Dragon Eternal, page 4
But she suspected that was exactly what she felt.
“Why do you no’ like them?” Shaw asked.
She folded her hands in her lap and didn’t pretend not to know who he referred to. “I never said I didn’t.”
He quirked a brow, not buying her words. “It was written on your face.”
“They make me uncomfortable. They always have.”
He studied her for a moment, his fern green eyes steady on her face. “It’s because you innately know there are things about them that are no’ what they seem.”
“I never thought about it like that.” Was she really hanging on his every word? What was wrong with her?
Why was she even questioning it? Shouldn’t she be happy that she liked conversing with him?
Shaw was still and comfortable, while she felt as if she were about to jump out of her skin. He unsettled her. She needed to change the topic and put it back on him. “Where are you from?”
“Far from here.”
He glanced away, and in that moment, she saw how he sized up the room and the occupants with one look. Anyone who had been staring at him hastily looked away. No one even dared to look her way.
She fought to hide her smile. Did everyone realize who he was? Or was it just the look he gave them? Probably a little of both.
“You’ve traveled far, then. Why come to Stonemore?” she pressed.
“I suppose you could say that Fate led me here.”
Nia grinned. “Fate has a way of doing things we don’t plan.”
Chapter Four
It hadn’t been Shaw’s intention to interfere. Nia had caught his eye earlier as she walked alone, seemingly so at ease. Then she saw the priests. Her visceral reaction had propelled him to act, even as he knew he shouldn’t.
Her once-relaxed frame had gone rigid, her apprehension and agitation evident. Shaw had been observing the priests and soldiers for some time. It was obvious that they not only liked their power but also used it. The people of Stonemore had healthy respect for the priests and their soldiers, but none had shown outright alarm as Nia had.
Now, he sat with her at a small table. He was fully aware of her. How could he not be? She was a woman that everyone noticed. Beautiful didn’t begin to describe her. Ethereal, striking.
Breathtaking.
She was all of that and more. Even if she hadn’t worn the dark blue dress of the upper class, he would have known by the way she held herself. Only someone who lived in wealth behaved with such elegance and decorum.
Shaw had noted her beauty from a distance, but the full impact of it hadn’t hit him until he got close to her. A wealth of long, brunette waves floated down her back to her waist. She had the thick strands pulled away to frame her face. Large, honey-colored eyes stared at him in an oval face of perfect symmetry. Her lips were full and utterly kissable. She had a long, graceful neck.
The deep V of her gown pulled his gaze lower, giving him a view of her décolletage. Then lower to her small waist and the flare of her hips. Nia’s hourglass figure was as perfect as her face. His blood heated as lust surged through him.
“Do you not agree?”
He blinked. Shite. She’d been talking. What had she said? Oh, aye. Something about Fate. He needed to stay on top of things. “I do. Fate takes us where we need to go.”
“It seems to have brought us together.” She smiled softly while holding his gaze as a server delivered two glasses filled with some amber liquid.
Shaw put a hand on his thigh and left the other on the table. “I’m rather glad it did.”
“Me, too.”
They stared at each other for several heartbeats.
Nia was the first to look away. She lifted the drink to her lips and took a dainty sip. “How long are you staying?”
“I have no set time.”
“Perhaps we can spend more time together,” she said as her gaze swung back to him.
Shaw drew in a breath and released it. Bloody hell. The woman was enchanting. He was ready to give her anything she wanted just so he could spend more time with her. “I’m no’ part of your world.”
“Maybe I don’t want you to be.”
There was a chance she liked to mingle with those of lesser standing in the city, but Shaw had a suspicion that Nia had whoever she wanted, whenever she wanted. Who was he to deny himself what would surely be an excellent time? Not to mention, he might gain some intel from her. “I’d be a fool to pass up the opportunity to spend time with you.”
One dark brow quirked. “You keep talking like that, and I may never let you leave.”
Shaw grinned, sinking into her honey-colored eyes. He reached for his glass and brought it to his lips before asking what it was. The liquid was warm and smooth as it slid down his throat. He smiled as memories of the past assaulted him.
“Do you like it?” Nia asked.
He replaced the glass and nodded. “Aye. We call it mead. I’ve no’ had it in quite a while.”
“I like that name. We call it honey wine.”
Shaw’s gaze dropped to her mouth as she took another drink. When she set the glass down, she licked her lips. Lust burned through him, scorching his veins. He fought the urge not to lean over and kiss her. The attraction he’d first felt had doubled in the short time he’d sat with her. Everything about her turned him on and made him yearn to know her taste and her body. If he wasn’t careful, she would leave him in ashes.
“Should I ask what you’re thinking?” She tilted her head, giving him a flirty side-eye.
“That I need to be careful around you.”
Both brows shot up on her forehead. “Why is that?”
“You know why.”
Her gaze dropped to the table as the corner of her lips curved into a seductive grin. “Tell me.”
“You have power. Some might call it a gift. I’m sure other women have cursed you behind your back for the ease in which you can take a man to his knees.”
Nia’s eyes lifted to meet his. “You aren’t on your knees.”
“No’ yet.”
“You think you will be?” she asked with a charming grin.
Oh, aye. Shaw would have to be very careful around her. Not only did she know her appeal, but she knew how to use it. It had been a very long time since he had played such a game—or felt lust riding him so hard. He knew himself well enough to know that he could have a little fun while also staying on mission. And who better to get the lay of the city from than one such as Nia?
Shaw took another drink of mead. “Aye.”
“You’re very certain.”
“Just as I am that you want it, too.”
Shock flared in her eyes for just an instant. It was gone so fast that he might have missed it had he not been looking. Nia regarded him for a moment before saying, “You might be reading things wrong.”
He shook his head and jerked his chin toward her. “No’ when I can see how erratic your pulse beats at your throat.”
To his surprise, she laughed. The sound was soft and sultry, throaty. He wasn’t the only one it affected since those around them looked her way. Shaw liked how her eyes crinkled at the corners. The laugh had been uninhibited and wholly pure. It showed him that Nia had more layers than he originally suspected.
And he wanted to know every one of them.
“Thank you for making me laugh.” She sat there for a moment as if soaking it all in. “It’s been a while since someone has taken me by surprise.”
He shrugged and idly turned the glass on the table. It was either that or reach for her. Now wasn’t the time to get his hands on her. Because if he did, he would have a hell of a time stopping. Since they were in the middle of a café, he needed to control himself. “You’re verra composed. I’ll give you that.”
She visibly swallowed, a flush creeping over her face. Desire burned in her eyes. She looked away to compose herself. When she faced him again, she was serene once more. “I’m curious about your accent. Verra. I’ve never heard that before.”
Shaw fisted his hand on his leg. Bloody hell. He needed to stop thinking with his cock. “You think I’m hiding something?”
“Isn’t everyone?” She shook her head, the dark locks moving with her. “Everyone has secrets. I don’t think it’s good to share such things.”
“What secrets could you possibly have?”
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
Shaw was intrigued. “Try me.”
She smiled and looked down. “I just met you. For all I know, you’re a spy for the Divine.”
Something in her words troubled him. Maybe because they’d hit a little too close to home. He was a spy. Just not for the Divine. “Your leader has spies?”
“Of course,” she replied with a laugh as if it were nothing. “Everyone who lives in Stonemore knows that.”
“Why would he need such a thing?”
Nia waved the server over and placed three coins in her hand. “You promised to walk me to safety. Will you still?”
“I always keep to my word.”
Shaw got to his feet and followed Nia out, noting how everyone seemed compelled to look her way. As if they were as infatuated with her as he. Her beauty played a big part, as did the way her clothes molded perfectly to her body. But it was also how she carried herself. Confidence and sophistication set her apart from everyone on the lower levels. And he imagined on the upper ones, as well. Shaw hoped he got to see that for himself before he left Stonemore.
Nia paused once they were outside and then looked back at him. Her honey eyes beckoned guilelessly. He wondered how many times she had looked at others as she did him. She didn’t play the innocent, and he was thankful for that. Instead, she owned who she was, almost using it as a shield. He could understand that.
They walked in silence for a bit. He didn’t push her to answer his question about the Divine. He had spoken more that evening than he had in weeks, so he was happy for the quiet. He didn’t need to fill the emptiness with meaningless words. Though, he was beginning to wonder what she was thinking. That was something new for him. He didn’t usually spare a second on someone’s musings.
“What do you think of Stonemore?” she asked.
He glanced at her. “It’s like any city. Noisy, busy, smelly, dirty.”
“You asked why the Divine would have spies.”
Shaw focused on her words since he wasn’t looking at her face. “Aye.”
“To ensure the city stays as it should.”
“What does that mean?”
Nia sighed softly and glanced around before moving closer to him and lowering her voice. “Religion rules the city.”
“I thought it was the Divine.”
“The Divine does, too.”
“It can no’ be both.”
She glanced at him, her face impassive. “Can’t it?”
Shaw shook his head. “I’ve seen something similar before. It does no’ work in the end.”
“It has here, and it will continue. The Divine will make sure of it.”
He glanced ahead to see that they were approaching the gate that led to the fifth level. “Do you follow the religion?”
“Everyone does.”
“Do you no’ have a choice?”
She remained quiet as they passed two soldiers. When they were out of earshot, she said, “What a curious question.”
But he noted that she didn’t answer him, which was answer enough. “Nia…” he began.
She stopped and faced him as they neared the gate. The night put her face in shadows, but with his dragon vision, he could see as well in the dark as in the light. There was a tightness about her lips that hadn’t been there before. Her gaze darted to the soldiers ahead. “Thank you for this evening. You came to my rescue and made me laugh.”
“When can I see you again?” Shaw had wanted to phrase the question better, but the words had come out in a rush.
Her lips softened into a smile. “Soon. Be careful, Shaw. Don’t trust anyone in the city.”
Before he could reply, she lightly touched his arm and walked away. He stared after her, watching until she reached the gate. The soldiers nodded to her and let her through without making her stop.
Shaw pivoted and began retracing his steps. He opened the mental link. “Merrill? Any luck tonight?”
“Some,” Merrill replied. “The people here are fanatical about their religion. And they detest magic. They think it’s evil. How about you?”
“I, too, learned that religion is all-consuming. Though I doona think everyone is devoted to it. At least no’ so with the woman I spoke with.”
Merrill chuckled. “You are no’ the only one who met a woman.”
“Aye, but mine is from the upper levels.”
“Shite. Of course, she is. But…that’s probably good. We can get two different perspectives about the city, the religion, and the leader.”
“The soldier priests made her uneasy. That’s how I came upon her.”
Merrill made an indistinguishable sound. “I’m curious to know her thoughts. Are you with her now?”
“No.”
“Tell me you’re going to see her again.”
“Oh, aye.”
Merrill paused. “We’re supposed to keep a low profile, Shaw.”
“I’m aware.”
Chapter Five
Iron Hall ruins
Cullen ran a hand down his face. The conversation—and he used that term lightly since he considered it more of a disagreement—had been going for hours.
His mate, Tamlyn, had refused to budge an inch. She glared at Jenefer, her hazel eyes flashing. “You aren’t thinking this through.”
“How many times do I have to tell you that it’s what I have to do. Your place is here,” Jenefer retorted, her brown eyes flashing dangerously.
Tamlyn threw up her hands. The light coming through the tree roots above glinted over her dark skin. “Your place is here, too.”
“You aren’t listening!” Jenefer yelled, the sound echoing through the underground city.
Cullen looked across the pool of water—a collection of the beads dripping from the tree roots above—to Sian. The petite Alchemist hadn’t said a word since her lover had declared her intent to leave Iron Hall to search for other Amazons.
He understood Tamlyn’s thinking, but he also understood Jenefer’s. All he could hope for now was that Tamlyn didn’t ask him why he wasn’t arguing with Jenefer like she was.
“We’ve always done things together,” Tamlyn told Jenefer. “Always. It’s been me, you, and Sian. Now you want to leave?”
Jenefer sighed loudly, her frustration evident. She brushed her hand over her blond hair that she had plaited into one thick braid. “I’m not leaving forever, Tam. I’m going to search for the other Amazons. We’re going to need them. I don’t care what the Dragon Kings say or what they plan. There will be a war. Those of us with magic will have to stand up for ourselves. Amazons are the greatest of all human warriors. We need them.”
“We have you.” The look in Sian’s pale green eyes beseeched Jenefer to change her mind.
Jenefer turned to her and smiled sadly. “I’m good, babe, but I’m not good enough to stand on my own. The more we have on our side, the better.”
“Then I’ll go with you.”
Tamlyn threw up her hands in dismay. “Are you kidding?”
Cullen opened his mouth to attempt to calm Tamlyn when Astrid came running from one of the corridors. She was one of the six children that he and Tamlyn had saved from execution in Stonemore. From the moment Astrid had called him “my dragon,” she’d had his heart.
Given the speed the child was running, he knew she wouldn’t stop. Cullen waited until she launched herself at him, then he grabbed her and swung her high. Her joyous smile made him melt. She started to say something, but he glanced at the others, silently urging her to remain quiet. Astrid nodded, and he put her on his shoulders.
Sian finally let her fury show. “What, Tam? You don’t think I can handle it out there?”
“That isn’t it at all, and you know it.” Tamlyn put her hands on her hips and glanced at the roots above her. “I don’t want any of us to leave. If one does, then…”
“I’m returning,” Jenefer said again.
Sian shook her head. “You can’t know that.”
“I can, and I do,” Jenefer countered.
Tamlyn turned to him. “Cullen, say something.”
He’d been afraid she would say that. He looked at each of them and then sighed. “Jenefer’s right. The more those with magic stand together, the better. If she can find more Amazons, then she should. Otherwise, you’ll be fighting the same battle over and over again each generation.”
“Unbelievable,” Tamlyn whispered. The hurt on her face was like a knife to his gut.
Jenefer shook her head. “Don’t be mad at him, Tam. This is a strategic decision. We’ve been oppressed for too long. I’m tired of hiding. I’m tired of running for my life. This realm was made with magic. Why should we have to keep who we are a secret? I’m not saying I want to subjugate those who don’t have magic, but I’ve had enough. Our kind is being killed as children. You’ve risked your life time and again to help them. What’s different now? Just because I have to venture out? That isn’t fair.”
“I’m scared you won’t return,” Tamlyn said in a soft voice.
The Amazon walked to Tamlyn and wrapped her arms around her. They embraced for a long minute. When Jenefer stepped away and turned to Sian there were tears on both her and Tamlyn’s faces.
Cullen caught his mate’s attention and motioned for her to follow him. He kept Astrid on his shoulders as he walked Tamlyn outside. She refused to look at him. Tamlyn made her way to one of the rocks near the hidden entrance and sat.
“Jenefer and Sian needed to be alone,” he said to fill the silence.
Tamlyn braced her hands on her knees and shook her head. “My gut is telling me that Jenefer shouldn’t leave.”
