by Kylie Gold
He was right in front of us then. “You heard me! How dare you even think of yourself as a leader. What type of leader wants to claim an enemy as his own?” he growled at me. “You’re a disgrace to the tribe, and to the Navani!”
Splendid, he had heard our conversation. For that, I did blame myself. If I would have been patient and just waited to talk to Shan about it somewhere I didn’t have to keep close to Amelia, it wouldn’t have happened. However, that didn’t excuse this boy talking to me like that. “You better watch your tongue, boy,” I warned, glaring hard at him, “You’re speaking on matters you don’t understand.” There was no way for this kid to understand; he himself was still trying to grasp the concept of fated mates.
“What’s there to understand? You’re our chief, our leader, and you want that repulsive human to what? Be our second in command?” the young man barked at me, anger flaring in me. He shouldn’t speak of Amelia like that.
“That’s enough,” Shan tried to intercept, wanting the boy to just leave.
“No!” the boy stubbornly called, and then grabbed his sheath and tossed it to the side and raised his fists.
I couldn’t help but raise a brow at him, “You’re challenging me?” The thought was laughable. With my muscle mass, I was double his size and not to mention heavily experienced.
“I am!” he exclaimed. “I’m fighting for dominance of the tribe. We don’t need someone who does not have the tribe as their priority in charge. I, Bise, challenge you, Dracon, for dominance of the tribe.”
Just like that, there was nothing I could do. Challenging the chief for dominance in hand-to-hand combat had existed as long as the tribe had. It served its purpose in assuring that the strongest Navanian was in charge of the tribe. To dishonor the challenge would be to give up my spot as chief. With a heavy sigh, I took my sheath off and handed it to Shan. He then stepped back and I watched the boy carefully. I didn’t want to fight him, he was small and much weaker than me—it really wasn’t a fair fight. But, he had been the one to call it so there was nothing I could do.
With raised fists, the boy ran towards me, going to punch me in the face. I easily dodged and kicked my leg out and tripped him. He fumbled to the ground, as he went to stand, I stood over him and punched him in the face causing him to fall backward. “Give up, boy,” I called down to him. “Call it off now and you can just walk away with that bruised cheek.”
“You arrogant son of a bitch,” he snarled and managed to get to his feet and run towards me again. When he closed in on me, I grabbed him by the throat and picked him up above my head before throwing him to the ground. I could hear him groan as he tried to scramble to his feet. Bise really shouldn’t have challenged me himself. Walking over, I grabbed him up by his navy hair. My hand wrapped in his hair to where he wouldn’t be able to get away. My fist collided with his face repeatedly, the kid’s nose bleeding heavily and his lip busting as well. Letting go of his hair, I gave him a blow to the stomach, knocking him several feet back.
Thinking that was the end of it, I turned to walk away but just as I did I heard him groaning and wincing. Turning back to him, Bise was struggling to his feet. Could he really not just give up? He hadn’t even struck me once. Bise hobbled as fast as he could towards me, one arm clutched to his stomach. His other arm lifted a fist, trying to gain momentum before going to strike me. As he stepped towards me, I swiftly raised an arm and elbowed him between the eyes. He was frozen for a moment, his eyes crossing. Bise stumbled back a couple of steps before finally falling flat on his back. He was covered in bruises, blood coming from his nose and mouth; there was no way he was getting up from that. I stepped over him, “Don’t start a fight you have no chance of winning,” I warned him before turning and walking to Shan and retrieving my ax. Not a word was exchanged between Shan and me; placing the sheath across my chest, I turned once again and headed back towards the party.
The entire party, though, had come to a stop and they were all gathered around to watch the fight, but they had watched in silence. It hadn’t been an exciting fight, honestly, it was rather gruesome. Bise was just a kid in spirit and body, being barely old enough to be considered a man. He hadn’t stood a chance against me. Just at the front of the crowd was Amelia, looking to me with big blue eyes. I walked to her and grabbed her wrist and began to pull her roughly through the crowd. I needed to get us both out of there before they figured out why Bise had challenged me. There was a tension hung in the air about it, my people looking at me as if to ask why he had fought me. But I was silent and ignored all of their eyes. Their opinions did not matter to me at that moment in the slightest. I just wanted to get out of there and reflect on everything and figure out a way to go about claiming her that wouldn’t end in every male in the tribe trying to challenge me. There had to be a way. There wouldn’t have been a prophecy of it if there wasn’t. The thoughts buzzed around my head frantically as we approached the hut. Once I had her inside, I let go of her wrist and slammed the door; my hands immediately went to my face, rubbing the skin of my face abrasively as I tried to calm down.
17
Amelia
I watched as Dracon rubbed his face, clearly frustrated by the events that had just taken place. I for one was completely lost. I had been sitting and watching the drummers when suddenly everyone began to stand and walk to where Dracon was. Being the curious creature I was, I followed them. Managing to walk around the crowd, I was front row to Dracon beating some younger man’s face. It had been disturbing but somehow… hot. Dracon was so strong and skilled at fighting. And it didn’t have to be said to know it had been about me in some respect. It seemed I had been the cause of all of the internal conflict in the tribe since I was captured. Seeing him defend me in whatever way it had been, had been so attractive in such a strange way. I had never been one for violence, and by no means did I condone it. It had just struck me in an erotic way to see him fight like that.
Stepping into him, I laid a hand on his muscular, tattooed chest. Slowly, he lowered his hands from his face and his lilac eyes were searching my face. My other hand went to the back of his neck, craning his neck down a bit as I stood up on the ball of my foot to kiss him. The kiss was soft—at first. Dracon’s hands found my sides, pulling me against him as we kissed. The sweet kiss soon turned heated, each kiss becoming longer and more passionate. My tongue traced against his bottom lip before pushing past his lips and stroking mine against his tongue. His massive hands groped my ass as we kissed. Each kiss grew hungrier and more frantic. Dracon began walking forwards, making me walk backward. I felt my lower back hit the edge of the table. I pulled away to look back when he grabbed my thighs and placed me on the table. My eyes looked up to his with longing, his burning with desire. His hands hiked the poncho up above my hips.
Dracon wasted no time, his fingers immediately finding my center. From all of the excitement of the fight and the kissing, I was already wet for him. His lips parted from his own arousal upon feeling it. His fingers massaged my lower lips, pressing against my entrance. Then while looking me in the eyes, he raised the hand to his lips and sucked on the fingers that had just been touching me. It was ridiculously hot. His hand lowered again, and he pushed two fingers into me. From how big his member was, his fingers were just a tease but it still felt amazing. He pushed them in deep, moving in a constant, and slow rhythm. My breathing was beginning to grow heavy from how worked up he was getting me. His fingers began to press up when deep inside me, hitting a sweet spot and making me moan. I could feel myself growing wetter. “Dracon…” I pouted.
“What’s the matter?” he smirked cockily.
I nibbled at my lip, not really wanting to have to say it. “I want you,” I finally admitted.
His eyes seemed to spark with interest, but his lips still in a smirk. “How badly?” he purred to me, Dracon still moving his fingers. He then pressed hard against the sweet spot. Lowering his face, he placed his mouth right against my ear and whispered in a breathy voice, “Tell me
how badly you want me.”
I had never been one for dirty talk and had really no idea how to do it. “So bad…” I began, unsure what to say. He didn’t seem pleased with that answer, beginning to work his fingers harder at the spot, making me groan loudly. All I could think about was wanting him inside of me, though. “Dracon, please…” I whined.
Dracon chuckled into my ear, “Not until you tell me how badly you want me.” He gave my ear a peck as he continued to work his fingers, his thumb beginning to rub my clit, making it hard to even think.
“I don’t want you, okay? I need you,” I breathed, “I need you Dracon. I need your body.”
In a blur of a movement, Dracon flipped me over to where I was stomach down on the table. His fingers pulled out, there was a pause, and then he slammed inside of me. From all of his teasing, it didn’t even hurt that time, my sex already swollen a bit around him. His hand reached into my hair, knotting into it as he began to roughly pound into me. I couldn’t hold back my moans; he filled me perfectly. “Say it again,” he breathed from behind me.
What exactly was he playing at? I wasn’t really sure, but if he liked it that was all that mattered. “Oh god, I need you, Dracon,” I let out in breaths, actually not able to help how ragged it came out. I was so turned on by it all; by the fight, the teasing, the fact we were on his dining table. One of his hands had ahold of my hip to keep me steady as he began to go deep with no remorse. He pushed all the way in repeatedly, moving rather roughly. It was a good rough though, kinky and pleasurable.
“Again,” he breathed, giving my bottom a little smack, making me jump.
“I need you, Dracon. I need you. God, I need you,” I moaned loudly. His member began to vibrate and I was about to lose it. Both of his hands held my hips then, driving himself in harder and faster. It was so intense, perhaps even more intense than the first time. His vibrations coursed through my body, sending waves of pleasure through me. It didn’t take long for my body to begin to constrict around him, making it that much more pleasurable. One hand on my hip traveled down and hooked between my legs, rubbing fiercely at my clit. Within an instant, I climaxed, moaning louder than before, my hips moved back against his, desperately trying to get him off. He sent himself in deep and climaxed. Our hips moved together in harmony as we both came down from them. I could feel his fluids drip from me as he pulled out. I just stayed laid against the table, unable to move from the sex giving me weak knees. I felt his hands rub up and down my back as I stayed bent over the table. After a minute or so of resting, I stood straight, only for him to pick me up bridal style and carry me into his bedroom.
He placed me on the bed and then laid down next to me. I laid back with my eyes closed, completely exhausted then. Sex with him was completely amazing. He was a generous lover and seemed to know my wants more than I did. I felt his fingers begin to trace the length of my arm, the touch was light and was soothing. “Do you like it here?” he asked.
I opened my eyes to look at him, his lilac eyes already on me. Well, that was a random question… “Other than everyone hating me, I suppose I can’t complain,” I admitted to him.
“So you do like being here? As in, here with me?” he asked. His face gave away no emotions, his expression completely blank except for his intense eyes. He was giving me nothing to go on, no indication as to if he was joking or looking for a certain answer. My only option was to be truthful with him.
“I do like being here with you,” I told him as clearly as possible. “I know the situation seems strange. I was sent here to kill your tribe, you took me hostage, and your tribe still wants me dead… But, I don’t know. I appreciate the way you guys coexist with the planet, rather than destroying it. And I’ve grown to really like your company, among other things,” I blushed a bit, though slightly joking at the end.
He was silent for a moment, though his fingers still traced the length of my arm. A moment turned into a minute, then a minute turned into several minutes. When he finally spoke, it seemed as though Dracon was blurting it out, as though he would have no other way to have the courage to say it, “I want to claim you.”
Confusion completely twisted my face, my brow creased and eyes wide. “What are you talking about?” I asked, looking to him for clarification.
“I want to claim you as my mate. It’s the equivalent of husband and wife to humans,” Dracon replied. “I spoke to my tribe’s shaman and explained everything going on, and he says you are my fated mate. That we are destined to be together and bring victory upon my people. I know that they do not seem to like you now, but once they understand what the shaman has said, they will grow to accept you. Grow to accept us.” He paused before adding, as though to clarify, “Claiming you as my mate would make you a member of the tribe. You would belong to the Navani, and Shaviro would be your home. Honestly, before I went to the shaman I felt like I was going crazy. I had such a strong attraction to you, despite you being human. And this urge to protect you, to touch you. It all makes sense now, it is just a matter of explaining it to the tribe and getting them to accept it. It will come in time, though.”
I looked at his face, Dracon seemed relieved almost, as though all that information had been gnawing at him. Was he serious? Everything in me wanted to jump out of the bed and ask him what the hell he was talking about. But he had already told me what he was talking about. Only, it hadn’t freaked him out. Dracon just nonchalantly told me we were fated to be together forever, even though I had not known him long at all. All of this talk of bringing me in the tribe, making me his wife… While he said it made him feel less crazy, it sounded completely insane to me. Sure the sex was amazing and I was taken care of in respects of safety and food, I didn’t know him very much and he knew me even less. Besides, he never even asked if I wanted to stay in the tribe or if I would like to return home. As far as I knew I was still his little prisoner, but we just happened to have sex as well. Yet now I was suddenly his dirty little secret he was ready to expose to the world and make his wife.
I didn’t want that. I wanted to go home to my apartment. I didn’t belong in their world. Despite my inner meltdown, I managed to stay calm on the surface. I didn’t belong there.
18
Dracon
I was sleeping soundly in the comfort of the pillows and silk sheets. When we had fallen asleep, I had been holding Amelia with one arm. In my slumber, I could sense her skin not on mine anymore. My hand reached for her as I slept, only to find cold sheets. The sensation of the cool sheets caused me to stir and wake up a bit. My eyes were hardly open, the world blurry around me. As I came to, I looked over for Amelia, my hand once again reaching. Being more awake, I noticed my hand coming up empty. I shot up into a sitting position and stared at the empty bed beside me. Where was she?
Trying my best not to panic, I stumbled out of bed and walked to the bathroom, opening it to find it empty. “Amelia?” I called, worry beginning to swell my chest as I turned to walk back through the room. Where could she have gone? As I neared the door to the communal area, I could hear people yelling outside. I walked into the communal area, Amelia wasn’t to be found. The yelling was louder, right outside my hut. Fear ran through my veins. If they hurt her… Before I opened the door to the hut, I grabbed my sheath and tossed it over my shoulder; no matter what waited out there for me, I knew it wasn’t going to end pretty. And I was willing to fight anyone who stood in the way of me getting Amelia back. I opened the door and my eyes were wide from the sight. The entire tribe surrounded my hut, many of them yelling and holding weapons. Some of the yells I could make out fragments; they yelled that they needed a new leader, they were going to overthrow me, that they wanted the human dead or for me to step down as chief. My eyes narrowed at the crowd, the boy Bise standing directly in the front of it; his face completely swollen and bruised from the heavy beating I had given him. There was no doubt in my mind that the scene he caused had sparked this.
“I don’t know if you’re going to be able to stop this
, Dracon,” a weary voice said, coming from the side. I didn’t have to look to know it was Shan.
“Amelia is missing. Do they have anything to do with it?” I asked him curtly.
“She’s missing? No, they have no idea. They came here thinking she was with you,” Shan spoke truthfully, his tone worried.
Weren't they behind her going missing? What could have happened then? My mind wandered to the possibilities of maybe a couple of humans managing to sneak in and grab her to take her back to Harp. It wasn’t very likely, seeing as I was in the bed with her, but I didn’t understand what else could have happened. She could have been in the jungle, and she didn’t know the terrain; she could easily fall to her death or come across a wild animal that could easily overtake her petite form. At that point, I didn’t care how she went missing, just that I needed to find her. “Then I don’t give a damn about their rebellion,” I spat. I walked towards the crowd, yelling over the voices, “I need a team of men to come with me in a search party. Step up to join!”
The crowd roared, screaming at me. I just stood there stoically, waiting for any men to step forward. My tribe was falling apart before my very eyes and I didn’t care. All I cared about was finding Amelia. Not a single man stepped forward, they all just shook their weapons and screamed for rebellion. Then there was a hand on my shoulder, I looked to Shan. “I will go with you,” he confirmed. Well, at least I had the loyalty of my best warrior. I gave him a nod and glared back at the crowd, still no one stepped up. All of my warriors, the men I had fought beside and bled with were turning their back on me. Just because they didn’t approve of a human being in the tribe. Weren’t we meant to be the people to bring peace? They were acting just like the humans would. It was Shan and me against the entire tribe then, him being the only one to stick to his loyalty for me. I turned to Shan and gave him another nod, and we both headed directly through the crowd. My people screamed in my face calling me a traitor, some even spat at me. Even Shan was being tossed insults, being criticized for helping me. My face stayed stone-like, just letting them scream and spit and curse. Not one of them touched me, they just parted a path for me. They were all still bound to tradition, and all feared to fight me, especially with Shan at my side. Sure, the force of them all would easily overthrow the both of us—but someone had to be brave enough to make the first strike, and clearly none of them were. We reached the end of the crowd and headed into the jungle, the Navani people still in a roar behind us. They screamed for rebellion, they screamed for my reign to fall. They could have the tribe, I just wanted Amelia.
