Griffith: The English Dragon ― Erotic Paranormal Dragon Shifter Romance

by Kathi S. Barton

  You won’t hear me complaining about him having a little extra pain. They both laughed. I’ll let you know what I find out; you have fun.

  No one wanted to bid on the boxes up to the ones that they wanted. The auctioneer kept adding the next box and the next until he got to the glasses. There were only a handful of people in the area, but Griff figured, like Lilac did, that they were all waiting on the glasses. When the guy asked for a starting bid, he put up one finger, meaning to ask about how low they could go, when the man smiled at him and said that they were his. For a buck they ended up with fourteen boxes of junk, not including the glassware. He was so excited that he’d won that he picked Lilac up and swung her around.

  They were finished then. There were more boxes, but they had what they wanted. Having the pack there to help them carry their load to the table again, they sorted through it all there. In addition to the stemware, they also ended up with a couple of pocket watches, some odds and ends of stationery, as well as two heavy boxes of books. All of that their purchases were loaded into the trailer that they’d rented for the pack to drive home.

  “How about some dinner with me? We had a wonderful day, my dear, and I find that I just don’t want it to end just yet. There is a nice steakhouse right up the road.” She said she was game but wanted to wash her hands and face. “Yes, I did notice that you pick up a lot of dust and grime at these things. We’ll have dinner after we clean up, then go on home. It’s still early enough that I think we can beat the dinner crowd, don’t you think?”

  “Yes. And it was a wonderful day, wasn’t it? I don’t think I’ve had that much fun at an auction in a good long time.” She had a big grin on her face, and he kissed the back of her hand as they made their way back to his truck. “I can’t believe that we got everything we wanted, and at a fantastic price too. I’m so excited to see the dishes in the hutch, aren’t you?”

  “Yes. I’m excited to see it all, as a matter of fact. A couple more auctions like this one and we should have the entire house outfitted. Beds for the spare bedrooms, a few dressers to go with them, and some pieces to put around as accent pieces. You have excellent taste, my dear mate. I love you.” He wasn’t sure how she’d react to him saying that, so held his breath as they got into the truck. When he helped her in and got in on the other side, she turned and looked at him. “Are you all right?”

  “Yes. I was just thinking about how much fun I had, and that I love you as well. I know that you and I have a lot of things to work out, but today was just what I needed to show me that you are nothing like your brother. Thank you for that.” He asked her for a kiss, to sort of end the day on a perfect note. “Yes, I’d like that too.”

  Pulling her to him, Griff tried very hard not to take more than she was willing to give him. But the moment that their mouths touched, he knew that it was going to take everything to try and hold back. The moment that she turned on the seat and settled over his lap, Griff nearly came. Christ, he wanted this woman.

  Chapter 4

  She hadn’t meant to sit on his lap. Hadn’t meant to even deepen the kiss that he’d given her. But she needed him, needed him to take her in a way that she’d never experienced before.

  When he pulled her blouse up, taking her bra with it, she cried out when he took her nipple into his mouth and nibbled on it. He pulled his head away and she kissed him again, tugging at his own clothing as he moved out from under the steering wheel.

  “Someone is going to see us.” She moaned against his mouth when he said that he didn’t care. “But we should, don’t you think?”

  “Yes.” He rolled her to the seat, settling between her legs as he did so. “Hang onto me, love. This is going to be fast.” Getting out of the truck, he looked around, and in moments was his beautiful dragon. When he gathered her into his arms, she thought he was marking her in some way.

  Lilac didn’t know for sure what he’d meant until they were atop a hill covered in vegetation and trees. Before she could ask him where they were, he stripped her clothing off her and stepped back from her. Lilac felt both exposed and sexy at the same time.

  “You’re more beautiful than I thought.” Lilac started to cover herself, feeling out of her element for a moment, when he pulled her hands away from her breasts and touched his finger to her nipple again. “I’m going to eat you. I want to be able to taste your nectar, the way you smell right now. Like you’re a ripe peach that is all mine for the taking.”

  “Please. I need you.” He picked her up, his own body naked now, and pressed her against the tree behind her. When he put her down, her knees were trembling so badly that he held her upright for a few seconds. When he dropped down in front of her, his breath heating her up like a roaring fire never had, Griff slid his fingers into her sheath and suckled on her womanhood at the same time. Crying out with her first orgasm, she held him to her as he feasted on her. Griff ate her like she was going to be his only meal for a great long time.

  She came so many times that she lost track. All she knew was that they seemed to start and stop so close together that she was sure that she was going to die from them, one right after the other, each one taking a little more of her. Lilac begged him to stop, told him that she could take no more.

  “Ah, but you will, my love. For me.”

  Griff helped her to the grass, which was soft on her back, her body limp with his administrations. And when he licked her from gate to clit this time, she screamed out her release as if it came from the bottom of her feet. Still he didn’t stop.

  Over and over he made her come, not giving her a chance to breathe or even to gather her wits about her as he gave her pleasure. And when he sat up, his body hard and glistening in the evening light, she watched as he fisted his cock, using the precum at the tip as a lubricant.

  “I’m going to try and take you easily, but I don’t hold out much hope for that.” She laughed; his face was full of pain, yet he spoke like he’d been telling her of the weather. “Tell me, Lilac—tell me that you belong to me and none other. That you are my mate and will be for the rest of our days.”

  Without any hesitation, Lilac repeated his vows as well as her own. “I belong to you and none other. My heart belongs to you. I will worship you for the rest of my days and forsake all others. You are my mate, my one and only true love, and I will be with you for all eternity.” He kissed her then, his hard cock touching off more small climaxes as he brushed it across her clit. “Please, take me, Griffith.”

  He slammed home—there were no other words for how he took her. And when she cried out with it, the pleasure of it making her dizzy, he pounded her hard, holding her to his body as he made her his. When he threw back his head, his body stiff with his own release, Lilac watched him, marveling that this man was all hers.

  When he came a second time, his body seemed to become a part of her, her heart drowning in the love that he was giving her. Lilac rose up, her body bowing up to meet him when she came. Her body flew apart, then slammed back together when he cried out for the third and final time. Darkness didn’t just come over her in that moment but seemed to make her entire life blink out. The last thing that she remembered was him falling atop her, and then nothing.

  When she woke, Lilac was in the big bed at their home, alone. There was a note beside her on the pillow that had gone cold without him there. Picking it up, she was smiling so much that her face hurt with it.

  My darling Lilac. I am deeply in love with you. I have gone to get the truck. The auctioneer wasn’t thrilled about us leaving it there. So alas, I had to leave you in our bed to get it. But I will be back soon, hopefully before you get to read this. Then he signed it Griff.

  Getting up, she realized that it was much later than she’d thought it was. The sun was up, but thanks to the darkening shades in the room, the sun coming into the room hadn’t bothered her. Stretching out some of the kinks from last night, she got up to get a shower.

  By the time she got out of the shower, she’d tried to reach Gri
ff several times and was getting worried. Dressing hurriedly, she made her way down the stairs to find that not only wasn’t Griff home, but that Kip and Dana were in the kitchen.

  “What’s happened?” Neither man seemed inclined to talk, so she slammed her hands down on the table and asked again. “Where is he and how do we get him back here?”

  “Someone called me when they discovered his truck smashed up against a tree not ten miles from here. We came here first because we wanted to make sure that first of all, he wasn’t here, and that you were safe.” She asked Dana what they’d been able to find out. “Nothing as yet. The truck has been totaled, and there was a lot of blood, his. But being a dragon, he won’t die, and we’re hoping that he’s just been taken and not wandering around with a head injury right now.”

  “And how is that supposed to be comforting?” Dana looked at Kip. They were trying their best to break it to her gently, but she wasn’t having it. “Tell me, damn it. I need to know so that I can find him.”

  “We’ve asked Mother Earth to help in locating him. Nothing so far. So, he’s either on some stones or he’s up off the ground. But she’s looking for him too.” Lilac asked what else they were doing. “The entire pack is out looking, as well as most of the townspeople. Rett has called an emergency meeting, and is sending out men in groups all over the grounds. Nothing so far.”

  Lilac pulled off her shoes as Dana continued to tell her what was going on. The dragons were out looking, as were all the people in the little town they lived in. Lilac asked him about the faeries.

  “We have a few that we know, but not well enough to ask them to help us find him. Dana and I were hoping that you being a faerie, you could get them together faster than we could.” She reached out for Sunny and told her to come to her. “Also, you should know that we don’t think it was his brother. It might well have been, but his scent isn’t anywhere near the accident, nor did we find anything around the wreckage that would indicate he was nearby. Someone, however, ran him off the road, and we’re looking into that as well. Whoever it was, they weren’t human. But for now, that’s all I can tell you for sure.”

  Sunny showed up just as she was thinking what she had to do next. Dana thanked her as she spoke to her faerie helper. She was sick with worry now, and she thought that Sunny could tell.

  “He’s been missing for some time. I need for you to go to the wreckage and find out what you can. Also, please call on the others and have them search every cave and every tree around here. There is blood at the scene, so that might help you.” Sunny said that she had a great army that would also help. “I know, and I thank you for that. Tell them that we’ll take any news that they can get back to me. Anything. All right?”

  “Yes, my lady.” Sunny started away and then returned to sit upon her hand. “The brother, we will have some people look for him as well. I know that you were told that he wasn’t nearby, but we’ll go to him as well.”

  Lilac wasn’t sure what to do, so she went outside to sit on the earth. She’d been told that someone had asked the queen of the faeries for help, but as she had a special bond with her that no one knew about, she sat very still when asking—no, pleading for help.

  “Hello, my daughter. I have heard a great many things about you.” She thanked her and told her of her love. “Yes, I have been searching everywhere that I can for him. Even in caves that have not been visited in decades. Griffith, he is very special to myself as well. And is my son now. Should you like to add your strength to those that are searching for him, I will replenish you quickly.”

  Lilac reached to the water, all manner of waterways, from the lakes and oceans to the small streams that snaked along the caves that surrounded her. Speaking to the water in ways that few could, she had it seeking every corner, every darkened space—even the rain that tumbled down around the trees so that they were fed. She knew that the water at the falls near the castle keep had stilled to hear her request. The creeks that were there for the creatures to use also stopped moving to listen to what she, the queen of the water, had to say.

  My mate is missing. Griffith is a great dragon, a man that I love. He may be injured and not able to tell us where he is. I beg of you, waterways of my kind, please search the stones that you are a part of, the lakes that are nearby. I need to find my other half and see to his needs. They answered in kind, telling her that they’d seek everywhere they flowed, would use all of their resources to find her king. I thank you. I will come to you soon, all of you, to replenish you for this help you have given me.

  Nay, our daughter. There is no need for that. The king of dragons, he has given us more than we could ever hope to use. We are bountiful in our fishes. Our waters are clear of anything that would harm us. The animals that sip from us, they are well because we are. Lilac thanked them again. It is we that thank you, my lady queen. To ask such a thing of us, we are honored to serve you.

  She was ready to leave this area and go to the place where the accident occurred when she heard from the waterways in the mountain. He told her that the stones that protected him had found a man such as the one she spoke of.

  I will guide you to him, my lady. Listen to the water as you get closer to the mountain cave that can be seen from the crushed metal. She asked if he was injured. Yes, my lady, but not as badly as I first thought. He is healing, but laying still upon a warmed stone.

  Telling the others where she was going, all of them told her that they’d meet her there. The ones from the house spilled out into the yard, shifting into their dragons to move quickly to the spot.

  Spreading out her wings, she knew what she must look like to them and decided to tell them later. She was going to find Griff, and there wasn’t time to explain why she was so different than all the other faeries that were making this place their home. Taking to the skies, she had to follow them because she’d not heard where the accident had occurred. As soon as she saw the truck, her heart seemed to stop beating for a second or two.

  The pretty blue truck was smashed against a large tree. Then entire top of it, the roof, was torn away from the body of it, like a large can opener had been used. The glass was, of course, broken out of the front, as well as on the driver’s side. The back end, the bed, was filled with broken glass and trees, even a few stones. Some of the tires had gone flat.

  Lilac landed next to the tree and gave it a little of herself to heal it as well.

  The mountain in front of you, where the cherries bloom every spring and the trees are golden in the fall. You will see it, my lady, if you look for an opening in the great belly of the earth. Lilac repeated what was being said to her and Hanson found it immediately. He is deep within the belly, my lady, resting now and awaiting you to come for him.

  You have spoken to him? He told her that he had, that he was as she was, their king to her queen. I’ve not told him as yet what I am. Have you?

  He knows now.

  Lilac wondered how he’d react to that news, but so long as he was safe, she didn’t care if Griff was angry with her for not telling him. The waters spoke to her all the way to the cave and beyond.

  When she found her love, he was sitting next to a stone warmed by his breath as his dragon. Lilac ran the last few feet to him and leaned into his large body. He patted her gently, his large claws bigger than she was. And when she looked up at him, Lilac could see that he was upset, but decided that this was a conversation for later. Not in a deep cave where their voices would echo, and all would know what they said.

  ~*~

  Griff was helped from the cave by Dana and Danburn. He had yet to tell them what had happened. Telling them would make it so real, and he wasn’t sure that he could handle that for now. Instead, he focused on what the water had said to him. Water that he’d never been able to converse with before. He was a king.

  While he could understand why she’d not told him what she was, it still hurt him that she would keep something so big from him. A queen—his mate was the queen of the water, and he hadn�
�t any idea until then. Griff said that he was all right now, and sat upon the large stone that was just outside his hiding place.

  “You really scared us, Griff.” Danburn sat on another stone and shook his head as he continued. “Had it not been for Lilac, I’m not sure how much longer you would have been there. Why didn’t you call out when you woke?”

  “I wasn’t sure who would be able to hear me.” He looked at Lilac, who was now sitting quietly as far from him as she could get. “I have to tell you what happened. I need to, but it boggles my mind to tell you that it was my mother who ran me off the road. She sat in the middle of the road as I was driving and swiped her hand to the front of the truck, knocking me to the ditch when I tried to avoid her.”

  He watched Lilac. She’d had nothing to do with this, but he still was upset with her. To keep such a thing from him was just the same as lying. They had only just discussed this very thing. And now he’d found out that not only was she the queen of the waters, but she was daughter to the queen of faeries as well.

  “We’ll get you home now, and figure this out later. I have to look into a few things as well. If your mother is around here and causing trouble, then I will need to find her for several more reasons than just trying to kill my good friend.” Danburn asked him if he could fly. “If not, one of us can carry you. You’ve given us all enough to be worried about, so if you can’t, then we’d gladly take you home.”

  He said that he could fly and asked that they all just let him rest. They’d do that for him, he knew that, but his real reason was that he wanted to talk to Lilac. Griff was hoping that she could tell him why she’d do such a thing.