Published by Liquid Silver Books, imprint of Atlantic Bridge Publishing, 10509 Sedgegrass Dr, Indianapolis, Indiana 46235. Copyright © 2011, Violet Summers. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.

After a failed rescue attempt, Aidan Ghallager has been captured, unable to shift into his Dragon form. Rowan Stone, daughter of megalomaniac William Stone, has become his unlikely nurse. As they work together to find a way to escape her father’s nefarious plans and insidious torture, they try to fight the attraction between them--and fail. For Aidan and Rowan are mated--meant to be together--but only if they can stay alive long enough to escape.

We would like to dedicate this book to Christina Poteat, who wanted this story as much as we did and who inspired us to finish up the loose threads. Thank you!

Willing his eyes to open just wasn’t working. Aidan Ghallager felt like he’d been thrown off a ten-storey building. From his shoulders to the balls of his feet he was one big ache, a never-ending thud that slid across cramping muscles.

The worst was the sharp-ass pain at the back of his neck. Knife-sharp agony splintered down his spine. Moving his head was out of the question. Hell, even blinking sent shards of jagged agony drilling through his brain.

He flexed his fingers and felt the manacle latched to his wrist. He was fuckin’ chained to a bed. The badly made mattress dipped in the middle, unable to support his weight. Automatically Aidan reached for his anger, knowing the Dragon could free him.

His head pounded instead, wrecking his concentration. Now he didn’t have to reach for the anger. He was well and truly pissed, which should have made the transformation effortless, but as the rage began to swell in his body, the pain in his neck became excruciating. His head was going to fuckin’ explode. He opened his mouth to scream, but all that emerged was a low moan of agony.

He couldn’t change. His skin wasn’t hardening, the whiff of sulfur that filled the air during his transformation was glaringly absent. The more he called upon his power, the more blinding the pain grew, until he lay exhausted and drenched with sweat.

Great Dragon, what the fuck was going on?

Aidan took a slow, cleansing breath, forcing himself to calm. Dragons were taught young how to control their emotions through meditation. Controlling the beast within was an important part of their culture, and necessary to everyone around them. A pissed-off dragon was a fearsome thing. It had been years since he’d imposed this kind of control on himself, but the lessons came back easily.

Starting with his toes, he focused on each muscle group, relaxing his body from the feet up. His heart rate began to return to normal. The pain at the back of his head receded.

Think! He knew he needed to assess his situation, but damn, it was hard to focus. Where the fuck was he? And how the Hell had he ended up chained to bed?

It all came rushing back. The fight to free Jenna’s sister had been doomed from the start. Stone had somehow known the details of their plan, and had an ambush waiting. They’d walked right into a trap. Outmanned and outgunned by Stone’s mystery weapons and rabid hybrid fighters.

Aidan could still hear Jenna’s frantic scream that Nic was hit, that he was dying, could still see the look on Bas’ face when he’d forced the Vamp to go help Nic...

Arrogant ass that he was, Aidan had thought he could get the woman out on his own. Hell, he hadn’t even been able to find her. He’d raced through the twisting corridors of this house of horrors searching for a scent, a sound, something to lead him to Rowan Stone. Instead he’d found yet another squad of Stone’s storm troopers. He remembered a death’s-head grin, a sudden, sharp pain in his thigh, then nothing. The bastards must have tranked him. But how was that even possible? He hadn’t had the chance to transform, but even in his human form his skin should have been impenetrable to something as minor as a tranquilizer dart.

He moved his toes; they seemed to be working fine. Slowly he worked his way up his body, moving as much as the chains would allow, mindful to keep his head as still as possible. He felt like he’d gotten the shit kicked out of him in a bar brawl, but other than the blinding pain in his head and neck, he couldn’t sense any lasting damage.

Taking a deep breath, he forced his eyelids to rise. A dull yellow light hovered somewhere to the right of him. He found after a moment he could keep his eyes open without too much discomfort, but his vision was too blurry to make out any details of his prison.

Blinking wasn’t helping. Frustrated, he closed his eyes again and inhaled deeply, letting the scents wash through him. Blood, death and the stink of humanity assaulted his senses.

Aidan could not stand the scent of human male. The copper tang of blood mingled with the rich metallic scent of testosterone set his teeth on edge and riled his Dragon. Human females were only a bit less offensive, just barely tolerable when they weren’t drenched in some artificial scent concoction.

In truth, he despised humans as a race, and the only human he’d been able to tolerate for any length of time was Jenna Stone. There was something different in her scent. Maybe it was due to her mating with Nic and the fact his powerful Vampire blood ran through her veins. Or perhaps it was simply because the woman had a core of strength matched only by her deep well of compassion.

Yeah, and look where that sudden tolerance got you, mate.

Aidan yanked on the chain holding down his left arm. Big fuckin’ mistake. It didn’t budge, and the movement caused arrow-in-the-eye kind of pain. He swore viciously, slammed his lids closed and breathed through the agony. When the pain subsided from a scream to a dull roar, he let out a hissing breath and opened his eyes. His vision was still blurry, but he could make out the outline of the chain attached to the wall.

Bloody hell! Rage surged through him, followed by an equally strong surge of pain in his head. He couldn’t fuckin’ change. The razor-sharp agony at the base of his skull that exploded with every spike of adrenalin leashed him as effectively as a dog wearing a shock collar. It sapped his strength and muddied his thoughts. He couldn’t even slip far enough into a healing trance to call on his ancestors to help him. He was well and truly fucked.

A door opened; the scent of a female, a human female, filled the small room.

“Let me go, bitch,” he ground out between clenched teeth, snarling in her direction. With his sight still fucked up he could only make out her shape, silent and sturdy. Her lack of response just enraged him more.

“I’m going to kill all of you,” he promised grimly. Hearing her draw closer, Aidan lunged at her and immediately paid the price for his actions as an ice pick of pain lanced the base of his skull to slice through his brain. He fell back on the damned lumpy mattress with a snarl of pain and rage.

His actions didn’t appear to cause his visitor any concern. They certainly didn’t cause her to run, but then why would they when she was free and he was chained like a dog? Well, he was feeling like a rabid dog about now, and he didn’t bother to even try to control the need to hiss and snap at her blurry profile. And did she run in the face of a rage that had sent Vampire and Were into a full retreat? Not at all. Instead she grabbed a chair and pulled it over to where he lay. He blinked, desperately trying to focus on her as she leaned over him with something in her hand. A cool, moist cloth touched his forehead. He stiffened and jerked, trying to retreat from her touch.

“Relax, Dragon. I’m only here to give you some food and water.” Her voice was low and husky, oddly attractive. It was also calm, almost detached. Of course it was. Sociopathic killers like Stone and his followers had to be detached in order to keep down their daily dose of genocide.

“You’re fuckin’ crazy if you think I want anything from you--unless you’re gonna let me out of these chains.”

Oblivious to his attempts to twist away from her, she began to run the soft cloth over his face.

“You have a nice accent. Are you from the London area? I spent time there when I was...”

“Are you fuckin’ kiddin’ me?” This time he managed to jerk his face away from her diabolically comforting touch. “You’re not seriously trying to make small talk with me, are you? I don’t want to talk to you. I want to kill you.”

She laughed. “If you were to actually manage it, you’d make my dearest wish come true.” He frowned at the sincerity in her husky voice. The cloth ran gently along his jaw. “I’m not afraid of dying, Dragon, so if you want me to cower in fear you’re going to have to come up with a better threat.”

She got up and moved around behind him. Before he realized what she was up to, she’d tipped his head back and was peeling back one eyelid and then the other. The drops she efficiently dribbled into his burning eyes cooled and soothed them, and he automatically squeezed them closed to savor the relief.

“Keep them closed for a minute,” she instructed, so of course he had to open them immediately. The room swam sickeningly around him and he cursed and snapped them shut again while she chuckled. “The drops will help you see better. The tranquilizer they gave you slows down your basic physiology, and one of the side effects is that it interferes with the natural reactions of your pupils.” She stroked her hand over his forehead, seeming unaware of what she was doing. He was very aware of it. Something about her husky, nearly uninflected voice set off all sorts of alarms in his brain. “And,” she added, moving back to his side, “of course it can keep you unconscious for days.”

Shit. Aidan ground his teeth, though he couldn’t have said if he was doing it over the information, or the loss of her touch. “How long have I been here?”

“Two and half days.” A glass was pressed to his lips. He strangled back a moan of pleasure as ice-cold water slid past his lips and down his parched throat.

“Try opening your eyes again,” she suggested, running her thumb under his lower lip, wiping away a drop of water that had escaped his mouth. Remembering the dizzy dance the room had done minutes ago, he was much more cautious slitting his eyes open this time. He let out a breath of relief when everything stayed where it belonged, and turned his head to examine his captor.

She had Jenna’s dark hair, though this woman wore hers shorter, in an angular cut that emphasized the clean lines of her face. She had Jenna’s eyes, too, a scorched honey brown that somehow had the power to dig past all his defenses and see the soul he’d worked so hard to keep hidden.

That was where her similarity to her sister ended, though. Where Jenna was petite, soft and gently round, this woman was taller, broader. She was built for strength, for endurance. He had the brief, insane thought that she was built to take him even in his Dragon form, and give as good as she got.

She, like her older sister, defied society’s definition of beauty. Her shoulders were a little too broad, and he imagined she had the ridiculous idea she needed to lose weight.

“Jenna’s fine,” he told her. Her entire expression softened. Yeah, this woman had strength, but she harbored softness, too. A combination that was unexpectedly irresistible to him. “She had a spot of trouble with a couple of ugly-assed hybrids, but she’s fine now, except worried sick about her sisters.”

Her big brown eyes grew suspiciously wet. She swallowed hard, but never left off meeting his eyes...strength and softness. Ah, fuck.

“I’m Rowan.” As his eyesight sharpened, he noticed a ring of dark smudges around her neck. His brows drew down into a frown.

“I know,” he answered absently. “Erin’s the scrawny one.”

A surprised, choked laugh burst from her. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard her described quite that way but, yes, Erin’s the pretty one. Jenna’s the smart one.” She turned her head, avoiding his eyes. “I’m the strong one.”

Abruptly he made sense of the marks on her neck. Fingerprints. Rowan Stone had recently been strangled.

“She brought us here, you know.” He wanted to reach out, to smooth his fingers soothingly over the bruises. To catch the tears trembling on her lower lashes, to taste them. To taste her. “She’s mated Nic Alero,” he continued speaking in self defense, anything to take his mind off how Rowan Stone would taste. She’d been trying to escape her megalomaniac of a father, true, but that didn’t mean she shared her sister’s remarkable acceptance of the night creatures. Maybe the sight of her horror and disapproval would break this maddening fascination she held for him.

“I don’t know any Nic,” she responded, pulling him back to the present. “Is he a good man?”

“He’s a Vampire,” Aidan replied bluntly, waiting for the shock, the horror. What he got was impatience.

“But is he a good man?” she repeated sharply, gaze slicing into his. “Jenna deserves a good man.”

He blinked, totally taken aback by her reaction. “He’s an arrogant ass most of the time,” he answered slowly. “But he’ll cherish her ‘til his last breath.”

She let out a slow, relieved breath. “He’ll keep her safe?” He nodded slowly, still processing her reaction. He told her that her beloved sister was mated to a Vampire, a monster, and she worried if the monster would keep Jenna safe. Fascinating.

“He’ll keep her safe,” he agreed. “And he’ll do most anything to keep her happy as well. Nic has powerful friends. He arranged the raid. Jenna wanted her sister--both of them if we could pull it off--and he drug the lot of us in here to get Jenna what she wanted.”

Her head dropped and her eyes slid away from his again. “And you ended up trapped here. Not much of a thank you.”

“I won’t be here long.” he assured her, flexing against his bonds once again. “Once the Dragon wakes up, I’ll be on my way.” He sent her a deliberately cocky smile. “You can come with if you like, but I’m out of here at the first opportunity.”

Her eyes flickered again. “Um, about your Dragon...”

He got a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach when she hesitated, rising to pace restlessly across his cell. “What about my Dragon?” he asked in a dangerously level voice.

She turned to face him and started to speak, but stopped when the door to the cell slid open.

“If you’re done playing Florence Nightingale, your father requires your presence, Miss Rowan.” The soldier spoke respectfully enough, but there was something vaguely threatening in his posture. Aidan thought he saw a flicker of unease before she turned to the guard. With her back to him he wasn’t sure.

“I’m not done here, Karl,” she answered quietly.

“The boss says you are, Miss Rowan.” He took a step toward her, and Aidan could have sworn she flinched, just a little bit. He felt his heart rate pick up, and pain knifed from the base of his skull through his brain.

He must have made some sort of noise, because Rowan’s gaze snapped back to him and, with a look of defeat in her honeyed eyes, she moved slowly to the door.

“Awww,” the soldier grinned nastily at him. “You’re already taming the beast.” He chuckled. “And you’re not even a beauty.”

Her shoulders hunched a little and her head hung lower. The soldier’s eyes flickered uneasily and Aidan realized he was growling. Loudly. He might not have decided whether or not to trust Jenna’s little sister, but he didn’t like way the guard seemed to be going out of his way to embarrass her. He smiled at the man, baring his teeth. The guard stiffened, went red with embarrassment and anger and, as soon as Rowan moved from between them, raised a gun and pointed it in Aidan’s direction.

“Nighty night time, monster,” the man taunted before he took aim and shot. The dart wedged in his upper arm, and he cursed foully as the world went dark.

Rowan was tied to the pole again. The cold steel object was father’s favorite place to punish her. She could feel the greedy eyes of the guard on her bare back. The man had looked downright gleeful as he’d ripped her t-shirt from collar to hem, baring her scarred, mottled flesh to his sickening gaze.

The door opened and she heard her father’s murmured conversation with the guard. She wondered what excuse he had for this beating. There was always a reason, some infraction to justify the violence to his human guards. Of course, there were fewer human guards every day as her father replaced them with his genetically manipulated hybrids. William Stone didn’t bother to give them excuses.

Rowan vividly remembered her first “punishment”. She hadn’t done anything to deserve that one, either.

Erin had been about six, full of energy and sass. Unfortunately, she’d directed that sass in her father’s direction, and he hadn’t appreciated it. Rowan knew she’d never forget the sight of her little sister, dangling from their father’s fist. He’d wound his fingers through her short, strawberry blonde hair and was shaking her like a puppy as Erin whimpered in terror.

Rowan, only ten herself, hadn’t thought, she’d just acted, throwing herself on her father’s arm, trying to pry Erin free. “Rowan Pamela,” he’d snapped, “you know very well that disrespect and disobedience will not be tolerated in this house.” She knew what that meant. Her father was a firm believer in not sparing the rod, and had “spanked” both Rowan and Jenna black and blue for the most minor infractions. But Erin was so small, so tender. Rowan knew she could stand the punishment much better than her innocent baby sister. Little had she known.

In a trembling voice she’d begged her father to let Erin go, had lied and sworn she’d set Erin up to be rude, had dared her to be sassy. Stone had looked at her for a long time, speculation in his cold blue eyes. In retrospect, Rowan knew he’d seen through her lie. He’d seen a way, even then, to use the three girls against each other.

He’d spanked Erin, but lightly, with his hand. He’d looked into her glowing sapphire eyes and explained very seriously that she must never allow someone else, even her sister, to cause her to be bad. Bad girls had to be punished. And to make sure she understood he’d had her watch as he punished Rowan.

That had been the first time he’d had someone else hold the strap. The first time he’d drawn blood.

Afterwards as she’d lain on her stomach on her bed, Erin had come to sit beside her and pet her hair.

“Why’d you do that?” her baby sister had asked, and Rowan thought she meant why Rowan had taken her punishment.

“I didn’t want him to hurt you,” she’d answered, her voice a little raw from screaming.

“Then you shouldn’t have told me to sass Daddy,” Erin had replied, stunning Rowan into silence.

“I shouldn’t have what?” Rowan had turned her head to stare at her sister in disbelief. “I didn’t! You know that. I lied to him. I didn’t want him to hurt you.”

Erin had just shaken her head with the solemn seriousness that only a six-year-old can possess.

“Now you’re lying, Rowey. Daddy said you would. He said you’re a bad girl, and bad girls lie.” Erin had leaned in closer, whispering. “I still love you, Rowey. Even if you’re bad. But don’t try to get me in trouble again, ‘kay?”

Yeah, Rowan remembered it as if it were yesterday.

“Well, Rowan Pamela, what do you have to say for yourself?” Rowan shuddered at the sound of her father’s voice, so soft and benevolent, at the touch of his hand, so gentle on her cheek.

“I can’t say anything until I know what I’m supposed to have done, Father,” she rasped out with more defiance than she felt.

“So disrespectful,” he tsked, patting her cheek briskly, just short of a slap. “Is it any wonder I have to keep reminding you of where your duty and your loyalty lie?” He turned to the guard who stood just out of her line of sight. “Karl, will you please demonstrate to my daughter what happens to bad little girls?”

Rowan closed her eyes and breathed deeply as the guard’s malevolent chuckle drifted over her bare skin, followed by the fiery lick of the whip.

He was still laughing when the blood began to flow. Still laughing when the darkness took her.

Erin sat on the cot next to Rowan, stroking her damp hair back from her face. Jordan--Dr. Jordan Baker--had been in earlier to tend her injuries. Her poor back. It was criss-crossed with lash marks, crusted over with blood and purple with bruising.

Rowan blinked hesitantly, her eyes slowly coming into focus, and Erin dropped to her knees on the floor by the cot.

“Oh, Ro, why do you insist on pushing him?” It was what she always said while she cared for Rowan after one of her beatings. She kept her voice soft even as she watched Rowan’s expression clear and harden.

“I didn’t do anything Erin. I never do. You know this.” And that was what Rowan always said. As usual, Erin felt a little twinge at the words--a flicker of a headache, a twist in her guts, a faint idea that there was something she should remember. As usual, Erin focused on the discomfort to push the confusion back down, down, down, so far in her subconscious that it might not even exist.

Shaking her head, Erin ran a soft, wet cloth down Rowan’s back, wincing as her sister hissed in pain. The cloth was soaked in an antiseptic and had enough topical painkillers to numb her for hours.

“Ro, I don’t know what you did this time, but I do know that Daddy wouldn’t punish you for nothing. He’s not a monster.” He wasn’t. He couldn’t be. He was all Erin had. She needed him to be strong and infallible.

“Jenna came for me,” Rowan finally sighed. Erin went tense, every muscle on high alert.

“She’s okay?” She’d never been as close to Jenna as she was to Rowan, but Erin loved her dreamy oldest sister, and had worried herself sick when she’d run away. “Where is she?”

“I don’t know,” Rowan answered. Erin could all but hear the second part of her answer. Rowan wouldn’t tell her even if she did know. She didn’t trust Erin not to tell their father. Well, of course she’d tell their father. The man was even more upset by Jenna’s disappearance than Erin was.

“I do know she’s mated,” Rowan continued, and Erin thought, mated? Not married? “To a Vampire,” Rowan added.

“She’s what?” Erin didn’t even try to hide her horror. The image of their mother, body battered, throat ripped out, was never far from her mind. Their sweet, loving mother had been savaged by night creatures, raped and tortured before one of them, a Vampire, had finished her off.

“She’s taken a Vampire mate,” Rowan repeated calmly. “He’ll take care of her,” she added softly. “Father captured a Dragon who came with her to get me.” Erin knew she meant they’d come to rescue them both. “I took him some water and cleaned him up a bit. I suppose that was my big crime this time.”

“I don’t understand you,” Erin snapped. Her temper was rising, and with it a nagging headache. “Either of you. How can you just forget what they did to Mom?” The pain in her head spiked, and she took a deep, breath before she continued. “How can you calmly say Jenna’s mated to a monster, and you’ve been nursing another one? God, Ro. No wonder Daddy keeps after you.”

Rowan held her gaze for a long moment, something so sad and filled with pity in her eyes that Erin wanted to scream, to claw something. Then her sister dropped her head back to the bed and closed her eyes.

“Go away, Erin.” Her voice was infinitely tired, infinitely sad. “You’re not helping.”

Erin’s eyes stung, her throat closed on the words she didn’t want to say, didn’t even want to think. Instead she leaned in and whispered, “Try not to piss him off again, Ro. You may be strong, but even you couldn’t handle another whipping right now.” Before Rowan could reply, Erin rose and slipped from the room, her heart a lead weight in her chest.

In his office William Stone watched the closed-circuit screen with satisfaction. Erin had worried him for a moment, looking almost willing to believe her scheming sister. But as always, the memory of her mother’s mutilated body snapped his youngest daughter--his oldest experiment--back into line.

Doreen’s murder had been one of his more brilliant moves, he had to admit. And allowing Erin to discover the body had been the cherry on top.

William leaned back in his chair and studied the live video of Erin as she stood in the corridor outside Rowan’s cell. She’d raised a hand to the back of her neck and was massaging it. Eyes closed, brows furrowed, she was clearly in pain. This was a new development. One that could produce some interesting results. He could hardly wait to see what happened next.

Aidan was still chained when he woke again, but at least this time he could see. He spent a few minutes flexing, from his toes on up, taking inventory of what seemed to be in working order and what felt a bit worse for the wear. All in all, nothing much hurt, save a tender spot below his balls. Almost as if...

The rage was sudden and all consuming. That bloody fuckin’ bastard had done some sort of cutting down there, and Aidan could make a good guess as to why. With the rage came the pain, the excruciating knife through the brain that stole his focus and made the room go foggy and gray.

Lost in the pain, he almost didn’t hear the door open. Almost. Then a tendril of scent, a whisper of sound, and Aidan knew she was back. Rowan.

“Relax, Dragon.” Her voice had lost some of its huskiness, but none of its sensual appeal. “The more upset you get, the worse your head is going to hurt.”

“What do you mean?” He couldn’t keep the growl out of his voice. Didn’t really want to. William Stone had been messing with his fuckin’ balls, and he wanted some answers.

“It’s just...” she sounded uncertain, almost afraid to continue. There was something in her voice that made his blood run cold, and something off in her scent that called out to the Dragon. Fuck. His head was splitting.

“Get over here,” he barked. He was sick and tired of being chained, being blinded, being out of control. She moved his way, but slowly. The grace he’d noted during her previous visit was a memory. She approached him now with the careful movements of someone recovering from a grievous injury. All at once he realized what was wrong with her scent. “You’re bleedin’. Where?”

She flinched a little at his throttled roar, and he had a split second vision of Karl, the guard who’d removed her from his cell. He didn’t like to see her flinch, not at all, and certainly not away from him. Which made no sense at all since he was still about fifty percent convinced she was the enemy.

“It’s not a big deal,” she murmured, coming to stand by his bed. He reached out to grab her and was brought up fast by the chain attached to the cuff on his wrist. He gestured impatiently, and she perched on the edge of the bed.

“It’s bad enough I can smell the blood, woman.” For some reason having her close helped quell the rage, and finally his head began to clear. “Now tell me what’s happened to you, and then tell me why I’ve an incision behind my balls and an axe in my skull.”

Oh, dear God. What had her father done?

“An,” she hesitated, clearing her throat, “incision?”

“Feels like it. Someone definitely was jabbin’ something around down there.” Rowan’s mind raced with the different motives her father might have to mess with the Dragon’s... parts. None of them were good. “Hey,” his rough tone jerked her attention back. “Don’t go changin’ the subject.” Those electric blue eyes caught hers and held. “What’s happened to you?”

There was probably no reason not to tell him. His knowledge, or lack thereof, in this particular area wouldn’t change anything. Still, she hated to tell him, hated the idea of his disbelief, or worse, his pity.

“Suffice it to say, my father doesn’t approve of my being so accommodating of his guests.”

Lightning flashed in his eyes and he abruptly ground his head back into the pillow with a low moan of pain.

“Shit,” she squeaked, automatically leaning over him, bracing one hand on the far side of his hip and laying the other on his forehead, trying to smooth away the deep grooves dug into his brow by the pain. “Calm down, Dragon. You need to calm down.”

“You mean to say,” he finally gritted out, “that your sick freak of a father hurt you for giving me fuckin’ water?” His voice dropped with each word until, by the end, it was a rumbling growl she felt vibrate clear to her core. Rowan blinked a couple of times in surprise. She’d seen the ugly side of sex more times than she wanted to count. Never had anyone or anything caused that little tingle deep in her womb.

He wrapped his fingers around her wrist, tethering it to the bed by his hip. Not that she was trying to get away. She was too weary, in too much pain, and too fricking confused by her body’s response to him.

“Answer me,” he growled, giving her wrist a little squeeze that should have made her feel threatened, but instead made her feel oddly protected.

“Fine,” she growled back. “Yes. My father set me up to discover you in here. He knew I’d do whatever I could to help you, and that would give him an excuse to have me punished.” Anger, embarrassment, and something she thought might be lust roiled in her gut, and Rowan jerked her hand free of his hold. She knew the only reason she managed to get away was because she caught him by surprise, and the knowledge fanned that little spark in her core, pissing her off even more. This was so not the time to discover her libido. And this was so not the male to discover it with.

“Show me.” The violence hadn’t left his voice, but it softened, as if he didn’t want to scare her.

“Why?” She didn’t know what disturbed her worse, the idea of baring herself to him, or the revulsion he was sure to feel at the sight of her mutilated back.

“Because you were hurt for helping me. Because if you could stand to take it, I can damn well honor you by witnessing it. Because I want to have the image of it in my head when I kill your fuckin’ father.”

His voice was low and intense and utterly sincere. No one had ever tried to fight for her. No one but Jenna, and Rowan always hid the absolute worst of the abuse from her sister because she knew Jenna couldn’t stand the punishment she’d take if she confronted their father.

“Dragon, what possible good could come from that?” But she knew that if he asked just once more, she would show him. His rage on her behalf was like a balm to her battered heart.

“My name’s not Dragon.” The non sequitur surprised her. She’d expected, wanted, him to insist. “It’s Aidan. Call me by my name.”

“Aidan.” She didn’t recognize her own voice. Hell, she didn’t recognize her own mind.

“Now show me, Rowan. Let me see your sacrifice on my behalf.”

She stood as if in a trance and turned her back to him. Her t-shirt was baggy and old, soft from hundreds of washings. She cringed a little at the feel of the soft cotton brushing over the welts on her back, and quivered when he hissed at the sight of them. She found herself clutching the shirt to her chest, a kind of defense mechanism, too little too late.

“Come here,” his voice was soft and full of gravel. Once again, she couldn’t resist. Slowly, grasping her shirt like armor, she moved back to sit on the edge of his cot. “Turn around.” She did, automatically scooting back, closer to his side.

He shifted with a jangle of chains, and something brushed gently over her back. Something soft and warm and damp. She whipped her head around in shock. Aidan had propped himself up on his elbows and was straining to reach her. He was kissing her wounds. Feathering his lips and tongue over them in a gentle benediction that stole away the pain better than any drug she’d ever had pumped into her veins.

Shock held her immobile for long seconds before reality set in and she jerked out of his reach, and lurched off the cot. Her ripped flesh protested the sudden movement, and she crushed a groan of pain.

“You can’t do that,” she gasped, turning quickly to pull her shirt back over her head.

“Why not?” He sounded totally reasonable, but when she turned to face him, his eyes were raging.

“Oh, for so many reasons.” She was backing toward the door, suddenly desperate to escape. He saw too much. He made her feel too much.

“Don’t go,” he demanded, clearly well and truly pissed by her retreat.

“I can’t stay,” she countered. It was true. Not only would staying be disastrous to her peace of mind, but Erin had been right when she said Rowan couldn’t tolerate another beating so soon, and staying with Aidan was an engraved invitation for William to break out the floggers. “I’ll come back,” she promised, somehow compelled to reassure him. “As soon as I can.”

He held her eyes for a long, tense moment, then finally nodded reluctantly.

“See that you do, Luv.” He ordered. His tone was barely above a whisper compelling her to return as soon as she could manage it.

That bloody fuckin’ son of a bitch had whipped her. His own daughter. And for what? For bringing Aidan a cup of fuckin’ water!

He’d thought he’d known the scope of Stone’s evil. Jenna had tried to show him the error of his ways, but he’d really thought he understood the man. Now Aidan realized he could never understand. He might be a bloody bastard most of the time, but Aidan lacked that fundamental core of corruption that allowed a man to whip his own fuckin’ daughter.

Maybe if he’d come from a different culture Aidan would have been less horrified. Dragons weren’t particularly prolific, and they treasured their children above all else. Then again, maybe any culture would view Stone’s actions with horror.

And then, there was Aidan’s own reaction to the sight of Rowan’s scars. He’d been filled, not with pity, but with admiration and respect. The woman had balls, and strength, the likes of which he’d never witnessed in a human. He was also flooded with the unfamiliar and uncomfortable need to comfort her. It had been completely natural and instinctive to kiss her wounds, and the instinct stunned him as much as it obviously stunned her.

Ah, but I am well and truly fucked.

Rowan woke slowly, in fits and starts.

“You need to eat something.” Erin had looked determined when she cornered Rowan in the mansion’s small library.

“That’s not something I hear much,” Rowan had responded with a dry smile. It was true. While Erin was always tactful, William and his flunkies felt no need to hide their disdain for her extra pounds.

“Oh, don’t start.” Erin had given her a ferocious, melodramatic scowl and presented her with a steaming cup of hot and sour soup. Rowan’s favorite. Rowan looked at her sister with brows raised in amusement.

She couldn’t move. Not an entirely unfamiliar sensation, really. When her mind was a little clearer Rowan knew she’d be able to list every single time over the last twenty-eight years that she’d awakened tethered to a hospital bed either by physical restraints or by chemical ones.

“I know it’s your favorite,” the younger woman protested with hands raised in mock surrender. Then she sobered. “I don’t want us to fight, Ro. I love you so much, and sometimes I’m so scared I’m going to lose you.” Brilliant blue eyes locked with hers. “I couldn’t bear to lose you, Ro. Not like Mom and Jenna.”

Rowan had given a rough sigh and sat down at the small table positioned under a window.

“Give it here,” she said, gesturing to the soup. Erin grinned and all but skipped to the table. “If you’re going to make me eat, the least you can do is join me, brat.” Erin’s smile grew even wider as she plopped down in the chair across from Rowan’s and proceeded to twist her legs into an incomprehensible knot. Rowan shook her head. The kid had always been unnaturally flexible.

Well, old William must have been feeling especially affectionate. Not only had her mind finally cleared enough for her to recognize the unmistakable sensation of waking from one of her father’s drug cocktails, but she also recognized the feel of thick leather cuffs buckled around her wrists and ankles.

If she concentrated really hard, she could begin to slit her eyes open. She just wasn’t sure she wanted to. God knew, nothing good ever awaited her in this situation. Still, she figured it would be better to at least know if she was in one of her father’s modified hospital rooms or shackled to her own bed.

“So,” she’d said, taking a cautious spoonful of steaming soup, “tell me something good, brat.” Erin began to chatter away happily about her current favorite book--the latest Jasmine Haynes, Rowan just had to read it--and who she thought would be the next one voted off American Idol. Rowan had smiled indulgently. She remembered vividly how Erin had been as a child. Chattering like a happy little magpie, excited over every little thing and eager to share her enjoyment with the world. Rowan had seen too little of that joie de vivre from her sister in the years since their mother’s death.

The soup was perfect, ordered in from LaiLai, her favorite local restaurant. The heat seeped into her, warming from the inside out. Suddenly Rowan was really, really tired. She hadn’t slept well since her aborted escape attempt, and aside from a long stint of unconsciousness immediately after her beating, she hadn’t slept at all in the forty-eight hours since she’d discovered the Dragon. Aidan.

Erin was still talking, but Rowan was having more and more trouble focusing on what she was saying. Aidan had kissed her wounds. Had born witness to her father’s cruelty. Had honored her. The memory of his lips, the damp heat of his tongue, sent a frisson of electricity through her. She could barely keep her eyes open. It would be so much easier to just let them slide closed and concentrate on Aidan. Those raging sapphire eyes. The hard, sculpted body chained to the bed.

“Shit!” Erin stopped, a look of surprise and then dread crossing her animated face as Rowan sat bolt upright and forced her eyes open. “What was in the soup, brat?” She knew the soup had been drugged, but seeing the guilt in her sister’s eyes made her heart twist.

“Just a protein supplement, I swear,” Erin rushed to assure her. “And Father had Jordan add a painkiller.” Big blue eyes met hers earnestly. “We knew you hadn’t been sleeping, and you need to sleep in order to heal.” Her sister’s words were beginning to blur, to fade into static as the drug took hold. Rowan felt herself sinking into her chair, melting like hot wax. A soft hand stroked her cheek. An anguished voice whispered, “Don’t be mad at me, Rowey. I just want to help you.” Then there was nothing but cold, black silence.

Rowan finally forced her eyes open enough to take in her surroundings. Pea green walls. Stainless steel fixtures. She was in one of her father’s experimentation rooms. Another deeper, more intimate ache had joined the symphony of pain singing out from her back. It shouldn’t surprise her. Not after Aidan had told her someone had been digging around his private parts.

“What have you done, Father?” She knew he was in the room. He was always there when she woke from one of his little experiments. It took more effort than usual to keep her voice flat and emotionless. She was anything but emotionless regarding her father’s pet Dragon.

“Ah,” William moved around from behind her to stand at the foot of her bed. He liked to do that; to stand towering over her, trying to make her feel vulnerable, weak. “Right on schedule. I’d thank you for doing something right, but I know I owe your cooperation to Dr. Baker’s expertise with tranquilizers.” He rocked back on his heels, thumbs hooked in the waistband of his charcoal silk suit.

“What have you done?” she repeated. He looked entirely too pleased with himself, and she felt dread curdle in her belly.

“You like our oversized lizard,” he said instead of answering. “I’ve never seen you strip willingly for a man before.” Shit, she thought, realizing William had video of Aidan’s tender ministrations to her abused back. “And,” he added, “you let him touch you.”

“If you were watching, Father, then you know I told him to stop and then left. I didn’t let him to do anything.” Again the struggle to keep her voice even. If he had even a hint of how upset she was, how badly she needed to know what he was up to, he’d keep her hanging until hell froze over.

“I never understood how you and Jenna could feel any sympathy for the monsters, not after the way they killed your mother.” He continued to study her through measuring eyes, searching for a weakness. “I’ve finally concluded that your affinity for the monsters is a gift to me, a tool that I can use in my mission to cleanse the world of their evil.”

Rowan shook her head. None of this was anything new. “Father, you’ve clearly been digging around my reproductive organs.” He gave a tight little smile at her dispassionate statement, no doubt disappointed she hadn’t spoken more crudely, given him a reason to hurt her. “From what the Dragon said, you’ve been digging around his, too.”

“Aidan, my dear,” William corrected her. “He asked you to call him Aidan.”

Rowan gritted her teeth and continued. “Fine. It’s quite clear you’ve got some sort of plan for me and Aidan. Now, what have you done?”

William responded to the note of intensity she’d finally allowed into her voice like a child showing off his science project. He moved to the side of the bed, made a production of shoving her hip over to make room for himself, and perched at her side.

“I’ve tried so hard to breed you, Rowan,” he began, a manic light in his blue eyes. “I thought I could just use your eggs, artificially inseminate them, but you were far too stubborn for that.” He smacked her lightly, an absent, open-handed slap as though she had deliberately not allowed her eggs to accept his various samples of donor sperm.

“I know you’re fertile. I’ve had that checked and double checked. I even had our dear doctor start giving you shots in order to double egg production.”

“This morning, when I saw you with the Dragon, I finally realized what was missing.” He continued to stroke her face, and Rowan forced herself not to recoil from his touch.”

“You want this Dragon, sexually. I know your eggs will welcome his seed; I’ve had Jordan test for compatibility. Your spawn will be more powerful than any of my previous experiments, and it will be mine to train and use as I see fit.”

Rowan was almost too numb to feel the sick horror his words conjured up. He’d been trying to breed her for years. She’d known that. She’d known that any plans he had for a potential child would not be pleasant. She’d known all those things intellectually, but somehow hearing it aloud stabbed a tiny soft spot in her heart she had thought he’d killed long ago.

“Now you lay here a while and gather your strength.” He patted her cheek briskly and rose to leave. “I’ll have Karl come in presently to unstrap you, and you can go about your day.” He paused and gave her a long look at the door. “You have my permission to consort with the Dragon,” he said after a long moment. “Be as friendly as you like. Maybe if your eggs won’t accept him inside the lab, they will inside your body.” With a brisk nod he left her alone with the knowledge of how deep his evil truly went.

She’d been gone more than twenty-four hours and, in spite of the many more pressing worries he had, Aidan couldn’t stop brooding over her absence.

She’d come to him the first time with fingerprints around her throat. The second time she’d been whipped until her blood flowed. He was afraid of what might happen to her before she could return a third time.

Forcing himself to relax, Aidan took stock of his situation. He’d been tranked twice now. The second time he’d woken much more quickly, and without the distorted vision that had lent his first awakening such a nightmarish quality. That Stone had discovered or manufactured a needle capable of penetrating his tough skin was troublesome. The fact the man had concocted a drug that could shut a shifter down for an extended amount of time was even more so. But even that wasn’t the most troubling, terrifying thing of all.

He couldn’t shift.

Not since his twelfth summer, his Summer of Transformation, had Aidan been unable to release the Dragon. He could feel the beast, coiled inside, waiting to burst free, but instead of the whiff of sulfur and burst of sweet release that accompanied his transformation, he suffered through the ice-pick slice of pain through his brain and down the back of his neck.

Stone had done something to him. He was pretty sure Rowan knew what, but her pain had distracted him from his questions during her last visit. Just the memory of it distracted him now. Her skin was pale, satiny and fine as a baby’s. Except for the knotted scars and whip slashes that ranged from palest pink to angry, crusted red. The scars showed her strength, but now Aidan found himself imagining her softness. The cushion of her hips in his hands, the heaviness of her breasts in his palms... He remembered his first reaction to her: Here was a woman who could take all he had to give without breaking.

He was so focused on her that it didn’t even startle him when the door whooshed open and her scent teased his sensitive nose. He turned his head slowly, no fast, painful movements this time, and raked his eyes over her silent form, looking for new injuries.

He couldn’t find any obvious damage, but she hovered near the door, seeming uncharacteristically hesitant.

“I’m thinkin’ we need to talk,” he rasped out, before his dick overruled his brain and he begged her to strip down to that creamy satin skin and straddle him.

“We do,” she agreed quietly. “About more than you know.”

She moved slowly across the room, finally coming to perch on the edge of his cot. Aidan turned his hand, laid his fingers over hers and kept his voice deliberately soft.

“I think you’d better start, Luv.” He met her burnt caramel eyes somberly. “Why can’t I shift?”

Her eyes slid closed for a moment and a look of relief crossed her face. Then she opened them with a sigh and answered.

“My father and his scientists have developed a kind of computer chip that, when implanted at the back of the neck, makes it impossible for a shifter to transform.” He stared at her in disbelief as she continued. “I don’t really know how it works, only that it sends some sort of electrical current that floods your nervous system with pain when you try to shift.”

He wanted to laugh in her sober face. True, he couldn’t shift, but her story was straight out of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

“This isn’t a Joss Whedon story, Luv. You can’t be serious.” He kept the words light, mocking, hoping his ridicule would make it untrue.

“No, Aidan, it’s not.” He was almost distracted by the sound of his name on her lips. Almost. “It’s reality.” She leaned in and slipped her fingers behind his neck. “My father made Jordan implant the chip here.” He felt her trace a short line of stitches at the top of his spine. “As long as it’s there you won’t be able to change.” Irrationally he focused on that name, Jordan, which she said with clear affection and nearly missed the tail end of her explanation. “And as long as it’s there, whenever your adrenaline spikes, whenever you become aggressive or even try to shift, you’ll suffer debilitating pain.”

He squeezed his eyes closed for a minute, desperately falling back on his training, breathing, letting Dragonsong fill his mind until he thought he could speak without roaring.

“What else?” he finally gritted out.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered. Her words drew his gaze back to her face, but she looked away. He tightened his fingers on hers and gave a little tug.

“Could it actually be worse than what you’ve already told me?” Great Mother, how could it be worse?

“He intends to breed you.” The words were a wisp of sound, and she still wouldn’t meet his eyes.

At least this was something he could put her mind to rest about.

“He can’t breed me.” That brought those brown eyes back to his. He lowered his voice, well aware that the room was most likely wired for sound at the very least. “A Dragon can only reproduce with his or her mate.” She looked confused, which didn’t really surprise him. Dragon physiology and ritual wasn’t something they shared with the human public.

“But he said--” she started, and then stopped abruptly.

“He said what?” Aidan coaxed, ignoring the fact that with any other being alive he’d be demanding instead.

Her face flushed red, and she looked away again and whispered, “He said we’re biologically compatible.”

Aidan froze for a moment as he worked out just how Stone would know such a thing.

“To come up with that shit he’d need to have taken samples.” She nodded. “The incision behind my balls,” he stated flatly, and she nodded again. It was probably good that she was refusing to look at him. What she might see in his face would probably scare the life out of her. “He’d have had to test you, too.” He finished. This time she didn’t nod, just stared silently at the floor.

“Rowan,” he heard the rumble begin in his chest, felt the pain begin to knife up his neck. “What did he do to you while you were gone from me?” The pain was more intense now, but his gritted his teeth against it, determined to get her answer.

“Nothing,” she mumbled, still looking at the ground.

“Don’t you lie to me, woman.” The rumble became a growl. The pain was nearly glazing his eyes. “What did that sadistic bastard fuckin’ do to you?”

She tried to pull away, but he clenched his fingers around hers. The growl escaped, a strangled, pain filled sound that finally brought her eyes back to his face.

“Oh, God, Aidan,” she gasped, leaning in closer and laying her free hand on his cheek. “You’ve got to calm down.” She petted him almost frantically; his face, his neck, his chest. “The chip won’t allow you to shift, and I’m afraid if you don’t calm down, it’ll damage you somehow.”

He gritted his teeth, nearly roaring out his rage. He’d been violated, which pissed him off, but what sent him into a rage the likes of which he’d never known was the knowledge that Stone had violated her. Rowan, with her scars and softness and courage. Stone had defiled her, and that was something Aidan wouldn’t tolerate, and neither would his Dragon.

“His tests were wrong, Rowan. A Dragon has never produced a child with a human. Never.” He squeezed his eyes shut, to think her father had violated them was more than he could bear.

Tears filled her big brown eyes, and her frantically stroking hand landed on his chest. Square over his heart.

Fire shot over him, strong and lightning fast. Not the kind that brought pain. No, this was the kind that signaled desire. His heart pounded and his cock got hard. Rowan’s eyes locked with his, and suddenly everything inside of him went still. Then the glow began, rising from his chest to wrap around her hand. When she gasped and tried to pull away, he knew it was futile. She was effectively locked to him, sharing a dance as old as the first Dragon.

Aidan watched the blue Dragon glow wind up her arm and slide across her chest, twining around her torso and down until she was glowing from head to foot. Her eyes grew huge, showing fear for the first time. He sympathized. She had no idea what was happening to them. He knew what was happening, though he couldn’t fuckin’ believe it, and it scared the ever livin’ shit out of him. She opened her mouth to speak but no sound came forth. Aidan could have warned her of that, if the magic hadn’t held him just as deeply in its thrall. Then out of her mouth, it came. A fierce red smoke.

No! NO! Aidan wanted to scream, but it was too late. Rowan’s aura wrapped itself around Aidan’s prone body, skimming sensuously over his blue glow. Their auras merged in the space between them, forming a brilliant amethyst light that separated to enclose them both.

He felt the new, combined aura flicker over his skin like electricity. The small hairs on his body stood on end, and Rowan’s hair floated around her face like a halo. Great Dragon, even in the midst of this disaster, she was so beautiful to him.

The world went silent for an endless moment. The amethyst light surrounded them both, connecting them with a force Rowan didn’t understand and Aidan didn’t want to accept. He could feel her heartbeat in his own chest. Her breath moved his lungs. Then the light sank into them, saturating their bodies until time and the world restarted with a rush.

Rowan collapsed against his chest. Her breathing was hard and heavy, matching the tempo of his own. He shook his head violently, ignoring the pain from the damned chip, ignoring the tingle of power still ghosting over his skin. It wasn’t possible. He couldn’t take on his dragon form, so how the hell was his Dragon spirit able to perform his po’sadh, his marriage?

Fuck, Fuck, Fuck. This could not be happening. He squeezed his lids shut, trying to call back his calm. It was no use. She was there inside of him. A part of her now rested permanently within him, as he was now a part of her. Permanently. His Dragon would never accept another female, not in his life or in his bed.

He wanted to scream with rage. His choices had been stolen from him the moment her hand touched his chest. He didn’t want this. He didn’t want to settle down. Married men were men with weaknesses--they made mistakes. Look at Nic. He wasn’t sure if his friend was alive or dead, and for what? Because he was in love.

Aidan liked Jenna; he respected her. And he’d been dancing around something stronger than liking and respect for Rowan. He had no regrets about trying to rescue her from her butcher father. But, this? This, he wasn’t ready to deal with. His Dragon had tied him to this woman--a woman he didn’t even know--for the rest of his life. No other could accept his seed, bear his children. Fuck, he wouldn’t even be able to get hard for another female now.

Worse still was that Rowan had been hurt yet again. Maybe not in a physical sense but hurt nonetheless. Her choices had been stolen from her not by her father but by Aidan himself. He’d come to take her away from this hell, to give her the freedom every person should have. Instead she’d been beaten, abused, and was now bound to him. An honor he sure as hell didn’t deserve, and one he promised himself he wouldn’t hold her to.

No, if they ever got out of here he would let her live her own life. This was one hell of a time to find a conscience, but he had. Rowan would not be a slave anymore, to her father or to him.

“What was that?” Rowan’s voice was as ragged as her breath as she pushed up against his chest. Burnt caramel eyes met his, and for just a minute he considered what this mating meant to her. He, at least, knew what had happened. Rowan had no clue how her life had just changed.

“That was my Dragon saying he likes you,” he muttered. “It means you are under my protection now.” It wasn’t a lie. As her husband and mate he was bound to protect her, and he would. The rest of it, the forever and babies part, he would explain later.

No reason to alarm her if they were just going to end up dead anyway. And, if he were being honest, he wasn’t ready to deal with the forever and babies part himself, let alone explain it all to her. He would tell her though; she had the right to know. He was not like her father and she deserved his honesty. No, it would be soon enough to deal with things once he got her free of this place and safe in his lair. Ah, fuck. Aidan never, ever took women to his lair. His closest friends weren’t even aware of where he resided. It was instinct to keep it a secret, to protect his home and make a safe nest for his mate. For his children.

He felt the anger threaten again, and choked it down. He and Rowan Stone were bonded. That was that. The bonding only happened for couples who were a genetic match. It had nothing to do with love or emotion; it was all about propagating the species, strengthening the clans. It was an awfully convenient coincidence that mere moments after telling him her father believed they were biologically compatible, they had bonded in his species’ version of a fertility guarantee. If he hadn’t known it was impossible, he’d almost have believed Stone had somehow engineered it.

But that was impossible. And while Stone was nowhere to be seen, Rowan was here, firm and warm against his hip. Her breathing was evening off, but her eyes still looked wild and a bit stunned.

Laying there, wrapped in chains, all he could think about was dragging her into his lair. Having her spread out before him, his cock driving into her, his seed shooting into her womb.

He imagined seeing Rowan there, lying across his huge bed, her naked skin calling to him. He would fuck her hard and fast, then take her slowly. He’d drive her mad with the need to have him, and only him, inside of her, claiming her over and over again. His dragon would never be satisfied, he knew. The image of her plump with his child made him moan out loud. Christ! This was how males reacted once mated, every protective instinct burned hot, desire became a raging beast of its own.

Aidan used his grip on her hand to yank her roughly against him. Pressing up on his elbows, he met her halfway, catching her mouth in a bruising kiss. His tongue plundered her hot, sweet mouth. Her taste filled his senses. He devoured her, claiming her lips and tongue as his own, thrusting into her in a promise of what he’d like to do to her body. What he eventually would do to her body.

Rowan kissed him back with just as much hunger. Her hands flattened on his chest, satin fire stroking over his skin. Her fingers curled, her nails digging into him. He nipped her bottom lip, then drew it into his mouth. He swallowed her moan, and gave back one of his own when her nails scratched over his nipples. He sucked at her tongue and let her push him down flat on his back and straddle him, her willing captive. He ached to feel her under him, but the chains weren’t long enough.

He was angry; at fate for putting him in this situation, at himself for needing to touch, and at Rowan for tasting so fucking sweet. His mouth slid to her cheek, down the long column of her throat. Her breath hitched, and he chuckled darkly. He nibbled the sensitive spot where her shoulder met her neck, and she cried out in pleasure.

His balls tightened. A primal instinct howled in his head, in his soul. He hadn’t asked for her, but Great Dragon, she was in his arms and in his blood like a fire. She was his, and he needed to see the proof of what he was feeling.

Unable to stop himself, he bit down on her shoulder, hard; piercing tender flesh, stopping just short of bone. She screamed and arched against his bound body, the soft globes of her breasts pressing against his pounding heart, and her body began to shake. He tasted her blood, and the hormone released in his saliva that would mark her as his. She would forever carry the scar he was leaving in her soft skin. It would always be a deep purple, the color of their merged auras. When the time was right, she would be able to mark him as well. His mind insisted that she may leave him in the end if they ever escaped, but his Dragon had other plans. The need to mark her was entrenched in his very DNA. It was an automatic response and while they were locked up here, he had no way of fighting the demands of his people. Yesterday the very idea would have driven him mad, but today with her in his arms it was a different story.

She was shuddering against him, pressing her pussy against his hard thigh and rubbing relentlessly against his cock where it strained against the fly of his jeans. It hurt. Aidan knew it hurt being marked, but the pain bled into a pleasure beyond anything known to humankind. He’d marked his mate, and she was coming apart all over him; coming in an endless cascade of pleasure.

It was too much. The taste of her, her scent. The thought of her marking him, her sharp little teeth on his chest, over his heart. With a strangled roar against her skin, Aidan exploded, his seed shooting hard against his jeans. Insane, dark pleasure swamped him as he pumped up into the cradle of her thighs, loosing pulse after pulse of hot cum.

He wanted to blame it on his physiology but he couldn’t, not really. While the bonding would make it impossible to ever take another female, it wasn’t necessary for his heart to play along. Feeling her on him, the way she felt so damn perfect in his arms told him he wanted to be with her and only her. She owned him now and he was oddly warmed by it.

He knew, he thought dazedly, he knew he would impregnate her as soon as she was fertile.

Before that happened, he would have to tell her of their marriage. She had the right to know. And even though neither of them had had a choice in their bonding, he would not take the choice from her when it came to carrying his baby.

He lifted his mouth from her shoulder reluctantly and placed his forehead against hers. Her eyes met his, dark and fathomless. Her lips were swollen and red. He wanted to bite them. Pulling back, he smiled weakly. “Rowan, we have to have a serious talk.”

“Bravo, bravo,” praised a loud male voice from the door. Rowan’s head swung around and she flinched as her father strolled through the doorway. She’d been so engrossed in the feel of Aidan that she hadn’t even heard the door open.

Slowly she climbed off him, ignoring his hold on her hand and turning her back on him to face her father. Wouldn’t Erin be appalled? she thought. She felt safe to turn her back on the monster, while she had to keep her father in her sights at all times. It literally sickened her to think he’d witnessed what had passed between her and Aidan. She might not understand exactly what it was, but she knew it was something profound and private.

William Stone sauntered into the room, his teeth flashing a dazzling white; it was the smile he wore for the media. She cringed inside every time she witnessed that smile. It meant he knew had triumphed in some fashion, almost always at someone else’s expense. What was he so happy about?

He advanced until he stood in front of her and reached out a finger to stroke her cheek. When she instinctively jerked away, his smile just got wider.

“Good girl, Rowan.” He pointed to Aidan, still strapped down to the bed. She glanced at him; he was stiff, staring at the man’s profile, destruction etched in his strong features. Heat flashed through her all over again. Even with murder radiating from every vibrating inch of him, Aidan was truly a breathtaking man.

William wagged his finger at his middle daughter with a big grin. “I knew! I just knew you would be able to tempt him. Your DNA profile indicated you should be compatible.” He walked around to stand behind her, his hands digging into her shoulders. “I got a little worried, though, when his little soldiers couldn’t fertilize your eggs in the lab. Just another instance of your defiance.” She winced as he dug harder into the fresh wound Aidan had left on her shoulder. “So imagine my surprise, my vindication, when you mated with him.”

“What are you talking about?” Confusion and dread settled over her. She glanced at Aidan and nearly gasped at his expression. His eyes were locked on William’s hands where they dug into her flesh. There was slow, bloody death in those eyes.

Sensing he’d lost her full attention, her father squeezed hard, surprising a cry of pain from her.

“My darling daughter, you are now bound for life to our pet Dragon.” He gave a satisfied sigh. “Just imagine; you will live your lives out down here, safe and contained. And when you birth his children, I will have a new generation to properly train in the art of killing the night filth that walks our streets.”

“What are you talking about?” she stammered in horror. “I don’t understand--”

William cut her off with a laugh. Her eyes darted back to Aidan’s, which were dark and cold as he looked at her.

“Foolish Dragon,” William continued. “Did you really think any daughter of mine would kiss you for no reason?” He stroked her hair in a sick parody of tenderness. She barely kept from retching, afraid of how he’d retaliate. “She knows where her loyalties lie, and it’s not with you or any of the other vermin out there.” Wrapping cruel fingers around her arm, William dragged her toward the door. “Don’t worry, Ghallager. I will send your bride back to you in a few hours. We want her to look pretty for you when you consummate your marriage.”

Horrified, Rowan struggled in his grip as he pushed her completely out of the room. A guard grabbed her roughly around the neck and shoved her forward, down the icy corridor.

She was going to kill her father, she vowed, even if it meant her own death in the process. She closed her eyes as she remembered the shuttered expression on Aidan’s face. He hated her now. He would never believe she wasn’t in collusion with her father. She’d just wanted to explain to him about the chip. To warn him about her father’s breeding plan. To steal a little of the warmth radiating from him.

Whether he believed her or not, though, her father spoke the truth about one thing. She was bound to the Dragon. There was nothing rational about the feeling, but she knew they needed each other in the most profound way.

It went beyond sex, although Aidan had given her the first orgasm of her life with nothing but his mouth against her neck. No, she felt different. Her skin itched and her muscles throbbed. The deepest part of her was wet and longing, for the first time ever, to be filled. To be filled by Aidan. His kiss had been rough, far from romantic, but she craved more. The deeper he’d invaded her mouth, the deeper she needed him to go. Then she remembered the frost in his eyes as William dragged her from his room, and had to fight the urge to weep. She felt like she’d lost her best friend, which was ridiculous. She’d known the Dragon less than a week.

He ran the tip of his best whip across her chin.

“You know it kills me to hurt you, but you leave me no choice, Rowan. You will mate with the dragon, and after you have given birth to my grandchildren I shall dispose of you and the animal.”

“I hate you.” she said, trying to jerk her chin away from his grasp.

“True leaders are always hated, my dear. We have to make the hard decisions that no one else will.” William unfolded the long tails of the whip. They were about three feet in length, made of the finest leather. The very tips were encased in sharp silver barbs. Large enough to break flesh, but not enough to really dig into the skin deeply. Rowan would bleed tonight, but the bleeding would stop. She wouldn’t require the doctor to attend her.

“You will be my brood mare, Rowan, and if you do not fulfill your wifely duties I will have you whipped every night until you fall into his bed.”

“Why do you keep saying we are married?” she cried out.

“I think I will leave that explanation up to your husband. Just know that according to his customs you are now his. Forever, Rowan. You belong to him now.”

She hung her head in defeat; her father finally broken her with his manipulations. She would be facing Aidan; she knew he must hate her. Would he ever believe she was as much a victim as he was?

“Now remember, dear daughter, you must cry out for me. If not, I will be forced to have Karl take over. We don’t want another episode like that do we? I grow very tired of your stubbornness.”

She tensed as she waited for the first blow. He didn’t make her wait long. She heard the tails ride though the air with a crack a second before the metal hooks sliced through the first layer of scars on her back.

Aidan woke with a start. He was getting bloody tired of being shot with tranquilizer guns. As soon as Stone had taken Rowan away, a guard came in and shot him in the side. The bastard stood next to the door, a smirk crossing his face, while Aidan fought whatever the narcotic was running amok in his blood stream.

But now he was alone, no longer bound by the heavy chains. He stretched his arms over his head, enjoying the burn of his protesting muscles as he forced them into movement, then stretched the lower half of his body as well. He was used to being on the move and it felt like paradise to have that ability once more.

He sat up in the bed and looked around. He wasn’t in the dingy cell anymore. In fact, this room looked like a bedroom you might find anywhere. There was camera in the top corner of the room, trained on the bed. Aidan lifted his hand and gave the spy device a one-fingered salute. Scooting to the edge of the bed, he planted his feet on the floor. Lightheaded for a moment he stopped, closing his eyes and taking a few deeps breaths.

He stood and realized he was cleaned up. The blood was gone and he was dressed in a plain white T-shirt and gray sweat pants. He felt his heavy hair in the traditional braid of his people down the middle of his back. It pissed him the hell off; a Dragon’s hair was sacred and was a focal point in many of their ceremonies. It really didn’t surprise him that someone had been messing with it, though. Of course Stone had it done just to prove that Aidan was his prisoner.

Bloody hell, man you have really gotten yourself in a fuckin’ pickle, he thought as he made his way around the room. The lights were on a dimmer and Aidan raised his eyes to the ceiling. Of course they were covered by something clear, and he bet it wasn’t made of glass.

Stone wasn’t stupid. He wouldn’t leave anything that could be used for a weapon lying around. There was no other furniture in the room, but a pile of extra clothing was folded neatly on the floor.

Her scent floated in the air. Rowan was back. There were two doorways, one led to Rowan and the other was a bathroom. Aidan made his way to the second opening and looked inside. No mirror, only a sink, toilet and small shower stall, no curtain, no privacy.

What did he really expect? He was a prisoner of a psychotic fanatic, not staying in a five-star resort.

He left the bathroom. Only one more room to go. Aidan’s heart rate picked up speed, the hammering in his chest becoming harder at the mere thought of seeing Rowan again.

He’d never believe she was on her father’s side or that she’d set out to seduce him. Dragons were fairly good at reading people’s emotions through facial expression and body language, a gift each member of the clan was born with. Instinctively they could distinguish the smallest movement of the body, the slightest inflection in the voice. Many dragons were ambassadors to just about every county in the world. Despite their tempers, or maybe even because of them, dragonkind had learned to control their beasts and become great diplomats as a result.

Aidan knew he possessed none of his race’s greater qualities. What he did have had been torn out of him the day Fiona was taken from his arms by hunters, never to be seen again.

He held onto the anger of that day, held it tightly to him. He never forgot and he’d vowed to find those who had taken her and kill them.

Shaking his head, he stalked toward the door that led to Rowan. Now was not the time for a trip down memory lane.

The light in the room was dim. He recognized her shape on a sofa placed against the wall. He turned the dimmer up, wanting to see her face. He’d be able to tell if she held any guilt or deception.

She was turned away from him, her body huddled as close to the couch as she could get. Her breathing was slow and even. She was sleeping. He wasn’t sure if she’d been drugged as he’d been, and decided to leave her in peace. He could still smell the blood from her earlier wounds, but didn’t wake her. He fought the need to take her in his arms and pushed it aside.

She wore only a thin cotton robe and he grew hard as he imagined her naked underneath. He clenched his fists to keep from sliding a hand between her thighs and touching what was his. The bonding released a never-ending supply of pheromones. The need to fuck his wife over and over again would be impossible to fight for any length of time.

Instead he concentrated on the rest of the room. Like in the bedroom, there was a camera up high on the wall. There were two gigantic pillows in the middle of the room which he supposed were meant to be used as chairs.

The door to the room was the same kind as the one in his cell. This one had a slot much like the ones you see in jail and lying at the bottom was a bag. The aroma of cold chicken wafted out from it.

He sat down next to the door and ripped the bag open. Yep, cold chicken along with two Styrofoam bowls, one containing potatoes and the other broccoli. Accompanying the food were two large cups filled with water. He drank his in two swallows. At least they could fill them up in the sink when needed. It could have been raw steak for all he cared, now that he was free to move about his appetite had returned. He ate with relish and moaned slightly as his stomach filled with food. He left half of the contents in the bag for Rowan when she woke.

After filling his belly, Aidan stayed where he was, watching the rise and fall of Rowan’s back. He knew there was true evil in the world. Hell, it had touched his life once, he should have expected that he’d run headlong into it again. He was torn, part of him resentful he hadn’t listened to his initial instincts and stayed the hell away from here. If he’d been thinking straight, he would have suggested rescuing Rowan from somewhere other than Stone’s personal compound. But rationality had been the furthest thing from everyone’s mind when Jenna talked about getting her sisters free of their father. And she’d been right. He may have wanted to bitch that he’d been dragged into this situation kicking and screaming, but he knew better.

In a fucked-up way, he was glad he’d made the choice to come here. Rowan... he never would have met her had he backed down. He now had an inkling of why Nic had become so quickly devoted to Jenna. There was, indeed, something special about the Stone sisters. In Rowan he was witnessing true courage and selflessness, qualities he’d sworn humans couldn’t possibly possess in such quantities. The woman lying on the sofa was smashing all the bigoted beliefs he’d ever clung to in order to justify his asshole behavior toward them.

After what seemed like hours, Rowan had still not woken. He needed to talk with her and patience wasn’t his strong suit.

He crawled to her, kneeling beside the couch. Laying his hand on her, he squeezed her shoulder and gently shook. She sat straight up, a scream of bloody terror ripping through the room. Her eyes were wild as she looked around quickly. Her robe fell off of her shoulder as she finally focused on his face.

“What the hell?” Aidan fell back as he saw long bloody marks down the back of her shoulder. She quickly pulled up the sleeve and gathered the robe high around her throat. He reached for her, but she bounded off the couch and ran into the bedroom.

He went after her and when he entered the room she was huddled down next to the mattress. Her shoulders shaking and soft sounds escaped her lips. He didn’t understand the words but they sounded like a prayer.

Fuckin’ bloody hell, what did they do to her this fucking time? He was on the verge of asking her when she looked up at him. Her face brought him to his knees. This was not the same woman whom only hours before kissed the hell out of him.

Her warrior spirit, the one that made her aura a brilliant scarlet, was gone from her face. She looked haunted and beaten. The pale skin and trembling shoulders terrified him. He reached for her and she flinched hard, backing into the wall, trying to make herself into a tight ball. She was like a wounded animal backed into a corner, making herself as small as possible.

“Rowan please,” he cooed, “I won’t hurt you. I promise.”

She shook her head in denial. “You want to kill me. Kill me because of him.”

“No, no.” He made his voice soft and gentle. “You are sister to Jenna. I made a promise to Jenna to find you. Do you think I’m capable of hurting you now?”

Rowan’s arms came around her legs, and she began rocking back and forth. “He can’t be stopped, he can’t be stopped...I didn’t know what he had planned.” Fat tears rolled down her cheeks, ripping his heart. When he moved to get a little closer she put her hands out, warding him away.

“Don’t...please.” She continued to rock. He felt so fucking useless.

“Shhhh...shhhhh my muimin. Don’t.” He reached forward to graze her cheek with the tip of his finger. “I’ll only sit here with you, hold your hand. I promise, nothing more.” His hand slipped over hers, which were still holding tightly to her knees. She began to relax and allowed him to take one of her hands in his.

For hours he sat with her, holding her hand, rubbing his thumb along her wrist, trying to soothe her through touch alone. She refused to meet his eyes, but he didn’t care, her soft moans and silent tears were fading.

He wanted to kill, his head was splitting in two with the need to change and seek vengeance for Rowan. No one should ever have to endure what she had, on behalf of her sisters, on behalf of himself. How could a man ever thank a woman such as her? Would he have ever been able to endure what Rowan had endured?

When he felt her calm down, knew her breathing had regulated, he squeezed her hand lightly.

“Rowan, I want you to lie on the bed. Get on your stomach and let me look.” He stood, holding out his hands. She grasped his fingers and he pulled her from the hard floor.

He helped her to lay across the bed, leaving her for only a moment as he grabbed a t-shirt from the pile of clothes and tossed it over the camera, managing to cover the lens.

He returned and knelt on the floor. “Untie your robe so I can see your injuries.”

“I can’t ...I’m hideous...”she cried, her face buried in one of the pillows.

“Nonsense. You are beautiful, Rowan. If not, my dragon would have never recognized you as his match. Please, Rowan.”

She moved her hands beneath her and reluctantly loosened the belt. Aidan reached for the neckline and slowly peeled back the robe down her back.

Not sure if he really believed what he was seeing, he walked over and turned the lights on brighter.

He choked back a cry as he looked at her back. From her shoulders to the bottom of her spine were scars. In the cell yesterday the light had been dim, hiding the worst of the marks, but now he was able to see just how much damage she’d received in her lifetime.

Some of the scars were small and pale, others thick and pink. Like the rings on a tree, he was able to determine newer wounds from the oldest. Her skin was mottled and what should have been perfectly smooth bare skin looked more like a road map.

Blood was dried on her flesh. Obviously she had taken another beating earlier. His hands shook as he took the rest of the robe off of her. The scars rode down every inch of skin, from the backs of her thighs, along her calves and all the way to her ankles.

His stomach lurched and bile burned his throat. Not from the way she looked, but from the knowledge of all the pain she’d experienced in her young life.

Careful not to touch her fresh wounds, he placed his strong fingers around one ankle, slowly sliding it up her leg. He touched every scar, big and small. He felt every bump and ridge that was now a part of her.

Rowan flinched as his continued to stroke her broken body. He made an attempt to soothe her, keeping her quiet by humming.

Dragons were able to calm others through touch and voice. He hadn’t done so with anyone except his little sister, and then only when she’d had bad dreams. It was so long ago, he’d thought he’d lost the ability, but now it came back to him as naturally as breathing, and it was working on Rowan. He kept touching her, petting her and lightly kneading tense muscles. He kept the deep tenor of his voice, humming an ancient song meant to quiet a frightened child until she was lulled into a dream-like state.

Standing, he walked to the camera mounted on the wall and yanked the shirt down.

“I am going to kill you.” He said slowly to the silent lens. He knew they were being watched. He wanted Stone to know he was going to come after him, somehow, some way. He would destroy those who’d taken from his family, his friends and now his wife. He tossed the shirt back over the lens.

Striding to the bathroom, he ripped off his shirt and tore it into long strips, which he ran under warm water. Wringing them out, he returned to the bed.

Gently, he washed each and every lash mark along her back, and as he wiped the blood off his mouth watered. He wanted to kiss each and every place he cleaned but fought the urge. This wasn’t the time to satisfy his wants. She deserved to be tended and he was grateful to be the one to do it.

The wounds weren’t bleeding any more, and by the depth of the cuts she’d been whipped enough to hurt, but not enough to cause serious damage. At least not the kind of damage her body had already sustained.

He couldn’t get the image of the terror in her honey-colored eyes out of his mind, and he swore that even if it took the rest of his life he’d insure she’d never have that look on her face again.

Rowan woke lying on her back. The warmth pressed close to her made her feel safe. Opening her eyes she found Aidan at her side, one arm thrown across her belly. She was naked under the covers, and from the heat of his skin sinking into hers, so was he.

She should have been mortified, but she wasn’t. It felt right to be lying naked with this man. The light was low but she could still see his broad chest, hairless and deeply muscled. Her fingers itched to reach out and run over his flat stomach.

His large hand across her tummy was warm and strong. Fingers spread wide, they spanned over her, sending little shock waves through her and into more intimate parts.

She felt totally at peace for the first time in her life. Even their hideous situation didn’t seem quite as bad when she was held by this man.

She frowned slightly. Who was she kidding?

Her father was going to kill them both. With the chip imbedded in Aidan’s neck there was no way he could change into his dragon form. He didn’t have the kind of strength they would need without the change.

She prayed Jenna’s man was okay, and that they would attempt another rescue. She wasn’t hopeful, though. Her father had moved them to a deeper part of the compound, three stories below his home. The guards would be doubled and tripled against any incoming threat. William Stone had enough money and connections that his fortress was guarded better than the White House.

The hand on her stomach moved, drawing small lazy circles around her belly button.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “I’m not sure how you did it, but I feel a lot better.”

She chanced a look at him and was rewarded with a smile. His eyes crinkled at the corners and she knew it was a genuine smile, just for her.

“You’re welcome, Rowan.” He pushed himself up on his side, propping his head in his hand. “What the hell has he done to you?”

Rowan squeezed her shoulder blades together involuntarily. She shrugged awkwardly before answering. “Father likes to have total control. I wasn’t about to allow Jenna to take the punishment. She is too fragile. Erin, well she’s too traumatized. She found our mother after she was murdered. It only made sense that I take it for them.”

Aidan placed his finger under her chin, gently tilting her head up. “A warrior. I knew it the moment I met you. I can feel your strength coming from every pore.”

“I’m not a warrior, Aidan. Please don’t paint me with that brush. I took the beatings because I didn’t care if I died. When you’re in a prison, even if it is without bars, you tend to give up. I gave up, and until Jenna suggested we leave I never really thought about what the next day in my life might bring.”

Rowan turned to her side and sat up, covering herself with her robe.

Standing, she wrapped her arms around herself. “Don’t make me out to be anything more than a woman who didn’t give a shit about her life. I only did what I did in order to save my sisters the pain.”

She wasn’t a hero. A hero would have gotten her sisters away and killed their father before he inflicted any more damage. No one knew better than Rowan the kind of evil he was capable of. She’d been to his torture chambers, had been forced to participate in his sick experiments. She’d witnessed hundreds die, and never stepped in to help them. In truth, she was a coward. She deserved every single lash. Her scars were her penance for inaction, for the blood on her hands.

A deep sadness twined around her heart. When Aidan found out about her, what she had really done, he would hate her. No matter how strong their connection was, her sins would break any ties that bound them in this experience.

Strong, thick arms wrapped around her waist. She leaned into his massive frame, soaking him in, taking the comfort he offered. It was a selfish thing to do, but she was so tired. For once in her life she wanted to feel a little peace, no matter how fleeting it might be.

“Lady,” his voice was low and seductive in her ear. “No matter what you think, you are a fighter. You cared for your kin, made sure they were safe. No matter what else is running through your mind, you must know that Jenna is free and happy and loved because of you.”

His mouth opened and he placed his lips to her pulse. Fire licked where his tongue lingered. Rowan dropped her head to the side, giving him easier access. His mouth closed on her shoulder, where he’d bitten her earlier. When his lips made contact, her skin began to tingle. Her pussy became moist and plump, and she burned with the desire to feel him inside her.

He slipped her robe open and turned her to face him. He pressed their naked bodies together from chest to thigh, holding her for a long moment before pulling back and trailing his hands along her collarbone.

“Cameras,” she whispered urgently, “there has to be one in here.” She was panicked--her father always kept cameras trained on his prisoners.

“We might be here against our will, but I will be damned if I’ll let them watch us when I take you.” He pointed to the right corner of the room. A shirt hung from what she realized was, indeed, a camera.

She smiled as his icy eyes focused on her.

Walking her backwards toward the bed, he stopped when she made contact with the mattress. She slid anxious arms around him, pulling him close. He tilted her head back with one hand on her throat, bent and kissed her.

It was a slow exploration of the senses. His firm lips fit perfectly over hers.

Rowan broke contact with a gasp. Her body was screaming to explore the man before her. When he leaned in for another pass at her mouth she ducked, placing her lips against the side of his neck. She licked him, and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he roughly inhaled. The heat in the room was increasing by the second.

Her hands drifted down his ribs, and she felt goose bumps rise in response. She was savoring him, imprinting this moment in her mind. She needed their time together to last in her memory forever. She knew how irrational her thinking was but her body and soul didn’t give a damn.

She drew her tongue slowly down his chest. When she reached his small male nipple and bit it, he jumped. His hands found her shoulders and squeezed. She’d never thought she would ever be the aggressor where sex was concerned and found she loved it. The heady feeling of making Aidan shiver only spurred her to explore more of his body.

Her hands reached his narrow hips. Grabbing them tightly she went to her knees. His head fell back as he watched her through slitted eyes. His thick fingers slid through her short hair, gripping her, holding her closer to his body. She was eye level with his raging hard-on. Looking up into his handsome face she dared bare a small smile for him.

“Yes Rowan, taste me,” he gritted.

Without taking her eyes off of his, she leaned forward and swiped her tongue across the head of his cock. She licked the large drop of pre-cum and savored the salty flavor. This time his moan was loud, his mouth falling open. He pushed his thumb between her lips; she began to suck it the way she wanted to suck his cock as she ran her hands up and down his thighs. Her short nails left faint red tracks and she traced each one with her tongue. He shuddered, and she slipped her hands around to grasp his tight ass, squeezing the hard muscles, digging her nails into the resilient flesh in time to his ragged breaths.

Aidan was ready to blow, and she’d barely touched him. Fuck! This woman carried magic in her mouth. He didn’t take his eyes off of hers as she sucked his thumb. He wanted to push her down and take her so fuckin’ hard she’d never think of another male. He wanted his scent on her skin and in her body.

“Rowan, do you want to suck my cock?” Fuck, he prayed she did. He was going crazy.

She rubbed her cheek against his rigid length. Her soft skin against his hardness felt like being stroked by satin. She eyed his mushroomed head, licking her lips hungrily. Leaning forward, she placed the tip in her mouth. He roared his pleasure and his fingers tightened in her hair. Rowan’s full lips took him in inch by inch. The slow tease was killing him; he wanted to fuck her sweet mouth, but instead let her take the lead. His pleasure was more than he imagined could possibly be.

“That’s it Rowan, take me a little bit deeper,” he coaxed, pushing slightly forward. Her steady fingers wrapped around the base of him, moving up as her lips descended. She soon set up a rhythm of back and forth, each time taking more. She dug her nails into his ass cheeks, and chills coasted up his spine.

“Oh, fuck, Rowan. I need to fuck your mouth, baby.” He was all but begging, and he didn’t care. His body was on fire. He threaded his hands tighter in her hair and began a shallow thrust, over and over, she accepted every inch of his generous cock. His desire was so fuckin’ intense. He wasn’t used to feeling this much. Sex was just sex; it was a physical release. This was so much more. Every sweet spot on his body hummed in tune with her mouth moving on him. His ass clenched tight when her fingers dug deep into the flesh. His movements picked up speed and when she met those movements he moved even faster, unable to control the burning need that fed his thrusts.

“Look at me, Rowan,” he commanded through clenched teeth. Her lids rose and she looked him in the eye. He took one hand out of her hair and placed it on her cheek, the gesture more gentle then he had ever given a lover.

“Watch me when you make me come, Rowan. I want to see your face when I spill into your mouth.” Her eyes darkened and she pulled harder, sucking his soul through his cock. He threw his head back as he felt the build up from his tight balls. Snapping his gaze back to her, Aidan watched her face, her expression so open as tears formed in her eyes. His thumbs caught the drops as they fell.

“Rowan! Oh, fuck, Rowan! Take it baby, swallow all of me,” he bellowed as he let his seed pour into her mouth. She took it all, every drop, sucking until he was jerking from the tenderness his cock enjoyed.

He fell to his knees and roughly grabbed her upper arms. The moment she’d taken his seed into her, something else had left his body along with it. The fury that had kept him going since the moment his sister was kidnapped disappeared. The hatred that burned his soul evaporated, in its place was hope and need and desire.

“What the fuck have you done to me?” he groaned, shaking her shoulders. “I want it back, Rowan. Give it back.”

Her stunned expression met his. He knew she had no idea what had just taken place.

“I’m sorry, Aidan. What did I do wrong? Did I hurt you?” Her tears now fell in full force down her cheeks.

“My hate, my anger, my goddamn soul. I want them back.” His voice cracked as he leaned his forehead against hers. Shaking uncontrollably, his grip loosened and his hands softened on her shoulders.

“Aidan, I don’t understand.” Her breath washed warm and damp over his lips. How could he explain it to her, make her understand? He could blame it on the bonding, but he knew damn well the stripping of his anger, his pain, had nothing to do with that.

Her hands rubbed along his forearms. “Aidan, I’m sorry, for whatever has happened, I am so sorry.”

“I won’t love you, Rowan. I won’t ever love you.” He wasn’t ready to care for his mate like that. He had to fight the love threatening to overwhelm him. Fuck! Everything he knew, everything he’d ever thought, was being destroyed and he didn’t know how to begin to understand it. He pushed her to the floor, his thighs parting hers. He kissed her, his mouth desperate against hers. She gave as good as she got. This coupling would not be a gentle joining of bodies. He was fighting the demon inside of him, and needed to purge himself. He felt safe within her embrace, safe enough to let go of all the bullshit and expose his fear and his need. Only through her could Aidan excise the ghost haunting him.

His tongue thrust deep into her mouth, swiping at hers. He bit it hard before smoothing it over and sucking it gently. He was greedy to taste all of her. His lips lowered to her neck and shoulders, while busy fingers marched their way down her skin. Cupping one of her breasts, he circled his fingers around the nipple until it was taut and she cried out for more.

“My mouth, that’s what you want on your nipples, Rowan?” His lungs needed some serious air but he couldn’t think about that now. No, all he wanted was to taste her further.

He wrapped his lips around one pink tip, then the other, insatiable as he kissed and suckled them deeply. Flicking his tongue over them until Rowan’s hips came up off the floor in silent invitation, he wallowed in the scent of her, the taste, and the feel.

“That’s right, Luv, you like the way I touch you,” he cooed. There was no question in his voice this time. She was assaulting his every sense, leaving only an aching need in her wake.

His right hand slid down between her thighs; she was soaking wet. He groaned as he gathered some of her cream, then raised his finger to his mouth and tasted her sweetness. She gasped at the action, eyes glazing in helpless hunger.

When his finger grazed the tip of her clit, she clamped her thighs shut.

“Oh, no you don’t.” Aidan laughed as he pried her legs open again. “It’s your turn to feel out of control. I’m going to make you come so hard for me, baby.”

Sliding two fingers into her channel, he hissed at the silky, wet heat. She held him tight when he began to move, coating his fingers with her juices. His thumb stroked over her clit as he thrust faster.

“Open your legs wide for me, Rowan, and I’ll make you come so hard you’ll think you’ve died.” It was like he was intent on branding her body as his. Didn’t he realize it already was? She’d never felt like this before. Had never imagined she could feel like this.

He plunged his fingers back into her hungry sheath, coating himself with her arousal before pulling out. His thumb still caressing her clit, he slid his slick finger to her ass. Tracing his way down to her secret entrance, he wiggled his finger into her virgin hole. She stiffened at the foreign feeling.

“Relax into it, baby. Don’t fight it. I will have all of you.”

He bent low and let his tongue slash across her clit, sucking it in his mouth as he moved his free hand to her opening. She moved her hips to meet his mouth, biting her lip to keep from crying out.

The finger on her ass moved in circles as he plunged into her hot pussy. She moaned when he nipped her clit, then sucked it deeply.

“Play with you nipples, Rowan. Show me how you like it,” he rasped against her sensitive flesh. She rolled the twin peaks with her fingers, pinching and pulling them. At first she was shy, lying there making her nipples turn a deep red from her rough play, but soon sensation won out over self-consciousness. Aidan’s eyes widened at the sight, and he sucked her clit in time to the pulls she made on her nipples.

“Oh God, yes, Aidan. I’m going to come.” He didn’t stop his assault; he plunged harder, sucked deeper until her small cries turned into wild moans and she exploded in his hands and on his tongue.

In the next breath, he moved both legs between her thighs, placing the tip of his hard cock at her wet entrance. Cupping her face gently, he stroked her cheeks. She could taste herself on his mouth when he bent and kissed her.

“Don’t move, Rowan. Don’t close your eyes. I want to see your face when I’m deep inside you.” She didn’t flinch at his rough demand, which he was thankful for. He could only imagine the pain she’d suffered at her father’s hands and the thought of causing her more pain made him sick, but his Dragon was determined to have his mate.

He pushed forward, his cock sliding in a few inches before stopping. He was stretching her, and her body fit him like a glove and held him snug. Rowan was wet enough that he was able to slide in and out a bit, but the deeper he tunneled the tighter she became.

He couldn’t believe how very taut she was. The feeling was intoxicating, driving him on in a frenzy of molten heat.

Pulling back, he leaned down and kissed her hard on the lips before plunging all the way into her. Her cry made him freeze. He became very still, paralyzed by the realization that sliced through his mindless passion like a razor.

His beautiful, strong mate was a virgin.

He didn’t know why it surprised him. After all, she’d spent her life a prisoner of her father’s sick plots. When would she have had the chance to take a lover? So maybe it shouldn’t have surprised him... But it did.

“Rowan, Luv why didn’t you tell me?” He felt shamed by his rush to be inside her, even as his Dragon roared its approval. He tried to pull out, but she hooked her legs around his.

“Aidan, please don’t.”

“Rowan, why didn’t you fuckin’ tell me?”

“Technically, I’m not a virgin.” She flushed pink and refused to meet his eyes. “I’ve just never had a lover before.” She turned her eyes back to his and he became lost in their honeyed depths.

“I would have taken more time...”

She placed a hand upon his chest. “I wanted you as you are. I don’t want you to be careful. I wanted to feel the real you.”

He bent forward and kissed her gently, savoring the sweet taste of her lips. She tightened her legs even more around him, signaling that she was ready. Unable to resist her, he thrust. Slowly this time, filling her with exquisite tenderness. He bent his head and suckled her nipple while his cock drove into her gently, allowing her to adjust to him. When he was fully seated, he brought her face up to his.

“I am going to bite you again, Rowan. It’s something I will probably do every time we make love. It’s the way of my people. I promise you this time it won’t hurt.” He thrust slowly, a few short strokes before making them longer, deeper.

The pain in Rowan’s core ebbed and went completely away. In its place was a throbbing need that was only sated when Aidan was deep within her. Her body was a series of live wires ready to explode with his every touch. The mark he’d left on her shoulder was pulsating now, making ready for his mouth.

He lifted himself up a little and grabbing her hand, he placed it between their bodies.

“Rowan, I want you to rub your clit while I’m in you. I need to feel you come apart around my cock, baby.”

She was embarrassed, but she’d masturbated enough in her twenty-nine-and-a-half years to know how to bring herself to orgasm. And the thought of him watching her was crazy hot. She rubbed while he stroked, his thrusts becoming faster and shallower.

A few quick strokes, and he started pummeling her with his cock. Hard and deep, his speed was unbelievable and her body was spiraling out of control. Liquid heat poured down her thighs, and she didn’t even try to hold back her scream as his mouth came down and he bit into her shoulder again.

Her legs slid up his body and clenched him tightly around his ass, pulling him deeper. His arms slid underneath her, so that he was as close to her as possible. Chest to chest, hips to hips, cock to pussy. In that moment she felt an uncontrollable urge, before she realized what she was doing her mouth was open and her teeth were sinking into his shoulder.

Aidan’s roar of triumph filled the room, echoing off the bare walls. Long before he’d expected it, his mate was marking him. In that moment he and Rowan were surrounded in the amethyst light of their combined auras. They truly were one body, one soul. As their shared orgasms ripped through their bodies, their pasts ripped through each other’s minds.

He felt her pain, humiliation, her disgust with herself. Her death wish, her love for her sisters and her hatred for her father. He absorbed every one of her emotions as they sank into his skin. They melded and became a part of him, just as his were becoming a part of her.

He watched as her face changed with each new feeling she was experiencing from him. Just as he’d seen her soul, she was seeing his. Every hate-filled moment since Fiona’d been taken. Every minor victory and every major defeat. She witnessed each without flinching.

He knew of this sharing, every young dragon was instructed in the ways of mating when they reached sexual maturity. This was a joining between mates which only occurred when their emotions needed release, during times of deep love or severe stress. He guessed theirs was the latter. He and Rowan had been alone for so long, sad and empty. Now they were filling each other up. Their souls were trying to drive away their pain. He wasn’t sure that was possible for either of them. He couldn’t imagine them in the real world, beyond their prison walls. At thirty-five, Aidan was set in his ways. He didn’t know how to share his life with a female. But, God, this felt so sweet. Fuckin’ scary as hell, but so very, very sweet.

He lay there trying to catch his breath, his hand grasping hers and lacing their fingers. He felt raw, naked. He’d shared who he really was with her. All his secrets were now her secrets.

When his breathing finally calmed, he rose and helped her to the bed. He kissed her on the forehead and went into the bathroom. Returning with another strip from his t-shirt he sat down next to her. He needed to take care of her, an urge he’d never experienced before with a lover.

“I need you to open your thighs for me.” She complied, but not before he watched her skin pinken. He loved when she became shy. The women he surrounded himself with were never modest in any form, and he’d always liked that about them. But Rowan wasn’t just any woman. She was his munin. His mate. His wife.

She’d gifted him with her virginity. It was considered a sacred and rare gift among his people. Their sexuality was so open that virgins were a rarity by the time a dragon reached his or her wedding night. Rowan would never know what an honor she’d bestowed on him.

He wiped the evidence of her innocence on the rag, cleaning her, as was tradition with his people. It fell to him to prepare her meal and bath. He would take care of her this night, give her what she needed, and then he would make love to her again. This time slowly, properly, with the care a woman of her position deserved. How proud his father would be of him at this moment, following the dictates of a society he’d shunned for over fifteen years.

He left her to dispose the torn t-shirt. As he returned, he heard the outer door’s slot rattle, and the unmistakable sound of a tray being pushed through. He retrieved the food left for them and headed for the bedroom.

Rowan had pulled the sheet up to her chin. Sitting down in front of her he removed the sheet, letting it pool around her hips.

“Don’t ever hide your body from me, Rowan. I prefer you naked in bed,” he ended on a chuckle.

He placed the tray of food between them and they both dug in without a word. He watched her eat with gusto and it made him smile. It was important for her to stay nourished; after what they’d just shared they both needed to be replenished.

When she pushed her plate away, he took it into the main room, and when he returned he found Rowan fast asleep on her stomach. He lay down next to her and studied her back. The pain she must have experienced over the years swamped him, filling him with a red rage that triggered blinding pain at the base of his skull. He took several long, deep breaths, forcing a calm he didn’t really feel.

Leaning over he inhaled deeply. Her skin carried his scent now. Lying back, he couldn’t help the joy he was feeling for the first time in many years. He let it wash over him, warming his blood. His chest felt light, as though the weight of the world was suddenly a little easier to bear.

Aidan still felt the guilt, the anger over his sister. Revenge was still a priority for him. But it was tempered now, because of the woman asleep next to him. She had taken some of his pain into herself, locking it in her heart.

Closing his eyes he started the deep breathing exercises that would help him to sleep, and for the first time in twenty years, as slumber claimed him, he no longer saw Fiona, tiny and frail being ripped from his grasp as a bullet slammed into his chest. Now he saw Rowan, lying beneath him, her body open for him, taking pleasure in what he offered.

Rowan lay still and silent, eyes closed, and took stock. She ached, but nowhere near as much as she should. In fact, she didn’t ache where she should, either. Yes, her back was a low, nagging pain, but the searing agony she expected was missing. No, the ache that caught her attention was the one deep in her core. The one centered between her thighs.

An odd feeling of euphoria teased at her, and she slowly opened her eyes. She was lying on her side and there was a massive back in front of her. Aidan. She squinted as she studied the large tattoo that ran the entire expanse of his back. From shoulder to shoulder, nape of his neck to the base of his spine, stretched a Celtic cross, the name Ghallager written in Old English letters above it. One of the arms of the cross bore the name Fiona. Who was Fiona? A tiny charge of jealousy jabbed at her, but she shoved it away. She didn’t have time to ponder as something else caught her eye in the design. Down the middle of the cross was a blue diamond. The familiar symbol made her stomach knot up. She traced the diamond pattern across his skin.

“Do you like it?” Aidan’s voice was drowsy, his accent even thicker than usual.

“Who is Fiona?”

His shoulders stiffened at the question. She continued to run her hand along his back and they relaxed infinitesimally. She’d noticed that he enjoyed being petted.

“She was my sister.” His reply was terse, causing her to flinch. She withdrew her hand, but Aidan turned to face her. His arm snaked out to capture her and pull her back into the safety of his embrace.

“When I was twelve, my baby sister was taken by hunters.”

“Oh God, Aidan. I’m so sorry.”

He kissed the top of her hair. “I didn’t save her.”

”You were twelve.” She gripped his arm. When they’d shared themselves she’d felt a great sorrow from him; now she understood why.

“Doesn’t lessen the guilt. Doesn’t erase the memory of my three-year-old sister being jerked by her hair into a van.”

“It’s a beautiful way to honor her.” She rubbed her hand down his chest. He felt so warm, so alive. He was vitality and passion, manifest in this body.

“I designed it myself.”

“Really?” Rowan turned her face up to his. “Because I’ve seen that blue diamond shape before.”

“Do you know others from my clan?”

“No, you’re the only Dragon I’ve ever met. My little sister Erin has this same thing on her back.”

Rowan watched as all the color drained from Aidan’s face. He sat up, dragging her with him, gripping her arms brutally. “What are these lies you’re telling me? It’s impossible for another to have this pattern on their back, unless it’s a tattoo.” He hissed.

She tried to wriggle out of his grasp. His grip on her arms was painful and she was starting to lose the feeling in them. “They aren’t lies. My parents adopted Erin when she was really young. Father said that it was some kind of birth defect, or birthmark. That her mother consumed the shifter drug Domin while she was pregnant”

His expression grew more menacing. His blue eyes darkened to an eerie kind of grey. “How old was she when your father brought her home?”

She didn’t answer. She couldn’t. No words would form, he was terrifying her.

“Dammit, Rowan, answer my fuckin’ question!”

“Three, I think. Maybe four?”

He released her so suddenly she fell back against the mattress. He lunged to his feet and paced the room, muttering in a language she didn’t recognize--Dragon? As he paced, his rant grew louder, until he stopped suddenly and yanked free the shirt he’d covered the camera with and roared directly into the lens.

When he’d finished yelling, he turned and slammed his fist into the wall.

She felt helpless to stop him as he continued to pummel the concrete until his knuckles were bleeding. It was almost a relief when he turned his thunderous gaze back on her. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Instead, his eyes rolled up in his head and he crumpled to the floor.

“Oh, no,” Rowan cried as she flew off the bed and landed next to him. She checked his pulse; his heart was pounding violently, but he was still breathing. She let out the breath she was holding. The chip. Aidan’s anger was so great that it must have caused the chip to knock him out.

Rowan wondered if that were a blessing or a curse.

Nic Alero sat back in Aidan’s office chair, Jenna Stone, his One, held securely in his lap. “It’s been over a week,” he argued. “I’m completely healed. It’s past time to go in again.”

Jenna squeezed his hand, and watched him with dark, worried eyes. “Father will have moved them by now. Security will be very tight around them. Nico, I’m afraid it’s too late.” Her words stabbed him in the heart, not only because she’d be devastated if she lost her sisters, but because of his own guilt and grief over the loss of Aidan. The Dragon was an ass, no doubt, but he was also one of Nic’s closest friends, second only to Sebastian, Nic’s Blood Brother. He squeezed his eyes shut and held Jenna closer. “We will get them out.” Nic’s eyes snapped open at the deep voice. Remy Monroe, the Dragon Prince, stood in the doorway slightly behind Bas. The older Vampire wasn’t a small man, but the Dragon Prince dwarfed him. He spoke quietly, but his voice rolled through the room like thunder, compelling all who heard him to stop and listen. His Irish heritage was plain in his pale, milky skin, the rich blue-black of his hair, and his dancing blue eyes.

Nic had met the Prince once when he’d stopped in to visit Aidan. Whatever had passed between the men had left Aidan pissed for weeks, but the stubborn dragon refused to talk about it.

Nic lifted Jenna gently to her feet, then stood and gave the bigger man a slight bow. “Prince Monroe, we are extremely happy to see you.”

“Bah,” the larger man rolled his eyes. “I’m Remy.” Sharp, bold eyes swept the room before the Dragon Prince addressed them again. “Your mate--your One?” Nic nodded at the question in Remy’s voice. “She is as lovely as Sebastian told me.”

“She is even more beautiful on the inside,” Nic assured him as Jenna flushed at his side.

“Then I understand why you’d risk everything to save those she loves.”

“Well, I’m not willing to risk Aidan,” Jenna interjected tartly. “Even if he is an insufferable ass,” she added in a mutter. Nic grinned as Remy burst into laughter. Even Bas gave a small smile. Nic’s Blood Brother had been unusually quiet and somber since Aidan’s capture, and evaded all Nic’s questions. Nic suspected Jenna knew what was troubling the older Vampire, but she wasn’t talking, either.

“I can see that you do, indeed, know our Aidan,” the Dragon chuckled with a smile at Nic’s beloved. Sobering, Remy pulled a paper from his inside coat pocket. Unfolding it, he laid it on the table.

“That’s my home,” Jenna sighed.

“Yes, it is,” the Dragon replied. “I was able to get the plans to the house, as well as the renovations to the secret floors beneath.” Nic breathed a sigh of relief. One of the factors in their crushing defeat during the first rescue attempt had been the numerous changes William Stone had made to the access points for the lower levels since Jenna’s escape. Stone had the money and the manpower to change things almost instantly. Remy continued, “We believe Aidan is being held here.” He pointed to the third underground floor. “This is where the cells are. The second floor contains the clinical rooms where Stone is working on something.”

Nic studied the map along with Bas. “This doesn’t look good. How many access points are there?”

Remy move his finger along a series of outside hallways. “Three. One here and two on the east side of the house.”

Nic stroked his chin, as Bas chimed in. “So we’ll need four teams; three to cause distractions at each access point, and one to do the rescue.”

Remy nodded. “I’ve brought along enough men for two-five man teams. I won’t lose a kinsman to that butcher.”

Nic pulled Jenna closer against his side, kissing her temple. Her body quivered as he held her.

“I don’t plan to lose anyone.” Bas responded grimly. He looked up at the Dragon Prince, and his eyes flashed like lightning.

Remy smiled again, but this time it was feral and showing a lot of teeth. “Let’s go, then,” he growled. “We should move no later than tomorrow night. The Sacred Mother knows the longer they are there the less likely it is that Aidan will walk out of there on his own two feet, no matter how ornery a bastard he is.”

Bas nodded and soon the two men left to begin assigning teams and tasks.

Nic turned Jenna into his chest. He framed her face with his hands. “I don’t want you to come with us.”

“She’s my sister.” Her soft whisper never failed to tear at his gut.

He leaned down to capture her lips in a soulful kiss, pouring all his love into her. “I know,” he whispered back. Dammit, he wanted to force her to stay but knew he couldn’t. She needed to do this. His One needed to be involved in bringing her sister to safety. Better that she come with his blessing and his protection than have her sneaking in to help.

“You will stay behind me where I can protect you,” he told her sternly, and she solemnly agreed. “Beloved,” he added softly, “if I were to lose you, I wouldn’t survive.” Nic meant every word he’d said. If Jenna were to die, he would perish right along with her.

Aidan had been unconscious for about a half hour when the outer door opened. Rowan scrambled to cover Aidan’s body with her own, determined to provide whatever feeble protection she could. The dimmer in the room was turned up, and blindingly bright light shot out of the ceiling. Two guards dressed in full gear muscled through the door, guns drawn.

“Relax gentleman, he’ll be out for a bit.” A tall, broad man in a lab coat entered behind the guards. Jordan. The guards pointed their weapons point at the floor, but neither looked particularly relaxed.

“You can wait in the other room,” he said negligently as he rolled in a steel cart. Upon it bandages, tape, some kind of salve, alcohol pads and a small plastic specimen cup sat forebodingly.

“No can do, Doc. Mr. Stone gave clear directions. No one can be alone with these two while he’s unrestrained.” The guard gestured toward Aidan with his gun, and Rowan instinctively moved to cover her lover again.

The doctor rolled his eyes, but said nothing as he moved over the pile of clothes. He threw them at Rowan. “Put these on.”

She quickly pulled the cotton t-shirt and sweat pants on. She’d completely forgotten about her nudity in her terror for Aidan. Now she was painfully aware of the guards’ eyes on her.

Seemingly oblivious, the doctor bent down and examined Aidan’s bloody hands and began cleaning them up.

She moved so that her back was to the camera. “Jordan. How did you know he was out?” she whispered. He didn’t answer, just slid a grim look in her direction. She tried again. “Jordan, please help us.”

The doctor still hadn’t acknowledge her words. Instead, he retrieved a cup from the tray. Handing it to Rowan he grimaced. “You need to pee in the cup for me.”

“What? Why?” Understanding dawned on her. “Jordan, there is no way to tell if I’m pregnant or not. Its only been a few hours.”

The doctor spread the salve over the cuts on Aidan’s knuckles. He didn’t look up as he answered. “Actually, there is. Rowan, you’re human. When you become pregnant with the Dragon’s child your DNA structure will alter immediately to prepare your body to carry the offspring.”

She reached out, a combination of horror and terror filling her. “Jordan, please...” She felt the tears drop as she reached out to the only person in this whole evil place she thought of as a friend.

“Do as I say, Rowan.” His voice was hard, his eyes like granite. Unbuttoning the top button of his shirt, very carefully he pulled back his collar a fraction. “Your father wants the results right away.”

The small microphone on the inside of his shirt told her all she needed to know. Poor Jordan, he wasn’t unsympathetic. He was wired.

She stumbled into the bathroom and sat down to fill the plastic cylinder, her mind racing. She couldn’t be pregnant already. Could she? Her hand went to her abdomen. No, not yet. Please God, not yet.

When she exited the bathroom, Aidan was placed on the bed. Jordan took the cup from her. He silently rolled his eyes up. Rowan followed his grim glance--the camera was still uncovered. That was how they had known Aidan was out cold. It was good news; it meant the room wasn’t bugged. It made sense that her father would be so careless. In his arrogance, he couldn’t conceive of a situation where Aidan and Rowan escaped.

“I’ll be back tomorrow,” Jordan told her before leaving the room. Rowan jumped as the steel door of their jail slammed shut.

Troubled, Rowan looked down at her Dragon. At first she’d been confused and terrified by Aidan’s outburst of fury. After she calmed down, she had a pretty good idea why he’d gone ballistic.

Erin was related to him. Was her baby sister really his long-lost sister? Was she Fiona, the child he mourned so desperately that he’d etched her name on his back? She couldn’t imagine it. Erin was so unlike Aidan. True, they shared the same hair color, but her blue eyes were closer to grey. She was tall like Aidan, but rail thin and fragile. From what she knew of Dragon lore the females were built every bit as strong and sturdy as the men. Other than hair color and the matching diamond patterns, she had nothing in common with Rowan’s Dragon.

Aidan was out, for how long she didn’t know. Restless, she left the bedroom, dimming the lights on the way out.

The door rattled and someone shoved the heavy metal forward. Rowan shot to the back of the room, instinctively putting the wall at her back. Two unfamiliar guards entered, this time followed by her father. The armed men took up menacing positions on either side of the bedroom entrance.

William sat down on the couch, one arm draped casually on the back of the sofa, his legs crossed.

“I’m a little disappointed, daughter; you aren’t pregnant with my grandchild yet.” He waved his hand in dismissal. “No matter, you’re fertile. It will happen. I’m afraid patience isn’t one of my virtues.”

“Why are you so sure I can even get pregnant?” she asked, her voice small. For the first time in her life she was terrified of this man. Not because he was mad as a fucking hatter, she’d always known that. No, now he wanted to breed her. A child had never been even a remote possibility in the past. But now it was horrifically possible. What would happen if he actually succeeded in this unspeakable course of action?

“Rowan, my dear, I’ve had you and your sisters tested. All three of you are very fertile. Of course now that Jenna has joined with a vampire, she is out of the baby-making business.” He gave her a shrewd look. “But that isn’t all you want to ask me, is it?”

“Does she know? Does Erin know who she really is?”

Her suspicions were confirmed when her father broke into a toothy grin. “Ah, you have seen your husband’s family mark?” William stood and walked to her. She tried desperately to keep from trembling, but failed. One of the guards had a gun trained at her head.

“You know, I shot that son of a bitch myself when we captured Erin. He was a weakling then. Did you know that dragons don’t gain the ability to shift until they reach puberty?”

Stone stood next to her and crowding her against the wall. He lifted up her hand and held it tight in his. “Of course you wouldn’t know that. You refused to study all the information about them when you were younger.” His hand tightened painfully on her fingers. “No, Erin has no clue who she really is.” His smile turned evil. “It would kill her, wouldn’t it?” He patted Rowan’s hand in a sick parody of affection. “It’s because of Erin that we were able to perfect the chip. We put one in just before puberty hit. It took several tries before we got it just right. We had to keep her sedated for months.”

Rowan shook her head in denial. That was impossible. The only time Erin had ever been away from them was... She hissed as the memory broke through. “The year she spent at boarding school.”

“Very good, dear. You were always my brightest one. The most stubborn and troublesome, but by far the brightest.” The approval in his eyes made her want to retch. “Yes, in her twelfth year we kept her asleep until we managed to implant the chip that completely stopped the change in her.” His eyes gleamed with a manic light. “I made her human.”

She tried to pull her hand back. “You sick bastard. How could you to that to a child?”

She should have expected it, but she didn’t see the blow coming. Her face swung violently to the left as her father’s fist connected with her cheek.

“You and your sisters are mine to do with as I please,” William shouted, spittle spewing with the force of his words. “I keep you all alive at my convenience. You need to learn that, little girl.” His eyes narrowed dangerously. “Maybe a night in a cell will help you to remember that.”

She snarled, “Bastard,” but she knew she didn’t have a chance of resisting. Still, when the guard grabbed her, she fought until the pin prick stabbed her arm.

Aidan rolled over on the bed. He had one hell of a headache, and he was sick and tired of waking up confused and in pain. He blindly reached out for Rowan. When his hand found nothing but empty sheets, he raised his head. She wasn’t there. He put his nose to the air and breathed. Her scent was too faint for her to still be in their cell. Panic set in. Oh God, had he hurt her? When she’d told him that Erin bore his family’s mark a red haze of rage had covered his eyes and he didn’t remember anything after hitting the concrete wall.

His neck began to throb where she’d marked him earlier. She was still alive. If she’d been dead the mark would have gone cold and turned black in mourning. His body would know if his mate was truly gone.

His hands ached and he winced as he tried to bend his bandaged knuckles. His ability to heal was stunted by the fact that he wasn’t able to change. He was healing only slightly faster than a human.

Dammit, where the hell was Rowan? He knew she wasn’t a part of her father’s sick plan. When they’d made love, it was there. The deep-seated pain that haunted her every moment, so much like his own guilt over Fiona.

Fiona. She was alive. She was here somewhere. They called her Erin, taught her to hate the night creatures, to be a zealot. Raised by William Stone, she didn’t remember her real family, didn’t remember Aidan.

He was getting her away from this place. He would take her to their prince. Remy would know how to help her.

He jumped up and began to prowl the rooms of their cell. Where the fuck was Rowan? What were they doing to his wife? William wouldn’t kill Rowan; he wanted a grandchild. Aidan knew she wasn’t pregnant yet. Her scent would have changed if she were.

His feelings of helplessness were overwhelming. He had to do something to keep busy. Snagging a t-shirt, he moved back to the bed and stripped off his clothes. Turning his back to the camera, he unbraided his dark auburn hair and shook it out. The ends brushed the top of his ass; a mature Dragon male didn’t cut his hair, and Aidan’s hadn’t been cut since the day Fiona had been stolen. Shaking his head to scatter his grim thoughts, he tore a thin strip from the shirt. Grabbing a length of hair starting at his right temple, Aidan began weaving a small tight braid.

It was his marriage braid, which should have been done the moments after he and Rowan connected. It was one of the oldest traditions of his people. In his culture, braids represented many things--a child coming into their Dragon form wore their hair in one long braid down their back. When mated, each wore a single braid on the right side to let everyone know they belonged to one another. When children were born, more braids were added, this time on the left side.

He hummed as he tied off the tight braid with the torn cloth. When his Rowan returned he would do the same for her. Until then he continued to hum the songs of marriage passed down from parent to child.

Rowan’s stomach rolled as the screams of some poor soul echoed off the walls. Her father’s minions had brought her one floor above where she’d been to the torture rooms. The smell of blood and fear permeated every ounce of space on this floor, the cries for mercy seeping into her skin. Blackness surrounded her, there was no light here. The endless dark only made the screams echo more loudly.

Her back was aching, pressed against the cold concrete floor. Her wrists and ankles burned from the iron cuffs pinning her to the ground.

She refused to look anywhere but up, before she panicked. She was claustrophobic and William had used that to his advantage more than once.

Visions ran through her mind. Terrible images of twisted bodies, begging her to end their suffering. She was never able to strike the killing blow, and instead would sit with the victims, holding their hand, stroking bloody and broken faces. Trying her best to offer some comfort before their death. She told stupid stories, made up fairy tales until the life vanished from their eyes. She’d insisted on burying each and every one of them.

On occasion Jenna would help her; Erin called her a fool a thousand times over. William tried punishing her but eventually gave up--he was afraid he would kill her, he was hurting her so often. So for the last five years she’d been left on her own to take care of the creatures her father’s organization killed.

And each soul that passed through her hands only served to give her more strength, kept her going day after day, even if she only realized it now. Because now she knew why she’d paid this penance, why she’d borne this weight. In the end she was going to kill her father. The knowledge etched deeply in her mind and heart. She knew the name of everyone she helped; they were never far from her. This day she swore vengeance for every drop of their blood that had fallen.

Aidan had been wrong--she wasn’t a warrior. She was Death.

Her father had loved chaining her to the floor while he tortured someone. When he was really pissed he would deny her access to his victims, leaving her in the dark and bound. That was when she was weakest. Hearing the sorrow and agony, she’d cried and vomited and prayed that William would just kill her as well. But that was before. Now she drew strength in knowing she’d end the bastard with her own two hands, or die trying.

Finally all sound stopped and Rowan breathed a sigh. They were done for the night. The door to the room opened, and the overhead light flipped on. A pair of female feet stopped at her side.

“Rowan, why do insist of pissing Daddy off?” Erin, poor Erin. She was so brainwashed. She sat cross legged on the cold floor and looked at Rowan for a moment.

Rowan took the time to really study her sister. Now that she really looked, the similarities between her and Aidan were scary. They both had dark auburn hair; she was almost six feet tall and too thin for her height. William stressed to Erin the importance of staying thin. The camera loves thinner woman. You don’t want to be mocked in the press like your older sisters are for their weight.

William had done his best to keep Erin from the influence of Jenna and Rowan. Her rooms were on the opposite side of the house and she was never far from his side.

Erin’s cold hand touched Rowan’s forehead. “I’m going to let you out of these and the guards will take you back to your room and apparently your mate.” There was no mistaking the venom in her voice. “How can you have sex with it?”

The cuffs were removed and Rowan sat up. Rubbing her wrists, she regarded her sister with pity. “Aidan is not an it.”

“He’s Dragon scum out to exterminate the human race.”

“Erin, that’s father talking, not you.”

“You’re wrong. This is me. The fact that you would hurt Daddy like this is terrible.”

Rowan felt rage flame under her skin. She’d always been careful of what she said around Erin, trying to protect her. That ended today.

“Me hurt Daddy? Are you forgetting what he does to these people? The torture, the deaths. Erin, you can’t be this cold.”

Erin’s chin came up a fraction, her grey-blue eyes flashing with sadness for a moment before returning to the cold stare Rowan had become so accustomed to seeing. “These are not people. They’re murders and they killed our mother. You didn’t see it. The blood. So much blood. She was torn in two, twisted with her eyes still open. Can you imagine it, Rowan? The last thing she saw on this earth was the creature that killed her.” Erin turned her back on her sister and waited for the door to open.

Rowan joined her and before the guard escorted her out, Rowan grabbed her sister, wrapping her arms around her so security thought she was saying goodbye.

“Erin, I love you, but Daddy kept a big secret from us all. You’re one of them. The creatures you loathe so much. You are Dragon.”

Erin jumped away from Rowan and slapped her so hard blood trickled from her lip.

“You liar. How dare you say such a thing to me?”

Rowan formed a sad smile. “Save your soul, Erin. Research the archives. The truth is there for you to find.”

She turned to the guard and he led her away from her little sister. Closing her eyes, she prayed Erin would forgive her one day, and that she would find the strength to leave their father and find her true parents.

Erin walked quickly away from her sister, fleeing toward her rooms. She paced before deciding on a shower. Rowan’s words played over again in her mind. You are Dragon.

Rowan was out of her mind if she thought for one minute that she was one of them. Yes, she was adopted, but her real mother was a human who had a drug problem. She’d wanted to give her daughter a better life and Erin was thankful every single day that she had such a life.

The death of their mother had affected the youngest Stone harder than her sisters. She’d found her mother’s cold, lifeless body. She remembered crying as she tried to wake her mother, but it didn’t do any good. She was gone.

Her father had picked her up and washed the blood from her, then let her sit in his lap and cry until the tears were no more. He turned her in his lap, a weak smile wavering through his grief. “Erin, I want you to remember the sight of your mother. Don’t ever forget what the monsters who live among us did to her. You are going to be stronger than your sisters. You will lead my cause when I am gone. Promise me, Erin. Promise you’ll never forget.”

That was exactly what she’d done her entire life. She never forgotten the face of her sweet mother, the life gone from her brown eyes. Daddy kept her from the truly nasty things he was forced to do in the name of protecting his family and the human race in general.

There was no way in hell she was a Dragon. She’d find the answers in her father’s files. She had complete access to his office with the exception of one desk drawer. The one he told her to never open. He told her it was because the papers inside contained information that could potentially harm their cause and he didn’t want her to be witness in case there was ever an investigation. He’d said it was important she remained above reproach, so she’d honored her promise.

Rowans’ whispered secret was no more than a cruel way to make her turn her back on their father. The only way to shake off the sliver of doubt she had was to prove to her sister that she was human and only human. Then maybe Rowan would understand just how manipulative the night creatures really were and how far they’d go to get what they wanted. And what they wanted was to enslave the human race, to make people nothing more than their personal slaves.

It was time for Rowan to accept the truth of what their father spoke and Erin was going to find the proof and show her big sister how wrong she really was.

The door to the cell opened, and Aidan rushed through from the bedroom. He was met by five guards, guns drawn, ushering Rowan back into the room. He backed up with his hands in the air.

She came forward and threw herself into his arms. The doors slammed with a bang and locked them in together again.

He kissed her lips, hungry kisses as his hold on her tightened. She trembled in his arms and kissed him back. They ate at each other, drinking in their life force. Strengthening each other with every swipe of their tongues. Tasting blood on her lips, he gentled the kiss, licking her lips and cleaning the blood away.

Fuck! His body shook with fury and impotence. He hadn’t protected her. It was shameful, so he did the only thing left to him. Scooping her up into his arms, he carried her into the bedroom and gently laid her down.

As before, he covered the camera lens. Looking down at her, he removed his sweats and threw the t-shirt over his head, tossing it to the floor.

“Rowan, I need to feel you naked against me. I need to hold you, muirnin.” She turned toward him, her eyes open wide, welcoming him into her embrace.

He knelt on the bed, stripped her of her clothing and gathered her into a tight embrace.

“I’m so sorry.” He whispered into her hair, his Irish brogue thick with emotion. “Darlin’, I’m sorry.” He kissed her head and pulled her even closer to his side. Her warmth seeped into his cold skin, giving him solace, a measure of peace. She was safe and in his arms. The next time they tried to take her he would die in order to prevent it.

She never spoke a word, but he knew they’d hurt her somehow. Her swollen lip, the angry red and purple marks on her wrists and ankles were all reminders that his earlier outburst had cost his woman in a painful way.

Some fuckin’ protector he was turning out to be. His pain should have taken a back seat to her safety.

She rubbed her hand up and down his chest, slowly circling with her fingertips. His abdomen jumped when she increased the pressure of her stroke.

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with unshed tears. “Aidan, I need you. Inside, Aidan, please.”

He felt humbled by her quiet request. He linked his hand with hers and brought their joined hands to his mouth. Slowly, lazily, he kissed each knuckle. Rubbing his lips over them, he followed with his tongue. He kissed her wrist, the inside of her elbow, then turned on his side, maneuvering his way between her thighs. Resting his weight on his elbows, he cupped her beautiful face. His warrior woman, so fuckin’ strong. It stole his breath. He lowered his head and tasted her lips. A soft exploration, designed to learn the feel and texture of her supple mouth. He grazed her cheeks, her nose, her forehead, then returned along her jaw and chin.

He’d never kissed a woman so slowly, so thoroughly, as though he would somehow ever forget her taste. He needed this, she needed this. Not the hard, rough coupling of earlier. No she needed his touch to be firm but gentle, a slow burn that would eventually consume them.

She opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off, placing a finger to her mouth, “No words, Rowan. Just let me love you.”

She closed her eyes and he continued his path down her neck, licking below her ear. “I missed you so much.”

She quivered as he slid his tongue along her neck, stroking from one side of her throat to the other.

His mouth grazed the bite mark and she whimpered. Dampness wet the thigh he pressed between her legs. He trapped her pussy with his leg, loving the way her slick juices coating him in such an intimate fashion.

His mouth traveled south and found one plump nipple. He took it carefully between his lips, laving it. He pulled the aching bud deeply between his lips while his other hand tip-toed down the curve of her belly. When her nipple grew rigid he let it go and started over with her other breast.

Her skin was so damn soft in front, a harsh contrast to her ravaged back. He adored both parts of her equally, the fighter and the woman, merged in a perfect package. For the first time in his life he understood his people, their traditions concerning mates and family. It was like a puzzle piece falling into place.

Dragons were born from myth and magic, something he’d refused to see as anything other than a cursed existence. One filled with death and destruction. He’d always thought the Dragon’s approach to life, the peace they sought, was a position of weakness. He’d been wrong, a fucking fool for turning his back on his family for his own selfish pursuits.

In the arms of this woman he finally understood that even within their prison he wanted to continue to wake up to her. Hold onto the tiny shreds of laughter and intimacy, the intimacy only mates shared.

His tongue swirled down her tummy, dipping into her navel, before continuing the journey to the honey between her thighs.

He opened her gently. She was glistening. He slid one finger along the pinkest part. Bringing his wet finger to his mouth, he closed his eyes and sucked it. She tasted like the best Dragon wine, sweet and intoxicating.

He bent his head, catching her gaze. “Watch me, Rowan. Watch me make love to your sweet pussy.”

His eyes darkened as his head descended between her thighs. At the first touch of his tongue Rowan arched off the bed. He softly kissed her inner lips, stroking over them like they were candy. His tongue was longer than any normal man’s and he reached further into her than she ever dreamed possible. Pulling her arousal from her, he greedily sucked it into his mouth.

His teeth scraped the sensitive nub of her clit. Sucking it between his teeth, he flicked it with his tongue before dipping back inside of her. He repeated this motion for what seemed like hours. The sensation of silky hair sliding across her thighs every time he moved his head was breathtaking. His tongue raked across her clit, then down her slit to the tight ring of muscles and rimmed her... The intimate kiss startled her, but she moved in time with his mouth.

One long finger hovered around her entrance, circling it and causing her pussy to clench with the need to feel him penetrate. His lips latched onto her clit as he pushed a finger into her. Sliding in and up, crooking his wicked finger in a come-hither motion. Cream slid out as his hand retreated and her cries echoed in the empty room. Her head flung back and forth as her hands found her own nipples. She pulled furiously at them as he continued to assault her with his mouth and hands.

Her thighs trembled as her pussy started to clench. She moaned deeply as her orgasm burst from her body. When he pulled out his finger he didn’t stop. His mouth went back in to clean up her sweet juices. Licking her lips dry, he played with her clit, making her jump because of the sensitivity. She was in heaven, his every touch another shock of delight. She could do this every day of her life and still not get enough of him. Down here in the cells of her father’s nightmarish compound, she’d discovered what it was to be cherished by a man.

He rose between her legs to gaze into her flushed face. Her heart burst as he looked at her with something akin to awe.

Rowan didn’t know him outside of this place. She’d never known him as bitter, angry and despising the world. With her he was fresh, he was clean. He didn’t wear his sins like a second skin.

He moved closer and guided his cock into her at an excruciatingly slow pace. He was determined to immortalize every inch of her flesh as he stretched her to accommodate his girth. Her sheath shivered around him, pulling him deeper. He kept his pace slow until he was fully seated in her. Reaching down, he took one of her hands, kissed her palm and placed it over his heart.

He massaged her clit as he thrust within her slowly, a fraction of an inch in, then back out. His thrusts were shallow, the friction rumbling throughout every bone in his body. Her wet flesh surrounded him; wrapping him in a safe, warm cocoon.

Her small hand tugged him down, and her legs wrapped around his waist. He placed his arms under her shoulders and sighed--they were merged from shoulder to hip.

“My beautiful wife,” he whispered. “I give myself to you if you will have me. I know I don’t deserve you, but I’m here to do your bidding for now and into eternity.” He placed his lips to hers and poured his feelings into the kiss. His wonder, his obsession, everything good that she brought out of him he gave back to her with his lips, his tongue, with his body.

Rowan’s hips rose to meet his. She was hungry, clawing at his back as she cried, “Aidan, please, I need to feel you hard. I need to know this isn’t a dream.”

Her words set fire licking along his balls. He pulled back and plunged deeply. Setting a furious pace, his placed his mouth on her shoulder, over the scar of his bite and held her pinned to the bed with the force of his cock and his mouth.

“God Aidan, I love you.” Her soft admission spurred him on. His hips flashed in and out as his teeth dug deeper into her flesh. She loved him, he felt her words, a tattoo on his battered heart. He opened his mouth but had no words. Nothing he said would give her the tribute she deserved.

When they were out of here, he would give her what she needed. He was free, for the first time in over twenty years. This brave human female freed him, from guilt, from the hatred he’d carried around like a thousand-pound weight between his shoulders. She gave him hope, she gave him dreams. She didn’t use manipulation, games or trickery. She was just being herself--his mate, the one woman born to be his.

Her body wrapped around his as she shuddered, her mouth finding the bite she’d given him earlier. This time her teeth did break flesh and she clamped down as she rode her climax out.

The world spun for Aidan as came, he pushed into her channel, bumping her womb and sending his life-giving seed into her.

Rowan held tightly onto Aidan as he rode her hard and let himself go. His arms squeezed her to him, his head buried in her shoulder. She felt her skin become wet--he was crying silently. She said nothing. He was not the kind of man who would welcome an awkward kind of comfort. Instead she pulled him even tighter, licking the deep marks she’d left in his shoulder. She’d told him she loved him. For the first time since before the death of her mother she felt truly happy. Amidst the death and destruction surrounding her, she’d found love, real unselfish love. Soon her tears joined his as they held on to each other until sleep finally overtook them.

They were torn from sleep as three armed guards shouted for them to wake up. One of the men threw a pair of cuffs at Rowan.

“Cuff him now.”

Aidan silently put his hands behind his back and she clicked the cuffs into place as one of the guards tore the blanket down from the camera.

Another approached and pushed the barrel of his gun against Aidan’s throat. “I’d love to gut you right now. Fucking animal.”

She leapt before Aidan could call her off. She wrapped her arms around the man’s thick neck. He threw her off and she landed with a loud thud onto the floor. This time it was Aidan who began to move. The click of the gun next to his temple stopped him.

A throat cleared from somewhere near the door and another man walked in. He was slighter than the three guards and carried a medical bag. He walked to Rowan and helped her into a sitting position.

“Are you all right?” His voice was gentle as he ran his hands along her face and neck, then down her ribs. A deep rumble sounded in Aidan’s throat.

The doctor turned. “I’m only checking to make sure nothing is broken.”

Aidan rested against the headboard. The doctor retrieved a plastic cup and what Aidan recognized as a pregnancy test. He pulled Rowan to her feet.

The doctor cast a glance at Aidan, and the dragon panicked. Fear, fuckin’ terror choked the air from him. The doc knew she was pregnant. Some how, some way, and now she’d be ripped from his arms.

He shook his head ever so slightly, pleading without words, without facial expression. Don’t. Don’t tell Stone or her.

The other man ushered Rowan into the bathroom.

Jordan handed Rowan the cup. “You know what to do.” He wanted to comfort her, tell her everything was going to be okay. Goddamn fucking wire. She gave him the cup with her sample. He turned from her, dumping in the chemicals that would tell him if she was indeed pregnant.

The liquid turned light purple and Jordan’s heart sank. Quickly he pulled out a tiny vial and poured it in the cup. The purple disappeared and returned to the normal color.

“Your father will not be pleased by this, Rowan.” He smiled softly at her. Pulling her up to him he grabbed her head. His mouth clamped down on her lips. She fought him until he opened his mouth.

He pulled back abruptly and she slapped him. “Don’t ever touch me again, Jordan.” Her wink made the sting hurt less. He put a lid on the plastic cup, William would insist on another test. It would show the same results. Jordan had successfully eliminated the pregnancy hormone from the sample. He hated the bastard more than anything but stayed here for the girls.

The moment he refused to do his job Stone would kill him, so he stayed. At least when he was called in to help the victims of William’s experiments he was able to give them a peaceful end. He’d hidden the medicine that would end the suffering of the many victims from Stone. If he ever discovered Jordan’s interference, it would be the end, an end he would happily take.

He never imagined one mistake so many years ago would come at a cost. The price was too much to pay at this point in his life. He touched Rowan’s cheek gently and retrieved his equipment.

Rowan followed the doctor out of the bathroom. Bastard had touched her, Aidan could smell a human on her. He began growling. Rowan quickly sat next to him on the bed and laid a quieting hand on his arm.

Jordan walked out of the room as the guard tossed Rowan the key to unlock Aidan's cuffs. “Toss the key back, you can keep the cuffs.” The guard nearest the bed ordered. She made a quick job of freeing his arms and throwing the key back to the guard. All the men backed out, guns still drawn until the door was closed and locked from the outside.

“I’ll kill him for touching you.” Aidan growled as he cupped her face. He’d never been so territorial over a female before. He imagined she may have a problem with the protection he would offer her. She was independent and stubborn--of that he was sure.

Opening her mouth slightly, she pulled him close. He stopped as she showed him the object between her teeth.

“I think it’s time for a shower, baby.” She grabbed his hand and bounded off the bed.

Inside the bathroom they turned on the water. She carefully pulled the razor blade from her mouth.

“Jordan’s kiss?” he asked.

She nodded. “He is as much a prisoner here as we are. He’s a good man. I’m going to remove the chip from your neck. I’ve seen my father’s people put more than one inside his pets.”

He studied her face. Nothing had changed in her expression, Jordan had honored his unspoken request. She didn’t know his seed had taken root. That as small as it was, their child was growing inside her belly.

He knew he had to get her to safety--protecting her and the child were all that mattered now.

“Aidan, you might need to bite down on a t-shirt. I have to cut you pretty deep. Even then I’m not sure the exact spot where the chip will be. It’s going to hurt like hell. Even though there’s no microphone in the room, I don’t want to take the chance they might hear you.” Her pretty face became marred with concern.

He kissed her fingers. “I’m going to be fine. Don’t worry yourself about me, love. Just get the fuckin’ thing out of me.” He reached down and kissed her hard on the lips, whispering, “Ta mo chroi istigh ionat.” My heart is within you.

He could only tell her how he felt in his own language, but she inhaled at his words and kissed him back so sweetly.

“I’ll be fine, Rowan. Do what you have to.” He entered the shower and knelt on his knees, then pulled his hair around his neck to expose the skin she needed to cut.

He felt her approach and hesitate. “Rowan, now...what if Stone decides to come back, like he did yesterday?”

He hissed as he felt the first cut. Rowan was neat and quick about it, but the pain was fuckin’ torture. He closed his eyes and tried to relax. He reached for every trick in his heritage to help stave off the pain.

Her finger slid into the wound, rooting around for the chip. He felt as though his head was about to pop off. Great Father Dragon, let her find the damn thing and soon. He pushed his fist into his mouth as he began to moan, teeth sinking into his flesh. The pain in his hand was helping the worst of the pain in his neck and head.

She touched something and he did cry out. “I found it.” She ran her hand down his back, he was shaking like a leaf. His vision was blurry and his breathing shallow.

“Hold on Aidan, this is going to hurt badly. I’m sorry.”

He felt the blade slide deeper into his neck. Tears of pure terror filled his eyes, spilling out. This is how it feels to die! Was the last coherent thought he had before falling to the shower floor.

“Oh shit.” Rowan lost the chip as Aidan fell. She checked his pulse, he was still breathing. The pain must have shocked his body into passing out again. Thank God, she thought. The idea of causing him to hurt so badly was almost more than she could bear.

Opening up the wound in his neck a little more, she was able to move around and find the small chip imbedded in muscle. Carefully she pulled on the chip, aware of the fact that if she went too fast she could kill him. The chip was close to the spinal cord and she wasn’t going to risk him being paralyzed or worse.

She’d seen Jordan implant and remove the many chips Stone had experimented with over the years. Poor Jordan. At first he did it with a gun jammed to his temple. After her father systematically destroyed his family, his career and any hope, the doctor became little more than a robot.

He abhorred hurting anyone; many times he’d demanded death, refusing to help William Stone with anymore of his dirty work. Then in front of him, William would torture someone to the point that Jordan begged to end their suffering. It was a hellish existence, worse than hers by a far. She only prayed that Jordan wasn’t ruined.

Rowan breathed a sigh of relief when she felt the small pop, and she slowly brought out the tiny device. She tossed it in the toilet and flushed. The chip’s relay went straight to Jordan’s computer, so her father would be clueless--hopefully long enough for them to escape. Then she pushed Aidan underneath the spray and cleaned the wound, pressing her hand against the wound to stem the flow of blood. She wasn’t sure how long it would take to heal with his accelerated metabolism.

She stripped the t-shirt from her body, using it to wipe the floor clean. Aidan’s wound was only oozing traces of blood now. She turned off the taps. Kneeling beside him, she shook him gently. “Aidan, wake up.” Nothing. She had to get him up and out of here before the guards returned. And they would. Just as Aidan had said, her father wouldn’t take her negative pregnancy test well.

“Aidan, wake up.” She pushed him harder, flipping him over onto his back. Bending low she opened one of his eyes, and cried out. His brilliant blue eyes weren’t looking at her; they were the eyes of a reptile and they were a yellow/green color. Real fear penetrated Rowan’s skin. Aidan’s eyes popped open. He trained those strange eyes on her. Going to his knees he sniffed the air, then her. Rowan began to back up, crawling slowly away from him. He was more animal than man at the moment.

“MINE!” He growled and landed on top of her. He managed to turn her over onto her back, his mouth capturing hers in a kiss of ownership. He branded her with his lips and tongue. His mouth slid roughly down her jaw, kissing her neck and finding his bite mark. He raised his head and clamped down on the mark. His much sharper teeth slid easily through her pliant skin. He pushed her legs apart. He was wild, not himself, acting on pure instinct.

Her thighs flooded when his teeth clamped on her shoulder. He maneuvered between her legs. “Mine, Rowan. Mine.” Rowan was transfixed by his reptilian gaze. The iridescent green regarded her with something akin to wonder as he plunged into her.

His chest rumbled against hers as his pushed forward. His cock was thicker, longer as he ground into her. He was marking her with his body, taking her harder than he ever had before. Rowan’s body took what he gave and asked for more. She found herself just as hungry to be filled up by him. She bit his neck, his chest. The veins in his neck bulged as he slammed into her over and over again.

He rumbling got louder, so loud Rowan was afraid he would be heard through their concrete cage. She pulled his braid hard, bringing his head down to hers and kissed him. Her pussy tightened and exploded as she sent her own cries into his mouth. He bucked so hard into her that they moved across the floor as he roared his orgasm. It tumbled through her body, stamping every nerve ending and muscle with Aidan’s ownership. In that moment she understood that she would belong to him and he to her for however long they lived.

His eyes hadn’t cleared yet and she became concerned. They needed Aidan to be in control now that he had his dragon back.

She shouted his name, over and over. “Aidan, please Aidan, come back to me.”

Aidan looked at her through dragon eyes.

“Please Aidan, please.” She cried softly and ran her hand along his strong jaw. His eyes cleared for a moment and his expression filled with pain. “Oh God! Rowan, baby. Did I hurt you?”

She shook her head. “No, you didn’t hurt me, just scared the shit out of me.” She tried to laugh it off without much success.

Aidan felt his eyes change back and forth between reptile and human. He was trying to control himself but was losing the battle.

Fuck. His dragon wanted to claim her again.

“Rowan, my dragon wants his mate again,” he said through clenched teeth as he kissed her chin. “I don’t know how long I can hold him off. He knows your taste and smell and wants to rut inside of you until you can’t move.”

“Oh God.” Her beautiful eyes stared up at him in terror. Goddammit, he was a fuckin’ animal and she finally saw the reality of what he was. Fear--the one thing he never wanted to see in her eyes when she looked at him--it was there now.

He jumped off of her, going to the corner of the shower stall. He turned on the cold water, driving away the heated need his dragon was trying to push out of him. With his face to the wall he said nothing. What could he say? That he normally didn’t act like this. That the fact that his dragon had been suppressed turned him into a raving beast.

That he had just fucked her like a madman and was ready to go again and again until they passed out from exhaustion. His dragon spirit was gnashing its pointy teeth for him to pull her into the shower. It was the first time in the were’s life that his beast scared him.

Rowan rose on shaky legs. He looked so alone, so hurt, and she realized he was barely hanging on to his control. She hadn’t been scared so much as startled by the change in his eyes, the hardening of his flesh and the slight blue cast to his skin. He was beautiful. When she looked upon him her only thought was that he was the most magnificent male in the world. When he’d lain within her, she felt so safe, so cherished. Now he was in the shower stall, trying to climb the walls to get away from her.

She knew how he thought of himself. She’d seen it with that incredible exchange during sex. His self hatred was not so different than her own. They shared a unique bond, blaming themselves for their own shortcomings, for circumstances they couldn’t change.

She cautiously approached his trembling form. Allowing her hand to touch his strong back, she ran circles around the stiff muscles housed there. She ignored him when he flinched and just continued to stroke him. She hummed to him, just as he had to soothe her. Of course she didn’t know any Irish lullabies and instead hummed whatever came to mind. His skin loosened a bit, his breathing regulated.

He turned to her with reptilian yellow-green eyes. She kissed him in the middle of his chest. Scooping her up, he stormed from the bathroom and plopped her on the bed.

“Aidan, Aidan the camera.” She cried as he started to descend over her. Grabbing the blanket, he chucked it up and over the camera, obscuring them from view.

He jumped into the bed; it sank from his sudden invasion. Rowan opened her thighs and he placed himself between them.

“I don’t ever want you to be frightened of me.” He whispered as he ran butterfly kisses along her shoulders.

“I was shocked, not scared. Never scared. I know you’ll never harm me.”

“This I swear. I will never let harm befall you.” He kissed her lips. He went slowly, driving her crazy with every touch of his fingertips along her skin.

Aidan slipped down the long length of her body, kissing and nibbling as he went, blocking as much of his dragon as possible so he could take his time and ready Rowan to take him again. He licked the inner curve of her knee, along the slope of her calf and back up to her full thigh, worshipping every inch of his mate’s skin. He repeated it on her other leg, going as slowly with this one as the first. Dipping his tongue into her belly button, he circled it fully.

He turned her over onto her tummy. She tried to protest but he wouldn’t allow it. He set about tracing each and every scar on her. From calf to neck he slowly loved all the parts of her, from the smooth to the roughened edges.

His hands massaged her roughly, and caressed her lightly along her pale body. He loved his warrior woman, and was proud of every scar she’d borne for her sisters. He idly wondered if they were as appreciative as he was. Jenna adored Rowan, her pain when she discovered Rowan hadn’t escaped with her had been devastating.

She’d begged Aidan and the others to help get her away from this hellish place. He understood Jenna’s reasons now. A sharp pang of guilt stabbed him as he loved her body. He’d refused to help Jenna, didn’t understand the need to help yet another human. He’d been so fuckin’ blinded, by his hate, by his own prejudices. The woman lying underneath him was the epitome of strength and love. She put him to shame. All of his regrets and pain seemed so small compared to the abuse she’d suffered at the hands of her sadistic father. He would spend the rest of his life worshipping his female, the way a woman should be.

Moving slowly up her body, he again nestled tightly between her thighs. He felt her readiness as she raised her hips and pressed against his legs.

“Ta gra agam ort.” I love you he boldly told her as his lips touched hers and he slid home into her warm, waiting body. He’d never said those words to another outside of his family. He never thought he would ever feel this way. It had brought him to his knees, in such a short period of time. He knew without a doubt that the Great Dragon knew he needed this woman. He’d never realized how lost he was until the moment he’d lay with her, until he witnessed her strength, her determination and her awesome will. This was a day of revelation, the day of his rebirth. The spirit of his wife cleansed him.

She closed her eyes as he pushed into her. One thing about freeing his dragon, it increased his already large organ, stretching her further than before. He took it slow and easy, though, kissing her and whispering in Gaelic. His accent was so pronounced as spoke his native tongue. He knew she didn’t understand a word he was saying, but he hoped she felt it in the way he touched her, in the way his body shook with each stroke into her.

She finally opened her eyes to him. He knew his were still the reptilian yellow-green color; it always took a while for them to return to normal. She didn’t look away, just the opposite--she held his gaze with her own. He swallowed the emotion clogging his throat. This was how it felt to be in love. He had no doubt this woman owned his heart. He refused to look past the moment. With her father he didn’t know how much time they really had.

She took a deep breath and wrapped her fingers around his braid.

“I love you Aidan.” He stilled inside of her, cupping her cheek

“I love you Rowan, my wife.” He kissed her gently again and drove into her even harder. She urged him forward, rising to meet each and every deep-seated thrust. Their bodies were surrounded by their combined auras, the deep amethyst darkening their view from the lights. He was cocooned in the cleansing purple. The world only held Rowan and him.

He found her clit and rubbed it as she exploded around him. He continued to pump while she rode it out. Just as her body settled down, he picked up the pace, going even faster than before. Impossibly his cock seemed to expand and lengthen even further, drawing a harsh cry from her at the pleasure-pain of being filled so completely by him.

He opened his mouth, his teeth had grown along with his cock, and he latched onto her shoulder. Her own mouth found her the bite in his shoulder. He waited in anticipation of feeling her little teeth teasing back and forth over his mark. She broke his skin, making him scream her name and ejaculate a second time deep inside of her.

He moved to his side, dragging her into his arms. Gently he stroked her cheek, trying desperately to find the words to honor her.

She frowned at his continued silence. “What’s wrong?

He smiled. “Nothing is wrong. It’s just...” Fuck, he sucked when it came to talking. He couldn’t spout poetry like Nic did, but he needed to tell her how mind blowing it was just to touch her. “Rowan, you take my breath. I never dreamed I would look at you and find my future and all I want to do is stay in this moment forever. I finally get what Nic’s felt since he met Jenna.”

Aidan slid his hand up and down her tummy, across her breasts. Her nipples tightened immediately with his touch. He continued to stroke her, watching her shoulder to make sure the bleeding had stopped. When he kissed her he’d tasted his blood on her tongue and almost lost it again. She bit as well as any female dragon; she’d marked him well. His body seethed with the desire to wed her in front of his clan and lay claim to her in a very public way. No man would even try and sniff in her direction again without being reminded who her mate was.

“Sit up, Rowan,” he told her gently as he stood and grabbed one of the ripped-up t-shirts they’d been using. Tearing a strip off with his teeth, he returned to her side, hugging her tightly.

He ran his hands through the tangle that had become her hair. Dividing it, he smoothed out a large chunk near her temple.

“Rowan, I ask to weave your marriage braid. May I have this honor, wife?”

She placed her smaller hand in his larger one, “I would love for you to.”

He kissed her soundly on the mouth, moving his tongue in and out until he felt his cock rise again.

Taking the chunk of hair, he divided it into three parts and started to weave the braid. As he began the age-old ritual he taught her his family line. Now that she was his wife she would learn all about Dragon lore. It was important since she was human and didn’t know much about their traditions and histories. Their children would be taught their heritage by both parents.

He wanted to be home with his family. He ached with it--all this time he’d foolishly missed them. Now he had Rowan and she would help him bridge that gap. She and Erin. When his parents discovered their only daughter was alive and well, the celebration was going to be momentous. What a party that would be, a wedding and the return of a lost one.

“You’re going to need to teach me to sing those songs of yours when we have kids.” Rowan’s sweet little whisper froze his fingers. That day would arrive much sooner than she expected. Even now her scent was almost completely changed. The Dragon hormones were embedded in her body, changing her DNA structure in order for her to carry their young.

Damn, he’d finished the braid. Swearing oaths and sacred sayings with each fold of her hair. He tied off the small end. She was lovely and they were going repeat this ritual at the proper time and place. In a church, with his family’s priest.

He wasn’t about to start keeping secrets from her--even now when it was most dangerous. He settled in behind her, his legs cocooning hers. He wrapped his arms around her middle and spoke softly in her ear.

“Rowan, you carry our child now.”

“What?”

He shushed her, splayed his had wide across her belly where their child lay.

“I said that you are pregnant with our baby.”

He felt her body tremble and held her even tighter.

“How? How could you possibly know?”

Kissing her neck gently he continued in a whisper. “Your scent has changed. Your body has accepted my DNA and is now preparing you to have enough of the right nutrients to feed the baby as it grows inside of you.”

Rowan wrapped her hand around his. “We can’t let my father know.” Pure panic filled her voice.

“I am aware. I think that is why your doctor friend is helping us escape. He knows you’re having a baby and doesn’t want your father to know.”

“He can’t ever know. I will die before I allow him to have our child.”

He bit lightly at her neck. “Don’t ever say that again. You are not allowed to die. No matter what, our child will be born into this world.”

What should have been tears of joy were instead tears of dread and terror as Rowan deflated against Aidan. She was having his baby. She was stuck in this fucking prison. They needed to get out and soon. Her father would never get his hands on her child.

If Erin wasn’t willing to come with them then Rowan would have to leave her here. And oh God! Would Aidan leave Erin behind knowing she was his sister?

“Aidan, what if Erin won’t come with us?” His body stiffened and she sighed. He wasn’t going to leave without the youngest Stone daughter.

“You will leave here when the time is right and not look back. I will find Erin and get out of here.”

“Damn you, Aidan. Don’t do this. I... no, we need you,” she cried, pressing her hand into his.

“Mate, I can’t leave a member of my clan. No dragon would abandon another.”

“So you’ll take the chance of getting killed rather than retreating and trying again another time.”

Aidan’s deep sigh tore at her tender heart. “There will be no other time, and you know it. Once we get out of here your father will take Erin into hiding. This is my only chance to get her out and away from him. But I promise you that I will not fail. I will come to you and our baby. Trust me, please.”

Those three simple words defeated her. She trusted her man completely, without reservation. How could she ask him to leave his flesh and blood? If she wasn’t carrying a child she would be saying the very same thing. Erin was her sister as well.

She turned sideways and pressed into his chest. Through tears she spoke. “I do trust you. I will wait for you, but you have to come back to me. I don’t think I can make it without you.”

His finger pushed her chin up, and she looked into his baby blues. ”I promise I will always come back to you.”

They spent the next few hours planning their escape, miraculously guard free. Apparently Stone was giving him plenty of time and privacy to impregnate Rowan.

Aidan figured their best chance would be when Jordan next came to take a sample from Rowan. With his Dragon free he could easily overpower the guards. He’d get Rowan and the doctor to safety and come back in the confusion for Erin.

As he held a sleeping Rowan in his arms, he rubbed her belly. The idea of his child growing in her womb made him proud and scared at the same time.

He did something he hadn’t done in twenty years. He went into the bathroom. Stripping down to nothing, he dropped to his knees. They touched the cold concrete floor but he felt none of it as he sat back on his feet. Bringing his arms up in the air, he began a quiet chant in his language. The deep melodic rhythm overtook his body, and he squatted there for hours praying to the Great Dragon for help. Thanking him for the return of his sister, and the conception of his child. He asked over and over that his offspring and mate live through this nightmare. And he begged forgiveness for walking away from his community, his clan and his family.

They awoke, wrapped in each other’s arms, to the familiar clang of their prison door opening. Aidan hated the sound of that damn door opening. He never knew if it meant they were going to live or die. His eyes widened in shock as Erin appeared in the doorway to the bedroom along with Jordan.

He slowly let go of Rowan and rose from the bed. He strode to the woman who was his sister wearing only a pair of sweat pants. He was amazed as he laid eyes on her for the first time. Their likeness was striking, beginning with the identical color of their hair. Both were tall and athletic. Erin looked as dumbfounded as he felt

He reached for her, but she stepped away and behind Jordan. “Stay away, Dragon,” she snarled. Her pale blue-grey eyes were rimmed with tears and her hands were shaking. Erin recognized him; she knew he was her real family. But the influence from William Stone was imbedded deeply within the young woman.

He wanted to embrace her, tell her he was sorry for not protecting her, but he wouldn’t. She was frozen with fear and he realized he couldn’t push her.

“Get up. We only have a few minutes,” she instructed.

“Erin, what are you doing?” Rowan asked as she went to her sister. The younger woman allowed Rowan to hug her briefly.

“Jordan told me the truth, showed me my medical records. He also told me about the baby. I can’t live with myself if I let Daddy hurt you any further.” Her tears started to drop.

“Erin, it’s okay. We didn’t know, none of us did.”

Her comfort fell on deaf ears. Aidan watched Erin ease away from Rowan before she looked at Aidan, not quite meeting eyes that mirrored her own.

“Jordan contacted Jenna. Your friends will be here in the next five minutes to ensure your escape. He also drugged the guards watching the security cameras. You’ll have five minutes to navigate the maze down here. I drew this map. Father had another outside entrance built after Jenna left. He was afraid she would go to the authorities and that the compound might be raided.”

Rowan took the map from Erin and passed it to Aidan. “He wanted to be able to get rid of any prisoners or experiments he had going on in here, didn’t he?”

Erin only nodded and stepped back behind Jordan.

“How many prisoners are left?” Aidan asked, his voice hoarse from holding in his emotions. His sister hated him as much today as she had before. The fact he was her true family made no difference and it saddened him. There was no way in hell he was leaving her here to be poisoned further.

Erin shrugged her shoulders in response to his question.

“Rowan stays behind me. If they try and dart me again I want you out of the way.”

“That won’t work this time,” Erin spoke up. “Someone from your side of town betrayed you. She drugged you with a formula that slowed down your ability to change. We were able to shoot you with a paralytic and heavy sedative before your skin hardened.”

He felt like he’d been punched in the gut. Betrayed by someone he knew. Impossible. No one he knew would be in league with William Stone.

“Who?” He roared as he felt the change start.

“I don’t know. Father wouldn’t say who.”

He didn’t know if he believed his little sister, but right now he wasn’t going to pursue the issue. It made no difference in the here and now. As soon as they escaped, however, he’d be on the hunt.

His eyes closed as he felt the familiar rush of magic light its way from his head to toes. To the outsider his appearance wasn’t all that different. His skin had a bluish tint to it and the change in shape and color of his eyes. Microscopic scales infused with derma, and his muscle strength increased a thousand fold.

Best of all, his magic was free. He felt the electrical current at his fingertips and closed his fists. He normally had no trouble controlling the powerful magic. Having been suppressed, even this short amount of time, was going to make it much harder to deal with.

“You three stay behind me.” He kissed Rowan gently. “I love you.” He looked at the map and headed out the door.

They passed the sleeping guards as made their way down a long hallway.

Passing through several doors, they went to a spiral staircase leading further down into the bowels of the compound.

With his vision in Dragon mode, he needed no bright source of light, which was a good thing because they entered a dank moldy room. There were other smells, but the musty air was so heavy he wasn’t able to distinguish the odors until it was too late.

Rowan cried out as the room was suddenly bathed in bright light. Standing in front of them was William Stone, surrounded by several heavily armed men. Their guns were pointing not at Aidan, but at Rowan and her sister.

Erin gasped. “Father, I thought you were called to Washington D.C”

He gave his daughter a pitying expression, “No, dear. I was testing to see if my last child would be faithful to her father and his cause. I know Rowan told you where you came from. I have ears everywhere.”

Rowan’s stomach sank; he’d set a trap for them. And now they were all going to die. The look in her father’s eyes told the story of his insanity. There was no longer an inkling of breathing, feeling human being. No, he was a husk of pure hate; she had never been so terrified.

“If you move, Dragon, if you so much as flinch, I will kill your mate and your child.” Stone moved closer. Rowan watched as Aidan closed his fists tightly, a growl spilling from his mouth.

Her hands automatically went to her stomach.

“And you,” William pointed at Jordan. “I should have realized you were weak. Always so weak. Why do you think I killed your handsome young lover?” William smiled as Jordan’s face turned a ghastly grey. “That’s right, Jordan. You were too drunk. I was the one who went in and slit his treacherous throat. I only allowed you to think of yourself as a murderer because I needed your expertise in my lab.”

Stone whipped out another pistol. “I wanted you to be my son. But no, you turned out to be weaker than my daughters.” The sound the pistol made firing echoed through the room.

Rowan screamed and dropped to her knees. Jordan fell to the floor, the bullet piercing his stomach. His dark eyes moved to her, tears brimming the edges. They both knew he wasn’t going to live long.

“I’m sorry, Rowan.”

“Shh...don’t try to talk, Jordan. Please just rest. Save your strength.”

Three things happened at once, Erin leapt toward her father, grappling with him for one of the guns. She managed to get him to the floor. The wall behind the guards burst open, shooting rock and earth everywhere. Rowan watched in horror as Aidan flung his head back and roared, the sound shaking the room, knocking several guards down.

In through the blown-out wall came five men dressed in black and as big as mountains. Two were vampires; she recognized them when their mouths opened on the necks of two of the nearest guards. They bit hard, ripping out the throat of the unsuspecting men faster than they could register pain. Another male, taller than the rest, came through the crowd. He stood next to Aidan and together they shouted for everyone to get down. Then lightning poured from their fingertips, striking more guards as bullets flew through the air.

William managed to free himself from Erin and was on his knees next to Rowan. “One last present for you, my daughter, I pray you burn in hell,” he spat before plunging a needle into her thigh.

Her world fell away as her body became numb. She fell on her side, her eyes wide open, watching the carnage all around her. It was hard to breathe, where was Aidan? She needed to see his face once more before she died. Her hand was frozen against her tummy and her last thought was of the baby that would never be.

The room was clear. Many of Stone’s men lay dead, either from the vamps or from the lightning strikes.

Aidan turned, looking for Rowan, and his heart dropped as he saw her lying next to a still-bleeding Jordan. The injured man tried to get up and check Rowan’s pulse.

He rushed to her side, saw the needle stuck into her leg. Pulling it out, he sniffed, trying to see what she’d been injected with.

“Oh Great Mother, NO!” he shouted as he recognized the poison that had entered his mate’s body. Black dragon blood. The toxic substance was released only when a black dragon was killed violently. Their body’s last act of revenge was to poison their killer if they were near the body.

The cure was rare, and he didn’t know of a case where a human survived.

“Aidan, what is it?”

“Black dragon blood, sire.” he said as the Dragon Prince knelt next to him.

“We have to move fast then. Come, let’s get her out of here.”

The King’s soothing Irish lilt pushed Aidan into action as he picked up his wife, cradling her close.

“We can’t leave him.” Erin cried out behind him. Aidan turned. She was sitting with Jordan, her hand pressed against his bloody wound. The man was clearly near death, but he would honor his sister’s wishes.

“Take him, he helped us to escape,” Aidan ordered. Sebastian raced past him and scooped the other man into his arms.

Bas wanted to scream as he watched the blood oozing from Jordan’s stomach.

Erin stopped him. “You do what ever you have to, to save him. He deserves better.” Sebastian looked down at the other man and felt his head ready to explode. The injury was too bad. There was only one way to save him now.

“Whatever it takes, vampire,” she said. Bas looked from her determined gaze back down to Jordan’s glassy one. He squeezed the man as he raised him in his arms to get a better hold.

“Promise me you will save him?” Erin begged as her hand clenched Bas’s elbow.

Bas swallowed back the lump threatening to choke the air from him. “He will not die.” Her eyes widened as Bas felt his own turn to flame. He ran from the room, holding onto Jordan, his own heart ready to burst from his chest. You won’t die this night or any.

Erin started to make her way back into the compound.

“Where do you think you’re going, little lady?” she looked up and up and up. This was an accomplishment for a woman of her considerable height. The male model standing before her was stunning. Long black hair was pulled back into the same kind of braid Aidan wore. His skin was pale and his eyes a lightning blue, so stunning they begged for a closer look. His Black Irish heritage was written across his finely sculpted face, cheekbones, nose and, full lips. Erin was shocked into complete silence. He looked her up and down and the spell was broken.

“I’m going back. Someone has to kill my father.”

He kicked up a wicked grin that stole Erin’s breath. “And you plan on doing this suicide mission yourself, darlin’?”

“Yes, I do. I can’t live with what I’ve done.” And she couldn’t. If she didn’t set things right her life would come crashing down around her. She wasn’t ready to face the guilt of the life she’d lived.

“That’s not a smart option right now. We need to leave. Regroup and talk about where to go next. Your sister must be taken care or first.”

“You’re not my boss and you can go to hell.” Erin tried to walk around him when he grabbed her arm, not allowing her to move. Damn he was strong.

She tried to push him away, but he only swung her up in his arms.

“What the hell?” she screamed as she pounded against his rock-hard chest

He growled and Erin gasped as silver reptilian eyes stared back at her. Those sculpted lips came slamming down on her mouth. He kissed the breath from her. Electricity skimmed across the surface of her skin, burning every organ, every muscle.

When he pulled back, his mouth was wet and she wanted to kiss him again. “What the hell have you done to me?”

The man laughed. “Kissed you.” He thought it was funny, the way she reacted to his kiss.

“I am Remy Monroe, Dragon Prince and you are coming with me.” Excruciating pain shot down from the back of her neck and spread throughout every single nerve ending. She’d never known such agony and it was more than her body could withstand. The world went black.

The truck sped down the highway toward Aidan’s lair. It wasn’t far from the densely wooded area surrounding the Stone compound. How would Stone react if he knew he resided less than fifteen miles from a Dragon?

The doctor and the other vamps headed back to Nic’s building. Only he, Rowan, Erin, and Remy were speeding down the road in excess of one hundred miles an hour.

It was imperative to get Rowan back to his home. They might have a chance to save her and the baby. He shut his eyes against the tears burning behind his lids. He was not letting her go. If she died he would most assuredly follow her. But dammit, he wanted her to live. Wanted to raise their child together. He wanted to know his sister and return to his clan. To his family.

Please, baby, hold on he begged over and over again as he held her tight. He directed Remy where to turn and as they made a right down what looked like a foot path, the tree branches widened enough to allow the truck through.

A dragon’s lair could be hidden behind a thin veil of magic. The road rose off to the left, and then a large stone opening appeared out of a seemingly solid wall of stone.

Remy maneuvered the truck though the small opening, slamming the truck into Park.

He hopped out and opened the door for Aidan before grabbing a shocked and terrified Erin from the front passenger seat and following Aidan.

They ran through several caverns until the familiar sound of running water began to echo off the walls.

Through a small alcove he walked into his sacred pool. It was as beautiful as he remembered. An accomplishment since he hadn’t stepped foot in it since setting it up over fifteen years ago.

Each dragon clan had such sacred pools in their homes where the altars to the Great Father and Great Mother were set up. Healing magic infused the natural minerals that ran in such waters. It was a place for cleansing, a place for healing and the only place where Rowan might be saved.

He quickly stripped Rowan of her clothing as Remy lit the sacred candles rimming the cavern. The Princeremoved a pouch from around his neck and opened it, sprinkling powder from the pouch over the water. At his feet was a bag he’d brought from the truck, carrying his most powerful healing talismans.

The power that filled the chamber was stronger than anything he could have accomplished alone. He carefully laid Rowan down next to the water and ripped his shirt off. Jumping into the pool, he pulled her cold body in. His chest was snug to her back as he made his way to the side of the pool.

Remy removed his shirt and painted the ancient healing runes on his chest before holding up a large silver dagger. “Where was she poisoned?”

Aidan steadied her thigh, which was black around the puncture site and beyond. The poison was slowly spreading.

“Hold her tight, Aidan. This is going to burn like acid when I open the wound. I’ll shield you as best I can but you’ll still feel the effects of the taint.”

“I don’t give a damn how much it hurts. Just save her.”

The other man nodded and pushed the tip of the knife in at the injection point, splitting the skin open.

Black mist and blood seeped from the open wound, combining into a putrid odor that made it almost impossible to breathe.

Aidan spared a glance at Erin who was plastered against a wall, her big eyes wide with fear and grief.

Remy squeezed Rowan’s thigh hard, and black ooze gushed out. When each drop hit the cool water it sizzled and hissed. Aidan felt the pain around his stomach and down his legs. His dragon skin helped to stave off the worst of the pain. But unlike the King who was immune, he was not.

He bit his lip and held onto Rowan even tighter. It seemed like hours before the blood in the wound ran red. When it did, Remy mixed another concoction with the water and placed it in Rowan’s wound before hopping out of the pool and leaving the cavern.

Aidan hiked Rowan into his arms and walked up the steps leading out of the pool.

Remy returned with a large blanket, which he laid out on the altar. Aidan laid Rowan down and wrapped the ends of the blanket around her.

“She doesn’t look good, Remy. I don’t think she’s going to make it.” As his broken voice whispered his thoughts, Erin screamed and ran to her sister.

Placing her head on Rowan’s still chest she cried, “Rowan no, you can’t die. You are the strong one. You have to live. Who’s gonna watch out for me and Jenna?” She was hysterical. “Please sis, please come back to me. To us.”

Remy gently removed Erin from her sister, though she fought him like hell, spitting and clawing his face, screaming at him to leave her alone.

He held her tight. “Shh. Let Aidan attend to her. If these are her last minutes he needs to be there.”

Big blue-grey eyes stared up at him and Remy’s heart melted. This fragile woman was not the same female Jenna had described to him. She was lost in mind, heart and spirit. After being raised by the most heinous man known, who wouldn’t walk out of there full of scars?

He had no way of reassuring her that Rowan was going to be okay. Black dragon blood was a vile poison and it was apparent Stone had killed one in order to get the toxin. Another sin to be laid at his feet.

Erin buried her face in his chest. Sobs wracked her thin frame and he tightened his hold, whispering to her in Gaelic as he smoothed her dark auburn hair down her back.

“We must leave them alone, Erin,” he whispered.

She drew back, placing her hands on his chest, trying to push him away. “I won’t leave... What the hell?”

Remy frowned as he realized Erin’s hands were burning him. He held onto her as a bright silver smoke rose from deep within his skin, sliding up her hands and continuing up her body until they were both bathed in the light.

She gasped and struggled to break the hold his aura had on her. “Don’t move, Erin. The Great Mother has spoken.” Her body stiffened as she watched a blue haze escape her mouth. Her panic became almost unstoppable as she pushed and pulled, but Remy knew it was a futile effort on her part. They were mated, the decision final. He would know no other woman in his bed or in his soul. Their auras combined and the spell was broken. He wrapped his arms around her and removed her from the room. Aidan needed this time alone with his woman.

Aidan ignored the soft rumblings of Remy as he removed Erin. He closed in on Rowan, touching her face, her neck gently as though she were made of glass.

His hand skimmed down to her belly. “Rowan, my wife. Come back to me. We have a child we need to raise.” His tears fell steadily as she lay there unmoving. Her skin was a pasty white, her lips had turned a terrible blue. He was going to lose her. He kissed her belly, soft kisses, running his hands gently up and down her arms, trying to warm her cold skin.

“You must come back to me. Do not let your father win, woman.” His tears gave way to anger as he shook her shoulders. Water dripped down his body; he was chilled to the bone but didn’t care. “Dammit to hell, Rowan. Wake the fuck up. Do not give up on me.” The minutes ticked by at a crawl and Rowan’s still body gave him no response.

He was mentally unable to continue without the woman who held not only his child but part of his soul inside her. It was the way of his people; joining your mate in death was an oft-used and acceptable practice. He knew he could never go back to the life he’d led before. Not when he’d experienced the freedom of love, the beauty of having a part of another person’s soul residing in your body.

He kissed her softly on her lips. Crawling away, he snatched the dagger Remy had left lying next to the pool.

He laid his head on her chest, her heartbeat was slow and sluggish. He closed his eyes and sang an old Irish ballad of love and loss. His smooth tenor echoed throughout the cavern as he sang to his wife and unborn child.

As her heart beat its last flutter, Aidan brought the knife to his neck. “I’m sorry Rowan. I failed us all.” The knife dug into the side of his neck, and he bent down, kissing her stomach, then her lips before he brought the knife across the front of his throat. He calmly closed his eyes and prepared to meet Rowan on the other side.

Aidan’s world went black.

When he woke he was no longer in the pool chamber.

He sat up. Rowan! His eyes darted furiously in his surroundings. She wasn’t here. What the hell had happened? Remy better not have saved his sorry ass.

“Hahaha, oh Aidan, you are funny.” The light, airy voice approached from behind. He turned sharply as he rose to his knees.

The small delicate woman was dressed in, of all things, a bright red ball gown, her golden hair a halo falling in long spiral curls down her back.

She looked at him. “Do you not recognize me unless I am draped in flowing white robes?”

Her voice was full of humor as his eyes widened. “Great Mother...”

She took a small bow. “At your service, Dragon child.”

He was stunned into falling on his ass. The Great Mother. How in the hell?

“I must ask you to refrain from cursing in my presence. I find it so distasteful.”

“And we don’t want to upset our queen, now do we?” Another voice spoke from the left. Where the Great Mother’s voice was light and sweet, this one was definitely male and booming. He followed the voice and there was an older man, dressed like a lumberjack in worn jeans and a plaid shirt. Long bright red hair flowed freely around his shoulders.

The man approached the woman, placing a comforting arm around her. She reached up to place a chaste kiss to his cheek.

“My wife has very sensitive ears, youngling. You would be wise to hold your tongue.”

He was on his knees again, this time his head was bowed. The Great Father and Mother approached him.

The delicate hand of the Goddess touched his head. “So much pain, so much guilt for so long.”

“I deserve it. I failed to protect my sister and my wife.”

“Oh, come now, you were but a boy. Not yet through your change.”

“It makes no difference, Great One. I have failed all those who I dared to love.”

“This woman, this human who now carries your child. Is she one you love as well, Aidan?”

He looked up into her twinkling emerald eyes. “I cannot live without her. I will trade my life for hers and that of my child,” he pleaded. Anything to bring Rowan back, to ensure his child came into this world.

The Great Father stepped forward. He bent down and balanced himself on the balls of his feet. “It’s heaven and hell to love a mate, is it not Aidan?”

“No, Great Father. I only began to live the moment I touched her. Hell was every day that I lived without her.”

The God stood and joined his wife. “Look upon us, Aidan of the clan Ghallager.”

Aidan stretched his neck up to gaze upon the couple. They were holding each other, gazing at him with smiles upon their perfect faces.

“Aidan, you must go back now. It’s not time for you to leave.”

Aidan cried out, “Please, don’t make me go back. I can’t live without her.”

The great Mother reached out and touched Aidan’s head again. “Sleep now, child.”

He screamed no over and over as his world was once again black.

A rough hand was pushing at his chest. Aidan refused to open his eyes. He was no longer on the cave floor. A mattress supported his back and he was warm and dry. The hand pushed him harder this time. He wouldn’t acknowledge whoever was trying to wake him up. The pain in his heart was unbearable.

“Remy, he won’t open his eyes.”

Rowan! Aidan’s eyes shot open, and there she sat next to him. Relief was evident on her face. He grabbed her roughly, pulling her on top of his chest. His mouth clamped on hers as he kissed her thoroughly, tasting all of her. He let up, moving his mouth from her lips to her shoulder where he fitted his teeth to his mark.

Just like the first time, both of them exploded into orgasm. He couldn’t let go of his hold on her, even when she was fighting him.

“Aidan, let go of her before you squeeze the air out of her.” Remy’s smoky voice filtered into the room.

He let go and Rowan sat up. She was alive, they were both alive.

Reaching out to touch her with one trembling hand he simply asked. “How? You were dead. How?”

She looked back to the other man in the room. Remy stepped forward.

“Aidan, they gave you back to us. Both of you. The Great Father and Mother gave you life again.”

“But why? I thought I...” he let the sentence trail off. There were no words for what had happened.

“I think that is obvious.” Remy smiled, looking at Rowan and the hand she was resting against her belly.

Remy backed out of the room, leaving Rowan and Aidan alone. He was still too stunned to say a word. Rowan brushed her finger along his neck.

“I should hit you for doing this.” He took her finger away and sucked it into his mouth, making her eyes cloud with familiar longing.

“I can’t live without you. I would do it again if I had to in order to be with you and our child.”

She slowly bent her head. “I love you, Aidan, my husband.” She dropped a kiss to his forehead, his nose and finally his lips.

He tangled his hand in her hair and forced her mouth open. He needed to taste the honeyed depths of her sweet mouth. Tattoo her taste on his tongue. He pulled her on top of him so she straddled his chest, his tongue darting in and out of her mouth until they were both breathing heavily.

“Its not enough, baby. I need to taste more of you,” he rasped against her mouth. “Strip,” he ordered.

She laughed and stood on the bed, pulling her pants and panties off, followed by her shirt.

He grabbed her knees and forced her down; when she would have landed on his chest again he slid down so her core landed on his mouth.

“Oh my God, Aidan.” She mewed as his tongue split her lips apart and speared her wet depths.

“Down on my mouth, Luv,” he commanded, pulling her even closer so she fit directly over his mouth. Her head fell forward on the headboard as her hips moved in back and forth over his tongue.

She felt his skin grow harder and his tongue grew longer, reaching deeper within her. Touching her womb before pulling out again,

“Oh Aidan, that feels so damn good.” Her cries grew even louder as that long wicked tongue hit her clit, sucking it between his lips. His large hands squeezed her hips, setting her tempo.

She threw her head back as her thighs clenched his face, her walls tightened as her orgasm rumbled through her body, Aidan licking every last drop of cum from her pussy.

He gently pushed her from his face and back down his body, her juices covering his mouth, jaw and chin. He licked his lips.

“Ride me, baby, before I explode.”

He watched in wonder as she slid down his torso, grabbed his raging hard-on. Instead of impaling herself as he ordered she ran her thumb through the liquid on his thick crown. His hips bucked upward. “Rowan, fuck me now, baby. I need to be inside you.” He was as close to begging as he’d ever been.

She smiled a wicked, knowing grin and grasped the base of his dick, placing it at her entrance. He was impatient to feel his wife and pushed her hips down in one smooth motion.

Her squeal of pleasure rocked him to his soul as she began the slow motion of taking him. Her hips made delicious circles as she rose and fell. His hands gripped her ass, he knew she would carry bruises in the morning, and he would make up for it. But right now was not a time to be gentle; it was a time to renew their life. To bask in the glory that each was alive and would be together forever.

His balls tightened as she set a blistering rhythm of ebb and flow. He placed one finger on her clit and rubbed. Her nails caught on his chest and she dragged them along his body.

When he knew he couldn’t take one more pleasurable touch, she surprised him by grasping his balls, rubbing the tight sac against her ass. The sensation sent them both over the edge as Rowan’s pussy grabbed Aidan's cock in an iron fist and he shot deep into her, releasing himself with a roar that shook the bed, before Rowan finally collapsed against him.

Aidan rolled Rowan to her side, wrapping her in his embrace. She sighed and closed her eyes in contentment. She couldn’t stop placing little kisses to his chest. He was alive and he was hers. When she’d awoken from the poison to find Aidan lying so still, she almost lost her mind.

Remy had pulled the knife from his hand before it cut his artery, ensuring his death. He explained to Rowan that a mate often chose to be with their deceased spouses, but only after a ritual was performed.

The thought of him committing suicide sickened her. Remy had explained that dragons mated only once. They had only one shot at a family. To die with your mate wasn’t looked upon as suicide, only a continuation of a husband and wife being together, if not in this world then in the next.

“You will never again try to do anything so stupid as to kill yourself, Aidan Ghallager.” She slapped his chest. His deep laugh rumbled in his chest as he grabbed her hand and kissed it.

“I’m serious. If anything ever happens to me you will have to raise our child. Promise me you won’t ever do anything so stupid again.”

He placed his hands on either side of her face and kissed her ferociously. “I promise never to do anything so stupid again. As long as you promise never to die on me.”

Her eyebrow shot up. “I will do my best, Dragon.” She bent and bit his chest.

“Remy is taking Erin with him. They have to remove the implant and then she has to transition. He thinks it will be difficult for her. He’s been in contact with your parents, who are on their way from Cork.” His eyes became sad as she mentioned Erin.

“Aidan, don’t go there. The past is the past. You have Erin back. We are away from my father. Things will right themselves in time.”

Rowan stroked his skin, he shuddered as she felt him grow heavy and hard against her thigh. Yes, things would right themselves in time. They would take care of William Stone soon, but not tonight.

“I love you, husband.” She pressed her mouth to his lips. He rolled her onto her back, nestling between her thighs. She knew in that moment why she’d fought her father, why she’d chosen to live all those years through his abuse and horror. It was so she would find this man, be here with him, to love and hold. To bear his children and to know that loving another was worth everything she’d gone through in her life.

She would happily endure every ounce of pain again to find her place with him. For the first time in forever, Rowan knew peace.

About the Author:

Violet Summers is a married mother of three beautiful children, including one set of twins, one rambunctious puppy, and one husband, except when she’s a single mom of one spoiled teenaged God-child and three spoiled kitties. Both of Violet’s personalities are very busy!

No, Violet has not suffered a psychotic break yet (though she may after dealing with creating web pages and MySpace accounts). Violet is actually the writing team of Sierra Summers and Violet Johnson.

Both women read voraciously, and in a multitude of genres. Sierra classifies them as “readers, as opposed to readers of romance. This means when we write, we’re as concerned with the story as we are with the sex.” That said, Sierra has been known to boycott books where the characters haven’t “done the deed,” by page 125.

Sierra and VeeJay live in Southeast Michigan, and the spice of the Metro-Detroit area often flavors their work. “Why look for a more glamorous setting,” VeeJay asks, “when we’ve got the beautiful, re-vitalized Downtown area to draw from?”

Violet Summers writes in a variety of genres, from contemporary to paranormal; from soft BDSM to fantasy. The two things all her stories have in common is their deep emotional and their scorching erotic love scenes.

Sierra and VeeJay love to hear from their readers. You can contact them at VioletSummers@yahoo.com

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