by Cara Bristol
“Larger than the lounge will accommodate.” With a wave, he opened a portal into the hall. “Come with me.”
She swallowed, adjusted her hair over her ears again then straightened her shoulders and exited into the passage.
He didn’t know why she could pick up on the subaural vocalizations, but other dragons would detect her fear and react to it, so it would be best if she could remain calm. And once she got to Draco, she would be among millions. Better to introduce her now. The first time humans saw dragons, they tended to freak. Often the second and third times, too.
If only foresight was as sharp as hindsight. When they’d landed on Earth a decade and a half ago, they’d erred. Appearing in demiforma had given the humans a false sense of equality. If they’d greeted the humans in full form, the Earthlings would have thought twice about stealing from them. They would have realized they couldn’t get away with it.
They were weaker, less technologically advanced and, for all their avarice and sneaky thievery, far less cunning than any dragon.
Seeing his other side would show her what her people faced if they continued to challenge Draco.
Contrarily, while he wanted her to fear what the dragons could do to Earth, he didn’t want her to be afraid of him. Could she accept him as he was? Man and dragon? The same, but different. Could she accept him in his entirety? Or would she see him as a monster?
Chapter Ten
Rhianna had seen dragons in full form on television, but had never come face-to-face with one. K’ev was scary enough as half man, half dragon, although she was getting used to him, and he hadn’t been anything but polite. However, the fact they had to leave a large lounge so he could shift sounded ominous. What if he couldn’t control his other side? What if it ate her? Engulfed her in a fireball? The growls and roars she’d heard in her head terrified her.
I have to face one sooner or later. Better to find out what I’m up against before we get to Draco.
While the announcement they wouldn’t be heading straight there had surprised her, it was a relief because she could use the time to process Helena’s defection, the communication from the president then Helena’s apology and aborted message.
She checked again that her hair hid the earpiece. Hopefully more instructions would be forthcoming. Probably the device was programmed to provide guidance at the appropriate time. In the meantime, keeping it in her ear would conceal it and ensure she didn’t miss a message.
She hoped the detour to Elementa didn’t interfere with the president’s plan.
Rhianna tried to memorize K’ev’s path to learn the layout of the spacecraft, but the maze of interconnecting corridors disoriented her. The lack of distinguishing features, just an endless span of gray-green metallic walls, provided no reference points. No doors, no signage, no viewing windows. He could have been leading her in circles. She’d lost track of where she’d boarded and the location of the lounge.
“You don’t have any trouble finding your way around the ship?” she asked.
“None,” K’ev replied.
“Everything looks the same,” she said.
“To you, I suppose it does.”
Another reminder of the gulf between them. The revelation about Elementa had floored her. She’d never heard of that planet. All space discoveries—each identification of a new quasar, black holes, and planets, previous existence of water on Mars, and the downgrading of planets had been reported. If Earth had established a colony on another planet, everyone would have been informed.
As a member of the president’s advisory cabinet, Helena would have been briefed. And she would have told her.
Would she have, though? There was a whole lot Helena hadn’t seen fit to share. Maybe Elementa was part of “the plan.” If the planet did have all those metals, most Earth governments would covet them—and would try to keep them for themselves.
When the dragons had come, Earth’s nations had realized they had to work together in defense against the threat, but that didn’t mean they didn’t compete with each other. No matter how closely allied, each country put its own interests first. It’s possible we did claim Elementa, but the president has kept it quiet so other nations don’t find out.
“This is the end of the road.” K’ev stopped midway along a corridor.
“What do you mean?” she asked, alarmed.
“Isn’t that an idiom for reaching one’s destination?”
“Oh, yeah.” She glanced around. “This is where you wanted to bring me? This passageway?”
“Not the passage—my personal quarters.” A portion of the wall shimmered, and an opening appeared.
She gaped. “How does that happen?”
“Intelligent design. The entire ship is one large artificial intelligence unit. It reads my signals and does what I want.”
She followed his gaze downward as he slightly moved his index finger. The portal became a solid wall again. Another flick, and the opening reappeared.
Their technology is light years ahead of ours. She gulped. If they could design a ship like this, what else could they do?
K’ev’s nostrils flared. “You’re nervous.”
“Of course I’m nervous,” she admitted. What would be the point to lying about something so obvious? No matter how straight-faced she tried to be, he always seemed to catch the slightest fib.
“Why?” Yellow eyes fixed on her face. She imagined the dragon inside him watching her through vertical pupils.
Because I’ve been conscripted into an assignment for which I’m ill-informed and in over my head. Because Earth is outmatched and outgunned, and because I’m about to meet a freaking dragon. She started to tuck her hair behind her ears then caught herself and dropped her hands. If she kept fiddling, he’d notice. Not much seemed to escape him. “Just…” She gestured to the walls. “Everything.”
“He won’t hurt you—if that’s what you’re worried about.”
She thought she heard a growl. “How do you know?”
“I promise.”
“And what about my people? Are they safe, too?”
“No.”
The breath caught in her lungs to hear the truth stated so nakedly. She’d known Earth was in danger, but in a single word he’d destroyed any illusion of safety. “That’s honest, I suppose.”
“We’re always honest.”
Implying humans weren’t? She bristled and started to rebut his statement, but stopped. Her presence could be viewed as proof of his assertion. Her government had tricked her to get her here. Her best friend had deceived her, her president had lied to her—they were on the same side. If they’d misled their own, what might they have said to the Draconians?
She was saved from having to formulate a response when he motioned to the opening. “After you…”
His quarters resembled a hangar, a huge, wide-open space enclosed by gray-green walls, ceiling, and floor. You could park a fleet of limos—or a couple of airplanes inside.
The starkness surprised her. He was a prince! She’d expected something richer, more opulent. Didn’t dragons like treasure? Where were the gilded thrones? Tables with jeweled inlays? The lounge had been more luxurious than this. A bus depot was better appointed than this. At least it had benches. He had no furniture.
“This is all there is?”
“How much do you think I need?” he asked.
“I’m sorry. That was rude.”
“This is my flex chamber,” he said. “There are other rooms.” He flicked his wrist, and a half dozen portals appeared and then disappeared. “We can remain in demiforma for a long time, but eventually we must release the dragon, allow him to stretch.”
“Why not travel in full form?”
He gestured at the room. “This is the space required for one dragon. Can you imagine the size ship we’d need for an entire crew of them?”
Her lips quirked. “About a city block?”
“More like a city,” he said. “So, we travel in a compact demifo
rma state and use flex chambers for respite. I have my own attached to my personal quarters.” He paused. “My dragon is anxious to meet you, if you’re ready?”
She gulped, doubting she’d ever be ready. “I guess so.”
“I promise you’re safe. But I recommend you stand along the wall.”
Rhianna darted to the perimeter. K’ev chuckled.
He stepped to the center of the room. His body stretched and distorted, as if something writhed on the inside. He grew, his shape changing with his burgeoning size. She flinched as bones cracked, breaking and reforming. Clothing split at the seams and fell away. His neck elongated and thickened. A leathery ruff framed a massive triangular head with a protruding snout and a maw of razor-sharp teeth. Wings sprouted and unfurled from a ridged, thorny back, scales hardening into a protective shell. Hands and feet curled into talons.
Ohmygodohmygodohmygod. Rhianna felt the blood drain from her face. She plastered herself to the wall as he continued to grow until he occupied the entire space. Leathery wingtips brushed her face. She flinched and pressed herself flatter, wishing she could melt into the wall. With snake-like grace, the dragon swiveled his head and regarded her with glowing yellow eyes.
Familiar eyes, but now they gleamed with a possessiveness she hadn’t seen before. The dragon folded its wings, crouched, and hopped closer. His head zoomed in and spicy breath, a mix of burnt cinnamon and woodsmoke, wafted over her face. She’d detected that same fragrance, although much fainter, on K’ev.
Her legs shook. It’s still K’ev now. Still K’ev. She told herself she had nothing to fear, the man had promised the dragon wouldn’t hurt her—except the man wasn’t here now. Rigid as a board, she squeezed her eyes shut as the creature nudged her with its snout.
Don’t eat me, don’t eat me.
It seemed to be interested in her hair, rubbing its face in the strands, emitting a low growl that even in her fright sounded like pleasure.
Its jaw grazed her cheek. Though hard, its scales were smooth and warm. In fact, he exuded enough body heat to warm a small apartment—not that he would fit into an apartment. Hysterical giggles bubbled up, and she clamped her lips together to contain them.
It continued sniffing, whuffing as she remained motionless. The nudging and poking got more insistent. Finally, it dawned it might be trying to get her attention. She cracked an eyelid. It cocked its head and studied her. If she hadn’t been so scared, she would have sworn it looked worried. She found the notion oddly reassuring.
Dredging up her courage, with heart pounding, she reached up and patted its face. “Nice dragon. That’s a nice dragon.”
It purred, a deep rumble that vibrated in her bones. It sought her gaze again, sniffed her hair, and then hopped back to the center of the room. It gazed at her almost longingly before shifting back into the K’ev she recognized.
Well, almost. The prince was naked. And aroused.
Chapter Eleven
His dragon wished to stay in form, but Rhianna looked like she would pass out from fright, although she’d petted him and called him a “nice dragon,” which had soothed the sting of rejection.
Why does my mate fear me?
She’s afraid you’ll eat her, K’ev told him.
Never hurt Rhianna. Protect her.
K’ev and the dragon needed to have a come-to-fyre meeting soon because its obsession with the human had deepened after meeting her. Her fright should have caused him to reconsider his attraction, but it hadn’t. My mate. She fears, but she burns with fyre. The dragon desired her more than ever.
So did K’ev. He shifted into demiforma with a full-on erection.
“Oh my god, you’re naked!” Rhianna averted her head. “What happened to your clothes?”
He eyed the litter of tatters. “They did not survive the shift.” They never did. Although clothing was sewn from intelligent fabric, it still often got destroyed or lost—hence its simple, utilitarian design. Dragons appreciated beauty, which was why they collected treasure, but there was no point to creating beautiful garments that would be shredded.
She motioned with her wrist, not looking at him. “Put something on!”
Fear waned as her embarrassment rose, the latter smelling surprisingly appetizing. He had the hankering to parade around naked to savor her fragrance, but he collected the tatters, balled them up then shook out a fully intact, perfect jumpsuit and donned it. “Will this suffice?”
Rhianna’s jaw dropped. “How did that happen?”
“Intelligent material,” he replied.
“Your clothes didn’t get torn to shreds when you shifted from demiforma to human and back again.”
“Our clothing stretches quite a bit, but it can’t accommodate a full shift.”
“You seem to be rather, um, comfortable with your nudity. Why wear clothing at all?”
Because demiforma made them vulnerable. In full form, their scales hardened into armor, but in half-shift they were soft, easily penetrated. Besides being elastic, the intelligent material was impenetrable. But he wouldn’t share information with an enemy.
Aware of humans’ arbitrary social conventions, he diverted the questioning. “Would you prefer I go naked all the time?”
“No!”
“I thought not.” He grinned.
She bit her lip. “Does it hurt?”
“Does what hurt?”
“When you shift.” She winced. “It sounded like bones were crunching.”
“It’s painful, but it gets easier because our bodies have memory.” The first few times had been excruciating. Roaring distracted one from the pain. He’d stifled the roar this time because she would have fainted dead away.
“So you’re not merely a shapeshifter. You’re like two beings inside of one.”
“We are two, and we are one. Different and the same,” he explained.
“Huh.”
He could tell she didn’t understand. Nonshifters didn’t.
“When you’re in demiforma, are you aware of the dragon? Can you communicate with him?”
“Yes to both.”
“It is a he, right?”
He grinned. “Yes.”
“So he listens to you? He does what you tell him to?”
“He’s not a trained pet,” K’ev replied, more amused than insulted. He knew her people adopted domesticated animals, which they taught to do their bidding. “He and I are one and the same, but he has a mind of his own, and I have a mind.”
“So how do you control him?”
“I don’t.” Not exactly. And if he could, he certainly wouldn’t say so. The dragon would not appreciate the man’s assertion of having the upper hand. They both expressed dominance—but at different times, according to the situation.
“You assured me he wouldn’t hurt me.”
“He would never hurt you.”
“How do you know?”
“I just do. He…likes you.”
Yesss! Rhianna my mate.
“So what happens now? To me?”
“What do you mean?”
She smoothed her hair over her ear then rubbed her palms together. Olfaction wasn’t required to detect subterfuge. She jittered with nerves. “I’m not the person you expected. I’m not your consort. What’s going to happen to me?”
A valid question. The answer lay on Elementa. For her sake, he hoped her people hadn’t established a colony. “I haven’t decided yet,” he hedged. The half-truth tasted bitter. He didn’t have control over her future. He would never hurt her, but the king? He could be a problem.
Protect our mate!
“Oh, that’s reassuring,” she said sarcastically, but he smelled fear. “Why didn’t you leave me on Earth?”
“Because I didn’t want to,” he admitted. She was a jeweled treasure, tarnished by lies but still beautiful. He’d often thought of her over the years, but upon seeing her as a woman and not a child, he’d coveted her. The depth of his desire hadn’t become apparent until he’d freed the dra
gon. A full shift always put him in touch with his truest self, forging mind, emotion, and fyre into synchronous awareness.
His dragon had sniffed her, and her luscious, alien fragrance had seeped into his marrow, igniting his lust. The brush of his scales against her soft cheek aroused a carnal ache to seize, to claim. Her hair would be silken, her body yielding, her cries rapturous. Even now, with his alter-self contained, her proximity tempted him. He’d called his dragon to heel not just because of the fear wafting off her, but to rein in his lust.
He wanted her. However, unlike the dragon who focused on the present, he knew the need was transitory and would pass. Appetite would abate when she failed to satisfy. He would tire of her, grow weary of holding back, of having to take utmost care with her fragile body. He couldn’t couple with her in the unrestrained manner he could with a female dragon.
Which begged the question, why not use her as a consort anyway? Take her, and when he grew bored as he always did, send her back to Earth—provided it still existed. He didn’t have to trust her to enjoy her. She would be a novelty.
The dragon growled, disliking his train of thought. He wanted to keep her.
K’ev didn’t doubt for an instant she was part of some plot, but if the powers of Earth posed no serious threat to Draco, what danger could one lone female be? She was defenseless, vulnerable.
If he didn’t get back to Draco right away, the king would assume he was making a thorough exploration of Elementa. If he decided to seduce her, the deed had to be completed before they arrived on Draco in case the king dispatched her back to Earth, which he might then destroy.
No! His dragon roared, and Rhianna squealed and shrank back.
“It’s all right. It’s all right,” he tried to reassure her. Why could she hear him? She was human!
He wrestled with the dragon, who fought to shift to protect her. It felt like his bones were being torn apart. He contained him, but the idea harm could befall her caused his heart to seize. It didn’t matter if she was the enemy or if their coupling would be brief, he had bonded to her enough that he couldn’t allow his father to send her to her death.
