by Anna Zaires
“Skin around the edges looks odd.” The other male commented, his voice closer as though he leaned in to look. “Almost like the flesh is poisoned.”
Gentle fingers probed her side and she couldn’t stop the small murmur of pain that slipped past her lips.
Instantly, her mate was there, his big hand smoothing back her hair. “Shhh, sweetness. We’re just trying to help you.”
Blessed cool wetness stroked over her side, soothing the fire there and she murmured again, turning toward the hand that offered comfort. Okay, perhaps she’d been hurt a little more than she’d thought. In that case, it was okay to accept a little help. She wasn’t an island fortress and all that, sometimes even the strongest warriors needed a little help to heal, before they hit the battlefield again.
She could really get back in the fight, the little voice at the back of her head niggled as his hand smoothed over her hair again. His deep voice uttered reassurances as her wounds were bathed with gentle movements. All she had to do was give into her traitorous feminine instincts, the ones that demanded she cling to him, yield to his demands…. Sex with her mate would seal their bond and shatter the control collar’s hold on her.
But it could tip Sellers off that there was another dragon-mate—her—and bring him one step closer to his goal. She wouldn’t allow that, couldn’t create a situation where he could win. Because if he did, then the world lost. An uncontrolled Dragos, as pathetic as the original enchantment had been perceived, would still be massively powerful in this modern day world where magic had been diminished until it was nothing but a pale reflection of what it had been.
The pain in her side reached epic proportions and she whimpered again. She kept her eyes tight shut, not wanting to admit to the weakness.
“Crap, this stuff is nasty.” The other male cursed, his hands stilling on her wounds. “Hold on, I’m going to try something.”
“Anything, just help her.”
Her mate’s voice was tight with worry and she wanted to reach out, reassure him it would be okay, but in that moment the cool rush of magic surrounded her. It wrapped her up in tender coils, circling her body very much the same as she’d wrapped up her prey in the alley. Instead of squeezing the life out of her though, it spread warmth, like an all-over hug. It hit her muscles, tensed against the pain and eased them out, one by one.
Relief spread through her like wildfire as the pain eased to an ache, then to discomfort, then it was gone. She sagged against the soft surface of the couch, her breath leaving her in a shuddering rush.
“Holy hell! That was tough.” The magic ceased and she opened her eyes, blinking against the brightness of the room. “Hey there, beautiful, how you feeling?”
Two sets of eyes looked down at her in concern, so she focused on the ones belonging to the man kneeling by the couch. He was…not human. She kept that nugget of information to herself, concealing her expression with a downward sweep of her eyelids. By the time she looked up, she had her expression under control.
“I’m okay, I think.” Her voice was croaky and low, so she cleared her throat. Pressing a hand to her side, she asked. “What did you do to me?”
“Just a little healing spell. Nothing too much.”
He smiled, the expression warming his pale eyes. Something else lurked behind the smile but she didn’t probe it, keeping what little she could access of her magic under lock and key. She didn’t trust strange men with magic, no matter how well-meaning their intentions appeared to be.
“Just cleared some of that poison out of your system. What’s your name, sweetheart?”
Oh, this one was a charmer all right, and he’d bought her sweet and innocent act, lock, stock and barrel. She hid her smile. There was one born every minute.
“I’m Chase.” She admitted in a soft voice, looking up through her lashes as she tried to work out what the hell he was. He didn’t smell human, and his aura was no way anything near human, but neither was he fae, or demonic. Nothing she could identify. “And you are?”
“Leaving,” her mate growled, surging into motion from his spot by her side on the couch and bundling the smaller man toward the door.
“Nice to meet you, Chase,” he called over her mate’s shoulder, adding a wave that earned him another growl. Then the door slammed and she was alone, again, with the man destiny had designed for her, but she couldn’t have.
He stalked toward her, predatory interest in every line of his body. She sucked in a breath and tried to keep her expression neutral. It was a hard task. He was…beautiful. A strange word to use for a man, but no other would do. Tall and broad-shouldered, he didn’t have the face of a dark angel. She’d seen angels and they were entirely too effeminate looking for her tastes.
Dark hair framed his face, his chiseled features that screamed virility and masculinity offset by the most sensual pair of lips she’d ever seen on a man. His green eyes were dark, the thinnest sliver of gold around the edges telling her that this was a man in control of his beast. Not the other way around as she’d assumed one so young to be.
“So, Chase…Nightborne, is it?” He paused at the side of the couch and hunkered down. The movement pulled the t-shirt tight over his chest and shoulders, revealing just how well-built he was. She had to stop her gaze straying that way, forcing it to remain on his eyes. His lips quirked, as though he realized the problem she was having. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
“Likewise. Mr…?” She felt the flush over her cheeks but couldn’t do a damned thing about it. She wasn’t blushing. She couldn’t be. The cast-iron bitch of the Royal Guard and the sole reason for the nightmares of every raw recruit for a hundred years did not blush. Ever.
Yeah, right. Her cheeks were cherry-red and no doubt glowing now.
“Duke,” he rumbled, the deepness of his voice betraying his dragon. Even as she watched, the gold ring around his eyes grew wider, his dragon flitting behind his eyes to peer out and take a look. Instinctively hers preened, pushing her to find out more about this male that was theirs.
She ignored the creature to smile and hold out her hand. Not for him to kiss, that would have been absurd, but for a handshake. “A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Duke.”
“Just Duke, no Mister.”
He claimed her hand, his dwarfing hers to turn it and bring it to his lips. Lips compressing into a thin line, she tried to pull away before he could but he held fast. A small battle ensued but her strength in this form was no match for his and she was forced to concede.
He grinned in triumph, a quick flash of white teeth before he lowered his head. His lips were still curved when he planted a gentle kiss on the back of her knuckles. The soft brush of skin on skin sent an arc of awareness through her so sharp it was like a bolt of electricity. It woke feelings and instincts within her instantly. Ones that she’d buried deeply for the sake of her mission.
Feeling flooded back to join the heat settling heavily in her groin. Butterflies had invaded her stomach, her breasts and nipples heavy and aching as, with her mate nearby, her body prepared itself for mating.
No, no, no. This was just not happening. She couldn’t let it happen.
Snatching her hand back, she sat up, looking around the room. It was small but not as small a suite of rooms as she would imagine for a man living alone. The windows were large though, which was no surprise. Dragons didn’t like to be hemmed in, not even in human form, so the tall windows with the drapes drawn back to reveal the dawn-heavy sky soothed her.
“So, No-Mister Duke,” she began, smoothing her hair down and using words to create a barrier between them. He didn’t move, just watched her from his crouch. She felt uncomfortably like prey. “Thank you for helping me out, and thank your friend for me, but I really must be going.”
***
Hell, no. She’d only just got here, injured to boot. There was no way he would allow her to leave. Not until he’d gotten…her naked and screaming under him. He blinked as the dragon completed the sentence, feeding him
erotic images of the lady in question spread out over his favorite silk sheets. He almost groaned at the mental image. The midnight color would be the perfect foil for her blonde curls and the creaminess of her skin.
Locking the image away before he did something stupid and tried it for real, he moved like lightning to get between her and the door. Her feet had barely touched the floor before he was there, looming over her. Crap, she moved fast. Faster than he’d expected just after Ris had healed her. Who knew the Seer was a healer as well? He certainly hadn’t, but that was a question for a different day.
She pulled up short, avoiding crashing into him by a hairsbreadth. He smiled down at her, trying as hard as he could to appear unthreatening. She’d been injured, attacked by Red Caps and had passed out in his arms. No matter what she’d done, whether she was in league with the man who’d tried to kill his brother’s mate, he still didn’t want to scare her.
“Sorry, sweetness. Can’t let you leave. Not when you just got here.”
She gasped, backing up half a step and that was it. The predator in him couldn’t pass up the opportunity for a chase, no matter how small. Moving in, he slid a hand around her slender waist before she could stop him, and hauled her up against his bigger body. Her little gasp, and the sudden darkness in her eyes, hit him deep in the gut. Heat spread, his cock hard and ready for action in a heartbeat.
She didn’t fight him. Instead, she spread her small hands over his upper arms. Either clinging on or a precursor to pushing him away, he didn’t know, and frankly, didn’t care. Not with her lips so temptingly within reach. A groan rolling in the back of his throat, he dropped his head and claimed her mouth.
The instant his lips touched hers, his world tilted on its axis. Soft, warm, pliant…it was like coming home. A sense of peace and security wrapped around the lust piling up in his veins and he couldn’t help pulling her closer. She went easily, as though curling into him for support. Needing him and only him. The thought fed his male ego. Yes, he was the man. The alpha. He could look after his mate, see that she never had to worry again. He protected what was his.
Sweeping his tongue out, he probed the seam of her lips. Demanding access. Needing it more than he needed to breathe. He had to claim her utterly. Brand her with his essence so that she never looked at another man again. A soft murmur was her only reply before she parted her lips, allowing him the access he craved. Deep within, his dragon roared with triumph as he slid his tongue past her lips to find hers. The murmur this time was his, as he found her, stroked in soft, wet slides and tempted her to join him.
She held herself rigid at first, but he sensed her softening toward him. Driving a hand into the fall of blonde curls at the back of her neck, he swept his other hand down her spine. A gentle movement. She was so tiny and delicate he was scared he would hurt her. Was scared the strength of passion that rolled through him would make him rough.
Be as rough as you like. Her mental voice was amused. Not like I’m going to break, even in this form.
Oh god, she was going to kill him saying things like that. The dragon liked it rough, but he’d never truly let go. Couldn’t for fear of damaging his partner.
What partners? What females? Her nails bit into his upper arms, jealousy coloring the link between them as she obviously read his surface thoughts. Quickly he shielded the deeper layers, just the same as he did when he didn’t want his brother to know his thoughts.
No females. Not now, not for a long time, but definitely not now, he reassured her, pulling back to nibble at her lower lip. She whimpered, the soft, sexy little sound totally at odds with the tough image she presented. Never again. There is only you.
Hmmmmph, was her only reply, but the pressure of her nails in his arm eased up, as though she liked his answer. He hid his smile and broke from their kiss to trail his lips along the underside of her jaw. So, his mate was jealous of other women, was she? The knowledge pleased him, even though he had no intentions of ever looking at another woman again.
Not jealous—would just have to… Her words in his head trailed off into a moan as he found the sweet spot just below her ear. She shivered and arched her neck to give him better access. He moved in closer to take up the invitation, nuzzling with his lips again and again. She whimpered, boneless in his arms and he knew he had her. She was totally open to him, to whatever he wanted from her.
His dragon roared at him. All his male instincts demanded that he push her backward onto the couch, use magic to get rid of their clothes and impale her on his thick cock until they were both in heaven.
With a sigh, he pulled back, looked down into desire-darkened eyes. He was a fucking idiot for passing up what was being offered on a plate. But he wasn’t an animal and he wanted far more than just a one-night stand from her. Besides, he didn’t have to be clairvoyant to feel the exhaustion that pulled at her.
“We can’t…not yet. You need some rest. You were just injured.”
Scooping her up into his arms, he fought down his dragon’s trumpeting, and carried her through to his bedroom to lay her down on his bed. She watched him, her expression wary, and he reached out a hand to smooth her curls away from her face.
“Sleep. Then we’ll talk.”
CHAPTER SIX
Chase didn’t argue at him stopping. Her dragon did, wanting nothing more than to seal the bond with their mate, especially after hearing him thinking about other woman. The beast was a jealous bitch. No woman would touch their mate and live. It would make sure of that.
But exhaustion, often a side-effect of healing magic, pulled at her, and as exhausted as she was, she didn’t have the willpower to stop him. She slipped gratefully into sleep to allow her body to heal the remainder of the damage but her rest wasn’t an easy one.
That hot kiss dominated her dreams. She’d found her mate, or more correctly, he’d found her. Rescued her like some knight in not shining, but dragonscale armor. Everything female within her, including her dragon, wanted to roll over and play games with the sexy male. But she couldn’t. She had a mission.
She shouldn’t even have kissed him. That way led to temptation, the horizontal sort of game minus clothing, and bang Sellers just got another way to make his Dragos enchantment permanent. Yeah, she’d get her magic back, but it was too easy…surely it couldn’t be that simple? No, she’d find another way. One that didn’t involve her putting her heart on the line as well.
Opening her eyes, she looked around the room, drinking in every detail and committing it to memory. The neutral colors of the walls and floor couldn’t compare to the bed. Draped in satins and silks, it was a cacophony of color. A melody of textures she couldn’t quite reconcile with the powerful male they belonged to. One who had tended to her so gently, looking after her rather than trying to persuade her to seal their bond immediately. She doubted even the ‘noble’ knights of her life before coming to this place would have been so honorable.
One thing was certain though. No matter how noble he was, or how hot, she couldn’t stay here. Pretty soon Sellers would yank on her chain and she’d be pulled right back to his lair. Not physical, teleportation type stuff, he wasn’t that powerful yet, but the compulsion to return would override all else. She had a little time though. Time to spend with the man she wanted but couldn’t allow herself to have.
Turning her head to the side, she found herself alone. The pillow next to her was indented. Sliding a hand out along the sheet, she found a rapidly cooling patch and her lips curved into a soft smile. He’d slept beside her.
Of course I did, his voice whispered in her mind, stronger and clearer than it had been before. She swore under her breath. Physical proximity was strengthening their bond. She knew the signs, had seen bonded couples before. Sure some started out trying to stay away from each other, but the compulsion grew the more time they spent together until it was too great. Until they had no choice.
Hegra’s wrath, I make my own damn choices!
Sure you do, sweetness. Her mate replied
silkily, a hint of laughter in his deep, sexy rumble. And that being said, do you want a hazelnut or vanilla shot in your coffee? I’m betting you’re a hazelnut kinda gal.
She sat up in bed, pushing the tumble of loose curls back from her face. He had all her attention. She’d never had coffee before she’d come here. Right up until Sellers’ pet pixie, Rat, had given her a mug. From that moment she’d been hooked.
Hazelnut. She extended her senses. He wasn’t in the apartment. Where are you?
He crowed in triumph. I knew it! Hazelnut it is, princess.
I’m not a princess, she argued, sliding out of bed to pad across the room in her bare feet to the large window to look out.
At some point while she slept, he’d removed her clothes and replaced them with a man’s shirt. It was far too long for her, hitting her just above the knee. One of his? She caught the edge of the fabric between her fingers to analyze it. No, it wasn’t magic-wrought. It was a real shirt. His shirt. Warmth spread out from the center of her chest. He’d given her his shirt.
Oh? Why aren’t you a princess then?
Men. Idiots the lot of them.
Perhaps because I wasn’t born royal? Do I need to explain genetics to you? Only those born of the blood can claim the title of princess. She shook her head and looked out the window, trying to locate him on the street below. If he wasn’t in the apartment making coffee, then he had to have gone out to get it. I wasn’t born of the blood, so the most I could have claimed was a noble title.
Oh? Could?
Interest poured over their mental link as she scanned the shops visible from her vantage point. No coffee shops. Perhaps she could spot him from another window? Distracted by her search, she replied.
My father was an Earl, so technically that would make me a Lady… She wrinkled her nose in disappointment when the second window in the bedroom was also a bust. But that was before I took the Oath.