Dragon: The Clan Legacy Series

by J. S. Striker

  *****

  Finn had managed to get rid of the remaining rogue shifters, and assessment of the area revealed that most of the main houses and establishments were safe, with the fire mostly affecting the church and barn areas, where the poultry was. Those two were charred, but the villagers were very hopeful and thankful that Finn and Robbie had called their dragon friends to get rid of the wild wolves.

  Sophia raised her brow at this but said nothing. This was a remote village with villagers that never went to the city, and they simply believed such creatures existed.

  The little girl had latched on to her mother, who was very tearful and wouldn't stop thanking Robbie and Sophia. The father asked them to stay, offering clothes and free food at the local tavern that they owned.

  Finn took one sniff at the blood hidden inside their clothes before turning on the charm at the father.

  “Can we also have a free shower?”

  Sophia grinned. Robbie smiled.

  They agreed to meet at the tavern in an hour.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  The villagers had gone for an hour to check out further damages before heading to the tavern themselves to get some food and drinks. By the time Sophia had settled in, freshly bathed and dressed in one of Trudy’s mother’s old peasant dresses, the place was crowded with the comfortable chatter of people who’ve known each other for generations.

  She’d grown hungry again, and the tavern owner, Jon, served her hot fish and chips on a huge plate. She tried to give him her payment, but Jon refused, saying he owed her for saving his precious little girl. After insisting on this, he brought her some apple cider and went on to serve the others as the chatter steadily increased.

  The sight of Jon reminded Sophia of Ted, and she tried not to dwell on that as something ached in her heart.

  Finn was right behind her, looking fresh as well and grinning from ear to ear. She raised a brow as he took some chips from her plate and gobbled them down, slapping his hand when he tried a second attempt.

  “Ow. What?”

  “Get your own,” she huffed, taking a big bite out of her fish. Finn eyed her affectionately before putting an arm around her and playfully shaking her. She put him off by applying silent sparks in her palm and singeing him until he abruptly backed away.

  “Jeez. Talk about stingy and nasty.”

  “You’re welcome,” she replied sweetly.

  A low chuckle came from the back, and she felt Robbie slide onto the stool beside hers. Finn took this as his cue to disappear as he announced that he was going to charm some women. The warmth of the man left beside her seeped through her right away, and to steady herself, she took a sip of her apple cider.

  “You okay?” he asked in a murmur.

  Sophia nodded her head. “Dandy.” She glanced at the area beside his hip where she spotted a wound earlier, her hand automatically pulling up the shirt. She felt his breath stop, saw his skin now fully healed. She removed her hand as if burned, taking another sip of apple cider to calm her nerves.

  It was attraction, she knew, and it wouldn’t seem to go away. They’d been together for so many weeks now and in constant presence of each other that it was inevitable – the constant talking, jibing, and teasing until they eventually became friends and weren’t so ready to pick a fight with each other. As mates who didn’t want to be mates, nothing should happen.

  She absolutely needed to behave.

  A tinkling laugh at the corner got her attention, and she turned her gaze to see Finn flirting with a barmaid – or rather, it was the other way around. The barmaid had long, blonde hair and a healthy amount of cleavage that popped out of her blouse, and the way she was leaning into Finn told Sophia exactly what she was trying to get him to see.

  Which was a success, because Finn couldn’t stop looking at them.

  The grin was already out of Sophia before she could stop herself, and Robbie turned to see where her gaze was.

  “Ah. It’s warming up to be a typical night.”

  “So you mean to say he’s the most handsome guy as he claims?”

  Robbie scoffed, taking a sip of the ale he’d ordered. “Like hell. He just likes to think so.”

  Her eyes twinkled knowingly. “She seems to think so.”

  “Every drunk thinks he’s a handsome git. Doesn’t make them less drunk.”

  Sophia snorted into her drink by accident, and the action spilled on to the top front of her peasant dress. She made a move to wipe it, but Robbie's hand was faster as he took a towel and began to wipe.

  The movement had his hand in contact with her left breast, which was where the water was concentrated. Sophia froze, her body on fire.

  Robbie froze too as he seemed to realize exactly where his hand was. Slowly, he withdrew it and took a long sip of his drink.

  “Sorry about that,” he muttered.

  The space between them suddenly seemed smaller, and the innermost of Sophia's instincts didn't want him going away. A crazy idea came to her. Her hand moved to slide the dress down to her shoulder, in the pretense of drying herself up. This caused her own cleavage to spill out – smaller compared to the barmaid's, but still there.

  A strangled breath came out of his throat.

  She was crazy.

  They stared at their drinks for a few seconds before she spoke.

  “I...you missed a spot.”

  His breath rushed in.

  “Perhaps you should dry yourself in the...bathroom,” he said tightly.

  Disappointment rushed through her at his rejection, followed by relief. Her own desire was confusing her, and she needed to think clearly. Mumbling an excuse, Sophia dashed for the direction where the restroom was supposed to be, carefully tucking her cleavage back inside her dress as she tried to gather her thoughts.

  She had only gotten to the narrow hallway leading to the restroom when a sound near the other open room caught her attention. It took her a belated few seconds to realize the sounds were of moaning, and her head snapped up when she realized one of the voices sounded familiar.

  Then she regretted looking up at all.

  The room was empty save for some boxes and beer cases stacked together, and on top of one of the stacked beer cases was the barmaid, her breasts out and Finn's hands all over them. Her skirt was hiked up and her underwear was dangling over one leg, and Finn…

  Finn's cock was out and his eyes were closed in ecstasy as he thrust in and out of her.

  It was perhaps the rawest display of sexual desire that Sophia had ever seen, and for the life of her she couldn't seem to look away. They were so in the moment and away from the world, kissing each other with unbidden passion and moaning out their feelings.

  “Sandy, baby, you're so tight.”

  “Oh, Finn...”

  A particularly hard thrust had Sandy's moan carrying on louder, and Finn placed his palm over her mouth to muffle her voice. His other hand moved to thumb her nipple as his movements turned fast, hair disheveled and sexy for the first time in Sophia's eyes.

  Abruptly, quietly, she removed herself from the vicinity and leaned on the wall just outside the restroom as their voices carried on.

  Her body was tingling and her own nipples had stiffened, but not because of Finn. It was because of the images her mind supplied – replacing the barmaid with her and Finn with Robbie. Robbie, letting go of his tight control as he seduced her right there, removing her clothes and letting his cock out. Robbie, with his warm muscles and quick wit, rasping out his groans as he thrust into her with the same intensity in which he fought – powerful, focused. Raw. The thought alone made her wet, and she put her hand over her mouth to stifle her own moan.

  Robbie's voice, a low murmur, telling her how good she felt, those huge hands touching her everywhere.

  God, but she wanted him. It was stupid to lie to herself.

  Sandy's and Finn's voices carried out louder now, a slapping sound filling the air as a desperate scent reached her nose.

  “Shit, S
andy, I'm coming...”

  Robbie, kissing her and taking her right in the place where she needed it most until they were both satisfied and sated.

  Until she was screaming out his name and he was groaning out hers.

  Her hand shaking, Sophia slipped inside the restroom and waited until the noise died down and footsteps cleared out of the hallway. Once they did, she stepped out and stepped back into the tavern, her eyes automatically searching for Robbie to tell him something, to do something, or else she was going to go crazy with this desire trapped inside her.

  The sight of him still at the stool warmed her heart – and then it dropped to the floor when she spotted a woman occupying her stool and touching his arm. Flirting.

  And he was flirting back.

  Like a douse of cold water, her body went numb. Rage wanted to take over as jealousy so vicious struck, but neither of those two emotions had a place inside. Quietly, she headed for the tavern’s back door, avoiding Jon, who was circling around and trying to look inconspicuous.

  She froze at the sight of Finn near the back, sitting on a chair and the barmaid in his lap. They had the look of two cats who just had their bellies filled with milk. Her cheeks turned red at the memory.

  Blue eyes met hers, looked in the direction of Robbie, and met hers again – narrowed this time.

  With as much composure as she could, Sophia nodded her head and moved for the door.

  “Hey, Soph–”

  “Just getting some air,” she said, pleased to find her voice steady.

  Then she had already reached the door and was sliding it closed before Finn could finish his sentence.

  *****

  The walk up the hill was short and cold.

  She remembered Robbie telling her that she already had the connection to the portal because she was his mate, and trying was better than not doing anything at all. She couldn’t wait a second longer inside the tavern, or outside the tavern, or anywhere in this village because it felt like his scent was everywhere.

  So she went up the hill and stood in the spot where he’d stood earlier, shivering as the night air chilled her bones. She waited for the warmth to settle over her body, for the portal to take her to that damn island's edge. With the energy rattling inside her, she could hike back to the castle and get a good night’s rest before the night was over.

  He could flirt with anyone he wanted – and she’d best remember that, because they didn’t belong to each other. So long as she wasn’t there, she could handle it and not punch the receiving woman until her nose bled. Or his nose, for that matter. The sight of anyone’s bloody nose brought her such stark joy – immediately followed by shame at such an awful thought.

  Damn it all.

  The warmth came, and she closed her eyes, intent on blanking her mind and preparing herself for the travel.

  A rustle came from nearby. Then, a growl.

  Sophia’s blood ran instantly cold. She opened her eyes just in time to see a gray wolf shifter with yellow eyes looking at her hungrily. Then it lunged at her, just as the portal was taking her back.

  And the portal took the creature with her.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Robbie knew something was wrong the instant he couldn’t smell her anymore.

  It was a damn inconvenient thing when he could smell her scent, even from afar – back when she’d gone to the restroom, and her smell of innocence became a smell of arousal right away, slamming into him hard and making his cock respond almost painfully. He’d been all but a breath away from pouncing, from stalking to where she was and touching her right there, and his only saving grace at that time was the tight grip he had on his glass of ale and his slowly unravelling control.

  And then the woman came, introducing herself as a tavern regular and flirting up a storm with him. She seemed impressed by the bulge in his pants and didn’t think twice about letting him know that she had a room rented upstairs if he was interested.

  The only polite thing to do was not insult her, but not accept the offer either, and he flirted with her as lightly as he could to distract himself for a few minutes before gently letting her down – something she took in stride as she left the stool disappointed, but pleased with his so-called honesty.

  Then he realized that Sophia’s scent was gone.

  A quick survey of the tavern confirmed that realization, and his eyes landed on Finn shortly after. The look in Finn’s eyes told him that his friend had been observing him for quite a while now, and he walked over in that direction, intent on questioning.

  “At the back, man,” Finn said before he could say something.

  “What?”

  Finn shook his head. “She left. You were being idiotic, you see.”

  With a curse, Robbie took off.

  The back of the tavern was empty, and a quick deduction made him comprehend Sophia wouldn’t be hanging out in this place at night. She didn’t know anyone else, either. He started up the hill right off and used the portal, telling himself that he was going to yell his throat hoarse at her for leaving like that with no protection from either him or Finn. Idiotic, stupid move for a supposedly smart witch.

  The portal led him back to the lone island, and the smell had him staggering back.

  Blood. Lots of blood. Trails of blood in the area the portal circled, staining the grass and the ground and the rocks. Fear spiked before he tried to calm himself down as he investigated further, even while his blood roared in his head.

  On the rocky portion near the edge of cliff, a lone wolf shifter was dead and charred, and he could have kicked himself for not noticing the burning smell earlier.

  No trace of Sophia, but her faint scent told him she’d been here.

  With an angry roar, Robbie shifted to his dragon form. Then he raced through the sky for the castle, hoping she was all right.

  Hoping she was alive.

  *****

  He found her in her room, wrapping a bandage around her leg and freshly showered, her hair still wrapped under a towel. The dress she’d worn earlier was on the floor beside the door, blood on parts of it, and she was in fresh, cotton pajama bottoms and a loose, white camisole.

  Sophia had looked up and froze in her task when he came in the door, and they stared at each other in silence – him in stark relief, her in mute anger. He couldn’t understand where the anger was coming from, but it was coming off her in waves as she finally looked down and briskly went on with her so-called task.

  “You okay?” he asked softly, taking a slow step forward.

  She nodded. “I didn’t see the wolf. It followed me.”

  He eyed the bandage around her leg, then searched for any other wounds. She stiffened at the quiet perusal, still not meeting his gaze.

  He took another step forward.

  “You could have told me you wanted to return and this wouldn’t have been a problem.”

  “There is no problem,” she replied through gritted teeth.

  “Then why are you angry?”

  Done with wrapping her leg wound, she stood up and unwrapped the towel from her hair with a snap, leaving wet hair flying everywhere. She glared at him, her tone sharp.

  “Because you keep butting into my business like I’m some sort of child. Just leave me alone.”

  Robbie’s concern was giving way to a new sensation – irritation, sharp and strong.

  “What the hell is wrong with you?”

  “There is absolutely nothing wrong with me.”

  Another step forward.

  “Then why are you up my ass all of a sudden?”

  “Because,” she said, already starting to yell, “You’re an idiot who flirts with women, and I hate guys like you!”

  Silence filled the room as the words took form in his mind, and she seemed to regret exactly what she’d said as she snapped her mouth shut and backed off. Refusing to allow her space, Robbie took another step forward, matching her pace.

  “Forget what I said,” she muttered.


  “No.”

  “Then back off,” she barked.

  “No.”

  She was still backing away, but his strides were now longer, and he was closing the space between them. The irritation for her was still there, and the worry, and so many other things that he couldn’t think straight – especially when her scent filled his nose again, of lemons and woman. He reached for her and she hurried away, backing and backing until her back reached the wall and alarm filled her eyes.

  “Go the hell away,” she snapped.

  “Hell, no.”

  The alarm was slowly shifting to something else, and those damn honey eyes met his with a flash of not-hate that she couldn’t quite hide. He almost backed off – almost tried to walk out of there and leave her alone for both their sakes.

  Then he looked down. And froze.

  Her wet hair had stuck to her top, making it wet in the process. He could see her form beneath, from the flat stomach to the breasts the top molded on.

  The nipples stiff with desire.

  Her breathing changed as she tried to make up excuses.

  “This isn’t a good idea—”

  With a groan, he cut her off before she could even finish the thought.

  The kiss wasn’t particularly soft or gentle as desire swept over him like a tidal wave of emotion. He opened her mouth with his tongue, delving inside and tasting everything she’d been tempting him with for as long as he could remember – the kind of temptation that built up every single day until he could take no more. Her mouth was soft. She tasted like warm sunshine, and exotic nights. Unable to help himself, Robbie’s hands moved to take her hair, angling her head and the kiss deeper and letting his hands trail down to gather her firm, ample breasts in his hands.

  Goddamn amazing.

  His thumbs rubbed her nipples and his cock rubbed her belly, and the moan that came out of her lips was like the choir singing in heavens. Her tongue tapped out to meet his, and her hands were moving to touch his stomach.

  Lower.

  Fucking her was his only thought.

  His hands moved under her pants, finding her naked and wet underneath. Slick.

  Her hand cupped him through his pants.