Canary for the Dragon Read online

  “What’s wrong with you?” Gareth demanded when he refused to budge.

  “I want to go back. Let’s just order takeout,” he mumbled, hopes dashed when a woman hailed over his cab. Both woman and cab faded from his line of sight.

  “You don’t want to do this here,” Gareth told him in a menacing voice.

  “Here? In public you mean?” Sky asked.

  He knew he should stop talking, but his mouth always got the better of him. A guy could only take so much. If Gareth pushed him, he pushed back harder, even if he’d have to pay the consequences later. “Are there journalists hovering around? You’re not as a big deal as you think, Gareth. No one cares.”

  Gareth shoved him so violently, his back hit the glass window of the restaurant. A huge hand clamped around his throat, cutting off his air supply. Sky gasped and kicked to no avail. Gareth crushed his slender body with his bulky one—an unpleasant sensation. Sky felt trapped, doomed.

  “You’re out of line. Maybe it’s finally time to show who’s boss around here,” Gareth hissed, closing his other hand to a fist.

  Chapter Three

  All five of Gareth’s rings glittered in the sun. What kind of guy wore so many rings as a fashion accessory?

  God. Dry humor got the best of Sky when he was shit-scared. He shouldn’t have replied in a snarky voice, should have never tested Gareth. Trevor was probably long gone. Humans walking on the street would never interfere with a shifter affair, and what was Gareth but a shifter?

  Gareth’s eyes started to turn yellow. Feathers sprouted on his neck, and the hand around Sky began to form into hard and unyielding talons.

  The humans would gawk, but the paranormals were worse. Every shifter worth their salt knew who Gareth was, the clout Gareth’s family had on both the avian and Paranormal Council. If Gareth killed him by accident, no one would give a damn.

  Sky’s vision started to fade, but the blow didn’t come. The hand holding his neck captive loosened, Gareth forced physically backwards by another, much bigger man. The same guy in a suit who got out of the cab, he realized. Gareth landed on his ass, and in the process, scattered the contents of the nearest trash can. Dirty cigarette butts littered Gareth and the floor.

  Sky blinked when the guy planted himself in front of him, shoving his hands in his pockets like Gareth and he were having a casual conversation.

  “Didn’t your father teach you any manners?” The stranger’s voice matched his flat onyx eyes. Hell, every inch of Sky’s savior seemed cut from hard, immovable rock.

  “Who the fuck are you?” Gareth demanded, sniffing, probably scenting the guy to check out what animal he had in him. Gareth rose to his feet. “You have no idea who the hell you’re messing with, asshole.”

  “Don’t I? Enlighten me. What kind of century are we leaving in, that assholes shifters treat their mates like that?”

  “He’s not my mate,” Sky blurted out loud. “A-and Gareth’s right. You don’t want to mess with his family. They own half the city.”

  The guy spared him a look. Gareth took that opportunity to lunge at him, but the guy simply shoved him backwards again. According to Avery, Gareth was supposedly some kind of great fighter who won all of the personal duels aimed at him. Right now, Gareth looked like a clumsy kid trying to fight a more experienced adult.

  The stranger’s eyes wrinkled with obvious displeasure, like Gareth was a fly, an annoyance in the way.

  “Hm? I don’t care,” the man replied, meaning every word, not breaking eye contact.

  The attention staggered Sky, and he’d been used to being gawked at all his life. This man though, his gaze tore through all his defenses, eager to seek the soul underneath all his layers.

  Sky refused to look away. He stared back. He noticed the guy had vertically slitted pupils, and it was slightly unnerving.

  His savior was handsome, Sky decided, in a rough kind of way. Sky could definitely imagine the behemoth of a man out of suit and working under a car perhaps or something manly like lumberjacking.

  Shit. Why was his mind meandering towards that direction? Why did he find himself curious about some stranger he just met? Except something about this man seemed familiar. His savior didn’t smell human, but not any shifter he could identify either.

  “Want to get out of here?” the man asked.

  No. Sky had been taught better than to go with random strangers he’d just met, except he felt more at ease with this man than anyone else.

  Sky didn’t even know the guy’s name, but nonetheless he said, “Yes.”

  “Excellent.”

  Gareth hissed under his breath. Apparently, Gareth hadn’t learned his lesson, because he went after the man again. This time, the guy caught Gareth’s shirt and slammed the heel of his palm against Gareth’s nose. Bone crunched. The man dropped Gareth, ignoring Gareth’s cries of pain.

  “My nose!” Gareth screamed.

  “The next time you try that again, little bird, I will rip out your throat.” The man delivered the words with a toneless voice, meaning every syllable.

  “Little bird? You have no idea who you’re messing with,” Gareth yelled.

  The man stepped out into the street and stuck out a hand. A cab stopped in front of him, like magic. The stranger opened the door and looked at Sky.

  “After you, little canary.”

  Swallowing, Sky glanced at Gareth, shrieking on the sidewalk like a baby and made his decision. He got in the cab and never looked back.

  ****

  “I don’t even know your name,” Sky mumbled.

  The cab passed by familiar streets, corners he could only imagine from his window. The moment he arrived in this city from his tiny hometown, he’d been hidden away in Gareth’s apartment. Going out required permission, and he needed Gareth’s approval for every little thing.

  A thrill went down his spine at what he’d just done. Once that burst of adrenaline settled, fear would set in. Then panic. Gareth didn’t take insults well. In the avian culture, the dominant shifter was responsible for disciplining his submissive half. If Gareth couldn’t even achieve that, his reputation would take a massive hit.

  Glee filled Sky, but how long would the high last?

  “Rex Striker.” Rex held out his huge hand, Sky shook it, amazed by the quiet strength in it. He’d already seen for himself that Rex was capable of violence, but also restraint.

  “Sky Mitchell,” he said. The incident replayed in his head, and something about it felt odd. Rex brushed a thumb over the pulse point over Sky’s wrist, which leapt to the surface of his skin. A jolt went up his arm. Rex released him, and he remembered the nickname Rex called him.

  “You called me little canary, you knew what I was,” he blurted out loud, suddenly wary, guarded.

  Rex didn’t deny the knowledge. “Do you recognize me?”

  “Should I know you?” The moment Sky said those words, familiarity washed over him again—the color of Rex’s suit, his massive size. Rex stuck out in a street of people. His mouth went dry. Sky recalled perching on his window ledge, looking at the sea of people below. Always, only one man looked right at him. “You.”

  “Yes, me,” Rex replied with a small smile, as if he understood that Sky had a hard time wrapping his head around the truth.

  “I’m not stalking you, if that’s what you’re thinking.” Rex pulled out his phone, swiped the screen and showed Sky what looked like an email, a business appointment. “I was supposed to meet a couple of clients. Our meeting was accidental, or is it?”

  Sky scrubbed at his face. “I’m sorry.”

  “Whatever for? That fucker deserved what he got.” Rex sounded calm, but Sky could detect undercurrents of anger underneath. “Is he the reason why you linger by your window?”

  “Gareth’s my intended mate. In our society, breeders like me are like male Omega werewolves. We're capable of bearing children and are matched to dominant and powerful males like Gareth. Gareth and I were expected to mate from the moment
I was born.” He shivered, wondered why he was telling Rex all this when his people had kept the knowledge a secret from other animal groups.

  For all he knew, Rex might be some kind of spy sent to sniff out information on Gareth and his family, but he didn’t think so. Sky sensed some kind of old-world nobility in Rex, from the way he opened the taxi door for Sky or asked him first. Unlike Gareth, he didn’t demand.

  “Stupid custom.”

  Rex’s remark took him aback.

  “You know nothing about me or my people.” Sky didn’t know why he instantly went on the defensive.

  “I’ve seen enough over the years. Your people aren’t the first to have these customs, these rules to keep those they think lesser in place.” Rex bared his teeth, sharp canines. Gold bled into Rex’s odd pupils. Sky couldn’t quite figure out what animal Rex had in him, but it was definitely an apex predator.

  “Are you saying you’re different from other dominant shifters?” Sky demanded, not wanting to show how unsettled he was.

  “Little canary.” How Rex could make the two little words sound sensual, Sky didn’t know, but it made him shiver. Rex’s voice sounded like velvet, and yet Sky knew there was a bite to this man. That he had a feeling he would lose in this game of predator and prey. The worse thing was, Sky didn’t mind finding out what it would be like, being devoured by this particular dangerous predator.

  Rex inched closer, not speaking, as if he knew he held Sky captivated by his words. The other shifter possessed the uncanny ability to narrow the scope of Sky’s world until only the two of them existed and all outside noise was blocked out. Sky’s pulse raced at the close proximity. He clenched his teeth, stuffing back the urge to trace the rough stubble on Rex’s strong jaw and cheeks with his fingertips. To explore and memorize every inch of Rex, as if that could give him clues to Rex’s personality, answers as to why Rex would take a moment of his time every day to look out for Sky by his window.

  Maybe it would also explain why Sky wanted to catch a glimpse of Rex each day. Back then, Rex had been merely an unknown stranger, who silently dared Sky to take flight. Perhaps some part of him wanted to prove to that stranger that he knew how to use his wings.

  After the long pause, Rex continued, eyes dilated, full of a dark emotion Sky couldn’t put a name to yet. “If you were mine, I’d never let you go. I’ll spend every waking moment making sure you’re owned, loved, and protected.”

  Sky fumbled for a sassy reply and settled for humor to disperse the tension that rose up between them instead. He laughed, but he had a feeling Rex saw right through him. “Sounds like a marriage proposal.”

  “I’m not a patient hunter, Sky. Once I set my sights on something, this veneer of civility, this polite mask disappears.”

  Sky swallowed, nodded, acknowledged the threat in Rex’s voice.

  “What’s left then?” he whispered.

  Rex bared his teeth. “Come find out if you dare, little canary.”

  Goosebumps appeared across his arms. Any submissive shifter with sense knew never to toy with a much bigger predator, but he had a feeling if he blew this one chance, he’d never get another again. Rex looked like he was cut from sharp, hard rock, unyielding and tough. Certainly not a match for one canary. Was that Rex’s way of thinking?

  Sky rubbed his forearms.

  “Are you cold? Here.” Rex didn’t wait for his answer and took off his suit jacket. “Scoot a little further.”

  Sky didn’t know why he obeyed, why he liked the sound of Rex’s soothing voice. Rex’s jacket was big, warm. He clutched at the lapels.

  What the fuck?

  “What’s going to happen now?” he finally asked.

  “I can drop you off anywhere in the city, or perhaps we can go for a real lunch?” Rex asked, his tone pleasant. Rex’s mask was back in place as if Rex hadn’t done a Jekyll and Hyde moment on Sky only a moment ago.

  Sky blinked. “Really? I can leave?”

  That was the last thing on his mind though.

  Rex shrugged. “You’re not a prisoner, Sky. I saved you, because someone had to put a stop to that bastard. Your Gareth’s grown up spoiled. He needed to be a taught a lesson, and it was a pleasure breaking his nose.”

  Sky had a feeling Rex wanted to say more.

  “Gareth’s not my anything,” Sky muttered. “You’re the oddest man I’ve ever met.”

  Rex furrowed his brows. “I’m not sure if that’s an insult or compliment.”

  “A compliment, I think.” Sky fiddled with his thumb.

  If he could go anywhere, then the options overwhelmed him. He knew no one, had made no friends ever since he moved here a month ago. Gareth discouraged Sky from making connections, saved the ones he had. Avery lived somewhere close, but he didn’t want to drag her into his mess.

  “You spoke about lunch,” Sky trailed off. “Are you treating?”

  This was seriously a bad idea. Rex had given him a way out, but Sky couldn’t back away now.

  “Of course.” Rex gave the driver an address Sky was sure was somewhere in mid-city. “Do you like Mexican?”

  “Who doesn’t?”

  Rex grinned. “We’re settled then. It’s not a well-known place, and you wouldn’t need to have your guard up all the time.”

  Chapter Four

  “This is nice,” Sky murmured by his shoulder.

  Rex glanced at the trees lining the pathway. This time in the late afternoon, most of the pencil pushers had returned to the office.

  “I come to the park often, too, gives my inner animal some peace,” he admitted.

  Sky gave him a curious look, but didn’t press, although Rex was certain Sky was dying to know what kind of beast Rex held inside of him. He wouldn’t volunteer the information right away, for fear it would scare Sky off the bat. Until Sky asked, it would be his little secret.

  Besides, his dragon, which seemed to be getting more restless, felt completely at ease with Sky. Strange how one little canary could tame his angry beast and it had been pissed, nearly pushed him to ripping out Gareth’s throat in public. That, too, would be too much of a kindness. From the little information he learned from Sky, Gareth seemed like the kind of spoiled brat who treated people like toys.

  If Rex had his way, he’d tease plenty of screams from Gareth, before turning the eagle into ashes. Sky only need say the word, but Sky was kind, despite all the horrors he’d been through. Sky wasn’t like Rex, a monster.

  A decent man would let Sky go, would find a way so Sky could leave behind his awful life and start somewhere new. Sky could get another identity, a bright future to look forward to and a mate to come home to—a mate that wasn’t Rex.

  No fucking way.

  Rex’s dragon already saw the little canary as theirs. No way they were letting go of Sky now.

  His phone vibrated a couple of times in his pocket, but he ignored it. Sky had become his number one priority the moment he took Sky off the hands of the fucker who was supposed to protect him.

  He didn’t know why it appeased his dragon, knowing Sky didn’t love Gareth, but instead despised Gareth. Sky had every reason to. Rex played the pretend game, but he knew who Gareth was.

  Gareth’s family owned a chain of businesses in the city, and Gareth’s father held one of the six seats on the Paranormal Council—the official governing body of every supernatural species in the country. That list included Rex.

  His entanglements with the council hadn’t been positive. Being one of the last of his race, he’d been considered dangerous, tolerated and mostly left alone. No one wanted to dance with a dragon, but by taking Sky, Rex would be ruffling some serious feathers.

  He didn’t even need to use much persuasion. Sky had come of his own accord, and Rex enjoyed lunch immensely. His phone vibrated again.

  Sighing, he said, “Sorry, let me see who’s calling.”

  George. No surprise. Snorting, he tucked his phone back.

  “You must be busy, and I took up so much of your ti
me.” Sky began to fidget with his fingers, a gesture Rex noticed Sky resorted to when nervous. “I should…”

  Sky faltered, as if unsure what to say.

  “Have someplace to be?” Rex finished.

  Sky shook his head, chewing on his bottom lip. “No. That’s the scary part. I know if I go back now, Gareth and his enforcers will be waiting. I just don’t want to be a bother.”

  A curious reaction, considering Rex had let out his real self to Sky just now. Unlike most people, Sky didn’t run or make an excuse to leave. Sky stayed, which only worsened the longing building inside Rex.

  “You’re not. Since I pried you off Gareth’s hands, you’re my responsibility. Would you like a place to stay for a couple of days, until you figure out what you want to do?”

  Rex didn’t know what made him make that offer. Every business decision he made, he considered every possible angle. Order gave his life meaning, but Sky represented the unknown, a gamble.

  “D-do you mean that?” Sky asked, eyes wide.

  Rex let out a breath. His dragon moved under his skin, restless, impatient, and angry. At this rate, Rex would have a hard time leashing the beast back. The urge to claim Sky and make the little canary permanently theirs would override any other human logic. Sky needed a friend, Rex reminded himself. “I understand your predicament. I’m a stranger and—”

  “I’ve never seen you as one.” Sky’s vulnerable answer triggered all of his protective instincts and lured them into the open. Not a good sign. Sky continued, “I feel safe with you.”

  Sky had no idea how much those words felt like a spear through his chest. His little canary had no idea what the hell he was talking about. Wait. My?

  In a way, it was true. He’d burn to cinders anyone who dared hurt Sky. To set his canary free, he’d kill for Sky. Rex needn’t live by the rules the Paranormal Council set in place.