Dragon's Curse (Harlequin Nocturne)

by Lynn, Denise

  At this point, it was a standoff that would last until one of them tired and made a costly mistake. As far as Cam was concerned, that would be fine, because he wasn’t going to be the one paying the cost.

  This wizard, this spawn of the Learned, wasn’t leaving the Lair alive.

  “Come on, Drake. Come down here and fight like a man instead of an animal. Do you always hide behind a dragon’s mask like a coward?”

  Cam knew the man was taunting him, trying to get him to let go of dragon form and face him on a more level field of battle. He would have to be an idiot to do something that stupid.

  This wasn’t a battle he could lose. To keep his family and his mate safe, he had to win.

  The only sure way to do that was to use every weapon at his disposal. His thicker hide, wings and ability to breathe fire wasn’t something he planned to toss into a closet. That would be like going into a gunfight without bullets.

  “Or are you afraid? Do you fear that I’ll drain the life from you like my father did that idiot boy?” The Learned tossed back his head and laughed. “I’m sure your little gardener will be just as concerned for your lifeless body as she was for his.”

  Unheralded, from out of nowhere, another dragon dropped from the sky. In all its iridescent glory, it dived straight for the Learned.

  Cam’s beast roared as the other dragon jetted past him without a glance. Ariel. She’d only just learned how to take on a dragon’s form, and had only flown in a half-altered dream state.

  And now she planned to take on the Learned?

  He didn’t know whether to be merely angry or insanely outraged. So he chose both.

  This was his kill and she wasn’t going to cheat him out of it. If she wanted to play in his world, then she’d do so by the rules.

  His rules.

  Quickly overtaking her, he soared beneath her, forcing her to break her dive. Once she headed back up toward the clouds, he spun above her and grasped her shoulder between his teeth and shook her.

  Frantically beating her wings, she tried to break free, but Cam grabbed her with his talons, forcing her to submit.

  Her screams of pain and anger softening to a mewling cry, she slowed the frantic pace of her wings and fell lax in his hold.

  He released her instantly, and butting her away with his head, turned back to the stunned wizard. Without wasting another precious second, he dived full force into the now-weaker barrier and broke through.

  Talons easily broke through flesh and bone, the man’s piercing scream split the air for less than a heartbeat. Cam felt the life force fade away, and within moments, the wizard’s body disintegrated into a pile of ashes on the ground.

  Certain the immediate danger was gone, Cam turned to face Ariel. She hovered in the air at the tree line, meekly meeting his stare.

  To his astonishment, the dragon was as angry at her as he was. He would have thought the lovesick beast would be willing to cave.

  Instead, he wanted to shake his mate until her teeth rattled and she realized what a stupid foolish move it had been to put herself in such danger.

  His mate.

  Cam lowered his head and closed his eyes as he changed back into human form. He didn’t look to see what Ariel was doing.

  Right now, he needed to get as far away from her as possible.

  He needed to think. To figure out what was different, because something was very different. For the first time in ages, he felt as if there could be a future with someone, with Ariel.

  He felt it. His dragon felt it. The curse had suddenly become meaningless.

  He should be overjoyed. Elated. Relieved.

  Instead, he was uncertain of what sharing a future with another changeling would bring. He’d been the only one for so many years now that being alone was normal.

  Having another changeling around—a female one, to boot—would be added responsibility, someone else to worry about. Was he ready for that? At just this second, no. He needed a little time to sort things through.

  “Cam!”

  He heard her shout, but kept walking toward the door.

  “Cam, please. I’m sorry.”

  Pausing at the side door, he asked, “For what?”

  “For accusing you of killing Carl. I should have known better.”

  Since he hadn’t thought she’d actually meant it to begin with, he’d almost forgotten the incident. “That’s not what you should be sorry for.”

  When she didn’t say anything, he left her standing in the night air alone.

  * * *

  Ariel sat on the edge of her bed staring at her packed bags. Harold would be up around six in the morning to take them down to her van. The police and a local doctor had declared Carl’s death as related to his prior accident, so the funeral home had just picked up Carl’s body. Tomorrow she would make the final arrangements to transport him home for burial.

  She fell sideways onto the bed. None of this was supposed to happen. She’d only had to find the pendant, the box, free Carl and then they would go home, together—alive and well.

  Instead, Carl was dead, and the only man who would ever understand her, ever accept her for what she was had walked away from her.

  Oh, wouldn’t her parents be so proud? Actually, she doubted they could have been any more disgusted or disappointed with her than she was herself.

  She wanted to cry, needed to sob herself to sleep. But inexplicably, the tears wouldn’t come. Finally, she gave up and stood outside on the balcony watching as two owls hunted by moonlight.

  What was wrong with Cam? She needed desperately to apologize before she left, but she didn’t know what to apologize for.

  The idea of leaving the Lair without seeing or speaking to him again made her ill. Physically queasy ill. Her head pounded and her stomach twisted and turned so much that she hadn’t bothered to find something to eat for dinner.

  Ariel’s wandering attention fell briefly on the two owls again. One landed just clear of the woods, while the other seemed to be hunting.

  Even if she did get up the nerve to go apologize to him, what would she say then? Sorry? He’d respond with a nod, or maybe even a one- or two-word answer and then what?

  In her current state, Ariel knew that even though she could summon the tears now, they would do a free fall if he was around.

  The hunting owl returned with what appeared to be some kind of rodent, and dropped it at the other owl’s feet.

  She frowned. Straightening from her position leaning on the railing, Ariel swore softly.

  She shook her head. That was it. She should have realized what she’d done earlier.

  Back inside the apartment, she ran a comb through her hair, freshened up her makeup a little and headed for Cam’s apartment.

  When he didn’t answer the door after her third knock, Ariel drew in a deep breath and crossed her fingers before willing herself inside his apartment.

  She felt the air around her move and when she opened her eyes, nearly cheered to see she’d actually gone through a solid object.

  “You weren’t invited in here.”

  She spun around to face him. “There are rules about that, too?”

  “Do you just walk into someone’s house uninvited back where you live?”

  “No.”

  “Then don’t do it here, either.” He turned away. “You can get out the same way you got in.”

  “Cameron, I’m sorry.” Ariel followed him down the hall toward
the master bedroom.

  He didn’t stop, but asked, “For what?”

  “For not knowing my place in your world. For not being a proper submissive female dragon.”

  “Figured that out all by yourself?”

  “Actually, no.” She saw no reason to lie. “A couple of lovebirds showed me.”

  He stopped outside his bedroom door and turned to face her. “You and I might be equal here, in human form.”

  “Might be?” She snapped her mouth shut.

  “Fine. You and I are equal here, but not there, Ariel. A beast is a beast. It doesn’t matter how civilized I might be as a man, that falls away when I take another form. My human logic can’t always control a dragon.”

  Hesitantly, she reached up and touched his cheek. “I’m sorry.”

  “Apology accepted.” He grabbed her wrist. “Now will you go away?”

  Ariel shook her head. “No. Don’t you think there’s a few things we need to talk about?”

  “Like what?”

  “Us perhaps?”

  “We can discuss it tomorrow.”

  “No, we can’t. I’m leaving in the morning, Cam.” She pulled her wrist free and turned to leave. “I just wanted to let you know how sorry I am. And say goodbye.”

  Ariel swallowed, then gritted her teeth. Just as she had expected, her eyes filled with tears.

  “Goodbye? Just like that?”

  Knowing she wouldn’t be able to speak without making a fool of herself, Ariel nodded.

  “You aren’t going anywhere, Ariel.”

  She spun around and shouted at him, “I can’t stay here, not like this, not where I’m not wanted.”

  “You aren’t a fool, so don’t act like one now.” He swept her into his arms, carried her to his room and kicked the door closed behind them. After depositing her on the bed, he warned, “I can find you wherever you go, so don’t even think of disappearing.”

  “I’m not going to disappear. All I want to do is go back to my apartment, finish packing and cry myself to sleep.”

  “You should cry. You’ve lost so much today.”

  The enormity of her brother’s death settled around her like a mountain-size boulder. She gasped for breath beneath the weight.

  Cam sat next to her and pulled her onto his lap. Holding her tightly against his chest, he urged softly, “Let it go, Ariel. Let it go.”

  She shook her head, fearing that if she let the tears fall they would never stop. “No. I’m fine.”

  But he ignored her. Without exchanging another word, Ariel felt his beast reach out to comfort hers. It was as if a great wing pulled her grieving beast closer against the warmth of a steady heartbeat.

  She didn’t know if the gentle crooning against her ear came from Cam or his beast, nor did she care. The only thing she knew for certain was that she was protected, she was safe and that she was held by someone who cared for her deeply.

  A sob tore from between her teeth and she curled her fingers tightly into his shirt, seeking a solid anchor in the coming storm.

  He rocked her, whispering over and over, “It’s okay, let it go.”

  Chapter 21

  When Ariel awoke, darkness still blanketed the room. She sat up on the bed and took a deep, shuddering breath. She scanned the room wondering how long she’d been asleep.

  The door to the bedroom opened, letting in a sliver of light along with Cam. “Here, drink this.” He handed her a glass of water.

  She took the glass, muttering, “I’m sorry.”

  While unbuttoning his shirt, he said, “You’ve nothing to be sorry for, Ariel. Nothing.”

  “What are you doing?” She eyed him suspiciously.

  “Getting ready for bed.” He winged one eyebrow in her direction. “You should be doing the same.”

  “Oh, no, you don’t.” She nearly leaped from the bed. He wasn’t going to trick her into making love. Right now, with her defenses down and no strength to resist him, this would be the most unwise and dangerous mistake she could make.

  If he touched her, or kissed her again, how would she ever spend the rest of her life without him?

  Ariel tugged on the bedroom door. It wouldn’t budge beneath her hand. She closed her eyes and wished herself anywhere but here, but to her chagrin her wishes went unanswered.

  “Ariel.” He breathed her name against the back of her neck. “Ariel, we’re not letting you go. We can’t.”

  She clung to the doorknob for support. “Don’t do this, please, don’t do this.”

  “What? Don’t do what?” He brushed her hair aside and placed his lips against her heated flesh. “This?” He moved up her neck, angling over to the sensitive spot beneath her ear. “Or this?”

  She needed it to be something more than just sex and desire. “Don’t try to confuse me by using lust against me.”

  He stepped away. “Lust?”

  “Yes, lust. Desire. Passion. Call it what you will. But isn’t that all we share?”

  When he didn’t respond, she turned around. Cameron stood fully clothed across the room with his arms crossed against his chest, glaring at her.

  “Cam?”

  The bedroom door swung open. “If that’s all this is to you, feel free to leave.”

  Something in the tone of his voice checked her exit. He sounded unbelievably hurt—disappointed. She took a step toward him, feeling her way with her heart instead of her head.

  The longing and pain swirling around her were familiar. She’d sensed them in the dragon, without realizing the man shared the same emotions. Her need to comfort both of them drove her forward.

  Ariel swallowed hard, trying to convince herself that she wasn’t making a grave mistake. She squared her shoulders and met his hooded gaze. “It’s always been more than just lust for me. Always.”

  She took another step toward him. “I thought that’s all it was to you. A way to gain what you wanted from the enemy, until you and your dragon made love to me.” She took a deep breath to steady her faltering voice. “I love you, Cameron Drake. I love both the wizard and the dragon, dearly.”

  He met her halfway across the room. “I won’t lie. I desired you the moment I caught you in the workshop at Mirabilus.”

  He took her hands in his and lifted them to his lips. Placing a kiss on her fingertips, he said, “And I’ve been madly in love with you since you shot me with your stun gun. Then, to make matters worse, you went and petted the dragon, making him fall head over heels goofy for you, too.” He lowered his voice. “And you heard his need for love and answered it by caring.”

  He shot her that all-too-familiar half smile that took her breath away. “If that wasn’t enough, you laughed at me when I claimed my dragon had no abilities. You, a mere mortal, with one sentence, made it clear that just being a dragon was all the magic needed to end an ancient curse. It wounds my ego deeply to admit you were right.”

  Cam dropped down to one knee. “Ariel, I love you. You are my angel of healing, my harbinger of rebirth. Stay with me. Marry me and I swear that I will prove how much I love you each and every day we share together.”

  She knew that crying again would make him feel guilty and that if she started, it would be hard to stop. So, to keep from falling into a weeping puddle, she tossed her head and quipped, “I suppose I still have to be a submissive female dragon to your dominant male?”

  He laughed softly and before she knew what he was planning, found herself naked on the bed, with him
next to her.

  Cam handed her a silk scarf. “I’ll make you a deal. You be the submissive dragon and I’ll be the submissive lover in bed if you want.”

  Ariel dropped the scarf to the floor, rolled over onto his chest and gazed down at him. “I’ll have to think about that one. But I do know one thing.”

  He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the end of her nose. “What?”

  “That I love you more than I can say. But if you don’t kiss me quick, I’m going to turn into a blubbering nit.”

  Cameron pressed his lips against hers, whispering, “We can’t have that, now, can we?”

  * * * * *

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  ISBN: 9781459233768

  Copyright © 2012 by Denise L. Koch

  All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.