Vance_The McCade Dragon

by Kathi S. Barton

  “Oh, I know that. I was just trying to picture you with a little white apron on, standing there with my slippers—which I don’t own, by the way—waiting for me to tell you to get me a beer. Which I don’t drink.” He stood up and stretched, and she did as well. “What I would like to see you doing, and this might just be me, I’d love to see you standing in the hallway of our home, naked and ready for me. Where I would take you against the wall, hard and fast, and have you keeping up with me. That’s the way I picture you. But for now, I’m going to go take a swim. If you’d like to join me, I’m going to be naked. I don’t have a swimsuit either.”

  He moved out the open doors to the sandy beach beyond. Vance knew that she wouldn’t join him. The few times that he’d been in the water since they’d gotten here, she’d stayed on the deck. And when she was in the water, if he joined her, she’d leave the water. Vance wasn’t sure why, but he thought perhaps she was as shy about her body as he was his.

  The water was warm and calm today. Swimming out as far as he could and still see the house, he decided to float around for a little while, just to try and not think of the woman in the house. She was a conundrum. Beautiful and deadly didn’t bother him. It was her shyness that he was puzzled about.

  Also, she seemed to have other things about her, magical things, like the porcupine move that he’d not seen as yet. Vance wanted to find out all he could about her, but little of it had to do with her magic, and more to do with the woman beneath it all.

  When something touched his skin he thought it was a fish, but turning toward it, he nearly fell back on his ass when Micky was standing not a foot from him, with her breasts bared for him.

  “I have a lot of scars. A lot of them are old, but they still are there.” He nodded, trying his best to look at her face and not her nakedness. “When I was in the war between the trolls and faeries, I was nearly cut in half. You can still see that scar where I was put back together badly. The magic that was to be mine for helping never came. Not because we lost—we won—but because the troll decided not to share it.”

  “I’ve never seen a troll.” She nodded. “Are you telling me this because you think I’ll think less of you because of them? Or do you want me to know so I can believe how bad assed you are?”

  “Both. Neither. I want you to know that I don’t show people, men mostly, my body, because I’m not pretty and smooth like most they’d know.” He looked at her then, what he could see of her above the water. “Some of the wounds on my body are like yours. Knife wounds. Bullet holes. I have a few that are also from chains around me. Iron has been wrapped around my legs, too, to keep me from being able to run.”

  “This person who trapped you like that, is he dead?” She said not yet, but she hoped that he’d help her take care of him. “Butler.”

  “Yes. Because of what I am, what I can do, he thought I was a witch. A person who could help him with his magic. That’s one of the reasons that I’ve been shunned by my kind. My parents, he told them that I did help him and that I had his child. A boy child.” Vance told her that Butler could have no male children. “Yes, I found that out as well. But the damage had been done. I had no child by him. Nor did he have sex with me to even create one. Once I was free of him, I was.... It took me a great many years to train myself so that no man would ever touch me again. Not unless I allowed it.”

  “Are you now? Allowing me to touch you?” Micky didn’t so much as blink at him. “I’d never hurt you. Not even it we weren’t mates, I’m not a man who harms someone that is smaller or weaker than me unless it’s necessary for what I do. You’re not either of those, but I have just as much respect for you as a woman as I do my own family.”

  “I want you, Vance. I do. But don’t you feel that we’ve been manipulated into this?” He started to tell her that he was all right with that when she spoke first. “I like you. I enjoy your company, and you’re smart and good to work with. I guess relationships are based on a lot less. So, in answer to your question, yes, I want you to touch me. Make love to me.”

  Chapter 2

  Vance pulled her body to him. He was gentle with her, knowing that while she was strong in so many ways, he didn’t want to abuse the simple fact that he was bigger than her. He wanted to kiss her, let her see how much he wanted her, but he didn’t. But he did taste her skin.

  There was a long scar on her neck that he knew was from a rope burn. He had the same scar on the other side. There was another one under her ear. This one looked like a knife wound. It was smooth except for the stitching that had put it back together.

  “Your skin is soft, and you smell of the ocean.” Cupping her ass, he felt old wounds there as well, like she’d been beaten with a whip. “I never thought of the ocean as having a smell before. I would have associated it with the smell of fish or gas and oil. You smell like freshness. A little salty, and very warm.”

  Moving down her body, he took the small morsel of her nipple into his mouth and suckled it. The way it tightened in his mouth made him want more. Lifting her up, he was glad when she wrapped her legs around him, her pussy right at his cock. Moving her enough so that he could fill her, Vance moaned and moved toward the beach.

  The sand was hot, almost too hot, so he rolled to his back and sat her atop him. She touched him, brushing her fingers over his own nipples as well as scars that he had on his own body. She asked him how he’d gotten the one near his heart.

  “Sniper. And stupidity. I knew he was there, but I thought myself above getting shot and he took me down. If not for the medic that was standing right next to me, I would never have made it beyond my second day.” She laughed and leaned down to kiss it. “Who beat you?”

  “A lot of different men, and women. Once when I was caught between a mountain and a frozen lake, I thought that I could simply fly over both and be gone before they were the wiser. What I didn’t count on was that the queen of a particularly small group of men would be able to send her eagle after me, and he took me down with a whip. Once there, she beat me until the earth helped me heal and I was able to get away.” Vance asked if she’d killed her. “Yes, their entire army, with my porcupine skill, as you call it.”

  They talked and laughed while making love slowly. He was enjoying the stories and the way that Micky rode him by her own set of rules. When he could no longer stand the wait, he rolled her to her back and settled between her thighs. As soon as she wrapped around him, he held her hands above her head and took her breasts in his mouth, one at a time.

  “You’re very good at this. Like you’ve had a lot of practice. Have you?” He laughed, thinking what an odd time to find something funny. “And your cock, it’s very talented too, isn’t it? You make me feel like I’m the only one.”

  “As you are. As you will always be.” Vance touched her every place that he could reach. Touching scars and wounds as much as he did flawless flesh. To him, all of her was perfect. “You are beautiful. To me, you’re absolutely beautiful. Your skin is like a soft blanket; your nipples and breasts make me think of pillows laying in the sunshine, and only for me.”

  “Vance, please. I need to come with you.”

  He moved deeper into her, letting her hands go so that she could touch him too. Never had he made love with a woman like this. Normally, pressed for time and a need that wouldn’t be ignored, he would take a woman where she stood, giving her as much as he got out of it before moving on.

  This was the kind of making love that one cherished. And he would. Also the woman. When she cried out that she was coming, he took her mouth and let her scream her release into his body, his soul. And when she came a second time, he emptied himself deep within her until she came again. It was then that she sank her teeth into his throat.

  Vance felt the connection immediately. He knew her every hope, her every dream. Even her memories became his. When he came with her the final time, Vance knew a love so profound, so deep that he wondered why he’d never wanted it before. And then he envied his brothers for hav
ing had it so much longer than he had.

  Holding her in his arms while she slept, Vance rolled to his back, his body spent to the point that he’d not be able to move if someone came for them. Smiling at the thought of loving this woman, he closed his eyes for a moment to let the love that he felt settle over him like the warm sunshine that he had said she was.

  Vance woke when she moved off his body. The chill in the air made him realize that he should have thought of taking her in. When she helped him to stand, her body too luscious to ignore, he kissed her deeply and picked her up in his arms to carry into the house. And to bed.

  “What if we just stayed here for the rest of our days? I mean, I don’t know about you, but I could just leave the world behind.” He dropped her on the bed with a bounce, then asked her what they’d do for money. “I own this house. And a few others. I’ve been around awhile and bought this thing for a song when people didn’t have houses on the beach.”

  “I have a few too. One where my family lives. I’ve made sure that it’s safe for us both.” He joined her in the bed, then got up when he realized he was covered in sand. Going out to the deck again, he showered off while still talking to her. “I have one in about every country. Two in Paris. I love it there. My brother Jorden, he has shows there, paintings of his, and we all stay in my house. But now that I think about it, I don’t think it’s ever come up that I own them.”

  Drying off, he joined her again on the bed. She was beautiful, and he just couldn’t get enough of looking at her. Touching his rough finger to her nipple, he smiled when it puckered. Leaning down, he took it into his mouth and made love to it. She held him there as he enjoyed himself.

  Vance. He sat up, knowing that if Kenton was contacting him, something was wrong. There is something you should know. Nothing bad, I promise, but Emma has been in a car accident. Nothing bad, but it hit the papers.

  What happened? He got up to get dressed, telling Micky what had happened. When Kenton started to laugh, he told her that too. She did something totally off the wall, didn’t she?

  Yes, you could say that. And she’s fine, but the other man isn’t. And I doubt he’ll ever try and take her from her car again. Vance sat down, his knees jelly. She was coming home from the bakery when this guy knocks at her window of her car. When she only rolled it down about an inch, he told her to do it all the way. Well, you know my Emma, she wasn’t having it. So when he smashed in the glass to get to her, she went all macho on him. He has three broken ribs, his face is black and blue, and he has seventy-three stitches on his arms where she clawed him. My wife is a hellion.

  Kenton sounded proud of that. And as Vance relayed the message to Micky, she thought it was funny. Then she asked who had sent them, or did they know yet. Asking Kenton, he thought about telling him about Micky but didn’t. Things for them were quiet, and he needed that right now.

  Butler, we think. The guy had a picture of the jewelry on him, and that’s why we’re blaming him. But there isn’t anything that he could have done to her, that’s my way of thinking about this, so we’ve banded together and are watching everything. How are things on your end? He told him what had happened today. I have to tell you, little brother. I can’t wait for this to be done so you’ll be home all the time. And someday you’ll meet your mate. I need you here. We all miss you.

  And I miss you too. I think this will be over soon on my end, then I can come home, provided that I don’t end up in prison. They’ve already killed Samuel. I’m not going to get caught by them if I can help it. Kenton told him he was fine with that. So am I. I’ll be talking to you soon. I have to get going. I have things in the fire here, and I need to make sure that they’re still stoked.

  If we can help you in any way, let me know. I want you safe too. And while talking about safe, your house is done. I went over today to have a look at it with Lewis. Damn, you have it set up. I might have you do that for me when you get time. He told him he’d do that. All right then, be careful.

  When the connection was closed, he looked at Micky. She smiled at him and he wanted to take her back to bed. But they really did need to get this thing done, the sooner the better. When he stood up she did as well, and without saying a word they got dressed and were headed out the door. Time to go visit Honest Abe.

  Getting in and out of the place had been easy since the first time he’d gotten in. The sublevels were well guarded, but not enough to keep him out. Two members of the security force had been trained by him, but that didn’t mean he stopped for a social time. Instead, he took one out and Micky the other before they had any idea they were around.

  The room where the computers were, that was a little trickier. He started to kick the door in, but Micky moved him back and touched the knob, and it came off in her hand. Just pushing it open, she stood back as he entered. He knew, without her saying anything, that she’d watch for others coming and make sure that no one got out until he was finished. The two men in the room just stood up, handed him their weapons, then got down on their knees. He started to ask why when Micky spoke behind him.

  “They know who you are.” He frowned and wasn’t sure that was good. “They’re terrified of you. And with good reason. They’ve had it in their head that you’re going to come here soon and kill them, so they wanted to be prepared. The little one in the back, he has your picture over his bunk, so he never forgets what pure evil looks like.”

  Micky sat down at the computer that was still running. While she did her thing, he watched the two men. He wasn’t sure he wanted to be thought of as evil, but he also didn’t want them to think he was a pushover.

  “You want to live?” Both men nodded. “Then you don’t say a word to anyone that we were in here. Got that?”

  “Yes, sir. We can do that.” The little one looked at the cabinet, then back at Vance before he spoke again. “If you want more information on these pricks, there’s a couple of files in there that we’ve been keeping in the hopes of you coming to get them.”

  “What sort of information?”

  Bing, his name badge said, asked if he could get up. And when Vance told him to go ahead, he opened the cabinet and handed him several manila envelopes. They were not just dated, but also had names on the outside of them.

  “When they’re not in the room with us, we watch other parts of the house. Most of the things they say, it’s got to do with deals they’re cooking up. Someone, I really don’t know who, put something in the offices and we were able to get to them. When it started printing up what they were saying, we kept it. There are also pictures of other men that have been brought here to be talked to.” Vance asked how they’d not gotten caught. “We have all the cameras in the place right here. We just follow then through the building, and when they’re headed this way, we clean up.”

  “You been here long?” Bing told him just over three months. “Then you’ve been very busy. Why should I believe that this isn’t a trap?”

  “Because if you really thought we were fucking with you, you’d have killed us by now. At least, I think so.” Vance sat down and stared at the two men. “We don’t want to be here anymore than you want to be dead. I have a wife and a new baby. Benson here, he has himself a girlfriend. We can’t contact them. Not even to say we’re all right. I want out of here, and I think the only way that’s going to happen is if we’re dead or the man upstairs and in charge of this shit is dead. I’m hoping for him dying and not us.”

  “Me too.” Vance asked them about a phone. “I can leave you one here, but I’d not call your wife or girlfriends with any other phone. You do, and they’ll be all over your asses. They more than likely have their phones tapped as well.”

  After leaving them his burner, he and Micky moved toward the stairs. They had to plant a few other devices in the place, then they’d go to the upper floors. Micky assured him that she could get them there, no problem, but Vance was still a little worried. He didn’t want to get caught just yet.

  ~~~

  Micky plante
d the two listening devices under the desk in Elliot’s office and two in General Adkins’s office. While Vance worked around the oval office, she roamed the halls, watching the people work while they were unaware of her. When someone mentioned a shipment, she went to see what it was about. The invoice said that it was gifts to go overseas, but she had a feeling that it was more than that.

  It only took her a second to get the person using the computer to leave her area. After that, since she was signed in, Micky cloned this computer too. That was five now that she had access to, and she was thinking that if this kept up, she was going to need more computers. Just as she was ready to stand up and leave, the computer dinged that a message had come in. Reading it, she sat down again.

  “What is it?” She looked up at Vance and was glad now that he’d believed her when she said that no one would see him if he didn’t want them to. “You’ve found something. What is it?”

  “There is a shipment of guns being loaded right now on the pier. They’re going to be recrafted, then sent out again day after tomorrow. They’re going out to sea, where they’re going to be picked up on Thursday.” He asked her the name of the ship. “The Adkins. Isn’t that the name of the general that we just tagged?”

  “It is. His family owns a ship yard. All right. We’ll see to that now.” She told him how she’d cloned the computers. “There’s a laptop in the office beyond. But it’s password protected. Can you get around that?”

  She snorted at him and went to the office. It took her less time than she thought it would to get in; the moron had written his daily password on the bottom of his calendar. She told Vance that most people did that. Cloning it without looking at anything on it, she closed it and started to put the password back when Vance told her not to.