by M. Barnette
Nikki saw the flicker of sorrow in his gaze and knew he'd once given those to his first love, Kimiko. Now he'd given them to her and she wondered if any other women had gotten such carefully chosen flowers from her Jason. She decided it didn't matter. He was with her now, and the past, hers and his, was over. Their future was just beginning.
* * * *
"HEY IN THERE! WE DON'T HEAR ANY CONSUMMATING GOING ON!” Luke bellowed from outside their bedroom window. There was a loud boom as the first of the fireworks started. A bright flash lit the window.
Bells shook his head and laughed quietly. “And we wanted friends because?"
Nikki giggled. “Impatient, aren't they?"
"Yeah. But so am I,” he told her as he took her hand and guided it to the fly of his tuxedo.
"Oh my, Mr. Dragon, what in the world is that? Did you stuff a salami down there?"
"Something like that,” he replied as he leaned in and gave her a slow, exploring kiss, her lips parting to allow him entry, their tongues moving together in a writhing exchange that promised him a long torturous time before he got his release and told her there would be no mercy in his lovemaking.
He removed her wedding dress, going slow, unveiling her body as if he'd never seen it before and wanted to commit every curve, every inch of skin to memory. His hands and mouth gliding over her satin soft skin, touching, caressing, worshipping the woman who was now his wife.
The very woman who would be the mother of his child. His heart lurched, remembering another face, another love and their shattered dreams, their unborn son.
The past was over. He had here and now, with Nikki, and that was what mattered. Not the past, not the unknown future, just the here and now with the woman he loved.
And that was all he wanted. Today. Nikki. And as many todays, as many moments as he could possibly get. So long as she lived there was no one else for him. He belonged to her, not because she was Mistress Nikki, but because she had tamed the Dragon and now held it on the gentle leash of her love.
That was all anyone, even an Immortal Dragon, could ever want.
* * * *
Nikki's skin was on fire from his kisses and caresses, her body hot and ready, wanting what only he could give her; love and the freedom to express it the way she desired. Her way, because in whatever manner she chose to manifest her love, he would accept it. Enjoy it. And he would always love her on her terms, no holds barred.
He lifted her from the pool of her discarded wedding dress, carrying her to their bed and laying her down amid the silken coolness of the rose petals. Their scent, their cool touch sent a thrill of pleasure through her, his mouth found her breasts, breathing through the lace of her bra, teasing.
He was above her, his weight on her, but there was no panic, not with her Jason. Never with him because he was her boy. Her man. Her Immortal Dragon.
"I love you,” he murmured, his hands unfastening the clasp at the front of her bra. “You are the light within my soul. The dawn within the darkness that filled me. I won't ever leave you, Nikki."
Shocked, she lifted her head and stared into eyes that burned bright as flame. “When I'm old..."
"Not even then, Nikki,” he told her softly. “I love you, and I won't ever stop loving you."
She put her arms around him, pulling him close, letting his weight rest on her, his lips touching a nipple in a gentle caress.
"I'll age with you, Nikki. My hair will turn grey, and I'll look old."
Caressing down his back, feeling the hard muscle beneath the tuxedo coat she closed her eyes. “Why?"
"It's part of the power you have over me, over the Dragon. You age so I'll age."
"And when I die?"
"I die to this world, fall through time and I'm back to being what I was when you met me. Minus the extra scrambling the wreck caused. My memories will be foggy and confused from the timeshift, but they come back."
She held him tighter, tears burning his eyes. She'd be gone, and he'd be alive, somewhere—somewhen—alone and maybe mourning her the way he still mourned his Kimiko. For his sake she hoped the memories of her would fade away because she didn't want him to feel the same pain over her loss as he felt for his cherry blossom girl.
"Love me, Jason..."
"Yes, Mistress Nikki."
"...and get out of those clothes."
He grinned at her and Nikki could see he was up to something as he said, “Yes, Mistress Nikki, your boy will do whatever you desire."
* * * *
Bells got out of the bed and began a slow, seductive strip tease, undoing buttons with gracefully erotic motions, running his hands over his body, watching the passionate heat of her gaze as they followed his every move. He obeyed the commands of the woman who owned his heart, but he was taking liberties with the order, heightening her anticipation. The jacket slid to the floor behind him and he started the slow unbuttoning of his white shirt, a wicked grin on his face.
"You are a very naughty, but entertaining boy, Jason. I think there's going to be some punishment if you don't get into this bed soon and pleasure me."
"Doesn't Mistress Nikki like what she's seeing?"
She laughed. “Yes, very much, but I want you undressed and back on this bed now!"
He pulled the rest of his clothing off, his cock jutting out, showing her how much he wanted her, beckoning him closer Nikki motioned him to his knees on the floor.
He knelt, a little smile curling his lips. He was Nikki's. Body, mind, and soul, he was hers for as long as she lived. And if she motioned him to kneel at her feet when she was old and greying, he'd kneel obedient to her will because Nikki, his Mistress, wanted it and he belonged to her.
And if he had anything to say about it, she would live a long time. Something he hadn't told her about was one additional ability his own age granted. He couldn't make her Immortal, but he could slow down the aging process by a few decades. And he fully intended to do that, even though it would weaken him and leave him more vulnerable in the next world. He didn't care. He wanted to be with Nikki for every possible moment they could have together.
"Now where were we?” she asked. He saw how she was looking down at him and felt a flare of increased desire at the possessive expression on her face. “Ah, yes, I remember. I was going to suggest you make love to me,” she told him as she lay down on the bed.
"Yes Mistress Nikki,” he replied, lying down beside her, his weight held away from her with one arm and his knees while he kissed Nikki's face, throat, and breasts, tongue gliding along her flesh.
A hand gripped his hair, her other hand cupped his balls, caressing, sending jolts of molten heat into his body where they coiled deep beneath the base of his arousal. He moaned, breath shuddering across a tongue dampened nipple.
"Like that, do you?"
"Yes Mistress Nikki,” he agreed as her hands continued what they were doing, pulling his hair, teasing his balls.
He kissed his way down to her belly, hands sliding over her sides, breasts and hips, fingers dancing over her skin, inflaming her already heated body to fever pitch.
* * * *
Nikki couldn't take it any longer. She gripped his shoulders and guided him over onto his back. “Stay right there."
His answer was instantaneous. “Yes, Mistress."
Slipping off the bed, Nikki pulled out the bag she had stashed under it and poured out the sex toys she'd kept from their little salvage mission at Naughty Nat's those long months ago. Picking up the handcuffs, she snapped them around his wrists and locked him to the headboard, his lips caressing her breasts, tongue lapping gently at her nipples, teeth grazing and sending flashes of heat pulsing deep inside her belly. The entrance into her body aching with the need to be filled, she got onto the bed and straddled his hips.
"No mercy,” she told him as she grabbed his cock and lowered herself down onto his straining flesh in a single, fast slide.
His gasp made her smile, and she trailed the edges of her fingernails down his c
hest, feeling the satin of his skin, the firm musculature beneath.
"Nikki...” he gasped her name out, hips jerking under her.
"Don't move, Jason."
He groaned. “Yes, Mistress Nikki."
Leaning down, she kissed him as her finger and thumb gripped a pink nipple and pinched, a little smile of accomplishment curving her mouth as he cried out sharply at the tiny bite of pain. Her hands slipped over his chest in a teasing caress, her mouth finding his throat and nibbling along the cables of tendon, nipping above his collarbone down the top of his shoulder, biting a bit harder at the junction of neck and shoulder then clamping down and sucking, marking him as her man.
His arms strained at the cuffs, body shaking under her, hips bucking. “Nikki!"
She heard the strain in his voice, the overriding need to thrust, to fuck her, drive his cock into her tight wet heat. “Wait,” she murmured, “just a bit longer."
A hand drew down his chest, nails leaving faint pink trails that vanished quickly into the gold of his skin.
"PLEASE! PLEASE, MISTRESS NIKKI!” he shouted it out and quite clearly Nikki could hear the amused laughter of Luke and some of the other men.
She didn't think Bells heard it. Not when she could see the fire burning in his gaze, the aqua and emerald mist rolling off of him, wings unfurling like gossamer in her sight. Ephemeral, she couldn't touch them because they didn't exist in exactly the same reality she inhabited. She understood that, but she reached out anyway, closing her eyes, imaging what it would feel like.
Her hand met a yielding surface that wasn't the bed. It was warm, soft as rose petals and tingled under her questing fingers. When she opened her eyes it was to briefly see, not Jason, not Bells, but the Dragon itself. Huge cobalt eyes stared at her, blinked. Gold tipped aqua scales glowed under the light of a different sun, warmer, brighter. Beside the Dragon was a tiny reddish deer, it's head pillowed on one titanic clawed foot.
"She is with me always...” the Dragon told her.
Then the vision was gone and she understood. Kimiko had died, but her soul was forever part of the man she loved. And someday, someday she hoped was far in the future, she too would join him, her soul part of him forever.
"I love you, Jason,” she whispered as she started to move above him, “I love you forever."
"Aishiteru,” he whispered. “Aishiteru Nikki."
And she knew it meant love forever, undying and for all time.
She braced her hands on his shoulders, matching her movements to his, their bodies finding the rhythm of the most primal dance in the universe. It was known to all species, all races. It was the dance of life, the dance of creation. The Apocalypse was over, and now there was more than enough time for them to dance eternally together.
Epilogue
A slender young blond stood on the balcony, looking out over the growing city of Colby. As was the tradition he wore his hair long, a lock by his face braided and tipped with a silver bell, a bright blue bead and some grayish feathers. The bell had actually belonged to his great-grandfather and he was proud to wear it.
Lights, powered by the dynamo the Dragon had built, lit the streets and homes of their citizens. Run by magic somehow drawn from the Earth itself, it had powered their city for three generations.
"Highness?"
He turned to face the man who'd entered his private chambers. Dark eyes, hair tinged with grey, the man had served their family since the fall of the old world and the beginning of the new.
"I'm glad you're here, Hawk."
"You did summon me, Highness."
The young man smiled. “Are the plans for the Gala going well?"
"Yes, Highness, they are."
"They would have been married one hundred years today."
Hawk nodded. “This is true."
The young Prince smiled. “I remember them, but not well."
"You were very young when Queen Nikki died, Highness."
"I was three. And she was...” he thought about it for a minute, “One hundred and fourteen then."
"One hundred and seventeen, Highness,” Hawk corrected gently.
A young woman in the aqua and gold of the house livery came in and bowed low to the Prince, “I'm sorry to intrude, Highness, but His Majesty would like to see you."
A smile lit the young man's face, making his intensely blue eyes sparkle. “Tell my brother I'll be down to see him in a bit."
"Of course, Highness.” She bowed and left.
"She lived a long time,” he remarked to the Immortal.
"Yes, Highness, she did. And she loved all of you very much."
"She said I'd grow up to look like her Dragon."
"You have,” the Fenyx affirmed. “You look very much like him when he was your age."
"Do you miss him?"
Hawk smiled sadly, “Sometimes, yes."
"Like today?"
"Yes,” Hawk agreed. “If that's all, Your Highness, I have some duties to attend before the Gala begins."
"Yes, forgive me, General. You may go."
The man bowed himself out, leaving the eighteen-year-old Prince alone with his thoughts.
Fort Colby was prosperous, seat of the Kingdom of the Dragon, home to the descendants of Doc Nikki and her Immortal lover. Home to the Dragon's children, who were on their third generation now. Soon to be fourth since his brother the King was getting married in a few weeks.
They had survived, the world had survived the Apocalypse and learned to dance to new music.
New technology based on magic rather than machine, based on working with nature not against it would lead the human race to new heights of achievement.
He looked at the darkened sky glittering with millions of stars.
Man had walked the moon once, long ago.
Jason, Prince of the Dragon's Blood, was determined that humanity would once again reach for the stars.
Smiling, he turned from the window, hurrying to meet with his older brother Nikkolaus.
Pale aqua mist swirled in the air behind him.
About the Author
M. Barnette's work has been appearing around the small press for a number of years. Also published under the name of t'shai k., M. primarily writes vampire/goth and cyberpunk poetry and stories, some with erotic themes. M. was nominated for a Spectrum Award in 2003 for the short story ‘Zoner’ which has now appeared internationally in both English and Italian language editions. This is M.'s first romance, but there will be more to follow.
Once a resident of Coconut Grove in Florida, M. relocated to Georgia a few years ago where there are fewer gunshots and yard to yard searches for suspects to disturb the writing muses.
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