Michael could understand Daniel’s distress.
Dragons all shared the same fundamental shape, but each color had its own, distinct trait. Green dragons, like Daniel, were sleek and smooth from nose to tail. Blue dragons sported backward-sloping horns. Red dragons had tufted tails. Black dragons were graced with a boned frill. But it was the royal, gold dragons, the ones directly descended from the original king, that sported all the traits.
“Not white,” Carissa added.
Both men looked over at her.
“What?” Daniel asked, not processing things well.
“He’s not white. His scales lack color.”
This comment had Daniel flopping Michael around again, inspecting his scales.
“Translucent,” Daniel muttered, holding Michael almost upside down while looking at his wings. “What have you done?”
Carissa came over and gently took Michael from Daniel’s hands, righting him.
He purred silently as she rubbed him under the wings. God, he loved the way she touched him.
“Your clothes are behind the desk.” Carissa set him down on the floor. “Get changed.”
Michael rubbed his shoulder against her ankle before heading around the desk to shift. He could feel Daniel’s eyes as he disappeared behind the desk. Oh, this is going to be good.
Michael’s shift came easier this time. No pain or waiting to relax, just thinking human and letting go. He could really get used to this. A snicker slipped out of him. He was going to have to get used to it. Carissa had already told him the change couldn’t be undone. Rubbing his hand through his hair, he sat up and looked over the desk at Daniel.
“White!” Daniel squeaked upon seeing Michael’s hair.
For a man of magic, Daniel sure wasn’t taking this well. Michael bit back a smile for the moment and reached for the clothing Carissa had left. Mmmm, they were still warm. And they smelled of Mine!. Ignoring his inner voice, Michael breathed in a great lungful of that sweet scent as he dragged his shirt on. God, they smelled good together. Once dressed, he stood up to face his boss.
“Michael?” Daniel questioned. He was starting to recover.
Michael mouthed a response, but no sound came out.
“Oh, wait.” Carissa stepped up to him and tipped her head back so he could have his voice.
The soft press of her lips called to that part Michael hadn’t smacked down. Uncontrollably, his arms pulled her in against him, and he deepened the kiss. She melted against him. It took a moment of exploring her mouth for his conscious mind to wrestle control back. Pulling away, he looked into her eyes. They were molten gold with desire. God, he wanted to swipe everything off the desktop and have her right there. Tempting. His blood raced south, and her eyes widened as she noticed the change in his body.
Placing her hands on his chest, she pushed him away slightly.
Was that a blush on her cheeks? It only made him want to follow through with his idea, but he let her go and turned to his flabbergasted boss. He should apologize for that scene, but he didn’t. He was not sorry at all. “Daniel.” Michael acknowledged his boss. Now was probably not a good time to repeat the snarky comment he had mouthed earlier. His inner dragon was screaming at him. He had let Mine! loose, unclaimed, in a room with another virile, male dragon. Although she was better, she had been hurt recently and was missing a scale. A scale he had pulled off. He had to protect her.
Unable to completely deny the instincts pressing on the back of his mind, Michael reached out and pulled Carissa back towards him. He shifted around, so his body was between her and Daniel. The feel of her at his back soothed that inner voice a little. His arm wrapped around to hold her there, protected. Not quite claimed, but it would have to do.
Daniel’s eyebrow crawled nearly to his hairline as he looked at Michael’s positioning. He drew in a deep breath, testing the air. “Brooding?” Concern raced across Daniel’s face as he sampled the musk and hormones Michael was giving off.
There had to be a real cocktail of interesting stuff bouncing around the office by now. “It’s been a long week.” Michael sighed and dropped his hand away from Carissa. He had to get his instincts under control. He trusted Daniel. Daniel was here to help. Daniel had a steady girlfriend and was not interested in Mine!.
And Carissa is not Mine!, so shut the hell up! Michael shook his head, trying to stop the argument going on in his brain. It didn’t work very well.
Daniel considered him for a moment before nodding his acceptance of the situation. “Report, Duncan.”
Now this was the Daniel that Michael knew, the no-nonsense, military man who ran the finest outfit in the world. Michael came to attention and delivered his verbal report.
15
Leaning her cheek against Michael’s back, Carissa felt the rumble of his voice as he laid out his findings for Daniel. There was a tension in him that had nothing to do with the military stance he had assumed. Rubbing her hand down his back, she felt it ease slightly. She should have known. His dragon had claimed her. She let out a long sigh. All the signs were there, but she hadn’t been paying close enough attention.
Carissa thought back over the time they’d spent together. His reactions must be pure instinct. She was pretty sure he hadn’t made any conscious decision to pursue her. Most of the men who came calling were only interested in her for the power and status she could give them. And those that didn’t know who she was, which was rare indeed, skedaddled when they found out who her brother was. Michael didn’t seem like a man hunting for power, nor had that last kiss been something she could have shared with someone afraid of her brother. She had meant for it to be a simple exchange, but wow! She still tingled inside from it. Had Daniel not been watching, things would have definitely ended differently.
And, if that weren’t enough, Michael had provided for her. A roll at Darien’s table. Clothing from his home. Sure, those were either good manners or necessities, but he had also raided Terrence’s refrigerator to make her breakfast. Terrence had grumbled while Michael cooked up the last of the eggs and bacon. Michael even made sure she had eaten her fill before starting in on his plate. Carissa hadn’t considered that move because he had been explaining his plan at the time, but he hadn’t even touched his food until she’d pushed her plate back. Even then, he asked if she’d had enough. Totally missed it. It had been too long since she had been around a mated pair. The male always made sure his lady had enough, was warm enough, and was protected. Michael probably didn’t even realize he was doing it.
If his dragon had claimed her, it made perfect sense why he had gone all protective with Daniel but not Terrence. Terrence was human, and therefore not a threat, while Daniel was a dragon in authority, one that Michael took directions from. The delicacy of the situation washed over her, leaving her stunned. She had to find a way to warn Daniel before he tried to separate them. Things could, potentially, get very ugly.
Carissa peeked around Michael’s shoulder and tried to catch Daniel’s eyes. The man was very intent on Michael’s description of their escape. After a few moments, though, his eyes found her. She implored him to catch the not-so-subtle signs she had missed. She felt Michael tense back up when he realized Daniel was no longer focused solely on him. His hand slipped back to her arm and urged her back behind him again. Carissa held Daniel’s attention for a moment longer before letting Michael hide her away again. Hopefully, he understood. She turned her head and rubbed her other cheek into his back, easing the tension that had built up there.
“That’s very interesting,” Daniel paused while he considered the story, “but that doesn’t explain how you ended up on video kidnapping Carissa.”
Carissa leaned into Michael, giving him her support.
“I honestly don’t know.” Michael let out a deep sigh.
Carissa’s mind had been working on just that thing for a while now. She could only think of one thing. It would explain why their kidnappers had kept Michael alive and not killed him outright. It woul
d have taken a grand mage to do it, but it was not completely impossible. Carissa stepped away from Michael’s back so she could join the conversation. Michael tried to hide her away, but she pushed his hands back.
Grabbing him by the front of his shirt, she slammed into his lips, stealing his voice, and pushed him back before he could deepen the kiss. This was not the time to enjoy that particular exchange.
Michael stumbled back, slightly shocked, as she turned to Daniel.
“Can I see this video?” Carissa ignored Michael as he regained his footing and slipped his hand to her lower back, reinforcing his unspoken claim on her. She should turn around and smack him down, but his touch just felt so good. She would have to deal with him soon, but later.
“Of course.” Daniel shifted his chair closer to the wrong side of his desk and twisted his laptop around so he could access it. “There.” He hit a few buttons and moved the screen so Carissa and Michael could see it. They watched as what was obviously Michael carried Carissa’s limp form out of a door and dropped her in the back of a van.
Anger radiated off Michael as he growled soundlessly. His mouth worked, and he voicelessly protested the video.
Carissa shushed him and restarted the video. She rested her palms on the desk and leaned in so she could see the picture better. There was something about it that bothered her.
Unable to make any other noise, Michael clicked his tongue loudly against his teeth and stabbed his finger at the image of Carissa’s limp form. His fingers curled against her back in agitation.
“What?” Carissa turned her attention up to Michael. He mouthed a word that brought her head spinning back to the video. She restarted it again and studied their figures before letting out a bark of laughter. Carissa stood up and waved her hand at the video.
“That isn’t Michael.” She smiled at the confusion on Daniel’s face. “That isn’t even me.” How could whoever had copied them have gotten it so wrong?
“What?” Daniel spun the computer around and replayed the video. “That is most definitely you.” He studied the limp woman.
Carissa laughed and pointed to the woman’s dress. “It may look like me, but it isn’t. My dress was gold with bronze filigree. This dress is bronze with gold filigree.”
Daniel’s eyes worked over the picture again. “Are you sure?” There was a note of hope mixed in with the disbelief in his voice.
“Oh yes.” Carissa smiled and nodded. “It took me nearly three months to get that fabric. The company kept sending the bronze with gold.” Carissa paused as she thought about the numerous complaints she’d made about receiving the wrong material. “I had a dress made of the wrong stuff for a function a few months ago because I had to, but I wore the gold with bronze filigree to this ball. I was so excited that I’d finally gotten the one I wanted.” She paused again as something else struck her. “And come to think of it, where’s the curtain?” Carissa looked at the still image again.
Michael caressed her back and nodded his head in agreement.
Daniel looked up from the image to Carissa. “Curtain?”
“I woke up wrapped in one of the curtains from Baron Estivis’ main sitting room.” Carissa looked up to where Michael was nodding his agreement. She looked back to Daniel. “There’s no curtain here. Does Michael go back in after putting me in the van?”
“No.” Daniel shook his head and sped through the video. “He just gets in the van and drives off.”
“Then how did I get wrapped up in the curtain?” Carissa asked.
Daniel zipped through the video a few times, thinking. “Then how do you explain this video?” He looked up, waiting.
Carissa smiled at him. There was only one possibility. “Doppelgangers.” Her smile got toothy. “Very inattentive doppelgangers, at that.” It was the only reason she could see for them keeping Michael alive. If they wanted to frame him for her abduction, the mage casting the spell would need a living subject to image from.
A light clicked on in Daniel as he put things together. “And, if we thought Michael was responsible for your abduction, then we would be more likely to believe he was also responsible for the other disappearances.” Daniel rolled his head back and looked up at the ceiling in exasperation. “We would never have even looked elsewhere for the real culprits. How could I be so blind?” He tipped his head forwards and looked at Michael.
“I am sorry, Michael.” Daniel genuinely sounded remorseful. “Jareth brought forth such a compelling case, and with Carissa’s abduction and that video, I didn’t think to question the logic.”
“And what are you going to do about that?” Carissa asked the question she was sure was running through Michael’s head.
Daniel let out a breathy sigh. “I’m going to arrest him.” He looked over the file and the video. “But this is going to make life hard.”
“How so?” Carissa asked. The facts were all laid out for anyone to see.
“I have two files on the same case. Two opposing views, and each points at the other very convincingly,” Daniel pointed out. “And the fact that Michael kidnapped you a second time.”
“He did not kidnap me!” Carissa hissed.
Daniel’s eyebrows did those pushups again. “Maybe not, but you did disappear and were later seen in his company,” Daniel replied. “Your brother is absolutely furious at the moment, which does not bode well for Michael’s case.” He looked up at the clock. “And he should be getting here at any moment.” As if by magic, a pounding came from Daniel’s door, followed by Carissa’s name in a very angry voice.
This was bad.
“Shit,” Daniel cursed as he stood up to face the hammering.
They only had a few moments before her brother broke that door down. If they were ever going to prove Michael’s innocence, they had to get out of there now. Carissa turned and grabbed Michael, pulling his attention from the weakening door. “Shift!”
Michael nodded and slipped into dragon form.
Carissa grabbed him up and rushed to the window.
“He’ll never make it out.” Daniel had followed her. “Not even dragons can make it off the property.”
Carissa knew about the safety measures used to secure Eternity’s main headquarters. “He doesn’t have to.” She yanked open the window and set Michael on the ledge. “Please,” Carissa turned back to Daniel, “make my brother understand.” Without giving him a chance to respond, Carissa shifted to dragon form and jumped up to the window. The creak of wood sounded from the door.
“No, Carissa,” Daniel protested.
“Once he understands, tell him I’ll be waiting for him.” Carissa shouldered Michael and jumped off the ledge.
Michael followed in a beat of wings.
“Where?” Daniel yelled after them.
“He’ll know.” Carissa’s answer was almost lost in the roar her brother let out as he finally broke into Daniel’s office.
***
Terror coursed through Michael’s veins as he beat his wings, trying to keep up with Carissa’s pointless flight. A second roar had announced the king’s shift to dragon form. Thankfully, he had to shift in Daniel’s office, making it impossible to transform into his grand dragon state, but that didn’t mean the small dragon form wouldn’t be deadly enough. Yay, torn to pieces versus roasted alive! And then there were the magical barriers in place to secure the area. They might as well give up. They were only making their plight worse.
Michael wanted to stop, to turn himself in, but something inside him forced him to franticly chase Carissa. They were being pursued by an insanely mad dragon, and Carissa was injured. He had to protect Mine!. Michael caught up with Carissa as she slowed slightly. He nipped at her tail as it swished past his face. They needed to go if they held any hopes of finding a safe place to hide. As it was, they were coming up on the edge of the property.
Suddenly, Carissa flipped in air, landing right on Michael’s back.
What the hell?
She folded up her wings, and they
dropped like a stone.
He flapped vainly, but she had grabbed onto his wings, hampering his ability to move. Michael rolled, trying to get her off, but she clung to him. They were only feet from solid concrete! Michael opened his mouth in a silent scream as they collided with the ground… and it gave way under him. Water rushed into his mouth as Carissa’s wings shot out and pulled them both to the surface of a lake that hadn’t been there a moment before.
Carissa turned Michael loose as his head broke the water.
He thrashed about for a few moments until he realized his wings were more of a hindrance then help. Tucking them back before he drowned, he dog-paddled for all he was worth. His eyes tracked Carissa as she glided through the water. Crazy woman! She moved surprisingly quickly as she swam circles around him. How the hell did she move so quickly? He watched her graceful form pass his face again. Hell, she wasn’t even using her legs. Tail! She was using her tail.
Michael was rewarded with a burst of momentum as he flicked his tail back and forth. Great! He might actually live through this… just to be massacred by Carissa’s brother. Why had she insisted on them running?
Seeing that he had figured out how to swim, Carissa rubbed up along his side and shot for the shore.
Michael snorted and followed a few lengths behind her. She was going to have some explaining to do.
Carissa had already shaken off and was curled in the warm sand by the time Michael dragged his carcass from the water. Michael shook himself, shedding water droplets before turning his anger towards Carissa. He yelled at her—or would have, if he’d had a voice. Pacing the sand in front of her, he let go with the rough side of his tongue. Sure, she couldn’t hear it, but she would get the fact that he was mad at her, and it made him feel better. Was that amusement in her eyes? Did she find this funny? They could have been killed! He stuck his face into hers and growled at her.
The end of Carissa’s tail thwaped down on top of his head, knocking his chin into the sand. A clawed foot followed, pressing his head down. “One—” Carissa snapped at him, “—you do not talk to me that way!” She pressed harder on him, emphasizing her point. “Only my mate has the right to talk to me like that, and you have no claim on me!”
On the Accidental Wings of Dragons (Dragons of Eternity Book 1) Page 11
