Page 18 of Her Dragon Defender

"I'm so sorry," she babbled. "I don't know what came over me. I just...it must have been all the champagne. I didn't mean to." Yet the crazy thing was, she wanted to do it again. What was wrong with her tonight?

Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, where Eden could definitely see a streak of blood, Blaze backed away from her. "Someone's coming," he said in a low voice.

Eden's eyes widened. "You mean you're not my Prince Charming? The guy who lured me up here?"

"Of course not. I don't trap women in towers. Especially not in Tremotino's house. In fact, I'm sure the tower is off limits to guests, so you wouldn't be here if he didn't want you to be. If anyone lured you here, it would be him. In fact, I'm surprised he didn't drug your drink, too, while he was at it." Blaze reached for the champagne glass and sniffed. "Yep, enough to down an elephant...if you weren't part shifter. This proves you must have shifter ancestry. If you didn't, you'd have passed out on the bed by now, helpless to resist him and whatever he wants from you." Blaze looked thoughtful. "Actually, that's exactly what you should do. Lie down on the bed and pretend to be passed out. I'll hide behind the door, so when he comes in, I'll grab him, and together we'll interrogate him to find out where Diana is."

This was crazy. Lying down on a bed with her eyes closed while a strange man she barely knew entered the room, expecting another strange man she didn't know much better to protect her?

He was Diana's brother, and a dragon. He was more than a match for any man.

Maybe he was a mind reader, too, as he said, "I promise no harm will come to you. I'll protect you."

More than ever, Eden wished Diana were here, to tell her whether her brother could be trusted or if he was the kind of arsehole she should avoid.

Never mind that she wanted to get naked with him, and had been ready to get into bed with him before they'd been rudely interrupted by footsteps on the stairs.

"You'd better," she hissed as she climbed onto the bed, then stretched out in the centre. Any man who wanted to touch her would have to climb across an expanse of mattress to get to her. It would give her a few seconds' warning, if Blaze didn't keep his promise.

Scraping sounds at the door echoed through the tower room, as Eden held her breath. Then the lock clicked, and the door creaked open.

TWENTY-ONE

"Ah, once again, I have perfect timing. What a good little girl, drinking all that champagne. Now you're exactly where I want you, so I can start enjoying my night. Ah, but before I forget...I brought another drink for you. A little something that will go nicely with your hangover tomorrow, just in case you do remember any of this. This potion will ensure you don't remember a thing." He paused. "I should probably tie you up, first. Can't have you leaving that bed until I'm finished with you."

Something clinked – him setting the potion bottle on the table, Eden decided, peering through her lashes – before he turned to rake her reclining body with his calculating gaze.

Then Craig Tremotino, taking the fairytale theme to the ultimate extreme, began monologuing all the degrading things he intended to do to her body. Supervillain, much? Ugh. Eden hoped Candace married the man, then divorced him and took him to court for every penny he owned.

If Blaze didn't kill him first.

Where was Blaze? He'd promised to protect her, but Tremotino was getting closer and closer, reaching for her...

A growl ripped through the room, the sort of sound that couldn't have come from anything human.

"Who the fuck are you?"

"Where's my sister?" Blaze demanded.

"You? What are you doing in my house? I don't know how you got through my security, but I'll throw you out myself. Then, when I'm done with her, I'll find your sister and do exactly the same things to her. Only I'll take longer, and enjoy it more."

"Cut the bullshit," Blaze growled. "You had Eden locked in here like a prisoner, and my sister disappeared without a trace the night she attended a ball here at your castle. I know you're behind it."

"You don't know nearly as much as you think," Craig replied, thrusting out his hands. A cloud of stinging smoke billowed out, making Eden's eyes water. Then she inhaled a breath of the stuff, and once she started coughing, she couldn't stop.

Arms scooped her up and carried her out to the balcony, so she could fill her lungs with fresh air. The smoke apparently hadn't affected Blaze. Maybe dragons were immune to that, too.

"Are you all right?" Blaze asked.

Eden barely had time to nod once, before he set her on her feet and raced back inside.

TWENTY-TWO

Blaze was torn between his desire to take Eden far away from the man who wanted to hurt her...and the even stronger desire to rip Tremotino limb from limb for threatening her in the first place.

His lips burned from her bite – which shouldn't be possible. Something so tiny should have healed instantly.

Unless she truly was his mate, and that bite had been her initiating the bond when he was too busy dithering to do it.

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