Returning To The Dragon Read online

  I can feel the anger coming off him in waves, and I know he knows as well as I do the danger being with me would put Lacey in. His anger gets through to me in a way that my own reasoning just can’t, and I instantly pull back from Lacey.

  Lacey looks flustered, and she excuses herself to go to the bathroom. Cole waits until she’s out of sight and then he rounds on me.

  “Seriously, Koy. I didn’t mention Lacey’s return so you could try and get into her panties. What are you doing?”

  “I know. I’m sorry,” I say.

  I try to say more, but Cole is far from done.

  “You know the danger she’d be in being with you. You have enemies, Koy. Dangerous enemies, and if word gets out that you’re into Lacey, how long do you think it’ll be before one of them uses her to make a move against you?”

  My inner beast roars, telling me not to take this shit from a mere mortal. I could end him right here where we sit, but I won’t. He’s my best friend, and in some ways, the voice of reason who can silence the beast in me.

  “You think I don’t know that?” I snap.

  “You’re not acting like you know it,” Cole counters.

  He’s not afraid of my temper and I like that about him. He knows who I am, what I am, and still he keeps me in check. I force myself to rein myself in and when I apologize again, I mean it.

  “I’m sorry Cole. Nothing will happen between Lacey and me. If I had known the effect she would have on me, I never would have come here.”

  I stand up to leave but Cole stays in place and I frown.

  “Don’t expect me to tell her you bailed. Have the decency to tell her yourself.”

  I sit back down hard. I take a long drink, almost draining my glass. For the first time, I’m starting to regret telling Cole my secret, but not telling him wouldn’t have changed anything. Because he’s right. I have to stay away from Lacey. I have to stop being selfish and love her enough to let her go. The problem with that is I don’t know if I’m strong enough to do it.

  I spot Lacey coming back through the crowd and Cole gives me a warning look. I nod, letting him know I got his message loud and clear. Lacey sits back down, seemingly oblivious to the atmosphere between Cole and me. She grins at us.

  “So, catch me up on everything I’ve missed,” she says.

  Cole starts to fill her in on the lives of some of her old friends. I sit in silence, finishing my drink so I can leave without it being obvious I’m leaving on Lacey’s account. I don’t want to get her caught up in my shitty life, but I don’t want to hurt her either.

  Her eyes keep flicking from Cole to me, and I ask myself if I am really willing to give her up. Short of leaving town, leaving my pack, and starting over again somewhere off the grid, I don’t think I really have much choice, and as much as I’m drawn to Lacey, when I took over as alpha of our pack, I made a promise, both to the pack and to myself. The pack became my family, and they will always come first.

  That makes my mind up, and I down the rest of my drink. I make a show of looking at my watch.

  “Well I’m sorry to cut the party short guys, but I have to go. I just wanted to pop in and say hi to Lacey. It’s been nice catching up with you.”

  It’s been more than nice.

  “Oh, you’re leaving?” she asks, barely concealing the disappointment in her voice.

  I nod and stand up. This time, Cole lets me out. He shakes my hand and tells me he’ll call me tomorrow. He’s letting me know we’re ok. He was angry in the moment, but he knows me. He knows my inner beast was doing the thinking for me earlier, but he also knows the human side of me won’t let myself get caught up with Lacey.

  I say my goodbyes and walk away, forcing myself not to look back. I can’t help but tune into the conversation though and I smile to myself when I hear Lacey demand to know if I’m available.

  I head home, already knowing I’m in for a long and sleepless night. I am barely through my front door when I grab my cock in my fist and jerk off, images of Lacey dancing in front of my eyes.

  5

  Lacey

  I’m slightly taken aback when Koy abruptly finishes his drink and leaves. I honestly thought we’d be going home together after the fire that flowed between us. It stopped once Cole appeared, but I expected that. He’s my brother and he doesn’t need to see me flirting with his best friend.

  I thought Koy would stay until the end of the night, and we’d sit and laugh and joke around. Then, maybe he’d have offered me a ride home. In my head, we didn’t even make it that far. We jumped on each other right there in Koy’s car in the parking lot.

  I know I didn’t imagine the chemistry between us, but I start to think that maybe Koy is married and doesn’t want Cole to know he’s considering cheating on his wife with me. I’m not about to be someone’s dirty little secret, I don’t care who they are.

  “Is Koy married?” I blurt out, almost the second he leaves the table.

  Cole shakes his head.

  “No, he’s not really the settling down type,” he says. “How’s your new place?”

  “Fine,” I say.

  The way Cole changes the subject so abruptly tells me instantly what’s happening here and why Koy backed off to the point he did. Cole happened. He waited until I went to the bathroom and warned Koy off me.

  “What did you say to him?” I ask.

  “Say to who?” Cole asks feigning innocence.

  “Don’t play dumb with me, Cole. I know you said something to Koy. Something that made him back off.”

  “He’s bad news, Lacey,” Cole says.

  “He’s your best friend. You can’t think he’s that bad,” I say.

  “That’s different,” Cole says.

  “How is it different?” I ask.

  “It just is,” Cole says. “Can we just drop this Lace? You’ve just got back to town, let’s just catch up huh?”

  I kind of want to. I don’t want to get into a fight with Cole the second I come home, but I can’t let this go. I know Cole is protective of me, and I get it. I used to make allowances for him when I was younger, but now I’m a grown woman and I need him to see I can take care of myself.

  “Look I get that you worry about me. I do. I worry about you too. It’s what happens when we’re all the family each other has got. But you have to stop doing this Cole. I’m a grown woman and I can make my own decisions. If I get hurt, I get hurt. That’s life.”

  “You don’t understand,” he protests.

  “I do understand. You still think of me as a kid. Well I’m not a kid anymore, and if we’re to have any sort of relationship, you need to understand that. When it comes to my love life, I need you to mind your own damned business.”

  “I …” he starts.

  I’m getting angry now and I cut him off.

  “It’s a yes or no question Cole. Can you mind your own business and keep me in your life?”

  “Yes,” he says.

  I feel relieved. I don’t want to lose my brother, but he has to know that there are boundaries.

  “I’m sorry, Lacey. I just don’t want to see you getting messed up in Koy’s drama that’s all. But I’ll back off, I swear.”

  “Good,” I say simply.

  I know he’s only agreeing because he’s done a number on Koy and scared him off me. I have a feeling it might already be too late to salvage what we had. I feel anger swell in me again, but I swallow it down. I’ll find a way to fix things with Koy.

  “So, about my new place. The kitchen door is hanging off. And I thought being my big brother and all …” I trail off, leaving the rest unsaid.

  “When it suits you,” Cole laughs.

  I nod, laughing with him. He sighs and rolls his eyes.

  “I’ll come over around one tomorrow.”

  * * *

  I spent all of last night thinking about Koy. I laid awake for hours, imagining his hands on my body, his tongue roaming over me. I imagined the orgasms he’d give me; the way I would be putt
y in his hands. When I fell asleep, I even dreamed of him. And the torture didn’t end there.

  Since the moment I woke up, all I could think about was Koy. I don’t know what it is about him that has this effect on me, but I know we have this connection, and I know he felt it too. And I’m not about to let Cole ruin it.

  I check my watch. I have a couple of hours before Cole is due over here and I decide to go to Koy’s place and talk to him. He lives on the outskirts of the village, in a lovely old house and I decide to walk to his place. It’s only a half an hour’s walk and it’s a gorgeous route filled with nature. The fresh air might do me good as well, allow me to clear my head a little. I want to talk to Koy, but I don’t want to end up throwing myself at him and embarrassing myself.

  The decision made, I grab my keys and my cell phone and head out. I keep asking myself how Koy has such an effect on him. It’s like he’s a magnet, drawing me to him. I remember what Cole said about him being bad news, but I dismiss it. Cole would think anyone was bad news if they showed an interest in me. To him, I’ll always be his baby sister.

  I find myself walking faster the closer I get to Koy’s place and I end up reaching it within fifteen minutes. I walk up to the door, knocking on it before I can lose my nerve. It’s only once I’ve knocked I wonder what sort of a state I look, but it’s too late for me to do anything about it now. I can already hear Koy’s footsteps as he comes to the door.

  6

  Koy

  I pull my door open and I feel my heart lurch when I see Lacey standing there. Her cheeks are pink, the fresh air making her look even more radiant than usual. Her hair hangs loose around her face, and the pale yellow sundress she’s wearing shows off her tanned legs. I swallow hard, remembering my promise to Cole, my promise to myself.

  “Hey,” she smiles.

  That smile does things to me I never would have believed. One flash of it and my cock is alive in my jeans, straining to be free, needing to claim Lacey.

  “Aren’t you going to invite me in?” Lacey says.

  I realize I am standing blocking the doorway. I should say no. I should send her away. But I can’t do it. This isn’t even about my inner beast. The beast in me is surprisingly quiet at the moment, knowing that both sides of me want the same thing right now. It’s not any part of me I can’t resist. It’s her.

  I move back, gesturing for Lacey to come in. She smiles up at me and steps in. Her arm brushes against my body as she passes me and I feel my skin come alive at her touch, my cock twitching, once more threatening to break free from its denim prison. I try to ignore the feelings Lacey sends through me as I close the door and follow her through to the lounge.

  “Do you want some coffee or something?” I ask.

  She shakes her head, suddenly looking nervous. She sits down on the couch, her ass perched on the edge. Her hands are together, her fingers moving, locking together and then coming apart.

  I sit down beside her, but I’m too close. I can feel the heat coming off her in waves. I can smell her scent, strawberries and something exotic beneath them. I jump back up and Lacey gets up too.

  “I shouldn’t have come here. It was a mistake, I’m sorry,” she says.

  Every instinct in me screams at me to let her go. Inviting her in was a mistake and now I have a way out. But my heart pays no mind to my head and I catch her wrist as she goes to leave, spinning her to face me.

  “Tell me why you came here, Lacey,” I say.

  Her eyes lock on mine and I can see the intensity in her gaze. The air between us is alive with electricity and it’s all I can do not to throw her to the ground and take her until she’s screaming my name. Touching her, even just on her wrist, makes her impossible to resist and I release her.

  “Please,” I add.

  She sighs.

  “I think you know the answer to that, Koy,” she says. “Look I don’t know what my brother said to you, but I know we share a connection, and I know you felt it too until Cole opened his big mouth. He’s not my keeper and he’s not yours. So, forget him. I came here because I want you, and I think maybe you want me as well.”

  Her words wrap around me like a warm breeze, heating me up. I swallow hard. Lacey is blushing slightly, but she holds my gaze and I can see the lust in her eyes. All of the reasons why this can’t happen float away as I look into her eyes, and before I can stop myself, I close the gap between us.

  I pull her into my arms and press my lips against hers. She wraps her arms around me and pulls me closer to her. Our lips move as one and Lacey presses herself against me. I can feel her hard nipples against my chest, and I know she can feel my cock pressed against her.

  Her hands roam up and down my back as our kiss deepens. I push my hands into her hair and find it’s every bit as soft as I imagined it would be. I push my tongue into her mouth, claiming it. Her tongue comes to meet mine, and they wrap around each other.

  Our hands are all over each other, our kiss becoming more desperate, more full of need. I have to have this girl. I have to make her mine, whatever the consequences. I will do whatever it takes to keep her safe.

  I move my hands down her body, resting them on her ass and pulling her tighter against me. I move my hips slightly, rubbing my cock against her. She moans into my mouth as she kisses me, every bit as hungry for me as I am for her.

  Her hand starts to move lower, snaking around the front of my body. She pushes it between us, brushing it over the front of my jeans. Her touch sends me wild and I feel my inner beast coming out as the primal lust within me floods my system. I want to consume her, to claim her right now.

  I feel scales starting to emerge on my back and I fight the change, pushing it back, but it’s too late. The beast is taking over me. I pull back from Lacey, forcing myself to break the contact. I feel the scales start to recede, but the look of horror on Lacey’s face tells me I’m too late.

  “Oh my God,” she says, backing away from me. “Your eyes.”

  She turns and runs from me, and I feel my heart breaking. I saw the look on her face when she looked into my dragon eyes. Fear.

  Every instinct in me tells me to run after her. To drag her back here and explain everything to her, to try and make her understand that although I have a monstrous side, I am not a monster.

  I roar out loud as I fight my instincts and force myself to remain where I am. It’s better this way. Not for me, but for her. I know for sure now that Cole was right. I can’t drag her into my mess. And I know from the look in her eyes, she can never be mine. I won’t be with someone who is afraid of me.

  7

  Lacey

  I run blindly down Koy’s passage way and out of his front door, not even pausing to shut it. I run until I’m out of sight of the house and then I stop. I bend double, my hands on my knees as I try to get my breath back. Each gasping breath sends fire through my lungs.

  I try to tell myself I didn’t see what I saw. That I couldn’t have seen that. But I know I did. When Koy pulled back from our kiss, for just a second, his eyes were yellow with black slits running down the center. They weren’t human eyes. They were the eyes of a reptile. I don’t know what he is, but I know that no matter how crazy it sounds, he’s not human.

  Is that what Cole meant when he said he was bad news? Does he know his best friend is some sort of monster? If so, then I owe him the mother of all apologies.

  My breathing is slowing now, and I straighten up and try to think rationally. It’s not easy, because nothing about what just happened is rational. I went from thinking my one true love might feel the same way about me as I do about him to realizing he’s a monster.

  That’s not fair, I tell myself. He might not be entirely human, but he’s not a monster. Whatever he is, he’s the same Koy who has been in my life since I was sixteen years old. He’s the same Koy who once drove out to the middle of nowhere in the dead of night to collect me from a party I shouldn’t have been at and brought me home without telling Cole about it. He’s the same
Koy who sent Leighton away when he got handsy with me. And he’s the same Koy I fell in love with.

  I stand on the spot, torn. Half of me is telling me to walk away and never look back. But half of me is saying I should go back and talk to Koy. Find out what exactly is going on here.

  My initial reaction was fear, but I realize now it was fear of the unknown, not of Koy. How could I be afraid of Koy? I know he would never hurt me. But I have hurt him. As I turned to flee, I saw the expression on his face.

  I turn around and start to walk back toward Koy’s place. I hope he’ll give me a chance to explain, to tell him I’m sorry for the way I reacted. To tell him that nothing has changed. Because it hasn’t. I don’t care what he is. I want him. I … I love him.

  I pull my cell phone out to call Cole and ask him if we can take a rain check on this afternoon. I am scrolling through my contacts when I hear a noise behind me. I spin around and I see a plank of wood coming towards me. I try to get my arm up to protect myself, dropping my cell phone in the process, but I’m too late.

  The wood connects with my temple, just as I get a glimpse of my attacker. Leighton. Fear consumes me, and then everything goes black.

  * * *

  My eyes flutter open and then closed again and the first thing I register is pain in my head. My temple is pounding pain through my whole body. I try to reach up and touch my temple, but my hand is stuck. I tug it harder, but it won’t move. My eyes fly open and stay that way this time.

  I am in the middle of a field, tied to a pole. I feel panic in my stomach as I remember what happened to me. Leighton attacked me, knocking me unconscious. But why would he bring out to a field and leave me here?

  I turn my head as far as I can to my left. Nothing but open fields. I turn it to the right. Open fields and a rocky cliff face with what looks like an opening to a cave. There is no sign of Leighton. No sign of anyone. Is he really going to leave me out here to die because I didn’t want to have sex with him?