Dragon Mates: Dragon Knights (The Sea Captain's Daughter Trilogy Book 3)

by Bianca D’Arc

  Who knew what awaited them back on the mainland? For all she knew, they might never be together like this again.

  “Seth…” She moaned as he undressed her, pausing as he removed each piece of fabric to place kisses on her skin. Some were gentle, some were nipping, some wet, some oh-so-slow.

  He had learned just how to touch her over the past days—and especially nights—spent together.

  “I’m storing up all these memories of you and I together, Livia,” he whispered against her skin. “Against the time when you are no longer mine.”

  “Don’t say that,” she whispered back, putting one finger against his lips. He kissed her fingertip, smiling softly.

  “We both know the reality of our situation,” he said softly. “You’re destined for knights, and I’m not one. Never will be.”

  The words made her heart ache, but she knew they were true.

  “I don’t want some faceless knights. I want you, Seth. You and Gowan.” She kissed him. “I’m trying to have faith that the Mother of All will find a way for us.”

  “It’s not likely,” Seth said as if the words were dragged out of him.

  “Maybe not, but I can hope, can’t I? We both can. No one can live without hope. Isn’t that what you’ve been trying to show Hrardorr all this time?” She challenged him a bit, liking the way he smiled when she showed him a new way of thinking about their troublesome situation.

  “You’ve got me there,” he admitted, laying her back on the bed. He leaned over her from the side, running his hand gently through her hair. The look on his face was filled with such yearning… It stole her breath. “It was good, when Gowan was here, wasn’t it?”

  “It was amazing,” she replied, her breathing going shallow as fire leapt in the depths of Seth’s eyes. They were both remembering the incredibly hot night they’d spent—all three of them. “But…you’re also pretty amazing when it’s just us, Seth.” She curled her hand around his head, reaching her fingers into his soft blond hair and pulled his lips toward hers. “I love the way you make me feel,” she whispered against his mouth before claiming his lips in a kiss that she hoped spoke of love and passion…and how much she truly enjoyed being with him.

  They tumbled on the bed, and she ended up on top. Good. She felt like spoiling her man a bit. He seemed in such a melancholy mood. She wanted to give him something he wouldn’t soon forget. That thought in mind, she began working her way down his body, undressing him as she went, kissing each bit of skin as she revealed it. His garments went flying across the room as each one came free, and he laughed with her as she made a game of it.

  Already the mood in the room was improving. When his shirt was finally gone, she pushed him back down onto the bed, rubbing her bare breasts over the hard muscles of his chest. First light contact, then pressing more closely, then lifting so he could use his hands to cup her breasts the way he liked—and she liked too.

  They paused there for a few minutes, kissing and fondling each other. Seth was hard as a rock beneath his pants, and she wanted them gone. She didn’t like anything that stood between her and her man. Not fabric. Not circumstance. Not anything.

  Tearing herself away from his lips was a battle, but she won…eventually…and then, she went on to do battle with the buttons and ties that held his trousers in place. One by one, they fell to her assault. Inch by delicious inch, he was bared to her gaze, her hands, her mouth…

  She licked him and enjoyed the groan that he couldn’t suppress. Looking up and meeting his gaze, she took him into her mouth. She’d done this a few times before, but this time, she felt more daring, more wanton, more intent on making him forget all the things that stood in their way as a couple. She wanted to forget too, and for this moment out of time, there truly was nothing but the two of them…together.

  As she wished it always could be.

  Seth watched her as she had her way with him, the look on his face one of ecstasy and indulgence, but as he neared completion, he stopped her. He moved quickly, the muscles in his arms bulging as he lifted her and positioned her on her knees, propping up her ass. He touched her, delving deep with his fingers between her legs, seeming to make sure she was wet enough before replacing his hand with his hard cock.

  And then, there was no stopping him. Seth filled her so completely. Driving inward, making her feel every inch of his length and the controlled strength of his possession. Livia grasped at the sheets, her fingers fisting in the fabric as he ground into her. It was primal. Earth shattering. And completely fantastic.

  She screamed his name as she came hard, knowing he wasn’t finished with her yet. Her virile lover brought her to two more climaxes before he joined her. After, he rested only a few moments before lifting her into his arms and carrying her into the attached bathing room.

  There, he filled the tub with hot water and laid her gently into it, coming down behind her, spooning her. She could feel his cock stir against her butt cheeks, but he made no move to join them together. Instead, he merely held her, his hands roaming over her body in the warm water. Soothing. Refreshing. Cleansing.

  They lay there together until the water started going cold. Livia might have dozed. She wasn’t sure. But when Seth lifted her up against the tiled wall of the bathing chamber, sliding his newly hardened cock within her almost without warning, she came fully awake. Awake and alive and wanting in his arms.

  Seth took her quick and hard then, as if he couldn’t help himself. She didn’t mind. In fact, she loved watching him lose control. The fucking was fast and furious, the climax impossibly intense and simultaneous, this time.

  Seth just held her there, against the wall, for long minutes afterward as they both regained their breath. When he finally let her go, they cleaned up once more, and when her legs wobbled, Seth lifted her into his arms and carried her back to the bed.

  She lay in his arms, content and totally replete. Seth really was a most considerate, and skilled, lover.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Hrardorr woke unexpectedly, not long after he’d fallen asleep. Something had pulled him from slumber, some feeling…

  He opened his eyes, and there she was. Livia with no clothes on. What in the world…?

  Hrardorr shut his unseeing eyes once more. The way the spell worked, as long as his eyes were open, he could see what Seth could see, but if he shut his eyes, the images were blocked. Hrardorr had supposed Gryffid built in that little feature of his spell in order to create some modicum of privacy. If Hrardorr wanted to give Seth a few moments on his own—to take care of personal needs or what have you—all he had to do was close his eyes.

  Hrardorr shut them tight now, realizing he’d somehow felt the tug of Seth’s emotions through the new—albeit faint—bond forged by the wizard’s spell. It was nothing like the knight bond, of course, but there was a small connection. A tiny thread of magic linking their consciousnesses. That must be why Hrardorr was getting a bit of spillover from Seth’s activities.

  It was an unintentional consequence of being joined to another being in any way. Hrardorr was familiar with the concept, having shared his life with more than one knight. He wondered idly if Seth realized that Hrardorr could discern a lot more of what was going on than Seth probably wanted. Or Livia, for that matter.

  Hrardorr knew enough about females to know that Livia would not be at all pleased to know that he could see her. Regardless of the fact that, as a dragon, Hrardorr had absolutely no interest in human females in a sexual way, he understood enough about female modesty to guess at Livia’s reaction if she ever found out about this.

  He certainly wasn’t going to tell her. Not in this lifetime.

  Since he was awake—keeping his eyes firmly shut—Hrardorr examined the connection the spell had formed between himself and Seth. He could picture it as a silver thread of magic connecting them, drawn tight as it sought more magic and couldn’t find it. Hrardorr knew that eventually the magic Gryffid had expended into the spell would fail and that thread would bre
ak, but for now, it was definitely there, joining him to Seth and vice versa.

  As a result, Hrardorr was feeling a tiny bit of what Seth was feeling, now that he’d stopped to examine it. There was a small joining of their thoughts on an emotional level. The ardor with which Seth approached his current activities with Livia echoed down that tiny thread, making Hrardorr think, for the first time in a very long time, about what it would be like to be with a dragoness of his choice. His mate.

  If he was whole, he wouldn’t hesitate about approaching Genlitha and asking her if she felt the same, but as things stood… It was still impossible. This seeing-through-Seth’s-eyes thing was only temporary. Hrardorr couldn’t, in good conscience, start something with Genlitha, only to back away when the spell failed.

  Besides, to claim Genlitha as his mate, he had to first choose a knight. There was also the little matter of her agreement. Hrardorr knew the first was too painful and the second too uncertain. Better he resign himself once more to living out his cursed life alone.

  Oh, he’d have friends. But no lover. No family. No children.

  If he wasn’t such a mean old dragon, he’d break down and cry.

  Instead, Hrardorr settled his head back on his forelegs and did his best to forget everything and concentrate on sleep. He had a long flight ahead of him on the morrow and a great deal to see out of Seth’s eyes, while it lasted. He didn’t want to waste a moment.

  As she lay basking in the afterglow of Seth’s gentle loving, Livia couldn’t keep the worry out of her mind. The dream she’d had of him on Hrardorr’s back, riding into battle just wouldn’t leave her. Should she tell him about it? Could there be some beneficial warning she could give him from that dream image? She really wasn’t sure. Seeing the future in dreams was still very, very new to her, and she wasn’t sure how it all worked, or what the rules were…if there were any rules.

  Seth tugged her closer, spooning her in his strong arms. He wasn’t asleep yet.

  “What’s going on?” he whispered into her ear.

  “What do you mean?” She would try denial and see how that worked for her.

  “Come on, Livia. I can feel how tense you are. You’re thinking about something, and it’s got you worried. Is it about tomorrow? Are you afraid of leaving here?”

  He knew her so well.

  “Yes, that. And… I had a dream that won’t let me be,” she admitted, caving in at the first gentle nudge. Relief flooded her, making her feel as if she should have told him about it when it first happened, instead of waiting so long and worrying on and off all day about it.

  Seth lifted away from her, turning her so that he could look into her eyes.

  “A prophetic dream?” he asked, searching her gaze.

  She gulped. “I think so. Maybe.”

  “All right, then. Spill it. What did you see that has you so tense?”

  How he could be so casual about it she would never know. Didn’t he realize how important this was? Or how scared she was about what she’d seen? The sheer responsibility of having these strange dreams was something she would never get used to. At least, she couldn’t imagine it. How did one grow so accustomed to seeing the future that it became commonplace?

  “I saw you…and Hrardorr. Flying into battle. I think… I think you’re going to dive into the sea at some point, but I’m not sure why.” And that thought had troubled her all day.

  Seth sat back against the headboard as they shifted position. She sat within the circle of his arm as they both leaned against the upholstered headboard.

  “Well, Hrardorr’s strength is attacking from below the waves. Perhaps I need to get off his back to let him do that,” Seth proposed one possible explanation. It was much better than the calamitous ideas that had been running through her mind.

  “I like that. And maybe there’s some way to prepare for such an occurrence. Like, you could jump off near my boat, and I could pick you up.” She really liked that idea.

  “There is still the matter of needing to be able to see what Hrardorr is flying or swimming into. I’d have to be close enough to see his target, and he’s already been complaining that human eyesight is vastly inferior to dragon vision.” Seth chuckled, but she didn’t think this was a laughing matter at all.

  “Could you use a spyglass?” she offered, trying to come up with a solution that would keep Seth as safe as possible while still aiding Hrardorr.

  “Hmm. That’s an intriguing idea. I’ll have to ask him if he’s willing to give that a try. Judging from what we learned today, it might take some practice. Then again, he claims dragons see so much better than humans, maybe it would be easier for him to pick up. I have no idea, but it’s worth talking to him about tomorrow. Do you have a spyglass or should I look for one in the marketplace before we leave?”

  She smiled, feeling more at ease now that she had unburdened herself to him and they’d come up with at least part of a plan. “I have a wide selection of the finest spyglasses the market had to offer. I bought at least half a dozen for the company, and a few more ornate models I planned to either give as gifts to the more successful of our sea captains, or sell on the open market. There’s always someone looking for something special, and I believe they would turn a tidy profit.”

  “Ah, that’s my girl, the consummate trader.” Seth squeezed her shoulders before sliding down to lie on his back in the bed. She followed suit, feeling much calmer now that they’d talked about her dream.

  Seth kissed her gently, and before too much longer, they were both asleep.

  *

  Dawn came early, but they were up even before the sun was a faint glimmer on the horizon. There was much to do before they could depart, and Hrardorr was already stirring, eager to be able to see things around him, which meant Seth had to go to the dragon’s side. He’d packed up his belongings the night before and left Livia to do the final checks while he went down to the great hall and the waiting dragon.

  It wasn’t long before they were taking their leave of Gryphon Isle and the many friends they had made there. Seth was atop Hrardorr’s back as they flew out over the ocean, a gryphon honor guard flying with them for a short distance, which was a marked sign of respect for what Hrardorr had done for the island. Livia’s boat sailed along at a fast clip, allowing Hrardorr to fly at a nice speed, only needing to double back occasionally, to be sure she was all right.

  Seth had brought one of the spyglasses with him, testing it out with Hrardorr during the long journey. As he’d half suspected, Hrardorr was much easier with the spyglass than he’d been with plain, unaugmented human eyesight. Seth was learning things about dragons, and the way they saw the world, that he’d never known before, despite having grown up with them.

  They flew uneventfully for several hours. It was a lovely day, the sun shining and reflecting off the calm waters below. Livia’s sail was a bright white dot below them, making good time. The first hints of the mainland had come into view not long before when Seth used his spyglass again, to see if he could get a better read on where they were.

  That’s when he saw it. Smoke on the horizon. As they grew closer, he realized there was a lot of smoke, very near the shore.

  “That can’t be good,” Seth muttered.

  “It most definitely is not,” Hrardorr agreed, speaking in Seth’s mind. “It looks like battle has commenced without us, but if there’s smoke, that means fire. And fire means…”

  “Dragons,” Seth finished decisively. “It’s nice to see some evidence that the Lair is actually getting involved this time around.”

  They flew ever closer, Seth keeping his eyes on the signs of battle in front of them, growing clearer as they neared it. “Livia needs to know,” Seth told the dragon, suddenly realizing more than just their lives were at stake.

  “I have already warned her that something is afoot. She is standing by for further information. As are we,” the dragon observed. “We cannot know more until we are closer. I’ve told Livia we will scout ahead, then ci
rcle back to her when we know more.”

  “Good plan,” Seth commented, glad one of them was thinking clearly.

  “I have been in battle before, you know,” Hrardorr apparently felt the need to point out. “Many times, in fact. And for at least a century before you were even born. Give me some credit.”

  “My apologies,” Seth was quick to say. “Flying into battle is entirely new to me. The only times I’ve ever engaged the enemy, I was on land. On foot. I don’t really know what to do in this situation, and I’m thankful that you do.”

  “Stick with me, young one,” Hrardorr said in a somewhat indulgent, almost parental tone. “Now, keep scanning in front of us and give me as good a look as you can at the length of the coast.”

  Seth did as the dragon commanded, trying his best to focus in on the areas filled with smoke as they drew ever nearer. Hrardorr didn’t complain aloud this time about Seth’s inferior human vision, but even Seth cursed the fact that he couldn’t see very much from this far away. Although…little by little, the shapes began to resolve into identifiable things.

  Ships. Several ships were on fire. And at least two dragons were flying above, flaming at the ships below, but even as Seth figured out what he was seeing, one of the flying shapes fell to the ground in an uncontrolled plummet. Seth sucked in a breath in concern. That hadn’t been a controlled descent by any stretch of the imagination. Someone was injured. The dragon, certainly, but also likely, his knight.

  “They need help,” Hrardorr said in a grave tone.

  “Yes, but something brought that dragon down. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of those ships boasted diamond bladed spears for their catapults.”

  “I have faced them before,” Hrardorr reminded him. “I can approach from below, but I cannot do that with you on my back.”