by Jane Hunt
“Appearances can be deceptive, sweetheart.”
Fleur would have questioned what he meant, but his physical closeness distracted her. He held her even tighter. Every hard square inch of him plastered against her softer curves. She bit back a sigh of pleasure. He didn't play fair. “I don’t want this. You can’t ignore me one minute and love me the next.” The passion in Lukas' gaze intensified. He looked at her with slow appreciation. She almost purred like a cat as she nestled against him. He bent his head and kissed her. Powerless, Fleur couldn't resist his gentle onslaught. She expected a sensual nirvana, but the journey she experienced defied description. A picture formed behind her closed eyelids. The detailed portrait unfolded as their kiss intensified. She saw Lukas. He looked like the man who kissed her, lean, muscular with blue-black hair and green eyes.
In her peripheral vision, another image developed. Mesmerized, she saw a dragon, large and powerful. The creature looked surreal, straight from the pages of a fairy tale with shiny turquoise and black scales and golden eyes. She looked into the golden heat of Lukas' eyes. Fleur's breath constricted in her throat. The silent scream died on her lips as Lukas kissed her into oblivion. Lukas deepened his exploration of her mouth. Her attempts at self-preservation were futile as he coaxed her surrender. Fleur's powerful response robbed her of coherence. She accepted the images he showed her without question. He murmured his approval. His hands slid upwards until his fingertips caressed the peaked tips of her breasts. She shuddered and deepened the kiss. The kiss' potency seduced her. The narrow human constraints of her mind relaxed. She accepted the unbelievable. The two images merged. The man in her arms became the primitive mythical dragon. Her rational mind fought against her belief, but her heart knew Lukas was the dragon. The uncomfortable reality of Lukas as a dragon unnerved her. She dragged her mouth away from his. She pushed his fingers away from the tiny mother-of-pearl buttons at the side of her dress. “No, this isn’t right.” Her body rebelled. It shook with unrequited arousal. She leaned back into Lukas’s embrace. "No!” Her eyes filled with tears.
Lukas touched her but didn't draw her any closer. “Don't worry sweetheart. I know acceptance is difficult. I’ll never hurt you.”
A deluge of droplets flowed from teary eyes. Their salty tracks stained her face. She brushed them away. Lukas caught her hand and brought it to his lips. He kissed the delicate skin of her tiny inner wrist. Fleur shuddered, too upset and aroused for subterfuge. Her gaze fixed on Lukas's erection as it pressed against his soft denim jeans. He shuddered, squared his shoulders, and stepped further away from her. She appreciated his patience. Somehow, he sensed her need for space. Surprisingly, he understood and controlled his own needs. She liked this side of Lukas.
“I’m sorry you're upset, but you needed the truth.” Fleur nodded, too drained for speech. “Go to bed and keep your door locked.”
Fleur still wanted answers, but Lukas made sense. Bone-weary, she needed sleep. Maybe a new day would provide perspective. “Yes, I'm exhausted."
“Don’t leave the room until I come for you!”
His voice, soft and sexy, curled her toes. She forgave his imperative tone. Lukas leaned forward and kissed her. She leaned into him despite her doubts. The kiss burned like an incendiary. His patience evaporated like the dawn mist. She didn't care. She let him plunder her mouth and gave him whatever he demanded. The brisk knock at the door forced them back from the brink. Reluctantly, Lukas eased his mouth from Fleur’s.
"Who is it?”
Fleur opened the door. Lukas stopped it with his foot and pulled her behind him.
“It’s Jasmine. Grace has found maps and plans for you.”
Lukas turned back. "I need their help.”
“I could come, too.”
“No. Please rest. I’ll be here at seven-thirty."
A delicious image filled Fleur’s needy mind. “Maybe you're right.”
Lukas gave her a final, hard kiss. “Hope you get more sleep than I will.” He pulled open the door, smiled at Jasmine, and shut it. “I’ll wait while you lock it.”
Fleur managed the lock this time. She stepped away from the door and smiled when she heard his regretful sigh.
*
Lukas still couldn't believe he had shared his dragon identity with Fleur. He had never shared his secret with any woman. Why did he reveal his true self to Fleur? Was it a calculated move or a gut reaction? He wished he knew. Their first kiss had sealed his fate. Her importance, despite their brief acquaintance, puzzled him. Fleur embraced her new-found emotions. She used his jealously against him. His denial forced her into the demon's clutches. If she trusted him and accepted his dual identity, he could protect her from Xavier.
*
Jasmine cast covert glances his way as they hurried towards the library. He smiled as a frustrated sigh escaped her lips. His appearance kept his secret. He looked like a human man in his prime. He stopped. “Can you see the dragon?”
Jasmine blushed, but her innate curiosity won. “You look human. You must use magic to hide your dragon identity."
"I exist in different realities. I rarely transform unless I need the dragon's physical strength and power. I'm vulnerable during the transformation period. The process is painful for my human body and drains my already limited powers."
Jasmine's expression reflected her skepticism. "Unbelievable."
Lukas continued since he needed her help. "The dragon race is almost extinct. My identity must remain secret. We must save the dragon egg. If the forces for good nurture the infant dragon, its powers will restore magic to the remaining dragons and save the dragon race from extinction. A strong dragon race means humanity is safe from the demons and other servants of evil.”
“How do you fight the demon without your dragon’s strength?”
“I still have my inner dragon. Its powers are effective enough.”
“Are you immortal?”
“Supernatural creatures with similar powers and strengths can kill me.”
“Like the demon?”
“In theory, yes, but don’t let it concern you. He hasn’t succeeded yet.” Lukas injected a lethal quality into his quiet voice. Jasmine shivered. Now she believed him.
“I'll keep your secret. Have you told Fleur yet?”
“I've shown her what I am, but she doesn’t know all the details. Remember she’s a human woman, not a witch like you.”
“Don’t leave it too long. You cannot hide who you are. She will never trust you again. Tell her what you’ve told me. She's intelligent; she will understand and help you. Exclude her and you'll lose her.”
Lukas acknowledged Jasmine’s sage advice with a smile. “Come on. We better hurry or it will be morning before we finish our discussions.”
When they walked into the library, Grace and Zane looked up from the pile of ancient manuscripts. “Finally,” Zane banged his hand against the table. “Don't tell me you couldn't tear yourself away.”
Lukas' temper spiked. “When did you last tell someone you care about you’re not an ordinary man but a dangerous, mythical monster?” He met Zane’s gaze. His friend smiled uncertainly, his face contrite.
“Sorry, man, I didn’t think. She must have freaked out when you discussed the soul mate bond.”
“No, she reacted better than I expected. Fleur knows what I am. Whether she can accept it is another matter. I didn't mention the soul mate bond. I'm not even sure I believe it myself.” He examined the documents Zane pushed towards him.
Grace elaborated, “I found these a few weeks ago after I dreamed about demons at Hallows House.”
“Interesting, Grace.” Lukas exchanged a charged look with Zane.
“They’re the original fourteenth century plans for the house. They should help.”
Lukas and Zane examined the manuscripts. The original house plans and an even earlier map showed the land before the original construction. Lukas' mind drifted back. A huge dragon stood in Helvellyn's shadow. He knew the dragon egg reste
d here. The damp earth shifted with the dragon's weight. He felt the movement of earth under his feet. He exhaled. Streaks of fire flowed from his mouth. An impatient voice disturbed his muse.
“Well, is it any help?”
“Jasmine, have a little patience.” Grace said.
Lukas smiled. “Yes, it does help."
"You're quiet, Zane. The plans must be too difficult for you."
"Jasmine!"
"It's fine, Grace. Feisty like your red hair, aren't you, witch?" Zane said.
Lukas rolled his eyes at Grace before he continued. "I know we buried the dragon egg at the foot of the hill.” He indicated the area on the parchment. “The psychic and spiritual forces are strongest there.”
Grace grasped the location's significance. “A number of ley lines pass through Helvellyn.”
“Yes. Grace, what's a matter?" Lukas noticed the witch's eyes glaze over.
“I’m fine. I can see the dragons. They lived in these hills. They're different sizes, family groups. Mystical creatures. So real I can touch them."
“That's how we lived. We're not the isolated, evil monsters portrayed by human storytellers. The reality of dragons in family groups didn't support their illusion.”
“Are any of your family alive?"
"My sister and brothers are scattered across the world.”
“So you never see them,” Jasmine said.
“On rare occasions, but demon slayers are global. We fight against demons worldwide.”
Zane still studied the manuscripts. “If we use these plans, how will we keep the search secret from the other guests and Xavier?”
Jasmine suggested, “Could we use the treasure hunt as cover?” Zane nodded. “The guests will be distracted. We'll join in, but look for the dragon egg rather than the treasure hunt items.”
“It might work,” Zane conceded.
“What about Fleur's safety?” Grace asked.
Lukas suppressed his alpha reflex. “Fleur should go with Zane. He can protect her better than I could.” The others nodded. “If she’s not with me, Xavier will lose interest in her.”
"If you're sure, Lukas," Grace said.
"Yes, I need her to be safe. If the soul mate bond does exist between us, Xavier won't suspect if we're apart."
“Let's hope so. The treasure hunt's at eleven o’clock,” Grace reminded them as she suppressed a yawn.
Lukas picked up the plans. “Zane and I will study these upstairs. I won’t sleep anyway.”
“That's fine. Lukas, Fleur may surprise you. I’m sure she’ll accept your true identity."
“I hope so, Grace.” Lukas and Zane left the library.
∞
Chapter Five
"You're serious about this soul mate nonsense."
"Yes. No. I don't know."
"I never saw you as a romantic, Lukas. You've always been like me."
"I know. A loner, a use-them-up-and-leave-them kind of man."
"Yes, but you've changed your mind."
"Maybe I believe in serendipity. I saw an unusual aura around Fleur. You saw it, this afternoon."
Zane's expression darkened. "Yes, I did. It is powerful. Xavier saw it too."
"Xavier can't find out about the soul mate bond."
"No, but if you are soul mates, the bond is unbreakable. You can't stay away from each other. It will be obvious to any supernatural."
"We must keep our distance when Xavier is around.”
"What if she's the only woman you can be happy with?"
"There's no choice. I'm here for the dragon egg. I can't deviate from my chosen path. The fallout would be too great. If it's meant to be, the bond will survive whatever fate throws at us."
Zane didn't comment, but Lukas saw the worried look on his flawless face.
*
Fleur slept well, given the previous night’s revelations. Her dreams were full of turquoise-scaled dragons that morphed into Lukas. He loved her with a memorable thoroughness; she even blushed in her sleep. Not the nightmares she usually experienced, erotic images, a reflection of her tethered desire. She stirred as the first signs of daylight appeared over Helvellyn. Fleur threw back the covers and stretched. The last vestiges of sleep dispelled, she drew back the heavy curtains. Through the mist, near the garden's boundary where the hills' wildness began, an outline caught her attention. She vacillated between curiosity and fear. A man moved towards her window. The sunrise lightened the sky. It revealed Xavier's dark broody face. A rush of adrenaline flooded her body. Her heart rate increased its beats so loud they disturbed the room's silence. Her mind was awash with questions, none of which she could answer. He stared at her window. He must recognise her. Startled, she stepped back. A frisson of alarm raced along her spine.
*
Xavier sought the garden's solitude after dinner. The demon wanted freedom, its return inescapable.
Hours later before sunrise, he recovered and adopted his human persona. As he walked back towards the house, a movement at an upper floor window attracted his attention. He stopped and stepped back into the trees. A young woman stood at the window dressed in a white loose shirt. She looked like a wraith.
Xavier's mind sensed Fleur. He smiled. He expected her panic when she recognized him. Her soul mate must have warned her. Xavier suspected the soul mate bond when he saw their auras bound together. If it existed, Fleur could help him destroy the dragon. Various tortures ran through his fevered imagination as a plan formed in his delusional mind. Satisfied, he used another route back, unseen from Fleur's window.
*
Xavier frightened her. Perhaps his flawless looks and perfect manners seemed wrong for a human man. Xavier's strange expression the previous evening haunted her. His ugly face was a terrible parody of its usual perfection with unrecognisable eyes, bottomless pits of malice bereft of all humanity. Now safe in her room, she shuddered and wondered what caused the change in him. She dismissed the idea her defection could evoke his response. She saw hatred. Her intuition alerted her about him when they first met. Grace and Lukas warned her too. Maybe Xavier, like Lukas, had another identity. She chanced a glance through the window, but he’d gone. She sighed and pushed Xavier from her mind. Her body normalized as her heart rate slowed and her mind cleared.
Stressed, she needed a hot shower. Fleur studied her naked body. So slim, it bordered on thin. Her break-up with her ex-lover ruined her appetite and caused drastic weight loss. With so many imperfections, she could not understand why Lukas desired her. She showered for ages. The old grandfather clock struck seven as Fleur dried her damp body with the soft towel, happy with her decision about Lukas. Even his name caused frissons of desire between her thighs and left her moist and damp. He controlled her with an invisible, but unbreakable, tether. The more she struggled against it, the tighter it became. The previous evening's dalliance couldn't happen again. She needed a slower pace so she could discover the real Lukas before she allowed him any control over her body or heart.
She took a silk blouse in jade green and a pair of soft grey Jeggings from the armoire, and then added a grey cotton cardigan. She pulled a pale green lacy bra and thong from the turquoise distressed drawers. A knock at the door made her heart leap. Lukas. Clad in her delicate underwear, she pulled on her silk robe. Not the image she wanted, but better than her bra and thong. Fleur secured the belt of her robe and unlocked the door. Her smile froze as she registered her caller's identity: Xavier, not Lukas. “Oh! It's you.” Fleur pulled the neckline of her silk robe together in a protective gesture. Xavier looked irritated by her unenthusiastic welcome.
"You look surprised, bella."
Fleur's alarm at his uninvited appearance made her voice sharp. “I am.”
“You expected Lukas, I think.”
Fleur shuddered and hoped he didn't see it. Intuitively she realized Xavier enjoyed her discomfort. "It's not your concern."
"No. Maybe not. But I know you and Lukas are intimates."
Her temper increased.
“Lukas will be here soon." She hoped the veiled threat would work.
Xavier backtracked. “I wanted breakfast with you. We have unfinished business.”
Unnerved, Fleur refused. "Sorry, I've promised Lukas."
“Until later, bella." Xavier's expression registered shock.
She nodded. Xavier walked towards the stairs. Relieved and confused by his abrupt departure, she stared after him.
*
The shock of Xavier's unexpected visit left Fleur's face cold and clammy. A pain shot up her arm as she held the door handle in a death grip. Lukas turned the corner and his smile died. His green gaze, rife with accusation, swept over her. “What’s happened? Why did you unlock the door?”
He all but pushed her into the room. The door slammed behind them, and he locked it with his free hand. She stared at him. His hold gentled, but he glared at her, his mouth a hard thin line in his white face. Fleur didn't understand his anger. She’d dealt with her unwelcome visitor without his help. “I’m fine.” The harshness she forced into her voice hid her fear.
“Who upset you? Xavier?”
Lukas’ fury reddened his face and neck. "Yes." The dragon towered above her. His hot breath seared her cold cheek. Her tentative fingers touched the spot. His face wore a hard-set expression. His lack of control unnerved Fleur. Heightened passion narrowed and darkened his eyes. She watched mesmerized as their color changed from green to gold, no longer human. The golden beast ruled here. Her gaze dropped to his mouth. She expected flames. Fleur shivered with awareness as she listed the dangers of a liaison with him. She ignored her common sense. Whatever the risks, she would surrender to his heat and passion.
Lukas yanked her against him. Fleur's world spun. He kissed her in anger, his demands cruel but delicious. She relished his hard mouth and inquisitive tongue as they plundered hers. Lost in their uncontrolled passion, she smelt his spicy male cologne mixed with another indefinable and unique scent. His shallow breaths decreased as their passionate duel continued. Her head pounded from lack of oxygen. She tore her mouth away from his. She gulped air into her bereft lungs. Lukas did the same, but maintained wary eye contact with her. His mood changed, the anger in his gaze abated. Now golden, his gaze contained fire of a different kind, all directed at her.