“Get Out!” Gareth told the men again, his eyes trained on me. I didn’t even bother turning around as I felt the night waft in when the door was opened and they all escaped.
We hung there for a second each taking the other’s measure, waiting to see what we would do.
Jace flapped his wings, glanced at Gareth and looked back at me. “We’re sorry. Please come down and we’ll explain.”
“You first,” I responded, not so much because I didn’t trust them; it was more that I wanted to savor my first real view of another Dragon in flight. Besides I still wanted them, and hanging around in the rafters wasn’t getting me any closer to getting the dirty deed done. Although I was apparently missing parts, and not entirely sure they still wanted me. Damn that was a depressing thought!
Heaving a sigh, Gareth winced. “Now we’re a dirty deed,” and shaking his head, he dropped below sight.
Jace watched him go, and then gave me a somewhat indignant look. To which I responded, “What!”
“You have no idea.” And he too dropped back and down.
I craned my neck and watched him glide to the floor and land. It took him a single step to shift from Dragon to man and he glanced up at me and raised one eyebrow. Gareth had already shifted and was behind the bar again pouring himself something substantially stronger than the Champagne we’d been sipping.
Both men looked up at me expectantly so I reached down into my core and felt myself shrink and shift back to human form. When I opened my eyes I was balanced in a seated position one foot on the railing, one leg dangling in open space, my only clothing the thigh high boots.
Apparently I’d lost my top and skirt in my struggle earlier. Looking down I spotted them in a heap over by the dance floor, right next to Jace’s foot. Ha! No wonder Jace had given me the eyebrow. Probably thought I was going to be all nervous and embarrassed because they both were fully clothed, meanwhile I’m sitting on the railing nearly bare and exposing my unmentionables.
Damn if they weren’t right!
I didn’t actually cover myself with my hands, but I did quickly ease off the railing and into the shadows. I had two options, go down the stairs naked or… taking a running dive, I cleared the railing, shifted and sailed down to the floor below. My wing tip brushed the bar and Jace grabbed my clothes and held them out reach.
Not fair!
I landed right next to Jace and leaned in over him, my delicately rounded muzzle opened to show just a glimpse of teeth. I thrust my front leg at him, extended my claws and waited. He just smiled at me and held my clothes behind his back. Humph, so he wanted to play eh?
I used my other front leg and gently walked my claw up his stomach, like a game of itsy bitsy spider. At the top of his shirt I hooked in a nail, gave him my best Goldy smile and sliced down the front of his shirt to the top of his pants in one smooth motion. I hesitated at his jeans, turning my head to the side and staring intently at him with one very large golden eye. He held perfectly still as my nail did a little tap tap tap and slipped into his waistband.
He didn’t say anything, just politely handed me my clothes. It only took a moment in the shadows to make myself somewhat decent. My makeshift top was a total loss as were my panties, torn by either Jace or me during my attempt at escape. I pulled on my original top, tied it off under my breasts, slipped into my skirt and then headed back down to the boys for what I hoped would be a really, really good explanation. The jury was still out on the maybe something more.
Jace was holding a drink and actually smiling at me as I wandered back down the stairs. Gareth was leaning his elbows on the bar and had his face buried in his hands, his fingers were worrying at his hair and I wondered if he was going to create miniature bald spots. That wouldn’t be pretty.
He tensed, but eased up on his scalp.
“So talk.”
“How about we start over?” Jace suggested, putting down his drink. He turned to me and held out his hand. “Hi, I’m Jace, part owner of this dive, and green. And this is my partner and best damn friend you could want in any world, Gareth, blue.”
Gareth stuck out his shaking hand, though he kept his face buried in his other one.
“Hi, I’m Lexi; I like long walks on the beach and boys that know how to show a girl a really good time,” I said, tongue in cheek.
Gareth burst out laughing and Jace joined him. Jace pulled himself together first and offered me another glass of Champagne. Gareth produced another bottle from under the counter which he opened and left sitting on the bar. I took the glass feeling a strange sense of deja’ vu.
“So Lexi, are you in town long or just passing through?” Jace asked, obviously taking the lead role in the inane conversation play.
“Been here about a year.”
“Oh, have you …ah…met any others like yourself?”
Feeling an imp on my shoulder, I looked at him blankly and responded. “You mean girls that like long walks on the beach?”
Heaving a sigh, Jace reached for the not Champagne bottle. Gareth handed him a tumbler and he poured himself about two fingers and downed it in one gulp. The man did like to throw back the alcohol, or maybe it was just me?
“Just you,” he replied, closing his eyes tightly and rolling the glass across his forehead.
Grinning, I looked around for a chair. “Is this going to take long or shall I stand?”
Heaving a sigh Gareth flipped off the music and most of the lights, grabbed both bottles and his glass, and walked to the end of the bar.
“You sure that’s a good idea?” Jace asked, not even bothering to open his eyes.
Gareth just grunted, and continued walking toward the doors Peewee had been taken out earlier.
Jace put down his glass and spoke into his watch, asking Nick to lock up for us, they were retiring and yes, ‘she’ was going with. I heard the last as I was walking away, wandering after Gareth’s disappearing back. Jace caught up with me and held the door.
“To the left,” he told me as we stepped into an alcove with several doors. One had the word Emergency Exit painted in big white letters on it. The others were black and blended in with the walls. He took out a card key and pressed it against a reader on the door farthest from where we’d entered. The door swung open on well oiled hinges and I found myself in another foyer, at the end of which Gareth was patiently holding open the doors of a very posh looking elevator.
Hmmm, welcome to my parlor… I thought to myself and stepped into the elevator. Gareth pushed number 3 and down we went. Three subfloors? Wonder what’s on the first two.
“Hang around and you’ll find out,” Jace whispered in my ear.
“I’d ask you to stop doing that, but it’s not really bothering me,” I informed him smartly. After all, there were levels and then there were levels. At the moment he was only picking up stray thoughts since I’d raised my shields earlier. I wasn’t thrilled with the thought of either of them picking through my childhood memories. Most things you just don’t share with total strangers. Besides, if they were capable of finishing what they’d started earlier…I just might.
Gareth actually banged his head against the elevator doors and groaned. Jace hissed air between his lips and swallowed the rest of his drink.
By the time the doors slid open I was having a hard time holding back my laughter and both men knew it. Jace grabbed my arm and practically yanked me out of the elevator. Another foyer and another swipe of the card key…gee these guys were pretty serious with their security. Made a girl wonder what they were hiding, their virtue maybe?
“None of your business,” Gareth practically snarled at me. Yanking open the door and causing it to slam back against the wall.
“Okay,” I replied, putting up my hands palm out. “I’m not saying anything.” Nice to know I wasn’t the only frustrated one around here.
“You really shouldn’t torment him like that,” Jace growled next to my ear as we walked through the door. The room we entered was narrow with a table next
to the door, a statue of a Dragon in flight its only adornment. On the wall were huge colorful pictures in greens and blues. Not really my thing but I suppose if you were a bachelor…ah….
“Yes!” Jace answered my question stiffly.
This was fun and something I hadn’t done since I was little. Mi only liked to play when she could torment me. I think I actually managed to offend him. Tee hee.
“You are the most... who is Mi?” Gareth demanded. He’d actually moved through the far doorway and turned back toward us.
I ignored him.
Jace propelled us toward him by taking my arm and practically dragging me down the room-hall. Several paces through the doorway was a step down living room with dark blue and green leather couches and chairs spread out around the floor. Blue and green, hmmm seemed to be a theme. A huge entertainment center took up the opposite wall and more of those paintings took up the rest of the space. There was a matching hall on the other side of the room, down which I guessed might be bedrooms and perhaps a bathroom. If the color scheme continued through the balance of the place, it wasn’t going to take a genius to figure out whose room belonged to whom. Floor lamps and coffee tables seemed to be strategically placed about. Not big readers I guess. Yep this place just screamed man or maybe ‘help me’ I couldn’t tell which.
Gareth took a step toward me and he looked angry enough to wring my neck. Jace dropped my arm and actually stepped in front of me slightly. “Now Gareth, where’s your sense of humor? You have to agree it could use a little upgrading. Maybe a few touches of… gold?”
“She’s being rude.”
“Perhaps she doesn’t know any better. She may have been raised by wolfs for all we know.”
Wolves, ha! Not hardly. Although there was that one summer in Wyoming…
Snorting softly I walked around Jace, went over to the nearest couch, placed my drink on the matching table and flopped gracefully down. I’m fairly certain I flashed them.
Smiling to myself I adjusting my skirt, propped my arm across the back of the couch, crossed my legs, and slouched into the corner. Now maybe we could get down to some explaining. I had no idea what time it was and if these two weren’t going to put out, I was going to have to find someone else that would. Wasn’t that a lovely thought?
“Could you please speak like a normal person?” Jace asked in an exasperated voice. “And for your information, I don’t put out. I make love, or enjoy sex, or share recreational activities. And we never said we weren’t interested.”
“Oh, so you are? My lack of, ah…spare parts isn’t going to be a problem for you? I wasn’t sure you liked…you know….”
“Know what?” demanded Gareth with a frown.
“Girls.”
“Oh God, I need another drink!” Jace muttered as he made a bee line to Gareth, the lose ends of his torn shirt flapping behind him.
Gareth looked like he was in shock and was still holding both bottles. I could see that his knuckles were white and wondered how the delicate glass had managed to stay intact.
Jace took the bottles from him and set them on the nearest table, taking a second to fill his glass nearly to the brim. “Why are you staring at me?” he demanded as I watched him pour the booze.
“Just wondering what you’ll look like with washboard abs, bloodshot eyes, and a big bulbous nose,” I replied sweetly.
He gave me a dirty look but managed to sip instead of gulp. “This is why drakes leave home,” he muttered glaring down at the drink in his hand.
Gareth glanced between the two of us, gave himself a shake and stepped down into the living area heading toward a chair about four feet to my left. I watched him out of the corner of my eye and couldn’t help thinking what a shame it was the way he was mashing his beautiful cupid bow lips together.
“Thank you,” he muttered. Jace sputtered and coughed alcohol out his nose.
Chapter 6
“Once upon a time…” began Gareth, and Jace looked at him like he’d grown a second head.
“You’ve got to be kidding me?” I exclaimed. Next they’ll be telling me they knew the Brothers Grimm personally!
“We did, but that’s beside the point,” Gareth remarked darkly.
“Just how old are you?”
“Would you believe me if I told you I don’t remember?” Gareth asked quietly. He’d pulled up a table, leaned back in his chair and propped his feet up. In his hand he was rotating the liquid in his half full tumbler in slow lazy circles.
I looked at Jace who had flopped down in the middle of my couch. He’d placed his own drink on the table in front of him. One arm lay low on his stomach just above his waistband and part of my mind was busy imaging my fingers running across his naked skin. His chest was scrumptiously all covered in mahogany hair. Just below his nipples it arrowed into a thin line that made its way over his belly and disappeared into his pants.
It was a nice visual and I was wondering what it would feel like under my fingers, yummy. Jace’s fingers twitched and I knew he was picking up my thoughts. I was so tempted to reach out and touch him and probably would have, except my eyes followed the hair trail up from his fingers and I was shocked to discover that Jace didn’t have a belly button. Pushing up from my slouch I leaned in to get a better look.
I hadn’t noticed our difference earlier.
I raised my head and met Jace’s eyes. Apparently he had, they both had. I could feel Gareth also looking at me. Glancing down, my fingers inched toward my tummy and my own cute little innie.
Oops.
I’m no fool; I raised my shields full tilt and leaned back into the couch.
“Well that went well,” Jace muttered, rubbing his head as he’d done earlier. For some reason my raising shields seemed to pain him.
“So,” Gareth began, his eyes once again focused on his glass. “What’s a girl like you doing in a gin joint like this?”
I was pretty good at reading between the lines; after all I’d grown up with Mi. At the moment I was pretty sure what he meant was more along the lines of what’s a girl like you doing breathing? Or more appropriately, how is it possible a girl like you is breathing? Or maybe, who made you?” Because when it came down to it, that was the real question.
“Would you believe me if I told you I don’t remember?” I asked, throwing back his response at him. From the look he gave me I was pretty sure he didn’t believe me.
“I liked it better when she wasn’t shielding so hard,” Jace muttered. “This static she’s producing gives me a headache.”
Oh, so that’s the reason for the wincing and rubbing. Interesting, I didn’t realize I gave bad static. I hadn’t realized I gave static at all. I’ll have to discuss that with Mi next time I see her.
“What bothers me more is that she feels she needs to.”
“Yeah,” Jace agreed resting his head against the back of the couch, “that’s a problem.”
“Why don’t you ask her why she feels the need to shield from us?”
“Because banging my head against the wall doesn’t feel good? I noticed it wasn’t helping you in the elevator.”
“Not true, she’s still breathing, isn’t she?”
I didn’t particularly like where this conversation was going and decided it was time to get back on topic. “So boys, what’s a girl need to do to get some sex around here?”
Jace cracked open an eye and looked at Gareth who looked back at him with a frown. “She’s in an awfully big hurry. Think it’s biological?”
“Makes you wonder.”
“She won’t tell... she doesn’t trust us.”
“We can’t force her.”
“We could enslave her and keep her forever.”
“Forever, do you think that’s possible?”
“I don’t know, she won’t tell us how old she is.”
“I’m not certain that would be wise.”
“You are probably right Gareth; let’s not forget she’s missing dangly parts. “ Jace responded sa
rcastically. “And you know what that means.”
“No I don’t, but I’m almost afraid we’d break her. She seems awfully delicate.”
“Maybe we should just show her to the door.”
“Yes we should, she won’t appreciate us.”
“She has a sharp tongue.”
“She undoubtedly will be more trouble than she’s worth.”
“Sometimes those are the best kind.”
“Usually.”
“She’s golden.”
“And not just her Dragon, she’s a myth.”
“She’s a virgin.”
“So she claims…”
“I can’t remember if I’ve ever been with a virgin.”
“It’s not something you’re likely to forget.”
“How is it possible that she’s a virgin?”
“She won’t tell us because she doesn’t trust us.”
“She’s a miracle.”
“That’s the problem.”
“This will probably end badly.”
“No doubt, for us.”
“I don’t want to show her to the door.”
“I want her to trust us.”
“I want to rip her clothes off and make her scream to the heavens while I ride her.”
“Hmmm,” Gareth agreed with a nod.
Interesting and informative and apparently they had arrived at mutual consensus. One I was hoping I was going to enjoy if I’d been following their tennis match correctly. I was smiling when Gareth sat forward, placed his glass on the table, stood abruptly and held out his hand to me. Beside me, Jace pushed up from the cushions at the same time, and also offered his hand. Did these two ever do anything alone?
“Before we do this, gentlemen, let’s just be clear,” I began, eyeing them both. “There will be no enslaving or keeping. I’m not looking for a permanent anything.” That is unless either of them could impregnate me, and after viewing the non-existent belly button I was pretty sure that wasn’t going to be an option. From her cave Goldy blinked a golden eye and whispered, ‘Not fertile’.
Dragon Lust Page 5
