Haunted By Her Dragon (The Dragon Guard Series)

by Mills, Julia

  Reaching into the pocket of her scrubs for her keys, the sensation of being watched raised the tiny hairs at the nape of her neck. Not in a creepy, stalker kind of way, but in a protected, almost special kind of way. As crazy as it seemed, she was filled with anticipation and excitement. It was reassuring that he was still watching over her. The feeling of being watched had started after she had been kidnapped from the very parking lot she now stood in, and was carried off to the middle of nowhere almost seven months ago. It had definitely been one of the most terrifying experiences of her life. One she would never forget, but not one she would not let rule her life either. It was true she had been fighting for her life that day, but there was no way in hell she would be a victim. Nothing, not even bad memories or bullies that preyed on women, could beat her. She still walked to her car by herself, politely avoiding the security guards that she knew had been told to watch out for her, to remind herself and others that she would not live in fear.

  Everyone had her best interests at heart, she truly believed that. The hospital mandated psychiatrist had recommended she get a roommate to avoid spending time alone after her abduction, but there was no way that was going to happen. Memories of overcrowded rooms at overcrowded group homes, where she could feel the breath of the girl next to her while they slept, reminded her that she needed her space.

  The day she had left Momma Maybelle’s (the best foster mom in the world) for college, she had promised herself that ‘things’ did not matter, but that she would have the privacy she had so desperately needed for so many years. So, she had worked long and hard and saved every penny she could, and just two years ago had purchased her own home, her own little oasis, away from everyone and everything, where she could sleep crossways on her bed until noon if she wanted. She stopped dead in her tracks. “I sound like a spoiled brat,” she mused. Her next thought caused her to chuckle. “Okay, maybe I would share with someone.” And the someone that came to mind was a big, muscular, hunk of a man with the most hypnotic eyes she had ever seen, blonde spiky hair, and a deep rumbling voice. Oh hell yeah, she would share so very many things with him.

  Shaking her head in an attempt to restore what little sanity she had left, she continued walking and thought more about how it was like she had a guardian angel, someone that watched over her, kept her safe, protected her. She snorted out loud, “No, not an angel.” The man that seemed to consume her thoughts more with every passing day, could in no way be associated with the pink-cheeked, little cherubs the word ‘angel’ brought to mind. He was a Guardian, big and masculine and….just…wow. She knew with all certainty that it was him, no matter how it seemed, even to her. The hottest man on the planet, with an insurmountable strength, a power that had seeped into her very bones the day they met, and a body that awakened dreams of hot, sweaty nights and amazing passion. He had made her feel safe during one of the most terrifying ordeals of her life, and with the kind of life she had lived since that fateful day all those years ago, that was really saying something. Just his presence made her feel, no, made her know, everything was going to be alright. A totally new sensation for her, one she couldn’t remember ever feeling before. He was different than any other man she had ever met. She really couldn’t explain it, not even to herself. The best description she had come up with was that he was just…more. His touch had infused her with warmth and security. It felt…right, not strange or foreign, but like it was meant to be.

  Sam knew that he had somehow helped her recover and was a big part of why she had gotten back to work as quickly as she had. She was strong and had a determination to accomplish anything she put her mind to, but the trauma of that day had threatened to weaken her incredible resolve, and then, there he was. He had lifted her from the rubble and pieces of her world had fallen into place. Pieces she hadn’t known were missing. At least two of the other girls that had been abducted at the same time were still in therapy. From time to time, she checked on them. They had all been brought to her hospital, therefore, accessing their records and keeping track of them was simple. When her friend, Charlie, had seen her reading their charts, she had smiled and walked away. They all knew how she felt about bullies and as far as she was concerned, the scumbags that had kidnapped them had been the worst kind of bullies.

  Sam prided herself on her inner strength, something she inherited from her father, or so she had been told. It had rubbed her the wrong way when the hospital administration decreed that she have six sessions with the hospital psychiatrist. She had adamantly refused until they’d played hardball and refused to let her back to work until the evaluation was complete. Doing the six sessions had been tedious and boring, but she had given all the right answers, and once it was complete, there was no way in hell she was doing any more, even though it was obvious that Dr. Simons wanted her to. He often stopped by under the guise of checking on another patient or looking for the Head of Surgery, but Sam wasn’t an idiot. It was obvious to her and her co-workers that he was checking on her. Not wanting to draw any more attention to the situation, she always smiled and gave the obligatory answers, while inside she was screaming to be left alone. He had resorted to asking about the cut on her leg when he could tell she was trying to get away. Donning her best smile, she would tell him it had healed nicely with a minimum of scarring. Why wouldn’t he realize there was no reason to rehash the gory details? It was over, she had survived, and now it was time to move on. That was how Dr. Samantha Malone dealt with things. Her continued prayer was that sooner or later, he would find another ‘project’ and leave her alone.

  She thought back to that dreadful night, and where most people would have relived the fear, she remembered what it felt like to be lifted into his arms. If she concentrated hard enough, she could actually feel his arms around her. The way he had moved the huge pile of rubble that had fallen on top of her after the explosion, as if it weighed nothing, would be permanently carved into her memory. The douche bags that had grabbed her in the parking lot had obviously cut and run when the bombs went off. If it hadn’t been for the two beams that crisscrossed over her, she would have been crushed when the ceiling collapsed. She remembered struggling and cursing like a sailor on shore leave, trying to get out from under the heap, when suddenly there was daylight, and she was caught in the most unladylike position imaginable. There, lying on her back, feet in the air, looking at the sexiest man to walk the earth. Her first glimpse had been of those amazing eyes, the color of the forget-me-nots that grew behind the house she grew up in. So light a blue that in the sunlight they almost seemed colorless but, when they looked at her, they seemed to glow. It had felt as if he reached inside her heart and soothed her fears.

  Despite his size, he had been incredibly gentle. She had been able to feel a contained aggression emanating from the amazingly muscular arms that wrapped around her, like his main focus was rescuing her, but he would seek vengeance on her behalf. She had been unable to speak, only feel, as he lifted her out of the prison the explosion had created. Then he had spoken, and the little bit of brain function she had left evaporated into thin air. The low rumbling of his voice wove its way under her skin and made her tingle. Since that day, she had spent many lonely nights letting his whispered words of reassurance fuel the most erotic dreams she had ever experienced, only to wake up wondering why he watched her, but never approached her.

  She couldn’t explain, no matter how long she thought about it, how she knew without a doubt that he was a good guy. The word hero had flashed in her mind like a neon sign and returned every time she thought of him, which happened to be too damned much. Her body and soul knew immediately that he was safe, specifically, safe for her. The adrenaline that had kept her going throughout the entire ordeal bled from her body at the touch of his hand on her skin. All of her recognized him as someone she could trust, someone she could lean on for strength, and that was not something Samantha Malone ever did. Her eyes slid shut as she remembered how her head had laid against his chest of its own volition, and sh
e had taken her first deep breath since the black bag had gone over her head and her back had hit the floor of the dark windowless van she was thrown into. He had continually asked if she was okay, if she was hurt, had told her that the cut on her leg didn’t look that deep, and reassured her that he was taking her to a ‘healer’. By the time he had laid her on a blanket under a tree far from the rubble, the vibrations of his rich baritone voice had reached deep inside, relaxing her until she felt warm and calm. Her body ached from the loss of his warmth, just another of the weird things she’d had to work through since that night. How could she feel anything after just a few minutes in his arms? Not to mention the shit that she had been through in those few horrible hours. She’d chalked it up to trauma and shock, but now, seven months later, she still thought way too much about him, heard his strong, steady heartbeat echoing in her mind, imagined him walking through the halls of the hospital, and dreamt about him night after night.

  Completely on autopilot, Sam unlocked the doors on her old blue Jetta and slid into the driver’s seat. She’d thought about getting a new car a few times, but this one fit her like a glove; and besides that, she hated being in debt. Her house was enough for her to keep up with, at least while she was still in her residency. All she had to do was keep ‘Bonnie Blue’ going for a couple more years. Leaning her head back against the headrest, she took a deep breath and let the stress of the day wash away. Not surprisingly, as soon as her eyes slid shut there were crystal blue eyes gazing back at her. Even in her imagination, she could feel him all the way to the deepest corner of her soul. He was…she searched for the right description…just so much more than anyone she had ever met before. ‘Larger than life’…that was it! That described him to a tee. Her mother had said the same thing about her father. She had always wondered what that meant, but since meeting him, it had all become clear. Sam could hardly remember her dad. She knew he had been a brave soldier and died in battle, defending the country he loved, from the stories her mom had always told. He was a hero, medals and all, something she definitely associated with the sexy man that lifted her from her nightmares that day seven months ago.

  ‘Lance’ whispered through her mind. She had been embarrassed when she’d had to ask the elderly woman who had cleaned and bandaged her wounds the name of the man that had carried her to safety. The Healer had said his name, and it was as if a breath of fresh air had washed over her. It was like nothing she’d ever experienced before. Searching for answers, she decided it was a byproduct of all the adrenaline that had flooded her system. Of course, that did not explain why she was sitting in her car after working an incredibly long shift thinking about him and smiling. Damn that man! What had he done to her? She laughed out loud at her own paranoia. Like he had any control over her whatsoever. It was all in her mind. Hell, she’d even looked up ‘Rescuer Syndrome’ in all of her psychology textbooks and found she didn’t have the symptoms or the personality for it. Figuring it might be her completely neglected libido crying out for help, she’d even entertained the thought of dating that cute new pharmacist that continued to ask her out, even though she barely looked his direction and only grunted a few words here or there when he spoke. The problem was, she just didn’t feel anything for him, even when he turned his hundred watt smile and what others called incredible charm on her. It was hopeless. She was in lust with a man she had seen for all of ten minutes, seven damn months ago. Haunted by the idea of who she thought he was and unwilling to stop it.

  Turning the key in the ignition and hoping that the grinding sound she heard was not anything serious, she blasted Lady Gaga’s Applause, praying it would keep her awake on the thirty minute drive home. Trying to decide whether she was more hungry or tired, she remembered there was nothing in her refrigerator even remotely edible and thought about stopping at the grocery store, but the longer she drove the more the exhaustion won out. Even a drive-thru sounded like too much work. Hopefully, the pop-tarts she had gotten a few weeks ago hadn’t turned to rocks in the cabinet, and with any luck, she would be able to locate the single packets of Crystal Light in her junk drawer. With the dilemma of food settled, she backed out of her parking spot, completely ignoring the extra little shake and shimmy Bonnie Blue made, and headed towards the winding roads that would take her to her little haven in the woods.

  *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  He followed the tail lights of Samantha’s car from such a distance that they appeared to be little rubies floating in the sky. Constantly scanning the area for anything or anyone that may threaten the beautiful woman that monopolized his thoughts both day and night proved boring, and for the hundredth time that day his mind began to wander. He remembered the feel of her in his arms and the gentle slope of her nose that led to her perfectly bowed mouth that begged to be ravished. Her eyes were the deep brown of the mountains behind his childhood home, so deep and dark that when he looked into them, he could feel himself falling into the wonderful, amazing world that was his mate. His training had taught him to always be prepared, to never let his guard down, but looking into those dark pools of fathomless emotion all those months ago, he had known he could let go of everything and drift in the splendor of finding the one the Universe had made for him forever.

  Watching over her had shown him that Samantha was a strong-willed, independent woman, with nerves of steel and a determination that rivaled his own warrior spirit. He knew the Universe did not make mistakes, but he had to wonder about Her timing. With everything that was going on, the search for Andrew, the harm the traitor had been able to inflict on Kyndel and Grace, coupled with ‘The Auctioneer’ that seemed to always be on the fringes, Lance just could not justify bringing Samantha into the clan. Yes, she had been kidnapped, but that had been by the human criminal, and he was almost a hundred percent sure she wasn’t on the traitor’s radar…yet. But that could all change if Andrew found out she was his mate. Heavens knew the little fucker liked to mess with the mates of the Guard. He knew that the longer he went without at least introducing himself and trying to forge some kind of relationship with the one meant to be his, the harder he made it on himself. Because they had touched, the mating bond was growing and searching for completion.

  There were days he thought he might die if he didn’t touch her, inhale her scent, look into her eyes, but it was something he had to deal with. Drawing on all his years of training helped, as well as dreaming of the day he would claim her and they would never be separated again. What did not help, however, was the constant prodding of his dragon to go to Samantha. His beast simply could not or would not understand why the man was choosing to wait. No matter how many times he explained the situation, the centuries old beast thought he knew better. Every day was a new battle between man and dragon, and today had been especially hard. The entire time he had been with his brethren, his dragon had pushed. It had been incredibly distracting, and the conversation he’d had with Royce hadn’t helped the situation at all. The older Guardsman was too wise for his own good and too damn perceptive. He knew he had almost slipped up, but smiled as he thought back over all they had said.

  “What’s up there, loud mouth? Why so quiet today?” Royce had teased.

  “Nothing, just thinking about the search for the traitor,” Lance answered almost too quickly.

  Royce looked at him with a wisdom that only came from a hundred and fifty-six years of living. “If you say so, but it seems like there’s something else.”

  “Nope, nothing at all,” Lance tried not to squirm as he felt the disbelief rolling off his long-time friend and mentor.

  “I know shit has been coming at us hard and fast, but if there’s something you need help with, don’t be a hero and come to one of us. I’d hate to have to kick your ass for hot dogging again.” He paused and rubbed his jaw. Then he smiled, “Well actually I’d enjoy kicking your ass.” He laughed, “You truly are a burr in my butt, but you’re family and I’m here, even if it’s to beat you back in line.” Lance knew he was trying to ease the tension
and get him to open up, but there was no way that shit was going to happen.

  “Bring it on, Old Man,” he winked and smiled, using one of the many nicknames he knew drove Royce crazy.

  “That is WISE Old Man to you, ‘Pain in the Ass’.”

  They were both laughing when Rayne had walked over carrying Baby Jay, essentially ending the conversation, something Lance would be eternally grateful to his commander for. It was only a matter of time until Royce figured out what he was hiding, and he would deal with it when he did, but no discussions would take place until he was ready.

  Bringing himself back to the present, but still lost in thought, he almost missed Sam sitting on the side of the road. As it was, he had to drive ahead almost a half mile to find a place to turn around. He slowed as he came close to where she and her car sat. Since he had first spotted her, she had gotten out of the car, had the hood up, and was leaning in to inspect the engine of her car. The way her pants drew tight against her well rounded ass caused his blood to race and his cock to harden. He tried to think of anything but what it would feel like to cover her body with his, kiss the sensual column of her neck, hold her generous breast in his hands, feeling the nipples lengthen and harden against his palms, and finally sink into the woman that haunted him day and night. Yeah, that was so not working. The sound of his tires on the gravel pulled her from her inspection of the engine. When she spotted him, her eyes opened wide, and her mouth formed a perfect ‘o’ which did absolutely nothing to decrease the growing pressure in his jeans. “You?” she said on a whisper, still staring in shock.