Dragon's Curse (Harlequin Nocturne) (8 page)

Breathless with mounting frustration, she managed to ask,
“Surely you can do better than that.”

Cameron stretched out on top of her, supporting his weight on
his forearms. This time there was nothing teasing about his kiss.

The heady caress of his mouth against hers, tasting, stroking,
set fire racing through her veins. Ariel wrapped her arms around him, pulling
him closer.

Already-heated lust flared hotter, taking away her ability to
think clearly, or reason. She moaned against his lips and pulled the hem of his
shirt free so she could stroke his back. And still it wasn’t enough.

Something about this man brought all her desires and longings
to the surface. He made her unbelievably hot and she doubted if anyone else but
him would be able to douse the flames.

Cameron felt the heat of her desire as he stroked and caressed
her skin. Any hotter and it would have burned his palm.

The scent of her lust was as intoxicating as a stiff double
shot of scotch. He could easily lose control if he let his focus waver.

She was his enemy. As long as she worked for the Learneds that
wouldn’t change. What would change, however, was that if he possessed her, she
would be easier for him to read, making it harder for her to hide things from
him.

He still wouldn’t be able to read her conscious mind any
easier, or avoid detection by the Learneds. But he would be able to decipher any
change—even the slightest shift in her body language, flicker of an eye or
minute change in her scent.

The ability to sense those things instantly would make it
easier for him to protect her if need be. He would know immediately if she was
in danger and needed his help.

While using her in this manner might be considered underhanded
by mortal human standards, he wasn’t a normal human. When it came to his and his
family’s safety, Cam would do anything, including breaking any moral code, to
protect them. And as long as Ariel was under his roof, her safety was his
responsibility, too.

At least that’s what he told himself. He knew in his soul that
it went much deeper than that. His beast wanted—needed—to protect this
woman.

He also knew that if he gave in to his urges, she would be a
potential threat that he would desire every time she came near. A desire he’d be
unable to easily quench. It would be hard not to hold her, or kiss her, but
managing his lust would get easier with time. As long as he didn’t permit his
beast to lose control.

The risk was familiar—his human self had taken it before. And
he’d always been able to easily rein in his dragon. It wouldn’t be any different
this time.

But already his beast had caught the scent of desire and was
awakening. Cam breathed deeply, seeking to calm his lust. Even though Ariel
would remember this only as a dream, Cam wanted it to be one she would look back
on with longing—not loathing.

The mark on his shoulder blade throbbed. His beast roared,
demanding to claim this woman as his own.

Without warning, an inviting warmth stole over him, rushing
through his limbs to settle around his heart. His beast crooned, rumbling with
anticipation.

Shocked, Cam cursed silently. Why now? Why this woman and not
Carol? Like tongues of fire, pain and regret seeped through the warmth and
flicked at his heart. This possession, this all-encompassing completion should
have been shared with his wife, not his enemy.

His beast roared, demanding he set aside his memories, forget
his hurt and accept what this woman offered.

No. He had to remain in control. But the beast beckoned him
forward relentlessly. Cam shook with need. The wild desires within couldn’t be
unleashed. Letting them go would be disastrous in ways he could barely imagine
at the moment.

Ariel moved beneath him. Before he could stop her, she drew her
hands up his back, grazing his skin with the tips of her fingernails. Her touch
across his birthmark sent shivers down his spine.

He knew the moment of indecision had passed. He needed to stop
this now—or do something they might both regret later. Cameron pushed away with
a strangled groan.

Cam rolled onto his side, taking Ariel with him. She snuggled
against his chest with a frustrated sigh, making him wish for a second that what
he was about to do wasn’t necessary.

Holding her close, he brushed his cheek across her hair. He
grabbed the corner of the quilt and pulled the edge over them. “It’s been a long
day, Ariel, go to sleep.”

She tilted her head back to look up at him. “Are you
staying?”

He dropped a kiss on the end of her nose. “For a while.”

“I don’t know if I can sleep.” She sighed, then rested her
cheek against his chest.

“Sure you can. Just think of something relaxing, like the
warmth of the sun, the sound of waves lapping on a white beach.”

He stroked lazy circles on her back and kept his voice low and
steady. “Can you see it?”

“Almost.”

“Can’t you feel how warm the sun is? Not too hot, and there’s a
gentle breeze to keep you from getting too warm. The beach is empty except for
one lone seagull.”

“Mmm.”

She was nearly asleep already. “There’s a small stand of palm
trees with a hammock strung between two of them. That’s where you are
now—swinging gently in a red-and-white-striped hammock.”

“Nice.” Her voice was barely audible.

“Yes, it is.” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “The gentle
sway of the hammock rocks you to sleep.”

He knew that as long as he kept his tone low, soft and steady,
he could recite civil code and she’d still be lulled into a dream dimension.

But if he wanted to control this dream, she had to follow his
suggestions.

Still tracing circles on her back, he said, “The gull takes
flight and you follow, flying higher and higher above the water. The crisp,
clear air feels good against your skin. Your hair is streaming out behind
you.”

He paused to gauge her level of consciousness. Ariel’s slow,
steady pulse and even, light breathing let him know the time was near.

Cameron continued, waiting for the right moment to step into
her dream. “The sparkling water far below shimmers in different shades of blue
and turquoise. It’s so clear, you can see a coral reef. You fly lower to take a
closer look and discover hundreds of brightly colored fish swimming around the
reef.”

She sighed in her sleep. Cam closed his eyes, pressed his lips
against her head and joined her in her dream.

Ariel had followed his suggestions. In her dream he was beside
her as they flew low over a coral reef.

Hands clasped, they circled the reef then headed back to the
beach.

Once they landed, Cam scooped her up into his arms and carried
her to the hammock. She sighed as he laid her crosswise at the edge of the
striped fabric.

He cupped her cheek and leaned over her, whispering, “Ariel,
close your eyes.”

Her eyelids fluttered closed and he exhaled a soft, gentle
breath against her lips. “This is nothing but a dream. Everything since the
moment we arrived at your apartment door after the tour has been one glorious
dream.”

Her brow furrowed. “But…”

Cameron exhaled another warm breath against her mouth, willing
her mind to accept his words as the truth. “Just a dream. One you can carry with
you for as long as you desire.”

“A dream?”

“Yes.” He stroked his thumb across her cheek, then breathed
into her once more. “Just a dream.”

She rolled away, stretching lengthwise on the hammock. Cameron
slowly backed off. A sound behind him caught his attention. The shuffle of heavy
wings dragging across the sand came closer.

What the hell was his dragon doing here? Surely Ariel wasn’t
dreaming about the beast?

He pulled himself from the dream, needing to get out of her
apartment before she woke up.

Once back in her bedroom, on the bed with her still in his
arms, he marveled at the feel of hot tears on his chest. She was crying?

Ariel rolled over in her sleep and Cam gently extricated
himself from the bed. He removed the soundproofing spell and carefully checked
the room to make sure everything was where it belonged before turning to
leave.

He paused at the doorway to glance back at her. He ignored the
tightening in his chest. She was his enemy, there was nothing either one of them
could do to change that. What he had done was the best for both of them.

Cam gently closed the door behind him and walked into the
living room. He spelled the suede furniture to return, making a note to remember
to ask her about her preference later, then left her apartment.

Chapter 7

“H
as she contacted you yet?”

Jeremy looked over the top of his morning newspaper and stared
at his underling. The man swayed from one foot to the other.

Apparently he realized his mistake, because he avoided Jeremy’s
glare at his audacity.

Bennett shrugged as he backed toward the dining room door. “I
was just curious.”

Jeremy was tired of the constant questioning. His father
questioned him nonstop and now this…minion decided to also? Did they both think
he didn’t know what he was doing?

“Curious?” Jeremy set his paper down. “Why? What difference
could it possibly make to you?”

Bennett scratched his head. “Well, the boy—”

Jeremy lunged from his seat, shouting, “What have you done?” If
this moron killed that kid he’d have nothing to hold over Ms. Johnson.

“Nothing.” Bennett raised his hands before his face as if to
ward off whatever might come his way. “I did nothing, boss. The doc says—”

“The doctor?”

Nathan chose that moment to enter the formal dining room.
Shuffling past Bennett, he pinned his son with a searching stare. “Something
wrong?”

Even old and injured, his father’s timing was impeccable.
Jeremy fisted his hands at his sides. “Something is wrong with the Johnson
boy.”

“Wrong?” Nathan looked from one man to the other. “Someone
needs to explain.”

Again with the questioning?
Jeremy
waved toward Bennett. “He was just about to do that when you interrupted.”

The elder wizard narrowed his glare. “Watch your attitude,
boy.”

Bennett’s mouth opened and closed like a dying fish. His
normally short patience strained, Jeremy ordered, “Tell us what happened.”

Finally, the man stammered, “He…he…the machines…his heart.”

Jeremy felt his eyes bulge as the pressure behind them
increased. When this mission was done, he’d make it a point to put Bennett out
of everyone’s misery. “His heart what? Stopped?”

“Yes.” When both wizards made a move toward him, the hired man
added in a rush, “But they got it started again. The doc says he’ll be fine. We
just have to keep an eye on him.”

Before Jeremy could respond, Nathan used his powers to lift
both men from the floor and slam them against the wall.

The old man’s powers had been slowly returning, but Jeremy
hadn’t realized just how strong they’d become. He struggled uselessly against
the magic keeping him pinned to the wall.

His father stood beneath them and shoved the end of his cane
into Bennett’s stomach. “Listen to me well, oaf. If anything happens to that
boy, you will beg for death.”

Nathan pulled his cane away, letting Bennett crash to the
floor. The man crawled quickly for the door.

Once they were alone, Jeremy held his breath, fearful of what
his sire might do to him. His father stared up at him, saying nothing until
beads of sweat dripped from the end of Jeremy’s nose.

“What am I going to do with you, child?”

“I’ve done nothing wrong.” His father had always treated him
like a rebellious teenager. Right now, that’s how he felt. But he was no longer
a teenager and he knew full well that rebellion would gain him only death.

“Do you not understand how important it is that we succeed this
time?”

Jeremy swallowed. “Sir, I’ll keep a closer watch on the boy
myself.”

“Yes, you will.” Nathan tapped the cane repeatedly against his
palm. “And you’ll make certain he survives for as long as we need him.”

“Yes, sir.” Jeremy nodded, but he knew his father wasn’t
finished, so he said nothing further. But he silently hoped that he would be
able to heal whatever damage his father inflicted.

Nathan raised his cane. “Next time perhaps you’ll remember not
to be so careless with the captive.”

Jeremy closed his eyes as the cane swung toward him.

* * *

Cam watched from his office window as Ariel took the
keys from Harold, then jumped into her van and left.

A few minutes later, his office phone rang. The call came from
Harold’s extension. Picking up the receiver, he asked, “Did she say where she
was going?”

“Just into town. But she dropped her cell in the lobby. I
thought you might want to take it to her, just in case she needs it.”

There were moments when having a longtime employee who could
make magic happen without any powers was a blessing. Cam didn’t doubt for a
minute that Harold had lifted Ariel’s phone without her knowledge.

“I’ll be right down. Get the car ready.”

“Which one? Did you want me to drive?”

Taking the limo into town was always a hassle. It attracted
unwanted attention. “No, I’ll take the sedan.” At least the black Mercury was
inconspicuous.

He hung up the phone and untangled a pun-sai limb from his
sapphire-studded cuff link. “Right. Good catch.”

While the car might be inconspicuous, his suit wouldn’t be.
This was a mountain tourist town and as far as he was aware, there weren’t any
professional conventions going on right now. Walking around in a suit would be
out of place amongst the shoppers and vacationing hikers.

He switched into jeans and a button-down shirt, and traded his
dress shoes for a pair of trail boots, then headed to the garage.

Taking the keys and Ariel’s cell from Harold, he commented,
“You should have talked her into one of the smaller cars instead of that van she
drives.”

“I tried. I offered her the coupé, but she acted like it was a
poisonous snake.”

Cam rolled his eyes. Of course she wouldn’t take Braeden’s
Phantom. The car would make anyone queasy if they’d never driven a higher-end
vehicle before, especially if it wasn’t theirs. “Next time insist she take the
Jeep.”

Driving down the twisting, turning mountain road, he wondered
what had taken her so long. Ariel had been at the Lair five days now and she
hadn’t left to contact the Learneds until now.

He knew that’s what she was doing. It was the only thing that
made sense. They couldn’t contact her at the Lair because of the security at the
resort and they certainly weren’t going to send her there without having her
report back to them.

She wouldn’t be sightseeing or shopping. Ariel didn’t seem the
type to cut out of work to do something like that her first week on the job.
She’d wait until after hours, or the weekend.

Cam drove around the last curve and hit the straightaway into
town. Thankfully, since it was the middle of the day and midweek, there weren’t
too many tourists milling about and the hikers were still in the forest. It made
it easier to drive and check the parking lots for her van at the same time
without hitting anyone.

He spotted her pulling into the garage at the other end of
town. Cam drove across the road into a motel entrance that had a through way
with a parking lot on the other end.

He took his time parking the car and walked toward the garage.
There were too many scents in town and he needed the extra time to weed out the
aromas of cinnamon-roasted nuts, grilled sausages and the ever-present chocolate
from the fudge shops.

Coaxing his dragon to help, he quickly zeroed in on her
location. Ariel stood at the entrance to the garage looking up and down the
sidewalks—searching for a public phone perhaps?

Cam wished her luck. Public phones were nearly extinct in this
town.

Or, was she looking for her contact? He studied the area and
detected no magic, nothing out of the ordinary. He positioned himself behind an
ornate light post, using the hanging planter to hide his face, and waited to see
where she went.

Ariel wanted to scream. How could she have lost her cell phone?
She could have sworn she’d put it in her purse before leaving her apartment,
because she’d had to go back inside to grab it off the nightstand.

And of course there wasn’t a phone booth in sight. But luckily
there was a bar on the opposite corner. Surely they’d have a phone.

Standing at the crosswalk, waiting for the light to change, she
had the strangest feeling of being watched. Ariel looked around. Even though she
didn’t see anyone suspicious, the feeling didn’t go away.

Guilt. That’s all it was. What else could it be?

Ariel glanced at her watch. Thirty minutes was all she had
left. If she didn’t call Renalde by then, everything she’d done so far would
have been for nothing—Carl would be killed.

The light turned green. She melted into a group of women
tourists who were pointing at the bar and talking about getting lunch. She
didn’t know if there really was safety in numbers or not, but joining the group
made the tingle at the base of her neck lessen.

Ariel followed them into the bar and headed for the hostess
while the group veered off into the gift shop.

The hostess looked around Ariel. “Just one?”

“Actually none. I just need a phone.”

“I can bring one to your table.”

She didn’t have time to run around looking for a pay phone, so
she’d nab a bite to eat. “That’ll be fine as long as I can get the phone right
away.”

“I’ll grab one on the way through.”

True to her word, the hostess retrieved a wireless handset from
the bartender and led Ariel to a booth in the back corner. “It’s quieter back
here.”

As soon as the woman left, Ariel punched in Renalde’s number.
After seven rings her heart slammed into her stomach. She checked her watch
again. There was still twenty minutes to spare.

Finally, after the tenth ring, she heard a click on the other
end. “This had better be Ariel.”

His voice was strained. He sounded as if he was in a great deal
of pain. She didn’t care enough to ask. “Yes, it’s me.”

“Why aren’t you using your cell? Where are you?”

“I seem to have lost it, so I’m at a bar in town.”

He made some sort of indistinguishable sound, then asked, “You
are still staying at the Lair?”

“Yes, I am.” As soon as she answered, Ariel swore that
something unseen entered her head. She rubbed her temples trying to ease the
strange feeling.

“Stop it.”

She froze. Something—someone—
had
entered her mind.

“What have you found?”

His voice was coming from inside her head, not through the
phone. Somehow Renalde was able to invade her mind even from a distance. At his
huff of impatience, she answered, “I haven’t found anything yet.”

“Have you been trying?”

Why was he
asking
her? If he could
slip into her mind, why couldn’t he just find the answer himself? Why did she
even have to bother coming to town?

Something closed around her throat. Ariel gasped for
breath.

“Don’t question me. Don’t get smart with me. Both you and Carl
are quite dispensable.” The invisible hand around her throat tightened. “Do you
understand me?”

Unable to talk, Ariel nodded. The hold disappeared.

“Now, my dear.”

She made a face at his use of the word
dear,
but let him continue without comment.

“You have one week to call me back with the news that you know
the location of both the pendant and cube, or that they are in your
possession.”

She didn’t need to ask what would happen if she failed. “I’ll
try.”

“You’ll do more than just try.”

Her ears buzzed and eyes watered as the room spun for a moment.
Apparently, Renalde had made his exit from her mind. Even though she was getting
used to the intrusion, this was all just way too strange for her. It was more
like a nightmare than reality.

The idea of eating lunch made her ill. Her hands were shaking
too much to even pick up her glass of water. When all of this was over, Carl had
some serious explaining to do.

“Drink?”

Ariel closed her eyes. This is exactly what she didn’t
want—some guy trying to pick her up in the bar. She clicked off the phone and
set it on the table without looking up. “No, thank you. I’m waiting for
someone.”

“Anyone I know?”

She groaned, recognizing Cameron’s voice. Ariel glanced up at
him. “Sorry, I thought you were some stranger trying to pick up women.”

Now her heart really was in her stomach. She’d avoided Cameron
Drake as much as she possibly could these past few days—ever since she’d started
having extremely realistic dreams about him…and her. Ariel felt her cheeks burn
just thinking about the dreams and tried to swallow past the dryness in her
mouth.

Cam gritted his teeth against the tidal wave of her pheromones
crashing against him. He knew exactly what thoughts had put the telltale flush
on her cheeks. Unfortunately, so did his now-alert beast.

At least his spell had worked—she believed that what had
happened in her apartment was nothing more than a dream. Apparently the scene on
the beach was one that obviously haunted her.

Good. He hoped the dream kept her warm at night, because he
would never make the mistake of getting too close to her again. It was too
dangerous. He didn’t know if next time he’d be able to resist the desire that
flared so easily between them. And he didn’t like the longing that still
tortured him after denying the passion the last time.

Cam’s chest tightened. His thoughts upset the dragon within. He
didn’t care—the last thing he wanted to do was risk making love to Ariel
Johnson, regardless of what desires drove his demon to spit and snarl in
protest. Besides, at this moment, his fantasies consisted of strangling her more
than anything else.

He’d followed her into the bar and made certain the hostess
seated him close enough for him to overhear some of her conversation. Once the
Learned had slipped into Ariel’s mind, Cam had been unable to follow.

But her body’s reactions—pounding heart, racing blood, tang of
fear—had clued him in to the general idea of what was being said. He got the
distinct impression that she was being threatened.