She’s a virgin. Something a dragon couldn’t resist, it was like his own personal brand of drug. Her scent had haunted him from the moment he’d met her, and he couldn’t resist luring her to the firelight earlier tonight. It was an old trick his father had once spoken of. A male dragon could use a fire’s glow to draw a female dragoness to him. She wouldn’t be able to resist the gleam, crackle, and spark. And once she was close, a kiss to claim and keep her. And it had worked with Piper, though not in the sameway.
He smiled at the memory of glimpsing her at the top of the stairs, wearing that beautiful red gown. The dress had demanded to be touched, as did her body. The flush in her cheeks, the lips parted in surprise, and those eyes, an ever-changing blue-gray that fascinated him. Tonight he’d watch them change like a gem held up to candlelight, watching shadows darken and transform the facets of thejewel.
It had been impossible not to lure her closer, separate her from the crowd, and draw her into a dark world of hot, slow kisses and exploring hands. It had taken every ounce of restraint he possessed to go slow and simply taste her lips tonight. She had tasted like perfection, a sinfully ripe fruit that made himdizzy.
Now that he’d had a chance to kiss her and had seen the answering gleam in her eyes, he wasn’t going to back down. She was his mate, and he would find a way to claim her…once he had stolen back hisjewels.
She agreed to wait for me. He didn’t plan to let her get cold feet, not when everything between them had burned hot enough to set the roomablaze.
The last light in the auction house went dark, and Mikhail slunk along the mews until he reached the back door that led to the kitchens. Belishaw had mesmerized the guards earlier that evening. As a longtime acquaintance of Thorne’s, he had the run of the auction house and had used the last hour before the party ended to take care of the security detail. They all manned their posts, but they wouldn’t see Mikhail or anything else unless he wishedit.
A dragon’s ability to mesmerize could beveryuseful.
He retrieved an old set of picks from his pocket and crouched by the keyhole. He made quick work of the lock and slipped inside. The alarm beeped his entry, and he turned to the small white keypad and entered the code a helpful female servant had provided him. It was always amusing to see a female lose her senses when a dragon turned on his charm. At least he was not as rusty in his ability to seduce as Belishaw had led him tobelieve.
Mikhail moved silently through the house. She had to be upstairs, and once he had her under his command, he’d take the jewels. His heart beat wildly as he eased open the first few doors on the upper landing and checked. NoPiper.
The last door opened with a creak, and every muscle in him tensed. After a moment he pulled the door all the way open and froze. In the center of a large four-poster bed, he saw Piper. She was stretched out on her side, her curves on full display. The way her dress draped down her hips and her shapely legs peeked out from the skirts made Mikhail swallow down a sudden flare ofdesire.
No. Notyet…
Her scent was intoxicating. He growled as the dragon prowled and paced beneath his skin. Now came the hard part. He knew she would not help him willingly. She was a woman with honor, and she wasn’t going to like what he planned to donext.
I am a bastard, but those jewels are rightfully mine, and I do not have the time toexplain.
The wood floor creaked and groaned beneath his feet the moment he reached the bed. Piper stirred. Her long dark brown lashes fluttered up. Those pale blue eyes widened, and she tensed as she saw him, her mouth open in a silent fit of surprise. He leaned over and clapped a hand over her mouth. She fell flat on the bed, a muffled cry vibrating beneath hishand.
“Easy, love. I said I would be back, didn’t I? I don’t wish to hurt you. But you will listen,yes?”
Her eyes locked on his, and she gave a jerky nod. The scent of fear rolled off her, and he cursed silently to himself. He didn’t want to do this, but he didn’t have any options. It was the only way he could get to the jewels before they weresold.
“You’re going to help me, aren’t you?” he asked. The look of confusion in Piper’s eyes told him she still didn’t understand why he washere.
He continued to lean over her on the bed, his hand on her mouth. “You have access to thejewels?”
A tiny, shakynod.
“Good. Now listen to me carefully.” He studied her eyes and noticed the lessening of trembling in her body as his mesmerizing gaze took hold. Her pupils dilated, and she was almost glassy-eyed.
“I am going to remove my hand. You will not scream, and you will not be afraid. You are going to help me open the safe, and we’re going to take the jewels to their rightful home.” He carefully pulled his hand away. Piper released a soft gasping breath but didn’tscream.
“Now.” He reached for her, and she tensed. He growled in frustration and gripped her arm gently as he pulled her off thebed.
“You won’t hurt me?” she whispered, still in adaze.
Mikhail cupped her chin and gazed down at her. “I will never hurt you. You have no reason to fear me and every reason to help me. Do you understand?” She had no reason to fear him, but the same couldn’t be said of the consequences of their actions. While he didn’t like making her an accomplice, he had to use her. She knew how to get into the safe. But his plan had accounted for all that—there would be no record of her helping him once this was allover.
She was barefoot, which was a good thing, and he nudged her ahead of him, keeping hold of her arm. If she got too far away from him, he risked losing control over her. Free will was important between mates, and a dragon’s biology made it impossible for them to coerce their potential mates forlong.
“Take me to the jewels.” He had arranged for Belishaw to wait in the mews with a vehicle. Once Mikhail was ready, he would load the jewels inside the vehicle. Piper walked slowly ahead of him, and he nudged her lower back with his otherhand.
“Quickly,love.”
She jerked forward, and they returned downstairs to the ballroom. The jewels had been collected from the display cases, which now satempty.
“This way. They were secured in the vault after the last guest left.” Piper took him to a small door built into the wall. She released a hidden latch, and the door swung open, revealing a tiny reinforced room that contained a large vault built into the back wall. She glanced at him, biting her lip, and he nodded. Already his hold over her seemed to be fading, but he would wait to use it again if hecould.
“Openit.”
