Dragon's Honor (12 page)

Authors: Mina Carter

She rushed to Baron’s head, but he was already changing. His body shrank, the scales and wings disappearing until just the man lay before her.

“Oh God, no. Please, Baron, please be okay.”

She dropped to her knees next to him, reaching out to cup his face in her hands. His hair was swept back from his face, and blood darkened the concrete beneath him. Pain cut her in two, tearing into her heart. He’d killed himself to save her.

A rush of wind warned her a second before something heavy thudded into the ground next to them. With a small scream, she shielded Baron, in case it was Lambert’s pet dragon intent on doing him harm. More harm. But instead, the dragon folded in on itself and materialized into another man. One so like Baron that they had to be related.

“Fucking hell. You freaking moron,” he cursed and dropped into place opposite Honor. Unlike hers, his hands were sure and steady as he checked the unconscious man. “Fuckfuck
fuck
….”

He looked up and speared her with a direct look. “Do you love him?”

“I-what?” The snapped question took her aback. Baron was dying in front of them, every breath labored and blood bubbling on his lips, but this guy wanted to know what her intentions were? “What does it matter? We need to get him to a hospital. Now!”

“Hospital can’t help him now. Nothing can….” He shook his head, reaching down to pluck something from Baron’s face. About the size of her thumbnail, it sparkled like a diamond but glistened as if wet. A wet diamond? She’d never seen or heard of anything like it. “Or maybe not.”

He held the thing out to her. “Eat it.”

“W-what? What is it?”

Okay, now she was convinced that the guy was nuts. Totally off his rocker, one sandwich short of a picnic type of nuts.

“I think it’s a dragon’s tear,” he said, as though that explained everything. He watched her expectantly, nodding towards his outstretched hand. “Take it.”

She couldn’t help reaching out and touching it. It was so beautiful and pure. Her breath caught in her throat as her fingertip contacted it. Instantly it cleaved to her hand, rolling from his skin to hers, and warmth flowed through her, settling behind her breastbone. Her gaze flicked to his, unsure.

“Why do I need to eat it? It’s too beautiful.”

“What do you think I am, lady? Some kind of fucking dragon-
pedia
?” he snapped, frustration written over his features. “I don’t know. I’m operating on sheer instinct and a whole lot of wing-and-a-fucking-prayer here. Now eat the damn tear.”

The tear vibrated in her hand, waves of reassurance rolling from it. She’d give it a try, but then so help her God, she was getting Baron to a hospital. He was still breathing, so there was hope. There was always hope. There had to be. With a glance down at Baron, still unconscious on the ground, she lifted it to her lips.

Please, just once.

She dropped the tear on her tongue and… nothing. It dissolved in a salty splash and she keened. It hadn’t worked. She knew it wouldn’t work. They had to—

Baron took a deep breath and lurched to a sitting position. His clothes were still tattered and torn, but the blood had vanished from his skin as though it had never been.

“That tickled like hell.”

“Oh shit,” She tumbled backward in surprise, catching herself on her hands before she hit the floor and looked at him in amazement. He looked in the prime of health, no pain twisting his face at all. It took her body a second to catch up with her brain, then she squealed and launched herself at him. “Baron!”

He opened his arms as she landed in his lap and chuckled. “Hey, sweets. That’s quite a welcome. Did you miss me or something?”

“Asshole!” She punched him in the arm, relief combining with anger and love, the emotions bubbling over and around one another. She couldn’t stop looking at him, running her hands through his hair. “You nearly died on me. What the hell were you doing, putting yourself in danger like that?”

“Hey, hey!” He ducked her blows and caught her hands, but his grip wasn’t hard. Instead it was gentle, love shining in his eyes as he cradled her from the hard ground.

“As I remember it, I was saving you.” Voice dropping serious, he pulled her closer into his arms, lips a mere whisper from hers. “And I’d do it again and again if it meant keeping you safe.”

The word ‘safe’ made her shiver and she looked upward, toward the rooftop where Lambert had been.

“Don’t worry,” the other man chimed in, rising to his feet as they were surrounded by cars. A small woman got out of the first one and headed toward them. At her barked orders, armed groups swarmed around them and through the doors into the building. She tried not to notice that they were armed with an eclectic mix of swords and modern firearms. “Iliona’s here, with the cavalry. He can’t hurt you now.”

People swarmed around them, but cuddled up in Baron’s lap, she didn’t care. He lifted a hand to smooth her hair back from her face. “He’ll never hurt you again, I promise.”

She nodded, hearing the determination in his words and leaned in to place a gentle kiss on his lips. “So…Iliona. Your boss?”

“Yup, she’s the one who sent Duke…” He nodded to the man who’d come to help her, now a few paces off, talking to one of the men she remembered from the house. “And I undercover at your place. No one was supposed to know about Duke. Our ‘ace in the hole’ so to speak. How’d you guess?”

“Doesn’t matter.” Everything fell into place, her last doubts eased as she settled more comfortably into his arms. She looked up at him, an imp of mischief making her bat her eyelids. “So, a dragon, huh?”

“Uh-huh.”

“So, does this mean you’ll sweep me off to your lair and have your wicked way with me?”

He smiled, his lips curving under hers as she went in for another, quick kiss. “Just say the word, sweets, and I’ll sweep you away right now. Just be warned, now I’ve got my treasure, I don’t plan on letting you go. Ever.”

Pulling back, she winked at him, euphoria at escaping death overruling her tiredness. “Good, then make with the wings, dragon-boy and let’s get on with the ravishing.”

“Your word is my command, my love. Now and forever.”

About the Author

Mina was born and raised in the East Farthing of Middle Earth (otherwise known as the Midlands, England) and spend her childhood learning all the sorts of things generally required of a professional adventurer. Able to ride, box, shoot, make and read maps, make chainmail and use a broadsword (with varying degrees of efficiency) she was disgusted to find that adventuring is not considered a suitable occupation these days.

So, instead of slaying dragons and hunting vampires and the like, Mina spends her days writing about hot shifters, government conspiracies and vampire lords with more than their fair share of RAWR. Turns out wanna-be adventurers have quite the turn of imagination after all... (But she keeps that sword sharp, just in case the writing career is just a dream and she really *is* an adventurer.)

The boring part: A full time author, cover artist, and photographer, Mina can usually be found hunched over a keyboard or graphics tablet, frantically trying to get the images and words in her head out and onto the screen before they drive her mad. She's addicted to coffee and would like to be addicted to chocolate, but unfortunately chocolate dislikes her.

Website:
www.mina-carter.com

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/mina.carter

Twitter:
@minacarter

Other Titles by Mina Carter

Now Available in eBook:

Blood Mate

Wolf-Bond

Melody’s Wolf

Seducing the Sergeant

Hedging his Bets (with Celia Kyle)

Reaper

Perfect Mate