Dragon Legacy (4 page)

“So you all made it without any problems.”

*

Zane stretched his sinuous, lean body. Jasmine worried her full bottom lip as she watched his lithe moves. Lukas smiled. Her fascination with Zane reminded him of Fleur's delighted expression when she looked at him. He shifted in his seat, his jeans too tight as his body remembered the heat in Fleur's gaze. Jasmine's face betrayed a similar desire. She wanted Zane. Desired by a witch, Lukas smiled something to taunt his wolf-friend with, but not now. Lukas focused his mind back onto Zane, who confirmed Grace's assumption. No one knew of their meeting.

“
No one followed us. Xavier headed into the garden before we left."

“
Good. Right, let’s not waste any time. What's your plan, Lukas? We all agree the demon's destruction is in all our interests.”

Still fixated on Fleur, Lukas looked across the room when heard his name. He rose. He must pitch this right. His mission needed the witches' support. He paced. The fire crackled with the air he wafted across its surface. The repetitive movement focused his mind. He faced Grace and Jasmine. Their gazes contained an equal mix of intrigue and trepidation. Lukas assumed Grace, whose witch ancestry stretched back beyond the first millennium, knew about the dragon egg and the ancient prophecy associated with it. Out the window he noticed a man's dark form crossing the garden's overgrown area. Xavier. He hoped Fleur had learned her lesson. If not, the fallout would be dire. His inner dragon fire burned hot and fierce deep inside him if Xavier touched her... He would check on her soon. He concentrated on his duty. “When we met earlier, I told you I needed your help,” Lukas held Grace's serene gaze. She nodded. "You must be familiar with the ancient prophecy associated with the last dragon egg?" Grace frowned as if she recalled a distant memory then nodded.

Jasmine interrupted, “How does this involve my mother?"

“I need her to help me find the last dragon egg.”

“You seem convinced it's here,” Grace said. “My ancestors' stories never mentioned its location.”

Lukas looked across at Zane, whose face bore a slight smile. "I buried it here, a millennium ago.”

Shell-shocked, Grace and Jasmine exchanged an incredulous glance. Jasmine spoke first. "Impossible." Her gaze roamed Lukas' face and body. "You look like a man in his prime. How old are you? You can't be older than thirty-five?"

Grace's expression mirrored her daughter's scepticism. Lukas smiled at his inquisitor. “You want proof?" Grace nodded as if she didn't trust her voice. “Do you have seer powers, Grace?”

“In a limited way, I sometimes see the future in a dream.”

∞

Lukas squatted in front of Grace and enclosed her hands. His heat flowed into her. The point where their hands met pulsed. Grace captured his gaze. She couldn't hide her amazement. Their minds' connected and Grace's eyes glazed. Lukas faded the room and its occupants. He projected his memories into her receptive mind until she saw the images he saw. The pictures flowed like scenes from a movie but clearer and more defined. Not only could she see but smell and feel what Lukas showed her: the odor of sulphur and the heather and grouse's dampness. The wild beat of Grace's pulse at the base of her neck, coupled with a faint sheen of perspiration covering her skin, betrayed her fear.

“Jasmine, this is unbelievable.”

Her confusion flooded into Lukas' mind. Were the images real?

Jasmine, affected by her mother’s anguished voice, knelt at Grace's side. She hugged her mother. The arm around Grace jumped in reflex against Lukas's radiated heat. He touched Jasmine and included her in his telepathy. The subtle infusion of his ancient memories flowed from his mind. A picture of a mist covered hillside materialized. The scene mesmerized them as it unfolded like a virtual puzzle. A jolt of pure power ran through him as he recalled the eerie shapes of the dragons gathered in a circle around a turquoise, almost translucent, egg. The largest dragon stepped forward and covered the egg with dark earth. The dragon faced them. Somehow aware, they witnessed the ceremony. Lukas identified himself with the dragon lord. Grace and Jasmine must believe the dragon lived within him. His deep, clear voice broke into their subconscious.
This is the last dragon egg. We must protect it against the servants of evil. Xavier will use its powers for the enslavement and destruction of humanity
. Lukas let go of Grace’s hands and the picture receded. Jasmine found her voice first.

“Oh my God, Lukas, it’s you. You’re the dragon."

The sound of a book as it struck the hardwood floor behind them shattered the silence.

*

Fleur gasped for breath. Her heart hammered against her ribs. She couldn't believe the evidence of her own eyes and ears. Rooted to the spot, her head throbbed as her mind rejected the flow of images it couldn't understand. She wanted to believe a murder mystery at a weekend house party would involve an ancient prophecy and a dragon egg. Bemused, she stared at the book at her feet. A shadow danced across the wall. Grace and Lukas hurried towards her.

Grace shouted. “Fleur, wait. We can explain.”

Fear reared up in her mind like a cobra from a snake basket. She must escape from Lukas and his terrible secrets. She felt dizzy, and nausea churned her stomach until adrenaline kicked in. She turned and fled. Fortified by her hormonal surge, Fleur ran through the darkened hallway towards the staircase. Confusion and conflicted images filled her mind. She needed solitude.

"I don't understand how she found us," Lukas said as he overtook Grace and bounded up the stairs, two at a time.

Fleur reached her door and fumbled in her bag for the key. Found it. She rammed the key in and prayed it would unlock. When the door swung open, she yanked the key from the lock and rushed inside, slamming the door behind her. Heavy footsteps stopped outside her room. Safe, she pushed the key into the lock and turned it. It wouldn't move. The door shook from Lukas' heavy knock.

“Let me in, Fleur!”

Fleur froze. Her mind screamed. She must lock the door. Her hand shook as she touched the key. The door flew open and knocked her backwards. Lukas now stood inside her room. His stillness unnerved her. His face was marred with a furious expression. Agitated, he grabbed Fleur with a strong, sinewy arm as her body swayed away from him. Panicked, she trembled. She didn't want him this close but knew she would fall without his support. He must sense her fear and anger. She met his gaze, and he gentled his hold. Grace panted at his side.

“We’ll be alright here. You better check where the other guests are in case anyone’s got inquisitive.”

Grace ignored him. “Are you alright, Fleur?”

"I'm not sure. I'm confused, shocked. I want answers.”

Grace nodded, but didn't leave.

*

Fleur's flushed cheeks and angry expression warned him of her vulnerability. Maybe he should give her space. No, this wouldn't wait.

“I’ll be back later,” Grace said with an indignant look at Lukas.

“Fine,” Fleur said.

Grace closed the door.

Her breathing deepened as her heart rate decreased. She stepped away from him and stared at his hand on her arm. “You can let me go now.”

His libido wanted Fleur's body tight against his hardness. He resisted his primitive urge. He let her go and moved back, away from temptation. “This may take a while.” He indicated the wicker chair.

“I can’t wait.” Fleur sank into the chair. Her audible sigh betrayed her weariness and negated the power of her sarcastic remark. Her legs shook. “I don't think anything you say will make me trust you again, Lukas.”

*

Lukas looked worried, surprised by her prickliness. Maybe he could explain. Even if she heard Lukas' version, she may not believe him. Still wary, she noticed the fierceness leave his expression. He looked serious. She shivered, afraid of what he would say. Fleur forced her mind back to the tableau she witnessed. The images couldn't be holograms. They defied logic. Panic returned. She ignored the nausea it invited. She needed answers. She would demand the truth. Fleur jumped like a startled doe when Lukas invaded her personal space. He squatted in front of her, his golden-eyed gaze level with hers.

“You heard right, Fleur. I'm a dragon.”

She hadn't expected this. His honesty made her forget her other questions and doubts. His velvet smooth voice reminded her of milk chocolate. The sound bathed her frazzled nerves and twitchy senses with languor. Spellbound, she watched his gaze fill with heat. He didn't look like a dragon. No, he looked like a man, virile and sexy. He filled her mind with sinful images. Green-scaled dragons didn't. They breathed fire. Or at least dragons did in the fairy tale books she recalled.

Lukas lifted her hands until they rested on his shoulders. She pulled away. His closeness scrambled her lucidity. Undeterred, he spanned her waist with his large hands. He held on tight as he rose and pulled her against him.

“Appearances can be deceptive, sweetheart.”

Fleur would have questioned what he meant, but his physical closeness distracted her. He held her even tighter. Every hard square inch of him plastered against her softer curves. She bit back a sigh of pleasure. He didn't play fair. “I don’t want this. You can’t ignore me one minute and love me the next.” The passion in Lukas' gaze intensified. He looked at her with slow appreciation. She almost purred like a cat as she nestled against him. He bent his head and kissed her. Powerless, Fleur couldn't resist his gentle onslaught. She expected a sensual nirvana, but the journey she experienced defied description. A picture formed behind her closed eyelids. The detailed portrait unfolded as their kiss intensified. She saw Lukas. He looked like the man who kissed her, lean, muscular with blue-black hair and green eyes.

In her peripheral vision, another image developed. Mesmerized, she saw a dragon, large and powerful. The creature looked surreal, straight from the pages of a fairy tale with shiny turquoise and black scales and golden eyes. She looked into the golden heat of Lukas' eyes. Fleur's breath constricted in her throat. The silent scream died on her lips as Lukas kissed her into oblivion. Lukas deepened his exploration of her mouth. Her attempts at self-preservation were futile as he coaxed her surrender. Fleur's powerful response robbed her of coherence. She accepted the images he showed her without question. He murmured his approval. His hands slid upwards until his fingertips caressed the peaked tips of her breasts. She shuddered and deepened the kiss. The kiss' potency seduced her. The narrow human constraints of her mind relaxed. She accepted the unbelievable. The two images merged. The man in her arms became the primitive mythical dragon. Her rational mind fought against her belief, but her heart knew Lukas was the dragon. The uncomfortable reality of Lukas as a dragon unnerved her. She dragged her mouth away from his. She pushed his fingers away from the tiny mother-of-pearl buttons at the side of her dress. “No, this isn’t right.” Her body rebelled. It shook with unrequited arousal. She leaned back into Lukas’s embrace. "No!” Her eyes filled with tears.

Lukas touched her but didn't draw her any closer. “Don't worry sweetheart. I know acceptance is difficult. I’ll never hurt you.”

A deluge of droplets flowed from teary eyes. Their salty tracks stained her face. She brushed them away. Lukas caught her hand and brought it to his lips. He kissed the delicate skin of her tiny inner wrist. Fleur shuddered, too upset and aroused for subterfuge. Her gaze fixed on Lukas's erection as it pressed against his soft denim jeans. He shuddered, squared his shoulders, and stepped further away from her. She appreciated his patience. Somehow, he sensed her need for space. Surprisingly, he understood and controlled his own needs. She liked this side of Lukas.

“I’m sorry you're upset, but you needed the truth.” Fleur nodded, too drained for speech. “Go to bed and keep your door locked.”

Fleur still wanted answers, but Lukas made sense. Bone-weary, she needed sleep. Maybe a new day would provide perspective. “Yes, I'm exhausted."

“Don’t leave the room until I come for you!”

His voice, soft and sexy, curled her toes. She forgave his imperative tone. Lukas leaned forward and kissed her. She leaned into him despite her doubts. The kiss burned like an incendiary. His patience evaporated like the dawn mist. She didn't care. She let him plunder her mouth and gave him whatever he demanded. The brisk knock at the door forced them back from the brink. Reluctantly, Lukas eased his mouth from Fleur’s.

"Who is it?”

Fleur opened the door. Lukas stopped it with his foot and pulled her behind him.

“It’s Jasmine. Grace has found maps and plans for you.”

Lukas turned back. "I need their help.”

“I could come, too.”

“No. Please rest. I’ll be here at seven-thirty."

A delicious image filled Fleur’s needy mind. “Maybe you're right.”

Lukas gave her a final, hard kiss. “Hope you get more sleep than I will.” He pulled open the door, smiled at Jasmine, and shut it. “I’ll wait while you lock it.”

Fleur managed the lock this time. She stepped away from the door and smiled when she heard his regretful sigh.

*

Lukas still couldn't believe he had shared his dragon identity with Fleur. He had never shared his secret with any woman. Why did he reveal his true self to Fleur? Was it a calculated move or a gut reaction? He wished he knew. Their first kiss had sealed his fate. Her importance, despite their brief acquaintance, puzzled him. Fleur embraced her new-found emotions. She used his jealously against him. His denial forced her into the demon's clutches. If she trusted him and accepted his dual identity, he could protect her from Xavier.

*

Jasmine cast covert glances his way as they hurried towards the library. He smiled as a frustrated sigh escaped her lips. His appearance kept his secret. He looked like a human man in his prime. He stopped. “Can you see the dragon?”

Jasmine blushed, but her innate curiosity won. “You look human. You must use magic to hide your dragon identity."

"I exist in different realities. I rarely transform unless I need the dragon's physical strength and power. I'm vulnerable during the transformation period. The process is painful for my human body and drains my already limited powers."

Jasmine's expression reflected her skepticism. "Unbelievable."

Lukas continued since he needed her help. "The dragon race is almost extinct. My identity must remain secret. We must save the dragon egg. If the forces for good nurture the infant dragon, its powers will restore magic to the remaining dragons and save the dragon race from extinction. A strong dragon race means humanity is safe from the demons and other servants of evil.”

“How do you fight the demon without your dragon’s strength?”

“I still have my inner dragon. Its powers are effective enough.”

“Are you immortal?”

“Supernatural creatures with similar powers and strengths can kill me.”

“Like the demon?”

“In theory, yes, but don’t let it concern you. He hasn’t succeeded yet.” Lukas injected a lethal quality into his quiet voice. Jasmine shivered. Now she believed him.

“I'll keep your secret. Have you told Fleur yet?”

“I've shown her what I am, but she doesn’t know all the details. Remember she’s a human woman, not a witch like you.”

“Don’t leave it too long. You cannot hide who you are. She will never trust you again. Tell her what you’ve told me. She's intelligent; she will understand and help you. Exclude her and you'll lose her.”

Lukas acknowledged Jasmine’s sage advice with a smile. “Come on. We better hurry or it will be morning before we finish our discussions.”

When they walked into the library, Grace and Zane looked up from the pile of ancient manuscripts. “Finally,” Zane banged his hand against the table. “Don't tell me you couldn't tear yourself away.”

Lukas' temper spiked. “When did you last tell someone you care about you’re not an ordinary man but a dangerous, mythical monster?” He met Zane’s gaze. His friend smiled uncertainly, his face contrite.