by Jessica Ryan
“In a special place,” Alek said, winking at her. He quickly grabbed her hand, taking Mara’s breath away as she felt the warm touch of his skin. “Follow me.”
Mara half followed, half got dragged through the piles as Alek wove his way among his piles, finally leading them to the far corner of the treasure chamber. In this corner was a low overhang that created a chamber hidden away behind everything else.
It was an amazing sight, something she only expected to see in the basement of a king’s castle. The chamber had many tables and stands in it that held weapons, potions, crowns, suits of armor and staffs. Each one held a ghostly glow, like Val’s magical sword—Heartfire—did.
“Is everything in here magical?” she asked.
“Yes,” Alek said, walking around the room with his hands out to his sides, like the magic in the room was washing over him. He closed his eyes, threw his head back and took a deep breath as he enjoyed every minute of it. Mara’s eyes left the artifacts and found their way to the hard lines of Alek’s body. Even though they made love every night she couldn’t help but ogle him every chance she got. Touching his rippling muscles and feeling the heat of his body pressed against hers always excited her, no matter how many times it happened.
As she watched Alek, so obviously proud of his collection of artifacts, she felt her own arousal begin to grow. He was just so sexy, probably the sexiest man she had ever seen.
This isn’t the time or the place, she thought, trying to strike those thoughts from her brain. He’s trying to show you his treasure. He doesn’t want you right now.
Alek opened his eyes and smiled at her. Without words he strutted to her, his back rigid and straight but his shoulders swaying with a cockiness that wasn’t undeserved. As he reached her his hands shot up, catching her face between them as he quickly leaned over and dropped a kiss on her lips that took her breath away. She felt her entire body tingle as his tongue parted her lips and found its way into her mouth. She could feel the moist protrusion moving back and forth inside of her mouth, fighting for position with her own tongue.
“Alek,” she said, pulling away and blushing. “I thought you were showing me your treasure.”
“The most magical treasure I have here is you,” he whispered.
Mara looked up at him with wonder in her eyes. Had he really said that? He had been careful not to shower her with too much praise. Alek had already made himself so vulnerable when he told her the story of his past, and now he was admitting the feelings he had for her again. This was progress the dragon hadn’t made in the entire first month she had been here. Maybe he was truly becoming tamer as he let his guard down and melted his icy heart.
“Really?” she asked. She wanted to say more, but it was the only word she could muster without crying. No man had ever shown this kind of interest in her before and no man had ever looked at her so warmly and so lustfully.
“Yes,” he said. “You are my wife. I will always protect you and make sure you are well. It is my duty.”
“Well, I don’t want you to be with me just because of duty,” she said.
“I’m with you because you make me feel things I haven’t felt in years,” he said.
“Seven hundred years?” she asked, remembering the story of his first wife.
Alek looked away, obviously trying not to let her see the vulnerability in his eyes that she knew was there. “That was several lifetimes ago.”
“I know,” she said, turning his face back towards her own. “I’m sorry it’s taken several lifetimes for you to find love again.”
“That just means you’re special,” he said. “I will not open my life up to just anybody.”
“Oh, Alek,” she said. “But we haven’t even wed yet.”
“What do you mean, we haven’t wed?” He genuinely looked confused by her words. “I have claimed you as my wife. I have declared to the maids that you are my wife. What more is there?”
“But we haven’t had a wedding.”
“Why do we need to do that? You’re mine. I’ve declared it as such. Nobody can argue this fact.”
“I’m not a piece of your treasure you can just call dibs on!” Mara said, pushing Alek away and slapping him on the chest. His hands came forward, trying to grab her around the waist again, but she backed up, not allowing him the satisfaction of holding her close.
“What have I said now?” he asked, as if he truly didn’t know.
“I’m not your property. You can’t just claim me like you can one of these magical items. Just because I live here doesn’t mean you own me. I’m a human being, dammit. You may see my life as less than that of a dragon, but I still have feelings and free will.”
“I know you do,” Alek said, nodding in agreement. “What would you have me do?”
“You really don’t know?”
“No.”
Mara balled her fists up and pressed them into her eyes, trying not to scream as she became incredibly frustrated with his lack of empathy and basic human emotion. After a deep breath she centered herself and shook her head, letting the frustration melt out of her.
“You need to marry me like humans do,” she said.
“Why?”
“Because that’s just the rules, okay? It’s what humans do when they get married. You declare your love for one another and declare you’ll protect one another in front of your friends, family and the gods. That way it’s an unbreakable contract.”
“But I’ll never let you go as it is now. That’s unbreakable.”
“I realize that,” she said. “But please, Alek. I’ve given up so much to be here with you. So much of my life. Can’t you just give me this?”
“I suppose I can,” he said, nodding his head in agreement. “I do not understand, but I will concede this to you.”
“Good,” she said. “We can do it in my village and my father can give me away.”
“I do not plan on allowing you contact with other humans. It is dangerous out there and they would not understand why you are with me. The maids will witness our vows and then we will be married as you wish.”
“My father has to know what’s happened to me, Alek. He’s probably worried sick about me. It’s been over a month since he’s seen me. I’m sure Val told him I’m dead. I can’t live with this on my conscience anymore. I have to see him.”
“I cannot allow it.”
“Then you cannot be with me,” she said, putting her hands on her hips and looking at him defiantly.
Alek regarded her for a second, his jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed. Finally the hard lines of his face softened and he put his hand up in defeat and let out a mighty sigh. “Very well. I will concede to allow you to visit your father.”
“And you need to ask him permission to marry me.”
“I ask no man for permission to do anything!” Alek roared. “No man can grant me permission! I do as I please!”
“It’s just part of a human wedding.”
Alek spun around and paced away from her. He was obviously angry and frustrated; she had seen this look before many times. He continued to pace, turning to speak to her every few seconds but not finding the words. Finally he turned to a rack that held many swords and spears with that same magical glow. She yelped and jumped back as he charged the rack with a mighty battle cry. He stopped right before he reached it and delivered a quick front kick that collapsed the entire rack into the point where his foot contacted it. He turned to her with molten lava flowing through his blue eyes.
“You really need to work on that temper,” Mara said, crossing her arms.
This was an important moment in their relationship, more important than anything that had come before. If she backed down now, that could be the end of any power she would ever hope to have in the future. For all of their bluster and bravado about being above humans, dragons were still prone to outrage and temper tantrums when they didn’t get their way, just like human men.
Mara had seen the wives in her village handle t
heir men when they became angry and began hitting tables and stomping. You couldn’t give in to them. They were the bucking ox and you had to break them and tame them to force them into seeing things your way. She would not let Alek win this battle.
“I do not ask permission!” he bellowed again.
“You will this time,” she said. “It is very important to me that you do so. My father has to give permission. That’s the way it is.’
“I am not human and I do not observe your human customs!”
“Yet you want to marry a human. This is the way it has to be, Alek. Yelling, kicking and screaming will not change my mind. I do not fear you like everyone else does.”
“You don’t?”
“Of course not. Why would I fear you? You wouldn’t hurt me.”
“I could shift and squash you like a bug.”
“You could, but you won’t. That’s not how you are. I know you already, Alek. You would never lay a finger on me in anger.”
Alek’s shoulders rose and fell rapidly as he sucked in deep breaths. As she stood there staring at him the cadence of his shoulders began to slow down as his breathing returned to normal. Finally he was done, and the look on his face was one of defeat as much as agreement.
“Very well,” he said. “I will observe your human customs to marry you.”
“Good,” she said, breathing a sigh of relief on the inside. She didn’t know how this would play out, but she knew she had to do it or she would be a doormat subject to the dragon’s mood swings for the rest of her life.
“But you owe me,” he said, walking towards her with a sly grin starting to form at the corners of his mouth.
“Oh?” she asked. “What do I owe you?”
It was at this time that she noticed the protrusion at the front of his robes. The fighting must have aroused him.
“You don’t think I can smell your arousal?” he asked. “I smelled it earlier when we walked in.”
“Oh, yeah?” she asked, stepping away from him.
“Yes,” he said, diving for her.
Mara swung around a table, avoiding his arms just slightly. She giggled as he continued to stalk her.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Nothing,” she said, still giggling. ‘If you want me, then come and get me.”
Alek dove for her again, catching the end of her dress as she tried to dart around the table. She yanked hard, letting the fabric rip off in his hand as she darted to the other side of the room.
“You ripped my dress,” she said, giving him her best pouty face.
“I hate that dress anyway,” he growled. “It is unbecoming of my wife.”
“Oh?” she asked, then reached behind back and unfastened it. Alek’s eyes grew wide as the dress fell around her feet, exposing her completely to him. His eyes lingered on her round breasts as his tongue darted out of his mouth and ran across his lips.
Mara could feel her own arousal growing. The wetness between her legs was great as she saw how much her body turned him on.
She made no move to get out of the way this time as he dove for her again, his powerful arms wrapping her up.
“Aha!” he yelled as he declared his victory.
His robes melted into his body, leaving them both naked and pressed against one another. She could feel the angry head of his penis pressed against her as he leaned over to kiss her neck. She sucked in a deep breath and moaned as she felt his teeth scrape her neck just seconds before he lightly bit down.
His hands came up to her breasts, massaging them roughly as his thumbs brushed against her stiff nipples.
“Your breasts are so round,” he whispered. “They sag slightly and I find it very exciting.”
“Oh, yeah?” she asked, wishing he would stop talking and take her.
“Your nipples are so pink. They match your pale skin.”
“Is that a problem?”
“I love your skin tone and I love your nipples.”
She threw her head back as his face moved to her breasts, his tongue flicking its way across her nipples. Each brush from his wet instrument caused lightning bolts to shoot through her body. She could feel the area between her legs throbbing with desire. As he continued to assault her nipples she could feel the orgasm in her growing. Could he really do this without touching her moist sex? It certainly appeared so.
Just as she was on the edge he pulled away, roughly putting his hand on the back of her head and throwing her forward over one of the tables.
She hit the table hard, but didn’t register any pain as she remained with her round bottom and the folds of her moist, inviting sheath facing up at Alek.
“Do you like what you see?” she asked.
His only response was a low growl as he put his hands on her hips. She felt the tip of his manhood begin to push her folds aside, ready to enter her. He roared as he plunged into her, burying himself to the hilt. She groaned and gripped the table.
They’d had sex at least thirty times over the last week, but it still hurt due to his pure girth each time. She was adjusting to the sensation quicker each time, though. She moaned as he began to pump into her. She could feel his hips slamming into her bottom as his manhood found its way deep into her.
“Oh, Alek,” she moaned. “You feel so good.”
She had been close to orgasm before and now she was almost over the edge as he continued. It was obvious he was just as close to the edge as she was because his pace quickened and his grip tightened on her hips. His hands slid down her hips, grabbing her ample rear end and squeezing. The sensation of his squeeze combined with the way he filled her completely made her scream as the orgasm washed over her. She had known it was coming, but it still seemed to sneak up on her. One moment she was feeling the pleasure of Alek’s cock inside of her and the next her entire body was overloaded by the pleasure. She shuddered and moaned as she felt her body give in to him. At the same time she felt his come shoot into her as he growled and roared, sounding more like a dragon than a human.
Mara took a deep breath as he pulled out of her and she turned to look at him with a weak smile.
“What?” he asked, staggering backwards.
“You ripped my dress,” she said. “What am I supposed to wear back into the chambers?”
The magical chamber was filled with their laughter as they looked at her torn maid’s dress lying on the ground. She would never have to wear it or serve someone ever again.
Chapter 18
Mara stopped in front of a jeweled mirror in Alek’s treasure pile and spun around, letting the dress that perfectly fit her body twirl through the air. She looked amazing in it and it was obvious Alek thought so too, judging from the way he never took his eyes off her.
She smiled because she could see the front of his robes begin to protrude again, like someone had thrown a towel over a rack.
“Calm down, boy,” Mara said. “I don’t think I can handle you again right now.”
“We must work on that,” Alek said, rubbing his chin as he thought about it.
“Unless you have a magical item that removes pain, then I don’t think so,” she said. “Or you could slow down your rapid lovemaking.”
“I do not understand,” he said. “My lovemaking is just fine.”
“Yes,” she said, patting him on the shoulder. “Yes, it is, but thank you for this dress. It looks amazing!”
“The Cloak of Many Things is a truly wondrous item that I read about some four hundred years ago,” Alek said. “I haven’t had much use for it because of my magical abilities, but I still had to have it.”
Mara could only smile. It was a little odd that Alek had collected so much treasure he would never have any use for, but it appeared to be what dragons did. What had started out as a dingy brown cloak that smelled of old, moldy cheese had turned into a shimmering blue dress that hugged Mara’s form perfectly and almost glowed as she walked among the piles of treasure.
Growing up in a small town meant never see
ing anything magical, not like they had in Atherny or other corners of the world. Alek was the first magical creature she had ever been around and this was the first magical item she had ever put on her body and she couldn’t get enough of it.
“So it can become anything I want it to?” Mara asked.
“That’s what the legend says,” Alek said.
“I wonder how I change it?” she asked. When she had slid the cloak on, it had automatically transformed into the blue dress without her doing anything.
“Perhaps it just turns into whatever your heart desires,” Alek said. “Most magic requires some kind of spell word or it accesses the magic that lives inside all of us.”
“I guess this is the dress I’ve always wished to have,” she said, looking at the way it exposed her cleavage and made her curves look appealing.
“Are you happy with it?” Alek asked.
“Of course I am.”
“Then I am pleased with it as well.”
Mara loved the way Alek seemed to care about her happiness, even if it meant conceding to things he did not like. He was a strange man. Sometimes he told her how it made him happy to see her happy, but other times—like this morning—he had tried to stifle her happiness because it interfered with what he wanted. But in the end he had relented, which was all that mattered. She knew she couldn’t always get her way, but actually having contact with someone who wasn’t an ancient dragon or one of his three starry-eyed maids was paramount to Mara keeping her sanity in the coming years.
“Can you bring a gift to my father?” she asked suddenly.
“Why would I do something like that? I am already lowering myself by asking for his permission to marry you when by all rights we are already married.”
“We aren’t married because you decreed it!”
“In my eyes, the only ones that matter, we are married.”
“My eyes don’t matter?” she asked, blinking at him so he would focus on her own crystal blue eyes.
“They are very beautiful and I cherish them,” he declared as he reached out and ran his rough hand down the side of her face. “Is this another human custom you want me to observe?”
