by Julia Mills
No matter how much she waited for the little voice in her head to warn her that this was a mistake, it stayed completely silent on the matter. It seemed that ‘Catty Kyndel’ only reared her ugly head to point out when she was acting like a nut, just her luck. All signs pointed to the fact that she really should help the amazingly gorgeous guy before her and in all honesty, there was no way she could deny him her help as he laid there practically begging with pain etched upon his beautiful face. It didn’t help that something about the feelings he unleashed in her defied all logic and common sense and wormed their way past all of her firmly built defenses. No matter how hard she tried, she could not stop thinking about his perfectly muscled body against hers, his bedroom eyes boring into hers and his erotically calloused fingers touching so much more than her wrist. It didn’t even matter that the poor guy was hurt, bleeding and talking about being different. The only thing she could attribute her sudden insanity to was all the craziness of the day, heavily influenced by the way he looked at her. And how could she forget the way her name rolled off his tongue.
It was like he could see all of her, inside and out. She felt like nothing was off limits or hidden where he was concerned. He saw it all, even the stuff she buried deep. The most incredible part was that she felt no judgment from him, a luxury she only felt with her family and Grace. He wasn’t offended or appalled by what was buried deep inside. She got the feeling that he wanted to know every detail about her, no matter how small. She felt like, for the first time in her life, she could trust someone with everything. This was a whole new ballgame for her. It also didn’t hurt that the man was hotter than sin. Not that the way he looked should matter but facts were facts and the fact was he was damn good looking.
“Alright, Rayne, since you won’t let me go get help and apparently this stretch of the city is absolutely deserted tonight,’ she looked around again and just as she suspected, they were completely alone. “We’re going to have to figure out how to get you up and moving. The only place I know to take you is my apartment, not that I am completely thrilled with taking a complete stranger to my home, but desperate times call for desperate measures. It’s about four or five blocks from here.” She glanced in the direction she had been walking before all the excitement. “Do you think you can sit up? We have to figure out a way to get you vertical and walking.”
She watched him suck in a huge breath, then he tugged her wrist for leverage, holding even tighter until he was balanced and sitting, albeit hunched over, facing her. He was so close she could feel his breath on her face. He was panting in pain. She should have felt bad that all she could think about was moving just a few inches forward so that their lips would touch. She could feel her eyes closing and her body leaning closer to those oh so kissable lips. She heard his attempt at stifling a pain filled groan and the moment was shattered. No matter how hard she tried, she could not stop the disappointment she felt at missing the opportunity of touching her lips to his. She couldn’t figure out what the hell was going on with her libido. Why had it chosen this night of all nights to rear its sexy head? The poor guy was hurt and bleeding and she was thinking about kissing him with as much urgency as she was thinking about caring for his wounds. When all this was over and tall dark and gorgeous was back wherever he had come from, she had to get a date and get laid. That was all there was to it.
As she sat there deciding the best way to get him off the ground she noticed a small trail of blood sliding down his neck. “Rayne, your head is still bleeding.”
Without another thought but for his well being, she reached around him, grabbed her sweatshirt off the ground and gently pressed it against his wound, applying pressure to stop the bleeding. She really hoped she wasn’t hurting him. The movement brought her even closer to his beautiful face and those irresistible lips. Their eyes met and the attraction she was working so hard to contain, flared to life. She watched his pupils dilate and heard the tell-tale catch in his breath.
Apparently the attraction was just as hard for him to resist as it was for her. In unison, they leaned in those last few inches and their lips met. That one simple touch was like nothing she had felt before. An electric current flew between them and drew a moan from deep in her throat. The impact of their joining knocked her off balance. She braced her hand on his chest to keep from falling right into his lap. The vibration she felt, as well as, the rumble of satisfaction coming from deep in his deep in his chest confirmed he felt it too. His strong steady heartbeat sped up under her hand and hers beat hard to align with his. She wondered if a concussion or maybe even insanity was contagious because if she didn’t know better she would swear she had heard him growl.
Rayne jerked back, grabbed her by shoulders and sniffed the air around them. Her eyes narrowed as she wondered what, in all that was holy, he was doing. She knew she had been at work all day and that the last few minutes had been stressful but she was sure she didn’t stink. Just as she was about to get offended by the actions of this incredibly sexy, probably deranged man, he looked her square in the eye. “We have to get out of here, now.” The urgency in his voice accentuated by the extra squeeze he gave her shoulders caused her pulse to kick up yet another notch.
“I’m not even going to ask what the ‘sniffing the air’ routine is about. I completely agree with the need to get moving but in case you‘ve forgotten, you’re hurt and I hate to state the obvious but I can’t lift you.” She tried to appear calm, cool and collected while she was anything but. “Got any ideas?”
He smiled a lopsided smile that caused her brain to momentarily lose its train of thought, “I’ll get up. Back up just a bit, please.” He dropped his hands from her shoulders and waited for her to move.
Please? Well, at least he had manners, no matter his other “ailments”. Kyndel stood up with a groan she tried to hide. After kneeling for such a long time on the cold concrete, not to mention the extra twenty pounds she was sure she’d had since birth, her knees were not ready for the action. Before she was all the way vertical, he was standing before her and had gripped both her wrists in his hands to steady her when he was the one with the head wound.
Her eyes widened and she wondered once again how a man that had found it hard to stay conscious a few minutes ago moved so quickly. She would have sworn he didn’t have the strength to move his big toe by himself, let alone get up that fast and then lend her a hand. Just as she met his eyes, he sniffed the air again.
“We really have to get going. Which way to your home?” The urgency in his voice raised more questions in her mind.
This guy really had some odd habits, sniffing the air, running around half naked, fighting in the park, making her think thoughts she had never thought before and the list just went on and on. Even with the list growing exponentially, she figured it could be worse; he could eat with his hands or burp and fart in public, right? Those things were way more embarrassing than anything he had done so far. But nothing negated the fact that deep down inside she felt like she was missing something. She hated to state the obvious, even to herself, but this man was like no other she had ever known. The part of her that her granny had worked hard to bring out in her, the part that made her trust, told her that he meant something important to her. Everything seemed jumbled, like she couldn’t see the whole picture but she knew there was more at work here than the obvious. Her mind, body and soul accepted this man without any hesitation. Time to sit and digest all that had happened was what she needed. Everything had happened so fast. Unfortunately, time was not a luxury she had right now, especially with him staring at her like she was the loon. They just needed to get to her apartment.
“That way.” Kyndel pointed over her shoulder, “Just a little shy of five blocks.” She looked at him and took stock of his physical condition as objectively as she could muster. “You sure you can make it?”
Rayne nodded, “I can make it. Lead the way.”
She turned and with his hand on the small of her back warming her to the tip of
her toes, she led him towards her apartment.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
As they walked in the direction Kyndel had indicated, Rayne scented more hunters. His senses were dull from his injuries and blood loss but he knew there were others. If he wasn’t mistaken, they were from the same pack whose leader he had killed and they were within a few hundred yards of the park. It was a scouting party, looking for their compatriots. When they found them dead, if they found them dead, they would be looking for him.
He constantly monitored the area surrounding Kyndel, moving his head as carefully as possible from side to side. On every pass, he scented a bit of fear, a lot of confusion, pure strength, a determination he never thought possible in another and something much more alluring coming from his gorgeous mate. The attraction between them was growing, even though she was more than a little suspicious and a tad intimidated by his presence. As soon as he was well enough to stand without gritting his teeth, he would calmly and carefully explain that she was his mate. He looked forward to her reaction to his revelation and the discussion he was sure they would have concerning their future together. He knew it was going to be a challenge but he also believed in the path the Universe had for him and the spectacular mate She had designed for him alone. The Universe knew what each person needed to feel complete and reach their full potential. Mates were created to truly and completely complement each other. Their union was like none other. He was strong in his belief that he and Kyndel’s future would be filled with a lifetime of joy and most definitely the happily ever after that his fascinating mate deserved. She was after all, the best part of his soul, the beauty in his heart and the completion that he and his dragon had been searching for since they had become one. How could they not have everything promised to beloved mates? Now for the hard part, walking as quickly as possible before the hunters figured out where they were and decided to make an appearance or he fell flat on his face. He believed with all certainty that everything would be fine. He had to believe. It was just another average day in the life of a Dragon Guard Commander. Right….keep telling yourself that, Commander.
CHAPTER THREE
He felt like he had walked four miles instead of just a little over four blocks. He could tell the beautiful woman that walked at his side had millions of questions but wasn’t asking them while they trudged through the streets on their way to her home. He reasoned that she was more worried about his well being than her need for answers. He picked up on the frustration and conflict that caused within her. He couldn’t wait to be healed so that he could learn everything there was to know about the captivating mate he’d been given. He concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other while trying to hide his almost unbearable fatigue and pain from Kyndel. Just when he thought he couldn’t make it one step farther, Kyndel pointed to the building just ahead on the right, indicating they had finally made it. He thanked the Universe. In just a few more steps she would be safe and he could get some rest.
As they walked towards her front door, Rayne thought about how this quaint little abode perfectly fit with what he already knew of the magnificent creature the Universe designed just for him. With his enhanced vision he could see it had been freshly painted a bright white, had window boxes with flowers depicting every color of the rainbow, proudly displayed for all to see and frilly blue curtains in the front windows. The entire structure they were approaching had four doors indicating four different side by side apartments. Kyndel definitely kept her place the prettiest of all her neighbors, she even had flowering bushes lining the walk to the front door and some type of vine gently wrapping around her white picket gate and fence. Absolutely stunning was the thought that kept running through his mind, just like the woman that resided here. She must be incredibly in tune with nature, another sign she was his. All dragon shifter mates had specialized natural abilities, even if they happened to be human. Most never realized they were any different than others but the shifter that was the other half of their soul recognized it immediately, just as he had upon seeing her and now her home. Now that the mates had found one another, those special abilities would grow and flourish. The Universe simply did not make mistakes. The Creator of always knew what She was doing.
He smiled as she mumbled to herself while unlocking her front door. She pushed the door open and crossed the threshold, “No matter how humble, there’s no place like home,” she said as she sighed and he could tell it came all the way from her toes. “Come on in. Let’s get you laid down since that’s all you’ll agree to.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Kyndel knew she was not being the best hostess in the world but she was tired, irritated and if she was to be honest with herself, more than a little worried about the handsome stranger that she had welcomed into her home like some stray puppy. Add unexplainably aroused to the mix and she had gone from ‘Catty Kyndel’ to ‘Bitchy Kyndel’ without missing a beat. She tried hard not to lose her mind, her temper or anything else she might need later. She just needed to admit that the main thing messing with her mind was her inability to keep her thoughts from the beautiful stranger’s irresistible body and the very naughty things she wanted to do to said body. He stirred thoughts in her that she hadn’t known she was capable of having, hot steamy thoughts that she had no business thinking about a complete stranger, let alone one she had just met, with a bleeding head wound, that wanted to take a nap instead of getting medical attention. She wondered for about the millionth time in her life, why it was that no matter how good looking and mouthwatering men were, they were always completely exasperating?
She kicked off her heels and reminded herself that he was going to have to use her bed. She had converted the second bedroom into an office/craft room leaving only one bed in her apartment and he was so big there was no way he would fit comfortably anywhere else. She would have to take the couch, which was no problem at all. It was a big tan leather overstuffed monstrosity that she was blissfully comfortable sleeping on and that she absolutely loved. She had carted that heavy ass thing with her everywhere she had moved since her senior year in college. She found it at a little furniture store around the corner from campus that was going out of business. It had taken four football players to get it back to her place but the case of beer and four large pizzas she bought to bribe them had been well worth it. It was probably one of the top three reasons why she didn’t move very often, number one being that once she had things the way she liked them, she wanted them to stay that way and moving made that damn near impossible. Her old dependable friend, her couch, was by far the most comfortable piece of furniture ever made and it was all hers. How funny was it that her prize possession was a couch, she chuckled to herself.
She realized too late that once again he was staring at her, studying her face and smiling a smile that stole her breath and curled her toes. She narrowed her eyes on reflex as she wondered where in the hell her sanity had gone since she’d left her office. She had been lost in thought, standing in the foyer, staring into space, completely comfortable sharing her space with an utter stranger. That never happened. She never let her guard down. She had spent the better part of her twenty-six years erecting sturdy walls that kept her from getting hurt and somehow this man had sneaked past them all in less than an hour. Something very strange was going on and as soon as the man in question had taken his ‘nap’, she was getting answers to all her questions. She took a deep breath hoping to relieve some tension. “Second door on the right is the bedroom.” She pointed, “There is a bathroom in there, too. Towels are on the shelf, if you want to clean up before you “rest”.”
He looked down from his incredible height and she was once again reminded of how big he really was. She looked into his mesmerizing violet eyes and forgot to breath. He spoke waking her from her fog. “Thank you so much for your kindness, Kyndel. I know none of this makes sense to you but I promise, once I’ve rested, I will explain everything.”
She smiled despite the confusion she was feeling. This man had
the power to completely cloud her judgment in an instant but it was time to remind him that she was not a complete pushover. “Well, like I said before, you better not die on me. Right this minute, you look like a good wind could knock you off your feet. Just get in there and rest.’ She pointed towards her bedroom again. “Since you are so sure that’s all you need to heal what ails you. I still don’t see how that will help your head but apparently I have no say in this.” She shrugged her shoulders, gave him her best ‘I mean business look’ complete with one cocked eyebrow and continued, “Again,” she pointed her finger at him, “DO NOT DIE!”
Rayne chuckled, the low tones tickling something deep inside of her, “If I’m not mistaken, Kyndel, it sounds like you care, at least a little, about my well being.”
“Yea, well, I just don’t know how I’d explain to the police that there is a big dead man in my house if you die. So just don’t, ok?”
“I assure you, beautiful Kyndel, I will not die this night.”
His voice just kept doing funny things to her insides and her ‘inner girl’ swooned just a little at the fact that he called her beautiful. Another thing that she could not explain, her ‘inner girl’ did not swoon. She flushed at the unfamiliar feelings and grew antsy from the feelings his intense violet eyes evoked in her. She also had to admit to herself that she could get used to the way he said her name. It was like a caress with a promise of all kinds of wild pleasures, sweaty, wild pleasures that would leave them both spent and panting. She schooled her features, wrestling her libido into submission. “Get in there and get laid down.” She pointed to the partially closed door just a few feet down the hall, hoping he would take the hint this time. “I’ll use the other bathroom to get changed then I’ll bring you something to drink. I don’t think you should eat just yet with that head wound. Do you prefer water or juice? Sorry I haven’t been to the store lately so the pickings are slim.”