by Katie Reus
He arched an eyebrow, his expression a little obnoxious. “Dragons won’t be found unless they want to. Drake’s fighting displays in the ring have made it obvious he’s different. Most people won’t even think that he’s a dragon because most beings think they’re extinct.”
“But you’ve known, even before last night.”
Bo nodded.
“How?”
He shook his head.
Frustrating, tight-lipped male. She didn’t know why he wouldn’t discuss this with her when he clearly believed she belonged to Drake. “Why haven’t you told Finn you knew what Drake was?”
At the mention of the Alpha’s name, the half-demon shifted in his seat, likely remembering that she was part of Finn’s pack and under the protection of one of the strongest shifters on the planet. “It seemed obvious the pack wanted to keep Drake’s species ID a secret so I didn’t say anything. Didn’t see the point.”
“Have you told anyone else what he is?”
He snorted softly. “Do I look like I have a death wish?”
“That’s not an answer.” The deadly bite to her words took her off guard as much as they seemed to stun Bo. She was normally so laid back but the thought of anyone hurting or betraying Drake made her wolf practically feral.
“Fuck no, I haven’t told anyone.”
She relaxed a fraction at his words, not scenting the stench of a lie. He was hard to read though because of his demon origins. “What can you tell me about dragons?”
His shoulders lifted casually. “Not much. I pick up tidbits here and there. I know that the sacrifice of a dragon shifter will open or destroy a door to hell.”
She frowned. “I thought it was just destroy.” Even if a door was destroyed a new one could replace it with the right spell.
“That’s a common misconception. Depends on the age of a dragon. A young sacrifice will just open it. And who the fuck can weaken a full-grown dragon to the point of sacrificing it.” He rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “You sure your male isn’t going to come after you?”
She rolled her eyes. “No one knows I’m here. And I thought you were a bad-ass demon who wasn’t afraid of anything.”
“Half-demon, and I’m not stupid enough to think I can take on a dragon. Especially if he’s got family.”
Her ears perked up at that. “Do you know who Drake’s family is?”
He shook his head. “No, but related dragons are connected to an extent. And before you ask, I don’t know the details of how. Dragons stick to their own kind more than any other supernatural being so you can’t find the details on Google. You could know one and not realize what it was.”
“How do you even know this much?”
Bo paused for a moment, as if he was contemplating how much to tell her. Finally he sighed. “There’s a blood-born vamp up in Tennessee who is bat shit crazy, but if you want details on dragon clans, he’ll be able to tell you.”
“Clans?” That was a new word. She filed it away in her small mental database of dragon facts.
He nodded. “Like a shifter pack.”
“Why would a vamp know about dragons?”
Bo shrugged again. “Dunno. You’ll have to ask him. But a word of advice, take backup to talk to him. Drake should do fine.” He grabbed a post-it off his desk, scribbled on it, then slid it over to her. “Here’s the location.”
It was coordinates, not an actual address. Interesting. She memorized them before tucking the note in her laptop bag. “So what else can you tell me?”
He opened his mouth to respond, then frowned and tapped his ear. That’s when she realized he had an earpiece in. It must be tuned to a specific frequency or have some magic settings because she couldn’t hear anything.
When his expression darkened and his contacts began disintegrating as his eyes burned to reveal a beautiful, swirling gold, her heart rate kicked up about a hundred notches. She’d always wondered what color his eyes were but she’d never wanted to find out because he’d burned his contacts in clear anger.
“Your male is here,” he growled, standing and pulling out a gun.
On instinct, she unzipped her leather jacket and pulled out the blade Drake had given her. It practically hummed with magic and she knew Bo could sense it. His eyes brightened as they landed on her blade. She didn’t care if he was accepted by her pack or not, if this male thought he could attack Drake, she was going to strike him down here and now.
He kept his weapon at his side, but nodded to it. “This isn’t for him. Two unknowns are here and he’s facing off with them.”
Panic burst inside her, bright and electric. Without responding, she turned and raced from the office. If someone thought they could hurt her mate—later she’d go back to that thought—they were about to find out what it was like to tangle with a pissed off female shifter.
Chapter Seven
10 minutes earlier
Drake was finishing his third turkey and Colby jack cheese sub—which Victoria had nicknamed turkey diablo because of the hot sauce he put on it—when Rhea and Solon strode into the kitchen with clear intent to see him.
Rhea glanced at Solon, then at Drake, her expression tight. She wasn’t afraid of him though. That female wasn’t afraid of anything.
Drake pushed his plate away and stood from his seat at the kitchen island. A low grade panic hummed through him. “What’s up?” Had there been another dragon sighting? Had that male returned with more backup? He would take on an army of his kind to keep Victoria safe.
“Not much.” Rhea’s voice had an unnaturally high edge to it. “What are you up to?”
He looked at his plate of crumbs, then at them. What did they think he was doing? “Has there been another dragon sighting?”
They both shook their heads and he relaxed a fraction. “Then what’s the problem?”
“Victoria left a little while ago.”
He frowned. She’d told him she was showering and then sleeping. While he’d been showering he’d fantasized about what it would be like to bathe with her, to rub the thing she’d told him was called a loofah all over her long, lean body. He wanted to watch her nipples tighten as he teased them with his tongue. He’d seen a video of a male doing that to a female and wanted to try it with her… Wait. “Left? You’re sure?”
Solon nodded. “Saw her leave, man. Indicated that she was getting a birthday present for someone.”
“Okay.” He didn’t understand why they’d felt the need to tell him this or why they seemed so concerned. If Victoria was driving, they should be more concerned about those on the road with her.
Rhea cleared her throat. “Listen, I don’t want you to freak out or anything but I just got a call from a vamp friend at Bo’s club. Said she’s there.”
Drake frowned and fought the irrational urge to kill Bo. On an intellectual level he knew it was insane but after so long in Hell where nothing was his and he’d finally found someone he loved, his inner dragon was acting more and more irrational when it came to Victoria. Like when he’d seen that half-demon leaning in close to her, touching what was his. “Do you know why she’s there?” To his surprise, his voice was calm and steady.
Rhea and Solon visibly relaxed so perhaps they’d expected him to freak out. Rhea ran a hand through her wild hair, making the curls bounce like springs. “No, but she’s in his office.”
“Alone?” No more steadiness from him. The word came out more animal than man.
“It’s not like she’s behind the red door or anything, man.” Solon’s voice was light but clear tension hummed through the male’s words.
He didn’t know what the red door was but it didn’t sound good. “Thank you.” Without continuing, he strode past them and out the swinging door. Behind him Rhea cursed, but he ignored them both and made his way to the roof.
After stripping, he rolled his clothes and shoes into a tight ball and shifted to his dragon form. Clutching the bundle in his claws, he camouflaged himself and took flight. He didn
’t like flying in the city in the daylight but he had no choice. Demons were not to be trusted. He knew better than most how treacherous they could be and while Bo seemed decent enough, you could never tell with them.
And Victoria was alone with him. Why the hell had she gone to see that half-demon without telling him? Fire burned the back of his throat but he forced himself under control. He had to keep that control so he wouldn’t kill Bo. It would upset Victoria too much.
Minutes later he neared the club, but circled around the entire building and surrounding area, looking for other threats. When he saw none, he started to descend, but stopped when two individuals got out of a truck. He didn’t want to reveal himself to anyone so he waited as the male and female made their way to the club.
The male had a hoodie over his head and as they walked, he casually leaned down next to an SUV. He stuck his hand under the fender covering the back, left wheel well then moved on as if he’d done nothing. The male moved so fast that if Drake hadn’t been watching the interaction below he wouldn’t have seen what he’d done.
After the two beings went inside, Drake dropped down to the earth and shifted to his human form. The gravel pricked the bottom of his bare feet but he liked the feel of it. It reminded him he was alive. Quickly changing into his clothes, he started for the door of the club but paused when he saw the SUV the male had been near was Stavros-owned. There was a distinctive sticker in the upper right hand corner of the windshield. It was small and would mean nothing to humans, but the slashing wolf paw was a warning to all supernatural beings.
Stay the fuck away from the owner of this vehicle.
As he strode across the parking lot, Victoria’s scent slammed into him the closer he got to the vehicle and the rage he’d been keeping on lockdown rushed to the surface with no warning. That was the vehicle she had been driving. Jaw tight, he ducked under the back of the SUV and found a small, magnetized black box tucked under the fender.
He yanked it off and stared at it. Unsure what it was but unwilling to take any chance that it might be some kind of explosive, he crushed it in his fist and stalked toward the front door.
As he reached it he desperately tried to hold onto his inner dragon, but slipped off the razor wire he was walking. Fear for her ripped his control completely free. Letting out a battle cry, he released a stream of fire, burning a giant hole through the door of the club.
He’d just given away the element of surprise but he couldn’t stop himself. That fucker had put something on Victoria’s SUV, making him an enemy.
More fire gathered in the back of his throat as he strode through the new opening. As he entered, the upbeat music that had been playing abruptly stopped. There were supernatural beings on the dance floor and at the multiple bars. And they were all looking at him.
He didn’t care.
His gaze quickly swung to the male and female from outside. They were both watching him with unreadable expressions, as if they were keeping their faces intentionally neutral. Both had grayish-silver eyes, like him, but the male had dark hair and the female blonde. She looked familiar, her face stirring something in his memory. Warm memories that made him feel oddly happy. Which made no sense.
He shoved the feeling back and threw the crushed device at the male’s feet. Drake was vaguely aware of all the other supernatural beings quickly fleeing the club. Some headed for a red door, probably vamps who couldn’t go out in sunlight. He didn’t care where they went, he just wanted them gone so he could do this without an audience.
“What the fuck is this?” Drake demanded.
The male opened his mouth to speak when a door behind the two strangers flew open and Victoria and Bo spilled out. Bo’s eyes were glowing a vivid gold and Victoria had her blade in hand, looking ready to do battle. She met his gaze, uncertain before she looked at the two strangers. She was too far away for him to protect, making him edgier. He wanted to burn right through the two strangers, but reined in his dragon.
Barely.
Knowing he had to remain in control to keep Victoria safe, he found his voice. “Explain the device.”
“It’s not what you think,” the female said, her voice softer than he’d expected. “It’s a tracking device.”
“Why?” he barked, unable to say more than one word. Why the fuck had they put it on Victoria’s vehicle?
The male lifted his hands, palms up, in a clear peaceful gesture. “We wanted to speak to you away from the shifters and hoped the female would eventually lead us to you. We saw her leaving the shifter compound this morning by chance and followed her here. That is all.”
He swallowed hard, shoving back his fire though it burned to do so. “Who are you?” The question came out guttural. When he saw Victoria move a fraction closer out of the corner of his eye, he focused on her over their shoulders. She looked fierce, like she would attack the two beings with the blade he’d given her if necessary. He shook his head sharply. Though he wanted her behind him, she’d have to move past these two strangers to get to him. He wouldn’t risk them attacking her. Thankfully Victoria stilled and to his surprise, Bo moved forward a fraction, effectively placing himself in front of her, blocking her from the male and female. And he was armed with a gun.
Okay, maybe half-demons weren’t so bad.
Drake snapped his gaze back to the unknown male. “Answer me.”
The male watched him, his gaze flickering to a bright silver, supernova bright, as Victoria liked to call it when his eyes did the same. His throat clenched as he waited for the answer even though deep down he guessed what it would be.
“We are your siblings,” the female whispered, tears spilling down her cheeks in a waterfall.
Her words grated over him like shards of glass scraping his flesh. Siblings? He didn’t have family. He was alone until Victoria. Because if he’d had family, it meant they’d left him to rot in Hell. To see and suffer things no child should have to. If not for his ability to shift, he’d have gone mad long ago. Out of the corner of his eye, Finn, Gabriel, Rhea and Solon moved whisper-quiet through the burned out door.
“Family?” He let out a short, harsh laugh.
The male nodded, his expression pained. “Four months ago we felt your…reemergence into the world. We thought you were dead, but the whole clan experienced the same sensation when you returned. We’ve been looking for you ever since.”
Drake laughed again, this time unable to keep the years of bitterness hidden. “Four whole months. Well thank you so fucking much. I was in Hell for fifteen hundred years. If you really are my family, I’m not interested.” An agonizing sensation built in his chest, burning like lava until he threw his head back and screamed, releasing a stream of fire at the ceiling.
A hole ripped open, plaster and whatever else held it together crashing down between them. When he looked back at them, there was pity in their eyes. He didn’t want their fucking pity. He didn’t want them at all. His chest felt too tight. Hell, his body felt too tight, his dragon struggling to break free and soothe the pain. “Get out of my mate’s way!” he roared, his animal too close to the surface, clawing to be free.
They instantly slid to the side, keeping their gazes on him, not even looking in Victoria’s direction as she hurried toward him, her blade still clutched tightly in her hand. He noted the way his supposed sister’s gaze widened in surprise as she became aware of the blade in Victoria’s grip, but the female said nothing.
Victoria sheathed her weapon and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug, clearly understanding he needed to be touched right now. She buried her face against his chest. “Do you want to leave?” she whispered, the question proving how much she truly understood him.
He figured he should stay and speak to his alleged family members but he wasn’t in control now and he didn’t want to burn down Bo’s club as he let out his aggression. Instead of responding, he scooped her into his arms and strode through the gaping hole in the door into the bright sunlight. Though he wanted to shift to
his dragon form and leave all of this behind, he wanted to hold Victoria more.
“Will you drive?” he rasped out, unsure why there was wetness on his cheeks.
She simply nodded and pulled a set of keys from her jacket pocket. “I’ll even drive nicely.” He was strung too tight to smile at her words. Then she rested her cheek against his shoulder and snuggled into his body, giving him the wordless comfort of her trust as he took them to the SUV.
Once they were in the vehicle and she’d taken over he shut down, his body numb as one of his first memories in Hell played in his mind. It was too much and since he’d escaped he’d been able to compartmentalize his thoughts. Now he had no control as the images gripped him in razor sharp talons, forcing him to remember.
Drake was twelve. He stared up from the altar in horror as he took in his new surroundings. He wasn’t sure when it had happened, but he was no longer…on Earth. He needed to remember something, but he couldn’t. All he could remember was a woman’s face and dark, soulless eyes laughing maniacally as he’d screamed in agony. There was someone else he needed to remember but it hurt his soul too much. The betrayal, his new reality.
Tears leaked out of his eyes as he stared up through the broken remnants of a high ceiling at the red sky that looked as if it was covered in…chains or snakes. His entire body shook as he sat up. This had to be a nightmare. He wrapped his arms around himself as his surroundings came into focus. He was in a broken down throne room of what had maybe once been a castle. The walls and turrets were all crumbling, the hideous sky visible through the crushed sections of the ceiling.
Jagged pieces of glowing amber glass stuck out from the seat of a metal throne. Another shiver wracked him as he slid off the altar. Why would it be made that way? It would impale anyone who sat on it. He didn’t see anyone but he felt as if he was being watched. And the high-pitched screams from somewhere close sent cold panic sliding down his spine.