Tarrant didn’t want to leave the bedroom, but the bed was made, he was dressed, and Valeriya was still in the bathroom. He could hear her moving around, so he knew she was okay. He wished he knew what she was thinking.
His phone was still tucked into the pocket of the jeans that were lying on the bathroom floor. He knocked and waited.
“Yes?”
He almost growled when she didn’t open the door right away. He placed his hands on the wall next to the door to keep from opening it. “I need my jeans. My phone is in there.”
And it was a measure of how much he trusted her that he’d forgotten about his phone. He never left his phone where someone else could access it. Never. It didn’t matter it was password protected and she didn’t have the code. His phone was never more than a few feet away.
The panel opened and she stuck her hand out, his jeans dangling from her fingers. He took his pants and she started to close the door. He wasn’t having it. He caught her hand, raised it to his mouth, and sucked her index finger.
She moaned, and he heard a thump as though she’d hit the wall with her free hand. “Tarrant, what are you doing?”
He scraped his teeth over her finger and then nipped the pad of skin at the base. “Making sure you don’t forget me.”
She gave a quivering laugh. “Believe me, that will never happen.”
He wanted to see her face, to kiss her, but he also knew when to back off. Still, he’d left her with something to think about. “I’ll be in the kitchen when you’re done. Help yourself to whatever you need from my closet.”
He released her hand. If he didn’t leave now, he was going to drag her out of the bathroom and into bed. He retrieved his phone and tossed his dirty jeans onto the pile of laundry he’d made on the floor. Even in the fight against evil, laundry had to be done. He’d collect the rest later and do a couple of loads.
The door to the bathroom didn’t close right away. That gave him some satisfaction. He was feeling good, but his cock was still rigid. He could go for hours, but Valeriya wasn’t used to making love so often. He didn’t want to make her uncomfortable or sore.
He punched in his password and dialed his brother. Darius answered on the first ring. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” He shifted his phone to his other ear and opened the refrigerator door. Valeriya wanted a sandwich. “Let me talk to Sarah.”
He heard the rustle of covers and knew his brother and Sarah had been engaged in the same activity as he and Valeriya, only they’d done it in a bed instead of a shower.
“Why do you want to talk to Sarah?” Darius demanded.
Tarrant dragged a block of Swiss cheese out of the fridge and set it on the countertop. He had a tomato but no lettuce. Who needed leafy green stuff when there was red meat? Apparently, women did.
He heard Sarah and Darius whispering in the background. They might as well have been yelling. He could hear every word. He grinned. Right now, his brother was getting a lecture from his woman.
He’d added mayonnaise and mustard to the bounty on the counter by the time Sarah came on the line. “Tarrant? What can I do for you?”
“Tell me about girl food.” He had sliced ham. Maybe that would do.
“What?” Sarah asked.
Tarrant shut the refrigerator door and leaned against it. “Girl food?” he repeated. “Valeriya doesn’t want meat and eggs again. She wants a sandwich, fresh fruit, and yogurt.” There was no understanding women.
Sarah laughed. He might have taken offense, but he desperately needed her help. “I’ve had the same problem with Darius,” she told him. Tarrant heard his brother muttering in the background. It made him feel better about his situation. “We’re human. We can’t eat as much as you. We also like to eat lighter. Just ask her what she wants. I’m sure she’ll let you know.”
“I’m asking you.” Information was power, and Tarrant was all about information. He should have just gone online and done some research, but Sarah was a good source.
“She’s mentioned vegetables, fruit, and yogurt. Ask her what kinds she likes. There are a lot of varieties. I’m assuming she’ll like the usual things that go in salads like lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, carrots, radishes, mushrooms, sweet peppers, and such. As for fruit, I like bananas and apples, but she might like melon or grapes, too, or all of it.” Her voice softened. “Just ask her to make a list. I’m sure it will be fine.”
He was making too much of this. He knew he was, but it was his nature to gather information in any situation in which he felt uncertain. “Okay. Thanks.” He hung up the phone and tucked it away just in time. Valeriya walked into the kitchen. She was wearing one of his flannel shirts that hit just below mid-thigh and pair of socks.
“Everything okay?” She’d halted a few steps from him.
He was standing there like an idiot, staring at her. “Fine. Everything is fine. You need to make a list,” he told her.
She cocked her head. “Of what? I’ve already started my list about the Knights. It’s down in your computer lab.”
He shook his head and went to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and dragged her against him. She smelled fresh and clean, with just a hint of arousal and a whiff of him. He liked that she carried his scent.
“Food that you like. If you want all that girly food, I need to know what it is.”
Her smile was so bright it almost blinded him. He’d obviously done the right thing. He relaxed, and the boulder of unease sitting on his shoulder dislodged and tumbled away.
“I can do that,” she promised. “After we eat. I’m starving.” Her stomach growled again, and he turned her so she was facing the counter.
“You’re welcome to raid the fridge, but I’ve got cheese, a tomato, some ham, and other stuff.” He wanted to provide for her, to give her what she needed.
“It’s perfect. Just what I want.”
His sense of pride was far out of proportion to the situation, but he didn’t care. His woman needed something, and he’d provided it. His dragon rumbled inside him, content as well.
“We’ll go shopping when things die down.” It was going to take some ingenuity to get the fresh fruit and vegetables that Valeriya needed, but he was up to the challenge. He could always stock up on canned and frozen, but fresh was best.
“I’d like that.” She smiled and went to the counter. “Do you have any bread?”
How had he forgotten bread? Feeling like an idiot, he opened the refrigerator and then checked the cupboard. There was none there. The freezer was next. He pulled out a loaf of whole-grain bread. “Got it.”
Valeriya took the frozen chunk of bread and laughed. “I guess I’ll have a toasted sandwich.”
He shook his head. “No need.” He took back the bread, opened the bag and set the frozen chunk on the counter. “Watch this.” He knew he was showing off and didn’t much care.
Tarrant allowed himself to feel the burn of the dragon’s fire deep within. He concentrated on the heat and blew gently on the bread—not quite fire, but superheated air. The ice crystals melted. He kept at it until he knew not only was all the ice gone, but the bread was warm, too.
“There you go.” He stepped back from the counter.
Valeriya was staring at him with a look of wonder in her eyes. “That is so cool.” She poked at a slice of the bread. “It’s perfect.”
He stood a little taller, and she laughed. This time, she poked him in the stomach. “You’re all that and a bag of chips,” she told him.
He frowned, not understanding the reference. He knew he’d seen it online, but he hadn’t paid much attention.
Her fingers curled against his skin, more of a caress. “It means you’re special and you know it.”
“We should eat.” He wasn’t blushing, not exactly, but he wasn’t comfortable, either. Someone else’s approval had never meant so much to him, and he wasn’t sure he liked it. Although, it did feel good when she praised him.
They made sandwiches. She m
ade one and he used the rest of the bread to make a stack of his own. He let her have the tomato and piled meat and cheese on his.
She eyed the platter he set next to his seat at the counter. “You can really eat all that?”
“Yes.” He didn’t tell her he’d probably still be hungry when he was done. He went to the fridge and took out two bottles of water before taking his seat.
“That makes my point.” She took a bite and chewed. He liked seeing her eat and knowing he’d provided for her. “I can’t eat the way you do.”
“I get it.” And he did. It had been a long time since he’d lived alongside humans. Plus, both parts of him—the human and the dragon—wanted to take care of her. On a fundamental level, that meant protection, housing, and food.
…
Valeriya enjoyed her meal. The ham was tasty and the tomato relatively fresh. But it was Tarrant’s effort that made it special. He was trying so hard, and that meant everything to her.
“What will happen?” She hated to bring up the Knights and her sister, but they were never far from her thoughts.
He set down the sandwich he was eating. “What do you mean?”
She shrugged and took a mouthful of water. “Will we live here? How will we avoid them?” She shivered and rubbed her hands up and down her arms. That was the part that worried her. “We can’t let them find you.” It was her biggest worry, even more so than her possible death.
Tarrant reached out and touched her hair before sliding his hand down to her cheek. “That won’t happen.”
“You seem so sure,” she whispered. She wished she could be as confident. “They’ve had other drakons.” She knew that for a fact. There had always been talk when she was growing up. She’d been a quiet child, and the adults had often forgotten she was in the room with them. Plus, she’d been known to eavesdrop more purposefully on occasion.
His expression turned bleak. “I know. Believe me.”
“I’m sorry.” She covered his hand. “Were they friends?”
He shook his head. “Drakons are solitary creatures.” He frowned. “That’s part of the problem. They have no one to call on in times of need.”
She nodded and they both went back to eating. She managed another bite, but the conversation had ruined her appetite. “I get how that was the case in days gone by. There’d be no way for you to know what was happening to a drakon halfway around the world. But things are different now. Communications have changed.”
Tarrant finished devouring the last sandwich on his plate and nodded. “Communications may have changed, but drakons haven’t. Believe me, I’ve reached out.”
Valeriya was smart enough to know if anyone could find reclusive drakons, it was Tarrant. “You’ve found them.”
He nodded. “Not all, but some.”
“Will they help if it comes to a war?” Her stomach roiled at the thought, but there was no denying reality.
He shook his head and pushed away from the counter. “Doubtful. They live in their own secure lives they’ve made and won’t risk it. And I wouldn’t ask them to.”
She understood that. She didn’t like it, but she understood. “What about your brothers?” He’d mentioned he had them, but she was reluctant to bring them up. “You didn’t say how many you have, but I gather there’s more than one.”
He removed her empty plate and laid it in the sink. The dishwasher was still filled with clean dishes, as neither of them had emptied it. It was hard to think about household chores with everything else going on.
“My brothers and I stay in touch. We don’t live near one another, for safety reasons.”
“That’s sad. I have a sister I lived with for years, but we were never close. You have brothers you’re close with, but they don’t live nearby.”
“It is what it is.” Tarrant put the kettle on to boil and then started a fresh pot of coffee.
“You don’t have any chocolate, do you?” It was a weakness, but if a situation ever called for chocolate, it was this one.
He turned away from the coffeepot and tilted his head. “Chocolate.”
She leaned her elbows on the counter and rested her chin on her hands. “Yes. I need chocolate.”
“Is that another one of those girly foods you need?” he teased. She knew he was trying to take her mind off the direness of their situation. While she appreciated the effort, it really wasn’t helping.
“You don’t get between a woman and her chocolate. How can you not know that?” He’d lived a long, long time. She couldn’t really comprehend the length of time he’d been around. Surely he’d had at least a few long-term relationships. Not that she really wanted to think about them, but still, they must have existed. No one could live alone for that long.
He shrugged and turned away. “I don’t bring women to my real home.”
She slowly straightened and lowered her hand to the counter. “But I’m here,” she pointed out. He’d brought her here. “Or is this not your real home?” Come to think of it, there wasn’t really much in the way of personal stuff here.
He dug around in a cupboard and withdrew something, but kept his hands behind his back when he faced her. “Of course this is my real home.”
“Of course,” she repeated. “But you just told me you don’t bring women to your real home.” Even as she told herself not to read anything into it, she couldn’t help but get excited.
“You’re not women. You’re Valeriya.” He prowled toward her, every inch the dangerous beast he truly was. “My Valeriya.”
He came around the counter and scowled down at her. She couldn’t stop smiling. Tarrant might not tell her he loved her, but she thought that maybe he did. Every action he took certainly seemed to prove it.
Now that she believed he returned her feelings, she felt as though they could get through anything. They’d face it all together.
“Why are you smiling?” His frown deepened. He really was quite fearsome.
“Because I’m happy.” She placed her hands on his rock-solid chest. “You make me happy.”
His scowl lessened. Now he looked suspicious. She barely kept herself from laughing again. “I’m about to make you delirious,” he informed her. He brought his hand out from behind his back.
“Chocolate? You have a chocolate bar?” She reached out and grabbed the treat. “Dark chocolate, too.”
“Anything else is too sickly sweet. This is the best money can buy.”
“It certainly is.” She ripped open the paper and peeled back the foil. She brought the bar to her nose and inhaled deeply. She ignored the amusement twinkling in his eyes.
“I take it you like it?”
She cracked off a small piece, popped it in her mouth, and let it melt on her tongue. “Umm,” she agreed. She broke off another square and held it out to him.
Tarrant took it. He held the treat in his hand and looked it at for a long moment before eating it. She wished she knew what he was thinking.
“It’s really good,” she told him when the chocolate finally melted in her mouth. Tarrant broke off another piece and fed it to her. His fingers grazed her lips. She was suddenly very aware that he was only wearing a pair of jeans and she was dressed only in one of his shirts and a pair of socks.
“Tarrant.” He took the bar of chocolate out of her hand and set it on the counter. The rich, deep flavor of the treat coated her tongue, but it was the brief taste she’d had of Tarrant that was making her crave more.
“You’re not just any woman,” he assured her. “You’re mine.” His gaze was direct and his words deliberate.
She finally understood that when he said she was his, he was claiming her in the only way he knew. It was his version of the words she’d given him.
“I love you, too.” His eyes widened at her declaration and then grew darker. He growled and captured her mouth.
God, she loved kissing him. He held her head steady in his large palms as he slipped his tongue past her lips. He tasted like chocolate and Tarrant
, the most addictive combination on the face of the planet, at least for her.
She wrapped her hands around his thick wrists, or at least tried to. Her fingers wouldn’t meet. His wrists were wide and strong, just like the rest of him. He’d make other men appear small. He was a giant of a man with the build to match.
To her, he was simply Tarrant. And he was hers.
Their tongues tangled, the sweetness of the treat mingling with the sweetness of the moment. She still had no idea how they were going to live any kind of a normal life, not with the Knights searching for her. But she trusted Tarrant. With his knowledge and her determination, they’d figure something out.
Together.
Such a simple word, but it meant everything to her. She’d felt alone her entire life. Those days were over. She had a feeling Tarrant wouldn’t let her stray too far from his side, and she was totally okay with that. She was a homebody at heart. She liked to draw and write her stories, she liked to read and watch movies. She didn’t need cities and stores to be happy.
He drew his lips away. Both of them were breathing heavily. “Valeriya…” He trailed off and shook his head.
“What?” she asked.
“You must be exhausted. Probably sore, too.”
She smiled. Her drakon wanted her again. That was something she knew she’d never get tired of. She ran her fingers up his naked chest, following the swirls of his tattoo. “I’m not too tired.”
He growled and covered her hand with his, flattening her palm against his skin. “You’re sore?” he reminded her.
She shook her head. “Not too sore.” She’d soak in a tub when they were done. Right now she needed Tarrant more. She loved him and he loved her. They were going to face the future together.
Her life had changed so much in such a short time, but for the better. Tarrant had stormed into her life, kidnapped her, and carried her to his lair. She’d gone from fear to love in no time. How could she not? Even when she’d thought him her captor, he’d been kind and considerate. Yes, she’d been afraid and intimidated, but it hadn’t lasted. There was something between them that wouldn’t be denied.
“You’re killing me,” he told her. “I’m trying to be all noble and shit.”
Drakon's Prey (Blood of the Drakon) Page 24
