by Eliza Gayle
She picked at her food and took several bites of pork before she finally answered. “Fresh caught salmon is my favorite and it’s plentiful back home. Don’t get me wrong. The fish here is pretty good, but it just doesn’t compare.” She sounded wistful as she continued. “My brothers are all crazy for bangers and mash, so that was a staple often served in our lair. Oh and don’t get me started on the scones or the tablet.”
“Tablet?”
“Oh Goddess, if you have a sweet tooth you would die for it. Especially if it’s got a bit of whisky infused in it. It’s the perfect complement to all the sugar, milk and butter. I’ll be sure to have some brought over for you to try.” She picked up a hush puppy and turned it over in her hand. “Although if you prefer your goodies fried then you really need to try a battered mars bar. You will think you’ve died and gone to heaven.”
He was beginning to agree with her and it wasn’t because of the food she’d described. The look on her face as she relaxed and told him about her favorites back home was the best thing he’d ever seen. She was already more beautiful than any woman he’d met, but in the moment where it was nothing but the two of them having a conversation—breathtaking.
“You sound like you miss home.” He gently tried to change the subject so he could learn more. Just listening to her talk had a balming affect against his weary soul. Sometimes he needed a break from all the tension and intrigue that had become his life of late.
“I do. But I don’t regret coming here either. A lot of my family history is here and I’m as anxious to learn more about that as I am to experience new things. I know this probably sounds weird, but I kind of like change.”
He shook his head. “I get it. Routines can get old after a while. Sometimes a change of scenery is exactly what, well, the doctor ordered.”
Her peal of laughter over his silly pun both soothed and riled him up. There was an inherent sweetness to it that felt great, but the sultry undertone made him think of pushing her down into a thick pellet of grass so he could slide against her skin to skin.
With the remembered scent of her sharp arousal outside strong in his mind, it was impossible not to imagine how good it would feel to be inside her. Goddess, she would be so snug around him too. His brain nearly melted at that thought. It also sobered him. Age of a shifter could be difficult to determine, but from what he’d picked up on they were probably close to the same age. Which made it all the more difficult to think of her as a virgin.
A surge of fresh possessiveness coursed through him making his muscles tight and his cock harder than before.
Mate.
The word popped into his head before he could stop it and it dug its claws so deep into his mind he knew the echo wasn’t going away. No matter how many times he pushed it away or fought against it, it had taken hold and wouldn’t be denied.
Now he just needed to find a way to convince her to take a chance on him.
“Simon, are you still here?”
He blinked at his name from her lips and focused in on her words, most of which he’d missed. “Sorry,” he said. “Got lost in my thoughts for a second.”
She sucked her bottom lip in and bit down for a moment and he groaned at the action. Biting was his weakness. Whether he gave them or received them or in her case, watched her bite her own lip, he could barely breathe with the need to possess her literally gripping him by the balls.
“I guess it’s not important,” she said.
“No, it is. Everything you say is. I just have a bad habit of getting lost in my thoughts sometimes. Please forgive me.” He reached up and traced his finger across the spot where her teeth had sunk into her lip. “Did it hurt?” he asked.
“Did what hurt?” She looked confused, but the breathlessness of her voice told him so much more.
“The bite to your lip.” Before she could answer he was out of his seat and around the kitchen island. He spun her stool, gripped her thighs and spread them wide enough to step between them.
Of course her resulting gasp only egged him on. It wasn’t a protest. This time he touched both thumbs to her bottom lip as he cradled her face in his hands. “You haven’t answered me yet,” he whispered as his head lowered until their lips were mere inches apart. He could see the tiny little indent where her teeth had pressed in and the pressure in his cock increased ten fold.
“No, not really. I mean—I don’t know. I didn’t think about it.” Her lips parted as her breathing grew shallow.
What he did next he couldn’t have stopped if he wanted to—and he didn’t. He leaned forward and sucked her lip into his mouth and pressed his teeth into the tender flesh. It all happened so fast, but the nip turned into a bite and he pulled back knowing damned well he had no business being so rough with her.
Only she wasn’t complaining. In fact, her eyes had dilated and she reached forward and grabbed his forearms. She was pulling him in not pushing him away.
“This is dangerous,” he admitted. Not that he particularly cared. He ignored danger all the damned time.
“I know. And I like it.”
He closed his eyes and groaned. If she or anyone else thought he could stop after something like that…
“We need to go somewhere private.”
He reared back thinking someone must have hit him on his head. Had she just said…
“Don’t look so shocked, Doc,” she said, laughing. “People have sex all the time, right?”
“Indeed they do.” Although that statement didn’t apply to her at all. But as much as he wanted to question her, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He’d wanted her since the moment she walked into Dark Moon. Hunger for her had hit him in the face long before he’d caught her mating scent.
“I have a cabin not too far from the clinic. I haven’t used it in a long time, but it’s probably somewhat presentable.” Not that he gave a shit about presentable. He’d just as soon take her here, outside under the black sky dotted with brilliant white stars with the cool air brushing across their heated skin. He ran his hands down her face and traced a line down her neck.
“Too far.” The husky tone of her need filled voice went straight to his dick, making him regret both the jeans and underwear confining him.
“We can’t stay here. Not with big brother watching.”
She pulled out of his touch. “That’s for sure. I know of a place, it won’t take long to travel there,” her voice hitched, “but there’s only one way to get there. Follow me, I’ll show you.”
“I don’t care.” And he didn’t. As long as it meant he got to spend some time alone with her while preferably naked, he was in.
He followed her back outside into the darkness and the crisp night air. He took a deep breath and used that moment to calm the racing of his pulse at the thought of seeing her naked.
“It’s up there.” She turned and pointed to the top of the largest mountain that loomed against the night sky in the distance. “Our old family lair still stands, although it needs a lot of work.”
Simon compressed his lips. For him to travel there on his own would take days. That definitely wasn’t going to work for him. He didn’t want to wait an hour to his place. “What are you suggesting?” Although he was pretty sure he already knew the answer.
“We can be there in less than ten minutes. If we fly…”
He took a deep breath. While he spent more time with humans than most other shifters, and considered himself well adjusted to the modern world, the idea of hitching a ride… Well, it sounded kind of weird. And about as unromantic as he could get.
“You want me to—?”
She nodded. “Yep. Why? Is that not manly enough transportation for you?”
He thought he’d hid his cringe well, but obviously she’d picked up on his hesitation. Not that he’d say it out loud now. “I’m game if you are, sweetheart.” Plus, he had to admit he was beyond curious. Shit. How often would he get a chance to get up close and personal with her in dragon form?
Ha! All the time if he had his way.
“Good. I’ll shift and you climb on. There’s absolutely nothing to be afraid of. Even if you fell off, which you won’t, I’d easily catch you.”
Before he could give her his no fear response, she untied her robe and dropped it to the grass. His eyes widened. To his credit, however, he managed to stay still and not react. Though the wolf’s low growl in his head let him know that she had his full attention.
He’d already seen her acres of pale, perfect skin on his operating table, but dammit that wasn’t even close to the same. Without the sights and sounds of a medical facility, not to mention the absence of white sheets covering certain parts, he was getting a completely different perspective.
Goddamn, but she was beautiful.
Unfortunately, as much as he wanted to take his time and begin memorizing every inch and curve, her body blurred under a shimmer of light blue magic and desire gave way to curiosity. The transformation from gorgeous woman to breathtaking dragon only took a few seconds, but his brain grasped every detail it could along the way.
Fair skin gave way to red-black scales, that were more red in some places and more black in others. Hands and feet instantly changed to long, curved claws that gleamed in the moonlight with their deadliness.
As she looked down on him with horns on her head and oversized teeth peeking from the sides of her mouth, he had to admit that her sheer size alone could intimidate just about anyone or anything. Which gave way to another more frightening thought.
If these dragons decided to wage war on the shifters of this region, what chance did they have? How would a wolf, or a cougar or hell, even a bear, fight that? With those troubling thoughts swirling in his mind, he climbed on her back and grabbed hold as she flapped her massive wings and lifted into the air.
He'd flown in a plane once and he’d thought that seemed unnatural, but this. Holy shit. With the cold air of night whipping through his hair and the beautiful glide of Kenzie’s wings sending them soaring up the mountain, he couldn’t contain his excitement as he let the wolf come forward and howl into the clear, crisp air.
She must have liked his reaction because she followed that up with a shot of fire that lit up the mountain they were flying straight toward. As they closed in on a wall of solid stone, he tightened his grip just in time. She banked left, then right, heading straight up the mountain face.
A minute later she flew over the top of the mountain and an old, decaying castle came into view. At least he didn’t know what else to call it. Its sheer size was massive, but it had been abandoned and not held up particularly well on its own. Kenzie dropped down on the ground and he slid onto the grass. While he stared at the stone and marble structure he missed her shift until she came up next to him, dressed in the exact robe she’d left behind at Galen’s house.
“Where did that come from?” he asked. There was no way he missed her stashing that robe somewhere else.
She shrugged. “Conjured it. I don’t actually have to carry or find any clothes if I don’t want to.”
Yet another tidbit he did not know about the dragons. “I didn’t realize you had that kind of magic at your disposal.” There was so much he didn’t know and he couldn’t wait to learn more.
“We have all of the abilities of the supernaturals that were created by Fergusons. It’s how they got it.”
“Wait. So that means you can also speak—”
Yes. I can communicate without speech.
He heard the voice in his head as clear as if she’d spoken, but she’d not uttered a sound.
“You’ve been holding out on me. What else you got? Are all dragons like this?”
She smiled, but instead of answering right away she walked towards the entrance to the original dragon lair. He surveyed the area. He’d never been up here. For him or the wolf, the journey would take days and not be easy with the rough, rocky terrain covering the side of the mountain. There was also the matter of the signs that warned trespassers away. This was well known as private property and nearly everyone had honored that despite the decades of abandonment.
There were stories, of course. Shifters who’d made the trek up here back in the 60s or 70s, but that had not gone well. Lives had been lost and—
“Wait. If you have all those abilities, then the stories about this land being spelled to keep people out are true.”
Her steps faltered for only a moment, but it was enough he noticed. She remained silent until they got inside, her reluctance to talk about it palpable.
“That wasn’t us. I’ve been told that there used to be a very powerful coven in the area and it was their spell that banished us and everyone else from this mountain. At least that’s the stories I grew up hearing anyways.”
It was his turn to stop and stare. “Banished?” What the hell was she talking about? “Your family abandoned us.”
She shook her head. “That’s not the story I heard at all. No one wanted to leave, but they were forced to in order to survive. Why else would we leave? My family had everything they needed here. Especially magic. The land here is so rich with it. I noticed the difference as soon as I arrived.”
“I have no idea.” And as much as he wanted to hold onto his skepticism, he had a feeling she was telling the truth. The witches and the shifters did not always get along. While they were currently in a somewhat tolerable situation with the few left in the area, that hadn’t always been the case. In the last war between their two kinds many lives had been lost by both sides.
“So what happened to the spell? How is it we stand here now?”
“Galen believes the last of the family line that created it must have recently perished. Nothing else makes sense, I guess. I doubt it was a change of heart that brought it down. Witches can hold a grudge like no one’s business.”
He nodded. She was right. No witch would have broken something that powerful without massive motivation. He made a mental note to pass this information off to Rafe as soon as possible. He could probably contact the Guardian of the Gunn clan for clarification. He’d mated a powerful, albeit twitchy witch some time ago. Hopefully she could offer some insight into this new information.
“Hold on.” His mind came to a screeching halt and switched gears. “If you can use magic to conjure clothing whenever you need it and vice versa, what was with the dramatic unrobing before your shift?”
A sly smile crossed her face. “Would you believe me if I told you I was hoping to distract you? Not everyone loves to watch the shift from human to dragon. Some even call us monsters.”
He thought on that a moment before once again meeting her gaze. “Nope. I’m calling bullshit on that. Your dragon is breathtaking and the change seamless. Why would I of all people call you a monster?”
She turned away and walked over to a low window with crumbling stone beneath it. “I was testing you. I needed to see your reaction to the woman before you faced the dragon.”
He frowned, not sure how he felt about her answer. “Did I pass?” His sarcasm came through loud and clear and he didn’t care. “Next time you want to know something about me, just ask. I don’t need to be tested.”
“It wasn’t like that. Not exactly. I wanted to see if I was capable of distracting you.”
“Distract me from what?”
“Wrong word. You were—a—attracted to me, right? Turned on?”
Simon nodded, taking several steps in her direction. He was beginning to get an idea where this might be headed.
“I wanted to know what would happen if you saw me naked.”
He took a deep breath as his mind recalled exactly how damned amazing she’d looked naked. It wasn’t a sight he would ever forget. “What did you think was going to happen?”
“Why do you think I did it? I didn’t know exactly.” She bit down on her bottom lip with her top teeth and he was a goner.
He ate the remaining space separating them with long strides until he was able to reach out and touch her. “You’re bi
ting again.” His thumb grazed over the exact spot where her teeth had sunk in. “You should probably know that’s going to be my job from now on.”
He dipped his head and nipped at her lip. Her eyes widened and the arousal he’d sensed earlier flared hotter than before.
“Simon.” She spoke his name on a broken whisper and it was all the invitation he needed. He put his hand on her hip and eased her closer until they nearly touched.
“Kenzie,” he whispered, dipping his head to nip at the curve of her neck. By the end of the night she would be covered with his bites and more. Possessiveness flared to life again, but this time ten times more powerful than before.
He needed her now.
Chapter Seventeen
Kenzie didn’t know whether to protest or beg. This had been her big idea and now her insides shook with equal parts anticipation and fear. But the burning need in her core and between her legs was literally driving her crazy. It was time to end this.
Whatever problem her mating had started had yet to fully resolve, making it difficult for her to think about much other than Simon and his intense blue gaze raking over her. Not that the rest of him was any less intriguing. She’d liked it a lot when he’d emerged from the woods without his clothes.
Now with his mouth on her skin, it was even better. All her brain wanted to focus on was how to get more. She didn’t have to wait long. His mouth closed over hers and she melted into him. He also grabbed her hip and pulled her tight against his entire body and she got a clear indication of how much he wanted her in the form of his hot erection pressed against her middle.
Which only got better when he grabbed her thigh with his other hand and pulled her leg over his hip, opening to the hot press of his cock against her needy core. She whimpered in his mouth as he plundered her with his tongue, something he did with no hesitation and with no questions asked.
Like an Alpha.
She ignored that thought because her brain couldn’t function beyond the sensations flowing across her skin and rushing through her blood. Within minutes—no, seconds—he had her breathless and panting. The need for him was unlike anything she’d ever imagined.