Dragon's Heart, Volume 1

by T. Cobbin

  “What’s the sparkly stuff at the bottom?”

  Pete looked down into the water and smiled. “That would be an array of gems.”

  “Gems?”

  “Aye.” He nodded. “Just a few diamonds, rubies, etcetera, that Blue likes.”

  Bigger treasure in front of us, his dragon said.

  Pete agreed.

  Wendy stuck her hand in the cool water, picked a small green stone from the bottom, and held it up to the light. “Oh God, is this an emerald? Nope, don’t answer that,” she said, dropping it back into the water. “But I guess if you had no money there would be enough in that pond to buy another fucking island.”

  “Our dragons like treasure, sugar.” He laughed lightly and scooped Wendy up in his arms. “Now that you’ve seen our den, how about I find that sweet flower of yours?” Pete didn’t give her time to answer, he leaned down and nipped at his mate’s lower lip gently. “We have a king-size bed with red silk sheets just waiting for us downstairs.”

  “See, I knew you were kinky. Red silk sheets, huh? Take me to bed, big boy.”

  Pete’s cock swelled with blood. Damn if he wasn’t harder now than before. Kissing his mate, he carried her down the stairs and through the door leading to several bedrooms, an office, and a bathroom. The master bedroom had an en suite attached to it with a tub big enough for four people. That’s where he headed with Wendy now. He knew she hadn’t slept well the night before. They had slept in Troy’s guest room, and she had tossed and turned until he had spooned against her, holding her tight to his body.

  Walking past his four-poster bed, he tossed his phone on it. He could disappear what he was wearing, but alas, not the mechanical things. He continued on into the bathroom where he sat his mate on the edge of the huge tub and turned on the water.

  “You know I’ve never had sex in a tub that big before.”

  “We haven’t, have we?” he growled, not wanting to know about who she had slept with before.

  “Oooh, possessive much? So I guess you don’t want the list then.”

  “List?” he asked, pouring foam bath into the water and watching it bubble.

  “Yeah, the who-I’ve-slept-with list.”

  He put the bottle back on the shelf and nonchalantly replied, “Not unless you wish for them to be roasted at dawn.”

  “You wouldn’t?” she asked, disbelief on her face.

  Roast yes, list no, Blue agreed with him.

  “Strip, mate, and yes, I would. I am yours, and you are mine.”

  Wendy rose and started taking off the borrowed top that Amy had lent her. He watched it flutter to the ground. She turned and slid her jeans to the floor, shimming them down her legs in a sexy, stripper fashion. His heartbeat picked up, thrumming faster in his chest. His woman was driving him crazy. Her arms came up behind her and unfastened the black lace bra. She slid it down her arms, and it fell to the floor in front of her. He wished his clothes gone, imagining himself standing behind her as bare as the day he was born. His clothing disappeared in an instant, and his cock stood tall and proud.

  His gaze followed Wendy’s hands as they skimmed down the side of her body. She slipped her small fingers into the waistband of her panties and pushed the thin material down until they too finally fell into the pile of clothes on the floor. His blood boiled when she turned around and stroked her hands back up her body to cup her ample breasts. Delicate fingers danced over both her areolas. She pinched them and gasped, and he could see her thighs squeezing together. The scent of her arousal filled the room with the steam.

  “Turn around and place your hands on the edge of the tub, you minx.” His chest rumbled with a low purr as he prowled closer to her. Tease him, would she?

  He expected a fiery response from her, but she twisted around without a sound and placed her hands on the bath and spread her legs. Fuck, he could see her slick, wet lower lips glistening. He clasped his cock tightly so not to come. He needed to be inside of her, and now! He moved toward her, sliding a hand up and down his hard shaft.

  Pre-cum dribbled from his slit. He rubbed his thumb over the top, lubricating the head. He leaned over the back of her, making sure his staff rested between her buttocks, and skimmed his hands up her body. Her skin was so soft. Her breathing picked up as he inhaled deeply, his nose close to the pulse in her neck to feel it quicken. Wanting her taste on his tongue, he ran his tongue up the side of her neck until he hit her jaw. Then he lay small kisses along that as he twisted her head slightly until he could take her lips in a heated kiss.

  He swallowed her groan. She pushed her hips back into his. He was positive if he didn’t get inside her soon he would go crazy.

  “This is going to be fast, sugar. I need to be inside of you,” he growled into her ear.

  Holding his stiff shaft, he placed it so it sat at her slick entrance. He didn’t need to make sure she was wet, he could see it. He lifted up from her and pressed the head of his cock just inside her opening. Her walls clamped down immediately on his cock. He watched as it slowly slid inside her until he was balls deep, her warm wetness aiding his entrance. His chest rumbled as he pulled out and pushed back in. She groaned and wiggled her hips, making him want to wail at the feeling.

  “Impatience, little mate.” He tapped her behind, trying to cool his ardor a little before he came too quickly.

  “Fuck me, Pete. Fuck me good and hard. Make me dirty.”

  “Oh, little mate, you are going to kill me.”

  “What a way to go.”

  He could hear the amusement in her voice and smiled himself. Yes, what a way to go.

  He withdrew slowly, seeing their combined juices lather his dick. Gripping hold of her hips, he let himself go. Slamming back in, he groaned at the pleasure, sure he could feel every ripple of her walls against his hard shaft. The bathroom filled with the noise of skin hitting skin, and the combined sensual moans coming from them both.

  Moving a hand underneath her body, he found the hard, little nub and pressed a finger against it. Her cunt tightened, strangling his cock. They created a pattern as old as time between them; her hips bucked back as he jutted forward, until both of their movements grew jerky, each of them desperate to reach the end goal.

  He couldn’t hold off any longer, and with one more deep penetration his balls pulled up and he came, jutting his seed deep inside her. Her name on his lips and his on hers filled the room. He laid over her back gently as to not crush her, holding a tiny whisper of hope that it had created a life. If not, he would do it over and over again.

  Chapter 11

  Wendy filled her lungs and the scent of flowers on a spring day flooded her senses. She was lying back against the hard, muscled chest of her man in a warm bath that was huge enough to swim in. After their intense sex session, Pete had picked her up and washed her so gently, top to toe. No one had done that to her since she was a kid.

  “I wish my uncle and aunt could have met you. They would have loved you, I’m sure.” She sighed, a small amount of grief flowing through her. She still missed them.

  “I miss my family too.” He lowered his head to her neck, and she could hear him breathing her in. “It’s true it gets easier, but sometimes when the pain of them not being around hits, it’s as bad as the day I lost them.”

  “I know how you feel.” She nodded and twisted her head to look up into the eyes of the man she loved. “Do you ever wonder what or where you would be now if they were still here?”

  “Yeah. I’m not sure if they would have moved here, or if I would have gone back to the island. With the crazy bastard who is still out there that attacked them I don’t know.”

  “Do you think he was the one who shot at us yesterday?” She made sure she hadn’t said shot her, because she knew the guilt he felt was still pretty strong and she didn’t want to rub it in any further.

  “Everything inside me screams yes. With the last caretaker leaving because of strange shit happening, I’m also sure the crazy bastard was hanging around w
aiting for me to return. Although the basement held no proof, it smelled of the scent heavily. I made a few calls to some friends who often used the place, and I was happy to hear that none of them have actually been back to the island. I would have hated it if anyone else had been hurt because of that fucker.”

  “You think it’s not just you that he’s after then?”

  “No, I think he would have gone after any shifter.”

  “Oh shit.” Thoughts of Amy, Troy, and Dennenth went through her head. Pete had said his friends had helped him the night his family was murdered, and Troy had flown Amy to the island when Pete had shown her Blue for the first time. “What about your friends? He must have seen them that night. Or what if he was watching us a few nights ago when Troy and Amy came?”

  Pete placed his huge hands underneath her armpits and both lifted and twisted her around until she was straddling his thighs. “Don’t worry, sugar, it’ll be over with soon. We left something behind to let the crazy bastard know where he can find us.” At his words, her mind immediately filled with worry and concern for everyone’s safety, but Pete quickly added, “We can handle him. Troy and his family has Amy and Sajan’s back and I…” He nipped at her lower lip. “...have yours.” And just like that her concern eased. She knew these strong, protective men could take care of themselves, and the ones they loved.

  Pete kissed her again, running his tongue over her lips. She gave him entrance and moaned at his taste.

  “I am seriously addicted to you.” She sighed, placing her arms around his neck.

  “Good, because there isn’t a DSA out there, which means you’re mine eternally.”

  “A what?” she asked, confused.

  “Dragon Shifter Anonymous.”

  “Oh dear God, that’s so bad.” She chuckled then groaned as his hips jutted forward, causing his hard shaft trapped between them to slide against her sensitive clit.

  Pete’s phone started ringing from the bedroom, Warriors from the band Imagine Dragons, which had him sighing and lifting his bulky body out of the water. Wendy felt his lose but enjoyed the sight of water droplets dripping down his gorgeous body. She licked her lips, dreaming about licking each droplet off him.

  “I have to get that, sugar. Dennenth don’t ring for nothing.”

  Wendy pulled the plug out and rose from the water. Tugging a huge, fluffy, white towel from the rack, she wrapped it around herself and followed Pete to the bedroom. She was surprised to see him fully dressed, holding the phone to his ear with a worried look on his face.

  “I’ll be there asap. Stay in the safe room, Sarah. I’ll phone Troy. I mean it, woman, stay in that room. We’re coming.” Pete held his hand up to Wendy when she opened her mouth.

  Sarah was calling? Safe room? Shit, what was going on?

  Pete quickly walked over to her, kissing her on the forehead, and started leaving the bedroom. “Stay here. Sarah has a visitor that needs taking care of. I’ll call you from the car to explain as soon as I’ve rung Troy.” He paused at the bedroom door. “Promise me you will stay here. No one can get in without the elevator number.”

  Wendy nodded, not sure what else to say or do, although she wanted to go with him to make sure her friend was okay.

  “I’ll ring you in a sec.” He put his fingers to his mouth and kissed them, blowing it over toward her and left.

  She heard the elevator ding, and then there was silence. She didn’t know how many precious seconds she stood there before her brain kicked into gear. Phone, where’s my phone? Then she rolled her eyes, remembering the bloody thing was currently somewhere at the bottom of the ocean near the island.

  Landline, she thought next. Looking around the bedroom, she saw what looked like an old Victorian rotary phone. She sighed, annoyed. All this up-to-date technology, and he chooses a rotary dial phone. She growled, but began dialing Sarah’s mobile phone number. After what seemed like forever she heard it ring and ring until finally the automatic answering service picked it up.

  “Shit.” She swore and tried again. Still, it rang without an answer. Slamming the handset back onto the phone, she growled to herself. She yelped when the bloody thing rang straight away. She picked it up.

  “Hello.”

  “Who’s Blake?” Pete asked immediately.

  At first Wendy was confused why he was asking about Sarah’s ex-husband but answered, “Sarah’s bastard of an ex-husband. Why?”

  “Sarah said she thinks Blake is at Dennenth’s place. She sounded scared.”

  “He beat the shit out of her for years. Where’s her son, Freddie?”

  “I don’t know. I just wanted to know who Blake was, I’ll ring as soon as I know anything. Promise me you will stay there. If I do have some crazy bastard out there gunning for me, I don’t want you getting caught up in the middle again.”

  “I’ll be fine. I can come and help.”

  “Promise me,” Pete growled.

  “Okay, okay.” She rolled her eyes. “But you better ring me as soon as possible, and tell Sarah to ring me too.”

  “I will. I love you.” And with that she heard the phone click.

  She replaced the handset more gently this time. Was Blake free? He’d attacked Sarah quite badly one night and the police were called. While being arrested he’d gone on to attack a police officer, which only added to the prison sentence he received. Wendy thought back...he wasn’t due to be release yet, was he? She felt guilty not having rung her friend in a while to see how she was doing. She knew Sarah had been staying with Dennenth for the last few weeks, but that was all. After Pete phoned her she was going to make sure she and Sarah did some catching up.

  Climbing off the bed, Wendy went in search of some sort of clothing and settled on one of Pete’s black t-shirts with the logo DH in a circle on her right breast. All her clothes were with her phone, at the bottom of the fucking ocean.

  The apartment felt cold, empty, and huge without Pete there. She wanted to ring her friends, but also wanted to keep the line clear in case Pete rang. She walked to one of the floor-to-ceiling windows and looked out over the city of London. Finding the bond she shared with Pete, she followed his array of emotions.

  * * * *

  Pete ran his hands through his hair as the elevator to his apartment rose. He hated fucking guns. First Wendy and now Freddie. The poor five-year-old lad had been caught by a stray bullet. Pete was glad he’d been on hand to help. He had arrived at Dennenth’s to hear his friend’s painful cry. Pete found him leaning over the little lad, who was lying on the hallway floor. Pete took over and healed the boy, but in all the kerfuffle no one noticed the man who’d caused all the damage had up and disappeared.

  Dennenth took his family upstairs while Pete and Troy scoured the house then followed the stench coming from the male to the streets. It ended with a strong smell of exhaust fumes, making them think he’d escaped in a vehicle.

  When they returned to the house things were a little calmer. Freddie was dressed in fluffy pajamas and laid in a bed. He looked so small and fragile, and Pete didn’t even want to think about what would have happened if he hadn’t gotten there when he did. For the second time in a few days he thanked the goddess for his healing magic.

  The three men had talked for a while before he and Troy left. Dennenth was taking Sarah and Freddie to his family’s home in Scotland for a holiday. He’d also given them a hint that Sarah was newly pregnant, so he wanted to keep her safe. Pete couldn’t blame the man for being so protective; he would have been too. After saying a quiet congratulations and wishing Dennenth and his family well, he and Troy had departed.

  The elevator ding brought Pete back to the present. He knew Wendy had been worried the entire time he’d been away. Eventually her panic had calmed, indicating she had probably fallen asleep, albeit a stressed one. That’s why he hadn’t rung her on the way home.

  Putting his number into the keypad, the elevator doors swept open, and he caught sight of his mate curled up into a ball on one of their sof
as. She looked younger in her sleep, her freckles dotting her face adding to her perfection.

  Walking over to her, he picked her up carefully and held her close to his chest. His dragon purred deep inside of him. She didn’t stir as he walked to the bedroom and placed her gently on their bed. Wishing his body to be naked, he folded Wendy into his arms and held her tightly, spooning behind her, and he too fell asleep.

  Something made every single sense he had come alert in seconds. Taking a deep breath, he relaxed as Wendy moved against the front of him. Relief swamped him—no danger, no trouble, it was just his mate waking up.

  Pulling her tightly to his body, he whispered into her ear. “Morning, sugar.”

  “Mmm,” she moaned and stretched. He felt the minute her brain clicked into gear. She swiveled quickly into his arms, her eyes pleading with him. “Tell me they’re okay, and why the fuck didn’t you wake me when you got home?”

  Our spitfire is awake.

  Yes, she is, he replied to his dragon with an inward chuckle.

  “Blue says good morning too, spitfire.”

  She gave him a warning stare, her lips pursed.

  “Sarah and Freddie are okay. Freddie was hit by a stray bullet, but he’s fine. In fact, more than fine—he’s excited he saw a dragon in his house. Dennenth is taking them both to Scotland for a holiday, but I have no doubt Sarah will have time to chat with you before they go.” He smiled, knowing full well the next thing Wendy would do would be to phone her friend. He knew the group of friends were very close.

  Wendy crawled over the bed toward her bedside table. “I want to ask you so many questions, but I’m going to talk to Sarah first.” She paused and turned back to him. “You don’t mind, do you?”

  “Nope. You do that, and I’ll make breakfast.”

  “I’ll make it up to you.” Her sultry voice followed him into the bathroom, leaving him with a huge smile on his face. “Oh, and tell Blue I’ll show him ‘spitfire’ later.”

  * * * *

  Breakfast turned into brunch. Through their bond and hearing snippets of conversation Pete knew Wendy had talked to all her friends and she was satisfied they were all okay. He couldn’t keep his gaze from traveling from her breasts to her hips as she sauntered into the kitchen where he was preparing their meal.