by Rinelle Grey
She’d been just conscious enough to realise, when she’d fallen, that she hadn’t made it inside the life magic forcefield. She’d stayed still, hoping the dragon wouldn’t realise she was still alive.
It hadn’t even occurred to her that Bruce, the nervous, ordinary human, might rescue her, despite the risk to himself.
She felt a flood of warmth for him, and attraction.
It was natural to feel this way. Even though he hadn’t stirred, the contact with her meant they were already bonded. A normal consequence of the Mesmer bond.
She could relax and enjoy it.
As much as she could with that dragon still outside anyway
A shudder ran through her. That had been a close call. But for Bruce, she would have suffered the same fate as her father.
She’d always thought having a lifemate weakened you, but what if having someone who was willing to risk their life for you had more benefits than risks?
Woah, who was talking about lifemates? She and Bruce barely knew each other. He’d helped her out of the goodness of his heart, because it was the right thing to do, not because of any bond between them.
Somehow, that made her feel even more grateful to him. Even more attracted to him, if that was possible. She’d known the Mesmer bond was strong, she’d experienced it before, but this was more than that.
Because of him, she’d been given a second chance.
What she did with that chance was up to her.
Bruce stirred then, his hand moving on her chest, sending jolts of desire through her.
She held herself back, as best she could, until he opened his eyes and smiled at her.
“Hey. It worked,” he said, sounding surprised.
“Of course it worked,” Narrian said, trying to keep the purring sound out of her voice. “You did a great job.”
Purring? Really?
Bruce blushed, and lowered his eyes away from hers. “Uh, so…” He cleared his throat. “What happens now?”
“Now we need to complete the Mesmer ritual,” Narrian said softly.
She wished she could offer him the chance to take the agonisingly slow, endlessly tempting, optional route. But that dragon was still out there, and there was still a very good chance they were going to have to fight their way out of this.
She needed to be at full strength.
“Right.” Bruce’s entire face was red now, but he didn’t protest. “Shall we… shall we get on with that then?”
For some reason, the awkwardness that had irritated her earlier was now endearingly cute. It was amazing what the Mesmer could do.
She didn’t bother answering him, just edged her body closer to his, and put an arm around his neck. She heard his breathing deepen as she bent forwards and kissed his lips.
She’d expected them to be soft and pliable, but to her surprise, they were firm and warm. And after the first few moments, he took over and kissed her with a passion that was startling. What’s more, she found herself kissing him back with the same passion.
She was no stranger to the overwhelming effects of the Mesmer bond. She’d been in several skirmishes with Trima dragons in the past, and had had her share of Mesmer partners.
But never one that felt like this.
Narrian almost forgot the urgency of the dragon waiting at the top of the stairs. She forgot the fact that she needed to be fully healed as quickly as possible.
Instead she lost herself in kissing him.
*****
Bruce felt like he was drowning, but he had no wish to come up for air.
He was pretty sure his heart was still beating in time with Narrian’s. That was the only way he could explain the connection he felt to her. As though there were an invisible cord joining them. As well as their lips.
Those were well and truly joined too. And he had no wish to separate them.
He did wish the location was a little different though. The hard, stone floor was hardly conducive to a romantic tryst, and the sand that has blown in through the open entrance certainly didn’t add to the ambience.
Narrian didn’t seem to be noticing. At least, she didn’t stop kissing him long enough to want to change location, even if another had been available.
Bruce let go of his expectations, reminding himself that this wasn’t about the perfect experience, it was about healing her.
Somehow, he had trouble convincing himself of that.
Maybe because it felt more amazing than anything he’d ever felt before.
He’d thought he and Karla had a pretty good love life. She’d certainly never complained.
Maybe that was because she hadn’t experienced anything like this any more than he had?
Was this feeling why she’d dumped him for the dragon prince?
Bruce had to admit, now that he knew what it was like, he didn’t really blame her.
The kissing seemed to give Narrian energy, because after a few minutes, she lifted herself on one elbow, and leaned in closer to him, her hand running across his chest, sending a shiver of anticipation through him.
He’d thought this would be awkward, with the princess, sleeping with someone he didn’t really know, but strangely enough, there was nothing awkward about it.
Narrian reached for his belt buckle, and he bent and helped her remove it, his hands shaking.
She let him handle it, sitting up and removing her leather tunic in one swift movement, leaving Bruce gaping.
She was just as perfect under that armour as she was everywhere else. Her body was lithe and strong, not an ounce of fat, every single muscle honed to perfection.
Bruce almost felt a little embarrassed to take off his own shirt.
Narrian didn’t give him much chance to be embarrassed, she unbuttoned it for him, her fingers sure, and pushed it off his shoulders. Her hand lingered on the bandage on his arm, and her eyes grew dark and serious for a moment.
Then she swung her leg over him, sitting astride his hips, leaving him gasping.
Her eyes met his, their grey depths suddenly serious, and Bruce held his breath.
“I know you are meant for the princess,” she said, then hesitated. “At first I thought you weren’t worthy, but you’ve shown me I… misjudged you. You are a worthy partner for her. Worthy of far more than me.”
Her words caused a storm of feelings in Bruce’s chest. She thought he was worthy of the princess? The words meant a lot, coming from her. He got the feeling she wouldn’t’ say them lightly. Certainly not just to make him feel better.
He wasn’t sure what had changed her mind. He hadn’t done anything really brave. Not like she had. He wanted to say he wasn’t worthy of her. She was the brave one. Obviously she didn’t think so. And the hurt he could see in her eyes tore at his heart.
He somehow suspected that admitting that would only make her feel worse. So instead he said, “Forget the princess.” The fact that his voice was a little breathless only helped the image he was trying to present. “She isn’t here. And you need healing. Would be ungentlemanly of me not to… assist you.”
One corner of her mouth twitched. “It would indeed.”
Her hands kneaded Bruce’s chest, her breasts bouncing enticingly as she moved.
He couldn’t help reaching up to cup them, and she threw back her head and moaned.
The dragon outside must have heard, because he roared angrily.
Somehow, the sound only added to the thrill. Bruce felt a tiny bit of why Narrian had gone out there to fight. Something animalistic, deep inside him, responded to the dragon’s anger. Luckily, his response was desire for Narrian, not a need to fight.
Making love was a far more pleasant way to deal with those urges than fighting.
Narrian pulled back a little, and slid down onto him, watching his face as she moved.
Bruce tried his best to look sexy and sultry, rather than open mouthed and gaping.
He wasn’t sure he managed to pull it off.
Narrian was grinning anyway.
>
Not wanting to be outdone, Bruce gripped her hips, and arched up into her. He was rewarded by a gasp of surprise, and a low moan of pleasure.
He repeated the movement several times, his own desire mounting.
This was worth hanging around for. Maybe even worth fighting dragons, and hiking up and down sand dunes for.
Narrian’s moans rose a notch, and her hands grasped his wrists, but she didn’t try to stop him, instead she urged him to move harder, faster…
Her breath came in quick, sharp gasps.
Bruce was a little breathless himself. Oh who was he kidding? He was huffing and puffing, but at least it was for a worthy cause.
He certainly wasn’t going to stop and wait to get his breath back.
He felt like he could keep this up for as long as she wanted.
Narrian’s moans intensified, until they were almost continuous, and she met each of his thrusts with a downward thrust of her own, culminating in one hard thrust, grinding down onto him.
That thrust was his undoing. Bruce felt desire surge through him, and he buried himself deep into Narrian, feeling her answering waves of pleasure caressing him.
Slower now, Narrian ran her hands over his chest, grinning a little. “Do you always sweat this much?”
“Only when I’m trying to impress a pretty dragon,” Bruce answered breathlessly, then immediately blushed.
Where had that come from? He didn’t make jokes. Especially not after sex.
But Narrian laughed. “Well, you certainly managed that,” she purred. “I didn’t know you had it in you.”
It was a backhanded compliment, but he’d take it. “If we didn’t have an enemy dragon to deal with, I’d show you I can do it again,” Bruce quipped back.
Narrian laughed, and climbed off him. Bruce was more than a little sorry to see her move, but he also sat up. As Narrian started pulling her clothes back on, she said, “Well, we’re not going anywhere for a while. You were right, I can’t take him on my own, so we have no choice but to wait.”
Somehow, there didn’t seem to be any regret in her statement, and she seemed cheerful enough when Bruce glanced up at her as he pulled his trousers back on.
Maybe sex had improved her mood?
It had certainly improved his. He didn’t feel anywhere near as concerned or even apprehensive about the fact that there was a dragon that wanted to kill them outside. Not as long as they stayed in here anyway.
Wait a sec, was she saying what he thought she was saying? Bruce glanced over, and Narrian laughed at him. “No, I’m not that bored. Yet.”
Bruce felt himself blushing, and Narrian only laughed more. Bruce joined in with her, his laugh a little rueful. “Well, what are we going to do while we wait then?”
Narrian sat down on the edge of the pedestal, swinging her leg, glancing up the stairs to where the dragon no doubt still waited. “I don’t know. Not much we can do. A nap probably wouldn’t hurt.”
“Already had one of those,” Bruce said promptly. “Next.”
Narrian laughed again. Her face was pretty, when she was relaxed like that. It changed her whole look. Not that she wasn’t pretty anyway, but she looked gentle, and almost happy.
Then she grinned. “Tell me about you and Karla.”
Bruce grimaced. “Really?” His ex-girlfriend was the last thing he wanted to talk about right now. He was actually enjoying bantering with her. He’d never done that before. Usually he froze up around women, and became almost painfully polite.
“Why are you still here?” Narrian asked curiously. “Doesn’t it hurt to see her with Prince Taurian?”
Apparently she did really want to talk about it. Bruce heaved a sigh, and sat on the pedestal beside her, careful to stay out of sight of the dragon. “A little,” he admitted. “But not as much as it did at first.”
He hesitated, then shrugged and said, “It’s hard to be angry when they so obviously love each other. She never felt that way about me.”
He thought it would hurt, admitting that, but somehow, when he was looking into Narrian’s eyes, it almost seemed like it didn’t really matter.
She looked back solemnly, and nodded her head. “It was a noble thing to do, to let her go. Rian clan thanks you.”
Noble? She thought he was noble?
Bruce couldn’t help drawing himself up a little taller. He hadn’t thought of it that way.
He felt even better about his decision. “It was nothing,” he said, waving his hand.
Narrian shook her head. “No, it wasn’t nothing. Not many men could step back like that.” She hesitated, then added, “I don’t know of any dragons who would have.”
“Well, no,” Bruce agreed. “But then, if dragons sleep together three times, they’re mated for life, right? It’s a little different for humans. Not quite so… serious.”
Narrian regarded him thoughtfully for a few moments. “True, the dragon mate bond does change things, but dragons can be… quite possessive, even before the mate bond is completed.”
Bruce could imagine. “You’ve dealt with that before, huh?” he asked casually, hoping she didn’t feel like he was prying.
Then again, she had asked about his ex-girlfriend.
Narrian shook her head quickly. “No, not me. I don’t have time for mating. But I’ve broken up more than one fight between two would be mates.”
Bruce wasn’t sure why he’d ask, or even whether her answer was the one he wanted or not. Clearly she wasn’t interested in a relationship. Which was good, because he wasn’t either.
So why was he a little disappointed?
Chapter 8
Narrian was feeling more than a little uncomfortable about the direction the conversation had taken, and she wasn’t completely sure why. It wasn’t like Bruce had asked questions she hadn’t been asked before.
She’d defended her lack of interest in finding a lifemate many times. She’d always felt that risking her life by tying it to someone else’s would make her weak. Her parents had chosen not to form a mating bond, but to raise her together as friends. She’d always been proud of that, and felt it made sense, especially after her father’s death.
It helped that she’d never felt a pull. Never liked or admired anyone enough to want anything more than a brief night of passion. She hadn’t understood why anyone would. That had made it an easy choice.
Now, she had an inkling why someone might make that choice, and it made her distinctly uncomfortable.
Was it because they’d just had sex? But that was about the Mesmer ritual, not mating. Certainly not permanent mating.
“Humans fight over mates often enough too,” Bruce said, “but that’s not my style.”
“No, I figured that.” Narrian regarded him thoughtfully. Normally, she would have said that if someone wasn’t ready to fight for something, then they mustn’t believe in it that much. But somehow, she didn’t think that was the case here.
That confused her just as much as everything that had happened today did.
She must have stared at Bruce too long, because he began to fidget a little.
“So, um, what happened with your father?” he blurted out.
The question threw Narrian even more than his comment about not fighting. What was wrong with her today? Had the Trima dragon’s lightning bolt scrambled her brain?
“He died trying to wake the princess,” she said flatly, hoping he’d get the message.
She didn’t want to talk about it.
Since everyone in the clan knew the story, no one asked her. Meaning she didn’t have to talk about how she felt. Even her mother didn’t raise the subject. They had a tacit agreement not to talk about her father. For the first time, she wondered if her mother might have cared for him more than as the friend she’d always claimed he was.
“It must take a lot of courage to come back here and try the same thing yourself,” Bruce said softly.
There was no pity in his voice, only a little admiration.
O
f course he wouldn’t understand. He didn’t believe in fighting.
“It wasn’t about courage,” she said flatly. “The job needed to be done, and I was chosen to do it.”
“It sounded to me like you were chosen because of your father.” Bruce’s expression was curious. Interested.
Narrian felt mean for wanting to snap at him and tell him it was none of his business. She made herself take a deep breath. “If I wasn’t suitable, I wouldn’t have been chosen.”
She was glad that Taurian had picked her for this particular mission. But she didn’t want to be picked because of her father. She wanted to earn this on her own merit.
She suspected though, that Bruce’s assumption was correct. And that knowledge ate away at her.
“You certainly seem to have done an excellent job,” Bruce said promptly. His voice softened a little, “I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather have here with me.”
Narrian hid a wince. Great.
It was clear from his voice that he wasn’t talking about her fighting ability. He hadn’t wanted her to go out there and fight, and he sure as hell had watched her fail. There was only one reason for him to be glad she was here.
She should have realised that a human was going to read more into the Mesmer ritual than it meant. Even though it should have been explained to Bruce that he was sleeping with the princess to complete her healing process, not for love, it wasn’t surprising he misunderstood.
Both Taurian and Verrian had ended up finding lifemates in the human women who had woken them. Even if Bruce understood in theory that it didn’t happen that way, emotionally was a completely different matter. Had he been expecting to find a lifemate in the princess?
Was he now thinking to find one in her?
The thought made her stomach do a somersault in a surprisingly enjoyable way.
Surely she wasn’t falling for this too?
Narrian gave herself a mental shake. This wasn’t love. Not at all.
But how did she get that across to Bruce?
The way he was looking at her, his soft, gentle smile, made her heart flutter a little. She didn’t want to hurt him. But she didn’t want him getting the wrong idea either. She wasn’t interested in a relationship with anyone, least of all him.
