by Anna Lowe
Please don’t stop, his dragon murmured inside. Never stop. Please.
“Good?” she whispered between licks.
He didn’t answer. He couldn’t answer. He’d never felt anything so amazing in his life.
Cassandra chuckled and slid over his cock again, pumping faster. His hips jerked up at the same time, and his heels dug into the mattress. His lips moved, mouthing strings of nonsense that would have come out as sounds if he hadn’t bitten his lip — hard. He was about to lose it completely.
Finally, his dragon snipped. See how good it feels to let go sometimes?
Yes, he was starting to see that now. But damn it, he was not going to come yet. Not before he treated her to her own high.
Just as he was going to nudge her head back, she pulled away and looked at him with smoldering eyes. She’d read him perfectly, and a second later, her mouth was on his, wild and hungry.
“Just one more second,” she groaned as if she had the same vision of rolling and letting him pound into her with all his dragon might. “One more second…”
She reared back, straddling him, dragging her core over his cock.
He gripped her hips, guiding her into position. Then she thrust her hips down and cried out as he pushed up, penetrating deep.
“Yes…”
She leaned back, taking him deeper still, and started to dance over him. Her hair danced too, and a strand caught at the edge of her mouth. Her wide-open mouth that moved as she whispered in ecstasy.
“So good…”
He held her hips tight, pinning her in place as he drove upward. Watching her through half-lidded eyes. Her nipples barely moved, but the soft flesh around them swung gently, driving him wild. She threw her head back, showing him the smooth skin of her neck. His dragon immediately started calculating where he’d place his mating bite.
He stretched a thumb wide to press her clit, distracting himself from that idea.
No mating bites, he ordered his dragon.
For once, he was going to enjoy himself and not think too far ahead.
“Oh!” Cassandra cried, sliding against the pressure.
He circled her tight bud with his thumb, then pressed hard.
“So close…” she moaned, jerking over him.
He captured the view for that special place in his memory — the one with the best moments of his life, all of which seemed laughable compared to this. Cassandra, backlit by moonlight and the shadows of dancing palms. The ocean, sweeping up and down the shoreline, egging them on. The scent of her desire, filling the room like a bouquet.
“So good,” he croaked, letting her know what she did to him. Did she know how beautiful she was?
She arched backward for one more hot gyration, then hunched forward and kissed him again. “Turn. Please turn.”
Her voice was desperate, her eyes wild. They rolled in one perfectly synched move, bringing him to all fours over her body. Her legs hooked around his waist, and a split second later, he was buried deep, deep inside.
Cassandra threw her head back and cried out. Her nails raked his skin. “Harder. Please, harder.”
He withdrew, trying to control his rattling breath, and hammered in again.
“Harder,” she cried, digging her heels into his ass.
He pumped and thrust like never before. Wildly, blissfully out of control. A corner of the sheet tangled between them, and he ripped it away. The sound of tearing fabric mixed with Cassandra’s hungry pants and the creak of the bed, driving him wild. Clenching his teeth, he thrust harder and harder, chasing an invisible high. His blood rushed, and his balls tightened in one of those burning moments between pain and pleasure. Cassandra’s voice became a mindless chant as they both edged closer to the line between sheer ecstasy and—
Bliss. Utter bliss.
His vision went white as he emptied into her, powered by every aching muscle. Filling her, planting his seed deep. Vaguely aware that maybe that wasn’t the best idea, but not caring one whit.
Cassandra moaned and clamped down over him, milking every last drop from him. Either she didn’t care about the consequences, or she was as out of her mind as he was.
“Yes…” She shuddered through her orgasm, squeezing down hard on him. Her hands were tense on his rear, her legs wide, keeping him tight and deep.
Silas dropped to one elbow and stroked her collarbone as she shuddered through another few aftershocks. Watching her eyes begin to focus then glaze over again. Hearing her breath catch as each successive wave of pleasure steamrolled through her body. His cock ached as he held on, keeping her filled, giving her what she needed until, finally, they both went limp.
The sheets were a twisted mess. His breath came in wild pants. Sweat streaked his skin, but damn. He’d never felt as good in his life.
Cassandra smoothed her hand over his shoulder, and he pulled away to watch her. Her nostrils flared. Her chest rose and fell with every rushed breath. “Holy shit.”
He broke into a laugh. That pretty much hit the nail on the head.
“You mean that in the good way, right?”
She tried — and failed — to give him a stern look. “No, I’m wildly disappointed. Can’t you tell?” A second later, she play-smacked him on the back. “Insanely good, if you must know.”
She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and drew him down for a kiss. A fairly messy kiss, but a delicious one that held a whole potpourri of flavors. He tasted himself along with her various essences. The sensual woman, the passionate lover, the thinker slowly going over what had just happened in her mind.
“Oops. No condom,” she murmured.
He nodded slowly. “Sorry.”
She thought it over for a moment then pulled him closer. “Not going to worry about that tonight.”
And just like that, she rolled, spooning up with him and pulling his hand into position over her breast.
He smoothed her hair to the side and kissed her shoulder. Did he really deserve a woman like this?
“Silas?” she murmured a second later.
“Hmm?”
“Stop thinking. Relax.” She pressed her fingers over his and guided them over her nipple. It was soft now and nearly flush with her breast. He circled slowly, exploring the tiny bumps.
She nestled closer with a sigh, and he marveled at how she always seemed to know exactly what he needed and when.
Of course, she does. She’s our mate, his dragon said, all matter-of-fact.
At that moment, it seemed so clear, so easy. And despite the muffled alarms sounding from the back of his mind, he let himself believe for a time. That the world was as small as the guesthouse and as simple as a man and a woman holding each other tight. He closed his eyes and counted the beats of her heart.
“Thank you,” she whispered, kissing his hand.
His mind turned in lazy circles like a bird in the breeze. “For what?”
“For everything. For tonight. For trusting me.”
He smiled ever so slightly. “Maybe I’m just hiding my evil side from you. Maybe I have a devious plan.”
She laughed. “Maybe I’m the one with a devious plan.”
“And what would that involve?”
She lifted her leg and hooked it over his, then slowly guided his hand lower.
“Oh, all kinds of dastardly, evil things.” Her voice was low and hoarse, half joke, half earnest. He could sense the lust well up in her all over again, just as it did in him.
The mating instinct, his dragon said. The urge to bond again and again.
He pulled her hips back against his, letting his hardening cock press against her back.
“Perfect,” he murmured, running his hand along her inner thigh as a second wind revived his weary body.
Third wind, his dragon joked, sounding ridiculously pleased with himself.
“I happen to have some dastardly deeds in mind too,” he finished, inching closer and closer to her core.
A second later, he was circling her slick he
at and tugging her toward him. Cassandra rolled with a wicked smile. “I like the sound of that. But me first.”
He crooked an eyebrow, playing along. “And what exactly does the lady desire?”
She grinned, popped a kiss on his lips, and turned under him, her back to his chest. She rose up on all fours and wiggled her perfect ass under his hips. “This. Think you can oblige?”
The heat in his eyes grew, and the glow reflected on her glistening skin. She wanted it from behind, dragon style?
“Hard, Silas,” she murmured as if she’d read his mind. “Hard and deep.”
I’ll show you hard and deep, his dragon howled.
A little puff of steam escaped from his nostrils. Good thing Cassandra liked a wild ride.
He leaned over her from behind, twisting her hair to one side. He kept his hand fisted in it, tugging slightly. Then he puffed a hot breath into her neck, instinctively thinking of the mating brand. Finally, he kissed her creamy skin and coiled his muscles for a powerful thrust.
“Oh, I can definitely oblige.”
Chapter Seventeen
Cassandra woke early, snuggled close to Silas, relishing the warmth of his bare skin against her. His arms were tight around her body. The sun was barely rising, and she was tired. So she closed her eyes again, expecting another hour or two of satisfied sleep.
Instead, she tossed, turned, and dreamed increasingly disturbing scenes. They started with a bloody, sunset sky that spoke of death and destruction. The red color extended toward the ground, where she saw a line of low, bubbling fire. Wait, not fire — lava. She was standing close enough to feel the searing heat, and her feet burned. But somehow, she couldn’t back away.
Shadows rushed overhead, and two dueling dragons swooped through the sky, roaring and spitting long plumes of fire at each other. She screamed, trying to stop them, but the fight raged on. A woman’s voice cackled from behind her, egging the dragons on. Was that Eloise? Moira?
“Silas!”
Cassandra woke in a sweat and reached for him. Just one night with him and she already felt like half of a whole. As if she’d never have to wake up alone and face the challenges of a day on her own.
But Silas was gone.
She groped around the bed as though he might be hiding under the sheets. Of course, he wasn’t, and the open bathroom door showed he wasn’t there either. She sat up and looked around, clutching the sheets. Silas’s clothes were gone, and the dress she’d discarded the previous night was hung neatly over a chair.
She stared at the seat of the chair, where a single rose lay.
She didn’t know whether to yell or sigh. Silas leaving without a word hurt more than it ought to. She had so much to say, so much she wanted to ask. But at the same time, her heart warmed. The rose said so much more than words or a note could. She stood and brought it gingerly to her nose. The scent was sweet, the stalk smooth. When she looked closer, a sad smile played over her lips. Her lover had removed all the thorns.
Good old Silas, keeping the world safe for everyone.
She peeked out the door on the vague hope that he might be lounging on the front porch, watching waves roll over the sand. Which was about as likely as catching him swinging in a hammock, but a girl could dream.
“Silas,” she whispered, wishing he were there.
Maybe if she stuck around long enough, she could teach Silas some bad habits, like sleeping in. Slowing down. Enjoying life.
Her mind flashed back to one of the times they’d bonded the previous night, and her cheeks heated. She’d never felt that kind of urgency or burning need in her life. They’d been like a couple of animals, overcome by the instinct to mate.
She froze at the word. Mate.
Dragons are the most passionate, possessive lovers, one of the books in the library had said.
She gulped and looked at the bed — and the floor, and the porch…
Passionate. Possessive. That fit Silas, all right. Her body ached inside and out — in the very best way.
While some males prefer harems, most dedicate themselves to a single mate, often waiting years for the right woman to come along.
She shivered a little, considering Silas’s stubbornly single status. Could it really be?
Wrapping a sarong around her torso, she made herself a cup of coffee and flopped into the lounge chair, twirling the flower and listening to the sea.
Mate. Could she and Silas really be destined for each other?
Part of her wanted to believe it, but another part scoffed. What if that was just goofy dragon lore? Right now, it was more important to make sense of her ominous, insistent dreams.
Volcanoes. Dragons. A raging battle. She shivered though the morning was clear and balmy. The remnant of another dream drifted through her mind, carrying the sly, scheming faces of Drax and Moira.
She closed her eyes. Was that a dream or a hint of trouble afoot?
Everything is a secret, Silas had commented. Everything is hidden. Every problem is solved alone.
A sea gull cried, and she squinted upward. For all that she’d learned about Silas, there was still so much to discover in his private world — and the world of dragons.
She stayed there for nearly an hour, telling herself Silas would come along. Imagining how he would walk up behind her, cover her eyes, and whisper Surprise in that resonant baritone that turned her on. Or maybe he would bring her another rose and ask her over for brunch. Alternatively, she imagined him hurrying by and saying, Cassandra, I need your help. Will you come with me?
As it turned out, those were all fantasies, because Silas never appeared.
“Some mate,” she griped, putting that crazy theory to rest.
She showered, growing grumpy, and looked over her choice of clothes. The cocktail dress hung over the chair, goading her. Had the previous night just been her fleeting Cinderella moment? Was none of it as meaningful to Silas as it had been to her?
“Damn it,” she muttered out loud.
She decided to dress as if she were going to work on a hot summer’s night, which meant a pair of khaki shorts and a comfortable tank top. An outfit that reminded her she could damn well stand on her own two feet.
She stomped over to the meeting house, preparing something cool, calm, and collected to say. But before she even crossed the lawn, she could see Silas wasn’t there, so she headed to his house instead. The creek alongside the path bubbled cheerily, welcoming her to explore, but when she reached the lower terrace, the house seemed to loom above her.
“Hello?” she called from the entrance.
The place echoed with emptiness as she slowly ascended the stairs and walked the empty halls.
“Silas?”
She peered into his office with a growing sense of unease, then checked the library. Still no Silas, and her irritation became concern. She checked every level of the eclectic home, then came back to the office and stared at his empty chair.
If only he were there. She would walk up behind him, knead his shoulders, and work the tension out of his soul. She would kiss him on the back of the neck and smooth her hands over all the cords of muscle in his arms. She would get him to stop work long enough to enjoy the view and put everything in perspective again.
Of course, having a ruthless dragon like Drax scheming to steal everything Silas held dear had to make perspective a tricky thing.
She made another listless lap through the library and headed back across the estate. Silas’s roadster wasn’t in the garage, and somehow, she was no longer surprised. He had left the property. She could feel the emptiness, somehow.
Not knowing what else to do, she walked toward the meeting house. Her steps slowed as she drew near, and her cheeks heated. It was already eleven o’clock. Much too late to be waking from anything but a spectacularly late — or active — night. Even if it was nobody’s business to speculate on how she’d spent the night — or with whom — she still felt self-conscious. Shifters were incredibly perceptive about such things. W
ould the others notice?
“Hi!” Tessa called brightly. “Perfect timing. I’m experimenting with a new coconut bread recipe. Can you try some for me?”
Kai and Hunter were there too, and both seemed more interested in the steaming hot loaf Tessa pulled from the oven than how Cassandra had spent her night. And if they did notice — well, no one put her on the spot with flared nostrils or knowing looks. She sat, making sure to choose a place downwind.
“Yes, please,” she said, taking a piece.
Kai smeared his bread with jam while Hunter spiraled honey in neat circles across his.
Cassandra glanced around. Had Silas already been through for a meal? His favorite coffee cup stood beside the sink with nary a dark ring in it, suggesting he’d moved on quickly. So where had he gone?
“How was the dinner?” Tessa asked. “Did that Penelope van Whatshername show up?”
Cassandra wasn’t quite sure how to answer. Yes, and Drax and Moira were there too? That was obviously critical information, but Silas ought to be the one to share that, not her. Or had he missed Tessa and the others altogether?
“It was interesting,” Cassandra murmured, gulping a piece of bread.
She was dying to ask where Silas had gone, but she didn’t dare. And since everything seemed so quiet, so normal, she’d bet he hadn’t told the others about Drax.
I don’t want to involve them, he’d said the previous night. If I can find a way to engage Drax one-on-one…
She knotted her fingers together under the table. Drat the man. Had he gone out to hunt Drax down?
“Gotta go,” Kai said, kissing Tessa on his way out. “Got a few sightseeing flights to run.”
Hunter stood next. “Can I take a piece for Dawn?” The bear shifter headed into town nearly every day to meet his mate for lunch.
