by Julia Mills
“The silver dragons were forged from the very fiber of the universe, and because of this, are often referred to as the ‘Shield Dragons’. They are protective to a fault and will fight to the death to defend those they hold dear. They have quick and ambitious attitudes and use a combination of their minds and hearts to make all decisions. They love hard and strong and endlessly. They never lose faith in whom or what they believe in. To mate a silver dragon means to accept all that they are and honor the power shared between mates.
“Now is the time of the marking. May the Universe continue to bless you and yours all the days of your life,” and with that, everyone but Aidan and Grace left the meadow.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
She stood in awe, staring at the man that held her heart, completely humbled by the abundance of love she saw in the depths of his amber eyes. She could not believe that someone like Aidan could love someone like her. It defied all logic, but the belief she felt with every fiber of her being that they were meant to be, rang loud and true. As she fell deeper and deeper into the depths of his hypnotic whiskey eyes, she realized they had started to glow. The longer she looked, the brighter they glowed. She saw a heat caused by more than passion reflected in the eyes she would look into for rest of her very long life. Aidan lowered his mouth to hers, stopping right before their lips would have touched, and whispered, “Ta’ mo chroi istigh ionat,” and with that, he lowered his lips onto hers.
It was the most all-encompassing, completely devastating, enraptured, kiss in the history of kisses. She felt the touch of his lips in every cell of her body. She was consumed with a heat that warmed her from the inside out and laid her open; body, heart, and soul, to her mate. She knew in that moment that there would never be any part of her, no matter how small, that this man would not be able to touch. Everything she felt was reciprocated. He was just as open to her as she was to him. It was as though they now shared the same space inside of her, and then she understood; it was just as Kyndel and Siobhan had described.
There was a slight sting on the left side of her neck, right where her neck met her shoulder. Aidan left her lips, trailing kisses across her jaw and down her neck, until he reached the tender spot that had stung a moment before. He licked and sucked the offending spot until all thoughts of anything but their naked bodies loving one another were banished from her mind.
She wound her fingers through his hair as he continued to lavish her neck and shoulders with smoldering kisses. She pulled his mouth up to hers and just as she would have kissed the lips of her mate, he pulled back slightly. He looked like a little boy with a secret. She furrowed her brow in mock anger, “What are you up to, Mr. O’Brien?”
His grinned widened, “There is nothing more in this world that I want to do than make love to my new mate, but there are two things we need to take care of first.” He lifted his fingers to her lips before she could object. She giggled as his eyes widened when the tip of her tongue slid out to taste his finger.
He shook his head, “No fair trying to distract me, mo ghra’. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can consummate our union.” She laughed out loud as he wiggled his eyebrows for added effect.
She wanted to pout, but knew he was right. “Ok, let’s get this show on the road.” Before she could utter another word, he picked her up and strode across the meadow to a small gazebo she had only just noticed.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
He wanted nothing more than to get his mate back to their home where he could make love to her until neither one of them could walk, but he had one last obligation to complete before their union would receive its full blessing from the Universe. He thanked the heavens for the advancements in technology, for without them he would have had to wait until he could travel over 5000 miles to officially mate his Grace. He knew for certain that he would have spontaneously combusted in that time. He sat her down on the bench in the gazebo, on the far side of the Garden of Peace and watched as she tried to figure out what was about to happen. “Close your eyes, m’anamchara, this is a surprise.”
She frowned but complied. He rewarded her with an all too quick peck on the lips. Reaching into the duffle he had asked his twin to place in the gazebo before the ceremony, he pulled out a small laptop and a white velvet box. He made quick work of opening the laptop and dialing the people whose blessing would seal their union and allow the Universe to complete the bond that would hold them together for all time. As soon as their faces appeared on the screen he held his finger to his lips to make sure they didn’t ruin the surprise, and pointed to Grace who still sat with her eyes closed and brows furrowed. “Open your eyes, my love.”
Her eyes immediately met his and then lit upon the laptop in his hands and her parents smiling back at her. The surprise and happiness he saw made all of his preparations and sneaking around worth it. Had it not been for Kyndel making a few calls and getting him the clearance he needed to speak to the ambassador, their mating would not have happened.
“Mom! Dad! Oh my God! You’re here! Well, not here, but here!” She pointed at the screen as tears of joy rolled down her face.
She looked at him with a look he hoped he saw every minute of every day for the rest of his life. “Thank you, Aidan, thank you so much.”
He nodded his head, trying to dislodge the lump in his throat. “As I explained to your parents, it is part of the religious tradition of my family,” he paused and winked with the eye that her parents couldn’t see, “that we have a ceremony with only you and I, the holy men that officiate, and our witnesses only.” She nodded, letting him know that she followed the bit of subterfuge he’d had to use to not have her parents knocking on the front gate of the lair.
“It’s also very important that we have your parents blessing on our union, and I knew you would want them here, even if it meant just for a few minutes over the computer.” He turned so that he faced her parents on the screen of the laptop he had borrowed from one of the much younger drakes. “Mr. and Mrs. Kensington, I promise to love and honor your daughter for all the years of my life. Her health and welfare will always be my first thought and she will never want for anything. I ask your blessing on our union.”
He waited for three heartbeats that seemed like three years, until her father spoke, “I can see from the sparkle in my little girl’s eyes that you make her incredibly happy. I’m trusting you with my most prized possession, Mr. O’Brien. You have our blessing.”
He felt a weight he hadn’t realized was there, lift from his shoulders. “Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Kensington. I will do everything in my power to give Grace the life she deserves.”
“Mom, Dad, I’m so glad you could be here, even if it is only on a computer screen. I love you both.” Grace’s voiced cracked as she spoke to her parents.
“We love you too, darling. Be happy and we’ll be back stateside soon. Please come and visit. We miss you so very much.” Her mother was crying by the time she finished speaking.
“We will. Take care of yourselves,” Grace answered.
“Thank you again. I look forward to meeting you in person very soon.” Aidan was ready to have this over with so he could be alone with his mate, but he would wait as long as Grace wanted. This was her family, a very important part of who she was.
“Bye Mom and Dad. See you soon.”
“Bye, Grace dear,” her parents both answered, and the screen went blank.
She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him for all she was worth. He felt her body shaking as he rubbed up and down her back, careful to avoid any bumps or scrapes that may still be healing. “Are you ok, mo chroi?”
She leaned back. He saw tears of joy and a beautiful smile. “Oh, Aidan, I am so happy. Thank you so much. I know we haven’t talked about my family. I’m not very close to them at all, but it just felt like something was missing not having them here, and you took care of it without even knowing it was important to me. If it’s possible, I love you even more.” She leaned forward, kissing him long and de
ep, making his head swim. He thought about abandoning the other plans he had for her and running back to their home, but then decided it was his duty to give her everything within his power. Reluctantly, he pulled back from her kiss and watched as the fog cleared from her beautiful blue eyes.
“I have another surprise, mo ghra’. Close your eyes and hold out your hands.”
She did as he asked, with a big beautiful smile illuminating her face. He placed the white velvet box in her hands. “Open your eyes, Grace.”
She looked at him and then the box he had placed in her hands. “What is this?”
“Open it and find out, mo chroi.”
Her smile widened and she gasped as she opened the box and saw the necklace she had admired while they visited Emma’s shop. She looked up at him, as more happy tears slid down her cheeks. “Aidan, you are an amazing man. I don’t know what I ever did to deserve you but I’m damn glad I did. I love you with all my heart.”
“And I love you, Grace Kensington-O’Brien.”
He eyes widened, “Kensington-O’Brien is it now?”
He raised one eyebrow as he had seen her best friend do so many times, “Well, I don’t care if you keep the Kensington, but you are damn sure taking the O’Brien.”
They both erupted into hilarious laughter as he fastened her necklace around her elegant neck. “I know Emma explained what the ringing of a bell means to a dragon and his mate.” He left his comment hanging hoping she would pick up on his intent and his mate did not disappoint.
“Yes, she did Mr. O’Brien, and this necklace is never going to stop ringing”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The last two months had been mated bliss. She absolutely could not imagine her life without Aidan in it. After an all too brief honeymoon, he had tried to sneak away, but didn’t get far before she found him. After a lengthy discussion, they both returned to the horrible cabin in the woods where she had been held captive. Aidan had called forth his majestic dragon almost immediately. She marveled at his massive silver and black body and the way the sun shining through the trees caused his scales to glint and glimmer. She wondered if she would ever get used to the fact that the man she loved could also become one of the largest and fiercest beasts of legend. Grace watched as his dragon’s fire completely consumed the building that had haunted her dreams since the day he had rescued her. She knew he did it for her, but could also feel the satisfaction of man and beast that it was no more.
When they returned to the clan’s lair, they had decided it was best for them to live in her home in the city, since she was working with the new State Prosecutor and law enforcement to catch ‘The Auctioneer’. Not to mention, Aidan and his brethren were still tracking Andrew. Together they made an awesome team, both personally and professionally.
She had been working at her desk all day, waiting for him to come home, and was just about to get a glass of wine when she heard the front door open. “Where is my beautiful mate?” he said directly into her mind.
“She’s in the office, missing you terribly,” she sent back through their unique connection.
Before she could draw another breath, she was in his arms. “I do love your enhanced speed, Mr. O’Brien.”
“Not as much as I love you, Mrs. O’Brien.” She adored it when he called her that. She had decided the morning after their mating ceremony that she wanted nothing more than to belong to the handsome hunk of a man that was now nibbling her neck, in every way possible, and that included her name. She told him that she was dropping the Kensington and using only O’Brien as her last name. They had made love for the rest of the day, only stopping for sustenance.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
He continued his exploration of her neck, moving to her shoulder, tasting all he could of his mate. He kissed, licked, and nibbled, removing her top and then her bra for better access. If he had it his way, she would be naked every minute of every day. He worked his way to her waiting breasts, drawing an already swollen, dusty rose nipple into his mouth. He sucked and pulled as much of her flesh into his mouth as he could, as Grace arched her back, moaning low in her throat.
They were both panting, their pulses racing, when he picked her up and set her on the edge of his desk. He was drowning in the intoxicating scent of honey and vanilla. No matter how long they lived, he would never tire of that scent or of the woman in his arms. He had to taste her in the next minute or he was sure he would lose his mind. He pushed her farther back on the desk top, laying her back as he went, both completely oblivious to the papers that scattered all around. He took a moment to look at his mate, naked from the waist up, lips swollen from his kisses, skin flushed from her excitement, and nipples pebbled, pointing to the ceiling; absolute perfection.
He reached for the waistband of her yoga pants and slid them off of her body. His cock jumped as he realized she hadn’t worn panties and now was completely bare for him. His little minx of a mate raised her foot, rubbing his rock hard erection through the denim of his jeans. He rolled his hips, adding to the delicious friction she caused, but had to pull back before he reached the point of no return. He wondered if the day would ever come when she did not set his blood to boiling and make all reasonable thought vacate his brain with her beautiful body.
He laid his hand on her stomach, caressing as he slowly moved towards her pussy. The heat rising from her arousal stung his fingers. He slid his fingers over the top of her slit and she lifted her hips, trying to force him to touch the spot that would send her into orbit. “Patience, mo ghra’, I want to enjoy you.”
He was rewarded with one of her pouts that almost made him abandon the bounty that awaited his mouth to take her puffy bottom lip between his teeth and bite down, but the promise of her miraculous taste on his tongue won the battle. He watched as she slowly licked both her index fingers, then her thumbs, and slowly moved her hands to her breasts. When she took her nipples between her saliva soaked digits, it was his turn to pant. His cock pressed against the zipper of his jeans, threatening to break through the fabric. He bent down, placing tiny kisses along the outer lips of her already weeping pussy. As he reached the top of her slit, and watched as she continued to work her nipples while tossing her head from side to side, he blew a puff of air onto the head of her engorged nub. She moaned, looking right into his eyes.
“Aidan…” his name on her lips pushed him to a place only his Grace could take him, a place where only they existed.
He touched her clit with the tip of his tongue, while blowing more little puffs of air on the aroused bundle of nerves until she had her hands in his hair, pulling so hard he saw stars. He pushed his tongue between her swollen lips, her taste exploding on his tongue; the flashes of light and swirls of color he saw from just one taste of her honey was magnificent. Aidan pushed one finger into her aroused flesh and then added another, pumping in and out, driving her higher and higher. He separated her outer lips with his fingers and drove his tongue as far into her as he could reach with one smooth thrust. Grace’s back bowed off the desk and her legs flew onto his shoulders. She lifted her bottom even higher, pushing his tongue farther into her pulsing channel as she thrashed and screamed his name while he continued to feast.
He smiled to himself at her responsiveness. She never ceased to amaze him with her absolute abandon, his perfect match in every way. If they lived two thousand years he would never tire of her taste.
He continued to fuck her with his tongue while teasing her clit with his thumb. Enjoying his mate too much for it end, he backed off, placing his tongue on the bottom of her slit and licking slowly to her clit. He again sucked her engorged nub between his teeth, nipping lightly. She ground her hips against his face and dug her heels into his back, and he alternated between fucking her with his tongue and licking her like the red popsicles she loved so much. By the time he was ready for her to come the first time, she was speaking in tongues and squeezing his head with her lovely, soft thighs.
Aidan once again licked her long and slow f
rom bottom to top, sucking her clit into his mouth, but this time he bit down with more intent on her swollen clit, thrusting his fingers into her wanting channel, while curling the tips to reach her very sensitive bundle of nerves at the top. Grace came with such force he had to focus all his attention to catch the honey that poured from her pussy. He petted and suckled as she slowly came back to earth. The pride that filled him was immeasurable, as once again she graced him with his name upon her lips in a sweet sign of contentment, “Aidan…”
“Yes, a chumann.”
“I love you.” Her voice just a whisper for only his ears as she laid still, completely relaxed, eyes still closed.
“And I love you, mo chroi.” He positioned his cock right against her swollen, flushed lips, rubbing the head slowly against her clit as it continued to peek out from its hood, coating himself with her essence. He slowly pushed into her weeping channel, stopping when just the head of his cock lay inside. She contracted, pulling him deeper inside. He pushed forward, inch by inch, teasing them both until they were once again panting, their skin slick with sweat. When he touched the top of her womb he held completely still, savoring the feel of her body contracting around his pulsing cock. Her inner walls massaged his erection until he was harder than he thought possible. Every time with Grace was like the first, something to be savored. He dreamed of staying like this forever, held together by the perfect union that can only happen when one is truly made for the other, but if he did not move soon he would cum before she was ready again, and there would never be a time that her pleasure did not come first. He slowly pulled out, hovering at her opening. One slight movement and he would have slipped from the heaven that was his Grace. He pushed forward, watching as his hard pulsing cock disappeared into her; just the sight of them joined, caused his balls to draw. Their rhythm increased, each stroke of his cock rubbing against her feminine walls. His vision blurred. He would never get enough of her.