Mechele Armstrong Read online

  FIRE RIDERS 2:

  THE FIRE WITHIN

  Mechele Armstrong

  www.loose-id.com

  Fire Riders 2: The Fire Within

  Copyright © December 2011 by Mechele Armstrong

  All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the original purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without prior written permission from Loose Id LLC. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  eISBN 978-1-61118-722-9

  Editor: Antonia Pearce

  Cover Artist: April Martinez

  Printed in the United States of America

  Published by

  Loose Id LLC

  PO Box 809

  San Francisco CA 94104-0809

  www.loose-id.com

  This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Warning

  This e-book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language and may be considered offensive to some readers. Loose Id LLC’s e-books are for sale to adults ONLY, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

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  Dedication

  To all who wonder if there be dragons…

  Chapter One

  Clang.

  Geant pulled at the chains that held him to the wall. He curled his lip and growled. A wasted effort, as he didn’t succeed and was alone. Therefore there was no one to see his frustration and be cowed by it.

  “You can’t pull free.”

  Or maybe not alone. He turned to face the man he hadn’t heard approach. Geant had been too busy trying to pull the heavy chains from the wall. His arms ached from the effort. He silently surveyed the man who stood before him and who had brought him to this place. Against his will.

  The man was well built, like a panther, with compact muscles and a large frame. His darkness carried the panther analogy with his long, dark hair pulled back in a queue and his dark clothes and coat. His skin shone with olive tones in the candlelight. Were the situation different, Geant would have enjoyed the way the light fell on his constricting biceps or the way his hips rocked back and forth when he walked. But the situation was what it was.

  The man was Alin.

  The head of Wardona’s dragon riders.

  His jailor.

  Geant bared his teeth at the man, who looked back at him with some amusement—not the effect Geant was going for.

  “You can show teeth all you want. They aren’t as impressive in this form. And you will remain my prisoner.”

  The ever-present note of needing to be free leaped up in Geant, making him feel reckless. He tried to push that feeling down because it wouldn’t get him anywhere. He remained trapped in this dungeon of Wardona. He’d been in a dogfight with Alin as a dragon above the skies from Eastania to Wardona. Alin had kept him from going back to Eastania’s dragon grounds. He’d pushed Geant to the ground in dragon form and overtaken him when they’d both finally changed to human. Alin had had an army of humans. Alin hadn’t fought fair, in Geant’s humble opinion. “Fuck you.”

  Now Alin’s teeth shone white against his skin, but it was in a grin, not a baring of teeth. Didn’t anything rattle this man? “Maybe later. For now, I’m not supposed to touch you.” He lowered his head. “‘Course if you invited me…that’d be a different story.”

  Geant rattled the chains that held him in place and didn’t comment back. His stomach clenched. Like he’d ever invite the man to touch him. Instead he glared. As if that would do any good. If only he had a weapon. Or his fire. Or even clothes. His clothes were back in Eastania. They hadn’t given him anything to wear here. So far the chill hadn’t been bad, but he hated being exposed like this.

  “You don’t even have to speak.” The man chuckled a bit. “You’re thinking I can’t imprison you here. And I’ll say, ‘Oh yes, I can.’” The man leaned back against the stone wall. Everything down here was dark. It was a wonder Geant could see Alin. Walls dripped with moisture, and the air wasn’t fresh by any means. The jail had been carved from the rock, a cavern. There were rock formations in the huge room he’d been in imprisoned in.

  “In six hours, I’ll be changing. I’ll be a dragon.” Geant smirked as he moved the chain. He calculated how much yield the chain had. Alin was out of reach right now, but maybe he’d slip before the day was through. “A big dragon.”

  Alin’s smile was anything but charming. “This chamber was made to keep dragon riders. It’s made to keep you after you change. The chains may fall away. But they can be put on again.”

  Geant looked around the chamber—or cell—again with a different perspective. It was big enough to house a dragon. The door was huge and locked, with Alin holding a key. The walls were stone, and the door was heavy and metal. Geant would bet it was fire-resistant as well. As he looked with new understanding, he could tell it was a prison designed to hold a dragon rider. When Geant changed, the chains wouldn’t keep, but when he changed back to human, Alin would probably come with enough guards to man an army and put them back on like he’d done when Geant had transformed before. They’d detain his dragon and his human here beneath the Wardona settlement. “Fuck you.” Geant was screwed right now, but it felt good to say the words to Alin. Arrogant bastard. Geant clasped and unclasped his hand. If only Alin would walk in the range of the chain, then he might be able to make things even.

  Alin pushed from the wall but didn’t come any closer. “You persist in saying that. Maybe you are in need of something so soon after your arrival. I had figured you had a few more days.” His face took on a calculating look.

  Geant’s blood ran hot underneath his skin as he realized the seriousness of his predicament for the first time. He’d been so focused on getting out, he hadn’t thought about what he didn’t have. Shit. That hadn’t occurred to him until now. He was well past the age of twenty-five when the fires could consume a dragon rider unless they were released. He could feel his fire building even as he stared at the man in front of him. The well-built man. Back home he had Elesia, his lover, his woman. She eased the fires burning within. Gaia, she probably thought he was dead. Damn Alin for this. “You can’t keep me here.” A stupid thing to say and what Alin probably expected. Geant cursed his weakness in saying it aloud.

  “I can. I will. Until I’m told otherwise.”

  Geant flexed his muscles against the chains that held him. He noted the glint of appreciation that lit up Alin’s eyes. That was not the attention he wanted right now. If Alin weren’t the enemy, he would have acknowledged the other man’s glances more. If Alin weren’t his captor, he would have gotten aroused at the man’s subtle flirting and the sight of his body. Geant liked Alin’s type. But that wasn’t going to go anywhere with the two strikes Alin had against him. “I’ll burn.”

  Alin’s eyes flickered again. “I thought you must be past the age of maturity.” He motioned. “Your hair.”

&nb
sp; Yeah, so Geant’s hair had turned gray. He was an old, grizzled dragon rider. It showed. “I am. I have a human at home. I need to be eased by her.” He needed to let her know he was alive. She was the only important thing in his life. The most precious thing. This bastard hindered Geant from going back to her. Geant bristled under the forced circumstances and the attraction he felt to Alin. It wasn’t a good combination. His cock erected itself like a mast on a ship. Geant tried to think about anything that would disgust him and take his reaction away.

  The man walked in a half circle around Geant that kept him from coming too close into the chain’s reach. If only he’d make a misstep. Alin’s eyes had flamed up at the word “eased,” but he didn’t comment on Geant’s erection, though he had to notice.

  “How hot is your fire burning right now?”

  Geant looked within himself. He was hot. It wasn’t bad now. Not yet. But it would get bad without Elesia. “Imprison me here, and the wrath of Eastania will come down upon your head.” Another show of weakness with an empty threat. No one had seen Alin take him. Wardona could make Eastania think he was dead if they wanted to. Alin did have him over a barrel and knew it.

  “You didn’t answer my question, though. I wonder why that is. Don’t want to talk to me?” Alin looked at him as though he’d get an answer from Geant’s face. Not likely.

  Geant stood in stony silence.

  “Must not be bad yet. I don’t see a heat flare-up. But it will get bad. You’ll have to take a human here.” Alin waved a hand toward Geant as if that answered everything.

  Geant shook his head.

  Alin looked surprised at his negative answer. “You’ll have to. Or you will burn up, my friend.”

  “I’m not your friend.” Geant spat the words as though they were distasteful. He would never take a lover here, not even to save himself. Not this way. But he wasn’t explaining that to Alin.

  Alin blinked a couple of times, as though he couldn’t believe Geant’s answers. “You’re saying you won’t take a human while you’re here?”

  “Yep.” Geant held his head as high as he could under the circumstances. “I can wait.”

  “This lover must be pretty special for you to wait.” Alin’s face turned thoughtful, as though he was contemplating his next move.

  Elesia was special. She was the best thing that had ever happened to him, and sometimes Geant was still surprised she was with him. No other human could compare to her, so he’d not take on another human lover here. “Yes, she is.”

  “You’d risk everything to stay faithful to her?” Another calculated look.

  Geant nodded. That wasn’t his reason for not planning to accept a human lover from Wardona, but let Alin think it was. He had no plans to sleep with an enemy to take his fire away, even if he burned in the process. His reasoning was complicated, but he’d never been with anyone without Elesia. He didn’t intend to start now. She’d probably be fine with it as long as he didn’t burn, but he didn’t want to do that. Not to mention he didn’t want to do what his enemy wanted him to do. A foolish sentiment, but Elesia had always said his stubbornness knew no bounds.

  Alin shook his head. “I had no idea dragons from Eastania could be so loyal. And so stupid.”

  Geant growled and bared his teeth again. How dare his enemy call him stupid? The bastard.

  Alin’s smile was just as unpleasant the second time. “Will be interesting to see how long you take that stand. And how long I let you be loyal. You’re not going to explode on my watch and take out my city with you.”

  That had occurred to Geant too. Being underground like this, under the bowels of the complex of Wardona, if he combusted it would probably do some damage. He tried to look innocent. Probably didn’t succeed, especially if Alin’s expression was any indication.

  “When I decide, you will take a lover.” Alin folded his arms in front of his chest and continued to circle around him.

  Geant stared stonily ahead. He would not be dictated to by Alin or any other. He’d decide when and whom he took as a lover, his fire be damned.

  “The heat will build. And you will be singing a different tune. Eventually.” Alin looked entirely too sure of himself.

  Geant clamped his mouth shut as he seethed with anger. If only he could slap that smug look from Alin’s face. Elesia would want him home safely and not care how he came back to her, but Geant couldn’t stand the thought of doing what this man wanted him to do. Forget the enemy. It was all about this man. Also, he didn’t like the idea of taking someone simply because of his heat. Some dragon riders wouldn’t care. He did. He’d feel like he was using them, not a good thing to reconcile with his own moral code.

  Of course, this ran opposite of what he’d instructed two dragon riders under his charge back in Eastania to do. He’d told them to find a human at any cost.

  Irony was a bitch and should be slapped.

  Alin watched the man watching him as Geant waited to see if Alin would walk into the chain’s range. What would he do if Alin did? Wasn’t like he could ever break free, even if he killed Alin. There was an army outside those doors. Alin might be the head of the dragon riders and responsible for taking down Geant, but he couldn’t have done it without help. He had to admire Geant’s balls.

  Literally.

  From the instant he’d gone after Geant’s dragon, he’d admired the man’s fortitude. His courage. It had taken an army to pin him down, which was hardly fair, but that was what Alin had been asked to do and was for a greater good. The survival of his people. After they’d returned to Wardona and he’d seen Geant as a man, he’d admired other things. His body. The older man was a force to be reckoned with. Few stood up to Alin. He was a big man even among other big men. His size wasn’t the only reason he’d gotten his position, but it hadn’t hurt. He found himself fascinated by his nemesis.

  A dangerous business.

  Geant was the enemy. Alin had been told to hunt him to give them leverage against Eastania. The plans for Eastania’s dragon rider captain didn’t involve Alin doing anything with him. Yet Alin couldn’t stop himself from coming to see Geant, from interacting with him. And he’d found a lively man, not cowed at all by his kidnapping. Hell, even the idea of burning from the inside out didn’t seem to get this man down.

  “You’re one stubborn cuss.” Alin stepped close, near to the range of the chain but not in it.

  Geant had straightened up as he approached, but now he settled back down. “I don’t have to do anything.”

  Ah, so part of his reluctance was the implied force involved. He didn’t like taking orders. Neither did Alin, but he’d found sometimes he had to. Geant had to have found the same in the position he was in. “You won’t have any choice.”

  “There are always choices.” Geant swallowed. His mouth must be dry because he hadn’t had water since he’d been there. “Always. Even if you don’t like them.”

  Alin looked toward the water bucket that stood out of reach of the chain. “Are you thirsty?”

  Geant’s tongue came out to lick around his lips. Alin couldn’t take his gaze from that errant muscle.

  “No.”

  “Come now. You have to be thirsty. You haven’t had anything to drink since before you turned dragon.”

  Geant shook his head again.

  Yes, this man was an enigma. One of the last of the old guard, where nobility and loyalty met in magnificent glory. “Not drinking won’t do anything for you. Not when there is water.” He pointed toward the bucket and dipper. “You’re a smart man. You had to be to get where you are. Use those brains now.”

  Geant hesitated. He looked toward his bonds and then the bucket again. His tongue slipped out a second time, making Alin’s heart race.

  “Fine. I’ll drink.”

  He hadn’t admitted anything but was accepting the water. That was the most Alin could hope for right now. Alin moved toward the bucket and then stopped. “Couple of things you have to promise before I help you to water.”
br />   “What?”

  “You have to promise not to attack me.”

  Geant’s grin was fierce, as was the accompanying look. “Whyever would I attack you?” He tried to sound innocent but failed as he had earlier with his angelic look.

  Alin pushed a shock of hair back from his face toward his queue. “Because you want to be free. Because I have to come into the chain’s reach to give you water, and you’ve been waiting for me to do that. Before water, you have to promise.”

  “Like I’d keep my promise?” Geant looked directly into Alin’s gaze. He didn’t waver or lower his head. He might be a prisoner, but he wasn’t acting like one.

  “You won’t break your word.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  Alin laughed, the first real laugh he’d had in a long time. “I do. Because I know a little about you, Geant. I know you have a human lover, Elesia. I know you’re the captain of the dragon riders for Eastania. I know you’re an honorable man. You honor your oaths.” Unlike so many of their kind.

  Geant’s snort was worthy of a dragon despite his being in human form, and he didn’t look surprised at what Alin spouted. “You know nothing about me.”

  “I know enough.” He waited for Geant to promise. Once spoken, Geant wouldn’t go back on his word.

  “You will give me water?” The man licked his dry lips. Geant’s eyes glowed with a fire most would never, ever have.

  A fire Alin found himself wanting to possess.

  Dangerous.

  He ran his hand across his face as though he could wipe his attraction to his prisoner away. Geant wasn’t meant for him. Never would be. At the end of this, when Wardona had what they needed, Geant would go home to his lover in Eastania and never return.

  Alin had to keep that in mind, even as he faced down the man who didn’t trust him at his word. “I will. I promise that.”

  “Promises can be broken. Especially by Wardona scumdogs like you.”

  If the man had any moisture, he probably would have spit in Alin’s direction, but instead he glared with eyes that could have shot daggers from their depths.