Releasing the Dragon: Myths and Legends, Book One (2 page)

When I first walked into Mystique heat
flashed through my body with a blast of unexpected desire so
intense it nearly took me to my knees. I should have taken that as
a warning and walked back out the door, but something drew me
inside, and whatever it was, I couldn't deny its pull.

I went upstairs to get a better view of the
club and discovered that the higher I went the more the desire for
sexual pleasure lessened. I remained on the upper level, gliding
around the balcony admiring the dancers on stages and pedestals
encircling the dance floor. I was impressed by how effortless they
made their use of poles and aerial silk appear. Their movements
were so flowing and graceful, so sensual, so mesmerizing. I didn’t
realize until it was too late that watching them dance in the
swirling mist and fluctuating colored lights brought the sexual
energy I’d felt before back to life.

The next thing I knew, I was downstairs
again, mimicking their movements on the dance floor, surrounded by
a kaleidoscope of faces. I lost myself in that sea of writhing
bodies, allowed myself to be overwhelmed by the erotic sensations.
I would have done anything if it meant the pleasure would continue.
My mind didn't come back online until I locked eyes with mister
tall, dark and oh-so-sexy. After losing track of him I got out of
their as fast as my feet could carry me.

Now I had to wonder if all the clubs here
would have the same effect on my libido. Mystique is after all only
one of many attractions to be found in the Myths and Legends Casino
Resort. A resort located on the Mississippi Gulf Coast with a theme
revolving around mythical legends including vampires, werewolves
and demons. On the outside, the building itself looks like a
medieval castle complete with a drawbridge and a glowing green
moat. The inside contains restaurants and dance clubs along with a
hotel, casino, and several other amenities. The various attractions
are decorated with images and memorabilia displayed in a style
reminiscent of a Hard Rock Cafe. Guests of the resort are welcomed
into the world of dreams and nightmares by staff members wearing
surprisingly realistic costumes.

Promotional advertisements for the resort
promise a magical experience filled with mystery and excitement.
After what I experienced last night, I could almost believe in
magic and supernatural beings.

Pushing aside the lingering effects of my
enchanted evening, I stepped into the shower and began getting
ready for what could possibly be the most important day of my
life.

A week ago I was sitting in my office
thinking there has to be something better, that this couldn't
possibly be the life I was destined to live. When I was a child I'd
always dreamed of being a dancer. But growing up with a single
parent taught me that sometimes you have to bite the bullet and
take the job with a guaranteed paycheck instead of the fun,
exciting job that could either lead to fame and fortune or leave
you sleeping under a bridge.

My mother never had a lot of money but she
knew how much I loved to dance. She always scraped together enough
money to pay for lessons and buy my costumes. I danced from the
time I was born through high school and even tried to continue
dancing while I attended college. Then one day the director called
me into his office and tried to get me to sleep with him. When I
said I wasn't interested he wouldn't take no for an answer and came
very close to raping me. After that he spread enough rumors about
me that I was blacklisted from every dance production our small
town had to offer. Not even the local strip club would've hired me
if I'd chosen to try that route. So when I received a mysterious
package in the mail later that day I just had to take a leap of
faith. The package contained a round trip plane ticket, prepaid
rental car and hotel accommodations, and most importantly, an
invitation to the dance auditions here at Myths and Legends.

On the first day of auditions I had a little
problem at the check-in table. After standing in line for thirty
minutes I was told that my name wasn't on the list. I insisted that
I had been invited and I even showed Harrison, the annoying keeper
of the list, my invitation. He was a slender man of average height
with a superior air and when my invitation failed to impress him, I
asked that he confer with his supervisor. When he returned, he
grudgingly apologized for the confusion and said I should find my
place with the other dancers. I did as he instructed, thankful to
have the matter resolved so I could shift my focus to the tasks
ahead.

When I joined the rest of the candidates on
the stage I listened closely as Scarlett, a tall woman in her early
thirties with fiery red hair explained what would be expected of us
and what the people judging us would be looking for. Once those
instructions and tips were given she began teaching us the first
routine. Later I would learn it was the first of many increasingly
difficult routines designed to challenge us in every way possible.
By the end of the day I believed we had attempted every form of
dance known to man. Scarlett announced we were done for the day and
posted a list of candidates who were invited to return the next
day. My heart skipped a beat when I found my name, Serafina Leroux,
about halfway down the page.

Each day the dance routines we learned during
the auditions were more complicated and physically demanding than
any we attempted in the days before. Scarlett showed us each
routine only one time and expected us to know it without any
mistakes. She turned out to be more demanding than a drill
sergeant. At the end of every day I found my name on the list of
dancers invited to return for more torture the next day. Today was
the final day of auditions. In just a few hours either my dreams
would come true or I would know for certain that they never
would.

"I was just walking through the lobby where I
overheard some very disturbing news," I told Rook, my security
chief, as I joined him in his office. He rose when I entered and I
gestured to the chairs near the wall of monitors at the back of the
room.

We took our seats as Rook inquired, "And what
news would that be since so many disturbing things happen here on a
daily basis?"

I had to smile despite my worries over the
troubling information. "You have a point, but I do believe this is
something new, something entirely different from the usual antics
of our staff and guests. I heard there is a human woman trying out
to be a dancer here at the resort. I also heard that she is quite
good and will likely be given a job - And that you are the one who
allowed her to participate in the auditions." I'd been pulling up
the video feed from The Catacombs while I spoke. Now we could see
Scarlett leading a number of dancers through a new routine on
stage.

Rook blew out a frustrated breath. "I'd hoped
you wouldn't hear about that until the reason for her being here
became clear."

I leaned back and considered his response.
"If you don't know why she's here, then why did you allow her to
audition? We do not hire humans for the entertainment division of
this resort - ever. What could have possibly made you think this
would be a good idea?"

"She had an invitation Dragon. It was very
fancy with a black dragon and golden tear drops embossed on thick
garnet paper." He watched as realization dawned on me.

"Claire," I said flatly with a grimace. Now I
understood why he hadn't mentioned the human to me. Anything Claire
did without my knowledge could potentially wreak havoc on all our
lives. He was trying to avoid another explosive confrontation
between me and the psychic.

Rook visibly relaxed when I didn't
immediately fly off the handle and continued his explanation. "The
woman showed up Monday morning when the auditions began and
presented the invitation at the check-in table. Of course Harrison
tried to turn her away, but when she wouldn't take no for an answer
he brought the invitation to me. It all looked legit, the dragon on
the front was breathing fire with its wings spread, but anyone
could have found our logo on the Internet and used it to create a
fake invitation. Then I flipped it over and saw the golden tear
drops. The meaning behind that symbol is not something we advertise
or something that your average human would understand. So I let her
stay and I've been monitoring the situation while I wait to see
what will happen next." He shrugged and pointed to an image of the
woman in question that he now had frozen on of the security
monitors. "I don't know why she's here but there must be a damned
good reason if Claire invited her."

I let out a tired sigh. "I wish she would
give us warning before she sets these things in motion. Why does
everything with her have to be so cryptic? Why not just come out
and tell us what's going on?"

"Well Dragon," Rook drawled, "I'm pretty sure
Claire has explained to you at least a hundred times that when she
tells people exactly what she has seen, and what she is trying to
make happen, those people end up inadvertently altering the future.
Take it from someone who knows, the slightest change in behavior
can cause serious ripples in a timeline. This is just her way of
guiding us to the future she thinks is best for us."

"And what if we don't agree with her? What if
we don't want the future she's shaping for us?"

"Then we go back and try again," Rook replied
with a confident grin.

I just shook my head. "There was a time when
I would have agreed with you wholeheartedly, but now, there isn't
enough magic left in this world. You can't always go back far
enough to repair the damage once it's done. Besides which, there
are some things you are not allowed to change. I know she means
well, but that doesn't make what she does any less
frustrating."

I looked at the image of the human woman
again and realized I’d seen her before. She was the captivating
woman I’d seen in Mystique. My mind flashed back to the night
before, replaying it all again with perfect clarity. I remembered
how her long mahogany hair was loose, the curls bouncing freely
around her shoulders and down her back. I thought about how the
silky green dress hugged her curves and seemed to caress her body
as she danced with wanton abandon. When she closed her eyes and
gave herself to the magic of Mystique I'd wanted to vault over the
railing and take her right there on the dance floor.

Unfortunately, the human males circling her
like sharks in a feeding frenzy had the same idea. Seeing them put
their hands and mouths on her body caused my vision to cloud with a
red haze. I wanted to bathe in their blood. To keep myself from
succumbing to that urge I intervened before one of them could
thrust his flesh into her body. I sent out a mental push that had
everyone on the dance floor skittering away from her like roaches
when a light comes on. The two males who’d dared touch her were
lucky I only sent them to the next state instead of off a bridge or
the nearest tall building.

She was clearly startled and confused when
the two men practically disappeared without a trace. She raised her
head and one look in her hazel eyes ignited a fire deep within my
soul, a burning I hadn't felt for centuries. In that moment, savage
need seared through my body and I saw myself pounding into hers
while I pinned her to the wall. The vision was so vivid I could
feel my hands gripping her firm backside holding her in place, her
strong legs squeezing around my waist, and the muscles of her wet
sheath tightening around my shaft. When I realized I was projecting
the vision into her mind, that we were sharing the fantasy
together, I nearly came in my pants.

I had to get out of there before I lost
control completely, but I couldn't leave her there aroused the way
she was. I couldn't bear the thought of another man touching her
again. When I released her from the vision I vanished from the
balcony, hiding myself in the shadows as I waited to see what she
would do. I was relieved when she came upstairs then fled the club
like the Hounds of Hell were snapping at her heels.

Coming out of the memory I noticed that
several minutes had passed and Rook was eyeing me with curiosity.
"Maybe Claire really does know what she's doing. I don't think you
have ever looked at a woman like that in all the centuries we've
know each other." His thoughtful expression was a little too
perceptive for my liking.

I scrubbed my hands over my face trying to
forget about the human dancer and the fire she’d started in
Mystique. "It doesn't matter Rook, the last thing I need in my life
is a woman. I learned a long time ago that it's best to avoid
emotional entanglements with women who want more than I can give
them. I use humans for sex because I can erase their memories once
I'm done, but I won't do that to someone I might see on a regular
basis."

He leaned forward looking me in the eyes and
rested his elbows on his legs with his hands linked together
between his knees. "Maybe it's time you allowed yourself more than
a random fuck. There has to be a reason Claire invited her here,
and after witnessing your reaction to this human, I think it might
be you. Your body isn't the only thing that has needs Dragon, so
does your heart and your mind."

"You have always been a good mentor and
friend Rook, but in this, you are wrong," I told him sadly shaking
my head. I could not let myself go down that road again. "My life
is not my own and my needs are not what matter. Besides, humans see
us as monsters, and the ones who don't, usually only want us for
the power we could give them. Even if this human could somehow see
me as more than the creature I've become, any relationship with her
would be doomed. I can't settle for anything less than my mate, and
we both know there is little hope of me ever finding her." I took a
deep breath and stood.