City of Dragons: Blood Bonds

by Adrienne Wilder

  The imagery made him grin.

  “I am disappointed in you, colonel. I arrange to have the package delivered to your feet and you are not there to accept it.”

  It was Dobson’s turn to take his time in answering. He reached inside his inner pocket, pulled out one of his cheap stand-in cigars, and stuck it in his mouth. “Look, if we’re going to work together on this, you’ve got to stop trying to run the show.”

  “Oh, but colonel, I do run the show.” She laughed, and it was an abnormal sound. “You have Texas because of me. You have Niles Fury because of me. And you almost had her ... because of me.”

  Bitch. Dobson was going to enjoy watching the Queen die. Maybe he’d call her up and put it on speaker phone. Record it. Too bad there wasn’t a way to TiVo the event. That’s the kind of thing a man would like to sit down to at night when he’s giving himself a little hand action.

  He said, “Well, it didn’t work out. Now what?”

  “You can tell me ‘thank you’.”

  Man, he hated these games. “May I ask for what?”

  “You may ask.”

  Silence. Shit. Goddamn it. “Okay, what do I owe the thanks for?”

  “You have another chance.”

  Okay, now he was getting pissed off. He turned away from the viewing window because the Male was giving him the creeps. “A chance for what?”

  The Female’s voice lowered with a hiss. It sounded weird coming out of a Human mouth, pushed by Human vocal cords. Even in bipedal shapes, Kin still had a range of pitch and tone that Humans couldn’t duplicate. “Haley was in the Dens. I do believe that qualifies as extreme violations?”

  An odd kind of giddiness built in Dobson’s gut. “Tell me.”

  “Farley was ... how shall we put it ... detained? According to my sources, Haley was denied clearance.”

  Of course she would be denied clearance. The Bureau was not about to risk her going into the Dens and never coming out. Queen dragons were known for their ability to be very persuasive either by scaring you to death or fucking with your head.

  “What else,” Dobson asked, because sure as shit that wasn’t all of it!

  “I have a request.” The tone in her voice made his bowels cramp. The bitch never made a request; she gave orders and delivered threats.

  She was up to something.

  He said, “Let me hear it and I’ll think about it.”

  A growl licked over the receiver. This far away Dobson wasn’t afraid of her. She needed him as much as he needed her. And that arrangement would change, as soon as the virus was airborne.

  She said, “I need Niles Fury to stay alive.”

  “For what?” He’d already thought of that. But if he wanted to keep Niles Fury for himself, he was going to have to die on schedule at his execution. It was the only way to make him available for the things Dobson had planned. It was a dangerous plan, a reckless plan. Niles Fury was a loaded weapon. An out and out nuclear bomb with a short fuse. He looked down through the viewing window. Niles stared.

  Statue-still and unblinking.

  Dobson couldn’t decide who was worse. The Queen or Niles.

  Right now Niles Fury was closer so Dobson picked him. “Listen, I can’t promise you how long I can keep him alive. He’s dangerous and he’s powerful.”

  “You cracked open his chest, lost at least three in your lab. You worked hard to bring him back to life. You can’t possibly need him gone that bad.”

  “How the fuck do you know that?”

  “Because I own part of him, colonel. Half of him Belongs to me. I know everything he knows, I know everything he sees. I am connected to him in ways you could not imagine.”

  Dobson pulled his cigar out of his mouth and shoved it back in his coat.

  “What are you planning to do?” He was going to regret the question and he knew it.

  “Use him, of course.”

  “For what?” Colonel Dobson leaned into the glass. Niles was still there. His bloody eyes were still fierce, his dark skin perfect, every muscle carved and placed exactly where it needed to be. The braid on the back of his head still reached to his lower back. But it was impossible to see him the same if she had him.

  And yet it had possibilities.

  “If you have so much control of him then why don’t you make him cooperate?” Dobson said.

  She laughed, a girlish sound that had no business coming out of something like her. “It doesn’t quite work that way, colonel. I only have half, not the whole.”

  Dobson narrowed his eyes and stared hard at Niles Fury. The Kin raised his left hand and flipped him off. He frowned. “Enlighten me then.”

  “In due time, in due time.” A growl chased her words. “However, If you fail this time...” This time? He never failed. His blood pressure jumped and the pulse in his neck tapped out a beat. “I will use him to kill her.”

  “Haley?”

  “Who else?”

  “I want her alive.”

  “Then don’t fuck this up.” The line went dead.

  A hundred curses speared through Dobson’s head and none of them were adequate enough. If the bitch made good on her word, he’d lose both of them.

  And that was not about to happen.

  Chapter 14

  Farley opened his eyes to darkness and a digital clock. The little red numbers showed four forty-five. He could hear Haley breathing and feel her body pressed to his chest. In the glow of the street lamp from outside the window her naked outline was a series of highlights. She’d kicked off the sheet.

  His vision slid to its natural state and he stared at her like he did most nights when he stayed in her apartment. Watching her was a beautiful thing. Here she was relaxed, her brow never furrowed; her mouth was full and pouting, partly open.

  Through his dragon eyes, the color of her skin was lost, but he didn’t have to see those kinds of details to know her alabaster tone would be flushed from the Roll. He could feel it, a gentle warmth radiating from her body that bit deep into the bone.

  It felt nice.

  Best of all, what he did back in the Hive seemed like a far away dream. All the horrible things he ever did were erased in these moments. It had been this way since the day her adoptive Mother brought him to feed her. If the poor woman had only known what Farley was capable of.

  Looking small, weak, and harmless had its benefits. Especially when dealing with Humans.

  Just like beauty and perfection did for others of his kind, Farley’s slight frame and innocuous appearance lured in prey. Made them easy to kill.

  He’d killed that girl in the Hive.

  Killed her and ate her. You fell off the wagon, buddy. You dined on the forbidden.

  Lush.

  Murderer.

  Farley laid his head on his arm and stared at Haley. Her full breasts rose and fell with short quick breaths. Her respirations were always high like this after the Roll.

  Her right hand was curled against her chest, her left over her rib under her breast. She slept like that a lot. Slightly turned, her legs a little bent, her face towards him, no matter which side he was on.

  When he feathered his fingertips across her stomach her breathing hitched, then resumed.

  Like all Kin, she slept hard, her brain shutting down, making her vulnerable.

  And that was a realization that could no longer be ignored.

  Haley was in danger. Medan would see her dead if she could. And Farley was powerless to protect her. Nothing but Food.

  No wonder Females surrounded themselves with so many Males.

  Haley was going to need protection. Males to keep her safe. Farley’s primal need to make that happen forced his teeth down and scales to flutter along his neck. He tried to get a cap on his temper, but he wasn’t like Haley. Control tended to elude him. Like earlier, he’d really made a mess of things.

  But there were ways to fix that.

  Practice makes perfect.

  Farley circled her nipple with his thumb and fel
t it perk. His fingers followed her curves, came to her hip, then across to her groin, just above her cleft, resting on the edge of soft downy hairs. His fingers brushed her mound. Most Females didn’t bother with such details. Farley liked those kinds of things. A lot.

  He kissed Haley’s shoulder, then her arm. With cat-like grace he arched up and over her, holding himself above her body, then slid down. His tongue brushed her nipple and he took it in his mouth and sucked.

  Haley made a desperate sound. Her arms opened and her legs scissored. Tiny little points peaked out from her open lips. Farley grinned and dipped his mouth to her navel, probed it with his tongue, and nibbled the edges.

  He kept his eyes on her face. He liked watching her, because she was so expressive. She never held back a cry, she never swallowed his name. She would scream for him if he wanted it.

  And he did.

  He traced the edge of her hip, feeling the softness of her skin and shape. Haley had been impressed by a real Human woman and her curves were not the artificial kind gleamed from metaphysical perfection.

  Farley liked that too.

  With a gentle stroke between her legs, he made her moan and felt wetness against his fingertips. Her scent blossomed and his cock responded to her need, growing hard until the point of pain.

  This time he was going to do things right.

  Farley licked her taste from his fingers, giving his palate fair warning. He didn’t want to freeze up this time, unable to move because he couldn’t control himself.

  Her leg moved when he pushed at her thigh. He was careful not to put too much weight on her. Haley was deep in sleep, but even that had its limits. With forced gentleness he brushed his lips across her thigh, to her pelvis, then moved across until those soft hairs of hers tickled his nose. He shuddered, so close to her his body demanded more.

  All in good time.

  He kissed her there, then slid his tongue into the fold of skin and tasted the sweetness. His hands tightened on the bedcover, twisting it into knots.

  Above him Haley moaned, her legs opened, and ... oh, yes.

  He pushed his tongue deep, his fangs brushing her most tender bits of skin; then he drew the soft bud of flesh between his lips and sucked. Farley repeated the process, tasting her and relishing how her skin burned. He forgot about watching her, too enthralled with what he was doing. When she arched her back, he grabbed her hips, tilted her upward, putting a leg on his shoulder. Haley’s breathing became desperate and her cries were the rhythm he went by. Farley wanted to go slow, but he could feel how much she ached. With one final thrash she came for him, bucking in his grip as he continued, bringing the second orgasm right behind the first.

  He looked up to see her watching, eyes swimming gold, a small smile curled at the corner of her lips. The tips of her fingers brushed his cheek and she said, “Feed from me.”

  Farley kissed her mound and slid his tongue to her inner thigh. He pulled his knees under him, angled himself so he could watch her face, her leg under his body, his cock rubbing against her calf. Touching her was almost enough to bring him. Feeding from her definitely would.

  With one hand he held her thigh slightly out and with the other he teased the tender folds of flesh were wet with heat. He slid one finger inside her, then two, his thumb a little higher up rubbing. Haley rolled her head back and side to side.

  “Feed from me.” Her voice cracked and her breath shuddered out.

  Farley worked her until her body tightened around his fingers. Eyes were half lidded, mouth open so she could pant. Haley’s hands kneaded the flesh of her thighs, stomach, and breasts.

  Her need burned in Farley greater than any hunger he’d ever felt. He put his cheek against her thigh and let the scent of her sex fill him. His teeth ached as they lengthened and sharpened, until too long and awkward for a Human mouth.

  When her breathing began to deepen and was chased by a moan, Farley sank his teeth into her flesh. She came for him.

  Blood filled his mouth so fast it almost choked him. He bucked, orgasming from the feed. He took from her what she offered, the deepest strongest source of her blood, smelling of sex and her Female scent.

  When Farley released his grip, his chest and throat ached from pulling. Under his lips the wounds closed. He licked them clean, savoring every taste. He realized then why he had been able to stop eating Human flesh.

  Insides humming, he rolled away and lay on his back, lower parts of him aching despite the release. Haley’s face filled his view. She kissed him, sucked at his tongue, licked her own ichor from his chin and then moved over him. One leg on each side, her core against his body rubbing him, until he was mewling like a hatchling.

  In spite of the foreplay, her body was tight. Only the wetness made taking him possible. This was just sex, a sharing of bodies, but it felt like so much more. The bonds of the Mark made Farley’s metaphysical energy swell until every inch of skin was prickling and alive. His fingers dug into Haley’s hips and he moved to meet her while at the same time pulling down. Haley’s head fell back, her mouth opened, a deep thrum kicked in her chest. Farley echoed the sound.

  He needed more of her; he wanted everything.

  Farley pushed himself up until he could reach her lower back, and dug his fingers into the ulysiss gland under the skin. Heat bloomed and she cried out, falling forward, her rhythm broken, but not lost. With his lips he caught her mouth and in one twist moved her under him. Her hands found the tender spot between his shoulder and the one right above the swell of his ass.

  He swallowed back the roar that rose in his throat, and buried the rest in the pillow beside her head. He fought the surge of pleasure that rode up his spine and brought a flash of golden scales down his back and across his legs and arms.

  Somehow he moved. With one hand planted beside her head he held himself up, and with the other he pushed her right leg high. The angle stopped her from being able to reach him and sent her thrashing.

  This was what he wanted.

  Farley pushed himself deep, hitting places that were not meant to be reached and making her cry out his name until her voice was hoarse and the syllables became meaningless. He came hard, barking curses, then again when her body clenched around him with her own release. Farley collapsed, his face in her neck.

  Both of them stayed there, unable to move, legs and arms a tangled mess. Farley felt her arms wrap around him and her cheek press against his ear.

  She murmured something, but he didn’t hear it. His mind was working on how to keep her safe. He’d never imagined his life empty of her, but now it was an obsession. Farley knew Haley didn’t believe Kin could love.

  It’s a Human emotion, she always said.

  But whatever this was, it was powerful. It was a feeling driven by something stronger than even instinct. It overrode everything when he embraced it: every rational thought, need for self-preservation, the hunger, sex.

  He rolled to his side and brought her with him, held her tight, his nose pressed to her neck, immersing himself in her scent.

  Protect her at all costs. There simply wasn’t anything else to live for.

  Chapter 15

  Haley poured Farley another bowl of cereal. It was his fourth. And he wasn’t using one of those dinky little single serving bowls either. It was a salad bowl. The kind that served six. He’d started with Raisin Bran and then moved to the remainder of her Cheerios. When there wasn’t enough for a full bowl, he mixed in some Fruit Loops. Now it was just the Fruit Loops. The colored bits of puffed, sugary wheat had formed a mountain that barely managed to stay inside the edges.

  Farley sat perched on one of her bar stools, with no shirt, wearing a pair of black skaters weighted down in chains. It was one of many pairs that had migrated into her closet over the years. Along with some old jeans, a few shirts--mostly tees, but there was one button-up he wore at meetings.

  “You’ve got to do some grocery shopping,” Farley said, between spoonfuls of neon O’s.

  “And tel
l me, please, when am I supposed to have time? I do well to stop in at Jerry’s on the corner.” She watched him chew and shovel. Farley never did have very good table manners. But watching him eat was still a thing of beauty. It was almost as good as a strip tease.

  “Tell him to carry more meat.” He picked up the bowl and slurped the colored milk. “Sausage, bacon ... you’d think he’d at least carry cheese.” He belched loud enough to rattle the walls.

  Show off.

  Haley spooned in another mouthful of peanut butter. He was right. She really needed to go to a real grocery store and stock up. Any more incidents like last night and they’d be in some serious trouble.

  It was not going to happen again, she decided. Only thing was, she didn’t believe it. Medan had asked her to be her Enforcer. What had she called it in Olde Tongue? Ar-a-ma? Er-a-tah? No, Er-a-ma-tah. That was it. No matter how the word translated it would only lead to one thing--an early grave.

  But if Medan was telling the truth about the other Queens wanting Haley dead?

  Yeah, right. How probable was that scenario? If the Council of Queens wanted her dead, she’d be dead. Wouldn’t she?

  Unless Niles really had been...

  When she looked up, Farley was staring at her. His eyes were dark, his face grim.

  “Please tell me you didn’t just hear all that?”

  “I didn’t.” He put the bowl down, pulled his feet up onto the stool and leaned over the wet bar in her direction. “This far away, you fade in and out like a bad signal. But it was enough to know I need to hear the rest.”

  She shoved her spoon into her peanut butter and glared at him. “If the mark opened some sort of telepathic connection, why in the hell can’t I hear your thoughts?”

  “Medan can’t even force her way into my head to hear what I’m thinking.” He reached over and pulled her spoon out of the jar and made a show of removing the wad of peanut butter clinging to it. “You can feel my emotions though,” he said, around a mouthful of Jif. “She can’t even do that.”

  “When I’m touching you, sure.” Haley got another spoon out of the strainer and joined him in cleaning out the jar. “I don’t think I like the idea of you hearing what I think. I mean, how is that going to work at Christmas?” She was trying to be funny, but his expression was dark.