by Bianca James
As he entered the bar, he felt like he’d gone back in time. The bar itself looked like it was built for Hobbits and there was barely room to move in the confined space. He wondered how drinkers actually managed to raise their pints in such surroundings. It looked as if nothing had changed since the place was built in 1650.
Looking about the empty room, Blane powered up the device in his other hand. The smartphone app was only accurate to within about twenty feet and the signal was coming from nearby.
The device began to hum, the pitch wavering as Blane turned 360 degrees, his arm extended. He turned back to where it emitted the highest pitch and began walking in that direction. After a few steps in the tiny room, he stopped as the LED on the device glowed green and the humming became a high pitched squeal.
At his feet sat a collection of Tumi luggage. One thing Blane knew from his time living in Oxford was that this pub was a drinking pub and they didn’t offer accommodation. The bags might have belonged to an employee, but given the quality and condition of them, he suspected they belonged to the owner.
The smart bastard had found the tracker. Smarter still, he’s planted it in someone else’s luggage to lay a false trail. Bastard!
“What in the hell do you think yer doing there?” A voice plainly belonging to a very large man boomed behind him. “Hey lads,” the voice shouted even louder, “I think we’ve got ourselves a tea leaf in here.”
Blane turned and saw an impossibly tall man, stooped to avoid hitting his head on the ceiling beams, towering above him, making Blane feel like a Hobbit by comparison. The giant’s sleeves were rolled up exposing thick forearms, muscles corded like steel cables from years of heavy lifting. The huge man blocked the view of the door through which Blane had entered the bar, but he heard a shuffle from that direction and knew others had joined the giant, not that he needed backup.
“Wait, I can explain —” Blane offered apologetically, raising his hands in gesture of submission.
“We’re not interested in hearing yer pork pies,” the giant boomed before he let his enormous fist fly, striking Blane square in the face.
Bone cracked and cartilage crunched with a sickening sound. Blane collapsed in a heap like a puppet with the strings cut. Blood poured from his nose like a fountain, but Blane knew nothing of this. He was unconscious before he hit the floor.
An hour later, retching and gagging from the foulest stink he could ever imagine, Blane awoke in total darkness. It wasn’t the smell that woke him, however, but the incessant buzzing and vibration of his smartphone. He fumbled around in the dark before he found it and once he did, the illumination from the display made his predicament disgustingly clear.
They’d dumped him inside the putrid, foul smelling waste bin he’d hidden behind earlier. Rotten food had liquefied and formed a rancid sludge at the bottom of the bin in which Blane now lay. He was coated in the ghastly ooze that would have made him gag more so if his nose wasn’t blocked and encrusted with dried blood, forcing him to inhale through his mouth.
The incoming call was from his Circle Masters. He brushed a rotting scampi head from his phone then tapped ‘decline’ with his ooze coated finger.
Now’s really not a good time.
Chapter 18
Back at the hotel, after a quick stop at the local convenience store to pick up some much needed cat food, they began to make plans to get to Vienna. It had been agreed that preventing The Circle from stealing the spear from the Imperial Treasury should be their immediate priority. For the first time, they felt like they had the advantage and needed to capitalize on that before they lost that advantage and the Spear ended up in the hands of the others.
Saira emptied a small tin of cat food into a bowl. Kitty hoovered it down like he hadn’t eaten in days. In fact, Saira couldn’t remember how long it had been since she’d fed the poor thing. “Sorry kitty.” She stroked his back as he licked the bowl clean.
“We need to organize some passports,” Bryce said to himself as he ran through the checklist of requirements for their mission.
“I thought you didn’t need a passport to get into Austria,” Saira commented.
“You don’t, but we still need them to get out of the UK and who knows where this little adventure will take us. Austria might not be the final destination. We could be spending a lot of time together.” The gleam in his eyes suggested that he hoped that would be the case.
“We can’t use our own passports if these guys are as well connected as they seem to be.”
“You’re right,” Bryce agreed. “I planned to have some EU passports made up. We just need to get our photos taken and I can give them to my guy.”
“Your guy?”
“Yeah, I know a guy who makes perfect passports.” He flashed a satisfied grin.
“Of course you do.” Saira wasn’t one bit surprised at the revelation. “How are we going to pay him?”
Bryce smirked and arched his brows as he tapped his finger against his temple. “Let’s just say I’ll convince him he owes me a favor.”
“Is that why you never pay for anything? You just do your Jedi mind tricks to get everything for free?”
A look of embarrassment crossed Bryce’s face. “Not all the time. Besides, we don’t have the kind of cash this guy will be demanding. I don’t have a choice.”
Saira gave him a look that suggested otherwise. She hated being dragged down to this level of petty theft and skullduggery. She was a museum curator and archaeologist. A custodian of history and priceless relics. And now she was becoming an accomplice to a habitual criminal. A knot of anxiety tightened in her throat. She was fast sliding down a very slippery slope indeed.
The photo booth stank of unwashed backpackers and stale booze, but it would serve their purpose, so Bryce fed the coin slot with loose change.
“See, this is me paying like an honest citizen.” He cast an earnest glance sideways at Saira as he made a show of inserting each coin.
Only because you can’t mind control a machine, Saira thought.
“No, not because it’s a machine, thanks.” Bryce sounded offended at the suggestion.
“Wait . . . did you just —”
“Read your mind?” Bryce interrupted. “I have to confess, I did.” He didn’t look the least bit apologetic about it either.
Oh my God! Has he heard all the things I’ve been thinking? Saira almost choked at the thought of him being privy to her steamy thoughts about him.
“Maybe a little,” Bryce confessed. “I tried not to, but who doesn’t like a bit of flattery from a beautiful girl from time to time.”
The machine beeped, interrupting the moment as the final strip of passport ready photographs was spat out into the collection slot.
A flurry of emotions raced through Saira. Annoyance at the invasion of her privacy. Embarrassment at her somewhat racy feelings about Bryce being exposed to him and wait . . . did he say ‘beautiful girl’?
Bryce nodded perceptively at that thought. Yes, he did say that and he meant it.
He was about to explain his feelings to Saira when his dragon stirred, eager to shift into its winged form and take flight, as it often sought to do when aroused. Bryce struggled to retain control of his human form and suppress the dragons urge to break free. He was almost successful, too. But his eyes gave him away. Before he could subdue the beast within, his eyes shifted and glowed a fiery green, like iridescent jade.
Saira’s knees went weak and she started to collapse with shock. Bryce caught her in his strong arms and picked her up as if she were a sick child and carried her back to their room.
He could feel another awkward conversation coming up very soon.
Chapter 19
Blane checked his messages after a hot shower and changing into clothes he’d liberated from a charity bin. He reasoned that there was nobody quite as deserving of charity right now and he had no qualms stealing from the poor.
The cheap hotel was run down and threadbare, but it had hot
water and a shower which served to wash the stinking rotten slime from his body as well as any five star accommodations could. Right now, he needed anonymity and showing ID at a real hotel wasn’t going to work. Besides, they’d be sure to remember the guy with the broken nose, bloody face and stinking like garbage. Here at this rooms-by-the-hour establishment, he would blend in nicely.
Entering the PIN to retrieve his message, he heard the same electronically altered voice that filled him with dread each time he heard it. Apparently, the stupid girl accessed the museum servers to retrieve her email. Their tech people had traced the source of the connection to a cyber café. The address had already been uploaded to his GPS. They knew he’d lost them and had been duped.
Just perfect! The stupid girl and her handsome friend had made him look a fool to his superiors. He wasn’t sure how many more chances they would give him, but he was quite sure he didn’t want to find out. He wouldn’t let them make a fool of him again. Of that, he was absolutely certain.
After a quick check of the room to ensure he hadn’t left anything behind, Blane pulled the door shut and began to whistle as he made his way down the stairs to his car. He had them now. This time, they wouldn’t get away. The coin would soon be in his possession.
Chapter 20
Bryce stroked Saira’s head and tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear. He had a lot of explaining to do and hoped it wasn’t too late. She looked even more beautiful asleep, if that were possible. He watched the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed softly. A tightness clenched his heart as he thought about the possibility that she might be repulsed by his secret.
She began to stir, intruding on his doubts and negativity. Dragon shifters never had negative thoughts. They were optimistic creatures. Living so long did that to a shifter, so Bryce wondered why he felt so worried. This girl was having an effect on him and he wasn’t totally sure it was a good one, but he and his dragon were determined to see where it took them.
“Where am . . . what happened?” Saira appeared somewhat disoriented.
“You’re back at the hotel. My guy came past earlier and took the passport photos. He should have them ready within a few hours. How are you feeling?”
“Tired,” she responded. Her brow furrowed as she tried to work out what had happened. She remembered the photo booth but not much after that although something clawed at the edges of her subconscious, trying to reveal itself to her but it just wouldn’t come to her.
“Are you trying your mind stuff on me again?” she asked with irritation lacing her words.
“No. No more of that and no more reading your private thoughts, either. I promise.” He placed his hand solemnly over his heart.
“But there’s something else, isn’t there?”
Bryce nodded, afraid to speak and unsure how to even begin. He’d never had to tell anyone before. There simply hadn’t been the need.
She continued to look at him and his heart melted like the warm caramel in her bewitching, sultry eyes. He couldn’t tell her. Not yet. Not until he’d —
His lips covered hers as he slipped his hand behind her head He kissed her hard and deep. To his surprise, she made no move to pull away. Instead, she opened her lips to him and allowed him to kiss her hungrily and possessively. This time it was for real. No mind tricks.
Arching her back, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer, showing him how much she wanted this. Who knew what the future held, but right now, Saira wanted to do something she’d never done. She wanted to live for the moment, regardless of the consequences. One night with this magnificent, mysterious man was worth the risk of being hurt. Or maybe not. She didn’t really care one way or the other, in the heat of the moment.
Bryce plundered her mouth, exploring every corner of it as she gave herself to him. With her nails raking his back and her mouth crushing his, he knew she was his and his dragon’s lust for her could finally be satisfied.
Without taking his mouth from hers, he deftly unbuttoned his shirt and unzipped the suit he still wore beneath it, allowing Saira to peel both garments away, exposing his skin to her touch.
She gasped as her breath caught in her throat. Her fingertips were drawn to the powerful muscles in his back as they undulated and pulsed beneath his skin as his own hands explored her body. The thickly muscled shoulders barely flexed when she probed with her fingertips. His body was like iron, strong and unyielding. He felt glorious to her touch and the heat from his body felt intoxicating.
Before she knew it, she was naked, fully exposed to him. She’d been so caught up exploring every inch of his fit, lean body that she’d not paid any attention to what he was doing to hers. But she was paying attention now as he cupped her breasts in his hands and took her hardened pink buds into his mouth one at a time. Her pleasure induced mewling at the warmth of his lips and tongue on her breasts encouraged Bryce to explore further and soon he experienced his fantasy of running his hands across her hips and down the soft curves of her thighs. Finally, he came to rest at her butt, gripping tightly with both hands as he pulled her harder against him.
Ragged breathing and the liquid heat building up in her belly signaled Saira that she was past the point of no return. She couldn’t stop this even if she wanted to as she struggled to peel off the last of the body suit from Bryce’s trim frame.
His hardness sprang from the suit as she peeled it off, like it was standing to attention. It pressed against her and she felt the fire within her belly ignite from its heat. She’d never known a sensation like it. It felt like his cock was on fire, but in a delicious and very arousing way.
So badly did she want to touch it, but she also wanted to restrain herself and enjoy every inch of the rest of him first. With her palms against his granite like pecs, she proceeded to work her way down to his washboard abs. Each muscle group was well developed and clearly defined and her fingers traced the outline of each one, slowly, savoring the moment. Her lips came to his ear as her fingers trailed down his taut stomach and trim waist before stopping short of their destination.
“You feel divine,” she whispered in his ear as she poked her tongue into it cheekily.
Bryce’s strong hands released her butt cheeks and made their way to her hips and then her smooth belly, caressing and stroking her like they couldn’t get enough.
“You feel pretty damn good yourself,” he whispered back, his lips dancing across her neck and down her shoulder as they sought her nipples again and sucked them deeply into his warm mouth. Once again, his mouth had her moaning with pleasure and her thoughts immediately turned to other ways in which that beautiful, talented mouth of his could indulge her fantasies. Her entire body convulsed at the thought.
After what felt like an eternity and a lot of hair tugging and writhing about, Saira finally managed to guide Bryce to where she most wanted to feel the pleasure of his lips and tongue. She thought he’d never get the hint, but eventually he did. Sometimes men just need a firm hand to show them the way.
Showering her delightfully smooth tummy with kisses, Bryce teased her by delving lower, then stopping each time she held her breath in anticipation.
“Stop it, will you. I thought you were a proper gentleman. You shouldn’t keep a lady waiting,” she commanded, her voice sultry and sensual.
Bryce said nothing, but kissed his way down to her ripe, swollen bud and the accompanying moist folds. As soon as she thrust her hips toward him, pressing herself into his mouth, he knew he couldn’t stop until he’d satisfied her. His own aching need would have to wait.
Saira felt his hardness brush against her leg as she grabbed a handful of his hair and pushed her butt up off the bed. She was frantic with need and couldn’t even think about his pleasure in this heated moment. It had been so long and it had never been anything like this. Not ever. His lips and tongue worked in perfect harmony and she felt the waves build within her, from her very core and pulsed throughout her entire body. Suddenly, she felt something magnificent sw
eep through her from head to toe, the most breathtaking orgasm she could ever imagine.
Still crushing her pelvis into Bryce’s face, she screamed.
“Oh yes! Oh my God, yes!”
She shuddered and finally released Bryce’s hair as she collapsed, spent and fulfilled on the bed, her breathing fast and shallow and she struggled to regain her composure.
Through the fog of her post climax bliss, she was aware of Bryce’s rock hard cock pressing against her thigh as he lay alongside and she reached down to take it in her hand for the first time.
Her fingers were barely able to encircle its warm, palpitating girth and she realized with a blend of astonishment and reckless anticipation that Bryce was no ordinary man. No, indeed he was an astounding specimen in so many ways and the way he looked at her and touched her, it was obvious that he had no problem with her curvy body. Quite the opposite, he couldn’t keep his hands off of her.
Nibbling his ear, she continued to stroke him, enjoying the sensation of him pulsing and throbbing in her hand with each teasing stroke.
“Does a lady keep a gentleman waiting?”
Leaving a trail of fire on his skin with each kiss, Saira worked her way down his neck, pausing to tease his nipple with the tip of her tongue and then she did something she’d wanted to do from the first minute she saw them — she licked his abs. Each and every one of the delicious perfectly formed morsels.
When she reached what the other girls at university used to call the ‘lick-lines’ at either side of his pelvis, she stopped.