Aaron raised his hands, palms face up. "I'll do my best."
Leana rose to her feet, allowing Mikhail to lead her to the door.
Pausing there, Leana turned. A smile softened her features. "Aaron, take care of yourself."
In that moment, Aaron knew that he'd do anything to protect her and this adopted city of his. He placed his hand over his heart. "Rest assured, Mayor. As long as I'm alive, I'll never let any harm come to anyone in this city."
Part II
11
Hope
On her return from Bombay, Hope had told Eve what had taken place. She'd revealed their identity as dragon shifters to the world. There was no turning back from that.
Eve was disappointed but resigned.
Her calm acceptance only made it worse.
Hope would’ve preferred to have Eve rage at her. But sometimes her sister was wise beyond her years. She knew being reasonable about it would only make Hope feel terrible about her mistake.
A couple of days later, when Eve sent Caleb to get her, Hope assumed it was important.
As she entered the large hall used for official visits, that fiery heart of hers throbbed. A pulse of such hopeful energy raced through her that Hope stumbled.
Aaron.
"You okay?" Caleb put an arm around her.
The scar on Caleb's cheek lent the man an air of danger. It probably made him irresistible to women. But he only had eyes for Indira, Hope's youngest sister, who stood at the far side of the room near Eve.
“Yes. I’m…fine.” Hope walked forward.
A pine and eucalyptus scent rubbed up against her skin. Inside, her animal unfurled, another pulse of fire jolted through her.
And her heart…that stupid, hopeful thing bloomed with hope.
Her dragon didn't care that soon she'd have to choose one from among the male dragons in this land. No, all the dragon knew was that this male was enticing, that he was hers.
Being with Aaron meant freedom in a way she had never known before. A freedom to be herself.
The realization stopped her in her tracks once more.
All eyes swiveled to her, but she barely noticed.
All she could see was Aaron. The man she'd met in the bar and who'd kissed her like he was sinking, and she was the only thing that could save him.
The man who was looking at her as if he wanted to consume her whole. The man looking at her with such intense desire that a curl of desire licked her lower belly.
Heat from his body reached out to her, and her throat went dry.
She couldn't have moved even if she wanted to. Everything else faded out of focus. Hope forgot where she was, that there were other people.
All she knew was that she wanted this man. That it was more than just lust…it was a primal need to be with him.
There was not going to be any walking away unscathed.
Then, Aaron swiveled his gaze to where Caleb's hand was still slung over her shoulders, and those blue eyes froze into chips of ice. His jaw hardened, and his hands curled into fists at his sides.
Her dragon realized he was jealous and reveled in the sheer insanity of his reaction.
The human part of her cautioned that there was no future for them together.
Perhaps Caleb felt it, because he moved away, dropping his hand, his attention sliding between her and Aaron.
Only Eve seemed unaware of the simmering tension. She stood on a raised platform at the far end of the large room. Behind her, a dragon skull covered the length of the wall.
Hope very much wanted to ask Eve what Aaron was doing there. But she kept her eyes averted, reining in her feelings.
Aaron must have tracked them down, thanks to her having told him they were from Mauritania. Likely, he wanted to cut some kind of deal with Eve. It could be the only reason why he was here.
Unless he’d come for her.
Hope pushed the thought out of her head, not even wanting to contemplate what that meant.
"Why are we here, Eve?" Indira's voice rang around the room. Hands on her tiny waist, the youngest of the dragon shifters shuffled her feet clad in open-toed sandals. Her silk cotton skirt flowed over legs that seemed too long for her petite figure. Her short blonde hair was cropped close so it was a glossy cap.
She was the most ethereal-looking of her siblings.
Hope could see why Caleb was fixated with her.
Indira's delicate beauty brought out the protective instincts of any male she met.
Eve raised her chin, her glossy dark hair swirling over her shoulders. She stalked over to the center of the raised platform. "A female dragon shifter has been kidnapped by an Elysian telekinetic.”
Hope's nerves twanged. The Elysians had reached her city?
“This, after an Elysian teleporter attacked Bombay and Hope just happened to be there to fight him."
Hope took a step forward, chest thrust out. "Hang on just a second—"
Eve raised an eyebrow.
Hope fell silent, forcing herself to swallow her words. Eve was very much in alpha mode. Hope had no choice but to hear her out.
Eve gestured to Aaron. "Then, Hope's boyfriend, who is also the representative of the Council of Bombay, turns up, offering an alliance."
"He's not my boyfriend," Hope growled, finally lifting her eyes to meet Aaron.
She was braced for it, yet the force of his gaze punched into her like the monsoon winds.
Hope was a dragon shifter.
On a psychic level, she was the strongest of the species. Yet the force of Aaron's gaze threatened to overpower her.
Something hot flared in his eyes, tugging a curl of desire in her womb.
"Well," Aaron drawled, his voice scraping over her sensitized nerve endings, "our brief encounter did have us parting more than just friends. I'd say we are partners."
Eve held up a hand. "I haven't yet agreed to a partnership."
To Hope's relief, Aaron turned that brilliant blue gaze away from her and onto Eve.
"The Elysians are as strong as dragon shifters. You can't defeat them on your own. A partnership with the Council of Bombay means you have the Ascendants and some very powerful shifters on your side." Aaron sounded respectful but firm. "You need us."
"But can I trust you and the Council, immortal?" Eve placed an arm on a thrust-out hip. "I suggest a test to decide if our two races can work together." Her gaze darted from Aaron to Hope.
"Eve!" Hope ground her teeth, curling her fingers into fists at her sides. Her sister had a wicked sense of what constituted fun.
Eve's eyes widened.
Hope did not trust that innocent look in her eyes. When Eve got that way, it only meant trouble.
"You know where the Elysian live, don't you?" One foot clad in thigh-high boots tapped the floor.
"Me?" Hope's cheeks flushed. "Of course not."
Her sister's eyes narrowed.
Hope huffed out a breath. "Yeah, yeah. Okay. I've been there. What do you want from me, a full confession?" Her voice quivered with hidden rage.
The Seychelles, the island nation of the Elysians, had been as much out of bounds as Bombay. But for Hope, that had only represented a challenge. She hadn't rested until she'd found a way to slip in and out of both undetected.
But Eve knew that already.