She moved against him, letting her tongue slick around him in her full mouth. Her throat relaxed, and she took him in deeper. He bunched her hair up so he could see her better, and she opened her eyes to watch him. A muscle in his jaw jumped as their eyes met.
He pulled his hips away from her, and she reluctantly let him go. “Turn over,” he ordered. His hands were on her thighs to urge her into motion. His warm hand pushed her skirts over her waist, exposing her again.
Nerves rose again, until his fingers dipped into her cunt again. She pushed back against him, and he chuckled. His hand came down hard on her bare ass, and she moaned. Her back arched and she eagerly pushed back against him again.
She whimpered when he moved the broad head of his cock against her slit. She rolled her shoulders and flung her hair back as he pressed himself into her. She moved her hips to help fit him, but he didn’t allow her a moment to adjust. It took her breath away to feel him slide deep inside her. The burning sting of a forced stretch set her skin aflame, and a moan slipped from her lips.
Dungan dug his fingers into her hips, and shoved inside her with another slick stroke. This time, she was more prepared for him, but it didn’t abate the sting. He split her until she thought she’d be in two pieces. She could feel his every inch and bulging vein filling her. Pleasure washed over her with a sigh. He felt wonderful.
His fingers dug into her harder when she writhed on his cock. She whimpered, and let her shoulder drop low on the stone altar. She wanted to sacrifice herself to him. “Please,” she begged him.
He fucked her. That was the only proper thing to call it. It was hard and rough. It was a claiming. It wasn’t the passion they shared the previous night, though it made her cry out just as much. Her arms spread wide, and she sought the edges of the altar to hold herself steady.
Dungan howled behind her as he slammed himself into her again and again. His skin slapped hers so that she feared the stone would crack beneath them. She whimpered, and he dropped forward, his fingers seeking out her breasts. He pinched at her nipples, making her cry out again and her cunt clench around him in sharp reply.
He thrust hard and fast, matching the flicks on her nipples to his pace inside her. He drove her ever closer to the edge, and she screamed when she reached it. She tightened around him, curling in on herself as her muscles demanded one final pull before exploding into release.
***
Dungan forced her to her knees. She still clenched delightfully around him, and he felt a heat settle in his spine. His hand gripped her throat gently, as he presented her to the council.
He leaned down and brushed his lips against her neck. Her hand reached back and dug into his hair. It was the soft, gentle touch that undid him. His hips still pumped into her, but pleasure invaded his every nerve.
“I claim Marnie Allaway,” he proclaimed.
With the final words spoken, hips hips jerked into her one last time. His breath came in quick pants. Each jerk of his cock was met with a clench of her cunt, drawing both their pleasure out in one long moment.
The council, save her father who made a quick exit when Birro took off with her on his back, watched with hot gazes. More than one shifted awkwardly to adjust their erections.
Boyd McAlister stepped up, a hand at the laces of his pants. “Gods above, had I known she was so formidable, I’d have claimed her myself.”
Marnie tensed under him. It was the right of the Dragon Lord to share his woman with others. The thought repulsed him.
Dungan glared darkly at him. “Step back, and take note. I called for Teind. Marnie Allaway is mine alone.”
Marnie shifted again, and let her lips brush against his chin. A sigh of contentment reached his ears.
She was his, and he had no intention of sharing her with anyone.
Bound by the Dragon Captain
The Dragon Lords #3
Lyra Valentine
Layla McAlister had been born and bred to be claimed by dragon riders. If she wasn’t selected to be a rider herself, then she would do her clan proud by attaching herself to the Dragon Lord. But when his council pushed him to choose her during the Mating Moon Run, he chose someone else.
No matter to Layla. She bonded to a dragon after the Dragon Lord passed her by. Much to her chagrin, she found she still couldn’t be free of McAlister schemes.
On the eve of the next Mating Moon Run, her brother Boyd orders her to stay proper and ready herself for marriage. He plans to wed her to the Dragon Lord, even if neither want the match.
Instead of following Boyd’s instructions, Layla finds herself in the arms of a visiting Dragon Captain. Unlike the Dragon Lord, Raif Lowry makes her blood run high and her body crave the dark and dangerous man. Bound and blind, what won’t Layla give him?
Chapter One
Layla McAlister swallowed down the dregs of her mead, and signaled for another cup. Inside her head, her dragon purred. They shared the same sensations, and the little beast liked the warmth spreading from her stomach.
It made Layla genuinely smile. Garra was growing strong, and had settled into her final color. Gorgeous, deeply purple scales were visible under the patchy spots that indicated a new shed. She wouldn’t be a terribly large dragon, but she wouldn’t be the smallest, either.
A castle servant making the rounds filled her mug, and she took the opportunity to eye the crowd. Dragon riders all around were drinking down copious amounts of wine and mead. Many of the unmarried riders were contemplating submitting their names for the Mating Moon Run taking place the next two days. First the men would find their women from among the crofter offerings, then the women would seek out their own men for a night of pleasure.
Harps and bagpipes started a raucous cacophony. Several of the riders stood and started jumping to the tune in place, or spun each other around on the space cleared for dancing. Layla clapped in time to the music.
Layla couldn’t wait to submit her own name, but would need to wait at least one more spring. Youngsters weren’t eligible until their dragons were fully grown. Looking around the hall, she felt almost trapped between age groups. It was the problem of bonding to her dragon after being chosen during a Run. The other dragon riders from Garra’s clutch were all younger than her, having been picked in the conventional way. She’d earned her right after bedding a dragon rider; they earned theirs by being the right age to walk by the eggs.
At the center of all the commotion sat the Dragon Lord. Dungan Rutherford leaned over and kissed the cheek of his woman, Marnie Allaway. They were dressed richly for the occasion, just as everyone else. Marnie’s dress flowed from the green of the highlands to the deep, dark blue of the loch.
Dungan clapped his hand and stood. Marnie, red hair burning as brightly as her cheeks, smiled brightly at him. She’d been at his side since she clambered out of the quarry on the back of Dungan’s dragon last spring and been claimed in front of the council in the little used rite of Teind. She was his woman, and Layla was glad for them.
“Riders, it’s time! If you’re wanting to be chosen for this spring’s Mating Moon Run, make your marks and put them in the cups!” He gestured to the two large chalices below him. One was meant for male names, the other for ladies. Only a handful of the riders submitting their names would be selected. The dragon riders didn’t want to overwhelm the crofters and make it seem they were running off with their sons and daughters.
Her brother Boyd sidled up to her. He, along with most of the McAlister clan, weren’t happy for Dungan and Marnie. They had wanted Dungan to pick Layla during the last Mating Moon Run, and he bucked their will.
“Don’t you think about ever putting your name in for a Run,” Boyd hissed.
Layla moved out from under his arm and tried to drive an elbow into his side. He’d always been a bully, but she didn’t have to put up with him any longer. She was a dragon rider in her own right, having been picked by Garra last spring.
“We’ve got marriage plans for you.” He wrapped his arm aro
und her shoulders and crushed her to his side.
‘We.’ Layla almost scoffed, but thought better of it. McAlister scheming didn’t stop just because someone made it out of the croft and into the castle. Graeme thought he ran the clan and crofts, though Layla knew it was Boyd who truly called the shots. Boyd also held sway inside the castle. Between them, they tried to plot their way to even greater power.
“You can’t tell me who to marry now.” Layla squirmed under him.
Boyd squeezed her arm painfully. “I can, and I will. You’ll always be a McAlister, little sister.” He released her, and swallowed down the drink in her cup. “It won’t be long before our wonderful Lord grows tired of his woman. Who knows, she might take a tumble. You know how she likes to climb for those egg shells to make trinkets.”
“If he wanted me, he would have picked me during the Run.” Layla hissed.
“He’ll have to cave to the will of the council sooner or later.” Boyd shrugged. “Now, get ready. There’s a big surprise coming, and I expect you to be on your best behavior. Your future husband won’t want some wanton little slut.”
She took a closer look at the men lining up to put their names forward for the Run. They were all older, most even older than her brother. The eldest had wiry hair sticking in all directions. Castle Sherwin’s most eligible bachelors left a lot to be desired.
Layla hoped Dungan fixed the names drawn from the chalice. She didn’t envy the girls chosen by the older men during the next day’s Mating Moon Run.
As the final names were dropped into the chalices, Dungan clapped his hands again. The music cut short, and the hall was filled with the murmurs of a questioning crowd. Dungan looked back to Marnie, and she smiled at him with reassurance. Layla couldn’t understand how Boyd thought to dislodge Marnie and stick Layla in her place when Dungan and Marnie looked at each other the way they did.
When even the murmurs died down, Dungan spoke again. “As we are all aware, we weren’t the only ones troubled by the storm that destroyed some of our crofts. The Dragon Lord of Castle Kinley and I have been in contact. It seems that the bunks for their youngest flight group were destroyed. With crofters needing housing, there was no room for the riders elsewhere in their castle. Until the repairs are complete, we will be housing a number of dragon riders from Kinley.”
Cheers rose from the crowd. Everyone in the castle felt betrayed when a number of their own flew off to a different castle to protest Dungan’s successful challenge of the old lord. It was before Layla’s time, so she only heard gossip about the incident. To replace some of the missing number, even temporarily, was cause for celebration.
The dragon riders of Castle Kinley filed in. They weren’t young like her clutch mates. She judged them to be several springs older than herself. They were long and lean from their time on their dragons, each with a rash of hair brighter than the other.
“Just how soon do you think they’ll pick up on Dungan’s weaknesses? They’ll scurry back to their Lord, and we’ll have a right war on our hands. It’s imperative we secure ourselves. You can’t deny a married lord is more stable than one just fucking his hussy.” Boyd whispered in her ear.
“If you’re so certain he’s going to be pulled down, why are you trying to tie me to him?” Layla hissed back.
“The McAlister clan might not take his side if it comes to fighting. With you married to him, we’d be forced to support him. With McAlister backing, how can we lose?”
Layla scoffed, unable to keep it to herself, and shoved away from her brother. He shot her a wicked grin as he stepped forward to welcome the new riders into the castle. His blind faith in their clan’s superiority frightened her. They were dragon riders, and that should come before all else.
She stepped back, not wanting to dishonor the newcomers by turning her back completely on them. She just wanted to get free of the hall. The walls were suffocating.
Her back hit something solid, and she turned to stare into someone’s chest. Her eyes traveled up, impossibly up, until she met a face she’d never seen before. Her heart jumped into her throat and she swallowed hard.
His hair was darker than the night sky without a moon to light it. And his eyes. They were a creamy hazel that she’d never seen so bright. His nose was straight, but his ears stuck out a bit too much. They gave him character, she thought. Just like the stubble on his cheeks.
“Where are you off to so fast?” He asked.
His voice struck a chord with something deep inside her, and she found herself almost swaying to the melody of his words. She shook her head. The mead was extra strong, she told herself. “I’ve seen enough formalities for a lifetime. I was stepping out for some air.”
“Then let me escort you. I can’t say I much care to see their mugs for the rest of the evening, myself.”
“Aren’t you part of the flight group?” Layla asked.
He smiled down at her. “You found me out. I don’t care for these things, either. Care to show me where a man can get a drink in peace?”
Layla’s heart skipped a beat. She couldn’t pass up a chance to get away from the festivities, and welcomed an excuse to find out more about the stranger. She glanced around the hall to see her brother distracted in a conversation with one of the women from Kinley, then nodded to her stranger. “This way,” she said.
Chapter Two
Raif applauded Rutherford’s foresight into when the Kinley riders should appear. He didn’t want the crofters to get uppity about extra men and women being stolen from them, nor did he want his own riders to think he was giving their places in the Run away to strangers. Introducing them just after the names were submitted for the Run was perfect timing. The guests would celebrate with the hosts, and everyone would hopefully feel comfortable with one another by the morning. At the very least, they would share camaraderie in nursing their collective hangovers.
And the distracted setting gave him time to follow the blonde beauty to wherever she was taking him.
Gods above, she was gorgeous. Her hair curled gently down her back, and her pants hugged her rounded ass perfectly. He was no stranger to seeing women in pants, having been raised around dragon riders, but he did appreciate a fine form when he saw one.
He knew he should be with the others, but he couldn’t bring himself to join them. He had a lifetime to learn he didn’t like the attention and expectations that came from being the son of the Dragon Lord. It’s only grown worse since he was promoted to Captain of the flight group and started receiving glances that said he was unworthy. He looked forward to training with riders that had no idea who he was. He even made the rest of his flight group swear to keep his parentage a secret.
The smell of roasting meat and baked breads filled his nose. The girl in front of his pushed through a door and into the kitchen. Hearths lined the wall and were tended by castle servants. He was always impressed to see the inner workings of the castle. It took an great number of people to feed and clothe dragon riders.
The girl glanced furtively about to make sure no one was watching, then snagged a tray. She balanced a pitcher and two mugs on it, and loaded it with a loaf of bread and a small roll of cheese. He chuckled when she added a chicken to the tray.
“McAlister thievery!” A woman called down the length of the kitchen. She raised her spoon and waddled after them.
He tucked away her family name. McAlister was a powerful family in the area, he knew. They had some relatives near Kinley, but they didn’t hold nearly as much sway as the branch that tithed to Castle Sherwin. He wondered what piece she played for them. They weren’t ones to let their family members be without use.
“It’s for our guests. Thank you, Mistress!” The girl called over her shoulder. She gave her best haughty expression, and led the way outside as if she were simply seeing to an order.
He burst into laughter as soon as they cleared the kitchen. It’d been ages since he was part of a heist on castle stores. And even then, he suspected eyes were turned away simpl
y to not disturb his father.
“Shh, not so loud. She’ll hear us and know we’re up to no good.” The girl shushed him, and continued to walk with a purpose. She didn’t slow until they were around a corner and in a part of the castle he hadn’t seen when his flight group arrived. She led them up a narrow flight of stairs, and then the sky opened up above him. They were atop a wall between the main courtyard and a smaller one he assumed was for training.
They settled on the wall, and dangled their legs over the edge. They could watch the comings and goings from the hall, and listen to the faint music. The girl settled the tray between them, and filled their mugs with mead from the pitcher.
“So who are you?” He asked, taking a swig of mead.
“Layla.” She took a deep breath. The next name was said through her teeth. “McAlister.”
Raif kept his smile to himself. Perhaps she wouldn’t be a pawn for her family. “Ah. So that was why Boyd was chatting you up.”
She scowled. “You know about Boyd?”
“Everyone knows about Boyd,” he chuckled. He felt a kinship to her. He suspected he didn’t want to be associated with her family name just as much as he. There was something to be said about making your own way through life without relying on a name to prop you up.
He reached over and offered his hand. “Raif Lowry.” He left out his position with his flight group. She’d learn it soon enough, and he didn’t want to risk any feelings of insubordination.
“Lowry. Lord Lowry’s son? I didn’t think he was old enough to be off apron strings yet.”
It was Raif’s turn to scowl. “How did you know?”
Layla grinned, then tore off a piece of chicken. “I’m a McAlister. I was bred to know everything,” she said loftily. Her expression softened. “My father briefly considered sending me to some distant relatives tithing to Kinley to put me through the choosing. That was before Boyd heard his dragon. Once we had a rider in the family, it was my duty to breed more of them.”
Dragon Lords Volume 1: BBW Fantasy Romance Bundle Page 5
