Lucy kissed his mouth. He opened his lips, his mouth hot and his breaths coming in shaky draws.
“I was wrong before.” He put his mouth to the top of her breast, drawing her to him. “You are more than beautiful.”
She was helpless to think, helpless to do more than feel. Alec gently pushed her against the cushions. Desire pulled her under as his mouth found her center.
“Oh, God…” Lucy started to shake, big, heaving, out-of-control shakes that quickly spun her over the edge. As she fell, Alec moved between her legs and entered her, stretching her tight. She closed her eyes at the consuming sensation.
“Look at me,” Alec said.
Lucy watched his face as passion rode through him. Her heart opened and reached for his, wanting to keep him forever. His muscular shoulders drove her into the cushions and started her spiraling again until they went over the edge together.
Chapter Twelve
The next morning, Alec watched Lucy sleep. He rubbed a piece of her hair between his fingers, and the crystals caught the morning light and cast prisms over pillows.
A sleeping angel. Or maiden.
He was okay with her misinterpretation about role-playing. It was a lot for a human to accept, that there were other intelligent creatures in the world. He needed time to woo her to him before she accepted the whole truth of his dual nature.
There was no doubt Lucy was his destined mate. He had never felt so strongly about another. Each time they had made love during the night, he felt like he had joined with the other part of his missing soul. He didn’t want to be away from her. Even for the day.
Hopefully, the compulsion would fade after the mating ceremony or they would never get out of bed. Alec smiled at the thought. That wouldn’t be all that bad, either.
“Good morning.” Lucy opened her eyes. Asleep one minute, fully awake the next.
Alec smiled. “It is, indeed.”
Lucy sat up, rubbing her eyes. “I need to get going.”
A bolt of alarm shot through his system. “Where?”
“Home.” She ran a hand down his chest, causing sparks under his skin. “You do remember that I don’t live here?” Her tone was teasing. “This maiden has to go home to her own castle.”
Frustration pounded through Alec with bestial intensity. Mine, his dragon screamed inside his head. Alec fought to control his breathing, but something must have shown on his face because Lucy dropped her hand and looked at him with concern.
“I’d like you to stay here, with me, while you work on your appraisal.” Alec pushed the words over his tongue, trying to keep his tone light and easy.
“Alec.” Her voice broke. “A hundred years ago, I would have stayed, pretended to be your little Casino Queen. But I’m not really a maiden, and you are not really a dragon. I need to get back to my real life.”
Mine. Mine. Mine, his dragon demanded.
“What do you need to stay with me?” Controlling his strength so that he didn’t hurt her, Alec rolled on top of Lucy, holding his weight off her with his forearms.
Lucy gazed at him, sadness and resolve in her eyes. “I would if I could. Last night was amazing. But I have responsibilities.”
It must be Joey. He saw it in the way she looked toward the bedroom door and wouldn’t meet his gaze. His predatory instincts flared red hot to the surface.
“What responsibilities?” He tilted her head gently so that their eyes met.
“Just some family problems.” She pulled her chin out of his hand.
“Let me help you.”
A rustle sounded in the living room. There were only a handful of people the guards would allow entry, and who would dare to disturb him in his apartment. This time, it was his personal assistant Jane.
“Jer’ol,” Jane said with mindspeak. “We are in your living room. We need to talk with you.”
“I’m busy.” Whatever it was, it could wait. “Leave. Do not interrupt me again.”
“Alec,” Leo’s voice came through, censure in his tone, even in mindspeak. “It is urgent.”
Alec frowned. It was serious indeed for Leo to get involved. “I hear someone in the living room. That means either Leo or Jane need to speak with me for a minute.”
Lucy nodded her head, as if she wasn’t surprised.
“Promise me you’ll wait to leave the casino until we’ve talked again.”
Lucy shook her head stubbornly. “Alec, it’s no use. Eventually, I’ll have to leave—”
“Just not right now.” He kissed her gently on the lips. “Promise you’ll wait.”
Lucy heaved a sigh.
“I’ll meet you for a late breakfast,” Alec said. “We can go to the gem exhibit together.” He stood and wrapped the white sheet around his naked lower half. He stopped at the bedroom door and looked back. “Promise you’ll wait for me?”
“All right.”
Alec smiled and closed the bedroom door behind him. Leo, Jane, and Darius stood in a semicircle near the living room window. As he approached, he could see that the trio was upset by the tense lines of their bodies. His dragon senses picked up on blood lust, too—they were spoiling for a fight. He stopped in front of them and crossed his arms, waiting.
Aggression poured off Darius in waves. “You pick a poor time to romance your human.” The Russian lieutenant’s black glasses fogged near the nose band.
Alec stepped forward until Darius was forced to step back. “Are you questioning me?”
Darius took a deep breath. “No, Jer’ol.”
“What I do is my concern.” He scanned the group. Only Leo met his stare with a level one of his own. “This had better be important.”
“There’s trouble with the Siberians.” Leo spoke with a steady timbre.
“What’s happened?”
“They have a new leader. They claim he is the rightful king of the dragons. He will issue a blood challenge to you for control of the dragons and the casino.”
This was why Darius was so upset. The Siberians would have been a part of Darius’s larger Russian fold. Although the dragons were united at the casino sanctuary, their ancient bloodlines and familial alliances still ran deep. There would be many dragons with mixed feelings over a challenge from the Siberians.
Anger, intensified by Lucy wanting to leave him, shook his frame. His dragon form could barely be restrained in his human skin. He wanted to squash all aggravations, annihilate all threats, and get back to his mate. Alec closed his eyes and concentrated on being rational. Human logic would serve him better than a bloodbath. Too many dragons’ lives and futures were at stake.
“Does this leader have a name?” Alec asked.
“No, they want an in-person meeting for you two to talk face-to-face.” Darius’s tone was frustrated.
“Did you already let them in?” Alec knew the answer by the way everyone but Leo dropped their gazes.
“It seemed unwise to let twenty angry dragons run amok with the tourists,” Leo said.
“Where did you put them?”
“In the unfinished tower.”
“All right, I’ll talk with them. Leo, you’ll serve as my second. Ask Tyren to be my third.”
Darius puffed up his chest. “You doubt me?”
“No, brother.” Alec clapped his lieutenant on the shoulder. “This will be difficult for you because of your family ties. Go back to the surveillance center. I need your eyes there.”
Darius’s shoulders deflated, and he walked stiffly to the elevators. Jane followed.
“What do you think?” Alec asked Leo.
“You have tried to kill Ambrogino twice now and failed. It doesn’t matter if you’ve found your mate if you’re dead.”