Page 9 of Dragon Enchanted (Secret Kingdoms: The Draquonir #1)

CHAPTER 8

T he crisp morning air greeted them as they stepped outside onto the castle’s private helipad. The powerful hum of the helicopter’s rotors reverberated through Raven’s chest, the wind whipping strands of her hair across her face. She had never been this close to one before, let alone about to step inside a luxury aircraft with a man she barely knew, but who had already turned her world upside down.

Vector placed a possessive hand at the small of her back, guiding her forward. The simple touch sent a ripple of warmth through her, even as her mind screamed at her to keep her guard up.

Talon moved ahead of them, speaking briefly with the pilot before giving Vector a sharp nod. The moment they approached, one of the Guardians opened the sleek black door, revealing an opulent interior lined with plush leather seating and a fully stocked bar. Raven hesitated for only a second before Vector took her hand and helped her inside.

The moment she sat, she realized how intimate the space was. The hum of the engines, the close proximity of their bodies, the weight of Vector’s gaze—everything about this felt charged. He sat next to her, closer than necessary, and she was hyper-aware of the heat radiating off his body.

“Have you flown in a helicopter before?” he asked, watching her closely.

She shook her head, trying to ignore the way her pulse fluttered. “Just the flight here yesterday.”

Vector smirked, buckling his harness with an ease that spoke of experience. “Then you’re in for something special.”

She swallowed, fastening her own belt, her fingers fumbling slightly under his scrutiny. “Where exactly are we going?”

Vector leaned back, the low rumble of his voice barely audible over the sound of the rotors. “You’ll see.”

That wasn’t an answer. Not really. But the way he said it sent a shiver down her spine. He wasn’t just keeping secrets—he was enjoying it.

The aircraft lifted smoothly into the sky, the ground falling away beneath them. Raven tensed, gripping the armrests. The sensation was surreal—weightlessness, movement, the sheer power of the machine carrying them away from everything familiar.

Vector’s hand covered hers, his fingers warm and steady. “Relax,” he murmured, his thumb brushing against the back of her hand in slow, deliberate strokes. “You’re safe.”

Her breath caught at the unexpected gentleness in his touch. She turned slightly, meeting his gaze, and for the briefest moment, she forgot to be cautious.

He was dangerous. But so was the way he made her feel.

Talon, seated across from them, cleared his throat. “ETA is under an hour. The jet is ready.”

Jet? Raven forced herself to look away from Vector, focusing on the view beyond the window. The castle was already a distant memory, the rolling landscape giving way to endless stretches of water and sky.

She had no idea where this journey would take her, but one thing was certain.

There was no turning back now.

He glanced at her over his shoulder, a slow, deliberate look that sent heat curling through her belly.

Less than an hour later, the helicopter landed smoothly on a private airstrip, the powerful thrum of the rotors dying down as the aircraft settled. Vector escorted her inside the small, private building surrounded by private planes, helicopters and men who looked like they belonged in a James Bond film. Spies. Bodyguards. People she could have lived her entire life and never seen.

If her life had still been anything remotely close to normal. The moment the doors to the small building opened, a rush of crisp air swept outside, carrying the scent of jet fuel, polished leather, and expensive cologne. The stark contrast between the cold outside and the opulence inside the private terminal made Raven hesitate.

Vector guided her forward with a firm but gentle hand on the small of her back, his touch grounding her in a way she wasn’t ready to examine. Flanking them, Talon and another of his guards moved with practiced ease, their sharp gazes sweeping over the area, ensuring everything was secure before they moved through the terminal and out a door on the opposite side.

A sleek, black luxury car waited just outside, its engine purring softly. The driver, dressed in an immaculate suit, stepped forward and opened the door. Vector barely acknowledged the man, leading Raven into the vehicle with the kind of authority that spoke of a man who was used to being obeyed.

Raven slid inside, her fingers gripping the smooth leather seats as she took in the extravagance around her. The car smelled like cedar and something darker—something distinctly Vector.

The ride to the private jet was short, but heavy with silence. She should have asked more questions. Should have demanded answers. But with Vector sitting beside her, exuding raw power and control, the words tangled in her throat.

The jet was waiting at the far end of the airport grounds, a massive, gleaming aircraft sitting under the golden glow of the runway lights. It wasn’t just wealth—it wasold money, power, and influencewrapped in polished steel and luxury.

Vector helped her out of the car and tucked her hand in his as they approached the jet. A uniformed attendant greeted them with a professional nod. “Everything is prepared, sir.”

Vector barely spared the man a glance. “Good.”

Talon stepped ahead, murmuring something into his comms, eyes scanning the area. Raven swallowed, watching the way the guards moved—silent, alert, always watching. It was both reassuring and unnerving. Why did Vector need this kind of protection? Who was he, really? She had not had the time, nor the privacy, to do a thorough internet search of him and his family, but she would. Right after Erik gave her back her cell phone.

The stark reminder that she was little more than a prisoner should have set alarm bells ringing in her head. Erik had taken her phone and her car. She was trapped here, with these men and their bodyguards and their helicopters and castles and private jets. The deal had been to help Erik with Vector, not go straight to hot sex in a dungeon buried under a centuries old fortress. She should be thinking about how to escape, not how to get Vector naked.

But that’s where her mind seemed to live since the moment she’d seen him. Now that he’d touched her, the condition had worsened. She wanted to be near him, next to him, touching him, every second like some kind of sickness had invaded her body and she couldn’t live without him. It was more than obsession, it was biological, as if her body needed his to survive. Craved him like it craved oxygen. Like she couldn’t breathe if he wasn’t next to her.

So, she was going along because she didn’t really have a choice, that was true. They were all large, powerful men, armed to the teeth. But the darkest part of her heart knew that wasn’t the only reason. She wanted him. His attention. His touch. His intensity. She wanted the obsession and possessive look in his eyes to be real. For her. She wanted to live under the spell of his protection, the illusion of safety. She’d never felt safe before, not one day in her entire life. Not until she’d been in his arms.

The feeling might be a lie, but it was fucking addictive. She might be going to hell, walking into a nightmare she didn’t understand yet—because these were men with secrets, dark, deadly, probably illegal secrets—but she couldn’t walk away from him now any more than she could leave him to die on that cliff. Something about him called to a primitive part of her that had completely taken control of her life and erased all logic and good sense. If she believed in magic, she would swear he’d given her a love potion and she couldn’t break the spell.

Vector turned to her, his emerald gaze assessing. “Ready?”

Raven lifted her chin and hoped even half of what she was thinking didn’t show on her face. “I’m still waiting to know where we’re going.”

A slow, knowing smirk played on his lips.

Before she could ask him again, he took her hand, guiding her up the stairs into a world ofunimaginable luxury.

The moment Raven stepped inside the luxurious jet, she awed at the sheer extravagance surrounding her. The interior of the plane was unlike anything she had ever seen—dark mahogany paneling, plush cream-colored leather seats, and gold accents gleaming under soft, ambient lighting. A faint scent ofsandalwood and leatherlingered in the air, mingling with something unmistakably Vector.

Talon entered immediately after, checking the space with a quick, practiced sweep, his sharp eyes scanning for anything out of place. Satisfied, he stepped aside, allowing Vector to lead Raven deeper inside. The warmth of his palm against her lower back wasa constant reminder of his presence, of his claim.

“Sit,” Vector instructed, motioning toward the spacious leather seat. Raven hesitated for only a moment before sinking into one, the seat cradling her in a way that was bothluxurious and unsettling. Vector sat next to her.

A steward appeared; a woman impeccably dressed in a sleek black uniform. She greeted them with a professional smile. “Would you care for a drink, sir? Miss?”

Vector didn’t even glance at the menu. “A whiskey. Neat.” His gaze flicked to Raven. “And you?”

She swallowed, still adjusting to this surreal moment. “Just water, please.”

Vector arched a brow but said nothing, merely watching as the woman nodded and disappeared toward the bar at the rear of the cabin.

The hum of the engines intensified as the jet prepared for takeoff. Raven glanced toward the window, the landscape of the airstrip stretching far into the distance. The realization hit her all over again—she had no idea where they were going, no idea why she was here, and yet, here she was.

Vector watched her, his gaze steady, considering. “Tell me about your dreams.”

She turned back to him, blinking. “My dreams?”

He nodded, taking the glass of whiskey the steward had just set down before him. “Yes. What do you want out of life?”

She hesitated, then exhaled, choosing honesty. “I’ve spent years working toward something that finally feels like it’s within reach,” she admitted. “I’m about to make my first big real estate deal. It’s a historic property—beautiful architecture, incredible views. It’s the kind of place that feels… special.”

Vector leaned forward slightly, interest flickering in his emerald eyes. “Describe it to me.”

She did. She spoke of thetowering stone walls, theintricate ironwork on the balconies, the waythe morning light poured through stained-glass windows, painting the floors inshades of crimson and gold.She told him how theair smelled like old wood and salt from the sea, how standing on the property made her feel like she was part of something greater than herself.

When she finished, Vector was quiet, studying her. “You love it.”

She nodded slowly. “Yes.”

“Then why do you not keep it?”

She leaned back in her seat as reality crashed around her ears. “I could never afford a home like that. The commission I make on the sale will be enough for me to get a down payment on a cottage. Maybe, in a few years, I’ll be able to get something bigger. That’s enough for me. I’ve never had a home of my own. I don’t mind starting small.”

A small smile ghosted across his lips. “I see. So, not only are you beautiful and kind, but you are also patient. Ambitious. Practical. All admirable traits in a woman.”

Something about the way he said it senta shiver through her. Why did his praise affect her so deeply when nothing anyone else in the world could have said to her would penetrate the thick-plated steel armor she had around her heart? “Are you trying to butter me up?”

His smile transformed his face from drop dead gorgeous to…shit. Was there even a word to describe the panty-soaking heat between her legs? “Is it working?”

“No.” Neither one of them believed her. She narrowed her eyes. “Why do I feel like you’re planning something?”

His smile softened as motioned Talon over and asked for a piece of paper. He wrote something down and handed it back to Talon, who glanced up, nodded and tucked the message away. After that intriguing interlude, he refocused on her. “My plan is to court you. Spoil you. Take care of you and seduce you.” His grin was wicked, and she had to fight like hell to breathe. “I’m going to keep you, Raven. Any questions?”

Holy. Shit. He had to be joking. Right? Well, not about the sex part, but about the keeping her forever part. No one made that kind of commitment after just a day or two. She hesitated for a moment before setting her glass down. “You keep asking about my dreams,” she said, tilting her head slightly. “What about yours?”

Vector's gaze held hers, the emerald depths flickering with something unreadable. He took a slow sip of his drink before answering. “My dreams?”

“Yes.” She leaned forward slightly, curiosity overriding her caution. “What do you want out of life? You almost died. Did that change things for you?”

His expression didn’t change immediately, but something in his posture shifted—more relaxed, yet somehow more intense. “I want what every man wants,” he murmured, his voice lower, rougher. “To find that one person meant for me. To have a family. To build something that lasts with a woman who loves me.”

Raven blinked, caught off guard by his response. She had expected something else—something about power, dominance, or business. Not this. Not something so... personal.

She swallowed, her fingers tightening around the edge of her glass. “You don’t seem like the family type,” she said, her voice quieter now.

The hurt in his eyes made her heart physically ache in her chest. “You have no idea what I would sacrifice for my family,” he countered. “For you.”

A warmth spread through her chest, a strange mix of nerves and something dangerously close to hope. She shouldn’t be affected by his words, but she was. Because a part of her—one she barely acknowledged—wanted the same thing. A home. A place to belong. Someone who looked at her like she was their world.

But Vector wasn’t that man. He couldn’t be. Not after one night.

Could he?

He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to something softer, more intimate. “Does that scare you?”

Raven’s breath hitched. She opened her mouth, then closed it, unable to find the words. Did it scare her? She wasn’t sure. The idea of a man like Vector—possessive, dominant, powerful—wanting something as vulnerable as love and a family? Claiming that he wanted her? It was unsettling. Tempting. Made her want to believe him.

She licked her lips, a nervous habit, and his eyes darkened as he tracked the movement. The air between them thickened, the hum of the jet engines suddenly the only sound filling the space. She could feel the heat of his body despite the space between them, the tension curling in the air like smoke.

“I don’t know what to think,” she admitted finally, her voice barely above a whisper. “You barely know me.”

Vector’s lips curled at the edges, not quite a smile, there was too much pain, too much darkness in his soul for that. “I know enough.”

Her stomach flipped, her heart thudding against her ribs as he leaned back in his seat, watching her with a gaze that made her feel stripped bare, exposed.

The tension between them thickened, like an invisible pull tightening around them. Raven’s breath came slower, shallower, as Vector’s thumb brushed over the inside of her wrist again, lingering there, pressing lightly against her racing pulse. Her entire body feltalive with a low hum buzzing through every cell, hyperaware of him, the heat radiating off his skin, the scent of him—a mix of spice, cedar, and something purely masculine.

His gaze dipped briefly to her lips, and she knew— knew —that he was considering closing the space between them, that if she leaned forward even an inch, his mouth would claim hers.

She swallowed hard, forcing herself to look away, to break whatever spell had settled between them. But his grip on her wrist tightened slightly, enough to make her aware that he wasn’t letting her go just yet.

“Not yet,” he murmured, more to himself than her, his voice rough.

Not yet? The words sent another shiver through her, a mix of relief and disappointment curling deep in her stomach. She wasn’t sure what she would have done if he had kissed her, but the realization that she might have let him wasterrifying.

Talon, seated across the aisle from them, cleared his throat. “ETA is under two hours.”

Vector didn’t look away from Raven. “Then we have plenty of time.”

Raven forced herself to look out the window, watching the endless sky stretch out before them. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she had just stepped into something far more dangerous than she was prepared for.

Raven glanced between them. Plenty of time for what?