Dragon's Curse (Harlequin Nocturne) (10 page)

Chapter 9

“I
am
not
staying here with you.”

Cam poured two glasses of water, answering, “Want to make a bet
on that?”

When she didn’t respond, he went to the kitchen door. Ariel was
still standing in the foyer. Her arms were crossed against her chest. The
mutinous look on her face might have bode ill for another man, but he found it
amusing. “Come in here. We need to talk.”

“Go to—”

Before she could finish telling him where to go, he crooked a
finger at her, moving her bodily to the kitchen against her will.

Her mouth fell open and she frantically tried to grab the
doorknob as she floated by the coat closet.

He shrugged, warning, “You break that door, you’ll fix it
yourself.”

When she
joined
him in the kitchen,
he guided her to a stool at the counter and handed her a glass of water. “Drink
this.”

She set the glass on the counter untouched.

Cam sighed. “You can be as obstinate as you want, but you
aren’t going to get your way in this, not if you want to stay at the Lair.”

He leaned both hands on the countertop, effectively encircling
her between his body and the counter.

With his mouth against her ear, he said, “Now that we’re
putting our cards on the table, why don’t you tell me what your assignment is
here?”

He didn’t expect her to answer, but on the off chance she might
suffer a sudden attack of honesty, he had to give it a shot.

“I can’t.”

She sounded so small, so defeated. Cam fought back a wave of
sympathy. He’d already guessed that she’d been forced into this position, but
there were always choices.

“What is he holding over you?”

She shook her head, refusing to answer.

“Ariel, I know you have little reason to believe me, but you
can trust me. Whatever it is, I can protect you.”

She wanted to laugh at the absurdity of his claim. But the
sincerity she heard behind the words rang strong.

Ariel didn’t want to feel anything for this man—least of all
gratitude. She shoved back hard, breaking free of the prison he’d created with
his arms.

“Protect me?” She rose and moved away from him. “I’ve seen how
well your family has fared against Renalde’s. Your parents, your sister-in-law’s
baby, and your own…wife…lover. The track record for you Drakes isn’t stellar on
the protection end.”

Cam jerked as if she’d physically slapped him. The half smile
should have been a warning, but she hesitated a second too long.

He snagged one arm around her waist and deposited her on top of
the counter. Ariel smacked at his arms, demanding, “Let me go.”

“You’re going to hurt yourself if you don’t stop it.” When she
swung at him again, he grabbed her wrists. Pinning them against the kitchen wall
over her head with one hand, he moved between her legs. “Tell me why you’re
here.”

Rage and humiliation waged a war in her mind and heart. Renalde
and his thug had mentally and physically threatened her and she’d been
terrified.

But this man wasn’t seeking to hurt her physically. He was
manhandling her in a show of greater strength and that angered her more than
frightened her. Never in her life had any man treated her this way.

And beneath the anger, that still-unfamiliar wildness inside
her sprang to life beneath his demanding touch. It set her heart racing with
anticipation. His closeness inflamed her senses, Ariel swore she could smell
desire—exotically spiced, it called to her, bidding her to let go, to set
reserve and common sense aside.

She’d wondered earlier if she’d lost her mind. She no longer
wondered. Her lack of fear and unwarranted response to this situation confirmed
her insanity.

Ariel mentally shook free from the lust-filled hold threatening
to consume her and glared at him. “When did you realize Renalde was an anagram
for Learned?”

“At your interview.”

She relaxed a little against the wall. “If you haven’t done
anything to force the information from me so far, I have to wonder why.” Cam’s
frown prompted her to add, “I don’t think you can.”

He leaned down and placed his lips nearly against hers. “You
are in a betting mood, aren’t you?”

Ariel’s heart jumped. If he kissed her now she would be in
trouble and she doubted she’d resist. Hoping to ward him off, she asked, “Isn’t
this what they call sexual harassment in the workplace?”

“Perhaps.” His breath was warm against her lips—seductively
warm. “But I’m positive this will completely cross that line.” He hooked his
free arm behind her waist and slid her lower body tight against his.

Ariel gasped at the heat of the contact, giving him the
opportunity to capture her open mouth with his own.

Against all common sense and any rational thought she
possessed, Ariel let the anger flow out of her body. She’d known this would
happen if he kissed her. Heat and desire rushed through her. And while she
despised her response, she couldn’t find the will to demand he stop this assault
on her senses.

A tiny part of her mind warned of the danger inherent in
permitting a virtual stranger this much intimacy. They were alone. In his
apartment.

Riskier yet, this man possessed powers she could barely imagine
and he had her pinned helpless between a wall and his body. He could do anything
he wanted.

His hand caressing her breast made her realize that she
wouldn’t stop him. Ariel moaned, pushing aside the insignificant worries.

Cam knew that if he didn’t back off now, there would be no
stopping him. Already his beast was screaming for more contact than this kiss
and a touch through her shirt. By her ardent response he doubted she’d care.

He ignored the dragon’s demands and tore his mouth from hers,
staring down at her flushed face until she opened her eyes.

“Why are you here, Ariel?”

She shook her head. “Sorry, but seducing me will gain you
nothing.”

Her breathlessness gave little weight to her words. He took his
time trailing his gaze from the spot above her head where he held her wrists,
down to where their bodies met. Returning his focus to her face, he smiled. “Who
do you think you’re fooling?”

When she didn’t respond, he stroked his thumb across her
captured wrists. “I have you trapped and completely at my mercy. Yet, instead of
being scared, you challenge me?”

Cam breathed deeply—a dangerous move considering the war being
raged between his mind and beast. The sultry scent of desire confirmed his
suspicions, and strengthened his desire. She was as hot as he.

Stroking her cheek with his free hand, he observed, “Judging by
your enlarged pupils, flushed cheeks and parted lips, you’re more turned on than
afraid.”

He expected her to look away out of embarrassment. And while a
deeper flush spread across her cheeks and down her neck, she held his gaze
without flinching.

“Did it take some kind of special power to come to that
conclusion, or were you able to figure it out on your own?”

She was intentionally trying to anger him. What did she think
to gain? And what would she do if he refused to play along?

Keeping his tone light, he answered, “A little of both.”

Ariel narrowed her stare to a glittering glare. “You wasted
your energy. It doesn’t matter how much you coax me into wanting you, we are
never satisfying that want.”

When she presented him with a challenge, she went all out. How
could he resist? Cam brushed his lips against the side of her neck, asking, “And
why is that?”

She shivered beneath his teasing touch before answering. “For
one thing, Mr. Drake,” she drawled his name, making it sound like a curse.
“You’re my boss.”

She tugged her arms and he released her wrists. Ariel looped
her arms around his neck and played with his hair. “And I work for your enemy,
remember?”

He traced the vein in her neck. The tremor in her voice took
the sting out of her words as she threw his accusation back in his face.

Ariel tilted her head, giving him better access to the soft
flesh beneath her ear. “Besides, I can’t let lust rule my mind, can I?”

Cam realized with a start that he was enjoying this
conversation. For the life of him, he couldn’t pinpoint the moment his anger had
changed to interest. When had the two forces battling inside him decided to
unite?

Without breaking his attention to her neck, he shrugged. “I
don’t know, can you?”

“No. It wouldn’t be wise.”

He nipped at her earlobe. “I can fix your first problem.”

Ariel twirled a lock of his hair before giving it a swift
yank.

Cam chuckled at her retaliation, then told her, “You’re fired,
Ms. Johnson.”

She slid her arms down and wrapped him in her embrace. “We
signed a contract, Mr. Drake. I get a month to wrap up whatever project I’m
working on and don’t forget that severance package.”

“You’re here under false pretenses, so I’m fairly certain that
contract isn’t binding.”

She countered, “And you’ve already admitted you knew about the
false pretenses before you offered me the contract.”

“I have more spendable money than you do. I could drag it out
in court for years.”

“True.” Ariel ran her hands up his back. “But look at all the
time you’d have to spend away from the Lair.”

She trailed her fingertips along his shoulder blades, brushing
across the dragon mark. The light contact whipped through him like a storm.

“You might have me there.” He paused to take a steadying breath
as she grazed his mark again. “How about we make a deal?”

“Depends.”

“You tell me why you’re here and I might let you keep your
job.”

Ariel laughed softly. “Nice try.”

He lifted her in his arms. Heading for his bedroom, he said, “I
guess I’ll just have to try harder.”

“You do that. But I’m not sleeping in your bed.”

Cam did a one-eighty and headed for the guest bedroom. “Not a
problem.”

“There is one small, tiny problem.”

He paused at the bedroom door. “And that is?”

“I’m not on the pill.”

Cam froze. “You aren’t on the pill?”

“No. I’ve had no reason to be. Don’t tell me that you don’t
have any condoms?”

“No.” He lowered her to her feet. “I’ve had no need for
them.”

Ariel leaned against the door and sighed. “Well, I guess you’ll
have to try harder some other time then, won’t you?”

She didn’t seem too upset by this predicament at all.
Suspicious, he narrowed his eyes. “You saved this little bit of information
until just the right minute on purpose, didn’t you?”

Ariel widened her eyes. “Me? A mere human female? You think I
would try to outwit a…” She paused, frowning. “What exactly are you?”

Cam gritted his teeth. “I told you, a wizard.”

She opened the bedroom door. “Well,
Mr.
Wizard
—” she stepped inside the room “—I think this round goes to the
girl.”

He stared at the closed door a long minute before turning on
his heel and leaving the apartment.

Ariel waited, with her ear pressed against the door, until she
heard the entry door slam. Closing her eyes, she turned around with her back
against the door, and slid to the floor before her trembling legs could buckle
beneath her.

Of course she’d saved that information on purpose. He wasn’t
dealing with a complete idiot. Since he hadn’t harmed her, she’d gambled that
taking the chance of creating a child would be too much for him to risk.

It didn’t happen often, but thankfully, this time she’d been
right.

What would she do next time? She was certain there would be a
next time. Cameron Drake wasn’t going to give up this easily. And since it was
nearly impossible not to respond to what his touch did to her,
next time
might turn out quite differently.

She needed to find that pendant and cube. Locating those cursed
items and getting out of here was the only way she could save Carl and
herself.

It wouldn’t be easy, but to save her brother she would do
anything, would sacrifice anything—including her self-respect and her heart.

Determined to find the strength of spirit required to bolster
her wavering bravado, she rose, then strolled into the dressing room. Cameron
had been right, all of her things had been moved.

Ariel walked back out into the bedroom and froze under the
archway between the two rooms.

Impossible.

When the floor beneath her feet stopped heaving and her heart
slowed enough for her to think, her first impulse was to turn around and run as
fast and as far from the Lair as she could. Unfortunately, that option wasn’t
available.

She stepped hesitantly through the room, reminding herself to
breathe as she approached the small writing desk.

Ariel stared down at the desk in disbelief. How did that
book…that grimoire…get here? She reached out, then, remembering what Cam had
said about the book giving his sister-in-law powers, pulled her arm back,
fearing if she touched it something would happen to her, too.

The door to the apartment opened, then closed. She gasped and
turned around quickly, hiding the book with her body. If Cameron saw it he would
mistakenly assume she’d stolen it again.

Although how she would have gotten it out of a room-size block
of concrete was beyond her comprehension. She would have had to use a jackhammer
and that would have been a little loud for anyone to have missed. Not to mention
the time involved in that process.

He opened the bedroom door, but stopped just outside the
doorway. “Is everything here?”

Oh, yeah—everything and then some
.
“Yes.”

Cam winged a handful of flat square packets onto the bed. “You
should have a few of these in your purse.”

She knew without looking that he hadn’t tossed packets of sugar
on her bed. They were condoms. It was done as a warning—he wasn’t through with
her yet.