Dragon's Curse (Harlequin Nocturne) (19 page)

Everything she’d already done could be for nothing—she could
end up dead before saving her brother. Ariel swallowed a curse, then whispered,
“What have I done?”

Cam threaded his fingers through hers and tugged her away from
the castle. “You can’t take her on, Ariel. You have nothing in your arsenal that
comes close to what’s in hers.”

Numb from her own lack of forethought, she followed, knowing
that Braeden had been right, she had to get off this island. While leaving here
was the best, and the only sane, option, Cam’s intended method of departure gave
her cause for concern.

Ariel tugged on his hand, slowing his stride. “Is something
wrong with your jet?”

Stopping, he turned to look at her. “Scared?”

That would be putting it mildly. These dreams and feelings
inside her claimed her to be like Cam. She prayed that wasn’t true, but even if
it was, she had no experience at flying. How was she supposed to cross an entire
ocean under her own power?

And even if he carried her part of the way, what was to stop
him from dropping her into the water? While she doubted his dragon would do so
willingly, she had no idea how much control Cam had over the beast. Dropping her
would solve all his troubles. She wasn’t about to voice that fear, it might give
him ideas. “No. Not really. I just think it’s a waste of a—”

Quicker than her eyes could follow, the dragon—Cam—loomed over
her. Ariel gasped at his rapid shift. There was no slow transformation, no
display of limbs and flesh turning into wings and scales. It was nearly
instantaneous. Her breath caught when he scooped her up and took flight.

The ground spun away beneath them at a dizzying rate. She
wrapped her arms tightly around one smooth talon and closed her eyes, suddenly
certain this was a very bad idea.

Even in his current form, Cam was aware of the terror charging
through the woman securely imprisoned inside his curved talons. The scent was
too familiar for him to mistake as anything else.

Before soaring out across the seemingly endless water, he
circled the isle, slowly gliding, easily adjusting his wings to ride the wind.
When her death grip lessened and the tang of fear warmed to a more spice-filled
aroma, he spread his wings against the wind to land gently on the beach.

Ariel slid off his now-opened foot, and backed away enough to
gaze up at him. “Is this a choice?”

Cam stayed in dragon form, lowering his head to chuff a breath
against her hair. Yes, it was a choice—of sorts. She could choose to come
willingly, or he could snatch her up again.

She walked around him, reaching out now and then to touch, to
stroke a wing or his scales before coming to a stop before him. “Apparently you
don’t intend to drop me to my death.”

Insulted, he turned his head and snorted. Sand puffed up around
them. Drop her? If he had any intention of killing her, he wouldn’t resort to
something as clumsy as dropping her.

Her soft laugh sent tremors shivering the length of his spine.
Had she, or her own beast, somehow understood?

She closed her eyes and he could sense her shadowy dragon
fighting for its freedom. Unable to help her make the transformation, he could
only watch and wait.

Finally, either frustrated or too inexperienced, she gave up
with a sigh and asked, “Are you certain you can carry me all the way back to the
Lair?”

Cam dragged a talon through the sand, then picked up a tiny
pebble. He held it out to her.

“Okay, I get the gist. But I think I might weigh a little more
than a pebble.”

He dropped the stone and reached toward a car-size boulder.

“Oh!” Ariel shrieked and swatted at his chest. “Funny.”

Pleased he could humor her so easily, he relented and held out
a forefoot.

A gust of wind rushed across the water onto the beach. Ariel
shivered. “I’m going to freeze to death, aren’t I?”

He stared down at her. She wanted a nest? A bed? He studied the
beach, looking for something that might suit the woman. Finding nothing, he
shook his head, then tapped a talon to his chest. The warmth of his body would
keep her from freezing.

A questioning frown marred her features, creases lined her
forehead. “Can we try it first?”

He wiggled his talons, beckoning her to climb aboard.

Ariel scrambled onto his foot, gasping when he closed his
talons around her like a cage, then lifted her against his chest.

She reached between his hooked claws to place her palm against
his chest. Cam willed his body heat to flow into her, knowing full well the
effect would do more than just warm her flesh.

With a trembling sigh, she sat down, circled one arm around a
talon and asked hoarsely, “How long is this going to take?”

While Cam fought the urge to change back into human form and
satisfy the lust wafting thick around them, the beast growled softly, content to
do nothing more than hold the woman close.

Chapter 18

S
he wanted to push away the nagging voice
whispering in her ear. It rudely interrupted her dream. The wind whipping
through her hair as she flew across both sea and land had made for a wonderful
dream. Stars dotted the night sky, blinking like twinkle lights against the
darkness.

“Ariel.”

No. Angrily brushing away the hand shaking her shoulder, she
groaned with regret at being forced to leave her dreams behind.

“Come on, we’re home.”

Home? She opened her eyes and looked around. “This isn’t home,
it’s the Lair—”

Dragon’s Lair?
The last thing she
remembered was falling asleep against Cam’s—his beast’s—chest. Although how she
fell asleep was beyond her knowing. The warmth emanating from the dragon had
been the most erotically intoxicating sensation she’d ever experienced.

“Are you awake?”

She quickly closed her eyes, hoping to avoid having to look at
him. While she knew she wouldn’t die from embarrassment, she’d rest easier if he
didn’t know what she’d felt.

“From that blush I’d say you’re awake.” The mattress dipped
then shifted as he rose from the bed. “It’s still early, get a couple more hours
of sleep.”

She rolled onto her side and glanced at him. “Where are you
going?”

“To my own bed.” He paused at her bedroom door. Without turning
around, he said, “Christmas.”

Ariel rose up on an elbow, waiting for an explanation to his
strange comment spoken in such a surprised tone of voice.

“Your lust smells like Christmas—exotically spiced Orientals
laced with cinnamon and cloves.”

She fell back down onto the bed with a groan. Before she could
think of anything to say in reply, the door slammed closed behind him.

Relief flowed through her—followed by desperate need. Ariel
sighed. This was all wrong.

Her gut feeling told her that no matter what her logical
reasoning believed, she was just like him, but he was the enemy. He and his
family would be victim to her thievery.

Dismayed, Ariel groaned. Cameron Drake and his accursed dragon
was the last person she should care about.

Yet, if it was so wrong, why did she want him so badly? Why did
just the memory of his fingertips grazing her naked flesh make her bite her lip
to keep from crying out for his touch?

If this wasn’t right, if this wasn’t meant to be, why did she
so willingly, so eagerly, go into his arms each time he beckoned?

If this wasn’t right, why did his easy acceptance of what she
might be matter so much to her? Why did his understanding and his willingness to
help calm the fears tearing through her mind?

And if this was wrong, why did the thought of leaving Dragon’s
Lair create such an aching hole in the pit of her stomach?

“Why can’t you want me as much as I do you?” she whispered into
the empty darkness of the bedroom.

Cam rested his forehead against the cool wood of her bedroom
door. It did nothing to temper the need urging him to open the door and satiate
the lust raging through both of them.

While he’d been merely surprised that she’d trusted him enough
to carry her across a vast ocean with nothing separating her from the icy-cold
water except his talons curved around her, his beast had been
touched—deeply.

More so than he’d ever imagined possible.

Added to that was the fact that she’d sensed his beast while
they’d made love in the workroom. Not only sensed him, but ached for the
dragon’s pain and longed to comfort him.

Comfort
. This mortal, this enemy of
his, had been upset that she didn’t know how to comfort a cursed, magical
beast.

And most of all, this enemy sent to defeat him and his family
was more like him than any other person in the world. With her, he was no longer
alone.

He needed to get her out of here, away from Dragon’s Lair, away
from him before he was unable to let her go.

Already the dragon mourned what would soon be an end to Ariel’s
stay at the Lair. Thankfully, the beast understood what had to be done to keep
her alive. But that understanding did little to quell the hurt ripping through
his chest.

He turned away from the door with a ragged sigh. Time had
eventually healed the hurt of losing Carol. But the beast hadn’t been involved
then, what sort of time would accepting this loss require? Would a lifetime be
enough?

It would have to be, since that’s all he had to give.

He slid a hand into the pocket of his jeans, curling his
fingers around the dragon pendant that would soon find its way into the
Learneds’ hands. A shame since Ariel seemed to be the only one who possessed the
ability to transfer her touch on the pendant to his beast. It was too bad she
couldn’t keep it with her when she left.

Right now, he needed to find the last item that would send
Ariel from the Lair, and place her out of danger’s way. A wooden puzzle box.
Unfortunately, he hadn’t the slightest clue of where to begin his search.

* * *

“You what?”

Jeremy cowered from the heated anger, the pure rage spewing
from his father’s shouted question. “I don’t know how it happened. One minute he
was there—and the next…he was just…gone.”

Nathan slammed a fisted hand on the top of his credenza,
sending candles and dragon statues flying as the ancient piece of furniture
cracked in two. His curses filled the room, forcing Jeremy to press even tighter
against the locked door at his back.

He clawed at the door, frantically chanting and mumbling in his
haste, seeking the right spell to break the lock and set him free.

“Jeremy, my child, are you thinking of leaving me?”

He froze, terrified by his sire’s cold, even tone of voice.
Slowly, he turned to face his father. “No, I would never…”

His words trailed off as Nathan raised a hand and pointed one
boney finger toward Jeremy. “Be still, boy.”

The older wizard waved abruptly toward a chair, laughing as his
son’s body was flung, arms flailing and legs kicking, across the room to land
unceremoniously atop the seat.

“We need to fix this.”

How were they going to fix dead? The Johnson boy was dead.
Nothing he nor his gifted father did could change that.

“Oh, but there is a way to fool people into believing he is
still alive. At least until I get what I want.”

Jeremy silently cursed his wayward thoughts. Apparently he’d
given his sire an idea—one that most likely wouldn’t bode well for him.

“Come, come now, boy. You got us into this mess, surely you
feel the need to do your part to make it right.”

Since it hadn’t been posed as a question, Jeremy knew the
choice had already been made. He shrunk, folding himself into the chair, trying
to forestall the inevitable.

His father’s hand against his neck was cold enough to freeze
his flesh. Jeremy trembled as the older wizard chanted, his warm breath forming
ice crystals that hung like clouds in the air.

“Relax, my son. It will only hurt for a moment.”

Frozen in place, Jeremy was unable to escape his father’s
stroking touch along his cheek. Unbearable pain forced a scream from his
throat.

The instant he parted his lips to cry out his torment, his
father swallowed the scream with his own mouth.

Nathan smiled at the warmth flowing through his body as he drew
in his son’s soul. He hadn’t felt this alive, this vital, in more months than he
could remember. Not since the Drakes’ dragon had carted him off.

Before he drained too much of his son’s spirit, he released the
boy. Eventually, Jeremy would regain strength, but until then he would be
nothing more than a breathing shell.

He needed Jeremy to have enough soul to at least be able to
speak on command. Thinking wasn’t necessary—in fact, it was giving the boy the
opportunity to think that had caused this mess to begin with.

Nathan didn’t want to risk the Johnson woman’s cooperation, so
for now at least, it served him better to let her speak with Jeremy. That way
she wouldn’t become overly suspicious.

Although, it was truly a pity he couldn’t retain this energy
for himself. Not just yet. First he wanted that pendant and his box returned.
For that, he needed Jeremy alive—more or less.

Nathan straighten his spine, enjoying the feel of not being
hunched over for a change. He thrust out his arms, turning and twisting in ways
he’d been unable to do for so long now, before heading toward the door.

He paused to glance back at the half-lifeless body of his only
remaining child. Perhaps being childless wouldn’t be so bad after all.

It was something he’d have to consider seriously, once the
items were in his possession.

* * *

Ariel grasped the edge of the picnic table for support.
“Why would you do that?”

Renalde’s exasperated sigh made her fear he’d changed his mind.
“I’m not going to keep repeating myself, Ms. Johnson. Do you want Carl with you,
at the Lair or not?”

“Of course I do. But I don’t have the puzzle cube, just the
pendant.” She didn’t mention that it wasn’t the emerald one he’d ordered her to
find. She’d deal with that issue when the time came.

“I have every confidence that you’ll find it. I’m sure
Brightworthe’s death is still ingrained in your mind. So you know just what I’m
capable of doing.”

“Yes, but—”

“There are no buts. I tire of seeing to your brother’s care.
Let his continued life, or eventual death, be on your hands.”

“What’s to stop me from leaving the Lair with Carl?”

Renalde’s laugh sent shivers down her spine. “Go ahead and try.
I’ll have my hands on the both of you before you reach the edge of town. Do I
need to explain what will happen then?”

“No.” She knew without a doubt that he would make her suffer
and pay dearly for trying to thwart him. “When do you want to make the
exchange?”

“I’ll be at the gates in front of the Lair in about fifteen
minutes.”

Ariel scrambled from the picnic table and raced toward the
Jeep. “I’ll meet you there.”

“I won’t wait.”

Before she could assure him that he wouldn’t have to, the call
went dead.

She tossed the phone onto the passenger seat as she climbed
behind the wheel and started the Jeep. She pulled into traffic briefly before
turning off onto the back road along the river that would dump her out onto the
main road leading up to the Lair.

The sun glinted off the sapphire dragon pendant swinging on a
chain that was looped around the rearview mirror. She hated to give it up, and
still couldn’t believe Cam had given his blessing for her to do so.

Actually, he seemed sort of relieved that it would soon be out
of her possession. She shot the inanimate piece of jewelry an evil grin, then
leaned forward to drop a kiss on top of its shiny head.

In her mind’s eye she could see Cam flinch at the contact. He’d
know it was her, how could he not? Which is probably why he was so anxious for
her to hand it over to Renalde.

That knowledge made her sad. These past few days had been the
most pleasant of her stay at the Lair. For the most part they hadn’t argued. To
be honest, other than the three new pages she’d uncovered for him in the
grimoire, they hadn’t spent enough time together to argue.

If she wasn’t working in the gardens, or the workshop, she was
hiding from Danielle Drake. Either Cam, Sean or Harold saw to it that she and
Ms. Drake were never alone together.

Never. Not even for a minute.

In fact, the men made it a point to physically place themselves
between the two of them at all times. Which she supposed was for the best,
considering the death-ray looks Ms. Drake shot toward her.

She’d intentionally worked hard all day long so that at night
she’d fall into bed exhausted, passing out almost before her head hit the
pillow. As far as she knew, Cam had spent his nights in his own bedroom.

Still, that hadn’t prevented her from dreaming about him. Some
of the dreams had been so real that she’d sworn she’d caught the scent of his
aftershave on the pillow beside her in the morning.

And sometimes she’d awaken exhausted, as if she’d spent the
night flying, working muscles she didn’t know existed.

Since Cam was a dream wizard of sorts, she realized that a
portion of those dreams might have been true. But she couldn’t bring herself to
question him. She didn’t want to know if he’d actually taught her how to soar,
glide or land. And she didn’t want to know if he’d held her while she slept, or
kissed away her tears.

The knowing would only make things worse when it came time for
her to leave. She’d have her hands full with Carl, and wouldn’t have the time to
grieve for something that never was, or might have been.

It would be easier to leave just a job than it would be to
leave a lover.

Who was she trying to fool? It would be easier for whom?
Certainly not for her.

Ariel drew in a shuddering breath. She knew damn well that as
soon as she pulled her packed van through the gates for the last time, she’d be
a wreck.

While it was true, she could keep her distance now, making it
easier to pretend Cam was nothing more than an employer. She would always long
for just one more kiss, one more touch, one more night spent in his arms.

Dragging her wayward thoughts back to the task at hand, Ariel
slowed the Jeep around the last curve, then came to a stop outside the gates to
Dragon’s Lair.

She glanced at her watch to make certain she hadn’t missed
Renalde, relieved to find she had at least two minutes to spare.

A long panel van pulled up alongside of her. Renalde’s goon
Bennett got out of the van and walked to the rear of the vehicle. When she
didn’t get out of the Jeep immediately, he shouted, “You want this or not?”

She rolled down her window. “Is Mr. Renalde with you?”

“Nope. Just me and Mr. Talkative here.” He jerked a meaty thumb
toward Carl’s prone body.