by Chant, Zoe
She was still looking at him, her eyes wide and dark, her lips slightly parted.
Did she feel what he felt—that irresistible pull, like a magnet drawing them together?
The tinted glass which shielded them from the eyes of the driver was up.
Timothy hesitated only for a heartbeat. Then he leaned forward, slow enough that Liana could have leaned back if she’d wanted.
Instead, Liana exhaled a shivering breath and closed her eyes when their lips met at last.
Her lips were warm and soft. When he reached out to draw her against him, she relaxed into his touch. Her mouth opened for him, and all of a sudden, he found himself kissing her passionately, exploring her mouth as if he’d been starved for her his entire life.
When he finally drew back, she was breathless, her lips swollen and her eyes dazed.
“Oh wow,” she breathed, then gave him an embarrassed look. “I mean... that was... you are...”
“Yeah,” he agreed softly, smiling at her speechlessness.
It was adorable. Everything about her was sweet.
Holy shit, we found our mate.
His dragon curled inside him in greedy delight.
His dragon would’ve loved nothing better than to fly her away to his home right then and there—but that would have to wait. Unlike the fire dragon, Timothy knew what human women liked. And he didn’t think abduction by dragon was high on anyone’s list.
“Oh damn—Braeden,” he cursed when he realized all of a sudden that he’d forgotten about his charge as soon as he’d laid eyes on his mate.
Liana gave him a questioning look.
“My friend. I was supposed to watch over him. He’s staying with me. His, ah, family doesn’t trust him not to get in trouble.”
“First time in the big city, huh?” Liana grinned at him, still breathless. “I think Clairice’s friends will take good care of him.”
As if on command, his phone vibrated in his pocket. When he pulled it out, he saw a text from the fire dragon.
Hey, forgot something at the club?
Timothy grimaced. At least they’d managed to teach him how to use a phone. And with the dragonsbane and the cuffs of obsidian, he shouldn’t be able to cause any trouble. Still...
Wait. I’ll be back for you in a moment.
He hastily shoved his phone back into his pocket, then gave Liana an apologetic look. “Dinner tomorrow—you promised. I’ll pick you up at seven, how does that sound? Wait—here’s my number.”
He fished one of his cards out of his pocket. His name and number were printed on heavy, expensive paper, which was embossed with a stylized design of waves in the lightest of blues.
“Ooh, yours looks so important!” Liana beamed at him, then pulled her own card out of her purse, handing it to him with a laugh. “Don’t you dare laugh.”
Liana Robinson, it read. Junior Programmer, Dragon Heights. A-Soft Games.
The card was white as well, but that was where the resemblance ended. There was a dragon printed on it—a dragon Timothy immediately recognized. The dragon was covered all over with blue-green scales, and although they’d gotten a few things wrong, the resemblance was uncanny.
“Your Ocean Dragon,” he murmured.
Liana gave him an impressed look. “You remembered! Most people are bored out of their mind when I start on our dragons.”
“No—it’s interesting,” he said softly. “You are interesting. And the dragon is gorgeous. Thanks.”
He slid her card into his pocket, then leaned forward for one final kiss goodnight.
She gasped softly against his lips, and he breathed in her scent, his entire body filled with a warmth he had never experienced before.
He couldn’t believe that it had finally happened. The chimera would be pleased—and the fire dragon would be pissed off.
But most importantly, he had stopped caring about the chimera, the council and even the threat the fire dragons posed.
All he could think about was Liana. He wanted to shower her in his pearls and sapphires. He wanted to claim her and make her his. And mostly, he wanted to show her the home he had built—an entire peninsula just for shifters, with the air filled by the salt of the sea and the sound of the waves.
But not tonight, he told his dragon. Not yet. Be patient.
“Good night.” She bit her lip as she gave him a look that sent a wave of pure desire through him. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow,” he said huskily.
When the door closed behind her, he leaned back in his seat.
“Holy shit,” he murmured. “I did it. I really did it. I found her!”
He fumbled for his phone to text the storm and earth dragons. The other two members of the council of elements were already mated and had teased him endlessly about his genius plan to party his way through every club in the country until he ran into his mate.
“Worked out, didn’t it?” he said to no one in particular, unable to keep from grinning.
He hadn’t had much to drink—only the champagne they’d shared. But he still felt drunk on the feeling of her gorgeous, soft curves in his arms, her intoxicating scent still lingering in the car.
“Wow.” He laughed, out of breath and amazed at the feeling of elation that still ran through his veins. She was gorgeous, and she was his, and starting tomorrow, he’d woo her like no human woman had ever been wooed by her mate.
It would be perfect.
“Back to the club, please,” he told the driver. Then he leaned back in his seat, pulling out her card again to look at her ocean dragon art.
What could possibly go wrong now?
***
“About time,” Braeden muttered when Timothy finally collected him from the club. Liana’s sister had already left, but three of her friends had kept Braeden company.
“Sorry, ladies,” Timothy said with a cheerful wink. “It’s bedtime for this one.”
“Fuck you too,” Braeden muttered when he led him away to the car, even though he followed without protest.
“Language,” Timothy grinned. “What will your new friends think about you?”
Braeden gave him an affronted look. “Did you even listen to the music they played in that club?”
Timothy shrugged, unconcerned. “That’s just fun. Entertainment. Blowing off steam after a hard week at work. Humans like that sort of thing. Doesn’t mean you’ll win any hearts if you talk that way around them.”
“You’re one to talk,” Braeden muttered. Then he was pointedly silent until they arrived at the penthouse Timothy used when he didn’t want to bother with the flight back home.
In fact, the entire building belonged to him. It was the highest building in the city, appropriately named Dragon Tower. The lower floors held apartments, shops and offices—but the top three floors were for his use alone.
It made for a comfortable home away from home if he was in the city, or if he felt a need for the dazzling city lights spread out below him. He never stayed away from the ocean for long—but all the same, as much as he loved his gorgeous island community, he often got restless for the hustle and energy of the city.
And since humans couldn’t see a dragon once he’d shifted, having his own tower in the city center meant that he could just land on the top of his own building and come and go as he pleased.
Theoretically, it was supposed to be a helipad, but he only used a helicopter if a human business partner was around.
“I can’t believe they made me babysit you,” he grumbled as he led Braeden into his penthouse.
It was true that he had five empty bedrooms at his disposal here—but both the storm and earth dragons had mansions of their own. And they were mated. They didn’t have to go out to find their mate anymore, so why couldn’t they do the hard work of dragging a fire dragon around with them?
“I can’t believe they made you watch me,” Braeden replied with an annoyed look. “You’re the worst babysitter in existence. I wouldn’t leave my
kid with you, let alone my enemy.”
“Fortunately that’s not a choice you’ll have to make anytime soon. You’re not going to find a mate with that.” Timothy smirked and nodded at the obsidian cuffs.
Braeden scowled. “Neither will you. Doesn’t even take obsidian cuffs in your case.”
“Oh.” A wide grin spread over Timothy’s face. “Sorry to disappoint you, but I actually just found my mate tonight.”
He was so full of energy he nearly bounced on his feet. He couldn’t wait to show her off to the other council members.
“No way,” Braeden said, giving him a suspicious look. “The woman you danced with? No way would she give you the time of the day. Her sister says she’s smart. She knows how to speak to those computers of yours. What would she want with someone like you?”
“Oooh, someone’s jealous,” Timothy sang. “Upset because you didn’t score tonight? Sucks to be a fire dragon, I guess.”
Braeden crossed his arms. “You have no idea what I want.”
“Oh, I have a pretty good idea... Conquer the earth, subjugate all of humanity, kill all the other dragons and so on. Not a real turn on when it comes to the ladies though, is it?”
Braeden snorted and turned away from him. He walked over to the huge window that covered nearly the entire side of the penthouse, the city sparkling with millions of lights in the darkness below.
Timothy grabbed his phone, texting Gregory, the dragon of the storm, and then Damon, the dragon of the earth. He and Damon had never really gotten along, but even though it was the middle of the night, after a few moments, his phone beeped as their congratulations came in.
And of course, the dragon of the earth had to send a warning as well.
Be careful, his text said. They came for me just when I found my mate. If they can sense your power peak, they might come for you as well.
Timothy hesitated for a morning. Then, instead of the flippant reply he’d wanted to send, he texted, Thanks, I’ll be careful instead.
He still didn’t like the earth dragon with his constant talk of duty. And it wasn’t as if Timothy couldn’t do his duty while also enjoying life.
All the same, now that he’d found his mate, it seemed that his dragon’s protective instincts had awoken.
If they dare to attack her, I’ll destroy them all. They’ll have to go through me before I’ll let them harm even a single hair on her body.
Then his phone rang.
Surprised, he answered it. He was greeted by the familiar voice of Ginny, the chimera’s current housekeeper.
They hadn’t yet convinced the master of the council to give that whole newfangled idea of communicating via phones or email a try. But the earth dragon’s mate had at least succeeded in getting Ginny some satellite internet up on the solitary mountain peak where Sky Home, the council’s seat, was situated.
“Is something wrong?” he asked before she could talk, his dragon still uneasy after Damon’s text.
“I don’t know,” she said softly.
Ginny hated speaking on the phone—usually she’d have emailed him. Which meant that something important was going on.
“The chimera had a bad dream—or a vision, who knows. He says he saw you suddenly gaining in power. And he saw you surrounded by a circle of flame and shadow.”
Timothy was silent for a moment. “I found my mate tonight. That’s why he must have felt my element gain in power.”
They hadn’t mated yet—once they did, Timothy would come into his full power. As an alpha dragon, he’d be the true master of his element, and the dangerous, immense power would be balanced by the mate bond, so that he could wield it without going mad.
“Congratulations.” Ginny’s quiet voice was filled by surprised warmth. “You’ll be careful?”
“Very careful.” Already Timothy’s dragon was in full protective mode. “If the chimera felt me rise in power, then maybe, whatever cursed fire dragon caused the fire plinth to appear in the council chamber could have felt it as well.”
“Do you want me to tell the chimera you need backup?”
Timothy contemplated her offer for a moment, then shook his head, even though she couldn’t see it. “No, just tell him I’ll be careful. I’ll ask storm and earth for help if I need it. She’s asleep right now—tomorrow, I’ll tell her about what’s going on. Those fire dragons won’t get past me.”
From the window, he could hear Braeden’s snort.
Okay, there was one fire dragon whom he’d have to keep lugging around like an iron ball at his leg. But hopefully, now that he’d found his mate, the chimera would decide that Braeden had seen enough of the human world and could be locked back into his cell.
“Night Ginny, and thanks again,” Timothy said, then ended the call. He gave Braeden a pointed look. “I think it’s past bedtime for you.”
The fire dragon rolled his eyes at him, and then, finally, retired to his bedroom.
Which meant that Timothy should probably do the same. It was very late. The sun would rise soon. And tomorrow, he had a date to look forward to, and an explanation to come up with that wouldn’t send his mate running...
Energy was still thrumming through him. He knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep—not now, after he’d held his mate in his arms for the very first time, and after he’d been told about the chimera’s worrying vision.
After a moment, he took the private stairs that led from his penthouse onto the roof. He locked the doors behind him.
If Braeden wasn’t yet asleep and noticed that Timothy had left, he wouldn’t be able to cause any trouble that way. With his powers locked away, the worst the fire dragon could do was to order some pay-per-view movies—though Timothy was pretty certain that Braeden still thought that the remote was some evil magic.
As soon as he stepped onto the roof, his worries fell away from him. The cool night air felt good on his face. The sky was still dark, and for a moment, he tilted his head back and looked up at the stars.
He took a deep breath. Even here, at the center of the bustling human city, with lights spreading below him to mirror the stars above, and buildings rising almost as far as the eye could see, he was always aware of the ocean. It was just half an hour’s flight from here.
The water sang to him, promising him comfort and sleep, but he shook his head.
He missed the ocean—but he would return soon, with his mate by his side. Not yet.
Then he spread his arms and gave himself over to his dragon.
Power rushed through him. He shifted in the blink of an eye. He lifted off immediately, beating powerful wings to rise from the top of the skyscraper.
He was invisible to all humans below in his dragon form; still, he never allowed himself to linger for long, just on the off-chance that a drone might collide with him.
Today, he was even less in a mood to play in the currents of air around the tall buildings.
He needed to ensure that his mate could sleep safely through the night, with no fire dragons to disturb her sleep.
It took him no time at all to reach the apartment building where she lived. Most of the lights were still off; everyone was asleep.
He landed on the roof of the building next to it, and then remained perched there. As he folded his wings, he concentrated on the fragile connection to his mate until he thought that he’d found the window of her bedroom.
The window was dark as well. Liana had to be asleep already.
Shifting his wings slightly, he settled in, the cool night air washing over his body like waves on a beach as he kept watch over his mate.
Chapter Five: Liana
Beep, beep, beep.
With an annoyed sound, Liana hit the snooze button on her alarm. Then she closed her eyes again, sleepily burrowing beneath the blankets.
A minute later, she resurfaced in sudden shock.
It was a Sunday. Why the hell was her alarm going off at seven in the morning?
She fished for her phone, then groaned once she f
ound it. The screen said 7:01. It was way, way too early for a Sunday. Especially since she’d only gone to bed a few hours ago.
Oh, right. The landlord wanted to send someone to check that leak in the bathroom.
She should probably be glad that her landlord wasn’t one of those people who just ignored that kind of thing—but on the other hand, couldn’t he have found someone to come a bit later in the day?
She yawned and stretched, then blearily made herself go for a shower. Half an hour later, she sat in the kitchen, dressed and clutching her cup of coffee.
I hope those guys aren’t late. If they get done quickly, I might be able to nap for a bit...
On the other hand, if it turned out that it was really her shower that was causing the leak in the apartment below her, they might decide to break open her wall to fix the pipes. And there was no way she’d be able to sleep through that.
She rubbed her eyes with a sigh. At least there was her date tonight to look forward to...
Half an hour later, the plumbers had arrived, and Liana had grabbed her tiny laptop and decided to retreat to the coffee shop on the corner of her block.
Because this was her lucky day, the leak had indeed been caused by one of the pipes connected to her shower. All the noise was giving her a terrible headache, and even though she didn’t think she’d manage to get much work done, it was better than listening to the banging in her bathroom.
She took the shortcut that led through the little alley behind her apartment complex. This early in the day, the area was completely deserted. Everyone was still asleep—that was, everyone except for her neighbors, she supposed.
It was very silent. It felt a little eerie—it wasn’t a bad area, but it wasn’t exactly great, either. With her pay, she couldn’t afford great.
Maybe one day, she’d get a sudden idea and do the same thing her boss had done: program a little game and sell it for a few millions after a year or two.
But right now, her small apartment would have to do.
There was a weird noise in front of her. Liana stopped for a moment, but she couldn’t see anything.
Someone had been mugged nearby last week—but that had been late at night, and at the other side of the complex...
