Feral Dragon (Earth Dragons Book 5)

by Charlene Hartnady

  “That was still some fantastic running,” Stone said, but Cordia ignored him.

  “You can all go and freshen up,” Gazelle remarked. “Lunch will be served in an hour, followed by continued talks on the various fertility problems amongst the species.”

  Cordia headed for the nests. They were clustered together on ground level. Very claustrophobic. Very strange.

  “Cordia!” Stone yelled. “Hey!” he shouted again. “Get these handcuffs off.”

  “I like the look on you,” she heard Helga say.

  Cordia refrained from rolling her eyes. She picked up the pace. As she rounded the corner to their accommodations, she spotted the dragon. He was still chasing after her. His hands still behind his back.

  “Wait!”

  Couldn’t he take a hint? She kept going.

  Chapter 9

  “Hold up!” he yelled, just as she slammed the door closed, putting her back to the cool wood.

  Ten seconds later and he knocked…and then again.

  “Go away!” she groaned.

  “We need to talk.” He sounded calm and together, which irritated her.

  “I don’t want to talk to you!” she yelled, sounding like a child. She was acting like one too but couldn’t seem to help it.

  “Please. You can’t leave me out here like this. I need help getting out of these.” He rattled the cuffs. “I beg you. I’ll go on my knees if you promise to open up. Give me ten minutes of your time. Just ten.”

  “Ten.” She snorted. “That would be ridiculous. We don’t have nearly enough to say to one another.” She was also still sweaty and very much in need of a shower.

  “I beg to differ, but I’ll take seven minutes if that will make you feel more comfortable.”

  “Seven?” She choked out a laugh. “What kind of a number is seven? I’ll give you five tops, and only if you make the first ten seconds count.”

  “You’re on!”

  Cordia turned. What the hell was she doing? She just needed to stay as far away from this male as possible. Only, she couldn’t very well do that since he was her partner for another two days. Best she get this over with. Cordia opened the door and folded her arms.

  “Sheesh!” He smiled at her. “If looks could kill, I’d be cremated.”

  “You have five seconds before I slam this door in your face.” Why was she so angry with him? She had no right. This needed to stop. Talking wasn’t going to help. Cordia began shutting the door.

  “Wait! I’m sorry. I want to apologize to you.”

  Blast! Now she would have to hear him out. She pushed out a breath and looked him in the eyes. Like jewels in the morning light. She wasn’t sure what the name of the stone was. They were a deep purple contrasting sharply to his bronzed skin and sandy blond hair. “Speak,” she urged him.

  He got a pained expression. “Can I come in?”

  She shook her head. Cordia didn’t want him in her space.

  “Will you at least remove the cuffs...please?” His eyes were pleading. He turned around, the keys were clutched in his hands.

  “For once the vampire and I agree. They look good on you.”

  “Please…I…”

  “Fine,” she sighed the word.

  His look of relief was almost comical.

  She took the key and inserted it into the lock. The restraints made a clicking noise and they popped open. Stone rubbed his newly freed wrists. “That feels amazing.” He rolled his shoulders and brought his arms up in front of him, swinging them back and forth.

  “You were saying,” Cordia urged him on. Why was she giving him a chance here?

  “I apologize.” Stone gripped the doorjamb above him with both hands. The male was so tall, he could reach easily, his arms were still bent.

  She waited. “For not sticking up for me just now?” she finally blurted, when he didn’t say anything more. “For being a horse’s ass?”

  “Yes, I did sound like a horse’s ass.” He nodded. “I am sorry, although I couldn’t exactly stick up for you, now could I? You have to admit it.” He smiled a really sexy half-smile. He leaned forward, closing the space between them. She wanted to take a step back but refrained from doing so. If she took even one small step, he’d technically be inside and then she would really have a hard time getting rid of him.

  Cordia nodded. “You could have and should have stood up for me. You could have said something. Those females they…they…” She shook her head, her cheeks feeling hot. “Forget it! Just forget the whole thing. I should never have gone to that clearing. I should never have rescued you.” She snorted. “Rescued.” She rolled her eyes so hard she was sure she damaged a muscle. “You didn’t need rescuing, now did you? Sexy background music would have been better for what was going on between Helga and...” She winced, realizing how jealous she sounded. “I’m an idiot. A complete idiot. I lost the challenge for our team and it’s all your fault. You should have said something back there…anything. Why are you even apologizing when you don’t mean it? You should go now.”

  She started to shut the door, but he gripped it, holding on. The wood groaned. “Wait. I am sorry the whole incident happened. I’m sorry you saw…what you did. I’m sorry you heard what you did. I’m sorry I couldn’t stand up for you. I’m sorry we won only to lose in the end.” He looked to his left. “Please let me in so that we can talk about this properly. So that I can explain better.”

  “You’ve said what you needed to say. You should go now.”

  “No. I need to tell you the reason I didn’t stand up for you.”

  “I don’t want to hear it.” She prayed to the gods he didn’t know the real reason why she had done what she did. Please! Please! Oh please! It would kill her. He needed to leave. This needed to be over right then. She should never have rutted this male.

  “Cordia…” His whole stance softened. “Hey…”

  She didn’t need his apologies or his sympathy. She fought to close the door. He kept his grip on the wood, which groaned some more. “You were jealous. That’s why. You thought….”

  She couldn’t hold his gaze for a second longer. Embarrassment filled her, making her cheeks heat. Making her whole body burn with shame. What the hell was she doing messing with this male? Cordia let the door go and walked into the nest, turning on her heel when she realized he was following her. She pointed a finger at him. “Don’t come in here, and that’s not true. I was not…jealous.” She whispered the word; her cheeks were on fire.

  Stone closed the door behind him. It slammed shut with a definite bang. “You were. You still are…and I’m glad.”

  “I’m sure you’re happy about it,” she threw back at him before she could stop herself. “It must be wonderful having all these females throwing themselves at you. Well, you can take me off your little fan club list. I’m not interested.”

  “Don’t say that. You are interested. You’re very interested.” He took another step towards her and this time she stepped back. His eyes perused her body for a second or two. “I am too, Cordia. Very fucking interested.”

  “No!” She shook her head so hard her hair went flying about her head. “No, you are not! This is all a big game to you.”

  “I am interested! Very much so. From the first time I laid eyes on you. It’s no game. I’m serious. Whatever is brewing between us is serious.”

  She snorted. “That’s why you told Helga sex with me was boring.”

  “I didn’t mean it. Fuck! I was talking shit. Buying time.”

  “I call it being an ass. There is nothing between us. Furthermore, we’ve known each other all of five minutes. They haven’t been all that great either. I still don’t like you.” She made a face. “We’ve pretty much been at each other’s throats the entire time.”

  “It’s been longer than five minutes and I disagree…we’ve been at more than each other’s throats.” He held her gaze, lifting his brows. The start of a grin lifting the one corner of his mouth.

  She choked out a
laugh. “That was nothing. Less than nothing. You said it yourself.”

  “I didn’t mean it! It was something…we broke the table and didn’t even know it had happened until we were done. That’s more than fucking nothing…hell, it’s more than just plain something.”

  “Look, I’m done with this conversation. We are not compatible.”

  “We fucking are!” he growled. “I told you I wanted more. I meant it.”

  “Only you want more with your whole fan club as well. You would have mounted those two…” she felt a shudder run through her, “them…the vampire and the wolf, if I hadn’t…shown up.”

  “If you hadn’t slapped them around in a jealous rage, you mean?” He pulled his lips into his mouth in an attempt to hold back a laugh.

  She hissed at him. The bastard!

  “Okay, okay…” He held up his hands, grinning. “I’m sorry. I’m stoked is all. Stoked that you would do that for me because I like you too. Very much.”

  “Yeah, right! You like me so much you were ready to let them jump you like—”

  “I was going to allow no such thing. If you hadn’t arrived when you did, I would have—”

  “She had her hand on your prick!” Cordia yelled. “You were into it.”

  “I wasn’t! I swear to god. I was playing along to buy time. When I saw things were about to get out of hand, I was going to put a stop to it, but I didn’t have to because you saved the day. Thank you!” He cupped her cheeks. “You saved me and now I owe you…big time.” Blast and damn, his eyes were focused on her lips. His gaze intense.

  “You don’t owe me anything.” She moved away from his grasp. This felt…wrong but only because it felt…right. “You should go.”

  “Not on your life.” He took a step towards her and she took a step back. He took another step. This time he reached out and grabbed her arm before she could move away. “Don’t run. I want to get to know you. I want to spend time with you.”

  Oh hell! Feathers and tar. This was bad. “No!” she practically yelled. “We are from different species. It would never work.”

  “Didn’t you read the agenda for this conference? Interspecies relations will be encouraged in future. It’s one of the main topics up for discussion. Vampire females are able to have young with the shifters. Infertile females have had young with elves. You never know how things will turn out if we—”

  “I can’t…it won’t work…I—”

  “We’re getting ahead of ourselves.” He spoke in a soothing voice. “I met you yesterday for claw’s sake. Non-humans are quick but not that damned quick. We have until the end of the conference to get to know each other better and then maybe—”

  “No! No way.”

  “Okay fine.” He ran his hand up and down the side of her arm. “We can enjoy our two days together. Let’s not even think of beyond for now.”

  “I don’t think it’s a good idea if—”

  His eyes narrowed into hers. “Let’s not think beyond the next hour then. Would that work for you?” He didn’t wait for her response. “We have forty-five minutes before we are needed back for lunch. Let’s talk.”

  She shot him a look in answer to his question.

  “Okay, no talking.” He shrugged. “Maybe we could take a shower together? I’d like to wash more than just your back.” He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her against him.

  “Not a good idea,” she stammered. His chest was hard, pressing firmly against her breasts. She arched her back, gripping his biceps, which were hard and thick.

  “You’re right. It would take too damned long to get all the way to the bathroom. I like the way you think, Feral.” His eyes were focused on her lips. Before Cordia could do or say anything, he covered her mouth with his. His tongue parted her lips and clashed with hers. His lips were soft. The kiss was both rough and passionate. It was both soft and soothing, hot as the deepest depths of Hades.

  Cordia moaned, entwining her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck. The fingers of her other hand dug into the hard muscles of his back. The kiss seared her. It undid her. She couldn’t get enough of the sexy dragon. She should push him away, but she couldn’t. She found herself pulling him closer. Moaning into his mouth. Giving back just as much as she took.

  Cordia whimpered when Stone broke the kiss. She didn’t think she’d ever whimpered before in her life. Not for anyone or anything. “I thought you didn’t like kissing.” The notion entered her mind from nowhere. This was not a male who did not enjoy kissing.

  “I told you. That was a bunch of bullshit. I like kissing just fine as long as it’s with the right female.” To prove a point, he brushed his lips over hers.

  His eyes were narrowed into hers and his jaw was tight. If it wasn’t for the desire in his eyes, she would’ve believed that he was angry. His whole body radiated raw tension. His muscles bulged. He even growled, long and low as his hands tightened around her.

  Her heart leaped to her throat and excitement coursed through her veins. He picked her up ‒ as in off the floor ‒ which was no small feat considering that she was a Feral. She was heavy. Her beast was large and powerful and tucked in beneath her human skin. He made the smallest grunting noise as he began to walk.

  The gasp she made was swallowed as his mouth covered hers. His tongue clashed with hers once again and the sound of ripping filled the room. Cool air abraded her very wet snatch as he tore off her shorts. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her heart racing.

  There was no time to think or even to breathe as her back hit the wall, her ass rested on something cool. “Put your legs around my hips. I need to be inside of you.” He nipped at her lower lip, sending shockwaves through her body. Her clit throbbed. Her breasts felt heavy.

  She did as he said, locking her ankles behind him. Then remembered that she might break him and pulled back. “Careful,” she warned. “I might hurt you.”

  “I need you so badly,” Stone moaned as he pushed his hand between them using a finger to rub on her clit. It was at total odds with what he had just said. Cordia expected him to just mount her, but she didn’t care because his touch felt so damned good.

  Her head fell back slightly, and her mouth dropped open. Her breath came in ragged pants which turned to a loud moan when he pushed a finger inside her.

  “You’re so fucking wet,” he said as he pulled his cotton pants down. His face was pinched. His eyes glowed. His jaw was tight.

  His prick sprang free, long and thick. It turned her on even more, seeing the desperation etched into his features. This time he breached her with two fingers, pushing in and out of her in slow even strokes that made her cry out.

  “Are you ready for me?” he asked, his voice deep.

  She looked down, seeing the head of his thick cock pressed between them. She could feel it hard against her stomach. “Yes.” A needy cry was torn from her lips. She shouldn’t do this. It was dangerous. Not just in the physical sense either. It was dangerous for her. Cordia didn’t get jealous. These were new emotions. New feelings welled up in her. Feelings she had no business harboring. It felt so good. Too good. She groaned, wanting more.

  Stone growled, sounding frustrated and he continued to finger-fuck her. “So damned beautiful,” he muttered. Almost to himself. He tore her tank top open, dipping his head down to suck on her nipples. His mouth sent zings of need straight to her core.

  By now Cordia was panting hard. Her orgasm, hovering somewhere just below the surface. “What’s wrong? I’m ready. Take me, dragon.”

  He groaned again, his eyes went from desire-filled to pained. “I owe you one, remember? I should…” He dropped to his knees, his eyes between her legs. They zoned in on her snatch.

  For an arrogant ass, the male was extremely sweet. She watched as he leaned in, preparing to ease her. “Wait a minute.” She cupped his chin. “I want you badly. As in, inside me, and right now.”

  “But…I can—”

  “No buts. I told you that you don’t owe
me anything and I meant it. You need to know upfront…” Blast, but she was turned on. Her nipples tight little nubs. Her snatch clenched with need. Her clit throbbed. “I can’t have any kind of relationship…”

  He stood up, covering her mouth with a finger. “We’ll discuss it later. We’ll argue about it.” He grinned. It was sexy and tense with his desire. “I’ll enjoy every second of that argument.”

  “There is nothing to—”

  “Shhhh….” He covered her mouth with his. “Not now.” He slipped a finger back inside her and she moaned. “I’m feeling really turned on right now. I want you so badly…to be inside you…really deep. I can tell by how wet this pussy is that you want the same. You want to scream my name, Cordia. Don’t you dare make me stop.”

  “You wish I would scream your name, dragon.” She smiled, sucking in a breath when he rubbed on her clit using his thumb.

  She grabbed hold of his cock, giving it a tug. Stone’s eyes drifted shut and he made a growling sound that she’d come to recognize as arousal.

  Cordia kept her hand around his thick girth, giving him another tug. “Take me already.” Feral males were base. They put a female on all fours, got her wet and did the deed. Stone was toying with her and it both excited and frustrated her. Thankfully, the time for games had come to an end.

  Stone crouched down a little so that he could position his head at her opening.

  “Maybe it would be easier if we did this on the bed or on the floor.” She licked her lips. “From behind would be safer.”

  Stone shook his head. “Fuck being safe.” He pushed his tip into her. “The only thing that would concern me is getting you with child, but that’s not going to happen.”

  She wanted to dwell on that remark. Unpack it. Analyze the hell out of it. Maybe confess a couple of things to Stone while she was at it.

  The dragon thrust into her. He used a hard, even stroke that took her breath away. That had her forgetting everything but them, and the here and now. This hour, this minute, this second. This was wrong on all levels. He thrust again, using a hard, punchy stroke that had her moaning loudly. She put her hand on either side on the surface under her ass. A high, narrow table.