“Is that enough for you?” Rage softened his tone.
“Not anymore.” Caleb tunneled his fingers through his hair. He turned his gaze back on Rage. “But she’s made it clear there can be nothing more between us.” Caleb straightened his back. “It’s why I am leaving on a mission for Eve. I plan to be away long enough to forget her.”
“You think that’s the solution?” Rage wiped the sweat off his chest and, walking to the laundry basket in the far corner, dropped in the sodden cloth.
“Nope.” Behind him he heard Caleb slam the weight back in its bracket. “But perhaps distance will deaden the pain.” He chuckled and the sound was bitter. “You still have a chance. It’s your mate at stake here. Don’t let her go.”
Rage stayed with his back to Caleb. His insides twisted. “I’m a dragon, she saved my life. I can’t put her at risk by mating with her.” He curled his hands into fists.
“So you’ll let her walk away?”
His beast roared in protest. The scent of dragon fire filled the air. “What choice do I have?” He smashed his fist into the wall. The surface cracked, and some of the plaster fell from overhead.
“Breaking the place will only have Eve on your back,” he mocked.
Rage hung his head, his hair sliding down over his shoulders.
“It’s better to have tried and lost than not to have tried at all.” Caleb tilted his head.
The wolf was right. He just needed to focus on the now, get to the ceremony first, and make sure no other shifter got too close to his mate.
He had to find a way to claim her.
His heartbeat slowed; his beast quietened.
“Why don’t we get out of here? When you see her, you’ll know what you have to do.” Caleb sounded altogether too cheerful.
His insides churned, his chest hurt. “Why do I feel like I’ve been played?” He found he couldn’t stay annoyed with the wolf.
“I’ve had experience in negotiating with Eve.” Caleb wagged a finger at him.
“You mean manipulating?”
“Coercing.” Caleb flashed him a grin, brown eyes shining with intelligence.
“You’re more than just Eve’s bodyguard, aren’t you?”
“You’re the first to guess that, dragon.” Caleb’s features lightened. “Perhaps Eve does know what she’s doing,” he muttered almost to himself.
“What are you talking about?” Rage furrowed his brow.
“Eve wants you to give her away at her mating ceremony.”
Rage felt like he’d been punched. The breath rushed out of him. “Why?” He rubbed the back of his neck. He had never expected to meet his clan again, let alone give away his own sister at her mating ceremony.
“You are a powerful shifter. Having you give Eve away sends out a clear signal to our allies that she has your support. It makes her position more secure.” Caleb raised his shoulders. “Besides, you are her sole living male relative.”
Caleb was right.
With Neo still missing, Rage was the de facto man of the family. It was up to him to take care of his sisters. Not that they needed his help, but Rage found the protective streak in him demanded he look out for the women in his life. “Guess I am still getting used to the idea of being back and reunited with my family.” Rage swallowed down the ball of emotion in his throat.
Caleb grinned. “You’re one of the Dragons of Mauritania whether you like it or not. We take care of our own.” His eyes gleamed.
Rage liked that even though Caleb was a wolf shifter, he counted himself as one of the Dragon family. It made him realize just how equal Eve treated everyone on her team.
A warm feeling spread through Rage’s chest. “Tell Eve it would be my honor to accept.” He held out a hand.
Caleb grasped it. “You’ll need formal clothes for the event.”
Rage was already shaking his head. “I’ll shower and shave. Hell, even cut my hair. But I can’t change who I am or what I have become.” He’d always be a feral beast, who chafed at the need to conform.
His time at the fighting pits and looking out for himself had made him too used to making his own rules. He’d give his life for his mate and his family. He loved Eve and would do everything in his power to secure her position as alpha.
But the thought of having to follow someone else, even if that were his own sister, still made his chest tighten.
Caleb didn’t push the matter. “I’ll get you a fresh set of clothes.” He held up his hands. “Normal everyday wear.”
By the time Rage emerged from his shower, he found a fresh pair of pants, a plain cotton shirt, and even socks waiting for him.
Caleb was nowhere to be seen.
Wearing his clothes, he walked out of the gym and onto the path that led down to the beach where the ceremony was to be held.
To his left, people milled around a thatched hut a little way down. So that’s where the bar was.
He scanned the people who had gathered around the dais that had been set up on the sand.
The sea stretched out, forming a background to where the festivities would take place.
His sleeves fluttered in the breeze. The earthy scent of wolf shifters, mixed with the fire-touched essence of dragons, teased his nostrils.
He also caught the lighter fragrance of humans. His sister had made sure all species could live in harmony on Mauritania.
The hair on the back of his neck prickled. He glanced to the side to find a silver-green gaze tracking him.
20
Pandora
Their eyes met. The amber in his sparked. His jaw hardened.
He had shaved, but she knew his chin would be rough. She wanted to feel his whiskers as they scraped over her breasts, her thighs, her core… Heat rushed to her cheeks.
Her gaze followed the column of his throat to where his shirt stretched across his chest.
Dark strands of hair brushed his collar.
His hair was slicked back as if wet from a shower. It did nothing to tame the beast lurking under his skin.
He looked so damn hot. She wanted to run her hands over him, trace the outline of his body with her fingers and commit it to memory.
As if aware of her scrutiny, he thrust his chest out and widened his stance.
On the psychic plane, the shield around his monster pulsed. The force of his dragon sang to her.
She wanted to go to him, smell him, taste him. She wanted to lick the hollow at the base of his neck. Fling her arms around him, thrust her hips against his, and cradle his hardness.
Someone brushed past her, but she didn’t glance away.
Her world had narrowed to the dragon shifter who was looking at her as if he wanted to consume her whole.
He took a step forward, his elbows bent, his back straight.
A couple strolled between them.
He raised his head to glance around them. The breeze plastered his shirt to his torso, outlining the planes of his sculpted chest.
She wanted to trace her fingers down his pecs, over his concave waist, to where the hair would arrow before disappearing into the waistband of his pants.
Just thinking about it turned her on. Desire bloomed low in her belly. The pulse between her legs throbbed.
She wanted to break this crazy connection that was sizzling between them but couldn’t. Her mouth went dry.
Surely he must see how aroused she was?
His shoulders pushed back and his gaze narrowed. He’d made up his mind.
What was he going to do? Pandora swallowed and clasped her hands to her chest.
He swaggered across the sand and was halfway to her when a cheer rang up from the crowd.
He stopped, glanced toward the noise.
She followed his gaze. Cain had stepped onto the platform.
A band, tucked away by the wall to the side, struck up a slow beat. The plaintive strains of a violin shimmered through the air, flowing over the assembled people.
People craned their necks, moving aside
until a path cleared through the crowd.
Eve stepped into the gap.
Rage tugged at the collar of his shirt. His back straightened. With a last glace at Pandora, he walked over to Eve and took her arm.
The voices quietened. A baby gurgled and was hushed.
Eve wore a simple white tunic that reached below her knees. The cloth slid over her skin, embracing her curves. It was cut at the sides, the slits reaching midthigh. Her hair flowed to the middle of her back. There was a red lily tucked behind one ear. She held more in a small bouquet.
Face radiant, she glided toward Cain on Rage’s arm.
Eve was tall, but Rage towered over her.
The determined set of the jaw, the look of intent in that gaze, the seductive slide of their bodies as they walked, all of it marked them out as siblings.
The resemblance between them was unmistakable.
Each on their own was charismatic enough to bring a room full of people to their knees. Together their beauty was overwhelming. The dominance leaped off the two of them, pushing down on the assembled guests. One woman bowed her head as brother and sister passed her row.
Another man sank to his knees, his hands on his heart. He dropped his head as the siblings glided by. His loyalty to his alpha was without question.
Pandora couldn’t take her gaze off Rage. Seeing him with his sister, the leader of the dragons, brought home who he was. A royal dragon shifter of the House of Mauritania. The alpha’s brother and a respected member of the clan who’d protect his family with everything he had.
While she was…a traitor. One who had been sent to betray him. Someone who had run away from her own people. She’d never felt so alone. A keening pain twisted her heart. What was she even doing there?
She was only putting Rage in danger. She should leave. The band around her chest grew tighter, until she couldn’t breathe. Her heart felt like it was going to shatter.
Rage’s face swiveled to her just then. His gaze was fierce. He raised his chin slightly. It was as if he’d sensed the turmoil that was tearing her apart. “Don’t do anything rash, my love. Wait for me.”
On the psychic plane, his voice sounded like the crash of waves on the beach. Clear and strong and so powerful. She gasped. Her knees shook. It shouldn’t be possible for him to speak to her in her mind, to communicate like this through the fledgling bond. It meant his dragon was getting stronger and the bond was strengthening.
If he shifted, his dragon would come to the fore. The mating bond would snap into place, and that would mean his certain death.
She had to leave before his dragon broke the shield. She turned to go, only to run full tilt into a woman.
“Hey, you okay?” The woman grabbed her arm and propped her up.
Concern bled from her touch.
Pandora’s chin trembled, tears pricking the backs of her eyes.
“Weddings, right?” The stranger shook her head, her gaze narrowed with worry. “They get to me every single time.” She dabbed her eyes with a red handkerchief.
The stranger was dressed in a crimson dress. The dress curved her figure and ended at midthigh. The neckline was slashed to show her creamy breasts. She had a scarlet cloth she had wrapped around her curls.
“Nice head scarf.” Pandora’s voice broke a little.
The woman didn’t seem to notice. She touched the accessory. “You’re the first to not call it a turban.” A grin split her face.
Pandora couldn’t speak. The ball of emotion in her throat had only grown bigger. She bit the inside of her cheek.
“Don’t miss that drama playing out right there.” The woman’s eyes gleamed. She jerked her chin toward the other side of the space.
Pandora’s curiosity was piqued enough to follow the stranger’s gaze.
She spotted Indira next to the dais.
Indi’s eyebrows were furrowed. She glowered at Caleb. Even across the crowded space, the tension between the two of them was evident.
A man had just stalked over to her and touched her arm.
“That’s Drakan, the prince of New London.” The woman dug her elbow into Indi’s side. “He’s quite a dish, eh?”
Drakan was tall, broad-shouldered, and dark-blond hair flowed to his shoulders. His hooked nose was prominent, giving him an air of authority. He was dressed in black slacks and a shirt. A band of blue and gold was clasped around his biceps.
“What’s he doing here?” It was clear the man was there not just as a guest. “He seems like the kind who doesn’t come to weddings unless there’s something in it for him.”
The woman laughed, the sound loud enough for a few heads to turn their way. “Very good.” She tucked Pandora’s arm against her own. “He’s one of the few dragon shifters left in the old world. He’s here to form an alliance with Eve. “
“Right.” Her head whirled with the new information. “And you? Why are you here?”
Pandora sensed the other woman’s gaze sharpen. She glanced up to find the woman’s amber eyes gleaming.
“Serena.” She held out her arm. “I’m Cain’s sister. And you…?”
Pandora shook her hand. “I am…a guest. I leave right after the ceremony.”
The music stopped. Eve had reached the platform. A grin split Cain’s face, lighting up his features.
Rage clasped Eve’s shoulders. He bent down and kissed her on both her cheeks. He stepped back.
Eve turned her face up to Cain. She was smiling, her features soft and dreamy. She was so beautiful.
“That man who gave Eve away. He’s looking at you as if he wants to snatch you up and run away…” Serena jerked her chin up toward the other side of the gathering. “He’s the one who invited you, hmm?”
Pandora didn’t dare follow her gaze.
Her attention was drawn to the another man who’d glided to stand at the edge of the crowd. His eyebrows furrowed, arms loose at his sides. His shoulders were tensed. His gaze was on Serena’s face.
“You have an admirer of your own.”
Serena’s breath rushed out of her, and her chest rose and fell. “You mean Vance. My self-assigned bodyguard.” Her crimson-tipped fingers gripped her handkerchief. “I can’t seem to shake him off.”
Pandora reached out to Vance with her empathetic senses. Waves of fear and despair radiated from him. He was concerned for Serena. Below that was a love so deep, her throat closed. “Perhaps it’s time you embraced what was meant for you.” Pandora flushed as soon as the words were out. She hadn’t meant to say that, but sometimes her instincts ran away with her. Besides, Vance loved this woman. She was just too stubborn to see it.
Like Rage.
She may not have a future with Rage, but surely she could nudge Serena and Vance toward each other?
Serena squared her shoulders. Her chest heaved, her breasts straining against her dress, threatening to spill out.
Vance, whoever he was, was going to have his hands full with her.
Cain slipped a chain around Eve’s neck. “It was my mother’s.” He tilted his head.
Eve’s lips curved.
A woman stepped forward. She carried her daughter in a pouch on her back that was secured around her waist.
She bound a silk scarf over their joined hands. “As the mayor of Bombay and someone who values Eve’s and Cain’s friendship, I join them in this mating bond.” She glanced across at the violin player, who smiled at her, his half-hooded gaze intense.
“That’s Leana, and her daughter, Akasha.” Serena touched her shoulder. “And that,” she nodded to the violinist, “is her mate, Mikhail.”
“Let’s celebrate.” Stepping back, Leana raised her hand.
Mikhail put his bow to the strings, and the music that poured forth wrenched her insides. It was so sweet, so full of need that it sent a shudder of longing through her.
Pandora turned, seeking out Rage. He wasn’t there. Where he’d stood, there was just empty space.
Her gut twisted. Had he left her? She rubbed
her hand over her face. She had hoped to have just a few more hours with him, but he’d beaten her to it. He’d decided they weren’t meant to be together after all.
She dropped her chin and squeezed her eyes shut.
“Looking for me?”
She squeaked.
He materialized at her side, carrying two glasses, handing one to her.
She didn’t move to take it.
He raised the glass to her lips, sipping from the other.
His gaze lowered to her mouth.
Without breaking the gaze, she sipped. Flavors of rose, cinnamon, spices, and sunshine exploded on her tongue. “What is this?” She wrapped her fingers over his and, tipping the glass back, she drained it. “It feels like I swallowed a flower garden.” Her tongue swirled over the tastes that shimmered on her palate.
He didn’t remove his fingers from under hers. “You love poetry?”
Her cheeks flushed. She drew circles in the dirt with one boot-clad foot. “I liked to read. As an empath, my interaction with the outer world was limited. I had to stay home until I had learned to shield myself properly against other’s emotions.”
“You created your own stories?” His voice was soft.
She fixed her gaze on his throat. “When you have so many emotions running through you, it’s best to channel it before it consumes you.”
“Look at me, Pandora.” His voice flowed over her skin, sending off little sparks that set her nerves tingling.
She so wanted to sink into his gaze. If she raised her head and saw him she’d be lost, and yet… Something inside her pushed her on—perhaps that part of her that had newly awakened was telling her she had very little time with him. She had to make the most of it.
She raised her eyes to meet his.
The sheer force of his charisma pushed down on her chest. Her breath caught in her throat. Her pulse hammered.
He leaned in closer.
His individual eyelashes were gold-tipped. The amber in his eyes deepened to pools of molten lava. Sparks of red flashed deep in those irises.
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