Dragon Awakened (15 page)

Cyn pulled her behind a Corolla as a crumpled motorcycle came flying at them. The car shook with the impact. He popped up and tried to send a deadly trail of black smoke at the tulpa but had to duck again as a tire sailed toward them. “We need to split up and attack from two fronts. If you can distract it like you were doing earlier—”

“When I was being crushed and grabbed and stomped on, you mean?”

“Yes, that was perfect.”

“Really? That's what you want me to do?” With a growl of indignation, she waited for the next deluge and then darted out as the tulpa grabbed more ammunition. She launched up, as high as she could go, swearing she felt her wings unfurl for a second. As the tulpa turned back for another throw, Ruby hit its neck and held on. The tulpa tossed the handfuls of junk at Cyn before it reached for her.

He sent a stream of smoke at its stomach, and she felt the blast vibrate right through the tulpa. “Ow, tummy ache!” it cried out. When it smashed into a stack of crushed cars, Ruby took the brunt, feeling the sharp metal scratch across her scales.

“You're in the wrong place!” Cyn called. “I can't hit the target with you wrapped around its neck.”

She tightened her grip as it took several loping steps toward the two-story metal warehouse. “I need to train. Just tell me how to kill this thing!”

It bashed her into the side of the building, and she had no choice but to let go. She slid to the ground with a hard
thump
.

“Not like that,” Cyn called.

She sneered at him. “Smart-ass.”

He sent a stream of black smoke that wrapped around the tulpa's neck. While it grappled for the stream, she tore at its ankle, sending it off-balance and toppling to the ground. It made an even bigger
thump
as it hit. Cyn tussled with it, like a rodeo stud with a calf, working that stream of smoke as he pulled closer.

“Get back,” he said, his teeth gritted with effort.

He yanked and severed the tulpa's head. What looked like black oil poured out of the gaping hole of its neck and down its body. Then the whole thing shuddered and disintegrated.

Ruby dropped to her knees, exhausted and aching, automatically Catalyzing back to human. “That was fun.” She looked at the mess the tulpa had left, and a laugh-hiccup sound came out of her.

“You okay?”

She pushed up, to prove that she wasn't a simpering female, and brushed off the dirt. She winced at the bruises and cuts. “I'm fine. I held my own, didn't I?” Damn, why'd she have to add the question?

“You did.”

“We fought well together. I wasn't a handicap.”

“No, you weren't.”

And damn but she thought she saw pride in his eyes. “Any other information you'd care to share about creatures we might encounter?”

“Magick has no boundaries, no end. You would run screaming into the night if I told you everything about our world at once.”

“In other words, later. And you know what? At this moment, later is okay with me.”

He was already walking over to where they'd dropped their clothing. She followed, seeing his injuries. Nothing too serious, most having started the healing process within seconds. Beyond those bruises, he was breathtakingly perfect. He walked without shame or self-consciousness, his shoulders high, his ass tantalizing.

“
Ruby
?”

The sound of Nevin's voice, filled with shock and a hint of accusation, floated from a distance. Where, she now saw, he stood at the gates watching her and Cyn retrieve their clothes.

She slapped her shirt against her chest. “Oh, great.”

“This is when the clothes shedding can be tricky,” Cyn said to her, pulling up his pants in one slick move. He moved in front of her, blocking Nevin's view.

“Fire ants,” Cyn said to Nevin.

Ruby blinked. “What?”

“Fire ants all over us,” Cyn clarified to both of them. He shrugged. “Had to shed the clothing because there's nothing worse than fire ants up the crack of your ass. Wouldn't you agree?” Because he sounded so unruffled, and snapped his shirt out while seeming to inspect it, Nevin had no reason not to believe him.

“You're good,” she said in a low voice before taking the opportunity to dress behind the shield of his body. “And I thought I was a great bluffer.” Not one logical reason for standing there in the Yard naked with Cyn, a man she'd met just the day before, came to mind.

“Yes, I am.”

She met Cyn's gaze at those sultry words, feeling an answering spark in her eyes, and forced herself to look Nevin's way. “Please, go.”

“I was just worried. What happened with the trouble?”

“This doesn't concern you. And don't come back until I call you.” Why'd he have to become industrious
now
? “I'll explain everything…somehow,” she added in a whisper.

Nevin gave her a wounded puppy look before turning away.

In an even softer voice, Cyn said, “You have to cut ties with him.”

“I know. He could get hurt if something else waits to attack us here.”

“And having a Mundane in our lives is dangerous for us, too. Rule Number One.”

She bit her lip as she watched Nevin walk to his car. “I've complained ever since learning that I had to share ownership of this place with him. He couldn't balance a budget if his life depended on it. But now his life depends on me cutting him loose, separating the businesses.”

“You care about him,” Cyn said, heading toward the office building.

“I do. He's a stray, like I was once a stray. I have a soft spot for them.” She leaned down to pet one of the kittens that was crouched between two coolers. It hissed and ran away, sinking her heart. “Must be spooked because of the tulpa. Red, it's okay. Come here.”

The cat was looking at her, its fur raised. Then it shot away and disappeared among the cola coolers. Her shoulders drooped. “Now the strays don't even want me.”

“Don't take it personally. Cats freak out around Dragon energy.” He smoothed his hands over his hair, then pointed to one of the Elementals hiding behind a hubcap propped up against the fence. “That one seems to like you. He was following you around the other day.” He curled his fingers in invitation, and the Elemental slowly emerged. “He's a fire Elemental, like Allander.”

She knelt down as the creature with the red-tinged skin and large eyes took tentative steps toward her. “You said they don't talk. How do you know Allander's name?”

“Just pick a name. He'll tell you if he likes it or not.”

She tilted her head. “Hmm. How about…Ziggy?”

It made a face that actually looked like a grimace. Cyn's expression wasn't as subtle.

“Fine. Fergus. How about that?”

The frown relaxed, and its eyes twinkled. Her heart lifted. She'd lost her cats, but maybe she'd gained an Elemental.

“As much as I hate to interrupt this touching moment…”

She shot him a look. “I've lost my uncle, my livelihood for now, and my identity as a normal person living in a normal world. So finally I've found a creature who likes me.” She lowered her voice to a growl. “Give me a friggin' minute.”

R
uby led the way upstairs to her apartment, digging into her pocket for her keys. Home. The thought of being inside filled her chest. She pushed open the door, but Cyn stepped in front of her before she could go inside.

He flicked on the light. “I don't feel any magick, but I'm not taking any chances. Demons don't give off the scent of it either.”

“Tulpas sure do. That must have been where Mon got the dirty-sock smell idea.”

“No doubt.” He took in what she knew was an eclectic décor, then opened her bedroom and bathroom doors. “Looks clear.” He paused by her kitchen table, which was actually a 1950s Coke cooler with a glass top. Inside were some vintage Coca-Cola bottles. “I remember when they looked like that.”

“I keep forgetting how old you are.”

He took in her walls covered in framed posters, pausing at the
SANITY IS OVERRATED
one featuring a hamster that looked like it just came out of the dryer.

“These are my demotivational posters. They make me laugh. Want to see the one that reminds me of you?”

“Do I?”

“Be brave.” She steered him to the one with Captain James T. Kirk's smug smile and the caption:
I'M SORRY, I CAN'T HEAR YOU OVER THE SOUND OF HOW AWESOME I AM
.

He wrinkled his nose. “You're so very funny.”

“I can donate it to your dojo. I think it would look good in the lobby. We could superimpose your face over Kirk's.”

He'd thrown on his shirt but hadn't buttoned it. So when he stepped in front of her, trying to intimidate her with his faux annoyance, all she saw were his perfectly formed pecs, a hint of the Dragon, and the hollow at the base of his throat.

He looked at her with eyes aflame. “Trying to antagonize me, are you? You do realize I could eat you for lunch?”

She cleared her throat, heat stealing up her neck as she met his gaze. “I'm not afraid of the big, bad Dragon.”

Well, she was a tiny bit afraid of its ferocity and hunger beating a pulse within her. And the way she could feel the same emanating from him. The combination of dangerous, deadly, and sexy, those hints of his compassion…intoxicating.

“You should be.” He slid his hands up her shoulders to her neck. “I could break you with a twist of my hands.”

“Impressive.” She mirrored
his
earlier use of a word for a change. She placed her foot on top of his, bracing her hands on his hips for balance. “And I could crush those tiny, delicate bones on the top of your foot.”

“That could be painful.”

“Work boots. Thick heels.”

It was hard to sound threatening with the tremble moving through her at the feel of his thighs touching hers. His body heat enveloped her, shooting fire through her veins and making her Dragon tingle.

“Dangerous,” he murmured, his thumb stroking her neck.

“Yes, I am, and I was even before I could turn into a beast. I could crush your balls.” She drew her knee up the inside of his thigh but stopped short of contact.

The corner of his mouth twitched. “I've heard you can hit the bull's-eye on a target nine times out of ten, too.”

“I can. But I'm not shaking like this while I'm aiming.” God, she
was
shaking, too, trembling with need to feel his skin, to taste him. She grabbed the sides of his shirt and yanked him close, trailing her mouth along his collarbone, dipping her tongue into the hollow at his throat. When his fingers slid into her hair, she pulled out the ponytail holder and started loosening the braid. He finished the process and buried his face in her hair, inhaling softly.

He whispered her name, both agony and raw desire in that word, and claimed her mouth. She ground her body against his, wanting to sink into his flesh…wanting him to sink into hers.

“Cyn…” Yes, he was sin. She tunneled her fingers through his silky hair and then drew them down his back. His Dragon stirred, too, shifting against his skin.

She felt his hunger for life, for the fire he'd been missing for so long. Felt it in the way he ravaged her mouth, the way he held her tight against him. Felt it as his hands slid beneath her top and hungrily roamed over her bra. He walked them several steps back until they came up against the wall and ripped off her shirt altogether. She tore away her bra, desperate to feel his touch. He squeezed, kneaded, and then his mouth moved down her neck and covered one nipple. His tongue felt exquisitely gentle and overwhelmingly intense all at once. Her Dragon thrashed in pleasure, filling her with heat. She dug her nails into Cyn's shoulders, feeling herself spiral away.

More, more, more.

She twisted so that his back was against the wall, pushing his shirt over his shoulders until it fell to the floor. Her body pressed close to his, and she followed the faint trail of hairs that led down to his waistband. She took her time working her way back up again, closing her lips over his nipple. Gawd, she'd never been so famished for a man before. Never been wanton like this.

He braced her hips, thumbs rubbing beneath the waistband of her cargo pants. Pants that were too tight now, too restrictive. He ran his hand over the front and slid down between her legs. Even with fabric between his hand and her flesh, hot pleasure washed over her. And eager need. Too much between them. She unbuttoned her pants and pushed them and her underwear to the floor before stepping out of them. As though sensing her need, he nestled his fingers in her hair before sliding between her folds. She was so worked up that just that touch made her quiver.

He lifted her as though she weighed nothing and carried her to her bedroom. He nipped at her neck and tossed her on the bed, taking her in with wild eyes that looked part human, part Dragon. When he came down on top of her, his mouth found hers again. He slid his arm beneath her, holding her body against his. Like he couldn't get close enough to her. She knew exactly how he felt. His thigh braced against hers, and his heat enveloped her. The energy of his Dragon thrummed through her, infusing her with a sexuality she'd never felt before.

Maybe it was just Cyn.

Definitely it was Cyn.

She put her hand on his face, feeling the slight bristle of stubble. He met her eyes, his glassy. He was as lost as she, finally surrendering to his desire for her. Something inside her shifted, deepening from lust to more. “Is this all Dragon, Cyn?”

He shook his head without even thinking about it. “It's us, Ruby. All us.”

She smiled, his admission filling her with the courage to speak the emotions that were revealing themselves. “I want to make your life interesting again. Let me give you my passion and awaken you like you did me. I want to make you care again.”

He curled his fingers over her hand. “You already have.”

Then why did he look so serious when she couldn't stop smiling? Maybe this was a monumental admission for him. Then she would go one step further. “You're the first man I've ever wanted to give my heart to. And the thought of that”—she shook her head, laughing nervously—“is scarier than it was when I was facing my Awakening. But I managed that. I think this will change me, and I can manage that, too.”

“Ruby, I can't—”

She pressed her finger to his mouth. “Don't say you can't do this. Being my protector doesn't exclude you from loving me. I'm not a child. It's not our Dragons, as you just admitted. There's no reason we can't act on our feelings.”

He sat up, tension in his expression. “There is a reason we can't act on this.”

She snapped her fingers as a thought occurred to her. “Condoms. To be honest, I'm not used to having to think about protection. So we don't go all the way. Because I think you know this is more than sex.”

He got to his feet and paced by the bed. “That's the bigger problem.” He paused at the sight of a framed picture on the dresser of her with her parents, then turned those dark eyes on her. “I can't keep my distance from you, an intolerable weakness on my part.”

She sat back on the bed, her hands braced on her thighs. “You said surrendering was strength. And that's what you just did, surrendered to me. And I surrendered to you. It was a beautiful thing.”

His expression spoke not of beauty but pain. “I promised I wouldn't touch you, no matter what my body—and my Dragon—wanted. That was hard enough. But now…”

“Now what?”

He rubbed his forehead. “I can't let this happen until you know the truth about me.”

So this was about him. She came to stand in front of him and touched his arm. “I know you've killed people, that you're a…bad dude. That doesn't matter to me.”

Her touch seemed to hurt him. He glanced at her hand and then squeezed his eyes shut. “It was me, Ruby.” He met her gaze. “I was the one ordered to assassinate your parents.”

The words settled in like spikes, making her drop her hand and clutch her chest. “You…”

“I was the Vega they tapped because they knew I was ruthless. They didn't tell me there was a little girl, only that all the people onboard were to be terminated. I knew nothing about the targets—”

“‘Targets.' Targets? They were my
parents
!”

“They were targets to me. When you take these kinds of assignments, you can't make it personal.”

She felt as though she'd been dunked in ice, the air leaving her lungs in a painful whoosh. She stalked into the living room and got dressed. The buttons on her shirt were missing so she held it together with one hand. He'd followed her out, but she spoke before he could say anything.

“But it
was
personal. They were people. Son, daughter, parents to a girl who needed them.” Heartache crushed her chest. She faced him, trying not to see the man whose face she'd just tenderly touched. Making herself see a cold killer. “Tell me. Tell me all of it.”

“You're sure you want to—”

“Yes.” The word came out brittle and harsh.

“I rammed the boat and disabled it. I've killed enough Emerald Dragons to take on the ability to swim like they do. I took on your mother first. She fought well, though I now realize it was a mother's protective instinct that drove her the most. But she was no match for me.” He spoke in a low monotone, now as emotionless as he'd been before.

Parts of Ruby's heart broke away at the mental picture. “How? Exactly how did you kill her?”

“She lunged at me, getting close enough for me to lock my arms around her neck. She tore at me, but she couldn't move her head to use her fangs. So she used her tail.”

Ruby felt a glimmer of pride at her mother's ability to fight someone like Cyn. “Did she hurt you?”

“Yes. Enough to nearly free herself. I broke her tail.”

The blood drained from her face. “Go on.”

“She swam back to the sinking yacht and managed to get onto the part that was still above water. I climbed up, too, and she shot me with her fiery spikes. Nearly blinded me. Something you should know, Ruby. Our eyes are vulnerable, as is the flesh around them.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Noted. Continue.”

“I grabbed her snout, keeping her from Breathing out. Then I pulled her head back and ripped out her throat.”

He'd held back nothing, cold bastard. No, he wanted her to hate him, she realized. Something else occurred to her. “Did you…take her power?”

He nodded. “It's customary.”

She clutched her stomach, feeling it spasm. He started to reach out, probably an involuntary reaction. She batted his hand away. “What about my father?”

“We can finish this later.”

“No, now. There won't be a
later
.”

“That's why I didn't tell you before. I didn't want you to stomp off in some rage before you were ready to defend yourself.” He gestured between them. “I never intended for this to happen. I was supposed to be your protector, nothing more. Every time we touch, it becomes harder to pull back. This time I knew I couldn't stop.”

“So it wasn't that we were going to have sex that forced your confession.” She reviewed the now painful conversation in her mind. “It was that I was going to give you my heart. And that was too much.” When he didn't deny that, she shifted her focus back to the dark truth he'd revealed. “Tell me what you did to my father.”

He trained his gaze to some point beyond her. “While your mother kept me preoccupied, he got you into the dinghy. With his last breath, he tried to keep you safe.” He seemed to sink back to that moment. “He said something about them doing something dangerous. That he was just following orders. Then he pleaded with me not to kill his daughter.” He rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I was following orders, too. I cut his throat. Then I looked in the dinghy and saw you.”

She took a step closer, her hands fisted at her sides. “Why didn't you kill me?”

He met her angry glare. “You were an innocent. For the first time, I purposely failed a mission.” His mouth tightened. “And no, I didn't get a pat on the back. I quit.”

“Because you lost your killer instinct?”

“No, I lost faith. You have to trust those in control, especially in the kind of work I did. Once I lost that trust, I was done.”

He'd quit over it. Saved her life at great risk to himself.

No, no, no, keep your anger. Think of what he took from you.

It wasn't only his betrayal that hurt. It was how alone, utterly alone, she was now. She had come to see him as her ally. And more. He'd taken that away, too.

He touched you, kissed you, knowing what he'd done. Bastard!

She hit him in the chest, her tears blurring the stony look on his face. “You wouldn't have taken an assignment like that if you weren't a cold, heartless person. And I bet…I bet you enjoyed it, didn't you? Killing them made you feel something.”