I’ll never tire of your taste.
The throaty timbre of his voice sent a fresh surge of longing coursing through her. And I’ll never tire of tasting you.
His emotions rolled like a stormy sea, showing her exactly how much he needed this joining, how long he’d been lonely. She opened for him, allowing him to feel the depth of her longing and her joy that they were finally together.
He focused on her clit, circling and sucking until she arched into each touch and pressed herself against his mouth. He knew just how to touch her to drive her absolutely insane. Holding her open with his fingers, he slowly pushed his tongue deep into her core. In her. He was in her mind and her mouth and her pussy. The realization was more than she could take.
Pleasure crashed over her and rushed through her, barreling across their link and slamming into him. His hips jerked and his cock twitched, but miraculously he held back his climax. She shuddered and moaned as her inner muscles caressed his tongue. He swirled inside her and rubbed her clit with his upper lip until she sprawled beneath him, limp and tingling.
He pulled out of her mouth and moved to her side, then sat up and scooted back against the headboard. “Come here.”
Still weak and shaky from her powerful orgasm, she sat then turned to face him. He held out his arms and she crawled on top of him, straddling his thighs. She balanced on her shins and steadied herself against his broad shoulders as he positioned his shaft against her opening.
His hands moved to her hips but he didn’t pull her down. “Last chance.” He looked into her eyes, the golden flecks in his gaze shimmering. “I’ve lived long enough to know what this is, but if you have any reservations, we should wait.”
“I knew you were my mate the first time I saw you.” She buried her fingers in his hair and claimed his mouth for a deep, intoxicating kiss. Her taste was still strong on his tongue which only added to the carnality of their joining. I love you, Ian Douglas. And I always will.
He arched as she lowered her hips, and their bodies met in the middle. Her core opened and stretched as his shaft drove even deeper. She squeezed her knees against his hips and pressed her breasts against his chest. Their breath mingled as the kiss became a wild tangle of lips and tongues. He wrapped one arm around her hips and stroked her back with his other hand.
Their link expanded, drilling into her mind. For one instinctive moment she resisted the invasive pressure, but this was Ian, her champion, her mate. She concentrated on the complexity of his emotions. Through the inferno of his desire, she sensed tenderness and joy, soul-deep longing and hope. Her spirit responded to each with equal intensity until emotions rushed freely between them, binding them and empowering them as nothing else could.
With a fierce growl, he wrapped his arms around her, lifting her against him as he folded his legs beneath him. She clung to him with her arms and legs, not wanting to separate their bodies for even a moment. He helped support her with one arm as he used the other to lower them to the bed, her on the bottom now, his feet touching the headboard.
He pulled back slightly and she wrapped her legs around his hips, digging her heels into his ass. Their lips separated as he chuckled. “I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart. Relax.”
She laughed and drew her legs up along his sides instead. “It’s hard to relax when you’re inside me.”
“Try.” He kissed his way down her neck and explored the indentation above her collarbone. “Concentrate on the fullness and let our emotions wash over you.”
Her eyes slowly closed as she focused inward, savoring the sweet rush of simmering need. His mouth teased and tickled, licking here, nipping there, but never staying in one place for long. He rocked back onto his knees, lifting his chest away from her breasts. She arched at the first featherlight brush of his lips, but he seemed determined to take his time.
So pretty. His fingers pressed against the lower curve of her breast as his lips fastened onto her nipple. He drew with slow, deep suction and sensation cascaded from her chest to her groin. His tongue flicked over the tip while his lips continued to draw upon her and her clit seemed to echo each teasing stroke.
She tightened her inner muscles, accentuating the fullness as he moved his mouth to her other breast. It felt so good and yet she needed so much more. Why wouldn’t he move? Why was he just—
I want this to last and I’ve never wanted you more.
Though the reassurance soothed her restlessness, his effortless ability to read her mind gave her pause. She opened her eyes, needing to see his face. Will you always be able to hear my thoughts?
He lifted his head and looked at her. The golden flecks in his eyes had completely overtaken the blue. “I didn’t need our link to read your mind. Therian abilities grow stronger the longer we live. The struggle for me is keeping thoughts out.”
Awareness expanded within her, making her tense and hyperalert. “You can read anyone’s mind, anytime you want?” He was empowered with ancient dragon blood to protect the most important people in the Therian world. Why hadn’t she taken a moment away from his intoxicating presence to consider what that really meant?
He cupped the side of her face, his gaze warm and caressing. “You have no reason to fear me. You’re my mate. I will lay down my life before I harm you in any way.” He paused for a reassuring kiss then added, “And even if you weren’t my mate, a Guardian is bound by honor to protect and support those in need of his strength. If I abuse my power it will be taken from me.”
She searched his gaze and his emotions, testing the depths of his character. He held nothing back, opening even the darkest, most savage corners of his soul. His life had never been easy. He’d known great loss and debilitating sorrow, but through it all he’d remained true to his calling and always unleashed his wrath only after all other options had been exhausted.
“I trust you.” She kissed him and pushed affection across their link. “It’s just intimidating to really see you for the first time.”
“We could not take the next step until you did. There can be no secrets between mates.”
“I agree.”
They kissed and touched, hands gliding over warm skin. She wrapped one leg around him, resting her foot on the small of his back. Then she planted her other foot on the bed and pushed up against him, taking him as deep as possible.
After a long, tense moment, he drew his hips back, not stopping until only his tip remained inside her. Do you accept me as your mate?
Trembling with the import of this moment, she replied, I do.
He drove his entire length into her and she cried out against his lips, a spontaneous climax shuddering through her. She’d meant to say more, to express how much she loved him and how happy she was that they would spend the rest of their lives together. But the pleasure scattered her thoughts and burned away her surroundings until only Ian remained.
They moved together, the rolling motion smooth and deep. She clutched his shoulders and met each thrust, taking him as he took her. Their tongues played as their bodies joined, their emotions melding more completely with each rotation of their hips.
He extended his arms as his tempo sped, separating their mouths in the process. She gripped his upper arms, crying out sharply as his energy blazed into her mind. He flowed through her, inundating her with heat and emotion. She dug her fingers into the hard muscles and closed her eyes against the intensity.
Tension built, rapidly rushing them toward frenzy. He pounded into her, Therian light making his eyes glow. Then he struck with sudden aggression, his mouth claiming hers as he crushed her to his chest.
Reality shattered and she was flung beyond the physical realm. Light and color blended in a blinding kaleidoscope. Colors rushed past and shot through her, each triggering a different sensation. Then a vast, cloudless sky opened before her, blue consuming everything in its path.
Massive gray-green wings unfurled, momentarily blocking out the sun. A low rumble vibrated through her, then the rhythmic whooshing of
wings stirred the air all around her, infusing her being with ancient energy. The creature dipped, banked sharply to the side, then turned to face her.
Terror and awe twisted through her as she gazed upon Ian’s dragon self. She knew instinctively what she was seeing, yet the knowledge did little to temper the shock. His long, tapered body ended in a serpentine tail. Despite his immense size he floated before her, graceful and perfectly controlled. Pointed talons capped his claws both front and back.
She trembled, suddenly aware of the grass beneath her feet and the mountain meadow surrounding them. He landed with unbelievable agility, neatly tucking his wings against his sides. His eyes gleamed like antique coins, alight with intelligence and wisdom. He tilted his head to one side and then the other as he studied her.
Without warning his sides expanded and his throat began to glow. He opened his mouth and flames burst forth, enveloping her in heat and light.
She screamed, ducking and covering her head as the flames licked at her flesh. Heat sank into her and swirled around her, coalescing into a pillar of fire. A moment passed and then another as she waited for the pain.
She’ll do. The voice rumbled like distant thunder and then the dragon leapt into the sky and flew away.
Gradually the heat receded and Devon drifted back to reality. Her body pulsed with the final ripples of a powerful orgasm and her entire body felt limp and replete. She used the last of her energy to open her eyes and found Ian smiling down at her. His weight was balanced on his forearms and knees, and their bodies were still joined.
“Welcome back.” He kissed her forehead and then the tip of her nose.
“‘She’ll do’?” She laughed. “Is he always so affectionate?”
His smile broadened as he brushed her hair back from her face. “That’s high praise from him. He seldom bothers to speak. It’s more his style to bombard my mind with images and compulsions that make it impossible to ignore.”
“Even Hollywood’s best CGI hasn’t captured the grandeur of a dragon. I can’t wait to see him in person.”
“Soon.” With obvious reluctance, he separated their bodies and rolled to her side. “We have a thing or two to resolve before we sneak away to the cabin again.”
“Like the specifics of my definition.” She heard the wistfulness in her own voice, but couldn’t suppress a frustrated sigh.
He settled on his side, hand supporting his head. “How is Dhane? Wasn’t he given the same injection as you?”
She nodded. “The Garrans gave him the counteragent and it reversed his shift. He’s doing much better.”
“I’m glad.” He stared off into the distance for a moment then said, “We’ve wasted enough time searching for Carly Ides. We were hoping she would lead us to the backers, but that’s obviously not going to happen. Tomorrow we’re going to resume our hunt for the backers’ other facilities.”
“Good.” She rolled to her side as well and snuggled into the heat of his body, her face resting on his chest. “Now stop avoiding the issue. If we use some of the dragon’s blood for my definition will that make me a Guardian?”
“It’s forbidden. Guardians are always male. Females are not able to gather enough energy at one time to manifest a full-scale dragon. It might seem unfair, but it’s a fact.”
“When’s the last time a female tried?”
He chuckled, his chest rumbling beneath her cheek. “The purpose of a Guardian is to protect the Omni Prime and the Historian, but the title actually refers to the blood. I am Guardian of what remains of the ancient ones, the dragons.”
“That’s an interesting fact, but it didn’t answer my question.” She pushed up with her arm and looked into his eyes as she waited from him to respond.
“I know what you’re thinking and it’s a fascinating idea. But to my knowledge, no female has ever survived the Guardian ceremony.”
“I’m hard to kill, just ask the backers.”
“As far as I know, there is only one vial of blood left in the world. Once it’s gone, Guardians will be extinct, just like dragons. I can only use the ancient blood to create my successor, which hopefully will be our son.”
“But what if two Guardians could create a new race of dragon-shifters?” She let the possibility hang in the air between them, fascinating and tempting. “Wouldn’t that be worth a couple drops of the ancient blood?”
“One step at a time. I think we should use my blood for your definition and see how your body reacts.”
“I’d be a Therian raptor?” She wasn’t sure why she was disappointed. The possibility of becoming a raptor had thrilled her before she’d realized there was something even more powerful to covet.
“My bloodline is old and powerful even without Guardian abilities. And being defined by my blood will increase the chances that we can conceive.”
“Will I be able to fly?”
“I honestly don’t know. Each person develops differently. My father could manifest wings. My mother could not. But I had a sister who was able to fly.”
“I didn’t realize you had siblings.”
“I had seven. Three brothers. Four sisters. I’ve kept track of their descendants, though we don’t really interact.”
“None of your brothers became a Guardian?”
“I was firstborn, as was my father. Guardians are created one at a time. When I create my successor, my life cycle will resume. I will grow old and die as would any other Therian.”
“Wow. That would make me reluctant to have children.”
He shook his head. “I’m not afraid to die. I’ve already lived far longer than I was meant to live.”
It saddened her to know that the tragedy surrounding Esmah had made him so gun-shy he hadn’t opened his heart again.
“Until now,” he reminded her, his tone growing sleepy.
The phrase made her smile, even though he’d responded to a thought, not a comment. So many changes and so many possibilities. It was still a little dizzying.
She relaxed into his embrace, content for the moment to contemplate all that life had in store for them.
* * * * *
A warm breeze caressed Devon’s face and she closed her eyes, savoring the gentle scents of spring. She’d been in her teens when her parents bought this house, but it still made her feel nostalgic. She detected freshly mowed grass and her mother’s beloved lilac bushes, then the wind shifted and smoke from the grill Ian was tending overshadowed the lighter scents.
“Can I sit down?” Kyle intruded on her reverie.
“I’m sure you can.” The corners of her mouth quirked as she opened her eyes.
He stood beyond the shade of the large patio umbrella, sunlight gleaming in his dark blond hair. “May I join you or would you rather be left alone?” The round table sat at the opposite end of the patio from the grill.
She motioned toward the empty seat across from her. “Where’s Ava?”
“She had plans with Carissa.” Kyle pulled out the chair and sat. The tension in his expression made it obvious he wanted to clear the air, but she wasn’t ready to indulge him.
“Carissa’s her sister?”
He nodded. “We need to—”
“This feels amazing.” She spread her arms and smiled. “Nothing like a month in a cage to make you appreciate fresh air and sunshine.”
“I had no way of knowing—”
“I don’t blame you for my kidnapping.” Maybe she was ready after all. “But surely you understand why I’m pissed.” She glanced toward the other end of the patio. Ian was pretending he wasn’t listening, but doubtlessly he could hear every word. Her mother must have gone back into the house for something. At the moment she was nowhere in sight.
“You feel betrayed.”
“Of course I feel betrayed.” She scooted to the edge of her seat and placed both hands on the table. “You claim to support the rebel cause yet you were willing to sell out your own sister.” The cool glass beneath her palms did little to soothe her raw emotions.
“It wouldn’t have surprised me coming from Dad, but you are supposed to be one of us.”
“It wasn’t like that.” His chin came up a notch and frustration hardened his features. “It was a negotiation. Lokesh made an offer and I asked if you would consider—”
“Would you have proposed the match to Ava?” She couldn’t believe he was defending his actions. All she’d wanted was a heartfelt apology.
“Ava’s my mate.”
“And I’m your sister! You declared war on Osric when he tried to barter the future of his daughters yet you did the same thing to me.”
He paused, gazing off into the distance for a moment before he went on in a calmer tone. “I’m not Osric and I resent the comparison. I never would have forced you to do anything.”
“You’re my brother.” Her voice caught and she angrily blinked back tears. “You punched Charlie Rehnquist in the face when he called me a bitch. You’ve always had my back. That’s why it hurt so badly when you threw me to the wolves. Or the jaguars in this case.”
“I asked a question,” he stressed. “All you had to do was say no and that would have ended it.”
“But I love you. I knew the other alphas were giving you hell. I would have done anything to help you succeed.” A tear escaped the corner of her eye and she immediately wiped it away.
Regret clouded his gaze, making his green eyes appear brown. “It was selfish and cruel. I am truly sorry.”
Her breath shuddered out and she nodded. “Then it’s over. I don’t want to fight anymore.”
Kyle came around the table and pulled her to her feet. “I love you, baby sister. Never doubt that for a minute.”
They hugged and Devon laughed as he spun her in a tight circle.
“Thank the gods that’s over,” Ian grinned. “Let’s eat.”
Chapter Thirteen
Ian pushed back from the table with an exaggerated groan. “That tasted way too good. You’d think I hadn’t eaten in a year.” The sun had dipped behind the mountains, casting twilight’s haze over the plains. He reached over and laced his fingers through Devon’s. She smiled at him, her gaze warm and welcoming.
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