by Bethany Shaw
“A supernatural one. No one has ever escaped MYTHS’ custody,” Laik told her.
“Good.”
They sank onto the couch together and Laik took her hands in his.
“The curse he placed on you has been reversed. There shouldn’t be any more mishaps,” he explained.
“It will be nice to walk again without tripping over my feet and make a meal without breaking dishes.” She paused, frowning. “Hey, wait a second, that salve you put on my foot...”
“Supernatural remedy,” he confirmed.
“Cool. I could get used to this.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” he murmured as he caressed her cheek.
She grinned. There were some perks to dating a dragon shifter, quick healing, amazing sex, flying...oh no, would Laik get in trouble for flying during the show? “You didn’t get into any trouble because of me, did you?”
“Just a stern talking to. My boss is mated. She understands the need to protect. Besides, this is Vegas. Crazy happens here all the time,” he joked before sobering. “MYTHS handles situations like this all the time. Everything will be fine.
“I guess it’s just another day at the casino for you guys, right?” She chuckled.
“Speaking of casino, if you’re up to it, I thought maybe you could try your luck.” Laik stood and reached into his jean pocket, plucking out a handful of quarters.
Elly eyed the change and quirked her brow. “I thought they didn’t want you to win?”
“They don’t, but with all these quarters you’re bound to win at least a few times. Besides, I think your luck has changed for the better. What do you say?” He offered her his hand.
She slipped her hand into his. “Sounds fun.”
Laik hauled her up and together they walked out of the room. With or without the curse, Laik was right, her luck had already changed. She’d met him.
***
Elly sucked in a deep breath as she looked around the bustling casino. People crowded around the slot machines as they shoved change into them hoping to win big. She’d be happy to win anything. Her eyes flitted back to the flashing machine in front of her.
“Go ahead,” Laik encouraged, while Elly flipped a quarter between her fingers. The slot machines dinged around her and she looked around at the crowded casino as people tried their luck.
“I don’t want to lose all your money,” she replied as she eyed the flashing machine.
“There’s only five dollars there. If you lose it, you won’t break me. I promise,” he teased.
Elly laughed and shook her head as she turned back to the machine. She lifted her fingers to the slot and slipped the change in. The machine jingled to life. Her hand went to the lever. She let out a breath before pulling it down.
The dials in the center spun and Elly held her breath, watching as the first dial stopped, the second, then the third.
Elly eyed the mismatched pair of bars and 7’s. “Are you sure I should be doing this?”
“No one wins on the first try,” Laik said as he shoved another quarter into the machine. “Try again.”
“I don’t need to do this to know my luck has changed,” she told him.
Laik frowned and cocked his head to the side.
Elly reached out and took one of his hands, threading her fingers with his. “Meeting you was the best thing that could have happened to me. I don’t know what this is I’m feeling, but it’s incredible. I was so worried about you earlier.”
“We’re mates, Elly. The pull to each other is inevitable,” he explained. He hugged her close with one arm.
“I can feel it,” she admitted.
Elly nibbled her lower lip, reached up for the lever again and pulled it. Laik held her gaze for a moment as the spindles slowed. One 7 popped up, then another. Elly gasped and clasped their joined hands to her chest. The last seven aligned with the others. A siren wailed and the 7 on top of the machine flickered the colors of a rainbow.
“Oh, my God,” Elly gasped as quarters zipped out of the machine.
She laughed out loud. Laik grabbed a bucket from a nearby table. Together they scooped their loot into the large Old Moon bucket.
“How much did I win?” Elly questioned as she reached for another bucket.
Laik glanced up at the machine and the payout. “Five hundred.”
“Wow!”
“What should we do with it?” he questioned as the steady stream of change slowed.
Elly shoved a few more quarters into the bucket. “I think we should take our winnings back to the room and call it a night,” she whispered as their hands brushed against each other.
Laik grinned; that sounded like a fantastic plan. They plucked the last quarters from the machine. “I like that idea,” he agreed.
He wrapped his arm around her waist, led her through the casino, and back to the elevator.
“Thank you for this,” Elly said.
He pressed his thumb on the up arrow then glanced over at her. “I’d do anything for you, Elly.” He would go to the end of the Earth and back for her. She was his mate. His love. His life.
“You would, wouldn’t you?” she questioned as the elevator dinged and the doors slid open.
“Yes.”
Elly licked her lips as they stepped into the elevator. She pressed the button for their floor and leaned against the railing. The elevator lurched as it climbed the floors of the casino. A ding sounded as it reached their floor and they walked together to their suite.
Laik eyed her. What was she thinking? Was her silence good or bad?
“I think it’s safe to say your luck really has changed,” Laik teased as he shoved the keycard into the door while juggling the large bucket of quarters.
Elly stared down into the bucket in her hand with a grin. “I guess so.”
He let her in first and then shut and locked the door behind them, making sure to hang the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on the handle.
Elly set her bucket on an end table and he set his next to hers. She was being quiet, but he couldn’t fathom why.
Finally, she heaved a sigh and said, “When Ian used his magic today and you were unconscious, I was terrified. I don't want to live in a world without you. Part of me knows it’s crazy to feel that way about a man I just met. The other part knows that whatever this is between us is real, and there is no other man for me. Am I crazy?”
Laik shook his head as he cupped her face. “No. When we find our mate, it’s love at first sight. It’s hard for you to accept the reality of our destiny because you aren’t familiar with the magic of our world. If you were, then you would embrace it instead of fighting it.”
“I’m not fighting it,” Elly said.
“Yes and no,” he told her. “You feel the connection, but you don’t believe it's real.”
Elly met his eyes with a sigh. “Maybe you’re right.”
“Take as much time as you need, Elly. I will wait forever for you,” Laik said.
“I don’t want you to wait forever. I don’t want to wait,” she whispered, moving toward him so she could capture his lips. “Tell me what I need to do.”
“Are you certain?” he questioned between kisses. He pulled back from her and held her gaze. “There are a few things I have to tell you. Do you remember when I said my father died when I was a child?”
Elly frowned and nodded.
“He was a human. He didn’t know my mother was a dragon until after she became pregnant. My father refused to complete the mating. He disowned his own children. I don’t want to rush anything, Elly.”
“I’m sorry that happened, Laik. He doesn’t know what he missed out on, but I’m not like him,” she said.
“There’s something else too,” he began again.
“I don’t think there is anything you can say that will scare me,” Elly whispered.
He hoped that was true. “Supernatural creatures live longer than humans. When we bond, your life will intertwine with mine, allowing you to live as long
as me.”
“How long are we talking?” Elly wondered.
“I’m a hundred and fifty-three. There’s no reason to think that we both won’t live until five hundred or so,” he explained.
“Oh! Wow!” Elly gulped. “What about my family? Will I be able to see them? They’ll notice if I don’t age,” she worried.
“There are ways to see your family still. Magic. Warlocks can make us look the age we should appear to humans,” he told her.
Elly nodded. “What if we had children? Would they live long too? Or would we have to watch them die in eighty or ninety years?” she questioned with a frown.
“They’d be part dragon and outlive us,” he promised. “I want you to be sure about this. We can wait if you need to. I know I’ve just told you a lot,” he said as he caressed her cheek with his thumb.
Elly’s fingers went to his jeans. She pulled back and met his eyes. “I’m sure that I want this, Laik. I want you. Nothing is going to change that.”
Laik smiled as he threaded his fingers through her hair. “I love you, Elly.”
“I love you, too,” she whispered as she flicked her tongue against his lips.
“I should explain the ceremony and—”
“Tomorrow,” she mumbled between kisses. “I want you tonight. I want you every night.”
He couldn’t argue with that. Laik swept her up into his arms and carried her into the bedroom, laying her out before him. Her dress rode high on her thigh, allowing her lacy panties to peek out.
Laik hooked his fingers around the edges of her panties and rolled them down. Elly bit her lip as she watched him climb onto the bed. He lifted her left leg and peppered kisses down it until he reached her core.
His tongue darted out, licking her delicate folds. She tasted divine. Her fingers grasped his hair, tugging it as he continued to kiss her delicious apex.
Soft moans escaped her lips as he flicked his tongue deeper.
“Laik,” she panted as her hips writhed.
His hands gripped her waist, holding her in place. He wanted to taste all of her wonderful juices and he was determined to make her come, screaming his name.
Laik sucked, nipped, and licked her core, loving the way her fingers massaged his head. Her thighs pressed against his shoulders as her hips strained to move against his grip. He grinned as he pressed on her clit with his thumb.
“Laik! Laik! Laik!” she chanted.
He pressed against her bundle of nerves one last time, sending her over the edge. Elly screamed his name loud enough for the entire floor to hear and his dragon brimmed with pride at the accomplishment. Laik swiped his tongue over her entrance, ensuring every drop was licked clean.
“How do you feel?” he groaned as he stared up at her.
Wisps of hair splayed across the pillow, her lips were parted and she stared at him through hooded lashes. She looked like a goddess.
Elly moaned and closed her eyes as she stretched. She sat up slowly and opened her eyes. Her fingers went to the bottom of her dress, lifting it up and over her head. She grinned, winking at him as she unhooked her bra and tossed it to the floor.
She got up on her knees and shoved him down onto the pillows. “I feel fantastic, but it’s my turn now.” She quirked her brow up at him determined to take charge as she straddled him. Her fingers went to his jeans, working the button and zipper.
Laik lifted his hips so she could tug the fabric down his legs. His engorged cock sprang up, free from its confines. Elly grinned as her slender fingers wrapped around his shaft. She pumped him, rolling her fingers up and down his cock.
He hissed and gripped the comforter beneath him.
“You like that?” she breathed.
“God, yes,” he growled.
Elly giggled as she positioned his cock at her entrance. She sank down inch by inch until he was buried inside her. Her entrance fit him like a glove. They were perfect for each other.
She placed her hands on his chest as she rocked back and forth, setting a slow, steady rhythm.
Laik bucked his hips up, causing her to groan. Her nails dug into his chest for support and her breasts jiggled. He rolled his palms over each peak, kneading her sensitive flesh. Her eyes fluttered shut and her lips parted as contented sighs slipped through them.
He thrust harder and deeper, watching as she sought her release. Her rhythm became erratic and her cries louder. Laik pinched her nipples, causing her to scream. Her juices flooded down his shaft as her inner walls milked his cock.
Laik flipped them over, thrusting into her as he captured her lips. Elly clung to him as she threw one leg over his ass. Her fingers scratched up and down his back.
He pumped into her as he came with a growl. Elly panted beneath him as he stiffened above her, riding out the waves of his orgasm. She smoothed her fingers up his back and pulled his face toward hers.
Her kiss was electric, igniting another fire inside of him. It was going to be another wonderful night.
Chapter Nine
“You look breathtaking,” Acelynn complimented as she pinned Elly’s hair up. “Laik is going to die when he sees you.”
“I hope not,” Ava giggled as she smeared lipstick on Elly’s lips. “If he dies, then there won't be any fun tonight.”
Elly shifted in her chair and cleared her throat as she stared at herself in the mirror while the two women helped get her ready for the ceremony. It wasn’t a wedding, but it would complete the bond between her and Laik. The Old Moon was even letting them use the chapel for the occasion.
“Just because she knows you’re a succubus doesn’t mean you shouldn’t show some restraint,” Acelynn suggested.
“It’s okay,” Elly assured Ava with a smile. Now that she knew what Ava was and since Laik had explained how much Ava required sexual energy to survive, Elly had a better understanding for her friend’s insatiable needs.
“Where did you find this dress?” Ava asked as she set the makeup on the counter and ran a hand over the white gown. “It’s gorgeous.”
“There’s a specialty shop a few blocks over,” Elly replied. Her gown was perfect. The form fitting, strapless number had cubic zirconia and pearl embellishments around the bodice and her veil matched.
“Remind me to go there,” Ava said as she stood up. “I have a dinner next week and am in the market for a new dress.”
“You’ll like it there. I had no trouble at all finding this one and plan to go back when it's time to shop for a wedding dress.” She gently smoothed a hand over her middle.
“Are you sure you want to do this so soon? The mating, I mean?” Acelynn asked as she positioned the veil over the messy do on top of Elly’s head. “You don’t want your family here?”
“They wouldn’t understand,” Elly whispered. She was mating with a man she'd met less than a week ago. Her parents would have her committed. “I’ll introduce them to Laik and we’ll have a wedding in a year or so,” she explained. “My mom would probably kill me if I eloped. I’m positive I want Laik in my life forever and I don’t see the need to wait since a mating ceremony and wedding are two different things anyway.”
“Yea. A wedding. Men are always so horny at weddings,” Ava chirped, clapping her hands.
“What about your mom, Acelynn? How does she feel about all this?” Elly asked. Shayla had briefly introduced herself last night when she’d flown in, literally, but Elly hadn’t seen Laik’s mother since.
“She’s ecstatic. I’m sure Laik told you she’s an operative with MYTHS too, right?” Acelynn said.
Elly nodded. Laik had mentioned they worked together. In fact, his mother was working with Laik’s boss, Penny, to clean up the Ian Palmer mess. Someone had recorded Laik’s flight to the stage and her abduction. The video was causing quite a stir on social media.
“I expect her to be here any minute,” Acelynn explained.
“Okay,” Elly said with a sigh as butterflies fluttered in her belly. Laik’s mother’s opinion was important to Elly.
“Did Laik invite Garrett?” Ava questioned as she clasped Elly’s chin and turned her head from side to side. “You look divine, darling,” she told Elly.
“He did. I think a few other field operatives are coming, too,” Acelynn acknowledged.
“I don’t know what that bear’s deal is,” Ava hissed. “My lure affects him, and I know for a fact he doesn’t bat for the other team.” She curled her lip into a pout as she inspected her bright red manicure.
“I’m sure it will work itself out,” Acelynn soothed.
The door opened and Shayla walked in wearing a long blue gown. “How are things in here? Elly, you look beautiful,” Shayla said as she came to stand in front of Elly.
“Almost ready,” Acelynn told her.
“Good. Laik is ready, too. I’m so happy he found a mate. You’re a breath of fresh air, Elly, and just what my boy needs,” Shayla said.
“Thanks.” Elly let out a long breath. It was nice to hear Laik’s mother approved.
“Done!” Acelynn exclaimed as she pinned the last strand of hair to Elly’s scalp.
“You look perfect,” Shayla said, offering Elly her hand. “Shall we?”
Elly grasped her soon-to-be-mother-in-law’s hand and stood. “Yes.” Today was the start of the rest of her life and she couldn’t wait a moment longer.
“Has Laik explained the ritual to you?” Shayla questioned.
“He did. He said to follow his lead,” Elly replied. There were some elements similar to a wedding and some that were very different from what he’d told her.
“Fantastic,” Shayla said as she opened the door and led Elly down the long corridor to the wedding chapel.
Soft music played inside the chapel and she could hear several people talking from inside.
“Welcome to the family, Elly,” Shayla greeted, pressing a kiss to Elly’s cheek before making her way through the doors. She nodded to the organist, and rhythmic music that was similar to wedding music began to play.
Shayla sashayed down the aisle followed by Acelynn and Ava. Elly stopped in the doorway, wishing she had a bouquet to squeeze to help calm her nerves. She wasn’t nervous about mating to Laik, more so worried that she would trip and fall. It had been a week since her curse had been broken, but the effects on her self-esteem were still there.
