by Bethany Shaw
They gazed into each other’s eyes for a moment as his cock began to harden again—a benefit of being a dragon shifter. Tonight was only just beginning.
Chapter Six
Elly groaned as she rolled over. Her body collided with something hard and warm. She pried her eyes open with a content sigh. Last night hadn’t been a dream.
At least part of it hadn’t been. Was Laik really a dragon? She tilted her head to the side, assessing him. He looked human enough, but how could she forget the scaly creature that had flown her over the Strip last night. That was real, right?
“You’re staring,” Laik commented.
Elly squeaked as her hand flew to her chest. “I didn’t think you were awake.”
“I didn't mean to frighten you,” Laik apologized. “How are you this morning?”
Elly stretched as she continued to gaze into his eyes. Her body was relaxed and sated, even if a little sore, from their activities last night. Who would have thought a man could go that many times in a row? Or that there were so many positions to try? She bit her lip to keep from smiling, but she was certain her face was cherry red just from thinking about all the sex they’d had.
“Elly?” Laik questioned, when she never answered him.
“I’m good. You?” she questioned as she studied him again.
“Great.”
“So...” she started but didn’t know quite what to say.
Laik sat up and flicked his gaze to the red lights on the alarm clock on the headboard above their heads. “We should get up and order in some lunch. You have a show at one today,” he told her.
Elly followed his gaze and gaped at the red numbers staring back at her. “It’s nearly ten,” she gasped. “I can’t remember the last time I slept this late.”
“Why don’t you get in the shower and I’ll order us some room service. I’ll join you in a minute,” he told her with a grin.
Elly shivered as her core thrummed. Shower sex, yum. That would be a fun new experience for her. Sleeping with a half-man, half-dragon definitely took the cake. Maybe she dreamed that part. Dragons were mythical creatures. Weren’t people always telling her she had an overactive imagination?
“Anything in particular you want me to order?” Laik asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.
“Grilled cheese,” she commented as she sat up and ran a hand through her snarled bed hair. The Old Moon had the best grilled cheese she’d ever tasted.
“I’ll have that sent up for you,” he said as he reached for the phone on the end table.
When he rolled, the sheets fell off his body, exposing his glorious ass. Her fingers trembled and she fought the urge to reach out and grab it. She had to shower, eat, and get ready for her show. As it was, she was already cutting it close, even if she were already at work.
Wait! Why am I performing today? Isn’t Ian after me? Didn’t his men chase us down last night? I need to find out what was real last night.
“I’m performing today?” she questioned out loud with a frown. If she’d hallucinated part of last night she was going to look like an idiot.
Laik nodded. “I spoke with my superiors at MYTHS earlier this morning. They think it would be best if you continue with your regular routine. We want to capture Ian, and if he’s here watching you, then that’s the best way to do it,” he explained with a grimace.
Looks like I wasn’t having vivid dreams last night. Does that make me feel better or worse?
She narrowed her eyes, studying him. His jaw was set and his eyes blazed their unnatural color. He seemed angry. Perhaps he didn’t agree with his superior’s decision.
Considering that she was being used as bait, she wasn’t too thrilled with the idea either.
“I’ll be with you the whole time. I’m not leaving your side. I’m not letting anything happen to you, Elly,” he promised while grasping her hand. “You should get in the shower.”
Elly nodded as she sat up, holding the sheets to her as she did. It was silly. Laik had already seen every inch of her body—tasted it too. She licked her lips and dropped the fabric as she stood and sashayed over to the bathroom.
She couldn’t see his eyes, but she felt them on her, watching her every step. It wasn’t until she was in the bathroom that he cleared his throat and picked up the phone.
A nice hot shower would help to soothe her sore muscles. She flicked on the water in the huge marble shower and let it warm before stepping under the spray. The water cascaded over her as she washed her hair and body. Her mind drifted to Laik, wondering when or if he was going to join her.
After an eternity, she gave up on him coming, and shut the water off. She grabbed a towel and wrapped her hair, and then her body before peeking out into the bedroom. Laik wasn’t in bed and his pants and shirt were gone from where they’d fallen last night.
Voices drifted into the bedroom from the cracked door and she sighed, recognizing Acelynn’s. A stack of folded clothes sat on the edge of the bed.
Elly closed her eyes and silently thanked Acelynn for the clean change of clothes. She clutched her towel tighter, tiptoed into the bedroom and snatched her clothes up before zipping back into the bathroom.
She toweled off, dressed, and dried her hair before making her way out into the front room. Something was going on and she needed to find out what, even if she was sure she wasn’t going to like it. The sooner the incident with Ian was over the better.
She peeked her head into the front room. The conversation stopped and all eyes turned to her. She nibbled her lip and ran her fingers through her hair. Acelynn, Charlie, and Ava were all in the room, along with two men she’d never met.
“Morning, sweetie,” Charlie greeted as he came over and pecked her cheek. “How are you?”
Elly leaned into Charlie as he wrapped his arm around her waist. She appreciated his support but there was someone else she wanted to speak to. Laik would give it to her straight; he had so far, and she appreciated his honesty more than he knew. “What’s going on?” she asked, looking to Laik.
“This is Garrett and Dean. They work with me at MYTHS. They are going to help apprehend Ian,” he explained.
“So...I’m guessing this isn’t Ian Palmer’s first offense?” Elly asked with a sigh.
“No. You’re the first woman he’s stalked, but this is definitely not his first offense. MYTHS has been after him for a long time,” Laik told her.
I’m not sure if that makes me feel better or worse, she thought to herself. It wasn’t something she wanted to think about too much, anyway. It would creep her out more than she already was.
“Are you two dragon shifters, too?” Elly asked as she eyed the men. Both of them were tall like Laik. One was stick-thin and the other looked like he hadn’t missed a day at the gym since he was twelve.
“Garrett is a werebear,” Laik explained, pointing to the brawny man.
Well, that explains why he looks so stalky.
“Dean’s a warlock,” Laik continued.
Great! Just what I need—another psycho warlock. Elly shifted on her feet and regarded the man with narrowed eyes.
“Not all warlocks are like Ian,” Laik went on. “Many warlocks and witches use their witchcraft to help humanity.”
Elly nodded as she combed her hair with her fingers before twirling a strand around her thumb.
“We should get downstairs and get ready for our performance,” Acelynn said as she offered a hand to Elly.
Elly took her friend's hand as Charlie walked with her to the door.
“I’ll have your grilled cheese sent to your dressing room,” Laik told her before snapping his gaze to his sister. “Stay with her until the show starts,” Laik warned.
“Don’t worry. We won’t let her out of our sights,” Acelynn acknowledged.
Ava fell in step with them as she strutted past the three MYTHS agents. Garrett and Dean ogled Ava as she passed. Laik only had eyes for Elly.
“You’re not coming with me?” she questioned,
when Laik didn’t move.
“No,” he grunted. “We think it's best that you go about your routine like usual. We don’t want to tip Ian off to our presence.”
“He won’t notice you in the crowd?” Elly questioned.
“Oh, sweetie,” Ava crooned as she opened the hotel door. “Over half the audience will be supernatural. Even if this asshole is tracking what species are in the crowd, he won’t be able to tell your boy toy is there unless he sees Laik himself. I highly doubt he and Acelynn are the only dragons in the casino.”
“Right,” she muttered. Laik had mentioned that last night. How many of her colleagues were supernatural? Some of them? All of them? At least everyone was friendly.
Charlie and Acelynn escorted her out the door and Ava shut it before she could say anything else to Laik. She let out a long breath as they made their way to the elevator.
Ava placed one of her perfectly manicured nails on the down arrow before turning to her with a grin. “So, how was last night?” she waggled her brows as she beamed. “I want to hear all about your first time with a dragon.”
“What?” Elly choked out. How does she know? Laik wouldn’t have said anything.
“I’m a succubus, darling. Sex is dripping off of you and that yummy dragon like hot butter,” Ava purred. “You have to give me some details.”
Heat licked across Elly’s face, to her ears, and throat as she gaped at Ava. “Oh!” she managed to croak.
“You’ll have to get used to her forwardness,” Acelynn said in Elly’s ear. “She can’t help herself. I’m surprised she’s contained herself as long as she has.”
“Stop embarrassing the poor child,” Charlie reprimanded as he swatted at Ava, who giggled.
“Let’s get ready for our show,” Acelynn chastised as the elevator dinged and the trio tugged her inside. “Oh, I should probably warn you. Once we leave this floor, your mishaps will probably come back.”
“What?” Elly questioned. Come to think of it she hadn’t had an ‘oops’ moment all evening.
“The floor you and Laik stayed on is spelled. I bet it counteracted the curse. Once you leave this floor it will be back.”
“Perfect.”
Elly swallowed as the doors slid shut with a clank. Her belly dropped as they began their descent. She’d slept with a dragon shifter last night, was in an elevator with a vampire, dragon shifter, and succubus and was about to perform in front of a mostly supernatural audience. One of which was a warlock who thought cursing her was the way to her heart. Could her day possibly get any weirder? God, she hoped not.
***
Laik stared at the swaying curtain as he slid into his seat, making sure his COM was in his ear and on. One of the wolves that owned the casino had spotted Ian Palmer. Big surprise, the son-of-a-bitch was in the front row. The warlock knew Laik and would spot him instantly. Which meant Dean—one of the new members of MYTHS, was in the front row instead of him.
He gritted his teeth, hating that a newbie agent was closer to Elly than him. The dragon inside of him bristled beneath the surface, urging him to protect their mate at all costs. Nothing could happen to Elly. A shifter's mate was their other half. If anything happened to her, he’d never find love again. With a life expectancy of over five hundred years, it would be very lonely.
He prayed he could keep his dragon contained, but couldn’t make any promises where his mate was concerned. At least they were in Vegas. If something did happen and he transitioned, they could explain it away as part of the show—he hoped. Crazy things happened in Vegas all the time.
“I’ve got my eyes on Palmer,” Dean’s voice muttered in his ear through a COM.
Laik sat up straighter, blinking so his eyes transitioned into his dragon’s. He could see the front row from here, but only the backs of people's heads. Palmer was supposed to sit in the sixth seat. He counted over and gritted his teeth as the familiar, slick blond hair came into view.
They were going to nail Ian Palmer once and for all. The warlock had messed with Laik’s mate this time. He’d been intent on capturing the bastard before, but now he was hell bent to.
“Nobody do anything unless he makes a move,” Garrett ordered. “That means you, Laik.”
Laik grumbled his obedience over the COM as he continued to bore his gaze into the back of Ian Palmer’s head. It was too bad dragons couldn’t shoot fire out of their eyes. Ian Palmer would have a nice iris-sized hole in his head.
I need to focus.
He was lucky to still be on this op. If his boss, Penny, weren’t mated herself, he probably wouldn't be. Thankfully, she understood the urge to protect one's mate. However, she’d insisted that Garrett head up the team to make sure the mission was thought out instead of done impulsively.
Garrett was a good agent and Laik trusted him, but he couldn’t stand the thought of that creep Palmer anywhere near Elly. He’d done enough to her already.
The lights dimmed in the room and the curtain jerked as it started to rise. Elvis strummed his fingers over the guitar while the showgirls began to sway with the rhythm.
It was easy to spot Elly. She was radiant, breathtaking like always. She was the third girl on the left. Her charcoal hair was tucked up into her ridiculous hat, and the gobs of makeup she wore didn’t do her natural beauty justice. Still, he couldn’t stray his gaze from her body as it moved in time to Elvis’ singing.
Her footsteps were flawless, moving in the large heels like she’d been walking in them her whole life. It was Ian Palmer’s doing. The bastard probably lifted the curse so she could dance without a hitch.
His hands fisted at his sides. That man had no right to be watching Elly. He was a creep who was preying on her innocence. Tonight would be the last night Palmer would hurt anyone. MYTHS had a cell with his name on it. Laik’s team just had to get him there, but with so many people in the audience, they couldn’t make a move. Ian was a powerful warlock, and he could harm innocent people while trying to escape custody. They would follow him after the show to allow for minimal collateral damage, if any.
Elvis started his second song, and Laik watched as Elly glided across the stage. Her movements were fluid, and her eyes darted through the audience. Was she looking for him? He wanted to jump up and wave his arms until her desperate gaze found his, but he couldn’t give away his position. Instead, he focused on her movements. She was quite the dancer. It was too bad that Elly hadn’t found a steady job in LA. But, if she had, they may have never met.
Fate could be a bitch sometimes.
He flicked his gaze to Ian Palmer who sat hunched forward in his chair, watching the show like his next breath depended on it. Laik had to admit Elly’s dancing had a captivating grace. His gaze flicked back to Elly as she gripped a pole in her hands and jumped, sliding down it. Damn, she was gorgeous!
Laik narrowed his eyes and cocked his head to the side as mist rolled across the stage. He didn’t remember that effect being used yesterday.
“Palmer’s chanting something,” Dean’s voice bellowed over the COM.
“Move in. Now!” Garrett barked.
Laik shot up as a puff of smoke enveloped the stage. He hopped over top of the railing and leapt. His clothing split as his dragon burst through his human shell, allowing him to take flight. Screams and hollers filled the air as he darted toward the stage. He could barely make out Elly’s silhouette in the fog, but he knew he had to reach her before Ian Palmer took her.
The lights went out in the auditorium and panicked voices called out. Laik dove toward Elly, enveloping her in his wings like a blanket. Searing pain sizzled through his right wing and another jarring pain hit his leg. Someone had shot him. The tranquilizers zipped through his body. He crumpled to the floor, cradling Elly to him, ensuring she was protected with his body.
Dizziness pulled at his conscious state, and he grunted as his body tingled. Chanting filled his head and he blinked, fighting the darkness that threatened to consume him. He struggled to get back to his feet. His
wings fluttered out and he tried to take flight, but his body refused to budge.
Elly was shouting something, but her voice sounded miles away. He clutched her body tighter, ensuring her lithe form was still in his grasp.
His eyelids fluttered, refusing to stay open as whatever drug he’d been shot with took effect.
“Laik? Laik!” Elly’s melodic voice called as her fingers cupped his dragon’s head.
He snorted, causing smoke to escape his nostrils, but he couldn’t speak. Darkness clouded his vision at the same time a floating sensation enveloped him. They were being transported, but to where? He had to stay awake. Had to keep fighting. For Elly.
Chapter Seven
Elly shrieked as her ears rang. One second the show had been going great; the next, the stage had been swallowed by a weird mist. Laik had rushed to her side, but now he was unconscious and she had a sinking feeling things were about to get worse. Much worse.
She blinked repeatedly, trying to clear her head. It was no use, pitch black consumed them.
“Laik,” she hissed as she wiggled out of the wings that encompassed her. “Laik!”
His wing flopped to the ground with a thump and she gasped. “Laik?”
Her heart thrummed against her ribs as she smoothed a hand over his leathery skin.
“He won’t be bothering us for a while,” Ian’s voice rang out in the darkness.
“What did you do to him?” she growled as she whipped her head in the direction of his voice.
Blackness was everywhere and she couldn’t see an inch in front of her, let alone where Ian was.
“Relax, it’s just a little tranquilizer, Elly. Whether he remains unharmed is completely up to you, my dear.”
She couldn’t see him, but she could hear the grin on his lips by the way he spoke.
Her stomach heaved. What did he do? She swallowed, squinting even though it did no good. “What do you want?” she demanded.
“You,” he stated simply.
“Me? Why?” she choked out.
“I’m sure Laik has told you about me by now,” Ian started, ignoring her question.