Releasing the Dragon: Myths and Legends, Book One (7 page)

Dragon was a few feet away from me leaning
against the wall with his hands in his pockets. I let my gaze
travel over the red shirt he wore unbuttoned at the top with a suit
jacket that matched his black trousers perfectly. His clothing was
impeccable, obviously expensive and tailored just for him. He
looked so good I wanted to close the distance between us and wrap
myself around him.

"Usually when I see a vampire my first
thought is to run a stake through it's heart, but in your case, I
might have to make an exception." His eyes were riveted to my
costume, a red and black slim-fitting corset dress with satin and
velvet trim. The main part of the skirt ended just below my hips
where lace flared a little and continued to my ankles with a slit
up the middle. The outfit was completed with lace sleeves, a
vampire collar, black jeweled choker, and little fangs attached to
my teeth.

"Do you like it?" I lifted the dress with
both hands and danced in a circle.

When I made it back around to face him again
he pushed off from the wall and moved towards me with the prowling
gait of a hunter used to catching his prey. By the time he stopped
just inches in front of me my blood was rushing though my veins at
a rate that left me dizzy.

He leaned forward slowly and smoothed his
hands down my arms as he whispered in my ear. "I don't think I have
ever seen a sight more tempting than you in this dress. If fact, I
like it so much that I can barely keep from ravishing you here in
this hallway."

His words sent heat flashing through my body,
and then I saw just a taste of what he'd suggested. He had one arm
holding me against his chest while the other held my thigh with my
calf curling around his body. His hips were thrusting with a
rhythmic motion while his mouth ravished every inch of my neck.

It all felt so real, so erotic. My legs
nearly gave out with the rush of desire I felt for him. The vision
ended abruptly and I looked up to see his eyes burning with
passion. I was almost sure he had seen the same thing I had, but I
had no idea how that could be possible.

I don't know how long we stayed there,
aroused and unwilling to look away, but eventually we were
interrupted by a member of the security staff.

"Excuse me Mr. Drake, I apologize for the
interruption, but Rook is requesting your presence in the gym."

All the heat I'd felt a moment ago turned to
ice when my brain finally registered what the nervous young man had
said.

"Mr. Drake? Mr. Donovan Drake? Owner and
General Manager of the Myths and Legends Casino Resort?" I choked
the questions out already knowing the answers. He'd seemed so
familiar last weekend and now I understood why. His face had been
splashed all over the covers of magazines for the past several
years. He'd been named the most eligible bachelor in America half a
dozen times, and he's one of the most sought after men alive. He
was also my boss.

Dragon turned with an angry glare and
practically growled at the other man. "Liam, tell Rook that I will
be there as soon as I can."

The security officer paled noticeably. "Of
course, My Lord." He fisted his hand over his heart and bowed
deeply before he pivoted around and left in a hurry.

Dragon turned to me with a grimace. "That is
not how I wanted you to learn my identity. I didn't want to mislead
you last weekend but I also didn't want you to be intimidated by my
status here at the resort."

"You mean your status as my boss? Why would
that be intimidating?" I threw my hands in the air and turned away
from him. I didn't know what to think and I felt tears welling in
my eyes. I had so many thoughts and emotions swirling around in my
head. I felt betrayed by his omission of important information and
stricken by the prospect of never knowing his touch again.

"Serafina, please look at me and let me
explain." When I didn't turn around he said, "I wanted to get to
know the real you, and we both know you would have held back or
behaved differently had you known who I am. I didn't want to lie to
you so I dodged most of your questions and answered truthfully when
I could. My friends really
do
call me Dragon and I
am
a local business owner. I never intended to hurt you and deeply
regret that I have. I am more sorry than I can express for the pain
this has caused you."

I turned around with tears streaking down my
face. I couldn't believe how upset I was, but the decision I'd come
to left me feeling bereft. "I don't think we should see each other
romantically any more. It just wouldn't be appropriate."

"I can't accept that," Dragon stated
emphatically, then in a gentler tone he said, "I know we've only
just met but the connection between us is undeniable. We have a
chance for something magical and I won't let it slip away without a
fight. The entertainment division of this resort is Solomon's
domain and I have no direct influence over his staff members. I
could override his decisions but I can honestly say I have never
needed to in the past." His eyes searched my face looking for any
sign that I might change my mind.

I noticed that people were starting to stop
and stare behind Dragon so I took a deep breath and wiped the tears
off my cheeks. "I can't think about this right now," I told him
quietly. "I'm supposed to start my shift in a few minutes and now
I'll have to go fix my makeup."

I started to walk away but Dragon reached out
and pulled me close to his body. My mind told me to push him away
but my body melted into his warmth. Then he kissed me. The kiss lit
every cell in my body on fire. When he finally drew back I was
breathless.

"I don't care about what is appropriate, or
about what other people think," Dragon whispered fiercely. "I only
care about you and me, and how we feel when we're together. Can you
really walk away now and never know what could have been between
us? Think about it Serafina, and if you want me as much as I want
you, meet me at The Gateway Friday evening for Solomon's show."

Dragon walked away without another word and I
went to my dressing room to pull myself together. When I returned
to Lilith's I put a smile on my face and focused on dancing. No
matter what happened in my life dancing always helped me feel
centered, peaceful. By the end of my shift my decision was made. I
couldn't walk away from Dragon without knowing where this crazy
attraction between us might lead. I would meet him Friday and it
would either be the best night of my life or the biggest mistake I
would ever make.

I found Rook in the locker room of the
underground gym. His hair was pulled back in a braid and he was
dressed for sparring.

"You're starting to make a bad habit of
interrupting me at the worst possible moment," I informed him as I
stripped off my clothes. He tossed me a pair of gym shorts and I
yanked them on.

"Just looking out for your best interests,"
he said with a smirk. "I figured if we go a few rounds down here
then you might be able to hold off until after Solomon's show on
Friday."

"I might be holding off a lot longer than
that now that your messenger informed Serafina that I'm her
boss."

"I didn't mean for that to happened, but the
more she knows before the two of you get physical the better."

"I know that Rook, but she has human morals
when it comes to relationships and sex, and for them, sleeping with
your boss is taboo. She told me she didn't think it would be
appropriate for us to see each other romantically. I almost lost
it, and for a moment I thought the dragon was going to wake up. He
is definitely rumbling in his sleep. Every time I get near Serafina
he sends vibrations through my soul. I can feel him urging me to
take her. I asked her to reconsider her decision and meet me at The
Gateway like we planned. I don't know what I'm going to do if she
doesn't show."

"She'll show," Rook assured me as we exited
the locker room. "Once you touched her the mating frenzy started
for both of you. Neither of you will be able to deny the instinct
to mate much longer."

We cut across the gym and climbed into the
ring at the far back corner. Facing each other in the center of the
ring we stretched as we talked.

"And what will she think about that? Humans
would probably think the mating frenzy is a form of rape."

He shrugged. "That's only because most of
them no longer believe in fate or magic. She may feel trapped or
forced in the beginning, until she understands the connection the
two of you share, but once she feels the depth of the mating bond,
she will see it as a gift and she will cherish every moment you
have together."

"I hope you're right," I said sincerely. "The
future of an entire race might depend on her ability to accept me
as her mate."

"Of course I'm right."

Rook struck with blinding speed and barely
missed me as I dodged his punch. He continued his assault keeping
me off balance for several minutes until I finally gained the upper
hand and landed a blow to the side of his head. We were evenly
matched and after centuries of sparring and training together we
could anticipate each other's moves with a high degree of accuracy.
That meant I had to focus solely on the fight in order to keep from
getting knocked on my ass. It was just the distraction I needed and
the physical exertion helped alleviate some of the sexual
frustration building inside of me.

Once the fight was over and I walked out of
the gym I knew the reprieve wouldn't last as long as I needed it
to. Before long I would be tracking Serafina, craving her scent and
her taste, wanting to know the feel of her bare flesh pressed
against mine. The next time I saw Serafina I would probably fall on
her like a wild, rutting beast. The need to claim her was almost
overwhelming and grew stronger every minute. I could only pray that
she would come to Solomon's show and that I could hold out until it
was over. If not, the price for my impatience might be more than
any of us are willing to pay.

I'm usually a very practical person who makes
decisions after weighing all the options. Normally I would say that
I don't believe in fate and that people shape their own futures.
But since my arrival at this resort I have found myself wondering
more and more if any of the magic here could possibly be real.
Yesterday I must have changed my mind at least a hundred times
about my decision to meet Dragon at The Gateway tonight. I know
it's not a good idea but I can't bear the idea of not knowing what
could have been. Then I woke up this morning and it all became so
clear. The answer was there in my dreams all along, I just had to
let myself see it, and accept it.

The dreams actually started on my
twenty-first birthday when some friends and I were in New Orleans
celebrating. That night I dreamed of a wildly sexy man with an edge
of danger and mystery. Every night since then he has transported me
to another time and place. To some long forgotten kingdom where
myths and legends engage in epic battles and his reign is
unquestioned as he leads his army of shapeshifters against the
vampires. These dreams are the reason I'm fascinated by
shapeshifters and vampires, and why I found the audition invitation
for this resort especially appealing.

Along with the supernatural twist my dreams
always have an erotic theme featuring my mysterious warrior king.
When he's not out slaying hordes of vampires he can be very
romantic. Sometimes he makes love to me slowly in front of a
fireplace or by a waterfall. Other times our lovemaking is more
urgent with him pounding into me like our lives depend on our next
climax. In some of my dreams we soar through the sky. I never get a
good look at him while we're flying but I know he's there. I feel
him with me while the wind rushes over my body electrifying my
nerve endings. Then we land in a meadow surrounded by lush green
trees where he takes me with animalistic fervor. No matter how he
claims me I wake each morning in the midst of orgasm wishing he
could be there to hold me while my body trembles with the pleasure
he gave me.

Until this morning the memories of this man
have always faded quickly once I'm awake. Within seconds the image
of his face disappears and only the knowledge that he will return
the next time I sleep remains. But today when I woke up his face
actually became clearer instead of fading, and I knew without a
doubt that Dragon is my phantom lover.

Over the years I've tried to form
relationships or even just have casual sex. But none of the men
I've dated could live up to my fantasy lover. All of them left me
feeling empty inside. None of the men I've been with could spark an
emotional reaction in me any more than they could satisfy my carnal
desires. Now that I've met the man of my dreams - literally -
nothing will stop me from knowing if he can satisfy my hungers and
fill the void I've always felt in my soul.

I spent hours in the spa this afternoon
preparing for my date with Dragon. Once I was buffed and brushed,
my hair styled, my nails polished, and my legs silky smooth, I
dressed in an emerald green evening gown that hugged my curves and
accentuated my cleavage. I wanted to look irresistible, to be so
enthralling not even Rook would be able to tear Dragon away from me
again. This dress was sure to help me reach that goal.

I left my apartment and made my way to The
Gateway. The resort was more crowded than I'd seen it so far, and I
guessed that had to do with Solomon's show. When I arrived at the
receiving area for The Gateway I scanned the crowd looking for my
dark prince and spotted him standing near the entrance to the
theater. He was dressed in a black tuxedo that fit his sculpted
body in a way that had every woman in the vicinity taking a second
look. He looked absolutely mouthwatering. He was talking to a
younger man with sandy blond hair who was dressed in full black
with lots of metal - were those chains?