Her legs only tightened around his waist. Her curls tickled his chin. “I can’t wait.”
Her trust almost undid him, but he managed to get her into the bathroom and her clothes off without breaking down. They stood underneath the rain showerhead and let tepid water rinse the smell of terror from their entwined bodies. Lars soaped his hands and stroked Nicole’s breasts until they were covered with white suds. He pushed her gently under the spray while he suckled the rosy tips.
His hands moved to her lovely ass. “Did I mention that you have the best backside in Dragonry?” he asked.
She giggled and pressed her buttocks into his hand. “Is that a compliment?” she demanded haughtily. But her giggle gave her away.
“I think so.” He kissed her upturned mouth, sliding his tongue along hers. Between them, his cock forgot it was exhausted and sprang to life again. “Are you ready, woman?”
“For what?” Her hips swiveled.
He hoisted her by her ass and held her poised. “Put me inside you,” he instructed.
“Hmm.” Nicole reached down and found him. She wriggled herself and him into position.
“You be careful down there,” he warned her. “That thing doesn’t bend much.”
“Sure it does.” She pressed down and he slid home.
He used his arms to move her in a series of shallow thrusts. Her passage clenched and tried to hold him fast but he lifted her away. He played the game until her breathing was so hard and ragged he knew she was at her limit. “Touch yourself,” he ordered.
She put an obedient hand at the top of her legs and rubbed her clit. Her sex began to convulse and the contractions triggered his own orgasm. This time it was even stronger and more intense than before. He braced her against the tile and held them both steady until the last of the aftershocks were over.
By the time he was drying her, the sleepiness he had predicted had overtaken her. Lars bore his bride off triumphantly to his bed and collapsed beside her.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
“Can we leave now?” Nicole asked after breakfast.
“Soon, I promise.” Lars said uncertainly. “I have a surprise for you.”
“No more surprises,” Nicole begged. “I just want my humdrum life back!”
“You’ll like this surprise.” He booted up his tablet and handed it to Nicole.
She found herself looking at a photograph of her mother. Only this photo moved and spoke. “Oh, Nicole,” her mother’s voice said. “You really are alive?”
“Mom?”
“Yes.” Alicia wiped her eyes.
“I...I thought you were dead.” Nicole brushed tears from her cheeks.
“That was just a lie of Stan’s,” Alicia explained.
“But I went to the hospital. The nurses told me you had died during surgery.” Nicole’s heartbreak was in her shaking voice.
“What surgery?”
Nicole explained. Together she and her mother worked out that Stan had created an elaborate plot so he could kidnap Nicole. He had taken Nicole to the wrong hospital, found a patient who had died, told a nurse that patient’s daughter wanted to know what had happened. He had easily deceived both the nurse and Nicole.
Her mom had reported her as abducted, after Stan vanished, but the police had had no success in finding either of them. “No wonder he was always moving around. He was afraid of the cops,” Nicole said.
“The FBI,” said Alicia fiercely. “The FBI handles kidnappings.”
“Maybe they will catch him now.”
Lars interrupted them to point out that if Stan Upshaw was findable, he would be found. “But Felipe may have gotten rid of him after he married you.”
“Good.”
* * *
“No one wants to get off this island more than I do,” Lars said with what he felt was great forbearance.
“I want to go see my family. I want to breathe air that doesn’t smell like a threat,” Nicole said. She rinsed the pot she had cooked dinner in and slammed it into the dish rack. “What’s taking so long?”
“Other than those two dead kids Winston found in the jungle last night?” Lars asked.
“Another good reason we should leave!” Nicole insisted.
“Our orders are to stay put until the Council has dealt with Vladimir the Enforcer,” he repeated. He kept his temper with an effort. He was just as twitchy as Nicole and with less cause. He had been trained to obey orders and handle the pressure of warfare. But he had explained this to Nicole countless times in the last two days.
“Vladimira,” Nicole corrected tartly.
“The Countess Montenegro’s given name is Svetlana,” Lars said through clenched teeth.
“I can’t see why it is taking so long to deal with one old woman,” Nicole complained yet again. Lars noticed that she had forgotten to wipe one of the counters, although she was rinsing out her sponge. He got up and took it out of her hand and performed the small chore.
“That old lady is a ruthless crime lord.” He rinsed out the sponge. “With a deeply embedded crew of violent and heavily armed soldiers guarding her. Knowing her identity is not the same as neutralizing her.”
Although he was facing the sink, his dragon head could see Nicole’s chin firm. “I am perfectly capable of wiping up a few crumbs,” she snapped.
“Of course you are.” He turned to face her. “And I’m sorry paradise no longer agrees with you.”
“Paradise!” She spat the word. “We’ve been trapped in this house for the last three days! Some paradise!”
“Theo and George have accounted for all the men who made it to shore, but they’re double-checking,” Lars reminded her. “They want to be sure there are no attackers in the undeveloped parts of the island – which as I have repeatedly told you is five times the area of the landscaped grounds. We are to stay indoors until the all clear.”
“I want to go see my mother!”
“And you will, just as soon as we figure out how Vladimir’s crew knew to look for a tunnel. I’m not taking you to Sweden until we find out if we have another traitor to deal with.” He glared at his fierce woman and felt his heart turn over. Damn, but she was lovely.
“I suppose you think I’m ungrateful!”
“I think you are picking a fight because you are still coming down from the stress of the attack. If you’re feeling edgy I know a way to take the edge off.” Lars tried a suggestive smile on his testy little mate.
Nicole’s face got stiffer. Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t you patronize me, Lars Lindorm.”
Their voices had gotten louder. They were going to wake the sprat. He opened his mouth to say so – to score points in their quarrel he realized later. The door to the veranda opened – how had they forgotten to lock it after Theo? A tall, disheveled figure walked in. Lars had his back to the door, but his dragon head could see perfectly clearly through his lightweight shirt. He froze.
The intruder was wearing a black watch cap and dressed head to toe in black. Black tunic, black leggings, black shoes. All liberally dusted with sandy dirt and leaf litter. Her face and hands were smudged with mud. But the gun in her right hand was clean. Nicole took a step backward and came up hard against the kitchen island.
“Keep still,” said a cold, hard voice in faultless English. “If either of you move, I will shoot the woman.” She aimed her gun at Nicole’s head.
Nicole was standing directly between his dragon head and the intruder.
“Put your hands on your head, Lindorm,” ordered the woman.
Lars obeyed.
“Come here.” The gun beckoned Nicole. The icy voice sent chills down Lars’ spine.
Nicole didn’t budge. Lars’ second pair of eyes saw her convulsive swallow but she stayed by the island. The gun jerked. Now it pointed over Nicole at Lars’ head.
“Come here,” commanded the intruder a second time. “Or I will drop that interfering thief where he stands.”
Nicole advanced on slow feet until she stood at arms’ length from
the tall woman. “What do you want, Countess?” she asked with only a slight tremor in her voice to betray her anxiety.
Just one pace to the left, Lars silently urged his mate.
“Give me your ring,” demanded the woman without acknowledging the accuracy of Nicole’s identification.
“My ring?”
“Don’t be stupid, girl,” For the first time there was anger in the frigid tones. “Take off your wedding ring and give it to me.”
Nicole tugged at her wedding band. “It doesn’t come off,” she said. She pulled again. “See.”
“Give me your hand,” commanded the Countess.
Nicole hesitated. Lars knew she was thinking of shifting. But a bullet was far faster than even Nicole’s most rapid shift. Let me handle this, he urged her silently.
The Countess extended an imperious hand. “Now,” she snapped.
Nicole held out her hand. The Countess pointed the gun at Nicole’s head and grasped her fingers with her other hand. She pulled hard at the ring. It didn’t budge. Of course not. Lars had sealed it to his wife’s finger when he put it there. A little bit of primitive magic that was part of claiming his fated mate.
He saw the moment when the countess decided to break Nicole’s ring finger. Her attention wavered between the stubbornly tight ring and her gun. He would never have a better opportunity. His dragon head shot a stream of fire at the Countess. Nicole grasped the Countess’ hand more tightly as she pulled the trigger.
The report was loud. The smoke detector louder and shriller. The Countess’ shriek broke off sharply. Before Lars could turn to face his mate, Nicole’s enormous dragoness was holding the shriveled Countess with one enormous forepaw. Before his eyes the terror of Ukraine turned to ashes.
“What is it?” asked the sprat rubbing his eyes.
* * *
“I don’t think she wanted the ring you gave Nikki,” Theo said several hours later.
Despite the events in the kitchen, they had all gravitated to it to discuss the attack. Matteo was back in bed and fast asleep, although it had taken considerable magic to achieve that. But Lars thought a spellbound fireling was their best option tonight.
Nicole leaned back in her chair. She yawned. “What then?” she asked wearily. She held up her hand. Her ring finger was swollen and bruised from Svetlana’s fierce grip.
Theo took Felipe’s ring from his pocket. “This,” he said, unwrapping it. “She must have believed it was the key to Felipe’s treasure.”
Lars snorted. “As if.”
Theo rewrapped it and returned the little packet to his breast pocket. “The Eldest is sending sword bearers to collect it,” he said dryly. “So he at least thinks it might be valuable. We’ll have to check with the Estremauras.”
“What I don’t understand,” said Lars, “Is why after working through her foot soldiers all these years, the Countess took part in the attack on San Michaela.”
“Once she was outed to the Council, Ukraine was too small for her to hide in,” Theo said. “She came to take revenge on Nicole. Possibly to try to capture Matteo. George and Winston have taken the remaining dragonlings who were waiting for her in the jungle to the Lord of the Maori dragons.”
“What dragonlings?” asked Nicole. Her bewilderment was evident even though she was almost collapsing with fatigue.
Lars moved to scoop her from her chair. He held her on his lap. Holding her was comforting, but his mate was exhausted from using so much energy to immolate the Countess. “George and his crew found five young dragons hiding in a patch of jungle vegetation. I told you much of the island is impenetrable. They had come ashore with her as her bodyguards. Probably using the Cloak of Invisibility so we did not spot them.”
“That makes sense,” said Lars. “We know Vadim used the spell of the Cloak of Invisibility to gain access to Voros’ house on Tarakona. It makes sense that it was a family secret, also known to the Countess.”
“I agree,” Theo said. “By the way, we were more successful with preventing those kids from biting down on their cyanide capsules. Apparently, the fact that so many of their fellow dragonlings had died after doing so had made them realize they carried death in their back teeth.”
Nicole shuddered in Lars’ arms. “How awful. But what did they think the capsules contained?”
“GPS transmitters that would enable their Number One to find and rescue them,” said Theo shaking his head. “Poor dumb kids, they thought that the Countess valued them.”
“But just kids,” said Lars. “I hope that Watatoni Te Kanewa can rehabilitate them.”
“If anyone can turn around a bunch of dragon gangbangers, it would be that intimidating old man. Roland Voros and Ivan Sarkany say he makes their knees knock!” Theo laughed.
Lars was not ready for laughter. “Are we any closer to finding out how the Russians knew about our tunnel?”
“You won’t believe it,” Theo replied. “Aunt Inge – the Eldest’s own wife - thinks she may have mentioned it many years ago to the Countess’ mother-in-law. It was only a natural passage in those days. Probably the landing party was going to check both known access points first, and they just got lucky.”
“Not so much,” said Lars. “Did you find any remains?”
“Some ash. Melted metal. We cleaned out the tunnel and we’ll get the damage attended to when we get a chance. I’ll leave you lovebirds alone now.” Theo stood up and stretched. “I don’t think I get to go to bed tonight.”
Lars cradled his sleeping wife close and looked questioningly at his cousin.
“The Eldest is sending a helicopter tomorrow to collect the ring,” Theo continued. “But as I don’t think you want to go to France, you will have to wait another day or so. All means of transport are fully occupied. The Council is in emergency session. The team in Argentina has to be extracted. You guys are low priority now.”
Nicole’s head had fallen back onto Lars’ shoulder. Her breathing had evened out. Lars nodded at his cousin and carried his wife off to bed.
* * *
When the pounding began on the front door of the little cabin, Oksanna and her grandmother exchanged frightened glances. They said nothing. Even the children stopped talking. Oksanna rose from the table where all five of them had been playing cards. Grandmother urged the children into the single bedroom. There was a closet with a heavy door in there that would hold the three children at least. Grandmother would wait behind the door with her rifle.
The fists banged harder on the door. A voice called her name. Her true name. Oksanna’s blood froze but she walked towards her fate. It had all been for nothing. After all their precautions, they were discovered. She opened the door to death. A snowman stood on the narrow front porch, white fist raised to bang again. He walked inside without invitation.
She stepped out of his way and closed the door against the snow swirling madly outside. The snowman stomped on the small mat and became a burly man in parka, hat and boots. He shed so much snow that the excess plopped in clumps onto the floor. Oksanna noticed absently that it immediately began to form puddles.
“Who are you?” she asked with stiff lips.
“Boris Chekhov sent me,” the man said. “I’m your safe passage to America.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
“I’m pregnant,” Nicole whispered joyfully as soon as her eyes opened.
“We knew before,” Lars pointed out.
“It’s just sunk in. I feel all floaty and blissful.”
He bit her ear. “Good to know.” He wrapped her in his arms. “Want to play?” he growled.
“I love you, you know?”
He hugged her even more tightly. “I didn’t, as it happens. Are you sure it isn’t just relief and gratitude?” How could she love a wreck like him?
She laughed and wound her arms about his neck. “Oh, Lars,” she said. “You are so lovable. How could I not love you when you are so kind and thoughtful?”
“Kind?”
“And hot. Ver
y, very hot.” She snickered.
“I’ll have you know that there are hardened sailors who regard me as terrifying. And mean. Very mean.”
“But I am also terrifying. And yet you seem rather fond of me.”
“I love you, Nicole Lindorm. I don’t know how it’s possible. But I do.”
She hugged him hard around the waist. “Love isn’t stingy,” she said. “You will never forget Annalise. She was your first love. I hope I’m your last.”
“I hope so too.” He kissed her.
The bedroom door opened. Lars let his tattoo do the looking.
“Look what I found in the seaweed, Far,” said Matteo happily. He held out a large black beetle in each sandy hand.
Nicole squealed and huddled against the headboard.
“Relax,” Lars said swinging into action. “I’ve got this, my love.”
And Lars Lindorm, father and husband, led his naughty fireling away while his fearsome fated mate convulsed with uncontrollable giggles. The future looked bright.
<<<<>>>>
Keep reading for a preview of Theo and Lexi’s love story in Dragon’s Christmas Captive.
Dragon’s Christmas Captive
Lords of the Dragon Islands Book 5
Pint-sized Princess Lexi sets out to enchant dragon-sized Theo. What sort of magic will make this elf-woman the right fit for a dragon lord's noble heart?
Dragon shifter Theo Lindorm has been hunting for his Fated Mate for 10 years. Elven princess Lexi has been waiting for her Prince for 1000. She is prepared to settle for this modern day Viking barbarian, and trade immortality for a home and family. All Theo wants is a soft, sweet Valkyrie and some firelings.
Towering Naval Officer Theo and Pixie-sized Lexi are not well matched in size or temperament. Theo’s mockery and modern technology are a shock to a damsel confined to a tree for 8 centuries. Theo did not expect his mate to be a pint-sized bossy-boots. Destiny seems to have played a prank on them both.
The last of her kind, Lexi sets out to enchant her unwilling dragon. First, she claims him by Right of Capture. Second, she sends her reluctant suitor on a Perilous Quest to retrieve a magic ring from the depths of the ocean. Third, she transforms into his perfect mate to Seduce him.
Dragon's Possession (BBW / Dragon Shifter Romance) (Lords of the Dragon Islands Book 4) Page 26