by Julia Mills
He stumbled and fell into the brick wall that seconds before had been his cover. The brick abraded his skin and his head hit so hard he saw stars. Ignoring his wounds, his only thoughts of keeping his woman safe from the hunters, he pushed off the wall. He had to make sure that those that sought to kill him did not make the connection between the beautiful redhead on the sidewalk and him. If they knew she was important to him or heavens forbid figured out that she was his mate, her life would be in danger, as well. They posed so much more of a threat than her would be rapist had ever thought of being. These fanatics did not play games. They killed efficiently and without remorse, leaving no evidence. Their entire purpose for living was to take out any and all shifters, along with any of the associates in an effort to rid the world of their magic and to keep anything otherworldly a secret. He had spent his life fighting against hunters, protecting the dragon shifter way of life and he would fight them again to protect the woman made for him.
He ran across the wet grass as his enemies were closing in on the beautiful woman, no doubt trying to determine if she posed a threat. Dressed in black from head to toe, hiding their faces under masks like the cowards they were, made them almost invisible. If not for the red scythe monogram in the middle of their shoulder blades, they would be completely undetectable to the human eye. Thank the Universe for his enhanced vision. Hunching closer to the ground, his pain and weakness forgotten, he prepared for battle. No one could be allowed to hurt his mate. His belief that she was the one for him sprang from the depths of his soul, she was his future and there was no way he would allow anyone to take her from him.
With his last thoughts of protecting the most important person in his life, Rayne launched himself onto the back of the hunter closest to him delivering a quick chop to his throat. The waste of skin and bones was neutralized but not before he was able to call out to his compatriots. Rayne found himself surrounded by three hunters, all highly trained to exterminate his kind. As they sized each other up, he sent out a silent call to his brethren. They needed to know the hunters were in the area. It was their job as the drakes, male dragons, as well as members of the elite Dragon Guard to protect the vibria and dragonettes, women and children. They also needed to scout the area to make sure none of these vermin had gotten anywhere near their clan’s lair. This had been their home for centuries. They had sworn to protect it and those within with their very lives. He also needed the most trusted of his Force to clean up the mess he was leaving in his wake while he tended to the lovely creature he had every intention of claiming as his own.
As he studied his opponents, it became evident that the one on his left stood taller than the rest, had a slight limp and the others continually glanced in his direction, as if looking for direction. He thanked the Universe for a weakness he could exploit, an opportunity too good to waste. Rayne knew they would protect the leader of their pack at all costs and even though theirs was hurt, they were still taking their cues from him. In the blink of an eye, Rayne threw himself at the wounded hunter and just as he suspected, the others rushed to his aid. He used the momentum of his jump to throw himself and his opponent to the ground. With one jerk of the leader’s neck, Rayne left him paralyzed and gasping for breath. Normally he would have made his a death quick, leaving an opponent suffering and slowly dying was not their way but he had little time to prepare before the other two were at his back. He spun, kicking the third assailant in the chest with such force he heard a wet crack as the black clad assailant crashed into the trunk of a large oak tree. The last hunter was creeping to his left while trying to get an arrow from the quiver strapped across his back. Rayne’s strength waning, he knew he had to dispatch the last hunter and get to that sexy redhead before she got away.
The remaining hunter was apparently new to the hunt and unaware of his surroundings. As he crept away, his foot sank into a hole left by a park inhabitant. The hunter toppled ass over tea kettle and Rayne was on him in an instant, quickly ending the danger to his mate. He quickly gathered up the hunters’ bodies and placed them with the would-be rapist, hidden from human eyes, for his brethren to find. They would see the signs of struggle, smell the blood and know he needed them to clear the area but just to be sure, he used some of his waning strength to send another quick message to the men of his Force.
The nasty business handled, he took off in the direction he had last seen his fiery haired beauty. His vision grew dark and fuzzy around the edges from blood loss. The healing sleep of his kind was pulling at him but there was no time now, he would push himself until he collapsed in order to keep the woman he had just located safe. It was his duty, one he took very seriously, to protect her with his very life. He spotted her just over the hedge that lined the sidewalk. He could make it to her; he had to make it to her. His steps slowed, it felt like he was walking through quick sand. It took all his concentration to put one foot in front of the other. He was close enough that he could smell the scent that was all her, wonderful, feminine, fresh and beautiful. It comforted him as nothing else ever had. With his last thought of how blessed he truly was, his vision narrowed and his world went black.
When he awakened, she was planning to leave him lying on the sidewalk and there was no way that was going to happen as long as he drew breath. He was weak from blood loss but could not have been out for longer than a few seconds the last time. He remembered using his enhanced abilities to grab her around the waist, preventing her from marking her beautiful face. He also kept her from falling again when his strength had given out and they had both ended up on the sidewalk. That was all the energy he’d had before his world was once again black. With his hand around her ankle, he felt the fluttering of her pulse. He knew he was scaring her but there was nothing in this world or the next that would make him let her go.
CHAPTER TWO
“Please…”
She whipped her head around and stared at the stranger on the ground. It had been a whisper on the wind but she had heard his plea.
“I’m going to get help.”
“Not…safe…Don’t…go…” His words were soft and slurred. He was definitely hurt and probably had a concussion; maybe he didn’t even realize how badly he was hurt. She knew he needed medical attention and was positive there was nothing she could do by herself to help him. But he had said ‘not safe’. Did that mean he didn’t feel safe by himself or that it wasn’t safe for her to go alone, she wondered. Surely as big as he was there wasn’t much that scared him.
“I have to go get you some help. You’re bleeding from the back of your head. You need medical attention.”
“No. Just need…sleep…”
“Now I may not be a doctor and maybe you didn’t hear me the first time, but you are bleeding from your head and I’m almost positive sleep is not going to help.” She knew she sounded snappy but time was running out.
She had heard that a concussion could seriously mess with someone’s thought process but this dude was on a different plane. He thought a little nap was going to heal a bleeding head wound. And that was the only evident injury, what if there were internal injuries? She had to convince him to let go of her ankle so she could go get some real medical help. She slowly twisted and knelt down the best she could since he obviously was not letting her go. She hoped getting closer would help her plead her case. “Look, I know you’re probably scared and most definitely in pain so just let me go get some help. We can get you to the hospital and the doctors can fix you right up.”
He moved so fast Kyndel barely saw the action but she definitely felt the crushing grip he had switched from her ankle to her hand. She couldn’t help but wonder how the hell someone that had been unconscious two minutes ago had moved so fast? The upside was he had taken his hand off her ankle so she could move her hips all the way around and get a little more comfortable since the big guy had decided they had time for a chat. As she stared into his face, she realized how much that single movement had cost him. She could see the strain around his eyes and m
outh. He was in a hell of a lot of pain and she really needed to convince him to let her go get some help.
“Ok big guy, you really have to let me get you some help. There’s a convenience store right up the street.” She nodded her head in the direction of the store. “I can run there in a flash, use the phone and have some help here lickety split. So just let go of my hand. ’Kay?” She was using her best “talk the kitten out of the tree” voice. At this point she would try just about anything to make him see reason.
He shook his head even though she could see the movement cost him. “NO! No doctors!” He almost sounded like he was ordering her not to go; the blood loss and pain must be taking its toll. She knew he hurt badly, he hadn’t even opened his eyes all the way yet. All she had to do was convince him to let her get to a phone and his suffering could be put to an end. She watched determination takes its place on his handsome face and wondered how hard of a fight was ahead of her.
She took a second to let him calm down. “Ok. Ok. Calm down.” She decided to try another tactic that would hopefully distract him and give her time to come up with a plan, “Can you at least tell me your name?”
For a minute she thought he hadn’t heard her question. He just lay there holding her hand. Then he moved his head slightly and she was caught in the gaze of the most amazing violet eyes she had ever seen. She’d gotten a glimpse earlier but at this gaze, time stood still. She was held captive by his stare. She could almost feel an invisible tether keeping her close to this man. It seemed like his gaze alone reached inside and massaged her soul. She could feel him everywhere, like in that moment he had become a part of her. An integral part she hadn’t known was missing until that moment.
“Rayne.”
She blinked, coming out the fog his gaze had created. Although she’d been released from his stare, she could still feel him, warming her, stoking a fire inside of her she had no business feeling for an injured stranger.
“What did you say?”
“Rayne...My name,” he groaned and closed his eyes again. The stress lines around his eyes becoming more pronounced than they had been a moment before. Even the grip he had on her hand eased a bit.
“Oh, yea…Rayne. My name is Kyndel and we need to get you some help. You can’t just lay here on the sidewalk and sleep. You need a doctor and I’m sure some stitches in your head. Give me back my hand and I’ll go get you some help.” She pulled slightly on their combined hands. “It won’t take but a few minutes. I promise to come right back and wait with you for the ambulance. I’ll even go with you to the hospital, if you want.” She shivered from more than the temperature, “It’s getting colder by the minute out here. Not only are you hurt but you really need more clothes.”
“No doctors.” He paused. “I can’t be seen… Just need sleep to heal. “
She decided the only way to get him to accept the fact that he needed medical attention was to be tough. “Ok, Rayne. I’m not sure what your problem is with doctors and hospitals,” she gasped and her eyes widened. “Or is it with anyone seeing you?’ Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him a little closer, “Are you on the run? Afraid someone will see you that isn’t supposed to?” Her eyebrows shot up and her eyes widened, “Oh my God! Are you a criminal?” She tried to pull her hand from his.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It took all of his energy to force the words from his mouth. How could he tell her that his injuries were already mending and that human doctors wouldn’t understand his accelerated healing along with his other assorted physical idiosyncrasies? He had to make her see the situation from his perspective. If she could just help him get somewhere safe, he could go into his healing sleep for several hours, rid his body of the silver and be almost 100%. More importantly, he would then be able tell her about himself and explain their amazing connection. For the brief moment he had looked into her eyes it had all become clear. She was absolutely, without any doubt, his mate. He’d known it before but the confirmation from the feeling of looking into one another’s eyes gave him comfort unlike any he had ever known. She was the woman that had haunted his dreams for countless nights. She was real and here and most importantly, his. The perfect match created for him alone by the Universe. It was his duty to love her, protect her and teach her the ways of the dragon shifters. But he had to heal to be any good to her or anyone else for that matter and to do that he had to convince her that he could not go anywhere near any other humans.
He furrowed his brow and slowly shook his head in answer to her questions but didn’t speak. The small effort caused him a great deal of pain. He felt her hand on his chest, rubbing small circles of comfort. He knew it would hurt like hell but he had to see her. He looked through his barely open eyes, realizing she had reached out to him without any thought of her previous fears. He felt the electricity caused by her touch on his bare skin and once again thanked the Universe he had been in time to keep her from harm.
Her warmth and tender concern was a balm to his soul. Had any other than his mother ever reached for him in kindness, to ease his pain? He was a warrior. Strong, determined, a leader among his clan. He had never known one little gesture could mean so much but now that he had experienced it, he craved more. He wanted to have her hands all over his body, preferably his naked body, but that would have to wait for a better time and place. He reminded himself that he had his whole very long life to feel her hands on his body and have his hands all over her incredibly luscious curves. Now he had to use whatever strength he had left to convince her to help him get to a safe place so he could go into his healing sleep.
Ignoring his pain, he opened his eyes all the way and found her staring back at him. The electric current he had felt from her touch now reaching deep into his soul, a connection that only came when one was gazing upon his mate. The pull so hard to resist it took a considerable amount of his waning strength not to pull her across his chest just to feel her warmth against his skin. Her hand on his chest lit a fire his battered body had a hard time ignoring. He knew she felt it too as he watched her pupils dilate and her breathing speed up.
“I cannot go to a human hospital. I will heal, I promise you. All I need to do is sleep.” He couldn’t believe he had forced all of those words through his cracking lips. His tongue so swollen and mouth so dry he was sure he could drink an entire trough of water and still be dehydrated.
She furrowed her brow and narrowed her eyes. He was sure she was ready to force the issue and he was not disappointed. “But you have to…Wait! Did you say human?” Her eyes once again opened wide, “What do you mean, human? I know you hit your head but what’s the matter with you otherwise? Are you delusional or…an alien?” Kyndel scoffed.
He knew she was joking, at least for the most part. She had been through an incredible amount of stress in a very short period of time. What with caring for him while kneeling on the cold concrete and thinking she was dealing with a crazy man. His beautiful mate deserved a massage, a bubble bath and a nice glass of wine, if only he could give her those things. Unfortunately they had more pressing matters to attend to.
He once again shook his head this time resulting in black spots clouding his line of sight. “No, not alien, just different,” he said carefully. He couldn’t afford to scare her away and if the way her pulse kicked up under his hand was any indication, she was ready to run far and fast away from him. “Please, Kyndel. Help me. I just need a few hours to sleep and heal. I will explain everything to you after that, I promise.” He paused to see if his words had any effect on the beautiful woman before him. “I just need your help… please.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
She took another long look at the man she’d tripped over just a few minutes ago, realizing that arguing whether or not to go to the hospital was getting them nowhere. Then there was the pleading tone of his voice that melted away whatever resolve she had left. Sure, she never trusted anyone without putting them through her extensive, time honored, personal vetting system but there was just something
about this man. Something about the way he made her feel. Something in the way all the usual doubts she had about new people didn’t surface with him. Of course, there was the way he talked like an escaped mental patient that should have made her scream her head off and pray someone came to her rescue but that still didn’t make her run off into the night. She just chalked all his crazy talk up to shock and a concussion. She was also sure, in ways she couldn’t explain, that he had done something to protect her. Call it woman’s intuition but all the noises she had heard coming from the park and the way he worked so hard, despite his injuries, to keep her close said he was here for more than a half-naked walk in the park and he definitely was not searching for her less than professional First Aid skills. To top it all off, the sexy way her name rolled off his tongue made her want to hear it over and over again, maybe even whispered in her ear. Even if she could ignore all the other reasons, there was still her granny’s voice screaming in her ear that this man needed help and she needed to be the one to help him. “Ok, I have no clue why but I am giving you three hours to ‘rest and heal’. If you are not better, I promise you, I am calling the ambulance and having you forcibly taken to the hospital.” She raised one eyebrow and gave him the fiercest look she could muster. “You got that, bub? Nobody dies on my watch.”
She watched him relax at her acquiescence. He had to be in serious pain but he was at least partly to blame. If he would go the hospital, a doctor could give him some good painkillers, patch him up and put him in a soft bed. Then he could rest and heal but no, not this guy. He thought a nap was going to cure what ailed him. She had no idea why in the hell she was agreeing to this crap. If she helped this guy and he died at her apartment, she would kill him. She noticed he was just staring at her and realized he couldn’t hear her inner monologue. She really needed to stop talking to herself. Things were bad enough without adding her special kind of crazy to the mix