Chapter 3
Olivia nearly fell out of her chair. She gaped up at the President who’d remained standing and then at the stranger who’d just proposed to her. After studying him under closer scrutiny, she took in his jet-black, collar length hair pulled into a low ponytail and had to blink twice when her perusal was answered by a shimmering net of golden flecks raining down from the crown of his head to the end of his strands.
She stared - simply mesmerized - by the unfolding magic. It was as if an invisible spider had draped a golden net atop his head; highlighting the inky blackness with flashy, golden highlights. But as silky and beautiful his hair was, his eyes were even better. Deep chocolate and oval, they almost screamed feline by the way the tilted up at the corners. His strong, Romanesque nose sat proudly above warm, inviting lips.
Olivia visibly cringed when he smiled and little wrinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes. He wasn’t exactly built like a football player - all meaty muscles - like she preferred in a man, instead his body screamed tall, lean and strong. She could easily see him as an avid swimmer or basketball player considering his impressive height.
When her eyes moved back up toward his, he dipped his head as if in courtesy.
“May I take that as a yes?” he asked, the corners of his mouth tilting up as he smiled. Olivia opened her mouth to, no doubt, insult him but stopped short when she spotted the four little pearly whites that all but confirmed the man wasn’t merely human.
Fangs.
He had four fangs. Instead of normal canine teeth, like all humans have, his were slightly longer and very pointy.
“No,” Olivia denied. “You may not.” She then turned her attention back to the President.
“Sir, permission to speak freely?” she prompted and then cleared her throat of the profanities that burned to spew forth. She had to remind herself - several times in fact - that she was in the presence of the best of the best and the leader of the free world.
The President smiled and gave her a curt nod.
“You may Master Sergeant,”
“Just what in the holy hell is going on here?” she demanded. “Who is this man and why is he proposing to me?” she added with a nod at Jaxen.
A collective gasp resounded throughout the room and the man seated to Olivia’s right murmured something under his breath. She didn’t catch all of it, merely the “unreasonable female, should have never let them serve,” propaganda she’d faced all her career. She almost chuckled in spite of the anger and confusion seizing her. The men wanted to scream, rant and rave about women and their “feminism,” but who was the first person they’d thrown on this particular chopping block?
The woman. Why? She turned angry eyes on Jaxen and sneered. Apparently because she was the one with the adequate parts to handle the situation.
“Olivia,” the President coaxed her attention back to him by using her given name and not her hard-won rank. She didn’t take offense, she merely accepted the compliment in the air it was given. The President was serious enough to acknowledge her by her name, the least she could do was be civil...for the moment.
“It appears as though a history lesson is on today’s agenda,” Jaxen observed and flashed a tooth grin at Olivia. “Perhaps I may be so bold as to offer that lesson?” He slid his gaze to the President and waited for permission before taking the vacant seat opposite Olivia.
He cocked an eyebrow in her direction, clearly asking if she were ready.
“Oh, by all means,” she snapped. “I’m all ears.”
He smiled again and Olivia inwardly groaned when her feminine genes wiggled in response. She resigned to giving herself a bold, mental lashing later for daring to react to such a barbaric creature.
“Eons ago,” Jaxen stated. “The world as you and millions of others know it, was very different than the way it has been perceived by historians. Humans aren’t the only beings inhabiting this planet...” he trailed off and chuckled when he caught Olivia glaring at him. Of course her first thought had been that this man was a lunatic if he were talking about aliens.
“No, I’m not talking about beings from outer space,” he confirmed her suspicions and she wondered if he’d read her mind. Deciding to leave nothing to fate, she monitored her thoughts carefully lest he could. “I’m talking about paranormal creatures: angels, demons, vampires, were-animals, shifters and of course my kind; dragons.”
“Dragons?” Olivia repeated drolly.
“Those are merely a few,” he added as if she weren’t staring at him like he’d sprouted two heads and a forked tongue. “There are many, many more being discovered as we speak. But anyway, the dragons were among some of the first inhabitants of this planet. There are four factions, or I’ll call them ‘tribes’ for your benefit. One tribe for each element: earth, air, fire and water. Are you with me so far?” he asked.
Although her eyes had glazed over in a red-hot rage, Olivia pressed her lips together so tightly she feared they would crack and nodded her head instead of responding verbally. She feared what would happen if she opened her mouth. This was all some crazy dream or haze tactic and it was best just to let it run its course. She’d suffer the indignity of the situation with her head held high.
“Good,” Jaxen quipped with a pleased smile. “Each tribe has a leader who’s known as the Prince. I am Prince Jaxen Monroe, leader of Earth Elementals. I am the sole leader and Alpha, my reign is absolute,” he added the last part with a low trace of threat and she wondered who’d dared question this man’s claim.
“And you proposed to me because?” Olivia asked, not realizing until the moment she’d spoken that she truly wanted an answer. She couldn’t deny an animalistic attraction to the man, but yet she sensed something wasn’t quite right with this whole situation. His whole ludicrous story was just a work of fiction.
Jaxen slid his gaze back to the President who answered with a deep sigh. After a few moments of silence, he nodded at Jaxen to proceed.
“The High Council - our kind’s board of directors, as it were - have decreed that each tribe leader take a mate in order to replenish our ranks. Dragons are all but extinct.”
Olivia heard the man, quite clearly, and yet she said nothing for a few minutes. Even though every eye in the room was nervously shifting from her to the Jaxen to the President, she couldn’t fathom when the joke would come out.
“Olivia,” the President prompted her attention. “I would like to say that this is a request but that wouldn’t be the truth. After sharing our enlisted military personnel DNA database with Mr. Monroe, you’re the only one who can successfully carry out this mission. And it is that; a mission. These are your orders Master Sergeant.” His eyes narrowed in a hardened glare. “You are under a direct order to accompany Mr. Monroe to his estate and remain there until the mating ceremony can be arranged.”
Olivia’s heart stopped, her vision dimmed and suddenly the floor rushed up to greet her like a long-lost lover.