Taming the Dragon (Loved by the Dragon, #3) (9 page)

“Curious?” Chloe asked. “If you’re only a little curious then I don’t think you’re bonded to him. If you were, you’d definitely know. Saul bonded to me the very first time. I was missing him from the moment I got home, like I’d made the biggest mistake of my life.”

“Don’t remind me. You sulked around like someone killed Felix in front of you. You were depressing to be around.”

Chloe’s blush pinkened her whole face. “I wasn’t that bad.”

“You were the biggest buzzkill ever. If you didn’t agree to go seek him out, I would have bundled you up into my car trunk and kidnapped you across state lines to find him myself.”

“Be safe, okay? I love you, Marce.”

“Be safe?”

Chloe raised her brows suggestively and mimed putting on a condom. Marcy shoved her. “What? I’m just saying. Maybe I do make fun a little about wanting you to... to be here forever with me,” she confided, her voice dropping to a whisper. “But I wouldn’t wish what I went through with Astrid on anyone unprepared.” Chloe wiped her cheeks quickly with the back of her hand. Human bodies weren’t meant to bear anything but humans. The incredible duration of her pregnancy had weakened Chloe severely. She came close to hemorrhaging to death, and the scarring to her womb ensured she’d never have another child.

“This is a real bummer of a topic, chica. I’m only 34. We have decades together. And if I do have a kid one day, I want it to be because I’m ready and I want a baby. Not because it’s some fast track to achieving immortality. You and Saul are different. You were meant for each other. I can see it in his face every time he looks at both of you.”

“I love him so much, I only want the same for you. Teo is an asshole and...” Chloe shook her head a few times. “You can handle yourself. Ignore me. If he’s out of line, I have faith you’ll put him in his place.”

“I will, and I have.”

Chloe’s brow wrinkled. “Okay, fine. Enjoy hot dragon sex in the meantime. When you’re ready to join us in California or get back home to Texas, send me a text and I’ll have Mahasti come for you.”

“Sounds like a deal. I promise, if he does anything I don’t like, I’ll put him in his place.”

P
rior visits to Saul’s mountainside estate had prepared Marcy for a sprawling mansion tucked within an island. What she found instead provoked contradicting feelings of pleasure and disappointment. Teo didn’t live in a majestic manor; he dwelled in a spacious bungalow nestled between the trees. Solar panels gleamed from the roof as they approached the modest one-story home.

Marcy lingered on the stone walkway and tried to find bits of Teo in the architecture. “I thought it would be bigger,” she admitted.

“Is my home dissatisfying?”

“No,” Marcy blurted out quickly. “It’s very nice. I thought you’d go for large and roomy like Saul.”
Where the hell does he keep his hoard around here?
she wondered.

“Hahaha, no. This is a home for my servant and guests such as you. Oftentimes visitors come when it is necessary to pretend I am human.”

“So... you sleep in your hoard.”

Teo nodded, confirming one was nearby but out of her sight. She didn’t think it could be below ground under the house, so she twisted to scan the surroundings. A tall peak covered in thick green foliage rose up from the center of the island, dominating the skyline.

“It’s there, isn’t it?”
I hope that’s not some sort of volcano.

“Astute observation, Marceline.”

“I will go home if you call me Marceline.”

“Saul addresses you as such.”

“Yeah, well, he’s allowed. No one but Saul and my mother call me Marceline.”
Even if it actually sounds sexy coming from you, big guy.

While lacking the wealthy design of Saul’s multi-million dollar estate, Marcy found a certain charm to its quaint interior. She removed her shoes and stepped forward as Kekoa hurried to meet them.

Teo and his apparent manservant spoke in a flowing, lyrical language she didn’t understand, then the man stepped forward to take her bag. She shook her head and waved him off after a friendly smile.

“What language was that?” she asked once Kekoa was gone.

“Hawaiian. I met him on the island of Maui nearly fifteen years ago. He was a child then.”

“So his mother allowed you to just take her baby?”

“His mother had been killed for her teeth and her fins.”

“Oh.” She hadn’t expected such a sad story.

“Did you believe I had stolen a child?”

Chagrined, Marcy nodded and let out a brief, nervous chuckle to relay her discomfort with the situation. Every time she thought she had a bead on him, he proved her wrong.

Am I looking for flaws so I have a reason to ditch him and tell Chloe this was a dumb idea?
The thought flit through her mind, a sudden realization that twisted her insides. She was trying to doom Teo to fail before he ever had his chance.

Teo surprised her a third time with a personal tour. Part of her had expected their path to head to the bedroom straightaway, certain he’d invited her only for the sake of fulfilling his long-forgotten sexual appetites.

“I entertain many business partners and humans here, so you will find no shortage of human comforts. Through this doorway, you will find the kitchen. Kekoa is an excellent chef, and capable of making whatever you require.”

Marcy nodded and followed at his side, hoping to walk off the antsy feeling churning in her gut. “What about the bathroom. Do you have a big tub like the ones at Saul’s manor?”

“I have better, and will show you soon once we take a tour of the island. First, you must be rid of this suitcase.” Teo took her by the hand and led her to his private bedroom. Again, he took her by surprise, his lack of opulence contrasting the extravagant displays in Drakenstone manor. She stared with wide eyes at the simple king-size bed, ivory walls, and the cool, Caribbean-blue accents adding the occasional splash of color. An enormous sliding glass door yielded a fabulous view of the island’s white coral shoreline.

Teo gave her ample time and space to unpack then resumed their tour. The household design strove for quality over quantity, with a small number of spacious, tastefully decorated rooms. He introduced her to the bathroom where a magnificent shower awaited her beside an enormous, square-shaped tub. Water rained from above at a speed and force determined by the user.

Dragons seem to love water,
she thought.

The tub didn’t surprise her, but his movie room did, as if he and Saul were in competition to have the best home theater. When he opened the door and led her inside, Marcy’s eyes widened at the twenty-foot-wide curved screen. She descended the stairs and marveled at the sheer size. In lieu of traditional theater seating, the front row had a roomy lounger large enough for two.

“You have your own movie theater?”

“I enjoy them. Saul sends many to me once they are prepared for the movie theaters. I own every production he has ever made.” A rare smile crept over Teo’s face when he spoke of his friend.

“That’s... actually pretty awesome,” Marcy said. “You guys are so close.”

“I have known Saul since he was a young cub. Our mothers were very close friends. Are very close friends.” He frowned. “His mother sleeps, but we hope she will awaken within the next century.”

“The next... century?” Marcy’s eyes grew a little rounder as he took her into the next area. The spotless kitchen needed a woman’s touch, dull and lifeless. She opened and closed the cabinets in passing to find a variety of exotic spices. The stocked fridge held exquisite cheeses, yogurt, bottled fruit juices, and packaged deli meats. Marcy eyeballed a carton of yogurt.
He has my favorite flavor.

“The loss of a bondmate is devastating. She will remain in hibernation until the pain has dulled,” he explained. “Until then, we wait for her to return to us.”

Marcy shut the fridge then slipped her fingers into Teo’s hand, pleased when he delivered an appreciative squeeze in return.

“Enough of sad things. I have one final thing to show to you,” Teo said.

Once they were outside with the cool stone beneath Marcy’s bare feet, Teo led her through a set of wide glass doors onto a stone walkway. Lush, untamed plant life bordered either side, while colorful orchids provided bright dots of color from hanging vines. Palms, bamboo, and multi-colored hibiscus created a private escape and perfumed the balmy air.

“It’s so beautiful. So... why did you ask for me to join you? What do you want from me, Teo?”

“I can no longer say,” he confessed. “I know when you are with me, I enjoy your smile.” His fingers rose to touch her cheek, only to slide down and cup her chin. “You are different from any human woman I have met with exception of Saul’s mate.”

Marcy’s heart skipped a beat. “How are we different?”

“You are like female dragons. Fierce and strong. You do not bend to us.” His mouth lowered to her collarbone.

“I think you’d find most women aren’t meek sheep if you actually paid attention to them.”

“Why would I wish to pay attention to anyone but you?” Teo’s words husked against Marcy’s ear in a gentle breath then the warm play of his fingers molded to her ass. He coaxed her closer until they were flush together, trapping his cock between their bodies. His flowy beach attire disguised nothing.

“You would be exquisite wearing nothing more than your new necklace.” His lips lingered over the fluttering pulse point at her throat.

“I want to see you again first.”
And enjoy the view.

“As you wish, Marcy.” Teo stepped back from her and shrugged out of his shirt. His pants fell next, confirming her suspicion that he never wore undergarments. “Your turn.”

“Out here?”

“This is a private island and my personal refuge. You are safe here, Marceline.”

God, my name shouldn’t sound so sexy.
In his low, sensual voice, it became easier to tolerate the offending name. “Okay. Fine.” With warm cheeks, she removed her dress and set it aside on a low hanging branch.

“And those,” Teo murmured. He curled his fingers into the waist of her panties. The touch made her shiver in anticipation. Crouching low, her lover dragged them down her thighs and exposed her to the humid jungle air. His lips pressed against her pussy, a teasing kiss that caused her to grasp a handful of his hair.

“I’m starting to think you want me naked so you can have your wicked way with me.”

Teo’s chuckle huffed warm air across her swollen clit. Marcy’s grip on his hair tightened and her knees went weak. Her dragon’s teasing continued in an upward trail of slow, nibbling kisses. His teeth grazed over her hips, his tongue dipped into her navel, and then he lavished each breast with a suckle before moving up to her neck and finally her lips.

“Come. Let me show you my home,” he whispered. Marcy had better ideas in mind, ones which included becoming acquainted with his bed, but his eager expression swayed her.

“I’d love to see your home, Teo.”

Unhindered by clothing, the pair walked hand in hand down the pathway snaking between the trees. A golden face popped out of the bush to watch them. More jaguars.

“You have a fascination with jaguars, I see.”

“Many have found refuge on my islands. They come from places where they were kept as pets or mistreated. Here, they are allowed to be free creatures again with no cages to hold them captive.”

“Will they hurt me?”

Teo shook his head. “Doubtful. I will acquaint you to each of them as we cross paths. The one in the woods is Aurelio. Sooner or later, he will become curious enough to approach you. Treat him with respect and he will return it. Philomena is his mate, and you will cross paths with her at some point. She is friendlier and more trusting. It is unusual for jaguars to form mated pairs, but these two have chosen not to separate.”

Something tickled Marcy’s skin. She shrieked and jerked back and to the side, reflex raising her hand to swat her bare shoulder. Teo caught her wrist with a gentle touch then kissed her knuckles.

“It is a butterfly, Marceline, and means no harm to you.”

Her chest heaved with frightened breaths, but the delicate insect on her shoulder hadn’t moved.

“It scared the hell out of me.”

“It is said among our kind that butterflies are messages from the ancestors, smaller pieces of their souls guiding approval to their descendants. When a butterfly visits, we know we remain in their thoughts.”

Marcy blinked up at him. “That’s beautiful,” she murmured. The blue morpho lifted off and fluttered high into the canopy. She watched it go, wearing a quiet smile on her face.

The peace was short-lived. Marcy didn’t realize Kekoa was behind them until he spoke up. “Master, I have brought drinks. Also, a phone call for you has come from Galway’s lawyers regarding the theft—”

With a startled shriek, the feisty brunette leapt into the bushes and out of sight, her big breasts quivering every second of her frantic effort to take shelter from Kekoa’s eyes. She leaned her head out from behind a wide tree to find the shifter and her dragon staring at her, peculiar expressions on their handsome faces.

“Señorita, are you well?” Kekoa asked. He held a pair of glasses in his hand, filled with a colorful, tropical concoction of some kind.

“I’m perfectly fine,” she gritted out between her teeth.

Kekoa and Teo spoke at length about criminal charges until the servant collected the necessary information. Once he was gone, the dragon turned to face her and offer a glass.

“Why did you hide when my attendant arrived?” The genuine curiosity in his tone prompted Marcy to peer at him with mirrored confusion.

“Because I’m
naked
.”

“As am I. What does it matter?”

“It matters because I. Am. Naked.” Marcy ground out. “I’m not sure if the rest of your dragon buddies failed to tell you this, but most of us people don’t wander around freely without a stitch of clothing on.”

Marcy grabbed her dress and hurried down the path back toward the house, Teo hot on her heels.

“My island is completely private. Kekoa and I are the only ones here who can see you.” The point flew over his head. In a way, it was almost adorable that he didn’t grasp the problem with their situation.