by Milly Taiden
“Knowing what?”
She leaned so close, he had to fight his instinct to grab her and hold her tight.
“How it would feel,” she whispered, brushing her lips lightly over his. “How you would taste…”
All bets were off at that point. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her on to his lap, pressing their lips harder together. He thrust his tongue into her mouth and she came alive. Her arms wound around his neck, her tongue rubbed over his, flicking back and forth, driving him fucking crazy.
The kiss turned deep. Hot. He ached for more of her. It felt as if a long lost part of him had unlocked and his heart was rejoicing for the intimacy. He drove his fingers into her hair, holding her head in place so he could suck on her tongue, slide his lips over hers and savor her like the finest wine he’d ever had.
Her desire grew, the scent of her need filled the inside of the limo. It was fucking hard to not take her then and there. But he didn’t want the back seat of a car as his first time with Avery. Even if it was a limo.
She deserved more. She deserved everything. What no woman had ever made him feel, she had managed with just a few days. Now that he’d had a small taste, he wanted more. The beast inside him hungered for a proper feast of her body. He wanted to consume her and bring her to the heights of pleasure. He would, too. Soon.
The limo stopped and he pulled back, cutting the amazing kiss short. She was panting, her breaths as ragged as his. Her pupils were dilated and desire was bright in her gaze.
“We’re here,” he grumbled.
She blinked. “Oh.”
Slowly, she slipped off his lap and back to her seat. He’d have her like that again. On his lap. In the back of the limo. Many fucking times. And he’d watch her come as the light of the moon hit her face from the back window.
He opened the door and helped her out. She was quiet as he walked her to her door. He waited until she had the front door open and was ready to watch her walk inside before he went home.
“Jae?” She smiled, a sexy, sultry smile that made his cock hard.
“Yes, beautiful?”
“Knowing is good. I think it might get me in trouble.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because…I think I want more.” She took a step in front of him, grabbed the front of his coat and pulled him down.
He kissed her again, a short desperate taste of the one woman he couldn’t get enough of. She was sweet, warm and made his heart race. She slowly pulled back, her tongue swiping over her lips as if she couldn’t get enough of his taste. Fucking hell that was sexy.
“Are you sure you’re ready for this? For us?” he asked.
She smiled wider, making his stomach clench. “Yes. This isn’t something I can deny.”
He cupped her cheek and met her gaze. “Give us a chance, Avery. Give a relationship between us more than a passing thought.”
She bit her lip but he sensed her acceptance before she spoke. “Okay. This is not how I would do things but you’ve managed to turn my life on its head and I kind of love it.”
That smile she gave him made up for every moment he’d spent searching for the woman that was right for him. He no longer cared if he ever got a mate. He had her. “I will never play any games with you. You mean too much to me.”
She nodded. “That’s all I need to hear.”
“Are you busy tomorrow?”
She grabbed the hand he had on her cheek and held it to her face. “No. I’ll never be too busy for you.” She looked at his lips again and he had to tell himself groping her in front of her house wasn’t all that romantic. “If we’re going to give us a go, I’m not putting up any excuses. What do you have in mind?”
SIXTEEN
Avery hadn’t felt this giddy in her life. She had butterflies in her stomach and couldn’t figure out how Jae put them there.
“Come up to the cabin. We can do some things up there and Hannah has been asking about you.”
Her mom was her only worry, but she’d called a nurse earlier that day who had agreed to come in the morning and start working for her. She took her new insurance so it allowed her the flexibility to be gone.
“Okay, but it will have to be after the nurse I hired gets here. She’ll be in early so if you want to pick me up around ten, I can go.”
“I’d pick you up at any time you want, sweetheart.” He gave her another quick kiss, one that left her tingling down to her toes. “Goodnight, love.”
She didn’t want to leave him there, but she felt like a damn teenager home from her first date. “Goodnight, Jae.”
She walked inside and closed the door. Then she proceeded to watch him get into his limo through the glass. There was no need to check on her mom. She usually slept through the night. She went upstairs and made sure not to wake Star. She’d want a whole run down of the date and she really wanted to take a shower, go to bed and make it tomorrow. The burning need to be near him only increased the longer they were apart.
* * *
Avery waited in the car as Jae came around and opened her door. He kissed her cheek as she stood. “You know, you’re absolutely gorgeous today. More than your usual gorgeousness.”
She rolled her eyes. “You know, I can see right through your words. Are you ever giving up trying to get me out of my clothes?” she asked with a devious grin.
“Never.” He pressed her against the car, his hardness mashing into her thigh. He claimed her lips for his. A tingle of excitement spazzed through her. No one had ever treated her as desirous. God, she loved it.
The front door to the cabin opened. “Good grief, bro. Let the woman breathe,” a man who she assumed was his brother Ker said, coming out and slapping Jae on the back. “Did you bring the food?”
Jae pressed the key fob and the trunk opened. “What do you think? My lady deserves everything and only the best.” Avery didn’t miss the look Ker gave Jae. She wasn’t sure she understood the scowl. Well, maybe she did, just didn’t want to admit to it. If it came down to it, would she fight Hannah for Jae?
The men carried in the extra groceries and Avery followed behind. She wasn’t so sure how to take all this. Hannah was a mate of Jae or Ker because she had the mark of a mate. She wondered what that mark looked like. Was it a dragon like hers? So that meant she was also a Drachen mate. But to Jae or Ker? She hoped Jae, but what if…
“Avery!” Hannah said from the other side of the granite island. The woman hurried around and gave her a hug. “I can’t tell you how much I’ve missed you.”
Ker grunted. “So you didn’t enjoy talking with me?” A partial grin showed he was joking around.
“I enjoyed it a lot, Ker,” Hannah said. “It’s just you’re not meant to talk about girl stuff.”
“You mean like clothes, makeup, men, and romance stories?” Ker asked. “You’re right about that then. Avery, I’m glad you’re here.”
She laughed. “I’m glad to be here.” Jae turned toward her and she winked at him. Was she flirting? How long had it been since she’d done something like that? Come to think of it, she’d never done anything like that. She wasn’t a flirt.
The guys pulled huge steaks from a grocery bag and slapped them onto a cookie sheet. Hannah’s eyes got wide. “Was there any of the cow left after you took those?” she said playfully.
Jae rolled his eyes. “Of course, there was. Just because you girls eat only rabbit food, doesn’t mean we are.”
“Rabbit food,” Avery spit out. “Whatever. Bring on the meat anytime.” Jae dropped the seasonings he held in his hands. His eyes met hers, burning hot. Her cheeks heated. She needed to pay attention to what she said. But she figured no matter what she said, he’d find a way to put a sexual twist on it.
Steaks seasoned and ready to go on the grill, the two guys slipped out the side door to the deck. Now there was room for the two ladies to do their parts.
“What else are we having with the meat?” Avery asked.
“Not real sure, but from w
hat’s here, we can do coleslaw, baked beans, mixed veggies, or mac and cheese. What do you think?”
Avery smiled. “With how much the guys will probably eat, I think it all would be good to have ready.”
Hannah laughed. “I know, right? Dragons. They’ll eat a horse if you let them.” She pulled cans from the pantry. “Here, you open those and I’ll search for the pots and pans.” Hannah set a handheld can opener on the counter then started going through the cabinets.
If Avery wanted answers, now was a good time without the guys nosing around.
“Hannah, Jae tells me you’re a Drachen mate. What does that mean exactly?”
“From what I can tell from my dreams and the guys, I’m a destined wife to an unmated dragon. Which one, we won’t know until Jae or Ker get their matching mark, then we’ll know,” Hannah said.
“So you have a mark already?” Avery asked.
Hannah stood and pulled down the shoulder of her shirt. There in black lines was a dragon with his wings spread.
Surprised, Avery said, “That doesn’t look like mine at all.”
Hannah’s eyes rounded. “You have a mark? Show me.” Avery pulled up her top and showed Hannah her sleeping dragon.
“But I don’t want the guys to know about it yet. I want to see who you belong with first,” Avery replied. Hannah met her eyes. Was that a spark of jealousy that flashed through or her imagination?
“I don’t know which one,” Hannah said, “but I did dream about Jae saving me from the bad guys.”
“Bad guys?” Avery questioned, “What bad guys? Nobody said anything about bad guys.” Concern for her mother’s safety rolled through her. What was she getting herself into? She should’ve asked Jae details on why he was protecting this other woman.
“These men are another dragon group, the Noir, who are looking for mates, too. Only they know about the Drachen mates before the Drachens do and try to take the mates before the guys get a chance to find them.” Hannah set two pans on the stove then grabbed the open cans of baked beans and poured them in.
“That’s what happened to me. The bad guys found me when I was walking to my car after work. If not for Jae, I wouldn’t be here right now.”
“How did the bad guys know about you?” Avery asked.
“Neither Ker nor Jae know how they are managing that. Ker mentioned a witch, Sylvana, but he thought she was dead. Obviously not since they found me.”
Avery thought back to the feeling she had of being followed by something dark. Was that what she was feeling? Had the Noir discovered her also? She turned to the fridge and pulled out the makings for coleslaw.
“You said you dreamed about Jae,” Avery asked Hannah. “Do your dreams come true often?”
“Are you asking if I’m a precog?” Hannah verified. “My mom is, but I’m more of an empath. I can feel other people’s emotional and physical pain. That’s why I like working with the babies.”
“How’s that?” Avery inquired.
Hannah replied, “With babies, they can’t tell us where they hurt or what is wrong. When I hold them, I can tell what the problem is or where it is. If it’s simple hunger or something more serious like a heart or lung issue.” Hannah set the bean cans to the side and laid her hand on top of Avery’s.
“And since I got my mark, I’ve been able to heal,” Hannah whispered.
Avery’s jaw dropped. “Seriously? You can heal people? That’s incredible.”
“I know, isn’t it?” Hannah almost jumped up and down from her excitement. “That’s when I shoved my way into the cancer ward at the hospital. I take care of the children while secretly doing what I can to cure them. It’s not a one-time Hallelujah healing kinda thing, but more of a longer process. Little by little. There’s a fundraiser tomorrow at the hospital with the kids. I’d love to have you there.”
“Sure, I’d love to go,” Avery said. “But there’s supposed to be a snowstorm rolling in tonight.”
“How bad?” Hannah asked.
“The radio said it could be up to two or three feet of snow in the higher elevations. Where’s the hospital?”
“In the higher elevations,” Hannah said. She was quiet for a moment before asking, “What about your abilities?”
“I don’t do miracles, just simple things,” Avery said.
“Like what?” Hannah persisted.
“My mom was a seer before the Alzheimer’s hit her hard. Growing up, she always told me to be open to new things. To be ready to recognize things I could do that others couldn’t.”
“That’s good,” Hannah quipped.
“Yes, a supportive parent meant I didn’t think I was going crazy. I’m an empath, too. But instead of physical pain that you feel, I go more toward the psychological or mental aspects of people.”
“Like how?”
Avery thought back to experiences that made her different than anyone she knew. “I instinctively know if someone is lying to me. I’m usually a good judge of character when first meeting people. I knew Jae was a good person and trustworthy right away. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been as friendly right off the bat as I was. Plus, he’s great to look at.”
Hannah squealed and clapped her hands. “I know. Isn’t he de-lish? Even Ker is yummy.” Avery looked down to hide any reaction she had to the woman’s words. Jealousy would’ve been a dead giveaway. She didn’t want that. She could belong to either man. But she only wanted Jae.
Hannah continued. “Have you been able to do anything more since you got your mark?”
Avery chewed on her lip. “Not that I’ve noticed, but I wouldn’t know what to look for either. Your ability to find physical pain and then heal it goes together. I don’t know what would go with recognizing if someone was an asshole or not.” That struck both girls as funny and they laughed.
Avery liked Hannah and really hoped the woman belonged with Ker.
SEVENTEEN
Jae carried the steaks on the cookie sheet outside while Ker closed and opened the door to the deck. The snow lay thickly in drifts, but his little brother had already cleared the grilling area. The younger man had his priorities right. Food was at the top of the list.
“So,” Jae asked his sibling, “how’s things going between you and Hannah?” He hoped Hannah and Ker had already done the deed and mated, but it didn’t appear things had gone that great.
Ker shrugged as he lifted the grill’s lid. “It’s fine. She’s a nice lady, pretty, has a great body,” Ker said.
“Why do I hear a but coming?” Jae said. Dread started to fill him. If Hannah was meant for him…he didn’t want to think about it.
“I don’t know,” Ker replied. He peeked at the door to make sure it was closed. “Neither my dragon nor I want to drag her off to bed like Tor and Clacher did their mates. I think she’s your mate. Dammit.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I’m so tired of waiting. I want my mate now. You know?”
“Oh yes, I know. Believe me, I’m with you there,” Jae said and placed the steaks on the wire rack over the fire. Meat sizzled and flames shot up around the edges.
He didn’t want Hannah. Maybe Ker just hadn’t been with Hannah long enough. Could he lock Ker and Hannah in a cave for a couple hundred years until they had no option but to fall for each other? Tor probably wouldn’t go for that. Ker did all their Internet stuff.
Jae asked Ker, “Got your mark yet?”
Ker shook his head. “You?”
“Nope.” Both guys sighed.
Ker punched Jae in the arm and laughed. “Fuck me. Are we pathetic or what? I can hear Tor now: ‘You two pussies, get your head out of your ass and man up.’”
Jae smiled. “I feel sorry for Morgan,” he said.
“No way, man. You haven’t been home in forever,” Ker said. “She has him wrapped around her finger. You’ve never seen Tor like he is when he’s with her. But I wouldn’t tell him that, though.”
“No shit, bro,” Jae said. “He’d kick our asses for even suggesting he was anything
less than a godly dragon.” They laughed, then settled to quietness.
Ker took the tongs from Jae and lifted the lid. “You want Avery, don’t you?”
Jae crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the deck’s railing. “I do.”
“What if Hannah is your mate?” Ker asked. “What then?”
“Goddammit, Ker,” he said. “I don’t know. Maybe I can ignore the mark and do what I want. Pretend it’s not there.”
“Um,” Ker started, “I don’t think it’s done that way.”
“Have you heard of anyone who did that or tried?” Jae asked, hoping someone had set a precedent and he could follow in their footsteps.
“Mom never said anything about someone trying. As far as I know, those lucky enough to have a marked mate never questioned the coupling.”
Jae growled, “That’s not the answer I was looking for.”
“Sorry, man,” Ker responded. “Truth sucks sometimes.”
Jae wanted to bury his younger sibling in fifty feet of snow. He wasn’t helping the situation.
“You know, though,” Ker began, “if you really loved Avery and all—” He paused, shrugging his shoulders, “I would, I mean, I could, maybe…”
Jae’s eyes narrowed at his youngest sibling. The one he picked on since the day the kid was born because the other brothers were all older. The one Jae cut his hair when they were five and six for the first day of school—then Mom spanking them both for playing with scissors and rushing Ker to the barber’s shop before it closed. And the one he snuck broccoli onto his plate from his own plate when the younger one wasn’t looking.
Was Ker saying what Jae thought he was? Ker was willing to sacrifice finding his true mate to take Hannah if Jae wanted to mate Avery? Holy hell, Jae loved this guy. That he’d give up so much for his brother…he blinked back the damn tears threatening.
