Sassy Ever After: Her Warrior Dragon (Kindle Worlds Novella)

by Ariel Marie

  His dragon rumbled deep within his chest at the image that was broadcasted through his mind.

  “Vander,” she moaned, her voice breaking through his thoughts. She tightened her arms around him, crushing her breasts to him. He needed her fully naked, and was tempted to rip her dress off, but he had to remember that they were in the car.

  “Faye, stay with me tonight,” he demanded. This one time in the car would not be enough. He wanted to get her back to his condo. His eyes locked onto hers before her head rolled back. Her eyes were shut tight as he slammed her down on his cock.

  “Vander,” she chanted repeatedly as their pace picked up. He paused, wanting to get her attention.

  He reached down and found her sensitive nub with his thumb.

  “Tell me you’ll stay with me tonight,” he demanded again, as he applied pressure to her clit. He massaged her slick nub with intense pressure. He knew he wasn’t playing fair, but when he wanted something, he went after it, and didn’t care what he had to do to get it.

  “Yes,” she groaned, moving her hips in tandem with his thumb.

  “All night?” he asked. He would be relentless until he was sure that he got want he wanted.

  “Yes,” she screamed as her orgasm washed over her. Her muscles surrounded his cock, pulsated as the sensations hit her. Her small body trembled against his.

  Vander roared. Unable to hold off anymore, he released her nub so that he could thrust his hips, pushing his cock deeper into her womb. The familiar tingling sensation zipped through his body as he released his seed deep inside of her.

  His breaths came fast and hard as she slumped against him. He cradled her to his chest with his semi hard cock still buried within her.

  They’d have to discuss birth control later. Vander knew that as a dragon shifter, he would only be able to impregnate his mate once they’d mated. Later, he’d have to explain everything to her. The mating ceremony, and the need for her to consume at least an ounce of his blood every year to give her the life longevity needed to mate with a dragon shifter for life.

  The car drew to a halt. He opened his eyes and peered out the window to find them in the private garage of his apartment building.

  “We’re here,” he breathed, resting his chin on top of her head.

  Her response was muffled by his chest as her body lay limp against him.

  “Say again?” he chuckled.

  “I’m not going to be able to walk,” she mumbled, turning her head to the side.

  “Don’t worry.” He pushed her hair away from her face. “I got you.”

  And he did. Now that he had her in his arms, he would never let her go.

  6

  Faye woke to the softest material she had ever felt. It slid across her naked skin as she turned on her side. The plushness of the bed held her hostage and refused to let her go. She was okay with staying there. She had muscles on her that she didn’t even know could be sore.

  All thanks to Vander.

  She smiled as she buried her face into her pillow.

  She had lost track of how many times he had made her come. She had never been with a lover before who took such care of her, and ensured that she reached her peak every single time.

  She released a giggle as she tried to remember if she ever had so many orgasms in one night, but for the life of her, she couldn’t think of one time.

  Not one.

  “Good morning,” a familiar deep voice rumbled beside her. The bed dipped from Vander’s weight as he sat on the edge of the bed near her.

  She rolled in his direction, bringing the silk sheet with her to keep her naked form covered. Shyness overcame her as she stared into his golden eyes.

  Now that it was the light of day, it meant that their passion filled night would come forward in the light of day. It wasn’t a dream or fantasy, but a reality. She had to face the man who made her climax repeatedly with his tongue, fingers, and cock.

  “Morning.” She smiled as she settled back against the plush pillows. He had thrown on a pair of sweatpants, but remained shirtless, displaying his well-defined chest, and ridges of his abdomen. Memories of her tongue tracing every one of those ridges flashed before her eyes.

  Her core clenched with just the memory of the saltiness of his skin. Unconsciously, her tongue came out and licked her bottom lip, as if tasting him again. His golden eyes darkened as they followed her tongue’s movement.

  Down girl, she thought to herself. What was wrong with her? She was turning into a horn ball from just one night with Vander.

  “I have something for you.” He chuckled, as if reading her mind. She knew if he just gave the word, she would be tearing the sheet off of herself for another round with the man.

  The divine smell of bacon hit her, and her stomach rumbled. She glanced around Vander and saw a tray filled with food sitting on the oversized nightstand.

  Okay, after she ate, she would tear the sheet off her body and drag him back into bed with her. There was no way she could pass up on breakfast. A girl needed sustenance to keep up her stamina.

  Didn’t she?

  “I see,” she said, sitting up higher in the bed. “Breakfast in bed? You didn’t have to do that.”

  “I’ve kept you occupied all night. It was the least I could do,” he replied with his devilish smile. He leaned in and placed a chaste kiss upon her lips. “But, I have something else for you besides the food.”

  “Oh?” She cocked an eyebrow at him. Food was good enough. What else could he possibly have for her?

  She watched as he reached over and pulled open the top drawer to the nightstand. His hand disappeared as it went inside, and pulled out a black velvet square box.

  She gasped as he handed it to her.

  “What is this?” she exclaimed. Her hands shook as she held it before her. “I can’t accept this.” She shook her head and thrust it toward him.

  “You haven’t even looked inside.” He pushed the box back to her.

  Her face must have given away her true feelings. She was hurt. Did he really think she would require payment for the night they’d shared? She wasn’t a prostitute, for Pete’s sake!

  “No one thinks you’re a prostitute, Faye,” Vander assured her softly. Her eyes flew to him. Could he read her mind?

  He placed his hand over hers and stared deep into her eyes. “From the moment I woke up to find you over me, I knew that there was something special about you. What’s in that box is yours. Think of it as a thank you for taking care of me when I was in the hospital.” He pushed the box gently toward her again. “Now, open it.”

  Her eyes looked up at him one last time as she fiddled with the box. Her breath caught in her throat as she slowly opened it. Tucked amongst a dark satin cloth was one of the most beautiful necklaces she had ever seen. It was a purple, amethyst dragon’s eye pendant, with oxidized brass surrounding it. The beautiful amethyst with crystal clear diamonds surrounding the eye caused her to gasp.

  Her eyes flew to Vander.

  “It’s a special piece. It represents me and my kind,” he murmured, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. “I want you to have it.”

  His kind?

  Holy hell.

  Her mouth flopped open in disbelief.

  “Wait! Are you telling me that you’re a—”

  She couldn’t bring herself to say it. She thought that they didn’t exist, except only in bedtime stories that parents told their children. Her eyes widened as she stared into his beautiful golden eyes. He smiled slightly at her shocked expression.

  “Dragon shifter.” He nodded as he watched her carefully.

  It explained everything.

  How he had broken almost all the bones in his body. He literally fell to the earth.

  His quick recovery. Dragon shifters were one of the most powerful shifters ever.

  Him tracking her down. Dragons loved to horde what they claimed as theirs.

  The beautiful gift. Dragons loved to bestow expensive gifts o
n the ones they cared for.

  “But I thought dragon shifters were a myth,” she whispered, glancing down at the beautiful pendant.

  “We have been around for centuries. We only allow those we want to see us.” He tipped her face up to him and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. “Let me help you put this on.”

  She nodded her head, anxious to see what it would look like on her. He took the box from her as she turned slightly away from him. She lifted her hair from her neck as he gently placed the pendent on her. It settled just above her breasts.

  “I want to see it.” She laughed and looked down. She wrapped the sheet around her as she jumped from the bed. Smiling, she raced across the room to the floor length mirror, with the sheet dragging behind her.

  She gasped loudly as she gazed at herself in the mirror, patting down her crazed bed head as she assessed herself. Her face was relaxed, with a sexy, satisfied grin plastered across her face. Her eyes trailed down and locked on the pendant.

  It was perfect.

  “It would look better with you naked,” he murmured, coming up behind her.

  His strong arms engulfed her from behind as he brought her body flush against his. Her heart sped up as he unfolded the sheet from around her, allowing it to fall to the floor. Her nipples hardened as the chilled air caressed them, drawing them into tiny buds. His eyes darkened as he took in her naked form.

  She moaned as she felt her body quickly responding to his.

  “Yes,” he hissed. “Much better.”

  7

  Vander stalked through his castle toward the sunroom, where Feno and Jodos waited for him. His weekend had been spent locked up in his city condo with Faye. His dragon hated leaving her, but he had to attend to business. Hunting down Gamair was still a top priority.

  “Gentlemen,” he greeted them as he burst through the door. He knew that his brother hated to be kept waiting, but Faye was worth any ass chewing from his older sibling.

  “It’s about damn time,” Feno growled from where he paced by the oversized window. His brother shot him a stern look as he walked toward him. Vander held out his hand, which his brother grasped in a firm handshake.

  “Hello to you, too, big brother.” Vander chuckled as Feno walked over to the couch. He could tell that his brother was pissed as he grumbled under his breath. Vander caught the words, “no respect” as he took a seat on the couch.

  “And how is your female?” Jodos asked, slapping him on the back.

  “She’s everything that I could imagine,” he admitted, memories of the weekend flashing before his eyes. His favorite part was seeing her naked with only his pendant on, just as he had dreamed she would look. The real deal proved to be much better than anything he could have ever imagined. His dragon huffed at the thought that she now wore their pendant, which symbolized that she was to be protected by them.

  “Mother would be proud that you have found your mate. When will the mating ceremony be?” Feno asked with a raised eyebrow.

  Vander paused. He hadn’t shared with Faye that she was his mate. He told a slight fib when he told her the dragon eye was just a gift. It wasn’t just any gift, but a symbol of his claim on her.

  “We hadn’t made it that far,” he admitted sheepishly, taking a seat in his oversized recliner.

  “Oh?” Feno and Jodos shared a quick look. Vander wasn’t worried. He knew she was just as crazy about him as he was her. There was no rush. They could take their time. He had certain matters to take care of first, and then she would be his.

  “She’s a human. She’s not accustomed to our ways. We have plenty of time. Once we destroy Gamair, there will be nothing standing in my way of claiming her.”

  “Sounds like a good plan.” Feno nodded, relaxing against the couch.

  A dragon always protected their mate to the death. His beast was ready to prepare the castle for her arrival, and it had to be perfect for her. Everything that he possessed would be hers. Over his long life, he had collected precious jewels, priceless artworks, and more money than any human could possibly need.

  It would all be hers.

  “After you went down, I followed him going north, toward Canada,” Jodos began.

  Vander knew that Gamair loved to hide in the remote mountainous regions of the northern country. There were many dense areas of the country that were favorites of many dragons, due to the remote locations and low human populations.

  “And while you were playing the helpless patient in the hospital, I spoke to a few of the farmers from the village,” Feno advised.

  “How are they?” Vander leaned forward. It was because of the destruction of Gamair that these people were displaced and had to start over.

  “They’re shaken up, but they’re resilient. They’re prepared to rebuild their community.”

  “Whatever they need, we will supply,” Vander volunteered. They would help the peaceful human community rebuild and prosper. “Whatever the cost.

  “What are you doing today?” Angela asked as they left the break room.

  Unfortunately, Faye had to return to reality. Her weekend with Vander had been amazing, but she couldn’t stay in bed with the dragon shifter forever. Reality waited for her when she returned home. She had bills to pay and a life to lead.

  Memories of him walking her to her door burst forth. The kiss that he gave her left her knees weak. He made her promise that he could see her again, but there was no need to even think on it. Her immediate answer was yes.

  Of course she wanted to see him again.

  His pendent weighed heavy against her chest, as it fit snug beneath her scrub top. He insisted that she never remove it. As beautiful as it was, she had no problem keeping that promise.

  “My couch is calling me.” She laughed, thinking that she had barely gotten any sleep, thanks to Vander. Today, when she got off work, she would be catching up on some much needed sleep. She was still running off adrenaline and her excitement. “My blanket and the couch will be my best friend as soon as I get home.”

  The operators voice broke through the intercom, announcing a trauma was on the way to the hospital. They both took off jogging back toward the emergency department. Faye wasn’t happy that someone’s life was in danger, but it looked as if the rest of the shift would fly by for her. A few more hours, and she would be homebound.

  The medics met them in the bay area with the latest trauma patient. Working a coding patient was second nature to Faye. In their town, the hospital stayed busy, and she had enough experience with the acutely ill patients. The team worked tirelessly on the motor vehicle accident victim, but unfortunately, the man did not survive.

  Losing a patient was never easy for Faye, but she believed if it was a person’s time to go, no amount of human intervention would change that.

  “I’m going out for a breather,” Faye called out as she walked out of the room. She just needed to clear her mind from the past hour. The patient was young, and they had worked on him for a long time in hopes that they would be able to bring him back, but they were unsuccessful.

  “I’m coming with you,” Teresa announced as she followed behind Faye. “I need a fucking smoke after that.”

  “Sure,” Faye muttered as she walked down the back hallways of the hospital that led to the back.

  She had wanted a few minutes by herself, just to clear her mind. The sound of his wife’s tortured scream echoed through her head, when the physician informed her that her husband didn’t make it.

  “Wow, look at those stars,” Teresa exclaimed as they exited the hospital. The smoke hut was set away from the building, giving employees and visitors a place to smoke. It reminded her of a bus stop, only those sitting inside were waiting for their next nicotine fix.

  “It is beautiful.” Faye agreed, staring up at the clear dark sky. Not a cloud was in sight, just the twinkle of stars lining the beautiful canvas of night. “Hey, I’m going to sit over here,” Faye said, motioning over to a bench outside the hut. She hated the smell of ci
garette smoke, and didn’t want to chance it getting on her while her friend lit up.

  She plopped down on the bench and breathed a sigh of relief. The faint tinge of cigarette smoke lingered in the air as Teresa sat quietly, enjoying her nicotine fix.

  “You all right out there?” Teresa’s voice broke through the quiet.

  “Yeah, I’m good,” Faye replied as she closed her eyes for a brief moment.

  She would be all right. Not only was this a part of nursing, but it was a part of life. Everyone had to die at some point. No one lived forever.

  A cool breeze drifted by, calming her nerves, but it didn’t last long. The hairs on the back of her neck rose to attention as an uncomfortable feeling overcame her. A light noise caught her attention. She opened her eyes and found a dark, menacing figure standing near the entrance of the building.

  Faye’s eyes locked on him, while her body froze in place. She squinted at the figure, trying to see if it was an employee of the hospital, but no one who had to wear a suit would be at the hospital at this time of night.

  “Can I help you?” she called out. She reached down into the pocket of her scrubs and was comforted by the feel of her cellphone.

  “Just needed some fresh air,” the deep voice answered.

  His excuse still didn’t sit well with her. In order to exit the building from that door, the person would have had to swipe out of the building. Thanks to the hospital’s security, employees had to swipe in and out of certain doors. If he had walked from the other side of the hospital, she would have heard his footsteps.

  Red flags.

  “Who the hell is that?” Teresa asked from the hut’s entrance.

  “Someone who needed air,” she replied, not taking her eyes off the figure. She made a mental note to complain to the higher-ups of the hospital about better lighting in the area. The once serene feeling she had was gone, and she was left feeling creeped out.