Creia looked at her sternly.
"Why?"
"Ero, sir," she said matter-of-factly, "I know that he would understand, but I don't think that he would like me taking on that role for another man, particularly while he is gone from the compound. I must respect my mate and his feelings."
With Zuri's mention of her mate, Zsilvia saw George look sharply at his former colleague and then back at the monarchs. Creia had a softer expression on his face now and was nodding slowly.
"I didn't think of that, Zuri, and I thank you for your honesty and your respect for Ero. I agree that it wouldn't be right for you to act as protector and guide for another man while your mate is away from the compound. He has to have someone, though. It is our law, and as you know, we will not compromise on it."
"Allow Zsilvia to do it," Zuri said.
Zsilvia felt her stomach tighten and drew in a sharp breath that she immediately hoped the others hadn't heard. The king turned his attention to her and she pulled herself up to her full height, trying to look as attentive as she could.
"Zsilvia?"
"Yes, sir?"
"Could you please come here?"
For a brief moment she wasn't sure that her legs would be able to carry her the full distance between where she was standing and the spot the rest of the group had made for her in front of the king and queen by parting and moving slightly away from the center of the room. Even worse, she feared that if she did make it up there, George would see her body trembling and feel the pulsing, intense heat she could feel forming in her skin.
Finally she forced herself to take a step forward and then another, fighting to keep her eyes locked tightly on the king where he waited for her near the edge of the platform.
"Yes, sir," she repeated when at last she made it to the spot.
Out of the corner of her eye she could see George looking at her, his eyes a swirl of brown and green that she had never seen and his full lips forming only the slightest hint of a smile. She wouldn't let herself look at him, but kept eye contact with the king, who had lowered his gaze slightly.
"Will you take on the responsibility of being the protector and guard for George while he is here? Help him settle in to his new house and get accustomed to the compound?"
"Yes, sir."
It seemed those were the only words that she was able to get past the tightness in her throat. She should have said something else, expressed herself in a more thorough and meaningful way, but she could only agree to the request, as she knew she really had no choice but to do as the king asked, and hope that she would be able to get control of her emotions before they walked out of the meeting hall.
"Good. George, this is Zsilvia."
"We've met," George said, his voice sounding slightly smoother and richer, "but I am happy to meet you again."
He said the last part directly to her and Zsilvia felt a shiver ripple down her spine. She couldn't resist looking at him then, and when their eyes met she felt a surge through her like nothing she had ever experienced. She was suddenly intensely protective, wanting to take care of him and make him as comfortable and happy as she could. An ache had begun to build low in her belly and the longer she looked at him, the more intense the feeling became.
"I'm sure you are eager to settle in after that long journey," Creia said, his voice sounding like he felt completely confident and that everything was properly in place, "I'll let Zsilvia show you to your house. I look forward to talking with you more over dinner tonight. Zuri, I'd like for all of you to eat in the banquet hall tonight so that we can welcome our new guest."
"Absolutely. We look forward to it. I will go straight back to Eden's house and make sure that she's up for it."
"Thank you."
The room fell silent and Zsilvia knew that the inevitable had come. She couldn't draw it out any longer. The meeting with the monarchs was over and she now had to live up to her responsibilities and duties as his guard and protector, which meant walking away from everyone in the hall who seemed to be acting as a buffer, giving her space and distance from George, and being alone with him.
Chapter Ten
The ache was becoming almost unbearable as Zsilvia walked along beside George. The house that they had set aside for him was toward the far end of the compound and they had been walking in silence since they left the meeting hall. She had offered to help him carry his luggage, but he had adamantly refused and swept the suitcases and bags up off the floor as if they weighed nothing. She couldn't help but admire the defined swells of his muscles through his shirt and the way they shifted with the weight of his luggage as he walked.
"Where have the warriors gone?"
George's voice suddenly filling the silence startled Zsilvia and she couldn't seem to process what he had asked.
"Excuse me?"
"The warriors. The king mentioned that all of the warriors have left the compound on a quest and that you don't know when they're going to be back. Where did they go?"
"To explore the planet," Zsilvia answered simply, unsure of what else to tell him.
"Are they looking for something in particular?"
"They are just looking. None of the Denynso have ever left the compound and some recent unpleasant events have made it so the men want to know what else is out there."
"What kind of unpleasant events?"
"There was a war," she said reluctantly. She didn't want to talk about the Klimnu or the battles that broke down the warriors and took Jem's life, "The men decided that we need to know what other kinds of species exist on the rest of Uoria and if any of them are threats to us. Especially Pyra. He's the leader of the warriors. His mate, Eden, is getting ready to give birth to their first child."
George nodded his understanding.
"I can imagine that would make him feel very protective."
"Do you have any children?"
Zsilvia surprised herself with the question, but the need to continue hearing him speak was growing, and with it, the ache that had settled into her pelvis and was tormenting her with every step.
"No," George answered, his eyes sliding over to her, "Do you?"
Zsilvia shook her head.
"Pyra and Eden's baby will be the first of the new generation."
"None of the rest of you have children?"
"No."
"That's interesting."
She wasn't sure that she liked the way he had said that, but she reminded herself that he was a professor who had come to the planet for the purpose of teaching the Denynso about Earth and the ways of the humans that lived there, and to learn about Uoria and the Denynso. His fascination was academic, which suddenly made her feel uncomfortable, as if she was a specimen that he was examining.
They fell into silence again as they turned onto the road where his house was located and she led him to the front door. It was a small cabin just like the other ones that the Denynso had created specifically for the human visitors who came to the compound. Since the first several humans that came had been kept strictly to the six-month maximum visit duration that Creia had imposed, the cabins were simple and straightforward.
George didn't seem bothered by this as he stepped inside and looked around. There was enough daylight coming through the windows that the inside appeared bright and welcoming, but she knew that as soon as the late afternoon hit, the interior would grow dark.
"There is no electricity," she told him, "The lamps, water heater, and stove all work by solar power. There are also a few plants around that will glow so you can keep the lamps off as much as possible to conserve the power."
"Alright."
George lowered his bags to the floor and turned to face her. Zsilvia felt her body drawn to him, pulled toward him as with some unseen force. It was overwhelming and disorienting, and she felt the strange, conflicting need to both run into his arms and escape the room as quickly as she could.
"I'll let you unpack and get used to the cabin. Dinner will be in a few hours, so I will come
back for you then."
She turned to the door but before she could open it, she heard George's voice coming to her.
"Can I ask you another question?"
"Yes," Zsilvia said, pausing just a step away from the door.
"What does it mean that Zuri and the warrior Pyra that you mentioned have mates?"
Zsilvia's eyes closed briefly and she let out a slow breath to calm herself. Her body was trembling and her heart had started to pound uncontrollably in her chest.
"It means exactly as it sounds," she replied, "It means that they have found their lifelong mates and completed their bond with them."
"Their bond?"
She could hear George's footsteps as he slowly approached her. She turned around and found him just a few feet away from her, his eyes smoldering into hers.
"Yes. It's how our kind make the connection and commitment with our mates. As soon as a pair of intended mates bond, they are linked together for life."
Her eyes wandered across his chest now just as they had his back when they were standing in the meeting hall. She longed to touch him. She wanted to run her fingers back through his dark brown hair and trace them along the roundness of his shoulders and the carved muscles of his arms. She wanted to feel him press against her so that she could savor every inch of his body.
"Tell me what you're thinking right now," George said.
His voice had dropped to a whisper and it sounded even sexier, his unusual accent making the words almost glide across his tongue so that they swirled around her and tempted her forward closer to him. She fought the urge, but he took another step toward her, further closing the gap between them.
"I can't," she answered, mimicking his low tone with her own voice.
"Why?" he asked.
She couldn't respond, but he seemed to already know what she was going through her mind. He reached down and took the hem of his shirt in both hands, pulling it off over his head in one smooth movement. It dropped from his fingers onto the floor and Zsilvia's breath caught in her throat. George stepped forward, bringing them close enough now that she could feel his breath touching her face.
He said nothing but took her hands in his and brought them slowly up until they rested on his chest. His fingers pressed down lightly on hers, smoothing her hands down until they were flattened on his warm skin. Thick curls of coarse dark hair tickled at her palms and she felt the ache between her thighs turn into a tingling sensation that nearly made her whimper. George brought his fingertips to her wrists and guided her hands gently down the curve of his chest and onto his belly. She could feel the rippling muscles, but it was the hair that forced her to bite her lip in order to control herself.
Denynso men didn't have this type of hair. Their bodies were smooth and streamlined, almost like machines crafted for war. George's body was different. Though muscular like the warriors, he looked somehow more masculine and primal with the hair, and it made all of her resolves weaken. The powerful wave of need that rushed over her was unmistakable.
George released her wrists from his touch but Zsilvia didn't take her hands away from him. Instead she curled her fingers so that she could draw her nails through the hair from his chest down his belly. He moaned softly and she stepped closer to him. George's hands came to her hips as she leaned forward and touched her lips to the soft dip between his collarbones. She made her way down, kissing a trail along the center of his chest, pausing to feel the timbre of his heartbeat against her lips.
His hands kneaded into her and she could feel him pulling her forward so that she would press against him. He seemed to be feeling the same need that she was, and when her body touched his, the pressure of an intense erection against her belly sent her desire soaring out of control. She felt for his belt and unhooked it, making quick work of the button and zipper at the front of his pants so that she could push the sides apart and released his cock into her hand. George groaned as Zsilvia wrapped her fingers around his length, savoring the feeling of his hardness against her skin.
She was stroking her hand along him, allowing the fluid that dripped from the tip to make her palm glide against her skin, and his fingers were releasing the strings at the front of her skirt when a hard knock on the door make both of them jump.
"George?"
Zuri's voice called in through the door and Zsilvia felt embarrassment burn across her cheeks.
"I'm just changing," George called back to her without missing a beat.
"That's alright," Zuri replied, "I just wanted to stop by and ask if you wanted to read some of the notes that I've made since I've been here. You might find them interesting."
George was putting his clothes back on and looking at her regretfully as Zsilvia tied her skirt and smoothed her hair, trying to make herself look presentable.
"Thank you, Zuri," he said, "I'll have Zsilvia bring me to your house in just a bit."
"I'll actually be at Ciyrs' shop. She'll show you where that is."
"Alright."
Zsilvia listened to Zuri's footsteps moving away from the house and then turned to George.
"His shop is the third building on the main street," she told him softly.
"Aren't you going to come with me?"
Zsilvia shook her head.
"They don't need me there," she replied.
George reached down and took her hand.
"Maybe I do."
Zsilvia looked into his eyes and felt the rush of protective need flow over her again. His grip tightened on her hand and the warmth that had spread through her disappeared as fear replaced it. Memories crashed behind her eyes and she felt her heart constrict painfully. Suddenly she couldn't breathe.
Pulling her hand out of his, Zsilvia yanked open the door and ran out of the house, needing to be alone, yet knowing that she could never be alone with him again.
(To be continued in Part II…)
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No Such Thing as a Dragon PREVIEW
Chapter One
Ozaryan
“Why do you enjoy hanging out with humans so much?” Feilong asked me for about the thousandth time. “I'll never understand how you can actually enjoy their company. I mean, they have their uses, especially when you have that itch that needs to be scratched. But how do you find them interesting or worth really engaging?”
Feilong and I had been best friends since we were young. But as we grew older, he had become something of an elitist, preferring the company of other Dragonborn; refusing to mingle with outsiders at all. Many of my kind didn't mingle with the humans too much. Some were scared of being discovered, others were just loners by nature, and then you had the elitist who thought they were far above a simple human. I didn’t understand that attitude at all.
I loved to watch and interact with them. They were just so very different from the Dragonborn in every conceivable way. I couldn't help but find those differences fascinating and beautiful. Though some would say our women were more exotic, I'd always found the human women to be incredibly attractive – an opinion that earned me no small amount of scorn from my people.
But given my time in the world of man, getting to know the people we were sworn to protect and defend, it shouldn't have surprised anybody to know that I'd found a certain human woman to be exceptionally attractive. It was something I kept to myself. I didn't want anyone to know about her because it was frowned upon to even think of humans as a mate, let alone act upon it.
They were, after all, mere mortals and we were legends. Stories and myths told to children, passed down through the generations. While not immortal, we came fairly close to it. Whereas most humans lived much less than one century. I guess that was what made them and how they lived their lives a
ll the more fascinating to me.
But my brothers and sisters didn't see it that way. Where they saw weakness, I saw a beautiful fragility. Mortality was fascinating to me, though I couldn't explain it. Especially not to my fellow Dragonborn.
“It's okay, Fei,” I said, using his nickname, “I don't expect you to understand. I never have.”
“What's that supposed to mean?” he asked, looking – and sounding – offended.
I shrugged, not wanting to argue I said, “It's just – I know I'm strange to most of you. I know I'm considered different among the Dragonborn. And I'm fine with that.”
“Whatever makes you happy, Ozy,” he said. “Just don't get yourself in trouble.”
“I won't,” I said. “Trust me. I'm just as passive observer. A student of humanity.”
That was because I had no idea how to even begin a conversation with a human– especially the one I wanted. But Fei didn't need to know that. It wasn't like anything was ever going to happen with her anyway. It was just a nice little daydream to have.
And except for a smile now and then, I never interacted with her. And I probably wouldn't. It was better that way. For her safety and for mine.
“Where are you going?” Fei asked me.
“To get some coffee,” I said.
“You don't drink coffee,” he scoffed.
“Of course, I do,” I said. “I love the stuff. In fact, I can't get enough of it.”
“Since when?” he called after me.
I just kept walking not bothering to answer him. Yes, I was going to the coffee house, but it wasn't for the coffee. I drank it now and then, but personally, I couldn't stand the stuff. Too acrid. Too bitter. I was going to see her.
~ooo000ooo~
This was my territory to protect in my capacity as a Warden, and I was there, just doing my job when I stopped into this little coffee house one day. Then, when I saw her, everything changed for me.
Saved by a Dragon Page 68
