The Dragon's Match: Paranormal Shifter Romance (Hearts on Fire Book 3)

by Natalie Kristen

  A tall, blond man walked forward and she saw that he had the same brilliant blue eyes as Kieron. The man extended his hand and said with a smile, “Hello, Gena. I’m Lachlan. The youngest brother.”

  Gena stared at his hand and his warm, open smile. Would Lachlan still want to shake her hand if he knew that she was Vanora’s daughter?

  Lachlan waited patiently for her to take his hand. Gena sucked in a shaky breath and shook Lachlan’s hand gingerly.

  Breene stepped up to her and said gravely, “Gena, if my brother has offended or upset you, I sincerely apologize on his behalf and extend my...”

  “No, no, no...” Gena shook her head rapidly. “Kieron hasn’t done anything to offend or upset me. Please don’t blame him. It’s...” Me.

  Gena glanced at Kieron and immediately wished she hadn’t.

  Kieron hadn’t said a word, but he was staring at her with a mixture of raw yearning, regret and loathing.

  He hated himself as much as he hated her.

  Simone looked back and forth between Gena and Kieron. Seeing that neither of them seemed willing to offer an explanation or talk about the real problem between them, Simone pursed her lips and planted both hands on her hips.

  “Would you humor a pregnant woman, Gena?” Simone asked, half turning to Gena while keeping her shrewd gaze on Kieron. “Would you go shopping with me?”

  “Me?” Gena sputtered. “Shopping? What...”

  “Yes. I’m surrounded by males.” Simone pouted and rolled her eyes. “I don’t have a shopping buddy!”

  “No shopping buddy? But I go shopping with you all the time!” Breene said in exasperation.

  “That’s different,” Simone said, smiling. “You go shopping with me because you have to. You don’t really enjoy it.”

  “I do,” Breene said hotly. “I enjoy doing everything with you.”

  Simone chuckled. “I know. But...shopping with a girl is different. We can take our time and not march from store to store like we’re on a mission.”

  “I want to come shopping too,” Alex said, looking nervously at Breene and his brothers. It was clear that the idea of being left alone with three growly dragons didn’t appeal to the young man.

  “Of course,” Simone said and clapped her hands. “The three of us will have a great time! Breene, are you going to the office today? Can you give us a ride to town?” she asked her mate sweetly.

  Breene growled his response.

  “Thank you, darling.” Simone smiled and took Gena’s arm. “You don’t mind, do you? My best friend, Kerry, lives in the city and we visit each other often, but...” She sighed. “I really miss the girls. Please, Gena, spend the day with me. It would mean a lot to me.”

  Gena sputtered an incoherent response. How could she say no to Simone?

  “Lachlan,” Breene barked. “Go with them.”

  Lachlan’s eyes bugged. “You’re ordering me to go shopping?”

  “Yeah. You just recovered...”

  “I’m fully recovered,” Lachlan said. “I don’t have to miss work today. There’s a project deadline...”

  “Kieron can cover you at work,” Breene snapped. “Today...”

  “I know, I know,” Lachlan said before Breene could snap at him again. “Today, I shop. But just today,” he warned. “I’m not going shopping again tomorrow.”

  Simone went up to Kieron, who was clenching his jaw and fists so tightly he looked like he might seriously splinter a tooth or a bone.

  “Have a good day at work. Don’t worry. Lachlan can protect us. He may not be able to shift, but he’s a dragon all the same. He won’t let anything happen to Gena,” she whispered.

  “I’m not...” Kieron growled.

  “I know you’re worried about her. About all of us,” Simone said softly. “We’ll be fine. Everything...will be fine.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  “How do I look?” Simone asked, emerging from behind the curtains. “Does this dress make my ass look big?” She giggled. “Which dress is better? This one or the green one? What do you think, Lachlan?”

  Lachlan planted his eyes on the ceiling. “Simone! Are you trying to get me in trouble? If Breene catches me staring at your ass, he’ll gouge my eyes out. Besides, I’m just here as your bodyguard. My job is to guard, not offer unwanted, inaccurate and wholly dangerous opinions that could well get me killed.”

  “Oh Lachlan!” Simone laughed. “You’re just like Kieron. So uptight.”

  Gena and Alex grinned. “You look fabulous,” Gena said.

  “I think this dress looks great on you,” Alex enthused. “It’s so sexy!”

  Simone turned to examine herself in the mirror. “But don’t you think that the neckline is too low?” She tried to adjust the collar. “I’m showing too much cleavage. If I bend down or move too much, I might flash my nipples.”

  At the corner of the shop, Lachlan gave a long-suffering groan and stuck his fingers in his ears.

  Alex laughed and said, “If you’ve got it, flaunt it, I say!”

  Gena gave her the thumbs up. “Really. This dress looks amazing on you, Simone.”

  “Okay, I’ll buy it!” Simone beamed. “Let me change out of this, and we’ll go grab something to eat. I’m famished and my legs are killing me.”

  Gena went to admire the beautiful, fashionable maternity wear in the shop while they waited for Simone. She was surprised to find that she was actually enjoying herself. This little shopping trip had lifted her spirits and improved her mood considerably. She liked Simone a lot, and wished they could be friends. But she couldn’t stay. She would have to leave, if not tonight, then tomorrow.

  She was the daughter of their enemy.

  Once they knew who she really was, they wouldn’t want to have anything to do with her.

  But she hoped that they would continue helping Alex.

  Lachlan and Alex got along pretty well, and when they found out that they both enjoyed cooking, they began exchanging cooking tips and recipes enthusiastically.

  Simone went to the cashier and pulled out her credit card. Lachlan quickly went up and carried her shopping bags for her, despite Simone’s protest. “They’re not heavy,” she said.

  “Do you want to watch me get my head chewed off by Breene?” Lachlan retorted and walked off with the bags.

  Gena and Simone walked out of the shop, arm in arm. Simone suggested a nice little coffee shop down the road and they started towards it. Alex and Lachlan walked behind them in companionable silence.

  Simone and Gena had just crossed the road when the lights changed behind them. The cars started to move, making Lachlan and Alex jump back to the curb.

  Gena turned to wait for them, while Simone strolled towards a toy store.

  A long bus rumbled past, momentarily blocking Alex and Lachlan from her view.

  There was a sudden movement behind Gena. She turned around but a huge hand was already clamped over her mouth.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Simone’s shoe at the entrance of an alleyway. Gena blinked and the shoe was gone. So was Simone.

  Gena tried to struggle but the person holding her was very strong and very fast.

  One moment she was standing on the street.

  The next moment she was in the shadows.

  She had just been snatched off the street in a matter of seconds. She was guessing that no one had even witnessed anything.

  She was just gone, in the blink of an eye. Yanked from the street and into the alleyway in a few heartbeats.

  Gena tried to scream for Lachlan and Alex, but she could only make feeble, muffled sounds.

  She felt a blow to the back of her head, and the last thing she saw was a hooded figure framed by a narrowing piece of sky.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  Kieron finished up the paperwork as fast as he could in the office and grabbed his hard hat. There was a construction project that was scheduled for completion and he wanted to go down to the construction site and
make sure that everything was in order.

  He’d managed by sheer force of will to concentrate on his work. If he had to chain himself to his office chair, he would do it. He would not go after Gena.

  He could discipline himself, his mind and his wayward, irrational emotions. He would keep a tight rein on himself and his dragon.

  But...what was it they said about the road to hell?

  Paved with good intentions. Yup.

  He had every intention of not thinking about her. She was the spawn of Vanora, that sadistic, evil sorceress. She was the daughter of his enemy!

  Gena.

  So why was he whispering her name every few minutes, trying to keep himself sane with the sound of her name and the memory of how right and perfect she felt in his arms?

  He knew he had hurt her. He could never forget the look of shock and pain in her eyes when he told her what Vanora did to his brothers. He had hurt her deeply when he pushed her away. He had judged her, rejected her and condemned her.

  Who the hell was he to judge anybody? Kieron wanted to hate her, but he fucking hated himself even more!

  When he saw Gena kicking and yanking desperately at the castle gates, wanting to get away from him, he’d had to stop himself from lunging forward and making a grab for her.

  She was trying to leave him.

  The realization had filled him with both fear and rage.

  No! He could never let her go. Gena was...his. He wanted her so much, and he absolutely hated and despised himself for wanting her.

  Why did she have to be Vanora’s daughter? Why? Why!

  He had never been so conflicted in his life. All the torture, abuse and agony that he had suffered at Vanora’s hands was nothing compared to this.

  This was tearing him apart, clawing him to bloody shreds. If he had a heart, it would be in jagged shards by now. But he didn’t have a heart. He was just a heartless bastard.

  Kieron bit back a growl when his phone rang. “Yes,” he barked.

  “Kieron!” He heard the panic in Lachlan’s voice. “They...they’re gone! Simone and Gena, they’re gone! We can’t find them. We looked everywhere!”

  “Where are you?” Kieron snapped. He was already out the door.

  “On Dew Avenue. Alex and I were just behind them. Simone and Gena crossed the road, the lights changed and we thought they were waiting for us on the other side of the road. But when the traffic cleared, there was no sign of them!” Lachlan was yelling and speaking too fast. Kieron could hear Alex’s frantic shouts in the background and he knew Lachlan was running hard even as he yelled into the phone.

  Kieron was just out the door of the office building when someone grabbed his shoulder. He spun round, his fist flying out at lightning speed. Breene caught his fist in his huge palm and snapped, “Simone is in trouble. So is Gena.”

  “Where are they?” Kieron said, staring at Breene with both hope and fear. “You can communicate with Simone through your mind. Can she tell you…?”

  “Simone said she’s blindfolded. She...” Breene’s eyes flashed fully silver, and his muscles bulged as scales raced down his arms. His mate was in danger, and his dragon was thrashing in rage and pain.

  “Can you sense her location?” Kieron demanded. “Breene!”

  “Shit, shit!” Breene bellowed. I can’t hear Simone anymore! She’s lost consciousness.”

  Kieron grabbed Breene and steered him towards the parking lot. He dug into his pocket for his car keys and yanked the door of his SUV open. He pushed Breene into the passenger seat and slammed the door shut.

  “We need to get to Lachlan and Alex,” Kieron snapped as he floored the gas pedal. “They’re on Dew Avenue now. That’s where they lost Simone and Gena. We’ll get them back, Breene. We will,” he swore.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  Kieron sped through junctions with the horn blaring, and rounded corners on squealing tires. In under two minutes, he turned into Dew Avenue. It was a hair-raising drive yet it felt like the longest drive of his life. Breene was out of the car even before Kieron pulled it to a stop.

  He spotted Lachlan and Alex immediately. The two men were running down the street, shouting for Simone and Gena. Their eyes were wild, almost crazed with fear. Some of the townsfolk were helping with the search, and Kieron saw a group of shopkeepers asking passers-by if they had seen Simone. Redrock Valley was Simone’s hometown, and many people knew her.

  “Lachlan!” Kieron shouted to his brother.

  Lachlan skidded and turned around. He raced towards Kieron and grabbed his arm. “Come!” Lachlan tugged Kieron frantically towards an alley, and spluttered, “Here! This is the alley closest to the traffic lights. Simone and Gena must have been standing here when someone came up behind them and yanked them into the alley. That’s how they disappeared so fast from our view!”

  Kieron and Breene pushed into the long narrow alley. Breene pointed to the exit at the other end of the alley and said grimly, “There must have been a vehicle waiting at the other side. They stuffed Simone and Gena into a waiting van or car, and sped off.”

  “No one saw anything!” Alex wailed behind them. “We asked the shopkeepers, people on the street, everyone! But no one witnessed anything!”

  “Whoever took them were fast. Very fast and organized.” Kieron glanced at Alex’s tear-streaked face and said, “Wolves.”

  Alex gasped. “The Lightning wolves...t-they tracked us down. They took Gena and Simone...no, no, no!” He put his shaking hand on Kieron’s arm and begged, “Please, take me to them. They want me. Exchange me for Simone and Gena! Do it, please!”

  Kieron shook his head and said tightly, “No. Gena risked everything to protect you. You have to stay alive. For Gena.”

  Breene held up a hand to silence Alex’s sobbing and babbling. “Quiet!” he barked. “I can hear Simone’s voice.”

  Alex’s eyes bulged and he looked around. “She’s here? I don’t hear her. Where...?”

  Lachlan shushed him and tapped his temple. “Breene can hear Simone in his head. They share a mind link because of the mate bond.”

  Alex’s eyes widened further but he kept quiet.

  “I know where she is,” Breene snarled and took off at a run.

  At the end of the alley, Breene leaped into the air and shifted into dragon form.

  “Stay with Alex,” Kieron said to Lachlan. “Go back to the castle. Be safe.”

  Lachlan nodded and Kieron raced after Breene and shifted as he launched himself into the air. Breene was just a speck in the distance, and Kieron flew hard to catch up with his big brother.

  Breene banked sharply and Kieron followed suit. Breene had zeroed in on his mate’s location, and was flying straight to her. Kieron reached out desperately, fervently with his mind, hoping to sense Gena’s whereabouts or hear her voice in his head but there was only silence.

  Kieron cursed and swore viciously. Why didn’t he claim her? He’d had the chance. Gena had been in his arms, and he could have taken her and claimed her as his mate.

  If he had claimed her, he would be able to communicate with her and sense her location now. Instead of protecting her, he had pushed her away and hurt her.

  He had been so consumed with hate, anger and bitterness that he’d denied his dragon and himself. He wanted someone to blame, so he blamed Gena.

  He was the one who had almost destroyed Lachlan, yet he blamed her for Lachlan’s suffering.

  He was such a coward and a fraud!

  Gena was innocent. She was Vanora’s daughter, but she wasn’t evil. She used her power for good, not evil. She was brave, caring and loyal. He had seen for himself what and who she was, but still he condemned and vilified her.

  Kieron beat his powerful wings hard, his eyes blazing as he scanned the landscape below. Where was she?

  He had to find her. And he had to try to make things right.

  He would never forgive himself if anything happened to her. This was his fault. This was all his fault.

 
He was a bloody fool.

  Gena was his mate. He had been powerfully, undeniably drawn to her right from the start. And every instinct, every cell, every thought in his stupid, stubborn head had screamed at him to keep her safe and keep her with him. But he hadn’t listened to his heart and his instincts.

  He refused to see beyond his rage and ego. He wanted revenge, but Lachlan never wanted him to avenge him. His brother just wanted him to be happy.

  Gena had told him that. She had gazed into the depths of his heart and seen the darkness there. She understood him, even more than he understood himself.

  He had wanted to be a better man for her. Why didn’t he listen to his own heart? His mate was the one woman who could mend the cracks in his hardened heart and bring love and joy back into his life.

  Gena had inspired him, impressed him, roused his heart and his dragon.

  He didn’t deserve what fate had given him. Fate had given him the most wonderful, amazing, beautiful mate.

  Didn’t he promise himself that he would strive to be worthy of her?

  But he couldn’t even keep a promise to himself. Once he found out that she was Vanora’s daughter, he’d lost his goddamn mind and soul. He became an unthinking, uncaring, soulless bastard.

  Fate wasn’t cruel. Fate was simply testing him, and he had failed the test.

  He had failed miserably.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  Kieron realized that Breene was slowing his flight as he flew over a dense forest. Kieron thought that they were heading straight for Thunder Creek, but now Breene was slowing down, scanning the forest below.

  Breene dipped down all of a sudden and started making a very steep, swift descent. He folded his wide wings and simply plunged downwards, straight down into the middle of the forest.

  Kieron followed closely behind.

  Just before he breached the lush, green canopy, Breene shifted to human form and dropped to the forest floor in a crouch. Kieron landed soundlessly behind him and stood up.