Sable's Fire

by Dawn Sullivan

  The sight of her lips encasing his dick nearly drove him mad, and it wasn’t long before Dax sank his fingers into her soft, silky hair and took over, loving the feel of her mouth surrounding him. “Baby, you are so fucking hot,” he snarled, increasing his pace, his gaze going to her shoulder as his fangs punched through his gums. He saw Sable’s eyes widen, and knew it was because his incisors were much longer than other shifters. “Won’t hurt you,” he promised raggedly through gritted teeth, knowing he probably looked feral at the moment. His need to claim her was driving him wild, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. His dragon was pushing hard at him to take her and make her his.

  Dax saw nothing but trust and desire in her captivating eyes. When she let go of his balls and ran her nails down the back of his leg, he tightened his hold in her hair, pushing into her mouth again. Finally, he could take no more, and he pulled himself free of the heaven her mouth was, lifting her up and turning her around to place her back against the wall.

  “I need you, Sable,” Dax rasped, rubbing his straining cock against her thigh. “If you don’t want this, you need to tell me now.”

  “I want you,” she moaned, wrapping her legs around his waist. “Please, Dax.”

  “If I take you, Sable, I will claim you. And I will never let you go. If you need more time, now’s the time to say something.”

  He watched her eyes begin to glow, and she smiled, showing off her fangs. “I came into this bathroom with the intention of claiming you, Dax, and I am not leaving until I do.”

  Dax growled, grasping the firm globes of her ass in his hands, and lifting her slightly until his cock found her entrance that he craved. His gaze on hers, he slowly pushed inside her, his hands tightening on her skin when he was suddenly surrounded by wet heat. It felt even better than he’d imagined, and he had to fight not to come inside her right then.

  “Move,” Sable ordered, clutching his shoulders as she adjusted her hips and began to ride his cock. “Make me feel you, Dax.”

  Another low growl rose from his chest, sliding up his throat as he began to pump his hips, moving deep inside her. “Mine,” he snarled, his hips going faster and faster as small flames began to appear, rolling over his skin.

  Sable’s eyes widened, but she didn’t pull back in fear. “Your fire,” she gasped, running a hand down his arm, through the flames.

  “Won’t hurt you,” he grunted, his gaze going to her shoulder. “Dragon fire never hurts a mate.”

  Sable raked her nails over his shoulders, tilting her head back as she moaned, “I know you won’t hurt me, Dax. But, if you don’t sink your fangs into me soon, I’m going to hurt you!”

  Not needing any further invitation, Dax shoved deep inside her one last time, roaring as he came, right before clamping down on her shoulder and embedding his teeth deep into her skin.

  Sable cried out, stilling in his arms, and then leaning forward and biting into his shoulder as she came around him. “Mine,” she panted, not letting go. “Mine.”

  Dax had never felt anything like it. It was as if they were suddenly one, fate binding their souls together, merging them into one whole being. He stood there, his cock jerking in his mate, his fangs deep in her shoulder, and he had never felt more whole in his life.

  After several moments, he finally removed his fangs, and licked over the mating bite, groaning when Sable did the same. The feeling of his mate’s tongue stroking over the mark where she’d just claimed him made him want to take her again.

  Fighting the urge, knowing they still had a lot to discuss, he kissed her softly before turning her around. Retrieving the soap from the bottom of the tub, he slowly washed her. After quickly cleaning himself, Dax shut off the water and opened the curtain. It didn’t take long to dry them both off, and then he scooped his exhausted mate in his arms and took her into the next room, gently laying her on the bed and crawling in behind her. Lying on his back, he tugged Sable over and onto his chest, catching his breath slightly at the dull ache that followed. His mate had managed to make him forget about his pain for a while. Holding her close, he whispered, “No matter what happens, Sable, I am so glad fate brought us together, and I am honored to be your mate.”

  She looked up at him with her big, hazel eyes, and whispered, “Me, too,” as she cupped his cheek in her hand. “Dax, I’m so sorry I didn’t find you in time.” Her gaze lowered to his chest, and a tear slipped free, trailing down her face. “I tried, I really did, but I didn’t know anything about you except that your first name was Dax.”

  “Sweetheart, what are you talking about? How could you have known about me?”

  Sable bit her lip, swallowing hard, before whispering, “I’m going to tell you something, but you have to promise to keep it a secret. You can’t tell anyone.”

  Seeing how much it meant to her, Dax nodded, “I give you my word as a dragon warrior.” When she frowned, he gently traced her cheek with the tip of his finger. “I’ve been training to be a warrior all of my life, and spent the past ten years as a dragon warrior to our king. No one is more honest and loyal than a dragon warrior. Our word is our bond. No matter what you tell me, I will not share it, even upon death.”

  Her eyes widening, Sable nodded slowly, before leaning up to give him a soft kiss. Dax groaned, taking control and covering her mouth with his. He traced her lips with his tongue, then slipped past them to tangle it with hers, swallowing her moan of pleasure. He felt his cock begin to harden again, but made himself pull back. Resting his forehead on hers, he rasped, “We better get through this talk fast, because I want nothing more than to sink inside you again, beautiful mate.”

  Sable’s eyes lit with desire, and she nodded, kissing him one last time before laying her head tentatively on his chest. “Am I hurting you?”

  “No,” he whispered, loving the way she felt in his arms. Running a hand slowly up and down her back, he said, “I’m healing fast, sweetheart. I will be fine soon.”

  Sable sighed, snuggling closer. “Good.” He waited patiently for her to continue, and after a few moments she whispered, “I know some people who have certain…gifts. Some speak telepathically to each other, some see into the future, things like that.”

  When Sable paused, as if unsure he would believe her, Dax replied, “Once a dragon warrior takes the oath to serve the king, during that time, they can speak telepathically to each other.”

  “You can do that?” Sable asked in surprise, looking up at him.

  Dax grinned, shaking his head, “I could when I was part of the king’s elite dragons, but now that I have resigned, I don’t have the ability anymore. And, it only worked with each other. I wouldn’t have been able to talk to you.”

  Sable nodded, once again lowering her head to his chest. “Well, not many know this, but my alpha’s niece has the ability to see into the future. I saw her right before I left, and she told me about you. She said I was going to meet someone who would make me smile again. He would make me happy.”

  “Wait,” Dax interrupted, slipping a finger under her chin and raising her head until their eyes met. “What does that mean, Sable? Why were you unhappy in the first place?”

  He felt Sable stiffen next to him, then she lowered her eyes, refusing to meet his gaze. “Do you really want to know?”

  “I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t,” he told her gently. “Tell me, sweetheart.”

  She licked her lips, then whispered, “I thought I loved someone, Dax. Someone who I knew didn’t return my feelings. I was wrong. My feelings for him were nothing more than friendship, maybe even that of a brother, but I didn’t realize it then. It was hard on me being around him all of the time.”

  Dax ran a hand gently down her hair, waiting patiently until she finally raised her eyes to meet his. “As much as I don’t like the thought of you caring about any other man but me, I understand.”

  “You do?”

  “I’m forty-five years old, Sable. I haven’t exactly been celibate all my life.”
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br />   “You’re mine,” Sable growled, her eyes snapping in anger.

  Dax laughed, kissing her gently before saying, “Yes, I am. As you are mine. Even if fate hadn’t already chosen for us, I would choose you, Sable. You can tell me anything. Anything. It won’t change how I feel about you.”

  Tears filled Sable’s eyes and she whispered, “Lily told me that I had to hurry. That you were going to be captured and they were going to hurt you.” Tears streamed down her face as she cried, “I knew you were out there somewhere. That someone was going to capture you and torture you, but there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it. All I had was a name, and Lily is just a seven-year-old child. She didn’t have any more details for me. I’m so sorry, Dax. I should have found you sooner. I should have stopped you and Rubi from being hurt.”

  “Baby, stop,” Dax ordered, sliding down in the bed so they were face to face. “There was nothing you could have done, Sable. Nothing. I’m here now. I’m alive, and so is my sister. You saved us, sweetheart! You walked into the barn, took out the men who hurt us, and saved us.”

  Sobs tore from his mate’s throat, and he pulled her tight against him, rubbing his hands over her body to try and calm her.

  “But, they tortured you!”

  Dax cupped her cheek in his hand and leaned down, capturing her lips with his, groaning when she pushed into him. He loved the way she tasted, and how she responded so quickly to his touch. Breathing heavily, he pulled back just enough to rasp, “I would go through it a million times just to be where I am right now, at this moment. I would do anything to have you in my arms, Sable. You are everything to me.”

  Sable pressed her mouth to his again, and he slipped his tongue past her lips, into the hot recesses of her mouth. Rolling her over onto her back, he slid deep inside her, and began jacking his hips first slowly, then faster and faster. He loved the way she felt, loved so many things about this woman.

  “Please, Dax,” she cried, matching him thrust for thrust as she clung to him. “Oh, God!”

  Knowing he wasn’t going to last long, not with the way Sable was moving under him, Dax bared his teeth and sank his fangs into her shoulder over his mate mark. Sable screamed, arching up as she came, and he followed her over the edge, groaning loudly when he felt her teeth enter his shoulder.

  “Mine,” she whispered, licking over her bite after they were both spent.

  “Always.”

  13

  Sable kissed Dax gently on the cheek before slipping from the bed and getting dressed. Glancing back at her sleeping mate, she let a small smile tip the corners of her lips. After only a day, the man had stolen her heart. She knew mates fell in love quickly, with help from the mate bond, but this was just crazy. She’d never felt like this before, not even for Aiden, and she wasn’t quite sure what to do about it. For now, she was going to just keep it to herself, she decided, sliding a knife into her boot, and her Glock into the holster at her thigh. Someday, she would tell him, but for now, it was too soon.

  Leaving the room, Sable locked the door behind her, and met Silver out front by the car. “Let’s get this done quickly,” she said, looking back to the room her mate slept in. “He won’t be happy if he wakes up and I’m gone.”

  Silver wagged her eyebrows, “Hell no, he won’t be. What man wants to wake up alone after the time you just spent together?”

  Sable felt a blush steal over her checks when she realized her friends must have heard everything she and Dax did through the thin walls, but she just shook her head and climbed into the car. She had several things to do in a very small amount of time. There was no way they were going to make it back to the coyote camp before nightfall if she didn’t hurry, but she doubted Ebony would leave right away, anyway. And, if she did, then they would just have to track her.

  An hour later, they were back with a rental car, clothes for Dax, Rubi, and Maya, and dinner. Entering the hotel room, Sable paused just inside, quickly scanning the area before shutting the door behind her.

  “Where did you go?”

  His voice reached her from the large bed, and desire curled in her stomach, sending tingling sensations straight to her clit. Pushing it down, she walked toward him, teasing, “I got you some clothes. I would prefer no one see what my man has to offer, except me.”

  When she got near the bed, he reached out and grabbed her, yanking her down beside him, and she couldn’t help the giggles that slipped free. She couldn’t remember the last time she giggled. She was a grown-ass woman. She laughed. Hell, sometimes she even snorted when her laughter got the best of her. She did not giggle.

  “I prefer that, too,” Dax growled, rubbing his scruffy face over her neck.

  “Stop!” Sable cried, another fit of giggles overtaking her. “That tickles!”

  Dax rolled over, pulling her on top of him, and she couldn’t stop herself from running her hands down his chest. She was surprised to see some of the bruising already starting to fade. A small moan slipped free as she settled her jean clad crotch over his hard, thick cock, rocking slowly as she whispered, “As much as I want you, we need to leave soon or we won’t be back to the coyote pack before dark.”

  Dax’s eyes narrowed, and he nodded in understanding. Sliding his arms around her back, he pulled her down on top of him and held her close. “I can’t ask you to go with me, Sable.”

  Nuzzling his cheek with her own, she murmured, “You didn’t ask, Dax. I’m going, and don’t try to stop me. You are my mate, and I’m not letting you go alone.”

  Sighing, he tightened his arms around her and rasped, “Thank you.”

  Rising up, Sable looked down at him in surprise. “You aren’t going to fight me on it?”

  Dax grinned, cocking an eyebrow, “Are you telling me I could win this argument?”

  “Nope.”

  “Then why waste my time?” Shaking his head, he kissed her gently before letting go so she could get off the bed. “Besides, I want you with me. We just bonded, and I’m not ready to let you go.”

  “You better never be ready for that,” she growled playfully, getting the bag of clothes she’d bought for him and tossing them on the bed. “I looked at the size on your old jeans, and guessed on your shirt size. Hopefully, they fit. There’s also a toothbrush and some other things. I’ll see you in the other room as soon as you are ready.”

  Leaving Dax to get ready, Sable went to check on the others. As soon as she entered the room, she knew there was an issue. The smell of fear permeated the room, and Maya was nowhere to be found.

  “She’s in the bathroom,” Charlotte said quietly. “She refuses to go with us.”

  “Why?” Sable asked in confusion. “She doesn’t have anything to be afraid of. Her brothers will be there.”

  “I think that is what has her scared, Sable,” Silver murmured softly. “She doesn’t know what to expect. She’s been with the coyote pack for so long, and I don’t think they treated each other very well, family or not.”

  The door opened, and Dax walked in, his brows furrowing as he looked around. “What’s going on?”

  “I need to talk to Maya,” Sable said quietly. Ignoring his raised eyebrows, Sable crossed the room and knocked softly on the bathroom door before slowly turning the knob and opening it. “Can I come in, Maya?”

  Maya sat on the floor, fully clothed in one of the outfits Sable bought her earlier. Her legs were pulled up, her arms wrapped tightly around them, and her forehead rested against her knees. Her long, brown hair flowed around her in waves, and Sable could see that her entire body trembled.

  Shutting the door behind her, Sable sat down beside the young woman, her back up against the wall. Pulling her own legs up, she wrapped her arms around them to mimic Maya’s pose. “What’s wrong, sweet wolf?”

  At first, she wasn’t sure if Maya was going to respond, and then she heard, “What if they don’t like me?”

  “Aiden and Xavier?”

  Maya nodded, still not raising her head, as she whispere
d, “What if they hurt me?”

  Sable stiffened, her heart going out to the obviously abused woman next to her. “Maya, no one in the White River Wolves pack will ever hurt you, especially not your brothers. They will kill anyone who raises a hand to you.”

  That got her attention, and slowly she raised her head and looked over at Sable. “Why would they do that?” she asked, her brow wrinkled in confusion.

  “Because they are your brothers, Maya. In our pack, family is the most important thing. There isn’t anything they won’t do for you.”

  “Then, why didn’t they come for me?” Maya whispered, her eyes filling with tears. “Why did they leave me there all those years with people who hurt me?”

  “Oh, sweet girl,” Sable whispered, slipping an arm around Maya’s shoulders and holding her close, “your brothers just found out about you recently. Our alpha has been looking for you ever since you were taken, and I joined in the search a few months ago, but we didn’t have any leads. Chase never told them about you, because they were already in so much pain.”

  “Why? Did someone hurt them, too?”

  Sable sighed when Maya laid her head on her shoulder, and rested her cheek on Maya’s soft hair. “Not physically. I hate to be the one to tell you this story, but it is obviously something that you need to hear. Years ago, when your mother was pregnant with you, your father came up with a plan to overthrow our alpha, Chase’s father.”

  She heard Maya gasp in shock, and then whisper, “Why would he do that?”

  “Titen wanted power, Maya. The need for it consumed him. Unfortunately, he sold our pack out to another one to get it.”

  “What happened?”

  “The other pack attacked ours, with help from your father. Titen hid your brothers, and told your mother to stay in the house until it was all over. She was nine months pregnant with you at the time. The other pack was supposed to leave your family alone, but they turned on Titen, killing Lila and taking you.”

  “My mother’s name was Lila?”