Mine!

  …

  He was pale as snow and seemed shaken, a far cry from the powerful male she’d known since he’d first broken out of his stone encasement. Nothing could be wrong with him. What would she do if there was? Not like she could drive him to the nearest hospital.

  “Lucius?” His entire body shook, making the whole car quiver.

  His eyes were glowing again, something they seemed to do when he was in the grip of strong emotions. When all he did was stare, she began to worry. They’d been driving along and talking. Granted, she’d been doing most of the talking, and he’d been avoiding answering most of her questions, but still.

  What had they been discussing? “We know someone deliberately chose me to go to the cave.” For the life of her, she couldn’t come up with a single reason why her over someone else, unless… “Do you think it has anything to do with my career, the fact I hunt down legends? Maybe I ran across a real vampire or werewolf in my travels. I’ve interviewed tons of people in the past decade. To be honest, I suspected some of them might be real.” And that had kept her awake too many nights to count.

  A low growl filled the car, somewhere between a pissed off pit bull and a snarly T-Rex. “Ah, say something.” A smart woman would run, but a smart woman would never have gotten herself caught up in this situation to begin with.

  He shook his head, not in denial, more like he was trying to shake something loose. “We need to keep going.” His voice was rougher than usual, like his vocal cords were strained or something. He blinked several times and the light in his eyes diminished until they were back to normal.

  She nibbled on her bottom lip, concerned when he made a sound of pain in the back of his throat. Something was wrong. Whatever it was, he was hiding it from her.

  He ran his thumb across her lower lip, tugging it away from her teeth. “You have to stop doing that.”

  “Doing what?”

  “Chewing on your lip.”

  “Why?” What did that have to do with anything?

  He took her hand and dragged it to the front of his jeans.

  “You’re really aroused.” Duh, nothing like stating the obvious. Around Lucius, she seemed to lose access to rational thought. She curled her fingers around his hard heat. It was empowering to affect a hot guy like him so viscerally.

  He gripped her wrist and pulled her hand away. “If you don’t stop, I’m going to strip you bare and take you right here, right now.”

  A truck blew by them, horn blaring. She snatched her hand back, her palm warm from his heat. Her internal temperature had shot up so much she was starting to sweat.

  She flicked the air conditioning on full and angled one vent at him and the other at her. The cold air washed over her, raising goose bumps on her arms beneath her sweater. This was not the time or place. Men trying to kill me, remember? Places to go. Things to do. Even that thought didn’t kill her arousal as effectively as it should have.

  One corner of his mouth kicked up. “Not sure that will help.”

  “It’s better than nothing.” Her hand shook as she gulped down her remaining coffee. Staring straight out the window, she took one breath in, held it, and slowly let it out. When she had herself under control, she checked her mirror and pulled the car back onto the road. “Talk to me.”

  “What do you want to know?” If she recorded his voice and sold copies, she’d make a mint. Instant mini orgasm. Stop thinking about orgasms!

  “Anything. I asked you a ton of questions but got no answers.” The truth might be more than she could handle, but sticking her head in the sand wouldn’t change things.

  He tilted his head back, his nose practically brushing the roof of the car. Poor guy really couldn’t be comfortable. She checked his lap. Nope, definitely not.

  “I told you werewolves and vampires are real. There is one of each in the Brotherhood, both powerful anomalies among their kind. Maybe more since I’ve been away. There are other kinds of shifters, mostly varieties of cats and bears. I met a phoenix once. They’re scarcer than drakons.”

  She wanted to scream and laugh but swallowed it back. Her hands trembled. She gripped the wheel tighter. All these years she’d been right. A quick butt dance in her seat was all she could allow herself.

  No one else can ever know.

  Reality was a serious downer. The greatest discovery of modern times, and she could never speak of it to a single soul. Not only would it put Lucius and his kind at risk, it would endanger humanity. If paranormals were outed and hunted, they’d fight for their lives. It would make every apocalyptic movie she’d ever watched seem like a joke.

  Then there was the lesser problem of losing her job if she ran around screaming they were real. Universities and other learning institutions frowned on such things. It was one thing to study myth, another to acknowledge it was real.

  “There are also assorted others—demons, gods”—he paused—“and angels.”

  Her breath caught in her throat. Maybe this was a little too real. “Demons and gods?”

  “Most of the pantheons of history have a basis in reality—Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Norse, and every native culture through the ages.”

  Lightheaded, she shoved a hand in the bag of snacks and yanked out a bar. Using her teeth, she ripped away the wrapper and shoved half of the chocolate treat into her mouth.

  “Raine?”

  Giving a shake of her head, she kept on chewing. The sugar rush helped stabilize her. When she finished the bar, she grabbed another. One was good, two had to be better, right?

  He took it from her shaky hand, opened it, and broke off a piece. Instead of handing it to her, he placed it against her lips. She parted them and her tongue skimmed his fingers. God, she was a mess. Hot and cold at the same time. Aroused, excited, and scared to death.

  “Do you want me to drive?”

  She shook her head. Having something to focus on was better. Holding the wheel grounded her. “I’m fine.”

  “You’re amazing. You’re holding things together when most people in your situation would have fallen apart. From what I read, modern culture doesn’t believe in paranormal creatures or magic.”

  His sincerity made her toes curl in her boots. Then she realized what he’d said. “Wait, magic is real, too?”

  “I thought you believed. You mentioned me being under a spell back at the cave.”

  “I was joking.” She huffed out a breath. “So, it’s as real as the rest?”

  Fury bled from his very pores, surrounding her until every inch of her skin was electrified. “Yes, and mages have used it over the years to trap and kill drakons.”

  “I’m so sorry.” What else could she say? Mages had to wield incredible power to be able to capture or destroy a drakon. After seeing what Lucius could do, that was one hell of a scary thought.

  His smile was tinged with both bitterness and satisfaction. “They learned to leave me alone.”

  She didn’t even want to imagine how he’d accomplished that. Best not to think about it. “Tell me more about drakons, more about you.”

  “The more you know about my kind, the more dangerous it is if you let it slip to someone. Or do you plan to write about it? That’s what you do, isn’t it?”

  His suspicion stabbed her in the gut. After all they’d been through, he doubted her motives. She rolled her top and bottom lips together and swallowed back the hurt. “You’re right. Best not to trust me.”

  His hands were fisted in his lap. The tension in his voice mimicked that of his body. “It’s not personal. I don’t trust anyone.”

  “Not even your precious Brotherhood?”

  “No.” He stared out the window, a muscle in his jaw working.

  Holy crap, he was telling the truth. “I figured you guys would be friends.” How did someone live for so long unable to trust? She understood betrayal, had been victim to its vicious claws, but at least she still had hope.

  I haven’t lived thousands of years.

  “If you were captured, and they thought you knew anything about me, they’d torture you for the truth.”

  “You’re trying to protect me.” Everything inside her settled. She reached out her hand and laid it over one clenched fist. “I’m in this with you until the end, I promise. And I’ve never broken a promise in my life.”

  He swallowed heavily and turned toward her, his face an emotionless mask. “You’ve never come face-to-face with an angel before. If Mack is to be believed, one is manipulating us both for some outcome. They have strict guidelines for how they interact with humans. There are consequences if they break those rules.”

  “A rogue angel?” She’d always bought into the image of the angel with a sword, ready to smite on command, rather than the cute cupid.

  “Maybe, but it just so happens that Maccus Fury, the leader of the Brotherhood, is a fallen angel.”

  Chapter Twelve

  “Do we go inside? Doesn’t seem to be anyone around.” It was the first thing Raine had said since he’d dropped his bombshell about the leader of the Brotherhood being a fallen angel.

  “You haven’t asked about Maccus.” It was the longest stretch she’d been quiet since they’d met. Unless she was sleeping.

  She shrugged and popped her door open. “You’ll tell me if you want me to know.” Her door slammed shut, and she stalked toward the house.

  Swearing under his breath, he managed to pry himself out of the tin can he’d been riding around in and followed, his long legs eating up the distance between them. Her hand was on the doorknob when he grabbed her arm. Thankfully, Mack’s house was tucked away in a rural area with no prying neighbors nearby.

  “I’m trying to protect you.”

  “And yourself.” The hurt in her eyes made his bones ache, but the understanding in them almost brought him to his knees. “I get it. You really don’t know me. I could be part of this. Best to hedge your bets.”

  When she jerked her arm away, he released her, but only so he wouldn’t accidentally harm her. “You’re not part of this.”

  “I’m smack-dab in the middle of this whether you want me to be or not. I’m the one who was contacted, the one who was trapped on purpose with a drakon. If I hadn’t woken you, I’d have died in that cave.” She knocked on the door and waited.

  “There’s no one inside.” Besides them, there were only the critters of the surrounding woods.

  “Great.” She tried the handle, but the door was locked. Giving a frustrated growl, she kicked it several times. He rather thought she was wishing it was his head. “We should try the back door. Or maybe there’s a window that’s unlocked.”

  Using his body to crowd her out of the way, he placed his hand on the thick panel and applied a steady pressure. The wood groaned and the metal lock squealed and cracked as it gave way. He motioned her inward with a wave of his hand.

  “Or we could just do that.” She stalked inside and began to look around.

  He pushed the door closed before joining her. “We’re looking for—”

  “I know what we’re looking for.” Nose in the air, she walked away, leaving him staring at her back.

  Ignoring her would be the best thing. They needed to stay focused. The hell with that. “Why are you so angry with me?”

  She spun around, opened her mouth, and slowly closed it before rubbing a hand over her face. “I don’t know. You don’t owe me your life story or your secrets. I was the catalyst for waking you. You saved my life after I’d imploded yours.”

  The distance between them was growing, even though she was standing alongside him. Emotionally, she was pulling away. “I mean, we did have sex, but that’s just physical—the adrenaline, drama, and forced togetherness. It was bound to happen.”

  Hearing her boil down what had occurred between them as nothing more than sex had his dragon roaring. A vein beneath his left eye pulsed. He clenched his jaw tight to keep from yelling.

  She waited a beat. “See, you know I’m right.”

  “It was more than sex, damn it.” He caught her chin between his thumb and forefinger. She’d been too open, her every emotion visible for him to see and enjoy. Her joy had been almost incandescent.

  “I’d been in a long dry spell, and you’re handsome and really good at sex.” Her smile was as fake as… He wasn’t sure exactly what, unable to think past the fires of fury roaring through him, but it was a far cry from the one she usually gave him.

  His breathing was hard and heavy, his lungs pumping. “It. Was. More. Than. Sex.” He said each word deliberately. There was no way she could misinterpret them.

  “All right.”

  She continually baited and challenged him. In their short acquaintance, he’d experienced every emotion under the sun. It was maddening. It was invigorating. “Don’t push me.” Didn’t she understand that he was a monster, feared by all?

  She drilled her forefinger into his chest. “What are you gonna do about it?”

  “Stop.” His dragon wanted out, and it was taking every ounce of his control to contain the beast. Her audacity was breathtaking.

  She’s not afraid of me. This human woman went where angels dared not.

  “Why are you smiling? This is not a laughing matter.” She poked her finger against him again. Her face was flushed. A lock of hair stuck to her cheek. He tucked it behind her ear and caressed her face. The fire in her eyes went out, replaced by confusion. “I don’t understand you.”

  This wasn’t the time or place to sort out their relationship. There were dangerous enemies stalking them, who had, so far, been one step ahead of them. Once they were dealt with, she’d be safe. But as long as she was with him, there would always be a target on her back.

  He was being pulled in two directions. She was his mate, the best thing that ever happened to him, but was he the best thing for her? If he were a better male, he’d walk away to protect her. But he’d reached the point where leaving her might turn him into the monster he’d been accused of being. As long as she lived, he had to remain in the world. His dragon side demanded it.

  Lifting her off her feet, he brought his mouth against hers. Coffee and chocolate were two flavors he now loved, even more so when mixed with her warmth and welcome. Her moan was a combination of exasperation and passion. Clasping her hands to his head, she kissed him back. Their tongues dueled for supremacy in a back-and-forth battle that had no losers.

  She fit his arms perfectly, completed him in ways he couldn’t yet comprehend. It might be smarter to leave. He could fly to some remote outpost of the world, but sleep would be impossible. Raine was everything he’d never known he’d wanted or needed. He’d once scoffed at the idea of fated mates, even as a burning yearning for one had filled him. His cynicism had been a protective mechanism.

  How had he lived without her for so long? He tilted his head to one side, deepening the caress. His new clothing was confining. He wanted them naked, skin to skin.

  A sharp ring pierced the air, shattering the moment. Dazed, she licked her swollen lips. “Ah, that’s a phone.”

  After another ring, a machine kicked in. “This is Mack. Leave a message.” The prerecorded message came from the kitchen area.

  “Where the fuck are you, man? You were supposed to meet me at Joe’s for a beer. Call me.”

  “He has a landline and an answering machine.” She hurried to the kitchen and went to a machine with a blinking red light. “Not many people have these anymore. Most stick to cell phones.”

  She pressed a button and listened. “Message one.” It was followed by silence and then abruptly ended. “Message two.” The same.

  “Seems like whoever Mack was supposed to meet at Joe’s isn’t the only one looking for him.”

  “Message three. This is the Angel Foundation wanting to confirm you met with Ms. Carson as planned. Please contact us when you return.”

  “That message doesn’t tell us any more than we already knew. We need to finish our search and leave before we’re discovered.” She flipped through a stack of mail on the counter, looking everywhere but at him. “Mack has friends. The last thing we want is one showing up while we’re here.”

  “I’ll listen for a vehicle.” He left her in the kitchen and made his way to the master bedroom. Methodically, they went through the small two-bedroom home, checking drawers and closets, under furniture, behind pictures, and any other hiding space they could think of.

  “Damn it. If he had anything, he either hid it well or destroyed it. The only papers were paid bills and taxes. I thought for sure we’d find something.” Raine fitted a cushion back on the couch and stood in the middle of the living room, hands on her hips. The late afternoon light beaming through the window backlit her form, making her glow.

  Like an angel.

  The possibility that his friend and Brother might have betrayed him was bitter on his tongue. “Where is this Angel Foundation located?” That was their next logical stop.

  As she moved toward him, the light seemed to follow. “New York.” There were purplish smudges beneath her eyes, and the smile she gave him was strained.

  He held out his hand. “Give me the keys. I’ll drive.”

  It was a testament to her fatigue that she handed them over without a qualm. “We’ll stop and get something to eat first.” He was starving, and all she’d eaten were those chocolate bars. They’d both think more clearly after a break and some food.

  A thought occurred to him. “Is there a business near here named Joe’s? Maybe it’s a place and not a person.”

  “That’s brilliant.” She opened her phone and seconds later smiled. “There’s a bar with that name not too far from here. They’ll likely have food. We could kill two birds with one stone—feed ourselves and maybe dig up some information.”

  “Let’s go.”

  …