by G. A. Aiken
“So? I can shift into human, as I’ve done here. And you seem quite pleased with my form.”
“It was one look.”
“Yes. But it spoke volumes, m’lady.”
Talaith ran her hands through her wet, tangled mass of curls. She’d give anything to have a comb or brush. She’d give anything to be dry. “I am not a lady.”
“Perhaps. But you’re no mere peasant either.”
Working hard to keep her face neutral, she said, “Why would you say that?”
He shrugged nonchalantly as he stared up at the two suns. “I can just tell.” He sighed in boredom. “I don’t want to talk anymore.”
Good. His voice had begun to drive her mad with wanting. “Fine.”
He looked over at her. “Come.” He motioned to his throbbing hard shaft, currently pointing at the suns and, if she was not mistaken, calling her name. “Ride me.”
Yes, m’Lord! “What? No!”
“Are you going to be this difficult all the way back to my den?”
Uh-oh. “Why are we going to your den?”
“That’s where you’ll live, of course. You know, until I’m done with you.”
Finally, all fear—and lust—of the dragon left her, and Talaith’s mouth dropped open in shock at his pure arrogance.
“You rude, arrogant bastard!”
“Excuse me?”
She pushed herself to her feet. “You heard me. I haven’t survived sixteen years with that idiot, simply to become the plaything of a monster.”
“I am not a monster. I’m a dragon. You humans should be worshipping us.”
“Shame it’s more fun to hunt your kind then, isn’t it?”
The dragon sprung to his feet. “That is not something I’d joke about if I were you, little human.”
“I won’t stay.”
“You will. Whether you bed with me or not. You will stay. You’re mine by dragon law.”
“I am not governed by dragon law.”
He grabbed her arm and yanked her over to him. Talaith rose up on her toes, forced to by the way he pulled her.
“Now that I’ve saved your life, little human, it belongs to me. And that means you are governed by the laws of my people.”
Because she didn’t know what to say about that, Talaith said the first thing that came to mind.
“I hate you.”
He snorted a laugh. “Hate is a human emotion. It means nothing to me.”
The dragon released her by pushing her away from him.
“I’ll go find us some breakfast. Try and leave, m’lady, and I’ll make sure you regret it when I find you.” His eyes narrowed. “And I will find you.”
Then he stalked off into the woods, leaving Talaith alone.
Good. Now I can panic in peace.
Was it really supposed to be this hard? Did his brother have to fight this hard to get his human mate to submit? Of course, Briec wasn’t Fearghus. His brother probably seduced the crazy female. Briec didn’t waste time with seduction. Why bother? Either she wanted to be with him or she didn’t.
Simple. Logical. Of course, humans didn’t strike him as the most logical of beings.
He stopped by a tree, putting his hand against the rough bark so he could lean against it. Glancing down, he willed his human cock to behave. Unruly thing. Especially around this particular female.
He wished it was simply because she was gorgeous, even when heaving her meal on his talons. Unfortunately, it was more than that. He found her mean and funny and very smart. A potent mix for his lust.
Still, she hated him. Her exact words. For humans, apparently, that was quite important. As was love. Both of those emotions so foreign to Briec, he’d never actually used the words in a sentence.
It bothered him he should care whether this woman wanted him or not. He was Briec the Mighty. Females clamored for his attention. No one had ever dismissed him so quickly or eagerly before. And no one had ever outright rejected him. How dare a human reject him. If he thought it would bother her, he’d go back and destroy her entire village. But he knew better. She wouldn’t care. She didn’t belong there and they both knew it. Why she stayed there for so long, he would find out. He intended on finding out everything about this difficult, mean-spirited, beautiful woman.
Briec’s hand dug into the tree, tearing the bark from it as a large jackrabbit raced past him. He stared at it for several seconds then shot a ball of flame, roasting it on the spot.
It gave him small satisfaction, but it would do for now.
Chapter Three
By the time Briec got back to their camp, the female sat huddled by some wood, desperately trying to start a fire by banging two rocks together. Her entire body shook and she cursed steadily at her efforts.
“What are you doing?”
She didn’t even glance at him. “What does it look like I’m doing?”
“Banging two rocks together.”
She muttered more curses that nearly singed his ears, then growled, “I’m trying to make a fire. I’m freezing.”
He spit a small bit of flame at the kindling. It burst to life as the woman squealed and stumbled back away from the bonfire.
“What in all that is holy do you think you’re doing?”
“You would have never gotten that fire started on your own. And you are of no use to me if you get ill. You humans don’t heal very well from sickness.”
“Perhaps. But we don’t heal well from burns either, dragon.”
He grunted, unwilling to admit the truthfulness of her words. “Seems you’ve recovered well from the dragonfear.”
Now that the fire had calmed to a dull roar, she squatted next to it, warming her hands. “Prefer me quaking and crying, eh?”
“Not at all. Wouldn’t mind you a little less viper-tongued, though.”
“I’m sure you wouldn’t. But I just don’t think I can manage that.” She glared directly at him, looking him right in the eye. “At least not for you.”
Good gods, he’d never known someone so ready at every turn to be so blatantly rude to him before. Apparently the dragonfear his kind relied on so much was not nearly as powerful as promised.
Deciding not to get into another fight with her, he dropped the three rabbits he’d caught. These he’d left raw, assuming she’d want to cook them herself.
She stared down at the carcasses then back up at him. “And what do you want me to do with that?”
“Whatever you humans do to your meat. Skin it and cook it, yes?”
With more angry muttering, she pulled up her painfully boring nightgown and Briec noticed for the first time she had a sheath tied to her shapely leg. A sheath that held a very sharp and well cared for blade.
As she went about skinning the animals, Briec settled against a tree opposite from her.
“Do you always go to sleep with a blade tied to your leg, m’lady?” Since he’d assumed by her dress that those peasants dragged her from her bed. Of course, why humans went to sleep wearing clothes he’d never understand. She’d have to stop that once they began bedding together. He wanted that naked body pushed up against him. He’d be damned if some ugly material lay between them…ever.
“Yes.”
“Did your husband not think that odd?”
“He didn’t know.”
Briec, a being easily bored by nearly everyone, found himself irrationally intrigued by this woman.
“How could he not know?” She didn’t answer, instead focusing all her energy on the rabbits. Only one possible way came to mind of how the man wouldn’t know about that blade. “Did he not bed with you?”
Without looking up, she murmured, “Not for many years.”
It galled Briec how ridiculously happy that little admission made him. “And how did you manage that?”
Unless the man was blind, there would be no way he couldn’t want this woman. Briec wanted her the second he saw her.
“I don’t understand your question.”
“If
I remember correctly, you said something about the two of you being together for sixteen years. That’s a very long time for a husband not to—”
“Couldn’t he have just grown tired of me?”
“Of course.” If he were a complete and utter idiot. “But males of most breeds still have moments when they take that which is most available. So I’m not sure how—”
She threw the skinned rabbit down on the ground and turned that dark, angry gaze his way. “Herbs. I put certain herbs in his food.”
“You poisoned him.”
“No!” She actually had the nerve to appear insulted when she was the one putting herbs in the man’s food. “Understand, he bed many others, it would have been cruel to deny him that, but anytime he came near me, he’d lose his…uh…” Once again she glanced at his lap. Seemed she couldn’t stop herself from staring at it. “Well, you know. With the herbs and a very simple spell it was surprisingly easy.”
“If you didn’t want him, why did you stay?”
“I don’t want to discuss this anymore.” She picked the rabbit back up and finished cleaning it. “It’s none of your business what I did or didn’t do with my husband.”
“Were you with others?”
“Other what?”
“Other males.”
She rolled her eyes. “I didn’t want the one I had. Why would I bother with another?”
“Because at our core, we’re all animals in need.”
Her head snapped up at his bald statement. For a split second, he saw a heat in her eyes that nearly burned him to embers. But, just as quickly, she hid it. He guessed she’d been hiding much her entire life. He looked forward to stripping away all the layers of protection she’d wrapped around herself.
“I don’t know what your needs are, dragon. And I don’t want to know.”
“Really?” Dramatically, he sniffed the air again, and she glared at him.
“Would you stop doing that!”
“I could. But where would the fun be in that?”
Fun? He thought this was fun? Nightmares were made of this. Tales of terror to scare children into behaving. She was not having fun. Dammit.
Standing up, Talaith went in search of a sturdy stick. “Tell me, dragon. Are you planning on forcing me to bed with you?”
“No.” He said it so casually. Like she didn’t just ask him if he had intentions of raping her.
She crouched down, moving a small pile of twigs and branches around until she found what she needed. “Then you and I will not be—”
“Oh, yes we will.”
The branch held tightly in her fist, Talaith stood and turned quickly to face him. “No. We will not.”
He snorted a laugh, his eyes rolling. “Why do you deny yourself?”
“Oh. Is that what I’m doing?” His arrogance made her head want to explode.
“Aye. To both of us.”
Marching back to her rabbits, Talaith again crouched by the fire. She picked up one of the carcasses and brutally shoved the stick through it. She didn’t even have to sharpen the end to a point with her knife.
“You, dragon, are the most—”
“Amazing being you’ve ever met.” It wasn’t a question from him. It was a statement.
“I was going to say the most arrogant son of a bitch.”
He blinked. “Well that’s rude.”
“Personally, I find you—”
“Shush.” He waved his hand.
For a moment, Talaith truly thought her head might explode. Through gritted teeth, she snapped, “Did you just shush me?”
“Aye. I want to take a nap before we move on.” He settled back against the tree, closing his eyes. “And I find your constant chatter quite annoying.”
Talaith looked around desperately. When did everything become blood red? Because at the moment, everything appeared blood red.
“And don’t try running off anywhere.” One eye opened and focused on her. “Although it might be fun to chase you down.” He smiled as he again closed both his eyes and seemingly drifted off.
Unable to think of anything else to do, Talaith stuck her tongue out at him.
“And don’t stick that tongue out at me,” he teased in a low, sing-song voice, “or I’ll find a good use for it.”
Startled, she immediately closed her mouth and turned back to her rabbit. But when she heard his deep chuckle from across the flames, she knew at that moment she really did hate him.
Briec only slept an hour or so. The suns hadn’t moved far through the sky. He glanced around the camp and panic swept through him. Gone. She was gone. But then he heard her gasp and a startled, “Ack!”
Before he could move, she stumbled out of the forest pulling her nightdress down. He really would have to get her something better to wear than that. He’d begun to despise it.
“What’s wrong?” he demanded as he quickly stood, ready to blast anyone who may have touched her or tried to harm her.
She opened her mouth to answer but closed it again.
“Well?” he pushed.
She shrugged. “Bugs.”
“Did you say bugs?”
“Yes. And don’t look at me like that.” She glanced around the forest. “I don’t like…” she shuddered, “…being outside.”
She walked closer to the dwindling fire. “I was off taking care of…uh…some things when something suddenly crawled on me.”
He stared at her and she angrily folded her arms across her chest. “I don’t need to be judged by you.”
“As you wish.”
She perked up. “Really? As I wish? Then can I go home?”
“Yes.”
She blinked in surprise and he smiled. “Home with me. Unless you hope to return to the noose.”
“Oh, keep tossing that into my face,” she snapped.
“If it gets me what I want.”
She stormed up to him, looking fierce in her dirty nightdress and bare feet, gorgeous hair an out-of-control mane of curls, and pointed one small finger at him. “I. Detest. You.”
Briec leaned down until their noses almost touched. “I. Don’t. Care.”
Screaming in exasperation, she turned away from him. He couldn’t hear what she muttered, but he really didn’t care.
“Let’s be off. I want to get a few more leagues between us and that den of vipers you lived with before the suns go down.”
“You’re really insisting I go with you, aren’t you?”
“Of course. You’ll be safer with me.”
“And how can I be sure of that?”
Briec walked over to her. Gently gripping her shoulders, he said, “I promise I won’t hurt you.”
“But you won’t let me go either.”
“Where exactly would you go? Clearly you’re from Alsandair. I can tell by your color.” He reached up and caressed her cheek, startling her. But he couldn’t help himself. She had the most beautiful brown skin he’d ever seen. Flawless, even when outright cranky. “Do you have family here? Friends? Anyone who cares for you within a thousand leagues of this place?”
She tried to turn her face away at his words, but he wouldn’t let her. “Trust me. I’ll make sure nothing happens to you. And we’ll at least get you some decent clothes.”
“Fine.”
He stared at her, but her face revealed nothing. She’d taken control of her emotions and hidden any feeling she had. She was good at that.
Realizing he’d gotten the most out of her he could, Briec walked away. When he was at a safe enough distance, he chanted the old spell of his people and his body shifted. He went from man to dragon in moments. She stared at him, looking duly horrified. It was no longer dragonfear. No, she simply found him a monster. He’d somehow have to get her over that.
With that last thought swirling through his brain, Briec the Mighty did something he never thought he’d do. He lowered himself to the ground as much as possible.
“Climb up.”
Her eyes widened. “Climb up?
Where?”
Briec sighed, annoyed he’d even think of allowing this. “On my back. Grab hold of my hair and climb up.”
“Can’t we walk? Or a brisk run is always nice.”
“Woman, don’t test me.”
She glanced desperately around the forest, apparently looking for that last way out. But he didn’t give her one.
“Unless you’d like to make our journey wrapped in my tail—”
Her head snapped around. “No!” she yelped.
“Then climb.”
After another long pause, she finally walked over to him. With a deep sigh, she grabbed hold of his hair and hauled herself onto his back. She actually tried to sit sidesaddle. And he knew why. Except for that dagger she kept on her, she was naked under her nightdress.
“That won’t work, little human. You’ll need to straddle me.” He heard her quiet moan of despair and fought back a laugh. Normally he would never revel in someone else’s discomfort. But he knew what she was hiding as soon as she straddled his back. He felt it against his scales as if it were human skin she rested upon.
The woman was wet. Evidently she liked a good fight. Of course, so did he, when he found a worthy opponent.
Add in that heady scent of lust, and Briec knew he’d made the right decision.
She was his…until he was done with her.
Smiling, he unfurled his wings and took to the skies. All the while enjoying the feel of his little human clinging desperately to his back and hair, even as she insisted on squealing like a frightened mare.
Chapter Four
Arzhela, the goddess of Light, Love and Fertility, glowered down at the lowered head of her priestess.
“What do you mean he took her?”
She heard the woman swallow before she answered. “He took her.”
“Who took her?” And to be quite honest, she feared the response.
“A grotesque beast. A demon from the underworld. A blight upon—”
“Do not test me, Mer’lle!” the goddess’ voice boomed across the temple built in her honor.
The woman trembled, and Arzhela reminded herself a frightened priestess was a useless one.
“Tell me what the villagers said, Mer’lle.”