Saving Cinder

by Maggie Hemlock

  “Too much too soon?” Seth whispered in my ear.

  “Don’t stop.” I shook my head.

  I stroked his hard-throbbing cock in time with his fingers moving inside of me. Matching his pace, gave me something to focus on as pleasure boggled my brain.

  “How do you like it?” Seth whispered.

  “It’s great. I lo… You meant which position, didn’t you? I feel like a fool.” I flashed him a sheepish grin.

  “I’m just wrecking your thoughts,” he said and probed his fingers deeper into my omega hole.

  Pleasure spiraled through me and over my cock until I almost forgot Seth’s original question.

  “Any… I don’t know. It’s been…” I started to say, but Seth kissed me to stomp my rambles.

  We were bumbling virgins again with no mating link to guide us. The world was wide open for explorations, but we weren’t sure which way to turn.

  Seth’s fingers disappeared from my omegahole leaving me with an empty feeling I didn’t care for. A second later, he was over me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him in for a hard kiss. His tongue parted my lips and conquered mine. Under him, I found safety, warmth, and remembered how it was not to be a lone.

  “Ready?” He whispered in my ear.

  I nodded and tightened my grip on him. I trembled, but my nerves were just that. I wanted him inside me. I needed him closer. I ached to know his mind, body, and soul. I brushed my ear against my shoulder out of habit. My claiming gland was an empty shell since my claiming ceremony. Tonight, the spot was tender as if our foreplay confused my body.

  Reaching between us, Seth guided his throbbing cock between my cheeks and settled between my thighs. My breath hitched as the thick head of his dick brushed against my omegahole. Rubbing over my hole he felt huge. He paused to coat his cock in my slickness and leaned forward over me again with his dick pressing against my slick hungry hole. His gaze locked to mine and a chill shimmied up my spine.

  I spread my legs a little further to invite him in. He pressed forward, opening me up. Friction and fullness danced through my brain and sent little bolts of lightning hot pleasure shooting in every direction. Seth thrust slowly giving me time to adjust to each new sensation. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, because I needed something to hold on to. Someone solid and strong to touch and prove this wasn’t all a dream.

  “I’m free,” I whispered before I could stop the words from tumbling off my lips.

  “One hundred percent free,” Seth nodded.

  I blinked away tears and buried my face in his shoulder. His touch brought me to life and solidified what my brain refused to believe. I was free of the lies and tyranny of my parents and Reggie. They couldn’t touch me here. I had friends and allies and as of tonight, a lover.

  “Keep going,” I whispered urging him to make love to me. “Celebrate my freedom with me.”

  Seth didn’t need further invitation. He thrust hard into me. His dick slid full-length into my omegahole. I moaned. The wind caught the sound and slung it around the bedroom back to my ears. We moved slowly together at first finding the rhythm unique to us.

  I trailed my hands over Seth’s broad shoulders exploring the contours of his back as his dick moved inside me. Each thrust brought new sensations and waves of pleasure. Our mouths met in a hungry kiss that didn’t stop as Seth thrust faster and harder into me. I wrapped my legs around his waist and held onto him. My nails dug into his back and he moaned into the kiss.

  “I forgot how good freedom felt,” I whispered.

  The words morphed into a moan at the zenith of a thrust. I ran my fingers through his thick hair and kissed him again.

  We lost ourselves in the primal dance of our bodies. I bucked my hips to meet Seth’s thrusts as he pounded into me. I held tight to him afraid I’d fall off the face of the earth into the abyss if I let go of him.

  Seth reached between our bodies and found my hard cock. He wrapped his strong fingers around me, and I gasped into his shoulder. The double sensation made it feel as if he touched me everywhere at once. I threw my head back trying to make sense of every sensation before surrendering to the waves of pleasure crashing over my body.

  He matched his hard strokes over my cock to the rhythm of his own pounding into me. I held him tight, digging my nails deeper into his flesh. A growl tore from his throat giving me chill bumps. I wanted to be his. I wanted him to claim, conquer, and hold me again and again until our sheer determination forged a bond between us. Biology, fate, and magic be damned. I wanted a second chance at life. Seth pulled me out of the depths of loneliness, and I didn’t want to sink beneath the waves again.

  Seth thrust hard into me and claimed my lips in a hard kiss. His teeth dug into my lips as his tongue dived into my mouth to engage my own. He thrust hard and fast until I didn’t know where one started and the next began. My cock twitched in his fist as the fire in my belly roared higher and hotter. Each touch, kiss, and thrust he gave me only made me burn for him more.

  He rose to his knees and lifted my legs onto his shoulders. His hands found my hips. I growled as his nails bit into my flesh leaving behind little love wounds as he thrust again. The new position sent his throbbing cock deeper into my omegahole filling me to the brim.

  I gasped and dug my fingers into the floor. My nails shifted into talons raking across the surface of the hardwood. Seth growled and tossed his head back. His chest heaved from his heavy breaths and his muscles coiled tense. He was as close as I was. I shook under him as he gripped my hips tighter pulling more of me off the floor. I braced my weight on my elbows and forearms. I might have a crick in my back later, but it was more than worth it.

  I threw my head back as my body trembled as years of built up passion bubbled over the surface. Orgasm shook my brain, but Seth didn’t slow down. His thrusts became a frantic search for his own release as I rode the waves of passion. I squeezed his dick tight coaxing the seed out of him. His breathing quickened and his scent changed from aroused to demanding. He pounded into me drawing out my pleasure and finally finding his own. His thick cock twitched inside my gushing omegahole. I met his gaze in the moments before he threw his head back in triumphant. Lust and satisfaction mingled in his eyes. A howl tore from his throat as his warm sticky seed spilt into my body.

  When our passion was spent, he gently lowered my legs back to the floor and laid down on his back next to me. Despite the cool ocean breeze the room was too warm. Ignoring the heat, I turned to my side and rested my head on his chest. His heart still pounded fast and hard as he wrapped and arm around my shoulders and kissed the top of my head.

  The feast, faux-betrayal, and lovemaking left me more exhausted than I realized. I was about to ask Seth to sleep in my room, but the words never made it over my tired lips.

  Chapter Twenty

  Seth

  I woke up on my back with Cinder stretched out on top of me. His head rested on my chest. He stirred when I woke but didn’t open his eyes. I waited for regret to punch me in the mouth. Regret and I were old friends. He hung around every time I hit a bender and for days after. The morning after sleeping with Cinder he didn’t show his ugly mug. Stacy was gone, never forgotten, but gone. Cinder was here in flesh and blood. In curves and lean muscle. He was here jumping to conclusions and adjusting to a life where he didn’t live under the thumbs of a bunch of assholes. He was here to laugh and grin at me as we spun a web of lies to a feast of Moonscales. Only they weren’t all lies. Sure, a wedding wasn’t marked on the calendar. We weren’t anywhere near that point, but there was something between us. Something which demanded our attention and for us to seek out what it was.

  “Good morning,” Cinder yawned without moving. “You’re a comfy pillow.”

  “Thanks,” I laughed and wrapped my arms around him.

  “What was I supposed to do? You kept knocking the pillows off the bed anytime they touched you.”

  “Sorry about that. It’s left over from sleeping on the boat.”
>
  I glanced around the room looking for the furball who usually woke me up to go outside first thing in the morning. The blanket moved at the edge of the bed, but she didn’t crawl out from under it.

  “It’s okay. I think I prefer sleeping on you to pillows anyway. I’m glad you found me last night when you did, because I planned to take off in your boat.” He rolled off me and sat up. “I need coffee and food.”

  His stomach growled as if his inner beast seconded his announcement.

  “And a shower.” He added.

  “I’ll order breakfast in while you take a shower.” I offered.

  “We gotta stop eating out every day. It’s just not healthy. I’ll cook after I’m done, okay?” He said and then quickly added. “I meant, I gotta stop eating out every day. You can do whatever you want.”

  “Hey,” I took his hand in mine. “Stop overthinking this. I enjoy your cooking, but don’t want you to feel like you have to cook every meal for me. I mean, we’re living together, but we’re not…” I wasn’t sure which word I was looking for.

  “And you don’t have to buy all of my meals,” Cinder laughed. “I enjoy cooking. So, it’s not really a problem.”

  “We’re good then?” I asked him.

  “Yeah,” he nodded and then asked, “did you mean about breakfast or last night?”

  “Both.”

  “We’re good. We are good, right?” He asked.

  “I’m good. What about you?”

  “Really good.” Cinder flashed me a sleepy smile. “I’d drag your butt into the shower with me, but I’m too hungry for a romp.”

  “I’ll take a raincheck,” I smirked and pulled him in for a good morning kiss.

  Cinder headed into his bathroom and I went down the hall to my bedroom. I turned on the hot water and stopped short. Beyond the smug satisfaction of getting laid, I recalled Cinder’s knowledge of his birth parents.

  “Careful,” my wolf warned. “I don’t want that dragon of his flying off the handle if he discovers the truth about Reggie and the others.”

  I’m just inviting him over for a visit. I have to fix this before it turns into a huge thing. If we’re trying this thing out with Cinder, I want to be honest with him. A web of lies never leads any place good.

  “I hate the rules of the group even more than you. His dragon’s mind is reeling from the information their carrier told them. He feels lost without knowing who he is. Dragons have deep roots and like to stick close to their bloodlines.”

  I know that! I swallowed down a growl. I just have to fix the problem without betraying either of them.

  Instead of sending Carter another text I gave him a call. He answered on the first ring.

  “What’s up?” He said in lieu of hello.

  “You’ve got to see this damn island. It’s like walking into the past.”

  “I’m sure it is. How’s the environment, though? Rich college brats bringing in their stashes?” Carter hinted around for the status of my sobriety.

  “I wouldn’t know. I haven’t hung out much with anyone other than Brendan and Rhett. I’ve met an omega who’s starting to get under my skin, though.”

  “If you called me to say you got laid, I’m going to kick your ass,” Carter laughed.

  “Actually, I thought you could come see the place sometime.”

  “Can we talk about this later? I’m just about to walk into a meeting. Had an asshole client this morning accuse me of breaking his precious porcelain mermaid. His bratty tween knocked it over swinging his tail around like a Frost-damned baseball bat. I need this meeting.”

  “Take care, man. Don’t let the assholes get you down. Remember, if you need some space away from it all you can always fly out.”

  “Thanks.” Carter ended the call.

  “We have shitty timing, don’t we?” My wolf sighed.

  Ignoring him I grabbed a quick shower and headed downstairs. There were some things I needed to discuss with Cinder. Like, maybe the morning after pill since we forwent a condom the night before.

  He’d opened the curtains to let the bright morning sunlight into the kitchen. He wore one of Sivan’s oversized t-shirts and nothing else.

  “Hope you’re in the mood for pancakes, because I am.” He grinned over his shoulder.

  “I never say no to food,” I poured a mug of coffee and sat down at the table. “Can I ask you something personal?”

  “After what we did last night the time for being shy or modest is over, don’t you think?” He laughed.

  “Do we need to order the morning after pill?” I asked and took a sip of my coffee.

  “I started the monthly birth control shots as soon as my parents announced my engagement to Reggie. So, I think we’re good,” Cinder said without looking at me.

  “You okay?”

  “Yeah,” he laughed. “My dragon is just rambling about how eggs wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.”

  “They wouldn’t,” I shook my head. “I mean, once we figure out what we’re doing in the long run.”

  “Are we back to your rules about being just friends until Reggie’s taken care of?” Cinder turned to face me.

  “Not unless you want to be.”

  “I don’t.” He shook his head. “That was too forward, wasn’t it?”

  “No. I’m glad we’re on the same page.” I set my coffee aside and stood up.

  Most dragons I knew weren’t touchy feely. Then again, I didn’t make a habit of hanging out with omega dragons and considered Brendan an outlier to general modern dragon behavior. Then there was Cinder. Sweet. Kind. A little sassy and maybe in need of reassurance this wasn’t going to shatter even more than me.

  He set his spatula aside and waited to see what I’d do. I wrapped my arms around his waist and pulled him in close. Cinder grinned and leaned into my body. Then I stole a quick kiss after a quick glance at the pan to make sure the pancakes wouldn’t burn.

  “The way I see it is like this, we don’t know where this is going, but I’m going to take care of the Reggie problem one way or another. Let’s give ourselves a month and see where this goes. If we both want to be all in after that we’ll come clean to my brother and the others. If not, we’ll find a reason to call off our scheme wedding and go our separate ways. After that lizard bastard is dead, of course.”

  “Where do you want us to go?” Cinder asked.

  I wasn’t ready for the question. It was too easy to say wherever it went, but relationships were like the high seas. You had to point your boat in the direction you wanted to go if you were going to get anywhere. Things didn’t always work out, but without knowing which direction to go in you just circled.

  “I shouldn’t have asked that.” Cinder looked down at his feet.

  “No, it’s a good question. I want this to go somewhere. I like hanging out with you. We both get what we’re going through with our dead mates and the world not understanding it. We have fun and so far, we mesh together great. I don’t know that I believe in forever anymore, but for today I hope you stick with me.”

  “I’m not going anywhere,” Cinder laughed. “Forever is made of a million little moments. I want to have as many of those little moments with you.”

  “Good. Now we just have to figure out the best way to kill Reggie.”

  “He’s still ruining my mornings.” Cinder sighed.

  “No more Reggie talk until after breakfast. I’m going to make a quick call while you cook, okay?”

  “One more question first.” He grabbed my hand as I turned to leave.

  “Okay.”

  “You don’t have someone else, do you? I mean, I assumed you didn’t date because I hadn’t, but…”

  I held up a hand to stop him.

  “There’s been no one else in any romantic capacity since Stacy.”

  “Thanks. I didn’t think so but had to ask. I mean, I don’t want to be the side dish.”

  “After last night, I don’t see a reason anyone would want you as a side d
ish. You taste way too good to be anything but the main course.”

  “Cornball,” he playfully slapped my arm.

  The tension between us broke and he gave me another kiss before turning back to the stove.

  I headed onto the porch and Cookie raced on my heels. She slept through our bedroom departure but was up and ready to conquer the lawn now. I grabbed my phone and made my second call of the morning.

  “Clarence Moonscale’s office. How may I assist you today?” His perky secretary Debbie answered.

  “Hey, Debs, it’s Seth. I need to talk to the big lout about something important.”

  “Sorry, Seth.” Debbie dropped her telephone voice. “Clarence is out all week on business and since he’s shut down his flight link doesn’t want to be bothered unless it’s life or death. It’s not life or death, is it?”

  “I might kill an overgrown lizard this week.”

  “Moonscale?” She asked.

  “No, Reggie.”

  “I wouldn’t worry about his little operation, if I were you. I mean, just between us, Clarence is out of town on business and doesn’t want to be bothered. So, I wouldn’t worry about it. I’ll let him know you called, though, okay?”

  “Thanks, Debs.”

  “And congratulations on the engagement. I hear Cinder Aldred is quite the dragon.”

  “He is. I gotta go, Debs. Call me if you hear anything.”

  “You know I can’t.”

  “But you should.”

  “Can’t, Seth. Someone’s ringing in on the other line. Bye.” She ended the call.

  “Damn, Debs. She could be a lot more forthcoming. I mean, he’s our kill. We marked him with Stacy’s storm.”

  Except no one knows where the freak hurricane really came from.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Cinder

  After breakfast, I asked to borrow Seth’s phone. He swiped a few things closed before handing it off to me.

  “I miss my phone. It’s hard not to be able to look up random things.”