He ran his fingers through his hair as he almost blew a red light. “Son of a bitch.” He suddenly had a thought. Was it possible Jenna feared the same fate? Connor always thought the rules were stupid and agreed with her assessment they belonged in the dark ages. Never once had it occurred to him she would be insecure about her place in his life. Then again, how would she know he had never planned to follow the elders and their cruel ways.
Somehow, he managed to reach his hotel without incident. He grabbed his bag and headed across the parking lot for the lobby. It was going to be a long night. He would take a look at the file Ethan sent him, and do a little digging of his own, to make sure this was the same Sarah Dunne who was related to Jenna. If Sarah did indeed turn out to be her cousin, then he would have to break the news to her. Not something he looked forward to.
****
Jenna had crawled into bed at least half an hour ago, but she lay there wide-awake. Her body exhausted and her mind unable to focus, she wanted so badly for sleep to take over. Seemed that wasn’t going to happen. Instead, Connor filled her thoughts. His lips on hers, his hard body pressing her into the counter. She wished she could burn the memory from her mind.
She rolled over and punched the pillow. “Damn you dragon!” Anger, desire, and sadness wrestled with each other for top billing on her emotional roller coaster. Maybe if she lay there long enough and stared at the wall, sleep would finally take over. Thankfully, she wasn’t due to report into the station for another day.
Time ticked, yet the sandman never came. Finally, around five o’clock, she gave up. Crawling out of bed and heading for the kitchen, she spotted Kate making coffee.
“I didn’t expect to see you up for hours yet.”
Jenna stifled a yawn and pulled out a chair at the table. “I can’t sleep. I hope that’s strong coffee you’re brewing.”
“Yep. Should be done shortly.” Kate opened a cabinet and pulled out two mugs before she reached into the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of creamer. “Well I couldn’t sleep either, so this is a perfect time for you to fill me in on Mr. Delicious.”
Jenna groaned. She didn’t want to talk about Connor. He was the whole reason she was in such a twist, but maybe it would be good therapy for her. Her friend might even offer some sound advice on what to do. Kate placed a steaming cup of coffee on the table in front of her. Jenna grabbed the mug and took a sip. “Where to start?”
“The beginning’s always good.”
“Connor is my fiancé.” Might as well get that out in the open first thing. Poor Kate choked on her coffee. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to shock you.”
“No, that’s quite all right.” Kate waved her hand. “Please continue, you have my undivided attention.”
“It’s true, I was betrothed to him as a child. When I was old enough, we dated…” She took another sip of coffee and contemplated for a moment before continuing. “For a few hundred years. He proposed, and I realized it wouldn’t work so I ran.”
Kate blinked. “Forgive me. I’m still stuck at the “few hundred years” part. Why did it take you so long to realize it wouldn’t work?”
Heat raced across her cheeks. “It’s rather complicated, but in our society, being a halfling is not a good thing.”
A frown creased Kate’s forehead but she remained silent.
“When a male dragon mates with a human, the female becomes a halfling. She takes power from her mate and as long as he lives, she does too. These unions can produce one of five types of children.” Jenna sipped more caffeine before continuing. “Stay with me, this gets complicated. A male is always born a full-blooded shifter, gaining all of his father’s power and abilities.”
Kate nodded. “No halfling males. Got it.”
“Females can be born full-blooded shifters too, though they are more rare. Or, they can be full-blooded humans and therefore can mate with a dragon. The humans are given the choice to stay in our world or integrate into human society.” She stopped to eye Kate.
“I’m still with ya.”
“Commonly though, the girls born are halflings. Of those, eighty percent will bear children, and the couple stands a seventy-five percent chance of having a girl who is pure shifter. This is why halflings are so important. Not even shifter-human matings have those kinds of odds.”
Kate shook her head. “What about the other twenty percent?”
Jenna drew in a breath. “They will not be able to have children with a shifter. Unfortunately, this isn’t discovered until after a couple are mated, and her body refuses to fertilize an egg. At that point, the male is within his right, and encouraged by the elders, to banish his mate and take another. These women are expected to leave our society forever.”
“Oh. My. Fucking. God!” Kate snapped her jaw shut. “That’s... That’s wrong in so many ways.”
“Yeah. These women are considered useless and tossed from our world.” Jenna stared into her mug and studied the caramel-colored liquid as if she would be tested on it later. “I loved Connor. Still do, and it’s because of that I ran.” She met Kate’s gaze. “I couldn’t stomach the thought of him doing that to me.” She felt the tears well up. “Now he’s here and outright told me I could sleep with Derrick, but he refuses to let me go. I’m weak when it comes to him, and now I feel like I need to run again.”
The tears came.
Kate jumped from her seat and rushed over. Kneeling down, she threw her arms around Jenna. “Sweetie, what can I do to help? Can you go to these elders and talk to them? I mean, there is an eighty-percent chance you’ll have lots of dragon babies. Right?”
She shook her head. “It won’t do any good. They are set in their ways, and until they are replaced with younger, more liberal members, nothing will change. Besides, I couldn’t bear starting our life together only to have it ripped away.”
Kate leaned back and sighed. The look in her eyes said she understood. “Is that why Connor is here? Did he come to take you back?”
“No,” she let out a choked laugh. “He was called in on an arson job.” Jenna shook her head and wiped her palm across her cheek. “He says he wants me, but he never looked for me. He’s an excellent tracker, so it’s not as if I could hide from him. Then he gives me that soul-searing kiss and tells me to sleep with Derrick? It just doesn’t make any sense.”
Kate stood up and pulled out a chair next to Jenna. “Yeah, that doesn’t make much sense. Then again, I don’t really understand your culture. Is it possible to talk to him? I mean, have you ever tried to tell him how you feel? Maybe he doesn’t have the same views as the elders.” She patted Jenna’s hand. “If he loves you, I would think––”
“That’s just it. He doesn’t love me. Maybe if he did, I might convince him to leave and start a new life away from the clan.”
“You mean in all the years you were together, he never told you he loved you?”
“Not once.” The words burned her throat like a bitter pill.
“Jenna? Did you ever tell him that you loved him?”
“I... No.” She chewed her lip, feeling even more guilty and confused.
Kate shook her head. “I’m no expert, but I think you should really talk to him. You two need to hash things out, and he needs to know how you feel about him.” She gripped Jenna’s hand. “He needs to understand what your society has done. How they have brainwashed you and probably many other women into thinking they were worthless.” She leaned back. “I love you like a sister, and you know I’ll do whatever I can to help you. If you need somewhere to hide out, I have some friends that live out West. You just say the word and I’ll contact them, but please think about what I’ve said.”
Jenna forced a smile. “Thanks.”
Chapter Eight
Connor slipped into his room, set his laptop bag on the bed, and shoved his suitcase to the side. Going to the mini fridge, he pulled open the door to check out what was inside. Two bottles of water, various small bottles of liquor, a couple of candy bars, and a bottle of wine. “What?
No fucking beer?” he growled under his breath and grabbed a bottle of water. Rather than drinking it, he held it to his forehead.
“Is this what human females feel like when they’re having a hot flash?” He swore he was going to spontaneously combust. If he’d been a smart man, he would’ve told his commander he was coming into his Kamirth, and maybe a replacement would have been sent to Dallas instead. But Connor was a stubborn man, so here he was in a hotel room, feeling like he was going to set the furniture on fire. His dick was hard as steel. He pushed all thoughts of sex to the back of his mind. He’d take care of it later. Right now, he had an investigation and a job to do.
He pulled his laptop from the bag, walked to the small sofa, and plopped down. Flipping open the lid on his Mac, he looked to see if his friend Jake was online. The shifter loved to play those stupid poker games, so it was common for him to stay up until ungodly hours of the morning.
As luck would have it, Jake was online. He sent his friend a quick message through instant chat.
Connor: Hey, I need a favor and it’s official business.
Jake: Sure thing.
Connor switched over to the private website his commander had set up. There they could have a conversation without fear of being hacked. Even the shifters had geeks who kept their technology locked down so tight no one would ever break through.
Jake’s avatar, the Grim Reaper, popped into the chat room. The kid had a warped sense of humor that was for sure.
Jake: What’s up?
Connor: I need you to dig up info on a Sarah Dunne. I believe she was a halfling, who was thrown out by Silo McGregor.
Jake: Why we looking for this girl?
Connor: She was just murdered.
Jake: Shit, good reason.
Connor: Exactly. Get on it. Make sure you send any info you find no matter how small.
Jake: Will do.
Connor set his laptop next to him and pushed off the couch. He was in need of a shower. Well, maybe not so much a shower as other things. Thoughts of Jenna raced through his mind again, and his cock answered with a twitch that caused him further irritation. Pulling his shirt over his head, he toed off his boots then fumbled with the button on his jeans. Finally, he managed to shove them off and headed for the bathroom. Standing in front of the tinted glass door, he debated on hot or cold and decided somewhere in the middle, as he reached in and turned on the water. Once inside, he realized he forgot to grab the bar of soap and shampoo off the counter. Cursing, he stepped back out, dripping water everywhere, and grabbed the items he needed.
He quickly lathered, trying to scrub the scent of Jenna off of him. Yet, he could still smell her. With a sigh, he tossed the soap into the dish and rinsed. Next, he popped open the bottle of shampoo and poured a big dollop in his hand before he stuck his head under the water. Once done, he did another quick rinse. He glanced down and stared at his cock, which jutted out in front of him. He was sick to death of having to take care of things himself, but what had he expected? After all, he'd practically given his fiancée to another man or at least had given her permission to go fuck one.
He banged his head against the tile wall. “Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.” What he should have done was put the woman over his knee as punishment for running away.
His cock apparently loved the idea because it responded with an aching throb. In order to keep a semi-clear head, he would have to take care of business. He reached for his dick, gave it a slow stroke, and closed his eyes. Jenna once again appeared in his vision.
He missed her. But until tonight when he'd seen her, stared into those beautiful eyes and kissed her soft lips, he hadn't realized how much. Maybe it was because he’d thrown himself into his work. Some would say, even gone so far as to become reckless. Perhaps they were right. All he'd wanted to do was try and cover up her memory.
He stroked from root to head, giving the tip a slight squeeze. He let out a moan, recalling the last time he'd buried his cock deep inside her. They’d always been great together, and she'd certainly been able to handle him the last time he entered his Kamirth. What he wouldn't give to be with her right now. To have her lips wrapped around his shaft instead of his damn hand doing the deed. Keeping the vision in his head, he stroked faster. Striving to forget where he was and simply submerse himself in his little fantasy.
Moments later, he found release. Disgusted with himself and his entire species, he finished rinsing off and stepped from the shower. Grabbing a nearby towel, he quickly dried then wrapped it around his waist and exited the bathroom. Anxious to get his mind back on his work, instead of the woman who wanted nothing to do with him, he went straight for his laptop. Waking it from its slumber, he searched for anything from Jake. He wasn't surprised to see a message flashing on the screen, and he quickly tapped the button to open it.
Jake: Hey, it wasn't hard to find a file on Sarah. Here's a link to all the information we have in the database.
Connor tapped the mouse pad and clicked the link. Within seconds, a file downloaded. He opened it and scanned the contents. Pretty much as he figured. Sarah was a halfling, and her mate had tossed her aside, like a bag of trash, for another woman.
Connor felt his anger stir; the dragon buried deep inside him wanted to claw its way out. It was normal to want to shift when under emotional duress, but he managed to fight the urge. He certainly wasn't in agreement with the ways of the elders, and this would be a prime example of why it was so wrong. He couldn’t understand how a male could let his mate go.
Isn’t that what you did?
He supposed by not going after her, he had done just that. Deep in his gut, he realized he should have followed his instinct rather than advice from others and went in search of her. It was time to make amends and win her back. He wasn’t sure if he believed Jenna when she said she didn’t love him.
A woman, one of their own, had been forced from their society with no family or protection from her mate, and now she was dead. Had her attacker known who and what she was? Or was she simply a victim in the wrong place at the wrong time? These were questions he meant to answer, and when he did, someone sure as hell was going to pay.
He followed the words down to the middle of the page and quickly found the names of her parents.
“Fuck.” He was going to have to tell Jenna her cousin was dead. No, not dead. Murdered.
He looked over at the clock. It was now five in the morning. Maybe he could catch a few hours of sleep before he had to meet up with the detective and scout out the crime scene.
****
Jenna felt slightly better after talking with Kate. She told her things that were forbidden, but at this point, she didn't care. She really needed a friend, and Kate was that friend.
“Kate, I think I'm going to take a shower.”
“Good idea, it'll make you feel better. Maybe when you're done, we can talk some more and come up with a plan.” Kate gave her a quick squeeze before she let go and stepped back.
Jenna shuffled off to the bathroom, stopping to grab a fresh towel out of the linen closet on her way. Behind the closed door, she stripped and turned on the water. Sticking her hand under the stream to give it a test, she decided it needed to be a touch cooler so she adjusted the temperature. Slipping in under the spray, she wet her hair then allowed the water to cascade down her back. Heat and pain throbbed between her thighs. Apparently, her body still reacted to being in close proximity to her mate. Add to it he was coming into his Kamirth, and it doubled her desire.
She reached around and turned the knob toward cold. She wasn't sure if she would ever be able to get the water cold enough. It was her duty to take care of him. To sate his primal instinct and needs. Something only a dragon or halfling could do. No human woman would quench a male's thirst when he was entering this stage in his life. For a male in the Kamirth to try and mate with a human woman would prove disastrous. Could even potentially end in her death.
Jenna grabbed the shampoo and squirted some into her hand. She quick
ly rubbed it through her hair and scrubbed her scalp harder than she meant to. Right now, she’d do anything to try and wash away her desire. Her urge to run out of the bathroom and find Connor, no matter where he was, almost had her doing just that. Cognizant of the fact she was capable of locating him made it even more difficult to keep her feet planted firmly where they were. Only sheer determination kept her under the spray of water.
Once she finally finished rinsing her hair, she turned off the water and reached around the curtain for a towel. Mostly dry, except for the droplets that fell from her hair, she exited the shower and caught her reflection in the mirror. Dark circles still sat under her eyes. She’d not gotten enough rest after saving the baby, so she needed some protein. It would kick-start her dragon DNA and help her recover faster. She was in desperate need of a clear mind so she could decide what to do. Running away was not an option. Not again. She loved the life she’d started here. She had a nice home, a good job, and friends.
Her mother had also recently emailed her. She and her sister, Jenna’s aunt, suspected Jenna’s cousin Sarah was also somewhere in or near Dallas. The girl had been sent away years ago after her mate discovered she couldn’t bear him any children. Another reason Jenna fled. If it happened to family, then she was likely to face the same fate.
Jenna scampered to her room and quickly dressed in a pair of shorts and a tank top. Coming out of her room, a delicious smell wafted through the hallway and made her mouth water.
“Bacon.” She followed the scent to the kitchen. Kate stood over a frying pan, one hand on her hip and the other holding a pair of tongs. She looked over at Jenna.
“You need to eat, so I decided to make breakfast. Bacon and cheese omelet, how's that sound?”
Jenna came up to stand beside Kate. “Oh my God. I'm starving and in serious need of some protein.” She kissed her friend on the cheek. “You are simply the best.”
Kate smiled as she poured the eggs into the other skillet. “Well then grab some plates and get the table ready.”
Dallas Fire & RescueHis Burning Desire Page 5