Mated to the Fire Dragon (Elemental Mates Book 4) Read online

  Braeden grinned at her. “That’s all right. Maybe I’ll go with something weird tomorrow, just to make you happy.”

  There will be no tomorrow. No tomorrow but shadow and flame, something hissed inside his mind again.

  Perplexed, Braeden shook his head. Then, at Alyx's questioning look, he hastily began to lick at the ice cream that had begun to drip over his fingers.

  “Everything okay? You looked lost in thought there for a moment,” she said.

  She reached out and rested her hand on his arm—and just like that, the strange tightness in his chest and the scent of smoke and ashes was banished.

  Braeden gave her a grateful smile.

  “Sorry. I was just thinking. Never mind, it was nothing of importance.”

  “We've both earned a day off,” Alyx said firmly. “You can go back to worrying about the fate of the world tomorrow. Now, another beach walk, or more window shopping?”

  “Window shopping,” Braeden said, laughing when Alyx beamed at him.

  Hopefully, the excitement of the small shifter shops of Wing Island would shut up those strange thoughts of destruction and ruin.

  ***

  It had taken them two hours to make it through everything the small shifter town had to offer. They’d started with tasting the coffee and donuts at Chameleon Coffee and ended their exploration with half an hour in a beauty parlor with a pair of gull shifter twins massaging Alyx's hands, who looked like she was in heaven as she tried to settle on a color for her nails.

  At last, they left the parlor with Alyx's nails a bold red.

  “To go with your new shirt,” she said and winked at him.

  “Fire dragon colors,” Braeden countered. The dragon within him preened with greed.

  Soon, they would be truly mated. Soon, he would be in his full power, a true alpha dragon.

  But he didn't care about the power, not truly.

  It would be easier to protect Alyx that way, which was good. But what he really wanted right now was the feeling of Alyx curled up against him.

  He wanted to wake up to the sensation of her fine, black hair tickling his nose, her head on his shoulder. He wanted her to laugh at him because he didn't like the latest trends in vegetable-flavored ice cream. He wanted to try terrible things just because she liked them—and he wanted to show her the wonders of the shifter world.

  He wanted to experience the wonders of this peaceful world by her side. This was really all just as new to him as it was to her.

  He had a head start on her, but this shifter world wasn't his home. The awful underground caves were.

  Only he was never going to live there again. He'd build a new home. A home where fire meant warmth and comfort. A home in the light.

  ***

  They spent a beautiful evening on the beach with Timothy and Liana, watching the waves lap at the shore as the moon made the water gleam like liquid silver. Timothy had collected dry driftwood—and Braeden had set it on fire.

  “Nothing like a fire dragon for a barbecue,” Alyx said. She looked immensely pleased as she watched the fish sizzle in the dragon fire.

  “Wait until you get to try some dragon-fire-charred steaks,” Braeden promised. “It's a better treat than avocado ice cream.”

  “Might even make a good trend.” Alyx leaned against him. “I can already see the headline. The Top Ten Dragon Fire Barbecue Trends of the Summer.”

  “Maybe you should try to take over the world with your own burger chain,” Timothy said and laughed.

  “Or a steak house. I bet we could come up with a good name. I volunteer my Dragon Heights designers to come up with a logo for you,” Liana added.

  Braeden looked amused as he gave the sizzling fish a careful poke—reaching right into the fire.

  “Oh, there are lots of good uses for a fire dragon,” Alyx murmured and gave him a look from eyes that had darkened.

  Braeden felt his own heart speed up in response. He reached out to wrap his arm around her shoulder again, needing to feel her close.

  “I bet there are.” Liana grinned, unapologetic. “We got you guys a house of your own, so you can try all of them. You're lucky. At this time of the summer they're usually all rented out to shifters who want a beach vacation. But this morning, a cancellation came in. You're not directly on the beach, but it's just a five-minute walk through the wood.”

  “Sounds wonderful,” Braeden said as he looked at Alyx.

  She looked perfect, nestled into his arms. She'd fit right in here. She'd made friends with Liana and the bunny shifter who owned the boutique almost immediately.

  Which was good. He'd hoped that after the horrors of the fire dragon caves, she'd see that there was a lot more beauty to the shifter world than what she'd seen.

  But this wasn't his home. This was the ocean dragon's home.

  And as much as Braeden wanted to give Alyx a community like this, he didn't have one.

  But maybe that's all right. Alyx is smart and strong and good with people. Maybe she wouldn’t mind having to start from scratch together with me.

  “Have you two thought about where you're going to live yet?” Liana asked as if on command.

  “I want to go home,” Alyx said wistfully. “I know I can't—I'd be putting all my friends and colleagues in danger. But I miss them. I miss my work. I want them to know that I'm okay.”

  “Once Steele is gone,” Braeden said softly. “You'll get your life back. I promise.”

  Perhaps it wouldn't be as easy as he'd hoped. She already had a job she loved and a good life. What right had he to demand that she come build a new life when he didn't have anything at all to offer her?

  “But in the meantime, this isn't bad at all. For a while, I thought I'd never see the stars again.” Alyx leaned back in his arms, craning her head to look up at the sky.

  Braeden followed her gaze. There was not a single cloud in sight. The stars were so bright he could pick out the constellations.

  He pressed a kiss to Alyx's hair.

  No matter where they went after Steele was defeated, he'd be happy, as long as his mate was safe.

  And perhaps he could live in the human world with her. He'd always wanted to know more about it. He still had a lot to learn.

  Then the fish sizzled again, fat dripping into the flames, and Braeden realized he'd almost let their dinner burn.

  Hastily, he reached into the flames and rescued the fish. It was a giant bluefin tuna which Timothy had caught for them—now it was charred black on the outside.

  Fortunately, when they started to dig into it, it turned out perfectly juicy on the inside, with just a hint of the smoky aroma of dragon fire.

  Alyx closed her eyes with pleasure after her first bite, then gave him a thumbs-up, too distracted by the delicious fish to stop to talk. Braeden smiled to himself, his heart filled by a deep, all-consuming warmth.

  So this was what hope felt like.

  Maybe they hadn't worked out everything yet. Maybe there was still an incredibly powerful and dangerous enemy waiting to destroy him.

  But no matter what happened, at the end of it, Alyx would still be there. And they'd build something together.

  ***

  “I like your friends,” Alyx said when they'd finally made it to their little vacation home for the night.

  “Really?” Braeden had a hard time concentrating on what she was saying, because she'd just started to pull off her shirt.

  “Mm-hmm.” She gave him a wicked little look that said that she knew exactly what she was doing to him.

  Which perhaps wasn't that hard to figure out, given the rock-hard erection that was currently pressing painfully against his jeans.

  “And I like this town. I always thought I was a city girl through and through, but this place is amazing. They've built a good thing here. I wish I could write about it.”

  “You could,” Braeden said, his eyes riveted to where she was slowly unhooking her bra.

  She grinned at him before she pulled
it away. Braeden swallowed, thinking of his hands on all that soft, silky skin.

  He held out his arms, but instead, she worked open the button of her pants—teasingly slow.

  “My boss would laugh me out of the office if I wrote a column about the best vacation spots for werewolves and dragons.” She grimaced, then, in a bored drawl, said, “Really, Alyx. Dragons? Maybe it's time to leave the lifestyle section to someone younger. More on top of trends.”

  “Your boss is an idiot.”

  “He is,” Alyx said—and then, at last, began pushing down her pants. “But he's also my boss. Which means he can be as stupid as he wants to be. He's still the one who can fire me. Or promote me to write about the boring topics no one else wants and give my column to the new twenty-year-old hire.”

  “Best to keep this place a secret anyway.” Braeden could feel his hunger rising as he stared at Alyx.

  She was standing before him in nothing but her panties now, her hands on her hips as she gave him a teasing look from those gorgeous, honey-brown eyes.

  Her nails stood out against her pale skin, as red as fire. The dragon within him yearned to give her a crown of rubies and decorate her with golden chains.

  Braeden pulled off his own shirt, then struggled out of his jeans. His heart was beating fast in his chest, his body hungry for the feeling of her skin against his own.

  He could feel the pull of the mate bond. The fragile bond between them wanted to be complete.

  And he wanted to be inside her. He wanted to feel her clench around him again as she cried out his name, utterly lost in the pleasure he'd given her.

  Then, at last, she came closer and reached out for him.

  A heartbeat later, he'd tumbled her onto the bed. Immediately, her arms came up around his shoulders. She pressed herself against him with the same, overwhelming need he felt.

  Hungrily, he kissed her, deepening the kiss and swallowing the moans that escaped her. He could feel her nipples hard and tight against his chest. Her panties were already soaked through when he slid a hand between their bodies.

  Be mine, the dragon within him whispered.

  She arched against him as he broke the kiss, his lips trailing down her throat instead—

  And then, for a heartbeat, everything turned black.

  Fire. Smoke. Shadow.

  Darkness spread through him. He could feel it in his chest, like a cloud of the deepest black. It filled him, elusive like smoke, blocking out the bright flame inside him—blocking out even the golden light of the mate bond.

  And then he heard the voice again. This time, he knew what it was.

  There is no light without darkness. There is no fire without shadow, the voice hissed. I am the darkness. I am inside you.

  Steele. It was the voice of Steele.

  And the weird, scratchy sensation he'd felt ever since he'd breathed in the ash on their escape from the volcano wasn't just ash.

  Somehow, the weird darkness that had tainted Steele had made its way inside him. It had infected him—just as it had infected Steele, perhaps.

  Fool, Steele taunted. You can't keep her safe. You think you can protect her from me? How will you protect her from yourself?

  Horrified, Braeden jerked back.

  He still couldn't see—but the touch of Alyx's skin against his own had suddenly turned into something terrible.

  He was dangerous. He was poison.

  To touch him might kill her.

  “Braeden? What's wrong?” she asked.

  You're what's wrong, Steele hissed in triumph. You thought you could betray us, but you can't leave your kin behind. You'll always be one of us. There's great darkness in you. And you'll take her down with you. Soon the reign of shadow and fire will begin—and you, you will be one of us once more.

  “Braeden?”

  He could hear the terror in Alyx's voice, but the terror in his own heart was even stronger.

  She reached out for him—and at her touch, he recoiled.

  “Not now,” he said, his voice tight as he struggled for control.

  He forced himself to breathe slowly and deeply.

  He could see again. The darkness around him was gone.

  But he could still feel it. Steele had been right—there was a small cloud of darkness in his chest. It was still there. He couldn't hear Steele anymore—but Steele could come back.

  He would come back. Braeden knew that with absolute certainty.

  Steele wouldn't stop until he'd dragged Braeden back into their ranks—and until he'd taken down Alyx with him.

  I'd rather die than harm her, Braeden thought furiously.

  “Are you hurt?” she asked, reaching out for him once more.

  The moment her hand touched his bare skin, he recoiled again with horror.

  The dark cloud inside him had flared up—and it took all of his control to fight back the mocking laughter that echoed in his head.

  I'll keep her safe, no matter what. You won't touch her.

  Even if that meant that he couldn't touch her either.

  Even if it meant that he'd have to let go of that new, fragile hope. Those new dreams of a home they'd build, of a life in the sun.

  “Sorry,” he said, sitting up to avoid touching her again.

  He couldn't taint her with this thing inside him. He couldn't let the darkness touch her.

  “It was all a bit much today. I'm more tired than I thought. You should rest, too. I'll take the couch.”

  “The couch? What—” There was pain in her voice.

  He could hear it, even as he all but fled from the room, closing the bedroom door behind him.

  The sound of it closing echoed loudly in his head, as if it wasn't made of wood but stone and metal.

  He'd just closed the door on something else. Something unbelievably rare and precious.

  But he couldn't be close to her. Not with Steele in his mind.

  It's already begun, Steele hissed. You're one of us. Surrender; it will make it easier. You'll destroy everything you touch.

  No, Braeden thought, clenching his hands in his hair in fury and despair.

  Behind the door, he could hear Alyx call out his name. She sounded pissed off—and worried.

  Worried for him.

  His heart ached like never before. He'd never loved before.

  And now that he knew what it was like to have his mate close, death seemed preferable to life without her.

  But those were the only two options left to him now. As long as this taint was inside him, his love was dangerous.

  He wouldn't be used to destroy her. He'd rather suffer this pain for the rest of his life.

  The pain was nearly unbearable—even so, he forced himself to get up and walk away from the bedroom door.

  In case she'd try to come after him and touch him again, he left the house. The thing inside him was still present. He could feel it clearly now, a darkness in his chest, a shadow where his heart had been.

  There's still a chance, he thought as he sat down beneath a tree. He could keep an eye on the house from here.

  No dragon would be able to approach. He could keep Alyx safe from here.

  And most importantly, now she was safe from him.

  Chapter Thirteen: Alyx

  “That goddamn idiot.”

  In her frustration, Alyx hit her pillow.

  She'd thought that everything had been fine. She'd had the best day ever—and not just because one day ago, she'd still been trapped underground.

  The sunlight had been great. The small shifter town had been exciting. Freedom and ice cream and people who smiled at her—she'd missed all of that so much that it still felt like a dream.

  But the best thing about the day had been the way Braeden had never left her side.

  The way he'd smiled whenever she looked at him. The way he'd been so proud to show her this shifter town, where no one was trapped in caves, and where everyone could live happily and peacefully.

  She'd thought that it was be
cause he wanted her to like his shifter world. He'd called her his mate, after all. He'd said that if they mated, it would be forever.

  Perhaps that was when she should have known that it was too good to be true. So far, every man had run when it came to the point where it could mean forever.

  But it was Braeden who'd brought it up first.

  And she'd felt it too. She'd seen it—the connection between them, pulsing like golden light.

  She'd felt it in every touch, seen it in every look.

  She'd thought he meant it, damn it. And now he'd run like any of the men she'd tried dating during the past few years.

  He's the dragon of fire. He's incredibly powerful. Maybe he's starting to realize what a letdown a human mate would be.

  It was true. She had no powers of her own. She'd be his weak spot. If Steele attacked him again, she would be helpless.

  He deserves a mate who can support him.

  Only Liana was a human woman just like Alyx, and that seemed to have worked out just fine for her and Timothy.

  So what was wrong with Alyx that Braeden had suddenly run?

  He'd wanted her. She'd seen it. She'd been able to feel his need and desire through the forming bond between them.

  He doesn't want the mate bond.

  The realization was terrible. But what other explanation could there be?

  Why couldn't you stay and talk to me, you bastard?

  Frustrated, Alyx hit her pillow again. Then she took a deep breath.

  I need to talk to someone. Anyone. Anyone who's not part of this entire crazy world of shifters.

  There was a phone in the living room. She'd seen it earlier.

  She'd lost her own phone weeks ago, when she'd been first captured by the dragons. But there was one number she knew by heart.

  Sarah.

  Her best friend. The one person she'd always been able to trust with all the details about the men she'd been trying to date.

  Sarah was the one who'd told her that Liam was an asshole and that she needed to drop him, a week before Alyx found out that he'd been cheating on her with not one, but three different women at the same time.

  For a week, she'd thought that Sarah just didn't understand her and that she was jealous of the man Alyx had finally managed to find.