Page 5 of Dragon Tempted

He watched her walk to the SUV and ride away before he blew out a deep breath. That woman was trouble. Gorgeous, determined, smart, strong — yep, trouble. And even though he’d just met her, he knew that she had acquiesced way too easily.

Why did he have a feeling she wasn’t going to truly walk away from this? From him?

He hoped he was wrong. Because the oracle line wasn’t the only part of the curse to be concerned about. Even though the last sentence talked of magic being restored, his one hope for centuries, it wouldn’t be easy. And he couldn’t forget the lines that preceded it.

Blood will be shed.

He’d always known to the depths of his dragon soul that things would get bloody, and he would sacrifice himself to end this curse. And it wasn’t a coincidence that the curse also referred to sacrifice.

But he wanted Sienna far, far away when the danger came. Hell, maybe it was time to back away from Eric and Megan and the rest of their clan too.

They had already been hurt once by his interference. He wouldn’t let anyone else be hurt by what was to come.

Chapter 3

That was an epic failure. Stupendous. Astounding.

Sienna took a deep, centering breath and told Veronica to shut up. John Baker was infuriating. Of course she had heard about him from her brothers and sisters-in-law, each painting a unique picture of him. But meeting him face-to-face was another story. He was a large man. Imposing. Brown hair a tad too long and five-o’clock shadow that wasn’t for show. He didn’t strike her as a male trying to prove anything. After centuries was there anything to prove, really? But his light blue, almost gray eyes hid plenty. And she had this need to figure out what he was about. What made him tick, even though his whole demeanor screamed “back the hell away.”

You should be getting up and personal instead, Veronica whispered. Apparently V needed a lesson in impulse control.

Ryan cleared his throat, stopping the argument she was about to have with herself. Her nerves danced as she waited for him to speak. Instead he kept suspiciously quiet until he turned onto the main road. “That didn’t go exactly to plan.”

Just perfect. He sounded like a nicer version of her scolding inner voice. “Eavesdropping, huh?”

“Of course I was listening in.” He smirked. “That’s what makes me a good assistant. Now you don’t have to repeat yourself.”

“Are you seriously sticking with that?” She scowled at him.

He glanced over at her before turning back to the road. “Damn. That look is scary.”

“Worse than my throat-punch face?”

He nodded. “Yep. Now your face is telling me you want to punch something farther south.”

He wasn’t wrong. Which is why he was her best friend.

He cleared his throat again. “Maybe he’ll change his mind?”

A snort escaped her. “Does he strike you as someone who changes their mind?”

“So you approach this another way. Think it through.”

She looked at his profile. “Meaning I didn’t think things through before I came here?”

“I know I’m risking certain parts of my anatomy right now.” He glanced over at her quickly before turning back to the road. “But no, I think you reacted to your crap meeting earlier and wanted to do something. And I understand that, but this guy has been dealing with this curse for centuries by himself.”

“Except now the witches and Templars are attacking us,” she argued. “I know something is going to happen soon. We have to be ready for it.”

“How many times do you think he’s faced danger or been attacked? He might see this as another step in his ongoing never-ending life. What you see as urgent doesn’t even faze him.”

Sienna blinked. Damn. How had she not thought of that? “You’re right.”

Ryan smiled. “And you hate it.”

Veronica giggled. Little traitor. Sienna returned his smile. “I do. So what do you suggest, all-great-and-powerful Ry?”

He chuckled. “I like the sound of that. Will you keep calling me that?”