At fourteen his mother had died, leaving him guilt- and abuse-free for the first time in his life. All her talk of his deadbeat father and how Tanner had royally screwed up her life had come to a screeching halt after one binge too many. Tanner had spent the next few years traveling and had seen enough to know that Dracon weren't so much hated as they were feared in many uneducated parts of the country--the places his mother frequented with wild abandon. For that very reason he'd hid his nature as a shifter from not only his peers, but when she was alive, from his mother as well. She would have disowned him outright had she known how much he really took after his father.
Tanner knelt by the stream and cupped his hands, appreciating the cold mountain water. He'd often wondered about his father, about the kind of man who would sleep with his vitriolic mother. Mary Flay had been pretty, yes, and maybe not as bitter before Tanner had been born. But the years had changed her, and not for the better.
Upon her death, drifting from state home to state home, Tanner had seen many ugly things, and not just from the humans he'd tried to live among. After he'd managed to control his shapeshifting ability, he'd tried joining a few clans out west. Once they'd learned of his rare, mixed human and Dracon blood, they'd made his life miserable. So he'd tried to blend in with the humans, moving from one job to the next. He'd found his niche with security services, and he'd done fairly well for himself so long as he didn't care who he protected. Hell, some of his best clients had been arms dealers and mafia thugs.
By the time he'd hit twenty-six three years ago, he'd almost given up on the Dracon. Then, during a protection detail for an arms dealer's girlfriend, he'd met a few decent Dracon down in Florida. They'd been fair, which was more than he could say for most of the people in his life. And out of a sense of homesickness for his kind, which was odd considering he'd never really had a home, he'd left the human world behind to protect and serve Dracon-kind.
He did his job well, and for two years had lived in relative peace south of Orlando. Surprisingly, the Dracon who seemed to appreciate him most were the females he'd fucked. But they'd only been after his body, and the mutual pleasure he'd encountered had set well enough. He liked sex with human females better, though. Humans and Dracon couldn't crossbreed when a female wasn't in heat--and then only rarely--and with his Dracon senses, he knew when to avoid them. And his kind weren't susceptible to disease. No strings attached sex had afforded much pleasure in a life lacking even the simplest of kindnesses.
So he'd tried to stick it out in Florida, and had done a decent job until one asshole had made a comment about him being a mongrel, a sore subject Tanner couldn't let go, as much as he wanted to. One fist led to one bite and soon to the asshole's near-annihilation. Luckily, the Dracon wasn't quite as popular as Tanner's boss, a Dracon diamond merchant who'd kindly referred him to security in Asheville, in Dracon Mount, or what Tanner liked to refer to as Dracon central.
Tanner couldn't help smiling at the odd happenstance. Why Lucas had taken a liking to him was beyond his understanding, but perhaps fate had seen a way to give him a fucking break for once.
Whatever the reason, Lucas Toren, one of the rare icebreathers this side of the Atlantic, had taken him on as part of the king's security detail. Lucas knew everything about him, and still accepted him without question. The giant icebreather had his respect...no small thing, that. Then again, Lucas was no small thing himself. The damned Dracon stood well above Tanner, and had a reputation as the fiercest badass in the Dracon community, on this continent or any other.
As the king's royal guard, Lucas held a lot of power over the Dracon. He was not only the king's best friend and protector, but a good friend to all the royals--Prince Adrian especially--and nearly the entire population of horny, unmated females. Tanner could give a shit what Lucas did in his spare time. He was just happy to have finally found a place that felt like home.
At least, Dracon central
had
felt like home. Tanner glanced over his shoulder at the cabin still visible through the masses of green leaves and tree trunks. After this incident...
Hell
, his conscience reprimanded.
Call it what it was. A royal fuckfest in which you got fucked over.
Bottom line, Tanner no longer felt right about staying in Dracon central. Not after he'd not only kissed, but also blown the damned royal prince.
Tanner's face heated, with both shame and desire. God, tasting Matthias had been a huge mistake. And Tanner still couldn't explain why he'd done it, or why he now felt like a part of the prince resided within him. Hell, when Matthias and Ava had been fucking, Tanner could almost feel himself right next to them, awash in Matthias's driving need to hold Ava and never let go. Just as he'd felt when he'd taken Ava, and truth be told Matthias--that same desire to possess. Like a damned mating instinct, he imagined, never having taken a mate.
But at least I still like women. Thrusting inside Ava was sheer heaven. I still have that, at least.
A sudden noise that didn't belong in the forest shook him from his reverie, and Tanner raced back to the house only to stop at the edge of the woods. Matthias and Ava sat on the porch, both rocking in the squeaking chairs that had alerted him to return.
The prince's eyes flashed at the woman now wearing a long-sleeved shirt and jeans. Matthias wore a blanket around him, probably more to protect Ava's feelings than for body warmth. The male was a firebreather after all.
Staring at Matthias and then Ava, Tanner felt emotion well from somewhere deep inside of him, and he tried to reason away his insane longing, focusing more on Ava's womanly curves. There. His libido perked at the sight of her ass in those jeans. His hormones jerked again when Matthias shifted his arm and the blanket slipped, showcasing muscular arms and a broad chest.
Fuck.
Tanner was losing it. In lust with a woman
and
a man. Both Dracon, and both clearly above his pay-grade.
Or did Lucas put you up to a handjob, too?
resounded in Tanner's mind as his gaze roamed the prince's body. Tanner wanted to lash out, to show Matthias what a handjob could feel like without respect or care. Which was completely out of line.
Guard the prince and put away these unnecessary emotions. Where the hell has my objectivity gone?
"Tell me, Ava. If you were so angry about me possibly fucking Cora Venlay, why didn't you say something before?" Matthias asked Ava in a reasonable tone, his voice overly loud in the stillness around them.
"I
wasn't
angry."
Matthias raised a brow in disbelief, and Tanner had to agree with him. Ava sounded livid, and definitely jealous.
"Look, I don't want to go back to the keep. I don't belong there, any more than you belong away from your royal protector. Where is Tanner, anyway?" She looked around, and Tanner waited soundlessly in the woodline, not wanting to be seen just yet.
"Why do you care where Tanner went? Or is your intention to make me jealous? Do you honestly feel for a Dracon you just met, or was it that he felt so good inside you? He's a handsome male, and he's got a huge cock."
She stared at Matthias and sputtered, and Tanner scowled. How had he never heard what a bastard Matthias could be?
"I happen to like Tanner, which is more than I can say for you. He was gentle with me, and treated me with respect. Not like some whore."
Oh, shit, she was starting to cry.
To Tanner's relief, Matthias looked panicked at the tears.
"Dammit, Ava. I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry I upset you. Shh." He took her out of her chair and into his arms and began rocking her. The sight of the man so tender after acting like such an asshole had Tanner wondering when the real Matthias would stand the hell up. "I like Tanner, too, okay?"
Tanner stared in surprise.
"Then why were you s-so mean to him earlier?"
Good question.
The prince sighed. "Because as much as I love Lucas, he can be a high-handed jerk sometimes. Tanner made me feel things I've never felt before. The same things I feel around you, Ava. And I think it would hurt me very badly to know I was some kind of duty-fuck, you know?"
Tanner couldn't believe his ears. Matthias had to be kidding. The guy was on every female's most wanted list, not to mention the males with a craving for male Dracon. He had wealth, family and friends who loved him, and the respect of an entire people. What the hell did he have to be worried about?
"Oh, Matthias." Ava stroked his cheek. "You're so full of shit."
Matthias looked startled and then grinned, but his smile didn't reach his eyes. "Ah, so you aren't falling for that one, hmm Ava? Can't convince you to come back with me out of pity?"
Ava chuckled and placed a hand inside Matthias's blanket. "No. But I might let you try to work your wiles on me. We still have a lot of ground to cover, that is, if you're serious about wanting me the way you do."
Matthias grinned wider, his teeth bright. "Oh, I'm serious, Ava. And I'm serious about Tanner as well. Okay with you, bodyguard?" he called out, staring at Tanner's hiding place.
Swearing under his breath, Tanner stalked out onto the open ground and bounded up the steps. "My prince." He nodded his head, as much acknowledgement as he'd actually given anyone in the royal family. Prince or not, Matthias was just a man.
"You know, Tanner, you have a real temper." Matthias smiled, his lips curled with humor that this time reached his inky black gaze. "We're going to have to work on that if you're going to be able to handle Lucas and Adrian when we get back. Ferin's much easier to deal with, now that he's mated. But the others are a handful."
Tanner didn't plan on remaining there long, so he nodded just to make Matthias happy.
Matthias narrowed his gaze. "Weren't you curious that I said I recognized you in the bar? You're fairly new to Dracon Mount. You've been with us what, a month?"
"Just under that, actually."
"Which is probably why Lucas assigned you to me. He thought I wouldn't notice you." Matthias laughed. "As if. I know a lot more about what goes on at home than they give me credit for. And I definitely noticed you."
Tanner shifted on his feet, uncomfortable. Matthias radiated sexuality, and Tanner simply wanted to forget everything that had happened and take everyone back home, so he could finally leave.
"I can see why," Ava added, staring at Tanner from his head to his toes.
"Okay. I'm noticeable. Great. Now can we have some breakfast? I'd like to leave soon, before anyone from last night starts showing up asking questions. Ava, that sound good to you?"
She frowned and would have argued, Tanner thought, when Matthias put his fingers to her lips.
"That sounds fine," Matthias answered. "Thank you, Tanner. If you don't mind, I have a few more things to discuss with Ava. We'll be in the bedroom. Can you cook?"
"Yeah."
Ava sighed. "There are eggs and bacon in the fridge. And I just bought a bunch of Red Delicious apples that are in there as well."
Matthias had to push her inside, and his blanket parted as he followed her, allowing a long, muscular leg to show.
Tanner deliberately ignored the throbbing response inside his pants and looked away, following the pair after a moment.
The minute they entered her bedroom, Ava pulled away and Matthias groaned. He had to at least bring Ava on board, as he thought she'd be the easier of the two to persuade. The woman was already in love with him, or at least she had been.
She has to still love me. She does,
he tried to convince himself. Everything rested on her feelings. And God knew it had taken him long enough to see how much he needed her. Now to convince her that Tanner would be a part of the package, and that Matthias would love them both, equally.
"What is going on? I told you I'm not leaving with you."
Matthias stared at her, wondering. Ferin would have dictated her actions to her. Lucas would have done whatever he wanted, to hell with Ava's feelings. And Adrian would have charmed her. Matthias, however, had always considered himself a master strategist. And the one thing he'd learned about Ava was that she had a big heart.
Her compassion allowed her to stand up for others when she wouldn't stand up for herself. It had kept him away all these years because he'd wanted her strong to live at home amidst the backstabbing and infighting he and his brothers occasionally dealt with concerning Dracon from each and every clan. And it was that huge heart that had been stepped on when he'd tried to distract himself from Ava by growing an interest in Lea's human sister, a woman he inwardly knew wouldn't fit.
Compassion was the key, and staring at the closed door between them and Tanner, Matthias knew just how to play Ava to his advantage. He'd stick with his original plan. It would work. It
had
to work.
"Look, I couldn't say this out there because Tanner might hear. Turn on your radio, would you?"
She stared suspiciously before turning it on. "Now what?" She placed her hands on her hips, and he sighed at her sheer perfection. A stubborn chin, pert nose and a mouth made for loving. God, those ripe lips would suck him so hard, would make him feel so good when he finally came in her mouth. And those tits. He loved her breasts, her ass and her pussy, that cream he wanted to lick all night. As Tanner had done.
"Matthias." She blushed and crossed her arms, her nipples tell-tale points of desire.
"I'm not bullshitting you, I swear."
At least not about this.
"I feel things for you, Ava. I know, you don't want to hear it. Fine." He swallowed. This would be more difficult. "I'm sure you've heard from Emmaline, if not from rumors when you visited the keep, that Lucas and Adrian share a special relationship."
She nodded, her expression contained but not dismissive. He could only pray she had an open mind, that she would be able to share her love with two men, and accept that her men would share their love with each other.