by Rinelle Grey
A full suit of armour probably wouldn't be enough.
Karla grabbed a pair of tracksuit pants and a t-shirt out of her suitcase. “I'm going to get changed. Make yourself comfortable.” She didn't stop to see if Taurian responded, just fled from the room to the bathroom down the hall.
The tingling in her shoulders started as soon as she'd left the room. Was it really possible for his absence to affect her so quickly, or was she imagining it? This was going to be unbearable if it lasted all week.
Karla changed quickly, then headed back to the room, partly out of a desire to get some sleep, it had been a long day, and partly to see if closeness to Taurian fixed the tingling.
When she entered the room, he was still standing where she had left him, staring at the bed. He looked up as she came in, and the lines on his face eased as soon as he saw her. He smiled, and Karla felt an answering smile lift the corners of her mouth without her even thinking about it.
The tingling had eased, but it wasn't completely gone. Karla grimaced.
She turned away from Taurian, and walked around to the opposite side of the bed. Pulling back the covers, she surveyed the narrow mattress. Why had she ever agreed to this? There was barely room for Taurian, let alone both of them.
Karla tried to imagine crawling into the tiny bed beside him, and the thought sent a flush of warmth through her. The motion was far too intimate for her to be comfortable with it. Before Taurian could beat her to it, Karla slid onto the bed, trying to keep to one side as much as possible.
“Have you finished your preparations?”
How did his voice manage to sound so sultry?
“Yes,” Karla choked out.
The mattress dipped under Taurian's weight as he sat on the side. He swung his legs up, leaning back onto the pillow. Taurian's shoulders easily took up two thirds of the bed.
Karla scooted back as far as she could, almost tumbling off the side in her hurry.
Taurian reached out a hand and grabbed her shoulder, pulling her into the hollow he had made in the centre of the bed. Karla put her hand on his chest to stop herself falling completely against him. His warmth radiated through Karla, and the tingling in her shoulders eased completely.
Though perhaps that was just because it had been burned off by the flames that licked her skin, causing a different kind of need.
For a second, Karla let herself imagine what it might be like, sleeping with him. His chest was firm and her fingers twitched at the thought of running her hands all over it, brushing the firm nipples that hovered so close to her fingertips.
Her fingers trembled at the thought of him returning the favour. Just his hand touching hers caused her to melt. What would it feel like when he touched her more sensitive areas? What would it feel like to have him filling her up, thrusting into her? How long would this fire she felt when she touched him burn?
Taurian’s golden eyes regarded her solemnly. Would sleeping with a human form dragon be different than a normal man?
She shivered at the thought, half from excitement, half from nerves.
Should she turn down this chance to find out? She'd never have another opportunity like this in her life, could she really just ignore it? Could she really fight off this feeling?
No, it wasn't real. This was all caused by the Mesmer bond. That was clouding how she felt. It was a little like being drunk, her judgement was impaired. Now was not the time to make this decision. She needed a clear head first.
She needed to wait until the Mesmer bond was complete. Only then could she tell what feelings were real and what was just a figment of the dragon’s strange healing magic.
Karla gave herself a shake. What was she talking about? This was all just the heat of the moment, an exciting situation. How could she feel this way about someone she’d known for less than a day? If she hadn't found Taurian out at the Dragon Scales, she'd be heading home to England tomorrow, and to Bruce.
And that's exactly what she'd be doing in another week once this was all over. She wasn't one to succumb to these sorts of impulsive desires. She had her own life to live, her own plans to achieve.
Taurian took a deep breath, and Karla felt his body relax against her. The burning need to be closer to him eased a little, replaced with the simmering coals of the intimate contact.
This was just an interlude from her normal life. A sweet, hot, interlude.
Nothing more.
Chapter 9
Karla walked downstairs, trying to ignore the irritating itch that had crawled over her skin ever since she had woken up to find her room empty and all sign of Taurian’s occupation removed.
She should have felt relieved that he had woken before her, giving her a few moments to collect her thoughts. His constant presence and those smouldering eyes following her everywhere were disconcerting. Despite him keeping his promise to stay on his side of the bed, she felt it every time he moved, and if his skin happened to touch hers as he rolled over, fire had shot through her. Needless to say, she’d barely slept. She knew he didn’t want anything more from her than to complete the Mesmer ritual that would heal him fully, but telling herself that didn’t stop her from being flattered by his obsession.
She had a plan for getting her life back on track. And the keys to that plan were back in England where her job and home was. She and Bruce had been together for three years, and living together for most of that time. They’d committed to each other long ago. A wedding was really just a formality. A formality she had no need to be scared of.
And that was the only reason she hadn’t been able to say yes when he’d asked her to marry him. She’d gotten cold feet, that was all. But as soon as she could talk to him, they’d sort that out.
He still hadn’t called her back. He should be home from work by now. Surely he’d received her message? She’d give him another call after breakfast. She’d feel a lot better once she could talk to him in person and be sure he still wanted to get married.
“Morning, K,” her dad said cheerfully over the sound of sizzling bacon. “Ready for some breakfast?”
“Sure.” Karla looked around the room. “Where’s Taurian?”
“He’s outside. Said something about checking the perimeter.” Her dad crossed to the table and heaped some bacon and eggs onto the plate in front of her. “He’s a strange lad, that one.”
That was the understatement of the year. Karla gave a nervous laugh. “You’re telling me.”
Her dad put the frying pan in the sink and ran some water on it, causing a cloud of steam to fill the kitchen. Then he came and sat down opposite her.
Karla scooped up some egg and put it in her mouth, then realised her dad wasn’t eating, he was just watching her.
She chewed and swallowed, then asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Is there something you want to tell me?”
Lots of things, but nothing she could really voice. “No, why?”
“I was up early this morning, and I noticed that your guest didn't sleep on the couch.”
“Oh.” How was she ever going to explain this to her dad? If she tried, it would sound like she was being fooled by the craziest of stories into sleeping with a man she barely knew. Well, a dragon actually, which strangely enough made it seem less crazy. And she had no intention of actually having sex with him, just sleeping in the same bed.
Yeah, that didn’t sound bad at all, she thought sarcastically. How could she convince her dad that it wasn't like that when she couldn't even completely convince herself? He’d think she was crazy.
“Look, it's none of my business. You’re a big girl and I’ll support you whatever you choose to do. If you like this bloke, then I’m happy for you, but you might want to make sure that chap back in England doesn't get hurt.”
Karla felt a flash of guilt at the thought of Bruce getting hurt. But that wasn’t going to happen. She’d made the decision that she was going back to him.
But it was nice to know she could count on her dad to support
her, no matter what. He always had. Why had she thought this time would be any different? Her heart warmed. “It's not like that at all. I'm just helping Taurian, and… never mind, you wouldn't believe it. But it's completely platonic, I promise. And as soon as this is over, I'm heading back to England and to Bruce. He asked me to marry him, Dad.”
She’d expected to feel good saying it, but to her surprise, she had to force the words out. Uncertainty sunk in her stomach. For some reason, she felt like she was lying, like she was making up a story to appease her father’s concerns. Was she making a mistake?
No, of course not. It just felt weird telling her father before she told Bruce, that was all.
Her father stared at her, then gave a low whistle. “That is serious. What did you say?”
Ignoring her doubts, Karla pushed on. Maybe if she clarified things, it would feel better. “I said I'd give him an answer when I got back to England. I just needed to come home first, but my mind is made up now.”
Her dad came around the table and gave her a hug. “Congratulations. I guess this means I'm going to have to finally buy a ticket over there.”
Karla's eyes filled with emotional tears. She didn’t have to doubt her father’s feelings at least. Could anyone wish for a more perfect dad? “And a suit,” she joked.
“Now, let's not get carried away.”
Chapter 10
Taurian walked around the corner and surveyed the street outside. It felt strange, standing here out in the open in a human settlement. A man pushing a loud little machine in the fenced in yard next door stared at him, and Taurian stared back until the man looked away.
He felt exposed, open, vulnerable. He stared up at the sky, but the vast blue expanse was empty. The cloudless day offered no protection from the sun, which was already starting to burn. Taurian glanced back at the man, but he had his back to Taurian now, and was moving away. The machine seemed to eat the grass, but far faster than any animal Taurian had ever seen.
He looked as human as any of them. He could easily pass for one of them. If he knew how to fit in to their society. Thank heavens, Karla was here to help him. This world had changed too much.
His shoulders twitched, the constant low level itch reminded him that he had spent too long away from her. Surely she was awake now? Taurian turned and retraced his steps back to the door he had exited through.
As he was about to step inside, he heard an almost distant whirring noise. He glanced up, and something moved in the sky above him. His heart leapt in his chest before slowly returning to its normal beat. The shape wasn’t a dragon. They would never show themselves this openly during the day. Besides, it was far too small, too high in the sky.
The object traced a straight line across the sky, the whirring following its path. This must be the plane Karla had spoken of. Amazing that humans could fly, and so high as well. Taurian shook his head, struggling to take the idea in.
The itch intensified, reminding him of his mission—find Karla. Being in her presence was the only thing that would help him feel better. And not just because of the itch. Being near her helped him feel a little less uncertain in this confusing world.
He headed inside, wondering what he would do if she was still asleep. He couldn’t stand being apart from her much longer, but her father would think him strange if he went up to her bedchamber and watched her sleep.
Luckily, he could hear voices as he entered the house.
Something about tickets and suits. Karla sounded happy. Taurian picked up his pace, needing to see her, rounding the corner into the kitchen, just as her dad was making a joke about not getting carried away.
Taurian felt left out. He’d missed something. “Who’s carrying who away?” he asked.
Her father smiled at Taurian. “This getting dressed up for weddings, it seems a little excessive. I'm sure you’ll agree with me, won't you?”
Taurian’s heart skipped a beat. He and Karla were not getting married. Were they? Had he missed some custom about her people? Did her dad know he’d spent the night in her room?
No, they weren’t talking about him. Karla had a lifemate. Taurian frowned. Did they not understand that he wouldn't be happy about this? Her lifemate was the one thing keeping them apart, he was sure of it.
Karla realised he wasn’t impressed. Taurian could sense the uncertainty from her. For some reason, it eased his frustration a little that she wasn’t completely happy and excited.
Her father appeared to be waiting for a response, some sort of support apparently. Taurian wasn’t in the mood. “Being dressed for the occasion is especially important for some events,” Taurian said flatly. “In my clan, a wedding is a week-long event, requiring many different costumes.”
Her dad looked taken aback for a moment, then he shrugged. “I guess I can't count on you to back me up then. Better rent a suit after all. What are you planning to do for the day?”
“We need to get some proper clothes for Taurian,” Karla said firmly. “Can I borrow the ute?”
They were back to that again. Clothes. So he could be like a human.
Taurian squashed his urge to refuse. He needed to blend in, and to learn more about humans. Clothes were an important part of that. Hopefully, he could find something suitable.
“So long as you bring back some bread and milk. Saves me the trip into town,” her father said.
Karla quickly finished eating while Taurian watched her silently. The itch still scraped at his shoulders, but it had eased a little now. It was bearable, just.
He followed her out to the ute, still not saying anything, and copied her as she stretched a belt around her, holding her into the chair. These might have been useful yesterday when they were thrown around with the dragon chasing them.
“Let me do the talking,” she told him as she started the ute. “We’re going to have enough people wondering what is up without you sounding strange as well.”
He sounded strange? Taurian bristled. “I suppose you would not have that problem if I was Bruce?”
Karla gave him a sideways glance. “No, I wouldn't,” she said bluntly. “He would have brought clothes with him.”
“And they would be more suitable than my clothes.” Of course they would. Bruce was a human, like her. He would know the right thing to do in any situation. Unlike Taurian.
Karla tried to look serious, but it only lasted a few moments. She gave a small laugh. “Probably not. Bruce’s clothes would be a bit too fancy for an outback town. And way too hot. But at least I could explain them away by saying he was from England. If I excuse your strange clothes by telling them you're a dragon, no one is going to believe me.”
Taurian felt just a little bit better. But not quite enough. This whole trip was a mistake. “You would have no reason to explain my clothes to anyone if we just stayed at your father’s place.”
“I don't think I can handle you walking around in those leather pants all week.”
The tone to her voice, low and desperate, improved Taurian’s mood no end. So it wasn’t that his clothes were inappropriate, it was that they stirred inappropriate thoughts in her.
“You find them unpleasant to look at?” he couldn’t help teasing.
Karla looked over at him for a few moments, evaluating. Her eyes widened almost imperceptibly, and her cheeks flushed. The strong scent of desire tested Taurian’s resolve to give her some distance.
“Look, you’re going to need to wash your clothes at some point, and you have nothing else to wear. Let’s just make this quick. We can get in and out in under half an hour,” she said finally, looking away.
He could think of a whole lot of other things they could be doing in half an hour, if that was all they had. But he bit his tongue. No need to antagonise her. “Of course. I won’t cause you any problems.”
Chapter 11
Several heads turned as they walked the short distance to the clothing aisle. Karla wasn’t sure whether it was because of Taurian’s strange clothes, or because the
y found him attractive. She didn’t like either option.
“Here, try these.” She shoved a pair of cargo shorts and a plain green t-shirt at Taurian.
He took them absently, but he was staring around the racks of clothing with a gleam in his eye. “Are all these clothes for people to take?”
Karla glanced around, but though a few giggling girls were staring at them, no one was within earshot. “No, you have to pay for them. But I’ll take care of that. Just try these on to see if they’re the right size and we can get out of here.”
“I think I prefer those over there.”
Following where he was pointing, Karla almost groaned when she saw that his eye had fallen on a silver dress shirt next to a rack of formal suits. Of course he would.
“I don’t think those kind of clothes are what we’re looking for. We want you to blend in, remember?”
“But if we’re not leaving your house for the next few days, then what does it matter what I’m wearing?”
They were starting to get a few strange looks, so it wasn’t the time to argue. “Fine, but take the shorts and shirt as well,” she said. “And this.”
If she’d thought she could hurry Taurian into the dressing room, she was sadly mistaken. He had to pick some trousers to go with the dress shirt, and he found several more things to try on on the way.
“Look, you can only take six things into the change rooms at a time, so that will have to do,” she said finally.
“I can always try more later,” Taurian agreed.
Karla barely suppressed a sigh as she ushered him towards the change rooms. “The lady behind the desk will ask how many clothes, then tell you which room to use,” she explained. “Just nod and say thanks, okay?”
“You’re just trying on those?” The dressing room attendant sounded bored until she looked up to see Taurian in his full glory. Then her eyes widened. “Do you need a hand with anything?” she asked hopefully.