“Have you ever ridden a dragon before?” His eyes twinkled with mischief.
“Nope, but I’ve always dreamed about it.”
“Well then, let’s make a dream come true tonight. Drago can’t wait to get your legs wrapped around him either.”
His words made me wet, so wet that walking down the stairs was uncomfortable. Stephen was already at the table with another larger-than-life male. He turned his golden eyes toward me and took a deep breath, a smile spreading wide on his face. He was immaculately dressed in a suit and tie, and his hair had multiple hues of blond and brown in it. I realized his senses could probably smell my arousal before I even entered the room. The heat of a blush crawled up my neck as he stood and extended a hand.
“Leopardi Lyons at your service. You must be Natalie, our Wyatt’s mate.”
I took his hand and found myself pulled into a huge hug. “Welcome to the family, Natalie.”
I hugged him back, feeling sincerity in his words. “Thank you, Mr. Lyons.” I stepped back and felt Wyatt’s arms wrap around me.
“None of that. Call me Leo. I am sure you will hear a lot about me over the years, so we may as well forget formality.” He sat back down, and Wyatt pulled out a chair for me and then scooted his next to mine so that he was always touching me.
Mom piled food on the table. “Now eat, you can talk later.”
We all did as she instructed, the guys piling twice as much food on their plates as Mom and I did. We ate in silence, and I helped mom clean up afterward, letting the guys go talk on the porch. I had a feeling Wyatt and Leo had things to discuss.
I carried our coffee and slices of pie after we put the kitchen back to rights. Leo had just put his phone on the table. He turned and took the tray from me, then set it on the little wooden coffee table in front of the chairs.
“It’s done,” he said, directing his words to Wyatt.
“Leo, man, you didn’t have to do—”
Leo put up a hand to cut him off. “Consider it my mating gift to you. I just ask that you stay on in a contract position, please.”
Wyatt pulled me into his lap as he replied, “I can’t say yes right now. It’s something I’ll have to discuss with Natalie.” He nuzzled my neck beneath my hair before placing a kiss there.
“Discuss what?” I asked, reaching for my steaming mug of coffee.
“Nothing pressing. We can talk about it after tonight.” I felt his desire for me grow against my round bottom, and it made me wiggle in his lap.
He hissed in my ear. “Do that again, and I’ll take you right here in front of everyone instead of waiting till we get to our land tonight.”
Knowing his desire was barely controllable made me feel powerful, but the last of his statement is what stuck in my head.
“Our land?”
“Yeah, that’s what Leo was talking about. I mentioned we were going to look at it, and he just picked up the phone and bought it. As a mating present to us. We can now say the land is ours.”
“After a couple of signatures at the realtor’s office tomorrow,” Leo said.
“Of course.” Wyatt nodded, his chin on my shoulder.
“What?! Oh my gosh, Leo that’s too much!” I bounced in my excitement, eliciting another hiss from Wyatt.
“Gentleman, I believe it’s time for my mate and I to take our leave.” He scooped me into his arms and carried me around to the back yard, Leo and Stephen’s laughter following us as Wyatt walked.
“Where are we going?”
“You did say you wanted to ride a dragon, right?” He winked at me.
“Here in town?” I couldn’t believe he was going to risk being seen in his dragon form.
“No one but you will see me. And your mom.” He waved at her through the kitchen window above the back porch. “It’s part of my magic. If I don’t want to be seen by anyone else, I’m not.”
“Oh.”
He put me on my feet and took a few steps away. My excitement had me dancing from foot to foot as I waited for his dragon to emerge.
25
His transformation was better than anything I had ever dreamed. One moment Wyatt was standing tall and strong and all male sexiness and then within a blink, a three-story-tall dragon was in his place. He was huge and gorgeous, his scales a blue tinted silver and shaped like diamonds. He stretched his wings straight up, and all I could do was stare in awe, stuck in place.
He lowered his head, and his snout lay at my feet. He puffed a spiral of smoke around me, and I laughed like a little girl. “Can I touch you?”
Always, you can always touch me, I heard in my mind.
“That’s still going to take some time to get used to.” I placed my hand on the scales on his snout. They were textured like siding on a house on a smaller level. One scale was twice the size of my hand, and they were layered all over his body like chainmail on a knight. He lifted his head, and my hand moved down the side of his face and onto the underside of his chin where the scales changed to a thick rigid skin. I ran my hand down his neck as I stepped closer to him. He lowered one wing, and I realized the edge was layered scales as well, and they formed the perfect set of steps.
Climb aboard.
I realized as I climbed that it wasn’t only Wyatt’s voice in my head but his voice joined with his dragon’s. They became one in this form, though I felt he was more dragon than Wyatt.
You need not fear me, mate. I will never hurt you.
“I know, but it’s weird, having two different personalities to recognize.” I climbed up to the perfect spot on his neck, a small spot that wasn’t fully covered in scales, almost like a saddle. I fit perfectly, his thick skin the cushion for my bottom. His heat radiated through my jeans, igniting desire in my girlie bits. “What do I call you?”
Mate, he purred and continued. Now hold on to my scales. The flight won’t take long.
Drago was right. The flight didn’t take long, and seconds after we landed, I was once again wrapped in Wyatt’s arms. A very naked Wyatt.
“You have too many clothes on,” he rasped, working my shirt out of my jeans and off my body.
“Aren’t we here to look at property?” I giggled, helping him unbutton and remove my jeans.
“I’d rather look at you.” He panted as my bra and panties were ripped from my body. “Drago is tired of waiting. We need to place our mate’s mark now.”
Hands met flesh, roaming, caressing, kneading, pinching, and soothing as he guided us to our knees.
I ran my hands over every inch of his skin, learning what touches elicited what sounds until his hands settled on my breasts. He weighed each one as he caressed the soft underside before leaning down and taking each in his mouth, making sure he divided the attention equally. I felt my juices drip down the inside of my leg. I was so wet and ready. I couldn’t wait any longer.
I reached down and grasped his cock firmly, then gave him a slight squeeze.
“Fuck.” He hissed as I slowly stroked him, running my thumb over the head and wiping away the drop of his essence that had leaked out. I brought my thumb to my mouth and sucked it, gazing into his eyes as I did. His head fell back, and a roar erupted from his mouth. His hands grabbed my waist, and he lifted and turned me, so my back was against his front.
“This won’t be gentle,” he growled. “On your hands.”
I happily followed his instructions, going down to my elbows so my ass was happily on display.
He reached down and pulled me back onto my hands. “Perfect.”
I looked over my shoulder to find him with his cock in hand, stroking himself as he gazed down at me.
“Are you ready?” he asked, rubbing the head of his cock along my nether lips. “Oh, baby, you are so wet for me, so ready.” And without another word, he slammed home, balls deep, and stopped.
I moaned at the feeling of intrusion and the bite of pain as my inner walls adjusted to him in this position. I loved it and began rocking, wanting him to move, to make me feel more. H
e took the hint and moved in and out, thrusting harder each time. My need for him had me meeting his thrusts with backward thrusts of my own until he grasped my hip to stop my motion. He slowed, bending and wrapping an arm under my breast and pulling me up till I was standing on my knees, my back against his chest. His hand traveled up my body between my breasts until he wrapped my throat with it. He didn’t squeeze, just held me against him. His other hand moved down until his fingers found my engorged clit peeking out of its hood. He rubbed circles around it in time with his thrusts.
I was so close. He hit that perfect spot in this position—a spot I didn’t even know I had until this very moment—and I felt the tingling throughout my body, the sign my orgasm was close, so close. I panted and moaned, turned on by the hand at my throat and the pounding of his thrusts. When his finger finally pressed and rubbed my clit, I felt fangs I hadn’t realized he had pierce the skin between my shoulder and neck. Ecstasy ran through my body as Wyatt and I came together. The final piece of the puzzle clicked in my soul, and I felt his warmth flow inside me, his growl vibrating both our bodies. He gently removed his fangs and licked the wounds as we both came down off our high.
He pulled out and turned me as he lay in the grass, placing me atop him and wrapping his arms around me as his lips found mine. All I could think of was how this is what heaven must feel like.
“Then we can visit heaven every night,” he whispered between kisses.
My body began to cool down, and the breeze around us made me shiver. Wyatt sat up and reached for our clothes only to find a large basket. He pulled it toward us, and I grabbed the card off the top, shivering as I opened it. He rubbed my arm as he opened the basket itself and pulled out a thick plaid blanket. He wrapped it around us as I read.
“Congratulations on your mating. We at the Freedom Coven wish you all the best. It’s signed Selena.” My shivers had subsided, and Wyatt’s cocoon of warmth was welcome. “Should we be worried?”
“We should always be wary, but I don’t think she is a threat at this time,” Wyatt answered. “It would be in both of our best interests if we were on good terms with the local para community.” He nuzzled my neck, sending electricity straight to my girlie bits. “But now is not the time to worry about it, mate.”
We solidified our bond twice more before finally digging out the rest of our gift, which included a meat and cheese tray and bottle of champagne. That’s when we also took our first good look at the land around us. The clearing was large and set on a ledge just up the mountain from town.
“If we build here, we will be able to see the lights of town from the living room and the mountains from our bedroom.” Wyatt pointed out where different sections of the house would be. “Unless you want it differently.” He wrapped his arms around me and placed a kiss on my lips. “It’s whatever you want, baby.”
“I love your ideas, but I would like one thing.” I snuggled into his embrace.
“Anything, just name it.”
“I want a library, with French doors that open to a little balcony. I have always dreamed of it and swore I would have it in my own home one day.”
“Done. Just pick out the view you want, and I’ll make it happen.”
Wyatt held me as we watched the sun rise over the mountains. With the warmth of the rays of the sun falling on my face, I closed my eyes and felt him pull from me. I let go, reveling in the sun. When I opened my eyes, Wyatt was kneeling at my feet.
“My Natalie, my mate, my love. I know the past few days have been a whirlwind, but Drago and I are so thankful the goddess brought you into our lives. You are our mate, our life, our love, our all.” He pulled out a small velvet box and opened it as he asked. “Now we ask, will you be our wife?”
I fell to my knees and kissed him. “Yes, oh yes.” Tears flowed down my cheeks as joy filled every bit of my soul. He placed the ring on my finger and kissed it.
“You are mine to love, cherish, honor, protect, and care for from now until eternity.”
I finally looked at the ring. It was an intricate weaving of silver threads wrapped to form the band which held an ice-blue diamond the exact color of his scales. The diamond was shaped in the same pattern as his scales, and the band was hammered to give it the same texture as well.
“And you, Wyatt, are my dragon mate, my soul mate, mine to love and cherish. To honor and protect and to care for from now until eternity.” I wiped at the tears streaming down my face. “How—” I hiccupped and tried again. “When—” Another hiccup interrupted me before I could continue. “When did you have time?” I gazed at my hand, turning it this way at that as the center stone caught the light.
He looked up at me with a sheepish grin and arms still spread wide, waiting for me. “Leo thought I might need it.” His boyish grin sent the butterflies in my stomach all atwitter. I fell into his arms and welcomed his kiss. We were so wrapped up in loving on each other, we missed whatever had sent a wave of power along the earth beneath us.
The slight vibration knocked us off our knees, and we laughed as we rolled. “What was that?” I looked around us.
“I’m not sure, probably just the mountain settling.” Wyatt grabbed for me again just as I saw a shimmer of light an arm’s length away. Brushing it off as a play of morning light, I snuggled up to my mate and celebrated our engagement in the best way possible, naked beneath the warmth of the new day sun.
The End
* * *
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About the Author
Miranda is a Time Travel and Paranormal Romance author. Her Destiny series takes you on a roller coaster ride through time with sexy Highlanders and sassy female heroines. If shifters are your kryptonite then check out her Black Mountain Pack series which throws a twist on the traditional shifter lore.
Miranda is a mother to two teenage boys who are sure they know it all, a 75lb lapdog, and a 15lb foot warmer. She is thankful her husband doesn't mind the extra voices in her head.
Miranda is an only child who grew up on a dairy farm in Illinois which left her plenty of time to make up stories in her head for entertainment. She currently resides in Tennessee where she wonder if Mother Nature will ever stop with the hormonal mood swings. She fuels herself with coffee, chocolate, and wine.
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Casting My Spell
Jolie St. Amant
Title © 2019 Jolie St. Amant
Copyright notice: All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
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Casting My Spell
Mina has returned to New Orleans for one reason. To win the love of the man who stole her heart one hundred years ago. Come Hell or high magic.
The Chateau Rouge Hotel in New Orleans is rumored to be a haunted hotel. It hides secrets and stories within its walls, tales that lure guests from all over the world.
It seems this enchanting hotel is still up to its old tricks, igniting the flames of romance while subtly nudging reluctant lovers to fall into the hands of fate.
Will Mina and Sebastian be able to defeat the evil spell of a witch and finally end a century ol
d curse? Will these fated lovers finally have their chance at happiness?
1
New Orleans
Chateau Rouge Hotel
October 29, 1920
Lucy ran her fingers through the water fountain from her perch on the brick enclosure. “Are you sure Sebastian is coming?”
“I’m positive. He said he had some business to take care of, but that he would be here after that.” Mina looked over at her friend as they sat together in the courtyard. Lucy’s dark hair had streaks of light from the bright full moon. The jeweled headband she wore sparkled when she moved, and the black feather attached danced in the light breeze of the evening.
There was a party every night at the Chateau Rouge, and Lucy and Mina made it their habit to meet in the courtyard when they were dressed for the night, along with Ivy, who was running late as usual. The night was cool, and the breeze ruffled the white feather Mina wore in her hair, the match to Lucy’s black one, and caused goosebumps to rise on her arms.
The fast beat of the Charleston drifted in from the lounge area. The party was in full swing judging from the music and laughter filtering through the French doors. Mina couldn’t wait to be on the dance floor with Lucy, Ivy, and, of course, Sebastian.
Lucy sat up and straightened her headband. “I hope Tobias comes too.”
“I’m sure he will. It won’t be long, and we’ll have all we’ve ever wanted. You and Tobias. Me and Sebastian. Then, tomorrow’s my birthday! A whole new year for us to celebrate!”
Lucy reached out for Mina’s hand, and together they shimmied to the music, their feet moving with the fast beat. “You are so right! I’m going to ask Tobias to play Ain’t She Sweet and we can all dance, even Josey!”
Shadows and Sorcery: A Collection of Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance Novels Page 294