Taste of Darkness (15 page)

Her eyes widened, her heart rate increasing. “Right now?”

“I just mean ever. Do you want to be my mate?”

And here it was. The conversation she wasn’t ready to have, especially after what his brother had revealed about mates being so bonded that they literally couldn’t live without one another. She was naturally strong as a shifter, but she was infinitely weaker than Drake. It was simple biology. She would be a weak link for him. A huge weak link for a male who’d never gotten the chance to experience life. Chances were much higher that she would die first, and it would be a death sentence for him. But she couldn’t lie. He’d scent it if she did. “I do.”

Instant relief flooded his face. He shoved his hands through his dark hair, the shaky action showing off the muscles of his arms as they flexed. She tried not to notice how sexy it was, but couldn’t help it. “But? And don’t lie. You pulled back out there. I
felt
it.” His voice shook with anger and it registered that she’d hurt his feelings when she hadn’t meant to.

She took a step in his direction, wanting to touch him, knowing they both needed it right now. The need to comfort him was high and not because she was a healer. He didn’t move away from her, but he also didn’t step forward so she stopped, feeling as if a giant chasm yawned between them when it was really only a few feet. “I wasn’t pulling back. Drake, there’s so much you haven’t done yet. So much you haven’t seen or experienced.”

“What does that have to do with mating?” he demanded, his expression fierce.

“Everything. What if you’re settling for me because I’m all you’ve known in the short time you’ve been out of Hell?”

His head jerked up like she’d slapped him. “Just because I was in Hell doesn’t mean I’m stupid. I might not understand a lot of things, but my dragon claimed you before I’d ever
seen
you. I scented you in that cemetery, I was crazed to get to you before I’d seen your face. Once I got to know you… I don’t need any other fucking experience with women if that’s what you mean. Why would I when I have you? You’re mine.”

Those two words warmed her from the inside out, but she still couldn’t believe it. Just couldn’t. He wasn’t thinking clearly, and he was just being stubborn. She needed him to stop and consider the consequences of what he was saying. “What if we mate and I’m killed? I’m weaker than you and whoever put you in Hell might be out there. What if they want to get to you through me?” Her voice shook as she thought about all the years he’d lost already. If his life was cut short because of her…

His expression softening, Drake crossed the few feet between them, cupping the side of her face in his big hand as his other hand settled on her hip. His eyes blazed bright silver as he stared down at her. “I love you, Victoria. That is the one truth I know.” He said it with total conviction and the words slammed into her heart with enough intensity she felt it to her core.

Her eyes burned with tears, spilling hot over her cheeks. She didn’t bother wiping them away, instead reaching for him, her hands settling on his chest. “You can’t,” she whispered.

He didn’t pull away. “Why are you fighting this?” His voice was low, rumbling and confused.

She didn’t blame him for being confused. Too many emotions swirled inside her, out of control and she couldn’t get a handle on herself. Her inner wolf was clawing at her, telling her to shut the hell up and just jump this male, take what was hers. “I’m afraid.”

His frown deepened as he swiped her stray tears away with his thumb. “Of what?”

“Losing you.” After everything he’d been through, she felt like a freaking coward right then, but fear could be an overwhelming, tricky bitch. She was drowning in it. Her only real family had abandoned her as a cub and she’d come to learn that you chose your family but still…the thought of losing Drake was too much.

His expression softened even more with understanding. “I could be taken from you anyway. Luckily I’m hard to kill.”

Throat tight, she forced her vocal cords to work. “I love you so much it scares me, Drake. I just don’t ever want you to regret me. To settle.” Because that was the real crux of the matter. The mating thing was the icing on the cake of her fears, feeding them and fucking with her head. Making her balk at taking the next step in their relationship. Because after that big step, there was no going back.

“I know you don’t like being treated like a child by your pack and I don’t like being treated as if I don’t know my own mind. You’re mine, Victoria. If you don’t want to mate with me, I will accept it.” His silver gaze said he’d still fight for the right to be with her.

That was all she needed to know. “I want to.”

Triumph and relief glittered in his eyes as he crushed his mouth to hers. No more sweet, gentle kisses, but a dominant taking from the possessive male she’d come to love more than she ever imagined possible.

Fear still lurked in the back of her mind, lingering and clawing for purchase but she shoved it back, savoring the kiss of this male. This male who was an absolute miracle in her life. After fifteen hundred years in Hell he shouldn’t be so sane, so loving. But he was.

His tongue teased against hers, wickedly demanding as his hand slid up under her sweater, his palm spanning her back and pulling her flush against him. She arched into him, only stopping when he stilled.

Lifting his head back, he cocked it to the side. He let out a growl of frustration, his dragon flickering in his eyes. “They’re back.”

Damn. She’d been so lost in his taste she hadn’t heard anything else. And, yep, they were glowing again. She glanced at the open windows over her shoulder. One wall was all windows and a sliding glass ceiling-to-floor length door. Sheer buttercream colored curtains were pushed back and something told her they wouldn’t do much to block the light Drake was putting off.

Not that it mattered anyway. Looking back at him, she said, “When we take the next step, I’d like to be alone.” Because she really didn’t want his brother and sister listening to her and Drake.

He nodded. “You’ll still stay with me tonight.” A demand.

When he rolled his hips, rubbing his erection against her lower abdomen, her eyes grew heavy-lidded for a moment. “We should go greet them and show them to their rooms.” But now she wished she’d never invited them to stay. She wanted to finish what she’d started with Drake. Her body ached for his, for the release she knew he could give her.

He growled in response, but followed her when she stepped out of his embrace and headed for the door.

Even though she was disappointed they’d been interrupted, part of her was a little relieved. She wanted him more than anything and knew she wanted to mate with him, but she still needed to wrap her mind around the fact that they’d soon be linked. Her relief had nothing to do with the fact that she was still waiting for the other shoe to drop, she told herself.

Nothing at all.

* * *

High in the night sky above the cabin Dragos had settled down at for the evening, he scanned the surrounding area looking for the dragons who should be arriving any moment. Of course they’d likely camouflage themselves until the last minute.

He didn’t care for the Veles clan, but they’d had a long-standing distaste of the Petronilla dragons. When he’d anonymously called their clan leader and told him that the supposedly deceased Dragos was indeed alive and where to find him, he’d been certain the dragon would send someone immediately. Now he wanted to know what was taking so long for them to move into action.

Dragos had been putting off that blinding mating light earlier. Stupid to do it outside. The royal male might not have known what happened during mating though. It wasn’t something explained to children and he’d been dropped into Hell long before he reached his maturity so he wouldn’t have known about it.

Luckily he could work the male’s mating hunger to his advantage. If Dragos mated with that wolf shifter and she was killed, her pack would come after the Veles clan. Which meant the Marius vampire coven would back the Alpha’s new mate Lyra in attacking the Veles’s.

Dragons were strong but if the full force of a shifter pack and vampire coven descended on the Veles clan, the clan would take a serious hit. Possibly even be obliterated. That would be a definite if the shifters and vamps worked in tandem with the Petronilla clan. Some of those Marius vampires could fly, giving them an almost equal advantage with dragons.

The vamps and shifters would have to find the Veles clan first, but he would help them. Anonymously of course. The Veles clan had prime territory he wouldn’t mind taking over. But that would be a bonus. He just wanted Dragos dead.

Dragos’s parents deserved the male’s death. When they came out of their Protective Hibernation, it would be the sweetest thing to see the agony on their faces that they’d lost their son again. If he could kill Keelin before they woke up, it would be even better.

She was weaker than Conall, an easier target, especially since she was so trusting. Her kindness would give him an advantage. She’d been in Protective Hibernation so long he hadn’t been able to strike at her. If he’d known where she’d gone to ground he would have tried, but dragons were exceptionally secretive about their Hibernation. For good reason. The year since she’d been out her brother had kept a close eye on her.

An SUV pulled into the driveway, parking next to Drake’s. When Conall and Keelin exited, his ire grew. He’d thought they’d left for good. If they were staying in the cabin this could create a problem. He wanted them both dead, but he wanted to be the one to kill them, especially Conall. Obnoxious bastard. Unfortunately the male had proved tricky to destroy so far.

He needed to act quickly though. If their parents woke from Protective Hibernation soon he’d lose his chance. They were so damn overprotective. Too much so.

Something from the woods caught his eye. A flash of movement. Fast. Too fast to be human. Probably a wolf or bear or whatever the hell was in this forest, but he wanted to get a closer look.

Swooping down, he kept his camouflage on as he descended. As he glided, a wild rush of air directly above him told him the Veles dragon—or dragons—had arrived. Looked as if his job here was done. He hoped the Veles dragons finished off Drake, but if not, he’d do it himself.

Veering left, he went lower, but turned away from the cabin. He didn’t need to see the destruction. No matter who won, he’d hear about it later.

* * *

Victoria put the champagne back in the refrigerator and closed the door. Though she was exhausted, she was nervous about sleeping in the same bed with Drake. Which was stupid. She had nothing to be nervous about. Other than the fact that she didn’t know if she trusted her control where he was concerned.

The kitchen and huge living room were connected, with exposed wood beams across the high ceilings making the space seem even larger. As she stepped into the living room, Keelin appeared at the bottom of the stairs, her long hair damp.

She smiled almost nervously at Victoria as she covered the distance between them, her steps almost tentative. “I thought I heard someone down here.”

“Just me.” She half-smiled, feeling nervous too. “There’s not much in the fridge. Just some champagne.” Because she’d polished off those strawberries.

“I’m okay, but thank you. Are you going to bed?”

“Ah, yeah, unless you need something?”

“No.” But the female shifted from foot to foot, clearly wanting to say something. Wearing a long-sleeved, silky, black pajama set with white trim and a matching black and white robe, the female looked put together even now.

“You sure?” She wasn’t going to force the issue but if Keelin was anxious, Victoria hoped she would open up. This was Drake’s family after all.

Keelin opened her mouth to respond but glass from the nearby window shattered in an explosion, shards flying everywhere as something bright and gleaming hurtled into the room.

Without thinking, Victoria threw herself at Keelin, tackling the petite female. Pain detonated in her right shoulder as they hit the floor and she rolled them behind the leather couch.

As she cried out from the onslaught of whatever had hit her, her wolf took over instantaneously, the shock of her shift brutal and jarring as her bones shifted and realigned, fur replacing skin.

Keelin let out a scream of rage as she jumped to her feet, breathing fire in her human form at something beyond the couch.

Victoria tried to jump up, to help, but her legs refused to work, her paws barely sliding against the hardwood floor. As darkness swept her under, the strange lethargic feeling spreading out from her shoulder to the rest of her body, the most horrifying screeching sound filled the air.

It reverberated through the house, shaking the windows as blackness completely claimed her.

Chapter Thirteen

At the sound of glass breaking and an ear-splitting scream downstairs, a vise tightened around Drake’s heart, squeezing all the breath from him as fear nearly paralyzed him.

Victoria.

Without pause he raced for the door but a ball of fire ripped through the wall of windows, blasting the glass inward.

His dragon took over without his conscious thought. He couldn’t let whoever was outside in. He had to keep his mate safe. Breathing fire to combat another attack, he raced toward the gaping hole, his body starting to shift as he ran. He managed to control the complete transformation until he burst out into the cold night air. Letting his animal loose, he snapped his wings out and dove over the back deck, rolling midair and diving straight for the thicket of trees below as a shot of flames erupted from his left.