Rion by Susan Kearney Read Free Book Online Page B

watch the sunset.”
    For an instant, a bird with outspread wings was silhouetted against the setting sun, and Marisa wondered if Merlin, Cael’s
     owl, had followed them, but she dismissed the possibility. England had thousands of owls.
    She gazed across the open fields. The tourist buses were long gone. She didn’t see any guards, although how Rion had arranged
     that she wasn’t sure she wanted to know. With the sun setting, they seemed alone here—except for the ghosts of ancient Druids
     and the shadows of knights from ages long past.
    He uncorked a bottle of Merlot. “Have the dragons all calmed?”
    “Yes.” She held two glasses, and he poured. “But I still don’t understand what set them off.”
    “You did.” He tipped his glass to her.
    “Me? It’s my job to settle the dragons. How would I set them off?”
    “Right before the dragons’ chaos, you were enjoying my touch.”
    “And your point?”
    He grinned into his glass as if he couldn’t help himself, as if he knew his theory would both irritate and intrigue her. “You’re
     telepathic, and you projected your feelings.”
    Her feelings?
    Right before Lucan had come to fetch her, she and Rion had been talking in Rion’s hotel suite. Then they’d kissed. She’d tasted
     the wine on his tongue. His clever fingers had caressed her scales, driven her wild. He’d made her feel good. Better than
     she’d ever felt. But had she actually projected her desire and arousal onto strangers?
    Stunned, she sipped her wine. “You really think… that I affected the dragons?”
    “Yes.”
    “Even if that’s true, I wasn’t sending violent thoughts. The males were fighting.”
    “Over a female.”
    “My thoughts weren’t vicious. You saw the dragons. They were tearing each other apart. After you left, the docs gave them
     massive doses of antibiotics.”
    “Which probably weren’t necessary. Dragonshapers heal fast.” He peered at her over the rim of his wineglass. “To a dragonshaper,
     fighting is… foreplay. Your lust stirred their hot dragonblood. And then they couldn’t control themselves.”
    The implications rocked her. “Are you sure?”
    “Later, the dragons calmed. But then do you remember when you flung yourself into my arms?”
    “Of course.” Marisa sucked in a short breath.
    “One of the dragons roared.” He spoke gently as if he understood how shocking she’d find his theory. “And it happened again
     when I placed my arm over your shoulders. It’s why I pulled back so quickly.”
    Her hand shook so hard she had to set down her wine before she spilled it. “So kissing you, what we did together, was a mistake.”
    “Not for me.” Again he kept his tone gentle, almost playful. “I rather enjoyed it.”
    So had she. And yet… “Damn it. Unless I learn to control what I project, I can’t kiss you.” Or feel passion. Or make love.
     Yikes.
    “Or you could practice kissing me and keeping control.” His words were sexy, low and husky, and very suggestive.
    “Is that possible?”
    His hair ruffled in the breeze and he chuckled. “I’d be more than willing to help with the experiment—for scientific purposes.”
    “This isn’t funny, Rion. Those dragons could have died. If I hadn’t calmed them, the guards would have shot them with tranqs.
     They’d have fallen out of the sky.” Earth’s non-dragonshaping population was already leery of dragonshapers. And what sane
     person wouldn’t be wary? The dragons were huge and powerful, lethal when they blasted fire from their throats.
    “Relax.” Rion gestured to the setting sun. He dug into the basket and removed fresh bread, pickled onions, roast chicken,
     Cornish pasties, corn on the cob, and gooseberry trifle. “We’ll figure this out.”
    “How?” Disappointment washed over her. And yet… she reminded herself he’d gone to all this trouble
after
he’d known they wouldn’t be doing anything physical. Surely that meant he felt more than a physical