Releasing the Dragon: Myths and Legends, Book One (21 page)

"Is it your turn to mark your territory now?"
I reached up to play with his hair, running it through my fingers,
grazing the back of his neck with my nails. A shudder ran through
him and the flames in his eyes burned brighter.

His hands caressed my thighs pushing my dress
up along the way. He pulled me closer and when his bulging slacks
came into contact with my silk panties everything vanished except
for Dragon. I felt him sliding into me with a slow languid rhythm.
Deep down I knew it wasn't real but, oh...it felt so good. He
lowered his lips to mine and his tongue teased me, exploring my
mouth with that same leisurely pace. When my pleasure crested the
night club came back into focus with Dragon's tongue sliding along
mine and my legs wrapped tightly around his hips. After a moment he
pulled back enough for me to lower my legs into a more respectable
position.

"That was intense. None of the other visions
have felt that vivid, not even that first night here in Mystique."
My panties were soaked and I'd be surprised if there wasn't a wet
spot on the front of his pants from pressing against me. He
continued caressing my legs and I thought I might explode if he
didn't get inside me.

"Images are easiest to project since they
only need to reach the surface of your mind. To make your other
senses believe the vision I need to go deeper. Touching you helps
me get farther into your mind. Combine that with the pheromones in
here and I can create very realistic fantasies."

"Would it be easier for other vampires to get
into my head if they touched me?" I asked curiously.

His hands clenched on my legs and I felt the
sharp bite of claws. I looked down to find the dragon peeking out
in a whole new way. Dragon was staring at his hands still gripping
my legs. "Any vampire that lays a hand on you won't live long
enough to regret the mistake." He took a deep breath in through his
nose and out through his mouth then loosened his grip on my legs.
The claws retracted and his human hands smoothed over the
indentions left behind.

He started to pull away from me but I took
his hands in mine and kissed them both. Then, looking into his
shame filled eyes I said, "Don't. You would never hurt me and
neither would your dragon."

"It was an unacceptable loss of control. For
so long I have wanted nothing more than his freedom. I've left
myself wide open for him to emerge. I'm not sure I even remember
how to hold him back anymore. Before the curse, I had complete
control over my body and my dragon. Had I wanted to run around in
human form with scales covering my body, I could have." He stared
at his hands held out in front of him with a horrified expression.
"If this is what I've been reduced to, what will happen to the
lesser shapeshifters when the spell is broken, the ones who had
poor control to begin with? It will be disastrous."

"It will not be disastrous. It will be
wondrous. We will find a way to cover up any loss of control as
part of the show. I'm sure it won't take long for all of you to
remember how to control your beasts. In the meantime, the resort
guests will just be in for a little more excitement than
usual."

He reached up to cradle my head in his hands
while his chocolate brown eyes searched mine. "That is why I love
you Serafina Leroux. You know just what to say, how to help me put
everything in perspective. You remind me that even though things
may go wrong once in a while it's the big picture that matters, not
the minor setbacks. You make my life worth living even if my dragon
never wakes up." He brought his lips to mine and kissed me
tenderly, melting my heart far more than I would have thought
possible only a few days before.

When we broke apart I didn't know what to
say. I had feelings for Dragon certainly. But something held me
back. I just kept thinking if it sounds too good to be true then it
is. Dragon knew what I was feeling and gave me a small sad smile.
"You don't have to say anything now, I can wait until you're ready.
Would you like to go downstairs and dance now?"

Grateful for his understanding I took him up
on his offer to dance. I stopped trying to fight off the effects of
the pheromones and let them take me over. The dance floor was jam
packed and at least two couples and one threesome where going at it
right in the middle of everyone. The last time I'd danced with
Dragon he had been a perfect gentleman. That was no longer the case
and he gave as good as he got. Our hands caressed and stroked, our
mouths licked and sucked, and when we ground our bodies against
each other I relished the ravenous fire I felt down below.

When the visions of him unlacing my dress
started I decided it was time to get a room - a private party room
in Mystique where we'd still be able to feel the pheromones. Once
we were behind closed doors I sat him in a chair and pulled the
laces out of the front of my dress. Using the laces I tied his
hands behind his back and started dancing, teasing him with my
sensual movements. When I arched my back my breasts spilled out of
my dress and I massaged them while my body undulated right above
his lap. He was growling low in his throat and I felt his need to
take me. It was so erotic to be arousing him that way, dancing
provocatively without letting him touch me. I moved in front of him
and danced some more, bending over, sliding my dress up my thighs,
flipping my hair, looking over my shoulder with my thong on display
for his greedy eyes. I did everything I could think of to drive him
absolutely wild. When he couldn't hold back any more he broke the
laces, yanked my dress over my head and pulled me onto his lap. My
little strip tease turned into the best sex of my life and I
decided then and there that sex demon pheromones should be bottled
and sold in the gift shop.

I woke up the following morning with only
vague memories of leaving the club and ending up in Dragon's
apartment. I was in his bedroom and he had left the bathroom light
on for me. When I walked past the bathroom mirror I noticed that
the colors in the mating mark were much brighter and almost
completely filled in. I didn't want to cover them up any more. I
wanted everyone to know I was Dragon's mate and I had a feeling my
new attitude was the reason for the dramatic change in the colors.
I took a quick shower and slipped into the robe Dragon had left
hanging on the back of the door before I went to see what he was up
to.

I found him sitting at the dining room table
scrolling through spreadsheets on his laptop. He had breakfast
waiting so I sat down and fixed a plate.

"I didn't want you to hurry off to work
without a proper meal again," he explained.

"Thank you. I do tend to forget about
everything else once I start dancing, so eating before I go is
important." While I ate I could feel tension coming from him but I
wasn't sure what was causing it. When I was finished eating I
finally asked, "Is there something you'd like to talk to me
about?"

He closed his laptop and focused on me. He
didn't speak right away and seemed to be choosing his words. "I'm
worried about what Travali will do when he hears about you, and I'm
considering closing the portal in Lilith's to make sure he can't
use it to launch an attack from New Orleans."

My reaction was instant and instinctual, I
could not let Dragon close that portal. "Please don't do that," I
pleaded fervently. "Rook told me that portal is an escape route for
our people working in New Orleans. I wouldn't want to be
responsible for anyone being hurt because it was closed when they
needed it."

I'm not sure what kind of response I expected
but the one I got wasn't it. A brilliant smile suddenly broke out
across Dragon's face making him look ten years younger. "Do you
realize what you just said?" His eyes sparkled with excitement and
happiness radiated through the bond.

I let my words replay through my mind trying
to figure out what I could have possibly said to make him so happy.
When it was obvious I didn't know the answer Dragon went to his
knees in front of me and looked up into my eyes. "You said 'our
people'."

"I didn't even think...I just felt so
protective..." When I thought about it, my reaction had been a
little over the top.

He took my hands in his and explained, "I
share a mystical connection with my people - or as you said, our
people - that is held in place by blood oaths. The oaths demand I
protect my people in return for their loyalty. The oaths are also
the reason why a spell cast on me was able to curse everyone who
follows me. When the mating bond is complete its magic will see us
as one being, one soul. I believe the oaths I have sworn are the
reason you felt protective of our people in New Orleans. And if you
can feel the blood oaths it means the mating bond is almost
complete." He reached up and tucked my hair behind my ear then held
his hand to my cheek. "It means that your feelings for me are far
stronger than you are willing to admit." He gave me a long
lingering kiss letting his love for me envelope us in its warmth
before pulling back to sit on his heels. He looked at me for a
moment like he was trying to see inside me and then returned to his
chair.

"Now, I’m still worried about your safety.
Closing the portal goes against my instincts, but so does having
you running around the resort without an armed guard while it's
open."

I was glad he wasn't going to push for me to
examine my feelings further. "I am perfectly safe here in the
resort. It's our people in New Orleans you should be worried about.
Besides, that's why we have people in New Orleans. To spy on
Travali and let us know when he's up to something. The portal is
the fastest way for them to warn us when trouble is on the
way."

"You're right of course. It’s just the mating
frenzy making me crazy." He tapped his fingers on the table.
"There's something else that I'd like to talk about. I'm not sure
it's a good idea for you to dance in Mystique."

I snorted, "That's the dragon talking." He
started to say something and I raised my hand to stop him. "I know
why you're worried. I was there last night too. But you should know
from your own experiences that it is possible to fight the
pheromones. I was doing just fine until I made a conscious decision
to stop fighting, which I only did because you were with me. It was
amazing and I would do it again and again, but only with you. I
will never let my guard down like that unless you are by my side. I
will also never go out onto the dance floor without you. As long as
I stay above the crowd on a stage or pedestal I will be able to
think clearly." He wasn't completely convinced but I could tell he
was willing to let me give it a try.

"Okay. We'll try this, but don't be upset if
I drop by to check on you. I may not be able to hold myself back,
let alone the dragon if he feels someone is trying to steal his
mate."

"Seeing you will just remind me why all those
other males hold no interest for me." I drew a line down my chest
with my fingers opening the robe so that the edges of my breasts
were visible.

His eyes followed my hand and he adjusted his
position like his pants were suddenly getting tighter. "Maybe I'll
ask your boss if you can give me a private show in one of the
lounges."

"I don't think I'd ever make it back to my
stage if we did that. Maybe I should just give you a taste now, and
then you might be able to wait until the end of my shift," I
teased.

He was up and out of the chair with me in his
arms faster than I could blink. "I think I like that idea. How long
before you're supposed to be at work?"

I checked the clock on the wall. "About an
hour and a half."

"Just enough time for an appetizer." The look
that went with that comment sent shivers up my spine.

Dragon carried me to the bedroom and slowly
made love to me. With every kiss and every caress he let me see
into his heart, showing me what it means to surrender your soul to
another. And with the onslaught of emotions coming from him I
finally let go. I let all of my doubts and fears fall away and I
knew that I loved Dragon more with every breath I took. In that
moment we became one and I felt the mating bond snap into
place.

When Rook came into my office I was sitting
at my desk staring at my hand. I had the security monitors pulled
up showing the dance rehearsals in The Gateway. I needed to be able
to see Serafina after what had happened that morning. I wanted to
go to her, to hold her in my arms, but I knew I couldn't interfere
with her dancing. She was so excited about the show for Garrek's
reception. She wanted everything to be perfect for her debut so I
had to give her the time and space she needed to rehearse. At least
that's what I kept telling myself.

"Is there a reason your hand is so
interesting today?" Rook had taken a seat across from my desk and
was watching me curiously.

"I was trying to make it grow scales." I
maintained my focus on my hand.

"Well I guess all the chatter this morning
makes more sense now. Since you haven't been able to grow scales
for centuries something must have happened between you and Serafina
this morning."

I turned to look at him. "What chatter?"

"The nightshifters are talking again. Many of
them said they felt like their beasts woke up and slammed into a
cage door. For most of them it lasted only a second and then
everything returned to normal. For a select few, the beasts did not
go back to sleep but they still can't figure out how to release
them."

Slamming against a cage door - what an apt
description for what I'd been feeling all morning. "The mating bond
is complete. I know it is; I felt it the moment Serafina gave
herself to me. Yet I still can't let the dragon out. I'm not trying
as hard as I could since he’s too large to release here in my
office, but I don't think I'll be able to release him even when
night falls and I can go outside. There's something missing. Some
piece of the puzzle that we don't know about. Why can't my mother's
prophecies be clearer?" I was so frustrated. What was it Claire had
said the last time we spoke about the Phoenix? Something about that
which we hate the most will save us all. What did that mean? I
would have asked her but I knew I'd never get a straight
answer.