Capturing Cara (Dragon Lords of Valdier Book 2)

by S. E. Smith

  Abby took a sip of coffee, seeming to be thinking carefully about what she was going to say before she responded, “I turned, can turn, into a dragon.”

  Cara's eyes widened and a huge grin spread over her face as her mind absorbed what Abby was saying. She could see Abby looking at them all from under her eyelashes trying to determine how they would react. Cara saw Ariel and Trisha staring at Abby with their mouths hanging open and Carmen studied her with an intense expression. For Cara, the idea of being able to change into a dragon opened up a whole new realm of interesting possibilities. If she was a dragon, would she be able to fly like Trelon can? Could she spew fire like Zoran did? Oh, my...she thought with a mischievous grin, if she could no one would ever catch her.

  “That. Is. So. Cool!” Cara said excitedly her voice rising as her excitement grew. “How did you do it? Can I do it? Oh. My. God. I have to be able to do it. I could totally drive Trelon out of his ever-loving, fucking mind! Oh Abby, you have got to teach me how. Please! Please! Please!”

  The three other women glanced from Cara to Abby. Suddenly a small chuckle filled the air followed by uncontrollable giggling. All eyes whipped around unable to believe where the giggling was coming from.

  Carmen wiped her eyes trying to stop from giggling, “Oh Abby, please teach us. I would love to be able to give someone else hell and I’m sure I could think of a hundred different ways to do it in the form of a dragon.”

  Soon, all the women were giggling and making up ways they could drive the men insane by switching between human and dragon and using the symbiosis. Cara’s was the most creative but Carmen came up with the most devious. When Zoran walked into the room a couple of hours later and found all five women in hysterics he had a bad, bad feeling he and his brothers were in for trouble.

  Trelon rolled his shoulders trying to relieve some of the tension in them as he walked towards his living area. He looked around frowning when he didn’t see the two guards standing out front like they should have been. All of them had tightened security since Cara’s poison and Abby’s abduction. Concerned, he hurried forward bursting into the room with his sword in his hand. He froze when he saw the twisted figures of Cara and the two warriors in the middle of his living area.

  “What the hell is going on?” Trelon roared.

  His roar sent the two warriors crashing to the floor. Cara’s war cry echoed throughout the room.

  “I won!” Cara said doing an odd dance and pumping her arms in the air. “I won, oh yes, I won, oh yeah. Who’s the girl? What’s that you say? Cara! Cara! Cara!” She sang as she danced around the two men trying to untangle themselves from each other.

  Trelon’s arm dropped. In truth, he was so tired he just didn’t have the strength to hold it up. He watched as the two red-faced guards bowed quickly, grabbed their boots by the door, and left. His eyes followed them but his ears were tuned to his mate’s sing-song voice as she crowed she was the champion of the world at the top of her voice.

  Turning back around, Trelon barely had time to drop his sword before his little mate wrapped herself around him. He felt Cara’s legs wrap around his waist and she was peppering his face with small kisses while she talked a mile a minute. He finally had to seal his lips over hers to give himself time to think. As he deepened the kiss, he tasted a hint of some exotic flavor he wasn’t familiar with. Trelon groaned when he felt Cara moving against him restlessly while she tried to undo his shirt.

  “Cara.” Trelon said as he tried to pull away. Cara just hummed and kept kissing him.

  “Cara.” Trelon tried again, leaning further away and holding her by her shoulders so she would look at him. “What have you been drinking?”

  “Mmm,” Cara asked as she fought against his hands. “French Vanilla Cappuccinos.”

  Trelon found it was easier to hold her closer than it was to try to force her away. Wrapping his arms tightly around her waist, he moved to the couch kicking aside a…was that his sheets? The ones he had paid a fortune for at a Sarafin market just a few months ago. Why were there huge round circles of different colors all over them?

  “Cara, what are French Vanilla Cappuccinos?” Trelon asked. They must be some type of potion wine from her planet if it caused her to act like this! Trelon groaned when Cara started attacking his neck with little nips and licks.

  “Oh, it’s coffee.” Cara said between kisses. “Did you know that Abby can turn into a dragon? I want to turn into a dragon. If I turn into a dragon will I be able to fly? Can girl dragon’s breath fire? Oh, I guess they can because Abby roasted the bad guy. I want to be able to roast somebody. Do you think I can…” Cara was still talking as Trelon pressed his mouth over hers again and fell onto the couch.

  Well, Trelon thought to himself, that answers whether she would be upset about the transformation. Now all he needed to do was get her sober enough to be able to go through it; but first, he figured he better get some sleep because he had a feeling if he was having trouble keeping up with her now there would be no way he would be able to once she had a set of wings on her. Trelon released a sigh as he pulled away from her lips.

  “…try to become a dragon right now. I want to fly out over the water just like Symba did. Oh, I won at Twister. I hope you don’t mind about the sheet. I needed something that would lay out flat. I’m going to help Ariel and Carmen escape only I don’t think they are really going to escape, I think they just want to drive your brothers nuts. If I’m a dragon am I going to want to eat raw animals? I don’t think I would like that.” Cara continued as if Trelon had never kissed her.

  “Cara!” Trelon said sharply waiting for Cara to be quiet for a moment.

  “Yes?” Cara asked with a smile.

  “No more coffee!” Trelon said sternly. He was going to find out what the damn stuff was and hide it. “How much have you had?”

  “Oh, only five or six.” Cara said with a shrug of her shoulders.

  “Cups?” Trelon asked suspiciously.

  “No, pots. You see, coffee has a lot of caffeine, at least the caffeinated stuff does, and it is the only type I programmed into the replicator. I love the stuff. I can drink it all day long. Only problem is sometimes it makes me really hyper so I have to be careful. I was working on programming all different types and I got the espresso stuff down pretty good, you use espresso for some of the fancier drinks, but it is like a mega-dose of a pick-me-up. I’m telling you, if you want to stay awake for long periods of time, just drink a pot or two and it’ll keep you going for days.”

  Trelon’s eyes widened with each word. Days? Pots? Pick-me-up? Oh Gods and Goddesses, he was never going to survive! How could one tiny alien female reduce him to wanting to cry like a babe? He needed sleep desperately. He had not had a full night since he met her. How she functioned he had no idea but if he could replicate her energy level and distribute it among the Valdier warriors they would never lose another battle. Trelon stood up with Cara still chattering away in his arms and carried her towards their sleeping area. He was going to bathe her, bed her, and chain her and not necessarily in that order. He might have to gag her as well, he thought, when she began singing again.

  Chapter 16

  Trelon lay in bed wondering which god or goddess he had pissed off when he realized he was alone once again. When he tried to sit up, a tug on his wrists prevented him from moving more than a few centimeters. Closing his eyes, he decided he must have pissed every single one of them off. He was chained to the bed, with the chain he had used on his little mate. He jerked his arms but they didn’t budge. Trelon tried to scoot up to the headboard of the bed to give himself more leverage but he couldn’t because both of his ankles were attached to the bottom of it. Roaring out in rage, Trelon struggled to break the chains but they were too strong. His only recourse was to shift. He had to call to his dragon three times before it responded. It was too busy laughing its ass off at its mate’s little trick. Trelon snarled dire threats which just seemed to escalate his dragon’s amusement. Finally, he felt th
e shift come over him. As the resounding crash echoed through the room, his two guards burst in staring at him with their mouths hanging open. Trelon snarled at them, blowing a stream of dragon fire in frustration from the remnants of his bed which had collapsed under the weight of his dragon. Unfortunately, the curtains surrounding it were still partially closed and caught fire. Trelon gave a mournful groan as he rolled out of the burning bed, snapping the chains, and stomped determinedly through the open balcony doors where he promptly threw himself over the ledge.

  Cara was having the time of her life. It had been just before dawn when she had woken up full of energy. Once she realized that Trelon chained her to the bed, it had only taken a few minutes for her to undo the lock on it. If he really wanted to keep her, she figured, he should have checked the table next to the bed where she kept a small tool kit handy. In a fit of mischief, she decided to pay him back with a few chains of his own. Only she was smart enough to make sure there were no tools tucked away on his side of the bed to get him out of trouble.

  She felt amazingly well rested as they had actually gone to bed before the sun had set the night before. Of course, sleep had been a few hours after that as she had been in the mood to test some of the new positions Trelon had introduced her too. The stars had been out in full force before the effects of the caffeine had finally worn their way out of her system and she had promptly fallen asleep. Her dreams had been filled with images of dragons and sailing through the sky. Those dreams were the first thing she woke to and she knew she had to see if she could turn into a dragon like Abby could.

  After what seemed like hours of pleading, begging, and endless promises, Cara had finally gotten the thing living inside her to respond. She had been delighted when she realized it was her dragon. It had been reluctant at first, not wanting to go through the first transformation without its mate near but after Cara pointed out that Trelon was near, just sleeping, it had reluctantly responded. Cara had been so excited about seeing the different color scales forming on her arms and down her chest, she didn’t even notice her vision becoming clearer in the dark. As her excitement grew, the joy her dragon was feeling became a living fire in her blood. The fire grew and grew until Cara had let the warmth of it engulf her. She transformed right there in front of the balcony doors. Where Cara had stood as a human only moments before now stood a tiny burgundy and amethyst dragon with emerald green eyes. Cara spread her wings out marveling at the translucent texture dotted with tiny scales that seemed to glow. She lowered her small head and looked between her four –she had four legs! She caught sight of her tail before it swept up and almost knocked over some items on Trelon’s clothing drawer.

  Cara stifled a giggle not wanting to wake Trelon up yet. She wanted to fly! Her dragon gave a giggle of excitement as Cara’s enthusiasm spread. With a quiet word to Symba who had been dozing in the other room, Cara walked out onto the balcony and launched herself upward with a sweep of her wings.

  Cara let her dragon take over a little as she soared up into the cloudless sky. Soon, they had reached a partnership, her dragon was the pilot and Cara was the navigator. Cara’s dragon coughed out a laugh as Symba appeared beside her in the shape of the golden eagle. Together they flew over the walls of the palace and circled over the waking city. Cara’s little wings flapping and gliding on the wind currents. Symba came close enough to ensure Cara was wearing a light armor of gold. Cara understood she was making sure she was protected so she playfully nipped at her. Symba responded by doing a series of graceful turns. Cara watched fascinated as Symba moved up and down. Warmth came through the golden armor and Cara understood Symba was trying to teach her how to fly. Cara’s dragon gave a joyful cough before following Symba on a graceful dive towards the cliffs.

  “Cara, mi elila. Wait up for me.” Trelon called out in dragon-speak.

  He had seen the images Symba had been sending to him. His anger vanished at his first glimpse of the tiny burgundy and amethyst dragon. His dragon was practically drooling at the beauty of its mate and extremely horny for her. Trelon had to remind it they had to catch her first before he could do anything. His dragon’s growl of outrage at not seeing its mate transform for the first time made him laugh considering how much enjoyment his dragon had gotten out of his troubles with her. The problem with payback though was they occupied the same body. Yeah, he thought with a grin, he must have really pissed off all the gods and goddesses more than once. But, if having Cara as his mate was the penalty, he would do it all over again.

  Trelon’s breath caught in his throat at the first sight of his mate. She was sitting on the edge of the cliff with the morning sunrise casting its first rays over her body. The burgundy and amethyst twinkled as the light moved over her. She was a tiny dragon compared to his own but the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Mine! Trelon’s dragon responded with pride. All mine! Trelon chuckled as he responded to his dragon’s possessiveness. Ours, my friend, all ours. Trelon’s dragon gave an amused snort before it angled into a dive, gliding to land next to Cara and Symba.

  Trelon reached out with his head, rubbing it along Cara’s neck and swiping a long tongue along her jaw line. “You are so beautiful, Cara.” Trelon’s dragon purred with delight as his mate lifted her head to him.

  “Trelon, this is so cool!” Cara responded excitedly. “Everything looks so different. I flew over the city and could see everything even though it was still dark. And, Symba was showing me how to do flips in the air and use the wind to glide on. And, I have four legs and a tail. Did you see my tail?” Cara asked getting up and twirling around so she could lift her tail up to show him. “I have wings, too. Aren’t they beautiful?”

  Trelon’s dragon gave a low growl as he watched his mate twist around and lift her tail to him in an innocent invitation to mate. When she spread her wings out, he took an aggressive step towards her. He wanted his mate and he wanted her now. Trelon reached out and nipped Cara’s tail gently. She squealed and pulled it away trying to tuck it under her as she turned to face Trelon.

  “Hey, why did you do that? You might mess my tail up!” Cara said in surprise. It wasn’t until she looked in his eyes that she stumbled backwards a couple of steps.

  “Are you horny? Now?” Cara asked in disbelief. “I’m a dragon! You can’t be horny with me being a dragon!”

  “Oh, yes I can. My dragon wants to fuck his mate.” Trelon said, his eyes beginning to glow at the thought of being totally sated for the first time in his life.

  “But, you might mess up my scales!” Cara argued. “And, I want to fly some more so just tell your horny self to take a cold shower for a little while. I want to have fun.”

  “Oh, this will be fun and I promise not to mess you up to much.” Trelon growled out in a wickedly deep voice. “I want you now.” He said as he lunged for her.

  Cara gave a short scream and did what she does best now –flew away. Turning quickly, she ducked under Trelon’s outstretched mouth feeling his hot breath as he tried to grab her and dove off the edge of the cliff. Trelon’s roar of outrage echoed in the early morning as he watched his tiny mate disappear over the edge. He charged after her leaping off the cliff face and opening his wings. His heart flew to his throat as he watched her small body heading for the rocks far below. At the last minute, she opened her wings and flew through the spray of water that crashed up as it struck the rocks. He could hear her coughs of joy as she pushed down with her wings to get lift. Symba stayed above watching her warrior and his dragon chase their little mate. Shifting into a Werecat, she settled down in the grass and closed her eyes. Even she was a little exhausted from trying to keep up with the tiny buddle of energy that was their mate. For just a little while, Trelon and his dragon could watch over the tiny human/dragon that had come to mean so much too all three of them.

  Cara laughed with delight as she soared up and down just centimeters from the surface of the waves. At one point, she even dipped her back legs down far enough to touch the water. She flew along the coast h
eading in the same direction Symba had taken her the day her and Trelon ended up in the meadow. As she neared the cliffs again, she pushed down with her wings gaining altitude. She saw Trelon out of the corner of her eye. He was coming down at her with his claws extended as if he was going to grab her in mid-air. Just before he reached her, she did a flip and twisted away from him skimming between him and the cliff with mere meters to spare. She snorted at his growl. She popped up over the edge of the cliff and kept climbing until she was high above the ground. She could see the forest laid out in front of her. She flew towards it, swerving, twisting, and moving as fast as her little wings could carry her. Her dragon blew out a line of dragon fire once when Trelon almost caught her making him back off at the last minute.

  “Cara, come to me.” Trelon roared as he missed catching her again.

  Damn but she was fast. Even though he was much larger and more experienced, she picked up on flying amazingly fast. She had made it into the forest now and was darting in and out. Because of his size, he couldn’t follow her all the time and was having to make adjustments as she flew through narrow openings. Once, he almost had her; but, she twisted at the last minute going between two tree branches. He had misjudged the distance because he had been so focused on his prey and found himself stuck between the limbs. Cara had had the nerve to not only laugh at him as he struggled to break free; but, had even had the audacity to fly back to him and run her tongue up his face before taking off again. Trelon pushed and shoved at the thick branches until he was finally able to wiggle free. Pushing up through the canopy, he decided on a different mode of attack. Cara was too small and too fast for him in the dense undergrowth. He needed to get above her and take her by surprise. Trelon broke free and soared into the bright, clear sky. He watched her flying below, darting in and out of the trees like a pro. Up ahead was the meadow where he had made love to her just weeks before. He focused, waiting for just the right moment before he shot straight down, collapsing his wings tightly against his body coming up on Cara in a quick strike designed to capture his prey by surprise.