Rising Dragons Omnibus (3 page)

Rowan yelped in alarm and jerked backward, but there was nowhere to go and he held her tight.

“What the fuck did you do to me?”

“Calm down, love. This is only a glimpse of your true form. The young ones require an infusion of another’s energy to unlock it. Have you never seen yourself like this before? Has it always been only your eyes and hair that were different?”

The slightest stroke of his steel-hard erection inside her sent a buzz of pleasure up through her body. How could she process having
talons
when he was fucking her like that?

“Here, turn around,” he said, pulling out of her and lifting her off the small ledge she’d been perched on while they fucked. He turned her around to face the mirror.

The image that greeted her was alien and beautiful. The edges of all her features were covered in the same shining red scales—at her hairline, along both sides of her neck, down the tops of her shoulders and arms, and down over her hips and thighs. Only her face and the front of her torso from breasts to crotch did she still have fair, normal skin showing through. And at the top of her forehead, extending in dark red coils were a pair of graceful horns, curving back and almost touching Rafe’s chin behind her.

“Glorious,” he said.

When she looked in the mirror at his reflection, a similar sight greeted her, except his features were framed in shining black scales, with a pair of large, deadly looking black horns sprouting from his head.

“What…what are we?”

“Darling, we are dragons.” He said it softly, almost mournfully and his eyes grew sad for a split second before his features smoothed over. “Now, come to bed and I’ll tell you everything.”

Night Fire: Chapter 4

T
hey navigated their way around the minefield of broken crystal, leaving their clothing behind. His taloned hand gripped hers and led her toward a wide staircase off the other side of the foyer. When he turned, she caught a glimpse of the damage she’d caused to his back. Both his shoulders and ass were criss-crossed with bloody stripes.

“Jesus, Rafe! Why didn’t you stop me?”

“Because you were enjoying it so much and I was at the point of no return, myself. It’s nothing to worry about. I’d normally let it heal on its own, but there’s one thing you can do.”

Rowan see-sawed between mortification and confusion, but those feelings seemed inconsequential compared to the buzzing well of energy she seemed to have inside her. The urge to feel him in her again was overwhelming. And not just fucking her, either. She’d always taken more satisfaction from making men come, often not even caring whether she found her own release. Rafe, however, had given her more with that single orgasm of his than she’d enjoyed from all of the other men she’d been with.
Humans? I’m not like them, am I?

“No, my love, you are not. We are a different race entirely.”
He hadn’t spoken out loud, she was sure of it, yet it was unmistakably his voice she had just heard.

“You can hear my thoughts?”

“If you project with enough intent, yes. And you very much wanted an answer to that question. You can ask out loud, though. Anything you want to know, I will tell you. My staff are off for the weekend.”

“You have a staff…of course.”

“Someone has to polish the dragon.”

She smiled in return to the smirk he cast over his shoulder.

“Alright, first question: How do I get my hands back? And I sure as hell can’t go out in public with a pair of horns.”

“It just takes a little concentration and some dragon magic. You’ll be able to change your hair and eye color as it pleases you, too. You may need to build up more energy first, however.”

“And how do I get the energy?”

“Darling, I believe you know the answer to that already.”

He urged her through the door to a huge bedroom, closed it behind her, and stood facing her. He waggled his fingers in front of her face. “First, picture what you’d like them to look like.”

“Just my hands, please.” She made a cattish clawing motion at his face with her new talons that earned her a smile. Not only was he rakishly handsome when full of lust, but almost boyishly cute when he was amused. Her heartbeat fluttered at the contradiction.

“Right, now feel that warm burn of power I gave you, deep down inside.”

“Hmm, how deep?” She quirked one eyebrow.

He stepped toward her and slid his now very human fingertips down her belly. “It may be here, or a bit lower. Shall I give you an anatomy lesson or do you want your hands back?”

She did feel the warm glow in her center, not unlike the sensation of a lingering orgasm, only much more subtle. When she focused on it while picturing her long, pale, and human fingertips, she could feel the energy surge forth and fill her limbs. A moment later the claws and scales disappeared. The weight of the horns left her head.

“So that’s how it works!” she said. “Now turn around. I think I know what your back needs.”

Rafe hesitated. “Healing breath has a trick to it, are you sure?”

“How am I supposed to learn if you won’t let me make mistakes?”

He reluctantly turned. Rowan reached for the energy, enjoying the slight tingle that encompassed the flesh between her legs.

“Just be sure not to breathe fire on me by accident. Smoke is what you’re aiming for.”

Just as he said it, she clamped her hand over her mouth, cutting off the tiny gout of flame that had erupted from between her lips. In a muffled voice she said, “Okay, what’s the trick?”

Rafe’s shoulders shook with mirth. “Picture life, creation, sustaining powers. Avoid thoughts of destruction.”

She rested her hands on his shoulders and focused, pulling on the now somewhat familiar well of energy, and expelling a breath. The red smoke spilled forth in a cloud.

“You can command it where to go, once it’s left your body. Aim it at my scratches.”

Wonders never ceased. With a thought, she did precisely what he said and watched in amazement as the smoke condensed against his wounds, tracing them like a series of small, delicate tongues and sealing each cut. When her breath dissipated, she smoothed her hands lightly over her handiwork. Not even a scar marred his skin.

Distracted by the feel of him under her palms, she continued caressing, moved closer and slid her hands down to cup his firm buttocks. He remained still, letting her explore. She pressed her breasts against his back and slid her hands around his waist, embracing him and pressing her cheek against his back.

“Thank you,” she said.

He clasped her hands in his, drew one to his lips and laid a lingering kiss against her palm. He released her and she let her hands slide lower, over his muscular chest and stomach. The hot tip of his cock brushed her palm when she reached out from his midsection. Rafe let out a deep sigh as she caressed the velvet length of him. His balls were heavy and soft in her palm.

She ached for him again, but much more deeply than she had before. The understanding of a shared bond she had never had before with anyone frightened her a little bit, but also left her uncertain. Sex was one thing… the easy thing. This was the first time she’d ever been with a man who she hoped for more with. One night would never be enough.

He turned to her and kissed her, the strange forked tongue of his teasing into her mouth. She hadn’t hallucinated any of it. Remembering her well of magic, she tried to mimic the shape and found it was natural to make her tongue like his. When the two tangled together, Rafe groaned out a deep laugh, then pulled away.

“You are a fast learner.” The wistful look was back in his dark eyes, in spite of the smile on his face.

“What’s wrong?” she asked. “You keep looking at me like I might die.”

“I’m not worried about you dying. We have very long lives and are extremely hard to kill.”

“Then what are you worried about?” She worried enough herself about giving in to him so completely. But who else was there for her in the world?

“You still have a lot to learn, my love. Don’t worry, I mean to teach you everything.”

The sad look was quickly replaced by one of playful determination. He gripped her by the ass and lifted her up.

Rowan laughed and responded by wrapping her arms and legs around him, letting him carry her to his bed.

Night Fire: Chapter 5

T
wo nights later Rowan awoke from the sweetest dream of making love to Rafe. The bed beside her was empty, but she heard the creak of a step followed by the clinking sound of glass. Rowan sat up abruptly in the dark and looked around, but he wasn’t in the bed beside her, or anywhere else in the room. There were no lights on and the heavy curtains were drawn closed. She could still see clearly, having learned to adjust her dragon sight to the lack of light.

She climbed out of bed, listening. There were definitely voices coming from the first floor. A pair of male voices.

She threw on one of Rafe’s shirts that was about three sizes too big for her and nearly reached her knees. It smelled delightfully of him. She crept to the door and opened it slowly.

The sounds of their mingled voices became as clear as if they were standing outside the door.

“…exist outside the purview of the Council. How do they not know about her? She’s just a baby. My parents kept me in human form until I was sixteen. Most broodlings have to wait longer before they are allowed to unleash their true form. She’s twenty-eight already, with no one to teach her who she is!”

“Rafe, friend. We’ll figure this out. We always knew the Council couldn’t be infallible. She’s the proof. We can use her presence against them. Leverage to get us what we want.”

“But what
do
we want? To mate with whomever we choose? We always both agreed they made the right decision on that. There are too few of us still—inbreeding would destroy the race.”

“What we want is to abolish the sleep. It puts us at a weakness. The next generation shouldn’t be at such a disadvantage. Her presence proves it’s pointless. She’s at full power, you said?”

“Sweet Mother, yes. She’s more powerful than Geva. Only a purebred would be that powerful.”

“Yet another reason to confront the Council. If there are other dragons outside the Brood that have bred while we slept, inbreeding wouldn’t be a concern, particularly if they are as pure as she is.”

“The Council won’t see it that way. The law is the law to them, unless we convince them to change it, but that’s one law that has stood for the last six generations.”

Rowan sank down against the door jamb in the dark of the bedroom. Her gut tightened at everything she was hearing. They were talking about her. Rafe had called a friend to talk about
her
. Was he another dragon, this nameless voice below? He must be. None of the rest of it made sense, though. What was a Geva? It sounded like the name of a god, for all she knew.

“As long as she’s better behaved than Geva, she’ll be fine. She’ll be free to find a human mate like the rest of us.”

The sound of breaking glass made Rowan jerk in surprise.

“You don’t understand, Kol. I have to have
her
. Not a human.”

“You’re in love with her.”

“What? No… she’s just… she’s pure. Tell me why we shouldn’t be able to breed?”

Tears streamed down her face and she swiped them away roughly with the cuff of the shirt she wore. She only half heard the talk that followed. Quiet words of comfort from the friend. More talk of bloodlines. But all he wanted her for was a broodmare?

“I love you, Rafe. But I can’t do this.”

She only hoped he heard her. She found a pair of sweat pants and a shirt, then grew frustrated with how they hindered her movement. The burn in her belly grew and she remembered the magic. If she could conjure her hands, she could conjure an outfit.

“Rowan wait!”

The door swung open and Rafe stood there, a larger, darker man behind him. She stood by the open window, clad in the red leather outfit she’d succeeded in conjuring for herself via some serious concentration and a lot of deep breathing. She was ready to jump out and see if she could actually convince herself to fly. Rafe had told her dragons could fly in their true forms, at least.

“I’m leaving. You and your
people
clearly have some issues to work out. I don’t want any part of it.”

“Rowan, stop.” The deep, commanding voice of the other man actually pulled her back into the room. Jesus, it felt like a pair of hands were holding her, actually turning her around. She was helpless in the invisible clutches of this stranger.

He squeezed past Rafe’s large figure in the doorway and came to stand in front of her. She had to crane her neck to look up at him.

“Sorry, I don’t like having to do this, but I needed to be sure you wouldn’t leave. Please stay and listen. We won’t hurt you.”

Rowan squirmed in the invisible grasp and finally nodded. “Fine, I’ll stay.” She shot a flaming look at Rafe, oddly satisfied when he ducked his head in response.

“My name is Kol,” the man said. “I’m what you might call the head of security for the Dragon Brood. I care about keeping everyone safe. Every
dragon
. And every human bonded to us.”

“Please let me go. I’m not going to give away any of your secrets. I just want my life to be my own.”

The man’s lips twisted ironically. He was impossibly pretty, even prettier than Rafe, if she had to quantify it, and his deep voice seemed to vibrate at a frequency that made her nipples hard. Yet the invisible grip on her body remained.

“We all want that. That’s what we were talking about downstairs. What you heard. Freedom is what we all want. I want you to help us. Help our children be free to live.”

“Why should I?”

The man glanced back at Rafe, who nodded at him. He turned back to look at her. His eyes were even deeper and blacker than Rafe’s if that were possible. The hold he had on her finally released.

“Because even if he loves you, according to our
laws
, the two of you will never be allowed to mate or breed.”

“Does he love me?” She glared at Rafe again. “Or am I just a vessel for his perfect babies?”

Kol looked uncomfortable. “That’s not how it works with us. I promise. Rafe knows better than to mate another dragon. That’s why he called me.”

Rowan shot a look at Rafe, trying to discern any emotion in his placid expression. Did he love her, or was that just a ploy for Kol to get her to do what he wanted? “He called you because he wants to mate with me?”

Marriage, let alone children, had never been on her radar. She’d begun to think of Rafe as a potential partner. The potential for more than that wasn’t something she’d thought about until now. Looking at him now, her gut twisted. She wanted it. And she wanted it with
him
.

“I want to,” Rafe said. His dark-browed eyes seemed so forlorn. “There’s more to mating than just intercourse. It requires specific intent and verbal consent, both to mate and to breed. Nothing we do is by accident. I could feel how much you wanted it the entire time, Rowan. And believe me I wanted to…”

“What would have happened if we did?” She directed her look at both men.

“You would mark each other. The mark binds you for life.” Kol seemed oddly apprehensive and shot a look at Rafe. Rowan was sure they were hiding something by the sag of Kol’s shoulders. “But our laws are clear, and part of my job is to enforce the laws, which I will do, if I have to.”

“Why do I get the sense that you don’t really enjoy your job?” Rowan asked with a tilt of her head. Kol was starting to grow on her a little.

“Because your existence proves what I’ve always suspected. The Council has been lying to us for centuries. Millennia.”

Rowan looked at Rafe. “What happens if we try to be together? What will they do?”

Rafe’s voice was strained, his face drawn with worry. “Likely they would take you and force you into hibernation for the next five centuries. When you woke up, I would be dead. It’s their way of controlling our breeding cycle. Rowan, I’m already halfway through my life. I don’t have five hundred years to wait. I’m expected to find a human woman to bond with, like the others, but you’re the woman I want.”

“You want me to breed with. So why the hell should I stay if it’s just to be his broodmare?” She directed the question at Kol, but Rafe was the one who answered.

“Rowan, I don’t care if we never reproduce. That’s not why I want you. Did the last two days not tell you as much?” He started to step toward her. Kol held his friend back.

“Of course it is your choice,” Kol said. “Leave and live as a human if you wish, but you can have no further contact with other dragons or I would have to turn you in to the Council. You’ll be safer if only Rafe and I know you exist.” He paused and stepped toward her, placing a large, warm hand on her shoulder. “Or stay and help us confront the Council with your existence. We have other friends who will help. As long as we stand together, I believe we can make a change.”

Rafe seemed to lean toward her, intent on what she would say. She wanted him more than she’d wanted anything in her life. The past weekend had been overwhelming and enlightening and oh, so beautiful. Every lovemaking session had been even more spectacular than the last. Every waking moment when they weren’t entwined had been spent with her asking question after question and him answering eagerly and honestly. At least she’d thought so. That first night she had known she would fall for him, and she had. Hard. But the thought of having an entire race—and her own happiness—dependent on her decision was an impossible situation, especially when his feelings for her still seemed so uncertain.

Her eyes welled with tears as she looked at him. Her gut knotted with anguish. “I’m sorry, this is too much for me to decide. Please forgive me.”

Before they could respond, she looked back towards the window.
Fly or die.
She leapt out, caught the strong gust of cool Pacific wind, and flew.