by Meg Ripley
Still trembling from his touch, Vivian quickly removed the dress, hung it back on its hanger, and got dressed. Cade took it from her hands as she stepped off the platform, brushing another kiss across her lips. They went to the front of the store to buy the gown and Vivian noticed the incredible quiet of the boutique now that Kathryn was doing everything she could not to make eye contact with them.
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The last thing on Vivian's list for the day was to stop by Aurora's house and gather some of her belongings to bring back to her, and the sun was already set by the time she and Cade pulled into the long circular drive at the front of the house. It sat uncomfortably dark and quiet, and Vivian immediately felt anxious.
She climbed the front steps cautiously, the fear only increasing in her chest when she noticed that the front door stood open a few inches. Cade pushed ahead of her to enter first and she reached forward to loop her fingers in the hem of his shirt, seeking the comfort and security of his presence.
Cade turned on the light in the entryway and Vivian drew in a terrified breath. Papers, broken pottery, and shattered glass littered the marble floor.
"Sara?" Vivian yelled into the silence of the ransacked house.
When there was no response, she broke away from Cade and ran up the stairs toward Sara's bedroom.
"Vivian, stop!" Cade yelled after her, but Vivian kept running, looking into every room she passed.
The devastation only seemed to worsen as she got further into the house. When she reached Sara's bedroom she saw her sitting in the middle of the bed, her hands bound behind her back and a black blindfold over her eyes.
"Oh my god," Vivian said, rushing to the side of the bed.
She had just grabbed onto the ropes on her wrists when she felt someone grab her roughly around the waist. Vivian screamed and thrashed against the strong grip, trying to push away from whoever held her. Her body slammed into the bed and she rolled over to see a huge man hovering over her. Sara was making sobbing, whimpering sounds and the man suddenly cracked the back of his hand across her cheekbone.
Sara fell backwards onto the bed and Vivian tried to scramble away from the man, but he descended on her, grabbing her by her shoulders and pulling her up toward him.
"Put her down," Cade said from the doorway.
His voice was low and calm, the control making it even more frightening than if he had shouted. The man turned to him and Vivian used the temporary loosening of his grip to push away from him and run across the room to Cade. He led her gently into the doorway and stepped further into the room.
"You're who they sent?" the man scoffed, "We were hoping the creature Aurora ran off with would at least come back to gloat, but instead they sent Aurora's little friend and her boyfriend to deal with the aftermath. This shouldn't have been too much of a challenge, do you think?"
Two other men stepped into the bedroom from the adjoining sitting room and Vivian wrapped her hand around the doorframe, the fear making it difficult to breath. She could hear her own breath in her ears and terror was making her shake. Cade, however, seemed completely calm as he took two long steps toward the dresser on the wall and drew a cigarette out of the open pack laying on the top.
Vivian watched Cade turn the cigarette around backwards and put the tip in his mouth. He puffed once and drew the cigarette from his mouth, revealing a glowing end. A shiver of excitement rippled through her despite the fear and she saw the three men visibly stiffened. An instant later furniture skidded out of the way as Cade shifted and his massive form filled the space. One of the men pulled out a long dagger, but before he could even raise it, Cade lifted one claw and slashed it across the man's chest.
The smell of blood filled the room and Vivian turned her head away from the man bleeding on the floor. Footsteps pounded as the other two men ran from the room through the side door. Cade's human form swept Vivian into his arms and rested a kiss to the top of her head.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
Vivian nodded and kissed his chest. This was reality now. She was irretrievably part of this, but as long as she held onto Cade, she felt like she could get through it.
An hour later they stepped out of the house and into a night that was suddenly chilly. Fall was coming quickly and the shift in seasons seemed to underscore what was happening around them. Vivian could hear the voices of the trusted members of the operative inside the house, trying to make sense of the situation and decide what to do next. It was clear now that any talks of peace were only for show. The war was here and Vivian was a part of it.
"What do you want to do now?" Cade asked, tucking an arm around her hips and drawing her close to him.
Vivian breathed in the smell of sage and the hint of sweat from his skin. His arm felt safe and powerful around her, and her body responded to her primal need for him.
"Bring me home," she whispered.
Cade's hands were at her shirt pulling it off over her head even before the front door to Vivian's house closed behind them. She kicked off her shoes as she walked backwards across the living room, kissing him hungrily and working the buttons along the front of his shirt open. Her hands slid over the smooth, rounded muscles of his shoulders as she pushed the shirt away and let it fall to the carpet.
As soon as they made it into the bedroom, Cade released her bra and tossed it away, bringing his mouth down to suckle the breasts he had kissed so patiently earlier. Vivian arched against his mouth and at the same time felt in front of her for his belt so she could unfasten it. The button and zipper fell away under her hands and he stepped out of the pants. Cade lowered himself to his knees, easing her pants and panties down over her hips and thighs so that she stood in front of him with nothing separating them.
Vivian cried out as his tongue slipped into her core, tasting her and readying her even more for him. The sound tore from her chest like a release from the tension, the fear, and the uncertainty of the day behind them. As it left her lips, she surrendered herself to Cade, focusing only on that moment and the touch of his body near hers.
She was quickly spiraling out of control when Cade got to his feet and scooped her up so that her legs wrapped around his waist and the heat of her core cradled the swell of his erection through the thin fabric of his trunks. He carried her to the bed and lowered her onto the mattress, pausing only long enough to step out of the trunks before rising over her and pushing into her in one hard thrust.
Vivian wrapped her legs around his waist again as he pounded into her, each thrust accompanied by a deep, guttural sound. Suddenly he withdrew from her and she felt his hand tuck under her hip so that he flipped her over onto her stomach. Sliding one leg up so that her knee bent up toward her shoulder, Cade entered her again. She lifted her head as a moan poured from her lips and felt Cade bite down into her shoulder with enough intensity that a shock of delectable, pleasurable pain rolled through her body, bringing her right to the edge of her climax.
Cade thrust into her harder until he impaled her a final time and roared with a release that made him throb within her, pushing her over the edge into another dizzying orgasm. She lifted her hips slightly as she milked him, wanting to be as close to him as her body would allow. As their tremors slowed, Cade lowered himself down onto her so that his body enveloped hers in warm, comforting weight. He slid his arms up over hers and intertwined their fingers, touching a kiss onto the back of her shoulder before resting his head onto her back.
Vivian could feel his heartbeat on her back and his slowly relaxing hardness still inside her. She let the feeling soothe her and ease her toward sleep. Tomorrow would come soon enough and she would return to Killington with him to face whatever awaited the dragons. For now, she was satisfied to rest beneath him, lost in the scent of sage and the thought of the colors in his eyes. Her loyalties had changed and she knew that no matter what her memories held, this was the beginning of forever.
THE END
PART TWO: DRAGON’S LOVING DESIRE
Aurora's hand grabbed at the jutting rock above her head and held tight as she adjusted her foot in the hold beneath her, gave a few small bounces to build up momentum, and launched herself up a few more feet.
"Yes, I could probably come up with several more 'S' words to describe them. How about 'sickening'? That's an 'S' word."
The voice streaming through her headset continued to ramble, but Aurora focused on her hand slipping across the grit on her handhold and tightened her abdominal muscles to keep herself steady. Beads of sweat rolled down her spine and she could feel the burning in her thighs from her exertion. She pushed forward, unwilling to surrender to the rocks.
"No, I do not think I'm being bitter. I'm the one whose father just died, but I seem to be the only one who has managed to keep myself together and not fling myself into despair bemoaning the continuation of life as we know it. I swear, from what everyone is saying, I should be wearing a black veil and wailing. I've already given up my future for my father. Is it too much to ask that I at least get to enjoy the last few days that I have left?"
A surge of energy pulsed through her and Aurora pushed herself up and over the edge of the cliff. She climbed to her feet and turned to look out over the view stretching in front of her. The sun was coming up in the distance, washing the sky in shades of pink and blue that should be giving her a fresh outlook and renewed hope for the day. Unfortunately, they only reminded her of the god-awful bridesmaids' monstrosities the wedding coordinator had brought over the night before and that now lay draped across every piece of furniture in Aurora's bedroom.
"Anson, go to bed. If you haven't noticed yet, the sun is coming up, which means you have, yet again, stayed up all night trying to save the world one political event at a time. Get some rest and I'll see you this afternoon."
Without waiting for her assistant to respond, Aurora tapped the button on her earpiece to end the call. She planted her hands on her hips and let out a long breath. These would be her only moments of peace in the day. Up here on the rocks where she could be alone was the only time when she felt free. Below her, the city looked peaceful and picturesque in the early morning light, but she knew that buried among those pristine houses and perfectly manicured landscapes waited for her an engagement ring she only wore when she had to, a man she didn't want to marry, and a promise to her father that she would soon have to keep.
Aurora waited until the last possible moment to slip her engagement ring onto her finger before stepping out of her bedroom. The gold band felt heavy against her skin, the cushion-cut diamond glinting up at her with such frustrating perfection it was as if it knew her secret. Smoothing a few wayward strands of coppery hair back into her severe bun she took a steeling breath and started downstairs.
Greyson stood at the bottom of the stairs, gazing up at her with a smile nearly as fake as his tan. Aurora suppressed a sigh and returned his smile with equal sincerity. If someone had taken a picture at that moment they would have looked the image of young prestige and budding political power. From her sleek black dress and the diamond drop at the base of throat to his sharply pointed pocket square and gleaming shoes, they said we've got our shit together.
Right past that thin, glossy surface, though, she felt more along the lines of how the hell did I get here?
Aurora descended the stairs slowly, resting her fingers across Greyson's outstretched palm so he could lead her down the last few. Once she stood beside him his smile became softer and more genuine. He stroked her cheek with the backs of his fingers and Aurora felt an involuntary shudder. It wasn't that she hated Greyson. In fact, they had been friends nearly their entire lives. When he touched her, though, and she saw that look in his eyes, it was like bits of her were disappearing beneath his fingers.
An hour later Aurora stood behind a podium with a stack of note cards in her hands. Her eyes swept across the faces staring up at her from the sea of cream linen and gold chintz in front of her, then back to her father's handwriting sweeping across the cards. The cursive letters seemed to unravel and slither across the thick white cards. She forced herself to focus on them and they slowly recoiled into their words. These were the last words her father ever wrote and it was her responsibility to put a voice to them now that he couldn't.
Aurora finally forced the words through her throat and kept pushing them out, letting them pour from her chest as she worked her way through the cards. Her voice remained steady and strong until she reached the last card. Her father hadn't intended on it being the last and the half-finished sentence looked lost against the pristine expanse of the mostly empty card. Touching her fingertips to the faint streak of blood along the bottom of the card, she completed Lee's final thought and brought the speech to a close.
Greyson met her again at the bottom of the stairs, but this time Aurora stepped closer to him. This is what Lee wanted and what she had promised him. She knew if her father could see her at that moment, walking through the glittering event on Greyson's arm, he would be proud.
They spent the rest of the evening moving through the crowd, greeting people until they all became a swirl of color. Their words were a strange juxtaposition of condolences and congratulations. Aurora thanked them for both, changing the inflection of her voice slightly to make the response appropriate. By the time Greyson led her out of the room and into the soothing cool air of the night, she felt like she might as well just roll her father's coffin right down the aisle with her on her wedding day.
"You handled that very well," Greyson said, placing his hand on her lower back.
"Handled what well, Greyson? Reading the speech my father was writing when he was murdered, or plastering on my best bridal smile to accept congratulations?"
Greyson stroked the segment of bare skin revealed by the cutout in her dress and Aurora subtly pulled away from his touch.
"Why don't you come home with me tonight?" he said softly.
She stepped away and turned to look at him.
"No, Greyson. Still no. Please just bring me home."
Greyson gave the same resigned, disappointed look that he gave every time she refused to go home with him and held out a hand so she would walk ahead of him. They waited silently under the portico until the valet brought Greyson's car around.
Once home, Aurora removed her engagement ring and nestled it in place in her jewelry box. She took a long shower to wash away the memories and slipped into bed, another day crossed off her countdown.
****
Aurora descended into her dreams as if stepping from one consciousness into another. She was aware that she was sleeping in that intangible, abstract way that her body felt heavier; but unlike in a dream, all of her decisions seemed to be completely her own.
The forest around her was dark. Not an empty darkness, but a rich, velvety darkness that seemed alive as she moved through it. Silvery moonlight washed the path where she walked, illuminating plants that looked vibrantly green even in the partial light. She was barefoot, and as she walked she was aware of the texture of the ground and the press of grit and pebbles into her feet. It wasn't painful, but a strange, elevate sense of awareness to have in a dream.
Aurora continued to follow the path not knowing where it was leading. It wound through the dark outlines of trees and along a tiny, burbling stream that sparkled across a bed of smooth rocks. Finally, the path opened into a large clearing where the stream poured out into a small lake. She approached the edge and sat on a moss-covered boulder that jutted out slightly over the water. As she dipped her feet down into the lake to rinse them she noticed she wore a long white skirt that flowed around her legs and brushed her ankles.
The water was cool against her skin and she swirled her feet just beneath the surface. Everything around her felt so quiet and peaceful that Aurora didn't want to move. She sat on the rock allowing the moonlight to wash across her skin,
finding comfort and relief in the reprieve from the turmoil and chaos of her waking life.
Time slid by without her recognizing how long she had been sitting there. What could have been moments or hours later she felt the water on her feet becoming warmer. The temperature rose slowly until it felt like bath water against her skin. As the water got warmer, it also got rougher. The once smooth, crystalline surface shook and rocked, gathering into small waves and splashing up over her legs.
Aurora watched as the water soaked into the hem of her skirt, sending ribbons of color up the white expanse with each drop. She gasped and withdrew her feet onto the boulder, staring at the streams of color creeping up her skirt until the entire dress was a swirl of blue, purple, and pink. Climbing to her feet, Aurora looked out over the churning water. A dark shape caught her attention halfway across the lake. Gleaming in the moonlight, the shape rose partially out of the water, then sank back beneath the surface only to break through again a few feet closer to her.
The water continued to surge and shift, and Aurora kept her eyes focused on the dark shape moving through it. It seemed to appear and then disappear every few feet as if swimming toward the bank but gradually moving away from her. After a few moments, the water quieted and there was a brief pause when the world fell still and silent again. Just as her heart was settling from its quivering pace, though, the calmed surface of the water shattered and a massive black creature climbed out onto the bank.
Aurora screamed and stepped back, stumbling off the edge of the boulder and landing on her side on the damp earth of the bank. She collected herself from the force of the impact and slowly opened her eyes.
A claw came into view first. Long and black, they dug into the ground only yards away. She lifted her gaze slowly, giving herself time to take in the image of the creature. Powerful, muscled legs became a smooth, shimmery torso. Massive reptilian arms rested at its sides, partly concealed by leather-like wings tucked over its shoulders and touching the ground beside it. Fearsome spikes at the tips scraped into the dirt as the creature straightened further. Water dripped from its body, making its black skin look like oil.
