The anger and accusation in his tone was infuriating. She hadn’t done anything to him apart from help him when he was hurt.
“What is your problem?” she asked. “I just don’t understand why you’re so hostile when I’ve barley said two words to you since I woke up. You were nice until you turned into,” she flapped her hand up and down the long length of his body, “this. Me and the dragon were getting along fine.” She narrowed her eyes, nodding her head decisively. “So well, I think you should be bringing him back now and going back to wherever deep dark recess of his mind you came from.”
“I control the dragon,” Koen snarled, offended she preferred his creature self to his human self. “It is not master over me.”
She huffed. “Let me try again, bring the dragon back.”
“Would you prefer my dragon’s kisses?”
“Oh, for fu–Pete’s sake Koen. You know exactly what the dragon and I have because you are the bloody dragon. I’m asking a question that requires a simple answer not some convoluted response.”
“Who is Pete?”
Marina flailed her arms. “Don’t shout at me for no god damned reason.” She poked his chest. “You horrible–” Poke. “Miserable–” Poke. “Condescending–” Poke.
Koen grabbed her finger. “Stop that.”
“Or what?”
“I’ll break it off,” he bellowed.
She stared at him, smiled when her heart flipped at how attractive he was. “You don’t scare me.”
“I should.”
He still had hold of her finger, so Marina stepped closer until they touched, and tilted her head back. “Kiss me again, Koen. Kiss me.”
His breathing deepened and his head lowered. “Be afraid.”
“After,” she whispered and kissed his jaw. “After you kiss me, properly.”
“Ahem.”
The emphasized throat clearing made them both freeze and turn slowly.
Marina’s scanned the cave until she spotted the golden-haired giant running his gaze over them speculatively. Golden. That was how Marina saw him, honeyed, as if he had been dipped in gold then rubbed down until he shone.
He cocked a sleek eyebrow, and crossed his arms over his chest; his warrior braids brushing his board shoulders. His ice-blue gaze travelled over Marina, pausing over her hips, and a secret smile curved the corner of his mouth when he took in how close she and Koen were standing.
His attention moved off her and fixed on Koen challengingly.
Marina felt her dragon lord stiffen. His hackles rose, his body coiling tightly, and humming with energy barely held in check.
The golden man was shoved aside by a younger male of slender build. His eyes raked Marina up and down, and his light green eyes lit up. “Sublime!” he exclaimed. “I knew it. She smelled pretty. She’s mine. Give.”
“Fool,” the golden man hissed, shrugging off of his clothes, revealing hard, tanned skin, a mouth-watering body honed for battle.
Koen snarled. It was a vicious and possessive sound that made shivers race across Marina’s scalp.
He pushed her out of the way, and as he did, his body was engulfed in brilliant white light.
The light died, and Koen’s black dragon stood in his place. Long body crouched, snout lowered in challenge, murky smoke curled menacingly from his nostrils. His eyes bored into the men who had invaded their sanctuary, and burned with an unholy fire. He sucked in air deeply, his mouth opening to show row upon row of razor sharp fangs, and the soft hollow of his throat burned bright orange.
His head pushed forward, and with a deafening roar, he released a blistering gush of red fire.
Marina yelped, sweat popping out on her brow from the intense heat. She scuttled closer to the cave wall, her back plastered to it. She shimmied to the left, avoiding Koen’s thrashing tail that rammed violently into the cave wall.
Stubbing her foot, she ducked down to pick up the rock she nearly tripped over.
Koen’s dragon was reacting violently towards these strangers meaning they had to be enemies. Were these men the ones who hurt him? They looked burly and strong enough to have caused Koen his injuries, and they looked like they had come from his world, Tzion.
Well, she and her dragon wouldn’t go down without a fight.
Marina adjusted her hold on the rock, making sure her fingers could dig into the edges so a decent swing wouldn’t sent the rock flying from her grip at an inopportune time.
To her amazement, the golden man had stripped totally naked, and like Koen was covered in brilliant light. Left in his wake was a dragon of cobalt, smaller than Koen’s.
The black dragon radiated heat, the cave increasing in temperature by several degrees.
The blue dragon was the opposite – he chilled the air. When he breathed out the moisture on the walls of the damp cave froze over. The roof and floor iced over with glittering hoarfrost, and the stalagmites above frosted over to jagged icicles.
He reared back onto his hind legs, and roared at Koen, the soft hollow of his throat brightening into a stormy blue.
Koen stomped forward, maw snapping in warning. The ground shook. His advance forced the smaller dragon back.
He hissed at Koen then stomped out of the cave. A wall of ice appeared in Koen’s way, and he smashed his way through it. His tail slammed into the roof of the cave, and dislodged a hail of stones.
Marina danced back, and covered her head. If one of those rocks caught her she wouldn’t be getting back up again.
“Finally,” a voice sighed. “Those brutes have left us alone, lovely one.”
Marina tore her eyes from Koen’s retreating form to stare at the man advancing on her.
She held up a hand to ward him off, and brought the rock to her shoulder, ready to crank her arm back and hurl it at him.
“Stop,” she warned in her most authoritative voice. “Don’t come any closer. I’ll hurt you.”
She couldn’t step back because she’d stupidly backed herself into the wall. She tried sidling to the side, but he quickly changed direction to thwart her. He grinned impishly, and winked when she tried stepping one way than the other to trick him. Her attacker laughed, and continued his steady pace, big hands. Considering the way his hot gaze roamed over her, Marina doubted she wanted him to get hold of her.
She could hear Koen and the other dragon going at it outside, and she was worried. The ground quaked as they battled each other, and she could hear the deep inhalation of air moment before they spewed fire and ice.
She needed to get to her dragon, to protect him from harm, but she had to deal with grabby hands first.
“Now, now, retract the claws, my dove, my sweet. I know Koen curdles the blood of the most willing lady, but I’m something else altogether. You’ll welcome my kiss, maybe more.”
The way he said Koen’s name made her hesitate. There was familiarity there, maybe even some kind of affection, but she had no time to let self-doubts assail her. One wrong move and mo amount of self-defense training would help her if this brute managed to pin her under him.
He was enormous, not as big as Koen or the golden man. There was something softer, and adolescent about him. His eyes were a light green, almost hazel, and his face was dark, as if he’d been in the sun. His bare arms were wiry with muscle, his wrists encircled by leather cuffs. He had near a foot in height on Marina, and some hundred extra pounds of solid muscle. Worse, he wore a sword, a katana if she wasn’t mistaken, and his body movement told her he was highly trained in martial arts.
She had to attack now and ask questions later.
She bared her teeth threateningly, and leveled a glare at him that had made many men think twice about bothering her. “I mean it,” she said in a hard voice. “Take another step and I’ll brain you.”
Confusion passed over his face, but he shrugged and reached for her.
Setting her lips, prepared for the sickening crunch, Marina slammed the rock into the side of his head as hard as she could.
There was no crunch, but the loud thwack was tribute to the amount of force she’d put behind the swing.
“Wow,” she blurted half in fear and half admiration. “You’ve got a hard head.”
There was a moment where he stared at her in shock. He touched the side of his head then toppled over onto his back with a loud thump.
Breathing hard, Marina studied him then the rock in her hand. It had a smear of blood on it, and she felt a pang of guilt that she quickly smothered. Who knows what he would have done if he’d gotten a hold of her.
She leaned over him, crouched down to get a better look. Now he was unconscious, face blank rather than heated with lust, he was rather handsome. Tall and dark, he was dressed in black plated amour that had a green sun sigil in the centre.
He groaned, head lolling to one side. Marina shrieked, clutched the rock tighter, and hit him again when he raised his head.
His eyes slid out of focus, and rolled into the back of his head.
She grimaced and patted his forehead, whispering an apology even as she lifted the rock to hit him again when he twitched.
The roaring outside got louder then stopped altogether.
Crouched over the man she’d felled, Marina froze, her breaths coming in short, sharp bursts. She heard footsteps echoing as someone walked back towards her.
“Koen?” she called hesitantly, craning her neck to see around the bend.
The golden man rounded the corner – not the man she wanted to see.
She saw red. If he’d hurt her dragon, he’d pay. Marina adjusted her stance, pulled back her arm, and threw the rock with all her might.
The man saw it coming and ducked. It sailed passed him to smack an unsuspecting Koen in the face.
Chapter 6
Koen shoved Daniil when the man smirked at him. He rushed to get back to Marina before his brother did something stupid – like try to kiss her – and Daniil found it entertaining.
The women at court loved Nikolai. His handsome face, titles, and sweet tongue earned him their devotion and affections. The problem was that since he was a youngling, Nikolai had so many foolish women tripping over themselves to fawn over him. Such female attention had cultivated an inability to tell when a woman genuinely wasn’t interested in him.
Koen knew Marina. The two were close in age, but she would see him and childish. Even so, she would perceive Nikolai’s abrupt need to touch and kiss her as a threat, and Koen knew Nikolai liked the way she smelt, a strong indication of attraction to dragon lords.
Marina would defend herself, and Koen knew she could be inventive.
He rushed back to protect his brother from himself. Of course, if he’d touched Marina, Koen would have no choice but to rip his brother’s limbs off, and beat him bloody with them.
Koen quickened his step, and gritted his teeth when Daniil matched it, purposefully obscuring his view when they turned the bend.
Suddenly, Daniil ducked, and Koen watched, dumbfounded, as a rock hurtled through the air and struck him between the eyes.
Pain exploded across his brow and he staggered back, clutching his head.
Daniil burst out laughing, and stuck a leg out behind Koen to trip him over. He fell hard on his back, and grunted when Daniil placed a boot high on his chest, gloating over him.
“Oi,” Marina screeched and flung herself at him, fists swinging.
He laughed and grabbed her arm, but she spun into him so he had her back, and elbowed him in the gut. Daniil doubled over, his eyes bulging, and Marina gripped his arm and heaved.
Koen watched in shock as Marina, tiny five foot nothing, Marina, ducked, pulled, and used Daniil’s body weight against him to toss him over her shoulder onto his back, wrenching his arm. She kicked him in the side for good measure then rushed to Koen, hooking her hands under his arms. Huffing and puffing, she dragged him towards the cave entrance.
Thunderstruck, Koen saw Nikolai’s motionless legs as he was pulled around the corner. Marina paused, breathing heavy then dug her heels in and yanked him.
“What are you doing exactly?” he asked once he’d gotten over his shock and the ringing in his ears had stopped.
“I’m saving you.”
“From my brothers?” Koen asked, mystified.
Marina stilled, her panting pushing warm breath over the nape of his neck. Koen could feel her chest pushed up against his back and he rubbed himself against her subtly. It made him feel much better.
Marina dropped him and marched round to stare down at him. “Your brothers? You attack your brothers do you?”
He wasn’t about to tell her his protective instincts had been roused by the way Daniil had stared at her. How when Nikolai declared her his, his dragon had taken against the idea so strongly he immediately had to shift to deal with them. Daniil had wisely taken the brunt of his anger, and by the time he was done venting, Koen had brought his jealousy under control – so much for hiding it from them. Daniil would be difficult to shake now they knew the truth. Even Nikolai would realize what was going on between them, and he’d gleefully cling to it, as it would be a reasonable explanation of Marina’s rejection of him … at least she had better have rejected him.
“When the occasion calls for it, yes,” Koen said haughtily. “You’ve met Nikolai?”
Her face blanked and her mouth flapped open as her face drained of color. “Oh.”
She turned on her heel and darted back around the bend.
Grumbling, Koen stood rubbing his face. He would have to remember that she had an excellent throwing arm, and be sure to keep any daggers safely out of her reach.
Koen rounded the bend to see Daniil standing over Nikolai with his arms crossed, peering down at Marina.
She straddled his brother and patted his cheek, calling his name.
Nikolai groaned, and opened his eyes. He stared at Marina, grinned, then leaned up to wrap his arms around her to bind her to him. He kissed her full on the lips with a loud smacking sound. Eyes popping, she made a high-pitched squeal, and pushed at his arms, trying to detach him.
Daniil threw back his head and roared with laughter.
Koen marched over and lifted Marina off his brother. Setting her down beside him, he glowered down at the young dragon lord.
“Get up you fool,” he snapped.
“But brother, I am in love with a vision, a beautiful dove, a delicate flower a–”
“A woman who can knock you unconscious with a rock,” Daniil added and laughed harder.
“Is he alright?” Marina asked, trying to see around Koen’s shoulder. Her small hands pressed into his back, and her eyes were fretful. “I’m sorry Koen. I didn’t realize or hold back. I really went for it.”
“More than once if I recall,” Nikolai said cheerfully and jumped up. “Not to worry my precious. I am strong, and healthy, and can take whatever blows you seek to levy upon my body and heart. Both are yours, my angel.”
“Oh, shut up,” Koen growled.
Marina’s face was flushed, and her eyes glassy. Her mouth had been bruised under Nikolai’s kiss, and her lips were slightly parted. There was a faraway, dazed expression on her face, and it irritated him his younger hot-head brother had been the one to put it there.
Surely she didn’t enjoy it, being kissed by Nikolai?
Their first kiss had been inept and badly done. Koen had merely been testing her to see how his body reacted. In truth, he hardened from breathing in her scent too deeply, and when his mouth had pressed on hers, it shocked him to his core. She’d looked perplexed, and wary. He knew then she wasn’t as affected, no, was near clueless as to what was happening between them.
It was galling her reaction kissing him had been so inadequate, and her kiss with his brother left her in a state of wantonness.
He was angry, and he shook her. “What are you doing?”
He meant what she was doing enjoying kissing Nikolai, but the faraway look disappeared, and her eyes flashed. She knocked his hands away and stuck her pert
nose in the air. Her arms crossed over her chest defensively. “I was trying to save our lives. I thought were enemies. It’s not like you told me not to hurt them. You shoved me out the way, and started breathing fire. Then this one,” she waved a hand at Nikolai, “stared getting grabby. What was I supposed to think or do?”
Daniil all but gawked at her tone when addressing Koen. His eyes lit with curiosity and mirth, and she switched her ire on him.
“Don’t you stand there looking all innocent. You didn’t exactly help matters, spiting ice everywhere, and roaring back at him. Pair of animals, the both of you.” She moved passed Koen and planted herself in front of Nikolai. “And as for you. Keep those lips to yourself buddy. If I want to be kissed by you, you’ll be the first to know. Don’t ever presume again when it comes to me, or your precious will take away something precious.” Her eyes dropped to his groin then flicked back to his face. “Got it?”
Koen could see from Nikolai’s face that he was enchanted.
He nodded empathically, and pressed a hand to his heart. “Whatever you wish, fiery one.”
Her gaze pinged between the three men, and settled on Koen. “Introductions?”
Nikolai grabbed her hand and swept into a low bow. “Dragon lord Nikolai of House Raad, my beloved.” He went to press a kiss to her palm, but Koen growled low in his throat, and he thought better of it. He grinned instead.
Marina’s eyes sparkled at him, and a smile flitted across her face.
Daniil jostled Nikolai out of the way, and executed a perfect salute and bow. “Dragon lord Daniil of House Kol. May I be so bold as to know your name lady of the Chosen?”
Marina cocked her head at him, visibly charmed as her gaze roamed over him with interest. “My name’s Marina. Lady of the Chosen, what’s that?”
Daniil opened his mouth, and Koen splayed his hand over his face, shoving him away before he could speak, and ruin everything more than he already had. A brief look at Marina’s face allowed him to see a glimmer of curiosity on her face.
“Enough with the introductions,” he said. “You two are early.”
Smolder (Dragon Souls) Page 6
