Chapter 17
Azh followed Wynn as they climbed out of the cellar and back down the alley to discover the streets now bustling with early morning commuters heading to work.
They didn’t speak as they walked toward the river, both knowing their next step would be tracking down the coven who’d tried to burn Wynn at the stake.
Even if the witches from two hundred years ago were dead, there had to be some record or stories left behind that gave a clue to who Wynn had been before her memories were stolen.
Plus, it was their best hope for finding the spot where Gabriela created the rift to this world and where the corruption was trying to enter.
What happened after they found it...well, he’d worry about that once they were standing in front of the rift. Until then he was far more concerned about Wynn and the toll the chase was taking on her.
She was still suffering from the hours she’d spent in Pheral’s dungeon and the amount of magic she’d been forced to release in her battle with Malis. It was no wonder her face was pale and she could barely place one foot in front of the other. She was on the edge of a complete crash.
“Enough,” he growled, reaching out to wrap an arm around her shoulders and tugging her tight against his side. “We know where we’re going. It’s time to rest.”
She tilted back her head to send him a wry smile. “I feel like you say that to me a lot.”
“Because you keep rushing into danger and draining your energy,” he chided.
“I didn’t rush into danger,” she protested. Azh stared down at her with raised brows. “I stumbled into it,” she clarified.
“The end result is the same. You can barely stay awake.”
She wrinkled her nose. “I want to argue, but you’re right.
It’s probably better to go to Chiltern Hills later tonight.
I need some time to rest.” She glanced around, her lips twisting as two women in expensive business suits and designer heels nearly stumbled over each other as they stared at Azh with wide, disbelieving eyes.
“Besides, you attract too much attention during the daylight hours.”
“Me?”
“You’re overly gorgeous,” she groused.
Azh abruptly stepped to the edge of the sidewalk, pulling Wynn behind a large potted plant in front of an organic bakery.
Wrapping his arms around her waist, he gazed down at her upturned face, his heart clenching with an unfamiliar tenderness.
In the early morning sunlight she looked unbearably fragile, the impression only emphasized by the pallor of her skin and the shadows beneath her lavender eyes.
But there was a ruthless grit etched into her delicate features.
This woman was a force of nature who would face down any danger with a smile on her face. A knowledge that both impressed and horrified him. As much as he desired a strong partner at his side, he understood it came with a constant worry that she was about to leap headfirst into disaster.
“Overly gorgeous?” The words were a low rumble as his dragon prowled close to the surface. The sweet scent of this woman was like a siren call to his beast, stirring a hunger that had been dormant for endless centuries. “Is that even possible?”
She tilted back her head, sending him a wry smile. “Don’t pretend you don’t notice the women watching you like you’re a tasty snack.”
He shrugged. “I don’t care about them. My only interest is whether or not you watch me like I’m a tasty snack,” he assured her.
She sniffed. “I’m too busy.”
Azh’s nostrils flared as he caught the sweet spice of her desire. She could deny her attraction to him all she wanted, but her body gave away the truth. Her passions smoldered just below the surface.
“A pity.” Slowly lowering his head, Azh stroked his lips along the curve of her throat. “And in case you’re wondering. I am a tasty snack.” He breathed out a soft flame, allowing it to caress her cheek with a warm promise of pleasure.
Wynn sighed, arching closer to his hardening body. She liked the feel of his fire. Satisfaction stabbed through him. Not every woman could handle a dragon lover. This one was more than strong enough.
“Maybe someday when I’m not so preoccupied I’ll find out for myself,” she whispered.
His dragon roared with impatience. The beast had waited for what felt like an eternity to discover a female who could not only stir his lust but fill the emptiness in his heart. A partner, a queen, a beloved mate.
His fingers spread across her lower back, pulling her tight against his thickening cock. “Why wait?”
“I...” The words trailed away, as if Wynn had forgotten exactly why she should say no to him. Then, shockingly, she reached up to trail her fingers along the line of his jaw. “You’re right.”
“I am?” He gazed down at her with wary disbelief. “That’s a miracle.”
She pulled out of his arms, but before he could protest, she grabbed his hand and urged him down the sidewalk.
“Come with me.”
Azh smoothly fell into step next to her, using his large body to clear a path through the hustling crowd.
“Where are you taking me?”
“Do you trust me?”
“Without hesitation.”
They turned onto a side street, heading toward the nearby park.
Azh assumed that Wynn was hoping to avoid the worst of the rush hour crush on their way to wherever they were going, but she halted at the corner, nodding toward the faded brick building that looked as if it’d been standing in that exact position for several hundred years.
Azh studied the sturdy structure, catching the scent of several demons inside. Both goblin and fey.
“What is this place?” he demanded.
She reached into the pocket of her coat, pulling out a gold coin that she tossed toward the elderly fairy who was wearing a crimson-and-gold uniform and standing next to the rotating glass door.
“It’s one of the few hotels in London that exclusively caters to demons,” she said, leading him forward as the male tipped his hat and touched the wall to reveal a hidden opening.
Azh studied the magical entryway with a lift of his brows. “A friend of yours?”
She waved toward the fairy before heading through the narrow space. “I located a family treasure that had been stolen from the owner of the hotel years ago. In return they allow me to use the residential rooms to crash when I’m in the neighborhood.”
“I’m starting to understand how you survived for so long,” Azh said. “You’ve created your own personal network of allies and support staff.”
“Not all of them are happy about the arrangement,” she said in dry tones. “But I’ve avoided a knife in the back. So far.”
Azh hid his smile at the satisfaction of providing her with a lair that would be protected by the fiercest warriors along with layers of magic that would make it impossible to breach. Once they were fully mated she would never have to worry about her safety again.
Not bothering to wonder when he’d gone from suspecting this female might be more than a passing pain in his ass to acceptance she was his destined mate, Azh glanced around the large sitting room that was stuffed with worn couches and puffy chairs that were designed for comfort, not beauty.
The walls were paneled and covered by dozens of framed family photos and the windows hidden behind thick curtains.
There was a dark scruffy warmth to the space that seemed to please Wynn.
“It’s...cozy,” he said.
She wrinkled her nose. “It’s not as fancy as the rooms for the paying guests, but I like it.”
Azh shrugged, his gaze sweeping over Wynn as she turned to lead him across the room and down a narrow hallway.
She was wearing the oversized overcoat and her hair pulled into a lopsided braid and there were streaks of dust on her face from the hidden cellar they’d just climbed out of, but no woman had ever been so beautiful.
Just the sight of her made his heart sing with joy.
“Fancy is overrated,” he assured her in a rough voice, his hunger vibrating through him as she stopped at the door at the end of the hall and shoved it open.
“You don’t miss your acres of marble and satin sheets?” she teased.
Azh stepped into the small room, scanning the shadows for any potential danger. Just because Wynn trusted the owner didn’t mean they hadn’t been infected by the evil magic. Or were treacherous rats who hoped to claim the reward money just like Pheral.
One glance was enough to assure him that nothing was hidden beneath the narrow bed or behind the dresser that was shoved against the far wall. He could even see into the attached bathroom that was barely big enough for a walk-in shower and sink. It was empty.
“Marble and satin sheets are cold,” he growled, slamming shut the door and abruptly pressing Wynn against the wall. “And lonely.”
Wynn hissed in shock, but her arms readily lifted to wrap around his neck, her fingers threading through his hair.
“You’re not cold.”
“Not now.” He wrapped them in his silver-blue flames, the heat scorching the wall but leaving Wynn’s delicate skin unharmed. “My dragon burns hot when you’re near.”
She gazed deep into his eyes, undaunted by the fire that smoldered around her.
“I see him.” Her hands stroked a restless path over his shoulders. “I want to see more.”
The beast inside him purred with pleasure. The ancient creature was thoroughly enchanted by the delicate wisp of a female in his arms.
“Your wish is my command.”
“Isn’t it genies who make wishes come true?”
Azh pressed his thickening erection against her hip, a moan of pleasure rumbling in his throat.
“It depends on what you’re wishing for.” He nuzzled the tender spot below her ear. “Tell me what you desire, Wynn.”
She trembled, but not from fear. Instead she boldly grabbed his face in her hands and pulled him down for a kiss that sent jolts of bliss ricocheting through him.
“This,” she muttered against his lips.
“A wish I’m happy to grant.” He returned her kiss with a fierce heat, his flames swirling around them like a tornado. “Anything else?”