Claiming Julia (5 page)

* * * *

Julia arrived at the office and sent up a silent prayer of thanks since
Angus’s
door was closed. Just as she had sat down in her chair, his door flew open and Bjorn exited.

“How are you today, my dear?” Bjorn asked.

“Good, just good,” Julia said with a fake smile.

“Good.” He glanced over at Angus as he came out of his office. “Okay, everyone have a good day,” he said with a smile before going to his office and closing the door.

“Hi, Angus,” she said quickly before turning on her computer.

“Good morning,” Angus said solemnly as he scratched his head and averted his eyes. “You look nice today. Do you have a few moments to spare?”

She couldn’t understand why Angus was acting so strangely, but she wanted to be civil. The birthmark began to vibrate in his presence, and her heart danced. Something within her wished to submit to him, but she also wished to continue the struggle, establish dominance, so to speak.

“Care to go out to lunch today?”

“I’m sorry, I have a tight schedule today.” She looked at him as his jaw tightened and that muscle began to twitch. He wanted to say something, but he didn’t. She expected him to argue and was surprised when he didn’t.

“Perhaps we can work on these together, another time. Please, I’d like to take you to lunch today.”

She was at a loss for words. Angus had actually said
please
. That word had never been in his vocabulary before, why the sudden change now? She looked at him and immediately felt a twang of pity for him. He appeared to be genuine and wasn’t his usually demanding self. This side of him was
refreshing.
What the hell
.
S
he deserved to be taken to lunch.

“What’s the catch?”

“No catch. Can’t a boss treat his employee to lunch without the third degree?” He smiled and shoved his hands in the pockets of his slacks.

She smiled. “Okay. Why not?”

“Noon.”

“Fine, we’ll leave at noon.”

Chapter Five

“It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?” Angus pulled out her chair so she could sit down, and then he sat directly across from her at the table outside the little bistro on Main Street.

Julia smiled. “Yes, it is. I’ve always loved springtime,” she replied while unfolding the white cloth napkin and placing it in her lap. She listened to the sweet sounds of birds chirping and admired the little pink and white blossoms of the cherry trees adorning each side of the streets.

A warm breeze caressed her skin and swept through her hair, eliciting a relaxed sigh from her lips. To top it all off, she was in the presence of a man who appeared to worship the very ground she walked on. If this was a dream or a fantasy, she never wanted it to end.

Although nervous, she was determined not to let her feelings get in the way. She had questions and hoped Angus was still willing to provide answers where appropriate, but before she could speak, he began to talk.

“Look, Julia. I owe you an apology. I was wrong to come over so late this morning. I should have shown you more respect than I did. Please forgive me.”

“I don’t have any complaints with our sexual relationship.” She gasped and wished she’d chosen her words more carefully. Were they in a relationship? Did Angus consider her his woman? Was it right to consider them to be in any type of relationship, or was it all just sex to him? “What I meant to say is—” Julia suddenly lost her nerve to speak. She wished to confide in him about her origins—and his.

“Take your time, sweetling. I know you have so many questions about everything.”

She nodded in agreement before sipping ice-cold water the waiter had brought them. “What was going through your mind? I mean, you always seem to change so much. I don’t know how to take you sometimes.” Julia began talking so fast. “Was last night just sex?”
S
he needed to know.

He placed a hand over hers and looked her in the eyes. “You and I—we have a connection, something that most people may never experience in their lifetime. It wasn’t just sex, not to me. I wanted you to wake up and make you see what a beautiful gift you are.”

She leaned in and spoke in a low voice. “So, I am your Fire Mate?”

“Yes. You know in your heart it is true. You should know I don’t want to just claim you and make you feel like you were nothing but property to me. You’ll be my companion every step of the way.”

Wrinkling her face, Julia sat back in her chair comfortably. “That was a turnoff for me because you seemed to be pushing me into something that—at the time—I hadn’t quite come to terms with.”

“I apologize for that. It is the way of the Connricualen Dragon.”

“Apology accepted. But you’ll need to explain what the hell a Connricualen Dragon is.”

Angus held his head back and laughed out loud before clapping his hands in amusement. “Oh, Julia. I love how you express yourself.”

“Are you making fun of me, Angus McNamara?” She placed her hand on her hip and wagged a finger at him before snickering. “I know, I usually have some strange-ass expressions on my face. Anyway, how is it that dragons really exist?”

Angus chuckled. “Not strange, darling. Unique. That’s what I love about you. To answer your question, Connricualen Dragons hail from what is now known as Scotland. My species has existed since 793 A.D. We were hunted by a small clan of humans that swore they’d put an end to our existence. Fortunately for us, a band of kind humans came to our aid.

“For that, my ancestors gifted them with the power of immortality. To this day we call them
Protectors
.” He smiled as she listened in awe.

“You should know that Bjorn is my Protector. You see, we must remain hidden from humans. Should I give up my place in this world, my company goes to Bjorn.”

“No wonder he speaks so highly of you.”

“Oh, really?”

“He’s given me advice about you on many an occasion.”

Angus nodded. “Yes, I’ve confided in him about you as well. He speaks very highly of you and held no punches when telling me how badly I behaved when it came to your happiness.”

Julia laughed. “Like Bjorn said, we are so much alike.”

“Nothing could be further from the truth.” Angus paused before continuing. “I don’t think you’ll like what I’m about to tell you.”

“Please, don’t hold anything back. I want to know everything,” she insisted.

“Well, my species is known for claiming their mates in a most unorthodox way—whether they’re ready or not,” he admitted.

“Sorta like a caveman Neanderthal son of a bitch.”

He hesitated and scratched his head in a nervous fashion before answering her. “Yes; if that’s how you can relate to it.”

“Well, what about the female dragons? Why do they just lay there and take it?”

He nodded before taking a swig of soda. “Most female dragons are very submissive, especially during their first heat.”

“Well, that explains a lot,” she muttered. “So . . . you thought I was going to just let you do and say anything you wanted. Like you said, you don’t take orders, you give them.”

“You don’t know how I wish I could take those words back.”

A surge of anger swept through her. “Let’s get one thing straight. I am not at your disposal, nor will I ever allow you to do anything you please to me. I’m a woman with emotional and physical needs, and I don’t want to be taken for granted,” she snapped.

“I’m not trying to take you for granted. I’m trying to change for both our sakes. You need to know that.”

“Good. I’m glad we cleared that up.”

“The closer we are, the stronger your dragon becomes. Don’t be pissed, but you will probably submit to me when you least expect it.”

Julia crossed her arms. “Don’t think so. I don’t submit to any man.”

“I’ve noticed. You keep fighting it. Perhaps you’re right.” Angus relaxed before exhaling slowly while realizing that stifling his true nature would not be so easy. He wanted to jump her, make her see things his way. At least his dragon did.

“Okay, so . . . why do so many dragons choose to remain in this world? Why did you choose to live here?”

“Like myself, many come to seek out their mate—that is, when they can’t be found in Pyreer.” His eyes narrowed. “I traveled to the human realm years ago in search of you. I could never sense your presence in our realm. For years, I ran my company posing as a human. Then, one day when I’d all but given up hope, you crossed my path.”

Julia squinted her eyes. “How long have you lived here—in our world?”

“For many centuries—off and on.”

“How old are you?”

Angus chuckled. “You wouldn’t believe me.”

“Try me.”

“To be exact, I’m five hundred ninety-nine years old.”

Julia snickered. “So you’ll be six hundred at the end of June. You know, you’re on that cusp, a cross between Gemini and Cancer. That could be why you’re so damned moody.”

“So you think I’m moody?”

She watched with a smile on her face when Angus nodded in agreement and held a solemn look on his face. If she didn’t know any better, she’d swear she’d bruised his feelings just now, so she decided to change the subject.

“Oh, damn, man! I’m only thirty-five. Talk about robbing the cradle.”

He laughed with her until a strange expression on her face captured his attention. “What’s wrong?”

“How many females have you been with?”

“Julia.” Another look of discomfort crossed his face. “Must we go there?”

“Yes, we must.”

“I’ve had numerous lovers over the centuries.”

“Oh,” was all she could say before lowering her gaze to the table. “In search of your mate, I’d gather.”

Angus reached across the table, capturing her chin within his grasp. “Look at me.” When she didn’t, he forced her gaze to his. “I’ve never experienced fulfillment with any woman like I have with you.”

She smiled as he softly stroked her lips and caressed her cheek. “I don’t know what came over me,” she suggested. “There’s so many emotions driving through me.”

“We’re bonding,” Angus said quickly. “It’s proof that we’re a match. My mark burns,” he admitted as he lightly touched the area beneath his collarbone. “Your behavior is erratic. That’s perfectly normal.”

“Mine, too.” She scratched the area where the birthmark was through her clothes and flinched several times. “How long will this continue?”

“Once we’ve claimed—I mean
courted
—and we consummate our relationship for the third time.” He smiled as he cocked his head to the side, searching the depths of her eyes.

“Oh. Well.” She laughed nervously. “Better get cracking.”

“Can’t believe you’re at a loss for words. That’s something I’m not used to seeing.”

“Oh, stop messing with me
.
”
S
he swatted at his hand and looked around, thankful that not many people were having lunch at the outside bistro. “Feeling kind of silly here, but I need to tell you some things I discovered last night. Something about me.”

Angus leaned on the tiny, round glass table. “Oh?”

“My grandmother told me I was special.” She paused for a few minutes. “Look, here’s the
CliffsNotes
version. “When I was a child, my mother and her boyfriend argued so much it terrified me. As I grew older, their arguments became worse and the fires started. Grandma helped me to suppress the dragon within, said I couldn’t allow anyone to know my true nature. Anytime I stressed, fires started. Granny raised me, and I discovered my birthmark on my hip. As I matured, it somehow became the shape of a dragon.”

* * * *

Angus’s
heart went out to her after hearing Julia’s entire story. “So you never knew your father?”

“No. I have no pictures, letters, or anything. Just bits and pieces my grandmother told me.”

The pain in her voice was so obvious it tugged at his heart. Now he knew and completely understood why she had been so angry when he questioned her parents’ whereabouts. Her life had been no bed of roses, but Julia was a fighter in spite of the obstacles she’d faced as a child. “I’m so sorry to hear that.” He reached for her hand and was relieved when she allowed him to clasp it within his grasp.

“My mother died of a broken heart soon after she left. I think because she sent my father away. She wasn’t happy, you know.” She bowed her head in sadness. “We didn’t even know his name.”

Angus squeezed her hand and offered her a handkerchief to catch the flow of tears. Her body convulsed a few times as she fought to regain her composure.

“Oh, dear Lord. I can’t believe I’m doing this,” she confessed. “I feel so stupid.”

“You’re doing what you’re supposed to. Your grandmother told you crying helped to purge the negative feelings. If there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask. I’m here for you, Julia.”

“You don’t know how much that means to me,” she said before snatching off the sunglasses and dabbing her eyes. “Oh God! I’ve felt so alone for the longest time. How can someone carry on through life, not knowing what they are and where they come from?”

“When dragons are born into the human realm, they adapt to a human way of life. The arguments acted as a catalyst and your dragon fought for acknowledgment. The fires were signs of the essence being stifled. You have never been taught to control your power. Have you set any recently?”

She nodded. “The other night, after what happened in your office, when I went home. I had so many visions that overpowered me, thought I was going out of my mind. I didn’t really feel like myself.”

“That’s completely normal,” he assured her. “It’s one thing to conceal the dragon; it’s another to completely deny it exists.”

“I know that now. I wanted to forget everything about my family all those years ago. It was so damned easy to do. It felt like the right thing to do at the time. Moving on with my life was the best thing for me.”

“I know you did, and there’s nothing wrong with moving on. Now I’m here to help you with accepting your true nature. That’s what a faithful mate does.”

“The night you caught me in your office, I saw visions of a world I’ve never seen before, but somehow I felt a feeling I’ve never experienced before. It was something very powerful, pulling me in that direction. I wanted to be there and nowhere else for the moment. It’s more than a tapestry, isn’t it?”

He nodded. “It’s the doorway to Pyreer.”

“I touched it, but there was nothing but solid wall behind it.”

“Now you know where I usually disappear to throughout the day. Sometimes I need to retreat and free my dragon. That portal allows me access to my dimension without attracting attention.”

“I see,” Julia said with a smile. “It all makes sense now. And I thought—”

His eyes became intense. “You thought what?”

“I thought you went off somewhere with someone else in the office.”

“You obviously don’t know me well, do you?”

She shook her head and chuckled. “No, I didn’t, but I’m getting to know you now.”

“How do you like what you’ve learned about me so far?”

“So far, so good. I feel like I’ve known you forever.” She squeezed his hand. “Take me home. Now, please.”

Angus noticed her chest heaved uncontrollably and that she shifted in the chair. Holding his head back, he inhaled deeply. “You’re wet.” His cock stirred within his slacks. If it weren’t for the passersby, he would have jumped over the table and taken her.

“How do you know?” she squirmed in the chair.

“A dragon knows when his mate is in need.”

“Then you know to take me home,” she whispered.

There was no need for Julia to say anything else. Angus called for the waiter and paid the bill in cash.