by G. A. Aiken
“You were saying something I didn’t want to hear.”
She slapped his hand off.
“Ow!” he barked while laughing. “What was that for?”
“I’ll get some sleep,” she replied. And with that, she got on the large bed and stretched out. Then, stiff as a board, with her arms by her sides, Braith lay there.
“Good gods, female,” Addolgar muttered. “What did you do with yourself before I came into your life?”
“I lived quietly alone in my cave,” she snapped back. “And I was quite happy there, too.”
Addolgar stood over her, hands on his narrow hips. “How can you be comfortable all stiff like this? With your clothes on?”
“I’m cold,” she reminded him, desperate not to take her clothes off. Her human body was not something poets would ever write about, so she wasn’t about to get naked in front of Addolgar, of all dragons.
“That’s what the fur covers are for. You’ll get under them and with the fire going, you’ll be fine.”
“I’m fine as I am right now.”
“At least take your boots off.”
To appease the big ox, Braith sat up, but before she could touch the leather of her boots, Addolgar was there.
“I’ll do it,” he said cheerfully, smiling at her.
He tugged off first one boot, then the other. He then pulled off her socks and lifted her feet, studying them.
“I thought they’d be bigger.”
“How is that not an insult?”
“It’s not an insult. Or a compliment. Just an observation.” He thought a moment. “But your feet are cute, and that is a compliment.”
Laughing, Braith pulled her feet out of his grasp. “My boots are off. Can I go to sleep now?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Why not?”
“You’re not relaxed. Who can sleep when they’re not relaxed?”
“I’ll relax eventually.”
“At least take your leggings off.”
“I will do no such thing.”
“You’re being as silly as humans about this.”
“That’s my choice.”
“Well,” Addolgar said, “my choice is for you to be comfortable.”
And that’s when he grabbed the bottom of her leggings and began to yank them off.
“Addolgar!”
“You’ll thank me when I’m done.”
No, she wouldn’t!
Braith tried to scramble away, but she only managed to assist him in getting her leggings off while, at the same time, flipping herself off the blasted bed.
Growling, she got to her knees and rested her arms on the bed. She glowered up at the beast. “Give me back those leggings!”
“I’m trying to help you.”
“I don’t know what you’re doing, but I’m sure there are laws about it!”
“I don’t know why you’re being so shy.” He paused a moment, then asked, “Do I make you nervous?”
“Yes!” Braith replied honestly.
“Why?”
“I just . . . look, just . . . I mean . . .” She slammed her fist against the bed. “Give me my blasted leggings!”
Addolgar studied her for a bit before he surmised, “You don’t want me to see you naked.”
“Leggings.”
“Do you think I’ve never seen a human body before?”
“Leggings.”
“Do you have a few scars you don’t want me to see?”
“Leggings!”
“Fine.” Addolgar tossed her precious leggings behind him and began to toe off his boots.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Getting naked.”
“What the hells for?”
“So you can be comfortable getting naked, too, so we can get some sleep.”
“How would that make me feel comfortable? In what universe would that make me feel comfortable?”
“You can see my scars.”
“I don’t want to see your scars!”
“There’s no shame in scars. The more scars you have, the more respect you get from the Cadwaladrs.”
“Addolgar—” she began, but her words were cut off when his chain-mail shirt hit her in the face.
“Dammit!” she barked, yanking the shirt off and tossing it to the floor. But before she could get her bearings, Addolgar’s leggings swiftly followed. They were heavier and nearly knocked her on her ass, but she managed to keep her balance and toss them away too.
“See?” he asked when she looked up at him. “I’m just like you.”
Braith could only shake her head and reply, “You have to be the biggest idiot, I’ve ever known.”
Confused, he looked down at himself, then back at her. “What?” Addolgar asked. “Is it me thighs?” He cringed a bit. “They’re too big for the rest of me, ain’t they?”
Unable to look at him a moment longer, Braith buried her head into the fur covering and sighed, long and deep.
The biggest idiot . . . ever.
Addolgar knelt on the other side of the bed and studied the top of Braith’s head. All that thick, blue hair spread around her, covering her arms, and reaching to the floor. He couldn’t help himself—his fingers were running through it before he even realized it.
That’s when Braith’s head slowly came up. He didn’t quite understand the look on her face. Was she angry? Insulted? Disgusted? He didn’t know her well enough to know what she was thinking at the moment. So Addolgar did what he always did in these situations. He asked.
“I can’t tell. Are you pissed? Or just appalled?”
“Confused,” she said softly, her expression unchanging.
“Confused about what?”
“Why did you touch me? To be kind?”
“Kind?” He thought about that word for a moment before admitting, “Braith, I’m not kind.”
“You’ve been kind to me.”
“I like you.”
“Me? I thought royals like Lady Katarina were more to your taste, Addolgar.”
They usually were. But there was just something about Braith. . . .
Addolgar took a risk and reached his hand over again, gently pushing stray blue hairs out of her eyes. “The more time I spend with you, Braith, the more I like you.”
“I’m not really likeable.”
“Who told you that?”
She shrugged. “Everyone. But I don’t need anyone to feel sorry for me about that.”
“Braith, no one as strong as you gets anyone’s pity. And you certainly don’t have mine.”
“Then what is it?”
“I’m drawn to you, Braith of the Darkness. You make my scales itch.”
Her eyes grew wide. She no longer had that hard-to-read expression; instead she just looked overwhelmed. “I do?”
“There’s just something about you.” He placed his hands on the bed, then pulled them closer so that she wouldn’t feel threatened. “But that’s just how I feel. You don’t have to feel the same way. I know what I am.”
“What you are?”
“A Cadwaladr. For some we’re a challenge. For others, we’re to be avoided like the plague. I understand both sides.”
“I envy you your family, Addolgar. Their loyalty to each other is something to be cherished.”
“I do. But I also understand how we must appear to outsiders.”
“None of that means anything to me,” she said.
“I know. You’re all about honor and loyalty.”
“It’s how my mother taught me. It meant the world to her and it means the world to me.” She ran her hand through her hair and Addolgar had to bury his fingers in the fur covering so that he didn’t do the same. “I keep thinking about what she’d tell me. Right now. She was a direct dragoness. Not like most royals at all.”
“And what would she tell you?”
“I think she’d tell me to remember my bloodline. My Penarddun bloodline. She didn’t think much of my father’s.” He
r lips suddenly curled into a small smile. “And she’d remind me of the strength in that bloodline. The confidence.”
Her head dropped forward and then Braith was pushing herself away from the bed and easily getting to her feet. She stepped back and, with a deep breath, she used both hands to push her hair off her face and behind her back.
Braith stood there, her gaze on Addolgar’s—and that’s when he understood what this was. What she was risking. For him.
Dragons were never more vulnerable than when they were human, except when they first hatched. Humans had no scales, no claws, no spiked tail, no flame. All they had were their ability to run fast, their interesting human form, and their devious minds. Otherwise, they were as weak and frail as rabbits.
Yet here Braith was, at her most vulnerable, and she was leaving herself open—for him.
Addolgar stood, ready to move to her side, to take her gently in his arms and softly tell her how beautiful she was and—
“Oooof !” he barely managed as Braith suddenly ran over the bed and threw herself into Addolgar’s arms.
“Too eager?” she asked, grimacing as he quickly tightened his arms around her so that she didn’t fall to the floor. Then again, the way she had her legs around his waist and her arms around his shoulders, she could probably just keep herself up there without his help.
“I like eager,” he admitted.
“I just . . . it’s just . . .” She gazed down at him, and Addolgar didn’t know exactly what to make of this current expression.
“Braith, it’s okay if—”
That’s when she kissed him. Hard. Her arms moving to his neck and wrapping tight, her lips against his, her tongue pressing into his mouth.
It startled Addolgar at first. He usually had to work harder than this. Much harder. Unlike his father, he didn’t have females throwing themselves at him. And yet . . . that’s exactly what Braith had done. She’d thrown all the usual centaur shit away, all the promises and lies and ridiculousness, and she’d just . . . given herself to him. Freely. And with hunger.
Making him perhaps the happiest dragon in the land.
Chapter 12
Addolgar walked them over to the bed, turned, and dropped back against it, Braith still wrapped around him like a shameless snake.
But she couldn’t help herself. He was so handsome and charming and a tad goofy that she couldn’t resist him just standing there . . . naked. Wonderfully, wonderfully naked.
She’d never really found human bodies interesting one way or the other—until she’d seen Addolgar as human. Human and naked. He should always be naked. Just running around naked. Naked, naked, naked!
And now she had that perfect human naked body beneath her and, in a moment, on top of her as Addolgar flipped her and himself over.
Their kiss seemed to go on forever and she enjoyed every second of it. Every second of his taste, the feel of his tongue, the stroke of his fingers against her human skin.
She heard groaning and she realized it was her!
It was rather hard to believe that Braith of the Darkness, who was fazed by little, was groaning at the touch of . . . anyone. But it felt so good.
Addolgar pulled out of their kiss so he could lick and nibble her neck.
That drove her crazy, made her legs tighten around his waist.
His hands on her sides, he kissed his way down her throat, across her shoulder, down to her breast. His tongue curled around her nipple, tugged. She was grateful Addolgar’s heavy body was on top of her or she would have flipped off the bed. He tugged again and Braith dug her fingers into his shoulders and back. Her human fingers had no long nails, which was good because she would have torn the weak, human flesh from him.
After tormenting her other breast, he began kissing his way farther down. Braith raised her head, briefly wondered where he was go—oh. Oh! He was going there.
She reached up for the headboard as Addolgar’s tongue slipped inside her. Unfortunately, there was no headboard to grab so Braith flattened her hands against the wall and bit down on her lip, barely remembering there were others in the building trying to sleep. But she couldn’t stop the groans or the growls as Addolgar held on to her hips and explored her pussy with what she considered wild abandon.
Braith’s eyes crossed and her toes curled. She didn’t think she could take much more. Then the tip of Addolgar’s tongue circled her clit, taking her higher and higher until he suddenly gripped it between his lips and suckled.
Braith exploded, her body shaking, her hands tearing at the wall behind her. She cried out even though she tried not to, and fell back on the bed, barely able to breathe.
When she finally opened her eyes, Addolgar was above her, his arms braced on either side of her. He studied her for a long minute, his gaze moving over her face, until he asked with all sincerity, “Are you all right?”
She brought her hands up to clasp either side of his face and pressed her forehead against his chin. That’s when she realized her human body was no longer cold; instead she was sweating.
“I’d be much better,” she admitted, “with you inside me.”
Addolgar slid his hands down and behind Braith’s knees. He lifted her legs up and spread them before pressing his cock against her and slowly pushing it inside her.
Braith gasped out, her smile wide. A smile he realized he rarely saw from her. But she was smiling now and nothing felt better.
At least that’s what he thought until he went in deeper and Braith tightened down on his cock. Now he gasped, his entire body shuddering.
“Gods, female,” he laughed. He kissed her. Once. Twice. “You feel incredible, Braith. Amazing.”
She kissed his neck, shoulders. “So do you. So good.”
He pulled out, drove back in. They both groaned, holding on to each other.
“What are you doing to me?” he asked, confused.
“What are you talking about?” Braith arched into him. “I’m not doing anything.”
He drove in again and it felt better than the last time. Gods, he didn’t care what she was doing as long as she didn’t stop doing it. He couldn’t even talk anymore; his body taking over.
Addolgar raised himself up, again bracing his arms on either side of Braith, and then he powered into her. He knew the female’s strength now. Understood she was physically strong. So he didn’t hold back. He just took her as he wanted to and the smile that lit up her face told him it was the right choice.
Thank the gods, because he wasn’t sure he could stop. If nothing else, he knew he didn’t want to stop. Between her sweet moans and the way her body easily met him thrust for thrust, Addolgar was in heaven.
Braith suddenly gasped, her hands slapping hard against his shoulders. Her back arched and she came, beautifully, her entire body tightening around him. When her pussy clamped down on his cock, Addolgar came with her, his head thrown back, his hands gripping the fur covering beneath her.
When she’d wrung him dry, he fell off to the side, crashing next to her on the bed. They lay there, staring up at the ceiling and panting until at the same time, they looked at each other. They stared for a long moment, then looked back at the ceiling and continued panting.
The door opened and Addolgar came in with one hand holding the fur covering around his waist and the other holding a tray of bread, meat, and cheese.
“Thank the gods,” Braith sighed out, reaching for the tray. “I’m starving!”
“Aye. So am I.”
She placed the tray on the bed and Addolgar brought over the water jug and two chalices. He sat down across from her, with the tray between them, and they dove into the food as if they hadn’t eaten for days. They mostly ate in silence—except for the grunts—until they’d finished off everything.
Braith picked up a few remaining crumbs with her finger and sucked them off, sighing in satisfaction.
“Cheese and bread has never tasted so good.”
“Don’t forget the meat,” Addolgar reminded her.
Grinning, Braith teased, “Didn’t get much of that after you got your hands on it.”
“I was hungry . . . and did most of the work.”
Braith laughed outright at that. “If you do say so yourself.”
Addolgar moved the empty tray, water jug, and chalices onto the floor. Then he stretched out on the bed and rested his head in Braith’s lap.
“You don’t smile,” he suddenly stated.
“What?”
“You don’t smile. Not often.” He took hold of her hand and placed it on his head. That’s how she knew he wanted her to stroke his hair. Since he’d taken such good care of her . . . how could she turn him down?
“I guess I don’t,” she admitted while slowly dragging her fingers through his lovely silver hair. “Never thought about it much.”
“You should smile.”
“Why?”
“It makes you look happy. I enjoy seeing you happy.”
Braith could say in all honestly that no one had ever said that to her. Her father could not have cared less if she were happy and had told her as much. Which, coming soon after her mother’s death, had most likely been when she’d stopped smiling.
“What are you missing, Braith?”
She really had no idea where this conversation was going. “Missing? I’m not missing anything.”
“You are. I can tell. We need to find out what that is so you can have it and be happy.” He grinned at her. “I enjoy seeing you happy.”
“You do? Then kiss me,” she ordered, leaning down, her mouth hovering over his, “and I can promise you without a doubt that I’ll be as happy as you want me to be.”
Chapter 13
Braith awoke in Addolgar’s arms. They were facing each other, her forehead pressed against his, her hands resting against his shoulders.
She felt unbelievably comfortable, in a way she normally didn’t feel comfortable unless she was alone in her cave. So much so, she didn’t want to get up. She didn’t want to face the day and the challenge of hunting down her father. But as soon as the suns peeked through the wooden slats of the window shutters, Addolgar’s eyes opened.
