Read Online Luck of the Dragon (Entangled Covet) by Susannah Scott - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Susannah Scott
Tags: Romance, romance series, paranormal romance, dragon, Susannah Scott, Entangled Covet, Luck of the Dragon
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now, before the ceremony complicated things. There were those among the dragons who still believed Ambrogino’s claim to the throne.
Alec rolled his shoulders to relieve the tension and focused on what he knew about Lucy. Her brother’s gambling debts had to be the source of her erratic behavior. Alec knew Joey’s kind, adrenaline junkies who thought every roll, every card, every horse held the answer to their problems.
It was sad, really. They rarely won, and when they did win, the money was spent as soon as the chips were cashed. They fueled his casino, and for that he liked their undaunted optimism, but not if it upset Lucy, not if it endangered her and forced her into stealing.
He had to get Lucy away from Joey without scaring her. He needed time to sway Lucy to him, seduce her until she understood what a future as his mate could be. Unfortunately, with his dragon form fading and the ceremony a few short days away, he did not have a lot of time.
Lucy stepped into the gilded entry at precisely 8 a.m. She carried a briefcase, wore a buttoned-up dark suit and low heels, her hair was tucked up, and she had on dark-framed librarian glasses. Alec smiled at the monitor, intrigued by the abrupt change in appearance. Was this the real Lucy, or the vamp from the night before?
He pushed the com button on his phone. “Jane, please show Dr. De Luca to my suite.”
“Your personal suite, Jer’ol?” Jane couldn’t keep her astonishment from her voice.
“Yes.” The word was final.
Jane’s question was well deserved. His suite was on the top of the casino, 130 stories up, in the dragons’ private quarters. No human had ever been brought into their inner domain.
Dragons considered humans an inferior race, weak both mentally and physically. When it was discovered that the Fates had chosen a human mate for the Dragon King, there would be serious problems. The dragons would doubt his authority and power in the face of such a providential insult . And then there was Ambrogino, somewhere out there, stirring up a revolt. There would be rumbles of dissention, and he would probably receive a blood challenge, or two, or three…
Alec let out a sigh. He hated, above all things, to kill one of their own, but sometimes it could not be avoided. Kill or be killed—even in the 21 st century, the dragons still adhered to the ancient ways.
His dragons, housed on the top floors of the casino, were already jittery because of the arriving families and approaching ceremony. Their musky mating scent could be detected by any dragon in Nevada, and probably the entire West Coast. The reinforced concrete walls of the dragon towers would be tested for strength before everyone settled into their destined pairs.
Alec needed to get things settled with Lucy and refocus on his people. In generations past, it had not been impossible to find places in the world where they could congregate. His grandfather’s rule had been largely peaceful, on a remote South Pacific island. But his father’s people had seen their haven disturbed by satellites and would-be explorers.
Questions that would not go away, asked by humans who would not leave them alone.
Alec had traveled the world, gathering his lieutenants from the hidden dragon folds and enclaves, speaking words of peace to warring factions, promising a place where they could do more than survive, a place where they could thrive.
A knock sounded at the door. Alec turned off the surveillance screen. “Come in.”
Jane admitted Lucy and left with a look of disapproval.
“Lucy,” he greeted her with a welcoming smile. “I have breakfast ready.” He padded barefoot to an elegantly laid out table and pulled out a chair for her.
Lucy scanned his workout shorts and damp T-shirt, and then peered at the table. Her nose wrinkled with confusion. “Ahh…” She reached into her briefcase and held some papers toward him without crossing the room. “I have my contract for you to sign.”
“Of
Alec rolled his shoulders to relieve the tension and focused on what he knew about Lucy. Her brother’s gambling debts had to be the source of her erratic behavior. Alec knew Joey’s kind, adrenaline junkies who thought every roll, every card, every horse held the answer to their problems.
It was sad, really. They rarely won, and when they did win, the money was spent as soon as the chips were cashed. They fueled his casino, and for that he liked their undaunted optimism, but not if it upset Lucy, not if it endangered her and forced her into stealing.
He had to get Lucy away from Joey without scaring her. He needed time to sway Lucy to him, seduce her until she understood what a future as his mate could be. Unfortunately, with his dragon form fading and the ceremony a few short days away, he did not have a lot of time.
Lucy stepped into the gilded entry at precisely 8 a.m. She carried a briefcase, wore a buttoned-up dark suit and low heels, her hair was tucked up, and she had on dark-framed librarian glasses. Alec smiled at the monitor, intrigued by the abrupt change in appearance. Was this the real Lucy, or the vamp from the night before?
He pushed the com button on his phone. “Jane, please show Dr. De Luca to my suite.”
“Your personal suite, Jer’ol?” Jane couldn’t keep her astonishment from her voice.
“Yes.” The word was final.
Jane’s question was well deserved. His suite was on the top of the casino, 130 stories up, in the dragons’ private quarters. No human had ever been brought into their inner domain.
Dragons considered humans an inferior race, weak both mentally and physically. When it was discovered that the Fates had chosen a human mate for the Dragon King, there would be serious problems. The dragons would doubt his authority and power in the face of such a providential insult . And then there was Ambrogino, somewhere out there, stirring up a revolt. There would be rumbles of dissention, and he would probably receive a blood challenge, or two, or three…
Alec let out a sigh. He hated, above all things, to kill one of their own, but sometimes it could not be avoided. Kill or be killed—even in the 21 st century, the dragons still adhered to the ancient ways.
His dragons, housed on the top floors of the casino, were already jittery because of the arriving families and approaching ceremony. Their musky mating scent could be detected by any dragon in Nevada, and probably the entire West Coast. The reinforced concrete walls of the dragon towers would be tested for strength before everyone settled into their destined pairs.
Alec needed to get things settled with Lucy and refocus on his people. In generations past, it had not been impossible to find places in the world where they could congregate. His grandfather’s rule had been largely peaceful, on a remote South Pacific island. But his father’s people had seen their haven disturbed by satellites and would-be explorers.
Questions that would not go away, asked by humans who would not leave them alone.
Alec had traveled the world, gathering his lieutenants from the hidden dragon folds and enclaves, speaking words of peace to warring factions, promising a place where they could do more than survive, a place where they could thrive.
A knock sounded at the door. Alec turned off the surveillance screen. “Come in.”
Jane admitted Lucy and left with a look of disapproval.
“Lucy,” he greeted her with a welcoming smile. “I have breakfast ready.” He padded barefoot to an elegantly laid out table and pulled out a chair for her.
Lucy scanned his workout shorts and damp T-shirt, and then peered at the table. Her nose wrinkled with confusion. “Ahh…” She reached into her briefcase and held some papers toward him without crossing the room. “I have my contract for you to sign.”
“Of
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