by Celeste Raye
"We'll hear it all and sort out the difference later. Are you up for questioning? We don't really have any time to let you get better."
Belle and Blayze sat down with James and David to see what could be gotten from a confused, damaged mind. Daer stood in the back just in case Blayze needed medical intervention.
"The last time we were together, before this nightmare started, was in the bar. Do you recall that night?" Belle asked.
"We danced. You smelled nice. We kissed, then you ran."
Belle blushed. She didn't enjoy her coworkers hearing about her love life. "What did you do after I left?"
"I went outside. Maybe I was trying to catch up with you. I am not certain. Men were there. They stopped me from transforming, using a tranquilizer I think. I woke up in a moving vehicle and heard them talking. I pretended to sleep."
"Did they say anything important?"
"It was as if they were far away. I heard broken sentences that I pieced together after I was released. They were careful to be sure I was the correct weredragon. I did not know why it mattered until the oil rig. They mentioned Russia and Kuwait, something about locked and loaded. Weapons, maybe?"
"Weredragons destroyed oil rigs in Russia. One was stopped in Kuwait. Another never showed up," Belle explained.
Blayze's frown eased. "Okay, that makes sense. They used the words, biologic, contaminated, drugged, and tech inside heads. It adds up to what you know."
"Yes, it does. Did you overhear anything else?"
"One was afraid of dying. He imagined a weredragon breathing the contaminant out and killing him. He was going to leave. The other one said there was nowhere to hide. I do remember his exact words, 'If he wants us dead, we will be.'"
"If your theory is correct, then that fits," James declared.
"You still have doubts?" Belle replied. "Whatever. What's next, Blayze?"
"Bright lights, locked down, cannot move, and lots of pain," he answered. "Time lost meaning. Then, I was moved again. They dumped me on the beach. I still could not move, so I stared at the sky and thought of flying. I was so sick. I crawled and found a dirty towel and some water. It may have been a dream. I wanted you to come and save me, so it must have been a dream."
"How did you get home?"
"A man and boy on the beach spoke to me. He gave me money for transport. It was not enough. I used my handprint to pay."
"Your neighbor told us how awful you looked and that you were acting very different," Belle told him.
"All I felt was pain, anger, and frustration. It was mostly anger. I did not wish to be bothered. I saw myself in the mirror. I was different. My hair was long, and there was a beard. I imagined I had been gone a long time. I cleaned up. The COM link went off. It was my coworkers. They wondered where I was. The helicopter to the oil rig was waiting. They were angry. I wanted to find you, but they would not wait. I went to the roof and transformed. It felt so wonderful. I wanted to celebrate my freedom with dragon fire. There was instant pain when I thought about it, every time I considered it in fact. Seeing the men made the anger worse. A voice in my head said, 'Your work companions wish you dead.' I believed it. I thought I was going crazy. I heard the same voice all the time. It repeated over and over, 'Your life is mine to command. Obey, or I will destroy you.' Am I crazy?"
"No, it was part of the programming. There was a recording in the implant as well. It was meant to remind you of your duty."
"I wanted to kill. I am ashamed of that. Friendship turned to hatred. I would have killed my coworkers if not for implant. Why did it stop me if that was the plan?" Blayze asked.
"Timing. They had chosen a specific time and place to enter a code. When the CIA swarmed the rig, they had to improvise. To keep you from being caught, they entered the code early. You didn't obey. You were stronger than the power of the implant."
"I could not allow you to see me kill. You are the only reason I fought. If you had not arrived and called out to me, I would be dead."
Belle had known he had fought because of her, yet it was a jolt to her heart to hear him actually say the words. "I'm so sorry I didn't get to you sooner. I wanted to save you before they captured you again. Please, forgive me for being so slow."
"None of it was your doing. You have been on our side from the beginning. You came for me. I was told you were the one who came to my cell. I knew your scent, but the face did not match. I am sorry I tried to kill you. I would have if you looked like you. I do not remember much of that time, just fresh air, blue sky, and hatred."
"It's perfectly understandable. I can't believe you remember as much as you do, considering the damage they did."
"Even I am surprised at how well he is doing," Daer replied from the shadows. "I feared he would be more aggressive and forget almost everything in recent times. He is stronger and more resilient than any I have seen. Condor and Promesus have blanks in their memory, more so than Blayze. It is nothing short of a miracle."
''I want to be there when the plan is executed. I can recognize the voice on the recording. If it is your president, I can be living proof."
"You're not ready. I can't risk you again, Blayze. My heart can't take it," Belle admitted.
"I cannot remain behind. My sanity is involved. I must face the voice in my head or lose myself. I am barely hanging on now. Please, Belle, let me save myself."
She couldn't deny him. She wanted him whole and well. "If Daer says it's alright, then I'll okay it."
"With your guidance, he should be fine. Keep him at your side. You seem to soothe his new anxieties," Daer replied. "He knows what he needs."
With everyone's nerves on edge, Belle decided to give herself and Blayze a reprieve. She made a picnic basket and commandeered one of Shark's simpler transports. She drove them down a nearly nonexistent trail to the farthest corner of the ranch. The pond, which was surrounded by the trees whose branches sagged toward the ground, was where she had splashed and played as a child. It was shallow and quiet.
She could see the strain leave Blayze's face the moment he saw their destination. Before she had the picnic unpacked, he was at the edge of the pond declaring, "Here I can try to transform."
"That's not a good idea. Your surgery was only yesterday, and your heart stopped. Give it some time. You’re welcome back here after all this is over. I don't have anywhere else to go. I don't have a job at the moment."
"I do not expect you to understand, but I cannot wait. I must prove to my soul that I am still a weredragon. I have fear in my heart that I will not be able to become my true self. The longer I wait to try, the more the fear takes over. I must do this and use dragon fire as well. I must become whole."
"You're enough as you are. Don't you get that? I fell in love with the man, not the weredragon," she argued.
He smiled sadly and replied. "They are one and the same. The man you love does not exist without the dragon. I am only a shell waiting to be filled. Let me bring back who I once was."
"If you can't, what happens?"
"You may not like the new man that fills this body. There is little happiness in this form, and the aggression is only sleeping," he said, trying to make her understand.
"I don't really understand what you're saying. I see the same man I love, the one who fought against the anger and pain. You're right here. I don't see aggression. I see calm. You came back at my urging. I know you care. I need you to stay alive," she begged.
"Then allow me to be who I am. Let me come back to you fully. I feel something for you, but it can be so much more when the fear is gone."
Belle couldn't deny him that right. If he needed to transform to rid himself of the demons left in his head from the mind control, then he should be allowed to risk it. She would do the same if she felt that empty. "Okay, do it. Whatever happens, I'll love you."
He stepped into the pond, wishing it was a Talonian waterfall. Its energy would have eased him through the fear and doubt. With the water over his ankles and plenty of room between him
and Belle, he summoned the dragon within. His sandy hair sparkled in the sunlight. For a moment, he imagined pain was overtaking his head, but it subsided. It took extra concentration to make his brain function. Slowly, his skin shimmered. It changed to a burnt-orange hue. He grimaced as scales appeared. Gritting his teeth, he forced his body to continue the transformation.
Belle was awed by his strength of will and determination. She watched him grow and change, becoming the mighty weredragon. His wings sent a breeze her way, one so strong she was forced to hang on to the transport. His big head turned to look at her before he rose into the sky. She marveled at his gracefulness and how smoothly he moved through the air. She saw joy in his movements, and when he let out a burst of dragon fire, she could feel his soul heal. He remained airborne for a long while. She knew in her heart that once he landed, he would be whole. The demons would have been expelled, and he would have the freedom he craved.
He flew over her, almost touching her with his wings. If dragons could smile, then he was. He dipped his claws in the water and soared straight up toward the clouds. He did a flip and came down like a rocket, slowing as he grew near. He landed right where he'd begun. The dragon stood still for endless moments, unwilling to let go.
"Please, come back to me," Belle asked of him. He seemed to bow and assure her he would.
Blayze came toward her, his eyes shining. She saw in them what she hadn't realized was missing. The fire behind his pupils was raging. She should have noticed its absence. Without speaking, he swept her off her feet. The kiss he planted on her willing lips spoke of the longing and need he had carried inside all these weeks. She returned it with her own suppressed desire.
He stood her on the ground, his forehead pressed to hers and their bodies touching. "I dreamed of you," he declared. "You were always there in my mind, just out of reach. I called out to you. On the beach, it was you I begged to save me. It was you I wanted to come to for an explanation of what was happening to me. I do not think I could have harmed you, even if the implant burned through my brain. I loved you all this time. That is why I remained sane. Thank you for giving me my life back."
"You did that yourself. I didn't truly understand until I saw you up there. The joy came back, and I had been too wrapped up in the problems to notice it was gone. I think I felt your soul healing. It was a revelation. I now know you were right. You had to risk it. The fire is in your eyes once more. You couldn't give or receive love the way you were. Welcome back to your life, Blayze."
"May I share the love I am feeling with you? I did not ask in the bar, and you ran. I will not take that risk again. If you are not ready, I will wait. Patience is something I learned during this ordeal."
"I have yet to learn that lesson. I dreamed of you too. It was all about what could have happened if I'd stayed that night. The dream was fantastic, but I want to experience the real thing. Make love to me, cowboy."
14
Belle
She felt his hands tremble as they circled her arms. Gently, Blayze tugged her closer. His eyes became burning pools of desire. The heat from his body spread through her limbs. He lowered his head in slow motion: a gesture meant to convey patience and the fact that Belle could stop this at any time. She went up on her tippy-toes to meet him. When their lips finally met, flames ignited.
Belle melted into his embrace. The regrets that had clung to her since fleeing turned to ashes. This kiss held the same passion he had expressed that night, yet more emotions were added. With the desire came honesty, understanding, maturity, possessiveness, and a deep abiding love. His lips were slow, hot, and indulgent. She felt cherished and adored.
Her hands circled his neck, found his pulse, and knew it quickened for her alone. Parting her lips, she breathed in his warmth and asked him to deepen the kiss without words. He made an unintelligible sound as his tongue slid into the opening.
His big hands followed her curves, discovering their secrets and memorizing the path. His touch wasn't hurried or demanding. It was a slow dance, inciting need and stoking the fire. Soon, she was enveloped in his arms. Her softer body plastered to his muscular one. She was so much smaller than Blayze, but they still fit perfectly together. Perhaps it was due to the fact that her feet were no longer on the ground. He had lifted her to meet his kisses. One of his hands was under her round bottom, holding her aloft. To ease his burden, she wrapped her legs around his waist.
He moaned into her mouth. Two steps and they were under the shelter of the trees. A thick patch of grass made for a soft-landing place as he laid her down. Belle refused to let go of her grasp of his neck. She pulled him down on top of her. He balanced on his powerful arms, making sure not to crush her with his weight. Her fingers traced his rugged face, noting the changes pain and stress had wrought. Reverently, she touched the stitches on his head and asked, "Are you certain you're well enough to continue?"
He smiled softly and replied, "I am certain I would die if I did not." He bent to give attention to her neck. Giving in, Belle let her hands roam over his skin. She was amazed to find no hint of the scales he had worn just minutes earlier. There was no indication of where the wings had sprung from. His chest was a marvelous mass of muscles, and his abdomen still sported a six-pack, despite his torments.
While she wandered over his body, he had managed to shove her t-shirt up and unclasp the delicate lace beneath. He grew still and gazed down at her, mesmerized. He wet his lips, as though anticipating a tasty morsel. The hunger in his gaze made her squirm. She arched, lifting her torso in invitation. When his lips surrounded a plump nipple and gently sucked it, she lost all her inhibitions. Grabbing him by the hair, unheeding of his injury, she forced him to remain in place until her body gave her release from the pressure. She shook and convulsed as it came.
Belle was shocked by how easily he had brought her to the finish line, but she craved more. She wanted to have his body joined with hers, feel his need deep inside, and give him pleasure to replace all his bad memories. Her hands shifted between them, unbuttoning the jeans he had hastily donned after his flight. Once they were loosened, her palms gripped his backside and felt his hard muscles tense as she squeezed. She helped him wriggle out of the pants and heard his sigh when his stiff member was no longer trapped in the tight denim.
Glancing down, seeing his large, swollen desire, she could feel her own body respond. The tension built inside her and she wouldn't last long. She tried to undo her own jeans but fumbled it in her haste. Blayze brushed her hands aside and did it for her. He whispered, "Slow, my love. We have waited a lifetime. Savor it."
His words and tone reached something inside her, perhaps her soul. She was hypnotized. Her muscles relaxed, and the urgency fled. Raising her hips, she allowed him to ease her jeans completely off. He began worshiping her body at her toes, nibbling on them before moving upward. As his tongue grazed the underside of her knee, she giggled, and he grinned. He teased her, lavishing the inside of her thighs with attention, yet ignoring the prize at the apex.
Belle tried to entice him to touch her where she most wanted it by spreading her legs. He didn't take the bait, although she knew he stared intently at the soft, swollen outer lips. She was bare; not even one red curl covered the tempting sight. His hot breath made her shiver as it hit the dampness. To her dismay, that was all the attention it got. He moved back up to her mouth. She whimpered.
"I will give your beautiful softness what it deserves at a later time," he soothed her. "I need to feel you surround me, join our hearts and souls. I wish to make you mine for eternity. Will you consent to be my mate?"
Belle's heart rejoiced. She wanted this man forever. There would be obstacles to overcome and the question of who's planet to call home. None of it mattered. Wherever Blayze chose to be, she would be home. "I give my heart and soul to you freely. Make me yours forever."
She could tell that Blayze took this joining very seriously. This wasn't lust. It was love and a lifetime commitment. The Talonian ceremony would be a fo
rmality to announce their love to others. This moment in time was the real mating. There would be no going back.
"My soul melds with yours as our bodies complete the joining. It is my heart's desire that makes it so. Every weredragon has his own way of committing and mating. This is mine." His stiff, hot staff pushed gently at her opening. She grew bold and reached down to guide him, drawing her knees up to make it easier. Inch by inch he went deeper. Her eyes widened as the tension built. He was sweating, and Belle was panting by the time he was sunk to the hilt.
He froze in place for a moment, his face contorted with the effort to hold off his release. In control once more, he pulled out halfway and then impaled her again. He moved faster and faster each time. The blood rushed from Belle's head, pooling in her core. She was throbbing, so close to release it hurt. She used the one word he couldn't resist, "Please."
He thrust as deep as he could, using his thumb to put pressure on the nub that would set her free. She screamed as the end finally arrived, lasting a virtual lifetime. Blayze filled her with his seed, as hot as lava from a volcano. He shuddered and declared, "Mine, all mine."
Afterward, she laid in his arms content to bask in his love. Blayze slept briefly; he had overextended himself by transforming, flying, and making love so soon after surgery. Belle was watching his handsome face as he slumbered when he suddenly tensed. He cried out, the nightmare becoming too real for him to stand. He jerked away, dropping Belle to the ground. He stood as if ready to fight. His chest heaved, and he shouted, "Never!"
Belle was shocked by his outburst. She knew he was still dreaming and she needed to wake him quickly before the violence escalated. Should he use dragon fire, he might accidentally scorch her. She knew better than to touch him. He was so big, strong, and angry it would end badly. He would never forgive himself if he harmed her.
Calling out, she said, "Blayze, you're free! You're safe. Feel the wind. Smell the water. I'm here. Wake up, my love!"