Chapter 18
EIGHTEEN
CARINA
Something’s not right. I don’t know what exactly, but it’s not. My body feels like it’s on fire, heat unlike any other filling my veins. But it’s not painful.
No, it’s hot and undeniably intense. Filling my veins with such need, I can’t fathom the desire coursing through me right now.
Nothing I’m thinking this moment makes sense to me. I need Pyro, and I need him now!
Only I don’t know where he is.
Wait.
Yes, I do. He was going to see his mother this morning before the challenge.
Gods, I should have gone with him. I shouldn’t have let him go by himself to deal with his mother. I knew what he felt about her, and yet I didn’t say anything about going. I swear I’m the worst for not at least suggesting I go with him. He’s always got my back, and I need to have his. Always.
The sound of flapping wings draws my attention to the balcony doors of our hotel room.
I threw the covers off me, though it was just the sheet, and it was barely covering me as it was. After a quick search, I grab Pyro’s shirt from yesterday and pull it on. I do my business in the bathroom, noticing myself in the mirror with the slight sheen of sweat shimmering on my skin.
What in the hell is going on with me?
Another wave of fire burns through me, causing me to double over and cry out. Reaching between my thighs, I stroke a finger through my folds. I moan at the intense pleasure that one touch brings me.
I really, really need Pyro.
I could talk to him through the bond between us, but I don’t want to bother him. Not when he’s dealing with something so important.
What I need to do is cool off. It’s cold outside. I can go onto the balcony. Maybe that will help.
Sucking in a breath, I manage to straighten and walk, more like stumble across the room to the balcony doors. I can still hear the sounds of flapping wings.
The cold air blasts across my skin the moment I step out barefoot, and I welcome it. It helps me cool my skin, but not the inner desire coursing through me.
What the hell is going on with me?
I’ve never experienced anything like this before.
Hearing the wings and a roar, I glance around but don’t see anything or anyone.
Where is the sound coming from?
Suddenly, I’m not alone on the balcony when a man forms next to me.
“What the hell?” I jump back, seeing him and recognizing him instantly. He’s the one from yesterday. The stalker who’s been calling me.
I blink several times, my brain trying to get with the program. How did he appear out of nowhere?
“I told you, dearest, that I would have you soon enough.” He chuckles before his nostrils flare and eyes flash. “You’re in heat, and my, do you smell absolutely delicious.” He moves for me, and I jump back once again to get out of his reach.
“Get away from me,” I shout.
“I don’t think I’ll be doing that, you see, you’re meant to be mine,” he states, not moving from his spot but definitely watching me closely. “Let me introduce myself. My name is Damron.”
“So not nice to meet you, Damron.” I sneer. “You can go now.”
“You’ll be coming with me,” Damron remarks, a smirk toying on his lips, eyes flashing with desire.
My body quakes with need, wanting to feel so much.
Gods, where is Pyro?
“I can help you ease the pain, dearest.”
“Ugh, no thanks, I’ll wait for my mate,” I tell him and try to inch for the balcony doors, ready to scream for help if need be. I’m sure someone is here and will hear me.
“He’s not your mate,” Damron snaps, face contorting to something evil. Something that scares the daylights out of me. “You’re mine, and you will come with me now.”
“What about the challenge?” Now, why the hell did I blurt that out?
“I don’t care about the challenge.” He snorts, shakes his head, and takes a step toward me. “I simply wanted to draw Magnus where he won’t be at full strength when I take you from him. Our mother hates him with a passion.”
Our mother?
“Your Pyro’s brother?”
I don’t see a lick of resemblance between them.
“That I am, unfortunately.” The smile he gives me is anything but pleasant. “We share a mother.”
“Right.” I don’t want to be here with him. I don’t want him anywhere near me. I need him to get away from me. I want to get enough space between us so I can scream for help and not have him stop me.
“No one is going to take you away from me, Carina. I’ve been after you for months. Longer even. Ever since Mother found out you were dragon marked.”
“I don’t even know your mother, so how could she know I carry the dragon mark?”
He’s just crazy. Pure Looney Tunes.
“She saw it when she cast a spell looking for Magnus’s mate. She didn’t want him to have one. She has needs for him that won’t work if he’s all loved up and happy.”
This woman sounds like a total bitch. If I ever meet her, I’ll tear her eyes out.
As I take another step back, I trip over the ledge of the balcony doors and fall backward, causing my ankle to hurt. I really should have put my boot on.
Eyes still on Damron, I scramble backward. Just as he takes a step into the room, I hear the undeniable sound of a dragon roar in rage.
Damron’s head whips back, and he curses before looking back at me. The evil in his eyes is there. “He will not have you. You’re mine, and I’ll make sure of it. I made it so no one could hear you scream. No one knows I’m here. No one will save you from me. Not when you belong to me.”
“I belong to Pyro,” I state, happy my voice doesn’t show the fear that’s soaring through my body.
“No,” Damron shouts and jumps, coming over me, his face contorting into that of a monster’s. He growls and lowers his head, one hand grips in my hair, holding my head to the side, the other holding me in place as he straddles me.
I try to fight him while screaming and crying for him to get off, to let me go. I can feel his breath against my neck, the scrape of his teeth over Pyro’s mark.
“I’m going to mark you, then mate you. Show you that you’re mine and no one else’s.” His breath is far too hot against my skin.
My skin welcomes it, but my head and heart are both screaming for him to get off me, not to do this.
Before he can sink his teeth into my neck, he’s jerked off me by my dragon. He might look like Pyro, but he’s pure dragon right now.
“What happened to the challenge, brother?” Pyro snarls, holding Damron by his throat, keeping him a good foot off the floor. “Thought to come and take what’s mine?”
Pyro knows he has a brother? Did he always know? Did he just find out?
“She’s mine,” Damron croaks and claws at Pyro’s hand.
Rather than feeding into Damron’s illusion any longer, Pyro squeezes him tighter and tosses him toward the balcony doors. Damron’s body falls through the glass, shattering the whole damn thing.
I thought Pyro would have stalked after him, but instead, he comes to me.
“You okay, Sweets?” he asks, helping me up.
The feel of his touch shoots fire straight through my body, making me moan with need.
“Shit,” he growls, pulls me tighter to him. “You’re in heat.”
“I don’t know. I’ve never felt this before.” I pant and shake my head. “It hurts.”
“It’s gonna be okay, Carina, my sweet.” Lowering his head, he kisses me swiftly.
The kiss is all tongue and dominating. I wish he’d keep kissing me. I want him to do so much more. I need him to do those things and more. The idea of not having him take me right now hurts me. The need is so much that it might kill me if he’s not inside me soon.
Our kiss is interrupted by the roar of a dragon.
Pyro barely has enough time to get me out of the way before Damron comes charging toward him. He barely gets back on his feet before gaining control and picking Damron up off his feet again, sending him this time over the railing.
He takes just a second to look at me. “Go in the hallway with your grandfather. Don’t go with anyone else, Carina. Stick to him. I’ll find you soon as I finish this shit.”
I nod, my throat tight with the fear and desire swarming me. I want him, but I know I can’t have him. Not yet, at least. He needs to focus and deal with this situation.
I scurry out of the room and find my grandfather leaning against the wall across from the door. He quickly straightens and holds his arms out to me, which I run right into.
“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” he asks, baffled.
“You didn’t hear the fight happening?” I tilt my head back to meet his gaze with a confused expression.
“No.” He frowns and looks to the still-open door. “What the fuck happened?”
Shit. Damron had said no one would be able to hear or know he was there.
I don’t know what to think right now about all of this.
Shaking my head, I hold onto my grandfather hoping that all works out. I need Pyro.
My only saving grace right now is that in my grandfather’s embrace, the fire that has been burning inside me eases, and there are no desires for anything else.
Neither of us speaks, but after a good two minutes, we’re hit with the sudden sounds of an outright war happening outside.
I want to see what’s happening, but Baba doesn’t let me.
We stay planted right in the hallway, watching as Pyro’s brothers rush out of their rooms and through the door of mine to see what the hell is going on.
The fight sounds deadly and seems to go on forever. By the time everything goes silent, I’m a trembling mess. No one says a word, and I’m left wondering what has happened. I’m too afraid to reach for Pyro through the bond. Scared that he won’t answer in return.
“Son,” I hear Baba call out, and open my eyes to see who he’s talking to. I’ve heard him call pretty much every man in the club ‘Son’.
Suddenly, Pyro is standing in front of me, arms reaching for me, and I immediately fall into them as my grandfather lets me go. I don’t care that my man is covered in blood. It doesn’t matter because he’s standing here whole for me to touch, to feel.
“It’s done, Sweets.” That’s all he says and kisses the top of my head.
I hold him tighter, not wanting to let him go. This man, he’s all I need. All I want. To hell with everything else. Pyro is the love of my life, and I’ll be damned if I let him go.