by Mina Carter
Dualla turned into a wildcat, trashing and thrusting back against him.
“Just fuck me harder,” she demanded. A demand he eagerly obeyed. Pulling his thumb from her ass, his breath came in harsh pants as he slammed into her. Dualla whimpered in ecstasy. Her body was being used and used hard but it felt so damn good!
A roar of triumph left his lips as he thrust into her a last time. His body stiffened, his cock pulsing and jerking as he bathed the neck of her womb with his seed, and for the first time in her life, Dualla wanted a man’s seed to take hold…
Chapter Seven
Fucking hell. Edan blinked the grey from the edges of his vision as he came down from the most intense orgasm of his life. His whole world had tilted on its side the instant he’d come, buried in her silken depths. Deep within his soul, something reached out to her, making the connection with hers to wrap her in the intangible bond of a dragon and his fire companion.
He dropped his head and dragged a ragged breath into his lungs. Fuck it! He’d gone and done what he’d sworn to himself he wouldn’t do -- tie her to him in the bond.
Perhaps… his head lifted as hope filled his chest. Perhaps it had worked and healed them both? His cock still buried within her, Edan reached inside to feel the connection between himself and his dragon. The creature purred, sated for the moment by the connection with their souler, but the ache of his damaged wing was still there.
Disappointment crushed him, stealing his breath again, but in an entirely different and unwelcome fashion. It hadn’t worked. His face tightened into a grim expression, Edan pulled from her. His heart ached as his cock slid free of her body. All he wanted to do was pick her up, carry her through to his bed and take her again, and then again, until she was completely and irrevocably his.
He dropped into the seat opposite and ran a shaking hand through his shoulder length hair. He couldn’t do that. What woman would want him?
The water swirled opposite and he felt her eyes on him. Lifting his head, he opened his eyes and met her gaze. Her eyes were darkened, hair tousled and her lips had a bee-stung look. All in all, she looked like a woman who’d been thoroughly lov -- No, he wasn’t going there. They’d fucked. That was all. Nothing to do with loving. No way, no how.
“You feeling better?” His voice was rougher than he’d intended. Her eyes widened a little at his harsh tone but she nodded. Edan rumbled deep in his chest and stood, naked and unashamed of it. He was in his own home. Why should he worry about his scars here? His still erect cock bobbed against his belly as he waded out of the water. “Good. Get out.”
* * *
Still coming down from her climax, the cruel order took her breath away. Speechless, Dualla watched Edan’s back as he retreated. She’d known it was him. Who else could it have been? It all made sense now. All her life she’d dreamed of a purple-eyed man and a dragon with scales of the same hue. She just hadn’t realized they’d be one and the same.
“Oi! Edan Lisander, you hold it right bloody there!”
Anger exploded, bright and hot, in her chest as he walked toward the double doors. The hideous marks across his back were vivid against his wet skin. Absently, Dualla noted they seemed fresher somehow than they had been on the docks, but she had more things to think about at the moment.
“Or are you too much of a damn coward?” She threw the challenge at him as she climbed out of the tub. Luckily for both of them, warm water didn’t trigger an automatic change like cold saltwater did, otherwise their erotic little interlude there would never have happened.
You think? You’d have had his clothes off in a hot second given even half a chance, a little voice in her head chuckled. Dualla conceded it had a point. Even with the marks on his face and body, Lisander was eminently fuckable.
He stopped at the word coward. Strands of his wet hair clung to his broad shoulders as he turned his head. His handsome profile stood out stark against the shadows of the house behind him. “What did you say?”
Dualla lifted her chin and stuck her hands on her hips. No one had ever accused her of lacking in courage. Even so, baiting a dragon was about the bravest -- or stupidest -- thing she’d ever done.
“Coward.”
He whipped around faster than she’d seen anyone move. Ever.
Feral anger glittered in his eyes and tightened his face as he walked toward her. No, walked was the wrong word. Stalked was more like it. He stalked her like the predator he was. A predator who could fry her to smoked haddock within the blink of an eye. Or, she bit back a whimper at the thought, pick her up, carry her inside and have his wicked way with her.
Yeah, he already did that, remember? The voice reminded her in a snide undertone. Dualla ignored it, swallowing hard as Edan circled her. She remembered all right, and she wanted a replay.
“Say it again. I don’t think I heard you right.” He walked around to face her again, standing so close she could feel the heat from his skin, trying to intimidate her with his larger body. Dualla glared back up at him. Her heart pounded as adrenalin surged through her body, but there was no way she was backing down from such a cheap trick.
“You heard me. I called you a coward.”
A small muscle in the side of his chiseled jaw clenched as though he was fighting to hold onto his temper. “That’s what I thought you said. Dangerous thing to say to a dragon. Didn’t your mother teach you any sense?”
Dualla raised an eyebrow and raked a cool look over him. “Didn’t yours teach you to ask for help when you need it? Or were you just born stupid?”
God, she was driving him nuts. Edan almost shook with the effort it took to keep his anger in check and not touch her. He settled for glaring. He was being an ass, he knew, but what else could he do? All his instincts raged at him to drag her into his bedroom and complete the bonding they’d started. Instincts he was managing, just, to keep in check, except now she wanted to challenge him, something his dragon nature would never let pass.
“I was gentle before because you needed healing,” he bit out, his voice dropping as his dragon rose closer to the surface, “… but don’t push me or you’ll find out what it’s like to be fucked by a dragon. Properly fucked. Now, if you value that pretty skin of yours, get out.”
“No.” She folded her arms over her naked breasts. His eyes flicked down to them, noting the arms hid nipples that had tightened and peaked at his words. The subtle scent of her arousal filtered around the veranda and forced Edan to bite back another moan. If she didn’t get out of here soon, despite his good intentions, she wasn’t going to get a choice in the matter.
“Do I have to throw you off the cliff?” he threatened, already reaching out to grasp her upper arms to try and shake some sense into her.
That was his first mistake in a whole list. The instant his hands contacted her skin, electricity arched between them. He’d meant to drag her to the edge of the cliff and throw her off it. From this side of the house, she’d fall into water deep enough to break her fall, and as a mermaid, there was no chance she could drown.
He’d meant to throw her off the cliff, but instead, he pulled her up hard against him and crushed her lips under his. In the hot tub he’d been gentle, holding his natural responses -- his need to dominate -- in check. Even so, things had gotten out of hand.
This time he made no pretense of control. His hand drove into her hair and held her head still. His lips pried hers apart so his tongue could dip into her mouth and ruthlessly explore the honeyed recesses within. A groan rumbled up from his soul. He’d always laughed at the ridiculous descriptions in slushy romance novels -- the ones that described women as tasting of honey or champagne and strawberries.
Now he knew what they meant. She didn’t taste of anything as definable as champagne and strawberries. She tasted of home and forever, and God help his soul, Edan wanted that. He wanted it so badly his bones ached with holding back and not claiming her. So he channeled his frustration into their kiss, nibbling and drinking from her lips before thr
usting his tongue between them to duel with hers in a rhythm as old as time itself.
Finally, when they were both breathing raggedly, he pulled back and looked down into her eyes. The slight breeze from the ocean shifted her hair across her shoulders and drew his eye. She was so delicate, a slender waif compared to his hulking frame.
“Walk away,” he ordered, his expression grim and serious. “I’m damaged goods. You need a man who’s whole.”
Silence stretched between them -- a taut, tension filled silence that was almost like a third person on the veranda. Edan couldn’t believe he’d laid his soul bare to her. Then again, that was what being soulers was all about. She was the other half of his soul, his fire companion and his true love all rolled into one. She was everything he wanted, everything he was and everything he would become. Without her, he was nothing.
He watched her, his eyes wary. He needed her to accept him. A dragon couldn’t force his fire companion or there was no point in the bond. A forced bond was little better than slavery. He was asking her to accept a broken man though. His heart was desperate for her to say yes even as his head knew the best thing for her was to walk away.
“You saw me down there. I can’t fly. I’ll never fly again. Look at me,” he urged, sliding a finger under her chin to make her look up into his face. Her eyes wandered over the scars on his cheek and jaw where the demon had marked his flesh. “And tell me you want to wake up to this every morning?”
Chapter Eight
Dualla’s heart ached deep in her chest, turning over as she saw the hurt in his eyes. He expected her to reject him so he was pushing her away before she could. Understanding flooded her body, followed swiftly by a fond irritation. As if that wasn’t just like a man. He’d decided he was no good for her so that was it. She had no choice in the matter.
Resignation filled his eyes when she didn’t answer straight away. His hand dropped to his side, as limp as the defeated look in his eyes. He started to turn away. “Just as I thought. You can let yourself out.”
“Just hold on a moment there.” Dualla’s hand snaked out and touched his damaged shoulder. His large body flinched at the touch, and instantly she lifted her hand, an apology on her lips. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
Edan turned slightly to look over his shoulder, his purple eyes filled with curiosity. “No.”
Great, she was going to have to work for it, was she? Fine. She’d glimpsed his heart, and there was no way on this planet she was letting him get away. Her expression turned sultry and she stepped up behind him. “And this? This doesn’t hurt, does it?”
His body shuddered as her fingers traced the scars, and her lips caressed the worst with gentle kisses. The large fists at his sides clenched and unclenched as she moved over his back, never staying in one place for long. His head dropped back, and his damp blond hair cascaded down his spine. Dualla swept it aside as she worked her way up, having to stand on tiptoe to kiss along the top of his shoulders.
“No, doesn’t hurt.” His admission was gravelly and halting, as though the words were torn from him. Every line of his body tensed as though he couldn’t bear her to touch the scars but at the same time couldn’t stop her.
She curled her fingers in the silk of his hair, running her hands through it to gain a gentle hold. Moving around his body, she lifted onto her toes again to plaster her body against the front of his, and followed the trail of a scar around his neck.
“And this?” She pulled away to look up into his eyes. They were heavy-lidded and dark, the expression in them taking her breath away. “These…” she indicated the scars, “don’t matter to me. It’s what’s in here…” her fingers tapped his broad chest. “…that matters. The scars are only important to you, and they’ll only be important as long as you let them be.”
His nostrils flared, and for a moment scales pressed against his skin from the inside, appearing stark against his skin. His eyes changed, the pupils narrowed and became slits as the purple deepened from violet to near midnight.
Dualla knew she was looking at Edan’s dragon. Her breath caught in her throat. “You’re beautiful,” she said as she smoothed her fingers over his scarred cheek. “And yes, I want to wake up to this every morning… if you’ll let me.”
“Sssssouler,” the dragon whispered and then, with a shake of Edan’s head the creature was gone, replaced by the man. He smiled tightly, his face a mask of deep need and longing.
“Do you mean that?” he demanded, his hands clamping around her waist to hold her tightly against him. “If you didn’t, then you have one chance to walk away. After that I can’t be held responsible for what happens.”
Dualla swallowed, the heat in her body rising to match the heat in his eyes. “W-what do you mean you can’t be responsible? You dragons don’t eat your mates after sex or something do you?”
Then it happened. One moment he was glaring down at her and the next -- the corners of his lips quirked and started to turn up. His smile spread across his face like the sun breaking through a storm cloud and transformed what had been a cruelly handsome face into one that stole her breath and reason away.
“No. If we did, I’d already have eaten you, remember?” He nodded toward the hot tub, reminding her of what they’d already done in there. His expression shifted and turned sly. “Although, eating you sounds like an excellent idea.”
Dualla didn’t get time to respond. By the time she’d processed his words and realized what he meant, he’d already swung her up into his arms and was striding into the house. Her gasp of surprise made him smile again as he walked straight through the house and into a room with a large bed. Dualla squeaked when he dropped her onto the sheets. Bouncing a little, she came to rest spread out over the dark silk.
Edan looked down at her, his gaze possessive as it roved over her body. Heat prickled across her skin. It was as though his look was a physical touch. She bit her lip when his attention reached her breasts and lingered over her nipples, which beaded in response, begging for his touch.
“You’re amazing. Look at what you do to me.” Edan reached down and wrapped a hand around his cock, pumping the hard length in slow strokes. The purple head was wide and glistened with pre-cum. “I’m ready for you again already. Spread your legs. Let me see you properly this time.”
Dualla’s gaze riveted to his hand on his cock. She parted her thighs. Her cheeks flushed as she fought the urge to close them again. She wasn’t usually self-conscious, but there was something about his close scrutiny that bolstered her courage yet made her shy all at the same time.
“Perfect,” he breathed, as she moved her thigh and he could see the plump, pink lips of her pussy. “I knew you would look as perfect as you felt. Touch yourself. I want to see how you make yourself come.”
Dualla shut her eyes. Oh God, she’d never done that in front of a guy before. Could she? Dare she? Without conscious thought, her hands slid down her body, cupping her ample breasts for a moment before flirting with the curves of her waist. He groaned as her hands slid over the small curve of her belly and between her thighs.
“Yeah, just like that. Let me see you work it…”
Dualla closed her eyes as she used the fingers of one hand to spread her labia. The middle finger of the other swirled over her clitoris, rubbing in the circular motion she knew was most effective. The bed dipped at her side but she kept going. Her finger circled around and around, occasionally stopping to dip down to the entrance to her body to collect the liquid arousal pooling there. She was wet already. It seemed that just looking at this man, or having him look at her, was enough to get her body going.
The heat in her loins flared hotter, shaped and pressurized by each circle of her finger. Her hips started to buck, riding the small waves of pleasure starting to build. Soft moans escaped from the edges of her lips, even though she bit down on the lower one to keep them in.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart. Let me hear you, I want to hear you.” Edan’s voice was tau
t now, rougher than she’d heard it yet. She opened her eyes a crack to look at him. His hand moved faster on his cock now, his gaze avid as it fastened on her fingers working her clit and pussy. Temptation driving her, she slid two fingers inside and fucked herself slowly. His nostrils flared and he dropped his hand from his body.
“Fuck it, I can’t take anymore. Your scent is driving me wild. I have to taste you,” he growled and moved forwards on the bed.
His large hands smoothed over her thighs, opening them wide so he could fit the width of his shoulders between then. Then his head was buried between her thighs. Dualla tensed as she waited for the first brush of his tongue over her clit. Instead, he drove his tongue deep into her body, the unexpected penetration making her cry out in surprise. He mumbled approval in the back of his throat, withdrawing and then thrusting his tongue into her cunt again as though desperate to gather up every last drop of her juices.
“God, you taste amazing.” His voice was muffled. The vibrations against her ultra-sensitive clit made her moan and writhe under his mouth. “I could do this all day.”
Dualla sobbed in response, twisting her hips. Whether she was trying to get away or get more stimulation, she didn’t know. She was far too gone to care anymore. He spread a broad hand over her stomach to hold her still and ran his tongue up from her cunt all the way up over her clit. When he got there, he went to town. He nibbled and he licked. He sucked and pulled the sensitive nub of flesh between his teeth to flick it with his tongue.
“Ohmigod! I-I’m gonna come.”
Her hips jerked instinctively as he thrust his tongue deep again, fucking her with the agile muscle. Just one more touch and he’d tip her over the edge. Instead, as though he knew her body was crying out for him to close his mouth over her clit again, he carried on where he was, sliding his tongue deep into her body and back again.
