by Katie Reus
Her eyes flashed bright, mirroring the blue fire flickering around them as she rolled over, her long, lithe body a work of art.
Her long dark hair fell down her back in soft waves. He wrapped his hand around the length, tugged gently once. She arched into his grip and let out a throaty moan that went straight to his cock.
With his free hand, he ran his palm over her smooth ass. He wanted to lean down and nip at it—so he did, just a little bite on each cheek. God, she was perfection.
She jerked once but couldn’t move because of the hold on her hair. “Come on. Don’t make me beg.” The wild ocean scent of her desire wrapped around him, invaded his every pore. She was his life, his everything.
“Tell me what you want,” he murmured, sitting back up and moving in behind her. He rubbed his hard length along her folds, but didn’t penetrate, just teased. She was so damn slick. It wouldn’t take long for him to push over the edge—to push her over the edge. He remembered how much she liked this position—and it was the perfect position for him to claim her.
“Inside me now,” she demanded, her fingers digging into the blanket beneath them.
His control was completely shredded. Oh so slowly, he pushed inside her. He sucked in a sharp breath as he thrust all the way into her, as her inner walls tightened around him.
She let out a garbled moan, a shudder racking her body as he buried himself as far as he could. Oh yeah, she was his heaven. Pure and simple as that.
He remained still inside her, his balls pulled up tight as he reached around her and cupped her mound. He couldn’t wait to feel her pulsing around him, to feel her coming around his cock. Fifty-two years he’d been missing her, wanting her, needing her. All the pain of living without her faded away, as if it had been a mere blink in time.
His canines had already descended and he was holding his instincts at bay. For now. Both sides of his supernatural nature demanded he mate by piercing her with his teeth. Soon enough, he told himself. Soon enough.
He teased her clit, rubbing her in a small, circular motion he’d learned long ago drove her crazy, pushing her to the edge incredibly fast.
Holding tight to her hair, he kept rubbing and her inner walls kept clenching around him faster and faster. It wouldn’t be long now.
“Oh, God, Oh… I’m so close already,” she rasped out, her body jerking slightly beneath him.
“Let go.” He barely gritted the words out, his jaw was clenched so tight. “Come for me.” He needed her to, needed to bring her pleasure. To finally bond them.
He knew the second before she was about to come. Her inner walls started convulsing rapidly, little flutters around his cock that drove him crazy.
On a cry, she did as he’d ordered and let go, her climax punching through her as she gasped out his name.
In that instant, he let go of his own control, let the darkness in him take over. The orgasm that had been building inside him ripped free as he emptied himself inside her. He embraced every primal instinct inside him, every part of his nature as he bent and bit down on the sensitive skin between Fiona’s neck and shoulder, piercing her deeply with his canines.
Claiming her. Mating her. Linking them together for as long as they had left. One day, two, it didn’t matter.
“Ian!” she screamed in anger even as her climax continued thrumming through her.
His own orgasm consumed him as he tasted her blood, felt the power of their bond click into place with a certainty, a solidity he’d never imagined. They were linked until death now.
As he came down from the high of his climax, he loosened his grip on her hair. Just like that, before he’d even managed to pull out of her, she swiveled to face him.
Her blue eyes blazed fire, the rage in her expression cutting as she slammed her fist against his chest. “You promised me!” she yelled at him. “You swore you wouldn’t mate with me!”
In the blink of an eye, he had her flat on her back, pinned beneath him. She shoved at his chest, writhing and wriggling and trying to buck him off, her anger a live thing, but he was immovable. And he’d stay right where he was until they’d had this out. He’d thought he’d feel weaker once they bonded since he was fully linked to her, but he felt the same. Better, even. “Yeah, I lied.” His voice was eerily calm. “I’m a half-demon. I don’t feel any guilt either. You’re mine, forever. If that’s one day from now, so be it.”
Tears tracked down her smooth cheeks as her body started trembling. “I don’t want you to die,” she whispered, her face stricken. “You swore.” Her voice broke on the last word.
His heart cracked open, but he didn’t regret his decision. Cupping one of her cheeks, he swiped at the wetness. “Would you want to live without me?”
Tears flowing freely, she shook her head.
“Then don’t expect me to live without you. You’re mine, Fiona. Have been from the moment I laid eyes on you, from the moment you tried to warn me off fighting your brother because you were worried I’d get hurt. Don’t you dare expect me to live a life without you! You go into the afterlife? So do I. Simple as that. If we have a day left, I want to enjoy every second of it with you.”
Sobs racked her at his words, and okay, guilt wormed its way through his veins, shredding him up. He still didn’t regret his actions. Sitting up, he pulled her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her as she buried her face against his neck. “Oh, Ian, I don’t deserve you.”
She was wrong about that, but he just continued rocking her and rubbing his hand along her spine. “If the roles were reversed, what would you have done?”
“The same thing,” she murmured against his neck, not even pausing in her response. The scent of her truth filled the room, potent and all-consuming.
“That’s what I thought.” He shifted slightly so he could wipe the rest of her tears away. He’d known she’d be upset but they still had a little time left. And so far he still felt energized. He wanted to take advantage. “Let’s spend our time together with only joy. No more tears.”
“No more tears,” she whispered, cupping his face in her own hands. He leaned in to brush his lips over hers when she went preternaturally still in the way only supernaturals could.
Instantly he went on alert, sliding her off his lap and standing. He couldn’t scent a threat but that didn’t mean there wasn’t one. “What is it?” he asked, holding out a hand to help her stand.
“Will you turn off the alarm?” Her voice had an odd quality to it, but she didn’t seem afraid so he nodded.
After turning it off, he returned to find her standing at the sliding glass door that led to the back porch. She’d pushed the curtain back and opened the door. Though it was early in the morning, an almost full moon hung in the sky, illuminating the thick green trees for miles and miles.
Completely naked, she walked out onto the porch, bypassing the covered hot tub until she stood at the ledge that overlooked the mountainside stretching out before them.
“Hold on,” he murmured, stepping back to grab a blanket for her. She’d been so cold earlier—
She jumped onto the ledge, and in a move that would forever give him nightmares, she dove off the edge—and shifted into the most beautiful dragon he’d ever seen.
Her pale silver and white scales glittered under the moonlight as she swooped toward the tops of the trees, her wings flapping sharp and steady. She rolled midflight, showing off her skills, before twisting and shooting straight up in the air in a move that showcased her raw strength. Then she disappeared from sight, her camouflage falling into place.
Happiness swelled inside him as a burst of laughter erupted. He wasn’t even sure why he was laughing. It was either that or cry. She was whole and appeared healthy all of a sudden. And he realized that he’d never felt weak, not even for a second, after mating with her. He’d expected her sickness to infect him, to take over since they were bonded. He’d heard of other dragons who’d felt wounded when their mates were and had assumed it would be the same for him.
It was almost too much to hope that mating had healed her, but…his dragon and demon nature were damn strong. And what else could this be?
Less than five minutes later he heard Fiona land somewhere in front of his cabin so he raced back through the house. He yanked the door open to find her standing on the porch two feet in front of him, in human form, completely naked with a big smile on her face. Her entire being pulsed with health and strength.
“My dragon’s back!” With a laugh of pure delight, she threw her arms around his neck.
Joy like he’d never known surged through him as he lifted her off her feet and hauled her back inside. While he might not be a hundred percent certain that the mating bite had counteracted the poison, he was certain that he loved this female with everything he had.
And he was going to spend the rest of their lives, however long that might be, showing her exactly how much.
Chapter 25
Bo set his cell phone on the countertop of his kitchen island, stunned at what he’d just heard.
“I told you everything would be fine,” Arya said, taking a sip of coffee, eyeing him over the rim of it. She watched him with the eyes of a predator. Of course, she watched everything that way.
After returning from New Orleans early this morning with no luck from the magic man who lived there, his mate had finally crashed. But Bo hadn’t been able to sleep. He’d known that Arya was on her way and he wanted to wait up for her.
“How did you know?” His brother Ian had just told him that while they weren’t completely certain that Fiona was cured, her dragon was back and they both felt completely fine. Not sick or tired. Definitely not dying.
She lifted a shoulder. “Because I’m very ancient and I’ve seen almost everything.”
Arya had told Bo that all Ian had to do was mate with the female and the strength of the mating bond would destroy the poison—specifically the demon blood. Bo hadn’t been able to contact his brother and he had no idea where the cabin was either. So he’d been stalking him for hours only to receive a call a few minutes ago.
“No, how’d you know he’d mate with her? What if it had been too late?”
Now Arya snorted. “I knew Ian would mate with her, because he was desperate to follow her into the afterlife. Because I would have done the same thing for my Dragos.”
Shit. He’d never considered that his brother would do that, but he should have. Dragons mated in the most intense way. And the truth was, if Bo lost Nyx… He wouldn’t want to stick around this plane for one second longer either.
He shoved that thought away, refusing to even think of something happening to his perfect mate. “Well, they’re on their way back. Ian wants Fiona to see Ophelia again, to do some tests just to make sure. He asked that you stay for an extra day, said he has something he wants to talk to you about.” And Bo was pretty sure he knew exactly what it was.
“Of course. Dragos and I are heading to New Orleans tonight to catch a show. I’ve heard Cirque de Soleil is quite good. But we’ll be back tomorrow.” She slid off her chair and somehow managed to look deadly while doing it. To his surprise, she patted his cheek in a way only his mother had ever done. “You’re a good brother.” And at that, she left his kitchen, off in search of her mate who was somewhere on Bo’s property doing who the hell knew what.
In the last year his life had changed so drastically. Before, he’d valued his privacy and hadn’t had any siblings except Cynara that he’d known about. And he’d never had an actual relationship until Nyx. He’d also never allowed other supernatural beings onto his property, that was certain.
Now…it was like his life had exploded with friends and family, and he wasn’t even sure how many people were at his house right now. All his siblings except Ian, and Bo’s mate, some shifters from the Stavros pack and Arya and Dragos were on the grounds. Maybe more.
And he wouldn’t have it any other way. Now that he knew Ian’s mate was going to be okay, he needed to find the others and tell them. Because they were all still reaching out to their contacts, trying to find someone who could help Fiona.
Then, he knew that Nyx and Liberty would start planning a party to welcome Fiona to the family. She’d get to see how half-demons and wolves liked to have a good time. And at that thought, he laughed. She’d either be amused or horrified. Probably a bit of both.
Chapter 26
Out of respect, Ian stood as Finn strode into the little French coffee shop. The bell jingled again as the door shut behind the Alpha.
Pushing his sunglasses back on his head, the male nodded once at him and stepped farther inside. “Why here and not Bo’s bar?” Finn asked as he reached the small round table.
Ian picked up his coffee. “Figured we’d have more privacy here. Just humans,” he murmured even though there was no one around except a young human female in the storeroom grabbing the pie he’d ordered. “Plus I’m picking up a key lime pie for Arya.” He and Fiona were headed over there later and he knew the ancient dragon liked them.
Finn just snorted and glanced around the matchbook-sized place. Located in Ocean Springs, it was across the Bay Bridge from Biloxi so not too far from where they lived, but far enough away from that it wasn’t likely any wolves would be here.
The display cases had rows and rows of confectionary art—at least that’s what Lyra had told Ian. “You know your mate’s the one who suggested this place to me.”
Finn didn’t show surprise even as he said, “Never heard of it.”
Ian lifted a shoulder. “Shit’s good here.”
The Alpha started to respond when the girl with long, blond hair came out from the back, a big smile on her face. She didn’t even bat an eye at Finn in his biker jacket and perpetual scowl looking out of place in the ultra-feminine shop.
“As soon as I’m done ringing him up I’ll grab your order.” Her smile was wide and shopkeeper friendly as she placed the box on the counter next to the cash register.
“He’ll take a latte and a dozen of the little tiramisus. Plus another dozen cannoli. Just add it to my bill,” Ian said before Finn could respond. He glanced at the Alpha to find the male watching him with a mix of annoyance and humor.
Once he’d paid for everything and they had their boxes, they headed outside and sat at one of the faux wrought iron tables. He was afraid he’d break the chair under his weight it was so damn delicate looking. But it held.
“You order me a fucking latte?” Finn muttered, picking up his drink nonetheless.
“First, I know you drink lattes. Vega told me. Second, the food is for your ladies so you’re welcome.” That got him a half-smile from the Alpha even as Finn shook his head. “And third, me ordering for you is an example of exactly why I can never be part of your pack. My dragon and demon side—and okay, my human side—are dicks. I don’t do well with orders. I guarantee I’ll always have your back. Unless it puts my family in danger, you can always call on me. Always. I owe you a debt—”
“No you don’t.”
Ian lifted a shoulder. “Whatever. I owe you and you’ll take my gratitude.”
Finn snorted but didn’t respond, just watched the passing traffic on the quiet street of downtown Ocean Springs.
“I know you never officially offered to have me as a packmate—”
Finn’s ice blue gaze snapped back to him. “I was going to.”
Ian nodded once. “Yeah, I figured. And I’m truly honored.” In a way he couldn’t ever put into words. He’d been so damn alone for so long. Now to be wanted by a pack and a clan? It was a lot to process. “But you know it would never work. You’d have to come down hard on me eventually.” It was simply his nature to buck orders.
Finn nodded again, then let out a sigh filled with relief. “Yep. You’re a worthy male. Hell, more than worthy. I’d be honored to call you a packmate. But I’m glad you’re going to take Arya’s offer. It’ll make my life a hell of a lot easier.”
Ian wasn’t surprised the male knew about the offe
r. “Fiona and I are meeting with her later.”
“Good. And I’m glad your female’s okay.”
His throat tightened once. “Thank you. Like I said, you need anything, just ask. If the Petronilla clan is amenable, we’ll be staying in the South for now.” He knew Fiona didn’t want to move and he’d live anywhere she was. “Especially with Vega going to college. If you need me to check in on her once in a while, just let me know.”
Finn blinked, the first true sign of surprise Ian had ever seen from the male, before his careful mask fell back into place. “Thank you.”
Ian held out a hand, shook the male’s hand once before they went their separate ways. He knew he’d be seeing the male soon and more often than not, considering one of his brothers was part of his pack and the other lived in his direct territory.
Inhaling the crisp, salt-tinged air, he headed down the sidewalk to his truck, half-smiling at the sight of beads leftover from a parade hanging in the oak trees lining the street. Humans and their weird traditions were a mystery to him. He had a feeling today was going to be a good day.
* * *
“I’m kind of nervous,” Fiona whispered to Ian as they strode up the steps of the beach house. She’d let Ophelia take multiple samples of her blood and everything had come back clean. Not only that, but Ophelia had scanned her using her healer’s magic and assured Fiona that she was completely fine. And she felt more than fine—incredible, now that she was mated to the man she loved more than anything. It was like nothing she’d ever imagined. Because no one would be able to truly understand what it was to be mated unless they were. It was unique, special.
She’d been so angry at him for mating with her, but it was hard to be mad when he’d saved her life, and loved her enough to leave this plane with her. And she’d have done the same thing.