A Mate for Kai (The Program Book 6) (5 page)

Gleaming scales. Greens and blues in every hue under the sun. The beast’s breast was so bright, he almost had to look away. Pure, liquid gold. The same amethyst eyes as her human form, only slitted. Her wings were wide. They seemed delicate, paper-thin. Yet, he could see that they were powerful. Could feel the air they displaced with each hard flap. Her tail was forked and long. It swept gracefully from side to side behind her muscular body. She might be a female but she would be a force to reckon with. Her teeth were long and sharp. Her talons looked deadly. Deep groves marred the earth at her feet, where she had landed moments earlier.

Within three seconds, she was the female he had come to know. She shifted easily. If he hadn’t seen the change with his own eyes, he would never have believed it. Dragon shifters were real. Not just a thing of legends but living and breathing.

They hadn’t talked much so he couldn’t say he really knew her. Her body. Now that he knew, inside and out. His groin tightened at the thought of their time together. The way she felt beneath him. Her legs around him. Her cries of ecstasy. The way her eyes widened as he thrust into her. How her lips parted as she was about to come.

“You are fucking beautiful…do you know that?” He couldn’t help the words as they tumbled from him.

“Really?” Her amethyst eyes crinkled at the corners as she smiled. “You think my dragon pretty? Or were you referring to me in this form?” She glanced down at herself.

He shook his head. “Not just pretty…beautiful. So are you...now I mean. You’re beautiful in both forms.” His eyes moved to her plump breasts, to the exquisite designs that adorned the area below them. Golden tattoos. Much like the one that wound its way around his own arm. His was black. It folded itself around his right bicep and down the back of his forearm in curves and sharp edges. He was an elite. One of the ten. The ink was a symbol of his achievements. At least he hoped he was still part of the ten. That this whole thing with the dragon shifter hadn’t messed things up for him.

It was time to face the music. Time to find out.

It had been worth it. Every second with this female was worth it. “I’ll miss you.” He blurted. It was true so he didn’t regret admitting it.

By the tightening of her jaw, he could see she didn’t like that he had said it. “You don’t even know me.” She smiled. There was a sadness there. Was she also apprehensive about leaving? About their agreement? Did she also regret having made it?

“I know we agreed not to contact each other after, but I…” He was still attracted to her. He still wanted her. Not in the same way as before. Their initial attraction had made him more than a little crazy. This was different. More real. Kai still wanted this female. It made him want to change her mind. It wasn’t rational. His kings would never allow…

“No!” A harsh growl. Her eyes flashed with fear. “We are too different. My brother... It would never be permitted. I enjoyed my time with you but it has come to an end. I’m sorry about the scratches on your car. And about your back.” She blushed. It was the cutest thing he had ever seen.

“My back is long healed. The car…” He shrugged. “It’s just a car. It will be repaired.” The SUV was pretty banged up. There were deep grooves on the hood. The door on the passenger side was dented. She had picked it up with her sharp claws…twice. Once to take them up the mountain and again to bring them down. No wonder it was a bit worse for wear. “No worries.”

“Will you tell them what happened? Your kings?” She licked her lips.

He shook his head.
Not a fuck
. “No. I haven’t changed my mind about that. Even if they were to believe me, it might cause shit for you…for your kind.” It wouldn’t be right.

She smiled. “You would do that for me? For my people? Even after I adducted you?”

Kai nodded. “I guess so.” He had to grin. “You did take me so that you could have your wicked way with me. It was intense…it’s never been like that for me before. Not with anyone else.”

Her eyes moved away from him. They darkened. She crossed her arms, almost in an attempt to cover herself which was crazy since they had been naked the entire time they were together. He knew her body inside and out. She looked nervous and…guilty. She still felt bad for taking him. “Don’t.” He gripped her elbow, pulling her to him so he could hook an arm around her shoulders. She softened against him but not completely.

This female felt good in his arms. Too fucking good. “Don’t do that. I will admit that I was pissed, but I understand…I felt it too. I’ve never felt that way before, it was special. What we have…make that, what we had…” He swallowed thickly. He didn’t want this to end. “It was special. I don’t know your name.” He cupped her chin and tilted her face up. “I don’t need to know your name or anything about you to know that it was different…I will never forget you.”

Her eyes were wide. “I won’t forget you either.” They welled with tears.

What the fuck?

Then she blinked them away and pulled in a breath through her nose before continuing. “What will you tell them?” She blurted, clearly trying to change the subject. “You’ve been missing for days and they’ll scent me…on you.”

“I’m hoping that they won’t know what a dragon shifter smells like. I didn’t know what you were and neither did my subordinates.” He shrugged. “Vampires are hugely attracted to human females, it won’t be too much of a stretch for them to buy my story.” He had to chuckle. “Although it seems that our attraction for dragon shifters is far more pronounced. Who knew? Maybe we should organize a meet and greet between our species?” He meant it as a joke.

Her expression changed from relaxed to horrified. She shook her head. “No way. It wouldn’t work. There are so few females of our species.” Then she squeezed her eyes shut, like telling him was a bad thing. What difference did it make to the vampires? It’s not like their species interacted.

He tried to lighten the moment. “Then I guess I’m one lucky male to have spent some time with you. I’m sure you are highly sought after.” She stiffened against him.

The female tried to pull away from him but he tightened his grip on her. “Shhh.” He ran his hand up her back. Slow and easy. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.” Kai thread his fingers into the hair at the nape of her neck. He leaned forward and tried to kiss her but she turned her head to the side at the last moment and he caught just the edge of her mouth.

“I need to go now,” she stammered.

“One kiss.” Kai didn’t like the idea of her walking away. Of this being over. He realized, realistically, that it needed to happen. The female was right; they couldn’t be together.

She shook her head, her eyes refused to meet his. The female didn’t explain further. Who was he to push her? Instead, he forced himself to release her. To step away.

Their time was at an end.

“I wish you well.” Kai touched the side of her arm. “I hope you have a good life and that all of your hopes and dreams come true. You are a sweet female. You’re going to make some male very happy one day.”

Her beautiful eyes turned stormy. “If only that were true. Thank you and I’m so very sorry.” She gave him a teary smile. Her lip quivered.

Before he could reply, the female moved away from him, simultaneously there was a cracking noise and her body stretched out. Scales appeared on her skin. Her jaw elongated. Her teeth erupted. Seconds later, a dragon stood before him staring at him with those sad, amethyst eyes. She lowered her head and leapt into the air, her magnificent wings sprung open. With minimal effort she took to the sky and moments later was gone. Swallowed by the night.

Kai felt more tired than he’d ever been in his whole entire life. Drained. Wrung out. He had meant what he said, he would miss her. He would remember their time together. With the shake of the head, he made his way back to the vehicle and climbed inside. His heart felt heavy. It was worry over what his future would hold. Of the shit storm he was facing back home.

The SUV was pretty banged up. He put the key into the ignition. “Please start. Please.” The engine turned over on the first attempt.
Thank fuck.
He didn’t relish the thought of a long-ass walk.

Kai found himself driving on autopilot, it was wrong of him but he couldn’t face his kings right then. Instead of going straight back to vampire territory, he pulled in at the only hotel in town and got himself a room for the night. After a quick shower, he fell into bed and was asleep instantly. He dreamed of a beautiful female with amethyst eyes. If only he knew her name.

****

The office interior was spacious. No expense spared. Then again, that’s how Brant rolled. Deep mahogany wood, gleaming wooden floors, Persian carpets. Formal, intimate, professional. His king sprang to his feet the moment he was ushered in. His eyes blazed. “Where the fuck have you been?” Brant snarled, he bashed his fist against his desk.

“I—” The door behind him flew open, it banged against the wall. A chip of plaster crumbled to the floor.

“Firstly, are you okay?” Zane’s voice was relatively calm considering his entry to the room.

The male’s eyes were dark. They gave nothing away. His face was passive. His forehead glistened with perspiration.

“I am fine.” Kai assured him.

Zane narrowed his eyes, his nostrils flared. “You were with a female,” he snarled. His nostrils flared again. “That scent, it’s familiar to me.” His brows drew together in confusion. “I can’t quite place it.”

“Maybe you know the female Kai spent the last few days with,” Brant spat. “Why is a human female’s scent familiar to you?”

“I don’t know. It doesn’t make any sense,” Zane growled. He paused for a few beats.
Why would the scent of a dragon shifter be familiar to Zane?

Before he could think on it, his king continued with a slight shake of the head. His dark eyes settled on Kai once again. “What would possess you to give up your place in
The Program
? Maybe you should explain that to me.” He folded his arms across his chest. By the tension in his jaw. Make that the tension in his whole body, Kai could see that he was pissed. Beyond pissed.

“I met a female in a bar.” It sounded weak. He normally had a solid willpower. Kai clasped his hands behind his back. “There was an instant attraction. Although I left with Jenson and Stuart, I couldn’t stay away. I couldn’t just leave her. It was unsafe in that environment for a female such as her.”

“You didn’t think to inform anyone that you were going back to help her?” Zane ground his teeth for a second.

“It should’ve been quick. Go back, get the female and drop her off at a place of safety. It should’ve taken no more than 15 or 20 minutes. It was stupid of me to go alone, especially considering my attraction to her.” He huffed out a breath. The excuse was thin. Yet, it was what it was.

“Very fucking stupid.” Brant sat back down on his chair and even leaned back into it. It looked like his rage from earlier had passed.

“You picked her up and dropped her off but what then, decided to stay? Hang out with the female for a bit? Surely you realized we would have scented her? Why didn’t you contact us after you decided to stay with her?” Brant played with the cufflinks on his shirt.

No cellphone reception. You see, I was actually abducted by her. The female was no human, she was a dragon shifter. A huge one at that and strong too. The female picked up my SUV. She kept me a prisoner in a cave in the middle of the mountain somewhere. I was a sex slave for the last few days. A willing sex slave I might add.
There was no fucking way he could say that, besides, he had promised the female he would keep her existence a secret. That he wouldn’t reveal her people. He still didn’t know why he had done that. Maybe he was feeling possessive in the heat of the moment. That had to be it. Whatever the reason, he was a male of honor. They would never believe him anyway. Not a chance in hell.

“What the fuck happened?” Zane snarled. “I’m losing my patience. Do you have any idea how many teams were out scouring for you? We informed the president of the United States that you had been abducted by a fascist group. The FBI sent reinforcements. Titan is heading up a team whose sole purpose has been to find your sorry ass instead of doing his assigned task. It’s a fucking embarrassment. You had better have a good explanation. It had better not involve your dick inside some human female. Although, by your scent, I’m pretty sure that’s exactly what it means.”

Shit.

This was bad.

Worse than he thought.

Kai raked a hand through his hair. He made a noise of frustration. “I’m sorry.” He looked Zane straight in the eye. “I don’t have any good explanation except that she drove me crazy. I couldn’t turn her down. Couldn’t leave if my life depended on it. It was a crazy two days…I should have called.” Lame. Stupid. Downright irresponsible.

Zane cursed a whole string of hard words. His reaction was to be expected.

Brant chuckled. “I told you.” He growled, his gaze on Zane. “You owe me money.”

Nice. It looked like his kings had been placing bets during his disappearance.

“You’ve been so dependable in the past. One of my best. You’re young but I’ve always been able to rely you. Fucking hell, Kai.” There was such disappointment in Zane’s voice. “I was convinced you had been taken, that you would never actually choose to take a path like this. I can smell you didn’t use protection.” Yeah, two days of rutting with condoms would’ve made him smell like a rubber factory. He shook his head, looking solemn.