Blood of the Dragon (Her Dragon's Bane 2) by Harmony Raines Page A

elsewhere. Looking far into the distance she had the eerie feeling he was trawling through a thousand years or more worth of memories. Serena held her breath, not wanting to disturb his thoughts. More than anything she needed him to help her, now she had given him this information there was no going back. If he chucked her out of the house she was on her own, and she desperately didn’t want that.
    “Why?” Connor asked, finally coming back to her.
    “It’s a long story.”
    “I have the time.”
    “There’s this man.”
    “The one who comes to your apartment?”
    She lowered her head, ashamed. “Yes.”
    “Go on.”
    “He makes me do things.”
    “I’ve seen.”
    Serena covered her mouth with her hand, horrified. “Why did you accept my offer if you knew?”
    “I have my reasons.” He moved his hand, indicating he wanted her to continue with her story.
    “He’s always had control of my family. My mother took drugs, and worked for him, but it was never enough. So he made her a deal, she had to make sure I stayed a virgin. Not that she had to try too hard, I saw what men do to women.”
    “To your mother?”
    “Yes,” she whispered, shutting her eyes to try to block out memories too hard to bear.
    “And is that the hold this Samuel has over you?” His voice rough, dangerous.
    “What? Drugs?” She shook her head furiously. “No. He has something much worse than that.”
    “Tell me.” His body loomed over her, menacing, the dragon so close to the surface she could smell the metallic taint in the air.
    She put her hand over her mouth, and turned her head, not wanting him to see her cry. They had lost their closeness, now he talked to her as though she were a stranger, there was no way he would help her. He would leave, him and his brother, Zoah, would simply turn into dragons and fly away from the danger she had brought to their door.
    “They have my sister.” Her voice choked, and then she broke down and wept.
    He took a step back, and suddenly relief flooded him. “Of course. Now I understand.” Connor came to her, his body relaxed and open to her. Both arms went around her body and pulled her close into a comforting hug. Kissing the top of her head he murmured to her, “I’ll make it right, Serena.”
    “That’s just it, you can’t. They’re too strong, there’s no way to beat them. By telling you I’ve signed her death warrant. Or worse.”
    “No. We have time to think about it, to plan out what to do. You say they aren’t expecting you until after the fifth day. That gives us time.”
    “They have guns.”
    “And you have a dragon. Or two.”
    “Two?”
    “Zoah.”
    “He won’t help me. He thinks I’m a worthless whore remember? And he was right, that’s why it hurt so much.” Self loathing threatening to consume her.
    “No. You’re not. You were doing what you had to do to protect your family. He’ll understand that, he might be an arrogant idiot, but he understands what family means.”
    “I’m not his family though am I?”
    “But if you are carrying my child you will be.” This time there was hope in his voice, and she turned her face into his big broad chest and wrapped her arms around him, needing to feel him close, to absorb some of his strength.
    “I am so sorry, Connor. I shouldn’t have lied. But I needed you to let me go. If you’d left me on that island I don’t know what would have happened to Charlotte.”
    “Let’s leave that in the past.” He rocked her slowly, his heart beat strong and loud against her ear.
    “Thank you, Connor.” She turned her face upwards to him, and searched his face for the acceptance she so desperately needed. When his lips descended to claim her she knew he had forgiven her, and for the first time she knew she had someone she could rely on. Until this moment she hadn’t realised how lonely she had been. Now her problem was his problem, and between them they just might succeed.
    Behind her Hope complained loudly about