Dragon Lord (Dragons & Phoenixes Book 1) Read online

  "I think I just rescued myself," I pointed out. "And how did you get in here?"

  "You really think dragons and phoenixes stay out of these places?" he asked with a smirk.

  I shook my head. That really didn't matter right now.

  "We need to move," I said, grabbing his hand and pulling him forward as I continued down the alley. "They might be coming after me."

  "How did you get out?" he asked, keeping up easily.

  "I asked nicely."

  He chuckled as we came out into a different street and moved in front of me. "Hold on, I know somewhere we can lie low until night," he said, turning us in the other direction.

  "I need to find Omari," I argued, letting him pull me along.

  "I know where he is," he said over his shoulder as we turned onto a nice residential street. "But we have a better chance of getting him out safely after dark when there won’t be as many people there."

  "You know where he is?"

  "Yes," he murmured, squeezing my hand as we walked with the crowd. "I tracked him first but it looked like a no go. I didn't want to barge in and possibly get him hurt." He stopped in front of a short flight of stairs that led down from the street to a door. "Here we are."

  I glanced around at the street. We hadn't been walking that long, but this place was a complete one-eighty from where I'd just been. One of the oddities of city domes. I followed him down the stairs, watching as he unlocked the door with a code and a retinal scan.

  "This is your place?" I asked curiously as I followed him inside.

  "Yes, I bought it for the skein," he explained as I walked in behind him. "In case someone found themselves here and needed a place to stay. I keyed everyone in."

  He turned on the lights and I looked around at the sleek, modern kitchen and living area, a hall leading to what must be bedrooms in the back.

  "It's nice," I commented. It was really jarring coming here after where I'd just been. Also, now that I was in a relatively safe space, I realized exactly how much I needed a shower. I almost needed it more for my mental health.

  "Can I use the shower?" I asked.

  "Sure. First door on the right—everything you need should be in there. There are spare clothes in the cabinet under the sink."

  That was one thing about dragons—they always had spare clothes conveniently stashed nearby. I went down the hall to the bathroom, which was just as sleek and modern as the rest of the place, built efficiently small. It had the same palette of grays, browns, and creams that managed to look welcoming as well as very contemporary. I easily found spare toothbrushes and toiletries and brushed my teeth first before shucking my clothes and jumping in the shower.

  Ah. Amazing, glorious water.

  A good scrub later, I dried off and found the ubiquitous sweats and t-shirts under the sink. They were starting to become pretty familiar. I wasn't complaining though—I was just happy I had clean clothes to change into. I gave my hair a quick brush and left it to air dry as I padded back out to the kitchen.

  Ashur had used the time to take a shower himself. His hair was as wet as mine and he'd only bothered putting on sweatpants, leaving his top half bare.

  I took in the muscled lines of his body, the smooth skin. How did he manage to always be so effortlessly sexy? I turned away as he poured a glass of water. Now was not the time to stare.

  Still keyed up, I started pacing, looking at the paintings on the walls, touching one of the tables. I turned to see him watching me, leaning against the kitchen counter.

  "Are you sure we have to wait until nightfall?" I asked, pushing my hair back. "I don't want Omari there any longer than necessary."

  He nodded. "I understand. I don't either. But this is the safest way to do it."

  I sighed. "Okay." I tried to sit down on the surprisingly comfortable couch. But then had to stand again, too worried and anxious to sit still.

  "Come here," Ashur finally said, pulling me into his arms when I turned to pace past him again. "You need to rest and relax while you can. You're going to wear yourself out like this."

  I leaned against his warm body and shook my head. "I can't."

  "You can." His hands slid down to cup my butt. "And I know just the thing to help," he said, his voice husky.

  I leaned back to look at his face. To say what, I don't know. But he took the opportunity to set his mouth against mine. At the contact, I simply broke. All the anger, frustration, fear, it all poured out of me in that kiss.

  And he took it all, groaning as he lifted me and turned to set me on the counter, stepping between my legs, his mouth not leaving mine.

  I needed this.

  I needed him.

  "Ashur," I gasped, breaking the kiss, my hands in his hair.

  "I have you, Mia," he whispered, kissing my ear, the side of my neck, nuzzling the side of my face. "I have you."

  And then his mouth was back on mine. And I let myself let everything go for a little while.

  Chapter Twenty

  I lost myself in the kiss, in his taste. In how he wasn't afraid to show exactly how much he wanted me.

  He shaped my breasts through my shirt, but then let out a frustrated sound and grabbed the bottom edge. I raised my arms and he tugged it over my head. Groaning, he cupped and squeezed my now-naked curves, but only briefly before he tucked his fingers into the waistband of my sweats and pulled them down too. I was completely naked in under ten seconds.

  He didn't waste time joining me. He pushed his own sweats down, his thick erection bobbing as he stepped close to me again, his hands sliding up my thighs slowly as he stared at me, as if savoring the sight.

  I slid my hands down his hard chest and his ripped abdomen, enjoying the leashed power of him. This time nothing would keep me from wrapping my hand around the thick length of his erection. He stilled, watching, his breath catching.

  I stroked up and down a few times. I could touch the silky hardness of him forever. Reaching the tip, I rubbed my thumb over it, spreading the wetness there. He groaned and took hold of my wrist to stop me.

  I looked up, wondering why.

  "That's enough," he said, his voice a little ragged. "I don't want to go in your hand."

  Then his own hands were on my hips and he was pulling me forward, to the very edge of the counter. Leaving me spread open and at the perfect height.

  He didn't delay any more.

  In one slow thrust, he sank in all the way, squeezing inexorably past my tightness. I gasped as he moaned, the suddenness of the invasion making my entire body arch. When he was seated with his hips pressed against mine, I was completely filled and surrounded by him. He started thrusting.

  Crying out, I wrapped my arms around his neck, tucking my face against him as his body moved inside me, against me. The counter was cool and slick under my butt, his body hot against my front, his muscles working in beautiful harmony.

  It was hard, hot, fast. It was exactly what I needed in that moment. I cried out as my orgasm surprised me, my nails digging into Ashur's back as I thrust against him, grinding against him, wanting more. He rode me through it, drawing it out, pushing me hard.

  When I finally relaxed onto the counter, he was still hard and throbbing inside me. He picked me up.

  "Bed," he muttered, turning and walking us down the hall to the bedroom. It was just as modern and nice as the rest of the place. All I cared about was that the bed was nice and soft underneath me when he lowered us onto it.

  I sighed as he layered his body over me, his mouth coming down on mine as he started thrusting again, still buried deep inside me. This time the rhythm was slow and deep, and just as perfect.

  I smoothed my hands down his back and cupped the hard curve of his ass, squeezing as he kept up the thrusts, even and slow.

  Breaking the kiss, he rose up on his arms, his eyes meeting mine. He was inside me, but somehow the eye contact was more intimate than the physical joining of our bodies. Maybe because he was seeing me with all my shields down.


  "Mia," he sighed, burying his face against the side of my neck. His hand reached between us, sliding down my stomach, right to where we were connected. His fingers found my clit, rubbing, softly pinching.

  And that was it.

  The orgasm was slow and deep this time rather than an explosion, the waves of sensation sliding through my body in a delicious river.

  "Ashur," I gasped, my fingernails digging into his back as my legs tightened around his hips. But when I'd come down, Ashur was still just as hard inside me.

  I groaned. He must have been trying to kill me. Though what a way to go.

  "One more," he muttered before flipping me over onto my front and sliding back into me, the angle a little more shallow this time. He slid his arm under me, his fingers finding my clit again. And then he started thrusting, the movement sliding me against his fingertips just right.

  "Oh," I gasped, sliding one knee up and gripping the edge of the mattress.

  He kissed the back of my neck, his breathing harsh, his body sliding against mine easily, both of us sweating by this point.

  "You come this time," I ordered, my voice strained as another orgasm built.

  "That...won't be...a problem," he said, his voice gritty, his thrusts increasing in speed and strength. The rhythm turned erratic as he neared his own end. A few more thrusts. And then he slammed in as deep as he could go, and his cock jerked inside me. His body stiffened on top of mine as he came silently, his hot breath washing over my neck.

  The warmth of his orgasm inside me triggered my own. I pushed back against him, trying to catch my breath as his hand squeezed down on my hip, his entire body shuddering as the orgasm rushed through him. We strained against each other, the connection intense.

  It was more than just our bodies coming together.

  Finally, he pulled out with a sigh, his hand smoothing down my back. He dropped down next to me, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me in against him. I lay there with my head pillowed against his chest, his steady heartbeat soothing.

  Until reality started tapping against my mind.

  "This wasn't the best idea," I murmured, even as I snuggled in closer. So sue me. I was weak.

  "It was the best idea," he countered, sliding his hand down to cup my butt. "Excellent. Superb even."

  I shook my head, exasperated. "My life is in the city dome," I pointed out.

  "It doesn't have to be."

  "Yes, it does. That's where my business is. And I'm not the stay-at-home-in-an-apron type."

  He chuckled. "I didn't say you were. And you're way over-thinking this."

  "Maybe you're under-thinking it," I muttered.

  He was quiet for a bit, like he was formulating how to put his thoughts into words.

  "Sometimes, things are only as complicated as you decide to make them," he said quietly. "But we'll talk about it later, when we have more time. For now, we can just agree to disagree."

  I sighed. He was right. I didn't want to waste this time talking about an unrealistic future. So I closed my eyes and just enjoyed the moment and hoped I wouldn't regret letting myself fall deeper into whatever this was with Ashur.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  We lay there until the sun went down, our arms and legs tangled together, touching everywhere. But it was more about comfort. We had gotten up to throw our clothes in the wash, so we pulled them out of the dryer and dressed.

  I was jittery, ready to go get Omari back. Hoping nothing had happened to him while we'd had to wait. It was like stepping back into reality as we closed the door to the apartment behind us. And it was a harsh one.

  "This way," Ashur directed, turning and jogging down the street.

  I followed at the easy pace he set.

  The building we went to was a few blocks away, not that far from where I had been held. They probably wanted to keep their human merchandise conveniently close. My jaw tightened at that thought. The slave trade was technically illegal, but everyone knew it existed. There were just too many people willing to take a payout to look the other way. The people who were captured were usually like me—from different city domes. So nobody would report us missing in the place we actually ended up.

  The block where they were keeping Omari was a little better than the one they'd taken me to, but not by much. There were a few more-normal stores littered among the liquor and pawnshops. And I didn't see as many obvious drug deals going on. I guess that was a pretty low bar to pass.

  Ashur took us to a shadowy doorway down the street, where we could see the place but were hidden enough not to be noticed. He scanned the street once we were out of sight.

  "Okay, good," he muttered, his eyes on the entrance to the tall, narrow building that had seen better days. Boarded-up windows on the first floor and peeling paint seemed to be the norm here. "There are only two guards here now. I don't know what floor they took Omari to, but I'm guessing they control the whole building or the guards wouldn't be near the entrance door."

  That made sense.

  "So...have a plan?" I asked hopefully.

  He shook his head. "Bash their heads in and grab Omari?"

  I nodded. "Looks like we're going to have to just wing it," I commented, my eyes on the two men smoking and chatting to each other.

  "Good thing I can sprout two," Ashur said in a low voice.

  I rolled my eyes and he grinned. Shaking my head, I turned my attention back to the guards. I didn't recognize them, which was a plus. Hopefully they wouldn't recognize me either. They didn't look like the sharpest sentries either. They glanced as people walked by, but they were more distracted than they should have been by their conversation. Still, they would definitely notice us walking up to them.

  "Four between the two of us."

  "Just stop," I said, smiling despite myself.

  We watched for a bit longer to lower the chances of being surprised by something. The street wasn't filled with people here, but neither was it deserted.

  "They aren't expecting us," I said after a few minutes. "Just step into the crowd and split them?"

  Ashur nodded, his smile sharp. Predatory. I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that smile.

  "Works for me," he said.

  We crossed the street and fell into step behind a trio, two men and a woman. We stayed close enough so that it looked like we might be with them.

  "I'll take Beanie," Ashur said when we were only a few yards away, referring to the larger of the two, a tight cap squeezed onto his head. It had the unfortunate effect of making his disproportionately small head look even smaller. That meant I had the thinner guy with the bloodshot eyes.

  "Got it."

  The two men were still smoking as we came level with them, their eyes passing over us without recognition, though they both lingered on Ashur. When you were that big, it was difficult to blend or look in any way nonthreatening. Though with Ashur, it was more than his height or his muscle that made him look like a threat.

  He was a predator through and through and it showed.

  So I went first.

  "Hey," I said with a smile, walking up to the skinny guy as Ashur continued to move forward, drawing even with the other one. They both turned their attention to me. The thin one started to smile, his eyes scanning me.

  "Hey there—"

  My fist to his mouth interrupted what I was sure was going to be a riveting come-on.

  I extended the baton with a flick to the side and followed the punch up with a hard hit to his temple, the crunch of bone unmistakable. He went down hard. He wasn't coming up any time soon, if ever. I didn't waste even a little regret on him. Not when I knew what they were up to here.

  Ashur had the other man already on the ground. He was in even worse shape than my guy. Ashur nodded at me and we moved forward in tandem to the door leading in.

  But the metal door was locked, both with a keypad and a print scanner. This would take some time to get open. Time that we didn't have.

  "How are we—"


  "Don't worry, I just need a second," Ashur reassured me, putting a hand on the doorknob.

  What was he doing?

  I watched as the metal under his hand slowly turned red and then started melting. I knew intellectually that dragons were excellent metalworkers. The undisputed best, really. But knowing it and seeing why were two very different things. Less than a minute later, there was a hole in the door and Ashur was sliding it open.

  "Piece of cake," he said with a wink. "I'm great at barbecues."

  "I bet," I said faintly, staring at the still-glowing door. That was impressive. And more than a little scary. I shook it off. I'd have plenty of time to pepper him with questions later. We didn't have a lot of time right now. If whoever was in charge didn't notice the guards were down, the state of the door would give us away, if security cameras hadn't already caught us.

  The door opened into a narrow hall that extended towards the back of the building with a set of steep stairs to the left. Ashur moved forward down the hall but then hesitated and turned back.

  "What is it?" I asked in a low voice.

  "I think I could scent Omari here," he said, moving back to the door. "But not farther down the hall."

  We started climbing up the concrete steps, Ashur taking in deeper breaths, frowning as he tried to tease the scents apart. We stopped on the first floor and Ashur opened the door leading from the flight of stairs. But then he stopped, shook his head, and turned back. We kept going like that, with Ashur checking and then coming back.

  It wasn't a lightning-fast method, but it was definitely much faster than having to physically check each room. The fact that there weren't any guards on those floors was also a dead giveaway

  He caught Omari's scent again on the fifth floor.

  Unfortunately, as soon as he opened the battered door, a guard turned around to look at us. It was the man with one eye. His good eye fell on me and recognition washed over his face.

  "You—" he started, taking a step forward as he pulled his large, dirty knife. I didn't want to know what was caked on it.

  Ashur stepped in front of me and grabbed the guy by the wrist, pulling him forward and swinging him around to slam against the wall.