To Claim a Dragon

by Lisa Kumar

  After a few steadying breaths, she tried to dismiss the crazy notion, but it stuck with her like the most tenacious of plasters. Why was she so rattled? A few hours ago she hadn’t cared about their visit in the slightest, except for the inconvenience it would cause her. She clutched at the simple gold pendant she always wore that had been her grandmother’s. As if it could offer her succor from what she was seeing.

  The dragons swooped down, nearing the wide, clear spot that rested before the crowd. As a unit, the villagers stumbled back, enlarging the already generous space. The lead dragon stared down at where Anni stood, its green eyes intense as if it’d been seeking her. She gulped, swallowing back the lump forming in her throat. Now, every instinct urged her to flee. It was a feeling that took all her willpower not to act upon.

  The seven creatures seemed to hover over their heads, their wings flapping lazily. Then, before Anni could do much more than blink, they landed gracefully. Only the barest hint of impact sounded. That such beasts could make so little noise—

  Suddenly, a slight shimmer formed about the dragons, and their bodies began to shift. Gasps flew into the air all around her. For a moment, her mind blanked until reality struck like a hammer. Oh God, they were changing into their fae forms. Would they be naked? Mortification heated her face. She didn’t want that kind of show.

  A group of seven otherworldly individuals stood in front of them. Though they were fully clothed in rich robes—thank heavens for small mercies—they loomed much too close for Anni’s comfort. All, down to the last male and female, were tall and lean—and far more gorgeous than anyone or anything in the village. And far more powerful. It leaked off them in waves. Thank the skies, they were mostly a peaceful race, or humans would probably cease to exist.

  A pearlescent sheen glowed on the fae’s skin, which ranged from pale to darkly tanned. What snatched her attention and held it was the stately platinum-haired male that led the fae party. He stared at her—not Janaa, but her—which set her nerves screeching. His green eyes held some kind of promise she couldn’t even begin to fathom.

  Her lungs forgot how to function. She forgot how to function. A fine trembling took up residence in all her limbs. His gaze remained glued to hers. She wanted to rip her regard from him, yet conversely, she never wanted to glance away.

  When her father stepped forward with a bright smile, her mother right behind him, he broke the trance. “Welcome to Bending Willow, Lord Eacion! And greetings to your lords and ladies.”

  Lord Eacion? That was Lord Eacion? Oh God, it was worse than she’d thought.

  The dragon fae finally dragged his gaze from her with something that resembled regret. Anni blinked, sure she was hallucinating. Things like this never happened to her. She wished it’d go back that way, too. Attention of any kind was a bad thing.

  Lord Eacion inclined his head gracefully, his long hair falling back over his shoulders and revealing a slightly pointed ear. “We accept your greetings and offer our own in full measure.”

  His accented, smooth voice rolled through her like a heated caress. She shuddered, a most peculiar feeling jolting through her. It took her a moment to place it—desire amplified far beyond anything she’d ever experienced before.

  She sucked in a gasping breath. God, what was wrong with her? Janaa turned a concerned gaze upon her, but Anni merely smiled wanly. There was no way that she could explain this when she didn’t even understand it herself.

  Clive, her father, cleared his throat. It was a nervous tick that always came out when he didn’t know what to say next. “May I provide you with refreshment?”

  Her mother wore a hopeful look, but Lord Eacion shook his head. “We must decline at this time, though we look forward to the feast tonight.”

  Her father nodded as if the refusal made perfect sense to him. “The tour of Bending Willow awaits if you are ready.”

  “That is acceptable, but first I must know the name of the enchanting young woman behind you,” Lord Eacion said, looking past her father to stare directly at her.

  The people around her had long ago retreated a few steps, leaving her and Janaa the only ones near her parents. Heat burned her face as everyone stared at her and Lord Eacion. Enchanting young woman? Was he insane? Unless he was talking about Janaa? But no, even her friend stood behind her now.

  Her father frowned, and his brow furrowed with apparent befuddlement. “My daughter?”

  “Is that who she is?” the dragon fae asked softly.

  Uncertainty coated her father’s face. “Yes, she’s our Anni,” he said, motioning for her mother, Clara, to come to his side. Whether he did this for her mother or for himself, Anni didn’t know. Maybe both. This was quite out of bounds for a fae dragon visit. He probably didn’t know what to do with himself. She surely didn’t.

  A peculiar smile crossed Lord Eacion’s lips. “Anni. A fitting name.”

  What did that mean? Really, she could sink into the ground and be satisfied to remain there for the rest of her days.

  He sent her father a considering look. “I quite find myself changing my mind.”

  “You desire refreshment?”

  “More than that, I want to stay in Bending Willow for at least a few days. I’m sure that can be arranged?”

  Shock seemed to freeze her father’s tongue for a moment. “Of course, of course.”

  “Wonderful. Please have those accommodations made for my whole party.” Then he turned to her and pinned her with a lazy smile. “I look forward to making your further acquaintance and desire your presence at the feast. As for the rest of my visit here, please clear your schedule so your days and evenings are free.”

  W-what? Why? No matter the reason, though, his audacity...it left her grasping for words and her heart pounding with foolish excitement.

  Before she could even begin to formulate a reply, he turned back to her father. “My advisor, Anvin, will help secure our accommodations while you show me and my son around your charming town.” A handsome blond fae man stepped forward and bowed as Lord Eacion continued. “The rest of my party may go where they wish in the village.”

  Anni barely heard his last words, her head floating in a daze. Son? He had a son? He didn’t look a minute over thirty...but he was fae. Of course, he was at least centuries old, as his kind tended to live for thousands of years before passing away. So why wouldn’t he have children? And a wife. That thought nearly made her scowl.

  She searched the group of assembled fae behind him, hoping to gain a look at his son. It didn’t take her long to find him. The boy—no, not a boy but a full-grown fae—resembled his father so strongly that there was no doubt as to their connection. Their build and facial features echoed one another, and they even shared the same hair color. The only thing she couldn’t be sure of was the son’s eye color. He was a bit too far away for that. Still, it didn’t stop her gaze from meeting his, and he surprised her by flashing a small smile. She gave a shaky one back.

  What was the most disturbing, though, was how he appeared no more than a few years younger than his father. She stared from father to son a few times, finally settling her complete attention on Lord Eacion, who just so happened to be returning her regard.

  A mysterious smile again curled his lips as he closed the distance between them. He reached for one of her listless hands and lifted it to his lips. The touch of his mouth lit sparks underneath her skin. She nearly jumped at the sensation. Her breath grew ragged as she tried to rein herself in, but the feel of his warm lips and the coolness of his hand was strangely exhilarating. Were his lips always so hot and his skin so cold? Well, not cold but definitely cooler than her own.

  He lowered her hand but kept it firmly within his. “Let me finish up with your father, and then I’ll seek you out.”

  She felt herself nodding dumbly, though she didn’t understand what was going on one bit. Coherent thought wasn’t her friend right now. She glanced down at their hands and nearly jumped. His nails—they glowed as if they were i
nset with jeweled-colored mica. The light shone on them and brought out multi-hued colors. Did all fae have them or just dragon fae? Mayhap, his colder skin was due to being a shifter. Weren’t dragons reptilian?

  “I’ll await the time until I can see you again.”

  His voice yanked her from her thoughts. Oh lord, what did she say to that? This was all so strange. Nothing made any sense, least of all him. He was exotic and foreign, the leader of his people—and even hers, to some extent—everything she was not and could never be.

  After one last lingering glance, he turned toward her father. Her staring father. Her stomach dropped to her toes. She took in a gulping breath, her mouth as dry as the wastelands far south of them. Unfortunately, the staring pattern didn’t end there. Her mother was watching them with the same stupefied expression. The same held true for the villagers. It wasn’t often that they received such a show, which begged the question of why they were receiving said show in the first place. She felt as confounded as they looked.

  Her mind spun with questions as Lord Eacion went off with her father. She was no eye-catching beauty, so it couldn’t be that. And he couldn’t be bowled over by her stunning whit, because he didn’t know her. Gritting her teeth, she squared her shoulders. Though she hated undue attention, she’d be damned if she revealed that for all sundry to see. Anni took a step back so she could return to Janaa’s side.

  The painful twinge in her leg drove any fantasy notion of Lord Eacion out of her head. She was lame, not much better than an invalid in most people’s eyes. What could the lord of the dragon fae want with the likes of her? There had to be some agenda, but what? Well, she’d find out and ignore him until he left.

  “Lucky girl, what was all that about?”

  Janaa’s voice cut into her thoughts and reminded her who truly was to blame.

  She rounded on her now open-mouthed friend and poked her in the chest. “I don’t know, but this is all your fault. You and your gown’s!”

  Chapter 3

  Anni cast a glance at the setting sun from where she sat on the steps of her front porch. Never had it felt more like a cage than it did now. The feast would begin in less than fifteen minutes. Even now, the aroma of food permeated the air. She both prayed and dreaded that Lord Eacion wouldn’t come for her. If he didn’t, she knew her parents would more than understand her reticence in attending. Whether she ever saw him again, she was going to be the talk of the village for quite a few days. Her parents would probably prefer to not have the spectacle of her presence there tonight. Maybe she could hide away for a few days. Even if her parents minded, they’d likely be too busy with Lord Eacion’s visit to say much. She hadn’t seen them since his arrival.

  Scowling, she crossed her arms. God, why had he done what he had? She felt like a young maid waiting to receive her first beau, never mind that she was a young maid doing exactly that. She’d scared away the few boys who’d shown any interest, knowing that they were only curious about what lay beneath her skirt. And she didn’t just mean her twisted leg. Being that kind of curiosity to another person was a loathsome idea. So what was she doing now?

  Lord Eacion turned into a dragon, for heaven’s sake. He wasn’t human, and she...she was all too human.

  If he didn’t know about her leg, he soon would. For some crazy reason, that frightened her, his all-too-likely disgust frightened her. And here she thought she’d long inured herself against that emotion. Oh, what did it matter what he thought? He might be handsome and otherworldly, but he’d soon be gone. She was too practical to believe anything else. Besides, he could very well have a wife since he had a son. Whatever his machinations, his attentions were sure to fade quickly. Maybe she’d discover what he was up to, or maybe she wouldn’t. In the long run, it wouldn’t make a difference. Her life would return to that of an old maid. It was what she wanted, what she’d chosen.

  She smoothed out her skirt, brushing imaginary dirt from it for what seemed the thousandth time. Janaa had forced her into another concoction, this one of gray silk, and applied rouge to her cheeks. Even her hair hadn’t been spared and spilled about her shoulders in loose waves. The small, white flowers that Janaa had woven through several clips now adorned her locks. Anni knew she presented a lovely picture compared to how she normally looked, but that wasn’t saying much.

  A continuous stream of villagers hurried by, eager to get to the much-anticipated festivities. However, some found the time to cast sideways glances at her, the slight decrease in their stride telling enough. A few even called out friendly greetings. Some part of her wondered why she was even sitting out here. Still, she knew there’d be talk no matter where she was—or wasn’t.

  She stared down the street as a colorful gaggle of young women made their noisy way toward her. After squinting to get a better look, she groaned. Cassy, of course—it had to be her. The other woman was the town bitch and hated Anni not only for her lameness but also for her being the mayor’s daughter. As if she could help being either thing, and it wasn’t as if Cassy was from a poor family. Her father was the town jeweler.

  To make matters even more pleasant, Cassy despised Janaa just as much, this time because of her friend’s beauty and popularity with the opposite sex. Cassy used her wiles—and her body—to wheedle what she wanted out of men. What was ironic was that she derided Janaa as a whore when the witch was no virgin herself.

  The green-gowned creature slowed as she led the group of gossips and gave a faux gasp of surprise. “Look, if it isn’t Anni! What are you doing here? I thought Lord Eacion was to be your escort.” She flicked one reddish ringlet over her shoulder with a toss of the head. “Did he leave you sitting here all by yourself since you leg isn’t suited to...well, anything?”

  God, she didn’t want to deal with this right now, but deal with it she would. Otherwise, Cassy would become invariably smug and even more impossible to rein in.

  “Quite the contrary. Don’t fear that I abandoned her,” a silky, accented voice cut in.

  Anni jolted upward, nearly stumbling over her own feet as pain ghosted up her leg. “Lord Eacion.”

  He stood near the bottom of the steps and seemed ready to offer her a hand should she need it. As she stared at him, he bowed slightly, his gaze on her face. She tamped down on the urge to swipe her tongue over her lips. At the appearance he presented, her mouth had dried up like a bed creek in the summer. His silver-and-navy-blue robes flowed over his body and hugged him in all the right areas. There was no denying it. He was as handsome as she’d remembered. Though he was standing before her, he might as well be as untouchable as a distant star.

  “Miss Anni, please excuse the lateness of my arrival.”

  So formal, not that she should mind. If anything, his address of her was an honor that would surely set Cassy’s teeth on edge. Since he hadn’t truly been tardy, she smiled shakily, figuring he meant he was sorry she’d had to deal with any unpleasantness. “Think nothing of it, my lord.”

  He turned a much less friendly gaze upon the other women. “Excuse me, ladies. I must see my lady to the fest.”

  The harpy and her entourage’s eyebrows shot up, and so did Anni’s. My lady? She wasn’t “his lady” anything. Still, she wouldn’t make a scene by saying so right now. She had enough tact and sanity to hold her tongue in public. He might be a benevolent lord, but everything about his proud carriage shouted he demanded respect.

  Cassy’s sour expression was worth the whole debacle, though. Jealousy never looked good on anyone’s face. The tart soon wiped any unpleasantness from her visage and sidled up to Lord Eacion. Her seductive gait made Anni roll her eyes, but some part of her feared that he might be taken in by her. Even men who should know better sometimes stared at her with lovelorn—or at least lustful—gazes. Hopefully, Lord Eacion was smarter than most of the male population of Bending Willow.

  Cassy gazed at him through her lashes, making Anni want to wring her neck, and laid a perfectly manicured hand on his arm. “Are you positive she�
�s the one you want to take? After all, she might not be able to keep up with that leg of hers.” She trailed a finger up his sleeve. “In fact, I doubt she’d even know how to. Surely, you want a woman of...vigor.”

  Horror and rage exploded through Anni like a howling windstorm. That bitch! Cassy had not only propositioned him right in front of her but also revealed her greatest weakness. Anni clenched her hands. Otherwise, they would’ve been flying toward Cassy’s gloating face.

  He brushed the tart’s hand away, disdain in the very movement. “I’m quite acquainted with women of your kind of vigor. Miss Anni is what I seek, leg or no leg. And please don’t touch males so familiarly unless you know they desire it.”

  Anger blazed across Cassy’s pale face, turning it a ruddy color. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

  A bubble of pleasure developed in Anni’s chest. Lord Eacion seemed to know about her leg or at least pretended to. That he so readily accepted her in front of Cassy was something for which she would always be grateful. That witch didn’t need any more gossip to use against her.

  Lord Eacion lifted a brow and stared pointedly at Cassy. “As your liege lord, is any of that a problem?”

  His pointed emphasis couldn’t be missed, and a flash of fear painted itself across Cassy’s face. Brutal satisfaction hit Anni. He had put the witch in her place in a manner no one else ever had.

  Cassy visibly gulped. “Yes! I mean no! No, my lord.”

  He stared down his nose at her. “Good, I’d hate to see a young lady who thinks herself above everyone else.”

  Apparently done taking her to task, he faced Anni fully and held out a hand. “Come, let us join the festivities. I’m sure your parents will be wondering where we are.”

  After a brief moment of hesitation, she placed her hand in his. His grip was sure and steady as she slowly took the last few steps. It wouldn’t do to tumble down at his feet. Without another word, they walked past the chastised Cassy and her group of quiet ducklings.