by Julia Mills
He put his nose right against hers, applied just a light bit of pressure to her face, using the same tone of authority he used when instructing new Dragon Guard recruits, “Grace, mo ghra’, wake up, come back to me.”
His own panic rose as he continued to attempt to break the spell the nightmare had over her. Finally, completely frustrated, he pulled her face the last few inches to his and slammed his mouth onto hers, pouring everything he was into that kiss; all of his fear, anger, and pain, combined with all the love he already felt and the incredible pride that swelled within him that she was his. She continued to pound away at him as he kissed her with a single-minded determination, hoping to make her wake from the terrible nightmare that was tearing her apart from the inside out. Her thrashing slowed. He felt her lips relax and she started kissing him back, still sobbing and shaking. Aidan started to pull away but Grace shoved her hands into his hair, and with a strength he didn’t know she possessed, secured her mouth tighter to his, deepening the kiss. He let her guide their passion as she ate at his lips and thrust her tongue into his mouth, drawing his essence into her being.
He knew she had come awake during their kiss, not knowing what was happening, but completely lost as she continued to make love to his mouth. The moisture still coursed down her cheeks and he wondered if she had any idea how lost to the nightmare she had truly been. His conscience knew that he should stop their kiss, but it felt too good and too right to him and his dragon. She had been attacked just a few hours earlier. They both needed the closeness to restore some semblance of sanity and security. He could not get enough of her. She made him feel more alive than he ever dreamed possible. Her complete trust in him after having suffered such a trauma, turned him inside out and made his blood catch fire. He needed this woman more than his next breath. Nothing had ever felt as right as this woman in his arms, right now. She shifted her legs, straddling his lap, never losing contact with his lips. A feeling that their kiss was the only thing keeping her from shattering into a million pieces floated through his consciousness. He knew immediately it had come from her, and who was he to deny his mate what she so desperately needed?
He ran his fingers through her hair, gripped her silky strands lightly, and took control of the kiss that was turning his blood to molten lava. He had let her have her way, let her lead them to where they were now, but he and his dragon could stand it no longer. He plundered her mouth, thrusting his tongue in and out, mimicking what his extremely hard cock wept to do to her pussy. He tilted her head more to the side for deeper penetration, careful of her wounded cheek. Grace moaned low in her throat. Aidan broke the kiss, holding her head steady as she tried to latch onto his mouth again. He leaned his forehead against hers, trying to slow his breathing and his raging libido. “Mo chroi, I have dreamed of kissing you too many times to count, but I have to know that you are ok,” he whispered.
She worried her already swollen bottom lip with her teeth. “Aidan, I need this. I need to feel alive, not this fear that is eating away at me,” she paused and drew in a shuttering breath. “And I have no clue why, but I know deep in my heart,” she placed her hand over her heart, “that I need to feel it with you,” and she laid her other hand over his heart, raising the spattering of hairs covering his chest on end. Sky blues eyes glowed through a thick fringe of dark lashes and left him punch drunk. All thoughts of anything but this woman fled his mind.
With his hands in her hair holding both sides of her head, he laid his lips lightly on first one closed eyelid and then the other. He kissed the apple of one cheek, the tip of her nose, and then the apple of the other cheek, careful to not touch the cuts and scrapes, a glaring reminder of tonight’s trauma. Each kiss was a little more than a touch of his lips to her skin. He was marking her as his, making a promise that he would care for her now and forever, see to all her needs, body and soul, and always be there for her. He wanted to say with his body what his mouth had yet to articulate; she was his everything. He would move heaven and earth and fight hell to protect her. His world now and forever, revolved around her.
He continued laying kisses on either side of her mouth and caught her sigh of satisfaction as he lightly bit her bottom lip and pulled. He continued across her jaw, nipping and tasting until her reached her ear, sucking her earlobe between his teeth and biting down lightly. Grace groaned, arching her back, pushing her breasts into his bare chest and ground her already weeping center against the erection tenting his sweatpants. Aidan continued his sensual torture, holding his dragon and himself at bay. They were primed, ready to take their mate in a way befitting their connection, but this was about Grace and her needs, not his or that of his dragon. He was bringing her back from the trauma she had suffered. He would hold out as long as he could, take things as slow as possible, giving her the most pleasure imaginable.
While his lips and tongue tormented the sweet spot behind her ear and the side of her neck, his fingers flowed through the ebony silkiness of her hair and reached between their bodies, slowly unbuttoning his flannel shirt. He liked her in his clothes, it felt right, but that old plaid flannel was keeping them from the skin to skin contact he desperately needed. His patience wearing thin, he could wait no longer. He would take it slow, but he needed to feel every part of his beautiful mate, imprinting every possible inch of her alabaster skin with his body. He wanted to savor every erotic curve and dip of her luscious body. He wanted his scent, hell, his very being infused with hers. When he was finished, there would be no doubt that she belonged to him. He reached her collar bone and pushed the offending article of clothing off her shoulder. With only one button still closed, it slid all the way down her arm, baring not only her shoulder, but the most perfectly beautiful breast ever created, tipped with a tightly pebbled nipple the color of a ripe berry. His mouth watered as he drew that delectable tip into his mouth, holding it lightly between his teeth while lavishing it with his tongue.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Grace’s hands flew to the back of his head, holding him to her breast. It was an exquisite torture she never wanted to end. She moaned and panted as he continued to suck and lick her breast, drawing more and more of her flesh into his mouth. When she was sure she would die from pleasure, Aidan released her breast with a pop, moving to the other, giving it the same fierce attention. She was being consumed by the fire this amazing man had stoked within her; sure she would be nothing but a pile of ash when he was finished. Rolling her hips, she tried to ride his very hard cock, but her quest for completion was impeded by the sweatpants he still wore. On every rotation his cock bumped her excited clit, sending flashes of light through her vision. She needed more; she needed to feel him, all of him. She slid her hand inside his pants, felt the engorged head of his rock hard cock as she wrapped her hand around the shaft. He was so big her hand barely reached all the way around. Aidan gasped at the contact and in the next second, she found herself on her back, staring into the whiskey colored orbs that caused all thoughts of anything but him to fall from her mind. She still held his erection in her hand and staring right into his eyes, rubbed her thumb across the tip, spreading the drop of moisture from his excitement all around. Aidan shuddered and pumped his hips slowly, running his dick across her soft palm.
She marveled at the strength contained in his massive body. His hands planted on either side of her head, holding all of his weight off of her, while his hips continued pumping, his cock continuing its sensual glide through her hand. His head was thrown back in pleasure and she wanted to lick every ridge and valley of the spectacularly corded muscles in his neck. He pushed forward and stopped, letting his head fall forward, and once again she was snared by those magnetic amber eyes.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
As he began sliding down her body, his cock slipped from her hand, and he moaned from the loss. He held Grace’s sky blue eyes captive, drinking in all that she felt from their contact. His sensual slide ended with his head positioned right above her trimmed ebony curls, glistening with the juices
of her arousal. He inhaled deeply, drawing the unmistakable scent of her arousal deep into his being. His mouth watered in anticipation of the first taste of his mate. He longed to have her juices coat his tongue and flow down his throat, just as they had in his dreams. Her scent made him more light-headed than the strongest ale he had ever shared with his brethren. He leaned down and blew gently on the engorged nub that pushed through her curls, pulsing with excitement. Grace threw her head back while her back bowed off the bed. Her body pulled tight and her clit grew harder, pushing farther from the hood. Aidan placed his tongue at the base of her slit and licked from bottom to top in one slow swipe with the flat of his tongue, forcing her wet, swollen lips to part. He sucked her firm, sensitive bud into his mouth, held it gently between his teeth, and teased it as fiercely as he could with the tip of his tongue, until Grace was grabbing his hair and driving her heels into his back. Her juices flowed from her pussy, coating his chin and causing him to lap at her with renewed vigor. He thrust his tongue into her pussy long and hard, licking and sucking, capturing as much of her sweet nectar as he was able. He curled the tip of his tongue to reach the very special bundle of nerves that would force Grace over the edge at the same time as he shoved his finger in alongside his tongue, stretching her feminine walls and filling her completely.
Grace’s thighs tightened around his head and her heels dug into his back as he drove her higher and higher. He felt her walls contract, gripping his tongue and finger. He added a second finger and sucked her clit into his mouth. Grace went off like a rocket, coming long and hard, screaming his name at her release. He continued to lick and suck her beautiful pussy, wringing every last tremor of climax from her while bringing her down slowly. She sighed, her muscles so relaxed that her legs slid off his shoulders. He placed tender kisses on the silken skin above her mound while carefully sliding his arms from under her legs, placing a light kiss on each abraded knee. He continued to kiss his way up her body, shedding his pants as he went. He dipped his tongue into her belly button and smiled at the giggle that escaped her lips, lax from pleasure. He reached the underside of her gorgeous breasts; leaving not an inch untouched as he worked his way to her hard, extended nipples, pointing to the heavens, begging to be kissed. He sucked one and then the other into his mouth and blew a soft puff of air over both peaks, still damp from his kiss, watching them pucker and stretch. Her chest colored with a blush that reminded him of the pink roses his mother had grown all those years ago, and he kissed all he could reach. By the time he reached her mouth, they were both panting and rubbing against each other. Aidan knew he would die if he was not buried deep inside her very soon.
Braced on his forearms, only a few inches separating their lips, he slid slowly into her warm, wet channel. Inch by inch, he joined with his mate. He shook with the effort it took to go slow. Every contraction of her inner muscles pulled him farther into her body and milked his cock, begging him to move faster, but still he held back, causing the sweat to run down and pool in the small of his back. She was so wet and ready for him, her excitement growing so quickly that her juices flowed freely from her pussy and puddled between them. When he was seated completely within her, he held completely still, reveling in the feel of the one meant for him wrapped so tightly around his cock. He watched her face, eyes closed in passion, sweat dotting her upper lip, and lips parted while she panted, trying to gain some semblance of control. “Look at me, mo ghra’. See who is loving you. See everything that we are together.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Grace’s eyes flew open and the ever present current jumped between them, sizzling stronger and brighter than ever before. She was helpless to deny him anything when he trained those whiskey colored pools of desire at her. She wrapped her legs around his waist and held tight as he began a casual slide in and out of her. She knew from the lines around his mouth and eyes what going slow was costing him. It was a feeling deep inside that he was going slow for her, he was loving her, making her feel safe, cementing the promise he had given her earlier with his body and soul. He would care for her, protect her from all that would try to harm her, and always be there for her. The longer she stared into his eyes, the harder it became to hold back. She met him stroke for stroke. Their pace accelerated and in the blink of an eye, he was pistoning in and out of her dripping channel, driving them both to the release they so desperately needed. She felt the well toned muscles in his butt flex under her calves as he worked deeper and harder into her.
She grabbed his shoulders, crushing her chest to his. Her pebbled nipples rubbed against his heavily muscled chest, the friction created by the light smattering of coarse golden hair causing the most delicious little sparks of electricity to arch between them. He shifted his hips, causing his pelvis to bump her clit and his cock to rub her sensitive bundle of nerves with every stroke. Thought was impossible; Grace could only feel. She knew if she died in that moment, she would die a very happy woman. Her orgasm was building, careening through her body like a runaway train, bringing her right to the edge of something bigger than she could have ever imagine, and the whole time Aidan held her captive with his gaze. “Come, mo chroi, come with me.”
The feel of him deep inside, touching places she didn’t even know existed, owning all that she was, with that look in his eyes, stole the breath from her lungs. Her muscles contracted so tightly around him that she had no idea where she ended and he began. “Trust me, mo chroi, let go and trust me. I’ve got you and I’m not letting go,” he groaned his request, and thrust into her so hard and fast she felt him bump her cervix, the exquisite sensation undid the last of her resolve and in her next breath, she felt as if she was flying so high she might never come down.
She and Aidan came with such force their bodies shook. It was hard to stay conscious. The sound of shouting reached her ears and she wasn’t sure if was her or him or both. Against her will, her eyes slid shut. Lights flashed and colors resembling the fireworks she loved so much as a child, burst into the darkness and then everything was black, the incredible pleasure they had just shared taking her to a totally different plane of existence. When she floated back to earth, she smiled at the feel of Aiden’s lips placing butterfly kisses on her face and neck. He rolled to the side taking her with him, where she ended up sprawled across his body, boneless and spent. A peace she hadn’t known possible flowed through her, all because of the amazing man whose body she presently blanketed. She opened her eyes to those magnetic amber eyes, overflowing with emotion. Unable to keep her eyes open more than a few seconds, her lids slid closed and in the next breath, she was sleeping.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Aidan felt Grace completely relax and knew from her breathing she had fallen asleep. He drew little circles in the drying perspiration on her back. She shivered with a chill so he reached down, grabbed the sheet, and covered them both. He lay in the darkness of the early morning hours, grinning like an idiot. He had made love to his mate. He felt a completeness only possible from joining his body with hers, and it was only the beginning; he would never get enough. His thoughts ran wild with all the ways he could keep her in bed for weeks, maybe months. The sounds of her sleeping and the contentment he had seen in her beautiful blue eyes were a balm to his soul. He was already in love with Grace Kensington. His smile widened and he drifted off to sleep, happier than he could ever remember.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Andrew returned to the condo he was renting across the street from the apartment where his brother and his mate were presently sleeping. He didn’t have to look in the windows to know they would be completely exhausted from the excitement at Grace’s office. He had her name, address, and place of employment, courtesy of his contact; and had planned to abduct and torture her this very night. But his plan was blown all to hell by the hired thugs working with the wizards. Those assholes had shown up and ruined all his plans. He had no idea what that was all about, but he damned sure planned on finding out during his meeting with the leader of the wizard coven th
e next evening.
After Aidan had saved his damsel in distress and sped off, Andrew had stayed to watch Lance and Royce dispose of the bodies and cajole the shaken guards into believing nothing had happened while they had been bound and gagged. He brushed away the memories that threatened his sanity. Memories of the times they were all members of the same Force, working together, side-by-side. He could not stand the weakness those memories invoked, so he pushed them to the back of his mind and locked them away. They were memories of his past, a past he could never return to. His brother had betrayed him and left him to die. He had been forced to make his own way, and his way was full of revenge and retribution. Lost to his thoughts, he almost missed the werepanther trackers that dogged his every step. They were getting closer every day to pinpointing his scent and exact location.
He raced back to his safe house, thinking how relieved he would be after his meeting with the wizard leader. They would perform the ritual; restoring his level of black magic. He had been taught to abhor the use of the hated dark magic, and a part of him was sickened that he was forced to use it to stay hidden from his brothers and the other members of their Dragon Guard Force but he could see no other way to avoid capture and exact his revenge on all those that had wronged him. He would see all responsible for his capture, imprisonment, and torture, pay; along with any that got in the way of reaching his goal. He would also uncover the connection between the men in that parking garage and the wizards. Something that could unravel his plans was brewing. He could feel it, and he simply could not let that happen.
CHAPTER FIVE
Grace slowly came awake, dreaming of whiskey colored eyes and wickedly electrifying kisses. She could not help but smile, remembering all the ways she and Aidan had loved each other throughout the night. She stretched and winced from the cuts and bruises and a delicious soreness between her legs that had her pulse racing all over again. She felt the other side of the bed, still warm from Aidan’s body and rolled, breathing in the wonderfully crisp, smoky, woodsy scent that was his alone. What was it about this man that made her put aside all her usual reservations and insecurities? How could someone she had known such a short time have slipped past all her defenses? Never had she been the kind of girl that just fell into bed with someone she barely knew, but this guy was just something all together different than she had ever experienced before. Her special intuition was telling her that he was a good man and would never hurt her, and her spidey senses had never been wrong. It would have been easy to think that it was just a fling, but she knew with a certainty that should have scared her, that he saw her as more than a passing fancy, and she definitely felt like he was so much more than someone to scratch an itch; although, he was very good at that too. She chuckled at her silliness and then stopped short. When had she ever been silly where a man was concerned? Never. This man completely short-circuited her brain; here she was lying in bed giggling like a school girl. Whatever Aidan had, she could bottle it and make a fortune if she was willing to share, and after careful consideration, she found that she definitely was not. He was hers and that was it. Whoa, girl! Yours? You sure about that?