Chapter 23
TWENTY-THREE
Samantha
I awaken, a terrible pounding in the back of my head. Opening my eyes, I wince at the brightness. It takes a moment for me to realize that I’m staring out massive doors to a balcony that looks out at the biggest swimming pool I’ve ever seen in my life. Large white curtains surround the doors, and expensive-looking paintings line the walls.
Where am I? What the hell happened?
Lifting my hand, I touch my swollen face, wincing at the pain. My heart starts to race and memories come back to me. I slowly glance around the room until I spot the strange man who’d punched me sitting in a chair, watching me. He’s the same blond man I saw at the base. His gaze burns into my own with such intensity that I want to run screaming from the room, but somehow, I know that if I look away now, he’ll see it as a weakness.
I wonder how long I was knocked out. Do the guys even know I’m missing? The thought makes a chill roll down my spine. I need to act as if I’m all alone in getting out of here. It’s the only chance I have.
Slowly, cautiously, I sit up. Then, I carefully touch my pocket, looking for my cell phone, but find it gone. I don’t know if they took it, or if I lost it when they kidnapped me, but it can’t help me now.
He doesn’t move. Just watches me. At least, to my relief, he’s dressed.
As we eye each other, a second man walks in. I instantly recognize him as Kek, the salmon dragon. So, this must be Than, the brown dragon. Kek carries a tray over and approaches me. I flinch away, and he sets the tray on the bed. On one half of it there’s charred meat, and on the other there is a pile of jewelry that shimmers and shines, calling to me, but I don’t move.
“What am I doing here?”
Kek cocks his head. “You made it clear that what we were doing was not working, so we changed the way we approached you.”
“You attacked me in human form and kidnapped me.”
“Yes,” he says, with no emotion at all, which is frankly creepy.
“And what do you intend to do with me here?”
Than answers this time. “Make you our mate.”
I swallow around the lump in my throat. I can get out of this. I can escape these two. This will just require a lot of caution. I’ll have to think carefully before I say anything.
“And where are Malikay and Balor?”
They exchange a look, but Kek answers, “They do not know about this plan. They… would not have approved.”
Okay, that’s good at least. I only have two dragons to deal with, not four.
Both men begin to sniff and move closer to me. I can’t help but smell them too. Kek has the ripe scent of meat that’s been left out in the sun for days. Than, on the other hand, smells like rotten potatoes. Potatoes that have been left so long they’ve turned to liquid.
A shudder rolls through me. Every instinct in my body screams to get as far from these two men as I possibly can, but I need to do that without pissing them off. If this turns to violence in my human form, I don’t have a chance.
As they come closer, I say, “This looks like a nice home you’ve found for us. Can I see it?”
They stop sniffing. Both look a little happy. Maybe because the undertones of what I’m saying is that this is a home I’m happy to share with them.
“Let us show you,” Kek says.
I crawl out of the bed, staying as far from them as I can possibly get. They walk me through the ten bedrooms and six bathrooms that occupy this half of the house, and then bring me to an open concept living room, dining room, and kitchen, which is far bigger than the whole house I grew up in.
Every step of the way, I slow them down, pointing out and praising items along the way. Both men look incredibly happy, but they don’t know I’m buying myself time. That I’m trying to make them feel like we’re all on the same side.
This is the only chance I have of getting out.
“Can we look outside?” I suggest.
Than instantly rounds on me. “We will not be going outside where you can fly away.”
I force a smile. “Of course. Of course.” Even though the wall of glass doors makes it feel like my freedom is close enough to touch. I just need to find a way out of them.
We stop near the crackling fireplace , and I can see that this is where they’re cooking all their food. It’s obvious they caught a couple chickens. I guess I should be glad they are chickens rather than something less appealing.
“You’re good hunters,” I say.
Again, they look happy.
Kek reaches a hand forward and snags my hair, moving closer to breathe me in.
I leap away from him, trying to keep space between us.
He growls. “You are our mate.”
My heart hammers. “But you must not be familiar with females. We’re smaller and more fragile than males. You have to approach us slowly and gently.”
They don’t look happy, especially Than, but I know I just need to keep them distracted.
“So, what have you been doing since you awakened?”
Kek watches me closely. “We awakened and were not sure what to do until Balor found us and reminded us of our purpose. Of our desire to have a mate. To have you.”
Okay, that was the last place I wanted this conversation to go. “Why are Balor and Malikay the ones in charge instead of you? Or are you in charge now?”
They exchange a glance, frowning, and every muscle in my body tenses. This is what I want. I want to pull the focus off of me and get them thinking about other things. I need to buy myself time while I come up with an idea.
I circle closer to the doors. “I don’t see any reason why you can’t be the leaders, given that you’re big male dragons.”
Than puffs out his chest. “They are not the leaders–”
“They simply have good ideas,” Kek finishes for him.
“So they listen to you and your opinions?”
They exchange another glance as I step closer to the doors as Kek explains, “They feel their opinions are best.”
“But if you’re equals, they should listen to your opinion. I mean, you guys came up with this great plan, right? They didn’t come up with a plan that worked.”
Than’s hands curl into fists. “The female is right. We should be the ones leading them. They should be listening to us.”
“But if we go against Balor and Malikay…” Kek begins slowly.
“I believe you can stand against them,” I say, wondering if I’m right. I’ve never taken the time to see which of them is bigger or stronger.
“We have never fought against them, any lifetime,” Kek responds nervously.
“And are you happy with the way your lifetimes go?” I ask.
Than answers before Kek can. “Every lifetime, we create a pack with them and try to steal a female. And every lifetime, we fail miserably. We make enemies of all the male dragons, and the female dragons fear and hate us.”
“So, maybe it’s time to do something different,” I offer. When neither of them responds, I continue, “If you take me back to my home, you’ll find a number of male beta dragons. There, we’re teaching them how to behave in this new world. We also plan to bring all the female dragons there. So if you want a chance to get a female dragon who wants to be mated by you, you’ll have your best shot then.”
Than frowns. “Why would we do that when we already have you?”
I take a risk. “But I’ve already picked my harem. I don’t want more members of my harem. You shouldn’t have to kidnap and force a female to choose you. You should have a willing one.”
Kek nods his head. “Perhaps.”
“No,” Than snaps. “We will never have a willing female. We are two small beta males who never get one. We have you now, a large female alpha. There can be nothing better.”
“But–”
“We have waited long enough,” Than snaps. “You will be our female. Now!” His gaze darts to Kek.
Kek slowly nods. “This is the only way to get her to see that she should be with us.”
“No,” I say. “There are other ways.”
But something in their faces has changed. They’ve made a decision, and I won’t be able to change it.
Both men advance towards me, and I take a step back. What now?