Chapter Nine
What had she done?
Ciara let Jakob fly her back to his villa, because, what else was she supposed to do?
A crazy white witch had taught her magic, black snake people had tried to eat her, and then Jakob had.
Eaten her, that is.
She blushed in places she didn’t even know she could, simply thinking about Jakob between her legs and inside her.
It had been…wow. Absolutely fucking amazeballs.
How was he still single with skills like that? Oh, god. Maybe he wasn’t.
Shit. She wasn’t. In the inferno of the moment, she’d forgotten all about Wes. Jakob’s kisses, and licks, and bites had obliterated Wes from her mind.
What had she done? The guilt of having cheated on him chomped on her core like a hungry hungry hippo.
But, wait.
Had she cheated? She didn’t actually have a relationship with Wes. They hadn’t even gone out in a date yet.
Sure, in her head for the last three years, they’d been married with kids, but in real life, they were nothing more than coworkers.
He certainly didn’t seem to be missing her. Didn’t even know she was gone. Sure sounded like he’d been out partying with his friends. Bros before hoes, she guessed.
That phrase summed up every relationship she’d ever had.
Probably because her life was mostly fries before guys.
Now, she’d gone and had some serious sexy times with a man - dragon - whatever, who had kidnapped her, saved her from come to life nightmare monsters, and she’d liked it.
A lot.
Fuck my life.
Ciara had gone so far inside her head, she didn’t even notice they were coming in for a landing at the villa until Jakob popped into her head.
“Want to go for another roll in the hay, love?”
“Don’t even think about it.”
“I’m definitely thinking about it, and all the other ways I’d like to roll around with you.”
While she could think of at least fourteen different positions she’d like to try with him, there would not be any more sexy times until they talked.
Jakob swooped down and gently set Ciara in the grass, far from any of the black stains scattered over the ground. He landed next to her and the dragon form shimmered, fading like a mirage, until only the man stood in front of her.
He touched her cheek, stroking across her chin. “Come on. Let’s get you covered up and find something to eat. You must be starving.
She’d be offended, because that’s what girls with big butts and bellies were when a guy offered them food. Even if she were starving, she’d never eat anything more than chicken breast and a salad on a date.
Sigh. This wasn’t a date.
Screw salad. Salad was for sissies.
She was hungry. She could eat a cow, as long as it had cheese and mayo on it.
Besides this was the second time Jakob had tried to feed her. He didn’t seem to care that she had some extra cushion. In fact, he’d liked it pretty damn well when he’d been pushing against that cushion a half hour ago.
“I could eat.”
Jakob smiled and she saw all the dirty thoughts her words sent through his mind. He took her hand and dragged her through the courtyard and into the house. She would protest at his caveman like behavior, but she had a brilliant view of his butt.
What a fine butt it was, too.
She could think of so many very fun things to do with that butt.
Not to mention all the dirty things she'd like him to do her butt.
Geez, horny much?
She was doing exactly what she always did when she first got into a relationship with the new guy. Not that that had happened a whole lot, but this was her M. O. Skip the important bits like whether they had anything in common, or were even compatible, and instead went straight into fantasyland.
It wasn't like she was even in a relationship with Jakob. They'd had sex.
Fucking fantastic sex, but this didn't even yet count as a one night stand.
She never should have let it go that far. So, he had shown more interest in her then Name, or any other man she'd ever dated, or not dated. Didn't mean they were going to live happy ever after.
Even though she let her imagination run all the way up the aisle, it wasn't like her to just jump into bed, or jump into a phone booth, with a guy she had only met yesterday.
Met wasn't even accurate. He kidnapped her. And then she'd gone and slept with them.
What the holy cannolis?
Her emotions were completely out of whack, and that was affecting her judgment. It had to be this place. She knew better.
Emotions made one dumb and do stupid things, like sleep with a Dragon.
The white witch, formerly known as Mrs. Bohacek, had warned her that suppressing her emotions, like she had grown up doing her entire life, would burn down the house. She had already almost burned up Jakob's treasure trove.
There was a difference between suppressing one's emotions and keeping a calm and clear mind. That wasn't the same thing. Not at all. Not even close.
Okay then, she would calmly and clearly eat, and tell Jakob thanks, but no thanks, she wanted to go home. They were beyond kidnapper and kidnappee now. They could have an adult conversation, at last.
She never had his whosie-whatsie in the first place, and he would understand that now.
He would fly her home. Or maybe, she would take a few more days off and spend them in Prague. Not like anyone had missed her anyway. Not like she had anyone to go home to.
She could go home next week to her sad and pathetic life lusting after man who didn't even want her, working ninety hours a week for her mother helping other people get their happy ever afters.
Yeah. Good plan.
Jakob whistled as he guided her through the house to the kitchen. Of course he did, he was a dude, who just got laid.
With no strings attached.
He snagged a soft green throw off a chair they passed and stopped long enough to wrap it around her like a shawl. His fingers rubbed over the place between her neck and shoulder where he’d bit her.
Who would have thought she’d be into biting? But, when he’d dug his teeth into her, man oh man, how her body had said ‘hell yeah.’
“You won’t be wearing any of this long, but I promise to get you all the most beautiful clothes in the world if you want them. Except for panties. No panties. Ever.”
She didn’t know what to say to that. No man had ever offered to buy her clothes. She didn’t need him to anyway, she had a closet stuffed to overflowing at home. Where she would be tomorrow.
Ciara opened her mouth to say as much, but her stomach growled, or maybe it was her psyche. Either way a cheeseburger would do wonders. They could talk afterwards.
He bopped her on the nose. For real. Like something an adorable couple would do.
They were not a couple. They never would be.
“Come on, let’s see what kind of meal we can whip up. We’ll need our strength.”
He winked at her and brushed his lips across hers.
She wished he wouldn’t do that. It made it hard to keep that calm and clear mind.
Jakob smacked her on the butt and then put his hand in the small of her back, guiding her to the kitchen. Every tingle she’d ever had in her entire life was nothing compared to the buzzy bees tickling her right where Jakob’s hand rested.
They walked into the kitchen, but Jakob stopped short, just inside the entry way. He moved like The Flash and jumped in front of her. Ciara squeaked, expecting another attack from the snake people. None came.
She tentatively peeked around him to see what other kind of scary monster might be in the kitchen.
A man leaned against the counter, arms folded, like he didn’t have a care in the world. Except, there was something about the way his eyes were on alert, going to her and then Jakob’s face. He wasn’t relaxed, even a little bit.
Neither was Jakob. He squeezed her hand and did his best to block her view of the visitor.
The other man spoke first. “Hello, brother. How are the winds treating you this fine night?”
Ciara looked between the two men standing off. Neither seemed angry, more like territorial. Where Jakob made her heart go pitter-patter-what’s-the-matter with his dark hair, that yummy stubble on his chin, and bright green eyes, his brother was a blond god, with golden eyes. They looked nothing alike. Brothers from another mother, maybe. “This is your brother?”
Jakob didn’t move, because he’d lose the staring contest then. “Not exactly. He’s another Wyvern. Leader of the gold dragons.”
“Oh.” Huh. She’d just assumed dragons were all green since that’s what Jakob was. What was she saying? All dragons? Up until yesterday the only dragon she knew of was Puff. There was one more question on her list for when she and Jakob had that talk.
Ciara moved around her incredible hulk of a dragon and stretched out her hand, careful to keep the blanket covering the tatters of her dress. No need for more than one dragon to see her half-naked tonight. “Nice to meet you. I’m Ciara Mosely-Willingham.”
He straightened up and took her hand, his fingertips dancing over her pulse point. “The pleasure is entirely mine, beauty. You can call me Cage.”
A low rumbling growl came from behind her and this time it wasn’t anyone’s stomach.
Cage raised his hands in the air and stepped back, but with a flirty grin on his face.
“My apologies, greenie. I didn’t know you were—” he paused, tilted his head, and inhaled through his nose. “That’s very interesting.”
Jakob stuck his arms out, soccer mom style, blocking her from Cage. She stuck her head out from under his arm anyway. “What is?”
Cage sniffed the air again, and narrowed his eyes. “Your scents. They’re—”
Jakob pushed Ciara back behind him, blocking both her view and Cage’s words. “What are you doing here, Cage?”
“I came to see what the fuss with my golds over the Atlantic ocean was the other night. I hear you took a flight.”
“I did.”
Cage looked between Jakob and Ciara, trying to work something out. Was it completely obvious they’d slept together, like a half an hour ago?
Crap. He could smell it, couldn’t he? She was investing in Febreeze.
“Must have been pretty important if you couldn’t talk to me about the flight over. That’s a long trip for a green.”
“It was and it was.” Jakob was being incredibly tight-lipped about whatever these two were talking about.
“I see that.” Cage waggled his eyes at Ciara while he looked her up and down in a way that made her giggle. What a charmer.
Jakob had some macho protective mojo going on, but nothing but curiosity and friendliness came from Cage.
Yep. She could tell that. It wasn’t a guess, she wasn’t paying attention to his body language to come to that conclusion. She knew it.
Cage might be a looker, but Jakob was the one she’d gone down and dirty with. The one she’d like to get even dirtier with.
Ugh. No, she was leaving. She’d decided. Regardless, she didn’t want to see some kind of man wars between these two because Jakob was going all feral on her.
She put her hand on Jakob’s arm, thinking her touch might calm him. It worked with brides and grooms and fathers of the brides, and mothers of the grooms. She literally felt the muscles in his arms relax under her hand.
He finally looked at her, quirked and eyebrow up for a second, and the took a deep breath together.
“Dude. Who is this sexy chick?” Cage’s voice had an aura of awe in it.
Jakob didn’t respond, but searched her eyes. She sensed another emotion from him now. Regret? No, that wasn’t quite right. There was something he was holding back, something he wasn’t telling her.
His pendant turned on, like an old TV warming up, very faint at first, like it’s light was only meant for her to see.
“She’s my…guest.”
“A guest who makes your soul shard glow? She’d more than a guest, Zeleny. What the fuck is going on here?”
“Ciara is no ordinary human. She had the first Dragon's relic.”
Oh boy, not this again. “I never took your first dragon's anything.”
Maybe she'd been wrong about him understanding that now.
“Holy shit, dude. You got it back from her, didn't you?” Cage began pacing back and forth from the sink to the refrigerator in a circle.
“No. It's gone.” Jakob's entire attitude was different. He didn't seem quite so worked up as he had every other time they had talked about this relic. Could she have possibly have done that? The elements and her emotions were obviously intertwined, because she had to use them to affect the fire, wind, and earth. She hadn't yet tried anything with water.
It made sense that if she learned to control the elements, that she might also be able to do something with emotions. She had always been really good at calming people down, it was half of what made her go to her job.
A job she was probably going to lose. That thought didn't hurt as much as it should.
Her job was her life. She should be freaking out right now.
Not so much.
“Gone? Gone where? You've got to get it back. That's the job of the Green Dragon wyvern. Your Wyr was the one entrusted to watch over the relic. You can't just fucking lose it.” Cage had added a lot of gesticulations with his pacing. He was getting really worked up.
Ciara took a quiet breath and concentrated on Cage. In her mind's eye she thought of a pretty green field with a quiet blue sky dotted with only a a few puffy clouds here and there. Sunshine warmed the air and birds twittered in her head.
Cage stopped and stretched his back and shoulders. He glanced over at Ciara and his jaw dropped open.
“Did you do that?”
“Maybe. Do you feel better?”
“I'm having a cow. But it sure as hell doesn't feel like it.” Cage grinned and flashed her one of those smiles you see in toothpaste commercials. If life had a soundtrack the sparkle of his smile would have dinged.
“Why don't you tell us what you did with the relic?”
Ciara raised her hands and took a step back. Now she had to convince both of them. Great.
“I don't think Ciara had anything to do with the theft.” Jakob sidled up next to her and put his hand in the small of her back again. She couldn't think straight when he did that. Bastard.
No way he had just said she didn't steal his thingamabob.
“After the attack on us both tonight, and the aftermath,” the only indication Jakob gave about said aftermath was the tiniest crinkle next to his eyes. “I think whoever stole the relic planted it so that I would find her.”
What?
“Besides the fact she has some very interesting powers, what makes her special, important? Why would anyone risk the first Dragon's relic to bring you to her?”
Oh yeah, because she loved being talked about as if she wasn't standing right there. “Hello?” She waved her hands to remind the two men she was not inanimate object.
“Sorry, kitten.” Cage had enough sense to look abashed at his bad behavior.
Jakob swirled his thumb in a circle on her back. She didn't want him to do that, but she didn't want him to stop either, so she didn't say anything.
“Her powers are extraordinary. I've never seen anything like it. She commands three out of the four elements without so much as a twitch of her nose. But, that wouldn't bring a horde of fifty or so demon dragons down on us.”
Cage nodded. “I saw the black marks in your garden. I assume your troops took care of them.”
“No, I sent them away yesterday. All but Steele, who is now en route to the US.”
“You're telling me you and kitten here defeated fifty demon dragons.”
“That's what you call those black snake people?” Demon dragons? That sounded a hell of a lot worse than snake people. Were they demons, or dragons, or both? Jakob cleared his throat and Ciara giggled to herself over the way his chest puffed up. “I took care of them.”
“Yeah, right. Not unless you found a way to quadruple your powers.” Cage scoffed at Jakob and jerked his thumb at him. He grinned at Ciara like they had some sort of conspiratorial agreement that Jakob was a dumbass.
Ciara stuck her tongue out and I'm.
“As soon as the sun rises and I'm sure Ciara is safe, we can take this outside and I'll show you.”
Great. The dragons were going to get their dicks out and measure them.
“Sounds fun. But we'd better save it for the AllWyr Council.” Cage leaned back against the counter. “Have fun explaining to Match how you lost the first Dragon's relic to meet a hot chick.”
“I've got a lot more to tell the AllWyr Council about.” Jakob chucked Ciara on the chin and moved the blanket from her right shoulder, exposing it to Cage's view.
Cage's jaw not only dropped open again, but his eyeballs about popped out of his head.
What? What did he see? Ciara twisted her head to look at her self, but could only see her shoulder. There was no way that that was her skin, because she did not have a giant tattoo of a green Dragon.
“Like the fact that Ciara is my true soulmate and that I have claimed her.”
Those tingles that Jakob put in her back traveled up her spine, pinged her in the back of the skull, and sent pins and needles across her scalp.
This was going to throw a kink in her plans. Not the kind of kink that got her motor running, the kind that stopped it dead.
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