Dragon's Mate

by Alicia Banks

  “Yeah. Yeah it is big. I’m a big guy. Are you scared of it?”

  “No,” she giggled nervously.

  “We’ll take it slow.”

  She went back to stroking it and he moaned. She was still exploring him when he suddenly took her by surprise and took over. With one graceful move, he flipped them, so she was once again beneath him.

  “Are you ready? Because I don’t think I can wait another second to be inside you.” She nodded and spread her legs in anticipation.

  “I’ll be gentle,” he whispered before kissing her again. “It’s going to hurt; you’re going to bleed a little. I can’t help that.”

  “It’s fine. I want this. I want you, Alistair.”

  He moaned when she said his name. He readied her and then positioned himself. “If you change your mind, if it hurts too much, say so, and I’ll pull out.” She responded and pulled him with her legs. She wanted this; she was not going to chicken out now and back out and be a tease. She was old enough to know what she wanted, and old enough to accept whatever the consequences were. He was everything she had ever wanted, and she couldn’t wait to feel him inside of her.

  She was still wet, but he touched and teased her a little more to get her wetter. She shifted hoping that would open herself wider. He positioned himself and she felt him. She could feel him as he stretched her. She clung to him. She hadn’t expected to feel it, it felt wrong and right at the same time. He was right, there was pain, but it was a strange kind of pain. She couldn’t describe it, but she knew she wanted this, so she welcomed it. He slowly slid deep inside of her, then he began to thrust against her.

  As he entered her there was a powerful connection between them. It was electrifying, and nothing like she had ever felt before. Her body was on fire. She clung to him as she wrapped her legs around his waist and hugged him to her. It didn’t matter so much that his weight on her was almost crushing. It was a warm, welcomed sort of crushing as he grinded against her, driving himself deeper with every thrust. He leaned on his elbows to take as much weight off her as he could. He kissed her and whispered in her ear. “Are you ok?”

  “Mmhm,” she whispered back. “I feel wonderful.”

  “Good,” he purred, and then devoured her mouth while he thrust even harder and faster. She pulled away to catch her breath. She grabbed him and buried her face in his chest, taking in the smell of him. It was a strange smell, but it was intoxicating. She focused on his scent as he continued to pound her. The bed began to creak beneath them. She heard her neighbor turn up her radio. She panted and gasped for breath as passion washed over her. She didn’t want this to end. If this was love making, she wanted to feel this way, all the time. This was the greatest thing ever.

  Come what may tomorrow, tonight he was hers, all hers, and she savored every moment of him. She closed her eyes as the sensation washed over her and she clung to him. It’s started to hurt even more, but she didn’t want it to end. She fought through the pain. Distracted herself with her own thoughts, though it was hard to think of anything but what was happening as he drove deeper and deeper with every passionate thrust. He was slow and gentle but there was power in his thrusts. He prolonged it as he pushed her closer and closer to the edge of ecstasy.

  Their hot sweaty bodies tangled and entwined together as if they were molded into one. It was magical, it was incredible, and no one could have ever prepared her for what it would be like. Neither of her moms had ever had sex with a man, so they didn’t have the experience they could share with her. Sex ed had always been more technical, no one had explained the explosions of passion and ecstasy. She floated on clouds and then she was falling; as she fell, he caught her and she was floating again. She felt like she was going to burst. Her heart was racing as if she was running a marathon, though she was just lying in her bed moving her hips to match his rhythmic thrusts.

  Alistair knew what he was doing, and she just let him lead her through it.

  “Doing ok?” he whispered

  She nodded and he smiled.

  “Almost there. Are you almost there?”

  She wasn’t sure what there was, hadn’t she been there time and time again? Could she really go there again? He moved inside of her, igniting her flame again and she knew she could go there again. She could go there again and again, all night if he chose to let her.

  At last they burst together. He finished inside of her. She opened her eyes and the moon must have hit his eyes at just the right angle, because she could have sworn they were glowing, golden, like, like a dragon, but that was impossible. She focused on his eyes, but then she blinked. He threw back his head and let out a sound that was primal, bordering on animalistic. Then he pulled out and she looked again, and his eyes were normal. He laid back against the pillows and wrapped her up in his arms. She studied his eyes, then shrugged and settled down against his chest.

  “Are you alright?”

  “Mm hm. That was wonderful. Everything I ever dreamed the first time would be like.”

  “Good.” He smiled at her in the moonlight. “Good. I have a confession to make.”

  “What?” She lifted her head.

  “We were so caught up in the heat of the moment, I didn't stop to put on protection.”

  “Then it’s a good thing I’m on the pill. I’m not worried. My periods are regular and there is a very small chance of me becoming pregnant.”

  “It’s just the last thing I need, an unplanned pregnancy. My parents would never forgive me. Our heritage dates to ancient times, and our traditions have never changed. There are certain expectations. Since I am the eldest, I am expected to keep those traditions, but I have no desire to. I think they are outdated and our belief system, is well, wrong.”

  “What is your heritage?”

  “Tell you what, if we take this further than what it is, I’ll tell you all about my heritage and the traditions and such. It’s a lot to explain, and I just don’t feel we’re in a place where I can explain it.”

  “Fair enough.” He had secrets, that intrigued her. “So, what was this?”

  “Sex.”

  “Right, but was it a one-night stand, or was it the beginning of something?”

  “I don’t know. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

  “I just don’t want to get hurt.”

  “I have no intention of hurting you. It’s just… complicated. I must deal with something before I can offer you more. Will that answer work for you?”

  “I guess so.” She didn’t ask what she wanted to ask, what she should have asked. She didn’t ask about the other woman. Was she out of the picture? Would he tell the truth? Would it matter? The deed was done; they can’t take back what they did. “Alistair?”

  “Hmm?” he mumbled, sleepy.

  “I think I’m in love with you.” His eyes opened and he smiled at her. He didn’t say a word, but he smiled at her.

  “I know, it’s stupid.” He kissed the top of her head. “Love isn’t stupid, Sarai. It’s just… complicated. Give me some time.”

  “Time. Ok. I can give you time.”

  “I’ll tell you what I want. I want you. I want this to be the beginning of something, but I don’t want to promise that if I can’t make it so. Let me do what I need to, come back to the gym, work out there, and we’ll take it from there. I do know I want to see you again, and that I’ll be missing you when I can’t. I do know that you’ll be on my mind, and I’ll think about tonight fondly.” He hugged her tighter and kissed her.

  “You just can’t because of your love of the other woman?”

  “It has nothing to do with loving another woman; it has to do with family tradition. Just let me figure things out, let me deal with what I need to deal with.”

  “So, then was it, is it an arranged marriage type thing?”

  He fell asleep before he answered her question. His heartbeat lulled her to slumber too, completely satisfied and certain that there would be no unexpected surprises later.

  Chapter 8
>
  Alistair

  Alistair called her cell phone a week later. “Hi, so it’s been a few days.”

  “Yeah, I know, I’ve been swamped at work. I’m hoping to get over to the gym tonight. I just have one more order to fill.”

  “Ok, well I’ll stay open late, if you want to wait till after work to swing by. You can work out and then we can grab smoothies, maybe, I don’t know, catch a movie, if you wanted to.”

  “Yes to the workout, yes to the smoothie. I’m not sure about the movie. There really wasn’t any I wanted to see, and I have to get up early tomorrow to make sure I’m at the shop for some big deliveries.”

  “Ok, not a problem. We can do a movie some other time, or maybe I should find a rock concert.”

  “Yeah, now that I can get behind.”

  “Ok, I’ll see what I can find.”

  “Not tonight though, rock concerts and early mornings don’t mix.”

  “Right. Next weekend?”

  “Next weekend is the marathon.”

  “Right. We could go after the marathon.”

  “I always just crash after I run like that.”

  “Oh yeah, of course. Ok, well then I will see you tonight.”

  “See you tonight.” He paused as if wanting to say something. Then he didn’t and so he hung up without saying it. He still needed to figure out the Phoebe situation. He knew he should figure that out soon, which meant the confrontation with his father couldn’t be put off anymore. It wasn’t fair to Sarai to be strung along, and it wasn’t fair to Phoebe either. He should let her go. She deserved to find love too, though more than likely she’d just be given to the next available dragon. He hoped she would be well provided for. She was a nice girl, and deserved the best life could offer her. He just couldn’t be the one to provide it for her.

  Alistair put his phone away and returned to his client. A she-wolf shifter. She was tall and strong, and today he was working with her to tone her legs. Though he was sure there was nothing better at toning her legs than a good run in wolf form. He was jealous that the wolf shifters and other animal shifters had more freedom, more chances to shift without people knowing, because they could just blend in with nature. A dragon, flying through the sky, was something people would notice, so he had never done it, whereas the wolf shifters could run free in the forest when they felt that call to nature, that itch that all shifters got on occasion. He longed for a world where he could shift, and it wouldn’t be a big deal. He would have to figure out a place to take Sarai when he showed her his dragon, if he wanted her for his mate. He was going to have to show her his true self and explain everything. How would she handle it? She seemed like an open-minded person, but would she be open minded enough to handle this?

  “Looking good Teagan, keep it up!” he said as he stood watching his client pick up her pace on the treadmill.

  “Thanks, Alistair.” The woman smiled.

  “Alistair, I need you to sign for the new equipment,” a man said, walking over with a clipboard.

  “Yeah. Can you have it set up in that corner? Thanks man.” He took the clipboard and signed his name.

  Alistair supervised the new machine, then he sat on the leg press and exercised while he read the manual for how to use the machine. Once he was sure he knew how to use it, he got off the leg press, wiped it down, stretched and then got on the new machine.

  “It looks like a freaking escalator,” Teagan said, looking at it.

  “Yeah, like trying to climb the down escalator. This should be fun.” He got on and turned the machine on. “Wow, this is cool; hard, but cool.”

  “Can I give it a go?”

  “Later!” Alistair said not ready to get off the new toy yet. He always made it a mission to be the one to break in any new machines. That way he would know how to safely use it and could help others safely use it. “Yeah, it’s exactly like climbing up the down escalator. You’ve gotta go faster than the machine to stay up there. You slow down and it will slide you down and off,” he explained This would be a good workout for Sarai, he thought as he worked it. At last his legs were screaming from the workout and he slowed it down, turned it off, and stepped off, He was covered in sweat. He ran his hands through his damp hair and redid the bun on his head. He wiped down the new machine. “Teagan, come over and I’ll show you how to work it.”

  “Looks like it’s a good workout, you’re dripping.” She tossed him a towel. He walked her through the steps. Then he let her get on and watched for a few minutes as she worked it.

  “Oh my gosh this is hard.”

  “Yeah. Great workouts are. He looked around for his other trainers. “Jason! No one gets on this without my permission.”

  “You got it, boss.”

  “I’m going to the smoothie bar,” he announced. “I’ve got my pager if you need me.” He headed up the stairs. “Tibs, give me a passion fruit with dragon fruit.”

  “You got it. So, I haven’t seen that hottie around, she coming back?” Tiberius asked as he started mixing the smoothie.

  “Yeah, she’s just busy working at her floral shop,” Alistair explained.

  “You like her,” Tiberius said as he poured the smoothie into a cup.

  “Yeah.” Alistair smiled. Tiberius put a lid on the cup and handed it over with a straw.

  “You never came to the meeting,” he remarked.

  “Well, I was busy.” Alistair smiled.

  “Busy with a certain pink haired lady?”

  “Yeah.” he smiled. “Her car broke down in the lot and I took her home, and, well, things heated up and….”

  “You slept with her?” Tiberius punched him in the arm.

  “It’s more than that, though. I think I’m in love.”

  “Aren’t you supposed to be in love with Phoebe?”

  “No, I’m supposed to marry Phoebe; love has nothing to do with it.”

  “Come on man, a human? The council isn’t going to allow that, and even if they did, your parents...” Tiberius reminded him.

  “I’ll deal with the parents, and as for the council, well, I never really cared what they thought. What are they going to do? Take my dragon from me?”

  “Well, I for one think it’s great. You deserve to be happy and if any of the dragons were bound to fall for a human, of course it was going to be you. So, when do you see her again?”

  “She’s supposed to come in tonight when she gets off work.”

  “I’ll make sure we have a new batch of passion fruit waiting. Enough for two.”

  “Sounds good.” Alistair took his smoothie and went to sit at the table he had shared with Sarai. He closed his eyes and took a drink, savoring the taste of the passion fruit as his thoughts turned to Sarai. How sexy she had been. The feel of her body beneath him and the thought that he had been her first turned him on. He felt himself getting hard. Shit! She hadn’t been into the gym in days, but he had talked to her on the phone earlier and she had said she would be in today. She had just been busy at the shop and getting her car fixed. I really like her. We have so much in common; we’re a good fit. I really hope she comes in today. I’m really looking forward to seeing her. Well I better get back to work.

  He smiled to himself. His client, Teagan, was on her last machine. “Give it a pump up. I think you can do better than that. Feel the burn, Teagan.”

  The door opened and the aroma of flowers hit his nostrils. He turned to see her walk through the door. He watched her short stature dressed in her favorite leggings and t-shirt. He smiled. She was something different. “I’ll be right back. Keep going. Sarai! Hi! It’s so good to see you.” He embraced her. “Just give me a few minutes, I’m almost finished here. Go ahead and get started and I’ll be with you shortly. Stretch and start with the treadmill. Don’t forget to straddle it before you get on.”

  “Right.”

  “Well it’s been a few days. I wasn’t sure if you remembered.”

  “I remember everything.” She smiled.

  “So do
I.” He winked and smiled. “I’ll see you soon.” He patted her on the shoulder and then headed back to his client. “Feel the burn Teagan? Now you’re getting a workout. Nice job.” He patted her on the back. He caught sight of Sarai stretching. Her back was to him, and when she bent over, her shirt slid up and teased him with a flash of milky white skin. He turned back to his client. “Ok, Teagan, wipe it off, stretch it out, and you’re done. Good work out. You going down to the boxing ring?”

  “Always.”

  “Alright, I’ll let Sven know you’re headed down there.”

  “Thanks, Alistair.” Alistair grabbed a walkie talky as Teagan jogged out of the room. “Hey Sven, Teagan’s headed to you. She had a good work out, so go easy.”

  “Not a chance.” The voice spoke through the walkie talky.

  Alistair laughed and then headed over to help Sarai. She seemed to be doing well on her own; she had the machine going at a nice jog and she was already working up a sweat. Her pink and blue hair was pulled back in a ponytail that bounced against her back as she jogged. “Looking good, Sarai!”

  “Bet you say that to all the girls you work with.”

  “Ok, you’re looking good, Sarai. I don’t say that to all the girls.”

  “Are all these people your clients?”

  “Not all, some just come to workout on the machines; they pay a different price. It’s about twenty bucks an hour to just use the machines, PT is another thirty. Full membership is about a hundred, but that gets you everything, including five smoothies a week.”

  “Nice, and how much of that goes into your pocket?”

  “Actually, not a penny of it.”

  “Really?”

  “I have old money, so I don’t need the profits from here. I give it to charities and help keep places like health clinics, community centers, and the like, open. I care about the community. Another special interest of mine.” He winked and smiled. “How's the flower shop? You’ve been busy.”

  “We’re getting ready for another wedding.”

  “Bet those bring in the big money.”

  “They can. This one is a huge order. With exotic flowers like snapdragons and--”