Dragon Guard: Earth Dragons Series: Book 1

by Hartnady, Charlene

  Mountain laughed. “It’s not that bad,” he said, wading in. “See.” He plunged into the water, scrubbing at the main parts that needed cleaning, finishing up on his head. He rubbed a hand over his face and through his hair. By the time he came up, his skin felt numb and tingly. Mountain stood up, feeling the water cascade down him. He sucked in a breath. His feet and legs felt frozen. Everything above the waterline ‒ from mid-thigh up ‒ felt warm and tingly. He ran a hand through his hair and over his face, wiping away all the water as he walked from the bank.

  Page stood rooted to the spot. She had that same intense look of rapture on her face. Her eyes were glued to his cock. She was fucking beautiful in the fading late. All of her naked curves on display for— He looked away. He’d promised himself he wasn’t going to stare, even if she was fucking him with her eyes.

  He heard her swallow, heard her sharp intake of air.

  “You’d better get in there.” He used his thumb to point behind him.

  “Um…I…um…I’m not sure.” Then she mumbled something that sounded like ‘fuck it’ and jumped in. He heard the splash, followed by a loud yell and then flailing.

  Mountain held back a laugh. He didn’t think she’d appreciate it if he let loose. Her eyes were wide and she was making very weird noises. Something between yelping and yelling and hissing, with a ton of teeth chattering thrown in there. She tried to run out of the water but fell, face-first, her yells drowned out as she…half-drowned!

  Mountain was at her side in a second. He pulled her out of the water. Picked her up into his arms.

  “Oh…oh god…oh!” Her lips were blue, her teeth chattered.

  “Maybe it’s too cold for humans.”

  “Help,” she squeaked. “Cold,” she managed to push out, her teeth clattering noisily.

  He held her firmly against him. Trying hard to ignore how good she felt. It would be wrong to notice how hard her nipples were. How fucking amazing she felt plastered against him. Wet on wet. Page might be against the naked transferal of heat ‒ especially when it involved his body ‒ but right then, she wasn’t complaining.

  Mountain pushed all those thoughts aside and headed for the fire. He sat as close as he could get them to the flames, throwing on a few logs. All the while, he cradled her in his arms. She held on tightly. Her arms around him, her eyes squeezed closed. Her teeth still clattering all the while.

  It took a few long minutes for her mouth to turn pink, for the clattering to slow down. “I guess it may have been a bit cold,” he said.

  “You t-think?” she laughed between shivers. “I guess…sh-shifters are made f-from sterner stuff.” She sniffed. “I thought I was going to d-die there for a s-second.” Her teeth still gave a chatter here or there. “If you hadn’t f-fished me out, I might have d-drowned. My legs stopped w-working. They were n-numb.”

  “It’s run-off from the mountains…in other words, it was ice not so long ago.”

  “N-no wonder!”

  “Hey, guess what?” He smiled at her. “You smell like smoke again. Turns out you nearly died from hypothermia and all for nothing.”

  Page laughed. The sound made him feel warm inside. “Th-thanks for nothing.” She smacked him on the side of the arm. And then a second time.

  He laughed as well, holding onto her with one arm while trying to fend off her blows with the other.

  The realization happened all at once, and to both of them. How close they were. How soft she felt. How hard he was. How intimate this was.

  Page sucked in a breath. He heard her heartrate pick up speed. He felt her body tense. He swore to god he felt her nipples tighten against his chest, even though they were already hard.

  His nostrils flared as he scented her arousal. If she’d been a dragon female, she would have scented his too. Smelled the testosterone as it hit his bloodstream. Mountain didn’t think, he just acted. In that moment, there were no slayers, no sides, no stupid-ass break-ups or asshole ex-boyfriends. There was nothing but her lips, which he captured with his mouth. Her beautiful, succulent lips.

  Page moaned as he deepened the kiss. She pressed herself more firmly against him, if that was even possible, and moaned a second time. This one deeper than the first. He clutched the back of her head, feeling her wet hair in his fingers.

  He made a groaning noise, one born of need. A deep-seated urgent craving, not just to rut ‒ although he wanted that too ‒ but for so much more. He wanted to know this female…everything about her. Mountain wanted to help her. He didn’t know if Alex Bell would turn out to be something other than the evil slayer he knew her to be. Page hadn’t spoken to the female in a whole decade. A lot could change in that time. He wanted to be there to pick up the pieces if things turned out badly.

  He cupped her lush ass, pulling her closer, she rocked against him, making a mewling noise that drove him nuts. The friction of her body against his dick made him grunt. “I want to make you come,” he whispered. “Really badly.”

  Page made a sound of agreement, her eyes were hazy with lust. Mountain nuzzled her neck, nipping at her flesh. He scanned the immediate area, noticing a grassy patch a little way from the fire. He planned on keeping her warm with his mouth and his hands. When he was done with her, she’d be dripping with sweat and as hot as hell.

  He picked her up and within a stride or two was laying her down. Mountain dipped his head down, taking one of her nipples into his mouth. He squeezed her other breast and by claw, but she felt so damned good. He was beyond tempted to get her all riled up and then to fuck her. To put her on her knees and give her the orgasm of her life. His balls pulled painfully tight just thinking about sinking into her warmth. Just thinking about feeling her channel clutching him like a velvety glove. In the end, Mountain ignored his own needs.

  He slid down her gorgeous as fuck body and zoned in on her already swollen clit. Page choked out a cry as he suckled her. He could scent her arousal. It drove him wild. He focused all of that energy on her. He laved at her clit a good couple of times before easing his tongue into her pussy. She moaned, sounding shocked.

  Fuck but she tasted amazing. He fucked her with his tongue, moving back to her clit which he sucked before softly circling the nub with his tongue. Just like before, she clutched at his hair, first with one hand and then with both. Her moans and groans turning deep and guttural and then high-pitched and keening. Thank scale he’d gone a little further off the beaten track than initially planned. He loved hearing her moans and cries. He was tempted to bring her to completion quickly like she seemed to want, but he resisted the urge. Her orgasm would be that much stronger if he made her wait for it. Mountain glanced up as he licked around the edge of her clit, her head was thrown back. Her eyes wide, her mouth open. She gasped for air. “Oh god! Please,” she groaned.

  Mountain bit back a smile as she tugged his hair, trying to pull him closer. She hooked a leg over his shoulder. He sucked on her for a second or two before laving around her nub again. Then he licked her slit…slowly…very slowly. All the way down to her channel and then back again, skirting around her clit like before.

  She groaned deeply, sounding frustrated. It wasn’t long and she was hooking a second leg over his shoulder. Her knees were somewhere in the vicinity of his ears. Every so often he licked over her clit and she would buck against his mouth and give a yell.

  Mountain kept her on edge for a while, licking her nub or thrusting his tongue into her pussy here and there. Wet dripped down from her channel. He might be bald after this but it would be worth it. All worth it. When her moans turned to desperate yelps and groans, he pulled back. “I didn’t finish checking for that tracker.”

  Despite his balls feeling like they were about to burst, he smiled against her when she moaned, “Huh?” She even glanced up, her eyes glassy, like she was drunk. Her lips swollen and pink from chewing on them or maybe from their scorching kiss. Probably from both.

  “Tracker?” She frowned, both confusion and need warring with her features.r />
  “Oh, yes.” He slid a finger inside her tight pussy a couple of times.

  Page moaned deeply, her back coming off the ground, her hand pulling at his hair, her hips thrusting. “Oh yes…yes…cheeccck…muuuust…” she groaned each word.

  Then moaned in frustration when he removed the finger, which was nicely coated in her juices. Then he closed his mouth over her clit, keeping the suction soft. He eased the finger into her ass.

  “Oh no! God…no…” He suckled her more firmly, throwing in some tongue action as well. Mountain thrust in and out of her rear hole. Not too deep, not too hard, there…just like that. Page tensed up her legs, her hand clenched his hair enough to make his eyes water. Her legs gripped him, her heels digging into his back. He kept sucking and licking, kept pumping in and out of her tight little hole. He pushed another finger into her pussy. Knowing without a doubt that it would guarantee her going off like a rocket.

  Then she screamed, her back came off the ground a second time. Her scream grew louder and deeper, her fingers dug into his scalp, her heels dug deeper into his back, her pelvis thrust against him…she all out fucked his face. She stayed there for a bit, the scream turning into a long-drawn out keen. He kept at her for a while, making sure she rode it out. As she began to come down, he first eased out one finger and then the other, keeping his mouth on her until she fell back, slumped and satisfied. Her heavy breathing filled the whole clearing.

  Mountain licked his lips, tasting her there. His balls ached, he was going to have to take care of this raging need. He was used to making his hand work for him, so it was nothing new.

  Page lay there for a few long minutes. Her eyes closed, her breathing slowly normalizing.

  “Are you okay?” He frowned, leaning over her so that he could brush the hair from her face. Her eyelids fluttered.

  “You were right,” Page giggled, she sounded on the verge of being drunk. Slurring a little.

  Good! It meant he’d done his job right. “About what?”

  “About Shaun being a jerk.” She lifted herself onto her elbows. “About why he wants to take this break. He is a selfish asshole. Do you know that the only time I ever,” she bit on her lower lip, “I ever…you know…orgasmed,” she finally blurted, “was when I…” Her cheeks heated, and she took a deep breath. “Was when I helped myself along.”

  Mountain felt every muscle rope and tighten. It didn’t come as a surprise.

  “Do you know he used lube? Lube! Can you believe that? He told me I had a problem. That it was my fault he had to use the stuff.”

  “I have no idea what lube is.” Mountain shook his head.

  “Of course you don’t.” She sounded angry. Then she gave him a quick, sad smile. “I mean that in a good way. He didn’t even take the time to get me ready before sex. He told me it was me who had the problem. If I didn’t get wet within five seconds of us kissing, he’d pull on a condom and grab the lube and then—”

  “Condom?” Mountain struggled to understand. “I thought you were engaged. You were sure as hell in a long relationship. Why did you need condoms?”

  “I’m on birth control. I don’t know why. I guess he’s always been worried about getting me pregnant.”

  “But if you are in a loving relationship.” He raised his brows. “It shouldn’t matter if you become with child.”

  “That’s just it!” She shook her head. “I’m beginning to realize that maybe things weren’t so great between us. Sure, he was there when I needed him. He helped me get a job, get my life on track. Things were good in the beginning. Then again, maybe I was desperate for companionship. I know I was tired of being on my own. Maybe he isn’t the wonderful guy I always thought he was.”

  “It’s not like you had the best role model.”

  She shook her head. “Definitely not. Now…after this…” Page licked her lips. “I always just figured that I wasn’t that into sex. That it wasn’t ‘all that’, but I was wrong. I thought there might be something wrong with me, but it turns out,” her gaze landed on his cock, “I’m just fine. I can get turned on. I can have orgasms. Amazing orgasms. Maybe it isn’t just the sex that was a problem. There’s nothing wrong with wearing sexy underwear and sexy clothes. There’s nothing wrong with having that second glass of wine and getting a little bit tipsy at a party or talking too loud…” She looked him in the eyes. “Shaun cares a great deal about what other people think of him. He might have been…make that, he is too controlling. I think Jenna was right.”

  “Who’s Jenna?” he asked.

  “My friend. My very dear and wonderful friend. Maybe Jenna was right all along about Shaun.”

  “You keep saying maybe.”

  “It’s just hard to think straight right now, out here…with you. After that…wow!!! I mean…” She pushed out a laden breath.

  Mountain didn’t know what to say to that. Page had to make those decisions for herself much as he wanted to tell her that she was right on the money. He didn’t need to meet this Shaun asshole to know it was true. Ultimately, she needed to figure this out for herself. She needed to trust her gut.

  Her eyes moved back to his cock, which was still painfully hard. It jutted from between his legs, his balls were still sitting pretty much in his throat as well. She licked her lips as she moved onto all fours, crawling over to him, a feral look in her eyes.

  “Maybe this isn’t—”

  She gave him a shove and he allowed himself to fall back. Then, she straddled him, her eyes still on his member…they were filled with hunger. “Maybe this isn’t a good idea,” he forced himself to say through gritted teeth.

  Page was a beautiful female. Her hair was wild. It tumbled down her back. Her eyes were stunning, especially when filled with such desire ‒ and for him, all for him. But were they? Or was this something else. Did this have something to do with her ex?

  She pulled her shoulders back, her full tits commanded his attention. All thought of what’s his name fled. Her pink nipples begged to be sucked. Her hips were beautifully flared, her thighs so damned lush. She leaned in…preparing to suck him off.

  Suck.

  Him.

  He groaned, long before she ever made contact. It was a sound of frustration. He couldn’t allow this. Couldn’t let her do it, she wasn’t in the right frame of mind. “You shouldn’t…we should talk about this…”

  She kept on coming. Her lips parted, her breathing picked up, her eyes stayed glued to his cock.

  He tried again. “Let’s disc—” he hissed when she gripped him by the base of his cock. Then groaned when she closed her mouth over him. Then he was threading his fingers through her hair and pulling her in closer. His eyes rolling back into his scalp. “You shouldn’t!” He made one last ditch effort. She deep-throated him. “Page…shit…um…” He watched her mouth work him. Up and down on his cock, while her hand jerked him off using firm, even strokes.

  He had been trying to prolong her pleasure. Page had no such qualms. His cock hit the back of her throat and he grunted. “You don’t have to…” he ground out, his voice deep and gravelly.

  Her response was to take him deeper, quicker. He had to work to keep from fisting her hair, from fucking her sweet mouth. “Feels…good…oh…fuck!” Sweat accumulated on his brow.

  She moved up and down rhythmically, her tits rocked back and forth in time with the motion. Mountain was so damned tempted to pick her up and to put her on his cock. To wring another orgasm from her. He held back. His brain was foggy but he somehow managed to compute that it wouldn’t be a good idea.

  His balls were pulling tighter, that coiling sensation was building in his body.

  “Mountain!” a male yelled. “What the fuck!” he added with a snarl.

  Mountain jumped to his feet, putting himself between his female and the unknown male. The foe. The enemy. It took him three long seconds to realize who it was. “Smoke? What the fuck are you doing here?” He took a step forward, making sure the male’s attention was on him.
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br />   “What am I doing here?” Smoke shook his head. “I should be asking you that question, along with, ‘who is the female?’” Smoke tried to look past Mountain, but he stayed where he was.

  Mountain glanced back at Page. She stayed facing the opposite direction, hugging herself to try to cover her naked body. Hopefully Smoke hadn’t gotten a good look.

  “She’s mine,” Mountain snarled, shocked at the possession he heard in his voice.

  Smoke frowned. “That can’t be—”

  Mountain could see that he was thinking hard. “All of the hunt females were accounted for. Every…” His eyes widened. “Who is that?” he demanded, using a harsh tone this time. “She had better not be who I think she is.” His voice turned deep and accusing. “It can’t be though.” He frowned.

  Page whimpered.

  Mountain growled, widening his stance and preparing to do battle. Little snot! The male needed to be put in his place. He might be one of the higher-ranking Fire dragons, but he was no match for Mountain. He worked hard to compose himself. He didn’t want Page getting hurt. “Let’s go over there and talk,” he suggested, nodding to the other side of the clearing.

  Smoke narrowed his eyes. “There isn’t much to discuss. You shouldn’t be here with a human.”

  “Let’s go over there,” Mountain growled. “It would be the best thing to do right now.”

  Smoke held his gaze for a few more moments before conceding.

  Mountain glanced back at Page, she was still facing the other way with her body. She had her head turned towards him. He noticed that the fire had burned down and how dark it was getting. He added a few logs to the fire. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

  She nodded, her eyes fearful.

  “It’ll be okay,” he tried to reassure her.

  She nodded again.

  “I told you I’d protect you and I will,” he added.

  Thank claw, some of the fear left her eyes.

  “What’s going on?” Smoke growled from the other side of the clearing as he approached. “I hope you have a good explanation.

  Fucking fire-breathers. They pissed him the hell off. Mountain outranked this male. If the little fucker thought a few flames were going to scare him, idiot could think again. Mountain pulled in a deep breath, trying to calm the fuck down. He needed to first try to talk his way out of this. It would be safer for Page. Even though they were a little distance away, he didn’t want her getting hurt. If that didn’t work though… Well, he’d do what he needed to do. Smoke had better have brought his A-game.