Surrender Her Touch

by Kari Thomas

  Instead of letting go, Slade slowly rubbed his thumb over her wrist. “Soft,” he murmured. Summer’s heart raced. Why was she reacting this way to an almost complete stranger? Granted, she hadn’t dated much, so she was more than a little naïve in the seduction game, but she was mature enough to handle a simple attraction. She frowned. Attraction? No. It was more an odd fascination with this enigmatic man because of the circumstances of their initial meeting. Yeah, right.

  Feeling off-balanced and not liking it, Summer yanked her hand free just as Reed came back into the room. Grinning at her, Slade sat up, and she had to move off the sofa to give him room to stand. Whoa. I didn’t realize he was so tall. Her small five-four height barely reached his shoulders. She felt suddenly very delicate and feminine standing so close to his hard build. Or maybe it was because of the way his hooded gaze was now caressing her length from head to toe.

  Reed broke the sensual spell by gruffly asking, “What happened here, Slade?”

  Slade shot a look at Summer. “We need to talk in private.”

  “Oh no, you don’t,” Summer told him. “This concerns me, and I have a right to hear what’s going on.” It was bad enough she had shadows stalking her now. She needed to know everything before she could figure out how to handle it. She wasn’t about to rely completely on someone else to keep her out of danger. She’d lost loved ones once before who had tried to protect her. She couldn’t face that again.

  Slade muttered something under his breath then shrugged his shoulders. He turned back to Reed. “You probably already know about the accident. I was pursuing suspects and lost them. I called the department and had them bring me a back-up vehicle and then came here. I also turned in the license number. We should know something soon. I don’t know who they were, but they were in the parking garage at the Towers, so I’m guessing they were waiting for…” He shot Summer a glance and then continued. “I called ahead but your phone line was dead. I parked down the road and jogged in. I didn’t see any other vehicles around, but something felt wrong. I came in through the side garage door–you need to secure that better, Reed. I found Summer with her unusual guard pet here and was about to say something when I noticed several dark shadows outside on the patio.” He ran a hand through his hair, disgust written on his face. “I pursued them but lost them in the woods. Damn it.” He shot an angry glare at Reed when he felt the bump on his head. “You could have warned me about that damn cat. Who in their right mind keeps a mountain lion inside and as a pet? You owe me big time for this, Reed.”

  “Noted,” Reed said, then sighed heavily. “I can’t say I’m happy to find out I was right about my intuition. We need to get on this right away, Slade. I can’t have Summer be a target for some crazy idiot who thinks he can get to me through her.”

  Summer watched the two men, and then studied Slade’s expressions closely. She couldn’t be sure, but she suspected he hadn’t told the entire truth about what had happened. Why would he keep something back? She made a mental note to ask Reed just how well he knew Slade Stryker.

  “What makes you think they’ve targeted Summer because of you?” Slade’s voice dropped lower. There was an edge of violence just under the deep tone and Summer shivered. She knew, beyond any doubt, that Slade could be a very dangerous man if he needed to be.

  “Why else?” Reed frowned at him.

  “That’s what I intend to find out,” Slade told him. He turned back to Summer and her pulses raced when his gold gaze once again brushed over her whole body. “But you’re going to have to be more cooperative. No more kicking. No more letting that damn cat attack me. Deal?”

  For some reason his silky tone and words irritated her. Deal? Who did he think he was, treating her like a misbehaving child? She couldn’t help it; the words were out before she thought them through. “I’ll think about being a meek little girl. I wouldn’t want to keep you scared of me and Leo.”

  Slade’s eyes darkened, gleamed with a gold fire. His sensual mouth curved into a slow, sexy smile that took her breath away. “Not likely.” He raised his eyebrows. “Leo? You named a mountain lion Leo?” He chuckled. “You’re one surprise after another, Summer. Anything else I should know before I’m caught off guard again?”

  Summer smiled mischievously and heard his instant reaction to it in the sharp inhale of his breath. Butterflies started swirling in her stomach. She knew then, she’d have to be careful around this man. Very careful.

  “Only one other thing,” she said softly, “I don’t take orders easily. I’m very stubborn about that.”

  Slade grinned, though the smile never reached the dangerous gleam in his eyes. “That’s okay, sweetheart. I know how to handle stubborn.”

  Help! She could only hope the stalker was caught very soon. She wasn’t sure how much she could handle being around Slade Stryker. The sooner he was out of her life, the better.

  Then, why did that thought bother her?

  Chapter Five

  Slade’s Hummer was repaired and waiting when he got back to the Police Station. Despite the roll over, it had sustained little damage. The license number he’d taken off the van revealed a stolen vehicle; it was a dead end there. He’d have to rely on instincts rather than evidence if he was going to get any further with this. He headed toward the outskirts of town, keeping an eye out for the van just in case.

  Reed was going to be home with Summer the entire weekend, so he wouldn’t have to worry about her while he was at the Clan compound for a few days. He divided his time between the city and the compound, sometimes putting in fourteen to sixteen hour days. His job as a Detective gave him the opportunity to keep a close watch on the Clan members who lived in the city, and his position as Prime Enforcer gave him the authoritative control over the entire Clan when it came to matters of protection and security.

  Damn if it didn’t feel like he was failing his job right now. The elusive perp attacking humans and dragon shifters was no closer to being caught than he was when he first started his trail of terror. The first victim had been a dragon shifter. Slade’s initial worry was that the victim might have been targeted because someone had discovered his secret, but the next two victims had been human. What the hell was going on? Each attack was identical. Each victim had been stabbed in the back, in both shoulder blades.

  Hell. It’s almost as though he was certain he would find wings… Slade didn’t want to finish the thought. If there was any chance he was right, then the human victims had only been decoys. The perp was looking for certain people: Dragon Shifters, whose wings lay beneath several layers of their skin. Right between their shoulder blades.

  He didn’t think it possible the Clan’s secret had been exposed. They’d been too careful, too elusive. The Firestorm Dragons Security Team patrolled the 5,000-acre compound around the clock. Residents in Kings Mountain knew the huge ranch estate was there and thought it was owned by a communal group. They never questioned the strict No Trespassing signs or wondered why those living there demanded complete privacy. As long as no problems arose, most people never paid any attention to the place. Slade spent his every waking hour working to protect his Clan. He would have known if someone somehow had discovered their secret.

  Yet, his gut instinct told him trouble lay ahead.

  Why the hell was Summer involved? His jaw clenched. Was Reed right, and they had targeted her because of him? It wasn’t an unusual situation. Reed was Chief of Police. Countless times over the years, family members became targets when the criminal aimed for those in power.

  That didn’t explain the supernatural being he’d chased into the woods or the other fleeing shadows he’d caught sight of there. Whatever the large, bulky shadow had been, it was fast, easily getting away from even his preternatural speed. He didn’t know of many things that could escape his pursuit.

  Hellfire. Too many questions and no answers.

  Now Summer was involved. That ate at him more than anything. The little vixen might be tough in her own way, but she was a
s vulnerable as a baby dragon in so many other ways. She’d stood up to him, but all he could think about was how delicate she looked and how damn beautiful. His body instantly hardened remembering the way she felt lying beneath him, all her soft curves molding to his aroused body as though it was the most natural thing in the world.

  She’s human, you idiot. Telling his conscience that was one thing, convincing his body was another deal altogether. He’d been hard and filled with searing lust the moment he’d walked into the room and saw her kneeling by that cat. The overwhelming reaction had nearly choked the breath out of him. He’d never felt that way about any woman, and he didn’t like it.

  He dated his share of women, a few humans, but mostly dragon shifters within the clan. But he’d never allowed any commitment to form, never let it go beyond the one-night stands. His job was first priority. He’d never met the woman who could take place over that.

  Yet…what if Summer hadn’t been human? Forget it. No way in hell was he even going to go there.

  The drive to the Compound took thirty minutes through long winding mountain roads sided by dense forestry. Fifteen-foot-high, iron gates blocked the entrance to the turn off leading ten more miles into the compound. A two-story building sat just inside the gates, where four dragon guards lived and kept patrol. The entire acreage surrounding the compound was enclosed by a six-foot electric fence monitored by cameras and sensors twenty-four-seven.

  The Clan had chosen the remote area because of the level of security it provided. Driven from their home island in an uncharted area of the South Seas because of volcanic destruction, they’d searched long and hard for a place to live and be safe again. Colorado still had untouched land ranges, remote and perfect for a clan of shifters who guarded their secret with their lives.

  He missed the island, but Slade had finally come to appreciate the majestic beauty of Colorado. He, like the others, found mixing with humans on a purely business level–a little more enjoyable than he’d anticipated. It opened up a whole new world for them after being isolated for so long. Not to mention it might very well turn out to be their salvation from extinction.

  He drove into the area of the Compound, where the main house and several others circled in a tight cul-de-sac. The largest house, a three-story brick building consisting of personal rooms, offices, and a council room, belonged to the Shamara leader Ruliard Windstrom and his son Ansel. The surrounding five houses belonged to members of the Firestorm team. Slade’s house was next to the ruler’s. Other clan members had homes scattered around the extensive area, almost ninety of them total.

  Slade’s house was a two-story Spanish style, white with red brick accent and a wide veranda encircling the entire house, both floors. He liked the openness of the structure, the way the rooms flowed, without the restriction of too many walls, into each other. He kept an apartment in the city for the times he couldn’t make it back here, but he didn’t like the enclosed feeling of the space, so he tried not to have to stay there any more than necessary. Dragons needed space. They needed freedom to change into their preternatural forms and to fly without fear of exposure.

  Resisting the temptation to change and go for a long-needed flight, Slade parked his Hummer in front of his garage and got out. He headed to the main house. Ruliard and Ansel needed to be caught up with what was happening. He didn’t relish telling them the strange being had gotten away. Ansel would never let him live that one down. Good thing they were best of friends, or he just might have to beat the crap out of the future ruler. Smiling at the thought, Slade nodded at the two guards at the door and walked in.

  Instantly he felt the tension hovering in the air. “Ansel?” He waited for an answer, wondering where the two servants usually scurrying around were. He headed toward the main room glancing in each room he passed. Just as he started toward the office, Ansel stepped into the long hall. Slade saw the worried expression on his face. “What’s wrong?”

  Ansel shook his head. At fifty years old he still retained his youthful features like all dragon shifters. Tall and slim, he was a few inches shorter than Slade, with light blonde hair and blue eyes. His handsome features were softer than Slade’s strong angles. Ansel, like Ruliard, was an Air Dragon, the only two left.

  Air Dragons were the undeniable rulers of the other breeds because they had the one thing no other dragon had: magic. They were able to control the elements–air, wind, storms–and manipulate them to their needs. Ansel, though, was only half Air. His mother, Ruliard’s second mate, had been a Water Dragon; so, Ansel’s gift of air magic was limited. Slade was a Fire Dragon, and also half Air. Like Ansel, his powers were limited. He rarely had need of them, so he didn’t think about it much. Ansel on the other hand, griped a lot when he couldn’t use his born talents the way he wanted.

  “I’m glad you’re here, Slade,” Ansel said as they clasped arms in the traditional dragon greeting. “Father has fallen ill. It was very sudden, and we can’t figure out what’s wrong.”

  “When did it happen?” Slade followed Ansel down the long hall toward Ruliard’s bedroom quarters. “What are the symptoms?”

  This wasn’t good. Dragon shifters rarely became ill. They healed quickly from any wound, and most diseases had never been a problem either. Lucky for them because they had long ago lost their Healers.

  “He came back from flying yesterday evening. Complained about being tired and went to bed early. He’s refused to eat all day. He’s running a slight fever.” Ansel frowned and rubbed his jaw line. “I spoke with the guards who went with him on the flight. Nothing unusual happened. They stopped at one of the small lakes, caught some fish and a few deer. That was the last time he ate.”

  “Maybe something was wrong with the deer meat or the fish.” Slade pulled the small walkie-talkie he carried with him from his jacket pocket. “Calen, Edan. Check in.” He waited and seconds later both men made acknowledgment. “Take Boyce to the lake Ruliard visited yesterday. Have him check for anything unusual with the wildlife. I want you also to scout the area and look for any proof of trespassing. Report back to me as soon as you can.”

  Boyce was the closest thing they had to medical personnel. His scientific mind was unsurpassed when it came to figuring out solutions involving nature or things closely related. If there were something wrong with the deer meat or the fish, Boyce would find out.

  Slade was unprepared for the sight of Ruliard ill and in bed. He stopped abruptly in the doorway and stared. Even though the ruler was over 225–and the usual dragon lifespan was only 200–he had always remained youthful in appearance and stature. That wasn’t the case now.

  Ruliard’s six-foot frame looked fragile lying under the covers. His stern features were showing signs of stress and fatigue. Even his normally dragon-tanned skin was pale, almost a grey color. Slade’s heart raced. What the hell was going on?

  He walked over to the bed and sat down in the chair next to it. Ruliard opened his eyes. “Hey, boss man,” Slade said. “Playing lazy isn’t something I’d ever expect from you.”

  Ruliard grinned, for a moment looking like his old self. Slade was the only one who ever got away with calling him boss man. “When you’re 225, you can play lazy once in awhile.”

  Slade touched Ruliard’s uncovered arm. The heat radiating off him wasn’t normal. “Ansel said you ate something that didn’t agree with you. Getting a soft stomach in your old age?”

  Ruliard glared, but only half-heartedly. “Ansel, take this bird outside and beat some respect into him.”

  “Later.” Ansel sat down on the opposite side of the bed. “First, let’s figure out what’s wrong with you. It’s always a good thing to have Slade on our side. If I beat him up, he’ll sulk for weeks.”

  “In your dreams,” Slade muttered good-naturedly. He made eye contact with Ansel and nodded his head toward the door. He stood up and mock-saluted Ruliard. “Get some rest, boss man. I expect you back on your feet by tomorrow.”

  Slade and Ansel left, closing the door be
hind them. Slade kept his voice low. “We’ll figure out what to do as soon as my men check in with their report. Meanwhile, we need to discuss this case. There’s been a change in the pattern of attacks.”

  He filled Ansel in on the vehicle chase and the loss of the stranger stalking Summer. “I don’t like it, but I don’t doubt it anymore. Whoever we’re dealing with is something more than human. That explains why our people were so easily attacked. I believe it has human help; the driver of the van knew the city very well–and that would account for how easily these attacks are being carried out. People aren’t suspecting something non-human.”

  “Why is Reed’s daughter being targeted? Do you think she might know something?”

  “No. She was confused and scared to death when she was almost attacked tonight.” He’d wanted to rip someone to shreds for doing that to her. “I think she’s just a vulnerable victim.”

  At least, he was hoping that was the case. If someone is specifically targeting her… Despite not wanting it, this had just become more than personal now. Something deep inside him sparked to life. It burned deep, touched something in his soul he hadn’t realized existed. It was a truth he couldn’t and didn’t want to deny.

  No matter what he had to do, he would protect Summer with his life.

  * * * *

  In a secluded alley between the office buildings of the Towers, two men exchanged packages. One package had $3000 in cash. The other package contained a small vial of poison. Both men left without ever speaking a word. The big mountain lion sitting in the concealed shadows watched the exchange without blinking an eye or moving a whisker. When the two men left, he got up and slinked like a shadow out of the alley and headed home. It was two a.m., the same time it had been when the two men had met last week. They would be back next week. And so would he.

  Chapter Six

  Summer would be the first one to tell a child client that dreams sometimes held hidden meanings to be deciphered. It was a well-documented fact in the psychiatric field. Summer wasn’t ready to accept it for herself this time. She refused to believe last night’s oh-so-hot and erotic dreams featuring one too-sexy detective had any meaning beyond the fact she’d been unwillingly attracted to Slade. Yeah, that was her story and she was sticking to it.