by Ivy Clyde
“Is this life-size?” I whispered.
“Yes.”
I quickly turned to look at Cain. “An actual dragon gets this big?” Both Cain and I were sure to appear minuscule from where the dragon’s eyes were located.
“Most are bigger.”
A wild chuckle escaped me. I’d taken up the mission to bring down a man who could shift into such a powerful, awe-inspiring being. Not for the first time, I wondered if I’d bitten more than I could chew.
“Come along,” said Cain, taking a hold of my hand. He gave a gentle tug, effectively bringing me out of my stupor.
We walked through the creature’s legs, as high as tall pillars, and into the cool interiors of the temple. The place was huge, bigger than the temple we’d come across in Carran. My gaze immediately went to the four dragon statues stationed in the center of the hall.
Their bodies were coiled around each other, their jaws open in silent roars. The idol was smaller than the one gracing the entrance but it was just as beautiful and magnificent in the way the details were carved into them. My fingers itched to touch the smooth scales on their back. A low wall of marble encircled the statue, effectively keeping my urge to touch it in check. Flowers and offerings of fruit and cakes surrounded them.
“Where are the priests?” I asked, looking up at Cain.
“They come at sunrise every morning for the prayer rituals. In the evenings, they will clean up everything and return the next day.”
“So we can’t be here long.”
“We can stay in the temple as long as we wish. The priests and their disciples are allowed to come only to this part. The rest of it belongs to the royals of the Lachnan family.”
“There’s more to it than this?” I asked, still awed by the size of the magnificent chamber. The structure looked big from the outside but I couldn’t imagine it being larger than the hall where we stood. The domed ceiling rose as high as the building looked from the outside. “Where’s the rest of it?”
Cain smiled. “Come with me.” He took my hand and guided me through an opening in the wall I hadn’t noticed before. It was hidden from view by the clever architecture. “The only time outsiders entered these scared halls was the time when Ivan’s men invaded it to destroy the scrolls and any artifacts left behind by my ancestors.”
“But why?” I couldn’t imagine the emperor coming to these remote parts just to destroy holy scripts. “He left the main temple untouched.”
“He destroyed most of the knowledge about dragons. Whatever we know is from the things that our parents told us. The tomes and books on dragons will tell you what a dragon looks like, what it feeds on, how hot their fires are, but they will not tell you what makes a dragon sick, what causes it to transform, when does the first transformation occur…There is nothing of importance to the dragon born sons and daughters.”
“So he destroyed anything that could actually help you unlock your powers,” I said, understanding the emperor’s logic. “There is also no way to know a dragon’s weakness. He’s destroyed all knowledge to keep himself safe.”
Cain nodded, his fists balling tightly at his sides. “He’s done all he can to keep us maimed.”
We reached a small chamber. It was empty except for a low cylindrical column in the center. A smaller replica of the four-dragons statue stood on it. Cain walked towards it and placed a hand over them. Exerting a sudden pressure, he made the statue sink into the pedestal.
The ground beneath my feet shook, like an earthquake had come upon us. I glanced wildly at Cain but he looked calm. Before my startled eyes, a chasm opened up as the stone floor cleanly divided into two sections.
“Adal insisted I search the inner sanctum thoroughly. The information about the Fire Clan women and how the magic from the mating rituals helped in transforming a dragonborn into a dragon came from the scrolls he found hidden in the dragon temple of Baledonia. Before that, none of us were aware what it took for one of us to shift into our true forms.”
Cain gestured me to follow him down a flight of stairs leading under the temple. It was so deep I couldn’t see the bottom of the steps. Conjuring up flames in the palm of his hand, he led me downstairs. “I found some scrolls stacked away under a stone statue. They are all in the ancient tongue which was forbidden to be taught to us by the emperor. Adal, the scholar he is, taught himself to read it.”
An indulgent chuckle escaped him as he thought of his friend. “I have no idea whether these scrolls have any useful knowledge but it’s worth it to have Adal take a look. They seemed too valuable for me to carry them when we ventured out together, so I am sending them through you.”
I nodded. “I will keep them safe until Adal has them.”
It seemed like we were climbing down the stairs for hours. The walk reminded me of the dark passageway connecting Linmoor valley to the outside world. Cain and I were surrounded in a circle of light while the rest of the underground chamber remained hidden in shadows.
At long last, Cain came to a stop. “We are here.”
26
Cain threw a blast of fire to his right. Flames leaped up in a stone basin mounted over a stone pedestal. He did it again but to his left. Giant flames erupted out, bathing the underground chamber with light. My eyes hurt from the sudden illumination but as they adjusted to the brightness, I realized we were standing under an archway. Ancient symbols were etched onto the pillars. Two snake-like dragons curled themselves around it, growling silently at our approach.
“This way.”
He lazily threw more balls of fire at the pedestals, bathing the place in bright light. As the walls came in view, I gasped. They were all filled with the most beautiful murals of men, dragons and epic battle scenes.
“Who did all this?” I asked, my voice filled with wonder at the lifelike paintings that still looked as good as new. Somehow, they hadn’t faded away with time or the ravage of humidity and dust.
“My ancestors.”
I followed him further down the passageway, falling behind as my eyes tried to take in the magnificent paintings on both sides of the wall.
“Careful, Daria.” Cain’s hand grabbed hard onto my arm as I skidded past him on a bit of loose stones. He pulled me into him, drawing out the heat and desire in my body.
“Sorry,” I mumbled, hastily getting my balance.
We stood at the edge of what looked like an open doorway. A pair doors, made of heavy wood, dwarfed both of us. “This looks big enough for a dragon to get through,” I whispered, staring up at it.
“It gets more interesting,” said Cain, stepping through the threshold.
I followed after him into another chamber which was completely shrouded in darkness.
Cain threw out more balls of fire. Each of them hit the stone basins lining the sides of walls. “You know your way around here,” I said, marveling at the accuracy of his hits even in pitch darkness.
“All the royal children were brought down here since the moment we could walk,” said Cain. “I can find my way through these halls with my eyes closed.”
I believed him.
As the massive underground space came into view, different kinds of murals took up space among the walls. While the paintings outside were all about warriors, dragons, and battles, these were more…romantic.
There were scenes of a man and a woman bathing in a pool. The scenes were sensuous as they bathed each other in the most intimate places. Warmth rose up to my neck and cheeks as the next paintings depicted them walking into a bed, naked. The scenes progressively got more heated, ending with the pair having hot, lustful sex.
“Like what you’re seeing?” Cain’s whisper was deep and husky.
“Uhh…”
Chuckling softly, he pulled me away from the larger-than-life paintings and dragged me further down the chamber until we came to a stop before a round marble space sunk into the floor. I turned back to the murals. The couple had been bathing in an exact replica of the bath before me.
; “This is…”
“A part of the ritual depicted on the walls.”
“Where did the water come from?” I asked, my mind refusing to think of anything else but the image of me and Cain inside that bath. Being naked and intimate.
“You’re curious about that?” said Cain with a soft chuckle. He kneeled down and the sound like a rusty door hinge sounded. Next moment, seven spouts sprang out of the stone walls. Crystal clear water flowed out them, steadily filling up the massive round hole in the floor.
“You said we could stay here as long as we wanted to?”
Cain’s gaze was sharp as they fell on me.
I met his gaze even as I struggled to keep the heat and embarrassment from my face.
“Are you ready to be with me too, Daria?” he asked, his voice hesitant but hopeful.
“You too? Did you already know about me and Adal?”
He nodded. “It’s part of being a dragonborn. We have very sharp senses. I could smell him in your room, on you…it’s a scent I know belongs to Adal.”
I inspected Cain’s expression. He seemed calm.
“It doesn’t get you angry I want you as much as I want him?” I asked. My tone was slow and halting.
He moved closer. Wrapping his arms around my body, he held me to his chest. I could never stop craving these hugs from him.
“I have no right to be possessive of you, Daria. At this very moment, I have fifty-six women lounging in my harem. I’ve even slept with a few of them.”
Pushing at his chest, I stared up at him. Anger and jealousy burned inside my chest. Chuckling softly, he held onto me tighter.
“I don’t feel a thing for them,” he said. “The ones I was forced to consummate with were brides sent by Ivan’s nobles. I’d rather relieve my urges at a whorehouse than get intimate with those conniving women who came to my palace to spy for their fathers.” Cain took several deep breaths before looking down at me. “Since the moment, I laid eyes on you, I knew you were the woman for me. My mother used to talk about a dragon’s true mate. You’re no dragon but I feel like you are my mate, both in body and soul.”
“I’ve felt the same way,” I said, remembering the first time I met Cain. Just a casual conversation had me yearning for him. “But it’s not just you, Cain. I feel the same for Norvin and Adal.”
“I know, Dari.”
“Dari?” I asked with a chuckle.
“You’re my Dari from now on.”
Dari? I liked it.
“I know how you feel for the three of us. You haven’t had a traditional upbringing like the others of the realm. Linmoor has its own rules and you were brought up with a different sense of relationships between men and women. I don’t see anything wrong with a woman having multiple mates. If a man is allowed, why shouldn’t a woman too? These things should depend on the individuals, it’s not something to judged by outsiders.”
Warmth gushed through me at his words. “You understand me so well.”
“Should I tell you a secret, Dari?”
“A secret?”
“Adal and I happened to listen to the confrontation you had with Norvin. We heard how you were already in love with us.”
I stared up at him, my cheeks burning hot. “You…you did?”
“Norvin will come around,” he said with a smile. “I know he likes you very much. I haven’t seen him this crazy about another woman before. And Adal…he’s been waiting for you all his life.”
Tears fell down my eyes. I had no control over them or the emotions raging inside me. Could an orphan girl like me receive love from men like them?
Cain brushed away the tears and leaned down to gently kiss my lips. As the last of my tears fell away, I wrapped my hands around his neck, capturing his lips between mine. Heat throbbed in my core as our kiss deepened.
When we parted, my gaze went to the water lapping inside the already filled bath. It looked like a small pool, waiting for us to take a dip.
“You need a wash,” I said, fighting the blush rising on my cheeks. Cain grinned and quickly began taking off his tunic, revealing the hard planes of his pecs. My greedy gaze dropped past the well-defined muscles of his abs to the delectable V just below his loosening breeches. My tongue darted out to lick my dry lips as Cain lost the last shred of his clothing.
“Why aren’t you getting rid of your clothes?” asked Cain.
It was a struggle not to look at his hardened manhood, proudly standing erect. Actually, every inch of his body was a delight to the eye, from his well-defined chest to the strong, toned muscles of his long legs. Taking a deep breath, I loosened the belt around my waist. I pulled off my tunic and the undershirt I wore, taking care to arrange them properly or the next time, my concealed darts and needles could poke me in the wrong place.
Cain’s gaze grew dark as he stared at me unblinkingly. Extending a hand towards me, he called, “Come to me, Dari.”
Shyly, I walked to him and took his hand. Wrapping an arm around me, he led me to the edge of the pool. “Place your foot on the steps.” He gestured at the small stone steps leading inside the bath.
I placed a tentative foot in the water, testing the temperature. It was cool, but not uncomfortable. Feeling more at ease, I took a few more steps into the water. Cain followed after me, and after a while, we were both submerged in the water. Cain’s chest stood out while the lapping water covered me up to my breasts.
Something tingled all over my skin. It wasn’t the familiar dull throbbing need I usually felt around him. This felt like…magic. I wasn’t qualified in earth or water elemental magic. It was fire and air that naturally came to me, but still, I could feel the energy rising from the surface of the water like invisible steam. It infused with my skin, energizing me and lighting a fire in my core.
Before I could fully comprehend the powers of the water, Cain pulled me into a tight embrace and kissed me deeply. As his hardness pressed against my thighs, I realized the water meant to ignite our sexual desires. My mind went back to the murals I’d seen earlier. They were probably a rendition of a certain ritual.
Cain’s lips were on my neck now, kissing and nibbling. All thoughts of analyzing the magic around me disappeared as my body throbbed with need. Pressing myself against him, I ground my hips against his hardness.
Cain’s arms went around my thighs, lifting me off the water to hold me close as he dipped his head to plop a tight nipple in his mouth. I cried out at the sensation, throwing my head backward. Every touch of Cain’s lips seared onto my skin.
I wanted more.
Needed more.
“Take me, Cain,” I whispered, my voice hoarse. “I can’t stand this anymore.”
A low growl escaped him as he stood to his full height, taking me with him. I hung onto him, my arms wrapped around him as he climbed out of the water. I expected him to stop beside the pool and take me on the floor but he was purposefully striding towards another chamber that led away from the bathing area.
A bed appeared in the midst of a hall built of black marble. The ceiling rose high, perhaps as high as these underground chambers were buried deep into the ground. Cain dropped me among the dusty sheets and climbed on top of me.
Capturing my lips, Cain rubbed the tip of his cock at my entrance. I gasped into his mouth, my body hungering for his hardness inside me. My fingers dug into his shoulders, keeping him close to me. Wrapping my legs around his hips, I urged him to enter me.
When he did, I was overwhelmed by the sweet pain as his thick girth penetrated through my tight core. Cain continued kissing me, distracting me from any discomfort.
Soon, he was moving in a slow but steady rhythm.
My body writhed under him, eager to take his whole length as he thrust into me. Leaning down, he took a rose-bud nipple in his mouth and sucked hard. The combination of sensations pulsing through my body was enough to bring me to the edge of pleasure.
My body tightened and within seconds, I was gasping.
“Cain,” I called ou
t to him.
“Come for me, Dari,” he whispered, his voice hoarse. “It’s all right.” He bit into my nipple. The sharp ache coupled with my throbbing pussy drove me off the edge. Gripping onto his muscular shoulders, I let the climax shudder through me. For one glorious moment, I felt lost in the intense, bone-melting pleasure.
When I floated back to reality, I felt Cain’s thrusts once more but they’d gotten harder and faster. He kissed me deeply, plunging deep inside me, hitting that particular spot that sent waves of pleasure cascading down my body.
“You feel so incredibly good, Dari,” he whispered in a husky voice. His face was so close to mine, our noses brushed together. The pale gray of his eyes seemed to glow like molten silver. In the dim chamber, they shimmered as if fire really burned within them. Even in my pleasure-soaked mind, I knew something strange was happening.
Strands of energy were binding around our bodies. In my mind’s eyes, the threads glowed orange and red, like strings of fire.
“Dari.”
Cain’s breathless whisper distracted me and I opened my eyes to see him looming over me. His expression was frozen in a mix of pain and pleasure as he continued to plunge inside me. My body reacted to him, my hips raising up to meet his every thrust.
My core was tightening while my pussy pulsed around his thick shaft.
“Come with me, Dari,” he whispered, thrusting into me hard.
I had no way to answer him as my mouth opened wide in silent gasps. My senses were already lost in too much pleasure. He didn’t have to worry about me coming with him. I was already doing so, my juices flowing out, making my walls slicker.
Cain groaned, his eyes screwing shut. I held onto him as my body trembled beneath him. My walls clamped onto his throbbing length and with a shout, he came. Just as his essence exploded inside me, the threads of magic binding us glowed blindingly bright and suddenly burst into flames. Cain still closed his eyes to it all but I stared speechlessly as the flames licked our entangled bodies, raging white hot.
