Finding His Dragon (Dragon Blood Book 3) (2 page)

Try as she might, all she could smell were the moth balls she’d left on the windowsill in the living room, and in a bowl by the door. The damned things were wreaking havoc on her nose, and it took a few hours for her to regain full sniffing ability once she was outside because of the blasted things, but, at least, it made it harder for the bastards to follow her scent. She stood immobile listening for any sound.

When nothing stirred outside the bathroom, she opened the door a crack and glanced out. Nothing was out of place. No one was inside. She sighed. Adrian hadn’t found her. It was probably some door to door sales person. Had it been Adrian, he would have busted the door down, not knocked and wait to be let in. Grabbing a fresh shirt, she pulled it on and went back to her maps. Maybe now she could figure out where to go next.

***

Jace looked at the old run down building in front of him. The white siding was chipped and flaking. Two of the windows were cracked, and one more was boarded up, and that was just the front of the house. He’d followed his mate’s scent to the back door, but that’s where it disappeared. The grass hadn’t been mowed in weeks, leaving the entire yard, small as it was, like a jungle of weeds and junk that was piled up at the back. Looks aside, she couldn’t possibly live there. At the rear entrance, the pungent odor of mothballs assailed his sensitive nose. The stink alone would drive a dragon mad, and one thing he knew, his mate was a dragon. Not that it would have mattered. He’d happily take a human mate if she were the one for him. All he had to do was look at Luke and Maddie to know that a human and dragon pairing could work. They were happy as hell, and there was no dragon in Maddie at all.

He gave the thin wooden door a little knock. If the she-dragon were in there, she’d hear it. He waited for a few seconds, but when the shower kept going, he sighed. Why he gave the doorknob a little jiggle, he wasn’t sure. It wasn’t like he’d go barging in there without an invitation. Shaking his head at his foolishness, he turned and headed back. No point in scaring the locals by knocking on every door. One way or another, he’d find his mate. Just knowing she was near had him smiling, and put an extra bounce in his step. His wait was almost over.

Her whole body ached. No matter how hard Charlotte tried to ease the constant need, no matter how often she gave herself pleasure, it still wasn’t enough. Her body demanded more.

It had been two days since she’d holed herself up in her ratty little apartment. Two days where all she could think about were a pair of brilliant blue eyes and sinfully kissable mouth. The more she thought about it, the more she was convinced that the man was a dragon. There was something about him that screamed strength and power. Too bad the moth balls had eroded her ability to smell him when she’d run into him. She’d tried to get his scent from her shirt again, but all that was left was the noxious smell that hid her from the enemy.

She’d seen dragons circling high above the town a few times in the past few days, but she didn’t recognize any of them. Whether or not Adrian was in town, she had to make her move. Mothballs or no, if she didn’t find a way to take care of her heat, they would find her. Her scent would draw the dragons like beacons in the night. Her best bet was to find a willing male, take care of her needs, then make her escape.

The old lady who owned the building had been kind enough to let her use her washing machine and dryer. At least, she wouldn’t be going out looking for a man smelling of mothballs. She packed her bag and left it by the door, ready, so that at the end of the night, she could leave Glen Farley, and the bastards chasing her, behind.

She waited until the sun had finally set before heading out to the one and only bar in the village. It wasn’t much of a bar, but if she wanted to pick up a willing male, it would be the place to do it.

The loud music pounded against her as she made her way to the bar and ordered a coke. No sooner did she have her drink that a man sat beside her. His breath smelled of beer and stale smoke, making her want to gag.

“Hey, sugar. Care to dance?” he asked.

“Sorry, I just got here. I think I’ll wait a bit before I hit the dance floor. Thanks, though,” she shot him down without even thinking about it. Damn, she was supposed to find someone to make her come, not be picky about his looks or his smell. She was about to give him an encouraging smile when inside her, her dragon snapped. She barely contained the beast’s growl.

Okay, okay. We’ll wait for someone else,
she soothed it. Whatever it was about that man, the beast wanted nothing to do with him.

When another man came up to her a few minutes later, this one smelling fresh, and clean, she tried once more, but a growl rumbled free. The man stopped in his tracks, then without even speaking with her, turned away.

You’re the one making me crazy with lust, and you won’t even look at them,
she scolded the dragon.
We need to get this done fast unless you want to be mated to Adrian.

The waitress who’d been serving customers at a nearby table cast a weary glance her way. She gave the woman a small smile and turned to face the dance floor. Maybe if she could get her body close enough to a man, the dragon would be more amenable.

She put her coke on the bar and took a couple of steps when the door opened. Fresh air breezed in, bringing with it the scent she’d been dreaming of for two days. Her heart raced as she watched him stride in. His gaze scanned the room, not stopping until he’d rested it on her.

Tall, well over six feet, with wide, strong shoulders, and a brooding stare, the man shoving his way through the crowd to get to her should have had Charlotte running in the opposite direction. He was huge, and imposing, and so sexy. Her memories of when she’d crashed into him were nothing in comparison to seeing him standing there in the flesh. The contrast between his black hair and pale eyes made him all the more commanding. Like he could—and would—bend her will with one look. His gaze never wavered as he almost dared her without words to go ahead, and do it, to take off so he could give chase.

Excitement rushed through every cell, making every nerve ending sing in anticipation. He was coming for her, and this time, she wouldn’t get away. Oh, she could try, but his whole posture told her he was ready. And he wouldn’t give up until he had her.

Charlotte took a step toward him, then another. His eyes widened a smidgen. He might have thought she’d flee, but not this time. What she wanted—what her dragon needed—was him. Naked. Now. She had to get out of the bar. Not to get away from the hunk of a man eyeing her like he owned her, but to be away from the throng of people who would make it impossible to have him naked in less time than it took to introduce herself.

She took another step closer. His nostrils flared, and a muscle ticked in his jaw. If she could scent his arousal, he could scent hers, and that was fine by her. She was done running, at least for the night. She was finished being the victim, and he, he was her prize, her reward for enduring the endless months of torment at the hands of her clan. For the anguish of being bought and sold as though she was nothing more than chattel.

Charlotte breathed in through her nose, and out through her mouth. Thrilled with the decision to give in to her baser desires, her dragon gave a triumphant roar, and Charlotte was barely able to contain it. She would take this man and everything his lustful eyes promised and soothe the ache she couldn’t quench alone.

She ignored the writhing bodies bumping against her as she made her way to the middle of the dance floor. If you could call rough, and sticky floor planks with no tables set upon them in front of the stage a dance floor. For a moment, everything disappeared. The upbeat song, the sweaty human bodies bouncing all around her, they all vanished.

A promise of pleasure beyond imagining was hers for the taking. But there was more. Something primal. Something she didn’t dare hope. There were no happily ever afters for she-dragons anymore. She
belonged
to a monster of a clan leader, one of her brother’s choosing, not to the sculpted Adonis claiming her with nothing more than his gaze. The sooner she remembered that, the better off she’d be. It wasn’t like she could settle here in Glen Farley, or anywhere else for that matter.

A new song, slow, and sultry began to play, one where if she were so inclined, she could grind up against the hunk eye fucking her. His chest rose and fell with his quickened breaths, making her nipples tighten into hard, aching nubs beneath the thin fabric of her shirt. None of the patrons of the scuzzy dive they were in would care. In fact, some might even enjoy the show.

She tilted her head down and looked up at him, not daring to say a word as he looked his fill. When he reached out with one hand, she took it. The instant his skin touched hers, the energy strumming through her sizzled with heat, heading straight for her clit. So potent. So delicious.

Charlotte stepped closer, eliminating the distance between them, standing on tiptoes to be able to reach his ear. “Dance with me,” she whispered before she flicked her tongue across his earlobe.

His moan wrapped itself around her just as his arms did. There was no mistaking the charged lust coming from the man. Every inch of him was hard, and hot. She rested her palm on his chest, not to push him away, but to give her some sense of control over the sensual heat curling around her. Blood rushed through her veins, making every part of her come to life. Dancing was a mistake. She should have known better. It made her need skyrocket and pulse through her like a living being intent on her destruction. They needed to get out of there. Away from the crowd. Somewhere where they could be alone, otherwise, the drunks really would get more of a show than she intended.

He started a slow grind against her. The hard press of his cock against her belly had her moaning, and her legs grew weak. He moved her around the dance floor, keeping her entranced with his eyes locked on hers. His eyes shone as only a dragon’s could, cold as ice, yet scorching her. A sweet, smoky scent surrounded her, not that of the cigarettes clouding the air in the bar, but one uniquely his. It made her want to lick his skin to see if he tasted as good as he smelled.

And why shouldn't she? She brought her nose close to his neck and gave a long lick up to his jaw. Yeah, they had to leave. Fast. Charlotte tried to pull away, but his arms were like vises holding her in place.

“Not so fast. I’ve just found you, let’s get to know one another,” he suggested with enough command in his voice to make her tremble. The deep timbre sent little shock waves through her, igniting her further.

“I don’t want to get away,” she gasped, “I want to get naked. With you.” She didn’t bother trying to mask her desire. There was no point.

His arms tightened around her for a second, and the soft rumble of his dragon made her already tight nipples harden more. They had to get out of there before she lost all control and started ripping his clothes off him. She was that far gone.

“Hang on,” he said, before lifting her up against him. “Wrap your legs around my waist.”

Hell yeah, she could do that. He cupped her ass with two large hands, the heat emanating from his palms tearing a needy whimper from her as he held her weight until she had her legs wrapped around him. She locked her ankles at the base of his spine, and her dragon purred her approval. Before he could take a step toward the door, she was devouring his mouth.

The sounds of catcalls and wolf whistles sounded in the background, but none of that mattered. The noise of the drunks, the stench of the bar and human sweat, everything but the man carrying her somewhere—anywhere—that wasn’t the bar, disappeared. When she finally pulled her lips from his, he gave a little growl, sending delicious shivers rushing down her spine. Oh yes, sex with another dragon was going to be fun. She wouldn’t have to worry about things getting too rough. Something told her that this man, whoever he was, could take everything she had to give.

The cold night air nipped at her skin where the crisscrossed fabric of her halter didn’t quite cover her back. He took her straight toward a pick-up hidden in the far back of the parking lot, where the neon sign didn’t chase away the shadows. Smart man. Whether or not that was his truck didn’t matter. All she needed was a bit of privacy, and right then, even that wasn’t strictly required.

“Less clothing,” she whispered as his long strides ate up the distance to the shadows.

“Hold on. We’ll go somewh—”

“No time. I need you. Now.” She nipped at his chin and ground herself against the hard bulge straining against the front of his jeans.

He moaned and squeezed her ass a little tighter. “How long have you been in heat?” he asked as he pushed her back against the cold metal of the truck.

Charlotte hissed, arching her back, but even the cold wasn’t enough to keep her from going for more. She wiggled her hand between them, desperate to get to the button so she could free him from his jeans. “Two days of hell. I ache all over. Help me,” she pleaded.

“Shit.” In an instant, he disentangled her legs from his waist and set her feet on the ground. His chest heaved, and his pupils dilated until the blue was all but swallowed by them.

Charlotte reached for the button, but his hands were there first. He popped it, then lowered the zipper, jerking the jeans down to his knees before reaching for hers.

***