Bound to the Dragon Read online

  Roy had transformed into a terrifying creature virtually before her very eyes, and now it turned out Dante was a dragon.

  Which, she had to admit, was pretty helpful, considering the circumstances.

  Questions crowded Mercy’s mind – so many that she didn’t know which one to ask first. And, she had to admit, there was just a hint of anger there as well.

  You’re damn right you should have told me about this sooner! she sent to him, squeezing his bone spikes in her hands. How could you not have told me?!

  Dante hesitated. I’m sorry. I didn’t know how. I thought if I told you right away you might think I was crazy and tell me to get lost. And then I wouldn’t have been able to protect you from Garrick.

  Mercy had to admit he had a point there – that probably would have been her reaction.

  You could have shown me, though. I’m not in the habit of denying what’s right in front of my face. If you’d – if you’d become a dragon in front of me, I’d have believed you. Hell, I probably would have been impressed.

  She could feel Dante’s remorse in her own heart somehow, just like she could hear his voice in her head.

  You’re right, Mercy – I should have trusted you more. I’m sorry, and I hope you’ll give me the chance to make it up to you. Right now, though –

  Mercy nodded, understanding him before he finished the sentence.

  Right now, we have Roy to worry about.

  That’s right. I’m going to set you down somewhere quiet and then go after him.

  Mercy blinked. You mean alone?

  Dante’s long neck moved as he glanced back at her, his bright green eyes brilliant in the darkness.

  I can’t have you getting any more involved than you already are, Mercy. It’s too dangerous. I don’t even know what Roy is.

  Mercy caught her breath. She’d assumed Roy was a dragon like Dante, but now that she thought about it, she realized they were quite different: Dante seemed to have scales all over his body, whereas Roy had had patches of fur. Dante’s head looked more like what she imagined a dinosaur or something might look like, rather than the nightmare of teeth and eyes that Roy’s had been. When she glanced behind her, she saw a long, elegant tail that slid through the air after them, rather than a weird, slimy, curved thing that looked like a weapon.

  What is Roy?

  She felt a chill in her heart. If not even Dante, a dragon, knew, then what on earth could he be?!

  I’m going to set you down over there by the river, Dante told her. There’s a clearing where I can land. And then –

  Dante, please don’t do this alone, Mercy begged him as she felt him beginning to descend. Roy is – he’s a monster.

  I know, Dante said. But that’s why I have to do this. And I won’t be alone.

  There was a pause as he dipped his wings, dropping lower to the ground.

  Mercy, I don’t have time to explain this right now, but you’re my mate. It means we’re connected to each other, and we always will be. With the mated bond, I won’t be alone. I’ll have you.

  Mercy blinked, trying to sort through what Dante had just told her.

  Mated... bond?

  Somehow, she could sense the truth of the words, even though she’d never heard the term before. The golden, glimmering rope she’d pictured earlier came back to her.

  Was that the bond we share?

  Instinctively, she knew that it was. The knowledge was sure within her.

  Dante seemed to sense this somehow – she felt a pulse of warmth from him, something that seemed to surge straight from his heart to hers.

  I should have known you’d understand, he said as he circled lower, before coming to rest on the bank of the river that separated Hainesville from Bondsville. The landing was gentler than Mercy had expected – she barely felt a jolt.

  She slid down from Dante’s back quickly. As safe as she felt with him, it was a relief to feel solid ground beneath her feet again after the stomach-churning plummet when Roy had let her go.

  He tried to kill me.

  Of course she’d known that, but it was only now that she had time to think about it properly. Until tonight, she’d always thought Roy was someone she could trust, someone she’d had good memories of. She felt sick as she thought of what might have happened if Dante had arrived only a few minutes later.

  I think that was in his plan, Dante said.

  Mercy looked at him, taking in his full form for the first time.

  She couldn’t help but catch her breath. He was... magnificent.

  There was really no other word for it. He was massive, his scales red and gold, his eyes a brilliant shade of green. White spines protruded from his neck and shoulders – they must be some kind of defensive armor, she thought – and his wings... his wings...

  Broad and vast, they stretched outwards from his body like sails. Mercy stared at them, entranced. They were the kind of wings that could take her high into the sky, fly her anywhere she wanted to go, leaving her troubles far, far behind her.

  She could feel the heat of his body even standing some distance away from him.

  Are you... a real dragon? she found herself asking. Do you breathe fire?

  Of course I do.

  Mercy couldn’t help but laugh a little – Dante sounded indignant at the idea that he wasn’t exactly like the dragons she’d always read about in fairytales.

  She shook her head. A real, flying, fire-breathing dragon. And he’s mine.

  That’s right, Mercy, I am yours.

  Dante was looking at her steadily, his eyes seeming to glow in the night.

  And I want to answer all your questions, but right now...

  Mercy nodded. She understood. Roy.

  When I said I thought it was his plan, I meant that he dropped you to distract me. He knew I’d give up chasing him to save you. I have to get going before he makes his escape.

  “I know,” Mercy said aloud. “But – before you go, I just – I want –”

  Fear clutched at her heart. She’d seen the monster Roy had turned into. Could Dante really beat him?

  “Please, let me kiss you,” she said, feeling like an idiot. They didn’t have time for this. But she couldn’t let him go without it. “Let me see you as – as your human self.”

  Dante nodded his massive head once, and then, all at once, he was changing, his body shrinking, his red-gold scales becoming tanned skin, his beautiful wings retracting into his body, his massive, clawed feet becoming human once more. And of course, the huge, fearsome head, with its horns and fangs, became the handsome, square-jawed face Mercy felt she knew so well. But his eyes were still the same brilliant shade of green.

  Mercy felt herself go weak at the knees as she watched. It was a lot to take in – she still felt she’d need a little bit of time to get used to this!

  Dante seemed to be waiting for her to give him permission to come to her, to touch her – but that was one thing she definitely did want him to do. She rushed to him, pressing her hands to his bare chest, as if to confirm it really was him standing in front of her, that he really was real, and not just a figment of her imagination.

  Yeah, these are definitely solid pecs, she thought, a giggle rising in her throat.

  His lips were searing when he lowered his head and kissed her. Mercy opened her mouth to let his tongue sweep inside, his arms crushing her against him, holding her tightly. Despite everything that had just happened, Mercy had never felt so safe as she did in that moment, Dante’s lips on hers, his arms around her.

  “I have to go,” Dante murmured, when he finally pulled back. “I can’t let Roy escape.”

  Mercy nodded reluctantly. “I know,” she whispered. “But –”

  Dante! Dante, is that you?

  Mercy looked up, eyes wide, at the sound of a woman’s voice in her head. She gasped as she saw a large, circling figure above her, its wings outstretched, with a long neck and tail on either end – just the same as Dante’s dragon form.

 
She glanced at Dante, and found him looking just as surprised as she felt.

  Holly? Stefan? What are you –

  We’ve been looking for you everywhere. The woman’s voice came to Mercy again, loud and clear. Ever since we sensed the danger you were in. You didn’t think we’d leave you all alone, did you?

  The newly arrived dragon swooped low over their heads before coming to land several feet away on the riverbank. At first, Mercy thought the dragon must be female, but then she saw a short, blonde woman slide from its back, hurrying over to them. It was her voice she’d heard in her head, Mercy realized. The dragon began shifting its form as soon as she’d alighted, changing into a tall, muscular man with the same dark hair and green eyes as Dante. Their resemblance to each other was startling – Mercy realized they had to be related somehow.

  “I’m sorry we’re late,” the blonde woman said, a little breathlessly. She looked at Mercy, a wide smile on her face. “You must be Dante’s mate. I’m Holly. And this is my mate, Stefan.”

  Mercy blinked, looking between the two of them. “I –”

  “I haven’t had a chance to explain much to Mercy yet,” Dante cut in quickly. “There’s been... a lot happening.”

  “Oh, right,” Holly said, looking apologetically at Mercy. “I’m sorry. I guess I jumped the gun a little. I was just so excited to meet you.”

  “No, it’s – it’s okay,” Mercy managed to stutter out. This was all so much – and going so fast! Still, she knew she had to pull herself together. Her eyes went to the tall, dark-haired man standing by Holly’s side. “You must be Dante’s... brother?”

  “His cousin,” the man said. He held out his hand for her to shake. “I’m Stefan. It’s an honor to meet Dante’s mate.”

  The man had a serious, slightly reserved air to him, very much in contrast to Holly’s sparkling smile and infectious enthusiasm. They complemented each other well, Mercy thought, both in looks and temperament.

  And more than that, there was an undeniable... connection between the two of them, something she could sense, but couldn’t see. Holly had said she and Stefan were mates – did that mean there was the same kind of invisible connection between herself and Dante?

  But there wasn’t time to think about that now. Stefan had turned to Dante, his expression grave.

  “We sensed you were in danger. You know we wouldn’t have intruded if it wasn’t serious. You know I wanted to respect your wishes about keeping yourself... separate... from the clan.”

  Mercy wanted to ask what he meant, but she managed to hold back, though it was hard. She could ask all of these questions later.

  Dante nodded. “I know. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little relieved to see you.”

  “You should be,” Holly broke in. “We’ve all been worried about you, Dante. You know none of us hold a grudge. We’d love for you to come home to the clan. Darklis especially – she thinks about you often, wonders if you’re doing okay.”

  Swallowing, Dante shook his head. “You know I can’t do that – not until I’ve made up for what I did.” He took a deep breath. “Which is why I don’t want you to come with me now, Stefan.”

  Mercy blinked, looking between Dante and Stefan. What was Dante talking about?

  Stefan’s expression became even graver. “Dante, I know what you’re saying, but –”

  “I’m sorry, Stefan, Holly,” he said. “I know you came all this way. But this is something I have to do myself. To protect my mate – and to prove myself. If I can do this, then perhaps I –”

  Mercy didn’t understand what he was talking about, but it was clear that Stefan did. “You know you don’t have to do this, Dante. As clan leader, I would accept you back at any time. I know you feel responsible, but that’s not how the rest of us feel. We just want the Novak Clan to be whole again – and without you, it isn’t. You don’t need to prove yourself to me, or to Darklis, or anyone else.”

  Dante nodded. “I know. But I still need to prove it to myself. You can understand that, can’t you? As a dragon, you must know what I mean.”

  Stefan hesitated a moment, but then he nodded. “I know. But you also need to know that I’ll step in if I think it’s needed. For now, though, this is your task.”

  “What are you two talking about?” Mercy couldn’t hold back any longer. “What task? What do you need to prove to yourself? Dante, I –”

  “Mercy.” Dante’s voice was low as he turned to her, looking into her eyes. “This is something I need to do. I didn’t protect you back then, the way a dragon should protect his mate. And I have something I need to make up to my clan. I can do that by beating Roy, and making sure he never hurts anyone else ever again.”

  “But –” Mercy began.

  “Please, Mercy, I have to do this,” Dante said. “I can’t let Roy try to destroy anyone else’s life. And I have to go now if I’m going to have a hope of catching him.”

  Mercy wanted to argue with him, but she knew he was right. Roy couldn’t be allowed to get away with what he’d done, or to do it again to anyone else.

  But still...

  “What is he?” she asked. “He wasn’t a – a dragon. He looked totally different.”

  “I don’t know,” Dante said. “But that doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is that I stop him.”

  “He’s like nothing I’ve ever sensed before either,” Stefan spoke up. “You need to be very careful, Dante. We don’t know what it is we’re dealing with.”

  Dante nodded. “Well, there’s only one way to find out.” He turned back to Mercy, taking her arms in his warm hands. “I promise I’ll come back to you, Mercy. I swear it. And when I do, I’ll answer every question you have – about dragons, about mates, about everything.”

  Mercy wanted to tell him not to go – or at least, to take Stefan with him if he had to. But in the end, she only nodded.

  His lips were on hers in a searing kiss that ended all too soon – and then he was stepping away from her, transforming into his massive dragon form once more.

  Mercy only had time to gasp, shocked once more to see the powerful creature he had become, before there was a gust of air, and Dante’s huge wings had propelled him upward into the sky.

  She watched him go, her heart in her throat.

  Please, Dante, please – be safe.

  She felt warm pressure on her arm, and looked down to see Holly’s hand pressing against her.

  “I know, this is nerve-wracking,” Holly said with a small, tight smile. “I had to watch Stefan do this myself. He had to fight the evil dragon who killed his family, and I felt like all I could do was watch.”

  Mercy’s breath caught in her throat. “A dragon killed Stefan’s family?”

  If Stefan and Dante are cousins, then that means –

  A sudden ache welled up inside her. That meant that Dante had lost his family too. Despite their connection, Mercy realized there was still so much she didn’t know about him.

  Holly nodded, as if she’d read her mind. “Or at least, Stefan thought they’d been killed – he thought he was the only member of his clan left for most of his life. It’s only been over the past few years that we’ve realized he’s not alone after all. His sister Darklis was still alive. His cousin Isaak was still alive. And last year, we found Dante too.” She hesitated. “But perhaps that’s Dante’s story to tell. For now, please know there is a way you can help him.”

  Mercy stared at her, wide-eyed. “How?”

  Holly smiled. “You’re his mate – he draws strength from your bond. You both do. And so, for now, you can send him your strength. Send him your love. Let him know that you believe in him. He’ll be able to sense it, and it’ll help him in the fight – if it comes to that.”

  Mercy wanted to ask Holly for more information – to ask her how on earth she was supposed to do any of those things – when once again she felt the shimmering golden rope within her. She could almost see it in front of her, glimmering in the darkness, stretch
ing out from her chest and connecting her to Dante.

  She closed her eyes.

  I believe in you, Dante, she sent him, hoping he could hear it. I love you. More than anything. I love you.

  Chapter Twelve

  Dante

  I love you.

  Dante felt a pulse of power flow through him as Mercy’s words touched his mind. He wondered for a moment if he had only imagined it, but then it came again, even more fervently: I love you.

  Dante opened his mouth to roar as strength surged within him, infusing his body with a power he had never known before. The strength of the mated bond and his fury at Roy for what he had done lent him a power he had never felt before – almost as if he was renewed, filled with new strength enough to take on an army of dragons, if that’s what he had to do to keep Mercy safe.

  But I don’t have to defeat an army. I only have to defeat Roy.

  He’d lost precious minutes in his pursuit, but he couldn’t bring himself to regret it. He’d needed to look into Mercy’s eyes and see the love and trust in them – and the conversation with Stefan and Holly had given him confidence as well. He’d always known that the Novak Clan would take him back if he’d asked them to, but he knew he couldn’t do that until he felt worthy to rejoin them.

  Protecting his mate from this threat – Dante knew that if he could do this, if he could fulfill the greatest purpose a dragon had, then perhaps he’d finally feel ready to come back home. Come back to his family. His clan.

  And he had to admit, he hadn’t wanted to leave Mercy alone, either – who knew what kind of allies Roy had lurking around? But she would be safe with Stefan. He was the clan leader, the strongest dragon that Dante had ever known. While Dante would have dropped everything to return to Mercy’s side if she needed him, he knew that with Stefan around, he could focus fully on the fight with Roy.

  Yes, yes! His dragon’s fury seethed within him. Make him pay – make him bleed. He hurt our mate. He betrayed her. He tried to kill her. He has to die for what he’s done.