by Rinelle Grey
He’d felt this connection to Zara since they were kids, and it had only grown and matured along with them. It was just as strong as it had ever been—what he’d felt tonight, dancing with her, holding her, only proved that.
They had the potential to be perfect together.
And the reality was, it had already gone too far. There was no doubt in either of their minds as to where this was going. Whether they slept together or not, this would change things. So he might as well take the chance.
He had to.
Because if he pulled away now, he could lose the best thing that had ever happened to him.
So he ignored the doubts that kept trying to surface in his mind. Ignored the fact that he couldn’t tell her the truth, and that they were starting down a path that, for him, had only one ending.
And he let her pull him into her hut. He let her pull him into her arms. He was the one who lowered his head and sealed his lips to hers.
Passion and desire surged through him as soon as they touched. The joining felt right. Like he’d come home.
Any desire or ability to pull back, to call a stop to this, faded away. All rational thought did.
He’d figure everything else later. He was sure there was a way to make things work, even if he couldn’t see what it was.
Right now, he was going to enjoy the fact that Zara wanted him just as much as he wanted her. Her hands, tugging at the bottom of his shirt, pulling it up and sliding underneath it, only confirmed that.
“Dam…” she breathed, the name an urgent plea. Her hands running over the small of his back, fingernails digging in as though she never intended to let him go, only increased the urgency that flooded his body.
Damrian couldn’t have resisted that plea even if he’d wanted to. He needed to feel his skin against hers, his body claiming hers.
The need to make her his mate hit him with an intensity he hadn’t expected, not just calling out for him to mate with her once, but to do it again and again, until neither of them could think of anyone else ever.
That intensity, that need should have warned him away. Should have signalled to him and reminded him of all the reasons they shouldn’t do this right now.
But it did just the opposite.
It only cemented in his mind that this was the right choice. That once they made it, everything else would work out somehow.
“Zara,” he responded between desperate kisses, knowing his own voice was as frantic as hers. “I need you.”
She didn’t have to reply for him to know she felt the same way, the way she pulled him towards her, as though she could merge their bodies through their clothing, told him that. Her groan against his lips only backed it up.
Damrian stumbled back towards the general location of the bed, hoping he had it right. He twisted around so that he landed first as they fell, just in case he’d miscalculated. He was only dimly aware of the fact that his landing was soft.
Her legs twined around his, her body pressed up against him.
He could feel her heat soaking into him, branding him as hers, even though she had no idea that’s what she was doing.
If he didn’t know better, he might have wondered if the mating bond could somehow be formed in one night, because this felt far more intense, far more binding, than anything he’d experienced before.
He wished it was true, even though he knew it wasn’t possible.
If they were bonded, his family would have no more arguments to prevent him telling her. And she’d be his.
His heart ached with need.
If only it were possible.
Somehow, it would be. They’d work it out. He was sure of it.
*****
Zara kissed Damien with a passion unlike anything she’d ever experienced before. The intensity would have blown her away—if she’d been able to think of anything other than how she could get closer to him.
It was as if her body thought there was some way for them to become one, to connect together in a way that meant they could never be parted.
Even as she thought it, Zara knew the idea was ludicrous. And yet, it lingered.
This was so much bigger than their friendship. Sure, she’d kind of guessed that a relationship between them would be special, considering how much they already meant to each other, but nothing in their friendship had ever indicated that this would be so… so…
So hot.
So intense.
And they were still fully clothed. What would it be like once they were naked, skin pressed against skin? Their bodies sliding together. Joining.
The idea sent another surge of heat through her. A desperate heat, that told her she needed to hurry, that she needed to feel him inside her. Now.
She sat back, pulling off her clothes as quickly as she could, not even caring where they fell. His eyes didn’t leave her, though they did widen slightly.
“God, you’re beautiful,” Damien said, his voice sounding a little choked up.
It sent a shiver down her spine. No, it wasn’t the first time someone had called her beautiful. But his words had a sincerity, a depth of feeling that none of the others had.
Zara tugged at his shirt. “I need to see how gorgeous you are too.”
Which wasn’t entirely the truth. She’d seen him without his shirt often enough to know that the sight was more than stunning. She wanted to see far more than that.
More importantly, she wanted to do far more than that.
And none of it could happen without disposing of his clothes.
Luckily, he was more than cooperative, wriggling under her so she could pull off his shirt and then his jeans. Once that was done, Zara took a minute just to stare.
With the last obstacles removed, she was able to take in the complete picture, and it certainly set her heart racing. All that swimming and diving had given him the physique of an athlete. Looking just wasn’t enough, she leaned forwards and ran her hands all over him, eliciting a groan from Damien.
That groan reverberated deep in her belly. The urgency she’d felt earlier intensified. This was better, there was nothing to keep them apart now. The last barrier had been removed, and she could join with him completely.
The knowledge that this was what she wanted surprised her with its certainty. But the more she thought about it, the more she’d realised it had always been what she’d wanted.
Once they were both older, she’d held back, certain that taking things this extra step would ruin their friendship, and distract her from everything else she wanted to do. She’d hidden those feelings so well even she’d forgotten them. But as a child, she’d planned on marrying Damien. She even remembered convincing him to have a fake wedding ceremony.
Their parents had thought they were hilarious, but she’d been totally serious.
Somehow, she’d always felt they were connected, deep down.
And now they were going to bring that emotional connection into the physical. A shiver ran through her at the thought.
“You’re not cold, are you?” Damien asked, his voice concerned. He ran his hands over her back, as though checking her temperature. The movement only intensified her urgency.
“No, I’m not cold.” She gave a laugh. “Hot actually.”
And she was. Her blood felt almost like it was boiling. Like it would boil if she didn’t make love with Damien now.
She bent and kissed him, silencing any other concerns he might have raised.
His tongue thrusting in and out of her mouth mingled with his hands running all over her body, cupping her breasts, grasping her hips and pulling her towards him. Zara moaned.
It was perfect, exquisite, and yet, not enough.
“I need you,” she breathed against his lips.
A shudder ran through him at her words. “I need you too.”
He rolled over on top of her, and his weight pinning her to the bed calmed a little of the frantic need running through her. Just enough for her to breathe.
Damien se
emed to be experiencing the same thing, because he stroked her hair and stared intently into her eyes. For a moment, Zara thought he was going to say something. Then he buried his head in her shoulder and took a few deep, shuddering breaths.
It took Zara a moment to realise what was happening. To consider the fact that perhaps talking about this first might have been a good idea. After what had happened because of that impulsive kiss, it made sense that Damien was hesitating.
Panic welled up in her at the thought. If he pulled back now, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to handle it. She might beg. She might even break down and cry.
He didn’t move for several long moments, and Zara couldn’t stand it any longer. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him as close as she could. “I need you to make love to me, right now,” she whispered in his ear.
A shudder ran through him. He lifted his head and stared into her eyes. “Are you sure?”
“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life,” Zara said firmly. And it was true.
Her words seemed to unlock something inside him, because he gave a half growl and lowered his lips to hers.
If she’d thought his previous kisses had been intoxicating, it was nothing compared to these. He kissed her as though he were drowning, and she was the only oxygen. As though his very survival depended on her.
Just as Zara was about to tell him she needed a moment to take a breath, he slid into her, and every other thought vanished from her mind. Damien filled her, body and soul, in a way she’d never felt before.
He grasped at her for a few moments, and she wondered if he felt as overwhelmed as she did.
Then he started to move, thrusting in and out. Zara threw back her head and cried out, not even sure what the sound she made was supposed to mean. She only knew that she couldn’t keep these feelings locked inside of her, they needed an outlet.
Damien’s thrusts grew faster, in and out, his breathing ragged. She could feel every muscle in his body taut and strong.
Tension built in her body. This was better, closer, but she wasn’t there yet. She needed more of him. All of him. He seemed to feel the same urgency she did, because he didn’t even pause, just slid in and out, gasping out her name, over and over.
She found herself calling out his name in response, their back and forth voices echoing the rhythm in his thrusts.
Her body felt like a tightly coiled spring, like all it needed was one push to send it over the edge.
Damien’s next thrust gave that push. Pure pleasure exploded through her, spasming through her body, leaving her gasping.
Damien groaned and kissed her desperately, not pausing in his thrusting. Little aftershocks of ecstasy vibrated through her, leaving her breathless.
He pulled back and stared into her eyes, the moon outside reflected in his pupils and, for a second, Zara thought she saw them change shape, narrowing.
Zara felt her own eyes widen, suddenly not sure what she was seeing.
“Zara,” Damien gasped out again, grasping the sheets as though he needed something to hold him up. His voice was raspy.
Zara looked again, but his eyes were normal, just as they’d always been.
She’d imagined it, right? After the intense experience of their lovemaking, she wasn’t surprised. Her body still felt strange, swollen and languid. She even felt a little dizzy.
It wasn’t really surprising that she was seeing things. Kind of like seeing stars, except in Damien’s eyes.
She grinned at the thought.
This was going to be even better than she’d ever imagined.
Why had she ever thought this could be anything but perfect?
Chapter 13
Damrian stared down at Zara, sleeping soundly, her hair spread out across the pillow, and her arm thrown possessively over him. He was still struggling to believe what had happened.
Still struggling to accept that she actually seemed to feel the same way about him that he felt about her.
There were just a few things he still had to figure out.
Like what he was going to do now.
His instinct was to admit the truth. She may already have an inkling that something wasn’t quite what it seemed. He’d felt his eyes shift, right at that moment when they’d made the ultimate connection, and he was sure she’d noticed.
It hadn’t made any difference to how she’d treated him. She’d snuggled up to him once they’d finished mating and fallen asleep, no concerns in the world.
He was pretty sure she’d be okay with him being a dragon and that she’d be ready to keep it a secret.
He probably should have told her earlier, but then again, he hadn’t actually been expecting to end up in her bed tonight.
A smile curved his lips. It had been amazing. Wonderful. More intense than anything he’d ever experienced. That had to mean they were meant to be together, didn’t it?
He didn’t care what his family thought, he was telling her anyway.
Somewhere across the room, his phone buzzed. As though his family knew what he was thinking.
Damrian bit back a curse and looked at Zara. She hadn’t moved. Apparently he’d worn her out. He smiled again at that thought.
The phone buzzed again, and he carefully untangled himself from her and searched around for his jeans. His phone was in the pocket. Wherever they were.
The phone buzzed again, this time leading him to where his jeans were hiding, behind a chair. He fished it out and stared at it, not surprised it was Rowan. A glance at Zara showed she was still asleep, so he slipped into the next room and closed the door quietly.
“What is it? This had better be urgent.” It was nearly midnight, for goodness sakes. What could they possibly want at this hour?
“Mum needs to talk to all of us. I don’t know what it’s about, she won’t say until everyone is here.” Rowan’s voice was measured and calm, despite Damrian’s irritated tone.
Damrian made himself take a deep breath. The last thing he felt like doing right now was leaving Zara. What he really wanted to do was to watch her sleep for a few hours, then wake her up and mate with her again. After telling her the truth about who he was.
He didn’t need real life intruding.
But he couldn’t say no to his mother. If she needed him, he’d be there.
Maybe he could slip out and sort whatever this was out, then be back before Zara even realised he was gone.
The idea warmed his heart. “I’ll be there in ten minutes,” he promised Rowan, then hung up.
He tiptoed back into the bedroom and retrieved his clothes, pulling them on as quietly as he could. Then he took one, last look at Zara’s sleeping face, his heart overflowing with love, then turned and left the room.
*****
Damrian strode up the path, impatient to get this out of the way as soon as possible. Luckily, he’d walked this route hundreds of times before, and his feet knew the way, even as his brain was back in Zara’s hut, remembering every detail of mating with her.
He pushed away those thoughts as he opened the door to his parents’ house and walked into the living room. Everyone else was already waiting there, looking serious.
For some reason, as he looked from one concerned face to another, Damrian’s stomach dropped. They couldn’t possibly know, could they? About him and Zara?
Well, he hadn’t actually been hiding it.
And he’d never been able to keep a secret from them. Even when they didn’t use their mental telepathy, dragons seemed to have a link that tied them together. His mother was part of that too now, through her connection to his father.
And Rowan, well, Rowan may not share the magical side of the connection, but somehow he still seemed to know what was going on better than anyone else.
“Hey, Dam,” Hayrian said with a grin. “Get lucky with Zara yet?”
Relief mingled with his nervousness, diluting it a little. Hayrian would never make a joke if he really knew. So this wasn’t about him then.
<
br /> He wasn’t sure whether to be relieved by that or even more nervous.
If it wasn’t about him, it had to be about his father.
Ignoring Hayrian’s remark, he looked at his mother. “What is going on?”
His mother’s smile was harried, uncertain. That didn’t make Damrian feel any better.
“I’m sorry to drag you out of bed,” she said, her voice serious, “but I need to go help your dad. Can the three of you look after things while I’m gone?” She looked at them, one by one.
Damrian’s heart skipped a beat. “Is Dad okay? The clan?”
He didn’t want to stay here and watch things, he wanted to go help his father. Help their clan. Even if he’d never met any of them.
“Yes, he’s fine,” his mother assured them. “They all are. But things are taking longer than they expected, and everyone’s getting restless. It’s not surprising, really, this is a huge change for humans and dragons alike, for them to agree to work together, to lay out some sort of ground rules for that, it’s not going to happen overnight.”
Damrian frowned. “So nothing has changed then? Why do you need to go?”
They’d known at the outset that this wasn’t going to be a quick process. His father had warned them that he could be away for several weeks. While Damrian had a very personal reason for wishing things could happen faster, this wasn’t unexpected.
So why did his mother look so worried?
“I’m not sure, at this point. But your dad has requested I come down, so I guess I’ll find out when I get there.”
“He probably just misses you,” Rowan said, his voice teasing, despite the concern in his eyes. “I don’t think you’ve been away from each other for more than a day since you were mated.”
While Rowan’s words did hold a certain amount of sense, they didn’t completely calm the uncertain feeling in Damrian’s heart.
But maybe that had more to do with the fact that with this new development, he knew he couldn’t tell Zara the truth. Not now. His heart sank at the thought.
If his father just wanted his mother’s company, then nothing had changed, but until he knew, he couldn’t risk adding any more uncertainty into the mix.
