Thonis inclined his head. The mages opened the portal again, and, taking a deep breath, Thonis stepped through. The light and sound swallowed him. Indulf ran a hand through his hair as the portal closed behind him. Had he just made a terrible mistake? For all his doubts about this endeavor, for all his words, stating he wouldn’t allow this, for all his worries about the effects…
He had done it anyway.
Beside him, Anna bounced up and down. “And next time I go through, right?”
Indulf tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and led her away. “The mages need time to recover enough to send another person through… but yes. When they are ready to open another portal, you can go home.”
Anna hummed, still bouncing. “I wonder how much time has passed. I wonder if my boss thinks I stole the sword and skipped town—you have to give that back to me, remember. I can’t have it just vanish.”
“I remember. As for how much time has passed… the mages were able to find a spark of magical signature in you. From your world, your time… they are reasonably certain that you will be returned to the time and place you vanished.”
“Good. I’d hate to lose my job.”
Indulf gazed at her. Her bright eyes, her plump lips, the soft curves of her cheeks. Everything about her was so soft, so delicate, so… so perfect. A nameless emotion welled up in him and he found himself unable to stop. He wrapped his arms around her waist, spun her, and pressed her into the wall. As she made a surprised noise, whether protest or excitement he didn’t know, he captured her mouth with his.
His fires roared, the taste of her mouth filling him. Anna made another surprised noise, but melted into his grasp. Her fingers dug into his hair as she kissed him back, deeply, without reservation.
It felt like he couldn’t breathe. His lungs were too large for his chest, an ache inside of him too deep and too painful to be merely arousal. He clung to her as though she was his only lifeline on a wind-tossed sea, like he’d drown if it weren’t for her arms around him. He grasped one of her thighs, pulling it up over his hip, and reached under her skirt.
Anna giggled, pressing her hands to his chest. “Not out here! We’re in the hallway, anybody could see.”
Her cheeks were flushed, eyes bright. He saw only excitement and desire in her. None of the pain ripping away at his soul.
“Stay,” he whispered.
Anna’s eyes widened.
“Stay here, with me. Don’t go.”
He couldn't remember the last time he had been so invested in another person, the last time his happiness was so bound to the smile on another person’s face, or the color of their eyes. He had never thought green a happy color until now. And those green eyes stared at him, her pale cheeks turning red and her mouth slightly open.
He leaned forward, wanting to hear her say the word he longed to hear.
“Why?” she asked instead.
His heart crashed down to his toes. For a moment he wasn’t sure he’d be able to respond. Then, looking away, he managed a shrug. “I know you have no reason to stay. No reason why you should stay. I only ask because I want you. I don’t want you to go, I want to keep you forever. Be mine, Anna. Swear your heart, your soul, your body to me. I will give you everything I have, if only you stay.”
She licked her lips, actually looking frightened now. “But you don’t even know me. Not really. And I don’t know you. And my friends, my parents...”
She wasn’t going to stay. And he already knew that she wasn’t. That didn’t stop him from gripping her tighter. He cut off her excuses with another kiss. His touch became more frantic. He wanted her, needed her. Her clothes were only in the way, so he tore her dress open down the front. A growl emerged from his throat as he dropped his head to one of her breasts. Anna made a choking noise, fingers tangling in his hair as he sucked her nipple into his mouth.
“Be mine,” he growled, tearing the dress all the way down. He slid a hand between her thighs while the other rested on her shoulder, pushing her into the wall.
“Indulf...” Anna panted, pulling him closer, then suddenly pushing away. She slapped his hands and tugged the torn edges of her dress. Eyes wide, mouth open in shock. “I can’t believe you just did that! And in the hallway, too! What if someone walks by?”
He dropped to his knees, lifting one of her legs over his shoulder. “They’ll turn and walk the other way.”
Chapter Thirteen
Anna
Was this why there was no concept of underwear in this world?
Anna clung to Indulf, trying to remind herself that it wasn’t appropriate to do this right out here where anybody could see. Her torn dress hung off her body, exposing her completely. She found herself unable to give a damn, though, when Indulf’s mouth buried into her. She braced herself against the wall, head banging against the stone as she gasped. Somehow, the naughty and scandalous location only made this more exciting.
Besides, she didn’t want to have to think about what he had said. Please stay.
“Indulf,” she gasped again, tugging at his hair.
She didn’t want him to stop, didn’t want to do anything to slow him. His tongue was hot and wicked, finding every right spot to delve into. His desperation almost frightened her, but the demands behind his action made her weak. She attempted to rock her hips into his face, but a single, commanding growl stopped her. His free hand pressed into her hip while the other lifted her thigh even higher. The burn in her leg was painful, her other foot stretched out to tip-toe. She shook from exertion and pleasure as another cry tore itself from her throat.
“Indulf.” This time she tugged a little harder, pulling him away. His dragon stared up at her with fathomless eyes. Anna swallowed hard and shook her head. As much as she wanted to just fall to him, to let him do whatever he wanted to her, wherever he wanted, she couldn't. “Not here.”
Her heart hammered, half-hoping that he’d just ignore her again. But she knew, in the pit of her stomach, that if he tried to do that she’d have to stop him entirely. To deny herself the promised pleasure. Because if he was in such a state of mind to ignore what she wanted, then how could—
Luckily, it didn’t come to that. Indulf swallowed hard, setting her leg back down. She let out a sigh of relief and disappointment.
Indulf seized her around the waist and lifted her in the air. Before Anna even knew what he was doing, her naked ass was in the air over his shoulder, ripped dress flung over her head. She let out a shriek that was half-laughed. She lightly smacked his back, giving half-hearted protests as he rushed her down the corridor. She didn’t know if they came across anybody on the way, her vision obscured by the dress. She squirmed, but that only caused it to slip the rest of the way off until she was butt-naked on the king’s shoulder as he carried her to his room.
When he got inside, he slammed the door behind them and set her down. Anna smacked his arm, trying to glare as her heart hammered.
“What the hell was that all about?” she gasped.
Indulf grinned as he turned her and pressed her against the door. “You said not there. So, I brought you here.”
Anna locked her arms around his neck. Part of her wanted to ask what had made him so desperate, but she didn’t dare. Not when she already knew the answer. He wanted her to stay. He was afraid of what Thonis might find—or might never find. He had opened his heart up to hope once more, and if he wasn’t careful, he was going to drown in it.
“Last time,” she breathed, “last time you gave me control and told me I could do whatever I wanted. Now, it’s your turn.”
Indulf kissed her again, hard, deep, demanding. It took her breath away and all she could do was return the kiss, trying to match its fervor but unable to fully. She was already naked as he pressed against her, his erection pressing into her stomach through his pants. He growled, the sound shivering into her body, and then he pulled her from the wall.
“You are mine,” he growled again. “Mine. And I will claim you every way, un
til every inch of you knows that you belong to me.”
Anna stared into his eyes, those frighteningly intense eyes, and nodded. Indulf wasted no more time, dipping her onto the floor next to the hearth. The furs tangled around their bodies as he gripped her, growling and kissing. His teeth scraped on her skin, but every shiver of pain was met with a far more intense pleasure. His hand wormed its way between her thighs. Her legs fell open for him. As his fingers found her clit, heat washed through her body. A tightness filled her core to the point of pain.
The room faded away around her. Anna clung to the dragon, her fingernails biting deep into his muscles as he pleasured her, hand between her legs and mouth going from one breast to the other. She writhed at his touch, at times uncertain if she’d be able to take it.
Then he was on her, her hands pinned to either side of her head as he entered. She braced herself, expecting something wild and hard, but he moved slowly. Entered her inch by inch until he was fully seated, then kissed her lips tenderly as he started to move. The desperation melted from his eyes as he released her lips to cup her face with his hands, kissing again and again with such gentleness, Anna found herself whimpering from the sheer need for more.
“Anna,” he breathed as he built his rhythm slowly. “Anna...”
“I’m here,” she whispered, embracing him. “I’m here.”
He kissed her once more, staring into her eyes as he thrust into her. It never became a frenzy again, but she was glad, uncertain if she would have been able to take it. He built her higher and higher, until she was panting and clinging to him. Everything throbbed inside of her, and then the sweet release came, the gentle darkness washing over her vision as her back arched and her body cried out, screaming his name.
Indulf was soon to follow her, and they lay wrapped in each other’s arms, panting, gasping each other’s names. Tears unexpectedly filled Anna’s eyes. How was she meant to leave this?
***
They spent the next two days in his chambers. When Anna fell asleep, it was in his arms. When she woke, she’d find him at a desk or pacing the room. Occasionally, he’d be just slipping back into the room, shirtless, with a tray of food or a bottle of wine. They went through a lot of wine, the two of them, although Indulf never allowed her to drink more than a glass at a time.
Anna was afraid that he’d ask her to stay again between bouts of lovemaking, but he didn’t. Whether because he was afraid of rejection or he knew she’d say yes if he did, she didn’t know. Her whole being cried out to be with him, to stay in his arms forever. But she knew it couldn't be. How could she spend the rest of her life here, knowing that her family and friends would always be in pain, always wondering what had happened to her?
When she left, Indulf would know she was safe. The people she left behind didn’t have that luxury.
The two days passed in a blur. By the time Indulf told her that the mages were ready to send her home, she wasn’t sure that she could walk. She and Indulf had made love as often as possible, and in every position she had heard of, as well as several she hadn’t thought possible. She ached terribly from the abuse she had put her body through, but she didn’t regret a single moment.
Indulf walked with her, silent, to the throne room. Anna stared at the stone floor, her heart heavy. The smell of smoke was heavy around them both, even though she had bathed and scrubbed every inch of her skin before coming. The mages were already waiting for them. None of them looked at her directly.
“So,” she murmured, unable to find the strength to be excited as she had been two days ago. “How does this work, exactly? I mean, you said that you found a spark of magic in me that you could anchor the portals to. But is it the exact time and place? Is that the only time and place that you can open the portal?”
One of the mages, a pink-haired girl, answered her with a shake of the head. “We were able to open smaller portals and retrieve more magic from the other side—there is magic in your world—and it allows us to have a better understanding of when and where we open the portals. As for you, we are reasonably certain that we’ll be able to send you back to the exact time you left… actually, it might be how you got here in the first place. Displaced magic. Us sending you back is what pulled you here in the first place.”
The irony wasn’t lost on her, but she didn’t find it in herself to laugh or make a joke. Instead, she nodded stiffly. Anna glanced at Indulf, who was half turned away. Volcant handed him something, and a lump rose in her throat as she saw it was that stupid sword. Indulf turned to her, offering her the gaudy thing. After having learned a little about how to use a real one, this was ridiculously heavy. The fake gems winked at her.
“Thanks,” she muttered, her throat feeling tight. She didn’t look at him. He didn’t look at her, either, and instead gestured forward.
“Are you ready?” the pink-haired mage asked.
Anna glanced once more at Indulf. Something tightened in her chest, but the words she wanted to say died on her tongue. Without a word, she nodded. The portal opened, looking darker than it had for Thonis, and she stepped through.
Flashes of color and sound. A sickening yank just behind her belly button. And then nothing.
Anna opened her eyes again to find herself standing in the middle of the comic-book shop. Exactly where she had been when she had left. The case for the sword was still open, the hum of the lights louder than anything she’d heard before. For a long moment she stood there, disoriented.
Had it been a dream?
She winced as she started to move. The throbbing between her legs and the sting of the love bites were definite proof it had not been a dream.
Anna put the sword in its display case and moved to sit behind the counter. No time had passed. And yet, everything had changed.
***
She wasn’t sure how she managed to get through the rest of the day. She felt like a ghost in her own skin, floating through a void of meaningless drivel. Her brain ached with trying to pay attention to the customers. A few of them commented on her clothes—she hadn’t been able to salvage everything she had been wearing the day she was taken to the Dragon’s world, and so wore one of Indulf’s shirts—but she ignored them.
When she got home, she was grateful to find it empty save for Misty. Her roommate looked alien to her, she was so used to seeing Indulf’s face.
Misty clutched a romance novel in her hands and glanced at Anna with an almost petulant expression on her face. “Bout time you got home. We were going to get Chinese food tonight.”
“Sorry.” It had been weeks since she made that promise. “I forgot.”
Misty glared at her and rolled her eyes. “If that damn sword means that much to you, I’ll help buy it.”
Tears unexpectedly started to flow down Anna’s face. Misty’s expression turned to shock. Anna turned away, shaking her head. “It’s not that stupid sword,” she gasped. “I’ve just made a mistake. A terrible, terrible mistake. And I don’t think I can ever undo it.”
Chapter Fourteen
Indulf
Three months passed without any further developments. Tensions between his camp and Warmund’s were increasing again, as his son and his followers were getting more and more anxious to have answers that simply weren’t there. More than once, Indulf considered simply sending Warmund through the portals like he so obviously wanted.
But that would be a dumb move. If he sent Warmund and Warmund never returned, then his followers would simply see it as Indulf sabotaging him. He’d become a martyr, which was the last thing Indulf needed. If nothing happened soon, though, if Thonis wasn’t able to find any information on the assassins from a thousand years ago…
Indulf sighed. There was no point in fretting about that. He would simply have to keep Warmund’s camp satisfied until he was able to deliver some information one way or another. He had to admit, the waiting was wearing on his own nerves just as much. It was made even worse every time the portals were opened and he was reminded of Anna wa
lking through. She hadn’t even looked back.
Perhaps he could ask Thonis to check up on her. Make sure she was doing alright…
There was a knock on the door, and Indulf called for entrance. Volcant slipped in, a heavy frown on his face. “My lord. The mages are ready to open the portal for Thonis’ update.”
Indulf nodded.
“My lord...” Volcant shifted nervously, then straightened himself. “My lord, I have something to say.”
“Say it, then.”
“My lord, this is a fool’s errand.”
Indulf tensed but didn’t respond. Instead, he tightened his jaw and nodded at Volcant to continue.
Bolstered, the other dragon shifted forward onto his toes before rocking back. “I understand that you are trying to appease Warmund’s camp. But this isn’t like you. You are giving into the whims of a boy and even your supporters are questioning if this means you have become… too soft-hearted to be king. After your declarations that you wouldn’t do this, you are now doing exactly what Warmund attacked you for. How is this going to help anybody?”
“And what would you have me do, then?”
“Have Thonis return. Destroy the knowledge of how to make these portals, erase it. Take Warmund down as you would any other enemy, and be the king we need.”
Was it a weakness to keep going back? To keep hoping that he might be able to find his daughter? Perhaps it would be wiser to do as Volcant suggested. Certainly, using such magic that wasn’t studied was a risky endeavor. But… but he could not bring himself to cut off the possibility. He’d let himself hope, he had made that mistake, and now? He couldn’t just throw it away.
He couldn't throw away Anna, either. He knew she would live her life, happy and loved and safe, but the thought of never seeing her again left his fires cold. No. He couldn’t do it.
And what about Warmund? If he sealed up the portals, what then?
Without a word, he headed out toward the throne room, where the mages would be gathered. Volcant fell into step beside him silently. They walked for some time, not speaking, before Indulf stopped and turned to him again.
The Dragon King's Prisoner: A Paranormal Romance (Separated by Time Book 1) Page 8
