“What makes you think we’ll hate each other?”
“I’m just scared that we will. Forever? We’re never going to fight? We’re never going to disagree and dislike each other?”
“Of course, we are. That’s the nature of our humanity. We fight, we make up. Being mates doesn’t mean everything is perfect all the time. Far from it. What it means is that if there is anyone out there that you’re going to make it through this with, it’s your mate.”
“No mates have ever hated each other?”
“I can’t say that, at all. Niko’s father is the only case I know of that the mating went bad, though. It went very bad because Agnes fundamentally changed who she was. She became a Nazi, which…”
“A Nazi?”
“Yes. And stoned their egg.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“She neglected the egg she and her mate had created. Instead of keeping it warm, which was very simple, she was off at a rally and the egg got cold and turned to stone, which is just really a dormant state.” Max picked at the rocks on the ground. “She was executed for her neglect.”
“Holy…”
He could see her start to freak out, so Max grabbed her hand. “No. We would never have an egg. You’re human, not dracones. It’s physiologically impossible. Niko’s brother was given to an Australian dragon family who couldn’t have their own children. Valerian was hatched about ten years after. He and Nikomedes are close, as close as two people can be with half a world between them.”
“Couldn’t his father have just walked away from the relationship?”
Max shrugged. “Like I said, they’re the only mated pair that I know of that had insurmountable problems. I have heard stories about mated couples choosing to live a lifetime apart, but come back to each other after.”
“A lifetime…”
Smiling, Max ran his thumb over the back of her hand. “A lifetime. Just one. We can’t always be the same person we were born as. After I lost Winnie, I changed my name a few times. I’ve lived three lifetimes since then. Each one radically different from the one before. I like my astronomy, though.”
“And some mates choose to live one of those apart.”
Max nodded. “Yes. Just one usually. Even those who aren’t immortal, witches, sorcerers, leprechauns, will live a lifetime apart from their mates. It’s kind of like taking a vacation apart. You are happy to see them again in the next life.”
“But there’s no way to break the mate-bond?”
“No. Not once it’s sealed. It’s only undone by death.”
Amy studied him, and she still looked confused. He scooted forward to sit closer to her. “I’ve said it before. I would give you all the time you need in the world. I don’t want you to feel that I will demand you be there, always. Amy, if you did mate with me, I wouldn’t demand you be there. I want you to find yourself.”
“Forever is a very long time.”
He smiled. “Forever is how long it will take me to show you how much I love you.”
Her breath rushed out. “I’m scared, Max. I can’t change that instantly just because you’ve told me what I’ve believed my whole life was wrong. I am still terrified of what might happen. What happens if I get very sick? Or develop dementia? Or—”
“Stop, please,” Max said. “One of the benefits of being mated to a magical shifter is that you stop aging. You won’t get diseases. You won’t develop anything like dementia. You will always be healthy, and you will heal quickly. Your mind will always be yours. It’s part of the gift.”
“Gift?”
“Yes. You’ll get immortality, eternal youth, eternal health, and some of my powers.”
“You mean like the way Betsy controls Niko’s dragon?”
“Yes. And more. Betsy can swim with Niko, and not run out of breath. You won’t be able to fly with me, but my mother told me that there was wind we would be able to control once we were mated. There’s some other little magicks I have.”
There was still indecision on her face. He didn’t want to say anything else, for fear he would say the wrong thing. She traced her thumb back and forth on his knuckles now, and she was deep in thought.
“There’s no way I’m going to lose my mind?”
“Your mind will be safe from that, through the magic.”
She started. “So, wait. Everyone who has magic is aging and dying while the power outages keep going?”
“Yes.”
“What did you call the cause?”
“The Deadening Stone. Carl found out about it and gave us the information. We need to find it. It’s got to be in one of our vaults. That much we know. Keni went through all the vaults of the Leprechauns, and there’s nothing. Here’s the thing, though…that stone can’t be handled by anyone magical. It has to be just a plain human.”
Amy slapped a hand over her mouth. “Oh my God. Max. It had to be Brent. It had to be. He has no magic. He doesn’t even like magic. I’ll bet he’s been staying nearby under a fake name.”
Max grabbed her hand and closed over it with his other. “Come back. Help us.”
Swallowing hard, Amy nodded. “Yes. All right.”
He surged forward and kissed her hard. “I promise. I will give you all the time you need. I’ll give you whatever you need.”
“First, let’s get off the ground.”
He stood and offered her a hand. She took it and lifted herself off the dirt and rocks. Dusting her pants off, she looked at Max, and he still saw her fright in her eyes.
“So, how does this work? I mean, Niko and Betsy poured water over their heads. Do we have to find a strong wind?”
He sighed. “We have to jump.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Are you serious?”
Nodding at the canyon, he shrugged. “We have a lot of options.”
“Well. At least we won’t have an audience. Here? Or further out where the spires are tall and there might not be people looking out a hotel’s windows?”
Max held her hand and walked them to the edge, looking down over the rope that suggested they go no farther. “We could probably use more distance than this for the fall. Shall we go out a bit?”
“Fine.”
Stepping over the rope and checking for anyone around, he helped her over. They walked close to the precipice.
“Max?”
“Yes?”
“Lose the pants. I don’t want to buy another pair.”
“But I—”
“I’ll carry them.”
“Right.”
He slipped the pants down and handed them back to her, and he saw her trying not to notice him, and not stare at his cock. He turned so she stared at his ass instead and the heated look in her eyes didn’t help the party going on up front. He was going to motioned her to him, but she already knew what to do. He bent and lifted her up, wrapping her legs around his waist and before either of them could say a thing, he launched off the cliff.
He chuckled as she tried not to scream, and shifted almost instantaneously as they headed for the bottom of the canyon.
It was wonderful to have so much distance to shift—he was used to his 350-foot cliff in Pine Valley. It was fun to hear her near terrified yelp turn into a squeal of delight as he swooped out into the cut that the river had made hundreds of thousands of years before. He kept low in the cut until he knew they were well out of range of the hotel and turned straight up into the sky. Taking a few sharp turns, they were high above the canyon in just a few moments and he could see the rocky promontory that would work the best for them.
Far away from the adventurers at the North Rim, and even farther away from the noisy tourists at the South Rim, there was a single, tall spire that seemed taller than the rest of the rocks around. It was an optical illusion, of course, but it had the sheer drop they were going to need.
His mate. And she’d agreed, albeit reluctantly. But he had no doubt that one day she’d be totally his.
He circled the peak and
finally decided to land on the top. The morning sun had gotten fairly high, but it was cool and they were very high up. It was a mile down to the Colorado River, and that was perfect.
Touching down, he delicately danced a moment, then settled and shifted back.
“Oh, right. Naked.” Amy smirked, the sweats draped over her arm. “I’m going to guess that you don’t want these right now.”
“No, we won’t have time to fold them neatly while we’re plummeting to our deaths.”
“Max.”
“Well, it’s not totally inaccurate.”
She shook her head, but was still smiling. Max stepped into her and pulled her against him. “I swear to you. Whatever you need, no matter what it is or how long it takes, you will have it.” He pressed his mouth to hers and kissed her hard. She was shocked at first, and then relented, and melted into him. Her precious scent invaded his mind, blackberries and crème brûlée, and he wanted nothing more than to strip her naked and take her right there.
“What do we do?” There was no mistaking the panting, heavy breaths she was trying to control. “Niko and Betsy needed to exchange blood.”
He nodded. “Yes. I must taste yours and you mine. It’s usually done here,” He traced down her neck to the top of her shoulder. “But it’s up to you. How did Niko and Betsy do it?”
“They kissed.”
“Whoa.”
“We were about to die. They didn’t have time to be elegant or private.”
“We have time for both.”
He kissed slowly down her neck, to the spot that felt just right. He licked and sucked softly, and could feel her pulse speeding up. In the next moment he felt her lips on his neck, teasing his hot skin, working down to where she felt was right.
“Amy?”
“Yes, Max?” Her breath was hot on his skin.
“Whatever happens, don’t let go.” He lifted her by the waist to sit her on his hips, legs wrapped tight around him. He could feel his erection crammed between, but that could wait.
Walking close to the edge, he found the tender spot on her shoulder near the column of her throat and suckled on the skin a moment. He was amazed at how much instinct kicked in, and his dragon fangs lowered just enough to pierce the skin there.
The taste of Amy’s hot, coppery blood filled his mouth, followed by the crème brûlée sensation of her—decadent, rich, sinful.
A heartbeat later, he felt her drive two sharp teeth in his skin at his shoulder. His dragon roared in pleasure and stepped off the edge of the cliff.
He pulled on her blood as the sensation of being pulled and stretched like taffy ran through him, and in the next second the feeling of having to control his dragon was gone. He was the dragon, and the dragon pulled Amy in with them as the final sensation of snap bound the two of them, soul deep.
Shift, Max.
The massive dragon was there, fully formed in the next heartbeat, and his wings snapped out, catching the wind and swooping them parallel to the river, hundreds of feet above.
Looking around, he discovered they hadn’t fallen but maybe a thousand feet from the peak.
Magic works fast when it knows what it wants.
Amy was there, with him. That it does, my mój cenny.
Holy shit. This is amazing. Max, I can see through your eyes!
And I can see through yours.
He soared through the canyon and drove up with the massive beats of his wings, into the cottony white clouds that drifted by. He heard—and felt—her laughter as the water droplets collected and caught on her face and skin. Banking, he headed back to the original cliff near the hotel. Max slipped up the cliff face and as soon as his claws were on the ground, he shifted back and caught Amy around his waist.
Spinning her around to his front, he crushed her mouth in a kiss, taking in all of her.
“Max?”
“Yes, Amy?”
“Put your pants on. We can’t get back to the room with your man junk hanging out in the lobby.”
“And what do you plan to do in the room?”
“I plan to ride you. In human form.”
Amy could barely keep her clothes on as Max backed her against the door. He managed to fish the keycard out of her jacket and slipped the door open.
They tripped into the room and her arms around Max’s neck were the only thing that kept her from falling. He backed her up toward the bed, unzipping her jacket. He stopped her with her knees against the king-sized bed and slipped the jacket off her arms.
Amy spied the spot where she had, on some bizarre instinct, driven her teeth into his skin and tasted his blood. He had been coppery and sweet, cedar and bourbon. But the mark was nothing more than a faint line. “It’s almost gone,” she whispered and ran a finger over the mark.
“Of course,” he breathed, kissing around the shell of her ear. “Yours is too. It will stay as you see it now. Just a few faint marks.”
She was overwhelmed by the feelings—she not only felt her own lust and desire, but felt his too, surging through her, turning her to a mass of jelly and want. “Shit, Max, please. Let’s just get naked.”
“If you promise we can play after. We have to get back to Pine Valley, but we can do that tomorrow.”
Amy grinned. “All day?”
“Oh yes,” he answered, tossing her coat away and peeling up her shirt. “I’d hide here for a week if I could.”
Sliding her hands under the waistband of his pants, they were on the floor in the next second and his cock was in her hand. She heard him growling low as her hand wrapped around him. He was so ready.
So was she.
Pushing him back a step, Amy dropped the rest of her clothes to the ground and stood just inches from his naked body, feeling the heat and sexual desire rolling off him.
“Max…”
He grabbed her and tossed her on the bed. Amy let out a laughing yelp and dropped her head back on the pillow. But her laugh only lasted a moment. Max’s hands grabbed her ankles and lifted them straight up, holding her in one hand—and his other hand found her entrance, dipping a finger in.
Amy couldn’t hold in the gasp of delight that his finger ripped out of her. He pumped the digit in and out of her. It was an achingly slow rhythm and she couldn’t help but squirm under his ministrations.
Still holding her ankles, he dipped down and ran his tongue over the cleft that hid her clit, and she gasped. He was so close, but so far away at the same time.
“Play later,” she managed to hiss. “Just get your cock inside me.”
“Mm, demanding,” he breathed, the words rumbling over her most sensitive skin. “I like that.”
“Max!” Amy tried to reach his erection, but it was well out of her reach.
She felt the tip of his shaft press against her opening and a moment later, he slipped inside. Pushing inexorably to her very depths, he placed one of her ankles on either of his shoulder and looked down at her. His eyes intoxicated and inflamed her. She gasped as he bumped deep and reached for his nipples.
“Fuck me,” she whispered. “Hard, please. Max, please. Make me—Ahh!”
He slammed into her, catching a punishing rhythm almost immediately. She couldn’t hold on to him, instead flinging her hands up to the headboard and bracing them there. Her body undulated under his, flowing with him as he pistoned in and out of her.
“Shit, Amy…” He gasped. “Your breasts are so perfect.”
Before she could say a word, he dove between her legs, laying her feet flat on the mattress, and leaned down to take her nipple in his mouth.
“Oh, shit, yes,” she managed. “Yes!”
He looked up at her from his place by her pearled peak, his lips wet from sucking on her. “Do you want to do this slow?”
“No! Just fuck me! Please. Jesus, I feel like I’m going to explode!”
Smiling, Max took her nipple back in his mouth and a digit found her clit between her legs. He had no mercy on her—his finger pressed and pushed and scraped ov
er her while his cock worked its way in and out. His mouth was alternately busy at either of her nipples.
Amy was sure she was going to actually explode. The sensation of climax was galloping through her body. She felt every one of her muscles clench in anticipation of release.
His teeth scraped over the peak of her breast and he bit down lightly. “No time for pleasantries,” he whispered. “Come for me, baby.”
Max actually flicked her clit and her whole body crashed like a wave on rocks, the orgasm making her arch up and scream his name. Her pussy clenched around him and as she slowly drifted back to Earth, she felt him slam into her and his cum bathe the walls that caressed him inside her.
Amy was pretty sure she passed out.
Mated sex was goddamn amazing.
It felt good, comfortable, to be back in her dreamworld.
She lay on the bed next to Max, who was sleeping quietly. She waited patiently for him, just watching him sleep. He was so handsome, just lying there. Amy thought she would feel just as unsure and nervous about her decision, but she didn’t. She felt confident. Complete. The sensation of him, just always on the edge of her consciousness, was unique, but not unwelcome. The way they could now speak without words, and the way she could feel his desire coupled with hers, she couldn’t imagine having waited any longer.
Sitting up, she provided herself with a robe and laid one on the chair for him. She stood and walked to the couch across the hotel room and sat, absorbing the silence of the dreamworld. There were plenty of people there, but the quiet was a comfort from the noisy world.
“Mmm. Amy?” Max opened his eyes and sat up in the bed.
“Hello, Max.” She grinned.
“Your dream world,” he said, looking around.
Nodding, she pointed to the robe nearby. “Yes, it is. Shall we check your vault?”
“Might as well.” He wrapped the robe around himself and walked over, offering a hand.
Amy took it, and after standing, moved them directly to the entrance of the vault. Max stared at the door, hesitant. She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around him. “Max, either this is going to work or not. Either way, it doesn’t matter.”
Skydance Page 20
