“He’s going to help us figure out where Iva is being held.”
Mina blew out a breath, almost dizzy with relief. Finally. They’d have Iva home, and Mina’s family would be whole again. “That’s probably the best news I’ve gotten all day.”
“Then I’m glad I was the one to deliver it.” Dragos settled down on her leafy bed and curled up next to her. “Hi.”
“Hi.” She stroked his cheek, her heart thumping as he leaned into her touch. “Noah’s enforcer?”
“Confirmed dead.” Dragos stared at her, his gray eyes flecked with red. “We need to shut them down.”
“You’ll have the aid of my people and all the resources of the forest.” She could promise that, even if she herself couldn’t go far from the Throne. Today had proven she could leave in an emergency, but she’d nearly collapsed from the pain before she’d gotten back. “Greer and Ash will lead them.”
“Speaking of those two, they should be back shortly.” Dragos sighed. “I wish there was somewhere more private we could go.” She opened her mouth to respond, but he stopped her. “I know that I can’t take you to my home—not yet. I just wish I didn’t have to worry about an audience when I want to make love to you.”
She nodded and stood. “Then maybe I should take you to my home.”
He tilted his head, his expression confused. “This is your home.”
“No. This is only a small part of it.” She took hold of his hand and pulled him... All right, he allowed her to pull him to his feet. If Dragos truly wanted to remain somewhere, the best she could do was strain her back as she tried to move him. “This is the biggest secret the forest holds, one that not even Parker knows. Amara is aware of it, but I’ve never invited her inside. Very few dryads aside from Ash, Iva, Greer and myself have been where I take you now.”
“Mina?” He followed along in her wake as she went to the base of her tree. “What’s going on?”
She touched the back of her throne. “Trust me.”
She tapped out a pattern that every ruling dryad was taught at an early age, the one the witches of old had placed there for just such a purpose.
She heard Dragos gasp as the throne slid silently back, revealing a dark, winding staircase. “I had no idea that was even here.”
Mina led the way, waiting until Dragos was below the earth before shutting the entryway. “The witches knew the ruling dryads couldn’t leave the Throne. We can’t live in the town like the rest of them, even Amara. We have to remain here, near the seat of our power.” She made her way down the stairs, the witch-light giving a soft glow to gray-brown stone. The small balls of pale yellowish-white would die out behind her as they descended. “So, long ago, Oak made a deal with the coven of white witches, knowing that they’d make us a home that wouldn’t damage the Throne itself, or disturb the soil. Our trees need deep roots, but we needed a place to lay our heads that wasn’t exposed to the elements.” She was so excited to be showing him the Throne’s secret place she could barely keep from bouncing.
“And this was the solution? An underground lair?”
“Yes, exactly. Between the dryads and the witches, a solution was thought of that gave us what we needed. Everyone was told that they were consecrating the Throne, placing the protections around it that exist to this day, and they did. But while they were here, the homes of Oak, Ash, Birch and Yew were built into the ground secretly, with their help.”
“The earth elementals must have been in on it.” Dragos ran his fingers down the smooth, polished stone. “The workmanship is incredible.”
“They knew, yes, and they helped, but they swore an oath not to tell. None have. Those who work in the forest, like Rock, are aware that it’s here because of their nature, but none have intruded on us.”
The staircase ended in a huge circular room. Etched into the polished granite floor was a tree of life, done in green enamel. “This was the original throne room. When it was decided to turn the palace into private residences, the Oak at the time chose to keep this as sort of our foyer.” And she loved it—loved the tree of life etched into the stone, loved the sense of peace it gave her.
Four doors, each with a tree plaque attached, led the way to their individual homes. Mina made her way to the door with the oak on it.
“How do you get your mail?”
Mina laughed. He would wonder that. “In olden days the witch doctor would deliver it. These days, we have post office boxes, and the postmaster bends the rules for us a bit if we order something that can’t be delivered to a P.O. box. He allows us to use the actual post office address as our own.” She opened the door. Down here, they needed no keys. The doors provided privacy. If her door was open, the others were welcome to enter. If her door was closed, she wished to be alone.
Her door had been closed far more often than open lately—something she planned to remedy.
“Wow.” Dragos stepped into her living room, staring around like a child as the witch-lights lit it up.
“Each ruler has taken the place and added their own touches.” She was proud of her home, beyond proud to finally be able to show it to her mate. She stepped into the living room, loving the mix of old and new. “The whole home was designed by the first Oak, but over the years we’ve all done at least a little something. This was originally the palace of Oak, but the second Oak decided that each ruler should have their own private residence. This was the original entryway, with the kitchen being the waiting room.”
“It’s huge.” He ran his hands on the cool, polished stone, smiling as the witch-light brightened in response. “I like that you have living plants down here.”
She stroked the leaf of one of her ficuses. “The witch-light is fake sunlight, allowing us to grow them underground.”
“And remain healthy if you’re forced to stay in your homes for long periods of time.” He nodded. “I approve, although I have to admit, I’m also confused.”
“How so?”
He held up his hand. “Why aren’t I smoking?”
“Ah. That.” She shrugged. “It’s magic.”
“Don’t fuck with it?”
“Exactly.” She laughed. “Do you think they didn’t take into account that the mayor of Maggie’s Grove or one of his vampires would visit one day? Protections for vampires were built in when this was still a palace. You’re as safe here as you are in your own home.”
He appeared to think about that for a moment before nodding. “Good to know, as I plan on being here quite a lot.” He peeked into her kitchen. The stone countertops were pale, the cabinets dark. His brows rose at the sight of stainless steel appliances. “You have electricity?”
She chuckled. “And internet. That was one of my contributions, along with updating some of the furnishings and the thick gray carpet.” The polished stone walls were gorgeous, but dear Goddess did they echo. The carpet cut down on that considerably, and was much warmer under her toes. “My predecessor put in the electricity and phone lines.”
He was beginning to frown. “How did you get all of this down here without the town knowing? Without me knowing?”
She shrugged. “It’s magic, Dragos, remember?”
“Selena?”
She shook her head. “Selena didn’t know us when we did this. Glinda, Amara’s adoptive mother, helped, as did a few others we trusted on the advice of our parents.” She gestured toward the living room—one of her favorite places to hang out with Iva, Greer and Ash. “I even have a Wii.”
He smiled as he took in the reproduction Victorian arm chairs she’d had painted a glossy black and upholstered in warm gray velvet. They were a nice complement to her paisley gray sofa with the high arms and black lacquer feet. She’d gone more modern on the coffee table, choosing a large velvet ottoman done in teal. The end tables were black, with silver lamps and teal lampshades.
The fireplace was her pride and joy, however. Put in by the fifth Oak, the fireplace surround was huge, an ornately sculpted marble masterpiece done by an earth
elemental at the turn of the nineteenth century. He’d carved the symbols of Oak, Ash, Birch and Yew in four squares above the actual fireplace, and carved the stone pillars to look like tree trunks, the branches holding up the mantel. And on that mantel sat an antique bow—the bow of the first Oak, Margaret—to acknowledge Maggie’s Grove, to work with Dragos to build a new, better future for all the supernaturals who came seeking sanctuary and home. Margaret was long gone, but her bow survived, passed down from the Kings and Queens who descended from her line, a symbol of that first, great Queen and all she’d striven to achieve.
“How many bedrooms do you have?”
She’d been expecting that question. His hunger, his need, was beating against her senses. “Three, as well as a private office where I conduct my business. As the Oak of Maggie’s Grove, I have a lot of correspondence to respond to, as well as dealing with the rest of the dryads and helping to keep the forest safe from Van Helsings and poachers.” She began to walk toward her bedroom. The tour of the rest of her home could wait. Her lover was hungry—for blood and sex. “We help in search and rescue missions. Plus we all own The Greenhouse, utilizing it to try and preserve endangered plant species so they can be reintroduced into the wild.”
“I like your home, my sotiei.”
“Thank you.” She’d hoped he would, but it was so different from what most people expected. She loved the grays and blues, the soft tones soothing to her senses. She led him down the hallway where her bedrooms and office were, opening the door at the end. “This is the master bedroom.”
He whistled. “It’s beautiful.” His arms wrapped around her from behind and he nuzzled her neck through the fall of her hair. “Especially the bed.”
Mina cleared her throat. The black king-size sleigh bed would fit her tall mate perfectly, and the pale silvery bedding would bring out his eyes.
And the lack of windows meant her vampiric lover would be able to rest easily, without fear of the sun.
“I look forward to sleeping with you there, my Mina.” His breath tickled her neck, sending a shiver of awareness down her spine. “And doing other things with you.”
“Ah...” She was gently pushed forward, walked toward the bed. She nearly lost her footing when he nibbled her neck, right at the spot he’d bitten her last. “Like Scrabble?”
She felt more than heard his laugh. “I was thinking more along the lines of naked Twister.”
“Sometimes it’s nice to have things spelled out for you.”
Dragos picked her up and placed her carefully down on top of the comforter. “And sometimes it’s nice to just let your body win the game.”
“Good point.” Her shoes were taken off and dropped carelessly alongside the bed. “Do I get a kiss first?”
Those brilliant silver eyes were roaming over her, as if she were already naked beneath him. Dragos crawled onto the bed until he was covering her from head to toe, his forehead pressed against hers, his thighs cradling her own. He thrust his hips against her, letting her feel his hardness beneath his slacks. “I can deny you nothing, my sotiei.”
Dragos took her mouth in a kiss so sweet she might never want chocolate again.
All right, that was a lie. She might—especially if it was melted all over his sculpted chest.
He was tugging on her pants, removing her clothes while pressing nibbling little kisses to her skin, tasting each inch of flesh as it was slowly revealed. When her pants came off he kissed the tip of each of her toes, making her wriggle them in protest. She wasn’t sure she wanted him to know how ticklish her feet were.
“You are not just the Queen, Mina. You are my lover, my sotiei who writhes so beautifully beneath me and makes me want more than anyone in my long, lonely life.”
His tongue dipped into her belly button before her shirt was pulled over her head, leaving her in nothing but her bra and panties, which he quickly removed.
She pushed his hair back from his face, smiling when he turned and kissed her hand. “Am I the only one who’s going to be nude?”
She’d never seen anyone remove clothing so fast in her life. She barely felt him move, but within seconds he was naked, his erection pressing into her stomach.
It was time to allow her vampire to bite her a second time.
“No. I will not allow it. You cannot mate an abomination.”
The thick, bubbly voice had been replaced by a masculine one that vaguely resembled Dragos’s. The only other Ibanescu she’d met had been Vasile, but that wasn’t right...
“Mina.”
Dragos was staring down at her, his eyes red-rimmed. The pupils looked odd.
Slitted.
Shit. The last thing she needed was his dragon popping out in the middle of her bedroom. She had no idea how large he was in that form, but she was pretty sure her bed wouldn’t survive the transformation.
“I will stop this. Dragos will not be yours. He will be mine.”
Mina had had enough. More than enough. The intruder wasn’t getting his hands on Dragos. She spoke directly to the invader, letting it feel her determination to keep Dragos safe. “Bullshit. Dragomir Ibanescu is mine.”
She tilted her head to the side, fighting the voice inside her that was screaming a warning, and invited her lover to take her.
* * *
He was going to find it, the owner of that voice, and he was going to kill it. How dare it try to warn his Mina away?
But first, he was going to put his mark deep beneath her skin so that no one—not the invader, not his father, not the Goddess herself—could break their bond.
Dragos took the invitation she offered, biting into her almost savagely, his beast close to the surface as the invader attempted to take his sotiei from him.
Mina shivered beneath him. If she felt any pain from his bite she gave no sign, instead grabbing hold of his hips in a grip that would have left bruises had he been anything but what he was. Her hips gyrated against him, thrusting up, brushing the silky hair of her pussy against his erection.
Dragos drank of his sotiei, tasting her tart sweetness, until his first hunger was sated.
She was marked for the second time. Now all he needed to do was fuck her—mark her with his scent and seed.
He licked the wounds closed, surprised to feel her shuddering against him. She was close to coming, and he hadn’t noticed.
Dragos used his speed to slip down her body, ignoring her whine of need. If Mina was close to coming he was going to taste it, feel her shudder on his tongue. He would drink her pleasure as he’d done her blood.
Mina gasped at the first touch of his tongue to her clit, her hands grabbing the sheets until her knuckles turned white. “Goddess.”
“Mmm.” Dragos lapped at her pussy, dipped inside her with his tongue only to drag it against her clit. Mina began to ride his tongue, moving her body to the rhythm he set, seeking the climax only he could give her.
Dragos held her down, held her still, and took her clit into his mouth. He sucked it in, strumming it with his tongue until she groaned, her whole body curling toward him as the climax rocked through her.
She would be sensitive now, but he kept the suction up, easing only a little. He planned on taking her here, but eventually they would christen every room in her home, leave their mark so that when Dragos entered a room it would smell like them.
“Dragos.” She was moving toward him again rather than away. “Swing this way.”
He didn’t quite know what she meant, lost in her taste as he was, until she grabbed hold of his cock. He knew what she wanted, and it was his turn to shudder.
Goddess, yes. Let her taste him too. He turned them so that they both lay on their sides before taking her into his mouth once more.
Wet heat enveloped his cock. Her teeth, ever a turn-on for him, scraped against his skin. She tongued the tip of his cock, lapping up the pre-come that began to flow, humming her approval before swallowing him down again.
She was going to kill him before he ever got i
nside her.
Dragos turned his attention once more to her pleasure, praying with all his might that concentrating on her would stave off his own orgasm. If he spilled in her mouth without fully joining their bodies there was a chance the second mark would fade, forcing him to repeat it.
Like that would be a hardship.
Dragos sucked up a mark on the inside of her thigh and tried not to smile. Making love to Mina was never a burden. Already he was addicted to her scent, her taste and the way she moved as she sought her pleasure.
Mina gasped, twisting against him as he took her clit into his mouth once more, her pleasure his only goal. Mina would come, again and again, until he’d sated his need for her.
Mina moaned around his cock, the sensation vibrating through him as she came. His cock popped out of her mouth as she rode the wave, her entire body tensing as it seemed to go on and on.
Dragos rolled them until he was on top of her—her beautiful pussy below him, the tip of his cock brushing against her lips. In this position he could enjoy her thoroughly.
Unfortunately, his sotiei had other plans. She slapped his hip. “Let me up.”
“Mina.” He bent down, gave her a taste of what he had in mind.
“Wha—Oh... Oh, Goddess.” When he slipped a finger inside her, began thrusting into her, she whimpered. “Not fair.”
He used their mind link to ask, not wanting to break his connection with her body. “What’s not fair?”
“I wanted to fuck you.”
His cock twitched. The thought of her coming around him was beyond tempting. But he wanted to wring one more orgasm from her before they joined completely.
Once he dove inside her he might never leave.
“You’d never leave, huh? You know, I’m a little too big to have shoved down your pants during council meetings.”
He laughed, resting his forehead against her thigh, his finger still buried inside her. “A man can dream, can’t he?”
Throne of Oak (Maggie's Grove) Page 13
