Dragon Hunter Box Set: A Dragon Shifter Serial

by Carina Wilder

  She stepped backwards, hands pressing against the wall as she watched. Aegis remained at her side, eyes vigilantly exploring the windows above them for movement.

  Lumen and Lyre made eye contact, nodding to one another in mutual consent. And before a moment had passed, Lumen’s beautiful silver Dragon stood before Neko, and another one stood, almost a mirror image, facing him.

  Lyre’s Dragon was blue-white, the hue of frozen glaciers. Icy cold, much like his eyes.

  A Dragon of Air, who looked like he was made from the frigidity of the farthest reaches of the sky.

  The two creatures began a silent communication, their eyes locked on one another. And in that moment, Neko recalled how Lumen had spoken to her in his déor form while she’d been on his back that morning, his thoughts penetrating her mind, speaking to her as clearly as though they’d been standing in a room, having a conversation.

  That must have been what was happening now, between the two men. Lyre’s deafness wasn’t an issue in déor form, it seemed. His mind heard as clearly as anyone’s, and Lumen’s words no doubt made their way to him just as they had to Neko’s.

  “Lyre is giving him the verse,” said Aegis quietly, confirming her thoughts. “Ancient words that will help him to find what he needs. Once Lumen learns it, it’s to him—and you, to figure out how to proceed. The other three Seekers will do their part when their time comes.”

  “I’m still a little confused. But I’ll do what I can to help,” said Neko.

  “Good.” Aegis studied her for a moment, his expression denoting a deep amusement. “You are just how he described you, you know,” he said. “When he and I were last here together.”

  “Oh? And how did he describe me?”

  “He said you were very beautiful.”

  Neko flushed at the words. Standing as she was near three outlandishly handsome men, two of whom were currently in the form of exquisite Dragons, it seemed odd that she was the one called beautiful.

  “Did he then?” she asked, looking at Lumen’s déor. “Of course, that was no doubt before he broke into my house, hid my knives and made my life generally miserable. I’m not sure he finds me so beautiful anymore.”

  “I’m sure he does. And that sounds like the sort of thing he’d do, the scoundrel,” said Aegis, letting out a quiet laugh. “Even after I warned him about women with knives.”

  Neko liked Aegis. He lacked the self-importance and seriousness of the other Dragon Guild members, seeming instead to have a genuine sense of fun. That he and Lumen seemed to be close friends was a good sign.

  After a few more minutes the two Dragons turned their way for only a moment before shifting back into their human forms. Lyre signed a few words to Lumen, who replied, “Understood. Thank you, Brother.”

  “You have what you need?” Neko asked.

  “I do. Now, let’s get a little food and then head out, shall we?” said Lumen. “I see that you two are getting to know each other, but you’ll have plenty of time to bond at a later date, assuming that neither of you gets horribly murdered in the meantime.”

  “Fine, you dull old bastard,” said Aegis. He glanced around before opening the door once again. “Let’s head in and have a drink and a nosh.”

  Lyre made a few signs with his hands when they’d stepped back into the pub, and Lumen, looking around, said, “We’re safe. No Lapsed, no Controllers.”

  They sat down at their table and Aegis signalled a barkeep over.

  “Ale all round, and steak,” he said. The man nodded silently before moving away. Neko wondered if he was a little intimidated in the presence of such men—it only made sense that any man would be.

  They chatted until the food arrived, being careful not to speak of what had occurred outside until they were certain they wouldn’t be interrupted. All four were hungry and made quick work of their meals in the meantime.

  “So, Lumen,” Aegis said when he’d eaten his fill. “Was the clue enough to work with?”

  “I don’t know,” he replied. “In all honesty, I’m as lost as before. I’m hoping that Neko can help me with it later. She’s a clever thing.”

  “I think you put far too much faith in my cleverness,” she replied. “I’m sure I’m far more lost than you are.”

  “When we get back to our hiding spot, I’ll fill you in on what he told me. And then we’ll see what we can figure out together.”

  “All right.”

  Neko grabbed her arm, a sudden shot of pain reminding her of Vail’s assault.

  “Are you okay?” Lumen asked.

  “Fine. I could probably use a painkiller, though, and some fresh bandages.”

  “Listen,” said Aegis. “You two head off. Do what you need to do. We’ll settle the bill.”

  “Thank you,” said Lumen, signing briefly to Lyre. “We’ll do our best to figure this out, and I’ll be in touch.”

  “I know it,” said Aegis, smiling at Neko, who grinned back. “Take care of this bastard, would you?” he said, nodding to Lumen.

  “I will. Unless he hides my fucking knives again.”

  When they’d left, Lumen turned her way once again.

  “First thing in the morning,” he said, “We’ll need to begin our hunt. Are you ready for it?”

  She nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. First thing in the morning. But first, she was going to spend the night with Lumen, in his home beneath the lake.

  Scars

  “You can rest in a little bit,” Lumen said as he opened the hidden doorway to pass through into the stairwell. “I know you’re tired. I’ll run you a bath at home.”

  “Home,” said Neko. The word held so much meaning, and yet she’d only set foot in the place once, and briefly at that. It wasn’t so much a home as a safe haven, a hiding spot to protect them from the perils that roamed London’s streets.

  But at this point, anywhere that she could be with Lumen was beginning to feel like a warm, protective shelter. Her own country house was no longer safe from Vail or from Umbra—it was vulnerable and too conspicuous. For now she would reside underground, hidden away with her Dragon protector.

  But it struck her that she hadn’t yet seen a bedroom in the strange subterranean flat. Where would they sleep? And what about clothing?

  “I’ll have some items brought by tomorrow,” Lumen said, as though reading her mind. “I’ll look after anything you need until you can return to your own house.”

  Something in Neko’s chest sank. For the first time she realized that she didn’t want to return there—at least, not without him.

  “All right,” she said softly.

  “Are you doing okay?” he asked. “You seem…”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Tell me what’s on your mind.”

  Quickly she struggled to cover up what she was truly thinking and feeling—the shattering realization of how attached she’d become to him. It felt, somehow, like a weakness, rather than a strength. An admission that would cause him to lose respect for her.

  “I haven’t seen any Lapsed since the one who attacked you, which I find strange,” she said.

  “It is, a little. They were becoming a regular occurrence for several days.”

  “What do you suppose it means?”

  “Possibly nothing. Or it could be that Umbra—or another Controller, for that matter—is amassing them for his purposes.”

  “Vail will have told him what we talked about this morning,” said Neko. “That you spoke of the Four.”

  “Probably. You still wish that we’d killed him, don’t you?”

  “Yes. If only for your—our—protection.”

  “If we can gather the Four, Umbra will have no power against us. Vail’s life—or death—is insignificant in the grand scheme of things.”

  The walk back passed relatively quickly and easily, much of it downhill. The two were quiet, and Neko had the impression that Lumen spent much of the time deep in thought.

  When at last they returned to the
bright flat, he led her through a door to a large room that she hadn’t yet seen: the elusive bedroom.

  At its centre was a large, white wooden bed, its headboard carved in ornate spiralling patterns, its bedding soft and welcoming.

  Guiding her through, they came to another vast bathroom, larger than any she’d ever seen in any house or flat. Like the rest of the strange abode its light poured in from above, the day’s remaining sunlight seeping in through the lapping water of the lake.

  “Come,” said Lumen. “Let’s get you—and me—cleaned up.”

  To Neko’s right was a large, claw-foot tub. Lumen leaned over and plugged its drain before turning on the taps.

  “Take off your jacket, if you would,” he said.

  Neko peeled the leather away, wincing as the sleeve dug into the bandage on her arm. Lumen took the garment from her and draped it over a white upholstered chair to one end of the room.

  “It’s dirty,” she said. “It’ll ruin the chair…”

  “Don’t worry about that.” Lumen’s eyes were on her arm, his fingers gently stroking her. “May I?” he asked.

  Neko nodded, and he carefully eased the bandage away.

  “The cut is clean, at least. I’m going to have to wash it further, though, and that may hurt.”

  “I can take pain.”

  “Yes. I’m sure you can. But I hate the idea of hurting you, Neko.”

  She turned her gaze to him and away from the wound. His perfect, expressive eyes were on hers, delving into her again, and she wished she could climb into him in the same way that he seemed to make his way into her soul. There was so much inside him that she hadn’t yet discovered. So much that she wanted to know.

  But in that moment, the thing she wanted most was to feel his lips on hers. A kiss, at last. To taste his flesh, to know what it was like to be intimate with him. Insane to think that a few hours earlier her mouth had been wrapped around his cock, and yet they’d never yet shared that simple expression of affection.

  “Let’s get you looked after, then we can rest,” he said. The words were so soft. Silk, slipping along her bare skin.

  Neko nodded. “Mmm.”

  He opened the cabinet, extracting more cotton gauze and a bottle of some sort. Unscrewing the bottle, he dabbed the liquid on the cotton before turning back to her.

  Neko’s eyes moved about the room, marvelling at its strange, filtered brightness.

  “Lumen,” she said softly.

  “Mmmm?” he asked as he pressed the alcohol-covered gauze to her wound.

  “I’m just saying your name. This place reminds me of the sound of it. As though there’s light all around you—around us.”

  His eyes met hers again. “With you in my life, there is light at all times,” he said. “You give my name new meaning.”

  Neko shivered, the fine hairs on her arms rising.

  “You all right?” he asked, his left hand stroking her upper arm.

  She nodded. “Fine. Just a chill.”

  She watched him patch her up, cleaning the wound and re-bandaging, before she found the courage to speak again.

  “Thank you, Lumen. For all of this.”

  He smiled before turning to look at the bath tub, which was still filling with hot water.

  “Are you going to take a bath?” asked Neko.

  “No, but I think that you should,” he said.

  “Am I that smelly?” She winced, recalling her earlier self-consciousness about her scent when she was about to meet with the Dragon Guild.

  “Not at all. You smell incredibly delicious, in fact,” he replied, his eyes narrowing. She was beginning to recognize that look of pure desire. “But I want you to be comfortable, and I think a bath would do you good.”

  Neko sat on the tub’s edge and dangled fingers over the water, letting their tips dip in. “Thank you again, then,” she said.

  “You’re welcome, again.” For a moment Lumen looked as though he might leave the room, but he stopped himself. “Listen, Neko. There is one other thing that I should explain,” he said. “About the Four.”

  “Oh?”

  “The second verse—Each Kindred, his destiny found, Each Seeker with her rightful mate.”

  She turned to him, the goosebumps returning. Standing up, she looked into his eyes. He looked hesitant, almost afraid to speak further.

  “What does it mean?” she asked.

  “I am one of the Kindred, as you know.”

  “Yes, I know.”

  “And as for my destiny, Neko—it’s you. I’ve told you as much. I know it now. You are the Seeker who’s found me.”

  Her heart leapt, but instinct told her to fight this. To once again deny the possibility of fate steering her—steering them both.

  “We’re back to that, are we?” she said. “It turns out that I’m meant to wind up in your bed, only because of some old tale? You do realize that’s not how life works. That’s not how I work.” Even as the words came, she wasn’t at all convinced any more of her own stubborn skepticism. If anything, she was beginning to believe whole-heartedly that they were, in fact, meant to be.

  “You will end up in the exact place where you want to end up,” he said. “Not because of a myth or a legend. But perhaps because our fates are intertwined. Because we were meant to find one another, and because we were made for each other. You know, Neko—deep down, you know—that our growing attachment follows no rules. It is a force beyond our control, whether you admit it or not. You feel it, just as I do. I can sense it in you. I see it in your eyes, in your very body.”

  Neko turned to look once again at the tub, steam rising from the water that had nearly filled it now. He was right, of course. Deep inside, she knew as well as she’d ever known anything.

  She was his.

  But it meant turning herself over to trust and to faith, both in destiny and in him. And that was both the easiest and the most difficult task in the world.

  Lumen spoke again. “And now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to splash some water on my face and then retire for a little.”

  He turned to the sink embedded in the counter opposite the bath tub, and lifted his shirt, peeling it off and laying it on the marble counter.

  And for the first time, Neko’s eyes were able to take in the splendour of his body. Each muscle defined in his back as his front, his shoulders broad, his pecs hard and sculpted. She could see all of him, reflected back to her in the mirror. Perfection, amplified by streams of soft light.

  Good God, he was the most beautiful thing.

  She turned off the tub’s taps, waiting and watching as he went about his business.

  He faced the mirror as he turned on the water and splashed the cold liquid over his face and neck. Neko was about to force her gaze away, ordering herself to stop being so incredibly bold in her examination of his body. But in that moment something caught her eye, her stare landing on the mark.

  Familiar and strange at once, etched deliberately into his flesh.

  Her breath stopped, her heart pounding hard, relentless in her chest.

  Two parallel markings snaked up and down horizontally in a zig zag pattern, deep pink against white flesh.

  “What is that?” Neko asked, her voice hardly more than a whisper.

  Lumen froze, seeing her expression reflected in the mirror. He turned to her before speaking. His arm still raised, the fingers of his other hand went to the mark, slipping over its surface.

  “You’ve seen this before,” he said. “You know it.”

  She nodded.

  “Where?”

  Neko turned her back towards him and lifted her own shirt, pulling it over her head. Peeling her bra strap down, she revealed her bare shoulder to him.

  Engraved in her shoulder blade, her scar, identical to his.

  Need

  She remained still, her breathing heavy, back facing him. Lumen watched her body heave, her beautiful, muscular back and torso tapering to a narrow waist.

  “
What does it mean?” she asked.

  His fingers traced the mark, touching her so, so delicately. “Do you really want to hear me say it? I think you already know the answer.”

  She could feel his breath on her shoulder, tender, warm, sensual.

  “Yes,” she replied. “Please, say the words.”

  “You and I are…”

  “One,” she breathed.

  Lumen’s large hands pressed softly into her shoulders then moved down, fingers gliding possessively along her arms.

  “Yes. You have the mark, and we are bound to one another,” he whispered, pulling his hand up to sweep her long hair from her neck. Leaning in, he kissed her skin. Her head bending backwards, hand reaching for the back of his neck, drawing him closer.

  “Do you want this, Neko?” he asked. “Do you believe it now? Do you want everything that our bond entails?”

  “I want you, Lumen,” she said. “You know I do. So badly that I can’t think straight. I’m done with denying it.”

  His hands slipped down to her waist then, moving around to her taut stomach. And then they were easing upwards, brushing over her ribcage, his body drawing itself into her back.

  “Tell me to stop if you must,” he said. “And I will.”

  “I won’t. Never.” She could hardly speak, glad that he was holding her for fear that she might otherwise collapse in a heap.

  Her breath hitched as his hands touched the underside of her breasts, slowly inching their way upwards, slipping over her nipples. He peeled the bra away, his thumbs sliding over the hardening tips as she gasped.

  “I want to suck these,” he said, pinching them gently. “Do you know how much?”

  “I can imagine. I have…imagined,” she said. “I’ve imagined everything you could do to me—everything I could do to you. What it would be like…to have you inside me.”

  The words seemed to act as a repellent. On hearing them he pulled back, dropping his hands to his sides as though an unseen force had caused him to retreat.

  No—what did I say?