Wereplanets

by Crystal Jordan

  “You must have been very angry. Did you love him?” she asked when her face emerged from the top of the gown after Adriana slipped it over her head.

  The red dragon sighed. “I didn’t love him, and I wasn’t angry. I was…sad for myself. He has what I want. Love. Who doesn’t want love? But love is not the way of mating. Mating is for alliance, for the good of the matriarchies. Our families were shamed by his actions, and he and his mate have been cast out as renegades. He was a fool.”

  “To mate for love?”

  Katryn lifted her arms so her cousin could lace up the sides of her gown. It was a perfect fit. “No. To mate for love in secret. To make his mating a shameful act. If he had spoken to me, I would have let him go. I would have convinced Matriarch Yola it was for the best. She is not unfeeling, and I am not unsympathetic.”

  “And how does this affect Lord Baleel?” Katryn sat in the chair Adriana motioned her into. Her cousin ran a brush through her hair and began to braid it in an intricate style.

  When she glanced over her shoulder, Adriana flushed, but Katryn couldn’t tell if it was embarrassment or anger. “My shame was so public, so openly flaunted in my face, Matriarch Yola swore I may choose my own mate, that I may have a love match. Baleel tried to force my hand, to take my choice away. That I cannot forgive. There…you’re ready.”

  Adriana stepped back, and Katryn caught her hand. She squeezed tight. “I’m sorry, cousin. I like Lord Baleel, but I’m sorry you were hurt.”

  “Well, no matter.” Her small hands fluttered. “When you mate with Lord Nadir and Lord Tarkesh—”

  Katryn jerked to her feet. She felt all the blood leech from her face, and she felt the top of her head tingle with cold. “Excuse me? I am mating with Tarkesh?”

  Confusion showed on her cousin’s face. “Well, yes…I—I assumed you knew. You’ve…I could smell him on you last evening. Wait… Where are you going?”

  Fury erupted in Katryn’s belly, blinding her. Tarkesh had lied to her. She didn’t even care why. He had let her suffer and worry by not telling her he was the other third of Nadir’s harim. Her fists bunched into tight knots. She wanted to pummel him until he felt even a shred of the pain she had in the past day when she’d thought she’d never see him again, never touch him again. Had it been part of a game between him and Nadir to make her love him? Shame twisted tight with bitter fury. She stormed from the room, intent on getting her answers from the only man who could answer them. Now.

  Chapter 7

  Tarkesh paced the small chamber he and Nadir were to occupy until the mating ceremony. “I should speak to her. She will be upset when she finds out.”

  “Calm yourself, Tark. You know they will never allow you to communicate with her in any way until the ceremony is over. It’s tradition.” Nadir lounged on a floor pillow, his white mating robes draping around his large form. The constant want Tarkesh felt for his mate kicked him, and his cock stirred. Awareness sparked in Nadir’s dark eyes, and Tarkesh smiled to acknowledge the need they couldn’t fulfill until that night. With Katryn. He fought a groan as his cock rose to full attention.

  “It is a foolish tradition,” Tarkesh barked and turned away from his mate.

  Nadir sighed. “True, but that doesn’t mean it will change.”

  “I am simply—”

  “Worried. Yes, I know.” The big, black dragon chuckled.

  “One of us has to be,” he snapped back.

  A single eyebrow rose in response to that. “I worry when I must. I have you to worry the rest of the time.”

  “You don’t know her—”

  “Yet. I think you need some distraction, Tark.” Nadir rolled to his feet, a wicked smile on his darkly handsome face, and had taken a step forward when the door burst open.

  Katryn, stunning in a traditional mating gown, came to a stop before Tarkesh, her finger lifting to jab him in the chest. “You knew. You knew I was to be mated to you as well, and you kept it from me. How could you? I thought…I thought we were friends.”

  Goddess, he knew this would happen. He should have found some way to tell her. Fury at himself slammed into his gut. He kept his voice low and soothing. “I wanted to know you before I told you everything. You knew so little about your own people. I—”

  She sliced a hand through the air. “And do you know me now? Did I pass your little test? Was sleeping with me part of the test, Tarkesh?”

  He flinched. “It was not like that, Katryn. I tried to tell you before we—before you—”

  “Now it’s my fault you lied to me?” She deepened her voice to mimic his. “Trust me, Katryn. Not all dragons are like your father. Trust me, Katryn. I’ll answer any questions you have. I did trust you, and you hurt me. At least my father was honest in his neglect. I was just a means to an end—for both of you.”

  “Please, Katryn. Don’t say that. It’s more than a convenience between us now. You have to see that. I’m in love with you.” The words exploded from Tarkesh, and he slanted an apologetic glance at his mate.

  The black dragon merely lifted a brow. I already knew. You think I don’t know what you’re like when you’re in love?

  “I’m humiliated.” Tears welled in her dark eyes, and the expression on her face ripped into Tarkesh’s heart.

  Nadir moved to stand beside him and placed a supporting hand on his shoulder. Tarkesh didn’t deserve the support. He cursed himself a hundred times over for hurting her. He didn’t know what to say to mend the damage.

  Nadir spoke first. “Lady Katryn—”

  Her gaze narrowed on the larger man. “Lord Nadir, I presume? No wonder you looked me over yesterday as if you owned me.” She snorted. “Well, I hope the two of you are incredibly happy together. You’ll need to find some other woman to legitimize your mating. Good-bye.”

  The door slammed behind her after she’d raced back out of the room. Tarkesh staggered as the pain hit him square in the chest. He had ruined it, hurt someone he loved. It was over. The weight of it crushed down on his chest, and he sank onto the pillow Nadir had just abandoned. Nausea rolled through him, and he fought the need to vomit. Lost. He had lost Katryn, and with her, he would lose Nadir as well. Tarkesh wouldn’t accept another woman in their mating, and he and Nadir couldn’t stay together without a female to breed with. Goddess above. He loved them both, and now he would lose everything. Because of his actions, his mate would lose, too. “I’m sorry, Nadir. I failed you both.”

  “You failed no one. I can fix this.” Nadir’s hand cupped the back of Tarkesh’s head, but he didn’t look up. “I will fix this. Meet us outside when the bell chimes.”

  He angled a glance upward at the black dragon. “She’s a stubborn woman. She won’t go through with the mating just because you want her to.”

  “Have some faith in my abilities.”

  Opening his mouth to respond, he found he was too late. Nadir was gone, and he was alone. He shuddered, hoping it wasn’t an omen for his future.

  Nadir saw Lady Adriana hovering around Katryn as she paced the small room that matched the one he’d just left his mate in. He nodded to Baleel as the golden dragon entered the courtyard but kept walking toward the open door to Katryn’s chamber.

  Adriana wrung her hands. “Katryn? Are you all right?”

  Nadir pushed the door open wide and stepped through. He let a wicked grin show on his face. “I believe Lord Baleel is out in the courtyard waiting for you, Lady Adriana. He said you had scheduled a rendezvous with him.”

  Her expressive eyes popped wide with sparking anger. Her fists balled at her sides. Two indignant women closed up in one room were more than Nadir knew what to do with. He stepped out of the way as she started for the door.

  “Is he really? I never said I would meet him anywhere. Ever. Well, we’ll just see about him presuming to…” Her voice trailed off in a string of muttered curses as she stomped out of the room.

  Katryn spun around to face Nadir, the same anger snapping in her eyes as had shown in her c
ousin’s. Her face was flushed, and her lush breasts lifted with each breath she drew. His fingers itched to cup them, suck them. Words exploded from her full lips, tripping together to get out. “What are you doing here? Is this how you think it would be between us? You and Tarkesh teaming together to make me do whatever you want? Ha. I believe I made my position on this matter extremely clear a moment ago. Go. Away.”

  “No.” He kicked the door shut behind him and locked it before stalking forward.

  Her eyes narrowed into angry slits, and a dragon hiss ripped from her. “What do you mean, no?”

  “And Tark claimed you were an intelligent woman.” He tsked. For each step he took toward her, she took one back until the wall behind her stopped her progress. He bracketed his palms on either side of her, caging her where he wanted her. “The word no typically means a negative response to a question or demand, but I’ve heard you have problems with the translation of terms from Vesperi to Harena.”

  “You should learn the definition yourself. I believe I said no to mating with you, and yet here you still are.” She widened her eyes innocently, planted her hands on her hips, and glared up at him.

  He chuckled at the direct hit. She didn’t retract her claws when she fought. He liked that, respected it in an opponent. His cock grew rigid. She was beautiful when she was angry. Not that he was foolish enough to say so, but her passion made her more than he was willing to resist. He dipped down until his lips almost touched hers. She grew still, and a flush rose in her cheeks. “Yes, here I still am. And what are you going to do about it?”

  Her mouth opened and closed, but no sound emerged. She drew a deep breath, and the tips of her breasts rubbed against his chest. He glanced down and saw how her nipples thrust against the front of her bodice. His gaze lifted to meet hers. “Or do you want to do anything about it, my lady?”

  She hissed at him, and he slammed his lips down over hers, thrusting his tongue into the warm wetness of her mouth. Moaning against his lips, she twisted in his arms, fighting to get away. His arms snapped around her, jerking her tight to his chest. She whimpered, moving with him in a duel of lips and teeth and tongues. His cock pressed against her soft belly. Goddess, he wanted to thrust into her wet pussy. She threw her head back, and he dipped down to bite the base of her throat. Crying out, she lifted one leg to wrap around his hip. His hand slid into the slit in her gown. He hissed in a breath. Her thighs were scaled. He wanted to move his tongue up her scales until he could taste her juices.

  Her fingers clenched in his hair, tugging on the short strands. He rubbed his goatee against the soft skin of her neck. She shivered. “Nadir.”

  “Are you hot for me, Katryn?” She gasped when he slipped his tongue up her throat to suck her earlobe into his mouth. “Are you wet?”

  “Yes. I—I don’t… You can’t…” Her other leg rose so both of them wrapped around his flanks. One of his hands moved to cup her bottom, lifting her higher against the wall. He pushed his cock against her softness.

  “I can. I will. I am.” He pushed her gown aside with his free hand to press his fingers into the heat of her pussy. His jaw clenched at how wet she was, how responsive. Goddess, she was perfect. Tarkesh was right. They would enjoy her together for the rest of their lives if he played this right. He tried to rein in his raging need, but his fingers pushed deeper into her damp channel.

  He pulled back and lowered her to the floor, stepping away from her. She swayed toward him. Her pupils expanded, and the black of her irises spread from corner to corner when he lifted his hand to lick her juices from his fingers. He hummed low in his throat. She choked, watching him. Panting, she stepped toward him, hot want for him in her dragon eyes.

  He chuckled as a bell pealed overhead. “That is the chime to call us to the temple.”

  “You cannot force me to mate with you.” Her dark eyes resumed their human form faster than he would have guessed. He cursed and tried another tack.

  “Would you ruin the months of work your aunts have put into negotiating your match? Do you think Yola would appreciate your behavior now?” She blanched at that. Ah. He’d found the sensitive area, and he pressed his advantage, as he did in every negotiation he initiated. “Your irresponsibility would shame them. Stop acting like a petulant child and do your duty.”

  Every inch of color drained from her face. Guilt slammed into his gut as vulnerable hurt shone in her luminous eyes. Then she blinked, and it was gone, hidden behind the coolly polite expression she had worn when he’d first spied her the day before. The fight drained from her as if he had flipped a switch that killed the fiery light in her gaze. It shook him to the core to realize he missed that, he wanted it. What was happening to him? No one had affected him so deeply, so quickly, except Tarkesh. Certainly no woman had managed it.

  She stepped around him, brushing her hand down her saltwater silk gown. It had the traditional cut of a mating robe, heavily embroidered with silver threads. Her slim hand closed around the curved door latch, and she slid open the door. He followed her out into the courtyard just as Tarkesh stepped out of the room opposite them. An anxious expression rode Tarkesh’s features, and Nadir nodded to reassure him. His shoulders relaxed, and he hurried to join them at the massive, carved double doors that lead to the temple.

  “Adriana,” Katryn’s voice rang softly through the courtyard, and Nadir turned toward the scent of Katryn’s cousin. She was wrapped in Baleel’s embrace. The two were locked in an angry kiss. Adriana shoved Baleel back, and they stared at each other, panting hard. Then she snapped around to look at Katryn, a blank expression on her face.

  Adriana blinked and then blushed a deep red to match her scales. Scurrying forward, she met them at the door just as Tarkesh joined them. Baleel slipped away to enter a side door into the temple. Nadir cupped a hand around Katryn’s elbow, determined not to give her a chance to change her mind. She jerked her arm out of his grasp. A cold, reptilian hiss issued from her throat. “I’m not going anywhere, Lord Nadir. You needn’t try to cage me.”

  “Yes, my mate. Lady Katryn does not care to have anyone put their hands on her unless she asks.” Tarkesh broke into the tense silence, tilting forward to smile down at Katryn.

  “I am not speaking to you. Let’s just do this.” She tucked a stray strand of her inky hair behind her ear and faced the doors. “Adriana. Lead us in.”

  Adriana’s gaze flicked back and forth between her cousin, Nadir, and Tarkesh. She opened her mouth to address her cousin in a tentative tone. “Katryn, you don’t have to—”

  Katryn cut her off. “I don’t wish to speak of this. Let us go. Or we can discuss your love life, cousin.”

  A wild flush raced up Adriana’s lovely face, and she turned for the temple doors. She pushed them wide and walked to her designated location as the family representative. Nadir noticed Baleel’s gaze follow her up the aisle as the rest of the assembly stood to face them. Tarkesh’s eyes met Nadir’s as they both placed a hand on the small of Katryn’s back. She jolted away from their touch, which conveniently started her down the long aisle. A wicked gleam flashed in Tarkesh’s eyes as he fell into step beside Nadir, and they followed a stride behind Katryn up the aisle.

  Yola was a nightmare. She’d spent the entire celebration contradicting anything that came out of Katryn’s mouth. She was worse than Katryn’s father in her dismissive attitude toward Katryn’s thoughts on anything. She didn’t care for Katryn to think at all—that much was obvious. The rest of the members of her matriarchy were no better. Katryn was considered “less than” simply because she was raised on Vesperi and knew very little about dragon culture. Katryn shoved an angry hand through her hair and stomped toward her chambers. This was not how she had pictured any bonding night in her mind. Two mates she would happily skin alive, and a matriarchal leader she’d as soon see flung over a canyon wall than speak to her. She allowed herself to enjoy that mental image for a moment before she drew up in front of her doors. They were in there—she could smell them.
Which meant they could smell her out in the hall, hesitating. Good. Let them worry. They ought to know she was displeased with both of them, and she wasn’t going to pretend otherwise.

  You can stay out there for an hour, if you want. It won’t change what will happen when you come in here. Nadir’s deep voice stroked over her mind like rough silk.

  A pulse of want went through her, loosening her muscles and dampening her sex. She snorted at her own weakness, at her own attraction to her mates. She groaned at the thought. She was mated to two males who dragged reactions from her she couldn’t stop. She didn’t let herself back down, didn’t let herself run. Reaching out, she jerked one door open and stepped inside.

  Her breath caught at the sight that greeted her. Both men lounged naked on her bed, waiting for her. And both men’s cocks were full and hard. Moisture flooded her pussy, and she squeezed her thighs together to ease the screaming ache between them. Oh, Goddess.

  Nadir rose from the bed with reptilian grace. A knowing smile curved his lips. “I can smell your desire, little desert blossom. Your nipples are hard. You can’t wait for us to slide our cocks into you. Do you know how many ways we could both take you at once?”

  Shock rocked her back on her heels, and the images that flashed through her mind were staggering. She could picture it. Both of them. Inside her. She swallowed the lump in her throat that threatened to squeeze the breath from her. Need so deep she shook with it rocked her to her core. Nadir circled her, and she turned to follow him with her gaze. He stepped toward her, and she scrambled back. She didn’t think she could withstand him touching her. The want raging through her body was more than she could bear. If he touched her, if either of them touched her, she would shatter. The backs of her knees hit the low bed.

  She stopped and glared at the enormous black dragon. “I’m not happy with you. Either of you.”

  “Let us make it up to you.” Tarkesh’s voice purred in her ear, and she jumped when his arms went around her from behind. Nadir pressed to her front. Caught. She was entangled between them, and their embrace encompassed each other as well as her.