Dragon My Heart Around Read online

  “Approved,” a computerized voice replied, and another concealed door snicked opened.

  Gerri waited for Camille and Ryker to step through before she did the same.

  “It’s an elevator!” Cami let a small squeal loose. “I love this James Bond stuff.”

  “Authorization.” The same computerized voice prompted, and Gerri leaned forward again, but this time the small strobe scan her entire face. “Recognized.”

  The elevator door locked with a metallic thud. “Hold tight, kiddies.” Gerri winked, and a moment later the car dropped, the lights going dark as they plummeted.

  “Why didn’t you tell me this trip involved death drops? I have vertigo!” Camille ground out, trying to drop her head through her knees and still hang on. “Oh, my God, I’m going to be sick.”

  Gerri smirked. “Oops, my bad.”

  “Not funny old lady,” Camille grimaced, her stomach flip flopping.

  Ryker bit the inside of his cheek. “At least that shade of green looks good on you, mo thávma.”

  “I. Hate. You. Both.” Cami leaned against the smooth stainless steel wall and it vibrated little fingers crawling across her back. “What the—” Her eyes went wide. “I didn’t touch anything, I swear!”

  Gerri laughed. “The elevator is mood sensitive, Cami. It sensed your discomfort and switched into massage mode. The sensors were trying to redirect your brain away from your nausea.”

  “They redirected it alright. Straight into creeped out.”

  The elevator slowed, stopping without as much as a dull bump. “Smooth as silk.” Ryker nodded, slipping an arm around Camille’s wobbly shoulders.

  She swallowed hard. “Easy for you to say. I should puke on your new shoes just for using the words smooth as silk.”

  Gerri laughed out loud. “Oh, honey. Bella is going to absolutely love you!”

  “Who’s Bella?” Ryker asked.

  “Alyx’s new queen. She’s a human spitfire just like this one.” She jerked her head to Cami’s bent form. “I predict they’ll get on like a house on fire.”

  Steven waited for them in some kind of antechamber, and when the doors opened, he met them at the end of a long, metallic hallway. Gerri led the way to a door marked with a strange symbol, and they waited the smooth surface to scan for facial recognition again.

  “More James Bond stuff. If I wasn’t so sick, I’d enjoy this more,” Cami remarked.

  “Trust me. You’re in for more of a ride,” Steven added with a snort.

  “Ugh. Kill me now.” Cami moaned.

  Gerri shot him a look and he shut up immediately. “Steven, please get me the mignonette vile from the case in the anteroom.”

  He hesitated. “The mignonette? Are you sure?”

  She raised one eyebrow and the handsome flight coordinator darted out, no further questions. He came back a moment later with a strange looking glass tube with green liquid inside.

  Mrs. Wilder cracked open the top and held the slightly smoking ampule out to Camille. “Drink this. All of it and very quickly.”

  Camille brought the vile to her nose and sniffed. “Eew, no. This smells like antifreeze.”

  “It’s not. Drink it. It’ll help.”

  “What is it?”

  Gerri shook her head. “Nothing you’d know. The herbs are not from here. Solar flares are brewing and we have to get going. It’s going to be a tough go, so this will stop you from getting sick.”

  Camille moved to hand it back. “I’m not drinking this without knowing what it is.”

  Mrs. Wilder pressed her lips together, but didn’t take the vile from Cami’s hand. “Ryker?” she tried.

  “Camille, I can smell the mixture from here. It’s an ancient mix of wine and medicinal herbs from Nova Aurora. It won’t hurt you. I swear. It might make you a little woozy, but you won’t feel sick.”

  Steven cleared his throat and Gerri nodded, looking at her watch. “Please, Camille. It’s now or we have to scrap the jump.”

  Camille glanced at Ryker. He nodded, giving her a wink. “It’s fine. I promise.”

  She spared a glance for them both and tipped the glass vile to her lips, swallowing the foul liquid with a cough.

  “I’ll catch you on the flipside, Mrs. Wilder. I think it’s best for all if you jump in one go.”

  He waited for them to step through before he exited the sleek transporter. Steven nodded through the port hole and then latched the outside door.

  Camille hiccupped and Mrs. Wilder gave her a quick smile. “There’s nothing to worry about, dear. You’re good at keeping an open mind, just try not to throw up. We’ll be in zero gravity and that’s the last thing you want floating by your face when you’re strapped in.”

  The older woman stepped toward an inner circle marked on the floor. From a pocket in her designer jacket she removed what looked like a silver egg.

  Gerri closed her eyes and murmured words in a strange language into the polished oval. The language sounded very much like the one Ryker spoke while they were making love.

  The oval shimmered, its shiny surface glowed blue and when the colors radiated neon bright, she let the gleaming egg drop, except it didn’t hit the corrugated floor. The oval hung suspended in the air, its blue iridescent glow growing and spreading across the floor like a Caribbean grotto.

  Gerri motioned for the two to step forward. “Take a hand.” The blue light glistened, taking on a translucent center. “Almost time. Steven said we need to jump together, so jump together we will.”

  She nodded to Cami. “This is a portal. It’s safe and fast. A wormhole I’ve opened to allow travel between dimensions. It is how I travel back and forth. There is nothing to fear.”

  Camille giggled. “I’m not afraid, you nosy old woman! If you wanted fear, you should have seen my face the first time I saw this big hunk of hot burning love. His cock is huge!” She whispered, slurring her words. “Have you noticed? He’s gorgeous and you know what? He’s all mine.”

  “Camille—” Ryker tried.

  She waved him off and put a finger to her lips. “Ssh, were not telling anyone, not even ourselves, but I’m head over heels for this guy. He’s mine and I’m not giving him up to that witch or whatever she is with the tattooed face.”

  “She’s shitfaced,” Gerri laughed. “One swig of Sidaii wine with herbs and she’s blotted.”

  Ryker exhaled. “Thanks. She’s going to be loads of fun when she sobers up with the hangover of the century.”

  “Hold her tight, Ryker. It’s time. We don’t need her spinning off or landing on another planet by mistake.”

  “Cami, I think I should carry you, love,” he said gently.

  Camille giggled again. “Whoo hoo! Bonus!” Without warning she jumped and Ryker had to scramble to catch before she fell through the portal.

  The shimmering blue had stilled to a translucent glass-like surface. Cami leaned over in Ryker’s arms and peered through the luminous membrane to the other side.

  “I remember those trees. I saw them when I saw the bitch.” She hiccupped. “Ooh, a castle, too! Have I told you how much I love everything medieval?”

  With a nod, Gerri stepped to the edge. “It’s time, Ryker.” She smiled at the handsome shifter. “You’re finally home, boy.”

  He inclined his head. “Thank you, Dragosarra.”

  They jumped together, the wormhole sucking them through with a fierce vacuum tug.

  A cold blast of air hit them and Camille shivered in Ryker’s arms, but lifted her face, throwing her arms up rollercoaster-style. “Eat your heart out Six Flags!’

  They swirled, winging and ringing the interplanetary tube, the pressure building as they neared Nova’s gravity until Camille coughed.

  All levity left her and her eyes widened, her fingers gripping her throat.

  “It’s okay, love. Just relax and breathe normally.” Ryker cuddled her closer, whispering in her ear.

  “I’m going to be sick,” Camille grimaced, burying her fa
ce in Ryker’s neck against the thick, airless feel.

  “Camille, focus. Breathe. In and out. Short breathes. It’s the pressure playing tricks on your brain. Hold on. We’re almost there.” Gerri replied.

  The wormhole grew denser and the feeling of being pulled, slowed. The air lightened and Camille gulped in a breath, slumping against Ryker’s chest.

  The glow reappeared on the floor. Only this time, it was no longer translucent and Cami watched as its radiance slowly receded until it vanished completely into the Gerri’s polished egg. She palmed the chrome oval while it still hung suspended and then put it back in her pocket.

  Mrs. Wilder smiled, and much to Cami’s surprise, the older woman curtsied. “Welcome home, Prince Ryker of the Dragos.”

  Camille turned, her face inches from his. “You’re a prince?”

  He nodded, sheep faced. “Yup.”

  “When were you going to share that tidbit?”

  He shrugged, letting her slid to her feet over his hard body. “I don’t know. Being from Earth, I didn’t think it would matter to you.”

  She looked up at him. “Did I really say all those things earlier?”

  He nodded again. “Yup.”

  She cringed. “God, whatever that was, don’t let me drink it again. I’d rather have the vertigo.”

  Chuckling, he slipped his arm around her shoulders. “Sidaii wine. If memory serves, it’s delicious, but different species react to it in odd ways. I guess it’s worst on humans.”

  Gerri laughed. “Gets ‘em every time, no matter how much I warn my guests.”

  The transport door slid open and they walked out, Camille and Ryker both tentative at what was waiting on the opposite side.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “We really have to stop meeting like this,” a deep voice rumbled.

  Camille’s eyes turned. The man who spoke stood in the hub entrance just outside the portal door. He was as big as Ryker, but where Ryker was dark, he was light.

  “Alyx!” Gerri stepped from the transport and gave the big man a hug. “If we stopped meeting like this, you wouldn’t have a mate.”

  “Hello, Dragosarra,” another voice murmured.

  “Viktor! How did you get all the way here on such short notice?” she asked, stunned to see the Dragos Alpha.

  He gestured with his head. “The lion sent a royal speeder for me. How could I miss meeting my legendary cousin in the flesh?”

  Ryker moved to stand beside Mrs. Wilder, and Viktor’s teasing grin sobered.

  Cami’s mouth dropped. The two were so much alike they could be twins.

  Tension hung in the air as the two dragons assessed one another. Each aware of the other and where this new wrinkle fit in the line of succession.

  Viktor was the Alpha of the Dragos, but eight hundred years ago, Ryker was heir apparent to the throne of Nova Aurora. A lot had changed, yet in that moment time seemed to stand still.

  “Welcome home, cousin.” The alpha held out his hand and Ryker took it, grasping his cousin’s forearm in a gesture of fealty.

  Both dragons smiled and their eyes changed color. Viktor’s to a deep gold and Ryker’s to a fiery red.

  “Great, another red dragon.” Viktor grinned, shaking his head. “I hope I don’t have to worry about you going rogue like I did with one of our other cousins. Draken. He tried to have me killed and take over Dragosland.”

  Ryker’s lips parted, but Viktor clasped him on the shoulder. “I’m just teasing you, Dude.”

  “Dude?” Ryker spared a look for Camille and then looked back to his cousin.

  “My mate’s human, so I picked up a few bad habits. Still, she’s too cute for me to complain.” His eyes drifted to Camille. “And who’s this?”

  “Camille Forester,” she said holding out her hand.

  Viktor moved to shake her hand and stopped. His eyes turning to his cousin, again. “You’re mated?” He turned to Mrs. Wilder “You didn’t tell me he was mated.”

  Gerri straightened her shoulders. “Does it matter?”

  Viktor shook his head. “No, but—”

  “But what?” she pressed.

  “What about Sorana? She is not going to be happy about this, and to be honest, I’m not thrilled with the prospect of what she will do once she finds out. She’s not exactly easy when she doesn’t get her way.”

  Ryker snorted. “Dude, you’re preaching to the choir.”

  Viktor burst out laughing. “Another Dragos bitten by the human love bug. Slang and all.” He clasped Riker’s shoulder again. “My Rebecca is going to just love this.”

  He gestured with his head to Alyx. “Bella too, don’t you think. Pretty soon, our human women will outnumber our men, and it’ll be entirely your fault.”

  “My fault?” Alyx balked. “You seem to forget without Rebecca you would have died and Draken would be the Dragos Alpha. I did Nova a favor by bringing Gerri and her girls here.”

  Viktor grinned. “Got’cha, dude.”

  Alyx shoved at his shoulder. “Mocking your king is a treasonable offense. Dude.”

  “Uhm, may I ask a silly question?” Camille piped up, interrupting, and all eyes turned to her. “What do you mean, Ryker and I are mated? I know I’m supposedly his true mate—” she lifted her wrist. “But—”

  Viktor’s eyes widened and he looked from her to his cousin. “You didn’t tell her?”

  “Tell me what?”

  Ryker’s jaw tightened. “I had other things on my mind.”

  “Tell. Me. What?” Cami’s voice raised an octave in the transport hub.

  Ryker drew a hand over his brow. “Remember when I told you my dragon marked you because you were my true mate?”

  “Yeah, and?”

  “It’s a claiming, Camille. I claimed you the moment we first mated. With dragons, it happens instinctively.”

  “You claimed me? Like what? A winning lottery ticket?”

  Alyx clapped his hands once. “Okay, then. Since I’m having PTSD flashbacks from fights with Bella when we first hooked up, I think perhaps you should go to your rooms where you can duke it out in private.”

  Viktor eyed his cousin. “Better part of valor, buddy. Take it from me. Don’t keep things from your mate. They always find out.”

  He gave Ryker’s shoulder a squeeze. “I’ll be at the palace for two days before I head back to Dragosland. I’d love for you to come home with me.” He glanced at Camille. “Both of you.”

  Ryker’s mouth pressed to a thin line as he watched the frown on Camille’s face. “That was our original plan, but now I’m not so sure.”

  Camille shook her head, exhaling. “Stop being so melodramatic. Of course we’re going to Dragosland. I have a few choice words for witchy siren bitch and her temper tantrums. Nothing has changed with that as far as I’m concerned.”

  “But something has changed between us. I sense it,” Ryker replied.

  “No, what you sense is me being pissed off at you not giving me all the facts. Now I’d like to lie down if there’s time, but later you are going to explain what claiming me actually means. When my head is no longer spinning from that weird drink you gave me.”

  Alyx raised an eyebrow and Gerri mouthed Sidaii wine and the king bit his lip not to laugh.

  Ryker caught the exchange and turned toward the king. “Thank you for your forbearance, your majesty,” he murmured, moving to drop to one knee.

  Alyx stopped him halfway through his bow. “No need for that, Ryker, though I appreciate the gesture. You’re of the Royal House of Dragos and as such will be held with the same respect as your cousin.” The king nodded. “We’re glad to have you back in one piece. Finally.”

  Alyx held out his hand and Ryker straightened, clasping it the same way he had his cousin.

  “Thank you…Alyx.”

  Gerri exhaled her relief as Ryker inclined his head in deference to the king. At least the eight hundred year old heir had the good sense to realize things had changed.

  “I
’m assuming I have my same rooms, Alyx?” Gerri asked, making sure the subject of Ryker and Camille was deftly changed.

  The king nodded. “Yes and your guests are in the adjacent rooms.”

  “Wonderful.” She motioned for Ryker and Camille to follow. “The bags are probably already in our rooms, but there’s no need to worry even if they’re not. Guests of palace are well taken care of, even if they arrive without a stitch.”

  ***

  “This place is as big as my sublet.” Camille walked through the main living room toward sliding glass doors overlooking a large courtyard with trees and fountains.

  “I was wondering how you managed a brownstone in the Upper East Side on a librarian’s salary. Good for you.” Gerri winked.

  “It pays to have friends in high places,” she hooked her arm into Ryker’s elbow. “Right?” She raised an eyebrow. “See? Didn’t I tell you not to worry about how you’d be received?”

  Gerri nodded. “Alyx found your book in the palace library. It was covered with inches of dust, secreted away in the archive. He found your image and connected the dots. Once he realized what he had in his hand, he contacted Vikter immediately. On my next trip, they both entrusted the book to me to see if I could sense a way out of the curse. The moment I heard Camille’s voice, I knew.”

  Ryker glanced at Cami’s face. She was no longer frowning, but that didn’t mean anything. The woman’s mind was as sharp as she was beautiful and she didn’t suffer fools lightly.

  Gerri sat on the couch and reached for a dish of juicy dates. “I brought you together and got you here. It’s clear you have chemistry and the attraction is palpable. You even seem to have developed a quick affection for each other. The rest, though, is up to you.”

  Letting go of his arm, Camille walked back to the sliders. “Where’s the latch?” she said running a hand over the metal frame. “I could use some fresh air.”

  “The room, like the transport elevator, is mood sensitive and voice programmed. Just ask for what you want. Be clear and concise. The same way you would talk to your Alexa database at home.” Gerri replied.

  Impressed, Cami’s eyebrows hiked a bit. “Okay, then. Veranda doors open.”