by ML Guida
She bit her lip. “But I can’t control it.”
“Maybe together we can help you learn to control your ability.” He clasped her chin and stared into those big eyes. “Trust me.”
9
Trusting someone wasn’t easy for Chloe, especially a man and especially after what happened after Tom Burrows, and after being kidnapped. But Drake had done something no one had ever done–he’d actually praised her ability, even called it a talent.
When Stella had discovered Chloe could enter other people’s bodies, she’d called it creepy.
Not Drake. Not her dragon. Not her kidnapper.
He had faith in her. Something she didn’t possess. Maybe there was more to him than just anger.
He moved toward her. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from him. Her heartbeat sped up and her mouth moistened. Drake slowly pushed up her sleeve and she was too mesmerized to pull her arm away. She should yank away, but his fingers were so gentle as he caressed her.
He lowered his head and the heat of his warmth breath brushed over her flesh. Goosebumps flickered up her arm. It took her two attempts before she could answer him. “Trust isn’t easy for me.”
“It’s not easy for me, either.” He kissed her wrist then his lips followed the tingles his fingers had already kindled. When he reached the bunched-up sleeve at her elbow, he slowly slid the shirt off her arm, then the other.
Chloe should tell him to stop, but she couldn’t form the words. His long hair teased her cold flesh. He pressed his mouth into her neck and she moaned. He clasped both her arms as he nuzzled her. His mouth was warm, his tongue hot. He flickered his tongue over her neck and licked her earlobe. She shivered.
“Are you cold?” he whispered.
“A little.”
“I’ll make you hot.”
“I bet you will.”
He pushed her gently down on to the hard ground. He captured her lips with his, his tongue pushing her mouth open. His hot mouth was full of spice. The thought that a girl could get burned kissing a dragon entered her mind, but instead of pushing him away, she gripped his massive shoulders.
He rolled down the straps of her suit and her naked breasts pushed against his chest. He smothered them with his hands, kneading them and cupping them in his palms. She threaded her fingers through his hair, which was as silky as she expected.
Drake left her mouth and looked down at her breasts. “Fates, you’re beautiful and you’re mine.” He wet each nipple with his mouth.
Chloe might have had a response, but with the thrill of his tongue swirling over her nipples, she could only respond with a pleasurable gasp. She arched her back, her fingers twisting into his thick mane, and he obliged by sucking harder, chafing her skin with his tongue until she was panting vigorously. Heat swelled between her thighs, and she was dangerously close to having an orgasm.
He moved off her breast and inched down her torso. His hands pulling down her suit until it was down to her hips. He thoroughly explored her belly button with his tongue. She clenched his hair tight as the first wave of an orgasm gripped her, shaking her.
She cried out his name.
“I like hearing my name,” he murmured. “But we’re not done yet. Not by a long shot.”
Painstakingly carefully, he rolled the suit down past her buttocks, thighs, and calves. His fingertips and hair brushed against her hot flesh. He neatly rolled the suit a short distance away.
“Spread your legs for me.”
As if under a trance, she followed his command.
He yanked off his boots, pants, and shirt. She flashed her gaze over him, gasping for breath at his magnificence. He really was a Roman God with all of his hard-chiseled muscles, rugged face, and thick long hair, but it was his cock that made her tremble. He’d said his cock was designed to pleasure women better than a human male. Besides being huge, it had ridges that would cause such an intense friction that she wasn’t sure she’d survive.
“Like what you see.” He turned his lips into an amused smile.
“So, sure of yourself?”
“Actually, I am.” He knelt down at the edge of her toes and made good on his promise. He flickered his tongue over her toes then down one foot. Sweet pleasure rippled up her thighs. Drake’s hair, his calloused fingers, and wet mouth built another orgasm. When he placed his mouth on her dark curls, she screamed. He probed and prowled his tongue, teasing and torturing her. She stretched out her hands, wishing she’d something to hold onto as another fierce wave of ecstasy flared between her legs. This time, when her climax came, she arched up her hips the gush of sensations flooding over her until she feared she was in danger of fainting.
Drake laughed. “Such a passionate mate.”
He stretched out on top of her, forcing her to move her legs even wider to accommodate him. With one quick movement, he thrust his cock inside her. God, it was everything she knew it would be. Each time he moved, intense friction drove her mad. She dragged her nails down his back as he pumped furiously inside her. Their rhythm was desperate, violent, and passionate. Rocks and pebbles dug into her buttocks and back, but she didn’t care. She locked her legs around his hips, pinning him to her, riding the frenzy.
Her heart zoomed, sending blood and adrenaline rocketing through her. The fiery orgasm was stronger and more powerful than the other two. Who was she kidding? She’d never experienced anything like this. Her heart beat faster than it ever had in the past. Blood crashed through her veins like a rolling surge. She struggled to breath. Drake kissed her, filling her mouth with his tongue.
Every nerve was on fire, her flesh burning. He pinched her nipple hard and she burst. She came, exploding into hot, sizzling fury.
Tingles gushed from her fingertips all the way down to her toes. She soared out of her body and looked down at the Roman God, pumping furiously into her. Then just as quickly, she slammed back into her body. Power unleashed inside her and she trembled, clutching Drake’s shoulder.
He picked up his rapid pace and then thrust his head. He roared. It was more animal then human. He released his hot seed into her core and collapsed onto her, panting.
Neither of them spoke. Drake was still rocking his hips in little spasms. Chloe ran her hands down his broad back, admiring the muscles rippling beneath her palms and smiling faintly at the dampness. He was as spent as she was.
She took a trembling breath. “Do you always make love like this?”
“No.” He tossed his head back. “I’ve never experienced this.” He panted and shivered. “I’ve heard sex with mates is different.”
“So, this was different for you, too?” She twirled her finger in his hair.
“Yes.”
“How?”
“I’m always angry, ever since Delias died. But you…you make me a better dragon.”
Her eyes widened. “I do? How?”
“Every time I touch you, my anger slips away.” He nuzzled her neck.
Her heart warmed and she ran her leg over his. No man had ever told her being with her made them a better man. “Drake?”
“What?” He kissed the valley between her breasts.
More pleasure flushed through her. “Something’s changed with me, too.”
He grinned. “You’re more than satisfied and want to do it again?”
She laughed and playfully slapped his shoulder. “You’re incorrigible.”
He suckled her neck and then suckled her breast, making it more and more difficult for her to gather her thoughts.
“Drake,” she panted. “I’m serious. Stop, please.”
He lifted his head. “You really want me to stop? You’re not enjoying this?”
“Of course, I like what you’re doing, but this is serious.”
“Okay, I’m listening.” He ran his hand down her side, his eyes full of mischief.
She quivered. “Drake, please! This is important.”
He kissed her briefly on the lips. “Okay. This time I’m listening.”
“My
ability feels different. It’s like I turned on the light switch.”
He gazed at her. “How so?”
“I always used to feel like I was running around blindly in the dark, never knowing how to control my ability, but now, I feel different. Like my eyes are opened for the first time.”
His gaze turned serious. “I have heard there is a power when mates have sex for the first time. I’ve been told things will never be the same.”
“Wow. You should bring an instruction manual.”
He lifted an eyebrow.
She rolled her eyes. “Get your mind out of the gutter. I’m not talking about sex, but what happens afterward.”
“It’s different for every couple.”
She frowned. “Really?”
He ran his hand down her arm. “Our human mates are not ordinary women. They are gifted women, and their gifts become stronger after we mate.”
“But it sounds like you dragons are changed as well.”
He smiled. “Of course, we’re hornier.”
“God, will you stop?”
“I can’t help it. You tempt me like no other woman has.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “You’re mine.”
His eyes were filled with passion that warmed her heart.
Mine…Mine…Mine.
Her hot flesh prickled. The word repeated in her mind like a broken record, but what did this mean?
She frowned. “What do you mean by mine?”
“You’re my mate. I will not share you with anyone. You’re mine to protect.” He lowered his forehead onto hers, then nestled his head in the crook of her neck.
Thoughts of being controlled or threatened or hurt raced through her mind. What if she escaped one evil man, only to fall in the arms of another? She needed to find out. For the first time, she concentrated. Her heart beat wildly. As if by magic, tingles swept over her fingers and up her arms. But this time it was different. She was in control. She wanted this to happen.
She softly entered his mind. He was a jumbled mess. His anger was at a low simmer but she doubted it would take him much to explode. But what was behind the simmer nearly broke her heart. Loneliness, sorrow, and fear swirled around him, but guilt beat down on him. He blamed himself for his sister’s death. His grief nearly choked her, but his fear that he would lose another person he loved scared her. He would do anything to protect them, including sacrificing himself.
Now that she’d found him, she didn’t want to lose him. She didn’t know if she loved him, but she wouldn’t lose him either. The thought was too terrifying. She flashed out of him and trembled.
“You just went into my mind, didn’t you?”
She blinked. “You felt that? No one has ever felt it when I’ve scryed before.”
“I told you, it’s different with mates.” His voice was a little chiller.
“Are you mad?”
“You need to ask before you do this. I don’t like my privacy being invaded, even from you.”
“I’m sorry. I promise I’ll ask.” She thought about his raw pain that fed his anger. It wasn’t something she could keep silent about. “It’s not your fault your sister died.”
He stiffened. “Yes, it is.”
“Drake, there wasn’t anything you could do.” She laid her hand on his shoulder.
He jerked away. “Yes, it is. Her death isn’t a subject for discussion.” His hard tone returned and he pulled out of her, then laid on his side. “We need to get moving.”
Not wanting to anger him, she decided to play it safe and not mention his sister again. He wasn’t ready. She sat and looked down at his stony face. “How are we going to defeat the Kamtrinians?”
He rested his forearm over his forehead. “It won’t be easy.”
The juncture between her legs was sore, but she’d never felt so alive. A cold breeze brushed through the cavern and she shivered. Goosebumps broke out all over her skin. She missed having Drake’s warm body on top of hers. She sighed and grabbed her swimsuit then quickly wiggled into it, painfully aware that Drake was watching her every move with his hooded eyes.
“Drake, the Seps said there would be weapons here.” She quickly put on her shirt. “We need to go look for some. I’m sure the Kamtrinians have been busy gathering them.”
“Maybe. The Kamtrinians are confident about being stronger than a Zalarian and definitely stronger than a human.”
“That could be their undoing.”
“True. I have some ideas on how to kill them and get back to our ship.” He snatched his trousers and dragged them over his muscular legs and his magnificent cock. She busily braided her hair to keep her eyes looking anywhere but him.
She hoped it didn’t mean he was going to do something stupid. Like really stupid. “Your idea is?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “Like I told you before, the main genetic make-up in Kamtrinians is calcite. Carbon dioxide has a corrosive effect on calcite.”
“Go on.”
He dropped his hand. “It’s dangerous, but we have to start a fire. A very big fire.”
“What? Why?”
“The Kamtrinians won’t burst into flames, but they’ll undergo physical and chemical reactions when the forest is burned.”
“And then what happens?”
“Their skin will heat up faster than their insides, and crack and will then fall off. They’ll be weakened, weakened enough for me to engage in hand-to-hand combat.”
“If they’re in a weakened state, you’d be strong enough to defeat them?”
“Yes, if I had a weapon that I could bash them with, I think I could destroy them.”
She frowned. “Drake, there are two of them. You can’t possibly defeat both of them. You’re going to need help.”
“No, there’s no way in hell you can defeat the female, even if she’s weak. She’d kill you. I won’t allow that.” His voice sounded like she didn’t have a choice in the manner.
“I’m not a helpless female.”
He opened his mouth.
She put on her palm. “I understand I’m not strong enough to fight her, but maybe I can do something else.”
“Like what?” he asked warily.
“My ability. Maybe I can use it to control her emotions.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Have you ever done that before?”
She shook her head. “No. But I told you my ability feels different. It’s more powerful. I think I can do more than just watch someone’s emotions while I’m inside, I think I could control them.”
A muscle twitched in his cheek. “You will not do this with me.”
She stood and marched over to him, not caring if she pissed him off. She jammed her finger into his hard chest, wishing it were his thick skull. “Did I say I would do this? Don’t put words in my mouth, Drake. Ever!”
He grabbed her wrist. “I don’t like being controlled.”
She met his angry gaze, refusing to cower beneath him, even though her gut was quivering. “Neither do I.” She jerked on her wrist. “Now, let go of me.”
“Fine.”
He released her, but a wall had gone up between them. She’d invaded his personal space, just like Tom had invaded hers. The trust that had been slowly building like a fire between them was dying, and she’d no idea how to rekindle the flame.
10
Drake slipped on his shirt and thought of what his mate had said. As much as he wanted to believe he could take on two Kamtrinians, it was insane, even if one was female. If the damn Seps would have allowed him to transform into a dragon, he wouldn’t have hesitated, but he couldn’t transform. Even though he was ten times stronger than a human, he was no match for two Kamtrinians.
He sat on a rock across from Chloe. She was quickly braiding her hair. Her skin glowed and was scratched where he’d kissed her. She was beautiful, but she’d been inside him and peeled back a layer he didn’t want to share with anyone–not even her.
“Do you really think you could control the fema
le Kamtrinain’s emotions?”
She stopped braiding her hair. “Maybe. But I would need to practice. It’s not like my ability will work the first time. This is a new power, and I’m still trying to figure out how to control it.”
He gritted his teeth. “As much as I hate this, I think you’re right.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Since I’m the only one here, you’re going to have try to control my emotions.”
She lowered her hands. “I thought you didn’t want me to go inside you.” Her gentle voice was hesitant, and she looked at him warily.
“I told you I don’t like it, but we don’t have a choice. You’re right. I can’t take on two Kamtrinians at the same time. One would be hard enough, but two would nearly be impossible.”
“I know this is difficult for you, Drake, but we have to work together to survive.”
He snorted. “I get this.” He folded his arms across his chest. “Make me happy.”
She furrowed her eyebrows. “What?”
“You heard me. Make me happy.”
“Well, I don’t know if I could do that with you scowling.”
He drew in a sharp breath, then released. “Look, Chloe, the Kamtrinian isn’t going to help you control her feelings. She’s going to be intent on killing you. I’ll be easy compared to them. Now, try it!” His voice came out loud and reverberated off the walls.
She jumped. “Fine.” She put her hands on her hips. “You don’t have to shout.”
Blood pounded between his ears and his vision turned red. His nostrils flared, sending smoke into the air. He kept his arms pressed to his side to keep from shaking her.
Chloe took a step back and put a shaking hand over her mouth.
If she couldn’t do this, he was going to tie her up in here to keep her safe. He couldn’t take on the damn Kamtrinians if he had to worry about her.
