Dragon Hearts (D.O.A. Book 1) Read online

  Calvin was opening the grocery store, smiling, and saying, "Hey, Pit."

  "Hi Cal, how's business?" Rene asked.

  "Doing fantastic. Can you tell Taj thanks for picking up my order? He left before I could properly thank him."

  "I will." Rene replied as he and Bren continued down the street. Margret took a moment to wave in their direction before returning to cut Mary Ellen's hair in her beauty parlor and Larry and George were watching their son practice roping a calf for the rodeo scheduled next month.

  "So, are all the people here like you guys?" Rene asked.

  Shaking his head, Rene replied, "No. Drago was an idea we came up with about two hundred years ago. Everyone here knows our secret. Some may be witnesses with contracts out on them, some were victims of violent crime and they are too scared to leave us, and some──"

  Bren glanced at Rene, asking, "And some are what?"

  "Some are people that witnessed our dragon or saw someone shift. We were ordered to kill them by your government and instead gave them an alternative to death." Rene muttered.

  Bren stopped walking and turned to Rene, "Are you telling me you kidnapped people?"

  “No!" Rene exclaimed then quickly explained, "Bren, our secret is not one we want to get out. We already have the FBI on our asses, and they only know because as technology improved, it became harder and harder to hide our identities. We went to the president and he helped us work a deal. They don't come after us with needles and shit and we would establish ourselves in an area and not let word get out about our involvement with their cases. However, the paranormal world being secret is more because of your government then by paranormals. Hey, Cam."

  "Hey, Pit!" Cameron called out as he threw some trash in the bin and walked back into his cafe.

  "In other words, they think it will cause mass hysteria, and also, you do all the work and they take the credit." Bren said in understanding.

  Nodding, Rene replied, "It works for us. We don't care who gets credit. It isn't why we do what we do anyway. As for the people, they are well cared for, run their own businesses, as you just saw, and are happy doing it. Many of them have better lives now than when we first met them."

  "So, no one is here against their will?" Bren asked again.

  "Not a one." Rene answered, turning to go down a path in the woods.

  A small man rushed towards Rene smiling, "Hey Pit, do you think that Casper might be able to swing by the shop? Dennis said that he got the part in for Casper's bike."

  "I'll be sure to let him know, Pete. Casper has been chomping at the bit to get back on his newest investment." Rene replied with a smile.

  Pete laughed, "Not many can say that they own a real Coventry Eagle from World War Two. Do you think that he's going to ride this one or just stare at it like all the others?"

  Snorting, Rene replied, "Who the hell knows."

  Pete stuck his hand out to Bren, "Hey there, I'm Pete Warner. Are you a newbie to our town?"

  Bren looked around, saying, "I'm Bren Billman, and not just yet, no."

  Pete looked nervously at Rene, "He's not one of us?"

  Looking at Bren, Rene softly said, "I'm hoping. I'm trying to convince Bren to be my mate."

  Pete's eyes widened and he smiled once more at Bren, "You two are mates? Oh, Pit, I am so happy for you! Are you a shifter, vamp, magic paranormal, or what?"

  Bren drew back in shock, then looked at Rene and back at Pete, stuttering, "Uh n──no. I──I'm a──uh veterinarian."

  Pete gasped, "Holy shit, Pit! Your mate is a human?" Looking at Bren Pete replied, "You have got to be so freaking about now."

  Snorting, Bren replied, "You could say that."

  Placing his hand on Bren's back, Rene looked at Pete, saying, "I'm showing Bren around, so we'll see you around, Pete. I promise to let Casper know his part is in."

  Rene and Bren started walking again. Bren looked lost and unsure. Rene didn't remember the last time he felt nervous. He had faced people like The Son of Sam, The Green River Killer, hell they were still looking for Jack the Ripper, and yet, being with Bren was making his hands shake and stomach feel funny. What if he couldn't convince his mate to give him a chance? Would Bren really deny them before Rene had a chance to convince Bren that Rene was worth sharing his life with?

  "I bet you have had some interesting cases in the past four hundred and fifty years." Bren said.

  Nodding, Rene replied, "Yeah, we have."

  "Can you tell me about one?" Bren asked.

  Rene thought a moment and then said, "It was 1895. My men and I were called in about a suspected conman named Dr. Henry Howard Holmes otherwise known as H.H. Holmes."

  Bren gasped, "Hold that thought. I have a promise to keep."

  Rene was confused until Bren looked at his arm, asking, "Azul, would you like to join Rene and I for our walk?"

  It didn't take a second for a mist to lift from Bren's arm where Azul had been resting. The mist grew as sapphire sparkles merged together and Azul appeared smiling wide. His teeth were sparkling in the sun until Azul's eyes got bigger and he clamped his mouth shut and used his large hands to cover his snout.

  Rene was at a loss until Bren smiled, and went to the dragon and crooked his finger. Azul bent low and Bren kissed the dragon’s cheek, "It's okay to smile, Azul. I'm not scared of you anymore."

  Azul touched the spot that Bren had kissed, and looked as if he was Gods smacked. Walking with them in daze.

  "Lucky fucking dragon." Rene mumbled quietly.

  Azul must have heard because he looked at Rene and stuck out his large tongue.

  Bren turned to Rene, saying, "So you were saying that this H.H. Holmes was a doctor? Did he lie about being a doctor? Is that why you were called in?"

  Rene replied, "No, he graduated from the University of Michigan's Department of Medicine and Surgery. He went on to work in an anatomy lab. No, we were brought in because the insurance company thought he was committing fraud, we found out that is not all he had done."

  Passing the school, Rene took Bren to the park. Thankfully it was empty so Rene could talk undisturbed with his sentience. Directing Bren to one of the benches overlooking the lake, Rene continued his story, "It seemed the good doctor met and married three different women while never once getting a divorce."

  "Damn, that man got around." Bren said with a laugh.

  Sighing, Rene replied, "That he did. Anyway, when we got called in, it seems that Holmes had built what they called a mixed used building. It was a place that had different levels to it. For Holmes, the bottom floor was retail places and a drug store and apartments on the second floor. Anyway, he refused to pay the people that built the place and after he got some people to invest in making a third floor, it mysteriously burned down."

  "Ahhh, he wanted the insurance." Bren said in understanding.

  "Yes, but he got sued by them instead." Rene said with a laugh. "The man never saw a penny of the money. Then they found out he had stolen from people and was sent to jail."

  "I'm confused, I thought you were called in because of the mixed used building? If they didn't pay, why did they call you?" Bren asked.

  "Because he also tried to fake his death and collect on his own life insurance. The companies wanted this man caught and prosecuted. He had spent some time in jail for other things and ran into a guy that told him of a lawyer who could help him. The thing is, when we started looking into the arson case, we discovered that Holmes wasn't his real name and that he had changed it more than once. Also, a great deal of missing people had crossed his path. Some were women he had affairs with, some were the children of those women, and some were dumb schmucks, like Benjamin Pitezel. Now, Ben had a wife and five kids. When Homes failed at faking his death, somehow H.H. conned Ben into faking his own death, however, instead H.H. killed him, talked his wife into handing over three of her kids to him, collected the insurance on dear old Ben, kept telling Ben's wife that he was hiding out in London and then killed the three chi
ldren in his possession."

  "My God, how did you guys find all this out? I mean, seriously, how did you catch him?" Bren asked.

  "We went to Holmes' cellmate to have a talk with the man. Taj can be very persuasive when he wants to be." Rene replied with a smile.

  Bren's look was one of irony, saying, "I have seen that."

  "Well, the guy spilled his guts. The man was pissed that Holmes didn't pay him like he said he would anyway, so it didn't take much to get names and places Holmes might be. We tracked him down, found the two girls’ bodies decomposing, he had cut off one of the girls’ feet, the third child was burned up, we found some teeth and bones. He was tried, convicted, and hung."

  Bren shook his head, "That's crazy."

  Nodding, Rene replied, "Yeah, that was a strange one. Then again we have seen stranger ones."

  "Like what?" Bren asked.

  Rene looked at Bren and built up the courage to take his hand, "Not all the unsolved murders you've heard about are really unsolved. Then you have some that are still being committed and being kept quiet. Some are committed by shifters or other paranormal. Because your government doesn't want people to know that there really are things out there that go bump in the night, they will never know about them."

  Bren shook his head in wonder, "This is all insane. I woke up today thinking the sky was blue, only to find out its red."

  Rene looked at Bren intensely. Taking his finger, he gently tucked Bren's hair behind his ear, whispering, "I know. I woke up alone and ready to catch me a killer and instead I find my very heart and soul being stolen and the man doing it has been living less than thirty minutes from me for five years."

  Bren never turned away as Rene took the bull by the horns and leaned in for a kiss. It was soft and sweet, just like his mate. Then Bren began to open to him and Rene couldn't resist delving in deeper. Tongues touched and moans were heard by the wildlife around them. Yet any thoughts Rene might have had evaporated.

  Bren slowly pulled back, softly saying, "That was nice."

  "Yes, it was." Rene rasped.

  Bren sat up looking out towards the lake, saying, "Every part of me wants to do as Jude said." Bren turned to Rene, saying, "You know, don't overthink things, just go for it." Looking back to the lake, Bren whispered, "But I can't do that, Rene. Not just because of who you are and what you do, but because it's not who I am." Looking back at Rene, his eyes filled with concern, as he said, "But I don't want to take the chance of losing someone that might be very special to me, either."

  Rene tilted his head, giving Bren the sincerest look he could, "You are not going to lose me, Bren. I told you, you are my sentience. That means you are it for me. I will give you as much time as you need. Living the rest of our days together is my reward for being patient."

  Bren shook his head slowly, saying, "I don't get it. You're so sure we are life mates. You don't even know me. I mean, what if I'm bitchy, or you like soccer but I prefer football? I like playing cards with my friends once a week and going dancing at the club once a month to unwind from all that I've been through during that time. Do you like dancing? I could chew with my mouth open and scratch my ass in public. You know nothing about me, yet you are so sure we are meant to be together. I don't even know your favorite color, food, if you've ever been married, have you always been gay or is this a new thing for you? Just saying we are to be mates for life so screw everything else just doesn't cut it for me Rene. It makes no sense."

  Rene grasped Bren's hand, saying, "I prefer football, the Eagles are my favorite team. I've played poker with the guys before, and I have to tell you I'm pretty good at it. I'm not much of a dancer, but if it means I can hold you close while we sway to the music, I'm all for it. If you chew with your mouth open, I can always direct you to something else you can chew, and as for scratching your ass, I would be more than happy to help you with that, just say the word."

  Sighing, Bren replied, "As sweet as that is, you know what I mean."

  "Bren, finding our mate and feeling the pull is only biological. I am not saying that I am already in mad love with you, that is something altogether different."

  "I don't understand." Bren replied confused.

  Rene looked out at the water for a moment, trying to think of the best way to word what he had to say. Finally turning back to Bren, he replied, "Think of the pull like a compass. It points us in the right direction, but it's up to us to find our way."

  "So, how do we do that?" Bren asked.

  Shrugging, Rene replied, "I don't know exactly. We do as you said, get to know each other, and even though I've never dated anyone before, I don't mind giving that a shot. Bren, I'm willing to do anything I can to convince you that I am in this relationship for the long haul."

  "Relationship? Are you asking me to be your boyfriend?" Bren asked with a shy smile.

  Rene raised a brow, snorting, "I am wanting you to be as close to a husband as one can be, but if you want to start off as boyfriends, I'll take it. However, I have one request first."

  "What's that?" Bren asked.

  Rene looked intently at Bren, "That we are exclusive. No dating others while we try and work this relationship out."

  Azul gave out a low grunt that Rene took as agreement to that request. Rene wanted to add the fact that if he tried, Azul might decide to eat the bastard, that is if Rene didn't kill the fucker first.

  Bren drew his bottom lip in and began to nibble. The move was sexy as hell and Rene had the urge to readjust his hard as a rock cock in his pants.

  Nodding, Bren replied, "You have a deal."

  CHAPTER TEN

  Bren and Rene had been dating for over a month. Things had been progressing so well, until three nights ago. That is when Bren's happy bubble had most defiantly been popped. Bren could do nothing but sit here with his beer and remember.

  Rene had taken him back to the park in Drago. Bren was so surprised to see a blanket on the ground, overlooking the lake and candles all around, flickering in the light breeze. A picnic basket sat in the corner and Champagne was on ice with a flute on each side. "Rene, this is beautiful."

  "I'm glad you like it. I can't take credit. Mary Ellen and Margret told me that if I wanted to catch my man I needed to romance him."

  "You talked to the townspeople about me?"

  Rene's laugh sent a trickling sensation through Bren's body. Then he said, "In Drago, there is no getting away from the gossip. We are a very small town, after all. You, my lovely sentience, are as they say, the talk of the town."

  Feeling his cheeks heating up, Bren only said, "Oh."

  Rene directed Bren to the blanket and sat down with him. "Mary Ellen said I should plan a picnic and Margret told me not to forget candles, lots and lots of candles, she said. Cam insisted on packing a basket for us." Opening the Champagne, Rene whispered, almost conspiratorially, "I, however, am the one that thought of the Champagne and the location."

  Rene handed Bren a half-filled flute and Bren took a small sip, saying, "Well, it is beautiful and you can tell Mary Ellen and Margret, it is most definitely romantic."

  They had sat there talking about mundane things. Eating the fried chicken and potato salad as they sipped their Champagne “So why Champagne and not wine? Are we celebrating?"

  Rene took Bren's glass from his hand, and set them to the side, leaning in and whispering, "I found my sentience. I felt it, and you, were worth the celebration."

  Bren submitted almost immediately to Rene's attention. They started with a slow, savory kiss that left Bren on his back and Rene practically on top of him. Bren wrapped his arms around Rene and allowed Rene to take the lead. He did not disappoint.

  Rene lifted from the kiss to place soft butterfly kisses to Bren's cheek and then lower. Bren had tilted his head back, allowing Rene to kiss and nibble on his neck, bringing a moan of complete pleasure from Bren's lips. Slowly Rene unbuttoned Bren's shirt and pushed it to the side, kissing his way to Bren's right nipple, and then gently nibbling as he rubb
ed his hands softly on Bren's heated skin.

  Bren's cock was so hard and he knew a wet spot had to be forming in his pants from the precum he could feel leaking from its tip.

  Rene pulled up long enough to pull his shirt over his head and then came back to where he had left off.

  Feeling their skin touching was one of the most sensational feelings of Bren's life. He wanted and needed more. "Please, Rene. I need──I need more."

  Slowly, Rene's hand slid down Bren's abdomen, causing Bren's stomach muscles to ripple and roll downward like a wave. Bren knew it was not going to take much to make him explode.

  Rene followed a leisurely path to Bren's cock, squeezing the bulge in Bren's pants gently then gradually unbuttoning and unzipping them as he brought his lips back to Bren's. Tongues swirled and guttural sounds were the only noises that could be heard. Then Rene took a finger, pulled on the band of Bren's boxer briefs, gently sliding the rest of his hand in until he was cupping and squeezing Bren's stiff cock.

  Bren lifted his hips, to increase the pressure, wanting──no needing, his release.

  Not pretending to not understand what Bren wanted, Rene began easing his way down Bren's chest, bypassing his nipples, but stopping long enough to swirl his tongue around and in Bren's belly button.

  "Oh, yes." Bren hissed, arching his back once more and rubbing and then lightly scratching Rene's back, causing a moan of pleasure to escape from Rene.

  Seconds later, Rene was lifting up and pulling Bren's pants down, far enough for Bren's silky hard shaft to spring from its confines.

  Bren about lost his mind when Rene didn't waste any time, taking Bren's mushroom tip into his mouth and sliding his tongue under the head, then sliding down until that very tip hit the back of Rene's throat.

  "Oh, my fucking God!" Bren rasped, lifting his hips.

  Rene gently rolled Bren's balls in his hand as he raised and lowered his mouth.

  Bren's head moved side to side as loud breaths were drawn in and let out through his tightly clenched teeth. “I’m gonna come, Rene."

  Not stopping what he was doing, Bren felt Rene adding a finger to where his mouth was, and then slowly sliding it out and placing it on Bren's pucker. " I can't──I'm gonna──I can't──"