Made For A Dragon (Fae Dragons book 1)

Chapter One

 One Year later

Bristol

Watching her, it was my favourite pastime and one I had let myself do a lot since that night in the alley a year ago. The night I had woken and stumbled into a human world which was so different from the one we had learnt about.

Things had changed since then. I had changed since then. The only one of my kind to be walking on Earth. My brethren still in their deep slumber. It was a lonely existence, and that was the reason I was making my move now because of the bone deep loneliness I was feeling.

Watching her from afar was nothing compared to being in the same room as her. The scent of her skin stronger even than the smell of fried meats that filled the air. My eyes gravitated toward her, and I knew sooner or later, she would feel the weight of them and turn to me.

“Hi, can I get you a refill?”

Blinking up at her in surprise, I raised my chin. She was even more beautiful close up. The brightly coloured hair pulled back from her face. The artwork that adorned her arms. Everything about her was bright. Like a sun.

For a second, I could do nothing but stare up at her. And then I tapped on the rim of my coffee cup. Signally that she could fill it back up. But still, I didn’t speak. She rendered me speechless.

“There you go handsome.” She gave me a smile. “You just shout me if you need anything, ok?” Making a move as if to walk off, I reacted on instinct. My hand reaching out to curl around her wrist, bringing her to a halt. “What is your name?”

A dark eyebrow arched quizzically and then she tapped the name badge pinned above her breast.

Jade.

“Jade.”

Throwing her head back, she laughed, “handsome and literate. Where have you been all my life?”

My mouth opened to tell her that I had been sleeping. That it was only because she was now in some kind of unseen danger that I was awake now. To fulfil my job as her mate and her protector. And then shut it again with a snap. She was joking. The famous human sarcasm.

“Jade.” I liked the way her name felt in my mouth. It was pretty just like she was. “My name is Bristol.”

“Bristol? Well, I’m guessing your parents had a sense of humour just like mine.”

I didn’t know what she meant, but she was standing so close to me that I could see her breathing. Her breasts rising and falling.

“I think your name is beautiful,” I said finally when the silence had stretched on for too long. She was uncomfortable, I could tell it in the narrowing of her eyes. The slight parting of her lips. “Like you.” The blush that crept up her cheeks was adorable, but she recovered quickly. “Thank you ….” she paused and for the first time since she had stepped up to my table, she really looked at me. A tiny line appeared between her arched eyebrows as she frowned. “Bristol.” Biting at her bottom lip, she made to turn away. To go back to her job and then stopped. Turning back to me, I watched as she chewed on that lip. It was so mesmerising I could take my eyes off of it or the way she was rolling it under her teeth.

What would that lip taste like when I finally got the chance to kiss her? Something bright and sweet was my bet.

“I’m sorry.” She seemed to shake herself. The frown left her face replaced by her wide smile. I had watched her for long enough to know it wasn’t a real smile, although I was sure it had charmed many people. “For a second, you looked familiar? Have we met before?”

Laughing I sipped my coffee. The scolding liquid warming me. And her eyes widened. Too late, I realised my mistake. The coffee was too hot for any human to handle. “Ow.” I pressed my fingers to my lips. “That was hot.”

Jade just stood there, staring at me like I had grown another head, one eyebrow arched. And I couldn’t blame her for not believing my little display. I was a lousy actor. I wouldn’t have believed me either. “You were asking if we had met before.” Tearing my eyes from her lips, I met hers. There was recognition in them. She was remembering or at least trying to remember. “Don’t you remember me?”

“No.” She gave a laugh, but it was a nervous sound. “And I think I would remember.” Her eyes swept over me. Of course, I looked slightly different from the last time we had met. I let her look, and I knew she liked what she saw because her cheeks flames again. “I hope you would remember Jade,” I said her name like it was something precious. Because that’s exactly what she was.

“Jade.”

She jumped like someone had come up behind her, and the look of bewilderment left her face. “Coming. Can I get you anything else?” The smile was back. Settling myself back against the chair, I grinned right back at her, shaking my head. “Not right now.”

The moment might be passed, but I had spoken to her. I had made the first contact. And she was one step closer to being mine.

Watching her from afar was one thing, but now I had actually touched her skin. Even if it was just her wrist, I couldn’t seem to stay away. Not when she was tantalisingly close. So when her shift finished, I detached myself from the shadows of a nearby doorway where I had been waiting. And followed behind her. Keeping a safe distance from her so she wouldn’t be suspicious. Not that looked back. She kept her head down, moving fast as she always did.

“Hello, beautiful.” The voice was male, and my feet slowed to a stop as I watched the man step from the alleyway she used to get to her home. My hands curling into fists as he wrapped his arm around my mates waist. She stiffened but didn’t pull away. “Stephen.” She sounded tired. “What are you doing here?”

“I’ve come to walk you home.”

My eyebrows slammed down. Was she somehow involved with this man? If she had already chosen a mate, or partner as they called them here, it would really make things awkward. But even as I watched, she tore herself from his grip. Feet apart and hands on her hips. “You do realise we aren’t dating anymore, right?” Her voice carried. “Have you been drinking?” She sounded disgusted. “Go home and sober up Stephen.” Shaking her head, she made a move as if to go around him. And he grabbed at her arm. “Get off me.” She tried to yank her arm away.

I didn’t even think about it, one second I was at the other end of the block and the next I had my hand around his scrawny throat. Anger erupted from me, and for just a second I let the glamour I had used on myself to slip as I straightened to my full height. “I think Jade told you to let go of her arm.”

He made a gurgling sound in his throat. His eyes bulging as my fingers dig around his windpipe.

How easy would it be to end him now? One swift tug and it would all be over. He wouldn’t get to touch my mate ever again.

“Hey, let go of him.”

It took me precisely two heartbeats to realise that it was Jade that was talking. It was her hands that were yanking on my arm. Trying to get me to release my grip on the gargling man. “You’re going to kill him.” Her eyes grew impossibly round as she stared at me. “You.”

“He shouldn’t have touched you,” I said simply. And she frowned. What was so hard to understand? I had protected her. Done my job as her chosen mate. I just didn’t understand the anger on her face.

“Go home, Stephen.” She said softly, but her eyes never left my face as he scurried away. “Were you following me?”

“No, not really.” I tried to give her a winning smile, and it cracked on my face as she scowled at me. “I was saving you.” The moment I said it, I knew I had said the wrong thing. Hey, green eyes blazed. Picking up what little light there was in the street.

“No one asked you to save me.”

“I just thought…” I stammered. This woman, who barely reached my shoulder actually made me stammer. She confused the hell out of me, didn’t women like to be saved these days?

“I don’t need a man to save me.” She said slowly. “And Bristol?” She waited for me to raise my eyes to meet hers. “Stop following me.”