She smiled. "Don't worry, I asked Dawn and Sasha to keep them busy this afternoon."
"Just this afternoon?" he growled.
Ivy resisted laughing at Zain's tone. "Well, for the foreseeable future, at any rate. Although I did promise we'd host a game night for them in the near future, so you'd better be up for it."
"Fine, fine, as long as they stay away for at least a week, I'd be willing to carry them up into the air in my dragon form."
As he opened the door, she snorted. "I wouldn't tempt fate. I'm sure Daisy is already planning on how to accomplish that."
He shut the door with his foot. "I don't care about Daisy right now."
She caught his heated gaze before Zain ascended the stairs, her heart pumping with each step.
This was it. She was finally going to be claimed by her dragonman.
Ivy only hoped she lived up to the expectation. Anticipation could make things sweeter, but it could also lead to greater disappointment.
Zain abruptly dumped her on the bed and leaned back. As his gaze raked over her—his pupils flashing—he ordered, "Strip for me."
For a second, she hesitated. However, as Zain continued to stare at her as if she were a choice piece of meat he was ready to devour, her nerves eased. He wanted her as she was, and he'd never show disappointment at how she was still too thin, or how many freckles she had.
So Ivy slipped a strap of her dress off one shoulder, and then the other, holding the front against her chest to keep it from falling to her waist.
Zain growled and took a step forward. "Do I need to rip it off myself? I've waited a long time to see your gorgeous body, love. I don't want to wait anymore."
She shook her head with a smile, a small thrill going up her spine at how he thought her gorgeous. His words boosted her confidence, so she said, "Not yet. After all this time, another minute won't kill you."
"It might," he muttered, but stayed in place.
Ivy rested on her knees and inched the dress down, never taking her gaze from Zain's face. His pupils flashed faster with each inch of exposed skin, and when she finally let the top section drop, revealing her naked to the waist, he moved a hand to the front of his jeans and adjusted the hard bulge in his crotch.
Even though it had been years since the last time she'd seen a naked, aroused man, she imagined Zain's cock out in front of him, glistening at the tip for her.
Heat surged through her body, straight between her thighs, ending at the pounding ache there.
She'd teased him about being impatient, but Ivy was just as much so.
Wanting him naked and inside her, Ivy shimmied out of the rest of her dress until she sat naked on the bed. She'd wondered about her decision not to wear underwear leaving the surgery, but as Zain's gaze darted to her patch of reddish curls and growled, she decided she liked expediency. "Take off your clothes and claim me, Zain." She moved to lay on her back, resting her arms above her head, her legs spread wide. "I'm waiting."
He quickly tore off his clothes with a growl and was above her on his hands and knees in less than a minute.
Maybe if his hard dick wasn't brushing her belly right this second, she'd ask him to back up a bit so she could see his naked body properly.
However, the hot hardness pressing against her only made the pounding between her legs intensify. She could see him later. After all, they had the rest of their lives together.
So Ivy arched her hips, wanting, no needing, to have him inside her. "Why are you merely hovering above me still?"
His voice was husky as he answered, "I don't know if there'll be a frenzy or not, so I'm trying to remember you right now, laying on the bed naked, waiting for me just in case instinct takes over. Because I won't be able to stop and simply admire you until it's complete, love. I hope you know that."
Raising a hand, she placed it on the back of his neck. "Kiss me, Zain. I don't care if there's a frenzy or not. I just want my mate to claim me."
He took a deep breath before saying, "If there's a frenzy, there will be a child."
"I know. And either way, whether it happens or not, if you are willing to take the risk, then so am I."
Zain slowly lowered his body onto hers, and Ivy moaned at his hard, warm skin against hers. And when his cock brushed her clit, she gasped.
He nuzzled one cheek, and then the other, the light brush of scruff only making her hotter. He finally hovered an inch from her lips and murmured, "It's time to finally claim my mate. You're mine, Ivy. And only mine."
"Yes, yours. So kiss me already."
As soon as her lips touched his, Ivy opened her mouth and moaned as he licked, nibbled, and explored every inch. She had no idea if her kiss had kicked off anything, but she didn't care. She was too busy kissing him back, letting him know she wanted him as much as he wanted her.
Zain had nearly drawn blood by digging his nails into his palms as Ivy had slowly undressed. He'd never thought that someone merely taking off clothes could be sexy as hell, but he'd never been so hard in his life as his little mate had done it.
And when she'd exposed her small breasts, he itched to suckle one of her nipples until she screamed. So he'd only dug his nails in harder to stop himself.
His dragon spoke up. Why hold back? We've waited long enough.
I don't want to scare her.
She won't be. Ivy trusts us.
However, before he could reply, Ivy removed her dress and lay back on the bed. As she spread her legs wide, he could see her glistening already.
And yet, despite his pulsing cock, he stayed in place. He'd let Ivy call the shots the first time, just in case there was a frenzy.
And even if there wasn't, Zain wasn't sure he could remain gentle and patient as the night wore on. His dragon would want to come out at some point, and they possessed the more animalistic side of their bed play.
I could behave, his beast grumbled.
However, the second Ivy said, "I'm waiting," he ignored his dragon and ripped off his clothes with his talons and moved to hover above her on his hands and knees. When the head of his cock brushed her belly, he hissed, and his dick let out a drop of precum.
Fuck, he wanted to spread her wide and show her just how much he wanted her.
But she needed to be prepared. So somehow, he managed to warn her about frenzies and pregnancies, but Ivy didn't worry about either.
By the time he nuzzled one of her cheeks and then the other, his balls were so tight he didn't think he'd last long once he was finally inside his mate.
Which was unacceptable.
So he took a deep breath to calm his cock a fraction and then finally lowered his lips to hers and kissed her.
There was no jolt of need or desire to fuck her until she was pregnant. And maybe at some point, he'd have cared about her being his true mate or not. However, Zain barely paid it any attention, loving how fucking incredible she tasted—better than he could've ever imagined.
He explored her mouth with his tongue, licking, stroking, showing her how much he needed her.
And when Ivy tangled back with his tongue, he groaned and took the kiss deeper as he moved a hand down to one of her nipples. He plucked and lightly squeezed the tight bud, and Ivy cried out.
But he never ceased his attention to either her mouth or her breasts.
His dragon hummed. More, taste more of her. Let her know how much we treasure her, or I will take control.
Even though he'd later let his dragon do so—they were one and the same, and he'd never deny his beast—he wasn't about to surrender his first time.
So Zain moved his hand from her breasts down her body until he reached between her thighs. He groaned at how wet she was. "I can take it slow later, but I need to claim you, Ivy, and fast."
It was hard to concentrate on her words with her swollen lips and flushed cheeks, but somehow he managed. "Is it the frenzy?"
"No, but that doesn't mean I want you any less."
Her hand ran down his back, to his arse, and
she lightly dug her nails in. "Then take me, dragonman. I think we've both waited long enough."
His dragon cheered as Zain leaned back and spread her legs wider. He wasn't going to be as thorough as he wanted this first time, but he still took a second to lightly run his finger through her center and then bring his finger to his mouth. He licked her sweet honey and moaned. "Maybe I should try to hold on as I need much more than one taste of you."
Ivy bent her legs and arched her hips. "Zain, please. Don't make either of us wait any longer. I want you inside me, dragonman. Now."
At the wanting and commanding of her tone, all other thoughts vanished but pleasing his mate. He positioned his cock at her entrance and ran the head back and forth, loving how she squirmed in the process. Only when he was sure she was wet enough did he gently push forward. He groaned. "Fuck, Ivy, you're so tight."
He moved a few more inches, the way she gripped him, combined with her hotness, was nearly too much.
Zain gritted his teeth and finally thrust in to the hilt. Ivy arched her back and moaned.
Needing to taste something of her, he leaned down and took her lips. She instantly grabbed his biceps and started kissing him back.
Unable to restrain himself any longer, he rolled his hips, increasing his pace each time. Ivy hitched her feet behind his back and soon joined him in the rhythm, moving as if nothing else mattered but him claiming her.
Somewhere in the back of his mind, Zain knew he needed to do more for Ivy. Since she wasn't his true mate, his semen wouldn't make her orgasm, which meant he needed to ensure it happened each and every time he claimed her. That's what every mate deserved.
He moved a hand to her clit and lightly stroked as he thrust.
She broke the kiss and cried out. "Faster, Zain. Right there, but faster."
He didn't hold back, taking her over and over again until all he could hear was their harsh breaths and the sound of flesh slapping against flesh.
The pressure building at the base of his spine told him he needed to focus more on Ivy, or he'd come first.
And his mate should always orgasm first.
So Zain pressed a little firmer against her hard bud, loving how she squeezed his cock in response.
It seemed his mate liked it fast and hard.
"Mm, Zain. So, so close."
Hoping to push her over the edge, he pinched her clit, and Ivy screamed as her pussy pulsed around him.
Despite how incredible it felt, making him want to join her, Zain continued to thrust and hold back, wanting her to finish first.
When she finally relaxed against the bed, he thrust one, two, three more times and then stilled with a roar. As he came inside her, Ivy screamed out again in pleasure, her pussy relentlessly milking him for every last drop.
Once they both finally came down from their highs, Zain collapsed next to Ivy and pulled her tight against his chest. It took her a second to catch her breath, but she finally said, "I don't know how you managed it, but that was amazing, Zain."
He kissed her forehead and reveled in her scent. "You've ruined me for all other females, love."
"I hope so. Because I'm not sharing."
He chuckled and hugged her closer. As they enjoyed the comfortable silence, his dragon spoke up. Something was strange.
What was strange?
She orgasmed when we came. Only true mates react to semen that way.
Zain's brain wasn't firing on all cylinders so soon after sex, so he took a second to think about his dragon's words.
It was true. Only a dragon's true mate orgasmed at that moment.
Which meant that prior to her treatment, Ivy had been his. Even though his dragon didn’t have the overwhelming need to impregnate her, she still reacted to him.
He must've said something aloud because Ivy asked, "What's wrong?"
His dragon said, Just tell her.
Looking down to meet Ivy's eyes, he explained what had happened and added, "That's going to be a regular thing for you, love, so you'd better get used to it."
She beamed up at him. "I think I can handle that. But it's also interesting, don't you think?"
He sighed. "I can barely think right now after the way your pussy clenched my cock, love. So just tell me."
"Well, in the end, even a former Dragon Knight and dragon-shifter can be perfect for each other."
He kissed her gently before replying, "I suppose so, although it took a little persuading on both sides. It's you who won me over, Ivy Passmore. Not fate."
Mischief danced in her eyes. "Maybe I need a tad more persuading, then, to make doubly sure we're perfect together. Maybe four or more orgasms? Then I can agree with you and accept fate."
With a growl, he rolled until she was on her back. He moved his face until it was an inch from hers. "Right, then I'm going to make them unforgettable, so as to not leave any doubts." He lowered his voice, fully aware his pupils had to be flashing. "And we're going to start with the first two only coming from my tongue."
As he moved down her body to do exactly that, Zain couldn't help but smile. Fate had somehow been right, but just because that was true didn't mean he'd ever take his female for granted.
Epilogue
Years Later
Ivy signed off her latest video call, leaned back in her office chair, and placed a hand over her swollen belly. She murmured to her unborn child, "It seems Matilda has fallen for a dragonman as well. I'm glad."
Matilda was one of the numerous former Dragon Knights Ivy had worked with over the years, doing what she could to help them shed the lies and misconceptions that had been ingrained into them by the Knights.
While not everyone had been savable—or even had wanted to try—Ivy continued to follow up with all those who had.
Because every time someone like Matilda found happiness with what had once been a former enemy, it made her smile brighter.
Glancing at the time, she sighed. Even though Freddie and Daisy were teenagers now, they still demanded game nights at least once a month. And not even Ivy being heavily pregnant would stop them. If she were in labor, Daisy might still try to get a quick game going.
Chuckling to herself, Ivy managed to finally heft herself out of the chair and head toward the door. As soon as she opened it, she found Zain standing outside it. "How long have you been there?"
"Too long. You should've been done half an hour ago, love."
As Zain pulled her against his chest—she had to partially turn these days because of her pregnancy—she snuggled into his heat and said, "Matilda had some big news—she's going to mate one of the dragon-shifters on Skyhunter. I couldn't very well say, 'Sorry, time's up! Have a good time,' now, could I?"
He grunted. "I would have."
She laughed. "You would think after years of being mated, you might occasionally want some time away."
"Never." He cupped her cheek. "Besides, it's not just me. You know Daisy will coordinate a search party, even if it means risking Tristan and Bram's ire."
"Speaking of which, if we don't put the pizza in the oven, it won't be ready in time. And I don't know about you, but I don't want teenagers already raging with hormones to also be starving."
He kissed her gently before turning her to be at his side. "I think from now on, we should stipulate that they do the cooking for these blasted things. I won't have you overtiring yourself once the baby comes."
She placed a hand on her stomach and rubbed lightly. "If I wear myself out placing a pizza in an oven and setting the timer, then I have bigger things to worry about."
Zain growled, but she reached over and placed his hand on the other side of her stomach. As happened often, the little one kicked at Zain's presence. Her mate's expression softened. Ivy continued, "I think you're just anxious to meet this one, and I think it'll be great to have their cousins around as he or she grows up."
In times like these, Ivy often thought of the family her child would never meet—her brother and his partner. But all she could do was tel
l her child some wonderful stories of the uncles they'd never meet.
Zain kissed her cheek, bringing her back to the present. He replied, "As long as they don't start teaching our little one how to get into trouble from the day they start walking, then maybe it would be nice to have them around."
She bit her lip to keep from smiling. Ivy had long ago learned that Zain tried to be tough, even when he didn't need to be. Rarely so with her anymore, but she thought he might try to do it for their child.
Since she still had over a month to talk to him about it, she motioned her head toward the kitchen. "Come on, or we'll have some grumpy teenagers soon enough."
As she leaned against her mate and they walked down the hallway together, her baby did a somersault inside her belly, making her smile wider.
It was hard to believe at one time she had hated so unconditionally. But thankfully, she'd found her perfect match and now only had a life overflowing with love.
Thank you for reading! I hope you loved Zain and Ivy. The next story in the Stonefire Dragons series will be Treasured by the Dragon, about Dawn Chadwick and Blake Whitby. Dawn agrees to help with the children’s play on Stonefire, but never expected her daughter’s meddling would result in a kiss that would change her life forever…
Preorder TREASURED BY THE DRAGON now on Amazon US and see what happens on September 24, 2020! (Not in the USA? Click here for Amazon UK / Amazon CA/ Amazon AU / Amazon DE )
Ready for some sexy American dragon-shifters living near Lake Tahoe? Victoria Lewis enters the dragon lottery on a whim and never imagined a tall, sexy dragonman picking her out of a room full of women. Little did she know, she's Jose Santos's true mate and he'll do anything to have her…
Order THE DRAGON'S CHOICE now on Amazon US and see what happens! (Not in the USA? Click here for Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AU / Amazon DE )
Persuading the Dragon (Stonefire British Dragons Book 12) Page 19
