Claimed by a Dragon (Dragon Shifters from Cendarth Book Book 2)

by Seth Eden

  He thought he blinked for just a second but when he opened his eyes again, the air was much colder than before, the surroundings much darker. The fires in their sconces burned a little brighter. How long had he been out? It was hard to tell with no real way of measuring the passage of time.

  He tested his body again to find that the aches and pains were still the same. The vision in one eye was obscured by the swelling of his cheek. His tongue found a blank spot in his mouth where a tooth should be. One of his fingers was bent the wrong way and was pretty sure one of his shoulders was dislocated.

  Zen sighed as he tried to find some comfort in his current position. There was a small cot not too far away, but any kind of movement felt like torture. Maybe once his wounds were a little healed, he would give it a try.

  For now, however, he couldn’t get his brother’s last words out of his ears. The look on his face as he’d tried to punch him into unconsciousness wasn’t going to leave him anytime soon.

  “Why don’t you just die already?! You’ll never be happy, you’ll never have what you’re looking for as long as I have anything to say about it!”

  He shut his eyes; maybe Ethan was right, that it would just be easier to give into his wounds and bruises and will his life to end. It wasn’t like there was anything waiting out there for him anyway.

  He gritted his teeth against the thought of Samantha. What was she doing now? Was she back at home in her safe little bed, sleeping off the agony of her time away? Had Ethan taken her back and fed her some lie as to why he deserved this?

  What he could recall was the smell of her and the feel of her hands against his face. ... or had he dreamed the whole thing up as a way to comfort himself against the pain?

  The sound of footsteps. He was likely dreaming that up too because there was no one other than the guards and his brother who was interested in visiting him down here.

  “Zen!”

  Her voice. It squeezed at his chest so hard that he found it hard to breathe. No, it must be another illusion of the mind, thoughts swirling together to take him away from this place and grant him some respite from all that torture.

  “Zen, wake up, you lazy ass.”

  No... no, this was no dream. Dreams didn’t swear at and insult you in your worst moments.

  His head rolled to one side to see the dark woman standing there, her fists clenched around the bars.

  Zen offered her a half-smirk then winced. It was just too painful to do anything with his face. He heard the lock being undone and heard its heavy weight hit the floor. Her footsteps grew closer until he felt her kneeling by his side.

  “How do I look?”

  “Honestly? Like shit.” Samantha couldn’t help but laugh as she tried to wipe the blood and grime off his face, taking care around his bruises.

  “You’re being stupid, you know that? Being here?”

  “Sure, if your plan was to be ungrateful.” Samantha pursed her lips into a pout, tempted to flick one of his many bruises to get him to stop being an idiot.

  “Didn’t you hear? That’s all I’ve been from the mercy my brother has shown me. In fact, he said-”

  “Shut up. I don’t care what he said.”

  Ah. So she was no longer by Ethan’s side any longer. He wondered what that meant for her future, for his brother didn’t take kindly to being slighted, especially by someone he loved. She was going to have to watch her back.

  ... or he was going to have to keep her safe.

  Zen watched as she bothered herself with his wounds, saw the concern on her face. She’d come back for him and that was more than he could have ever hoped for. He found himself leaning more towards her, doing his best to show her every wound he still had. It wasn’t out of a need for pity. It... simply felt nice to be close to her again.

  To feel her fingertips roaming across his skin... to smell her rich scent... How he wished he’d said something sooner back in the forests. It would make things so much simpler now instead of figuring out a way to let it slip. But he couldn’t be sure if she felt the same way.

  “I’m glad to see yo well.”

  “I’m not,” she answered shakily. “But we can talk about that later.” Samantha shook her head and gently pulled his good arm around her shoulders.

  He’d never seen her afraid before, so he was unsure what could have gotten to her. It was obvious the pain was still fresh so he didn’t want to prod at it so soon.

  “Jen said there was a set of sewers around here we could escape from.” She looked this way and that once they got out of the cell. The size of this prison was larger than she’d ever seen, so it was hard to tell which direction she should head in.

  Zen closed his eyes for a second, trying his best not to put too much of his weight against her. He was grateful for the rescue, but they needed to get out of here quickly.

  He pointed to his left.

  “The ground declines a little that way, possibly for runoff.” He groaned as they took another shuffling step forward, determined to get out of there before the guards showed up.

  They hobbled their way through the tunnels, the smelly water rising no higher than their ankles. But Zen’s broken state made it difficult to maintain a steady pace and he slipped frequently from her grasp to catch himself against the wall.

  “We should’ve just gone back up the stairs,” she muttered under her breath as she picked him up once more.

  “And get caught by the guards? You’d be hanged, and not even your friends could save you from that.”

  He couldn’t save her from that either, and he would never be able to live with himself if he let another innocent die.

  “If you had the strength... if you had the ability to shift, this would be so much easier...”

  He knew what he was saying, what he was proposing. It was a roundabout way of getting to the central point: that ever since they’d thrown him in here, she’d been the primary thought on his mind. He’d wondered if she was safe, what she was doing, if she even thought of him in return.

  And the fact that she didn’t drop him in disgust told him something too.

  “Is it... instantaneous?” she asked quietly. She couldn’t believe she was considering this, that she would actually...

  Her cheeks felt warm as she gathered him up again to continue forward. Taking him up on his offer would make things so much easier... but /would it be for his benefit or did he really...?

  “It happens pretty fast. And it’s a little painful at first, the change. But I’ll be here to talk you through it if that’s what you want.”

  And yet, Samantha felt frustrated that he was beating around the bush like this instead of being upfront about his feelings. At least, that’s what she was guessing. But enough was enough. Clearing the air would make things less difficult. For both of them.

  “Zen?”

  “Hm?”

  “Do you have feelings for me?”

  It was so out of the blue, he was struck dumb for a few seconds. He thought he could wean himself in that direction eventually, that it would lead to a much-needed conversation as to what they were despite... not really being together. But there was no way he could lie about it either.

  “I’ve come to care for you since our time together. Helping you sort out your panic attacks, showing you the different herbs... It was hard coming to terms with what my heart was telling me, given how long I’d lived in bitterness, holding onto Senna... my kids... I honestly felt guilty.”

  Samantha slowed once they got to a bend in the pipes to take a small breather.

  “You didn’t make her-”

  “I feel guilty for still being alive, for being given the chance to move on while they... It’s just not fair.” He leaned his head back against the rough texture of the curved metal wall. It was jagged against his skin, digging into the already-sore spots on his back. But he knew they both needed to rest.

  “I know what you mean,” she whispered and took a seat beside him in the water. She would have b
een more repulsed by the smells surrounding them, but there wasn’t much choice. There were worse things.

  “It’s hard to think of the people you care about not being there anymore. It’s scary... because you know you’re going to end up that way too someday...”

  “You won’t. Not if...” He suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled it against his chest.

  Samantha could feel the pounding of his heart against his ribcage. It was weak but maintained a steady beat.

  “You haven’t said anything.. about your feelings for me,” he whispered back, his fingers slowly lacing between her own. And she let it happen too. Fighting it would be a denial of herself, the denial of the truth she should have come to terms with before she’d come back to the city.

  Instead of answering, her lips crashed against his own, ignorant of the bruises and swelling on his face. Zen answered with a pained grunt before he leaned into it more, lilting his head to one side so that they could increase the contact further.

  They sat there in that kiss for what felt like forever. The purity of the moment felt so right to both of them that they wondered why they’d ever bothered to hide to begin with. There was absolutely nothing wrong with what was taking place between them.

  And when they broke, the world spun around them as if they were the epicenter to it all. Two broken souls just trying to find the pieces needs to assemble together into something normal.

  “W-... wow...” Zen couldn’t help the slight smirk on his face as he touched at his lips. They still buzzed from her lingering kiss.

  “I... um...” She was starstruck also and braced herself against the wall of the pipe to stop from falling over.

  “We... we should get going. I think we’ve spent enough time catching our breaths to... um...”

  “Yeah. I mean yes.” Though she wasn’t sure what exactly she was saying yes to. The simple kiss, however, seemed to have renewed his vigor somewhat. He was walking a little faster now, dragging his feet a lot less, and his disposition was honestly looking a little better too from what she could make out in the dim lighting.

  “Yes,” she repeated. “To all of it, I mean.” It felt like electricity danced across her skin as they went around another bend. The feelings she had for him, wanting to mate so that they had a better chance of getting out of this situation... She was saying yes to all of it because it felt right all the way down to her bones. It sounded silly after only spending five days with a man she thought she despised, but she couldn’t ignore the stirring in her belly, that giddy feeling that cast her common sense to the wind. she hadn’t felt like this since she was a teenager.

  Not even with Ethan. He was comfortable, happy, but he never sparked any excitement with her. How much if it had been a facade, she wondered, and how much had he truly loved her?

  Then the metal floor beneath their feet took on a shallow slope that made it a little hard to keep their footing. That was when they realized they could see their feet in the water and the edges of the pipe around them. The smell was less offensive too, which meant they were definitely heading in the right direction.

  They gasped for fresh air with dizzying giggles as they stumbled out of the end of the pipe. The journey had felt like forever, yet they were just outside the city walls, the edges of the forest just a few feet away. They were on the opposite side of where Zen’s little hidey-hole sat, which meant there wasn’t much chance of going that way.

  They gathered themselves and trekked out of the water towards the trees. Surely by now, someone would have realized they were gone. Yet no sound rose from the city, no alarms to inform its inhabitants that something was amiss.

  The elation of getting away had them both in fits, chuckling softly to themselves as they took a break against a tree. Neither of them had thought this far ahead, so they weren’t sure what to do next.

  Looking at each other under the double moonlight, however, roused the reality of their feelings and brought them to the surface. Held back for so long until it became too late, they were now gifted with the freedom to act on those impulses.

  Samantha gently rolled herself on top of him and kissed him again. Zen grunted with pain beneath her, cradling his arm to one side so that her weight wouldn’t put more pressure on it. But he was ignorant of the pain having her this close to him, feeling her warmth wrapping around him in an intoxicating embrace. Her lips were soft against his too, softer than silk, and he was sure that if he was given the choice, he would remain wrapped within them for as long as he could breathe.

  “We have to hurry,” she whispered against his lips, her lidded gaze finding his.

  “If you want to go then you have to get off of-”

  “That’s not what I mean.”

  Her eyes locked with his, she slid a hand down his chest, past his navel, and bordered on the edges of the matted hair on his groin. Zen tensed beneath her touch and felt himself growing with arousal at just the thought of the act they were about to commit.

  “Here? Now? With me like this?” He tried to give her his best grin, but it still hurt to smile properly. To think that she would be so eager...

  “Adrenaline’s pumping, maybe it’s a dumb idea, sure, but...” She cast a glance over her shoulder at the city walls once more. “You can’t fight in your condition. I need to protect you.”

  He couldn’t argue with that logic. There was no reason to believe that her friends were going to come to their rescue either. Relying on them would be a gamble he wasn’t willing to take.

  His hand rested gently atop hers as he guided her touch lower, his breath held until it found his loins. Her fingers naturally curled around him, felt the girth for what it was and started to work her palm against the folds of his soft penis.

  “To the base,” he gasped under his breath. The beginnings of pressure were starting to grow beneath his navel. He could feel himself growing more and more erect in her hand, his length growing against her constant, soft strokes.

  Samantha did what he asked with a nod, her cupped hand running from the head of his penis all the way down to the base. Her fingers brushed against the underside, felt the heft of his testicles beneath. She was somewhat glad for the dark so that she wouldn’t stare at them.

  Her strokes grew in pace and pressure, drawing circles around the knobbed end before working down his length once more. He was fully erect and she could see a bead of pre-cum at the end of his shaft.

  Now with that done...

  She slid her garment higher on her thighs and slipped herself over his hips. She held her breath as she felt the pressure build against her entrance, his shaft demanding entry. She worked her slit against the head of his cock until it was slick, and then tried once more.

  They gasped together as he slid smoothly in. Further and further, her hips pressing against his flesh until she was sure he could go no more. It took her a second to take it all in, that they were actually doing this... and that it felt right for once.

  “Shame you couldn’t take me somewhere nicer,” she jested before pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. He followed her retreat when she drew away.

  Their eyes locked in that second, and he knew he wanted more of her. That warmth of her lips was enticing. How he’d longed to be kissed by anyone after such a long time and now she was here.

  He greedily went in for another, his lips crushing hers as he was consumed with passion for her. He traced fingers down the back of her neck and spine; the other held her head in place as his tongue tasted hers, begging for her to return the favor.

  And she did. Tongues intertwined together, her air was suddenly stolen. The trailing of his fingers sparked something within her that bucked her hips against him. It was enough to make him gasp, a light keening sound escaping him as he felt just how wet she was around him.

  Samantha liked that sound too and repeated the action, a smirk on her face as she watched his expression strain to remain in control. If only she had more time to tease that look out of him to the extreme...

&
nbsp; Her hand dipped down between her thighs to play at her clitoris, the speed of her rocking quickened to maintain the pleasure of him inside her.

  Zen’s hands gripped at her hips, encouraged her thrusting to press himself harder inside her. He could see the ecstasy written on her face, the way her brows knotted together, how her full lips hung open in that silent cry of pleasure. When she leaned back, he stared at the beautiful curve of her throat, how it ran down and split into those beautiful breasts that bounced with her rhythm. Further down the curve continued to her soft stomach, and lower still until he couldn’t tell where he ended and she started.

  He captured one of her nipples in his mouth and danced his tongue around it. He gave the other breast a rolling squeeze, his thumb teasing at the nipple there. Both went hard instantly, rigid nubs of flesh that stood to attention on the tip of his tongue. He buried his face within the mound of her breast, working his mouth against that perfect bit of flesh that made her gasp every time he sucked it.

  He watched as her hand went to town on her clit, felt her growing wetter around him as she writhed on his length. Her fevered pace meant she was coming soon and they needed to climax before someone caught wind of what they were doing.

  And yet, Zen wanted this moment to last forever. He wanted to dwell in all of the heat and hormones in the air, the picture-perfect silhouette of her atop him, riding his shaft as if her life depended on it.

  In some way, it did.

  A quick gasp of air was all she got before he went rigid against her, a single thrust going so deep and hard within her that she felt it against her inner walls. It sparked a new fire in the back of her mind, roused her loins to fire until-!

  She came around him. He could feel her vaginal walls greedily clenching around him and that made his sensitive length yearn for more of her. Their juices mingled together and ran down their thighs from their joining. Samantha continued to quiver atop him as she rode out the last waves of her ecstasy. When she finally rolled herself off of him, Zen’s shaft slipped out of her with a wet pop! that would have been amusing if they weren’t so exhausted.