Defiant Dragon (3 page)

The stranger held up his hand and wiggled his fingers. “Nice trick, asshole, but I’m a dragon, too.” Moonlight glistened off the steel as the layer crackled and fell away from is palm. He charged ramming into the guy and shoving him into a trio of cans half-hidden under trash.

This shit needed to end. River opened her mouth and screamed. The men threw their hands up, covering their ears. Above them windowpanes cracked under the high-pitched tones of her shrill. The dragon who’d helped her broke away from the others and staggered toward her. Blood trailed down his top lip from his nose.

He reached out, yanking her by the biceps and tugging her with him as he passed her. “We have to get out of here.” He was breathless. “What didn’t you understand about I got this?”

She glanced over her shoulder at the other dragons lying still in the alley and snatched her arm back. “I’m not going anywhere with you. Who the hell are you anyway?” River screeched.

“At the moment,
polýtimos
, I’m the dragon determined to keep you safe.” His words were whispered.

“Fuck off, I just saved your life.”

He dropped to his knees and struggled to get up before falling forward. She stared down at him. She should leave him with the rest of the trash, but he did try and rescue her. She raised her face toward the sky and spoke out loud. “Urgh—Why do men have to complicate everything?” She marched over to where her bag lay and lifted it off the cement before walking back to stand at the side of the reptile who helped her.

River crouched at his side and grabbed his arm, struggling to turn him over. He grunted when she flipped him on his back. His eyes fluttered open. “What the hell did you do?

She scuttled back, shocked he was still conscious.

Strands of his hair swept the sidewalk as he twisted his head back and forth. “I need to get you someplace safe.”

She coked her head. “Are you kidding? You can’t even stand. You shouldn’t even be awake after my siren’s call.”

“Huh?”

“You’re right, though, we do need to get out of here. Somebody’s going to come looking for the source of that sonic wave. Can you stand?” Her voice rose a few octaves.

He blinked several times. “What? You sound like you’re talking through stuff.”

“Never mind,” she mumbled. River rose and offered him her hand.

He clasped her fingers and tingles shot through the tips. She jerked her hand back. Her heart had sped up and scales formed around her feet and ankles as if she was standing in shallow water. Just as quickly as the sensations rushed through her, they abated. Sirens blared from somewhere nearby and the horns were getting louder.

She reached out for him again. “Come on, you big lizard, we got to go.” River pulled with all her strength.

He sat upright, opening and closing his mouth in quick succession. “I can’t even make my ears pop.”

“Oh, well, I don’t remember asking for your help.”

“Say again?” He spoke loudly.

She should have left. “We have to go,” she yelled.

He eased to his feet. “Well, why didn’t you say that,
polýtimos
?”

River slipped her arm through the bag strap and walked away. She stopped when she didn’t hear him behind her and twirled around to see him shuffle a few feet. Wiping a hand down her face, she said a small prayer to the Goddess for strength and trotted back. “We don’t have time for this.” She snuggled up to his side and snaked her arm around his waist.

He dropped his arm around her shoulders. “I’m Jax. What’s your name?” Jax pressed his mouth against her hair.

“Does it matter?” she murmured as they slowly walked past the mouth of the alley.

“What? I want to know your name. Every dragon should know what to call his mate.”

Her steps faltered, and she clutched a fistful of his shirt to keep from falling down. Apparently her scream did more than screw up his equilibrium. She released him, stalked to the curb, and yelled, “Taxi!”

A white cab cut across two lanes and screeched to a stop. River marched back to Jax. “All right, you delusional dragon. Your ride has arrived.” She helped Jax to the back of the vehicle and opened the door.

He held his ground. “I’m not going anywhere without you.”

She tapped down the urge to scream. River looked down the road and could see the flashing lights of a police car. “Fine, just get in.” She motioned toward the backseat.

“After you.” He hung back.

River crawled into the backseat, and Jax slid in behind her.

The cabbie twisted to glance at them and called out, “Where to?”

“The Sitka Inn.” Jax rest his head on the back of the seat.

She scooted closer to the door. Maybe he would pass out again on the ride to the motel. The name was familiar. She unzipped her bag and searched through the various slips of paper she had until she found what she was looking for. Of course she recognized the name. Amongst her many sheets was a list of shifter-run establishments and that was one of them. A sigh of relief escaped her. At least she could get a room then try and contact Tucker. Maybe he could tell her where Assan was.

“What’s with all the little sounds, mate?”

She raised her head to meet his gaze as he watched her. “I thought you couldn’t hear?”

“I’m feeling better by the minute—sort of.” He rubbed his tatted arm.

She narrowed her eyes. The dark images were now halfway up his forearm.
What the hell?
River lifted her gaze to hold his stare. “I think you cracked your skull when you fell. No one can claim me.”

He leaned forward. “That’s where you’re wrong.”

Chapter Three

His skull throbbed like he’d flown headfirst into a wall. He was familiar with the feeling because he’d done once when he was learning to fly. Jax rubbed his temples with his fingers. Who knew such a small package could deliver one hell of a wallop just by opening her mouth? He groaned. Why hadn’t anybody ever told him mermaids could do that? The skin along his arm burned, and he eased an eyelid open to glance at his hand. Intricate loops swirled around his limb, but they weren’t black like he’d originally thought. He looked closer. They were a deep navy blue. The myths were true. All anyone had to do was study Kirill to understand. He simply never thought a mating would apply to him. His mom always told him the Goddess had a sense of humor, guess she got that right. He dropped his arm.

Airla was going have the mother of all conniption fits when she found out his fated mate was a mermaid. He lifted his head, and a sharp pain pierced his eyes. Jax dropped back onto the pillows.

“Will you please keep still? Your whining gets old quick.” The softly worded complaint came from the other side of the room.

He would have smiled if he thought it wouldn’t hurt. His mate hadn’t left. Disappointment darted through him. He wouldn’t have to chase her down
. Damn, where was the fun in that?
“I figured you would have been long gone by now. How you’d get me into the room?” The last thing he remembered was drowning in the turbulent green gaze of his nameless woman after he’d uttered the name of the inn.

“The clerk was a bear so he had no problem tossing your ass in a room after I got us checked in.” her tone was closer. “At the moment, I have nowhere else to go, so I stayed. You were out cold, anyway.”

“How long?” Jax croaked

“A day. I really don’t get it. I didn’t hold back. You should be in a coma.” He could hear the confusion in her voice.

“Good to know you can knock out people just by opening your mouth. I’ll keep ear plugs handy.” He rolled to his side and opened his eyes. After a few moments, the blurred images formed clean lines.

She stood by the window bathed in the fading beams of a setting sun. Her auburn hair lit up in a fiery corona and flowed down her back in rippling waves. She stared at him through green eyes the color of the darkest parts of the ocean and her skin tone was a shade of tan that reminded him of the sandy beaches. Petite, she couldn’t have been taller than his shoulders. She rose and he could make out the outline of her body through the thin dress she wore.

“Stop staring at me.” She started to move back and forth across the room.

He followed her movements. “What’s your name? Who’s your clan?”

“Why?” She spun and lifted a brow in his direction.

“And where are you going?” Jax slowly turned to sit up.

“I’m pacing. My name is River. As for my tribe—well—that’s not important,” she spoke as she stalked across the worn carpet.

“River.” He liked the way her name rolled off his tongue. “Will you please stop moving? You’re making me dizzy.”

“That doesn’t surprise me. You’ve been talking crazy in your sleep for most of the day.” She ignored him and continued to move as if she couldn’t help herself. “A dragon’s horde of treasure and the little witch is the key to an unknown lock, was all you uttered all night.”

Jax swung his feet over the side of the mattress and sat up. Light-headed, he rested his elbows on his knees. “What exactly did you do last night, River?”

She stopped. A thoughtful expression flitted across her face before she pressed her lips together and sighed. “Humans call it a Siren’s call. Sailors coined the term, I believe. Mermaids have the capability to sing so high it can register on a sonic level. Some of us have stronger voices than others. Animals have sensitive hearing, the high pitch can…hurt.”

“Yes, it can. Want to tell me why those dragons were after you?” He needed to know what he was up against in terms of beasts. When he started his claim, he had no intention of being distracted.

She made a funny little noise and waved her hand. “It’s nothing really, Drago and I are having a little dispute.”

He straightened at the mention of his half-brother’s name. “What business do you have with Drago?”

Jax took in the room while she sputtered. A cheap, chipped, imitation wood table with a matching chair was stationed in a corner. Faded curtains covered the picture window above an old air conditioner that was sputtering out warm air in an effort to keep the chill out the room. He checked the door. A chain ran from the wooden barrier to the jamb and the dead-bolt knob was turned. They couldn’t stay there long. If that stupid fuck was after her, he wouldn’t stop until he found her, and damn if he was going to let Drago have her.

“Did you hear me?” She stepped into his line of vision.

“No.”

“I said we need to get you to a vet. Something is wrong with your arm. Those marks are now up past your elbow.” She pointed to his limb.

He glanced down. With the way his head was pounding, he hadn’t paid attention to the burning clawing up to his shoulder. “There’s only one way to stop it and only you can do it.”

She placed fists on her hips. “What the hell do I have to do with your illness?”

“You’re the cause.” Jax shrugged.

“You have lost your fucking mind.” River walked to the corner and snatched her bag off the table. “I knew I should have left your ass in that alley. You’re crazy. Why do I always get stuck with the creatures who are cracked in the head?” She thrust her arm through the strap. “I stayed to make sure you didn’t die. You tried to help me, so I returned the favor. Now that I know you’re okay, I have business to attend to.” She marched toward the door.

Annoyance filled him. He was off the bed and behind her before she could take another step. She spun to open her mouth and he slipped his hand behind her head, sinking his palm into the soft tresses. He covered her lips with his own, sucking her breath into his lungs. The pain traveling up his arm intensified, as if he was being branded. He pushed his tongue past her teeth and slid it back and forth along hers. She shoved her hands between them. Jax dipped, snaking his other arm around her waist and hefting her up. He walked until her back hit the wall with a dull
thud
. The coolness of her palms bled through his shirt and into his skin. He slanted his head to deepen their kiss and tightened his fist tangled in her hair to hold her in place. She kicked at his shins and clutched his shirt. He pinned her to the wall with his body, trapping her hands between them, and wedged his thigh between her legs.

He held her gaze even as she moaned into his mouth and tugged her hands free to skim them up over his shoulders. Her fingertips dug into the tense muscles along the back of his neck. He broke the kiss.

“Only you can end my pain now.” His voice was hoarse.

Her chest heaved. “Put me down.”

“Are you denying my claim?” Anger licked in his belly. Heat rose from his gut.

“What the hell are you talking about? I don’t have time for this.”

Smoke seeped from his nostrils. “Make fucking time. You are my fated mate and only you can stop the design that is etching into my skin. Accept our mating.”

“Seriously seek professional help.” She snorted. “I’m no reptile. There is no damn way we are supposed to happen.”

He dropped his head in the crook of her neck and mumbled, “How can you be so stubborn?” Jax rubbed his face against her skin and felt the tickle. He lifted his head and stared at her neck. Iridescent scales shimmered, then melded into her skin. He reared back and narrowed his eyes, delight replaced his irritation. She was just as affected as he. “Having a hard time holding your form, River?”