The sound of soft footfalls on the stairs alerted her. She knew instantly that it wasn’t either Remy or Philippe. There was something furtive sneaking in those quiet steps that told her trouble was afoot. Stepping farther into the closet, she eased the door closed behind her and moved to the back, concealing herself behind the clothing.
It seemed only seconds had passed when the closet door opened. Light arrowed into the smaller space. She held her breath. A cold sweat broke over her skin. Her fists were clenched at her sides. It was more to hide their trembling than for defense.
“I know you’re here,” the man said, his voice low and seductive, the accent mirroring Remy’s and Philippe’s. “I can smell you, cher.”
He was a dragon shifter. Lilly wanted to curse, to scream or cry, but knew that none of it would do any good.
“We aren’t going to hurt you, darling. But you have to come with us,” another man said coaxingly as he too entered the small room. “You come with us now, and Remy and Philippe will follow. That’s what we want, love. Be a good girl.”
She held perfectly still, her lungs aching as she controlled her breath. She had no intention of giving them anything they wanted.
The first man spoke again, his voice clipped and impatient. “He shouldn’t have said we won’t hurt you. I will hurt you, but I don’t want to. Come out, make this easy for us, and we’ll make it easy for you. Fight us, and you’ll regret it.”
Lilly felt as if he was looking directly at her. She hadn’t moved, hadn’t made a sound, but she felt in that moment as if he were only toying with her and had known all along where she was.
“Come out,” he commanded.
She was helpless to resist him. There was a compulsion in his voice that she couldn’t seem to disobey. Parting the hanging clothes, she moved forward to them. The larger of the two immediately grasped her wrists, while the other man with the hypnotic voice prepared a syringe. “It will make you sleep. We can’t have you drawing undue attention to us.”
“What do you want with Remy and Philippe?” she demanded.
He smiled. “We want them dead. But murder is forbidden amongst our kind... we would lose everything. The only way to see them dead is through challenge.”
The man holding her breathed hotly against her ear. “And you are the perfect challenge. They will fight to have you returned to them, and having seen you, and smelled your sweetness, we will fight just as hard to keep you.”
“I’d rather die,” she said.
The first man laughed. “How remiss they have been in your education! Did your mates not tell you that if you die, they will die as well? We have more honor than they do, or I would simply slit your throat right here. I offer them the choice to at least meet us on the field. It is more than they offered our brothers.”
Lilly flinched as he stabbed the needle into her neck. There was a rush of burning heat, and then the world simply went black.
* * * * *
Entering the house, Remy knew instantly that something was wrong. Turning on Alphonse, Remy grabbed the older man by his lapels and shoved him against the wall. “Were you the distraction then? Sent here to keep us out of the house long enough for her to be taken?”
Alphonse held his hands up in a calming manner. “Of course not. Dax and Farron were forbidden to come here, but I should have guessed they would not follow the council’s orders. They will not hurt her.”
“You’re so certain of that!” Remy said, his voice harsh with anger and fear. “If they kill her, we die as well, and then there is no one to save her.”
“A fact that Dax and Farron know well,” Philippe added.
Remy could easily recognize the barely restrained fury that coiled inside Philippe. He could sense the overwhelming desire that Philippe felt to hit something, perhaps because that desire mirrored his own. He turned back to Alphonse, praying the man wouldn’t say or do anything to make an already tenuous situation even worse.
Alphonse continued calmly, “If that happened, the council would be forced to exile Dax and Farron, and they do not want that to happen. They are only trying to force your hands. We will go to the compound immediately.”
“You’re damned right we will,” Philippe all but shouted. “If they touch her, if they harm her in any way, there is nothing to save them... not the council, not you. I don’t just mean Dax and Farron.”
Alphonse nodded. “I understand. Jacques’ continued feud with you and his place on the council have made matters complicated. I do not doubt that this has all been initiated by his hatred of you both. I will do everything in my power to be certain that Lilly remains safe while at the compound.”
Remy managed to reign in his anger enough to recognize the concession that Alphonse had just made for them. “Thank you, Alphonse.”
The older man shrugged the gratitude away. “Jacques and his pettiness have pushed so many of our kind away. They leave the clan and never return. We must make changes if our culture is to survive. I will wait for you in the car. Gather what you need, and we will use the private jet to return to the compound.”
When he left, Philippe asked the question that hung heavily between them. “Can we trust him?”
Remy shrugged. “We have no choice. He is the only ally we have.”
* * * * *
Lilly awoke to strange surroundings and an aching head. Memories flooded her, of Remy and Philippe, of the two strange men who had entered their home and abducted her. Sitting up in the large bed that she occupied alone, she surveyed the room carefully. There were no windows and only one door. The entire room seemed to be comprised of rough-hewn stone and heavy tapestries, and a thick rug helped to trap the warmth of the fire burning in the hearth. It was as if she’d stepped back in time. Fear hit her then. Had she? Remy and Philippe had never really shown her the extent of what dragon magic could do.
The door opened, and a young woman entered. The door closed behind her, and the lock clicked in place from the outside. After depositing a bundle of clothing on the edge of the bed, she moved deeper into the room and pushed aside one of the tapestries to reveal a bathroom beyond. While the main chamber was rustic, the bathroom was not. It had every modern convenience. The girl kept her head down, and everything about her seemed to indicate that she was beyond shy and, in a strange way, reminded Lilly of herself before she’d met Remy and Philippe.
“Where am I?” Lilly demanded. She wasn’t going to be drawn in by the wiles of a woman who appeared to be her captor.
“You’re at Dragon’s Breath, the Arcadian clan’s compound in Colorado. No one will harm you.”
“My safety wasn’t an issue before I was abducted by force from my own home,” Lilly shot back. The girl ducked her head, and Lilly would swear that she trembled. In a softer tone, she asked, “Why have I been locked in like a prisoner?”
“Not a prisoner,” she corrected as she moved about the bathroom gathering supplies. “You are in the maidens’ house where all the unmated dragonswans reside. Your door is locked because there was no way of knowing what state of mind you’d be in when you awoke.”
It all made such logical sense that she couldn’t fault it. “And what happens when Remy and Philippe arrive?”
The girl never looked up, just kept her eyes focused on the floor. Her voice was so soft it was almost a whisper. “They will be housed in the Main Hall, and you will join them there. And after the challenge, if they prevail, you will return home with them.”
Lilly felt ill, and even though she was terrified of the answer, she asked anyway. “And if they lose?”
“Then Dax and Farron will claim you as theirs.”
Oh, god, she thought. “When you say challenge, what does that mean exactly?”
The girl added some sweet-smelling oil to the water. “They really haven’t told you much, have they? I am supposed to help you bathe. If I don’t, I’ll be punished. I will tell you everything I know if you cooperate.”
A year ago, Lilly would have balked,
but after working at Dragon’s Lair and often spending the evenings there with Remy and Philippe, she had lost all modesty. Strolling into the bathroom, she stripped off her robe and climbed into the steaming water. Apparently, she’d been lying in the same position for a very long time because her body ached from it. The water was surprisingly soothing. “Tell me everything.”
“Our laws are very simple. The Council of Elders rules everything. We cannot ever challenge another of our kind without going through them. Whether it’s about land or, in this case, a mate, they decide everything. Dax and Farron have challenged Remy’s and Philippe’s right to claim you as their mate.”
“They don’t even know me.”
“It isn’t about you. You’re simply the instrument that allows them to exact their revenge,” the girl explained. “Lean forward, and I will wash your hair.”
Lilly did so, not questioning that the fragrant steam seemed to have sapped her will entirely. She didn’t have the strength to move or to do anything, other than obey the girl’s commands, yet she felt more in touch with her body than ever before. The fragrance of the steam and the gentle glide of the water as it lapped at her skin seemed to overwhelm her senses.
“Dax and Farron hate Remy and Philippe,” she whispered. “Just as Jacques, one of the Elders, hates them. When they informed the council they’d taken a mate, it was horrible.”
“Why does he hate them?” she asked. Her speech sounded strange, even to her own ears. One word rolled into the next, slurred and indistinct.
“Many years ago, Remy and Philippe were favored by our leader. They were given things that Jean-Claude and Alain wanted for themselves, so they issued a challenge. Remy and Philippe bested them but did not kill them. It was a grave insult to them to leave them alive after such a defeat. Their father, who was Jacques’ older brother, was so dishonored by them that he took their lives and his own. Jacques has never forgiven Remy and Philippe for that. Neither have Dax and Farron. Jean-Claude and Alain were their older brothers.”
Lilly frowned, trying to process that, but it simply wasn’t working. Her blood heated, moving through her body in a familiar dance of arousal. She felt her nipples hardening and could feel the blood heating in her veins. A sneaking suspicion filled her mind. “What did you put in the water?”
“It’s just something to relax you. We can’t have you running away.”
Panic hit her then, cold and hard. She struggled to rise from the tub but found that her limbs simply wouldn’t cooperate.
The girl placed her hands forcefully on Lilly’s shoulders, pressing her back into the warm water. “You’re going to hurt yourself!”
“Why are you really here?” Lilly demanded. “What is all this about?”
“I used a potion in the bath water that will make you compliant, and when Dax and Farron come for you tonight, it will be a pleasurable experience for you. Your body will be capable of feeling nothing but pleasure. They made me do it.”
“I don’t want them!”
The girl shuffled away from the tub, looking away from her.
Frustrated, Lilly added, “Why are they doing this? If the challenge has been issued, why the elaborate lengths?”
The girl didn’t answer immediately. Her attention appeared to be focused on the doorway. The sound of footfalls gradually penetrated the fog that seemed to have settled over her.
“Because you are our ace in the hole,” a male voice said from behind her. “Stealing you from beneath their noses and doing anything we choose to do with you in the meantime will ensure that they have to accept the challenge!”
It took all of her strength to simply turn her head and look at them.
Lilly didn’t know which one was Dax and which was Farron, but she recognized the voice of the speaker as the one who had been the roughest with her. They had entered the room silently, or perhaps the drug was dulling much more than just her mobility. She wanted to cover herself as they strode into the room, but her limbs refused to cooperate. A sharp scream escaped her as they stepped forward and plucked her from the tub.
* * * * *
Remy entered the women’s hall with Philippe beside him and Alphonse leading the way. During the flight, Alphonse had managed to track the flight information for Dax and Farron and knew that they hadn’t been too far ahead of them since the private jet Alphonse had arranged for them had been among the fastest. They knew that Lilly would be held in one of the tower rooms, and as they headed for the stairs, Remy felt the surge of panic. Lilly was close by, and she was horribly frightened.
Philippe had already begun to run, his long legs taking the stairs two at a time as he raced ahead. Remy followed quickly, hot on his heels as they climbed. They didn’t falter but ran unwaveringly to the room where Lilly was being held, their instincts and their bond leading them directly to her. Philippe kicked the door in and barged into the room. A frightened young woman rushed past them.
Remy stopped short, taking in the scene. Lilly was naked in Dax’ arms, and while she didn’t appear to be struggling, he knew instantly that she was not there willingly. The pungent aroma that filled the air told him why. The potent mixture of herbs was familiar to him.
“Put her down!” Philippe barked.
Before Dax or Farron could respond, Alphonse entered the room. “You have defied direct orders from the council. Dax and Farron, you will place Lilly in the care of her current mates, Remy and Philippe, and don’t think that Jacques’ presence on the council will save you this time!”
“If we hadn’t done something, they would have refused our challenge!” Farron protested.
“We’ll never know that,” Alphonse replied reasonably. “You’ve both defied every law and every edict that the council has set forth! You’ll be lucky if you aren’t banished to the North!”
Remy stepped forward, removing his coat, and pulled Lilly from Dax’ arms. Wrapping the fabric about her, he hugged her tightly to his chest. She didn’t say anything but simply lay limply against him. He could feel the dampness of her tears. It took every bit of control he possessed not to kill them on the spot.
“Alphonse, as a member of the Council of Elders, we formally submit our acceptance of their challenge to you. Do we still have quarters in the Main Hall?”
“Of course you do. They’ve been readied for you. I will let the others know.”
Remy marched out of the room with Lilly in his arms. He cradled her gently, though his urge was to crush her to him. The desire to turn around and go back for Dax and Farron to rip them apart was at war with his desire to comfort her. “I’m so sorry we left you alone,” he said. “If I had known—”
“You couldn’t have known,” she said. Her speech was still slightly slurred, though getting her out of that room and away from the scent of the herbs was helping. “But you came for me.”
“Of course we did,” he said and wondered where Philippe was. It was as if the thought of him had conjured him, as he fell into step behind them on the stairs.
“Alphonse is forcing Dax and Farron to wait there with him until we have Lilly safely in our suite,” Philippe explained.
Remy knew it wasn’t a stretch to think that Philippe had requested it. Despite his temper, Philippe had always been the strategist. Curling his arms tighter around Lilly, he knew that, for the moment, they would all be safe. But with all of them being back at the clan compound, their safety was temporary at best.
Chapter Three
Lilly was carried into their suite much like a bride being carried over the threshold. The thought made her smile, though she was still shaken. She felt completely out of control of her own body, unable to move, not because she had willingly ceded control, but because it had been taken from her. Then there were the other effects of the potion. It appeared to have kicked her libido into overdrive. She felt hot from head to toe, her skin flushing even in the coolness of the room. Everywhere that Remy touched her felt like a brand. Trying to ignore it, she surveyed her surroundings as best
as she could.
Unlike the rustic room she’d been in before, Remy and Philippe’s suite was positively palatial. Marble and rich dark woods seemed to comprise most of the materials present. A fire burned in a hearth that she could have parked a car in. They crossed through the living area and through a set of heavy and elaborate double doors. Beyond those doors was a large bed, draped in emerald velvet, the posts intricately carved with scales. The head of each post was a dragon.
“That’s fitting,” she said.
Remy smiled as he laid her on the bed and tucked the blankets around her. “Even with the fire, it’s chilly. This house was built at the end of the nineteenth century and not much has been updated since, including the heating system.”
The softness of the bedding was the sweetest torture against her skin. Even her sense of smell was heightened. She could smell him on her skin. “I’d rather have you to keep me warm,” she said. “Right now, I’m not just warm, I’m hot. Burning up.”
“That’s the potion talking,” Philippe said, stripping out of his clothes and joining her on the bed.
“What the hell was that anyway?” Lilly asked.
Remy answered, “It’s an old charm, an aphrodisiac made from roots and herbs, with a bit of magic tossed in. The nightshade was added to it to also give it a sedative effect, which I imagine is why you are having such a difficult time moving. If it was a small dose, it should wear off soon. I think it’s beginning to already.”
The Summoning [Dragon's Lair 2] Page 2
