Chapter Two

 

 

 

She couldn’t see it. No matter how hard she tried, Dracen couldn’t see this massive, intricate tattoo Luc had mentioned. As she stared in the mirror, she spied the Chinese word for dragon that was positioned at the base of her neck. Her scars were visible.

But no dragon.

Dracen shrugged and put her leather shirt back on, hiding the visual reminders of the life she led. She faced the mirror as she deftly laced up the front. Once it was secured, she snapped the flap over the laces, ensuring they wouldn’t get in the way in a battle. Her mind drifted back to the man who lay in the bed. Her bed.

Something was stopping her from extracting information from him. That was her gift. Or curse. She could take information from people’s minds with a single touch. However, she got it all. The good and the bad. It wasn’t stuff she could forget, either. Their horrors, nightmares and sick proclivities became hers to carry around, to live with for the rest of her life. All the darkness gnawed at her soul, dragging her down, killing some of the good in her.

Departing the bathroom, she walked to the living room and added more wood to the fireplace. She had to ensure the heat would last until she returned. Then she began moving the furniture back to its original position. After that had been accomplished, she picked up his clothes and carried them back to the bedroom.

Luc was upright in bed, the blankets around his waist. She left the light low in the room, not adding to it, and stepped in. His dark green gaze tracked her every movement.

“How are you feeling?”

“Better. How long have I been sleeping?”

She stared at his clothes for a moment. “A few hours.” Dracen set his pants down on the bed within his reach. “I’ll go get you some more clothes. Do not leave.”

“And go where in nothing but a pair of jeans?”

“No clue. All I know is I have no wish to hunt you back down.”

“I’ll be right here.”

She ran her gaze over him. “Good.” She turned.

“Wait.”

“I will bring you some tea. You need to sleep more.” His gaze unnerved her and she wanted away from his scrutiny.

He appeared as if he would argue but settled back and pulled up the blankets. She gave him a small nod of approval before ducking out. Why does his stare make me so nervous?

She hadn’t formulated an answer by the time the tea had finished brewing. Sliding her fingers through the handle, she walked back to the bedroom. Luc’s eyes popped open and followed her movement to his side.

“Sit up.”

He did and she took another appreciative glance at his chest. Tearing her gaze from his torso, she offered him the cup, handle first.

“It’s hot. Take slow sips.”

He quirked an eyebrow at her statement but nodded. “What kind of tea is this?”

“Herbal.” Lian’s mixture was meant to heal and she didn’t feel like discussing with him all the herbs contained within it.

“Leaves a broad interpretation.”

“Suppose so.” She gestured with her chin. “Finish it.”

“Am I to salute when you order me around?” There was a hint of laughter behind his question.

“No, just follow it.”

He grunted even as he finished the tea. She retrieved the mug from his hand, ensuring not to touch him, then left the room. Pulling on her ankle-length, black, leather trench, she peeked back in the room, grateful to discover him knocked out.

She approached the bed and stood there for a moment. Calling forth a tanto, she flipped the knife and placed it under his palm. His hand closed around it and she stepped back before making her way outside.

Turning up the collar of her coat, she trudged off in the storm to the local store which opened early.

“Good morning, Ms. Lloyd.”

“Morning, Mr. Haskell,” she replied to the man who welcomed her as she entered.

Dracen went to the clothing section and grabbed a few things Luc could use—and needed. Then she swung through the food section and took some more of the necessary staples she’d need.

Mike rang her up and packaged her items. “Tell me you didn’t walk.”

“Okay.” She gave him cash and waited for her change. “I didn’t walk.” She couldn’t use her credit card, for she knew Edmond would be all over that transaction in a heartbeat.

Mike huffed. “I don’t have to tell you it’s dangerous.”

“I enjoy it. I’m being safe.” She didn’t need his concern but she liked him well enough to put up with his fatherly advice and worry.

He dropped her change in the palm of her black glove. “See you soon.”

“Yessir.”

He’d packed the items in plastic bags to protect them from the weather. She took the handles and lifted all six bags.

“I brought a sled,” she said, before he could make a comment.

“Your man should be with you.” He waved a hand. “I’m minding my own,” he added. “I’m just saying.”

“Have a good day, Mr. Haskell.”

“Bye, hon. You as well.”

She turned the doorknob and let herself outside into the snow, which had increased since she’d entered the shop. Tightening her grip on the bags, she set off back to the cabin.

She could have used her speed to make it in no time but she didn’t. She hadn’t lied when she’d stated she enjoyed walking. Being outside in the cold was comforting to her. The beauty that came along with the fresh falling powder, how it hid the ugliness in the world and covered it with a new blanket of purity. For some reason being here was calming down the growing anger within her. She might not know why it was happening but she would take the assistance. There was something else though, as if she were supposed to be here. Why…? She hadn’t figured that bit of reason yet.

The sun struggled to slice through the snow clouds and did very little in way of cutting the cold. She didn’t mind that either but she slowed before she reached the cabin, checking the area.

Once she was confident there wasn’t any trouble lurking, she completed the journey and stepped inside the warm cabin. The living room was empty and she placed the bags with his clothing on one of the sofas as she took the bags with the food to the kitchen, where she put them away.

She made him a cup of chicken broth and added some more herbs to it. Swinging by the sofa, she swiped the three bags there then carried them in one hand back to the bedroom, the steaming mug in the other.

“Luc.” She announced her presence, stepping into the room.

His eyes flew open and she watched his reaction with the knife she’d left in his possession. His hand curved around it and she recognized the look in his eyes—he was someone capable and ready to do what was necessary to stay safe.

She held still, waiting for him to figure out the situation. Dracen held no fear he would injure her. Had she contained the slightest wonder, she never would have provided him with one of her tantos.

When he relaxed—however slightly—she progressed to the bed. The clothing bags she placed at his covered feet before stepping by his side in order to hand him the cup.

“Drink.”

Their fingers grazed and it took everything she had not to shiver from the intense, visceral reaction it created.

“Chicken broth?”

She blinked and unzipped her trench. “Drink.”

He held her gaze and put the cup to his lips. She remained snared by his dark green stare as he finished the contents.

“How are you feeling?” She posed the question while she shrugged free of the coat.

“Naked.”

Without intending to, she snapped her attention directly to his crotch. “There are clothes for you. I have some questions.”

He set the cup on the bedside table and sat forward. She observed him drag the bags closer as she draped her coat over her forearm.

“Given you’ve already seen me naked, I’m not sure I should ask you to leave or not. This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

She spun on her heels. “I’ll be in the kitchen.” At the door, she hesitated before continuing on out of the room, a decadent chuckle trailing her. Dracen hung up her coat then began making breakfast.

A short time later, his soft footsteps reached her.

“Smells good.”

Dracen peered over her shoulder and bit back a moan that raced unbidden up her throat. What is wrong with me? He’d pulled on a pair of jeans that hung low on lean hips, his shirt was in his arms, and as she stared, he pulled it over his head. His black hair gleamed in the light.

One more perusal and she turned back to the eggs she was scrambling. “No need to hide the knife. I gave it to you and it’s not wise to have it being carried in your boot. If you’d like a boot knife, I’m happy to provide you with one that has a sheath.”

“Why did you…?” He paused to withdraw it from his boot. In the window’s reflection she studied him as he spun it in his hand. “Leave me with it.”

“You’re a warrior who had no weapons. I thought you may be more comfortable with one.”

“As are you. I remember you were out there. Those things, what were they?”

Dracen kept an eye on the eggs as she turned the sausage links. “Have you recalled why you’re up here? Do you have a cabin nearby?”

He placed the knife by the sink and washed his hands before drying them. “I still haven’t any idea how I got here.” He pulled the bread from the toaster oven and placed it on the plate.

Her sign corrected her when she, again, thought about forcing the information from his mind. Regardless whether he recalled it, the truth was in his head.

“I saw you,” he said, reaching for the butter. “I think I saw you with swords.” He shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“You were out in the cold. Hallucinations are possible.” She checked the scrambled eggs once more.

“How many siblings do you have?”

His abrupt change of subject threw her for a moment. “What makes you think I have any?”

“The way you had me drinking the tea and broth. Obvious you either have kids or siblings. Being you’re here alone, I’m going to go with siblings.”

Astute.

“Siblings. Quite a few.” She shut off the burner. “What about you?”

“There are five of us. Three boys and two girls.”

“Do any of them live around here? Perhaps this is your reason for being up here.”

“No,” he said. “I thought about that. They all live in Arizona.”

Using the hot pad, she hefted the cast iron skillet and carried the eggs and sausage to the table where she placed it upon the matching pad. He trailed her with coffee and toast.

Odd how easy it is to work with him like this. She skimmed the table to see if there was anything else she’d missed. “Visiting a girlfriend? Boyfriend?”

“Currently unattached and it would be a girlfriend, not boyfriend. Would you like butter on your toast?”

I’m not sure why I feel so comfortable around a man I barely know. There wasn’t any sign of him being a mate, my mate, and I was touching him all over. All she could say for sure was this man soothed her merely by being in her presence.

She nodded and split up the eggs and sausage, giving him a bit more than she did herself. “Surely someone is looking for you.” Dracen locked on to his dark forest green eyes as she slipped his plate before him.

 

Luc cleared his throat as he buttered the toast for the woman sharing a table with him. Is someone looking for me? What the hell am I doing here? I don’t know anyone up in Minnesota.

“I can’t recall.” He handed the piece over to her and watched her stare at the toast as if she weren’t sure what he’d done, or why. He couldn’t say why, it had just seemed the thing to do for her. The second piece he did followed the first to the edge of her plate.

Black leather had never been so sexy to him. He couldn’t see any way to get the form-fitting item off her. The top molded to her figure, showing off her firm breasts—breasts he’d had pressed against him earlier. He wanted to touch them and suck them.

A flash of him sliding his cock between them to her waiting lips hit him so hard he nearly dropped the knife. He placed two pieces of toast on his own plate and watched her lift the fork. She was left-handed.

“Interesting.”

Luc didn’t believe her reply required a response from him so he ate. Why is she here? And alone? He didn’t see any ring on her hand, nor any sign there used to be one. She ate a bite of the toast and chewed slowly. If she were mine, there would be a ring on that finger letting everyone know she was taken.

“So no thoughts of a car anywhere? You may have crashed.” She sipped some coffee.

“Nothing. I don’t even have a phone.”

“What about in your wallet?”

“I checked after I put on pants. Nothing in there, which points me here, to this place.”

Her gaze jerked to his then away faster than he could breathe. She placed her fork down. “What about your unit?”

He chewed and swallowed slowly. “My unit?”

“You’re military. If out, it’s recent. Perhaps one of your old, or current, team called you up here.”

He pondered her words as he ate a few more bites. She didn’t press him, just waited. Like a predator. There was something dangerous about her, even sitting at a table eating breakfast he could see it. It swirled around her like silk, sliding sensuously along her skin before settling.

“Doesn’t ring a bell for me.”

She watched him, silent. “Okay,” she eventually said, before finishing her coffee. She wiped her mouth and pushed back from the table. “I have to bring in some more wood.”

That was it. She took her plates to the sink and left them there before swiping a long black leather coat and ducking outside. He saw the blowing snow when she opened the door and stepped out.

He ate swiftly after which he pushed back. His instincts told him that if she wanted to harm him, she would have done so by now. However, he hadn’t survived as long as he had by ignoring the training he’d received, either. Although, my instincts have kept me alive more often than not. Unsure of how much time he had until she returned, he hurried back to the bedroom she’d allowed him to stay in and rooted through her things, looking for a clue to this mystery woman who looked to die for in black leather.

When he heard the slam of the door, he left the room, disappointed he’d been unable to uncover anything. Not a single thing that would give him a bit more on this woman. He’d woken naked in bed with her, almost deep inside her. She’d saved his life. Cooked him food. Given him weapons.

And he still didn’t know her name.

She made three more trips before she removed her coat. He leaned against the wall and waited for her to look up at him from where she added more wood to the burning fire. Luc allowed himself an easy perusal of her figure. The leather molding to her body stirred a response in him for sure.

“Who are you?” he asked when they shared eye contact.

She pushed with a fluid move to her feet. “Dracen Lloyd.”

“And what are you doing up here, Dracen Lloyd?”

“Getting away from everything. Did you find what you looking for? Or is there a specific question I could answer for you that you didn’t find when you rooted through my things.”

How does she know? “I want to know more about you and what you’re planning on doing with me.”

Her curved lashes lowered before rising slowly. “I didn’t have plans on doing anything with you.”

The sparkle in her gaze intrigued him. “Is that so? You and me, alone in this cabin.” He shook his head, slightly unsure what had gotten into him. He typically had better behavior, especially toward women. “Sorry.”

She shrugged. “No need to. I have nothing to hide from you, so ask your questions.”

“Why did you bring me here?” Her straightforwardness was a breath of fresh air after coming from a world where the women he saw were full of false flattery and double meanings.

She blinked a few times as if seriously contemplating her response. “Was there somewhere else I should have taken you? It’s not like there were a lot of options. You want to leave, feel free. I’m not keeping you against your will.”

“Do you have a phone I could use?”

“Sure.” She reached into the front pocket of her pants—those ones that melded to her like butter—and tossed him the item she withdrew. “Reception works best by the sink.” That statement given, she moved away from the living room and he pivoted to watch her walk back into the bedroom.

He held the cell in his hand and swiped his finger across the screen to unlock it. If she had any concerns about him snooping, she didn’t show it. There had been no hesitation in her giving him the phone. He checked her history, but that came up blank. There were no preprogrammed numbers and no texts.

Burner phone.

He angled his head to the right and glanced down the hall where she’d vanished. What is she doing with a burner phone? Is she running? She didn’t act like a woman who was running, but then, nothing about Dracen fit how he typically perceived women.

He dialed the one number he knew by heart and put the device to his ear, ambling to the sink to—as she claimed—get the best reception.

“Hello?”

“Hello, sir,” he said when his father answered the phone.

“Lucas? My God, son, how are you? Where are you? Martha, pick up the phone, it’s Luc.”

“I’m fine, sir.”

“I don’t know where your mother is, but she’ll be so upset she missed your call. Now, tell me what happened. They said you vanished from an op after you’d finished it. Your unit has been keeping mum on the subject of where you went. Even to me.”

He scrambled through thoughts. His old man was a member of the upper brass in who’d spent a substantial number of years in Washington. If they weren’t telling him anything… What the fuck happened? “I’m okay, just had to take a bit of a detour. I’ll be in as touch as soon as I can. Tell Mom I’m not hurt and am fine, please.” Warning prickled up the back of his neck. “I have to go.”

“Be safe.”

The call ended and Luc ducked his head as he gripped the side of the counter. Lightheadedness swarmed over him and he tightened his hold, determined to keep upright. When the brunt of it had passed, he made his way back to the bedroom and slipped into the room.

Dracen was nowhere in sight. He frowned, sure he’d not seen her go by him out of the door, and the bathroom’s hadn’t been closed. Stepping back, he peeked into the second bedroom. Nothing. She was just gone.

Reaching for another shirt in the pile she’d brought for him, he drew it on then shoved into the heavy coat sitting there. The tanto back in his possession, he strode to the front door and stepped out. The wind had picked up tenfold since she’d carried in the wood.

He zipped the coat up the remainder of the way and turned up the collar. He didn’t find any tracks but with the way the wind whipped over the frozen landscape it made sense, the snow covering everything. Still, he looked, and held out some hope he would discover something guiding him in the direction she had gone.

His gut yelled at him to go into the wind so he listened and struck off. He periodically checked his position, but continued to press on. After a good trek, he found himself stepping out to a spot that had him hesitating.

He shook his head to clear his vision. I have to be seeing things. It was like the muddled vision he recalled from before. A woman with swords battling. Only this time, he knew the woman and she wasn’t hazy. Dracen whirled and feinted like a ballet dancer as she fought a group of creatures he would have expected to find in a Dungeons & Dragons manual.

From around her shoulders a large dragon, created of mist, had its wings spread as it fought along with her. He swore the longer he looked, the more solidified it became.

“I need a fucking weapon with some kick,” he muttered as he ran toward her. “This knife ain’t going to cut it.” No way would he let her face this alone.

As he narrowed the distance, one creature screamed and struck from the sky.

“Dracen!” he called out as he neared. “Above you!”

If she heard him, she made no indication. She continued stabbing, slicing and dicing among the ones she confronted. Dracen pivoted to her left, allowing him to see more of her. He threw the knife at the one closest to him, sending the perfectly balanced blade into the creature’s neck.

Without slowing, she finished turning in his direction, and with a fluid movement, decapitated the creature. He drew up a fraction, hesitation pouring through him. The mist swirled around her, dragon like, its wings mirroring her arm motions as she fought.

I must be losing it. Their eyes met, and as he opened his mouth to yell about the one closing in from above, she dropped to one knee at the last second, so its striking dive skimmed the top of her head, and thrust her blades up, severing it into three parts, using its own momentum against it.

He heard the hiss of acid as droplets hit the snow and small tendrils of smoke wisped up. He looked at her face and saw some of the same liquid on her skin, but she made no move to brush it away.