“Because we embrace who we are. We don’t think of our position as being higher or lower than any of the other living things around us. It’s simply that we are who we are, and we know that our life and existence is all thanks to the world that made us.”
“So, you can sense the life in other things, and you respect that. Then why kill my people?”
“Because if we don’t, they will destroy our planet. Even if they were willing to come here and live peacefully, how long would it be before they wanted to tear down more trees? Before they wanted to build and occupy?”
“There would be some that wouldn’t.”
“At first, maybe. But that’s who you are, Allison. That’s what your kind is. That’s how you’ve evolved. And that’s fine. If that’s how you had to survive on your planet, that’s fine. But here, we don’t live like that. We can’t live like that.”
“I don’t think we’ll ever come to an agreement about this,” she whispered, looking up at him.
He leaned in and pressed his hand to the tree, just over her head. She could feel the buzz of energy that spilled out from the bark behind her. Above her head, the leaves came to life, filling the air with a soft blue glow.
He continued to lean in, inching closer to her. She couldn’t resist the urge to push herself up onto her tip toes. Their kiss was long and tender. She felt as if they had suddenly been transported, far away from everything going on around them.
The light pouring out of the tree and filling the air around them, and the feeling of warmth that came off of him as he pressed his body softly against hers replaced any anger and frustration she had felt previously. Being with him felt so easy. It shouldn’t, because it was the most complicated thing she had ever gotten herself into. But, when they were alone together, she felt as if nothing in the world could pull them apart.
She wished it could stay that way. But, as he pulled back slightly and smiled down at her, she knew it couldn’t.
Chapter 12: Getting Closer
“There’s more I wanted to explain to you,” he said, taking her hand in his and running it over his chest.
She could feel the soft edges of the markings that weaved through his skin. The design, still slightly illuminated, was beautiful, actually. It was ornate and the swirling pattern was almost mesmerizing.
“What?”
“This,” he said as he ran her fingers over his skin.
“You all have them,” she noted.
“Yes, and they’re all different, in a way. We’re born with them.”
“I assumed as much.”
“But, if you know what they mean, you can tell a lot about the person who wears them.”
“How is that?” she asked. She continued to stare down at the pattern, not seeing anything more than curling lines.
“They say what we will become. Here,” he said, running her hand over one specific section of his chest, “this is the sign that means ‘warrior’.”
“Warrior?”
“Yes. That’s what I am. That’s what I was born to be, and that’s what I will always be.”
“So, it’s decided what you will become for you? You don’t get a say in it?”
“That’s true with anyone. You are a biologist, right?”
“Yes.”
“You were always going to be a biologist. You were always going to be what you are.”
“But, I made the decision for myself.”
“If you want to think of it that way, you can. But, you were born with specific abilities, specific characteristics. You’re curious, stubborn, and shy—but you have a lot of thoughts that run through your mind constantly, and when you’re pushed enough, they come out anyways.”
"That didn't mean I had to a biologist," she replied quickly.
"It's clear that there are a lot of things that are different about your kind and mine. I can't explain it all to you because it's different. There are things about your people that confuse me."
His tone was frustrated. She knew he was trying his hardest to let her in, to explain himself to her. And, she wasn’t doing a very good job of listening.
“You’re right,” she agreed. “There are things about you that I can’t understand. I’m sorry if I seem insensitive to all of it.”
“I’m telling you this because I need to explain why I’m still going forward with the attack,” he continued. “It’s who I am. I can’t resist it, and I don’t want to. I am here to protect my people. I will do whatever it takes to do that.”
“I understand,” she replied weakly.
“It’s not just about revenge, Allison. It’s not just about what happened to my brother. It’s engrained in me to fight to for the ones I love.”
“But,” she started, but he intertwined his fingers with hers and continued speaking.
"But, that's what makes this so hard for me. Because I love my people. But, I love you, too, Allison."
Her mouth dropped open. “You love me?” she whispered.
“I can’t help it. I can’t deny it. I do, Allison. I really do. And, for that reason, and because of who I am, I feel the need to protect you as well. Not just from physical pain, but from emotional pain as well. I’m confused. I’m torn in two directions, and I don’t know what to do.”
Her heart was still racing from hearing him say that he loved her. She tried to focus on his words, but all she could think about was the longing that was building up in her to be with him.
“I don’t want to hurt you, Allison. But, I’m afraid I’m going to have to. I have to do this—I have to!”
“Hakona,” she said softly, squeezing his hand tightly and cutting him off. “Stop.”
“I’m sorry,” he added softly.
“I just want to warn them,” she whispered. “At least, some of them. Some of them are good people. I have friends there. I have people that I care about and trust back there. I just want to make sure they’re going to be okay.”
“We’re not leaving for another week,” he replied. “Maybe…”
“Maybe?” she said excitedly. “Maybe you’ll let me go?”
“You could never come back,” he said softly. “They’d kill you if you did.”
“What would happen to you?”
“I don’t know,” he sighed. “It would have to look like I wasn’t involved in you getting away…”
“I don’t mean like that.”
“What do you mean, then?”
“I wouldn’t be able to see you again, would I?”
“Probably not.”
“I don’t want that.”
“We don’t really have much choice.”
“I know,” she agreed disheartened. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her again. “I love you, too, Hakona. You know that, right?”
He smiled, an expression of slight relief appearing on his face. “I do now.”
She stood up tall, so she could plant her lips firmly to his. The air around them suddenly became heavy with heat and passion. She felt like she was floating as he lifted her off the ground and rested her gently back against the tree. The harsh, jagged bark didn’t bother her as it rubbed against her bare skin.
She wrapped her legs around his waist and held him tightly against her. The feeling of his bare chest against her stomach sent a shiver of heat followed by a dull ache rushing through her.
She could sense that he was becoming aroused, not only because of the feeling of his member, which was pressed up against her thigh, growing larger. But, also by the way he moved. His breathing was heavy, and his chest rose and fell quickly as he ran his hands over her sides, stopping when they reached her breasts. He squeezed them softly, letting them fill his hands.
She reached her hands up and placed them slowly on the sides of his face. The scales on the right side were hot like they were the first night they had spent together in the forest. It was a cooling sort of heat. It sent bolts of flame through her, followed by chills of desire. It was the
sort of heat that filled her completely and made her stomach turn to knots of passion, longing, and lust.
He continued to cup her breasts in his hands, as they remained, locked in a kiss of fire and desire. When he slowly slipped his fingers under the edge of the tight-fitting top she wore, she let out a soft moan of anticipation. Every time his fingers brushed against her skin it sent a bolt of satisfaction running through her, which was quickly followed by a renewed feeling of longing that seemed to come with even more force than it had before.
He found her right nipple and ran his thumb slowly back and forth across it. The tingling sensation that washed over her caused her to let out a soft giggle, followed by a breathless moan. She leaned down and slowly began kissing his neck, leading up to his ear. She nibbled on it softly as he continued to play with her nipple.
It felt like torture, having him there, being in his arms, and not knowing what it felt like to have him inside her.
His member, still pressed against her thigh, had become hard, and she could feel it grow closer to her delicate secret folds. The fabric that separated them did little to hide the size of his long, thick member.
He released her chest, and wrapped his arms quickly around her again, spinning her around and lowering her to the ground. Her legs were still wrapped around his waist, and as they reached the cool forest floor. She held onto him tightly, keeping him close.
“We shouldn’t do this,” she whispered as he lowered his head and buried it in her chest.
“I know,” he agreed. That didn’t stop him, however. He carefully undid the string of her top, pulling it off her body slowly as he began to lightly kiss her chest.
Her body surged once again with desire when he ran his tongue over her nipple. He then proceeded to softly kiss her chest, then her stomach, then he reached the top of her tight-fitting shorts.
As he fumbled with the ties she anxiously awaited the feeling of satisfaction that she knew he would be able to give her. When he pulled her shorts down to her knees, she balled her hands into fists and bit her bottom lip.
He lowered himself even further, kissing the insides of her hips, then her thighs, going in small circles until reaching the place she was waiting for him to reach.
The feeling of his tongue, running back and forth over her clitoris quickly, made her arch her back with pleasure. She continued to bite down hard on her lip, so as not to let out the lustful scream that was building up in her stomach.
He reached his hand slowly up her leg, tickling the inside of her thigh, taunting her, until he was just about to slide his fingers into the folds of her secret entrance.
He taunted her for a moment longer, enjoying watching her squirm with longing before finally giving her satisfaction. As he slid his fingers up inside her, her stomach tightened and her heart began to race even faster than it had been already. Her skin became covered in sweat from the heat of the contact. He grazed across the most sensitive of places, eyeing her as she slammed her hands down onto the ground next to her, letting out the gasps of pleasure that she couldn't hold in.
She reached down and ran her hands through his hair, pulling at it with more force than she should have, trying to keep the orgasm at bay. She wanted to enjoy the moment; she wanted it to last forever.
He sat up slowly, his right hand still pleasing her immensely and his left undoing the straps of his own pants. When he pulled his other hand back from her, pushing his shorts down around his hips, she felt a wave of realization wash over her.
Just as he leaned back in, positioning himself between her legs, she lifted her hand and pressed it against his chest. She could feel his heart racing, and the scales and patterns weaving their way through his skin were gleaming with sweat and reflecting the moonlight.
“Wait,” she said, breathless.
“Why?”
“I want you, Hakona. I want you inside me. I want to do this with you. But, what about the bond?”
He leaned back and looked down at her, panting slightly. His eyes were fixed on hers, and face filled with an expression of desire and apprehension.
“I want you, too,” he said, leaning in and kissing her slowly. “I don’t care about that. Even without this, you will always have my heart, Allison. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. And I know, it’s foolish to do this, especially now. It’s stupid to take this step knowing that in a few days I might have to say goodbye to you forever.”
“That’s what I mean. That’s why we shouldn’t,” she said as firmly as she could. It was hard to sound convincing. She could feel his member brushing softly against her inner thighs, and knowing it was so close to her made her ache with longing.
“I can’t do that to you. I can’t take that from you—the ability to find happiness with someone else. You would be forever bonded to me. That’s not fair.” She said the words, but she didn’t act on them. She didn’t push him back. Instead, she kept her arms around his neck, lifting her hips slightly to feel him brush against her again.
“I’ll decide what’s fair to me or not. I know what this means, Allison. I know what it means more than you do and more than you will ever be able to. But, it’s what I want. I want you—forever.”
“But, it’s not forever,” she replied. Her eyes began to sting slightly. She wouldn’t let herself cry. Not there; not in that moment. But, the realization that she would have to leave him forever was too much, and it threatened to overwhelm her at any moment.
“It would be for me,” he said softly.
“It will be so hard to be apart. It will be so hard for me to leave, no matter what. And knowing that I left you when… when…”
He leaned in and pressed his lips to her, forcing her to stop speaking. “I want this. If you don’t, I’ll understand.”
She sighed. "I want this," she answered. She couldn't promise that she would be connected to him forever like he would be to her. But, she could be sure that no matter what, she would always love him. She would always carry him with her in her heart. She wanted to share that moment with him. He was right. No matter what, they would always have each other's heart.
Chapter 13: The Bond
They once again became wrapped up together on the forest floor. She wrapped her arms around his neck, keeping his body pressed tightly to her own. She could still feel his member. It was hard and pressed against her thigh. The feeling of contact between them made her hands shake and the anticipation was building up quickly in her stomach.
She reached down, ready to position him just right, so he would be able to slide himself inside of her when he stopped her. "Just because we're going to do this, doesn't mean we have to rush," he said slyly.
“But, I thought…”
“I want to make this last, for both of us. I’ve been waiting for this moment for too long, Allison. I’ve wanted you since the first time I felt the heat of contact pass between us.”
As he spoke he nestled his face into her neck, his warm breath tickling her skin, and sending a wave of lust running through her. The twigs and leaves on the ground beneath her naked body didn’t bother her. She barely felt them, and when she did, the prick they gave her only spurred her desire to increase.
He reached up and took one of her breasts in his hands. He squeezed it slowly. She reached around his back, digging her nails into his skin where she could. The scales on his right side seemed to be warmer than they usually were, almost as if they were ignited by their passion as much as his member was. She could feel it, warm and thick, still pressed against her.
"It's been so hard to see you, to watch you every day, and wonder what it felt like to have you as my own," he continued to speak softly. "I want to know every part of you, Allison. I want to feel you; I want to be one with you."
She wanted to scream for him to do it already, but she couldn’t speak. She felt herself becoming wet again, the simple thought of being with him enough to drive her to levels of desire she hadn’t experienced before.
He continued to p
lay with her breast, his grasp becoming firmer. He ran his thumb over her nipple, sending a chill running down her spine. As he did, he began to slowly thrust his hips forward, running his erect member against her side. The fabric of his shorts was soft, but what it was concealing was hard.
She reached down and quickly pushed his pants down lower. He opened his mouth to protest, but when she slid her hand down into his shorts and took hold of him, he only let out a soft sigh.
He kicked off his shorts and leaned into her, letting her pleasure him for a change. She enjoyed watching the expressions of pleasure and passion cross his face, and as she wrapped her fingers slightly tighter around him, his body shook slightly.
He was larger than she had expected. She had never felt a man that size before, and the thought only made her body ache even more to know what it felt like to have him inside of her.
She moved her hand and ran her finger over the top of his penis, watching his face twist with satisfaction as she did. He continued to grab at her chest, but with less force than before. She wrapped her fingers around his member again, and slowly moved her hand up and down.
As she did, he became more and more lost in the moment. She could feel the heat coming off of him, consuming both of them in a moment of pleasure as she rolled herself into him, forcing him onto his back.
It was her turn to torture him, the way he had done to her multiple times before. She lifted both of her hands to his chest, running them over his skin, tracing the seam that appeared where the scales met the flesh. She could feel his heartbeat, racing wildly. He moved to push himself up, but she pressed back against him.
“No,” she said firmly.
“What do you mean ‘no’?” he asked.
She lowered herself down, kissing his stomach softly. She felt his breathing become heavier as she moved her lips lower and lower. She gave him a mischievous smile as she once again took his rock-hard member in her hand. After caressing the head of it softly for a moment, watching his face twist into various expressions of satisfaction and frustration she leaned forward.
She didn’t take it into her mouth just yet. She began by slowly running her tongue along the sides, making certain that the longing was building up inside of him.
Hakona: Dragon Warrior (Scifi Alien Dragon Romance) Page 10