Garrett (Dragon Hearts 6)

by Carole Mortimer

  “I shifted into my dragon so I could fly us both here, yes.”

  She drew in several deep breaths before looking at him again. “Okay, just call me Alice in future, because I sure as hell must have fallen down a hole in the ground into another universe.”

  Garrett chuckled. “Your name is Sybil Rider, and I realize how—”

  “Billie.”

  “Sorry?”

  “I hate the name Sybil. What the fuck was my mother thinking of? I’d ask her, except she’s dead. Or, at least, I think she is,” she added with a frown.

  “What does that mean?”

  “I haven’t seen her since I was five,” Billie dismissed. “Maybe I should ask her anyway. If I can see mythical creatures, maybe I can talk to dead people too. God, I’m becoming hysterical now.” She gave a self-disgusted shake of her head. “Everyone calls me Billie,” she stated flatly.

  Billie. Hmm, Garrett liked it. It suited her better than Sybil. Not that she wasn’t completely feminine in her appearance but what came out of that delicious mouth more readily belonged to a man who worked on a building site.

  He nodded. “I realize this must all seem a little strange to you, but I assure you, there’s nothing wrong with your mental faculties.”

  That’s what Billie was afraid of!

  And if she was still sane, then how did she explain seeing the creature—the metallic-gray dragon?—this man had morphed—shifted?—into?

  Dragons weren’t real.

  Men certainly didn’t shimmer and then turn into one of them, except between the covers of the paranormal romance books Billie loved to devour in the privacy of her bedroom.

  Maybe that was it. She must have been knocked out when the accident happened and was now stuck in some blow-to-the-head-induced dream world where dragons existed and could transform into a drop-dead-gorgeous man who smelled like hot sex and naked bodies.

  Except there had been nowhere for her to have hit her head. She had been strapped into the middle seat in the back of the SUV, with nothing in front of her and nothing at the sides of her.

  Billie looked warily at the man sitting on the side of the four-poster bed.

  He’d said his name was Garrett Pendragon, one of scary Grigor’s brothers.

  Had they given her something, and this was all a drug-induced hallucination? Maybe as some sort of revenge because they had believed Billie intended to harm Gayle Wilson, the woman who was involved with Grigor? The other man had certainly been angry enough at Pendragon Castle earlier to want to kill Billie when he pinned her up against the wall with her feet dangling a foot above the floor.

  She lifted a tentative hand to touch the gouges on her throat. Yes, they were still there, so that part had really happened. As had the part where two of Nikolai Volkov’s men were driving her back to London to face their boss, Nikolai traveling in the second SUV.

  Then maybe she was imagining Garrett Pendragon.

  His golden-tanned bad-boy good looks certainly matched her perfect fantasy man. Dirty blond hair, chiseled features dominated by eyes the color of mercury, with a muscular and defined body that made her to want to rip off his black polo shirt and faded denims and lick him all over.

  But if this was some sexual fantasy, where had the cave come from? She’d certainly never fantasized about being ravished in a cave that consisted of smooth rock walls and a vaulted ceiling. Nor did she think a sexual fantasy would go into such detail as the modern furnishings, such as the bed and bookcase and chairs, along with a kitchen area. The hot spring, maybe, because that would involve taking all their clothes off, but not those other, more practical things.

  “Would you like me to do it again?”

  “Do what again?”

  His lips lifted in a smile at her suspicious tone. “I want you fully awake when I do that.” Laughter lines crinkled beside those mercurial gray eyes as he dropped back on the bed, one arm bent, his head resting against the palm of his hand as he looked at her. “I was wondering if my shifting into my dragon form again would help to convince you that what you saw was real.”

  “All that would convince me of is that I truly have lost my mind,” she assured him dryly. “Besides, none of this is real. Not you. Not this cave. Not the way you smell like hot sex. In reality, I’m slumped unconscious in the back of the black SUV, waiting for Nikolai Volkov to come and find us and then carry me off to face the unmerciful revenge of Gregori Markovic.”

  His brows rose. “I smell like hot sex to you?”

  Billie felt her cheeks warm. “Yes.”

  “Before or after?”

  “Before, during, and after.”

  “Interesting. You smell like lilies and your unique arousal to me.”

  Probably because she was. Aroused, that is. “Could we just move on?”

  He nodded. “Why did you agree to steal money from Gregori Markovic on behalf of the Romanian Mafia? Not that it matters. I can easily make it right by paying back whatever amount you owe to whomever. Sixteen hundred years is a long time to be alive, and I’ve accumulated more money than I’ll ever be able to spend in several equally as long lifetimes.”

  Billie blinked. “You’ve lived for sixteen hundred years?”

  His mouth quirked. “That isn’t the best part of it.”

  It sounded more than enough to Billie. “It isn’t?” she humored him.

  “My father was Uther Pendragon, my mother is a Welsh goddess, and another of my brothers was King Arthur.”

  Okay. Definitely insane.

  Although she still wasn’t sure if that applied to her or Garrett Pendragon. But it was probably her if this really was a dream and her brain was generating all this fucked-up nonsense.

  But the brocade bedcovers she was sitting on felt real enough, as did the pillow she was clutching to her chest. Despite this man’s musk, she could still detect that slight sulfur smell of the hot spring pool in the center of the cave too. So perhaps it was only Garrett Pendragon and what he was saying to her that was the hallucination.

  “How long have we been here?”

  “Twenty-four hours.”

  “Twenty-four hours?” she echoed incredulously.

  He nodded. “Maybe something to drink might help clear your head?”

  It took Billie a couple of seconds to refocus on the man lounging at the bottom of the bed. “I don’t think I need to add alcohol to this weird fantasy I’m having.”

  He chuckled. “So I’m a fantasy, huh?”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Women have sexual fantasies too, you know.”

  He arched blond brows. “And I’m one of yours?”

  “Obviously.”

  “It’s a start.” He rose gracefully to his feet. “I really think some bottled water might help you,” he soothed as she gave a pained wince.

  Billie’s gaze was drawn to the tautness of Garrett’s ass as he strolled over to the kitchen area to collect two bottles of water from the fridge. She might as well enjoy the good parts of this hallucination. And there was no doubting that Garrett Pendragon had a spectacular ass, clearly outlined in those faded denims. His back and shoulders were also wide and muscular enough to stop a truck.

  She really did have the best fantasies.

  “It’s not been opened,” Garrett taunted as Billie inspected the top and seal on the bottle of water he had given her. “I realize all of this must seem pretty unbelievable to you—”

  “That’s big of you.” Her voice dripped sarcasm. “What gave you the idea I might think that? My waking up to find myself in a cave in Iceland? Your claim of being a dragon shifter? That you have a Welsh goddess for a mother— Wait a minute, you have a Welsh goddess as your mother, even though you’re claiming to be sixteen hundred years old?” she repeated doubtfully.

  He nodded. “Goddesses don’t die. My mother lives still on the invisible island of Annwn off the coast of Wales. It’s the home of the Welsh Underworld,” he supplied as Billie’s frown deepened.

  She drew in a deep breath bef
ore continuing with her list of reasons why she didn’t—couldn’t, believe a word this man said. “Maybe it was stating that Uther Pendragon is your father and King Arthur was another of your brothers. Or perhaps it’s the having lived for sixteen hundred years part? As well as, apparently, your goddess mother being even older than you claim to be and living on an invisible island off the coast of Wales with the rest of the Welsh Underworld.” She gave a dismissive snort. “I would say any and all of that is pretty fucking unbelievable, wouldn’t you?”

  Garrett grimaced. “Now I realize what my brothers had to contend with.”

  “Sorry?”

  He shrugged. “It really isn’t easy convincing a human fated mate that all this is real and they aren’t dreaming it.”

  “That’s probably because it sounds so— What do you mean, a human fated mate?” She eyed him suspiciously. “Who’s a human fated mate?”

  “You are.” His gaze moved over her. “My beautiful human fated mate,” he added appreciatively.

  “Okay, even for a sexual fantasy, this has gone far enough. Especially as there’s been no actual sex involved.”

  “We can change that any time you like.” He arched a questioning brow.

  “No, thanks.” She shuffled over to the side of the bed farthest away from him, leaving the pillow behind her as she stood. “Dragon shifters and legendary kings,” she muttered. “A goddess mother living on an invisible island. Now you’re saying I’m a dragon shifter’s fated mate.”

  “My fated mate,” he stated again.

  She gave a shake of her head. “I’m trapped in some weird dream, and any minute now, I’m going to regain consciousness and find myself still strapped in the back of Markovic’s SUV that’s wrapped around a tree. Why are you shaking your head?” she demanded.

  “Because all of this is real, and the sooner you accept that the sooner we can—”

  “There is no we.” She broke off to eye him suspiciously. “The sooner we can what?”

  “Mate,” he announced with satisfaction.

  Garrett might not have been looking for his fated mate, but now that he’d found her, he definitely wanted to experience that euphoria his brothers assured him he would feel when he claimed and bit his fated mate.

  When he claimed Billie.

  Chapter 3

  “Would someone please pinch me so I can wake up?” Billie said heavily as she ran her fingers through her hair. For some reason, it seemed to be tangled.

  Because, as Garrett claimed, he had changed into a dragon and flown her here in his arms? Front legs? What the hell!

  “This has just become too weird for me to cope with on top of everything else that’s going on in my life.” She shuddered at how weird it was.

  Not that her life had exactly been normal for some months. But that was something else completely. A mess she still had to sort out. Or die trying.

  She took a step back as Garrett Pendragon rose to his feet. He really was one of the tallest men she’d ever seen, at least a foot taller than her own five feet and six inches. And he was built. God, was he built, deliciously so as he continued to exude that leashed power and the smell of sex.

  Well, if she was going to have a sexual fantasy, she might as well go with what she liked.

  Billie shook her head. “I need to wake up. That way, I can get back to London and try to start sorting out this situation with Gregori Markovic.”

  Garrett’s eyes narrowed. “Sort it out how?”

  Her chin rose. “As all this is happening in a dream—my dream—I still don’t consider that to be any of your fucking business.”

  “Tell me, were you a builder’s mate in another lifetime?” He frowned. “Because you certainly have the mouth of one.”

  “If you don’t like what I have to say or the way I say it, then get the hell out of my head!”

  “I have no problem with anything you do or say.” He took a step closer. “And I’d rather get into something else of yours.”

  “I don’t have time for any more of this,” Billie snapped as Garrett moved even closer to her, so close she was overwhelmed by his heady and sexual male musk. But she refused to back away. She really was running out of time, needed to regain consciousness and get herself back into the game. Now, not when her mind decided to stop playing tricks on her. “You—” Her next words were cut off as Garrett Pendragon’s mouth took fierce possession of hers.

  Dear God…

  This man kissed like she was his favorite food and he wanted to lick and devour every inch of her.

  His thick and muscular arms were like steel bands about her waist, his rock-hard body unyielding as he molded her softer curves against him before deepening the kiss.

  His tongue licked along her lips before sliding inside her mouth, that marauding tongue seeking out and claiming every moist inch as it thrust deeper.

  She—

  What the hell was that?

  A deep shudder ran through her at the sudden explosion of heat in her mouth before it spread out to all parts of her body. Her nipples hardened and her breasts ached, the lips between her thighs swelling hotly as juices gushed from her channel.

  My God, he tasted delicious.

  Billie was the one kissing Garrett now as she stood on her tiptoes in an effort to get more of him. His lips. His tongue. That addictive taste. Just more. Her arms moved up over those broad shoulders, fingers becoming entangled in the long hair at his nape as she held him closer to her.

  She needed—

  Wanted—

  Billie was breathing hard as she wrenched her lips away from his to stare up him with hot and fevered eyes. “I want your cock. Inside me. Now!”

  What the hell…?

  This might be some sort of weird hallucination, with her perfect man featuring front and center of it, but she’d never behaved the aggressor with a man before, even in her sexual fantasies.

  Except right now she wanted to rip Garrett’s clothes from his perfect muscular body before impaling her needy pussy on his engorged cock.

  The rampant—nine inch?—cock Billie could currently feel pressing against her abdomen.

  She moved one of her hands to cup that thick length in her palm, and felt it throb in response. “What are you doing to me?” Her demand sounded as panicked as Billie felt.

  Because now she wanted to throw off her own clothes and climb this man like a tree until she was able to slide that thick, lengthy cock into her aroused and desperate-to-be-filled pussy.

  She’d never felt this needy before.

  At twenty-five years old, she’d had lovers in the past, although not many, but not one of them had sent her into this maelstrom of hot desire with a single kiss.

  Her fingers tightly gripped Garrett’s shoulders. “What have you done to me?” She glared up at him in accusation as she had to force herself not to kiss and lick and taste his mouth again. “Tell me!” She shook him.

  Garrett winced at Billie’s obvious sexual arousal. Her eyes were glittering, cheeks flushed, her engorged nipples pressing against her sweater. He also inhaled the sharp perfume of her desire every time he breathed in.

  He’d kissed Billie because he had to, the compulsion too strong for him to resist.

  But by doing so, he knew he had to have allowed some of the dragon mating aphrodisiac in his saliva to enter Billie’s mouth, and once that happened, the mating had begun.

  He just hadn’t expected it to start so quickly.

  And he should have. His brothers had warned him, and he had seen some of the extreme discomfort his brothers’ mates had suffered when they tried to fight against the demands of the mating aphrodisiac.

  Billie was going to kill him once she accepted that all of this was real and not just a figment of her imagination or a sexual fantasy while she was asleep or unconscious.

  Although he couldn’t say he had any complaints about knowing he was Billie’s “fantasy” man.

  He’d had no idea, if or when he found a mate, what she w
ould actually look like. But he now considered Billie to be the perfect woman, from the top of her blonde head to her booted feet. As far as Garrett was now concerned, no other women existed. Only Billie. With her slender beauty and the mouth of a dock worker.

  “Answer me!” she demanded again, dark blue eyes fevered.

  She also, he accepted ruefully, had a temper. One he intended curbing. He’d made allowances for Billie’s aggression and language up to now, but that wouldn’t last for much longer.

  Garrett drew in a deep and controlling breath. “I shouldn’t have kissed you.”

  Her mouth twisted. “It’s a little late for you to have decided that.”

  “I didn’t say I didn’t want to kiss you, only that I shouldn’t have.” He stepped away in an effort to remove himself from the temptation to kiss her again and not breathe in the perfume of her arousal that called to every one of his senses. “Dragon shifters have an aphrodisiac in their saliva—”

  “That’s disgusting.” Her nose wrinkled.

  “It’s the way it is.” Garrett shrugged. “The aphrodisiac is only present once we meet our mate.” Once again confirming Billie was his.

  She nodded. “Which you claim I am.”

  “I’m not claiming anything. It’s what you are,” Garrett came back with a mildness he was far from feeling.

  “You don’t even know me!”

  “I don’t need to know you to recognize you as being my mate.”

  “Mate sounds rather…bestial.”

  “Probably because that’s exactly what my dragon is.”

  “And you?”

  He shrugged. “I’ve been known to give in to my…baser instincts a time or two.”

  Billie gave a slow shake of her head. “I have no idea what is happening to me right now.”

  “How do you feel?”

  Temper flared in her eyes again as she glared at him. “My tits ache, my pussy feels hot and needy, and I want to rip all your clothes off before throwing you down on the floor, licking you all over, and then taking your big cock inside me!”

  His brows rose. “Hmm.”

  “Too graphic for you?” she taunted.

  “Not at all,” he drawled. “Maybe we could have a dip in the pool first? Much as I would like to give you all that you’ve asked for, my sisters-in-law tell me human women like a bit of romance first. That they like to work up to it a bit slower than you’re suggesting.”