Draeger Legacy 8 (3 page)

Drake stiffened when Millard busted into her room. He looked so pissed. In fact, Drake knew he was by the way the door bounced off the wall, leaving a crack in the plaster. Natasha jumped and took a few steps backwards away from him.

“I told you to stay out of sight!” Millard yelled, rushing up to her, grabbing hold of her arms roughly. He shook her, pushed her back, and backhanded her so hard she went flying onto the bed with a scream.

Drake had to really hold on to his self-control. Every nerve in his body was ready to bust through that window and rip the bastard’s throat out for hitting her.

“I didn’t do anything wrong!” Natasha cried, holding the side of her face. “I came back to my room right after I saw you.”

“Lies!” He grabbed her again, his hand going up for another slap.

This time, Drake was posed to pounce.

“You’ll leave bruises!” an old woman shouted as she came in, stopping Millard from slapping Natasha again. “And how will you explain that to the men who are demanding your attention and hers?”

Millard shoved Natasha away again. His breathing labored, anger speared all over his face directed at her. “Have her packed up, Elli. She goes back tonight.”

Millard turned and left the room. The older woman went to Natasha, but Natasha brushed her aside, coming to her feet. “Don’t touch me.”

“I told you, girl, what was expected from a lady and a daughter.”

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The woman took a large suitcase from the closet. She placed it on the bed, opened the lid, and went to work at packing things. “Obedience is required or punishment suffered.”

“I’m not a dog, Elli, I’m his daughter!” Natasha raised her voice at the woman.

“And being his daughter he expects more from you. Now change.

You’ll be leaving within the hour.”

Natasha snorted. “Out the back door just as I came in. What a surprise.”

Natasha disappeared and Drake started his climb down. So Millard was sending her away again. Well that was just what he needed then.

“What the hell are you doing up there?” Allen demanded.

Drake dropped down to the ground, brushed his pants off and his hands. “Checking something out.”

He started to walk away, but his father grabbed hold of his arm, stopping him. “What scheme do you have planed this time, Drake?”

Drake jerked out of his father’s grip, facing him. “You wanted me to take a stand, I did. You’ve hounded me for a mate, well prepare yourself, Father. I’m about to get my mate.”

“What’re you talking about?” His father frowned, clearly not understanding what was going on.

“Millard wants to keep the old ways, so we’ll keep them for now.

And I’ll show him just what happens when you refuse to change a damn thing.” He closed his eyes, breathing in deeply of the night. He could still smell her, knew just where she was in the house. “I’m going to get my mate and I’m getting her tonight. The old fashion way.” He opened his eyes, and looked directly in his father. “I’m going to take her.”

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Natasha followed Elli down the stairs, to the back of the house and into the waiting car. She kept her head down, didn’t even bother looking at her father. He stood at the back door making sure she got into the car.

He said nothing to her, only spoke low to Elli before she also got into the car.

The door closed, her fate once more sealed. She was heading back to the boarding school that was more of a home to her then this place.

Granted it didn’t matter where she went at the moment. She didn’t have friends. Males seemed to be afraid to talk to her, and in truth, she was scared to be around them. Over the years growing up some with her father, she saw the hungers that fueled him—heard the way he took his women, and now she feared the mating altogether.

Even tonight, the male that had approached her seemed to either not know who she was, or just didn’t care about speaking to her. But he also frightened her. He was so dark, so forbidding. Now granted his hair appeared soft and she wouldn’t mind touching it, but the rest of him sent shivers down her spine. Large in body, shoulders as wide as her father’s, legs thick, his build lean and she wondered for a second about his chest and belly. Was he hairy, or only had a small amount on him? Below the waist, she didn’t even want to think about.

“It’s best for you to go back to school,” Elli said. Natasha turned from staring out the window to the old woman. “You’re safer there. No males to worry about tarnishing you.”

“You really think being locked up in a boarding school with no friends and no family is best?” Natasha asked her, holding back the tears that threatened to spill. “I have no life, Elli, no friends, nothing. I don’t even have a father.”

“He protects you the only way he knows how,” she said with a sharp nod. “And you should be thankful he provides for you as well as he does.

An ungrateful child such as you should be thanking him for his kindness, not throwing it back in his face.”

“And just what did I do this time to deserve the treatment I got?”

Natasha crossed her arms over her chest, taking a deep breath. “I dressed up like he wanted, showed myself to his party, and went back to my room. What do I get for doing everything he wants? Slapped and shipped off once more.” She took a deep breath, calming not only her nerves but 17

Draeger's Legacy, Jaden Sinclair

the anger that threatened to spill. For so long now Natasha held in her anger, the resentment, everything, but she felt like it was all starting to crack around her. “This is the last time, Elli. I’m not coming back when he decides there’s a use for me again.”

“Talking like that will only get you into more trouble.” The car began to slow down. “What’s wrong?” Elli demanded from the driver.

“Someone’s blocking the road,” the driver answered.

Natasha sat forward in her seat, looking out the front of the car. Sure enough, a large black limo was parked right across the road blocking all traffic.

The driver stopped the car and put it in park. She saw the limo driver leave the vehicle. Natasha couldn’t make out much about the man. He had a hat on, dark sunglasses and a black suit with leather gloves. He walked towards them, and something in her gut felt off. Something wasn’t right.

“Elli, I think we should get out right now and leave,” Natasha said.

Elli waved a careless hand at her. “Don’t sound like a child.”

Their driver rolled the window down. At the same time, the back door of the limo opened and out came another guy. Before Natasha could figure out who it was she heard someone cock a gun.

Natasha covered her mouth with her hand, holding the scream from coming out when she saw another man point a gun at the driver. The back door opened on Elli’s side, and a man jerked her out. For a few precious seconds time felt like it was standing still.

“Pop the back, please,” the man with the gun said to their driver.

A pop, and the trunk was opening. Natasha watched as her bags were taken out, and then Elli got shoved inside, the trunk hood closing behind him. Not being a brave girl, Natasha knew that if she stayed put then something very bad was going to happen.

She shoved her door open, knocking the one with the gun back a few steps. As fast as she could she took off running—away from whatever was happening back there. She stumbled to the ground when she heard a shot go off. She screamed, fearing that her driver was dead because of her.

Desperation took over. Adrenalin pumped fast and hard in her veins, giving her the strength to run, to get away. Hearing someone chase after her only fueled it.

Just when she was about to reach a pasture, a strong arm wound around her waist, and pulled her off her feet and back against a brick wall of a chest. She knew then a big, strong man held her—very easily.

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She screamed again, kicked her legs out, and twisted her body. But it was no use. His hold on her was too tight. She wasn’t going anywhere.

He stopped running with her, turned her around, and walked back toward the cars. As he walked, he wrapped his other arm around her, pinning her arms to her side. Fear overwhelmed her, but it also gave her the strength she needed to fight him to the end.

The walk back to the cars didn’t take as long as it took her to run from them. She saw her driver on the ground, holding his leg, which was bleeding. Natasha whimpered at the sight. She also heard banging coming from the trunk of her car.

“He’ll live,” the driver with the gun said to the one holding her.

“Get the bags and let’s get the hell out of here.”

She knew that voice! Heard it tonight at the party, but couldn’t place a face or name with it since he was holding her against his chest facing away. The one holding her turned and walked back to the limo. The back door was still open, and instead of him, letting her go to get inside he kept hold and slid into the backseat with ease with her.

Another man was sitting in the back waiting on them. “I hope you know what the hell your doing?” he snapped. “This could start a war.”

“I know what I’m doing. Now you want to hand me the stuff?”

The older man took a deep breath and picked up a small bag on the floor. Natasha watched him, still struggling with the tight hold that gripped her. Her eyes widened when the man brought out a syringe and some liquid in a tiny bottle.

“No!” she moaned in desperation, twisting harder in the iron arms.

“You’re only going to sleep,” the one holding her whispered, brushing some hair from her face and away from her shoulder. She felt his warm lips touch her shoulder. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

That hand which just touched her face moved down to her waist. He pulled up her shirt, pushed her slacks down some to show her hip. His grip got tighter, his hold more snug as she felt the other man draw closer with the needle.

“Please don’t!” she begged again. It punched her skin and she jumped.

“Everything’s going to be alright,” she heard him say in her ear again.

Instantly things started to spin, her eyes became heavy, and they felt like lead. Natasha couldn’t fight anymore. Darkness was coming, sleep taking her away, just as the limo started up to take her away also.

“Make sure someone calls about the old woman,” the one holding 19

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her said. “Left her in the trunk.”

Natasha slumped back against him, weak, fighting the sleepiness.

With another kiss to her shoulder and one to her cheek, she lost the fight and gave in to the peace of whatever drug they just gave her.

* * * *

“She’s beautiful,” Allen remarked. “I can see why Millard has kept her well hidden from the male population.”

Drake glanced up at his father for a second. His full attention was on Natasha. He turned her on his lap, cradling her like a child. Damn if she wasn’t delicate feeling in his arms. So light, so soft.

“You do know he’ll come for her,” his father went on. “The full moon is in one week. You don’t have much time.”

“I’ll make sure he can’t take her away,” Drake said.

“Don’t force her, son. You do that and she’ll only resent you for it.”

Drake touched the side of her face that her father had slapped and saw a light bruise forming on her cheek. “He doesn’t deserve her.”

“Let’s hope you do.” Drake looked up quickly at his father. “She’s a prize, Drake. I don’t think she’s the kind of lady for your darker side.”

Drake looked back down at her. Again, he touched her face, running his fingers over every feature—her cheeks, her nose, lips, forehead, chin.

She is perfection.
“She’s my light. She’ll tame it.”

The rest of the ride was done in silence. Drake kept staring at Natasha. Kept touching her, assuring himself that she was indeed real, and that she was his. Well, sort of. He still had to mark her, mate with her, claim her as his own. As his father said, the full moon was a week away, not much time to get to know her. She would be going through her cycle two days before his heat, meaning they were going to have a small problem. Time sure as hell wasn’t on his side. A week wasn’t long enough to convince any female to be a mate.

“I see you’ve gotten the gates up and working.” His father’s voice tore him from his sleeping mate on his lap. Drake looked up just as the limo turned into the long drive. “The house is coming along good then?”

“It’s livable.”

They pulled up to the front door. Allen got out first, held the door open for Drake. He stepped out with Natasha passed out in his arms. A quick shift and her head rested on his shoulder.

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One cook and one man to run the rest of the house was all Drake hired. He couldn’t cook and needed to eat, and the other, well he just thought having a man to help him oversee the house would be nice.

Nelly, his cook came out with a big smile on her face. She was a plump shifter in her late fifties. Dark brown hair pulled back into a bun, skirt, white blouse, and apron all the time. Tony, his other servant quickly joined her. Tony was much younger; in fact, he was about the same age as Natasha. He needed a job; Drake needed the help, so they fit perfectly together.

Tony greeted him with a quick nod on his way to the trunk for the luggage that awaited him. Neither asked about the girl in his arms.

“I’ll keep you posted on what goes out about her,” Allen stated with a nod. “I’m sure there are going to be calls coming in. You keep low and keep her well hidden until you finish your claim. If you’re serious about this, Drake, then you need that claim before facing her father.

Remember, he has the power to banish you.”

“I’m only following his rules,” Drake said. “He can’t fault me for that.”

Allen nodded and got back into the limo. Drake turned and went into the house, Nelly right on his heels.