Finding the Dragon (Dásreach Council Book 1) (3 page)

Al thought back to when they all had first “met”… on Lara Adrian’s Facebook page. Commenting on posts on the page, all of the gals just migrated to each other. So many of the same thoughts and preferences when it came to books, they soon were overtaking Lara’s page. One day someone mentioned that maybe they should set up their own group or page, and by the next day Kat, one of the gals from Austria, had started Book Worms. Since then the gals had shared holidays and birthdays via the Internet and the post office, had worked together to attend book signings, and supported each other through posts on the group page and through personal message chat sessions.

Due to some bad friendships in the past, Al was hesitant when making friends and didn’t trust easily, but she had struck up some pretty close relationships with most of the gals. A couple of the others didn’t come on the group much, so she really didn’t know them. But, with the ones she did know, she would trust them with anything. It amazed Al how she had grown to care and depend on them. She didn’t have anyone else that she could share her fears and dreams with. There were a few people that she met on past jobs that lived near her in Ohio that she kept in contact with, like her friend Maureen who now ran the bookstore in Delmar, but they were fair weather friends at best. Maureen was her closest friend, the one she went out with on occasion and talked into giving her a ride like she had today to the airport. But, she didn’t know about Al’s past, her issues with men and sex, or that she had weird dreams. She and Maureen talked about books and the people that they knew from the job that they had worked together. Al only shared her most personal thoughts with the Book Worms, which was why she was so desperate to go on this trip. She just had to make that flight.

Al picked up her pace as she approached the road she had to cross to reach the doors to the airport.

Distracted by the thoughts in her own head, Al didn’t see the huge patch of ice she crossed over as she came to the departures area of the airport. As her foot slipped out from under her, her thought was,
Crap! I’m not going to make it now. I’ll be in the ER.

However, at the last minute she felt a strong hand grab her arm and an arm come around her waist. The arm lifted her off of the ice and set her down on dry road just under the awning in front of the entrance doors. Feeling a shock of electricity that felt like it raced from the contact of that arm and hand throughout her whole body, she took in a deep breath and looked up into the bluest eyes that she had ever seen. The gorgeous hunk of muscle she felt under her hands, as she grabbed on to keep her balance, had to be almost seven feet tall and caused her to crane her head way back for her eyes to reach his face.
But, man, was that crick in her neck going to be worth it
. He gazed back into her eyes, his lips curving up in a smile. Al became mesmerized by the two dimples, one on each side of those delicious looking lips.

As Al began to smile back, she was pulled back to reality by the ringing of her alarm on her phone. She reached into her pocket and without taking her eyes from his face she moved the phone into her vision. When she quickly glanced at the display, she stiffened.
Damn it
! She was going to miss her flight.

Stepping from his arms, she reached down and grabbed the handle of the suitcase she hadn’t realized she had let go of and looked at her hero.

“Thanks for the save, but I’m late for my flight!”

“No problem, lass.” He responded in a strong Scottish brogue.

Holy heather fields, Batman
! Why did she have to meet a man like him when she was running late? Al thought as she raced through the doors and to the Southwest Airlines ticket counter.

Thankfully she was quickly checked in and sent on her way to her gate. Al had checked online for the airport regulations and had made sure she had everything stowed away properly and was ready for the security check point, which helped her to make it through without incident. Ticket in hand she approached the gate attendant just in time to be boarded.
Whew, what a close one.
She thought as she boarded the plane and found an empty row of seats. If she was lucky no one would need to use the other two seats next to her.

***

After making contact with his boss, the man boarded the plane and sat towards the back so he could watch the woman he was sent to follow. She was sort of a pretty thing, but he knew that she wouldn’t be around long enough to get attached to, just until he could get her alone. It wasn’t smart to get attached to a job. He got paid good money to make people disappear. His boss called, gave him a name and location, and if he was lucky a picture, then he would remove the problem. Watching the innocent looking woman he couldn’t help but be curious about what she could have possibly done to become a problem. However, when you’re in a field like his, curiosity would get you killed.

He adjusted his black fatigue pants and sat back in his seat. Leaning his head back he closed his eyes. She wouldn’t be going anywhere and he hadn’t gotten much sleep in the two days since he had received the call, might as well get some while he could.

The man relaxed without the weight of a conscience and quickly fell asleep.

Chapter 2

Kai watched the female board the plane in front of him, his eyes glued to her shapely arse. She was everything he could ever want. When he had touched her outside the airport, the electricity had ricocheted back and forth between them. It was further proof that she was meant to be his. He couldn’t thank the Great Spirit enough for leading his hand when he had thrown the dart that had lead him to the small farming community of Delmar, Ohio.

*

Three days earlier.

The small town didn’t boast much, only a few small businesses that took advantage of small town tax breaks and the town’s location only 45 minutes outside of the capital city of Columbus, Ohio. Kai assumed that these businesses provided those who weren’t into farming a job, while bringing revenue to the town and traffic to the quaint shops on Main Street. The Dásreach were planning to have one of those shops as soon as Kai could find a place to rent, which was why he found himself walking the few downtown streets looking for a location for a new tattoo shop. The Dásreach needed to branch out from the popular, large cities where they already had shops. Especially since he and his brothers were running out of time. Kai’s gut twisted at the thought of them being the first Thirteen to fail to complete the requirements and become the next Council in centuries.

Kai had watched his brothers’ frustration grow and knew that he had to be the first to do what they discussed. Even so, he hadn’t been sure about coming here, but Malkum with his tracking ability had looked at a map of the state and told Kai he needed to come here to Delmar. Malkum’s ability didn’t allow for him to track their mates, unfortunately, it was believed the Great Spirit blocked him because mates were destined. And, Destiny seemed to have its own ideas about things. But, with only a year and a half left, the men had felt like they had to do something. Kai asked the Great Spirit for help and threw his dart. Then Malkum had searched for a place for the tattoo shop in Ohio. He never could understand Malkum’s ability to find people and objects the way he could, but he was grateful for the help and ability to do something. It wasn’t in Kai’s nature to sit back and wait for things to happen.

Even so, he had almost backed out of the idea of coming here, the town was in the middle of nowhere, but he felt that he had to be strong for his brothers. The others had enough doubts about the plan – about leaving so much to fate and the path of a dart – and after so many failures, Kai wasn’t surprised. He knew the Great Spirit had led him here, but he wasn’t sure if he would ever have any business in a tattoo shop located in such a small rural community. But he had to trust in the Great Spirit and the guidance of his spirit guardian. His dragon spirit guardian seemed to be burning his insides lately, his impatience at Kai quite evident. So Kai continued to walk in the below freezing temperatures looking for a possible storefront location.

With the icy temps there was no one else on the streets, so Kai used his weather ability to warm up the temps around him and to clear his path. Creating wind to blow snow and dropping the temps around the slush along his path helped to keep the elements off of his feet, but the cold still reached him. Even through his heavy leather boots his feet were freezing. Normally his dragon helped to keep him warm, but not on this frigid Ohio day, it seemed even a fire breathing dragon couldn’t fight the winter wonderland around him.

When he reached the point that he could no longer feel his toes, Kai saw a little bookshop and cafe that advertised hot drinks. He quickly crossed the street, opened the door to the sound of a tinkling bell and walked into the picture of a book lovers dream. Being the future leader of his people, Kai had read everything he could find that even remotely held a possibility of helping him be a better leader. So, he appreciated a good book, whether one to learn from or the few and far between that he read for enjoyment. Even so, his frozen toes and fingers demanded the promised hot drink. He walked to a counter with several coffee and drink machines behind it and a menu board on the wall. Waving a server over he ordered a black coffee.

Leaning back against the counter while he sipped the hot coffee and warmed his fingers on the cup, he kicked one booted foot back against the counter and glanced around the bookstore.

His glance landed on a woman over a foot shorter than himself talking to a lady at what appeared to be the checkout counter. She had one of those curvy bodies that all women seemed to hate and all men loved. The lights gleamed off of her short dark hair and his eyes snagged on her long neck.
To have a woman like her and a neck to nibble on
, he thought. His cock hardened and he adjusted himself to alleviate the pressure.
Strange.
He had spent plenty of time with women in his younger years, thinking that was the answer to finding his mate, but it had been hollow and he had soon given it up and concentrated on his education and helping his brothers, Malkum and Charlie, run their New Orleans tattoo shop in the last several years. He hadn’t missed female companionship, so it was strange that he felt something stir now.

His breath caught in his throat as she turned to look at a display near where he was standing and gestured as she continued to talk to the bookstore employee. His dragon spirit guardian roared and banged inside his body. Her deep dark chocolate eyes dragged him down to her soul. Her luscious lips begged to be kissed. Lust flared and burned along his skin. They had always said it would be like this, but he hadn’t truly understood until this moment.
She is the one. My mate.
That quickly, he knew.

As his beautiful mate turned away from Kai, he stumbled forward, as if his body was following her movement without help from his brain. He stopped himself from rushing forward and looked around the shop. No one but the two store employees and the beauty at the counter in front of him were in the store. He placed his forgotten coffee on the counter behind him almost dumping the remaining liquid on the counter as he bungled the maneuver. Kai took in a deep breath. He needed to stay calm and find out what information he could. He glanced around and saw a large display on a table a few feet away from her. He walked to a table behind the display and stood with his back to the two women talking. Not sure how she would react to a stranger or to what he had to tell her, he kept hidden from view, for now. He picked up a book and flipped pages that he couldn’t see as his superior hearing, thanks to his dragon, allowed him to follow their conversation.

“So, Al, you’re still going to the book convention this week?”

“Absolutely. Nothing short of the apocalypse or the Borg arriving on planet Earth will keep me from catching my flight to New Orleans on Thursday.” The women laughed.

“You are such a geek with those movie references of yours.” The woman hesitated. “You sure your boss won’t pull one of his usual stunts?”

“I’m sure he will try, but it’s a non-refundable ticket and I put in the request over a month ago. The owners approved it and there is nothing he can do about it."

“I don’t know how you put up with him Al.”

“The promise of many more trips such as this NOLA one, Maureen, that’s how. Besides, I don’t want to find a new job. This one is convenient and I don’t have to get used to new people.”

“Al, you are a wonderful lady, I don’t know why you worry about meeting people. It baffles the mind.”

“Maureen, not everyone is as easy to be with as you, or owns a bookstore.”

“See, I knew it! You only like me for my books.”

Both women laughed. His mate,
Al
–
what kind of name was that for a woman
– had a chuckle that tickled all the way down his spine. Kai couldn’t believe his luck. He now knew that she was taking a trip to New Orleans. If that wasn’t Destiny giving him a sign, he didn’t know what was. If he could just find out what airline and time, then he could be on the same flight, sit beside her and find a way to get her to the Dásreach tattoo shop they ran there. The Great Spirit was definitely guiding him, how else would she be heading to one of the cities where they already had a Dásreach tattoo shop?

“Lucky bitch,” the curse startled him back to the women’s conversation, “I wish I was able to leave and go to all of these awesome events and book signings that you’ve got lined up.”