Page 19 of Inferno (Drake Security Book 4)

VALENTINO

Thirty minutes later, I pace the living room waiting for Xaze to come down. To say I’m restless is an understatement. Not only are we potentially walking straight into trouble, but Lake’s words haven’t stopped twisting themselves around in my head.

You two are fated mates.

Fuck. Could it be true? The way my dragon swishes and purrs makes it clear he sure thinks so. Is that why things between me and Xaze have been so… intense? Gods. A mate? I never thought?—

“I’m ready,” Xaze announces from the top of the stairs.

I turn my attention in his direction, my breath catching in my throat. He’s wearing an emerald colored, leather bodysuit that clings to his frame like a second skin. Every curve and lithe muscle is on display. It dips lower in front, revealing the hint of male cleavage created by his pecs. On his feet are black ankle boots with a chunky heel. His wild hair is tied back in a low ponytail.

“I did my best to pack light.”

My pulse beats so loudly I can’t hear anything.

“Tino?”

Blinking hard, I snap out of my haze. “You look…” I swallow hard around the lump in my throat. My body vibrates as he saunters in my direction, humming harder the closer the pretty demon gets.

“Oh, this old thing?” He laughs. “Lake convinced me I needed it in my closet. You like it?”

I nod, too stunned to use words. Xaze pats my cheek, but instead of the smug smirk of a sexy incubus, a soft, brilliant smile spreads across his lips.

“I hoped you would.”

The two of us stand in silence for several beats, searching each other’s eyes. His pupils shift, revealing the demon behind the glamour, and my dragon goes wild, desperate for more. I want to see him as he is. My dragon pushes forward, peering through my eyes.

“There’s my dragon,” Xaze whispers. “Handsome boy. Ready to show me all of you?”

A deep rumble bubbles out of me along with a cloud of smoke.

“I’ll take that as a yes. Come on. Your brother is waiting.”

Xaze takes my hand, leading me out the back door, and suddenly I’m the one with the invisible leash. With the binding spell gone, I really expected to feel like myself again, but nothing happening to me right now is normal.

I look up to see the woods behind my house. “How did you know where to go?” I ask, finally able to speak again.

Xaze shrugs. “You said forest, so this made sense. Besides…” He glances ahead. “I can feel you.”

“Feel me?”

He twists around, walking backward so he’s facing me. “I don’t quite know how to explain it, but it’s kind of like sensing your intentions or motivations? You know where Mac is, so in a way, so do I.”

“Do you like it? Feeling me so much.”

His eyes heat as he nods. “Yes, Tino. I like it.”

Dammit all, I like it too.

We reach the clearing and Mac is there. Nervous energy swirls around him, and he flinches when a twig snaps under Xaze’s boots. He blows out a breath with relief.

“Hey, guys.”

“Hey.” Dropping my bag at my feet, I kick off my boots. “We’re gonna shift.”

Xaze smiles, nearly bouncing on his toes. “What do you need from me?”

“Gather our bags with our clothes so we’re not naked when we get to Switzerland.”

“Boo. I like naked.”

“Focus, Xaze.” I scold him, but I’m fighting back laughter. “And don’t look at my brother.”

“I only have eyes for you.”

“Gag,” Mac says, making heaving noises as he kicks his jeans off. “You guys are gross.”

Xaze shrugs, keeping his eyes trained on me. “I don’t mind being gross with Tino.”

Pulling my shirt over my head, I’m reminded of how they met. “At least I’m not a cock tease just to steal some jewelry.”

Mac narrows his eyes, shooting a look at Xaze before huffing. “He told you.”

“Of course he told me, Mac.”

Mac tugs his underwear off, now completely nude. “Dragon’s gotta do what he’s gotta do. Montrose is pretty and flashy. He’s dragon crack.”

Xaze flips his hair over his shoulders and does a little shimmy. I laugh and shake my head as I finish tucking my clothes into my bag.

“What city?”

“Interlaken,” Mac says. “There’s a little shack on the edge of Lake Thun. My hoard room is under it.”

With a curt nod, I ask, “Ready?”

Mac shakes his arms out. “Ready.”

I crouch and exhale, releasing the tenuous hold I keep on my dragon, allowing him to spread through me and take over. With my eyes on Xaze, my feet start the shift, stretching and growing. My human flesh ripples, quickly taken over by scales, and as my wings unfurl from my back, I release a loud moan of pleasure mixed with just a touch of pain.

Xaze’s eyes go wide as his jaw drops. “Does it hurt?”

“It’s like stretching after being confined for a long time.”

“Your voice,” he whispers. “It’s so deep and… not human. You can still speak in full dragon form?”

“Yeah.” I twitch as my hands start to grow in size, the fingers becoming long and thick with deadly talons on the tips.

The rest of the shift only takes a few seconds, and as I grow to my full untamed size, my dragon scoots closer to our demon, who looks so small and delicate now. Gods, he’s beautiful.

“Oh, Tino,” Xaze says, approaching me with his hand outstretched. “Can I touch you?”

“Please.”

Xaze rubs my snout, causing a contented purr like nothing I’ve experienced before from my dragon.

“You’re beautiful, dragon,” he says. “Breathtaking. I’ve never seen anything so stunning.”

With my dragon preening and leaning into his touch, my chest pulses with too many emotions to process all at once. I want to scoop him up and stomp back to the house, locking us both in my hoard room for eternity.

Xaze’s eyelids flutter. “Soon.”

“What?”

“I want to be alone with you too. It’ll happen when we’re done with our work.”

“Work?”

That’s when Mac loudly clears his throat. Shit. I totally lost the plot.

“Right. Interlaken.”

Xaze nods, smiling. “Should I just climb up?”

Extending my right leg, I nod. “Climb up and hold on.”

As Xaze makes his way onto my back, I feel every touch searing my dragon scales, making me aware of his exact position. He slides between the horns lining my back, wrapping his legs and arms around the one at the base of my skull. He leans forward, brushing fiery lips to my head.

“Can you hear me up here?”

I can’t hear much else. “Yes.”

“Oooh.” He wiggles. “Your whole body vibrates when you speak. Not a good time to make me horny for you, deliciae.”

I snort a laugh. “Can’t help it.”

“Eeep.” He blows out a breath. “We better get going before I embarrass us.”

With a nod, I glance at my brother. He’s smaller than me—and will be until he fully matures—and impatiently stomping back and forth on his four legs.

“Lead the way, Mac.”

He glances at me then lopes forward in a brief run before he takes flight. I’m right behind him, shaking the trees around us with my steps before lifting off the ground.

“All the hounds of hell,” Xaze exclaims. “This is amazing.”

My dragon chuffs with pride as Xaze clings to me. The air passing over us is cool, which is probably the only thing keeping us from bursting into flames.

I can’t help showing off, doing flips and twists in the air that draw excited giggles from my demon.

My mate?

I let that thought bounce around my head for a few seconds before pushing it back. We have bigger issues to tackle at the moment.

If we’re really mates, we have all the time in the world to figure things out.

MONTROSE

After flying over the ocean,I finally relax enough to open my arms and let the air make me feel like I’m the one with wings at the moment. I thought demon travel was pretty badass, but being on the back of a magnificent dragon tops all other modes of travel.

The sound of Tino’s wings flapping heavily soothes me, creating a sense of security that is both foreign and surprisingly welcome. I know I’m safe right now, and if I slipped he would catch me. Would I survive a fall from this height? Well, yes, but not unscathed. And a dip in the cold Atlantic ocean is no demon’s idea of a good time.

While I was thinking, we crossed onto land, quickly passing over the countries of Europe. Tino dips lower so I can see the monuments of Big Ben and then the Eiffel Tower. I briefly wonder how dragons avoid radar and air space issues, but who am I to question how other supernatural beings do their thing?

The Swiss Alps come into view, and seconds after that, a pristine lake. Sunlight glimmers on the surface, reflecting the quaint countryside around it, and Mac descends with Tino following right behind him.

The whole trip took a couple of hours at best. Take that, commercial airline industry.

As we touch down, Tino grunts and a puff of smoke follows the sound still vibrating through me. He crouches, providing me with a slide to the ground. I don’t really want to get down, but we have a dagger to retrieve.

Mac really oversold the building he called a shack. It’s a wood structure barely holding itself upright. Good hiding spot though. No one would bother going inside.

By the time I turn around, a very naked Tino is behind me, digging through his bag for his clothes.

“Boo. I like Dragon Valentino.”

He gazes up at me, eyes full of heat. “You really like my dragon?”

“Way more than like, deliciae. I’ve never seen anything more beautiful.”

He smiles, blowing smoke from his nose and lips as his dragon takes another peek at me. I want to jump into his arms and swallow that smoke, making it part of me. The thought is startling, but at the same time, it feels so right I can’t argue with it.

“I’ll go get it,” Mac says. “You guys stay here.”

“You won’t let your own brother in your hoard room?”

Mac’s cheeks flush. “It’s not that. I just don’t want anyone to see…” His eyes flicker to me. “It’s private.”

“You don’t want me to know all the demon goodies you’ve got down there, huh? Do you think I’ll take them from you?”

Mac shakes his head. “It’s not that either.”

“What’s the problem, Mac?” Tino asks.

He blows out a breath as he shrinks in on himself. “I have weird taste in stuff, okay? I don’t want to explain it.”

Aww, the little twerp is embarrassed about his demon fetish.

Tino squeezes his brother’s shoulder. “Hey, it’s okay. Our dragons dictate what we hoard. You don’t have to be embarrassed by it. I would never question it.”

“Not you,” he mutters.

“Don’t worry about me, little dragon. I couldn’t care less what’s in your hoard, but if it makes you happy, I’ll stay right here.”

Tino grumbles, his eyes shifting back and forth between me and his brother. Aww, sweet.

“Go with him, Tino. I’m fine here. I’ll call out if anything happens. Remember, I’m not your average…” The words fall away as my brain supplies a startling option.

Mate.

“I’m not mortal,” I add. “Go.”

With a final glance, Tino nods, and the two brothers enter the dilapidated building while I admire the lake. I do wonder what Mac is hiding down there, but it’s none of my business. He’s obviously got a thing for demon artifacts, which comes with its own, very obvious challenges. Hopefully, this little episode with Maggard will teach him to avoid it in the future.

Maggard.The name reverberates through me, reminding me just how much I have at stake. If this mission is successful, I might be a hero in my realm. If it doesn’t, I’ll be a cautionary tale.

The sudden tug in my chest reminds me of my sexy dragon and his family. That’s why I’m doing this. It’s time I admit that I don’t want my time in Tino’s life to end. I don’t want to return to my life of hunting human emotions and lust. I’m more than fed by the dragon whose scent I carry.

If the mate thing is true, could he really accept me? Could his family? God of hell, I think I want that.

“Hey.”

His voice falls over me like a soft blanket, and I turn around. “Hi. Got what you needed?”

Mac holds the dagger up. It’s inside a glass box and seems to sparkle with its own internal light. I can see why he snagged it. It’s beyond beautiful.

“There’s a hotel in town,” Mac says. “They always have rooms available. Want to stay there before we go back?”

“Good call.” Tino stares up at the sky. “I’d rather rest up before we fly again.” He turns his sultry gaze to me. “That okay with you?”

“Yeah.” I notice right away that his energy is a little off. “Are you okay?”

“Totally. Let’s go.”

The three of us run through the countryside, making it to town in just a few minutes. A smile pulls at my lips. “It’s a postcard.”

“I like it here,” Mac says. “It’s quiet and the locals are chill. Food’s good too.”

Tino smacks his lips. “I could eat.”

I lick my own lips as his heady wave of gluttonous desire reaches me. “Mm. Yummy.”

“Did you say something?” Tino asks.

“No. Let’s eat.”

A few hoursand several pounds of fried meat and potato dishes later, the three of us return to the hotel. Mac is in an adjoining room, so there’s only a door between us.

Tino clasps Mac’s shoulder as the two stand in the doorway between rooms. “Do you want me to keep the dagger with me?”

“No,” Mac says, his forehead scrunching as he clutches his bag to his chest. “I got it.”

“Fine. No shenanigans,” Tino warns his wayward brother.

“None.”

Tino sighs as he closes the door and turns to where I’m perched on the edge of the bed.

“It’s not bad.”

He smiles, his shoulders dropping. “You’re exactly what I need right now. Take my mind off this mess, huh?”

“Happily. What happened in the hoard room?”

Tino crosses the space, sitting beside me and taking my hand in his. “I’m worried about him, Xaze. He’s got a lot of demon shit down there. What if they all come after him at some point?”

“Oof, that’s not great, but honestly, most demons won’t put that much effort into it. I was driven to chase him because…” The words fall away as I struggle to find an explanation. “The ring is meaningful to me.” Hey, lame, but it’s all I got.

“That’s not a normal reaction for a demon?”

“Nah. I mean, they’d be pissed, but most of them probably didn’t notice. Unless it’s something important, like a magic dagger, it’ll be centuries before they even realize something is gone, and by then they won’t remember the interaction. In fact, little insider knowledge here, but most artifacts are things we stole from humans or other supes first.”

Tino chuckles, his shoulders dropping even more. “That makes me feel better. Thanks.”

“My pleasure, deliciae.” I brush my fingers under his chin. “You sure are a pretty dragon. Truly magnificent. I guess I should’ve known based on what the man looks like.”

Tino’s eyes heat and flash into slits as a puff of smoke billows from his mouth. I lean in, sucking the smoke into my own mouth and holding it there.

“Fuck,” he whispers. “Let me see you, Xaze. You. Your true form.”

His request startles me. “Are you sure?”

“More sure than I’ve ever been about anything.”

My brow crinkles with indecision. Part of me knows he’ll accept me, but it’s so rare that I willingly let it out, and never in front of someone I want in my bed.

“Come on, gorgeous,” he says. “I want you to be yourself with me.”

How can I argue with that?

After a brief nod, I stand, positioning myself between his legs. With a flick of my wrist, my human glamour slips, falling away as quickly as the bodysuit I peel off.

My skin loses its peachy hue, becoming gray with streaks of blue. My face contorts, elongating my jaw and forehead while my legs lengthen and my feet curve into claws. A moan of pure relief rises out of me as my wings unfold and spread out behind me, while my tail releases from its tightly coiled position. My cock, heavy and thick, juts from between my legs. I’m truly shocked at the lust flowing through me before I realize it’s not my emotion.

It’s Valentino’s.

“Gods of fire,” he whispers. “Xazedose, you are breathtaking.”