Burned by Darkness

  Tayla blinked in confusion. It’d never occurred to her that her father felt guilt at her mother’s death.

  “It wasn’t your fault,” she said. Arrita wasn’t the only imp killed during the leeches’ bloody spree through New England. “No one knew vampires were in the area, hunting fey.”

  Odel hunched his shoulders. “It doesn’t matter,” he muttered. “Without your mother I’m a broken male.”

  A mixture of sympathy and annoyance at her father’s habit of wallowing in self-pity surged through Tayla, but even as her lips parted to tell him to man up, she felt the ground shake beneath her feet.

  She frowned, abruptly realizing that it was the first mini earthquake she’d felt in several minutes. What had Baine been doing? Had he been injured?

  Almost as if he shared her concern, Char closed his eyes, his expression distracted. Tayla held her breath. She’d heard rumors that dragons could communicate telepathically. Several seconds passed, then without warning, the male reached out to grasp her arm.

  “We have to go,” he said, his tone warning he wasn’t going to argue.

  Her heart squeezed with fear. “Is he okay?”

  “Yeah.” The male grimaced. “But he’s going apeshit waiting to know you’re safe. If we don’t get out of here he’s coming to get you himself.”

  A ridiculous glow of warmth filled her soul. The magnificent, glorious dragon was worried about her.

  “I’m ready.” She lifted her hand to create the portal, only to hesitate. “Where should we go?”

  Char sent her a baffled glance. “Home, of course.”

  “You mean Baine’s lair?”

  Reaching out, Char brushed his fingers down her cheek. “That’s what I said…home.”

  Slicing her hand through the air, Tayla led her odd collection of companions into Baine’s throne room. She told herself that the sense of peace was nothing more than relief that they’d all managed to survive.

  But even as she glanced around the elegant chamber, Char’s word whispered through the back of her mind.

  Home…

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Baine didn’t kill his friend. Char was, after all, a valuable companion.

  But it was a close thing.

  He’d actually been in a good mood when he’d returned to his private lair. Char had sent word that Tayla was safe and Baine had been able to release his smoldering frustration on the unfortunate assassins and band of trolls.

  He’d made the ground shake, he’d spewed fire, and he’d created havoc among the natives.

  Three of his favorite things.

  By the time he’d left, the castle had been a smoking ruin and the bastards who had been hunting Tayla were dead. Or at least he assumed they were dead.

  If any had escaped they now understood that Baine would destroy anyone who attempted to harm his mate.

  But he’d barely had time to shift into his human form when his trusted servant entered the library of his private rooms to inform Baine that he’d had no choice but to rescue Tayla’s father.

  Shoving his fingers through his dark hair, Baine glared at the smirking Char. The younger male clearly found humor in the thought of Baine being stuck with the worthless imp.

  It made Baine want to kill something.

  “What the hell am I supposed to do with him?” Baine snarled.

  “I don’t know.” Char gave a lift of his hands, his overly innocent expression scraping against Baine’s temper. “He’s your in-law, not mine.”

  “If you’d left him with the trolls—”

  “Not my call,” Char interrupted. “Your female insisted she wasn’t leaving without him.”

  “Shit,” Baine breathed.

  He couldn’t blame his servant. For such a small demon, Tayla had a talent for making a male rush to obey her commands. That didn’t, however, ease his frustration.

  It was bad enough to have that lump of cement she called a gargoyle in his lair. Now he had a drunken imp who would no doubt gamble away Baine’s entire hoard if he weren’t constantly guarded.

  “You could always arrange an accident,” Char suggested, his lips twitching as the scent of lemons filled the air just seconds before Tayla stepped into the room.

  Wearing a soft cashmere sweater and gray slacks, she should have looked prim and prissy. The sort of female who would be horrified by the lustful urges of a dragon.

  Instead, the peach sweater emphasized the luscious swell of her breasts, and the slacks clung to the rounded curve of her ass.

  “What sort of accident?” she demanded as she strolled forward, her pale green eyes wary.

  Baine waved a hand toward Char, his gaze never leaving Tayla as he inwardly debated how swiftly he could get her out of those prim clothes and stretched naked on his bed.

  Primitive, but hey, he was a dragon.

  “Leave us,” he growled.

  “As you command, my lord.” Char performed a deep, mocking bow before turning to head across the floor. He paused next to Tayla to whisper loudly in her ear. “Give him hell, darling.”

  Baine shook his head as his servant at last strolled out of the room, closing the door behind him.

  “He needs a mate,” he muttered.

  Tayla stood near one of the bookshelves, trying to look like she hadn’t been startled by his words. “I thought dragons rarely mated?”

  Baine moved forward. Enough with the games. He intended to claim her, once and for all.

  “It’s not as common as among some species, but it’s not exactly rare.” He halted directly in front of her. “Tayla—”

  “I suppose you’re angry that I left?” she hastily interrupted, her cheeks flushed.

  Baine narrowed his gaze. “I’m angry that you put yourself in danger,” he corrected.

  She bit her bottom lip. “I couldn’t leave Levet and my father in trouble.”

  Baine shuddered at the thought of what might have happened if he hadn’t sensed her leaving the lair. The assassins would have fed her to the trolls…

  With an effort he slammed shut the door on his darkest fears. He couldn’t even let himself think of losing this female.

  “We’ll deal with those two idiots later,” he muttered.

  “But—”

  Her words ended on a squeak as he leaned down to scoop her off her feet.

  “Later,” he insisted, cradling her against his chest as he moved to walk through a doorway that was carefully hidden behind a weave of illusion.

  Instantly they were stepping into a cavernous room that was fit for a sultan.

  A large round bed stood in the center of a mosaic-tiled floor, draped in black and gold bedding. There was a deep bath in one corner that was bigger than most swimming pools, and in another corner was a pile of pillows where he could relax and read without worry that he might be interrupted.

  “Where are you taking me?” Tayla breathed.

  “Where I should have taken you the second I saw you in my father’s lair,” he said, slowly lowering her to her feet.

  She glanced around, her gaze lingering on the nearby bed before moving toward the priceless tapestries that hung on the walls.

  “Good heavens.”

  He stroked his hand over her golden curls, needing to touch her. He’d released a portion of his fury during his destruction of the assassins’ castle, but he was still working through his terror that he might lose her.

  That was going to take some time.

  “You’re the first person ever to enter my private sleeping chamber,” he told her.

  She blinked, as if startled by his confession. “Why me?”

  His fingers slid beneath her hair so he could discover the tender skin of her nape.

  “You know why.”

  He could hear her heart begin to race, a flush staining her cheeks.

  “You said I belong with your hoard,” she muttered.

  Baine grimaced with regret. Being an all-powerful dragon didn’t keep him from acting like an idiot o
n occasion.

  “Because you pissed me off,” he admitted.

  She shivered as his fingers lightly traced the neckline of her sweater.

  “I didn’t mean to.”

  He leaned down, capturing her guarded gaze. “Yes, you did. You were frightened by the intensity of your response to me. So you panicked and tried to put barriers between us.”

  She lowered her lashes, as if she could pretend he hadn’t guessed exactly why she’d been so anxious to push him away.

  “Arrogant,” she muttered.

  “I am,” he readily agreed. “Which is why I allowed you to manipulate me into putting space between us.” He moved close enough to feel the soft cashmere rubbing against his bare chest. “Something that will never happen again.” His thumb pressed against the pulse that hammered at the base of her throat. “Especially now that I know about your little trick.”

  She licked her lips, her eyes darkening. But it wasn’t fear. No. He could smell the heady scent of her arousal beginning to waft through the air.

  “I promise I won’t take off again,” she said, her voice husky. “Not until I’m released from your debt.”

  His brows snapped together, his fingers dipping beneath the neckline of her sweater to tug out the delicate golden chain he’d placed there what seemed like an eternity ago.

  “There is no debt.” With one small burst of power he destroyed the dragon marque.

  She glanced down in shock, her hand lifting as if she actually missed the narrow chain.

  “What are you saying?”

  “I absolve you of any obligation,” he told her. There would be no more excuses for her to hide behind when he held her in his arms. “You are free.”

  She slowly tilted back her head to meet his brooding gaze. “I can leave?”

  He clenched his teeth. Every instinct rebelled against giving her a choice. He was a dragon, dammit. He hoarded his treasures with a fierce, possessive jealousy.

  But Tayla was more than just a precious bauble.

  She was his mate.

  And she had to choose her place at his side.

  “If that’s what you desire.” He forced the words past his stiff lips, his hands unconsciously smoothing up and down her back while he allowed his heat to cloak around her. “But I hope very much you’ll want to stay.”

  She instinctively arched toward him, a hint of vulnerability shimmering in her beautiful eyes.

  “For how long?”

  His answer came without hesitation. “Forever.”

  ###

  “Forever?” she breathed as she reached up to rest her hands on his broad chest. “That’s a very long time.”

  Beneath her fingers she could feel the heat of his beast. Her smile widened. Was it possible she’d truly captured the heart of this magnificent creature?

  “Not nearly long enough, when I’ve waited five centuries to at last discover you,” he murmured. “Only to have you promptly disappear for another twenty-five years.”

  Her lips twitched at his disgruntled tone. He truly was disturbed by the fact that she’d managed to hide from him for so long.

  “And what about your harem?” she demanded, stroking her fingers over his rigid muscles.

  She thoroughly approved of his preference for going shirtless.

  There were no barriers to stand between them. Nothing to halt her from exploring the silky warm skin and the fascinating tattoos that swirled over his body.

  Approval rumbled deep in his chest as he reached to grab the hem of her sweater, smoothly tugging it over her head.

  “What about it?” he asked in an absent voice, his jaw tightening and nose flaring as his gaze swept down to her bare breasts.

  “I want it shut down.”

  His head lowered until she could feel his breath against her temple.

  “Are you sure?”

  Tiny sparks flowed through her blood as she used her nails to lightly scrape down his back.

  “Do you intend to have other females?” she demanded.

  He chuckled, a shudder shaking his body as her finger traced the waistband of his loose pants.

  “Of course not, but it might be fun to play master and slave,” he suggested in husky tones.

  “I suppose you get to be the master?” she teased.

  “Well, it was my suggestion,” he said, a groan wrenched from his throat as she tugged the drawstring, allowing the pants to slide down his legs.

  Instantly her fingers were wrapping around the hard length of his cock.

  Although she’d already had more than one up-close and extremely personal encounter with Baine, she still felt a thrill of shock as she was reminded of the size of his cock.

  And how hot it was to the touch.

  Fascinated, she traced her fingers over the blunt tip and then down the shaft to the soft sack below.

  “Hmm,” she murmured. “I prefer the notion of having you kneeling at my feet.”

  “Holy hell,” Baine moaned, his fingers closing over her own as he encouraged her to stroke up and down. “With this sort of incentive I promise I will kneel at your feet as often as you want.”

  “Promises, promises—”

  Her mocking words broke off with a soft moan as he lowered his head and captured her lips in a fierce, demanding kiss.

  White-hot need seared through her as she lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck. Immediately the scent of exotic male spices filled the air.

  Yum.

  She shivered as his hands followed the curve of her spine, then cupped her butt in a possessive grip. His raw power filled her mind until there was nothing but him. The taste of his kiss, the incandescent heat of his touch.

  Gently his tongue parted her lips to slip inside. Tayla eagerly opened to his caress. At the same time, Baine growled deep in his throat, allowing his hands to skim upward to at last cup the aching fullness of her breasts.

  Tayla trembled. Oh…yes. She squeezed her eyes shut, savoring the sensation of his fingers teasing her nipples into tender peaks. Pleasure streaked through her body like bolts of lightning.

  She pressed against his hard form, greedy for more.

  “Baine.”

  His lips nuzzled her cheek as his thumbs continued to caress her aching nipples.

  “I have been alone so long, Tayla,” he whispered. “I never dared to hope I would ever have a mate.”

  The stark words sent a shiver of longing down her spine.

  She better than anyone understood loneliness.

  And a wistful yearning for a family that she kept tucked in a secret part of her heart.

  “Your mate,” she whispered.

  “Mine.” He pulled back to study her with a heated gaze. “Yes…mine at last.”

  The breath was knocked from her lungs as he reached down to scoop her off her feet, and moved into the shadows of the vast bedroom. Tayla had never felt so protected as she did in his strong arms, and she turned her head to nuzzle the bare skin of his chest.

  This was what it meant to share her life with another, she hazily acknowledged.

  Clutching his shoulders she sensed as Baine slowly lowered her onto the pillows of the wide bed. She lifted her heavy lashes to watch as he hastily reached down to jerk off her shoes and then wrestle her out of the remainder of her clothing. There was none of his usual grace but somehow his obvious impatience only increased the excitement that thundered through her body.

  He was so…beautiful.

  A magnificent combination of hard muscles, sinew, and raw power that would make any female shiver in anticipation.

  Expecting Baine to join her on the mattress, Tayla was caught off guard when he bent beside the bed, a wicked smile tugging at his lips.

  “You said you wanted me on my knees.”

  Her heart missed a beat. Oh yeah. Having this gorgeous male as her sex slave was a fantasy she was going to relish for several centuries.

  Maybe a few millennia.

  “Do you always intend to be so
accommodating?” she teased.

  He leaned forward to hover just above her waiting mouth.

  “Probably not. I’m usually an opinionated ass.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I’m not going to argue with that.”

  “I didn’t think you would.” Skimming his mouth over her parted lips, Baine pulled back to watch as his fingers drifted down the slope of her shoulder and under the curve of her breast. His eyes smoldered with amber fire as she trembled in reaction. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered. “Perfect.”

  Her breath hissed between her teeth as he lightly circled her straining nipples in a teasing motion.

  “Baine.”

  With a husky growl Baine lowered his head to capture the tip of her breast in his mouth. Tayla cried out in pleasure as she arched upward. Over and over his tongue tormented the hardened nub as he used his erotic skill to drive her to the edge of madness.

  Tayla clenched her teeth, her brain shutting down as a molten heat flowed through her veins.

  Not that it mattered.

  Who wanted to think when they could feel?

  Teasing her nipple with growing insistence, Baine trailed his fingers down the quivering muscles of her stomach. With exquisite care he explored every inch of her satin skin, circling her belly button and drifting over her thighs.

  Tayla bit her lower lip. He was deliberately tormenting her. Clearly enjoying the sight of her writhing beneath his touch. But any words of protest remained locked in her throat. Her entire body might be coiled tight with an eager desire to climax, but she was as anxious as Baine to prolong this moment.

  This was her mate. The male who was entwined with her very soul.

  As if capable of reading her mind, Baine stroked his lips over the curve of her breast before tracing the line of her collarbone. Then, whispering a soft word of power, he released a burst of magic.

  Tayla felt a golden heat race over her skin. Opening her eyes, she glanced down to discover that the dragon marque was once again around her neck. Only this time it wasn’t a gold chain, but instead a brilliant strand of amber that glowed with the same fire as in Baine’s eyes.