Haunted By Her Dragon (The Dragon Guard Series)

by Mills, Julia

  Sam pulled on his hand, and he heard the intake of breath indicating she was about to speak. He knew the only reason he was getting away with rushing her out of the hospital and weaving through parked cars without a discussion was the fact that she was dead on her feet. Any other time, he was sure she would have put her foot down and demanded he tell her everything. Just ahead, he saw Royce and Devon standing next to his truck in the parking spot next to hers. Deciding to head off her questioning, he pulled her up the half step she was behind him and pointed to his truck. “Your chariot awaits, milady,” he teased and even threw in a wink, hoping to at least get a grin out of her.

  It was all he could do to not laugh out loud when she rolled her eyes and answered, “Thank God.”

  “Any word from inside?” he asked his brethren while keeping Sam distracted.

  “They haven’t seen them yet, but the taint of black magic says the wizards are still in there,” Royce answered.

  “Yeah, these sons of bitches are using all kinds of false trails and misdirects, just like Andrew did in the woods.” Lance could hear the anger and frustration in Aidan’s voice, thankful he had come along for the hunt.

  “Sorry you had to leave your mate, but I’m damn glad you’re here, Bro,” Lance answered quickly.

  “No worries, man. She loves hanging with Kyndel and the baby, and I couldn’t miss an opportunity to kick these bastards’ asses.” He could hear how desperately Aidan wanted all of this behind them. The Heavens knew it was something they all prayed for.

  “And if that asshole little brother of ours is here, then this shit is really gonna be a party,” Aaron threw his two cents in. They all laughed to relieve some of the ever building tension through their unique link.

  “Besides, we heard there was a certain beautiful doctor that we all needed to meet,” Aidan laughed as the badgering he had been dreading began.

  “Yeah, what gives? Trying to keep her all to yourself there, Bro? Not cool,” Aaron mocked hurt feelings, but they were all chuckling. This was the bullshit he had wanted to avoid.

  “Now is not the time,” was all he said as they reached the truck, and the sons of bitches that had failed to keep their mouths shut. The laughter in his head was almost deafening. Paybacks were a bitch, and the banter they were throwing was only the beginning for all the shit he’d given them during their years together. Oh well, what the hell was family for if not to mess with you every chance they got?

  “Hi, Dr. Malone,” Royce extended his hand to Sam, smiling and winking. Lance considered smacking him, no matter how much bigger and older he was.

  “Hi…Royce. Just call me Sam,” she smiled at his brethren, and he could see that her exhaustion was just about to take over.

  “Hey, Sam,” Devon waved. He was leaning against the tailgate of his Silverado, wearing a shit-eating grin that was completely unusual for the most reserved of his brethren, but confirming what he already knew; he was in for years of teasing. Something else he would have to prepare Sam for when the time was right.

  “Hey...ah…Devon,” She shook her head, and once again her fatigue was evident. “Sorry ‘bout that. I’m usually good with names but I’ve been at work on and off for about thirty-six hours, and I’m runnin’ on fumes.”

  She chuckled, and he felt jealousy for the first time in his life. He knew it was completely unjustified. His brethren would never do anything but help, protect, and love his mate as a sister, but it was all part of the mating call. It didn’t help that his need to care for her exhaustion and the close proximity of the wizards added to the dragon’s need to protect. It was time to get the show on the road. Get her home and tucked into bed and make the nagging dragon within shut the hell up. “Thanks for bringing the truck. I think Sam here is too tired for a bike ride.” He accentuated her nickname and was rewarded with another eye roll. Damn, she was cute when she was sassy.

  “I’m not too tired, but I will admit the thought of leaning back against the comfy seats of that big truck sounds like a plan.” She leaned slightly towards him, and he used the opportunity to pull her against his side. Once again her exhaustion worked in his favor; she didn’t even flinch, but cuddled into him. He smiled and then realized Royce and Devon both grinned at him like a couple of loons. Dev even winked. Oh yeah, this was just getting better and better….he thought.

  He cleared his throat and glared at both men, but refused to lose the contact he had with Sam. If they wanted to laugh at him, they could just laugh away; he’d earned it. It felt too good and too right to have her at his side to give a damn. Of course, he would have to come up with a really good reason why he was not claiming her right away, but he had time to come up with something before he saw them again. It was time to get his mate to her own bed before she fell asleep standing in a damn parking lot.

  He started moving them to the passenger side of his truck. “Thanks again. I’m gonna get the doc here home, and then I’ll meet up with you later,” he said in passing.

  His brethren took the hint. “No problem, Bro,” Devon answered as he and Royce headed towards Sam’s parking spot. It was only then that he realized they had brought Royce’s bike with them. In all the excitement of the wizards’ arrival, he had forgotten that most bikes were too small for the largest of his brethren, and the big guy hated riding bitch.

  “Brought your own wheels, huh, Grandpa?” He couldn’t resist messing with Royce. It was just too damn fun.

  “You better watch your mouth, Pain in the Ass; I might just embarrass you in front of your girl there.” He could hear all his brethren chuckling.

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever.”

  “Paybacks are a bitch.” Royce loved to remind Lance what he already knew; the big guy would get even.

  “Whatever, Gramps. You’ve missed me.”

  “Right! Like I’ve missed woolen breeches,” and with Royce’s comeback, all the Guardsmen were roaring with laughter.

  He lifted Sam into the truck and made sure she fastened her seatbelt before shutting the door. “You guys be careful and kick some ass for me.”

  “We sure will, Bro. Just get your lady outta here. The more I wind around this hospital, the more I’m sure you’re right. They were coming for Dr. Malone. Their true trail follows her almost step for step.” Aidan confirmed what he had feared. They were coming back to collect the women they had kidnapped earlier in the year. He was glad the other two women that had stayed in the area were out of state at the moment. That would allow them to keep all the focus on Sam’s safety and catching the bastards responsible.

  “Thanks again for everything. I’ll be in touch.” They all answered as he climbed into his truck, and then he cut the connection. He needed to think and focus all his attention on scanning for trouble as they made their way to her little cottage in the woods. There was no way he was going to let those assholes follow them. He backed out of the parking spot and headed to the exit. “You hungry?” He asked, knowing she hadn’t eaten anything the entire time he had been with her, and sure she hadn’t eaten much before that either.

  The only answer he got was her deep breathing. He glanced over, and his suspicions were confirmed; she had already fallen asleep. While she slept, he was able to wind around and avoid taking any obvious routes to her home without her questioning his motives. There were no signs of wizards, Andrew, or any humans that didn’t belong, but he maintained his vigilance. He would do everything within his power to keep Sam safe. All of this bullshit proved to him once again how justified he was in not claiming her, but there was no way he would allow anyone the chance to harm the one the Universe had made for him. His dragon chuffed in agreement about her safety, but was definitely NOT on board with waiting to claim the light of their soul. The two mighty warriors would continue this debate, of that he was sure.

  Pulling into her driveway with the headlights off, he once again scanned the area. There was a slight disturbance about five hundred yards behind her house. Pushing more of his considerable power into hi
s mind’s eye, he focused on the movement and realized it was coming from the treetops. He was then able to locate three more such disturbances and was sure he knew who it was, but needed confirmation; this was Sam’s safety he was talking about after all. “Royce, did you call Max?” he sent directly into the mind of his brethren, not hiding his annoyance.

  “Aidan called him when we were unable to locate the wizards. The bastards are gone, and there’s no sign of the traitor.”

  “How the hell did the big cats know where Sam lives?” His relief that they were patrolling the woods was outweighing his annoyance, but he was not thrilled that anyone knew where his mate lived.

  “I picked the location out of your mind. Sorry, Bro,” Devon answered with sincere regret. His older brethren’s talents were growing stronger with age. He would have to be careful what he kept out in the open from now on.

  “No worries. Just would’ve been nice to know we had a welcoming committee.” The Guardsmen all chuckled, and the last bit of irritation evaporated. He knew they only had his mate’s best interests at heart. He was going to have to work really hard to keep from making an ass out of himself until all this shit was handled. Between the mating call and his dragon, it was going to be a challenge, but he was sure he was up for it.

  He knew Maximillain Prentice, King of the Werepanthers, aka Max, was a powerful ally. Hell, he liked the smartass Leo. If not for Max and his pride, they wouldn’t have over half of the intel they had on Andrew, the wizards, and the human criminals. His werepanthers were able to get into places the dragons simply could not. That rankled some of the Dragon Guard, but Lance really didn’t care who found what as long as they eliminated the threat to his mate and caught that little asshole traitor. With them in the woods, he could concentrate on getting Sam settled without having to worry about anyone sneaking up on them.

  Stepping out of the truck, he nodded to the giant black cat that landed not twenty feet in front of him. The big cat blinked its huge green eyes several times, dipped its chin in recognition, and continued his patrol of the woods around Sam’s home. Max was a force to be reckoned with as a man, but in animal form, he was downright fierce. As Lance made his way to the passenger side of his truck, he noticed a few more sets of eyes flashing in the darkness. What had irritated him a few minutes ago now comforted him. Knowing they were out there and had his back, allowing him the time he needed with his mate, damn sure made life easier. Any other time, he would’ve taken the lead, run off after any and all enemies, and not stopped until they were either captured or killed, without regard for his own safety. His brethren had all accused him of hot dogging at least once a week for all of their very long lives together, but with Sam in his life, everything had changed.

  He stopped dead, hand extended, not quite touching the door handle, realizing for the first time that his world would never be the same. Whether he claimed his mate now or after Andrew and all the others he was colluding with was caught, it was all different, and he wasn’t sure how he felt about the changes. He knew the Universe did not make mistakes, but was he really ready for a mate? His dragon pushed hard, letting him know that the beast was most definitely ready, but he couldn’t stop wondering if he was. Deciding it was not something he had to think about at the moment, he went back to caring for his mate.

  As soon as he opened the door, the beauty of the woman hit him square in the chest. Samantha Malone was absolutely gorgeous and amazingly fierce when awake, but sitting in his truck, completely relaxed, body curled to the side with her head leaned against the headrest, breathing deeply, sleeping for the first time in a very long time; she completely took his breath away. Her hair was wound in her signature braid, signifying how exhausted she truly was. He’d never seen her leave it bound any longer than the walk to her car after her shift. The temptation to taste the succulent skin on her scrumptious neck was hard to resist and caused his body to lean forward of its own volition. Breathing deep, in an effort to regain his control, he pulled the scent of jasmine and honeysuckle, her scent, deep into his lungs. His eyes slid shut, and he leaned the rest of the way forward until his lips touched her forehead. Laying a simple kiss above her eyebrow, he took a moment to enjoy the thought of a normal life with the one destined to be his.

  He quickly stood up, shaking his head. Normal? What the hell was that? At one hundred and twelve years old, he couldn’t remember one time his life had been normal. He shook his head one more time and reached across his mate, unhooking the seatbelt. Sliding his arms under her knees and behind her back, he lifted her from the seat, and she curled into his chest, laying her head on his shoulder. He felt another piece of his soul click into place. It just felt right to have her in his arms, depending on him, even in her sleep. I’m becoming as big a sap as the others. Doesn’t that just suck? Kicking the door shut, he heard the gravel of her driveway crunch under his boots as he headed towards her front door, trying not to think inappropriate thoughts of the amazing woman presently cuddled against his chest. As he stepped onto her porch, he realized her door was most definitely locked. Had he had a free hand, he would have smacked his forehead for not thinking of it sooner. Then it hit him, she always carried her keys in the front pocket of her scrubs. Carefully balancing his mate with one arm, he retrieved the keys, unlocked the door and entered her home, not even taking the time to look around. He was quickly up the stairs to the room he knew was hers from all the nights he had kept watch.

  His enhanced sight allowed him to take in his surroundings as he gently laid her down. The colors were a palette of browns, beiges, and creams, perfectly coinciding with what he already knew of his Sam, but he had to admit the lace and frills surprised him a bit. His mate had a girlie side, and what once he would have made him scoff now warmed his heart. Damn! This whole mating thing was turning him into a ball of mush. The same shit he had been ragging on Rayne and Aidan about was happening to him, and he was starting to not give a shit.

  For the first time since laying her down, Sam moved in her sleep, and without a second thought, he jumped into action. His only thought was for her comfort. He removed her shoes and covered her with the quilt he found neatly folded at the end of the bed. As soon as the blanket touched her, she curled to the side with her back facing him. He marveled at the outline of her perfect form. His palms itched with the need to trace every seductive curve, his mouth watered with the need to taste every erotic dip, and the sight of her magnificently rounded behind nearly had him begging at the altar that was his Samantha. His eyes ate up every inch of the amazing creature that was to be his.

  He spotted her thick brown braid and the need to unleash her miraculous mane overwhelmed him. The need to give her comfort was alive in him. He knew she needed to rest comfortably, and he would do whatever it took to make it so. Sitting lightly on the side of the bed, his hip made contact with her luscious ass and his cock jerked. ‘Down boy, now is not the time,’ he told his wayward member, but that did not stop his imagination from conjuring all sorts of erotic images. Gently, he removed the small pink band from the end of her braid. Slowly, he began to unwind the intricate design that her hands had so deftly wound and was reminded of spun silk as the delicate strands slid through his fingers. He marveled as each tendril fell to her back, returning to their natural curls. As the braid completely fell away, he was unable to stop his fingers from gently massaging her neck. The touch of his fingers on the satin of her skin sent an electric current straight to his erection, causing it to harden even more against the zipper of his jeans. She moaned in her sleep, pushing into his touch, and he knew that she felt their connection even in her sleep.

  He continued to work the tight muscles of her neck, moving to her shoulders, letting his hands slide under her scrub top, the need to keep skin to skin contact a throbbing need within him. The longer he molded her skin, the faster his heart beat and the more his thoughts that she was perfect in every way were confirmed. Even her response to his touch was without flaw. Her movements caused her behind to aga
in rub against his hip and once again, his internal debate began. His body, heart, and soul wanted her more than his next breath, but his brain told him he needed to find a way to keep his distance until the threats against her had been eliminated. Fortunately, nature had a way of taking care of itself, because as the blood left his brain, he acted on pure instinct, leaning forward. He ran his nose along the exposed column of her throat, stopping as he felt her blood pump harder and faster. His tongue slipped past his lips, bathing her pulse in his scent while pulling hers into his soul, marking her, letting all others know to whom she belonged.

  Sam let her head fall forward, an invitation for more attention. Who was he to deny his mate what she desired? Unable to stop, his hands moved to her waist as he continued to kiss and nip her tender skin. So lost to the taste and feel of his mate, the need building until he was sure he would burst, his hand touched the flesh at her waist and an electrical charge like nothing he had ever known ran through him head to toe, and assured him that he had passed the point of no return. Using every ounce of strength he possessed, he eased back until only his hands at her waist maintained their contact. He watched as she settled back into a deep sleep, all the while his thumbs drew little circles on her skin, unable to give up the last bit of their connection. A tap on the window woke him from his stupor. He jerked his head around. There in the window was a huge pair of green cat eyes and a panther’s face with a smirk only the King could give. Damn cat! It was truly irritating that the King’s beast fit on the small balcony outside Sam’s room. Despite his irritation, he smiled at Max’s ingenuity for getting his attention. He nodded his head, assuming Max needed him outside. The cat turned, and the last Lance saw of him was his tail as he leapt from the roof of Sam’s cottage.