“Okay, I’m convinced. And I’m glad, too. Because Esther deserves someone who loves her.”
“Wait…” Bryant’s brow creased. “You’re saying that you were, what, testing me?”
Kayla nodded, smiling in a self-satisfied way. “Yup. I needed to make sure that you really loved her the way she loves you. And that you didn’t just marry her while she was drunk and seduce her as a prisoner because you could.”
“What?” Virdi’s roar let loose a deep cloud of smoke, and his mouth glowed with a red light.
Shane instantly seized Kayla and shoved her behind him protectively. He rolled to the balls of his feet and eyed Virdi warily. Bryant, for his part, stayed where he was but his fires flickered higher in response to the threat. Virdi leaned on his desk eyes closed, smoke leaking through the corners of his mouth. Eventually, he straightened again and pointed at the door.
“Get out. All of you. I have to talk to Bryant Chandler alone.” His eyes were narrowed to furious slits as he glared at Bryant.
Virdi waited until the others were gone and the door was closed before he strode around the desk. “Is that true? Did you marry Esther?”
Hadn’t he already known? From Virdi’s anger, it was clear that he hadn’t, but that itself was surprising to Bryant. It was clear that Esther had told Dominique and Kayla. So what reason did Dominique have for holding back that bit of information from her mate? Maybe she was giving him time to tell Virdi himself. A gesture that he appreciated if that was the case.
“Yes.”
Virdi lowered his head for a moment. “Why?”
“Honestly?” Bryant shrugged. “I was drunk and I don’t really remember what I was thinking.”
“Drunk.”
Bryant nodded. “I know that my actions have been less than well-thought-out. I’ve been acting irrationally and not thinking things through. With that in mind, it’s best that I be removed from the Guard. Or has the paperwork already gone through?”
Virdi shook his head and threw his hands in the air. “I was waiting. To see if there was a way that I could keep you on. I thought that you were one of the best men I had. I thought… but if you go and marry women that you’ve just met while your drunk, you’re not the man I thought you were.”
There was heavy disappointment in Virdi’s eyes, but Bryant said nothing. Maybe it was a drunken choice but he wasn’t going to say that Esther was a mistake. Nothing with her was a mistake. Except for locking her up, that was. Everything else was perfect.
“Why didn’t you come to me when you first married her? We could have annulled the marriage and found a way for you to keep your position.”
“At the time I thought it was better for me to figure it out on my own. But now I realize it’s because I didn’t want it annulled. I love her.”
Virdi’s eyes widened.
“I never thought that I could find another mate. I thought that there was only one for us. That I had my chance and I was never going to find happiness or love again. But Esther… she makes me want to continue. To be a better man, a better dragon.” Bryant smiled slightly, thinking of his beautiful human with her dorky glasses and charming smile. “The Guard was my life. I had nothing else. I was drifting until I found her. But now… Now I see all the possibilities the world has to offer. I want to follow her to the ends of the Earth and dig in dirt and mud and find things that I can’t understand but that will make her happy.”
A soft smile spread over Virdi’s face as the anger melted away. “I’ve always said that we dragons are too caught up in tradition.”
Did that mean he was going to still be part of the Guard? Bryant didn’t dare voice his sudden hopes. Yes, he would gladly follow Esther anywhere she went and he wanted to be with her more than anything else. But if there was a way he could have her and still be in the Guard, then that would be the best.
Virdi circled his desk again and sank into the chair behind it. “If it was just the kidnappings, I might have been able to justify it. But considering this new information, I have no choice but to remove you from the Guard.”
“Of course.” He tried not to let the bitter disappointment fill him. “I understand that, but Dunn is still a danger and—"
“A danger I will take care of.”
The two men stared at each other. Bryant couldn’t make himself back down. A clock ticked off the seconds as they passed. The smell of smoke was still heavy in the air, but his own fires were back under control. Perhaps a little , but there was no danger in his accidentally releasing them. Which was a good thing, since this study was full of paper and wood and other flammable materials.
“With due respect,” Bryant started slowly, “Dunn went after me. He targeted you and Esther and the others because of me. He wants to kill me and—”
Virdi lifted his hand. The silent order rankled Bryant, but he closed his mouth.
“I understand,” Virdi said. “Now I need you to understand. You have been compromised. You’re too close to the issue. Dunn knows about Thunder but it’s no longer your job to protect him.”
“Virdi—”
“There is nothing more to discuss.” Virdi glanced at a few papers on his desk and shook his head. “I’ll put through the paperwork for you to voluntarily withdraw from the Guard. Then you are still eligible for your severance package. I will discuss with Kayla and Shane what punishments they want for you kidnapping and imprisoning them, but I’m certain that I can talk them into a light sentence as long as you keep your head down.”
“Right.” Bryant slumped back in his chair. So that was it. He was no longer part of the guard and now he wasn’t permitted to be a part of protecting his people from Dunn anymore. Even though he knew the dragon better than anybody else on the Guard did.
Virdi paused a moment. He looked so exhausted that Bryant felt sorry for him. “Dominique and I have been discussing making Thunder’s identity known soon. We don’t want to, but given these events, it might be best for his protection. Let the clans offer their support.”
Bryant lowered his eyes. If they did do that, it would erase any chances the boy had at a normal childhood. And it would be his fault. He ran a hand through his hair. “Tell me how to make this right.”
“I don’t think you can. Now go on. I’m certain your mate will want to see you.”
Chapter Fifteen
Esther
It was about time.
Esther could only wait until the door started to open before she threw herself onto it, forcing herself inside quickly. Bryant stood on the other side and he oomphed as she rammed into him. She flinched back, heat rushing to her face as her hands fluttered. Her stomach twisted. Of course, she would hurt him as soon as she saw him again.
“I’m sorry,” she blurted. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
Bryant laughed, shut the door, and wrapped her in his arms. “Hush.”
He kissed her hard, causing sparks to flare up in her lips. Her skin tingled and her core tightened. Any worry she had melted away as she leaned against him, teasing his lips open. If he was angry at her for what happened, he certainly wasn’t showing it. He pressed her into the wall and ground his hips against hers before he pulled back and shook his head.
“Sorry. We need to talk and I’m getting ahead of myself.”
“I don’t mind.” She nipped at his lower lip, then sighed. He was right. They did need to talk, and going at it like this wasn’t going to help with that at all. Reluctantly she pulled her arms from around his waist and allowed him to step back.
Bryant touched her cheek. “First off, I’m glad that you’re okay. And you taste like roast beef so they’re obviously feeding you.”
“Did you want me to bring you any?”
He shook his head. “I’m good, thanks. Don’t have much of an appetite right now.”
She flinched. “It’s because you were kicked from the guard, isn’t it?”
“No. Well… maybe part of it. But—”
“I’m
sorry.”
Bryant’s brows rose. “For what?”
“I’m the reason why you got kicked out of the Guard. And I know how much it meant to you. So, I’m sorry.”
“Hey.” Bryant took her hand and led her to the bed, where they sat down and he wrapped an arm around her. “Don’t be sorry. It’s not your fault. I’m the one that married you when I knew it was against the rules. And rather than saying that you knew how much the Guard meant to me, why don’t you think instead about how much more important you are to me since I was willing to give it up just to be married to you.”
Esther giggled and hid her face in his shoulder. It was a flawed sentiment, but a sweet one. She snuggled into his arms, just the feeling of being this close to him helped to ease the troubled emotions she had been having ever since getting back here. But if that wasn’t what he wanted to talk about, what did he want to talk to her about?
His fingers combed through her hair and he sighed. “But there is something about that…”
She nodded, encouraging him to continue.
“Well… I don’t have a job. My severance package will be enough to support us for a little bit, but I don’t really know what I’ll do after it’s gone. Is Shane still going to fund your dig? Or did I screw that up for you?”
“I haven’t asked.” She pulled back a little and frowned. “And I don’t… I don’t really care if he pulls out. I’d rather have you than funding for a million digs. We’ll figure this out. You and me. Together. Fated mates.”
A soft smile spread across his face and he relaxed. “Okay, then. So that’s our plans, then? Be happy we have one another and whatever may come will come?”
“It sounds like a good plan to me.”
Esther glanced around the room. It wasn’t a very comfortable one. Besides the bed, there was only a desk that had a few books and notebooks but nothing else for entertainment. The carpet was worn, clearly having been missed when they redid the rest of the house. A naked light hung from the ceiling, but there was enough light coming through the large windows, even though a thin blind was drawn, that the light wasn’t even turned on.
Unlike her.
Talking was all well and good, but honestly, all she needed was what he had already said. That he loved her enough that he didn’t care whether he was in the Guard or not. And she had said what she wanted to say, that even if she didn’t get the dig, having him with her was enough. It was. Together, the two of them could face anything. Having that knowledge burn inside of her made her insides clench and do pleasant things while a fire built in the core of her.
Is this what it feels like to be a dragon? she wondered as she twisted her hands into his hair. “I love you.”
“And I love you.”
His big hands coasted over her body and Esther let her eyes drift shut, savoring the sensation of his touch. She kissed his neck, then his mouth. As he parted his lips she claimed his mouth, mimicking with her tongue what she longed for him to be doing to her. A throaty moan rewarded her for her actions and she shifted slightly so she could straddle him.
She pressed her hands to his shoulders and encouraged him to lie down before sliding down his body and tugging his legs onto the bed so he was lying flat. There wasn’t a lot of room left for her, but that didn’t matter. With a coy smile, she began to undo his belt.
“You think so, do you?” he said in a husky voice. His eyes were dark with lust.
“Mm-hmm.”
Bryant smirked and propped his head up with one arm to watch her. His other hand wrapped into her dark hair, holding it back from her face as she pulled his pants down. Esther’s heart swelled, as did her core, as she met his green eyes while taking him into her hand. His hips bucked a little but he stayed still. There was some part of her brain that was nervous about this, but her excitement was too much for it to get any purchase.
“Do you know what to do?”
Heat rushed to her cheeks. “I know the basic idea. I’ve watched a lot of porn.”
Bryant laughed. “Okay. Just so you know, though, I don’t like it all the way in. Just suck on the tip. No deepthroating. I know it’s not pleasant for the woman and I don’t like it anyway. Oh, and make sure you use your tongue. The pornos don’t show that.”
Just listening to him tell her what to do had the heat inside of her increasing. He unbuttoned his shirt as she rubbed him between her hands, contemplating his size before she took the tip of him into her mouth. It took a little experimentation to find the pressure he liked, but once he shuddered, head falling back, and told her that it was perfect she grew more confident. She moved her head up and down while he stayed in her mouth making sure her teeth didn’t go anywhere near him. His grip on her hair tightened, but never to a point of pain.
“Esther,” he moaned. “Oh, my Esther.”
The sound made her clench her thighs together. Everything was getting tight, and she had to have some release. While she kept her ministrations on him, she pushed a hand into her waistband and found her own pleasure. The moan that came from her throat as she started to stroke herself made Bryant harden even more.
He made a tortured noise, and Esther was hit by a sudden thought. She sat back up and practically ripped her clothes off, baring herself to him. Bryant grinned at her, eyes fastened on her breasts. Her heart pounded in her ears as she moved up and squeezed him between her thighs. With one hand to keep him in place, she began to move up and down, sliding a little on him. Every time she came down, he brushed against her in a way that had her shivering with pleasure.
“You look so sexy like that,” Bryant growled, abruptly sitting up. He grabbed her hips and pulled her flush against him, with his cock still pressed between their bodies. Another growl as he started to grind, making fireworks explode behind her head. “I want you. I want to be so deep inside of you that you can’t tell where you end and I begin. I want to be the only man to ever know what you taste like, smell like, feel like.”
Esther clung to him, mewling as his words made things tighten even more. It was too much–how could she stand this without getting her release? “Take me.”
He buried his face into her neck, grinding with a firmer pressure on her. Esther’s fingers dug into his back. Suddenly he flipped her so that she lay on her back. Bryant pulled back, pushed a finger inside of her, then grinned. Staring into her eyes, he pushed in. Faster than the first time they had made love, but still so slow that Esther thought she would go mad with waiting.
And then he began to move.
Esther cried out, her back arched as he thrust into her. Firm, steady strokes that hardly let her get used to one before the next was on her. It pushed her tighter and higher. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and her fingers raked down his back. She planted her feet on the bed and matched him thrust for thrust, crying out every time they came together, every time he found himself fully seated in her. The breath left her and they were left in silence, moving together, so close and so in unison she didn’t know where she ended and he began.
It was hours before they were done. Esther collapsed onto the bed, panting and clinging to him, feeling utterly spent. A sleepy smile spread across her face as she ran her hands over the sculpted contours of his chest and abs. When she got to a puckered scar, she suddenly remembered that he had been shot and bolted upright.
“We’ve torn you open and you’re bleeding internally!” she shouted.
Bryant jumped, then laughed. He pulled her back to him and shook his head. “No. No, my love. The bullet was removed and I’ve healed. A good meal, some sleep and a shot of adrenaline. I’m fine. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have done that.”
Esther let out a relieved breath and leaned back against him. Now that they weren’t exerting themselves anymore the sweat coating her body was starting to feel cold and she pulled a blanket over the two of them, trapping Bryant’s warmth in with her. She laid her head down on his chest again and smiled.
“I understand why people like sex so much. Why they
can’t live without it. I never thought that it was my place to judge others for treating it like candy, but oh boy do I understand now. It’s… not candy. It’s like a gourmet meal.”
“Sometimes it is like candy. Other times a meal. Sometimes like three-day-old leftovers.” Bryant kissed the top of her head. “But I have a feeling that you and I have a lot to—”
The door slammed open. Esther screamed, pulling the blankets higher. Dominique rushed in, her normal cedar tones pale, eyes wide and wild. “Virdi was called away to another clan and he’s not answering his phone. Something’s happened, I know it. Bryant, I know I have no right to ask you—”
He threw off the blankets and jumped to his feet, reaching for his clothes. If Dominique was embarrassed for walking in on them like this, she didn’t show it. Her hands twisted as Bryant dressed. Tears rolled down her cheeks.
“Where did he go?”
“Shane will take you there.”
Bryant nodded and bolted from the room. Esther sat up, clutching the blankets to her chest. What was she meant to say when she was naked and just had sex? “I’m sure everything is going to be fine.”
“I’m sorry.” Dominique turned her back. “I just didn’t know what else to do. I can’t send anybody else, we need the Guard here for Thunder. I just can’t help… Oh, God. What if Dunn was just using Bryant as an excuse to get closer to us? What if he was really after Thunder?”
Dread dropped into the pit of Esther’s stomach but she pushed it aside. She grabbed her clothes and started to dress. “We can’t panic. Whatever has happened, I’m sure Virdi is fine. And if Dunn is trying something? Well, he doesn’t have a chance against our dragons. They’ll be back before you know it, you’ll see.”
Please, God, let me be right.
Chapter Sixteen
Bryant
Despite his previous injuries, Bryant outflew Shane and arrived at the location where Virdi was meant to meet with the other clan well before the other dragon. A dozen of the Guard were scattered around a huge field. A few of them were still in their dragon forms, but most were human again, laying bleeding and writhing on the ground as others beat on them. The ground crawled with the enemy, thirty or forty easily. Many of them were incapacitated as well, but there were enough still standing.
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