by Anna Santos
Without a word to Kayden, Barbara walked past him and went to the kitchen. It was large and contained an array of kitchen gadgets. They had an oven, a dishwasher, and a microwave. Barbara opened the fridge and found the ingredients for a sandwich.
When the sandwich was ready, she carried it to the living room and sat on the dining chair, watching the twins play their game. After a few bites, Kayden came to rest beside her. Arching an eyebrow, she waited for him to engage in some sort of conversation before the closeness became awkward.
“Did you sleep well?”
Swallowing, she held the sandwich with both hands before answering, “Not really.”
“Were you afraid of the blizzard? It can be scary for someone who isn’t used to the harsh weather.”
“No, it wasn’t that. I was just worried about Jason.”
“He can take care of himself.”
Barbara bit her sandwich. She wasn’t hungry, yet she needed to eat and put something warm in her stomach.
“I don’t think the weather will clear so soon, which is good and bad at the same time. If they know you are here, there’s no way for them to reach us. If they don’t, we are wasting precious time.”
Barbara put her sandwich down and closed her eyes as she forced herself to swallow.
“Do you want me to cook some eggs for you instead?”
“What?” She looked at him, unsure why he was being so nice.
He pointed at the plate. “You are having trouble eating your sandwich.”
“Everything tastes bad when I’m worried. I’ll just have coffee.” Barbara got up and went to get a cup of coffee.
Kayden rose and placed his mug on the counter. “I’ll make you some eggs. You need to be properly fed because the weather here requires massive amounts of calories to stay warm. You look too skinny, anyway.”
Widening her eyes, it took her a moment to register his words. Then, turning around to face him as he had moved to the stove, Barbara asked in a surprised tone, “I’m too skinny? Are you blind? I have this extra fatness here.” She pointed at her hips while everything went quiet. She noticed the twins staring at them in amusement. The twins grinned.
“Mind your own business,” Kayden shouted from the stove, throwing a kitchen towel at their heads.
She giggled, finding the familiarity of the action endearing.
“You look fine by me,” Charlie said, winking at her and resuming the game.
“Do you want bacon with your eggs?” Kayden asked.
Barbara shrugged and looked at the black coffee in her mug. “I’m not hungry but thank you for the offering. I’ll just go to my room and rest a bit more.”
Not expecting him to say anything else, she walked to the bedroom. The rocking chair seemed like a good place to be alone with her thoughts and her hot coffee.
Minutes later, she heard a soft knock on the door.
“Come in.”
Kayden peeked inside, opened the door, and entered. He carried a plate and two forks with him. “I know you said you weren’t hungry, but you may change your mind after trying this. Can I sit beside you?”
Barbara pointed at the bed and placed the empty mug on the nightstand.
Kayden sat beside her chair and offered her a fork.
Reluctantly, she accepted and tasted the eggs with bacon.
“This tastes pretty good,” she said in a surprised tone.
Kayden’s lips curled into a smile, making him seem more human and friendly. He appeared more relaxed today. “Do you mind if I eat here with you?”
“Be my guest,” she said and went for another bite.
For a moment, they shared their food in silence.
“You don’t need to be afraid, Barbara. I’ll keep you safe.”
“My safety is the last thing on my mind.” She looked at the window and saw the moving trees. “It’s peaceful here. I get why you’d rather live off the grid. It’s not easy being a shape-shifter in the city.”
“Why aren’t you with your pride?”
“My parents were scholars who liked to travel the world to study ancient societies. We never belonged to a pride. I never belonged to anything other than…my work. I like what I do. Now, I’m on the run, and the police are looking for me because some nutjob sent his goons to kill me for a dagger.”
“I’m sure the society has contacts with the police and can clarify everything that happened to get your old life back.”
“I hope so because I have nowhere else to go.”
Kayden stopped eating to look at her. His warm gaze made her stomach clench and flutter at the same time.
Gulping, Barbara grabbed her mug and got up as a tingling sensation spread throughout her skin when Kayden towered over her fragile figure with his athletic body and tantalizing dark gaze.
“Co-ffee,” she stuttered and pointed at the door before forcing her legs to move and rush to the safety of the kitchen. Barbara felt his stare burn through her back as she swayed her hips on her way out. Those yoga pants weren’t adequate for the weather, but it sure made her butt look nice.
A few minutes later, she returned to her new bedroom with two steaming cups of coffee.
“I didn’t know if you liked it sweet, so I added two spoons,” she said. Her eyes landed on Kayden’s back. She noted the fireplace was lit and wondered how he managed to do that so fast. “Is everything okay?”
Kayden was in front of the window, looking at the view.
Turning around, he nodded with a stern expression on his face. “No one will dare face this weather. We are safe and have everything here to defend ourselves in case of an attack.”
Barbara walked to him and offered him a cup. Then, she sat on the bed and took a sip of her coffee. Strong and extra dark like she loved.
“How old are you?”
His question surprised her. “Why?”
Shrugging, he sat on the mattress, which caved under his weight. “Just curious.”
The closeness between them gave her goosebumps. “How old are you?”
“Too old,” he breathed out as he warmed his hands around the cup.
“Do you miss civilization?”
He snorted. “Not really. I have everything I want here.”
“But you are alone with your brothers. Don’t you miss contact with other people?”
“I have everything I need to survive here. Plus, it’s dangerous for our kind to mingle with humans. It must be easier for your kind.”
“Not really. We can’t make friends or…” She shut up before she overshared her pathetic life. Trying to sound more positive, she asked, “What do you do for fun when the weather is like this?”
“I clean and cook, they play.” Barbara laughed at his answer. “And apparently, they are tired of my food because they asked you to cook today.”
“I love to cook, and you could help me by telling me where I can find what I need.”
Kayden arched an eyebrow at her. “Have you ever cooked bear meat?”
“No. Isn’t it illegal to hunt them down?”
“There are regulations and different permits to hunt different types of bears. Plus, we hunt to feed ourselves and not for sport. We also protect these lands from illegal hunters. As a predator, you must have an idea how important it is to hunt to survive and to regulate the growth of a few species.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve hunted. Doing it alone is not an option. It can be dangerous, and Jason has been away…”
“That’s right, lions hunt together.”
Barbara nodded. “I get my meat from the supermarket. It’s not as stimulating, but it does the job of keeping me fed.”
He gave her a half-smile and stood up. “I have bread to bake and laundry to wash. Keep the fire burning and try to sleep. You look tired.”
Barbara jumped to her feet. “Can I help? I need to keep my mind occupied not to worry so much.”
It took a while for Kayden to answer. He nodded and strode to the kitchen with her followin
g behind.
The day went by in the blink of an eye. Before Barbara realized, night had fallen, and the twins were snoring on the sofa with the TV on.
Kayden had gone outside to check on the animals. He did that often to make sure they were well fed, and the shelters didn’t cave from the force of the wind.
The door opened, and a chilling wind came inside before Kayden closed the door behind him. Tapping his boots, he aimed his gaze at her which made her put a finger to her lips and point at the sleeping twins.
“Make us some tea. I’ll put them to bed,” Kayden whispered with a grin as he removed his coat.
In two minutes, he had convinced the twins to get up and go to sleep in their bedroom. When he came back, he tended to the fireplace, patted the cushions on the sofa, and made sure the windows were shut. His body moved with the grace of a feline even if he was a dragon-shifter.
The glow of the fire made his features look exotic and his hair almost blue. She had never seen a dragon and had no idea how they would look, besides the drawings of the mythical creature she had seen in books. Would he be big and scary? Or just the same size as a man and lizard-like?
The sound of the kettle woke her up. She poured the hot water into the cups, added sugar, and stirred the drinks. “Tea is ready.”
Kayden didn’t look back. Instead, he patted the space beside him on the sofa. “Sit next to me. We can finally choose what channel to watch.”
Smirking, she obeyed, eager to spend more time with him. All her feminine senses were drawn to him. Despite the unwelcoming attitude the day before, today he was being kind to her.
“You worked hard today,” he began. “You deserve a break.”
“I don’t mind.”
She placed the cups on the coffee table and pretended to be interested in the movie while her body tensed further with the closeness. She pressed her legs tight when heat coiled in her lower stomach.
Kayden’s voice gave her goosebumps. “You can go to bed, and I’ll finish up.”
“Aren’t you tired?”
“I don’t need to sleep much.”
“Are the animals okay? You took a lot of time to get back.”
“I gave a quick look around the perimeter and placed a few traps. They are necessary for the wild animals but also for potential intruders.”
Barbara nodded. Pursing her lips and swallowing to clear her throat, she tried to distract herself by engaging in a conversation that would reveal more about him. Leaning forward and facing his gaze, she requested, “Tell me more about yourself.”
“There’s not much to tell.”
“You are a dragon-shifter. You’ve been to war and must have plenty of stories to tell.”
“Some memories are better left forgotten.”
Barbara squirmed in her seat. It was hot and difficult to breathe. “Tell me something you like to remember, then.”
“Fine, what do you want to know?”
“When did you find out you were a dragon-shifter?”
“From a very young age. I was born in a clan, and my parents educated me to be ready when the time came to shift and learn how to fly.”
“Were you born here in Alaska?”
“No, we immigrated two hundred years ago when our country was no longer safe, and we were being hunted down.”
Barbara widened her eyes in awe. “You are over two hundred years old! I’ve never met anyone as old as you.”
“Dragons live long. Did you know you were a shape-shifter growing up?”
“No. I thought I was normal. My parents kept moving around, and we lived in several countries. I was homeschooled and had no idea of what they were until I began experiencing my own change. My parents took me to the woods and told me all about my inherence and abilities. It was hard to cope. I thought my life was over… In a way, it was. I could no longer mingle with humans, even if I tried to have friends and be normal. The fear of being discovered haunted me. I couldn’t be myself around them.”
“Have you ever thought about finding a pride to live with?”
Barbara shook her head. “I like my independence. I couldn’t have my job and study more if I was in a pride of lions. They would want to dictate my life and mate me with one of their males. I’m considered old for their standards and should be having cubs already.”
Kayden frowned. “Even if you hadn’t found your destined mate?”
“Few actually find them. Lionesses are forced to… It’s boring. I’m sure you have more interesting things to tell me. And you are avoiding my questions and making me talk instead.”
“If you have to know, dragons don’t take a companion if they don’t find their true mate.”
“That’s…sweet,” she whispered as her head rested against her hand.
“Sweet?”
“Yes, romantic even. Like swans.”
Kayden chuckled and leaned closer to her. “Lonely, too. And swans just don’t choose a new partner after the other one dies. I have no idea if they have matching souls. Yet my kind only breeds with their match.”
“Does it hurt to shift into a dragon?”
“Does it hurt to shift into a lioness?”
Barbara nodded. “Less after the first times.”
“It took me a while to change into a dragon the first time. Now I can do it in seconds.”
“Do you do it often?”
“Not as much as I wish. We have to be careful even here in the mountains away from civilization and the cameras.”
“I have a rented basement where I stretch my legs, so to speak, but nothing beats running wild in the woods or savannas. I can only imagine how nice it must be to have the ability to fly.”
Kayden rested his head against the back of the sofa as his gaze softened. “It’s easy to talk to you, Barbara.”
“Really? People tell me I ask too many questions and that I’m too curious for my own good.”
“People often don’t know what they are talking about.”
Her stomach bubbled with excitement. She smiled with real happiness. “It must be nice to live among your people. Even if you aren’t in their settlement, you can always participate in their meeting and gatherings.”
“I don’t mingle much. I occasionally attend the Mating Festival.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s when females, who are looking for their partner, come from different parts of the world. It’s a way for males to find their mate.”
“Oh! You’ve a party for that? Is it cool?”
“After a while, it gets old when we don’t find the one.”
Barbara scratched the fabric of the sofa with her nail. “Even if I would go to one of those, I wouldn’t know what I was looking for. My parents never told me how we are supposed to find our soul-mate. Jason is no help either. He’s happy on his own.”
“And you?”
Barbara shrugged and stretched her hand to grab the cup. “You should drink your tea, it’s getting cold.”
Kayden didn’t let go, though. “Do you want to belong to someone?”
“Only to the right person.”
She noticed him smirk when he took the cup to his lips. He seemed to have some sort of power over her hormones because she couldn’t stop fantasizing about his lips and his hands on her body. “How did you end up going to war?”
“I joined the Navy two decades ago for the first time. It started as a way to provide for my family when my parents were killed, and our clan had to disperse. I was recruited by a secret organization after I joined the Special Forces. It was there that I'd met your brother. Apart from the high ranks in the secret organization, he’s the only one who knows what I am. Now you, because he told you.”
“He had to. But how did he find out?”
“It’s a long story.”
Barbara held the cup between her hands. The sounds of the blizzard fustigating the window and the cracklings of the fire made everything seem peaceful and safe. “I have time.”
Chapter Elev
en
IRAQ
Kayden and his SEAL team were ordered to capture a terrorist and rescue an American hostage from a walled compound. Jason was a sniper. His job was to cover the remaining teams’ entrance into the building and their exit from it. Hiding on a hill, he had a clear view of the compound as darkness shrouded the entire area. Two guards who were on duty poised to gun down any intruders, so he took them out.
When the SEAL team reached the complex, they cleared the inside of hostiles, communicating through coms. The rescue mission seemed to go well, yet when they walked out of the compound, they were ambushed. They found themselves surrounded by gunmen who had appeared from an underground bunker. The team held their ground with support from Jason.
Soon, the team scattered and broke free from the hostiles, all but one of them. Jason had been captured and taken back to the compound.
The original plan was to disperse and meet at the designated point where they would be rescued. When they didn’t see Jason, Kayden ordered his team to leave, and he returned to retrieve his teammate and friend.
With his knife in hand, Kayden slipped into the compound by slitting the throats of the guards at the entrance of the building. He walked cautiously to the front of a room and heard Jason’s cries. From the sounds he heard, they were torturing Jason.
Furious, Kayden kicked the door open, surprising the enemies. While they stood, wondering who he was, he killed them all. He grabbed Jason, and they dashed from the complex.
Kayden and Jason picked up weapons and continued running, being chased all the way. They ran until the enemies surrounded them…with no hope of rescue.
Using Kayden’s special abilities was the only way for them to survive. Therefore, Kayden told Jason he was a shifter. He turned into a dragon in Jason’s presence, flew up to the skies, and descended on the enemies, spitting a blaze of fire. They escaped, and each was given medals for their bravery. It was later that Jason shared his own secret with Kayden.
