***
Evander woke up to see several pairs of eyes staring at him. But there was one pair that stood out to him the most. They looked familiar, yet he couldn’t place it. The man frowned at him and narrowed white eyes. He was a Black Dragon and strong. He was the king.
“Aris, calm down,” a female said.
Evander tried to follow the sound, but all he could see was a very large stomach. She was with child. He closed his eyes and inhaled her scent.
‘Our kin.’
Opening his eyes again, he looked up to see they were still watching him, each with different levels varying from curiosity to suspicion. When he tried to sit up, a cold hand shoved him back down.
“Don’t get up yet.”
Callie.
He cleared his throat to argue, but she pressed her hand harder and he relented. “Fine, I’ll stay down, but where are we, besides in a room full of dragons that don’t like me much?”
He didn’t care that they could all hear his conversation. There was no need to hide his nerves. A dragon didn’t go into another dragon’s territory without permission. And he learned the hard way how much a dominant dragon could make him hurt. But this is what he wanted. This was why the Council sent him here—to destroy the dragons in Stratham. It was his mission, but why did he feel like he belonged in this place, like he was safe for the first time in his life? It didn’t mesh well with what he’d learned through the years. He was a half-breed, after all. Wasn’t this where he belonged, instead of in a dank prison?
“Willow brought you,” a new male voice said, seeming to answer his unasked question.
“I see.”
He had no recollection of what happened. The only thing he knew was he was where he was supposed to be. Again, he went to sit up, slower this time, hoping to ease Callie’s mind. He raised up and looked around, realizing he was surrounded by eight dragons.
“Hello,” he said.
The big one–the one that radiated a power beacon–raised a brow. “Welcome to our home, Golden Dragon.”
His beast raised his head in acknowledgment, and Evander tilted his head to the side. It shocked him, but he didn’t stop the action.
The man raised and waved his hand. “Don’t bother. I don’t know you.”
His happiness faded. The king didn’t like him. He nodded and lowered his eyes, placing his hands in his lap, not sure what to do. He was in this strange place, and the only person he knew was his mate, whom he’d just met.
She seemed to sense his distress and laid her hand on his. He hadn’t even realized she was next to him, as he had been so focused on the reason why he’d been pulled to Stratham.
“So, what’s your story? Why are you here?” another asked.
The woman with red hair slapped him. “Be nice, Zarin. He’s going through the same thing you all have gone through.”
“Not me or Blane,” another dragon piped in.
Willow rolled her eyes. “I feel sorry for the woman, who gets saddled with you, Max,” she said with laughter.
He waved her off. “Psh, she’ll be the luckiest one yet.”
Max liked humor, Evander could tell. His hair was as black as night. He had that cocky look men got when they were overcompensating. That was a man that held many insecurities. It reminded him of himself. He was the same way, yet he didn’t show it.
The other one, Blane, had long, red braids and what looked like gray eyes that gave off a calmness about him. He looked at him in silence. He seemed to be listening. Evander wondered if he was gifted with mind reading, but then the other big guy smirked.
“Nope, that would be me,” he said.
There was too much for him to take in. Too many dragons. Too much power. His beasts paced and swirled around, trying to find solace but coming up empty. The other dragons didn’t like them–or trust him, rather.
“I think I need to leave.”
Callie patted his hand. “These are the people you’ve been looking for, right? Why do you want to leave now?”
She didn’t get it. He could feel all their distrust, suspicions, and aggression; they wouldn’t bother giving him a chance.
“Please….” He was starting to panic.
His mate nodded and stood up. “I guess we’ll be leaving.”
“How are you going to get to wherever it is you’re going?”
Callie shrugged. “He’s uncomfortable here, so I don’t care how, just that we are.”
He was shocked by how easy it was for her to take the lead. He liked that about her. It meant he didn’t always have to be strong. He could allow his mate to help. That’s what a partnership was about. Having her be strong, where he was weak and him strong, where she was weak.
The king held out his hands. “Wait a minute, now. It’s storming out there, and it’s not good to be out in this. You must understand, we haven’t had luck with random dragons showing up, and you’re Golden. That’s been our worst luck yet.”
“I understand, I didn’t come here to cause harm.” Liar.
“But we can’t know that for certain, can we? Your mind has been tampered with. Are you under someone’s spell?” Aris asked.
He sighed, unhappy with how close to correct the big man was. It made him even more uneasy. A part of him wanted to spill everything, but the black magic choked back the truth. “I guess not. But wouldn’t you be able to tell if I had bad intentions?” He needed to know just how powerful these dragons were before he decided how to proceed.
“We don’t know what happened to you. We don’t know anything besides what you tell us, and that is the problem. I will not endanger my family for a stranger. However, I don’t feel you have bad intentions.” He looked back at the one called Blane. “What are you getting?”
The man stood up from his slouched position and almost slithered toward him. It was so slow and perfect–like a snake–that Evander leaned back.
This one, he feared.
But the man kept closing in on him and laid his hand on his cheek. He would have jerked back, but then his eyes changed to the color of amethyst.
Evander gasped. “You’re a Purple Dragon?” He couldn’t keep the awe from his voice. He’d heard of them through the years, but he’d never met one. And then it hit him: this man would find the truth.
Blane caressed his cheek, but it wasn’t in a way that was romantic. It was a way to read him. Evander closed his eyes and tried to ensure no one saw the demon magic. They couldn’t know yet.
“You have been hurt a lot in your life. The magic is eating you up. But I don’t sense anything that shows you’re here for any kind of retribution. It’s like there is a block withholding your life from you.” He looked at his king, and Evander sighed. The Purple Dragon should have no problems sifting through and finding anything hidden–unless the one who caused the problem was stronger.
Evander’s fear skyrocketed. A bubble of energy moved through his veins faster than even the speed of light. Bursts of magic sparked at his fingers, and the next thing he knew, Blane flew across the room, knocking one of the others over before he fell to the ground with a loud thud. The room broke out in an uproar. Rage was the essence he sensed. They were a family, and he was an outsider on their territory. He was shoved down, and the others circled him. Tears fell from his eyes.
“I’m sorry. So sorry! I didn’t mean to.”
Callie shoved hands off him. “He didn’t touch him. He didn’t do anything purposely. Back the hell off.” She stood up in front of him, guarding him.
“He used his power–”
“No, he didn’t,” Blane said, cutting them off. “Telekinesis isn’t his power, but his emotions changed. Something he thought about increased his fear tenfold. That is what tossed me across the room like a rag doll. Whatever it is, he didn’t do it on purpose.”
He sighed in relief when Blane defended him, but the fear hadn’t dissipated. Callie still hovered over him. She was already acting like they’d completed the bond and as though she held a
beast. It was amazing to see a human act so much like a dragon.
“It’s okay, love. They should protect themselves. I get it.”
She glared at them and brought her eyes to him. “Still, they shouldn’t jump to conclusions. I thought they were accepting, but they aren’t all that nice.”
He agreed, but he didn’t say it out loud. He felt worse here than he should have. He wondered if he was wrong about this tribe. Maybe it wasn’t home, after all. Maybe he only came to find his mate. “We can leave now. I think we have overstayed our welcome.” He grabbed her hand and laced their fingers together before standing.
Two united.
He didn’t need a tribe. He had the only person in his life that would matter…until he had a child. That thought should have shocked him. He’d never thought of being a father before.
She smiled up at him, and he led the way out of the den. No one stopped them, and no one spoke to them. He shook his head, disappointed at how this whole thing turned out. But maybe it was better that way.
Chapter 7
It was hard not to watch him. Even in his sleep he wasn’t relaxed. Not like he’d been when she found him. But he hadn’t really been sleeping then, had he?
No, he was unconscious at that point.
She sighed and laid on her side. She could tell that leaving the dragons’ house was hard for him. So much disappointment was written all over his face as shown by the crease in his brow, the set in his jaw, and the near pout of his mouth. If it wasn’t so sad, she might find it sexy. He had that look about him. The hidden danger that lurked behind the surface, yet she knew he had a history, and it couldn’t be perfect. Or why else would someone have tampered with his mind? She wanted him to know that, no matter what he told her, she wouldn’t run.
He opened his eyes and stared at her with a sleepy smile. “Good morning, love.”
Thump-thump-thump. “Are you feeling better?”
He seemed to check his body and nodded. “I’m okay.”
“But Willow said–”
“She might not be right. Just because it’s that way for them doesn’t mean it will be for me.”
Callie rested her fingers on the stubble on his jaw. “But it could be.”
He turned his face and pressed a kiss to her fingers. “You’re right, but why don’t we worry about that later? I don’t know what’s going to happen now. I had such hope, and now–”
“You don’t.”
He nodded and closed his eyes. Callie realized he wasn’t doing well, but he wasn’t going to admit it. His face was pale and withdrawn. His eyes seemed even darker. She almost couldn’t even see the shade of blue. The darkness contrasted with his pasty-white skin. He was getting worse. She couldn’t ignore the signs. Willow said until she took the female dragon, things wouldn’t be good for him.
It would be up to her to figure this out. She didn’t like the idea of him shunning the others. Even though they were asshats, they still knew more than she did. She had a feeling something was going to bring them back together anyway. Unease filled her. They weren’t finished with the dragons of Stratham. Darkness was coming, and she was going to get caught in the crossfire. Of that she was certain.
Evander reached out for her hand, and she sighed before letting him take her fingers and lace them with his. Warmth settled, and even though a large part of her was freaking out, another part of her–the little girl searching for her prince–was content. She’d found him, but now she had to save him before she lost him. It wasn’t the typical fairytale, but she wasn’t the typical woman either.
This time, when she opened her eyes, the bed was empty. She looked to the side and groaned. She hadn’t meant to fall back to sleep. She’d wanted to go see Willow. She needed more information. That just meant she wouldn’t be able to. Certainly, he would want to try again. It didn’t seem likely he would quit after one bad incident.
Pulling herself out of bed, Callie looked down at her clothes and thought better about leaving the room. Sweat pants were comfortable, but not really what she wanted him to see her in all the time. They weren’t flattering, and she could see every inch of fat that seemed to appear out of nowhere.
She cringed, ignoring the urge to empty her stomach of what little she had left. She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d eaten anything decent.
Tears filled her eyes as she shook her head, fighting her own internal battle. Every day, she had to remind herself to keep from caving. Footsteps brought her out of her turmoil, and she wiped the tears that had fallen away with haste. No need to let him see her this way. It was her battle to fight alone.
She could hear movements outside of the room. Just knowing he was still there was comforting. He wouldn’t leave her. She didn’t think he really could.
***
His mate was crying. He scented the salt from her tears, but when he would have tried to comfort her, he listened as she shut off her emotions. It was like he was locked out. He raised his hand to knock just as she opened the door, smiling at him. Her eyes were red, and the smile was fake.
He frowned. “Love, are you all right?”
Her smile widened even further, if that was possible. “Of course. I guess I’m just worried about you.”
She went to move forward, and he noticed how she turned to the side and slid past him, not allowing her body to touch his.
Was she upset with him?
In such a short time, she’d changed his life, and he wasn’t sure how to cope with it. He was no closer to figuring out what to do. He really wanted to come clean. But now that she was pulling away, he wondered if he should even bother. No matter how strong he was, this feeling was one he’d never felt before. He was insecure.
He followed behind her. “We can try the dragons again if you think we need to.” He really didn’t want to, but he could tell she wanted the help. And if that was what was bothering her, it was easily fixed.
She glanced over her shoulder at him and nodded. “I really think you should. Maybe this time not in their house, though. Meet just one of them, I guess the head guy. In public. Maybe with Willow.”
He nodded. That might work. “I guess we could try it, but if it turns out the same, I’m not going to bother again, okay?”
“I understand.”
She said all the right words, but it didn’t seem like her mood lifted. Maybe it wasn’t him. He wasn’t used to women. He had no idea what he was supposed to do. Was he supposed to force her to talk, or leave it alone?
She went into the kitchen and stood frozen in the middle of the room. Her body was tense, her shoulders low. He still had a lot to learn about Callie. She had her own past, secrets, and hurts. He walked behind her and wrapped his arms around her, ignoring the way her body tensed at his touch.
“Are you upset with me?”
She spun and shook her head. Her eyes filled with tears, and his heart ached to take whatever pain she had away. This was a new feeling–this utter distress for someone else. He’d shut that part of him off, and it was like ripping off a giant Band-Aid to open it again.
“No, not at all.”
“Then what’s wrong, love?”
She opened her mouth, but shook her head again and buried her face into his chest. “I can’t.” It was mumbled, but he understood.
He ran his hand over her hair, gripping her head against him. “Shh, it’s okay. When you’re ready, then.”
She nodded.
He didn’t want to worry about himself just then. Something was eating her up. He had a feeling he wasn’t going to like it. “Do you want to go to the diner and see if Willow is there?”
She looked up at him and smiled. It was small, but this time, it was real. “Yes.”
He wanted his mate happy, even if he didn’t want to be around the beasts he was supposed to kill. How could he do it? The woman was with child. He couldn’t kill a mother. Not when his was taken from him so young. He sucked in a breath as if he had been kicked. There was no way in hell
he’d do what the Council wanted now. The only problem was finding a way out of the situation and doing so without dying in the process. He wanted to be able to be with his mate, and for the first time in his life, he wanted to be around his kin. He wanted to find acceptance and love, something he’d only felt from one person.
Chapter 8
She needed to be alone. She needed to release her stress in the only way she knew how, but Evander was there. There was no escaping, and she was starting to feel cornered. None of that was his fault, of course. He’d come from…wherever it is he came from and taken over her whole life. Yet he wasn’t following her around. She knew she could do her own thing, but the desire to be with him hadn’t lessened. She felt every ounce of the pain he was in, yet he didn’t complain. Hell, if she couldn’t feel it, she wouldn’t even know. He was strong, but the longer they waited, the worse it would be.
“I’m going to go try to find Willow.”
He went to sit up, but she saw the rest of the color drain from his face before he sat back down. “I can go, too.”
“No, you can’t.” She walked over to the couch and sat on the edge. “You need to rest. And I need you to let me help you.”
He reached for her hand. “I don’t trust them.”
“Well, I do. I think she can really help. I want you to be okay. I won’t be gone long, promise.”
The fight seemed to leave him. He laid back down, but he didn’t let go of her fingers. “I don’t like being away from you.”
It came out as a soft whisper, and then he was out. She nibbled her lips, the worry nagging at her. Should she leave him alone?
No. She stood up and looked back at him. He’d be okay for a little while. She’d go to the diner and try to talk to the red-headed woman who packed a whole lot of personality. Callie could imagine being friends with someone like her. That thought gave her hope.
It wasn’t too awful outside. The snow had stopped, but the roads were icy. She’d handled worse weather before. Taking a deep breath, she sprinted to her car, careful to avoid ice patches. Luckily, she didn’t fall. She got into her small car and rubbed her hands together, waiting for the heat to kick in.
Evander (Stratham Shifters Book 4) Page 5