by Alli Sims
I almost jumped to my feet. “I’d love to see what you have lying around.”
What was his game here? Was he going to bribe me to leave him alone? Or maybe gain my trust and then kill me? No. It’s not like he needed to surprise attack me to kill me. We both knew that if he wanted to he could easily kill me right now.
I followed him out of the sitting room and down a hallway.
The entire house was lavish honestly. Which I expected from a dragon, but it didn’t look overly expensive; again not a huge surprise when you think about it. After all dragons had a hard time parting with their money.
We didn’t need to go very far before he came to a stop in front of a door with three locks on it. I raised an eyebrow. “Now this must have some interesting stuff behind it.”
He laughed softly. “You’ll be amazed.” It sounded like a promise, and one I was looking forward to. I grinned as he pulled out a set of keys and started unlocking the door.
After a minute he pushed the door open and stepped aside, motioning for me to go first.
“Ohhh no. I fell for that one already.” I placed my hands on my hips. “You’re welcome to go first.”
He shook his head, but a smile touched his lips as he stepped into the room. “These my dear are my favorite items.”
I stepped into the room behind him. My jaw dropped.
Holy mother of Gods.
“Wow…” was all I said though.”
He laughed softly. “Like I said, it’s only my most prized pieces of the collection.”
He had to be shitting me. I looked around the room. It was covered.
Mostly with shelves, and the shelves were covered with everything. Books, gems, artifacts; the only part of the walls that didn’t have shelves were the parts that had paintings on them. I looked around me in shock.
“This is…. Amazing.”
He padded over to one of the paintings, his arms clasped behind his back. “They are my treasures.”
“They are gorgeous.” I walked around the room trying to take everything in. My eyes widened as I stared at a green gem the size of my fist. “So it’s true, dragons like to surround themselves with their possessions?”
“Yes.” He turned away from his paintings. “Of course in this day and age it’s harder to do that without being questioned, but it’s still nice.”
“Does that mean you sleep on money?”
He smirked. “Money is nice, but it does not give me pleasure.”
“Money doesn’t give you pleasure?” I raised an eyebrow. “Don’t you run a million dollar company?”
“I do.” He smiled. “Don’t get me wrong, I don’t like parting with my money; but that doesn’t mean I like it. I’d much rather have things. Beautiful things.” His eyes roamed over his shelves and shelves of things. He padded over to something and picked it up. “This,” He held it up so I could see the small chainmaille bag. “Is from the 14th century. Isn’t it gorgeous?”
“It is.”
“Isn’t it more beautiful than a small piece of paper? It was worth a large chunk of paper if I remember correctly. But it was worth it.”
“So this is what you spend your money on?”
“What else would I spend it on?” He smirked. “It’s not like I have anything else to do with it; anyways when you’re as old as I am you have so much of it and not enough to do with it.” He shrugged. “So you’ve got to find something to do with it.”
“What about a girlfriend?”
“Are you trying to ask me out?”
“No!” I felt my cheeks flush. I hadn’t been, really! I hadn’t even been thinking about what I was saying. Dammit. I should have been. I couldn’t take it back now so I forced a grin over my lips. “Dragons aren’t really my type.”
“Clearly you’ve never had much experience with one then.” A grin spread over his face,
Heat rushed to my cheeks. I was a bad blusher. Everything could make me blush and I was sure I was red as a tomato right now.
“Are you offering?”
He stepped towards me. “If I offered would you say yes?”
I stood there staring at him. Not because he’d shocked me or that I didn’t know what to say, but because I had to be careful about what I said. Sure I’d fuck him, but I wasn’t going to say that out loud. That would give him an advantage. I wasn’t even going to answer his question. Instead I forced my grin wider.
“You almost make it sound like you want me.” I’d been put in a lot tougher situations before; I could get out of this one easily. I turned away from him and looked at his paintings; my head tilted to the left. “How many of these are real?”
“All of them.” He stepped towards me, admiring his paintings. See, easy. I had him distracted. Just get a dragon talking about his hoard and you’d never have to admit you’d take him up on the offer of a date.
“You never answered my question.”
Crap.
I thought too soon. I closed my eyes taking a deep breath. Was it really worth it to lie? What if I did and lost the relationship I was trying to build? I needed him to trust me so I could take him into the office.
I took a deep breath and opened my eyes as I turned to face him.
“You said you value honesty so I will be honest. Yes, I would let you take me on a date.”
I refused to meet his eye, not because I didn’t want another dominance battle but because I couldn’t bring myself to to see his reaction to my words. I turned away from him and his stuff and strut to the door.
It wasn’t until I was in the hallway that I could sense him behind me. I didn’t turn around, I didn’t slow down and I didn’t even let on to the fact that I knew he was there. His fingers curled around my wrist but I pulled away, and he let me.
Something tugged at my heart, something I wasn’t willing to admit I felt.
I made it to the door, paused to see if he would come after me then pulled the door open. He didn’t. Was I surprised? I shouldn’t have been and I knew it. But I was and most of all I was hurt.
I took a deep breath as I came to a stop in front on his steps, trying to collect myself.
“Are you really going to run away on me?” His voice was soft behind me.
I spun to face him.
He leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed over his chest. “I mean, I haven’t even had a chance to ask you out yet.”
My heart skipped a beat. “Well, here’s your chance. You might want to make it quick or I might change my mind.”
He smirked. “You’re cute, you know that?” He pushed away from the door frame and stepped towards me. I could hear my pulse race in my ears.
“Come back inside, please? Let me buy some pizza and offer you a beer.”
“So now you’re going to try to get me drunk?” I smirked as I stepped towards the house. “Alright, but I want mushrooms on my pizza.” I made my way back up the stairs and came to a stop in front of him. He grinned stepping out of the way and motioned for me to go into the house. This time I wasn’t nervous about being in front of him.
I made my way back into the sitting room, thankful he’d come after me since I left my shoes behind. And unlike Mr. Dragon behind me I couldn’t afford to buy new shit whenever I wanted, let alone shit as old as he was buying at least.
I felt him stop behind me. I wanted to stop to, to see why he’d stopped but I forced myself to keep moving and made my way over to the couch, dropping down and curling my knees under me. I glanced up under my lashes as I fiddled with the dress I was wearing to make sure my upper legs stayed covered. He had a cell phone to his ear. Right. He was ordering Pizza.
***
After I ordered pizza I slipped the phone back into my pocket and glanced at her. She was still fidgeting with her bright green dress. Her black hair fell into her face in soft ringlets; though I wasn’t an expert I was pretty sure she’d used a curling iron on them.
I forced myself to look away from her before those hazel eyes looked back
up at me. Instead I made my way to the kitchen for a quick second, grabbed two beers and then went to the sitting room. I held a beer out to her. She glanced up and took it from me, careful not to touch my hand, before I sat down across from her.
“So,” I popped my beer open and took a sip. “How did you get into the S.I.B?”
“It’s a long story.”
I could tell a hint to drop it when I saw one, so I did. Kind of.
“You know what they want me for, right?”
“Questions. I told you already, we just have a couple questions for you.”
“How high up are you?”
“What?” she snapped. Her eyes narrowed.
I knew I should drop it but I couldn’t. “How high up on the food chain are you?”
“Why the fuck does that matter?”
“Because, it will tell me how much you’re told. Based on the fact you think I’m wanted for questioning you’re not very high up- are you?” She stared at me, her mouth slightly ajar. Before she could say another word I continued. “Do you really think they want to question me? Do you think they will be happy with just questions? Think about it Natalie, I’m old. I’m fucking old; I’m one of less than one hundred dragons left on the earth. Do you think all they want to do is ask me a couple of questions? The dragon gene is hard to carry, they want to dissect me. Why do you think they want me in alive?”
I stared at him unable to answer his question. They normally sent me out to kill. He made a point. This was an odd job. No that wasn’t right.
“They wouldn’t lie to me.” I didn’t know him, he was the one lying.
“Do you really think that?”
No. I had to admit, even if it was just to myself, that they probably did lie. I wasn’t supposed to care about the details of my job.
I couldn’t answer him. I refused to say it out loud. So I took a sip of my beer. He didn’t take his eyes off me but he didn’t say anything else.
Once the bottle was almost empty I turned my attention back to him, lowering the drink from my lips. “What’s your deal?”
“What do you mean?”
“What’s your story? You’ve been alive a long time, it must be sorta interesting.”
“I’ll tell you mine, but I expect you to tell me yours sometime.” Without giving me time to say anything else he started talking. “I was born a long time ago; I won’t give exactly when away but needless to say it was another time all together. I’ve lived through wars; I’ve lived through depressions but most of all I’ve lived by myself.
When I was little I realized what I was… even before my mother could tell me. I woke up one day lying in bed with a tail and scales.” He smirked. “I thought I was dreaming but she told me I wasn’t. She explained everything and then… well I knew the truth about myself.”
“Was your mom… a…”
“A dragon? Yes. She didn’t spend much time in her human form until I came along, then one day…. She was out and never came home. I was 16 at the time, a man in those days. I knew what had happened. I understood she wasn’t going back. So I did what she taught me to do. I stuck around for a little while then packed up and headed off. I didn’t go to another city like we had before though; I went into the mountains. To her mountain.” He paused and took another sip of his beer. “Since then I’ve just been traveling. First it was through Europe, then to Japan and China, after all dragons are lucky in China. I didn’t even have to steal my gold there.” He smirked.
Before he could say another word the doorbell rang. John jumped to his feet and made his way to the door.
I stared at the coffee table, not really looking at it but more lost in thought than anything else.
***
Was he right about the S.I.B? Had they lied to me about why they wanted him…? I had to admit it was a possibility. I glanced up as he came back into the room holding a large box. I took a deep breath, my stomach grumbled.
Chapter 3
“Well, I have to admit that was a really nice dinner… err date, did you call it?” I grinned as I pushed myself to my feet.”
“Are you leaving?”
Did he sound disappointed or was that just me? I felt guilt tug at me.
“Yea, I have a busy week ahead of me.” There was supposed to be a dragon I was catching, but you know first I needed to take it up with my bosses why they wanted him.
John raised an eyebrow. “Really? What’s so pressing?”
“Some questions that need to be answered.” He let out a deep breath; clearly he didn’t realize what I was saying. He opened his mouth but I cut him off. “I’m not going to try to take you in with me; I’m going to try to figure out why they want you.”
“Natalie, you’re going to get yourself in trouble if you go asking those kinds of questions.”
“Do you think trouble scares me?” I raised an eyebrow. I knew it was a stupid move and I knew I could be risking a lot but that didn’t take away from the fact that I had to do it. I wasn’t sure why really… there was just… something. I couldn’t bring him into danger.
Not him.
I wasn’t sure why but guilt overwhelmed me whenever I thought about it. I easily could have caught him off guard so many times tonight. I easily could have drugged him and called in backup. But I hadn’t. Because there was something about him that I couldn’t shake; and I don’t like being lied to. But I didn’t add that part out loud.
“Natalie, the people you work for… they are dangerous.”
“I know that.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “But that doesn’t mean I’m going to run away and hide.”
“I never said you would.” He stepped towards me. “But you can’t do it alone.”
“What, you’re going to help?”
“Yes.”
I stared at him in shock for a couple seconds, then a snide laugh escaped me. “How are you going to help? I’m supposed to be bringing you in but I’m not until I get the answers I need, so tell me- how are you going to help?”
“I can protect you.”
“No. No, no, no. I don’t need you to protect me.” I shook my head. “Thank you but no.”
“God dammit, Natalie. You’re a pack animal.” My mouth fell open as he called me an animal. “You understand the value of having a pack, having someone to help keep you safe. Let me help.”
My eyes narrowed. Animal. How dare he call me an animal?
“You’re such a god damn drama queen.” I hadn’t actually planned on going to the office to talk to them. I shook my head. “Fine, you want to protect me you can stand outside the door while I make a phone call.”
I’d just said those things so he’d leave me alone; let me do it on my own. I may be a ‘pack animal’ but I wasn’t interested in being taken care of. I didn’t need help and I didn’t want it. Having help made things complicated. As nice as it was he was trying to help me, as cool as it was he wanted to…. From my experience more than one person trying to solve an issue just made it worse.
I bit my lip trying not to let my emotions get take a hold of me. The wolf screamed to get out, to let the emotions take control.
John reached out and grabbed my hand. I stared at him, wondering if I should pull away. Half of me said yes, no screamed yes. The other half… well the other half wanted him closer. I bit my lip.
He stepped towards me and reached for my hip. “Natalie…” He trailed off as his green eyes locked on mine.
Oh god this wasn’t good. My entire body flushed. I bit my lip knowing I should look away; but the wolf in me wouldn’t let it happen. So I just stared at him.
He closed the distance between us. I was so close I could smell the pizza and beer on his breath. With a shaky hand I reached out and touched his chest. I could feel his heart racing under my palm.
Our lips were inches away. It took me a couple seconds to realize it had been my doing that brought our lips so close. Before I could think about it I kissed him.
Warm, soft, and full of life. Hi
s lips didn’t move at first, my eyes fluttered shut for a second. Wait. What the hell was I doing? Even if I wasn’t going to kill him I couldn’t get involved with a mark. Even if the S.I.B was lying to me. I pulled away.
He grabbed me, pulling me back into his arms, his lips crashing against mine. A soft moan escaped me before I even realized it.
My arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer to me as our kiss deepened. His teeth grazed my lower lip gently. My moan deepened as his hands traced their way lower and lower, over the covers of my body and down my hips. He grabbed my legs and pulled me up into his arms.
My dress lifted above my hips.
I gasped trying to pull away. It was too late. I was in the air and in his arms. My instincts kicked in. I was weak here and for once I wasn’t stronger than the man I was sleeping with.
His eyes locked on mine. “I’m not going to hurt you.” He whispered as if he completely understood what I was feeling. I took a deep breath, trying to calm the wolf that wanted to get out and forced myself to nod.
“Can I kiss you now?” He gave me a soft smile.
My brain said yes, my instinct wouldn’t relax. It wanted to bite him so hard he let me go and then run away. No, I wasn’t running. I never had and I wasn’t about to start now.
Again I forced myself to nod.
I was the one in control of my body, not my wolf.
My lips lowered to his.
Warm, hot, and soft. His lips touched mine gently, letting me control the kiss this time. The wolf inside me settled a little, thankful to have some amount of control.
My fingers tangled into his hair. He gasped softly as my teeth grazed his lower lip. I felt my back hit the something as John moved, pressing me up against the wall. He pulled away, nipping my neck gently. My eyes rolled back as I arched. He pressed himself against me. My hips pressed deeper into him, trying anything I could to itch the part of my body that needed it. No, needed him. All of a sudden nothing else mattered.
All of a sudden getting his clothes off was all that I cared about.
He pulled away from me, his eyes sparkling with lust. He stared at me, reached for my wrists and pinned them above my head. My legs wrapped around his hips, holding me in place.