His arms tightened around her, and he smelled the unique scent that he associated with her. The pieces of his soul that seemed to be flying around him unwilling to let him get his bearings came together. Nadia was who he was looking for, and it’s how they trapped him here.
“I was dreaming that you were lost and I needed to find you before you got hurt. I remember wondering around in darkness calling out your name until I stumbled across this door. I went in because it felt light and peaceful. I thought this is where you would be because you're both light and peace.”
It was words like that as well as his thoughts and his actions that made giving him her heart so easy.
“I woke up, and you were cold. At first, I thought you were dead, but you weren’t. Then Tabitha told me only I could save you and I fought with my power only to find out it was my anti-power. So while I thought it was helping me it was trying to kill me.”
His arms squeezed her harder taking all the air out of her lungs but she didn’t complain.
“I almost lost you.”
“I…almost lost…you.” She struggled for breath to get it out.
“Baby, you have to tell me when I am squeezing tight.”
She laid her head on his chest as a hand went up to smooth the side of his face. “I will, right now it still surprises me that you want to touch me.”
“I want to go home.” She looked up at him.
“So do I.” He swung her up in his arms and headed for the door.
“I’m seriously addicted to you picking me up I think I should tell you that.”
“I love holding you close.”
“Oh, alright then. So we can just walk out of here?”
“This was never about me just you. Would you survive the task of becoming one with your power?”
“I always find it funny when people don’t think.”
“What do you mean?”
“They made saving you a part of becoming one with my power. There was no way I was going to fail if I could help it, not when your life was on the line.”
He stepped through the door and she opened her eyes to find him looking at her with a wide smile. She balled up her hands into fists and started beating on his chest.
“Don’t you ever do that to me again. I love you, and you scared me half to death.”
He grabbed her hands and held them gently.
“You love me?”
She nodded her head but refused to look at him.
“I love you too.”
She looked at him skeptically but kept her thoughts to herself.
“I thought I loved you when we were on the demon plane. You kept surprising me with your resilience and your heart. The way you cared for not just me but Zeno. How you put him at ease and accepted him even as I kept trying to get closer to you. The courage it took for you to walk into that camp and place your life on the line for him while you trusted in me. The realness of your passion when you were in my arms. I love everything about you; then you told us your story, and I was amazed. You were so much more than I could imagine and I already held you in high esteem. You stole my heart from your first smile and the look you gave me the first day as I tried to tell you about dragons
“I love you Nadia, and I always will.”
“People say that in the beginning then they walk away from each other.”
“You’re right, but I know I’ll spend my life loving you. Why? Because loving you is a priority in my life.”
“I believe you.” She worked her hands out of his grip. “I want a connection to you Maceo. I want to know where you are what you’re doing and I want you to have a connection to me. I want to be your dragon mate.”
He wrapped his arms around her and turned over, so she was lying on his chest.
“I could hurt you.”
“Stop it.” He gave her ass a small pat. “You’re not big enough to hurt anyone.”
His mouth devoured hers. “I love you Nadia, and I love the way your brown eyes now glow ruby.”
“It’s weird looking.”
“It’s sexy as hell.” He gave a deep chuckle before he flipped her over until she was flat on her back.
“What are you doing?” her voice was deep and husky because he already proved that he liked variety.
“Not going to do anything.” His smile was innocent before he leaned over and took her mouth in a deep kiss.
She clutched at his shoulders trying to pull him closer, but he broke the kiss and nibbled his way down to her chest. His flicked one of her nipples with his finger before he took it deep into his mouth.
A moan left her filled with passion as she moved a little on the bed. She wanted him deep inside of her. He pulled away his eyes glowing in the darkened room
“I want to taste you, baby.”
Her stomach cramped at his deep voice rumbling through her and the thought of his mouth on her. He wanted to taste her? She was dizzy with pleasure as he made his way down her body. There was no rush he stopped to lick and kiss her giving her little bites along the way that added to her passion. I don’t know what I did to deserve him, but I don’t want to let him go.
She clutched onto his shoulders showing possession it was nine tenths of the law she thought. He stuck his tongue into her belly button, and she howled. It was a sexy intimate act, and it tickled her too. Her hands stroked his hair again before he disappeared between her legs. Her throat tightened as she waited for him to say something. Having him stare at her was making her nervous. What if he didn’t like what he saw?
His finger came out and touched her clit petting it.
“You’re as beautiful down here as the rest of your fine self.”
She laughed she couldn’t help it. “I’m never letting you go.”
“You’re right about that.” He took her clit into his mouth sucking on it turning her laughter into a keening cry of pleasure.
She lifted up wanting to see him as he buried his head between her legs. He lifted his head and placed a finger in his mouth and sucked on it before he stroked her folds with it. Her hips thrust up.
“Not yet baby.” His mouth came out and licked her stroking her with his tongue.
“Now,” she pleaded as her hips came up pushing her sex into his mouth.
His tongue licked her while his finger dived deep thrusting inside of her teasing without giving her any release.
“I can spend hours here.” He lapped up the wetness flowing from her sucking her down. “You taste divine.”
She opened her legs a little wider in welcome and surrender. Her body was shifting shivering soon she would go over the edge. She craved that very feeling of how wild he made her.
“Not yet.” He kissed her one more time and petted her before slowly crawling up her body. His eyes were wild as he focused on her.
She tried to swallow around her suddenly dry throat.
“Do you still want me, baby? Do you want that connection? It will never be broken in life or death. You take me you get me forever.”
A hint of a smile crossed her lips, he as trying to scare her wanting to make sure she knew what she was getting, but she knew.
“I want you.” That was all she could say as her hips came up to rub against him teasing him with her wantonness.
“Open up to me love, let me in.”
He wasn’t talking about her body although she felt the head of his thick cock enter her. It felt like bliss, and she wanted more. Maceo wanted her to open her heart to allow her power to bind them together. She would only have real control when she was one with him, but that’s not why she wanted him. She needed his smiles and his love in her life.
A moan came from her lips as he lodged deep within her. Yes, she needed this too. He pulled out and thrust in again taking her higher, and her heart opened more. She could feel him invading her on all levels promising her intimacy and love she never dared to dream of.
“You’re mine.” She roared as his thrusts came faster. “Please, Maceo I need you.”<
br />
“I’m yours.” The mate bond slipped into place as she reached higher and higher. She felt him caress her mind as he whispered her name and she knew they would always be connected.
Her body finally shook as she lost all control. She was flying high and still she wanted more of him to be closer to him. He roared as his body lost control and he spilled into her. He reached down, and his inner dragon bit her on the shoulder claiming her for the world to see.
She’d scold him for that later but right now she needed to close her eyes.
Chapter Twenty-three
She was married. That’s not what the dragons called it, but it was the same thing. A smile was tugging at her lips, and she was trying to fight it. She gave a very deliberate stretch and touched hot vibrant male. That was really good now that the world wasn’t falling apart she could open her eyes.
Not good screamed her internal voice Maceo was not smiling or greeting her with kisses which she was sure she deserved after the marathon they had last night.
“You’re not smiling, and I don’t like it.”
“Sorry baby.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her thoroughly.
This is what she had in mind when she opened her eyes.
“What happened.”
“There’s been grumbling that some of our people have caught Mutufa’s shadow.”
She ran her hand through her hair. “Does he have a partner?”
“Partner? The Selines were helping him the last time he made an appearance, but they were taken in by what he said. I wouldn’t call them partners.”
“When I went to retrieve my power there was a presence, someone who was fighting against me. I could be wrong, but I was sure they were in league with him.”
“It’s possible. I think we need to meet up with Syn and Alexa.”
She nodded and stood. “Maceo what happens if we don’t defeat him?”
“We can’t defeat him all we can do is push him back into his cage. It took four dragons last time to beat him, and since then he has been accumulating power. The humans worship him giving him their power, sometimes their lives. It will take more than the four of us this time to seal any breaches he has caused.”
“I’m going to take a shower.”
She was fighting against a shadow; she could almost laugh if she hadn’t seen the devastation he could cause with her own eyes. You have power don’t forget that. What’s power got to do with it? True, she had this hazy thing inside of her body called power, but that didn’t mean she knew what to do with it. There was nowhere for her to go to learn to deal with it. There was only now, trial and error. With Zeno gone they were going to need her help, so she wouldn’t get to sit this one out.
How do you defeat a shadow? She reached for a towel.
“This isn’t how I wanted to start our life together.”
She looked up to see the regret in his eyes mixed with a dash of anger.
“You’ve been dealing with this for a long time.”
“Yeah,” he nodded his head. “There was a time we thought everything would be perfect. It should have been but then came the worshipers, and we knew he was coming back. The last time he broke through was to try and kill Alexa, and now he’s trying to kill you.”
She dropped the shirt she was holding and walked into his arms.
“I’m not dead although after last night…” She tilted her head and gave him a teasing smile. “We’ll get through this. It’s not just about us but the world. If he’s allowed to roam free, this world and the human world will be destroyed.”
“I know baby. I’m selfish, right now all I can think about is protecting you.” He placed a kiss on her lips and disappeared into the bathroom. She dressed quickly before grabbing her cell phone and heading down to the living room.
“Alexa,” she said when her friend answered the phone.
“Nadia, where are you?”
“We are still at Maceo’s; we’ll be there shortly.”
“See you soon.” The phone went dead making her wonder exactly what was happening.
Maceo walked out of the elevator dressed in a pair of jeans and a thin blue sweater. He looked good reminding her she needed to go shopping. The worry on his face stopped all her thoughts of stripping him.
“What’s going on?”
He took her hand and led her out to the Jeep. “There’s a jungle side to the island. The cat shifters live there.”
“Cat shifters? Like hi kitty you’re so cute?”
“More like don’t tear me apart as I run away from you.”
“Lions and tigers.”
“Yes, although I don’t think we have bear shifters here. They may be on the island some of the groups that keep to themselves. George and his wife Tamia, live there. You haven’t met her yet. Syn tried to get in touch with them and couldn’t. He thinks that whole portion of the island is gone, missing.”
A laugh laced with fear came out of her. “How can you lose part of an island?”
Had it fallen into the ocean around them? Weren’t the scientists always saying we were losing land mass? Everyone always speculated that Atlantis had been real and sank into the ocean.
“I don’t think we lost it I think Mutufa is covering it.”
“Then all we have to do is get rid of him.”
She almost wavered under the weight of his stare. Yeah, she knew it wouldn’t be that easy, but it was better than thinking of his people facing a watery death.
“What do we do now?”
“We are going to pick up Syn and Alexa, but first we need to eat. We’re going to need the fuel, any fight with Mutufa will be draining.”
She sat in silent agreement. Why was he coming after them? Was it because it was what he did or did he know Zeno wasn’t here and he wanted to test them?
“Do you think this is his big move?”
“No, but I also think he will take out as many of us as he can.”
“When he came at us before he was sure he would win. When we defeated him, I think he took a few steps back and is now targeting our defenses seeing how strong are we.”
“How strong are we?”
“We don’t know. We know a little of what Alexa can do and nothing of what you can do.” He stopped in front of Syn’s mountain coming over to open the door for Nadia. They walked in without knocking.
“He’s expecting us.” They got on the elevator and got off in the kitchen.
“What took you so long?” Alexa gave her friend a mournful stare.
Nadia laughed and jumped in helping her prepare a big meal.
“Steaks?”
“After you fight Mutufa you’ll be glad you ate it and be craving one twice as big.”
She nodded and took over while Alexa fell into the role of helper. They soon had brunch on the table. The food was eaten in silence until the doorbell chimed.
“Company?” Nadia looked around the room.
“I’m putting my money on Oracles.”
“Alexa is right, Oracles,” Syn replied after he let them in.
“Oh good, we’re in time for food.”
All three of them were in the kitchen, and Nadia had no idea who was talking. They really did look alike. What was scarier they dressed alike. Do they do that on purpose?
“Nadia, I’m Samantha, the one you haven’t met yet.”
“It’s nice to meet you.”
“You also.”
They took a seat while Alexa made them plates.
“Love your eyes,” One of the triplets said to her.
She gave them a quick smile before saying thank you.
“We can’t stay,” Syn said after they finished eating.
“We know.” The sisters stood as one and followed them out.
“Nadia,” one of them called out to her. “Sometimes we fight alone. Other times nothing will bring defeat except a partner.”
“I’ll remember that Tabitha.” She didn’t know how she knew who was talking to her but she was sure it wa
s Tabitha.
“Don’t ask me.” Alexa turned around to look at her in the back seat.
They had decided to take one jeep, and Syn was driving so she and Maceo took the back seat.
“They swear dragon mates can tell them apart.”
The drive was made in silence. They went through the center of the town closest to the mountains. She could see places to shop and other places to hang out. The people were in the street watching as they drove by. Some waved while others shouted at them to be victorious.
Each person represented a group that was different. She understood why some of them wouldn’t have been accepted in what she thought of as a normal society. When she saw them standing there holding hands or hugging children, she got a sense that they weren’t any different from the people she grew up with. They were facing a disaster and unlike the people of Hawaii or Florida they didn’t have the possibility of escape. There was no mainland for them. If they failed every man woman and child on the island would suffer for it.
“How do you deal with the weight of what if?” She asked Maceo through her new connection to him.
“I don’t speculate on it. There is no what if in my vocabulary. I know I must prevail. That doesn’t mean I can’t lose all it means is I can’t waste time wondering about losing. I, we, focus on winning and deal with whatever happens after the battle is over.”
She nodded. They battled the demons and lost in the sense that Zeno was taken. Then they regrouped and went after him. It was all they could do this time.
I’m powerful don’t forget that. Her power added for her benefit.
She wasn’t forgetting; it simply wasn’t making her feel all that comfortable.
A wall of darkness greeted them rising so high that she couldn’t see the sun in the sky behind it.
“We walk from here,” Syn said parking the jeep.
She got out and took Maceo’s hand; it would be easy to get separated in here.
With a deep breath, she walked over the threshold with the others. The demon plane didn’t have anything on this place. She thought of Halloween as she made her shoulders relax. There was a real fear of something like ghost or zombies chasing them and her heart beat faster with the thought.
Nadia's Dragon: Nadia's Dragon: A BBW Paranomal Romance (Dragon Mates Book 2) Page 14
