Page 11 of Tempt the Dragon
“We’re here to protect the humans. Why’re you here?” If she wasn’t intimidated by him, hedamn sure wasn’t moved by anything she’d said. He stood about six feet away, legs spread, arms at his side, Drakon eyes glaring.
“I was minding my own business until your people arrived and I’ll be on my way soon enough.”
“That didn’t answer my question.”
“I don’t have to answer your questions. I don’t follow you or your little Drakon rule.”
“You’re a Drakon. The rules are in yourblood. Standing there like you’re somehow above them is disrespectful to the emperor and his mate.”
“Again, I didn’t ask to be here. If the emperor doesn’t like how I act, I can easily be on my way with all the knowledge I have about Duncan.” She could only surmise that Aiken had told them what she really was, since she’d made a point not to tell Theo last night.
He stepped closer andshe pushed away from the pool table, letting her arms fall to her side like his, just in case this was about to get physical.
“Well. Well. Well. What do we have here?” Another one entered the room, this one with smiling brown eyes and thick curly black hair, enough so that it was pulled up to the top of his head and fell like a shaggy tail.
He came in quickly, stepping between her andmuscle-dude with ease. A deeper brown complexion, beard and a big smile showing bright white teeth, was now in full view just inches from her face.
“You’ll have to excuse Magnum, he’s not a morning person. I’m Reese.” He extended his hand and after a couple seconds’ hesitation, Mel accepted it and shook.
“I’m Mel.” How many more times was she going to have to say that today? And wherethe hell was Aiken? It was well past time for them to leave and get to work.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mel.” She allowed him to lace his arm through hers and ease her around the spot where Magnum was still staring at her intently. “Now, why don’t we head to the dining room for some breakfast and get to know each other better.”
His tone was light and his smile was entertaining. Basically,he’d made a much better first impression with her than Magnum had, so she was willing to play along temporarily.
“She doesn’t need to get to know you.” Aiken’s voice was far from as rigid and commanding as Magnum’s, but still a very stark turn from Reese’s easy cheerfulness. In fact, she’d never heard him sound the way he did right now. A blast of something like irritation mixed with arousalslithered through her.
“Ahhh, we’ve been caught and effectively nipped in the bud.” Reese’s chuckle was just as genuine as his smile and she was faintly amused.
Aiken moved from the doorway to where she and Reese stood in seconds, and the scowl on his otherwise perfectly handsome face was different. “Take your hands off her.”
Reese’s response was another jerk of laughter. “Cool. Cool.Didn’t know you were staking a claim. From what I heard, she was someone you worked with in your prior life that was going to give us a hand snagging the new vamp in town.”
She hadn’t been claimed. Nobody was allowed to claim her; she could only give herself. That was her immediate thought, but when she opened her mouth to speak, Aiken’s quick, heated glance halted the words.
“Get lost,”Aiken said with barely restrained fury.
In fact, she could feel the immediate heat from his body circling her in a way she was certain was meant to keep anyone from getting close to her. It was a territorial move, bold and more than a little out of place since they hadn’t been a couple in a very long time.
“Oh, yay, the gang’s all here.” Ziva entered the room and Mel sighed.
The gangwas more than she’d bargained for when she came to Burgess, and to tell the truth she wasn’t in the mood for whatever familial dynamic was at play between these people. She was in the mood for hunting and that’s what she planned to do.
“I’m heading out. If you’re coming, you’d better hurry up and finish playing with your friends.” Talking while she walked gave her an edge over the weird sensationswhich had begun to brew in the pit of her stomach the second Aiken entered the scene.
Ziva had come completely into the room and didn’t budge as Mel skirted around her on her way to the door. But there she was stopped when Theo and the woman she recognized from the portrait appeared.
“Good morning, Melody.” The woman’s accent was thick but resembled Magnum’s and she wondered if they wererelated by more than just Drakon heritage.
On a quick inhale and exhale, Mel decided to be polite. “Good morning. Sorry, I’m just leaving.” She took another step toward the door and the woman moved closer to her.
“Please, stay a moment. I haven’t had the chance to properly introduce myself. I am Shola.”
“She’s the Drakon Empress you were so blatantly disrespecting only moments ago.”Magnum’s quick interruption sounded throughout the room.
A vicious grumble immediately followed and without turning to look for herself, she knew it had come from Aiken.
“Well, I see we’re all off to a wonderful start,” Shola continued.
