“Hi.” Al greeted him timidly.
“Did you have a nice nap, lass?”
“Yes.” She stretched and couldn’t stop a moan.
“Are you hurt lass?” A look of harsh concern residing on his face. “Was I too rough?” Kai sat up in the bed and looked her over.
His hands ran over her limbs and stomach, she pulled back from him and pushed him away from her, forcing him to look at her face.
“No, Kai. I’m not hurt. I’m fine.” She assured him.
“Are you sure?” He looked deeper into her eyes, checking for truth.
“Positive. I feel…” Her voice trailed off, as she took stock of herself. “…well satisfied.”
Her smile spread across her face. She felt more than satisfied. She felt wonderful. This man concerned about her health, had given her something she had never had in her entire life. Fire. Passion. Love.
He cupped her cheek, “Are you sure, lass?”
“Positive. I’m positive of something else too.”
“Of what?” Concern was still in his eyes.
“Of the fact that I need a shower.” She grinned at him.
Kai hesitated only a second before he tackled her to the bed. “You tease.” His fingers began moving against her and tickling her sides. Alvena jerked around and began to shriek in protest.
“Stop. Stop.” She pleaded between fits of laughter. “I’ll pee the bed and then you’ll have to get me another one.” She pleaded as she held his hands back from her very ticklish skin.
“Alright, I’ll let you off this once you tease.”
“Um… Kai?”
“Aye.”
“About yesterday at the airport... I’m sorry. I overreacted.” Her voice lowered as she admitted to her jealousy.
“Lass,” he caressed her checks. “I’m the one at fault. I have to think before I act now that I have you in my life.”
“Maybe we both need to think before we act.” Al conceded.
“Do you want to know the truth, lass?” Kai grinned at her.
“What’s that?”
“I loved that you were jealous.” His evil grin made her laugh.
“Of course you did.” She groaned as she stretched again. Certain areas were feeling the effects of the last few days, between riding the motorcycle and having mind blowing sex with Kai, she was sore in places she didn’t realize she had.
“Alright, lass, come on, to the shower.” He said as he jumped up from the bed.
Kai walked over to the duffel bag sitting on the floor and rustled around before returning to Al. Grabbing her hands he pulled her to her feet and dragged her to the bathroom where he turned on the shower. After checking the temperature of the water, he lifted her up and into the tub. He stepped in behind her and pulled the curtain closed. Al moaned as she tilted her head back into the spray of hot water. The heat was soaking into her sore muscles – deliciously sore – and she moaned in pleasure.
“Lass?” She wiped the water from her eyes and turned to look at Kai, he had a look of concern and fear on his face.
“I’ve never had my instincts take over like that before. Did I hurt you? Did I… scare you?” He stroked her face.
“Kai, it’s strange, but no. I could see your dragon, and I knew that he and you… that neither one of you would hurt me.”
“You could see him?”
“Yes, and you are both glorious.” Al began to trace her hands over his chest. “You make me want things, things I never imagined.”
She tickled her fingers through his chest hair and followed the spattering of hair and the lines of his muscles over his pecks and down his abs. He sucked in a broken breath as she stopped at his waist. Al was tempted to go lower and she would soon, but she hadn’t had the chance to explore him yet and she was definitely going to explore. Kai started to move his hands along her hip bones. She smacked them away and looked into his face.
“Ah, Ah. You are being a bad lad, aren’t you?” She waggled her finger at him as she grinned. “Nuh-uh, it’s my turn. I want to check out these muscles you’ve been teasing me with.”
Kai chuckled, “Of course, lass? Anything you want.” He said as he lifted his hands up in a gesture that said he wasn’t going to touch.
Al trailed her fingers around his hip bones and to his lower back. It took a bit of maneuvering to get around him in the small tub. He was such a large man that he dominated the small space. From behind she rested her hands at his lower back, trying to decide which way she wanted to go… Up? Her eyes drifted to his broad shoulders. Or, down? Her eyes traveled down his spine to his delectable ass. Oh, yeah, down. She thought, before another niggling thought made its self known. Her eyes moved back up to his back. Flashes of the bar brawl and Kai protecting her, of chairs flying and smashing against him, of him grunting in pain.
“Kai? Why aren’t you bruised?” Her fingers drifted across the flawless skin over his shoulder blades and up over his shoulder muscles that she had to stretch to reach.
“What?” He said, obviously distracted.
“The bruises you should have from the bar.” She clarified.
“Oh, those.”
“Yeah, those, where are they?”
“My dragon healed them.” He said as he turned toward her.
Holding tight to his arm, she stopped him from turning all the way.
“What do you mean your dragon healed them? I don’t understand.”
“Dásreach heal quickly due to the spirit guardian we carry. They help us heal, so that we can live a long life of service to the Earth.” He responded. “Lass, can we talk about this later. I have a better idea of what you can do with that mouth.”
She looked at him, her eyes landed on the tattoo on his left bicep. She trailed her fingers over it and followed the lines of the dragon.
“Me too.” She said as she stuck out her tongue and traced the lines.
Kai moaned. His muscles vibrated under her fingers. When she bit down and began nibbling, he jerked away from her. Quick as a lighting strike, he turned and had her in his arms and braced against the wall. He held her with his firm body as he bent and grabbed something off the little shelf on the wall of the tub. She heard him ripping a package and felt his hands bumping against her behind as he rolled on a condom. Al was relieved that Kai kept remembering the protection, even with her birth control, she had always used condoms in the past. But with him, her brain always went on hiatus the moment her skin touched his. So wrapped up in him she would never think of it. Always protecting her, that was her Kai.
He nibbled at her neck and as the water flowed down around them, he lifted her leg and pushed into her in one strong stroke. He held there. Laying his forehead against hers, he stood tense and still. His breaths were heavy against her neck.
“The things you do to me, lass. I feel like I no longer have control over my body. All it wants is you.”
“All I know, Kai, is that my body wants yours.” She tried to move, but he held her firm. “Move, damn it!” Her body writhed with the need for him to move.
Pulling out in one long glide until only the tip of him remained within her, Kai held Al still with his body and strong arms. A moment that seemed a century passed before he began the steady rhythm of the age old dance. The music of the water played counterpoint to their breaths.
Their passions built quickly and their releases came in a synchronized moan of satisfaction.
Al collapsed against Kai’s chest. Her breathing ragged.
“I don’t think I need to be clean. I don’t even have the energy to stand.” She said the minute he dropped her leg to the floor of the tub.
Kai stepped away from her and turned the water off. He threw away the used condom and grabbed a towel and proceeded to quickly dry them both.
“Kai, where do you keep getting the condoms? Not that I’m complaining mind you.” He chuckled and rubbed the towel over her breasts with a grin. The evil man was tempting her again.
“I bought a box
when I visited the store.” He looked up at her. “Was that too presumptuous?”
Al leaned against the bathroom vanity. “No, I’m glad. Better safe than sorry and it shows that you care.”
She grabbed a towel off the shelf and wrapped it around herself.
“Well, I thought it would make you more comfortable and I didn’t know if you were on birth control. Diseases aren’t a concern.” When she looked at him, he clarified. “Dásreach don’t catch or carry diseases. Part of the whole healing thing.”
“Oh.” She glanced around. “I am on birth control, I get a shot. As I said, better safe than sorry. I haven’t had a lot of relationships, but I never leave my health to someone else.”
“Not that I’m complaining, you’re mine and I’ll kill anyone else who touches you, Alvena, but why aren’t you in a relationship?”
Al debated what to tell him exactly. It wasn’t something she felt comfortable discussing, but she figured he needed to know the scars she bore.
“Lass, if you don’t want to talk about it…” He began before she interrupted.
“No, it’s okay. It’s just that it almost makes me sound like an awful person.”
Kai came up to her at the vanity. “Alvena, I see you. I see your soul. What happened in your past doesn’t change what I know just from looking there. Doesn’t change how much I simply want to be a part of your life.” He slid his fingers along her jaw like she liked and tucked her damp hair behind her ear.
“I’m thinking we should go cuddle in the bed and you can tell me what you feel comfortable telling. Sound good?”
“Yes.” She whispered.
Before she could move, Kai reached down and lifted her into his arms. She looped her arms around his neck, his still damp skin warm against her hand as he carried her to the bed. Al could definitely get used to the way this man cared for her. He cradled her against his chest as he tucked them back into the blankets. He sat back against the headboard and ran his fingers through her hair. It was soothing and he didn’t press her to tell him anything.
“So,” she sighed, “I mentioned about bad relationships. You must understand my parents were teenage sweethearts, so I grew up with a pretty solid family structure from that perspective. I had two older brothers, they were several years older. They went through the typical teenage angst stage and caused a lot of upheaval when I was really young, but by the time I was 12 years old, my brothers were out of the house. It was like two separate families. I was never all that close to my brothers and now only see my parents on major holidays and birthdays. I love them, but days go by and I don’t think of them.”
Al paused, trying to organize her thoughts and figure out what would explain things to Kai.
“Growing up my parents weren’t very outgoing. We pretty much stuck to ourselves. They went to work and did what was needed at home, but they didn’t have hobbies or friends outside of family members. They grew up shy and passed that on to me. I struggled a lot and when we moved from Columbus to a small town when I was 12, I had an even harder time. I was terrified of making new friends, but a few girls approached me and over the years I became comfortable. I’m probably what some people would call a free spirit, an artistic soul. I’ve always been into creative things and had a flare and style all of my own. I guess the girls I thought were my friends were embarrassed by me. All the way through high school they would be happy to see me in class, especially when they had no one else in the class to talk to, but when it came to hanging out. Well, they always had other things to do. I was depressed a lot and my emotions were pretty volatile between the typical teenage stresses and trying to find my place in the world. I admit I didn’t always act the best, but I came out of high school with trust issues. Not just in others, but in myself.”
Al stopped talking. She knew she was telling him more than he had asked, but he had to understand all of the past in order to understand her. And, with her heart invested the way it was, she really wanted Kai to understand her. Accept her. Love her, all of her, even her flaws.
“I went off to college with a lot of plans to make my life better. Things were going to be different. However, I ended up in one relationship after another that played out the same way. My college roommate was the worst, she would talk me into helping her with her projects, promising to help with mine, but when it came time she was too busy. Hers were always due before mine and therefore more important. I felt used. So, when my first real relationship with a guy happened, I soaked it up, but I wanted to change him. I wanted to feel safe I think. I really treated him like crap and soon the sex wasn’t enough for him anymore. It took a while for me to try dating again and after graduation, but I found a few more relationships. This time I set rules for myself. I would date a guy until he professed his love and when I felt that there might be something there as well, I would let him take me back to his place. After sex, I always felt letdown. It never felt right and I would get up, get dressed, and go home. I’d wait a week or so, and then break it off. With my last boyfriend I tried to break the cycle, but he ended up breaking it off with me the very next day after we had sex the second time. He said I was horrible in bed and he wouldn’t waste his time with me. That was two years ago.”
Sitting up, she pulled away from Kai and wrapped her arms around her legs. With her head resting against her knees, she couldn’t see his face to gage his thoughts. The mattress moved under her and dipped as Kai came around in front of her. He pulled her chin up and looked into her eyes.
“Alvena, you see the way I react to you, aye?” She nodded her response to his question.
“Then feel secure in the words leaving my lips right now, the way you look, the sound of your voice, the way you smell, the feel of your skin against my own makes me burn. Making love to you is the single most amazing event in my life. Being chosen by my dragon spirit guardian, shifting for the first time, even flying in the sky pales in comparison to how you make me feel.” He brushed his lips against hers, then laid back down as he pulled her back into his arms.
With her face lying against his chest, she cuddled into his side and Kai began to run his fingers in shapes on her back. The feel of his fingers and the hypnotic motion helped her to relax. She felt his chest rise in a deep breath, and then he began to speak.
“You were young when you did the things you mentioned. It’s easy to be confused. I rebelled when I was about 25. I basically ran away from home. I was so aggravated about being chosen by the dragon. I didn’t want to lead my people. I didn’t want the responsibility. I was an artist before the oath ceremony. Charlie and I had plans to open a tattoo shop. We figured it would pay our bills while I got to do what I loved, draw and paint. I used to do a lot of pen and ink sketches. I’d give them to my mum as presents. She loved them. However, the day the Shaman tattooed my arm with the dragon, my life was no longer my own. All of a sudden I was living in Colorado with 12 other men and constantly in some class or another at the local colleges. Then one day I had had enough. It was a summer day and it felt like it was way over 100 degrees, and with the dragon, well the heat doesn’t bother me like it used too, and it was damn hot. All I wanted was to go to the pool and swim. Do something fun and cool off. I was told I had to go to some seminar on world religions. I walked out of the Educator’s office, got on my Harley, and just drove. By the time Charlie found me it had been several months and I had worked my way through women, beer, and the money I had earned from selling my bike.” He pressed a kiss to her temple.
“So you see we all have things we’re not proud of and wish we could do differently. Those things make us who we are, Alvena, and I love the person you are.”
After he finished, they lay quietly in each other’s arms. The only sound the fan running on the heater/air conditioner. His hands continued the soothing motions on her back and her last memory was of him brushing a kiss against her forehead.
*
Al woke some time later to the sound of Kai’s deep breathing. Her head rested on his c
hest and her hand rested on his arm as she cuddled into him. She had dreamed many times of waking like this with a man she loved. Her relationships had never progressed to the point where the men stayed, well truthfully, as she had told Kai she was the one that didn’t stay, she never brought them to her place. She thought of the letdown after each and every sexual experience before Kai, the letdown that had always caused her to run. Being with a man had never felt like this. Part of what scared her about the situation with Kai was how much, and how strong, he made her feel. Every emotion, every breath against her skin felt enhanced a hundred times. It was the greatest of joys and the largest of fears to be held in his arms.
Her eyes landed on his arm. She traced the smaller symbols around the dragon of his tattoo. Leader. Friendship. Weather. That’s what he had said they meant, but with all she had learned, she had a feeling that they had more meaning than he led on. There was so much she didn’t know. Each day brought more knowledge, such as learning Kai would heal quickly if he was ever hurt. She braced herself up, careful not to wake him, and looked into Kai’s strong face. In sleep, relaxed, he still looked strong and formidable. But, she could see the laugh lines around his eyes and mouth and the slight indent of those tempting dimples. Yeah, there was a lot she didn’t know, but she was looking forward to learning each minuscule tidbit about this man.
She yawned and cuddled back into his side. His arms came around her and pulled her even closer. Al drifted in and out for a while until she felt Kai’s fingers stroking her thigh at the juncture of her leg. Her reaction was immediate and visceral as she rotated her hips into his hand and encouraged him to travel farther in. She heard him chuckle as he rolled her and tugged her back into his chest. His lips nibbled on her ear.
“You’re insatiable aren’t you, lass?”
“Only for you, Kai.” She whimpered and pushed her ass into his groin. His hard shaft was pointed upwards and fell between her cheeks.
He began to move with her. “Are you sure you can handle another round, lass?”
Finding the Dragon (Dásreach Council Book 1) Page 28