The Dragon's Nanny (Elemental Dragons Book 1) Page 5

  My breath hitches, but I manage to nod, turning and opening the door to my room. Without realizing what I’m doing, I grab a large shirt and some of the softer sleeping trunks for her, my cock twitching at the thought of her wearing my clothes. I hand them to her and shift uncomfortably as her hand brushes mine.

  “Thanks, Gino,” she says, smiling kindly. She licks her lips, staring at me.

  I inch closer to her and reach out a hand to brush some hair from her face when someone knocks on my bedroom door. I groan.

  “I should let you get cleaned up,” I say as I turn from the room, closing the bathroom door behind me.

  I open my bedroom door to find Kalino leaning against the wall. “Yes?” He quirks an eyebrow at my rough tone, and I clear my throat before speaking again. “Did you need something, brother?”

  He smiles at me. “I thought you might want an update on our current progress on getting in touch with Emiliano.”

  “Yes, of course,” I say, ushering him into my room.

  “I have enough vital pieces, but I’m missing a few things. I’m working on fashioning some replacement parts out of lower-grade Earth tech. If the adaptations work as I expect them to, then I should have the comm unit up and running within a few days.”

  “Good. Once we repair that and get in touch with Emiliano, we can decide what our next steps will be.”

  “Yeah,” he says. “Well, I’m gonna go get some rest; it’s been a long day.”

  I grunt at him, closing the door behind him as he leaves the room.

  Chapter 7 - Rosana

  I’m running, suspended in air, pumping my feet but going nowhere. I struggle as steel bands appear around my chest and stomach, squeezing the air out of my lungs. Twisting and contorting my body, I attempt to escape my restrictive bonds when I feel warm breath on my neck. Cold lips move against my neck, sending chills down my spine. My stomach drops as I reach back, trying to elbow my assailant. I connect with flesh-covered steel, sending sharp pains racing up my arm. The bands holding me release and drop me.

  I scream as I plummet to the ground, the beating of wings circling me menacingly. I flail about, trying to catch hold of something to slow my fall when I’m jerked to a halt by cold arms. I look up, finding only darkness. As my feet touch the ground, lightning flashes, illuminating the grinning face of my deepest nightmare. I back away as my sadistic ex stalks towards me, grinning maniacally. His grin deepens when I trip, falling backward. I scurry backward on my hands, knees bent, and crab-walk backward. He laughs, the sound echoing forebodingly. I cut my hands on glass, blood making the ground underneath me slippery, and whimper as my back butts up against a wall. The Outlaw leader before me crouches, grabbing my chin in a vicelike grip. I try to pull my face away, only to feel him tighten his fingers, bruising my jaw.

  “Did you really think you could escape me, little star?” he asks, his low voice echoing darkly. I swallow as fear chokes me. “I will find you. And when I do, I will destroy everything you love.” He laughs, the sound sending shivers down my back.

  As I straighten my spine, Yelena’s face flashes in my mind, and fury fills me. I bite at his fingers, straighten my spine, and glare at him.

  “How dare you threaten me! If you come near me again, I will be the one to destroy you. I know all of your secrets,” I say threateningly, attempting to keep the tremor from my voice.

  He glares at me, his eyes flashing red. He pulls his fist back and swings at my head. I scream.

  “Rosana. ROSANA!” I jerk awake to someone shaking me. “Rosana? Are you OK?” The voice fills with relief.

  I crack open my eyes, wincing at the pain in my jaw and hands. I reach my hand up to wipe my eyes, smearing something wet and sticky across my cheek. “My gods, Rosana, you’re bleeding. What happened?”

  I look up at the angelic face of Gino, hovering worriedly over me, and glance at my damaged hands, wincing at the memory of cutting myself.

  “I … I was dreaming … at least, I thought I was.” I glance at the drying blood on my hands. Gino crosses to the bathroom, returning with a bowl of water and some washcloths. He cleans my hands carefully, washing away all the blood with concern. I frown at the smooth skin on my palms, confused. “I don’t understand. Where did the blood come from?”

  He shakes his head. “I don’t know. There are no cuts. Are you alright?” he asks, voice concerned.

  I smile at him to thank him for cleaning my hands. “I think so.” I swallow, suddenly very aware of his half-naked form hovering over me. He brushes some hair from my face, his eyes burning as he looks at my half-covered body. I lick my lips and admire his bulging muscles and defined abs.

  My gaze rests on the tent in his boxer shorts, and I hear him growling in his throat. Desire sweeps through me, flushing my face and drying out my mouth. I look up, meeting his heated, silvery gaze, and I sit up, letting the blankets fall to my waist. Before I know what I’m doing, I wrap my fingers around his raven hair, pulling him closer. He leans his arms on my pillows, hovering over me before gently brushing his lips against mine. Liquid fire races through my veins, soaking my sex in desire. I pull him closer, kissing him once more. He angles me for deeper access, moaning into my mouth. I swallow the noise, wrapping my tongue around his, wrestling for control.

  Groaning, he covers my body with his, his erection rubbing against my leg. I moan and enjoy the feel of him touching me when he suddenly pulls back, placing his forehead on mine.

  “You need rest,” he says, his heated gaze moving over my swollen lips. He lifts himself from the bed and moves to leave when I grab his arm.

  “Stay. Please,” I beg, unwilling to be alone after the nightmare I just had. He smiles down at me, nodding, then climbs into my bed on top of the covers and places his arm around me, pulling me close and resting his hand on my hip. I let out a breath of relieved frustration, uncertain whether to be glad or upset at the barrier created by the blankets. But before I can mull over it further, I drift off to sleep in Gino’s arms, sleeping peacefully through the night.

  Chapter 8 - Gino

  I count backward in my head, attempting to sleep, to no avail. The hours tick by as I lie there, Rosana in my arms. My mind whirls, trying to solve the mystery of Rosana’s bloody hands. Yamira’s visions used to manifest physically when they were linked to a psychically stronger being … perhaps human psychics have similar side effects? I bury my face in Rosana’s hair, inhaling her jasmine and pine scent, masked by the aroma of my soap. A possessive growl rises in my chest at the thought of her wearing my clothes and washing with my soap, my dragon purring. I have this bizarre desire to kiss away all of her pain. To mark her as no one has before. This urge to explore every inch of her body.

  I had barely been able to keep control of myself when her eyes had traveled slowly down my body earlier, her gaze bathing my skin in fire. I had shivered at her inspection, my dragon coming forth as she probed my growing desire with her gaze. My mouth goes dry at the thought again, and I growl at the memory. The scent of her desire had almost broken down my resolve to resist her. So I had gathered the last of my restraint, pulling back before I couldn’t anymore. I didn’t want to take advantage of her fear. Whatever happened in her nightmare was real enough to leave blood, actual blood, on her hands, and my chest still aches at the fear I had heard in her voice.

  I nuzzle her neck as she sleeps. The feeling of her in my arms is sweet torture, the layers of blankets separating us the only thing preventing me from kissing the nightmare out of her mind. My pulsing cock presses against her firm ass, trying to break my resolve. It takes all of my will power to avoid pumping my hips and rubbing myself against her, especially having seen that she’s not wearing any pants. The thought makes my cock pulse again. I let out a frustrated breath, lying awake beside the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.

  As the sun rises, I carefully extract myself from the bed, making sure not to disturb Rosana. For a moment, I watch her sleeping peacefully before turning and moving back
to my room to dress.

  I pull on a shirt and pants, adjusting my still partially erect cock. After pulling on socks and boots, I stand, checking on Rosana once more before venturing down the stairs where I enter the kitchen and grab a glass of water, sitting beside a half-asleep Faustino who is eating a bowl of oats.

  “Do you work today?” I ask him.

  He nods, shoving another spoonful into his mouth. “Why are you up so early?” he mumbles.

  “I couldn’t sleep, so I decided that I may as well do something productive rather than lying there staring at the ceiling.”

  “Do you guys need to go into town for anything today?” he asks, scraping his bowl clean.

  “I’m not sure … Kalino might need to. Isn’t he awake yet?”

  Faustino shrugs in response, just as Kalino comes banging into the house, stumbling in with a large box in his arms. I jump up and grab the box from him before he breaks a window.

  “Thanks, G,” he says, wiping sweat from his brow. I quirk an eyebrow at him, peeking into the box. He grins at me, pushing the lid closed. “Don’t get mad at me.”

  “What’s in the box, Kal?” I ask with suspicion in my voice. I hear whimpering coming from the box and frown, trying to open it again.

  “No,” he says, smacking the lid closed. “First, you have to promise not to get mad.”

  I roll my eyes. “Fine. What’s in the box?”

  He grins mischievously, opening the flaps of the box with a flourish. I look over the edge of the box, groaning at the sight of seven small, furry creatures mewling helplessly. I groan again, covering my face in exasperation. “What is this, Kalino Vollmer?”

  He snickers at my use of his full name. “You promised not to get mad, G,” he says, picking up one of the tiny creatures. I growl at him, waiting for an answer. “These, my dear brother, are called kittens. They’re the whelps of a domesticated Earth feline.”

  “Right. And what are they doing in a box on our kitchen counter?” I ask, glaring at him.

  “Their mother got carried off by a large avian this morning,” he says sadly. “So I looked up some information, and these felines don’t usually live in communities. Leaving them outside basically guarantees their death.”

  I let out a breath at his begging tones. “Alright. Fine. Do you know how to take care of them?”

  He grins victoriously at me, pulling a plastic bag out of the box. “These ones are pretty young, so they’ll need to be bottle-fed every few hours, but I got everything needed to take care of them. Think of how excited Yelena will be!”

  “Low blow, Kal,” I respond, already imagining my daughter’s excited face when she sees the kittens.

  He laughs, pulling the kittens out and feeding them one at a time. As he pulls out the seventh kitten, an all-black little ball of fur with closed eyes and folded ears, Faustino stands and stretches.

  “Kal, can you drop me off at work? Unless you don’t need the car?” he asks.

  “I might need to go into town later, so I’ll take you,” Kalino answers, handing the tiny creature to me. “Finish feeding this one, would you, G?”

  I growl, taking the kitten and holding the tiny bottle to its searching mouth as my brothers leave. A few moments later, Rosana enters the kitchen, wearing her clothes from the day before. My heart jolts slightly.

  “Morning,” she says hesitantly, rubbing her eyes and walking towards me.

  I smile at her shyness, wondering where the temptress from the night before went. “Morning. Did you sleep well?”

  She smiles and nods, coming over to stroke the kitten in my hands. “I didn’t know you had kittens,” she says airily.

  “We didn’t … until about ten minutes ago. Kalino said their mother was carried off by a bird of prey.”

  “That’s so sad. It’s nice that you guys are taking care of them. They look young,” she says, reaching into the box and pulling out two of the mewling creatures.

  I let out a breath. “Would you be willing to take care of them with Yelena while I work on the windows?” I ask her, hopefully. She chews on her lip. “If you’re willing to stay, that is,” I say, backtracking slightly.

  She nods as if coming to a decision. “I’ll stay,” she says. “I’ll be Yelena’s nanny. And I’ll cook for you guys. At least until you can find someone to help on a more permanent basis.”

  My stomach drops at the implication that she’s not here to stay permanently. But, honestly, what was I expecting? She’s been here all of one day. I swallow, nodding.

  “Thank you,” I whisper.

  She places the kittens back into their box, carrying it into the sitting room and setting it securely on the floor between two chairs. She places a soft blanket on the bottom of the box and a small pan with a sand-like substance she calls litter in it. Once she has the kittens situated, she comes back to the kitchen and pulls out some food, a pan, and several plates.

  “Will your brothers be eating breakfast?” she asks.

  “Kalino just took Faustino to work, so I’m not sure about him, but I’m sure Adelmo and Vittorio will eat. They should be awake soon,” I say.

  She nods in acknowledgment, pulling out a larger plate. I watch her place several strips of meat into a pan, cooking them until they’re crisp. She places them on a paper-towel-lined plate, making layers of meat. Once she’s cooked twenty pieces of meat, she cracks several eggs, mixing them together in a large bowl. She wipes out the pan, cuts some onions, cheese, and ham up, and tosses the egg and the diced items in the pan, mixing them together and spicing them. While the eggs cook, she pulls out another bowl, mixing some ingredients together and starting to beat the batter.

  “What’s that?” I ask her.

  She looks at me as if the question is odd. “Pancakes. Bacon, eggs, and pancakes make the perfect breakfast, don’t you think?” She smiles at me. I nod stupidly as I watch her flip the eggs and pour the batter into small dollops in a second pan. She makes fifteen fist-sized pancakes, piling them high on another plate. Then she turns, handing me the plates with the eggs and bacon, and points to the dining room. I laugh and place the food on the side table. She comes after me with the plate of pancakes, carefully balancing the tower of food. As we finish setting out the plates and silverware, an excited Yelena comes bounding down the stairs.

  “You stayed!” she giggles excitedly as she launches herself into Rosana’s arms. I laugh, pulling Yelena out of Rosana’s arms as Kalino comes back into the house and Vittorio and Adelmo walk downstairs. Rosana kisses Yelena on the forehead before serving her up a small plate, cutting her pancakes, and squeezing syrup on the fluffy bites.

  Once I set Yelena down in front of her plate, Rosana hands me a plate and pushes me towards the food, grinning. I smile down at her, resisting the urge to give her a kiss. She hands each of my brothers a plate before taking one for herself. We enjoy the delicious breakfast, chatting about the kittens and Kalino’s drive back from town.

  “So, Rosana,” begins Kalino, “did you want me to bring your car over? I can get your stuff, so you don’t have to worry about going into town until we know for sure those men are gone.”

  I nod at my thoughtful brother, secretly smacking myself in the head for not having come up with the suggestion myself.

  She smiles at him and lets out a relieved breath. “That would be lovely, Kalino. Thank you,” she says, munching on a piece of bacon. I watch some of the cooking fat drizzling down her finger and imagine myself licking it off, then force myself to bring my attention back to the table.

  Once everyone finishes eating and the table is cleared, Kalino stretches and leaves to get Rosana’s belongings. I kiss Yelena on the cheek, thank Rosana for breakfast, and follow Vittorio and Adelmo out to the shed to gather the supplies needed to start fixing the damaged windows.

  We work into the day. At some point, Kalino returns with Rosana’s car, carrying her belongings inside before coming back out and crossing to the building with the communicator pieces.


  When sweat starts dripping down our backs, Adelmo, Vittorio, and I remove our shirts, wiping our faces with the fabric and throwing them to the side. Once the sun reaches its peak in the sky, Rosana comes out, holding sandwiches and glasses of water. I can feel her staring at me as she approaches. The thought of her gaze on my skin brings back memories from the night before.

  “Where’s Kalino?” she asks once she hands us the food she prepared.

  “He’s in the boathouse, I think,” I say, jerking my head at the lakeside building. She nods, walking off, her gaze lingering on my chest.

  Chapter 9 - Rosana

  Figuring that the men might be hungry from all of their work, I prepare eight ham sandwiches for them and one each for Yelena and me. I grab some water, the men’s sandwiches, and leave Yelena eating at the kitchen island. With the food in my hands, I almost stumble when I see Gino’s gorgeous bare, glistening back. I watch as his muscles flex, rippling with power as he works. My mouth fills with drool at the sight, and I grin as I remember kissing him last night. I made sure to brush my teeth twice this morning, just in case Gino wants a repeat. My core is heating at the thought.

  I clear my throat as I approach the men and give each of them a plate with two sandwiches and a bottle of water. I can’t help but stare at Gino’s perfect form from the corn of my eye.

  I take the remaining sandwiches to the boathouse, where Gino says Kalino might be. Glancing back to admire Gino as I go, I approach the building and knock gently before going in. I hear talking in a back room. Following the sound, I find Kalino talking to himself, muttering.

  “Stupid comm units, I told them not to make the damn things so flimsy, but do we listen to Kalino? NOOOO, of course not, he’s just a silly prince,” he grunts in frustration.

  A prince? I raise my eyebrows at the statement, wondering just who these brothers are. I clear my throat loudly as I come up behind him. He jumps, slamming a laptop shut and swiveling his chair to face me. When he sees me, he pales and clears his throat nervously.