by Anna Santos
His hands undid the button, unzipped the jeans, and pulled them down her legs. Her eyes didn’t open. She merely moved her legs and hips to help get rid of the excess clothing. She arched her back and fisted the comforter when his mouth kissed her panties, and his hands parted her legs. She gasped when his tongue licked the shape of her womanhood. His fingers pushed her panties away, the next thing she felt was his lips on her mound descending to her slit as two of his fingers parted her folds and exposed her pink flesh to the touch of his tongue.
Explosions made her body quiver, and her hips bounce. It was too much pleasure to bear as he continued to kiss, suck, and gently nibble. When he dipped his fingers inside her, she convulsed and lost her ability to breathe. Her hips kept swaying as his fingers moved in and out and his tongue massaged her clit. Before she knew it, she was shivering through an orgasm. Her head kept spinning, and her breasts ached for his touch.
Kayden lifted his head with a proud smile as he cleaned his mouth against his arm. Barbara was still gasping and experiencing the aftershocks of her orgasm. He couldn’t have enough of kissing and touching her, yet his shaft was hard as a rock and aching more than he could bear. He wanted to be inside of her. But he wanted her to be ready and relaxed when he claimed her.
After caressing her hips, he laced her panties around his fingers and pulled them down. He kneeled on the bed, took off his belt, and unfastened his jeans. Barbara opened her eyes with her cheeks red, and her lips parted. He controlled the urge to suck on her lower lip and to plunge his tongue into her mouth. Not yet. He needed to get rid of his clothes and nestle his shaft between her thighs until he was inside of her.
With hooded eyes, she watched as he removed his clothes and crawled over her. He kissed her, hard and needy. Her right hand touched him from his torso to his shaft and closed around it. His body almost succumbed on top of her with her touch. Her hand was relieving his tension and pleasuring him. Her legs opened, and her hips moved, inviting him to come closer. He deepened the kiss as her hand guided his member to her entrance. It felt hot and moist.
When his hand secured her hip, and his hardened shaft nudged against her entrance, she breathed out his name, arched her back, and pressed her hands to his backside. He plunged in, and his body burst and quivered with the sensation of being inside her.
He had fantasized about this since the first time he saw her. Now it was happening, and he was in heaven. She was tight and wet. Smiling, he pumped in and out of her as she ground against him and moaned. No other woman felt as good as she did. He knew why. She was his forever. It was more than the fulfillment of a raw sexual need. It was a ritual of claiming what was his.
Barbara came first. He could feel the convulsions around his shaft and hear her shrieks of pleasure. He came a few moments after, but he didn’t rest. He turned her around and claimed her again and again until she fell asleep in his arms of exhaustion and bliss.
Kayden woke up late in the night at the twins’ clumsy attempt to keep it quiet while reaching their bedroom. Knowing they were safely home made him relax and fall asleep again after combing his fingers through Barbara’s hair and kissing her cheek. He would probably have a sore arm in the morning, but he didn’t want to stay away from her and to fall asleep with his better half in his arms was what he had been dreaming of for a very long time.
Chapter Eighteen
BARROW, ALASKA
Sunlight streamed through the window when Barbara woke up naked in her bed. Blinking, she smiled at the memories of Kayden and her making love, flying, and discovering that they were fated mates. Kayden was nowhere to be found.
Sitting up, she looked around the bedroom and found her clothes folded on the rocking chair. She tamed her wild red hair and wore her panties and t-shirt. Before she could put on anything else, the door unlocked, and Kayden entered with a tray of food and a flower in his hand.
“Where are you going, gorgeous?”
“I was looking for you.”
“I had to get up and feed the animals. The twins are still asleep, and I wanted to make you breakfast and bring it to bed.”
Grinning, Barbara relaxed her back against the headboard. “I’m starving.”
Kayden sat beside her, and she picked up for her cup of coffee and a slice of toast.
“I was thinking about having a conversation with the twins about us. So, they know what is going on. Then, I have a few things to fix around the perimeter. We should also try calling Jason again.”
Barbara nodded. “What are you going to tell your brothers?”
“That you are family now.”
“Family?”
Kayden nodded with a half-smile. “You are my beautiful and sexy mate. You get stuck with me.”
Tears of happiness rushed to her eyes but didn’t fall. “Promise?”
“I promise, and I’m a man of my word. I’ll go wake the boys and talk to them.” Kayden put the tray on the bed, leaned closer, and kissed her. Brushing the hair away from her face, he added, “Now, eat and drink your coffee.” He kissed her again before leaving.
A few moments later, Barbara heard the twins complaining about having to wake up. Then, she heard them congratulating their brother. She could only assume that they were glad for Kayden and her. That relaxed her and made her feel happier.
Barbara tried to call her brother’s number, but no one picked up, and after twenty minutes, no one called back either. She became worried. Still, there wasn’t anything she could do but wait.
Life in Alaska carried on. Kayden and his brothers took care of their animals while Barbara made lunch and took care of cleaning her bedroom.
In the afternoon, the phone rang incessantly in the living room. Kayden and the twins were outside repairing and securing the cabin and the animal shelters. Barbara was inside, reading a book she found in her bedroom, so she picked it up.
“Hello,” a voice said. “It’s Farmer.”
“Hi, Mr. Farmer. It’s Barbara, Jason’s sister.”
“Where’s Kayden or the twins?” Farmer asked.
Barbara furrowed her eyebrows to his worried voice. “They are outside. Has something bad happened?”
“You might want to leave the place as fast as you can and warn the boys that trouble is heading your way.”
“What do you mean?”
“Some guys arrived here, asking lots of questions and showing your picture around. They seemed to be trained mercenaries by the way they acted and talked. They were also carrying guns under their coats. Most of us didn’t say a thing. But I don’t think they were convinced. For the right money, someone must have spoken because the leader contacted someone by phone and left in a hurry. I don’t know what kind of trouble you are in, but you need to leave.”
Barbara felt her blood freeze in her veins. Fear wrapped and tightened her heart. “Thank you, Mr. Farmer.”
“Warn Kayden and get the hell out of there.”
“I will.”
Putting the phone down, she noticed that her hands shook. She turned around and ran outside. “Kayden!”
“What is it?” Kayden paused what he was doing and looked in the direction of his home.
“Farmer called. He said mercenaries were looking for me in his bar and he believes that they are coming up here.”
Without further hesitation, the men jumped up and washed their hands. They ran to a storage room where there were guns of different types. Barbara followed them and had no idea of the names of the weapons, but she had seen many of them in the movies.
“Can you shoot?” Kayden asked her as the twins carried the weapons and ammunition outside.
“I can’t, and I don’t like guns.”
“It’s for your protection. You will be more vulnerable if you shift. I’d rather have you in your human form.”
His face was severe, but his eyes showed that he was worried. Nodding, she brushed her sweaty hands on her jeans. “What do you want me to do?”
“Stay inside the cabin. Take this pis
tol. If you see anyone who is not me or the twins, shoot them. Just pull this trigger when you point at them like this.” Kayden showed her how to point and shoot.
Putting her hands on her hips, she protested, “I am not staying behind in hiding.”
“Bullets will be flying, Barbara. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“I feel safer with you by my side,” Barbara said stubbornly.
Kayden took a deep breath. He seemed to be deep in thought.
She tried reasoning with him. “I’m not being stubborn. I just want to help. Plus, they can use me to blackmail you if I’m captured. Then all would be lost, and they would kill us.”
Kayden nodded as his fingers ran through his black hair. Finally, he said, “Okay, but you must do whatever I say. Deal?”
A smile tugged at Barbara’s lips when she answered, “Deal.”
“Kayden, something is coming our way,” one of his brothers shouted.
“What is it?”
“Some sort of flying device.”
Kayden grabbed Barbara’s hand, and they rushed outside.
Everybody looked at the sky.
“It’s a drone,” Barbara said, focusing her hearing and vision on the flying object.
“They are studying our location and trying to figure out how many of us are here. Give me the rifle, Cody,” Kayden requested.
Cody threw it to him. Kayden aimed and fired. The drone exploded before it could video their home.
Kayden breathed out and lowered the gun. “Problem solved.”
“Nice shot,” Charlie said, walking to his brother and patting him on the back.
“They aren’t fooling around. They’ve come prepared,” Kayden said to his brothers. “Remember your training. Only shift to your dragon form if it’s absolutely necessary. Follow my orders and create havoc if they come looking for a fight.”
Cody and Charlie nodded.
“Close the doors and shut the windows before going to your hideout,” Kayden added.
“Barbara should grab one of the jeeps and head to the mountains. We don’t want her to be caught in the crossfire,” Charlie said.
“I’m not leaving Kayden,” she announced.
“She’ll be fine,” Kayden assured them and wrapped an arm around her waist, bringing her closer.
“Did Farmer say how many there were?” Cody asked.
“No.”
“Grab your radios and let’s take our places.”
The twins dispersed. Kayden led Barbara to the same place where he had been hiding when she first showed up.
Moments after getting in place, they saw three 4x4 vehicles coming up the road. Each vehicle contained four men. When they entered the path that led to his house, Kayden brought out the megaphone. “Stop and state your business.”
They heard it and stopped. A man in the lead vehicle waved his hand, and the vehicles continued to move once more.
“Looks like they don’t want to listen,” Kayden said to Barbara. He spoke into the megaphone again. “If you don’t return now, we will be forced to shoot.”
The vehicles kept coming.
Kayden spoke into a radio. “Cody, blow out the tire of the first vehicle.”
There was a cracking sound, and the first vehicle veered off the path, throwing around its occupants. As they landed, they began to shoot at every tree and rock up the road, even though there was no one there.
“Obviously, they are here for war,” Kayden told Barbara. He spoke into the radio. “Let’s clear them, boys.”
The Carter boys began to fire at the convoy. Barbara watched the heads of two men explode, and the rest of the enemies opened fire. Jumping from the vehicle, a few men scurried to hide behind rocks and trees. It was futile. The Carters’ hideout covered every inch of the path. The twins began to pick them off one by one.
Despite the loud sounds of the guns, Barbara perceived the sound of something else coming their way. Kayden was busy aiming at the enemies and eliminating them. Shrinking back into her spot, she touched his arm and pointed at the sky. A helicopter was approaching.
Kayden ducked with Barbara and spoke to the radio. “Boys, we have a bird flying our way. They have air back up.”
“I saw it. It’s too far for our guns to reach it,” one of the twins said.
Another voice reported, “We have men hiding in the woods. I need to move to go after them before they circle around.”
Kayden ordered, “Charlie, don’t move from your spot.”
The sound of bullets hitting the ground made it impossible for them to keep talking. Kayden put his arms around Barbara and protected her as she covered her ears. The helicopter cruised over their hideout, and the men shot at everything in their way.
“We need to move. We are too vulnerable to an air attack,” Kayden said, looking up. Before she understood what was going on, she was running with Kayden to a new hiding place.
“I need you to stay here, okay? I want to take out that chopper.” Kayden put his hands on her arms and turned her to face him. “Do you understand me?”
Barbara held on to his wrists. “They will kill you if you do that.”
Bullets kept landing around them. The helicopter flew over, and a new hail of bullets rained down.
“Don’t move from here. Everything will be over soon.”
Before Barbara could protest, Kayden ran and shot at anything that moved. Horrified, she watched helplessly as the helicopter chased after him. Bullets followed behind him as he ran towards a high rock. When he stepped on the rock, he jumped up, twisted in the air, and emptied his guns at the gunmen on the chopper. His bullets smashed into the front glass.
Barbara covered her mouth in shock when she saw his body fall into the abyss. Suddenly, a spray of fire ascended and hit the helicopter. A huge dragon flapped its wings and flew up, sending a new wave of fire. An explosion echoed across the space. The chopper began to move haphazardly and flared up. It went down and exploded again when it touched the ground.
Finishing with the threat, the dragon flew over and spat fire against the enemies that were hidden. Barbara heard explosive devices being detonated and men screaming in horror. Suddenly, it was all over. Kayden was back to his human form, and Cody was throwing him a pair of sweatpants and a sweater.
She ran to him, and he secured her in his embrace. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, honey. Calm down.” He caressed her hair and kissed her lips.
“We have work to do. Snuggle later,” Cody shouted.
“Go inside our home and wait for us there. We have to clean up this mess.”
Barbara nodded and kissed him one last time before leaving. From the porch, she watched as the Carter men went to check on their would-be killers. They wanted to make sure that none of them were still alive. The bodies of the men were piled up, photographed, and burned. Their vehicles were also disposed of and turned to ashes when Charlie shifted into a dragon and spat fire against them.
Barbara’s body kept shaking even if they had won. The carnage had been more than she had ever seen before. Yet the Carters seemed as if it was something that happened on a typical day. Kayden had witnessed a lot of wars. His brothers must have, too. She knew that it was kill or be killed. Still, her conscience weighed heavy on her.
Sitting on the porch, she blankly stared at the fantastic view that spread across the meadows and ended on the top of the foggy ice mountains. Her life was upside down, and she had no idea if it would ever go back to normal.
In two hours, it was like no bloody battle had occurred there. One by one, the Carter brothers returned home, washed, and changed their clothes. As the sun went down in all its glory, Kayden stepped onto the porch in fresh clothes and with wet hair.
Crouching near her seat, he asked, “Are you okay?”
“As okay as one can be after what happened,” she replied in a hoarse voice.
He put his hand over one of hers that was safely tucked inside her jacket. “You are freezing. You need to
come inside and warm up by the fire. I’ll make you some tea.”
“I’m fine here.”
“You are not. You need to calm down.”
Barbara looked at him. Her body warned her that she was cold and the hot tea would feel nice in her stomach. She hadn’t eaten and had no idea if she would be able to. Despite what had just happened, the twins were cheerfully roasting meat and talking about mundane things.
“Do you feel guilty about what happened? Do you want me to leave?”
Kayden questioned, “What are you talking about?”
“My brother and I are the reason those men tried to kill you and your brothers. Jason might be dead, and I’m next.”
“Don’t be silly, Barbara. You are my responsibility and you were dragged into a war that’s not yours. The dagger can kill dragons when we are in our human form. It’s our concern to keep it safe and away from a mad leader who might use it to slay us and enslave the humans.”
“I was useless today.”
She heard a loud sigh and looked back to see one of twins with his hand against the door and a bored expression.
“I don’t know what’s going on. I can only assume that you are in shock, but the moment you walked in here and my brother accepted you, you are family. We protect our family and don’t let anyone hurt us. So, stop feeling sorry for yourself and come inside. We are cooking and need someone to set the table.”
Barbara arched an eyebrow at Charlie and then looked at Kayden. “Is he always this crude?”
“Pretty much,” Kayden said with a grin. “Now come. After you’re warmer, we’ll talk and…”
“I hope you can control the moans,” the twin interrupted. “We’ve been single for a long time, you know.”
“We’ll talk and sleep,” Kayden finished his sentence, his voice louder than normal.
Barbara giggled. Her cheeks turned red, and her body reacted to the memories of them making love. The cabin was too small, and the rooms weren’t soundproofed. It wasn’t the best idea to make love with Kayden in that space, even if she wanted it more than anything. They needed somewhere more private.
