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Jinn

O ut in the middle of nowhere, with no hope left, I never imagined being rescued, let alone rescued by a powerful athlete celebrity.

It was all like a dream and I wasn't waking up. Maybe I was unconscious and dying, still out there in the dark woods with Colt circling overhead making sure no one got to me except him.

Maybe I had already died and this was the afterlife.

The pathway leading to the front door had no steps, for which I was grateful. Getting used to crutches looked easy but wasn't, especially when my other muscles were all still so raw.

Lyric opened doors for me, hustled me straight to a first-floor guest room with pretty blue curtains, and helped me to the bed. I desperately wanted to see his house, but I wasn’t in any shape for a tour.

He plumped my pillows. Got me water. Showed me to the door to the bathroom.

I leaned back on fluffy pillows. The bed was cool and soft. I shut my eyes. It seemed like only a moment, but when I opened them Lyric was coming through the door with a tray that held orange juice, a sandwich and a bowl of fruit.

He saw I was awake and said, nodding to the tray as he set it down, “Just in case.”

“Thank you.”

“If you need help with anything, you let me know.” Then he set a cell phone next to me. “It’s brand new. I programmed my number into it so you can call or text when you need me. Just until we get your own things from your place.”

“You’re doing too much,” I protested.

He wrung his hands. “I wish I could do more.”

“You don’t need to worry about me so much.”

His mouth opened. His face became darker. “You didn’t see yourself when I brought you up to the roost. I would never have left you like that. You look much better now, but Colt is still out there. If anything happened to you, I’d never forgive myself.”

I looked away, almost embarrassed but more—flattered? “You didn’t sign up for this.”

“I did. The moment Lyrican hid you.”

“Lyrican.” The name sounded like a song. “He’s a great dragon.”

“He feels responsible for you.”

I started to turn away.

Lyric held up his hand. “In a good way. Protective. That sort of thing. He’s been discontented lately. It gives him purpose other than racing to have helped you. And I can’t deny I don’t share his feelings.”

I couldn’t help but wonder if it was because I was a rare omega and he was an alpha. But then I remembered how Lyrican fought and bled to protect me. Deep inside, my omega instincts sparked to life. He’d risked himself to protect a stranger. It made my blood rush. I was grateful for my life. And to see another dragon care enough to make sure I kept my life was, well—it was hot.

“It’s not that I’m not grateful. I am. But it’s all so much. I don’t know what to do with all this kindness and generosity.” My eyes heated.

“Maybe think of it this way. You’re giving to us, as well.”

“How?”

“You give us something to do other than focus on racing. Lyrican was tired.” Lyric sat on the edge of the bed, glancing up at the ceiling. “Please don’t tell anyone, but he has been refusing to race anymore.”

“What?”

Lyric nodded. “We have some things to work out.”

“But he won that last race, right?”

“Yes. But for him, flying is about more than winning. And becoming a star athlete turned flying into a chore. We went to every race and did our best for years. And we were good. But it can become stressful. Painful. Even tedious.”

“But being the best—there must be no better feeling.”

He smiled. “It’s wonderful. But it’s not everything. It’s not real after you go home alone and look at all the medals on your wall. It sets a beautiful stage. It makes life easier for us in many ways. But Lyrican is feeling the toll. And I have to admit, so am I.” He shrugged, laughing as if embarrassed he’d said too much. “What does all this have to do with you? Well, it’s nice to have a guest who isn’t hounding us for something.”

“That makes no sense. My situation puts me in a position of needing help.”

“You’re not hounding me like agents and PR people and the press.”

I tried to put together everything he was saying. He had wanted a break. I had changed his focus. Was he saying he wanted that? That I was helping him somehow? I couldn’t quite believe that.

“But you’re giving. I’m taking. It’s probably the usual for you. People take from you all the time, right?’

He lowered his head. “Hmm. I don’t feel it the same as you make it sound. Rescuing you is like maybe I’m doing something important, really meaningful, for the first time in my life.”

My ears reverberated with his words. As if I needed to hear them a second and third time. “Meaningful?”

“Yes.”

“I think what you do is meaningful.”

“Winning races? Sure. And over the years I’ve stretched myself beyond boundaries I thought I could never cross. It challenged me. And Lyrican and I do love a challenge. We made racing our whole life. But there’s more.” His eyebrows moved up, then down. “I can’t imagine not trying to rescue someone in trouble. And you being here gives us more to focus on.” He got up, running his hand through his hair. “It’s a nice change. I’m sorry it’s such a dark time for you, but we’ll make it better. I want to help.”

I could only nod, speechless.

When he left me, I stared around the room. It was fancy but not overly decorated, with pictures on the walls of forests, and ornamental molding with a curlicue pattern around the ceiling.

I drank a bit of the orange juice, which tasted fresh squeezed and was blissfully refreshing to my weary body. Then I hunkered down in the bed, still wearing hospital scrubs, and fell asleep.

I woke with an urgent bladder. I sat up, swung my legs over the side of the bed and, without thinking, stood up. Pain shot up from my ankle doubling me over. I sat back down on the side of the bed quietly moaning.

I glanced around for my crutches. They were leaning against the wall just out of arms’ reach.

I looked down. They'd wrapped my ankle in the hospital, but it didn't feel like it had any support at all.

Slowly, I got up on one foot. I leaned down to support myself on the bedstand and gave a little hop. Just that much movement jolted my ankle as I held it uselessly in front of me. I winced, then gritted my teeth waiting for the pain to recede. I guessed the shot they've given me had worn off.

I heard the door quietly open. As I looked up, Lyric poked his head in.

“Ohh, you’re up.”

“Barely.”

Immediately, he swung open the door and hurried over to my crutches, grabbing them and handing them to me.

“Sorry, I should have put them closer to you. Ankle hurting?”

“I can't put any weight on it at all. I found that out the hard way.” I positioned the crutches beneath my underarms.

“I'm so sorry.” He held up a little paper bag. “Your prescription came if that helps at all.” He set it on the table.

“Thanks. I'll take one, but I really gotta pee.”

Lyric went to the bathroom door and opened it for me, standing to the side as I stumbled through. When I got to the other side he politely shut it. I knew he was waiting for me to finish and normally I would consider it an intrusion, but with him it felt good, as if I was being looked after and very well cared for.

Once I got to the toilet, I could balance myself hands free. Good thing I didn't have to do anything other than pee.

When I finished, I got the chance to look around. For a guest bathroom it was quite lavish with a claw foot tub and a huge walk-in glass shower. I longed to feel cool water pouring over me. When I looked down at my hands and forearms, I could see I was still dirty despite them trying to clean me up at the hospital. Plus, I really needed to wash my hair.

I hopped on my crutches to the door and opened it. Lyric stood with his arms crossed over his chest staring out the window. It was still light out so I must not have slept long. From where I stood, I could see green hills leading to dense forest and a violet sky overhead.

“Any word on if they caught him yet?” I asked.

“Nothing yet.”

I sighed heavily, not moving.

Lyric turned to look at me. “As long as you're here you don't need to worry. Security is very tight, and the police are making rounds every hour. I don't think Colt knows where I live anyway.”

“I don't know anything about him,” I said. “He could have followed us and we'd never have known it. He could be really stupid or really smart, I just don't know.”

Lyric nodded. “Would you like to go back to bed? Would you like something to eat?”

“What I'd really like is a shower.” I spoke without thinking. When I realized what I'd said my face flushed all over because I knew I couldn't take a shower by myself with my sprained ankle.

“Do you need help?”

I bowed my head. “I think I might.”

Lyric frowned, tilting his head beyond my shoulder and into the bathroom. “My shower upstairs has a place to sit if that helps. How to get you up those stairs is another matter.”

“That's okay. I think I can make do here.”

“What I mean is I'd have to carry you which is no problem for me but might be awkward for you.”

“Carry me?”

“It'd be like carrying a couple baskets of feathers since you're so small.”

I ducked my head.

“No offense,” Lyric added.

I thought about it. Which would be more embarrassing? Having him carry me? Or having him stand at the door of the shower holding me up while I tried to wash my hair?

“Are you sure I'm not intruding?”

“Positive.” This time his smile flashed beautiful white teeth.

“All right. I'll take you up on your invitation to shower in your room.”

“Excellent choice. Hand me your crutches.”

I did as he asked and he leaned them against the wall saying, “I'll bring them up later.”

Then he held out his arms, one going under my knees and the other supporting my upper back. As I was lifted up off the ground I wobbled for a moment feeling I'd lost my balance again. I grabbed for his shoulder, my fingers twisting in the neckline of his shirt. He’d changed out of the hospital scrubs probably while I napped. His shirt was a white cotton pullover and smelled soapy fresh.

Before I could orient myself, he swung me around and we were out the door, down the hall and moving up the stairs. I could barely catch my breath. I tried to tell myself it was because I was tired, but in truth it was because of the nearness of him, and the sheer strength of an alpha with his arms wrapped around me. I might have been injured but I was still human. I responded as any warm-blooded omega would. With an erection.

At least I would have privacy in the shower.

Let him see you are a proud omega.

Jinnan had been so silent during all of this. I assumed he was scared and unsure of our future. Like me. But he didn’t sound that way now.

I am proud. But jumping into things without thinking got me into this awful situation.

You were drunk. Colt spiked your drink. That’s not who you are.

I was stupid and we’re paying for it.

Lyric said it was Colt’s fault, not yours. Remember that.

He was right. I did have a tendency to blame myself a lot for any bad thing that happened to me. Colt being feral—or whatever his problem was—was not my fault.

When we got to Lyric’s bedroom, which was a massive suite with white rugs, a black bed and maroon curtains, he immediately entered the bathroom. I realized I would still need his help to get undressed and into the shower before I had any privacy.

I was used to sometimes shifting with other dragons. That meant being naked in a group. But there were protocols for that. It was like a locker room. You didn't stare at people disrobing. Not that Lyric would stare. He’d already seen me naked back at the roost. But that was when I was too scared and too hurt to really notice. Now I was clear-headed. He was my rescuer. And I wanted him. I was hard for him.

What would he think of me? What would he do? So far, he'd been the perfect gentleman. I guess I would find out if he remained that way.