by Delia Castel
“Dr. Squamatus told me I must be part spirit-dragon.” She poked her belly. Her body was solid to her, in this state, although to others, she was some kind of spectre.
His eyes lit up. “Like Queen Reina?”
“I think so.”
They sat together in silence, staring into each other’s eyes. The dim light of Berrin’s cell softened his features, making him look so young and vulnerable. Tearing her gaze away from his full lips, which had parted and looked ready to be kissed, she met his aquamarine eyes. They were framed by long, amber lashes that added to his allure. She wanted to reach out and hold him, feel his warmth against her body, but it was impossible in this form.
“I meant to ask,” he said. “What in the name of Vulcan happened last night?”
Staring down at the poisoned ring she still wore from the night before, Marigold told him about the ball. She described how Governor Hertz had drugged her with a tiny pin-prick and carried her out of the palace with the help of the Assassin’s Guild. His eyes widened with each turn of the tale, and he snarled when she told him about his uncle’s plans to have Berrin turned into meat and leather when he thought he would crash into the ground.
“He’s the most despicable person I know,” Berrin spat.
Marigold nodded. “And the High Sheriff. He puts his job security before doing what’s right.”
“Has anyone contacted Father’s advocate?”
“I’m not sure.” She raised a shoulder. “Polaris said he spoke to the elders in the King’s Regiment. They’re willing to recruit you as a special entrant because you’re a full dragon.”
He bowed his head. “But that would mean not being able to see you.”
A lump formed in her throat. In such a short space of time, he’d become her best friend, lover, and mate. Sharing a body with Berrin and having him in the back of her mind had been the closest she’d ever come to any other being. She didn’t relish the thought of separation from Berrin for so long.
She hovered her hand over his. “I’d rather see you for one week a year than have you mutilated.”
“I don’t know about that,” he muttered.
“It’s a last resort, anyway. Polaris is going to duel Governor Hertz in the pits tomorrow. When he kills your uncle, we hope the High Sheriff will let you go.”
Berrin clenched his fists. “I can’t believe I’m going to miss the fight!”
She raised her shoulders. “There must be some perks to being the mate of a spirit dragon. Maybe I could pull you into my vision so you can see the battle.”
Berrin grinned. “Actually, I remember a legend about a she-dragon who could connect with her mates like that.”
“How did she do it?”
He scratched his head. “Umm… The poem says she came into her full powers after forming her haremage.”
“Do you think mating with you and Polaris will be enough?” She leaned forward.
Berrin’s gaze dropped to the other side of the bed. “A haremage isn’t complete without all brothers or brothers-in-arms…”
. “So, I need Matheson?” She gulped.
Berrin grimaced. “Do you think he left you alone on purpose?”
Glancing down into her lap, she tried to make sense of events. Last night, she would have said he did, and even up to this morning, her suspicions about him were still strong. But the way he and Governor Hertz had fought this morning in the prison hadn’t looked rehearsed. Both dragons’ mutual hatred had heated the room, making her hair stand on end. If Matheson had been working with Hertz, the Governor would have gloated about their former involvement, if only to sow the seeds of discord among the brothers.
She gazed up into his aquamarine eyes. “I get the impression that Matheson has been so spoiled, he can’t do anything difficult by himself.”
Berrin nodded. “You’re right. Mother and Father acted like they only had one child when he got cursed. Nanny treats him better than she treats her own sons, too. I suppose I used to resent him for all the attention he got when we were growing up, but if I hadn’t been relegated to St. Fafnir’s, I wouldn’t have met you.”
Marigold’s heart warmed at the words. Although she knew his feelings were mutual, hearing such sentiments always made her giddy with joy. She leaned into Berrin to mimic a kiss. His smooth, warmth skin brushed her lips, and she jerked back. “I can touch you!”
He reached for her arm, but his hand went straight through. “It only works one way,” he muttered. She pressed her hand onto his chest, and he sighed. “Oh, your touch feels so good.”
“Where’s that guard?” She glanced around.
“He only comes when I have a visitor.”
She grinned. In this form, she didn’t feel exhausted.
“What are you thinking of doing?” he asked.
“Take your clothes off and lie down.”
His eyes rounded. “What?”
“I can only touch your body, so you’ll have to help me.”
A flush bloomed across his cheeks. “Here?”
“Unless you want to wait until Polaris kills your uncle and persuades the High Sheriff to let you go.”
He leapt out of bed and tore off his clothes. Marigold licked her lips, roving her eyes over his golden skin and strong, muscular form. He was leaner than Polaris, but just as enticing.
Berrin lay on the cot, still as a tin soldier, with his weapon fully cocked. Marigold ran her tongue along her bottom lip at the delicious tableau. She knelt by his prone body and placed a kiss on the tip of his nose.
Berrin grinned. “I’d much rather you kissed me somewhere else.”
“I’m getting to that.” Placing kisses on his cheekbones, jawline, and neck, she ran her hand over his hard, sculpted chest.
“Oh, that feels amazing,” he murmured.
“You deserve nothing but the best.” She licked a trail down his neck, making him shiver. When she reached his collarbone, she sucked on the flesh, smirking at his moans. She let her hand slide over his taut abdominal muscles.
“You’re teasing me again.”
Humming, she circled his lower abdomen with her palm, enjoying the way he panted and thrust his hips. Every time her finger skimmed the bulbous, wet head of his penis, he made the most arousing sound. His chest expanded and contracted like bellows, and his whimpers went straight between her legs. She didn’t know it was possible to feel so aroused as a living spirit only visible to her mate.
Her mouth left his collarbone and traveled south, peppering the golden skin of his pectoral muscles until she reached his pink, puckered nipple. She swirled her tongue over the puckered flesh, rolling the other between her fingers. A low groan reverberated in his chest, and she scraped her teeth over his nipple.
Berrin arched into her mouth, hissing through his teeth. “Mari!”
“All right.” She trailed her fingertips over his hip, then down his hard, muscular thigh. The quadriceps twitched under her touch as though telling her to move onto the beautiful, stiff length she was doing a good job to ignore. Instead, she cupped his balls. They were warm and plump and lightly furred.
“Oh!” Berrin’s eyes fluttered shut. A warm breath puffed out of his parted lips, which glistened in the lantern light. Marigold glided her hands up his body and held his face with both hands. Positioning herself on her side, she pressed her lips onto his, enjoying the sensation of their kiss. When he moaned, she slid her tongue into his mouth, caressing his soft wet organ with her own.
With a smirk, she reached down, gripped him by the base of his erection, and pumped her hand up and down the hot, pulsing length.
“Aaah!” he rocked his hips against her movements.
“Is that good?”
“Yes,” he hissed.
“How would you like my mouth down there?”
He squeezed his eyes shut. “Please!”
Not wanting to end her fun by spending him too soon, she loosened her grip and kissed a trail back down his torso and positioned herself between his
spread legs. His penis, which was now a deep shade of red, replete with bulging veins, twitched. Its bulbous head had turned purple and glistened with pre-cum. She kissed its damp underside and licked her lips. Unfortunately, she couldn’t taste him in this form. It didn’t matter. This was for him, not her, and she pecked the silky head of his penis with soft kisses that elicited the most exciting moans.
“Mari,” he said through gasping breaths. “Suck me.”
Smirking, she kissed a trail down to his tightening balls and took one in her mouth. As she licked and sucked and nibbled Berrin hissed through his teeth, shuddering under her ministrations. Tightening her grip on his erection, she moved onto the next testicle and gave it the same treatment.
Berrin babbled something she didn’t quite catch and bucked his hips. His breaths deepened, and low growls escaped his lips. She pumped her hand up and down his shaft, making sure to squeeze harder at the tip.
Sweat broke out on Berrin’s beautiful body, and Marigold wondered if it would be possible to get on top of him and ride that wonderful, thick length. A little voice in the back of her mind reminded her that Polaris could wake her up at any time, and she should save more adventurous experiments for when she wasn’t sitting on another dragon’s lap.
Berrin made a strangulated noise. She assumed he didn’t want to alert the guard of the not-quite-there she-dragon pleasuring him in his cell. Moving her attentions to the first testicle, she lathed it with her tongue, loving the way his thighs trembled with need.
He opened his legs further, inviting her to rest between them. “Please, Mari…”
“Huh?” She glanced up into his face. His eyes shone like blue flames, cheeks flushed, and parted lips red as cherries.
“Put me in your mouth.”
She trailed the tip of her tongue over his pulsing, hard length. Berrin panted. As she reached the top, she flattened her tongue and lapped at the sensitive underside just beneath the tip.
Clenching his fists at his sides, he let out several shuddering breaths. “I wish I could touch you.”
“Mmm-mmm,” she said, hoping he would understand that she meant to say ‘me, too.’ She parted her lips and slipped the silky head of his penis over her tongue, making sure to lap at the ridge of flesh on its underside. Berrin threw his head back, forearm over his eyes and shuddered.
Marigold smirked. Watching Berrin’s reactions were always a delight. Hips canted up in the air, she pulsed the muscles of her core, wishing Polaris would fill her at the other end. She flicked her tongue over his sensitive flesh, enjoying his reactions. Polaris would grab her by the hips and slide into her with one, deep thrust. She gulped, imagining it so vividly, she could feel him stretch her open.
“Ah!”A shiver rocked Berrin’s body.
Marigold lowered her head down his shaft. The two brothers would be magnificent together, taking turns, driving her to even higher peaks of pleasure. He slid further down her tongue, and she relaxed her throat. In this spirit-form, she didn’t feel the urge to gag at the thick head hitting the back of her throat.
Moving her head up and down his wonderful length, she closed her eyes, relishing the sensations of his flesh sliding against her tongue. Every vein, every ridge was exposed to her, and she loved her exploration of his body. She squeezed his balls, making him pant harder. If only she could taste him like this.
Her imaginary Polaris pumped into her, and she thrust back, clutching at Berrin’s thighs. Up and down she went, varying her suction, pausing at his tip to swirl and flick her tongue around his slit.
“I’m getting close,” he said through clenched teeth.
Gripping his pelvis, Marigold closed her lips around his shaft and took him down to the root. She redoubled her efforts, moving up and down his length as Berrin thrust his hips deep into her throat. As she wasn’t in her real body, these movements gave her no discomfort. Heat and pleasure swirled between her legs. She wasn’t sure why, as she hadn’t even touched herself, but the pressure built and built, until her eyes rolled to the back of her head.
With one final snap of his hips, Berrin roared, and warm liquid spurted onto her tongue. She tried to swallow, but nothing happened.
“Oh, Mari,” cried Berrin, “that was—”
“Marigold!” shouted another voice from further away. Her eyes snapped open to meet the worried, stormy-blue eyes of Polaris. His hands cupped her face. “I’ve been trying to wake you for the past five minutes. What in the name of Vulcan did you do?”
“I’m not sure…” Her gaze caught the bleeding gashes in Polaris’ arms. “What happened to you?”
He held her wrist and lifted her clawed hand to her face. “Your limbs transformed. That’s not supposed to happen to a fire dragon unless she’s pregnant!”
Chapter 7
Polaris stared into Marigold’s wide, green eyes. Her clawed fingers rested on her parted lips, and her chest rose and fell with her rapid breaths. He was sure that his own expression matched hers.
He couldn’t describe what had just happened. Moments after slumping on his shoulder, she rocked him back to arousal and set upon him like a woman possessed. At first, he had thought her passions had roused anew, but her blank eyes, transformed arms and slashing talons had been cause for alarm. It had taken an eternity to wake her from her frenzy, only to discover she hadn’t been aware of her actions.
She blinked and tilted her head to the side. “But I thought dragons needed elixirs to have children.”
“It is true that our species find it more difficult to conceive than humans, but we only use elixirs to ensure female offspring.”
She stared down at her beautiful, rounded belly. “So I might be…”
“I spoke too soon. Instead of forming conclusions, we should visit Dr. Squamatus.”
She nodded, and Polaris lifted her off his still-erect penis. Her gaze dropped down. “But you’re—”
“I can take care of myself.” He handed her a shirt. “Can you transform your hands?”
Chewing her bottom lip, she murmured, “I wouldn’t know how to begin.”
He was about to guide her through the exercises he’d been taught as a fledgling, when a swift flew in through the special opening in the patio door. The bird landed on the desk, hopping from one for to another.
Sighing, he strode across the room. Anxious messenger birds either meant their journey had been perilous, or their master had put them under pressure to deliver the scroll in the shortest possible time. Few noble houses had an affinity with griffins, who attached themselves to a family over several generations.
“I’d better see if this is urgent.”
After untying the scroll from the swift’s chest brace, he turned it around to find the King’s seal. His lips tightened at the reminder of Princess Snowdrop and the corruption at the palace. All arousal drained away, replaced with a sense of impending dread.
He had already dealt with both issues indirectly. Squadrons of dragons were searching both Igneous and its surrounding islands for the Princess, and the elders had taken it upon themselves to investigate the goings-on at the palace. He cracked the seal open and found a tersely written note in the King’s hand, ordering him to the palace immediately.
He glanced over his shoulder at Marigold. “Are you able to dress yourself?”
“Not without ripping the fabric.” She held up her clawed hands. Delicate, flesh-colored scales ran from her fingernails to her elbows.
Polaris smiled at the endearing sight. If she was with child, the father would likely be Berrin, as his connection with Marigold was stronger. It didn’t matter. Having a pregnant mate to protect would only power his determination when he faced Uncle Hertz at the pits tonight.
He glanced at the King’s note again. One she-dragon was a blessing. Two, however, was a burden. He resolved to offer up an alternative dragon and to tell King Vulcan he could not mate with his daughter.
“Let me help you.” He set down the note. “We should be there in half an hour or
so.”
Dr. Squamatus’ housekeeper narrowed her eyes at them. Presumably, she was upset at the amount of times the family had disturbed her employer during Festival Week. She stepped aside, letting them into the house. “I will inform the doctor of your presence.”
Marigold clung to his arm as they waited in his examination room. “I don’t know anything about dragon pregnancies. Do they lay eggs?”
“You are mistaking your noble species with wyverns, my dear.” The doctor strolled in, wiping his hands on a linen towel. “While those beasts can reach the size of a griffin, they can neither shift into human form nor give birth to live young.”
A look of relief crossed her features, and her entire body slumped. “Oh. I… we think I might be pregnant.”
“I took the liberty of testing you yesterday, and your body hasn’t reached the required maturity for pregnancy yet. But I must ask, do you have reason to believe you are with child?”
Polaris placed a comforting arm around her waist, encouraging her to speak.
She licked her lips and then swallowed. “Something strange happened today. My consciousness traveled to Berrin’s cell.”
“You possessed his body again?” asked the doctor.
“It was different. He wasn’t a dragon, and I appeared as a sort of spirit that could interact with him.”
The wizard’s eyes widened. “Fascinating!”
Polaris leaned forward. “I was with her at the time, and she was blank.”
“Unmoving?”
He coughed. “No.”
“Spit it out, General. I am a medical doctor, accustomed to all matters of the flesh.”
Polaris glanced at Marigold, whose cheeks glowed crimson. The wizard leaned forward, eyes gleaming with curiosity. The naked enthusiasm in his face made Polaris cringe. He had to remind himself that the wizard was excited to have a patient of spirit-dragon heritage to study. Using the vaguest terms possible, he told the doctor what had happened, and how Marigold, in her peculiar state of trance, had mounted him and shifted her arms and legs during lovemaking.