Legion: Alpha Dragon Shifter Romance (Dragon Rules Series Book 1) by Tia Didmon (best fiction novels .TXT) 📗

They walked past the first guard. She found the experience unnerving and strange. The dragons were unaffected, as if invisible walks in enemy territory were ordinary. Her heart skipped when the guard stopped, looking around like he was being watched. His eyes flashed red. A crystalline sheen that exposed his species’ origins before receding. He shook his head and continued down the path toward a large outbuilding.

Legion looked after him. “That was Annock. I thought he died years ago.”

Mara squeezed his arm. “He will hear you,” she whispered.

Legion narrowed his gaze. “The bubble is soundproof. No one can see or hear us.”

She smacked his chest. “You might have mentioned that before.”

Legion’s lip twitched. “My apologies.”

They entered the mansion through a large oak door. While Legion reassured her that nobody would see the door open, the reverberating crack when it closed made her jump. “I wonder if this is how ghosts feel when they haunt us?”

Legion frowned. “There are no such things as ghosts.”

Mara huffed. “Says the golden dragon,” she snipped.

The house was littered with pictures. All from different eras and all of Devlin. She stopped to touch a picture of him in a pin striped suit. The car in the background was a Model-T Ford. “Narcissist much? I am surprised he has these displayed so openly.”

Conner leaned over a picture of Devlin in a German uniform. “He likely says it’s a relative. That or he doesn’t allow anyone here who isn’t aware he’s a dragon.”

They ascended the red-carpeted steps. The paisley pattern was perfect, but looked out of date. Mara attempted to figure out the inconsistency when a young woman’s laughter floated toward them. The silver notes caressed the bubble, drawing them toward the angelic sound.

Legion pointed at the room at the end of the hall. “Tempest is there. We will guard the steps to give you time to speak with her. If you cannot get her to see the truth, I will put her to sleep and take her.”

Mara nodded, hating the alternative of taking Tempest against her will. She walked down the hallway. She glanced back to the men before entering the room, but nothing was there. Once outside Legion’s bubble, even she could not see or hear him. She opened the door to a pink bedroom that looked like it was for a child.

Tempest was sitting on the bed with frilly pink lace and matching pillows. The white wolf lifted its head, eying her, judging her, before nuzzling her owner. The blind girl ran a hand down her pet’s back. “May I help you?”

Mara cleared her throat. “You probably don’t remember me. We went to camp together as children. My name is Mara.”

Tempest swung her feet to the floor. Her long black hair flipped over her shoulder, creating a cascade of black silk. “Mara, you’re Alana’s sister, right?”

“Yes, I am surprised you remember us.”

Tempest cocked her ear to the side. “Alana was my roommate at the camp. Of course, I remember you. Why are you here?”

Mara frowned. She didn’t remember Alana being Tempest roommate. She forgot Alana had not been in hers and Natalie’s room. Why would she forget that? “This is going to sound strange.”

Tempest folded her arms. “That Devlin allowed you in here, or that Daisy didn’t alert me to your presence, is strange.”

Mara held her hand out to the dog, smiling when Daisy licked her hand. “She is beautiful.”

Tempest ran a hand over the white coat. “She likes you, which is weird. She is dreadfully overprotective and even growls at Devlin.”

Mara pursed her lips. “That’s why I am here. Devlin isn’t who you think he is.”

Tempest scrunched her forehead. “Devlin loves me. I know he is rude to people in the art industry, but that’s for show. He’s very sweet and was very good to my mother and me.”

Mara swallowed hard. “He killed your mother,” she whispered.

Tempest’s eyes were a milky green. They had a cloudy overcast that bespoke her ailment. “Get out. You have no right to come into my home, Devlin’s home and talk trash about him. He may not want me to grow up, but he loves me. I have attended the finest school for the seeing impaired. I have fine clothes and never want for anything.”

Mara nodded. “Yes, he wants you to have everything now.” Her gaze narrowed in on the marks marring Daisy’s face. “We have a wolf at home.”

Tempest stilled. “Really?”

Mara nodded. “His name is Thorn. He is amazing.”

Ross entered the room with a smug smile. “Hello, Mara.”

Mara put her hand to her chest, moving to stand beside Tempest. “Ross, what are you doing here?”

Ross glanced at Tempest. “I am protecting Devlin’s investment.”

Tempest huffed. “I’m not an investment, asshole.”

Ross smiled with sick satisfaction. “We have had this conversation a dozen times. It always ends the same.”

Tempest’s sneer fell away with her bravado. “What does that mean?” she asked.

Mara grabbed Tempest’s hand, pulling the girl to her side. Daisy put her head down, growling at Ross. “Devlin is erasing your memories, but he won’t be able to do that forever.”

Ross nodded. “True. He even allowed me to beat you. You woke up believing you had fallen down the stairs. I am looking forward to your twenty-third birthday, when you remember all our various encounters.” He sighed. “Until then, we must continue our little charade.”

Daisy jumped down from the bed, growling before lunging at the startled Ross.

He pulled back his arm. “I am tired of that fucking mutt. I beat her repeatedly, and she still protects you. Devlin’s mind-wiping technique is ineffective on animals.”

Tempest’s eyes welled with tears. “You beat Daisy?”

Ross laughed. “Every chance I get. She has bitten me a dozen times. I will kill her as soon as Devlin allows it. I believe he is saving that for your very special birthday.”

Mara focused on the mind within hers. Legion.

Yes, my love.

She couldn’t express how much his words meant to her. That nothing in the universe could shake their bond. That she was