Dracones Boxset Books 1-5

by Sheri-Lynn Marean

  Marcius snorted. “No, I need to go now.”

  Serena groaned and slithered naked across the bed and started to wrap herself around him, but he got up to pick up his clothing. Amelis knew he was trying to shock her by waltzing around naked in front of her, but he only disgusted her.

  “You have two hours, where are you going?” her daughter whined at him.

  Marcius glanced at her and grinned, his orange eyes beginning to glow. “I’m going to my house. I have something that needs taking care of first, then I am going to get the little whore your daddy is so intent on having.”

  Serena climbed from the bed. Staring down at his erection, she licked her lips and Amelis wanted to be sick.

  “Well, I think we better take care of that first,” Serena said, raising her eyebrows as she reached for him. Marcius shoved her away from him, grinning down at her as she landed on her ass.

  “Oh, don’t worry. I plan to take care of it very soon.” His erection bobbed as he chuckled. “Just not with you.”

  Amelis laughed again as Serena howled and began tossing her shoes and clothing at him.

  “Have fun!” Amelis waved over her shoulder at the couple as she headed for the door. She wouldn’t have to worry about Serena for very long, for surely she wouldn’t put up with him much more.

  ***

  SAMI AND GOLDY BOTH let out a breath of relief as the Escalade flew past them heading back towards the mall parking lot where Sami had ditched Goldy’s sim card. At the next block, Sami took a right and drove east until he got on Blackfoot Trail where he tossed Goldy’s phone out the window.

  “Sorry about your phone. I’d have told you to get rid of it earlier, but I wanted to be able to contact you. That’s why I had you turn it off, then on again an hour ago,” he explained as he raised the window and allowed the car to fall in with the rest of the traffic flow.

  “Oh, I get it.” She sounded disconsolate, and Sami knew she was probably thinking about her mom.

  “I’m sorry about your mom,” he said in a quiet tone.

  “Me too,” Goldy whispered then sniffled before turning towards the window.

  “Do you have a passport?” Sami asked a few minutes later as he exited Deerfoot Trail to Sixteenth Avenue and started driving west. He wanted to drive straight to the airport, but first needed to make sure they weren’t still being followed. “You’ll need it to get into the United States,” he told her.

  “I did, but it’s at home…”

  Right, and her home burnt down. Damn. As she wiped tears from her eyes, Sami kicked himself for having brought it up. But he hadn’t thought about the passport until that moment. “Well, I can try using my compulsion.” That was probably their best chance and something that he was getting better at as his powers continued to grow.

  “Your what?” she asked and Sami suddenly remembered what Zander had said.

  “How much do you know? About what we are? About our world?” he asked glancing in the rear-view mirror. He was sure they had lost the Ilyium following them but couldn’t help looking anyway.

  Goldy purse her lips and shrugged. “Well, I, I don’t know. My mom told me stories when I was younger, but as I got older I just thought she was becoming eccentric or delusional.” When she looked at him, he could see her regretting it all now. “God, I even tried to get her to go see a doctor and get some medication.” She sighed.

  “Yeah, sorry, but it’s all true,” he said, not even sure where to begin. “Look, I had planned to get us back to the airport and headed home,” he said.

  “I can’t go. I mean, I can’t leave my kids. They rely on me.” Tears filled her eyes again.

  “You have kids?” Sami looked at her in horror, wondering where her kids were and if they were in danger as well. Damn, she seems so young …

  Goldy suddenly let out a short laugh then slapped a hand over her mouth, and let out a sob. “I can’t believe I’m laughing when my mom—”

  Sami pulled into a busy Home Depot parking lot and found another parking spot. “It’s just nerves. But really, where are your kids? We need to go get them, they’ll be in danger,” he said, keeping an eye on all the people rushing in and out of the store.

  Goldy looked at him and her eyes grew teary. “I’m sorry, they aren’t my kids, I just meant, I’m a teacher and I, they are my students. I just call them my kids,” she said, her chest lifting as she warded off another sob. “Sorry, I don’t mean to babble. I’m just …”

  “It’s okay. You’ve had a lot happen today,” he said, relieved that he didn’t need to rescue a bunch of kids as well. Although, looking at her, Sami could easily picture her as a mom. “And I get it, you love them. But it’s not safe here anymore and the people after you, they won’t stop coming. You need to come home with me where there are more of us and we can protect you. Besides, by staying here, you will be endangering the kids.”

  Pursing her lips, Goldy nodded and looked out the window again. “What about my brother? I know he’s only half of whatever it is I am, but is he in danger?”

  Sami blinked. She has a brother too? “I don’t know but if they found you, they will probably find him, and being even half-Dracones puts him in danger. How old is he and where is he now?”

  “Bastien is fourteen. He lives with his dad but they went to Hawaii on vacation. They won’t be back until the morning after tomorrow.”

  Shit! Just what I need. Sami almost regretted ever answering the phone when she called, until he looked at Goldy’s worried face. “Well then, we need somewhere to hole up. Somewhere we can’t be traced.”

  “I—” Wincing, Goldy grabbed her head and groaned.

  “Are you all right?” he asked.

  “I don’t know what is happening to me. I don’t feel right.”

  “Your mother bound your powers, they’re probably beginning to unlock,” he told her. He wished she knew more about her powers and who, or rather what, she was.

  Goldy lowered her hands and looked at Sami in disbelief.

  “My Powers?” her voice squeaked out, sounding so young and scared. Sami wanted to tell her everything would be okay, but he didn’t know that it would be, and didn’t want to give her false hope. Instead, he just nodded.

  Goldy blinked, shook her head, and blew out a breath. “I know a place, it’s a cabin out in Bragg Creek. You can take this road here straight out of town. It’s only about twenty minutes away. Well, maybe more in this weather,” she said, glancing outside as the snow suddenly started to really come down.

  “Whose place is it? We don’t want to go somewhere they can trace us to,” he said.

  Goldy shook her head. “No, it should be safe. It belongs to an ex of mine who’s in Europe for the next few weeks.”

  “That will do then, how do we get there?” he asked, pulling out of the parking lot.

  By the time they managed to make it to Bragg Creek, the heavy snowfall had Goldy gripping the sides of her seat. “How can you see in this? I can hardly see.”

  The truth was, he was having a hard time seeing as well, and it was starting to get slippery. He didn’t say anything. Goldy was already freaked out so he didn’t need to add to it.

  “It’s so-o c-cold,” she said and Sami frowned. He had the heat cranked up high, but still she was shivering uncontrollably. “S-so, t-those men, why did they kill m-my mother? W-why do they want m-me?” she asked, her teeth visibly chattering.

  Sami glanced at her in concern. “They are the Ilyium, an ancient race of druid witches. They cursed us and have been hunting our kind for the last thousand years.” He didn’t add that they now also hunted any and all supernatural beings. It didn’t matter. The blank look in her eyes said it all. Baby steps, Sami, go with baby steps. With an inward sigh, Sami hoped they’d arrive at her ex’s place soon.

  The last mile up the mountain to the cabin was slow going. The wind had picked up and the snow was coming down even harder, and faster. He pulled up as close to the door as he could get which was still a g
ood thirty feet away. “Good, no nosey neighbors,” he muttered, relieved that trees completely surrounded the place.

  “W-why d-does it m-matter?” Goldy asked.

  “No one to get suspicious of us,” he said before getting out. He went around and opened her door. “C’mon, let’s get you inside.” Sami held the door but as Goldy stepped out and wobbled, he grabbed her arm, steadying her. Then he helped her up to the door.

  “T-there’s a-a k-key under t-the m-matt,” she said, pointing to the step in front of the door.

  How typical, he thought, grateful for once at how naive humans could be.

  After helping Goldy inside and over to the couch, Sami hurried back outside, grabbed some firewood from the stack under the carport at the side of the cabin, and hurried back inside. He glanced around as he crouched down to get a fire started. It was a little one-bedroom cabin, very cute and cozy. He groaned, not relishing being stuck here for a few days while it stormed outside.

  Once he had a nice fire going, Sami glanced at Goldy. Still wearing her coat, she had slumped on the couch and was shaking uncontrollably. Shit!

  Unzipping his leather jacket, Sami sat down beside her. “We need to get this off and get you warmed up.” Carefully unzipping her damp coat, he helped ease her out of it.

  “So c-cold,” she said, her teeth still chattering. Her eyes were unfocused as she looked at him. Touching her hand, Sami felt her burning up and a sudden shiver ran through him. This reminded him of Jax’s Awakening. Grabbing the throw blanket off the back of the couch, Sami wrapped it around her and pulled her over to sit on the faux bearskin in front of the fire.

  Turning away, Sami pulled his phone from his pocket and closed his eyes in relief that he had a signal, though for how long, he didn’t know. He dialed Jax who picked up right away.

  “Sami?”

  “Yeah, it’s me.” Sami could hear Zander in the background asking if Goldy was okay.

  “Wait, I’m gonna put you on speaker,” Jax said, and a second later he heard Zander as well.

  “Sami?”

  “Yeah. Look, I might lose you, there’s a huge snow storm happening here, and I don’t know how long I’ll have a signal.”

  “Did you find Goldenthorn?” Zander asked.

  “Yeah, I got to her just in time. We’re holed up in a cabin in Bragg Creek. But Goldy isn’t feeling very good. I thought it was just her powers coming unbound, but she’s running a fever and is really cold, and I don’t think it’s her powers after all,” Sami told them.

  Goldy looked up at him with scared, glassy eyes. Then, as she turned back to stare at the flames, the blanket slipped a bit, pulling her top off her shoulder.

  “How do you know?” Zander asked.

  Still staring at Goldy, Sami swallowed and took a deep breath. “I just know. It’s not her powers. She’s going through her Awakening.” He eyed her bare neck and shoulder where he’d seen her dragon tattoo in his vision. It wasn’t there yet.

  “Oh shit.” He heard both Jax and Zander swear.

  “I’m sorry, Sami. I never thought she’d still go through an Awakening,” Zander said.

  “Is Tierney there? Maybe she can help me? Tell me what to do?” he asked quietly.

  Goldy, still shaking looked back up at him with a blank expression.

  “I’ll call her. She went to talk with Kyrian and Mark,” Jax said, and then the room went quiet except for the sound of the two men breathing. Sami waited while Jax spoke with Tierney telepathically.

  “Hey, ah,” Jax said a couple seconds later. “You aren’t going to like this, but Tierney said to tell you to warm Goldy with your body if you have to, and try to connect mentally to her.”

  Shit! That was something he already knew. Filled with sudden regret over getting involved, Sami began to pace. The place was really heating up and he felt like he was suffocating, but for once it wasn’t the darkness taking over.

  “Sami?” Jax said when he didn’t say anything in response. “Hey bro, you got this, you saw this in your vision. I know you can do it,” Sami knew his brother was trying to reassure him.

  Sami swallowed and glanced down at Goldy who, in addition to shaking like a leaf, also looked like she was in shock. Double shit! “Yeah, I just—”

  Damn, Tierney was the one who was good at mentally connecting with others.

  “I-I’m not sure how—” Sami started to sweat. Suddenly, he felt sick like he was about to throw up. Chill, it’s just panic.

  “Sami, listen. I know your heart is elsewhere, but you need to do this, you may even need to—”

  Sami cut him off. “Jax, please, not now.” He wiped sweat from his brow and felt a shiver run through him. No, no way, I can’t be, not now, not here.

  “Sami, listen! I’m trying to tell you something that might help,” Jax said then swore.

  “I’m not going to want to hear this, am I?” Sami asked while dread churned in his stomach.

  Jax chuckled. “No, you’re not, but you remember during my Awakening, I was really out of it? Well, Tierney told me that we, ah, her and I … okay, I’m just going to say it. Sex helps take the pain away. I’m sorry, I know you don’t want—”

  At Jax’s words, Sami immediately hardened in his jeans. What the hell! Furious with himself, he groaned, and rubbed his suddenly aching eyes. “Okay, enough,” he hissed into the phone, horrified at the thought of it all. The poor girl didn’t even know him, for fuck sakes.

  “Okay bro,” Jax said quietly in understanding.

  Goldy groaned in pain, drawing Sami’s worried gaze. She was now rocking back and forth. Sami could almost feel her pain. “Gotta go,” he said hanging up.

  Sliding his phone into his pocket, he hurried over to crouch down beside her.

  “S-Sami?” She gazed up at him with fear in her eyes.

  “How old are you, Goldy?” Sami asked, his heart pumping hard in his chest in fear of her answer.

  “Ah, why?” She blinked up at him in confusion.

  “Are you twenty-one?” he asked, crouching down in front of her, and rubbing his hands on her arms to help her relax.

  “I turn twenty-two at midnight tonight. Mom and I were supposed to go out to celebrate.” Goldy started to cry again.

  “It’s all right, but I think you’re going through your Awakening. I’ll help you get through it,” Sami said as she threw herself at him. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her. A moment later, her shaking stopped and her tears turned into deep, heartfelt wrenching sobs. Sami held her as her fear and the loss of her mother finally caught up to her. “Shhh, I got you,” he whispered soothingly, over, and over.

  When she finally quieted, with her body pressed comfortably against him, suddenly his dragon, buried deep inside, began to wake up along with other parts of his body. Now the darkness seemed far away and he felt lighter, almost happy—ridiculous as that seemed.

  As if she felt the same way, Goldy tensed up, pushed out of his arms and sat back. A surprised expression crossed her face and a sweet blush rose on her cheeks. “I-I’m sorry,” she said, beginning to shiver again. Then she suddenly smiled and it felt like the sun was shining on his face.

  A tremble ran through his whole body.

  Sami stared at her. She is so lovely. He’d never seen anyone more lovely in his life, not even Hellfire. At the sudden thought of his soul mate, the one he truly wanted, all the warm feelings vanished.

  Shaking his head, Sami snapped out if it. What is happening to me? Suddenly he felt guilty for ogling another female when he already had a mate. Wrong! He never had her. The only thing he had was a broken heart because she rejected him. Still, his body liked what was in front of him right now, judging by how painfully hard his cock was inside his jeans. Shaking off any inappropriate thoughts, Sami realized that she was shaking again.

  “C’mon, let’s get you into the bed,” he said and helped her up, hoping she wouldn’t notice how hard he was.

  “Oh. My whole body hurts,” she cried out, shak
ing even harder as he pulled the blankets up over her. “It’s f-freezing uh-under h-here,” she complained, her teeth chattering again. “Sami, please, help me.”

  Shit. Sami swallowed hard, uncertain if she knew what she was asking. But as her golden gaze pierced straight into his soul, he felt sure she probably did. Suddenly scared, his heart began to race. He was back in Hellfire’s home, back in her room …

  No. He couldn’t do this again. He couldn’t be hurt again. But it was too late, his mind and feelings were becoming entangled along with other, more primal feelings he didn’t want, coursing through his body. The last thing Sami wanted to do was touch Goldy again but everything in him was screaming at him to pull her into his arms, and hold her. Besides, he knew that if he didn’t help her, she could die. Fuck!

  ***

  GOLDY WATCHED SAMI back away as pain and cold pierced through her, making her cry out. She hated begging for anything and normally never would have, but she needed… She didn’t know what she needed. She was just so cold, and everything hurt. She’d never experienced anything like this in her life.

  “Sami?” she cried again only to see a flash of fear in his eyes. She began to panic, thinking he was scared of what was happening to her, but then she realized there was more to it than that. Somehow, she could feel or sense that he was afraid to get close. He’s afraid of getting hurt.

  When he turned away, grabbed the throw blanket off the couch, and laid it over the top of the others on the bed, she wanted to laugh. She would have if her guts weren’t being shredded and iced all at the same time. It didn’t matter how many blankets he threw on her.

  “I’m sorry, I—” He stopped and looked around the tiny cabin before looking back at her.

  “It’s okay, Sami, I won’t hurt you,” she said, wincing at how stupid that sounded, and held her hand out to him. “Please, I’m so cold.” She could see the indecision in his eyes. “Who hurt you?” she asked then shook her head at the hurt she saw him quickly hide. “Sorry.” She dropped her hand. It didn’t matter. Whoever had hurt him was a fool.