Of course she had to wear her sunglasses to shield her eyes from the noon sun. Leah felt dowdy standing beside him even though she was wearing a new dress. Her pink and white seersucker sundress had looked casually elegant in Atlanta. Here on Isle Balaur the pale pink washed out in the brilliant sunshine. Only her ruby alleviated her drabness.
As was usual, when she was near Hugo, her ring was lit up from within. That had to be her imagination. How the heck could a ruby sense the presence of anything, even a dragon lord? She firmed her lips and hoped her makeup wasn't sliding down her face.
Far away a whirring filled the air. Hugo seemed to swell and become even more imposing. As if a six foot eight bronze statue had decided to broaden an already overly broad chest. The jewels on his chest deepened in intensity and light flashed from deep within the central stone—a ruby as big and smooth as a hen's egg.
Hugo had informed her that the stones in his pendant were all cabochons—polished but uncut stones. They were ancient jewels that dated from before jewelers learned to cut facets into precious stones to release their fire.
The noise of the helicopter grew louder. Leah was grateful for the earplugs she was wearing. Hugo had handed them to her with a patronizing smile. “We don't want you going deaf, Beloved,” he had said as he handed her the small orange foam pellets.
“Aren't you going to wear some?” she had asked.
His brows rose haughtily. “Me? Sarkany ears cannot be damaged by the noise of mere machinery.”
Could that be true? Or was it more grandiose, the-rules-don't-apply-to-me thinking? Because this big idiot sure thought he was special.
Whatever it meant, Hugo's hair stayed put when the helicopter approached, while her carefully blow dried waves were tossed into a wild mess. She put up both hands to smooth it down, but she could feel it had been churned into a froth of dusty tangles. Hugo's hair didn't budge. What the heck did he put in it?
The helicopter landed. The whirling blades kicked up dust from the perfectly swept concrete pad and threw it up in the air. Leah's skin began to itch as it landed on her moistened skin. Beside her Hugo was thrumming with some deeply felt emotion. She could tell he was excited, even though he was standing as still as the statue she compared him to. How could she be so attuned to him when he irritated her so thoroughly?
The helicopter's rotors slowed and the doors opened. Two men climbed down gracefully and bent double. They walked in a half crouch towards her and Hugo. Once they were out of danger of being decapitated, they stood erect. They were as tall or taller than Hugo, and their shoulders were just as wide as his.
They too were dressed in black. No, in the same dark green color that Hugo was wearing. Weird. They looked just as elegant too. The taller of the two men was blond. His smooth hair brushed the very edge of his collar in a sort of pageboy cut. The helicopter didn't muss him either.
The other man looked like Hugo. His face was perhaps a little thinner. His eyes however were the same piercing gold. Maybe Hugo's weird eye color wasn't contacts after all, but some other dragon oddity. This man was carrying a small, green leather case.
The blond giant had green eyes, however, so not all dragons had golden eyes. His high cheekbones and jutting nose made him look like some Nordic warrior. In fact both men looked like warriors. She glanced sideways at Hugo, but he was stock still, not moving to greet his honored guests. Not acting pleased to see them after all.
When they were four feet from her and Hugo they stopped and bowed. Real bows. The kind where one leg went back and the opposite arm swept through the air. They stayed in that posture too until Hugo spoke.
“Welcome,” he said his voice deeper even than usual. “Welcome, Right Arm. Welcome, Left Arm. We are glad of your presence on our island.”
Hugo nudged her with his elbow. “Welcome,” she squeaked.
The men came fully erect and stood side by side like troops being reviewed. Hugo reached for her right hand and pulled her forward. “Gentlemen,” he said. “This is the Bride of Sarkany.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
“Leah, this is my brother, Ivan. My Right Arm.”
“Ivan, this is my fiancée,” Hugo said proudly. “Leah St. George.”
“Leah, my oldest friend, Roland Voros. Roland is my Left Arm. Roland, Leah.”
Leah shook hands with each man in turn. They were looking her over respectfully. They looked a little surprised and a lot amused. They probably weren't expecting Hugo to be engaged to a hot mess. And with her hair churned into a frazzled mess, and her mascara melting under her eyes, she must look like a fright.
Leah blushed as both men examined her thoroughly. “What does it mean that you are Hugo's Right and Left Arms?” she asked.
“Those are the traditional terms for my second and third in command,” Hugo said easily.
“Command of what?” His explanation left her just as confused.
“Our House,” said Ivan. “Hugo is the head of our extended clan. And we two are his—lieutenants you might say.”
“Lieutenants?” Leah looked as confused as she felt. “But I thought you said that Roland's last name was Voros? Is he a part of your family?”
“Alas,” said Hugo, “Our House has dwindled so that Ivan and I alone are left. But custom allows me to name a friend if necessary.”
“What made it necessary?” Leah felt as though these explanations just made everything more obscure.
“Our betrothal,” lied Hugo. “I have to have at least two attendants.”
“Oh, so these guys are like bridesmaids?”
Roland and Ivan gaped at her and shut their mouths firmly on their indignation. Let Sarkany deal with his impudent bride.
“More like groomsmen, or cavaliers,” Hugo responded firmly.
“And you don't have any other family but your brother?” Leah asked.
“Dozens,” said Ivan cheerfully. “But none of the correct age or sex. Or they are on the Council.”
“Council?” echoed Leah. “What Council?”
“We are governed by the Council,” Hugo said flatly. “But I cannot draw my lieutenants from amongst the Councillors. And I may not be supported by a female.”
“Huh.” Leah felt truly mystified. She looked from hard face to hard face, but the three men looked about as informative as granite.
Both men bowed to her again. And just like that the party transformed into three guys greeting each other with the male handshakes and shoulder thumping that buddies use to express affection.
Hugo's brother was laughing. “You have been busy, Eldest,” he said. “No wonder you told me to bring the Dragon's Blood with me.”
“Silence, youngling!” thundered Hugo. “We will go inside to complete our introductions. Remember the staff is mortal,” he said in a bare undertone.
The cool of the air conditioned house was like balm to Leah's hot body. She wanted to head to her own rooms to fix her hair and wash the grit from her face at least. But Hugo kept her hand in an iron grip and led them all towards his office.
He didn't speak until they were in the anteroom, surrounded by the Impressionist paintings. He jerked his head to his brother who shut the door and locked it digitally. No one but her was looking at the artwork on the walls.
“Guard her,” instructed Hugo placing her before him.
“With our lives,” both men vowed instantly, laying huge hands over their hearts.
Wow. That was pretty cool.
“Come,” Hugo went on. “We'll go into my office and put the Dragon's Blood away.” He led the way to the double doors and raised the grille and unlocked them. The four of them went into the office, which suddenly seemed much smaller with these three huge guys sucking up all the oxygen.
Ivan held out the green case to Hugo with both hands. “Take your Treasure, Eldest,” he intoned.
Hugo grasped the box with both hands and equally formally replied, “I thank you, Right Arm, for restoring the Treasure of our House to my Keeping.”
Yo
u could almost hear the capitalization Leah thought. Ritual. They were awfully stuffy for brothers. Hugo put the leather case on his desk. Against the polished black glass the tooled green leather looked shabby. It looked as if its elaborate designs had once been richly gilded but the gilding had been worn away by untold hands over long ages.
Hugo opened it slowly. The sparkling necklace inside took Leah's breath away. This sucker topped all his other gaudy jewelry. A multitude of rubies and diamonds flashed a blinding light from a massive gold setting.
Hugo reached for the necklace. The big central pendant was not as large as his own. But it had been cut with facets, so it refracted the light with a brilliance Hugo's pendant did not. He held it up so they could all admire it.
“This is the Treasure of my House,” said Hugo. Masculine possession and satisfaction throbbed in every grave and portentous word. “But the Dragon's Blood is not more dear to me than is My Beloved. I give the Treasure to my Treasure for as long as her life shall last.” Hugo smiled down at Leah, a dragon lord at his most pompous. She politely retrained an eye roll.
“Lift your hair out of the way,” he said. When she had bundled it off her nape, he slipped the necklace around her neck and did up the catch. It lay heavy on her chest. But Hugo did not stop to admire it. He immediately turned to his brother and friend and said, “You are witnesses that the Dragon's Blood is now the property of My Beloved.”
“It is given,” both men said as one. “The Dragon's Blood is in the keeping of the Beloved of Count Sarkany.”
Hugo nodded satisfied. “Let's get this stowed safely,” he said briskly. “Then you can freshen up before we talk tactics.” He reached for the catch of the necklace, but Leah put her hand over the stones on her chest.
“Would you mind telling me what the heck is going on?” she asked. “Did you just give me this?” She tugged at the Dragon's Blood with rose tipped fingers.
“For your lifetime,” Hugo said cautiously.
“Don't I get to see what it looks like on?” she drawled sweetly.
Hugo looked embarrassed. The other men looked amused, but they didn't laugh. Hugo waved at the bathroom door. “There's a mirror in there,” he said.
She had been correct. Her hair looked worse than the Bride of Frankenstein's. Her mascara lay in a gray semi-circles under her eyes. She looked absolutely haggard. Her dress looked fine in here under these lights, but no one was going to look at a seersucker frock when she was wearing a dazzling fortune around her neck.
The Dragon's Blood looked like something out of some collection of crown jewels. Heavy rose-colored gold held big dark rubies in place. Each ruby was circled by many smaller diamonds. It was heavy and old and opulent and infused with great power. Wearing it she felt invincible. A fit mate for a dragon. She didn't want to take it off, but it was messing with her good sense. This sense of omnipotence was just plain wrong.
She came out of the bathroom fiddling with the catch. “Permit me, Beloved,” said Hugo. He unclipped it with expert fingers.
The necklace was returned to its nest of golden satin. The latch was carefully closed. A safe in the wall was revealed and Hugo handed her the green case with both hands. “Will you accept the Treasure, Beloved?” he asked formally.
“I will,” she stammered.
“Please, place it in the safe, Beloved.”
Leah set it down atop a carved wooden casket with a flat lid. The crowded shelves looked as though they held yet another hoard. Just how much loot did Hugo have? She could feel waves of energy coming from the many boxes. Which was crazy. But just being near these caskets made her feel strong and acquisitive. She wanted to open them. Frightened by the strength of these feelings, she stepped back and Hugo shut and sealed the door.
He pressed buttons on the keypad, and within moments the safe was concealed and the wall looked exactly like the rest of the room. “You are witnesses,” he said formally.
“We are witnesses,” declared Ivan and Roland inclining their heads. “Both to your betrothal, Eldest of Sarkany, and to the gifting of the Dragon's Blood to Leah, Beloved of Sarkany.”
Hugo nodded back looking smug. “Excellent,” he said in a normal voice. “What say I have you shown to your rooms, and we get out of these clothes and into something more comfortable?”
“I could use a beer,” said Ivan. “This heat is too much after Switzerland.”
Roland clapped him on his shoulder with a blow that would have sent another man reeling but which Ivan absorbed as if it were just a nudge. “You should get yourself an island paradise like mine,” he said. “I am looking forward to swimming in these warm and shallow seas. The Tasman Sea is always a tad cold, no matter how hot it gets.”
Ivan whistled. “Is that where you are holed up these days?” he asked.
Roland inclined his shining head. “Indeed. I am just close enough to New Zealand's North Island to be able to send my staff home at night, but far enough away that I can fly without being seen.”
“The folks around Schloss Sarkany don't think much if they see the shadow of a dragon against the moon. After all these centuries, they are used to legends coming to life.” Ivan laughed.
“Roland is right,” said Hugo firmly. “We need to be discreet in this age of radar and cameras in every device. Time was a frightened peasant would tell his story and the authorities would smile politely and laugh privately. But when he and forty others show up with video?” Hugo shook his head. “Not good.”
In the hallway outside the office complex, Hugo again took Leah's hand. He kissed it and touched her cheek tenderly with his other hand. He smiled at her and blew a kiss at her with his pursed lips. “You are tired, Beloved,” he said. “You should refresh yourself with sleep.”
Leah took a step back from him, even though Hugo did not release her hand. She narrowed her eyes. The bastard was trying something. “I'm not in the least tired,” she said clearly.
“But you will go and refresh yourself?” Hugo said in a deep low voice.
Was he trying to hypnotize her? He was! “I could use a shower,” she said trying to tug her hand out of his grasp. “And then I want some lunch.”
“Of course, my darling.” Hugo's voice was suave but Leah could sense he didn't like her response to his suggestions. In fact he was really upset. Frustrated. Good.
Hugo looked at his little mate in consternation. Since her transformation he was less and less able to read her. Where before he could tell precisely how aroused she was, and what she was feeling at any moment, now she had shut him out. And his sleeping spell had been utterly ineffective. She was chattering away and defying him as if he had not charmed her with his breath. What could this defiance mean?
“We will all change and I will order food,” he said with as good grace as he could muster. He did not miss the amused glances Roland and Ivan were exchanging. They had not missed Leah's immunity to his spell.
Leah let herself be escorted to her suite by all three men. Hugo kissed her at the door. A masculine kiss to demonstrate to the other men that this woman was his. Really he was such a guy. Nevertheless, his mouth on hers made her forget everything but her elemental attraction to him. She pulled away and closed her door on three identical grins.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
“She's not like your usual women,” Ivan remarked feelingly.
“What do you mean by that?” snapped Hugo bringing the small party to a halt in the corridor outside Leash's suite.
“Just that she doesn't look or act like your usual pieces of arm candy.” Ivan was placatory. But he nudged Roland's arm gleefully.
“Your bride is lovely,” said Roland. “She has the best—” he paused in thought.
“Yes,” prompted Hugo in a dangerous voice.
“The best flight muscles I've ever seen on any woman,” finished Roland smoothly.
Ivan coughed into his hand. “Hmm, he said. “Fantastic flight muscles.”
“Leah isn't arm candy. She is my mate,” said Hug
o with satisfaction, completely missing the byplay. “When she transforms, she is golden,” he bragged as if he were personally responsible for her appearance.
“She is indeed beautiful, Sarkany,” said Roland. “I can feel her strength and intelligence. You will have firelings of power and genius.”
Hugo chest swelled. “The Bride of Sarkany is a Treasure. I only wish I could have our marriage performed at once.”
* * *
Leah watched the three men under her lashes, trying to figure out what was going on. She could tell that they wanted to talk privately. But why were they being so secretive? Why had Hugo summoned his brother and his friend? This business about them being lieutenants or cavaliers sounded nuts. But nothing about this situation wasn't nuts.
Lunch went on and on. The day cook had outdone herself. Leah had a heartier appetite than usual. Who knew that sex made you so hungry? She blushed at her own unruly thoughts and looked up from her fish to see three pairs of masculine eyes looking knowingly at her. Her blush deepened. All three men smiled slightly and looked pleased with themselves.
Martin came in with another man and they both began to take the plates away. They put steaming pastries before each of them. They were delicious, but she decided she had better slow down since there seemed to be so many courses.
The conversation was innocuous. Hugo spoke of the markets. Roland gave his opinion of the international bankers. Ivan capped his stories with anecdotes of his own. Leah didn't have anything to say. The global financial situation was well outside her knowledge.
“Where are you from, Leah?” Roland asked when their conversation flagged.
Leah smiled at him. Hugo frowned. “Atlanta, Georgia,” she said. If Hugo thought she was never going to smile at another man again, he had a lot to learn.
Ivan's brows went up. “Tell us how you met your bride, brother,” he said.
Hugo lifted his glass and drank. He blotted his lips. He's stalling, thought Leah. He's ashamed of me.
“I was temping for Sarkan Industries,” she said. “Hugo asked me to be his PA.”
Ivan choked on his bite of meat pie and began to cough.
Dragon's Treasure (BBW/Dragon Shifter Romance) (Lords of the Dragon Islands Book 1) Page 13
