Connected, her sex pulsed in time to the throbbing of his cock. He skimmed his hands up her torso, briefly cupping her breasts before continuing down her arms. When their hands met, he turned his so their fingers clasped.

  “Mine.”

  She licked her lips and nodded. “And you’re mine.” Then she began to ride.

  …

  Like a pagan goddess, Raine rose above him, her skin bathed in colored lights. She needed no jewels to adorn her, but he longed to drape her in gold and diamonds. No, rubies or sapphires. Maybe emeralds. None of them were worthy of her.

  His brethren would laugh if they could see him. The mighty drakon brought to heel by a human woman. They might laugh, but they would envy him. No drakon ever had a mate as worthy as Raine.

  Her body glowed like a candle. The gold in her eyes deepened until it almost matched his tattoos. Mine! His dragon insisted, trying to push to the fore.

  Not now. His dragon could take her flying through the sky later. Now he wanted to make her fly with passion.

  Her hands clung to his with surprising strength. She was slender, but there were supple muscles beneath. She bit her bottom lip, her head thrown back, exposing her vulnerable throat. He wanted to mark her in some way so the world would know who she belonged to, who protected her.

  His dragon shoved again, making his tattoos glow brighter. Gritting his teeth, he asserted control. “Come for me.” Holding back from shifting was becoming more difficult by the second.

  Releasing her hands, he gripped her waist and rolled until she was on her back. Shoving one hand under her ass, he lifted, stimulating her clit with each thrust. He loved the way she clutched his biceps, the sounds of pleasure that fell from her lips.

  Resting his forearm on the mattress for support, he captured her lips in a scorching kiss. Hips pumping, the strokes grew faster and harder. Her nails dug into his skin. “Yes!” she cried. Her heels thumped against the backs of his thighs.

  She threw back her head, neck arching, eyes blind with pleasure, and came. Her sex rippled around his cock, bathing it in her heat. Her name spilled from his lips as he found his own release. Stars exploded behind his eyes. His skin grew hot, his birthmark itching.

  Blind to all else but Raine, he kept thrusting until she went limp in his arms. Spent, he collapsed alongside her, dragging her into his arms. She snuggled close and moaned. “Amazing.”

  He’d reduced her to one word, but she could still talk. He grinned, looking forward to loving her into silence. How fragile she seemed in comparison to him. He loved the contradictions about her. Pagan warrior one moment and delicate fairy the next.

  As he ran his fingers up and down her back, her eyelids fluttered open, filled with a sleepy satisfaction. “Are you tired?” He shouldn’t even be asking. She needed to rest.

  “A little. Not too much.” The invitation in her eyes made his cock twitch.

  “Maybe I can do something about that.” He’d never played with a woman before. Sex had been sensual at times, blunt at others, but he’d never relaxed his guard enough to banter.

  “Mmm, maybe you can.” She ran her index finger down his chest.

  His dragon stilled. The atmosphere outside the house became charged. Lucius rolled to his feet. “We have company.”

  “Crap, I knew this would happen. Would’ve been worse if it’d happened a few minutes ago.” Scrambling, she grabbed clean clothes from the dresser and closet and yanked them on. Her nose wrinkled. “I smell like sex.”

  Yes, yes, she did. Despite the danger lurking, he was hard as a rock and ready to kill whoever dared to disturb them. He headed down the hallway with her hot on his heels.

  “Aren’t you going to get dressed?”

  “No.” Whoever was outside, there was no discernable heartbeat. It was a life-force, for lack of a better word, that he detected. He should’ve taken her to the far-reaching ends of the Earth, but she couldn’t survive in the harsher climates. Not for long, anyway. His flaw was wanting her to be comfortable, to feel some sense of normalcy. He prayed it wouldn’t prove to be a fatal error. If something happened to her… “Stay inside.”

  Determined to end this once and for all, he disabled the locks and went out the door to the center of the yard. “I know you’re there. Show yourself.” He cast his senses all around, zeroing in on a stand of tall pines on the right.

  A brilliant light shimmered. Like a curtain being lifted, a woman was revealed. She was short and slight with flaming red hair. Silver wire-rimmed glasses perched on her nose, giving her a scholarly air. The loose white dress she wore seemed about two sizes too big, and her feet were bare. The silver wings protruding from her back were the dead giveaway.

  “Angel.” His dragon was crouched inside him, ready to spring if necessary.

  She inclined her head. “I’m here to warn you.”

  The back of his neck itched. The scent of sex followed. “I told you to stay inside,” he muttered. Having to worry about Raine would hamper him if he had to fight. He wasn’t foolish enough to underestimate his opponent because she was female.

  “Who are you?” Raine asked.

  “Rivka. My name is Rivka.” She kept her voice low, but it carried easily.

  “You signed the papers from the Angel Foundation. I remember your name from the grant check I received. It’s unusual and pretty.”

  He’d heard enough. It was the name Gabriel had given them, and she’d confirmed she was part of this. Drawing in a breath, he released a blast of drakon fire.

  “No!” Raine yelled as the angel vanished. “Did you kill her?” She spun in a circle, searching.

  “No.” He could still sense her presence.

  “Let’s not do that again. There’s no time.” Rivka appeared off to the left, glancing nervously about. “My foundation was used to hurt you.” Her eyes grew luminous. “All I ever wanted to do was help. I was told to give you the grant.”

  “Who told you?” Raine took a step toward her, but he dragged her back. They were going to have a long discussion about her penchant to disregard his orders about her safety.

  “I’m not sure. It was a directive from up the food chain. I’m a low-level angel.”

  He shook his head. “I don’t think so. You have power.” The ability to cloak her presence would hide her from most creatures. This woman had secrets.

  “That doesn’t change my designation.” She tapped one small foot against the ground. “Look, I’m risking my life to warn you, but it’s only fair. I’m not sure what’s going on, but I want no part of it.”

  “How did you find us?” They hadn’t been followed from New York. He would’ve known.

  “I had a hunch you might come back. Drakons are territorial.”

  “You know what I am?”

  “Yes, but I have no idea why you’re involved or what this mess is all about.”

  “So you say.” It didn’t add up.

  Her entire body stiffened and her gaze darted around. “They’re coming.”

  “Who is coming?” There was a faint whirring sound in the air, a whisper from afar getting louder and closer each passing second.

  She swallowed heavily. “I’ve done what I can. Use what you are to save her.” With those cryptic words, she disappeared from sight.

  Hurricane winds howled across the yard. He caught Raine before she was carried off, dragging her toward the porch. The stars in the sky were shrouded. The moon disappeared. A veil of darkness fell around them. Pressure built until it threatened to crush them.

  Light exploded as Lucius’s dragon sprang forth with a roar, ready to rain death on whoever threatened them.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Crouched on the steps, she gripped the railing so hard splinters pierced her skin. Jagged flashes of lightning revealed Lucius in all his deadly beauty. His huge head was tilted back, fire spewed from his mouth. Like a prehistoric giant, he stretched at least twenty-five feet in length, not including his tail.

  He was an awesome and terrifying sight.

  The wind battered them. Trees cracked like toothpicks and crashed to the ground. Her Adirondack chairs skated across the porch and smashed into the railing. The house groaned. Fear clutched her heart. It wasn’t safe to stay here, but there was nowhere else to seek shelter.

  “Show yourselves, you cowards,” Lucius roared to the heavens.

  The wind ceased and the air grew still. It was like being in the eye of a hurricane. Or the calm before the storm. She gasped, her breathing ragged.

  Six spotlights beamed on Lucius, coming from all directions. Arm up to shield her face, she tried to see who or what was behind the lights but couldn’t. They were far too bright.

  Turning in a semicircle, he sent drakon fire around the space. Better than a flamethrower. The fire slammed against the lights. Sparks flew, neither giving ground as they battled for supremacy.

  The spotlights winked out, exposing six tall, well-built men in formfitting white pants and shirts. They all had huge wings flared out behind them with varying shades of cream, white, and light gray.

  They all had weapons.

  Her fingers dug into the rail. “Holy crap, a horde of angels.” Technically, they were probably considered a host, but she’d always pictured a host of angels as, well, angelic. These were badass warriors with very big, very sharp swords.

  “You must die, abomination,” the tallest one proclaimed.

  “Why?” Lucius’s voice was deeper now that he was shifted. “What have I done to be sanctioned by Heaven? I don’t answer to you.”

  She bit her lip so hard she drew blood. Interrupting wouldn’t help. Splitting Lucius’s attention could result in his death.

  “We do not judge. We are sent to carry out the sentence.”

  “Mindless idiots.” He gave a quick nod. “Got it.”

  “Blasphemy.” One of them sent a bolt of lightning toward him. Even as she screamed, the bolt struck one of his beautiful scales. It began to glow, the pink outline becoming even brighter. “What is this sorcery?” the same angel demanded.

  The leader peered beyond Lucius, homing in on her. “You have involved yourself in angelic business.”

  She was getting damn tired of being blamed for something that wasn’t her fault. “Listen, buddy.” Righteous anger got her upright and carried her down the steps. “I was minding my own business when I got a grant from the Angel Foundation. I was guided to a cave where I found him.” She pointed at Lucius. “He was sleeping, minding his own business.”

  “You woke him, you admit it.”

  “It wasn’t a conscious choice, but it happened. Someone set us up so it would happen. All the evidence points to some high-ranking angel. You’re angels. You’re supposed to be the good guys.” Praying seemed appropriate, so she silently muttered a few.

  “You have been judged.” the angel repeated.

  “I figured angels would prefer to fly under the radar. You’re making a huge spectacle.” It was a good thing her house was in a remote area, especially now that she had a paranormal showdown of epic proportions unfolding in her front yard. The brilliant lights and sudden storm over her home should’ve prompted some response, but it was eerily quiet. Not even an insect or animal stirred.

  “There is a dome of silence around us. None will see your deaths or stop us in our mission.”

  This guy was over-the-top with the doom and gloom. His jaw was taut, grim determination on his face. They were so screwed.

  “Enough!” Lucius positioned himself in front of her. “I’m more than a drakon. I’m one of the Forgotten Brotherhood. Do you really want to start a war with us?”

  A ripple of unease ran through the group. Note to self, her man and his friends were even more badass than she’d thought.

  “Who sent you?” he asked again. They had to get to the person behind this.

  She peeked over his tail. The angelic leader frowned but raised his sword. It might be her imagination, but he didn’t seem nearly as sure about this as he’d been. He silenced that hope with his next words.

  “It matters not. Sentence has been given.”

  Talk about blindly following the chain of command. Never in her wildest imagination had she thought Heaven would work that way. Her view of everything was being shattered and rewritten.

  A battle roar ripped through the air and the angels attacked en masse. Lucius’s tail snapped out. The tip sheared one angel in half. Talk about slicing and dicing like a Ginsu knife. That thing was sharp. She caught a glimpse of surprise on the male’s face before a light flared and he winked out of sight.

  The mighty tail swung at another target who managed to jump back in time to keep from meeting the same fate as his friend. Sparks flew as their swords struck drakon scales with little effect.

  “Go for the neck and eyes,” the leader yelled.

  To hell with this. Raine stumbled up the steps, ran inside the house, and went straight to her bag, digging down to the bottom. Her hand hit metal. Grimly determined, she gripped the 9mm and ran back outside.

  The battle hadn’t abated. The air rang with curses—not very angelic on their part—and flashes of lightning lit the night sky. That had to be some protective dome around them to keep the neighbors from seeing or hearing the battle. But it was working, as the night remained eerily quiet beyond the fighters.

  The remaining five warriors spread out around Lucius, trying to hit his vulnerable spots. He held them off, but for how long? He needed help.

  I’m all he’s got.

  Her arms shook as she raised the gun and took aim at the one nearest her. I’m going to shoot an angel. Heaven was going to be out for her if she didn’t live through this. Firming her jaw, she took a deep breath and released half of it. Lucius was worth it.

  She pulled the trigger.

  The angel jerked back a step. Light poured from the hole instead of blood. Her mouth fell open when the wound began to close immediately and was sealed within seconds. Crap, should have seen that coming. His head snapped toward her and the gun in her hand.

  Sweat beaded her brow. Her palms grew damp. I’m in huge trouble.

  The angel rushed toward her, sword swinging. She threw herself to the side. The lightning blast that erupted from the tip of the blade exploded her front door. Glass shattered. Heat singed her face. Ignoring the throbbing in her hip and leg, she rolled up onto her knees and fired, emptying the clip into his chest.

  The angel staggered, the wound closing more slowly as energy bled from him. He was like the frigging Terminator. He just wouldn’t go down or die.

  Lucius spun around, leaving his back vulnerable. “No!” she yelled.

  Four angels soared through the air, their weapons all trained on his neck and head. Her attacker staggered closer, sword aimed. She rolled but came up solid against the house.

  I’m so screwed.

  It was her last thought before excruciating pain exploded in her chest. Her hand went numb. The gun slipped from her fingers.

  I can’t feel my legs.

  The world around her dimmed. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes and trickled down her temples. She didn’t want to leave Lucius. Not yet. They hadn’t had nearly enough time.

  “Love—” A cough wracked her body and she tasted blood. She wanted him to know he wasn’t alone. Even when she died, her love would remain. Praying he could hear her, she fought the oncoming darkness. “Love you.”

  Brilliant lights filled the sky above her. So pretty. The air released from her lungs one final time. Darkness took her.

  Lucius’s roar of pain followed her into death.

  …

  “No!” Lucius whipped his tail around but wasn’t fast enough to stop the killing blow. It deflected it, but enough of it caught Raine.

  She can’t die.

  Only she could. She was human, not drakon, not paranormal. A roar of pure agony ripped out of him, sending a shockwave blast in its wake. The angels flipped in midair and were slammed into the surrounding trees.

  “Love you.” Her last words seared his heart as her breathing stopped.

  The one who’d killed her dared to smile in satisfaction. Raine, who was all that was good in this world, had been destroyed by this male who called himself an angel.

  Maybe I can save her.

  His blood might be able to bring her back. His gaze narrowed on the enemy in his way. Charging, he released fire hotter and deeper than he’d ever produced. The angel had no time to teleport. It incinerated him, leaving nothing, not even ash.

  Shifting, he bolted onto the porch. Her body was lifeless, her head turned away from him. The gun she’d used to try to protect him lay beside her outstretched hand.

  “It’s time for you to join her,” the leader proclaimed.

  He’d had it with these self-righteous types who followed orders without question. “You murdered an innocent woman, a human.”

  “Humans fall under our domain.” His voice was flat, emotionless. He could have been discussing the weather.

  Ignoring them, he manifested a claw and scored his wrist. He used his free hand to support her head and held the cut to her mouth. “Drink.” Blood smeared against her lips, but none of it seemed to be getting down her throat.

  The four angels stood in a semicircle around them, swords pointed. “Sentence has been decided.” Four bolts speared toward them.

  Lucius grabbed his mate and shifted, his huge dragon form wrapping around her. The porch collapsed under his weight and the front corner of the roof partially caved in. He took the hits, accepting the pain, greedily taking the power.

  If she was lost to him, Heaven would pay.

  “Aim for his vulnerable parts,” the leader directed.

  He could wait them out indefinitely, but the clock was ticking. If he didn’t do something soon, it would be too late for Raine.