Dragon's Blood

by Brynn Paulin

  “It’s about fucking time,” he rasped. “Truly, I couldn’t give a rat’s ass for the arrangements, and it pisses me off that innocent flowers will be murdered for this god-awful affair.”

  His hands started to glow.

  “Oh shit…” Scarlett whispered. Grabbing Athena, she dove between the pews several rows back as the front pew splintered. Frantically, she started commando crawling toward the back of the church. Refusing to let go of her cousin’s hand, she dragged her along, thankful there were no kneelers to impede their progress.

  “What the hell?” Athena exclaimed.

  “Just shut up and come on,” Scarlett hissed.

  “Yes, listen to your little cousin,” Tyler said from the front of the church. “She’s the only reason you’re still alive.”

  Athena’s breath caught, and Scarlett yanked her hand to urge her back into motion. “Don’t cry,” she grated. “Not now. Save it.”

  “What?” Tyler taunted. “You thought I really loved you? I was supposed to kill you like all the others of your blood. I only let you live so I could get to her.”

  Athena ripped her hand free of Scarlett’s. “You bastard,” she screeched as she stood. Scarlett yanked her back down just before a ball of blue light rocketed over them and blew a hole in the rear wall of the sanctuary.

  “Come on,” Scarlett urged. “Keep your head together so we can get out of here alive.”

  “Oh, you’re not getting out of here,” Tyler returned, his hearing apparently extraordinary. “I’m going to turn you both to electrified goo and go home a hero.”

  A series of explosions split the air, and Scarlett looked back to see pew after pew exploding in the center to make a path. Tyler walked toward them as if nothing impeded him—and he was moving far faster than they were.

  Panic rose in Scarlett’s stomach, choking her as red hot prickles raced up her spine. She couldn’t die. She couldn’t leave Janos alone like that. She’d been so stupid.

  Doubling her speed, she dragged Athena with her toward the back of the church. She deduced from Tyler’s diatribe that her cousin was a Dragon’s mate as well. No doubt Tyler would have killed Athena on their wedding night had Scarlett not arrived. There was no way she was letting him kill her cousin.

  As they cleared the last pew, it splintered, but rather than falling, the wood pieces took to the air like a swarm of wooden daggers. They hurtled at the women as they huddled against the wall trying to get to the doors.

  Just as Scarlett readied for impact, rubble cascaded onto them and the room shook with the impact of feet to the floor. Through heavily scaled bodies, Scarlett saw Janos and Jonah hold up their hands and stop the progress of the splinters. A blast of fire turned them ash.

  “Scarlett, get her out of here,” Janos said as he and Jonah advanced on the Djinni.

  The doors exploded inward. Scarlett dragged Athena the other direction to a side door, as a tall, willowy woman stepped through the rubble. With a circular motion, she lifted the door’s remains into a whirlwind and, with a flick, sent it screaming toward Scarlett and Athena like a freight train. The two women dove into the side aisle.

  Looking over her shoulder, Scarlett saw Jonah and Janos back to back, breathing fire and staving off their enemies’ attacks with magical force she hadn’t known they possessed.

  As if sharing the same brain, their movements mirrored one another. Together, they jumped and their landing sent a shockwave rippling across the floor.

  Scarlett hugged her body against Athena’s as the surge sent them slamming into a marble wall. Woozily, she saw it knocked Tyler and his comrade off their feet as well. The Dragons separated and advanced on the pair as they struggled upright, but Tyler and the woman couldn’t move fast enough. Both Dragons shoved their hands in front of themselves and roared, pushing them wide. The enemies screamed, but the sound was cut to a mere echo as their extremities pulled from their bodies and thudded to the floor.

  Following suit, Scarlett thudded as well…in one piece.

  * * * *

  Scarlett woke with a scream, and Janos tightened his arms around her, sure she’d struggle until she realized where she was—in his arms, flying above the clouds.

  “Hush, love. You’re safe. I have you.”

  “Thank God,” she whispered without fighting. She wrapped her arms as far around him as she could and pressed her cheek to his chest. He could barely feel it through his armor. But it warmed him none the less.

  He nuzzled her hair with his chin, so thankful she was alive and unharmed. His heart had nearly stopped when he’d heard the explosions in the church. He and Jonah had broken through the roof, both fearing they’d be avenging Scarlett rather than saving her. But his brave Velree had held her own against an impossible foe.

  “You killed them,” she murmured after a moment.

  “We are at war,” he replied simply.

  “Is Athena okay? She wasn’t moving after she was slammed into the wall.”

  “Yes. Jonah has her. She’s a Dragon mate and under our protection.”

  “But we’re not related by blood,” Scarlett protested. “How is that possible?”

  “The marker runs through many, of the same blood or not. We are fortunate that you’re so obstinate or we would never have found her—not in time. Do not do that again.”

  “I won’t. I just had to see her…”

  He sighed. This case was a no-win argument. She’d disobeyed, but if she hadn’t, some Dragon would have lost his mate. “I know, Velree. Your punishment will be lighter for that.”

  “Punishment?”

  “You disobeyed your elder. You purposefully sought to undermine my authority.”

  She made a disgusted sound and withdrew her arms from around him. Turning slightly in his embrace, she stared at the clouds they passed rather than facing him. “You were being unreasonable.”

  “Says the mate who was almost killed. Again.” He nudged her shoulder playfully with his chin though a part of him still raged from the terror of her near death. “This would be three times. How many will it take?”

  “I think I’m done. Can you maybe get me pregnant and change me so I can get on with life? I’ll be a good mom, and I’ll try to do that Velree thing, but I’d like to get back to my career, too. At least, for a while.”

  But she wouldn’t love him or care for him. It didn’t escape him that she’d left that out. Lust was one thing. Affection was another. “We’ll see,” he said. “I’m all for the first part, but I don’t want you away from me. I can promise you a pampered life—”

  “I’m not proposing to be away. I’m suggesting occasional appearances, recording records, that sort of thing. Doing a tour certainly isn’t on my agenda. Besides, I seem to want you every minute.”

  “It will lessen. Some.”

  “I don’t think it will be enough for me to want to be away from you. Unless, well, you didn’t raise a glamour or something to make me need you, did you?”

  He laughed. “No.”

  “Didn’t think so. Janos, you’re the kind of guy whose picture woman put on their walls. And when you get all growly…” She sighed. “You’re still not going to tell me what to do all the time. Even if you turn me on. And stop distracting me from being pissed at you.”

  “Beg your pardon, Velree. Are you ready to meet my clan? We’re almost to my compound.”

  “I suppose.” She turned toward him and hugged him again. “I like the sound of your wings. They’re hypnotic.”

  Janos had never thought of the whooshing noise that way. It was just part of his being. But it delighted him that Scarlett found it pleasing.

  “I’ll take you flying again.”

  “Will I get wings?”

  “No.” His hand slid down her back. “I’m afraid this enticing pair here is the only set you’ll ever have.”

  “Bummer.”

  “You’ll get armor. Same color as mine. Eventually.” And he couldn’t wait to see her in it. A warm buzz cr
uised through his body, and he knew he’d be fully aroused when he shifted back to human. He needed Scarlett badly. He needed to reaffirm she was okay, safe with him where the enemy couldn’t touch her.

  “Does it hurt?”

  He almost said yes. He was that aroused, but he realized she was asking about the shift. “In some ways, it’s a relief. We need to change from time to time and let out our scales. If we don’t, we won’t be able to shift when we need to and we’ll sink into an existence of anguish where we pray daily for our bodies to let us shift. It’s like a sickness coming to the surface. Eventually, the shift will happen, but our bodies punish us if we don’t do it willingly.”

  “But does shifting hurt?”

  “There’s pressure. The change is too quick for pain, and the healing of the restructured bones is instant.”

  “Mmm…” she replied, the sound high with fear. “Great.”

  “Hold on. We have to go down through the clouds. You might want to close your eyes and hold your breath.”

  Moments later, he landed in an enclosed courtyard beside a circular pool.

  Scarlett let out her breath, looked around then gasped. The clouds were so close overhead she thought she could touch them.

  “How high are we?” she asked.

  “Halfway up our mountain. The clouds are low today, but usually, the skies are clearer. Welcome to the Cruentus Clan’s home,” he said.

  “Thanks.” She looked at the pool and the jewel-toned, mosaic tiles that surrounded it and covered the walls of the enclosure. “This is pretty.”

  Before Janos could comment, Jonah landed beside him with a light thud. Immediately, he shoved Athena an arm’s length from him and took a step back. “All she’s done since waking is bitch out that fake fiancé of hers. Didn’t even freak that she was being carried off to God knew where by a Dragon.”

  “And to think I let him pick out the flavor of the fucking cake.” Athena railed. “Carrot! He wanted carrot!”

  “Well, he is part Elvish,” Jonah returned. “Or he wouldn’t have been able to control the wood.”

  “I don’t care if he was half-woodchuck! He ruined my wedding!”

  “Hey, Bridezilla, the groom wanted to kill you. Could we stop at that and move on?” Jonah retorted. “I’m noticing that you’re not too broken up over his death or that he tried to off you. Yeah, that’s real love, baby.”

  “Fuck off. Scarlett, how do I get out of here?” She glared at Jonah. “Or at very least, away from him.”

  Both Jonah and Janos shifted back to their human forms, and Scarlett moved to her mate’s side, thankful to be able to really hold him while she watched the unfolding drama between Jonah and Athena. She considered intervening to save Athena, but her cousin seemed to be holding her own just fine, and truthfully, Scarlett wasn’t so sure Athena wouldn’t turn her tirade on Scarlett since she’d brought about these events—at least that’s how it appeared.

  Athena stepped back. “Oh…you’re a man. You’re both…men,” she said, blinking at Jonah in shock, no doubt stunned as much by his dark good looks as by his change. Scarlett thought Jonah dimmed beside Janos, but he was still a pretty hot guy.

  “Yes, and you are apparently half shrew. Janos, I’m going to my rooms. Where do you want me to drop her?” he grated as Athena sputtered.

  “You don’t have a feeder right now. Install her in your blood-letter’s quarters.”

  “Oh, hell, no!”

  “By order of your elder.”

  Jonah scrubbed a hand over his face. “Janos, no,” he pleaded. “You can’t pull rank on me like that. I’m your scion.”

  “Do it.”

  “Yes. My. Elder.” Jonah swore under his breath in that same language Janos had used last night, then grabbed Athena’s arm. “C’mon. I’ll set you up in your rooms then find someone to deal with you.”

  “What’s a blood-letter?” Athena screeched.

  With jaw set, Jonah pulled her from the courtyard, her protests coming long and loud behind them until Scarlett heard an inner door slam. She looked up at Janos. “I should go explain things to her. I doubt Jonah will be as gentle with her as he was with me.”

  “I’ve instructed him to be kind. Her induction to the Dragon community will determine the success of her induction to our clan.”

  “Your telepathic connection… I forgot the two of you have that. Why did you send Athena off with him, by the way? To Jonah’s rooms, I mean.”

  “Didn’t you see his arm?”

  “His arm?”

  Janos smiled and lifted his right arm, turning it to wave the spiraled mark before her.

  “Mates? No way. Oh man…”

  “Should be fun to watch.”

  “You’re wicked,” she said when he grinned at his scion’s predicament. “How long before Jonah figures it out?”

  “I expect we’ll hear him roar. After the ribbing he gave me, turnabout’s fair. I have better things in mind than my wingscion and your cousin.”

  She leaned close to him. “Like what? And if you say punishment, I swear I’ll be sharing quarters with Athena, and both you and Jonah will be miserable.”

  “We can’t have that.” He lifted her into his arms. “How about if we start with the tour of your new home—our personal portion anyway? I’ll show you the rest of the compound later, after we spend some time together.”

  She noticed he didn’t rescind the threat of punishment, but she was sure he didn’t intend that. The look in his eyes spoke of sex, sex, and more sex.

  “What’s a blood-letter?” she asked before he could drag her into the whirlpool of lust once more. While she wasn’t screaming her question like Athena had, the term troubled her enough she wanted answers before she forgot herself. Blood-letter filled her with all kinds of gory B-movie visions. While she felt relatively safe, could she live side-by-side with creatures who victimized other humans to survive? And would she be safe if she refused to be one of them?

  For the first time, a shaft of terror pierced through her. She quickly looked away to hide it from Janos, but there was no hiding her intake of breath or her tremble.

  “Hush,” Janos murmured, sensing her fear. He’d have to be stone not to notice her sudden unease. “A blood-letter is what you think, one who gives us blood, but they give it to us willingly without any sort of coercion. Most of them are Dragon mates who’ve yet to find their match.”

  “So if I hadn’t been yours…” She trailed off as Janos’ arms tightened and a blood-curdling growl rumbled in his throat. And she knew. Any Dragon, any man, who dared touch her would be dead. Janos wouldn’t tolerate infringement on what he considered his.

  She turned back to him and once more found lust boiling in his eyes. It filled her, eliminating the chill of her terror. His arms loosened as she shifted to face him. Her legs circled his hips and her arms went around his shoulders. His mouth covered hers, ferocious in his need. She was equally hungry. It had nothing to do with the mating urge. She just plain needed him. While he cupped her ass, she ground against his rigid erection, showing him wordlessly how much she needed him as she kissed him.

  As her head spun with the passion clouding her thoughts, one desire filled her mind above all others. As she moved against Janos, her pussy ever dampening with her frenzy, she pulled her mouth from his. She stared into his glazed eyes, captured by his flushed cheeks and swollen lips.

  “Feed from me,” she whispered, keeping her gaze on his so he’d know there was no fear in her. Even as she said the words, her pussy clenched. Oh, yes, she wanted him to take of her. She undulated again against his cock. “Please…”

  Her shirt ripped as he pulled the neckline aside, but it didn’t scare her. She tipped back her head, waiting to feel the sting of his teeth. When it came, she gasped, her eyes closing with myriad colors swirling through her. Her back hit the floor hard, Janos over her as he drew from the vein throbbing low in her neck. The sound of rending fabric barely pierced her delirium.

  Hi
s cock stabbed deep inside her with a suddenness that tore a scream of pleasure from her lips. Wildly, Scarlett thrust against him, unable to do anything else within the maelstrom of sensations ripping through her as strong as any hurricane’s force. She clawed at Janos as she fought for an anchor that wouldn’t be found. He was the storm wildly pummeling her body and turning her to flotsam on the waves, unable to control where the surges took her.

  As she twisted on the screams torn from her, she hit the calm. She collapsed to the hard rock floor and stared up at Janos as he pulled away from her neck. For the first time, she saw the razor-sharp canine teeth protruding from both his top and bottom gums. Their hips continued to rock together, more gently then before, but Scarlett felt the urgency rebuilding within them. This moment wouldn’t last.

  She reached up and ran her thumb over his lip, drawing the droplet of blood on to her skin. His tongue darted out and lapped it away then flicked over the pad again before she slid it down. It caught on his lip, pulling at it and exposing his teeth. Janos didn’t move to hide them as she stared transfixed.

  All the while, his hips continued a slow grind into her that she mindlessly mimicked. Her pussy liquefied around him, bathing her folds and his cock with the warm honey that engulfed them both in even more pleasure. Just looking at him, knowing he was a Dragon, built incredible, twisting tension in her belly. The arousal stunned her yet drove her to accept his possession, to give herself fully to him. And she knew she would.

  Her teeth sank into her bottom lip as she touched one of his incisors. She cried out as the sharp edge sank into her finger. He pulled back, apology in his eyes. It shuttered away as his lust replaced it and his lips closed around her fingertip.

  The calm was over and jagged shards of ecstasy pulled her body into an arc beneath him. They clung to each other as they crashed together, his cock lodging deep inside her while a haze filled her vision. Her ankles crossed behind the small of his back as she rode him until her body convulsed and she fell limply into the cradle of his arms. His mouth buried against her neck, and his deep, body-shuddering groan rocked her as his cum filled her eager body.