Embrace the Romance

  Yes, she might be just a little upset, Asim thought in resignation.

  His dragon circled around and swooped down low over the water. He swerved upward, his powerful wings keeping them airborne while he gently released the cage. His symbiot stretched out, cushioning the cage for a soft landing before it dissolved and reformed in the shape of a large puppy complete with big, pointy ears.

  Asim concentrated, focusing on shifting back to his two-legged form. He landed near the edge of the water. His boots sank into the mixture of sand and fine, colorful pebbles. He lifted a hand to run it through his short hair and drew in a deep breath, trying to think of what to say.

  “First, I would….”

  Asim never had a chance to finish his sentence. The deep breath he had inhaled whooshed from his lungs and he found himself stumbling backwards when a well-placed, booted foot landed squarely in his stomach.

  Caught off guard, he lost his balance on the loose gravel under his feet. He barely had time to brace for the icy water that greeted him. He closed his eyes and clamped his lips as the cold water washed over his face. Stunned by the unexpected force of the attack, he lay in the shallow water for a moment before he sat up.

  “That is a warning to keep your cotton-picking claws off me unless I tell you that you can touch me. You’re lucky I didn’t kick you in the balls,” she snapped.

  Asim blinked up at where Pearl stood on the bank with a large piece of driftwood in her hands. She was pointing the stick at his symbiot and her finger at him in apparent warning not to try anything. Asim ran both hands down his face and shook his head. His symbiot had its butt up in the air, the long tail wagging while its tongue lolled out and its ears twitched. The last time he had seen it behave like this was when he was a dragonling.

  “He wants to play,” Asim informed her.

  Pearl glanced at him and rolled her eyes. “Duh. I think I can figure that out on my own,” she retorted, waving the stick.

  Yep, just like Lady Ariel, he thought with a grudging smile.

  “I guess I deserved this,” Asim grimaced, waving his hands at the water he was sitting in. “Though, technically, I did try to stop them from kidnapping you, so I believe my dragon and my symbiot deserve the cold bath more than I do.”

  Pearl glanced at him again and frowned. “Aren’t you all the same thing?” she asked.

  Asim pushed up off the ground and stood up. This was his third bath of the day, and it wasn’t even late afternoon yet. A shudder of distaste ran through him when he felt the water in his boots as he took a step forward.

  “Yes and no,” he stated, slowly walking out of the water. “While I can shift to my dragon and we are the same, we still have our own awareness. It is… complicated.”

  She gazed at him with a skeptical expression. “Obviously,” she replied. “So, besides having multiple personalities that can shift into a fire-breathing, mythological beast and having a….” She waved her hand at his symbiot who was now gnawing on the other end of the branch she was holding out. “…whatever in the hell that is, plus a problem with kidnapping the wrong woman, do you have any other psychological issues I should be aware of?” she asked with a raised eyebrow before turning to frown at his symbiot. “Will you knock it off? This is my branch. Go find your own,” she ordered in a stern tone.

  The symbiot paused and reluctantly released the end of the branch. Asim watched it turn and trot over to several pieces of driftwood. It tested each piece of wood before picking one and returning to sit in front of Pearl with a happy, sloppy grin on its face, a two-meter branch clenched between its jaws. Pearl released a loud huff, threw a hand up in the air in exasperation, and shook her head.

  “You are all crazy,” she muttered.

  Asim didn’t bother to hide his amusement. Part of it was because he was beginning to see the humor of the situation and the other part was the joy his dragon, his symbiot, and he were feeling at finding such a perfect woman for him – one with fire! He quickly adjusted his expression when she shot him the same stern look that she had directed at his symbiot.

  “May I formally introduce myself? I am Asim Kemark, protector of the royal family, knight of the Valdier, and your true mate,” he stated with a deep bow.

  Asim waited for several extra seconds when silence greeted his introduction. It wasn’t until he heard the soft sound of footsteps against the loose rocks that he glanced up. Slowly straightening, he stared at the back of the woman as she walked away from him. He released a deep sigh.

  “Well, at least she didn’t hit me again,” he said with a shake of his head.

  She going wrong way. Home other way, his dragon pointed out to him.

  “Sarafin hair balls! Well, what are you waiting for? Help me bring her back!” Asim ordered in aggravation.

  He glared at his symbiot who just sat there watching Pearl walk away. He grimly strode after his mate – loud, squishy boots, chafing leather, and low expletives filling the air as he chased her down. He was going to have a serious man-to-man talk with both his dragon and his symbiot later tonight.

  We still find true mate, his dragon huffed before he yawned and curled up with a happy sigh. It exhausting work.

  Six

  “Would you like some hot tea?” Asim asked nearly an hour later.

  Pearl turned from where she was standing on the wide deck overlooking the waterfall that flowed from underneath it. She saw a flash of uncertainty flicker through the man’s eyes before it was replaced with the same stubborn, determined expression that had brought her to his home. Crossing her arms to keep from reaching out to smooth away the worried expression on his face, she shrugged and nodded.

  “You have hot tea?” she asked in surprise.

  “Yes. Lady Ariel enjoys it,” he replied.

  “I would love a cup,” she said.

  He nodded, turned, and retreated back inside. The moment he was gone, Pearl uncrossed her arms and fanned herself. A snort from the golden creature watching her made her scowl.

  “Hot flash,” she lied.

  The creature shimmered and she could feel the warmth shoot up her arms. It was obvious it knew better. Turning back around, Pearl couldn’t prevent the amused grin that crossed her face.

  It would appear her later years in life were going to be filled with firsts. The first time she met an alien. The first time she traveled to another planet. And last but not least, the first time she was kidnapped by a horny, dragon-shifting, alien warrior. She wondered what other firsts were in store for her.

  “Hopefully, some hot alien sex,” she chuckled.

  The sound of dishes rattling told her that she hadn’t spoken as softly as she thought. She turned to see Asim standing just outside the doorway. His hands clenched the tray so tightly that Pearl was surprised the metal didn’t bend. She lifted her gaze to his face.

  Yep, he heard me, she thought with a sigh.

  His eyes burned with intensity. He had slipped on a shirt when he changed out of his wet clothes and a pattern of scales was visible under the collar. Vivid images of tangled sheets flooded her with warmth and made her question her sanity. She honestly didn’t know if that last thought was hers or his.

  “Both,” he said in a tight voice. “It has been a long time.”

  “Honey, if these bands wrapped around my arm are any indication, I’d have to say it has been way too long,” she dryly retorted.

  “I’m not opposed to correcting that issue,” he replied with a grin.

  Pearl gazed at Asim for several seconds before she threw her head back and laughed. Damn, but if this man – alien – dragon – warrior – whatever in the hell he was – didn’t make her feel young again. Shaking her head, she placed her hands on her hips and grinned.

  “I think a cup of hot tea is in order before we jump in the sack,” she chuckled.

  Asim’s face flushed and he returned her grin. “I will hold you to that promise,” he said with a matching mischievous grin.

  Pearl’s eyes widened
and she caught herself before she raised her hand again to fan herself. The symbiot knew exactly what she almost did. She shot it a quick glare when it snickered at her.

  “Oh, go fetch another stick,” she murmured.

  Asim’s smothered chuckle told her that he’d heard her. It was obvious that these men did not have the same issues with hearing loss that most humans did when they grew older. She would have to remember that – not that it would keep her from speaking her mind.

  “So, do you make a habit of kidnapping poor, unsuspecting women with the intentions of ravishing them, or did you just start your nefarious career?” Pearl asked.

  “I just started,” he admitted with a sheepish grin. “Lady Ariel likes sweet crystals for her tea. Would you care for some?”

  “Sweet… oh, sugar. No, thank you,” Pearl replied, sliding onto the chair he pulled out at the table. “This is all very impressive. It looks like something out of a Frank Lloyd Wright design. I saw his Falling Water house in Pennsylvania once. Talk about someone having more money than they knew what to do with.”

  Pearl pursed her lips together. That hadn’t come out quite the way she meant it. Luckily, Asim didn’t appear to notice her gaffe. He carefully placed a cup of hot tea in front of her before glancing around.

  “My home is modest, but comfortable. If you would like something larger, I can build it. I designed and built this home several centuries ago. If you wish a new one, we could design it together,” he said.

  Pearl lifted her hand to close her mouth after it had dropped open at his first sentence. He thought this was modest? She’d hate to see what he thought of some of the places she and the girls had lived in.

  “I’ve only seen the decking so far, but I’d hardly call this modest. It is… gorgeous,” she said, waving her hand at the woods and the small waterfall flowing from under one side of the deck, and continuing its journey on the other side. “How did you manage this?”

  Asim’s expression relaxed, and he smiled. “I enjoy working with my hands. Before the war, King Jalo gifted me the land in this valley for saving the life of his son, Lord Mandra. It was a gift I could not turn down. I began building this house. I wanted it to blend in with the natural beauty of the forests and mountains. Each plank comes from the trees that grew here and the rocks from the mountains. I planted new trees to replace those I cut down and over time they have grown tall and strong. The flow of the water and the wind in the trees are soothing to an old dragon like me. Over the years, Mandra has helped me add on to the original structure. In time, he asked if he could build a house on the far side of the valley. I was honored to be able to return all the help he had given me,” Asim explained, lost in the memories.

  Asim described his original home to her. He elaborated on the special features of what could be seen from their vantage point, adding in bits of knowledge about each one. The wall of large, clear windows looked out over the deck to the lake and beyond to the mountains on the far side of the valley. In her mind, she could imagine the winter snow covering the landscape.

  She could see the lake that never completely froze solid because of the water flowing from the waterfall. In the distance, she noticed the small hot springs, dotting the valley. Thin wisps of steam rose from them, sending spirals of heated vapor into the air. Her gaze moved to the mountain when he told her of how the animals from the higher elevations would migrate down to the valley for warmth and food in winter. He explained that just before the spring thaw, the herds of wild beasts gave birth.

  “That is the hardest time of year for us now,” Asim chuckled.

  Pearl frowned. “Why? Are they dangerous?” she asked, placing her nearly empty cup down on the table.

  “Nothing is more dangerous than a dragon – except a little boy who loves animals,” Asim replied. “Jabir has the touch, just like his mother. Animals gravitate to him. He’d have the whole damn lot of them as pets if Mandra didn’t put his foot down.”

  “What you describe reminds me of a place back on Earth called Yellowstone,” Pearl shared, fingering her cup. “I took the girls there one summer when we lived in Colorado. Riley thought the buffalo had the mange. We didn’t get out of the city much.”

  “Would you prefer to live in a city? I have a permanent apartment in the palace. If you prefer to live there, we could move,” Asim stated.

  Pearl shook her head and leaned forward. “Listen, Asim. I’m not sure I understand everything that is going on. Your offer to build a new house, move to the city, yada, yada, is all very impressive, but you don’t have to impress me. You do a pretty damn good job of that by just wearing leather. How a guy like you doesn’t have some little woman running around catering to your every need is beyond my understanding, but shit happens. Maybe you had someone and she died or discovered she wanted something else. All I can tell you is that I’m not the woman you are looking for. I’m too old, too stubborn, and like my freedom far too much to settle down. Now, saying all that, I’m not opposed to enjoying life either, if you know what I mean.”

  From the expression on his face, he did understand what she was saying and didn’t like it. His face had grown dark, his eyes narrowing with the stubborn glint in them the more she spoke. By the time she finished, his lips were pressed into a firm line and she swore his face looked like it was carved from the same rock as the mountains.

  “I understand what you mean, but it is clear you do not understand me. You are my true mate. You are a gift from the Goddess – a perfect match for my dragon, my symbiot, and me. There is only one true mate for a Valdier warrior – and you are mine,” he stated in a voice that sounded suspiciously raspy. “I will not let you go. You are not too old, you are perfect. I have no desire for a young female like the princes have. I have lived too long. I wished for a woman who would taste like fine wine.”

  Pearl slid from her seat when Asim stood up and started walking around the table. The fire was back in his eyes along with the determined look. Scales rippled across his neck and up along his cheeks.

  She took several steps back, retreating as he advanced on her. Her eyes grew wary and her hand slipped into her back pocket before she remembered she left her pepper spray in the pocket of her jacket. Great! No gun, no pepper spray, no Taser, and no Tiny. It looked like it was going to be a good, old-fashion form of self-defense if things got rough.

  “Asim…,” Pearl started to say, stopping and raising her hand.

  “I like a mate who is stubborn. She will need to be if she is going to be able to deal with my dragon and me. As for freedom, I will give you all the freedom you desire, as long as it does not endanger you or your dragon,” he gritted out.

  “Dragon? I don’t have a dragon! See, that is another thing, I know that Abby and the other women can somehow change into one now and Riley and Tina can shift into a tiger, but me? I think I’m a little beyond all of that. You know, kind of like going through menopause – no more life changes,” Pearl argued.

  She froze when Asim lifted his hand and wrapped it around her outstretched one. He pulled her closer, wrapping his other hand around her waist. This was the first time she had felt just how strong he was in his man form. Swallowing, she held back a moan of delight at the feel of his large hand sliding across the thin material of her blouse.

  “What… What do you think you are doing?” Pearl asked, pressing her other hand between them.

  Asim tugged her forward, his eyes glittering with fire. “Finding out what type of wine you remind me of,” he stated before he bent and captured her lips.

  Fire swept through Pearl’s veins, warming her body as sure as a shot of whiskey. Sliding her hand up his chest and around his neck, she tangled her fingers in the back of his hair. The rush of desire hit her with an unexpected punch.

  Forget the wine! This is pure Kentucky bourbon at its finest, Pearl thought, deepening the kiss.

  Seven

  Life was too damn short to risk not embracing the spontaneous moments that were too good to pass up. P
earl knew she was on the other end of the scale when it came to life, so she needed to be extra vigilant. Following her two granddaughters to another world was one adventure she was glad she hadn’t passed up. This was going to be another.

  Touching her tongue to his lips, she took advantage when he opened for her. She felt him stiffen before a soft groan escaped him and he wrapped both arms around her and tightly pressed her against his body. She tightened her hold on him and settled down to enjoy the kiss. Holy Venus, Goddess of Love, but it had been a long time since she’d felt this kind of arousal.

  She pulled back, pressing small kisses to his lips and the corner of his mouth before running them along his jaw. A silent squeal of excitement raced through her when his hands frantically moved from her waist down to cup her buttocks. This was a man who knew what he wanted.

  “Say yes,” he ordered in a husky voice. “Say you want me as much as I want you.”

  Pearl chuckled and slid her hand along his neck, down his chest, skimmed the waistband of his trousers, and continued lower. She felt his response to her brazen touch. There was nothing wrong with his packaging. She could tell everything was in working order going by the swelling under the palm of her hand.

  “Oh yes,” Pearl murmured against his lips. “You bet your sweet ass I want this.”

  Yes!

  Asim could feel his dragon’s enthusiastic response reverberating through his body. The fire of his dragon licked through his veins, threatening to scorch him with the heat. His dragon was heating up for his mate just as much as Asim was for his. A soft groan escaped him as his cock throbbed to feel the touch of skin against skin. Behind Pearl, he could see the grinning face of his symbiot, its body shimmering brightly with an assortment of changing colors.

  Images flashed through his mind. For a moment, he realized how much pain and anguish his symbiot had endured in order to protect him and his dragon. Reaching out, he sent a wave of warmth and comfort to his symbiot.