“What does that have to do with anything? I told your brother and Blaze that I came here to work not to … mess around.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Life will be much easier if it stays that way.” There was a gruff edge to his voice. Good! She needed to know that he was serious.
She ground her teeth together, looking like she might lose it with him any second. “What I do in my own free time is my business. Do you hear me?”
“You are my business for the foreseeable future. So therefore what you do every second of every day while here on dragon territory is my business.”
“Your job is to make sure that I don’t do anything to jeopardize your people. That I’m not some spy or terrorist or something. At least that’s what Torrent told me.”
“My job is also to keep you safe.” He tried to keep the growl from his voice and failed.
“So how is having sex going to hurt me? We managed just fine.”
Yeah they had. More than just fine. It was spectacular. He’d never fit more tightly inside a body so damned soft. His balls gave a clench, remembering what it felt like to unload inside her sweet body. Fuck! At this rate, he was going to get hard. Make that, he was getting hard. “When every male within the walls of this castle scents another male on you, they’ll assume you’re available. They’ll all come after you. They’ll fight, even to the death. What if you were to get caught in the cross-fire?”
“That’s crazy talk.”
“Is it? You have no fucking idea how much testosterone pumps through these veins.” He held up an arm, his veins stood out for her to see. “Even talking about fucking is making me hard.”
She gasped, her gaze moving to … “Oh my gosh! You’re such a pig. I can’t believe you …” She looked away, even putting a hand over her eyes.
“It’s nothing you haven’t seen before. Or touched, or—”
“Stop it.” She put her hands on her hips. “I told you it’s in the past and that I don’t want to talk about that night. Ever again!”
So much for calming down. His dick was full-on hard by now. “Don’t worry,” he put up a hand, “I’m not going to touch you. It’s not me you have to worry about. It’s every other red-blooded male within these walls.”
“I don’t believe such wonderful, kind, polite men could change so dramatically. That they could become savages over … me …”
“Well believe it. They would fight each other to the death to have at you. Condoms are only handed out at stag night so you would be fucked bareback, which brings about risk of pregnancy. Birth control doesn’t always work, not when it comes to non-human seed. Potent as hell. You know how biology works, don’t you, doc?”
Her face looked pale and her neck worked as she swallowed deeply. “That’s Doctor Roberts to you.”
“I don’t have to explain reproduction, do I, Doctor Roberts?”
“Of course not!” she half yelled. “I understand exactly how reproduction works, but if you think I’m going to allow myself to be seduced by some guy you’re wrong.”
Tide couldn’t help the laugh that was pulled from him. There was no humor in it. “Some guy. Not just some guy, a dragon shifter. A male who would know exactly what to say and how to touch you. There would be no saying ‘no.'"
“You’re crazy if you think I would let—”
Tide wasn't sure what came over him. Maybe it was the need to prove to her that what he was saying was true. Or perhaps it was her scent. Berries and cream. Fucking delicious. The good doctor was turned on by what he was saying. So much so that the smell of her arousal was thick in the air. It made his dick throb and his mouth water. With a low growl, he pushed her onto her desk. She gasped as her ass hit the wooden surface. He swept his hand between her thighs, which fell open. She was wearing a knee-length skirt. It was up in seconds. His fingers brushed her sex right through her panties. Wet and hot. So fucking wet. His cock gave a twitch.
Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. Meghan moaned as his fingers brushed against her sex for a second time, zoning in on her clit. Her eyes became glassy as they fluttered closed. Just as he thought. She wanted this, she wanted him. Good! He wanted her back in that moment, and so damned badly. All of his focus was directed on the growing damp spot between her lush thighs. Just as Tide was about to shred her underwear, she slapped him. The crack reverberated around the room. His cheek stung a little, but the force of her blow had not been enough to move him.
“Get off of me!” she yelled. “Now!”
Her words, on the other hand, were enough to have him stepping back, in an instant. "Just trying to make a point. Your scent." He sniffed the air. "You're turned on. Very fucking turned on."
“You groped me,” she spluttered. “It’s no wonder. I’m not interested though. Not at all!”
“You were turned on before that. I’m a dragon, I could scent it, then I could feel it on the tips of my fingers.” He put his hand to his nose and sniffed. Fuck if the scent clinging there didn’t make his sacs tighten. “You’re soaking wet.”
She made a noise of disbelief. “You have no right to smell me or to put your hands on me. I’m not interested, okay? You really do need to get that through your thick skull.”
Who was she trying to convince here? “Not interested?” He snorted. “Let’s just agree to disagree on that one as well. It’s not like I was actually going to fuck you or anything. I was just proving a point.”
“Stay far away from me.” She wagged her finger at him.
“Fine.” He put up his hands. “Like I said yesterday, behave and we’ll have nothing to talk about. I won’t need to prove anything to you again.”
“I’m not a child. You can’t tell me what to do.” Anger flashed in her stunning green eyes.
“They’re coming back.”
“What?” She shook her head, clearly out of sorts.
“Ice and George are on their way back,” he whispered. “You should go and wash up.” he opened a nearby window, pushing it as wide as it would go.
“Why do I need …?”
“This whole room smells like pussy.” He looked her in the eyes. “Your pussy, and as much as I really like the—”
She gasped. “You’re disgusting …”
He put a finger in front of his lips and shushed her. “Yeah, yeah, you can tell me how much I disgust you later.” He kept his voice low. “Go wash up. I suggest you lose the panties. Throw them away and wash yourself.” He looked down at the junction of her thighs. “Use soap.” He spied a bottle of sanitizer attached to the wall next to the hospital bed and pumped two squirts into his hands, which he wiped together vigorously. Then he squirted another glop of the stuff, working it over his fingers, especially the ones that had brushed against her pussy.
Meghan opened and closed her mouth. “You can’t be serious,” she whispered.
“Go now or Ice is going to know just how turned on you are right now.”
“I’m not—”
“Save it. Go or …” He chuckled as she ran for the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. The scent of her arousal diminished considerably with her gone. Within seconds, the door opened and George and Ice walked in.
Ice immediately stopped in his tracks and gave the air a sniff. He looked quizzically at Tide. The male would scent Tide’s own arousal. Human pussy would do that to a male every time. So sweet. So delectable. Tide shrugged. “You can’t blame a male. Nothing happened.”
Ice's face broke out into a grin. "I guess not and I know. You take your assignments seriously."
“Yes I do.”
“Did I miss something?” George asked, frowning.
“Nothing at all. If you’ll excuse us, Ice and I are going to stand over there in the corner and leave the two of you to get to work.”
“Okay.”
It took five minutes before Meghan came back into the room. She scented strongly of soap. Her cheeks were bright, flaming red. Tide had to suppress a chuckle at how guilty she looked. He was f
ucked if he didn’t actually like the idea of her not wearing any underwear. Her sweet little pussy was naked beneath that uppity skirt.
Ice sniffed the air and gave him a look. Okay, so maybe she was still interesting to him and maybe Ice could scent that he was becoming turned on all over again. He shrugged. Ice smiled and he shrugged back. There would be no acting on this attraction. Even if her body didn’t agree, the curvy doctor didn’t seem to want him. It was for the best. There was too much at stake and Torrent would have both his balls if he touched her.
Chapter 11
Tide leaned right in. So close she could feel the heat radiating off of his body. So close that she could barely breathe. “You’re acting like you’ve never seen me naked.” He whispered the words so softly that she wasn’t sure she had actually heard right. Then again, she knew that she had by the glint in his eyes, as he pulled back. It was the first time he had spoken to her since she’d arrived a few minutes ago.
Flip but she had forgotten how sexy he was. Okay, maybe she hadn’t forgotten exactly, she had just chosen to try and forget. Selective amnesia at its best. Right now, naked and glorious in the mid-morning light, she couldn’t deny what was right in front of her. Tide was incredible. From his long muscled legs to his rock hard abs. Not forgetting his broad shoulders or those thick biceps. To top it all off, he had incredible eyes and a head of thick hair. Tide smirked and out popped his dimples. A little bit of cute dribbled on a whole lot of sexy. It was official, she hated him. Hated him so much!
She snorted as his words sunk in. “Puh-lease, it’s not your nakedness that’s affecting me, it’s all of them.” She pointed to a group of shifters on the other side of the large balcony, forcing herself to let her eyeballs drift all over their naked bodies. “They’re pretty yummy.” She fanned herself. Her cheeks feeling distinctly hot and not because of that group of shifters. Oh no, that would be too easy. She hated Tide so darned much. Sexy asshole that he was. The only guy she was attracted to, was him. Why oh why?
“Who’s yummy?” George asked, his gaze firmly on Tide’s package.
"Them." Meghan couldn't believe what she was doing when she pointed at the group of guys. Two of them waved at her and she waved back. Tide growled. He actually growled and so loudly that the team snapped to attention. Was he jealous?
“Oh yeah … um … them …” George bobbed his eyebrows at her. Her friend knew exactly who Meghan found yummy. Knew it had nothing to do with the group of shifters.
“Enough,” Tide said. “We need to leave if we are to make it to the Earth lair on time for your meeting.”
Ice arrived, forcing Meghan to stare at the sky. All these naked male parts dangling in the wind. She couldn’t take it. The worst thing was that it seemed perfectly natural to all of them. None of them was self-conscious in any way. “Good idea,” she mumbled.
“Stand back,” Tide instructed. Both she and George took a couple of steps back. Ice moved away from Tide, who breathed in deeply. His muscles bulged beneath his skin. Then there was a roping and popping noise and the two men seemed to fold out. Scales, a tail, wide gossamer wings. It took mere seconds. It left her gaping.
The dragon that was Tide rose up on his hind legs and roared. Meghan realized that she was holding her breath and clutching her chest. He was huge, bigger than a car. At least as tall as a bus. Certainly bigger than any animal she’d ever seen. Her mouth still hung open but she couldn’t seem to close it. He was magnificent. They both were. Tide was bigger than Ice though. His chest so golden she almost felt like she might need to shield her eyes if she looked at him head-on for too much longer. The rest of his scales were a radiant green. His eyes were blue and slitted. Tide roared again as he flapped his wings, rising slowly and gracefully from the ground with each hard sweep.
“I think I’m in love,” George murmured. “For real this time.” He was staring at Ice who had also just taken to the sky.
Before she could reply, Tide shot up, making her yelp. Flip but he could move. Then he was swooping back down, his great big claws stretched out towards her.
Oh no.
No way!
“This is going to be fun.” George lifted his arms and Ice ‒ the dragon ‒ picked him up.
"No!" she yelled, running in the direction of the door. Then his talons were wrapping around her middle and her stomach lurched as she was swept off of the ground. She screamed, grabbing at his claws, which were hard and scaly and so huge. One false move and she was dead. "Put me down! I've changed my mind." she yelled as they rose up and up. Slower than before but fast enough that her hair whipped about her face. If she'd known this was going to happen, she would've worn it up.
They'd been unconscious when they'd been taken to the dragon kingdom. Fast asleep. She knew what the mode of transport had been and had been happy to be fast asleep for the actual journey. Why had she thought that the method of transport would be different this time around?
She squeezed her eyes closed and continued to cling to his scaly talons. It took a few minutes to work up the courage to open her eyes. The view was breathtaking and although they were moving at a steady pace, it wasn’t ridiculously fast.
She concentrated on breathing in and out. On calming herself down. It wasn’t so bad. She was wearing a thick fur coat and fur boots. No wonder Bay had recommended that she change into them this morning before he had taken her to the balcony.
“Here goes nothing.” Her words were snapped up by the wind generated by Tide’s massive wings. She let go of his claws and quickly pulled the hood of her thick jacket up and over her head. She pushed her hair into the hood and fumbled with the tie until it was firmly secured. Then she checked to make sure that her backpack was still secured on her back. It was. Meghan gripped his talons, holding on for dear life. “Don’t drop me!” she yelled. She felt the vibration as Tide gave a deep rumble.
Thankfully, the flight wasn’t very long. Twenty minutes at the most, and they were descending towards a mountain. As they drew closer, she noticed the glass windows and balconies. It was the Earth dragon’s castle. It was positioned in the heart of the mountains. “Thank god,” she whispered as they drew closer and closer.
Oh flip. All of a sudden she wasn’t so sure about the landing part. If he landed with her, Tide would surely crush her beneath him. Maybe he planned on dropping her. That might hurt too. At least according to the forces of gravity and Newton’s Law. They descended more quickly, going almost vertically at this point. Dropping, dropping.
“Oh boy,” she moaned. “Easy.” She spoke gently, trying to soothe him. “Too fast!” she yelled. Tide continued to descend quickly though. Surprise, surprise he ignored her flat out. At the last second, he seemed to hover, dropping a little more before letting her go. As in, his claws opened. She held on tight. It was only when Meghan realized how close her feet were to the ground ‒ couldn’t be more than a couple of inches ‒ that she let go, landing softly and gently.
“That was amazing!” George shouted. “I loved it.” He jumped up and down, waving at Ice who slowly descended a small way further up the balcony. Tide landed next to him and they changed back. It was like they folded in on themselves. Tails and limbs shortening. Scales sinking into their skin.
Then there were two very naked, very buff men standing in front of her. Meghan looked away, trying hard not to blush. She didn’t want to give Tide the satisfaction. He’d get a kick out of it.
The side door opened and the most muscular guy she had ever seen walked through it. His head was clean shaven and he was scary looking. He, thankfully, was dressed in a pair of those cotton yoga-style pants that all the dragons wore, when they actually wore anything.
“Mountain,” Ice called out in greeting.
The big guy gave a nod of the head. He and Ice clasped wrists. "Long time no see." Mountain had a deep, booming voice. "My lord." He turned towards Tide and looked down at his feet for a second as an apparent show of submission. His chest was silver, so not a royal. She was begi
nning to get the hang of this.
Then he turned his dark eyes towards them. “Hello, humans, you are safe with me.”
“Good to know,” George said, smiling.
“Hello, shifter. You are safe with us too,” Meghan blurted.
Ice cracked up in a laugh. Mountain smiled. It was feral and violent looking. Meghan didn't want to get on this guy's wrong side.
“Good one,” Mountain said, he was serious in an instant. “Please come this way.” He walked ahead. Meghan and George followed, with Tide and Ice trailing behind. Meghan pulled the hood off of her head and tried to hand-comb her hair, which must look a disaster. Once they were inside, Ice and Tide helped themselves to some pants which were stored on a chest of drawers right next to the door. There was also a laundry basket with a couple of crumpled pants inside of it.
“Our king and queen are awaiting your presence in their chamber,” Mountain addressed Meghan.
“Thank you. That’s great,” she replied when he seemed to be waiting for an answer.
He inclined his head. “You may all follow me.” He led them through a series of hallways that reminded her of the Water dragon’s lair. The only difference was that the Earth dragons they encountered had dark flecks threaded within their chest markings.
Every single shifter they passed stopped and stared. They even passed one or two women. They also wore loose-fitting cotton dresses. Not very flattering. The women stared as well but their focus was on Tide. Meghan felt a twinge of something. It wasn't jealousy, not exactly. She didn't know him well enough to feel jealous, yet, there was definitely something. She'd had sex with the guy, so it was normal … wasn't it?
Topaz winked at him. “See you at lunch?” she asked, grabbing Tide’s hand.
Meghan turned back, her eyes narrowed on where Topaz held onto him. Then her head snapped forward and she picked up the pace. She seemed … jealous. Precisely as he suspected, Meghan was like all the rest. Except for that slap. She'd been aroused, and yet she hadn't welcomed his touch. It was safe to say that he didn't understand her.
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