Prince of Ice, page 4
She’d make sure she got to see his face when he lost control, soon enough.
Soon enough? Good God, she was already planning on seconds.
But who wouldn’t, given his performance? Given just how perfectly they meshed together, meeting in a sensual way that defied explanations.
“Of course. That can’t be overstated.” Her body was heavy, begging for rest. But what about Luka?
“Would you like me to go home or stay?”
Immediately, alarm bells went off, interrupting her afterglow. She really liked Luka but wasn’t sure where things should go after this. She’d never had someone stay over, let alone sleep in her bedroom. She wasn’t sure she was ready for that.
“I don’t know,” she said hesitantly. If she had a spare room, she’d let him use it in an instant. “It’d be nice to know you were still here, but I’m not ready to sleep together. I know it’s weird.”
“It’s not weird. You barely know me,” Luka said.
“But you’d be welcome to the couch, if you’re comfortable there. Or I could take you home.”
He just shrugged. “Couch is fine. I’d prefer to stay here, if that’s all right with you.”
“It’s perfect,” Iris said. “Then we can still stay up late, watch a movie, cuddle, whatever.”
Luka smiled at her, and warmth seemed to fill her from the toes up. “Sounds perfect to me, too.”
“Thank you again for tonight. For everything.” She stood up on her toes, still far too short to reach him. Thankfully, he leaned lower to kiss her, once more for good measure.
She drew back, resting her hands on his forearms. “So something to eat or drink?” She headed toward the kitchen, feeling a bit thirsty.
“No thanks,” he said from behind her. “I already ate.”
She looked over her shoulder with wide eyes, and when she saw him grinning in amusement, she couldn’t help but laugh.
And think about all the fun things they were going to do together.
Chapter 5
Luka was tired the next morning, after tossing and turning more on Iris’s couch than he ever had on Chelle’s.
Perhaps it was his brain, which had still been on fire after everything he’d done with Iris. Making love to her with his mouth and hands had only confirmed that she was his mate.
Perhaps it was wondering if she was safe in her room and the way he kept perking his ears for the sound of her breathing.
Luka knew it made sense for her to not want him in there. Trusting him in her house was one thing. Wanting to sleep next to him, defenseless, was another.
Besides, there was no rush to anything.
He’d kissed her good-bye in the morning and headed home for a shower, then joined his friends at a coffee shop where they sometimes went when their mates were at work.
As the three of them sat at a table with their chosen drinks, Luka couldn’t help realizing how cosmopolitan he and the other dragons had gotten in the weeks since they’d been awakened.
They’d only been in this world a fraction of the time they’d been in the other, but it was starting to feel more like home than their time ever had.
As Alek, formerly the lord of winter and a ferocious dragon above all others of their time, sipped a latte calmly, Luka had to stifle a smile.
Dmitri preferred hot chocolate, due to his relationship with Chelle and her obsession with it, and was currently sipping his thoughtfully while looking out the window.
The table they’d sat at was supposed to be for bigger parties, but they were taking up pretty much all of the room. Luckily, this early in the morning, it wasn’t crowded.
Iris had said she was teaching a class this morning before heading to the lab and mentioned that it would be better for Luka to join her later, so it worked out.
Luka sipped a chai tea, which he liked for its sweetness. Something like this would have been impossible to find in his time, and there was something so satisfying about being safe and warm and drinking it while staring out the window at the snow falling outside.
“So,” Alek said, setting his cup down and turning to business. His long, pale hair was loose today, pushed over one shoulder. “How are things going for you? I know it might be getting a bit lonely now that both of us have found mates.”
“He’s been keeping busy,” Dmitri said, sliding Luka a sly glance.
“I don’t know what you mean,” Luka said carefully. He didn’t know how soon Iris would want to get more serious, and he wanted to keep things private as long as he could.
“Iris,” Dmitri said, being more perceptive than Luka generally gave him credit for. He had a soft gray hat on over his shaved head, and it softened his hard features quite a bit, while bringing out the hue of his blue-green eyes. “I know you two are talking. I also know you didn’t come home last night.”
Luka bit his lip, wondering how Dmitri had noticed, since he spent all his time with Chelle. “Maybe.”
Alek perked up. “That would be wonderful. Iris is a kind woman. I met her when I got my blood taken by her at Talia’s request.” He cocked his head, looking thoughtful. “Now that you mention it, you two have a lot in common.”
“They’re both in their own heads a lot?” Dmitri laughed, and Luka scowled at him.
“No, they are both thinkers, though,” Alek said, nodding. “Logical. Smart. I think you two would do well together.”
“That means a lot to me, my lord,” Luka said quietly.
“Oh, please,” Alek said, waving a hand. “I told you both to stop calling me that.”
Luka nodded, but it was still a bit hard sometimes to remember, given how many years he’d given up everything to serve at Alek’s side.
Dmitri let out a heavy sigh and looked over at Luka expectantly. “Well, what is it?”
“What’s what?”
“The problem you’re having with her,” Dmitri said. “If you were having an easy time winning her, then you wouldn’t be hesitant in sharing that you were with her. So spill it. You helped us with our mates.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” Luka said. “I just happened to be in the middle of it all. Besides, there’s not much to report with Iris. She’s not looking for commitment right now because she’s busy with her work, and I’m pretty distracted trying to figure out where the other shifters are hiding in this world.”
“You could talk to Lucien about it,” Dmitri suggested. “I still check in from time to time.”
“I guess so,” Luka said. “He already told me that aside from introducing me to the gem dragons at his mansion, he couldn’t tell me much more about the other holdouts in the world. Though, he did suggest there were some around us.”
“Interesting,” Dmitri said, but Luka got the feeling he was already daydreaming about being with Chelle again.
“So are you still looking for a job?” Luka asked.
Dmitri nodded. “Yeah, I’m thinking bouncer or something like it. Maybe security guard. Something to do while Chelle’s at work. They did offer us jobs with the other dragons as well, now that they trust us.”
“I’m glad they trust us, but I’m not wholly sure I trust them,” Luka said carefully. “I’m still getting the hang of how secretive shifters have to be in this world. I won’t feel safe for any of us or our mates until I know how frequently they could be around us. Or if they could find us.”
“I understand your propensity to worry,” Alek said wisely. “But in this case, I think you are wrong to do so. Life is for living. This is our chance to do so again. And even if something is out there waiting, it’s not like we can’t handle it. In the meantime, we should be enjoying this beautiful world, not stuck on a computer.”
Luka raised an eyebrow. “I like being on the computer. I like learning, and Iris does, too. We just aren’t in any hurry to make things official. Taking it one step at a time. She wouldn’t be able to focus on me anyway.”
“That tenure position,” Alek said. “Talia mentioned it to me. She thinks Iris is a sure thing for it.”
Luka shrugged a shoulder. “Apparently, Iris isn’t so sure.”
“So she’s not against commitment, like Chelle was, but she’s not up for it either?” Dmitri asked.
“Not for now,” Luka said. “And I’m not pushing it. I’m just happy to spend time with her.” Warmth rose in his heart, hotter than the tea he’d been drinking, and he smiled.
“Mate,” Alek said, looking at Dmitri.
“Yup,” Dmitri said. “Given that face, definitely.”
Luka looked at both of them, startled. “It’s that obvious?”
“Oh yeah,” Dmitri said, wrapping his hands around his cup with a sigh. “Nothing else puts that look on a dragon’s face.”
“How soon did you know?” Luka asked both of them.
Alek thought for a minute. “I took a bit. I knew I couldn’t stand being away from her, but I wasn’t sure what it was.”
“I knew right away,” Dmitri said. “Then again, my parents were a love match, so it was more familiar to me than it was to you royals.”
“That makes sense,” Luka said, taking a sip from his tea again. It was sort of nice to have his friends understand where he was coming from, but it also made him a little nervous that they would see him fail, too, if he couldn’t win Iris over.
Not that he could see how that would happen. They got along beautifully, and things would progress naturally if he didn’t try to push them along.
He already couldn’t wait to see her again. Was this what romance was always like in this world?
“Well, I know we’ve been busy lately, but if you need help, we’re there,” Alek said.
“We can ask our mates about it if needed, since both of them know Iris.”
“No,” Luka said quickly. “I appreciate that, but I want it to stay between us. Iris and I have a very straightforward friendship. The two of us are honest with each other. I don’t need triangulation interfering with that. If she wants to talk to her friends about it, that’s fine. But for me, I want to do this on my own.”
“Okay,” Alek said, sitting back and shrugging. “No problem with us.”
“Yup,” Dmitri said. “Whatever you want, Luk.”
Luka sipped his tea, thinking of the warm brown glow of Iris’s eyes. “I do appreciate it, though.”
“Look at him, already thinking of his mate again,” Dmitri said, laughing.
“Not that I blame him.” Alek looked out the window longingly. “Why do humans even have to work?”
Dmitri threw his head back at that and laughed. “Because they want to. But don’t worry. Only eight more hours until they get home.”
“Unless we go stalk them on campus,” Alek said conspiratorially.
“True,” Dmitri said.
“Well, good luck with your stalking,” Luka said, amused. “I’m due back at the lab with Iris. She wants me there.”
Then he paid the bill and left, only a little bit pleased by the way his friends stared at him jealously.
* * *
Iris let out a sigh of relief as she noted that everything was looking good with her final round of samples. The lab felt a little empty without Luka, but she’d told him to come in later today so she could teach and get a few things done.
Plus, she had to focus while cataloguing this last round so she could be ready for the symposium. If everything wasn’t perfect, she was bound to hear about it, and since she needed to be published in a peer-reviewed journal, there was no leeway for mistakes.
But luckily, everything seemed perfect. Barring a catastrophe in the next couple weeks, tenure would be hers soon.
No other scientist in her department could compete. Even Talia, who was a noted scientist in her own right, hadn’t wanted to focus on tenure and research that much. Especially now that she had her man.
Iris really liked Luka, but she wasn’t about to lose her focus. Not when she was this close to the finish line of everything she’d always wanted.
She was just finishing up her notes at her desk when her phone buzzed, and she looked down to see a text from Talia.
OMG, did you hang out with Luka?
Iris sighed, guessing she should have known her friends would find out somehow. Had Luka told his friends about what had happened? Somehow, she doubted it. Dmitri had probably noticed Luka not coming home last night and spilled at least some of the beans. But she knew she could trust Luka not to kiss and tell.
A part of her felt giddy at the thought of discussing what was happening with Talia. But then she looked back at her notes and realized she couldn’t allow herself to get carried away. If someone had broken into her lab to sabotage her samples, she couldn’t afford to lose any time.
She pulled out her phone to think up a response.
Just as friends. It was fun, though.
There, perfectly casual, Iris thought once the message was sent.
Her phone buzzed with Talia’s response.
How can you just be friends with such a gorgeous man? Obviously, I couldn’t do it.
Iris smiled at that, remembering how her usually logical friend had gotten all starry-eyed over her man. It was good to see her happy.
Iris still remembered the day Talia had brought Alek in for the blood draw, and…
Wait. The sample. She hadn’t thought much of it since the day she’d given Talia the results. True, the sample had been extraordinary, but Iris didn’t really care to focus on anything but her research, and Talia had asked her to put it out of her mind.
Plus, Iris had known anyone in the scientific community would dismiss it as a hoax anyway.
But at the same time…
Iris stood abruptly and walked over to the freezer where she’d left the sample, wondering if she’d remembered to check it the night of the break-in. Still, why would someone break in for something like that? Especially someone with a key card?
When she reached the freezer, she looked inside on several shelves where she thought she might have placed it. No sample. She moved a few things around and continued to look, growing increasingly more frantic as she wondered if the sample was truly gone or if she’d simply misplaced it in her attempt to put it out of sight and out of mind.
When she was done looking in every fridge or freezer, she sat back, scratching her head. She wouldn’t have thrown it away, not without Talia’s permission. So where had it gone?
If someone had broken in to take it, then why? And how would they have known she had it in the first place?
Nothing was making any sense, she thought as she slumped in her chair, shivering slightly from being in the freezer.
While she was thinking about it, Luka texted to say he was outside the lab door, and she went to let him in, still feeling distracted.
Luka had brought lunch with him and was holding up a white sandwich bag, smiling, but stopped when he saw the expression on her face.
“Something wrong?”
She shook her head, not wanting to tell him. She was beginning to think she should have made a bigger fuss over Alek’s sample, if someone would break into her lab to steal it.
But she wasn’t sure who to ask about it. Luka was Alek’s friend; did he know about it? Did he also have similar blood? She didn’t really know where the men had come from. She’d been too caught up in her work to really question things, but now that she thought about, it was odd that all three of these good-looking men had randomly popped up in Talia’s life.
She had a sneaking suspicion that Luka was keeping secrets from her. Perhaps they had to do with the secretive way he used the computer, the way he stayed up at night.
Yet, looking at Luka’s innocent, handsome face as he held out the sandwiches, she couldn’t bring herself to accuse him of anything.
And she wasn’t sure if she should even bring up the sample at all. If it was stolen, perhaps all the trouble was over, and she could look into it after her research was done.
She took the bag from him with a sigh, forcing herself to smile. “Thanks so much. I needed this.” She took out a sandwich and handed one over to him.
“No problem,” Luka said, taking a chair next to hers. “How are things going with the research? Anything happen while I was gone?”
“I’m all set,” she said with a smile. “And no, no sign of any intruders.”
“Good,” he said. “I suppose we can relax a bit, then. Though, I would make sure your samples are secure at night.”
“They should be…” She had to bite her lip to keep from telling him about the sample that was stolen. “And anyway, it doesn’t matter because I’ve catalogued the results.”
“Awesome!” Luka smiled at her, taking a bite of his sandwich. “In that case, we should celebrate. I was thinking a movie?”
She raised an eyebrow. “Like another date?”
He nodded. “You have something else tonight?”
“No.” She chewed her sandwich thoughtfully. “I just… Are things moving too fast?” She really should get a blood sample from him.
No, they weren’t even seriously dating yet. Just keeping things fun. And the symposium…
“I don’t think so,” Luka said. “But there’s no rush. I just think you should focus on your work, but when you’re not at work, you might as well be having fun with me.”
She grinned at that. Spending time with him was awesome and would take her mind off of her stress. Not to mention sex with him was the most invigorating thing ever. When she was out with Luka, she realized how much life she’d been missing while holed up in this lab, waiting for tenure.
“A movie would be nice,” she said softly, giving him a smile. “But if I’m going to go later, I really should work alone. Do you mind?”
“No,” Luka said. “I’m pretty sure you’re safe here, given the other people around. Besides, I need to go and get pretty for our date.”
She laughed and swatted at him as he jumped out of the chair and headed for the doorway. A part of her was sad to see him go, but the other part knew she needed to decide what to tell him about the sample.
