Coven: (A Steamy Dragon Shifter/Vampire Romance) (Dragon Bound Book 1)

by Serena Akeroyd

  He tapped his nose and winked at her. “For me to know and you to find out.”

  “Funny,” she grumbled. Before she could complain again, someone hollered from the tunnel.

  Jesus, their third visitor in a matter of two hours was here. She’d figured Remy was important thanks to his position as the head of one of the six Houses, but Georgios’ swiftness in obeying his order was more proof of that.

  Fuck, what did it say about her that that made her even hornier than before?

  Power… she always had loved it. Most Sanguenna did, but a deliciously large stock portfolio, a cell phone riddled with the Senate’s contact details, and an ability to call on favors from a nation’s President, and that was better than a tight ass and a nice set of abs.

  She’d have drooled if another holler hadn’t rang around the room again, triggering a whistle in her ears.

  “Tis I, Georgios,” came the bellow.

  “Get your arse down here, troublemaker,” Remy called back.

  She heard grumbling, as the Shifter stepped down the hall into the cavern. A handsome beast appeared at the mouth. Long blond hair, eyes as brown and silky as dark chocolate, and skin so golden he looked like he’d been dipped in the stuff. He wore matching linen type trousers that covered all the good stuff, but he was shirtless as was her mate.

  Said mate didn’t seem to notice her gawking, because he strode over to Georgios and pulled him into a hug.

  The sight of two incredibly delicious males hugging like they hadn’t seen each other in a lifetime was too sexy to believe, but it was also touching.

  They pressed their foreheads together, and then, Georgios swept down onto one knee.

  “I came as soon as you called, Sire.”

  Remy huffed. “Less of the Sire. It’s always Remy to you. You know that, even if you choose to forget it.”

  Georgios grinned up at him, and with a grace that spoke of way too many yoga sessions, was on his feet again. “I had to make sure you didn’t have a stick up your arse now you have a leman.”

  Remy chuckled. “If I did, she’s already yanked it free. Come, meet her. She’s curious to know you.”

  She sat up a little straighter and wished like hell she’d asked to get changed when Eirik and Alexa had left. Somehow, she’d thought it would take nights for a meeting with Georgios to occur. She guessed that was the beauty of flying, though.

  Smiling at the man who walked toward her with a delicate grace her heavier mate lacked, he bowed low over the hand she held out to him.

  “Leman of my dearest friend and House Head, I pledge my loyalty to you. Your protection and your safekeeping are my highest priority.”

  She wasn’t taken aback at the courtesy. How could she be when her coven regularly offered her their throat, their very life for the taking, on an hourly basis?

  Every supe had their own outlandish ways, so why should the Dragons be any different?

  When Georgios stood up, Remy clapped him on the back with enough force to make a regular man stagger forward. Georgios, unsurprisingly, didn’t. There was nothing regular about these men. “I appreciate that, old friend,” her mate stated, his satisfaction at his ‘old friend’s’ oath quite evident.

  Georgios shrugged. “’Tis a pleasure. I’m glad that one of us has our leman at long last.”

  “Take a seat,” Mia prompted, waving a hand at the armchair opposite her. When he complied, she smiled again to hide a faint flutter of nerves. Foolish, but from that greeting, his subsequent oath when it hadn’t been demanded of him, and Remy’s sincere pleasure and gratitude at Georgios’ vow, she knew how much this male meant to her mate. This was his friend and she didn’t want to fuck things up by saying the wrong thing.

  Considering she knew next to nothing about him or his kind, she was well aware she was on the brink of traversing a field of land mines. Because, the one thing that everyone knew about Dragons, even though they were shrouded in myth and legend, they were arrogant and had tempers that were quick to flare.

  A dangerous combination.

  Blowing out a breath, she decided to dive in. Face-first. Mostly because when he acceded to taking a seat, he didn’t perch on the edge as Alexa and Eirik had done. No, he slunk back, cocked one arm on the back of the armchair, splayed his legs in front of him before crossing his feet at the ankle and relaxed, looking as though he were there because of an invitation to a dinner party rather than, what he had to know, was to have his ass reamed by the head of his House.

  “I’m Mia. I’ve heard plenty about you,” she teased, but nerves at fucking up aside, knew there’d be a twinkle in her eye.

  Some men were just incorrigible, and through charm and boyishness, managed to get away with it. Unlike her mate who had a sterner countenance, undoubtedly because of the responsibilities and duties from his position—something she could empathize with—Georgios had that same ‘cheeky chappy’ air about him. Once upon a time, before the world had grown darker for him after his mother’s passing, Brady had been like that…

  The similar air wasn’t the only reason she liked Georgios on sight. As a Sanguenna, she’d come to depend on her instincts when it came to managing the people in her coven, and she sensed Georgios was as loyal as he was puckish.

  “All bad, I hope,” he immediately teased back as he raised his legs and stacked one ankle atop his knee, exuding a kind of effortless elegance she knew would astonish and undoubtedly overwhelm his leman.

  “Most of it,” Remy replied in her stead, his tone a low grumble.

  Something which only confirmed for her that he had a soft spot for his friend.

  Georgios wafted a dismissive hand. “Eirik and Alexa have been tattling tales again. I warned them about that afore.”

  “Yes, and caused a cavern drop so that they were trapped for a good week.”

  “That was a long time ago,” Georgios retorted. “And they deserved it.”

  Remy huffed out a breath.

  “He can’t say he agrees with my tactics,” Georgios retorted companionably. “That would be against the House Head’s rules. But at the time, he laughed when he found out.”

  She shot her mate a look and saw the amusement buried within the depths of his eyes. “Alexa and Eirik can be overzealous,” was all he said though, and he directed it at her.

  “Who are they to you?” she asked curiously.

  “My secretaries.”

  “Your Enforcers, more like.” Georgios’s eyes flashed a warning. “Don’t think I don’t know it was you who slipped me that draught.”

  “If you know that, then you know why you woke up.”

  Remy’s voice was free from contrition, but Mia had seen the flash of fire in Georgios’s glance and knew that he was offended. As anyone would be by the betrayal of a friend who, it was quite clear to see, was considered dear.

  She sighed. “Boys, let’s be proactive, huh?”

  “Boys?”

  They both spoke at the same time and heaved out aggrieved laughs.

  “Don’t act like ten-year-olds, and I’ll call you guys instead.” She grinned at them both, glad to have cut through the tension, which had steadily been creeping up between them just from a handful of remarks.

  Georgios pulled a face. “Was it really necessary to put me to sleep?”

  “Yes. You’re not the only one who was growing frail, Georgios.”

  He frowned. “What does that mean?”

  “It means I was as desperate for my leman as you. I needed to sleep. I couldn’t if you were out and about causing havoc and rampaging among the other kind.”

  Georgios’s jaw flexed. “Why didn’t you say something?”

  “Because it wouldn’t have helped.” Remy sighed. “There is only one reason why you should have awoken. Your leman.”

  “Why haven’t you gone to her?” Mia asked softly, desperately curious now she heard how her mate had to sleep for want of her. And didn’t that just make her heart melt? This strong male had pined for her. Perhap
s he wouldn’t appreciate it if she phrased it like that, but damn, that knowledge packed some punch. There was so much she didn’t know about Remy, so much they had to learn, but that was enough to make things worthwhile.

  If she’d been feeling lonely, had been feeling the bitter tang of the years of solitude and dedication to her career, then what had he been feeling? How long had he been waiting for her?

  Georgios studied her a second, batting chocolate brown eyes like he was used to getting everything he wanted with just that one gesture.

  She snorted, pointed at Remy. “Won’t work on me. I’ve got him to contend with. I’ve barely known him two nights, and I’m already stuck in his lair.”

  “Hardly stuck!” Remy chided, arms bunching as he folded his arms across his chest.

  With her brow cocked, she reached forward and picked up her currently useless leg. “Oh, yeah, I can totally run away, can’t I? And, even better, when I do, I can just jump off the cliff to get away from you.” It wasn’t like she was complaining here, but facts were definitely facts.

  Remy frowned. “Mia! That’s—”

  With humor lighting his eyes, Georgios cleared his throat to break up their spat. “I deal with my business in my own way. You know that, Remy.”

  “Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like that’s the case, does it? Not if you’re causing havoc,” she pointed out. “I have every intention of spending time in the other realm. Remy isn’t the only one with adult-brats to corral. If you’re dicking around because either you can’t be bothered to find your leman or there’s some reason why you’re holding back, then that’s going to interfere with how much time I get to spend back home. Which pisses me off. So, what the hell’s going on?”

  From batting his lashes to narrowing his gaze at her. Finally, they were getting to the real Georgios. Not the brat, nor the hunk who undoubtedly used his pretty face to get away with murder. Cold, hard truths and relentlessness were the only way to deal with charmers. The second you simpered, BOOM, they had you in their net.

  “It isn’t as simple as you think.”

  “Isn’t it?” She chuckled. “Doesn’t seem simple at all to me. Not considering what Remy had to do to find me. There’s one less Sanguenna in the world, at least. You can go and find yours using his list. Plus, he’s already done the explaining. They won’t be shocked to get a visit from you.” A thought occurred to her. “How old was the eldest Sanguenna on your list?”

  Remy frowned. “Why?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Why not?”

  “Early three hundreds,” he confirmed with a huff.

  “Does that mean there hasn’t been a leman found for three hundred years?”

  When both men glanced at each other and nodded, Mia’s heart fell through her stomach.

  Something was going on.

  Something they weren’t telling her.

  Something they’d better start doing right this damn minute.

  Seven

  Remy blew out an aggrieved breath.

  How the hell had the conversation veered onto the one topic he hadn’t wanted to discuss?

  Georgios grimaced and, as though trying to help now the cat was out of the bag, declared, “I daren’t find my mate.”

  Mia had been looking at Remy, but at his oldest friend’s words, her head whipped around so she could stare at him.

  “Why not?”

  “I fear for her safety.”

  Remy winced, for this was only going to lead down another dead end that would get him further in the crapper.

  Sitting down on the armchair beside Georgios’s, he murmured, “There’s little use in lying.”

  “I’m not lying. I daren’t find my leman,” he repeated staunchly.

  “Nay, I know this, but all roads lead to Damascus. Explaining the why, explains the how.”

  “Someone had better start explaining what the hell’s going on, before I start to get pissed off.”

  Remy grimaced and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Georgios’s father was an Ancient. He found his leman far too late. In truth, he should never have found her. He was far too unstable.”

  Georgios bit off, “Unstable isn’t the word. The man was a lunatic.”

  “He’s dead now?” Mia asked gently, her gaze connecting with his. He’d only had her in his life for a little under two nights, and already, the punch she packed with just a single glance was enough to make the past centuries without her disappear in the blink of an eye.

  He didn’t know her, wouldn’t know her for some time, and yet, deep down where it mattered, he did. She resonated with him like a finely tuned crystal. It would take time for that resonance to be perfected, but oh, the joy they’d have together as they worked on it.

  Though hope filled his heart, it was a selfish hope. One for himself and himself alone. Remembering Georgios’ plight, aware that he was trying to do without the joy Remy was currently experiencing, filled him with guilt. “Yea. He was executed for his crime against his leman.”

  A flash of grief crossed Georgios’ features, gone so fast it might never have been but Remy knew how deeply his friend mourned his mother’s passing. Death, because it was a rarity in their world, triggered a grief deeper than humans could understand. Georgios’ rebellions had been forgiven, for the most part, because he’d lost both his parents in tragic circumstances that had stunned the court, but the slack wouldn’t last forever. Especially not if news of his antics hit their Queen’s ears.

  Voice deep with sorrow, Georgios grunted, “Ever since, the Mother has punished us. There have been no lemans since my Mama’s passing.”

  “Why? It wasn’t your fault, was it?”

  They both shrugged, but it was Remy who said, “We know not why the Mother works the way she does.”

  “But don’t you think it’s weird? When was the last leman found?”

  “Five hundred years ago,” Remy whispered, sorrow deep in his eyes.

  “That’s why you had to sleep, isn’t it? You knew you were being punished, and you didn’t know if you’d ever find me.”

  Trying to read her expression, he blinked at her before ducking his head as he failed to discern how she was feeling from her poker face. “They were trying times.”

  “But, if lemans had been lost to you for so long, why have two suddenly been found within such a short space of time? And why the offspring of the Dragon whose fault this all rests with, and the child of the Head of House who undoubtedly called for the Dragon’s execution?”

  “I don’t want to question it,” Remy retorted.

  “Me neither,” Georgios asserted.

  “Then why aren’t you going to find her? Remy, at least, has lived up to that. Why aren’t you grateful that you’ve found her? That you have one at all is evidently a gift you’d be churlish to reject,” she replied, her logic without compare but Georgios, though Remy loved him like a brother, was the exact opposite of logical.

  “My father was the first Dragon in our civilization to kill his mate,” Georgios snarled, leaping forward and onto his feet before either of them knew what he was about. Remy tensed, as did Mia, but he veered away from them and started striding back and forth, back and forth, back and goddamn forth. “What do you think that means about me? I’m tainted. You think I want that for my mate?”

  Mia frowned. “But the fates obviously disagree.”

  He glowered at her. “Then they’re wrong. I deserve my punishment.” He spat out the words with a ferocity that could only be founded in a well of self-hate.

  Mia’s brow furrowed in confusion—Remy couldn’t blame her. He was confused too, and he knew everything that drove Georgios and had never truly been able to make sense of him. “What punishment? It’s not your fault,” she barked, and then when he made to complain, she held up her hands to stop him. “Look, this is getting ridiculous.”

  Remy didn’t disagree. “Sit down, old friend,” he urged, well aware that he’d only ever be this patient with Georgios. And
not because they’d grown up together, either. Not because of his parents, but because he was Georgios. The lighter side of the coin they both shared. Remy was dark, the serious side. The workaholic, and the one, back in the day, who’d been incapable of letting go, who’d allowed the politics of court life to run rampant in his schedule. Georgios was the one who’d kept him from going insane when his father had handed Remy the keys to the head of the House, and who’d been there for every joy and every sorrow of Remy’s life.

  If that didn’t cut a man some slack, Remy wasn’t sure what did.

  “I don’t want to,” Georgios grumbled, pouting like an overgrown toddler.

  “Then pace about like the lunatic you think you are but heed me,” Mia said on a hiss. “You will cease this misbehavior at once. Eirik and Alexa might be snitches, but they’re only able to do so because you’re doing shit that’s against the rules.”

  “And you know what the rules are, how?”

  Remy growled. “Watch it, Georgios. You pledged her your respect.”

  “And I haven’t forgotten. Surely it should be you who reprimands me and chides me like a ’ling fresh from the nest?”

  “You haven’t listened to me for a long time. And I haven’t pushed it because we are old friends, and I know more than most what you endured in the nest. My leman has fresh eyes on this particular matter.

  “She is right, however.” His shoulders bunched as he grumbled, “You must cease this lashing out. It will do no good.”

  “The Goblin council and the Elven High Court never address the Queen,” Georgios retorted, having the audacity to lift his hands and start studying his nails as though he were beyond bored. “I see no reason why I can’t ply my mischief there.”

  Remy clenched his jaw. “You bring shame on the House, you fool.”

  “For someone who’s so terrified about being as insane as his father, you’re causing a hell of a lot of shit for the House, drawing it into as much shame as your father did. Lemans are precious, but so is peace. The little I know of the other species centers around their bloodthirsty ways. I’m certain, if you test their patience long enough, you’ll start a war,” Mia inserted softly, with the precision of a scalpel into a wound.