The Gentle Dragon and The Wild Vampire (BWWM): Part 1 (The Keepers Series)

by T. C. Clark

  A witch or a warlock could grow in power only if they collected souls. Literally, they would have to find and kill another supernatural casting a spell just as their victim died. The spell allowed the caster to devour the soul and inherit the powers of the fallen.

  Not only was it against the law in both the surface realm and the Atlantian one to do this but in time it turned the soul eater into a mindless monster…a sort of zombie whose thoughts only centered on eating souls. They were a threat to every supernatural in existence and it was now her duty to destroy him.

  She was relatively sure he’d only taken one or two souls but the stink was there. She had to take him out in one shot because she wouldn’t get another. She hoped the dragon would come back for her because when this was done she would be in worse shape than him. She opened her mind running through every spell she’d ever read until she found it.

  The one created by one of her ancestors, Aster Amant. She began the chant lightly, so softly that the warlock didn’t even notice it. She slowly reworked his DNA, taking her time. She knew the exact moment he realized what was happening because his eyes widened in shock and rage. He could feel the power draining from his body, he watched as the witch literally drained the magic from him…taking it and releasing it back into the universe.

  He could feel it leaving his body, he put up his mental blocks as quickly as he could but she was too fast. As he fell to his knees she walked up to him slowly, suffering through the psychic fatigue.

  She slipped a small knife out of her pocket and leaned in close to him and whispered softly into his ear, “You know you really should have done this on a different day. Now I’ve got to get my hands dirty.”

  She lit the blade on fire with the last of her magic and carved two letters across his cheek. The letters were “SE,” for soul eater she used a Dashin blade to make it which meant that it couldn’t be removed by any means.

  She had to do this by witch’s law; this sign was a warning to any who crossed his path. As she drained the last of his power she caught the look of pure hatred that crossed his face. As his mind started to fade and the blackness started to grow, he caught her eyes willing her to feel his intent behind them, “remember this day witch for when I survive this, this will be the day you decided to end your life and the lives of those that you hold dear. I will not stop… will not be swayed until you lay beneath me bloody and beaten,” he said through gritted teeth. His eyes went blank and his body pitched forward.

  Just as he fainted she caught sight of the dragon as he landed back in the field, he limped to her slowly clearly still feeling the effects of the toxin. She should be afraid to be left powerless at the mercy of a strange dragon. But her instincts never failed and they told her that while he was going to be hell to escape he would never hurt her.

  She watched in awe as he transitioned back into his human form. He was not handsome in the traditional sense, but something about him spoke to her. He had short dark red hair and a matching beard and his body looked as if it could have been carved from stone.

  Whatever he felt for her…whatever she’d seen in his mind she knew she could trust him with her safety. He strode towards her scowling at the defeated soul eater. She blushed as her eyes noticed his heavily aroused body. He seemed unembarrassed by his state, his eyes soft as he took her in. He grabbed her so quickly before she could move away.

  She smiled when he lifted her off of the ground cradling her so gently to his chest. He leaned forward taking her scent into his body just as he’d done when he was a dragon. He felt sturdy and strong. She sighed as she realized she liked sturdy and strong in a man.

  Her mind started to fade and she rubbed her face into his chest. She had just met this man how could she want him…trust him? Just as she was about to lose consciousness he whispered something into her ear and she struggled to understand what he was saying…hoping that it would help her to figure out what was happening to her. In the softly spoken declaration, only one word filtered through her brain and imprinted itself into her mind. It was resounding and final.

  Mine…and the word was said with such conviction and possessiveness that she shivered. Now how in the world was she supposed to deal with this?

  So this is what happens when a bookworm meets a heartthrob...

  * * *

  For the second time that day, Opal opened her eyes slowly. She felt warm and comfortable. She snuggled deeper into the warmth around her until she realized that the warmth was coming from a muscular bare chest. She tried to sit up but could barely move with his large arm wrapped around her so tightly.

  His hold was gentle yet firm. She wouldn’t be able to leave the bed without waking him up. She sighed and put her head back on his chest for just a minute. She sniffed delicately and cursed…he even smelled good. She smiled as she recognized that the poison was almost completely gone from his body.

  She didn’t need to look up to know who the arm belonged to. She pushed at the hand but still, he held her. She could feel his erection pushing into her soft stomach. She continued to struggle and then just gave up on sneaking away.

  “Let me go,” she said into his chest. Her long curly hair was braided in a thick braid. His arm was still securely wrapped around her waist.

  She quickly searched her pocket and relaxed when she felt the vial with the plant sealed inside, at least that was one less thing to worry about. She tried to move again and he merely tightened his hold. At least he hadn’t taken off her clothes she would have kicked his ass for that.

  The room had a minimalist feel to it. It held only a large wooden bed with a thick soft fur cover. The bed itself was secured by four heavy roots; she realized then that they were inside the center of an enormous tree. She’d read somewhere that a lot of dragons preferred making their homes in ancient Atlantian trees because of the crowds now forming in the mountains.

  The large trees had massive roots and they held the house at least ten feet off the ground if the view through the window was correct. Anise had loved houses like these in Atlantis, admiring how the people used nature to complement their lifestyles instead of removing it because it got in the way.

  She waited for the outrage to come at being here with him. She knew the thoughts running through his mind had to be outrageous. He had wanted everything from her. She should be upset by that, witches didn’t recognize mates and found it humiliating that the choice could be taken from a person because of an instinct. But she’d seen the inner workings of his mind and knew the depth of his feelings for her. What he felt wasn’t shallow and she’d known plenty of shallow men.

  It was a heady feeling to control a man like this. She knew she needed to be careful here with him. While he would do anything to protect her, he would destroy anything to keep her. He would not be easy to get away from. She needed to get control of the situation now.

  His eyes remained closed but there was a small smile playing at the corner of his lips. While his eyes were closed she felt safe to examine him. He was a mountain of a man, made of pure steel, and muscle. She felt her breath speed up as her eyes traveled him. He wasn’t even her type physically with his pale skin and dark red hair. Yet he appealed to her on every level.

  A small sprinkling of red crinkly hair covered his chest and traveled down his abs and of course, he had a six-pack. They always had a six-pack. She shook her head and took a deep breath, she needed to figure out exactly what was going on.

  “You done starring mate,” he asked with his eyes still closed. Everywhere her eyes touch stirred something in him; it was as if his dragon could feel her eyes. His control was tested through the night. Keeping his hands to himself had been difficult when he knew who she was. The beast in him told him to take what belonged to him…they’d waited so long….but he had resisted, barely.

  His muscles bulged, straining to impress his mate and his dragon was feeling a hunger that he’d never experienced before. He shifted his weight trying to ease the pain in his body, the ache was getting
to him. He wanted her, his mate…under him, submitting to him.

  But he knew she needed time. It had taken everything he had not to undress her knowing that she deserved more from him. He couldn’t explain her importance or how she meant everything to him now. She was from the surface world she could never truly understand the depths of his need.

  He was still sore from the fight but he’d been healing steadily her spell had helped tremendously. His mate was strong and smart that made the dragon inside ache for her. He opened his eyes, the intensity of them captured hers. He didn’t give her time to think, to resist. He just leaned forward and took her mouth. He was gentle he needed to show her what it would be like with him.

  She tasted of his dreams. The lust she released in him was almost overwhelming. She leaned her head back as he took her mouth again and again. Her taste was maddening. She moaned as well as his hands roamed up her body to cup her breast. His touch was almost brutal as he squeezed. He wanted to be deep inside of her…he had to have her.

  Centuries he’d traveled the world alone and now. He could feel the dragon rising in him…pushing him to take what was his. He knew she was feeling the need as well. He had a feeling she was getting caught up too. He needed to stop this if he pushed too soon he would risk losing her trust.

  He lifted his head away satisfied with the passion that clouded her eyes. At this moment she’d forgotten everything but what was between them and that’s how it should be between mates. He leaned forward and placed his head against hers, his body on fire. Her very presence was creating havoc with his senses.

  “Mate, I could never let you go. You are all that I have,” he whispered to her. Still holding her body tightly to his. He needed her to accept him dreaded what would happen if she ran.

  He wasn’t foolish enough to think that he would hurt her…but he was afraid of what would happen to anyone who got between them. He knew of the coven from which she came…their loyalty was like no other within the mortal land.

  “Harm a keeper and meet the reaper,” that was their motto and he’d heard many a man had done just that. He couldn’t risk going to war with her kin. When she pulled at his arm again he released her.

  Opal adjusted her braid and slowed her breathing striving to gain control of herself. She shook her head as she realized her panties were wet. She was thirty years old for crying out loud, not some starry-eyed teenager…she needed to get her shit together.

  “Where are we?” she asked deciding against arguing with him if he believed she was his mate there would be no convincing him otherwise better to get her bearings first and then form a plan.

  “We are in our home just outside of Nado. My name is Alex McReive and you are my mate,” he announced sounding pleased. He was sure from her scent that she was a keeper, but he didn’t know exactly which one.

  “I know from what coven you come from but what type of witch are you?” he asked needing to know more about her.

  “I’m surprised you don’t know…I had to fill out a mountain of paperwork to enter here,” she moved to sit up running her hands up her arms. Her magic was still too weak to use. She reviewed other spells in her mind that required little to no magical energy needing to prepare her mind for whatever came next.

  “I don’t review entry papers,” he said his eyes focused on her face, his eyes followed her every movement closely.

  “I’m the Keeper of Knowledge,” she answered softly moving her arms and legs experimentally checking for injuries, and was happy when she found none.

  The house was surprisingly warm for having no lit fires and then she remembered that dragons created their own heat as long as he was in the room with her she wouldn’t feel the weather outside.

  Her eyes wandered the bare room, definitely the room of a man. She stood up then slowly stretching her back. Sometimes after burning her power out, she would wake up with a sprained ankle or other minor injuries. But she was in luck everything but her magic seemed to be working fine.

  “Where’s the demon?” she asked shuddering at the remembered hatred on his face. She needed to know exactly where he was if anything happened and he got free she needed to prepare herself.

  She’d taken all of his power and released it back into the universe, where it belonged. Right now wherever he was, he was harmless…no more than a mortal human.

  But warlocks that aligned with the mad four were crafty and without consciences, he could figure out a way to escape. She needed to get word to Myra that there were soul eaters roaming around the dragon realm. She didn’t even understand how they got in. Only dragons could easily come and go, there was no spell that could have let them in so it had to be another dragon….she wondered if Alex had thought about that?

  “I don’t like the fear coming from you…you know as long as there is a breath in my body no harm will come to you…no matter where he is, you are safe,” he said standing as well. Opal let out a sigh of relief when she saw that he was wearing pants.

  “Really?” she asked walking around the room absently examining it.

  “You lack faith because I was weakened when you found me,” when she shook her head and started to interrupt he raised his hand signaling for her to let him continue.

  “They attacked one of the houses I protect and used children to defend themselves. That limited what I could do and it took everything I had to keep those people safe. I finally drove them into the air and away from them, but they overwhelmed me. I was weak from the poison and the lack of rest …the next time it will be different. I will always protect you first, you can depend on that,” he said so sincerely that her heart ached. She could tell that it cost him to say that and that he hated appearing weak in her eyes.

  “It’s not that I think you can’t protect me…I’m trying to say you don’t need to protect me,” she added. “And you still haven’t told me where he is?”

  “He is being questioned by our council as we speak. They arrived shortly after you fainted. They won’t let him escape,” he said.

  When she looked unconvinced he sighed and said, “I will take you to him after we eat…will that settle you?”

  She laughed and said, “I really thought you would put up more of a fight.”

  “You will learn in time that I will always seek to accommodate your happiness.” He said with a smile, walking out of the room.

  For a moment she continued to walk around the room running her hand along the sides of the tree she’d learned from Anise how to feel for the life of a plant. It was healthy and also reinforced with magic. But soon the cold crept in without his body in the room to provide warmth, she nearly ran to catch up with him. When he turned to walk into the kitchen she followed her stomach growling loudly.

  “Once we check on the soul eater, I need to get back to town I’m meeting someone there,” she said making a point to not look at him. He was a distraction she didn’t need right now.

  “Will you stay here at least for the next few days until we can be sure of the threat. I know this isn’t your fight but helping me weakened you and I’m still not fully healed if we leave this place we will both be vulnerable,” he said quietly.

  “We?”She questioned turning to face him. He was staring at her again watching her with his hyper-focused golden eyes.

  “I’ve told you…you are my mate. Where you go, I follow…always that as is our way.” He grabbed two glasses, filling them with water.

  He placed one in front of her and guzzled his.

  “And what if I don’t want you to follow me? Do I get any say?” she asked drinking the cool water, surprised at how dehydrated she was. She smiled when he refilled it and placed it back in front of her. He was learning her ways, encouraging her to drink rather than demanding it.

  “I will always put your needs above my own in every way that I can, but no I will never have the strength to release you from our bond…you could run but I will always find you. I can only pray that eventually, you will see the rightness in this,” he said
honestly.

  She knew what he said was true, had seen all of his emotions laid bare in his mind. He wanted her to stay here with him, safe in his home. But he was just as trapped as she was when it came to them being mated. She turned her attention to the sparse kitchen deciding it would be safer to lay that topic to rest for now.

  She was surprised at how similar his kitchen was to hers. There was a large wooden kitchen table, a stove and a side box that acted as a fridge it was packed with what looked to be ice from outside. He pulled out one small package of frozen dough.

  She watched as he sat it on the table and grabbed two more cups from the sidebar. He squeezed out the juice of two blue bulb looking fruits and handed one of them to her. She sniffed it and wrinkled her nose.

  “It is good for you…it will help with your psychic energy, Atlantian witches collect it daily.” He then grabbed the dough and blew on it lightly using his dragon fire to heat it to a flat pancake; he tore it in half and gave it to her as well.

  “What does this do?” she asked taking a small sip of the drink, it tasted like mangos. She held out the bread and examined it.

  “It just tastes good,” he said with an indulgent smile. She caught herself smiling at him as well. She thought about Anise and the empty rental awaiting her in town. She knew Anise would not come back until right before their departure.

  She then recalled his thoughts upon seeing her. No one had ever reacted like that to her before. She still had the plant and she knew he couldn’t hurt her, why not have a bit of adventure? She knew instinctively that she would never meet another man like him.

  “This is delicious,” she said eating the bread quickly.

  She watched as he finished off the bread as well. He was looking at her with desire in his eyes again. She could feel herself blushing. He didn’t try to hide what he was feeling and she had enough experience with men that she knew what that look meant.