Must Love Dragonsl (Space Dragons Seek Mates Book 1)

by Michelle Ziegler

  It’s like sonar.

  Glancing over her shoulder, she thought about turning back for clothing, and realized that Kal had seen her curves and loved them. This was a new confidence, and it was freeing.

  Blowing out a breath, she stepped into the hall baring it all.

  A smile crossed her lips as she remembered when they’d first met. Maddie thought he was being cocky. Maybe the chicken had been a little extreme, but he was indeed a god at something. The heat pooled between her legs again and she squeezed her thighs together. Maddie had to pause. Holy hell. She was going to come just from the memory.

  Her hand darted out to the wall, holding herself up as she rode out the wave. How the hell was she supposed to function like this.

  Breathing through it, she stood still for another moment.

  Guess I’m not dead below the waist.

  She giggled to herself. Rounding the corner into the kitchen, Maddie took in the house. She’d been notified that there was a house left to her when her mom had passed. Only, she hadn’t wanted it. Staying here hadn’t been any option. Not then.

  Her mom had broken her heart. Why hadn’t Maddie been enough to try and change her fate? Maybe now though, she couldn’t understand it all, but she could understand that her mother had done what she thought was right. Like she always did. She always did what she thought was right. Just like calling Maddie back here, and for once it was exactly what Maddie hadn’t known she needed.

  Stepping into the living room, the glow of her tattoos reflected off of something in the corner.

  She could still feel the pulse of Kal; he was safe, so she explored.

  In the corner on a small table was a picture of Maddie and her mom. She picked it up, her thumb tracing the image. Mom had tried.

  “Perhaps you could get dressed, dear.”

  Maddie jumped.

  “Mother. Why are you here? Good God.”

  She dropped the frame and luckily caught it mid-fall with a freezing spell. Plucking it from the air, she set it back down.

  “I wanted to tell you how proud I am. Of course, I thought you might have clothes on. Oh, wait, does our dragon have clothes on?”

  Maddie slapped at the air where her mother was, straining her neck looking for him.

  “Mother.”

  She laughed. “He wasn’t your mate when we first saw him, so you can’t blame me for admiring the scenery.”

  “But he is my mate now. You can’t. Ugh. Just stay turned around in the corner. Can we have a heart-to-heart when I’m dressed?”

  Her mother floated around the room. “Of course. Of course. Please stay safe, sweetheart. I’ll be back soon.”

  Mom was such an odd duck. She knew she’d die in a house fire and hadn’t sugar-coated things for Maddie. She’d also prepared Maddie for it for years. This house must have been part of the plan.

  There was always a damn plan.

  Maddie had left months before the fire. She’d broken all the ties she could. Anything to run away from the pain that was coming. Maddie had told herself she was leaving to get away from the fact that her mother wouldn’t let her have any adventures or any mystery in her life, but it had been to try and run from the pain coming. Her mother had said there are some things you can’t and shouldn’t change.

  That hadn’t mattered though. She had wanted to change something. She had wanted guarantees that her mother would come back as a ghost even if she died. She had wanted guarantees in life that she could change things. Ghost hunting had shed light on some things, but it never filled the void her mother's hugs left.

  In the end, it had been a fire started by a strike of lightening that kill her. How odd that fire was now Maddie’s friend.

  Strange how life worked.

  Maddie held out her palm and went to cast a fire spell. Instead, the fire appeared as she thought of it. The little flame danced on her hand.

  Studying the little wick, she truly didn’t understand.

  Best she find Kal.

  Listening into the night, his voice filtered in from out back.

  “Perhaps we should bring them back to the ship as quickly as we can?”

  Listening, there were no other voices.

  Stepping into the backyard it took a minute before she found his shadow in the corner.

  The small patch of grass tickled her feet before they reached cold stone. When was the last time she’d gone outside barefoot? Is this what freedom felt like?

  When was the last time she’d gone outside naked? Never. That was a big never. Well, she could cross that off the list of things to do before you die.

  Kal nodded as Maddie reached out to him. He took her into his embrace, pulling her in, and she allowed him.

  Of course, she allowed him. This was home. Wherever he was; was home. It took a minute to realize the familiar ache in her heart, the one that never seemed to ever really go away, had finally quieted.

  “Yeah. Sorry, Eadric. I’m fine. You’ll like her, promise. Okay. Report later.”

  Snuggling against his shirtless torso, it occurred to her, he didn’t seem to hang up anything.

  “Who were you talking to?”

  The light of the moon cast a glow around him as he looked down to her.

  “My brothers. I’d ignored their calling all day. Eadric had reported I’d been turned into a bird.”

  She kissed the skin of his chest.

  “Yeah. Sorry about that. I wasn’t looking for anyone, and I really hate settling down. It wasn’t a good time. The bird might have been a little extreme.”

  “A chicken.” He shook his head.

  “Well. You walked into the Drunken Rooster. It was the first thing that came to mind.”

  His chest vibrated with laughter. “Too bad for me I didn’t walk into somewhere more manly then.”

  His hand slipped below her chin and forced her to meet his eyes. “I hope that things have changed? Your view on love and perhaps this idea of settling down?”

  Opening her mouth, she closed it again. Love. What exactly was this? Flashing back to her lust drunk-high on magic state didn’t help. She’d said she was his. And she’d meant that. But love? What exactly was love?

  He kissed her forehead, then her cheek.

  “I see, mate, that you have not replaced your clothing.”

  He bent to kiss her.

  Maddie’s hands found their way up the muscles of his stomach.

  She giggled as he reached around and grabbed her ass, lifting her up.

  He pulled her against him, his cock pressing against the pants he’d put on.

  She reached between them and stroked through the fabric. “Already?”

  He smiled. “I am always ready for my mate.”

  8

  The smell of something delicious woke him from the world’s worst dream. If he ever pissed off Maddie again, goddess help him. He never wanted to feel powerless like that again.

  Stretching, his hand searched for her. Maddie was gone. His dragon sniffed at the air, and realizing there was no reason to panic, went back to relaxing.

  Kal smiled. She wasn’t far and after last night and this morning and all the other times she wasn’t going to leave.

  He knew that sating his mate would take a few hundred years, but no one had mentioned it also meant that it would take a lot of willpower to keep her off of him.

  He liked it.

  What he didn’t like was waking without her in his arms.

  Scanning the room, he grumbled. For fuck’s sake, where were his pants? He needed to talk to her. Perhaps clothing was a good first step.

  His stomach growled. Sex didn’t feed a dragon, although it did make for a very docile one.

  Kal rubbed at his chest. He needed to go flying soon. Being caged didn’t make them happy, but at least the mate helped.

  Lifting up the pants he’d finally found, his COM bounced as it hit the floor. He grabbed at it and put it away.

  There wasn’t a real need for the device, except back
up. They could all talk by telepathy, and yet in human form they still relied on mechanical devices. Whatever. He couldn’t wait to get back home where everything made sense. Their magic wasn’t predictable here. He was only relieved that Maddie appeared to be fine, finally.

  Now, mission one was to find his mate, and then food. Then back to the ship.

  Peeking down the hall, he followed the sounds of clanging and banging. Kal could pick out Maddie in a crowd, but add her scent to whatever she was cooking and his stomach wasn’t the only thing waking up.

  “What is that delicious smell?” he asked, coming up behind her. Wrapping her in his arms, Kal breathed her in.

  She relaxed into him, a perfect fit. Their soul, his dragon, they were going to be okay. This had been what he needed. He was too young to be abstinent too, but moreover he was too young to lose himself to the power. He rubbed up against her backside and hoped she’d get the hint.

  “Kal? That better not be what I think it is.”

  He smiled. “What do you think it is?”

  She dropped the spatula on the stove and turned in his arms.

  “Well, I’ve established you don’t seem to own a gun or any other weapon. So…”

  He liked this little witch.

  “Maddie? How are you feeling today?”

  She shrugged. “You mean other than being sore in places I didn’t know existed? Yeah, actually. I think I’m good.”

  Kal placed a hand against her cheek and her forehead. Her temperature seemed to be relatively normal. Her skin contained a glow that he found beautiful and pretty much what came with the territory of being his mate.

  “Well, there is one thing, Kal, this.”

  He watched her hold up her hand as a tiny flame appeared. He shrugged.

  “Is that not normal?” he asked. “Fire is very normal for a dragon.”

  She pursed her lips. “Only, I’m not a dragon and I didn’t conjure it.”

  Kal lifted her hand and kissed it through the flame.

  “Kal!”

  He pulled away.

  “You are a dragon’s mate. You share some of my powers. You can’t transform, but you will be able to communicate with me through your mind.” He leaned in and kissed her temple. “You will be able to control fire and it will never hurt you.” He slipped a finger over the flame. “You are nearly immortal.”

  Kal took her hand and rested it over his heart. “You are my heart. As long as my heart beats my life is yours.”

  He couldn’t make out her thoughts yet. Not really. That would come though.

  Maddie pinched her lips closed. She was indeed thinking, that couldn’t be good.

  “Mate? What has you silent now?”

  Kal liked the way she looked up at him. Reaching for her, he tried to pull her in, but she pushed away.

  This was not how he saw his morning going, which had his dragon chuckling. This was exactly how they’d seen finding a mate happening, though minus the chicken.

  “Right. So that’s my question. You bite me and I’m now your mate?”

  He nodded, his senses on edge. Where was she going with this now?

  “So my wedding present is this scar, some tattoos, and fire?”

  Kal didn’t think he was exceptionally good at reading females anymore, but he could definitely see the warning bells going off. Okay. He’d bite.

  “Wedding present?” Kal asked.

  Maddie’s nose wrinkled as if something had just spoiled and was smelling up the kitchen.

  He wasn’t sure if he should apologize right now or wait until he actually understood what had just happened.

  “Great. This is my life. I don’t get a wedding. I get screwed, both literally and figuratively.”

  Her face reddened, and he didn’t have to ask what she meant as the air scented of her. He ran a hand down her back to her hip. He was dying to get under the shirt she wore, but as clouds rolled into her eyes he dropped his hands and surrendered.

  “Maddie, if I have done something wrong, please let me know. In our culture we would have feasts and celebrations. We will, when we return home. The warriors are highly revered, and finding our mates is something to be celebrated. But not here.”

  Her shoulders relaxed, and she rested her hand on his forearm.

  “I asked for your permission, I assumed you understood what I meant. On this planet everything is wrong. I don’t know all your customs, and I assumed that you felt what I felt.”

  Her fingers twisted on the hair along his arm, the only sound a popping on the stove. She quickly spun around and turned a knob, coming right back to him.

  “No. I understood what you wanted to do,” Maddie said.

  She stopped scowling, but he wasn’t any less confused.

  “I suppose I just want what any little girl wants. To be the center of attention.”

  Center of attention, he understood.

  “You are the center of my world, mate.” Bending down, he gently took her lips with a soft kiss.

  “I understand. But-” Maddie let out an audible sigh.

  “But what?” Kal was back to feeling like maybe he wasn’t enough. Why did he have to learn the feeling of doubt now? Or ever. He didn’t need this useless feeling.

  “But, now that I found someone that…” she stopped.

  Good, Lord. That what? Was this a guessing game? He really sucked at humanity. He needed the whole telepatic communication to start kicking in at any minute.

  “Well, it’s just that I finally found someone worth walking down the aisle for. Someone worth celebrating. I’ve never wanted attention, but right now I can see that whole dream that everyone says you see when you find the right one.”

  Kal followed her movements as she swayed one side then the other, then she lifted a finger and brought it to rest on his stomach. He liked where this might be going, if it was going anywhere near his dick, anyway. This woman had him ready to do as she wished. Wherever she wished.

  “Well, I suppose I don’t really mind not getting a wedding. I had that chance once and didn’t want it.”

  Kal started and his dragon awoke at her words. They glared at her.

  “Wedding?”

  Maddie seemed to bite back a smile. His eyes narrowed in irritation.

  “Yeah. That’s sort of what humans do to mate another human, Kal. I suppose shifters have mating rituals, the Fae do some really weird shit. But humans have a wedding.”

  Kal grabbed her wrist, pulling her against him.

  His dragon did not like the idea of anyone coming near their mate. His dick grew harder with a need to mark her again. Fill her, sate her, and remind her just who she was now.

  “What?” she asked, obviously feeling the mood change.

  Jealousy consumed him. Another useless human emotion he didn’t like.

  “This other mate, this human. You almost let him mark you?”

  He pulled her in closer, grabbing her ass. No room for escape, his dick resting on her stomach.

  “Oh!” She said in surprise.

  “Answer me. Did you?”

  Her smile fell, but the air scented of her arousal.

  “I. Well, it’s not marking. Not really. It’s called marriage. The only sign of mating, as you call it, is a ring. But, people get divorced all the time.”

  Kal slipped his fingers under her nightgown, tracing the line of her panties.

  “What is divorce?”

  She swallowed.

  “It’s when a marriage is ended. But, people re-marry too. I don’t see why this is an issue.”

  Lifting the edge of her panties, he slid his fingers underneath, following the line down her ass to the crease of her thigh.

  “Was the human the coward at the bar?”

  Her breathing changed. He listened to her heart beat speed up.

  “I. Uh. Yes.”

  He growled.

  “He would never have made you happy. You are not his.”

  She nodded.

  “We do not en
d. You are mine, forever,” Kal finished.

  The flush of her cheeks was all he needed as encouragement to push forward his fingers going further south.

  “Forever?” she said, her voice husky.

  Sliding two fingers between her folds, he entered her. Maddie’s eyes closed as he stroked her slowly at first.

  “Forever.”

  She moaned with each thrust.

  “You are mine.” He leaned in, close enough to whisper in her ear. “Say it.”

  She sucked in air as he worked her. “Yours.”

  “Very good.”

  Kal kissed her, swallowing her next whimper of pleasure.

  “Turn around.”

  Her breathing heavy, she didn’t question him as his fingers retreated. She turned as he unsnapped his pants.

  Sliding his hand around her neck, down her back to the edge of her nightgown, he gripped the hem and reached below, pushing aside her panties. His fingers passed over her heat once more, but this time only to tease.

  She was slick and ready. This was good, because this time there was no foreplay. This time it was all animal. All to erase whoever she’d once thought she would belong to. He wanted to take her, own her, make her know who her mate was.

  Holding her panties aside, he positioned the tip of his dick at her entrance, bending her over the counter. Without warning he pushed in, sliding past the protest of her tight muscles. He pushed in, slowly at first, letting her accept him once again.

  This time it was his turn to bite back a groan of pleasure.

  Her whimpers and cries of need music to his ears, knowing he was the one she was thinking about. He was the one making her come. He was the one filling her over and over.

  “You. Are. Mine.”

  Kal waited, waited to feel her muscles pulling from him, desperate for him to finish her. He waited for her to beg him to finish her.

  “Kal. Please. Kal.”

  Her body began to quake around him and that was all his dick needed as encouragement.

  Kal lifted her leg allowing him in deeper. He pushed in once, twice, three times, and she screamed out.

  Now. Now he would allow himself. Now that she was his. Now that her body was begging. He thrust one last time. Spilling into her. Proving to her that he would only ever be the one for her.