Haunted By Her Dragon (The Dragon Guard Series) (35 page)

Royce
grinned, and even though it didn’t reach his eyes, Lance knew something good
was coming. “Go get ‘
em
lover boy. I’m sure Sydney’s
not the only young lady you’re ‘tucking in’.” He wiggled his eyebrows and
scooted past Lance, chuckling all the way. He let the old guy have that one
since it seemed to lighten his spirits.

Heading
towards the stairs and going over his plans for the evening, he stopped dead in
his tracks and listened to the wonderful sounds of Sam and Sydney’s laughter.
He had to be the luckiest son of a bitch. He walked to
Syd’s
room, and there he saw both ladies sitting cross-legged on the bed dressing the
child’s dolls for bed. “What’s
all the
ruckus in
here,” he asked as he ran to the bed and picked Sydney up, tossed her into the
air, and sat down as she landed in his lap.

It
took a moment for her giggling to die down enough to speak, and when she did,
she sounded like a cartoon character, “That was fun, Dragon Man. We’re getting
the babies ready for bed. Can you read my story tonight, please?”

“Sure
can, Short Stuff. Let’s get these babies to bed, and get you tucked in.”

Sydney
jumped off the bed, placed her dolls tenderly in the beds she had fashioned out
of small towels, and covered them with one of Jay’s blankets that
Kyndel
had given her. When she was finished, she came right
back to her bed, jumped in, and pulled up the covers. “Can we read Sleeping
Beauty?”

“Yes,
we can,” Sam answered, and appeared at his side a minute later, carrying the
book and a pink plastic cup filled with water.

Thirty
minutes and a bunch of yawns later, he and Sam kissed Sydney goodnight, turned
on her nightlight, and headed back to their room. After excruciatingly long
months watching and protecting this amazing woman, it was the best feeling ever
to have her hand in his and her scent filling his lungs. He fell more in love
with Samantha Malone every second he spent in her presence. With this woman by
his side, there was no doubt that he could defeat every foe, and conquer every
challenge set before him. She was a beacon in his darkest hour. She captivated
him completely…body and soul. She was all things right in the world. She was
everything,
and
she was his
.

As
soon as the door closed, he had her in his arms, needing to reconnect with her
even though he had spent the day by her side. There would never be a time that
he felt like he had
enough
of his magnificent mate. He’d made fun of
Rayne when he met
Kyndel
, and could not stop touching
her even when they were marching through a field. He’d made jokes when Grace
had come into Aidan’s life, and his brethren could not keep his lips off of her
even when they were facing down a parking lot full of combatants, but
now
he understood. There was no feeling in the world like being with this woman,
his
woman. He slowly lowered his lips, gently touching hers, kissing her like they
had all the time in the world, tasting every square inch of her succulent
mouth, absorbing all of her that he could. And when she opened for him, he
leisurely slid his tongue into her mouth and explored, stoking the flame that
constantly burned between, until he was sure he would spontaneously combust. He
moved along her jaw, tasting and teasing, marking her as his.  Her hips
began to move against his erection, the friction making him light-headed. He
painstakingly pulled away from her, and together they groaned at the loss.

The
passion he saw in her dreamy eyes almost made him rethink his plan, but he knew
there were things they needed to discuss, and one very specific question he
needed her to answer. So he walked them to the couch that overlooked the
terrace, got them each a beer from the fridge Aidan made sure was in each room,
and sat down facing her. He took a moment to just look at his mate, soaking in
the goodness that radiated from her. “
Damn
Doc, you’re gorgeous,” he
said, and was rewarded with a soft blush on her cheeks. She took a long draw of
her beer, and all he could think
of
was what she would
taste like in that moment.

Reminding
himself that there were things they needed to talk about, he took her hand in
his, looked her in the eye, and said, “I know that everyone explained a lot of
stuff to you about who we are while I was out, and I’m so damn sorry that I
didn’t do it before the shit hit the fan. I have no excuse. I just thought
there would be time when I got home and then…well…you know,” he shrugged, and
was glad to see her smile.

“To
be honest, I was surprised that you didn’t punch me when you got home last
night. I mean I’m glad you didn’t but I wouldn’t have blamed you,” he continued
as she giggled and was happy she wasn’t telling him what a jerk he was.

 “So
what questions do you have? I can see the wheels turning up there,” he tapped
the side of her head. “I’m an open book…ask away.”

She
paused and worried her bottom lip with her teeth, a sign he knew meant she was
deciding what to say. He could feel that she had a ton of questions but waited
for her to work it out for herself. After several long minutes, she
straightened her back and looked him square in the eye.
His mate backed down from
nothing
. “At first, I was pissed and
couldn’t believe that you had hidden things from me. But the longer I thought
about it, and the more time I spent with your family, I realized I probably
would’ve done the same thing. There are things about me that I don’t shared
with anyone,” she paused, and his curiosity was peaked, but he let her
continue. “Then, I realized I wouldn’t have believed you anyway. My mom always
said things happen for a reason. Guess this was definitely one of those times.”

 “Yeah,
I suppose you’re right, Doc, but I am really sorry that I left
you
hanging like that. And…” He had to pause, because for the first time since
finding his family killed, he was almost overcome with emotion, “I want to
thank you for saving my life, for opening yourself up and lending me your
strength, and for taking care of me while I recovered. Siobhan was sure to tell
me what an amazing doctor you are, which I already knew, but it was cool to
hear how much respect she has for you. It takes a lot to impress her and you
definitely did.” He took her beer bottle, placed it next to his on the side
table and took both her hands in his, “Now, ask me whatever you want.”

Almost
before he had finished speaking, she blurted out, “Am I really your mate or
whatever it’s called? Are we really meant to be together?”

Somehow
he wasn’t surprised that she had asked. Siobhan had told him how uncomfortable
she was with their fated future. “Yes, Doc, you are. I don’t know exactly how
it was explained to you, but I can tell you that I’ve heard A LOT of stories in
all my years, and not a damn one prepared me for that day in the abandoned
warehouse when our eyes met. I guess the best way I can explain it is with a
passage from our holy book,
‘when the two halves of the same whole meet,
there will be instant recognition. Their souls will merge, and only then will the
man and
dragon know
complete peace, they will have
found their true home. It will be as if the time before they met their mate
does not exist. All that will matter will be that they become one in body,
mind, and soul with the One the Universe made for them.’”
 
He
waited and watched while she came to terms with what he had just said.

“I
know that I feel things for you that I never imagined possible. I also know
that ever since I did what Siobhan asked, and ‘opened’ myself up to you, there
are times that I can actually feel what you feel.” It was an incredible feeling
of belonging and love, that she acknowledged, at least partially, what was
happening between them. 

“I’ve
seen firsthand that you guys are way more than what you appear, but you have to
understand, I’ve been on my own since I was six years old.” She stopped, and
closed her eyes. He could see what it cost her to think about the past. He
rubbed circles on the back of her hands, and gave her the time she needed. They
sat in silence for some time, but when she finally spoke, he was thankful for
his enhanced hearing, because she barely even whispered, “My dad was killed
while deployed during the Gulf War. I was barely walking and my sister was just
a few months old. He was an army medic. I never really knew him, but I imagine
he was like you, strong, fearless, and bound by some inner calling to help
those that needed it, and protect those he loved. He is why I became a doctor.
It was the least I could do to honor the man that gave so much, and loved us so
completely.” She looked at him with tear filled eyes. He wanted nothing more
than to wrap her in his arms and take away all the pain she’d ever felt, but he
knew his mate would have none of it. She spoke of his strength and fearlessness
without recognizing those very traits in herself. Sam was a true warrior, his
perfect match in every way.

“Mom,
Sarah, and I lived a really simple life. Mom was a school teacher. She always
told stories about dad, and showed us pictures to make sure we never forgot him.
It was like I got to know him through her memories.

“She
never wanted me to ride the school bus. She said it was dirty and stinky, and
since she taught just two blocks away at the junior high, she could drop me off
and pick me up. One day during a particularly bad thunderstorm, she was late. I
waited until all the other kids were gone, and then one of the teachers took me
to the office. They called mom’s phone, and there was no answer. Then they
called her school, and the secretary said she’d seen her leave ten minutes
earlier, so we figured she was caught in traffic from the rain. It was then
that we heard the sirens. I
knew
something was wrong.

“We
waited for another hour before the police arrived. They wanted to speak to my
teacher, who was also a close friend of my mom’s, alone. But there was no way I
was going to be left out. They finally told us that a drunk driver had run a
stop sign and T-boned my mom’s mini-van. He was going so fast that he pushed
them onto the curb, and the vehicle flipped. Both my mom and sister were
pronounced dead at the scene.

“I
wasn’t really sure at the time what everything they were saying meant, but I
knew one thing…I was alone. Both my parents were only children, and all four of
my grandparents had passed before I was born.” His hurt at the story his love
was telling made him wish to go back in time, and endure all her pain and
suffering. She had lived through her trials, and learned from them. She was
stronger because of them, and helped people every day.

“My
teacher took me home with her, and I stayed there until a social worker showed
up. Then I was taken to a group home. There were lots of foster homes after
that, and I finally landed at Momma
Maybelle’s
.” A
feeling of contentment flowed through their bond, and he knew that his mate
truly loved this woman.

 “She
was the first person besides my mom’s friend that acted like I mattered, acted
like she cared. I stayed with her until I graduated from high school. She was
so proud the day we got the letter that I had been accepted into one of the
most prestigious colleges in the country with a full scholarship. We had a huge
graduation party, and all the kids that she could find that had been in foster
care with me came.

“She
and I stayed in touch until she died during my junior year. It was a true
testament to the wonderful woman she was that every foster kid still in the
area was at her memorial service. There is not a day that goes by that I do not
thank God for my mom, dad, and Momma
Maybelle
.
Because without them, I would have just been a statistic, one of those kids
that we patch up in the Emergency room and send back out it in the world to
fend for
themselves
.

“Now
I tell you all of this because, for some crazy reason, I want you to really
know who I am and to let you know that all of this,” she motioned between them,
“Scares the shit out of me. Everyone I have ever loved, leaves.”

He
watched a lone tear travel down her cheek and gave up. Letting her hands drop;
he grabbed her waist and lifted her onto his lap. She struggled for a minute,
but he held her as still as possible until she gave in and cuddled against his
chest. His kissed the top of her head and inhaled the beautiful scent of
jasmine and honeysuckle that would forever remind him of the gift he had been
given. As long as he had breath in his lungs, no one would ever cause this
woman another moment of pain. She’d suffered enough, and it was his job to make
all her days as wonderful as they could possibly be.

 “I’ll
never
leave you, Doc, and even if one of us goes to the heavens before
the other, we will still be connected, heart and soul. I know you were told
about how long we live, and I want to make sure that you understand that once
we are officially mated, if that is what you want, you will have the same
increased lifespan.”

She
jerked back from him with a surprised look on her face. The way her pouty lips
had formed a perfect circle made him
want
to ditch all
the talking and have a taste of his lady love. However, it was time all of it
was worked out between them. She needed to feel comfortable with everything she
had learned, before he could ask her the question that he and his dragon longed
to hear the answer to.