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  He'd always wondered if the islanders held it against him; their forced retreat from the world. Over the years, they assured him a quiet way of life was what they all wanted. The meetings today confirmed most of the council preferred their isolation. They felt safe—superior even. After all, Parthen was a paradise uncorrupted by outside influences. The discovery of his sister changed everything.

  He'd skyped with Alex just after dinner. She'd harassed him mercilessly about coming to visit. Her words still rang in his ears.

  “Come see me soon, okay.”

  “I will,” he'd promised.

  “I want a scheduled time, Neeren.”

  “I will join you in August when the council breaks for the late summer session.”

  “August is months away.”

  “You left, sister. I do not have the same freedom. When I visit, we will sit beside your ocean and listen for those killer whales you told me of.”

  “You'll love them. I'll buy craft beer, and greasy fries. We'll hang on the beach all night. I miss you.”

  The call lasted over an hour. It still amazed him she lived. He'd believed her dead for over fifteen years.

  September twenty-first was the day Neeren’s grandfather Domhall found him and Mother. He told them of Alexedria's escape with the help of the dragon king Collum Thronus, and her life lived as a mortal. Maria's magic allowed his grandfather to find them. Domhall hired her to create a locater spell without telling her why. Maria set more in motion than she'd ever know.

  Anticipation sat like a rock on his chest. His little witch was utterly annoying. Janelle, his head chef, jokingly referred to her as chaos uncorked. He agreed. Maria was utterly alive.

  He made his way to the bathroom for a cool shower before visiting her. Needed the water on his skin. Needed to block out everything but the connection to his water element.

  At exactly three in the morning he lay down on sheets the color of a muted sky. Maria would want more color, he thought. She was lush. Dramatic. Fierce.

  He closed his eyes. Slowed his breath. Focused his thoughts to a single pin-point. Her name. Maria. His fingers flinched once before his body became weightless, like a cloud in the room. Moisture hung heavy in the air. Cocooned him. In a moment, he would be with her.

  Something stopped him. He pressed lightly. Too much pressure would kick him back to a waking state. An electric current pushed back. A blackness. Not Maria, though it carried her magical essence. Had she blocked him? She'd been serious? She didn't care about him?

  Awareness crashed in with the weight of a drowning man.

  Before he'd even opened his eyes, he leapt out of bed. Grabbed his cell phone. Dialed her number. No way was he texting. The phone rang. Once. Twice. Three rings before going to voice mail.

  “Fuck.”

  He breathed deeply and dialed again—slower. With precision. Water swirled at his feet. Maybe she was simply slow to wake up. Unless she set the ringer to silent? The phone wasn't off. If it was, a message would come on saying the person he was trying to reach was unavailable. The voicemail clicked on.

  Her honey voice said, “Sorry, babes. I'm off doing cool stuff. No time for a convo. Leave a message and I'll holler back. Later, bitches.”

  He growled in to the phone. “Really? You erected a magical block?”

  He hung up and threw the phone against the mattress, which was utterly unsatisfying. His howl pierced the night air. His feet splashed through the film of water now covering his bedroom floor.

  The ocean crashed against the rocks. Large waves churned. He padded back to his bed and retrieved the phone. Dialed the number again. It rang three times. His water element raged through him. Icicles dripped off his fingers, dropping like bullets to the floor. Her voice came back on voice mail again. “Sorry, babes. I'm off doing cool . . .”

  He pulled the phone from his ear. Snarled. Counted the seconds before the beep. “Pick up the phone. Maria.”

  Words spilled out his mouth uncontrollably. “Ignoring me won’t change what is happening between us. I am calling you back at exactly eight am.”

  He slammed the phone down again. Ice water covered the floor to his ankles. His fingers were texting before he knew what he was doing . . . You are acting like a child. Pick up the phone . . .

  He hit send.

  “Fuck.”

  He smashed his hands into his robe and left the room. The ocean beckoned. It was the only thing that would calm him. He needed to get out of the castle before he did something even more stupid. Like calling her back . . . Again.

  Chapter 9

  “Tell me again what you told my supervisor?” Alex looked in the mirror at her aunt. They'd been home for two days. It felt like they'd never left.

  Quinn, in a pale pink velour track suit, sat on the edge of her bed, laying out outfits for Alex to choose between for her first day back to work. She sipped tea out of a chipped blue mug while studiously examining each article of clothing. So far, they'd eliminated the gray wool pantsuit and the lilac top with cream flowers on it.

  “I told them your birth mother had been found and needed an immediate blood transfusion because she'd been in a horrific accident.” Quinn picked up a red suit and showed it to Alex. “What about this one?”

  “I'm not wearing a power suit on my first day back. I don't know why I'm even stressing about this. Everyone else will be in jeans and T-shirts. The journalism room is filthy. It's mostly old guys in stained sweaters. And I'm just a junior reporter. I'm lucky to even have a desk.”

  “Dress for the job you want,” Quinn replied.

  Alex faced her aunt directly. “What I want is to blend in. Look at me. I look different. Everyone’s going to notice. I don't look like someone who's given a blood transfusion.”

  Her aunt waved away her concerns. “No one is going to notice the changes. We do because we're immortal. Humans won't. At most they'll think you look healthy and relaxed. They'll sense a change, maybe. Will be drawn to you without knowing why.”

  “That's what I'm worried about. I don't want anyone asking too many questions.”

  “Trust me, darling. You're worried for no reason.”

  Her aunt sifted through the pile of clothes on the bed. All of them gifts from Neeren. Each piece of clothing cost more than her car. Alex brought home ten percent, including the ruined lilac dress she wore the first time she dreamwalked to Collum.

  Despite the fact that they were immortals, Alex and Quinn lived a modest, middle class life. Quinn controlled wind. Alex controlled fire. Alex was also a Parthen princess. The Parthen were a race most others equally reviled and respected. Though they were renowned for their emotional control, they stayed mostly to themselves. But you didn't want to mess with them—with her. Alex was one of them now. Maybe if she reminded herself often enough it would feel real.

  As her aunt sorted through the pile, Alex noticed a piece of pale blue silk pop up. “Stop. That one.”

  Quinn pulled out the piece Alex gestured to and passed it over. It was a full sleeved, three-fourth length tunic dress with slits up the side. It was gorgeous. Understated. The color shimmered like the ocean outside Neeren's castle. It was perfect. She'd wear it in tribute to her family on her first day back to work. She normally dressed more casual but maybe her aunt was right. Dress for the job you want.

  Quinn nodded in approval. “It will cover most of your flame tattoo. And if you add an old pair of denim jeans with Peter Pan boots it will be perfect. I'm pretty sure there's a dark blue cashmere sweater in there somewhere too.”

  As Quinn rooted through the pile the phone rang.

  Alex grabbed it off the bedside dresser. The caller ID came up as private. “Hello,” she spat out quickly, assuming it was a telemarketer.

  “Morning, babe.”

  Her breath
caught in her throat.

  Quinn quietly left the room.

  He said nothing else. She waited but he remained silent.

  Unable to bear the silence Alex said, “It's been almost two weeks, Collum. Why are you calling me?”

  “To wish you a good first day back to work.”

  The deep timber of his voice cut right to her uterus. She shook off the sensation.

  “I haven't heard from you for ten days,” she reiterated.

  “Yah. I told you two weeks. Couldn't hold out that long.”

  “Not even a text?”

  “I had to go underground unexpectedly.” He paused. When Collum spoke again it nearly undid her resolve. “I've been researching movies.”

  Alex sunk to the edge of the bed. Her flesh a puddle on the pile of clothes. His voice was aged whiskey. Firewood. Sex.

  “I miss you,” he said.

  Alex’s heart leaped. “You could have called me before now.”

  “No, lover, I couldn't. Communication with me would’ve put you back in danger. Thought you deserved a break, Kit Kat.”

  She sensed him smiling into the phone receiver. She groaned. “You aren't funny.”

  “I'm a little funny.”

  I need to leave for work soon. I can't talk long.”

  “Want a ride?”

  Her spine straightened. She pushed red tangles out of her face. “Where are you?”

  “Outside your house, babe. Like I said, I missed you.”

  She jumped up. Sprinted to the bedroom window. Almost took a nose dive as she tried to untangle herself from the clothes around her feet. She pulled the shear curtain back.

  There he was. Leaning against his hummer. Looking like a god. Looking every inch the dragon he was. She'd forgotten how power exuded from his every pore.

  His hair was longer. It hung around his shoulders in soft waves. He wore dark green cargo pants, shit kicker boots, and a black T-shirt that clung to every muscle. Collum had a lot of muscle. At six foot, six inches, two-hundred-fifty pounds, he took up space.

  Because he was King of the Dragons he had little interest in blending in.

  Because he was Guardian of all immortals he held more power than any creature on earth.

  He turned his head and caught her eye. “Let me take you to work, Alex love.”

  “You can't just show up here, Collum.”

  His sinister grin curled her toes. He raised his left hand. She'd missed it before because she'd been so busy studying the rest of him.

  “I brought you a Caramel Corretto from Starbucks.”

  Son-of-a-bitch. “Fine, but I'm only coming down for the coffee.”

  Chapter 10

  Collum’s dragon roared as it caught site of Alex at the front door. Her red hair blazed behind her. Smoke wafted out the ends. Her tattoo writhed against her flesh. Collum could see the ridges under her clothing—peeking out from the blue silk wrapped around her body. The flame strained toward him. Fire to Fire. His beast struggled to break free.

  His woman was near.

  She rushed across the distance and snatched the coffee out of his hand. Gulped back at least a quarter of it. Groaned her pleasure.

  His fingers itched to touch her.

  All business, she said, “Thank you for the coffee. No. You may not drive me to work. I'm not showing up in your hummer with you by my side. Not when you’re dressed like Rambo on steroids.”

  He almost laughed again. Fuck, he'd missed her. Her temper. Her tight ass. Her caffeine addiction. How she loved to tell him off. Her strength. It was her fire. It permeated every part of her. As he thought it, his beast growled low in his throat.

  Alex jumped.

  “Sorry, babe. He wants you right now.” Collum stroked the mass of crimson tangles now smoking with heat. His voice lowered an octave. “You look fucking gorgeous.”

  A soft moan bubbled under her breath.

  He invaded her space, caressed her cheek with his other hand. “I missed you.”

  She turned her face slightly into his hand. Exhaled. “You have a funny way of showing it.”

  “You told me you needed time to think. I gave you time.”

  “Not even a text?”

  “Thought it was what you wanted. Hated every second of it.” Collum shifted his hands to her hips. Leaned in to whisper against her mouth. “Let me show you how much I missed you.”

  She moaned. The scent of her desire filled his nostrils. He gripped her hips. Waited.

  His body responded to every part of her. His Alex was no simpering girl. He'd never get enough of her. There was no reigning in her glory. She was molten energy. Heat poured off her skin in waves. She'd never back down. Not to him. Not to anyone.

  Alex’s violet eyes had a cat like quality since her transition. They flashed yellow at him now. “Show me.”

  Fire exploded in his throat. He growled again. Lifted her to lean against the Hummer. “That's my girl.”

  Collum ground his mouth against her as their tongues collided. He was past the point of taking time. Of being gentle. He wrapped his left arm around her waist to hold her in place. Pushed his right hand into her pants to grasp the slickness.

  “Wrap your arms and legs around me, baby.”

  She groaned against his tongue as he pushed his fingers into her wetness.

  “My coffee. Take my coffee,” she begged.

  “Drop it. I'll buy you another fucking coffee later.”

  The liquid splashed to the ground as Alex wrapped her arms around his neck. The minute he felt her do so he pulled her legs up around his waist. Carried her to the other side of the vehicle, away from the house. He held her against the door of the Hummer. Ground himself against her. She arched her back, thrusting her breasts into his chest. They kissed like wild things.

  When Alex pulled his shirt off, he roared with unconfined pleasure. Her hands driving fire into his chest. He ripped her silk tunic, out of control with the need to touch every part of her flesh. Her breasts mocked him, hidden behind her white lace bra. He ripped her bra open with his teeth. Suckled her breasts like a lifeline.

  She gripped his neck, moaned. Writhed against him. He shoved his hand back inside her pants. Pressed his palm in a circular motion against her clit as he shoved two fingers inside her.

  She came quickly against his fingers. Her nails slicing into his back.

  He lifted his head to the sun and roared fire. He'd never get enough of her. Would kill anyone who tried to harm her.

  As his lover floated back to earth, Collum kissed her forehead. Her cheeks. Her eyes. “I love you so fucking much, Alex. Skip work and come home with me.”

  She leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed. Kissed his neck. Rubbed her hands along his arms. “I missed you.”

  “I know, babe. I'm sorry. I couldn't come before now.” He shrugged. “Work.”

  “Really? What kind of work?”

  He paused. “That's what I want to talk to you about. It's important.”

  Steel entered her voice. “Well, I can't miss my work.”

  “What if you had a new job?”

  “What? At one of your subsidiaries? Glenn looks after everything for you. Besides I like the job I have.” Alex blushed. “And now, thanks to you I have to change.”

  Collum laughed, undeterred by her annoyance with him. “Red is your color. Put on something red.”

  He set her back down. Straightened her ripped top. “I'll wait here to drive you in. We'll stop at Starbucks on the way. Talk more.”

  “Um no. No, you won't. I told you, I am not showing up to the paper in a hummer. This is Victoria, B.C., Collum. City of living green. We'll get lynched.”

  “Fucking environmentalists. Unless they're all r
iding home-made wooden bikes, living in a grass hut, they better not look twice at me.”

  She smacked his chest and walked back toward the house. “That's why you aren't driving me there.”

  “Wait. Before you leave out here alone, I need you to answer one question.”

  She turned back. “What?”

  “Do you prefer chick flicks or action movies?”

  Chapter 11

  At Eight fifty-seven in the morning, Alex pulled into the paper's parking lot in her old, beat to shit Jetta.

  She jumped out of the car, raced across the lot, and hit the inside of the building at eight fifty-nine. Her ass hit her chair at exactly nine o'clock.

  Half the desks around her remained empty. Journalists were notorious for showing up at strange times on and off throughout the day. She didn't have the luxury today. One minute past nine the intercom on her desk phone buzzed.

  She snatched the phone before it rang a second time. “Hello?”

  “Good morning, Alex. Mr. Tanner would like to see you in his office please.”

  Who was Mr. Tanner? “Sure thing. Be right there. Umm, where is his office?”

  The voice on the other line sighed. “Fourth floor. North west side. Corner office. Natalie will check you in when you arrive.”

  “Right, I'll be right up, Thank you.” The voice on the other end hung up before Alex finished speaking.

  The flames on Alex's skin wriggled in agitation. Her chair scraped against the floor as she stood. She smoothed her jacket trying to calm her nerves. Alex already regretted listening to Collum. Why the hell had she decided to wear a red suit jacket with her jeans?

  She nodded to the other staff as she waked through the office. Most of them remained hunched over their computers typing furiously, or desperately searched under candy wrappers and assorted moldy mugs for files. God, she loved the smell of sweaty journalists and stale coffee in the morning.