by Rinelle Grey
Chapter 4
Warrian yawned and stretched, his hands bumping into the fabric walls of the tent, reminding him of where he was with a jolt. The previous day’s adventures came rushing back along with a surge of adrenaline and desire.
Rita waking him, the Trima dragon chasing them, Rita’s friend chasing them, then spending the evening with Rita. Everything centred around Rita, including his mind.
He turned to the side where she had slept, surprised and a little disappointed to find it empty. His body insisted that she might have been more receptive to mating with him in the sleepy, half waking state.
His brain scolded his body for even considering it. He wouldn’t take advantage of her sleepiness to convince her to mate with him, no matter how much he craved it. He refused to condone that in others, certainly not in himself.
He would keep his distance, even though longing for her ran through every vein in his body, and her absence felt like a physical pain. He was stronger than that. Stronger than the Mesmer bond.
If she could resist its lure, he certainly could.
But just because she didn’t wish to mate with him didn’t mean they could ignore the very real need for them to remain close until the ritual was complete. The itch between his shoulder blades reminded him that their separation wouldn’t just prevent him regaining his strength—if they were apart for too long, they would both weaken and die.
Had he mentioned that to Rita? He probably should have. He could almost feel his power wilting again just due to her absence, and the feeling made him distinctly nervous.
Surely she could feel it too? Maybe she would return, and he could enjoy snuggling with her. Perfectly platonically of course. His body heating at the thought was probably due to the sun already beating down on one side of the tent.
But as sunlight grew brighter, and the air inside warmed unpleasantly, she still hadn’t returned. Finally, Warrian pushed himself up and went searching for her.
When he first emerged, he couldn’t see her anywhere. For a brief moment, despite his determination to remain calm, he panicked. What if she’d run away? Abandoned him? But her car was still under the shade of the tree. And there she was, sitting inside of it. No wonder he was feeling her absence so keenly when she was so far away from him.
Warrian strode towards the car, urged on by the need to be near her, but the anxious look on her face when she caught sight of him made him slow his steps. He hadn’t been intending to make her nervous. He just wanted to be close to her, to feel the comfort and strength of her presence. He had no ulterior motive.
Well, that wasn’t quite true. Every time he saw her he wanted to mate with her, but he was restraining himself, and he intended to keep doing so unless she changed her mind.
So what was she so nervous about?
She was no longer looking at him, in fact, she was staring at her lap, fumbling with something. What was she up to? His blood heated as he thought of a possible answer. Had she decided to take matters into her own hands? Warrian certainly wouldn’t blame her for taking care of her arousal herself. He was tempted to as well, even though it would do little to remove the Mesmer fuelled craving. He strode closer to check.
But when he was close enough to see through the window, she held some small, rectangular box in her hands, not anything more personal. Warrian was aware of a stab of disappointment. But even through his frustration, he wondered what she was up to.
That wasn’t just uneasiness on her face—there was guilt too.
Rita pushed open the door to the car, a blast of cool air hitting him as she stepped out, quickly stuffing the rectangular object into a pocket on her clothes to hide it from him. “Sorry, I didn’t realise you were awake. I was just sitting in the air conditioning for a while.”
“You are not required to wait on me,” Warrian said automatically, even as his mind raced, trying to work out what she was hiding. Was the rectangular device some sort of human weapon? Or was it this air conditioning she spoke of? Whatever that was.
“Air conditioning?” he asked, latching onto the unfamiliar word.
Rita waved to the car. “Yeah, it makes it cooler, but only in the car.”
Warrian looked from her, to the car, then back again. He had a vague memory of it being cooler in the car, though he hadn’t paid that much attention at the time due to the dragon chasing them.
The fact that the air conditioning seemed tied to the car probably meant it had nothing to do with the device she’d been looking at. What was it then? Was it a weapon of some kind? The mysterious gun she had threatened him with?
Did she perhaps work for some sort of human group intent on wiping dragons out? His heart raced, and it took a concentrated effort to calm himself.
If she wanted him dead, she could have just let the Trima dragon kill him.
Besides, if she killed him, she’d die too. Not that she was aware of that.
It was on the tip of his tongue to inform her of that fact when he stopped.
If she was already aware of that, maybe that was why she’d protected him from the Trima dragon. Maybe she was gathering information, waiting for the Mesmer ritual to be complete, then she’d wipe him out.
But if so, why feel guilty about it?
The guessing was only driving him crazy. Despite suspecting that she would simply avoid his question, he couldn’t help asking, “What was that you were looking at?” He waved towards the device she’d hidden in her pocket, attempting to make his voice sound interested rather than demanding. He wasn’t sure if he succeeded, since her guilty look deepened.
“Just a phone.” As though that explained anything.
Warrian had no idea what the word meant. It was as confusing as air conditioning. The fact that she had hidden the device quickly didn’t bode well.
“Is it some kind of human weapon?” he demanded, making no attempt to mask his suspicions this time. “Is it a gun?”
“What? A gun? No, of course not.” Her surprise and immediate rejection of the idea seemed genuine. Warrian could smell no fear on her. That relieved him a little.
Enough to ask more calmly, “What is it then?”
Rita hesitated, then pulled the device out of her pocket and touched it with her hand. Immediately it flared to life, displaying bright colours and patterns that made no sense at all to Warrian. “It’s a phone. They’re used to communicate over long distances. And… well… they do a lot of other things too these days. You can access the internet, store photos and music, and even pay for things. But none of that works out here, there’s no reception. I was just… writing some stuff down.”
There it was again, that whiff of deception. Just as he was almost beginning to trust her.
Warrian stared at Rita. It was hard enough to take in what she was saying without even beginning to try to figure out how it could be a threat to him. How could she fit music into that device? Or pictures? Or an ability that sounded an awful lot like dragon speech? The idea was unbelievable.
She’d said those features didn’t work without the mysterious reception, but was she telling him the truth? Could he trust that?
The only feature that was really a threat was the last one. If the device could communicate over long distances, then it would allow her to contact more humans. Humans who could be a danger to him.
One he could handle. He was even beginning to like having Rita around. But he certainly didn’t want more.
“What were you writing about?”
Her expression grew guarded again. She pulled away from him slightly, and despite his anger, Warrian was saddened by her retreat. “Just about what has happened. This is quite an adventure for me, and I don’t want to forget it all later.”
A whiff of fear emanated from her, as though she suspected she’d told him too much.
Which she might have. When Warrian combined her comment with her earlier story of how she knew about dragons, a clearer picture emerged. “Are you writing the information down for your group that
is interested in dragons?”
He wasn’t quite sure how he felt about that. The truth was, it was the less sinister of the options.
Rita’s eyes widened and flew to his. “I… uh… yes.” She paused, searching his face. “You’re not angry at that?”
Warrian considered her question for a minute before answering, even though he already knew he wasn’t angry. What he was concerned about was why he felt so calm about the possibility.
Ever since his clan had left England, centuries before he was born, dragons had kept to themselves. Their dalliance with humans in England had only served to indicate how dangerous they were. Warrian should be angry that she was planning to share information about him with her kind. It put his clan at risk.
So why wasn’t he?
Was it because he had bigger concerns? The potential threat of human discovery seemed a minor worry beside the risk of Ultrima finding him and trying to kill him. Or worse, waking his sister and forcing her to mate with him.
But even though that was true, Warrian knew it wasn’t the real answer.
The truth was, despite her obvious deception, Rita was fast changing his perception of humans. She didn’t seem dangerous or like she was out to get him. In fact…
He was starting to feel like she was almost a dragon. Her need to share stories only intensified that feeling. Stories and information were important to dragons, and scholars were highly respected. He couldn’t help admiring her dedication to her people, no matter how much of a risk it might pose to his.
And maybe the danger wasn’t that great. Maybe he could even turn this to his advantage.
What if he could make an alliance with the humans? That would give him a definite edge over Trima clan. If he could convince the humans to use their weapons to help Rian clan, then revealing themselves might just be worth it.
Ignoring the twist of his stomach that made him wonder if the risk was too great, Warrian gave Rita a smile. “Dragons respect lore keepers, and it seems to me that is what you are doing for your people.”
The smile she gave him lit up his morning and made the danger seem worth it. It did something to his heart, making it feel like it was soaring through the sky on wings of its own. For a moment, Warrian wondered if he was crazy, ignoring the very real risks she posed. But his heart refused to believe it was possible.
What was going on with him? He’d never felt this way about any woman before. And no matter how much he thought human allies could help his clan, that was a far cry from mating with one.
And this time, when he thought about mating, it wasn’t just a one off to complete the Mesmer ritual. He wanted to mate with her over and over, until she could think of no one but him ever again.
That thought should have terrified him.
But it only filled him with a radiating warmth that felt better than anything he’d ever imagined.
Chapter 5
Rita stared into Warrian’s earnest grey eyes, the intensity in them wiping away everything else. She couldn’t believe it took a dragon to understand what she was trying to do for her people. She’d spent years slaving away, trying to provide a valuable service, never achieving the recognition she deserved, and in one sentence, Warrian had made it all seem worth it.
That was what she believed in. Lore keeping, or informing the public, as she called it, was vital. It deserved respect.
And the fact that Warrian offered her that respect filled a spot in her heart she hadn’t even realised was empty.
Rita stared up at him, tempted, once again, to confess all. He would understand what she was doing, her heart insisted. And he might just help her. If she could get an exclusive interview with him, and actual real, decent pictures, then she’d have the best story of this century.
And maybe, just maybe, there was a chance she could have Warrian too.
She tried to tell herself she wasn’t looking for that. That it wasn’t what she was here for, but it was impossible to deny that she was tempted.
“But…” Warrian’s voice interrupted her musings. “I cannot let you share information about dragons with anyone else unless I have met them and approved them. The risk to my clan is too great. I’m sure you understand. I think it is time you took me to meet this group of dragon lovers.” Warrian smiled, obviously attempting to take the sting out of his words, and added, “Why settle for stories when you can see the real deal?”
Rita’s heart sank. She should have known he wasn’t going to just believe her. It’s not as if she could produce a group of dragon lovers on command.
How was she ever going to convince him to share his story with her, much less let her share it with the world? He might respect what she was trying to do, but that didn’t mean he was just going to cooperate with her. “I’m no risk to your clan,” she said automatically, but the reality was, this wasn’t just about her. Not anymore.
She’d seen enough in the last couple of days to know that the reaction to the existence of dragons was mixed. There were just as many people readying their pitchforks and shotguns as there was excitement. They knew nothing about dragons, and that lack of knowledge was inciting irrational fear.
Which was all the more reason to inform them. If they could see dragons as she was coming to see them, then surely they would realise they weren’t a threat? She was sure a lot of people, women anyway, would love to hear about their mating rituals.
This article wouldn’t just help her, it would help the dragons too.
But how was she going to achieve that when Warrian had his own, equally valid, concerns? She could hardly take him to meet the rest of the newspaper staff. Somehow, she didn’t think that would have the right vibe, even though she was sure all of them would love to ask Warrian a bunch of questions.
But for the first time, Warrian’s eyes weren’t suspicious at all. In fact… did he look a little calculating? Like he was hoping to get something out of this?
Rita couldn’t help being intrigued. What could Warrian possibly hope to gain by meeting a bunch of dragon loving humans?
Not that she could produce any, so it didn’t matter. She needed to divert him. Quickly.
“Maybe later,” she said, her mind frantically searching for a reasonable excuse, one he might believe. Or… what she needed was one he wouldn’t want to question.
She let her eyes stray over his body admiringly, which wasn’t hard. It was gorgeous. He’d be brilliantly photogenic. She really hoped she could convince him to do a photo shoot, and not just for the newspaper.
When her eyes returned to Warrian’s face, one of his eyebrows was raised inquiringly, and it took Rita a moment to bring her thoughts back to the present.
That’s right, her excuse. “I’m sure they’d love to fawn over you, but I’m not quite ready to share.” She gave him a saucy look. “I found you, you’re mine.”
The heat that flashed through Warrian’s eyes was exactly what she was hoping for. He was distracted all right.
What she wasn’t prepared for was the effect it had on her. Her knees felt a little shaky, and she really needed to sit down. Maybe even lie down. With Warrian on top of her…
Rita shook her head. She needed to keep in control of these wandering thoughts. What was wrong with her? She’d never had a problem focusing on work before. Even when she’d been blind to Todd and let him steal her story, it had been because she trusted him, not because she couldn’t think straight.
The Mesmer bond. That had to explain it.
Didn’t it?
“All yours.” Warrian’s voice purred. “Any time you want.”
Rita forced a teasing smile. “Now, now, we’re waiting for that, remember? Because… because…” Why was she waiting again?
Warrian’s raised eyebrow suggested he wasn’t too sure either.
But the small pause was enough for Rita to regain her equilibrium. She was waiting because she needed to get this story. And for the first time, it wasn’t just for her. Someone needed to tell the world that drago
ns weren’t all to be feared. Someone needed to set the record straight. She couldn’t leave this important job to the likes of Todd, who was more interested in a sensational story than the truth.
Given all she’d learned so far, she knew this story was so much deeper than she’d first suspected. And she could use her skills and knowledge to help the dragons. She knew she could. She just had to convince Warrian to trust her.
And for that, she needed a little more time with him.
“We’re waiting because I’m not ready yet,” she said firmly.
For a moment, she wasn’t sure if that would work. She wasn’t sure if she wanted it to. In fact, she was a little disappointed when Warrian immediately schooled his expression into one decidedly less sexy. “Right,” he agreed. “What are we going to do today then?”
Rita hesitated, wondering if she dared push it. But he had respected her collecting information. She should take advantage of that. “How about you tell me a little more about dragons?” She pulled out her phone, figuring there was no need to hide her note taking now.
Even so, she was a little surprised at the willingness in Warrian’s voice as he replied, “What do you want to know?”
“Um…” A thousand and one questions ran through Rita’s head, and it was hard to pick just one. “So, uh, tell me a little more about dragon mating?”
Oops. That one had slipped out. Rita’s face reddened as Warrian stared at her hungrily. Why had she asked that? That’s right, because it was a fact that would definitely appeal to at least part of the human population and hopefully make them more fascinated by dragons than scared of them.
“Dragons mate for life,” Warrian said, his voice low and husky. “When a dragon finds the woman he wishes to be his lifemate, if she is agreeable, they mate three times, and the dragon mating bond is formed. It cannot be broken, even by death.”
His words were serious, solemn, and the way he stared at Rita as he spoke raised goosebumps on her arms. She completely forgot about taking any notes. Was he warning her? That would have made sense. But his words didn’t sound like a warning.
