by Marie Harte
Jentaron frowned. “Time is of the essence.”
“Well it’s going to have to wait. Family comes first.”
That he understood. So he let her don the robe, dressed himself in a human costume of jeans and a t-shirt with a wave of his hand, then took Ella by the arm. He looked into her mind for a location and teleported them to her bedroom.
“You can do that too?” she said, catching her breath.
He shrugged. “Yes, but don’t mention it to anyone. Dragons are expected to fly everywhere. Most of us cannot teleport.”
“But you can.”
“I’m special.”
She gave his body a sly once-over. “I’ll say.”
He liked her sense of humor. Her looks, her smile. Hell, he liked everything about her. A case of insta-love, Eve would call it. But then, his brother had taken to Eve right off as well. The same way Teban had fallen for James and Kihra. The same way he thought he might be falling for Ella. A human. Technically a nephilim, but still. Not a dragon.
He sighed. He’d hoped to mate a dragon, to distance himself from so many non-dragon problems. Instead he was now going to have to immerse himself in the bid to save the Ordinary from itself.
They had appeared in the middle of her bedroom. A pretty, feminine space that smelled of her, of flowers and spice, and that earthy darkness that tied her to the middle realm.
She stepped to her closet to change. Then she walked into her living room and shrieked.
He darted after her and saw a human of power standing far too close.
His instincts went haywire. He was a hairsbreadth from roasting him when Ella stepped between them.
“Stop!”
He pulled in his flame, barely, but didn’t take his gaze from the male. Dark-haired and dark-eyed, like Ella, but with muscle and height. A handsome human, and a strong one.
“This is my cousin, the one I didn’t want to worry.”
“Who the hell is this?” Milo bellowed, his hair standing on end and his clothes rumpled. Jentaron noticed a blanket strewn over the couch. “It’s nearly six in the morning, you little idiot. I was sick to death that something had happened to you, especially with how nutty the city has gotten. And you’re—wait, how did you get in here? I didn’t hear the front door open.”
“I took us here,” Jentaron answered. He studied the male, sensing a different seat to his power. Not nephilim. Definitely human, yet something else marred his power base. If Jentaron could taste his blood, he’d know more. Without asking, he lengthened a nail into a talon, grabbed the male’s arm and punctured him.
“Ow.”
“Hey,” Ella protested. “Jentaron, what are you doing?”
He withdrew his bloodied claw and licked it.
“Is that…” Milo swallowed. “His fingernail is like four inches long. And his finger isn’t a finger.”
“You would call it a claw.” At the man’s blank expression, Jentaron added, “I’m a dragon.” And I’m still not sure what you are. Interesting.
“Riiigght. A dragon.” Milo tugged Ella away. “Cousin, can I have a word?”
She sighed. “Fine. Jentaron, don’t go anywhere. I need to explain a few things.”
“Be quick, Ella. The world may crumble if we don’t soon get back.”
“Get back? To where?” her cousin asked and stopped in his tracks.
“To my home,” he answered, despite the rules against letting humans know of the other realms. Why secrecy had to be paramount, Jentaron had no idea. Perhaps somewhere in the past tradition had become law. But the time had come to make some changes before changes were made for them.
Milo stared. “Ah…”
“Come with me.” Ella dragged her cousin away.
Jentaron heard “dragon,” “demon,” and “zombie apocalypse” and tuned out. A familiar scent neared. He wondered how best to handle this paragon of demonic enticement even as his body lit up in welcome.
“Zelec, nice to see you again,” he said as Zelec appeared in casually dressed human form.
“Shit. What are you doing here? You’re not supposed to be anywhere without your Guardians.” Zelec scowled. “And where’s Ella?”
“With her cousin. As to your first question, I’m king. I can do what I want.”
“Keep thinking that. Come on. I’m taking you home before I’m somehow to blame for you being gone. If I know Asael, he’ll just add this to my list of crimes.”
“There’s a list?” Jentaron stepped closer to Zelec and took a whiff. Ah yes. The scent of Jentaron’s female still clung to him. And if Jentaron wasn’t mistaken, a touch of his own scent lingered on the demon. But how could that be, unless the dream he’d had of them, where he’d been part of them, had somehow been real…
Four become one.
What did that mean? And why did he know Zelec was meant to be a part of it?
Chapter Six
“He’s what?” Milo was not taking the news well.
“Jentaron’s my new boyfriend,” Ella said, on the verge of a panic attack. She’d been keeping her cool, but when she thought too hard about how bizarre and out of order her life had become, she started to lose it.
Had that man actually licked her, down there? And after Zelec had already sexed her up, down and sideways?
Breathe, Ella, you can handle this. It’s nothing but a thing—her new personal mantra.
“Somehow I’ve gone from a dry spell to a lot of nookie in two days. So yes, Jentaron is a dragon. Zelec is a demon. And I’m supposedly a nephilim.”
Milo didn’t ask what that meant. His eyes narrowed. “Who told you that? The reptile?” He nodded at Jentaron.
“Dragon, and yes, as a matter of fact. Zelec told me that too. How are you familiar with that term?”
“It’s been around for a long time. Watch a movie and read a book, why don’t you? Nephilim are supposed to be children of angels and mankind.”
“Well, I’m a lot less than angelic, but they both seem pretty sure that’s who or what I am.”
Milo frowned. “I think it’s time we called Mom and Aunt Jenny.” Jenny Nelson—her mother.
“Um, no.” She could just imagine the spiritual readings, mystical counseling sessions and untold intrusive questions her mother would have for her. She’d rather go to hell—literally. And speaking of which… “I have plans this weekend.”
“Unmake them.”
“I can’t. I have someplace to go with my new friends.”
“Then I’m coming too.” Milo planted his hands on his hips. “I don’t trust your taste in men.”
“Seriously? This from you?”
“Hey, he was an undercover cop. Not a real arms dealer.”
“That you found out after his bust nearly got you killed.” She fumed. “Look. I just dealt with Lauren’s crap. I’m finally having sex, and for once life just got exciting. Come on. I get to hang out with a demon and a dragon? How cool is that?”
He stared at her for a moment then gave her a grudging nod. “Okay. It’s nuts, but if those two are the real deal, it’s something you need to check out.” Trust her family not to be put off by the supernatural. “But I still don’t like you running anywhere alone with them. What about that creepy thing that possessed Lauren?”
“I’ll be safer with a demon and a dragon than waiting around here for Predator-Meets-the-Werewolf to get me.” Because the threat it had made had been personal. The thing had warned her—Ella—not just the general population. “But to put your tiny mind at ease, it’s just me and Jentaron on our little trip.” To hell. I’m going to hell. She gave herself a pinch. Nope. Still awake. “I can handle one dragon.” I think.
“And me,” Zelec added from behind Milo.
“Shit.” Milo spun around, his hands at the ready to karate chop Zelec.
Zelec just loo
ked at him then asked Ella. “Is he serious?”
“Kind of. He thinks he looks threatening.”
“Hey. I scared a few guys at the bar with this pose.” Milo continued to hold his karate stance. “How the hell did you get behind me?”
Jentaron joined them in the kitchen. “He’s a demon. That’s what they do.”
“You’re not supposed to tell him that,” Zelec said, dismay plain on his face.
“Why not?” Milo asked.
“Yes, why not?” Jentaron frowned. “Because Asael forbids the middle realm from knowing anything about the other worlds? Change is coming, Zelec. For us all.” The look he gave Zelec, a combination of lascivious curiosity and innocence, struck Ella right in the heart. And like that, her power snapped on. Her mind throbbed as secrets spilled into her, and she did her best only to project them in her own mind.
Jentaron, for all his naughty acts and savage nature, felt curiously innocent. Something in her recognized that purity, and she wanted to keep him safe. Zelec was the direct opposite, corrupted yet inherently good, mixed with a generous dose of wicked. A nice balance for the dragon, because Zelec needed Jentaron’s overlarge presence and capacity to care. Jentaron had love to give, and Zelec would soak it up like a sponge. But the pair needed someone softer to soothe their rough edges. Someone like…her?
Zelec reached out and touched her shoulder. Her headache faded and her talent quieted, then gave one last skip.
An image of the three of them in bed together struck her mute.
Zelec whipped his gaze to hers.
“What am I missing?” Jentaron asked.
“N-nothing.” She coughed and did her best to clear her mind, but Zelec’s stare didn’t help her calm down. For some reason, the thought of him and Jentaron kissing made her tingle.
Zelec dropped his hand. He looked curious instead of the appalled she’d expected. “What brought that to mind?”
“Random crazy. Forget it.” Please.
“What?” Jentaron asked. He and Milo shared a puzzled look.
Milo shrugged. “Don’t ask me. No one tells me anything.”
Jentaron said to her cousin, “You do not fear me? Or Zelec? I understand demons are rather commonplace, but I’m a dragon.”
Zelec shot him the finger. “Whatever. Overgrown lizard.”
“Dragons are revered.”
“Please,” Zelec scoffed.
Jentaron blew out a stream of blue flame. Milo jumped a foot in the air and swore.
“Ah, that’s better.” The dragon’s pleased expression made Ella want to laugh.
“We don’t have time for this,” Zelec complained.
“Which is what I told Ella before we arrived here, but she insisted on talking to her cousin.”
“Good girl,” Milo said, having regained some of his strained composure.
She huffed. “I’m not a dog. Okay, Milo. Now you know not to worry, so don’t say anything to Mom.”
“Fine. Like I care.” Milo sniffed. “But if your buddies don’t bring you back from wherever you’re going in one piece, I will hex the both of them.”
“Now he’s showing some spine.” Zelec nodded. “Not bad. Not very threatening, but at least you’re trying.”
“Screw you.” Milo looked defiant.
“Meh. You’ll work on it.” Zelec pulled Ella close and kissed her smack on the lips. Then he stilled and…sniffed her? He pulled back and stared at her, then frowned at Jentaron. “A claiming, Jentaron? Already?”
“That’s King Jentaron to you.”
“King?” Ella gaped. “Seriously?”
Jentaron nodded. “Of course. Am I not kingly?”
“I, um, I guess. You just seem so…”
“Young?” Zelec offered. “Naïve? Ridiculous?”
Ella cut him off before he insulted Jentaron into a fight. “I was going to say sweet.”
“Ha.”
Jentaron frowned. “I’m not sweet.”
“Maybe not. But you’re pretty easygoing for a guy with big teeth and scales.”
Zelec studied them both. “She’s right. You are.”
“What little you know, demon.” Jentaron took her by the arm, tugging her away from Zelec. “Now can we go?”
“I guess.” What had he been saying about a claiming? Must get back to that later. Out of Milo’s hearing. She gave her cousin a big hug. “I’ll see you soon.”
“What about your job? Will you be back by Monday?”
“Well, it’s Saturday morning. I’m not sure how long it takes to go to, ah, wherever. But we both know I was pretty much done with the job anyway. If I miss a day or two, they can fire me.”
“Work always bores you. Why throw in the towel now?”
“Because I’m with these guys, and I want to know what happens next. I’m just going away for a day or two. I’ll be back soon.”
So she kept telling herself as she followed them to the rooftop. Zelec shifted into his demonic form. He looked different, definitely not human. But that ropy muscle remained, and his features appeared the same, just covered in an inky black color. The red eyes seemed too bright, too powerful. Until she really looked at him and saw the soul of the man whose passionate lovemaking made her forget her own name.
Then Jentaron shifted form, and she could only stare in wonder. First he grew wings, looking much like Zelec but without all the black. Jentaron didn’t stop there. He continued to transform and grew a good two dozen feet in height with scales, a snout, fangs, claws and a tail. He turned a dark, shimmery blue. So regal and dense with power. She felt as if she should bow to him.
Now this is a king.
“You’re beautiful. Both of you,” she added, so as not to offend Zelec.
“Of course I am,” Zelec said with pride. “I’m the darkest demon I know.”
“And I am the only blue.” Jentaron smiled, showing huge fangs. She should have been afraid, but she wasn’t at all. So strange. “Come, sit in my hand and I’ll carry you down,” he said.
“How do we get down there?” She stepped into Jentaron’s giant front hand—did dragons have hands, technically?
“We fly. The gateway is through thought. Not a real place. There is no down.”
Zelec snorted. “Tell that to Eve.” He explained to Ella, “His sister-by-mating hates heights. The drop to the catacombs is brutal.” Zelec slid closer to her. “I could teleport you instead.”
The drop sounded like the ultimate rollercoaster. “No thanks. Let’s do this, Jentaron.” She couldn’t stop staring at him or touching him. Zelec seemed perturbed by her fascination.
But come on. An actual dragon?
“Yes, yes. He’s real. So am I.” Zelec turned to leave, but before he could, Jentaron grabbed him and sat up on his haunches, carrying a passenger in each fist.
“Fear not, Zelec. My affection for you is growing.”
“Terrific. My life is now replete. Fuck, Jentaron. Let me go.”
“No.” Jentaron did something, because Zelec was swearing and squirming in his hold.
“Can’t you teleport away?” Ella asked the demon, curious.
“No. The bastard’s blocking me. Let go, Jentaron.”
“Once we’re home. I’m without my Guardians, Zelec. You must protect me.” The dragon smirked, a smug expression in his alien eyes and twitching snout. Hell, he even bared a fang while snickering. “I’m so helpless.”
Zelec turned to her. “You see? It’s like he’s a two-year-old.” He paused, a wicked look on his face. “Then again, he only hatched two years ago, so…”
“Two years?” She felt faint.
Jentaron lifted off the roof and flew with the speed of a jet. “Dragons mature differently than humans, Ella. I was full grown minutes after hatching,” he roared to be heard over the wind. “I was also b
orn with all the knowledge of the kings before me.”
“Really?” Thank goodness. That put a different spin on things.
“Really,” he boomed. “Now hold on.”
“Son of a bitch,” Zelec swore.
She laughed out loud at the thrill of soaring through the air, then dropping like a stone. She had no idea how far they’d traveled or where they were when Jentaron stopped in midair and took a nosedive down. He spiraled, growing closer and closer to the ground.
And then, right before impact, they went through the earth. They continued to descend. The temperature grew warmer, humid then hot, but not so hot that it was unbearable.
When they finally stopped, Jentaron gently placed her and Zelec on the flat sandy ground inside what looked like a castle with large stone walls. Torches dimly lit the area, and Jentaron scratched a claw over a marking, deepening the impression. She’d seen cats do that a number of times to mark territory.
She turned to see Zelec staring at her.
“What?”
“This confirms it. You’re definitely not human.”
“Oh?”
“The heat here, in the lower realm, is enough to kill a mortal.”
Odd, because she found it temperate, even comfortable. “Thanks for telling me now.”
“I would not have let any harm come to you,” Jentaron said quietly as he rejoined them. “Your safety is my greatest concern. Well, next to the fact the worlds are ending.”
Zelec blinked. “What?”
Before the dragon could say more, other dragons arrived, filling the large space in which they’d landed.
Ella stared in awe at the large red, gold, black and green creatures laughing and puffing smoke as they nodded at their king, then continued on their way, flying down a darkened corridor.
A massive black dragon and a pretty human woman dressed in denim and a Black Sabbath t-shirt soon after entered the space, heading straight for Jentaron. The black transformed into a human with wings, clad in clothing similar to the woman’s. He looked just like Jentaron, but with darker coloring.
He walked with the woman, who scowled at the dragon king, and Ella had a sudden urge to shield Jentaron from any unpleasantness. But before she could move, Zelec gripped her by the arm and warned in a low voice, “No. Never get between a king and his Guardians.”
