Tempting The Dragon. Karen Whiddon

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       Chapter 5

      Since he still didn’t understand, Rance took another sip and waited.

      “Every guy in this town has been wanting to date her. You’ve been seen hanging out with her on more than one occasion. Most of the guys are taking bets that you’ll be the one who finally breaks through.”

      Though he knew he shouldn’t, Rance had to ask. “Breaks through?”

      Earl’s grin widened. “You do know she’s a witch, right?”

      “I’ve heard that, yes,” Rance answered cautiously.

      “She has...powers. If you get my drift.” And Earl actually winked.

      Though Rance now had a good idea where this was headed, he figured he might as well make the bartender spell it out.

      “What kind of powers?”

      Next to him, Ted tried to stifle a laugh and ended up spewing a mouthful of beer all over the bar.

      Earl tossed him a rag. “Clean it up,” he ordered, before turning his attention back to Rance.

      “Listen,” Earl said, lowering his voice. “There isn’t a single guy in town who hasn’t tried to tap that. And her rumored powers are the main reason why. Sure, she’s gorgeous and sexy as hell, but if the stories are true...”

      “Stories?” Despite the anger beginning to simmer inside him, Rance deliberately kept his face expressionless and cocked his head. “What kind of stories?”

      Grinning, Earl shook his head.

      Apparently, Ted couldn’t take it anymore. “Sexual powers, you idiot,” he said, unable to contain his glee. “And we’re counting on you to let us know if it’s true.”

      Rance had to suppress the sudden, strong urge to punch the guy in his face. All of them, in fact. Poor Jade. He couldn’t help but wonder where all this had come from if no one had gotten near to her.

      “Does Jade, er, know about this legendary power of hers?” he asked, jaw tight. “Is she aware what y’all are saying about her?”

      “Y’all?” Earl shook his head. “You ain’t from around here, are you?

      “No, obviously I’m not. You didn’t answer the question. Does Ms. Jade know?”

      Earl shrugged. “I don’t know. This is a small town, so I imagine she might.”

      Damn. Rance had to look down at his hands to hide his fury. “I’d like the check, please,” he said. Getting into a bar brawl wouldn’t do anything to help his position in this town. “And don’t ever let me hear you talk about Jade like that again.”

      The walk back to his motel wasn’t enough to dispel the turmoil inside him. Despite knowing the rumor had to be complete and utter nonsense, even the thought of it fueled his already deep desire for Jade.

      Frustration coiled inside him. He wanted to claim her as his. Part of him already had. And truth be told, a lot of it was sexual. Jade Burnett’s beauty attracted him. His inner beast roared, reminding him of his earlier resolution to change and let his other self run free.

      Perfect. Exactly what he needed to do. As long as he took precautions not to be seen. His kind was not only rare, but largely misunderstood among other shifters.

      Increasing his stride, he continued on past the intersection where the business part of town gave way to residential. The well-kept houses were fully restored and beautifully landscaped. As he passed one house with colorful flower gardens, he could smell the heady scent of lilac.

      For some reason, this made him think of Jade, with her clear green eyes and uncertain smile. No wonder she seemed a little standoffish. People spreading wild rumors about her would have a way of messing with her self-confidence.

      Yet despite all that, or because of it, he couldn’t keep himself from picturing her naked underneath him, her perfect skin gleaming in the moonlight.

      Aroused and furious, he picked up his pace, heading toward a wooded tract of undeveloped land he’d seen when driving around. As soon as his feet left the pavement, the sound of the fallen leaves crackling underfoot began to soothe his restlessness. He inhaled sharply, pine and earth and wood, continuing on, in search of a meadow or a large enough clearing to accommodate him once he assumed his other form.

      Finally, deep within the forest, he found a meadow. The overgrown wild grass rustled in the light breeze, and above, the black night sky twinkled with a thousand stars. Rance made a slow turn, listening, scenting, just to make sure no creatures other than wild ones roamed near. The last thing he needed was for an errant pack of wolf shifters to see him.

      Even though the wolves and the dragons were allies, until their Pack council found a way to announce the existence of his kind, he and all the few others like him had been asked to keep everything low-key.

      Sensing nothing other than an owl in one of the nearby trees and a rabbit cowering under a bush, he stripped off his clothing. He dropped to all fours and initiated the change. He couldn’t wait to soar into the air, rushing toward the stars. Flying felt so weightless, and the distances he could travel in a few hours, brought its own kind of freedom.

      Except flying could be dangerous. His heart sank as he considered his choices. Then, with a rush of excitement, he realized what he’d do instead. The cliffs overlooking the water weren’t too far away. The vastness of Forestwood Lake beckoned. There, he could dive deep into the water, unseen by anyone who walked the land. For his kind, swimming felt akin to flying, except for the necessity of holding one’s breath.

      And if he happened to run into the local lake monster, even better.

      * * *

      The unsettled feeling had come over Jade during the night, startling her wide awake at 3:00 a.m. Lying awake in her bed, desperately wishing for sleep, she’d seen shadowed images. A beast of some kind, flying. At first, she thought Libby was making contact—her charge had done that before—but this felt different. As if someone or something was watching her, hearing every breath, feeling every stuttering pulse of her heart. Her necklace even felt warm, but that could have been because of her rising bodily heat. Now every nerve ending along her skin came alive as she waited, wondering what she was supposed to do.

      When she finally fell asleep, she saw his face again. Rance. In her dream, she reached for him as he came in for a kiss. The instant their lips touched, she knew...

      Because she shied away from the knowledge, she’d startled awake again. This time, her clock read five-thirty, which meant she could get up and shower.

      Once she was dressed, she snagged a cup of coffee and carried СКАЧАТЬ