“That doesn’t make sense at all. Luka was my highest-ranking official. Everyone revered him, next only to me. And he is what I would call an intellectual.”
“If only things were like that here,” she said wistfully.
“Humans don’t make sense at all,” he muttered angrily. To think that people would treat Talia poorly just because she was doing something admirable infuriated him.
“I guess we humans don’t, do we?”
Alek didn’t have the heart to correct her on the fact that he was a dragon, not a human. But to be fair, Talia was unlike any human he’d ever been in contact with before, either.
Or had he? Alek had the sneaking suspicion that if he had ever met someone like Talia, he could have never forgotten them.
But then why couldn’t he remember important details about his own past? Namely, how he had gotten here?
“I’m sorry about that.” Alek couldn’t remember having felt that kind of alienation, that negative attention, as a child. If for no other reason, he knew what it felt like to be out of his element now.
“It’s okay. Life moves on.” She shrugged, seemingly grateful to be moving past the topic. “So where are we going? I haven’t been on this side of campus since my undergraduate.”
“Actually, I think we’re here now,” he noted, following the signs as they approached several large, fenced-off areas. To the side a sign read “tennis courts,” along with a sundry list of rules for use of the area.
He didn’t know what tennis was nor care to look into it. He just needed a clear, flat space.
“The tennis courts. I’ll be honest and say I’m not really in the mood for a late-night frozen game of tennis. Not unless you want me to end up like you a few days ago.”
“Your witticism is unmatched, Talia,” Alek said, laughing a bit to himself. More at the idea that he would ever let her freeze to death than the idea of her actually freezing. “But I made other plans,” he added, opening the gate and moving to a small duffel bag that he’d planted off to the side prior to the date.
“Wait, is this court… covered in ice?” Talia remarked, looking at the glassy sheen spread across the surface, casting the green- and red-painted blocks on the ground in an ethereal blue hue.
“Indeed it is. And we—” He paused for a moment, producing two pairs of worn-looking ice skates from the bag. Chelle had said this was an activity humans liked to do on ice. “Are going skating.”
“Oh my God, how did you do this? It’s amazing. Did you just spray over it with a hose or something?”
Alek certainly wasn’t going to say he’d used his dragon powers, given that they came and went so he’d have no way to prove it. He just nodded at her suggestion since it sounded logical enough.
“If campus security catches wind of this, we could get in trouble.”
“Do you see anyone else around? Besides, if they do show themselves, I’m sure I could best them easily.”
She shook her head. “Please don’t go punching more people. Unless absolutely necessary. You have my permission then.”
He chuckled. “I don’t need your permission to do that. But back to skating,” he said, bringing the skates toward her.
She took an uneasy step out onto the ice, testing it. When she almost slipped, Alek dropped the skates and rushed to her side to catch her.
“Your shoes are insufficient for this task. Hence, might we consider putting the skates on, first?” he said, leading her back toward the duffel.
“I know. It’s just so pretty, the clear ice. It must be at least an inch or two thick.”
For a moment, he helped her with the seemingly unending stream of laces, tying them up and helping her to her feet before putting on his own. Even at the largest size, they were woefully snug. But he could bear with it in order to spend more time with Talia.
He’d put up with almost anything, he felt.
Which was still an odd thing to feel about a human.
“Wee, look at me go.” Talia pushed off with all her might, sliding forward but slowing more quickly than she likely anticipated. As she slowed, her feet began to point in odd directions and her knees wobbled.
Like a bolt, he was on his feet, sliding up to her side and putting an arm around her.
“Have you ever done this before?” he asked.
“No. But it always looked fun,” she exclaimed.
“Here, let me show you, then.” He’d practiced a bit when he’d first frozen the court over, and since being on the ice in any form felt like home to him, he’d caught on pretty quick. Just like he’d caught on to being in this world.
For a few minutes, Alek led her around, demonstrating the proper motion, teaching her how to use the ice, not fight it. And in no time at all, she was beginning to make circles around the edge of the court by herself, without his help.
“You’re a good student, Talia,” he said, skating backward in front of her as she tried to keep up with him.
“You said you were the lord of winter. Not the lord of skating.” Her breath came out in long, white puffs, arms pumping as she struggled to go faster.
“Well, skating is an inherently wintery diversion. So I would submit it only makes sense that—”
“Showoff,” she accused as he effortlessly skated a circle around her, coming beside her. He pulled her close to him, one arm around her back, the other hand grasping hers in from of them as they moved in tandem together.
“I think I like this better anyway,” he whispered into her ear. She shivered, trembling slightly in his hold.
“Your breath. It tickles.” Talia’s voice was soft, her body moving perfectly in time with his as they glided across the surface, carving long lines into the ice. For several minutes, they stayed sealed together, only the sound of metal blade on frozen water permeating the night air. As they did, the moon’s reflection followed them, chasing and withdrawing with each circle as they made their way in a never-ending loop.
But eventually, Talia’s shiver became an actual shiver from cold, and she rubbed her hands over her arms, trying to produce warmth.
“Oh, the temperature. I’m sorry,” Alek said, realizing that humans weren’t naturally equipped to handle such severe temperatures without an absurd amount of garments.
“My bad. I guess I didn’t dress warm enough to be out here this long,” she said between chattering teeth.
“No, it’s my fault. I’m so accustomed to snow, ice, the cold, I forget what it must feel like for other people at times,” he said, pointing them back to the edge where their shoes and duffel bag were location. When she was safely seated, he produced two large mugs full of still-warm hot chocolate, and he poured a glass for Talia, which she took gratefully and sipped at for a minute until it had warmed her.
“Well, I guess that would only be fitting for the lord of winter, wouldn’t it?” This time, when she called him by his formal title, she smiled up at him instead of grimacing or averting her gaze. It made Alek’s heart thump, made his throat go dry and his fingers feel tingly.
He took a seat next to her, pouring himself a cupful as well, bracing at the extreme sweetness of the beverage. Next time, he’d have to ask Chelle how to make it a little less sugary.
“This was perfect. Things are stressful for both of us, so it’s nice to have some fun. I don’t get out enough sometimes. Thank you, Alek.” She nestled into his side, resting her cheek on his shoulder as they looked out over the frozen court. For several moments, utter silence lay over them like a heavy blanket, Alek’s senses buzzing with Talia’s nearness.
In spite of all his reservations, in spite of his doubts about his future and his past, he did the one thing he could no longer wait to do.
He turned to Talia, who looked up at him. Using his finger, he tilted her chin up, leaned down, and kissed her.
This time was entirely different from the first. Instead of a spur-of-the-moment, rushed meeting of two people, it was slow, soft, enmeshing. At first, the kiss was barely a bru
sh of their lips, hers full and soft and a little cold from the chill. But as he pressed them closer together, their contact warmed, heating Alek from the inside out with indescribable fire he couldn’t pinpoint.
For a long second, they kept locked together, their own stillness reflecting the stillness all around them. Then, as Talia moaned—the sound barely perceptible even to his incredible hearing—he claimed her mouth more freely, more intensely.
Talia parted her lips, allowing him entrance, and he swiped inside with his tongue, wet heat joining them within. As he did, he wrapped his arms around her back, and she relaxed in his embrace.
No words were spoken. Just pure, raw emotion flowing from one being to the other.
He’d never wanted something, someone, so badly, ever. Not in his memory at least.
Just then, the bite of a fast-melting snowflake on his cheek interrupted them both, and they turned up to look above them.
“Do you see this? Snow, right out of a clear sky?” Talia exclaimed in wonder, reaching a hand up to catch a heavy flake as they sat together.
Alek frowned at the fact that even his own powers were still a mystery. But just as his head began to hurt, as it always did when he tried to think of the past, he felt Talia sigh at his side.
“I wish we could just sit here forever,” she said happily, distracting him from his thoughts.
“We can’t?”
“No,” she said. “It’s freezing. And I have to get back to the lab. In fact… after our date, I was sort of hoping to run some tests.”
He cocked his head, considering it. It wasn’t how he had expected the night to go, but it gave him an excuse to stay beside her. “Sure, why not?”
“Great.” She stood up, reaching a hand out for him. “Let’s head out.”
Chapter 9
When they entered the lab, Talia tried to let her professional, scientific demeanor take over.
She’d had more fun than she had in a very long time, eating dinner and then skating with Alek. It was a welcome break from thinking about things like papers and deadlines and scientific mysteries.
And then that kiss… It had swept her completely away, the snow falling softly around them, his hands and lips so warm. His touch patient and welcoming, seemingly happy to stop at just a kiss.
She’d had a few sexual encounters. Awkward, stumbling situations where the man couldn’t wait to get his rocks off and get dressed.
As a result, she tended to avoid dating and romance in general, preferring to focus on her lab.
But Alek was so different. He defended her to anyone who threatened her, acted as if they somehow didn’t look odd together, and when he wasn’t talking to her as if she were some kind of peasant, he could be really… kind.
He walked into the lab behind her, hands clasped behind his back, surveying the newly clean surfaces. His hair was loosened in its ponytail, slightly windblown and damp from snow. Little specks of moisture dotted his handsome features, and his broad shoulders were squared as he stared at the lab around him.
He nodded when he seemed to be satisfied with what he saw.
“Here,” she said, bringing over a chair. As he sat in the chair, spreading his legs and taking on a languid, masculine posture, she felt warmth pool deep inside her.
Dammit, had bringing him here been a mistake?
After that kiss, she’d decided it was time to remind them both of the true nature of their positions. She was to study him, nothing more. She could check a few things, though she wasn’t a doctor and wasn’t ready to take him to one yet. After watching him arm wrestling, she was pretty sure he was at least somewhat different from the men of modern times.
Or perhaps he was just oddly strong and would have been if he was born in this time, too.
She grabbed a stethoscope her friend had lent her and rolled a short stool over so she could listen to his heart.
He remained relaxed, his muscled arms resting on the arms of the chair, his legs spread open so she could roll between them.
He raised a blond eyebrow as she put the stethoscope in her ears and raised the end that she would place over his heart.
“Will it hurt?”
“No,” she said. “Of course not.”
He nodded. “It’s fine either way. Whatever you need from me.”
Her heart began to pound even harder. He was so different with her now than he had been when he emerged from the ice. He… listened to her. Trusted her like no one ever had.
He didn’t know anything about her world or what she was doing, yet he was here in her lab, letting her do whatever she wanted.
She let out a sigh and dropped the bell of her stethoscope to unbutton his shirt.
He let out a little gasp when her fingers brushed the warm, velvet skin of his upper chest as she undid the buttons. His clear blue eyes grew heated, and he watched intently as she fully undid the front of his shirt, pulling it open so she could have access to his heart.
And so much more, she couldn’t help but notice, following a pale trail of hair down from bulging pecs the size of her head to rippling abdominal muscles to the edge of his jeans, held up with a belt.
His waist was trim, hard, a contrast to his hulking shoulders, and his skin was pale but healthy, an undeniable glow to it, almost as if he shimmered.
Or was that simply a fine sheen of sweat? She looked up to see him watching her somewhat nervously, as if unsure of what was going on.
She took a deep breath and pressed her stethoscope to his chest, reminding herself to focus.
His heart sounded normal, like any human heart… but right now it was racing.
Just like hers.
She pulled back and took the stethoscope out of her ears, quickly setting it aside.
She reached for his hand, noting the largeness of the palm, the smoothness of the back of it, the long, deft fingers with perfect short nails. A little shiver went through her as she realized his hands were still somewhat cold. Perhaps from being in the snow.
Without thinking, she brought his hand up in both of hers to blow on it, to warm him up, and when she breathed warm air over his fingers, he jerked back, pulling his hand away.
“What was that? Why are you doing it?”
“Sorry,” she said, feeling a deep blush over her cheeks. She hadn’t meant anything by it, had just wanted to help, but she could admit the motion had been undeniably intimate.
Based on the pink tinge just beneath his high cheekbones, he agreed.
Not that she’d thought he would object, given the multiple times he had kissed her senseless.
He looked at his hand, and his gaze went from heated to languid. Twin blue fires looked up at her, making her mouth go dry. “What else would you like to examine?”
She swallowed. “I need you to take your shirt off. Your jacket. Everything.”
He nodded, standing slowly, never taking his eyes off her as he slowly shrugged out of his jacket, then his shirt, and placed both on the counter next to him before taking a seat back in the chair.
She stood, trying to remain calm. What had she been doing? Oh yeah, she needed to check for ancient tattoos or any markings. Any injuries as well. Any clue to why he was different, since she hadn’t yet found anything in the ice.
He sat languidly in the chair, as relaxed as could be, as she circled him slowly, noting every clean inch of his skin.
Despite his calm posture, she could sense energy radiating from him. Something raw and primal that she could also sense from within herself.
She gulped as she finished her perusal. God, he was beautiful shirtless. Perfect in every curve and hard angle. Huge and refined, handsome and masculine. Smooth yet rough.
Had nature somehow created and then hidden the perfect creature? After examining him, she was even further from understanding what he was.
She bit her lip as she looked at his pants, still hiding the rest of him. Should she ask? It wouldn’t be proper.
As if reading her mind, he simply rai
sed an eyebrow and then bent to undo his belt and kick his pants off.
She had to smile when he also removed his shoes and socks.
Now he was just sitting in her lab, muscular thighs spread, perfect calves displayed. God, even his feet were perfect.
He was wearing black boxer briefs, much to her relief, as she didn’t know what she would do if he was naked.
Without her being able to stop them, her eyes trailed up to just below his waist.
Damn. He was huge… and hard.
He blinked at her frankly. “Ignore it. It is normal when a female is perusing me.”
She swallowed. “Easier said than done.”
He laughed, shaking his head. “I would usually remind you that I’m no normal male, but I somehow don’t feel it would be welcome.”
She pulled her gaze away from him with great reluctance. In this case at least, his egotistical statements would be totally justified.
He seemed to know it, too, as he put his hands behind his head and leaned back for her, all masculine perfection on display.
She fought the urge to lick her lips as she stared at him. Her body was on fire. The polite, logical scientist had vacated the building, leaving her flailing in her innate, feminine response to his strength.
His gaze was calm as his eyes met hers. “What do you want of me?”
She didn’t think her throat had ever been drier. Still, he wasn’t afraid, so why should she be? She looked at his face, at his hair, and then gestured to his ponytail. “Untie it.”
He kept his eyes on her as he pulled the elastic away, letting waves of beautiful pale hair cascade around his face, framing it.
Somehow, it only looked more masculine, his expression defiant as if he dared her to say anything about his hair.
Instead, she got back on her stool and slid over to him, gliding between his legs so they were almost eye to eye, with her only a few inches shorter than him.
She reached up and caught a lock of his hair, studying it as it glistened in the light, unlike any hair she had seen before. Then again, she’d never met a natural platinum blond. He stared at her curiously.
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