FIRE IN HIS VEINS

A POST-APOCALYPTIC DRAGON ROMANCE

 RUBY DIXON

FIREBLOOD DRAGONS — BOOK 6

Copyright © 2019 by Ruby Dixon
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or
mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without
written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book
review.
Cover Photo - Sara Eirew Photographer
Cover Design - Kati Wilde
Edits - Aquila Editing
Created with Vellum
 CONTENTS

FIRE IN HIS VEINS

What Has Gone Before
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Epilogue
Author’s Note
The Fireblood Dragons Series
Ruby Dixon Reading List
Want More?
 FIRE IN HIS VEINS

I’ve wanted Andrea since the moment I saw her.

But she’s human. I’m drakoni. The only way I’ll stay sane and not lose
myself to the madness that’s swept over my people is if I keep my mental
walls strong. I have to give up everything that makes me a dragon. That
means no telepathy, no fire breathing, and no battle form.
I certainly can’t take a mate. Andrea can’t be mine.
When her brother escapes the fort, though, she needs help tracking him down.
That means I’ll be alone with her, breathing in her sweet scent, and it may be
too much for my control.
What happens if I give in to my dragon? Will I take her as my mate…or tear
her throat out?
 WHAT HAS GONE BEFORE

(If you’ve been following along, feel free to skip this section! If this series is
new to you, here’s a quick recap of the characters and events that have
happened before.)

The year is 2023, seven years after the destruction of the known world. Back
in 2016, a Rift opened in the heavens and dragons poured forth, as terrible
and violent as the beasts of legend. Like ants, they swarmed over the human
cities, destroying everything in their wake. Buildings crumbled, countries
fell, and within a matter of months, humankind was broken. Guns had no
effect on the unearthly creatures from another dimension. Planes and missiles
were too slow. Riots broke out as men were forced to fight not only for their
survival against the dragons, but against each other.
The people who survived those first brutal days took to hiding. Eventually,
small groups of survivors banded together and formed forts where they could
live safely and securely. In the After, concrete is the building material of
choice, and people freely give up their rights in exchange for protection for
their families. The forts themselves are isolated and corrupt, run by a power-
hungry militia. The guns they carry might not be useful against dragons, but
they’re more than enough to keep the people of the fort in line. Those who
cannot obey a fort’s rules are cast out, to live as nomads. They are considered
scum by fort-dwellers and view themselves as dead men walking. Without
shelter or a permanent place to call home, they might as well be.
For seven years, humanity continues on, living in the cracks and hiding in the
shadows.

In Fire in His Blood, CLAUDIA, a thief from Fort Dallas, is left in the wild,
abandoned streets of the Scavenge Lands as bait to tame a dragon. No one
expects her to live…or for it to work. Her dragon KAEL is fierce and
possessive, his mind broken by the constant madness that eats at the drakoni.
With his help, she hatches a plan to rescue her sister AMY and her friend
SASHA from Fort Dallas and its corrupt militia.
In Fire in His Kiss, Sasha is snatched away by DAKH, a crazed male dragon
who seeks a mate to fix his mind. Though it takes time for the fearful Sasha
to trust Dakh, she eventually realizes that the dragon would do anything for
her and that he can love just as fiercely as any male human. When Sasha is
captured by local bandits, she learns that not only are the nomads working
with an old enemy of hers, but the bandits are led by a mysterious stranger
named AZAR who is neither drakoni nor human, but feared by both.
In Fire in His Embrace, Sasha’s friend EMMA rescues a drakoni male
captured by Azar, a crazed warrior named ZOHR. To free him, she must mate
with him to establish a psychic bond. They break free, but at the cost of his
wings. While he heals, he and Emma work on a plan to destroy Azar and his
men. When the mated pair approach Claudia and Kael for help, Claudia’s
unmated sister Amy is enlisted to be scent-bait.
In Fire in His Fury, Amy has a plan of her own. Tired of being stuck in self-
imposed exile, she tosses her panties into the wild in the hopes someone will
find her. Her scent pulls in RAST, a drakoni who once served as a
conscripted soldier to the hated Salorians. Their journeys lead them to Fort
Shreveport.
This fort is small and run by GWEN, who tries to sell them out to local
nomads in the hopes of protecting her kidnapped sister. Gwen is surprised
and pleased when Amy and Rast volunteer to help the struggling Fort
Shreveport and eventually take on a leadership position, putting the nomads
in their place.
In Fire in His Spirit, Gwen knows her fort has been targeted by a big golden
male. Her friend ANDREA is convinced that the dragon, VAAN, has shown
up to mate her. When they go out to confront him, though, he makes it clear
that he only has eyes for Gwen. She leaves with him, sacrificing her needs for
her fort yet again, only to find a love she never expected. Vaan is called by
the Salorian to Fort Dallas, where he and Gwen learn that there may be a
bigger threat to everyone…
Meanwhile, LIAM remains in Fort Shreveport, hiding out and pretending to
be human…
 1

ANDI

I 'm going to kill my brother Benny.

No, just killing won't be enough. He'll need to be tortured first,
and then when he begs for mercy, then I'll kill him. Yeah, that sounds good.
I tear through my small trunk of belongings again, just in case I'm wrong.
Nope. My good socks—both pairs—are completely missing. He knows I've
been hiding them to wear when the bad socks (which are currently on my
feet) are so trashed that they can't even be mended anymore. And because it's
laundry day, I need to wear different socks under my boots so these can get
washed.
Except all my socks are gone, and I know just the rat bastard that took them.
Biting back my fury, I smack my trunk shut and shove it back under my
bunk. Daniela's no longer rooming with me and Gwen, and Gwen's gone to
Fort Dallas, which means I'm alone in the old classroom I used to share with
them. Once upon a time, I thought it'd be awesome to have a bedroom all to
myself, but now it's just lonely. At least I can make as much noise as I want
in here, though. I give my old metal-framed cot an angry kick, enjoying the
shudder it makes, and then I head out of my room and storm down the hall
toward the boys' quarters, where Benny will be.
It's early, though, and the halls of Fort Shreveport are mostly empty. I pass by
a pair of moms, their toddlers in their arms, and give them a tight nod as I
march toward my destination. The smell of food is wafting in the air and I
can hear conversations at the far end of the hall, in the old cafeteria, which
means it's breakfast time. Benny and the other boys should be up soon.
I find the classroom that all the boy children are sleeping in and ease the door
open quietly. Little Lucas is still in his bed, sucking his thumb despite the
fact that he's nine, but the other little boys are gone. Benny's bunk is empty,
but there's a ring of discarded dirty clothes and old junk around it, just like
any kids' bedroom. I know the moms of the other boys are always on them to
clean up after themselves, so I try to nag Benny, too. He just rolls his eyes at
me, because I'm not Mom. I'm barely eight years older than him, and so he
doesn't listen to shit.
With a scowl, I march over to his messy end of the room and start to pick
through his crap. There's a few dirty towels on the floor—looks like he's
missed laundry day for the last while—and a few old shirts. "Dumbass," I
mutter under my breath, because if Benny knew how much scrounging me
and Luz and all the other girls had to do to get those clothes, he wouldn't be
so wasteful with them. I poke through the laundry encircling the bed, but I
don't see my socks—or any others.
On a hunch, I get down on my knees and check under his cot.
Sure enough, there's another pile of laundry. I reach out and grab one sock…
and then drop it, making a noise of horror in my throat.
It's crusty.
Oh god. I just touched my baby brother's jizz rag. I'm going to vomit.
Scrubbing my hand against my jeans, I get to my feet. That little bastard. Not
only is he stealing socks, but he's jerking off in them? The other women in
the compound joked that I needed to worry about when my kid started
stealing socks, but I had no idea what they meant. I do now. Ugh. Time to
have a talk with Benny. This shit's unacceptable—the stealing, the casual
disregard for clothing, and the mess. I know Benny's got it in his head to be
rebellious right now because he's fourteen and the oldest boy in the
compound, but he's taking it too far. Not just this, but a million other things.
The jizz socks are just the icing on the cake.
I swallow back my disgust, wipe my hand one more time, and then turn away
from Benny's bunk. Lucas is watching me, sitting up, his thumb still in his
mouth.
"Hey, kiddo," I say. "You seen Benny this morning?"
He shakes his head.
"Tell him he's in trouble if you see him, OK? His big sis is looking for him."
With a bright smile at Lucas, I head out of the room and shut the door behind
me.
If Benny thinks that getting up early means he can avoid me, he's wrong. He's
been deliberately putting space between us over the last few months. Now
that he's not a tiny kid anymore, he doesn't want his older sister hovering
around him. Instead, he's been hanging out with…Liam.
I don't want to think about Liam right now though. Instead, I briskly head
toward the cafeteria to get my breakfast and look for Benny there.
I head into the cafeteria just behind Luz's wife, Michele. I smile absently at
her and scan the cafeteria, looking for my brother. The windows have their
protective metal coverings lifted to let the early morning sunlight and breeze
in, and a tallow candle sits atop each of the tables to allow a bit more light,
the faint herbal scent of them nearly overpowering the scent of smoke, eggs
and corn cakes. I get in line just like everyone else, waiting for my portion.
It's funny but there's something comforting in living in an old school. I was
just a teen when the Rift tore open, so being back in a school feels like
coming home. I don't mind the lunch trays and the bells because it adds a bit
of structure in a world that is sorely lacking it. It's kind of nice, really.
Everyone pitches in, and if the cafeteria cooking is done by firepit instead of
stove, no one complains. We all remember what it was like to have nothing to
eat.
I notice that Amber's murmuring a soft apology with each dollop of eggs she
doles out, and when I hold my tray out, she gives me a tiny spoonful of eggs
and grimaces. "The chickens aren't laying much right now," she says quietly.
"Amy says she's going to find us more food, though, and that it's all under
control. Until then, we're stretching things." And she puts a corn cake on my
plate.
I hold it back out to her, indicating she should take the scrambled eggs back.
"Give mine to Grandpa Steve or Benny when he shows up, or Melissa.
Someone else." I keep the corn cake and put my tray in the stack of dirty
ones, stepping out of line as Amber spoons out the allotted eggs to the next
person in line. "You haven't seen my brother, have you?"
"No. Did you ask Amy?" She glances back at me and then launches into her
spiel with the next person in line. "Chickens aren't laying much right now.
Amy's on it, though. We'll have more food soon."
Charlene just nods, relief on her face, and takes her tray without a word of
complaint.
I shove my corn cake into my mouth and head toward the cafeteria exit,
hating that I'm annoyed over the fact that everyone's fawning over Amy.
She's the new leader of Fort Shreveport, and she's really nice and determined
to fix all of our problems, and she's mated to one of the dragons so they can
protect us. I have no doubt that Rast, her mate, will find more food for us—
he can fly and hunt cattle down, or discover new locations for us to grow
crops, or even scavenge farther out.
But my best friend Gwen was the leader for the last two years, and I'm still
loyal to her. I hate that everyone's acting so relieved that Amy and Rast are
here, because it feels like they're saying Gwen was doing something wrong. I
hate that. I know how hard Gwen worked to keep this place afloat. I know
how many times Gwen went without so others wouldn't starve. I know how
many nights Gwen worried and cried over the stress of being the leader.
People are just jerks. Not that Amy isn't a sweetheart, but I hate that
acknowledging her leadership makes me somehow feel as if I'm betraying
Gwen. And Gwen isn't even here—she left us behind to spend time in Fort
Dallas with Vaan and to act as a liaison between that fort and this one.
I feel a little betrayed over that, too. I've been left behind. All I have left is
Benny, and the little shit's been stealing my socks to jizz in and won't talk to
me otherwise.
I pause by the whiteboard as Shonda erases yesterday's message
—"Tomorrow's Laundry Day!! Bring your clothes to Room 103 and make
sure your bag is labeled!"—and begins to write a new one in bold red
lettering. "DRAGON ATTACK DAY. STAY INSIDE."
"Shit. That's today?" I bite my lip, pausing to talk to her.
She taps the old planner in her hands, the dates in the corners scratched out
and updated manually since printers are a thing of the past. "Yup. Laundry's
going to wait until they're done."
"What about Amy and Rast?" I can't help but ask. "Why can't they chase the
damn things off?"
Shonda shakes her head and draws a line under the word “inside.” "Talked to
Amy already. We pulled the plants in the gym before breakfast and she and
Rast headed out for hunting. She thinks food is more important than fending
off the attack as long as everyone's inside and on lockdown." She shrugs.
"She ain't wrong. As long as nothing's in the courtyard, we won't be
bothered."
I chew on my fingernail absently. "I guess. You seen Benny?"
She rolls her eyes. "No. Can't say I mind it, either."
That's fair. Benny is kind of a shit. "Thanks, Shon." I head out of the cafeteria
and then pause, thinking. The gym? Would Benny be hiding out with the
flatbeds of plants, hunkered down in our tomato bushes and cukes? Nah.
Someone would make him weed the pots and he'd be out of there in a flash.
At fourteen, the only thing Benny excels at right now is avoiding work.
That and jerking it in socks, apparently.
I shudder and wipe my hand on my jeans again, heading for the library. I
duck in but he's not there, just Carla, getting ready for the day's lessons for
the little ones. He's not in room 103 when I drop my laundry bag off, either. I
head to the front office—where Amy and Rast are now staying—and check
the chore list whiteboard. Benny's listed under “mousetraps,” so I check the
janitorial closets. No Benny. He's not in Gwen's bird coop feeding the doves,
either.
He's not anywhere.
I grit my teeth, because I know what this means. Last resort. I guess I'll talk
to Liam.
My belly quivers at the thought.
Me and Liam are…complicated. He first arrived in Fort Shreveport a few
months ago and kept to himself. I thought he was yet another weirdo that the
apocalypse had burped up and gave him a lot of leeway. After all, he had
sharp teeth, golden skin, and wore sunglasses and long sleeves all the time.
There's a lot of strangeness in the After, though. I saw the Mad Max movies
in the Before, and when I was in Fort Tulsa, I remember seeing people going
crazy with tattoos and piercings and all kinds of body decor as if they needed
to make our world into the next Thunderdome. Like, because it was an
apocalypse, we needed to look properly apocalyptic or something. So when
Liam seemed a little unusual looking, well, I'd seen weirder. And he kept to
himself, so it was easy to dismiss him.
Then we found out that Amy's golden-skinned, fanged hulk of a boyfriend
was a dragon. And because Liam looked very similar to him, he was exposed
for being a dragon-man. It was obvious that we'd overlooked him. Liam had
golden skin like Rast, but his was a shade that could be seen as a sun-lover's
tan, so no one thought much of it. Rast had long, crazy golden hair that was
as thick and wiry as a lion's mane and spikes at his brow…and Liam always
wore a baseball cap pulled low and sunglasses. Liam carried himself
differently than Rast, but it was clear he was a dragon.
It was all especially clear after he disappeared when Amy and Rast showed
up. That's a sign of guilt if there ever was one. Still, meeting Rast taught us
that not all dragons are the bloodthirsty, wild killers that roam the skies and
make the remnants of humanity huddle in forts. There's a few that are decent,
it seems. Not long after Amy and Rast’s arrival, they left to go visit her sister,
Gwen headed out of the fort to meet up with another dragon, and naturally
Liam returned.
The timing was just so damn suspicious. I immediately confronted him,
demanding to know if he was a dragon.
He only smiled this lazy, totally sexy smile as if I'd just figured out all his
secrets. Didn't apologize. Didn't admit wrongdoing or deceit. Just smiled.
And that was that. After that, Liam stayed. He didn't cause problems, didn't
make an ass of himself, and still tended to keep to himself, well, with one
small exception. He hung around with me a lot. Everywhere I went, Liam
was there.
I have to admit, I like it. He's a good-looking guy, even if he is a dragon. It's
nice to be the center of someone's attention like that, and I fully admit that
I'm lonely. Liam and Benny get along, too—in fact, Liam's the only person
Benny gets along with, so I'd end up talking with Liam about my brother on a
regular basis…and for a while, I thought up all kinds of reasons just to hang
out with Liam.
But it's a small fort, and people started to talk.
They said I was all over Liam now that he was a dragon, and that I was
“chasing tail.” They said I was jealous of Gwen with her dragon, and Amy
with hers, and was trying to get one of my own. They said I was looking for
the After equivalent of a sugar daddy—someone to handle all my problems
and make them go away.
So I stopped talking to Liam, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't understand why. I
can't stand the rumors, though.
It's really awful that they're not just rumors, they're pretty darn close to the
truth.
Maybe I've got a protector fetish. I don't see how you can't after living in the
After for a while. Someone to hold you close and make all your problems go
away? Uh, that sounds pretty amazing to me. And there's no denying I find
the dragons fascinating. No one knows that I confessed to Gwen that when
her dragon, Vaan, was laying siege to the city, I thought he was here for me
and went out to find him. Gwen never said a peep, which I'm eternally
thankful for. If the rest of the fort knew, they'd never stop ragging me about
it. Maybe they're right and I am a tail chaser.
I don't like the thought. I don't like the smirks that the others have on their
faces when they see me talking with Liam. So I just…don't talk to him much.
At all.
But Benny does. And if anyone knows where my tool of a little brother is, it'll
be Liam.
So I head to the back of the school, to the guest quarters where Liam's
currently staying by himself. I look around to make sure the hall is empty
before I move to the door and knock.
“It’s open,” comes the casual reply.
I’ll give Liam credit. He speaks great English. Even hearing those two little
words so effortlessly spoken makes it hard to reconcile “dragon” with Liam.
Rast never says a peep. Gwen’s dragon Vaan? I’ve heard him say her name,
but that’s about it. But Liam speaks English as well as the rest of us. For
some reason, hearing his voice irks me and I open the door a crack and stick
my head in.
“You’re going to miss breakfast,” I say, and it sounds bitchy the moment the
words come out.
He rolls over in bed and scratches at his stomach, and my mouth goes dry.
I’ve seen both Rast and Vaan naked—dragons apparently aren’t much for
pants—but Liam always keeps himself covered. This is the first time I’ve
seen so much of his golden skin, and it knocks the breath right out of my
lungs. His barrel-shaped chest is taut without an inch of fat, his shoulders a
huge triangle of golden perfection and rippling muscle. One big hand lazily
scratches at his hairless stomach, just inches above his groin, and he gives me
a sleepy-eyed look from his blankets. His sunglasses are gone—he’s been
wearing them less now that we know the truth—and I can see the slow,
golden whirl of his eyes, like they’re made of liquid metal. The hair he
always keeps tightly hidden under a baseball cap is short (for a dragon) and
stands up in thick golden spikes that look deliciously rumpled. Just barely
noticeable peeking through his thick hair? Horns.
Right now, he looks so fiercely, incredibly dragonish that I don’t know how
we possibly ever thought he was human.
And the look he’s giving me? His eyes are totally giving off come-fuck-me
vibes.
“You came here to tell me about breakfast? So thoughtful.” Liam’s mouth
quirks in a half grin, as if the sight of me amuses him. “Does everyone get
this attention or am I just special?”
“Don’t flirt with me,” I snap back at him, my cheeks heating. “I’m just telling
you because we’re low on eggs and if you wait too long, there isn’t going to
be anything left. Though I don’t know why I’m bothering to tell you. You’re
a dragon. You can just go out and get your own damn food.”
His brows go up at my nasty words, but his smile grows wider. “Are you here
to pick a fight, Andrea?”
“Andi.”
“I like your full name. People are lazy and shorten names too often.” He
gives a little shake of his head. “You’re the ones that choose to speak. The
least you can do is speak all of a name.”
“So now you’re blaming me because humans like slang? Or shortcuts?”
He drags one thick-nailed finger over the bedsheets. I try to imagine him with
claws like Rast, but his are all shorn off in an effort to look more human.
“Am I?”
I give him an exasperated look. “I’m just trying to find Benny.”
“I thought you were here because you wanted to feed me.”
“You go on thinking that. I was trying to be polite.”
He looks amused. “Is that what that was? Why do you sound so angry then?”
“Because I’m talking to you,” I snap again, and it’s only made worse when
his smile spreads. I hate that he’s got a gorgeous smile. I hate that he’s the
most sinfully gorgeous man I’ve ever seen. I hate that I’ve never been so
fiercely attracted to anyone as much as I have to Liam.
Maybe I am a fucking tail chaser. God.
“I still think you’re picking a fight.”
Also entirely possible, not that I would ever admit that to him. I bite back
another snappy retort, because I think he’s getting a kick out of them. “I’m
not here to argue. I’m here to ask if you’ve seen Benny.”
“You don’t think he went out? With a dragon attack today?”
I frown that he already knows about the dragon attack. “You saw the
whiteboard? Or do you have the schedule memorized?”
“Neither. I just figured it was time. Females pick fights when they are in
mating heat, so it’s about due.” He sits up in the bed, the covers nearly
sliding completely off of him. By some miracle they remain over his hips and
I don’t know if I’m pissed at that or relieved. “The ones flying in are in heat.
I can sense it.” Liam scratches at his shoulder and then rubs a big hand down
his arm. “Their nearness crawls under my skin.”
My mouth opens silently, and then I snap it shut again. What can I say that
will make him feel better? He’s a stranger in this world, an alien for all that
he looks mostly human. I don’t know how he feels. “I’m sorry” doesn’t seem
to fit, not with the desolate expression on his face. “I won’t keep bothering
you,” I say instead, and start to shut the door.
“Wait.”
I pause, my heart fluttering like it always does when I’m near Liam. “What?”
He gets to his feet, all sinewy movements, and the blanket falls to the ground.
“I’ll help you look.”
A horrified squeak escapes my throat and I turn my back the moment all that
golden skin gets exposed. It’s not that I’ve never seen a man naked before. I
have. Or a dragon-man. Rast is naked all the time for some reason. But this is
Liam.
That makes it different.
I squeeze my eyes shut and press my face against the doorframe. I’m still
standing in the doorway itself, and for a moment I think I should have never
turned around. I can still see his long, hard body rising from the blankets, the
thick length of his cock against his thigh as he got to his feet, and all that
rippling, lightly-scaled golden skin. I suck in a deep breath. “Put some
clothes on!”
“What do you think I’m doing?” There’s such amusement in his voice.
“Humans aren’t fans of naked bodies, for some reason. Why is that? This is
the first chance I’ve had to ask.”
I press my lips together. For the last seven years, Liam’s been posing as
human. I guess we’re the first ones that figured it out, so it does make sense
that I’m the first one he can ask. But still…why me? “Because it’s not
polite.”
“Such a strange people. As if covering your body does anything other than
slow your reflexes.”
I say nothing, listening for the rustle of clothing. I wonder if he’s exposed
himself to anyone else in Fort Shreveport? But somehow I know it’s just me.
Despite the fact that his secret’s out, he keeps to himself for the most part. He
talks to Benny, and he talks to me, and occasionally Amy and Rast.
Or he tries to talk to me, but I mostly avoid him unless I absolutely have to,
because people talk. And if there’s anything I hate, it’s people talking in a
fort. Just thinking about the rumor mill makes me break into a cold sweat. No
matter how much I might like Liam, he’s not worth the rumors.
It’s a sobering reminder. I shut the door behind me and leave his room. I head
down the hall, determined to return to my Benny search and forget all about
Liam and his glorious body.
The door opens as I hurry away. “Andrea, wait,” Liam calls behind me. “I’m
dressed.”
My entire body clenches up and I quickly glance around the hall. No one else
is around. Thank god. I turn back to him, my fists balled up at my sides.
“Will you keep it down? Someone could hear you!”
He’s wearing a pair of sweatpants now, but that’s it. His brows furrow
together. “Why is that bad? I said I was dressed.”
“People are going to think you and I”—I gesture furiously at the space
between us—“are doing something.”
“And…that is bad?” The lazy, flirty smile makes my ovaries flip.
But I remember Fort Tulsa and my reputation there. “Yes,” I say flatly. “You
don’t know how bad it can be.” And I turn and leave again.
This time, he doesn’t follow me and I’m glad. Disappointed but glad. It’s
easier this way. I’ve worked hard to establish myself with the group, to
become someone new and strong and respected in Fort Shreveport. No matter
how I’m attracted to Liam, I need Fort Shreveport.
This place is the only home I have left.
 2

ANDI

I swing past all the spots I’ve already checked, just in case Benny
surfaced while I was in Liam’s room. Still no little brother. My
irritation’s starting to give way to fear. Where the hell is he?
Even though it’s unlikely that he’ll be there, I head to the gymnasium. I smile
at Jenny, who’s leaving as I enter, and try not to study her face too closely. Is
she looking at me oddly? Is there a smirk in her greeting? But no. Everything
seems normal, so no one must have seen Liam chasing after me, half naked. I
murmur a greeting as we pass and then push on the metal bar to open the gym
doors. Walking into the gym is like walking into a hothouse. It’s humid and
moist, the air muggy. The place is dark, the windows shuttered tightly against
incoming dragonfire that’ll be hitting later this morning. There’s a couple of
dragons in particular that like to hit Fort Shreveport, and they all seem to be
morning attackers, which is good. Once they’re done with us, we can roll the
plants back out into the sun so they can soak up the rays. I breathe in the
acrid, greeny scent of the tomato plants and stare out at the rows and rows of
cages and potted plants. Cucumbers, zucchini and tomato are the easiest for
Fort Shreveport to grow, and squash. The vines are easily coaxed onto the tall
metal cages and any fruit is carefully propped up. I love early summer and
watermelons, but right now it’s late summer and I’m so sick of cucumber and
tomato that I could barf. But, food is food and I can’t be picky.
“Benny?” I call out.
No answer.
“Benjamin Allen Foster,” I snap, and hear my voice echo in the empty
gymnasium. “I am sick of these games. I know you took my socks. Come and
fess up.”
Still no response. I wander through the rows of plants, careful not to disturb
the fruit hanging from the vines.
“Just come talk to me. I’m not mad.” It’s a huge lie. I’m furious, but he won’t
come out if he knows I am. Benny’s not stupid. In fact, he’s too clever, the
little rat. He’s good at slinking away and hiding when he thinks he’s in
trouble. Lately, there’s been a lot more slinking, and that’s concerning. I’ve
tried really hard to be a parent to Benny and the harder I try, the more awful
he seems to get with every passing year.
If I didn’t love him, I’d hate him, but I never say that to anyone. Benny and I
are a team. We’re the Foster siblings, and when Mom died a year after the
Rift happened, I took up the mantle of parent. If he’s a bad kid, it’s on me.
“Benny, please,” I say, quieter. “I’m worried about you. If you’re hiding, just
come out, okay?”
Silence. He’s not in here. I don’t know where he is, then. Some new hiding
spot in the fort that I don’t know about, somewhere he can smoke old stale
cigarettes he’s hiding away or huff on an old spray paint can. Something.
He wouldn’t leave the fort. He’s a wild kid, but he’s not stupid. He wouldn’t
leave me…would he?
“Andrea?”
I turn around, jumping at the sound of my name. “You scared the shit out of
me, Liam!” I put a hand over my hammering heart, gasping.
He grimaces, adjusting his baseball cap atop his head in the most human
gesture ever. He’s dressed now, wearing a plain white T-shirt and the
sweatpants from earlier, and his normal scarf is around his neck, as if at a
moment’s notice, he can conceal his face. He’s halfway across the room, but
even from here I can see the bulge of his thick muscles through the straining,
thin fabric of his shirt. His arms have the spikes along the back as Rast’s do,
and they’re the only thing that, looking at him, seem odd or out of place. It’s
only recently that he’s started to wear short-sleeved shirts, as if he’s testing
the waters for how strange he can look without being booted from the fort. In
the dark, though, he looks human. So human. You can’t see his strange eyes,
his sharp teeth, and the shadows hide the fact that his features are a little too
strong to be normal.
Liam takes a step forward, touching my arm as I tremble amongst the potted
tomatoes. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. Just…don’t sneak up on me, all right?” I pull out of his grip, hating
that he’s seeing me act so weak. “What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to talk to you,” he says, and his voice is low and appealing. “You
ran out of my room.”
“Because you were naked. I don’t want to be around you when you’re naked.
It’s not…human.”
He grunts as if this makes perfect sense. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay. You just have to think about how that sort of thing looks,” I tell
him defensively, crossing my arms and rubbing my skin. I’m covered in
goosebumps despite the muggy heat of the gym. “Did you find Benny?”
“I wanted to ask you about that, too. How long has he been gone?”
I shrug. “Didn’t come to breakfast this morning, but that’s becoming a thing
with him lately. Small rebellions and all that.”
Liam rubs his jaw absently, his fingers brushing over his lips briefly. “And
you know he’s in the fort?”
“Of course he’s in the fort. With a dragon attack looming? He’s pigheaded,
not stupid. He won’t get himself killed just to prove a point to me.”
He tilts his head, studying me in the near-darkness, and I become intensely
aware of how close we’re standing. I haven’t been alone with Liam many
times, but he’s been hanging around me more lately. Another test of the
waters, perhaps, seeing what he can get away with before it’s too much. “Are
you all right, Andrea?”
Flustered, I reach for the tip of my braid and play with it. “Like I said, you
just startled me—”
“That’s not it.” Liam shifts on his feet, as if he’s on edge. Nervous? Or just
trying to figure me out? “I am still learning a lot about humans, you know.
Seven years and I still don’t have you figured out.” In the darkness, he might
be smiling. “But I thought I knew the basics. I thought you and I were…
friends? But you avoid me lately. I want to know what I did wrong.”
I lick my dry lips. I don’t want to launch into my history. Not right now.
Probably not ever. “You haven’t done anything wrong, okay? You’re being
perfectly normal. I’m just…stressed lately with Gwen leaving and Amy
taking over.”
“A lot of changes,” he agrees carefully. “But the way you have changed to
me is far more recent than that.”
Busted. “I’d really not like to talk about it. Just chalk it up to more human
bullshit and call it a day, all right?”
“Day called.” Liam nods. “I won’t push. For now.”
What we need is a subject change. I eye the tomatoes he’s standing a little too
close to and put a fingertip on his arm, gently steering him away a step. “If
you kill that plant, Jenny’s going to have your head for dinner.”
He pauses. “That’s…a joke, right?” His tone sounds far more reassured than
his words. “The head is the worst part to eat. Haunches have the best meat.”
I snort with amusement. “Dude, how on earth did you blend in for so long?”
“By being quiet and unobtrusive.” Liam’s chuckle fills the darkness around
me and I get new goosebumps. “But now that you know my secrets, I get to
talk.”
Funny—quiet and unobtrusive are two things I might have thought about
Liam a month ago, but now that I know him a little more? It’s like they don’t
fit in the slightest. “You’re not quiet and unobtrusive around me.”
“I don’t want to be,” he murmurs.
My body pricks with heat, and I become intensely aware just how alone we
are in here. How close we’re standing. Anyone that saw us would get the
wrong idea.
A battery-powered alarm blares over the compound, jolting me back to
awareness. I can’t be caught here with Liam, no matter how distracting he is.
“It’s obvious Benny’s not here,” I say, and push past him. “Thanks for your
help, but I’d better get back to the others. Dragon attack incoming.” I point at
the air, and then I’m out the door before he can reply.
 3

LIAM

I t’s been seven years since I took battle form, since I considered
myself truly drakoni. In all this time, I’ve done my best to blend
with the human populace of this world, to seem like them. I’ve never wanted
to be one before today.
Right now, as I watch Andrea leave, I’d give anything to be human.
If I were human, her intoxicating scent wouldn’t make me wild with lust. It
wouldn’t be so difficult to have a conversation with her, wondering if I’m
missing subtle cues. If I were human, her nearness wouldn’t be driving me
mad.
But I am drakoni, no matter that I do my best to seem human. It’s a good
thing she left, because every moment she’s near, she tests my willpower. The
smart thing to do would be to stay away, but I can’t seem to. It’s not because
it’s a small fort. It’s because I can’t bring myself to hide away, not when I’m
thinking of any excuse just to be in her presence, to drink in her scent or gaze
at the shine of her pale hair. She’s pale all over, paler than any drakoni
female, and leaner than them, too. I never thought the sight would inflame me
so much, but just the sight of her makes me hunger for the things I cannot
have.
She makes my dragon stir.
And that’s dangerous. Out of the thousands of my people that came through
the Rift when the veil between our worlds tore open, I am the only one that
has not gone completely insane. I know that my grip on reality has to be
because I haven’t been in battle form. There’s some connection between that
and the mental links that our people use, and I’ve cut myself off from both to
be safe. I’m only half alive like this, though, and Andrea’s nearness makes
me more and more aware of it.
The siren sounds again and following it is the low roar of the incoming
dragon. I’m used to how the humans handle the attacks, but it still tears at me
to know that one of my people is out there, utterly lost in their own mind. I
want to help, but I can’t. If I shift to battle form, I’ll be just as lost as they are.
In two-legged form, I’m just as vulnerable and helpless as any human. So I
can only sit and do nothing as the female dragon screams her fury overhead
and spits flames at the building.
I sit down amongst the plants that these humans take such intricate care of,
and close my eyes. Overhead, the smell of smoke and drakoni scales and char
hit, and they bring about a wave of homesickness. The scents remind me of
home, of the bleak sandy landscape and red cliffs. Of a fresh-caught lizard,
blood hot on my tongue. Of females rising to mate, a challenge in their eyes.
Instead of those females, though, I think of Andrea. Andrea, who incites my
drakoni senses more than she ever realizes. For a human, she is fierce. She is
tall and bold compared to some of the others, and ferociously protective of
her younger sibling. She is always busy here at the fort, assisting the leader or
guarding the gates. She walks with a cocky swagger to her hips when she has
her shotgun over her shoulder.
It’s that little swagger I love the most, I think…or maybe her scent, which
invades my dreams.
Her nearness makes it difficult to stay in the fort. My senses tell me that I
should leave, slip out during the dragon attack and abandon this place. Head
for another fort, another settlement, one where she is not there to distract me.
But that would mean leaving her unprotected, and the drakoni male I am
cannot have that. I rub at my arms, my skin twitching with the nearness of the
shrieking female drakoni in the skies. She wants a male to cover her, to
challenge her, and the fierce need bleeding through into even my deadened
senses is affecting me. Even though I have cut myself off from the drakoni
mind-links that our people use to communicate, I can sometimes still feel
them in the air, and it's never more apparent than an attack.
My body responds, my cock hard and aching with need. I'm not thinking of
the female in the skies, though, attacking the human settlement simply
because it offends her crazed senses. I'm thinking of Andrea, her golden hair,
the flash of her eyes, and the way she moves. I think of her scent and it nearly
overpowers me with how much I need her. Time to retreat to my quarters, I
think. There, I will be alone. There, I can take care of the ache of my cock
without worrying if someone else will happen upon me. Almost desperate, I
push forward, striding out of the gymnasium and down the halls of the fort.
Voices buzz in the cafeteria, and no one's around. Good. I manage to make it
back to quarters without being stopped, and there, I rip at the constricting,
confining clothing on my body. My blunted claws can't tear the fabric like
they should, and with a growl of frustration, I manage to shove the pants
down to my thighs and take my cock in hand. It's hard and throbbing with
need, and I grip it tightly as I press my other hand to the door so no one can
try to enter.
I imagine Andrea on the other side of it, her hand on the handle as if she's
teasing me, daring to enter. She's got that fiery look on her face, her chin
lifted as if challenging me to say something.
I growl as I roughly stroke myself, my grip tight as I drag my hand up and
down my shaft. Only Andrea makes me this hard. Andrea and her gorgeous
smell, her little smiles, and that cocky shake of her hips… With three quick
strokes, my release boils over and then I come, hot seed spurting forth as my
body shudders with release. My spend spatters on the door, steaming as it
does. The sight of it hissing and sizzling against the peeling paint is a
sobering reminder that what I want can never be.
A drakoni male can only give his seed to his mate, the one that has taken his
fires. Andrea could be my mate, but I'll never know because that part of my
mind is closed off, shut down so I don't go insane and turn as wild as the
dragon attacking overhead even now. I cannot give her my fires, because to
do that, I must reopen that part of my mind that is completely dead.
I cannot have her. I can never have her, or I will lose myself in the process.
But that does not mean I don't hunger to touch her. With an angry growl in
my throat, I grab a nearby blanket and swipe my seed off the back of the
door. Even that release did nothing to abate the aching hunger I have for her.
I should leave, I remind myself again. Leave and never look back.
But I won't.

I SPEND the day making myself scarce. After the dragon finishes her fiery
burst of anger, she wheels away and the oppressive heaviness of her thoughts
lifts. I avoid Andrea and the other humans as they head back outside,
dragging their plants back into the sunshine and then going about their
chores. It pains me to not help out, to sit about and do nothing, but I learned
many years ago that the less I'm around other humans, the less likely I am to
unnerve them. So I sit back in the shadows near one of the doors and tinker
with a knife, running a rough-sided rock along the edge to sharpen it. Such a
human tool, only useful for a people that don't have claws or battle forms. As
I pretend to look busy, I watch the others. Amy—the new leader of the fort—
and her drakoni mate Rast return. Amy talks with people for a few minutes,
checking on families and chatting as Rast hovers protectively, and then they
head inside with newly found supplies. Rast glances over at me, but I ignore
him. I know he has to be puzzled by me, and seeing him standing nearby,
eyes whirling, his mane long and tangled and as wild as he is—it reminds me
of how far I've had to go to change myself. I dress like the humans, hold
human objects, and even talk like the humans. Even if I were to approach
Rast, we wouldn't be able to speak without his mate as a go-between. I can't
connect my thoughts to his in mental speech, and like most drakoni, he
doesn't know the human tongue except for a few words.
It just adds to the sensation of isolation that has been my constant companion
for the last seven years.
Andrea is at the gate, her shotgun cocked on her shoulder as it always is, and
she talks quietly to Cass. I can't hear her from across the compound, even
though her scent tickles my nose and fills me with need. I'm still thinking
about the rough way I stroked my cock earlier, imagining my hand as hers,
and shift uncomfortably in my seat. I watch her even as the others move
about, watering plants, weeding, or just sitting in the afternoon sunshine with
their young. They are all happy and content, because the dragons are gone for
a few more days and they fancy themselves safe once more.
Andrea isn't happy, though. Even from here, her scent carries a sour tinge to
it, one of fear and worry. That makes my senses prick, and I remain utterly
attuned to her, watching from afar. She has been at the gate for most of the
day, but she will switch shifts with Luz soon. I know her schedule from many
days and nights of watching her closely. Soon she will be free, and then she
will go hunting for her brother.
My nose tells me he's not in the fort. Not any longer. I think Andrea knows
this, too, though she will not admit it to herself. She's stubborn like that. But
there are only so many places an adolescent boy can hide in the compound,
and his scent is on none of them. I've already looked.
Sure enough, the moment the sun begins to go down, Luz heads out for her
shift. She talks with Andrea for a moment, and then the two women switch
out. Andrea strides away from the gate, and there's no cocky, casual sway to
her hips today. Her movements are brisk, jerky, and stiff. I know she's
worried about her brother. Instead of heading toward the cafeteria to grab
herself her evening meal, she heads for Benny's quarters. I get up from my
spot and follow after her. The scents of human children are thick down this
hall, but Benny's scent is stale. I catch Andrea just as she's turning to head
toward the gym again—as if he'd somehow head there despite checking it
earlier—and match my longer strides to her shorter ones. "He's not in the fort,
Andrea. You know this."
"Benny wouldn't leave," she tells me tightly, refusing to look over at me. Her
hands smell like metal and wood, her shotgun in a holster over one shoulder.
"Not without talking to me first."
She's wrong, but I don't say that. "His scent is old down this hall."
She looks over at me, and then turns to go down another hall. Stubborn,
determined Andrea. Just being near her makes my dragon half stir. I remain
at her side, even when she heads down another hall and then checks inside
the room where Gwen keeps her birds. After another few minutes, she casts
an irritated look in my direction. "Why are you still here?"
"I'll help you look."
As she always does, she glances around to see if others are nearby before
giving me another look. "Why would I need your help?" The accusing note is
gone from her voice, but her scent is still filled with worry.
"Because dragons can smell things humans can't." I can smell you all through
the fort, and it makes me hungry to put my mouth on you. To lick all those
spots that smell so intoxicating, to bury myself in your perfumed heat.
"Oh." She chews on her lip, but when another human heads down the hall
with a stack of linens, she stiffens and takes an angry step back. "I don't need
your help."
"You do," I tell her, keeping the amusement in my voice.
She says nothing, her arms crossed over her chest, her body practically
bristling with anger and dislike. I don't get that from her scent, though. She
only acts standoffish and remote when other humans are around, so I assume
it's something I don't quite understand yet. There's a reason she doesn't like to
be seen with me. Is it because they know I am drakoni now? But the others
welcome Rast warmly, even if they are intimidated by him. Amy's presence
at his side and his utter devotion to her make it clear he is here to help.
Perhaps that is it. I don't have a mate to smooth things over for me. For a
moment, my skin itches fiercely, as if my scales want to burst through my
hide and make their presence known. I could shift to battle form, reclaim that
part of my mind that is completely shut down, and claim Andrea as mine…
But if she's not mine, I lose myself for good. I will be another monster in the
skies, empty of everything but anger and instinct and flame.
I can't take the risk. As much as I want Andrea, I don't know that I won't just
tear her in half the moment I shift forms.
Andrea smiles tightly at the woman watching us, silent, until the other
disappears down the hall. The moment the second female is gone, Andrea
moves to my side and touches my arm, her expression changing from intense
dislike to one of worry. "You can scent him?"
I arch an eyebrow at this sudden transformation, but I don't comment on it.
"Of course. If I'm familiar with the human, I can follow their scent trail all
over the fort. I could follow yours from many, many lengths away."
"Miles," she corrects absently. "Not lengths. Can you tell me where Benny's
been?"
"I can follow his scent," I offer, and put my hand on her elbow to steer her.
She hesitates, but then moves closer to me, and a predatory surge of pleasure
rushes through me at her nearness.
We move through the fort, heading down halls and going across the yard,
checking sheds and every possible nook and cranny that might hide a
fourteen-year-old boy. I'm not ashamed to admit that I choose certain paths
because I don't smell others nearby. I want to keep Andrea close to me, and if
that means taking winding paths instead of the straightest ones, I'll do so.
Even so, at the end of our search, there is still no Benny. His scent trail leads
to the edge of the tall chain-link fence that surrounds the fort and disappears
underneath it.
Andrea's full, pink mouth flattens with displeasure at the realization. "Why
would he leave the fort? It doesn't make sense. On a dragon attack day? Do
you think someone took him?"
"I don't smell anyone else. His scent is old enough that it's obvious he left
long before the dragons. Long before breakfast, I imagine." Humans carry the
scent of their food for hours sometimes. Benny likes sweet things with his
morning meal and sometimes smells like the sugary syrups he hoards away.
"That dumbass." She shakes her head and then lets out a huff. "He didn't talk
to me about this at all."
It takes me a moment to realize that she's hurt. She won't look over at me, but
her body is stiff and her mouth pulls down in a scowl. Her anger is to mask
her pain, because she doesn't want to show it to me. The protectiveness in me
rises, and it takes everything I have not to reach out and touch her to comfort
her.
"He is a boy. When I was his age, I did many stupid things," I admit.
She's quiet, her hands on her hips, and just stares at the hole in the fence for
so long that I start to wonder. Then, she swipes a hand over her eyes and I
realize she is making water with her face. Crying, they call it. She is upset.
“Andrea?” I ask, reaching out to her.
“I just…” She sniffs hard and then swipes at her face again. “I’m not crying.”
“You look as if you are,” I say, suspicious.
Andrea turns and glares at me. “I’m not.” And then she bursts into tears,
burying her face in her hands
I freeze in place, uncertain of how to act at her vulnerability. A drakoni
female would never show weakness before any male other than her mate, and
I know Andrea struggles not to show weakness before me. It’s clear she
doesn’t like this, but her emotions are spilling out of her. Her sadness tears at
me and I know I shouldn’t touch her, but I can’t help myself. I reach out and
pull her into my arms, stroking her hair. “Shhh,” I say, remembering how
other humans comfort one another. They tell each other not to cry, I think.
“Don’t cry.”
She hesitates for a moment and then buries her face against my chest, her
tears wetting the front of my shirt. Just like that, she is in my arms, her scent
enveloping me, and my thoughts blaze into lust. I bite back a groan, ignoring
the fire burning through me at her touch. She is sad and miserable, and she
cannot be mine. I should not be thinking about how hard my cock is at her
nearness, or the smell of her hair or the way the loose strands brush against
my skin.
I should leave this place, I think with agony. Being near Andrea is too much.
Her touch makes me hunger for things I can’t have, and it’s going to break
me.
“He’s all I have,” Andrea sobs against my chest, her fists curled in my
clothing. “He’s only fourteen. Why would he leave here and not say anything
to me?”
I stroke her hair and fight back the urge to bury my face in it and breathe in
her scent. She needs comforting, not lust. “He was afraid of what you would
say,” I guess. “Your brother does not like to be told what to do.” He’s like her
in that way.
“That little shit,” she weeps. “He’s going to get himself killed.”
“Benny is clever,” I reassure her. “He won’t do anything foolish. He knows
how to take care of himself.”
She’s silent for a moment, and I wonder if I said the wrong thing. Sometimes
it’s hard to tell with humans, but I thought I knew her better. Her shoulders
shake with her tears and she clings to me as a new round of tears hits her.
“Why does everyone leave me?”
That splinters me. Her sadness tears at my spirit, and I know that no matter
how torturous my need for her becomes, I won’t leave her side. Ever.
Andrea needs me.
“I’m here,” I tell her, stroking her braid and holding her close, my arm over
her shoulders. I press my mouth to her smooth human brow, determined to
hold her for as long as she needs. Another scent touches the air and I glance
over her head to see one of the females walking, a basket on her hip. She
glances at us and then quickly hurries on. Something tells me that Andrea
won’t like that—she doesn’t like others to see her making water from her
eyes. “Whatever you need,” I murmur, holding her close. “I’m here.”
 4

ANDI

T o think I wanted to murder Benny for stealing my socks this

morning. Right now, I’d give just about anything to see his
face pop up on the other side of the fence. He could have a truckload of
crusty socks in his arms and I wouldn’t care. I just want my brother back. I
want to see his lanky body, his slightly-too-long sandy hair, and the chipped
tooth that flashes when he smiles.
I might never see him again, though, because he ran away from home.
I sob into Liam’s shirt for a moment longer, giving in to a bout of pity, and
then swipe my hand under my running nose and pull away before I get snot
all over him. I am not a cute weeper, and he’s the sexiest man I’ve ever seen.
Of course I’d get all gross and disgusting in front of him. “Sorry,” I mutter,
trying to compose myself.
To my surprise, his eyes are practically black, the gold in them whirling a
deep, dark shade. “I don’t like seeing you upset, Andrea.” For a moment, he
doesn’t look like slouchy, casual Liam. He looks infinitely more…dangerous.
For a moment, he looks like Rast—completely, wholly dragon. Inhuman.
It makes me feel…strange. I wonder how much of the Liam I see is the real
Liam and how much is pretend.
Flustered, I pull away, grateful that it’s near dark and no one will be on this
end of the compound. The last thing I need is for someone to see me weeping
all over Liam’s brawny chest and then the rumor mill will definitely start
flying then. “Okay, think, Andi,” I murmur to myself as I dry my face with
shaking hands. “Where would Benny go? Where does a fourteen-year-old
boy want to be more than here?”
“With other men,” Liam says suddenly.
“What?” I run my hand over my braid, distracted. “What other men?”
He shrugs, and with that small movement, he looks almost completely human
again, so much so that I wonder if I imagined his momentary wildness.
“When I was a boy his age, I ran away from my parents’ nest to join a
warriors’ camp. I wanted to learn how to fight so I could provide better for
my family, or so I said. The truth was that my father was dead and I was
hungry to be around other males, not my mother and my sisters. Could it be
the same for him?”
I think, tugging on my braid as I begin to pace. I try to think like Benny, try
to think of all the snatches of conversation I had with my brother over the last
while. We’ve bickered, but lately, all Benny and I do is bicker, and I feel a
lump of remorse in my throat at the thought. Benny wanted to move into his
own room because he said little Lucas was a baby and needed a glow-in-the-
dark toy to cuddle at night. He said the other kids peed in the bed and he was
too old to be with them. I told him no, because as the only teenage boy in our
little fort, there’s no good place for him yet. We’d have to set up an entirely
new room for him, and given that all the women have to share, it wouldn’t
have been right. We’d argued over that.
Then there was the time that a couple of nomad men passed through and
Benny asked them a million questions. Did he follow them? I think of the
men, greasy and missing teeth, who leered at all the women and were asked
to quickly move along. That was months ago. Surely not? He didn’t seem to
like them any more than we did.
With a pang, I think of just the other day. “You think there are a lot more
kids my age in other forts?” Benny’d asked me.
“We’re not going back to Fort Tulsa,” I’d snapped at him. I still have
nightmares of that place. I was in the middle of cleaning my shotgun and
doing inventory on bullets, and I wasn’t paying much attention to him.
“Not Fort Tulsa, dummy,” he’d said. “Other forts. This place is a fucking
dump and it’s full of old ladies. I don’t have any friends here.”
“You have Lucas,” I’d told him.
“Fuck Lucas.”
“Quit fucking cussing! You’re not old enough for that!”
He’d ignored that and reached for my shotgun. “Will you show me how to
shoot? You said you would when I was older.”
But we were low on bullets, and some were missing. Thievery’s bad enough,
but I was also distracted with the fact that Gwen had left recently and sent
back ominous reports of bad news on the horizon, and for us to be careful. So
when he reached for my shotgun, I slapped his hand away.
“Fuck you, Andi,” he’d said and stormed away.
He’d been calm later that day, and I’d ruffled his hair and apologized and
didn’t think anything else of it.
Maybe I should have.
“I think I’m a bad sister,” I whisper to Liam, and new tears threaten, but I
blink them back. “I think he’s been unhappy here for a while.”
Liam shakes his head, and his expression is fierce. “You’re just busy. Don’t
blame yourself.”
I’m Benny’s family, though. I’m his mom, his sister, and his guardian all
wrapped up in one. I should have been listening. I should have been more
careful of his feelings, realizing that he’s been acting out because he’s
desperately lonely and unhappy. All those little fires he’s set? All the stuff
he’s stolen around the fort and pissed people off? The extra helpings of food?
The missing bullets? My stolen socks? That wasn’t him being a shitty
teenager, that was him screaming for attention.
He’s been planning on leaving for a while now, I realize, and it’s like a knife
in my gut.
“He went to find another fort,” I say, and I feel broken inside. I thought we
were family. That we’d always be together. “He went to find a place to live
without me.”
“He’s a boy at a tough age,” Liam says, his eyes whirling that intense, darker
shade again. “He’s just looking for a…” He pauses, searching his thoughts. “I
don’t know the human word. A…face? A name? That’s not right.”
“Identity?” I suggest.
Liam nods, a rueful smile tugging his gorgeous mouth. “Now you see why I
don’t talk much. Your language has too many words.”
“You talk fine,” I say absently and rub my arms, thinking. “And Benny’s
probably gone off to find another fort. Maybe Fort Dallas? The one Amy
came from? There’s been a lot of talk about it lately…none of it good. Damn
it, Benny.” He doesn’t know all the terrible things that have been coming out
of there, or some of the more unsavory elements that float out of the nearby
forts and make their way here. I’ve shielded him from the worst, protected
him from things that I thought might frighten him…and now I wish I hadn’t.
If he knew just how bad things are outside of this fort, he’d never leave.
Despair hits me. This is my fault. I haven’t done enough to prepare him, to
make him realize how good we have it here. Benny’s so young. Even though
he thinks he’s an adult, he’s just a kid, and I failed to protect him. I can’t let
him just go, either.
I have to go after him. If nothing else, I have to make sure that he’s safe, even
if he won’t come back to this fort with me. The terrible thing is that I do
understand why Benny hates it here. I get why he ran away. He’s lonely and
he feels like he doesn’t belong, even surrounded by people.
I’ve been there.
But I’m still his big sister, and I’m still going to protect him even if he
doesn’t want my help. “You’re positive he’s not in the fort?” I ask Liam
again, though I’ve already looked in all the normal hiding spots. When he
nods, I push back my fear and give a determined nod. “All right. I’ll talk to
Amy and Rast. They can help me go looking for him.”
“I’ll go with you,” Liam says, and puts a hand on the small of my back when
I turn.
“It’s not necessary,” I begin.
“I’m going anyway.”
I don’t argue it further. Part of me’s glad that I won’t be facing them entirely
alone. Not that Amy’s scary. As for Rast, he won’t acknowledge anyone if
Amy’s not around. It’s like we don’t exist to him unless she’s interacting
with us. But talking alone with Amy is…weird. Rast never leaves her side, so
you’re not really alone with her. And there’s always this heavy, almost
oppressive feeling in the air when I’m around them. I know they’re talking in
their heads. It makes me feel like they’re talking about me behind my back.
I’m paranoid, maybe.
I head through the fort, and when I start to turn toward Amy and Rast’s
quarters, Liam shakes his head and gently steers me towards the kitchens. I
bite back a groan of dismay because that’s the one place where no one is ever
alone, and that means we’re going to run into others…and Liam has a hand
on my back, near my waist. I sidestep away, trying to slink out of his grip,
but he just moves closer.
Dammit. “Please don’t touch me,” I tell him again, before we go through the
cafeteria doors. I shrug away from his touch and avoid looking at him. I don’t
want to see the hurt on his face.
But Liam only laughs as if I amuse him. “Very well.”
I push inside, and sure enough, several people look up. I freaking knew it.
This fort runs on tomatoes and freaking gossip. Miranda—one of the
gardeners and who’s sisters with the cook Retha—smirks as Liam follows me
inside. She’s sitting by one of the oil lamps, working on knitting, two playing
toddlers at her feet. There’s a few other people scattered in the cafeteria, and
in the corner, I see a naked Rast’s golden backside as he stands next to a
petite blonde woman in a long dress, and I head in that direction.
Amy and Rast are an odd pair in my eyes, but I’m insanely jealous of the
both of them, because they’re so giddily happy together. I didn’t think
happiness was possible in the After. You could be content and safe, but
happy? Fuck happy. It went out the door the moment civilization did. But as
we approach, Amy laughs, and the sound is a delighted trill of joy. Rast turns
to look at her, and the utter contentment on his face makes me ache inside.
He loves her so damn much.
I want someone to love me like that. To look at me as if I’m their whole
world, as if I bring the sunshine each day. God, wouldn’t that be amazing?
It’s how Rast looks at delicate little Amy, and it’s how Vaan looks at my best
friend, Gwen. Dragons, when they fall for a human woman, fall hard and fall
fast, and it’s obvious to anyone that meets them that their world has narrowed
down to one person and one person alone.
Of course, that’s only the dragons that are mated. The wild, crazy ones are
still attacking the last bits of humanity that are left, trying to destroy us.
It’s a weird time to be alive.
Amy doesn’t look like she’d be the leader of anything, much less an entire
fort. My friend Gwen is tall, lean, and has a strong look to her lovely face,
like she was born to shoulder your burdens and help you out. Amy is small
and delicate and walks with a heavy limp. She wears colorful, flowing
dresses, loves jewelry, and does pretty things with her long, silky blonde hair.
She’s girly and sweet and seems younger than I am, though I guess we’re
about the same age. It’s funny to me because she’s embraced her utter
femininity and here I am always trying to chase mine away. I wear jeans and
men’s T-shirts, keep my snarled hair in a braid, and walk around with a
shotgun instead of a handbag. Ever since we left Fort Tulsa, I’ve been
working hard at being seen as capable and hard. Fierce. Takes no shit.
This might also be why I’m lonely.
Oh well. You take the path given to you and all that.
“Amy?” I call out as we approach.
Rast is the first one to turn, moving closer to his mate. He’s got the same
golden skin that Liam does, but the dragon heritage is far more evident on
him than on Liam, who does his best to hide it. The spines on his arms flex as
he turns, as if bristling to protect his mate. His claws are unshorn and
wickedly long, making his big hands look deadly. His skin is a darker shade
of gold than Liam’s paler one, and the dappled scale pattern is that much
more evident against his muscles. His riot of thick gold hair cascades down
his back in a tangled mess, and his eyes whirl dark as he glares at us.
But when Amy turns, she beams happily and touches Rast’s arm. “Hi Andi.”
I smile back, even though I want to hate her for taking over Gwen’s job. I
love Gwen. I’m fiercely loyal to her. But…it’s impossible not to like Amy.
It’s obvious she went out in the Scavenge Lands—what we call the barren,
uninhabited parts of the old cities—because she’s got fresh flowers twined in
her hair and looks like a princess. Her eyes are bright with enthusiasm, and
she holds a clipboard to her chest, an old ballpoint pen in her hand.
“Do you have a moment?” I ask, glancing uneasily at Rast. Cass is also
nearby, a tight look on her face. Her gaze flicks to Liam, who moves to my
side and puts his hand on the small of my back again, and I want to scream in
frustration when he does. I say nothing, though, trying to keep as neutral an
expression as possible.
“Of course.” She glances at Cass. “I’ll get with you in the morning, all
right?”
Cass nods, gives me a speculative look, and then saunters away. I’m sure I’ll
hear all kinds of shit about this the next time we’re on gate duty together, but
I don’t care. Right now Benny’s my number one concern.
I wait until Cass is gone, watching her leave out of the corner of my eye.
“Thanks,” I begin, and then pause because Amy’s cheeks are flushed and she
has a funny look on her face. It takes a moment, and then I see why. Rast has
moved even closer to her and he’s idly playing with a piece of her hair,
wrapping it around one finger and then rubbing the strands. It’s obvious from
the look on Amy’s face and the subtle way she’s leaning toward him that
she’s very aware of that small touch, too, and I’m hit with another wave of
envy.
“What’s up?” Amy asks, and her voice is steady as she hugs the clipboard to
her chest.
“Benny’s missing.” Just saying it aloud fills me with grief, because admitting
it makes it real. “I think he left in the middle of the night to go and find
another fort. Maybe even Fort Dallas.”
“Oh no,” Amy breathes, and reaches out to touch my arm. “Are you okay?”
Her sympathetic expression just makes things worse. The tears I’ve been
struggling to hold back all day threaten once more, so I lock my jaw and nod.
When I can speak, I tell her everything I know, everywhere we’ve checked,
and how Liam found his scent trail.
She looks unhappy. “That hole in the fence is going to be a problem. I want
to repair it, but we can’t while he’s gone in case he tries to sneak back in.”
I nod miserably. “I need you and Rast to go and hunt him down.”
“Of course.”
Rast growls low in his throat, and Amy shoots him a glance, frowning.
“What? What is it?” I ask, curious.
She glances between me and her dragon. “He’s just…not happy with my
decision. But I know what it’s like to worry over a sibling.” She smiles
sympathetically at me.
“Why is that a problem?” I can practically feel myself bristling. Why doesn’t
Rast want to go rescue my brother? What’s he got against Benny?
“Oh.” Amy hesitates, then continues. “You know how we’re running low on
supplies.” Her voice drops lower. “We found an old feed store that hasn’t
been ransacked. There are bags and bags of dried corn and seeds and tons of
things we can use, but it’s also in the path of a group of nomads heading
down the highway in that direction. We’re going back tonight to grab what
we can, but we need as much time as possible to clean the place out. But
Benny comes first,” she continues, rushing on. “Don’t think he doesn’t. We’ll
figure it out.”
Fuck. “A food supply store? Dried corn?”
“Enough to last us all winter, I think,” Amy says, and bites her lip. “We’d be
set for the spring, too.”
I can’t ask them to jeopardize everyone at the fort for Benny being a dick and
running off. I let out a frustrated breath. I know how important—and rare—a
find like that is. Having Amy and Rast able to find stuff like that is what
keeps everyone fed and safe. “You guys clean out the feed store,” I tell her,
because I know the safety of forty-odd lives comes before one.
“Can you wait a day?” she asks, clasping her hands. “The world out there can
be pretty intimidating. Maybe he’ll come back on his own?”
“Maybe. I can wait, though.” It’ll kill me, but I can wait.

T HAT NIGHT , I’m unable to sleep. I can’t stop worrying about Benny. It’s a
quiet night, with the air crisp and cool, and it’s stuffy inside my quiet, lonely
room. I put on a pair of battered sneakers and sleep pants under my
nightgown, and then head out to the roof of the gymnasium. I like to come
here at night sometimes, when the stars are out, and daydream.
Silly, I know, but the open sky and cool breeze help me think when my brain
feels all bottled up. So I climb up the ladder, find my favorite spot on the
roof, and lie back and gaze up at the stars. They’re incredible now that
electricity is more or less a thing of the past. Swirls of galaxies meet my eyes,
the night sky smeared with pinks and purples and the endless scatter of stars.
In one corner of the darkness, the sky pulses like an open wound, shot
through with a sickly green. The Rift. Even here, it seems, dragons and their
kind are going to destroy my peace of mind.
“Can I join you?”
I jump, startled. My skin prickles and I sit up, rubbing my bare arms. I didn’t
know that anyone else was aware I went up here. I guess it makes sense that
Liam could find me—he could follow my scent—but it’s still surprising to
see him poke his head over the edge of the building and then climb up,
glancing around. He wears nothing but a pair of sweatpants, as if he’s doing
as little as possible to cover his body. I think of Rast and his constant nudity
and blush, imagining Liam just as naked. “You’re here, aren’t you?” I say
tartly. There’s something about Liam that makes me respond with sass.
He just grins and jogs over to my side. His feet are bare, just like his chest,
and his lack of clothing makes me feel a little vulnerable. I wasn’t expecting
to see anyone, so I’m not wearing a bra under my spaghetti-strapped
nightgown and my nipples are hard against the fabric. I cross my arms and
hike up my legs, resting my arms on my knees as he comes to sit next to me.
He doesn’t say anything, just gazes up at the stars and the night sky. I peek
over at him, and his small horns at his temples stick out against his golden
hair, obvious without his characteristic baseball hat on.
When he remains silent, I decide to speak up. “Why are you up here?”
“You seemed unhappy at waiting overnight to see if Benny returns, so when I
heard you get up, I thought I’d join you.” Liam looks over at me, his strange
dragon eyes meeting mine. “He’ll come back. And if he doesn’t, we’ll find
him. Don’t worry.”
“We?”
“You.” He grins at me, not irritated by my prickliness at all. Instead, he’s
gazing at my arm, at the big black tattoo I got just before leaving Fort Tulsa. I
got it because I wanted to look tougher, but now it just irks me. Just one of
many stupid decisions I made when I was younger that I now regret.
I rub my arm and hide it from his gaze. “I appreciate the vote of confidence,
but I won’t relax until Benny’s safe behind these walls again.”
“You’ll find him,” Liam says again, all confidence. He lies back to look up at
the stars, resting the back of his head on his laced fingers.
He looks so relaxed that I suddenly feel like I’m being overly nervous and
stiff. I lie back, too, pretending to look at the stars, but I’m really utterly
focused on him at my side. “It’s just hard,” I say after a moment. “He’s the
only person I have left.”
“You have me,” Liam says simply.
“I’m an asshole to you.”
He laughs, the sound utterly delighted. “Is that what it is? Do you not like
me, then? I thought we were acknowledging our attraction to each other and
fighting it.”
I can feel my face grow hot in the darkness. “Is that what we’re doing?” I
manage to choke out. “Angry flirting?”
He rolls over onto his side and faces me, propping up his head with one big
hand, and for a moment, it feels like we’re in bed together. My body reacts
accordingly - I flush with heat and my nipples get even harder. “You do
know that when a drakoni female is interested, she challenges the male?”
“So basically I’m turning you on?”
“You are,” he agrees in that low, sexy voice that makes me skittish and
heated all at once. “I’ve been waiting for you to say something to me. To
acknowledge that there’s a connection between us. But if you want to, we can
pretend to keep going as we are.”
The breath catches in my throat as I watch him. How is this ungodly
handsome man confessing his interest in me? I’m storky, bland Andi who’s
too boring for dragons to notice…but here Liam is, devouring me with his
eyes and encouraging my sass because it turns him on. “What…” I lick my
lips, nervous. “What do I do if maybe I’m not interested in turning you on?”
It’s been so long since I’ve flirted that I know I’m bad at it. My words are
cautious, but I turn toward him, my arm under my breasts to plump them and
show him through body language that despite what I’m saying, I am
interested. “Maybe I’d rather let you suffer?”
He cocks an eyebrow at me. “It’s probably for the best.”
It is? That’s not what I expected to hear. Suddenly uncertain, I roll on my
back again and gaze up at the sky. I shouldn’t be up here flirting with Liam
anyhow. I should be out there in the streets, hunting down my brother. Hot
tears threaten to flood my eyes and I focus intently on the stars above, willing
myself not to cry.
To my surprise, big, warm fingers brush my cheek. I’m startled at the touch
and turn to look over at Liam. There’s an intense look on his face that makes
me inwardly squirm, and I wonder if he’s going to kiss me.
But all he says is, “I’m with you, Andrea. Together, we’ll find Benny. I won’t
let you go after him alone.”
“I appreciate the offer,” I tell him, my throat achingly tight. “But you don’t
have to promise anything.”
“I don’t,” he agrees. “But for you, I will. When I say this, I don’t say it
lightly. I will always be there for you. It doesn’t matter if you hate me, or if
you can’t stand the sight of another dragon and want nothing to do with me.
But know that I will always watch over you and protect you.”
He’s going to kiss me, I think with wonder, and my tears dry up. I watch him,
breathless.
Waiting.
And…waiting.
But Liam only caresses my cheek, and then gets to his feet, heading back
across the roof toward the ladder as if he’s got somewhere to be.
I just watch him leave, utterly confused. Was that…flirting? Or something
more?

LIAM
I shouldn’t have touched Andrea.
I can’t have her.
But I did touch her. And I want her so badly that my cock is an aching length
of granite in my hated human pants. So I head back to my room, determined
to relieve my need so I don’t return to the roof and do more than just touch
her cheek.
I can’t have her.
I can’t.
 5

ANDI

B y sundown the next night, Benny still hasn’t returned, and when I
go back to Amy to point this out, Liam’s at my side again. Amy’s
filthy and exhausted from a day of hauling supplies, and she admits to me
that they didn’t get nearly as much as they could have. There’s more to
retrieve, which means another day of delays.
That’s fine. It doesn’t mean I’m going to stick around, though. “I’m not
waiting any longer,” I tell her, my voice as gentle as I can make it. It’s not her
fault my little brother’s a shit. “Benny’s my brother. I know you guys are
busy, so I’m going to go after him and hopefully I can find him before he gets
into trouble.”
“Oh, Andi,” Amy says, shaking her head. “I don’t know if that’s a good
idea.”
“I would feel horribly guilty if everyone starved because we were going out
looking for Benny instead of getting supplies,” I tell her. “It’s fine. Timing’s
important and I know this area. I can go after him. I’ve got weapons and I
know how to take care of myself. If it’s all right, I’ll take a little bit of food
with me and be out the door tonight—”
“And I will be with you,” Liam adds in smoothly.
I’m startled to hear Liam’s voice. I’d nearly forgotten he’s in the room with
us, he was so quiet as I argued with Amy. Of course, that’s part of his
survival tactic, isn’t it? To be so unobtrusive that others forget that he’s
there? His face is neutral, but he steps forward and puts a firm hand at the
small of my back again, as if it’s all settled.
“So you’ll go together?” Amy asks, clearly relieved.
That “together” word makes me panic. I think of last night on the roof and
how confused it left me. It’s probably better if Liam stays here so I can sort
my thoughts about him. “No. I’m going by myself.” I turn and glare at Liam,
who just gives me that lazy grin as if to laugh at my ferocity.
Amy speaks again. “I’d rather you go with someone, Andi.”
“And you need me,” Liam says.
This time I give him a full-bore scowl. “Why do you think I need you? I’m
hunting down a fourteen-year-old.”
“Because he’s good at fooling you,” Liam says bluntly. “You think he won’t
know you’re coming after him? He’ll try to hide from you, and he’ll succeed
because he’s small and sly and you’re desperate to have him back.”
I hate that word, desperate. I also hate it because it feels far too close to how I
feel. “So I’ll see if one of the other girls wants to go with me—”
Liam shakes his head and the hand on the small of my back feels firmer,
more possessive. “I can scent him, Andrea. I can follow him better than
anyone else at this fort except for Rast.”
“He’s got a point—” Amy begins.
“And I can protect you.” Liam’s eyes are whirling darker, the gold in them
almost turning to rust with all the shadows seeping in. “From dragons, and
from other males that might find you alone.”
“Men,” I correct absently, and I shake my head. “You said you can’t switch
forms and your mental speech is cut off. How can you protect me from
dragons?”
“Because I still think like them,” he says. “Are you done with excuses, or do
you want to find your brother?” His gaze is piercing.
I hate that he sees through me so easily. I want to find Benny, but I know if I
leave this fort with just Liam, the gossip is going to go wild. But…I don’t
have any other choice. “I’m leaving in fifteen minutes,” I tell him bluntly.
“You’d better be fucking ready.”
And Liam smiles, all slow pleasure, and I feel both pleased and desperate at
the same time.
This is going to be trouble, I know it…but what can I do?

LIAM
I watch as Andrea storms out of the room, her rounded backside bouncing
with the force of her boots stomping as she leaves. Her frustration is adorably
amusing, as if she can somehow show her anger with enough noise that I will
somehow change my mind.
The poor human doesn’t know me very well then, because when it comes to
her? I’m not changing my mind. And I’m not going to let her wander into
danger alone, not when I can protect her and keep her safe. It’s true that I
can’t do much against a drakoni in full battle form, not when I’m in my two-
legged form…but it’s not the drakoni I’m worried about if she strikes out on
her own. There’s far too many unscrupulous humans outside of the safety of
the forts, and Andrea is young and lovely and sometimes far too trusting.
So no, I won’t let her go alone. Even if she refused to let me accompany her,
I’d still find a way to follow behind, keep her safe. I’d stick to the shadows
and trail her just so she’d have someone at her back. This may be her world,
but I’ve had a lot more experience moving from human settlement to human
settlement. I know what it’s like out there. For all that Andrea is capable and
strong, she’s only been in two forts.
She doesn’t know how desperate some of the nomads out there can get.
I don’t understand why she doesn’t want my help, though. She took it
yesterday and seemed grateful. But now the thought of traveling with me
bothers her? I can’t figure her out.
I glance over at Amy and Rast. “Is there something else going on that I’m not
aware of?”
“With Andi?” Amy’s eyes go wide. “Not that I’m aware of. Why?”
I shake my head, my hands on my hips. “It’s nothing.” Perhaps her brother’s
disappearance is making her mood veer wildly, from anger to frustration to
tears and then back to anger again. Who knows. “She just seems strange
lately.”
“There have been a lot of changes here,” Amy admits, her fingers moving to
Rast’s arm, and then she links her hands in the crook of his elbow, leaning
against him. “Not everyone likes change. She’s had a lot shift around in the
last few months. With Gwen leaving…maybe she feels Benny’s all that she
has left.”
She has me, I want to say, but I don’t. I can’t claim her. Not as I am. “That
must be it.” I give them a casual smile, no teeth showing, like I would to any
other human to put them at ease. “Guess I’d better pack since she wants to
leave right away.”
“If you need something, speak up and we’ll give it to you. Weapons? Food?”
I shake my head. “I have weapons and I won’t take food from the fort.
Andrea has supplies for herself and I can find enough to eat on scent alone.”
She tilts her head and is quiet, then glances over at Rast and nods. “Of
course. Keep her safe for us, Liam. And if things get too dangerous or too
awful, you can always reach out to Rast…” Amy lets the words trail off,
because we both know that situation would be life or death. I can’t reach out
to Rast, not mentally. I cut that part of my life out as self-preservation the
moment I realized what was happening to my people on this side of the Rift.
For me to activate that part of my spirit again, I’d have to shift to battle form,
to reclaim my drakoni side. And if I do, I will go mad.
But if things get too bad and Andrea is in danger…I nod and murmur a
human-sounding goodbye, and then head for my quarters. They’re not truly
my quarters, of course. It’s the room that all the “visitors” to the fort stay in.
There just haven’t been any visitors other than me recently except for Amy
and Rast, and they’ve already been accepted into the fold here. I’m still an
outsider. No one will miss me if I don’t come back with Andrea.
I wonder if she’ll miss me? I like to think so. I think of how when she was
upset earlier and her eyes made the water called “tears” that she turned to me
and held onto me. It fills me with pleasure, and I hold onto that thought as I
go to my room and pack up my belongings. I don’t have much. I don’t need
much, truly. A change of clothing, another pair of boots, a handful of
weapons, and a plastic waterskin for traveling. Everything else I can get from
the land. Even in my two-legged form, I’m fast enough to catch small
game…well, provided I strip off all of these ridiculous human trappings.
Maybe Andrea won’t mind if I do so away from the fort.
I like the thought.
I sling my bag over my shoulder, make my bed, and then close the door to the
room behind me. I step into the hall and close my eyes, sifting through the
scents in the fort. They’re heavy and thick with the varying smells of humans
and their trappings, along with the scents of the cookfires, the nearby plants,
and various foodstuffs. One of the most overwhelming things about humans
is their scent, and how they seem oblivious to the fact that so many different
smells clash together. Their sense of smell isn’t as keen as a drakoni’s and as
a result, they tend to add more scents to all of their things. They add flower
scents to their clothing when they clean them, or spray themselves with new
scents to cover the musk of their bodies. They put things in their hair and on
their skin—they even add scents to the candles. It all gets overwhelming fast,
and I can only imagine how it must feel to Rast. A drakoni uses two senses
more than anything else—smell and spirit-sense—and they often combine
together, letting emotions tinge people’s natural scents. The stink of
humanity and their thoughts pressing in? No wonder my people are insane.
But as I filter through the scents, I find Andrea’s amidst all the chaos. Her
scent is light and musky, carrying a hint of sweat and her natural sweetness.
Just breathing her in makes my mouth water and my cock harden, and I open
my eyes, following it. As I do, I can’t help but grin. As I follow the teasing
notes of her trail, it becomes obvious that Andrea isn’t waiting inside the fort
for me—she’s already headed to the gates.
Impatient, bold and determined. What a female.
Grinning to myself, I follow. I pass through the double metal doors and out
into the asphalt courtyard. Andrea is there, waiting by the chain-link fence
near the gate, an equally small pack on her shoulder, her shotgun tucked
under one arm, and a scowl on her face. She looks utterly mutinous and so I
grin even wider.
“Thank you for waiting for me,” I tease.
Andrea just narrows her eyes at me. “You ready?”
I nod. Of course I’m ready. For all that humans love to have a lot of
possessions, I don’t really need much at all. Even the clothing I took with me
was just more of my disguise—I learned that humans expect you to change
your clothing every so often and if you don’t, they get suspicious. Their lives
would be so much easier without clothing, but they’re also a more fragile
people than the drakoni, so the clothing is probably needed.
On me, though, it’s just a damned nuisance.
But I keep a smile on my face just to infuriate Andrea, and gesture that she
should lead the way.
With a tight nod, she surges forward, heading for the gates. There’s no time
to watch the cocky little shake of her bottom, because I need to move in step
with her. I follow behind closely and nod at the two females guarding the
gate as we leave. They watch us curiously, and I notice that Andrea doesn’t
look at them as we walk past. Her shoulders are stiff, her body speaking of
pent-up emotions. Curious, I let her take the lead. This doesn’t feel like anger
toward me or worry for her brother. It’s something else and I can’t tell what it
is. It bothers me, and I clench a fist at my side because the urge to send a
mental feeler out to Andrea is overwhelming.
I cannot. I cannot.
My skin itches with the need to shift, to transform to battle form, to take claw
and scale as my own once more.
It will be a death sentence, though. I shudder and compose myself, forcing
such thoughts out of my mind. Why am I struggling so greatly with this now?
I have been able to keep myself under control for years, but in the space of a
few weeks, I find that control slipping. I know why, though. The why walks a
few brisk paces ahead of me, her thick blonde braid bouncing on her
shoulders, her hips swaying.
Being around her is tearing at my willpower.
And even though I should leave, I jog a few steps closer, just because.
The fort itself is a large building surrounded by long lengths of pavement.
Parking lots, Andrea called them. The compound is heavily fenced off, and
on the other side of the fence where we now walk, there are more streets and
more asphalt, but here the plants are taking over once more. Weeds poke up
between cracks, and grasses snake across broken curbs and force the road up
in sections, making it uneven walking. Dead leaves and debris from seasons
past crunch under our feet, and all around us are smaller empty buildings,
half collapsed. Houses, back when humans used to live in individual homes
and not a big community one. We head down the street, walking past metal
hulks of old cars and destroyed remnants of old human life, and Andrea is
silent. I wonder if she plans on being silent this entire way, just to punish me
for insisting that I come with her.
But we turn down another street and then the fort is out of sight. The moment
it’s gone, Andrea turns to me. Her eyes are full of pain and sadness, and her
pink mouth trembles in the shadows of oncoming night. “Can you find his
scent, please?”
“Of course,” I murmur, my hands itching with the need to caress her, to touch
her, to reassure her that I am here, that we will find him. I do none of these
things, though. She confuses me and until I can understand her…well, it does
not matter. I can never claim her, no matter how badly I might wish to.
Irritated at my own thoughts, I drop to my knees and study the ground in
front of me. I pretend to be looking for signs of Benny’s crossing this way,
but the truth is that I don’t need to look at anything. I can smell him all over
the place. He smells like sweaty young human, the corn cakes that make up
so much of the diet of the fort people…and something else. Something that
makes my nose twitch and my eyes water. A scent-disguiser, then. If I were
in battle form and half mad with the world around me, I wouldn’t be able to
pick him out. As it is, I recognize what he’s doing and applaud him for the
cleverness of it.
He doesn’t want to be found, and he knows Andrea will be coming after him.
That concerns me a little. I like Benny as a person—he’s bright and
inquisitive, even if he’s a bit wild. He’s young and wants to see the world,
and he’s tired of being confined to one space. I know how that is, because I
know how I was at his age. But if I have to choose between his happiness and
Andrea’s? I’m picking hers. No question.
I don’t want her to know the lengths her brother has gone to hide his trail,
though. “He went this way,” I say, straightening.
“He did?” There’s a fragile wobble in her voice that guts me.
“He did. Let’s go.” When I put a hand on her back, she doesn’t pull away like
she did back at the fort. Interesting.
We walk, moving up the abandoned streets and past the rows of empty,
abandoned houses.
 6

LIAM

I eye the dwellings as we walk, trying to imagine the world before

this, with people lined up in rows, stinking up their homes with as
many scents as they can pile on, with layers and layers of their confining
clothing. I imagine a male so dressed in layers that his arms puff out from his
sides as if he's completely rounded, and I snort with amusement.
"What is it?" Andrea asks at my side.
"Just thinking about how humans used to live," I say. "I cannot picture it."
"It was wonderful," she says, her tone wistful. "I was safe and warm and had
lots of friends. My father was an insurance salesman and Mom was a teacher.
We lived in a little house with a great yard and a dog, and every Christmas
there were tons of presents under the tree. There were lights on inside the
house and you could flip a switch and watch a TV show or talk to people on
the internet from all over the world."
I grunt. "Why would you want to talk to people from all over the world?"
"I don't know. It was just that you could." Her expression gets dreamy. "You
know what was the best, though?"
"What?"
"Refrigerators. I would open the fridge and there would be tons of food in
there, kept cold and ready to eat. You never had to hunt for anything. You
could just open the box and there it was. And meat? It would last for a week
without turning smelly or going bad."
"You're lying," I tell her with amusement. A magic box that kept food cold
and unspoiled? No such thing.
"And bread," she says. "I really miss bread. The corn cakes don't cut it, but
the first thing that went down were supply lines. The grocery stores didn't
have anything within a matter of days and then people just started starving.
But…before?" She sighs. "Before was magical."
I still think she's telling tales. "You never had to hunt? Not once?"
"No. I went to a building like the fort and they taught me lessons all day long.
How to read and write and do math. When I grew up, I'd have to get a job,
but the only thing children were required to do was school lessons."
I think of the young back in the fort, who help their mothers with the chores
and who water the plants and pull weeds, who duck into the henhouse and get
eggs from the chickens and change the straw. Even the youngest have their
own tasks. "It sounds odd to me."
"I guess your world wasn't much like that?"
"Mine? No. Not like that at all." We walk as we talk, leaving the edge of the
houses behind and moving to a long expanse of broken road lined with cars.
A highway, I think they are called. Benny's trail—and whatever he rubbed
himself in—continues this way, so I guide Andrea along in the darkness. "My
home was…very different. My people —the free ones anyhow—lived in the
deserts and hunted their food. We did not read or write like humans do. We
lived in aeries—those are caves high in the cliffs—and fashioned our homes
from those. We had some things like your people, like the bowls and such,
but no clothing, no chickens, no strange buildings with water inside them."
Those are Salorian things and for the longest time, I worried the humans were
just as evil as them.
"So you guys were, what, living off the grid? Or just more primitive?"
"I don't like the word ‘primitive,’" I tell her. "It sounds like we were dumb
and stupid. We weren't. It was just a much simpler way of life, provided you
could stay out of the Salorian grasp."
"Those are the bad guys, right? Did they steal you from your home?"
"Something like that," I say, keeping my answer vague. I don't like thinking
about Salorians, because it reminds me that I was captured and held and
tortured before the Rift opened up. It reminds me that I’m the only sane one
of my people because I’d learned to wall off my mental connection and sever
myself from the psychic touch that my people used as easily as breathing.
Instead, I change the subject. "What have I done to offend you, Andrea?"
The moonlight shines down on her pale hair as she turns to look at me. She's
different in coloring than drakoni. Her hair isn't the rich gold of my people
but a yellow so light it is almost white. Her face, in contrast, is a warm
golden shade from being out in the sunshine, with hints of speckles on her
cheeks. Freckles, I have heard them called. No, she doesn't look much like a
drakoni woman with her flame-red coloring and vivid hair like fire, but I like
the way Andrea looks.
"Offend me?" she says, her brows furrowing together. "What do you mean,
Liam?"
It's the first time she's said my human name in a long time, and I ignore the
wave of pleasure it gives me. She probably says it to distract. "You avoid
speaking to me or being near me back in the fort. For a while, I could come
and talk to you and be received warmly, but lately you have been distant, and
I don't know what it is I did to offend you."
"You didn't offend me."
"But you didn't want me to come out here with you tonight. Not even to help
you find Benny."
She looks away, staring ahead at the rows of metal hulks lining the highway.
"It's…complicated."
"If you don't tell me, I can't fix it. I certainly can't apologize for it."
I'm fascinated by the emotion flitting across her face. She looks frustrated and
sad both, and it makes me wonder what's eating at her guts that she won't
share. "If I say it's not you, it's me." Andrea turns to look over at me again.
"Will you believe me?"
"Isn't that something your people joke that women say to men when they
want to get rid of them?"
Andrea laughs, and I feel my entire body warm in response to that sound. My
cock responds, too, but I ignore it. "Yeah, I guess it is something women say
to men to get them to buzz off."
"Is that what you want me to do? Buzz off?" We step around one car with its
doors rusted open, and she moves closer to me, so close that her scent teases
at my senses, making my cock strain against my damned clothing once more.
"I don't know," Andrea admits. "It would be easier if you left me alone,
but…"
"But?"
"But it would…make me sad. So he came this way? You're sure of it?" She
puts her hands on her hips, steps in front of me, and scans the landscape
ahead of us.
That's a conversation shift if there ever was one. Amused at her boldness, I
let it pass without calling her out. "I'm sure of it. Come on. The path clears
out up ahead."
For all that Andrea's human, she's also one of the strongest, most determined
humans I've met so far. We walk all through the night, our pace brisk, and
she trudges on over hills and across bridges, keeping pace with my longer
steps. I try to slow down to make the walk more comfortable for her, but she
just speeds up as if silently challenging me, so it becomes a game of sorts.
She never shows her exhaustion, and never breathes hard even when we
clamber up a steep hillside.
"I do a lot of hunting now that we're in Fort Shreveport," she tells me by way
of explanation. "I don't have the luxury of being slow, not with forty-odd
bellies wanting to be filled."
So a sense of duty motivates her. I add this to the ever-growing list of
fascinating things I learn about Andrea. She's driven by family more than
anything, and is fiercely loyal. Actually, she's just fierce overall, but there are
hints of a softer Andrea, a dreamy one that has more in common with Rast's
sweet, gentle mate than the sassy warrior at my side. It makes me curious as
to which one is the true Andrea, and if they both are, how the two sides can
co-exist.
I can't wait to learn more. This hunt for Benny gives me the opportunity to be
alone with her, and I'm grateful. We've talked all night long, speaking of
families and hunts, of worlds and the Rift and even our favorite foods. Out
here with no one else around, Andrea is laughing and bold, teasing me back
when I make a joke. I love this side of her, and it makes me ache whenever
her laugh disappears and her sober, sad expression returns, because I know
she's thinking of Benny.
As for her brother, we've followed his trail all night but his scent remains
hours and hours old and growing fainter by the minute. His trail moves all
over the place, as if Benny is discovering freedom for the first time and wants
to explore the world. His scent weaves between cars, moves over a bridge
and then under it, then back over it once more. We follow it and I do my best
to tell Andrea of the spots where Benny's scent is thickest, where he stopped
to rest, where he paused to take a piss, as if this will make the reality of
finding him that much closer.
When dawn breaks, though, there is still no Benny. His trail continues,
winding down the highway onward, past the endless rows of broken cars that
seem to stretch on to eternity. Andrea continues forward, her expression
grim, her eyelids heavy and drooping over her reddened eyes. She looks
exhausted, but when I suggest we rest, she ignores me.
We keep on walking for a time, but when she weaves and stumbles over a
broken hubcap in the road, I slide an arm around her waist and pull her
against me before she can tumble to the ground. "Andrea," I chastise her
sternly.
"Is he close?" she asks, her expression dull with fatigue. She tries to
straighten and pull away from me.
I pull her closer, selfishly. "No. Benny isn't any closer. We're still far behind
him. You need to rest, though."
Her lower lip quivers for a moment, and then she firms her jaw in the
stubborn expression I know so well. "I can keep going."
"You need to rest," I repeat, and when she tries to fight out of my grip, I lock
my arms around her. The scent of her hair teases my nose maddeningly.
"Andrea, I'm not saying this to be an ass. I'm saying it because you're no good
to anyone dead."
"Dead?" She scoffs, trying to twist out of my grip. "From walking?"
"Not from walking," I correct, loosening my hold before she hurts herself. I
let her go and she stumbles back a half step, leaning against the hulk of an old
gray car that tilts heavily on one side. "From the fact that you'll be too tired to
shoot your gun if we're attacked. The more exhausted you are, the slower
your reflexes. Every hunter knows that."
She presses the heel of her palm against her brow, closing her eyes. "You're
sure he's not close?" she asks again, and her voice is small and pitiful.
"I'm sure."
"But we're still following him? You've still got his scent?"
"I haven't lost it." I don't mention how it's getting cloudy over time, though,
as whatever he's coated himself with gets thicker. "We'll find him."
Andrea sniffs and presses her hand over her eyes, hiding the water they make.
"It's just…he's the only one I've got left, you know? Daddy died in the first
few days after the Rift, and Mom was dead within the first year. We lost
everyone except each other. And now Gwen's gone and Benny's gone and…
I'm so tired of being left behind." Her shoulders slump.
"We'll find him," I reassure her. I move to her side, leaning against the car
with her, and put my arm around her shoulders, tucking her close. I expect
her to rebuff my touch, but she melts against me, leaning against my strength,
and I feel a fierce surge of protectiveness for this female that tries so hard to
be strong in such a cruel world.
"We'll find him," I tell her again, and I mean it. "But for now, you need to
rest."
 7

ANDI

I know he's right. I know stopping is the smart thing to do, because
my vision's getting blurry with fatigue and I'm stumbling over
everything. My feet are killing me, and I'm sure I'm going to have a million
blisters from my old boots, but Benny's out there and I haven't found him yet.
My heart hurts so badly that I want to scream, but when Liam looks at me, all
I do is nod.
"Where…where are we going to stop?" Even now, I'm so tired that it's hard to
form sentences.
He looks around us, at the dead cars lined along the sides of the highway,
abandoned as they ran out of gas. He squints at one, then crosses the road
toward it, and I see he's heading for a SUV, a gray one that looks less trashed
than some of the others. The back is open and as I move slowly over to him,
he climbs inside and rakes out the debris that's fallen in. There are dead
leaves and twigs and airborne bits of old plastic that have drifted in over the
years, but he swipes it out using his big hands and when the bed is mostly
clean, he drops his pack down for a pillow, pats it and looks at me.
Right now, it looks like heaven.
I crawl inside, and I'm so exhausted that I don't even care that it smells musty
and slightly like mildew. I toss my pack down to use for my own pillow, and
close my eyes. The sun is coming up, but now that I've stopped moving, it's a
little chilly and the sweat drying on my skin is making me cold. I rub my
arms a little and then Liam lies down next to me.
The man's like a furnace. I'm a little shocked at the heat he's putting off, but
then I remember that dragon-kind breathe fire. Of course their bodies are
going to be warmer than ours.
"Come lie against me for warmth," he murmurs, touching my shoulder.
It's as if he can read my mind. I don't even hesitate, because Liam is big and
delicious and warm and there's no one else around to see me slide over and
pillow my head on his chest. My hand moves to his shirt and I close my eyes
as he puts an arm around me. God, this is nice. It's been a long time since
anyone held me with tenderness, and I didn't realize how badly I've been
craving it until he touched me.
Now that I've had one touch, he might have to pry me off of him with a
crowbar.
I snuggle closer, breathing in the slightly spicy scent of his skin, and he
strokes my back idly. I'm so tired that I can't even truly appreciate this, and I
know I'm going to drift off to sleep in moments, even with the sun in my
face. "Thanks, Liam."
"Why are you thanking me?" His deep, rumbly voice sounds amused.
"Because you're here with me even though I was a bitch to you."
He just chuckles, the sound moving through his chest and reverberating
against my ear. "I like a female with spirit in her."
"Sure, we'll call it spirit," I say, yawning again. "Promise me everything will
be all right?"
The hand stroking my back pauses. "I can't promise you that, Andrea. But I
can promise that we'll find Benny as long as we stay on his scent. We won't
go back to the fort until you're satisfied."
For some reason, that response is oddly comforting. It's not a total
reassurance, but it's a truthful one and I'll take it. I smile, tuck my head closer
to him to blot out some of the sunlight, and drift off to sleep.

T HE ANGRY SOUND of a crow cawing nearby wakes me from my sleep. Biting

back a sleepy moan, I blink my eyes and try to figure out where I am.
Sunlight pours in from the broken windows of the SUV, and a slight breeze
ruffles my hair. It's afternoon, I think, and we must have been sleeping for
hours because it's hot as hell now. The big body I'm snuggled against feels
like cuddling an oven, and my thin T-shirt is sticking to my sweaty skin.
Even so, I'm oddly comfortable. Liam's just so darn nice to sleep against, or
I'm hungry for affection. Maybe both. His arms are still possessively around
me, and my head's resting on one hard pectoral, my hand on his lower
stomach. One of my legs moved over his hip while I slept and I'm practically
curled around the man. I hope he was able to sleep all right. I blink again,
biting back a yawn, and start to creep my hand carefully off his abdomen.
As I do, I notice that there's a protruding tent in the front of his pants. A very
large, very obvious protruding tent.
Oh.
I look up, and as I do, my gaze meets Liam's. He's watching me, his eyes
heavy-lidded, and they're so very gold that they look like a sunrise. It's utterly
beautiful, and this close to him I can see the colors swirling in his eyes as if
they're a thousand flecks of gold of every shade. I'm also close enough that I
can't help but notice how beautiful his mouth is, his lips utterly perfect for
kissing.
I lick my own lips as the thought occurs to me. "Do your people kiss?" I
whisper to him, unable to stop myself from asking.
"No." The sound is soft and oh-so-sexy. His gaze practically devours me and
his hand slides to my hair, as if holding me closer. "But I'm willing to learn."
I’ll be the first one to kiss this sexy, gorgeous man. Oh wow. The thought
fills me with curious pleasure and I reach up and touch my fingertips to his
jaw even as he pulls me close. I lightly brush my lips against his, testing his
reaction, and he closes his eyes and groans as if he’s dying.
I love it.
I nibble at his lower lip, teasing it with tiny nips and then soothing with my
tongue. I’m in a frisky mood and my kisses reflect it—they’re all playfulness.
With each flirty little touch of our lips, I just want more, and when he groans
again, I take advantage of his parted lips to deepen the kiss. My tongue flicks
against his and when he stiffens underneath me, his hand clenching in my
hair, I feel a giddy rush of pleasure.
“Should I stop—” I start to ask.
His mouth claims mine, and then his tongue touches my tongue, and then
we’re kissing, deep and hard and so full of hungry need that I’m whimpering
into his mouth. I curl my fingers into the front of his shirt as he slicks his
tongue into my mouth, the caress so boldly possessive that it takes my breath
away. I’ve lost control of the kiss and I’m not even upset about it. He’s too
good at this, and my body’s pulsing with heat and need as we kiss frantically,
mouths locked together.
I rub against him as we kiss, rocking against the thigh I’m straddling. I’m not
even aware I’m doing it until he presses up with his thigh, adding pressure
against my pussy and it sends a spiral of heat through me. I gasp against his
mouth, and then Liam’s rolling our twined bodies over in the back of the
SUV and I’m suddenly under him and his hips rest between my thighs. That
big, hard erection presses against the vee of my sex and I moan into his
mouth even as he claims me with another thrust of his tongue. A moment
later, when he tongues me again, his cock pushes against my core, as if trying
to fuck me through my jeans.
It’s the sexiest thing ever, and I drag one leg around his hip, encouraging
him. My mouth devours his, our tongues dancing together, and I’m so
incredibly aroused that I can’t think straight. Haven’t Liam and I been flirting
off and on for weeks now? He’s made it clear that he’s interested and I’ve
pushed him away, but I’m tired of the distance between us. I want this. I want
him. I tug at the waistband of his sweats, then slide my hand underneath,
clenching one of his taut, rounded buttocks in my grip and driving him down
against me.
Liam gasps, his mouth breaking from mine, and pulls away. He sits up,
blinking down at me, and then runs a hand down his face.
I…guess we’re done?
Confused, I slide out from under him and sit upright, panting. “What’s
wrong? What’d I do?”
He shakes his head as if to clear it, and then turns toward the faint breeze
coming in from the broken window. “Smell something,” he mutters thickly.
Excited, I forget all about our make-out party and slide forward to get out of
the back of the SUV. “Is it Benny? Is he coming back?”
Liam touches my shoulder and stops me before I can continue forward. “Not
Benny,” he says, and he still sounds breathless, as if he’s on the verge of
losing control. “Predator,” he manages.
Oh. I stop, then scoot back inside a few inches. “Dragons?”
“No,” he says, shaking his head. “Something else.” He scrubs a hand through
his spiky hair. “Animal. Smells like…fresh blood. Hard to describe it.”
I slide forward, peering out the window he’s nearest, and try to figure out
what he’s smelling. I don’t see anything, just the overgrown grasses on the
side of the highway, tall and yellow with the end of summer heat. I glance up
the line of cars that stretches along the edge of the road, and as I do, I see
Liam’s looking at me, such hunger in his golden eyes. He’s gazing at my
chest, and I glance down.
My sweat-dampened tee is clinging to my breasts, outlining them as if I’m
naked, and my nipples jut out against the fabric. My thin, old bra isn’t doing
a damn thing to hide the headlights, and my body pulses with the realization
that he’s fascinated by them. It makes me want to preen, to arch my back and
touch them and see if he’ll reach for me again. My nipples are so tight they’re
practically throbbing and—
Out of the corner of my eye, I see something move in the grasses.
I turn, distracted, and my eyes go wide as I realize what it is. Something huge
and tawny moves, slinking forward. A giant cat. At first I think it’s a
mountain lion, but behind it, another cat jogs up and nips at the other’s flank,
and that big, fuzzy mane of the second one is a dead giveaway.
These aren’t mountain lions. These are real lions.
Whaaaat the fuck.
My jaw drops and Liam touches my thigh, indicating I should be quiet and
still. I don’t plan on moving. I just stare, fascinated, as they saunter past the
car wreckages and then hop atop the hood of another car across the road and
gaze out at the land around us. They’re less than a hundred feet away, and I
feel that if I so much as breathe wrong, they’ll come over here and check
things out.
“We’re downwind,” Liam says. “They don’t know we’re here.” His voice is
low and smooth, his thumb rubbing against the denim on my thigh.
“Sure,” I say, because I feel like I should say something. “I can’t believe we
just saw lions.”
“They’re not normal predators?”
“Not around here, no. We must be near a zoo. Did you guys have those?
Places where exotic animals were kept caged so people could go look at
them?”
His expression cools a little. “It sounds barbaric.”
Yeah, I guess it kind of does in hindsight. “It’s also to protect species that are
in danger of dying out, but yeah, it does seem a little weird now. I think when
the After hit, some of the zookeepers let the animals loose so they wouldn’t
starve in their cages, you know? Give them a chance to survive on their
own.” He just continues to stare at me. “Yeah, yeah, I know. You don’t think
they smelled Benny, do you? That they’re chasing him?”
Liam glances out at the lions, now settling down to sun themselves atop the
car. “No. I think his scent is too old. It’s more like they smelled our scent and
are lingering in the area to see if we show up.”
Well, shit. “What do we do?”
He grins at me, and for a moment he looks just as dangerous as the lions.
“We stay here and wait them out.”
 8

ANDI

I sip the last of the warm water from my canteen, swishing it

around my mouth to make it last. I feel like a baked potato after
sitting in the back of the SUV all day…not that I’ve had a baked potato since
the Rift hit. Man, I miss potatoes. And sour cream. I really miss sour cream.
My mouth waters at the thought and I sit up, looking around the highway.
The sun’s low in the sky, ready to set in another hour or two. Everything’s
quiet. The lions left a short time ago, but we’re waiting to make sure they
don’t come back and Liam gives the all-clear on the scent. Next to me in the
car, he dozes. Or at least he seems like he’s sleeping. He’s got one hand
behind his head, his eyes closed, and he looks like the picture of comfort. Me,
I haven’t been able to sleep. I watched the lions for a bit, and then I watched
him.
It occurred to me after we’d been here for a few hours that I could have shot
the lions. I’ve got bullets, and I’m a pretty good shot. If nothing else, the
noise would probably scare them away. But…it seems wrong to try to kill
them just because they wandered near us. They’re so majestic and fat and
happy, lolling atop the car hood in the sun. It seems like a crime to destroy
them when they’re clearly thriving in the After.
At least something is. So I don’t bother to get my gun out. I just tuck my legs
close, hugging them to my chest, and watch them play until they leave,
sauntering off in the grass again. I’m lost in thought, trying not to stare too
hard at Liam because if I do, I’ll think about this morning’s hot, sexy kiss or
the way he slid me under him so effortlessly, grinding against my pussy. It’s
been a long time since I’ve had sex, and longer still since I enjoyed it.
I think I could enjoy it with Liam.
I wonder if that really does make me a tail chaser. Is it because he’s a
dragon? Or is it because he’s Liam and the way he touches me makes me feel
like the most treasured woman in the world? Or am I just desperate and
horny? It’s been a while since I rubbed one out. I squeeze my thighs together,
thinking about that. How long has it been? Over a week, I think. Maybe two?
There’s been so much going on lately that I’ve just dropped into bed each
night and fallen asleep. Jeez, no wonder I’m all over Liam. The guy’s
probably thinking I’m so starved for sex that I’ll do anything—
“You look like you’re thinking hard,” he murmurs.
“Me? Pff. I’m just daydreaming.” I hate that my cheeks are flushing.
“Thinking about Gwen and wondering if she’s okay.” My “big sis” left a
couple of weeks ago because her dragon, Vaan, was being contacted by
Salorians. They went to Fort Dallas…and decided to stay to watch over the
Salorian and to be a go-between since he’s interested in making peace. I
worry about her a lot, so it’s an easy enough answer to say that I’m thinking
of Gwen.
I don’t want to tell Liam I’m still thinking about that kiss, or the hungry way
he gazed at my nipples earlier.
He sits up slowly, his head bumping against the top of the car as he does, and
for a moment I see his horns peek out of his thick hair. “Vaan won’t let any
harm come to her.”
“You make it sound like it’s so simple.”
He shrugs. “Drakoni males are very possessive of their mates. He’d bring the
entire fort down if someone so much as looked at her wrong.”
Okay, that is pretty reassuring. I want to ask him if he’s ever wanted a mate,
but my tongue feels glued to the roof of my mouth. That question won’t come
out. I just nod absently.
Liam lifts his head, nostrils flaring, and then moves to one of the broken
windows and sticks his head out. I know he’s testing the scents in the air, but
when he leans out the window, I get an unimpeded view of his fantastic
bubble of a butt and my mouth goes dry again. Sweatpants like that should be
illegal. I know he’s wearing them because he’s built bigger than most human
men and finding any clothes in the After (much less clothes that fit) can be a
challenge. But did they have to outline his ass so perfectly? Aren’t people
supposed to look like slobs in sweatpants? Because he looks scrumptious.
“I think we can leave now. I don’t smell them anymore,” Liam says, pulling
my attention away from his butt. “If we stay upwind I think we’ll be fine.”
“Sounds good. I’m ready to go when you are.” I pack my now-empty water
canteen in my pack, then sling it over my shoulder. I keep my gun out, just in
case, and when Liam grabs his stuff and falls into step next to me, we’re off
again.
And neither of us brings up the kiss from earlier. I don’t know if I’m relieved
or annoyed.

W E WALK for the next few hours. As I suspected, we pass by a highway sign
that says “Zoo ahead, next exit,” and I hope Benny was smart enough to
avoid it. Liam reassures me his scent continues up the highway, and so I’m
relieved. Sure enough, we get to the intersection for Interstate 20, which
heads west all the way across the border and right on to Fort Dallas, and his
scent turns in that direction.
That little motherfucker. He’s going to another damn fort. My worry abates
for a moment and I want to choke the little bastard. Doesn’t he know that that
place is dangerous? I grit my teeth as we head west along the highway, and
my anger feels as hot and new as it did when I first discovered my missing
socks yesterday morning. I’d love to have him back, of course, but he’d
definitely get an earful from his big sister for being such an idiot.
The ruins of the old city are dense in this area, and so are the stray animals.
As we walk, I see mangy dogs trotting down distant streets, and the
occasional cat darting between buildings. I also see rats. Lots and lots of rats.
The droppings are all over every bit of debris, and they occasionally scurry
under cars as we walk past. Ugh. I rub my arms, glad that we don’t have the
rat problem in Fort Shreveport. I remember them from Fort Tulsa, though,
and how some of the more aggressive ones, drawn by the stink and filth of
people, would climb into your bed and bite you as you slept. Horrible. But
Fort Tulsa was nasty, with garbage piled high outside of houses and empty
cans and dead animal carcasses lining the roads. I’m glad Shreveport’s much
cleaner.
“Lots of small animals here,” Liam comments as we walk.
“Probably a lot more refuse left around.” And a lot more dead people as time
passed, but I don’t say that. “There’s a lot of nooks and crannies to hide from
dragons with all the buildings crowded together instead of more wide open
areas.” I put my hand to my eyes, scanning the ruins around us. Building after
building, most of them collapsed. Some are strip malls, some old car lots, and
some buildings that are impossible to make out, their signs faded and
destroyed from countless fire attacks.
“The sun’s going down,” Liam says, looking over at me. “I know you won’t
want to hear this, but I think we should find shelter for the evening.”
“Shelter? But we just started walking.” I look over at him in surprise. “I can
keep going!” My feet are killing me, and I’m hungry and thirsty, but I can
keep going.
Liam flashes a grin in my direction. “I didn’t say you were weak. I know
you’re strong, Andrea. But my concern is the animals. If there are more like
those large cats—”
“Lions.”
“Lions,” he continues, “then we will be in danger. You can’t see as well in
the shadows, and while I can smell things, the stench in the human-inhabited
areas can get overwhelming. I don’t want you to be in danger.”
I look over at him and he’s got that twitchy look to him, as if he’s ready to
jump out of his skin. His nostrils flare as I look over, and he’s right, the
smells are getting to him. Stopping for the night is probably wise, even if it
makes me feel like a jerk with how much I like that idea. I want to sit down,
drink a ton of water, and put up my aching feet.
“But Benny…”
“We haven’t lost him yet,” Liam promises me. He puts out a hand. “Come,
Andrea. Let’s sleep somewhere safe and rest up, and we’ll make good time
tomorrow.”
Fair enough. “I’ll look for a good place to stop, then.”
He gives me a pleased smile, and when I put my hand in his, my skin tingles.
Oh man, I have such a bad crush. I know this is going to be so much trouble
but I can’t seem to help myself. I smile back.
And we keep walking. Our hands stay joined for a while, and then eventually
we part, but I’m still thinking about it for a long time afterward.
Finding a spot to stop isn’t as easy as it originally sounds. As we walk, the
buildings all seem tumbled together and worse than the last. I know from
prior experience that it’s best to avoid hotels, motels, and food stores.
Anything in this city would have been picked over long ago, and those tend
to have the worst smells associated with them, from rotting food to rotting
corpses. In addition, scavengers and nomads sometimes booby-trap the
obvious places to catch other travelers. The trick is to find a decent building
that doesn’t look too decent or comfortable.
After passing by a few more places, we find a strip mall that looks mostly
intact. The roof is red and the faded red sign is completely illegible, but the
few windows in the place seem to be whole. They’re covered in faded
posters, which is a bonus because it means no one can see us when we’re
inside. “This looks promising. Should we check it out?”
“You’re the expert,” he says easily.
I don’t know if that’s the case. Liam’s proved that he can survive with the
odds completely stacked against him, in an unknown world. I don’t know that
I’d be able to do the same. And he’s been to many forts before ours, so I bet
he knows just as much about traveling as I do, maybe more.
But I like that he lets me lead.
So I unholster my shotgun, check the safety, and tuck it under my arm as I
head forward across the small parking lot toward the building.
It looks completely deserted on the outside. That’s a good sign. That means
that whatever they’re selling in here, it wasn’t a hot commodity in the After.
I’m guessing something with cars, or sporting goods. No one gave a shit
about baseball when the dragons arrived. The door itself is heavy glass, and
while it looks fractured, it also looks whole. I give it a tug, and it doesn’t
respond.
Locked.
“Give me a second,” I tell Liam, glancing down at the sidewalk I’m standing
on. It’s covered in more rat droppings, so I kick them aside to clear a spot and
then get on my knees. I pull out my lockpicks and get to work on the door
itself. “Lucky for us, any security system they would have had is long dead.
If this doesn’t work, we can try busting down the door, but I prefer to leave it
whole in case we need the protection.”
“Very wise. And sticking those little metal things in the handle unlocks it?”
“If we’re lucky.” I grin and jiggle one of the bent metal picks, then put in my
bogus key and turn the lock. It’s rusty and slow to respond, but it works.
“Success,” I announce and the door swings open in a cloud of dust.
We both cough, waving a hand in front of our faces before we step inside.
“Hello?” I call into the darkness. “Is anyone here?”
“I don’t smell anyone,” Liam says behind me, but there’s an odd note in his
voice. “Not anyone…recent.”
“Dead bodies?” I ask, turning to look at his silhouette, outlined in the fading
light as he stands in the doorway.
“No.”
“What, then?”
“Nothing.” He coughs again and rubs his nose. “It’s nothing.”
“Liam,” I call warningly, my hands ready on my shotgun. “If there’s
something dangerous—”
“Seed,” he admits after a moment. “I smell a lot of old…seed.” And he
swipes at his nose again, making an unpleasant noise in his throat.
Seed? This is a feed store? Gardening? I look around, but it doesn’t look like
any feed store I remember. There’s a row of doors in the back of the building,
and one wall covered entirely with boxes that are too dusty to make out.
There are a few short rows of shelves, but I can’t see what’s on them from
my vantage point. Off to one side is a glass case and the cash register, both of
which are covered in another layer of dust.
With all this dust, it’s clear to me that there’s no one around. Frowning at
Liam’s reactions, I move to the case and swipe my hand over the glass,
peering at the objects inside. At first I think it’s jewelry, evidenced by the
large strings of beads. Then I see a strangely shaped glass object next to it,
pebbled with little bumps, and off to the side of that…a gigantic dildo.
I skitter backwards in surprise.
“What?” Liam’s immediately at my side, his arm at my waist. “What is it,
Andrea?”
For some reason, I smell smoke. I jerk away from him, and even in the
shadows, I can see a curl of smoke escaping one of his nostrils. “Are you
okay?”
“What is it? What’s wrong? What are you afraid of?” He moves closer to me
again, and his eyes are dark as pitch. “Liam?”
“Andrea,” he warns, and his voice is thick with frustration. “Tell me what
frightens you so I can fix it.”
I’m utterly shocked by his appearance. Did I ever think Liam was benign?
Invisible? Good at hiding? Because clearly I’ve been wrong all this time. The
man at my side is all threatening menace, smoke wisping from his flaring
nostrils. His eyes are black, his big hands curled at his side in fists. His
shoulders are hunched forward, as if it’s taking all of his energy to hold back
from losing his shit.
He looks…scary. Gone is low-energy, easy-going Liam. In its place is a
drakoni warrior.
And for the first time, I realize just how alien he is.
“Liam,” I say, keeping my voice soft as I put a hand in the air. “Everything’s
all right. I was just startled.”
“By. What.” The words are gritted out through his sharp teeth.
I grimace, because I’m going to have to explain it and then be embarrassed,
but it’s better than watching him Hulk out. “By a dildo. I think this is a sex
shop.”
Some of the fury shuddering through him bleeds away, and the smoke stops
curling from his nose. His nostrils twitch. “A what?”
“It’s, ah, a big fake dick that you can fuck, if you’re so inclined.” I wave him
forward and then point to it through the glass. “And call me crazy, but I think
that other junk is stuff you shove up your butt.”
My face feels like it’s never going to stop burning from the awkwardness of
this conversation.
Liam peers at the objects through the glass, and then he sets his hands down,
palms flat. I’m relieved to see that, as well as the easing of the tension in his
shoulders. “That would explain the smells,” he says, voice oddly calm.
Smells? Oh right, he mentioned seed. Stupid me, I’d thought he’d meant for
growing crops. He meant jizz. Ugh. I wipe my hand on my jeans, a little
horrified at the thought. “You smell seed?”
“A lot of it. From many different males.”
“Oh, that is so gross. Here?” I snatch my hands back from the counter and
wipe them on my clothes again.
He lifts his head, and his eyes are bleeding back to gold, slowly. Liam waves
a hand toward the back of the store. “Moreso in that direction. You…you
frightened me, Andrea.” He runs a hand down his face. “I thought…never
mind. It isn’t important.”
“I’m sorry,” I tell him. “I was just startled by the sight of that big thing in the
glass. I didn’t realize how you’d react. I’ll try not to flip my lid next time.”
“Next time?” he asks, and his voice is full of amusement.
“Well, I hope we don’t run into a lot of dildos in the future, but you know
what I mean.” I move toward the back of the store and use the hem of my
shirt to turn one of the doorknobs. I peer inside, and there’s an old couch in
front of a projector screen, and a sink against the back wall.
Fucking gross. I shut the door again. I don’t care how bad the apocalypse is, I
am not touching that couch.
Liam’s still standing by the counter, a curious expression on his face as I
check each of the other doors and yup, each one is another private movie
room and I’m not going anywhere near them. Liam smelled seed, after all, so
I’m guessing cleanliness wasn’t high on the list of chores at this place. Nasty,
nasty, nasty. I check out the rest of the place and it still has running water
(which is nice), but the bathroom is a pit. Luckily there’s a small employee
breakroom that looks cleaner than the rest of the place, and when I poke
around under the counter, I find a few old bottles of water. You’re not
supposed to drink them after the expiration date, but fuck it. I break the seal
on one and chug it down. If I live through an apocalpyse and bottled water
kills me, I figure I was done for anyhow.
The breakroom seems the cleanest option, so I grab a broom out of the closet
and sweep up. There are two flimsy plastic chairs that wobble when I try to
sit on them, but we’ll need someplace to sleep. I eye the floor, then go
scavenging again. I find a roll of black trash bags and some masking tape in a
supply closet. Score. I tear the bags open and make a hasty tarp of sorts, then
tape it down to the floor. When I’m done, I’ve got an entire corner covered
up and it actually looks fairly clean. Pleased, I go and sit down on the ground
and cross my legs, pulling my bag into my lap.
Liam wanders in, leans against the doorframe and gives me an odd look. “Do
you want to leave this place, Andrea?”
“Leave? Why?” I shrug. “It’s gross, but it’s a roof and we’ve got running
water. Like you said, we can stay here and then be on our way in the
morning.”
“You seemed…uncomfortable, that’s all.” He moves into the room and heads
toward me, sitting down next to me and leaning against the wall. “Are you
new to the ways of mating? Is that why you got shy?”
I blink at him and at the curiously gentle tone in his voice. Does he think I’m
a fragile flower because a glass buttplug and a big purple dildo startled me?
“I got shy because it was unexpected and weird, not because I’m new to this
sort of thing. I’m not a virgin, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“No?”
There’s something odd about the way he says that single word. I look over at
him as I pull out a saran-wrapped corn cake from my bag and begin to
unwrap it. “Yeah, no. That ship sailed a long time ago.”
He’s quiet for a long moment, even after I break the cake in half and offer
him one part. He doesn’t eat it, though. I nibble on mine, waiting for his
eventual response, and he finally says, “Is there another male competing for
your affections, then?”
“Another?” I choke on the dry cake.
Liam’s eyes narrow. “That’s not what I meant.”
“What did you mean, then?”
“Nothing.” His mouth flattens and his eyes seem darker than before. “Just
answer the question. Is there another male?”
I make a faintly scoffing sound. “No. Who would I be hooking up with?
There are no men at Fort Shreveport other than you and a few kids. And
Grandpa Steve, but he’s definitely not my type, the old perv.” I shake my
head. “Don’t be weird.”
“I’m not being weird. There are many females with young back at your fort.
It stands to reason that even if there are not males there now, there were some
previously.”
Oh. Okay, so that logic doesn’t sound totally crazy. But I know some of those
are rape babies, and some are orphans, and some are just products of selling
your body in an apocalypse where condoms all expired years and years ago.
Shit happens. “No one left behind a husband when they came to the fort or
they never would have joined us. We’re more of a haven for people that are
sick of fort shit. And forts come with a lot of shit.” I gesture at the food he’s
not eating. “Eat your cake. I don’t have many.”
He hands it back to me. “You eat it, then.”
“What are you going to eat?”
Liam shrugs. “I can hunt. I did so before I arrived at your fort.”
I think of Rast and his big golden body sailing through the skies as he hunted.
“Um, I thought you said you couldn’t shift forms?”
“That doesn’t mean there aren’t things to eat. A male can hunt even in two-
legged form.” The smile he sends my way is slightly arch, as if he knows a
secret I don’t.
I’ve never seen Liam use a weapon, though I know he carries them.
Something tells me that it’s another “blending” thing he does to fit in. I try to
imagine Liam hunting, crouching and leaping in his “two-legged” form as he
calls it. And for some reason, I think of the enormous vermin crawling all
over the city. I look over at him in horror. “Please tell me you didn’t eat rats.”
He snorts with amusement.
“We can’t be friends anymore if you’re a rat eater.”
“I ate no rats.” His mouth curves in the barest of smiles and he leans in closer
to me. “Is that what we are, then? Friends?”
Tension practically swims in the air around us. I feel strange, like I’m
standing on the precipice of a dangerous cliff and I should step back, when all
I really want to do is fling myself over. “I thought we were friends,” I
whisper.
“Do you kiss all your friends?” His eyes are still whirling so dark.
“I haven’t kissed anyone but you,” I admit quietly. “Not in years and years.”
The darkness bleeds out of his eyes almost instantly and a hint of a smile
touches his face, a real smile. “Eat your food,” he says. “I’m not hungry.
Drakoni can go days without eating and we prefer meat.” He leans in close,
and the playful look returns to his face. “If I never have to eat another bowl
of that oatmeal slop they serve at the fort, I’ll be a happy male.”
I chuckle, giving my head a small shake with amusement. The oatmeal isn’t
my favorite either, but while we have it, it feeds people. Unfortunately, we
ran out last week and are forced to spread thin the few eggs we have…and
corn cakes, of course. There’s tons of corn. I take another bite and sigh when
he gets up and walks away.
Being here alone with Liam is…confusing. We’ve been doing this push-pull
dance for months, it seems. He got to the fort and skated under the radar for a
long time. Then, we got close when Gwen left…and then I was the one that
did the pushing away. Now we’re alone together and just when I think he’s
going to kiss me, he gets up and walks away. His eyes were dark, which I’ve
been told means that he’s feeling intense emotion (and not good emotions)
and so I don’t know what to think.
Is he jealous? Does he think that’s why I pushed him away at the fort?
Because there was someone else?
I haven’t wanted anyone to touch me in years. But with Liam… I eat the corn
cake slowly, even though it doesn’t do much for my hunger, and then brush
my fingers over my lips, remembering how his mouth felt. I want him to kiss
me again, but maybe I shouldn’t.
Maybe a drakoni is just too different from human. Ironic, because Amy and
Gwen are mated to drakoni males, but Liam’s not like their men. He’s
different. Sometimes he seems like any other man in the After, and
sometimes he seems like he’s about to lose control and go wild.
It’s a mystery…and one that I hate I’m totally attracted to. I should like
simple, easy things. I should like being solitary and single after the hell of
Fort Tulsa, but…I like being with Liam. I like being with him far too much.
It makes me want more.
 9

ANDI

A s I finish eating, I hear Liam moving around the store. I don't get
up, because I can only imagine what he's thinking as he wanders
through the shelves of old porn videos, dildos, and god knows what else.
Edible underwear? I wonder if those are still good. If so, I might have to snag
some to munch on. In theory, it's just…candy, right?
Boy, Benny would laugh his ass off if he knew his sister was eating edible
underwear.
A wave of loneliness moves over me and I suddenly miss my little brother so
much that I ache. Benny's all I have. I think of his sharp face, so recently
moved away from the chubbiness of childhood. His sly laugh and the way he
grins and shows off that broken tooth when he's truly amused. He's a good
kid. He's just…bored and miserable. That's why he acts out. Maybe I'm
wrong to chase him down and bring him back. Maybe I should be escorting
him to someplace that will make him happy, someplace where he can be
around other men and boys his age and not feel like an outsider in a fort full
of women.
But…Fort Dallas isn't that place. If anything, I still need to find him and
make sure he gets somewhere safe.
"Andrea?"
I look up as Liam comes back into the break room and drops himself next to
me. He's got a few tubes in his hands and shows one to me. "Is this food?" He
pulls the cap off and squeezes the tube, and pink gel oozes down the side and
onto his hands.
I read the writing on one of the tubes in his lap. Lubricant. Oh Jesus. "Um,
no, not really."
"No? It smells like fruit." He sniffs the gel sliding down the back of his hand
and wrinkles his nose. "Rotten fruit, perhaps, but it does smell like food. Is
this bait of some kind, then? To trap animals?"
Awkward. "So that's, uh, for sex, actually."
He looks over at me in surprise. "Sex?"
"Yeah, it's for making a woman wet enough to take a cock without pain." The
words come out of my throat a little strangled. "It's supposed to make things
better for her."
Liam's lip curls and he looks down at the gel and then at me. "Your males
would take a female without her being wet and ready?"
I lick my lips, trying to figure out the best way to respond. "Dragon people
don't, ah, mate even if the female isn't all that into it?" His disgusted look
tells me everything. "All right, so yeah, human men are a little different, I
guess. The nice ones make sure the girl is into it, but not everyone does. And
sometimes some women just can't get wet enough, I guess, or maybe his
dick's too big and she's too small…" And dear lord, my face feels like an
inferno right now because I'm picturing his dick and how well-built he is. He
would definitely need to lube a female up unless she was soaking wet with
arousal.
And now I'm picturing him all over a woman, making sure she's hot and wet
and ready, and my thighs squeeze a little tighter together. This is the wrong
conversation to have, especially with the sexual tension between the two of
us already. "So…how do dragon men get a lady into bed?"
He wipes his hand off on his clothes, disgusted. "Not like this. A drakoni
female is just as ready for mating as any male. She challenges him and if he
bests her in a battle, she shifts back to her two-legged form and submits to
him. It is very arousing for a female to be bested by a stronger male, because
she knows he is strong enough to protect their young." He sniffs his hand
again, his nostrils flaring at the scent of the lube that perfumes the air around
us. "A drakoni male would never try to mate with a female that did not
demonstrate that she was ready."
"So if she fights, that means she's horny?" I ask. "I guess that's like flirting, or
kissing for your people. We're different. Some women might be interested in
mating, but maybe the body doesn't respond like it should." I've been there.
I've had unpleasant sex in the past just because it was easier than making a
fuss or fighting back. A few minutes of dry, invasive grinding was worth
being left alone. I hate thinking about that time in my life, though. "Some
men don't care if she wants it or not."
Liam just shakes his head. He puts the cap on the tube of lube and tosses it
aside as if its mere presence irritates him. "So your human men are this bad at
pleasing their mates?"
I can feel my mouth twitch with amusement. "I guess some are, yeah."
"This both pleases me and makes me sad for your race."
I nudge him with my shoulder. "Why does bad sex make you happy?"
He looks over at me, his expression arch and somewhat arrogant. "Because it
tells me that the competition is weak."
"Are you competing?" My breath catches in my lungs.
His gaze gets heated, focuses on my mouth. "I shouldn't. I can't."
But I think we both know he is. I'm suddenly very aware of his nearness, the
heat of his body, and the fact that we're sitting so close that it wouldn't take
much to move over and be in his lap. To have his big arms around me and
tucking me against him, our breath mingling like it did the other day and…
I shouldn't be thinking of things like that. I should be focused on Benny and
Benny alone. Flirting with Liam won't lead anywhere good.
But he's staring at me, too, and his eyes are growing more and more gold by
the moment, until they're practically a deep, rich amber that makes me get all
squirmy at the sight of them. "No male," he says slowly, his gaze locked on
me, "should touch a female if he can't smell her cunt sopping with heat."
His words take my breath away. Smell her cunt sopping with heat? Oh my
god. "You—you can smell that?"
"I can."
I squeeze my thighs tighter together, as if that will somehow fix the ache
deep between them. I want to ask if he can smell anything right now, but I
don't dare. I know I'm turned on. I know if I slid my hand into my panties, my
pussy would be slippery and aching, my folds hot and puffy with need.
I wonder if he can smell me right now.
Before I can ask, his mouth curls into a heart-stopping smile. "Oh yeah, I
can."
Oh, dear lord. I make a strangled sound in my throat as his gaze focuses on
my mouth. My lips are parted and I'm panting, just a little, with the hot need
curling through me.
"I want to kiss you again," Liam murmurs. He tosses his baseball cap aside.
"Okay," I breathe out, because even though this is trouble, I want it, too.
He leans in close, and I tilt my face up. Instead of putting his mouth on my
lips, though, he rubs his nose against mine and murmurs, “If you were my
mate, your cunt would be a river before I sank my cock into you. I would
make sure of it.”
I whimper.
“I would press my lips to your skin and taste you everywhere.” His breath
fans hot over my face as I whimper, but he continues. “Explore those pretty
breasts of yours until your nipples ache. I wouldn’t use my hands, either.
They’re too big and rough to do anything other than hold you down…unless
you’d like that.” His hot gaze meets mine. “If you did, I’d pin your hands
above your head so you can’t squirm away, and then I’d lick you all over. My
tongue would glide all over that pretty cunt of yours until you were begging
for me to conquer you, Andrea. I’d taste you and if you weren’t wet enough,
I’d lick you over and over, until you soaked my mouth and my face with your
pleasure. Only then would I give you my cock, Andrea. Only then.”
Oh god. My nipples are so hard that they ache. Goosebumps cover my skin,
and I can’t move. I’m mesmerized by the erotic picture he’s painting.
His eyes blaze into mine and then he inhales…and groans. “Your scent,” he
murmurs, sliding a hand behind the back of my neck. “It’s been driving me
wild for weeks.”
Does he mean my normal scent? I haven’t been a walking puddle of arousal
for weeks. “My scent?”
“All of it,” he murmurs, and then his mouth is on my skin, nipping gently at
my jaw and moving to my ear. Delicious shockwaves ripple through my body
and I bite back another moan. “When you wake up and touch yourself. When
you sweat. When you walk past me—I love all of it, Andrea. And it makes
me hungry for more.”
He even likes it when I sweat? I open my mouth to protest, because that’s not
a human thing to say, but then his mouth is on mine and he’s giving me a
hungry kiss full of need and I’m utterly lost. Our tongues tangle and I lose
myself in his touch. There’s nothing outside of his mouth, his lips, his tongue,
his heat. We kiss for so long that I lose track of the world around me. I only
know that my hand is clutching at the front of his shirt, his is on the small of
my back, and our mouths are locked in an endless, delicious kiss, and it’s still
somehow not enough. I need more of him. I want his hands everywhere, and I
want to put my hands all over him. I want to drag my nails across his skin
and feel him shudder. I want to bite him. I want him to throw me down and
fuck the daylights out of me.
I want all kinds of crazy things, and they all revolve around him.
Liam breaks the kiss, panting, and his hands are in my hair, dragging it free
of my braid. “You smell incredible, Andrea. I want more.”
“I want more, too,” I tell him, panting.
“Let me taste you.” His eyes are vivid with need. “Let me put my mouth on
your cunt and taste that sweetness.”
I cling to him, his words making me dizzy. My mind fills with images of
Liam and his mouth on my pussy, Liam with his tongue delving between my
folds, Liam with his hands on my naked thighs as he buries his face…and
then I remember the filthy, filthy floor and where we’re at. I shudder. “Much
as I want that, I’m not lying down on this floor, Liam.”
His tongue flicks at my lip, and I feel the rough texture of it against my skin.
Odd how I don’t notice that when we’re kissing. It makes me shiver to feel it,
as if he’s teasing me with how it’ll be against other parts of my body. “If you
won’t lie on the floor, then stand up.”
I suck in a breath. Should I? Is this a bad idea? It’s clear Liam wants me—has
wanted me for weeks. I want him, too, and now that we’re safely away from
the fort, does it matter if we indulge ourselves? No one’s around to see, and
I’m not a virgin. “Stand…up?”
He nods, his eyes utterly hungry.
No one’s ever looked at me like that—like he’ll die if he doesn’t get to touch
me. I can’t resist. I detangle myself from his grip and get to my feet, my legs
trembling with the anticipation of his touch.
Liam’s big hands immediately go to my waist, and he undoes the button and
zipper on my jeans. I’m grateful that he’s careful with them—they’re old and
worn, but I don’t have many pairs. When they’re loose around my waist, he
eases them down over my hips and I squirm just a little, because the panties I
have on aren’t cute and flirty. They’re faded cotton, bleached white from a
million washings, just like my bra. But he groans at the sight and shakes his
head slightly. “You humans and your layers of clothing.”
“It’s for hygiene,” I tell him defensively, feeling awkward, especially when I
have to put a hand on his shoulder to steady myself as he eases the jeans all
the way down my legs and I lift each foot so we can take them off.
“It’s because your people are obsessed with how displeased they are with
their bodies,” he murmurs, tossing my jeans onto one corner of the black
trash bag tarp I’ve made. “They don’t appreciate how they smell, how they
look…or how they taste.” He gestures at the discarded lube containers
nearby, his hand a dismissive flick. “Do you know what I see when I look at
you?”
“No, but I’m sure you’ll tell me,” I say nervously.
“I see Andrea,” he murmurs, gazing at my panties intently. One big hand
caresses my hip, and he watches me with a fervent gaze. “I see a strong
female who is loyal to those she loves and wants to do her best by her people.
I see someone who is brave but still manages to be playful. And I see beauty.
It is in your long legs and your pretty breasts and your gorgeous, gorgeous
scent. It’s in your smile when you look at me.” He leans forward and buries
his face against my navel, groaning. “And you make me want things.”
I shiver, reaching down to lightly touch his hair. It’s the first time I’ve ever
touched it, and the feel of it is…different. It’s not soft like I imagined. It’s
sleek, but the hairs are thick and almost wiry, as if they’re made of copper
strands that have been hammered into shape. They spike up all over his head,
and I run my fingers through his hair and then lightly caress one of his horns.
“What kinds of things?” I ask, my voice a mere whisper.
But he shakes his head and doesn’t answer. He presses his mouth against the
material of my T-shirt and then reaches under it, grabbing the waist of my
panties and jerking them down. Oh. I’m startled by that sudden motion, and
my hands go back to his shoulders as I steady myself.
He groans again, the sound full of hungry need, and then presses a kiss to my
lower belly, just above the curls of my pubic mound. “No wonder you smell
so gorgeous,” he murmurs. “Look at all this beauty.”
I hold my breath, waiting to see what he’s going to do. It’s been a long time
since I’ve had fun, playful sex, and I feel completely out of my league at the
moment. Heck, I almost do feel like a virgin.
“Your scent.” He groans again, his hand stealing up to twist my shirt and
hold it up, revealing my waist and everything below it to his gaze. “I don’t
know which is better—the sight of you like this or the scent of you.” Before I
can make some nervous crack, he looks up at me, his eyes liquid with heat. “I
bet it’s the taste.”
With that, he leans in and presses his mouth to my pussy.
I jerk in surprise, clinging to him as he drags his tongue over my slit. His
tongue is slightly textured, like a cat’s, and it’s the most startling thing I’ve
ever felt. A cry dies in my throat, but he only murmurs something under his
breath and then gently eases my thighs further apart with a nudge of his
hands. I do it, spreading without thinking. He locks an arm around my upper
thigh, anchoring himself, and then nuzzles deeper, burying his mouth in the
folds of my pussy.
It’s absolutely obscene…and so damn good. I cry out, hands clenching, as he
gives me an aggressive, deep lick that brushes over my clit.
“Oh no,” I moan, even as I hold him closer.
“Tell me to stop, then,” he murmurs, rubbing his mouth back and forth before
he drags his tongue over me again. “Tell me you don’t like me tasting your
cunt. Tell me you don’t like me hungry for you and I’ll stop.”
“Don’t you dare fucking stop.” I put a hand atop his head, on that wild hair,
and grab a fistful when he chuckles.
“I love the taste of this cunt,” he murmurs, and one hand slides up to drag a
blunted finger through my folds. “Look at how fucking wet you are, Andrea.
It’s like you know this is mine. You’re mine.” He looks up at me, and his
eyes are swirling both dark and gold. “Mine.”
He says it so strongly it makes me wet all over again. New slickness coats my
folds and I shudder against him. “Is that what I am? Yours?”
“You shouldn’t be.” Liam’s voice is a low, angry growl. “But I can’t help
myself. This taste…I’m going to need this every day now. Now that I know
how sweet you are? How wet? Every day, Andrea. In my bed, your thighs
over my shoulders, me licking every drop of sweetness from your cunt until
you’re screaming for me.”
Oh god. He’s going to make come just from the filthy things he’s saying. I’m
panting, clinging to his hair—and the horns that are in just the right spot to
grasp onto. He pushes backward, and then my upper back’s against the wall.
He pulls my hips forward just slightly, and it’s like I’m practically thrusting
up against his mouth as he tongues over my folds. Dirty-talking Liam has
vanished, and now he’s just utterly ravenous, his mouth moving over me with
such hungry intensity that it doesn’t matter that he’s not hitting my clit. He’s
devouring me with every hungry stroke of his tongue, seeking out any hint of
wetness and claiming it for himself.
And god, it’s sexy.
His furious tongue strikes across my clit, and my entire body jerks in
response. “Oh!”
Liam pauses, looking up at me. It steals my breath away, looking down at his
flushed, deep-gold mouth as his tongue flicks over his lips, tasting me. “Too
sensitive?”
“No,” I breathe, pressing a hand to my forehead because I feel like I’m about
to come apart. “Good. Too good.”
“No such thing,” he murmurs, and swipes his tongue over my clit again.
I cry out, arching up against that damned textured tongue, and then when he
does it again, I follow. He licks and sucks at my clit, and I shamelessly grind
against his face, all the while panting his name. He works his tongue over me,
and when I think I can’t take any more, he pushes a finger deep inside me and
then I come, release exploding through me. Another gush of fluid soaks my
pussy and he laps it up, even as I rock my hips against his face.
I let out a little mew of protest when he releases me, sliding bonelessly down
the wall to collapse in his arms.
“Andrea,” he murmurs. “My Andrea.” He lightly kisses my face a dozen
times, and I taste myself on his lips.
“Oh,” I breathe, and when he drags me into his lap and strokes my hair, I curl
up against him. “Just…give me a minute to catch my breath.”
He chuckles. “Take all the time you need, my sweet human.”
“Then it’s your turn,” I tell him, stroking my hand down the front of his shirt.
It has big, stretched-out handfuls where I got a little too enthusiastic with my
gripping. Whoops. I’m so distracted by the fact that I’ve practically ruined
his shirt that I almost miss his response.
“No,” he says quietly.
It takes a moment to register, and then I look up at him. “No?” I’m so dazed
that the word doesn’t quite sink in. “Why not?”
He presses a kiss to my brow, ever tender. “Let me just enjoy you for now.”
I bite back my frown, since he’s still kissing and petting me. Doesn’t he want
me to touch him? But he’s not acting like there’s a problem, so I settle in
against him and try not to let his refusal bother me.
 10

LIAM

T here is no pain quite like the unfulfilled mating heat in my

groin.
Andrea curls up against me, her intoxicating scent filling the air around us. I
understand why Rast is so protective of Amy, his human mate. I understand
Vaan’s utter focus on Gwen. I get it, now. As Andrea shudders in my arms,
her breathing heavy, I rub her back. Just moments ago, she came so very
sweetly against my mouth that it nearly stole the control from my body. She’s
so fragile yet spirited. I could crush her with my grip, but she trusts me
implicitly. I love that I could pleasure her, but with the aching strain of my
cock in my confining, irritating human clothes, it reminds me that I cannot do
more.
I cannot rip off my pants and bury my cock between her thighs.
I cannot claim her pretty throat with my bite or give her the mating mark. I
cannot give her my fires.
If I do, I’ll lose my sanity. I’ll become another ravening beast in the skies…
unless she’s my mate.
But to make her my mate, I’d have to access the parts of my mind that I’ve
walled off. And there’s no guarantee that I’ll be able to give her my fires in
time before I lose control of my sanity.
It’s a risk.
For seven long years, I’ve lived in the shadows of human settlements, trying
to blend in to survive, in the hopes of one day returning to my land and my
people. That if I can survive long enough, I can figure out how to get home.
That this blankness in my mind, this loss of communication with any drakoni
is nothing but temporary.
As I hold Andrea, I realize that the life I’ve been living is a cruel joke. I’m
not drakoni, nor am I human. I’m an outcast in both worlds, and after seven
long years of hiding, I’m coming to the realization that we might never get
home.
I might never be able to communicate with my people ever again. I might
never feel the warm comfort of another’s thoughts touching mine. Might
never feel the simple pleasure of just knowing there are others nearby of my
kind, having the constant sense of “belonging” that our joined connections
brought.
I will never have a mate, either.
This thing between myself and Andrea…it cannot be. I can’t claim her. I
can’t be human enough to be her male, and I am far too drakoni to make this
work. If she touches me, I fear I’ll lose control. That all the careful mental
shields I’ve put up will crumble, and I’ll attack her with the need to claim
her.
Worse, that I’ll forget myself and spend my seed inside her and hurt her. My
body temperature is much higher than hers, and her skin feels cool against
mine. I know my seed would boil inside her and burn her from within.
“Liam,” she breathes, and I want to tell her that that’s not my real name. That
I am Atalim, a drakoni warrior. I am not Liam, who pretends to be human
and cannot be whole.
But…that’s who I am now. So I say nothing.
If I could choose, though…if I could claim a female as my mate and not lose
my sanity?
Andrea would be mine.

S LEEP ELUDES ME THAT NIGHT . I need less sleep than most humans do,
anyhow, but even when I lie down on the strange plastic sleeping space and
pull her smaller form against me, I cannot relax. My drakoni senses are
slowly flaring to life, and that worries me. I know the feelings swamping my
mind are those of a drakoni male with a potential mate, because the urge to
protect Andrea as she sleeps is overwhelming.
It would be so easy to give in. To turn her over and claim her pretty, pale
neck. To sink my fangs in, open my mind, and give her my fires…and hope I
do not tear her throat out. I don’t know if how I feel for Andrea—possessive,
protective, obsessed—is because she truly is my mate, or if these are just
human reactions because I grow increasingly distant from my drakoni half by
the day.
That worries me and it only adds to the reasons why I cannot sleep.
Morning comes soon enough, and I leave Andrea’s side for a time, because I
know she likes privacy to relieve herself and wash. Her cheeks are bright red
with embarrassment when she looks at me, but she smiles and it makes my
spirit sing just to look at her. In seven long years, I have never felt such joy.
Perhaps even longer.
I hate that this thing between us cannot be more than this, though. Perhaps it
will be enough for her if I mate her cunt with my tongue instead of my cock,
and if I give her pleasure. If she is content with that, then I will be, too, I
decide.
As Andrea does her morning rituals, I go outside and prowl around the
building, taking in scents. Benny’s is still on the ground, but it grows fainter
with every day that passes, and that worries me. I promised Andrea I would
bring her brother back to her, but if we lose his trail, it might be an empty
promise.
I cannot fail her. I must remember our purpose, so I’m not distracted when
she’s at my side, her cunt smelling of her need and her eyes shining up at me.
Just thinking of it makes my cock ache, and I crouch low, closing my eyes
and focusing on the mental strengths that have kept my mind locked for so
many years.
Every drakoni is born with a mental link to his people. It is how we
communicate with parents, how we acknowledge others in our territory, and
how we speak. We do not use mouths and babble like the humans do. We let
our spirits touch and open our minds on a different level.
It was when I was captured by the Salorians that I learned a different way.
Because I was one of the strongest of my people and one of the largest in
battle form, they wanted me to break and to recruit me into one of their
armies. When I was captured, though, I wasn’t in battle form, and out of
stubbornness, I refused to shift. Several torture sessions later and with the
loss of many claws, I was tossed into the dungeons below the Salorian
stronghold. There, I met an old drakoni male who’d been in the dungeons for
many, many seasons. He was completely unbroken and ignored by his
captors. Fascinated, I wanted to learn his secrets. To prevent the Salorians
from taking over your mind, he told me, you have to close it off entirely. A
bridge that is destroyed cannot be used against you. Old Jannis taught me
how to visualize the walls to place in my mind, to detach from that part of
myself that wanted to share my spirit connection. Putting up these walls
meant cutting myself off from much of who I was. I could not switch to battle
form, because in that primal form, my mind would be open like an
outstretched palm. Like a muscle weak from disuse, I learned how to become
better at such things—to the consternation of my Salorian captors. They tried
to break my body, to force me to switch to battle form, but I resisted. When
they could not make me bend, they tied me up and were to send me off to the
deep mines, where I would be dumped with the other useless slaves, those too
weak to fly and who served no purpose to the Salorian empire.
But even as the prisoners were transported behind the line of battle warriors,
the skies opened up and tore the world apart…and when I awoke, I found
myself here. Other drakoni sailed through the sky, screaming out their
madness, and the females were all flushed with mating heat. I watched as
they destroyed the world around me and knew they’d gone insane…
And because I could do nothing to help, I found shelter and hid away, their
oppressive thoughts so wild and heavy that I could practically feel them in
the air around us.
I shake my head to clear the memories. Those were dark days, and I do not
care to relive them. My mind is stronger now, even if I feel isolated. I have
had years to build my walls, and if it means I am alone, then I must be alone.
So be it.
A fat chicken waddles past, then perches atop a nearby rusted car hulk. I eye
it. I could catch it and eat it raw, but it is not a human thing to do, and I’m not
sure what Andrea will think. I could roast it…but I cannot use my fire. I
clench my hands, hating how helpless I am like this. It has not bothered me
this much in seven years. Why is it making me antsy now?
Of course, I know why. The reason comes out of the building a short time
later, her hair pulled into a fresh braid and her cheeks pink as she smiles at
me. She smells freshly scrubbed, with the floral scents of the soaps these
humans like covering up her good natural sweat scent. Her clothes are
changed as well, and in her bag I can smell the last traces of her arousal-scent
on her clothing…and something else. Something from inside the store with
the mating objects. Curious, I wonder what she brought.
Is it because she plans on mating with me?
Hot need surges through my body and blasts at the mental walls. I close my
eyes, grinding a palm against my forehead as I try to concentrate.
Andrea is dangerous in her sweetness. Even her scent reminds me of last
night, and the taste of her on my lips. Perhaps I will not even get that, if it
weakens my defenses too much. Perhaps I cannot touch her at all. The
thought is one that makes my spirit ache.
“Hi,” she says, and there’s an eager, shy note in her voice that rouses my
drakoni side. I immediately move closer to her, drinking in her scent,
studying the way she moves, the bit of hair she tucks behind her ear. “Got the
scent?”
I nod and try to seem normal, composed. “Ready to go? Do you need
anything from inside?”
She pats her bags. “I refilled my canteens and grabbed a few trash bags and,
uh, some other stuff.” Her cheeks grow pinker. “I’m good, though. How
about you?”
“Ready,” I say, and she looks surprised when my tone is a little curt. “I smell
rain in the distance,” I explain. “I don’t like the thought of losing Benny’s
trail, so we should get going.”
Her soft expression immediately changes to one of worry, and I want to bite
off my own tongue for admitting that the trail grows weak. “You might lose
his scent?”
“We’ll find him,” I promise her. “I won’t let you lose him.”
She thinks for a moment and then smiles at me, as if my promise has
reassured her. “Let’s get going, then.” Andrea hitches her shotgun and pack
over her shoulder, and when I point, she heads down the road.
I pause just long enough so I can watch her cocky, adorable swagger, my
heart aching.
I need to pull back. Touching Andrea is too dangerous. It makes me want
things…things I can’t have.

“G OOD GOD , I’ve never seen so many damn rats,” Andrea exclaims as we
walk. “They’re everywhere.” She kicks at one that scurries near her boot and
steps closer to me.
It takes everything I have not to reach for her, to put my hand to her waist
and drag her close. I’m doing my best to keep my distance, so the hunger
brewing in the corners of my mind remains distant. I know that one touch and
I’m going to lose all control, so I pretend to concentrate on the invisible scent
trails that scatter all over the concrete.
We’ve been walking through the city all day, passing old buildings called
“casinos” and crossing under broken underpasses. Trash and debris from the
remains of the human hive is everywhere, but the stink of them is long faded,
except for the thread of Benny’s scent.
Andrea’s not wrong, though. The rats are indeed everywhere. They dart out
from under garbage and cross the road ahead of us, peek out from storm
drains, and their stink is overwhelming. They’re not clean creatures, these
rats, and I get why she’s horrified at the thought of me eating one.
I glance over at my companion, and I notice that she’s walking oddly again.
She favors her feet from time to time, trying to hide it from me, but I’ve
caught her stumbling and picking at her steps when she thinks I’m not
looking.
So I pause at a tree that’s cropped up next to an old red sign with human
words on it. “We’ll take a quick break here.”
“I can keep going,” she says defensively. She shakes her head and surges
forward, as if to prove me wrong.
“Andrea,” I call out, warning. “I am stopping here.” When she turns to give
me a hurt look, I add, “For a few minutes only.”
Her jaw clenches and then she heads back, moving to my side. She sits on the
edge of the curb next to me, not looking in my direction. I love her
stubbornness, but not when she is in pain.
“Are your feet bothering you?” I ask.
She shakes her head, still ignoring me.
“Shall I remove your boots and check your feet for myself?” I keep my tone
teasing, but she shoots me such a glare that I know I’ve struck a nerve. I
laugh. “That’s my answer, then. Andrea, if you destroy your feet, I’m going
to have to carry you. If we must, we’ll take breaks. We—”
“Every hour that slips away is another hour Benny’s ahead of us.” Her quiet
voice makes me stop. “I don’t care if I have two blisters or twenty, but I need
to find my brother. I can keep walking.”
I get to my feet, because even though she’s stubborn, I understand her. “Then
we’ll keep walking.” I extend my hand to her.
She takes it, and I’m surprised at the surge of lust that washes over me just
from the touch of her cool fingers. She casts a smile in my direction, and it
takes everything I have not to grab her by her hair and pull her against me. I
stay still until she walks past once more, and then follow behind her a few
steps.
My reactions to her seem to get stronger with every day that passes. This is…
not good for my mental walls. At what point will Andrea destroy them
entirely?
 11

LIAM

T hat afternoon, new problems arise.

Storm clouds roll in overhead, changing the scents in the air
and making the world around us humid and muggy. Andrea casts a few
anxious looks at the dark clouds. “I really don’t want to be rained on.”
I don’t care about the rain. I just worry that it’s going to destroy all traces of
Benny’s already thin scent-trail. But I don’t say this aloud because I don’t
want to worry Andrea. I’ve promised to bring her brother back and I will.
As the wind shifts, it brings with it new scents, and one is a distant dragon.
That might be trouble if it comes any closer, and I say so to Andrea.
“We’ll go for as long as we can, then.” She looks troubled, but she’s also
practical. Sore feet she might be able to ignore, but not a dragon in the sky.
So we continue on, and then the rain begins to patter down on us. I stop
looking for Benny’s trail and start looking for a shelter nearby as lightning
crackles overhead. “Shelter,” I tell her. “Pick one.” I gesture at the fallen
buildings around us, but none seem particularly good spots to stay in.
She immediately gestures at one with a big golden sign. “The arches, of
course. I used to love eating there as a kid.”
We head toward the building, and I notice there’s a big, windowed area with
colorful plastic slides and a pit full of balls that’s also filled up with leaves
and debris. Andrea ignores that, though, heading inside where there are tables
mounted to the floor and a counter across from them. It doesn’t look all that
hospitable—most of the glass windows lining the building have shattered—
but it’ll be dry enough.
Andrea moves to one of the tables and sits in the chair, sighing. “Gosh, this
brings back memories. I remember how much Benny used to laugh and laugh
when I took him out to the slide. And he’d always get a kid’s meal with
nuggets. I’d get one too, just so he could have two toys.” She traces a finger
through the dust on the tabletop as I move to her side. “I really miss those
days. Everything was so simple and the food was so good.”
My hand twitches. I want to touch her shoulder, caress the braid of hair
snaking down her back, but I don’t dare. Touching her means giving in to my
need, and I have to fight it. “Should we look for food, then?”
“Oh, if there was food here, it’ll be long gone.” She props her chin up on her
hand. “But as shelter, this’ll work.”
I grunt a response, and as she tosses her bag onto the table, I move around to
check out our surroundings. The area behind the counter smells like old
grease. There’s a pair of doors past all the tables, and from experience, I
know these are the waste-rooms humans used to relieve themselves. There’s
no doorknob, so I push one swinging door open and I’m surprised at the
scents that hit me.
For one, it’s surprisingly clean. I recognize the astringent scent of the
cleaning products that they use back at the fort. It’s old and faded, but it still
lingers on all the surfaces. Whoever left this place behind wanted it to be left
tidy. I also smell Benny here, which means he stopped in this building, and
stopped in this room specifically. His scent is all over the stalls, and I flare
my nostrils, then head back out of the room and down the hall to another
door. This one has no signs on it, and it has a handle on the door, which
makes it different than the others. Not a waste-room then. I test the round
knob, and it opens easily; it’s been broken. I open the door and it smells like
stale cigarette smoke. There are papers all over the desk, and a boxy thing
that I’ve been told is a computer…and a small window with wavy, rippled
glass. It’s open just a crack, and Benny’s scent leads here. I lean over the
desk, pry open the window, and gaze outside. It leads to a few dumpsters and
the parking lot, where a few old cars are still parked.
Interesting thing though…there’s a new scent here. A male, and he’s got an
animal with him. A hunter? I lean out and Benny’s scent continues outside.
He came in this room and left out the window, then.
I pace back out, following the scent. Andrea looks up at me curiously as I
head out the double doors at what must be the front of the building, and look
around. Benny’s scent is heaviest here. It smells like sweat and human boy
and the corn cakes that Andrea nibbles on frequently. I glance around, then
move toward a metal contraption that has the familiar, odd scent I’ve been
picking up next to Benny’s scent for the last few days. I know a lot of human
words, but this one escapes me. It looks like a metal frame of some kind, with
two wheels and a set of handles.
“What is it?” Andrea asks.
I gesture at the thing. “This smells like him.”
“A bike! Where did he get that?” She leans forward, checking it over.
“Chain’s good and tires have air. No wonder we haven’t been able to catch
him.”
“I’ve smelled this,” I say, tapping one of the black wheels. “Ever since we
left the fort.”
She swears under her breath. “If he had a bike this whole time, he could be
miles and miles ahead of us.” Andrea drops to a crouch and presses a hand to
her brow.
I can practically smell the despair on her and it bothers me. I’ve failed her. “It
gets worse.”
She lifts her head and looks at me, her eyes shiny and wet. “What is it?”
I take her hand—even though I know I shouldn’t touch her—and lead her
inside. I retrace Benny’s steps, taking her along his path. “He came in here,” I
say, taking her to the clean waste-room. “And then he went back down the
hall and into this second room here.” I take her to the one that smells of stale
cigarettes, a stink that I hate more than the perfumes humans like. “He
opened the window and that’s when a second smell appears.”
“A second smell?”
“An unfamiliar male. He had a creature with him. It’s possible he was
hunting and Benny talked to him. Either way, they left together.”
Her eyes widen and she clenches her hands. “He was meeting someone,
wasn’t he? He’s been planning this for a long time.”
I have no answer. I just shrug. “We can follow their trail, see where it leads
—”
Thunder crashes overhead, and then the skies open up, letting out a deluge of
heavy rain. Andrea’s face falls as the room grows darker around us. I know
what she’s thinking. She’s torn between going after Benny and staying here,
in the shelter. Her eyes look wet once more.
I put my hands on her shoulders, squeezing. “If you want to go out and keep
going, we can.”
Thunder crashes and the skies light up with lightning, as if making a mockery
of my words. Andrea stares at me, then shakes her head slowly. “I know it’s
not wise. If we both catch colds we’re no good to anyone, and my feet hurt.
We’ll stay here tonight.” Her eyes plead up at me. “Do you think he’s all
right?”
“I smell no blood,” I admit, and when she gives a trembling nod, I pull her
close against me. Touching her is dangerous, but…how can I not? She needs
me, and I’m starting to worry that I need her, too.
 12

ANDI

T he storm crashes overhead with depressing amounts of

violence, reiterating the fact that it was smart for us to hide out
inside. I know that getting soaked while traveling is bad. I know that I’ll
catch a cold, or worse, it’ll ruin my gear. I know it’s smarter to stay inside
and wait, because Benny’s likely miles and miles ahead of us and hiding out
somewhere warm himself.
Oh, but my heart aches. It doesn’t understand that I want to be out there in
the downpour, a few steps closer to finding Benny.
I think Liam gets it, though. His expression is gentle as he rolls out a blanket
from his pack and invites me to sit on it in a clean corner of the old fast-food
restaurant’s strangely sparkling clean bathroom. It’s the best spot to hide out;
the windows are blown out, so a damp breeze constantly comes through,
ruffling my hair and making everything feel misty. So we shut the door to the
bathroom and sit in the darkness.
I’m quiet, my legs pulled up to my chest as I think about Benny.
My brother met someone out here. He met a stranger, a man, and left with
him. I can only think of two possible scenarios—that Benny has had his
escape planned for a terribly long time and made plans with one of the
random nomads that occasionally passes through the fort. I try to think if
there were any Benny took a particular interest in, but I can’t think of anyone.
It’s either that, or someone found my brother here and stole him.
That idea scares me.
A warm hand reaches out in the darkness and grazes my cheek. “Andrea?”
Liam’s voice is like silky, rich butter…and just like butter, he makes my
mouth water. “Sorry I’m not very good company tonight. I’m just worried
about Benny.”
“You are always good company,” he chides me, and his hand moves to my
knee, and then he touches my boot. “I understand fretting over him. You’re
allowed to worry.” And he unties my shoelace.
“What are you doing?”
“You said your feet hurt earlier. I am going to rub them for you.”
“Why?” I feel like a doofus for asking, but he’s the first man that’s ever
wanted to do something like that that’s just for me, that he gets nothing out
of. Of course, I think of last night and how he tongued me until I came and
got nothing out of that, too, and my cheeks heat. Maybe that’s his fetish. He
gets off on getting me off, or something. But…it’s odd. I’m not sure I like
fooling around with someone in such a one-sided manner. It makes me feel
like I’m not holding up my half of the bargain, or worse, that he’s not truly
interested.
Liam pulls my boot off, though, and then I’m wiggling my foot in my worn,
heavily mended sock. I’m glad it’s dark so he can’t see how threadbare it
looks. Of course, thinking about this sock makes me think about the socks
Benny stole and I feel like crying all over again.
“You’re thinking hard,” he says. “Want to talk about it?”
“What’s there to say?” My voice is hoarse. “Benny’s either in terrible danger
or he’s been plotting to leave me because I’m no longer important in his life.
That about sums it up.”
He removes my other boot, and then both of my feet are in his lap. His body
is insanely warm and when his hands clasp one foot and then the other, it
feels like they’re being warmed by heated oven mitts. God, it feels good.
“We don’t know what happened with Benny,” he tells me. “You are
assuming. Focus on the truths you know and don’t make new worries.”
His fingers rub at the instep of one foot, and my leg jolts in response. I moan.
“Oh.”
Liam’s low, sexy chuckle is making me want to rip my panties off. “Feel
good?”
“Yeah, but I don’t get why you’re doing it,” I admit.
“I like touching you.” His hands stroke over the arch of my foot and then rub
my other instep. He’s making sure to give attention to each foot equally, and
all the aching places seem to ache a little less while he does it.
“But you don’t want me to touch you back,” I venture, almost afraid to hear
his answer.
I expect him to protest, to say something that will make me feel better, but he
only sighs. That lone sound hangs in the air for a moment, and then he finally
speaks.
"I owe you the truth."
"That'd be nice," I say nervously. I feel the urge to pull my feet out of his
grip, but he hasn't let go of me yet. Is this truth going to be bad? Something in
me suspects that it will be. That he doesn't really like me. That what we did
last night was some sort of manipulation and it didn't mean anything to him…
and that might break me. "What's going on?"
Liam's fingers move on my foot. "You obsess me, Andrea."
That…wasn't what I was expecting to hear. "You make that sound bad."
"It is for me."
I wait for him to continue, because I want to—need to—know what he's
talking about. I'm afraid if I speak, I'll derail the conversation. So I wait in the
darkness, hoping that he'll start talking before my nervous sweat becomes
overwhelming.
"I am not like other drakoni," Liam begins. "You know this. I shut off the
part of my mind that connects my spirit to the others of my people that are
here. That's the only way I've managed to stay sane while they fight madness.
But because of that, I've had to be very careful with myself. I cannot let
anything threaten my control, because if it does, I could lose everything."
A funny feeling starts in the pit of my stomach. I have an idea of where this
conversation is headed, and I don't like it. Is this the dragon version of “it's
not you, it's me” and he's going to let me down nicely? I should have
expected it. There are no good guys in the After, there are only
disappointments. "I see."
"I want you so deeply that it threatens my control," he admits, and his voice
is low and fervent. "Your nearness drives me to distraction. Your scent is in
my nose when I wake up, and it surrounds me when I go to sleep. My hands
twitch with the need to touch you. My cock aches with the need to bury
myself deep inside you and claim you as mine. My fangs ache to give you my
fires. Everything I am wants to possess you."
I can't breathe. "Oh," I manage. My pulse pounds in my veins, and I'm all too
aware of his nearness.
"So far, I have managed to keep my control and feed my hunger for you by
touching you." His fingers skate over the arch of my foot and then up to my
ankle, teasing the soft skin there. "I know I shouldn't even allow myself that
much, but I can't help it. Touching you is such pleasure that I can't stop
myself. I'm addicted."
I shift in my seat, heat pooling through my body at these ardent words. If he's
trying to push me away, he's going about it all wrong. This is just making me
want him even more.
"That's why I haven't asked you to touch me," he murmurs. "Because my
control is already tenuous. I find myself doing things that another drakoni
would for his mate. I watch over you while you sleep. I want to feed you. I'm
fascinated with your neck."
My neck? I touch it in the darkness, blushing. "Why my neck?"
"Because I want to sink my fangs into your pretty throat and give you my
fires," Liam says, and his words are so low and fervent that they make a little
shudder of need ripple through me. "I'd pull you close and hold you against
me and claim your throat, marking you as mine for all time. No other male
would ever look at you ever again, because he would smell me on you and
know you're claimed."
Oh god, this should not be making me wet, but it's definitely making me wet.
Haven't I been jealous of Amy and Gwen and what they have with their
dragons? I've wanted what they have, dreamed of being the center of
someone's world…and now Liam is confessing those feelings for me? I want
it. I've been attracted to him for what feels like forever, and this feels like the
best of both worlds. "So why don't you do it?" I slide my fingers across my
collarbones, trying to picture where he'd bite me. Just under my ear? Or
lower, near my shoulder?
He groans low, and I can feel his entire body stiffen. The hands caressing my
feet clench and then stop. "I cannot. If I did, I'd have to open my mind to that
part of me I've walled off. Instead of claiming you, it's very likely that I'd lose
all control and hurt you instead."
I shiver and pull my feet out of his lap. "Hurt me?"
"I wouldn't want to," he rasps, and it sounds like he's on the verge of losing
control as it is. "Nothing terrifies me more than the thought of you coming to
harm, Andrea. But I wouldn't be able to help myself, any more than the
dragons in the skies want to attack everything in sight. They can't help
themselves. They're utterly crazed…and I fear I would be, too. That the pull
of a mate wouldn't be enough to conquer the madness."
"Oh," I say softly again. Silence falls between us. "I don't want you to lose
your mind just because we kiss," I venture. "But I'm not going to lie, I'm
going to be really disappointed if we can't touch each other anymore. I liked
being with you." If he's being honest, I guess I can, too. "But I understand—"
He groans. A moment later, his big arms are around my waist and he's pulling
me against him. Liam buries his face against my neck and for a moment, my
pulse races and I think he's going to bite me like he said he would…but he
only breathes deep.
For a moment, I’m filled with bitterness. Of course I find a guy that I’m crazy
about, one that touches me with love and respect and gives me everything I
want…except we can’t be together. Maybe I just won’t be lucky enough to
have the happiness that others experience.
And the next moment, I think…fuck that.
“Liam,” I murmur, lifting his head and caressing his face with my hands. In
the darkness, his eyes practically glow and I can see them swirling deeper
gold, a darker shade than they should be for me to be safe. I don’t care,
though. This is Liam and I know he won’t hurt me. “You don’t have to take
me as your mate, do you?”
He stiffens, pulling back. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, we can still touch each other. Give each other pleasure. We just
don’t have to take that final step. No biting. Everything else is on the table.”
“Andrea,” he breathes, voice raspy. I wish I could see his face in the
darkness, but I can imagine the stark look on his hard, handsome features.
“No—”
“Shh,” I whisper, and put a finger to his lips. “Hear me out.” I trace the finger
down his chin, touching his jaw, caressing him. “We can kiss. We can touch.
We can do whatever feels good, and if it’s too much for you, we can stop.
We’ll just play it by ear and do as much as you can handle. If we can’t have
everything, then we can’t have everything. We’ll just work with what we
can.”
He’s panting, as if even this conversation is firing him up. Maybe it is,
because I’m getting all aroused myself. “My seed is too hot for you to take
inside your body—”
“Then you don’t come inside my body. That’s not a big deal.”
Liam stiffens. “It…you don’t consider this an insult?”
Is it an insult for his people? “Nope.” I lean in and press a kiss to his mouth,
feeling a little daring. “And we have condoms to give a bit of a barrier. Or…I
could just watch you touch yourself. That’d be sexy.” I give a little wiggle in
his lap, because the thought of him stroking himself to completion? Oh yeah,
I’d watch that all day long.
But he pauses. “Condoms?”
“Yup. I brought some from the sex store. It’s a sheath you put over your cock
and it catches all the semen. I’ve heard they dull the sensation, too, so maybe
that’d be a good thing?”
“I don’t know.” His hands clench and he pulls me tighter to him. “Do you
know what you ask, Andrea? We could be playing with fire.”
“I trust you, Liam.” And I do. I really don’t think he’d hurt me. I’m flattered
he thinks I’m testing his control, but if he’s gone seven years without
breaking, a little hanky-panky won’t do it.
Hopefully.
He touches my face. “Don’t call me that.”
That jars me out of my desire-filled haze. “What?”
“It’s not my real name. It’s just a human name.” He pulls me closer, his
fingers lightly skating over my face and then down the front of my shirt. It’s
like now that I’ve given him permission, he’s going to be bold with touching
me, and oh, I love it. He brushes over one of my hard, aching nipples, and I
arch against him. “When I first got here, the man that found me thought that
I’d had a stroke, or been hit in the head and forgot my language. Drakoni
don’t use spoken words, remember?”
I vaguely remember him telling me that, but my mind is scattered, distracted
as he teases my nipple. “Mmhmm,” I manage to whimper out. “Go on.”
“It took me a long time to fit my mouth around your words. The only part of
my name I was able to say was the second half, and that’s what stuck.” He
plucks at my nipple, then leans forward to taste my lips. As he does, his
mouth whispers across mine. “If you must call me something when I touch
you, call me by my real name. Atalim.”
“Atalim, then.” I try to pronounce it like he does, with the latter half a breathy
sigh. It sounds wild and fierce, just like him.
He shudders against me, and his fingers dig into my arms. “Say it again for
me, Andrea.”
Is this why he never calls me Andi? Because he hates that his own name was
taken from him? I slide a hand to the back of his neck and hold on, kissing
him lightly. “Atalim.”
His groan echoes in the darkness, and he pulls my thighs apart, until I’m
straddling the hard length of his cock as I sit in his lap. He presses me down
against it, grinding. “Tell me to stop touching you,” he demands.
“Not gonna say that, Atalim,” I tease, leaning forward to nip at his ear. “I
want you too much. We can do all kinds of things that are just for fun, you
know. No one has to be mated, Atalim.” I keep throwing his name in there,
because he gives this sexy little shudder every time I say it.
“I want to mate you,” he growls against my throat. “I want that more than
anything.”
My pussy clenches to hear that, and when he drags his thumb over my nipple
again, I want to cry with how unfair this is. I want him to mate me, too. But
I’ll take what he can give me. “Let’s just enjoy here and now, Atalim.” I slide
my hand under his shirt, feeling the scorching hot wall of muscle that is his
chest. “Is it okay if I touch you?”
He growls again, but that’s not a no. If it was, he’d push my hand away.
Instead, his fingers curl in my shirt and he holds me closer, even as he
continues to tease my breast with his other hand.
“Then you’ll just have to tell me to stop,” I murmur, pulling at his shirt until
he gets the hint and lifts his arms up over his head so I can slide the whole
thing off. Then there’s nothing but naked skin in front of me, and I sigh. “I
want to light a candle so I can look at you. So unfair to hide all this gorgeous
skin in the dark.”
“Light one. I want to please you.” His voice is raspy with emotion, his body
shifting under mine, and his big dick keeps rubbing against the inside of my
thigh, distracting me.
He really wants me to light one? It’s a frivolous use of something so
precious, and yet he’s not chiding me on it. He wants this as much as I do, I
realize. Does he like the thought of me eating him up with my eyes? With a
little shiver of pleasure, I give him another quick kiss, detangle from his lap,
and then fumble for my bag in the darkness, looking for my lighter and the
emergency candle-bowl I brought along with me.
I manage to get it lit despite my shaking hands and set it down on the tile
floor. When I turn back to him, the sight of his big golden body takes my
breath away, as does the hunger in his shadowed eyes.
Oh. Reverently, I put a hand on his chest. “Look at you, Atalim. How did you
ever manage to hide all this gorgeousness from me for so long?”
Liam—Atalim—groans, reaching for me. He touches my braid, which has
nearly come undone with our caresses, and lets my hair drift through his
fingers. “I’ve told myself over and over again that I can’t have you. Do you
know how difficult that is? How long I’ve wanted to touch you, Andrea?”
“Well, you can have me,” I say lightly, feeling breathless. “Just not all of me.
We won’t do anything that’ll endanger your control, okay?” I trace my
fingers over his mouth, fascinated by the way the flickering shadows play
over his skin. “You take the lead if you need to.”
He nips at my fingertip. “I like you leading.”
Oh god, I can practically hear my panties soaking as his teeth scrape over my
skin. Reluctantly, I pull my hand back from his mouth and let my palms drift
down his chest. I touch him all over, exploring his body. For a guy that’s
been hiding out in one shitty fort after another for the last seven years, eating
our poor food, he’s built like an absolute bulldozer. His pectorals are things
of beauty, and his traps—the muscles around the back of his neck and
shoulders—are thick and prominent. God, I just want to lick this man all
over. I squeeze one big arm, fascinated by him. “How have you stayed so
muscular in the After on what we eat in the forts?”
He laughs, the sound breathless and full of surprise. “I don’t always eat what
you do? Sometimes I sneak out and go hunting.”
“Well, whatever it is, keep doing it.” I move my hands down his rippled
stomach. There’s not an ounce of fat on the man, or a hint of give. He’s
just…perfect, right down to the massive log pushing against the front of his
sweatpants. “Oh, hello there.” I drag my hand over the front of his pants,
outlining his length.
The breath hisses out from his lungs and he jerks away from me, falling
backward.
I stumble back a little myself, clutching my hand to my chest. “Are you
okay? Liam? Atalim?”
He pants, staring up at the ceiling. One hand fists at his side, then slowly
unclenches. “I just…was not expecting that.”
“Should I not touch you there?”
Liam sits up slowly, his eyes hot slits of golden need. “I should tell you to
stop, but I can’t.”
I bite my lip and then smile at him. “I’ll call out any moves before I do them,
how’s that? OK to put my hand on your cock again?” When he gives a jerky
nod, I carefully grip him, encircling his girth with my fingers—or trying to.
The man’s thicker than anyone else I’ve ever touched, and even through the
soft fabric of his pants, I can feel the fabric catch across the top of his cock,
as if it’s got a texture of some kind there. “Man, I bet those idiots that run the
sex store feel stupid now,” I say, fascinated as I slide my other hand down to
cup his balls. “They don’t need dildos or anything crazy when there’s men
like you around.”
“Am I not built like human men?”
“They wish,” I mutter.
He laughs, but it turns into another strangled groan when I squeeze his length
again. “Your hands, Andrea. Be mindful of my seed.”
I give him a sultry look. “Is it all over the head of your cock?”
Liam bites back another growl. “Yes.”
“Then wipe it away so I can put my mouth there.”
He pants out a huff of a breath and then pulls his pants down, revealing his
cock. It’s just as thick and gorgeous as I remembered, with the head a deep
gold. Drops of pre-cum bead the surface, and a curl of steam rises. My mouth
waters at the sight, because I desperately want to taste him, but if he says it’s
dangerous, I believe him. He swipes his hand over his cock, brushing away
the moisture there, only to growl in frustration when more replaces what was
removed. “You keep looking at me like you’re hungry and now I can’t stop.”
Liam brushes his hand over his cockhead again, then groans. “This isn’t
going to work.”
“You want a condom then?” I move over to my bag and dig through it,
looking for the little foil packets I snatched from the sex shop. After
rummaging for a few moments, I find it and pull one small packet off the
strip, then hold it out to him.
Liam gives me a curious glance. “Tell me how this works again?”
I rip open the pack with my teeth, then pull the ring of latex out and offer it to
him. “You roll this down your length and….”
We both look down at his hard, erect cock. It’s enormous, the head thick and
meaty, and the rest of him is so thick that I can’t even get my grip completely
around him. The condom in my hand—extra large, even—doesn’t seem
adequate for the job.
“Uh, maybe not.”
“Humans manage to stick their cocks in this?” He takes the condom from me
and frowns at it, then tries to unroll it. Immediately, it rips and then he stares
down at his fingers, now covered with spermicidal lubricant.
“Yeah, I guess that was a stupid idea. You’re not built like human men.” I
grab a dirty T-shirt from my pack and wipe the lubricant off his hands. “The
damn thing’s expired anyhow.”
“Expired?”
I shake my head. “Don’t worry about it. I have a new idea.” And I lean
forward to give him a kiss.
His mouth is hungry on mine, and our tongues tease until we’re both panting.
“What’s your new idea?” His eyes are that sexy deep gold again, and I notice
that his hand’s on his cock, pulling it up against his belly as if trying to make
sure he doesn’t hit me with it. Is he truly that hot to the touch?
I reach out and brush my fingers over the head of his cock before he can stop
me, and gasp at how scalding hot his semen feels. I immediately wipe my
fingers on my jeans, but they throb in response even after I’m done. No
wonder he can’t come inside me—that would take any pleasure out of our
mating. “Fuck, you’re right, that is hot.”
“Which is why I must give you my fires,” he tells me, frustration edging his
voice. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
I nod. Temporary setback. We’ll figure something else out. For now, I just
want to go on feeling sexy with him. I lean forward and touch his face again,
then nip at his lower lip. “It’s all right. We can do a lot of things without
penetration.”
“We can?”
“Oh yeah.” I don’t tell him that I learned all kinds of ways to get a guy off
without him coming inside me, out of necessity from my time back in Fort
Tulsa. I learned that as long as he got his nut and I was creative and
sufficiently sexy? It didn’t matter that his dick didn’t get to home plate. Back
then, it was necessity. Now, I just want to give Liam pleasure and show him
how much I like him, even if we can’t go all the way. I didn’t expect Liam to
sound so very startled, though. “Humans can get pretty creative, you know.”
“I’m learning that,” he murmurs, his gaze devouring me with a look.
I slide my hand down his chest, careful to avoid his cock. “Do you ever touch
yourself, Liam?”
He groans, closing his eyes, and his body leans towards mine unconsciously.
“While thinking of you? Yes.”
Oooh. I clench my thighs, because that visual image is sexy as hell. “What
are you doing to me when you stroke yourself? In your mind?”
I’m fascinated when his lips part, and I see a hint of fang graze his lip. His
hand tightens on his cock and he runs his fist down the length, as if unable to
help himself. I lick my lips, waiting for his answer, and when it doesn’t come
right away, I pull my shirt off. My nipples are outlined through the thin fabric
of my bra, and it’s the next thing to go.
He groans again, stroking his cock, his gaze glued to my tits.
I sit up on my knees, close to him but not close enough to touch. With a little
wiggle of my hips, I put my hands on my breasts and tease my nipples,
plucking at them and toying with the points. “Did you have your mouth
here?”
Liam gives another hissing breath and strokes his cock, harder. He’s
entranced by my words, his gaze flicking between my mouth and the nipples
I’m playing with.
“Or was it lower?” I murmur, and slide one hand to the waistband of my
pants.
“Your cunt,” he rasps. “Take your pants off and show it to me. I want to see
how wet you are. I want to smell you.”
“Oh no,” I murmur, with another sexy little bite of my lip that catches his
gaze. “Maybe I’ll just let you hear how wet I am.” I wiggle my eyebrows and
then sit up on my knees, undoing the button on my jeans. I slip one hand
inside my panties and then slick my fingers through my folds. In the quiet of
the bathroom, the movement is obscenely noisy. I’m soaking with need, and I
love the way his eyes flare when he hears it.
“Are you going to finger yourself while I stroke my cock?” he asks, his eyes
the most vibrant shade of gold.
“Something like that.” I turn around, though, and present my jeans-covered
ass to him.
He reaches for me, his fingers going immediately for the cleft between my
thighs and gliding between them.
I’m not prepared for how good even that touch feels. Blunted by the denim
separating us, I knew it wouldn’t be as good as his fingers would be if they
were buried deep in my pussy, but the heightened sexiness of this moment is
making me crazy with need. With a whimper, I lean forward and press my
cheek to the blanket spread on the floor. My ass is in the air, and I spread my
thighs apart even wider as I sink my fingers deep into my heat.
Liam gives a low, feral growl at the sight. “Mine.”
That’s the only warning I get before I feel him grab my hips and pull me
back. His big cock drags against the denim of my jeans, then prods at my
core as if he can somehow tear through the fabric and sink deep. I moan as he
thrusts against me and my fingers skate to my clit instead, rubbing it
frantically.
“Atalim,” I pant. “God, yes. Push against me.”
“Say my name,” he growls, utterly demanding. “Again.” And then he thrusts
against me once more.
“Atalim!” I cry out, and then I say it over and over again as he grinds against
me, pushing against my jeans with every hard thrust of his cock. It’s the most
erotic thing I’ve ever felt and it makes me crazy with lust even as it fills me
with yearning. I want him deep inside me, filling up this hollow ache as my
pussy clenches and clenches on nothing at all.
He gives a feral snarl, wedging the head of his cock against my core and
thrusting hard. Wet heat scorches against my clothing, making me jerk as I
realize he’s coming all over my backside. The denim burns my skin, just
enough to make me gasp, but my fingers are working so intently against my
clit that I don’t even care. I come with a little cry of my own a short moment
later, rubbing and rubbing to pull every bit of pleasure from that orgasm that I
can. When I can’t touch myself any longer, I make a little whimpering sound
and then sigh, closing my eyes.
Liam’s hands are still clenched tight around my hips. His body still trembles
against mine, and I realize belatedly that the hard length of him is still
pressed between my thighs, as if he belongs there.
I lift my head and look back at him. “Liam? Atalim?”
I’m shocked at the sight of him. Normally his eyes are filled with that
vibrant, delicious gold, but when I look back, I can’t see them in the
shadows. It takes me a moment to realize they’re almost entirely black, and
the hands digging into my hips are clenching me tight.
“Liam?” I say again, because maybe hearing his human name will jar him out
of this.
His lips part, and I’m surprised to see his fangs look longer than ever. They
drag against his lower lip, and then quickly retract. A split second later, gold
bleeds into his eyes and he blinks—
And then jerks away from me, pacing. His hand goes to his brow and he
groans deep.
“Are you okay?” I ask, sitting up. My jeans are hot and sticking to me with
his release, and the smell of sex is thick in the air.
He laughs and gives a shake of his head. “Fine.”

LIAM
The humans have a saying—playing with fire.
I thought it was a foolish statement, but the longer I am around Andrea, the
wiser it seems. Playing with fire? I am absolutely doing so. I am skating a
thin line when I hold her close to me as she sleeps. The line grows ever
thinner when I press my mouth to her neck, imagining my fangs there as I
give her my fires.
I do not sleep. The very real need to protect the female at my side grows
daily. Is she my mate or am I simply imagining her to be so? How do I know
that I won’t sink my teeth into her throat, claim her as mine, and regain both
halves of myself easily?
I don’t know that. Perhaps all of this is just misery I put myself through…but
I can’t bring myself to make that jump. Not yet.
I want Andrea. I want her badly. But I might not be myself if I let down my
mental walls. Instead of claiming her as my mate, I could destroy her.
So I hold her close and do nothing at all, and feel my control slipping away
with every day that passes and she is near. The smart thing would be to take
her back to Fort Shreveport and leave her behind. Never return. Find a new
place to live, a new name to assume, and continue to lurk in the shadows,
where no one will notice yet another silent stranger.
But I can’t. Even the thought of leaving Andrea’s side tears me apart.
I will stay with her until it destroys me or she asks me to leave. There is no
other choice.
 13

LIAM

A ndrea crouches at my side as we hide behind the twisted metal hulk

of one of the cars that line the old streets. I can feel her trembling
next to me, but I don’t know if it’s from fear or anger. “Is that him?” she
asks, her voice a low whisper. She’s got her gun in her arms, and she fingers
it as if waiting for a chance to use it.
“It is,” I tell her, and put a hand on her shoulder just in case she has a mind to
go leap out and confront the man.
It’s taken an entire afternoon of tracking to hunt down the scent of the male
that was outside the restaurant. We left early this morning once the rains
cleared, and Benny’s scent mingled with this man’s as we went along. There
was no fear scent, I tell Andrea, and even the rain can’t hide the fact that
Benny’s scent was paired with this man’s, equally. They walked side by side
when they traveled, so Benny went willingly. His scent doesn’t disappear
from the ground as if he was carried. This is good, I told Andrea, and was
happy to see her bright smile of relief.
But when we found the male in a field, throwing a ball with a black and
brown four-legged creature, Andrea’s demeanor changed. Benny wasn’t with
the stranger, and she pulled out her gun and clutched it close. As she
crouches at my side, I worry that she’s going to bolt and attack the male.
I don’t care if he dies, but I do care if she gets hurt.
Plus, I can’t figure out what he’s doing.
I watch the man from afar, squinting as if that will possibly help me figure
out his actions. He laughs at the black-and-brown creature, whistling and
snapping his fingers. The thing bounds back toward him, a bright orange
object in its mouth. It dances around in front of him in some sort of
aggressive distraction tactic, then drops the orange object on the ground. The
man says something, picks up the orange object, and flings it through the air.
For a moment, I think he’s distracting the creature so he can make a getaway
and tense, ready to spring and stop him. Except…he doesn’t move. He just
waits, hands on hips, as the creature bounds through the tall grass in the
nearby field and then brings the object back to him once more.
They do this several times, and I look down at Andrea. “Can he not figure out
that the creature will keep returning if he throws it?”
She looks up at me, startled, and her mouth twitches. “Babe. That’s his dog.
He’s playing fetch.”
“Babe?” I echo, my brows furrowing. “Do you refer to me?”
Her cheeks flush and she gives me a bold look despite the color in her face.
“It’s a term of endearment. If I call you by your real name, you’re gonna get a
massive boner and we need to stay focused. Unless you’d rather I call you
Liam?”
A term of endearment? I grunt, considering this. I hate the name Liam, but
she’s not wrong—if she calls me by my full name, I probably will feel the
need to throw her down to the ground and rut all over her jeans-clad bottom
like we did last night. Even the memory of that makes my cock stiffen,
because it was so good.
Too good. I did not tell her, but I came very close to losing control. I can’t let
that happen again—what we did was amazing, but it can’t happen regularly.
Not until I figure out how to rebuild my crumbling shields and strengthen my
mind.
“Babe is fine,” I decide. “And what is a dog?”
“It’s a companion animal. People used to keep them for companionship back
before the Rift. Once it hit, most of the pets disappeared. People didn’t have
the food to feed themselves, much less an animal. It’s kind of nice to see one
again.” Her expression grows soft. “I had a dog as a kid. He didn’t survive
the Rift, either.”
A dog. I consider the creature as it bounds forward again, returning the
orange thing once more. I wonder why the man and creature keep doing the
strange toss-and-retrieve game. Can he not figure it out?
“Is Benny around?” Andrea whispers, turning toward me.
I shake my head. “His scent continues down the road. The man’s does, too,
but he’s clearly here.” I gesture at him in the nearby field, and then study him
as I would any other male human—looking for weaknesses, and for weapons.
He has a leather belt that hangs off his hip and has something metal holstered
there. A gun, I bet. I’m not familiar with all the shapes and sizes of human
weapons, but I know they’re fond of the fire-spitting ones. He wears jeans
like my Andrea does, and a white shirt with no sleeves. His arms are bare,
showing black drawings tracing up and down his arms. He wears a baseball
cap like I do, but the hair sticking out of the back is a dark jet black that flicks
against his neck.
He doesn’t smell like Benny, either. That worries me, that her brother’s scent
is nowhere near this man.
“What should we do?” she asks, looking over at me.
I consider the man in the field for a moment and then look down the road.
“The scent continues that way,” I indicate. “And there’s a lot of scents in that
direction, some of them old, some newer. They might have a settlement there,
and that might be where Benny is.”
“Raiders,” Andrea agrees, her mouth thinning out with displeasure. She looks
over at the man as he throws the orange toy again, and hesitates. “Should we
charge in, then? Or try to befriend this one?”
I have two minds to this. The old Liam, the one that’s been in hiding for the
last seven long years, would suggest talking to the male and getting
information about their encampment. Feigning injury or sickness to be
brought into the encampment is another possibility.
But the Atalim with a sensual, beautiful female at his side? A female that
isn’t covered in mating scent? He wants to rip the male’s throat out and
charge into the camp by force.
So I say nothing, unable to decide. Instinct wars with sense, and I’m frozen,
unable to think clearly. I don’t like the sight of this male so close to where
Andrea is. I don’t like that she’s not wearing my mark, and that the scent of
my seed has been scrubbed out of her jeans. She should be covered in my
scent, wearing me all over her like the humans wear the floral scents they
love so much.
“Right. I’ll take the lead here,” she murmurs, pats my knee, and then stands
up. “Hello?”
I freeze just as the man does. Hot darkness rushes through my thoughts, and
instinct slams into me. I grab ahold of the car frame in front of me so I don’t
grab Andrea and drive her to the ground, sinking my fangs into her throat to
claim her before this other male can. I hold it tight as the male turns, his hand
going to the weapon at his waist, and the dog at his side rushes forward, tail
wagging.
“Who’s there?” the man calls, and I want to grab Andrea when she steps
forward.
But I can’t do that to her. She’s not mine.
Slowly, I unclench my muscles, trying to fight through the rage battering at
my thoughts as Andrea strides across the road toward the man. She has a
hand in the air, her gun lowered.
“Hi stranger,” she calls out brightly. “My friend and I are looking for
someone. Can you help us out?”
The man looks over at me, then at Andrea, and I can practically see his eyes
flicker with hunger as he gazes at her. She is a beautiful female, all long legs
and golden braid, and he’s noticing the sway of her hips as she strides
forward.
The car frame bends in my hands as I clutch it, groaning.
Andrea pauses, looking over at me in worry. “You okay, Liam?”
I manage a nod. The man waits, several feet away from her. His hand hovers
near his gun for a moment longer, and then drops away as his dog rushes
toward my female, circling her excitedly, tail wagging back and forth.
She smiles at me and then drops to her knees to pet the dog. “Hi, puppy!
Look at you! What a pretty boy.” Her voice is unnaturally sweet, gushing
with enthusiasm as she speaks to the animal.
“His name’s Scooter,” the man says.
Andrea laughs, pleasure in her voice, and I can feel my eyes going black with
jealousy. No, Atalim, I remind myself. Calm. She is not your mate, and he is
just another human. They are everywhere.
But…I want to rip this one’s throat out for looking at her.
“What a fierce name,” she murmurs as she rubs the dog’s ears, a wide smile
on her face.
The man chuckles, crossing his arms over his chest. “Yeah, well, I think it
should be obvious that he’s not much of a guard dog. My name’s Gabe.
Where’re ya’ll from?”
She turns her smile up to him as I move stiffly forward, sliding my sunglasses
over my eyes as I do so this male won’t see how odd they are. “I’m Andi, and
this is Liam. We’re from Fort Shreveport, and we’re hunting my brother
Benny. He’s about fourteen. Have you seen him?”
The man—Gabe—looks surprised. “That’s your brother? He told me he was
an orphan.”
Andrea gets to her feet, giving the dog one last caress. “I’m about to be the
orphan because I’m going to murder his little lying ass when I find him.”
Gabe throws his head back and laughs, clearly pleased with Andrea’s
response. He gives her an appreciative look that makes the fire in my belly
surge, and hot jealousy courses through me. I storm forward to her side,
putting a protective arm around her shoulders. It takes everything I have not
to bare my teeth at this man, because I know from experience that I can’t
show my fangs until they’re used to the sight of me.
But the male only smirks in my direction, nodding acknowledgement. He
sees me claiming my female.
Andrea glances over at me, but her focus returns to the other man. I can feel
the tension in her body. “Where is he? Is he all right?”
The man just gives us a half-smile. "If you're looking for Benny, you've
missed him by about two days."
"Two days?" Andrea exclaims, and I can feel her sag against me. She looks
up at me in distress. "How are we so far behind?"
"I take it you've been chasing him for a while?" Gabe kneels and his dog goes
to his side, tail wagging with excitement. He puts a hand on the beast and
continues to watch us. I notice his gaze skates over to me several times, with
wariness. He's far more welcoming to my Andrea, which just makes my
protectiveness surge.
He can't have her. My fingers tighten in the fabric of her shirt as I hold her
close.
She puts a hand on my chest and pats me, as if to acknowledge my reaction.
"I have to hand it to Benny, he's determined. Can you tell us where he went?"
"Maybe," the man says. "But how do I know you are who you say you are?
Lots of unsavory people out there would love to get their hands on a kid."
"Which is why I'm hunting him down," she says angrily, her fists clenching.
I'm secretly pleased by her irritation at this man. I move to comfort her when
the wind shifts and a new scent rises in the air—a dragon. Female. And close.
Just as I stiffen, Gabe looks over at me, his eyes narrowing. He scans the
skies and then pulls out a black pair of tubes, raising them to his eyes and
looking through them. "Did you see her?"
"See who?"
"There's a dragon that's in love with this area," Gabe says, still pushing those
tubes to his eyes and looking up at the sky. "It's about time for her to swing
by and say hello. I was out here…well, never mind why I'm out here. I should
head back in to camp if she's about to show up. You're welcome to join us
and sit down for a meal."
Andrea looks over at me, uncertainty on her face. "What do you think?"
I lean in close, my mouth brushing against her hair. My lips caress over her
ear and for a moment, I'm lost in her scent. The possessive need nearly
swallows me and I clench her tight. I force myself to pay attention. The need
to claim her, to cover her with my scent, is nearly overwhelming, but I force
myself to focus. "There is a female dragon. He's not wrong. But I will follow
your lead."
Gabe calls out to us, "I give you my word you won't be hurt at our camp. It's
just me and a few of the guys."
That sounds ominous to me, but Andrea tosses her braid and gives the male a
defiant look. " Liam and I can take care of ourselves."
Pride surges at her ferocity. I love that she is telling this male she is not afraid
of him. She holds onto me and I realize she feels protected in my arms, and
my drakoni side, the one I fight so hard to keep under control, surges, too.
If we're going to be staying with these humans for a time, I need to get under
control. I allow myself to nuzzle Andrea one last time, pressing my lips to her
brow. "I will follow your lead."
And then I release her. I have to, or else I'm going to destroy everything in
sight.
 14

ANDI

W e walk through the old city streets, Liam at my side, Gabe and
his dog a few paces ahead of us. Despite his possessive show
in front of Gabe earlier, the moment we head out, he puts some distance
between us. I can’t help but watch him out of the corner of my eye and notice
that he’s a little twitchier than usual, and I think about what he said about
losing control. Something tells me that behind his sunglasses, his eyes are
probably darker than they should be.
So I give him space.
I try not to talk to Gabe too much, either, though I have a million questions. I
study him as he walks. He’s dark haired and handsome, with a short beard
covering his lower jaw and tattoos up and down his arms. He’s built pretty
nice, and he’s tall, but he doesn’t compare to Liam. I guess I’m ruined for
human guys after being around him. He’s clean, though, and friendly, and he
has a dog. I can see why Benny went with this guy, for all that he’s a
stranger. At least, he’s a stranger to me. Has my brother had a secret
friendship with this man that I’ve been unaware of? I want to ask, but with
Liam being twitchy, I suspect it’s best if I pretend like I’m not interested in
Gabe at all.
I’m only interested in the mystery of him, really. As a man? Not so much.
“Not too much farther,” Gabe says as we turn down another street. He points
up ahead, and I see an old multi-level parking garage up ahead, a familiar
sight for fort dwellers. In the After, parking garages allow safety from the
skies above while still giving space and relative freedom, so they’re natural
shelters from the dragons who never really land, just flame overhead when
they’re in the mood.
And as if the distant dragon can sense my mood, it lets out a bloodcurdling
shriek that carries on the wind. My skin prickles and I automatically move a
little closer to Liam for protection. His hand goes to my waist and clenches
there, and I can practically feel the tension and body heat coming off of him.
Gabe turns back to look at us, grinning. He gestures at the sky. “I think she
likes me.”
“How do you know that it’s a she?” I ask, feigning ignorance. I never thought
about the gender of the dragons that attacked regularly until Rast and Amy
showed up. Then, I found out that the smaller reds—the more frequent, more
vicious attackers—are female and the big golds are males. I’m pretty sure it’s
not common knowledge, though, so I’m curious how he knows the distant red
dragon is female.
He shrugs. “Just a hunch. Come on. Her usual method of saying hello is to
bellow a few times and then swoop in for the kill. We’d better hustle if we
don’t want to be dragon appetizers.” And he begins to jog forward, Scooter
bounding at his heels, tongue out.
As he jogs, I notice he has a bit of a limp, a leg he seems to favor more than
the other. Interesting. I glance at Liam and then jog forward myself, mentally
assessing the situation. It doesn’t look like an ambush, but then again, an
ambush never looks like an ambush. I didn’t come this far to just get fried by
a passing dragon anyhow.
We make it into the parking garage’s safety and follow Gabe farther inward
as he heads down one of the ramps that lead underground. The moment we
do, the entire parking garage seems to shake and the dragon overhead roars
wildly, as if angry her prey’s gotten away.
Gabe just laughs like this amuses him. “Another day, lady,” he calls at the
sky.
I slide a little closer to Liam as we walk and touch his hand with mine. “You
okay?” I whisper.
“It’s a lot,” he murmurs, and there’s strain in his voice. “I just need to focus.”
His gaze is distant, and he scratches at his arm absently.
Oh. I know what that means. I let a bit of space between us and release his
hand. “If it’s too much for you, let me know and we can leave.”
“Not with a dragon overhead,” Liam says, his tone harsh. “We’re stuck here
until she leaves. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.” Before I can respond, he
reaches out and grabs my hand. “Just one request.”
“What?”
“Don’t touch him.” He nods at Gabe, ahead of us heading down the ramp.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask why on earth I’d touch him anyhow. Does
he think that the moment another human man shows up, I’m going to fling
myself at him? I’m a little offended. “I don’t plan on it.”
“Good, because I think if you did, I’d have to kill him.”
I laugh at his weird joke, but when Liam doesn’t smile, I realize it’s not a
joke. Oh. My laughter dies away quickly and I give Liam just a bit more
space. I’m crazy about the guy, but right about now, I’m realizing I don’t
know him as well as I should. There’s always going to be a part of him that’s
completely alien and foreign, no matter how hard he tries to pass as human.
And I rub my arms, suddenly cold despite the muggy heat.
There’s a fire up ahead in an old metal barrel, the only light underground, and
it illuminates the area around it in orange. I can vaguely see three men sitting
near it, and instinctively, I hitch my shotgun a little closer to me.
“It’s me,” Gabe calls out.
“Just in time, boss,” one of them replies, getting to his feet slowly. Judging
from the scratchiness of his voice, he’s an older man. “Your ladyfriend is up
to her old tricks.”
Gabe just laughs, and his dog bounds ahead, all wagging tail. “Nothing in the
traps,” he tells them as he approaches the fire. “But I did make a couple of
new friends.” He turns back toward Liam and me. “What did you say your
names were again?”
“I’m Andi,” I say, stepping a little closer to the fire. As I approach the light, I
see that the three men sitting there are all old and frail. There’s one in a
wheelchair who watches us with narrowed eyes, and next to him, a man with
a lined brown face and snow-white beard adjusts a lawn chair, his weight
leaning heavily on a cane. Across from them is the speaker, who has a long,
scraggly beard and wears a white tank top and shorts and looks a bit like
Santa Claus on vacation…and a diet.
I don’t need my gun around these men, I realize, and put on the safety,
feeling ashamed. I glance behind me and Liam has his arms crossed, still
hanging out in the shadows with his sunglasses on. He looks a little
forbidding, and I can see they’re casting him suspicious looks.
“This is my boyfriend Liam,” I say, gesturing at him. “You’ll have to forgive
him if he’s not much of a chatter. The After fucks with all of us, you know?”
The one with the cane nods and sits down in his lawn chair again. The
moment he does, I’m surprised to see a scrawny cat immediately jump into
his lap and butt her head against his hand. Another one emerges from the
shadows and begins to clean its paws, and I catch a gleam of cat eyes off in
the distance. More pets?
“We know how that is,” Santa says, stroking his beard. “I’m Major. The one
with the cats is Charlie, and that’s Lester.” He gestures at the man in the
wheelchair, and then at Gabe. “And you met him, of course.”
“Him and Scooter both.”
Charlie just shakes his head, petting the cat in his lap. “Worst damn guard
dog ever.” But he chuckles.
I move a little closer to the fire, pretending to warm my hands even though
it’s stifling underground with no breeze. Gabe unfolds a lawn chair and sets it
down next to Charlie’s, and then finds two more and holds them out to me.
“Help yourself.”
I take them and offer one to Liam.
He shakes his head, his mouth hard, and I get the impression his gaze isn’t
focused entirely on me. Overhead, the dragon roars again and I inwardly
wince. This has to be hard on him. I set my chair up and sit down across from
the others. The moment I do, Liam is suddenly at my back, his hand stroking
my braid, his other one on my shoulder. It’s like he’s staking me as his claim
in front of the others, and I notice that they see the movement, too.
I touch Liam’s hand briefly and then smile at the men. “So, um, you guys
are…nomads?”
The word doesn’t fit, not exactly. Every nomad I’ve ever met has been hard
and rough and would sell his own mother for a chocolate bar. Most are
criminals and rapists, and cluster together with other criminals and rapists
because they’ve all been booted out of every fort they come to. That’s why
it’s so dangerous to meet up with strangers in the After. The only ones that
travel are the ones no one wants around.
That’s why I’m so terrified for Benny.
“Nomads?” Charlie scratches the ear of his cat absently. “That makes it
sound like we do a lot of moving around.”
The one in the wheelchair—Lester—snorts.
“Let’s just say we left the last fort when we had a difference of opinions,”
Major says.
Charlie laughs. “That’s a nice way of saying they didn’t want to feed the
elderly anymore.”
Gabe’s mouth draws up in a half-smile, but he isn’t as amused as the others.
Scooter puts his head on Gabe’s knee and he strokes the dog’s muzzle, his
expression hard to read.
“Forts can be pretty shitty places,” I agree. It doesn’t surprise me that they
booted out the elderly. In a place that doesn’t have a lot of food, people start
looking for excuses not to share. I can see them wanting to get rid of those
that can’t contribute. It doesn’t make it right, but I know it happens. “You
guys seem to do okay for yourselves. How many cats do you have?”
“Six,” Charlie says proudly. “Some of ’em are in hiding though.”
“Six?” I gape at that. “Six and a dog?”
Major nods proudly and reaches over to clap Gabe on the shoulder. “This
boy’s a damn good hunter. He’s able to keep all of us fed and happy.”
“I have a soft heart, what can I say,” Gabe drawls, but he gives Major an
affectionate look.
Something tells me he really does. “I’m looking for my brother,” I begin
again.
“Before we get into that,” Gabe says, and sits forward in his chair. “I think
we should bring out the big guns.”
“Company time,” Lester crows, clapping his hands. “I like this.”
I look at them, confused, and I can feel Liam’s hand tighten on my braid. Am
I missing something?
Gabe gets up and I automatically reach for the hilt of my shotgun again. He
rummages through one of the many boxes of goods they have stacked around
them, and then pulls out a small dark bag. “Tadaa. How long has it been since
you had coffee, Andi?”
I gasp. “Shut the front door!”
All of the men hoot with laughter, except Liam. If anything, I can feel him
getting tenser than before.
“It’s a little warm for coffee, but we save it for guests,” Gabe says, admiring
the bag. “We don’t have much, so we try to make it last.”
“I’d love a cup,” I tell him, my mouth watering at the thought. One of the cats
—a pretty tortoiseshell with only one eye—wanders close to my leg and rubs
against me, purring. I reach down and pick her up, and she cuddles in my lap
while Gabe gets out an old percolator pot.
This is downright cozy. If it wasn’t for how stiff and uncomfortable Liam is,
I’d be having a wonderful time. As it is, I’m acutely aware of him, and I ache
for him. I know this has to be hard. I pet the cat for a few moments and then
ease it back to the ground. “Can you tell me about Benny?” I ask again.
Lester points at me with a trembling finger. “Sat right there not two days ago
and drank a cup of coffee himself.”
“Scrappy kid,” Charlie says with a nod. “I liked him.”
Major studies me. “You look like him. Except the tooth, of course. Same
face, though.”
My heart flutters with excitement at the mention of Benny’s tooth, as if that
small detail brings him that much closer. “How was he? Was he okay?”
“He was real tired. Been riding his bike for hours, he said, but it was hurting
his ass.” Lester cackles with amusement.
Well, that explains why he abandoned it.
“Told us he came up from Fort Orleans,” Charlie adds. “Said they booted him
after his sister died.”
I gasp. “That lying little shit!”
They all laugh. “He’s a teenage boy,” Gabe says, ruffling Scooter’s ears.
“Not sure what you expect.”
“He had a home at a perfectly nice fort! We’re from Fort Shreveport and it’s
not like most of the others. Everyone’s welcome there. We’ve set ourselves
up to be a haven from shitty forts like the one we came from, because
everyone deserves to have a safe place to live and something warm to eat.”
They’re silent, and I’m not entirely sure they believe me. It probably sounds a
bit like a fairy tale. I scrub my hand over my eyes, frustrated and tired. “I
didn’t know Benny was so damn unhappy. Not until he just up and left. I
knew he was lonely but…not that bad.”
Charlie pets his cat a bit more and shakes his head. “Benny wanted to stay
with us. Said he liked hanging out with us.”
That surprises me a little. There’s old Grandpa Steve back at the fort and
Benny never showed any interest in him.
“More like he liked the dog. And the cats. And Gabe,” Major counters.
“Everyone likes Gabe,” Lester agrees.
I look around at them, trying to hold back my frustration. “You didn’t let him
stay? You kicked him out?”
Gabe narrows his eyes at me. “Do we look like monsters to you?”
“I’ve seen a lot of monsters in the After,” I tell him bluntly. “They don’t
always look like monsters.”
A low, ominous sound starts behind me, and when the hand on my braid
tightens, I realize it’s Liam and he’s growling. Oh fuck. The sound is low
enough that I don’t think the others have heard it yet, but one of the cats
skitters away and Scooter’s ears prick. I put my hand over Liam’s and twine
my fingers with his, giving him a squeeze to remind him that I’m here. I hope
some of my calmness bleeds over to him…and then I remind myself I need to
be calm. Chill.
These people don’t realize Liam’s a dragon and far more dangerous than
they’re aware of.
But Gabe starts speaking again. He crosses his arms over his chest, slouching
in his chair. “We told him this wasn’t any place for a kid. It’s hard enough
out here for the four of us, but if he got into trouble, I don’t know that we
could help him out of it. And with that dragon that’s got her eye on me like
I’m her next snack?” He shakes his head. “Just didn’t make sense for him to
stay. So we took him to Fort Justice up the road.”
“Fort Justice? I’ve never heard of it.” I bite back my disappointment. Part of
me was hoping that Benny would pop out from behind some of the boxes
scattered in this garage, that he’s just been in hiding, waiting to trick his older
sister. Instead, we have to keep going, and this hunt is starting to feel endless.
“Fort Justice,” Gabe drawls, and I don’t miss the sour looks on the old men’s
faces. “The place that kicked us out. They take kindly to children there, of
course. Lots of families. And Benny’s young and strong. They’d like him.”
I want to protest. Why on earth would they take him to the same crappy fort
that booted them? But I know my answer before I even speak. A fort won’t
kick out a strong, healthy kid that can turn into a provider and a protector. It’s
the elderly and weak that they don’t want. It’s different for Benny. Awful,
but true. “So you think he’s there?”
“Unless he packed up and left in the last two days. It’s only a couple hours’
walk from here. I took him there,” Gabe says, with a slow nod. “Seemed like
the best place. Bunch of families split off when Fort Eureka bit the dust a few
years back, and they’re real strict on rules but there’s a lot of kids his age. I
thought he’d be okay there. We can head out in the morning if you like. I
need to do some trading with them anyhow.”
Another delay. I squeeze Liam’s hand because he’s been so utterly silent, and
try to sound cheerful. “That’s really nice of you, but if you can give us
directions, we’ll be on our way.”
“With a dragon attacking overhead?” Gabe shakes his head. “Sorry, but I
know this gal.” He points at the sky. “You’re gonna be pinned down until
morning. And besides, you wouldn’t be able to find Fort Justice. The place is
hidden and near impossible to find without help.”
“I appreciate the help,” I admit grudgingly. “Is there a price?” Everyone
always has a price, and I want to know what I’m getting into.
Gabe’s eyebrows go up. “Nice offer, but I’m not interested in fort pussy.”
I bite back my gasp, but it’s too late. Liam surges forward, a snarl on his lips.
I barely manage to get to my feet and block him before he can tackle Gabe,
who’s also on his feet.
“Liam!” I put my hands on his chest. “Hey! Calm down. Look at me.” I tap a
hand on his chest. “Look at me, Liam. You know I wasn’t offering that. No
one’s going to touch me, babe.” I emphasize the nickname, trying to remind
him of what we’ve shared.
I’ve never seen him so wild. His entire body shivers, as if trying to hold back
pent-up rage. For once, I wish his sunglasses and baseball cap weren’t hiding
his eyes entirely—I need to know how dark they are. I can guess, though.
“Babe,” I whisper again. “Come on. Focus on me. Take deep breaths.”
He jerks his gaze toward me and scratches at one arm furiously. “Andrea.”
The word is breathless and half-growled.
“It’s all right. I promise. No one’s touching me.”
“If you’d let me finish,” Gabe begins, and I want to slap him across the face
for being an idiot. “I was gonna say that there’s no price. We have everything
we need and I don’t like using people. If you’ve got extra bullets, I’ll take a
few off your hands, but other than that, we don’t want anything.”
Liam doesn’t even glance in his direction. His fists flex, clenched tight at his
sides.
“See?” I whisper. “It’s okay.” I give him a tremulous smile, my heart aching
for my poor dragon. He’s never been this wound up in the past and I can’t
help but feel responsible. I’m the one that insists on kissing and touching,
after all. His lack of control has to be my fault.
Liam’s head tilts slightly, and I realize he’s glancing down at me. I can see
myself in the reflection of his sunglasses and I breathe a sigh of relief.
“Just tonight,” I murmur to him, wrapping my arms around his waist.
“Tonight and then we’ll be on our way tomorrow, okay?”
“If…anyone tries to touch you…” His voice is all gravel, all danger.
“They won’t,” I promise him quickly. I release him and turn around, looking
at the others. There’s wariness on their faces, the open friendliness from
earlier gone. The distrust and resignation on their faces—as if they’re looking
at their doom—breaks my heart. “Do you have some place we can sleep
tonight in privacy?”
“Big garage,” Gabe says, gesturing at the open space around him. “You’re
welcome to wherever.”
“Okay.” I start to say more, but Liam’s arm snakes around my waist and he
buries his face against my neck, inhaling deeply, and I’m too distracted to
continue. I touch his cheek, worried that he needs these touches…and just as
worried that the more I caress him, the more I’m pushing him toward the
edge.
But what other options do I have?
“I’ll take you up on that coffee,” I say, caressing Liam’s arm. My fingers
brush over one of the spikes and I notice that Gabe’s gaze lingers there for a
moment, his mouth flattening.
The dragon roars overhead once more, and the entire parking garage seems to
shake with the ferocity of her anger. In the distance, I smell new, fresh
smoke.
It’s a welcome distraction. “Are you sure that the dragon’s going to attack all
night? That’s not the norm.”
Gabe’s smile is tight. “Told ya. It’s because she likes me.”
 15

LIAM

I t’s only a matter of time before I completely lose control.

Being this close to Andrea, feeling her caresses, breathing in her
scent, but not being able to claim her? It is torture, and I can only hold out for
so long. Have I prided myself on my strength at holding my mental walls
high for seven years? I am a fool, because I have never been truly tested until
now.
The female drakoni roars overhead, venting her anger with fire and blistering
fury on the building, and for the first time in a very long time, I understand
her rage. I was near to that when the male suggested that Andrea service him.
Even thinking about it, hours later, fills me with unholy anger.
After my initial snap, I managed to calm myself for a time. Andrea sat and
drank the foul-smelling coffee with the elders, while the one with the dog—
my rival—watched me from afar. I glowered at him as the others talked,
letting him know my displeasure. He thinks I am not aware of his tricks? He
invites my female to his home and entices her with gifts, parading his animals
in front of her and appealing to her soft heart? He shows her that he can take
care of elders and small animals, proving himself a good provider.
It is all a ploy to win her away from me. I know it.
If I were in my battle form, I would challenge him in a heartbeat. The thought
of fighting him, tooth and claw, until his neck was laid open beneath my
fangs and his blood spilling on the floor…a hot surge of pleasure rushes
through me at the thought.
Except my claws are shorn down.
And I can no longer take battle form. Not without destroying myself.
So I must sit and suffer in silence, clenching my fists. I touch Andrea often,
reminding myself that she is at my side, and showing the male who she
chooses to be with.
It is brutal and wild of me, and I feel all the vestiges of humanity that I have
worked on for so long shredding in the face of a rival. Andrea would make a
fine mate for him. I know this. She is tall and strong and fearless and has the
sweetest-smelling cunt. She is clever and loving, and I have no doubt that if I
was not at her side, this male would be all over her, courting her with human
words and human kisses.
But I am drakoni, and I have staked my claim on her. It doesn’t matter that I
can’t take her as my own—not truly. I will destroy anyone that tries to take
her from me, and that is a promise.
“Liam? Babe?”
I look up from glaring at the fire. Andrea is on her feet, a soft smile on her
face. “Let’s go to bed, shall we?”
I glance at the others, still near the fire in their chairs. The elders watch me
with wariness, but there is no fear on Gabe’s face. His eyes are narrow and
his hand calm as he strokes his dog’s ears. He shows no fear and that makes
me want to destroy him, to show him exactly what he should be afraid of.
“Babe?” Andrea asks again. “Bed?”
I look down at her once more. I can see the worry on her face. She suspects I
am struggling…she just does not know how much.
A sudden thought occurs to me. Yes, we can go to bed. We can go to bed…
and I can take Andrea in my arms and bury my face in her cunt. I can lick her
until she is screaming with pleasure, filling the ears of the others with her joy.
I want them to smell her cunt, soaked with need. I want them to realize that it
is Atalim that possesses her, Atalim that mounts her, even if it is only with
tongue.
And I snarl with pleasure, pulling her close to me. “Yes. Bed,” I manage, the
words thick on my tongue.
She looks surprised at my reaction, but her arm goes to my waist and she
smiles at the others, murmuring soft goodnights and reminding them to wake
her at dawn so we can retrieve her brother from the fort.
I do not care about dawn. My thoughts are of only the next few hours in the
darkness and how many ways I can claim her. The breath pants from my
lungs, and I can feel fire building in my chest.
No.
No. I must not. I cannot lose control. Andrea needs me. I promised myself
this would not happen.
I close my eyes as Andrea takes my hand, leading me away from the fire. We
grab our packs—I do not need eyes to snag mine—and I let her find us a
private spot as I fight for control with my thoughts. I imagine cool walls,
blocking out the flames burning in my mind. I imagine peace, and running
water. I imagine Andrea’s sad face as I lose control and turn into another
ravening monster.
My skin itches.
We head to the back of the garage and there’s a couple of cars fitted together
at an angle, as if one was trying to leave and crashed into another. They make
decent walls, so Andrea unrolls our blankets and makes a bed, while I stand
and watch her, clenching and unclenching my fists, trying to get a hint of
control back.
The moment she turns to look up at me, though, all of that control withers
once more.
I drop to my hands and knees, grabbing at the front of her shirt. I kiss her,
rough. She makes a little noise of surprise, her hands fluttering against my
shoulders before she kisses me back, and that’s enough for me. I move to the
waistband of her jeans, tearing at the fasteners. I want to sink my fingers into
her cunt and cover my hand with her juices. I want them to hear me
pleasuring her. I want—
“Hey, hey!” she whispers, pulling away from me. Her gaze is shocked, her
mouth slightly open and wet from my kisses. “You’re growling!”
I pause, and in that moment, she pulls my sunglasses off my face, peering at
my eyes.
“Babe,” she says with a little shake of her head. “Your eyes—”
“I don’t care,” I say harshly, sliding lower and burying my face against her
pussy. I don’t care if she’s covered in clothing, I’ll lick her until—
“Liam!” She puts a palm on my forehead and pushes backward, knocking my
cap off my head. “Stop!”
I snarl at her, lifting my head to glare up into her eyes. I’m feeling territorial,
and the fact that another rival is so close by and she’s unclaimed is making
me crazy. “You’re mine. No one else will touch you. If I can’t claim you, I’m
going to cover you in my scent, instead. You’ll be wearing Atalim’s seed all
over your soft skin and—”
She shoves at me again, hard. “What the fuck?” Her voice is a low hiss, and it
occurs to me that she doesn’t want the others to hear us arguing. “Why do
you think someone else is going to touch me?” When I’m silent, her nostrils
flare and her eyes grow furious. “You think I’m fucking offering?” Her small
fist hammers down on my arm, laughable in its strength. “You son of a bitch.
I don’t spread my legs for anyone that says jump. Not anymore—”
And then she bursts into tears.
The sight of her making water from her eyes wakes me up. I jerk to my feet,
pacing, as her soft crying rips at my spirit. “Andrea, please…I’m sorry.”
She sniffs, swiping at her face, as if angry that she’s weeping. “You think I
can’t tell when I have to offer a little pussy to get what I need? I have tons of
experience with that, thank you very much. But these people? They’re just
being nice.”
What does she mean, she has experience with that? I drop to my knees,
crouching in front of her, and place one hand on the ground. When she
doesn’t swat that away, I reach out and touch her knee. “Tell me what you
mean, Andrea. I wish to know.”
“You want to know?” She sniffs again, blinking rapidly. “I was the fort ho
back at Fort Tulsa.”
I don’t know what that is, but guessing from her tone, I can guess it’s bad.
Her shoulders hunch with shame, and I reach out and brush my knuckles over
her cheek, wanting to take away the pain of her memories.
“See, when the Rift hit, my dad died right away. Mom lived on for a few
more months, just long enough to get me and Benny to safety at Fort Tulsa.
But then she died, too, and we ran out of ways to support ourselves. So I did
whatever I could, odd jobs here and there, mostly cleaning or cooking or
doing laundry. And I met a boy named Grant. He was sixteen to my fourteen,
and I thought he was the sexiest thing ever. We’d kiss and have fun just
making out and being stupid. I lost my virginity to him a few months later,
and I just loved being with him. But then, of course, we broke up. And I
started hooking up with someone else, because it was fun and what else was
there to do in a fort, right? And then I started hooking up with someone else
after that. And he was a soldier, and we got caught fooling around. He
bragged to his friends, too, making up all kinds of kinky-sounding stuff that I
was apparently game for. And I got a reputation. If you wanted a girl that
would jump in the sack, you talked to Andi Foster.” Her voice turns bitter.
“The shitty thing about reputations is that even if they’re not true, they can
end up that way. Here I thought I was in love, and the guy I was hooking up
with just thought he was getting his dick wet. And then of course, he brought
a buddy along, and because I was slutty Andi Foster, they were shocked
when I said no. They threatened me, made it seem like I’d regret it if I didn’t
do what they wanted. So I did. I learned the hard way that when you don’t
have anyone to look out for you, you can’t say no. To anything.”
It grows quiet. The dragon roars overhead again, but it’s nothing compared to
the anger blistering through my chest. Suddenly, I don’t want to blend in at
forts. I don’t want to mingle with humans.
I want to burn everything to the fucking ground.
Andrea swipes at her eyes again, sniffing. “Anyhow, that’s why I left Fort
Tulsa. And that’s why I was careful about who saw you with me back at Fort
Shreveport, because I didn’t want to get a reputation again, you know?”
I reach out and tip her chin up, forcing her to look at me. Everything in my
mind is going crazy, my thoughts blazing to wildfire, but I somehow find it in
me to stay calm. Collected. “You are the only good, perfect thing in this
world, Andrea Foster. I love you. And I never want you to feel as if I am
forcing you like they did.”
She tips her head slightly, rubbing her cheek against my fingers. “It wasn’t
really forcing. I went along with it, but—”
“But you didn’t have any other options,” I say gently, even though I have
murder in my heart, murder for all of the males out there who would think to
take from someone so precious. “That is forcing, no matter how many smiles
you wore on your face.”
Her eyes brim with tears again, but she presses a kiss to my hand. “Thank
you, Atalim.”
I am not worthy of her sweetness. But I pull her close and stroke her hair and
curl up next to her, breathing in her scent, because I cannot murder all the
awful human men that walk this world.
She has left her past behind. If I am to have a future, I must do the same. I
must be Liam.
I must.
 16

ANDI

I stare up at the demolished building in front of me. "Okay, you

win. I wouldn't have found this place on my own."
Off to one side, Gabe grins, slapping a hand against his thigh to call Scooter
back to him. The dog's bounding around with excitement as if he knows this
place. Maybe he does. Gabe said he came from here once upon a time.
I'm glad he's with us, because I never would have found this spot. It's genius.
The “entrance” to Fort Justice is nothing more than a half-collapsed, nearly
demolished moving company office. It looks like fire ate the entrance at one
point, and rain and weather took care of the rest. It's large, the size of a small
supermarket, and those ever-present rats scurry behind lumps of garbage in
the street, as if waiting for us to leave. Behind the store, though, hidden in a
blind alley and choked by dead vehicles and trees, is the real entrance to Fort
Justice—a storage unit center once attached to the moving company's front
office. Back in the day, I'm guessing that people rented a moving truck and
had the option to store their stuff in the same place, but thanks to the
geography and now the wreckage, you can't see the long rows of storage units
from the street. You have to walk right up to the place to realize that they're
even there.
As forts go, it's clever. A bunch of storage units might not be the most
comfortable of locations, but you're safe from dragons thanks to the metal
roof and walls, and you're safe from nomads thanks to the seclusion.
I glance over at Liam to see if he's appreciating the ingenuity behind the
entrance to this particular fort, but he's staring off into the distance. His eyes
are hidden with the sunglasses, and his cap is low over his head. Today, he's
wearing long sleeves despite the fact that it's blazing hot, and I tell myself it's
because he's trying to hide just how dragon-like he is from Gabe.
Sometimes I think the layers are to add another layer of protection between
us, too. He's been vague all day as we traveled, not talking, not paying
attention as Gabe and I made small talk. Every so often he would stop and
drop into a crouch, or pause to stare at the empty skies, and it worries me.
He's acting less and less like Liam every day and more like…well, Vaan and
Rast.
I worry our flirting is destroying him.
Another rat scurries over my boot, dragging my mind back to the present. I
kick it aside, shuddering. "If this is the fort, they have a serious rat problem."
"Who doesn't?" Gabe drawls.
"Me. Where I'm from. We don't. You're just inviting disease with this shit." I
shake my head. "So how big is this fort?" I ask as we approach the front of
the burned-out store. No one's come out to greet us, but I suppose that's not
surprising. I am a little shocked there are no guards up front, but that might
destroy the whole “hidden fort” vibe they've got going on.
Even so…
"About thirty people?" Gabe shrugs. "A few more might have left since I was
here. Like I said, they're kinda strict with the rules. I get it, what with two
forts imploding out from under them, but I can't feel sorry for ’em."
"Two forts?" I ask, curious. "Seriously?" I pause as we head in to the store
front, wondering if we're about to meet a fort full of the most unpleasant
people ever. Then again, I can't blame them. I'm starting to get real annoyed
with Gabe for sending my little brother here if they're dirtbags.
He nods, surveying the store front. "Fort Eureka and then New Fort."
New Fort? "Never heard of it."
"It was the first branch off from Eureka. Turned into a lordship pretty fast and
he demanded tithes from everyone in the fort if they wanted his protection, so
a lot of people left." He gestures at the store. "They made Fort Justice
instead."
Ugh. Is there a single fort out there that's not full of assholes? Oh right, Fort
Shreveport…but it's also ninety-five percent women and children. Figures.
"So I guess you and Lester and Major and Charlie didn't want to come back
to New Fort after Fort Justice booted you?"
Gabe gives me a disgusted look. "If it's all the same, I've had my fill of forts
for now."
I know how that feels. When I left Fort Tulsa, I vowed to never be in
another…until Gwen settled us and made Fort Shreveport. "I hear that." And
I chuckle.
Liam starts growling, that ominous rumble building in his chest.
Fuck. I immediately move to his side and take his hand in mine. Every time
Gabe speaks to me, I worry that Liam's going to lose his shit. He's acting
jealous and more than a little crazy, and I know it's not his fault. He's
struggling. I just don't know what to do, though. So I squeeze his hand and
wait patiently at his side until his growling subsides and he looks over at me.
"Andrea," he murmurs. "Sorry."
"It's okay. Are you going to be all right to go inside? There's going to be a lot
of people in there." I know Amy has mentioned that Rast struggles when
there's a lot of people around because of the smells and how they affect
dragon-kind. Maybe Liam needs to wait outside…but I know that idea will
never fly. He won't want to leave me alone with Gabe for a second.
He nods, the movement crisp. "The smells are not too bad here, which is
odd." Liam runs a hand over his jaw, rubbing his mouth. "Unless I'm
becoming immune to the stink."
"It's possible? Do you want to wait out here?"
He looks over at me, his expression unreadable thanks to the sunglasses and
hat. "No. I'm not leaving your side."
"Are you sure? I know it’s difficult—"
Before I can say anything else, Liam wraps an arm around my waist and pulls
me against his chest. In the next moment, his mouth is on mine, hard and
demanding, and he's kissing me with such ferocious intensity that I'm left
breathless and dazed. He releases me just as quickly and looks over my
shoulder, and I get the impression that he did that for Gabe's benefit more
than mine.
Which is irritating, but he gets a pass since he's really having a hard time
today. I'd rather Liam be possessive-boyfriend Liam than crazy-staring-at-
empty-skies Liam. So I hold his hand and walk forward with him.
Hopefully Benny won't be too weirded out by the fact that I'm hooking up
with his buddy. I know he hero-worships Liam.
Gabe gives us a patient look, his dog sitting at his feet. Scooter seems
oblivious, tongue lolling, but I sense Gabe's impatient. "Shall we go in or do
you two need more time?"
"We're fine," I say crisply, stepping forward. "And if I were you, I'd tell your
friends here at Fort Justice that even if they're hidden, it's still a good idea to
have guards or lookouts, you know? We could be raiders. It seems foolish to
not have eyes at the front of your fort."
His brows furrow and he glances at the front of the old, burned-out building.
"That's kinda odd, because they normally do."
My senses prickle. We all go quiet and no one steps foot inside the store.
Even Gabe seems to be waiting for something.
"I don't hear anyone," I say softly. "Shouldn't we hear people?" Even in Fort
Shreveport, there are children shrieking and playing, and the slam of doors
and a million other sounds of a few dozen people living in close quarters.
Here, it's just quiet as a tomb, the only sound the wind ruffling my hair.
"I don't like this," Gabe says, and his hand slides to his gun.
I let go of Liam's hand and pull my shotgun out of my holster, checking the
barrel to make sure it's loaded.
"Wait here," Gabe says to me.
"Fuck you," I retort, readying my gun. "I'm not a little girl waiting for a man
to save her. If my brother's in there and there's a problem, I'm going in."
"Fine, then." He slips around the back of the store and doesn't wait for me to
follow.
I move after him, and Liam's at my side without even asking. Wait here.
Fucking really.
We move around to the back of the building and there's a big ten-foot-tall
chain-link fence with barbed wire across the top. There's a gate that's shut,
but not locked. Inside, a lone chicken wanders across one of the alleys of the
storage blocks. I can see row after row of units, most of them decorated and
spray-painted, some clearly being used as dwellings. One on the far end looks
like it's set up as a barn and I can see the back end of a cow.
But…there are no people.
"Hello?" Gabe calls, putting a hand on the gate. He opens it without a hitch
and then steps inside. "Mika? Jennifer? Simone? Bill?"
No response. Cold fear washes over me. Where's my brother?
Better yet, where is everyone?
I look over at Liam, my frustration and fear about to bubble over.
He's calm, though. Liam kneels on the ground, his hand to the earth, and then
he raises his fingers to his nose, breathing in the scents. "There are many
people that live here," he murmurs. "But they're all gone."
"All of them?"
"Their scents are at least a day old." His nostrils flare and he looks up. "They
passed through this gate. A lot of them, at once."
"Do you smell Benny?" I have to ask, even though I dread the answer.
"He's with them," he tells me. He tilts his head ever so slightly, then sniffs his
fingers again. "There's an odd flavor to their scents."
"What do you mean, odd?"
Liam shakes his head. "I can't place it. Just…odd. I've never smelled such a
thing before."
That could be anything. Liam's not human, and they could all have found a
skunk for all we know. I tell myself that it's nothing. That Benny's fine and
there's no need for me to worry. I take a deep, steeling breath and then go into
the fort, my gun in my hands.
The fact that Liam falls into step behind me is depressing. It tells me before I
even go down the very first “street” of the storage compound that there's no
one here. Liam's so protective that if there was a hint of danger, he'd never let
me take the lead. They're really all gone.
I blink back tears of frustration as I stalk down the alleyway. The storage
units are all lined up like rows of mini-garages, and once upon a time, people
used to park their trucks or cars in these alleys so they could unload their
stuff into the rented storage space. Now the alley is covered in colorful
sidewalk chalk drawings and the doors have been spray-painted with colorful
scenes instead of the old plain orange they were before. Chickens scatter as
we walk through and I move toward one “house” with a pull-rope at the
bottom and lift it. The storage unit opens and reveals a cozy little nest
someone's made for themselves. There's a bed with an old mattress, a rack
full of books, and a shelf full of canned goods. There's even a vase with
fresh-picked dandelions that haven't yet started to wilt. The bed is made.
But no one's here.
I turn around to look at Liam in frustration. "I don't get it. They left their
chickens and their food?"
"And the cow," Gabe calls, jogging up to meet back up with us. "I did a quick
circle around the fort, but no one's here."
I don't tell him we already figured that out. "Raiders?" I ask. "Nomads? Why
would a bunch of families abandon their settlement?"
"No clue," Gabe says, and his face is drawn, his mouth a flat line. "They had
a lot of children, families. They wouldn't just up and leave."
"Can't be raiders," Liam says, and there's a hint of strain in his voice, as if
speaking up this much costs him. "They would have stripped the place and
killed the chickens."
Gabe grunts.
He's right, I realize. Raiders wouldn't leave a thing, especially canned food.
"They're not captives, then. Where did they go?"
With a heavy sigh, Gabe rakes a hand through his hair as Scooter leans
against his leg. "Hell if I know. Maybe they ran out of water and had to
leave?"
"Then why not take the chickens and food?"
He shakes his head, telling me without words that he has no answers. I don't
either.
I gesture at the dog at his feet, who’s wagging his tail and completely not
helpful in the slightest. “Is he good at tracking people?”
Gabe gives me a weird look. “I don’t know if you noticed, but Scooter’s not
good at a lot of things. His brains are pretty scrambled. When I found him, he
had a massive boot mark on his head. Don’t think he’s been right ever since.”
He touches the dog’s ears, as if to reassure him.
Scooter just looks at Gabe, tail wagging and tongue lolling, as if they’re
having a fun walk instead of hunting for answers.
God. So he’s useless, just like the rest of this trip.
I stalk out of the unit that was once someone's home and jog down the alley,
looking for signs that Benny's been here. I make it all the way down to the
end of the units, and even though I know I won't see anyone, I open each
door that I can, hoping for a note, or signs of a struggle.
Fucking something.
Anything.
But there's nothing. If Gabe had never said there was a settlement here, if
there weren't cows and chickens and canned food and abandoned beds…
I drop to my knees, crouching. I can't even cry. I'm just…blank inside.
Empty. I don't know what to think.
A hand touches my hair and then Liam's crouching beside me. "Andrea," he
murmurs, his hand sliding to my shoulder. "They were here. They left. Don't
let this upset you. We'll just follow their scent trails."
I rub my forehead and then get to my feet, putting my gun away. "I'm just so
tired. How can one boy get so far so quickly?"
I know the answer to that, though. He was on a bike ahead of us. Meanwhile,
I waited at the fort hoping he'd come back. And then I took my sweet time
coming after him, because I foolishly thought he'd be on foot and I've been
eager to spend time with Liam. I've been kissing him and making out with
him when I should have been walking through the night to go after Benny.
And look where that's gotten me—I'm falling in love with a guy that can't
return it because he'll lose his mind, my brother's nowhere to be found, and
Liam's still on the verge of losing his shit anyhow.
This is just a shitshow.
Liam puts his hands on my shoulders, sensing my despair. "We'll find him,
Andrea. I made you a promise."
I lick my lips, nodding, and then impulsively fling myself into his arms. I
bury my face against his chest, letting him comfort me. I love that his big
arms wrap around me and he strokes my hair, murmuring soft noises to
soothe me. In his arms, I do feel better.
And then I remember just how much he's struggled lately and I feel like the
world's biggest asshole. How selfish am I? I slide out of his grip and force
myself to walk away, as if I'm on a mission. "Let's find the scent trail again,"
I say. "Just to make sure."
"Of course." Liam says nothing about my quick retreat. Maybe he realizes it's
for the best.
I cross my arms and follow behind Liam as he heads back toward the front of
the compound. He moves to the front fence, steps through the gate, and then
continues out for a few feet. "That way," he says, pointing off in a new
direction, past the broken buildings and down the road in the opposite
direction from which we came.
"North," I murmur. "Okay, then."
"What's that way?" Gabe asks, coming up behind me and nearly making me
jump out of my skin.
Liam is silent. He looks at me, waiting.
"That's where they went," I answer, my expression guarded. "Whoever left
this fort behind, they went as a group and headed in that direction."
"You can see their tracks?" Gabe kneels down to the dirt and studies it. "I
don't see anything."
"Just trust me."
Gabe gets to his feet and I notice his gun is holstered again. He rubs his jaw,
where stubble is growing in. "North's where New Fort is. Something must
have happened here and they went back. That has to be what it is."
"New Fort? Great. That's where we're headed, then. We'll go introduce
ourselves to whoever's in charge there." This stupid little trek my brother’s
gotten us into will just have another stop, and then hopefully we’ll be done.
Gabe shakes his head. “I should go with you. They’re not big fans of
strangers and would just as soon as put a bullet in you as shake your hand.”
I don’t like that Gabe has to accompany us. He’s a really nice man and I
don’t think he means harm…but Liam’s already on edge and the more that
Gabe’s around, the more feral Liam seems to get. I don’t tell him that we
don’t need him to track Benny down. Now that Liam’s got his scent again,
we can find them easily. “No thanks—”
“They won’t let you through the gate,” Gabe warns.
“I don’t want to go through the gate,” I tell him, exasperated. “I just want my
brother.”
“Even so. I’m going.” He crosses his arms over his chest and gives me the
same look I’ve given Benny a hundred times before, that protective older
sibling knows best look.
I know he’s right, but I hate it because it’s making Liam crazy. Frustrated, I
tug on my braid and stalk back inside the compound, scanning the place and
looking for something I could use as an excuse not to have Gabe come with
us. Some sort of item that might tell them we come from Fort Justice, a
symbol or a seal, an old family photo that someone will recognize…
something. There’s got to be a way to protect Liam and send Gabe on his
way.
How did trying to find my brother turn so incredibly complicated? I rub my
forehead in frustration as I walk, my temples throbbing. I just want Benny
home so I can scream at him a little for scaring me like this…and then hug
him for hours on end. As I walk, I head toward the back of the compound.
There’s a second gate back here, and greenery. I’m drawn toward it, and see
the healthy vegetable patch that these people are growing. It’s not covered up
or protected, which seems silly to me, but the plants are thick and healthy and
their tomatoes are clustered with bright red, ripe fruit.
I don’t understand why they’ve abandoned so much food. It doesn’t make
sense, and I need to make sense of this. I need to understand why they’ve left
this place behind and packed up to head off to another fort. I move past the
rows of tomatoes and see cucumbers, beans, carrots, and even some
cantaloupes. Oh wow. It’s been years and years since I’ve had cantaloupe,
and I move toward them as if drawn. I want to take one and bring it back to
Fort Shreveport with me so we can have the seeds. A small one, so it won’t
destroy food that others are waiting on…not that anyone’s here. I pick my
way around the vines crawling the ground, looking around.
And that’s when I see them.
Graves.
Fresh graves.
Not just one, but several. I count them as I get to my feet, pulled forward by a
mixture of horror and fear. Seven graves, all with freshly turned dirt and little
metal crosses at the head of each one with a name hastily scribbled across the
front.
Please don’t be Benny’s name. Please don’t be Benny’s name.
One by one, I force myself to read each grave’s marker. Jennifer Proust, aged
thirty-seven. Rebecca Smith, aged forty. Avery Graham, aged three. Doug
Graham, aged thirty-one. Melissa Graham, aged twenty-eight. Will Hamilton,
aged fifty. Brad Proust, aged fifteen.
I stop at that last one, my heart skipping a beat as I read it over and over
again.
Brad, not Benny.
It’s not my brother. It’s not. But it’s clear it’s the newest of the graves, and a
little choked sob escapes me.
“Andrea.” Liam’s at my side, his hands roaming all over me. “I can smell
your fear. What is it?”
“It’s not Benny,” I manage through sniffles. “But for a moment, I thought it
was…”
“Shhh,” he murmurs, and pulls me close to him again. And again, like the
weak idiot I am, I burrow in his arms for comfort instead of pushing away. It
just feels so right, so automatic, to go to him for comfort. I press my face to
his shirt, breathing in his warm scent, feeling his arms around me. This is
real, I remind myself. No matter what happens, Liam’s with you and it’ll be
okay.
“What the fuck is this?” Gabe’s harsh voice interrupts us, dragging me back
out of my reverie in Liam’s arms.
I reluctantly pull away, gesturing at the graves to Gabe. “I found these. They
look new.”
He crouches in front of them with Scooter at his side, reading the names with
a look of disbelief on his face. “Fuck. Jennifer? Will? Avery?” He rubs a
hand down his tanned face and when he gets to his feet, he looks ten years
older. “I was just here two weeks ago. I saw them. Said hi to Jennifer.
Brought a toy for Avery. Everyone seemed all right.” He shakes his head. “I
don’t understand this.”
“Me either, but if my brother’s at New Fort, that’s where we’re going.”
“I’m going, too,” Gabe says immediately.
I touch Liam’s arm, feeling him tense. “We don’t need the help, really. You
can go back. I imagine Lester and the others will be waiting on you.”
But Gabe shakes his head. “I had friends at this fort, no matter what
happened. I knew these people. I need answers.”
I want to argue with him, but weirdly enough, I understand. Seven people
don’t just die in the space of a week. A settlement doesn’t just up and
abandon their home and leave behind all their supplies. Something strange is
going on and I’m getting more worried for Benny by the day. Truth is, I can’t
stop Gabe from coming with us, no matter how much it bothers Liam. “If you
—”
Liam’s hand clenches on my arm, and his body goes taut.
My words die off and I forget what I’m saying. “Liam?” I whisper, worried
when he remains completely and utterly still.
“The dragon’s coming. The female.” Liam turns toward me, his face hard and
unreadable. “We need to take shelter.”
“You’re sure?” I ask, and then feel stupid. Of course he’s sure. He can smell
her from a dozen miles away. “We’ll stay here until she goes, then.”
“What?” Gabe asks, moving in front of us. There’s a look of disbelief on his
face, and open skepticism as he looks between me and Liam. “What do you
mean, a dragon’s coming? How do you know?”
“Just trust me, he knows.”
Gabe’s gaze settles on Liam, on his sunglasses and hat, his golden skin and
slightly otherworldly features. His eyes narrow. “What are you?”
Liam just smiles, baring his fangs. He pulls off his sunglasses, revealing dark,
whirling eyes streaked with gold.
Gabe stumbles backward, reaching for his gun.
A growl erupts in Liam’s throat, as if there’s a silent challenge he’s all too
ready to acknowledge.
“No! Stop! Both of you stop it!” I push in front of Liam, spreading my arms
wide before Gabe can get some crazy idea about shooting him. I don’t know
if that kills dragons when they’re in their human form, but I’m not taking any
chances. “He’s with me, okay?” I tell Gabe. “He’s a good guy. That’s all that
matters.”
“That’s not all that matters,” Gabe spits, his hand hovering over his gun. His
gaze darts between us, and I can tell he’s wary. Something tells me he could
shoot both of us and it wouldn’t keep him up at night. He’d do it, just to keep
Lester and the others safe.
“Liam’s…different. Okay? But he’s on our side and you don’t have to
worry.” I reach back and Liam puts a protective hand around my arm, as if
claiming me.
“What is he that he can talk with them?” Gabe asks again. “How does he
know what they’re up to?” His gaze moves to Liam. “You’re one of them,
aren’t you?”
Liam just laughs and pulls me closer to him. “Does it matter?”
 17

LIAM

H eat courses through my blood.

I stare at the male with a wild grin on my face, a challenge in
my eyes. I’m daring him to try and take Andrea from me, to try to get
between us, to threaten her. Just give me an excuse to tear his throat out and
I’ll do it.
It’s clear the male wants my female. He watches Andrea closely and casts her
admiring looks when he thinks I’m not paying attention. Well, let him just try
and take her from me. He’ll figure out soon enough that she’s my mate—
But no.
The realization is like a slap in the face.
Andrea cannot be my mate. I cannot claim her. Ever.
It would be far wiser for me to back away and let him pursue her. She
deserves to be happy with a strong male at her side…but I cannot do that. I
can’t back away. I can’t let her go to another man because everything I am,
everything in my spirit roars in agony at the thought of my female being
touched by another man.
This thing between us is no good. It’s only going to cause pain for both of
us…but I can’t walk away from her, any more than I can give her over to the
human Gabe.
So I do my best to ignore him as I walk inside the abandoned encampment
with Andrea. It’s full of old scents, many of them tinged with a strange flavor
that I don’t recognize. I don’t care about that right now, though. I only care
about getting her to safety before the red female that pushes so oppressively
at my mental walls appears and attacks this settlement.
“Shelter,” I tell Andrea. “Pick a place, as long as it is safe.”
She nods and rushes inside the walls of the fort, and I am glad that she’s so
levelheaded. There are no protests or silliness in her, no dawdling. She is a
survivor and knows what must be done to survive. Her steps are quick and to
my surprise, she immediately heads for the cow. “We have to make sure their
animals are safe,” she tells me. It’s not a soft heart that declares this, but a
practical one. A cow can feed many mouths and provides milk and butter and
all the things a settlement needs. It’s incredibly valuable.
I’m proud of how sensible she is. “I’ll take care of it,” I tell her. “You round
up the chickens.”
“Got it!”
We split up and I move to the cow’s pen, ushering her inside and shutting the
door of the strange dwelling so the dragon can’t get to her. The animal smells
like hot blood and good meat, and I hesitate for a moment, my drakoni side
warring to dominance. My skin itches and I gaze down at the thing,
imagining how good the warm gush of blood would taste in my mouth…
No.
I must be human. I must be Liam. I must.
I make sure the damn thing is enclosed and then hastily retreat, just in time to
see Andrea disappear into one of the open dwellings, a clucking chicken
tucked under her arm. I jog over to her, just as the heavy scent of the female
dragon seems to pour in from the skies. The female screams out a warning
overhead, and I fling myself into the shelter and shut the door a split second
before the first rush of fire pours down atop us.
“Are you okay?” Andrea asks, panting. It’s dark inside without the sunlight
pouring in, and my eyes take a moment to adjust. I smell chickens, and their
pwuck pwuck noises bounce off the walls. I smell my mate….
And I smell Gabe and his animal. Damn it all. He couldn’t find another
shelter?
“I’m fine,” I say quickly, my voice curt.
“I’ll get my candle,” Andrea says, and I can hear her rummaging in her bag. I
smell the moment she pulls it out, and then a second later, she flicks a flame
up through her lighter and a small, orange light illuminates the darkness. The
stink of the chickens—and Gabe—fills my nostrils and makes my stomach
turn.
I look over at the human male, irritated that he’s here. “Why is that red
stalking you?”
He looks shocked. “What do you mean, she’s stalking me?”
“It’s the same female that attacked your encampment. She obviously has your
scent in her muzzle. What did you do to get her attention?”
“I didn’t do anything.” His gaze narrows, suspicious. “Why do you think I
did?”
I ignore his surliness. “She’s insane, but somehow through all of this, she
remembers you. What did you do?” Part of me just likes pricking at him, but
part of me also really, really wants to know. He’s somehow managed to make
himself unforgettable to the female dragon and I need to know what he did so
perhaps Andrea won’t forget me when I turn…
“Both of you, stop it,” Andrea murmurs, but she sets the candle down and
moves to my side, sliding her arms around my waist.
I pull her close and kiss her hard, this time not for Gabe’s benefit but for my
own. I need to fill my senses with her. I want her scent all over my skin and
in my nose, I want her taste in my mouth, driving out all the other things that
are slowly itching at my skin and making the day that I turn wild and crazy
inevitable.
Because I’m not going to make it like this forever. I’m going to snap at some
point, my need for Andrea chasing away all common sense. I’m going to
need to claim her, to make her mine.
And to do so, I’m going to have to risk everything.
She returns my kiss, breathless, and then casts a shy look over at Gabe.
I don’t care about him. I grab Andrea by the hand and pull her after me.
“We’ll find you when it’s time to leave in the morning,” I tell Gabe. “For
now, we need privacy.” I lift my head, trying to cut through the scents, to find
open air instead of this choking stuffiness. At the back of the room, the air
clears a bit. There’s a doorway cut into the metal wall to join two of the
storage units and make one big dwelling. I drag Andrea behind me into the
new area. I can smell better air over there, fresher air, and I bring her in that
direction.
“Liam,” Andrea whispers, and I can hear embarrassment in her tone, even as
she follows me. “He’s going to think we’re needing to be alone because…
you know.”
“Because what?” I shut the door behind us and then it’s dark once more, the
candle left behind with Gabe. I can smell bedding, though, and I tug her in
that direction and pull her down with me. “Because he’s going to think we’re
mating? We are, because I need the taste of your cunt.”
She gasps. “What? But you—you said—”
Oh, I know what I said. I live with it every moment I am awake. I dream of
sinking deep inside her and feeling her cunt clench tight around my cock. I
dream of my teeth in her throat, filling her with my fire, and then her
delicious scent changing to mine. I dream of a life with her. Of never having
to let her go.
And tonight, I decide, I want to risk it. As the humans say, fuck waiting. Fuck
everything, except for Andrea. I’m taking control of the situation.
I pull her forward, and she clings to me as the backs of her knees hit the
mattress. She tumbles backward with a sound of surprise, and then I am on
her, my hands furious with need as I pull at her pants. I waste no time,
undoing the snaps and then shoving them down her hips.
Andrea gasps, and I can tell she's shocked at the hunger in my touch…and
turned on, too. She realizes just how much I need her and it's making her cunt
fill with her perfumed scent. I groan, deep, and push her jeans down her legs
until they catch at her ankles, stuck at her boots. That doesn't matter, she's
bare enough as far as I'm concerned. With one hand, I grasp the thin material
of her panties and rip them off.
"Hey!" she protests. "I need those—"
"You don't," I rasp. "I want the scent of your cunt everywhere. All over me. I
want to wear it so others know I've claimed you."
She sucks in a breath. "Jesus, Liam. Atalim."
I groan as she says my name. There's no greater pleasure for me than to hear
my name, my true name, on her beautiful lips. I push her thighs apart,
breathing in the hot scent of her, and then drag my tongue over her cunt. I
take in her taste, and the flavor of her explodes on my tongue, hot, sweet, and
so full of need that my cock surges in my pants, fully engorged and aching.
"Ah, my Andrea," I manage, though it's taking everything I have not to go
wild with my own need. There's a violence building in my veins—not against
her, never that—but the need that rages inside me needs an outlet. It has to go
somewhere. So I pull her closer and move up her belly, pushing her shirt out
of the way and kissing up her stomach, then make my way to her mouth. I
claim it, enjoying the startled sound she makes, and then loving the way she
moans when my hand moves back between her thighs, caressing her slick
folds. There is one good side to pretending to be human—my claws are
blunted to mere stubs, and that means I can touch her freely, explore the soft
petals of her skin here and not have to worry that I'm hurting her.
"Liam," she pants against my mouth, her hips arching up against my seeking
fingers. "But…maybe we shouldn't…he's going to hear us…"
I snag her lower lip between my teeth and nip at it, then soothe away the bite
with a flick of my tongue. "You don't want him to hear? Because I do."
She gives a soft little moan, and my fingers dance over her cunt, seeking out
the little nub nestled between her folds. I find it and she whimpers, getting
louder, and then her mouth seals shut, as if she doesn't trust herself not to lose
all sense of control and start screaming.
She doesn't realize that's exactly what I want—I want my female, my mate,
letting the other male in my territory know she's being claimed by me. I want
him to hear me pounding into her, giving her pleasure, claiming her body as
mine. His nearness, the thought of him even daring to harbor a claim on her is
making me crazed, and I'm going to take it out on Andrea's sweet pussy.
"You want that?" She gasps as I drag my thumb over her clit, teasing her.
"Oh god, Atalim…why?"
"Because he needs to hear it," I say, claiming her mouth as mine again with
another deep, intense kiss. When I lift my lips from hers, I add, "He needs to
hear me taking you, so he knows there's no chance he can have you."
"I don't want him," Andrea pants, holding onto me. Her hands flutter over my
shoulders, my chest, as if she can't decide where to touch me first. "I don't
want anyone but you, Atalim. I just don't want you to lose yourself—"
I kiss her again to silence her. I know she's worried, but the beast raging
inside me won't be silenced any longer. I need her and I'm going to risk this,
because I can control myself for a while longer. I won't be able to if he keeps
looking at her, though. I'll murder him with my shorn claws if I have to, just
for daring to dream that he could touch my Andrea.
So I coax her pleasure higher, moving my thumb against her clit and sliding
my fingers deeper between her thighs, to the well of her core that's so
slippery and hot and good. She moans against my mouth when I sink a finger
deep inside her, thrusting. Her cunt is impossibly tight, and I love that she
seems to suck at my finger when I push into her.
That's how she's going to hold my cock inside her, I think with deep, aching
satisfaction. She's going to grip me so tight with her wet sheath that nothing
will ever be the same after that. A harsh growl breaks from my throat, and I
nip at her mouth, then press quick, demanding kisses against her jaw as she
arches up against my hand. "Your cunt is ready for me," I murmur to her.
"Look at how good my finger feels inside you. You're so wet that you're more
than ready for more. You want more, my Andrea?"
She whimpers against me, the sound sweet, and then nods. Her nose brushes
against mine as she does, and then she gives a sharp cry, her fingers digging
into my shirt when I pair a second finger with the first and pump into her
again.
"My cock's bigger than that," I warn her. "Much bigger. But you'll be able to
take me, won't you? You're so wet and juicy that I'll just slide right into you."
"You can't," she moans.
That just makes my hackles rise. "Can't I? Can't I claim my mate?" I thrust
into her again with my fingers, pushing into her as if it's my cock, and she
moans, the sound loud and needy.
"I won't hurt you, sweet Andrea," I murmur, and when my hand slides away
from her cunt, she makes a whimper of protest, as if she already misses the
feel of me there. "But I am going to claim you."
And with that, I sit up and flip her over, then pull at her hips until they're
thrust in the air, perfect for mounting. She moans and in the darkness, her
fingers dig into the blankets, but she spreads her knees a little wider, readying
for me.
I kick my boots off, then shove my pants down and strip off my shirt. When
I'm naked, the air feels good against my skin. It feels right. Like I'm
becoming what I need to be again. And right in front of me? Her sweet ass in
the air as if she's just lost a challenge and needs me to cover her? My
beautiful Andrea. I move forward, drawn to her, and rub my face against one
of her bare flanks, nipping and biting at the rounded flesh.
She whimpers again, and there's another hot rush of her arousal scent,
flooding her cunt. "Atalim," she whispers, and I love the sound of my name
on her lips.
"You're going to say that when I'm inside you," I tell her, unable to resist the
lure of her slick cunt. I dip my tongue into her folds, teasing at the entrance to
her core, and she cries out. "I love when you say my name," I tell her,
practically growling the human words that feel more foreign by the minute.
"But I'm going to love it best when I'm deep inside you."
"If you're sure," she pants, and her words die when I thrust into the hot well
of her core with my tongue, thrusting into her with it like I want to with my
cock. "Oh god. Oh, fuck me, that's good."
I love the sounds she makes. It feeds the hungry, angry beast inside me, and I
lap at her cunt until she's squirming against me, her hips shuddering in my
grip, her taste on my tongue and my lips. I can't drink all of it, I remind
myself. She has to be wet and slick for my cock, because she's small and tight
and I'm big and throbbing. So I force myself to ease back, to toy with her
cunt with fingers instead of tongue, brushing over her clit and then tracing the
entrance to her core with one fingertip until she's soaking once more. It
makes my mouth water to feel how wet she gets, but she needs to coat my
cock with her sweetness, not just my mouth.
"Tell me you want me inside you, Andrea," I demand. The drakoni in me
wants her to acknowledge my mastery of her, that she's lost some sort of
challenge and has to bend to the victor that will conquer her. "Tell me I've
won you."
"I'm yours," she breathes. "If you think you can take me without losing
control, I'm all yours."
Control doesn’t matter any longer.
Nothing else matters other than claiming her, marking her as mine.
Mine alone.
I run a hand over my cock and find the head slick with pre-cum. I can't have
that—it'll burn her. I wipe it away and force myself to wait until I've calmed a
bit, my hand on her rounded ass. I manage to get a bit more control, and
when I wipe the head of my cock and it comes away clean, I know I can take
her…for now. I settle my hips against hers, my cock sliding along the slick
folds of her pussy and wetting with her essence. She moans, arching back
against me.
"Oh, god, Liam—Atalim—you feel so good." She lets out another little cry
when I rock against her, and it tears at me.
I can't wait any longer. I fit the head of my cock to the entrance of her core,
and she's so wet and ready that I thrust into her. No waiting, no teasing, just
one swift motion and I'm in her to the hilt.
She gasps, her back arching, and cries out with pleasure.
Heat floods my brain. Heat, and primal need. The walls I've built for so long,
maintained so meticulously, never let relax for a moment? My mind
shudders, and I can feel them weakening. Hot, wild need overwhelms me,
and for a moment, I'm nothing but a mindless beast, rutting into her with
quick, hard thrusts. Take. Take. Take. Take her as your mate.
Take her, and then…destroy.
Kill the male. Kill him for looking at her. Violence shoves through me, hard
and thick and startling in the viciousness of it.
In that moment, Atalim is lost. For a brief span, I don’t exist as a drakoni or a
person. I’m nothing but anger. There is no self, only the hot madness and
violence that this world breeds in the minds of my people.
It's gone in the next moment, and I stumble backwards, my cock sliding free
of her cunt's perfect grip.
She sits upright, turning over to look at me as I put a hand to my head. "Li—
Atalim? Are…are you okay?"
I shake my head to clear it, because the lingering ferocity in my thoughts is
terrible and overwhelming. It takes everything I have not to give in to its call.
"Are you…is that smoke I smell?" she asks when I don't answer her.
That explains the tickle in my nostrils. I'm losing control…and I nearly hurt
her. If I'd let any of my seed inside her, she'd have burned from within.
Or worse. I could have let the drakoni side of me take over and torn out her
throat. I think of the violent anger I felt toward Gabe, and I'm not altogether
certain I wouldn't have turned it on her. I drop to my knees in a crouch,
hating this.
"I can't touch you again," I tell her. "This was a mistake."
Because if I touch her again, I'm not going to be able to stop. And I don't
know what the consequences will be.
 18

ANDI

J ust like he swore, Liam doesn’t touch me for the rest of the
night. He doesn’t sleep next to me. He just gets dressed and
leaves the room, and I’m left alone on the bed feeling
abandoned and used and a little stupid.
And horny. Really, really horny.
I don’t finish myself off, though. Not after that horrible ending to what was
some really amazing sex. Even this morning, as we leave the settlement and
head east toward New Fort, I'm still thinking of how he felt when he sank
into me, the hot length of him and how big he was.
God, no guy has ever felt so good inside me. He was so big and thick that he
pressed on spots I thought only existed in dirty fairy tales.
Of course, they might as well be dirty fairy tales, because I won't get to
experience that again. This morning, he keeps several steps between us and
gone is the hand holding and occasional touches. He won't go near me.
Gabe notices it, too. He walks beside me, Scooter bounding around us, being
a derp while Liam keeps a few paces ahead.
"Trouble in paradise?" Gabe asks, his tone mild.
I shoot a look over at him, trying not to frown. "I don't know what you
mean."
"It's clear you and your dragon boyfriend had a fight last night. He won't even
look in your direction. Was it the red? Is she an old girlfriend or something?"
He cocks a grin at me.
My fingers itch and I want to make a fist and punch him in the face. "It's none
of your business, and no, that's not it at all. We're fine." I hate that Gabe
irritates me so much. Once upon a time, I'd have been all over him like jelly
on peanut butter. He's handsome as hell, with a close-trimmed beard and dark
hair. Tanned. Likes animals. Tall. Lean. Nice teeth. Friendly and competent.
But that was BL—Before Liam.
He's ruined me for everyone else. It doesn't matter how nice Gabe is, or how
normal, because I'm thinking about Liam. I'm thinking about his smile, and
that deep, booming chuckle…and his possessive growl when someone else
gets too close to me. I love that he's protective and hovers. I love that he's got
a bit of an animal side to him.
Oh god, I really love the dick, too. And his fingers. And his tongue. It's an
amazing package.
But I think…I think he nearly lost control last night. I don't think he was as in
charge as he thought he was, and it's freaked him out. I'm not an idiot. I know
that's why he's putting so much distance between us. That's why he pulled out
mid-thrust and left the room.
I'm not dumb. But it makes me ache deep inside because I know that what I
want with him can't be. He's going to lose all that he is if he gives in to his
need, and it's clear he'd rather be human than be drakoni. I can't even blame
him for that. How can I? I've seen how crazed drakoni are. Even Rast and
Vaan aren't entirely there sometimes. How can I ask him to give up his mind
in exchange for a relationship with me?
I can't.
Unfortunately, we're going to have to just be friends. I can't ask him to do
more, and the thought is like a knife in the heart. It's a sharp pain in my chest
that I've carried with me all day, and it feels like a lead weight has dropped
on my shoulders. I'm just…tired.
Really, really tired. I feel like this world has finally defeated me. You win,
apocalypse. I give up.
"I don't like to judge," Gabe begins, interrupting my thoughts.
Oh boy, here it comes. "But?" I prompt, knowing there's a “but” in there for
sure.
"But I don't understand how you can be with him." He shakes his head.
"Dragons are murderers. Monsters. They destroyed our world. They eat
people and tear them apart. They've killed billions, Andi. And you're hooking
up with one?"
Like I haven't had this argument in my own head before? But it's surprisingly
easy to dismiss. "People kill people all the time, but we don't assume every
single person is a murderer. Liam's a good guy. He hasn't hurt anyone. He's
not crazy like the others."
"Are they crazy, then? Or just wild and savage and like the taste of people?"
"They're crazy," I reply. "There's something in this world that makes their
minds go haywire. It's something to do with their psychic communication.
Liam shut that part off in his brain. It's the only way he hasn't lost his mind
like the others have. That's why he's safe."
Gabe just shakes his head, watching Liam as he walks. I wait for him to piss
me off further, to make some crack about how I need good human dick
instead of dragon dick. How I'd be better off with him instead of with Liam.
He doesn't, though. "I never knew they could be human," he admits. "Can all
of them do that?"
"As far as I know. He's not the first one I've met that can switch from form to
form." He's the third. But whatever. I'd rather put Gabe in his place than
argue semantics.
"I didn't know," he says again, and his words are more thoughtful than angry,
as if he's trying to put together some sort of mental puzzle.
"Yeah, well, I guess you don't know a lot," I say baldly, trying to pick a fight.
I'm having a shitty day and I would just love to take it out on someone else.
But Gabe only looks over at me and grins. "I guess I don't. You learn
something new every day."
It's hard to hate the guy when he's being so reasonable. I give him a half-
smile, though my heart isn't into it.
"So…when the dragons are in human form, does that mean they're not
crazy?"
"I…don't know for sure. The ones I've met that were in human form were still
a little wild-seeming, but for the most part, they were pretty human. Liam's
the most human one I've met." And the handsomest. And funniest. And
smartest. And most thoughtful.
But I’m biased.
"Maybe it's connected," Gabe agrees. "So instead of fighting the dragons,
how come we don't try to figure out how to get them to switch forms instead?
Problem solved."
I have no answer for that. I never realized…and of course it seems so simple.
Why don't we do something like that? "They're crazy, though. You try getting
a crazy, hard-headed, violent person to do what you want."
"Guess we just need to make the switch appealing enough," he tells me with a
grin.
I roll my eyes. Count on a man to think he's got all the answers. "Good luck."
We pause in our journey for a little to eat lunch. My corn cakes are stale and
there's a hint of mold on them, but I pull one out and offer it to Liam anyhow.
He hasn't eaten in days and it's worrying me. I don't know how often he has
to eat, but surely this isn't normal.
He shakes his head and wanders off from where I'm sitting with Gabe. "Not
hungry. You eat it."
I watch him go, biting my lip as he moves forward, touching the ground
occasionally as if to reassure himself of the scents. He's been distant all day,
and part of me knows that it's smart, especially after last night.
But I hate it. Oh god, I hate it so much. I want nothing more than for Liam to
laugh and smile at me. I want him to kiss me and touch me as if he can't stay
away. I don't know if I can handle this as our “future,” him being distant and
me enduring it.
For a moment, I hate that we've done this to ourselves. I can't resist him any
more than I can resist if someone threw a plate of cookies in my direction. I
love him, and I'm so worried and afraid of what the future holds for us.
Surely we'll catch a break at some point, right? Surely we can have what
Amy and Rast have? Or Gwen and Vaan?
"Here," Gabe says, nudging my arm and offering me a chunk of meat. "It's
jerky. I smoked it myself."
It smells amazing, my mouth watering, but I shake my head. "You eat it. I'm
good." It's not that I don't want the food, but I'm thinking of Liam and his
almost-feral responses to anytime I smile or laugh at Gabe. How's he going to
act if Gabe feeds me? It's a bad idea all around. I finish unwrapping my corn
cake, brush off the mold, and take a bite.
Yum, yum.
He shares his meat with Scooter instead, the dog wagging his tail and licking
at Gabe's fingers. I can relate.
Once we finish eating, we refill our waterskins with runoff from an old
gutter. It's fucking terrible, but it's water, so I make myself take small sips of
it as we walk. We continue on to New Fort, and I mentally wonder what it's
going to be like. Clean and quiet like Fort Shreveport? Small and hidden like
Fort Justice?
I know we're getting close when Liam's steps pick up and he starts to jog
ahead. I watch him for a moment, my heart pounding, and then I notice he's
pulling his shirt over his mouth and holding it there, as if to filter the air. I
race up toward him, touching his arm. "Are you okay?"
He gives his head a little shake as if to clear it and then steps away from me.
"The stench. It's just…a little much."
Stench? "What is it you smell?"
Liam makes a choked sound. "You'll see." And he pulls away and moves
forward again.
I hate this. I really do. I follow behind him a few steps, giving him space, but
I want to be at his side. This is a nightmare.
We walk a few more blocks, and then it becomes obvious what's causing him
to gag. I know his sense of smell is very sensitive, so I can only imagine how
awful this is for him.
It's obvious that New Fort is the shopping mall up ahead. That makes sense—
lots of supplies, large enough for a ton of people to live inside, and not a lot
of greenery outside that can burn and cause problems. They've made a half-
ass barricade of cars and old fencing that stretches in front of the parking lot,
separating them from anyone that might have wandered through. Again,
sensible.
What's not sensible is the garbage.
It's everywhere. Garbage is always a problem in a fort. Even in the After,
there's trash and no friendly truck is coming around to dispose of it any
longer. It was a problem in Tulsa, and the place was filthy because no one
bothered to take care of it. We’re better about those things in Fort Shreveport.
What can't be re-used gets broken down, and what can't be burned we cart
away a couple of times a month to a safe spot a few hours distant. You can't
keep it near your home, because it draws pests and predators and rats.
No one at New Fort got the memo on that, though. There's trash everywhere,
and it's clear that they just bag it and toss it over their barrier. The thick
stench of rotten things hits me like a wall the moment the fort comes into
sight, and I gag, my hand going to my nose. "Jesus Christ."
"Breathe through your mouth," Liam tells me in a choked voice. "It helps…
some."
"I wish I didn't have to breathe at all," I tell him, but do as he says. It muffles
the smell, a little, but now I feel like I can taste it. I'm horrified by the
mountains of refuse that line the wall. There are broken bottles and cans,
dead animal carcasses and piles and piles of wrappers and old diapers and
just…a mess. It's ridiculous. And just like you'd expect with such a disaster,
there are the rats. They're everywhere, the piles practically moving with the
sheer number of them. They're bold, too, scurrying around in broad daylight.
Scooter chases one, tail wagging, only to be called back by Gabe.
"You don't want that in your mouth, buddy," he tells the dog.
Scooter just barks happily and bounds around Gabe. Definitely not the
brightest dog, bless his heart. I guess it makes sense that one of the survivors
is just one that's too dumb to realize what a crapfest the apocalypse is. The
other dogs that are still alive are probably too afraid of humans to hang
around us much anymore.
"Where's the entrance?" I choke out, my eyes watering at the stink.
Gabe points. "This way." He's not surprised by the smell, it seems, though his
nose does twitch regularly.
We follow him, and I glance over at Liam, wondering how he's going to feel
about Gabe being in the lead. He's not wearing his sunglasses or hat now that
Gabe knows what he is, but his expression is distant, unfocused, as if he's
concentrating on something that's not here.
Does he hear the female dragon again, I wonder? "You okay?" I ask,
dropping my voice so Gabe won't hear us.
He glances over at me, his eyes more gold than black, which is comforting.
"I'm just…trying to figure something out."
"What is it?"
"Benny's scent is here, along with the other scent markers from the last fort,
but…" He shakes his head. "There's something wrong with them."
"Wrong with the people?"
"Wrong with the scents," he clarifies, rubbing a finger under his nose. "I
might be wrong. There's so much stink it's hard to tell, but I've been smelling
it for a while."
What could be wrong with their scents? "Could they be disguising themselves
to ward off other dragons?" Benny knows that trick from me.
"It's possible." But Liam doesn't look convinced.
"Hello?" Gabe calls out, cupping a hand to his face. His hand is on his gun
belt, and we approach a makeshift gate with two plastic chairs parked in front
of it. Both the chairs are empty and there's no one around.
My heart sinks. "Is this place deserted, too?"
"One way to find out," Gabe says, and tries the gate. It falls open, unlocked.
He looks over at us, frowning.
I shiver, because this is creepy. Another abandoned fort? And why? I think of
what Liam said about the scents being wrong and look over at him.
He's unfocused again, staring off at the big building of the mall, but says
nothing.
"Liam?" I prompt, and when he finally looks over at me, I ask, "Do you smell
the scent trails leaving again? Like at the last place?"
He shakes his head. "No. Whoever went in didn't come back out. Benny's
scent ends here, unless he left via another route."
"Don't think there's another way out of the fort," Gabe adds. "Least not that I
recall."
"Okay, then they're here. Theoretically." I get my gun out of its carrying case
and check my ammo. "Might as well go inside and check this out."
I’m trying to sound like I’m in control, like this is no big deal, but my hands
are shaking and I can’t stop trembling. Something’s happened to Benny, I
know it. The universe is trying to keep me from finding him, and now I’m
going to find out what terrible thing has happened to make so many people
disappear.
“Andrea.” Liam’s hand covers mine, resting atop my shotgun. “It’s going to
be okay.”
“You don’t know that,” I say, choking on the words. There’s something about
this utterly silent gate, the trash pile around their fort walls, all of it just has
this lingering sense of doom. I feel it weighing on me, and I worry I’ll never
see Benny alive again.
It’s like it’s all really hitting me now. Before, I was just retrieving a runaway
little brother. He might be dead and it’ll be my fault because I waited instead
of going directly after him.
“I don’t know that, you’re right,” Liam says, and his voice is so calm, so
wonderful that it makes me ache deep inside. He eases the shotgun out of my
grip and puts the safety on it, then hands it to Gabe. “You need to be calm,
though. And you need to realize that whatever happens, I’m not going to
leave your side.”
My lower lip trembles and I bite down on it, determined not to break. I nod,
over and over again, as if the more times I do it, the more I can convince
myself. “If he’s dead, I don’t think I can bear it,” I whisper to Liam. “I can’t.”
“You’re a survivor, Andrea.” His arms go around me and he holds me close,
tucking me against his chest. I know it’s hard for him to touch me, but oh, it’s
so good that I can’t help but lean in, listening to the steady rhythm of his
heart. “If it truly is the worst, then we’ll get through it together. I mean it
when I say I won’t ever leave your side. Even if this thing between us can
never be, it doesn’t mean I’ll abandon you.”
That just makes me ache even more. But I nod again and then push away
from him. “We’re wasting time,” I say, and flex my hands and shake them
out as if that will ease the trembling in them. I calm myself, then take my gun
back from Gabe. “Let’s go find my brother.”
 19

LIAM

T he fort is silent as we walk inside, and I can smell the fear-

scent coating Andrea. She’s terrified, not for herself but for her
brother. I know without asking that she’s thinking of those graves at Fort
Justice and imagining Benny in one. I want to reassure her with more than
just emotional words. I want to tell her that he’s safe, that I can smell him and
he’s just inside the enormous building they call a “mall” that we approach
even now.
But I can’t reassure her because I can’t tell.
Benny’s scent, and those of the others, have been easy to follow. They’re not
trying to mask their trails like Andrea suggested. They’re not chasing the
scent-trail through streams or around buildings or circling it back in an effort
to mislead. It’s a straight line that heads directly to this fort. The strange
aroma that has attached itself to them lingers, too. I don’t know how to
describe it to Andrea, that there’s a faint miasma to his scent. It’s not quite
like fear-scent, but something else, something that takes Benny’s normal
adolescent smell and makes it slightly sour, slightly off. The other smells of
the people with him are subtly changed as well.
I want to see if they’re different here inside the fort, but the stink of the
humans and their discarded trash outside is overwhelming. I can barely smell
Andrea and she stands right next to me. If we had a psychic connection, our
minds linked—
I can’t think like that. It can never happen. I have to come to terms with the
fact that I can never have her. Guard her, yes. Take care of her, yes. Ensure
she is safe, yes.
Touch her and take her as a mate? Never. If I tried and failed, I’d leave her
unguarded…and I cannot have that. At all. I walk at Andrea's side, lost in my
internal struggle as we enter the fort. It's for my own self-preservation,
because if I don't focus on how much this place stinks of human, or how
badly my mental shields are crumbling…then I won't lose control of myself.
"It's so quiet," Andrea says, her words shaky and distant. I focus on the
perfume of her scent, the rich delicious musk of her, and my thoughts
strengthen. Surprising, but aren't Vaan and Rast clearest when they're with
their mates? But Andrea's not mine. I can't anchor myself to her, can't share
my spirit. Even so, I slide closer, feeling protective. She's nervous, the fear-
scent coating her, and the human male Gabe smells sour with fear as well.
"Should we split up?" Andrea asks.
"Stay together," Gabe says, and I agree silently with him. I don't like this
place. There's something wrong.
We pass by a white and red vehicle, one that’s boxy and unfamiliar looking.
It’s close to the building itself, and the sight of it sets Andrea on edge. “Well,
that’s not a good sign.”
“What is it?” I ask, curious.
“Ambulance. And they left it here instead of moving it with the rest of the
vehicles. I’m sure it means nothing, just…” She purses her lips and then
shakes her head. “Just being superstitious. I’m sure it’s nothing.”
Gabe grunts.
The main building has glass doors that aren't guarded, another thing that has
Andrea and Gabe uneasy. They open them and then we step into a musty,
human-stinking building. It's dark inside, with glass windows above that are
covered in a thick layer of dust. There are two enormous floors to this
building, and what look like many smaller rooms set inside them. Fake plants
and a water fountain are in the center of the long hall, as if this is supposed to
be an enjoyable place to walk and stroll, like a garden. Odd. I have no idea
what such a place is for, but both Gabe and Andrea seem to recognize it.
"Hello?" Gabe calls, and his voice echoes, bouncing off the corridors. "Is
there anyone here?"
"Benny?" Andrea shouts, a note of desperation in her voice. "Benny, are you
here? It's me!"
There's no answer, and we head farther in as Gabe calls over and over again.
Andrea turns to look at me, fear making her eyes big and dark. "Can you
smell anyone?"
I touch my nose and shake my head. "The smells are overwhelming. I can't
make anything out." I don't tell her that the strange miasma that touched
Benny's scent is even thicker now that we're inside. The sense of wrongness
continues, but I can't identify it as danger. Until I know what it is, I stay close
to Andrea and remain on guard.
Then, I hear something.
I grab Andrea and pull her behind me. "Wait."
Gabe stops, glancing over at me. I stare ahead, at what sounds like…
footsteps. Faint, slow ones. "Someone's there up ahead."
"Should we go—"
"No," I say, cutting off Andrea. "We wait here. They'll show themselves."
So we wait. The moments seem to last forever, but eventually, a woman
appears, stepping out of one of the rooms. Her face is drawn and pale, and
she stinks of sweat and the miasma.
"You need to leave," she says, wiping her hands on a white cloth she has tied
to her waist. Her hair is pulled back in a dirty gray-and-brown ponytail and
her clothes smell as if she's slept in them for weeks. "Everyone's sick."
Andrea tenses at my back, peeking out from behind me, her hand on my arm.
Just that small touch distracts me, to the point that I lose focus. "…what do
you mean, sick?"
I blink, trying to pay attention.
The woman steps forward a bit more, and then stops, leaving a drakoni's
battle form in length between us. She won't come any closer. "I mean they're
sick. All of them. People have been dying all day and if you come any closer,
you'll get it, too."
"What is it?" Gabe asks.
The woman shrugs, and even that small gesture seems to be a great effort.
"Flu? Pneumonia? Does it even matter? There are no doctors, no drugs, no
nothing. We're going to die."
"What about the people from Fort Justice?" Andrea asks, taking another step
forward. I reach out to grab her in case she moves too close to the woman,
but she stops a few paces away from me, lowering her gun. "Is that what
happened there? We went and found no one, just graves."
The stranger nods slowly. "They came here, looking for help. And they
brought it to us. Now they're going to wipe out both forts." She shakes her
head, as if saddened.
"What about my brother? His name's Benny, and he's a young boy. He'd have
come with the Fort Justice people," Andrea says, the words rushing out of
her. "He's got a chipped tooth in front and he's about fourteen…"
The woman's expression turns sorrowful.
"No," Andrea cries weakly. "No, no, please." She stumbles forward and I
catch her. "Where is he?"
The woman sighs. "In the sick room with everyone else. It's easier to take
care of them if we're all together."
Andrea turns to look at me. Her eyes are shining with determination and
tears. "I'm going to him," she tells me, pushing my hands away.
"No." I don't understand this “sickness” the humans have. It's not something
that happens with drakoni. I've seen humans that say they don't feel well, that
vomit and sweat and then get better in a day or two. I thought it was bad
food, but this female is scaring Andrea and makes it sound as if it's something
else entirely…and that means I don't want her going anywhere near it. "If she
says you should stay away, you should. I will not risk your life, Andrea."
"Bullshit," my female says, just as quick. "You don't understand, Liam. It
doesn't matter. If it's something contagious, we could already have it. I slept
in one of their beds last night. I touched their things. That's all it could take
for me to catch whatever flu they have."
Horror dawns on me. "What happens if you catch it?"
"I die, or I get better." She gives me a faint smile.
I won't let her die. Just the thought makes me feel wild inside, my mental
walls cracking apart. I grip her arms and resist the urge to drag her against me
and protect her from whatever unseen horror this is. "I do not understand
what this is, Andrea. I don't like it."
"It's a sickness," she tells me patiently, reaching up to touch my face. "And
there's nothing to do. If I'm infected, we'll know soon enough." She turns to
look over at the woman, who stands and waits, stinking of the miasma that
must be the sickness. "Maybe I'll get lucky and be spared, like her."
The woman shakes her head, the movement slow. "Who says I'm not sick?
I'm just doing what I can until I can't stand upright any longer." She watches
us, waiting, and I notice her eyes are slightly glazed, her skin flushed with
beads of sweat. The hands she clasps in front of her are trembling.
I step in front of Andrea, as if I can shield her from this woman and her
sickness. "No," I growl.
"I have to see Benny," Andrea says gently. "Liam, if he's in there and sick, I
need to take care of him. I need to be at his side. I'm not going to let him
suffer through this surrounded by strangers." Her voice chokes a little.
"If you come in, you're dooming yourself," the woman warns, and I want to
grab her and wring her skinny neck. "We've had seven die this morning and
five last night, and there's more to come. Everyone here's sick. Everyone."
"He's my brother," Andrea says simply. She takes her shotgun, puts the safety
on, and then slides it into the carrying case and slings it back over her
shoulder. Her expression is calm and she looks over at me and Gabe. "Gabe,
you shouldn't go in, though. You have Lester and the others to think about."
He shakes his head. "I can't go anywhere until I find out if I'm sick or not,
either. I slept there last night, too."
I cross two steps and lean over to sniff him. He smells like Gabe—sweat and
human male. "I don't smell it on you." I move back to Andrea's side and try to
take her hand. "Or on you."
"Do you smell it on me?" the woman asks.
The room grows quiet. I get the feeling that I'm pronouncing a death sentence
when I admit, "I can smell it on you from here."
But she only nods, as if tired, and turns around to head back into the room
she came from.
"That must be what you were smelling that was different," Andrea says. "It
makes sense now. That's why they left everything behind. They thought
someone here could help and they'd come back. But…it sounds like it's worse
than they thought."
"Which is why you can't go," I growl.
She refuses my touch, though, shaking her head. "I'm going to my brother.
We could all be sick. I’m not going to let him suffer alone.”
And because I cannot blame her, I follow.
 20

ANDI

T his is a nightmare.
I slowly walk inside the old clothing store, telling myself that
this is all not happening. That Benny's playing the world's unfunniest prank
and he'll hop up from behind a counter somewhere and laugh his fool head
off. As I move forward, though, the reality of this slowly hits. There are rows
and rows of people in rough pallets on the ground, little more than blankets
and pillows spread out on the floor. Some of them have containers next to
their beds, and there's the occasional coughing, but it's quiet.
So very quiet. And that's the scariest thing of all.
I stare at the rows of people. There have to be at least fifty lying out here in
sickbeds. More, probably. The woman said they'd already lost twelve, and I
can only imagine how many more are going to die. It looks like the whole
fort itself is sick. The room feels hot and stuffy with no windows, and I can
practically feel the sickness on my skin. I rub my arms as I step forward,
looking for Benny. One blanket-covered lump looks the same as any other,
though, so I lean over the closest person and check the face.
It's a woman, her eyes glassy as she stares up at me. Her face is flushed and
her hair is sweaty, but she's shivering. Blood flecks her slack mouth.
"Hi," I whisper, trying to smile. I feel so guilty just looking down at her that I
instantly want to help. "Can I get you anything?"
She just continues to shiver, ignoring me, and so I tuck the blanket close to
her again and move on.
There's a mother and child curled in the next set of blankets, so I move on. I
don't want to see their faces. I don't want to know. A man is in the next pallet,
also too big to be Benny, and his arms thrash wildly as he turns back and
forth, lost in his fever. I look over at the woman who's been tending to
everyone, but she doesn't move over to the man to help him. She just calmly
wets more towels in a bucket and moves to the closest person, pressing one to
a sweating brow.
I guess she's doing the best she can.
I move past another person, and this one's about the right size for Benny, but
when I pull the blankets back, it's a young girl…and her eyes are open and
staring at nothing. For a moment, I think she's like the other woman, but then
I notice the waxy cast of her skin and she's not breathing. Oh god. I pull the
blankets over her face and mentally say a little prayer. "I'm sorry," I whisper.
There are so many people that I'm crying before I reach the end of the first
row. There's another dead person, a balding man, and there's a few more that
it's clear are going to be dead soon. The worst is the children, thrashing in the
grip of a fever and there's nothing to give them. I want to help everyone…and
I want to run away in sheer horror.
Every day is already hard enough in the After. Do we have to deal with
sickness like this, too? It's so unfair. Every pharmacy out there has already
been cleaned out, and there are no doctors to give flu shots. We're so
vulnerable to even the most common viruses now, and I'm all too acutely
aware of it.
I routinely turn another sick person over, and it takes me a moment to realize
I'm looking down at my brother. Oh my god.
I drop to my knees next to him, touching his sleeping face. In the week or so
that he's been gone, he looks as if he's dropped ten pounds. He's already a
skinny, gangly kid so he looks positively skeletal and it breaks my heart to
see his cheekbones so pronounced. His eyes are sunken and his sandy hair is
dark with sweat. His entire body is shivering, and I want to burst into tears at
the sight of him.
Benny opens his eyes, and for a terrifying moment, I worry he's going to stare
right past me. But he gives me a crooked, tired smile. "Andi?"
"Hey," I say softly, smiling down at him. For some reason, the tears don't
come. I'm calm. I'm strong, because he needs me to be.
"I'm sick."
"I know, buddy. It's okay. I'll take care of you."
"How did you find me?" He blinks slowly, sleepily, as if it's a great effort to
do so.
"I'm your sister, dork," I tease gently. I stroke the sweaty hair back from his
face. "You think I wouldn't come after you once I heard you flew the coop?
Liam helped me find you."
His face creases in a tired smile. "Liam's here?"
I fight back the ache of jealousy that my brother should get so excited over
Liam instead of me. Now's not the time. "Yup, he's here."
A big, warm hand clasps my shoulder and in the next moment, Liam's
crouching next to me beside Benny's blankets. "I'm here," he says.
"Hey, Liam. How's it going?"
Liam chuckles, but his grip is firm and reassuring on my shoulder, as if
telling me he's got me. "You scared the shit out of your sister."
"Sorry, Andi," he says, and his eyes fill with tears. "I just wanted…friends,
you know?"
"Oh, don't apologize, Benny." I stroke his forehead. "I'll kill you later, when
you're feeling better. For now, you just rest, okay? I'm sorry I didn't realize
you were so miserable. I'll try to be a better sister."
"Not your fault," he mumbles, and then gives a long, violent shiver. "I'm
thirsty."
"I'll get you some water." I pull out my canteen and then pause. If he's sick
and I'm not, him putting his lips on my drinking vessel won't help matters.
With an aching heart, I get up and approach the woman who greeted us. "Do
you have any cups?"
She gestures tiredly over at a table that's set up in a corner. I see supplies
there, as if people realized they were going to be violently ill soon enough
and would need things nearby. I pick up a plastic cup from the stack and
notice that the buckets full of water are nearly empty. There's a few old faded
cartons of snack foods that someone must have been saving for special
occasions, but they're out now. I can't even get excited about that. I snag a
cellophane-wrapped Twinkie for my brother—he used to love them as a tiny
kid—and fill up the cup with water and then return to his side.
Liam's there, holding his hand and talking softly to him. My heart squeezes at
the sight and I sit down again, helping Benny upright so he can drink. He
only takes a few tiny sips, little more than enough to wet his lips, and then
pushes it away.
"I'm tired," he murmurs, lying back down.
"Are you hungry? They have Twinkies," I say, putting a cajoling note in my
voice.
He shakes his head and closes his eyes, going to sleep almost immediately.
My heart clenches again, this time with fear. I look over at Liam, whose face
is grim. "What was he saying to you?" I can't help but ask.
Liam's mouth is a tight line. "He wanted me to look after you when he's
gone."
"He's not going anywhere." I don't care if he meant gone as in off to another
fort when he gets better, or if he means…gone. Either way, I'm not letting my
brother go. I take his hand in mine and gaze down at him as he sleeps, full of
determination.
He's not fucking dying. He's not.
 21

LIAM

T his “sickness” thing is confusing to me. My Andrea is utterly

focused on her brother, not leaving his side. She bathes his
forehead and talks quietly to him when he wakes up, but she won't leave even
to take a break. She doesn't want him to wake up and think she's gone.
I understand it, but it leaves me at a loss of what to do with myself. Back in
my world, I was a warrior. Even when I was slinking through the outskirts of
the human settlements, I did what I could to help out with hunting or tending
gardens. I watch over Andrea for a time, and then I turn to the human Gabe to
see what he does.
He has been a curious one to watch. He left his dog Scooter at the entrance to
the building. The moment we encountered the sick, he took a stick—a pen—
and wrote a note, then attached it to Scooter’s collar.
“I’m sending him home,” he tells me and Andi. “So Major and the others
don’t worry…and so they don’t come looking for us.”
He sends the dog off, a grim look on his face. Then, he heads back into the
room and immediately goes to the sick. He moves from bed to bed, touching
foreheads and wiping down faces. He holds someone up as they vomit and
cleans them when they are done. His expression is calm and grim, and when
the woman steps outside to catch her breath, he continues on to the next bed,
as if tireless.
He does this for hours.
I watch him, then move forward as he bathes another's forehead. Perhaps
Gabe has the answers I seek. "May I ask something?"
"You can if you get more water," he tells me. "We're running low."
I can do that. I'm glad to be given something to do. I don't like sitting around
and feeling useless. I need to be helping in some way, if only to support
Andrea in her quest to get her brother better from this mysterious “sickness”
that makes him so weak. So I take a few of the buckets and follow the scent-
trails throughout the large building. There are paths that people walk
regularly, and I follow one to a large pool with a decorative stone fish in the
center. The water here smells like soap and bathing, so I continue on until I
find one of the spouts that the humans use back in Fort Shreveport. I turn it
with a creak, and sure enough, fresh water spurts, and then pours out. I fill up
the buckets, return to the dwelling where all the humans are piled in, and then
fill every other bucket I can.
I look over at Andrea when this is done, but she's lying down beside Benny,
talking in a low voice, her arm around her brother's shoulders and hugging
him against her. I study her face, tense, waiting to see if she starts pouring
sweat like the other humans, or for her to shiver, but she seems fine. I
deliberately walk close and breathe in her scent, testing it, but there is no
clinging miasma. Good.
The human male is sitting near a new person, and the stink of feces hits me
like a wall. I choke, covering my mouth, as he pulls the blankets over the face
of the human. Dead, then, and his bowels voided as he passed. Even though I
hate the thought of touching such a stink, I approach Gabe. "Can I help you
move the bodies?"
He nods, rubbing a hand over his face. "We'll cremate them later, I think, but
for now it's easiest to just get them out of the sickroom. I appreciate the
help."
I want to tell him that I'm not doing it for him, or for any of the others that lie
here. I want the dead and the sick as far away from my Andrea—and Benny
—as possible because I do not understand this thing that has felled so many.
So I help him wrap the body of the woman in the sheets, and then we each
take an end and carry her across the building, to another room where there are
many more laid out. Twenty, now, a handful of them from after when we
arrived.
We gently set the body down and I look over at Gabe. "Now that we are
alone, explain to me this 'sickness.'"
He gives me a skeptical look. "Your people don't get illnesses?"
"Drakoni? No."
"Coughs? Sniffles? Something that makes you feel ill or raises your body
temperature? Anything?"
I spread my hands. "I do not understand any of this."
"Then you probably won't catch it, but I think Andi and I are in danger." He
rubs a hand over his face and then shakes his head. "So…illness is something
that you can catch from another human. It might be from a touching of hands
or even breathing air. If this is the flu like we think it is, you get infected
from being around others. Once it's in your system, you either wait for your
body to fight it off or…"
I look down at the dead, stinking and covered in sheets around us. "Or you
end up here."
"Right."
"What can I do?" I want to protect Andrea and her brother, but I don't know
how. If I can't see it, how can I fight it?
"You can do what I'm doing. Give people water. Keep them hydrated. Make
them comfortable. And wait. Back in the day we used to have all kinds of
medicine for this sort of thing, but now I don't even have a fistful of aspirin."
He shakes his head, frustration on his face.
I grunt acknowledgement, but I don't like his answer. There must be more we
can do. "Can we go looking for aspirin? Or medicine?"
"If there's a pharmacy within a few miles of here, it'll be picked clean
already." Gabe gives me an assessing look. "A dragon could fly a lot farther
than a human could walk in a day."
"I can't shift forms," I tell him harshly. "Do not even ask such a thing."
Because if I could, I would have done so a dozen times over. Benny would
not be here. Andrea would not be here.
None of this would have happened.

T HE AFTERNOON PASSES SLOWLY . I fetch more water as Gabe moves amongst

the sick, and Andrea tends to her brother. Benny isn't doing well. He's thin
and sleeps more than he's awake, and I can tell that Andrea's worried.
The woman that greeted us at the entrance of the fort lay down a few hours
ago and hasn't gotten back up. Gabe moves to her side, sighs heavily, and
then puts a wet cloth on her forehead like he does for all the other sick.
"Liam," Andrea murmurs, her voice low and soft.
I turn toward her, drawn.
She remains at Benny's side, a towel in a bowl of water next to her hand.
Benny's asleep—or rather, unconscious. He thrashes in the bed, his face
covered in sweat. His smell is more sour than ever, and Andrea's lovely face
is drawn with worry.
"What can I do to help?" I murmur, crouching next to her. I devour her with
my eyes, wanting nothing more than to touch her face and hold her close, but
she's stiff and defensive, as if I'll tell her something she doesn't want to hear.
She studies me for a long moment, then reaches out and takes my hand in
hers, surprising me. "I need you to promise me something."
"Anything, Andrea. You know I would do anything for you."
Normally she'd blush at my fervent words, but today, she doesn't. She just
looks sad and tired. "If we die, I need you to take the news back to Fort
Shreveport. Tell Amy and…tell Gwen." She swallows hard, her eyes glassy
with unshed water.
A low growl forms in my chest, and I have to fight the urge not to drag her
against my chest and hold her against me protectively. I can't do anything
against the unseen dangers that attack Benny and the others. More than
anything, I wish I had my battle form so I could grab her in my claws and just
fly away from all of this. "Andrea, no."
"You won't? Should I ask Gabe?"
"You're not going to die," I tell her fiercely, and this time I can't stop myself.
I grab her shoulder, then her fat, yellow braid, winding it around my hand as
if it'll somehow keep her here. "No one's going to die. Not you. Not Benny. I
won't let it happen." I feel the wildness surging up inside me, and for a
moment, a burst of violence flares in my brain. I want to fucking destroy this
entire building and raze it to the ground—
"Liam," she says softly, her hand covering mine. "Atalim. Stay with me."
I take three deep breaths, nostrils flaring, and then I bury my face in her hair,
drinking in her scent. "You're not going to die, Andrea."
"I'm just saying…just in case." She touches my jaw lightly. "Maybe it won't
hit me. And Benny's doing all right, I think. Better than some of the others."
"Yes," I say, because what else can I say? He's not dead, but I don't think he's
doing better than the others. I think he's sinking a little more with each hour.
Andrea smiles up at me, her expression sweet. "You've been so good to me,
Liam," she murmurs. "I just wanted to say thank you for being there for me.
Always. Every time I've needed a friend, you've been there."
"You are more than just a friend, Andrea. You know this." I reach up and
touch her cheek anyhow, because I have to. I must.
She leans into my caress, closing her eyes. "Sometimes I wish we were just
back up on that roof together. Everything seemed so simple that night. And
now…"
"Now it is still as good," I promise her. "The days change, but the feelings do
not. You are still everything to me, Andrea. You always have been."
Her eyes open and she gazes up at me. "Atalim…"
Benny cries out, his body stiffening. She jerks away, immediately reaching
out to her brother. He rolls to his side and vomits, the spit on his lips dark and
frothy. That's not a good sign. I've carted off enough dead with Gabe to know
that those that died all threw up blood before they went.
"It's okay, Benny," Andrea whispers over and over. "I'm right here. It's okay."
She holds him while he retches, and when he finally collapses into the bed
again, she brushes his hair off his forehead. "You're hot. I'll bathe you and
we'll cool that fever down, okay?"
Benny doesn't answer. His eyes slide shut and he falls unconscious again,
drifting back into sleep.
My Andrea doesn't notice that, though—or she doesn't care. I recognize the
determined look on her face as she wrings out the cloth and then gently
moves it over his face and neck. She's going to give everything she has to
Benny and I hope it's enough. I touch her braid one last time. "Can I get you
anything?"
"More water?" She looks up at me, apologetic.
"Of course." I brush my knuckles over her cheek and then move to the
buckets so I can refill her bowl. I know she's tired. The hours grow late, but I
know she won't sleep, just like she won't eat. She's too focused on her
brother.
It makes me feel helpless. I want to do something, but I know there's nothing
to do except wait and help Gabe. He's another that hasn't taken a break since
we arrived. I glance around the room and I see he's holding a cup of water to
a sick woman's mouth.
Even though he is not drakoni, even though he eyed my female, I have
grudging respect for the man. He could have left, stealing these people's food
and supplies. It's out for anyone to take and they are far too weak to protect
themselves. Instead, he risks himself to help the dying.
Benny cries out in sharp pain, drawing my attention. I move quickly to
Andrea's side, where she's staring in shock at her brother.
"What is it?" I ask.
She looks up at me, her face bleached of color. For a moment, I think she's
going to tell me that he died, but Benny's still panting, lost in fever. "His
arm…I just touched it and he cried out. Something's wrong with it." She bites
her lip and then looks up at me. "Can you hold him?"
I nod and move to his other side. It pains my heart to grab her sick brother by
his thin arms and hold him while she examines him. He cries out in pain
when she gets near his armpit, and when we gently ease his arm up, Andrea
gasps.
"Oh god," she moans, her hand fluttering over the ugly thing revealed.
There's a large black lump under Benny's arm. It's dark and the skin around it
is taut and reddened, and when she gently touches it, he screams out in pain
again, thrashing.
"I don't understand," she says, shaking her head. I gently ease him back into
the bed and he immediately tucks his body close, curling around his arm and
hiding the spot from sight. "This…this isn't the flu."
"What is it?"
Her face is ashen as her eyes meet mine. "Plague. I think…I think it's the
black plague. Oh fuck, the rats." She presses her hands to her forehead. "The
fucking rats!"
"I do not understand," I say slowly. "Tell me what the difference is between
the plague and the flu."
Andrea closes her eyes, and when she opens them again, tears stream down
her face. "The difference is that people generally survive the flu. The Black
Plague wiped out half of Europe. I thought it was gone but…we never had to
worry about rats in the Before." Her fingers press to her mouth. "I can't
believe it."
“What do we do?” I ask.
“If it’s a plague, there’s no hope.” She shakes her head, expression bleak.
“There’s nothing to do except wait to die.”
 22

LIAM

B enny sleeps, and he sleeps heavily. He’s no longer thrashing with

fever, just still and quiet, as if waiting for the end.
Andrea cries herself to sleep in my arms. She tells Gabe her suspicions, and
they check a few of the others and find the hard, black lumps on every
person. Some are in armpits, some at the neck or behind the ear. One
unfortunate dying man has them on his genitals. It is plague, she tells me as
she sobs against my neck. An old, deadly one brought on by rats and their
filth.
I hold her as she sleeps, her breath shuddering as if she still wants to cry in
her dreams. It’s quiet, the entire building dark and gloomy. There were a few
candles lit on the tables, but we’ve let them all burn down except for one. The
smell of the dead and the sickness grows worse, and I repeatedly bury my
face in Andrea’s hair to try and chase it away. The wildness gnaws at the
back of my thoughts, and I hate that it comes for me, even now, when I want
nothing more than to be here for Andrea, to support her as she waits for her
brother to die.
Because it does sound like he’s going to die. Another eight people have
passed. There are a few more that won’t see the morning, and the room is
getting slowly cleared out. The woman who tended to everyone is one of the
ones that won’t see the morning; she’s been vomiting blood for the last hour,
and Gabe rests at her side, offering her drinks and helping her through the
worst of it.
I hold my female close, trying to imagine this sickness. The drakoni have
nothing like it. We don’t weaken or get ill from outside factors. To think that
I could lose her to something like this frightens me beyond anything I can
imagine. I’m still coming to terms with the fact that Andrea can never be
mine. I never thought I would be in danger of losing her so quickly to
something like this.
I press my lips to the top of her head and hold her close.
Andrea shivers against me.
My body goes stiff. No.
She’s just cold.
I caress her cheek, rubbing my fingers along her skin. She feels warm,
warmer than before. Flushed. Her skin is dewy with heat and I lean forward
and take a deep drink of her scent. There. The smell is there. That awful,
clinging, dark miasma has invaded her scent.
She’s sick.
“No,” I growl, holding her close. I cup her head and pull her tight to me.
“Andrea, no. You will fight this. You will not get sick.”
“Mmm, what?” She rouses from her sleep, but her movements are languid, as
if her limbs are too heavy.
“Look at me,” I demand, gripping her jaw between my fingers and tilting her
head back. “Andrea, look at me.”
Her head lolls back and she blinks sleepy, unfocused eyes at me. And then
she shivers again. “I’m so cold, Liam.”
Hot, fierce rage rushes through me. No. No, I cannot lose Andrea. I hold her
close, but her smell makes my body react. The aching hunger I have to
possess her is added to the helpless rage I feel until I know I’m coming apart
at the seams. I picture her, wrapped up in sheets and in the room with the
dead and white-hot fury blasts through me, making my skin itch and my
entire body flare.
I’m going to utterly lose my mind.
I close my eyes and take several deep, long breaths. Andrea murmurs
something unintelligible and then drifts back to sleep. I hold her for a
moment longer, and then because it’s making the possessive fires in my mind
go wild, I lay her down gently next to Benny and tuck the blankets around
her.
She shivers and shivers, and the rage eating away at my mental walls grows.
No.
This is not fair.
I get up and leave her side, even though it’s destroying me to abandon her. I
can’t stay there, though. If I keep breathing in her sickness-touched scent, it’s
going to make me lose control.
If my mind is gone, I cannot help her. There has to be something I can do.
There must be. I refuse to just sit and let this happen.
I will not let my female die.
I pace the room, lost in my furious thoughts. The female dragon’s mind is
distant, but it weighs heavily on me, as if waiting for a chance to touch my
own. The pressure from her does not help, either. Focus, I remind myself.
Think of your mental walls. Make them strong.
I’m so lost in thought that when Gabe touches my arm, I round on him,
snarling. I know without seeing that my eyes are black with fury, and I can
smell the smoke curling from my nostrils. “What?” I grit out, clenching my
hands.
“Two more dead,” he says grimly. “Help me move them?”
I don’t care about the dead strangers. The only person I care about is in bed
with Benny, shivering next to her brother. “Andrea is sick,” I tell him.
“Yeah. I think I’m coming down with it, too.” He puts his hands on his hips.
“Gonna keep going for as long as I can, but it might not be that long.”
I notice for the first time that his skin is reddened across the cheeks and his
eyes are glazed. For a moment, I am utterly furious at him. “You cannot be
sick, too. I need your help!”
“You think I want this?” He gives me a tired smile. “Trust me, I would like
nothing more than to go home, but I don’t have that option.”
“Tell me what I must do.”
“Bury us?”
I growl again. “I am not giving up.”
“No, I guess you’ve got too much fire in your belly for that.” Gabe looks at
me, speculative. “You’re not sick?”
I shrug, furious. “Why would I get sick? I’m not human.”
He reaches out and puts a hand on my brow, then peers into my eyes. “You
feel fine?”
I bat his hand away. “I am as I ever was, except I am growing angrier by the
moment.”
“Are your people magic? Is that how you change forms? How you breathe
fire? Or is that something that’s genetic?”
“Why?” I ask, impatient. I want to return to Andrea’s side, to hold her for as
long as I can. If this human will not help me, I need to figure something else
out. “Why does it matter if I’m magic or not?”
“Because you’re not sick. And because I am.” He gives me a faint smile.
“And because Andrea’s sick. And I’m trying to figure out how to fix that.”
He has my interest again. “Go on.”
Gabe rubs his hairy jaw. “So…one of the ways that people prevent illnesses
is to infect someone with a small amount of the same thing, so their blood
knows how to react to it. I’m just wondering what would happen if we added
a bit of your blood to a human’s blood.”
“It would burn Andrea,” I tell him, imagining my fires tearing at her from
within. I think of how close we came to mating and how I would have burned
her. “Even with fever, your bodies are not hot enough to handle my blood
without pain. We have fire in our veins, the drakoni.”
“Magic, then,” Gabe continues to rub his jaw. “Have you ever had anyone
take your blood?”
“No.” I look at him skeptically. “You think if we give them my blood it will
cure them?”
“Probably not, but I’d rather try something than just sit around on my ass and
wait for the end to come.”
I like this idea. It fills me with hope. Is my blood not part of my spirit?
Perhaps whatever living magic I have can help Andrea and Benny survive. “It
will burn them,” I caution him again. “And you, if you want to try it.”
“Pain is better than dead,” he says bluntly.
I agree. If I must hurt Andrea to save her…then I must. “Show me what we
must do.”

G ABE OFFERS TO GO FIRST . I want to save Andrea first, of course, but if this is
a deadly idea, it's good to try it out on the male instead of my love. Gabe
finds tubes and needles, and then tells me in great detail what he's going to
do. He's going to locate a vein in my arm, connect to my blood, and then
transfer it over to a vein in his arm. It seems a foolish thing, but humans
apparently share blood often? He says he used to do this back in the Before,
when he was something called a “paramedic.” So he pushes at my skin and
eventually sinks the needle in, then puts it into his own arm. The small tube
fills up with blood and I watch as it moves over to his arm.
The moment it hits, I can tell. His face contorts with pain and he grabs at his
arm. I grab at it, too. "I told you it would hurt," I warn him.
"Fuck. Right." His face gets wild eyed and he clenches at my hand, but
doesn't pull it out. His breath pants between gritted teeth and the smell of
burning flesh begins to perfume the air. I look down between us and his arm
is blistering around the needle, the skin red.
He waits for as long as possible and then rips the needle out of his arm. It's
less than a minute, tops. "I can't do more. I'm sorry. It's like I'm being burned
alive." He gets up, clutching his arm, and paces around as if that will
somehow take care of the pain.
I watch him as he paces. "Do you feel better?"
Gabe looks over at me, his face pale and sweaty as he clutches his arm. "Are
you kidding? I feel like shit and my arm's still fucking killing me."
I snort. "I told you."
"I know. I know." He sits down and closes his eyes, trying to compose
himself. "We won't know for a while if this works or not. Do you want to
wait to try it out on Andi and Benny?"
I look over at my female—because in my head, she is mine. She is quiet and
still in the bed next to her brother, who is racked with chills. I don't like how
silent she's been. Some of the others that got quiet right away never woke up.
The room around us is emptier by the hour, and it worries me. "I do not think
we have time to wait."
"I think you're right." He gets up and grimaces, flexing his arm, then wraps a
cloth around the wound to protect it. "You might want to tie her down."
The thought is revolting to me, but I saw how much Gabe fought, even
though it was his idea. The pain was too much for him to bear, even knowing
it was coming. I won't tie her up, but if I have to, I'll hold her down with my
good arm.
When I sit down next to her bed, though, her eyes open and she gives me a
tired smile. "How's Benny?"
"Sleeping," I say, then launch right into it. "Gabe has an idea we're going to
try."
She sits up and sees where Gabe has bandaged his arm. She looks over at me,
and when Gabe pulls out the tubing and needles, she seems surprised. "Blood
transfusion? With you, Liam?"
"I am not sick," I point out. "Not at all. My people do not get such things."
"So a blood transfusion to try and pass your immunity to us?" She catches on
quickly, my smart, beautiful Andrea. "Good idea."
"It will hurt," I warn her, hating that she's going to be in pain. I reach out and
smooth the sweaty hair back from her face. "Gabe said it was intense, the
pain."
"I can imagine. It's because your blood is so hot, right?" Her eyes are tired,
unfocused, as if even this small conversation is too much for her. "Will you
hold me when you do it?"
"Of course."
She takes my hand in hers. "Do Benny first."
I hesitate, because she is the one I want to save most of all, but I know this is
important to her. "If you want."
Andrea nods. "Please."
So we move to Benny's side of the bed instead. He sleeps on, completely
unaware even as Gabe inserts the needle in his arm and then hooks the tubing
to me. A moment later, though, the screaming begins. Andrea goes pale as
she leans over her brother, pressing down on him with her weight. Gabe does
the same, his knee holding down Benny's arm and his hand on his shoulder so
he doesn't rip the needle out. He thrashes under their grip, sobbing, and I hate
the stench of the burning skin, the way his skin blisters around the needle.
Gabe lets it go on for what seems like forever and then pulls the needle out,
rubbing a cream over his arm. "Antiseptic," Gabe says, and covers the wound
with a bandage as if that will somehow stop the pain.
They let him go, and Benny curls up around his arm, his breathing raspy.
Andrea touches his head and murmurs to him, but he doesn't respond to it any
more than anything else. Only the pain gets a reaction.
When she's satisfied that Benny's quiet once more, she turns to me and gives
me a sad smile. "Do you really think this will work?"
"I don't know," I admit. "I don't know anything about any of this. But if I can
give you my health, I will."
"Will you give it to the others that are sick here? They deserve a chance, too."
Her eyes plead with me.
How can I refuse? "I will do anything you ask, Andrea."
She holds out her arm and gives me a tired smile. "I love you, Atalim. If this
doesn't work, it's okay. I know you're trying."
My heart squeezes to hear her say my name. "It will work," I tell her,
determined. "I will not lose you."
But I move to her back and rest her against me, her shoulders pressing against
the front of my chest. She sags back against me, weak and tired, and the hand
that clasps mine feels more fragile than ever. I breathe in her scent, pressing
my mouth to her sweaty hair. I hate that the miasma of sickness is all over her
scent. I hate that I am so helpless.
Her fingers clench on mine as Gabe inserts the needle and then readies my
arm. He attaches the tubing and then we both wait, and I hold my breath as
my blood reaches her.
She whimpers, her hand tight on mine. I know she tries hard not to fight, but
the pain becomes too much and she cries out. Gabe holds her other arm back
and I lock mine around her, whispering words of comfort as she thrashes
against me.
It is an eternity before Gabe takes the needle out and she collapses, sobbing,
against my chest.
I hold her, stroking her soft skin and touching her hair. I caress her neck…
and she jerks back with a little cry.
"Shh," I tell her, moving her hair aside so I can see it. Sure enough, there's
one of the hard, black lumps behind her ear.
My poor Andrea. I press my mouth to her forehead. "Rest, love. I've got
you."
I've never been more terrified in my life.
 23

LIAM

W e move through the sick in the room. Gabe warns me to let

him know if I feel lightheaded because then we need to stop.
"Can't have you dying on us, too," he says with a faint smile.
Ten minutes later, he topples over.
I recognize the flush and shivers that rack his frame, and help him over to a
bed that was recently vacated. The room is quiet, the only sounds those of
Andrea's teeth clacking together as she trembles with a cold that no amount
of blankets seem to fix.
I make Gabe comfortable, thankful for the male's idea to help Andrea and the
others. In a short period of time, I've gone from hating the man to having
respect for him, and I'm sad to see him flattened by the same sickness that's
taken everyone else. Maybe I can keep going without him.
The next person I move to is dead, though, and I pull the blankets over the
man's face and then carry his body out of the sick room. There are more dead
than alive, now, and no one has recovered. My heart feels hollow and I hate
this. I hate all of it. I want to grab Andrea and Benny in my arms and take to
the skies and never look back…but that's not what she wants.
And it's too late, anyhow.
I move back to Andrea's bed, where she rests next to her brother. Benny's
been sleeping for most of the day, and I worry for a moment that he's dead. I
touch his brow and he doesn't stir, his forehead hotter than any human's
should be. His arm is blistered and raw, the redness spreading from under the
bandaged spot where he got the blood. Still…he's not dead. At this point, I'm
taking that as a good sign.
I sit next to Andrea and take her hand in mine. It's limp, her fingers sweaty. I
try to think of more ideas, of ways to fix this, of more things I can do. She
needs to eat. Good, fresh meat, I think. These people have nothing but stale,
sugary things or canned food that lost its flavor and nourishing vitality years
ago. She needs real food. Fresh water.
Maybe even more blood. I hold her hand in mine, tracing the bluish veins
under her pale skin. Does my blood mingle with hers or is it killing her,
burning her from within? Is that why she's so quiet?
I look over at Benny again, but he sleeps. It's impossible to tell if he's healing,
or if any of them are.
I'm the last one left.
The woman who greeted us moans and tosses in her bed. Even though I care
nothing for the other humans, I can't let her suffer. She's one of the humans
that tried to warn us, after all, and she took care of the others for as long as
she could. She needs my blood, too. Reluctantly, I move away from my
sleeping Andrea to the woman, but I can't get the needle into her arm like
Gabe did. She thrashes too much and won't hold still.
This is a two-person job.
Frustrated, I move back to Andrea's side and touch her cheek. To my
surprise, her eyes flutter open and she looks at me. "Liam," she whispers.
"Benny?"
"Sleeping," I murmur, aching to hold her tight, to kiss her, to taste her.
"How's your arm?"
"The burning's gone down, but it still feels hot. Feels hot all over." She licks
her lips. "Water?"
I get her some and then carefully bring a cup to her lips. More of it dribbles
down her chin than into her mouth. She takes a few sips and then rests again,
her eyes closing. For a moment, I think she's asleep, but then she opens them
again and looks at me. "Gabe?"
"He's sick."
"Benny?"
My heart sinks. She doesn't remember asking about him just a moment ago?
But her eyes are fever-bright. "Sleeping next to you."
"Is he better?"
"No worse," I say gently.
"But not better." She shakes her head slowly. "Maybe we need more blood."
She reaches out, twines her fingers with mine and then pulls my hand to her
mouth, kissing my fingers. "Give him another round in the morning, maybe.
Maybe it needs more than one time."
"I'll do what I can," I promise her, but her eyes are already closed and her
grip slack in mine. A moment later, she coughs, then begins to vomit. I roll
her onto her side, hating that it exposes the enormous black lump on her
neck. It's a reminder that she's still sick. They're all still sick and I'm the only
one left.
I tend to Andrea, wiping her face when she's done and giving her more water.
She passes out after drinking a little, and I hold her hand, waiting for a sign
that she's getting better. Some sort of hint that we've done the right thing.
But she only shivers and quakes, lost in the sickness. At her side, Benny is so
very still. I look over at Gabe, a few beds away, and he thrashes wildly under
his blankets.
If they all need more blood…I can't do it alone. I don’t know how. If I could,
I would give my blood to Andrea until I have no more left. She can have
every last drop. I pull her hand to my lips and brush my mouth over her
knuckles.
But I can't do this by myself.
We need to give them more blood, and I need help. I need to get back to Fort
Shreveport, to Amy and Rast.
With one last kiss to my Andrea's soft hand, I tuck her hand against her chest
and make sure her blankets are tight around her. I smooth the sweaty hair
from her brow and drink in the sight of her.
"I love you," I murmur, using the human words. The drakoni have no need
for such sayings, because such things are felt in the mental connection. But
Andrea's mind is closed to me—just like all minds are closed to me—and so I
must use the human sayings. "I hate everything in this world but you," I tell
her. "You make everything good, and when I'm with you, I'm not sad or
alone. I love you, and I hope you know that. Never forget it."
Her lips part in a little sigh, and I hope she hears it.
I force myself to get to my feet, and I move to the table of supplies, digging
through things until I find one of the sticks that they call a “pen” and a book.
I rip a blank page out of the front and take the pen and the page over to
Gabe's bed and sit down next to him.
I shake his shoulder. "Gabe. Wake. I need your help." He's the least sick of
all of them, and I hope he has the strength to help me.
The man jerks awake, his eyes fever-bright. "Water," he rasps.
"I will give you water, but you must make human words on paper for me," I
say, handing him the page I ripped out. "I must go to Fort Shreveport for
help, and I need you to write the human words on here to tell them what is
wrong."
He gazes up at me, his eyes red and sunken. "Too far to walk," he murmurs.
"We'll be dead by the time you get back."
"I'm not going to walk it. I'm going to fly." I don't know how that's going to
work, but I have to try. "That's why I need the note. If my mind goes…the
note will get there." Hopefully. Even if I can't keep my mind intact, I'm
hoping that the urgent need to get help from Fort Shreveport, which I feel in
every fiber of my being, will remain and arrow me toward them.
Or my mind will stay as it is and all of this worry will be for nothing. But…
just in case.
"I thought you would die if you tried that—"
"I have to try." I look over at Andrea, where she's sleeping. She's listless, her
shivering given way to a deep sleep that frightens me almost as much. "Better
to be mindless than to watch her die when I could have saved her."
Gabe grunts, then takes the pen in shaking hands. Even that small gesture
seems like a huge effort for him, the sickness sapping his strength. "What do
you want me to write?"

A SHORT TIME LATER , I have the note encased in a small, fireproof metal
container and I hold it in my grip. I sit by Andrea's side for a bit longer,
drinking in the sight of her as she lies unconscious.
For seven long years, I've risked nothing. I've hidden from my own people,
desperate to save my own skin.
But for Andrea? I'm going to risk everything.
There's a slim chance this will work. Maybe my grip on my mind is strong
enough —like Rast—that I'll keep a large chunk of my sanity. I'm hoping it's
enough to drag me back toward Fort Shreveport and within range of the
others so I can pass on the news of the sickness and get help for Andrea and
the others. If there's a chance that more drakoni blood can help them, then I
have to try. I can't do it alone, and Gabe's fading fast. Just to be sure, I tried to
donate my blood to Andrea again, but I only managed to stab her arm a few
times and cause her pain. I need someone that knows how human bodies
work, so they can put my blood in her.
"If this works," I whisper, holding her hand to my lips, "Nothing's going to
keep us apart. If I can become drakoni safely, I'm going to claim you as my
mate. You just have to live for me, Andrea. Please. Live."
I stare at her, her hand at my mouth, silently willing for her to open her eyes.
To smile at me. To give me one of those clever smiles.
But she sleeps, her breathing shallow, and I cannot wait any longer.
Dread churns in my gut, and I force myself to focus on the task at hand. Fort
Shreveport, I remind myself. Think of nothing but Fort Shreveport. I repeat
the words silently as I walk out of the sickness-infested building and into the
open air. I shed my human clothing and stand out in the open, ready to take
battle form for the first time in seven years.
Please work.
Andrea needs me.
Andrea. Fort Shreveport. I clutch the metal container tight in my hand.
Remember who you do this for.
And with that…I let the mental blocks I've kept so carefully for so long…go.
I stretch out with my mind, seeking the parts of it I've held at bay for so long.
My body shifts. Scales cover long limbs and my wings form. I feel hot,
surging joy as I shift into my strong, fierce battle form. This is who I am.
This is who I am meant to be, who I have been fighting to be for so long.
For a moment, there is nothing but pure joy.
And then…violence.
Anger. Fury. It soars through me, flooding my senses. The need to kill, to
harm, rushes through my mind. The stink here is foreign, full of humans. The
need to get away is instinctual and pours through me. With a roar, I push off
with my strong hind legs and fling myself into the skies, my throat erupting
with fire.
I'm free.
Free to destroy and take my fury out on this terrible, stinking world.
Something works at the back of my mind. Something small, a reminder of
some kind. Golden hair. A scent. I clutch a metal thing, impossibly small, in
my blunted claws. But then the rage takes over and it all washes from my
mind. With a fierce growl, I cast the useless thing down to the ground and fly
higher, seeking the clouds.
Time to hunt. To destroy.
 24

ANDI

E verything hurts.
I squeeze one eye open, trying to figure out where I am. I feel utterly
flattened, exhausted in ways I didn't know I could feel. Even just opening one
eye is effort. God, why am I so tired? I smell, too. I smell like sweat and
vomit and…
I remember now.
Plague.
The fucking black plague.
I open both my eyes and try to sit up.
"Hey, hey, careful," says a man's voice. "Take it easy, Andi."
Andi. Not Andrea. I look over and squint, but the man talking to me isn't
Liam. Of course it's not. The voice is completely different, but my brain is
just desperate to see the man I love. It's Gabe, who comes to sit next to me
and offers me a cup of water.
"Where's Liam?" I ask, sitting up to take a sip. It spills all over my face as I
fumble for the cup, and I feel as weak and useless as a baby.
"Careful," Gabe warns again. "You're exhausted. Give yourself time."
I take tiny sips from the cup as he holds it, letting the water coat my dry
throat and sandpaper tongue. I'm so tired I want to go back to sleep right
away, but I have a million questions. I study Gabe's face as I drink, trying to
read answers from it. There's something about him that looks different. His
face is drawn into grim lines. His hair is dirty and wild, and his eyes are
sunken and hollow as if he hasn't eaten in days. It surprises me. "Did…did
you get sick too?"
He nods. "Everyone got sick. No one was spared."
"What—"
Before I can continue, someone moves behind me. "Andi?"
Tears fill my eyes and I try to turn around. "Benny?"
My brother drops to his knees in the blankets next to me and flings his arms
around my neck. "You're finally awake," he says, relief in his voice. "I'm so
glad."
"Benny!" I try to hug my brother, but I can only muster the energy for a brief
clasp, then let my arms slide off of him. "How are you feeling?"
He sits back on his heels, grinning at me. "Like shit."
I drink in his face, smiling like a ridiculous fool. He says he feels like shit,
but he's alive and he looks better than when I saw him last. His face is still
thin, but he's not sweating and pale. His hair's been washed and slicked back
from his face and he's all energy once more, crossing his legs and sitting
beside me.
"You look good," I manage. There's something different about his face, too,
and I study him for a moment, but I'm too tired to figure it out. The urge to lie
down and go back to sleep is overwhelming. I fight through it, though,
because I'm eager to hear more about Benny. "How are you feeling? How's
your underarm?"
He lifts one arm and that single movement just makes me exhausted. There's
a big bandage over where his black lump used to be. "Gabe lanced it. It was
so fucking gross, Andi. You should have seen it."
I wrinkle my nose. "Pass."
"Yours was nasty, too."
"Mine?" I touch under my arm, but it's as smooth as ever.
"Behind your ear." He makes a face. "I'm serious, it was like it exploded
when Gabe put—"
"Okay, okay," I say, putting up a hand. I swallow hard. I don't want to know
anything more about it. "Spare me the details. But you're feeling better?
Stronger? No fever?"
"Mine's been gone for about two days," he says. "It's been me and Gabe
trying to help the survivors." He actually seems…happy. Settled. "Man, I was
tired when I woke up. You wouldn't believe how heavy my arms and legs
felt. Like they were made of concrete."
"Oh, I believe it. I feel like that right now." I manage a smile. "I'm so relieved
you're okay, Benny."
"Me, too. Just don't yell at me for leaving, all right?" My brother reaches out
and takes my hand, squeezing it.
"I'll save that for some other time. Promise." I hear someone else cough, and I
think about what he said about survivors. "How many people lived other than
us?"
"Six." His face is somber. "There's so many dead, Andi. You wouldn't believe
how many bodies."
Only six? This room was full a few days ago. I can't believe so many died.
It's utterly horrifying. An entire fort—no, two—has been completely
decimated due to the plague. "It was the rats," I murmur. "Rats carry black
plague."
"Well, everyone that didn't die is on the mend. We don't have to worry about
more plague, I don't think. Did you know you were out for three days?"
Oh dang. "Was I?"
"Yeah. You were impossible to wake up. You want something to eat?" He
holds out a wrapped, smushed sweet. "I think this was a cupcake."
I shake my head. "I just want to sleep again. Where's Liam?" I'm craving him
and my hand itches to touch him. Funny how I'm excited to see Benny doing
well, but I'm absolutely filled with longing to see Liam, who wasn't even
sick. It was like I missed him while I was unconscious, and now I can't wait
to fill my senses with him again.
"Liam? We haven't seen him since he left." Benny shrugs and unwraps the
cupcake, taking a huge bite out of it.
I struggle to sit up. "Wait, he left?"
Gabe moves over to the bed, putting his hand on my shoulder again. "Stay
down, Andi. You were hit pretty hard. You need to rest."
"Liam," I say again. "Where is he?"
"We weren't sure if the blood transfusions were taking, so he flew to Fort
Shreveport to get help." Gabe touches my forehead, as if making sure I'm not
fevered, and then offers me more water. "Drink this. You're dehydrated."
I do so automatically because I'm incredibly thirsty. As I do, I try to make
sense of what he said. Blood transfusions. I vaguely remember talking to
Liam while I was sick, and then him holding me down. And pain. Lots and
lots of burning pain. I look down at my arm, and it's wrapped up in bandages.
Once Gabe takes the water away from my lips, I pluck at the bandage on my
arm and reveal severely reddened skin, and blisters. Lots of them. "He gave
us his blood?"
"Yeah. Duh." Benny licks his fingers. "That's why our eyes are gold now, like
his."
I blink in surprise at that, studying my brother. He's right. His normally dark
eyes are now a bright gold. I look over at Gabe, and his are golden, too. "My
eyes are gold?"
"Everyone that got his blood has gold eyes now," Gabe says, reaching over
and rewrapping my arm. "And whatever is in his blood, it worked, because
most of us that got transfused lived."
Incredible. "And he was able to switch to dragon form without it taking his
mind?"
"Taking his mind? I don't know." Gabe puts a hand on my shoulder. "Rest, all
right? Liam's a big boy. He can take care of himself."
I nod and close my eyes, trying to relax. Liam gave us his blood to try and
save us, even though the transfusion was obviously a painful one on our side.
Was it painful for him? Is he okay? Is he talking with Rast at Fort Shreveport
even now? I can't wait to see him again. I want to see his gorgeous smile,
hear his low, delicious chuckle.
I want to tell him how proud I am that he saved us.
How much I love him. I hope he's back soon.

T HE LONGEST WEEK of my life passes while I recover and wait for Liam’s
return.
I spend the first few days doing nothing much but sleeping, recovering from
my sickness. Benny's a surprisingly good nursemaid, hovering over me and
shoving food into my hand every time I wake up. I can't even be mad at him
for leaving, because how could he have possibly known he was walking into
a plague situation? Those kinds of things aren't normal for us. So I don't even
yell at him. I'm too tired and I'm just happy he's alive.
Other than Benny, myself, and Gabe, there are six people that survived. Two
are a husband and wife from Fort Justice, but everyone else is New Fort.
There's a teenage girl and her younger brother, a widow named Mikaela, and
a man named Jeremy who lost everyone else in his family. It's horrible to
think about everything they've lost, and most of them are in shock. I notice
Benny's spending a lot of time nursing the teenage girl—Katrina. Good for
him. Everyone needs someone.
I have Liam, after all.
He's still gone. I miss him in a painful way, but I'm content to wait, knowing
that he went to Fort Shreveport to get help. I'm a little surprised no one flew
in to help us, but I figure maybe they're going over land? Maybe Rast and
Amy are needed at the fort for protection of some kind and anyone being sent
is on foot. Even so, it's a little surprising that the days pass and no one comes
to check on us.
About four days after I wake up, Lester, Major, Charlie and Scooter show up
at the mall with the note Gabe sent. Gabe berates them for coming to a place
infected with plague, but he shuts up when he finds out they ran out of food
and it was stay and starve or take their chances meeting up with us.
Still no Liam, though.
Benny, Jeremy and Gabe take off for Fort Justice a day or two later and
return at sundown with the chickens, a few carts full of food, and the cow led
on a rope. It makes sense, because there's only two people left from Fort
Justice and they're not all that interested in returning. Even the New Fort
survivors talk about finding a new place to live, one without so much death.
I suggest Fort Shreveport.
It makes sense. We're open to all, welcoming, and as long as you work hard,
you'll always have food in your belly and a safe roof over your head. The
only part that makes it hard for them is the whole “dragon friendly” situation.
They can't seem to grasp that dragons aren't always the enemies, but when
they realize it's Liam's blood that saved them, they bitch a lot less.
Well, a lot less in my hearing, at least.
So the rest of the time in New Fort is spent preparing to leave. Everyone rests
and gathers up their strength, and everything of use is packed up into a few
shopping carts that can be pushed easily on the long walk there. The wobbly
wheel on Lester's wheelchair is fixed, and the dead are memorialized with a
spray-painted picture (courtesy of Katrina's tagging art) on the outside of the
mall and a Viking funeral is held, complete with funeral pyre and lots and
lots of tears.
And there's still no sign of Liam. Or anyone from Fort Shreveport.
After a week, I'm really worried. I think of my Liam, his laughing smile, and
the way he struggled so hard to keep his mind under control. I don't like that
there's no word from him. A thousand worrisome scenarios float through my
mind—what if he got sick and brought it back to Fort Shreveport? What if a
dragon attacked him and killed him? What if Rast challenged him and drove
him off? What if the Rift sucked him back through again?
What if he lost his mind entirely the moment he changed?
There are no answers, though, so I try to stay busy. If I'm occupied, I won't
worry as much. If I focus on everything that needs to be done to move the
survivors to Fort Shreveport, I won't stare at the skies or fret over just how
long it's been since I talked to the man I love.
He said he'd never leave me. He said he'd always come back for me. I have to
trust in that.

I T TAKES another week for our slow-moving party to go to Fort Shreveport.

Every day that passes feels like eternity and a half, but I'm too weak after my
sickness to speed things along. Our group is slow moving and burdened with
a lot of things. Poor Mikaela nominated herself to be in charge of the
chickens and they constantly fly out of her cart and wander away, and she has
to stop and retrieve them. Eventually she finds a large piece of plastic and
tapes it down over the top of the cart to keep them in, but then they squawk
and flutter their wings so much that they give everyone a headache. The carts
are laden with goods, and sometimes it takes a lot of effort to get one up the
road, especially when things slope uphill. No one wants to leave anything
behind, though, so we slow down when we have to, and we help each other.
Gabe is a great leader, I have to admit. He's patient with everyone, even the
slowest, most distracted of us. He makes sure we're all keeping up, rations
out food, and goes scouting for safe places for us to sleep at night. He seems
to know when a dragon attack's going to occur before anyone else does, and
we always manage to find shelter before it starts.
Benny's been great, too. I thought my little brother would return right to his
old ways, causing problems and being his usual teenage self, but he's calmed
down a lot. Perhaps striking out on his own made him realize how good we
have it in Fort Shreveport. Or maybe it's Gabe's influence…or Katrina's.
Either way, he's been exceedingly helpful and spends most of the time
pushing Lester's wheelchair because Lester is too tired to push it himself.
Each day of travel is surprisingly exhausting. I'm used to having tons of
energy, so I'm disappointed in my body when I'm the first one to collapse at
each break. It's taking all my effort to keep up with the others.
"It's okay," Benny tells me at some point. "You and Katrina were two of the
sickest. She's having a hard time, too."
It doesn't make me feel any better, though. I need to get back to Fort
Shreveport. I need to find out what's keeping Liam. Every day that passes, I
get a little more worried and anxious. My dreams are full of bad things, and I
imagine the worst-case scenario every time I close my eyes. I'm half-
convinced that we're going to get to Fort Shreveport only to find it full of
dead bodies.
After all, maybe he caught the plague too but it just took a bit longer for it to
show up in him. Who knows? I'm not a doctor.
I'm relieved and excited when I see familiar streets and scavenging grounds.
We're within a few hours of the fort itself, even at our current pace, and I'm
eager to get there. It's getting dark, and my feet ache, and I want to fling the
shopping cart of goods away from me and never look at it again because it
feels like I've pushed it over half of Louisiana's highways.
But I look at our group and know we won't make it there tonight. Lester looks
half-asleep in his wheelchair. Benny's pushing it as gamely as before, but he's
slowing down. Katrina looks exhausted, leaning heavily on her cart.
Everyone looks wiped out. I'm feeling wobbly and weak myself, but I don't
want to stop. I can keep going, if I have to, because I know what waits ahead
for me—Liam.
"Dragon," Gabe says, rushing back through the group as we walk along the
highway, pushing our shopping carts. "Everyone take cover!"
"Where?" someone asks. "I don't see anything!"
"Just trust me," Gabe says, grabbing Lester out of his wheelchair and pulling
him toward the nearest vehicle.
I glance up at the skies, my heart hammering. Is it Liam? Somehow, though, I
sense it's not. I don't know how I know that, I just do. So I park my cart next
to an old pick-up and pull open the door, hiding inside with Benny and
Katrina. "It's the wrong time of day for a dragon," Katrina cries, clinging to
Benny. "He's wrong, isn't he?"
"No, he's good about sensing dragons," Benny reassures her, patting her arm.
"If he says there's one, there's one."
I'm wondering about that, too. But as I watch, Gabe climbs into a nearby car,
Scooter hopping in after him, and then we're all quiet, waiting for the
inevitable attack. There was no time to hide the foodstuffs, and the chickens
are squawking madly in their cart a few paces away. The cow tugs at her
guide-rope, which someone tied to a car door mirror.
Then, a large shadow falls overhead.
I hold my breath. Please be Liam, please be Liam.
My heart races with excitement as the big golden body flicks its wings and
then settles on its haunches a short distance away. The big dragon turns
toward us, and I know instinctively that it's not Liam. There's something
about it that just…doesn't seem like him. The dragon looks around, his
nostrils flaring, then gently releases something in its claws.
A blonde woman in a fluttery blue dress.
Amy.
It's Amy and Rast.
I watch for a moment as Amy limps forward, and then I'm climbing out of the
truck to greet her. "Amy! It's us!"
Her eyes widen with genuine pleasure. "Andi! Oh, wonderful! Rast said there
were travelers, but I didn't realize it was you!" Her steps pick up and she
looks around with curiosity. "Who all's with you? Rast says there's several.
Did you find Benny?”
My little brother piles out of the truck after me, giving Amy a sheepish look.
"Hey."
She smiles at him, still slowly moving forward until she reaches me, and
impulsively gives me a hug. I'm surprised at the movement but hug her back.
Rast remains in dragon form, waiting nearby, and I suspect it's so he can
guard her in case anyone tries anything. The sight of him makes me ache, and
I open my mouth to ask about Liam.
Amy stands back, studying me. "You're so thin. Benny, too. Are you guys all
right?"
"You don't know?" My gut clenches.
"Know what?" She looks around, confused. No one else is getting out of the
cars they're hiding in. Even Gabe's waiting, Scooter in his lap as the dog
pants and drools all over the window of the car. She looks over at him, then
pauses. I know that vague look—it's one when Rast is talking to her mentally.
After a moment, she focuses in on me again. "Who are all these people,
Andi?"
Dread is curling in my stomach, though. "Amy, this is what's left of Fort
Justice and New Fort. These are the only survivors."
"Only…survivors?" She studies me a bit longer and then blinks. "Have…
have your eyes always been gold? Rast says your scent is different, too." She
looks over at Benny, then back at me.
"You haven't seen Liam?" I ask, knowing the answer before she speaks.
She seems surprised at my question. "I thought he went with you. Did he
leave you?"
"When we all got sick, he went to Fort Shreveport to get help. That was over
a week ago, almost two." I feel numb.
Amy's eyes widen and then she gives me a look of sorrow. "We haven't seen
him. He…changed forms?"
I nod. "He had to. The sickness was taking everyone."
"What sickness?"
I look at her squarely. "Plague."
Her face pales. Rast makes an unhappy sound, moving forward as if he wants
to scoop Amy up in his arms and steal her away from us.
"Tell me what's going on." Amy takes my hand and leads me over to the side
of the car and leans against it, easing her weight off her bad leg.
So I tell her about everything I can. I tell her how Liam and I followed
Benny's scent to Gabe's group of outcasts, and then we went on to Fort
Justice. I tell her how we found the dead there, and then went on to New Fort,
only to realize that everyone was dying. As I speak, Rast creeps up closer and
closer, the massive dragon moving in and casting a shadow over our group
until he's practically on Amy, his breath ruffling her shiny hair. He probably
wants to snatch her away, but Amy keeps listening as I talk, her expression
grave.
"His blood saved us," I tell her. "But he wasn't sure if it was enough, and then
Gabe was sick and I guess he left. He was supposed to bring you guys a
note…" I trail off, fighting back tears. I can fill in the blanks after that.
Amy shakes her head slowly. "I'm so sorry, Andi. We haven't seen him since
you left with him."
"Then he's gone crazy. He shifted forms and lost his mind. I know he
wouldn't leave me behind like that. Not when I needed him."
The words fall out of me brokenly. I feel dead inside. Liam’s gone. He’s
utterly gone. I’ve lost him. Grief and horror choke me, and I wrap my arms
tight around myself, because I feel as if I’m about to fall apart.
Liam’s…gone.
"Maybe…maybe it's not as bad as that?" Amy asks, a hopeful expression on
her face. "He's lived in a lot of forts before he came to us. Maybe he decided
to just move on?"
"He wouldn't," I say firmly. I have utter faith in Liam. That's not who he is.
He loves me and I know he would never just move on. Never. "He knew I
was sick. He was terrified for me. For Benny, too. He loves me, Amy. He
wouldn't leave me behind."
She reaches out and touches my hand gently. "Of course not. Well, you're all
welcome in Fort Shreveport." She smiles brightly at the others, still hiding in
the other cars. "We have food and shelter for everyone. Just to be on the safe
side, we'll keep you separate from the others for about a week or so to make
sure no one catches anything, and then you're more than welcome to live with
us. We have a wonderful fort and it's very family friendly." She gives Gabe
and Lester a warm smile.
Gabe just nods, looking to me.
I nod, too. Everyone will be safe there. "Once everyone's settled in, I’m going
to go after Liam. I have to find him." I bite my lip and look up at Rast, his
golden eyes swirling. "You guys haven't seen any new dragons in the area,
have you?"
"Just a red that's been hanging around recently," Amy begins.
That gets Gabe's attention. He opens the door to the car and steps out. "A
red?" When Amy nods, he snorts. "That's my red. She follows me wherever I
go."
Amy's delicate brows furrow. "I…see."
"Maybe I shouldn't go to the fort with everyone," Gabe says, rubbing his jaw.
"Nonsense," Amy says briskly. "Rast will protect us from anyone that comes
through. And he can help us look for Liam." She touches my hand again. "If
he's out there, we'll find him."
"I can go," I begin.
She cuts me off, a bit of steel entering her gentle voice. "You can, once
you've rested up. You're weak and recovering from sickness. You need a few
good nights’ rest and some meals in you—in all of you—before I'm letting
you do anything."
I hate that she's right. Even now, standing here, I'm exhausted. But I can't
abandon Liam. "Amy…"
She shakes her head again. "You don't understand, Andi. A few more days
won't matter to him. If he's lost to the madness, there's no sense of time for
him at all. He won't know anything. It truly is best if you're strong because if
you're going to try and call him home, you're going to need everything you've
got."
She's right. It doesn't make it easy, but she's right.
 25

ANDI

I dream about Liam every night.

I’m sandwiched into a small room at the far end of the Fort
Shreveport compound with the other “survivors” as we keep separate to make
sure we’re no longer contagious. Amy stays with us, because she’s been
exposed, but after a few days, it’s clear no one’s sick, and Amy remains as
healthy as ever. So do Major and Lester and Charlie, who never got sick in
the first place. I spend my time in bed, pretending to nap and hugging my
pillow. In reality, I’m thinking about my dragon-man.
Aka, cry time.
I miss Liam so much that I ache inside. I think of him and cry myself to
sleep, hugging my pillow. Sometimes I wake up after dreaming about him,
and it feels like he's right there with me, holding me close. When I open my
eyes, though, I'm alone and miserable.
And horny.
I masturbate almost as much as I cry, which is new for me. I haven't felt
particularly sexual ever since leaving Fort Tulsa—and I was happy not to be.
I haven't had the slightest interest in anything sexy until Liam came into my
life, and then all of that pent-up need seems to be roaring through me like a
fireball. Touching myself doesn't help, though. It only reminds me how much
I miss him, and it makes me cry even more.
It's not just the sex. I mean, it can't be—we never had official full-on sex. I
just miss Liam. I'll take him back any way I can. If he can only be human and
we can't touch, I'll take that, too. I can still be happy and complete with him
in my life…just as long as he's in it.
Just as long as he's not lost.
I feel so fucking guilty, too. Days pass and I sleep and eat and regain my
strength, and as I do, I can't help but think about how hard Liam worked to
not turn into a mindless monster. How hard he worked at being human so he
could blend in with us, start a new life.
And he gave it all up to try and save me. In the end, I didn't need the saving
and he's the one that lost everything.
So yeah, I spend a lot of time crying. I spend a lot of my time alone, too. It's
easy enough considering that everyone just wants me to rest up and stay away
from the others in the fort while we're not sure if the sickness is still
contagious. Left to my own thoughts, I can worry endlessly over Liam, turn
over the moments we shared in my head over and over again, and die a slow
death every time the dragon alarm goes off.
Because the dragon alarms go off practically daily, and it's never Liam. It's
always that blasted red that's got a thing for Gabe.
That red has been a pain in my ass ever since we got back. She comes by
every damn day, flying low and swooping over the settlement and making
everyone panic. Unlike the normal red attacks, though, she never uses her
flame. She just bellows and roars and tears at the buildings as if she wants
something inside them.
I can guess that it's Gabe, but Rast says he's tried talking to her and there's
nothing there. He thinks it's impossible for the female to fix on a human,
because they're ten times more lost to the berserk rage than the males are.
Me, I still think she's after Gabe.
Either way, it's utterly frustrating because since she's constantly coming to
the fort and attacking, Rast has to spend his time guarding us and shooing her
off instead of hunting for Liam. He goes out when he can, but for the most
part, he sticks close to the fort.
That drives me crazy. I know Liam's out there. He's strong in mind, and
clever. I know that if Rast can just talk to him, he can try to get through to
him. To get him to change back and turn human again.
I know if he knew I was alive, he'd come back for me.
But Rast is busy, and the red is lurking, and Amy won't let me leave the fort
until Rast “finds” Liam. So I sleep in my room under quarantine, eat the
meals brought to me, and worry over Liam.
I never thought I would miss another human being so much. This is different
than when my mother and father died. It's different than when Benny ran off.
Those felt like painful abandonment, of loss of family.
This feels like I've lost my soul. My other half.
My reason to smile.
I've never felt so connected to someone as I have to Liam. He's the only
person that's ever truly “seen” me. I adore Gwen and think of her as my big
sister, and I respect and like Amy. I like a lot of people at the fort, but I didn't
realize how utterly alone I felt until Liam was gone…and I realized that my
loneliness had disappeared when he was there. Now, it's like I've lost a limb
or one of my senses.
I just want him back.
Most nights, when the fort settles down and gets quiet, I sneak up to the roof,
thinking of that night a few weeks ago, when he told me that we were flirting.
That we were attracted to each other and just fighting it. A night when I first
started to realize that maybe, just maybe, this thing between me and Liam
might be something real. I stare up at the stars and think of Liam.
Please come back to me, I tell them silently. Please come home, Atalim. I
miss you so much.
There's never an answer, just the endless shine of the stars dotting the night
sky and the greenish pulse of the Rift, visible even in darkness.
If Liam's out there, he doesn't know I exist.

"A NDI ?"

I look up from the mop I'm swishing over the tile floors of the old school. It's
been raining for the last few days, and while it's good for the crops, it means
that the floor gets muddy from the dozens of feet moving back and forth over
it. This is the third time I've mopped today, but I don't mind. Work keeps me
busy.
Busy means I don't worry about Liam. Or rather, I worry less. I still worry all
hours of the day and into the night.
My heart races as I push the mop back into its bucket and raise a hand to
warn Amy as she heads toward me. "Floor's all wet. Let me come to you."
She nods, waiting at the end of the hall. There's a look on her face that's
sorrow and pity both, and I can feel myself stiffening in response. I don't
want to know. I don't want to know.
Oh god, but I need to know. This can only be about one thing—my
wonderful, handsome, smart, missing Liam. "Tell me what you found out."
"Rast found him," she says, her expression calm even as her eyes are so, so
sad. "He's south of here by a few hours. When the drakoni go wild, they get
territorial. This area's considered Rast's territory, so most avoid it. It looks
like he's staked out land of his own to prowl over."
"Rast talked to him?" I ask quickly, popping up the folding WET FLOOR
sign and dumping it in the middle of the tile. "Can I see Rast?"
"Of course. Come on. He's outside." She takes my arm gently and pats my
hand, as if comforting me, and I inwardly bristle. I don't want comforting. I
want answers.
I want Liam.
God, I want Liam.
There's a huge knot in my throat as we go outside, into the courtyard. It's
steamy with the lingering heat, the ground wet and full of puddles. The potted
plants are lined up on their rolling beds, drinking in the late afternoon
sunlight, and I see a couple of people moving between the rows, looking for
newly ripened vegetables to add to tonight's dinner. In the middle of the
blacktop recess area, Rast leans against the old monkey bars, his arms
crossed as he gazes out on the people moving about. He's completely and
utterly naked, his thick cloud of tangled hair flowing over his shoulders and
down his back. I used to think he was pretty freaking glorious, for a male
specimen.
But then I realized just how gorgeous Liam was. Now Rast doesn't hold a
candle to him.
His gaze flicks over me as Amy approaches, and then rests on his mate with
that possessive look of pleasure that makes my heart ache, because Liam used
to look at me like that.
"What did you find out?" I ask, biting my lip. I don't realize I'm clenching
Amy's hand in mine until Rast frowns, looking down at our hands.
Amy pauses and then speaks up. "He says that he found Liam. Or at least, it's
a dragon he's pretty sure is Liam. She says his mind is so wild it's impossible
to say for sure."
I stare at Rast for a moment and then blink, looking over at Amy. Why did
she answer for him? It takes me a moment to remember—none of the other
drakoni speak with words except for Liam, who worked so hard to learn our
language. I didn't need to be face to face with Rast, because Amy could have
said everything that needed to be said. I feel like an idiot. Even so, I look at
Rast, my eyes full of pleading. "You don't know if it was him? You can't
tell?"
Another pause, his eyes swirling. He glances at Amy.
"He says that he never touched minds with Liam before, so he's not entirely
sure if it's him or not. But he caught his scent in the area, and there is a male
dragon lost to the madness in that area, so…it could be him."
His scent. It's not much to go on, but it could be enough. "So it's either Liam,
or that dragon ate Liam and you're smelling his remains. Is that it?"
"Don't think of it like that, Andi," Amy murmurs gently. "Liam's strong and
capable. He can take care of himself. We'll find him. If it's not this dragon,
it's someone else."
My heart aches and aches. I need this to be him. "Did you try talking to him?"
I ask Rast, searching the hard planes of his face. "Did you mention my name?
Did you say 'Andrea' to him? Not Andi but Andrea?" I can't keep the
eagerness from my voice. "Because he doesn't think of me as Andi."
Rast's gaze is steady as he watches me.
"He tried to talk to him," Amy says softly. "But there was nothing there. The
madness was too great. He says nothing got through to him at all. Not a
greeting, not a challenge, not your name, not anything. He sits atop his tower
nest and roars, utterly mindless."
I want to scream with how much it hurts to hear that. But I knew it would be
bad, didn't I? Because I know that my Liam would come back for me. He
wouldn't leave me when I'm sick and just fuck off. Something bad happened.
I knew this. I knew it but it still hurt to hear. "Will you take me to him?"
"Of course," Amy says. "Can you be ready in an hour? We can fly you out
there and then be back here before it gets dark, in case the red returns this
afternoon."
They're going to leave me there? I'm shocked…and then it sinks in. Of course
they're coming back. Like Amy said, dragons—drakoni—are territorial.
Liam's going to attack if Rast stays around, and they're needed here at the
fort. "I'll be ready. Just let me talk to Benny and pack a bag."
"Of course. I'll get some food ready for you in the kitchens. Meet you back
here in about an hour." She smiles at me, her expression full of comfort. Rast
moves right past me, drawing his mate into his arms and pulling her against
him. He breathes in her scent, his face buried in her hair, and she giggles at
something he says, her arms locked around his waist. They look so happy and
in love that it makes me miss Liam even more.
"I'm coming for you, Atalim," I murmur to no one at all as I race to find my
brother. "It won't be long now."
Benny's surprisingly easy to find. I hear his laughter as I move toward the
plants lined up near the gym. I see his shaggy hair before I see the rest of
him, and when I hear a girly giggle blending with his laughter, I realize he's
with Katrina. I round the tall tomato plants, wondering if I'm going to catch
them making out, but they're just standing together and talking, heads bent.
Katrina plays with the fingers of her gardening gloves, a smile on her face,
and Benny, well, Benny looks like he's in love.
I clear my throat.
Benny looks over at me, his face turning bright red. "Don't you knock?" he
retorts, looking like the gangly, embarrassed teenager that he is.
"I would if there was a door," I say, keeping my tone light. "Can I talk to you
for a second? It's urgent."
A serious expression comes over my brother's lean face and instead of giving
me more shit, he nods at Katrina, and then jogs over to my side. My heart
aches at the sight of his golden eyes, so very solemn. I know my eyes are
golden now, too, but seeing the changes in him just reminds me how close he
came to death.
"I'm sorry to interrupt," I tell him, walking a few paces away so Katrina won't
overhear. "I'm not trying to be an overbearing sister, I promise. I just wanted
to let you know that Rast thinks he might have found Liam and I'm going
after him."
"He found him?" Relief moves over Benny's face. I know he feels guilty that
we 'lost' Liam because of his running away. He adores Liam as a friend and a
father figure, and he knows that Liam is important to me. "Is he coming
home?"
"Not exactly." I tell him the recap of the conversation I had with Amy and
Rast. "He's completely lost," I explain, continuing. "So they're going to drop
me off and see if I can bring him back to his senses."
"Are you gonna mate with him like Amy mated with Rast?" He wrinkles his
nose. "Did you come to tell me you're gonna get laid?"
"I don't know what it's going to entail, and I wanted to tell you because you're
my family and I love you, and I might be gone for a few days." Or forever, if
Liam's so crazy that he attacks me and kills me for being in his territory. I
won't entertain that thought, though. Rast and Vaan didn't kill their human
mates. A human woman is just about the only thing that can bring a dragon
out of his insanity. "Getting laid is the best-case scenario, though."
Benny gags. "Thanks for sharing that, sis."
"Just…please don't leave again without talking to me first, all right? I
promise that whatever your concerns are, I'll listen like I'm supposed to and if
you want to leave, I'll help you, but just don't run off, okay?"
The look he gives me is as scornful as a teenage boy can muster. "Why would
I leave now? Katrina's here." He flushes, his gold eyes bright in his red face.
"I just wanted people my own age. It wasn't that I hated being here. Or that I
hated you. I was just…you know."
"I know," I say softly. Because I do know. Loneliness sucks, and it can
consume you even when you're surrounded by other people. I feel a little
jealous of Katrina for having so much of his attention. Since we've returned,
I've been wallowing in my worry over Liam, but my brother's also been
completely preoccupied with her. I'm second place now. I'm happy for him,
though, happy that if nothing else, he's healthy and he gets happiness.
Impulsively, I reach out and hug my skinny brother against me. He's
practically as tall as I am now. When did that happen? When was the last
time I hugged him?
Benny makes a horrified sound and slides out of my grasp. "Jeez, Andi.
You're only going for a few days."
"I know," I say, and can't resist teasing him. "I must be hormonal and about
to start my period."
"Fuck, don't tell me about that!" He makes another gagging sound and gives
me a horrified look. "Gross, Andi!"
I chuckle. "I love you, Benny."
For a moment, I think he's going to make another crack, but he just crosses
his arms over his chest and watches me. "Bring Liam back, okay? He's a
good guy."
"That's the plan."
Either I'm coming back with Liam, or I'm going to end up dead under his
claws. But one way or another, I'm finding him.
 26

ANDI

T he flight south seems to take forever. I huddle inside Rast's

claws, clutching my bag of supplies to my chest as I scan
every cloud, hoping that Liam's hiding behind the next one.
But hours pass, and still no Liam. Eventually, Rast circles lower, landing on
the ground. He gently sets me down and I stretch my cramped limbs, pushing
my wind-tousled braid off my shoulder.
"You good?" Amy calls out from above.
I turn to look at her. She's up on Rast's back, between his shoulder blades, a
saddle rigged to allow her to sit. She wears goggles and her own hair is
hidden underneath a hat, her braids sticking out underneath. She looks a little
ridiculous in swim goggles and with a scarf over her mouth, but judging from
the amount of bugs I accidentally swallowed as we rode, I figure it's smart
and next time I'm going to take her up on them instead of pooh-poohing the
offerings.
But there won't be a next time. I'm going to find Liam, I remind myself.
There's no way I'm going to return without him. "I'm good," I tell her, giving
a thumbs up.
She points off into the distance, and I follow her gesture with my eyes, seeing
a tall building situated above the rest. "Rast says the dragon's scent is all over
that building, probably because it's the highest spot in the area. We'd take you
closer, but we don't want him getting Rast's scent and having it make him
wilder.”
It looks like it's at least a mile away, as the crow flies. "That's okay. I can
walk."
"Are you sure you want to do this, Andi?" Amy asks. "We can turn around
and go back."
I shake my head. "I'm staying. I love him, Amy. I can't let him end up like
this."
"He could hurt you." Her voice is soft. "He might not even realize it’s you."
"I know." I know he's madder than any dragon they've run across and I'm
flirting with danger by going after him, but I also know that if I return to the
fort and act like he didn't exist, I'll die inside. Even now, I feel like a puppet
being dragged through the motions—the old Andi left when Liam did. I won't
be whole until he's back in my life. So I say, with grim determination, "If he's
in there, I'm going to find a way to bring him back."
Amy nods. "I thought you might say that, but I wanted to be sure. We'll come
back to this spot in five days if you haven't returned to the fort by then."
"Thank you," I say, and give them a wave to let them know I'm ready to go.
I've heard nothing but warnings ever since I told them I wanted to go after
Liam. I know it's risky. I know he's insane.
I don't care. He's my other half. I love him. If our roles were reversed, he
wouldn't hesitate to come after me, so I'm going to do my best to bring him
home.
Amy smiles, and then Rast leaps back into the air, the beat of his wings as he
takes off so strong that dust flies in my face and my hair fights to get free
from my messy braid. I watch them leave, waiting until they disappear before
I turn to the ruins and give a hard look to my new surroundings.
It's the typical downtown ruins of any old city in the After. There are
collapsed buildings, destroyed billboards, and lots of charred ruins and car-
littered streets. The building that Amy pointed out rises above the rest, easily
five stories, maybe more. A sign for an old banking company is near the roof,
the red lettering burnt out and destroyed. Most of the windows are gone, but
the building itself is still standing. I study it, wondering if it's safe to go to the
top or if I should set up at the base. Guess there's no reason why I can't check
out everything. It's not like I'm in a time crunch.
Well, sorta. I have three days. If Liam doesn't come by in all that time, I'll
just have to have Amy and Rast pick me up and try someplace new. I'm not
giving up on him, though. If it takes months to meet up with him, it takes
months. I just need to set my expectations and not hope for too much. I scan
the quiet, cloudy skies, but there's no sign of a dragon anywhere. I bite back a
sigh, heft my bag onto my shoulder, and stride toward the bank building.
Everything here is so very quiet. I notice this as I cross over broken roads and
move around cars and gutted buildings. A lot of ruins have some level of
noise to them, usually animals in the streets. Occasionally you can hear a gun
go off—a sign of another scavenger in the area or nomads. But here? It's all
quiet. There's no sign that a dragon's been here, either. There are no beasts
flying overhead, no dead, half-eaten animals, no still-smoking ruins, nothing.
That doesn't mean anything, of course. It could just be coincidence that I see
no signs of him, but I have to admit that just seeing one recently burnt-out
building would make me feel a ton better. It would be an instant confirmation
that yes, a fierce, hungry, world-destroying dragon is in this area. But it's all
quiet. I try to think about when Vaan was lurking outside of Fort Shreveport,
waiting for Gwen to emerge. Were there signs that he was there? Other than
the incessant attacks?
I guess I can always wait for the inevitable dragon attack.
As soon as the idea crosses my mind, I reject it. Fuck that. I've already waited
weeks to come after him. I'm not waiting a day longer if I don't have to.
I've already been without him for far too long.
So I think as I walk, trying to decide what's the best way to draw a dragon out
of hiding. The answer hits me as I pass by a dead skunk on the sidewalk.
Smells. Liam's attuned to smells. I need to find a way to get him my smell. Of
course. It's so incredibly simple that I want to laugh with pure joy the
moment I realize it. He can smell tracks from days ago, and people from over
a mile away. I just need to get my scent to him and he'll find me. It's the
perfect answer.
And when I get to the bank building and see a flagpole, I get an entirely new
idea. There's a remnant of a tattered flag at the top, and I work the cords until
I figure out how to get it down. Once the pole is empty, I consider which of
my garments would be the best to carry my smell to him.
The answer's obvious, even if it's a little bizarre—my panties. I toss my bag
to the ground, glancing around the old plaza. There's a few stone benches and
some overgrown shrubbery in front of the building, and the cobbled
courtyard under my feet that's covered in leaves and debris. No one's around,
though. It feels weird to strip out in the open, but I'm not going to let modesty
get in the way of my plan. I take off my lace-up hiking boots, and then my
belt. I have my jeans halfway off my hips when a new thought occurs to me.
If he likes my scent, I should give him a lot of it.
Biting my lip, I pull my jeans off. Instead of removing my panties, though, I
slide my hand into them and begin to touch myself.
It's not sexy. In fact, it feels downright awkward. I glance around the empty
plaza again, inwardly cringing, and my pussy remains completely dry. I need
to get wet so I can coat my panties in my smell, but this isn't doing it. Shit.
Utterly frustrated, I take a deep breath and try to relax. I close my eyes,
imagining Liam. I think of that first night on the roof, the first night our
flirting went to the next level and he made me aware that he viewed me as
more than just a good friend. That I'd been clueless about him for so long. I
remember how many times he's made me blush, and the feel of his mouth
parting under mine as we kissed the first time…and how quickly he took
control of the situation.
I think of him grabbing me by the hips and thrusting into me from behind. Oh
god, that had been so fucking sexy. Or when we'd gone to the adult store and
he'd made me stand up so he could lick my pussy. A little groan slips out of
me and my fingers move faster over my folds. I touch my clit and imagine
that it's his tongue there instead, his arms gripping my thighs tight and pulling
them apart so he can taste me as deeply as possible. My nipples are hard
against my T-shirt, and I toy with one even as I continue to play with my
pussy. I'm wet now, and I circle my clit hard, imagining that Liam's
overtaken with need for me and devouring me between my thighs. The image
is so arousing, so delicious that I start to come, and with a little cry as I
climax, I keep playing with my clit until I've wrung every ounce of my
orgasm out of my body. Panting and exhausted, I look around the plaza, but
no dragon has shown up to watch me get off. Well, drat.
Panties up the flagpole, then.
I step out of my underwear and rub them over my slick folds, getting them
good and soaked with my release. When they're utterly fragrant with what a
horndog I am, I knot the panties around the flag clasp and then use the cords
to raise my little pink panties up into the sky.
"Come on, panties, do your thing," I murmur.
Nothing happens right away, of course. I tell myself he could be upwind, and
I have to wait for him to pick up the scent. He could have moved on to a new
territory entirely. He could have left and another dragon's going to smell my
panties and think I'm his. The thought fills me with sudden dread.
What if this dragon isn't Liam?
I press my fingertips to my temples. No. No. No. This has to be Liam. There
can't be another explanation for it. If my scent can't call him toward me,
maybe my thoughts will. He's psychic, after all. His shields are down and his
mind is open.
Please, Liam, I silently beg. Please, Atalim. Hear me. Smell me. I'm waiting
for you. I'll be your mate. And if you don't want that, I'll just be your friend…
just come back to me.
Over and over, I repeat the words like a mantra. I hug my knees, completely
naked from the waist down as I sit in the plaza and wait for him. I don't want
to run the risk of covering up any of my smell, so I strip off my T-shirt, too,
and sit there in nothing but my bra and my braid.
And I fill my mind so full of hope and of Liam that I ache.
I love him so much.
I miss him so desperately.
A heaviness forms in the air. Not a physical heaviness, but an awareness. The
hairs on the back of my neck prickle, and I get the feeling that I'm not alone. I
get to my feet and look at the skies, hoping to see a flash of golden wing.
"Liam?" I call out, my voice ringing in the empty plaza. "Are you out there?
Atalim?" When there's no response but the wind, I scream it even louder,
standing on my tiptoes as if that'll increase my volume. "ATALIM! I'M
HERE! IT'S ANDREA! COME AND FIND ME!"
Nothing.
Frustrated, I sigh and drop back down again. Maybe I'm just imagining
things. Maybe I didn't feel anything at all and it's just my brain planting
thoughts.
A shadow falls over the plaza.
I watch as the shadow skates down the highway and over the building,
eagerness making my heart hammer in my chest. "Liam?" I call again.
"Atalim?"
It's quiet again for a long moment, and then I see him—a golden dragon,
swooping back around and flying low. As I watch, he descends, maneuvering
between the buildings with graceful flicks of his wings.
If this is my Atalim in dragon form, he's massive. I stare up in awe as the
dragon moves forward with sinuous grace. Despite his enormousness, he's
moving like a panther, predatory and silent. His neck is long and sinuous and
spikes jut from his brow down the back of his neck, all the way to his spine.
His head is flatter and wider than Rast's is, with more deeply set eyes. His
wings tuck against his big body, and then the long, serpentine tail slaps
against a nearby car.
The dragon's nostrils flare, and then the massive head lowers and looks me
directly in the face.
The eyes that meet mine are entirely black.
Oh fuck. A prickle of worry moves over my skin, but then I remember that he
can smell that, too. "Atalim, is that you, babe?"
There's no response. His head is low on the ground, watching me, and the
hind legs are raised, tail flicking. It reminds me of when our old cat used to
pounce on her toy mousie, and right now, I'm feeling like the mousie. I rub
my gooseflesh-covered arms, but I don't retreat, because I don't want to act
like prey.
He looms over me, utterly magnificent and terrifying.
"Say something," I prompt him. "Do something. Show me that it's you.
Please."
The dark, whirling eyes fix on me, and one foreleg casually reaches for me.
I sidestep, not wanting to be trapped—and gasp when I realize that all of his
claws are blunted. "It is you!" I exclaim, excited. "Oh my god. Liam, I've
missed you so much." Hot tears spring to my eyes and I laugh, full of
excitement and misery both. "Please, please change forms and talk to me."
One blunt claw reaches for me again, as if he can't decide what to do with
me. I know it's him, so this time, I don't move. I wait to see what he's going to
do.
The claw touches my chin, scraping at my skin, and then moves down my
front. It's still sharp for all that it's been squared off, and when he drags it
through the center of my bra, the thin, worn material snaps and flutters to the
ground. Now, I'm really naked. He doesn't stop there, though. He keeps
dragging that claw lower, as if testing my reaction.
I'm determined not to react. "Remember that first night on the roof?" I say,
trying to keep my voice cheerful and even. "Remember how you said you'd
always be there for me? Well, I'm not calling you a liar. I know shit
happened. I know you're struggling to control this, but I want to take you up
on your promise. I want you with me, Liam. I want us to be together. I love
you so much. So if you could try really hard to transform and come back to
me…"
The words die in my throat when that blunted claw pushes between my
thighs. I gasp and stagger backward, slapping at him. "Don't do that." I love
Liam with all my heart, but I'm not interested in making out with his dragon
form, especially not when he's like this. "If you want to touch me, you have
to switch to your human side."
An utterly terrifying low growl builds in his throat. The black eyes narrow at
me, but when he reaches for me again, I push him away.
"I said no. Atalim, change back. Please."
He recoils, and for a moment, I think he's a snake about to strike. His teeth
are bared, his eyes two pools of midnight. I'm a little broken-hearted at the
sight, and also just a tiny bit hopeful. He hasn't killed me yet, after all. That's
a good sign, I hope.
So I keep trying. "Atalim, if you want to touch me, I need you to change
forms and ask. That's all that I request. If you do, you can touch me however
you want. I don't even care if you burn me." I gesture at the old burn wound
on my arm from my “cure.” "Well, I'm lying. I care if you burn me. But if
you want me to touch you back, I'm willing to risk it, just because I love you
so much and I miss you like I miss chocolate cake. More, even."
The dragon lowers his head again, and he inches closer to me. His tail lashes
back and forth, slamming against a nearby car and knocking it on its side. I
do my best to ignore that sight, because I don't want to show fear. I just want
Liam to see the love I have for him.
"Do you like the sound of my voice?" I ask, adding a sexy, throaty note to it.
"Is that why you're coming closer? Do you remember it?" I reach a hand out,
wondering if he'll let me touch him like this.
To my surprise—and relief—he leans in and presses his scaly nose against
my hand. Each nostril is so big that I could put a fist through it, and his breath
smells like char and smoke. I ignore the sight of his big teeth, and the fact
that he could eat me in a bite, and gently caress his nose. In human form,
Liam's skin feels like human skin—as soft and pettable as “normal” skin, just
with a hint of scale patterns rippling through the gold. This close up, his
scales are magnified, and each one feels like a rough chip of stone. No
wonder Amy wears a saddle. I caress his nose, letting my fingers play over
his scales. I want to feel that intense love, that possessive need that I've
always felt from him in the past, but all I feel right now is that worried churn
in my gut that he might be too far gone.
"You said you'd never leave me," I remind him, my voice dropping to a low
whisper as I gently touch his scales. "I can't think you'd want to lie to me. I
thought I meant more to you than that."
The dragon moves. He surges forward so quickly that I yelp and stagger
backward, falling onto my ass. His claws flex on air, and I wonder if he was
trying to snatch me—or just scare me.
Either way, he looms over me, his eyes dark and terrifying as he gazes down
where I'm sprawled on the plaza cobblestones. My butt throbs from my fall,
but I ignore it. I can't even breathe, because I'm convinced that with the
wrong move, Liam's going to snap and eat me.
The dragon lowers his head, and then suddenly he's pushing his muzzle
between my thighs.
I gasp, thumping back onto the cobblestones again. I'm flat on the ground as
his nose rubs against my pussy, and he lets out a breath that feels like a blast
of heat. I make a small noise of protest, but he doesn't move.
In fact, he's not doing anything. It's like he's frozen on the spot. A moment
later, he inhales deeply, and I realize he's getting my scent.
I want to fist pump with excitement. Yes! Finally! "Breathe it in," I
encourage. It feels weird to be delighted that a wild dragon is sniffing my
pussy, but if anything's going to bring Liam back to me, it's that. "You smell
me? Do you smell how I touched myself while I thought of you? How wet I
got for you?"
The dragon growls again, but this time there's no menace in it. Some of the
heavy malice and anger in the air feels like it's lifting, and I want to scream
with joy. Instead, I focus on bringing him back to me even more. With one
hand, I gently push his muzzle away from my folds. He lets me push him
away, even though he's a hundred times larger than I am. His scales are a
little damp from pushing against my private parts, and that gives me an idea.
I keep my hand on his nose since he's not moving away, and I spread my
thighs wider. I slide my other hand to my pussy, and for the second time that
day, I start to masturbate.
This time, it's not hard to imagine getting turned on for Liam. His presence—
no matter how lost he is—gives me hope. So I slide my fingers through my
folds, seeking remnants of moisture from before, and then smooth it over my
clit, making it wet and slick. "You want me to come for you?"
The dragon's nose pushes gently against my hand, as if trying to lower to my
pussy again.
"No," I tell him, slightly breathless as I work my clit. "You can look but you
can't touch. Not like this. You have to be human."
His tongue flicks out against his scales, and brushes against my hand. He's
tasting me on his snout. I moan, imagining that it's getting through to him that
it's me. That I’m here, performing for him. Enticing him.
Encouraging him to come back to me.
I'm already sensitive from the last round of self-pleasure, so it doesn't take
much for me to come again. A climax shivers through me, but I play it up,
moaning wildly and gasping when my juices trickle through my folds. It's not
the best orgasm I've ever had, but I go all theatrical and make it seem like I'm
fucking dying, just to get his attention.
I have his attention, all right. The dragon pushes against my hand again, but I
smack his nose lightly. "No," I tell him. "Atalim, you have to be human."
The growl starts again.
"You want this?" I ask, and take my passion-slicked hand and slide it over his
scales. "Then ask me for it."
The dragon's tongue snakes out again. His head lowers, and for a moment, I
could swear there's gold in his eyes.
Then, suddenly, the dragon's gone. There's a man striding forward, heading
directly for me.
Liam. Oh god, it's my Liam.
I let out a sob of joy at the sight of him. He's utterly filthy, his hair standing
straight up in short, wild hanks, and he's got scratches and dirt covering his
golden skin. He's completely naked, and the way he stalks toward me isn't
human at all. He's still the dragon, cornering his prey.
I don't care. He's Liam again. There's gold whirling in the midnight black of
his eyes, and when he stalks toward me, I open my arms wide, encouraging
him.
He stops just short of me, his hands flexing into fists and then opening wide
again. He's twitchy with movement, as if he can't quite figure out how to
approach, pacing to one side and then back again. His gaze is locked on me
and where I still lie sprawled on the ground, utterly naked.
Why won't he approach?
"Atalim," I call gently. "Come to me."
But he doesn't. He crouches low, one hand touching the ground as if he's just
waiting for a chance to spring up again and attack. It's like he's waiting for
something.
What, though? What more does he need?
I slide my hand toward my pussy again, and his eyes flare with even more
gold, but it makes him start to pace once more. A low snarl builds in his
throat. Not that, then. Something else?
Oh.
A challenge. He told me once that dragon males—drakoni males—are
challenged by their female. It has to be a fight. The dragon women are fierce
and combative, and they let a male know they want his attention by attacking
him.
All right, then.
Sucking in a deep breath, I get to my feet and approach Liam with slow,
measured steps. He stops his pacing, his hands flexing, and waits, staring at
me.
I reach out and slap him across the face as hard as I can.
 27

ANDI

H is eyes flare utterly black again for a moment, and in that brief
second, I think I've made a mistake. I've pushed him too far,
and now he's going to kill me. But then gold floods into his gaze and he
reaches out, grabbing my braid and pulling me close. There's a feral look of
excitement on his face, like a predator that's just caught his prey. But he's not
hurting me, and he's in his human form. This is progress.
So I reach up to slap him again.
He grabs my hand, his teeth bared, and when I try to struggle free, he pulls
my trapped wrist to his face and sniffs it. A low rumble starts in his chest, an
ominous purr, and I can feel myself getting aroused. I know this is Liam, no
matter how wild he is. I know the feel of his body pressing against mine, skin
to skin. This is the man I want, the man I need. The man I love.
I lean forward, trying to entice him into a kiss, but his eyes only flare and his
grip slides to my waist. He tugs on my hair, indicating I should sink down,
and I lower myself to the ground. Does he want a blow job like we did
before? My heart skitters with a frantic, excited beat.
Am I giving in too quickly, though? With that thought in mind, I reach up
and lock my hand to the back of his neck, and when he pulls me down, I pull
at him, too. A feral grin lights his face up and my heart skitters with
excitement as we both lower to the ground. I keep my hand clenched on him,
our faces inches apart, as if neither of us is willing to give the other any
ground.
I lie back, watching him, and Liam's wild gaze moves over me, darting and
quick, as if he's absorbing the sight of me naked and under him for the first
time. One big hand moves to my jaw, then skims lower, brushing over my
breasts and then lower still. He watches his hand as it moves down my body,
and when his thumb grazes over my navel, my breath catches.
Liam glances up at me then, his eyes whirling with a mix of black and gold.
"Do you want me to challenge you again?" I whisper. The last thing I want to
do is challenge right now. I want him to touch me, to say my name. I want
him to claim me as his. But my struggles make him pay attention, so I half-
heartedly raise a hand, as if to strike him again.
He bats it away as if it's nothing, rumbling low in his chest, and skims his
hand lower, pressing over my mound.
I gasp at the intimate touch.
Liam presses against the inside of one thigh, and I part my legs for him,
breathing hard. Say my name, I mentally beg. That's all I ask. Say my name
and tell me that you know who I am.
My dragon-man growls low in his throat, and then his mouth is on my pussy.
He makes a sound of pleasure, his arm locking around my thigh as if to hold
me still, and then his slightly raspy, impossible to ignore tongue is moving
over me, lapping up my arousal, and flicking over my clit.
I whimper, my hand pressing to my forehead, as if pushing against my brow
can somehow stop my brain from exploding in pleasure. "Atalim," I moan,
arching up against his hot, enthusiastic tongue strokes. "Oh, fuck."
He's voracious, not bothering to take his time with my pleasure. Instead, he's
on me, insistent and eager, flicking over my clit and delving deep with his
tongue as if he can memorize every inch of me with taste buds alone. It's
been so long since we've touched and I'm so sensitive from touching myself
that it doesn't take much for me to spiral towards an orgasm. I can feel it
building, my toes curling against the cobblestones as he ravenously devours
my pussy, his tongue everywhere. And when he sucks on my clit? I shatter
into a million pieces, crying out with pleasure as the climax rips through me
and my pussy floods with release.
Liam lets out another low growl of pleasure as I undulate against his mouth,
his tongue moving slower and more gently against my flesh. I don't know
when one of my hands went to his hair, but when I look down, my fingers are
knotted in his golden strands, brushing against the horns that crown his brow.
I suck in a deep breath, and as I do, he looks up.
"Andrea," he says thickly, his mouth wet with my release. He licks his lips
and then says my name again in another sultry purr. "Annnndrea."
"It's me, babe." Tears of joy spring to my eyes and I sit up, excited. I
practically tackle him with my excitement, flinging myself against him until
he's on the ground underneath me and I'm peppering his gorgeous face with
kisses. "You remember. You remembered my taste. Oh Liam, I've missed
you so much."
His hand curls in my hair, and he forces my head back, ever so slightly,
revealing my throat. Not enough to hurt, just enough to remind me that he's in
control. "Mine," he rumbles, and his eyes are still shot with black emotion as
he leans forward and scrapes his teeth over my throat.
"Yours," I agree, breathless. "All yours. Take me."
"Andrea," he says again, this time more insistent than before. "Mine." And he
sits up, maneuvering both of us until we're upright. I sit, waiting, as he gets to
his knees and then locks his hands on my hips, anchoring me in place as he
moves behind me.
All right, we're going to do it from behind, it seems. I don't care. He knows
who I am. He won't hurt me.
I'm more than ready as he positions my hips, and I lower my head, arching
my lower back and spreading my thighs to present myself to him. He groans,
his hand skimming over my flanks, and that's the only warning I get before he
notches his cock at my entrance and then thrusts deep.
I gasp, still shocked at how he feels inside me. He's big and thick, and the feel
of him invading me twinges for a second, and then it's nothing but intense
pleasure. A low moan escapes me as he thrusts into me again, his fingers
digging into my hips. "Atalim," I breathe. "My Atalim."
He groans again, thrusting hard, and then a hand anchors onto my shoulder.
He leans over me, nuzzling at the back of my neck, his big body covering
mine. I tilt my head, giving him access to my throat, and he locks an arm
around my waist and pulls me backward as he sits up. His cock is seated deep
inside me even as I'm pinned against his torso, both of us on our knees. One
hand roams over my belly and then cups my breast, teasing the nipple, and it
sends a jolt of pleasure all the way through to my core.
"Andrea," he murmurs again, and then his teeth scrape against my throat,
hard.
I gasp again, because that wasn't a gentle nip. Even so, my body responds,
my nipples hardening and my pussy clenching around his length.
I reach back, touching him everywhere I can, caressing the side of his face.
"Are you going to make me yours?"
A hard, searing bite is my response. My entire body quakes into another
brutal orgasm as his teeth sink into my throat. It hurts as much as it feels
good, and it's a struggle to remain completely still against him, because his
fingers are strumming over my breast and his cock is so deep inside me that
I'm feeling every ripple all the way through to my core. His tongue flicks
against my neck and then the bite feels…hot. Strangely hot. I whimper as the
heat spreads through my neck and then into my veins. It's like fire is coursing
through me.
Liam whispers my name again, lifting his mouth from my throat. His teeth
lightly scrape against my jaw and then he licks my skin, his breath searing
and fanning against my cheek. He holds me tight against him and won't let
me go, not even when the world starts to fade and go black around me.
Something tells me that he'll never let me go again. It's the only reason I don't
panic as I sink into oblivion.
Liam's got me.
 28

LIAM

I growl against my mate's throat as her scent changes, slowly

mingling with my own. The taste of her is on my lips, on my
tongue, the feel of her small body quaking against mine, her cunt gripping me
tight. She sags against me, her eyes closing, and I hold her close, waiting.
Andrea.
I remember her now.
Memories are starting to trickle in, memories clouded by the madness.
I…have not always been mad. I know her. I know her scent, and I know
where she comes from. Other faces flash through my memory. A boy with a
chipped tooth. A man with a dog. A dark-skinned woman that is friends with
my Andrea. More and more faces flit through my memory, but Andrea's is
the one that keeps coming up. Andrea laughing as she guards the gate to the
fort. Andrea with her shotgun on her shoulder as she walks. Andrea's hips
with that little saunter. Andrea's wistful expression as she gazes up at the
stars. Andrea as she gasps, holding on to me as I make her climax, my face
between her thighs as she stands over me.
My thoughts are full of Andrea, and they bring me joy.
That feeling of joy washes more of the madness away. It hovers at the edges
of my thoughts, ready to flood forward if given the chance, but the scent of
the woman in my arms keeps them at bay. I hold her close as we lie on the
stone-covered ground together, cradling her against me. I touch her strands of
golden hair, so soft and silky compared to my own. I touch her delicate pale
skin and the curves of her belly. I touch the curls that hide her cunt from my
view but capture her fragrance so wonderfully. Just touching her settles my
mind.
My mind is still murky, but the longer I sit and hold her, the more my
thoughts return.
Sickness. I remember this. I raise one hand into the air, a vague memory of a
metal tube with a note in it. I held it once…how long ago was that? A few
hours? A day? Two? However long it has been, it's gone now. My shorn
claws have grown out some, the ends jagged, and I study them. I will need to
keep them short so I don't inadvertently harm my Andrea. I bury my face
against her neck and breathe in her scent.
Wake soon, I tell her impatiently. I miss you.
There's no response. Not yet. I can feel her mind gently opening to mine,
though, like a desert flower unfurling petal by petal. She's coming to me, but
she's not there yet. So I stroke her, and wait, and try to remember human
things to counter the stench of the human place around me and the madness
that sends little tendrils through my mind.
When she wakes up, we will talk. We will kiss, and mate, and I will fill her
with my seed, and her mind will touch mine…and then I will be whole again.
My cock aches, desperate to pump into her body, to fill her with my spend,
but I cannot take her while she adjusts to my fires.
There will be time enough for that later.
I croon soft sounds at my mate and tuck her against me, closing my eyes.
Even though my body aches fiercely with the need to claim her, and the
madness threatens at the edges of my mind…I feel content for the first time
in what feels like forever.
She has given this to me.
My Andrea.
The human world is quiet around us as she sleeps, my fires seeping into her
scent. I love the way it’s changing, absorbing my essence into her spirit, until
her scent becomes maddeningly intoxicating. It was already irresistible. Now
that she smells like I’ve claimed her, she’s that much more appealing. I
breathe in deep, enjoying her scent and the way her body curves against
mine. She twitches in her sleep, and I feel in her mind when she begins to
rouse.
Her thoughts immediately go to me, full of concern and hope.
I am here, I tell her, and gently nuzzle her throat.
I can feel the wonder in her thoughts. Oh. Oh…your thoughts are in mine.
Are we joined?
I can’t help but tease her with a little thrust of my hips. You can’t tell?
Pleasure spirals through her, evident in her thoughts. She responds,
distracted. You…you know what I mean. We’re connected in our heads.
We are. I rub my nose against her cheek, loving both the touch of her mind
and her body pressed to me. My thoughts are full of her, and there is no room
for the madness. Does it bother you?
Bother me? It’s amazing. Wonder floods her mind. I’ve been so jealous of the
closeness Amy and Rast have. How connected they are. Now I realize just
how incredible it is. It’s like there are no boundaries between us any longer.
She lifts one hand to mine, lacing our fingers. We’re together in all ways. I
love it. I love you, Atalim.
My heart, I tell her. I love you, too. Finally you are mine.
I was so worried about you. Her thoughts are tinged with fear. That you
wouldn’t be able to return to yourself.
I’m not entirely as I was, I admit. I can feel the madness ready to creep in,
and now that my thoughts are open once more, I will be vulnerable to it. But
you brought me back. With our spirits linked, you will always be there to
bring me back. I press a kiss to her neck.
Oh, I’m so glad.
Her scent is intoxicating, and the presence of her thoughts twining with my
own heightens my desire. My need for her is overwhelming, because I can
feel her body’s reaction to me. I can feel her awareness of how big my cock
is as I am seated inside her, the press of my length into her cunt. The way I
fill her to the point of distraction. You are the one who is distracting, I tease,
clasping our joined hands and stroking deep into her again.
God, she tells me, even as she gives a little gasp aloud. I never knew it would
feel like this. You’re everywhere…everything’s so deep.
We’re connected at every level. I nip at her ear even as I stroke into her again,
and her cunt shivers around my cock in response. I can feel her arousal, and I
let her feel mine, sharing my thoughts and the sensations that ripple through
my mind. Connected. I thrust again. Forever.
And you’ll never leave me again. She pushes back against me when I rock
into her, adding to the friction of our bodies.
Never.
I love you, Atalim. So much.
Hearing my name in her thoughts and the emotion attached to it makes me
utterly wild. I drive into her over and over, dragging our joined hands
between her thighs. She gasps when I toy with her clit using our twined
fingers, and in the next moment, she cries out as the climax overtakes her.
The moment she comes, I allow myself to release, too. I bury my face against
her neck and growl my release as I surge into her. I pump into her clenching
channel and empty my seed for what feels like an eternity.
Slowly, our panting breaths return to normal, and I continue to nuzzle her
neck. I can’t get enough of her scent, her touch, the flutter of her thoughts
against mine. My mate. How I’ve missed you.
I’m just glad you remember me. She squeezes my hand and I can feel her
smile.
I would know you in this world and the next, I promise her. The moment I
drank in your scent, I knew you were mine. Even in the madness, I knew. I
brush my lips over her skin. But even so…it’s different than I recall. You are
still you, but…changed?
It’s your blood. It’s changed us in little ways. Gabe can hear dragons. Benny,
too. Not as clear as how we’re speaking right now, I don’t think, but Gabe
says he can make out snatches of conversation here and there. I can pick up
the emotions when they fly overhead, sometimes. It’s like a thundercloud
settling over the fort just before they attack.
Surprising. But when I give her my fires, isn’t that a union of our spirits?
Perhaps the blood gave her a bit of drakoni life force, as well. Now that she
has mentioned her sickness, I compare the female in my arms to the one in
my memories. She’s thinner, her cheekbones more prominent, her ribs easily
counted. Have you not been eating?
Andrea gives a tiny snort. I nearly died, Atalim. These things take time to
come back from. Look, you can still see my scar. She pushes her hair away
from her ear, revealing an ugly jagged red line that’s bright against her skin.
The black lump was called a bubo. I did some research in the medical books
we have at the fort. We had the black plague and it nearly killed us. So I’m
going to be a little weak for a bit longer.
Her mind fills with memories, recent images of the others. Of Gabe, his
healthy face thin and sallow, eyes hollow. Of Benny, whose messy hair
turned dry and fell out in clumps for a week. Of another young female,
Katrina, who was so sick that her skin looked translucent, her blue veins
prominent. Of Andrea gazing down at her own wrists and seeing nothing but
bones and tendons under the skin.
I run my hand possessively down her arm, studying her. The Andrea I hold
doesn’t match the one in her memories. She looks better, healthier, and the
scar behind her ear is healed over. How long did you say I was gone?
Weeks. The simple reply is filled with devastation. So many weeks.
You must have thought I abandoned you. The realization sickens me and fills
me with self-loathing. I am not a good mate for her to abandon her the
moment she became ill. I could have lost her. The madness floods in again,
my mouth rushing with saliva even as I feel my eyes go black. Red clouds
my vision and my surroundings blur away.
Kill.
Hurt.
Destroy.
Tear this world apart.
“No, Atalim. Be calm, baby. I’m here.”
Andrea’s whisper is a splash of cool water on my mind. The madness bleeds
away as quickly as it came on. I realize I am still on the ground, my mate in
my arms. At some point I sat up, though, and our joined bodies separated. My
throat rumbles and I realize I am growling.
She faces me, her hands cupping my jaw as her eyes—bright gold—search
mine. Are you with me, Atalim?
I am here.
Focus on me. Slow your breathing. I’m right here with you. I’m not going
anywhere. Her thumbs stroke my skin.
I do as she bids, and when I am myself again, I let out a long sigh and pull
her close against me. Now that my mind is open, I must be more careful not to
let my emotions rule me.
“You have me. I won’t let you lose yourself,” she says, and gives me a sweet
smile.
I nearly lost you.
“No, you saved me,” she corrects gently. “And you shifted forms to try and
save me. And I’m going to spend the rest of my life saving you each and
every day. We’re a team.”
“My beautiful Andrea,” I murmur, and then decide that I like mental speech
better. It feels like a return home, comforting and familiar. I never have to use
human speech again.
“Yes, but I like the way you say my name,” she tells me, putting a hand on
my chest and pushing me backward to the cobblestones. “It’s sexy.”
I rumble with amusement. Her thoughts are pricking in an interesting
direction, mating on her mind as she bears me to the ground. A flashed image
picked up from her captures my attention. She…wants to straddle me?
Oh yeah. Her thought is husky with arousal and paired with a mental image
of her guiding my cock into her cunt as she slides down on top of me and
then rocks her hips over mine, driving me into her body. Is it okay if I’m on
top? Or is that not done?
I don’t care if it’s done or not. I watch avidly as she slides one thigh over my
hip and then moves over me, her slick folds moving against my cock. Now
that I’ve seen it in your mind, I want it.
You did say humans were creative, remember? We can do this in all kinds of
ways. And she fills my mind with images of us together. Of me, mounted on
top of her, our faces close together instead of me taking her from behind. Of
her rising atop me. Of both of us on our sides, our mouths between each
other’s thighs…
I growl with lust, grabbing her hips and dragging the wet heat of her cunt
over my cock. I’m aching with need for her, but I want her to feed me into
her cunt like she did in the mental image she sent. Do it, I tell her. Quick.
My teasing Andrea only gives a throaty little laugh and arches her hips,
rubbing her cunt against my length. Or what?
Or I will spend my seed on your skin and shame us both.
“Oh, my love,” she murmurs, her fingers gripping my length as she raises her
hips. “There’s no shame in anything we do together. Sometime soon I’m
going to let you paint my face with that seed of yours, and you can see how
sexy it is.” She licks her lips, looking feral with need, and it makes need slam
through me.
She grips me, teasing the head at her slick entrance. With another playful
move, she circles her hips, her cunt enveloping just the head of my cock
before she flexes and pulls away again. I growl at being robbed of her
warmth, and when she does it again, this time I plant my hands on her hips
and thrust her down on my length, driving into her.
Andrea’s gasp and the flood of arousal in her mind are delicious. “Cheater,”
she manages in a choked voice.
Are you complaining? I arch up against her, rocking my hips to drive into
her.
“You’re backseat driving,” she protests, gasping. Her back arches. “Armchair
quarterbacking. I’m supposed to be in control.”
You are, I promise her, and then lift her slightly, only to thrust her down onto
my length again. You’ve mounted me and claimed me as your own. I’m just…
helping.
“Oh god,” she moans, and her hands move to my chest, spreading wide as if
she needs to hold onto me. “Keep helping, that feels so good.”
I watch, fascinated, as I shuttle her hips up and down over my cock. I like this
position, because I can look down and see her cunt sucking me deep every
time I pull her down over me. More than that, all I have to do is look up to
see her breasts bounce each time I drag her cunt down in a reverse-thrust. Her
mouth works in a silent cry, her head thrown back, and her nails dig into my
flesh.
I like the way humans mate, I decide, and when her cunt clenches tight
around me with her release, I growl and pin her hips against mine as I spurt
my seed deep into her, filling her with my fires again. This time, when her
release finishes gripping her, Andrea collapses over me, her breasts rubbing
against my chest as she lies atop me. I enjoy the feel of her sweaty skin
against mine, her cunt still clasping me in her body, her thighs pressing
against my hips. Her hair falls against my shoulder and she sighs, pressing
her cheek against my chest. Her scent is sweaty and musky with mating, and
she wears my scent more with every moment that passes.
It makes me growl low with pleasure. I like this.
Andrea chuckles low, and her breath fans over my chest. “Of course you do,
you’re a man.”
You didn’t like it?
“I didn’t say that.” I can practically feel her blushing. “I just don’t feel the
need to declare it aloud.” Her thoughts grow pert. If I didn’t like it, I’d tell
you. And she sends me a mental image of her small fist crashing into my jaw.
A laugh rumbles up my throat. You know that’d just turn me on.
“Freak,” she mutters, but she sounds happy.
 29

ANDI

W e lie in the courtyard in front of the bank building all glorious

afternoon and fuck like bunnies. By the time the sun starts to
set, my skin is sticky enough that leaves are sticking to my ass and I’m pretty
sure I’ve picked up an inch of dirt and dust from all the rolling around on the
brick cobblestones that we’ve done. Liam—my sexy, sexy Atalim—looks
just as delicious as ever, of course. His hair’s wild and crazy, sticking up in
every direction, but it somehow just makes him look more dashing.
Me, I probably look like I fought with a possum and lost.
You’re beautiful, he tells me, nuzzling the inside of my thigh as if he’s ready
to go down on me again for the fourth—fifth? sixth?—time in the last few
hours. I could drink in your scent and the sight of you like this forever.
His words just make me thirsty, though, and I realize how parched my throat
is. “I need to hydrate if we’re going to keep going,” I point out, and glance
over at my bag. It’s about twenty feet away, near the base of the flagpole, and
it might as well be twenty miles. I can’t muster the energy to cross the short
distance to get it.
You’re thirsty? I can feel his thoughts change, his protectiveness sweeping
aside his lust. You should have said something earlier. I don’t want you
making yourself sick. And he jumps to his feet, his hard erection stabbing the
air instead of my pussy as he gets up and walks away.
Hmph.
“Okay, I guess we should take a break,” I tell him, eyeing my naked body as I
sit up. It’s pink and flushed all over and I wonder if I should have stopped to
apply sunblock before the Dragon-Fuck-A-Thon. Oh well. I glance up at the
skies, and even though the sun is setting, it looks like a thick wall of clouds is
rolling in. As if to punctuate that point, thunder rumbles. “I think that’s a
sign. That and the leaves I’m going to be picking out of my buttcrack.”
He crouches next to me, touching my jaw and then running a hand down my
arm. I can feel his craving in my head, his incessant need to touch me, to
remind himself that I’m there. I don’t mind that at all, honestly. It’s nice to
feel so utterly wanted. It’s a little intense to feel his thoughts in mine, but I
trust him. We should get you someplace safe.
“Safe sounds good.”
I’ll take you to my tower. My nest.
“Your nest?” For some reason, it surprises me to hear that. When I hear
“nest” I think “home” and I never thought of this place as his actual…home.
Just as a place he was hiding out. In my mind, his home is with me, and my
home is still Fort Shreveport.
My nest, he agrees, his eyes whirling gold with pleasure as he helps me to my
feet. He dusts leaves and twigs off of my skin with gentle fingers, looking
over me protectively. Drakoni instinct tells me that I must have a nest to
protect my mate. Even madness can’t drive out all instinct, and protecting
that which is mine? That always comes first. He brushes a sweaty lock of hair
off my brow and smiles at me. I think, somehow, I knew I was waiting for
you. I wasn’t surprised when I smelled you on the wind. It was more of a
relief. Like you’d finally found me. So perhaps I’ve been waiting for you to
come all this time.
“Whatever it was, I’m here now.” I beam up at him, feeling so happy and
light that I feel like a human rainbow. “Show me your nest, then.”
He grins, all flashing sharp teeth, and in the next moment, Atalim’s “human”
face is gone and in its place is the monstrously huge golden form. Dragon
wings unfurl, and massive legs stretch, his tail flicking on the street as he
uncurls his enormous body.
I freeze, instinct warning me to run and hide. Dragons are danger, my lizard
brain reminds me. Dragons kill. And for a moment, I feel his brain stab
through with violence, his sudden surging lack of control piercing my
thoughts. I can feel, just for a brief second, everything that pushes against his
mind. It’s like a television station where there’s nothing but static dots, and
each of those thoughts is a violent, bloodthirsty image.
It’s gone just as quick as it arrives, though, and then Liam lowers his
enormous head, his eyes level with mine.
Are you afraid?
“No, just not used to it,” I admit. I reach out a hand to touch his snout. “It’ll
take me a little time to get used to the idea of you supersized like this.”
Take all the time you need. He gives his head a little side-to-side movement,
as if indicating I should scratch his nose. Or rub more of your scent on me, he
teases. I liked that.
I tap a finger against one scale in a chiding manner. “I was trying to get your
attention.”
Oh, you got it all right. He rumbles, and it feels like amusement.
I run my hand along the very end of his snout, a little awed by how big he is.
The scales here are practically palm-sized, and his eyes are the size of
hubcaps. They’re as gold as his scales, though, which makes me incredibly
happy. “Look at how gorgeous you are,” I murmur, studying the long, elegant
wings tucked against his body and his serpentine tail. “You look amazing as a
dragon, Atalim. Not that you’re not sexy as a human, too.”
The dragon snorts, and his head nudges me. Never human. You take that
back. That is just a two-legged form.
I give his nose another teasing thump. “But you don’t mind that I’m human?”
Not at all. I love everything about you. The big nose rubs up and down my
belly, and then lower, to my thighs. Especially your scent.
I push his nose away, blushing. I can feel the arousal starting to flood through
his thoughts, and I know if we get distracted, I’m going to be on the
cobblestones all night long. And while the idea is a pretty delicious one, it’ll
be hard on my hands and knees. “Concentrate, Atalim. Nest, remember? I
hope you’ve got someplace comfy for a bed, because I have a feeling we’re
going to be in there for a while.”
Hours and hours and days and days, he agrees, and reaches for me.
My heart skitters in my throat as the claws enclose me, but a moment later,
he’s rubbing his muzzle against my hair and my mind is filled with loving,
affectionate thoughts, and I remember there’s absolutely nothing to be scared
of when it comes to this dragon.
He’s my dragon.
Entirely yours, he agrees.
Thunder booms overhead, making me jump.
A rumble of laughter echoes in my mind, and then Liam's blunted claws
gently close around me. He lifts me and pulls me against his chest, tucking
me close, and then hands me my bag, the heavy thing dwarfed in his massive
golden foreleg. Hold on, he tells me, and then his big body surges and we're
in the air.
I jolt in his grip, feeling weightless and slightly seasick as he lunges into the
air and I'm pulled back and forth as he flaps his wings, surging upward. I
knew dragons were powerful, but it's like I can feel every muscle of his
moving and it makes for a very rocky ride. My stomach does not approve,
and I press a hand over my mouth to try and stop the inevitable vomit that
rises. I was never good on rollercoasters, either.
It is not far, he promises. Do you need to be let down?
No, I'm cool, I tell him, even as my mouth waters and fills with saliva. Totally
cool.
He makes a sound in his throat and then tilts his claws until I'm lying on my
side, prone, and in the next moment, I vomit on the cobblestones below.
Cool must mean something different than what I thought.
Motion sickness, I tell him. I just need to get used to the rough ride.
It'll be better if we get you a saddle like Amy has, he promises me as his
wings flap harder and we rise higher. You won't move around as much. As if
to help out, he clasps his other claws around me, doubling his grip, and I'm
less jostled as he tucks me even closer against him.
Not sure that's wise, I tell him, feeling faint and nauseated as I press my
forehead to his scaly chest. I can feel his muscles move, flexing as he flies.
You can puke on me, my fires. It won't change how I feel. He sends a wave of
sympathy and affection through his thoughts. Isn't that one of your human
vows? Through sickness and health?
I think we've had enough sickness to last us a lifetime. Let's just be done with
that part. I try to burrow closer to him, even though it feels a bit like
snuggling up to a furnace. He's giving off all kinds of crazy heat in dragon
form, but being closer to him helps, oddly enough—as does the fact that he's
gliding in the air instead of muscling upward to gain height.
Liam's right, though, the flight's a short one. We're not airborne for very long
before he lands with a thump and a muted apology in his thoughts, and then
he's gently setting me on the ground. My eyes are closed, so I feel in his
thoughts that we've arrived before my feet touch the ground, and when I open
them, I see his “nest.”
It's a hoarder's paradise.
The building must have been an office at some point—most of the tallest
buildings are—but it's clear that this was the big guy's private chambers,
because it's a massive, open room with a massive, warped wooden desk that
snakes around the missing windows. There's a gigantic hole in one side of the
building, which is how we got in, but on the wall there's a water-damaged
painting that's bigger than my old bedroom and a cluster of office chairs.
That's not all, though. There's just…stuff. So much stuff.
I have no idea how he got so much crap up here so quickly, but it's obvious
he's been working hard. I step forward, stunned past my nausea as I gaze at
the couches clustered together against a wall. On the opposite side of the
couches are a few chairs, and I'm pretty sure I see a bed in the distance. There
are also bicycles, empty planters, dishes, a claw footed tub, shopping carts,
and boxes and boxes of random stuff. One wall is full of rusty, oversized cans
of food and I'm pretty sure there's a children's jungle gym tossed over
something in the back.
"What is all this stuff, Atalim?"
It's for you, he tells me. I think…if I smelled something that was for humans,
or if it pinged a memory, I took it. He lumbers into the room and then nudges
a pile of oversized, tasseled pillows and they go tumbling to the ground. Sit.
Get comfortable.
"This is just so weird."
Is it? I was making a nest for my mate. Even in my madness, I was trying to
think of things that would appeal to you. Is it that bad?
My gaze falls on a shopping cart full of toys, and a little giggle escapes me.
"Just a bit random, I think."
I'll blame the insanity then. He nudges me with his big nose. Sit. Relax. You
don't feel well.
"I'm okay," I promise him, but I do as he says. I step over the weird piles of
pillows and sit down on an oversized, striped sofa. It's slightly faded and
musty, but comfortable. I tuck my legs under me, pull out my canteen, and
take a few sips. "How long did it take you to gather all this shit?"
The dragon cranes his long neck, looking around at the office. I have no idea.
I might have stolen some from another dragon's nest. There's a faint scent of
another here.
I freeze, canteen halfway to my lips. "There's another dragon nearby?"
Long gone. His scent is old. Maybe he's the one that collected a lot of this
stuff.
Oh. "Do you recognize who it is?"
No. Just that the scent is that of a male dragon. His thoughts grow possessive
and his eyes flare just a little darker. I'm not sharing you.
"I'm not interested in being shared," I admit. "So calm down."
He looms over me, hunkering down directly across from my sofa and flicking
the pillows out of the way like an enormous cat. I will be territorial of you for
a while, fair warning. You're mine finally and I'm not going to let you get
away.
"I am totally and completely okay with that." I look over at one of the
shopping carts, see a sex toy in a box, and choke on my water just a little.
"Ah, so what's the plan?" I ask between coughing fits.
For now? Your stomach gets better, and then I feed you and claim your body
over and over again until you wear my scent like a robe. His eyes gleam, as
golden as his scales.
I squirm a little to hear that, pleasure shooting through my body. "Sounds like
a pretty good evening to me. And tomorrow?"
Tomorrow? Mm. He considers for a moment and then focuses that intense
draconic gaze on me again. Tomorrow, I think…I will feed you and then
claim your body over and over again until you wear my scent like a robe.
Again.
"Well, they do say consistency is key." I keep my voice light even as I
squeeze my thighs tightly together. "So the game plan is lots of sex and
food." His eyes seem to gleam even brighter, and my mind flickers with a lot
of sexy mental images that slide in from his thoughts. "But I meant…what
about the future? Do you want to go back to Fort Shreveport ever? Or is this
your home now? You mentioned territory…does that mean you'll never want
to leave it?"
Benny is there.
"He is," I agree, sipping more water. My stomach is churning nervously again
for some reason. "But I've learned that Benny doesn't need me nearly as much
as I think he does."
But he is your family, Liam continues. Fort Shreveport is your home. I want
you to be able to go to your home, but…my instincts might fight me on that. A
drakoni with a mate stakes out territory for himself and their young. It might
be difficult for me to be in Rast's territory with you and not view his presence
as a challenge. I feel stable right now, and in my right mind, but that could
change. He leans in, nuzzling at my hand as if he can fit his enormous head
into my lap somehow. I would hate to tear his throat out if he looked at you.
"Whoa, whoa," I murmur, putting the cap on my canteen and tossing it aside.
I put my hands on his scaly snout, trying to focus his attention. "Rast would
look at me at some point. He can't just avoid gazing in my direction because
it'll bother you."
Why not? I avoid looking at his mate as much as possible.
Huh. I can tell he's not lying. Even in his thoughts, Amy's face is clouded as
if he doesn't want to think about her, and her presence is less individual and
more “Rast's mate” in his head than “Amy.”
"I don't think Rast is looking at anyone sexually other than Amy," I tell him,
stroking his nose. "But I get what you're saying. I would like to go back, but
we'll figure it out. If we can't stay, then we can't stay. It's as simple as that."
Liam goes still against me. In the next moment, the dragon disappears and
I'm holding onto empty air instead of his muzzle. Liam walks across the
crowded floor of his “nest,” kicking aside pillows, and then slides next to me
on the couch, his arms going around me. "You would leave everything
behind for me?" he murmurs, the thought echoing in his mental speech. I can
feel his shock—and pleasure—at my response.
Silly man. "Why do you think I'm here?" I tell him gently, my thoughts so
full of love for him that I feel like bursting. "You're everything to me, Atalim.
Everything in the world. I'm not whole without you by my side." I cup his
jaw in my hand, admiring his gorgeous face. "How can you possibly think I'd
go back to Fort Shreveport without you? There's nothing for me there if
you're here."
"Your brother…"
"Can survive on the occasional visit," I tell him, letting my fingers trace his
gorgeous mouth. "He'd probably prefer that to his sister hovering over him.
And me, I have to realize that he's his own person and I'm allowed to be
mine." I smile up at him.
"I'd rather you be mine," he tells me, his eyes heating.
Oh, I'd rather be his, too. I slide my arms around his neck, but when he leans
in to kiss me, I avert my face. "You probably don't want to kiss me right
now," I tell him with a little shake of my head. "Not until I rinse my mouth
out a few more times."
"As if I care about that?" But he lightly brushes his lips over my cheek
instead. "I love you, Andrea. My sweet fires. I still can't believe you came
after me."
"I'll always come after you," I promise him. "No matter where you go, I'm
going to follow. I won't leave you. You were there for me in my darkest
moments, and I plan on doing the same for you."
Liam's eyes go dark. "I left you when you needed me. I abandoned you when
you were sick."
"No," I correct gently. "You risked everything to try and save me. You gave
up everything you had to try—no one could ever ask for more."
"You are everything to me, my mate," Liam murmurs thickly, tracing a finger
down my cheek. And I feel it in my head, and in my heart, and I let him know
that I feel exactly the same way.
He's perfect.
 30

ANDI

I wake up, hours later, squeezed against him on the couch. His big
body takes up most of the room, but I don’t mind because his
arms are wrapped around me, holding me close. It’s as if he thinks I’m going
to disappear while he sleeps, so he has to hold me extra tight. Even as I slide
out of his grip, his arms tighten around me.
Stay, he tells me sleepily.
I’m coming back, I promise him, the mental speech still feeling a little strange
but oddly intimate. I have to find the bathroom.
I will come with you. His eyes open and his possessiveness surges.
God, no. Let a girl take a pee by herself please. When his thoughts flare at
the thought of me leaving his side, I poke his nose and try to bring him back
down. Do you smell anyone else nearby?
No, he admits grudgingly.
Then I’ll be fine. I promise I won’t be long. I lean down, kiss him, and then
head off to find the bathroom from last night. There’s one here, and while the
toilet doesn’t flush without me pulling on the chain in the tank, the sink
works. I do my business and then primp in the mirror for a few moments,
trying to smooth out my terrible hair. I give myself a quick freshening up,
rinse my mouth out to get rid of morning breath, and eventually re-braid my
still-awful hair.
You’re beautiful, Liam sends to me, his thoughts sleepy. I like your hair
messy. It makes me think I’m the one that disheveled you.
I can feel his thoughts take a decidedly sexy turn, and it makes my body
quiver deep inside. That’s because you grab my hair a lot, I tease back. I feel
so light and happy that it’s like I’ve swallowed the sun. I hope he can feel my
joy. My Atalim, my love, my gorgeous, sexy man, is back and waiting for me
to return to his side so we can make love again. Was ever a girl so very
lucky?
When I return, my gorgeous dragon-man is sprawled on the couch, one arm
above his head. His torso is nothing but rippling muscle, and he watches me
with sleepy, whirling golden eyes that take my breath away. Actually, all of
him takes my breath away, especially the half-erect length of him resting on
one big thigh. Even like this, he's bigger than any man I've been with in the
past, and I'm drawn to him like a moth to flame.
I like it when you look at me like that.
"Are you kidding?" I murmur, moving forward. My fingers are itching to
touch him all over. "Now I can touch you without worrying if you're going to
lose control, so get ready for me to look at you like this a lot."
Oh, I'll still lose control.
"Yeah, but that's the point." I sit next to him on a tiny slice of couch, just big
enough for my hip to rest on. "I want to see you lose control. I want to be the
one that makes you lose control, too." I watch as his big, beautiful cock
stiffens and grows even more erect under my gaze, and I sigh with pleasure. I
forget all about going back to bed and decide that I've had enough sleep. It's
time to explore my Liam's gorgeous body.
I lightly trail my fingers down one rock-hard side, admiring the flat planes of
his belly. He's not hollow from starvation, or flabby from a lifetime of
leisure. Instead, he's rippled with muscle, and so damn appealing that I want
to lick him all over.
It reminds me that while he loves to spend time between my thighs, he's
never let me reciprocate, not how I wanted to, because he was afraid he'd
burn me. But…that was before I took his fires.
A wicked grin curves my lips.
Your thoughts. I can hear all of them. His lips are parted, the tips of his fangs
showing, and he's panting slightly.
"I guess there's no surprising you in this relationship, then," I murmur, even
as I sink to my knees on the floor so I'm at the proper height to do this.
You constantly surprise me, he admits, reaching out to caress my braid. With
how eager you are for my touch. I am the luckiest male in the world for you
to see me and look at me with joy and hunger instead of like I'm a monster.
"Never," I tell him. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me." When
he sits upright, I put my hands on his big, golden thighs and lean forward. His
cock stabs at the air, mouthwateringly close to my face, but I want to play a
little more. I let my breath graze over the tip, noting that it's already beaded
with precum. "I'm glad you're mine. I think I'd scratch the eyes out of any
woman who looked at you. You can't walk around naked like Rast. I'm too
jealous."
He growls low in his throat, pleased at my covetous thoughts. Because you
don't want them to look at me?
That's right, I say, letting my thoughts speak instead of spoken words. I
lightly brush my lips over the head of his cock and taste a sweet spiciness,
almost like cinnamon. Amazing. I lick his flavor from my lips, loving that I
can do this now. You're mine and I'm a possessive bitch. I'd have to fight
anyone that thought she could take you from me.
Liam growls again. Are you saying such aggressive things because you know
it turns me on? That drakoni men like a fierce female?
Maybe. But it's the truth. I curl my fingers around his length, testing his girth.
My, but he's thick. I should know that, since he's been deep inside me, but I'm
constantly amazed at him every time we touch. That something so perfect
could be mine to touch and caress, mine to lick and stroke and take deep into
my mouth and—
Andrea.
The ragged need in his thoughts makes my pulse race. I waste no more time,
lowering my mouth and taking him deep. I slide his length along my tongue,
pulling him as far in as I can, wanting to blow his mind with this new way of
pleasure. Think of my mouth like my pussy, I tell him. Hot and wet and
clasping you tight.
His breath shudders and his hand goes to my braid. He winds it around his
hand twice and then grips it tightly, holding me pinned against him. You…
like this?
Doing this to you? Oh yes. So much. I love the heat of him filling my mouth,
the taste of him, the feel against my tongue when I pull back and then take
him deep again. I love how he's so big that it makes my jaw ache and my lips
feel tight as I strain to take him in, and how I can't even take half of him into
my mouth because he's so big, so I tighten my grip on his shaft and use my
hand to try and stroke the rest of him. I want to suck on him, but he's too big.
All I can do is take him deep and work my mouth over his length.
Not that it matters to Liam. I can feel the pleasure exploding through his
mind, and his hips move in a small thrust, pushing deep until he hits the back
of my throat. His thoughts touch mine, as if making sure that I'm still
enjoying, and then he participates more, pushing my head down and forcing
me ever so slightly deeper with each motion, because he knows it excites us
both. I work him with lips and tongue and fist, utterly lost in the moment, his
scent enveloping me, his taste in the back of my throat, and the
overwhelming power of him in my mouth. I'm so caught up that I don't
realize I'm moaning around him until it echoes in his thoughts, how much he
loves the sounds I'm making, and how the scent of my arousal hangs heavy in
the air.
Liam's hand tightens on my head, and I can feel a shudder ripple through
him. Pull away, Andrea. I need to spill my seed inside you.
I hold tighter, taking him deeper, until I'm practically choking on him. You're
inside me right now.
With a fierce growl, he floods my mouth with his release, his cock shuttling
in my mouth even as he comes. It spills over past my lips and down my chin,
overwhelming me. His taste is incredible, but more than that, I love feeling
his release through our connection. I can tell how sexy he finds me, how
much love he has for me, and suddenly blow jobs just might be my favorite
thing in the world.
You should have let me come in your cunt, he chides me, collapsed back
against the couch, his hand stroking my hair as I lift my head and swipe a
hand over my lips. Female drakoni do not let a mate spend anywhere but
deep inside them.
Then it's good you mated a human, I tell him, crawling into his lap, because
we are freaks in the bedroom.
He pauses, his hand going around my waist. Should we have been in the
bedroom?
Figure of speech. Just a saying.
His eyes gleam. Good. His hand steals under my clothing, his fingers
pressing against the hot, wet heat of my pussy. Because now it's my turn.
And who am I to argue?
 31

LIAM

A fter another day of repeated matings, Andrea is so marked with my

scent that it’s difficult to tell where her scent ends and mine
begins…which is just how I like it. And because she’s so covered in my
scent, her blood singing with my fires, we decide to chance a return to Fort
Shreveport.
“If nothing else,” she says as she gets dressed for the flight, “We can get the
rest of my things and return here.”
I love that she is so willing to be with me, no matter what it costs her, but I
want to try to return to the fort. I know she loves it and her people. I know
her brother is there, and her friends, and it would be hard for someone as
protective as my Andrea to leave them all on their own. We’ll try to return,
and I hope it won’t be as bad as I worry it will. I hope that I have enough
control that Rast’s presence doesn’t bother me. He’s a good guy, and devoted
to his mate.
Even so…I worry I won’t be able to hold it together for Andrea.
“It’ll be fine,” she reassures me, and she must have picked up my worry from
my thoughts. She moves to my side and wraps her arms around my waist,
pressing her cheek to my chest. “Just that you’re trying is enough for me.”
I hope that she’s right. I hold her close, breathing in her lovely scent and
enjoying the feel of her body. It’s distracting, though, and our mating is new
enough that having her like this makes me want to claim her again. She
chuckles and pulls away, her thoughts promising that we can do whatever we
want tonight, but for now we should fly out while it’s not raining.
She packs her bag full of her things, and throws in extra clothing for me that
she found somewhere in this mess, and then she’s ready to go. I give her one
last, thorough kiss before I shift to battle form and take her gently in my
claws. Since we’re higher up, my launch isn’t as rough on her, but I still feel
the sickness well up in her belly as we take off. I need to do better, if nothing
else so my mate can fly with me in comfort…because I’m never letting her
out of my sights again.
Being in battle form and flying is hard on my mind. The constant change of
scents carried in the wind, the feel of power in my wings and the burn of
smoke in my lungs allows the wildness to creep in. I try to keep my focus on
Andrea, and when she senses my struggle, she starts a constant stream of
conversation, telling me about each building that we pass and what its
purpose was back in the Before. This building was just televisions, she tells
me. This one for cheap items, this one for crafts. Of course, then she has to
explain to me “cheap” and “crafts” and it’s enough to keep both of us focused
until Fort Shreveport appears on the horizon. There’s a scent of old smoke in
the air and a female lurking nearby, but as I approach, the female takes off.
She is not interested in challenging, a voice offers, touching my mind. She is
just curious. She watches more than she attacks now.
Rast. I know him without seeing him, and a moment later, when the gold
launches into the air and wings out to greet us, I can feel Andrea tense against
me. Hello, I greet cautiously, using a human phrase. Long time no see.
How do you fare, Liam?
Atalim. And I struggle, but it is easier with my mate at my side. I flood his
thoughts with possessive pride in my claiming of Andrea, letting him know
that not only is she mine, but that I will tear apart any that try to come
between us.
I can feel his acknowledgment, and he sends a similar barrage of mental
images and scents of Amy, his mate. He is sending me the same warning, and
for some reason, it makes me feel better. He will not try to interfere with my
mate, for all that I am in his territory.
I understand.
Will you be staying?
I am not certain, I admit, as we angle low, flying in.
Tell him I said hi, Andrea calls to me, patting my scales. Her thoughts
interrupt Rast’s connection, flooding my mind with her sweet presence.
That’s Rast, right? Tell him and Amy we’re coming to visit. And tell them I’m
going to beat Benny’s ass if he took off again.
I love the surge of her thoughts in mine, and send a flood of affection to her.
Rast flits away on the wind, soaring past and then settling on the roof of a
nearby building. He shakes his wings out and keeps his head lifted high, and I
recognize his stance. He’s not relaxing—this is a watchful drakoni lording
over his territory.
You are welcome here, he tells me. But this is my nest.
Agreed. I hold Andrea closer to my chest. I will tolerate Rast’s lordship over
us temporarily, but I do not know if I will be able to endure it long term.
Already my thoughts prick with irritation, demanding a confrontation, a
battle for territory. The need to attack flares at the edge of my mind, sending
in red tendrils of anger to pollute my thoughts.
I’m here, Andrea tells me. There’s no need to attack. We’re not interested in
taking over his territory. Her hand is small and cool against my scales, a
welcome distraction. We’ll visit and then go home, okay? We don’t have to
stay. Her thoughts are soothing, as is the love she pushes into my thoughts
with all the grace of a sledgehammer.
I adore her for it. You would make a new home with me, then?
Pfft. As if you can leave my ass behind. I’m going to bring new definition to
the term “clingy girlfriend” so be ready for that.
Her thoughts make this sound as if it’s a bad thing. I like the thought of you
clinging to me. What are you wearing in all this clinging?
Andrea’s laughter peals through the air. As little as possible?
I rumble with amusement, even as I settle on the roof of the gym at Fort
Shreveport for a landing. Tell me more. I like this clinging idea.
I’ll save that for later, when we’re alone. She looks up at me, her gold eyes
shining bright with affection. For now, let’s go say hi to everyone, okay?
Very well. I set her down oh-so-gently, watching as she plants her feet on the
roof and stretches, working out the cramps in her legs from her long ride. She
rolls her shoulders and then does a little bounce that reminds me of that
cocky swing of her hips that I love so much.
With a toss of her fat braid, she looks over her shoulder at me. Can you shift
forms? I’ll get your clothes, unless you want to show the world how utterly
badass you are in dragon form.
I love the pride in her voice, and it makes my possessive side surge again.
The need to grab her and drag her out of Rast’s territory flares through my
thoughts. To take her far away, rip her clothes off, and claim her again.
Just as quickly, Andrea’s thoughts touch mine and she cools the ferocity
warring in my head. We can do that later. I promise. I’ll even wear something
you can rend with your claws if that’s your kink.
I rumble with laughter, and in the next moment, I’m in my two-legged form,
crouching low on the roof and utterly naked. My mate walks up to me, that
delicious swagger in her hips, and holds out a shirt. “You’re doing fucking
fantastic, baby. I’m so proud of you.”
She knows just what I need to hear, it seems, and I straighten, give her a
hungry kiss, and then take the shirt from her hands. I still hate human
clothing, but it reminds me of how to be Liam instead of Atalim, so I put it
on. “Thank you, Andrea,” I tell her as I put on the sweatpants she hands me
next.
“For what?” I can feel her genuine curiosity in her thoughts.
“For keeping me centered when my thoughts veer off course.” I kiss her
again, just because I love kissing her and love the way her mind responds
when I do, how it goes blank and then slowly fills with pleasure, as if she
forgets the world when my mouth is on hers.
“We’re a team,” she tells me between kisses, and I can feel her fierce
protectiveness of me. “I’m yours and you’re mine and we’re in this together.”
No wonder I love this female so much.

ANDI
To my relief, Liam seems to calm once he’s in his human form. Maybe it’s
habit that when he puts on human clothes, it’s time to shore up the mental
walls, but whatever it is, I’m relieved when I feel his mind quiet. We go
down the ladder to get off the roof, and the moment we step inside the gym,
my brother Benny rushes up and gives me a hug.
“Welcome back, sis,” he gushes, uncharacteristically affectionate for a
teenager.
Startled, I hug Benny close. Was he worried about me? How sweet is that?
Maybe he needs his big sister after all.
The moment I think that, he pulls away, clears his throat, and then nods at
Liam. “’Sup. Glad to see you’re back, bro.”
“You too, bro,” Liam says, and manages to sound relatively normal, which is
hilarious. Surprisingly, he offers a fist, and Benny bumps it. What? I told you
I was good at fitting in.
Yeah, but I didn’t realize you were that good.
There’s a lot of stuff I’m that good at. His tone is sultry and amused at the
same time.
I can feel my face go crimson. “So how are things?” My voice is a little too
light and shaky to be casual. “How’s Katrina?”
He rolls his eyes at me. “Fine. You gonna bust my balls about having a
girlfriend?”
Oh my god, she’s his girlfriend?
Her scent is all over him, Liam tells me.
The parental part of me is freaking out. Benny’s too young for that sort of
thing. But I know my brother, and I know he’s as stubborn as I am, and that
lecturing wouldn’t do a damn thing. Plus, I’ve decided to go with Liam,
haven’t I? I can’t expect to keep an eagle eye on Benny when I’m running off
on my own. It’s time to let him grow up a little and give him space. The
world’s different now, and maybe the same rules don’t apply like they used
to. “No ball busting,” I promise him. “Just swear you’ll use condoms, expired
or not.”
He groans. “Jesus, Andi. We’re barely holding hands.” He crosses his arms at
me, his face bright red.
“Holding hands is a good step.” I want to reach out and tousle his hair like
he’s six years old, but I can’t do that anymore, I guess. “I think that’s great.
Let me know if you want us to look for something when we go out into the
city again. I bet she’d like a present. A surprise.”
Benny gives me a grudging look. “That’d be great. I’ll make a list.”
A list? Here I was thinking a makeup mirror and I’m going to get a shopping
list? Hope you’re ready to go scavenging, Atalim.
Always ready. He wraps an arm around my waist and presses a kiss to my
cheek. “We’ll be staying overnight,” Liam tells Benny. “And we’ll be
coming in regularly a few times a week, so no rush on the list. Take your
time.”
“Cool, so you guys aren’t staying?” Benny looks impressed. “You got a
home set up somewhere else, then? Amy says her sister has a place at the top
of a skyscraper with all kinds of furniture.”
“Liam has a place about two hours from here,” I tell him. “We’re still setting
up. Maybe you can come visit for a few days sometime.”
“Wicked. It’d be nice to have my own room for a while.” He nods at me.
“Glad you two finally got together. You seem happy.”
What a surprisingly mature and sweet thing of my brother to say. I beam at
him. “We are. Now fill me in on what we’ve missed since I’ve been gone.”
Liam and I walk with Benny towards the main building, and he tells me all
about what’s been happening. I’ve only been gone for a few days, but Benny
talks about everything that’s been going on for the last few weeks and I
realize he’s filling in Liam, too.
Gwen’s birds are mostly gone, so the old choir room has been cleaned up and
adjusted so now all of the chickens share the much-larger indoor coop with
the pigeons, and the cow has a stall there. The kids in the fort take care of the
animals, and the cow’s not producing anything right now, but they’re hopeful
to find a bull and get a calf—and then milk—out of her.
Scooter’s great and loves being in the fort, Benny tells me. No one seems to
mind that the dog’s a bit slow, because he’s super friendly and great with
even the babies. Major, Lester, and Charlie brought two cats with them, but
the others were hard to catch and they’re talking about going back and getting
the rest and bringing them to Fort Shreveport.
Gabe’s red dragon has been flaming less, but she’s still lurking, which means
Rast is constantly on alert.
That worries me a little. Is Gabe going to get booted out of the fort for the
trouble he’s bringing in? People have been kicked out for less, and I’m sure
Gabe could handle being on his own, but it still seems unfair.
Liam touches my hand, his fingers lacing with mine. Rast says no. He says
they’ll figure it out, but no one’s being kicked out.
Oh good. So the red isn’t as lost as the others?
Oh, she is. Liam squeezes my hand. I can feel her thoughts and they’re
completely and utterly chaotic. There’s no reasoning with her or talking to
her. I might as well talk to air. But I’m guessing Amy and Rast have a plan of
some kind.
“I think Amy’s in the kitchens,” Benny says a brief moment before he opens
the door to the cafeteria.
I’ve been so distracted with my mental conversation with Liam that I didn’t
notice where we were. It’s lunchtime, so the cafeteria is full of people, young
mothers and children, Luz and her wife, Melissa and her sister, the survivors
from Fort Justice, and in the corner I see Major, Lester, and Charlie, who
raise a hand in greeting.
Everyone’s staring, and for a moment, I shrivel inside. I freeze up, because
my mind can’t help but go back to Fort Tulsa, and the smirks whenever I was
with a man. The trouble those rumors caused. The men who’d confront me
late at night or sneak into my room, wanting a “taste” of what I was handing
out, and how unsafe I felt.
That’s not going to happen, Liam says in my mind, and his thoughts are
possessive and fierce. He loops a casual arm around my shoulders and pulls
me close even as Benny strolls in, and holds me against him, nibbling on my
ear and making it quite clear to everyone that I’m his and his alone. Those
people aren’t here. These people know I’m a drakoni warrior. They know
you’re mine, and I’ll gut anyone that tries to touch you. Just because you
weren’t safe in the past doesn’t mean I’ll ever let you be unsafe again.
I relax. He’s right. I look at the faces in the cafeteria, and while there are
knowing smirks as Liam makes out with my ear, for the most part, people are
smiling in our direction. They look happy for us.
That’s…new.
It’s because they like you, Liam tells me, nipping at my earlobe. They want
you to be happy. Even if it’s with a freak like me.
For some reason, tears rush into my eyes. I sniff. I am happy. And you’re not
a freak.
I can be, my sweet human. He leans back and winks at me.
And now I’m turning bright red again.
“Damn, Andi, are you gonna sit there and make out with Liam in front of
everyone or did you want to talk to Amy?” Benny’s disgusted voice cuts in.
Did I say I wanted to live near my brother? Clearly I’m delusional. I can feel
Liam’s rumble of amusement as we start forward again. “Sorry,” I say
meekly. “Show me the way.”
It looks like a meaty chili is on the menu for the fort today, and it smells
delicious. We find Amy ladling out portions, talking with Retha in the
kitchens, and her eyes widen with pleasure as she sees us. “Oh, you’re back!
Great!” She hands the ladle over to Retha and wipes her hands on the white
apron that covers her pretty yellow dress. “Do you have a minute to talk?”
“Of course,” I reply automatically, and Liam gives my hand another squeeze
in agreement.
“I’m going to eat. I’ll catch up with you later, Andi,” Benny says, but he’s
not looking at me. He’s looking past my shoulder. When I glance over, I see
Katrina waving from a spot in the cafeteria, indicating he should join her. My
brother grins at me, pats my shoulder, and then heads off.
I’m definitely second place now. Maybe I should feel a little more hurt, but
I’m mostly relieved that he’s preoccupied so I can spend my time with Liam.
Is that wrong?
You’re allowed to be happy and do as you please, Atalim tells me. It’s your
life, too.
It sounds so practical and obvious when you say it like that, I grumble.
Amy’s quiet as we head down the halls. Our pace is slow so we can keep up
with her limp, but I don’t mind. I suspect she’s lost in conversation with Rast
as I am with Liam. It’s weird, too, because as we walk, I feel a curious sense
of relief that I can’t quite figure out. Is it seeing Amy again? For some
reason, the relief continues to grow as we head toward the quarters Amy
shares with Rast.
It’s Rast, Liam tells me, and he’s surprised. He is pleased we’re here because
now Amy will worry less. You can pick up his thoughts?
No? Not really. It’s just a general feeling I couldn’t quite place. I can’t hear
him. But now that Liam mentions it, that reminds me. All of us that took your
blood, though, we can sense when a dragon attack is coming. The air feels
heavy. It’s like we’re all a bit more sensitive to emotions now.
Interesting. Your scents are all different, too. Benny smells slightly changed.
You do, too, but in all the best ways. And his eyes gleam with a heat that
makes me blush…and makes me aroused, too.
Save it for later, or else we’re going to freak out Amy, I tease him as we enter
her room.
Liam just sends his amusement to me. There’s that “freak” word again. I’m
starting to get excited every time I hear it, wondering what you have in store.
I’m blushing as Amy sits down heavily in a stuffed, padded chair. My brain’s
completely distracted, but I do my best to pay attention as she gives us an
awkward smile. “Thanks for coming back here with me. I’m sure we could
have talked in the cafeteria, but there are far too many ears, you know? Plus, I
really wanted to sit down.” She grimaces, rubbing her bad leg.
I feel a bolt of displeasure out of nowhere and step closer to Liam.
Rast again, he tells me. He doesn’t like that she works so hard. You’re
sensing that, too?
Yeah, it’s weird. I rub my aching forehead. I don’t like that I’m picking up
Rast’s emotions. That’s…new and more than a little unsettling. Maybe it’s
heightened because I took your blood and now we’re mated?
And your mind is connected to mine. Interesting. Except Liam doesn’t sound
interested.
He sounds a little displeased.
Not displeased, he corrects, picking up my thoughts. Worried for you. Is it
too much for you to be here?
Only way to find out is by being here.
“Everything okay?” Amy asks, watching us closely.
Should we tell her? I ask Liam. When he agrees, I’m relieved. I don’t like
secrets, and I’m glad we’re on the same page. I pull up a chair across from
Amy and sit down. “Minor problem,” I tell her, and confess the emotions I’m
picking up.
She comes to the same conclusion that Liam did. “Something with the blood,
then? It amplifies your psychic connection to Liam? And through him, you
can pick up traces of the others?”
I spread my hands. “Your guess is as good as mine.”
Amy drums her fingers on her lips, her expression distracted, and I can feel
that she’s having a conversation with Rast. “Is it going to be a problem for
you to stay here for a few days?” she asks. “Because I have a favor to ask.”
She looks at us expectantly and Liam turns to me. Is it my decision, then?
“I’m not sure,” I admit. “It might be hard for Liam to be here with Rast here,
and I don’t want him to suffer.”
I’ll do my best if you’re needed here, he tells me silently, brushing a finger
over my cheek.
Just because you can try doesn’t mean that I want you to. I love you too much
to watch you struggle, and you’re still re-learning a lot about your control.
You’re having a hard time right now, aren’t you?
Maybe. Behind his amusement, I can feel a hint of strain. It’s Rast’s
presence, he admits. It didn’t bother me before, because I couldn’t feel him.
My instincts were turned off. But now that they’re awake…
Everything’s a mess, I agree.
Amy raises a finger to get my attention, and I sheepishly realize we’ve been
silent, lost in a mental conversation. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. I know how it feels.” Her smile is full of sympathy and
understanding. “But before you dig in too deep with an argument, I wanted to
point out that I’m asking you to stay because the fort needs protecting and
Rast and I want to leave for a few days.”
“You won’t be here?” I echo, confused. “What do you mean?”
“My sister’s pregnant,” Amy says. “We’ve been trying to keep in contact via
Gwen’s birds, but the last one she sent was a few weeks ago. She mentioned
she wasn’t feeling well and that her belly had swelled up quite a bit. It’s
concerning to me because she’s only been pregnant for about four or five
months. She’s definitely not due anytime soon. I sent a message back, but I
haven’t heard anything and I’m worried.” Amy bites her lip. “So we want to
go visit and stay for a few days, just to make sure everything’s all right, but
with the female dragon camping out right in front of the fort, I feel like we
need someone here to watch over things and protect everyone in case she
tries anything.”
“And since we showed up…”
“Exactly.” She gives me a hopeful look. “Would you mind? We promise to
come back as quickly as possible. I just need to know that Claudia’s all right.
She’s the first person to be pregnant with a half-dragon baby and I worry
about her.”
And she touches her stomach.
Oh.
I’m thinking her sister isn’t the only one pregnant with a half-dragon baby.
“I’m fine with it if Liam can handle it.” I turn to my dragon—my mate—and
I feel a fierce sense of pride at the thought. He’s all mine.
He smiles at me, all gorgeous golden skin and flashing teeth. “If Andrea
doesn’t mind the stress of keeping me grounded, I’m good to stay.”
“Stress?” I sputter. “How is it a stress for me?”
Because you’re going to have to keep me preoccupied.
Oh. I blush again. That doesn’t sound bad to me at all. It sounds like…a
pleasure.
For both of us, my dragon-man agrees.
 32

ANDI

T he afternoon turns into busy distractions, as Amy rushes about

to prepare for her trip. She packs a bag while telling me all of
the things going on in the fort, some of which I’m aware of, and some I’m
not. Melissa’s daughter just started menstruating and is a bit hormonal. Dani
and Mara moved in together (which I knew about) and are wearing rings,
which I did not know about, but I’m happy for them both. I knew they were
close, but I guess I didn’t realize how close. Gwen will be thrilled, and I wish
she was here to share with. Maybe once we’re done here, we can visit
Claudia and Kael ourselves, and somehow get word to Gwen and Vaan in
Fort Dallas for a meet-up…but only if it’s safe for Liam.
I won’t risk him.
Some of the food has gone bad, so Amy’s been scouting local areas and has a
marked map of places with supplies. If the red takes off, we can head out to
pick some up. If not, well, there’s still plenty of unexciting corn and beans
and the occasional deer that wanders too close to the fort. Amy’s fussing like
a new mother that’s never left home before, though, and it’s kind of amusing.
“Jemma’s baby is teething,” she reminds me. “So she’s going to be fussy.
There’s been some griping by her roomies, so you might have to step in.”
“Or give her a new room,” I joke. “She can have mine.”
Amy blinks, then grabs my arm. “You’re a genius. You have the space?”
“Dani moved out weeks ago to be with Mara, remember?” I point out. “And
Gwen’s gone. And I’m going to be with Liam, so I can stay with him.
Problem solved.”
She smiles brilliantly, then hauls her overstuffed bag off her bed. She said she
was only going for a week, but in true female fashion, she’s packed enough
clothing to supply a fort all on her own, plus food supplies, a canteen,
toiletries, and extra shoes. The moment she hefts it onto her shoulder, though,
Rast comes storming into the room, an irritated look on his face. He’s utterly
naked, his big, wild mane of hair cascading down his back. He snatches the
bag from her, a growl erupting from his throat.
“Oh, you,” Amy says, exasperated. “It’s not that heavy.”
I say nothing. It looks rather heavy, and Amy’s slender and delicate. I glance
over at Liam to see how he’s handling Rast’s appearance.
I’m fine, he promises me, and his thoughts are strong and untroubled. He
clasps the back of my neck, though, in an intimate and possessive gesture,
and I decide I like it. If being manhandled and possessed and constantly
claimed as his property keeps my Atalim calm, I am all for it.
I secretly like it, anyhow.
You have no secrets with me, he purrs in my head. I’m going to remember
that you like being manhandled the next time I’m between your thighs.
You…I begin, and then stop. I can feel Rast’s flare of annoyance as he
silently argues with Amy, but beyond that, there’s something else.
Something…new.
Liam’s eyes flare black, and Rast goes still.
I go still, too. It’s like there’s a ripple going through all of our minds.
“What is it?” Amy asks, curious. “What’s going on?”
I shiver, suddenly cold. And ravenous. My mouth waters and I’m so upset
that I feel like crying. It’s so strange. I rub my arms, puzzled. “I’m freezing.
And hungry.”
“It’s…a child,” Liam says slowly. “A new one.” He looks at me with wonder.
“That’s who’s speaking.”
“A child?” Amy asks, and then sags. Her mate catches her before she tumbles
down onto the bed. “Claudia’s child?”
A newborn, Liam tells me, his thoughts full of wonder. Its mind is so strong…
I’ve never felt anything like it. He presses a hand to his brow as another rush
of anger and hunger rolls over me. “She’s quite the little broadcaster.”
“But she’s okay?” Amy asks, and then before anyone can answer, she looks
at Rast and nods.
She’s fine, Liam reassures me before I can ask. Just hungry and cold and
angry at the world, like all new young.
“I can’t believe you’re hearing her from here,” I tell him, surprised. I can’t
believe I’m picking her up, either.
“Perhaps it’s the mix of bloods,” Liam says slowly, his gaze focused on me.
“Your abilities have been magnified with my blood in you, and increased
now that we’ve mated and you’ve taken my fires. Maybe this is what human
and drakoni create when they get together.”
A baby with a strong mind and enough psychic power to touch people from
hundreds of miles away.
And a name, Liam tells me. She’s all but shouting it in our heads. He winces,
and as he does, I get a faint mental “glimpse” of what he’s hearing. It’s the
psychic equivalent of an angry baby’s wail, and through it all, there’s a name.
She’s practically bludgeoning my poor Liam with it.
Sallavatri.
A good, strong, long name, Liam tells me, and then gives me an awed grin.
Her sire is going to have his hands full with that one.

A MY AND R AST EVENTUALLY LEAVE , after Amy’s re-packed her bag, this time
stuffing as many baby things as she can possibly fit into one satchel.
Sallavatri’s mental “shouting” continues for a while, but the hunger fades and
I’m guessing she settled down enough to eat. Thank god babies sleep a lot,
because I don’t know how I’d handle the constant blast of hunger and
newborn crankiness. I can only imagine what Liam’s feeling.
It’s not so bad, actually. I like it. It reminds me of home. Young ones there
would touch minds with their community, but not nearly so vocal as
Sallavatri. His thoughts are amused. She’s a strong one.
Strong despite how “early” she is, though no one’s entirely sure that she is
early. It seems that drakoni gestation is a lot shorter than human gestation,
though Liam can’t say how short. I’m no female. I don’t know these things. A
month? Two months? The fires quicken swiftly in our females, though.
Which means if we have a baby, I get a few months to get used to the idea,
and then boom, I’m a mom to someone that arrives with the psychic
equivalent of a bullhorn and her own name to boot.
I…actually don’t hate the idea.
I don’t either, Liam tells me. He’s playing with my fingers as we lie up on
the roof, watching the stars. Jemma’s taken over my old room and I’ve
packed my things into my trunk, which sits in Benny’s room, waiting to be
taken to our new home. We’ll stay in Fort Shreveport until Rast and Amy get
back, but then we’re off again to make our nest in “our” territory. It’s another
idea I don’t hate. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I like it. Alone
time with Atalim? Living without walls and fences for the first time in years
and years? Privacy to make love as noisily as we like?
I am all for all those things.
Until then, we’re in the fort, though, and since it’s stuffy inside, we’ve taken
a few blankets and pillows out onto the roof. It reminds me of that night so
many weeks ago, when Liam sat with me and reassured me that all would be
well with Benny. That he’d never leave my side.
It feels like it’s been a million years since then…and it also feels like no time
at all.
Look, Liam tells me, pointing at the sky. Can you see them?
I look over to where he’s pointing and for a long moment, there’s nothing.
Then, I feel a new presence just as I see a flash of wing in the moonlight.
A dragon.
Then, another presence touches my mind. A second dragon.
I gasp, holding his other hand tightly. “Two dragons?”
Don’t worry. Can you feel them? They’re not a danger to us.
I do feel them, but it’s not the oppressive cloud of anger and rage that
normally comes with an approaching dragon. There’s nothing but calm…and
curiosity. Who are they? Do we know them? Are they sane?
I’ve asked their names but they’re ignoring me. That, or they don’t know
them. They’re on their way to see the child. Sallavatri. Her mental touch must
be calling them.
Oh. The drakoni instincts must be kicking in when it comes to a new baby.
Are Claudia and Amy in danger, then?
I don’t think so. Liam’s thoughts are equally calm. They merely want to see
who touches their minds. I do not think they will harm her.
I hold Liam’s hand tightly and try to pick up emotion in his thoughts, to see if
he wants to follow and go visit the baby himself, or if the nearness of the
other dragons flying overhead is going to incite madness.
I’m fine, I promise. He pulls me closer, tucking me against him. I have no
desire to see the baby, and no desire to attack anyone, unless they decide to
come and get a closer look at you. Then, I might have to bare my fangs.
Fair enough. You think we’ll see more dragons going to visit the baby, then?
Undoubtedly. He chuckles, the sound reverberating through my head and his
big chest. I don’t envy the parents. I hope they’re expecting a lot of company,
because they’re going to get it.
That might mean Amy and Rast are gone for longer, I tell him, a little
worried. Are you okay with that?
I am, he tells me, and his thoughts are calm. Being in my two-legged form
helps…as does having you by my side. I will try to stay in this form as much
as possible.
That worries me a little. Gabe’s red still lurks around the edges of the fort,
just far enough away to not be confrontational, but too close for comfort.
“And what about Gabe’s little friend? Is she going to see Claudia and Kael’s
baby, too?”
I don’t think so. I haven’t tried reaching out to her tonight, but I don’t get the
impression that Teva’s leaving.
Teva? Hearing a name gives me a stab of jealousy. So she has a name? When
did this happen?
Suddenly Liam rolls and I’m under him on the blankets, his bright golden
eyes smiling down at me. “I can feel your jealousy, you know.”
“Well, you should. I’m not hiding it.” I push at his chest half-heartedly. “If
she’s so crazy, how does she have a name? Are you two chitchatting on the
sly?”
Liam snorts. He leans in and rubs his nose against my jaw, then presses a kiss
to the side of my neck, right where he bit me just a few days ago and gave me
his fires. “You want to hear what she says?” His teeth scrape lightly over my
skin, sending shudders through me even as he opens his mind to me.
A new mind curls in through Liam’s thoughts. It’s definitely female…and
desolate and as unhinged as anything I’ve ever felt.
There is a baby. I want a baby. Where is my mate? Why won’t he challenge
me? I want a baby. Where is my mate? There’s a pause, and then it starts over
again, a little wilder than before. There is a baby. I want a baby. Where is my
mate? Why does he hide away?
I shake my head slightly, and he closes the link, silencing the female. His
tongue flicks over my skin, sending shivers of pleasure up my spine. “All
right, point proven. There’s no need to be jealous. So she doesn’t think
you’re her mate?”
Definitely not. She smells my fires on you. She knows I’m taken.
Then…Gabe?
She’s fascinated with him, but I don’t think it’s occurred to her that he could
be her mate. I think it’s just the ramblings of an unbalanced mind.
But she knows there’s a baby, so she’s not entirely gone.
He pushes my shirt up and drags his rough tongue over my nipple, distracting
me. I whimper, holding his face to my breast as I close my eyes, losing
myself to his touch.
She’s not having it with me. Liam’s thoughts are silky and full of need as he
kisses one aching tip and then palms the other. I have someone else I’d rather
give a baby to.
I gasp, both at his words and the gentle nip of his teeth against my breast. You
want to have a baby?
He lifts his head, his eyes pure gold as they meet mine. Don’t you?
Well…yes. But what if it broadcasts to the world like Claudia’s baby?
Sallavatri?
Liam lowers his head again and kisses a path down to my navel. I know he’s
heading for my pussy, because the man could spend all day there and never
get enough. Sallavatri is sane, as far as I can tell. She’s healthy. And if our
baby brought a lot of company, she’d be the safest child in two worlds,
because no one would ever hurt her. There’s nothing but joy in the minds of
the dragons racing to visit. They’re excited for her presence.
Then let’s make a baby, I tell him, utterly breathless.
My sweet Atalim presses a kiss to my mound, then gives me a long, delicious
lick that makes my legs slide apart and my body sing.
That’s not how you do it, I tease him, gasping.
So impatient, he tells me. Don’t worry, my sweet mate. I’ll give you
everything I have.
And as I gaze up at the stars overhead, he does.
 EPILOGUE

Elsewhere

CLAUDIA

“C an I hold her?” I ask, putting my arms out. “You’re hogging the

baby.”
Not hogging. She likes being with her papa.
Kael moves toward me, his gaze locked on the tiny creature in his big arms. I
bite back my exasperation because the picture of him entranced by his
daughter is too sweet for words. The baby holds onto his shorn claw, gazing
up at him adoringly.
“Is she hungry?” My breasts hurt and leak, which is a pretty new sensation.
Then again, all of this is. I was still getting used to being pregnant and then in
the space of what felt like a month, my belly popped out like a turkey
thermometer, and then the next thing I knew, I was in labor.
Now, Sallavatri’s here, fat and sassy and with a full head of bright golden
hair, a name that she apparently chose, and a mental set of lungs that brings
every dragon for miles out to our tower to see her.
Kael sits down on the bed next to me and hands her over. She misses your
warmth.
I try not to feel jealous as he hands her over. “It’s so unfair that you can hear
her and I can’t.”
She is broadcasting her thoughts like any drakoni young, he tells me,
caressing my cheek as I put my child to my breast. Sallavatri latches on,
suckling, and gazes up at me as she nurses. I haven’t seen a human baby in a
while, but she seems fuller in the face and far more alert than most newborns.
Or maybe that’s just the proud mother in me. Either way, I smile and think
encouraging thoughts in her direction as she nurses and watches me.
I am here, Kael tells me. His eyes are pure gold as he watches me feed our
daughter. Even if you cannot hear her, I can share my connection to her. You
will not be left out.
I smile at him. “I’m not trying to pout. She’s just so amazing and I want to be
as much of her world as you are.”
You are everything to both of us, my fires, he tells me, and when he gazes
down at me possessively, I feel warm and content.
I thought I had a bit more time to get used to the idea of being a mom, but I
can’t be sad that she’s here early.
She’s perfection.

T HANK you so much for reading! Keep turning pages to read my end notes,
hints at what’s next and for links to other books in the series! Everything I
write is in Kindle Unlimited, so if this is your first time (aww, you’re a Ruby
virgin!) go borrow like mad! <3
 AUTHOR’S NOTE

Hello again!
I hope you’ve enjoyed Andi and Liam’s story! I’ve wanted to write about
Liam, oh, for about a year or more now. I fell in love with the idea of a
nomad-that’s-not-really-a-nomad and a drakoni man blending in with the rest
of the world, trying to figure out what the hell is going on. Liam’s choices set
up all kinds of delicious problems with his attraction to Andi, and it was so
much fun to write their push-pull relationship.
As for Andi, there were a lot of aspects to her personality that I wanted to
explore. She tries to come across as kind of a badass toting around her
shotgun, but the moment she fainted on page, I knew she was a liar and just
pretending really hard. That interested me, and digging in, I learned she had a
tricky past and that was also something I wanted to play around with.
Sometimes it’s easier to be the girl that says ‘yes’ instead of ‘no’ and every
woman has experienced situations that she might have later realized was a
bad idea. Compound that with the small, closed-in feel of the forts and the
powerlessness that most people had (and the power-hungry ego of those that
did have power) and I could see it as a situation ripe for abuse. It’s one of
those tricky situations where ‘just because you said yes doesn’t make it
consent’ sorts of things and I could also see that affecting how she reacted in
the future when Liam showed interest in her.
Also, I’m starting to sound like a huge dork in these author notes. I’ve always
been one of those people that says she doesn’t have a muse and yet here I am
talking about how characters introduce themselves. It’s okay to roll your eyes
- I am, too! It’s just that I have definite ideas for some characters, whereas
others show who they are when they arrive on the page. Liam I had a general
idea for - Andi I did not until I wrote her hoisting around that shotgun and
tossing her braid.
And then, of course, she just had to be a heroine. :)
A minor housekeeping note - in this book, Benny is 14. In FIRE IN HIS
FURY I believe he was 14, and in FIRE IN HIS SPIRIT his age was
mentioned as 16. I’m officially going on the record here and saying his age is
14, and I’m going back to correct the earlier instance. Right now, there are a
few of you slapping your foreheads and wondering how such a thing gets
missed, right? Don’t worry, I’m slapping my forehead, too!
Of course…I am that someone that doesn’t remember names or dates or why
I walked into the kitchen. Basically, I live in a bubble. My husband can tell
you all about how I didn’t remember his birthday for the first five years we
were together and I still have to pull out our marriage license to remember
what our anniversary was (it was a Tuesday! That’s all I remember!). So
you’ll have to forgive me if I get dates and ages wrong from time to time.
You might also be saying to yourself, doesn’t Ruby have worldbuilding
bibles? Yes, yes she does. She also forgets to reference them…
Like I said - I live in a happy bubble of my own making where dates don’t
exist, like gray hairs and calories. :)
I’ve got two more books planned in this series at the moment. Gabe will have
a book, which should be obvious after reading this one! I’ve had SO many
people write me and ask why the lady dragons haven’t gotten their own book.
My answer has always been the same - if I can think of a story, I’ll do one!
And for the longest, I couldn’t think of a story. But in writing this one, I had
an epiphany and I think that book will be fun to write and a nice, interesting
shake up!
Azar and Melina’s book is tentatively planned as the last book in the series,
but if I think of others or have new stories to tell, I might squeeze another in
there. I love the dragons, but they’re also a lot harder for me to write than
barbarians, so I don’t know if this series will go on as long as that one. I try
to give all my series equal love but I also have to acknowledge that not every
series can go on for forever.
(I am always open to fan input, though! So if you have something you’re
absolutely DYING to see or feel I’ve neglected a particular storyline, drop
me a line on Facebook!)
Audio for this book will be out in about 3-4 months. I know it’s a bit of a
wait, but they have to have time to schedule the narrators and work it into
their schedules. I’ve asked to keep the same narrators throughout the series
because as a reader I find it jarring to have narrators switch out, so I hope you
guys don’t mind the wait for the good stuff! <3 I think they do a fantastic job
and can’t wait for them to bring Liam and Andi to life.
As for what’s next, I’m currently juggling my schedule at the moment and
trying to fit together the pieces of the puzzle. I’ve got a New York book to
squeeze in this spring (under my secret name) but I’m determined to keep
Ruby’s release schedule hopping. So I’ll release that information soon
enough on Ruby’s Facebook! Stay tuned.
If you’ve read this far, I just want to gush on a few people. Kati, for always
making my covers spectacular and over the top. You really are a total genius
and you can make something amazing out of my totally hand-wavy
suggestions. I’m constantly in awe of your talent and thrilled to be your
friend. Also, to my editor Eagle — your comments always make me laugh. I
promise someday I’ll learn the difference between lay/lie and ‘there are’ vs
‘there’s’ but I figure I need to give you something to do. Yeah, that’s it. ;)
For my readers — you guys are the best fans and I can’t thank you enough.
Please know that I read all your comments and suggestions and you guys
always make my day better. You guys are an utter dream and I love all of
you!!
<3
Ruby
PS - If you are the type to leave a review, would you be so kind? It helps the
book ‘stick’ on Amazon and helps me as an author. And if you’re not the
type to review, that’s okay too! No pressure at all. <3
 THE FIREBLOOD DRAGONS SERIES

Just getting started? Here’s a quick run-down of the other titles in this series!

Fire in His Blood

For breaking the law, Claudia’s chained up and left as an offering to the
ravenous dragon attacking Fort Dallas. But that ravenous dragon wants a
mate, and he picks Claudia.

Fire in His Kiss

Poor, fragile Sasha’s been kidnapped by Dakh, who’s utterly lost in his
crazed thoughts. The only thing that gets through to him is her touch. Does
 she dare mate the dragon?

Fire in His Embrace

It’s Emma’s fault that Zohr’s been captured by the bad guys. It’s up to her to
save him, but there’s only one way to tame a dragon…with a mating!

Fire in His Fury

Amy’s dreamed of someone that could love her with every breath in his
body. But when wild, terrifying Rast shows up, she’s not sure that’s exactly
what she had in mind.

Fire In His Spirit

Mating with Vaan means that Gwen must give up her friends, her family, and
her leadership of her fort for a stranger…

Like Audio? You can also listen to this series on audiobook! (Audio is
released about 3-4 months after each book.)
 RUBY DIXON READING LIST

FIREBLOOD DRAGONS

Fire in His Blood

Fire in His Kiss
Fire in His Embrace
Fire in His Fury
Fire In His Spirit
Fire in His Veins (this book!)

ICE PLANET BARBARIANS

Ice Planet Barbarians

Barbarian Alien
Barbarian Lover
Barbarian Mine
Ice Planet Holiday (novella)
Barbarian’s Prize
Barbarian’s Mate
Having the Barbarian’s Baby (short story)
Ice Ice Babies (short story)
Barbarian’s Touch
Calm(short story)
Barbarian’s Taming
Aftershocks (short story)
Barbarian’s Heart
Barbarian’s Hope
Barbarian’s Choice
Barbarian’s Redemption
Barbarian’s Lady
Barbarian’s Rescue
Barbarian’s Tease
The Barbarian Before Christmas (novella)
 Barbarian’s Beloved

CORSAIRS
THE CORSAIR’S CAPTIVE
IN THE CORSAIR’S BED
ENTICED BY THE CORSAIR
DECEIVING THE CORSAIR

STAND ALONE

PRISON PLANET BARBARIAN

THE ALIEN’S MAIL-ORDER BRIDE
BEAUTY IN AUTUMN
THE KING’S SPINSTER BRIDE
THE ALIEN ASSASSIN’S CONVENIENT WIFE

BEDLAM BUTCHERS
Bedlam Butchers, Volumes 1-3: Off Limits, Packing Double, Double Trouble
Bedlam Butchers, Volumes 4-6: Double Down, Double or Nothing, Slow Ride
Double Dare You

BEAR BITES
SHIFT: Five Complete Novellas
 WANT MORE?

For more information about upcoming books in the Ice Planet Barbarians, Fireblood
Dragons, or any other books by Ruby Dixon, ‘like’ me on Facebook or subscribe to
my new release newsletter.
If you want to talk barbarians on Facebook, there’s also a fan group called Blue
Barbarian Babes who love to discuss everything on the ice planet — and the dragons!
I’d love it if you check them out.
Thanks for reading!

<3 Ruby