by Leela Ash
Dread snarled. “Finally, a worthy adversary.”
“You aren’t worthy. You’re a coward,” Ella spat at him. This caused the corner of his mouth to curl up in a smile and she scowled at him.
It was just enough distraction for Luke to make his move. With a strong leap, he tackled Dread, who was still in his human form. If he got him fast this could be ended. He could finally vindicate himself.
“Holy shit, dude.”
Pierson’s voice rang through the air and Luke was momentarily distracted. Dread was able to gain the upper hand in the split second, though honestly, it had only been a matter of time. Luke was injured. Badly. And Dread was stronger than he thought. It had been a foolhardy task.
“Is this him?” Pierson asked. Luke frowned inwardly in confusion. Who was Pierson talking to? Why was he here?
His eyes sought his former pack member and settled upon him, standing with another man, quiet and broad, with eerie, piercing eyes. The man made no move to help Luke nor Dread, and Pierson’s gaze turned to Luke, his face ashen.
“You were right all along, man. I’m glad I followed you. Then I found this guy and he said he knew of a place of great evil and said he would show me. And he did. I can’t fucking believe this.”
With an agonized cry, Pierson shapeshifted into his own wolf form and came to Luke’s aid. Dread was surprised by the change of events and let out a cry of pain as the two wolf shifters worked side by side, in a teamwork that was seamless and practiced but hadn’t been done in years.
Finally, the hybrid let out a strangled yell and Luke bared his teeth, gripping Dread’s flesh and shaking it with all his might. Soon, it was silent, and they knew the battle was done.
15.
“I’m so glad you two are all right,” Luke murmured, holding Ella close. He had brought her and Michael back to the farmhouse. Without Dread giving his orders to the wimps at the bank, she wasn’t going to have to worry any longer about losing her house. “You’re pregnant? Why didn’t you tell me?”
Ella sighed. “I literally had just found out. Wow. I can’t believe that shapeshifters are real. I thought it was all a myth….”
She sighed heavily, glad that Michael was in bed and she was being held by the man she had connected most with out of anybody in her life. “I never would have terminated the pregnancy. Never. But I guess I understand how it could be difficult for a human to raise a shifter child. Especially not realizing shifters even exist.”
Luke gave a slight shrug. “It could be an issue, yes. But the shifter men are usually up front about it when it happens. They step in. It’s not as bad as that stupid doctor made it out to be.”
They stood in silence a few moments, until finally, their eyes locked.
“Ella, I’m so sorry for what I did. I have felt terrible about it this whole time. I just didn’t want you and Michael to be targeted because of me. You deserve so much better.”
Ella sighed. “I wish you would have said something,” she replied. “But I understand you were just trying to protect me.”
“I did it wrong,” Luke said, shaking his head and holding her close to him.
“But you did it right tonight,” Ella said, pressing a hand against Luke’s cheek. He closed his eyes contentedly against her touch, his body suddenly alive with a strange combination of comfort and longing. He had missed her. A lot.
“Can I kiss you again, or have I lost my privileges?” he teased.
Ella’s heart pounded. “Don’t ask me, dummy. Just do it.”
He laughed heartily before pressing his lips hotly against Ella’s. She let out a soft sigh of pleasure as his heat met her mouth. He felt so good. So right. How had she managed to think intimacy could be anything less than this?
Luke let out a small growl of desire and her entire body became electrified by it. So she had been right. He was a wolf shifter after all. And he was a hell of a powerful one. After saving her from Dread, Pierson had taken him outside with the strange man and awarded him the title of Leader of the pack. Nobody would ever deny his authority again. And Luke had accepted. He had chosen to be part of a pack again.
The stranger had been quite a mystery. He had said that he was looking for the strongest and most noble warrior the wolf shifters had to offer. Luke and Pierson had exchanged looks and said, simultaneously, “Jadon.”
The stranger had needed no more than that and took off in search of this Jadon character, and Ella and Luke had taken Michael home.
Now, here they were, her body entwined with Luke’s, every nerve in her body alive and ready to feel the power of this man once again and the power of his rapture. She wanted him. Badly. And he was going to take her.
She trembled with desire as he pressed hot, fervent kisses against her body. “I will never abandon you. I will never abandon our child. I will work day and night to see to it you are safe. I love you, and I want to be a great father. Not just to our child but to Michael. Please let me.”
Ella closed her eyes, trying to hide the sudden, hot flood of tears that his words inspired. “I will,” she whispered.
This was good enough for Luke and he let out a low moan as he quickly removed all obstacles between the merging of their bodies and entered her. It was a swift, powerful action, and she hardly had time to register it before her body exploded in pleasure.
“Oh!”
Luke grinned, holding her tightly against his body. He wanted nothing more than to bring them close once again, to merge as they had before. She could sense it. He was a noble man. A genuine man. He meant what he had told her. She could feel it right down in her soul.
His hips began a fervent rhythm against her, tantalizingly wonderful as they moved together, their bodies in unison in their joint effort of pleasure.
Pleasure coursed through her body as, again and again, she was entered with a sensual jolt. His body was a powerhouse, and she could feel every inch of him inside of her as he continued to unleash his full power upon her.
A hot moan escaped her lips as she felt herself ascending swiftly toward her peak. She gripped his masculine shoulders tightly and he lifted her by the hips, until he was carrying her to the bedroom.
He laid her down and stood at the edge of the bed, anchoring her down as he thrust inside her, again and again, unable to contain the beast within any longer.
His animalistic desires flooded her as well, and her face became flushed with rapture as tendrils of ecstasy coursed through her body. She had never known a pleasure like this. He moved her. And he knew how to make her feel the best she had ever felt in her life. Nothing had ever compared.
Finally, a sudden and abrupt climax began to swell within her and she let out a series of cries, first soft, then louder and more urgent as she reached her peak. Luke hurried his efforts and as soon as he felt her orgasm surround him, he let out a hiss of satisfaction as he unleashed the explosive torrent of his own climax within her.
Ella’s eyes rolled back in her head. The pleasure was almost too much. But it was perfect, and soon, Luke was lowering himself down beside her and planting tender kisses along her skin.
“I love you more than I have ever loved a woman in my life. Please be my mate.”
“I love you too,” Ella murmured, caressing Luke’s face. “Together, we will raise two beautiful children and make this house a dream come true.”
Luke beamed and tugged her close to his chest, pressing soft kisses against her hair until finally, she let go of a deep breath and drifted into a perfect sleep.
***looking for more romance…?
Dragon Protector Preview
Dragon Protector
Dragon Dreams Book 1
Leela Ash & Tabitha St. George
Chapter 1
Golden and mysterious, the coin in Hannah Stiles’ hand hinted that there was hope. That, maybe, just maybe, there was a path out of this disaster.
From downstairs, she caught snatches of her parents’ hushed debate.
“…extremely ge
nerous offer… we won’t see another like it…”
“…but we’ll lose everything!”
“Everything except our son.”
Silence fell. There was no arguing against that last point. Four months ago, a hit and run driver struck her seventeen-year-old brother Danny as he walked home one evening. Bills mounted. Insurance, that had promised the world, delivered far less protection than they needed. Hannah didn’t know the details. Even though she was six years older than her brother, her parents still treated her like their little princess. They tried to shield her from life’s ugly truths.
But things had come to a head and there was no hiding now. Her parents owed the hospital $72,300. As much as their small farm made in an entire year! With their savings drained, a ‘savior’ had appeared, a real estate developer who made them a very generous offer for their farm. Enough money to cover their debts and set up somewhere else…
…if they were willing to abandon their home. A house that had been in the Stiles’ family for centuries. The place where she and her father had grown up. Her parents hated the idea – but there was no other option.
Except this coin.
Hannah took a deep, shaky breath and prayed it was as magical as Grandpa had said. “When things are darkest,” he’d told her, “when there’s no hope at all, show this to the Protectors. They are bound by blood and honor to aid us.”
Unfortunately, he hadn’t told her how to find those ‘Protectors’. His grandfather hadn’t bothered to pass that important detail along. Being a modern girl, Hannah didn’t believe in ancient debts and magic coins. But if this thing had truly been in her family for 300 years, it must be valuable. Maybe valuable enough to save their home. And she had a good idea where to find a ‘Protector’ of her own.
Online.
A quick image search didn’t turn up anything that looked similar. The coin itself didn’t offer many clues about its origin. No date, no sign of what country it came from. One side was blank. On the other, a dragon curled around the edge, circling two words: “Noraste Mel.” Google couldn’t translate that. When she posted on a rare coins forum, no one had ever heard of anything like it.
Until yesterday, when an email arrived:
Ms. Stiles,
I am keenly interested in the coin you describe. If I am right about its origins, it is priceless. Though, surely, its Protector has told you that?
I need to see the coin to be certain. I will arrange a video conference tomorrow night at 6:00. Do have the coin with you.
Sincerely,
Brandon Lorde
Two words sent butterflies winging through her stomach. ‘Priceless’ – because that could save them. And ‘Protector’ – a strange echo of her grandpa’s own words. Quickly, she’d agreed to speak to Mr. Lorde tonight.
Her computer’s clock read 5:58pm. Hannah set the coin down and ran a hand through her long blonde hair. Nervously, she swept a wrinkle out of her sleeve and worried that perhaps jeans and a faded state fair t-shirt weren’t the best choice to impress a stranger.
Nonsense, she scolded herself. This isn’t a date. He’s interested in your coin, not you.
The exact moment the clock ticked over to 6:00pm, a soft ping announced that Mr. Lorde wished to begin a video chat.
Hannah licked her lips and clicked ‘accept’.
She had expected some little old man surrounded by cats, coins, and dusty antiques. Instead, a Greek god appeared on her screen.
Black hair, thick and light as a raven’s wings, framed his strong, angular face. Everything about him radiated strength, from his muscular arms to the sharp cut of his jaw and his full, firm lips. And his eyes…!
They caught her and held her as tightly as a hare in a hawk’s grasp. She had never seen eyes like them before. Rich, sapphire blue. For a moment, she swore there were lights in them, tiny flecks of purest gold that swirled around the pupils’ dark center.
Hannah’s breath caught in her throat. She simply stared, like a deer in headlights, wishing, once again, that she’d changed clothes after coming in from the barn.
For a moment, those luscious, mesmerizing eyes scanned her, drinking in every detail of her face, her clothes, her hair. Perhaps it was crazy, but he seemed… eager? Anxious? No, nothing that weak. But clearly, whatever this coin was, it held great importance to him.
“Ms. Stiles?”
Even his voice thrilled her, a deep, rich bass that transformed her plain, boring name into something enchanting.
He cleared his throat. “Ms. Stiles?”
Oh heavens! He expected an answer? Blood rushed to Hannah’s cheeks as she realized she’d been sitting there staring at him. “Yes? Uh, yes! I’m, uh, Hannah. Hannah Stiles.”
“Good. Please hold the coin up to your computer’s camera.”
No small talk? No ‘Hi, how are you, nice to see you?’ For the first time, she felt a twinge of uneasiness, but she ignored it. Of course, he was all business. A wealthy, elegant man like him would never care about a plain farm girl like her. Still blushing, she raised the coin, so he could see it.
Immediately, he gasped. Some bright emotion lit his azure eyes. Hope? Joy? She couldn’t tell. For one moment, a dazzled smile brightened his face and he began to speak in a deep, musical language.
What it was, she had no idea. Certainly nothing like her high school Spanish. He fell silent, awaiting an answer. Hannah winced. “I’m sorry. I don’t know that language.”
At once, clouds of suspicion darkened his handsome face. He repeated the last sentence, his smile fading.
“Sorry, I really don’t have any idea what you’re saying.”
“Marakeen?” Those brilliant eyes bored into her now, seeking traps and deceit. “This word means nothing to you?”
Hannah shook her head. “Is that the name of the coin?”
His eyes closed, freeing her. Every muscle in his lithe body tensed, as if some fierce battle raged inside him. When he opened his eyes again, they were as cold as glacial ice. Chin raised, he stared through the computer at her with chilly disdain. “So, tell me, where did you steal the coin from?”
Steal?!? Now her eyes flashed. “Excuse me? How dare you accuse me of theft?”
“How dare I?” he sneered. “You have no idea what you hold in your hand. Clearly, you are a thief.”
“This coin has been in my family for hundreds of years!”
“And yet, you know nothing of the Marakeen?” She glared back at him, unwilling to answer, and he gave a short bark of laughter. “Then let me correct myself. You are not a thief – you are the descendent of thieves.”
“I think this conversation is over,” Hannah hissed. Gorgeous or not, he didn’t get to sit there and insult her family like that.
As she reached for the mouse, his lip curled in mockery. “Don’t you want your money, thief’s child?”
Hannah froze, and now it was her turn to fight back anger.
Money. That was why she was here. She couldn’t forget that. Couldn’t let her anger… her disappointment, cloud her mind. Yes, her ‘Greek god’ seemed to be more of a devil. Yes, he was arrogant, and dismissive, and…
She swallowed and scrubbed her eyes, quickly wiping away any trace of the shamed tears his taunts had summoned. None of that mattered. What mattered was that, judging from the luxurious furniture she saw behind him, he was rich. And he wanted her coin.
“Well?”
His scornful gaze burned through her, hitting her soul like a hammer’s blow. Yet she forced herself to meet it. To lift her chin and defy his unjust accusations. “Yes. $72,300. That’s what this coin will cost you.”
He didn’t even blink at that crazy price tag. “An oddly specific price.”
She held her tongue. He didn’t deserve an explanation.
“Very well.” Clearly, his interest in the subject had died. “$72,300 it is. I will mail you my address. Send the coin to me and I will give you what you want.”
“I want the money first!” Her lips
pinched. “I don’t trust you.”
“Well, I don’t trust thieves,” he countered, “and I have the money. You will not be paid until the coin is in my possession.”
As she opened her mouth to argue, he waved dismissively. “We’re done here,” he said, as the video conference ended.
For a moment, Hannah sat there, shaking with shame and rage. How could someone so heavenly, so gorgeous, be so cruel? What had she done to deserve that kind of treatment?
By all rights, she ought to be dancing with joy. She’d done it! She’d found the money her family needed to save their land! But all she could think about was his eyes, and the way the hope and joy they held had died. She hadn’t done a thing wrong, and yet here she sat, feeling vaguely guilty. Sure that, somehow, she’d disappointed this stranger.
Rude stranger, she reminded herself. He was in the wrong, not her.
A ping announced the arrival of his address. New York City – not so far from her upstate home.
She stared at it until her mother’s voice called her to dinner. And when she rose, she had a plan.
Mr. Brandon Lorde of New York City would get his coin alright.
But not the way he expected.
Chapter 2
A day later, Brandon Lorde was still stewing about that treacherous thief as he jogged through Central Park.
Normally, he drew attention on his runs. His dark charisma, as well as his relentless pace, caught the eyes of everyone he passed. By the time sweat plastered his shirt to the hard lines of his muscled body, he would turn the head of any woman in the park.
Not today. Today, a fierce anger burned inside him. Nothing was worse than a thief, a person who stole what another had claimed. Humans and animals both despised anything that took what was not theirs.
