by Sky Winters
Grace turned and gasped at what she saw. It was the majestic skyline of lower Manhattan, the spires of the city illuminated and brilliant, the lights reflected on the black water of the river.
"It's amazing," she said.
"I like to come here when the city starts to be a little too much for me. Helps me clear my mind."
Grace smiled. A little mind-clearing was exactly what she needed. Corvo took a seat on the grass, and Grace settled in next to him. He slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her tight, Grace resting her head on him and losing herself in the cityscape beyond. Placing her hand on her belly, knowing now what was inside of her and what this meant, she couldn't help but feel a little afraid. But Corvo's presence and his calm strength brought her a piece of mind that she knew she'd never be able to find on her own.
"I…think I love you," she said, the words coming out as if by their own power.
Corvo responded by turning her head delicately toward him, his eyes as green and rich as the grass around them.
"And I know I love you."
Then he brought his lips to hers. Their kiss was like nothing else that Grace had ever experienced. Her skin tingled, and a warmth flooded through her body. Her hands clasped Corvo's body, holding him close and tight as though she never wanted to let go. Opening her mouth, she felt as Corvo's tongue slipped sensually past her lips, exploring and teasing as he did. Grace's hands moved under his shirt, a thrill taking hold as she caressed the steely angles of his muscles. She couldn't get enough of this body; it was all she wanted.
Corvo's scent, that strange, intoxicating dragon aroma, flooded Grace's senses as he pulled her shirt off, the air cool against her skin. They went to work feverishly on each other's clothes, stripping one another down to nothing as fast as they could, both driven by an unquenchable need to be in one another's embrace as soon as possible. Soon, they were in nothing but their underwear, and after his usual deftness, Corvo soon had Grace's bra off, her breasts hanging heavy against her body.
He covered her with kisses, starting at her lips and moving all over her flesh. Grace ran her hands over the rough stubble of his scalp, her eyes on the gallery of tattoos that covered his bare, ripped torso.
"I need you inside me. Right now," breathed Grace, her voice heavy with arousal.
Before he could say a word, Grace yanked off his boxer-briefs, his cock springing out in front of her, pointing right up at her face. She wrapped her hands around it and began stroking it gently, feeling her pussy grow wetter by the second as she took in the texture of his solid, thick member. Corvo slipped his hands under Grace's ass, pulling her toward him and onto her back, her legs spreading as he moved her across the cool grass.
Grace looked down her body, her eyes locked onto the prick that was so tantalizingly close to her sex. Corvo moved his hands slowly over her body, paying special attention to her curves. Then, taking hold of his cock, he placed the head right on her opening and, with a slow push of his hips, entered her slowly and deeply.
"Oh God," Grace moaned, knowing right then and there that being filled by Corvo had been exactly what she'd needed.
Once fully inside of her, Corvo leaned forward and placed his hands, palm-down, on both sides of Grace's head, the muscles of his arms tight and bulging. Grace rested her own hands on the hard roundness of Corvo's ass, imploring him, without words, to drive deep into her again and again.
And that's just what he did.
With building intensity and speed, Corvo pounded Grace hard, penetrating her fully time and time again, each plunging accompanied by a deep, full grunt. Grace savored the feeling of fullness, her face tightening, girlish moans and gasps escaping from her lips as he bucked into her. She watched as sweat began to form on the hard outlines of his muscles, the sight of his body at work and his cock impaling her over and over causing the pleasure building within her to take hold.
Through her ecstasy-addled thoughts, she realized that they'd never made love like this before. There had always been nothing more than animal intensity driving their lovemaking, but now there was something different. Everything about Corvo, from the way he moved to the way his soulful eyes locked onto hers, made it clear that there was now love behind what they did. And Grace knew that she was, from this moment, helplessly addicted to it.
The orgasm was like a warm breeze that caressed every bit of her body. She wrapped her arms and legs around Corvo's body as she came, wanting every inch of him against every inch of her as the orgasm pulsed through her body. Corvo came soon after, the little explosion of his cum deep within Grace's body affording her a little extra wave of sensual delight.
Once they were done, Corvo fell to Grace's side, pulling her close. The two of them said nothing for a time, instead looking up at the star-strewn sky above, the curved sliver of the moon glowing through the canopy of trees.
Grace felt as though she could stay like this forever.
The buzzing of her phone in her purse, however, brought her back to the real world.
"Let it go," said Corvo, his voice dreamy.
"Can't," said Grace. "I can tell by the buzz that it's my parents."
She pulled her phone out of her bag and glanced at the screen.
Her stomach sank as she looked at the words. Sure enough, it was her father.
‘Come home. Now.’
She knew that there was only one thing this could mean. Grace had been told by Dr. Hartford that what she'd learned at her appointment was confidential, but she knew she was foolish to believe him.
But she resolved to wait, to see what the news actually was before jumping to any conclusions.
"We have to go," said Grace.
Corvo nodded. Once dressed, the two of them hopped back on the bike and returned to the city. Grace spent the ride tying herself up in knots, gripped by the fear of what she'd learn.
After a tense ride, Corvo pulled up in front of the modern luxury tower where Grace and her family lived. He killed the engine and turned around to face her.
"What's going on?" he asked, his voice stern. "Something's up, and you're not telling me. I don't like surprises."
Grace knew she should've spilled everything right then and there - just tell Corvo that she was pregnant, and that he was the father. After all, it's not as though it were a secret she could keep for long anyhow. But when she opened her mouth to speak, she simply couldn't find the words. It was as though by keeping it a secret, she could somehow avoid the consequences.
"It's…just something about Marlon," she said softly. "Nothing you need to worry about."
Corvo's expression made it clear that he didn't entirely believe her. A valet came to take the bike, and soon, they were in the elevator and riding silently up to the penthouse. By the time the doors quietly opened, Grace felt as though she might just pass out from the stress.
Sure enough, her parents were seated in the living room, grim expressions on their faces, a manila folder opened on the coffee table in front of them. Grace glanced at the photos, and sure enough, there was the ultrasound that Dr. Hartford had shown her this afternoon.
"What the hell is going on?" asked Corvo, stepping into the living room.
"Corvo, grab your things – you're fired."
"What?" shot out Corvo.
"And as for you, Grace, you don't even want to know what kind of trouble you're in."
These were the last words that Grace could remember before darkness swam into her vision from the corners of her eyes and she dropped to the floor in a heap.
CHAPTER 7
Days later, Corvo paced back and forth in his quarters at Silver Talons HQ. Anger had been boiling in his gut for the last few days, his rage matched only by helplessness. He felt like someone had reached into him and pulled his heart right out. He felt empty, the bottle of whiskey in his hand the only companion he'd cared to share his time with.
And it still hadn't quite settled on him that Grace was pregnant, that he was going to be a father. He thought back
to the other evening, when he learned the news.
"Pregnant by her own bodyguard," Cassius had said, his voice ridged with anger. "What the hell kind of business have you gotten yourself into?"
"I…don't know, Dad," said Grace, having come to after several minutes of unconsciousness. "It all just kind of happened."
"And you," said Sophia, pointing an accusing finger at Corvo where he stood with his bag. "We let you into our home, trusted you with our daughter, and this is what we get. Shows us for trusting a damned dragon."
"You don't have to bring that into this," said Grace. "It doesn't have anything to do with it!"
"It has everything to do with this," said Cassius. "You can't trust a damned dragon – that's what I was told. Stupid me for thinking I could. All I cared about was making sure my little girl was safe, and now she's about to unleash the scandal of the damn decade!"
"Listen, Mr. and Mrs. Holiday," said Corvo. "I understand that this situation isn't anything that any of us were planning for, but it's the hand we've been dealt. Now, I love your daughter, and I promise that I'll not only continue to keep her safe, but be the best damned father that baby could hope for."
"I don't give a good goddamn what you promise," said Cassius. "There's no way that it's getting out that my daughter's pregnant with a half-dragon child. Not a chance."
"But what can we do?" asked Sophia. "You heard what Dr. Hartford said – this baby's coming in a few months. It's not as though we can trick Marlon into thinking it's his."
"We'll just have to come to some kind of understanding," said Cassius. "But right now, all I care about is getting this fucking dragon out of my home."
Corvo knew that sticking around and pleading his case would only make things worse. He'd offered to be the father, and they rejected him. What more could he say? Picking up his bag from the floor, he stepped into the elevator. Grace watched him as he left, his last glimpse of his love being her mouthing the words "I love you" as the doors silently closed.
"There's the homewrecker," came a voice from behind Corvo, snapping him back into reality.
Corvo turned and saw that it was Jace and Hoxson, both wearing wicked smirks on their faces.
"He's not a homewrecker," said Jace. "Homewreckers are people who break up marriages. He's a, uh…that's a good question."
"They gotta make up a new word for a guy like Corvo," said Hoxson, stepping into Corvo's quarters and taking a seat on the desk.
"Not in the mood," said Corvo, swiping his bottle of whiskey from where it lay on the bed and taking a long pull.
"Let me at that," said Hoxson, reaching his stubby fingers out for the bottle.
Corvo realized that he wasn't about to get these two to leave him be, and handed the bottle over. Hoxson took a long swig, letting out a satisfied "ahhh" once he was finished. He passed the bottle to Jace, who did the same.
"Still can't get used to a babe like you drinking whiskey like a damn marine," said Hoxson.
"Girls gotta drink too," said Jace, putting the cap back on the bottle.
She then flicked her green eyes to Corvo.
"Man, you look bent out of shape about this," she said, cocking her slim hips to one side. "You must've really been sweet on this girl."
Corvo realized that he wasn't doing a very good job at keeping his emotions in check like he normally did. He'd found himself, over the last few days, switching back and forth between rage and sadness. His job was to protect Grace, and he failed. Yet again, he'd failed in his duties to keep his woman safe. And not only this, he wasn't going to be there to even do the basic duty of looking out for his own kid.
"You're thinking about that baby," said Jace. "Man, rough scene."
"And I still can't believe you're gonna be a daddy," said Hoxson.
"Not as far as anyone who matters in concerned," said Corvo. "They're gonna act like that kid is Grace and that little shit she's engaged to's baby. I'll be lucky if I even get within a half a mile of that kid."
"Shit," said Jace.
But as much as Corvo had been cut out of Grace's life, he couldn't shake the fact that there had been someone after her. Those wolves who'd tried to kidnap her weren't a figment of his imagination, and though she was soon going to be wedded off to Marlon, there were still people out there who wanted to do her harm. And he wasn't about to stand for it.
"Corvo, you've got that look in your eyes," said Jace. "The one you get when you're about to shift and rip some poor SOB limb-from-limb."
Corvo glanced at the whiskey bottle but understood that the time for drinking and feeling sorry for himself was over. He had a job to finish; he had a girl to protect.
"I'll be in the command center if you need me," said Corvo, walking from his quarters with long, purposeful strides.
He knew that nothing was going to stand in his way.
CHAPTER 8
"Oh, honey. You look absolutely gorgeous."
Her mother's voice was heavy with pride as she looked over Grace in the mirror. Grace was wearing a long, flowing white dress in the traditional style for a shifter commitment ceremony. Her golden hair was piled on her head in gorgeous curls. She looked the picture of beauty. Aside from the expression of sadness on her face, of course.
"I feel like a blimp," said Grace, lifting her dress just enough to see the subtle curve of her belly, which had started showing signs of pregnancy in the last few days.
"Just forget that it's even there," said Sophia as she stepped further into the elegant, sunlit dressing room. "You know the…arrangement that we came to with Marlon and his family. It's all taken care of; just enjoy your special day."
"Going out of the country for nine months while I have the kid and pretend it took the typical amount of time for me to be pregnant hardly sounds like a perfect plan."
"It's hardly a perfect situation," said Sophia, her tone taking on a slightly hard edge. "But you're the one who had to get yourself knocked up, so it's the best we're going to do. And you should be thanking your lucky goddamn stars that Marlon's not only going to still commit to you, but that he's going to raise this baby as his own."
"Under the condition that I have plenty of his kids," added Grace.
"It's more than fair, considering the circumstances."
"Nice to know that me having multiple children was a bargaining chip in the negotiations," said Grace. "Not to mention the whole ‘committing to a man I don't love' thing."
Sophia sighed.
"I can't –simply can't- believe that you feel for a damned dragon bodyguard," said Sophia, shaking her head.
"Which part can't you believe? The part about him loving me? The part where he risked his life to protect me? How about the part where he offered, without a second's hesitation, to be the father for the baby?"
"Just…put it all out of your head," said Sophia. "He's lucky that your father's not doing everything he can to make sure that man doesn't work in this town ever again. You're not going to see him ever again if we have anything to say about it, so just put him out of your mind."
A soft knocking sounded from the door.
"Come in," said Sophia in a chiming voice.
A young woman with cherry red hair stepped into the room.
"They're about to begin," she said.
"Thank you," said Sophia. "Tell them we'll be there in just a few moments."
Sophia turned to Grace and gave her daughter one last look.
"You look simply stunning, dear. Now, are you ready to start the next phase of your life?"
"As ready as I'm going to be, I guess."
"I suppose that's the best I'm going to get," said Sophia.
With that, Grace was led out of the dressing room and into the hallway. Soft classical music could be heard in the direction of the solarium where the ceremony was being held, and Grace's stomach tightened with each step she took. Cassius stood in front of the large, gold-colored double doors leading to their destination.
"Wow," he said, shaking his head with so
ft pride, "you look amazing."
"That's what I keep telling her," said Sophia.
"You excited?" asked Cassius.
"Something like that."
Grace's parents both ignored her lack of enthusiasm as the doors opened in front of them. The room beyond was a lovely, sun-filled space with a glass ceiling and greenery everywhere to be seen. Two sets of rows were on both sides of the room, both containing a smattering of guests. At the front center of the room was Marlon, dressed in a tuxedo, a shifter officiant standing behind him. The glass windows at the back of the room looked out over large, colorful garden. Grace thought about how this would actually be a perfect place for a ceremony like this – if only the man standing at the front of the room was actually someone she wanted to be with.
Corvo appeared in her mind's eye as soon as her father led her over the threshold. The band's tune changed into a light, romantic song, and all of the guests turned their attention to the Holiday family.
"Wish the turnout could've been a little better," said Sophia softly.
"Last minute ceremony," said Cassius. "Lucky this many showed up."
Sophia took her seat in the front row of chairs as Cassius finished bringing her to the raised steps at the front of the room. Marlon looked her over with an eager expression; Grace could tell that he was already thinking about what sorts of things they would get up to this evening. Grace, on the other hand, just wanted to get things over as quickly as possible.
"Welcome, one and all," said the officiant, a trim man in a dark suit, the band's music dying down. "We're gathered here today to celebrate the commitment of these two lovers in the eyes of our shifter community. Thank you all for coming to witness this most important and sacred event."
Before he could say another word, however, the double-doors leading to the room closed with a heavy thud, followed by the thick clanking of the door's locks. The guests looked around quizzically, and Grace sensed right away that something was off.
"Why'd they shut the doors?" asked Sophia, looking around with curious eyes. "We don't need to be cooped up in here."
