“My boss would laugh me out of the office if I wrote a column about the best vacation spots for werewolves and dragons.” She grimaced, then, in a bored drawl, said, “Really, Alyx. Dragons? Maybe it's time to leave the lifestyle section to someone younger. More on top of trends.”
“Your boss is an idiot.”
“He is,” Alyx said—and then, at last, began pushing down her pants. “But he's also my boss. Which means he can be as stupid as he wants to be. He's still the one who can fire me. Or promote me to write about the boring topics no one else wants and give my column to the new twenty-year-old hire.”
“Best to keep this place a secret anyway.” Braeden could feel his hunger rising as he stared at Alyx.
She was standing before him in nothing but her panties now, her hands on her hips as she gave him a teasing look from those gorgeous, honey-brown eyes.
Her nails stood out against her pale skin, as red as fire. The dragon within him yearned to give her a crown of rubies and decorate her with golden chains.
Braeden pulled off his own shirt, then struggled out of his jeans. His heart was beating fast in his chest, his body hungry for the feeling of her skin against his own.
He could feel the pull of the mate bond. The fragile bond between them wanted to be complete.
And he wanted to be inside her. He wanted to feel her clench around him again as she cried out his name, utterly lost in the pleasure he'd given her.
Then, at last, she came closer and reached out for him.
A heartbeat later, he'd tumbled her onto the bed. Immediately, her arms came up around his shoulders. She pressed herself against him with the same, overwhelming need he felt.
Hungrily, he kissed her, deepening the kiss and swallowing the moans that escaped her. He could feel her nipples hard and tight against his chest. Her panties were already soaked through when he slid a hand between their bodies.
Be mine, the dragon within him whispered.
She arched against him as he broke the kiss, his lips trailing down her throat instead—
And then, for a heartbeat, everything turned black.
Fire. Smoke. Shadow.
Darkness spread through him. He could feel it in his chest, like a cloud of the deepest black. It filled him, elusive like smoke, blocking out the bright flame inside him—blocking out even the golden light of the mate bond.
And then he heard the voice again. This time, he knew what it was.
There is no light without darkness. There is no fire without shadow, the voice hissed. I am the darkness. I am inside you.
Steele. It was the voice of Steele.
And the weird, scratchy sensation he'd felt ever since he'd breathed in the ash on their escape from the volcano wasn't just ash.
Somehow, the weird darkness that had tainted Steele had made its way inside him. It had infected him—just as it had infected Steele, perhaps.
Fool, Steele taunted. You can't keep her safe. You think you can protect her from me? How will you protect her from yourself?
Horrified, Braeden jerked back.
He still couldn't see—but the touch of Alyx's skin against his own had suddenly turned into something terrible.
He was dangerous. He was poison.
To touch him might kill her.
“Braeden? What's wrong?” she asked.
You're what's wrong, Steele hissed in triumph. You thought you could betray us, but you can't leave your kin behind. You'll always be one of us. There's great darkness in you. And you'll take her down with you. Soon the reign of shadow and fire will begin—and you, you will be one of us once more.
“Braeden?”