He wanted to do it again.
But he also liked watching Erin at work, the way her soft, deft hands handled human hair and made her clients smile at their new appearances.
What would Erin think of his dragon appearance? Would she find it frightening or admirable?
He touched his collar. Any day now, it might be able to come off, revealing him in all his powerful glory. The thought scared him somehow, for the first time.
Ever since he’d woken up, he’d thought only about pleasing the oracle and regaining his powers and treasure.
But now he was blending into Erin’s world, as a human, and didn’t know how he would fit there as a dragon.
And what if the very human feelings he was beginning to develop for her, soft, caring, were only because he was trapped in a human form? What if he went back to his old self when his powers came back?
He let out a sigh as he slumped and saw Erin walking up to him, brushing her long, brown hair over her shoulder as she went. “Are you okay?”
“Yes,” he said sullenly.
She sat next to him. “I have a break now if you’d like to take a walk with me.”
“Late lunch?” he asked hopefully.
“Sure,” she said.
He helped her on with her jacket and they walked across the street to a small sandwich shop they’d visited once before. He ordered the meatball sub and she got the chicken salad, and they waited for their meals in awkward silence.
Her pale cheeks were flushed, and he wondered if she was thinking about last night.
He certainly was, but he wasn’t going to read her mind to confirm it. Now that he was basically certain she was his mate, he wanted to give her respect and space to deal with whatever she needed without him getting inside her head.
He crossed one leg over the other, and people watched as they waited for food.
“So if we were… to get together, you know, permanently, what would you do while I worked?” she asked.
He extended a dragon claw jokingly, just for her to see. One of the few things he could still do with his binds. It was metallic and black and sharp. “Maybe with these, I could go into hair cutting?”
She shrugged. “Is that what you’d want?” Her clear, blue eyes were concerned. She rested her cheek on her palm. “I just… I really like you. I’m getting used to having you around. But I’m still having trouble seeing the future.”
“Only certain creatures can see the future,” he said.
She raised her eyebrows. “What?”
He waved a hand. “Certain dragons. The current dragons are genetic offshoots of my generation; I think the purple one can do it.”
“I want to hear all about dragons,” she said.
“If you want to take a walk where no one can hear us, I could tell you more I guess,” he said.
She nodded, and thankfully, the sandwiches arrived in little trays that would be easy to carry and walk.
He ate his quickly so he could do most of the talking while she savored her lunch. She worked hard and deserved a break.
A group of men passed them on the street, talking avidly, and he noticed several of them look over at Erin, staring up and down her body with appreciative glances.
He came partially in front of her, sending them a death glare she wouldn’t be able to see, as she happily munched on her sandwich.
They crossed to the other side of the road, giving him nervous glares.
He sighed in satisfaction.
“What is it?” she asked, wiping a bit of mayo off the side of her lip.
“Don’t worry about it.” He leaned in and kissed her, taking the rest of it, and then sank into the kiss, curling an arm around her as her body melted against him.
Good thing they were out of sight of the salon or she’d never have let him do this.
When he pulled back, she was breathless, about to drop her sandwich. He caught it and handed it back as he guided her by the elbow back toward the salon. He looked over at it and then at the timepiece on his hand.
“Do you think we have time?” he asked.
“Sure,” she said, looking at her phone. “A few minutes at least.”
They walked past the salon and down a nearby cross street, and he thought about what he should tell her.
“What do you want to know?”
“You said purple dragon. Do they all have colors?”
He shook his head, and his hair tickled his shoulders. Perhaps he should consider letting her trim it a little. But then he remembered how she’d held on to it the other night and put that thought out of his head. “Now they do. My generation was different.”
“How so?” she asked.
“More powerful. We all were born from different gems, so we can encompass multiple colors, and we have powers that didn’t get transmitted through to this generation. Also, the new dragons share a mate and gain extra powers that way, whereas we always worked alone.” He scratched his head. “Not that I know how it would work with a mate with one of us. I can’t think of any of us who had one. Dragons are usually solitary creatures.”
She frowned. “Do you think it’s possible?”
He shrugged. “It better be.” He put an arm around her, pulling her in against him. “Because I’m not letting you go. Ever.”
“Wait,” she said. “You said gemstone. What’s yours?”
He glanced at his ring. “Can you guess?”
She narrowed her eyes. “Onyx?”
He winked. “You’ll know someday.”
“How?” she asked.
He put his hands behind his head. “I’ll tell you.”
She sighed and put an arm around his waist, turning him back toward the salon. “We should really be getting back. My break’s almost over.”
He pushed her into the nearest brick building, gently resting her against it as he nibbled at her neck. “Can’t you have Jen watch the place and take off the rest of the afternoon? I’m sure you’ve done the same for her.”
She gasped and put her hands in his hair, arching under his lips. She let out a little moan and then reluctantly pushed him back. “No, I have to get back there.”
He sighed. “Humans and their work ethic. Admirable but also mundane.”
Her eyes twinkled. “Hey, I need to buy us lunches.”
He scowled and folded his arms as he walked back with her toward the entrance to the street. “Not much longer. I want to provide for you.”
“And so you will,” she said. “If your so-called treasure is worth anything. But if not, I’m willing to be your sugar mama.” She poked in him the chest, and he scowled deeper.
“No,” he said. “And I’m sure it’s still worth something. Unless jewels are suddenly worthless.”
“Jewels?” she asked. “What kind?”
“Diamonds, rubies, that kind of thing.”
She bit her lip. “I never know what you’re saying, whether you’re serious,” she said. “But even if you can’t get your jewels back, I still want you.”
That warmed him down to his toes. He’d never been so warm before, not even with dragon fire moving through his body.
Part of him didn’t want to lose her, even at the cost of being a dragon. As much as he wanted his wings back, his power, did he really want that if it brought back any danger toward her? What if it brought back his old personality? Selfish, violent, uncaring.
He wanted her as his mate more than anything in the world, but who knew what that would be like as a full-blooded dragon.
He touched his ring lightly, nervously, just as shadows blocked their path, closing off the street in front of him.
He shoved Erin behind him, hearing her little squeak of shock, as the men in front of them approached, staring.
“Well look at this,” the guy in front said. He was gangly, with red hair, reminding him of—
“Neil,” Zach said sardonically. “You’re Neil’s family.”
“And you’re about to feel the wrath of the Cardon p
ack,” the guy said. The men around him were a variety of inbred looking to actually dangerous, and several of them had weapons.
He counted about ten men in total, though they were tightly grouped.
He grabbed a tie off his wrist and caught his hair back as he walked backward, moving Erin as far as he could out of danger. “Run back to the salon when you get an opening,” he said. “But don’t call the police.”
“Um, how are you going to deal with this one?” she asked.
“Like a dragon,” he said. “And when I’m done, there are people I have to call. But just keep yourself safe. I’ll come for you.”
“What if there isn’t a chance to run?” she asked.
“Then stay in a corner. There’s a dumpster over there. Hide.”
“I want to help you,” she muttered.
“Then let me protect you,” he said. “I’m a difficult person. I get that. Let me show you just one of the benefits that goes along with it.” He gave her a small grin. “Let me show you my claws.”
“Be careful.”
The men in front of them slowly walked forward, backing them into the alley, and some slammed their bats into their hands or swung their pipes.
He felt his skin hardening in response to the threat,
heat welling inside him.
When the men had almost reached them, he lashed out in the blink of an eye and pushed Erin out from behind him. At the same time, he attacked the men from one side, pushing them all into each other and to the other side of the alley, leaving a space for her to run.
“Go!” he shouted as the men regained their feet, cursing, and came for him.
He saw her look at him, scared, but then nod and get out of sight as the men flooded forward.
He felt a bat hit the side of his face and crack in the man’s hands, and he grinned. He turned to the man, grabbed his bat, crushing it in two with his hands, and chucked it at two of the men’s heads, knocking them down.
The man who’d been holding it stared at him in shock, and Zach head-butted him gleefully, sending him crumpling to the ground.
Two men with pipes were next, swinging at his head and knees.
He jumped over the low swing and caught the higher pipe with one hand, jerking it out of his assailant’s hand. Then he caught the knee attacker across the face with it, making him drop his weapon. He spun and hit the face attacker next, making him fall to his knees, groaning.
He followed up with a kick to the face, and the jerk was out.
Four down, six to go.
A man swung a meaty fist at him, and Zach ducked back, laughing. Wolves moved so slow in human form; it was like fighting balloon animals.
Pop. He struck the man in the gut and then jumped high and kicked him in the face, just to see him go flying into the wall.
The dragon in him was alive. Enjoying this. A dim part of him knew this was not a good thing, but the rest of him was burning for more violence.
He heard the click of a hammer; one of them was holding a gun at him. He cocked his head as the man aimed, and then moved lightning fast to stop him from firing and scaring civilians. He took the gun and crushed it in his hands, using his claws to shred it literally into pieces.
He elbowed the gunman in the face and enjoyed the crunch as he dropped.
Six down.
He felt a mild bump as someone attacked his back, and he saw a huge man holding a crumpled knife, staring at it in shock.
“Bad idea,” he said, walking toward the man who was now cowering.
“What are you?” the red-haired man asked, looking like he was ready to crap his pants.
“A nightmare you just roused,” he said in a deep voice that was unlike him.
The man backed away as Zach felt two different men run into him, trying to tackle him to the ground.
Zach turned around in offense and shook them off. They were like fleas. He grabbed them and cracked their heads together.
Seven. Eight.
Not nearly enough.
He let out a roar and fairly flew toward the guy with the crooked knife, catching him around the neck and slamming him into the wall. The man dropped the knife and put both hands around Zach’s.
“Let me go,” he said. “We’ll stop. I promise.”
“You threatened my mate,” he growled.
“I didn’t even know you were a shifter. You attacked Neil.” The man gasped.
“Did Neil tell you he was trying to rape someone?”
The man shook his head. “It was just a human, though. All this for a human?”
Zach’s hand tightened in anger, cutting off the man’s oxygen. There were two sides to him, and both were infuriated for Erin’s sake. One was his human side, which said to let the man go and let others deal with it.
The other was his dragon side, who said to burn them all because the world would never be safe for his mate with people like this in it.
“Zach, stop,” Erin said from the entrance to the alley.
Zach looked back, terrified, as the last man came off the wall where he’d been casually watching and grabbed her around the waist, jerking her against him.
Zach punched the guy he held and then turned to the one holding Erin. “Let her go,” he snarled.
“Why?” The lanky, red-haired man, who seemed to be the ringleader, stroked Erin’s cheek, and she gasped. “So you can obliterate me like you did them?”
“You attacked us,” Zach said.
“We weren’t counting on you being… whatever you are. Tell me what that is and maybe I’ll consider letting your girlfriend go.”
Zach shook his head. “Let her go and maybe I’ll consider not killing you.”
“You can’t kill me. That’s against the rules.”
Zach’s collar tingled. “You have no idea which rules I do and don’t follow. I wouldn’t bet on anything.”
The man seemed to consider his options.
“Your friends are down,” Zach said. “I’m calling the enforcers on them. You let her go and I’ll be too busy protecting her to make sure you don’t get away.”
The narrow-eyed man considered that carefully. The he released Erin, shoving her toward Zach as he turned and cowardly ran as fast as he could out of the alley.
Zach caught Erin and wrapped his arms around her, needing her warmth and humanity to calm from the fight.
The dragon in him was still roaring for blood, ignoring all consequences, but the human in him just wanted peace.
He’d enjoyed contemplating bloodshed, and he hated that.
“It’s okay,” she said, running a hand through his hair.
“You were supposed to stay in the salon,” he grumbled.
“I felt like you needed me,” she said. “You were… you were an animal.”
He brushed back her hair, making sure she was untouched. “I am one,” he replied. “Deep down. Sometimes I’m afraid what is under there. When you free me.”
“When I free you?” she asked.
“When the oracle frees me I mean,” he said, feeling guilty for still not explaining to her that mating with her would also free him.
He didn’t want her to get the wrong idea. He’d tell her, though. Before they mated, he’d tell her.
He could sense her hesitation, but for now, he was just glad she was safe. He’d never been more enraged than when he’d seen that wolf threatening her, and holding her in his arms now was everything.
Soft, sweet-smelling, caring.
He squeezed her tight. Then he kissed her ear. “Can you call off work now?” he asked. “Because we have to deal with this.” He looked at the men strewn about. “And it’s not going to be quick.”
She nodded. “I already asked Jen the minute I was back at the salon.”
He finally pulled back, keeping a protective arm around her waist. “Next time, you should still listen to what I tell you. You should stay safe.”
She shrugged. “You know me. I’m not very good at keeping out of trouble whe
n I’m worried about someone.”
“I know,” he said reservedly. “I worry about that.”
She looked at the unconscious bodies around them. “I don’t know if you should be worried about anything.”
He nodded to reassure her, but deep down, he was worried about a lot. Mainly, whether his dragon had any place in a world with someone as precious as her in it.
11
Erin leaned against the wall when Zach let her go so he could pull out his phone and make a call.
His dark hair was in wild disarray, his clothing rumpled, his expression resigned as he punched in a number and held the phone up to his face, looking irritated.
Who was he calling?
She had a feeling she was about to see more of his world.
She watched his face change as someone picked up on the other end. “Hi. Yeah, I’m in your area. I need to report an incident. And I need a pick-up. … Like… ten. … I know. Call the oracle. … Fine. Sure.” He ran a hand through his thick, dark hair. Then his head snapped up. “No. Why? … Yes, there’s a human involved. … No, I’m not bringing her. … I don’t have a choice? We’ll see about that.” Then he shut his mouth and listened for a moment. “Fine.”
He gave them the address and hung up and then began dragging the bodies to hide them behind the dumpster in the corner. Good thing it was in a small alley where no one really walked by.
“What’s going on?” she asked nervously.
He shrugged. “They’re coming.”
“Who?”
“The dragons. Well, their henchmen,” he said. “I think they’re working with other shifters to do their collections. Tigers, I think. It was experimental. Anyway, they want us to come over and speak with them, and it doesn’t seem to be optional.”
“Couldn’t you take them?” she asked.
He laughed. “Probably, but I’m in their zone. I’m sure the oracle would say I need to do what they ask me to, whether I agree or not.”
Excitement pulsed through her, flushing out the lingering fear. “So I’m coming, too?”
“Yes,” he said. “But don’t worry. I won’t let them lay a hand on you. And besides, they have a mate. And a young one, as I understand it, which is rare in the dragon world.”
Onyx Dragon (Awakened Dragons Book 1) Page 8