In the blink of an eye, and as a result, he'd lost everything.
Because he didn't believe in rules or refinement. Those were for Max and his brothers and sisters. They were the ones who paid attention to Savitar's rules and dictates. Those who abided by the pacts and politics of the gods.
As a god himself, he'd always thought himself above such petty, irritating things that had been relegated to mortals and lesser creatures.
Just as he'd been above emotions and wants. He didn't need companionship. He was drakomai. They were solitary and happy to be such.
Until now.
In the one instant of her walking into his circle, Medea had changed everything in his bleak world. He craved her with a madness he didn't understand. Wanted her with him in a way he'd never wanted anything else.
Now he wished he knew what words could convey how much this moment meant.
How much she meant to him.
He'd lived his whole life without the warmth of a tender caress. How could he walk away now? He traced the curve of her swollen lips with his fingertip, before he parted her lips and kissed her deeply.
Falcyn closed his eyes and inhaled the sweetness of her breath as he let loose his tongue to dart against hers, to sweep up to the palate of her mouth until she moaned and writhed from it. The feel of her supple body pressed against his while he pulled her black shirt free of her pants.
"You really should push me away," he said, lifting his head to stare down into her gentle, dark eyes.
She quirked an adorable grin that exposed her fangs. "Never been one to do what I'm supposed to. Goes with my whole evil villain title."
"Yeah, and sicko me finds that one of your more endearing qualities."
"Are you mocking me?"
"Never, my love. I'd never mock you for fear of your kicking my ass."
Medea's heart fluttered as he offered her a real smile with those teasing words. It was unexpected and breathtaking.
His pale eyes glowed in the dim fey light as he gently picked her up and lowered her down to their knees. His heat surrounded her while his arms cushioned her from the cold, damp ground. The heat and strength of him surrounded her.
And against all sanity and reason, she wanted more of his hard body.
She actually purred as he returned to her lips to kiss her softly. She'd never been touched like this. Never thought a mere kiss could be such a wondrous experience.
And when his warm, callused hand closed around her breast, she jumped in nervous excitement. Pain and pleasure stabbed through her body as heat pooled itself between her thighs.
Never in her life had she burned like this. Craved another with such a vicious heat. She couldn't even begin to understand these foreign sensations. They were so confusing and consuming, and why she'd have them for him, she couldn't imagine.
Electrifying. Tormenting, and they left her wanting more of him.
Her enemy.
Falcyn left her lips to kiss a trail down her throat to the breast he cupped. Medea swallowed at the sight of his dark head at her breast, at the feel of his tongue teasing her taut nipple. His tongue was rough and hot, his lips soothing and tender.
She cupped his head to her, and let the waves of his soft hair tease her fingertips.
He was so beautiful there, tasting her, teasing her. The tense lines of his beautiful face showed the pleasure he received just from touching her. And it made her heart pound.
She sighed in contentment and let the incredible earthy sensations sweep her away until she was nothing but an extension of the dragon holding her.
Closing her eyes, she surrendered herself to him completely.
Falcyn had never tasted anything like her body. She was so warm. So inviting. More so because he knew she was sharing with him what she so rarely shared with anyone else. She wasn't a creature of trust any more than he was.
Why she would choose him right now, he couldn't even begin to imagine. He was so unworthy of what she offered. So unworthy of her, period.
But then they were partners in darkness and sorrow. They both had been dealt more than their fair share of agony and betrayal. Both had seen the worst of humanity and fey, and pulled themselves up from the brink of despair to soldier on in spite of that brutality.
It was something the scars of her body gave testimony to, the same as his.
And he winced as he saw the jagged stretch marks that still hovered over the beauty of her stomach from where she'd carried her son. Unlike him, she wore that agony on both the inside and outside of her heart. How could she stand to see such an obvious reminder of her loss?
Until now, he'd never realized how lucky he was that he'd been spared such a physical blow.
Such a brutal, constant reminder.
It said much about her strength and character that she'd carried on with the grace and determination she'd shown all these centuries past. That she'd remained sane through it all. Never had he respected anyone more.
And he was glad that for this one moment, and for whatever reason, she was with him.
Medea tugged at his shirt.
Eager to oblige her, he pulled it off.
She gasped audibly as she ran her hands over his tense arms. He clenched his teeth as his head reeled from pleasure.
The things her touch did to him ...
It was incredible. Invigorating. It made him feel virile and feral.
Like the dragon he'd been born.
He was hard and aching. Most of all, he felt vulnerable in a way he'd never imagined.
But he couldn't pull back. Not now. He needed more of her. Needed to touch every inch of her body and to claim it as his own.
Medea felt a moment of panic as he removed the rest of her clothes from her. She was suddenly exposed to him. Not just naked.
Truly bare. In a way she'd never been before. He didn't just see her body. He saw her.
Her heart. Her soul.
Most of all, he saw her pain.
It was scary and strangely erotic. She couldn't recall ever being so exposed to anyone.
No one but Falcyn.
Her heart pounding, she stared at the large size of him and reached down to gently take him into her hand. The moment she cupped him, he growled with a look of supreme pleasure.
His eyes glowed vibrant red.
"Bet you terrify the humans with that."
He laughed and nuzzled her neck. "I've sent a few screaming for the hills."
Sucking her breath in sharply, she squeezed and reveled in the sensation of his hot skin sliding against hers. "Why do you smell like cinnamon?"
"All the better to entice you."
And it did.
He lay down on top of her and gathered her into his arms. Her thoughts scattered at the glorious feeling of his skin against hers. Of his heavy weight that felt good instead of oppressive.
Falcyn took her hand into his and guided it back to him. "Never be afraid of me, Medea," he whispered. "You're the one person I would never hurt."
She nipped his chin. "I'm going to hold you to that promise, dragon. If you lie, your Amazon dragonslayer is the least of your concerns."
Medea ran her hand down his shaft before she gently guided him into her body. He kissed her again, then drove himself deep inside her.
Falcyn whispered sweet encouragements in her ear while he used his tongue to toy with the tender flesh of her neck.
Crying out in pleasure, Medea arched her back against him. She'd never imagined a dragon or any man could feel like this, but she was glad it was Falcyn who was inside her right now. Glad for the strength of his arms around her and the sound of his deep voice in her ear.
Medea wrapped her arms around his shoulders and buried her face against his muscled neck so that she could inhale the warm scent of him as she thrust her hips against his. Dear gods, how she wanted this. Wanted to share her body with him and have him fill her for the rest of eternity.
Falcyn ground his teeth at how incredible she felt. He wanted her i
In this moment, he never wanted to let her go.
Especially when she looked up with an adoring smile that set fire to every part of him. Inside and out. The sight of her lying underneath him, her body bare and joined to his ...
It was the most incredible thing he'd ever seen. A wave of fierce possession tore through him then, especially when he looked down to see them joined.
Suddenly, she bit her lip and scowled at him. "Are you growing larger inside me?"
Falcyn laughed at her question. It wasn't something they normally did.
Not unless they were extremely aroused. "Yeah. We do that sometimes." He thrust deeper inside her.
She gasped and sank her nails into his back. "I swear I can feel you all the way to my core."
He sucked his breath in at her words and the image they created. He liked to hear her speak of such things. "Can you?"
She nodded.
He pulled back, then thrust his hips against hers.
They moaned in unison.
"I'm not hurting you, am I?"
She wrinkled her nose at him. "Trust me, I'd be hurting you back if you were."
Even so, he gentled his thrusts, taking care with her, since he'd never done this with a woman before. He wasn't sure exactly how big he'd get.
"Oh that feels so good," she sighed.
His head spinning, Falcyn rolled over with them still joined. He sat her on top of him and watched her as she took over control so that he wouldn't have to worry about harming her while his body continued to expand.
Because honestly, he felt as if he was about to die from the pleasure of it. Especially when she leaned forward, whipping her pale hair over his chest while she rode him.
Her laughter rang in his ears while she nipped at his chin. "Does this make me a dragon-rider?"
He laughed, unable to believe the sound. Or that he could be so amused while having sex. "I'm yours any time you're so inclined, Lady Apollite."
His mind dazed from the feel of her naked skin sliding against his, he ran his hands over her body. "Tell me how I feel inside you."
"Hard and strong. I can even feel you pulsing here." She lowered his hand to her abdomen.
The sight of their joined hands stroking her stomach so close to the juncture of her thighs almost shattered his control. Instead, he bit his lip before he sank his hand into that mat of hair so that he could stroke her in time to her movements.
She cried out so loud that it echoed in the trees and ground herself against him in a way sublime.
Medea felt so strangely free with him. In a way she never had before. Not even with her husband. She ran her hands over the hard muscles of his chest and abdomen. It was so odd to see him lying there under her, between her spread thighs.
Her dragon.
She knew he wouldn't be like this for many. Not a dragon who hated to heel as much as this one did. It just wasn't in him.
He held her hips in his hands and guided her movements. But what held her transfixed was the bliss on his face. His cheeks were flushed, his eyes dark and unfocused.
She moaned as he ran his hands up from her hips to her breasts, where he toyed with their swollen nipples.
Had anyone ever told her she would ever sit on a full-blooded dragon like this and enjoy it, she would have called them a liar, and yet here she sat with his thick hardness inside her. And not just any dragon.
The son of Noir ...
"What do I feel like to you, Falcyn?"
"Wet and soft."
"Have you been with an Apollite before?"
He stopped moving. "No. Why?"
She smiled at that. It made this moment all the more special to her. "I'm glad. I want this to be special between us."
Falcyn cupped her face in his hands. "Believe me, Medea, it is." He pulled her down and kissed her fiercely.
Medea trembled at the passion she tasted, at the way he teased her lips with his and twined his tongue around hers. His muscles bulged around her, making her tremble.
When he kissed her like this, she could almost believe him.
Please don't be lying to me. She'd hate to have to kill him for it. And she would kill him. Because if he was lying, she wouldn't be able to stand living with the pain of his walking away with such an awful deception.
It just wasn't in her to be that forgiving.
Not for anyone.
Falcyn pulled back from the kiss, then rolled over with her and took control again.
Medea arched her back as he moved faster. Harder. It was as if he were racing for something.
He was so large now that he was wall to wall inside her. Every stroke brought more pleasure. Every kiss and touch reverberated through her.
"Make me yours, Falcyn."
But in her heart, she knew he already had.
He claimed her lips again as he slammed himself into her even deeper than he'd been before. In that moment, she screamed out as her release came. Her body exploded with color and pleasure.
She wrapped her legs around his hips and let his passion sweep her away.
He lowered his head down to her shoulder and growled as he released himself inside her and he shuddered in her arms.
She drew a ragged breath as he collapsed on top of her and held her tight.
"Thank you, Medea," he whispered in her ear as he panted fiercely. Then, he kissed her lips again in a tender caress that sent chills through her.
He withdrew from her and rolled over onto his back and pulled her against his side.
She'd assumed he was through with her, so it surprised her when he spread her legs and touched the most private place of her body.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"I'm claiming you the way a dragon claims his dragonswan."
"Excuse me?"
He smiled wickedly. "I've never once taken a woman as a dragon. Never found one who was woman enough for it."
That thought made her a little nervous.
"And what do you mean by that?"
"Do you trust me?"
Not really.
But ...
Medea swallowed as his long, lean fingers delved deep into her body. She tensed a bit as they burned the tender flesh of her nether lips.
"I won't hurt you, Medea." Rising up on his knees, he pulled her back to his front and leaned her against him with her thighs spread.
Even though it wasn't natural for her to do so, she surrendered herself to him.
She felt him hardening against her buttocks as he rocked her in his arms. His breath teased her flesh while he played until she was breathless and hot.
He ran his long, tapered finger down her cleft. She shivered and jerked as every nerve ending in her body sizzled.
Cupping his hand to her, she arched her back and moaned. No longer able to speak, all she could do was feel each and every luscious stroke he gave her as he entered her body again. Only this time, something was different. He felt as if he was wrapped completely around her. As if they were truly one beast.
Who could have imagined? His breath was hot against her bared flesh as he stroked her entire body with his, inside and out.
With his head buried in the crook of her neck, he made love to her until she came again, screaming out his name.
Only then did he find his own release.
She expected him to pull away.
He didn't.
Rather, he sat back, holding her. "I can't pull out for a few minutes. Not without hurting you."
It was only then that she realized he was still swollen inside her. "That's impressive."
Closing his eyes, he hissed lightly. "Yes, you are."
Completely spent and weak, she breathed raggedly as Falcyn held her close. Medea smiled and snuggled into him, wanting to be as close as she could.
"You know, if the others stumble back on us while I'm naked, I'm slaying you, dragon."
He laughed. "You are so violent."
"And you love that about me."
"I do, actually. It's nice to be with a woman who understands my dark, happy go-to place." He kissed her, then lifted her gently from his hips. "Damn. You have the nicest ass I've ever seen." He nipped at her cheek as she rose so that she could begin redressing.
She brushed her fingers over his cheek and gave him a warm, sweet look. "You keep doing that and we'll never get out of here."
"Don't tempt me. Besides, we can't stay. We don't belong in this world. The balance would be disturbed."
That was true. One thing she knew about interdimensional travel, unless you had special permission or circumstances, you could visit, but only for a very limited time. In order to stay, you had to exchange places with someone else.
A soul for a soul.
That wasn't an easy thing to do. And if you didn't choose or steal the soul for yourself within a specified time, the powers that be would do it--usually at the worst possible time.
That was the last thing anyone wanted, as they seldom chose the one you'd have picked. Rather they went after the one to cause you the most pain possible. Vengeful bastards, they always found a way to punish you for daring to thwart their wills.
Much like the Fates.
And the gods.
Sadness chased away her happiness with that thought while she dressed. As the gods and Fates had never once allowed her any kind of peace or real happiness. They seemed to take a perverse pleasure in ripping it away from her.
Tears choked her as reality came crashing back and that tiny glimpse of a future she'd had just a few moments ago died horribly. There was no chance of anything with Falcyn, or anyone else.
She was an Apollite damned over a curse her father had levied against her race because of the actions of a jealous bitch-queen.
Falcyn was a dragon damned for his own birth by a jealous bitch-goddess. As the old saying went, fire and gunpowder made for a very poor and extremely short marriage.
There could never be anything for either of them, except death and misery. That was all the gods would ever allow for them. All their enemies would let them have. And between the two of them, they had a frightfully long list of creatures wanting them dead.
Drawing a ragged breath, she relegated herself to a cold, bitter reality. To an eternity of being alone. "We have to find the others."
Falcyn nodded. "I know."
As he withdrew, she saw the strange scroll marks on his lower back that she'd missed during their earlier play. She reached out to trace the ancient black swirls. "What's this?"
-->
