Immortal Heat (The Guardians of Dacia Book 1) (13 page)

He'd learned it was easier to morph if he was already naked. Nudity to him was no big deal, but Marilyn seemed shy still. He tried to be as modest as he could until he could become the creature. She'd wait until he'd morphed before disrobing and making the connection. Draylon loved watching her morph. Today he let her take the lead and watched her throw off her bed sheet dress as she switched positions with her naked, pale beauty into the auburn colored wolf with Gypsy gold eyes.

The recent snow had led to a deeper field for them. Jumping and tossing snow with their snouts at one another was a simple snowball fight. Nipping and lunging like a couple of friendly dogs, they tussled and rolled in the snow, shaking each other off.

Draylon led her on a hunt, chasing after a wild hare bounding through the forest. He knew it was littered with all sorts of wild animals indigenous to the European mountains. It was his land, an animal retreat where human hunting was forbidden.

She needed to learn her place and a female wolf mate had to learn to hunt and care for her young—though she may or may not ever be able to have any. It would be a damn shame. Marilyn would make beautiful children and pups.

He let up on the hunt and had her take over the pursuing. Attacking the large hare, she killed it and started to feast. Draylon approached and she growled at him. He backed away. He would let her finish and then take what was left.

Good. You are learning.
Draylon laughed.

She paused only a moment to acknowledge him and returned to her feast. Eating her fill she stood up, pushing the remaining carcass over towards him and took a stance to protect their surroundings.

The sound of rustling through the trees brought her ears up, and she turned as a pack of female wolves lumbered towards them. Their eyes narrowed in on the carcass he chewed on. But one female in the pack showed interest in him by licking his chops and nuzzling up against him. He growled low in his throat. But that didn't stop her.

Marilyn growled at the alpha pack leader, not liking the other female's advances. Draylon continued to gnaw on the carcass. This wasn't his fight. Marilyn would need to learn the ways of the wolves. The female would either take her growl as a warning and move on or challenge Marilyn to prove herself.

The wolf didn't heed her warning. With her head lowered the alpha growled back, challenging Marilyn to a fight of the fittest.

Sounds of snarling wolves echoed off the trees. Lunging for the nosy female, Marilyn latched onto her throat. The aroma of female musk and blood saturated the area.

Draylon couldn't get a good mental bead on Marilyn. She wasn't in communication. This was all her, all wolf.

Moments later the alpha lay beneath the red wolf, dominated with a bite wound to the side. There was a new alpha now. Marilyn stood, howling her victory over dominating the pack as alpha female.

She too suffered from the fight. Patches of fur were matted with blood—hers or the former alpha, Draylon wasn't sure. Her pheromones were heavy with her musk. She'd marked the territory as hers and watched patiently until the last of the females had gone. Lying down, she licked at her wounds.

He ventured forth.
Marilyn? Are you okay?

At first there was no response, but then she laid her nose down on her front paws and whined.

What…what happened? Draylon, I'm hurt, I think.

Her body morphed into her human form, revealing a bloody mess.

Draylon crept towards her in a non-threatening way while her body formed. Her auburn hair lay in tatters, blood oozed from various cuts and tears in her thighs, arms and chest. He morphed while kneeling on all fours. Checking on her vitals, she had a strong heartbeat as her adrenaline still raced high, but she could also be going into shock. As an immortal wolf, it would take her hours to heal from the wounds. She could lose too much blood in the meantime. They were a long way from the safety of the house, and he had nothing to use to stop the flow of her precious life essence.

Marilyn, I need you to sleep. Sleeping will help slow the flow of blood.

How bad is it? I'm so weak.

I know.

This wasn't a good lesson, Draylon.

He gave a half laugh.
This wasn't my lesson. You took on an alpha female wolf…and survived.

No shit? Really?
She smiled up at him wearily.

Really. Now sleep. I've got you.
He could see the shock trying to settle into her conscious self. He needed to get her home…fast. And there was only one way he knew to do so. Her mental lethargy served two great purposes. One, it slowed down her heart rate so her blood didn't flow as fast and two, she wouldn't have to witness his true form.

Chapter Nine

"Do you think Draylon will let me get in touch with my mother? He has internet connection. It wouldn't be difficult to send her an email just to let her know I'm all right," Marilyn asked as Donovan cleared away her breakfast dishes.

She tried to remember how long she'd been here by calculating days and nights of routine and skills she'd learned. But the days seemed so short she wasn't sure time was a factor. For her time appeared to stop while she'd been here. If Draylon would just allow her access to media or even a calendar or clock, she wouldn't feel so disassociated with the real world.

"I'll see what I can do, miss. He's more concerned about your health. You took a real beating yesterday with that wolf."

Her brain tried to process the afternoon. "I guess." He left her, and she managed to find a pair of jeans that she hadn't shredded yet. Looking through the rest of her belongings, she found her Ravens jersey she usually wore for pajamas. A wrapped bundle fell out, exposing her medallion. She'd somehow forgotten about it and that frightened her. But now, it was safe in her protection.

Odd. The image of the wolf head had more meaning to her now. It was one of the sacred symbols of the ancient Dacian people. Whether it was because of their fierce wolf-like warrior tribes or how they worked as a clan, much like a wolf pack, she didn't know all historical facts on the symbol's true meaning. But she had a deeper education now.

No sense of wearing it, though. She'd never be able to keep it on with all of her morphing and shredding.

Wrapping it up, she placed the medallion back in the security of the zippered pocket. It would be fine until she could get home, whenever that was.

Opening the heavy drapes, Marilyn stared out over the serenity of the snow covered pass. It appeared as if she were on top of the world. The wicked crags and crevices that made up the steep sides weren't inhabitable by man or beast, but they were beautiful.

A floating speck far beyond the first rise of cliffs caught her attention. The creature soared and swooped gracefully with a colossal wingspan. At first she thought it might be a hawk, but even from this distance, she wouldn't be able to see it as clearly as she could this creature. She strained her sight, focusing on the details, but couldn't quite grasp shape or size.

It brought to mind her odd dream last night. She'd been flying, cradled against a large serpentine body. Draylon's voice had drifted in and out of her head telling her to sleep, that she was in shock and needed to close her eyes and rest. She remembered coming to a stop. Her eyes had opened, she noticed a tragic white mar along the reptilian flesh. She traced her hand over the scar, feeling the deep loneliness and ache from the creature, sensing a connection so painfully sharp, only to have Draylon's voice lull her back to sleep.

Donovan knocked and entered upon her greeting. He crossed the room to make her bed.

"Can you tell me what this is?" she asked, motioning to the window.

"What what is?"

Donovan walked over to the window, and she pointed out to the speck in the distance.

"Possibly a hawk. We have some magnificent winged creatures in this area."

"It's too big to be a hawk at that distance. And the shape is not quite right for a hawk."

"Hard to say, miss. These old eyes aren't what they used to be."

Marilyn sighed. "I wish I had some binoculars."

Donovan went to close the drapes as if part of his job.

"No, it's okay. Leave them open. It's beautiful out there."

He shrugged and went back to fluffing pillows and straightening the covers before leaving the room and shutting the doors.

Marilyn went back to watching the bird-creature, hoping it would come closer, even just a mountain ridge or two this way would be good. She pulled up one of the chairs and watched. She had nothing better to do. Moments later she stood as the creature flew closer, its size drawing her. But the shape was not that of a bird, not unless one had a long tail.

She stared in awe. The raven colored beast soared and dipped on the alpine currents. He opened his wings, the span was twice the length of his body. Dear God! She blinked her eyes to clear her mind. Was that what she thought it was? It wasn't possible.

"Donovan." She ran out of the room, calling his name. "Donovan!"

The halls were empty. "Draylon!" she called out for him in case he was nearby. He had to see this to believe it.

Flinging open every door along her route, she found no one else. Empty rooms, not even any furniture, dominated most of the floor. She ran to Draylon's office but he wasn't there either.

Where was everyone? She'd just seen what she thought to be something out of fables and folklore…and she'd really seen it.

Hurrying down to the main floor, she searched the large chef's kitchen and elaborate dining hall with a table for twenty. The library and study were empty, too.

"Donovan? Draylon?" She ran from room to room, up and down the massive corridors.

The east wing door opened at the far end of the hall, and Draylon stood there in naked glory. His sleek body shining with sweat. Marilyn ran to him.

"What are you doing up? You should be resting."

"Draylon, you'll never guess what I just saw," she squealed. "A dragon! I saw a dragon."

"She's hallucinating, my lord." Donovan came up behind her. "She'd been watching one of the mountain hawks circling in the distance from her bedroom window. I fear she might be suffering from the fever again."

"No, I feel fine," Marilyn tried to argue. "I did see a dragon. He was magnificent with an enormous wingspan, so graceful and perfect soaring out there." She rambled on as Draylon lifted her in his arms and walked with her down the hall where she came from.

"I'm sure he was." He smiled, placating her as a child telling a fantastical tale of imaginary friends to an adult. He kissed her forehead. "You are still running a fever. Let's get you back to bed."

But she felt fine. Why didn't he believe her? She knew what she saw. She looked into Draylon's deep blue eyes, trying to gage what he was saying, feeling. There were so many thoughts and secrets jumbled there in his mind. Her head felt fuzzy, and all she could do was hold on to him. Maybe she was sick.

#

Draylon settled Marilyn into a deep slumber. Lying beside her he touched her hair, brushing it from her face. He placed his fingertips lightly against her temples, imparting his memory loss techniques, erasing the image of her seeing the dragon.

Marilyn's breathing pattern took on that of true sleep, and yet he lay wide awake staring at the canopied ceiling of his bed. What was up with him lately? He'd gone decades, even centuries without his Zmeu form coming out, yet now it demanded to be released. And it didn't even have anything to do with sexual stimulation. He looked at the sweet sleeping form and glared down at his erection. Well, it didn't.

She'd been in a bad way yesterday, and the only way he could get her to safety was by his true form. He wasn't sure he would be able to keep his secret because Marilyn had roused from her slumber several times and he'd had to coax her back to dreamland. When they'd landed and she'd noticed his ancient scar, his body, no…his soul had reacted. Her touch had lit a fire so deep inside of him he felt like an old furnace being brought back to life after centuries without fuel.

Like a man needing a cold shower to shock his system back into control, his restless night had led to a fierce need to emerge and ride the winds. He'd taken a big risk, flying around without a care. He hadn't expected Marilyn to be awake and watching him, though.

Rick needed to hurry up and decide what had to be done. There wasn't much more he could take with Marilyn around him. The constant aching need to be with her drove him insane. He'd had his fair share of female companions over the centuries and could take them or leave them for the most part. Even the ones he'd had a long-term romantic relationship didn't feel as electrifying as what he sensed with Marilyn.

Was it because she was Dacian? There was no doubt. Her ability to morph into wolf proved that. He had to consider the possibility of the kindred connection. Still, he refused to take the risk of making love with her physically and exposing the truth behind what he was. The danger was too great of having her terrified like the other women had been. His nightmares consisted of the attack on the Zmei and watching the women he'd cared for witness what he was. He would die if he had to view Marilyn's terrorized shock.