Taken by the Dragon King (4 page)

“There’s no other way. I’ll-”

“Yes, there is. I’ll find you a river. I’ll clean the kill myself, but honestly I’m not that good at the skinning.”

“Asher,” I chuckle. “I can’t drink river water, it’s polluted and I’ll get sick.”

“What?” he exclaims. “Why haven’t the wizards purified it?”

“Because the humans will just muck it up again.”

“Why?”

“They have their reasons.”

“Then what do they drink?”

“They clean the water and drink that.”

“Wouldn’t it be easier not to defile it in the first place?”

“Probably. They also add flavor to it, and these little bubbles that tickle your nose. Geez, I am really getting thirsty and now I have a taste for a Coke. I’ll be right back.”

I make a run for it while Asher is wondering what a Coke is, but I’m quickly stopped by his strong hands wrapped around my arms, pulling me backwards and spinning me around. “I did not say that you could go,” he rasps, his chest heaving. Holy shit, he is hot when he gets territorial.

“Ash,” I say soothingly, leaning up to kiss him. “I have to. I’ll be right back. You’ll be able to see me once I get downstairs and if anything happens, you can jump down there, start kicking ass and taking names in all your naked glory, and then fly me away again.”

I watch as he scrambles to find another option, but there aren’t any. His face contorts, almost becoming childlike and my heart skips a beat at the sight of him so obviously concerned about losing me.

My wrists throb when he lets them go, nodding reluctantly. I run down the stairs as quickly as possible, rushing through the store and out the door because Asher will probably rage his way down here to find me if I don’t get outside fast enough. The sun is blinding when I turn around and look up at the roof to see if he’s still there, the light glistening off his taut brown skin. He gives me a hesitant smile as I disappear into the store.

Once inside, I pick out his clothes quickly, barely taking the time to think about what he’ll look good in. I suppose it doesn’t matter because they’ll be torn to shreds the moment he shifts again. Before I know it, I’m watching him pull the tight black t-shirt over his head, his massive biceps stretching the sleeves to their limit.

“Let’s go to the food court now,” I say. “I’m famished.”

Chapter Seven

Asher is visibly uncomfortable when we get inside the department store. Hopefully no one will notice that I keep running through here and into the fire escape door, though that seems less likely now that I’m accompanied by this ridiculously hot guy now. But no one seems to notice him, not even the cologne spritzing girl when Ash sneezes as we walk by. Actually, an alarm should have gone off when I ran through the service door. What the hell is going on?

The mall is crowded today, with all the different styles of humans out for Ash to gawk at. He’s particularly amused by punk rock hair and has a hard time believing that some of these people are just normal humans instead of some type of excommunicated wizards. Strangely, not a single girl takes a second glance at him, which is simply a statistical impossibility considering how absolutely yummy he is.

“Ash, do you think people can see us?” I ask as we pass a group girls clearly looking for a good time and yet somehow missing the six and half feet of pure muscle walking next to me.

“If they were looking for us, they could. But their gaze should pass over us otherwise.”

“Why? Because you’re a dragon?” I whisper.

“I believe so.”

“How does that enchantment work?”

“It’s not an enchantment, it just happens.”

“Is that why you don’t seem to be remotely concerned with being spotted?”

“I’m remotely concerned Lindy, but there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m a dragon. I shift. I fly.”

“So it does work when you’re flying?”

“As far as I can tell, yes. But I suspect the more eyes looking, the less effective it would be.” Asher brings my hand to his lips for a kiss. “What is that wonderful smell?”

“That,” I say, kissing him back, “is the wonderful aroma of the fast food. Mall fast food, to be specific.”

“What is so fast about it?”

“This.” Letting his hand go, I stride up to the by-the-slice pizzeria as Asher trails behind me, eyeing the over pierced and tattooed counter clerk skeptically. “Two slices of Meat Explosion, please,” I say. “And one large Coke, easy on the ice.”

“Would you like some of our awesome cinnamon cream cheese poppers to go with that?” the cashier asks.

Hmm. Asher’s probably never had dessert. “Sure. Extra dipping sauce.”

“No problem. That’ll be $14.26.”

Grinning at Ash, I swipe my debit card and punch in my PIN as he curiously looks over my shoulder.

“Is that magic?” Asher asks, earning a strange glance from the clerk as he pushes our tray across the counter.

“Nope. That was electronic,” I try to explain once we’re away from the counter.

“You gave him nothing of value and he fed you.” Asher stares down at the pizza and wrinkles his nose. “I think. Is he a friend of yours or do you owe him something now?”

“He didn’t feed me, stop saying it like that. It’s beyond antiquated and makes me sound like a head of cattle. I fed myself with my own money by paying the pizza place, that guy just works for them preparing the food.”

“I don’t understand the difference.”

“You don’t need to worry about the difference,” I giggle, scooting my chair closer to his. “You just need to taste this.” Asher draws back when I pluck a perfectly cooked piece of bacon off his pizza and hold it to his lips. “Oh, come on. You’ll probably like it and it will make me really happy, just open your mouth.”

“I’m usually the one saying things like that to you,” Ash says. My jaw drops open and I let out a startled laugh as his eyes close into a regretful cringe. “I apologize, Melinda. That was crude.”

“Yeah, but it was kind of hot,” I murmur, biting my lip. Asher’s gaze drop lower to my breasts as I draw in a ragged breath. “But if you ever want me to open my mouth for you again, you’ll try this.”

“In that case…” Asher’s forked tongue flicks out of his mouth and closes around the morsel, pulling it free from my fingers. He chomps it quickly at first, then his eyes widen delightfully and his chewing slows. “You’re right. That’s pretty good.”

“Here wash it down with a sip of this,” I suggest, staring up at him seductively over the Coke as I purse my lips around the straw and take a drink.

A gruff, frustrated groan rumbles in his chest and he squirms slightly in his chair. “You’d better watch it, little witch,” he chuckles, his fingers grazing mine as he takes the soda. “I’ll have you alone in the dark again soon.”

“Not soon enough,” I blurt out, making my cheeks flush as Asher’s eyebrows shoot up. What has gotten into me?

Asher removes the lid off our drink and takes a big gulp before I can stop him, nearly choking. “What is this?” he coughs. “Why does it sting your eyes?”

“Aw, Ash,” I say sympathetically. “I’m sorry, I should have warned you. That’s the fizz, you can’t take giant drinks like that. I’ll go get you some water.”

Asher’s hand closes around my wrist, stopping me before I even get up from the table. “I will eat what you eat, and drink what you drink.” He sneezes loudly. “Even if it hurts my face.” My heart skips a beat. That was so cute. “Stop fawning over me and eat, Lindy,” he laughs.

“Fine,” I concede, taking a huge bite. Wow, it’s really good today, a perfect first pizza experience.

“So humans don’t use magic at all?” Asher asks, staring at a candy commercial with over the top visual effects playing on the video billboard across from us.

“No. I mean, sometimes a wizard will be born to human parents and find their way to other magical creatures and eventually move Underground, but it’s pretty rare.”

“And that,” he says, gesturing toward the billboard. “Electronic?”

“Yes.”

“What does that even mean?”

“I honestly don’t understand it well enough to explain it properly. It’s technology and it moves fast.”

“Yes, it does,” he murmurs, staring at the screen. It’s changed to a different ad, one featuring a few bikini clad blondes that are very bouncy and bubbly in more ways than one.

My stomach churns because there’s no way he’s interested in whatever they’re advertising. I am so not eating any of these awesome popper cream cheese things. “I’m sorry that I’m not as pretty as I was in the dreamworld,” I whisper, staring down at the pizza crust I would love to finish.

“What?” Asher breathes, finally prying his eyes away from bad highlights and silicone implants. “You’re not… you’re perfect. And you look exactly the same.”

“No I don’t. We’re both bigger in real life, but you’re the hot, muscled kind of bigger and I’m the fat kind.”

“Why are you… Where did this come from?” he asks. Wordlessly, I glance over at the commercial. “What, that?”

I end up finishing that pizza crust so I have a reason to stay silent, but Asher pulls it away once he figures out what I’m doing. “It’s okay. Guys do it all the time. Apparently you can’t help it.”

“Do what?”

“Stare at pretty girls they say they don’t like.”

“Lindy, I wasn’t even sure they were actual human beings at first. I’ve never seen anything like that.”

I know. That’s what I’m worried about.
“I said it’s okay.”

“That’s not what I want.”

“You just got here, you don’t know what you want yet,” I say, nearly snapping at him as my insecurity gets the better of me.

“Excuse me?” he responds defensively.

“Nevermind. I’m going to get a refill.”

“No, you certainly are not.” He rises with me, wrapping his arm around the small of my back and pulling my body into his. “I said that’s not what I want and I meant it.”

“What about Ruby?”

“What about her?”

“I saw the way she was looking at you.”

“Then you should have also noticed the way I
wasn’t
looking at her.”

“Yeah, I sure did. You couldn’t even make eye contact with my cousin,” I scoff. “And I appreciate you not making a fool out of me, I really do, but I’m not stupid. If you want to turn that coven into your harem, I’m sure they’ll be happy to serve you, but I won’t be-”

“That is
not
the kind of King I am,” Asher snarls in disgust. “
If
I am a King. My father would… And my poor mother, it devastated her.” I almost tell him that’s the way it was for my parents too, but he’s so aggravated I’m left speechless. “I don’t care about that coven, Lindy, or anyone in it. I don’t care much about the Underground either, and I most certainly don’t care how many bizarrely proportioned, yellow haired human females… if they even are human because they look more like malevolent water sprites of some sort.”

“They’re human. Enhanced, but human.”

“If you say so. I don’t care how many of those might be down there. I care about one thing. She’s in my arms right now and she’s the one who suddenly can’t maintain eye contact.”

I force my gaze to meet his, my heart pounding as I see his dark eyes flare. “I didn’t mean to insult you, Ash. Delilah can make me kind of crazy.”

“I know. That’s why it was impossible for me to endure her presence. And that’s how it will be for me around any Merrick because I have not forgotten how they treat you.”

“Asher…” He found me crying in the dark so many times. I told him everything, sobbed out every single awful, heartbreaking detail into his shoulder while he held me. It felt so good to have someone listen. I still have him, and now I’m going to push him away by being a total moron. My chin drops and I look up at him through my eyelashes, not surprised in the least to see his shoulders square authoritatively as a satisfied smile crosses his face.

“And you are definitely bigger in the hot way, too,” he says, his fingers poking into the soft flesh of my flank.

“Really?” I whisper. He grunts in response, his hand dropping lower to grab my rear. I can’t help but look around at the other people, amazed that no one seems to notice our tense exchange. “So you were mesmerized by the TV, not the boobs?”

“Boobs?” he says. I arch my back towards him and glance down at my own. “Oh, now that is truly a ridiculous word and I refuse to use it.”

“I’ll try to remember that.”

Asher dips his head lower, gently brushing his lips across mine with his eyes open, gauging my reaction. I breathe out a laugh and kiss him back harder, squeezing him around his massive shoulders as hard as I can.

“Alright,” he rasps, taking a deep breath and a step backwards. “You are fed. Watered, in a sense, I suppose. Coked may be a better word.”

“Oh my God,” I laugh. “Coked is definitely not the word you’re looking for.”

“Why, does it mean something else?”

“You don’t want to know.”

“I’ll trust you on that. In any case, you’ve had your sustenance and now I have pants. Let’s get out of here,” he says. “So I can prove to you just how thrilled I am with any differences between the real Lindy and the dream Lindy.”

Oh boy. We’re really going to do this. “Ash, you know, I’ve um… I mean technically, I’ve never even…”

He kisses my forehead. “Don’t worry. Technically, I’ve never even... either.”

My lips curl into an excited grin. I was wondering about that. But seriously, Asher is gigantic, way, way stronger than I’m used to, and quicker to anger too. “Uh, do you want to see a movie first? Since we’re here?”

“A movie?”

“Yeah. It’s a big, long, exciting story on a huge screen like that one. It’s pretty incredible and I’ve only ever been to one by myself.”

“Is that unusual?”

“Kind of. Most people go with their families, or their boyfriend.”

“I don’t care for that word either, but I do enjoy its meaning. And if watching a movie is a custom shared between lovers, I’d be more than happy to partake.”

“It is. It’s a very established part of the human mating ritual. Dinner, which we’ve had…”

“That is debatable.”

“No, it’s not. Dinner, movie, and then I go back to your place and we hook up.”

“Hook up. That term I understand perfectly,” he says, grinning mischievously.

“Okay then, let’s go. The girl picks out the movie, that’s part of the custom.”