Dragons of Preor: Taulan Read online

  Steven dropped the knife when he lifted his hands to his nose and it allowed her to escape. But sure, she was free, but she wasn’t done. She spun in place, grabbed his head and yanked it toward her knee, injuring him further. Still, not done. Not nearly. While he stumbled, now blinded by the blood and tears, she brought her knee into the fight once more. Right where a man was most vulnerable. She really did want to push his balls into his throat. She lifted it hard and grinned when his girly scream split the air.

  He abandoned trying to stem the flow of blood from his nose and instead gripped his crotch. He stumbled to the side and finally collapsed onto the sand.

  Not enough. Not nearly. He needed to pay for all he’d done… All her broken bones, bleeding, bruises, and tears.

  The second he hit the beach she was on him again, leg pulled back and ready to go after his ribs. Fracturing those hurt like a bitch and made breathing hard. How would he like that? She let her leg go, foot flexed and ready to plow into the battered man’s body.

  Only to be stopped. A large, thick, purple forearm wrapped around her waist and yanked her away from Steven. He spun them in place until she could no longer see her quarry. But her fight hadn’t left her. No, she still kicked and punched, now fighting her mate for freedom. She wanted… she needed…

  “Hush, shaa kouva. Hush…” his low murmur and the softening of his hold had her straining for freedom once more. Freedom he didn’t grant. The first hint of tears filled her eyes and she sobbed.

  “I want to…”

  “I know.” He stroked her hair, his lips a hairsbreadth from her ear. “I know more than you can imagine, but you cannot.”

  “He…”

  “I know.”

  “I need…” I need to see him face justice. I need him to hurt. I need him to cry.

  “I know this as well. He will be seen to, but I cannot allow you to carry the burden of this on your soul. He will know the reason for his pain—and his death.”

  “You’re going to…?” She should feel bad that he would face death for his actions, but she didn’t.

  “No male—human, Preor, Ujal or other—will ever lay hands upon a Preor female and live.” He slowly turned her in his hold and she slumped forward. She let him take her weight, the adrenaline crashing and abandoning her. He cupped her cheek and she met his gaze as a single tear streaked down her cheek. “None. His fate was sealed the moment he touched you with anger in his heart. It will be slowly because,” —her fierce warrior gently stroked the skin around her injury— “because he shed your blood.”

  “On Earth, we have the right to a fair trial.”

  “I cannot explain Earth’s failings. When guilt is plain, when several warriors witness the event, his fate is sealed.”

  “War Master Taulan?” Radoo’s arrival drew them from their conversation. “Jarek asked that I see if your party has any difficulty.” Radoo’s gaze missed nothing, his eyes flicking from Lana’s wound, to her mother’s, and then to the writhing and whining Steven. “It does not appear you require assistance.” His eyes burned and flames licked his irises while anger overcame his stark features. “But I gladly offer it.”

  No one said a word for several moments, their party’s attention on Radoo and Taulan until her mate finally nodded. “We welcome your assistance in this, then.”

  She was pretty sure their warriors whined like little children who had their treat taken away.

  “Lana?” Taulan murmured.

  “Hmm?” She slowly pulled her gaze from the menacing Radoo. “Yes?”

  “Are you well enough to continue? We can seek medical care on the ship, but UST is very close and they are familiar with human biology.”

  Her mother’s soft whisper, the tone tinged with pain and voice filled with tears, made the decision for her. She couldn’t subject her mom to the wait to get to their ship. As wary as she was of the Ujal and UST, she gave her consent. “Let’s go to UST.”

  23

  His Lana was healed and yet Taulan could not keep his thoughts from returning to the event on the beach. She’d been vulnerable, damaged, and he knew he failed as a mate. He’d allowed her to come to harm while in his care. He would not be surprised if she cast him from her bed and life. The Knowing would push them together, but they could spend the majority of their time apart.

  Lana slowly strode around the suite given to them for the evening. Though her wounds were healed, he hadn’t wanted to subject her to the trip from Earth to their ship. Spending one evening at UST would not hurt. No matter how much he longed to be surrounded by warriors known to him. He did not have anything against the prince’s best males, but they were not Preor.

  But the Preor suffered with the salty air on their wings. The fact that Taulan did not have wings was one of the reasons he was able to step onto the station’s balcony with her. The breeze buffeted his body and he let his eyes slip closed. The cool, damp air bothered his dragon, but there was no pain as the air dried the thin membranes of his wings since… he didn’t have them.

  She padded to the edge of the balcony and leaned against the railing. Gripping the ledge, she tilted her head back and stared up at the stars dotting the skies.

  How he wished he could take her flying amongst the twisting and twining winds.

  He went to her, one hand resting on her lower back. He rubbed her gently and then slipped his palm to her side. One tug had her flush against him, her body molding to his as if they’d been made for each other.

  Because they had.

  Taulan kissed her head and then nuzzled her hair. He could not keep his lips to himself, could not deny himself her touch. “Shaa kouva, you are well?”

  She rubbed her cheek against his chest, transferring her scent to him. Good, he wished all to know he’d experienced the Knowing and now had a strong mate at his side. “I’m fine.”

  “You do not sound fine.”

  Fine, he found, meant many different things to females.

  Lana rested her cheek over his heart and curled her free arm around his waist. She embraced him—“hugged” him—in a way that soothed his beast. It was both comforting and an expression of her caring.

  So she did not hate him for his failings.

  “I’m…” she sighed.

  Sighing, he learned, could also be bad as well. Jarek was most informative.

  “I don’t know what I am.”

  He stroked her back, tracing her spine. “Tell me of your feelings, shaa kouva. Give this burden to your mate.”

  It was his job as mate to ease her in any way possible.

  Lana tipped her head back and met his stare. So many emotions lingered in her gaze—fear, anger, worry, hope.

  “I don’t want to be a burden to you. You have so much to do with the ship and—“

  “And nothing is more important than you, Lana joi Taulan Coburn.” Nothing. Ever.

  “I’m afraid of myself.”

  He frowned and stared down at his delicate mate. “I do not understand.”

  She shook her head. “I… I’ve never been violent, Taulan. I’ve never wanted to beat the shit out of anyone. But the Knowing was there and I felt…” She sighed. Again. He did not like this. “I felt like it pushed me to fight Steven. Like it wanted me to get free and I had to fight him. Like I didn’t have a choice. Can the Knowing…?”

  “Ah, shaa kouva,” he murmured and stepped away long enough to lift his mate into his arms. Two steps had them at one of the chairs that lined the balcony. He sat and settled Lana on his lap. “You should have spoken of this before.” He did not mean to chastise her, but it could not be helped. “Preors are taught about the Knowing from the cradle. We do not fear its presence, but rejoice when it comes.” He stroked her cheek, fingers tracing her jaw to her chin and then lips. “I forget that you are not the same.”

  The waves ebbed and flowed, giving them a soothing backdrop for their conversation. Even the wind died down, as if Earth sensed the need for quiet and stillness.

  “Th
e Knowing cannot force anything upon you. It will gift you knowledge and constantly imparts more, but it cannot force you to feel—or do—anything you do not wish. It does not control you—it enriches you.”

  Her worried frown remained in place and he mentally sighed. A sigh which was not good. He believed he understood Jarek’s explanation now. “Because it is in your mind, it knows your mind. At some level, in some corner of your thoughts, you wanted to fight and hurt Steven. You wanted to battle him. The Knowing simply gave you the tools.”

  “It didn’t make me…?” He barely heard her words and he leaned even closer to his mate. “It didn’t make me kick his ass like that?”

  “No, it could not. It cannot make you anything other than what you are—my mate. My glorious, beautiful, fierce, strong mate.” He could not keep the pride from his tone. He would boast about his mate’s actions for many years to come.

  Her sparkling eyes met his and he thought he caught sight of joy lingering in their depths. “It can’t make me feel anything I don’t want to feel.”

  “No. It imparts knowledge only. The genetic memory of the Preor. That is all.”

  Lana nibbled her lower lip and stroked his chest, her fingers tracing circles on his pecs. If she did not stop, he would take the invitation she issued even if she did not realize what her actions made him feel.

  “It can’t make me lo—“ A blush stained her cheeks and she snatched her hand back as she stared at her lap.

  “Anything you may feel—anger, attraction, sadness and caring…” —love if the stars bless me— “Those are emotions that live in your heart. Nowhere else.”

  “Love,” she whispered so low he almost missed it.

  That single word, the wariness in her tone, had his heart lifting as it filled with joy. She would not mention it if she did not feel some hint of caring. He experienced more than simple caring and more than the beginnings of love. His mate was strong—stronger than he imagined a human could ever be—and he was proud to have her at his side.

  “Yes,” he fought to keep his voice level. “Should you feel love—one that would match my own—it is pure. It is not the Knowing controlling you.”

  “You…” Her eyes widened as hope filled her expression.

  “You are strong, Lana. Wise and with an inner strength that outshines any Preor. You did not simply take what life gave you, you fought for more. You love without hesitation and your belief in me is firm. You accept my faults,” —his mate deserved a male who was whole, but he would not let her go “—and welcome my touch despite your past. How could I not love a female such as you?”

  She glared and shook her head. “You talk about faults and I know you mean your wings.” She narrowed her eyes further. “I love you as you are. If you had wings, I’d love them. You don’t, but that doesn’t change my feelings.”

  She stroked his shoulders and he wished her fingers played over the length of his wings instead. “You survived something that would have killed a lesser Preor and you fought to be the War Master of the Third Fleet.”

  She stroked the line of his jaw. “I cannot think of a stronger, more deserving male than you, Taulan. And I’m happy to have you as my mate. I want to spend the rest of my life at your side and give birth to your dragonlets.” She wrinkled her nose. “Though you’re going to have to tell me how that works because on Earth lizards lay eggs and I’m human and…”

  And he did not wish to hear Lana compare him to an Earth lizard, so he silenced her the only way he knew how—he kissed her. It wasn’t soft and sweet, but passionate and fierce and filled with every ounce of love that lived within his heart.

  He, Taulan joi Lana Coburn, wingless male and War Master of the Third Preor Fleet, had a mate who loved him. Now he would spend the rest of his days fighting to become worthy of her love.

  After he explained about dragonlets…

  * * *

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  About the Author

  Ex-dance teacher, former accountant and erstwhile collectible doll salesperson, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Celia Kyle now writes paranormal romances for readers who:

  1) Like super hunky heroes (they generally get furry)

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  3) Love laughing in (and out of) bed.

  It goes without saying that there's always a happily-ever-after for her characters, even if there are a few road bumps along the way.

  Today she lives in Central Florida and writes full-time with the support of her loving husband and two finicky cats.

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  Copyright © 2016 by Celia Kyle

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