the air. It wasn’t a smell, exactly, like baked bread or rotten garbage, but pain and anguish, so thick in the air I struggled to breathe.
Carrie gave me a worried look and I forced my face neutral, pointing towards the edge of the property. “The spot’s over there.”
She hesitated, making sure I was okay, then turned towards the direction I pointed. Denver stood next to me, crossing his arms, a sneer on his face as he watched her walk carefully towards the woods. Blaze stepped up to stand on the other side of me, his face a mask of calm. We stood together as a team, The Elite, silently watching her.
Blaze was unusually silent. He was always quiet, but this time it simmered from him, barely restraining the emotions just under the surface. I opened the connection between us and a flash of rage, raw and jagged, blasted me. I sucked in a breath, trying to keep myself under control until I was able to get the wall back up between us.
Without even looking at me, he punched my shoulder hard, scowling. “Like Denver said, keep your magic shit to yourself.”
They hated it when I read their emotions, not that I blamed them. Feelings were private, and I only used my powers for work, or when it would be advantageous for me to know them. Like when I was fucking chicks.
I usually kept my walls between us guys but today felt different for some reason. I needed to know what they were feeling.
I glanced at Carrie, realizing the reason why. It was the wolf; she was making things between us different.
“Why did you suggest this place?” Denver’s voice was dull. Of course, he knew the answer. I was starting to regret that I’d suggested it, too. I didn’t like being here and neither did the others. It reminded me of the woman’s torn out throat, the blood pooling inside it. The anger we’d felt when we found her, and the helplessness when we couldn’t save her.
“The sooner she finds answers, the sooner we can put this behind us.” I crossed my arms over my chest, mirroring him. “Besides, maybe she’ll find something we missed.”
Denver huffed. “I doubt it.”
“It’s not such a big deal, Denver. It’ll be over soon and then we can look back and laugh about it.” I said.
“Or complain about how it was a colossal waste of time.”
Not answering, it was pointless to argue with him, I walked towards Carrie, who was kneeling on the ground. I was tired of arguing with Denver, and I actually wanted to help her. If we worked with her, instead of blocking her every move, maybe we could solve this together.
She pushed her fingers into the grass, staring at it. It didn’t look like she was doing much but I had the feeling she was tapping into her magic somehow.
“Blaze found a trail of magic when the body was first discovered.” I stopped next to her. “That might not be in the file.”
Carrie looked up at me. Her eyes were dark – almost black – and her lips pursed into a thin line. She cocked her eyebrow at me. “Does it look like I need your help?”
I blinked, surprised at her attitude. “I don’t know, do you?” When she didn’t answer, I continued, “I thought it would be helpful to know. Maybe you can find something he missed.”
“Is this what’s going to happen all the time? Are you going to be hovering over my shoulder telling me how to do my job?” She stood up, facing me straight on. Her shoulders were square, her chin jutted out. “Is it because I’m a woman, or a wolf?”
Despite her curves, she was short, giving her a delicate look. The top of her head reached my collar bones, if that. But she was not fragile. Her power flared, blasting into me; it was clear that she was a hell of a lot stronger than she looked. Her wolf slid behind her eyes and her skin trembled lightly as if she was about to shift.
A part of me wanted that – I wanted to see who she would become. Something in my chest drew my attention. It wasn’t anger or frustration. It wasn’t even indignation. It was my dragon, squirming under the intensity of her magic. And there was a spark, too.
I huffed. “I have no problem with women, or wolves for that matter. Only murderers or terrorists.”
“I seriously doubt that,” Carrie challenged. Her hands were balled into fists. I wanted to see her in action, to see what she would be like if she fought.
In fact, I wanted her to unleash herself on me. I imagined her lithe body moving as she defended herself, graceful and agile, but powerful and untamed. Savage. A force of nature.
Something grew between us, something urgent and hot. Heat ran up my arms and spread through my chest as soon as I acknowledged its existence. I dragged in a breath, feeling her own intensity barrel into mine, her eyes a storm unleashed.
Then she took an abrupt step back, her eyes changing, softening, and the spell broke.
I stared at her, surprised; she had conceded, pulling out of our little stand off.
“If you don’t mind, I have work I need to get back to.” Her eyes turned cold, but warmth still pulsated between us. “I would appreciate it if you’d leave me alone.”
“You know what? Do what you want.” I closed my eyes, cutting off her access to my emotions, and turned away from her, storming off. If she didn’t want my help, then that was fine with me. I didn’t need this shit.
“I certainly will,” she called out to me.
I grumbled, my voice loud enough so she could hear me. “We’ve got better things to do with our time than following a stupid bitch around. If you are going to be an ass about it, we might as well get back to things that matter.”
“Fine,” she yelled at my retreating back. “I didn’t ask for you guys to be here, it was the Queen’s orders. If you want to leave, be my guest.”
Blaze and Denver watch me approach them, amusement in their eyes.
“What was that?” Blaze asked.
“That was a spoiled little brat refusing any help because she thinks she knows better.” I leaned against the van and it moved a little, rocking on its suspension under my weight.
“I’m not even sure why you bothered.” Denver gave me a cold look.
“Shut up,” I snapped, not wanting to admit that he was right.
“At least she has nice tits. Gives us something to look at while we waste our time waiting on her.” I looked at him, knowing his crass comment was underlined with true desire. He wouldn’t meet my eyes but watched as she headed towards the treeline. “I wonder if her pussy’s hairy, like her wolf.”
“Shut up, Denver.” Even Blaze was done with his disgusting behavior.
“What?” Denver asked, going for the innocent act.
We didn’t answer him but settled against the van in silence, watching her restlessly. When their whole focus was on her, instead of me, I pressed my hand against my chest and tried to contain the heat still running through my veins. It was starting to fade and a small part of me didn’t want it to. I didn’t understand why I was so curious about her, especially since she obviously wasn’t all that interested in having me around.
I rationalized it away by admitting that what Denver said was true. She had a
hot bod, and, like I’d said before, I would give almost anything to mark that shit up. Give her a taste of my dragon, imprint myself on her. Show her wolf pack back home what a real man was like, not like those fucking tiny, primitive wolves.
I pushed that thought away. All the wolf shifters were trying to do was to clear their own name. They were making it sound like they were trying to help us, and the Queen must have fallen for it, but I couldn’t for one moment assume that the wolves were here for anything other than their own benefit.
Yep. That was it. Thinking that way about Carrie made it easier to ignore the strange warmth that didn’t seem to fade completely, no matter how hard I tried to see her as the enemy. Or the feeling that this little interruption into our lives wasn’t going to be little at all. That, in fact, it was going to change our world in ways we’d never expect.
10
Carrie
This was embarrassing. I was in way over my head. The longer the day dragged on, the more I realized how little I knew. Why did Lizzy ask me to do this and why on earth had I agreed? I felt like I had a big ticking clock over my head - we didn’t have that much longer to get the dragons in the Conference pertinent information. And I had zero new information. Absolutely nada.
If I didn’t come up with something soon, they were going to close it down and refuse to work with the wolves.
The worst part about it was that the guys were painfully aware of my ineptitude in all its glory.
I had seen it in their eyes, silently laughing at my inability to find the answers. They breathed down my neck, making suggestions that were partly helpful but thinly veiled sarcasm. Except for Denver, the man whose very presence made my body burn, but whom didn’t bother to hide his annoyance. And that smirk! It just made me want to slap it off his face!
And Blaze. The hatred in his eyes towards me was palpable, and yet, the layer beneath them was anguished. He’d avoided talking to me, even looking at me. Another set of complicated emotions and magic I didn’t understand.
I seriously believed that they hated me. I was getting in their way and they’d be happy to wash their hands free of me. It hadn’t helped that I’d blown up when Tallon had actually suggested something helpful. I was feeling pretty dumb but still trying my best do pull some magical information from the site when he’d come up to me. His presence had surprised me, and I’d snapped at him.
And then, when I’d realized that he’d actually given me some useful information, I didn’t know how to bring it back up without making an idiot of myself. I was humiliated and dreading going back out tomorrow.
Not only was it worse than that night at the club, I felt like I was letting everyone down.
The Dragons, because they had lost someone at the hands of wolves who needed to be put away. And the Wolves, because the alliance wouldn’t happen unless I found out who was behind this.
Worst of all, I’d let Lizzy down, because she trusted in me so much. And my mamá, and Hunter and Easton and their whole clan, because my finding the killer directly affected their future. Not just theirs, but the baby’s, too. Her future.
I chewed on my bottom lip, sitting on the curb outside the guest house, trying not to cry. I didn’t want to go inside and face my failure. It was too much. So I sat there and drowned in my shame, putting off the inevitable. At some point, I’d have to face up to the fact that I was a disappointment.
My phone pinged and I grabbed it, hopeful for something - a miracle, perhaps. A small smile formed on my face when I saw that it was Sawyer.
Hey Furry. My friends bore the hell out of me. The only one I actually like is out of town. What you doing?
Smiling more widely now, I texted Sawyer back. Exactly the distraction that I needed - and a great way to postpone returning to the pack.
You just read my mind. Where we going?
It didn’t take long before she replied.
Anywhere.
Great. I’m at the guesthouse.
Give me ten.
It didn’t take long before her silver bullet pulled up in front of me with Queen’s, Another One Bites the Dust, screaming over her sound system.
“I don’t usually pick up randos on the street,” she stuck her head out the window, “but for you, I’ll make an exception.”
“Yeah, well the last time some crazy person took me out, her driving nearly killed me.”
She grinned. “It’s a good thing you’re still alive, then.”
I walked around the car, climbing in and settling into the passenger seat. She wore a black tank top with black jeans, showing off the tattoos that crawled up her arms and down over the tips of her knuckles. Something about her made me comfortable. There were no expectations; I didn’t need to pretend to be better than I was or suppress my wolf.
“I’m so glad you texted me. I needed to get away from,” I waved my hand out the window, “all that.”
“No problem. And I like that you toned down the blue.”
“What?”
She nodded her head at me. “The eyeshadow.”
“Oh, I probably just rubbed some of it off.”
“Well, it looks better.”
I let out a puff of air. “Whatever.”
She looked away and gunned her engine. “Where to?”
“The moon,” I sighed.
Sawyer snorted. “You know that sounds pathetic, right?”
Groaning, I leaned my head back against the headrest, closing my eyes. “Today, I get to be pathetic.”
Sawyer laughed. “Fine, we’ll get a drink. You sound like you need it.”
“Alcohol isn’t going to fix this.” I pouted.
“Neither will milk.”
I snorted. “Did you just call me a baby?”
She shrugged. “If the shoe fits.” The car jerked forward as she floored it, tires squealing as we turned out onto the road. Eyes bright, Sawyer popped her bubblegum as we weaved through the city. I laughed, enjoying myself this time, as she flicked someone off.
We stopped at Crosby’s again.
“Yeah?” she nodded at it.
“Why not?” I unbuckled my seat belt. “If they don’t like me there, so what?”
“That’s the spirit, Furry.”
The bar was a little different in the early evening. Smoke billowed in clouds near the roof like a mirage and I wondered if it was a dragon thing. I glanced around; there was only one guy smoking a cigar at the bar. Neon lights flickered, casting an eerie blue glow over the place, even though the soft light from the setting sun streamed through the windows. The dance floor was empty, littered with scattered tables, and a group of laughing women took up the one in the center.
We settled on a booth in the corner and Murray strode out as soon as we sat down, his mohawk a bright orange this time.
“The usual, Murray, my man,” Sawyer said.
I groaned. “Can we not do tequila right now?”
“Don’t be stupid, tequila isn’t my daytime usual. It’s beer. What are you having?”
“The same,” I said, not really sure what I wanted. I didn’t drink a lot, not anymore, so I’d take whatever she had. Murray nodded, striding off, and I looked out the window next to our booth, thinking about what had happened earlier. About how I’d failed so spectacularly.
“So? Lay it on me.” Sawyer leaned back, spreading her arms out across the seat of the booth and quirked her eyebrow up. Her hair was combed back rather than to the side, making her face seem sharper.
“Why do you think I need to unpack?” I forced a myself to relax.
“Because no one agrees to Crosby’s during the day if they’re fine.”
I didn’t even try to respond to that. She had brought me here and she had a daytime usual.
The beer arrived as if on cue. Sawyer took a long sip of hers. I looked at the foamy, dark amber liquid and took a tentative sip. It was bitter and I wasn’t sure if I liked it. I took another sip, and another.
“Carrie.” She kicked me under the table. “T
ell me.”
I groaned. “Fine.” I took a deep breath and told her everything. What I was supposed to do, how I’d failed so spectacularly, how much of an idiot I was and that I wasn’t cut out for the job. That the guys hated me. That I could be responsible for not saving the alliance.
“It’s a lot of pressure,” I finished, realizing that Sawyer hadn’t said a word the whole time. She’d only nodded thoughtfully, carefully listening. When I was done, she ran her finger around the rim of her glass, a contemplative look on her face.
“Seems to me like you can handle it.”
“How so?”
“Because Lizzy seems to trust you to do this. Just because you started out wrong, doesn’t mean you can’t figure it out. If I had such a big thing riding on the outcome of this whole mess, I wouldn’t ask someone incompetent to take care of it. You’ll be fine.”
I thought about how much stronger Denver’s powers were compared to mine. “What if I’m not, though?” Even my own voice sounded small to my ears.
She leaned forward, her eyes so intent on mine that I couldn’t look away. “You are. Lizzy sees something in you that you don’t see in yourself. Hell, even I can feel it. You have strong magic, and I don’t just mean your wolf powers. You’ve got something else in you, don’t you?”
I swallowed hard. “My mom is a witch.”
She nodded, her face serious. “I knew it. I could feel it. Hell, everyone could feel it.”
I laughed her comment away, waving my hand at her. “Stop.”
“I’m serious.”
I crossed my arms across my chest, raising my eyebrow. “Except that when I tried to zap Denver with my powers, he basically brushed them off like a mosquito.”
“Yeah, but that’s Denver; he’s powerful in his own right. Probably all that energy he sucks up from everyone else.”
I grinned, taking a sip of my beer to hide how pleased her comment made me. Both the one about my power, and the dig at Denver.
“Besides,” she continued, “he probably just threw you off your game.”
“Are you serious?” I wasn’t sure if she was making fun of me.
“Yes! Why else do you think everyone was staring at you?”