INFERNO

TREY

The rain was coming down in sheets, puffing up into steam where it landed on my scales. I usually ran hot, but tonight my primal Dragon was closer to the surface than usual, and everything was heightened.

The heat of my body.

The jealousy that stabbed at my chest while I watched my fated one at dinner with another male.

The hunger for her body that had become torture these past few months.

It was all causing me to act purely out of instinct instead of the carefully controlled decisions that had been my existence since meeting Angelica three years ago. When I’d met her, I’d already spent a hundred years knowing she was my fated one, the time passing swiftly until that one moment when her eyes met mine. And then the hours dragged like decades across my soul as I waited for the right time to claim her.

Perhaps I’d waited too long, been too considerate.

I snorted at that, doubting that my beloved would think the stalking I’d done these past years was ‘considerate’. She was a fiery one, not to put too fine a point on it. But I supposed she had to be to survive what she’d been through.

I understood the pain of having someone who should love you instead scaring your soul with their actions.

Far better than that tool sitting across from her.

My talons dug deep into the brick in the building across from the restaurant and my fangs dripped venom. Not the mating venom that I’d been aching to inject into Angelica’s soft skin. No, this one would paralyze this fucker and put him at my mercy.

But Angelica wouldn’t like it if I hurt her…friend.

And he better just be a friend.

In all this time, I’d had to witness her going on a few dates, but I never had to endure the scent of another male on her indicating intimacy. I would’ve killed the male in question for touching what was mine and I highly doubted that Angelica, being a Mundane, would’ve found such an action arousing like a Dragon female would.

We Dragons might project an air of sophistication, elegance, wisdom. But at our core there lived a primal Dragon, our other half, that slumbered most of the time. It influenced us to be sure. It was a part of us after all. But there weren’t many times that part came to the surface, and even fewer when we indulged in that physical form. In times past, so many, many centuries ago that it was all ‘legend’ now, we had once let that part of ourselves out. We had ruled and been fearsome, controlling the magical stores of the world.

But time had a way of weakening even societies like ours.

Our rulers became reclusive, selfish, sometimes maniacal. And our numbers diminished as Mundanes felt it their right to take our magic and our lives. Those born with royal markings became so few that some kingdoms disappeared altogether while others combined and disappeared into the shadows.

The last great Dragon Kingdom, Camelot, was felled by internal squabbles and betrayals. Arthur’s bones rested in the deep caverns of our sacred mountain Avalon, feeding the pools of the world’s magic.

Like my father’s will once I arrive to help incinerate his body.

I swallowed and glanced down at the golden marks that were glowing on my skin, signaling that it was my time to take my father’s throne. It didn’t matter that I wanted absolutely nothing from that piece of shit, that he and my siblings had made my life miserable because I’d been born a runt. He was furious when the royal marks had appeared on my egg, protecting me from my father’s desire to expunge the shame of having a runt in his clutch.

My mother had cared for me after my hatching, protecting me as best she could from my larger siblings. But she hadn’t lived too long past my childhood and after that, it was up to me to prove that I was worthy of life.

And I did.

I learned to fight, to use my magic, my smaller size, to advantage. I had beaten every single challenger over the course of three days to earn the right to look into the pools of Destiny where I’d glimpsed my fated one, Angelica. And then, after forcing my father to acknowledge my markings and make me his heir, I had left. It had been the best way to humiliate him that I had at my disposal, payback for every single moment of pain he’d inflicted upon me.

I just hadn’t considered that the bastard would get the final word.

His death was tearing me away from her at a crucial moment. I had seen the way Angelica had started to look at me. The lust in her eyes, the desire. All I needed was a few more months and she would be mine. I could feel it!

But I had made a vow, and it shackled my will as surely as any physical chain. I didn’t have a choice. I had to return to Avalon and accept my father’s throne. It warred with the primal need to claim my mate. The thought of her walking around, unprotected, unmarked without being here to ensure she was safe and untouched…

I growled, the core of my primal nature scratching to get out. I could tear the roof off that restaurant, snap my jaws around that unworthy male’s soft flesh and then carry my mate away to Avalon. I would crown her with the golden ornaments of Semiramis. No other would do. She would sit on the Throne of Bones next to me, her wisdom cooling my fire, a perfect balance, a perfect queen.

I wasn’t aware of the fire snaking out of my nose and fingertips until I smelled the smoke. Brick didn’t burn easily, yet I could see the scorch marks under my hands. It was harder than it should’ve been to recall the blue flames and I knew that if I stayed much longer, I would absolutely do something stupid.

Like glide down from the roof and slip back into my Mundane form before walking into the restaurant.

Which is what I did now.

It was a good restaurant, one of my favorites, and I’d often wanted to bring Angelica here. Yet another reason I hated this male who had accomplished this before me.

When I stepped into the restaurant wearing a dark blue suit with a white button down and no tie, Angelica’s back was to me. I stood there, taking in the beautiful line of her neck with her golden hair in chignon. She was wearing a blue dress, sleeveless to show off the lean muscle of her arms. She was wearing a lot of blue lately, was that because she was thinking of me, even if it wasn’t conscious?

The lighting was low, candles glistened on the tables, reflecting off of wine glasses. The hostess took one look at me and decided against asking me if I wanted a table. I didn’t even feel bad about scaring her. I didn’t have it in me tonight.

Feel me here…look for me…I’m yours and you’re mine.

Her back straightened, head tilting like she’d heard something, and I held my breath. It wasn’t telepathy, I didn’t have that gift. But I swear sometimes I might’ve with her because my beloved often knew when I walked into the room.

When Angelica turned around, I didn’t try to hide the fact that I was staring at her. The longing that was a constant, biting pain in my chest was clear in my eyes. For just a moment, I wanted her to see how much I wanted her, to plant it in her mind, a seed to spread and weaken her defenses. I didn’t want to leave without a sign that she might feel something for me, that I might return and find her waiting for me.

Her lips parted and those dark blue eyes drifted over me, appreciating the long, muscled body that had tempted her from the beginning. Blood pumped hard through her, flushing her cheeks. Arousal wet her cunt and the scent pulled at me, a siren calling for me to drink deep and sate my hunger.

But I stood there, watching, waiting for Angelica to move, to do anything at all.

The man she was having dinner with chose that moment to come back to the table and glanced between us. His hand landed on Angelica’s shoulder, toothy grin transformed into a scowl when he saw me and my enhanced hearing picked up his soft words like he was standing next to me.

“Is he bothering you? I can remove him.”

I snorted at that, I couldn’t help it. And when he looked up, anger coloring his face pink, I gave him a cocky smirk and sauntered up to their table. I pulled a chair from a nearby table and sat down next to Angelica on the other side of the table from the man.

“What do you think you’re doing?” the man fumed. “We’re having dinner.”

“Yes, I see that.”

Any arousal I’d created in Angelica was now consumed by the fire of anger in her eyes. If I was being honest, I loved her ire. She lit up when something made her furious, eyes bright, body bursting with energy.

“I’m going to have to ask you to leave,” he said, coming around the table to take me by the arm.

A subtle growl rolled up from my chest and Angelica knew exactly what was about to happen.

She jumped up and put a hand on the man’s chest while coming between us. Angelica wasn’t a short woman, as evidenced by how she was a few inches taller than this Mundane. But I was a good six or seven inches above her, and I used that to shoot the male a wider smile, teasing him that he couldn’t touch me.

“Let me handle this, please? He’s a…friend.”

The man was fuming and looked down at Angelica with an incredulous glare.

“A friend? You mean an ex?”

“No, he’s just a friend.”

That made my inner beast snarl and my eyes landed on the place where her shoulder and neck met, the place that would look stunning with my mark emblazoned for all to see. One bite, a release of venom, that’s all it would take to have what was mine. To ensure she never dined with another male, never took one to her bed…

I didn’t realize I was so lost in the call to claim that I had been leaning down until the man’s fist sailed into my face. I stumbled back in shock, not at that pain. The blow had been weak really though he’d succeeded in shoving my fang into my bottom lip and drawing blood. I hadn’t even been aware that my fangs had dropped.

“Shit,” Angelica said, eyes wide. “Are you alright?”

I snorted and wiped the blood from my mouth.

“Say good night to him Angelica,” I said, my voice unnaturally low. “Before this gets ugly.”

“Frank, maybe you should go get our coats and I’ll meet you outside.”

“No way. You didn’t see him with his mouth open like he was going to bite you. I’m not leaving you alone with this freak, Angie.”

“Angie?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.

Angelica clenched her jaw and while I knew she wanted to tell me off, I also saw the slight tic in her jaw at this idiots nick name for her.

“Stop antagonizing him,” she hissed at me before turning back to Frank. “Please, let me handle this.”

His lips pressed into a thin line and he pointed a finger at me, attempting to be intimidating.

“I see you around her again, and I’ll finish what I started here tonight.”

I wanted to laugh, to show him the beast that burned in my soul, to transform into my secondary Dragon form just to see how long it took him to piss himself. But I didn’t, because Angelica was already furious. And while I did like to aggravate her on occasion, I didn’t want to fight tonight. Well, not much anyway.

When Frank made it to the front of the restaurant, Angelica spun around and I saw the full, beautiful fury in her eyes.

“What the hell are you doing?” she demanded. “You come in here like you knew I was having a date, you purposely cause trouble and then you…did you try to bite me?”

“I was passing by and I saw you. Thought I’d come in and say hello.”

“Bull shit. Why did you walk in that door?”

“Is that really the kind of man you date? He’s so boring.”

“He’s not — Wait, how would you know?”

I gave her a crooked grin and tilted my head to the side.

“You researched him,” she said with an exhale full of fury. “You fucking stalker, what right do you have to butt into my life?”

“None,” the word was a bitter knife to my chest, and I didn’t care.

She had no idea what to do with that simple statement, so she just raised her hands in exasperation and let them fall.

“What do you want, Trey?”

I thought of laying it all out right then. Telling her that I’d dreamed of her for half my life. That I breathed her in every morning and conjured her face in my mind before I drifted off to sleep. That she was my only purpose, my only desire and that if she let me, I could make her happy.

How long has it been since you’ve been happy Angelica?

I reached out and slowly tucked a strand of silky gold hair behind her ear. I grazed the shell of her ear, then down to the sensitive skin behind and down her neck. Her breath caught, so soft that I doubted even she heard it.

“I have to leave,” I whispered, pain in every syllable. “And I wanted to say goodbye.”

“Leave?”

Her eyes widened, and I relished the sound of distress in her voice.

“Why?” she asked. “What happened?”

She wasn’t even trying to hide the desperation at the thought of my leaving. It touched me deeply, and I gave her a soft smile while my fingers ran along the line of her high cheekbone.

“My father died,” I said, “and I have to go back to take care of his affairs.”

I didn’t want to tell her that I was royalty. She didn’t need yet another reason to put a wall between us, and that would do it.

“I’m so sorry Trey.”

“Don’t be. He was a mean bastard and I’m glad he’s gone. Except that it means I need to leave you.”

“For how long?”

*Will she miss me? Is that why she’s asking?*

“I don’t know. But I won’t be able to call or…” my chest constricted, knowing I couldn’t even hear her voice while I was at Avalon. I cupped her cheek and leaned down, forcing her to look in my eyes. “Promise me you’ll be careful while I’m away. No dangerous missions, no unnecessary risks.”

“It’s part of my—”

“Promise me,” I growled. “I need to know you’ll be safe.”

The tip of her pink tongue wet her lips and I couldn’t help myself. I let my thumb run along her bottom lip. It was so soft, full and perfect. Would she let me have just one kiss? One bright memory to sustain me in those dark caverns under the earth, surrounded by Dragons that loathed my very existence.

“I promise,” she whispered.

And for a moment, I couldn’t remember what she was promising.

“No unnecessary risks,” she continued.

Ah, yes…that.

“Thank you,” I breathed and pressed my forehead to hers.

We stood like that for a few moments. Her hands resting on my chest, the sensation branded into my scales beneath my shirt. I breathed her in, memorizing her scent, the feel of her skin under my hand.

“Is it just your father?” she asked, her finger skating up to touch my cheek. “Or is it something else?”

I leaned back just enough to see her clearly.

“Do you really need me to say it?”

The flush fled her skin, leaving it pale.

“Trey—”

“One kiss Angelica and if you feel nothing, then…then you don’t.”

I held my breath, waiting for the answer I knew was coming. I could see the shadow fall across her eyes, the armor she employed to protect her heart. How could I prove to her that she never needed to protect it with me?

She leaned forward and my pulse shattered against my ribs. But then, at the last moment, her mouth darted to the side, and she pressed her lips soft against my cheek. That small point of contact seared me, teasing and giving false hope for what I longed for.

“Be safe,” she said, pulling away from me. “Come back soon.”

And then she was walking out of my arms, toward the male waiting at the door for her.

I stared at her back, willing her to look back at me one last time.

I despaired of it when she stopped just short of letting the male touch her. Slowly, Angelica turned back around, a war waged in her eyes as they met mine.

I love you…I need you…

If she saw my heart in my eyes, she didn’t give me any sign. Instead, Angelica sent a small smile my way, an apology maybe, a request for me to return hopefully.

And then she was gone.