Dragon Kin Captive Heart Read online

  Dragon Kin: Captive Heart

  Anne Kane

  All rights reserved.

  Copyright ©2010 Anne Kane

  ISBN: 978-1-60521-370-5

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  Publisher:

  Changeling Press LLC

  PO Box 1046

  Martinsburg, WV 25402-1046

  www.ChangelingPress.com

  Editor: Chrissie Henderson

  Cover Artist: Bryan Keller

  Adult Sexual Content

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  Dragon Kin: Captive Heart

  Anne Kane

  After years of playing the field, Haydn has finally found his soul mate. Problem is, the well-endowed Cassie thinks all dragons are trouble and she has no intention of letting Hayden anywhere near her. He’s going to have to do some fast talking to convince her he’s the dragon of her dreams.

  Chapter One

  Haydn laughed and draped his arm around Jackson’s shoulders. “I don’t think your fire companion is going to be too happy when you tell her about the dent you put in her new car!”

  Jackson grinned, unrepentant. “Not to worry. I’ll just give her a little of my special brand of loving and she’ll forget to be mad at me.” He pointed to a table at the far side of the packed barroom. “Looks like we’re late. The guys already have a table.”

  They shouldered their way through the Friday night crowd at the Pagan’s Corner, jostling good-naturedly with the other residents of Utopia Bay. Shifters, paranormals and humans all came to the local pub to have a good time, and the bouncers made sure racial tensions didn’t get out of hand.

  Haydn grabbed a chair and straddled it backward, resting his chin on his crossed arms. “So what’s the plan for the night? It’s been a bitch of a week at work and I’m raring for some action.”

  “May I take your orders, sirs?”

  Haydn turned at the sound of that soft voice, and stared right into the prettiest pair of brown eyes he’d ever seen. Framed by soft brown skin and close clipped dark curls, those eyes bored a hole right to his heart. Unprecedented need exploded in his gut. His mated friends had always told him it would happen one day when he least expected it. He realized he was looking at his souler.

  He let his gaze roam the rest of her ample charms while an appreciative smile crossed his lips. The quip rose to his tongue with the ease of years spent pursuing every female he could find. “Darling, I’d love to have you take my orders.”

  She didn’t even blink, just raised one of those perfectly sculpted eyebrows and stared at him. He swore the temperature in the bar dropped ten degrees.

  A couple of the guys whistled, and Jackson had the nerve to laugh out loud. “That one’s not going to fall for any of your pat lines, Haydn, so you might as well order a drink. Cassie doesn’t do dragons.”

  “A mug of whatever’s on tap.” Haydn kept his eyes lowered, struggling to keep the redness from creeping up his neck. He had a reputation as a player, and it had been a long time since a woman had stonewalled him quite that thoroughly.

  “Same for me.” Jackson tossed some money on the table.

  Haydn watched her scribble the order down before she turned back to the bar. She held herself straight and proud, her wide hips sashaying beneath a calf-length denim skirt. He felt his cock jerk to attention at the thought of all that soft, warm flesh beneath him. Damn! He turned to Jackson. “What do you mean, she doesn’t do dragons?”

  “Hey, don’t shoot the messenger.” Jackson held his hand up in mock fear. “She’s one of the humans that Egan’s group, Bound for Freedom, managed to save. To say she’s terrified of dragons would be putting it mildly. Can’t say I blame her, those rogues are a mean bunch.”

  “Damn, that sucks.” Haydn watched her load drinks onto the tray and head back toward their table. “I’ll have to be real gentle with her.”

  Jackson stared at him as if he’d just grown a second head. “Are you crazy? That girl is never going to go out with you. What part of ‘terrified of dragons’ did you not get?”

  Haydn smiled gently. “She’s my fire companion. Of course she’ll go out with me. She just needs to get used to the idea.”

  Across the table, another of his other friends shook his head in sympathy. “You think Cassandra is your fire companion? You’ve got your work cut out for you, man. I’ve heard some of Egan’s stories, and they aren’t pretty. You’ll be lucky if she lets you get within ten feet of her front door.”

  Haydn watched the woman’s ample bosoms sway enticingly while she wound her way back to their table. “You said her name is Cassie, Jackson. What else do you know about her?”

  Jackson shook his head. “Not much. Her full name is Cassandra, but everyone calls her Cassie. Egan’s group, Bound for Freedom, rescued her and she decided to stay here instead of returning to her home, wherever that was. She got this job right after her rescue, and cleaned out one of the cabins at the edge of town to live in.” He paused, his brow furrowing with concentration. “I don’t think she’s dated anyone since Egan freed her, certainly not a dragon.”

  Haydn felt a knot he didn’t even know he had relax in his gut. She didn’t date. That was a good sign. It meant she was waiting for him, whether she knew it or not.

  He smiled up at her when she reached their table. “Sorry for my rudeness earlier. You’re just so pretty my brain didn’t kick into gear.” So far so good. She hadn’t dumped the beer over his head yet. “Maybe when you get off shift, we could go grab a bite to eat?”

  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jackson roll his eyes. He obviously thought Haydn was nuts, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered was his fire companion. She hesitated for a split second, and his heart leapt with hope.

  “I don’t think that would be wise, sir.” Her voice had a musical lilt to it that resonated to the very center of his being. Her dark lashes swept down over her eyes, hiding her expression. She set the drinks down and turned to leave. He lifted his hand, intending to stop her, but let it fall.

  She had the look of a rabbit just before his dragon snatched it from the ground, and he didn’t want her to think of him as a monster. He’d find another way to approach her.

  * * *

  Cassie resisted the urge to turn and look at him. Him. The dragon. She could sense its presence beneath the charming human exterior of the man who’d offered to take her out.

  Don’t be an idiot, her sensible side warned her. You’ve been there. You know what it feels like to be bound to a dragon, to be subject to his every whim. A flash
of remembered terror flooded her body with adrenaline, and she had to force herself to remain calm. To walk. To breathe. No way in hell she’d voluntarily go back.

  “Hey, Cassie! Bring us another round.” Pete, one of the regulars, waved at her over the heads of the dancers on the floor.

  She nodded, making a conscious effort to pull herself together. “Coming right up!” She relayed the order to the bartender, working her way through the crowd toward him. By the time she squeezed between the last of the people, she’d have given almost anything to be one of those rake-thin models types that could disappear when they turned sideways. She’d never been bothered by her buxom figure but it would be handy to be able to slide through a one-inch gap on the packed dance floor.

  “Crowd’s hopping tonight, Cassie.” Jodi, the other server, grinned at her and waggled her pointed ears in amusement. “Watch your ass. They’re getting a little grabby.”

  “Tell me about it.” Cassie returned the smile, glad for the distraction. For some reason, she couldn’t help feeling the darkly sensual presence of the dragon. What had his friends called him? Haydn?

  “Here you go, Cassie.” She watched the bartender load up her tray.

  “Thanks.” She turned and couldn’t resist sneaking a look at Haydn. He’d settled back into the corner between his friends, sipping his beer and not attempting to hide the fact that he was watching her.

  She felt heat rise from her neck right up to the roots of her hair. She felt naked, as if her innermost fears were on display for all to see. She swore those dragon eyes could see right through her tough image to the scared little girl who cringed at the sight of a dragon.

  Straightening her spine, she glared at him before spinning on her heels and going to deliver the drinks to Pete and his buddies. Pete was a genuinely nice guy, and completely human. Why the hell wasn’t her body heating up at the sight of one of her own species, instead of yearning for a damn dragon shifter?

  “You mad at me?” Pete looked at her warily, and she realized her annoyance showed on her face.

  “No. Just thinking about how much needs to be done at home after I get off shift here.” She gave him a warm smile with the lie. “A bear got into the backyard last night, and made a real mess in the tool shed.”

  “A bear? You need to get one of the local hedge-witches to cast a repulsing spell on your place. Works every time.” Pete took a swig of his beer.” I could come give you a hand with the cleanup if you like.”

  Cassie shook her head. “It’s okay. Probably looks worse than it is.” She held out his change, smiling her thanks when he waved her off. Not a great tip, but she was thankful for every little bit extra.

  * * *

  “See you on Sunday!” Cassie waved goodbye to the bartender.

  “Yup. Enjoy your day off.” He locked the door behind her, and Cassie turned toward the street, slinging her bag higher on her shoulder as she hurried across the dark parking lot. Out of habit, she kept alert for any sign of a winged threat from above. Egan had assured her that her freedom wouldn’t be torn from her, but fear is a hard habit to break.

  “Have you changed your mind about my offer?”

  Cassie jumped at the sound of Haydn’s voice, the deep timbre resonating throughout her entire body. She turned to see him standing beneath one of the lights in the parking lot, his hands tucked into the pockets of a pair of faded jeans that showed off his muscular thighs. He couldn’t have appeared less threatening if he’d tried, and yet her first instinct was to run as far and as fast as she could. To her disgust, her second was to accept his offer.

  “No.” She’d watched him leave the bar over an hour ago, and wondered at the feeling of loss she felt when his wide shoulders disappeared into the dark night. Surely he hadn’t spent all that time standing there waiting for her to appear? With his sexy looks and easy smile, he could have taken his pick of the females cruising the bar tonight. Not that she’d ask, that would give him the impression that she’d noticed or cared.

  “Have you been waiting out here just to ask me that?” She felt the blood rush to her cheeks, and cursed her careless tongue.

  He smiled and it lit up his face. The dragon who’d bound her had never smiled like that. When he’d smiled, she’d known that she would be hurt. Haydn’s smile was a gentle curving of his lips and an echoing lightness in his eyes. She knew better, he was a dragon, but somehow she got the impression that he never hurt anyone unless they truly deserved it.

  “Yes. I know you don’t like dragons. The guys told me you’d been bound against your will and that Egan’s group freed you. I can’t imagine how awful that must have been for you, but we’re not all rogue. Give me a chance to prove it to you.”

  He kept his distance and nodded toward the far end of town. “I know the bakery is closed by now, but Mireya will be there prepping for the morning crowd, and I’m sure she’d be happy to let us in for a coffee. What do you say?” He tilted his head, his eyes begging her to give him a chance.

  She opened her mouth to refuse. She didn’t need him. She didn’t want another dragon, or any male for that matter, interfering in her life. But when she looked into the depths of those emerald green eyes, she couldn’t do it. He looked like a little boy who knew he wasn’t going to get what he wanted for Christmas but planned to ask anyway. She felt a tiny softening in the ice that surrounded her heart. What could it hurt? It was only a cup of coffee, and with Mireya there she’d be safe enough.

  “A coffee would be nice. The bar was hopping tonight and I could use a bit of time to unwind.”

  “Great!” His face lit up and he rushed over to grab her hand. “I warned Mireya we might drop in but I didn’t expect you to agree.”

  Cassie waited for the panic to set in. The feel of his fingers wrapped around her wrist sent tingling darts of flame licking across the surface of her skin, but to her surprise her heartbeat remained steady and her pulse didn’t rocket out of control. He was definitely dragon, she could almost taste it, but his proximity didn’t set off the usual panic attack.

  He led her across the parking lot to a royal blue Miata convertible, holding the door open for her to slide into the passenger seat. The cream-colored leather upholstery felt deliciously cool beneath her tired legs, and she sighed in appreciation. She couldn’t fault his taste in vehicles. She watched him vault over the side and slide into the driver’s seat.

  She slid her hand over the smooth leather. “Fantastic car! You keep it in great shape.”

  “Thanks. I’ve had her for five years now.” He turned the engine over. “It took me awhile to find a ragtop, but I love the feel of the air on my face when I drive.”

  Cassie nodded appreciatively, wondering how much more she had in common with this man. “Nothing like it, is there?” Not man, she corrected herself. Dragon. She needed to keep her guard up.

  He grinned and snapped his seat belt on before dropping the transmission into gear. He drove fast, but with complete concentration and control. The little sports car zipped along the island highway as smooth as butter on a warm scone. Cassie admired his deft touch on the wheel as he navigated the winding road. Too soon, they reached their destination and Haydn pulled the car into a spot right in front of the bakery doors.

  “And here we are.” He hopped out of his side and came around to open her door. A real gentleman, she noted approvingly, and then chided herself. It didn’t matter. She didn’t need a man, gentle or not.

  Haydn escorted her to the door, his arm resting lightly around her waist while they waited for Mireya to answer their knock.

  Chapter Two

  So far so good. Haydn allowed himself to be cautiously optimistic. Cassie seemed to have forgotten all about his dragon nature as they sipped their coffees and made small talk about events on Utopia. Her brown eyes danced with mirth as she described an incident between the postmaster and Jake, the resident hermit. Her lush curves and soft brown skin beckoned to him, tempting him to touch, to taste. He had to ball his hands into
tight fists to resist the overwhelming compulsion.

  He watched her lips. Thick temptingly sensual lines, they curved upward when she smiled at him. How he’d love to catch that full lower lip between his teeth, nipping it while he plundered the sweetness of her mouth. As if she could sense his thoughts, her tongue flicked out to wet it, leaving it shining. Irresistible.

  He slowly leaned forward, not wanting to scare her. Cassie’s eyes opened wide, but he didn’t read fear in them. Then her dark lashes fluttered down, hiding her expression from him as his lips brushed hers, feathering across them with a delicate touch.

  Cassie whimpered, the sound a mixture of need and want. Encouraged, he slid his tongue across the seam of her lips, asking permission to enter. She trembled, and he didn’t know if it was fear or lust that caused her to quiver.

  He wanted to throw her down on the floor and bury himself within her ample folds of flesh. His dragon demanded it, but he refused to use brute force. He knew if he scared her even once, she’d flee and his heart wouldn’t survive the absence of its other half.

  Her lips parted and he stilled, hope blossoming deep within his chest. Her tongue slid out, touching his, gliding along his lips in a tentative caress that sent heat racing to his groin. He cupped the back of her head, tilting it to give him better access as they explored each other.

  Cassie gained confidence, became more demanding, her tongue dueling with his and playing havoc with his control. She brought her hands up to his chest, palms splayed wide as she explored his body. Her touch burned a path of erotic heat across his shoulders, down his back, searing through the heavy cotton of his shirt and branding themselves on his very his soul. “You play a dangerous game, my love.” He whispered the words against the dark silk of her lips.

  “I can’t help it. I want you.” She opened her eyes and he could see the confusion warring with lust. “I know you’re a dragon. I can feel it. I was bound to one such as you, and hell would have been a kinder place. So why does my blood heat at the thought of lying naked in your arms?”