by Unknown
The door to the council chambers opened with a loud creak and Nick, Kane’s childhood friend and Council mouthpiece, came sauntering out to them in the hall. “They will see you now.”
Lucas looked down to his brothers, who both nodded at him. For the first time in a long time they would stand together despite some of the residual animosity between them. Facing Malcolm’s role in the events that transpired would be difficult at best, but if they were all separated again now the rift would grow, dividing them even further.
Malcolm and Kane filed into the room and Lucas turned to his mate. She looked at him with soft eyes shining filled as much love as he felt. He had no choice but to tip his head down and press his lips gently to hers. A familiar spark fired as his tongue slid over her lips and her mouth opened on a small sigh. His senses filled with everything about her—her scent, her taste, and her love. It was enough to bring a man to his knees.
“Come on, you two, you can get a room later,” Nick interrupted.
Lucas reluctantly released Kira’s mouth only to rest his forehead against hers.
“Whatever happens, we’ll be okay,” she reassured him despite the unease he sensed in her.
He nodded, grabbing her hand to follow Nick into the chamber.
When he stepped inside, the whole room reeked with old world tradition. The walls were lined with tomes filled with centuries of Scottish history as well as their newer American history. He’d never felt a draw to visit the homeland of his ancestry, but every time he’d entered this chamber in the past he’d experienced a surge of pride in all those pieces of history that shaped them into what they were today.
Now he had doubt. Fate had delivered Kira as his mate and these nine men giving him cold, hard looks saw that as a bad thing. He would never agree with that. No one liked change no matter how it shaped history and he suspected this was only the beginning.
“We have come to a decision.” The simple statement was delivered in a cold, clipped tone by their leader. “In the case of Malcolm Gunn’s role in recent events: we find his actions revolting but his motivations yet somewhat understandable. We also took his ultimate involvement in the protection of our Guardian under advisement and have decided to wave the expected death sentence.
Relief swept through Lucas. Maybe there was hope.
“Instead he will continue his banishment until this council decides otherwise.”
Lucas started to protest. Kira squeezed his hand and a soft “don’t” filtered through his mind. He didn’t want to stand down but he trusted his mate. He straightened his spine and resumed his blank and stoic appearance to the men in front of him.
“Secondly, in regards to the unfortunate irrevocable mating between Lucas Gunn and Kira MacDonald. We find you both have broken the covenant between clans and you both are ordered to banishment from the clan for a period of no less than one year. At which time the council will review the periodic medical tests you will be required to undergo to study the effects of combining your psychic powers.”
Lucas stood there stunned. One year? He had expected far worse, but still the loss of guardianship stung.
“Furthermore, with the clan loss of its guardian, Kane Gunn will be appointed to take over the role from his brother.”
The deafening silence in the room after the verdict made him twitchy, although he would never show it.
After a few more long tense minutes the leader stood. “Gentlemen, I suggest you all get your acts together and consider the clan repercussions of your actions from here on out. You won’t like the outcome if we have to do this again.”
One by one the Council filed out, leaving them to stand together...alone.
* * * *
After the council meeting, they’d gone in separate directions each needing time to deal with their fate. Lucas was grateful to be back home with Kira in the peace and quiet they needed as he struggled with his emotions.
Not only had mating caused their life forces to be linked, but their combined psychic powers were stronger than any documented. It was a little intimidating. He’d been further informed they would have to be extremely cautious until they learned how to develop and use their additional powers together. No wonder the Councils had always been so adamant about the races not mixing. These powers in the hands of a morally weak couple could wreak havoc on the clans as well as humans.
Under normal circumstances their actions would result in immediate and final banishment if not death by his hand. These weren’t exactly normal times. He was still surprised the ruling elders would allow the two of them with their enhanced powers to leave. It downright baffled him.
Lucas stopped in his tracks at the far side of the cabin from Kira and turned back to face her.
God, he loved her. He needed to claim her. Again. Despite the fact they’d already been through the mating ritual, he still regretted it had been under duress. He wanted her to come willingly to him. His need built so strong until he thought his dick would rip through his jeans at any second. He throbbed with want to the point of pain. He needed her now.
So he stalked her. Slowly moving toward where she relaxed on the recliner. She looked so calm and serene while he was fighting to keep the animal on a leash. Except… His nose caught the scent of his mate’s heat. She was faxing that calm exterior. He growled with pleasure, knowing he wasn’t the only one who suffered. Without a word he scooped her up and carried her into the bedroom.
* * * *
Lucas wasted no time or words on getting them to the bed. He spread her legs as he came down on top of her, positioning his cock for maximum pressure against her hard little clit.
“Lucas,” she gasped. “We should talk. We have some serious logistics issues to figure out.”
“No, baby. Right now I’m going to fuck you. You are mine and I am yours, but if I don’t get my cock into your tight hot cunt soon, I’m going to explode.” With those words whispered in her ear, her pussy flooded. Her vaginal muscles clenched at the thought of him driving his thickness inside her, taking what he needed, when he needed it.
God, she loved him.
Leaving no more time for thought, he covered her lips with his and drove his tongue deep into her mouth to tangle with hers. He tasted of outdoors, musk, and man. It drove her wild. She flexed her hips up, causing added pressure from his cock against her clit.
“More. I want more,” she begged. He grinned against her lips.
“I thought you wanted to talk.”
“Shut up, Lucas.”
“Then tell me, Kira. Tell me exactly what you want me to do to you and I’ll do it.” His tongue gently caressed and nibbled against her lips as he waited for her to tell him. The little nips shot sensations straight to her sensitive girl parts.
“I want your dick in my mouth. I want to taste you again.” Her hands roamed across his back and down to his muscled ass. Nails digging in, she encouraged him to rub harder against her pussy. She so desperately wanted to be naked she was tempted to rip the clothes away from both their writhing bodies.
“I want you thrusting deep and hard inside me, filling me, taking me.” He loved it when she talked dirty. Winding her hands around the front of his lightly furred chest, she pushed him with all her strength, rolling him off of her and onto his back. Jumping off the bed, she frantically removed her shirt and pants, her taut nipples protruding through the thin lace of her bra, begging for freedom.
Lucas tossed his own clothes across the room as she stripped off the last scraps of lace. “Come on, baby. Get back on this bed so I can taste those gorgeous nipples.” She had a thing for the dirty talk too. The more he talked about what he wanted to do to her, the more heat flowed from her sex.
Slowly, she crawled up his body, positioning herself between his legs. She brought her mouth within an inch of his thick, glorious rod, but instead of swallowing his cock into her mouth, she gently blew on it. It bounced against her lips in reaction. “No teasing today. Suck it.” His voice was hoarse with need and
she responded by flicking out her tongue and licking him from root to tip against the bulging vein and swirling around the deep, now plum colored head.
She was rewarded with a small bead of precum she greedily lapped up. The salty taste of his essence sparked an intense, driving need in her as she swallowed his length as far as she could. With his strangled moan, she got a strong mental push from him, lighting a fire in her pussy. Her nipples tingled from the onslaught. Hell, her whole body tingled. As she eased her mouth back, his hips bucked, trying to keep his cock in deep. She moaned around him.
“Suck it. Kira. Suck it harder.”
With her methodic rhythm, his cock swelled and his blood raced through his veins underneath her tongue. Kira knew if she kept this up much longer he would come soon. As much as she loved it when he came in her mouth, she wanted to feel him inside her, stretching her to the limits of pleasurable pain.
It didn’t surprise her when he read her thoughts, pulled her off his cock and lifted her up into his lap. The broad head of his penis rubbed the outer lips of her pussy, spreading her moisture, from clit to entrance, further preparing her for the coming invasion.
She couldn’t take it anymore. So much need. She trembled. His continual teasing drove her crazy.
“What happened to no teasing?” she asked.
His only response was to position his cock against her entrance, giving her the chance to push down and draw him into her hungry channel on one hard thrust.
Her vision wavered as his cock stretching and filling her momentarily took her breath away. The intensity of the pleasure mixed with the slight pain of her body trying to accommodate his width blew her mind. His moans mingled with hers as they both fought to hold onto a thread of control.
“God, Kira. You’re so fucking tight and hot around my dick,” he panted.
Again his words stoked the flames within her. She bucked against him, trying to force him deeper still. The pleasure in her womb was building to an impossible level and she was close to her own release.
Without warning, Lucas grasped her around the waist and lifted her off of his pulsing cock. Pushing her down on her hands and knees, he quickly placed himself behind her. Pulling her ass tight against his hips, he eased his burning flesh into her, thrusting his hard cock up her inner walls, igniting her explosive orgasm.
As she convulsed around him, he drove in and out of her hard, slamming deeper each time. His magical touch extended her orgasm out beyond anything she’d ever experienced before.
His fingers stroked where he marked her and she moaned. Her skin was on fire. Leaning over her back, he whispered in her ear. “This time it’s for real. Nature may have pushed us together, but today I freely give you my heart, Kira MacDonald.” With those words racing through her mind, and her vaginal muscles milking his cock for all it was worth, he sank his canines into the sacred spot on her shoulder.
The quick surge of whitehot pain from his bite quickly subsided to pleasure as heat from her mate filled her.
Mindless to the pleasure now, she barely noticed him release her shoulder as he continued to thrust through his own orgasm pushing her into another earth shattering explosion. His growl of pleasure turned into a full-blown roar as he claimed her as his woman. Forever.
* * * *
Hours later, she lazily watched Lucas prepare them dinner. She admired the aura of the handsome man who now belonged to her. He had put on a pair of jeans to come to the kitchen but had left his chest and feet bare. She gazed at his skin that had been bronzed by the sun, her fingers itching to caress his back as he’d done hers.
The depth of emotion that had poured from him and into her when he had mated with her again shook her. She had known that he cared for her, and God knew they both lusted after each other constantly, but when he bit her mark again, everything he felt had flowed into her in that white hot flash.
He had opened his soul to her and shared his innermost thoughts with her. Memories of him and his brothers through the years, including the anguish he had suffered when he had been forced to banish his own brother. The loneliness he often felt as an isolated Guardian. Even the pain and fear he had experienced from all of her recent actions.
All of his actions thus far had proven him the man she could trust with her heart. She wanted to give him everything and see what happened. She needed to take the risk. If he ever tried to manipulate her, well, she’d just find a way to kick his ass.
She scooted towards him all the while watching the muscles in his back and arms flex with his movements. Her mouth watered. She wanted to taste his flesh again. But first she had to tell him how she felt.
Sliding their omelets on plates, Lucas turned towards the table nearly stumbling into Kira.
“Damn, woman. How do you manage to sneak up on me? No one else can come within fifty feet of me without my knowing.” She merely stared, tonguetied. “Let’s eat, I’m starving.” Still she didn’t move or speak instead she was frozen by unfounded fear.
Snap out of it, Kira.
Her heart was racing, her palms sweating. “Kira, what’s wrong, baby?” He set the plates down and looked at her with clear concern shining from his eyes. His genuine concern filled her with warmth, which she used to calm her racing heart. Once again his presence centered her.
“Lucas, I need to tell you something.” She drew in a deep breath and forbade herself from trembling anymore. He looked at her patiently, waiting for her to say her peace.
“I love you,” she whispered hastily.
He exhaled a long sigh of relief. “Is that all? Damn, you scared me to death there for a minute. By the look on your face I was expecting bad news.” He gathered her in his arms pressing her cheek to his chest stroking her hair. “I love you, too.” She gloried in the shared moment.
“I don’t know how we are going to work through our problems with the Council or our unusual living situations, but I’m confidant we can find some happy medium for everyone.” She turned and pressed her lips to his nipple.
“We’ll figure something out, darling. Now sit and eat before it gets cold.” She eagerly bounced over to the table to check out his handiwork. “Since you keep making a habit of scaring the crap out me, I think it’s high time I punished you.” His sexy drawl and the implications of his words hardened her nipples. With as much innocence as she could muster, she turned back to him.
“Punishment? What kind of punishment?” she teased.
“Hurry up and eat and I’ll show you.” He sat across from her with a grin a mile wide. “I can’t wait to spank that fine ass.”
Epilogue
Lucas stood on the deck with Kane, watching Malcolm approach the house, backpack slung over his shoulder.
“You leaving now?” He and Kane had been working their way to goodbye as Kira made last minute decisions on what to pack for California.
“The sooner the better, I think.” Lucas regretted the separation between him and his brother, and didn’t relish leaving Kane alone to protect the Dragon. It was a lot of pressure to put on all of them, let alone only one.
“I still can’t believe the Council is forcing you and Kira to leave the Dragon. I’m getting tired of the old ways.” Malcolm’s voice held a note of resignation.
Kane shook his head. “This place has been the heart and soul for Lucas since he was a cub. We need him here.”
“I’m not the only one.” Lucas looked between both brothers then and the pain he felt was mirrored in their gazes as well.
“We’ll be back. The Council promised to study all of the ancient mating laws over the next twelve months and then schedule an appeal for us at that time.”
“I still say it’s bullshit.” Kane’s angry outburst troubled Lucas, but this time there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to help.
“It will all depend on how you focus your combined powers during that time. It’s just a test, which I have no doubt you will both pass.”
“What about you, Mal, what will you do? The Council wa
s really pissed about your part in this whole mess. You keep managing to find the worst kind of trouble. One of these days it’s going to be your downfall.”
“Damn it, Lucas, I really thought I was dying. Being unable to shift caused unbearable physical pain. I lived with it for a very long time, but after a while it began to mess with my head.”
“Well, now you have your abilities back and you can go back to your carefree lifestyle.”
Malcolm visibly winced at Kane’s obvious insult. “You’re right, little brother, I only care about myself. Always have and always will.” Turning on his heel, he stalked back into the woods and out of their life.
Lucas looked over at Kane. “If it wasn’t for him, Kira would be dead. No matter what he has done, I will never forget that.”
“I wish I could leave, too. In fact I want nothing more than to hop on my Harley and ride out of the Dragon right along with you. It’s what the council deserves.”
“You can’t. Everyone is counting on you now.” Lucas knew Kane’s sense of right and wrong was so deeply ingrained he would stay and serve as the last Guardian of his family line. Push come to shove, any of them would.
“Have you given any thought to the Council’s warning? The urgency in them expecting you to find a mate and start a family?” Guardianship could only be passed on through family bloodlines and in order to do that, Kane would have to father a child soon.
“Yeah, right. First I need to get laid.”
Lucas laughed out loud at the screwed up look of frustration on his brother’s face. “Since when do you have problems in that department?”
He hesitated. “Boredom, I guess. Most of the damn shecats I’ve been fucking are hell bent on something serious and I don’t have that kind of interest in any of them.”
Not since she touched me. Her vivid violet eyes had seared straight to his soul.
“I heard that, Kane. You’ve met someone.” It wasn’t so much of a question as it was a statement. He could hear his brother arguing with himself, yearning to take the woman who occupied his thoughts.
