Drakon's Promise (Blood of the Drakon)

by N. J. Walters

  She shook off the remnants of her fatigue. She hadn’t slept long enough to totally recharge and was surprised she’d actually managed to sleep at all.

  The galley kitchen wasn’t large, but it was efficient and very well stocked. It didn’t take her long to find everything she needed to brew a pot of coffee. She rummaged around some more and found some small packages of cookies. It might not be the best thing for breakfast, but the sugar would help give her a boost.

  Darius glanced her way and smiled when she handed him a coffee. “I didn’t know how you take your coffee. It’s black. I can go back for sugar or cream if you want it.”

  “Black is fine,” he assured her. He took a sip before setting it in a cup holder. Why it surprised her that the plane had cup holders, she didn’t know. It was only logical. Everything had cup holders these days.

  Sarah secured her own cup, sat back in her seat, and held out one of the packs of cookies. “You want some? They look good.”

  “Thanks.” He took the package from her, ripped it open, and devoured all four cookies in no time. She handed him another before opening her own. By the time she’d finished one pack and about half her coffee, Darius had downed two more and was draining the last of his coffee.

  “Do you want more?” she asked, fascinated by how much food he seemed to consume. Of course, he was a big man and needed the fuel.

  “Just coffee, if you don’t mind. I’d get it myself, but I think you’d rather I stay and fly the plane.”

  She shuddered and stood. “You stay right where you are.” She gathered all the garbage and headed back to the galley, where she dumped the cookie packages and refilled both their coffee cups.

  Darius waited until she was back in her seat before adjusting their direction slightly, his large hands competent at the controls.

  “Where are we going? I know you said Washington State, but where exactly?” She could see white puffy clouds in the distance. Below was a long stretch of flat land, dotted with trees and rocks and the occasional house.

  “There’s been a slight change of plans.” He glanced in her direction to see how she was taking his news.

  “Why does that not surprise me?” She had a sip of her coffee and held the cup between her hands, letting the heat warm them. She looked away from the scenery outside the window and gave all her attention to the man sitting beside her. “Why the change? No, don’t answer that. It’s obviously because of my phone and laptop. You think Temple may have been tracking us.”

  Darius nodded. “It’s best to assume he was.”

  That was the smartest course of action. “Okay, what are our options?” She wasn’t about to blithely go along with just any plan.

  “We could land in another state, rent a vehicle, and drive.”

  She mulled that over and shook her head. “That leaves a pretty big trail, doesn’t it?”

  He nodded. “It does. There are people at the airport, the car rental company, and all along the route. Someone will remember us. At this point, we have no idea who is working with the Knights or how big their operation is. As it is, there’s always someone ready to give information if there’s money involved, and they will offer a reward as an incentive.”

  “So what’s the best option?” Because she knew he’d already decided what course of action he wanted to take.

  “Private airfield close to our destination.”

  It sounded too good to be true. “What’s the catch?”

  One corner of his mouth kicked up. “Why so suspicious?”

  She snorted. “You really have to ask?”

  He shook his head. “No. I know none of this has been easy for you.” He paused and she could almost see him considering just how much to tell her. That made her angry.

  “Listen. My life is on the line here, too. Don’t you think it’s time you told me everything?”

  “No.”

  Just that. No. He said nothing more. Wow, his reaction really hurt her more than it should have. They were in this thing together, or at least she’d thought they were. It was a harsh reminder that she was nothing to him. A pawn in a game she hadn’t asked to play.

  “Sarah,” he began.

  She shook her head. “I’m going to go stretch out on that sofa in the back for a while.”

  “Don’t go.” She could hear remorse in his voice, but it wasn’t enough for him to be sorry.

  “When you’re ready to share more with me, I’ll come back. In the meantime, I need to be by myself and remind myself of what my options are.” She grabbed her coffee and pushed out of her chair and headed to the door of the cockpit.

  “They’re not just my secrets, Sarah.”

  She knew that, but it didn’t make it any easier to swallow. She left Darius and walked back to the seating area. The jet wasn’t overly large, but it seemed cavernous and empty. She made her way to the sofa at the far end and slumped down on it. She put her coffee in the cup holder and closed her eyes.

  What was she going to do when they landed? She had no idea where they were really going. It could be anywhere. Just because Darius had told her they were going to the Cascade Mountains, didn’t mean they were actually going there. And now she had no computer or phone.

  “How did you get yourself into this mess?” she muttered.

  She yawned and gave in to the exhaustion pulling at her. The sofa was comfy, so she curled up and settled her head on the leather seat cushion. She wasn’t going anywhere until the plane landed, so she might as well take advantage of the downtime. She could always make plans after she was rested. And if her mind kept coming back to the stubborn, gorgeous, infuriating male piloting the plane, well, that was understandable. Their fates were tied together whether they wanted them to be or not.

  …

  Darius wanted to stop Sarah from leaving but knew it was better to let her go, to give her some space. It wasn’t as though she could leave him while they were in the air.

  He’d hurt her. That hadn’t been his intention. Too many years of secrecy, of protecting his brothers, made it hard for him to even consider sharing information with someone who was both an outsider and a human.

  But Sarah was special. If he didn’t start opening up to her, she was going to find a way to leave him. Then she would be out in the world alone with Herman Temple and the Knights searching for her.

  He growled and tightened his hands on the controls. That wasn’t happening. Sarah was his to protect.

  He had to start thinking logically. He’d impress upon her how vulnerable she was on her own, and how he could protect her.

  No, that wouldn’t work with Sarah. As pissed off and hurt as she was, she’d probably walk away from him, just as she’d tried to do last evening when he’d accused her of trying to extort money for information on the book and its whereabouts.

  Yeah, not one of his finest moments.

  He might have lived a long time, but he’d never had a serious relationship with a woman. He enjoyed women, was generous with his lovers, but he’d always kept his secrets in order to guard not only himself, but also his brothers.

  He didn’t know if he could lower his protective barriers enough to let Sarah completely into his world. She already knew what he was. In a moment completely out of character, he’d shifted and shown her he was a drakon.

  And if they were going to Tarrant’s home, she’d meet him. She didn’t have to know he was a drakon or his brother. He could tell her Tarrant was simply a friend or a paid employee. Yeah, his brother would like that description. Not.

  Tarrant was fanatical when it came to security, and it surprised Darius that he wanted to meet Sarah. He swore, grabbed the headset, and put it back on. “Come in, eagle’s nest.”

  “What is it, baby bird? You’re not close yet.”

  “You can’t hurt her. You have to promise me.” No way was he landing with Sarah if he didn’t have Tarrant’s promise. If Tarrant thought for one minute Sarah was a threat to Darius’s safety, he would kill her. He might f
eel sorry about it, but he’d do it and worry about the consequences after it was done.

  “You’re a suspicious man, brother.”

  “Realistic. And I know you, Tarrant.” Then he relented. “Because I’d probably do the same damn thing.” It wasn’t easy to admit, but it was the truth. They’d protected one another for millennia. It was as much an instinct as breathing.

  “She’s got you wrapped around her little finger and you barely know her,” Tarrant pointed out.

  “No, she doesn’t. Not really. I can’t explain what I’m feeling,” he admitted. “I only know she’s important to me.” He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “I’m not sure I could control my beast if you hurt her.”

  Tarrant was silent for several seconds. Darius could easily imagine the expression of sheer disbelief on his brother’s face.

  “Your dragon side is that protective of her?”

  “Yes.”

  “That makes her twice as dangerous.”

  “Tarrant, am I still coming your way, or am I heading out of the country?” He’d do whatever he had to do to protect Sarah.

  “Fuck. Bring her here. I promise I won’t kill her. At least not until I get to know her. But if it turns out she’s with the Knights—” He broke off, not finishing his sentence.

  “She’s not. Trust me, Tarrant.”

  “Shit. If I end up dead or captured because of her, I won’t be happy,” Tarrant bitched.

  “If any of us end up dead or captured, it won’t be because of Sarah. That will all be on the Knights, and you can kill as many of them as you want.”

  “That’s something.” His brother’s wry tone made Darius smile.

  “I’ll contact you again in an hour,” he promised. “I should be getting pretty close by then.”

  “I’ll be standing by,” Tarrant promised.

  Darius ended the call and looked at the empty seat beside him. He missed Sarah’s presence, the slow up and down of her chest as she breathed, the way her hair fringed across her forehead, and the little noises she made as she slept.

  He glanced over his shoulder at the closed door. He hated being separated from her, but it was probably for the best. They both needed time to think. He hoped she was getting some rest. He didn’t like the dark shadows under her eyes.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Sarah woke as the plane began to dip downward. Crap. She’d slept longer than she’d intended. They leveled off again, and she rose and went to the bathroom at the rear of the cabin. When she shut the door behind her, the light came on and she peered at her reflection in the mirror.

  There were still dark circles under her eyes, but at least she didn’t feel as tired as she had before. She turned on the cold water, leaned down, and splashed some on her face. She grabbed a towel—thick cotton, no paper towels here—and blotted her face dry. Then she finger combed her hair.

  “Face it. Only a ton of makeup would help.” She ignored her appearance and used the bathroom. Her neck was stiff from the way she’d slept, and she rolled it a few times as she washed her hands.

  She straightened her sweater and the shirt under it. Darius’s shirt. It felt strange to be wearing a man’s clothes. She could take it off, but shrugged and left it on.

  Now that she was more fully awake, she was thirsty. She’d like more coffee, but she really needed something with a bit more nutrition first. A search of the galley turned up a small refrigerator with several cartons of orange juice. She grabbed one of the disposable cups and filled it. The juice was cool and fresh and tasted delicious.

  Sarah glanced toward the cockpit. Darius had to be tired. Then she frowned as she wondered how much sleep he actually needed. He wasn’t exactly normal.

  Going on instinct, she poured a second glass of juice and fixed a lid on top. She took a deep breath, picked up both cups, and carried them into the cockpit. Darius studied her intently. “Did you sleep well?” He took the juice when she offered it and tucked the cup into the holder. His coffee from before was gone, which meant at some point he’d left the cockpit while she’d been sleeping. She tried not to think about that.

  She shrugged. “Well enough.”

  He stood and eased around her, their bodies brushing in the tight confines. “I’ll be right back,” he assured her. Then he left her alone.

  “Oh God.” There was no one flying the plane again. “Why does he do this to me?” she muttered. She eased into the copilot’s chair, careful not to accidentally touch any of the controls. The last thing she wanted to do was crash the plane. There were all sorts of dials and levers and knobs. She had no idea what any of them did.

  She wanted to close her eyes but didn’t dare. Instead, she began to count. By the time she reached one hundred and twenty-six, Darius was back. He slid into his chair, picked up the cup she’d brought him, and drank.

  “No coffee?” he asked her.

  She shook her head. “I needed something cold.”

  “How are you feeling?” He studied her intently. “You look more rested.”

  “Yeah, I slept. How long was I out?” She’d lost all track of time.

  “Not quite an hour this time.”

  “Not very long?” Not nearly as much as she needed, but more than she’d expected to get. She was surprised she’d slept at all. As exhausted as she was, she was also wound up. “How are you doing? You must be tired.”

  “Don’t worry. I’m awake enough to fly the plane. I’ll get us down safely.”

  She glanced out the window, remembering why she was mad at him. It wasn’t easy. Looks aside, there was a rock-solid stability about Darius that was very compelling. He was the kind of man you could depend on in a crisis. He’d dealt with everything that had been thrown his way without flinching. Of course, he’d known who the Knights were before she’d told him about them. This was all new to her.

  “We’ll be landing in a few minutes.”

  She nodded and continued to admire the scenery. They were much lower now than they’d been. Mountains loomed in the distance and thick forest sprang up all around. There wasn’t a house in sight. “It’s very isolated.”

  “That’s the way he likes it.”

  “Who?”

  “Tarrant.”

  Intrigued by the fact that he’d actually answered her, she swiveled in her seat to face him. It wasn’t fair. She looked and felt tired in spite of her nap, but Darius looked alert and too handsome for her peace of mind.

  “Who is Tarrant? Is he the one you’ve been in touch with? The one doing the research?”

  “Yes. He’s the one I’ve been in touch with.” He leaned forward and flicked a switch before continuing. “You two have a lot in common. He’s a great researcher and can find out whatever we need to know about anything or anyone.”

  Now she was intrigued. “How did you meet?” What she really wanted to know was if he was a drakon, but she figured Darius wouldn’t tell her. On one hand, she could understand that. On the other, she was sick to death of not having all the information she needed to assess the situation.

  “We’ve known each other a long time.” She noticed how he didn’t mention if Tarrant was human or not, which led her to believe he wasn’t.

  Her stomach was fluttering like a kaleidoscope of butterflies was battering around inside. She’d read that somewhere—that a group of butterflies was called a kaleidoscope or a rabble. Because of her job, she knew all kinds of strange facts. And she was using them now to distract herself from the situation at hand.

  She finished her juice, hoping to settle her nerves, but it was an impossible task. There was no way she was going to calm down anytime soon.

  “Do you think the Knights know where we are?” It was always in the back of her mind that Herman Temple would find them. She had visions of their plane landing and being swarmed by men in black with high-powered weapons.

  “If I thought that, I wouldn’t be going anywhere near Tarrant.” So he was protective of this other man. Now Sarah was really curio
us to meet him. “Buckle up,” he told her. “We’re almost there.”

  Sarah fastened her seat belt and peered out the window, searching for a runway, but all she could see was forest and mountain.

  “Come in, eagle’s nest.”

  Sarah wished she could hear the other side of the conversation. As if Darius sensed her concern, he motioned to the other headset. She quickly pulled it on.

  “You’re right on course, baby bird.” Sarah recognized the voice as the man Darius had talked with last night. He rattled off coordinates, and Darius adjusted their flight pattern. She still couldn’t see anywhere to land.

  The mountains seemed to loom in the distance, ominous and dangerous. “Uh, Darius? Are you sure this is right?”

  “I know what I’m doing, sugar.” It wasn’t Darius who spoke, but Tarrant. He continued to give Darius instructions, which he immediately followed.

  She tightened her fingers around the arms of her chair. Oh God, she was going to die in a fiery crash. There was nowhere to land. There was nowhere to fly.

  A huge peak rose in front of them. She bit her bottom lip to keep from screaming. The last thing she wanted to do was distract Darius. Although, maybe she should distract him. His current plan seemed to have a huge flaw.

  “We’re going to crash,” she yelled just before she bent over and buried her face in her knees. If she survived this, she might never fly again.

  Several seconds later, when nothing had exploded, she cautiously lifted her head. Tarrant was still rattling off instructions to Darius, but she didn’t understand most of them. The engines revved and the plane went lower.

  Darius guided the jet through a small opening between two high mountain peaks. She wanted to bury her face again but couldn’t make herself look away. They barely made it through. If there was six inches to spare on either wingtip, that was all there was.

  Her shirt was stuck to her back and her mouth went dry as a short runway came into view, lit by only about half a dozen lights. There wasn’t enough room to land. She hadn’t flown a lot in her lifetime, but enough to know that a jet, even a small one, needed a lot of space in order to stop.