Savage Dragon: Earth Dragons Series: Book 2

by Hartnady, Charlene

  Cody frowned. “I thought the two of you…that you had something going.”

  “I’m not sure what we had.”

  “That male was smitten.” Cody’s smile grew a little wider. “Completely taken with you. Pissed me the hell off.” He turned serious. “I had hoped that the two of you had made a go of it. I would have liked to apologize to him as well, although, he might have broken both my legs if I tried.”

  “I doubt it.” Demi smiled. “He’s a big softie.”

  “Softie,” Cody snorted. “Maybe where you were concerned. Nothing soft about the male.” He turned wistful. “I’m sorry to hear things didn’t work out. I think you would have made a good couple.”

  “I’m sure he’s moved on. It’s been a while since we last saw each other.”

  “I wouldn’t be so sure. He risked life and limb for you.”

  She giggled. “He would have done that for anyone.”

  “No damned way.”

  “You don’t think so?” she asked, her mind reeling.

  “I know he wouldn’t have. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a hard male turn into such a…” he shrugged. “Maybe softie is a good word to use. That only happens when a male has fallen hard. There is no way he has moved on. He is most likely still waiting. Still holding out hope.”

  Chapter 21

  Four days later…

  Obsidian flew as fast as his wings would take him. He circled the pinnacle and raced back to the rock formation he had just left. Claws outstretched, he made quick work of the perched boulders, pretending they were the enemy. Slam, slam, slam! The rocks crashed to the ground below and dust billowed. He roared, racing back to the balcony, pushing himself…hard. Until his muscles ached and sweat beaded.

  Breathing heavily, he slowed his flapping, easing down to the balcony below. He saw Mountain leaning against the far wall. He was fiddling with his cellphone. Mountain looked up as Obsidian began to shift. He looked tense and was frowning.

  “What’s wrong?” Obsidian’s voice was still thick and rasping.

  “Um…there’s been a sighting on our southern border, near the quarry,” Mountain said.

  “Oh. That’s a problem. What is being reported?”

  “It’s something strange that’s come up on our new radar equipment. Something on the ground…moving at a high speed. I’m not sure if it’s just a glitch in the system or a real potential threat. I would handle it myself, but Page is about to come into heat.” Mountain shifted from one leg to the other. He got a pinched look that quickly turned goofy. It was a look Obsidian knew well. One his brother often got when speaking about his female. Hell, even thinking about Page made Mountain go all sappy. It was sickening to watch. “I want to take her to my cave. The sooner the better. I came over to see who was available to head to the southern border right now, to take care of it.” Mountain looked up to where the males were still sparring with one another.

  “Training on my own gets boring fast,” Obsidian announced. “I quit early,” he added.

  “I can’t believe they still aren’t picking you as a sparring partner.” Mountain shook his head.

  “They all have good memories. They all still call me by that nickname.” His voice turned gruff. “Will I ever be known as anything other than Savage? No one will give me a chance to prove that I’m not that male anymore. I have evolved.”

  Mountain shrugged. “You have broken bones and removed limbs, so I guess they all have a point. Keep going the way you are and I’m sure one of them will come around. It only takes one.”

  “You are right.” Obsidian looked back up at the males. “They will be at least another twenty minutes. Why don’t you give me those coordinates and go back to your female. I can’t believe you’re actually going to try for a whelp.”

  “You’ll be an uncle.” Mountain tapped him on the back, smiling broadly.

  Obsidian grunted and gave a nod. At moments like this, he thought back about Demi. About everything that could have been. Then he felt stupid. It had been a few days of his life. He had probably only imagined the chemistry between them. The potential.

  “Did you get that?” Mountain asked.

  “Get what?”

  “The coordinates,” Mountain chuckled. “Pay attention this time.”

  “I’m ready.” Obsidian gave his head a shake, needing to dispel wayward thoughts. “Come again.”

  He memorized the coordinates this time, even though Mountain insisted on giving them a third time to be sure. “The…bogey is headed in a northwesterly direction.”

  “Got it.”

  “If you spot something, don’t engage unless you’re sure you can handle it. Otherwise, call for backup. You have my number.”

  “Why would I call you?” Obsidian asked, frowning. “You’re headed to your cave. I’ll call for backup if need be.”

  “Be careful out there.” Mountain looked concerned.

  “I’ve got this,” Obsidian said, already shifting back into his dragon form. He headed for the southern border and the coordinates Mountain had given him. He slowed down as he reached the approximate position. Obsidian kept his eyes on the ground. Why would the target be on the ground? It was much easier to fly through the dragon territory. It suddenly didn’t make any sense.

  He kept moving in the direction given. This was probably a mistake. Their new equipment must be malfunctioning or—

  Wait.

  What was that?

  A flash of black. What? Hold up! He knew what that was. It had to be… No! He must be mistaken. He headed in. Moving closer and closer. Careful at the same time, in case this was a trap.

  Fuck!

  There…right there. Sleek black fur. Long limbs. His heart just about beat out of his chest when he caught the creature’s scent.

  Obsidian roared.

  The creature looked up at him. Dark, gorgeous eyes locked with his for a moment before she picked up speed. Running even faster than before. His heart galloped in his chest. Adrenaline pumped.

  Hunt.

  Hunt.

  Every instinct rose up in him. Obsidian roared again. He took his time, enjoying the chase. Toying with his quarry. He loved watching how her fur caught the sun. How her paws ripped at the earth. Beauty. Pure, raw beauty at its finest.

  It was only when she ground to a halt that he realized how close he was. The wolf turned to face him. Her chest heaving from the exertion.

  Obsidian landed in front of her. His heart pounded. Need coursed through him, his beast recognizing her.

  Hunt.

  Take.

  She took a step towards him and then another before shifting. He watched as the most beautiful female he had ever seen slowly emerged. Long limbs, flared hips. Her nipples were dark and plump. Her skin olive and soft looking. Her hair was a tangle down her back. Her cheeks were flushed from the exertion. She gave him the once over, her eyes moving in a languid fashion. A smile toyed with one side of her lush mouth. It made him growl low. His chest rumbling. Then she turned and ran. Obsidian snarled as he followed.

  Catch.

  Hunt.

  He let her get out slightly ahead of him. Then slowly gained on her, slowly. Steady. Obsidian could have taken her down an age ago, but this was far too much fun. She finally stopped, her breathing ragged. She was so close he could touch her. Her musky scent enveloped him. His nostrils flared as he took it in.

  Obsidian shifted. It was difficult. It hurt. Shifting with an erection was not an easy feat. He groaned as he made the final change. He didn’t touch Demi though. Not so much as a finger, which was difficult given how amazing she looked. Her back was long and sleek like her legs. Her ass was plump and rounded. He just stood there waiting. It didn’t matter that his dragon was screaming for him to take her. To rut her.

  “I take it there is no bogey at the southern border,” he rasped. “There is no glitch on our radar, is there?”

  Demi turned, a smile toyed with the edges of her lips and her beautiful eyes danced.<
br />
  “You are the reason Mountain warned me not to approach unless I could handle it…when I can handle most things quite easily.”

  She nodded. “He was worried about you. Apparently, you struggled after returning home. He said you used to ask him to check his phone five times a day. That you drove him,” she lifted her eyes in thought, “bat shit crazy…I think was the term he used.”

  Obsidian smiled. “He shouldn’t have told you all that.”

  “He also said that he didn’t want you getting hurt.” She licked her lips. “Especially after you were doing so much better. You haven’t asked him to check his phone in a week or two.” She shrugged.

  “He has been worried about me.”

  “Mountain asked me several times if I was sure about you before coming out here.” She pulled in a breath. “And I am. I’m so sure. I have feelings for you, Obsidian. Real feelings. I’m sorry it took me so long to figure it out. You need to know that it was never you I had doubts about.”

  “The bear?”

  “Yes, but not in the way you think. My sister’s death…Cody…what happened…my nightmares…all of it. I had to work through all of that to get to a place where I knew things were real. My feelings for you were real and not just something I dreamed up to help get me through a difficult situation.”

  “I thought you had friend-zoned me.”

  She frowned. “Where did you get that idea?”

  “I thought you only saw me as a friend. Shale warned me that you wouldn’t call. He said you used words like kind, sweet and fond to describe me. I hated that you used fond.” Obsidian shook his head. “Shale said that meant you saw me as a friend and only a friend. He has a great deal of experience with females.”

  “I am fond of you. I do think you’re sweet and kind. I always thought you looked beyond stupid words though, because if you did, you’d know that I find you seriously hot as well.” Her eyes dipped down, landing on his cock, which was still hard. “Friends don’t want to do dirty things to friends.”

  “You want to do dirty things to me?”

  “So many dirty things, and now that I am single I can do all the dirty things I want, as often as I want.” Her face fell. “That is, if you haven’t moved on. I know I took a long time to sort my issues out, but I was hoping we…” She looked down at the ground for a moment before locking eyes with him. “I asked Mountain how you were…if you were still interested in me…us… Your brother wouldn’t tell me anything. He wouldn’t…”

  “You asked about me?” Obsidian grinned. He knew it would look goofy, but he didn’t care.

  “Mountain and I have been messaging back and forth for a couple of days.”

  “Days?” Obsidian frowned.

  “Like I said, he was being protective. He finally agreed to this meeting. Look, I don’t blame him. Two months is a really long time to make someone wait. Although I see you as sweet and kind, I’m also attracted to you ‒ very much so. I have feelings for you, Obsidian. They’re still there. They weren’t imagined or invented. My life is far less complicated now.”

  “And you’re free?” He raised his brows.

  She laughed. “Yes, I’m most definitely available and I’m here to take you up on your offer.”

  “You want to mate me?” Excitement surged through him.

  She laughed again. “Easy there. Your offer of spending some time with you. A couple of days,” she looked around them, “out here. Getting to know one another. The best part is that my family knows I’m here, so there will be no search and rescue teams sent out this time.”

  “They know you are here with me?”

  She nodded. “Yes, they do. I guess we’ve all learned a thing or two. They’ve learned to let me make up my own mind. They also happen to like you ‒ very much.” She smiled. “I happen to like you very much too.”

  “Yes,” he nodded his head once, not wanting to look too eager, “that sounds great. I would love to get to know you. There are a great many things I don’t know. We only had those few hours to talk so…shall we go and sit over there?” He pointed to an outcrop of rocks. “They would make a good—”

  “We could start with sex.” Her voice was laced with need.

  His eyes flew to hers, which were glinting with mischief. “Um…” His cock was as hard as volcanic rock. His balls were pulled so tight they hurt. He hadn’t wanted to go there right off the bat. There was no need to ask him twice though. “Yeah…of course!”

  Hunt.

  Take.

  Rut.

  His dragon rose up in him. Obsidian growled as he picked her up. Now that she’d asked, need rode him hard. It invaded his whole being. “Fuck.” His mind had wandered to the wet place between her thighs. He could scent her arousal.

  “Yes, please.” Her voice thick with desire. “Put me down here,” she instructed. “I need you inside me,” she half growled the words.

  “So sexy,” he rasped as he put her down, turning her around to face a tree. “Put your hands on the trunk.” He growled as she lifted her ass in clear invitation.

  Obsidian practically salivated as the scent of her pussy invaded his senses. His snout, his tongue. He could almost taste her. Sweet and juicy like a ripe fruit.

  She was panting. Her fingers clutching at the bark. He was desperate but he didn’t want to hurt her.

  Obsidian slid a hand around her belly and into her folds, quickly finding that bundle of nerves. He rubbed her clit a few times, dipping down into her channel to find the wet that pooled there. Then he was back at her clit, rubbing softly.

  Demi mewled and rocked against his hand. She arched back against him and nudged him with her ass. The head of his cock was there, at her slit. He could feel her warmth, how slick she was.

  Take.

  Rut.

  Claim.

  Oh fuck. He was going to have to put a rein on his dragon. His beast had decided Demi was his. As in, for life. He nudged into her, snarling as his cock sank into her warmth.

  “Yes! Oh…yes…more!” she yelled, rocking back against him.

  He nudged in deeper and deeper still, making the most obscene snarling and growling noises with each thrust. If anyone was in listening distance, they would think he was killing Demi, who was shrieking with each plunge.

  Obsidian bottomed out with a snarl, trying to ease off on her clit. He was a dragon for fuck’s sakes. This needed to last longer than half a minute. He sucked in a couple of deep breaths, his finger tracing soft circles over her nub.

  “Oh…oh god…oh…Obsidian…” It was a plea if he ever heard one.

  “Hold on,” he growled, the words barely recognizable. He clasped her hip with one hand, keeping the other firmly between her legs. Obsidian fucked his female. Putting everything he had into the action. All his frustrations. All his pent-up emotions. Everything. He put it all in there. The feelings he had for Demi. Feelings he didn’t want to reveal just yet.

  Her pussy spasmed hard around him. It was sudden and all at once. She gave a startled yelp. There was a moment of silence and then she screamed.

  He put his hands on the trunk next to hers. Still thrusting into her…hard. Tight. Wet. Hot. So damned fucking tight. “Oh…shit…oh…Demi!” Then he was roaring as his own release took hold of him. His movements turned jerky. Her pussy spasmed so tightly around him he could barely move. His balls exploded. His eyes rolled back. His knees almost gave in from the sheer ecstasy of being inside this female again. His Demi.

  He felt her slipping down, and gripped her around her waist, hoisting her back up against him. She was breathing heavily. She giggled, sounding out of it.

  Obsidian could barely catch his breath.

  “Holy crap.” She giggled again. “No wonder they call you Savage.”

  He opened his eyes.

  “You are savage where it counts.” She giggled again. “Savage with your cock,” she said between giggles.

  That’s when he noticed that he’d ripped a chunk out of the tree.
/>   “Oops.” He chuckled.

  Demi turned around. Her arms draped around his neck. Her dark eyes were hazy. “You’re savage in every way that counts. My sweet savage dragon.”

  Then he was lifting her up and slowly sinking back into her heat. “Let me show you just how savage I can be,” he murmured into her ear.

  Chapter 22

  Ten months later…

  “Today will be a sparring day,” Stone explained.

  Shouts of excitement went through the crowd of males.

  Obsidian sighed. Great! The others might love one-on-one combat with one another. They loved the chance to test their skills, strength and agility. Sparring was fun. They didn’t get days like this very often. It was a nice break in the monotony of patrolling the borders. Thing was, Obsidian was getting sick of trying to beat his best flying time. He didn’t feel like lifting boulders or pretending to spar with inanimate objects.

  “Pair up.” Stone gave him a baleful look. “And head out.”

  The males paired up and as per usual, no one picked him. Big shock!

  “Hey, Savage,” Clay called.

  His heart sped up. Surely not? Surely…

  “You have a visitor,” the male smirked, pointing behind him.

  Of course. How had he ever imagined that someone would pick him? Especially Clay of all males.

  Obsidian turned, feeling instantly better as his eyes landed on Demi. So fucking gorgeous in that blue summer dress.

  She grinned at him, holding out a paper bag. “You forgot your lunch. I specially baked and packed those cookies you love…the vanilla ones…the ones with sprinkles.” She winked at him and his heart quite literally skipped a beat.

  “You know me so well.” He rushed over to her, enveloping her in his arms, taking in her amazing scent. “You didn’t come because of the lunch. You can admit that, you know.”

  She shook her head. “It wasn’t the lunch. You know me so well too.” A smile played with the edges of her lush mouth.

  “It was because you missed the hell out of me, admit it.”