He was disgusted by the pitiful display of human male in front of him. The man groveled, he drugged innocent women then raped them. He extended a claw and pressed into Sanchez’s abdomen. “Unlike the guardians, I can lie. Never trust a dragon.” He thrust his claw upward, letting the man’s guts spill out. “And never touch a dragon’s mate.”
He pushed the body to the floor. After moving to the nightstand, he snatched the dead man’s cell phone. Pressing the screen, he scrolled through the numbers until he came to Havier. He stuffed the phone in his pocket and ran for the window. As he crashed through glass, he shifted, and his dragon took to the sky and circled. Several fireballs were unleashed until the house was fully engulfed in flames; then he headed for home.
Chapter Nine
“Holy hell! What happened to you?” Diego shouted.
Lileta stopped what she was doing and turned to see what all the commotion was. Caleb stood, covered from head to toe in blood and wavering on his feet. Her jaw dropped. His legs gave out, and he fell to the floor.
“Dear gods!” She ran toward him. “Those look like bullet holes.”
Diego reached his brother and lifted him up, carrying him to the couch. “Christ, I think someone emptied their entire magazine into him.” He laid him down and began pulling at his clothes.
“Stop fucking poking at me,” Caleb snarled and shoved at his brother. “I can take care of myself. I just need a few minutes.”
Diego snorted. “Yes, we can both see how adept you are at caring for yourself.” He threw his hands into the air. “Fine dickhead, I have other things to do that don’t involve getting my ass handed to me for trying to help you.” He looked at Lileta. “He’s all yours, sweetheart.”
She gazed down at the dragon bleeding all over the couch. “What happened?” She didn’t wait for an answer; instead, she laid a hand on his arm and flashed them to his bedroom.
“Fuck, could you warn me next time you decide to move me like that?”
She narrowed her gaze. He really was a cranky ass, but he did have good reason. Even though he was immortal, bullet wounds hurt like hell and he had several of them. At first glance, she counted at least six holes, one of them between the eyes.
“You are ungrateful. I should leave you here to fend for yourself. Perhaps you can take care of the women and babe while you’re mending.” She shot him the most menacing stare she could conjure. In reality, when she witnessed him hit the floor, her heart leapt into her throat. For a moment, she feared him dead.
The scowl on his face indicated he didn’t find their conversation the least bit entertaining. He ripped off his shirt, or what was left of it, and threw it to the floor. Even though she had seen his naked chest before, she still swallowed a gasp. He reached for the button on his jeans.
Her eyes widened. She turned her back and headed for the bathroom, leaving him standing next to the bed. “I’ll grab some supplies.”
Once out of the room, she clutched her chest.
Holy hell, that was close.
Hopefully, by the time she got back, he would be in bed and covered. She reached for a couple of washcloths and ran them under some warm water, grabbed an armful of towels and made her way back into the bedroom.
She stopped midstride. He’d managed to get into bed all right. The covers had been tossed to the floor, and his naked body lay on only a sheet. She skimmed her tongue along her bottom lip; even covered in blood, he was one delicious morsel.
“Are you here to help or stare?” he growled.
She clutched the towels tight to her chest and tried to steady her pulse. “Well, maybe if you’d show a little modesty, I wouldn’t feel the need to look.”
Oh I did not just say that.
The urge to drop the fluffy material and run out the door almost overwhelmed her. Instead, she lifted her chin and walked with purpose toward the bed. Upon setting the towels at one end, she took a wet cloth, sat next to him and swiped it across his chest. His muscles were like hardened steel beneath her fingers. She bit her lip to keep her moan from escaping. He didn’t look at her but kept his gaze locked on the ceiling. Thank gods, because she dared not meet his gaze. It was all she could do to keep her hands from shaking.
When the cloth was covered with blood, she set it aside and grabbed another. This time, she reached for his face, and he grabbed her wrist. His gaze pinned her, reminding her of warm pools of chocolate before they swirled to green. Her heart raced, sending the fire burning in her blood straight to her core. She dared not look past his waist, knowing she would be greeted with his thickening shaft.
“Thank you for helping me.” He held her gaze before his eyes changed back to normal. He released his grip, looking back at the ceiling.
She nodded. “You’re welcome. You still haven’t said what happened. Did you find Qadira?”
“No, but Sanchez is dead.”
She stopped wiping his cheek. “W-what?”
He turned his head back toward her. “I told you I would kill the men responsible for taking you hostage. One down.”
She proceeded to wipe the other cheek. “Thank you.” They were the only words she could choke out. He had promised her she could go on the hunt; she should be pissed. Normally, she would be, but no man had ever done anything like this for her. With the exception of her family, men were usually her abusers, not her savior. Yet this fierce dragon had rescued her from Odage, given her all the comforts and luxuries of a real home, set her free and then killed the one man she hated more than anyone. Heat warmed her cheeks. Did Caleb know what had happened to her? Sanchez had thought her incoherent when he raped her, but she remembered every detail and wanted to kill him with her bare hands, watch him squirm.
“Did he know it was coming?”
His lips curled into a wicked smile. “He pissed himself and begged for his life, right before I gutted him.”
Knowing he suffered should’ve given her solace. Instead, shame blanketed her. Would Caleb still want her as his mate knowing she was damaged?
Why do I even care? We can never be mated.
A warm hand cupped her cheek. “Lileta, I’m sorry I was not there to protect you from harm, but I swear on my life I will make them all pay.”
An ache caught deep in her chest. She fought back a tear. One minute, he talked about taking other women to his bed; the next, he acted as her protector. Part of her wished this relationship could work, the other half knew it was foolish. The mating bond was the only reason he sought to defend her. He wanted to claim her as he felt was his right, but he would never love her. She shook free of her silly fantasy and came back to reality more determined than ever that this relationship could never happen. Hopefully, he would stick to his word and find a way to break their ties.
“I suppose my mouthy brother told you how I received it?”
She jerked her fingers away, not realizing she’d been tracing the scar Drayos had given him. “He did.”
His lip curled. “He shouldn’t have told you. I may carry Drayos blood, but I am not like him.”
Is that what worried him? “Of course, you’re not. Besides, drinking a little of his blood does not make you a demon or his relation. Diego seems to think perhaps that’s why we were chosen to be mates.”
Caleb snorted. “My brother thinks too much.”
She finished cleaning him up, proud of the fact she’d managed to keep from looking below his waist. “I like your brother. I think he’s charming,” she said, picking up the discarded towels.
“Yeah, well, I like him too, just don’t tell him that. It will make his head swell.”
“Lileta?”
Caleb tried to get up. “Who is that?”
“It’s Cassie, lie still.” She kept her hand on his chest. “In here,” she yelled out.
Cassie flashed into the room, and her eyes went wide. “It’s worse than I imagined.”
Caleb quickly grabbed a towel and threw it over his privates. “What are you doing here?”
She waved a hand. “Please, I was a nurse in my human life. I’ve seen plenty of dicks in my time.” She approached the bed. “Oh for Christ sake, would you shut up!”
Caleb and Lileta gave each other an uneasy look.
“Sorry, really, I’m not going crazy. Marcus is in my head nagging at me to ‘be careful, don’t touch the dragon, don’t look at the dragon’s package.’ My gods, he is driving me insane. How am I supposed to heal you if I can’t touch?” She sat on the edge of the bed. “Diego came and said you were shot up pretty bad. I left Marcus at home with Ariana and came as quick as I could.”
Caleb’s brows shot up. “He let you come in his place?”
Cassie reached up and twisted her hair into a knot and flashed a smile. “I didn’t give him much choice.” She looked at Lileta and winked. “I threatened to withhold. Not that I would, but he doesn’t need to know that.”
Lileta stifled a giggle. She could picture the big, brooding Marcus at home pacing the floor. “It was nice of you to come.”
“I can heal myself. You don’t have to do this,” Caleb said.
“I’m sure you can, but I will have you on your feet much faster. I understand it could take you days to expel the bullets. I can do it tonight.” She placed a hand on his chest. “Now is not the time to be out of commission.”
He closed his eyes. “You’re right, of course. Please proceed.”
“Is there anything I can do?” Lileta stepped closer.
“Yes, he will go into a deep sleep once I finish. You must stay and make sure he is protected,” Cassie replied.
* * * *
Caleb’s lids fluttered open, and he sucked in a deep cleansing breath, his mind clear. He pushed himself into a sitting position. Scattered all around the bed were the bullets his body had expelled. His fingers brushed the spot between his eyes, nothing but smooth skin. He glanced at his chest; he bore no wounds to indicate he was ever shot. Cassie was indeed an exceptional healer. He’d have to remember to thank her again for coming to his home. He would also thank her mate, Marcus. He wondered if the guardian knew how lucky he was to have been blessed with such a treasure.
He swung his legs over the edge of the bed. It was then he spotted her. Lileta curled up in a chair in the corner, asleep. With everything she had been through, she came when he needed her to care for the women. Cleaned his wounds when she could have left him to fend for himself. Moreover, she had stayed by his side all night. Why, he wondered. He stared at the rise and fall of her chest. His gaze moved upward to her lips. Pink pouty flesh he wanted desperately to taste. He realized in that moment he was not letting her go. He would find a way to have her. With the stealth of an immortal, he crossed the room, knelt on the floor, and braced his hands on the back of the chair blocking her escape. Her lids flew open.
“You’re awake.” Her whisper caressed his cheek.
“Yes.” He inched closer, surrounding her in his power to keep her from flashing away.
“What are you doing?”
He smelled her fear. Was she afraid of him? Surely, she had to know by now he would never hurt her. “You stayed here all night?”
“Yes. Cassie said you would be in a healing sleep and vulnerable. I didn’t want the women and babe left alone.”
She lied. Had that been the case, he would not have found her in his room. He inhaled. Something else mingled with her fear.
Her desire.
It flooded him and caused his cock to thicken. Without clothes, his shaft jutted forward.
Fuck it. Let her see what she does to me.
“You belong to me.”
Her tongue flicked out and ran along her bottom lip. He wanted to claim her mouth until her body trembled. “I belong to no one.”
A smile played across his lips. He bent closer and sucked her earlobe into his mouth. She tasted as exotic as he imagined, like spiced lemons.
She moaned.
He gave a nip. “Oh, but you do. You are mine, and I will have you one day.”
“I thought you were going to find a way to break the bond so you could find another?” Her question came in a throaty growl.
“I lied. I may have set you free, but I will never break our bond. I will find a way to have you and when I do…” He ran his tongue along her neck; her pulse raced. “You will scream my name in pleasure.”
Her chest heaved, pushing her breasts farther into his skin. Her nipples pebbled through her thin shirt. He swallowed hard and forced himself back before he stripped her, tossed her on the bed and fucked the hell out of her. He reined in his power.
“Run Lileta, before I lose control.”
She vanished, but he sensed her still in the house. Still, she refused to leave, which could only mean one thing.
Lileta wanted him too.
He pulled on a pair of jeans, finding it difficult to pull the zipper over his erection. He needed to find the guardian king Aidyn, and see about locating Qadira. She was the only hope he had if he wanted to claim his mate and not die in the process.
* * * *
Odage pushed the goddess along a narrow passage. He was frustrated that Lowan didn’t simply snatch her and suck her into Hell like he was always doing to him. Something about doing things the old-fashioned way and not stirring up too much magic.
With a Wendigo in front and one behind, his comfort level was off the scale. These spawns of Hell towered over him, flashing a mouthful of razor sharp teeth. One wrong move and he’d be dead. He shuddered to think what Lowan could possibly want with Qadira. Did he plan to use her to get to Zarek somehow? He was surprised hell hadn’t rained down from the heavens already. Zarek had to know his wife was missing by now.
They’d been walking for several hours when the passage ended at a door. The Wendigo pushed it open and motioned them through. Lowan stood on the other side and greeted them with a smile.
“Ah Qadira, welcome to my home.” He grasped the goddess’s hand and brushed a kiss across her knuckles.
“What do you want, Lowan, you snake?” Venom dripped from her voice, and she jerked her hand from his grasp.
He placed his palm over his heart. “I’m crushed. I invite you into my home, and you call me names?”