Chapter One
Dreagan
February
“Vaughn.”
He turned to the seductive voice, seeking the supple body, the undeniable pleasure he knew awaited them both. His arms wound around her as his lips descended upon hers. The kiss was fire and flame, consuming and devouring.
Desire and lust collided in a beautiful, timeless dance.
They were skin to skin, their limbs tangled as they sought to get closer, ever closer. The passion had begun as a spark, but that had soon turned into a raging inferno. The intensity of what he felt, the force of his need, his hunger, left him shaking. Completely addicted.
And she was his only cure.
Her skin was as soft as silk. Her lips decadent and utterly erotic. Her long hair brushed against his body, teasing him. He couldn’t stop running his hands over her sensual form. There wasn’t another soul like her in the entire universe.
She sighed as he kissed down her neck and cupped her full breast. Her breath hitched when his tongue flicked over her nipple. He could feel the heat of her body, hear the soft cries falling from her lips, and taste the sweat and desire on her skin.
He groaned when her fingers wrapped around his arousal. She moved her hand up and down his length, bringing him closer and closer to orgasm. He didn’t know how many times they had shared their bodies. Whenever he was with her, time ceased, and he forgot everything else. There was nothing but her.
His breathing hitched. He wanted to stop her, to wait to take his pleasure until he’d made her climax at least twice. Her lips traveled down his neck and lower to his chest across his tattoo. The skin beneath the tat warmed from her touch. Her lips wrapped around his nipple, and she flicked her tongue over the hard bud. He was powerless to resist her. Wherever she touched, he burned. Eager.
Aching for more.
With every pump of her hand, he felt his orgasm approaching. He tried to open his eyes and see her face, but he couldn’t. Then, it didn’t matter because his body flooded with ecstasy. He reached for her, needing to hold her, to feel her against him.
Only she was gone.
Vaughn wrenched open his eyes to find himself alone, his harsh breaths filling his bedroom. He glanced down at his stomach to see evidence of his dream.
“Fuck,” he murmured and rolled out of bed to clean himself off.
He tossed aside the towel and stood in the doorway of the bathroom, looking at his bed. The sheets were in disarray, the pillows on the floor. If he didn’t know better, he’d say he’d had a fun romp with someone. Only, there hadn’t been anyone but her.
And, unfortunately, he hadn’t seen her anywhere but in his dreams in a very long time.
When would this end? Vaughn wasn’t sure how much more he could take. It had been thousands of years since she had come into his life. One night. One beautiful, incredible night. Then, she vanished like smoke. No matter how far and wide he looked, he had yet to find her. He didn’t even know her name.
Hell, he barely remembered her face. No matter how hard he tried to recall details of her, he came up empty. And the harder he tried, the more what little he did recall faded.
Vaughn shook his head as he dropped his chin to his chest. He could remember every detail of her body. He knew her sighs, her soft moans of pleasure. He knew the smell of her skin, the feel of her against him.
It was the other details he couldn’t recollect that made him want to bellow to the heavens in frustration.
That night, so long ago, had been clear and sultry. Something had drawn him out. The full moon hung large and low in the sky as billions of stars watched from above. And the magic had been heavy and intoxicating.
He had left Dreagan with no particular destination in mind, flying for miles until he spotted the fires. He’d landed unseen far from the village and walked there in his human form. The Celtic tribe’s cheers had been boisterous and infectious. They danced and celebrated their victory against an enemy around huge fires with flames that attempted to reach the moon.
They welcomed him, shoving a horn of mead into his hand. Vaughn had always had a particular interest in the Celts. They were attuned to the Earth in a way that others weren’t. He’d been content to watch them despite their attempts to get him to join them.
Vaughn had moved away from the group and leaned against an ancient, gnarled oak with limbs that twisted and reached outward. He watched the festivities with a smile, content to witness the celebration. The mead was particularly good. Or perhaps it was the magic in the air.
The British Isle thrummed with magic. It was why the Dragon Kings had made their home in Scotland, where the heart of the planet’s magic sprang forth. Dragon Kings were especially in tune with magic in all beings and creatures. Many times, mortals had no idea that magic was there, sometimes even changing events. That was because the humans couldn’t feel it. But Vaughn did. It was thick, hanging heavily in the air like an invisible mist. Even if he had wanted to walk away, he wouldn’t have been able to.
Then, he’d seen her across one of the great fires. She had stood staring at him. He’d immediately felt her pull, the attraction instant and irresistible. That’s when he realized that she was the reason he had been drawn from Dreagan. The firelight gave her blond locks a red-orange tint. They said nothing as they started toward each other in unison, weaving through others and around the fires.
Until they were face-to-face.
For the first time in his life, he couldn’t find words. He didn’t know what to say. And yet, there was so much he wanted to say to her. She took his hand and, with a smile, led him to a cottage. The red-orange glow from a fire in the hearth coated the inside of the home. She faced him, and before he could speak, her mouth was on his.
Everything he’d ever felt, ever would feel had been in her kiss.
The emotions had been crushing and exhilarating at first. But it didn’t take long for them to consume him. Just as his desire did.
He forgot about hiding who he was from the mortals, forgot about not showing his magic in front of them—because he had needed to feel her skin against his. Without hesitation, he used magic to remove their clothes.
Vaughn had no idea how many times they shared their bodies that night. Passion had never overtaken him in such a way before. Not before then. And not since. It wasn’t until the sun woke him and he found himself alone in the bed that he realized he didn’t know her name. He hadn’t been too worried, at first. He’d assumed the cottage was hers.
But as the hours passed, and she didn’t return, he decided to look for her. No one in the village knew of who he spoke. Worry crept in, but he didn’t give up. He spent over a week with the tribe, hoping to see her again. With each day that passed without her, Vaughn began to wonder if she had been real at all.
He returned to Dreagan and tried to forget that night—and her. But it was impossible. That’s when his search began. He’d looked far and wide, combing through the tiniest villages to the biggest cities, to no avail. Even when he realized that she was most likely dead, he still looked. Hoping against hope that he would somehow find her one day.
Perhaps that’s why he discovered her in his dreams.
Vaughn blew out a breath and lifted his head, gently shaking the memories back into their corners. He couldn’t go on like this much longer. He didn’t know if this unknown woman he’d searched for through thousands of years was his mate or not. Maybe not knowing who she was had caused him to latch onto her and dream about her.