Wicked Dark Dragon (Dragon Heat) (14 page)

But they had each other to lean on for support.

There had been a time in those initial weeks following Hector’s death when Cora had thought maybe, just maybe, Stig felt more for her than friendship, that they weren’t only united in grief but in other, more intimate ways. She’d quickly realized her hopes in that area would never come to fruition. Perhaps it was the age difference or the sibling connection but Stig never gave her any indication that he was interested in anything beyond friendship.

And it killed her.

There was no denying her intense attraction to him. Who wouldn’t have the hots for such a deliciously sexy former marine? With that square jaw and that heart-melting grin, Stig set her on fire every time he was near. The thought of being embraced by those thick, muscular arms or having those broad shoulders rippling as he thrust into her welcoming body was almost too much. Her knees weakened at the mere thought of Stig kissing her neck or nibbling her lower lip.

As much as it embarrassed her, Cora still nurtured a secret hope that Stig would one day see her not just as his best friend’s sister but as the sexually confident young woman she’d become. Maybe this would be the visit that changed things between them? She’d never been around Stig on his home turf. Whether or not that improved her odds of success, she couldn’t say, but it was worth a try.

Cora flicked off the light and started to leave the kitchen. The strangest noise, a mix between a growl and a moan, stopped her dead in her tracks. She turned back to the kitchen and fixed her gaze on the basement door. The sound had most definitely come from beneath the house.

What kind of animal made a noise like that? Not a raccoon or skunk, owl, or bat. Were there coyotes and wolves in the woods? Yes, probably, but how would they get into the basement? Maybe there was outside access to the cellar? A door or vent of some kind?

Her chest constricted with nervousness. She slowly crossed the kitchen and pressed her ear to the door. There was nothing to be heard but her shaky breaths. Whatever she’d heard was quiet now.

A moment later another lonesome howl penetrated the door. Cora’s breath caught in her throat. The fine hairs along her nape stood on edge. So close to the basement entrance, she heard the sound more clearly, a mix of an elephant’s trumpet and a lion’s roar. No, that definitely didn’t belong to any animal she’d ever heard of. What the hell was that?

Cora backed away and left the kitchen in a hurry. Despite the growing distance from the possible threat, she couldn’t shake the eerie sensation. When Stig woke in the morning, she’d ask him to go down there and check it out. Maybe whatever had gotten in there was hurt and needed help.

Or maybe it wanted to break free and eat her face.

Shuddering at that frightening thought, Cora rushed into her room, located her toiletry bag, and skittered across the hall into the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. Back in her room, she locked the door, slipped into her pajamas, switched off the lights, and slid under the covers.

Wrapped in the warmth of the comforter, Cora felt her fear melt and exhaustion take hold. The last four days had been incredibly long. Sleep, she needed lots of sleep.

Cloaked in the welcoming arms of Morpheus, Cora experienced the most vivid dreams of her life. She was asleep and yet so incredibly aware. Her synapses fired rapidly and amplified every sensation. Touch, smell, taste—they were so very strong.

In her dreams, Cora became aware of a male presence. His scent, a potent mixture of cedar and earth and sweat, teased her nose. Like an aphrodisiac, the smell provoked an aroused state. Her nipples tightened into hard peaks pressing against the simple cotton of her camisole. Her sex pulsed as desire blossomed in her belly and spread its warm tendrils of electric current through her lower half.

There was no stopping the downward movement of her hands. They outlined her curves, taking time to tweak her nipples beneath the thin fabric before sliding even lower. Her fingers slipped beneath the elastic waistband of her pajama bottoms and panties and slowly drew them free.

Undressed from the waist down, Cora sat up against her pillows and opened her thighs. Cool air met the blazing hot skin of her most intimate region. Wet and slick, the tender folds of her pussy yielded to the gentle parting of her fingers. Her throbbing clit begged for attention. With the tip of her forefinger, Cora stimulated the swollen nub in lazy circles.

Big and burly, the man loomed naked in the doorway and bathed in shadows. The sight should have terrified Cora but she found it oddly thrilling. There was something so sexy about a little exhibitionism. Moonlight spilled through the window and splashed across his lower half. His magnificent cock, so thick and erect, betrayed his obvious interest. Although she couldn’t see his eyes through the darkness, she could feel his heated gaze locked on her. It swept along her body, leaving a prickly sensation of awareness.

Cora watched in fascination as the naked man fisted his meaty hand over his stiff length. Wanting to give him quite a naughty show, she licked her upper lip and moaned loudly. She arched into the tantalizing touch of her circling finger. The fingers of her other hand found their way between her lips and into her mouth. She ran her tongue over the skin, slicking it with her saliva, and then slipped them inside her tight, hot channel.

A gasp sounded from the doorway. So he liked that, did he?

She moaned and swiveled her hips. Her finger thrusts felt so good, the slick cream of her cunt coating her digits. Little sparks of pleasure flickered through her lower belly. Cora’s toes curled against the sheets. Her wrist moved faster as she strummed her clit with more fervor. Mouth agape, Cora pursued her climax.

Still standing in the doorway, her mystery dream lover breathed hard and loud. His forearm rippled as he stroked his cock. Their competing pants echoed in the stillness of the room. Cora wasn’t sure who would come first. It was almost a race to the precipice of ecstasy.

In the end, she cried out a few seconds before the shadow man. Her pussy contracted and clenched around her fingers as she rode out the waves of her orgasm. He grunted as if in pain and spilled his cum in ropy bursts.

Separated from her partner in exhibition, Cora was suddenly gripped by the desire to touch his sweat-slicked skin, to taste the salty cream now dripping from the blunt head of his cock. She wanted to be held close and caressed like some soft creature. She wanted to feel his soothing breaths against her forehead and hear the reassuring beat of his heart as she slept against his chest.

But none of those desires were to materialize.

As quickly as her dream lover had appeared, he vanished. In the next instant, Cora woke and shot up off her pillow. Trembling and sweating, she sucked in a sharp breath. She wiped a shaky hand down her face. Her thighs clenched with the last tremors of her fading orgasm.

Cora’s cheeks flamed with embarrassment. She’d just had a wet dream in the room next to Stig’s. As a former marine, he was bound to be keenly aware of his surroundings. Had she cried out in her sleep? Oh God. Had he heard her?

Groaning in humiliation, Cora flopped back against her pillow and buried her face in the crook of her arm. How the hell was she going to face him at the breakfast table in the morning?

A
wash in adrenaline, Griffin Cadogan eyed his opponent across the sparring cage. He danced from foot to foot as he waited for Mad to make his move. The springy mat was cool beneath his bare soles. Though they’d been at this for nearly half an hour, it wasn’t the physical exertion making him so hot. No, tonight his mating phase would begin. Already his body was beginning to show the subtle signs as his forced shifting approached.

Like a raging bull, Mad charged him. Griff stepped into the oncoming assault but twisted his upper body just enough to escape the brunt of his cousin’s impact. Griff kneed him right in the stomach and slammed his elbow into the other man’s back. But it wasn’t enough to slow Mad down, and he wrapped his arms around Griffin’s waist. They fell to the mat with so much force they bounced.

Limbs entangled, they grappled and slapped. Anyone who caught a glimpse of them fighting would have assumed they were engaged in a death match. In fighting without gloves or protective head gear, they were breaking the rules of the mixed-martial-arts training facility they owned, but since they had the place to themselves for the afternoon no one would be the wiser.

Griff tried to get Mad in a headlock, but the other man twisted and arched his back to avoid being pinned in a bad position. Griff’s inner beast struggled to be set free. The primal urge to destroy threatened to overwhelm him, but he wasn’t worried about hurting Madoc. They’d been fighting this way for centuries. If anyone had the strength and skill to beat his ass when he was on the verge of going into heat and unleashing his dragon, it was Mad.

But today his cousin seemed off his game. Quite out of character, Mad let Griff get the upper hand. It was only a fractional slip, but it was enough for Griff to wrap his legs around Mad’s waist and clamp his arm around the other man’s neck. Though Mad kicked and smacked, he couldn’t break free. With a frustrated howl, Mad slapped Griff’s forearm three times and tapped out.

Griff let go immediately and rolled Mad onto his back. “You okay, man?”

Mad shot him the finger and dragged a long, shuddery breath into his lungs.

Laughing, Griff plopped down on his backside and stretched out his aching legs. “I’ll take that as a yes.” Leaning back on his hands, he studied his cousin. There was no mistaking the tiredness in him, and it wasn’t just from this fight. “Are you still having those dreams?”

Mad threw an arm over his eyes and breathed slow and deep. “Yes.”

For the last three weeks, Mad had been experiencing vivid dreams. At first, they had been fairly innocuous. He’d dreamed of beautiful beaches, tequila-fueled nights, and even a wild foam party in a warehouse-style nightclub. They’d both assumed Mad was tapping into the dream energy of a neighbor. It wasn’t uncommon for their dragonkind to trespass into dreams.

But then the dreams had taken a darker, worrying turn.

“What did you dream last night?”

Mad didn’t answer straight away. Finally, he said, “I was in a cage or a cell.”

“Like a prison?”

“Maybe,” he said uncertainly. “It was definitely underground. I could feel the dampness on my skin and smelled its musty wetness. And I was hungry, Griff. So damn hungry. I woke up, stumbled downstairs, and tore through all of the food in my refrigerator. I ate so much I got sick,” he admitted softly. “But I couldn’t shake that gnawing hunger clawing at my stomach.”

Concern rippled through him. “Have you talked to Ignatius?”

“I did.”

“And?”

“And he told me sometimes we have to slay the beast.”

Griff rolled his eyes at their leader’s cryptic reply. “What the hell does that mean?”

“I don’t know,” Mad said, his voice filled with resignation. “Maybe he means I’m literally supposed to go out and hunt down whoever is filling my head with all these crazy images.”

Griff grumbled softly. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea. You could be walking into a trap. It wouldn’t be the first time the Knights used a seer or someone with empathic abilities to screw with a dragon’s head.”

“It doesn’t feel malicious.” He rubbed his chest. “It feels desperate.” Mad let his arm fall back to the mat. He met Griff’s gaze. “I can’t go on like this. I may not have a choice.”

Griff could see what these dreams were doing to Mad, and he agreed that they had to be stopped. Who would be powerful enough to project dreams as a call for help? The possibilities worried him, especially if Mad struck out on his own. “Will you at least wait until I’ve finished this mating phase? I’ll come with you.”

“Sure.”

He opened his mouth to ask him where they would start their search but the wild vibration of an approaching dragon gripped his gut. Every dragon of his acquaintance had a specific feeling, but this one he didn’t recognize. The vibrations filled him with a bright, trembling sensation of excitement. The alien sensation was unsettling.

Griff pushed off the mat and rose to his full height. Mad was a little slower getting off the floor. They climbed out of the ring and crossed the gym to the main entrance. The vibrations in Griff’s stomach pushed into his chest. A pulsing heat burned him. He rubbed the spot just over his heart and glanced at Mad. His cousin didn’t seem to be the least bit affected.

The double doors burst open and a woman appeared. Her scent hit him like a ton of bricks. Swaying on his feet, Griff backed up a step and tried to clear his hazy mind. Alluringly sweet and spicy, the smell invaded his lungs. His inner beast snapped with lust and need. This woman, whoever she was, had ignited his desire.

Griff let his hungry gaze roam her petite frame. He’d never seen a skirt look so good. The hip-hugging fabric outlined her body in all the right ways. A fitted blouse with the top buttons popped open displayed her curves. She wore her jet-black hair coiled at the back of her head. Emeralds dangled from her earlobes. The glimmering green jewels accentuated her silky brown skin. His fingertips buzzed as he wondered what it would be like to stroke her face.

She turned her dark eyes on him. Something about her was so familiar. When she waved her hand up and down, he spotted the white handkerchief.
What in the hell?

“Griffin Cadogan?”

Her gentle voice spilled over him like sunshine. “Yes?”

“I’d like to request we put our family’s little blood feud aside for the duration of my visit.”

Blood feud? The shock of her identity smacked him right in the face. “Avani Monroe?”

Her lips curved in a teasing smile. “They told me you were the smart one.”

Trying to ignore the needful pull tugging at him, Griff narrowed his eyes. “You’re either very brave or very stupid to come into our gym.”

“I assure you I’m neither stupid nor brave.” She took a hesitant step closer. “No, it’s desperation that brought me to my enemy’s door.”

Her somber tone struck a chord with him. Against his better judgment, he asked, “What do you want?”

Her sexy, sinful grin knocked the air right out of his lungs. “You.”

Feeling anything but confident, Avani ignored the nervousness wobbling in her lower belly and tried to maintain the cool, controlled façade that had served her so well in business. Her gaze skipped to Ian Madoc. Griffin’s cousin stared at her with amusement and interest. She glanced back to the man she desperately needed to help her.

Surprise spread across Griffin’s face. She spotted the briefest flare of crimson in his pale blue irises as that beastly Welsh Red tried to surface. Like her, he was only hours away from going into heat. She figured that was the reason the two cousins had been knocking the crap out of one another. She preferred the more enlightened methods of fasting and meditation to ease her transition, but apparently these two dragons still clung to the older, more barbaric customs.

She examined Griffin more closely. His size made her nervous. She’d heard he was a big man, but she hadn’t been expecting this. Nearly seven feet tall, he sported the broadest shoulders she’d ever seen and muscular arms emblazoned with heavy tattoos. She didn’t recognize any of the symbols or markings, but they were probably significant to his old tribe or his Welsh homeland.

Griffin lifted one huge hand and crooked a finger. His deep, rumbling voice made her heart race. “Come with me.”

Gulping down the anxiety clogging her throat, Avani followed him across the gym to an office. She glanced over her shoulder and found Madoc making his way to an arched doorway on the other side of the gym. The realization she would have a few moments of privacy to plead her case with Griffin bolstered her courage.

He entered the office and kept one hand on the door for her. Fearful that inhaling his scent would make her brain fuzzy, she held her breath as she passed him. Soothing heat radiated from him in strong, penetrating waves. Her breasts ached and her core pulsed with need. Attraction and lust weren’t emotions she allowed herself to experience very often. Right now, she didn’t have a choice. Griffin’s nearness had inflamed her.

The door shut with a soft click. Hands trembling, she gripped the handkerchief tighter. Coming into a closed space with him had been a terrible idea. His delicious scent curled around her. She eyed him warily as he walked to the desk and leaned back against it. Even in that slight sitting position, he towered over her. Refusing to sit or give him the upper hand, she lifted her chin.

“You realize that I’m about to go into heat. The risk you’ve taken—”

“It’s acceptable to me,” she interrupted. “In fact, our synced heat cycles are exactly why I need you.”

His jaw visibly clenched. “If you’re suggesting what I think you’re suggesting, you are out of your damned mind. I’m not in the market for a mate and certainly not one whose great-aunt stabbed my great-uncle to death.” He pointed to the door. “You should leave.
Now.
”

“No.” She stood her ground. “And, for the record, my father’s family tells a slightly different version of that altercation that started off our feud.”

He snorted. “I’m sure they do. Now why are you here?”

“You’re a member of the Brotherhood of the Green Hide. You’re charged with protecting our species from extinction. You know what the Knights of St. George did to my mother’s family?”

His harsh expression softened. “Yes.”

“Then you also know that after the massacre last fall, I’m the last of my mother’s line.” Her eyes prickled with bitter tears as the memories of the vicious and brutal battle flooded her mind. “My mother’s family had invited us home for reconciliation. It was supposed to be a beautiful family reunion, but those bastards…”

She couldn’t finish the thought. Swallowing hard, she touched her chest. “I’m the last of the Naga. I’ve been combing the family trees of my people looking for someone, anyone, with the right genes, but the Knights have snuffed us out.”

Griffin exhaled slowly. “The Knights are frighteningly efficient when it comes to targeting specific bloodlines. Your mother’s line was one of the most fragile and unique of our kind.”

“Centuries of arranged marriages and a closed society didn’t help.” She thought of the horror her mother and father had caused with their scandalous love affair and elopement. Her Indian mother had chosen to marry a Western man from a little-known branch of a British dragon tribe. Both sets of parents had decried the match and ostracized the pair. Avani had grown up as an outcast, never quite belonging in the dragon commune that had accepted her parents as members.

“I don’t know why you think I can help you. My people are lightning makers and thunder clappers.”

“Not all of them,” she said. “Your archivist, Reynard, helped me identify dragons with suitable bloodlines. Your great-grandmother was a water serpent. Like me, she was the last of her kind, but she came from a pure and uninterrupted bloodline.”

He let loose an annoyed grunt. “So what?”

Gathering her courage, she said, “It means that our baby would have a high chance of inheriting my Naga gifts.”

Taken aback, Griffin stared at her. “Are you
insane
? Did you really just propose that we have a child? In case you’ve forgotten, our families are involved in a blood feud.”

Irritated, she snapped back at him. “No, I haven’t forgotten. If you’re not going to help me, you may as well go ahead and finish me off right here. Satisfy your family’s honor, Griffin. Who knows? Maybe the Knights will send you a thank-you card and a nice flower arrangement for tying up a loose end.”

He growled angrily and shot to his feet. “Comparing me to a Knight isn’t a very persuasive tactic, Avani.”

She rubbed her face and sighed. “Look, I’m sorry. I’m on edge and I’m desperate.”

“Why are you in such a rush to have children? You’re only, what, thirty? You haven’t even hit your first centenary!”

“When you’re the last member of a nearly extinct race of dragon, you can stand there and lecture me on biological clocks!”

He studied her intently. “Do you have any idea what you’re asking? I’ve gone nearly one thousand years without taking a mate or fathering a child. There’s a reason for that. My work is very dangerous. My loyalty to the Brotherhood comes first.”

She understood his hesitancy and embraced it. She’d been relieved when she’d researched him and realized how unlikely he was to want a role as an active parent. “I’m not looking for a husband or even a partner in parenting. Don’t worry. I don’t want your money, either. My jewelry business is quite successful. I can handle motherhood on my own.”

“Is that so?” An expression she couldn’t place filtered across his face. “It seems as if you have this all planned out. I suppose all you want from me is a sperm donation.”

She winced at how cold it sounded. “It wouldn’t be like that. You’re in heat. I’m in heat. I’m sure our time together will be pleasurable.”

“And when the phase ends?”

“You leave. I’ll contact you if we’re successful.”

“And that’s that?” He didn’t sound happy.

“Well, I mean, what more do you want?”

He made a disgusted noise. “What the hell kind of man do you think I am? You think I would make a child and then walk away from him or her?”