The single kiss they had shared had been the most powerful experience of his life. He had wanted so much more, but he didn’t regret holding back for one second. What if they had made love and then it was revealed he had been keeping the truth from her? It would have been an even greater disaster.
He flew on, as the sun rose high and then began to dip towards the horizon. He landed on the island right in front of the cabin. He strode to the door and tested the knob. It opened, and he moved inside. All of her things were exactly where she’d left them. He breathed a sigh of relief and began to grab her stuff.
He pulled her backpack over his shoulder and held her paintings in his hands as he made his way to the door. He kicked it closed behind him and was about ready to shift when he heard a voice pierce the silence.
“Leaving so soon?”
A figure stepped out from the shadows of the forest. Aiden recognized him as the newly awakened elder vampire from the attack on the compound. That was the day they’d discovered Aria’s power. He slowly sat down Winnie’s things and met the vampire’s piercing gaze with his own.
“What do you want?” Aiden asked.
“The blood of a dragon,” the vampire said.
“Well, come and get it,” Aiden growled.
He burst into his half shift form, activating his laser swords from his wrist device. He charged at the elder vampire whose name he still did not know. The vampire whizzed past, but Aiden anticipated his movements. Aiden dodged and spun, slicing his sword across the vampires back. But the vampire rushed away, out of Aiden’s reach. Aiden corrected and charged. As the vampire maneuvered into a defensive position, Aiden ducked low and slid toward the vampire’s legs, slicing his swords like scissors.
The vampire leapt away, but not quickly enough to avoid Aiden’s swords. The creature landed, snarling as blood gushed from the wound. Aiden leapt, twirling around to face him.
“I see you got your power back,” the vampire said, running his hand over the wound. The blood stopped, and the vampire grinned. “It is much harder to injure an elder than a weak youngling.”
“I can destroy all of your minions. And then what will you do?”
“The young ones are a dime a dozen. I can always make more to do my bidding.”
“Too bad none of them can touch me any more than you can.”
“Don’t be so sure,” the vampire said.
The vampire swept his hands and fingers in a frenzy of writhing movements, muttering the words of a spell. He then thrust his palms forward. A gust of icy cold air blew Aiden backward so hard it was as if he had been hit by an avalanche of snow. He didn’t take long to recover, but the power of the vampire’s magic had startled him and taken him off guard. He wouldn’t underestimate him again.
“I’m thinking, all I have to do is stab you in the heart, and that will be the end of you,” Aiden spat out, blood trickling down his lip.
“You can try,” the vampire sneered.
The vampire and dragon battled, testing each other’s strength as they flew and dodged and spun. When Aiden attacked, the vampire defended. When the vampire attacked Aiden dodged. It was an even match for all accounts, but Aiden did not intend to lose.
Aiden charged and then feigned, launching into the air and tumbling head over heels behind the vampire. He sliced his swords around the vampire’s neck, chopping his head from his body. The head tumbled to the ground, eyes staring up at Aiden in disbelief, his mouth agape. But the vampire was not dead. Aiden snarled in disappointment. The man’s body lurched toward him, blood gushing from its decapitated neck.
“It was fun and all,” Aiden said. “But I have things to do.”
He hurried to the porch and grabbed Winnifred’s things, jumping into the air as he activated stealth mode. Winnie’s easel tumbled from his grasp, crashing into the ground below. But he still had the paintings, he knew they were more important. He heard the vampire screech as he pumped his wings and flew away. Things had definitely escalated between the vampires and dragons. All the more reason to watch over Winnifred at all times.
The elder vampire had been lying in wait for him; that meant they still did not know where to find Winnifred. He didn’t know how they’d found him in the first place. Perhaps it was an accident, or a spell they couldn’t quickly replicate. No matter what, he would remain vigilant in protecting his mate. The battle with the vampire had taken far longer than he’d expected. They had fought all day and into the night. And when he arrived in the city, it was already morning.
“You’d better get back here,” Cato said through his mental link.
He arrived at Winnifred’s building, his stealth mode keeping her paintings invisible. As he landed, he noticed the moving van parked in front of the building. Winnifred hopped into the driver’s seat of the van and drove away.
“No,” Aiden groaned.
“I’d hoped you’d be back in time,” Cato said through the mental link. “What took you so long?”
“There was an elder vampire waiting for me,” Aiden said.
“On the island?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. Probably because I’m the best fighter among us, and I’ve killed dozens of his minions.”
“That’s probably why,” Cato snorted. “Or a tracking spell they can’t cast again.”
“I took off his head, but I don’t think I killed him.”
“That’s not a good sign,” Cato said.
“No, it’s not. But I don’t have time to stand around and discuss it. I have to follow Winnifred.”
The van was turning a corner at the stoplight up the street. He flew after her and landed on the roof of the van, digging his talons into the metal. He gripped her paintings under his arm and held on for the ride.
The vampires were relentless, and he didn’t want to think about what they would do to his lovely mate if they ever found her. He was sure the elder vampire would not be happy about losing his head. But Aiden wouldn’t let that distract him from his purpose, protecting Winnie at all costs. He hoped that if he brought her these paintings she would forgive him, and they could start over. Until then, all he could do was watch and wait.
Chapter 13
Winnifred couldn’t believe how badly the moving van handled. She had thought she’d gotten the hang of it when she picked it up from the lot. But it seemed to drive much worse when she got it out on the highway. She tried not to worry about it too much. Instead, she listened to music as she drove the many miles south to her new life.
Everything was set, the lease signed, and she was ready. No more holding back, no more waffling about her decisions. She’d made her choice and now she was doing it. She grinned broadly at herself as she turned off the highway into the small town that she would now call her home.
Winnie had rented the apartment sight-unseen, not wanting to wait a moment longer. She drove through the quaint little village at the foot of the mountain, seeing the shops lining the main street, happy families and the slow pace of life.
She pulled up in front of her new address and found the keys in the mailbox just like the landlord had said. It was a one-bedroom shotgun style house with a big backyard, a view of the mountain, and walking distance to the nearest hiking trail. She let out a deep sigh of contentment as she pushed her key into the front door.
When she stepped inside, her mouth dropped and her heart sank. This didn’t look at all like the pictures. The carpets were stained, the windows were dirty, and the kitchen sink was full of rust. She cringed, a shiver going down her spine. What had she gotten herself into?
Well, it wasn’t anything a little elbow grease couldn’t solve. Right? She’d stayed in worse places than this. She would just have to clean it. What did she expect for five hundred dollars a month? It was still a good deal and she could still make it work. She had just expected something a little bit cleaner.
She began unpacking her things and then drove to the grocery store to get cleaning
supplies and food. After she had unpacked everything she needed, she put her bicycle in the back of the moving van and returned the van to the dealership. When she rode her bike home, she turned up her walkway and saw something sitting at her door. For a moment she thought it was a package. But when she drew closer, she realized what it was. The paintings she’d left on the island! She gasped and stopped her bike. Looking around, she knew that Aiden must be here somewhere.
“Where are you?” she asked, her voice betraying the mixture of longing and irritation she felt.
Grumbling, she pulled her bike up the driveway and hurried into her new home, grabbing her paintings. She had so much cleaning to do it exhausted her just thinking about it. But when she walked inside, she found the apartment was spotless. Squeaking with delight, she found a place to hang her paintings and began to unpack her things.
“Are you here?” she asked. “If you’re here, please come out. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been such a jerk to you.”
“I’m sorry, too,” he said, materializing out of thin air. “I should never have kept the truth from you. I could have had us rescued at any time, but I couldn’t resist being with you. Please forgive me.”
“I can forgive you. If you can forgive me,” she said.
He breathed a sigh of relief. “Done.”
He stood before her wearing the same clothes he’d had on when they’d left the island. Nevertheless, he looked so delicious her mouth watered. The memory of their kiss rushed into her thoughts, filling her with liquid heat.
“So, you finally took the plunge and moved to the country,” he said, looking around at her little house.
“Yes, I did,” she said. “I spent all my money and I don’t have a car or job. But I did it. I’m going to be a full-time artist no matter what I have to do.”
“I’m proud of you.”
“Thank you,” she said, looking around her tidied house. “Have you been watching me all along? How did you get in here anyway?”
“Your security isn’t very good.”
“I suppose it’s not,” she said. “This place is kind of a dump.”
“It’s not so bad, for now.”
“For now?”
“Until you make it big as an artist.”
“Have you been watching me?”
He huffed, his shoulders slumping. “I must protect you. The vampires are exceedingly dangerous especially to a Dragon Soul like you. They will not think twice about draining you of your blood and leaving you lifeless to rot somewhere no one will ever find you.”
“That’s a lovely thought,” she said.
“I’m sorry, but it is the truth. We’ve already seen them do it to many Dragon Souls, including two women I now call family. The vampires will either drain you until your dead, or they’ll keep you captive in their mansion, taking sips of your blood over time. I won’t let either happen to you.”
She groaned, placing her palm on her forehead. She knew his words were true. “I was really freaked out when the vampires attacked, and you turned into a dragon. I didn’t know what to do, so I just reacted like a dick. I couldn’t process what was happening. I’ve always taken care of myself. I guess now would be a good time to accept someone else is looking out for me.”
“I am here for you, always. And…I would like to ask your permission to take you out.”
“Like on a date?”
“Yes, on as many dates as you will allow.”
“I can agree to that,” she said, smiling. “Where are you staying anyway?”
“That is not your concern. I only want you to be comfortable and happy. I will protect you, to the last breath in my body. Just like I told you the night we kissed. I meant that. It was not an empty vow.”
“Aiden,” she said stepping toward him, her body growing hot as her heart skipped a beat.
He reached out to her and cupped her face in his big hand. The smooth skin of his palm was warm against her cheek. Pain swelled in her heart at the aching look in his eyes. Winnie wanted to soothe his soul, to take away the pain they both felt.
She wrapped her arms around his neck. Taking a deep breath, she reached up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. He cupped her face in his hands as he kissed her gently on the lips, quivering with pent up need. Aiden hot breath puffed over her mouth until he relented to his desire and drew her closer, thrusting his tongue between her lips. She groaned as molten lust rose in her core. He was like a magnet to her, and she couldn’t pull away.
Maybe she shouldn’t forgive him, but she wanted to. All she cared about was this feeling of intensity swirling between them as their tongues danced in their bodies melted into each other. He pulled her closer, crushing her soft curves against the hard planes of his body.
She groaned in the maddening heat. She wanted to rip his clothes from his body and see the taut muscles underneath. But he pulled away, looking down at the ground.
“I should go.”
“Don’t.”
“I’ll be back later, and we can explore the fine dining options of your new hometown. Be ready at six.”
“I’ll see you then,” she said. “And thank you…for everything.”
He nodded once and disappeared out the front door. She didn’t know where he went when he left, and maybe that was something she had to accept about having a dragon as a boyfriend.
Wait. Since when was he her boyfriend? She shook her head at herself. She was really getting ahead of herself with the whole fated-mate thing. But he was as irresistible to her as she apparently was to him. Maybe there was something to it.
As much as she wanted to resist her new reality, she had seen vampires and dragons with her own eyes. She couldn’t deny it. She had to trust her own intuition about Aiden. Winnie had been around the block a time or two and she had met plenty of assholes. Aiden wasn’t one of them.
He’d managed to set up all her furniture while she was out and all she had to do was unpack her personal things. In the kitchen, she poured herself a bowl of cereal and walked out into the backyard. The afternoon sunlight glowed orange on the snow-capped mountain in the distance. The beauty of the scene filled her heart. She couldn’t believe she got to see this every day.
When she was done with her cereal she went in and started to get ready for her date with Aiden. Winnie chose a simple white dress, black flats, and a black cardigan. After a shower, she fixed her hair and makeup and got dressed. She grew more excited as six o’clock drew near.
Winnifred checked herself one last time in the mirror and then there was a knock at the door. She hurried to the door and found him standing on the other side in a fresh pressed suit with a silky black tie and a bouquet of pink roses.
She smiled as the fragrance of the blooms wafted through the air and filled her lungs with the delicate floral scent. He handed them to her and she brought them closer for another long draw of the delightful aroma.
“These are beautiful,” she said, taking his hand and leading him into the house.
“Not as beautiful as you,” he said.
She felt heat rising in her cheeks and she gave him a sideways glance.
“You can do better than that, playa,” she said with a laugh.
“I meant it.”
“I know you did. That’s why I’m teasing you.”
She put the flowers in a vase and placed them on her table then turned back to him and smiled.
“So, what do you have planned for us tonight?”
“I had Cato bring me one of the cars, so we can take a drive up the mountain and have dinner at the resort. We can even stay overnight if you’d like to pack a bag. I booked us a large suite, with separate rooms.”
“That sounds amazing,” she said. “I was hoping to go up there to see the view from the top of the mountain. I’ve lived in Seattle my entire life, and I’ve never been to the top of Mount Rainier. Let me get my things.”
Winnie went to her room and began to pack. She grabbed her pjs, slippers, toiletries, and som
e outdoor wear.
“Ready,” she said a moment later.
He carried her bag, and they walked together outside. She locked the door and saw a black Mustang parked on the sidewalk.
“Is that your car?” she asked.
“It belongs to my crew. The dragons of the House of Flames.”
“House of Flames? You’re going to have to tell me more about that.”
“I’m ready to tell you everything you want to know.”
He opened the passenger door of the Mustang, and she slid into the soft leather seat. He closed the door behind her, giving her a hot, hungry look that made her body tingle all over. She wanted to know more about him, where he’d come from, and why they seemed to have this insatiable connection.
Maybe she should run as fast as she could away from this dragon man, but her heart wanted to run into his arms. If Winnifred had learned anything in her life, it was that sometimes she had to let her heart win. Just like having the faith to study fine art instead of design or moving out to the country when the smart thing was stick it out in the city.
She was tired of holding herself back from her potential. And what she felt for him was more intense, more exciting, and more fulfilling than anything she’d ever felt with any other person she’d ever known. It was time to take a chance to have what she really wanted, and she wanted Aiden.
Chapter 14
Aiden got behind the wheel of the Mustang, feeling like his world was finally falling into place. Winnifred looked beautiful in the dress she’d chosen. Now that they were together, and the truth was out, his inner dragon had calmed down. And he could finally think straight for the first time since meeting her.
He had a wonderful date planned with dinner and dancing. Aiden wanted to give Winnie the rest and relaxation she needed. After the stress and trauma on the island, and the work she had done to move herself out of the city, Winnie deserved some pampering. He even had a special gift planned for tomorrow.
He loved driving the Mustang. It handled like a dream, and he could feel the power of the motor under him as he pushed the accelerator, rounding a curve. Winnifred giggled with delight as they sped up the winding mountain road toward the resort.