Hidden Dragons 3: Fated Mates (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read online

  “The brave, grief-stricken knight returned to the field and tried to convince the women to leave and hide so they would be safe but they refused. Their place was to stand beside their mates and fight so that their offspring would be able to live a long happy life. The knight was about to step out onto the field to help fight but it wasn’t meant to be.” She swallowed audibly and wiped her hands over her wet cheeks.

  “The witch and Merlin’s magic was equally matched and even the Wizard couldn’t have predicted what happened next.”

  Calysta cleared her throat and opened her mouth to ask but the woman beat her to it.

  “When their magic combined, an explosion rent the air. The wave of magic wiped out every living being on that field until they were nothing more than ashes floating on the breeze.

  “There was one lonely knight left standing and when the flash of light cleared and he saw the devastation he sank to his knees and roared his grief to the heavens. He lost so much on that long ago horrific day. He lost all of his friends. His leader and the woman who had just agreed to be their mate. His first thought was to follow them all, but he’d made a promise and since he was a man of his word, he picked himself up and went to the children who had just lost their parents.

  “He loved them like his own, nurturing, guiding and teaching them, living for centuries with a soul-deep loneliness he thought would never end. Until he began to dream of another mate the fates had chosen for him.”

  “And did he live happily ever after?” Calysta asked in a hoarse voice. When she felt something plop onto her hand she looked down, surprised to see that a tear had fallen. She wiped her cheeks with the back of her hands and sniffed.

  “The story is unfinished so I cannot answer.”

  “Who was the knight?”

  The woman rose to her feet and took a couple of steps away from the bed before turning back to face her. “Sir Lancelot Du Lac, King Arthur Pendragon’s right hand man.”

  “But that was just a myth.”

  “Was it?” She studied Calysta intently and it took everything in her not to look away or to fidget nervously.

  “Who are you?”

  The woman curtsied and smiled. “I am Lady Guinevere, mate to Arthur Pendragon, leader of the dragon shifters.”

  Calysta shook her head and blinked. She didn’t think she’d had her eyes closed for very long but when they opened the lady was walking away, her body fading into the brightness of the pure white light. Caly’s eyelids grew heavy and she fought to keep them open but as the light faded and the darkness returned a peaceful calm soaked into her heart and soul.

  She had no idea how long she’d slept but she came awake with a start when a sound penetrated her subconscious. When she opened her eyes she was already sitting up in bed and it took her a couple of seconds to clear the fog from her brain and her vision.

  As she threw the covers aside and gained her feet she saw her laptop had finished scanning the FBI database. She hurried over to the small table beside the curtain covered window. Just before she sat down the chill in the air began to cool her skin so she took the time to pull on some sweat pants and a sweater as well as push her feet into her fuzzy slippers.

  “You have a screw loose, girl. Now you’re hallucinating while you’re asleep. I always knew the job would get to me sooner or later but I didn’t expect it to be this soon,” she muttered as her eyes landed on her laptop again.

  She craved a caffeine fix but didn’t want to take the time to fill the kettle when her laptop was calling her. Luckily she’d lowered the volume so the alarm going off wasn’t very loud and wouldn’t be heard by anyone else.

  Calysta sat and swiped her finger over the mouse pad. Her breath hitched when the screen saver faded and a face appeared on the screen. Her heart flipped and beat a painful rapid thud against her sternum and ribs. The face looking back at her wasn’t one she’d expected to see and she sat frozen in shock. It took a moment or two for her to notice the differences between the one on the screen and the one she saw when she was at work in the FBI Offices in Colorado Springs.

  The man had green eyes but her boss’s were hazel, but she knew without a shadow of a doubt that the two men had to be related. But if so, how? The search she’d done of Reginald Lichen had listed his age at a hundred years old but he didn’t look a day over thirty. What gave her the creeps was the fact he was nearly the spitting image of her boss and he had the same last name.

  * * * *

  Anton jumped from the sofa and raced toward his study the moment he heard the blare on his PC. The last thing he needed right now was someone investigating and finding his dead brother. He’d done everything he could from the inside to keep his brother’s face from the FBI database but the little prick had been the bane of his very existence.

  He’d felt the moment his twin had died and even though he was supposed to have cared for his twin brother, he didn’t give a shit. That prick had been on the FBI’s watch list for years and if Anton hadn’t convinced him to take the name off of a grave years ago his sibling would have been incarcerated or dead years before. If he hadn’t promised his mother to look out for his minutes-younger brother he would have wiped his hands of him a long time ago.

  It had taken years for Anton to work his way up through the ranks in both law enforcement and the hunter’s hierarchy and once he’d taken on the role of supreme leader he knew he had to keep his insane brother on a short leash. But apparently that hadn’t worked either. Anton had had to bribe his brother, Regent Pandemic, also known as Reginald Lichen, with a promotion to be his right hand man. At first Anton thought his brother might just toe the line for a change, but he should have realized the prick would fuck this up like he did everything else. How he’d let that stupid fucking Core guy get the better of him Anton had no idea but since they were both dead, he didn’t give a shit.

  What concerned him the most was that his real right hand man, Sid Clam, was dead, too, as was the Mid-Western ruler, Lord Jerome.

  The moment the acting sheriff of Rock Springs had requested help from the FBI, Anton had pulled the file. He’d set up hidden alerts so he would know the moment any of his minions’ names came up on the watch list so he could act, but his followers were becoming fewer in numbers and he had no way of replenishing them.

  If only that witch had lived. The hunters would have taken control of the world centuries ago, but Merlin and those fucking dragons had ruined everything.

  Seething fury roiled in his gut and it took all of his self-will to keep the roar of anger deep down inside.

  Anton wished he’d lived back in the times of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, because he knew he would have won the war against their do-gooding-fucking-asses.

  Anton Pandemic was the strongest man alive and he was a god. No one was going to take what few men he had left or him out without a fight. That was one of the reasons he’d chosen to join the FBI. He had his finger on the pulse, so to speak, and no one was wise to what he was or who he was hunting.

  Years of planning had gone into his strategies and when he smelled that fucking bitch’s scent when she’d still been wet behind the ears, he’d known he had his bait to draw those filthy dragons out of their lair.

  He’d sent that slut undercover with her partner and had monitored everything from afar. The opportunity to take her off-sider out with a gunshot was so damn easy but the fucker had somehow managed to cling to life—was still clinging to life—but at least he was out of the way, and she was without backup.

  He knew it was almost time to make a move, but first he would need to call the few hunters still alive to come to him.

  Anger was a living breathing entity inside of his heart and soul but he was able to control his sanity. Not like the other hunters who went off on tangents of rage and irrationality. There was no hope for any of them because the psychosis would win in the end but before he lost all of his rationality he was going to take those dragons out. Even if it was the last thing he d
id.

  Chapter Four

  Alex woke covered in sweat with his hand wrapped around his throbbing dick. The dream he’d just shared with his mate, flight pod brothers and elder had been way more intense than the one of the previous evening, and his whole body was tense with lust, with hunger. A low groan rumbled in his chest and he began to pump his hand up and down his hard dick. Beads of moisture dotted his brow and his breathing sawed in and out of his lungs, drying his mouth.

  He tightened his grip, moving his fist faster and faster, all the time he remembered how his mate had tasted. He’d kissed her and suckled at her breast and although it had been the best experience of his life, he knew it wouldn’t compare to when he met and touched her for real.

  He wanted to caress her warm, soft silky skin, kiss and lick every inch of her sexy little body. His balls drew up, blood rushed into his muscles, hardening and filling them until they felt rock hard. He heard a growling sound and realized he was the one making the noise. His frustration grew as he squeezed his cock so hard he was nearly strangling it. He had no idea how long he masturbated, but no matter how hard he tried to reach for release it didn’t happen. Alex wanted to roar to release all of his pent up dissatisfaction but he bit his lip instead. The last thing he wanted was to bring his flight pod brothers, his elder and the other dragons running into his room and seeing what he’d been trying to do.

  With a sigh of vexation he released his aching cock, rose to his feet, and stomped his way toward the shower. The only relief he was going to get was from cold water, but he knew that wouldn’t help worth a damn. They needed to find their mate, and soon. He didn’t think he could stand not looking upon her for much longer. He just hoped she would accept them when they told her what they were.

  * * * *

  Calysta was so damn tired her legs felt like they were weighted down. She’d spent another restless night lost in an erotic world she couldn’t seem to escape. Every time she fell asleep those four men invaded her dreams. Her body was aching so bad with lust she’d even tried to give herself an orgasm but that had only seemed to make the hunger simmering low in her belly worse.

  Her pussy was wet and swollen and every time she took a step her clit throbbed. Her breasts felt twice their normal size and although she was wearing a very supportive bra the material felt abrasive. It felt like her breasts and nipples were being rubbed raw. And that wasn’t all. Her skin was so sensitive she felt like she had ants crawling all over it and although she refrained, she wanted to scratch.

  She had a feeling she was going a little insane. First dreams about Lady Guinevere and then about four men making love to her. A psychologist would have a field day with her.

  Calysta took a deep breath and tried to calm her racing heart as she entered the Rock Springs Sheriff’s Office. Reece was standing at the counter and talking on the phone but he nodded in acknowledgement and pointed toward the kitchen.

  She forced a smile on her lips and without breaking stride entered the small kitchen, sighing with relief when she saw the freshly brewed pot of coffee. After pouring two mugs she walked out and handed one to Reece. He was just finishing up his phone call.

  Calysta looked around the room and was pleased that the other deputy wasn’t taking any notice of them but she didn’t want to tell him of her discovery just in case she was wrong.

  “Can we go into your office?”

  “Sure.” Reece turned on his heel and led the way down the hall.

  She followed him in and closed the door.

  “What’s up?” Reece asked once he was seated behind his desk.

  She handed over the manila folder and sat across from him.

  Reece opened the file and read it through before meeting her gaze.

  “Great work, Calysta. How the hell did you find out the deceased’s real name?”

  “I ran him through the FBI database.” She paused to lick her lips and draw a deep breath. “We have a problem.”

  Reece raised an eyebrow and took a sip of his coffee.

  “My superior’s name is Anton Pandemic.”

  “Are you shitting me?”

  “No.”

  “But this says the deceased was nearly a hundred years old. Surely you don’t think they’re one and the same.”

  “To be honest, I don’t know what to think. This is the weirdest fucking case I’ve ever encountered.”

  “Yeah, me, too. Is there someone higher than your superior who can look into this?”

  “Maybe,” Calysta replied. “But if my boss is somehow involved or this guy is a relation of his, I don’t want to alert him to the fact he’s being investigated. Plus, I’ve never dealt with anyone higher than Anton Pandemic and I don’t know who to trust.”

  “I have a friend in IA. I can get him to check out your boss.”

  Calysta nodded. “Do it, but make sure whoever it is, is discreet.”

  “No problem.” Reece studied her for a moment. “You look tired.”

  She shifted in her seat uncomfortably, glancing out the window before meeting his gaze again. “Yeah, I’m having trouble sleeping.”

  “No wonder.” Reece pointed to the file. “We have nothing else to go on right now.

  “You look beyond exhausted, too.” Caly met Reece’s gaze. “Why don’t you take the day off?”

  “You know, that’s sounds like a good idea. I can’t remember the last time I did that. You look like you should do the same. I was just making sure my deputy was up to speed. I have a report to fill out and when I’m done I’m going to spend the day with my fiancé.”

  “Good. If you hear anything, give me a call,” Caly said.

  “I will. I’ll get onto my friend, too.”

  “Okay,” Calysta said as she stood and moved toward the door. “Don’t stay here too long.”

  “I won’t.”

  As soon as she stepped out into the fresh air, some of the tension eased from her muscles. But when the hair on her nape stood on end she tensed up all over again. She scanned the street, trying to find whoever was watching her, but no one seemed to be taking any notice of her. Although she was beginning to think she was teetering on the edge of insanity, she couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched.

  She hurried toward her car and drove to the tourist information office. She was going to visit the hot springs and other touristy things in between investigating this case. Hopefully by the end of the day she wouldn’t feel like she was losing her mind.

  * * * *

  Lance’s cock surged from half-mast to full attention within the blink of an eye. He and his new flight pod brothers had completed the blood bond between them right after breakfast and now he could feel Andre’s, Aiden’s, and Alex’s emotions like they were his own.

  Right after he had taken a few drops of their blood and he’d shared his own essence with them, they had all stepped out the back door to the ledge and transformed into their dragons. The pull of their mate was intense and their animals had launched into the sky and raced toward Rock Springs.

  They were still high in the sky but the moment he’d set his dragon eyes on the beautiful petite blonde woman coming out of the sheriff’s office he’d known she was theirs. He was never gladder in this moment for their natural, mirror-like shield which kept them from being seen by human eyes. It gave him time to study their mate without being seen by anyone.

  Lance let his dragon surface even more and when he saw her gorgeous light blue eyes and long fair eyelashes his heart stopped beating. But when he let his eyes roam over her pearly white unmarred skin and her natural full pouty lips his heart flipped and beat harder than ever against his ribs. His eyes were drawn back to hers and when he saw her frown and rub her forehead as if she had a headache, he noticed the dark smudges beneath her eyes. His dragon rumbled with concern and it was a very near thing when his beast went to fold his wings and go to her. Lance struggled to gain control of his animal and tried to reason with him as they did a barrel roll in the air.

 
Be patient, my friend. We don’t want to frighten her.

  Mate. Claim. Fuck.

  All in good time, dragon. I need to meet her as a man before we can lay claim to her.

  “She is the sexiest, most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” Andre gasped in awe.

  “That she is, brother,” Aiden replied in a hoarse voice.

  “So how do we do this?” Alex asked. “How are we going to meet her and then tell her what we are?”

  “She’s getting into her car. Let’s follow and see where she’s going.” Lance was glad his dragon had backed off.

  “Was that a gun holster I spied under her jacket and another on her hip?” Andre flapped his wings and moved to hover high over their mate’s car.

  “Yes,” Alex answered.

  “Do you think she’s a cop?” Aiden asked.

  “That would be my guess.” Lance sighed. If she was an officer of the law, that was going to make their job at convincing her to be with them that much harder. Especially if she came back to the lair with them and saw that Belinda and Niki were very much alive.

  How the hell were they supposed to keep her from arresting them or shooting them? Not that a bullet would do any damage, but still…

  He and the others kept pace with their mate and Lance smiled when she headed out of town. Maybe he and his flight pod brothers would be able to inveigle a chance meeting with her after all.

  He hoped the mating heat kicked into high gear and she accepted and agreed to mate with them without over thinking things too much, but he had a feeling that would be far from the truth. He hoped he was wrong because his dragon was pushing to swoop down and fly her back to the lair. If his animal did that, he had a feeling all would be lost.

  * * * *

  Calysta had stopped to grab a sandwich and coffee from a busy café on the way to Tough Creek Campground. She had no idea why she had headed back to where the missing mayor’s car had been found, but the pull had been too great to ignore.