by Stella Cassy
After the healers step aside, I go to him and take my time scooping up handfuls of the fluid and pouring it over his body. I’m careful to ensure all his skin is moisturized. The dull throb of the bite he left on my shoulder slowly fades. Helplessness sets in and I refuse to leave his side, even when the healers urge me to take a respite. I can’t bear to leave his limp, lifeless body.
17
Bedside Vigil
~ Tarion ~
I wake to the orange sun of my home world shining through a nearby window. I squint, trying to remember why I’ve come back to this godsforsaken planet. I hate it here. Space is where I belong, not on some planet where tedious customs ruin every special moment in a warrior’s life. My brain is foggy, like I’ve been sleeping for a thousand lunars.
Sitting up, I’m immediately angry with myself. A sharp pain in caudal reminds me that I’ve apparently been lying on my back too long. I haven’t done that since I was lazy youngling. My sire would be appalled. I’m a poor excuse for a warrior.
Something is grasping onto my hand. The moment my eyes drink in my brooder’s loveliness, the memories come flooding back to me. I rescued her, lured her into my bed and tamed her wild ferocious heart. Realizing she’s mine, I can’t keep the smile off my face for anything. It’s very unlike of me.
Tarion of the Hielsrane has a mate and not just any mate. She’s a rare human brooder who loves me. I can tell because snatches of my memory tell me that she hasn’t left my side since the battle. Memories float through my mind of her tending to my every need, whispering sweet words in my ear that were fit to chain my heart to hers for all eternity and arguing with the healers about my care. Her tenderness and ability to love a ruthless raider boggles my mind. Yet, here she is, looking like something an animal dragged into my room. Her hair is tangled and she’s still wearing the same uniform from the day of the attack. My sweet female is smelling more than a little ripe.
Reaching out, I run my fingers through her hair to straighten it, realizing all too late that I should have not bothered, as my fingers and talon gets quickly snared in her tangles. Gods of chaos, how do I get myself into these predicaments? I gently untangle myself as she wakes.
“Ouch, what are you doing?”
“Your hair attacked me.”
Smiling up at me, I can see she doesn’t believe that for a micron. “Strange, it’s never done that before.”
“I wish to leave this medical unit.”
“I know. You say that every single time you wake up.”
I vaguely remember such. “I prefer to be on my ship.”
Nodding, she changes the inflection of her voice to mimic me. “Tarion of the Hielsrane is not meant for an easy life of lounging around and feigning interest in frivolous pursuits. Being a great warrior, he knows nothing of mindless chatter and protecting his social standing. He was meant for more important endeavors, such as wandering the verse in search of adventure and plunder.”
Sighing, I wish my mate’s words were nothing more than light teasing. However, her speech reminds me too much of how I would describe myself if left to my own devices. It leads to suspect she is merely repeating the words I spoke when burning with fever.
“Well, sitting on one’s caudal is not the way of the warrior, my sweet brooder. Come sit in my lap for a bit. I now burn with a different kind of need.”
“You say that every time as well.”
A deep masculine voice sounds off from the side. “And each time you suggest such, I forbid sexual contact until you are fully recovered.”
Swiveling my head around, I see an older healer. He seems stern and slightly familiar. “Go away. I wish to spend time alone with my mate.”
“As you wish. You are as recovered as you are going to get in my unit.”
Catching sight of Carissa tugging gently at the collar around her neck, I cringe inside that she’s still wearing it. “Stop, healer.” When he turns to look at me, I ask, “Can you remove the collar from around my brooder’s neck?”
“Of course, we have a unit loaded with the unlocking sequences to all the models currently being used in this region of space.” Shooting me a severe look, he states flatly, “It’s for emergencies only.”
“You will remove the collar from her neck and heal the wounds the unit left on her skin.”
“Are you the legal owner?”
Swallowing thickly, I lie. “Of course I am the legal owner. Why else would I ask you to remove the collar if not to see the value of my property preserved?”
“As you wish, Tarion of the Hielsrane. I have no wish to run afoul of your family.”
Trying not to look smug, I wipe all expression from my face. My brooder rolls her eyes at me. Seeing her apprehension when he approaches, I pull her into my lap and try to distract her as best I can. “You look like crap, love.”
She deadpans back, “Thanks for that, master.”
I can tell by her tone, Carissa is as amused as she is annoyed by my antics. “I meant to ask why it is that no one here offered you an opportunity to cleanse and obtain clean clothing.”
Instead of replying, she points to the collar. The reality of her situation annoys me. “Tarion of the Hielsrane’s personal brooder should be treated with respect. It falls in the category of not taking due care with my property while I am incapacitated.” Glaring at the healer, I continue speaking to Carissa. “I will have words with the head healer before I leave this facility.”
The older man begins working on her collar, muttering under his breath. “You just did. I’ll pass your concerns along to the council of healers.”
“You do that.” Though I’m trying to sound menacing, I realize it’s probably not a good idea to intimidate my own healer, especially while he’s handling my mate’s collar. “I plan to leave the Drakon home world this day.”
“I will transition your plan of care to your ship’s healer. The gods only know how Jarnok manages on a ship full of raiders.”
Though I’d like nothing better than to squeeze the head from his shoulders, I’m fully aware that if he makes a wrong move while working on Carissa’s collar, she may well be the one who gets her head squeezed off, so I hold my peace for the moment.
Elation surges through my chest when the collar unwinds from her neck and falls blamelessly to the healing platform. Seeing her broken skin brings out every protective instinct I possess. Snatching the medicated gauze and dermal healing unit from the older healer, I bark. “Get out. Call my ship. I want a shuttle here within ten microns.”
As the healer scrambles away, I begin cleaning the filth from her neck. It irritates me to see the abused skin on her delicate neck. Spying the door to a cleansing room, I stand with her in my arms. Though my feet are unsteady for a brief moment, I find my footing and head for the cleanser. “How long have I been here?”
“Eight days. They kept you sedated for the first six days because you were belligerent and combative.”
Fear crawls up my spine, bringing my feet to a stammering stop. “Tell me that I didn’t harm you.”
Shaking her head, Carissa grins. “Not on your life, handsome. You threatened every male that looked in my direction and clobbered a few healers when their poking and prodding got annoying. However, you were always nice to me, even when burning with fever and doubled over with pain.”
Continuing to the cleanser, something in my chest loosens. I’ll not be satisfied until we are naked and clean. In the cleansing unit, my brooder soothes me with her touch. Closing my eyes, I just take a moment to enjoy her soft lathered hands moving over my chest, neck and shoulders. She cleanses my long hair and turns me around to clean my wings.
The moment her hands wander over my wing base, I snap. “If you wish to mate, touch me there again.” I’m disappointed when she does not. Instead her hands glide over my hips and she soaps my now hardened cock. My dragon roars to life in an instant, urging me to turn her around and watch her pert ass jiggle as I take my pleasure with her. I do no such thing, much t
o his disappointment. My little love creeps around my massive body to face me as she continues using both hands to stroke me off.
It feels good but I’m a greedy warrior and my dragon is insistent that I fill her with my seed. Looking down into her eyes, I’m shocked at the words that come out of her mouth.
“I know this sounds weird but a little voice in the back of my head is telling me to spread my legs and make myself available for mating.”
Pulling her close as the mister pops on, neutralizing the cleansing foam, my chest constricts. “It is my dragon. The filthy beast is encouraging me to fuck you until you can’t walk properly.”
“That’s real cute. You call your alter ego your dragon.”
“Every Drakon has an inner dragon. It’s the last tangible link to our dragon heritage. The sad bastard is continually frustrated, for dragons do not mate in their fighting form and I rule in my humanoid form.”
Her face scrunches up into a delightfully pensive expression. “That sounds a bit like I’m getting a two for one deal.”
“Be glad I am a raider and not a nobleman, lest you would be required to follow a strict gifting protocol, involving a gift a day for a complete year.”
“Don’t try to distract me with cultural trivia. I thought your fighting form was the Drakon term for battle armor.”
“The Drakon are shapeshifters. Some few beings in the verse can shift into different forms to mimic the appearance of others. However, the Drakon shift only between our human and dragon forms. During ancient times we shifted into our more resilient dragon form to fight. Now, we have ships and shields to protect our soft humanoid form, so that is no longer necessary.”
The dryer clicks on and a burst of warm hair hits our bodies from all sides. Moving back from her is the only way the dryer can do its job properly. Since I already know what she must be wondering, the answer to her unspoken question comes to my lips unbidden. “Because I marked you with my bite, you can now sense my dragon’s wishes. Do not fear, for you are now the center of our world.”
We stand staring at each other for a brief moment. Truth be told, there is no fear on my new mate’s face. There is adoration, genuine affection and no small amount of heat but thankfully, no fear. She seems awe struck by learning of my fighting form. Preening a bit, I ask, “You accept us?”
Leaning her shoulders back onto the now dry wall, she displays her delicious nude form for me to admire. All her glorious marks are on display. It’s an erotic pose and what can only be interpreted as an offering of herself to me. My gaze wanders over her pert breasts. The two pink nipples are drawn into sharp points and I can scent her arousal. The intoxicating aroma reminds me of the taste of her on my tongue. I leash my rutting beast, forcing myself not to jump on her in the heat of the moment.
Instead I blurt out something nonsensical. “Are you well, my sweet?” That was stupid. Of course she is well. The female is naked and in my arms after all.
The sound of her sultry voice reaches out to me. “I’m still wet.” It’s practically quivering with excitement, causing my own lust to increase by half.
In the heat of the moment, I realize my desire is to own her mind, body and soul. Therefore, I ask enticingly, “Shall I run the drying sequence again?” My response is what some beings call playing hard to get. It infuriates my dragon, but I’m having the time of my life.
Shaking her head slightly, I now know she is playing her own mating game with me. It’s nearly impossible to keep my warrior’s face in place. Grasping my thick cock in one hand, I give it a long, rough stoke. “It’s your lucky day. I’m offering dragon rides for the fantastically low price of just ten credits.”
Giggling, she does her best to respond indignantly. “That’s an outrageous sum, sir. I wouldn’t pay more than a credit for the privilege.”
Wrapping my caudal around the bottom of her leg, I find myself enjoying our little game. “Since you’ve been such a loyal and dedicated mate, how about I give you a special deal?”
Running one hand over her stomach and down over her delicious mound, she inquires demurely, “What did you have in mind, sir?”
If she calls me sir one more time, my cock is going to explode all on its own. She’s good at playing sexy games. My eyes travel from the mound she’s gently caressing with one small hand back up her pale body to her pretty face. My love is smiling, happy and thoroughly aroused. This jaded dragon’s heart is filled to overflowing with pure joy at the knowledge that I put that look on her face.
Pointing my dick straight at her, I make a brazen offer. “I’ll give you the first ride for free and you can pay for the rest with kisses.”
Her face lights up. “Now that sounds like a bargain. A woman would have to be crazy to turn down such a generous deal.”
Stepping forward, I release my caudal from around her leg. “Hop on before my dragon has a complete mental breakdown.”
“I don’t think he understands mating games.”
“Lucky for us, I enjoy them immensely.”
“I can see that.” Literally climbing my body, she laughs. I help by lifting her into place. Wrapping one arm around her, I barely notice that my wings are not working properly. Running fingers of one hand through her soft folds I hiss, “You weren’t fucking joking about being wet. It won’t take long to prepare you for my cock.” I’m dreaming of putting my mouth where my fingers are but she’s having none of that today.
“Forget preparing. I’m ready now.” When i hesitate, she flexes her legs around my hips and whispers breathlessly, ”I’m dying to feel you inside me.”
Hearing my eager female practically begging for my cock speaks to me as a male, making be inclined to give the pretty little brooder exactly what she wants. She’s clinging to my neck, kissing and nibbling everywhere her mouth can reach and is more turned on than I can ever remember her being. Her legs are locked around my hips and she’s grinding herself against me in the most sensual manner imaginable.
My dragon demands I fill her with our seed. Since no male alive could resist such advances, Tarion of the Hielsrane can do nothing but give into their demands. Plunging into her warm wet body feels like coming home. I could almost enjoy the moment if it weren’t for my dragon’s insistent inane ramblings that I take her, breed her and fill her with our seed. He’s envisioning tiny dragons flying about, and me? I’m just trying to enjoy my fierce, loyal human brooder.
I succumb to the mindless lust at long last, reveling in all that my human mate has to offer. Who would have thought that a soft human body could provide such copious amounts of pleasure? Having heard such tales about her kind, I half thought them to be idle gossip or hype to increase their price. Now I know better. The lure of human is not to be underestimated, for when they love it is with their entire being. They hold nothing back.
I love the way she clings to me, breathless and thrilled I am inside her. She is not stingy with her words, breathlessly telling me how good I feel between ragged throaty moans. All I can think of is provoking more sexy verbalizations from her with my cock. Before there was always a fear lurking in the back of mind that she would one day abandon me once again. This is no longer the case. When she comes screaming my name, it speaks to my soul in ways I can’t quite comprehend. Unable to hold back when her body locks down around me, my hot seed shoots deep inside her precious body. The climax almost brings this proud warrior to his knees. We relax slightly, melting into each other. This is what mating should be, it’s what I spent my entire existence craving until this moment.
Her voice sounds softly in my ear. “Are you okay?”
“Yes. I am much better than okay. How about yourself?”
“That was the best sex of my entire life, even counting the time you tied me up.”
Images of her bound and writhing against me as fuck her rise in my mind. Pulling back slightly, I stare down into her lovely face. “I’m not nearly finished with you yet, sweetling.”
Locking her legs around me tighter, her expressio
n turns heated again. “I like the sound of that. Your dragon is whispering that you can do that at least three more times before resting.”
I bark out a hoarse laugh as my hand slips up to grasp the back of her neck. She stretches her neck, exposing the soft column of her throat. It’s a submissive pose that thrills both me and my dragon. “He’s got a big mouth, but he’s not wrong.” Looking into her beautiful blue eyes, I feel myself get hard inside her again.
His eyes get perfectly round with surprise. Trying not to appear smug and probably failing miserably, I flex my hips. “If you want another ride, you have to pay the fare.”
When her lips find mine, I’m glad to be a dragon warrior in the prime of his life. It means I can look forward to my beautiful brooder riding my cock for many years to come. We know bliss again and this time my inner dragon and I are on the same page. The one where nefarious raiders enjoy their undeserved happily ever after, while their younglings flint about playing childish games with one another. I can see it all in mind’s eye and it warms me all the way down to my bones.
Epilogue
Ten Years Later
~ Matilda ~
I have the worse life imaginable for a young Drakonian. People roll their eyes when I tell them all about it, but it’s true. They don’t understand how tough it is to be trapped on my parent’s ship, watching all the action from the sidelines when I’m ready to claim my share of the fortune and glory.
My parents get to roam the galaxy exploring to their heart’s content. Their life is filled with one thrilling adventure after another. They’ve battled it out with every species they come across, proving their superiority in every conceivable way. And me? I’m sitting on the sidelines, watching them fill their strongholds with unimaginable riches.
