Drakon's Promise (Blood of the Drakon)

by N. J. Walters

  “Hold on,” Darius told her.

  She didn’t need to hold on as she hadn’t yet let go. Her fingers were white as they strangled the arms of her seat. The jet dropped quickly, barely clearing the tops of the trees. Several times she heard the tall pines scraping against the bottom of the plane.

  Then they were on the ground. The wheels hit, and Darius reversed the engine thrust. Sarah began to pray. They raced down the short airstrip. Beyond it were more trees and a damn mountain.

  Through it all, Darius seemed calm and collected. Of course he was. He probably wouldn’t die if they did crash. She, on the other hand, was a lot more fragile.

  The wheels screeched and the plane shimmied. The muscles in Darius’s arms bunched as he used all his strength to control the runaway machine. She held her breath as a crash seemed imminent. Parts of her life flashed before her eyes. She thought of her parents, both gone several years now, of friends from childhood, of her dog, Max, a rambunctious Labrador who’d been hit by a car when she was only ten.

  Then the plane came to an abrupt halt, the nose about two inches from the trunk of a large pine. She wasn’t dead. They hadn’t crashed. She sucked in a breath and then another.

  Relief was quickly followed by anger. “What in the hell were you trying to do? Kill us?” Male laughter came over the headset she was still wearing, so she ripped it off and flung it aside. “You’re crazy.”

  Darius was flicking switches, and things powered down. He hadn’t even broken a sweat. “I got us down in one piece, didn’t I?”

  She tried to get out of her chair but was shaking too badly. She ended up sitting back down in a hurry.

  “Hey.” Darius reached over and dragged her out of her seat and onto his lap. It was a very tight fit as there wasn’t a whole lot of room. “I told you, I’ve been flying for years.” He closed his muscular arms around her, anchoring her to his lap.

  “Flying is one thing. Landing on a practically nonexistent runway is another.” Her voice rose with each word until she was yelling by the end. She wanted to lean against him but didn’t dare.

  “You were really worried.” His brows knit and he frowned.

  “What gave it away? My fervent prayers? The way I assumed the crash position? I can tell you my life flashed before my eyes.” With each breath she took, she grew less shaky.

  “I’m sorry you were concerned. There was really no need to be.”

  She closed her eyes and prayed for patience. “Let me up.” She pushed at him until he relented. It galled her that she needed his help to stand. It was a small blessing when her knees didn’t buckle and she remained upright. “There was every need for me to be worried. We’re virtually strangers, pushed together due to circumstances. I don’t really know you.”

  She didn’t need to see Darius to know her words annoyed him. The atmosphere in the cockpit changed in a heartbeat, becoming fraught with anger.

  “You know more about me than most people do.” His words were almost an accusation.

  “I didn’t ask for any of this.” And it wasn’t his fault she was in this situation. She took a breath to calm herself. “I’m sorry. That was uncalled for. You didn’t ask for this, either.” She stepped out of the cockpit into the main part of the plane.

  Darius was right behind her, his big body taking up most of the space. He caught her by the arm and turned her around. “I said I’d take care of you.”

  Now she was getting angry. “I didn’t ask you to. I don’t need a man to take care of me. I need someone who will share information with me so we can figure this situation out together.” She strove for calm. “I’m grateful for all that you’ve done to protect me. I truly am. But this is my life, too. There are people out there who want to harm me, maybe even kill me. I can’t blindly follow you and hope for the best. If that doesn’t work for you, we need to part ways.”

  …

  Darius was both bewildered and angry. It had never been his intention to frighten Sarah, and certainly not this badly. He would never have attempted the landing if he’d thought he couldn’t do it safely. Yes, there’d been a second or two of concern, but he’d known what both he and the plane were capable of.

  But she hadn’t.

  Disheveled, angry, and tired, she was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever known. His irritation bled away but rolled back in when she mentioned she was grateful to him. It became an inferno when she dared to speak of parting ways.

  His nostrils flared, and he was surprised there wasn’t steam coming out of them. “You’re not leaving.”

  She’d opened the storage bin and was reaching for her knapsack, but stopped and turned to face him. “We don’t owe each other anything. I warned you, and you got me out of New York. We’re even.”

  He moved toward her, crowding her against the wall of the plane. “We’re not nearly even.” He planted his hands on the wall, leaned down, and kissed her. She made a small sound, and he couldn’t tell if it came from distress or arousal. He was about to pull back when she went up on her toes and deepened the kiss.

  He nibbled on her bottom lip and then swept his tongue inside. She tasted like orange juice—sweet and tangy. He wanted to touch her but was afraid if he did he wouldn’t stop until he had her naked.

  His need for Sarah was a fire in his gut. His blood burned for her. His balls ached and his cock was hard as stone.

  “We probably shouldn’t be doing this.” Her eyes smoldered with passion and her lips were damp from his kiss.

  “Why not?” He strung a row of little kisses down her jaw and nuzzled her neck.

  She sighed and leaned into his caress. “I don’t know,” she moaned. “We barely know each other,” she reminded him.

  “After everything we’ve been through, we know each other better than many people do after years together. You’re brave and beautiful.” He ran his thumb along the curve of her cheek. “And I want you.”

  “It’s not smart, not logical, but I want you, too.”

  Inside him, his beast roared his pleasure. Mine. Mine. Mine, the creature gleefully chanted. Darius exerted every ounce of control he had to keep from shifting.

  Sarah was watching him closely, her pretty chocolate-brown eyes starting to fill with worry. Darius growled and kissed her again. Before he’d realized his intentions, he had her in his arms, her breasts pressed against his chest. They were both fully dressed, but that didn’t make the moment any less intimate.

  She stroked her hands over his shoulders and down his arms. He wanted to feel her touch over his entire body. After hours of tension, he was finally able to relax. Now he wanted to claim the unexpected treasure that had shown up in his life.

  Because that’s what Sarah was—a treasure.

  He ran his hand down her spine and cupped her behind, lifting her slightly before pulling her closer. It didn’t matter that the position was awkward given the low ceilings in the plane. When his erection nestled into the notch of her thighs, Darius knew he’d found heaven. He hiked her higher, and she clasped her thighs around his hips.

  Even through the layers of her jeans and his, he could feel her heat. He knew how to pleasure a woman and wanted to spend hours touching Sarah, kissing her, stroking her most secret places. He wanted to hear her moan his name as she orgasmed.

  “Hey. You coming out sometime today?” A heavy fist thudded against the side of the plane. Darius wondered if his brother would go away if he just ignored him. “Open the damn door.” Tarrant hit it again. Sarah jerked at the sudden noise and quickly released her hold on him. Darius knew the moment was lost.

  “Who is that?” She tugged on her sweater and then rubbed her hands over her face. He could have told her there was no hiding the fact she’d just been thoroughly kissed. And even if she’d looked perfectly fine, Tarrant would still be able to smell her arousal.

  “Come on, Darius. I don’t have all day.”

  “That”—he glared at the exit—“is Tarrant.” He raked his fingers through his ha
ir and went to the door. There was no hiding his arousal, so he didn’t bother trying. He unlocked the hatch and shoved it open. The stairs unfolded, and Tarrant was waiting at the bottom.

  His brother’s face was grim. “You cut it a little close on the landing.”

  He shrugged. “I wasn’t worried.” It had been close, but he’d done it, and that was all that mattered. If he’d thought he was about to hit the trees, he would have put the plane into a spin so they would have hit them side on.

  Tarrant tried to see around him into the plane. “Where is she?”

  “Wait here.” He gave his brother a warning glare before he went back inside.

  Sarah had her coat on and her knapsack slung over her shoulder. Her lips were slightly swollen and her cheeks were pink, but she looked otherwise composed. “Don’t forget the book,” she reminded him.

  He opened the overhead compartment and retrieved his bag. There was a low hum from inside that was a lot like static. He could almost hear a voice if he concentrated. He didn’t like that one bit. The book was gaining strength.

  “You must be Sarah.”

  Darius whirled at the sound of Tarrant’s voice. His brother was standing in the entrance and was staring at Sarah. Darius knew Tarrant was searching for any weaknesses, which he’d exploit if he could.

  He growled and wrapped his arm around Sarah from behind. “I thought I told you to wait outside.”

  Tarrant snorted. “Since when do I ever listen to you?”

  Sarah looked at Tarrant and then at Darius and then at Tarrant again. There was wonder in her eyes and a slight smile on her face. “You’re brothers, aren’t you?”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Sarah knew she probably should have kept her suspicions to herself when Tarrant’s gaze narrowed and he frowned. He was almost as large as Darius, and while Darius intimidated her, Tarrant downright scared the crap out of her.

  “Or not.” She tried to backtrack. “Maybe you’re just friends.” When Tarrant continued to frown, she took a step back. “For all I know, you’re complete strangers.”

  One corner of Tarrant’s mouth twitched and he turned to Darius. “I think I like her.” Then a puzzled expression crossed his face and he took a deep breath, then another. “And you obviously really like her.”

  “Tarrant.” There was a warning note in Darius’s voice that she didn’t understand. Obviously, she hadn’t done a good job pulling herself back together after their kiss, and Tarrant was commenting on it.

  Tarrant rolled his eyes and pinned her with his vibrant blue gaze. “Welcome to my home. Betray me to the Knights, and I’ll end you.”

  “Jesus, Tarrant. Knock it off.” Darius rocked her slightly in his arms. “Don’t worry. He won’t hurt you.”

  Sarah wasn’t as sure of that as Darius seemed to be. “If you don’t want me here, I can leave.”

  Darius tightened his grip on her. “Not that again. You’re not striking out on your own.”

  “You two can finish this discussion in the truck. I want to get out of here.” Tarrant turned and hurried down the stairs.

  Sarah heaved a sigh of relief now that he was gone. She wasn’t ashamed to admit she was afraid of him. Only an idiot wouldn’t be. He had the same kind of animal magnetism that Darius did. He was almost as big, with short black hair and amazing blue eyes. His features were more refined, not quite as rugged as Darius’s were. Even wearing jeans and a long-sleeved thermal shirt, he looked more like a cover model than a woodsman. There was no denying he was one hot guy, but she felt zero attraction toward him.

  “You okay?” Darius turned her around so she was facing him and rubbed his hands up and down her arms.

  “Yeah.” She blew out a breath. “I’m as okay as it gets, given the circumstances.”

  His mouth firmed into a thin line and he gave her a curt nod. “Let’s get out of here before Tarrant bursts a blood vessel.”

  That startled a laugh out of her. “He’s really intense.”

  “You have no idea.” Darius released her, went to the opening, and waited for her. She wondered where exactly they were going. She hadn’t noticed any buildings around. Of course, she’d been in complete terror, fearing for her life during their landing, so she easily could have missed something.

  She squeezed past Darius, biting back a moan when her right breast brushed against his chest. Gripping the strap of her bag tighter, she paused at the top of the stairs. Wind gusted past her, but it wasn’t as cold as she’d imagined it would be considering their elevation. There was nothing but thick forest and mountains as far as the eye could see.

  It was magnificent.

  Tarrant waited at the bottom of the steps, arms crossed over his massive chest and the toe of his boot tapping with impatience. Sarah grabbed the railing and went down the stairs with Darius right behind her.

  Tarrant reached into his pocket and pulled out a small electronic gadget. “I need to scan you before we go any farther.” He didn’t wait for her agreement and simply started running the mini scanner over her.

  “What exactly are you looking for?”

  “Tracking devices on your belongings.” He crouched down and ran the small device over her legs. “Implanted in you.”

  Just the idea of that made her shudder. “We destroyed my electronics. There can’t be anything else.”

  “You’ll have to forgive me if I don’t take your word.” Tarrant continued the scan until he was satisfied. She consoled herself with the knowledge that at least he hadn’t asked for a strip search.

  Darius, on the other hand, seemed to take it all in stride and even held his arms out by his sides while Tarrant scanned him as well. She watched as he moved the device over Darius’s thick arms and broad chest. Darius glanced at her and winked. She’d been caught staring at him. Heat warmed her face, but she didn’t look away.

  When Tarrant was done, he pocketed the scanner. “Let’s go.” He swung around and started walking toward a truck that had seen better days at least twenty years ago. It was black with pockets of rust on the body. Dust and mud covered it, and the passenger door was held shut with a bungee cord. She wasn’t one to judge people by their belongings, but she’d feel a little better if the truck didn’t look like it would fall apart the first time they hit a bump.

  “Where are we going?” She needed information. Knowledge was the one thing that always helped center her during times of crisis.

  “Home.” There was such emotion in that one word that she was struck silent.

  She’d never had a place that meant that much to her. Not since her parents had passed away. And even then, she’d always felt like an intruder. Her parents had been so close, and she’d been an unexpected surprise when her mother was in her late forties. They’d loved her in their way but had never understood her. She liked her apartment, but surprisingly, the thought of leaving it behind for good didn’t bother her as much as she’d thought it would.

  Tarrant unhooked the bungee cord and the door swung open. Sarah peered inside. She’d anticipated the interior would be as bad as the outside and was pleasantly surprised when it wasn’t. At least the seats were clean and free from debris, even though there was a small hole on the passenger side where the floor had rusted away.

  “In you go.” Darius put his hand on the small of her back to get her to move. She climbed in and slid to the center of the bench seat.

  Darius got in beside her, and Tarrant shut the door and secured the cord once again. She watched as Tarrant strode around the front of the vehicle and slid in on the driver’s side. His door shut with no problem.

  The engine roared to life as soon as he turned the key. He obviously kept it in good shape.

  Tarrant grabbed a black box off the dashboard, pressed a button, and the few lights on the runway went out. He tucked the remote in his pocket, put the truck in gear, and started down a narrow dirt road. The man did seem to love his gadgets. Maybe that’s where all his money went. It certainly wasn’t spent on his vehi
cle.

  Even though it was light out, the shadows grew darker the deeper they went into the forest. Tree branches dipped onto the road in places and brushed against the vehicle. The scraping sound was very reminiscent of those final moments of the plane landing and made her shudder.

  “You cold?” Darius asked. He didn’t wait for her to answer and put his arm around her and pulled her against his side.

  “Not cold. Just remembering those final seconds of the landing when I thought my life would end in a fiery crash into the trees.”

  Tarrant snorted, and Darius sighed. “You’re never going to let me forget that, are you?”

  “Maybe I’ll have forgotten it by my one hundredth birthday,” she retorted. She looked out the window but there were no landmarks for her to memorize, no indication of exactly where they were. It was endless trees and a dirt road that really couldn’t be considered a road in some places.

  The truck bounced around, and she was glad to have Darius’s arm anchoring her or she might have ended up on the floor. At least the suspension was good.

  The ride was short. A mere fifteen minutes later, they turned off the road and parked in front of a small log cabin. Even though it was cold, no smoke rose from the stone chimney. A porch ran the entire length of the front, but there were no chairs to sit on.

  Not exactly the most welcoming place.

  Tarrant got out and came around to release the bungee cord. Darius slid out and waited for her to do the same.

  “Welcome to my home.” Tarrant spread his arms wide. “What do you think?”

  She wasn’t sure what he was after, so she shrugged and answered truthfully. “It’s rustic. Could use some chairs or a nice bench on the front. And a fire wouldn’t hurt, either.” She shivered as a gust of cold air struck her.

  “Stop it, Tarrant.” Darius was frowning at the man who may or may not be his brother. They’d neither confirmed nor denied it. But the longer she was around them, the more alike they seemed. It was in the way they tilted their heads when they were thinking, in their builds, and in the stubborn set of their jaws.