by Delia Castel
“She will say no.”
“I would wager she will do anything to protect the jewels of her mate.”
“I won’t let her.”
Uncle Hertz shook his head. “Noble idiots like you is why our society is so skewered. While you see a she-dragon as the purveyor of eternal bliss, I see them as a means to an end. Most of them are beasts in comparison to human women. Just look at my beloved Brimstone’s daughters. Frightful creatures that look like they should be in a stable, not a lady’s parlor!”
Berrin growled. Uncle Hertz couldn’t love Lady Brimstone much if he had sent her out to fight him and Polaris on the night of the ball. “You’re dishonorable.”
“One dragon’s dishonor is another dragon’s code of conduct. The opinion of a soon-to-be dead nephew is of no importance.”
“You will kill me like you killed Mother and Father.”
“I did no such thing.” His shoulders dropped. “Actually, that’s not quite true. I intend to have you killed. Don’t take it personally, but I need to break your bond with Merry. However, I had nothing to do with the murder of my brother and sister-in-law.”
Marigold popped into the room, and Berrin’s heart jumped into his throat. She had missed everything, and he couldn’t make it obvious that he was talking to her. Instead, he turned back to Uncle Hertz and said, “I don’t understand any of this.”
“It’s simple enough. Merry will come to me at the Bordello Bagnio tonight to save you from castration. What she doesn’t know is that you’ll already be dead. Then I will take her as my mate.”
Marigold clasped her hands over her mouth and gasped.
Berrin shook his head, trying not to look at Marigold. “That part is easy enough to grasp. I meant to ask why you had me taken to the lower basements of the earth tower.”
“Because I need you dead, dear nephew.” Uncle Hertz bent over the parchment and scribbled out a letter. “Moving you out of the holding cells will prevent any last-minute reprieves.”
Berrin’s throat tightened. “Will you kill me yourself at midnight?”
“I wouldn’t do anything so crass. The High Sheriff will use a ceremonial knife of dragon stone to slice off your testicles. You will, of course, be wearing a necklace of leccan, which will suppress your ability to transform your skin and heal the cut.”
A choked sob rang out from Marigold’s direction, and Berrin tried not to flinch. Everyone knew about leccan. It was a stone imbued with the mutatio spell that stopped any magical being from shifting to their animal form. He stood straighter, his confidence in Marigold unwavering, and said, “Then I will await my fate at midnight.”
Uncle Hertz signed his name on the parchment with a flourish and blew on the ink. “You won’t have that long, dear child. The sheriff has gone to carve the ceremonial knife. It should be ready by six.”
Berrin’s gaze slid to Marigold, who stood by his side, clutching her chest. If she left now, his brothers might be able to work a way to get him out of this terrible predicament.
Chapter 14
Marigold lingered in Berrin’s new cell, listening out for anything else Governor Hertz was willing to share. The older dragon merely rolled up his parchment and sealed it with wax. When he stood and walked to the hatch on the door to hand the scroll to a guard, Marigold squeezed Berrin’s shoulder, trying to communicate that she had heard everything and would tell Polaris as soon as she returned to the mansion.
She closed her eyes and willed herself back into her body. Blood rushed through her ears, blotting out the sounds of the griffins. Her heart pounded, and her palms were slick with sweat. When she snapped her eyes open, she found Matheson sitting next to where she had lain and frowning down at her.
“Were you supposed to see out of my eyes? Nothing happened,” he said.
Scrambling up to a sitting position, she blurted, “Your uncle is going to kill Berrin to break our bond!”
He reared back. “What?”
Everything she’d overheard spilled from Marigold’s lips, and tears gathered in the corners of her eyes as she spoke.
Matheson listened, his face reddening with every revelation. He clenched his fists, flared his nostrils, but held his silence until she had stopped speaking.
When she reached the end of the account, she sucked in a breath. “What are we going to do?”
He stood and pulled Marigold up. “I will kill Uncle Hertz.”
“But he’s too strong. Haven’t you forgotten how he—”
Matheson placed his fingers on her lips. “I remember what he did. But with your help, I will become a full dragon.”
“What makes you think a third round of sex will make any difference?”
His hand slid to her shoulders. “Because this time, I won’t be holding back. King Vulcan blessed our union with a flamberge. Those are the most potent magical objects in the world. We’ll look into each other’s eyes and both want to form this bond. It will work, I promise.”
Something in his words implied that he had been wasting her time during their other two attempts. She raised her head to the skies and squinted into the distance. “We need to call Polaris.”
“An urgent swift arrived for him from the King’s Regiment headquarters while you were connecting with Berrin. He said he’d return as quickly as possible, and that you’d be safe with Blacksmith and his family.”
Blood drained from her face about the same time her stomach plummeted through the slate roof. She flicked her gaze up to the sun. From its position, it looked like two o’clock. They had less than four hours to rescue Berrin, and the strongest brother was away. She held off from connecting with him. Things were desperate, but she needed more information before intruding on what could be an important meeting with an elder who might be able to see her. “When will he be back?”
“In an hour. Polaris won’t be able to intervene the way we need. He’s likely to take legal routes, as he’s bound by his vows to uphold the law. Something like breaking into the Tower of Torment will resort in a court martial.”
“But—”
“We can’t afford to wait.” His green eyes bore into hers. “If the High Sheriff returns earlier with that knife or decides to use an elixir—”
“All right. Let’s do it one more time.” She unbuttoned her shirt to the sternum and pulled it over her head.
Matheson’s gaze roved her naked form. Then he closed his eyes and shuddered. “You’re so beautiful.”
“We don’t have time for pretty words.” She pulled at his shirt.
He held her wrists. “This is important. Before we bond, you have to know this.”
“What?” her heart reverberated in her chest. Why couldn’t he just revert back to the Matheson who talked of taking her over the table? That version of him would never have hesitated.
“Over the past few days, I have come to respect you immensely.” He swallowed. “I may not show it, a-and I am slow to change my mind, but you are truly the most beautiful and compassionate she-dragon I have ever had the pleasure to meet.”
Marigold’s breath caught. Matheson had never even hinted at such sentiments. Any words of rebuke died in her throat, and she stared at him, jaw slack. An earnestness she had never seen before shone in his eyes, and she swallowed. Was she supposed to respond? Because telling him that he was no longer the dragon she disliked would be paltry in comparison to what he had just said.
She lowered her gaze. “I don’t know what to say.”
“I wanted you to know my feelings before we went any further.” He placed his fingertips under her jaw and tilted her head up. “And when I apologized to you before the ball, I meant it. The day we met—”
She shook her head. “We don’t have to talk about that.”
“I do. My memory of what I did to you was sketchy, because I was drunk and out of my mind with papaver. Since that evening, I haven’t touched either substance.”
Nodding, she recalled what Berrin had told her.
He swallowed. �
��It wasn’t until the ball that I realized how lucky we all were to have you, and what a mistake I had made.”
A smile curved her lips. “The dress was beautiful.”
“Your radiance was only part of the equation.” He glanced away. “When I was young, I cut my hand on the flamberge in Father’s study and a curse spread to my body. Seeing King Vulcan’s flamberge and knowing that it was once used for the same purpose as the Auburn weapon terrified me.”
“Oh.”
“But you held my hand throughout the Blessing, even when you preferred my brothers. I don’t know any she-dragon who would have afforded me such a kindness.”
Her heart twisted, and when he told the story of his former betrothed, she stopped breathing. Their situation had been similar, except that Unwin’s betrayal had led to a prison sentence and Kaida’s had taken him on a downward spiral of depression and mind-altering substances. It was hard to listen to his account of his friendship with the chambermaid. He had thought she was trying to help him out of his despair but instead, introduced him to the very people who had gotten him addicted to Papaver. While Marigold wouldn’t have made the same decisions in his place, she also wasn’t suffering from a debilitating curse resistant to magic and medicines.
His gaze dropped to her lips. “Once we have dealt with Uncle Hertz, will you open your heart to me as you have my brothers?”
A lump formed in her throat. His words were unexpected, but they were so sincere, she felt herself moved to nod.
He glanced up, eyes sparkling like the sun reflecting off an emerald pool, and the warmth of his smile transformed his face from sneering, handsome arrogance to a radiant, beauty she’d never before seen in a male. The afternoon sun made the ends of his hair glow like liquid flame, and her gaze dropped to his full lips. When she brought gaze eyes back to his, hunger burned in his eyes. A flock of butterflies took off in her stomach, their fluttering wings stirring her passions.
Matheson’s lips crashed onto hers, and sparks of pleasure ignited from their joined mouths. It spread across her skin, setting it alight. She moaned into the kiss, threading her fingers into his long, thick hair. His arms wrapped around her back, molding their bodies together as they lowered themselves to the animal skins.
A heady rush coursed through Marigold’s being, threatening to splinter her into pieces and blow her away. She broke the kiss and panted. “This feels so…”
“It’s the Blessing taking effect. If we do this, we are bound for life, and you will not be able to bond with any other dragon.” His kisses blazed a trail over the sensitive skin of her neck. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
Marigold nodded. Even if saving Berrin wasn’t a pressing issue, she wanted this. Her relationship with Matheson had been antagonistic, but deep beneath the barbs lay a passion neither of them could deny. It might have been a mutual loathing at first, but somehow, it had developed into what they had now.
She needed to complete their bond, not just for Berrin, and not just for the pleasure of connecting with his body, but because it felt right. These three dragons were her lovers, her family, and her home. Reconciling with Matheson would make what was a loving relationship with two handsome brothers into a fulfilling life she had never known she’s craved.
She dug her blunt nails into his arms. “I need you… now!”
“You already have me.” His lips, strong and eager, caressed hers, and his hand threaded through her curls to cup the back of her head.
Marigold’s pulse reverberated in her ears, and her eyes fluttered closed. They’d had sex twice, yet kissing him like this was far more intimate. She would have laughed if she wasn’t so aroused and determined to bond with him. The magic of the King’s Blessing swirled around their bodies, setting her skin aflame. His tongue slid between her lips, and she moaned, letting him in. Everything made sense. The blessing would never have taken effect if they hadn’t kissed, because all lovemaking, especially that between two newly-bonded mates, would start with joined lips.
Matheson groaned, moving his lips, deepening the kiss, and Marigold felt herself being dragged down into a vortex of ecstasy. His tongue stroked hers, exploring her mouth with a slow sensuality that made her eyes roll to the back of her head. Suspended in a heady mixture of lust and anticipation, she relaxed into his kisses, losing track of time and space. His hands explored her body with soft caresses that sent a surge of blood and sensation between her legs.
He broke the kiss, leaving her panting and wanting more. “When this is over, you and I will be bonded. Then you will ride on my back, and we’ll rescue Berrin, all right?”
“Yes,” she replied in a breathy moan. At that point, she would have agreed to anything if only he would kiss her like that again.
Matheson’s mouth didn’t return to her lips, to her consternation, but he nibbled at her neck with his blunt teeth, making her shudder with delight. She clenched his arms, and he flinched.
The movement made her eyes widen. “What’s wrong?”
“Your talons.”
She loosened her fingers and stared down at her scaled and clawed hands. Droplets of blood marred the sharp points of her long, thickened nails, making her flush. “Sorry.”
“Let’s save the clawing until after I’ve achieved my transformation. By then, I will most probably find the idea of having my skin ripped open by a rapturous she-dragon arousing.” He smirked. “Since my kisses are driving you wild, may I suggest a compromise?”
She nodded. When she was like this, it was hard to focus on the mental exercises needed to restore her body to normal. Dr. Squamatus had explained that as an untrained dragon, she would find herself transforming in times of intense stress or distraction. He had assured her that it wouldn’t be a problem, as her dragon magic recognized and protected its mates.
Matheson held her wrists in a firm grip. “It’s just a precaution for when I split you open.”
“You’re forgetting… We’ve done this twice already.’” she said.
“Not from this angle, and not with me in control.” He raised his brows. “Besides, I’m not in the habit of making promises that my cock cannot fulfill.”
Marigold’s gaze dropped to the organ jutting out from a thatch of ginger curls. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips. Under her regard, it swelled and pulled itself up towards his stomach. Before she could retort, he lowered her onto her back, trapping the hard length between their bodies and pinning her wrists to the soft, enchanted animal skin.
Her breath caught in her throat. “What are you—”
His lips grazed her neck, sending jolts of pleasure southward. “I’m going to enjoy sliding into that tight, wet quim, but first, I will to explore every inch of your creamy flesh.”
“We don’t have time,” she said between labored breaths. She parted her thighs, so his erection lay atop her pulsing nub. A wave of sensation washed through her, and she bucked her hips, creating the sweet friction she desperately needed. “And I need you, now.”
He sucked on her collarbone. “Mmmmm? My hearing seems to have failed me. What did you say, Princess?”
“I need you,” she snapped.
His tongue dipped into the notch between her collarbones, and she whimpered. After sliding his tongue down the valley between her breasts he said, “What is it exactly that you need?”
She clenched her teeth. He was obviously trying to make her say something vulgar. “I need you… inside me, now!”
“As my Princess wishes.” He moved his lips to caress the shell of her ear. “You’ll get the good, hard fucking I’ve been itching to give you for days.”
Pinning her wrists down, he raised himself off her, resting his weight on his forearms. She spread her legs further to accommodate him. Matheson’s long hair trailed down his face like a rust-colored curtain, its ends tickling her cheeks and shoulders. His eyes softened, and he smiled. “Are you ready?”
“Yes,” she said, giddy anticipation filling her chest and spreading up to her che
eks.
He eased the blunt tip of his organ past her slick folds and slid inside. His thicker girth was no longer a surprise, but she still moaned as he stretched her open. His boasts had not been idle. It was so much more intense with him in control. She squeezed her eyes shut.
“Keep them open,” he murmured. “Eye contact is the quickest way to form a bond.” He rolled his hips, easing himself into her with slow, shallow thrusts.
“O-oh… H-how did you know that?”
After a few more of those delicious, toe-curling movements, he said, “My parents consulted nearly a hundred specialists to break my curse. Many of them said it would disappear when I gained my maturity. They told me exactly what I needed to do when I had a mate.”
“Aaah!” She threw her head back.
Chuckling, he deepened his thrusts with an undulating movement. “Eye contact, Princess.”
“Y-yes!” When she turned back to his face, she met his green eyes, dancing with mirth.
He kept her locked in his gaze, moving his hips in that maddeningly slow and steady movement. He grazed against her pleasure spot, still keeping her wrists pinned. Marigold licked her lips, which had become dry from so much panting.
“I can’t wait to try that eager little tongue on my cock.”
“Mmmm.” She also wanted to taste him, and to make him shudder at her touch. But she would have to save that for another time. Like after spiriting Berrin away, when the three of them could celebrate their victory together. Her lips spread into a smile.
His eyes sparkled. “Does the thought of sucking me please you so much?”
“I can’t wait.”
He growled and sped up his movements, his gaze boring into hers. Marigold cried out, the new onslaught of pleasure overwhelming her senses. Each thrust caressed her pleasure spot, generating starbursts of heat. His smile widened, and he kept up those twisting movements, keeping her bound by his hands, his deep, green eyes, and the movements of that hard, thick organ.
Her pleasure spiked. Her body jerked. Her head spun in a whirl of heat and lust and magic. It felt like her entire being gathered all the sensations into a spot around her core, compressing it into a tight, little ball.