Dragon Wish (4 page)

protection.

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Dragon Wish

She bit her bottom lip. Her palm covered the base of her

belly. She might, even now, carry his child. She released a

shaky breath, hoping that never happened.

Memories of long sweltering summer days playing in the

park, laughing while wet, tiny arms embraced her after a

warm bath, the first day of school, and then...Seren squeezed

her eyes shut in an attempt to stop the images of her

daughter’s death and the days—no, years which followed.

She attempted to quell the familiar resentment of her

psychic ability as it was now compared to before she lost

Mandy, but failed. The anger never left her. She should have

known and somehow saved her daughter from the drunk

driver. Because of this, she’d decided never to have any more

children, a fact her ex-husband, Lance, hadn’t been able to

understand.

Lance had assumed she’d change her mind, but this was a

decision she’d stood by. Seren refused to chance losing

another child. He’d filed for divorce two years later.

Sunlight streamed through the windows and cast a glow,

surrounding the stranger’s body. Golden hair rippled over

his shoulders. The beauty of his hair captured her attention.

The strands shifted to one side, revealing muscled buttocks.

Seren’s turbulent thoughts ended with a rush of intense

desire flooding her body. She gritted her teeth, confused at

her reaction and tried hard to fight her own passion.

Every movement was slow, almost lazy, yet she sensed a

layer of steel beneath the quiet veneer. She stared at him,

unable to tear her focus away while he poured water from a

pitcher into a bowl.

Droplets, sparkling in the light, flung wide while he

washed. Her gaze wandered over his lean legs, up his

sculptured back, and across broad shoulders. She stopped at

the strange mark on his left arm. A raised tattoo in the shape

of a white dragon spiraled from his wrist to end just above

his left breast.

Her breath caught in her throat. Sore muscles in her back

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Dragon Wish

stiffened. He was the dragon. The mark was proof. She met

his stare in the small mirror on the upright chest where the

wash bowl sat. She froze, heart thudding against her chest at

being caught studying him.

He lifted the pitcher.

“The water is from yesterday, but it is still clean if you

choose to freshen up,” he told her, lowering his eyelids,

hiding the blue. “I am going below to break my fast. I will let

the Innkeeper know you are here and to bring some clothing.

Once you dress, you are welcome to join me.”

“Where is this place?” She sat up, pulling the covers to

her neck. “What is the meaning of the dragon?”

“Gilliesport.”

She frowned in confusion. The unfamiliar name hung in

the air between them. She swallowed before asking, “Where

is that?”

The left side of his mouth curved up. “Where are you

from?”

She hesitated. He’d been in her home last night, yet he

acted like he didn’t know where she lived. She narrowed her

eyes, trying to see into his mind without any results. Did he

think she was stupid? His expression never changed. “New

Orleans.”

A vee formed between his brows. He appeared to not

understand what she meant. He was silent as he dragged on

his pants.

“Louisiana,” she added, frustrated with his lack of

response. What game was he playing?

Tugging on his boots, he stopped and glanced at her. “I

have never heard of loueezzeeaannah.”

“It’s in the U.S. You have to know the United States.” She

looked at him and rolled her eyes. “Of America.” With no

recognition evident in his eyes, her heart thumped harder, its

beats increasing, pounding an erratic rhythm in her chest.

Her blood surged through her veins, and her head throbbed.

She spoke low, the words edged with anger. “North America.

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Dragon Wish

It’s on Earth.”

He nodded with a slight smile on his lips. “Ah, Earth.

Now, I have heard that before. Sister planet to Avaris.”

Dressed in his shirt and pants, he fastened the wide black

belt at his lean middle. After he slipped his coat on, he slid

the two scabbards through the belt, one on each side of his

waist.

Seren stared at the weapons. He’d worn them last night.

Now, she wondered why. The black handles reflected the

sun’s light, and each was tipped with a clear, round, gold-

encased stone. Once he finished, his gaze met hers. “There is

a man in Dene. He claims he, too, is from Earth. Perhaps,

you should speak with him.”

“You’re nuts, aren’t you? There’s no way I could have

traveled from one planet to another. Tell me the truth, where

am I?” The news of someone else who knew the places she

mentioned had little if any impact on her. The sudden rise of

her fear threatened to turn into panic. “How can we talk to

each other if we come from separate planets?”

“You are, indeed, on Avaris. Both Earth and Avaris are

connected to one another by the dragons’ magic. The portal

can only be opened at the gathering of the great ones, or

perhaps, by combining the powers of several talented

wizards.” He stopped and shrugged before his stare met hers.

“We have magic so powerful we are able to understand what

anyone says at any time. It is a common spell placed on all

babes at the time of their births. The one I placed on you

when I found you enables me to understand you and to

speak in your language. You now also have the ability to

speak and understand my language.”

Unable to fully believe him, she stared wide-eyed at him.

The door rattled under a heavy fist. A rasping voice

sounded from the other side. “Ready to depart in an hour,

Cap’an.”

She twitched and tightened her hold on the blanket.

He glanced from the door to her. Their eyes locked. His

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Dragon Wish

voice remained soft, gentle, and calming. “Only the cosmos

knows how the two planets became connected. No one that I

know of has ever questioned it.”

Her voice trembled with unshed tears, frustration, and

the hot embers of her anger. “Well, I do. I want to go home. I

want to know what the dragon means. What do you intend to

do with me? Last night, we—oh, God, I just want to go

home.”

With a slow gait, he walked to the door. He lifted one

hand and grasped the knob. Without looking at her, he said,

“I cannot send you home.”

“Why not?” Frightened, overwhelmed with what had

happened to her, Seren gripped the covers, her knuckles

white. Tears scalded the lids of her eyes, shame and despair

built in her mind.

“The only way I know of is to have the great dragon clan

leaders open a portal.”

“Then tell them to do it.”

He shook his head, a sad smile forming on his lips. “One

does not go to the dragons to demand something. It is by

their will that peace is possible on Avaris, therefore, we are

obligated to them.”

“They have to send me home. I don’t want to be here!”

“I suppose I shouldn’t have brought you through the

portal. It seemed right to do so.”

“For who? You?” Furious and more than a little

frightened for the future, she lashed out at him. “We had sex

last night. There might be complications I don’t want.”

His response followed on the heels of her statement. “I

agree. Even now, I travel to return my
beloved
wife to her

family. She bled to death trying to rid her body of my child. If

I had a choice between a willing and an unwilling mother to a

babe of mine, I would much prefer to do without either.”

Horrified, Seren’s eyes widened. She started to speak, but

he opened the door and left, shutting it with gentle care

behind him.

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Dragon Wish

His words still echoing in her ears, Seren huddled under

the blankets. The shock of what had happened to him

surprised her enough to forget her own troubles for a

moment. Guilt at her callous manner toward him came over

her. She shook her head then clenched her fists, fighting the

need to call out to him, begging him to return. He didn’t

appear the type to accept an apology. She bit her lips,

sucking them between her teeth.

Who was this man? Where was Avaris? What kind of

world was it where dragons ruled? For a second, she stilled.

The warmth of the sun fell across her face and upper body.

She hadn’t even asked his name.

She shifted on the over-soft mattress. Muscles, unfamiliar

with the type of exertion she had asked of them last night,

pulled and tightened. No, she was alive. Vivid memories

from the last few hours spread fiery heat up her chest to fill

her face. Sex. No other word described what had occurred

between them the night before. Hot, lurid sex with a

complete stranger.

She tried to pull in a deep breath, but her lungs refused to

expand far. With just the physical act, he had accomplished

what her husband hadn’t been able to achieve even after

hours of foreplay. She had climaxed every time. Once, she’d

reached her peak twice, her body tightening around the

entire length of him stronger than the first instance. He’d

reached his also.

After a shuddering breath, she waited for the appearance

of the vision. Nothing happened. The terrifying image

seemed to be gone. She still felt the remnants of the pressing

weight the vision put on her, but the bone-deep fear

remained absent.

Scratching came from the door. She glanced at the

wooden barrier. Her voice cracked when she spoke, “Who’s

there?”

“Be Alice, mum. The cap’an sent me ’ere to give ye these

clothes.”

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Dragon Wish

Seren’s gaze bounced from one spot to another around

the room. What now? Should she let this woman in? The

news of the clothes tempted her. Knowing she had to get out

of bed sometime, she tightened her hold on the covers and

called, “Come in.”

The door opened, revealing a full-bosomed woman. She

swept in, her long black curls bobbed about her head,

swirling over her shoulders. Her wide brown eyes scanned

the room. When she spied Seren, she stopped and grinned,

showing off a mouth full of white teeth.

A narrow scarf held the mass of hair away from round,

rosy cheeks and a broad forehead. The yellow peasant shirt

with a low scooped neck and a brown, ruffled, long skirt

clung to the generous curves of her body. The sandals she

wore revealed bright red painted toenails.

“So, you’re the one keeping the cap’an up most of the

night. I sleep right above ’ere. I could ’ear that bed a movin’

all night. W’at a man, the cap’an is.” A dreamy expression

covered the woman’s face as she sashayed across the room, a

bundle clutched in one hand. She plopped on the bed at

Seren’s feet. Her skirts floated up then settled over well-

rounded legs.

This woman had heard them. Seren’s face flamed hotter.

She pressed her hands over her cheeks.
Oh, please let me live

through this.

Observant eyes flickered over Seren, a mischievous glint

in them. “I brung ye some clothes, though from the looks of

ye, they won’t fit. Dinna know the cap’an liked ’em so young.”

Seren reached out, clasping the offered bundle. Untying

the dull brown sleeves crisscrossed over the folded cloth, she

lifted a blouse. Much too large, the oval neckline would fall

low on her chest, revealing more than she wanted. The

woman may be outspoken, but she was a good judge of size.

Letting her hands drop to her lap, the shirt wadded on

the bedcovers, Seren lifted her gaze to the woman. “Do you

have some men’s clothes, maybe boy’s pants and shirt?”

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Dragon Wish

“Well, I might be able to find ye somethin’. Cap’an says he

brun’ ye ’ere. Couldn’t ’elp wonderin’ w’at ’appened to yer

clothes.” Eyes bright with curiosity, the woman leaned

closer, anticipation heavy in her husky voice. “Tell me, w’at’s

it like, bein’ with him?”

Amazed that this woman, a complete stranger, dared to

question her concerning something so personal, Seren