Firebreather 2: A Royal Continuum (7 page)

"Well, I never thought I'd say this. I mean, I've been with Lucas and my brothers when we helped Lea through the bonding. And I've done a few things with Lucas."
Shot into his mouth while Adrian fucked his ass. What a night that had been.
Matthias cleared his throat and his mind when Ava's eyes darkened with unintentional lust.

"Go on." She coughed and looked away, composing herself.

He stifled a grin. He did so love her open responses, and the fact that she read him so easily told him she hadn't totally closed herself off from him. "I find myself feeling for Tanner the way Adrian feels for Lucas."

Her eyes widened.

"I mean, I feel for you, too, the same love and affection, but you don't want to hear about that. So I need you to help me, if not for what I have in my heart for you, then for Tanner."

"Matthias, so help me, I am not falling for your bull--"

"He's of mixed blood, Ava," he said quietly, wanting to see her response. "Human and Dracon. He hasn't had an easy time of it, and I'm afraid I made a mess of things earlier." On purpose, but she didn't need to know that.

"Oh." Ava studied him, chewing her lower lip in thought. "I don't care what he is. But there are too many out there who do. You'd think because of the way humans have treated us we'd treat our own better."

His heart lifted as she fell into his plans. God, he loved Ava. Now he just needed to work her and Tanner back to Dracon Mount, where he could convince them both to stay with him, to mate in a ceremony that hadn't been used in over two hundred years. Another hurdle he'd get to when he reached it.

"I agree. When Tanner first came to us I noticed him right off. Not because of his status, or because he's so damned sexy." She grinned with him. "But because of that distant, almost hurt look he wears in his eyes when he thinks no one is looking. I had Adrian do some quiet checking for me. Tanner was born to a human mother and an absent Dracon father. He's been on his own since he was just fourteen, and he's wandered from place to place, never settling anywhere. Seems like the longest he'd stayed was with a clan down south, until one of them found out about his parentage."

"But that shouldn't matter."

"No, it shouldn't." And once Matthias had his way within Dracon Mount, it never would again. "But I don't want you to get the wrong idea. I don't pity Tanner. I want him with me, whole, to stay. He seems to really like you, Ava. And he has a job to see us safely back to the keep. Come with us and help me work on him before we return. You're so warm, so caring. And I bumbled it with my embarrassed feelings earlier."

Actually, he'd been testing Tanner's patience and loyalty, and the man had passed with flying colors. But in the process, Tanner had been hurt. And Matthias desperately wanted to make amends. But more than that, he wanted this family unit to work. And to that end, he needed Ava, his heart, and Tanner, his soul, to join with him.

"Why were you so rude to him, Matthias?"

Time for some more honesty. "Ava, I've never been with another man, sexually, besides Lucas. And he's clearly bonded with Adrian. My part with him was only ever really about Lea."

She nodded, comfortable with the natural bonding between the queen and the royal line, thank God.

"I love women, one in particular," he hurriedly added when her gaze turned frosty. "But last night I wanted you
and
Tanner in the worst way." He could so easily see them both, the beauty and the passion. And he wanted to take them both right here, right now.

"I can't believe you saw that."

"I saw it." His voice was thick, and he had to forcibly restrain himself from throwing her on the bed and fucking her until she screamed. "So, you don't mind, the thought of me and Tanner, I mean?"

The look in her eyes said much more than no, but showed an excitement he hadn't dared hope she would feel.

"Mind?" She laughed. "No, I don't mind." She didn't elaborate, and he didn't press her.

"Right, well. My point in all of this is that my, ah, attraction to Tanner made me uncomfortable. Especially after seeing the two of you together, and wanting
you
the way I do... I know I'm supposed to be the prince who never says a wrong thing or makes a mistake, but around the people I care about I make them all the time."

She blinked at him, stunned, and gave him a shy smile. "I like this Matthias so much better than the one who tries to tell me what to do."

Well, that might be tricky considering he and that Matthias were one and the same. But she had plenty of time to learn the truth of the matter once he brought her home, bonded, mated and claimed.

"So will you help me? Please, Ava. You can leave after we return to Dracon Mount if you want to. I'll even make the arrangements. But Tanner needs us, even if he doesn't know it yet."

She stared at him, then glanced at the door. "Tanner's handsome and really sexy. But he's also gentle and caring." She flushed. "I know I only just met him, but he...I..." She swallowed hard. "He took care of me, in a way I haven't been cared for in a really long time." The glare she sent him told he she hadn't yet forgiven him for Cora. "I don't want Tanner to be hurt."

"I don't either." Matthias wrapped the blanket around his waist and took Ava's hands in his, holding them tight. "I want him to stay where he'll be loved. Where he can finally belong. I think we all want to belong somewhere, don't we?" He stared into her dark eyes, bemused by the spark of color and the flash of passion that danced through.

"Yes. We do." Ava sighed. "Okay, if you're serious about helping Tanner, I'm in."

Finally.
He breathed easier.

"My guess, and it's just a guess because I don't know him that well, is that he's probably more open to sex than emotional bargaining." She gave him a wry look. "He is a male, after all."

Matthias grinned. "Good point."

"So if you want him to hang around after he gets us back to Dracon Mount, you might want to start by seducing him. And I shouldn't have to tell you to do it slowly. He might want you, but he's uneasy about it."

"Do you think it's because I'm a man, or because of my brothers?"

"Because you're royalty, you mean?" At his nod, she cocked her head, thoughtful. "That's a good question. Adrian didn't dig up any info on his sexual preferences, hmm?"

"No. I didn't think that prudent to ask."

She grinned, laughing at him. "Didn't want to tip Adrian off, hmm? Or is it you wanted to keep Tanner all to yourself?"

He allowed her the amusement at his expense, knowing the answer was a little bit of both. As much as he'd teased Adrian about Lucas, he now had to admit to his own case of "man love." Adrian was going to have a field day, not to mention Lucas's reaction.

"So you'll help me with Tanner? It's going to be a battle, and it's going to involve a lot of sex. I can tell that right now, especially if you're right about him."
Say it, baby. Say yes.

Ava took a deep breath and looked at him, really looked at him. The fire of desire burned bright in her eyes, but her voice was calm when she answered. "Yes, Matthias. I'll help you to seduce him--so that you can love him. He deserves it.

"You could start right now if you wanted. Hell, just go out there and drop your blanket. It works for me--I mean, it
would
work for me, if I was running from you, which I'm not. I'll help you with Tanner, but then I'm gone." Her cheeks were a rosy pink.

Matthias nodded soberly, inwardly cheering. "Thank you, Ava. I treasure your advice, and I can't wait to set our plan in motion. Maybe while I'm working on Tanner, you could help find me some clothes to wear? I can't go home like this. And though I wouldn't mind shifting and flying home, I don't think it would be safe to go as dragon back to North Carolina."

"Good point. There are some long, nasty stretches between here and Dracon Mount where Dracon hide is worth a pretty penny." She wrinkled her nose in disgust. "And you definitely need clothes if we're driving home. I'll run into town and grab you some. Try not to scare Tanner away while I'm at it."

He brought her closer and nodded. "Thank you, Ava." Leaning slowly toward her, he gave her every chance to back away. She didn't, and he gave her the loving kiss he'd been aching to. A slow melding of mouths, the kiss was filled with thanks, and with the sweet spill of love. Matthias stopped before he forgot himself and made love to her again.

"Promise me you'll return? That you won't disappear the minute you walk out the front door?" He couldn't help the worry that dogged him.

She sighed, her gaze soft, unfocused. "I won't, I promise."

"We'll be waiting."

She left and Matthias gave in to the satisfaction he was feeling. With a huge grin, he dropped the blanket and strode to the door. Then, remembering how Tanner had helped him earlier when he'd felt weak, he slowed his pace and went out to reel in Tanner, hook, line and sinker.

Tanner watched Ava leave with a frown. Yes, Matthias definitely needed clothing, but sending Ava out alone rubbed him the wrong way. No one knew she had two Dracon staying at her place, so logically she was the one to send for supplies. And she'd been living out here on her own for several months. She knew the land. But still, a female Dracon, alone and away from her clan, didn't sit well with him.

He was tempted to follow her, and then Matthias walked out of the bedroom. Tanner couldn't help staring at the perfection of Matthias's naked body before he turned and focused intently on the meal cooking over the stovetop. Sweet mother, but would it hurt the man to wear a blanket, a towel, Christ, something?

"What's cooking?"

Tanner glanced over at Matthias, who now sat at the kitchen table, his impressive lower body thankfully hidden from view. "Bacon and eggs."

Matthias stared, and Tanner wondered what the prince saw when he looked at him. "Want some help?" Matthias started to rise.

"No! I mean, no, just sit there. I have this under control, and you need your rest, to recuperate."

The amused gleam in Matthias's eyes made Tanner take a closer look. Matthias wasn't screwing with him, was he? But the prince merely sat back in the chair inhaled the tangy smell of bacon frying.

"So who taught you to cook?"

Tanner breathed easier and turned back to the pan. Thoughts of his mother would definitely kill his whacked-out sex drive. "My mother."

"She passed away some time ago, didn't she?" At the sharp look Tanner shot him, the prince smiled his apology. "Everyone who lives in Dracon Mount is scrutinized before they're allowed entry. Lucas and Adrian do a thorough job of screening everyone, but as caretaker of the keep, I need to know who I'm living with as well."

Shit. Matthias knew about Tanner's human mother. And how stupid to think the prince wouldn't know. From what Tanner had gathered, Matthias held Dracon Mount together. Whereas the king interacted with the humans, managing the Dracon's outside businesses and concerns, Matthias took care of the inner workings in Dracon Mount.

Tanner shrugged. "So I guess you know everything there is to know about me."

"Not everything, or I wouldn't be sitting here asking you questions." Matthias stretched, and Tanner couldn't help his mouth watering at the sight of such an impressive build. He never would have guessed it to look at Matthias when dressed. Yes, the prince was tall and broad, but leaner than himself. Yet underneath those clothes, Matthias looked streamlined, like a man who exercised regularly.

"Do you work out?" Tanner turned to the eggs and wanted to kick himself for asking.

"Not as much as I'd like. I keep in shape flying and engaging in those self-defense lessons Lucas thinks are so vital to a prince's upkeep." Matthias snorted, flexing his fists.

"It's not all bullshit, you know. Lucas knows what he's talking about. When I lived in Miami..."

"No, go on. What about Miami?"

"There were a lot of issues between the leaders of Dracon Sands. And I used to hear things about Dracon Mount, things that didn't make Lucas too pleased when I told him what some of the other Dracon think of the royal line. Not everyone likes you as much you think they do," Tanner added gruffly, trying to convince himself he fell into that category.

Matthias chuckled, surprising him. "No wonder you have such a low opinion of me. I don't think everyone likes me. Just because I help lead our colony in Dracon Mount doesn't mean I think I'm any better or worse than anyone else. I just have a different set of responsibilities. Unlike Forest and Morey in Miami, who could write a book about how
not
to lead effectively, we at Dracon Mount believe in equality among our kind."

Tanner snorted and turned to look again at the prince, inciting the first frown he'd seen on Matthias's face since saving him. Hell, even Matthias's frown was sexy. Did the man ever have a bad moment where he looked like shit?

"It's true. Stick around long enough and you'll see." Something in Matthias's voice had Tanner studying him closely.

Matthias's eyes were a brilliant rainbow of color, flashing emotions so powerful they were almost blinding. And then he shuttered the look, staring at Tanner with a question on his face.

Tanner felt the lure, the draw of the firebreather pulling him close. He took a few steps in Matthias's direction, not sure what he meant to say or do, when the smell of burning bacon hit him.

"Shit." He quickly rescued the meat and the eggs sitting in the pan next to them. Shuttling the food onto two plates and leaving enough for Ava once she returned, Tanner handed Matthias a plate and fork and sat across from him, intent on his food. He did his best to avoid another look at the enigmatic man sitting across from him.

They ate in silence for a few moments, until Matthias chuckled.

"What?"

Matthias wiped his plate clean, apparently a lot more hungry than he'd let on. "You know, I think I scare you Tanner. And I find that interesting considering your more than qualified history as a security consultant. Now why would a male protector be scared of the man he's protecting?"