Dragon's Melody

by Bell, Ophelia

  There was a limit to their patience with each other, however. As much as Skye tortured himself with his restraint around human women, he did occasionally lose patience if Garen was unavailable when Skye needed that release.

  Sometimes Garen wondered what it might be like to have the tables turned—to have Skye on his knees, seeing to Garen’s needs. Or on his belly with his ready ass poised in the air for Garen’s cock to sink into. His cock twitched again in interest at the mere thought. To have Skye submit to him for once was a fleeting fantasy that he’d likely never experience. As much as dragon laws had changed this year, one thing that hadn’t was the psychology of their ranks. His White Guardian rank would always be subservient to Skye’s Blue. Only one Guardian in a generation had the privilege of outranking a dragon like Skye, and Garen wasn’t him.

  Garen wanted more than to be merely a friend with benefits, but if he couldn’t, he’d prefer to see his friend with a mate who made him happy.

  “We have time to make it happen. At least the new laws have allowed for that, finally. You know you can always call if you need me until that time comes.”

  Skye’s lips twitched into a half smile of gratitude, but his brow didn’t relax. “True enough. I have more crucial business to deal with now, at any rate. I decided to appeal to Kol for recompense over losing Trevor.”

  Garen raised an eyebrow at that, but the admission wasn’t a surprise. “Oh? So you decided not to challenge Rowan or Rafe for possession of their human?”

  Skye sighed. “I don’t really want my mother’s leavings. And I hear he’s very happy. But the insult still requires redress.” He gave Garen his sweetest smile and his eyes brightened just enough for Garen to know the emotion was genuine. “Tonight was a perfect diversion from the issue, but I’ll have to deal with it sooner rather than later.”

  “Call me soon, then? I’d like to know how that plays out. If I can help …” He always offered, and Skye always declined. They both had their own positions in the Magnus empire. Skye was an executive. Garen was technically an operative in Magnus’s intelligence division, but his assignments tended to align with Skye’s business associates, so they had frequent contact. Garen rather thought Kol had arranged everything just so.

  He said farewell and left Skye brooding over their complicated situation.

  On the way home his mind churned. He’d be happy if their situation never changed, but knew Skye secretly still lived under the sway of his dead mother. Even after five hundred years, the female dragon’s influence hadn’t waned. Carrying on the family line was a task Skye took very seriously, so he wouldn’t be satisfied settling. Any woman he mated would have to live up to the rigorous standard of a female dragon who was now dead, but whose desires still tormented her son.

  He’d known Skye’s mother when they were young, had respected her and been in awe of her idealistic nature, but had always been secretly grateful that his parents were unobtrusive and forgiving of his own weaknesses. If anything they’d completely overlooked them, choosing instead to praise him for his strengths.

  Being a Dragon Guardian required a level of obedience to be ingrained. Garen had always been one of the best Guardians of the brood, which had earned him a prominent spot in the temple where they hibernated. But a Blue like Skye didn’t have such an inclination for obedience, and so it tortured him to be forced to comply with his mother’s will in order to gain his inheritance. And by extension, it tortured Garen to watch his friend deal with his own personal conflict.

  Something would have to give.

  Chapter Four

  Kol’s desk was even bigger than her car. The intricately carved wood gleamed invitingly. Every piece of furniture or decor in his office just invited closer inspection. The man apparently had a knack for collecting things. When he’d first promoted Melody to her current position, he’d invited her into this very office and encouraged her to look around while they talked. To touch if she chose to, even though many of the objects had the look of rare, priceless artifacts.

  Now the only thing she wanted to touch was the wide-shouldered man behind the desk.

  She had to tell him and then accept the consequences. A small part of her hoped he’d feel the same way—that he’d want more, too—but she wasn’t hopeful. If he hadn’t made any gesture indicating he was willing over the last few months, he likely had no intention of it.

  Kol stood and gave her a friendly smile. “Good to see you, Melody. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit today?” He gestured to the chair on the other side of his desk.

  She fidgeted before the desk for a moment, her heart racing, and her mind too conscious of her proximity to him. She finally let herself sit in response to his gesture of invitation.

  Kol sank back down into his own chair and gave her an expectant look, his full lips turning up slightly at the corners. Was he remembering the feel of her against his mouth? God, that’s exactly what she was remembering just then. She shifted in her seat and stared down at her hands.

  “Well, sir. That’s just the thing … the pleasure, I mean.” Good girl, get right to the point. She praised herself for her sharp response.

  He frowned at her, his eyes narrowing. “Melody, I need you to be direct with me. Anything you share in here I will hold in confidence.”

  “The trip to Boston last month.”

  “What about it?”

  She swallowed and clenched her fists. “I can’t stop thinking about it.”

  “Do you think it’s affecting your productivity?”

  “What? Is that all you care about? I mean … you … you. Oh God, are you really going to make me say it? I had the most mind-blowing sex of my life with your tongue. But it wasn’t only that, it was everything else. You telling me what to do to get to that point. I would have done anything you told me to do. I still will. I just wish you would tell me to do something.”

  Melody took a shaky breath and struggled to fight back tears that threatened to spill forth after her entire humiliating confession.

  His expression had barely changed. If anything he looked more amused, which infuriated her. He sat forward in his chair and placed his hands flat on the desk.

  “Melody, you are an incredibly special young woman. Even more special than you realize. I value your presence more than you know, and that trip in particular. Your willingness to follow my commands without question made me realize something about myself, and about you.”

  “Wh-what did you realize?”

  “That a balance of power is important for a man who holds a position like I do. Asserting too much of it in any arena can be devastating. Too little can be just as bad. Having you and Hallie at the same time made me realize that I can assert it productively while still relinquishing it in other areas.”

  Melody blinked. “So you enjoyed it?”

  “I always enjoy sex. That day with you and Hallie was one of the highlights of my life. But I discovered I much prefer the balance I have with Hallie. She’s in control of my sex life. I have relinquished all the power I have in that arena to her, which is for the best. We’ve decided we have had enough of sharing each other for the time being, particularly since we’re expecting our first child soon.”

  “Oh,” Melody said in a small voice when his words sank in. The tears finally broke through and she didn’t bother trying to hide them. Through the blurry wetness, she saw him rise and come around his desk. His tall, sturdy form crouched down before her and the soft fabric of a handkerchief pressed into her hands.

  “Tell me why you’re crying,” he said in a low, gentle voice. “You’re not in love with me, I know that much.”

  “How do you know?” She wiped her eyes and looked into his. Even crouched down in front of her, he was still at eye level, his broad shoulders flexing beneath his expensive suit as he rested his large hands on the arms of her chair. She wanted them on her body, but knew now that
was never going to happen again.

  “I’m perceptive,” he said. “You want me because I gave you intense pleasure one time. I understand your infatuation, but it isn’t a good reason to jeopardize your job. And you are more special than you realize, so I want to help you find where you belong.”

  “Is my job in jeopardy?”

  “You tell me. You seemed to have made a decision already, likely before you even walked in here today. I’m guessing if my reaction hadn’t been to your liking, you were planning on quitting. How warm am I?”

  Melody clenched her eyes shut and nodded. “Yes. I can’t be around you without thinking about it, constantly. And it wasn’t just the pleasure, it was the way you spoke to me just before.”

  “You enjoyed being told what to do,” he said.

  She shook her head. “No. Yes! Oh God … It’s so much more than that. Since I started working for you, it’s like you own me. That day on the plane … what we did … just seemed like a natural extension of being your possession. I didn’t even know how much I wanted it until you started doing it. Now when you tell me what to do, I keep hoping it’ll lead to more, but it never does.”

  Kol’s expression darkened. “You’re not a possession, Melody. You’re simply Blessed.”

  “But what if I want to be?” She didn’t know quite what he meant by the other part. She didn’t feel particularly blessed—not with the confusion of emotions tangled inside her at the moment.

  He pursed his lips and eyed her thoughtfully. “If I told you to undress and touch yourself right now, in my office, would you do it?”

  She dropped the handkerchief and reached for the top button of her blouse, amazed at her own reaction. The despair disappeared, replaced by intense arousal.

  “Sweet Mother, stop.” Kol grabbed her hands and pulled them away from her shirt. His nostrils flared and his pupils dilated as though he’d caught some sense of what she’d felt and responded to it. He released her and stood again. His erection pressed unmistakably at the fabric of his trousers as he made his way back around the desk and sat again.

  “Why did you stop me?” she asked.

  “I was testing you. I didn’t mean for you to actually follow my command, but the fact that you did is very telling, and proves my suspicion.” His brows creased and he steepled his fingers beneath his chin, pressing both forefingers against his lips. “I won’t let you quit, Melody, but you’re right to think we shouldn’t work together any longer.”

  “So … what? You demote me? As much as I love it here, I’d rather go work somewhere else. No offense.”

  “I don’t think that’s necessary, either. You’re a very special young woman with unrealized potential. Let me make a few calls.”

  “Am I allowed to ask who you’re calling?”

  “Someone who can help you realize your potential better than I can. I’d rather not give you details until I know it’s certain. You have vacation days. Why don’t you use them until I call you?”

  Chapter Five

  Skye settled back in his lounge beside the pool at the Ensenada resort, his eyes on the target. The sweet, young Latina waitress bent over to serve a drink, her skirt riding up enough to give an ample view of the tops of her thighs. She’d been overly solicitous of him all afternoon and would likely be rewarded soon, but right now all Skye could think about was Garen and the things he didn’t know.

  Skye’s mother had left him a very specific missive, and he’d failed at half of it already. The first part required that he ensure Trevor’s happiness, but the underlying suggestion was for Skye to mate Trevor. Not only did Skye have no interest in mating a human male, he had even less interest in mating one who’d shared his mother’s bed. But he would have, regardless. Because one of the conditions of his mother’s last will was that Trevor be mated to a dragon before Skye could receive his full inheritance. So while he, personally, had failed, the requirement had still been fulfilled. Trevor was mated to not one, but two dragons, one of which arguably outranked most of Skye’s generation. His mother would have called him a fool for letting Trevor slip through his fingers, but she’d have been more than satisfied with the outcome.

  The other part required Skye to find a female mate and have a child with her to continue his family’s bloodline. Once the mating bond was set, the last part of Skye’s mother’s requirements would be fulfilled and he’d receive his full inheritance of power and wealth. Until then, he was subservient to Kol and the Court. His mother had implied in her final journals that her wealth exceeded that of the Court, but he needed to prove himself to receive it.

  She’d bound her magic with this final requirement into a tiny puzzle box that he carried with him everywhere. Once he’d fulfilled the requirements of it, the box would know. Only love, loyalty, and truth will allow you to gain the prize. It was a riddle of sorts, he knew that much, and his mother had always been cryptic. The words could mean so many things, and he didn’t have the patience to sort out what made the most sense. The one detail he suspected was that his friend Garen had something to do with it, and so he’d deliberately kept him close. Guardians were known for interpreting the truth of a situation, whether it be a simple truth or the best course of action to take. He relied on Garen for that skill in carrying out their tasks for Magnus, and hoped they’d help him discern the meaning behind his mother’s words.

  He fiddled with the magic box now, wondering what was actually inside. The true reward likely wasn’t the contents—it couldn’t be—but a box had to hold something in it. The wondering tortured him. The reward, however, would be worth it.

  The waitress moved past him again and his gaze followed the stride of her long, tan legs to the other side of the resort’s patio. He had a perfect view of the beach beyond, with the sun setting as a giant orange orb.

  A dark shape in the surf caught his eye. He ignored it to watch the waitress bend over again, sure she was doing it just for his benefit. But the figure on the beach distracted him. Something about it was familiar.

  He tore his eyes away from the waitress and looked directly at the figure. As it approached, the light around it shimmered. It was a large, naked man. But suddenly he wore a pair of trunks that hugged his muscular hips. A pair of trunks that hadn’t existed a moment before.

  “Fuck.” The curse came out as a reflex when he realized who was approaching.

  “Señor?” the waitress asked.

  Skye waved her off. He tensed as the dark figure strode up the sand to the stone patio Skye lounged on. The setting sun sank lower on the horizon, just as Skye’s mood sank.

  “Skye,” Kol said, ominously, hovering over him and dripping saltwater.

  Skye’s skin went cold. His boss used to be a softie, but he’d changed recently and now Skye was distinctly worried about what to say next.

  “Hello, Kol. You need a towel?”

  Kol had the audacity to grin. “Yeah. That’d be nice.”

  Skye glanced to the side and was surprised to see the waitress there, handing Kol a fluffy white towel and a fluffier cocktail.

  Kol shot her a charming grin and took both. The pretty young woman looked like she might implode from even that scant attention.

  The poor girl. She’d be horny for the next month just thinking about Kol. He had that effect on women. The bastard was brutal with his sexuality because he never shared it. Someone of his rank should have hundreds of women, yet he insisted on only one.

  Skye grimaced. He didn’t want more than one either, but he’d be lucky if he even managed that.

  Kol gripped the cocktail and reclined in the lounge beside Skye’s. He took a long sip and sighed.

  “You do know how to relax between jobs.”

  “It’s a necessary distraction, and remote enough to avoid notice.” Yet you found me. Kol’s presence irritated him as much as it concerned him. Why had the Shadow come all the way down to Ba
ja to meet him in person? Kol’s aura was a dark veil, allowing no hint of his true mood. He relaxed back into his chair and sipped his drink like he had nothing better to do than lie there and enjoy the sunset.

  Finally Skye couldn’t stand it any longer. “We have business to discuss,” he said, preempting the conversation to focus on his own niggling issue. He’d planned on visiting the Los Angeles offices of Magnus Securities the following week. It was as good a time as any to get it done, now that he had Kol’s attention.

  “Yes.” Kol said nothing more, leaving Skye sitting in an infuriating silence for another moment. Kol knew damn well what the issue was, but was forcing Skye to spit it out. To admit being trapped.

  “I’ve decided to request a civil resolution. I need you to arbitrate.” He hoped Kol would accept his explanation at face value and ask for more details. No doubt Kol had put all the pieces together as it was, of course.

  “And what do you request to balance the insult?” Kol asked. “Trevor was quite valuable to your mother, wasn’t he?”

  “I’ll let Trevor go, if I can get help with another issue,” Skye said. “My mother made it rather difficult for me. This little thing is a thorn in my side right now.” He held up the puzzle box to Kol, who reached out and gingerly took the tiny, golden box between thumb and forefinger.

  Kol chuckled. “What are our children going to do without the challenge of waking up to a new world with mysteries like this to unlock? We may have made it too easy on them, changing our laws.”

  “What did your mother leave you?” Skye asked, accepting the box back into his palm and studying it again.