Drakon's Plunder (Blood of the Drakon)

by N. J. Walters

  He’d thought he understood what his brothers felt for their women, but he hadn’t. There was no explaining what was happening between them. Sam was his, just as surely as the ocean was.

  It was that simple and that complex.

  She completed him in a way he couldn’t even begin to speculate. Right now, he had to claim her. He needed to hear her cries of pleasure, hear his name spill from her lips.

  He kissed his way over to her other breast.

  “Ezra.” His name was little more than a breath of air, but the savage satisfaction it brought him was unparalleled. He sucked her taut nipple into his mouth, savoring the cries of her pleasure.

  It wasn’t enough.

  His pants were annoying him. He left her long enough to strip them off. Her eyes widened when she got her first good look at him totally naked. “Wow, your tattoo goes all the way to your ankle.” She lifted up slightly, supporting herself with her good arm.

  He didn’t want to talk about his tattoo. Not now. He wrapped his hands around her ankles and slid her legs apart. She licked her lips and his cock seemed to swell even larger. What would it feel like to have her mouth wrapped around his shaft? He’d find out, just not today. She was still healing. He’d take care of her, take care of them both.

  He knelt between her spread thighs and lowered his head. He inhaled first, taking in the musky scent of her arousal. She wanted him. She was pink and damp and all his.

  But he wasn’t ready to take her. Not yet. Not until she found satisfaction. He wanted to watch her come, to see what she looked like when she orgasmed.

  He ignored the throbbing of his cock and the way his balls squeezed up close to his body. He would make Sam come first. And then he would claim her as his own.

  …

  Sam held her breath as Ezra lowered his head. Her breasts felt swollen and her nipples ached for his touch. She’d never found her breasts to be all that sensitive before. Obviously, Ezra was a whole other class of lover. His touch ignited flames of desire deep within her. It was like dropping a match on dry tinder. Maybe she was reacting so quickly because she’d been in a dry spell. She hadn’t had a lover in over two years. Or maybe it was Ezra himself. There was something compelling about the man.

  When he touched his clever tongue to her most sensitive part, she sucked in a breath. He lapped at her like he couldn’t get enough of her. He stroked up one side of her labia and down the other.

  Whimpers of need broke from her lips. She gripped the covers beneath her. Her left arm pained her slightly, but not enough for her to ask him to stop.

  Then he stroked the flat of his tongue over her clit. Her lower half jerked upward. “Oh God,” she cried. Ezra growled, he honest to God growled, and the vibration shot through the tiny kernel of nerves making her shudder.

  He pushed one thick finger inside her, not stopping until it was inserted all the way. She’d never gotten this hot, this fast. She was so close to coming she could almost taste it. “Ezra.” She didn’t want to wait. She wanted the glorious release that only he could give her.

  He pulled his finger back to the edge of her slick channel and slowly pushed it back in. She was panting hard now. She reached down with her good arm and gripped a handful of his thick hair. She wanted more, needed more.

  Ezra sucked her clit and pulled his finger out once again, this time curling it so he hit the sweet spot inside her. Sam’s entire body bucked, her thighs trembled, and she called his name.

  He did it again, and her cries echoed around them as she came. Everything inside her clenched hard before releasing with a sigh of relief. Tears stung her eyes, and her heart raced. She was exhausted yet exhilarated. Never had an orgasm taken over her in this way.

  Ezra raised his head and watched her. Then, like a great predator, he prowled up her body until he was hovering over her. He kissed her, and she tasted herself on his lips.

  She felt the nudge of his cock against her inner thigh. Like the rest of him, it was big. She wasn’t sure she could take him, but she was more than willing to try. She parted her thighs and he broke off the kiss to stare down at her.

  …

  Ezra licked his lips, tasting Sam. She was beautiful when she came, so open, so raw. He hadn’t even had her yet, but he was already more satisfied than he’d ever been in his long years.

  She was watching him, her cheeks flushed, her green eyes slightly glassy. He frowned. Had she shed more tears? He didn’t like that. He wanted only pleasure for her.

  She lifted her lower body slightly, pressing against his cock. Liquid seeped from the tip, and he gritted his teeth. He had to get inside her. “I’ll take my time,” he promised. At least he hoped he would. He’d never been this on-edge before.

  He positioned the head of his shaft at her opening and pressed inward. Her body was naturally resistant to the invasion, but he kept a steady inward movement until it stretched to accommodate him. He was breathing as though he’d swum a hundred miles at top speed.

  He forced himself to stop and breathe. Sam was panting, too, her eyes wide open.

  “Does it hurt?” He didn’t know what he’d do if she said it did. Then he corrected himself. If it hurt, he’d stop. It was that simple.

  She shook her head. “Feels full.” She took several breaths. “Feels good.”

  He flexed his hips and drove in another two inches. His eyes almost rolled back in his head it felt so damn good. Having Sam under him, having her hot channel cling to his dick, was the most unbelievable thing he’d ever experienced. And he was barely inside her.

  Sam lifted her legs, and he slid deeper. She hooked her ankles around the backs of his thighs and pulled him toward her. The muscles in his arms ached as he pushed his clenched fists into the mattress and held his weight off her. He had to be careful not to put too much pressure on them, or he could drive them right through the bed. And wouldn’t that kill the mood.

  He gritted his teeth and thrust, not stopping until he was seated to the very hilt, every inch of his cock inside her.

  “Oh God. Oh God,” she repeated over and over.

  Ezra captured her lips, stealing the words from her. His cock was pulsing heavily, beating in time with his heart. Her inner muscles clamped down around him suddenly and unexpectedly.

  Ezra tipped his head back and yelled, just managing to swallow back the roar of satisfaction that wanted to escape. He began to rock his hips back and forth, only pulling back a couple of inches before thrusting in again.

  “Ezra,” Sam moaned his name. Her sheath sealed around him, squeezing.

  He rocked faster. “Come for me.” He wanted her to find release once again. “Sam.”

  As soon as he said her name, her entire body convulsed. Ezra let go. His orgasm shot from the base of his shaft and out the tip. It was never-ending. He shook and shuddered, gripped handfuls of her glorious red hair and held on.

  She dug her fingernails into his back, sending him off on another spasm of release.

  He lost all track of time. When he finally collapsed, he had enough presence of mind to ease to the side so he didn’t crush Sam.

  He wrapped his arm around her and threw one of his thighs over her legs. He was totally spent and relaxed. He closed his eyes and savored the moment. Sam snuggled closer to his warmth. He managed to snag one end of the comforter and flip it over her so she was at least partly covered.

  This was something worth fighting for. Sam was worth fighting for.

  …

  Aaron Dexter was not in a good mood. It had taken them hours to reach the shore in the lifeboats. They hadn’t contacted the coast guard. The only person he’d contacted was his employer. Or rather, his employer’s watchdog. That’s how he thought of Birch. The man had no other name that he knew of, and everyone in the Knights knew the man’s loyalty was to one person—Karina Azarov.

  In the hours since, he’d checked in at a local motel, showered, and changed into clean clothes that one of the crew had acquired for him. Now he was sitting a
t a local coffee shop getting his ass chewed out over the phone.

  “Find the woman or her body,” Birch ordered.

  Aaron wanted to smash his cell phone on the table, but that wouldn’t change the reality of the situation. His ass was on the line, and all because some archaeologist had managed to take an important artifact.

  “I’ll need another boat.”

  “I’m contacting a local salvage company—Easton Salvage. They’re not the biggest operation in the region, but they have the best reputation. You can contact Kent Osmond.” Birch rattled off the phone number. Aaron didn’t bother to write it down. He had a name and a company, he’d find the man. “Go with them if they’ll let you. Ms. Azarov wants you on site.”

  “How can I do that and look for Sam’s body at the same time?” He didn’t want to spend long hours on some rusty salvage ship. He’d been cooped up long enough. It was his boredom that had led to his game of cat and mouse with Sam. He’d wanted her to think she was escaping before he captured her. And look where that had gotten him.

  “Figure it out,” Birch told him.

  “What about the cell phone footage?” he asked before Birch hung up on him. “Was there anything on it?”

  “Inconclusive. Not enough to say for sure, but it was most likely a whale. There were some in the area, and it’s big enough to be one. It’s rare, but not unheard of for a whale to ram a ship.”

  Birch hung up before Aaron could ask any more questions. The waitress walked over to his table, coffeepot in hand. “More coffee?”

  “Yes.” He waited until she’d filled his mug. “Where can I find Easton Salvage?” She was obviously a local, and it didn’t hurt to cultivate some contacts. The fact that she was young, blonde, and pretty also didn’t hurt.

  “Down the road about two miles.” She pointed to the right. “Can’t miss it. They’ve got a big sign outside.”

  “Thanks.” He gave her a wink. She blushed and hurried away. He took his time and drank his coffee while he made plans. Karina and her pit bull might think they owned him, but he wasn’t about to fall in line for anyone. He had his own agenda.

  He left enough money on the table to cover his bill and a big tip. She’d remember him if he came back. It was always good to have a few local sources for information, and he’d learned over the years that waitresses were the best.

  He pulled on his coat, pocketed his phone, and headed out. He had a salvage company to find. And then, dead or alive, he’d find Sam Bellamy.

  And if she still had that artifact on her, he was going to use it to buy his safety from Karina Azarov. She might be the leader of the Knights, but there were others who weren’t happy with her leadership. And Aaron was a man who took advantage of opportunities where he found them.

  Chapter Eight

  With Ezra’s arm around her waist and one of his thighs thrown over hers, Sam concentrated on getting her breath back. It wasn’t easy. She’d had sex before, but she’d never had her mind blown like this, never felt such a connection to another human being.

  She ran her fingers over the tattoo that covered his left arm. In fact, the swirling and stylized tattoo ran from his neck all the way to his feet, but only on the left side of his body. The design was intricate. It had to have hurt like hell to have it done and must have taken a very long time to complete.

  Sam had never had an opinion about tattoos one way or another. She’d always figured a person was entitled to do whatever they wanted with their own body. On Ezra’s massive body, the colorful design was downright sexy.

  “What are you thinking?” He caught her fingers and brought them to his lips.

  “How much it must have hurt to get these tattoos.” He gave a bark of laughter and she twisted around so she was lying on her side facing him. “Seriously, your groin. That couldn’t have been fun.” She shuddered at the thought. Even the left half of his penis was inked.

  “It didn’t hurt,” he assured her.

  She didn’t believe him. “Either you have the highest pain threshold imaginable, or you were asleep while you had that done.”

  “Neither.” He lightly brushed his hand down her bandaged arm. “Speaking of pain, how does your arm feel?”

  Now that he’d mentioned it, the darn thing was throbbing.

  “It hurts, doesn’t it?”

  “A little.” Not enough that she regretted what they’d done.

  “Damn it.” Ezra rolled out of bed and padded into the bathroom. Sam blinked and admired his broad shoulders, the musculature of his back, his firm behind, and his strong legs. The man had a swimmer’s body, extremely wide shoulders and a narrow waist.

  That amazing tattoo also covered the left half of the back and legs. It ran down the center of his spine, creating a delicious contrast between bare skin and incredible ink.

  Sam stretched. She was only partially covered by the comforter, so she flipped the other end over so she was in the middle of the blanket with both sides covering her.

  Ezra raised one dark brow when he returned. “Cozy?”

  “Very.” He set a glass and a small bottle of over-the-counter pain medicine on the bedside table and sat beside her.

  The more she studied his tattoo, the less it seemed random. There was a flow, a pattern to his markings. He opened the bottle, shook out two pills, and held them out to her. “Take these.”

  Since the pain had amped up, she wasn’t about to be stupid and refuse. She popped both pills into her mouth and followed them with the water he handed her. When she was done, he set the empty glass aside and pulled down the comforter.

  “Hey. I was using that.” Now that they weren’t having sex, she was a little uncomfortable being naked around him. He, on the other hand, was totally relaxed. Not having any clothes on didn’t bother him in the least.

  “I need to look at your arm.” He unwound the gauze and gently pulled back the thick padding. It was stained with a small amount of blood but actually looked better than she’d thought it would. He grunted and wrapped it back up again.

  “Well?” she prodded when he didn’t say anything.

  “You’ll live.”

  Ezra was turning out to be the most frustrating, sexiest man she’d ever laid eyes on. “Thank you, Dr. Easton.” Sex obviously hadn’t put him in a good mood, and he was quickly ruining hers. She knew her problems weren’t going away, but she’d hoped for a little longer respite from them. She sat up, making sure to keep the comforter around her.

  “Where are you going?” he asked.

  “To get cleaned up and dressed. I need to make plans. And I want to see that book I stole. I risked my life for it. I at least deserve to get a good look at it.”

  Ezra scowled, and his entire demeanor became dark and angry. “The book is dangerous.”

  Really. He was going to say that to her. “I know that. I was shot because of it.” She scooted off the bed and began to shuffle to the bathroom. “I’m hungry, too. I didn’t finish breakfast.”

  Behind her, Ezra swore. She didn’t hear him move, but his large hands descended on her shoulders and held her in place. “I’m worried.”

  It wasn’t an apology, but it seemed like it was the closest she was going to get. She sighed and rubbed her forehead. “I’m worried, too, but knowledge is power.”

  Ezra snorted. She swiveled and looked up at him. “What?”

  “You remind me of someone. He also thinks knowledge is the key to running the world.”

  “He’d be right. Money can only do so much, but if used properly, knowledge can get you just about everything you want or need.”

  Ezra trailed his fingertips down her bare shoulder. “We could conserve water and shower together.”

  He was something else. “I’m all for conservation,” she began. He started to grin. “But,” she added, and his grin disappeared. “If you join me, we’ll probably end up wasting twice as much water, because we won’t be just showering.” She hated to admit to weakness, but it was best to be truthful. “And I
’m not up to another round.”

  He scooped her right off her feet. He did it so quickly, she gasped. Damn, the man could move. He carried her into the bathroom and set her down on the vanity. “A bath would be better. That way you can sit down. And you’re less likely to get your bandage wet.”

  Without waiting for her to agree or disagree, Ezra started the water running in the tub. Since she agreed with him, she didn’t say anything. If she was going to be around longer, she’d be more insistent about him taking charge of her life. But since she was leaving soon, she figured she’d save her energy for the bigger problems, like the book.

  She wanted a better look at the thing. She hadn’t cracked the cover of it on the Integrity, concerned that someone might see her reading it. She hadn’t wanted to bring any more attention to the artifact than necessary. It was the hum of power the book emitted that had told her it was special and extremely dangerous. Definitely something the Knights of the Dragon would want.

  Ezra lifted her off the counter and set her on her feet. She was still clutching the comforter, and they played a short game of tug-of-war, which she lost. He dumped the blanket onto the floor and deposited her into the tub.

  The man carted her around like she weighed nothing at all. It was not something she was used to since she was five-eight. But around Ezra, she felt positively small. He had at least a foot on her, and probably a hundred pounds, maybe more, all of it solid muscle.

  The hot water felt good, and she sank deeper. “I’m going to grab a quick shower and then see if I can rescue any of our breakfast. If not, I’ll make something else.” He turned off the taps in the tub and walked over to the shower stall.

  She shouldn’t be watching him, she really shouldn’t. But it was impossible to turn away, not when she had a perfect view. Ezra was quick and efficient. Water slid over sculpted muscles, caressing his massive body. Sam’s entire body surged to life. Her breasts ached and the water, which had soothed only moments before, now aroused her.

  As if sensing her gaze, he turned and stared right at her. She wanted to look away, but couldn’t tear herself away from his molten turquoise eyes. The outline of the blue tattoo was the same color. It had to be intentional, and it was stunning.