by KD Jones
“I would love to but it’s been a while.”
“I have an older mare that is very docile. She knows all the trails. You can practically go to sleep in the saddle and she would bring you right back here safe and sound.”
“A nice ride would be great.”
“I’ll get Turtle for you.”
She wasn’t really hungry for lunch, having too much pent-up energy. A relaxing ride around the ranch would help relax her. Hopefully Rei would be back by dinner.
*****
Eight hours later
Rei was frustrated. They had gotten to the suspected hideout just minutes after Dyson and his men abandoned it. It was like they seemed to have some kind of insight to be able to keep evading capture. It would have made him infuriated even more but Drake reminded him that the more hideouts they exposed, the fewer places Dyson would have to go to.
“Sir, I think I’ve found something,” one of his warriors said as he knelt by the trash can.
“What is it?”
“It’s a partial invoice for a drug company.” Warrior Roc handed the paper over to him.
“I can’t tell what the drug is that was ordered. It’s partly marked out.”
Drake took a look. “I can call the manufacturer and see if I can get them to give me the information.”
Rei handed the paper to Drake. “Let me know as soon as possible. Have everything found loaded in the pickup truck and I’ll drive it back to the ranch.”
“Yes, My King,” Drake responded.
He hated that he had to take the truck but he was still not able to completely shift. He could do a partial shift with his hands but that was extremely painful. The doctor had called to check up on him and when he told him about the partial shift, the doctor felt it was very good news. He told Rei he should practice shifting, even if it was partial, every day, several times a day.
“Sir, everything is loaded in the truck. We’ll shift and follow you back.”
“Thanks, Drake.” He would miss dinner but he wasn’t hungry for food. He had a different hunger that needed satiating.
Chapter 18
A light rapping at the door had Gema springing up from the chair where she was sitting, reading a book. She walked over to open the door and smiled widely at the sight of Rei.
“You’re back.”
“I am. I’m sorry it took so long.”
“Did you find Dyson?”
“We missed him by mere minutes.”
“I’m sorry.”
“What did you do while I was gone? Did you call your grandmother again?”
“I didn’t know if I should call her without asking you first.”
“Of course you can call her anytime. I’ve told everyone that you have free rein around here.”
She felt heat rise to her face. “I appreciate that.”
“So what did you do?” he asked, sitting down on the love seat.
Gema sat next to him and felt his heat immediately. “I rode one of your horses: Turtle.”
He chuckled. “A good choice if you’re not a proficient rider.”
“Your head guy recommended her.”
“Then what?”
“I sat on the porch with Valorie watching the sun set, had dinner, then I went to your library and picked a book to read. All in all, it was a very relaxing day. I could get used to it.”
“Good.”
He stared at her. Never had anyone focused so intently on her before. It was incredible and unnerving all at the same time. She fumbled with her fingers which twitched to run through his thick hair. She kept remembering their last kiss and how their bodies fit together. She tried to keep the conversation light.
“Did you get something to eat?”
“Not yet, but I plan to feast all night.”
Oh boy, she was in trouble. Her body heated at not only his words but the tone of his voice. She felt wetness between her thighs from her body wanting his. He sniffed the air and his eyes glowed. She suspected he could scent her arousal and the glow was his response back. He wanted her, too.
He stood up and offered her his hand. “I didn’t get to dine with you earlier. Will you dance with me?”
“There’s no music.” She took his hand and stood up. He pulled her against him and began to sway as he sang to her. Oh God, he had a great male singing voice. It was deep and seductive. He sang the song low and slow. It took her a few minutes before she recognized what he was singing.
“Jeremiah was a bullfrog…” He stopped singing and looked her directly in the eyes. “Gema.”
“Yes?”
“I’m going to make sweet love to you.”
Her heart was pounding and she couldn’t hold back her response. “It’s about damn time.”
Chapter 19
Rei leaned down and took her lips in a searing kiss. Gema kissed him back, with her reserves quickly fading away. She loved the way he kissed her as if she was his only source of nourishment, devouring her. He pulled away to nibble his way down her neck. His teeth scraped over her earlobe and she nearly came right then and there. She didn’t even know that was an erogenous zone for her.
Rei chuckled at her moan of pleasure. “You like that, huh?”
“I like everything you do to me.”
“Good to know.”
He slowly removed her nightgown, letting it slide down her body. She wasn’t wearing any underwear so he could see every bare inch of her. He stood back and took in her flesh.
“Absolutely beautiful.”
“Thank you.” She didn’t want to be the only one naked so she reached for his T-shirt and helped him pull it up and over his head.
He tossed it to the floor as he kicked off his boots. Then he started unsnapping his jeans. She thought that maybe she should look away, but couldn’t seem to tear her eyes from him. He really was built like a sun god, golden and muscular. Moving closer, she ran her hands over his chest.
“You are the sexiest man I have ever seen.”
He growled. “Don’t talk about other men.”
She gave him a naughty smile. “Trust me, there is no comparison.”
Rei bent down and picked her up in his arms, easily carrying her to the bed. When he laid her down, he came with her, keeping skin contact. The feel of him against her was incredible.
It was wonderful how he took his time with her, almost painstakingly. She felt hot all over and aches in her lower region. She knew only he could ease those aches. She was becoming desperate for him.
He kissed his way down her neck to her breasts. He nuzzled them, worshipping them like two rare flowers.
Rei took a nipple in his mouth and suckled while his fingers teased her other nipple. She arched up, letting him have full access to her. Every kiss, nibble, and touch had her passion ramping up. She moaned over and over with need.
“Please, Rei.”
Apparently, nothing was going to stop him from getting what he wanted. Kissing his way down her stomach, he used his fingers to tease her soft folds. She knew she was wet and coating him easily. He slipped a finger inside her and moved in and out. His lips sucked on her clit. A second finger joined the first, stroking and preparing her for his cock.
“Do you like this?”
Rei used his teeth against her clit while twisting his fingers with each stroke. He went deeper and deeper, making sure to hit her G-spot each time.
“Oh my God!”
Her whole body lifted off the bed. He had to hold her down to continue torturing her. Soon her climax hit her and she forgot everything but the sweet pleasure he brought her. As she slowly came back from the clouds, she could feel him kissing his way up her body. Her ripples of pleasure didn’t fade but increased.
Soon his eyes were piercing into hers. There was a flicker of a glow and she knew his dragon was looking at her, too. She reached a hand up and caressed his handsome face.
“I want you.”
“I want you more than anything, Gema.”
Rei plac
ed his full and hard cock at her opening and slowly entered her. He moved gradually, allowing her juices to coat him. She shifted her hips and he held her still.
“Easy, honey. I don’t want to lose control. I want you too badly and I’m not all the way in yet.”
“Hurry up!” she growled.
He continued his journey into her channel until he was fully seated inside her. She was about to have another climax just at the feel of him. It was like a piece she had been missing was finally home and she never wanted to let it go. He was watching her, both him and his dragon, making sure that she was taking him well.
“I’m good, baby. Please don’t stop.”
Rei moved in and out, deeper and deeper. His speed picked up and she wrapped her arms around him and her legs around his hips, holding on for the ride.
He plunged inside harder and harder. She couldn’t hold back any longer. Dragging her nails across his back had him increase his speed and power. They both strained and moaned as they reached their climaxes together.
Rei turned them to their sides but kept them connected. His cock had not gone down at all. She looked at him and raised an eyebrow.
He chuckled. “Drakonians can go for hours.”
“I don’t know if I will survive that.”
“You will, I promise.”
Rei kept his promise. He made love to Gema several more times, and each time she enjoyed it so much she was ready for more. Whatever she wanted he gave to her. Being with him was addictive. Finally, exhaustion set in and she curled into him as he held her. His fingers ran gently up and down her spine and she could hear him singing to her softly as she fell asleep.
Chapter 20
Rei lay on his side next to Gema, who was lying on her stomach. She was still asleep, her face turned toward him with a relaxed and satisfied expression. He wanted to leave her with that expression every morning. He had reached for her several times throughout the night and she was always ready for him, but he knew that he had exhausted her. He stroked her silky skin from her neck to her rounded ass. He would never get enough of touching her.
“Mmm…that feels so good.” Gema sighed as she moved into his hand.
“You should sleep in today. I gave you quite the workout.”
She smiled, turning to her side to look at him. “I’m not complaining, but we could both sleep in. Let’s stay in bed all day and only get up to eat food.”
God, he loved this female. The thought was unexpected but honest. He was falling in love with Gema. She was kind, understanding, accepting, and beautiful. She was perfect.
“I would love that, but we’re checking another possible hideout that Dyson might be using.”
She frowned. “Will you be gone all day?”
“This one is actually closer, a thirty-minute drive in the truck.”
She sat up suddenly. “I forgot about you not being able to shift. Is it getting any better?”
“Yes. Yesterday I could do a partial shift. The doctor told me to continue practicing, that he believed I should be able to fully shift in a day or two.”
“I haven’t had a chance to see you in your dragon form. What color is your dragon?”
“Blue.”
“I can’t wait to see you shift.”
He leaned down and kissed her shoulder. “I have something important to talk to you about.”
“What is it?”
“I would like to mate you fully.”
“Didn’t we pretty much mate last night?”
“Not completely. We would make love and I would share my dragon fire with you.”
“I thought that humans couldn’t take dragon fire; that they have died in the past trying to do it.”
“It has ended badly in the past but that was because the dragon or the human did not accept one another.”
“I want to know what went wrong.”
He sighed. “I’m going to tell you a story from my past that I have told very few people. Many, many years ago, I had fallen in love with a human. She was the daughter of the village leader and I thought she loved me back. She was playing with my affections, and when her father refused me her hand in marriage, she completely betrayed me.”
“How did she betray you? Was there another man?”
“She told me that she would run off with me to the mountains and to meet her that night after the villagers retired. I waited, and she showed but she wasn’t alone. She brought other males with her and their intention was to kill me.”
Gema reached out to lay her hand on his heart. “What happened?”
“I was not able to control my dragon’s fury. He never truly approved of Margaret. With her open hostility and betrayal, my dragon broke free and rained fire down on them, including Margaret. Part of the village was destroyed as well before I was able to calm my dragon down.”
Gema wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. “She deserved what she got for betraying you like that.”
He hugged her back, enjoying the feel of her and appreciating her kind heart. “I was ashamed for losing control but also fearful that if I tried to mate another, the same might happen.”
Gema kept her hands on his shoulders as she pulled back to look him in the eyes. “It’s a valid fear. If Margaret couldn’t take you dragon fire, I might not be able to either.”
“Margaret did not accept me or my dragon. She was a wrong choice. I didn’t think it was possible until Markus arrived and he found Valorie. His dragon connected with Valorie and Valorie was able to mate fully and accept the dragon fire.”
“I’m not sure I’m ready to risk that yet. It’s a serious step and I’m just getting to know you.”
“I can understand that. Will you at least think about it and talk to Valorie to find out what to expect?”
“I’ll think about it and I’ll talk to Valorie.”
“Thank you, Gema, for being so compassionate. I can promise you that if you do agree to mate me, you won’t regret it.”
“What if I don’t want to take the dragon fire?”
“I’ll still want to be with you. We’ll date for as long as you want or just until I can convince you that I’m the one for you and you agree to move in with me.”
She laughed at his confidence. “You’re persistent.”
“I wouldn’t be king if I gave up so easily.”
“King Reichardt, you are going to keep me on my toes, aren’t you?”
“Right now, I plan to keep you on your back.” He kissed her as he pressed her back on the bed. The others could wait a little longer. He had a mate to pleasure.
*****
Two hours later
“You haven’t stopped smiling since you came down for breakfast,” Valorie commented with a wink.
Gema shrugged and sat back in her seat. The breakfast was delicious and she had definitely worked up an appetite. Valorie wasn’t giving up without getting some kind of information out of her.
“I haven’t seen him this relaxed and happy in all the months I’ve known him. He’s got it bad for you. I think you have it bad for him, too.”
She longed to talk to someone about her feelings so she took a chance and opened up. “I do. I haven’t felt this way about anyone I dated in the past. He’s smart, sexy, sweet.”
“He’s also bossy, old-fashioned, and thinks that humans should be avoided at all times.”
She raised an eyebrow at Valorie.
“Sorry. Reichardt and I haven’t always seen eye to eye on things. I sometimes think that if it wasn’t for this baby I’m carrying, he would have kicked me off the ranch months ago. Markus would have gone with me.”
“He had his reasons.” She felt like she had to defend him.
“Whatever his reasons were, he obviously has gotten over them. Don’t get me wrong—I’m glad. You are exactly what he needs, and to be honest, what I need. I have been the only human in a household full of dragon shifters. They’re great but don’t understand me. I’m hoping we can be friends.”
“I believe it is your grandmother, Miss Gema.”
She put her plates down and reached for the phone. She didn’t leave a number so how did her grandmother know how to reach her?
“Abuela?”
“Gema, don’t listen to him!” her grandmother yelled right before a man’s voice came on the line.
“You will listen to me, Gema, if you want to see your grandmother alive.”
“Who is this?”
“We didn’t get a chance to meet. Call me King Dyson. I’m going to give you instructions and you’re going to follow those instructions to the letter or I will send you your grandmother piece by piece.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Are there people around you?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t tell them who I am or what I am saying. You will go to the barn. A horse has been prepared for you. Get on him and ride east to the cliffs. One of my warriors will be there to take you the rest of the way.”
“To where?”
“I think it’s best to not say, just in case you try to tip off Reichardt. You have twenty minutes. If you don’t show, my warrior will notify me and I will start removing body parts.” Dyson didn’t wait for her response before he hung up.
“Is everything okay?” Valorie asked. The warrior that brought the phone also waited for an answer.
“Yes, she’s just missing me. I’m going to go for a walk. Which way is west? I want to watch the sunset.”
The warrior pointed in the direction. “The sun won’t set for another three hours.”
“Oh well, at least I know. Thanks.” She quickly moved out of the dining room and walked toward the main entrance to the ranch house. If a horse was waiting for her it meant that one of Rei's warriors had betrayed him. That was going to hurt him. She wanted to call him, get word, but if she tried, whoever was spying for Dyson would tell and her grandmother would be hurt. She hoped she could get to her in time.
