Tangled Innocence (10 page)

Would there?

He turned and looked at the woman who’d stolen his heart.
He’d just have to keep an eye out and watch over her. He already knew this
woman would be part of his future, and he’d be damned if he let anything happen
to her.

Jace crawled back into bed, pulling her into his arms. He
needed Dante to come home safe and sound, and then everything would be all
right.

It had to be.

Dante stood outside his home, his hands fisted at his sides
as the wind blew around him. It tangled his hair and stung his eyes. The storm
on the horizon would be a vicious one.

If only that were his only problem.

He knew Jace and Nadie were inside, warm, worried, but
utterly content in a way that Dante knew they had made love. He could feel them
through the bond and had a feeling Jace could sense him outside but was letting
him come inside when he wanted to. Or at least that’s what Dante hoped. Nadie
wouldn’t be able to use those senses quite yet.

That would be something Dante and Jace would have to teach
her. It wouldn’t be safe for her to go unaware while the world shifted around
her. He ran a hand over his face, frustrated as all hell at the utter feeling
of helplessness surrounding him.

He’d promised Nadie he would tell her everything and not
keep secrets, yet he wasn’t sure how he was going to tell them that everything
might slip through their fingers. Death or being torn away for five hundred
years seemed to be the only two options on the table right then, and Dante
didn’t have a particular need for either of those.

No, the other two he needed were inside his house, waiting
for him.

He licked his lips and took a deep breath. He’d kept them
waiting long enough. As it was, he’d kept them waiting
too
long in the grand scheme of things. There wasn’t a moment to
waste, and standing outside and feeling sorry for himself wasn’t helping
anything.

He was a ten-thousand-year-old dragon—give or take a few
years—not some teenage kid who needed to croon about his angst and put on
guyliner. He already had the long hair and piercings, but he would go only so
far into the whole look.

Now he was officially putting off the inevitable.

“Dante?”

He looked up at the woman with the sweet, sweet voice who
held half his heart and tried to smile but failed.

“I’m home.”

She frowned only for a moment before running to him. He
caught her in his arms when she jumped, the utter faith in him at the action
leaving him breathless. She nuzzled into him, squeezing him hard, and he
pressed his nose to her neck, inhaling her honey and fire scent. He ran his
hand down her back, cupping her ass, bringing her even closer. His dragon
preened, satisfied with the attention that was its due.

Nadie pulled back then punched him in the arm.

Hard.

He winced but didn’t let her go. “What was that for? Kind of
a strange welcome.”

“You left without saying goodbye,” Nadie answered, the hurt
in her tone making him feel lower than low. “We’re going to have a talk about
that.”

“You’re lucky that punch is all she does,” Jace said from
the house. The bear crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the
doorway. “Get inside before the storm hits. Looks like it’s going to be a bad
one.”

Dante looked into Nadie’s narrowed eyes and let out a sigh.

“That’s not the only storm we’ll be having, Dante Bell,” she
warned, and Dante held back a smile. It wouldn’t be smart to kiss her then, but
she was so damn beautiful.

Sobering at the thought of what he could lose if he didn’t
find a way out, he kissed her anyway. She melted beneath his lips, the little
sigh escaping her going straight to his cock. He squeezed her ass, and she
rocked against him, the sensation making his dragon rumble with need.

He pulled away as the first drop of rain splashed against
his cheek. Nadie looked up at him with dark eyes and swollen lips then brushed
the wetness away from his skin.

“Let’s go inside, and I’ll explain everything,” Dante said
then started walking, not letting go of the woman and mate in his arms. She
felt good there,
right
.

She sighed and leaned on his shoulder. His dragon let out a
small tendril of smoke through Dante’s nostrils, wrapping it around Nadie,
claiming her in its own way. Jace moved out of the way when they got to him,
his gaze never leaving Dante’s.

“You’re okay?” Jace whispered, the worry clear and
heart-wrenching.

Dante nodded, knowing it wasn’t quite the truth. The bear
would have noticed that as well, but let it be. They would talk about it
shortly, and then Dante’s world would fall apart if he wasn’t careful.

And Dante
always
tried to be careful.

He let Nadie down so she stood by him. Before she could move
away, he took her hand, needing the connection. She blinked up at him, and he
knew she had a feeling something was wrong but couldn’t quite voice her
thoughts.

Her inner succubus must be trying to scent and feel out all
the undercurrents, yet Nadie hadn’t firmed the connection with her paranormal
yet. That would come with time, but right then, Dante had more pressing
matters.

Namely, the Conclave and the big pile of shit they were all
in.

He sank onto the couch, pulling Nadie into his side. Jace
paced in front of them before sitting on the coffee table. Their knees touched,
and the man looked as though his bear was ready to break out of his skin.

Dante leaned forward and brushed his lips against the man,
needing the connection as much as Jace clearly did. Jace’s shoulders eased
slightly as Dante pulled back.

“I needed that,” Jace said, licking his lips.

“You might need more soon.” He said it as a sensual promise,
but the darkness that threatened them outweighed the light. Jace narrowed his
eyes, the need still there, but masked with the same fear Dante held.

“Tell us, Dante,” Jace ordered. “Sitting on whatever you
have isn’t helping anything.”

“And tell us why you left without a goodbye,” Nadie added.

Dante kissed her temple and took a deep breath. “I didn’t
say goodbye because you were sleeping, and I thought you needed more sleep.” He
cursed and shook his head. “No, that was only part of it. I was fucking scared
about what I was doing and didn’t want to scare you. I know I promised to tell
you everything, but apparently not keeping all my secrets close is going to
take a little while to get used to.”

Nadie cupped his cheek, and he turned his head so he could
nuzzle her palm. “I forgive you, my dragon. The fear, I think that’s what I
scent, coming off you tells me that my petty insecurities need to be washed
away right now. Tell us what’s frightened you.”

He leaned down and kissed her softly, needing the connection
once more. “Never think your worries are less than mine.”

She rolled her eyes. “Right now, I think your worries are
our
worries, so get to it. Stop
procrastinating and tell us.”

“The Conclave has asked me to join its ranks.”

Silence.

Jace quietly stood, his whole body shaking. The other man’s
eyes glowed gold, the bear close to the surface. Shit.

“You’re going to take it, aren’t you?” Jace said, his voice
straining for control.

Dante blinked. “What the fuck? Why would you think I would
take it?”

“You’re a dragon, Dante. This is the ultimate in positions
in your realm. In
all
realms. Why
wouldn’t you say yes?”

Dante stood slowly, not believing the words coming out of
Jace’s mouth. “You’re serious. You actually think I’d take the appointment?”

“Wouldn’t you? Even if it isn’t to be in charge, as a member
of the Conclave, you could be real help to the realms. You could do what you’ve
been quietly trying to do for eons—make our realms work in peace.”

Dante’s dragon clawed at him, wanting to go at the bear for
thinking so much less of him, of their newly bound relationship.

“You think so little of me?” he asked, his voice a growl.

Jace curled a lip, his hands fisting. Dante raised his chin,
ready to fight the man he loved because there was no one else to fight.

Nadie stood quickly between them, her small hands on each of
their chests. “Stop it. Both of you. You’re fighting over nothing. Just words
and careless thoughts that aren’t worth the tension and heartache. Jace, let
Dante explain what he means. It’s hard enough as it is, and I don’t even know
all of the logistics and details I need to. Dante, don’t harp on Jace for being
scared out of his mind. You both are lashing out because you’re afraid of what
you
think
is coming rather than
actually saying what is going on around us. Explain, baby, please.”

Dante immediately calmed at her words, his Nadie quickly
growing into her inner succubus and standing up to a bear and dragon without a
second thought. He could feel some of the tension leaving Jace’s body as well,
and the two men sat down finally. Nadie stayed standing between them and put
her hands on their shoulders.

“Now, Dante, what does it mean that the Conclave wants you
to join their ranks?”

He could taste the fear on her words and cupped her hip,
soothing.

“Two members from each realm form the Conclave.”

Nadie waved her hand. “I know all of that, at least the
basics. Jace explained it to me while you were gone.” She blushed. “We, uh,
talked about a lot of things.”

Dante grinned, despite the rising tension in the room. “I
bet you…talked…quite well.”

Jace snorted. “Don’t think talking about sex is going to get
you out of this, Dante.”

Nadie blushed even harder then moved to sit on Jace’s lap.
She faced Dante, same as the bear, and they both looked at him, pleading in
their gazes.

“Alexander, a very old dragon, and that is something
considering my age, wants to, for lack of a better word, retire. He’s chosen me
as a replacement. While other places would give you an option of saying no, the
Conclave doesn’t work like that. What the Conclave says, goes. Meaning I don’t
have a choice.”

Nadie sucked in a breath. “What would be so wrong in joining
the Conclave?” she asked then held up her hand. “Jace and you both know
something I don’t when it comes to this, I get that, just explain it carefully
for me. It’s a lot to take in.”

Dante gripped her knee while Jace kissed her temple. He met
the other man’s gaze, knowing what he said next would hurt. “The Conclave would
force me into their care for ‘training’ for five hundred years.” Nadie gasped
while Jace growled. “I wouldn’t be able to see either one of you for that time.
I’d be forced away from my mates, my life, and everything I’ve built to do what
the Conclave says.”

“And if you say no?” Nadie asked, her voice a whisper.

“Then they kill me.” It hadn’t been said in the Conclave
chambers, but it had been heavily implied. “They gave me time to make my
decision, but we all know it was just a smoke screen. I’m going to use this
time to figure out what the hell we’re going to do because there is no way I’m
leaving either of you. You’ve got to understand that. I just found you. I’m not
losing you.”

Nadie threw her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to
her and Jace. “We’ll find a way. We figured out how to save Lily, Jamie, and
Becca, as well as their mates. We can do this.”

Dante smiled at her earnestness. If only it were as easy as
a djinn, angelic, demonic, or wolf war.

“Yes, we will, Nadie. I’m not giving up.” His dragon refused
to even think it.

“Why would they even bother to give you time?” Jace asked,
his voice carefully neutral. Too careful.

Dante met Jace’s gaze. The three of them would have to talk
soon. “I think it was because of two of the newest members of the Conclave. A
fae and a wizard. They are both extremely young, each less than a thousand.”

“A thousand years is young?” Nadie asked.

Dante leaned forward and kissed her soundly. “I’m ten
thousand years old, my sprite. That doesn’t mean I think you are young, far
from it. I was only saying, in terms of what I know about the Conclave, they
are young. I wouldn’t think anyone younger than five thousand would be part of
the decision making.”

“Things are changing then,” Jace said, his voice ominous.

“Yes, but I don’t know what direction this will take them.
This is all something to think about and discuss, but first, we need to find a
way to get me out of this commitment. I’m not leaving you two, despite what you
thought.”

“Dante,” Nadie admonished.

Jace grinned. “We’re alpha, Nadie darling. We’re going to
fight and butt heads.”

Nadie growled, the sound so cute his dragon wanted to eat
her up—not that Dante would tell her either of those things. He wanted to live
after all.

“I might not be alpha, but I’ll fight for what I want too,”
she said.

“Honey, you’re not beta if that’s what you’re thinking,”
Jace said, laughter in his voice. The sound made Dante relax. “If you’re not
alpha now, you will be soon. That succubus inside you damn well knows what she
wants.” His eyes darkened, and the two of them shared a look telling Dante they
had explored some of her powers.

Good for them.

His cock ached, and he shifted on the couch. A twinge of
jealousy knotted in his belly before it dissipated. He would have both of his
mates soon—together, separately, and everywhere in between. He just had to be
patient.

Dante could do patient.

He was a dragon after all.

A cell phone rang, and Nadie stood up. “Crap, that’s mine.
I’ll go put it on silent.”

Dante shook his head. “Answer it. There’s not much we can
discuss right now until we have time to form a plan.”

She nodded then went off to the other room, cell phone in
hand.

Jace came and sat next to him on the couch. “You have any
idea what we’re going to do?”

Dante leaned into Jace, and the other man put his arm around
his shoulders. His dragon, though not usually so submissive in letting others
take care of it, calmed. He also liked the word ‘we’ coming from Jace’s lips.
After so long without the other man’s touch, the achingly hollow place in side
of him slowly started to fill. The bond had done some of that, but it was the
actual presence of the other man that would complete him—same as it would with
Nadie.