Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

B y the time one o'clock rolled around—the time they'd both agreed to go exploring the night before—Hayley had drunk about twelve cups of tea and eaten the entire box of chocolates. Both because she was nervous about seeing Nathan again, but also to keep her from rushing into the command center and doing something ridiculous, like jumping into his lap.

All morning she'd gone back and forth about what being a dragon's true mate would mean for her future. Cons had included abandoning her law practice to move to Stonefire, having her relationship with Nathan eventually fall apart and put their child in the middle of it, and not living close to her sister.

The pros had been she'd get to live with dragon-shifters and could help them more, might discover Nathan was a man who could handle her intelligence and career, and she'd get to finally see what sex with a dragonman was like.

Okay, judging from their shared touches, the sex would be fantastic, true. But she also wanted to get to know Nathan better, to discover more of his layers, and maybe finally have someone always at her back, which she hadn't had in a long time. Even her sister had become busy with her own family, which Hayley had understood rationally. But she missed when they'd been a team, or when her parents had been alive and always looking out for them.

Not that Hayley couldn't take care of herself. Of course she could, and had proved that. But sometimes carrying the weight of the world alone could bog a person down.

After stewing in her thoughts for hours, she showered, dressed, and headed toward the command center. The door was partially open, and she peeked inside. Nathan sat at a computer, frowning and running his hands through his hair.

So not good news, then.

He stilled, and his gaze met hers. Hayley refused to cower any longer and never looked away. When he smiled slightly, her heart skipped a beat. Both because he was handsome, but also because some of the tension eased from around her heart.

He said, "Hi ya."

"Hi yourself." She walked a few paces into the room. "Did you find anything today to help us escape this place?"

With a sigh, he stood and stretched his arms above his head. She couldn't help but take in his lean, toned body. He was definitely the most attractive man she'd ever seen.

"Not much, I'm afraid. While I can control everything within the bunker and even the lights in the cavern we found, there's no phone line to the outside world, no internet, nothing to get a message to Kai or Bram."

She took another step forward. "By now, they have to be searching for us, right? And they knew we would go looking for records in the rooms beneath the great hall. If Kai knows about this place, as you suspect, surely he'd check it soon, if only to rule it out?"

Nathan dropped his arms and rolled his shoulders. "Eventually. But there are a lot of places to get lost in the underground floors. It might be one of the last places they look."

She pushed up her glasses. "Well, then we'd better go exploring and see if we can find our own way out."

He raised his eyebrows. "You still want to go?"

"Yes. But first, we need to discuss this morning."

His gaze shuttered, and Hayley itched to close the space between them and trace his jaw again.

But every time she touched Nathan, her brain turned to mush, and all she wanted was to snuggle against him, kiss him, and explore every inch of his body. And she needed her wits right now.

So she kept her distance and said, "I'm sorry for running away like I did. It's only later I realized it might remind you of your ex. But it wasn't out of fear, Nathan, I promise. I just needed some time to think since I never thought I'd be a dragon's mate, let alone their true mate. And after being on my own for so long, it was a shock to learn I might not have to be any longer."

He frowned. "What does that mean, exactly?"

She took a step toward him. "If you want a definitive answer, I don't have it. However, I want to get to know you better, spend time with you, and see what happens."

His pupils flashed to slits and back. "I vow to you I'll never kiss you on the mouth without your permission. That's what triggers a mate-claim frenzy."

"Strange that it's so specific."

He shrugged. "I didn't make the rules. Maybe it's the intimacy of it all that flips the inner dragon's instinct."

His eyes flashed again, and she blurted, "What did he say?"

"Only that it's the combination of taste and touch and scent. All together, it triggers a dragon's instinct. Strange that kissing elsewhere doesn't do it. Not even…"

"Not even what?"

He cleared his throat. "Never mind."

She walked a few steps closer. "No, tell me. If there's to be any chance of this working, we need to be honest with each other."

She swore Nathan's cheeks flushed ever so slightly. "Well, er, not even kissing between your legs will trigger it."

The image of Nathan licking and lapping and kissing her pussy sent a rush of heat through her body. It took everything she had not to stare at his crotch and see if he was as affected as her. "Hmm, that is interesting."

"Hayley."

Her name jolted her from her sex daydream. "Hmm?"

He moved in front of her but didn't touch her. "What were you thinking to make your face so flushed?"

"Um."

He smiled and traced her cheek. She sighed at the light touch and barely heard him say, "Honesty, remember? And whatever you tell me will stay between you, me, and my dragon."

"Right, honesty." She reached out a hand, laid it on his chest, and trained her gaze there. The soft thud of his heart erased most of her embarrassment and she added, "I can't stop thinking about you kissing me everywhere but my mouth."

"Me, either."

Her gaze shot up to meet his. At the heat and desire swirling there, her knees weakened. She couldn't even begin to imagine what it'd be like to have that intense gaze on her naked body.

Nathan brushed the hair from her face and ran a finger down her neck. Inch by inch, his touch burning in a good way. When he reached her shoulder, he traced back up to her chin, her mouth, and took his time brushing his thumb against her bottom lip, the top one, and back again. Each stroke made her heart rate kick up and wetness rush between her thighs.

Without thinking, she asked, "Do dragon-shifters have some sort of aphrodisiac-like pheromone?"

He chuckled. "No, love. And no, it's not because of being true mates, either. Yes, I'd be attracted to mine, but I've never been so drawn to a female before in my life."

Not even with his ex, the one he'd loved.

Maybe it was petty, but Hayley took that fact to heart. "Do we still have to go exploring?"

He stopped tracing her lips and moved his hand to her lower back. "That is entirely up to you. I don't want you to stay underground longer than you have to, Hayley. Just thinking of how you must be suffering tears me apart inside."

She softened. "I never thought a guy would say something like that to me. It's like a movie or something."

He grunted. "I think the males you dated in the past were rubbish and unworthy. Anyone intimidated by your intelligence is just a weak male, projecting his insecurities."

She nearly pinched herself. Nathan really seemed too good to be true. "Does that mean you aren't like that?"

"No. The second-in-command of all Protectors is a female, and Nikki Gray-Hartley could kick my arse if it came to it. I don't see why gender should dictate superiority."

Hayley fell a little bit for him right then and there.

Don't rush into it. Remember, this will not only be your life, but it will create a child as well. Get to know him first.

Although, for a few seconds, she wished she didn't have to be the responsible adult. No, she wanted to strip and let Nathan live out that fantasy from earlier, where he licked between her legs and made her scream his name.

And yet, he was right about her—the longer she stayed trapped underground, the worse her nightmares would probably become. Nathan's presence helped, but it couldn't completely erase her past, as much as she might want it to.

She stroked his chest a few times, loving how solid he was. He might not have the biggest muscles on Stonefire, but he would protect her, no matter what. Her gut told her so.

Hayley finally spoke again. "As for exploring the far side of the lake some more, I think we should go. Yes, because I want to get out of here. But I can also spend more time with your dragon and get used to him. Not because I'm afraid, but because if it's ever to work between us, he needs to be included, too."

His pupils flashed. "My beast approves."

She smiled. "I'm glad." She cleared her throat and removed her hand. "But if we can't find an exit on the opposite shore and have to return to the bunker, then let's have a kind of dinner date. We'll make the best meal we can, play some cards afterward, and then see where it leads."

He pressed against her lower back, and she moved closer, until her belly pressed against his front.

At the feel of his hard cock, she sucked in a breath and started to wonder why they needed to find a way back to the surface.

He kissed her cheek, the soft touch sending another rush of warmth through her body.

He whispered, "It's a date, then."

Her smile turned into a full-blown grin. "A date. With a dragonman. Who would've thought?"

Chuckling, he stepped away, and she nearly hauled him back.

Nathan said, "It would've happened for you, even if you weren't my true mate. All of the unattached males in the pub were staring at you."

She frowned. "Probably because of my dreadful singing voice."

"No, love. Not because of that."

His gaze burned into hers, and she couldn't look away if her life depended on it.

Had any man ever looked at her like that? As if she were the most beautiful woman in the world, one he'd spend his whole life treasuring?

Treasuring? Get a grip, Hayley. Now you're creating a fantasy.

She readjusted her glasses. "Well, whatever the reason, you caught my interest from the beginning. I never really understood why, given how grumpy you were at first. And yet, maybe humans can sense the true mate thing, too."

"Usually, I'd say no. Most female dragon-shifters can't even figure out who is their true mate. However, you keep surprising me, so I say anything is possible."

"I'm going to take that as a compliment."

"Good, because it is one."

They smiled at each other, and she yearned to close the distance between them. However, that wouldn't get them back to the surface. And the sooner they did, the sooner she could figure out her future.

Hayley scampered to the doorway and gestured with her head. "If we're going to get anything done, we'd better head out. I already packed up supplies, just in case."

"I like a female who's prepared."

"Well, then you're in luck, because I'm a planner. Most of the time. I never seem to have a serviette when I need one. But when it comes to work and things that are important, then I'm your woman." She gestured with her hand. "Let's head to the kitchen to grab some stuff and head out."

They walked together down the hallway. Her hand lightly brushed Nathan's, and she felt the touch throughout her body. Their fingers brushed again, and she said screw it, and took his hand in hers.

For a beat, Nathan said nothing. Then he squeezed her fingers in his and said, "I rather like that you're not perfect."

"Um, pardon me?"

"I like that you drop things on yourself and walk around with disheveled hair. It's endearing."

"Says the man who looks like some sort of model."

He snorted. "Far from it. Kai or Lucien are the ones who could be models. I'm just the IT guy who is deceptively strong."

"I call bullshit. You're sexy and toned, and both males and females would probably pay to see you strip."

"I'm a stripper now?"

"Exotic dancer? Is that better?"

"No."

"What about dragon hottie?"

"Hottie?"

"Sexy dragon beast?"

He sighed, and she couldn't help but tease him some more. "Maybe there should be a Mr. Dragon Universe contest. You know, each clan sends a fit dragonman to compete, show off their skills, and try to answer serious questions they really don't know the answer to."

"No."

"You could wear tight leather pants, maybe learn to swallow and spit fire with a torch, playing on that dragon myth."

"Still no."

"Oh, come on. You could raise a lot of money for charity and research. And it'd give humans a chance to see you're more like us than not."

He grunted, and she couldn't help but laugh. "You're so easy to tease."

He stopped, walked her backward until she hit the wall, and caged her in. The mixture of heat and his spicy male scent made her forget about anything but the warm, solid dragonman in front of her.

As he nuzzled her cheek, she barely heard his words as he said, "I may not tease as easily with words, but once you're naked and in front of me, I'll make you beg before you come, love."

His words sent a shiver down her spine, in a good way, and her clit throbbed in anticipation. "I look forward to it."

He groaned and laid his forehead on her shoulder. For a few beats, they remained that way, and Hayley finally raised her hands to stroke his back. "If we're to get to your type of teasing later, we really should head out soon."

Nathan stood up, took her hand, and tugged her along. "Then let's head out as soon as possible."

Not wanting to waste what time she had when they could still talk, she asked, "What does your dragon like?"

"That depends. If he's in charge and in our human form, he likes sex. A lot."

"Oh."

He squeezed her hand. "My dragon isn't the type to ignore what the female wants, though. He's demanding in bed, yes. But he'll never do anything you don't want him to do."

Hayley had never really thought about that. Everything she'd read said the dragon half was more instinctual, and she'd always pictured a mate-claim frenzy as a kind of animalistic experience.

"Does the thought of a frenzy scare you?"

Her gaze shot to Nathan's again. "No. But I've only received vague descriptions about it when I've tried asking before. While more and more information about dragon-shifters has come to light in recent years—ever since Melanie Hall-MacLeod first released her book—some aspects are still kind of fuzzy or missing."

"Ask me anything you wish, love, and I'll answer. But just promise me that you'll talk with Kai and Bram before sharing what you learn with the outside world, though. We want humans to know more, but some things are still confidential for safety reasons."

"I won't share willy-nilly, I promise."

"Good. Then ask away, as I can tell you're full of questions."

She liked how he knew her so well. "Then tell me what a frenzy is like. Well, the best you can since I don't think dragons have more than one true mate?"

"They can, but not at the same time. If one dies, then it's possible to find another. However, it's rare to happen. Some dragon-shifters lose the will to live when their true mate dies and sometimes follow them. It's a bit better these days than in the past, but it still happens."

"It's really that devastating? Don't get me wrong, if my sister hadn't received the dragon's blood and had died, I would've bawled for months and been depressed and would've missed her every day. However, I wouldn't want to die, too."

He squeezed her hand in reassurance. Such a small gesture, and yet it meant so much to Hayley.

Nathan replied, "Maybe it's because dragon-shifters have two personalities in one body, and so the grief is doubly bad. But just like humans, each of us is different." He paused and added quietly, "I still miss my mother, even though she died a long time ago."

Even though she burned to know the specifics of a mate-claim frenzy, she wanted to know about his family more. "Tell me about her."

He smiled softly. "She was kind and sweet, yet strong when she needed to be. If someone needed a helping hand or a shoulder to cry on, she'd be the first one to offer. My parents were happy together, even if they weren't true mates. And my father mourned her for years before finally finding love again."

"What was her name?"

"Jessa."

"That's a pretty name, if uncommon."

"Dragon-shifters don't always follow the trend of human baby names. Just look at Dr. Cassidy ‘Sid' Jackson. Or Bram, for that matter."

"True. I guess you missed out on being named River or Axe or Stone or something like that."

He frowned. "Where did those names come from?"

"I read a lot of books written by Americans, and they seem to like naming male characters after strong or fierce things."

He chuckled. "Just what kind of books are those?"

"Now you're changing the subject. I'd rather hear more about either your mum or the frenzy."

"Once we get to the surface, I'll show you pics of my mother and will share some stories then. I'd rather talk about the frenzy right now." He glanced over at Hayley. "If you're sure?"

She raised her brows. "I'm not a prude."

"Good to know."

"Well?"

He shrugged one shoulder. "I haven't gone through one myself, but from what we're taught growing up, a kiss with your true mate basically flips a switch with your inner beast. One where all they want to do is fuck until the female is pregnant. Once they can scent the pregnancy, they stop."

"It's very to the point."

"Well, there's a plus side to it for the female, for sure. Because whenever the male comes inside her, she orgasms automatically, making the frenzy more enjoyable."

"Does that mean dragonmen are lazy?"

He blinked. "What are you talking about?"

"Instead of taking their time, learning what a woman wants, they just have to come and bam, she does too."

"We're not fucking lazy." He stopped, gently took hold of her chin, and waited until Hayley met his gaze. "I'll show you that soon enough."

At the heat burning in his gaze, Hayley pressed her legs together. "Someone is cocky."

For a few beats, they stared at one another. Nathan's pupils flashed rapidly, faster than she'd ever seen before. "What is your dragon saying?"

"To abandon the search and show you right here and now that we're not bloody lazy."

Her lips twitched. "Did I prick your dragon's pride?"

"A little."

After raising a hand, she gently stroked his jaw. "I'm sorry. But one thing you need to learn about me is that I like to tease. It helps relieve tension and stress. Smiles and laughter just makes everything better."

He leaned in and nuzzled her cheek. Each pass of his slightly rough skin against hers made her heart race faster.

He murmured, "You make everything better, Hayley. Just you."

She sucked in a breath. "There you go again with the dreamy lines."

"I just speak the truth."

Once Nathan leaned back and met her gaze again, her reply died on her tongue. Right then and there she knew that if she asked him to bring her the moon, he'd try.

Oh, for crying out loud. Now she was thinking in ridiculous lines and cliches.

For a few more seconds, Nathan merely stared at her face, as if memorizing it. Then he kissed her cheek. The light brush of his lips against her skin made her want to turn her head and see what he'd feel like, what he'd taste like, and what he'd do if their mouths touched.

Except it would start a mate-claim frenzy. And as much as she liked him, was attracted to him, and wanted to give him a chance, she wasn't ready for that. Not at all.

After clearing her throat, she gently pressed against his chest. Without complaint, Nathan moved away.

He really was different from her past boyfriends.

Not that he was her boyfriend. Not yet.

She readjusted her glasses and tugged down her top. "It's exploration time, Mr. Woodhouse. If we don't leave soon, we won't have enough time to go looking down one of those tunnels at the other end of the lake."

He grunted. "Then let's hurry up, fetch our supplies, and head out."

As he charged down the hallway, Hayley ran to catch up.

And the entire time, up until he eventually shifted into his dragon form, she missed feeling his hand in hers.