by ERIN BEDFORD
“That’s enough of that,” Raiden interrupted, approaching us from the sidelines. “Let’s see what our new powers are really made of.”
Distracted by Raiden’s interruption, Firestar let his guard down enough for me to launch my elbow back hitting him in the stomach. I twisted around and grabbed his arm, flipping him over and onto the ground with a loud thud. Groaning on the floor, I smirked down at him.
“Now, we are done.”
Raiden burst out laughing while Jack chuckled politely on the sideline.
Firestar coughed and crawled from the ground. Drawing on his magic, Firestar’s kusarigama, two scythe-like swords formed in his hands. Then without warning, he charged at Raiden.
Raiden’s trident appeared with within seconds, he must have been practicing on his own to make it form so quickly. He blocked Firestar’s attack with his trident, a smirk on his lips. “Don’t strain yourself now, Firestar.” Firestar snarled and threw himself away from the lightning dragon.
Firestar and Raiden moved into position. Then as if rehearsed, they came at each other. Their weapons locked against each other, flames and lightning met causing a spectacular display of color. They were as evenly matched as they had been back in Firestar’s camp. Each time one of them lunged the other dodged, Raiden was quicker, but Firestar put far more strength behind his hits. Soon the fighting took to the air. Once more a pang of envy filled me. If I could fly, then I wouldn’t be such an easy target. Plus, escaping would be a piece of cake.
“Don’t worry, Maya,” Jack said from my side, patting my hand. “You will fly one day, I know it.”
“How?”
Jack cupped the side of my face his fingertips stroking my cheek. “Because no one in this world deserves it more.”
Before I could answer him, Raiden and Firestar broke apart with a yell. My gaze found them again and watched as they descended from the sky. They were both heaving in lungfuls of air, but they seemed thoroughly happy with the outcome of their match. Something I had missed.
“You are doing well with your new gifts,” Jack said when they finally came back down to the ground. “Our enemies won’t stand a chance.”
“What about you?” Raiden asked as he wiped his face with the back of his arm. “You must have some badass powers now that you and Maya have been together.”
Jack went silent, his eyes going down to the ground at Raiden’s words. I knew why he didn’t answer. It was because he didn’t have any new powers yet. We hadn’t had sex so there was no way he’d have gained any. Not unless oral sex counted, and I was pretty sure it didn’t.
“I can’t,” Jack answered finally.
“Why not?” Firestar prodded, moving toward him his kusarigamas twirling in the air. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid?”
I could clearly tell their teasing bothered Jack. I really shouldn’t feel bad for him. It was his fault we hadn’t taken the last step yet. I thought we would finally do it last time, but then Raiden had stepped in. A delightful quiver ran through me, remembering how that ended, until remembered the problem that resulted.
Teeth gritted, I stepped up next to Jack. I couldn’t keep the irritation out of my voice as I stated, “Because, we haven’t had sex yet.”
“What?” Raiden practically shouted. “How the hell is that possible?”
“Ask him.” I crossed my arms over my chest and nodded toward Jack who had gone silent.
“I’m not surprised,” Firestar said, rubbing his kusarigama s together with a nonchalant expression. “Jack doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who can put his pride aside for those he loves.”
“Not like you?” I quipped and snorted. “And what exactly would you call what you did when my father told us you would never be my husband?”
While I was frustrated by Jack’s refusal to consummate our relationship, Firestar had no room to talk about putting aside one’s pride. He’d done a fine job showing me that when we were teens.
“That was different.” Firestar gave me a look. “This isn’t about marriage it’s about sex. Hot, sweaty, sex that will help get us out of the tight spot you put us in.”
My lip puffed out in a pout as I realized he was right. It was my fault we even had to force Jack to be with me, and I knew that’s not how I wanted it to be. Even worse for Jack to feel like he had to be with me because of my mistakes, but I wanted to be close to him. Like I was with the others. It didn’t hurt that it would bring more power to our little foursome, and we needed all the help we could get.
“Fine,” Jack snapped, jerking me from my thoughts. “If you feel that way then let’s deal with this now.”
I stared at him my mouth agape. “What are you saying?”
Jack stepped up to me until I could feel his breath on my face. “I’m saying, I’m going to fuck you. Right here, right now.”
6
Jack’s words had a visceral effect on my body. My thighs pressed together, trying to appease the throbbing need in my core. I was sure the three of them could sense my arousal even without my moments.
“Come on, Raiden,” Firestar waved a hand over his shoulder. “Let’s check out this water source, see if it’s worth bathing in.”
Raiden looked over to Firestar. “But don’t you want to watch?”
The fire dragon rolled his eyes and grabbed Raiden by the arm. “You can watch all you want later. You didn’t have anyone to watch your first time, did you?”
“That was different,” Raiden argued, his eyes on us Firestar led him away. “We weren’t sharing her then.”
“So, they don’t need you nosing in. Let Jack and Maya have their time alone.” Firestar nodded to Jack as he gave Raiden a good shove in the other direction. When Firestar and Raiden were out of earshot, my nerves began to take over.
“Uh, so.” I let out a nervous chuckle. “Alone at last.”
“Yes,” Jack stated, his gaze turning to me. What I saw there made my foot step backward. I knew he wanted me, but right now, I also knew he was angry with me. Upset that I forced his hand, that I let out our little secret to the rest of the group. But it had to be done.
“Maybe we should set up camp first,” I suggested, scanning the area for our bags. None of us had paid them any mind once we got there. Too absorbed in the promise of letting off steam. Now we would be doing it a different way.
“Why?” Jack asked. “Don’t you want me to take you in the dirt like an animal? That’s what you seem to think we are.”
“No, I don’t.” I shook my head and held my hands up in front of me to ward him off. “I don’t think that at all.”
“Then what do you think?”
I chewed on my bottom lip as I tried to find an answer. I wanted Jack. I’d been the one who had pushed him to this with no regard for what he was really feeling, of course, he must think I thought nothing of sex. That it meant nothing. But he was very wrong.
While banished to Earth, I could have slept with any number of humans. No strings attached no chance of procreation. Dragon shifter and human DNA did not mix. I wasn’t like the majority of my kind humans didn’t attract me, but that wasn’t what had kept me from mating with one of them.
It was my heart. I’d already given it away to Firestar to have it ripped from my grasp by my father. So, I spent the first few years of my banishment nursing those wounds. By time I came back to Waesigar, I’d already decided to make the next time I mated with someone to make it count.
Then that all went to hell when I practically rolled over and spread them for Raiden. I’d like to say I had more self-control than that, but I had shamefully given in to my baser instincts. Though, now I didn’t feel so bad about it. Raiden was a good guy and a good choice for a father. And Jack would be too. But not if he was conflicted like he seemed.
“We should talk about this first,” I suggested before I tripped over something on the ground and fell onto my butt. Before Jack could pounce on me, I scurried to my feet, my eyes never leaving him. He removed his jacket and folded
it over his arm before thinking better of it and tossing it aside. I followed his fingers as he pulled his shirt out of his pants and began to unbutton the buttons. As each one popped open revealing a new expansion of skin, I couldn’t help but lick my lips at the sight.
“No, I don’t want to talk. I want to put to rest these mocking words. It is far past time in any case.” He kept coming toward me as I walked backward. I felt like prey beneath his heated gaze, both afraid and aroused.
“But you must have a reason not to want to do it. Besides my father,” I stuttered, trying to find some way to make him slow down. I didn’t want our first time to be because he was trying to prove something but because he wanted to.
Jack frowned, his brow furrowing. “How is it you know how I feel?”
“Because usually when a guy says no, it’s for a good reason, and my father is hardly a good reason,” I pointed out, taking another step back from him.
The ice dragon quieted as his expression grew thoughtful. Then he sighed and flicked his hair behind his shoulder in a wave of icy blond. “You are right.”
I sighed more relieved than I expected. “Then what is it?”
“The truth is,” Jack started as he approached me. “I’ve never felt this way about any of my previous lovers.”
I watched his face as I asked, “What way is that?”
Jack’s pale eyes filled with emotion as he stopped before me. He picked my hand up and placed it on his chest, the pounding of his heart beating beneath my palm. “Every time I see you, my heart swells, and all thoughts leave my mind.”
“Oh, that,” I breathed my own heart speeding up at his words, but Jack wasn’t done yet.
“Or,” he continued, drawing my hand down his chest and across his abdomen to stop just above his pants. “I want you so much, I can hardly stand to be in the same room with you without my dragon demanding I take you.”
My breath caught, and I swallowed thickly as he moved my hand lower to rest on the hard front of his pants. I’d already seen and tasted Jack quite thoroughly, but still, the feel of him made my pulse race and my mouth dry. Was I finally going to find out what it felt like inside of me? Would he even fit?
“Those are very good reasons,” I responded, clearing my throat. “Reasons that should be respected and not rushed.”
“Really?” Jack cocked his head to the side. “Because most would say those are reason enough to take you right now without guilt or regret.” His hands wrapped around my waist and pulled me to him. My breasts brushed against his chest, and I couldn’t breathe. “Unless...” he trailed off.
“Unless?”
“Unless, those feelings aren't reciprocated.” He arched a brow an expectant look on his face.
That was when it clicked in my head. I knew what he wanted from me.
I quickly removed my hand from his pants and stared at him for a long, hard moment.
Jack wanted to know if I felt the same way about him. The problem was, I couldn’t honestly make any declarations of love because I didn’t know for sure how I felt about any of them. Even when it came to Firestar who had my heart before I had met any of the others, I was all twisted up inside. Could I really love three men at once?
Yes, yes, I could. But accepting it was a whole other thing.
Everything we had gone through, my family, Firestar’s family, Jack and Raiden had stood by me the whole time without complaint. Even Firestar jumped at the chance to be with me once more although I had two other men vying for my attention. It was crazy how easy we all fit together so perfectly.
“I do feel the same,” I answered finally. It wasn’t a love proclamation, but he hadn’t exactly done that either. I just hoped it was enough.
It must have been because the next thing I knew, my mouth was covered by his. Jack’s hands cupped my backside, pressing me hard against his hardened length. Moaning into his mouth, I arched my back as I ground against him. For all my excuses, I wanted this more than I could ever really admit.
The others were more than happy to jump into the sack with me, feelings be damned. I had no idea how Raiden felt about me and knew too well how Firestar felt.
Jack was a different creature altogether. A complicated enigma I found myself wanting to unravel at every opportunity. Finally, I might have my chance.
My hands found their way into Jack’s open shirt the coolness of his skin greeted my touch. How he could be so cold to the touch when from the way I was sweating it had to be over ninety degrees. I chalked it up to being part of his heritage and then wondered how he would feel inside of me. When I had him in my mouth, he’d hadn’t warmed up any, even with my hot breath on him.
“What are you thinking about?” Jack pulled away from our kiss to ask.
I flushed and stared down at his chest, my fingers playing with the hair there. “About how you’d feel inside of me.”
“Are you afraid?” he asked, his hand caressing my face once more concern on his own.
“No, no,” I quickly assured him, shaking my head. “It’s not that. More curious about the differences. I’ve only ever been with Raiden and Firestar, and they aren’t quite as...” I trailed off as I looked for the right word. “Blessed.”
Jack smiled a pleased sort of grin. “That is good to know, but you shouldn’t fear. I wouldn’t hurt you. We’ll go slow. I know I am larger than others.”
A sudden thought came to mind, and before I could stop myself I blurted out, “Have you been with many women?”
His eyes widened at my question, clearly startled by my outburst. “Not as many as you would think and none that mattered.”
My heart swelled at his words, loving how he dismissed his past lovers so easily, but also hoping he never did the same to me. To distract myself from the overwhelming amount of emotion inside of me, I cupped his face and pressed up on to my toes to claim his lips once more.
Tongues tangled together, I nipped and sucked at his lips until I needed to pull back to breathe. I dragged his shirt off his shoulders and found the buttons of his pants. Before I could undo them, Jack stopped me. His eyes bore into me as his own hands found the bottom of my top. I lifted my hands above my head and let him drag my shirt over my head.
The heat of the sun pressed down on my skin as I reached back and unsnapped my bra. My nipples were hard despite the warmth and when they brushed against Jack’s chest, I let out a shiver. Jack’s hand cupped my breasts, and then he knelt on the ground. His mouth was nothing like his skin, hot and wet, it covered the tip of my breast. My hands found his hair as his teeth skimmed my nipple pulling a groan from my throat.
He tortured me until I felt like I was on the verge of exploding. I tugged at his hair, forcing him to stand up and release my breast. My breathing heavy, I answered the unspoken question in his eyes. “We don’t have time.”
Gritting his teeth, Jack grabbed hold of my pants and pulled them down in one swift movement. I stepped out of them as I helped him remove his own. Arms wrapped around his neck, we lowered down to the ground together. My mouth found his as I straddled his lap, his hard, thick length pressed between us.
I rubbed myself against him, jolts of hot need shooting from between my thighs. My wet folds covered him, sliding along his length and making us both moan together. Jack’s fingers slid against me, dipping inside and then out while I bucked against his hand, desperate for more. Grabbing him, I tried to line him up, but he shook his head.
“Not yet.”
“Oh, come on,” I cried out, my patience breaking. “You can’t be backing out now. Not when we are so close.”
Jack chuckled and pressed his lips to mine in a short but sweet kiss. “I have no intentions of stopping, but if we don’t prepare you, it will hurt quite a bit. And as I said, I never intend to hurt you, ever.”
Frowning at his words, I tried to process what he said but came up blank. “How are you going to pre–?”
I choked on the words as Jack’s fingers slid inside of me. Swallowing, I held onto
his shoulders tightly. He moved his hand rubbing every inch of me inside and out. When he added another finger, I cried out. If I thought being with Raiden and Jack had felt like an unusual amount of fullness, right now I felt as if I were about to break in two. A burning need settled inside of me, and I couldn’t make myself move.
“Hush now,” Jack murmured, “It’ll get better, I promise.” His other hand came around to caress my bundle of nerves as he slowly began to move again. I hissed out, my eyes closing tight but eventually as he said the burning feeling dissipated and all that was left in its place was a hot need.
Both hands on his shoulders, I lowered myself, repeatedly riding his hand like I wanted to do to him. I gasped and screamed as he crooked his fingers inside and then seconds later stars exploded behind my eyes.
While I was coming down from my high, Jack quickly removed his fingers and lined us up, but before he could press into me voices came from the trees.
“Fuck,” I growled my eyes going to where Raiden and Firestar had gone. “They can’t be back already.” I turned my attention back to Jack and grabbed his face in my hands. “Quickly before they get here.” I rubbed myself on the head of him urging him to put it in.
“I’m telling you,” Raiden’s voice could be clearly made out now. “That meat had to be rotten, I’ve never had the shits like that in my entire life. I felt like my whole ass was about to fall out.”
“You are disgusting,” Firestar replied as they seemed to make sure to crack every branch as they made their way back.
“I am sorry, my love.” Jack brushed my hair away from my face. “Maybe another time.” Then he removed me from his lap and stood. His hard-on standing proudly as he pulled his pants back on.
I didn’t move from the ground even as he held out his hand to me. I shook my head and wrapped my arms around my legs. I didn’t care about my nakedness or that they guys would see me and know we hadn’t done it. Only about how we had been so close and once again we had stopped. Sure, I’d gotten off, but it wasn’t the same.
